Wide varieties of antibacterial medical materials coated with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are developed. However, studies about coating surgical are scare. Stable coated polypropylene (PP) surgical suture with spherical AgNPs (PP/Ag nanocomposite) was prepared using an optimized aqueous dipping method. Homogenous and linear distribution of AgNPs on the PP surface was verified by scanning electron microscope and atomic force microscopy combined to the bright field image. Quantitative analyses of the silver content were measured by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy and showed a grafting rate of 8 × 10−4%. Surface‐enhanced Raman scattering investigations confirmed the grafting of AgNPs on the surface of surgical suture and highlighted the regioselective adsorption of polyvinylpyrrolidone on the AgNPs via the AgO interactions. Finally, PP/Ag nanocomposite has shown a good stability in biological medium (saline solution NaCl 0.9%) and prominent biocompatibility against human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Antibacterial performances of PP/Ag nanocomposite against gram‐positive and gram‐negative colonies of bacteria were also investigated.

Coronavirus is an ongoing global pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Coronavirus disease 2019 known as COVID-19 is the worst pandemic since World War II. The outbreak of COVID-19 had a significant repercussion on the health, economy, politics, and environment, making coronavirus-related issues more complicated and becoming one of the most challenging pandemics of the last century with deadly outcomes and a high rate of the reproduction number. There are thousands of different types — or variants — of COVID circulating across the world. Viruses mutate all the time; it emphasizes the critical need for the designing of efficient vaccines to prevent virus infection, early and fast diagnosis, and effective antiviral and protective therapeutics. In this regard, the use of nanotechnology offers new opportunities for the development of novel strategies in terms of prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of COVID-19. This review presents an outline of the platforms developed using plasmonic nanoparticles in the detection, treatment, and prevention of SARS-CoV-2. We select the best strategies in each of these approaches. The properties of metallic plasmon NPs and their relevance in the development of novel point-of-care diagnosis approaches for COVID-19 are highlighted. Also, we discuss the current challenges and the future perspectives looking towards the clinical translation and the commercial aspects of nanotechnology and plasmonic NP-based diagnostic tools and therapy to fight COVID-19 pandemic. The article could be of significance for researchers dedicated to developing suitable plasmonic detection tools and therapy approaches for COVID-19 viruses and future pandemics.

Background & Objectives: Heterocyclic pyrimidine and pyrazole rings have attracted the interest of medicinal chemists because of their pharmacological potential including antimicrobial activity. Based on molecular hybridization, new chalcones 6a-g and pyrimidines 7a-g based on a pyrazole scaffold were designed. Methods: The synthesis of these compounds involved mild condensation reactions between compound 4 and various aromatic aldehydes in a mixture of ethanol/NaOH (95:5 v/v) to give the corresponding chalcones 6a-g. These chalcones were further reacted with urea in the presence of a base in ethanol to produce the pyrimidine derivatives 7a-g. These new candidates were screened for their in vitro antimicrobial activities and molecular docking studies were evaluated. Results: The antibacterial and antifungal studies of all synthesized compounds against the strains tested showed that compounds 6c, d, and 7c, d exhibited the highest antibacterial and antifungal activities. In addition, the structure-activity relationship and docking studies are discussed. Conclusion: The synthesized compounds 6c, 6d, 7c, and 7d showed the highest antibacterial and antifungal activities against the tested strains.

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