Development of Biocompatible Coatings with PVA/Gelatin Hydrogel Films on Vancomycin-Loaded Titania Nanotubes for Controllable Drug Release.

This study investigates the utilization of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/gelatin hydrogel films cross-linked with glutaraldehyde as a novel material to coat the surface of vancomycin-loaded titania nanotubes (TNTs), with a focus on enhancing biocompatibility and achieving controlled vancomycin release. Hydrogel films have emerged as promising candidates in tissue engineering and drug-delivery systems due to their versatile properties. The development of these hydrogel films involved varying the proportions of PVA, gelatin, and glutaraldehyde to achieve the desired properties, including the gel fraction, swelling behavior, biocompatibility, and biodegradation.

Evaluation of possible role of fluoride in pathogenesis of oral submucous fibrosis: A pilot study.

Background: Oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF) is a potentially malignant disorder. Although areca nut chewing is an established risk factor, its low prevalence among nut chewers indicates additional factors likely facilitates pathogenesis. We recently demonstrated high fluoride levels in smokeless tobacco products and hypothesized a potential pathological role of fluoride in OSMF.

Production and characterization of protease enzyme from using peanut meal as substrate.

A significantly high protease enzyme yield of 617 U/ml was achieved with as the microorganism and peanut oil meal as the substrate. Peanut oil meal, which consists of proteins (40-60%) and carbohydrates (22-30%), serves as a sufficient source of nitrogen and carbon necessary for microbial growth and production of enzymes. Moreover, peanut meal offers the advantages of being affordable and available in large quantities, making the meal suitable for cost-effective enzyme production.

Review of Gold Nanoparticles in Surface Plasmon-Coupled Emission Technology: Effect of Shape, Hollow Nanostructures, Nano-Assembly, Metal-Dielectric and Heterometallic Nanohybrids.

Point-of-care (POC) diagnostic platforms are globally employed in modern smart technologies to detect events or changes in the analyte concentration and provide qualitative and quantitative information in biosensing. Surface plasmon-coupled emission (SPCE) technology has emerged as an effective POC diagnostic tool for developing robust biosensing frameworks. The simplicity, robustness and relevance of the technology has attracted researchers in physical, chemical and biological milieu on account of its unique attributes such as high specificity, sensitivity, low background noise, highly polarized, sharply directional, excellent spectral resolution capabilities.

Epidermis of Cereus hildmannianus as a biomimetic scaffold for tissue engineering.

A thin plastic-like film separated from the epidermis of Cereus hildmannianus has excellent tensile strength, resistance to water and high antimicrobial activity and supports the growth of mouse fibroblast cells. Cactuses are one of the most under explored plant species with high potential for food, materials, pharmaceutical and other applications. Although studies have shown the ability of cactuses to be used for food, as a source for fibers, as reinforcement for composites and other applications, the role of individual layers and their properties has been studied to a limited extent.

Immunoinformatic exploration of a multi-epitope-based peptide vaccine candidate targeting emerging variants of SARS-CoV-2.

Many countries around the world are facing severe challenges due to the recently emerging variants of SARS-CoV-2. Over the last few months, scientists have been developing treatments, drugs, and vaccines to subdue the virus and prevent its transmission. In this context, a peptide-based vaccine construct containing pathogenic proteins of the virus known to elicit an immune response was constructed.

MAPP Compatibilized Recycled Woodchips Reinforced Polypropylene Composites with Exceptionally High Strength and Stability.

Wood chips were used in their original form without any physical or chemical treatment as reinforcement for polypropylene to develop composites as potential replacement for medium density fiber (MDF) boards, gypsum based false ceiling and other building materials. Wood chips are generated as byproducts and have limited and low value applications. Composites with up to 90% wood chips were developed through compression molding and the mechanical, acoustic and thermal properties were studied.

Transgenic modifications of silkworms as a means to obtain therapeutic biomolecules and protein fibers with exceptional properties.

Transgenic modification of Bombyx mori silkworms is a benign approach for the production of silk fibers with extraordinary properties and also to generate therapeutic proteins and other biomolecules for various applications. Silk fibers with fluorescence lasting more than a year, natural protein fibers with strength and toughness exceeding that of spider silk, proteins and therapeutic biomolecules with exceptional properties have been developed using transgenic technology. The transgenic modifications have been done primarily by modifying the silk sericin and fibroin genes and also the silk producing glands.

Highly Elastic and Strain Sensing Corn Protein Electrospun Fibers for Monitoring of Wound Healing.

Due to the lack of sufficient elasticity and strain sensing capability, protein-based ultrafine fibrous tissue engineering scaffolds, though favorable for skin repair, can hardly fulfill on-spot wound monitoring during healing. Herein, we designed highly elastic corn protein ultrafine fibrous smart scaffolds with a three-layer structure for motion tracking at an unpackaged state. The densely cross-linked protein networks were efficiently established by introducing a highly reactive epoxy and provided the fiber substrates with wide-range stretchability (360% stretching range) and ultrahigh elasticity (99.

A comparative study on electrochemical performance of KOH activated carbons derived from different biomass sources - stem, seed oil extract cake, stem and floss.

In the present scenario of research, the recycling of inexpensive widely available agricultural waste/biowaste to activate carbon (AC) and procurement of value-added product has significant impact on energy storage systems, particularly in Electrochemical double layer capacitors (EDLCs). Herein, we report the production of KOH activated carbons from different biomass sources such as stem (MAC), seed oil extract cake (PPC), stem (CCC) and floss (ASC) for the said purpose. Initially, the biomass materials were pyrolyzed at 550 °C and then activated with KOH at 800 °C.

Study of dynamics in surface ice flow rate of glaciers in Hunza basin, Karakoram.

Glaciers in the Karakoram region are widely recognized for their historical surging phenomenon. Accurate field-based glacier monitoring is challenging in the Karakoram due to the presence of mixed-nature glaciers that are advancing, receding, and surging. Many geographers came to the opinion that surging is a thermally controlled activity in the Karakoram as opposed to a hydrologically controlled activity as a result of characteristics including high-altitude warmth, precipitation, and accumulation patterns of these glaciers.

Natural sub-bituminous coal as filler enhances mechanical, insulation and flame retardant properties of coir-polypropylene bio-composites.

Additives provide substantial improvement in the properties of composites. Although bio-based composites are preferred over synthetic polymer and metal-based composites, they do not have the requisite properties to meet specific needs. Hence, organic, inorganic and metallic additives are included to improve the properties of bio-based composites.

MOF/B-CN composites achieve efficient degradation of antibiotics in a non-homogeneous concurrent photocatalytic-persulfate activation system.

We synthesized an MBCN (MOF-Fe/Co nanosheets/boron-doped g-CN) composite catalyst for enhancing the concurrent photocatalytic-persulfate activation (CPPA) system and achieved efficient degradation of antibiotics. The role of MOF-Fe/Co is to activate persulfate, while boron-doped g-CN can generate photogenerated electrons for the reduction of Co/Fe to enhance the regeneration of the active center. The rate constant for Tetracycline degradation by the CPPA system was 4.

Sericin-Based Bio-Inspired Nano-Engineering of Heterometallic AgAu Nanocubes for Attomolar Mefenamic Acid Sensing in the Mobile Phone-Based Surface Plasmon-Coupled Interface.

Engineering photo-plasmonic platforms with heterometallic nanohybrids are of paramount significance for realizing augmented sensitivity in fluorescence-based analytical detection. Although myriad nanomaterials with versatile functionalities have been explored in this regard in the surface plasmon-coupled emission (SPCE) interface, light harvesting using nano-antennas synthesized via sustainable bio-inspired routes still remains a high priority in current research. Our study provides a rational design for in situ fabrication of nanoparticles of silver, gold, and their plasmonic hybrids using biocompatible, non-hazardous sericin protein (obtained ) as the reducing and capping agent.

Mass balance estimation of Mulkila glacier, Western Himalayas, using glacier melt model.

One of the main water supplies in Asia is known to be melting water from Himalayan glaciers. One of the most important metrics to analyze and evaluate potential shifts in freshwater supplies from glacier storage is the estimate of mass balance. The present study aims at estimating the glacier mass balance with the help of remote sensing and in situ data for the Mulkila, a benchmark glacier situated in the Bhaga basin of Western Himalayas.

Using polyvinyl alcohol-ionic hydrogels containing a wound healing agent to manage wounds in different environments.

Objective: To explore the effects of pH on properties of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-ionic hydrogels containing wound healing promoters.

Method: PVA was combined with a natural wound healing promoter (silk sericin (SS)), and an anionic agent (eosin (ES)) or cationic agent (methylene blue (MB)), and made into hydrogels. Properties of the hydrogels and behaviour at different pHs were investigated.

Geochemical, mineralogical and toxicological characteristics of coal fly ash and its environmental impacts.

Coal and coal-based products (by-products), along with other fossil fuels should be used with caution because of their impact on human health and the global climate. In the light of the environmental impact these fossil fuels cause, it's essential to understand the elemental configuration of coal-derived samples and their impact on the ecosystem. Some reports in past have described, geochemical and mineralogical physiognomies of fly-ash and their impact on the environment.

Novel 3D-flower shaped KTaO perovskite for highly efficient photocatalytic and H generation ability.

Treatment of industrial wastewater is one of the biggest challenges that mankind is facing today to prevent environmental pollution and its associated adverse effects on human health. Environmentalists across the world have given a clarion call for dye degradation, wastewater treatment and their effective management in our surrounding habitats. Despite significant progress in the development of new water treatment technologies, new materials haven't matured enough for large scale industrial applications.

Carbon spheres decorated-graphene oxide framework as an excellent active material for redox flow battery and supercapacitors.

Composite of dextrose-derived oxygen-rich carbon spheres and graphene oxide, synthesised using a cost-effective and easy hydrothermal process, was used as an active material in two of the trending and promising energy storage devices. The surface morphology and properties of the composite were studied using scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffractometer, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, elemental mapping and Raman spectra. To analyse the electrochemical behaviour of the material, several electrochemical techniques such as cyclic voltammetry (CV), chronopotentiometry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and potentiodynamic polarisation study were used.

Visible light photodegradation of 2,4-dichlorophenol using nanostructured NaBiS: Kinetics, cytotoxicity, antimicrobial and electrochemical studies of the photocatalyst.

Removal of the hazardous and endocrine-disrupting 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) from water bodies is crucial to maintain the sanctity of the ecosystem. As a low bandgap material (1.37 eV), NaBiS was hydrothermally prepared and used as a potential photocatalyst to degrade 2,4-DCP under visible light irradiation.

Rational Design of Graphene Derivatives for Electrochemical Reduction of Nitrogen to Ammonia.

The conversion of nitrogen to ammonia offers a sustainable and environmentally friendly approach for producing precursors for fertilizers and efficient energy carriers. Owing to the large energy density and significant gravimetric hydrogen content, NH is considered an apt next-generation energy carrier and liquid fuel. However, the low conversion efficiency and slow production of ammonia through the nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) are currently bottlenecks, making it an unviable alternative to the traditional Haber-Bosch process for ammonia production.

Comparative analysis of cytocompatible properties of the root surface exposed to diode laser (970 nm) as adjunct to scaling and root planing: An study.

Aims: The aim of the current study was to examine the effects of diode laser (970 nm) when used as adjunct to mechanical debridement on reattachment of fibroblast cell cultures to the root surface.

Materials And Methods: Eighteen extracted single-rooted human teeth were used in the study. Briefly, the anatomical crowns were removed; roots were sectioned and preserved in antiseptic solution.

Superior Technique for the Production of Agarose Dressing Containing Sericin and Its Wound Healing Property.

Finding a simple and eco-friendly production technique that matches to the natural agent and results in a truly valuable natural scaffold production is still limited amongst the intensively competitive natural scaffold development. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to develop natural scaffolds that were environmentally friendly, low cost, and easily produced, using natural agents and a physical crosslinking technique. These scaffolds were prepared from agarose and sericin using the freeze-drying method (D) or freeze-thawing together with the freeze-drying method (TD).

A review on the synthesis and properties of hydroxyapatite for biomedical applications.

Hydroxyapatite (HA or HAp) is one of the most preferred biomaterials, specifically for bone tissue engineering. HAp is available naturally and is also chemically synthesized. The properties, shape, size and crystalline structure and applications of HAp vary widely depending on the source and extraction methods used.

Early-stage culprit in protein misfolding diseases investigated using electrochemical parameters: New insights over peptide-membrane interactions.

The dysfunctioning of β-cells caused by the unspecific misfolding of the human islet amyloid polypeptide (hIAPP) at the membrane results in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Here, we report for the first time, the early-stage interaction of hIAPP oligomers on the DMPC (1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine) lipid membrane using electrochemical parameters. Electrochemical techniques are better than other techniques to detect hIAPP at significantly lower concentrations.