Synergistic design of a graphene oxide-mediated polyaniline/α-FeO ternary heterostructure: advancing photocatalytic degradation and adsorption efficiency.

With the growing threat of organic pollutants in water bodies, there is an urgent need for sustainable and efficient water decontamination methods. This research focused on synthesizing a novel Z-scheme ternary heterostructure composed of graphene oxide (GO)-mediated polyaniline (PANI) with α-FeO and investigated its potential in brilliant green (BrG) and ciprofloxacin (CIP) degradation tests under visible light. The ternary composite demonstrated exceptional photocatalytic activity, with the optimized 10%PANI/GO/α-FeO (10PGF) photocatalyst achieving 99.

Chronic kidney disease amplifies severe kidney injury and mortality in a mouse model of skin arsenical exposure.

In previously published work, we elucidated the role of cutaneous arsenical exposure in promoting acute kidney injury (AKI) in adult healthy mice. Here, we determine whether pre-existing chronic kidney disease (CKD) increases the severity of AKI. Following exposure to aristolochic acid (AA) (a nephrotoxic phytochemical in humans), mice manifested classical markers of CKD, including robust interstitial fibrosis and loss in kidney function.

An insight into impact of nanomaterials toxicity on human health.

In recent years, advances in nanotechnology have significantly influenced electronics manufacturing, industrial processes, and medical research. Various industries have seen a surge in the use of nanomaterials. However, several researchers have raised the alarm about the toxicological nature of nanomaterials, which appear to be quite different from their crude forms.

Enhancing topical delivery of ISRIB: Optimizing cream formulations with chemical enhancers and pH adjustment.

Chemical warfare agents, particularly vesicants like lewisite, pose a threat due to their ability to cause skin damage through accidental exposure or deliberate attacks. Lewisite rapidly penetrates the skin, causing inflammation and blistering. This study focuses on developing a cream formulation of a therapeutic agent, called integrated stress response inhibitor (ISRIB), to treat lewisite-induced injuries.

Heavy Metal Exposure-Mediated Dysregulation of Sphingolipid Metabolism.

Exposure to heavy metals (HMs) is often associated with inflammation and cell death, exacerbating respiratory diseases including asthma. Most inhaled particulate HM exposures result in the deposition of HM-bound fine particulate matter, PM, in pulmonary cell populations. While localized high concentrations of HMs may be a causative factor, existing studies have mostly evaluated the effects of systemic or low-dose chronic HM exposures.

Potentials of artificial intelligence in familial hypercholesterolemia: Advances in screening, diagnosis, and risk stratification for early intervention and treatment.

Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) poses a global health challenge due to high incidence rates and underdiagnosis, leading to increased risks of early-onset atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases. Early detection and treatment of FH is critical in reducing the risk of cardiovascular events and improving the long-term outcomes and quality of life for affected individuals and their families. Traditional therapeutic approaches revolve around lipid-lowering interventions, yet challenges persist, particularly in accurate and timely diagnosis.

Development of 4-phenylbutyric acid microsponge gel formulations for the treatment of lewisite-mediated skin injury.

Lewisite, a chemical warfare agent, causes skin blisters, erythema, edema, and inflammation, requiring mitigation strategies in case of accidental or deliberate exposure. 4-phenyl butyric acid (4-PBA), a chemical chaperone, reduces endoplasmic reticulum stress and skin inflammation. The study aimed to encapsulate 4-PBA in microsponges for effective, sustained delivery against lewisite injury.

Small Extracellular Vesicle Signaling and Mitochondrial Transfer Reprograms T Helper Cell Function in Human Asthma.

Rationale: Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways that involves crosstalk between myeloid-derived regulatory cells (MDRCs) and CD4+ T cells. Although small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) are known to mediate cell-cell communication, the role of sEV signaling via mitochondria in perpetuating asthmatic airway inflammation is unknown.

Objectives: We investigated the effects of MDRC-derived exosomes on dysregulated T cell responses in asthmatics.

Construction of flake ball-shaped BiWO embedded on phenyl functionalized g-CN nanosheet for efficient degradation insight of colorless pollutants and its biological application.

A facile solvent-free solid-state method was adapted to synthesize the spherical-shaped BiWO engraved on phenyl-doped g-CN nanosheet, i.e., BiWO/Ph-gCN (or BPCN) composites with varying weights of BiWO.

Cleaner Biofuel Production via Process Parametric Optimization of Nonedible Feedstock in a Membrane Reactor Using a Titania-Based Heterogeneous Nanocatalyst: An Aid to Sustainable Energy Development.

Membrane technology has been embraced as a feasible and suitable substitute for conventional time- and energy-intensive biodiesel synthesis processes. It is ecofriendly, easier to run and regulate, and requires less energy than conventional approaches, with excellent stability. Therefore, the present study involved the synthesis and application of a highly reactive and recyclable Titania-based heterogeneous nanocatalyst (TiO) for biodiesel production from nonedible seed oil via a membrane reactor, since is easily and widely accessible and has a rich oil content (39% /).

A Murine Model of Vesicant-Induced Acute Lung Injury.

Burn injuries including those caused by chemicals can result in systemic effects and acute lung injury (ALI). Cutaneous exposure to Lewisite, a warfare and chemical burn agent, also causes ALI. To overcome the limitations in conducting direct research on Lewisite-induced ALI in a laboratory setting, an animal model was developed using phenylarsine oxide (PAO) as a surrogate for Lewisite.

Integrative systems biology framework discovers common gene regulatory signatures in multiple mechanistically distinct inflammatory skin diseases.

More than 20% of the population across the world is affected by non-communicable inflammatory skin diseases including psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, hidradenitis suppurativa, rosacea, etc. Many of these chronic diseases are painful and debilitating with limited effective therapeutic interventions. However, recent advances in psoriasis treatment have improved the effectiveness and provide better management of the disease.

Epigenetic switch reshapes epithelial progenitor cell signatures and drives inflammatory pathogenesis in hidradenitis suppurativa.

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a complex inflammatory skin disease with undefined mechanistic underpinnings. Here, we investigated HS epithelial cells and demonstrated that HS basal progenitors modulate their lineage restriction and give rise to pathogenic keratinocyte clones, resulting in epidermal hyperproliferation and dysregulated inflammation in HS. When comparing to healthy epithelial stem/progenitor cells, in HS, we identified changes in gene signatures that revolve around the mitotic cell cycle, DNA damage response and repair, as well as cell-cell adhesion and chromatin remodeling.

NK and NKT cells in the pathogenesis of Hidradenitis suppurativa: Novel therapeutic strategy through targeting of CD2.

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic debilitating inflammatory skin disease with poorly understood pathogenesis. Single-cell RNAseq analysis of HS lesional and healthy individual skins revealed that NKT and NK cell populations were greatly expanded in HS, and they expressed elevated CD2, an activation receptor. Immunohistochemistry analyses confirmed significantly expanded numbers of CD2+ cells distributed throughout HS lesional tissue, and many co-expressed the NK marker, CD56.

The Involvement of Unfolded Protein Response in the Mechanism of Nitrogen Mustard-Induced Ocular Toxicity.

Nitrogen mustard (NM) is a known surrogate of sulfur mustard, a chemical-warfare agent that causes a wide range of ocular symptoms, from a permanent reduction in visual acuity to blindness upon exposure. Although it has been proposed that the two blistering agents have a similar mechanism of toxicity, the mode of NM-induced cell death in ocular tissue has not been fully explored. Therefore, we hypothesized that direct ocular exposure to NM in mice leads to retinal tissue injury through chronic activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR) PERK arm in corneal cells and VEGF secretion, eventually causing cell death.

HSP90, a Common Therapeutic Target for Suppressing Skin Injury Caused by Exposure to Chemically Diverse Classes of Blistering Agents.

Vesicants such as arsenicals and mustards produce highly painful cutaneous inflammatory and blistering responses, hence developed as chemical weapons during World War I/II. Here, using lewisite and sulfur mustard surrogates, namely phenylarsine oxide (PAO) and 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide (CEES), respectively, we defined a common underlying mechanism of toxic action by these two distinct classes of vesicants. Murine skin exposure to these chemicals causes tissue destruction characterized by increase in skin bifold thickness, Draize score, infiltration of inflammatory cells, and apoptosis of epidermal and dermal cells.

Efficacy and safety of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors for heart failure with mildly reduced or preserved ejection fraction: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Aims: We sought to conduct a meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy and safety of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) in patients with heart failure (HF) with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and HF with mildly reduced ejection fraction (HFmrEF).

Methods: We searched the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE (via PubMed), Embase, and ClinicalTrials.gov till March 2023 to retrieve all randomized controlled trials of SGLT2i in patients with HFpEF or HFmrEF.

Microneedle-mediated transdermal delivery of N-acetyl cysteine as a potential antidote for lewisite injury.

Lewisite is a chemical warfare agent intended for use in World War and a potential threat to the civilian population due to presence in stockpiles or accidental exposure. Lewisite-mediated skin injury is characterized by acute erythema, pain, and blister formation. N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) is an FDA-approved drug for acetaminophen toxicity, identified as a potential antidote against lewisite.

Altered sphingolipid pathway in SARS-CoV-2 infected human lung tissue.

Introduction: The SARS-CoV-2 mediated COVID-19 pandemic has impacted millions worldwide. Hyper-inflammatory processes, including cytokine storm, contribute to long-standing tissue injury and damage in COVID-19. The metabolism of sphingolipids as regulators of cell survival, differentiation, and proliferation has been implicated in inflammatory signaling and cytokine responses.