Multilayered Cryogel Enriched with Exosomes Regenerates and Maintains Cartilage Architecture and Phenotype in Goat Osteochondral Injuries.

Treatment of critical-size osteochondral (OC) injuries at load-bearing sites has remained a major clinical challenge in orthopedic surgery. This is due to the anisotropic characteristics of OC tissue and the stratified structure of the cartilage. Here, we developed a multilayered OC scaffold by employing cryogelation technology.

Intrinsically Antibacterial Carbon Nanoparticles Optimally Entangle into Polymeric Films to Produce Composite Packaging.

The quality of food, pharmaceutical, or sustainability products is generally maintained through optimal storage conditions or the use of packaging films. Herein, an intrinsically antibacterial and improvised polylactic acid-based film (-PLA-film) has been produced by introducing a microwave-assisted synthesis process of carbon nanoparticles produced from hemp fibers (CNPs). These high-performance packaging (-PLA) films were produced with different percentages of loaded CNPs, i.

Olfactory coding in the mosquito antennal lobe: labeled lines or combinatorial code?

Odors serve as important cues for many behaviors in mosquitoes, including host-seeking, foraging, and oviposition. They are detected by olfactory receptor neurons present in the sensory organs, whose axons take this signal to the antennal lobe, the first olfactory processing center in the insect brain. We review the organization and the functioning of the antennal lobe in mosquitoes, focusing on two populations of interneurons present there: the local neurons (LNs) and the projection neurons (PNs).

Self-contacting Cys, Ser, and Thr residues in high-resolution protein crystal structures: Tertiary constraints or hydrogen bonds?

Functional groups in the side-chains of at least 10 amino acids are mainly involved in tertiary interactions. However, structural and functional significance of intra-residue interactions has not been fully recognized. In this study, we have analyzed ~5800 non-redundant high-resolution protein structures and identified 1166 self-contacts between the side-chain S-H/O-H and backbone C=O groups in Cys, Ser, and Thr residues that satisfied the geometric criteria to form hydrogen bonds.

Geographical health inequalities in India: the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare access and healthcare inequality.

Purpose: With an emphasis on spatial health disparities, this study examines how COVID-19 has affected healthcare access and inequality in India. The study developed the Healthcare Access Index (HAI) and Healthcare Inequality Index (HII) to assess the pandemic's effects on healthcare. The study addresses spatial health disparities in healthcare access and inequality, filling gaps in the literature.

Bound by the love for cholesterol: A transporter meets a GPCR.

In a recently published article in Nature, Bayly-Jones et al. report the cryo-EM structures of a lysosomal cholesterol sensor, LYCHOS, also known as GPR155, which reveals a unique fusion of a plant auxin-transporter-like domain with a seven-transmembrane GPCR-like domain and elucidates mechanistic insights into cellular regulation of mTORC1 activity.

Broad Autism Phenotype and Gait in Parents of Children With and Without Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a highly heritable neurodevelopmental disorder. Research has shown that parents and relatives of children with ASD often exhibit subthreshold ASD-like characteristics known as broad autism phenotype (BAP) as well as impairments in motor behaviours.

Purpose: The current study aimed to examine the BAP traits and motor behaviours, that is, gait in 44 parents of children with ASD and in 48 parents of typically developing children (TD).

Biochemical and steady-state kinetic analyses of arsenate reductases from an arsenic-tolerant strain of Citrobacter youngae IITK SM2.

Arsenic (As) poisoning in aquifers is a serious problem worldwide, especially in the middle-Gangetic Plain (MGP) of India. Microbially-mediated As speciation in such aquifers is governed by the arsenate-reductase enzyme, ArsC, encoded by the arsC gene of As-metabolizing bacteria. In this study, ArsC1 (119 aa) and ArsC2 (141 aa) of a highly resistant strain to arsenic, Citrobacter youngae IITK SM2 (CyIITKSM2), isolated from a mixed-oxic MGP groundwater were biochemically characterized.

SERS-Based Microfluidic Bioscreening Platform for Selective Detection of β-Amyloid Peptides.

This study reports development of a microfluidic device for highly sensitive and selective detection of a β-amyloid peptide (Aβ) in simulated cerebrospinal fluid, using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). The device ensemble comprises a purine ligand (Pu) and its interaction with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) to generate SERS hotspots. The low surface energy of the synthesized Pu ligand and high surface energy of AgNPs are utilized for the functionalization and formation of a Pu-AgNP SERS substrate.

Recalibration of MARTINI-3 Parameters for Improved Interactions between Peripheral Proteins and Lipid Bilayers.

The MARTINI force field is one of the most used coarse-grained models for biomolecular simulations. Many limitations of the model including the protein-protein overaggregation have been improved in its latest version, MARTINI-3. In this study, we investigate the efficacy of the MARTINI-3 parameters for capturing the interactions of peripheral proteins with model plasma membranes.

Health effects of selected environmental Exposomes Across the Life courSe in Indian populations using longitudinal cohort studies: GEOHealth HEALS Study protocol.

Introduction: Air pollution presents a major public health threat to India, affecting more than three quarters of the country's population. In the current project, GEOHealth Health Effects of Selected Environmental Exposomes Across the Life CourSe-India, we aim to study the effect of environmental exposomes-fine particulate matter (PM), nitrogen dioxide (NO), ozone (O) and extremes of temperature-on multiple health outcomes using a modified life course approach. The associated training grant aims to build capacity in India to address the unique environmental health problems.

Role of HO as Oxidant and HO as Co-Catalyst Over Anatase-TiO(101) for Conversion of Methane to Methanol.

Computations based on density functional theory are carried out to examine the mechanism of photocatalytic oxidation of methane to methanol with HO as oxidant and water as co-catalyst over anatase TiO(101) surface. The reaction proceeds with hydrogen abstraction from methane followed by the formation of surface methoxy species, which is reduced to methanol. We compare the reaction energetics for C-H dissociation in the presence and absence of surface defect, but find no discernible impact of O-vacancy on methane oxidation.

Asymmetric Janus Nanofibrous Agar-Based Wound Dressing Infused with Enhanced Antioxidant and Antibacterial Properties.

In the present study, we have developed an agar-based asymmetric Janus nanofibrous wound dressing comprising a support and an electrospun layer with antibacterial and antioxidant properties, respectively, to facilitate healing effectively. The support layer containing agar and silver nitrate was fabricated by using solvent casting for sustained release, combating the dose-dependent cytotoxicity of silver nanoparticles, where nanoparticles were synthesized using a one-pot reduction method. The electrospun layer, fabricated with a mixture of agar and polycaprolactone infused with gallic acid, was electrospun over the support layer to impart antioxidant properties.

Defect-Engineered Coordination Compound Nanoparticles Based on Prussian Blue Analogues for Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy.

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a powerful tool for label-free chemical analysis. The emergence of nonmetallic materials as SERS substrates, offering chemical signal enhancements, presents an exciting direction for achieving reproducible and biocompatible SERS, a challenge with traditional metallic substrates. Despite the potential, the realm of nonmetallic SERS substrates, particularly nanoparticles, remains largely untapped.

Temporal recording of mammalian development and precancer.

Temporal ordering of cellular events offers fundamental insights into biological phenomena. Although this is traditionally achieved through continuous direct observations, an alternative solution leverages irreversible genetic changes, such as naturally occurring mutations, to create indelible marks that enables retrospective temporal ordering. Using a multipurpose, single-cell CRISPR platform, we developed a molecular clock approach to record the timing of cellular events and clonality in vivo, with incorporation of cell state and lineage information.

Reduced Graphene Oxide-Substituted Nanohydroxyapatite: Rejuvenating Bone-Nerve Crosstalk with Electrical Cues in a Fragility Fracture Rat Model under Hyperglycemia.

Diabetes has currently acquired the status of epidemic worldwide, and among its various pathological consequences like retinopathy and nephropathy, bone fragility fractures from diabetic osteopathy occurs in later stages and is equally destructive. Chronic hyperglycemia culminates into deteriorating microvasculature and quality of bone, making it prone to fractures. Among these, hip fractures are most common, especially in older diabetic patients apart from underlying neuropathy.

A serendipitous crossed aldol reaction in the ligand periphery of a Ru(II) polypyridyl complex in silica bed: prospects for delivering anticancer agents for photoactivated chemotherapy.

The localized drug action in tumors to overcome the side effects of chemotherapy has become an impetus for the development of photoactivated chemotherapy (PACT). As potential PACT agents, ruthenium(II) polypyridyl complexes have emerged as efficient photocages for anticancer agents. Bioactive molecules possessing functional groups such as nitrile, thioether, pyridine, imidazole, .

Emerging Technological Advancement for Chronic Wound Treatment and Their Role in Accelerating Wound Healing.

Chronic wounds are a major healthcare burden and may severely affect the social, mental, and economic status of the patients. Any impairment in wound healing stages due to underlying factors leads to a prolonged healing time and subsequently to chronic wounds. Traditional approaches for the treatment of chronic wounds include dressing free local therapy, dressing therapy, and tissue engineering based scaffold therapies.

Removal of heavy metal ions (Pb, Cu, Cr, and Cd) from multimetal simulated wastewater using 3-aminopropyl triethoxysilane grafted agar porous cryogel.

In this study, we have developed agar, a seaweed derived polysaccharide based green adsorbent for the removal of heavy metal ions (Pb, Cu, Cr and Cd) from multimetal solution. Porous cryogels of agar grafted with 3-aminopropyl triethoxysilane (APTES) were prepared by freeze-drying. The adsorption capacity and selectivity of the optimized APTES-agar cryogel for heavy metal ions (Cu, Cr, Pb, Cd) were investigated in multimetal solutions.

Not so inert -tris-chelate cobalt(III) complex of a hydroxy-pyridine functionalized NHC ligand for cyclic carbonate synthesis.

The homoleptic hydroxy-pyridine functionalized Co(III)-NHC complex (2) demonstrates extraordinary catalytic activity towards the CO cycloaddition under mild conditions. Using this catalyst and TBAB, the highest TON (666 667) and TOF (52 713 h) were achieved compared to previously reported cobalt catalysts.

Bandgap formation mechanism in tacticity inspired elastic mechanical metastructures.

Tacticity is long known as a significant contributor in changing the chemical and mechanical properties of the polymers drastically. This study explores mechanism of bandgap formation in elastic mechanical metastructures designed with a focus on tacticity. We introduce metabeams, comprising a primary slender beam embedded with short secondary beams featuring end masses at their tips.