A Siderophore Mimicking Gelation Component for Capturing and Self-Separation of Fe(III) from an Aqueous Solution of Mixture of Metal Ions.

The carbohydrazide-based gelation component N2,N4,N6-(1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6-triyl)tris(benzene-1,3,5-tricarbohydrazide) (CBTC) was synthesized and characterized using various spectroscopic tools. CBTC and trimesic acid (TMA) get self-assembled to form metallogel with Fe3+, specifically through various noncovalent interactions in a DMSO and H2O mixture. The self-assembly shows remarkable specificity toward Fe(III) among different transition metal salts. It is pertinent to point out that the binding specificity for Fe3+ can also be found in nature in the form of siderophores, as they are mainly involved in scavenging iron selectively from the surroundings. DFT studies have been used to investigate the possible interaction between the different components of the iron metallogel. To determine the selectivity of CBTC for iron, CBTC, along with trimesic acid, is used to interact with other metal ions, including Fe(III) ions, in a single system. The gelation components CBTC and TMA selectively bind with iron(III), which leads to the formation of metallogel and gets separated as a discrete layer, leaving the other metal ions in the solution. Therefore, CBTC and TMA together show iron-scavenging properties. This selective scavenging property is explored through FE-SEM, XPS, PXRD, IR, and ICP-AES analysis. The FE-SEM analysis shows a flower-petal-like morphology for the Fe(III) metallogel. The resemblance in the CBTC-TMA-Fe metallogel and metallogel obtained from the mixture of different metal salts is established through FE-SEM images and XPS analysis. The release of iron from the metallogel is achieved with the help of ascorbic acid, which converts Fe3+ to Fe2+. In biological systems, iron also gets released similarly from siderophores. This is the first report where the synthesized gelation component CBTC molecule is capable of scavenging out iron in the form of metallogel and self-separating from the aqueous mixture in the presence of various other metal ions.

Detection of water pollutants using super-hydrophobic porous silicon-based SERS substrates.

Super hydrophobic porous silicon surface is prepared using a wet chemical synthesis route. Scanning electron microscopic investigation confirms a correlation between pore size and reaction time. SERS substrates are prepared by silver nanoparticle deposition on porous silicon surface. They exhibit excellent characteristics in terms of sensitivity, reproducibility, stability, and uniformity. They could detect rhodamine 6G in femtomolar range with SERS enhancement factor of ~ 6.1 × 1012, which is best ever reported for these substrates. Molecule-specific sensing of water pollutants such as methylene blue, glyphosate, and chlorpyrifos, is demonstrated for concentrations well below their permissible limits along with excellent enhancement factors. Porous silicon substrate functionalized with Ag nanoparticles demonstrates to be a promising candidate for low-cost, long-life, reliable sensors for environmental conservation applications.

Fabrication of a paper-based facile and low-cost microfluidic device and digital imaging technique for point-of-need monitoring of hypochlorite.

Lab-on-a-paper-based devices are promising alternatives to the existing arduous techniques for point-of-need monitoring. The present work reports an instant and facile method to produce a microfluidic paper-based analytical device (µPAD). The fabricated µPAD has been used to detect hypochlorite (OCl-) by incorporating newly synthesized chromo-fluorogenic ratiometric probes 1 and 2 into the sample reception zone. The probes showed high selectivity and fast response (<10 s) toward OCl- with an excellent linear relationship in the concentration range of 0-100 µM. The concentration-dependent fluorometric change driven by the reaction of 1@µPAD with OCl- has been monitored using gel-doc imaging systems, which is unprecedented. Digitizing the intensity of the colour solution with different mathematical models of colour has developed a straightforward method for monitoring OCl- without any interference from its competitors. 1@µPAD can detect OCl- at ∼10 times lower than the WHO recommended limit. The detection limit of 1@µPAD via a digital camera-based fluorescence technique was found to be better over digital camera-based cuvette assays. Therefore, 1@µPAD has been successfully utilized to monitor OCl- in actual environmental water samples with portability, ease of use, and sensitivity. The analytical RSD was found to be ≤3% based on fluorimetric detection using 1@µPAD. The chemodosimetric reaction between OCl- and the probe was evidenced by UV-vis and fluorescence spectroscopy, 1H NMR, and ESI-MS. The rapid response time, biocompatibility, low cytotoxicity, 100% aqueous solubility, ratiometric feature, and exclusive OCl- selectivity over other competitive ROS/RNS successfully lead to the application of the probes for bioimaging of exogenous as well as endogenous OCl- in normal cells (HEK293) and cancerous cells (HeLa).

Phosphatidic acid drives mTORC1 lysosomal translocation in the absence of amino acids.

Mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) promotes cell growth and proliferation in response to nutrients and growth factors. Amino acids induce lysosomal translocation of mTORC1 via the Rag GTPases. Growth factors activate Ras homolog enriched in brain (Rheb), which in turn activates mTORC1 at the lysosome. Amino acids and growth factors also induce the phospholipase D (PLD)-phosphatidic acid (PA) pathway, required for mTORC1 signaling through mechanisms that are not fully understood. Here, using human and murine cell lines, along with immunofluorescence, confocal microscopy, endocytosis, PLD activity, and cell viability assays, we show that exogenously supplied PA vesicles deliver mTORC1 to the lysosome in the absence of amino acids, Rag GTPases, growth factors, and Rheb. Of note, pharmacological or genetic inhibition of endogenous PLD prevented mTORC1 lysosomal translocation. We observed that precancerous cells with constitutive Rheb activation through loss of tuberous sclerosis complex subunit 2 (TSC2) exploit the PLD-PA pathway and thereby sustain mTORC1 activation at the lysosome in the absence of amino acids. Our findings indicate that sequential inputs from amino acids and growth factors trigger PA production required for mTORC1 translocation and activation at the lysosome.

Selective anticancer activities of ruthenium(II)-tetrazole complexes and their mechanistic insights.

Ruthenium-based metallotherapeutics is an interesting alternative for platinum complexes acting as anticancer agents after the entry of KP1019, NAMI-A, and TLD1339 in clinical trials. Herein, we have synthesized three new arene ruthenium(II)-tetrazole complexes viz. [Ru2(η6-p-cymene)2(2-pytz)2Cl2] (1), [Ru2(η6-p-cymene)2(3-pytz)Cl3] (2), [Ru2(η6-p-cymene)2(4-pytz)Cl3] (3) [2-pytzH = 2-pyridyl tetrazole; 3-pytzH = 3-pyridyl tetrazole; 4-pytzH = 4-pyridyl tetrazole] which have been characterized by different analytical techniques. To aid the understanding of the complex formation, reactions of the arene ruthenium(II) dimer with tetrazoles were investigated using the first principles-based Density Functional Theory (DFT) B3LYP method. Electronic structures, equilibrium geometries of the reactants and products with the first-order saddle points, reactions mechanism, the changes of enthalpy (∆H) and free energy (∆G), chemical stability, and reaction barriers of the complexes were computed using the B3LYP DFT approach. The in vitro cytotoxicity of these complexes was investigated by MTT assay on different cancer cell lines which reveal complex 2 as the most significant cytotoxic agent toward the HeLa cell line. The complexes have also shown a strong binding affinity towards CT-DNA and albumin proteins (HSA and BSA) as analyzed through spectroscopic techniques. Investigation of the mechanism of cell death by complex 2 was further performed by various staining techniques, flow cytometry, and gene expression analysis by RT-PCR. Inhibition of cell migration study has been also revealed the possibility of complex 2 to act as a prospective anti-metastatic agent.

Cobalt Metallogel Interface for Selectively Sensing l-Tryptophan among Essential Amino Acids.

The development of metallogels widens the span of sensing activity as it opens new opportunities to develop chemosensors through metal-ligand interactions. Herein, a new nitrile-substituted 1,3,5-tricarboxamide-based gelator G4 has been fabricated and shows aggregate-induced enhanced emission (AIEE) after gelation in the presence of water. A dimethylformamide (DMF) solution of the gelator shows rapid crystallization, but addition of water to a DMF solution of gelator G4 leads to gelation at room temperature. In addition, gelator G4 was used for the formation of metallogels, and among them, the cobalt metallogel has been found to be effective for sensing l-tryptophan in the gel state through the quenching of AIEE. Interestingly, the gel is also effective in sensing bovine serum albumin protein at the nanomolar level, which contains an l-tryptophan residue. The limit of detection of Co(II)G4 for selective sensing of tryptophan has been found to be 2.4 × 10-8 M. To the best of our knowledge, there have been no reports to date of a metallogel being utilized to discriminate and selectively sense an amino acid and a protein. The gelation properties of the organic gelator molecule and metallogels have been explored through various spectroscopic tools and physicochemical experiments.

Discotic Organic Gelators in Ion Sensing, Metallogel Formation, and Bioinspired Catalysis.

Two organogelators G2 and G3 with a carboxamide group have been synthesized and characterized with different spectroscopic tools. Dimethylformamide or dimethyl sulfoxide solutions of both the compounds upon the addition of a minute quantity of water show the tendency to form gels. Supramolecular self-assembly for gel formation paves the way for aggregation-induced emission enhancement (AIEE) phenomena for both the gelator molecules. Introduction of metal ions in organogels strengthens the gel property without much affecting the fluorescence behavior. However, the introduction of Ag+, Fe2+, and Fe3+ ions in the G2 organogel separately results in total quenching of AIEE, making it possible to sense that particular cation in the gel state. The G3 organogel shows a similar behavior with the Fe2+ ion. Remarkably, other metallogels such as Ni(II)G2 and Co(II)G2 can sense sulfide ion and Cu(II)G2 can sense iodide ion by switching off the fluorescence even in multianalyte conditions. Furthermore, the copper-based metallogel Cu(II)G2 can be utilized as a catalyst and reaction medium for aerobic oxidation of catechol to quinone. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first attempt known so far to utilize a metallogel material for bioinspired catalysis such as catechol oxidation.

A smart organic gel template as metal cation and inorganic anion sensor.

A carboxamide based molecule has shown unique gelation property in an aqueous mixture of DMF or DMSO. The gel itself has shown aggregation-induced fluorescence enhanced emission (AIEE), which can be utilized effectively in sensing ferrous and ferric ions as both of them switch off the fluorescence completely. An investigation by IR spectroscopy reveals an enhanced π interaction of nitrile group with the iron center and this could be the possible reason behind the complete quenching of AIEE. This molecule was further investigated for the formation of metallogels for a wide array of cations, which in turn can act in tandem to behave as a dynamic array to detect several anions by either switching off or switching on the emission property of the metallogels.

Reciprocal regulation of AMP-activated protein kinase and phospholipase D.

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a critical sensor of energy sufficiency, acts as central metabolic switch in cell metabolism. Once activated by low energy status, AMPK phosphorylates key regulatory substrates and turns off anabolic biosynthetic pathways. In contrast, the mammalian/mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) is active when there are sufficient nutrients for anabolic reactions. A critical factor regulating mTOR is phosphatidic acid (PA), a central metabolite of membrane lipid biosynthesis and the product of the phospholipase D (PLD)-catalyzed hydrolysis of phosphatidylcholine. PLD is a downstream target of the GTPase Rheb, which is turned off in response to AMPK via the tuberous sclerosis complex. Although many studies have linked AMPK with mTOR, very little is known about the connection between AMPK and PLD. In this report, we provide evidence for reciprocal regulation of PLD by AMPK and regulation of AMPK by PLD and PA. Suppression of AMPK activity led to an increase in PLD activity, and conversely, activation of AMPK suppressed PLD activity. Suppression of PLD activity resulted in elevated AMPK activity. Exogenously supplied PA abolished the inhibitory effects of elevated AMPK activity on mTOR signaling. In contrast, exogenously supplied PA could not overcome the effect AMPK activation if either mTOR or Raptor was suppressed, indicating that the inhibitory effects of PLD and PA on AMPK activity are mediated by mTOR. These data suggest a reciprocal feedback mechanism involving AMPK and the PLD/mTOR signaling node in cancer cells with therapeutic implications.

Greener Selective Cycloalkane Oxidations with Hydrogen Peroxide Catalyzed by Copper-5-(4-pyridyl)tetrazolate Metal-Organic Frameworks.

Microwave assisted synthesis of the Cu(I) compound [Cu(µ4-4-ptz)]n [1, 4-ptz=5-(4-pyridyl)tetrazolate] has been performed by employing a relatively easy method and within a shorter period of time compared to its sister compounds. The syntheses of the Cu(II) compounds [Cu3(µ3-4-ptz)4(µ2-N3)2(DMF)2]n∙(DMF)2n (2) and [Cu(µ2-4-ptz)2(H2O)2]n (3) using a similar method were reported previously by us. MOFs 1-3 revealed high catalytic activity toward oxidation of cyclic alkanes (cyclopentane, -hexane and -octane) with aqueous hydrogen peroxide, under very mild conditions (at room temperature), without any added solvent or additive. The most efficient system (2/H2O2) showed, for the oxidation of cyclohexane, a turnover number (TON) of 396 (TOF of 40 h(-1)), with an overall product yield (cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone) of 40% relative to the substrate. Moreover, the heterogeneous catalytic systems 1-3 allowed an easy catalyst recovery and reuse, at least for four consecutive cycles, maintaining ca. 90% of the initial high activity and concomitant high selectivity.

Catalyzing Knoevenagel Condensation and Radioiodine Sequestration with Tuned Porous Organic Polymers to Decipher the Role of Surface Area, Pore Volume, and Heteroatom.

The impact of surface area, pore volume, and heteroatom type on the performance of porous organic polymers (POPs) in various applications remains unclear. To investigate this, three isoreticular POPs were employed having one common building block, resulting in varying surface areas, pore volumes, and heteroatom compositions. This study aimed to establish a correlation between the structural features of POPs (surface area, pore volume, and heteroatom type) with their adsorption capacity, and catalytic efficiency. To explore this relationship, the Knoevenagel condensation reaction was used as a model system, testing various substituted aldehydes to further validate our findings. Additionally, the capture of radioactive iodine vapor at 75°C was simulated to examine the correlation with adsorption capacity, comparing the gravimetric iodine uptake capacity of each POP to gain insights into this relationship.

Adeno-to-squamous transition drives resistance to KRAS inhibition in LKB1 mutant lung cancer.

KRASG12C inhibitors (adagrasib and sotorasib) have shown clinical promise in targeting KRASG12C-mutated lung cancers; however, most patients eventually develop resistance. In lung patients with adenocarcinoma with KRASG12C and STK11/LKB1 co-mutations, we find an enrichment of the squamous cell carcinoma gene signature in pre-treatment biopsies correlates with a poor response to adagrasib. Studies of Lkb1-deficient KRASG12C and KrasG12D lung cancer mouse models and organoids treated with KRAS inhibitors reveal tumors invoke a lineage plasticity program, adeno-to-squamous transition (AST), that enables resistance to KRAS inhibition. Transcriptomic and epigenomic analyses reveal ΔNp63 drives AST and modulates response to KRAS inhibition. We identify an intermediate high-plastic cell state marked by expression of an AST plasticity signature and Krt6a. Notably, expression of the AST plasticity signature and KRT6A at baseline correlates with poor adagrasib responses. These data indicate the role of AST in KRAS inhibitor resistance and provide predictive biomarkers for KRAS-targeted therapies in lung cancer.

Sequencing and functional annotation of avian pathogenic Escherichia coli serogroup O78 strains reveal the evolution of E. coli lineages pathogenic for poultry via distinct mechanisms.

Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) causes respiratory and systemic disease in poultry. Sequencing of a multilocus sequence type 95 (ST95) serogroup O1 strain previously indicated that APEC resembles E. coli causing extraintestinal human diseases. We sequenced the genomes of two strains of another dominant APEC lineage (ST23 serogroup O78 strains χ7122 and IMT2125) and compared them to each other and to the reannotated APEC O1 sequence. For comparison, we also sequenced a human enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) strain of the same ST23 serogroup O78 lineage. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the APEC O78 strains were more closely related to human ST23 ETEC than to APEC O1, indicating that separation of pathotypes on the basis of their extraintestinal or diarrheagenic nature is not supported by their phylogeny. The accessory genome of APEC ST23 strains exhibited limited conservation of APEC O1 genomic islands and a distinct repertoire of virulence-associated loci. In light of this diversity, we surveyed the phenotype of 2,185 signature-tagged transposon mutants of χ7122 following intra-air sac inoculation of turkeys. This procedure identified novel APEC ST23 genes that play strain- and tissue-specific roles during infection. For example, genes mediating group 4 capsule synthesis were required for the virulence of χ7122 and were conserved in IMT2125 but absent from APEC O1. Our data reveal the genetic diversity of E. coli strains adapted to cause the same avian disease and indicate that the core genome of the ST23 lineage serves as a chassis for the evolution of E. coli strains adapted to cause avian or human disease via acquisition of distinct virulence genes.

Report on the international workshop on alternative methods for Leptospira vaccine potency testing: state of the science and the way forward.

Routine potency testing of Leptospira vaccines is mostly conducted using a vaccination-challenge test that involves large numbers of hamsters and unrelieved pain and distress. NICEATM, ICCVAM, and their international partners organized a workshop to review the state of the science of alternative methods that might replace, reduce, and refine the use of animals for veterinary Leptospira vaccine potency testing and to identify ways to advance improved alternative methods. Vaccine manufacturers were encouraged to initiate or continue product-specific validation using in vitro enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays as replacements for potency testing of four common Leptospira serogroups. Participants discussed the potential for eliminating the back-titration procedure in the hamster challenge assay, which could reduce animal use by 50% for each individual potency test. Further animal reduction may also be possible by using cryopreserved Leptospira stock to replace continual passaging through hamsters. Serology assays were identified as a way to further reduce and refine animal use but should be considered only after attempting in vitro assays. Workshop participants encouraged consideration of analgesics and use of earlier humane endpoints when the hamster vaccination-challenge potency assay is used. International harmonization of alternative potency methods was recommended to avoid duplicative potency testing to meet regionally different requirements.

Reliability and validity analysis of modified Nursing Stress Scale for Indian population.

The original Nursing Stress Scale (NSS) was structurally modified according to results of factorial analysis and a new scale was named as modified nursing stress scale (MNSS). This is the first study to modify and validate NSS for Indian nursing population. Factorial analysis showed different factor loading for two subscales and items were shifted according to their loading to provide a more meaningful structure. After relocation of Items 13, 14, and 15 into first factor, this factor was renamed as "emotional and painful conditions of patients" to provide a more appropriate name to the first factor. Items 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, and 29 were found to be distributed under two different factors; one of these two was renamed as "unpredictable changes" and another retained its original name (i.e., workload). This distribution was also supported by rational analysis. All other items were distributed under factors as in the original scale. Rest of the validity assessment was done with the modified scale. Thus, with minor changes in structure, the scale was found to have better content validity.

Regulation of biofilm formation by non-coding RNA in prokaryotes.

Biofilm refers to microbes that associate with each other or to a surface via self-synthesized exopolysaccharides and other surface-related structures. The presence of biofilms consisting of pathogenic microbes in the food and clinical environment can pose a threat to human health as microbes in biofilms are highly robust and are difficult to remove. Understanding the process of biofilm formation is crucial for the development of novel strategies to control or harness biofilm. The complex network of proteins, small RNA, and diverse molecules regulate biofilm formation at different steps in biofilm development, including triggering the switch from planktonic to sessile cells, maturation of biofilms, and eventual dispersion of microbes from the biofilms. Small non-coding RNAs are relatively small RNAs that are not translated into proteins and play diverse roles in metabolism, physiology, pathogenesis, and biofilm formation. In this review, we primarily focused on non-coding regulatory RNA that regulates biofilm formation in clinically relevant pathogens or threatens human health. Even though many ncRNA have recently been identified in Archaea, much characterization work remains. The mechanisms and regulatory processes controlled by ncRNA in prokaryotes are covered in this review.

Studies on anticancer properties with varying co-ligands in a Ru(II) arene benzimidazole system.

Recently in the field of chemotherapeutics, to combat the side effects of cisplatin, ruthenium complexes have been investigated extensively. In this work, a bidentate benzimidazole-based ligand, HL [HL = 2-(1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)-6-methoxyphenol], was utilized to obtain three Ru(II) arene complexes having a generalized formula [Ru(η6-p-cym)(L)(X)] or [Ru(η6-p-cym)(L)(X)]+ (where p-cym = p-cymene). The co-ligand X (X = (i) Cl, (ii) PPh3 = triphenyl phosphine, and (iii) PTA = 1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphaadamantane) was varied in order to study the effect it has on the antitumor activity of the compounds. The synthesized compounds were thoroughly characterized using different analytical techniques, including ESI-MS, NMR, FTIR, UV-Vis, and fluorescence spectroscopy. A fluorescence quenching experiment with serum albumin proteins revealed good interactions between the complexes and HSA and BSA. An analysis of their lipophilic character via the shake flask method and a stability study using UV spectroscopy were conducted as well. The anticancer properties of the synthesized compounds were further explored by conducting a DNA binding study using absorption spectroscopy and fluorometric titration with DAPI to check the mode of binding with DNA. Interestingly, the complexes were also found to catalyze the oxidation of NADH to NAD+, giving rise to radical species in the cells. An immunoblot analysis strongly suggested that all three complexes can remarkably upregulate the expression of cleaved caspase-3 and downregulate the expression of the anti-apoptotic protein BCLXL. It is important to note that such studies are yet to be reported for similar benzimidazole-based ruthenium complexes and therefore present a new direction for the investigation of antitumor ruthenium-based metallodrugs. Furthermore, Hoechst and AO/EtBr staining was used to analyze the morphological changes of the compound-treated cancer cells due to apoptosis, which was also confirmed by the IC50 values obtained from the colorimetric assay (MTT) against different cancer cell lines.

Chitosan-Biotin-Conjugated pH-Responsive Ru(II) Glucose Nanogel: A Dual Pathway of Targeting Cancer Cells and Self-Drug Delivery.

The current study paves the way for improved chemotherapy by creating pH-responsive nanogels (NGs) (GC1 and GC2) loaded with synthetic ruthenium(II) arene complexes to increase biological potency. NGs are fabricated by the conjugation of chitosan (CTS)-biotin biopolymers that selectively target the cancer cells as CTS has the pH-responsive property, which helps in releasing the drug in cancer cells having pH ∼ 5.5, and biotin provides the way to target the cancer cells selectively due to the overexpression of integrin. The synthesized compounds and NGs were thoroughly characterized using various spectroscopic and analytical techniques such as NMR, electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry, Fourier transform infrared, UV-vis, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, rheology, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller, and others. NGs displayed exceptional increased efficacy toward cancerous cells with IC50 values ranging from 7.50 to 18.86 µM via induced apoptosis in three human cancer cell lines. Apart from its potency, NGs were found to be highly selective toward cancer cells. Moreover, based on the results of immunoblot analysis, it was observed that the synthesized compounds exhibit a significant increase in the expression of cleaved caspase-3 and a decrease in the expression of the antiapoptotic protein BCL-XL. Interestingly, the complexes were discovered to have the additional capability of catalyzing the conversion of NADH to NAD+, leading to the generation of radical oxygen species within the cells. Additionally, it was discovered that NG-induced apoptosis depends on ROS production and DNA binding. A narrower range of LD50 values (1185.93 and 823.03 µM) was seen after administering NGs to zebrafish embryos in vivo. The results support the use of drug-loaded NGs as potential chemotherapeutic and chemopreventive agents for human cancer cells.

Exploring a Redox-Active Ionic Porous Organic Polymer in Environmental Remediation and Electrochromic Application.

Here, we report the design and synthesis of a redox-active multifunctional ionic porous organic polymer iPOP-Bpy with exchangeable Br- ions, incorporating viologen as a redox-active building block. The material shows not only excellent iodine uptake capacity in the vapor phase (540 wt %) but also in the organic (1009.77 mg g-1) and aqueous phases (3921.47 mg g-1) with very fast adsorption kinetics in all cases. The material also shows its utility in being used as a solid-state NH3 vapor sensor as it shows very fast color switching in the presence of NH3 vapor. Furthermore, the material found application as a p-type complementary electrochromic electrode and was fabricated into a bilayer device. Excellent coloration efficiency, high switching speed, and good color contrast were obtained as investigated using bias-dependent optical and spectroelectrochemical studies, paving the way for fabricating power-efficient solid-state electrochromic devices.