This work presents the preparation of an efficient and sensitive glucose sensor for the detection of glucose in an alkaline media. The glucose sensor is composed of a metal organic framework (MOF) composite comprising Ag@TiO₂ nanoparticles. The hybrid of Ag@TiO₂ encapsulated in ZIF-67 was synthesized by the solvothermal method and applied onto a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) for the non-enzymatic sensing of glucose. The porosity of ZIF-67 was favorable for the unhindered diffusion and entrapment of glucose and its cavities served as reaction vessels. The electrochemical behavior of Ag@TiO₂@ZIF-67 showed amplified results when compared with that of Ag@TiO₂ and ZIF-67. Cyclic tests toward the oxidation of glucose has demonstrated excellent stability of a MOF-based hybrid sensor. The sensor based on Ag@TiO₂@ZIF-67 showed high sensitivity of 0.788 μAμM⁻¹cm⁻² with a linear concentration range of 48 μM⁻¹ mM and a response time of 5 s with an excellent detection limit of 0.99 μM (S/N = 3).

Significant progress has been made in the field of gene therapy, but effective treatments for brain tumors remain challenging due to their complex nature. Current treatment options have limitations, especially due to their inability to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and precisely target cancer cells. Therefore options that are safer, more effective, and capable of specifically targeting cancer cells are urgently required as alternatives. This current study aimed to develop highly biocompatible natural biopolymeric chitosan nanoparticles (CNPs) as potential gene delivery vehicles that can cross the BBB and serve as gene or drug delivery vehicles for brain disease therapeutics. The efficiency of the CNPs was evaluated via in vitro transfection of Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP)-tagged plasmid in HEK293-293 and brain cancer MG-U87 cell lines, as well as within in vivo mouse models. The CNPs were prepared via a complex coacervation method, resulting in nanoparticles of approximately 260 nm in size. In vitro cytotoxicity analysis revealed that the CNPs had better cell viability (85%) in U87 cells compared to the chemical transfection reagent (CTR) (72%). Moreover, the transfection efficiency of the CNPs was also higher, as indicated by fluorescent emission microscopy (20.56% vs. 17.79%) and fluorescent-activated cell sorting (53% vs. 27%). In vivo assays using Balb/c mice revealed that the CNPs could efficiently cross the BBB, suggesting their potential as efficient gene delivery vehicles for targeted therapies against brain cancers as well as other brain diseases for which the efficient targeting of a therapeutic load to the brain cells has proven to be a real challenge.

Green approaches for the synthesis of nanoparticles provide advantages due to the fact that green protocols are benign and environmentally friendly. Among various green recipes, biogenic synthesis of nanoparticles has recently emerged as an active area of research due to the simplicity of this method, with cost effective protocols, higher potential of reduction and low toxic effect on human health and the environment. Moreover, the biogenic reduction occurs at physiological conditions of temperature and pressure. The raw materials are easily available and therefore, the reaction can easily be scaled up. This paper presents a review to give an idea about the most reliable, cost-effective and environment friendly synthetic protocols for metal nanoparticles to control size, shape and dispersity. In this contribution, we have emphasized particularly various plants responsible, and investigated so far, for the synthesis of palladium nanoparticles. Based on the isolated compounds/metabolites such as polyols, polyphenols, flavonoids and proteins from the respective plant extracts, a correlation is established where such metabolites are linked with the biogenic syntheses of Pd nanoparticles. The present investigation and works reviewed lead us to recommend a few potential plants for the reduction of Pd²⁺ ions into Pd⁰ nanoparticles. This review not only summarizes the present literature but also highlights the potential of this field to open up new avenues for researchers.

Whitlockite, being the second most abundant bio-mineral in living bone, finds huge applications in tissue regeneration and implants and its synthesis into its pure form has remained a challenge. Although precipitation of whitlockite phase has been reported recently in many publications, effects of various parameters to control such phase as well as conditions for the bulk preparation of this extremely important bio-mineral have not been investigated so far. In this work, we report the precipitation of pure whitlockite phase using common precursors. As reported in the literature, whitlockite is stable in a narrow pH range, therefore; optimization of pH for the stabilization of whitlockite phase has been investigated. Additionally, in order to narrow down the optimum conditions for the whitlockite precipitation, effect of temperature and heating conditions has also been studied. The obtained solids were characterized using powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). From PXRD analysis, it was observed that heating the precursor’s mixture at 100 °C with subsequent aging at the optimized pH resulted in the precipitation of pure whitlockite phase. These results were further confirmed by TGA, SEM and Raman spectroscopy analysis and it was confirmed that the conditions reported here favor whitlockite precipitation without formation of any secondary phase. These reaction conditions were further confirmed by changing all the parameters like aging, heating time, feed rate of precursors one by one. From PXRD analysis of these samples, it was concluded that not only pH but temperature, heating time, aging time and feed rate effect simultaneously on the precipitation of pure whitlockite phase and a subtle change in any of these parameters could lead to the formation of undesired stable secondary calcium phosphate phases.