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Gulzar A, Ayoub N, Mir JF, Alanazi AM, Shah MA, Gulzar A. In vitro and in vivo MRI imaging and photothermal therapeutic properties of Hematite (α-Fe 2O 3) Nanorods. J Mater Sci Mater Med 2022; 33:10. [PMID: 35022850 PMCID: PMC8755697 DOI: 10.1007/s10856-021-06636-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Herein we report synthesis of hematite (α-Fe2O3) nanorods by calcinating hydrothermally synthesized goethite nanorods at 5000C. The structural, optical and MRI imaging guided cancer therapeutic properties of fabricated nanorods have been discussed in this manscript. FESEM and TEM imaging techniques were used to confirm the nanorod like morphology of as prepared materials. As we know that Fe2O3 nanorods with size in the range of 25-30 nm exhibit super magnetism. After coating with the PEG, the as prepared nanorods can be used as T2 MR imaging contrast agents. An excellent T2 MRI contrast of 38.763 mM-1s-1 achieved which is highest reported so far for α-Fe2O3. Besides the as prepared nanorods display an excellent photothermal conversion efficiency of 39.5% thus acts as an excellent photothermal therapeutic agent. Thus, we envision the idea of testing our nanorods for photothermal therapy and MR imaging application both in vitro and in vivo, achieving an excellent T2 MRI contrast and photothermal therapy effect with as prepared PEGylated nanorods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aanisa Gulzar
- Laboratory for Multifunctional Nanomaterials, P.G Department of Physics, National Institute of Technology Srinagar, Hazratbal, Srinagar, J&K, 190006, India
| | - Nowsheena Ayoub
- Laboratory for Multifunctional Nanomaterials, P.G Department of Physics, National Institute of Technology Srinagar, Hazratbal, Srinagar, J&K, 190006, India
| | - Jaffar Farooq Mir
- Laboratory for Multifunctional Nanomaterials, P.G Department of Physics, National Institute of Technology Srinagar, Hazratbal, Srinagar, J&K, 190006, India
| | - Amer M Alanazi
- Pharmaceutical Chemistry Department, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - M A Shah
- Laboratory for Multifunctional Nanomaterials, P.G Department of Physics, National Institute of Technology Srinagar, Hazratbal, Srinagar, J&K, 190006, India.
| | - Arif Gulzar
- Med X Institute, School of Biomedical Engineering Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200030, China.
- Hevesy Laboratory, Center for Nuclear Technologies, DTU Health Tech, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark.
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Hassam UA, Gulzar A, Rasool B, Zafar S, Younis T, Shakeel M, Khan D, Ullah S, Khaliq S, Ahmad SF, Hafeez M. Efficacy of Citrullus colocynthis seed extract on Earias vittella, Fabricius, (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae): environment sustainable approach. BRAZ J BIOL 2022; 84:e254479. [DOI: 10.1590/1519-6984.254479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract Earias vittellaFabricius, 1794 (Noctuidae: Lepidoptera) is deliberated to be one of the most destructive pests of cotton and okra vegetation in the world including Asia. The pest has established resistance to various synthetic insecticides. The use of bio-pesticide is one of the unconventional approaches to develop a vigorous ecosystem without harming non- target pests and beneficial natural insect fauna. In the present study, the toxicity levels of Citrullus colocynthis seed extract have been evaluated against the populations of E. vittellaunder standardized laboratory conditions. The toxic effects of C. colocynthis on development periods, protein contents and esterase activity of the life stages of E. vittella were also evaluated. The toxicity levels of methanol, ethanol, hexane, water and profenofos were evaluated on the 1st instar larvae of E. vittella. LC30 and LC80 concentrations exhibited the effectiveness of methanol-based C. colocynthis seed extract against 1st instar larvae of E. vitella. The enhanced larval and pupal periods were revealed in treated samples during the comparison with untreated samples. The intrinsic rate of increase, net reproductive rate in the LC30 and LC80 concentrations exposed larvae remained less than the control treatment. Fecundity, the esterase activity and protein contents were declined in LC30 and LC80 treated samples as compared to the control. The present findings suggest that C. colosynthis extracts based botanical insecticides are beneficial, ecosystem sustainable and can be integrated with insect management programs from environment safety perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- U. A. Hassam
- Pir-Meher Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Pakistan
| | - A. Gulzar
- Pir-Meher Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Pakistan
| | - B. Rasool
- Government College University Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - S. Zafar
- University of Education, Pakistan
| | - T. Younis
- Government College University Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - M. Shakeel
- Pakistan Agricultural Research Council, Pakistan
| | - D. Khan
- Pir-Meher Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Pakistan
| | - S. Ullah
- Pir-Meher Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Pakistan
| | - S. Khaliq
- Pir-Meher Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Pakistan
| | - S. F. Ahmad
- Pir-Meher Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Pakistan
| | - M. Hafeez
- Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, China
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Gulzar A, He F, Gulzar A, Kuang Y, Zhang F, Gai S, Yang P, Wang C. In situ oxygenating and 808 nm light-sensitized nanocomposite for multimodal imaging and mitochondria-assisted cancer therapy. J Mater Chem B 2021; 9:131-146. [PMID: 33226055 DOI: 10.1039/d0tb01967d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The efficiency of photodynamic therapy (PDT) is severely constrained due to the innate hypoxic environment, besides the elevated level of glutathione (GSH). To get rid of the hypoxic environment and higher concentrations of GSH in the solid tumors, we propose an approach of oxygen self-sufficient multimodal imaging-guided nanocomposite CaO2-MnO2-UCNPs-Ce6/DOX (abbreviated as CaMn-NUC), in which CaO2 nanoparticles in the hydrophobic layer were seated on the hydrophilic MnO2 sheet and conjugated with chlorin e6 (Ce6) loaded upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs-Ce6) via the click chemistry approach. CaMn-NUC was presented to overcome hypoxia and GSH-associated photodynamic resistance due to in situ oxygen generation and GSH reduction of MnO2 upon endocytosis, and a bulk amount of Mn2+ ions generated in the process under acidic tumor environment acts as the MRI contrast agent. Moreover, the MnO2 sheet protects Ce6 from self-degradation under irradiation; thus, it can be used to switch control of cellular imaging. Afterwards, in a regulated and targeted manner, the chemotherapeutic drug (doxorubicin hydrochloride, DOX) can be released with the degradation of CaMn-NUC in the acidic tumor microenvironment (TME). Thus, we testify a competent nanoplatform employing 808 nm-excited UCNPs-Ce6 for concurrent imaging and PDT in consideration of the large anti-Stokes shifts, deep penetration into biological tissues, narrow emission bands, and high spatial-temporal resolution of the UCNPs. Thus, our proposed nanoplatform postulates a strategy to efficiently kill cancer cells in a concentration- and time-dependent manner via the in situ oxygenation of solid tumor hypoxia to enhance the efficiency of multimodal imaging-guided chemo-photodynamic therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arif Gulzar
- Key Laboratory of Superlight Materials and Surface Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin, 150001, P. R. China.
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Gulzar A, Gulzar A, Ansari MB, He F, Gai S, Yang P. Carbon dioxide utilization: A paradigm shift with CO2 economy. Chemical Engineering Journal Advances 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ceja.2020.100013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
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Saqlain M, Munir MM, Rehman SU, Gulzar A, Naz S, Ahmed Z, Tahir AH, Mashhood M. Knowledge, attitude, practice and perceived barriers among healthcare workers regarding COVID-19: a cross-sectional survey from Pakistan. J Hosp Infect 2020; 105:419-423. [PMID: 32437822 DOI: 10.1101/2020.04.13.20063198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Accepted: 05/05/2020] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
A self-administered validated (Cronbach's alpha=0.077) questionnaire was used to assess knowledge, attitude and practice among healthcare workers (HCWs) in Pakistan regarding coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Findings showed that HCWs have good knowledge (93.2%, N=386), a positive attitude [mean 8.43 (standard deviation 1.78)] and good practice (88.7%, N=367) regarding COVID-19. HCWs perceived that limited infection control material (50.7%, N=210) and poor knowledge regarding transmission (40.6%, N=168) were the major barriers to infection control. Regression analysis indicated that pharmacists were more likely to demonstrate good practice than other HCWs (odds ratio 2.247, 95% confidence interval 1.11-4.55, P=0.025). This study found that HCWs in Pakistan have good knowledge, but there are gaps in specific aspects of knowledge and practice that warrant attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Saqlain
- Department of Pharmacy, Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - M M Munir
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - S U Rehman
- College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - A Gulzar
- Institute of Pharmacy, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - S Naz
- School of Pharmacy, University of Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Z Ahmed
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Sargodha, Sargodha, Pakistan
| | - A H Tahir
- Department of Pharmacy, Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - M Mashhood
- Department of Pharmacy, Government College University, Faisalabad, Pakistan
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Saqlain M, Munir MM, Rehman SU, Gulzar A, Naz S, Ahmed Z, Tahir AH, Mashhood M. Knowledge, attitude, practice and perceived barriers among healthcare workers regarding COVID-19: a cross-sectional survey from Pakistan. J Hosp Infect 2020; 105:419-423. [PMID: 32437822 PMCID: PMC7211584 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhin.2020.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 270] [Impact Index Per Article: 67.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Accepted: 05/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
A self-administered validated (Cronbach's alpha=0.077) questionnaire was used to assess knowledge, attitude and practice among healthcare workers (HCWs) in Pakistan regarding coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Findings showed that HCWs have good knowledge (93.2%, N=386), a positive attitude [mean 8.43 (standard deviation 1.78)] and good practice (88.7%, N=367) regarding COVID-19. HCWs perceived that limited infection control material (50.7%, N=210) and poor knowledge regarding transmission (40.6%, N=168) were the major barriers to infection control. Regression analysis indicated that pharmacists were more likely to demonstrate good practice than other HCWs (odds ratio 2.247, 95% confidence interval 1.11-4.55, P=0.025). This study found that HCWs in Pakistan have good knowledge, but there are gaps in specific aspects of knowledge and practice that warrant attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Saqlain
- Department of Pharmacy, Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - M M Munir
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - S U Rehman
- College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - A Gulzar
- Institute of Pharmacy, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - S Naz
- School of Pharmacy, University of Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Z Ahmed
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Sargodha, Sargodha, Pakistan
| | - A H Tahir
- Department of Pharmacy, Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - M Mashhood
- Department of Pharmacy, Government College University, Faisalabad, Pakistan
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Ayra-Pardo C, Raymond B, Gulzar A, Rodríguez-Cabrera L, Morán-Bertot I, Crickmore N, Wright DJ. Novel genetic factors involved in resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis in Plutella xylostella. Insect Mol Biol 2015; 24:589-600. [PMID: 26335439 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
The widespread and sustainable exploitation of the entomopathogen Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) in pest control is threatened by the evolution of resistance. Although resistance is often associated with loss of binding of the Bt toxins to the insect midgut cells, other factors have been implicated. Here we used suppressive subtractive hybridization and gene expression suppression to identify additional molecular components involved in Bt-resistance in Plutella xylostella. We isolated transcripts from genes that were differentially expressed in the midgut of larvae from a resistant population, following ingestion of a Bt kurstaki HD1 strain-based commercial formulation (DiPel), and compared with a genetically similar susceptible population. Quantitative real-time polymerase-chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis confirmed the differential basal expression of a subset of these genes. Gene expression suppression of three of these genes (P. xylostella cyclin-dependent kinase 5 regulatory subunit associated protein 1-like 1, stromal cell-derived factor 2-like 1 and hatching enzyme-like 1) significantly increased the pathogenicity of HD1 to the resistant population. In an attempt to link the multitude of factors reportedly influencing resistance to Bt with the well-characterized loss of toxin binding, we also considered Bt-resistance models in P. xylostella and other insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Ayra-Pardo
- Environmental Biotechnology Group, Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB), Havana, Cuba
| | - B Raymond
- Division of Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Ascot, Berkshire, UK
| | - A Gulzar
- Division of Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Ascot, Berkshire, UK
| | - L Rodríguez-Cabrera
- Environmental Biotechnology Group, Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB), Havana, Cuba
| | - I Morán-Bertot
- Environmental Biotechnology Group, Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB), Havana, Cuba
| | - N Crickmore
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK
| | - D J Wright
- Division of Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Ascot, Berkshire, UK
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