Facile synthesis of nano silver ferrite (AgFeO2) modified with chitosan applied for biothiol separation

Silver nanoparticle as an alternate to antibiotics in cattle semen during cryopreservation

The proposed study was to determine if the silver nanoparticles can be used as potential antimicrobial agents and can replace the use of conventional antibiotics in semen without affecting the motility and fertility of semen. The silver nanoparticles prepared by chemical reduction method were confirmed by determination of the wavelength of surface plasmon resonance peak and further characterized using Zetasizer by determining their size, polydispersity index, and zeta potential. The nanoparticles were assessed for antibacterial activity and their concentration was optimized for use in semen extender for cryopreservation. Cryopreserved semen was further evaluated for seminal parameters, antioxidant parameter, and microbial load. Prepared silver NPs showed a plasmon resonance peak at 417 nm wavelength. NPs were found to possess antibacterial activity and were supplemented in semen extender @ 125 and 250 µg/ml for semen cryopreservation. There was a significant increase in pre and post-freezing motility and other seminal parameters. The microbial load of frozen-thawed semen of control and supplemented groups were well within the permissible limits. Lipid peroxidation levels were reduced in NPs supplemented groups, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were significantly reduced in semen supplemented with 125 µg/ml NPs. Thus it can be conclude that silver NPs can be successfully used as a substitute for antibiotics in cattle bull semen cryopreservation with good antimicrobial activity and no adverse effects on sperm characteristics.

An introductory review on advanced multifunctional materials

This review summarizes the applications of some of the advanced materials. It included the synthesis of several nanoparticles such as metal oxide nanoparticles (e.g., Fe₃O₄, ZnO, ZrOSO₄, MoO_3-x, CuO, AgFeO₂, Co₃O₄, CeO₂, SiO₂, and CuFeO₂); metal hydroxide nanosheets (e.g., Zn₅(OH)₈(NO₃)₂·2H₂O, Zn(OH)(NO₃)·H₂O, and Zn₅(OH)₈(NO₃)₂); metallic nanoparticles (Ag, Au, Pd, and Pt); carbon-based nanomaterials (graphene, graphene oxide (GO), graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄), and carbon dots (CDs)); biopolymers (cellulose, nanocellulose, TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofibers (TOCNFs), and chitosan); organic polymers (e.g. covalent-organic frameworks (COFs)); and hybrid materials (e.g. metal-organic frameworks (MOFs)). Most of these materials were applied in several fields such as environmental-based technologies (e.g., water remediation, air purification, gas storage), energy (production of hydrogen, dimethyl ether, solar cells, and supercapacitors), and biomedical sectors (sensing, biosensing, cancer therapy, and drug delivery). They can be used as efficient adsorbents and catalysts to remove emerging contaminants e.g., inorganic (i.e., heavy metals) and organic (e.g., dyes, antibiotics, pesticides, and oils in water via adsorption. They can be also used as catalysts for catalytic degradation reactions such as redox reactions of pollutants. They can be used as filters for air purification by capturing carbon dioxide (CO₂) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). They can be used for hydrogen production via water splitting, alcohol oxidation, and hydrolysis of NaBH₄. Nanomedicine for some of these materials was also included being an effective agent as an antibacterial, nanocarrier for drug delivery, and probe for biosensing.

Chitosan-Based Polymer Nanocomposites for Environmental Remediation of Mercury Pollution

Mercury is a well-known heavy metal pollutant of global importance, typically found in effluents (lakes, oceans, and sewage) and released into the atmosphere. It is highly toxic to humans, animals and plants. Therefore, the current challenge is to develop efficient materials and techniques that can be used to remediate mercury pollution in water and the atmosphere, even in low concentrations. The paper aims to review the chitosan-based polymer nanocomposite materials that have been used for the environmental remediation of mercury pollution since they possess multifunctional properties, beneficial for the adsorption of various kinds of pollutants from wastewater and the atmosphere. In addition, these chitosan-based polymer nanocomposites are made of non-toxic materials that are environmentally friendly, highly porous, biocompatible, biodegradable, and recyclable; they have a high number of surface active sites, are earth-abundant, have minimal surface defects, and are metal-free. Advances in the modification of the chitosan, mainly with nanomaterials such as multi-walled carbon nanotube and nanoparticles (Ag, TiO₂, S, and ZnO), and its use for mercury uptake by batch adsorption and passive sampler methods are discussed.

Use of metal nanoparticles for preconcentration and analysis of biological thiols

Metal nanoparticles (NPs) exhibit several unique physicochemical properties, including redox activity, surface plasmon resonance, ability to quench fluorescence, biocompatibility, or a high surface-to-volume ratio. They are being increasingly used in analysis and preconcentration of thiol containing compounds, because they are able to spontaneously form a stable Au/Ag/Cu-S dative bond. They thus find wide application in environmental and particularly in medical science, especially in the analysis of biological thiols, the endogenous compounds that play a significant role in many biological systems. In this review article, we provide an overview of various types of NPs that have been applied in analysis and preconcentration of biological thiols, mainly in human biological fluids. We first discuss shortly the types of NPs and their synthesis, properties, and their ability to interact with thiol compounds. Then we outline the sample preconcentration and analysis methods that were used for this purpose with special emphasis on optical, electrochemical, and separation techniques.

Utility of Atmospheric-Pressure Chemical Ionization and Photoionization Mass Spectrometry in Bottom-Up Proteomics

In a typical bottom-up proteomics workflow, proteins are enzymatically cleaved, and the resulting peptides are analyzed by HPLC with electrospray ionization (ESI) tandem mass spectrometry. This approach is practical and widely applied. It has, however, limitations mostly related to less efficient or even inefficient ionization of some peptides in ESI sources. Gas-phase ionization methods like atmospheric-pressure chemical ionization (APCI) or atmospheric-pressure photoionization (APPI) offer alternative ways of detecting various analytes. This work is a systematic study of the ionization efficiencies of peptides in ESI, APCI, and APPI and the applicability of the mentioned ionizations in proteomics. A set of peptide standards and bovine serum albumin digests were examined using a high-resolution mass spectrometer coupled to an ultra HPLC system. Since the ionization efficiency in APCI and APPI depends strongly on experimental conditions, the ion source settings and mobile phase compositions were optimized for each ionization technique. As expected, tryptic peptides were best detected using ESI. The numbers of chymotrypsin peptides successfully detected by ESI, APPI, and APCI were comparable. In the case of Glu-C digest, APPI detected the highest number of peptides. The results suggest that gas-phase ionization techniques, particularly APPI, are an interesting alternative for detecting peptides and delivering complementary data in proteomics.

Improvement of Transfection with PepFects Using Organic and Inorganic Materials

Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) are a promising non-viral vector for gene and drug delivery. CPPs exhibit high cell transfection, and are biocompatible. They can be also conjugated with organic and inorganic nanomaterials, such as magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs), graphene oxide (GO), metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), and chitosan. Nanomaterials offered a high specific surface area and provided relatively straightforward methods to be modified with biomolecules including CPPs and oligonucleotides (ONs). Novel nanomaterials conjugates with CPP/ONs complexes are therefore of interest for cell transfection with high efficiency. In this chapter, we described a summary of the non-viral vectors consisting of CPPs and nanomaterials. The book chapter also included a protocol to generate hybrid biomaterials consisting of CPPs and nanoparticles (NPs) for the delivery of oligonucleotides. The conjugation of NPs with CPPs serves as an effective platform for gene therapy with high cell transfection efficiency. The protocol is simple, offers high cell transfection compared to the CPPs-ONs complexes, and can be used for further improvements using external stimuli.

Material-assisted mass spectrometric analysis of low molecular weight compounds for biomedical applications

Low molecular weight compounds play an important role in encoding the current physiological state of an individual. Laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (LDI MS) offers high sensitivity with low cost for molecular detection, but it is not able to cover small molecules due to the drawbacks of the conventional matrix. Advanced materials are better alternatives, showing little background interference and high LDI efficiency. Herein, we first classify the current materials with a summary of compositions and structures. Matrix preparation protocols are then reviewed, to enhance the selectivity and reproducibility of MS data better. Finally, we highlight the biomedical applications of material-assisted LDI MS, at the tissue, bio-fluid, and cellular levels. We foresee that the advanced materials will bring far-reaching implications in LDI MS towards real-case applications, especially in clinical settings.

Electrostatic deposition assisted preparation, characterization and evaluation of chrysin liposomes for breast cancer treatment

Chrysin (CHR), a flavone found in multiple vegetables, fruits and mushrooms has been explored so far as a neurotropic, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer biomolecule. Despite the stated therapeutic potential, low solubility and bioavailability limit its therapeutic benefit. To circumvent these drawbacks, development of chrysin liposomes (CLPs) is reported in the present investigation. The CLPs were developed by electrostatic deposition assisted film hydration method using chitosan/lecithin to protect chrysin in the nano-lipoidal shell. Developed CLPs were extensively characterized by DSC, XPRD, FE-SEM, TEM, particle size, polydispersity index, zeta potential, percent drug loading and encapsulation efficiency. These CLPs were further characterized by in vitro dissolution, in vivo bioavailability, in vitro anticancer and stability study. Suitable particle size, PDI and ZP implying stabilization of developed CLPs. The % DL and % EE was found to be 3.56 ± 0.13 and 90.5 ± 1.49 respectively. DSC and PXRD study revealed amorphous transition of CHR, which may help to increase its solubility and dissolution profile. In vivo pharmacokinetic study demonstrated more than 5-fold increase in relative bioavailability of CLPs. The in silico molecular docking study results demonstrated the electrostatic interaction between two polymers. The present study suggests that chitosan could protect and encapsulate chrysin which eventually enhances its cytotoxicity as well as bioavailability.

Nanobiotechnology as a platform for the diagnosis of COVID-19: a review

A sensitive method for diagnosing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is highly required to fight the current and future global health threats due to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV 2). However, most of the current methods exhibited high false‐negative rates, resulting in patient misdiagnosis and impeding early treatment. Nanoparticles show promising performance and great potential to serve as a platform for diagnosing viral infection in a short time and with high sensitivity. This review highlighted the potential of nanoparticles as platforms for the diagnosis of COVID-19. Nanoparticles such as gold nanoparticles, magnetic nanoparticles, and graphene (G) were applied to detect SARS-CoV 2. They have been used for molecular-based diagnosis methods and serological methods. Nanoparticles improved specificity and shorten the time required for the diagnosis. They may be implemented into small devices that facilitate the self-diagnosis at home or in places such as airports and shops. Nanoparticles-based methods can be used for the analysis of virus-contaminated samples from a patient, surface, and air. The advantages and challenges were discussed to introduce useful information for designing a sensitive, fast, and low-cost diagnostic method. This review aims to present a helpful survey for the lesson learned from handling this outbreak to prepare ourself for future  pandemic.

Antimicrobial activity of silver-carbon nanoparticles on the bacterial flora of bull semen

The spermicidal effects of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) hinder its application in the field of artificial insemination. In this study, silver-carbon NPs (Ag@C NPs) was synthesized and applied as an alternative antibiotic agent for bull semen extender. Ag@C NPs were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), atomic absorption flame spectroscopy, transmission electron microscope (TEM), and high-resolution TEM (HR-TEM). Data analysis revealed the successful synthesis of Ag@C NPs with a particle size of 1-5 nm (average particle size of 2.5 nm) embedded into carbon. The antimicrobial activity of Ag@C NPs was tested against bacteriospermia of fresh semen collected from five fertile bulls (three ejaculates/bull). Escherichia coli (E. Coli), Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) were isolated from fresh semen samples and identified by culture, staining, and conventional biochemical tests. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of Ag@C NPs against bacteriospermia was determined at 5 and 37 °C. Ag@C NPs showed efficient antimicrobial activity (MIC: 3.125-12.5 μg/mL) against the tested strains and strong bactericidal effect on S. aureus, and P. aeruginosa (MBC: 3.125 μg/mL), with no detrimental effect (P ˃ 0.05) on the percentage of sperm motility (70.71 ± 4.82; 74.65 ± 4.46), plasma membrane integrity (68.39 ± 4.31; 72.38 ± 4.91), acrosome integrity (88.40 ± 13.21; 86.77 ± 14.23), and normal sperm morphology (86.85 ± 7.43; 87.82 ± 8.15) at concentrations of 15 and 30 μg/mL, respectively, after a cold storage of 48 h. However, Ag@C NPs showed a detrimental effect on sperm parameters in a dose dependent manner at concentrations ≥60 μg/mL. Ag@C NPs showed no adverse effect on the sperm's ultrastructure with limited sperm internalization at MIC. In conclusion, Ag@C NPs could be used as an alternative antibiotic agent for bull semen extender without a significant cytotoxic effect on the sperm during cold storage. However, further investigations for their effects on embryo production and female genitalia are still required.

Retracted Article: Synergistic action of star-shaped Au/Ag nanoparticles decorated on AgFeO2 for ultrasensitive SERS detection of a chemical warfare agent on real samples

It is a great challenge to design and fabricate a cost-effective surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrate with excellent reproducibility and sensitivity for reliable environmental analysis. In this work, we have synthesized silver ferrite (AgFeO₂) interlinked with star-shaped gold/silver (Au/Ag) bimetallic (BM) nanoparticles (NPs) by a simple physical method for the effective detection of an acetylcholinesterase (AchE) inhibitor, paraoxon ethyl (PE). The successful construction of AgFeO₂@Au/Ag NPs was confirmed by UV-Vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The enhancement of the SERS signal is achieved by the synergistic effect of the charge transfer mechanism and electromagnetic mechanism. The Raman peak centered at 1357 cm^-1 was selected as an ideal peak for the quantitative analysis of PE. The AgFeO₂@Au/Ag NPs can detect PE down to 1 × 10^-8 M with a high analytical enhancement factor of 3.53 × 10⁶ and excellent uniformity, as determined randomly from 14 spots (relative standard deviation, RSD, <15%). The recovery values of PE in tap water and tomato juice were from 93.16% to 99.16%. All these results suggest that our proposed SERS substrate has promising potential for the detection of PE. The proposed simple strategy for PE detection by SERS using AgFeO₂@Au/Ag NPs paves the way for future reliable environmental analysis and real sample monitoring.

Chitosan enhances gene delivery of oligonucleotide complexes with magnetic nanoparticles-cell-penetrating peptide

Gene-based therapies, including the delivery of oligonucleotides, offer promising methods for the treatment of cancer cells. However, they have various limitations including low efficiency. Herein, cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs)-conjugated chitosan-modified iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles (CPPs-CTS@MNPs) with high biocompatibility as well as high efficiency were tested for the delivery of oligonucleotides such as plasmid pGL3, splice correction oligonucleotides, and small-interfering RNA. A biocompatible nanocomposite, in which CTS@MNPs was incorporated in non-covalent complex with CPPs-oligonucleotide, is developed. Modifying the surface of magnetic nanoparticles with cationic chitosan-modified iron oxide improved the performance of magnetic nanoparticles-CPPs for oligonucleotide delivery. CPPs-CTS@MNPs complexes enhance oligonucleotide transfection compared to CPPs@MNPs or CPPs. The hydrophilic character of CTS@MNPs improves complexation with plasmid pGL3, splice correction oligonucleotides, and small-interfering RNA payload, which consequently resulted in not only strengthening the colloidal stability of the constructed complex but also improving their biocompatibility. Transfection using PF14-splice correction oligonucleotides-CTS@MNPs showed sixfold increase of the transfection compared to splice correction oligonucleotides-PF14 that showed higher transfection than the commercially available lipid-based vector Lipofectamine™ 2000. Nanoscaled CPPs-CTS@MNPs comprise a new family of biomaterials that can circumvent some of the limitations of CPPs or magnetic nanoparticles.

Impact of Crystal Types of AgFeO2 Nanoparticles on the Peroxymonosulfate Activation in the Water

A simple co-precipitation method was developed to synthesize AgFeO₂ nanoparticles (NPs) with hexagonal 2H and 3R polytypes coexistence. The ratio of 2H and 3R types in AgFeO₂ NPs were regulated by controlling the calcination temperature (300, 400, and 500 °C). Such AgFeO₂ NPs were used as heterogeneous catalysts to activate peroxymonosulfate (PMS) for the removal of Orange I (OI) in the water. External water conditions effects and the stability of AgFeO₂ NPs were investigated. The catalytic performance of AgFeO₂ NPs was found to be significantly enhanced with the increasing content of 2H-AgFeO₂. ¹O₂, O₂^•-, SO₄^•-, and •OH were identified as the dominating reactive oxygen species (ROSs) participated in the catalytic process. The electron transfer of Ag⁰/Ag⁺ and Fe²⁺/Fe³⁺ cycles facilitated the decomposition of PMS to generate ROSs. The surface hydroxyl groups (-OH) were regarded as the catalytic active sites. The higher 2H-AgFeO₂ content in AgFeO₂ NPs promoted the concentration of surface hydroxyl groups ( C_-OH) and the reactivity of AgFeO₂ NPs for PMS activation. Based on theoretical calculations, the 2H-AgFeO₂ (004) plane with more Fe sites was more conducive to binding with the -OH compared to the 3R-AgFeO₂ (012) plane, ascribed to the stronger adsorption energy and shorter Fe-O bond length between 2H-AgFeO₂ and -OH.

Ionic Liquid-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization-Mass Spectrometry: Matrices, Microextraction, and Separation

Ionic liquids (ILs) have advanced a variety of applications, including matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS). ILs can be used as matrices and solvents for analyte extraction and separation prior to analysis using laser desorption/ionization-mass spectrometry (LDI-MS). Most ILs show high stability with negligible sublimation under vacuum, provide high ionization efficiency, can be used for qualitative and quantitative analyses with and without internal standards, show high reproducibility, form homogenous spots during sampling, and offer high solvation efficiency for a wide range of analytes. Ionic liquids can be used as solvents and pseudo-stationary phases for extraction and separation of a wide range of analytes, including proteins, peptides, lipids, carbohydrates, pathogenic bacteria, and small molecules. This review article summarizes the recent advances of ILs applications using MALDI-MS. The applications of ILs as matrices, solvents, and pseudo-stationary phases, are also reviewed.

Magnetic nanoparticle modified chitosan for surface enhanced laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry of surfactants

Chitosan (CTS) modified magnetic nanoparticles (CTS@Fe₃O₄MNPs) offer dual functions for the detection of surfactants using surface enhanced laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (SELDI-MS).

Vancomycin loaded superparamagnetic MnFe2O4 nanoparticles coated with PEGylated chitosan to enhance antibacterial activity

Increasing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant and failed-treatment make more investigations to deal with these problems. Hence new therapeutic approaches for effective treatment are necessary. Ferrite superparamagnetic nanoparticles have potentially antibacterial activity. In this study we prepared MnFe2O4 superparamagnetic nanoparticles as core by precipitation method and used chitosan crosslinked by glutaraldehyde as shell, then modified with PEG to increase stability of particles against RES. Chitosan coating not only improves the properties of ferrit nanoparticles but also has antibacterial activity. FT-IR confirmed this surface modification; XRD and SEM were developed to demonstrate particle size approximately 25 nm and characteristics of crystal structure of these nanoparticles. Magnetic properties of nanoparticles were evaluated by VSM. Actual drug loading and releasing were examined by UV-vis spectroscopy method. We employed liquid broth dilution method to assessment antibacterial activity of nanoparticles against microorganisms. Significant antibacterial effect against gram negative bacteria was developed.

One-pot synthesis of CuFeO2 nanoparticles capped with glycerol and proteomic analysis of their nanocytotoxicity against fungi

One-pot synthesis of cuprous ferrite (CuFeO₂) nanoparticles modified with glycerol (glycerol@CuFeO₂ NPs) using oligol and reducing agent was reported.

Delafossite Nanoparticle as New Functional Materials: Advances in Energy, Nanomedicine and Environmental Applications

Recently, numerous delafossite oxides in nanoscale have been reported for diverse applications. The present review summarized the recent overall views of delafossite nanoparticles in diverse applications such as energy, catalysis, photocatalysis, nanomedicine, sensors, electrochemical devices and environmental concerns. Delafossite nanoparticles possess unique features such as different and wide chemical composition, large surface area, small energy gap, ability for further functionalization, possess dual-active sites with different oxidation states (A+and M3+), and eager for doping with various species with feasibility to undergo structure modification. Thus, they provided promising application such as solar cell, photocatalysis, hydrogen production, bioactive materials, separation purposes and others. Pros, cons, current and future status were also reviewed.

Synthesis and multifunctional applications of quantum nanobeads for label-free and selective metal chemosensing

Due to the importance of quantum dots (QDs), fervent research continues for new preparations, surface modification and investigation of further applications.

Synthesis, characterization and bifunctional applications of bidentate silver nanoparticle assisted single drop microextraction as a highly sensitive preconcentrating probe for protein analysis

Synthesis, characterization and bifunctional applications of silver nanoparticles with two different surface capping reagents are reported.

Facile synthesis of water soluble silver ferrite (AgFeO2) nanoparticles and their biological application as antibacterial agents

The syntheses and antibacterial activity of AgFeO₂ and AgFO₂ modified polyethylene glycols are reported.