Fungal Peptidomelanin: A Novel Biopolymer for the Chelation of Heavy Metals.

Melanin is an amorphous, highly heterogeneous polymer found across all kingdoms of life. Although the properties of melanin can greatly vary, most forms are insoluble and strongly absorb light, appearing dark brown to black. Here, we describe a water-soluble form of melanin (peptidomelanin) secreted by the spores of (strain: melanoliber) during germination.

Tocotrienol-rich fraction (TRF) protects against retinal cell apoptosis and preserves visual behavior in rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetic retinopathy.

Background: Tocotrienol is a vitamin E analogue that is known to exert anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Hence, in the current study, the effects of TRF on the expression of pro- and anti-apoptotic proteins in the streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat retinas were investigated. The effect of TRF on the visual behaviour of rats was also studied.

LncRNA TMPO-AS1 Promotes Triple-Negative Breast Cancer by Sponging miR-383-5p to Trigger the LDHA Axis.

Background: Understanding the heterogeneous nature of breast cancer, including the role of LDHA expression regulation via non-coding RNAs in prognosis, is still unknown, highlighting the need for more research into its molecular roles and diagnostic approaches.

Methods: The study utilized various computer tools to analyze the differences between LDHA in tissues and cancer cells. It used data from TIMER 2.

Individuals with Tinnitus Report More Positive Experiences following Internet-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.

Background: This study aimed to examine whether individuals with chronic tinnitus report more positive experiences following internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

Methods: A mixed-methods design was used, nested in clinical trials evaluating internet interventions for tinnitus. Participants ( = 164) completed online questionnaires (both structured and open-ended) providing demographic information as well as health variables (e.

Palladium(ii) complexes bearing mesoionic carbene ligands: catalytic application in domino Sonogashira coupling/cyclization reactions for one-pot synthesis of benzofuran and indole derivatives.

Bioactive heterocycles such as benzofuran and indole derivatives were synthesized from commercially available 2-iodoarenes and alkynes domino Sonogashira coupling followed by cyclization reaction using well-defined palladium PEPPSI (Pyridine Enhanced Precatalyst Preparation Stabilization and Initiation) complexes (2a and 2b). These reactions tolerate a variety of 2-iodoarenes and diversely substituted terminal alkynes, resulting in the corresponding product in moderate to good yields in an open-air atmosphere. In particular, two palladium(ii) PEPPSI complexes 2a and 2b were synthesized in good yields from the reaction of corresponding 1,2,3-triazol-5-ylidene (MIC: mesoionic carbene), PdCl, KI, and KCO in pyridine at 110 °C and structurally characterized by various spectroscopic techniques including NMR spectroscopy, IR spectroscopy, HRMS and elemental analysis studies.

A prospective multicentre study evaluating the performance of the modified simple biliary atresia scoring system in predicting biliary atresia.

Purpose: Early diagnosis of biliary atresia (BA) is critical for best outcomes, but is challenged by overlapping clinical manifestations with other causes of obstructive jaundice in neonates. We evaluate the performance of the modified Simple BA Scoring System (SBASS) in diagnosing BA.

Methods: We performed a prospective, cross-sectional study on infants with cholestatic jaundice (June 2021-December 2022).

Computational investigations of potential inhibitors of monkeypox virus envelope protein E8 through molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the monkeypox outbreak a public health emergency, as there is no specific therapeutics for monkeypox virus (MPXV) disease. This study focused on docking various commercial drugs and plant-derived compounds against the E8 envelope protein crucial for MPXV attachment and pathogenesis. The target protein structure was modeled based on the vaccinia virus D8L protein.

Geospatial analysis of contagious infection growth and cross-boundary transmission in non-vaccinated districts of North-East Indian states during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: During the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of India implemented a nationwide lockdown, sealing borders across states and districts. The northeastern region of India, surrounded by three international borders and connected to mainland India by a narrow passage, faced particular isolation. This isolation resulted in these states forming a relatively closed population.

Recent applications of coinage metal nanoparticles passivated with salicylaldehyde and salicylaldehyde-based Schiff bases.

Salicylaldehyde (SD) and its derivatives are effective precursors for generating coinage metal (gold, silver, and copper) nanoparticles (NPs). These NPs have a variety of potential environmental applications, such as in water purification and sensing, and those arising from their antibacterial activity. The use of SD and its derivatives for synthesizing coinage NPs is attractive due to several factors.

Photophysical Response of Propranolol in Biomimetic Micellar Media of Alkyltrimethylammonium Bromide Surfactants: Effect of pH and Alkyl Chain Length.

The photophysical behavior of a β-blocker drug propranolol (PPL) in micellar environments, formed by alkyltrimethylammonium bromide surfactants viz.; Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), Tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide (TTAB), and Dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB), has been investigated through fluorescence and UV-visible spectroscopic techniques at pH levels of 3.5, 7.

Dynamic PET reveals compartmentalized brain and lung tissue antibiotic exposures of tuberculosis drugs.

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a leading cause of death, but antibiotic treatments for tuberculous meningitis, the deadliest form of TB, are based on those developed for pulmonary TB and not optimized for brain penetration. Here, we perform first-in-human dynamic F-pretomanid positron emission tomography (PET) in eight human subjects to visualize F-pretomanid biodistribution as concentration-time exposures in multiple compartments (NCT05609552), demonstrating preferential brain versus lung tissue partitioning. Preferential, antibiotic-specific partitioning into brain or lung tissues of several antibiotics, active against multidrug resistant (MDR) Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains, are confirmed in experimentally-infected mice and rabbits, using dynamic PET with chemically identical antibiotic radioanalogs, and postmortem mass spectrometry measurements.

Co-pyrolysis of refinery oil sludge with biomass and spent fluid catalytic cracking catalyst for resource recovery.

Catalytic co-pyrolysis of two different refinery oily sludge (ROS) samples was conducted to facilitate resource recovery. Non-catalytic pyrolysis in temperatures ranging from 500 to 600°C was performed to determine high oil yields. Higher temperatures enhanced the oil yields up to ~ 24 wt%, while char formation remained unchanged (~ 45%) for S1.

Intertwining of the C-N-S cycle in passive and aerated constructed wetlands.

The microbial processes occurring in constructed wetlands (CWs) are difficult to understand owing to the complex interactions occurring between a variety of substrates, microorganisms, and plants under the given physicochemical conditions. This frequently leads to very large unexplained nitrogen losses in these systems. In continuation of our findings on Anammox contributions, our research on full-scale field CWs has suggested the significant involvement of the sulfur cycle in the conventional C-N cycle occurring in wetlands, which might closely explain the nitrogen losses in these systems.

Translational applications of magnetic nanocellulose composites.

Nanocellulose has emerged as a potential 'green' material owing to its inimitable properties. Furthermore, the significant development in technology has facilitated the design of multidimensional nanocellulose structures, including one-dimensional (1D: microparticles and nanofibers), two-dimensional (2D: coatings), and three-dimensional (3D: hydrogels/ferrogels) composites. In this case, nanocellulose composites blended with magnetic nanoparticles represent a new class of hybrid materials with improved biocompatibility and biodegradability.

miRNA genetic variations associated with the predisposition of oral squamous cell carcinoma in central Indian population.

The disease burden of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC) is rising day-by-day and is expected to rise 62 % through 2035. The chewing of tobacco, areca nut, and betel leaf, poor oral hygiene, and chronic infection are common risk factors of OSCC, but genetic and epigenetic factors also contribute equally. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are comprised of small, non-coding endogenous RNA that regulate a plethora of biological activities by targeting messenger RNA through degradation or inhibition.

Evaluation of apically extruded debris following glide-path preparation with different file systems.

The amount of apically extruded debris following glide-path preparation of mesial root of 120 freshly extracted human mandibular molar teeth using Senseus ProFinder files, PathFile, G-Files, Scout-RaCe files, HyFlex glidepath files and V glide-path two file system is of interest. The Eppendorf tubes were used as test equipment for collecting debris and the average weight of the debris was measured using an electronic micro-balancing system. It was observed that regardless of the file system utilized, debris was expelled from the apex.

Identification of potential pharmacological chaperones that selectively stabilize mutated Aspartoacylases in Canavan disease.

Canavan disease is caused by mutations in the ASPA gene, leading to diminished catalytic activity of aspartoacylase in the brain. Clinical missense mutations are found throughout the enzyme structure, with many of these mutated enzymes having not only decreased activity but also compromised stability. High-throughput screening of a small molecule library has identified several compounds that significantly increase the thermal stability of the E285A mutant enzyme, the most predominant clinical mutation in Canavan disease, while having a negligible effect on the native enzyme.

Mercury (Hg) Sensing Using Coumarin-Derived Fluorescent Chemo-Sensors: An Intuitive Development from 2015 to 2023.

Mercury is known as a highly toxic metal that is poisonous even if present in a trace amount. Generally, it enters in the food chain (especially fish) and water resources via different pathways and leads to harmful effects. Owing to the detrimental nature of the metal, traditionally several methods were employed by researchers for regular monitoring of the mercury metal ions.

The role of circular RNAs (circRNAs) as a prognostic factor in lung cancer: a meta-analysis.

Background: Lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Among various histological types of lung cancer, majority are non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) which account for > 80%. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are widely expressed in various cancers including lung cancer and implicated in tumourigenesis and cancer progression.

Precision-engineered metal and metal-oxide nanoparticles for biomedical imaging and healthcare applications.

The growing field of nanotechnology has witnessed numerous advancements over the past few years, particularly in the development of engineered nanoparticles. Compared with bulk materials, metal nanoparticles possess more favorable properties, such as increased chemical activity and toxicity, owing to their smaller size and larger surface area. Metal nanoparticles exhibit exceptional stability, specificity, sensitivity, and effectiveness, making them highly useful in the biomedical field.

The potential of MXene-based materials in fluorescence-based sensing/biosensing of ionic and organic contaminants in environment and food samples: Recent advancements and challenges.

MXenes belong to one of the recently developed advanced materials with tremendous potential for diverse sensing applications. To date, various types of MXene-based materials have been developed to generate direct/indirect ultrasensitive sensing signals against various forms of analytes via fluorescence quenching or enhancement. In this work, the fluorescence sensing/biosensing capabilities of the MXene-based materials have been explored and evaluated against a list of ionic/emerging pollutants in environment and food matrices.

Investigation of an Acute Gastrointestinal Illness Outbreak Linked to Drinking Water in a Higher Educational Institute in East Sikkim, India.

Introduction An acute gastrointestinal illness outbreak was reported in a higher educational institution among students and faculties in East Sikkim, India, from January to February 2023. The investigation was conducted to identify the source of the infection and causative pathogens and prevent the spread of the outbreak. Methods We defined a case as three or more loose stools in 24 hours, abdominal pain, or vomiting with the onset of symptoms between January 16 and February 16, 2023.

Radiative flow of cross ternary hybrid nanofluid ( ) in a Darcy Forchheimer porous medium over a stretching cylinder with entropy minimization.

Stretching cylinders play a crucial role in the plastic and metal extrusion processes. This current investigation is to examine the Darcy Forchheimer flow of Carboxymethyl cellulose /water-based tri-hybrid nanofluid through a stretching cylinder. A composite of ternary hybrid nanofluid containing , and with CMC-water-based fluid has been added to the Crossflow model.