Colemanite (Ca₂B₆O₁₁·5H₂O) is a natural and new precursor material for the synthesis of boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs). BNNTs have been synthesized from unprocessed colemanite for the first time. The reaction parameters such as time, catalyst type, catalyst amount and temperature were optimized. It was found that the BNNT formation follows the base growth mechanism, which was initiated with a complex of boron nitride (BN) and iron atoms. The obtained BNNTs were characterized by using SEM, TEM, and spectroscopic techniques such as UV–vis, Raman, FTIR and XRD. The BNNTs were randomly oriented and multi-walled with an outer diameter of 10–30 nm and a wall thickness of 5 nm. This novel BNNT synthesis method can be used to obtain high yield, low cost and pure BNNTs.

PH-Switchable, fluorescent, hybrid, water-dispersible nanomaterials based on boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) and grafted copolymer brushes (poly(acrylic acid-co-fluorescein acrylate) – P(AA-co-FA)) were successfully fabricated in a two-step process. The functionalization of BNNTs was confirmed by spectroscopic, gravimetric and imaging techniques. In contrast to “pure” BNNTs, P(AA-co-FA)-functionalized BNNTs demonstrate intense green fluorescence emission at 520 nm. Under neutral or alkaline pH values, P(AA-co-FA)-functionalized BNNTs are highly emissive in contrast to acidic pH conditions where the fluorescent intensity is absent or low. No increase in the absorption was observed when the suspension pH was increased from 7 to 10. The functionalized BNNTs are easily taken up by human normal prostate epithelium (PNT1A) and human prostate cancer cell lines (DU145) and are suitable for further evaluation in cellular imaging applications.

Many molecular modeling methods have been used for the discovery of new drugs and compounds. Human acetylcholinesterase (AchE), an important target for therapeutic drugs, is docked with AutoDock Vina software embedded in the UCSF Chimera, together with current drug ligands used in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and phytochemicals that slow the onset and progression of the disease. Considering protein ligand interactions, affinities and molecular properties, the variance map of the simulated quercetin-AchE complex yielded reasonable results with the molecular dynamics simulation program iMod server, and it can be said that this structure has the potential to act as an inhibitor.

Background: Gum Arabic (GA) is a natural polysaccharide widely recognized for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties; however, its functional behavior as a biopolymeric gel and the mechanisms underlying its selective effects on cancer-related redox microenvironments remain insufficiently characterized. It is imperative to note that the interaction between its physicochemical properties and its biological activity in colorectal cancer remains to be fully clarified. Methods: This study aimed to evaluate the antineoplastic potential of GA in human colorectal cancer (CRC) cell lines (HT-29 and HCT-116) compared to normal fibroblasts (MRC-5) using the MTS assay. Oxidative stress-related molecular responses were assessed by quantitative PCR analysis of GPX4, GSTA2, CAT, NFKB, and SOD1 expression. In parallel, extracellular concentrations of key metal ions (Fe²⁺, Zn²⁺, Mn²⁺, Mg²⁺, Cu²⁺, and Al³⁺) were quantified following GA exposure. To establish its functional gel characteristics, rheological measurements were performed to assess viscosity and shear-dependent behavior, and USP-compliant in vitro kinetic studies were conducted to evaluate time-dependent release properties. Results: GA induced dose-dependent cytotoxicity in HT-29 and HCT-116 colorectal cancer cells, while MRC-5 fibroblasts exhibited comparatively higher viability across the tested concentration range, indicating reduced sensitivity in normal cells. Rheological analysis revealed concentration- and ion-dependent viscoelastic behavior, identifying a 10% (w/w) GA formulation as optimal due to its balanced low-shear viscosity and controlled shear-thinning properties. Kinetic studies demonstrated a defined, diffusion-governed release profile under physiologically relevant conditions. At the molecular level, significant upregulation of GPX4 and GSTA2 was observed in both cancer cell lines, whereas NFKB expression increased selectively in HT-29 cells, with no notable changes in CAT or SOD1 expression. Additionally, GA treatment resulted in marked increases in Fe²⁺, Zn²⁺, and Mn²⁺ levels, indicating modulation of the redox–ionic microenvironment. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that GA functions as a natural, ion-responsive biopolymeric system with defined rheological and kinetic properties, capable of selectively targeting colorectal cancer cells through coordinated genetic and ionic regulation of oxidative stress. Collectively, the results position GA as a promising functional gel-based platform for future redox-modulated therapeutic strategies in colorectal cancer.

Objectives: The primary aim of this study is to immobilize glucose oxidase (GOX) as a model enzyme using a simple and efficient method without the use of any toxic chemicals. This will enable the multiple reusability of GOX, thereby reducing the process cost. Furthermore, the objective is to determine the kinetic, optimum pH, and temperature parameters in comparison to soluble GOX. Methods: For immobilization, GOX at a concentration of 5 mg/mL was mixed with an equal volume of hypol prepolymer in a beaker. Immobilization was achieved by the formation of amide bonds between –NH ₂ groups on the enzyme surface and the prepolymer. The activities of polyurethane foam (PUF)-immobilized and soluble GOX were monitored using horse radish peroxidase enzyme as a second enzyme. 2,2′-Azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid radical ABTS ⁺ generated as a result of the enzymatic reactions was detected at 420 nm. Results: The kinetic parameters for soluble GOX were Km=9.39 ± 1.13 mM and V _max =9.14 ± 0.45 A.U sec ⁻¹ × 10 ⁻⁴ , while for PUF-immobilized GOX Km=10.04 ± 1.30 mM and V _max =9.09 ± 0.49 A.U sec ⁻¹ × 10 ⁻⁴ . PUF-immobilized GOX displayed high performance during reuse experiments. PUF-immobilization led to the activity at higher temperatures and over a wide pH range compared to its soluble counterpart. Conclusions: GOX was successfully immobilized for the first time using PUF. This technique can be used in the healthcare and food sectors as well as in biosensor applications. In the future, when successfully applied to many enzymes of industrial value, it could offer significant advantages.