Loss of dysbindin-1 in excitatory neurons in mice impacts NMDAR-dependent behaviors, neuronal morphology and synaptic transmission in the ventral hippocampus.

Dysbindin-1, a protein encoded by the schizophrenia susceptibility gene DTNBP1, is reduced in the hippocampus of schizophrenia patients. It is expressed in various cellular populations of the brain and implicated in dopaminergic and glutamatergic transmission. To investigate the impact of reduced dysbindin-1 in excitatory cells on hippocampal-associated behaviors and synaptic transmission, we developed a conditional knockout mouse model with deletion of dysbindin-1 gene in CaMKIIα expressing cells. We found that dysbindin-1 reduction in CaMKII expressing cells resulted in impaired spatial and social memories, and attenuation of the effects of glutamate N-methyl-d-asparate receptor (NMDAR) antagonist MK801 on locomotor activity and prepulse inhibition of startle (PPI). Dysbindin-1 deficiency in CaMKII expressing cells also resulted in reduced protein levels of NMDAR subunit GluN1 and GluN2B. These changes were associated with increased expression of immature dendritic spines in basiliar dendrites and abnormalities in excitatory synaptic transmission in the ventral hippocampus. These results highlight the functional relevance of dysbindin-1 in excitatory cells and its implication in schizophrenia-related pathologies.

Temperature projections and heatwave attribution scenarios over India: A systematic review.

The average global temperature is rising due to anthropogenic emissions. Hence, a systematic approach was used to examine the projected impacts of rising global temperatures on heatwaves in India and provide insights into mitigation and adaptation strategies. With over 24,000 deaths attributed to heatwaves from 1992 to 2015, there is an urgent need to understand India's vulnerabilities and prepare adaptive strategies under various emission scenarios.This situation is predicted to worsen as heatwaves become more frequent, intense, and long-lasting. Severe heatwaves can exacerbate chronic health conditions, vector-borne diseases, air pollution, droughts and other socio-economic pressures causing higher mortality and morbidity. Heatwaves with severe consequences have increased and are expected to become more frequent in Indian climatic and geographical conditions. As per the future projection studies, the temperature could rise ±1.2° C to ±3.5° C and will start reducing by the end of 2050. The study also provides data from the research that employs climatic models and statistical approaches for a more precise characterization of heat extremes and improved projections. Also, the study appraises the past, present and future heatwave trend projections. Most of these studies compute future projections using the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5) models and Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP). Limited systematic reports have been found using CMIP6, whereas the best-suited and widely used method was the RCP8.5. The study findings will aid in identifying the zones most susceptible to heatwave risk and provide actionable projections for policymakers to examine the existing evidence for developing proper planning and policy formulation, considering the future climate and temperature projections.

Recent advancements in nanomaterial based optical detection of food additives: a review.

Food additives have become a critical component in the food industry. They are employed as preservatives to decelerate the negative effects of environmental and microbial factors on food quality. Currently, food additives are used for a variety of purposes, including colorants, flavor enhancers, nutritional supplements, etc., owing to improvements in the food industry. Since the usage of food additives has increased dramatically, the efficient monitoring of their acceptable levels in food products is quite necessary to mitigate the problems associated with their inappropriate use. The traditional methods used for detecting food additives are generally based on standard spectroscopic and chromatographic techniques. However, these analytical techniques are limited by their high instrumentation cost and time-consuming procedures. The emerging field of nanotechnology has enabled the development of highly sensitive and specific sensors to analyze food additives in a rapid manner. The current article emphasizes the need to detect various food additives owing to their potential negative effects on humans, animals, and the environment. In this article, the role of nanomaterials in the optical sensing of food additives has been discussed owing to their high accuracy, ease-of-use, and excellent sensitivity. The applications of nanosensors for the detection of various food additives have been elaborated with examples. The current article will assist policymakers in developing new rules and regulations to mitigate the adverse effects of toxic food additives on humans and the environment. In addition, the prospects of nanosensors for the optical detection of food additives at a commercial scale have been discussed to combat their irrational use in the food industry.

Very high particulate pollution over northwest India captured by a high-density in situ sensor network.

Exposure to particulate matter less than 2.5 µm in diameter (PM2.5) is a cause of concern in cities and major emission regions of northern India. An intensive field campaign involving the states of Punjab, Haryana and Delhi national capital region (NCR) was conducted in 2022 using 29 Compact and Useful PM2.5 Instrument with Gas sensors (CUPI-Gs). Continuous observations show that the PM2.5 in the region increased gradually from < 60 µg m-3 in 6-10 October to up to 500 µg m-3 on 5-9 November, which subsequently decreased to about 100 µg m-3 in 20-30 November. Two distinct plumes of PM2.5 over 500 µg m-3 are tracked from crop residue burning in Punjab to Delhi NCR on 2-3 November and 10-11 November with delays of 1 and 3 days, respectively. Experimental campaign demonstrates the advantages of source region observations to link agricultural waste burning and air pollution at local to regional scales.

Nanomaterial-based fluorescent biosensors for the detection of antibiotics in foodstuffs: A review.

Antibiotics are widely used as bacteriostatic or bactericidal agents against various microbial infections in humans and animals. The excessive use of antibiotics has led to an accumulation of their residues in food products, which ultimately poses a threat to human health. In light of the shortcomings of conventional methods for antibiotic detection (primarily cost, proficiency, and time-consuming procedures), the development of robust, accurate, on-site, and sensitive technologies for antibiotic detection in foodstuffs is important. Nanomaterials with amazing optical properties are promising materials for developing the next generation of fluorescent sensors. In this article, advances in detecting antibiotics in food products are discussed with respect to their sensing applications, with a focus on fluorescent nanomaterials such as metallic nanoparticles, upconversion nanoparticles, quantum dots, carbon-based nanomaterials, and metal-organic frameworks. Furthermore, their performance is evaluated to promote the continuation of technical advances.

Altered excitatory and decreased inhibitory transmission in the prefrontal cortex of male mice with early developmental disruption to the ventral hippocampus.

Ventral hippocampal (vHPC)-prefrontal cortical (PFC) pathway dysfunction is a core neuroimaging feature of schizophrenia. However, mechanisms underlying impaired connectivity within this pathway remain poorly understood. The vHPC has direct projections to the PFC that help shape its maturation. Here, we wanted to investigate the effects of early developmental vHPC perturbations on long-term functional PFC organization. Using whole-cell recordings to assess PFC cellular activity in transgenic male mouse lines, we show early developmental disconnection of vHPC inputs, by excitotoxic lesion or cell-specific ablations, impairs pyramidal cell firing output and produces a persistent increase in excitatory and decrease in inhibitory synaptic inputs onto pyramidal cells. We show this effect is specific to excitatory vHPC projection cell ablation. We further identify PV-interneurons as a source of deficit in inhibitory transmission. We find PV-interneurons are reduced in density, show a reduced ability to sustain high-frequency firing, and show deficits in excitatory inputs that emerge over time. We additionally show differences in vulnerabilities to early developmental vHPC disconnection, wherein PFC PV-interneurons but not pyramidal cells show deficits in NMDA receptor-mediated current. Our results highlight mechanisms by which the PFC adapts to early developmental vHPC perturbations, providing insights into schizophrenia circuit pathology.

Application of machine learning approaches to predict the impact of ambient air pollution on outpatient visits for acute respiratory infections.

With a remarkable increase in industrialization among fast-developing countries, air pollution is rising at an alarming rate and has become a public health concern. The study aims to examine the effect of air pollution on patient's hospital visits for respiratory diseases, particularly Acute Respiratory Infections (ARI). Outpatient hospital visits, air pollution and meteorological parameters were collected from March 2018 to October 2021. Eight machine learning algorithms (Random Forest model, K-Nearest Neighbors regression model, Linear regression model, LASSO regression model, Decision Tree Regressor, Support Vector Regression, X.G. Boost and Deep Neural Network with 5-layers) were applied for the analysis of daily air pollutants and outpatient visits for ARI. The evaluation was done by using 5-cross-fold confirmations. The data was randomly divided into test and training data sets at a scale of 1:2, respectively. Results show that among the studied eight machine learning models, the Random Forest model has given the best performance with R2 = 0.606, 0.608 without lag and 1-day lag respectively on ARI patients and R2 = 0.872, 0.871 without lag and 1-day lag respectively on total patients. All eight models did not perform well with the lag effect on the ARI patient dataset but performed better on the total patient dataset. Thus, the study did not find any significant association between ARI patients and ambient air pollution due to the intermittent availability of data during the COVID-19 period. This study gives insight into developing machine learning programs for risk prediction that can be used to predict analytics for several other diseases apart from ARI, such as heart disease and other respiratory diseases.

Development of carbon quantum dot-based lateral flow immunoassay for sensitive detection of aflatoxin M1 in milk.

Currently, there is a great demand for simple, sensitive, and accurate sensors for aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) in dairy products. In the present research, a novel fluorescent immunosensor based on nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots (CQDs) has been developed for AFM1 analysis. The N-doped CQDs were synthesized through the hydrothermal approach using citric acid and polyethyleneimine as precursors. The CQDs showed bright blue emission under ultraviolet light irradiation and a maximum emission was observed at 450 nm upon excitation at 350 nm. The anti-AFM1 antibody (Ab) was immobilized on the as-obtained amine-functionalized CQDs and the obtained CQDs/Ab probe was then directly used for developing the immunoassays for AFM1. The fluorescence of the CQDs/Ab solution was effectively quenched in the presence of increasing AFM1 concentrations. Under the optimized conditions, the fluorescent nanosensor exhibited high sensitivity towards AFM1 in the range of 0.2-0.8 ng/mL with low limit of detection i.e., 0.07 ng/mL in standard buffer. Furthermore, the CQDs/Ab immunosensor was developed as a lateral flow design for detecting the aflatoxin residues in milk. This strategy can be used for the development of low-cost, rapid, and highly sensitive sensor strips for the detection of AFM1 in dairy products.

Advances in MXenes-based optical biosensors: A review.

Over the last decade MXenes have become a hotspot of materials science as one of the newest 2-dimensional (2D) materials. Upon the recognition of their distinctive features (e.g., superior optical characteristics, large surface area, excellent hydrophilicity, biocompatibility, ease of surface functionalization, and high conductivity), their potential in biosensing applications has also gained considerable attention. With versatility in MXene synthesis methods and suitable etching, MXenes can be easily transformed into quantum dots, nanosheets, and MXenes composites. As such, during the last decade optical biosensing platforms-based on MXenes have emerged along with electrochemical sensors and wearable sensors built from MXenes. Herein, we present a broad perspective on the optical properties of MXenes alongside recent findings on their biosensing applications, which are based on different optical transduction principles (e.g., photoluminescence, colorimetry, surface plasmon resonance, surface-enhanced Raman scattering, and electro chemiluminescence). Furthermore, the future perspective and challenges concerning MXenes-based optical sensing techniques are discussed.

UVC-based photoinactivation as an efficient tool to control the transmission of coronaviruses.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic made us re-realize the importance of environmental disinfection and sanitation in indoor areas, hospitals, and clinical rooms. UVC irradiation of high energy and short wavelengths, especially in the 200-290-nm range possesses the great potential for germicidal disinfection. These properties of UVC allow to damage or destruct the nucleic acids (DNA/RNA) in diverse microbes (e.g., bacteria, fungi, and viruses). UVC light can hence be used as a promising tool for prevention and control of their infection or transmission. The present review offers insights into the historical perspective, mode of action, and recent advancements in the application of UVC-based antiviral therapy against coronaviruses (including SARS CoV-2). Moreover, the application of UVC lights in the sanitization of healthcare units, public places, medical instruments, respirators, and personal protective equipment (PPE) is also discussed. This article, therefore, is expected to deliver a new path for the developments of UVC-based viricidal approach.

Recent advances in the applications of nano-agrochemicals for sustainable agricultural development.

Modern agricultural practices have triggered the process of agricultural pollution. This process can cause the degradation of eco-systems, land, and environment owing to the modern-day by-products of agriculture. The substantial use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and, contaminated water for irrigation cause further damage to agriculture. The current scenario of the agriculture and food sector has therefore become unsustainable. Nanotechnology has provided innovative and resourceful frontiers to the agriculture sector by contributing practical applications in conventional agricultural ways and practices. There is a large possibility that agri-nanotechnology can have a significant impact on the sustainable agriculture and crop growth. Recent research has shown the potential of nanotechnology in improving the agriculture sector by enhancing the efficiency of agricultural inputs and providing solutions to agricultural problems for improving food productivity and security. The prospective use of nanoscale agrochemicals such as nanofertilizers, nanopesticides, nanosensors, and nanoformulations in agriculture has transformed traditional agro-practices, making them more sustainable and efficient. However, the application of these nano-products in real field situations raises concern about nanomaterial safety, exposure levels, and toxicological repercussions to the environment and human health. The present review gives an insight into recent advancements in nanotechnology-based agrochemicals that have revolutionized the agriculture sector. Further, the implementation barriers related to the nanomaterial use in agriculture, their commercialization potential, and the need for policy regulations to assess possible nano-agricultural risks are also discussed.

Mice with dopaminergic neuron-specific deletion of DTNBP-1 gene show blunted nucleus accumbens dopamine release and associated behaviors.

Reduced expression of a schizophrenia-associated gene Dystrobrevin Binding Protein 1 (DTNBP1) and its protein product dysbindin-1, has been reported in the brains of schizophrenia patients. DTNBP1-null mutant Sdy (Sandy) mice exhibit several behavioral features relevant to schizophrenia. Changes in dopaminergic as well as glutamatergic and GABAergic neurotransmission in cortico-limbic regions have been reported in Sdy mice. Since dysbindin-1 is expressed in multiple brain regions, it is not known whether dopamine (DA) changes observed in Sdy null mutants are due to dysbindin-1 deficiency in DAergic neurons specifically. Here, using a mouse line with conditional knockout (cKO) of DTNBP1 in DA neurons, we studied the effects of dysbindin-1 deficiency on DA release and DA-dependent behaviors. Spontaneous locomotor activity of cKO mice in novel environment was significantly reduced initially but was comparable at later time points with littermate controls. However, the locomotion-enhancing effect of a low dose of d-amphetamine (d-AMPH; 2.5 mg/kg, ip) was significantly attenuated in the cKO mice suggesting a dampened mesolimbic DA transmission. Similarly, the prepulse inhibition disrupting effect of d-AMPH was found to be significantly reduced in the mutant mice. No significant differences between the cKO and control mice were observed in tests of anxiety, spatial learning and memory and social interaction. In- vivo microdialysis in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) showed a decrease in d-AMPH-induced extracellular DA release in the cKO mice. No significant alterations in protein levels of DA transporter, phosphorylated CaM kinase-II or Akt308 in the NAc were observed in the cKO mice. Taken together, our data suggest an important role of dysbindin-1 in maintaining mesolimbic DA tone and call for further investigations identifying mechanisms linking dysbindin-1, DA and schizophrenia.

Nanomaterial-based fluorescent sensors for the detection of lead ions.

Lead (Pb) poisoning has been a scourge to the human to pose sighnificant health risks (e.g., organ disorders, carcinogenicity, and genotoxicity) as observed from many different parts of the world, especially in developing countries. The demand for accurate sensors for its detection, especially in environmental media (soil, water, food, etc.) has hence been growing steadily over the years. The potential utility of fluorescent nanosensors as an important analytical tool is recognized due to their astonishing characteristics (e.g., high sensitivity/selectivity, enhanced detection performance, low cost, portability, and rapid on-site detection ability). This review is organized to offer insight into the recent developments in fluorescent nanosensing technology for the detection of lead ions (Pb2+). To this end, different types of nanomaterials explored for such applications have been classified and evaluated with respect to performance, especially in terms of sensitivity. This review will help researchers gain a better knowledge on the status and importance of optical nanosensors so as to remediate the contamination of lead and associated problems. The technical challenges and prospects in the development of nanosensing systems for Pb2+ are also discussed.

Recent progress in nanomaterial-based sensing of airborne viral and bacterial pathogens.

Airborne pathogens are small microbes that can cause a multitude of diseases (e.g., the common cold, flu, asthma, anthrax, tuberculosis, botulism, and pneumonia). As pathogens are transmitted from infected hosts via a number of routes (e.g., aerosolization, sneezing, and coughing), there is a great demand to accurately monitor their presence and behavior. Despite such need, conventional detection methods (e.g., colony counting, immunoassays, and various molecular techniques) generally suffer from a number of demerits (e.g., complex, time-consuming, and labor-intensive nature). To help overcome such limitations, nanomaterial-based biosensors have evolved as alternative candidates to realize portable, rapid, facile, and direct on-site identification of target microbes. In this review, nano-biosensors developed for the detection of airborne pathogens are listed and discussed in reference to conventional options. The prospects for the development of advanced nano-biosensors with enhanced accuracy and portability are also discussed.

Advances in nanomaterial-based electrochemical biosensors for the detection of microbial toxins, pathogenic bacteria in food matrices.

There is a growing demand to protect food products against the hazard of microbes and their toxins. To satisfy such goals, it is important to develop highly sensitive, reliable, sophisticated, rapid, and cost-effective sensing techniques such as electrochemical sensors/biosensors. Although diverse forms of nanomaterials (NMs)-based electrochemical sensing methods have been introduced in markets, the reliability of commercial products is yet insufficient to meet the practical goal. In this review, we focused on: 1) sources of pathogenic microbes and their toxins; 2) possible routes of their entrainment in food, and 3) current development of NM-based biosensors to realize real-time detection of the target analytes. At last, future prospects and challenges in this research field are discussed.

A review on mobile phones as bacterial reservoirs in healthcare environments and potential device decontamination approaches.

Mobile communication devices (MCDs), including cell phones and smart phones, have become an essential part of everyday life. Despite their frequent usage, most people, even healthcare personnel, often ignore the possibility that these devices might accumulate to carry a variety of microbial flora during and after the inspection of patients. The handling of MCDs with unwashed hands and/or their seldom cleaning can aggravate potential health risks. Many of the harbored bacteria species can be harmful to immune-suppressed patients for whom the disinfection precautions should be taken more seriously. In this review, we discuss the significance of maintaining the cleanliness of mobile devices, especially in healthcare settings, to prevent the spread of nosocomial infections in patients. Furthermore, we discuss strategies to address microbial contamination of MCDs to maintain good hand hygiene for the users of smartphones or other mobile communication devices. These techniques are capable of providing instant disinfection of the devices along with residual effects over prolonged periods.

Recent Advances in Monitoring, Sampling, and Sensing Techniques for Bioaerosols in the Atmosphere.

Bioaerosols in the form of microscopic airborne particles pose pervasive risks to humans and livestock. As either fully active components (e.g., viruses, bacteria, and fungi) or as whole or part of inactive fragments, they are among the least investigated pollutants in nature. Their identification and quantification are essential to addressing related dangers and to establishing proper exposure thresholds. However, difficulties in the development (and selection) of detection techniques and an associated lack of standardized procedures make the sensing of bioaerosols challenging. Through a comprehensive literature search, this review examines the mechanisms of conventional and advanced bioaerosol detection methods. It also provides a roadmap for future research and development in the selection of suitable methodologies for bioaerosol detection. The development of sample collection and sensing technology make it possible for continuous and automated operation. However, intensive efforts should be put to overcome the limitations of current technology as most of the currently available options tend to suffer from lengthy sample acquisition times and/or nonspecificity of probe material.

A graphene electrode functionalized with aminoterephthalic acid for impedimetric immunosensing of Escherichia coli.

A screen-printed electrode prepared from graphene oxide (GO) has been functionalized with 2-aminoterephthalic acid, followed by the exploitation of this functional material in an electrochemical immunoassay for Escherichia coli (E. coli) by immobilizing the antibody on its surface. The functionalization steps followed a straightforward approach and were proven by various instrumental techniques. The detection of E. coli with antibody immobilized electrodes was performed using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The analyses were carried out using the hexacyanoferrate redox couple as the electrochemical probe. The present method has a wide analytical range (from 2.2 × 102 to 2.2 × 108 cfu.mL-1), a low limit of detection (2 cfu.mL-1), fast response (4 min), and good stability (up to 2 months). The analytical performance of the biosensor was comparable to the previously reported electrochemical biosensors for E. coli. As such, the approach of functionalization of graphene with 2-aminoterephthalic acid should be useful to allow the development of other similar sensing systems for other environmentally and clinically important analytes. Graphical abstractSchematic representation of the preparation and the function of an amino-functionalized graphene oxide (NH2-GO) based impedimetric biosensor for the electrochemical detection of E. coli.

Nanomaterials as efficient platforms for sensing DNA.

The advent of modern biomedical science has led to various accomplishments such as the early detection of genetic disorders. To pursue further advancement in this field, the development of highly specific, sensitive, and economical probes for DNA may be an emerging imperative. Due to the diverse merits of nanomaterials (e.g., cost-effective, rapid, and precise detection capabilities with improved detection limits), nanomaterial technology has made itself a viable option for designing new and advanced sensors. At present, the techniques for sensing DNA are primarily based upon biosensing approaches. This review article highlights the recent developments in nanotechnology as a potential platform for the detection of DNA. We further identify the present bottlenecks and future scope for the advancement of nanostructure-based DNA sensors and describe the research needs in associated areas.