Alagappa University is a public university located in Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu, India. Originated from Alagappa Arts College, founded by Alagappa Chettiar in 1947, it was established in 1985 by an Act of the Tamil Nadu government. It was converted from a unitary type to an affiliating type by the Tamil Nadu Universities Act, 2002, with jurisdiction over arts and science colleges in the districts of Ramanathapuram district and Sivaganga district. The government colleges in the above districts have become the constituent colleges of Alagappa University..
Dengue and chikungunya are arboviral diseases mainly vectored by the mosquito Aedes aegypti. Presently, there is no treatment for these viral diseases and their prevention is still based on vector control measures. Nanopesticides fabricated using herbal extracts as reducing and capping agents currently represent an excellent platform for pest control. In this scenario, the present study assessed the acute toxicity of seven plants employed in ethno-veterinary medicine of southern India, as well as the green synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles, on third-instar larvae of A. aegypti. Larvae were exposed to extracts of the seven plants obtained with solvents of different polarity (acetone, ethanol, petroleum ether, and water) for 24 h. Maximum efficacy was observed for Lobelia leschenaultiana leaf extracts prepared using all the four solvent extracts (LC50 = 22.83, 28.12, 32.61, and 36.85 mg/L, respectively). Therefore, this plant species was used for the synthesis and stabilization of ZnO nanoparticles based on its maximum efficacy against third-instar larvae of A. aegypti. L. leschenaultiana-encapsulated ZnO nanoparticles showed 100% mortality when tested at 10 mg/L, the LC50 was extremely low, 1.57 mg/L. Zinc acetate achieved only 65.33% when tested at 60 mg/L, with a LC50 of 51.62 mg/L. Additionally, ZnO nanoparticles inhibited growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus vulgaris, Shigella sonnei, and Vibrio parahaemolyticus and also inhibited biofilm formation on selected microbila pathogens, showing impact on EPS production and hydrophobicity. Overall, our results suggest that L. leschenaultiana-fabricated ZnO nanoparticles have a significant potential to control A. aegypti mosquitoes and Gram-negative bacterial pathogens.
NiO/rGO nanocomposites have been synthesized by the hydrothermal method. The various amounts of prepared NiO/rGO nanocomposite were incorporated with perovskite material for fabricating the perovskite solar cells (PSCs). The structure of NiO/rGO-CH3NH3PbI3 based PSC is FTO/c-TiO2/m-TiO2/NiO/rGO-CH3NH3PbI3/Carbon. The present NiO/rGO-CH3NH3PbI3 based PSC obtained a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 15.27
Enterococcus faecium, a member of the ESKAPE pathogens, has become a significant clinical threat due to its rapidly increasing resistance to frontline antibiotics. This gram-positive bacterium has developed multidrug resistance through prolonged exposure to hospital environments, posing serious risks to immunocompromised patients. The present study aimed to identify novel therapeutic targets from the E. faecium genome and to explore the potential of marine natural products as anti-quorum sensing agents. A comprehensive subtractive proteomics pipeline incorporating non-human homology, essentiality, subcellular localization, druggability, and pathway uniqueness identified the accessory gene regulator A protein (AgrA) as a key target involved in quorum sensing, biofilm formation, and virulence. Following structural quality assessment, a hierarchy-based virtual screening of MNPs from the CMNPD and SPECS natural product libraries was carried out to identify potential AgrA inhibitors. The virtual screening workflow shortlisted three promising MNPs (CMNPD6428, CMNPD30814, and SPECS AE-765) with favourable binding affinities and pharmacokinetic properties. Docking scores ranged from − 7.46 to − 8.01 kcal/mol, and MM/GBSA binding free energy calculations (≤ − 50 kcal/mol) further supported their strong interactions. Pharmacokinetic evaluation indicated acceptable safety profiles. Density functional theory analysis confirmed the chemical stability and reactivity of the compounds through HOMO–LUMO energy gap assessment. Finally, 500 ns molecular dynamics simulations and principal component analysis–based free energy landscape mapping validated the structural stability and sustained binding of the identified MNPs within the AgrA binding pocket. Overall, this study highlights three promising MNPs as potential anti-quorum sensing leads against E. faecium, offering a foundation for future therapeutic development.
This review examines the potential role of coconut-derived nutritional supplements in influencing Parkinson’s disease risk and progression by modulating oxidative stress and mitochondrial function. Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by the death of dopaminergic neurons, mitochondrial damage, and increased oxidative stress. Nutritional approaches have garnered attention as adjunctive therapeutic strategies. The natural products of coconut, including coconut oil, coconut milk, coconut water, and coconut kernel, are rich in fatty acids, antioxidants, vitamins, and other essential minerals, which can have neuroprotective effects. Additionally, evidence suggests an inverse correlation between coconut consumption and the PD prevalence. Consequently, nutrients obtained from coconut products represent promising natural neuroprotective agents for the prevention and management of PD. Further studies ought to focus more on clinical trials to confirm the effectiveness of coconut-based supplements and explain the underlying neuroprotective effects of these supplements in the management of PD.
This work presents the development of a nickel-based alloy and Ni-W-SnO2 designed to replace chromium plating, which is known for its toxic, corrosive, and carcinogenic properties. This study is focused on improving surface properties, corrosion resistance and wear resistance of the coatings. Nickel-Tungsten alloy was electrodeposited using a nickel sulfate electroplating bath, with various amounts of SnO2 particulates co-deposited uniformly in the nickel-tungsten alloy matrix. Nickel-tungsten and nickel-tungsten-tinoxide composite coatings were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, x-ray diffraction analysis and microhardness. XRD analysis showed that, the (111) plane was dominant in both the Ni-W alloy and the Ni-W-SnO2 composite, confirming an FCC crystal structure. SEM images indicated finer grains and a uniform dispersion of SnO2 particles within the Ni-W matrix. The microhardness of the coating increased with the incorporation of SnO2. Corrosion resistance was assessed using Tafel polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in a 3.5% sodium chloride medium. These outcomes indicate that, optimized content of SnO2 in the nickel-tungsten alloy matrix improved the surface properties of the nanocomposite coatings, resulting in reasonable microhardness, a smooth surface, lower friction coefficients, remarkable wear resistance, and better corrosion resistance.
