Screening and genomic evaluation of keratinolytic protease producing Chryseobacterium sp. from tannery waste and its potential application in dehairing of goat skin.

Lime and NaS, used in dehairing in the tannery industry, cause the generation of toxic wastes. Ecological security and financial issues demand a look for innovative approaches to leather dehairing free from pollution. The primary goal of this investigation was to explore keratinolytic protease producing bacteria from tannery waste, their genomic evaluation and to assess their possible use in the dehairing process.

Unraveling the Molecular Mechanisms of Osteoarthritis: The Potential of Polyphenols as Therapeutic Agents.

The complex nature of osteoarthritis (OA), driven by the intricate interplay of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors, necessitates the development of a single treatment method, which is highly challenging. The long-term use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and corticosteroids often leads to adverse side effects like kidney damage and stomach ulcers. Major health threats like obesity and aging create a milieu of chronic low-grade inflammation and increased mechanical stress on the joints resulting in cartilage deterioration.

Modelling an Fe-III High-Valent Pincer-type Transition Metal Complex for Dehydrogenation of Ammonia-Borane.

Development of efficient and cost-effective catalysts for the dehydrogenation of Ammonia-Borane (AB) has been a challenge which affects the advancement of the hydrogen economy. Over the last decades, pincer-type transition metal complexes are known to show promising results in catalyzing many chemical reactions ranging from CO2 reduction to C-H bond activation. In this work we investigate the ability of a high-valent Ni-III-Cl complex (complex 1) for the dehydrogenating AB at slightly higher than room temperature.

Tracking solvent-induced conformational collapse of periodically grafted amphiphilic polymers using PFG NMR diffusometry.

Periodically grafted amphiphilic polymers (PGAPs) belong to an interesting class of amphiphilic polymers that carry long hydrophobic alkylene segments along the backbone and periodically located hydrophilic pendant segments, such as polyethylene glycol monomethyl ether (MPEG). In earlier studies, we showed that such PGAPs undergo zigzag folding to segregate the backbone alkylene segments and the pendant MPEG segments; consequently, they organize in the solid state to yield a lamellar morphology with precisely tunable domain sizes. In the present study, two new periodically clickable polyesters were prepared; one bearing dodecyl (C12) segments between adjacent clickable propargyl units and the other carrying longer eicosyl (C20) segments.

Exploring the Potential of PEG-Based Deep Eutectic Solvents as a Sustainable Alternative for Extraction of Biological Macromolecules Bovine Serum Hemoglobin.

In recent years, deep eutectic solvents (DESs) have garnered significant attention as promising green alternatives to conventional organic solvents for a wide range of applications. In this study, four novel polyethylene glycol (PEG)-based DESs were prepared and evaluated for their physicochemical properties, including density, dynamic viscosity, and kinematic viscosity. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and NMR analyses revealed substantial intermolecular interactions between the hydrogen bond donor and hydrogen bond acceptor components, confirming the formation of stable DES systems.

Nanoengineered and highly porous 3D chitosan-graphene scaffold for enhanced antibacterial activity and rapid hemostasis.

Chitosan-based hydrogels have been utilized over the years as an efficient hemorrhage because of their biocompatibility and biodegradability nature. Here we have nanoengineered the polycationic peptide-conjugated graphene‑silver nanocomposite into the chitosan matrix as a 3D highly porous CGrSP scaffold to facilitate rapid hemostasis and prevent bacterial infection. This CGrSP scaffold interacted with blood cells and platelets, initiating the blood coagulation process by activating the plasmatic contact system.

E-seed skin: a carbohydrate-protein hybrid nanostructure for delayed germination and accelerated growth.

The main purpose of the seed industry is to cater seeds with desired strength and viability, for which seed coating is a basic requirement. Herein, a hybrid coating of an electrosprayed protein (collagen) on electrospun nanofibers having a multidentate zinc-reinforced carbohydrate (pectin)/PVA composite (PVA/Pec/Zn/Col-NF) was developed. The zinc ensured covalent binding with the -OH in pectin/PVA in addition to the native galvanic binding between the polymers.

Thiol-functionalized collagen patch channelizes TGFβ1- JNK trafficking and reverses corneal stroma opacity.

Pro-regenerative patches are appealing for cornea injuries owing to their robustness, and ease of use in clinical settings. Collagen-based synthetic patches are building blocks for corneal repair, but their cross-linker toxicity, less optical clarity, and deformation instability remain unresolved. In response to these challenges, the study introduces disulfide crosslinked thiolated collagen patches (CSH).

Pentafluorophenol-Catalyzed Metal-Free Fischer Indole Synthesis: A Novel Approach to Carbazole Derivatives and Desbromoarborescidine A.

Carbazoles represent significant heterocyclic compounds with a wide range of applications in organic synthesis. Conventional techniques, such as the Fischer indole synthesis, have been extensively utilized for the construction of these structures. In this study, we report the first use of pentafluorophenol (PFP) as a catalyst in a metal-free approach for the synthesis of carbazoles.

Deciphering the Molecular Mechanisms of HAART-Induced Hepatotoxicity.

Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), consisting of three or more antiretroviral drugs, is recommended for patients with HIV infection. HAART effectively reduces HIV RNA levels, lowers the risk of opportunistic infections, and improves immune function and survival rates. However, it is also associated with an increased risk of liver injury in HIV-infected individuals.

Fluorescence Enhanced Water-Soluble Ruthenium Complex: Advancing Precision in Cr(VI) Detection and Quantification.

The environment and human health are both at risk from the heavy metal chromium (VI), which is extremely toxic and carcinogenic. Chromium (VI) in various matrices must be accurately and quickly detected for both public safety and regulatory compliance. This paper describes the design and development of a novel fluorescence detector suitable for the sensitive and selective quantification of chromium (VI) ions.

LeaData a novel reference data of leather images for automatic species identification.

In the leather industry, the mammalian skins of buffalo, cow, goat, and sheep are the permissible materials for leather-making. They serve the trade of quality leather products; hence, the knowledge of animal species in leather is inevitable. The traditional identification techniques are prone to ambiguous predictions due to insufficient reference studies.

Facile chemical modification of solid alkaline lignin and chitosan via nucleophilic substitution with organohalides in the vapor phase.

The reaction of solid alkaline lignin and chitosan with vapors of organohalides, namely allyl bromide and epichlorohydrin, is presented as a sustainable alternative to conventional solvent-based techniques for modifying these model nucleophilic biopolymers. This approach, which does not necessitate any catalysts or pre-treatments, exploits the inherent nucleophilicity of specific functional groups present in the biopolymers, such as sodium carboxylates, sodium phenolates, and amines, facilitating nucleophilic substitution reactions directly with the vapors of the modifying agents. Fuming with epichlorohydrin introduced 1,3-glyceryl bridges in both alkaline lignin and chitosan, resulting in their extensive crosslinking.

Understanding the molecular bridges between the drugs and immune cell.

The interactions of drugs with the host's immune cells determine the drug's efficacy and adverse effects in patients. Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAID), such as corticosteroids, NSAIDs, and immunosuppressants, affect the immune cells and alter the immune response. Molecularly, drugs can interact with immune cells via cell surface receptors, changing the antigen presentation by modifying the co-stimulatory molecules and interacting with the signaling pathways of T cells, B cells, Natural killer (NK) cells, mast cells, basophils, and macrophages.

Synthesis, crystal structure, characterization and antimicrobial activities of ternary chiral mononuclear Schiff base copper(II) complexes.

[CuL(tmen)] is a sequence of four ternary mononuclear Schiff base copper(II) complexes that are derived from L-valine, suitable 5'-substituted-2'-hydroxyacetophenones (where the substituents are -Cl for L, -Me for L, -OMe for L, and -H for L), and tmen (where tmen-N,N,N',N' tetramethyl ethylenediamine). Without isolating the Schiff base ligand or producing any other intermediate products, all of the complexes were synthesised. These compounds were identified using elemental analysis, molar conductance, UV-Vis, FTIR, EPR, VSM-RT, and CD spectra.

Biomolecular Interaction of Carnosine and Anti-TB Drug: Preparation of Functional Biopeptide-Based Nanocomposites and Characterization through In Vitro and In Silico Investigations.

Host-directed therapies (HDTs) resolve excessive inflammation during tuberculosis (TB) disease, which leads to irreversible lung tissue damage. The peptide-based nanostructures possess intrinsic anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties among HDTs. Native carnosine, a natural dipeptide with superior self-organization and functionalities, was chosen for nanoformulation.

Biochemical conversion of municipal solid waste to biofuels and bioproducts: a review.

The disposal of municipal solid waste (MSW) in urban areas is a big issue nowadays in most of the countries. Developing countries like India are struggling with the continuous indiscriminate disposal of MSW due to rapid increase in the urbanization, industrialization, and human population growth. The mismanagement of MSW causes adverse environmental impacts, public health risks, and other socio-economic problems.

Microbial disintegration of wool: An effective and sustainable approach for keratin extraction.

Keratin is an important biopolymer used to develop biomaterials for biomedical and industrial applications. Traditional keratin extraction methods involve the removal of surface lipids using organic solvents, detergents, and energy-intensive processes that often compromise the purity of the extracted keratin. In the present study, wool fibers were microbially disintegrated to isolate cortical cells, achieving a maximum yield of 61.

Rational Synthesis of Highly Stable Dithienopyrrole-Embedded BODIPYs Exhibiting Large Stokes Shift.

A series of dithienopyrrole (DTP) embedded BODIPYs were synthesized and structurally characterized. These BODIPYs have strong absorption in the green region and broad emission in the red region with a large Stokes shift ranging from 3100 to 4200 cm. Interestingly, all three BODIPYs show intramolecular charge transfer interaction (ICT).

Antibacterial and safe chitosan-graphene hydrogel films: a promising nanotherapeutic for wound infections.

Pathogenic bacterial growth at wound sites, particularly , poses a serious threat during trauma. Delayed treatment can lead to increased inflammation and severe tissue damage. In this study, a chitosan cross-linked polycationic peptide-conjugated graphene-silver (CGrAP) nanocomposite hydrogel film was developed as an antibacterial wound dressing to treat infections.

Covalent Organic Frameworks for Photocatalysis.

The global energy crisis and environmental concerns are driving research into renewable energy and sustainable energy conversion and storage technologies. Solar energy, as an ideal sustainable resource, has significant potential to contribute to the goal of net-zero carbon emissions if effectively harnessed and converted into a reliable and storable form of energy. Photocatalysts have the potential to convert sunlight into chemical energy carriers.

Facile preparation of solid gelatin foams by a water-lean batch foaming process.

Existing polystyrenic and polyolefinic packaging foams are non-biodegradable, and persist in the environment for hundreds of years. Gelatin foams are an interesting alternative, given their biodegradability, biocompatibility, solution-based processability, low cost, and non-toxicity. However, current methods for preparing gelatin foams, such as freeze-drying, microfluidic foaming, and batch foaming, are not suitable for high-volume production.

Chrome-free leather processing based on amine pendant metal-organic frameworks and dialdehyde with enhanced dye affinity.

To overcome the stringent regulations in the usage of chromium salts and dye-rich effluent let out by the tanning industry, a sustainable way of leather processing has been demonstrated utilizing amine pendant metal-organic frameworks (MOF) UiO-66-NH along with glyoxal. It was found that an offer of 8% (w/w) MOF along with 6% (w/w) glyoxal increased the shrinkage temperature of the leathers to 89 ± 2 °C with exhaustion of MOF up to 84.3 ± 1.

A Practical and Metal-Free Approach Towards Synthesis of Spiro-Benzazepinoindole Derivatives via Pentafluorophenol Catalyzed Pictet-Spengler Reaction.

The efficient pentaflurophenol-catalyzed Pictet-Spengler cyclization was carried out which led to the formation of spirobenzazepinoindole. This article examines the methods and modifications of Pictet-Spengler cyclization in the synthesis of intricate organic compounds, emphasizing its significance in drug discovery and development. This reaction generally entails the condensation of an amine with an aldehyde or ketone, succeeded by an intramolecular cyclization step catalyzed by pentafluorophenol, an alternate for metal-mediated catalysts due to its facile characteristics which render it an invaluable asset in organic synthesis and catalysis.

Boosting Supramolecular Gelation Efficiency and Properties: Ionic Strength as a Key to Superior Hydrogels.

Controlling the minimum gelation concentration (MGC) of low molecular weight (LMW) hydrogelators is a key for modulating gel properties, such as mechanical strength, viscoelasticity, and stability, which are crucial for applications ranging from drug delivery to tissue engineering. However, tweaking the MGC under specific conditions, such as pH and/or temperature, poses a considerable challenge. Herein, we varied the ionic strength of buffer solutions using NaCl for several LMW hydrogelators, including Fmoc-Phe, Fmoc-Tyr, Fmoc-Trp, Fmoc-Met, and Fmoc-Cha, and assessed their gelation efficiency at pH 7.