Swelling and Degrafting of Poly(3-sulfopropyl methacrylate) Brushes.

Upon exposure to a good solvent, polymer brushes prepared via surface-initiated polymerization can undergo degrafting via cleavage of bonds that anchor the polymer tethers to the underlying substrate. As polymer brushes are often used in a solvent swollen state, this has implications for the longevity of these polymer coatings. Improving the fundamental understanding of this process is thus also of practical importance.

Protrusion force and cell-cell adhesion play a critical role in collective tumor cluster migration.

While collective migration is shown to enhance invasive and metastatic potential in cancer, the mechanisms driving this behavior and regulating tumor migration plasticity remain poorly understood. This study provides a mechanistic framework explaining the emergence of different modes of collective migration under hypoxia-induced secretome. We focus on the interplay between cellular protrusion force and cell-cell adhesion using collectively migrating three-dimensional microtumors as models with well-defined microenvironment.

Pyroelectric Polyelectrolyte Brushes.

Piezo- and pyroelectric materials are of interest, for example, for energy harvesting applications, for the development of tactile sensors, as well as neuromorphic computing. This study reports the observation of pyro- and piezoelectricity in thin surface-attached polymer brushes containing zwitterionic and electrolytic side groups that are prepared via surface-initiated polymerization. The pyro- and piezoelectric properties of the surface-grafted polyelectrolyte brushes are found to sensitively depend on and can be tuned by variation of the counterion.

The species composition, richness and diversity studies of fruit flies captured from the orchard of Nagpur mandarin.

The present experiment was conducted to study the diversity of fruit flies in Nagpur mandarin orchard from different agro-ecological zones of Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, India. The fruit flies samples were collected from 18 places falling under 9 agro-ecological zone using methyl eugenol traps. Out of the total collected catches of fruit flies from each zones, Bactrocera dorsalis was found to be the most prominent species followed by Bactrocera zonata.

Combined PARP and WEE1 inhibition triggers anti-tumor immune response in BRCA1/2 wildtype triple-negative breast cancer.

Novel therapeutic strategies that can effectively combine with immunotherapies are needed in the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). We demonstrate that combined PARP and WEE1 inhibition are synergistic in controlling tumour growth in BRCA1/2 wild-type TNBC preclinical models. The PARP inhibitor (PARPi) olaparib combined with the WEE1 inhibitor (WEE1i) adavosertib triggered increases in anti-tumour immune responses, including STING pathway activation.

Tucatinib promotes immune activation and synergizes with programmed cell death-1 and programmed cell death-ligand 1 inhibition in HER2-positive breast cancer.

Background: Programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) and programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitors have poor efficacy in patients with trastuzumab-resistant advanced HER2-positive breast cancer. Tucatinib is a potent, selective anti-HER2 tyrosine kinase inhibitor with proven clinical benefit in the advanced setting in patients with trastuzumab resistance. We investigated if tucatinib can alter the tumor microenvironment and if this could be harnessed for therapeutic efficacy.

Chemical ecology of Himalayan eggplant variety's antixenosis: identification of geraniol as an oviposition deterrent against the eggplant shoot and fruit borer.

Eggplant (Solanum melongena) suffers severe losses due to a multi-insecticide-resistant lepidopteran pest, shoot and fruit borer (SFB, Leucinodes orbonalis). Heavy and combinatorial application of pesticides for SFB control renders eggplant risky for human consumption. We observed that gravid SFB females do not oviposit on Himalayan eggplant variety RC-RL-22 (RL22).

Swelling-Activated, Soft Mechanochemistry in Polymer Materials.

Swelling in polymer materials is a ubiquitous phenomenon. At a molecular level, swelling is dictated by solvent-polymer interactions, and has been thoroughly studied both theoretically and experimentally. Favorable solvent-polymer interactions result in the solvation of polymer chains.

Sublingual Microcirculation Specificity of Sickle Cell Patients: Morphology of the Microvascular Bed, Blood Rheology, and Local Hemodynamics.

Patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) have poorly deformable red blood cells (RBC) that may impede blood flow into microcirculation. Very few studies have been able to directly visualize microcirculation in humans with SCD. Sublingual video microscopy was performed in eight healthy (HbAA genotype) and four sickle cell individuals (HbSS genotype).

Intratumoral CD8 T cells with a tissue-resident memory phenotype mediate local immunity and immune checkpoint responses in breast cancer.

CD8 tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes with a tissue-resident memory T (T) cell phenotype are associated with favorable prognosis in patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). However, the relative contribution of CD8 T cells to anti-tumor immunity and immune checkpoint blockade efficacy in breast cancer remains unknown. Here, we show that intratumoral CD8 T cells in murine mammary tumors transcriptionally resemble those from TNBC patients.

and evaluation of cerium oxide nanoparticles in respiratory syncytial virus infection.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the most common cause of viral bronchiolitis among children worldwide, yet there is no vaccine for RSV disease. This study investigates the potential of cube and sphere-shaped cerium oxide nanoparticles (CNP) to modulate reactive oxygen (ROS) and nitrogen (RNS) species and immune cell phenotypes in the presence of RSV infection and . Cube and sphere-shaped CNP were synthesized by hydrothermal and ultrasonication methods, respectively.

A kidney proximal tubule model to evaluate effects of basement membrane stiffening on renal tubular epithelial cells.

The kidney tubule consists of a single layer of epithelial cells supported by the tubular basement membrane (TBM), a thin layer of specialized extracellular matrix (ECM). The mechanical properties of the ECM are important for regulating a wide range of cell functions including proliferation, differentiation and cell survival. Increased ECM stiffness plays a role in promoting multiple pathological conditions including cancer, fibrosis and heart disease.

Three-Dimensional Human Brain Organoids to Model HIV-1 Neuropathogenesis.

Studying neurological diseases have long been hampered by the lack of physiologically relevant models to resemble the complex human brain and the associated pathologies. Three-dimensional brain organoids have emerged as cutting-edge technology providing an alternative in vitro model to study healthy neural development and function as well as pathogenesis of neurological disorders and neuropathologies induced by pathogens. Nonetheless,  the absence of immune cells in current models poses a barrier to fully recapitulate brain microenvironment during the onset of HIV-1-associated neuropathogenesis.

Cyclin G1 induces maladaptive proximal tubule cell dedifferentiation and renal fibrosis through CDK5 activation.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) occurs in approximately 13% of hospitalized patients and predisposes patients to chronic kidney disease (CKD) through the AKI-to-CKD transition. Studies from our laboratory and others have demonstrated that maladaptive repair of proximal tubule cells (PTCs), including induction of dedifferentiation, G2/M cell cycle arrest, senescence, and profibrotic cytokine secretion, is a key process promoting AKI-to-CKD transition, kidney fibrosis, and CKD progression. The molecular mechanisms governing maladaptive repair and the relative contribution of dedifferentiation, G2/M arrest, and senescence to CKD remain to be resolved.

P4HA2: A link between tumor-intrinsic hypoxia, partial EMT and collective migration.

Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a well-established phenomenon studied across pan-cancer types, has long been known to be a major player in driving tumor invasion and metastasis. Recent studies have highlighted the importance of partial EMT phenotypes in metastasis. Initially thought as a transitional state between epithelial and mesenchymal phenotypic states, partial EMT state is now widely recognized as a key driver of intra-tumoral heterogeneity and phenotypic plasticity, further accelerating tumor metastasis and therapeutic resistance.

Checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy diminishes oocyte number and quality in mice.

Loss of fertility is a major concern for female reproductive-age cancer survivors, since a common side-effect of conventional cytotoxic cancer therapies is permanent damage to the ovary. While immunotherapies are increasingly becoming a standard of care for many cancers-including in the curative setting-their impacts on ovarian function and fertility are unknown. We evaluated the effect of immune checkpoint inhibitors blocking programmed cell death protein ligand 1 and cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 on the ovary using tumor-bearing and tumor-free mouse models.

Synovial joint-on-a-chip for modeling arthritis: progress, pitfalls, and potential.

Disorders of the synovial joint, such as osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), afflict a substantial proportion of the global population. However, current clinical management has not been focused on fully restoring the native function of joints. Organ-on-chip (OoC), also called a microphysiological system, which typically accommodates multiple human cell-derived tissues/organs under physiological culture conditions, is an emerging platform that potentially overcomes the limitations of current models in developing therapeutics.

Quantitative super-resolution microscopy reveals promoting mitochondrial interconnectivity protects against AKI.

Background: The root of many kidney diseases in humans can be traced to alterations or damage to subcellular organelles. Mitochondrial fragmentation, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and lysosomal inhibition, among others, ultimately contribute to kidney injury and are the target of therapeutics in development. Although recent technological advancements allow for the understanding of disease states at the cellular level, investigating changes in subcellular organelles from kidney tissue remains challenging.

Development and preclinical evaluation of microneedle-assisted resveratrol loaded nanostructured lipid carriers for localized delivery to breast cancer therapy.

Resveratrol (RVT) is one of the potent anticancer phytochemicals which has shown promising potential for breast cancer therapy. However, its short half-life and low bioavailability is a major hurdle in its effective use. In this study, we have developed nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) of RVT to enable localized delivery of the drug to the breast tissues using microneedle arrays to improve effectiveness.

A Biomimetic In Vitro Model of the Kidney Filtration Barrier Using Tissue-Derived Glomerular Basement Membrane.

The glomerular filtration barrier (GFB) filters the blood to remove toxins while retaining high molecular weight proteins in the circulation. The glomerular basement membrane (GBM) and podocytes, highly specialized epithelial cells, are critical components of the filtration barrier. The GBM serves as a physical barrier to passage of molecules into the filtrate.

Immune cellular networks underlying recovery from influenza virus infection in acute hospitalized patients.

How innate and adaptive immune responses work in concert to resolve influenza disease is yet to be fully investigated in one single study. Here, we utilize longitudinal samples from patients hospitalized with acute influenza to understand these immune responses. We report the dynamics of 18 important immune parameters, related to clinical, genetic and virological factors, in influenza patients across different severity levels.

Label-free quantitative proteomics of Sorghum bicolor reveals the proteins strengthening plant defense against insect pest Chilo partellus.

Background: Spotted stem borer- Chilo partellus - a Lepidopteran insect pest of Sorghum bicolor is responsible for major economic losses. It is an oligophagous pest, which bores through the plant stem, causing 'deadheart' and hampering the development of the main cob. We applied a label-free quantitative proteomics approach on three genotypes of S.

Identifying Molecular Signatures of Distinct Modes of Collective Migration in Response to the Microenvironment Using Three-Dimensional Breast Cancer Models.

Collective cell migration is a key feature of transition of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) to invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) among many other cancers, yet the microenvironmental factors and underlying mechanisms that trigger collective migration remain poorly understood. Here, we investigated two microenvironmental factors, tumor-intrinsic hypoxia and tumor-secreted factors (secretome), as triggers of collective migration using three-dimensional (3D) discrete-sized microtumor models that recapitulate hallmarks of DCIS-IDC transition. Interestingly, the two factors induced two distinct modes of collective migration: directional and radial migration in the 3D microtumors generated from the same breast cancer cell line model, T47D.