Bharathiar University

About: Bharathiar University is a education organization based out in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Thin film & Adsorption. The organization has 5812 authors who have published 8628 publications receiving 143934 citations. The organization is also known as: BU.

COVID-19: an update on diagnostic and therapeutic approaches

Abstract: The unexpected pandemic set off by the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) has caused severe panic among people worldwide. COVID-19 has created havoc, and scientists and physicians are urged to test the efficiency and safety of drugs used to treat this disease. In such a pandemic situation, various steps have been taken by the government to control and prevent the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV- 2). This pandemic situation has forced scientists to rework strategies to combat infectious diseases through drugs, treatment, and control measures. COVID-19 treatment requires both limiting viral multiplication and neutralizing tissue damage induced by an inappropriate immune reaction. Currently, various diagnostic kits to test for COVID-19 are available, and repurposing therapeutics for COVID-19 has shown to be clinically effective. As the global demand for diagnostics and therapeutics continues to rise, it is essential to rapidly develop various algorithms to successfully identify and contain the virus. This review discusses the updates on specimens/samples, recent efficient diagnostics, and therapeutic approaches to control the disease and repurposed drugs mainly focusing on chloroquine/hydroxychloroquine and convalescent plasma (CP). More research is required for further understanding of the influence of diagnostics and therapeutic approaches to develop vaccines and drugs for COVID-19. [BMB Reports 2020; 53(4): 191-205].

Biochemical characteristics of tea fungus produced during kombucha fermentation

Abstract: Tea fungus is symbiotic culture of acetic acid bacteria and yeasts, widely used to produce kombucha tea. Due to the rich biomass in tea fungus, it can be utilized as protein supplement in animal feed. The present study aimed to analyze the biochemical characteristics of tea fungus with the effect of fermentation time. Proximate, amino acids, and elemental analysis of tea fungus produced during kombucha fermentation were studied along with total count of microflora. Results suggested that tea fungus is rich in crude protein, crude fibre, and amino acid lysine. The biochemical characteristics of tea fungus studied were increased throughout the fermentation time.

On the optical and thermal properties of in situ/ex situ reduced Ag NP’s/PVA composites and its role as a simple SPR-based protein sensor

Abstract: Silver/polyvinyl alcohol (Ag-PVA) nanocomposite films have been prepared via in situ generation of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) by the respective metallic salts and dispersion of preformed Ag NPs (ex situ synthesis) inside polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and its effect of sensing towards a model protein (bovine serum albumin—BSA) was investigated. The influence of Ag NPs, irrespective of their reduction methodology on the optical and the thermal properties of the PVA, had been investigated using UV–Vis spectrophotometer and differential scanning calorimetry. The absorption peak around 400 nm indicates the surface plasmon resonance response of Ag NPs. The interaction of the dispersed and preformed Ag NPs with the PVA chains is confirmed by the corresponding vibrational signatures of the PVA through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The changes in the glass transition and melting temperatures (Tg and Tm) of the pure PVA upon the presence of Ag NPs are reported using differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). The sizes of the synthesized Ag NPs are found to be in the range of 200 ± 10 nm for in situ reduction of silver nitrate (AgNO3) and 100 ± 10 nm for the external addition of preformed Ag NPs by sodium borohydride (NaBH4) reduction using scanning electron microscopy (SEM).