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Age-related inflammation or inflammaging is a critical deciding factor of physiological homeostasis during aging. Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are exquisitely associated with aging and inflammation and are one of the leading causes of high mortality in the elderly population. Inflammaging comprises dysregulation of crosstalk between the vascular and cardiac tissues that deteriorates the vasculature network leading to development of atherosclerosis and atherosclerotic-associated CVDs in elderly populations. Leukocyte differentiation, migration and recruitment holds a crucial position in both inflammaging and atherosclerotic CVDs through relaying the activity of an intricate network of inflammation-associated protein-protein interactions. Among these interactions, small immunoproteins such as chemokines play a major role in the progression of inflammaging and atherosclerosis. Chemokines are actively involved in lymphocyte migration and severe inflammatory response at the site of injury. They relay their functions via chemokine-G protein-coupled receptors-glycosaminoglycan signaling axis and is a principal part for the detection of age-related atherosclerosis and related CVDs. This review focuses on highlighting the detailed intricacies of the effects of chemokine-receptor interaction and chemokine oligomerization on lymphocyte recruitment and its evident role in clinical manifestations of atherosclerosis and related CVDs. Further, the role of chemokine mediated signaling for formulating next-generation therapeutics against atherosclerosis has also been discussed., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The effect of strain rate and temperature on the hyperelastic material stress-strain characteristics of the damaged porcine brain tissue is evaluated in this present work. The desired constitutive responses are obtained using the commercially available finite element (FE) tool ABAQUS, utilizing 8-noded brick elements. The model's accuracy has been verified by comparing the results from the previously published literature. Further, the stress-strain behavior of the brain tissue is evaluated by varying the damages at various strain rates and temperatures (13, 20, 27, and 37°C) under compression test. Additionally, the sensitivity analysis of the model is computed to check the effect of input parameters, that is, the temperature, strain rate, and damages on the material properties (shear modulus). The modeling and discussion sections enumerate the inclusive features and model capabilities., (© 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Tectona grandis Linn, commonly known as teak, is traditionally used to treat a range of diseases, including the common cold, headaches, bronchitis, scabies, diabetes, inflammation, and others. The present study was conducted with the purpose of isolating and identifying the active compounds in T. grandis leaf against a panel of Vibrio spp., which may induce vibriosis in shrimp, using bioassay-guided purification. The antimicrobial activity was assessed using the microdilution method, followed by the brine shrimp lethality assay to determine toxicity. Following an initial screening with a number of different solvents, it was established that the acetone extract was the most effective. The acetone extract was then exposed to silica gel chromatography followed by reversed-phase HPLC and further UHPLC-orbitrap-ion trap mass spectrometry to identify the active compounds. Three compounds called 1-hydroxy-2,6,8-trimethoxy-9,10-anthraquinone, deoxyanserinone B, and khatmiamycin were identified with substantial anti-microbial action against V. parahaemolyticus, V. alginolyticus, V. harveyi, V. anguillarum, and V. vulnificus. The IC 50 values of the three compounds viz. 1-hydroxy-2,6,8-trimethoxy-9,10-anthraquinone, deoxyanserinone B, and khatmiamycin varied between 2 and 28, 7 and 38, and 7 and 56 μg/mL, respectively, which are as good as the standard antibiotics such as amoxicillin and others. The in vivo toxicity test revealed that the compounds were non-toxic to shrimp. The results of the study suggest that T. grandis leaf can be used as a source of bioactive compounds to treat Vibrio species in shrimp farming., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Agriculture and changing environmental conditions are closely related, as weather changes could adversely affect living organisms or regions of crop cultivation. Changing environmental conditions trigger different abiotic stresses, which ultimately cause the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in plants. Common ROS production sites are the chloroplast, endoplasmic reticulum, plasma membrane, mitochondria, peroxisomes, etc. The imbalance in ROS production and ROS detoxification in plant cells leads to oxidative damage to biomolecules such as lipids, nucleic acids, and proteins. At low concentrations, ROS initiates signaling events related to development and adaptations to abiotic stress in plants by inducing signal transduction pathways. In plants, a stress signal is perceived by various receptors that induce a signal transduction pathway that activates numerous signaling networks, which disrupt gene expression, impair the diversity of kinase/phosphatase signaling cascades that manage the stress response in the plant, and result in changes in physiological responses under various stresses. ROS production also regulates ABA-dependent and ABA-independent pathways to mitigate drought stress. This review focuses on the common subcellular location of manufacturing, complex signaling mechanisms, and networks of ROS, with an emphasis on cellular effects and enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant scavenging mechanisms of ROS in Poaceae crops against drought stress and how the manipulation of ROS regulates stress tolerance in plants. Understanding ROS systems in plants could help to create innovative strategies to evolve paths of cell protection against the negative effects of excessive ROS in attempts to improve crop productivity in adverse environments.

The present study investigated the relationship between MSH3 and MSH6 genes in lung cancer patients. Genotyping of lung cancer patients and healthy controls was performed. Odds ratio values were calculated and survival analysis performed. Patients with mutant genotype (TT) for MSH6 polymorphism have 1.5-fold risk for the development of lung cancer (p = 0.03). For non-smokers, the mutant-type genotype had a threefold increased risk of lung cancer (p = 0.01). Patients administered with docetaxel and carbo/cisplatin and carrying GT genotype for MSH6 polymorphism, patients reported a decrease in median survival time (4.9 vs 9.13 months). MSH3 and MSH6 polymorphisms are involved in modulating the risk towards lung cancer. MSH6 polymorphism is associated with high mortality rate for patients undergoing cisplatin and docetaxel chemotherapy., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background and Objectives : The facial skin defects associated with aging are common concerns in the aging population. Hyaluronic-acid-based intradermal gels have established themselves as safe and effective treatments for addressing these concerns. Recently developed enriched products aim to enhance the efficacy of these gels, yet their effectiveness lacks thorough validation in the existing literature. Materials and Methods : In this retrospective analysis, we investigated the outcomes of intradermal gel treatments in 103 patients with soft tissue defects. This study included three groups: 35 patients received amino-acid-enriched hyaluronic acid gel, another 35 were treated with hydroxyapatite-enriched hyaluronic acid gel, and the remaining 33 underwent hyaluronic acid treatment only. The efficacy of the treatments was assessed using the Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale (GAIS) score, while patient satisfaction was gauged through a detailed questionnaire. Any adverse event was monitored. Results : The treatments demonstrated remarkable efficacy, as evidenced by mean GAIS scores of 1.714 points for those treated with amino acid-enriched hyaluronic acid gel, 1.886 points for individuals receiving hydroxyapatite-enriched hyaluronic acid gel, and 1.697 for those treated with hyaluronic acid alone, all showing statistical significance ( p < 0.0001). Patient satisfaction was very high. Significantly, there were no recorded instances of major adverse events. Conclusions : Hyaluronic gels, particularly those enriched with amino acids and hydroxyapatite, are effective and safe interventions for addressing facial skin aging defects. They serve as valuable tools in mitigating age-related blemishes and contribute to the overall improvement of skin aesthetics.

Background: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is an important cause of visual morbidity among preterm infants. The objective of the study was to assess the relationship between the initial hematological parameters of the complete blood count (CBC) and ROP development in preterm neonates., Method: This retrospective cohort study was conducted in a neonatal intensive care unit in Odisha. The hematological parameters of the CBC conducted within the first 48 hours of age, demographic characteristics, neonatal morbidities, and ROP screening findings of preterm neonates (gestational age <34 weeks) were analyzed. Independent risk factors associated with ROP development were identified in a multivariate logistic regression model., Result: A total of 43 (29.1%) out of 148 neonates had any of the ROP stages (stage 1-26, 2-08, and 3-09). Birth weight (aOR 0.003; 95% CI 0.00, 0.11);hemoglobin (Hb) level (aOR 0.70; 95% CI 0.54, 0.90); presence of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) (aOR 7.61; 95% CI 1.5, 36.39); and need for packed red blood cell (PRBC) transfusion (aOR 4.26; 95% CI 1.1, 16.44) were independently associated with ROP development. The odds of ROP were higher among the neonates with initial Hb 10.5-15.4 g/dL (OR (95% CI) 3.7(1.5, 8.9), p=0.003) and for neonates with Hb 15.4-17.3 g/dL (OR (95% CI) 2.5(1.01, 6.16), p=0.047) in comparison to neonates with initial Hb >17.3 g/dL., Conclusion: Preterm neonates with a lower level of Hb during the early postnatal days are at higher risk for ROP development and need to be prioritized for screening., Competing Interests: Human subjects: Consent was obtained or waived by all participants in this study. Institutional Ethics Committee, Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences, KIIT issued approval KIIT/KIIMS/IEC/524/2020. Animal subjects: All authors have confirmed that this study did not involve animal subjects or tissue. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work., (Copyright © 2024, Gudu et al.)

Conventional dendritic cells (cDC) are antigen-presenting cells comprising cDC1 and cDC2, responsible for priming naive CD8 + and CD4 + T cells, respectively. Recent studies have unveiled cDC2 heterogeneity and identified various cDC2 progenitors beyond the common DC progenitor (CDP), hinting at distinct cDC2 lineages. By generating Cd300c iCre-hCD2 R26 tdTomato reporter mice, we identified a bone marrow pro-cDC2 progenitor exclusively generating cDC2 in vitro and in vivo. Single-cell analyses and multiparametric flow cytometry demonstrated that pro-cDC2 encompasses myeloid-derived pre-cDC2 and lymphoid-derived plasmacytoid DC (pDC)-like precursors differentiating into a transcriptionally convergent cDC2 phenotype. Cd300c-traced cDC2 had distinct transcriptomic profiles, phenotypes, and tissue distributions compared with Ms4a3 Cre R26 tdTomato lineage-traced DC3, a monocyte-DC progenitor (MDP)-derived subset that bypasses CDP. Mice with reduced Cd300c-traced cDC2 showed impaired humoral responses to T cell-dependent antigens. We conclude that progenitors of distinct lineages shape the diversity of mature cDC2 across tissues. Thus, ontogenesis may impact tissue immune responses., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Vertically aligned ZnO nanorods (NRs) were grown hydrothermally on the wide bandgap (∼3.86 - 4.04 eV) seed layers (SLs) of grain size ∼162 ± 35 nm, prepared using ball-milled derived ZnO powder. The synthesized ZnO NRs were further decorated with ZnS nanocrystals to achieve a ZnO NR-ZnS core-shell (CS)-like nano-scaffolds by a subsequent hydrothermal synthesis at 70 °C for 1 h. UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy, x-ray diffractometry (XRD), Raman spectroscopy and Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) coupled with Energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX) analyses confirmed the formation of ZnS atop the vertically aligned ZnO NR arrays of ∼1.79 ± 0.17 µ m length and ∼165 ± 27 nm diameter. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM)/EDX analyses revealed that vertically aligned ZnO NRs (core dia. ∼181 ± 12 nm) arrays are conformally coated by an ultrathin ZnS (∼25 ± 7 nm) shell layer with a preferential ZnS{111}/ZnO{10-10}-like partial epitaxy. The ZnO NRs exhibited a sharp band edge near ∼384 nm having optical bandgap energy ( E g ) of ∼3.23 eV. However, the ZnO NR-ZnS CS exhibited double absorption bands at E g ∼ 3.20 eV (ZnO-core) and E g ∼ 3.78 eV (ZnS-shell). The ZnS{111}/ZnO{10-10}-nano-scaffolds could be utilized to facilitate the enhanced absorption of UV photons as well as the radial junction formation between the Pb-free perovskite absorber and ZnS/ZnO NRs layers., (© 2024 IOP Publishing Ltd.)

In the context of complete strong b -metric-like spaces, we prove new multi-fixed point solutions for the pair of multivalued, dominated operators that fulfill the generalized nonlinear contractions on a closed ball. We employ a mix of two different types of mappings in our approach: one is a class of multi-dominated mappings, while the other is a weaker class of strictly increasing mappings. Additionally, some new fixed-point results concerning the multi-graph-dominated structure in graph contraction are presented. To validate the hypothesis of acquired results, a few sample cases are presented. A numerical experiment has been carried out to approximate the fixed point. In addition, to demonstrate the originality of our findings, we proposed simple and efficient solutions to the system of fractional differential equations and nonlinear Volterra-type integral equations., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no any competing interest., (© 2024 The Authors.)

In recent years, organic materials with room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) features have gained significant attention due to their wide applications in the fields of bioimaging, light-harvesting materials, encryption technology, etc. Although several examples of organic RTP materials in the crystalline state and polymer-based systems have been reported in the last decade or so, achieving organic RTP in the solution phase, particularly in the aqueous phase has remained a challenging task. Herein in this review, we summarize the progress in this direction by highlighting design strategies based on supramolecular scaffolding and host-guest complexation and the applications of such aqueous organic RTP materials in bioimaging, sensing, etc., (© 2024 American Society for Photobiology.)

Background: Breast cancer (BC) is a complex disease, showing heterogeneity in the genetic background, molecular subtype, and treatment algorithm. Historically, treatment strategies have been directed towards cancer cells, but these are not the unique components of the tumor bulk, where a key role is played by the tumor microenvironment (TME), whose better understanding could be crucial to obtain better outcomes., Methods: We evaluated mitochondrial transfer (MT) by co-culturing Adipose stem cells with different Breast cancer cells (BCCs), through MitoTracker assay, Mitoception, confocal and immunofluorescence analyses. MT inhibitors were used to confirm the MT by Tunneling Nano Tubes (TNTs). MT effect on multi-drug resistance (MDR) was assessed using Doxorubicin assay and ABC transporter evaluation. In addition, ATP production was measured by Oxygen Consumption rates (OCR) and Immunoblot analysis., Results: We found that MT occurs via Tunneling Nano Tubes (TNTs) and can be blocked by actin polymerization inhibitors. Furthermore, in hybrid co-cultures between ASCs and patient-derived organoids we found a massive MT. Breast Cancer cells (BCCs) with ASCs derived mitochondria (ADM) showed a reduced HIF-1α expression in hypoxic conditions, with an increased ATP production driving ABC transporters-mediated multi-drug resistance (MDR), linked to oxidative phosphorylation metabolism rewiring., Conclusions: We provide a proof-of-concept of the occurrence of Mitochondrial Transfer (MT) from Adipose Stem Cells (ASCs) to BC models. Blocking MT from ASCs to BCCs could be a new effective therapeutic strategy for BC treatment., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: There is a need for reliable diagnostic tests for early identification of sepsis to prevent neonatal mortality and antibiotic misuse. During sepsis, many immature neutrophils came into the bloodstream, altering the mean neutrophil volume (MNV) shown in the previous studies., Objectives: To summarize the diagnostic performance of mean neutrophil volume (MNV) in neonatal sepsis from the published literature., Method: Databases such as PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched from January 1990 to April 2023 for studies reporting MNV as a diagnostic test in neonatal sepsis. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), and area under the curve (AUC) of the summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curve of MNV were estimated with reference blood culture-positive sepsis and clinical sepsis for meta-analysis., Result: The diagnostic performance of MNV was analyzed in 1685 neonates, including 829 septic and 856 non-septic neonates, from six prospective studies. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of MNV were 0.87 and 0.75, respectively, for neonatal sepsis; the DOR was 20.01 (95% CI: 5.90-67.82); and the AUC of the SROC for MNV was 0.81 (95% CI: 0.69-0.88). Higgins I 2 was 92.1% (95% CI: 85.5%-95.7%). The diagnostic performance of MNV was better during sub-group analysis of studies reporting culture-positive sepsis (DOR 85.61)., Conclusion: The diagnostic performance of MNV is moderate for neonatal sepsis. As the evidence originated from a small number of studies with marked heterogeneity, further large-scale diagnostic accuracy studies are recommended to resolve heterogeneity in the future., (Copyright © 2024 Taiwan Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Pazopanib hydrochloride (PZB) is a protein kinase inhibitor approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration and European agencies for the treatment of renal cell carcinoma and other renal malignancies. However, it exhibits poor aqueous solubility and inconsistent oral drug absorption. In this regard, the current research work entails the development and evaluation of the extrudates of pazopanib hydrochloride by the hot-melt extrusion (HME) technique for solubility enhancement and augmenting oral bioavailability., Results: Solid dispersion of the drug was prepared using polymers such as Kollidon VA64, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC), Eudragit EPO, and Affinisol 15LV in a 1:2 ratio by the HME process through a lab-scale 18 mm extruder. Systematic optimization of the formulation variables was carried out with the help of custom screening design (JMP Software by SAS, Version 14.0) to study the impact of polymer type and plasticizer level on the quality of extrudate processability by measuring the torque value, appearance, and disintegration time as the responses. The polymer blends containing Kollidon VA64 and Affinisol 15LV resulted in respective clear transparent extrudates, while Eudragit EPO and HPMC extrudates were found to be opaque white and brownish, respectively. Furthermore, evaluation of the impact of process parameters such as screw rpm and barrel temperature was measured using a definitive screening design on the extrude appearance, torque, disintegration time, and dissolution profile. Based on the statistical outcomes, it can be concluded that barrel temperature has a significant impact on torque, disintegration time, and dissolution at 30 min, while screw speed has an insignificant impact on the response variables. Affinisol extrudates showed less moisture uptake and faster dissolution in comparison to Kollidon VA64 extrudates. Affinisol extrudates were evaluated for polymorphic stability up to a 3-month accelerated condition and found no recrystallization. PZB-Extrudates using the Affinisol polymer (Test formulation A) revealed significantly higher bioavailability (AUC) in comparison to the free Pazopanib drug and marketed formulation.

In the study on Oreochromis niloticus, singular oral gavage of florfenicol (FFC) at 15 mg/kg biomass/day was conducted, mimicking approved aquaculture dosing. Samples of plasma, bile, muscle, intestine, skin, liver, kidney, gill, and brain tissues were collected at 0, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 24, 32, 48, 64, 96, and 128 hours (h) after oral gavage. LC-MS/MS analysis revealed FFC concentrations peaked at 12.15 μg/mL in plasma and 77.92 μg/mL in bile, both at 24 hours. Elimination half-lives were 28.17 h (plasma) and 26.88 h (bile). The residues of FFC ranked muscle>intestine>skin>liver>kidney>gill. In contrast, the residues of florfenicol amine (FFA) ranked kidney>skin>liver>muscle>gill>intestine>brain, particularly notable in tropical summer conditions. The minimum inhibitory concentration of FFC was elucidated against several bacterial pathogens revealing its superior efficacy. Results highlight bile's crucial role in FFC elimination. Further investigation, especially during winter when fish susceptibility to infections rises, is warranted., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Despite the efforts of global programme to eliminate lymphatic filariasis (GPELF), the threat of lymphatic filariasis (LF) still looms over humanity in terms of long-term disabilities, and morbidities across the globe. In light of this situation, investigators have chosen to focus on the development of immunotherapeutics targeting the physiologically important filarial-specific proteins. Glutaredoxin (16.43 kDa) plays a pivotal role in filarial redox biology, serving as a vital contributor. In the context of the intra-host survival of filarial parasites, this antioxidant helps in mitigating the oxidative stress imposed by the host immune system. Given its significant contribution, the development of a vaccine targeting glutaredoxin holds promise as a new avenue for achieving a filaria-free world. Herein, multi-epitope-based vaccine was designed using advanced immunoinformatics approach. Initially, 4B-cell epitopes and 6 T-cell epitopes (4 MHC I and 2 MHC II) were identified from the 146 amino acid long sequence of glutaredoxin of the human filarid, Wuchereria bancrofti. Subsequent clustering of these epitopes with linker peptides finalized the vaccine structure. To boost TLR-mediated innate immunity, TLR-specific adjuvants were incorporated into the designed vaccine. After that, experimental analyses confirm the designed vaccine, Vac4 as anefficient ligand of human TLR5 to elicit protective innate immunity against filarial glutaredoxin. Immune simulation further demonstrated abundant levels of IgG and IgM as crucial contributors in triggering vaccine-induced adaptive responses in the recipients. Hence, to facilitate the validation of immunogenicity of the designed vaccine, Vac4 was cloned in silico in pET28a(+) expression vector for recombinant production. Taken together, our findings suggest that vaccine-mediated targeting of filarial glutaredoxin could be a future option for intervening LF on a global scale., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The ability to move and self-organize in response to external stimuli is a fascinating feature of living active matter. Here, the metallo-dielectric rod-shaped microswimmers are shown to have a similar behavior in the presence of an AC electric field. The silica-copper Janus microrods were fabricated using the physical vapor deposition-based glancing angle deposition technique (GLAD). When the aqueous solution of the microrods was under the influence of an external AC electric field, they were found to exhibit different phases such as clustering, swimming, and vertical standing in response to variation of the applied frequency. The swimming behavior (5-90 kHz) of the rods is attributed to the induced-charge electrophoresis (ICEP) phenomenon, whereas the dynamic clustering (<5 kHz) could be explained in terms of the electrohydrodynamic (EHD) interaction. Interestingly, the rods flip to attain the vertically standing position when responding to the applied electric field above 90 kHz. The reorientation and switching of the major axis of the rod along the field direction is attributed to the electro-orientation phenomenon. This is basically due to the dominance of the electric torque above the upper limit of the characteristic frequency, where the strength of slip flows around the microrods is predicted to be poor. The present study not only offers insight into the fundamental aspects of the dynamics and the phase behavior of rod-shaped microswimmers, but also opens an avenue to design reconfigurable active matter systems with features inspired by biological systems.

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) are a collection of incapacitating disorders in which neuroinflammation and neuronal apoptosis are major pathological consequences due to oxidative stress. Neuroinflammation manifests in the impacted cerebral areas as a result of pro-inflammatory cytokines stimulating the Janus Kinase2 (JAK2)/Signal Transducers and Activators of Transcription3 (STAT3) pathway via neuronal cells. The pro-inflammatory cytokines bind to their respective receptor in the neuronal cells and allow activation of JAK2. Activated JAK2 phosphorylates tyrosines on the intracellular domains of the receptor which recruit the STAT3 transcription factor. The neuroinflammation issues are exacerbated by the active JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway in conjunction with additional transcription factors like nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), and the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). Neuronal apoptosis is a natural process made worse by persistent neuroinflammation and immunological responses via caspase-3 activation. The dysregulation of micro-RNA (miR) expression has been observed in the consequences of neuroinflammation and neuronal apoptosis. Neuroinflammation and neuronal apoptosis-associated gene amplification may be caused by dysregulated miR-mediated aberrant phosphorylation of JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway components. Therefore, JAK2/STAT3 is an attractive therapeutic target for NDDs. Numerous synthetic and natural small molecules as JAK2/STAT3 inhibitors have therapeutic advances against a wide range of diseases, and many are now in human clinical studies. This review explored the interactive role of the JAK2/STAT3 signaling system with key pathological factors during the reinforcement of NDDs. Also, the clinical trial data provides reasoning evidence about the possible use of JAK2/STAT3 inhibitors to abate neuroinflammation and neuronal apoptosis in NDDs., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None, (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Emergence and dissemination of antibiotic resistance is one of the major risks associated with the rampant usage of antibiotics in food-producing animals including aquaculture., Objective: To determine Epidemiological Cut-OFF (ECOFF) values of heterotrophic bacterial populations from shrimp culture environments against five different antibiotics., Methods: In this present study, bacterial samples were isolated from Penaeus vannamei culture environment in different locations of Andhra Pradesh, which is the aquaculture hub of India. The bacterial isolates were assessed for antibiotic resistance towards five antibiotics belonging to different classes (oxytetracycline, chloramphenicol, erythromycin, ciprofloxacin, and co-trimoxazole) by the disc diffusion method. Determination of Epidemiological Cut-OFF (ECOFF) values and analysis by employing normalized resistance interpretation (NRI) was carried out., Results: The most dominant bacterial populations from shrimp culture were Vibrio spp. (pathogenic bacteria) followed by Bacillus spp. (probiotic bacteria). The bacterial isolates showed highest resistance towards oxytetracycline (overall 23.38%) and in location L6 (59.4%) followed by co-trimoxazole (31.1%). ECOFF values calculated by employing NRI showed that the disc diffusion data were distributed in a normalized manner. The maximum ECOFF value was obtained for ciprofloxacin (23.32 mm), while the minimum value was observed for oxytetracycline (9.05 mm). The antibiotic resistant phenotypes showed that the majority of the heterotrophic bacterial isolates (>60%) belonged to the non-wild type phenotype and primarily towards oxytetracycline (90%)., Conclusion: The presence of non-wild antibiotic-resistant phenotypes of heterotrophic bacterial populations (which include not only pathogenic bacteria but also probiotic bacteria) indicates that shrimp culture ponds may be a reservoir for drug-resistant bacteria and there is a greater risk associated with transmission of resistant genes across bacterial flora., Highlights: NRI analysis of antibiotic disc diffusion data of heterotrophic bacterial populations in shrimp aquaculture environments revealed that majority of them belonged to non-wild type (90%) paticularly to oxytetracycline in comparison to other studied antibiotics (chloramphenicol, erythromycin, ciprofloxacin and co-trimoxazole)., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of AOAC INTERNATIONAL. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Climate change has become increasingly intertwined with the occurrence and severity of droughts. As global temperatures rise due to greenhouse gas emissions, weather patterns are altered, leading to shifts in precipitation levels and distribution. These exacerbate the risk of drought in many regions, with potentially devastating consequences. A comprehensive transcriptome analysis was performed on Keteki Joha, an aromatic rice from North East India, with the aim of elucidating molecular responses to drought. Numerous genes linked to drought were activated, with both ABA-dependent and ABA-independent pathways playing crucial roles. Upregulated genes were enriched with gene ontology terms with response to abscisic acid and abscisic acid-activated signalling pathway, suggesting the existence of an ABA-dependent pathway for drought mitigation. The upregulated genes were also enriched with responses to stress, water, heat, jasmonic acid, and hydrogen peroxide, indicating the presence of an ABA-independent pathway alongside the ABA-dependent mechanism. Weighted Correlation Network Analysis (WGCNA) identified 267 genes that specifically govern drought mitigation in Keteki Joha. The late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) gene family emerges as the most overrepresented in both RNA sequencing data and WGCNA analysis, suggesting their dominant role in mitigating drought. Notably, 31 LEA genes were induced in seedlings and 32 in mature stages under drought stress. The LEA3-1, LEA14/WSI18, RAB16A, RAB16B, DHN1, DHN6, LEA1, LEA3, LEA17, and LEA33 exhibited and established co-expression with numerous other drought stress-related genes, indicating their inseparable role in alleviating drought. Consequently, LEA genes have been proposed to be primary and crucial responders to drought in Keteki Joha., (© 2024 Scandinavian Plant Physiology Society.)

This article establishes various fixed-point results and introduces the idea of an extended b-suprametric space. We also give several applications pertaining to the existence and uniqueness of the solution to the equations concerning RLC electric circuits. At the end of the article, a few open questions are posed concerning the distortion of Chua's circuit and the formulation of the Lagrangian for Chua's circuit., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

This study was conducted to isolate and identify the bioactive compounds from the ethanolic extract of Syzygium cumini leaf against Vibrio species through a bioassay-guided fractionation. The ethanol extract was exposed to silica gel chromatography followed by reversed phase HPLC to isolate the most effective fraction against V. parahaemolyticus . Using further UHPLC-orbitrap-ion trap mass spectrometry, five compounds were isolated with broad-spectrum potency against a range of Vibrio species viz. V. parahaemolyticus, V. alginolyticus, V. harveyi, V. vulnificus and V. anguillarum. The IC 50 values for the compounds ranged from 8 to 48 µg/mL against the most sensitive species V. vulnificus and 58 to >400 µg/mL against V. alginolyticus. The results of the toxicity tests demonstrated that the compounds were not harmful for shrimp. The study's findings indicate that S. cumini leaf extract may contain bioactive molecules that are able to be substituted for antibiotics to treat vibriosis in shrimp farming.

SARS-CoV-2 has caused severe illness and anxiety worldwide, evolving into more dreadful variants capable of evading the host's immunity. Cytokine storms, led by PI3Kγ, are common in cancer and SARS-CoV-2. Naturally, there is a yearning to see whether any drugs could alleviate cytokine storms for both. Upon investigation, we identified two anticancer drugs, Duvelisib and Eganelisib, that could also work against SARS-CoV-2. This report is the first to decipher their synergic therapeutic effectiveness against COVID-19 and cancer with molecular insights from atomistic simulations. In addition to PI3Kγ, these drugs exhibit specificity for the main protease among all SARS-CoV-2 targets, with significant negative binding free energies and small time-dependent conformational changes of the complexes. Complexation makes active sites and secondary structures highly mechanically stiff, with barely any deformation. Replica simulations estimated large pulling forces in enhanced sampling to dissociate the drugs from Mpro's active site. Furthermore, the radial distribution function (RDF) demonstrated that the therapeutic molecules were closest to the His41 and Cys145 catalytic dyad residues. Finally, analyses implied Duvelisib and Eganelisib as promising dual-purposed anti-COVID and anticancer drugs, potentially targeting Mpro and PI3Kγ to stop virus replication and cytokine storms concomitantly. We also distinguished hotspot residues imparting significant interactions.

Purpose: To assess intraocular pressure (IOP)-induced and gaze-induced optic nerve head (ONH) strains in subjects with high-tension glaucoma (HTG) and normal-tension glaucoma (NTG)., Design: Clinic-based cross-sectional study., Methods: The ONH from one eye of 228 subjects (114 subjects with HTG (pre-treatment IOP≥21 mm Hg) and 114 with NTG (pre-treatment IOP<21 mm Hg)) was imaged with optical coherence tomography (OCT) under the following conditions: (1) OCT primary gaze, (2) 20° adduction from OCT primary gaze, (3) 20° abduction from OCT primary gaze and (4) OCT primary gaze with acute IOP elevation (to approximately 33 mm Hg). We then performed digital volume correlation analysis to quantify IOP-induced and gaze-induced ONH tissue deformations and strains., Results: Across all subjects, adduction generated high effective strain (4.4%±2.3%) in the LC tissue with no significant difference (p>0.05) with those induced by IOP elevation (4.5%±2.4%); while abduction generated significantly lower (p=0.01) effective strain (3.1%±1.9%). The lamina cribrosa (LC) of HTG subjects exhibited significantly higher effective strain than those of NTG subjects under IOP elevation (HTG: 4.6%±1.7% vs NTG: 4.1%±1.5%, p<0.05). Conversely, the LC of NTG subjects exhibited significantly higher effective strain than those of HTG subjects under adduction (NTG: 4.9%±1.9% vs HTG: 4.0%±1.4%, p<0.05)., Conclusion: We found that NTG subjects experienced higher strains due to adduction than HTG subjects, while HTG subjects experienced higher strain due to IOP elevation than NTG subjects-and that these differences were most pronounced in the LC tissue., Competing Interests: Competing interests: MJAG is the co-founder of the AI start-up company Abyss Processing Pte Ltd., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Ionic liquids (ILs) have become an alternative green solvent for storage and for stability of DNA. However, an in-depth understanding of binding and molecular interactions between ILs and DNA is needed. In this respect, magnetic ILs (MILs) are promising due to their tunable physicochemical properties. Various spectroscopic techniques and molecular simulations have been employed to unravel the critical factors of the strength and binding mechanism of MILs with DNA. UV-vis spectra unravel the multimodal binding of MILs with DNA, and the intrusion of IL molecules into the minor groove of DNA has been observed from dye displacement studies. Fluorescence correlation spectroscopic studies and scanning electron microscopy confirm the compaction of the DNA. ITC and molecular docking studies estimate the binding affinity of DNA with MILs, of ∼7 kcal mol -1 . The 1 μs long-MD simulations give insight into the structural changes in the DNA in the MIL environment. Due to strong interaction with choline ions in the close vicinity, DNA helixes bend or squeeze in length and dilate in diameter (elliptical → spherical), leading to compaction. The post-MD parameters suggest a stronger interaction with [Ch] 2 [Mn] IL than with [Ch][Fe] IL; hence, the former induces DNA compaction to a more significant extent. Furthermore, decompaction is observed with the addition of sodium salts and is characterized using spectroscopic methods., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

In aquaculture, oxolinic acid (OA) is used as a second-line treatment at 12 mg/kg biomass/day for seven consecutive days. The present study evaluated the biosafety of 21 days of dietary administration of OA at 0, 12, 36, 60 and 120 mg by assessing the growth, biochemical, erythrocytic morphological and histopathological alterations and residue levels in Oreochromis niloticus. A significant dose-dependent reduction in feed intake and biomass and an increase in mortalities and erythrocytic cellular and nuclear changes were recorded. Significant elevations in plasma glucose, creatinine, alkaline phosphatase, alanine transaminase and aspartate transaminase and a decline in calcium and chloride levels were documented. The kidney, liver and intestine histoarchitecture showed mild to marked alterations. The edible tissue OA residues peaked on day 21 and decreased upon cessation of administration in all the dosing groups. The residue levels in the muscle of the recommended dose group were well within the maximum residue limit set by the European Medicines Evaluation Agency. Although the current study hinted at the safety and tolerability of OA even during long-term usage in O. niloticus in Indian conditions, care must be exercised for its aquacultural application because of its listing as a critically important medicine for humans., (© 2023 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

In recent years, self-propelled light-driven micromotors have gained significant attention due to their capabilities for a wide range of applications, including cargo delivery, chemical sensing, environmental monitoring, etc. Here, we demonstrate the design of light-driven micromotors for local pH sensing applications. The micromotors are spherical Janus particles with multiple functional coatings that provide them with interesting features, like a dual optical response, i.e. , controlled swimming under UV light (320-400 nm) and pH-dependent fluorescence signal emission when excited with blue light (450 nm), and moving path guidance using a weak external uniform magnetic field (50 G). All of these features allow the micromotors to sense the pH of the medium on-demand and locally or of a target location by guiding them to swim to the target location. The pH-dependent change in the fluorescence signal intensity is used for the measurement of the local pH of the medium. It is observed that the careful measurement of small pH changes requires a spectrometer that precisely measures the intensity change. However, the fluorescence signal of the micromotors was good enough to provide a clear visual demarcation for large pH changes. Systematic experimental studies supported by controlled experiments are performed to optimize the system as well as to calibrate the micromotors for local pH sensing applications. The characteristics like easy-to-design structure, light activation, directional swimming, and ability to measure the pH on-demand and locally prove that micromotors have the potential to revolutionize pH monitoring in various domains, including lab-on-a-chip devices, biomedical research, environmental monitoring, quality control in industrial processes, etc.

Chronic exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals through foods of aquatic origin, at levels that are commonly found in the environment, can affect metabolic health and lead to metabolic diseases. One such chemical is 2-phenylphenol (2-PP), a suspected endocrine disruptor that is used extensively in agriculture and industry, and has become a widespread pollutant in aquatic environments. This study evaluated the risk of exposure to 2-PP through foods of aquatic origin from Vembanad Lake, using a Target Hazard Quotient (THQ) and an untargeted metabolomics approach. The study found that 2-PP content was higher in samples from areas with intense industrial, tourism, and agricultural activities. The average concentration of 2-PP in fish, crustaceans, and mollusks from the Vembanad estuary ranged from 0.012 to 0.017 mg/kg. The mean concentration of 2-PP was used to assess the THQ of exposure to the coastal population. The results showed that the THQ value was <1, indicating a low to moderate health risk for both adults and children. Furthermore, an untargeted metabolomics approach using HPLC-Q-Orbitrap MS was used to study the metabolome changes associated with chronic exposure to 2-PP (at the environmentally relevant concentration) over 60 days in the Wistar albino rat model. The findings indicated significant alterations in the phospholipid, fatty acid, sterol lipid, and amino acid profiles, suggesting that chronic exposure to 2-PP at environmentally relevant concentrations could affect purine, phenylalanine, tyrosine, and cholesterol metabolism., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The dynamics and existence results of generalized Caputo fractional derivatives have been studied by several authors. Uniform stability and equilibrium in fractional-order neural networks with generalized Caputo derivatives in real-valued settings, however, have not been extensively studied. In contrast to earlier studies, we first investigate the uniform stability and equilibrium results for complex-valued neural networks within the framework of a generalized Caputo fractional derivative. We investigate the intermittent behavior of complex-valued neural networks in generalized Caputo fractional-order contexts. Numerical results are supplied to demonstrate the viability and accuracy of the presented results. At the end of the article, a few open questions are posed., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The concept of graphical structures of extended suprametric space is introduced in this study and applied to supra-graphical contractive mapping. A recursive algorithm in connection with graphical notions can be employed in adaptive systems to construct a desired output function iteratively after specific conditions are first defined to ensure the existence of the solution by use of supra-graphical contractive mapping. After analyzing the historical context and relevant outcomes, we discuss the usage of graphical structures and supra-graphical contractive mappings in the conceptual frameworks of adaptive control and optimal control systems., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Introduction: Infections in haemodialysis (HD) patients are an important cause of morbidity, hospitalization, and mortality. Patients undergoing HD are more prone to develop bacterial infections by multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs)., Objectives: This study is aimed to detect MDROs colonization in HD patients and its associated risk factors and outcome., Methodology: A total of 62 nasal swabs and 124 rectal swabs were collected from 62 patients coming to the haemodialysis unit from of March to May 2021 and were further screened for MRSA, VRE and CRE., Results: Out of 62 patients, 22.59% showed the presence of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) while VRE was present in four patients (4/62). CRE was found as 24.2% (15/62). Duration of dialysis was found as a significant risk factor-associated MRSA carriage, Whereas Charlson index and drug and medication were found as significant risk factor for VRE carriage., Discussion & Conclusion: HD patients are particularly vulnerable to life threatening infections. Therefore, continuous epidemiological surveillance for these MDROs, including genotypic analysis and implementation of adequate decolonization strategies, is crucial and will reduce the possibility of autoinfection as well as disrupt transmission of multi-resistant isolates to others., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2024 Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care.)

Natural materials derived/extracted Ceramics is an excellent material for developing ceramic-based orthopedic implants. Recently, we have demonstrated an easily scalable, energy-efficient green method to extract ceramic particles from bio-waste i.e. chicken bone. Though the chicken bone extract (CBE) has good biocompatibility, it lacks good mechanical properties in the 3D printed condition as that of human bones. Here, we have reinforced CBE with different weight proportions of silicon carbide to improve the mechanical characteristics of the composite. The hybrid of CBE (oxide) and carbide (SiC) is sintered at different temperatures to understand the effect of the interface of the two ceramics. It is observed that temperature has minimal effect and composition has a noticeable effect on mechanical strength as well as bio-toxicity. The toughness (∼3.58 MJ/m 3 ) and compressive strength (∼64.64 MPa) of the 90:10 composition sintered at 1250 °C show the maximum optimum values. A mathematical model has also been developed to predict and correlate the toughness with porosity, volumetric loading, and elastic modulus of the 3D-printed ceramic composite., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

TFEB is a master regulator of autophagy, lysosome biogenesis, mitochondrial metabolism, and immunity that works primarily through transcription controlled by cytosol-to-nuclear translocation. Emerging data indicate additional regulatory interactions at the surface of organelles such as lysosomes. Here we show that TFEB has a non-transcriptional role in mitochondria, regulating the electron transport chain complex I to down-modulate inflammation. Proteomics analysis reveals extensive TFEB co-immunoprecipitation with several mitochondrial proteins, whose interactions are disrupted upon infection with S. Typhimurium. High resolution confocal microscopy and biochemistry confirms TFEB localization in the mitochondrial matrix. TFEB translocation depends on a conserved N-terminal TOMM20-binding motif and is enhanced by mTOR inhibition. Within the mitochondria, TFEB and protease LONP1 antagonistically co-regulate complex I, reactive oxygen species and the inflammatory response. Consequently, during infection, lack of TFEB specifically in the mitochondria exacerbates the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, contributing to innate immune pathogenesis., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Seaweeds are an excellent source of unique antioxidant phytochemicals, dietary fibres, essential amino acids, vitamins, polyunsaturated fatty acids and minerals. The presence of such structurally diverse and high value bioactive compounds has led to popularization of seaweed as functional food ingredient in global health supplement market. India, with a long coastline of 8100 km and exclusive economic zone of 2.17 million km 2 , is rich in diverse seaweed resources belonging to almost 700 species. However, food and nutraceutical application of Indian seaweed is highly constrained. Apart from Kappaphycus alvarezii , there is no systematic commercial cultivation of seaweed in India. The regulatory framework for use of seaweed as food is still developing and consumer acceptance is still low. However, there is a timely and renewed interest from different government agencies and research organisations to develop a thriving food and nutraceutical industry using India's vast seaweed resources. The review briefly describes the nutritional and functional food potential of the seaweed and goes on to discuss the scope of seaweed utilization in food and nutraceutical industry in India. Further, the review has identified the regulatory challenges and quality control requirements for use of seaweeds in food and nutraceuticals., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors declare that there is no conflict of interests., (© Association of Food Scientists & Technologists (India) 2023. Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.)

Seventh pandemic Vibrio choleare O1 El Tor strain is responsible for the on-going pandemic outbreak of cholera globally. This strain evolved from non-pathogenic V. cholerae by acquiring seventh pandemic gene (VC 2346), pandemic Islands (VSP1 and VSP2), pathogenicity islands (VP1 and VP2) and CTX prophage region. The cholera toxin production is mainly attributed to the presence of ctx gene in these strains. However, several variants of this strain emerged as hybrid strains or atypical strains. The present study aimed to assess the aquatic environment of Cochin, India, over a period of 5 years for the emergence of multidrug resistant V. cholerae and its similarity with seventh pandemic strain. The continuous surveillance and monitoring resulted in the isolation of ctx negative, O1 positive V. cholerae isolate (VC6) from coastal water, Cochin, Kerala. The isolate possessed the biotype specific O1 El Tor tcpA gene and lacked other biotype specific ctx, zot, ace and rst genes. Whole genome analysis revealed the isolate belongs to pandemic sequence type (ST) 69 with the possession of pandemic VC2346 gene, pathogenic island VPI1, VPI2, and pandemic island VSP1 and VSP2. The isolate possessed several insertion sequences and the SXT/R391 family related Integrative Conjugative Elements (ICEs). In addition to this, the isolate genome carried virulence genes such as VgrG, mshA, ompT, toxR, ompU, rtxA, als, VasX, makA, and hlyA and antimicrobial resistance genes such as gyrA, dfrA1, strB, parE, sul2, parC, strA, VC1786ICE9-floR, and catB9. Moreover, the phylogenetic analysis suggests that the isolate genome is more closely related to seventh pandemic V. cholerae O1 N16961 strain. This study reports the first incidence of environmental ctx negative seventh pandemic V. choleare O1 El Tor isolate, globally and its presence in the aquatic system likely to induce toxicity in terms of public health point of view. The presence of this isolate in the aquatic environment warns the strict implementation of the epidemiological surveillance on the occurrence of emerging strains and the execution of flagship program for the judicious use of antibiotics in the aquatic ecosystem., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Caprine paratuberculosis (PTB) is a progressive, debilitating and production-limiting disease that causes significant economic losses and raises public health concerns. The goal was to study active surveillance and associated epidemiological risk factors of caprine PTB in selected district of Odisha, India. The 818 goats of various ages, sexes and breeds were randomly screened in ten different districts for a year based on history, clinical signs and fecal smear examination using the Ziehl-Neelsen stain, yielding an overall prevalence of 38.75%, with clinical and sub-clinical PTB at 8.06 and 30.68%, respectively. A molecular tool, IS900 polymerase chain reaction, was also used to confirm the disease. With Mycobacterium avium subsp . paratuberculosis (MAP) bacilli and endoparasite infections, the majority of affected goats (69.08%) were low shedders. Puri coastal district had the highest prevalence (52.29%) followed by Sambalpur (48.61%), while Khordha had the lowest prevalence (26.41%). Caprine PTB was more common in goats over 2 years old (51.23%), in the Ganjam breed (42.30%), in females (39.17%) and in goats housed on earthen floors (55.83%) according to chi-square analysis. The current study concluded that higher (30.68%) observations of subclinical PTB were cause of real concern due to its insidious spread as well as its zoonotic significance with potential human consequences, which requires immediate attention at all levels. Because of the public health importance of this hidden killer disease, the current findings would be useful in developing a roadmap for implementing prevention and control policies, prompting provision for adequate funding with elaborative research., Competing Interests: With respect to publication of this research findings, the authors declares that there are no conflict of interest., (© 2024 Urmia University. All rights reserved.)

Mitochondrial transfer (MT) is a biological process that allows a donor cell to horizontally share its own mitochondria with a recipient cell. Mitochondria are highly dynamic membrane-bound sub-cellular organelles prominently involved in the regulation of the cell energy balance, calcium homeostasis, and apoptotic machinery activation. They physiologically undergo fusion and fission processes in response to the cell requirement, with a continuous morphological re-arrangement. This structural and functional plasticity is at the basis of the MT, described in tissue regeneration, cardiac and neurological diseases, as well as in cancer. Here, the MT has been observed in the tumor micro-environment (TME) from the adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) to the cancer cells, eventually reverting the lack of the mitochondria respiration function, or enhancing their motility and drug resistance. In this chapter, we outline some key protocols for evaluating this exciting phenomenon of MT. These methodological and technical approaches are very important, considering all the limitations that scientists constantly face, especially in this field of the research., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have emerged as an attractive research interest due to their prominent role in development of the tumors. CSCs are rare dormant cells that can self-renew and maintain tumor development and heterogeneity. A better understanding of CSCs can improve tumor classification and contribute toward the development of novel therapeutic approaches to fight cancer. Hence, it is of immense importance to comprehend the basic function of CSCs in tumor formation, which can only be possible by devising perfected methodologies to isolate, detect, and characterize them. In this chapter, we outline the key protocols to culture, identify, and isolate CSCs from solid tumors to further advance basic and clinical investigation related to CSCs and their role in tumor biology., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Lung cancer, the leading cause of death worldwide, arises from an intricate combination of genetic and environmental factors. Genetic variations can influence the chemotherapeutic response of lung cancer patients in DNA repair genes. This study examines the response to platinum-based drugs among lung cancer patients of North Indian descent who possess genetic variations in the MGMT and ERCC1 genes. P CR-RFLP method was used for genotypic analysis. MedCalc statistical software was used to calculate odds ratios and Median Survival Time (MST). GROMACS software was used to perform Molecular dynamic simulation. ADCC Patients revealed a significant association with MGMT in the heterozygous genotype (HR= 1.56, p=0.02) and also with ERCC1 in both mutant and combined variants (HR= 1.25, p=0.01; HR=0.78, p=0.03). SQCC subjects harbouring ERCC1 polymorphism also reported a 2-fold increase in hazard ratio and a corresponding decrease in survival time for heterozygous and combined variants (HR= 2.55, p=0.02; HR 2.33, p=0.01, respectively). MD simulation results demonstrate a lower RMSD, stable radius of gyration, and lower RMSF, indicating the mutated MGMT protein is more stable than the wild. Further, the docking score for DNA-Wild and DNA-L84F mutants are -201.6 and -131.8, respectively. MD Simulation of the complexes further validated the results. Our study concludes that MGMT and ERCC1 polymorphisms are associated with decreased overall survival. Further, computational analysis of MGMT (rs12917) polymorphism revealed that mutated MGMT cannot bind properly to the DNA and hence cannot properly repair DNA, resulting in lower overall survival.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

In the current study, a novel strategy using cyclic shifting of temperature was developed for simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) for bioethanol production from rice straw. The in-situ cellulase production, saccharification and fermentation was carried out using P. janthinellum and S. cerevisiae. Bioethanol titer of 14.98 g/l was obtained using base followed by acid pretreated rice straw by employing the cyclic shifting of temperature strategy "30 °C for 2 h to 40 °C for 2 h". The holding time was further tuned to increase the productivity and the tuned condition 30 °C(1.7 h) - 40 °C(2 h) improved the bioethanol titer to 15.9 g/l. Using this strategy, resulted 5.1-fold and 2.8-fold increment of bioethanol production compared to known approaches, SSF at mutual optimum temperature and prolong prehydrolysis followed by fermentation respectively. The application of cyclic shifting of temperature strategy can unleash a great potential in enhancing the yield and efficiency for a sustainable lignocellulosic bioethanol production., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

A series of S -adenosyl-L-homosysteine (SAH) analogs, with modification in the base and sugar moiety, have been designed, synthesized and screened as nsp14 and PLpro inhibitors of severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus (SARS-CoV-2). The outcomes of ADMET (Adsorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion, and Toxicity) studies demonstrated that the physicochemical properties of all analogs were permissible for development of these SAH analogs as antiviral agents. All molecules were screened against different SARS-CoV-2 targets using molecular docking. The docking results revealed that the SAH analogs interacted well in the active site of nsp14 protein having H-bond interactions with the amino acid residues Arg289, Val290, Asn388, Arg400, Phe401 and π-alkyl interactions with Arg289, Val290 and Phe426 of Nsp14-MTase site. These analogs also formed stable H-bonds with Leu163, Asp165, Arg167, Ser246, Gln270, Tyr274 and Asp303 residues of PLpro proteins and found to be quite stable complexes therefore behaved as probable nsp14 and PLpro inhibitors. Interestingly, analog 3 showed significant in silico activity against the nsp14 N7 methyltransferase of SARS-CoV-2. The molecular dynamics (MD) and post-MD results of analog 3 unambiguously established the higher stability of the nsp14 (N7 MTase): 3 complex and also indicated its behavior as probable nsp14 inhibitor like the reference sinefungin. The docking and MD simulations studies also suggested that sinefungin did act as SARS-CoV-2 PLpro inhibitor as well. This study's findings not only underscore the efficacy of the designed SAH analogs as potent inhibitors against crucial SARS-CoV-2 proteins but also pinpoint analog 3 as a particularly promising candidate. All the study provides valuable insights, paving the way for potential advancements in antiviral drug development against SARS-CoV-2.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Electrocatalytic water splitting to an anodic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and a cathodic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is believed to be the most important application for sustainable hydrogen generation. Being a four-electron, four-proton transfer process, the OER plays the main obstacle for the same. Therefore, designing an effective electrocatalyst to minimize the activation energy barrier for the OER is a research topic of prime importance. The metal-organic framework (MOF) with a highly porous network is considered an appropriate candidate for the OER in alkaline conditions. Apart from several MOFs, the bimetallic one has an advantageous electrocatalytic performance due to the synergistic electronic interaction between two metal ions. However, most bimetallic MOFs have an obstacle to electrocatalytic application due to their low conductive nature, and therefore, they possess a barrier for charge transfer kinetics at the interface. Surface functionalization via various nanoparticles (NPs) is believed to be the most effective strategy for nullifying the conductive issue. In this work, we have designed a CoNi-based bimetallic MOF that was surface-functionalized by Au NPs (Au@CoNi-Bpy-BTC) for the OER under alkaline conditions. Au@CoNi-Bpy-BTC required an overpotential of just 330 mV, which is 56 mV lower as compared to the pristine MOF. Impedance analysis confirms an improved conductivity and charge transfer at the interface, where Au@CoNi-Bpy-BTC possesses a lower R ct value than CoNi-Bpy-BTC materials. Moreover, the Au-decorated MOF shows an 8.5 times increase in the TOF value compared to the pristine MOF. Therefore, this noble strategy toward the surface functionalization of MOFs via noble metal NPs is believed to be the most effective strategy for developing effective electrocatalysts for electrocatalytic application in energy-related fields. Overall, this report displays an exceptional correlation between the decorated NPs over the MOF surface, which can regulate the OER activity, as confirmed by experimental analysis.

The prospective contribution of phyto-nanotechnology to the synthesis of silver nanomaterials for biomedical purposes is attracting increasing interest across the world. Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) through plants has been extensively examined recently, and it is now seen to be a green and efficient path for future exploitation and development of practical nano-factories. Fabrication of Ag-NPs is the process involves use of plant extracts/phyto-compounds (e.g.alkaloids, terpenoids, flavonoids, and phenolic compounds) to synthesise nanoparticles in more economical and feasible. Several findings concluded that in the field of medicine, Ag-NPs play a major role in pharmacotherapy (infection and cancer). Indeed, they exhibits novel properties but the reason is unclear (except some theoretical interpretation e.g. size, shape and morphology). But recent technological advancements help to address these questions by predicting the unique properties (composition and origin) by characterizing physical, chemical and biological properties. Due to increased list of publications and their application in the field of agriculture, industries and pharmaceuticals, issues relating to toxicity are unavoidable and question of debate. The present reviews aim to find out the role of plant extracts to synthesise Ag-NPs. It provides an overview of various phytocompounds and their role in the field of biomedicine (antibacterial, antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory etc.). In addition, this review also especially focused on various applications such as role in infection, oxidative stress, application in medical engineering, diagnosis and therapy, medical devices, orthopedics, wound healing and dressings. Additionally, the toxic effects of Ag-NPs in cell culture, tissue of different model organism, type of toxic reactions and regulation implemented to reduce associated risk are discussed critically. Addressing all above explanations, this review focus on the detailed properties of plant mediated Ag-NPs, its impact on biology, medicine and their commercial properties as well as toxicity., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The present investigation highlights a rhodamine-B- and coumarin-based efficient probe that selectively detects Ga 3+ over other metal ions. The active pocket of the ligand for trapping the metal ions and the binding stoichiometry of its Ga 3+ complex were discovered by single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SC-XRD) analysis. This binding stoichiometry was further confirmed in the solution state by mass spectrometry and Job's plot. The detection limit was found to be at the nanomolar level. Pyrophosphate being a well-known quencher could easily quench the fluorescence intensity of the RC in the presence of Ga 3+ and reversibly recognize Ga 3+ in the solution. The spiro ring opening of the ligand after Ga 3+ insertion is proposed to be the principal mechanism for the turn-on fluorescence response. This ring opening was confirmed by SC-XRD data and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) titration experiments. Both ground- and excited-state calculations of the ligand and complex have been carried out to obtain information about their energy levels and to obtain the theoretical electronic spectra. Furthermore, the live-cell imaging of the probe only and the probe after the addition of Ga 3+ have been carried out in HaCaT cells and satisfactory responses were observed. Interestingly, with the help of this probe, Ga 3+ can be tracked inside the intracellular organelle such as lysosomes along with other regions of the cell. The article highlights a rhodamine-coumarin-based probe for the detection of Ga 3+ over other metal ions with a nanomolar level detection limit. Structural characterization of the ligand and its Ga 3+ complex was investigated by SC-XRD. Density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT (TD-DFT) studies were carried out to explore the excited-state energies and electronic spectra. The application of the probe for the detection of Ga 3+ in live cells has been explored, and positive responses were observed.

This study highlights the successful synthesis of a potential ligand, 2,2',2'',2'''-((pyridine-2,6-diylbis(methylene))bis(azanetriyl))tetraacetamide (PATA), along with its corresponding Co(II) and Ni(II) complexes for paraCEST-based agents. X-ray diffraction data confirmed that both the complexes are six coordinated with distorted octahedral geometries, but only the [Co(PATA)] 2+ complex has a good structural feature to show paraCEST activity. After a thorough characterization of the ligand and both of its complexes, various studies, including solution-state magnetic properties, redox properties, temperature, and pH variation studies, were carried out. [Co(PATA)] 2+ remained inert in the presence of competing ions, under acidic conditions, at high temperatures, and in the physiological pH range. The paraCEST response of [Co(PATA)] 2+ has been measured in the presence of HEPES buffer medium, and a high paraCEST feature was discovered at both 37 and 25 °C. The pH variation paraCEST studies were carried out and the exchange rate constant of the probe at 37 and 25 °C was also determined. However, due to the fast exchange of water protons, the [Ni(PATA)(OH 2 )] 2+ complex remained inactive in the CEST process.

Food spoilage bacteria (FSB) and multidrug-resistant (MDR) foodborne pathogens have emerged as one of the principal public health concerns in the twenty first century. The harmful effects of FSB lead to economic losses for the food industries. Similarly, MDR foodborne pathogens are accountable for multiple illnesses and pose a threat to consumers. Therefore, there is an urgent need to establish effective formulations for successful application against such microorganisms. In this context, the fusion of knowledge from biotechnology and nanotechnology can explore endless possibilities in the development of innovative formulations against FSB and foodborne pathogens. The current review critically examines the application of bacteriocins in the food industry and the use of nanomaterials to enhance the antimicrobial activity, stability, and precision in the target delivery of bacteriocins. This review also explores the technologies involved in the development of bacteriocin-based nanoformulations and their action against FSB and MDR foodborne pathogens, offering new possibilities in preservation technologies and addressing food safety issues in the food industry. The review highlights the challenges in the commercialization and technoeconomical feasibility of nanobacteriocin. Overall, it provides essential information and interpretation about nanotechnological advancements in bacteriocin formulation action against FSB and foodborne pathogens and future scopes.