No abstract

We have produced ultra-small sized (20-50 nm diameter) calcium phosphate (CaP) nanoparticles encapsulating a reporter gene, pCambia 1301. The material in the nanoparticles is of crystalline nature having a hydroxyapatite structure as revealed from the XRD pattern. The maximum loading of pCambia 1301 in the nanoparticles and the pH-dependent dissolution of CaP nanoparticles were studied using gel electrophoresis. DNA is highly protected in the cell from cellular nucleases when it is encapsulated into the CaP nanoparticles. The transformation efficiency was found to be about 80.7% compared to 54.4% by Agrobacterium tumefaciens and only 8% using naked DNA. Our results indicate that CaP nanoparticles could be used as a better transforming vector in plants as compared to the Agrobacterium tumefaciens mediated genetic transformation technique. In our experiment we presume that the plasmid DNA released from CaP nanoparticles in the cell has, perhaps, been able to enter into the nucleus. Transgenic GUS (b-glucuronidase) integrates into the genomic DNA by non-homologous recombination as in the case of Agrobacterium tumefaciens infection. Because of high transformation frequency, the method seems to be an attractive option for delivering a transgene into plant cells and protoplast.

Polymers and transition-metal oxides have gained great interest as a photocatalyst in environmental remediation. They could be modified with each other in order to improve their activity. Here, a sunlight-responsive hierarchically structured ternary composite of nickel oxide, polyaniline, and reduced graphene oxide (NiO@PANI/RGO) has been synthesized and employed as a catalyst for dye [methylene blue (MB)] degradation. PANI/GO synthesized by interfacial polymerization acts as a matrix for the growth of NiO using a microemulsion solvothermal method, ensuing an in situ reduction of graphene oxide during the formation of a hierarchical NiO@PANI/RGO composite. Morphological studies of the as-synthesized NiO@PANI/RGO composite reveal fine NiO (10 nm) nanoparticles intercalated between the uniformly grown PANI spines (50–60 nm) over the RGO surface. The optical band gap of ∼1.9 eV calculated from the UV–vis spectrum illustrates the extended light absorption range for the NiO@PANI/RGO photocatalyst. The efficiency of 98% MB degradation within 11 min with the degradation rate constant 0.086 min –1 for NiO@PANI/RGO has surpassed any other report on metal oxide/graphene-based ternary composites. Overall, this work could pave the way for the fabrication of futuristic hierarchical structured ternary nanocomposites as an efficient photocatalyst and facilitate their application in the environmental protection issues.

Riluzole is the only available drug for motor neuron diseases quite well-known for its neuroprotective activity. But its poor aqueous solubility, short half-life with some side-effects at higher concentration poses a limitation to its use as a therapeutic agent. The present study was performed to investigate the therapeutic potential of nanoriluzole (NR), i.e., riluzole encapsulated in nanoparticles against cerebral ischemia (stroke) at three different concentrations [10 (NRL), 20 (NRM), and 40 (NRH) μg/kg body weight intraperitoneally (i.p.)]. Chitosan conjugated NIPAAM (N-isopropylacrylamide) nanoparticles coated with tween80 were synthesized through free radical polymerization. The particles were characterized with Transmission Electron Microscopy, Dynamic Light Scattering, and Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy and were found to have size of ∼50 nm. Cerebral ischemia was induced by Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion (MCAO) model for 1 h and NR was given intraperitoneally after 1 h of MCAO. Animals were dissected after a reperfusion period of 24 h for evaluation of various parameters. Triphenyl tetrazolium chloride staining shows substantial reduction in infarct size in all three treated groups. It was also supported by histopathological results, biochemical parameters, and behavioral studies. Immunological parameters like NOS-2, NF-kB, and COX-2 also show profound reduction in expression in NR treated groups. Thus, the present work clearly demonstrated that the nanoparticle was good enough to carry large amount of drug across the Blood Brain Barrier which results in significant neuroprotection even at a very low concentration. It also substantially lowered the required concentration by overcoming the poor aqueous solubility; hence hardly leaving any scope for side-effects.

IP was increased in 35% of patients with LC; however, it was not associated with a higher incidence of disease-related complications.