Burnout experience among healthcare workers post third COVID-19 wave in India; findings of a cross-sectional study.

Background: The pandemic exacerbated burnout experienced by healthcare personnel, whose mental health had long been a public health concern before COVID-19. This study used the Copenhagen burnout inventory (CBI) tool to assess burnout and identify predictors among Indian healthcare workers managing COVID-19.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from June to December 2022, after the third pandemic wave.

Membrane potential accelerates sugar uptake by stabilizing the outward facing conformation of the Na/glucose symporter vSGLT.

Sodium-dependent glucose transporters (SGLTs) couple a downhill Na ion gradient to actively transport sugars. Here, we investigate the impact of the membrane potential on vSGLT structure and function using sugar uptake assays, double electron-electron resonance (DEER), electrostatic calculations, and kinetic modeling. Negative membrane potentials, as present in all cell types, shift the conformational equilibrium of vSGLT towards an outward-facing conformation, leading to increased sugar transport rates.

Crystal structure of an L-type lectin domain from archaea.

The crystal structures of an L-type lectin domain from Methanocaldococcus jannaschii in apo and mannose-bound forms have been determined. A thorough investigation of L-type lectin domains from several organisms provides insight into the differences in these domains from different kingdoms of life. While the overall fold of the L-type lectin domain is conserved, differences in the lengths of the carbohydrate-binding loops and significant variations in the Mn -binding site compared to the Ca -binding site are observed.

The Single Residue K12 Governs the Exceptional Voltage Sensitivity of Mitochondrial Voltage-Dependent Anion Channel Gating.

The voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC) is a β-barrel channel of the mitochondrial outer membrane (MOM) that passively transports ions, metabolites, polypeptides, and single-stranded DNA. VDAC responds to a transmembrane potential by "gating," i.e.

MicroED structure of lipid-embedded mammalian mitochondrial voltage-dependent anion channel.

A structure of the murine voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC) was determined by microcrystal electron diffraction (MicroED). Microcrystals of an essential mutant of VDAC grew in a viscous bicelle suspension, making it unsuitable for conventional X-ray crystallography. Thin, plate-like crystals were identified using scanning-electron microscopy (SEM).

Purification, characterization, and crystal structure of YhdA-type azoreductase from Bacillus velezensis.

Azoreductases are being extensively investigated for their ability to initiate degradation of recalcitrant azo dyes through reduction of azo bonds. There is great interest in studying their diversity, structure, and function to facilitate better understanding and effective application. Current study reports azoreductase enzyme from Bacillus velezensis, which showed 69.

Targeted delivery of thermoresponsive polymeric nanoparticle-encapsulated lycopene: anticancer activity and chemopreventive effect on murine skin inflammation and tumorigenesis.

Naturally occurring lycopene has been reported for its chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic efficiency in various cancers, but its exceptional lipophilicity, poor aqueous solubility, instability, and consequently poor bioavailability limit its usage as a chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic agent. The present study aimed to synthesize co-polymeric nanoparticle-encapsulated formulations of commercial lycopene (NLY) and extracted lycopene (NLX) and evaluate their anticancer activity and inhibitory effect on 12--tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-promoted skin inflammation and tumorigenesis in Swiss albino mice. To prepare the nanoparticle-encapsulated formulations of lycopene, thermosensitive PNIPAAM-PEG-based co-polymeric nanoparticles were synthesized and characterized by FTIR spectroscopy, NMR spectroscopy, DLS, and TEM.

Charge Reduction of Membrane Proteins in Native Mass Spectrometry Using Alkali Metal Acetate Salts.

Native mass spectrometry (MS) provides the capacity to monitor membrane protein complexes and noncovalent binding of ligands and lipids to membrane proteins. The charge states produced by native MS of membrane proteins often result in gas-phase protein unfolding or loss of noncovalent interactions. In an effort to reduce the charge of membrane proteins, we examined the utility of alkali metal salts as a charge-reducing agent.

Enhancement of the cancer inhibitory effect of the bioactive food component resveratrol by nanoparticle based delivery.

Naturally occurring bioactive food components such as dietary polyphenols have shown many beneficial biological activities due to their good antioxidant properties. Among them significant attention has been given to resveratrol (RV) in recent years as it plays a promising role in cancer prevention. It has demonstrated anti-proliferative effects, as well as the ability to inhibit the initiation and progression of induced cancer in a wide variety of tumor models.

Crystal structures of a β-trefoil lectin from Entamoeba histolytica in monomeric and a novel disulfide bond-mediated dimeric forms.

β-Trefoil lectins are galactose/N-acetyl galactosamine specific lectins, which are widely distributed across all kingdoms of life and are known to perform several important functions. However, there is no report available on the characterization of these lectins from protozoans. We have performed structural and biophysical studies on a β-trefoil lectin from Entamoeba histolytica (EntTref), which exists as a mixture of monomers and dimers in solution.

Crystal structure of the legume lectin-like domain of an ERGIC-53-like protein from Entamoeba histolytica.

ERGIC-53-like proteins are type I membrane proteins that belong to the class of intracellular cargo receptors and are known to be indispensable for the intracellular transport of glycoproteins. They are implicated in transporting glycoproteins between the endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi body. The crystal structure of the legume lectin-like domain of an ERGIC-53-like protein from Entamoeba histolytica has been determined at 2.

Structural and functional characterization of mercuric reductase from Lysinibacillus sphaericus strain G1.

In response to the widespread presence of inorganic Hg in the environment, bacteria have evolved resistance systems with mercuric reductase (MerA) as the key enzyme. MerA enzymes have still not been well characterized from gram positive bacteria. Current study reports physico-chemical, kinetic and structural characterization of MerA from a multiple heavy metal resistant strain of Lysinibacillus sphaericus, and discusses its implications in bioremediation application.

Validation of PCR based detection system for aflatoxin producing molds.

Aflatoxins are polyketide secondary metabolites that are produced by certain fungal species in the Aspergillus section Flavi, particularly Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus which contaminate human food as well as animal feed. These are among the most carcinogenic substances known. Due to the toxic and carcinogenic properties of aflatoxins, there is a need to develop reliable methods to detect the presence of aflatoxigenic Aspergilli in contaminated food and feed.