A Brief Overview of Potential Treatments for Viral Diseases Using Natural Plant Compounds: The Case of SARS-Cov

The COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the more general global increase in viral diseases, has led researchers to look to the plant kingdom as a potential source for antiviral compounds. Since ancient times, herbal medicines have been extensively applied in the treatment and prevention of various infectious diseases in different traditional systems. The purpose of this review is to highlight the potential antiviral activity of plant compounds as effective and reliable agents against viral infections, especially by viruses from the coronavirus group. Various antiviral mechanisms shown by crude plant extracts and plant-derived bioactive compounds are discussed. The understanding of the action mechanisms of complex plant extract and isolated plant-derived compounds will help pave the way towards the combat of this life-threatening disease. Further, molecular docking studies, in silico analyses of extracted compounds, and future prospects are included. The in vitro production of antiviral chemical compounds from plants using molecular pharming is also considered. Notably, hairy root cultures represent a promising and sustainable way to obtain a range of biologically active compounds that may be applied in the development of novel antiviral agents.     

Smartphone based bacterial detection using biofunctionalized fluorescent nanoparticles

We are describing immunochromatographic test strips with smart phone-based fluorescence readout. They are intended for use in the detection of the foodborne bacterial pathogens Salmonella spp. and Escherichia coli O157. Silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) were doped with FITC and Ru(bpy), conjugated to the respective antibodies, and then used in a conventional lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA). Fluorescence was recorded by inserting the nitrocellulose strip into a smart phone-based fluorimeter consisting of a light weight (40 g) optical module containing an LED light source, a fluorescence filter set and a lens attached to the integrated camera of the cell phone in order to acquire high-resolution fluorescence images. The images were analysed by exploiting the quick image processing application of the cell phone and enable the detection of pathogens within few minutes. This LFIA is capable of detecting pathogens in concentrations as low as 10⁵ cfu mL⁻¹ directly from test samples without pre-enrichment. The detection is one order of magnitude better compared to gold nanoparticle-based LFIAs under similar condition. The successful combination of fluorescent nanoparticle-based pathogen detection by LFIAs with a smart phone-based detection platform has resulted in a portable device with improved diagnosis features and having potential application in diagnostics and environmental monitoring.

The successful combination of fluorescent nanoparticle-based pathogen detection by lateral flow immunoassay with a smart phone-based detection platform has resulted in a portable device that enables rapid and reliable bacterial detection holding large potential in diagnostics and environmental monitoring

     

Application of He’s variational iteration method in nonlinear boundary value problems in enzyme– substrate reaction diffusion processes: part 1. The steady-state amperometric response

A mathematical model of amperometric biosensors has been developed. In this paper, He’s variational iteration method is implemented to give approximate and analytical solutions of non-linear reaction diffusion equations containing a non linear term related to Michaelis–Menten kinetic of the enzymatic reaction. The variational iteration method which produces the solutions in terms of convergent series, requiring no linearization or small perturbation. These analytical results are compared with available limiting case result and are found to be in good agreement.     

Mathematical modelling of steady-state concentration in immobilized glucose isomerase of packed-bed reactors

The theoretical model of the steady-state immobilized enzyme electrodes is discussed. This model is based on diffusion equation containing a non-linear term related to Michaelis–Menten kinetics of the enzymatic reaction. Homotopy perturbation method (HPM) is employed to solve the non-linear diffusion equation for the steady-state condition. Simple and approximate polynomial expression of concentration and flux are derived for all small values of parameters ${\phi_p}$ (Theiele modulus) and β (kinetic parameter). Furthermore, in this work the numerical solution of the problem is also reported using SCILAB/MATLAB program. The analytical results are compared with the numerical results and found to be in good agreement.     

Chimeras in random non-complete networks of phase oscillators

We consider the simplest network of coupled non-identical phase oscillators capable of displaying a "chimera" state (namely, two subnetworks with strong coupling within the subnetworks and weaker coupling between them) and systematically investigate the effects of gradually removing connections within the network, in a random but systematically specified way. We average over ensembles of networks with the same random connectivity but different intrinsic oscillator frequencies and derive ordinary differential equations (ODEs), whose fixed points describe a typical chimera state in a representative network of phase oscillators. Following these fixed points as parameters are varied we find that chimera states are quite sensitive to such random removals of connections, and that oscillations of chimera states can be either created or suppressed in apparent bifurcation points, depending on exactly how the connections are gradually removed.     

A facile regioselective 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition protocol for the synthesis of new class of quinolinyl dispiro heterocycles

The 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction of azomethine ylides generated in situ from isatin and secondary amino acids with quinolinyl dipolarophiles in refluxing methanol afforded new class of quinolinyl dispiro heterocycles with multi hetero core units. The regio and stereochemistry of the product was unambiguously assigned by ¹H, ¹³C, 2D NMR techniques and single crystal X-ray analysis. The structures of the compounds are stabilized through the presence of intermolecular hydrogen bonding and intramolecular non-covalent interactions.     

Growth and characterization of γ-glycine single crystals from cadmium chloride for optoelectronic applications

Single crystal of γ-glycine, an organic nonlinear optical material has been grown by solvent evaporation technique from the aqueous solutions of glycine and cadmium chloride at ambient temperature for the first time. The γ-phase of glycine is confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The crystal is in hexagonal system with non-centrosymmetric space group P31. The FTIR spectral analysis shows the functional group vibration of γ-phase glycine. UV–vis–NIR analysis reveals that the crystal has good optical transparency window in the entire visible and IR region. UV cut-off wavelength is at ∼350 nm. Thermal analysis shows the thermal stability, phase transition of the grown crystals and its melting point. Second harmonic generation efficiency of the crystal is about 1.7 times that of KDP.     

Programmed Photodegradation of Polymeric/Oligomeric Materials Derived from Renewable Bioresources

Renewable polymeric materials derived from biomass with built‐in phototriggers were synthesized and evaluated for degradation under irradiation of UV light. Complete decomposition of the polymeric materials was observed with recovery of the monomer that was used to resynthesize the polymers.     

Crystal Structure of Dimeric Cu(II) Complex {μ,μ'‐acetato O,O bis [N‐salicylidene‐2‐amino‐pyridine‐methanolato N,N,O]} : perchlorate

The crystal structure of the title complex has been solved using X‐ray diffraction data.The compound crystallizes from aqueous ethanol solvent in the triclinic system, space group P‐1, with unit cell parameters: a = 8.9532(1), b = 12.7423(3), c = 14.9012(3) Å, α = 73.767(1), β = 75.322(1), γ = 77.496(1)°, Z = 2, V = 1559.4(5) ų. The trial structure was determined by automated Patterson methods and subsequent difference Fourier techniques using DIRDIF98 and refined to a final R‐factor of 0.064. The copper ion Cu1 adopts a (4+1) square‐pyramidal geometry defined by the tridentate N‐salicylidimine dianions and the neutral monodentate pyridine ligand in the basal plane. The apical position is occupied by a solvent methanol molecule at a distance of 2.341(4) Å. The copper Cu2 adopts a square‐planar geometry.