Lipid-based microemulsion gel for the topical delivery of methotrexate: an optimized, rheologically acceptable formulation with conducive dermatokinetics.

In the present study, we have formulated a methotrexate (MTX)-loaded microemulsion topical gel employing quality-by-design optimization. The optimized lipid-based microemulsion was incorporated into a 2% carbopol gel. The prepared formulation was characterized for micromeritics, surface charge, surface morphology, conductivity studies, rheology studies, texture analysis/spreadability, drug entrapment, and drug loading studies.

Charged hollow microgel capsules.

Responsive hollow microgels are a fascinating class of soft model systems at the crossover between polymer capsules and microgels. The presence of the cavity makes them promising materials for encapsulation and controlled release applications but also confers them an additional softness that is reflected by their peculiar behaviour in bulk and at interfaces. Their responsivity to external stimuli, such as temperature, pH, and ionic strength, can be designed from their synthesis conditions and the choice of functional moieties.

MSMEG_0311 is a conserved essential polar protein involved in mycobacterium cell wall metabolism.

Cell wall synthesis and cell division are two closely linked pathways in a bacterial cell which distinctly influence the growth and survival of a bacterium. This requires an appreciable coordination between the two processes, more so, in case of mycobacteria with an intricate multi-layered cell wall structure. In this study, we investigated a conserved gene cluster using CRISPR-Cas12 based gene silencing technology to show that knockdown of most of the genes in this cluster leads to growth defects.

Effective gene silencing using type I-E CRISPR system in the multiploid, radiation-resistant bacterium .

The extremely radiation-resistant bacterium, , is a microbe of importance, both, for studying stress tolerance mechanisms and as a chassis for industrial biotechnology. However, the molecular tools available for use in this organism continue to be limiting, with its multiploid genome presenting an additional challenge. In view of this, the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)-Cas tools provide a large repertoire of applications for gene manipulation.

CRISPR-Cas12a assisted specific detection of mpox virus.

Mpox virus, a member of genus Orthopoxvirus, causes rash and flu-like symptoms in humans. In the recent global outbreak, it was reported from several geographical areas that have not historically reported mpox. Point of care, sensitive and specific mpox diagnostic assays are critical in checking the spread of the disease.

Heavy and less common metals in rainwater and the kinetics of the oxidation of hydrogen sulfide by oxygen in rainwater medium.

As a sequel to our recent study on the oxidation by O, i. e., autoxidation of dissolved hydrogen sulfide, HS, in aqueous medium, we present here the results of a similar study in rain water medium.

Harnessing CRISRP-Cas9 as an anti-mycobacterial system.

Rapid emergence of drug resistance has posed new challenges to the treatment of mycobacterial infections. As the pace of development of new drugs is slow, alternate treatment approaches are required. Recently, CRISPR-Cas systems have emerged as potential antimicrobials.

Mucormycosis coinfection post-COVID-19 recovery: Early suspicion and prompt action.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection has resulted in a pandemic, the disease manifests itself as various conditions ranging from respiratory disorders to exacerbated inflammatory responses. The management in some cases involves immediate care in an intensive setup with the administration of various antibiotics and steroids which has resulted in the imposition of risk factors and growth of fulminant fungal infection. The present article addresses two such cases which presented with osteomyelitis secondary to mucormycosis in patients who had more than one episode of COVID-19 infection.

Dichotomous behaviors of stress and dielectric relaxations in dense suspensions of swollen thermoreversible hydrogel microparticles.

Hypothesis: While the mechanical disruption of microscopic structures in complex fluids by large shear flows has been studied extensively, the effects of applied strains on the dielectric properties of macromolecular aggregates have received far less attention. Simultaneous rheology and dielectric experiments can be employed to study the dynamics of sheared colloidal suspensions over spatiotemporal scales spanning several decades.

Experiments: Using a precision impedance analyzer, we study the dielectric behavior of strongly sheared aqueous suspensions of thermoreversible hydrogel poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) particles at different temperatures.

An improved, simple and field-deployable CRISPR-Cas12a assay for the detection of SARS-CoV-2.

Aims: The RT-PCR is the most popular confirmatory test for SARS-CoV-2. It is sensitive, but high instrumentation cost makes it difficult for use outside routine clinical setup. This has necessitated the development of alternative methods such as CRISPR-based DETECTR method which uses lateral flow technology.

CLEVER assay: A visual and rapid RNA extraction-free detection of SARS-CoV-2 based on CRISPR-Cas integrated RT-LAMP technology.

Aim: The current scenario of COVID-19 pandemic has presented an almost insurmountable challenge even for the most sophisticated hospitals equipped with modern biomedical technology. There is an urgency to develop simple, fast and highly accurate methods for the rapid identification and isolation of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infected patients. To address the ongoing challenge, the present study offers a CLEVER assay (CRISPR-Cas integrated RT-LAMP Easy, Visual and Extraction-free RNA) which will allow RNA extraction-free method to visually diagnose COVID-19.

The era of Cas12 and Cas13 CRISPR-based disease diagnosis.

Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) and associated protein (Cas) systems, since their discovery, have found growing applications in cell imaging, transcription modulation, therapeutics and diagnostics. Discovery of Cas12 and Cas13 have brought a new dimension to the field of disease diagnosis. These endonucleases have been extensively used for diagnosis of viral diseases in humans and animals and to a lesser extent in plants.

Biomedical Applications of Carbon Nanomaterials: Fullerenes, Quantum Dots, Nanotubes, Nanofibers, and Graphene.

Carbon nanomaterials (CNMs) have received tremendous interest in the area of nanotechnology due to their unique properties and flexible dimensional structure. CNMs have excellent electrical, thermal, and optical properties that make them promising materials for drug delivery, bioimaging, biosensing, and tissue engineering applications. Currently, there are many types of CNMs, such as quantum dots, nanotubes, nanosheets, and nanoribbons; and there are many others in development that promise exciting applications in the future.

Influence of medium structure on the physicochemical properties of aging colloidal dispersions investigated using the synthetic clay LAPONITE®.

Physical aging in colloidal dispersions manifests as a reduction in kinetic freedom of the colloids. In aqueous dispersions of charged clay colloids, the role of interparticle electrostatic interactions in determining the aging dynamics has been evaluated extensively. Despite water being the dispersion medium, the influence of water structure on the physicochemical properties of aging clay dispersions has, however, not been considered before.

Lipid-based Nanocarriers Loaded with Taxanes for the Management of Breast Cancer: Promises and Challenges.

Breast cancer is the leading cause of deaths worldwide among women. Taxanes (most propitious class of diterpenes) have shown dynamic potentials in the treatment of early and metastatic breast cancer. However, challenges like poor bioavailability, low tissue-permeability, compromised aqueous solubility, and dose-dependent side-effects limit the clinical applications of these drugs.

Metal removal by metallothionein and an acid phosphatase PhoN, surface-displayed on the cells of the extremophile, Deinococcus radiodurans.

The utility of surface layer proteins (Hpi and SlpA) of the radiation resistant bacterium, Deinococcus radiodurans, was investigated for surface display and bioremediation of cadmium and uranium. The smtA gene, from Synechococcus elongatus (encoding the metal binding metallothionein protein), was cloned and over-expressed in D. radiodurans, either as such or as a chimeric gene fused with hpi ORF (Hpi-SmtA), or fused to the nucleotide sequence encoding the SLH domain of the SlpA protein (SLH-SmtA).

Comparative transcriptomic analysis reveals conserved programmes underpinning organogenesis and reproduction in land plants.

The appearance of plant organs mediated the explosive radiation of land plants, which shaped the biosphere and allowed the establishment of terrestrial animal life. The evolution of organs and immobile gametes required the coordinated acquisition of novel gene functions, the co-option of existing genes and the development of novel regulatory programmes. However, no large-scale analyses of genomic and transcriptomic data have been performed for land plants.

Evaluation of heavy-duty vehicle emission controls with a decade of California real-world observations.

Over the past decade, efforts to reduce emissions of particulate matter (PM) and oxides of nitrogen (NO + NO, or NO) from heavy-duty diesel vehicles (HDDVs) have led to the widespread adoption of both Diesel Particulate Filters (DPFs) to control PM and Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) to control NO. We evaluated the performance of DPFs and SCR with 13,327 real-world fuel-based Black Carbon (BC) and NO emission factors from 9,167 unique heavy-duty vehicles (primarily HDDVs) measured at four sites in California (two ports, two highways) from 2011 to 2018. BC emission factors have decreased by 90% during the past decade.

The Scope and Challenges of Vesicular Carrier-Mediated Delivery of Docetaxel for the Management of Cancer.

Since the discovery of liposomes, these vesicular carriers have attracted the researchers from all the vistas of the biomedical domain to explore and harness the potential benefits. Many novel drug delivery-based products have been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) and other federal agencies of the globe, out of which the major share is of the liposomes and related carriers. Taking cognizance of it, the US-FDA has recently come up with 'Guidance for Industry on Liposome Drug Products'.

Aberrant Expression of a Non-muscle RBFOX2 Isoform Triggers Cardiac Conduction Defects in Myotonic Dystrophy.

Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is a multisystemic genetic disorder caused by the CTG repeat expansion in the 3'-untranslated region of DMPK gene. Heart dysfunctions occur in ∼80% of DM1 patients and are the second leading cause of DM1-related deaths. Herein, we report that upregulation of a non-muscle splice isoform of RNA-binding protein RBFOX2 in DM1 heart tissue-due to altered splicing factor and microRNA activities-induces cardiac conduction defects in DM1 individuals.