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Pest outbreaks are among the major factors that affect agroecosystems, subsequently leading to the excessive use of fertilizers and toxic pesticides, polluting the environment and causing serious health concerns. This indiscriminate use of conventional pest-controlling chemicals has led to the development of pesticide resistance, affecting soil fertility. Ultimately, there is a need to find alternative means to manage pest situations. In this regard, nanotechnology has emerged as a novel technique with a wide range of applications in agrochemical and Phyto-protection systems to control pests to a significant extent. Nanoparticles are being used in different nanoformulations of pesticides, insecticides, and nanobiopesticides with broad-spectrum biopesticidal potential, which could be fabricated by using various metals like silver, zinc, alumina, copper, gold, and titanium. However, further research is required to understand the interaction between the metals and the natural biopolymers needed for their reduction during nanoparticle formulation. Keeping in view the importance of the issue, the current review encompasses a detailed discussion of pest-related issues including crop losses and their global impact followed by the mechanism of pesticide resistance and demand for biopesticides. Furthermore, the role of nanobiopesticides in pest control has been highlighted briefly with their mode of action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This current study is designed to incorporate sericin protein as a reducing, capping, and stabilizing agent to synthesize sonication‐mediated silver nanoparticles. Fabrication of sericin‐reduced silver nanoparticles (Sr‐AgNPs) is confirmed using UV–visible spectrophotometry, zeta sizer, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X‐Ray diffraction (XRD), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). UV–Vis spectral peak of Sr‐AgNPs is observed at 420–440nm while the average size is found between 3 to 30 nm. SEM also confirms the reduction of large‐sized (1–40 µm) sericin macromolecules into nanometric hexagonal and triangular silver nanoparticles with a normal distribution (polydispersity index > 0.5). FTIR peaks from 500 to 4000cm−1 are analyzed for sericin while Sr‐AgNPs peaks with minor shifts (700–1000 cm−1 (COOCO stretching) in Sr‐AgNPs) are also observed. XRD peaks of 2θ at 27° with multiple low peaks at 38.2°, 47°, 49°, and 63.8° authenticate the amorphous nature of sericin and sharp peaks at 36°, 48°, 54.3°, and 61.9° with miller indices (hkl) of 98, 111, 200, and 211, assess the crystalline structure of Sr‐AgNPs. TGA reveals that sericin enhances the stability of silver NPs at high temperature (200–600 °C) by lowering the percentage weight loss from 70–80% to 60–65%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Present study was aimed to assess the bactericidal potential of sericin‐capped silver nanoparticles (Se‐AgNPs) synthesized by heat, light, and sonication. Se‐AgNPs were characterized by size analyzer, UV spectrophotometry, energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Average size of Se‐AgNPs synthesized by heat, light and sonication was 53.60, 78.12, and 7.49 nm, respectively. All (10) bacterial strains were exposed to Se‐AgNPs prepared from different methods to compare their antibacterial potentials. Largest zone of inhibition (13 ± 1.15 mm) was observed for sonication‐based nanoparticles (NPs) against Klebseilla pneumoniae while the smallest zone of light assisted NPs against Serratia rubidaea (5 ± 1 mm). Bacterial strains were also exposed to different concentrations (0.2%, 0.3%, and 0.6%) of Se‐AgNPs which showed largest zone (12 ± 1 mm) of inhibition for 0.4% of Se‐AgNPs against Protius mirabilis and smallest zone (5 ± 1.154 mm) for 0.3% of Se‐AgNPs against Escherichia coli. Furthermore, effect of different temperatures (5°C, 37°C, and 60°C) and pH (3, 7, and 12) on the efficacy and stability of Se‐AgNPs was also evaluated against different bacterial strains. Sonication mediated NPs showed highest bactericidal results against K. pneumoniae (F3,8 = 6.154; p = 0.018) with smallest size NPs (7.49 nm) while lowest bactericidal results against S. rubidaea (5 ± 1 mm) were shown with largest size (78.12 nm) NPs prepared by natural light. These variations of bactericidal activities of NPs with difference size endorse that the Se‐AgNPs with smallest size have highest antibacterial activity than larger size NPs. Moreover, Se‐AgNPs maintain their bactericidal potency at wide range of temperature and pH, hence seemed stable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In modern age, excessive screen time (EST) among children has turn out to be a growing concern, with studies suggesting a link to speech delay. This review seeks to inspect the correlation between EST and speech delay in children. It begins by analyzing prevalence and contributing factors of EST among children and then examined the potential mechanisms by which EST may affect speech development, including decreased social interaction, decreased language exposure, and delayed auditory processing. In addition, various studies in the literature investigated the relationship between EST and speech delay in children. These studies have produced contradictory results, with some indicating a significant correlation between two variables and others finding none. Precincts of previous research, such as small sample sizes, inconsistent measurement of screen time and speech development, and failure to account for confounding variables were also discussed. This article emphasized the growing concern over EST among children and its potential impact on language development. It highlighted the need for additional research to better understand this relationship and devise effective strategies to minimize adverse effects of EST on speech development. Because studies in this area are observational, it is impossible to establish a cause-and-effect relationship between EST and delayed speech development. Therefore, more research is required to fathom connection between prolonged exposure to electronic screens and speech delay in infants and young children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The antibacterial activity of synthetic antimicrobial agents is well known, but most of them have several side effects and are effective against selective microbes. Recently, major concern for the microbiologists is to investigate for some stable, non‐toxic, cheap, and eco‐friendly antimicrobial agents with a wide range of bactericidal potential. A cost‐effective and environmentally friendly alternate has been proposed in the form of green synthesized nanoparticles. The Present study was designed to fabricate sericin‐coated silver nanoparticles (S‐AgNPs) using sericin as stabilizer and reductant of silver ions and their antibacterial potential was evaluated at various concentrations and temperatures (8, 40, and 50°C). Antimicrobial activities were assessed by the agar well diffusion method. Antibacterial activity of S‐AgNPs was measured at different concentrations (1–6 mg/ml) whereas; antifungal activity was tested at 5–20 mg/ml of S‐AgNPs. Nanoparticles were characterized by UV–visible spectrophotometer, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. These nanoparticles significantly subdued the growth of Clostridium difficile (18.7 ± 0.9 mm), Proteus mirabilis (12.3 ± 0.3 mm) and Bacillus licheniformis (10.7 ± 0.9 mm) and Aspergillus flavus (18.7 ± 2.0 mm), Mucor mycetes (13.0 ± 1.5 mm), Candida albicans (15.3 ± 0.3 mm) and Aspergillus niger (10.0 ± 0.6 mm). S‐AgNPs were stable at all temperatures and the maximum growth inhibition was found at 8°C for all pathogenic strains. We concluded that the S‐AgNPs could be a potential candidate to inhibit the growth of bacterial and fungal pathogens at a wide range of environmental conditions like temperature. In various biomedical applications including antimicrobial and wound dressings, S‐AgNPs can be used in the future to treat various bacterial and fungal infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]