Role of stabilizing agents in the formation of stable silver nanoparticles in aqueous solution: Characterization and stability study

The stability of silver nanoparticles is controlled mainly by two major factors, namely, aggregation and oxidation. In the present study, silver nanoparticles were synthesized by using different series of reducing agents like a strong reducing agent (sodium borohydride), a mild reducing agent (tri-sodium citrate), and a weak reducing agent (glucose) with different capping agents, namely, polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP K 30), starch, and sodium carboxyl methyl cellulose (NaCMC). The synthesized silver nanoparticles were characterized by UV-Visible absorption spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and anti-microbial activity. The particle size of silver nanoparticles varies in the following order: sodium borohydride < tri-sodium citrate < glucose. Combination of sodium borohydride–polyvinyl pyrrolidone and tri-sodium citrate-polyvinyl pyrrolidone yields stable silver nanoparticles compared to other combinations of reducing agents and capping agents. The stability results confirmed that a refrigerated condition (8°C) was more suitable for storage of silver nanoparticles. Anti-microbial activity of silver nanoparticles synthesized in a sodium borohydride–polyvinyl pyrrolidone mixture shows a larger zone of inhibition compared to other silver nanoparticles. Anti-microbial results confirmed that the anti-microbial activity is better with smaller particle size. The size and stability of silver nanoparticles in the presence of different combinations of stabilizing and capping agents are reported.     

Integrated microfluidic platform for rapid antimicrobial susceptibility testing and bacterial growth analysis using bead-based biosensor via fluorescence imaging

The paper describes a droplet-based microfluidic method for phenotypic-based antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST). In particular, this micro-droplet-based phenotypic assay evaluates susceptibility of different bacterial strains towards antibiotics by tracking effects on individual bacterial cells, including changes in bacterial cell number and morphology. The platform was validated by applying the method to test the responses of E. coli ATCC 25922 and 6937 (a clinical isolate), in spiked urine samples at a concentration of 5 × 10⁴ cfu mL^?1, to the antibiotics ceftazidime and levofloxacin. Both E. coli strains showed dose-dependent inhibition of bacterial replication and morphological alteration. These correlated well with minimal inhibitory concentrations determined by the reference broth microdilution method. Discrete bacterial divisions and morphological changes were observed within 20 min of on-chip incubation, demonstrating performance of rapid AST directly on urine samples. As proof-of-concept, specific bead-based biosensors were tested for capture and detection of E. coli for on-bead proliferation. The method has the attractive feature of allowing the detection of at least one bacterium per bead in less than 30 min. It can potentially be used to isolate a specific bacterial strain directly from patient urine samples for AST monitoring.

Open image in new window

Graphical Abstract (A) Schematic of the droplet microfluidic chip for bacterial detection and Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing (AST); (B) Time lapse proliferation images of green fluorescent protein expressing E. coli in droplets. (C) Bacterial proliferation on the bead-based sensor.

     

Synthesis of new heterocycles through the reaction of β-lapachone with 1,2-diamines using Triton X-100 surfactant as catalyst in aqueous medium

An efficient and an environmentally benign protocol has been developed for the synthesis of new naphtha-azaquinoxaline and naphtha-benzoquinoxaline derivatives from the reaction of β-lapachone, a naturally occurring 1,2-naphthoquinone with various 1,2-diamines using surfactant as catalyst in aqueous medium. This method has advantage of easy handling and good yield of products in shorter time. The structures were assigned with the help of analytical and ¹H, ¹³C NMR, IR, and mass spectral studies.     

Isolation and Functional Characterization of a Novel Seed-Specific Promoter Region from Peanut

The importance of using tissue-specific promoters in the genetic transformation of plants has been emphasized increasingly. Here, we report the isolation of a novel seed-specific promoter region from peanut and its validation in Arabidopsis and tobacco seeds. The reported promoter region referred to as groundnut seed promoter (GSP) confers seed-specific expression in heterologous systems, which include putative promoter regions of the peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) gene 8A4R19G1. This region was isolated, sequenced, and characterized using gel shift assays. Tobacco transgenics obtained using binary vectors carrying uidA reporter gene driven by GSP and/or cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoters were confirmed through polymerase chain reaction (PCR), RT-PCR, and computational analysis of motifs which revealed the presence of TATA, CAAT boxes, and ATG signals. This seed-specific promoter region successfully targeted the reporter uidA gene to seed tissues in both Arabidopsis and tobacco model systems, where its expression was confirmed by histochemical analysis of the transgenic seeds. This promoter region is routinely being used in the genetic engineering studies in legumes aimed at targeting novel transgenes to the seeds, especially those involved in micronutrient enhancement, fungal resistance, and molecular pharming.     

Kinetics and mechanism of oxidation of L-ascorbic acid by platinum(IV) in aqueous acid medium

The oxidation of l-ascorbic acid (H₂A) by platinum(IV) in aqueous acid medium exhibits overall second-order kinetics, being first order with respect to each reactant. Increasing both hydrogen and chloride ion concentrations inhibits the rate. The stoichiometry involves reaction of one platinum(IV) ion with H₂A to give dehydroascorbic acid. A reaction mechanism consistent with all the experimental observations is proposed.     

Application of Fragment‐Based Screening to the Design of Inhibitors of Escherichia coli DsbA

The thiol‐disulfide oxidoreductase enzyme DsbA catalyzes the formation of disulfide bonds in the periplasm of Gram‐negative bacteria. DsbA substrates include proteins involved in bacterial virulence. In the absence of DsbA, many of these proteins do not fold correctly, which renders the bacteria avirulent. Thus DsbA is a critical mediator of virulence and inhibitors may act as antivirulence agents. Biophysical screening has been employed to identify fragments that bind to DsbA from Escherichia coli. Elaboration of one of these fragments produced compounds that inhibit DsbA activity in vitro. In cell‐based assays, the compounds inhibit bacterial motility, but have no effect on growth in liquid culture, which is consistent with selective inhibition of DsbA. Crystal structures of inhibitors bound to DsbA indicate that they bind adjacent to the active site. Together, the data suggest that DsbA may be amenable to the development of novel antibacterial compounds that act by inhibiting bacterial virulence.     

Modelling matrix damage and fibre–matrix interfacial decohesion in composite laminates via a multi-fibre multi-layer representative volume element (MRVE)

A three-dimensional multi-fibre multi-layer micromechanical finite element model was developed for the prediction of mechanical behaviour and damage response of composite laminates. Material response and micro-scale damage mechanism of cross-ply, [0/90]_ns, and angle-ply, [±45]_ns, glass-fibre/epoxy laminates were captured using multi-scale modelling via computational micromechanics. The framework of the homogenization theory for periodic media was used for the analysis of the proposed ‘multi-fibre multi-layer representative volume element’ (M²RVE). Each layer in M²RVE was represented by a unit cube with multiple randomly distributed, but longitudinally aligned, fibres of equal diameter and with a volume fraction corresponding to that of each lamina (equal in the present case). Periodic boundary conditions were applied to all the faces of the M²RVE. The non-homogeneous stress–strain fields within the M²RVE were related to the average stresses and strains by using Gauss’ theorem in conjunction with the Hill–Mandal strain energy equivalence principle. The global material response predicted by the M²RVE was found to be in good agreement with experimental results for both laminates. The model was used to study effect of matrix friction angle and cohesive strength of the fibre–matrix interface on the global material response. In addition, the M²RVE was also used to predict initiation and propagation of fibre–matrix interfacial decohesion and propagation at every point in the laminae.     

Lie Regular Generators of General Linear Groups

In this article, we introduce the idea of Lie regular elements and study 2 × 2 Lie regular matrices. It is shown that the linear groups GL(2, ?_{2 ⁿ} ), GL(2, ? _{p ⁿ} ), and GL(2, ?_2p ) (where p is an odd prime) can be genrated by Lie regular matrices. Presentations of linear groups GL(2, ?₄), GL(2, ?₆), GL(2, ?₈), and GL(2, ?₁₀) are also given.     

On Representations of Classical Groups Over Principal Ideal Local Rings of Length Two

We study the complex irreducible representations of special linear, symplectic, orthogonal, and unitary groups over principal ideal local rings of length two. We construct a canonical correspondence between the irreducible representations of all such groups that preserves dimensions. The case for general linear groups has already been proved by the author.