Synthesis and Properties of Oligonucleotides Containing LNA-Sulfamate and Sulfamide Backbone Linkages

Oligonucleotides hold great promise as therapeutic agents but poor bioavailability limits their utility. Hence, new analogues with improved cell uptake are urgently needed. Here, we report the synthesis and physical study of reduced-charge oligonucleotides containing artificial LNA-sulfamate and sulfamide linkages combined with 2'-O-methyl sugars and phosphorothioate backbones. These oligonucleotides have high affinity for RNA and excellent nuclease resistance.

Electronic Properties of DNA Origami Nanostructures Revealed by In Silico Calculations

DNA origami is a pioneering approach for producing complex 2- or 3-D shapes for use in molecular electronics due to its inherent self-assembly and programmability properties. The electronic properties of DNA origami structures are not yet fully understood, limiting the potential applications. Here, we conduct a theoretical study with a combination of molecular dynamics, first-principles, and charge transmission calculations. We use four separate single strand DNAs, each having 8 bases (4 × G4C4 and 4 × A4T4), to form two different DNA nanostructures, each having two helices bundled together with one crossover. We also generated double-stranded DNAs to compare electronic properties to decipher the effects of crossovers and bundle formations. We demonstrate that density of states and band gap of DNA origami depend on its sequence and structure. The crossover regions could reduce the conductance due to a lack of available states near the HOMO level. Furthermore, we reveal that, despite having the same sequence, the two helices in the DNA origami structure could exhibit different electronic properties, and electrode position can affect the resulting conductance values. Our study provides better understanding of the electronic properties of DNA origamis and enables us to tune these properties for electronic applications such as nanowires, switches, and logic gates.

Quantum Beats between Spin-Singlet and Spin-Triplet Interlayer Exciton Transitions in WSe2-MoSe2 Heterobilayers

The long-lived interlayer excitons (IXs) of semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenide heterobilayers are prime candidates for developing various optoelectronic and valleytronic devices. Their photophysical properties, including fine structure, have been the focus of recent studies, and the presence of two spin states, namely, spin-singlet and spin-triplet, has been experimentally confirmed. However, the existence of the interaction between these states and their nature remains unknown to date. Here, we demonstrate the presence of coherent coupling between the spin-singlet and spin-triplet IXs of a WSe2-MoSe2 heterobilayer utilizing quantum beat spectroscopy via a home-built Michelson interferometer. As a clear signature of coherent coupling, the quantum beat signal has been observed for the first time between closely spaced transitions of IXs. The observed strong damping of the quantum beat signals with fast dephasing times of 270-400 fs indicates that fluctuations giving rise to inhomogeneous broadening in the photoluminescence emission of these states are uncorrelated.

Green Electrospun Poly(vinyl alcohol)/Gelatin-Based Nanofibrous Membrane by Incorporating 45S5 Bioglass Nanoparticles and Urea for Wound Dressing Applications: Characterization and In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluations

This study reports the fabrication and characterization of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and gelatin (Gel)-based nanofiber membranes cross-linked with citric acid (CA) by a green electrospinning method in which nano 45S5 bioglass (BG) and urea were incorporated. Various combinations of PVA, gelatin, and BG were prepared, and nanofiber membranes with average fiber diameters between 238 and 595 nm were fabricated. Morphological, chemical, and mechanical properties, porosity, swelling, water retention, and water vapor transmission rate of the fabricated membranes were evaluated. PVA:Gel (90:10), 15% CA, and 3% BG were determined as the optimum blend for nanofiber membrane fabrication via electrospinning. The membrane obtained using this blend was further functionalized with 10% w/w polymer urea coating by the electrospray method following the cross-linking. In vitro biocompatibility tests revealed that the fabricated membranes were all biocompatible except for the one that functionalized with urea. In vivo macroscopic and histopathological analysis results of PVA/Gel/BG and PVA/Gel/BG/Urea treated wounds indicated increased collagenization and vascularization and had an anti-inflammatory effect. Furthermore, careful examination of the in vivo macroscopic results of the PVA/Gel/BG/Urea membrane indicated its potential to decrease uneven scar formation. In conclusion, developed PVA/Gel/BG and PVA/Gel/BG/Urea electrospun membranes with multifunctional and biomimetic features may have the potential to be used as beneficial wound dressings.

Readily Accessible and Brightly Fluorogenic BODIPY/NBD-Tetrazines via SNAr Reactions

We describe SNAr reactions of some commercial amino-tetrazines and halo-dyes, which give efficiently quenched BODIPY/NBD-tetrazines (ΦFl < 0.01) in high yields and, importantly, with high purities affordable via simple silica gel chromatography only. The dyes exhibit large Stokes shifts, moderate environmental sensitivity, and emission enhancements (up to 193-fold) upon Tz ligation with BCN─a strained dienophile. They successfully serve as labels for HSA protein premodified with BCN, resulting in bright blue-green emission upon ligation.

An Isolated Perfused Rat Liver Model: Simultaneous LC-MS Quantification of Pitavastatin, Coproporphyrin I, and Coproporphyrin III Levels in the Rat Liver and Bile

The isolated perfused rat liver (IPRL) model provides a mechanistic understanding of the organic-anion-transporting polypeptide (OATP/Oatp)-mediated pharmacokinetics in the preclinical evaluation, which often requires the use of control substrates (i.e., pitavastatin) and monitoring endogenous biomarkers (coproporphyrin I and III). This study aimed to develop and validate an LC-MS method allowing the simultaneous quantification of pitavastatin, coproporphyrin I (CPI), and coproporphyrin III (CPIII) in rat liver perfusion matrices (perfusate, liver homogenate, bile). The analysis was performed on a C18 column at 60 °C with 20 μL of sample injection. The mobile phases consisted of water with 0.1% formic acid and acetonitrile with 0.1% formic acid with a gradient flow of 0.5 mL/min. The assay was validated according to the ICH M10 Bioanalytical Method Validation Guideline (2022) for selectivity, calibration curve and range, matrix effect, carryover, accuracy, precision, and reinjection reproducibility. The method allowing the simultaneous quantification of pitavastatin, CPI, and CPIII was selective without having carryover and matrix effects. The linear calibration curves were obtained within various calibration ranges for three analytes in different matrices. Accuracy and precision values fulfilled the required limits. After 60 min perfusion with pitavastatin (1 μM), the cumulative amounts of pitavastatin in the liver and bile were 5.770 ± 1.504 and 0.852 ± 0.430 nmol/g liver, respectively. CPIII was a more dominant marker than CPI in both liver (0.028 ± 0.017 vs 0.013 ± 0.008 nmol/g liver) and bile (0.016 ± 0.011 vs 0.009 ± 0.007 nmol/g liver). The novel and validated bioanalytical method can be applied in further IPRL preparations investigating Oatp-mediated pharmacokinetics and DDIs.

One-Step Electrochemical Sensing of CA-125 Using Onion Oil-Based Novel Organohydrogels as the Matrices

To reduce the high mortality rates caused by ovarian cancer, creating high-sensitivity, quick, basic, and inexpensive methods for following cancer antigen 125 (CA-125) levels in blood tests is of extraordinary significance. CA-125 is known as the exclusive glycoprotein employed in clinical examinations to monitor and diagnose ovarian cancer and detect its relapses as a tumor marker. Elevated concentrations of this antigen are linked to the occurrence of ovarian cancer. Herein, we designed organohydrogels (ONOHs) for identifying the level of CA-125 antigen at fast and high sensitivity with electrochemical strategies in a serum medium. The ONOH structures are synthesized with glycerol, agar, and glutaraldehyde and at distinct ratios of onion oil, and then, the ONOHs are characterized with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Electrochemical measurements are performed by cyclic voltammetry (CV), differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in the absence and presence of CA-125 on the designed ONOHs. For the prepared ONOH-3 electrode, two distinct linear ranges are determined as 0.41-8.3 and 8.3-249.0 U/mL. The limit of quantitation and limit of detection values are calculated as 2.415 and 0.805 μU/mL, respectively, (S/N = 3). These results prove that the developed electrode material has high sensitivity, stability, and selectivity for the detection of the CA-125 antigen. In addition, this study can be reasonable for the practical detection of CA125 in serum, permitting early cancer diagnostics and convenient treatment.

Utilizing Upcycled Graphene Nanoplatelet-Coated Glass Fibers as a Performance Booster and Compatibilizer for Enhanced Mechanical Performance of Polypropylene/Glass Fiber/Graphene Nanoplatelet Composites

The high usage ratio and elevated density of glass fibers (GFs), often surpassing twice that of polymers, can contribute to undesired increases in the overall density of polymeric materials. One potential solution is the incorporation of graphene as a secondary additive, offering a lower specific gravity and exceptional mechanical properties. In light of this, waste tire-derived graphene nanoplates (GNPs) were optimized for coating onto GFs by considering factors such as surface treatment of the fiber, the dispersion quality of GNP, and the coating technique. The resulting GNP-coated GF (GNP-c-GF) was initially incorporated into pure polypropylene (PP) at low weight percentages (0.1-1 wt %), and 31% increase in the tensile modulus was achieved compared to neat PP. Subsequently, 1 wt % GNP-c-GF was utilized as a compatibilizer in PP/GF/GNP composites to enhance the compatibility between GNP and GF. By strategically incorporating GNP and GNP-c-GF at a lower GF ratio, the detrimental impact on the tensile modulus of 30% GF-filled PP was effectively mitigated, leading to a remarkable enhancement to an impressive value of 5658 MPa. The successful integration of GNP and GNP-c-GF exemplifies their promising potential as additives for achieving superior mechanical properties in composite materials, while concurrently promoting the utilization of recycled content.

Optimization of a Solution-Processed TiOx/(n)c-Si Electron-Selective Interface by Pre- and Postdeposition Treatments

Developing a vacuum-free and low-temperature deposition technique for dopant-free carrier-selective materials without sacrificing their performance can reduce the fabrication cost and CO2 footprint of silicon heterojunction (SHJ) solar cells. In this contribution, to activate the full capacity of the solution-processed TiOx as an electron-selective passivation contact, the effects of various pre- and postdeposition treatments on the passivation quality and contact resistivity are investigated simultaneously. It is demonstrated that the electrical properties of a thin TiOx layer spin-coated on an n-type silicon substrate can be remarkably improved through tailor-made pre- and postdeposition treatments. A notable low surface recombination velocity (SRV) of 6.54 cm/s and a high implied open-circuit voltage (iVoc) of 706 mV are achieved. In addition, by inserting a 1 nm LiFx buffer layer between TiOx and Al metal contact, a low contact resistivity (ρc) of 15.4 mΩ·cm2 is extracted at the n-Si/SiOx/TiOx heterojunction. Our results bring the solution-processed TiOx electrical properties to a level on par with those of state-of-the-art pure TiOx layers deposited by other techniques. Chemical and electrical characterizations elucidate that the improved electrical properties of the investigated Si/SiOx/TiOx heterojunction are mediated by the concomitant involvement of chemical and field-effect passivation.

Ultradurable Embedded Physically Unclonable Functions

Physically unclonable functions (PUFs) have attracted growing interest for anticounterfeiting and authentication applications. The practical applications require durable PUFs made of robust materials. This study reports a practical strategy to generate extremely robust PUFs by embedding random features onto a substrate. The chaotic and low-cost electrohydrodynamic deposition process generates random polymeric features over a negative-tone photoresist film. These polymer features function as a conformal photomask, which protects the underlying photoresist from UV light, thereby enabling the generation of randomly positioned holes. Dry plasma etching of the substrate and removal of the photoresist result in the transfer of random features to the underlying silicon substrate. The matching of binary keys and features via different algorithms facilitates authentication of features. The embedded PUFs exhibit extreme levels of thermal (∼1000 °C) and mechanical stability that exceed the state of the art. The strength of this strategy emerges from the PUF generation directly on the substrate of interest, with stability that approaches the intrinsic properties of the underlying material. Benefiting from the materials and processes widely used in the semiconductor industry, this strategy shows strong promise for anticounterfeiting and device security applications.

Implantable, 3D-Printed Alginate Scaffolds with Bismuth Sulfide Nanoparticles for the Treatment of Local Breast Cancer via Enhanced Radiotherapy

Surgical removal of tumor tissue remains the primary clinical approach for addressing breast cancer; however, complete tumor excision is challenging, and the remaining tumor cells can lead to tumor recurrence and metastasis over time, which substantially deteriorates the life quality of the patients. With the aim to improve local cancer radiotherapy, this work reports the fabrication of alginate (Alg) scaffolds containing bovine serum albumin (BSA)-coated bismuth sulfide (Bi2S3@BSA) nanoradiosensitizers using three-dimensional (3D) printing. Under single-dose X-ray irradiation in vitro, Alg-Bi2S3@BSA scaffolds significantly increase the formation of reactive oxygen species, enhance the inhibition of breast cancer cells, and suppress their colony formation capacity. In addition, scaffolds implanted under tumor tissue in murine model show high therapeutic efficacy by reducing the tumor volume growth rate under single-dose X-ray irradiation, while histological observation of main organs reveals no cytotoxicity or side effects. 3D-printed Alg-Bi2S3@BSA scaffolds produced with biocompatible and biodegradable materials may potentially lower the recurrence and metastasis rates in breast cancer patients by inhibiting residual tumor cells following postsurgery as well as exhibit anticancer properties in other solid tumors.

Exploring Neuronal Differentiation Profiles in SH-SY5Y Cells through Magnetic Levitation Analysis

Magnetic levitation (MagLev) is a powerful and versatile technique that can sort objects based on their density differences. This paper reports the sorting of SH-SY5Y cells for neuronal differentiation by the MagLev technique. Herein, SH-SY5Y cells were differentiated with retinoic acid (RA) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Neuronal differentiation was confirmed by neurite extension measurement and the immunostaining assay. Neurites reached the maximum length on day 9 after sequential treatment with RA-BDNF. Neuronal marker expression of un-/differentiated cells was investigated by β-III tubulin and neuronal nuclei (NeuN) and differentiated cells exhibited a higher fluorescence intensity compared to un-/differentiated cells. MagLev results revealed that the density of differentiated SH-SY5Y cells gradually increased from 1.04 to 1.06 g/mL, while it remained stable at 1.05 g/mL for un-/differentiated cells. These findings signified that cell density would be a potent indicator of neuronal differentiation. Overall, it was shown that MagLev methodology can provide rapid, label-free, and easy sorting to analyze the differentiation of cells at a single-cell level.

Synthesis of Sorafenib-Ruthenium Complexes, Investigation of Biological Activities and Applications in Drug Delivery Systems as an Anticancer Agent

Sorafenib, a multiple kinase inhibitor, is widely used as a first-line treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma. However, there is a need for more effective alternatives when sorafenib proves insufficient. In this study, we aimed to design a structure that surpasses sorafenib's efficacy, leading us to synthesize sorafenib-ruthenium complexes for the first time and investigate their properties. Our results indicate that the sorafenib-ruthenium complexes exhibit superior epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibition compared to sorafenib alone. Interestingly, among these complexes, Ru3S demonstrated high activity against various cancer cell lines including sorafenib-resistant HepG2 cells while exhibiting significantly lower cytotoxicity than sorafenib in healthy cell lines. Further evaluation of cell cycle, cell apoptosis, and antiangiogenic effects, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics studies revealed that Ru3S holds great potential as a drug candidate. Additionally, when free Ru3S was encapsulated into polymeric micelles M1, enhanced cytotoxicity on HepG2 cells was observed. Collectively, these findings position Ru3S as a promising candidate for EGFR inhibition and warrant further exploration for drug development purposes.

Propolis-Loaded Poly(lactic-co-glycolic Acid) Nanofibers: An In Vitro Study

Nanofibers have high potential through their high porosity, small pore sizes, lightweight materials, and their ability to mimic the extracellular matrix structure for use in the manufacture of wound dressings for wound treatment. In this study, poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanofibers were produced by electrospinning. Propolis was loaded into the PLGA nanofibers by the dropping method. The average diameters and effects of propolis loading on the morphology of 37.5, 50, and 100% propolis-loaded PLGA nanofibers (PLGA-P37.5, PLGA-P50, and PLGA-P100) were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The successful loading of propolis into PLGA nanofibers was confirmed with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. In vitro propolis release was examined at physiological pH. The antioxidant activity of propolis-loaded nanofibers was studied with 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). Antimicrobial activities of the nanofibers against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans strains were determined by the disk diffusion method. Consequently, PLGA-P50 and PLGA-P100 showed high antimicrobial activity on S. aureus and C. albicans. Cell viability was tested by 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazole-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, and propolis-loaded PLGA nanofibers were found to be biocompatible with human fibroblast cells. In the wound scratch assay, propolis-loaded nanofibers supported wound closure with cell migration and proliferation. Thus, in vitro wound closure properties of propolis-loaded PLGA nanofibers were evaluated for the first time in the literature.

Colorimetric Sensing of Antioxidant Capacity via Auric Acid Reduction Coupled to ABTS Oxidation

In this study, a simple and sensitive colorimetric assay has been developed for total antioxidant capacity measurement. The assay is based on the absorption measurement of the bluish-green oxidized product (ABTS·+) formed as a result of the oxidation reaction of the chromogenic reagent ABTS (2,2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) with gold(III). However, in the presence of antioxidants, the ABTS oxidation process is effectively suppressed due to the reduction of gold(III) ions to the zerovalent state forming gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). Relatively lighter colors and a significant decrease in absorbance are observed depending on the total antioxidant capacity. Taking advantage of this situation, qualitative and quantitative total antioxidant capacity (TAC) measurements, with the naked eye and UV-vis spectroscopy, respectively, could be successfully performed. The assay is named "auric reducing antioxidant capacity" (AuRAC) because the gold(III) ion-reducing ability of antioxidants is measured. The AuRAC assay was applied to dietary polyphenols, vitamin C, thiol-type antioxidants, and their synthetic mixtures. Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) values obtained with the AuRAC assay were found to be compatible with those of the reference CUPRAC (cupric reducing antioxidant capacity) assay. The AuRAC assay was validated through linearity, additivity, precision, and recovery, demonstrating that the assay is reliable and robust. Compared to the simple TAC assays in the literature based on AuNP formation with subsequent surface plasmon resonance (SPR) absorbance measurement, this indirect assay has a smoother linear range starting from lower antioxidant concentrations. This method displays much higher molar absorption coefficients for antioxidant compounds than other conventional single electron transfer (SET) assays because 3-e- reduction of trivalent gold (i.e., Au(III) → Au(0)) produces three chromophore cation radicals (ABTS·+) of the assay reagent. The sensor has been successfully applied to complex matrices, such as tea infusions and pharmaceutical samples. The AuRAC assay stands out with its high molar absorptivity connected to enhanced sensitivity as well as its potential to convert into a paper-based colorimetric sensor.

Spatial Growth Factor Delivery for 3D Bioprinting of Vascularized Bone with Adipose-Derived Stem/Stromal Cells as a Single Cell Source

Encapsulating multiple growth factors within a scaffold enhances the regenerative capacity of engineered bone grafts through their localization and controls the spatiotemporal release profile. In this study, we bioprinted hybrid bone grafts with an inherent built-in controlled growth factor delivery system, which would contribute to vascularized bone formation using a single stem cell source, human adipose-derived stem/stromal cells (ASCs) in vitro. The strategy was to provide precise control over the ASC-derived osteogenesis and angiogenesis at certain regions of the graft through the activity of spatially positioned microencapsulated BMP-2 and VEGF within the osteogenic and angiogenic bioink during bioprinting. The 3D-bioprinted vascularized bone grafts were cultured in a perfusion bioreactor. Results proved localized expression of osteopontin and CD31 by the ASCs, which was made possible through the localized delivery activity of the built-in delivery system. In conclusion, this approach provided a methodology for generating off-the-shelf constructs for vascularized bone regeneration and has the potential to enable single-step, in situ bioprinting procedures for creating vascularized bone implants when applied to bone defects.

Biosensing Platforms for Cardiac Biomarker Detection

Myocardial infarction (MI) is a cardiovascular disease that occurs when there is an elevated demand for myocardial oxygen as a result of the rupture or erosion of atherosclerotic plaques. Globally, the mortality rates associated with MI are steadily on the rise. Traditional diagnostic biomarkers employed in clinical settings for MI diagnosis have various drawbacks, prompting researchers to investigate fast, precise, and highly sensitive biosensor platforms and technologies. Biosensors are analytical devices that combine biological elements with physicochemical transducers to detect and quantify specific compounds or analytes. These devices play a crucial role in various fields including healthcare, environmental monitoring, food safety, and biotechnology. Biosensors developed for the detection of cardiac biomarkers are typically electrochemical, mass, and optical biosensors. Nanomaterials have emerged as revolutionary components in the field of biosensing, offering unique properties that significantly enhance the sensitivity and specificity of the detection systems. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the advancements and applications of nanomaterial-based biosensing systems. Beginning with an exploration of the fundamental principles governing nanomaterials, we delve into their diverse properties, including but not limited to electrical, optical, magnetic, and thermal characteristics. The integration of these nanomaterials as transducers in biosensors has paved the way for unprecedented developments in analytical techniques. Moreover, the principles and types of biosensors and their applications in cardiovascular disease diagnosis are explained in detail. The current biosensors for cardiac biomarker detection are also discussed, with an elaboration of the pros and cons of existing platforms and concluding with future perspectives.

Single-Walled (Magnetic) Carbon Nanotubes in a Pectin Matrix in the Design of an Allantoin Delivery System

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) outperform other materials due to their high conductivity, large specific surface area, and chemical resistance. They have numerous biomedical applications, including the magnetization of the SWCNT (mSWCNT). The drug loading and release properties of see-through pectin hydrogels doped with SWCNTs and mSWCNTs were evaluated in this study. The active molecule in the hydrogel structure is allantoin, and calcium chloride serves as a cross-linker. In addition to mixing, absorption, and swelling techniques, drug loading into carbon nanotubes was also been studied. To characterize the films, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, surface contact angle measurements, and opacity analysis were carried out. Apart from these, a rheological analysis was also carried out to examine the flow properties of the hydrogels. The study was also expanded to include N-(9-fluorenyl methoxycarbonyl)glycine-coated SWCNTs and mSWCNTs as additives to evaluate the efficiency of the drug-loading approach. Although the CNT additive was used at a 1:1000 weight ratio, it had a significant impact on the hydrogel properties. This effect, which was first observed in the thermal properties, was confirmed in rheological analyses by increasing solution viscosity. Additionally, rheological analysis and drug release profiles show that the type of additive causes a change in the matrix structure. According to TGA findings, even though SWCNTs and mSWCNTs were not coated more than 5%, the coating had a significant effect on drug release control. In addition to all findings, cell viability tests revealed that hydrogels with various additives could be used for visual wound monitoring, hyperthermia treatment, and allantoin release in wound treatment applications.

Pesticide Nanoformulations Based on Sunlight-Activated Controlled Release of Abamectin

A controlled release system that enables the sunlight-triggered release of a model agrochemical, abamectin (abm), is presented. The release system consists of polydopamine functionalized halloysite nanotubes (HNT-PDA) utilized as photothermal nanocarriers to encapsulate 25 wt % abm and 37 wt % lauric acid (LA), a phase change material, that acts as a heat-activable gatekeeper stopping or facilitating the abm release. When exposed to sunlight for 20 min at 1 and 3 sun light density, the temperature of the photothermal nanocarriers reaches 51 and 122 °C, respectively, which triggers the melting of LA and the consequent release of abm from the nanocarriers. Abm was shown to be released gradually over a period of 10 days when nanohybrids were exposed to sunlight for 6 h per day and to remain stable and kill Myzus persicae (Sulzer) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), green peach aphids, at a mortality rate of over 70% for at least 10 days. Aqueous dispersions of the LA/abm@HNT-PDA nanohybrids were studied in terms of their potential as aqueous sprayable pesticide nanoformulations and presented over 30% suspensibility, 36 mg/cm2 foliar retention, strong rainwater resistance, and a 50% mortality rate for M. persicae at a concentration of 9 mg/mL. The proposed sunlight-activated controlled release system based on photothermal, LA-functionalized HNT-PDA nanocarriers holds great potential as controlled release pesticide nanoformulations.

Environmentally Friendly and All-Dry Hydrophobic Patterning of Graphene Oxide for Fog Harvesting

This study examines the fog-harvesting ability of graphene oxide surfaces patterned by hydrophobic domains. The samples were prepared from graphene deposited using low pressure chemical vapor deposition, which was later plasma oxidized to obtain hydrophilic graphene oxide (GO) surfaces. Hydrophobic domains on GO surfaces were formed by initiated CVD (iCVD) of a low-surface-energy poly(perfluorodecyl alkylate) (PPFDA) polymer. Hence, patterned surfaces with hydrophobic/hydrophilic contrast were produced with ease in an all-dry manner. The structures of the as-deposited graphene and PPFDA films were characterized using Raman and Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer analyses, respectively. The fog harvesting performance of the samples was measured using the fog generated by a nebulizer, in which the average diameter of the fog droplets is comparable to meteorological fog. According to the fog harvesting experiment results, 100 cm2 of the as-patterned surface can collect fog up to 2.5 L in 10 h in a foggy environment. Hence, hydrophilic/hydrophobic patterned surfaces in this study can be considered as promising fog harvesting materials. Both CVD techniques used in the production of hydrophilic/hydrophobic patterned surfaces can be easily applied to the production of large-scale materials.

Correction to "Characterization of Proteins Extracted from Ulva sp., Padina sp., and Laurencia sp. Macroalgae Using Green Technology: Effect of In Vitro Digestion on Antioxidant and ACE-I Inhibitory Activity"

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c05041.].

Development and Fabrication of a Molecularly Imprinted Polymer-Based Electroanalytical Sensor for the Determination of Acyclovir

Acyclovir (ACV), a synthetic nucleoside derivative of purine, is one of the most potent antiviral medications recommended in the specific management of varicella-zoster and herpes simplex viruses. The molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) was utilized to create an effective and specific electrochemical sensor using a straightforward photopolymerization process to determine ACV. The polymeric thin coating was developed using the template molecule ACV, a functional monomer acrylamide, a basic monomer 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, a cross-linker ethylene glycol dimethacrylate, and a photoinitiator 2-hydroxy-2-methyl propiophenone on the exterior of the glassy carbon electrode (GCE). Scanning electron microscopy, attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry were employed for the purpose of characterizing the constructed sensor (AM-ACV@MIP/GCE). Differential pulse voltammetry and a 5 mM ferrocyanide/ferricyanide ([Fe(CN)6]3-/4-) redox reagent were used to detect the ACV binding to the specific cavities on MIP. The study involves density functional theory (DFT) calculations, which were conducted to investigate template-functional monomer interactions thoroughly, calculate template-functional monomer interaction energies, and determine the optimal template/functional monomer ratio. DFT calculations were performed using Becke's three-parameter hybrid functional with the Lee-Yang-Parr correlation functional (B3LYP) method and 6-31G(d,p) basis set. The sensor exhibits linear performance throughout the concentration region 1 × 10-11 to 1 × 10-10 M, and the limit of detection and limit of quantification were 7.15 × 10-13 M and 2.38 × 10-12 M, respectively. For the electrochemical study of ACV, the sensor demonstrated high accuracy, precision, robustness, and a short detection time. Furthermore, the developed electrochemical sensor exhibited exceptional recovery in tablet dosage form and commercial human blood samples, with recoveries of 99.40 and 100.44%, respectively. The findings showed that the AM-ACV@MIP/GCE sensor would effectively be used to directly assess pharmaceuticals from actual specimens and would particularly detect ACV compared to structurally similar pharmaceutical compounds.

Effect of Anode Interfacial Modification by Self-Assembled Monolayers on the Organic Solar Cell Performance

A series of self-assembled monolayer (SAM)-based benzoic acid derivatives such as 4-[5'-phenyl-2,2'-bitien-5-yl] benzoic acid (ZE-Ph), 4-[5'-(4-fluorophenyl)-2,2'-bitien-5-yl]benzoic acid (ZE-1F), and 4-[5'-(3,5-difluorophenyl)-2,2'-bitien-5-yl]benzoic acid (ZE-2F) were synthesized to use an interlayer between an ITO electrode and a MoO3 thin film layer in an organic solar cell (OSC) having poly-3 hexylthiophene (P3HT): [6,6]-phenyl C61 butyric acid methyl ester (PC61BM) blend. The work function and surface wetting properties of the ITO were tuned by SAM molecules. The power conversion efficiency of fabricated OSC devices was improved compared to that of the control device from 1.93 to 2.20% and 2.22% with ZE-Ph and ZE-1F-modified ITO electrodes, respectively. The short-circuit current density (Jsc) was increased from 6.16 to 7.10 mA/cm2 and 6.94 mA/cm2 with control, ZE-Ph, and ZE-1F-modified solar cells, respectively. The increase in short-circuit current density (Jsc) shows that the hole-transporting properties between ITO and MoO3 were improved by the use of ZE-Ph and ZE-1F compared with that of the ITO/MoO3 electrode configuration. The open-circuit voltage (Voc) of the SAM-modified ITO-based devices was also improved compared with the Voc of unmodified ITO-based devices. These results show that using a monolayer as an interlayer in OSCs is an important strategy to improve the performance of OSCs. All the device parameters were characterized by Kelvin probe force microscopy, cyclic voltammetry, contact angle, and I-V measurements.

3D-Cobalt-Dicyanamide-Derived 2D-Layered-Co(OH)2-Based Catalyst for Light-Driven Hydrogen Evolution

Derivation of 3D coordination polymers to produce active catalysts has been a feasible strategy to achieve a precise coordination sphere for the catalytic site. This study demonstrates the partial conversion of a 3D cobalt dicyanamide coordination polymer, Co-dca, to a 2D layered hydroxide-oxyhydroxide structure under photocatalytic conditions. The catalyst exhibits an activity as high as 28.3 mmol h-1 g-1 in the presence of a [Ru(bpy)3]2+/triethylamine (TEA) couple to maintain it for at least 12 h. Photocatalytic and characterization studies reveal that the dicyanamide ligand within the coordination polymer is crucial for governing modification and achieving a superior H2 evolution rate. Moreover, we observed the critical role of TEA as the hydrolyzing agent for the transformation process. This study displays that the metal dicyanamides can be utilized as templates for preparing active and robust catalysts.

Shared Proteins and Pathways of Cardiovascular and Cognitive Diseases: Relation to Vascular Cognitive Impairment

One of the primary goals of systems medicine is the detection of putative proteins and pathways involved in disease progression and pathological phenotypes. Vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) is a heterogeneous condition manifesting as cognitive impairment resulting from vascular factors. The precise mechanisms underlying this relationship remain unclear, which poses challenges for experimental research. Here, we applied computational approaches like systems biology to unveil and select relevant proteins and pathways related to VCI by studying the crosstalk between cardiovascular and cognitive diseases. In addition, we specifically included signals related to oxidative stress, a common etiologic factor tightly linked to aging, a major determinant of VCI. Our results show that pathways associated with oxidative stress are quite relevant, as most of the prioritized vascular cognitive genes and proteins were enriched in these pathways. Our analysis provided a short list of proteins that could be contributing to VCI: DOLK, TSC1, ATP1A1, MAPK14, YWHAZ, CREB3, HSPB1, PRDX6, and LMNA. Moreover, our experimental results suggest a high implication of glycative stress, generating oxidative processes and post-translational protein modifications through advanced glycation end-products (AGEs). We propose that these products interact with their specific receptors (RAGE) and Notch signaling to contribute to the etiology of VCI.

Near-Infrared Triggered Degradation for Transient Electronics

Electronics that disintegrate after stable operation present exciting opportunities for niche medical implant and consumer electronics applications. The disintegration of these devices can be initiated due to their medium conditions or triggered by external stimuli, which enables on-demand transition. An external stimulation method that can penetrate deep inside the body could revolutionize the use of transient electronics as implantable medical devices (IMDs), eliminating the need for secondary surgery to remove the IMDs. We report near-infrared (NIR) light-triggered transition of metastable cyclic poly(phthalaldehyde) (cPPA) polymers. The transition of the encapsulation layer is achieved through the conversion of NIR light to heat, facilitated by bioresorbable metals, such as molybdenum (Mo). We reported a rapid degradation of cPPA encapsulation layer about 1 min, and the rate of degradation can be controlled by laser power and exposure time. This study offers a new approach for light triggerable transient electronics for IMDs due to the deep penetration depth of NIR light through to organs and tissues.

Molecular Insight into the Effect of Polymer Topology on Wettability of Block Copolymers: The Case of Amphiphilic Polyurethanes

The microstructure design of multiblock copolymers is essential for achieving desired interfacial properties in submerged applications. Two major design factors are the chemical composition and polymer topology. Despite a clear relationship between chemical composition and wetting, the effect of polymer topology (i.e., linear vs cross-linked polymers) is not very clear. Thus, in this study, we shed light on the molecular origins of polymer topology on the wetting behavior. To this end, we synthesized linear and three-dimensional (3D) cross-linked network topologies of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-modified polycarbonate polyurethanes with the same amount of hydrophilic PEG groups on the surface (confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS)) and studied the wetting mechanisms through water contact angle (WCA), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The linear topology exhibited superhydrophilic behavior, while the WCA of the cross-linked polymer was around 50°. AFM analysis (performed on dry and wet samples) suggests that PEG migration toward the interface is the dominant factor. MD simulations confirm the AFM results and unravel the mechanisms: the higher flexibility of PEG in linear topology results in a greater PEG migration to the interface and formation of a thicker interfacial layer (i.e., twice as thick as the cross-linked polymers). Accordingly, water diffusion into the interfacial layer was greater in the case of the linear polymer, leading to better screening of the underneath hydrophobic (polycarbonate) segments.

Phytochemicals in Pancreatic Cancer Treatment: A Machine Learning Study

The discovery of new strategies and novel therapeutic agents is crucial to improving the current treatment methods and increasing the efficacy of cancer therapy. Phytochemicals, naturally occurring bioactive constituents derived from plants, have great potential in preventing and treating various diseases, including cancer. This study reviewed 74 literature studies published between 2006 and 2022 that conducted in vitro cytotoxicity and cell apoptosis analyses of the different concentrations of phytochemicals and their combinations with conventional drugs or supplementary phytochemicals on human pancreatic cell lines. From 34 plant-derived phytochemicals on 20 human pancreatic cancer cell lines, a total of 11 input and 2 output variables have been used to construct the data set that contained 2161 different instances. The machine learning approach has been implemented using random forest for regression, whereas association rule mining has been used to determine the effects of individual phytochemicals. The random forest models developed are generally good, indicating that the phytochemical type, its concentration, and the type of cell line are the most important descriptors for predicting the cell viability. However, for predicting cell apoptosis the primary phytochemical type is the most significant descriptor . Among the studied phytochemicals, catechin and indole-3-carbinol were found to be non-cytotoxic at all concentrations irrespective of the treatment time. On the other hand, berbamine and resveratrol were strongly cytotoxic with cell viabilities of less than 40% at a concentration range between 10 and 100 μM and above 100 μM, respectively, which brings them forward as potential therapeutic agents in the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

Characterization of Proteins Extracted from Ulva sp., Padina sp., and Laurencia sp. Macroalgae Using Green Technology: Effect of In Vitro Digestion on Antioxidant and ACE-I Inhibitory Activity

Macroalgal proteins were extracted from Ulva rigida (URPE) (green), Padina pavonica (PPPE) (brown), and Laurencia obtusa (LOPE) (red) using ultrasound-assisted enzymatic extraction, which is one of the green extraction technologies. Techno-functional, characteristic, and digestibility properties, and biological activities including antioxidant (AOA) and angiotensin-I converting enzyme (ACE-I) inhibitory activities were also investigated. According to the results, the extraction yield (EY) (94.74%) was detected in the extraction of L. obtusa, followed by U. rigida and P. pavonica. PPPE showed the highest ACE-I inhibitory activity before in vitro digestion. In contrast to PPPE, LOPE (20.90 ± 0.00%) and URPE (20.20 ± 0.00%) showed higher ACE-I inhibitory activity after in vitro digestion. The highest total phenolic content (TPC) (77.86 ± 1.00 mg GAE/g) was determined in LOPE. On the other hand, the highest AOACUPRAC (74.69 ± 1.78 mg TE/g) and AOAABTS (251.29 ± 5.0 mg TE/g) were detected in PPPE. After in vitro digestion, LOPE had the highest TPC (22.11 ± 2.18 mg GAE/g), AOACUPRAC (8.41 ± 0.06 mg TE/g), and AOAABTS (88.32 ± 0.65 mg TE/g) (p < 0.05). In vitro protein digestibility of three macroalgal protein extracts ranged from 84.35 ± 2.01% to 94.09 ± 0.00% (p < 0.05). Three macroalgae showed high oil holding capacity (OHC), especially PPPE (410.13 ± 16.37%) (p < 0.05), but they showed minimum foaming and emulsifying properties. The quality of the extracted macroalgal proteins was assessed using FTIR, SDS-PAGE, and DSC analyses. According to our findings, the method applied for macroalgal protein extraction could have a potential the promise of ultrasonication application as an environmentally friendly technology for food industry. Moreover, URPE, PPPE, and LOPE from sustainable sources may be attractive in terms of nourishment for people because of their digestibility, antioxidant properties, and ACE-I inhibitory activities.

Microstructural Characterization of PCL-HA Bone Scaffolds Based on Nonsolvent-Induced Phase Separation

Composite materials containing pores play a crucial role in the field of bone tissue engineering. The nonsolvent-induced phase separation (NIPS) technique, commonly used for manufacturing membranes, has proven to be an effective method for fabricating composite scaffolds with tunable porosity. To explore this potential, we produced 10% (w/v) poly(caprolactone) (PCL)-nanohydroxyapatite (HA) composite porous film scaffolds with varying HA contents (0/10/15/20 wt %) and two thicknesses (corresponding to 1 and 2 mL of solution resulting in 800-900 and 1600-1800 μm thickness, respectively) using the NIPS method. We conducted a comprehensive analysis of how the internal microstructure and surface characteristics of these scaffolds varied based on their composition and thickness. In particular, for each scaffold, we analyzed overall porosity, pore size distribution, pore shape, and degree of anisotropy as well as mechanical behaviors. Micro-CT and SEM analyses revealed that PCL-HA scaffolds with various HA contents possessed micro (<100 μm) scale porosity due to the NIPS method. Greater thicknesses typically resulted in larger average pore sizes and greater overall porosity. However, unlike in thinner scaffolds, greater/higher HA content did not exhibit a direct correlation with a greater pore size for thicker scaffolds. In thinner scaffolds, adding HA above an effective threshold content of 15 wt % and beyond did lead to a greater pore size. The higher pore anisotropy was in line with the higher HA content for both groups. SEM images demonstrated that both groups showed highly uniformly distributed internal microporous morphology regardless of HA content and thickness. The results suggest that NIPS-based scaffolds hold promise for bone tissue engineering but that the optimal HA content and thickness should be carefully considered based on desired porosity and application.

Highly Potent Peptide Therapeutics To Prevent Protein Aggregation in Huntington's Disease

Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder resulting from a significant amplification of CAG repeats in exon 1 of the Huntingtin (Htt) gene. More than 36 CAG repeats result in the formation of a mutant Htt (mHtt) protein. These amino-terminal mHtt fragments lead to the formation of misfolded proteins, which then form aggregates in the relevant brain regions. Therapies that can delay the progression of the disease are imperative to halting the course of the disease. Peptide-based drug therapies provide such a platform. Inhibitory peptides were screened against monomeric units of both wild type (Htt(Q25)) and mHtt fragments, Htt(Q46) and Htt(Q103). Fibril kinetics was studied by utilizing the Thioflavin T (ThT) assay. Atomic force microscopy was also used to study the influence of the peptides on fibril formation. These experiments demonstrate that the chosen peptides suppress the formation of fibrils in mHtt proteins and can provide a therapeutic lead for further optimization and development.

Amphiphilic Polyoxazoline Copolymer-Imidazole Complexes as Tailorable Thermal Latent Curing Agents for One-Component Epoxy Resins

One-component epoxy resins (OCERs) are proposed to overcome the energy inefficiency and processing difficulties of conventional two-component epoxy resins by employing latent curing agents, specifically thermal latent curing agents (TLCs). Despite recent progress, the need for TLCs with a simple preparation method for different curing agents, epoxy resins, and process conditions remains. Here, tailorable TLCs were prepared by forming complexes between imidazole (Im) and amphiphilic polyoxazoline copolymers with tunable structures and properties by a solvent evaporation method. The obtained TLCs were manually mixed with DGEBA to prepare OCERs. The miscibility of the complexes with DGEBA was studied, considering the functionalities of copolymers. The curing behaviors of TLCs were compared using dynamic Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) studies considering the side chain and composition of the copolymers, copolymer:Im ratio, and concentration of Im in DGEBA. The curing behavior of the promising OCERs was studied by isothermal DSC studies to investigate their stability at different temperatures and curing rate at elevated temperatures revealing the stability of these OCERs.

Effects of Hybrid POSS Nanoparticles on the Properties of Thermoplastic Elastomer-Toughened Polyamide 6

In this study, polyamide 6 (PA6)/thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) blends were prepared to decrease the notch sensitivity of PA6 for automotive applications, and the morphological, rheological, mechanical, and thermal properties of PA6/TPE blends, which are partially miscible or immiscible depending on the TPE ratio, were significantly improved in the existence of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) nanoparticles with multiple reactive epoxy groups as compatibilizers. An unstable phase morphology was obtained with the addition of TPE into PA6 without POSS nanoparticles, whereas interfacial interactions between phases in the presence of POSS were enhanced as a result of a significant decrease in the average particle size from 1.39 to 0.41 μm. The complex viscosity value of the 70PA6/30TPE blend, which was 20 kPa/s-1 at 0.1 rad/s angular frequency, reached 380 kPa/s-1 with the addition of POSS due to the formation of long chains by the generation of graft and/or block copolymers, which resulted in a 65% increase in Young's modulus value. Most notably, the Izod impact strength of pure PA6, which was 10 kJ/m2, increased by 290% with the incorporation of POSS. It was confirmed by FTIR analysis that the reactive multiple epoxy groups of MultEpPOSS and EPPOSS nanoparticles react with the proper groups of PA6 and/or TPE, and also, a partial hydrogen bonding interaction occurs between PA6-TPE from the shifting of N-H and carbonyl peaks. In conclusion, it can be suggested that POSS nanoparticles can serve as highly effective compatibilizers for PA6/TPE blends and have potential commercial applications, especially in the automotive sector.

Fabrication of a Novel Optical Glucose Biosensor Using Copper(II) Neocuproine as a Chromogenic Oxidant and Glucose Dehydrogenase-Immobilized Magnetite Nanoparticles

This study describes a novel optical glucose biosensor based on a colorimetric reaction between reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) and a copper(II) neocuproine complex ([Cu(Nc)2]2+) as a chromogenic oxidant. An enzymatic reaction takes place between glucose and glucose dehydrogenase (GDH)-chitosan (CS) immobilized on silanized magnetite nanoparticles (CS@SiO2@Fe3O4) in the presence of coenzyme NAD+. The oxidation of glucose to gluconolactone via the immobilized enzyme is coupled with the reduction of NAD+ to NADH at the same time. After the separation of GDH-immobilized SiO2@Fe3O4 with a magnet, the enzymatically produced NADH chemically reduces the chromogenic oxidant cupric neocuproine to the cuprous chelate. Thus, the glucose biosensor is fabricated based on the measurement of the absorbance of the formed yellow-orange complex ([Cu(Nc)2]+) at 450 nm. The obtained results show that the colorimetric biosensor has a wide linear response range for glucose, between 1.0 and 150.0 μM under optimized conditions. The limit of detection and limit of quantification were found to be 0.31 and 1.02 μM, respectively. The selectivity properties of the fabricated biosensor were tested with various interfering species. This biosensor was applied to various samples, and the obtained results suggest that the fabricated optical biosensor can be successfully used for the selective and sensitive determination of glucose in real samples.

Plasmonic Titanium Nitride Nanohole Arrays for Refractometric Sensing

Group IVB metal nitrides have attracted great interest as alternative plasmonic materials. Among them, titanium nitride (TiN) stands out due to the ease of deposition and relative abundance of Ti compared to those of Zr and Hf metals. Even though they do not have Au or Ag-like plasmonic characteristics, they offer many advantages, from high mechanical stability to refractory behavior and complementary metal oxide semiconductor-compatible fabrication to tunable electrical/optical properties. In this study, we utilized reactive RF magnetron sputtering to deposit plasmonic TiN thin films. The flow rate and ratio of Ar/N2 and oxygen scavenging methods were optimized to improve the plasmonic performance of TiN thin films. The stoichiometry and structure of the TiN thin films were thoroughly investigated to assess the viability of the optimized operation procedures. To assess the plasmonic performance of TiN thin films, periodic nanohole arrays were perforated on TiN thin films by using electron beam lithography and reactive ion etching methods. The resulting TiN periodic nanohole array with varying periods was investigated by using a custom microspectroscopy setup for both reflection and transmission characteristics in various media to underline the efficacy of TiN for refractometric sensing.

Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification-Integrated CRISPR Methods for Infectious Disease Diagnosis at Point of Care

Infectious diseases continue to pose an imminent threat to global public health, leading to high numbers of deaths every year and disproportionately impacting developing countries where access to healthcare is limited. Biological, environmental, and social phenomena, including climate change, globalization, increased population density, and social inequity, contribute to the emergence of novel communicable diseases. Rapid and accurate diagnoses of infectious diseases are essential to preventing the transmission of infectious diseases. Although some commonly used diagnostic technologies provide highly sensitive and specific measurements, limitations including the requirement for complex equipment/infrastructure and refrigeration, the need for trained personnel, long sample processing times, and high cost remain unresolved. To ensure global access to affordable diagnostic methods, loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) integrated clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) based pathogen detection has emerged as a promising technology. Here, LAMP-integrated CRISPR-based nucleic acid detection methods are discussed in point-of-care (PoC) pathogen detection platforms, and current limitations and future directions are also identified.

Comprehensive Transcriptomic Investigation of Rett Syndrome Reveals Increasing Complexity Trends from Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells to Neurons with Implications for Enriched Pathways

Rett syndrome (RTT) is a rare genetic neurodevelopmental disorder that has no cure apart from symptomatic treatments. While intense research efforts are required to fulfill this unmet need, the fundamental challenge is to obtain sufficient patient data. In this study, we used human transcriptomic data of four different sample types from RTT patients including induced pluripotent stem cells, differentiated neural progenitor cells, differentiated neurons, and postmortem brain tissues with an increasing in vivo-like complexity to unveil specific trends in gene expressions across the samples. Based on DEG analysis, we identified F8A3, CNTN6, RPE65, and COL19A1 to have differential expression levels in three sample types and also observed previously reported genes such as MECP2, FOXG1, CACNA1G, SATB2, GABBR2, MEF2C, KCNJ10, and CUX2 in our study. Considering the significantly enriched pathways for each sample type, we observed a consistent increase in numbers from iPSCs to NEUs where MECP2 displayed profound effects. We also validated our GSEA results by using single-cell RNA-seq data. In WGCNA, we elicited a connection among MECP2, TNRC6A, and HOXA5. Our findings highlight the utility of transcriptomic analyses to determine genes that might lead to therapeutic strategies.

Microbial Transformation of Hesperidin and Biological Evaluation

The main aim of the study was the biotransformation evaluation of hesperidin for functionalization by 25 different nonhuman pathogenic microorganisms. As a result, four metabolites were identified and characterized. The structure of pinocembrin and naringenin from the microbial transformation of hesperidin was determined initially with LC/MS-MS. The metabolites eriodictyol and hesperetin were isolated, and their molecular structure was determined by NMR and MS. Pinocembrin, eriodictyol, and naringenin were characterized as new hesperidin microbial transformation metabolites, to the best of our knowledge. In order to evaluate the bioactivity, in vitro 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) enzyme inhibition, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and acute toxicity evaluations using the brine shrimp assay of hesperidin and its metabolites were performed comparatively. According to antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity results, hesperetin metabolite was more active than naringenin and hesperidin. The antimicrobial activity of hesperetin and naringenin against the human pathogenic Staphylococcus aureus strain was relatively higher when compared with the substrate hesperidin. In line with this result, biofilm activity of hesperetin and naringenin against S. aureus with combination studies using biofilm formation methods was carried out. The checkerboard combination method was utilized for biofilm layering, also for the first time in the present study. As an initial result, it was observed that hesperidin and naringenin exerted a synergistic activity with a fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI) value of 1.063. Considering the bioactivity of hesperidin, hesperetin, and naringenin used as substrates are relatively nontoxic. The microbial and enzymatic biotransformation of natural products such as hesperetin and its new bioactive metabolites still have pharmacological potential, which needs further experimentation at the molecular level..

Systematic Investigation of Cellular Response to Hydroxyl Group Orientation Differences on Gold Glyconanoparticles

Nanoparticle (NP) surfaces act as the interface as they interact with living systems and play a critical role in defining their cellular response. The nature of these interactions should be well understood to design safer and more effective NPs to be used in a wide range of biomedical applications. At the moment, it is not clear how a subtle change in surface chemistry will affect an NP's behavior in a biological system. Thus, understanding the role of such a small change is critical and may allow one to fine-tune a biological response. In this study, the cellular response to -OH orientation differences generated on gold glyconanoparticles, which are recently considered promising therapeutic agents as they mimic a glycocalyx, is investigated. As model molecules, glucose and mannose (C2 epimer) as monosaccharides and lactose and maltose (galactose and glucose as free units, C4 epimer) as disaccharides were chosen to monitor the cellular response in A549, BEAS-2b, and MDA-MB-231 cells through cellular uptake, cytotoxicity, and cell cycle progression. The three cell lines gave various and remarkable cellular responses to the same subtle -OH differences on gold glyconanoparticles, and it is determined that not only -OH orientation differences but also the number of saccharides on gold glyconanoparticles affect the cellular response. It was shown that mannose (C2 epimer to glucose) was significant with the promise of being a therapeutic agent for lung cancer therapy, whereas the toxicological profile of MDA-MB-231 cells was affected by AuNPs-glucose the most. This study demonstrates that clearly small chemical alterations on a NP surface can result in a significant cellular response. It can be concluded that the -OH orientation at the second and fourth carbon of a carbohydrate ring has a critical role in designing and engineering novel gold glyconanoparticles (consisting of monolayer mono- or disaccharides) for a specific cancer therapy.

Enhanced Osteogenic Potential of Noggin Knockout C2C12 Cells on BMP-2 Releasing Silk Scaffolds

The CRISPR/Cas9 mechanism offers promising therapeutic approaches for bone regeneration by stimulating or suppressing critical signaling pathways. In this study, we aimed to increase the activity of BMP-2 signaling through knockout of Noggin, thereby establishing a synergistic effect on the osteogenic activity of cells in the presence of BMP-2. Since Noggin is an antagonist expressed in skeletal tissues and binds to subunits of bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) to inhibit osteogenic differentiation, here Noggin expression was knocked out using the CRISPR/Cas9 system. In accordance with this purpose, C2C12 (mouse myoblast) cells were transfected with CRISPR/Cas9 plasmids. Transfection was achieved with Lipofectamine and confirmed with intense fluorescent signals in microscopic images and deletion in target sequence in Sanger sequencing analysis. Thus, Noggin knockout cells were identified as a new cell source for tissue engineering studies. Then, the transfected cells were seeded on highly porous silk scaffolds bearing BMP-2-loaded silk nanoparticles (30 ng BMP-2/mg silk nanoparticle) in the size of 288 ± 62 nm. BMP-2 is released from the scaffolds in a controlled manner for up to 60 days. The knockout of Noggin by CRISPR/Cas9 was found to synergistically promote osteogenic differentiation in the presence of BMP-2 through increased Coll1A1 and Ocn expression and mineralization. Gene editing of Noggin and BMP-2 increased almost 2-fold Col1A1 expression and almost 3-fold Ocn expression compared to the control group. Moreover, transfected cells produced extracellular matrix (ECM) containing collagen fibers on the scaffolds and mineral-like structures were formed on the fibers. In addition, mineralization characterized by intense Alizarin red staining was detected in transfected cells cultured in the presence of BMP-2, while the other groups did not exhibit any mineralized areas. As has been demonstrated in this study, the CRISPR/Cas9 mechanism has great potential for obtaining new cell sources to be used in tissue engineering studies.

Liquefaction of Oak Wood Using Various Solvents for Bio-oil Production

Rapidly increasing global energy demand resulting from the growing population and worldwide development has increased the consumption of limited fossil fuel. The usage causes severe environmental deterioration by CO2 emission, which has sparked interest in finding green, renewable, and sustainable alternative sources of energy. Bio-oil, derived from several biomasses via liquefaction, is a promising candidate to replace fossil fuels. Turkey's land (27%) is covered with forested areas (consisting of mostly oak trees). Therefore, it has great potential for cheap lignocellulosic feedstock forest residues from industrial applications and harvesting. In the present study, the thermal liquefaction of oak wood particles (OWP) was performed using various solvents in addition to water, namely, ethanol, 1-butanol, and 1,4-dioxane. The experiments were carried out in a batch reactor for 1 and 2 h residence times at different temperatures (210, 240, and 270 °C). Bio-oil samples obtained at 270 °C and a 1 h residence time determined as optimum conditions were analyzed with TGA, CHNS elemental analysis, FTIR, and GC-MS. 1,4-Dioxane showed the best performance in yielding the maximum bio-oil with 51.8% at those conditions. The higher heating values of the bio-oils ranged from 22.1 to 35 MJ/kg. Phenolic groups were the predominant components of bio-oil produced from OWP, while the intensity of alcohols, ketones, and acids varied based on used solvents. Based on energy recovery calculations, the enhancement of pristine OWP's energy efficiency depended on bio-oil yield, and quality was confirmed for all solvent types (1,4-dioxane > 1-butanol > water > ethanol).

Effect on Improving CO2 Sensor Properties: Combination of HPTS and γ-Fe2O3@ZnO Bioactive Glass

8-Hydroxypyrene-1,3,6-trisulfonic acid (HPTS) dye, a fluorescent dye often used as a pH indicator, is embedded within the bioactive glass matrix and undergoes changes in its fluorescent properties when exposed to carbon dioxide (CO2). The aim of the current study is to investigate the use of bioactive glass (BG) particles containing γ-Fe2O3@ZnO to enhance the CO2 sensitivity of HPTS. X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared, scanning electron microscopy, and photoluminescence spectroscopies were used to characterize the sol-gel synthesized powders. The sensing slides were prepared in the form of a thin film by immobilizing the fluorescent dye and γ-Fe2O3@ZnO-based additives into the poly(methyl methacrylate) matrix. The addition of γ-Fe2O3@ZnO nanoparticles with bioactive glass additives to the HPTS improves the performance characteristics of the sensor, including the linear response range, relative signal variation, and sensitivity. Meanwhile, the CO2 sensitivities were measured as 10.22, 7.73, 16.56, 17.82, 19.58, and 42.40 for the undoped form and M, M@ZnO, 5M@ZnO-BG, 10M@ZnO-BG, and 20M@ZnO-BG NP-doped forms of the HPTS-based thin films, respectively. The response and recovery times of the HPTS-based sensing slide along with 20M@ZnO-BG NPs have been measured as 44 and 276 s, respectively. The γ-Fe2O3/ZnO-containing BG particle-doped HPTS composites can be used as a promising sensor agent in the detection of CO2 gas in various fields such as environmental monitoring, medical diagnostics, and industrial processes.

Tuning the Shades of Red Emission in InP/ZnSe/ZnS Nanocrystals with Narrow Full Width for Fabrication of Light-Emitting Diodes

While Cd-based luminescent nanocrystals (NCs) are the most mature NCs for fabricating efficient red light-emitting diodes (LEDs), their toxicity related limitation is inevitable, making it necessary to find a promising alternative. From this point of view, multishell-coated, red-emissive InP-based NCs are excellent luminescent nanomaterials for use as an emissive layer in electroluminescent (EL) devices. However, due to the presence of oxidation states, they suffer from a wide emission spectrum, which limits their performance. This study uses tris(dimethylamino)phosphine (3DMA-P) as a low-cost aminophosphine precursor and a double HF treatment to suggest an upscaled, cost-effective, and one-pot hot-injection synthesis of purely red-emissive InP-based NCs. The InP core structures were coated with thick layers of ZnSe and ZnS shells to prevent charge delocalization and to create a narrow size distribution. The purified NCs showed an intense emission signal as narrow as 43 nm across the entire red wavelength range (626-670 nm) with an emission quantum efficiency of 74% at 632 nm. The purified samples also showed an emission quantum efficiency of 60% for far-red wavelengths of 670 nm with a narrow full width of 50 nm. The samples showed a relatively long average emission lifetime of 50-70 ns with a biexponential decay profile. To demonstrate the practical ability of the prepared NCs in optoelectronics, we fabricated a red-emissive InP-based LEDs. The best-performing device showed an external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 1.16%, a luminance of 1039 cd m-2, and a current efficiency of 0.88 cd A-1.

Near-Unity Emitting, Widely Tailorable, and Stable Exciton Concentrators Built from Doubly Gradient 2D Semiconductor Nanoplatelets

The strength of electrostatic interactions (EIs) between electrons and holes within semiconductor nanocrystals profoundly affects the performance of their optoelectronic systems, and different optoelectronic devices demand distinct EI strength of the active medium. However, achieving a broad range and fine-tuning of the EI strength for specific optoelectronic applications is a daunting challenge, especially in quasi two-dimensional core-shell semiconductor nanoplatelets (NPLs), as the epitaxial growth of the inorganic shell along the direction of the thickness that solely contributes to the quantum confined effect significantly undermines the strength of the EI. Herein we propose and demonstrate a doubly gradient (DG) core-shell architecture of semiconductor NPLs for on-demand tailoring of the EI strength by controlling the localized exciton concentration via in-plane architectural modulation, demonstrated by a wide tuning of radiative recombination rate and exciton binding energy. Moreover, these exciton-concentration-engineered DG NPLs also exhibit a near-unity quantum yield, high photo- and thermal stability, and considerably suppressed self-absorption. As proof-of-concept demonstrations, highly efficient color converters and high-performance light-emitting diodes (external quantum efficiency: 16.9%, maximum luminance: 43,000 cd/m2) have been achieved based on the DG NPLs. This work thus provides insights into the development of high-performance colloidal optoelectronic device applications.

Transforming Cl-Containing Waste Plastics into Carbon Resource for Steelmaking: Theoretical Insight

The accumulation of waste plastics poses a significant environmental challenge, leading to persistent pollution in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. A practical approach to address this issue involves the transformation of postconsumer waste plastics into industrially valuable products. This study focuses on an example of harnessing the carbon content in these polymers for carbon-demanding industrial processes, thereby reducing waste plastics from the environment and alleviating the demand for mined carbon resources. Employing quantum simulations, we examine the viability of polychloroprene as a carburizing agent in the steelmaking process. Our simulations reveal that polychloroprene exhibits excellent carbon diffusivity in molten iron, with a theoretical diffusion coefficient of 8.983 × 10-5cm2 s-1. This value competes favorably with that of metallurgical coke and surpasses the carbon diffusivity of other polymers, such as polycarbonate, polyurethane, and polysulfide. Additionally, our findings demonstrate that the chlorine content in polychloroprene does not permeate into molten iron but instead remains confined to the molten iron and slag interface.

Carbon Nanotube-Supported Bimetallic Core-Shell (M@Pd/CNT (M: Zn, Mn, Ag, Co, V, Ni)) Cathode Catalysts for H2O2 Fuel Cells

M@Pd/CNT (M: Zn, Mn, Ag, Co, V, Ni) core-shell and Pd/CNT nanoparticles were prepared by sodium borohydride reduction and explored as cathode catalysts for the hydrogen peroxide reduction reaction. Electrochemical and physical characterization techniques are applied to explore the characteristics of the produced electrocatalysts. The cyclic voltammetry (CV) experiments show that Zn@Pd/CNT-modified electrodes have a current density of 273.2 mA cm-2, which is 3.95 times higher than that of Pd/CNT. According to the chronoamperometric curves, Zn@Pd/CNT has the highest steady-state current density for the H2O2 electro-reduction process among the synthesized electrocatalysts. Moreover, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) spectra confirmed the previous electrochemical results due to the lowest charge transfer resistance (35 Ω) with respect to other electrocatalysts.

Indocyanine Green-Loaded Halloysite Nanotubes as Photothermal Agents

Photothermal nanoparticles with light-to-heat conversion properties have gained interest in recent years and have been used in a variety of applications. Herein, indocyanine green (ICG), which is commonly employed as a photothermal agent suffering from low photostability, was loaded into halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) resulting in photothermal HNT-ICG nanohybrids. The photothermal heating patterns of the prepared photothermal nanohybrids as a result of near-infrared (NIR) irradiation were carefully examined. The nanohybrids reached a temperature of 216 °C in 2 min under NIR light, and in contrast to free NIR, the ICG loaded into HNTs remained stable over 10 heating and cooling cycles. Moreover, HNT-ICG nanohybrids incorporated into polyacrylonitrile (PAN) were electrospun into nanofibers for use as photothermal nanofibers, and composite nanofibers, which heat up to 79.3 °C under 2 min of NIR irradiation, were obtained. To demonstrate the potential of the PAN/HNT-ICG nanofibers as light-activated antibacterial nanofibers, their NIR light-activated killing activity on Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) cells has been explored. The composite nanofibers reduced the number of bacteria on their surface by 7log upon 10 min of NIR irradiation. Encapsulation of ICG in HNTs as a carrier has been demonstrated as an effective way to stabilize ICG and incorporate it into materials and coatings without compromising its functionality.

Thickness Gradient in Polymer Coating by Reactive Layer-by-Layer Assembly on Solid Substrate

The study describes a simple yet robust methodology for forming gradients in polymer coatings with nanometer-thickness precision. The thickness gradients of 0-20 nm in the coating are obtained by a reactive layer-by-layer assembly of polyester and polyethylenimine on gold substrates. Three parameters are important in forming thickness gradients: (i) the incubation time, (ii) the incubation concentration of the polymer solutions, and (iii) the tilt angle of the gold substrate during the dipping process. After examining these parameters, the characterization of the anisotropic surface obtained under the best conditions is presented in the manuscript. The thickness profile and nanomechanical characterization of the polymer gradients are characterized by atomic force microscopy. The roughness analysis has demonstrated that the coating exhibited decreasing roughness with increasing thickness. On the other hand, Young's moduli of the thin and thick coatings are 0.50 and 1.4 MPa, respectively, which assured an increase in mechanical stability with increasing coating thickness. Angle-dependent infrared spectroscopy reveals that the C-O-C ester groups of the polyesters exhibit a perpendicular orientation to the surface, while the C≡C groups are parallel to the surface. The surface properties of the polymer gradients are explored by fluorescence microscopy, proving that the dye's fluorescence intensity increases as the coating thickness increases. The significant benefit of the suggested methodology is that it promises thickness control of gradients in the coating as a consequence of the fast reaction kinetics between layers and the reaction time.

Effect of UV Irradiation Time and Headgroup Interactions on the Reversible Colorimetric pH Response of Polydiacetylene Assemblies

Polydiacetylenes are chromatic conjugated polymers formed upon the photopolymerization of self-assembled diacetylenes. They exhibit conformation-dependent colorimetric responses, usually irreversible, to external triggers. Here, we presented an approach to obtain a reversible colorimetric response to a pH change through structural modifications on the monomer and extended photopolymerization time. Both factors, enhanced hydrogen bond forming headgroups and longer UV exposure, impacted the rotational freedom of polydiacetylene conformation. Such a restricted conformation state reduced colorimetric response efficiency but enabled reversible colorimetric response to a pH change. These results highlight the possibility of obtaining a reversible colorimetric pH response of polydiacetylenes for customized sensing applications through monomer-level tailoring combined with tuning the photopolymerization time.

Colorimetric Determination of Sulfoxy Radicals and Sulfoxy Radical Scavenging-Based Antioxidant Activity

Sulfoxy radicals (SORs) are oxygen- and sulfur-containing species such as SO3•-, SO4•-, and SO5•-. They can be physiologically generated by S(IV) autoxidation with transition metal catalysis. Due to their harmful effects, the detection of both SORs and their scavengers are important. Here, a simple and cost-effective method for the determination of SORs and the scavenging activity of different antioxidant compounds was proposed. A SOR was selectively generated by combining CoSO4·7H2O with Na2SO3. To detect SOR species as a whole, 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) was used as the chromogenic reagent, where SOR generated in the medium caused the formation of a blue-colored diimine from TMB. Additionally, the SOR scavenging effects of a number of antioxidant compounds (AOx) belonging to different classes were investigated, among which catechin derivatives were the most effective scavengers. The obtained results were compared with those of a reference rhodamine B decolorization assay. The radical scavenging effects of the tested AOx were ranked by both assays and then compared using the Spearman statistical test to yield a very strong correlation between the two rankings. The method was applied to real samples such as catechin-rich tea, that is, white, black, and green tea, among which white tea was determined as the most effective SOR scavenger.