Carbon nanotubes reinforced with natural/synthetic polymers to mimic the extracellular matrices of bone – a review

The persistent failure of conventional materials used in manufacturing orthopedic implants was due to the deficiency or poor integrations of implant materials to the juxtaposed bone and stress-strain imbalances between the interfaces of tissues and implant materials. Therefore, the fabrication of a suitable bioactive scaffold for bone tissue engineering is considered a vital requisite to mimic the extracellular bone matrix. Numerous researches were reported concerning the fabrication of a suitable bioactive scaffold to improve cell adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation so far. However, for the past two decades, the research on carbon nanotubes (CNTs)-reinforced composites employed in the biomedical field is increasing day-by-day because of its outstanding properties. Moreover, it is essential to choose a biocompatible polymer with greater affinity to act as an extracellular matrix as well as to attract CNTs and in facilitating the homogeneous distribution of CNTs in aqueous and organic solvents. The development of CNTs-based composites in bone tissue engineering is presented in this review based on the last 10 years of research. The detailed information about the structural-functions and defects of bone, and the importance of CNTs-functionalized natural and synthetic polymers, and their potential activity in bone regenerations and bone replacements have been reviewed.     

Practical Synthesis of both Enantiomeric Amino Acid,Mannich, and Aldol Derivatives by Asymmetric Organocatalysis

In this account, we describe our recent developments in organocatalyzed asymmetric methodologies for the practical synthesis of both enantiomers. The synthesis of both enantiomeric products by using both enantiomeric catalysts is the most traditional way. In addition, use of two pseudoenantiomeric catalysts provides a more practical approach for the synthesis of both enantiomeric products. Even more efficient is the use of a single enantiomeric catalyst in the presence or absence of certain additives for obtaining both enantiomeric products. These three different strategies are illustrated by using certain organocatalyzed asymmetric approaches.     

Effect of external pressure on Tc of as‐grown and thermally treated superconducting Rbx Fe2–ySe2 single crystals

We report on the effect of external pressure on the superconducting transition temperature (T_c) of as‐grown and thermally treated single crystals of superconducting iron chalcogenide Rb_0.85Fe_1.9Se₂. The superconducting transition temperature of 27.1 K at ambient pressure for the as‐grown sample was found to increase up to 33.2 K for the sample annealed for 3 h at 215 °C in vacuum. An increase of T_c up to 28.2 K was observed for the as‐grown sample at a pressure of 0.83 GPa. For all the studied crystals, annealed in the temperature range between 215 °C and 290 °C, the external pressure seems to decrease the superconducting transition temperature and a negative pressure coefficient of T_c was observed. (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Effect of andrographolide on cysteamine-induced duodenal ulcer in rats

The aim of this study was to evaluate the gastroprotective efficacy of andrographolide isolated from Andrographis paniculata in rats induced with duodenal ulcers. Duodenal ulcers were induced by cysteamine administration in rats pretreated with 3?mg?kg?1 BW?day?1 of andrographolide for 30 days. Ulcer score, myeloperoxidase activity, TBARS level, GSH/GSSG ratio and enzyme antioxidants were measured in the duodenal tissue. Brush border and basolateral membranes were isolated to assay sucrase, maltase, alkaline phosphatase and total ATPases. Ulcer score was significantly minimised in rats pretreated with andrographolide. Elevation in myeloperoxidase and TBARS levels were found to be minimised significantly due to andrographolide treatment. Membrane-bound enzyme activities and the thiol redox status of glutathione were significantly maintained in duodenal mucosa of rats that received andrographolide. This study reveals that the major component of A. paniculata, andrographolide, has potent antiulcer properties that are most likely caused by minimising inflammatory changes, counteracting free radical formation and maintaining the thiol redox status in the duodenum.     

Antioxidant and antibacterial activities of bark extracts from Commiphora berryi and Commiphora caudata

This study investigates the in vitro antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of eight extracts obtained from the dried barks of Commiphora berryi and Commiphora caudata (Burseraceae). The radical scavenging activity was assessed by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) and nitric oxide assays. The methanolic extracts of C. berryi and C. caudata showed significant DPPH radical scavenging activity, with IC?? values of 26.92 and 21.16?μg?mL?1, respectively, and low radical scavenging activity against the nitric oxide assay. The antimicrobial activity of the plants was tested against the Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The ethyl acetate, chloroform and petroleum ether extracts of C. berryi showed good antibacterial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 0.26?mg?mL?1, whereas the ethyl acetate and methanol extracts of C. caudata showed moderate antimicrobial activity with an MIC of more than 2.0?mg?mL?1 against P. aeruginosa compared to the petroleum ether and chloroform extracts, which showed an MIC of 1.1?mg?mL?1. The methanolic extracts of C. berryi and C. caudata also showed moderate cytotoxic activity against a human mammary carcinoma cell line (MCF-7), with values IC?? of 82.6 and 88.4?μg?mL?1, respectively.     

Functionalized Ag nanoparticles with tunable optical properties for selective protein analysis

We present a preparation procedure for small sized biocompatibly coated Ag nanoparticles with tunable surface plasmon resonances. The conditions were optimised with respect to the resonance Raman signal enhancement of heme proteins and to the preservation of the native protein structure.     

Silver nanoparticles embedded phosphomolybdate–polyaniline hybrid electrode for electrocatalytic reduction of H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>2</Subscript>

Hybrid silver/phosphophomolybdate/polyaniline (Ag/PMo12/PAni) was obtained through one pot synthesis, and then, it was successfully fabricated on the glassy carbon electrode by simple casting method for electrocatalytic reduction of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). The cyclic voltammetric studies of the Ag/PMo12/PAni hybrid electrode suggest that the electronic properties of the phosphomolybdate are retained even after the formation of hybrid material and in addition effectively electro-catalyzing the reduction of H₂O₂ with a less negative over potential. The Ag/PMo12/PAni-modified electrode showed the lowest detection limit (750 nM) for H₂O₂ reduction among the hybrid-modified electrodes already reported with a sensitivity of 4.398 nA μM⁻¹. The prepared hybrid material was well characterized by using UV, XRD and TEM analysis.     

Highly water-dispersible, mixed ionic-electronic conducting, polymer acid-doped polyanilines as ionomers for direct methanol fuel cells

Highly water-dispersible polymer acid-doped polyanilines have been synthesized and evaluated as an alternative for expensive Nafion ionomers in the anode of direct methanol fuel cells (DMFC). These polymers as ionomers lead to higher performance in single cell DMFC compared to Nafion ionomers due to mixed ionic-electronic conduction, water dispersibility, and co-catalytic activity.     

Magnetically recoverable magnetite/gold catalyst stabilized by poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) for aerobic oxidation of alcohols

Fe(3)O(4):PVP/Au nanocomposite synthesized via a two-step procedure was tested as a quasi-homogenous alcohol oxidation catalyst. It was found that the nanocomposite was able to carry out aerobic oxidation of alcohols in water at room temperature. Studies show rapid magnetic recoverability and reusability characteristics.     

Green Chemical Synthesis of N-Cholyl-L-Cysteine Encapsulated Gold Nanoclusters for Fluorometric Detection of Mercury Ions

Herein we report a simple, single-step, cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and biocompatible approach using sodium salt of N-cholyl-L-cysteine (NaCysC) capped gold nanoclusters (AuNCs) with green emission properties at above the CMC in aqueous medium under UV-light irradiation. The primary and secondary CMC of NaCysC was found to be 4.6 and 10.7 mM respectively using pyrene as fluorescent probe. The synthesized AuNCs exhibit strong emission maxima at 520 nm upon excitation at 375 nm with a large Stokes shift of 145 nm. The surface functionality and morphology of NCs are studied by fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, dymanic light scattering studies and transmission electron microscopy. The formation of AuNCs was completed within 5 h and exhibit high stability for more than 6 months. The NaCysC templated AuNCs selectively quenches the Hg²⁺ ions with higher sensitivity in aqueous solution over the other metal ions. The fluorescence analysis of Hg²⁺ showed a wide linear range from 15 to 120 µM and a detection limit was found to be 15 nM.