RSC Advances最新文献

Magnesium oxide nanomaterials (nano-MgO) have many advantages, such as environmentally benign, high thermal stability, no need of illumination, broad-spectrum antibacterial activity and more. However, its low activity has restricted the application in environmental purification and antibacterial disinfection. Herein, the equal volume impregnation–air calcination method was first used in the synthesis of nano-MgO and a series of nano-MgO with varying amounts of Li doping were prepared to enhance their antibacterial properties. Li doping leads to the distortion of MgO lattice structure and the presence of oxygen vacancies, enhancing oxygen absorption and alkalinity. This enhancement effectively promotes the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and maintains its high chemical reactivity. The Li doped nano-MgO at 100 μg mL⁻¹ showed a significant improvement in antibacterial activity, achieving the antibacterial ratio of 99.6% against Escherichia coli (E. coli). Moreover, the contribution of alkalinity, ROS, physical morphology effect, and dissolved ions (Mg²⁺ and Li⁺) to the antibacterial ability was further discussed. Especially, the results of dialysis tube test indirectly indicated that ROS played the crucial role in enhancing the antibacterial performance of nano-MgO. This study lays an essential foundation for further investigation into the antibacterial performance and mechanism of nano-MgO.

The benzodiazines (phthalazine, quinazoline, quinoxaline, and cinnoline) have emerged as attractive scaffolds for creating novel anticancer drugs. These nitrogen-containing heterocycles are intriguing because they have a variety of configurations and can change chemically, allowing us to tailor their pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic features. Numerous studies have found that derivatives of these compounds have potent anticancer properties via inhibiting topoisomerases, protein kinases, and receptor tyrosine kinases. These compounds impair critical processes that control cancer proliferation and survival. Most benzodiazine derivatives have achieved clinical success, demonstrating the heterocycles' therapeutic potential. The use of phthalazine, cinnoline, and quinazoline derivatives should open new avenues in developing better and more targeted cancer treatments. In this overview, we summarize recent advances in synthesizing these compounds and illustrate how they serve as promising chemotherapeutic agents. Therefore, current research organizes the latest information to provide a clearer picture of design strategies that boost efficacy and selectivity, allowing the identification of potential anticancer drug candidates down the line. This research study also highlights the need to establish heterocyclic derivatives as a promising source of new molecules for cancer treatment with improved efficacy and decreased effects.

Retraction of ‘Titanium dioxide nanoparticles induce mitochondria-associated apoptosis in HepG2 cells’ by Zhenglin Xia et al., RSC Adv., 2018, 8, 31764–31776, https://doi.org/10.1039/C8RA05132A.

Eu was successfully incorporated into Sb₂S₃ thin films for proficient photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) dye under visible light. In this work, we reported the effect of incorporating Eu ions into Sb₂S₃ thin films at different doping levels to tailor their structural, optical, electrical, and photocatalytic properties. Grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD) analysis revealed that the fabricated films exhibited an orthorhombic crystalline structure. Additionally, the GIXRD peaks shifted towards lower angles as the doping level increased. The Williamson–Hall method was used to estimate the effective crystallite size considering the strain components. The field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) characterisation demonstrated that the grain size decreased and a denser microstructure was observed as the Eu degree increased. The estimated optical band gap (E_g) value increases from 1.67 eV to 1.72 eV as the level of Eu doping rises from 0 to 8 at%, making the films suitable for photocatalytic applications. The photocatalytic activities of the pristine and Eu-doped Sb₂S₃ thin films were evaluated by the degradation of highly toxic Rhodamine B (RhB) dye under dark and various light conditions for 120 min. A remarkable photodegradation rate was achieved with the optimal doping level of 4 at% of Eu, demonstrating a 90.99% degradation of RhB. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements show that the lifespan of photoinduced electrons for 4 at% Eu³⁺ samples is approximately 10 fold higher than that of the pristine sample. In terms of chemical kinetics, the degradation of RhB by the Sb₂S₃:Eu (4 at% of Eu) photocatalyst was found to follow pseudo-first-order kinetics with a rate constant of 0.049 min⁻¹ under visible light irradiation. A conceivable molecular mechanism for photocatalytic degradation of the RhB dye by Sb₂S₃:Eu photocatalysts is also provided. These results highlight the potential of Eu-doped Sb₂S₃ thin films for advanced photocatalytic applications. Specifically, Sb₂S₃:Eu 4 at% exhibits favourable properties. Thus, it was concluded that these photocatalysts are highly suitable for the remediation of dye-contaminated wastewater.

Silver catalysed reactions have become an indispensable tool in organic synthesis due to their high efficiency, selectivity, and environmental friendliness. In this manuscript, the simple synthesis reaction generating 2-(phenylsulphinyl)benzo[d]oxazole derivatives via a silver-catalysed tandem condensation reaction is described. Starting from substituted 2-aminophenols or benzene-1,2-diamines, formaldehyde with substituted benzenethiols efficiently yields versatile biologically active 2-(phenylsulphinyl)benzo[d]oxazole derivatives and 2-(phenylsulphinyl)-1H-benzo[d]imidazole derivatives. These protocols were performed under mild reaction conditions, tested for wider substrate scope, and provide an economical approach for C(sp²)–sulphoxide bond formation.

A lipid-based nanocarrier system is a novel technique for the delivery of poorly soluble drugs through topical delivery. This study developed a dual-drug (luliconazole: LZ, and niacinamide: NM) loaded lipid nanocarrier (LN)-laden gel for the treatment of vaginal candidiasis. The LNs were prepared using cholesterol and soya-α-lecithin through a thin-film hydration technique. The average vesicle size, polydispersity index, and zeta potential of the optimized LZNMLNs were 126.40 ± 1.30 nm, 0.276, and −34.6 ± 0.8 mV, respectively, and the formulation showed the sustained release of both drugs over an extended period. Selected LZNMLNs were incorporated into a bio-adhesive gel. The optimized LZNMLNs-gel showed excellent viscosity, spreadability, and bio-adhesiveness. The optimized LZNMLNs-gel exhibited significantly higher permeation of LZ (1.46-fold) and NM (1.55-fold) than LZNM gel. The optimized LZNMLNs-gel showed significantly higher in vitro antifungal activity (ZOI = 34 ± 2 mm) than commercial Candid V gel (18 ± 1 mm). The optimized LZNMLNs-gel did not show any cytotoxicity against vaginal epithelial cells. The bioavailability of LZNMLNs-gel was significantly (P < 0.05) increased (1.94-fold for LZ and 1.33-fold for NM) compared to Candid V, with a decrease in total clearance indicating sustained release of the drug, which may lead to the maintenance of therapeutic concentration for an extended period. In vivo antifungal activity showed that the optimized LZNMLNs-gel completely treated the infection on the 7th day of treatment in an induced rabbit model, compared to the commercial gel (Candid V gel, 10 days). Based the findings, it can be concluded that LN-laden gel is an alternative carrier for improvement of the topical delivery of drugs for the treatment of vaginal candidiasis.

Polyphenols exhibit strong antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory but are limited by chemical instability and low bioavailability. To address these challenges, we developed polyphenol–amino acid conjugates that self-assemble into stable nanospheres, enhancing their stability and bioavailability. These nanoparticles demonstrate significantly improved ROS scavenging efficiency and promote cell proliferation in vitro. The incorporation of amino acids enhances biocompatibility and facilitates effective ROS elimination. The polyphenol–amino acid nanoparticles offer a multifaceted therapeutic strategy to mitigate oxidative stress, overcoming traditional antioxidant limitations through advanced nanotechnology. This approach contributes to the development of next-generation wound care solutions with enhanced efficacy and safety profiles.

Retraction of ‘FAM172A controls endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress related to NF-κB signaling pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma’ by Wenfeng Shen et al., RSC Adv., 2017, 7, 51870–51878, https://doi.org/10.1039/C7RA09918E.

This reply mainly deals with the scientific description of the comments on the structure of the published compound KBiFeMnO₅. The newly developed compound was prepared using a standard ceramic technology (high-temperature solid-state reaction technique). The high-purity ingredients (K₂CO₃, Bi₂O₃, Fe₂O₃ and Mn₂O₃) were taken stoichiometrically to create a single-phase compound, whereas, in the commented article, KBiFeMnO₅ is written as sillenite Bi₂₅FeO₄₀ or/and Bi₂₄Mn₂O₄₀ that is unacceptable without other detailed experiments.

Background: H. pylori is recognized as one of the main causes of gastric cancer, and this type of cancer is considered as one of the leading diseases causing cancer deaths all over the world. Knowledge on the interactions between H. pylori and gastric carcinogenesis is important for designing preventive measures. Objective: the objective of this review is to summarize the available literature on H. pylori and gastric cancer, specifically regarding the molecular mechanisms, nanoparticle-based therapy and clinical developments. Methods: the databases including PubMed, Google Scholar and web of science were searched as well as papers from 2010 to 2024 were considered for review. Research literature on H. pylori, gastric cancer, nanoparticles, nanomedicine, and therapeutic interventions was summarized for current findings and possible treatments. Results: the presence of H. pylori in gastric mucosa causes chronic inflammation and several molecular alterations such as DNA alteration, epigenetic changes and activation of oncogenic signaling pathways which causes gastric carcinogenesis. Conventional antibiotic treatments have some issues because of the constantly rising levels of antibiotic resistance. Lipid based nanoformulations, polymeric and metallic nanoparticles have been delivered in treatment of H. pylori to improve drug delivery and alter immunological responses. Conclusion: nanoparticle based interventions have been widely explored as drug delivery systems by improving the treatment strategies against H. pylori induced gastric cancer. Further studies and clinical trials are required to bring these findings into a clinical setting in order to possibly alter the management of H. pylori related gastric malignancies.