Development of a gum tragacanth-coated nanoparticle system for controlled release of plant extracts against Erwinia amylovora.

Fire blight, caused by Erwinia amylovora, is a significant threat to fruit crops, with limited biocontrol methods. This study aimed to develop a nanosystem using mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) loaded with a phenolic plant extract (ZP) derived from Myrtus communis, Thymus vulgaris, and Curcuma longa, and coated with natural biopolymers Gum Tragacanth (GT) and sodium alginate (SA). The MSNs were synthesized and characterized by XRD, FTIR, and TEM, exhibiting a specific surface area of about 750 m/g and an average pore diameter of 5 nm.

Microspheres based on galactomannan and Spondias purpurea L. extract to increase antifungal and antibiofilm efficacy against Candida spp.

The ongoing problem of an increasing resistance of Candida spp. to available antifungals, has made it necessary the search for new therapeutic alternatives. The aim of this work was to develop a microsphere based on Caesalpinia ferrea galactomannan and Spondias purpurea L.

Gymnema saponin-induced lipid flip-flop identifies rigid membrane phenotype of methicillin resistant S. aureus and enhances it's antibiotic susceptibility.

Our previous study revealed that lipid flip-flop inducing phytochemicals from Gymnema sylvestre increase membrane permeability of antimicrobials in S. aureus. However, their lipid flipping and membrane permeabilizing effect on methicillin resistant S.

Roles of acyl carrier proteins in ladderane fatty acid producing-organisms.

Ladderanes are highly strained hydrocarbons consisting of two or more linearly concatenated cyclobutane rings. Strikingly, ladderane moieties are part of unique fatty acids and fatty alcohols that are exclusively found in the membrane lipids of anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing (anammox) bacteria. These bacteria express a distinctive gene cluster (cluster I) that has been suggested to be responsible for ladderane fatty acid (FA) biosynthesis in addition to a cluster likely involved in canonical FA biosynthesis (cluster III).

Radiopaque hydrogel-in-liposomes towards theranostic applications for malignant tumors.

A radiopaque hydrogel-in-liposome (RHL) system was developed for micro-computed tomography (μCT) imaging of tumor tissue and simultaneous delivery of a cytotoxic agent. Iopamidol (IPD) and doxorubicin (DOX) were incorporated as the CT contrast and anti-cancer agents, respectively. The presence of a polyethylene glycol hydrogel core in the liposomes was confirmed via attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared, proton nuclear magnetic resonance, and selective solvent extraction.

The pan-PPAR agonist lanifibranor reduces portal pressure independent of fibrosis reduction through the splanchnic vasculature.

Portal hypertension (PH) can cause severe complications in patients with advanced chronic liver disease (aCLD). The pan-peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (pan-PPAR) agonist lanifibranor reduces portal pressure in preclinical models of aCLD. Since the effect on PH might be secondary to fibrosis improvement, we investigated the effect of lanifibranor on PH, hepatic and splanchnic angiogenesis in mouse models of fibrotic and prehepatic non-fibrotic PH.

Gut microbial communities and transcriptional profiles of black soldier fly (Hermitia illucens) larvae fed on fermented sericulture waste.

Sericulture waste poses significant challenges to industrial and environmental safety. Black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) offer a promising solution for organic waste management by converting it into insect protein. This study aimed to develop a microbial fermented method for utilizing sericulture waste to feed BSFL and explore the underlying mechanisms.

The androgen clock is an epigenetic predictor of long-term male hormone exposure.

Aging is a complex process characterized by biological decline and a wide range of molecular alterations to cells, including changes to DNA methylation. In this study, we used a male-specific epigenetic marker of aging to build an epigenetic predictor that measures long-term androgen exposure in sheep and mice (median absolute error of 4.3 and 1.

Mitochondrial Electron Flow Dynamics Imaging for Assessing Mitochondrial Quality and Drug Screening.

Mitochondrial quality control is paramount for cellular development, with mitochondrial electron flow (Mito-EF) playing a central role in maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis. However, unlike visible protein entities, which can be monitored through chemical biotechnology, regulating mitochondrial quality control by invisible entities such as Mito-EF has remained elusive. Here, a Mito-EF tracker (Mito-EFT) with a four-pronged probe design is presented to elucidate the dynamic mechanisms of Mito-EF's involvement in mitochondrial quality control.

Casein Kinases 2-dependent phosphorylation of the placental ligand VAR2CSA regulates Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes cytoadhesion.

Placental malaria is characterized by the massive accumulation and sequestration of infected erythrocytes in the placental intervillous blood spaces, causing severe birth outcomes. The variant surface antigen VAR2CSA is associated with Plasmodium falciparum sequestration in the placenta via its capacity to adhere to chondroitin sulfate A. We have previously shown that the extracellular region of VAR2CSA is phosphorylated on several residues and that the phosphorylation enhances the adhesive properties of CSA-binding infected erythrocytes.

Modeling maize aflatoxins and fumonisins in a Tanzanian smallholder system: Accounting for diverse risk factors improves mycotoxin models.

Human exposure to mycotoxins is common and often severe in underregulated maize-based food systems. This study explored how monitoring of these systems could help to identify when and where outbreaks occur and inform potential mitigation efforts. Within a maize smallholder system in Kongwa District, Tanzania, we performed two food surveys of mycotoxin contamination at local grain mills, documenting high levels of aflatoxins and fumonisins in maize destined for human consumption.

Mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosome and liposome hybrids as transfection nanocarriers of Cas9-GFP plasmid to HEK293T cells.

Exosomes are natural membrane-enclosed nanovesicles (30-150 nm) involved in cell-cell communication. Recently, they have garnered considerable interest as nanocarriers for the controlled transfer of therapeutic agents to cells. Here, exosomes were derived from bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells using three different isolation methods.

Induction of stigma-like structures in saffron (Crocus sativus L.): Exploring factors and metabolite analysis.

Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) has held significant cultural and medicinal value since the Greek-Minoan civilization. As a triploid spice with vegetative propagation from the Iridaceae family, the three-branch style of C.

Impact of sex hormones on pheochromocytomas, paragangliomas, and gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors.

Objective: The effects of sex hormones remain largely unexplored in pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PPGLs) and gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NETs).

Methods: We evaluated the effects of estradiol, progesterone, Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), and testosterone on human patient-derived PPGL/GEP-NET primary culture cell viability (n = 38/n = 12), performed next-generation sequencing and immunohistochemical hormone receptor analysis in patient-derived PPGL tumor tissues (n = 36).

Results: In PPGLs, estradiol and progesterone (1 µm) demonstrated overall significant antitumor effects with the strongest efficacy in PPGLs with NF1 (cluster 2) pathogenic variants.

Key Interaction Changes Determine the Activation Process of Human Parathyroid Hormone Type 1 Receptor.

The parathyroid hormone type 1 receptor (PTH1R) plays a crucial role in modulating various physiological functions and is considered an effective therapeutic target for osteoporosis. However, a lack of detailed molecular and energetic information about PTH1R limits our comprehensive understanding of its activation process. In this study, we performed computational simulations to explore key events in the activation process, such as conformational changes in PTH1R, Gs protein coupling, and the release of guanosine diphosphate (GDP).

Preparation of Small Extracellular Vesicles Using Sequential Ultrafiltration with Regenerated Cellulose Membranes of Different Molecular Weight Cutoffs: A Study of Morphology and Size by Electron Microscopy.

There is still room for improvement in the isolation and purification techniques for extracellular vesicles (EVs), particularly in the separation of exosomes (small EVs) from other membrane vesicles such as microvesicles and apoptotic bodies. Furthermore, it is crucial to establish preparation methods that preserve the intrinsic properties of EVs in this context. In this study, we focus on the isolation and preparation of small EVs, exosomes, from the culture supernatant of a human cell line.

Elevating Dermatology Beyond Aesthetics: Perinatal-Derived Advancements for Rejuvenation, Alopecia Strategies, Scar Therapies, and Progressive Wound Healing.

Dermatologists have been interested in recent advancements in regenerative therapy. Current research is actively investigating the possibility of placental tissue derivatives to decelerate the skin aging process, enhance skin regeneration, reduce scarring, and prevent hair loss. Amniotic membranes (AM) play a crucial role in regenerative medicine as they serve as a suitable means of transporting stem cells, growth hormones, cytokines, and other essential compounds.

Helminths infection of Schizothorax niger in Kashmir, India: morphological and molecular characterization.

Background: The identification of helminth parasites in Schizothorax spp. from Kashmir, including Schyzocotyle acheilognathi, Pomphorhynchus kashmirensis, and Adenoscolex oreini, is hindered by morphological limitations and high intraspecific variation. While previous studies have relied on morphological diagnosis, a comprehensive molecular characterization is lacking.

Exploring Tetraselmis chui microbiomes-functional metagenomics for novel catalases and superoxide dismutases.

The focus on microalgae for applications in several fields, e.g. resources for biofuel, the food industry, cosmetics, nutraceuticals, biotechnology, and healthcare, has gained increasing attention over the last decades.

A Case-Control Study of the Association Between Gene Polymorphisms (rs1695 and rs1138272) and the Susceptibility to Male Infertility in the Moroccan Population.

Infertility affects 10-15% of couples worldwide, with male factors accounting for half of cases. Environmental, behavioral, and genetic problems contribute to spermatogenic failure in 30% of idiopathic male infertility cases. Other factors, such as oxidative stress (OS), cause impaired spermatogenesis, abnormal sperm morphology, and reduced motility, eventually triggering male infertility.

Chromatin landscape alteration uncovers multiple transcriptional circuits during memory CD8+ T cell differentiation.

Extensive epigenetic reprogramming involves in memory CD8+ T-cell differentiation. The elaborate epigenetic rewiring underlying the heterogeneous functional states of CD8+ T cells remains hidden. Here, we profile single-cell chromatin accessibility and map enhancer-promoter interactomes to characterize the differentiation trajectory of memory CD8+ T cells.

Assembly and Quantification of Co-Cultures Combining Heterotrophic Yeast with Phototrophic Sugar-Secreting Cyanobacteria.

With the increasing demand for sustainable biotechnologies, mixed consortia containing a phototrophic microbe and heterotrophic partner species are being explored as a method for solar-driven bioproduction. One approach involves the use of CO2-fixing cyanobacteria that secrete organic carbon to support the metabolism of a co-cultivated heterotroph, which in turn transforms the carbon into higher-value goods or services. In this protocol, a technical description to assist the experimentalist in the establishment of a co-culture combining a sucrose-secreting cyanobacterial strain with a fungal partner(s), as represented by model yeast species, is provided.

Exploring the efficacy and constraints of platinum nanoparticles as adjuvant therapy in silicosis management.

Silicosis represents a formidable occupational lung pathology precipitated by the pulmonary assimilation of respirable crystalline silica particulates. This condition engenders a cascade of cellular oxidative stress via the activation of bioavailable silica, culminating in the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Such oxidative mechanisms lead to irrevocable pulmonary impairment.

4-O-Methylglucuronoxylan from Hygrophila Ringens var. Ringens Seeds: Chemical Composition and Anti-Inflammatory Activity.

Hygrophila ringens var. ringens is a medicinal plant of the Acanthaceae family. A soluble polysaccharide is extracted from H.