Structural and electronic transport properties of Zn- and Ga-doped Bi2-xSbxTe3-ySeytopological insulator single crystals.

A comprehensive study of structural and magnetotransport properties of pristine Bi2-xSbxTe3-ySey(BSTS) single crystals and doped with Zn (BSTS:Zn) and Ga (BSTS:Ga) are presented here. Magnetic field dependent Hall resistivities of the single crystals indicate that the holes are the majority carriers. The field dependent resistivity curves at different temperatures of the crystals display cusp-like characteristics at low magnetic fields, attributed to two-dimensional (2D) weak antilocalization (WAL) effect. We fit the observed low-field WAL effects at low temperatures using 2D and three-dimensional (3D) Hikami-Larkin-Nagaoka (HLN) equations. The 2D HLN equation fits the data more closely than the 3D HLN equation, indicating a 2D nature. The 2D HLN equation fit to the low field WAL effects at various temperatures reveal a phase coherence length (lφ) that decreases as temperature increases. The variation oflφwith temperature followsT-0.41power law for BSTS:Zn, suggesting that the dominant dephasing mechanism is a 2D electron-electron (e-e) interactions. For pristine BSTS and BSTS:Ga,lφ(T) is described by considering a coexistence of 2De-eand electron-phonon (e-p) interactions in the single crystals. The temperature variation of the longitudinal resistance in BSTS:Ga is described by 3D Mott variable range hoping model. In contrast, the transport mechanisms of both pristine BSTS and BSTS:Zn are described by a combination of 2D WAL/EEI models and 3D WAL.

Growth, haemato-biochemical, hormonal and disease characteristics in Black Bengal goats: a review.

The goats have been considered one of the noteworthy animals to provide food security and could promote socio-economic upliftment under challenging climatic scenarios in the coming decades, particularly in the tropics. Black Bengal goat (BBG) is one of the recognised native meat-type breeds of hot-humid tropics with distinguished characteristics, including superior-quality meat, excellent skin and high prolificacy. Smaller body mass, lower metabolic rate and efficient utilisation of high-fibre forages enable BBG to adapt to a wide range of harsh climates in the tropics. The BBG can maintain physiological homeostasis efficiently in terms of electrolyte profile, endocrine functions and haemato-biochemical traits in different life phases, including the gestation period, even in high-saline coastal areas of hot-humid tropics. Crossbreeding to improve its growth rate has been attempted, but the prolificacy has been decayed. This review is intended to attract global attention to the adaptive potentialities of Black Bengal goats in terms of growth and production, haemato-biochemical, endocrinological, salt tolerance and disease characteristics that could be an asset of climate-resilient agricultural farming.

NFSI mediated C3-ether oxidation of glycals for the synthesis of hex-3-enuloses.

Hex-3-enuloses constitute a vital carbohydrate synthetic intermediate that provide access to wide range of chiral molecules through diverse derivatizations. Herein we report synthesis of these fascinating scaffolds by oxidation of C3-ether protections on glycals in presence of N-fluorobenzenesulfonimide (NFSI) under Cu(I) catalysed conditions. Benzyl, methyl and silyl ethers have been efficiently oxidized to the carbonyl group. The oxidation has been found to be highly regioselective where an array of protecting groups were tolerant to the reaction conditions. Pyranosyl glycals from various commercially available sugars have been studied in this work to evaluate the broad substrate scope.

Integrating 3Rs approaches in WHO guidelines for the batch release testing of biologicals: Responses from a survey of National Control Laboratories and National Regulatory Authorities.

The UK National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement, and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs) is reviewing World Health Organization (WHO) manuals, guidelines and recommendations for vaccines and biotherapeutics to identify the extent to which animal-based testing methods are described. The aim is to recommend where updates to these documents can lead to an increased and more harmonised adoption of 3Rs principles (i.e. Replacement, Reduction and Refinement of animal tests) in the quality control and batch release testing requirements for vaccines and biotherapeutics. Improved adoption of 3Rs principles and non-animal testing strategies will help to reduce the delays and costs associated with product release testing. Developing recommendations that are widely applicable by both the manufacturers and national regulatory authorities for vaccines and biological therapeutics globally requires a detailed understanding of how different organisations view the opportunities and barriers to better integration of the 3Rs. To facilitate this, we developed and distributed a survey aimed at individuals who work for national regulatory authorities (NRAs) and/or national control laboratories (NCLs). In this paper, we present the key findings from this survey and how these will help inform the recommendations for wider integration of 3Rs approaches by WHO in their guidance documents applicable to the quality control and batch release testing of vaccines and biotherapeutics.

Amino-Acid-Derived Amides as Stereodirecting Leaving Groups for Ferrier Rearrangement via Pd(0)-Catalyzed Tsuji-Trost Reactions.

Ferrier rearrangement on glycals is an efficient tool to form 2,3-dideoxy glycosides that provide access to various sugar derivatives through olefin functionalization. The classical acid-mediated transformation delivers the α-O-glycosides selectively. In this protocol, amides obtained from amino acids, glycine and proline, have been utilized as sustainable ß-directing leaving groups on glycal substrates. The directing groups facilitate ß-selective Ferrier rearrangements for hard alcohol nucleophiles by following the Pd(0)-catalyzed Tsuji-Trost inner sphere pathway.

Super-resolution imaging of antibody-conjugated biodegradable periodic mesoporous organosilica nanoparticles for targeted chemotherapy of prostate cancer.

Biodegradable periodic mesoporous organosilica nanoparticles (nanoPMOs) are widely used as responsive drug delivery platforms for targeted chemotherapy of cancer. However, the evaluation of their properties such as surface functionality and biodegradability is still challenging, which has a significant impact on the efficiency of chemotherapy. In this study, we have applied direct stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (dSTORM), a single-molecule super-resolution microscopy technique, to quantify the degradation of nanoPMOs triggered by glutathione and the multivalency of antibody-conjugated nanoPMOs. Subsequently, the effect of these properties on cancer cell targeting, drug loading and release capability, and anticancer activity is also studied. Due to the higher spatial resolution at the nanoscale, dSTORM imaging is able to reveal the structural properties (i.e., size and shape) of fluorescent and biodegradable nanoPMOs. The quantification of nanoPMOs' biodegradation using dSTORM imaging demonstrates their excellent structure-dependent degradation behavior at a higher glutathione concentration. The surface functionality of anti-M6PR antibody-conjugated nanoPMOs as quantified by dSTORM imaging plays a key role in prostate cancer cell labeling: oriented antibody is more effective than random ones, while high multivalency is also effective. The higher biodegradability and cancer cell-targeting properties of nanorods conjugated with oriented antibody (EAB4H) effectively deliver the anticancer drug doxorubicin to cancer cells, exhibiting potent anticancer effects.

Advanced Sustainable Trilayer Cellulosic "Paper Separator" Functionalized with Nano-BaTiO3 for Applications in Li-Ion Batteries and Supercapacitors.

In the quest of developing a sustainable, low-cost and improved separator membrane for application in energy storage devices like lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and supercapacitors (SCs), here we fabricated a trilayer cellulose-based paper separator engineered with nano-BaTiO3 powder. A scalable fabrication process of the paper separator was designed step-by-step by sizing with poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF), thereafter impregnating nano-BaTiO3 in the interlayer using water-soluble styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) as the binder and finally laminating the ceramic layer with a low-concentration SBR solution. The fabricated separators showed excellent electrolyte wettability (216-270%), quicker electrolyte saturation, increased mechanical strength (43.96-50.15 MPa), and zero-dimensional shrinkage up to 200 °C. The electrochemical cell comprising graphite|paper separator|LiFePO4 showed comparable electrochemical performances in terms of capacity retention at different current densities (0.05-0.8 mA/cm2) and long-term cycleability (300 cycles) with coulombic efficiency >96%. The in-cell chemical stability as tested for 8 weeks revealed a nominal change in bulk resistivity with no significant morphological changes. The vertical burning test as performed on a paper separator showed excellent flame-retardant property, a required safety feature for separator materials. To examine the multidevice compatibility, the paper separator was tested in supercapacitors, delivering a comparable performance to that of a commercial separator. The developed paper separator was also found to be compatible with most of the commercial cathode materials such as LiFePO4, LiMn2O4, and NCM111.

An additional simultaneous magnetic ordering and magneto-capacitive behavior with dielectric relaxation besides multiferroicity in Fe1-xTexVO4.

Here we report the evidence of an additional magnetic ordering and frequency dispersive magneto-dielectric (MD) permittivity besides multiferroic behavior in Te4+(S= 0) doped FeVO4. Two antiferromagnetic transitions similar to FeVO4at ∼21.86 K (TN1) and 16.03 K (TN2) were observed in all samples. An additional novel defect clusters based magnetic ordering at relatively higher temperature (TAMO) ∼ 203 K is also observed from the magnetization. Evaluated magnetic moments show systematic decrease and the magnetic frustration factors show an increase with the increasing of Te4+(S= 0) content. MD studies show stable ferroelectric ordering at spiral magnetic transition (TN2) and the multiferroic order persists to the largest doping of Te (x= 0.10). The MD studies also reveal a magneto-capacitive (MC) behavior at TAMO(∼203 K) with a high dielectric constant and loss, and the possible reason for the magnetic ordering and MC behavior is ascribed to short range magnetic clustering arising out of defect based mechanisms. Mössbauer spectroscopic studies confirm local structural correlation with magnetic and ferroelectric ordering.

Integrating 3Rs approaches in WHO guidelines for the batch release testing of biologicals: Responses from a survey of vaccines and biological therapeutics manufacturers.

The UK National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement, and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs) has been tasked by the World Health Organization (WHO) to review the extent to which animal-based testing methods are described in their manuals, guidelines and recommendations for vaccines and biotherapeutics. The aim is to identify and recommend where updates to these documents can lead to an increased and more harmonised adoption of 3Rs principles (i.e. Replacement, Reduction and Refinement of animal tests) in the quality control and batch release testing requirements for vaccines and biotherapeutics. Developing recommendations that are widely applicable by both the manufacturers and national regulatory authorities for vaccines and biologicals globally requires a detailed understanding of how different organisations view the opportunities and barriers to better integration of the 3Rs. To facilitate this, we developed and distributed a survey aimed at vaccine and biotherapeutics manufacturers in July 2021. In this paper, we present the key findings from this survey and how these will help inform the recommendations for wider integration of 3Rs approaches by WHO in their guidance documents applicable to the quality control and batch testing of vaccines and biotherapeutics.

Effect of dietary oregano essential oil and milk replacer on physiological status and immunological responses of pre- and post-weaned Ghoongroo piglets.

Ghoongroo pigs have good adaptability in a low input production system with high prolificacy. The present study was conducted on pre-and post-weaned Ghoongroo piglets from 2-3 days to 12 weeks of age to evaluate the effect of a milk replacer and oregano essential oil (EO) on growth, physiological and immunological responses. Thirty six piglets were randomly divided into three groups. The control group (n = 12) was allowed to suck mother's milk. Second group piglets were provided milk replacer (MR) and piglets of the third group were provided milk replacer along with oregano EO at 500 mg/kg diet. After weaning, piglets were provided standard concentrate diets. The results showed that the body weight in MR and MR + EO groups were significantly higher compared with the control. The MR + EO group had better intestinal microbiota, greater nonspecific innate immunity with the phagocytosis efficacy of neutrophils, lower cortisol concentration and more stable thyroid hormones than the other groups. The better haematological status supported the rapid organ development and improved intestinal health status in both the experimental groups. In conclusion, milk replacer, especially with the inclusion of oregano EO, can lower weaning stress, enhance nonspecific immunity and improve growth and health status of piglets.

Pharmacokinetics of ceftriaxone-tazobactam (8:1) combination in healthy and Escherichia coli induced diarrhoeic birds.

Antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli infection of poultry causes significant economic losses. Extended spectrum ß lactamases (ESBL) producing E. coli was inoculated in a broiler, Rhode Island Red and Haringhata Black birds orally at 56×108 c.f.u. mL-1 for induction of diarrhoea. Pharmacokinetics of ceftriaxone-tazobactam combination (8:1) was studied following a single intramuscular injection at 28.125 mg kg-1 and the combination was administered twice daily to treat such infection. Plasma concentration of both ceftriaxone persisted up to 8 h in experimental birds and maintained an approximate ratio of 8:1 with tazobactam for a period of 2 h, 0.25 h and 0.75 h, respectively in a broiler, Rhode Island Red and Haringhata Black birds. The K el was significantly lower in all experimental birds compared to healthy birds. Efficacy study was conducted in diarrhoeic birds by administration of ceftriaxone-tazobactam combination at 28.125 mg kg-1 body weight twice daily intramuscularly for three days which caused an increase in specific antibody titre in the broiler on 5th day and in Rhode Island Red birds 10th day. However, Haringhata black birds were inherently showed more resistance towards the infection. The combination of ceftriaxone and tazobactam in the ratio of 8:1 can be an effective treatment to combat ESBL producing E. coli infections.

Accelerating Global Deletion of the Abnormal Toxicity Test for vaccines and biologicals. Planning common next steps. A workshop Report.

This online workshop Accelerating Global Deletion of the Abnormal Toxicity Test for vaccines and biologicals. Planning common next steps was organized on October 14th, 2021, by the Animal Free Safety Assessment Collaboration (AFSA), the Humane Society International (HSI), the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA), in collaboration with the International Alliance of Biological Standardization (IABS). The workshop saw a participation of over a hundred representatives from international organizations, pharmaceutical industries and associations, and regulatory authorities of 28 countries. Participants reported on country- and region-specific regulatory requirements and, where present, on the perspectives on the waiving and elimination of the Abnormal Toxicity Test. With AFSA, HSI, EFPIA and IABS representatives as facilitators, the participants also discussed specific country/global actions to further secure the deletion of ATT from all regulatory requirements worldwide.

Engineering of graphene quantum dots by varying the properties of graphene oxide for fluorescence detection of picric acid.

The study examines the effect of different forms of graphene oxide (GO) on the synthesis of graphene quantum dots (GQD). GO synthesized at various temperatures i.e. 30, 50, 110 °C possessed different structural and functional properties and was used as a substrate for GQD preparation. Thorough characterization of the GQDs in terms of their structural, morphological, functional, and optical properties was performed. The GQDs exhibited variation in their size and fluorescence properties depending upon the type of GO used. Hydrothermal reduction of GO, prepared at an oxidation temperature of 50 °C (GO-50), minimized the particle size (3.6 nm) and maximized the photoluminescence (PL) intensity and quantum yield (64.8%) of the GQD (GQD-50). GQD-50 was found to detect picric acid (PA) in an aqueous solution via 'turn-off' fluorescence quenching, unlike the other GQDs where the initial precursor is synthesized at 30, 110 °C. Experimental studies summarize that interaction between the fluorophore-quencher resulted in static quenching. The limit of detection was estimated to be 1.2 µM with a detection range of 0-200 µM. The work concludes that optimization of the substrate i.e. GO can result in the development of a simple, non-toxic, cost-effective GQD based sensor for PA detection. The study eliminates the need for doping/functionalization of GQDs as reported previously, and hence finds a promising impact on the development of sensors.

Waste-derived biomaterials as building blocks in the biomedical field.

Recent developments in the biomedical arena have led to the fabrication of innovative biomaterials by utilizing bioactive molecules obtained from biological wastes released from fruit and beverage processing industries, and fish, meat, and poultry industries. These biological wastes that end up in water bodies as well as in landfills are an affluent source of animal- and plant-derived proteins, bio ceramics and polysaccharides such as collagens, gelatins, chitins, chitosans, eggshell membrane proteins, hydroxyapatites, celluloses, and pectins. These bioactive molecules have been intricately designed into scaffolds and dressing materials by utilizing advanced technologies for drug delivery, tissue engineering, and wound healing relevance. These biomaterials are environment-friendly, biodegradable, and biocompatible, and show excellent tissue regeneration attributes. Additionally, being cost-effective they can reduce the burden on the healthcare system as well as provide a sustainable solution to waste management. In this review, the current trends in the utilization of plant and animal waste-derived biomaterials in various biomedical fields are considered along with a separate section on their applications as xenografts.

o-Cyanobenzoate: A Recyclable and Reusable Stereo-directing Group for ß-O-Glycosylation via Pd(0)-catalyzed Ferrier Rearrangement.

Inner sphere Tsuji-Trost reaction has found recent application for ß-selective Ferrier rearrangement of glycal substrates with alcohol nucleophiles. Herein, we report an efficient and stereoselective synthesis of 2,3-dideoxy-ß-O-glycosides from C3-(o-cyanobenzoate) ester protected glycal donors via Ferrier rearrangement under Pd(0)-catalyzed Tsuji-Trost conditions. The synthesized donors indeed reacted with a variety of acceptors to afford the corresponding glycosides in good yields and excellent ß-stereoselectivity. The stereochemical outcome of the reactions has been found to be independent of the nature of protecting groups or conformational flexibility of the glycal donors. Furthermore, regeneration of ortho-cyanobenzoic acid post rearrangement makes it a recyclable and reusable stereodirecting group. A preliminary mechanistic study demonstrates the importance of cyano-group for the observed rearrangement and stereoselectivity. Incorporation of the directing group on the benzoate ester has altered the reactivity of the ester group as a leaving group for Tsuji-Trost as well as Ferrier Rearrangement pathway.

Efficient and chemoselective hydrogenation of aldehydes catalyzed by well-defined PN3-pincer manganese(II) catalyst precursors: an application in furfural conversion.

Well-defined and air-stable PN3-pincer manganese(II) complexes were synthesized and used for the hydrogenation of aldehydes into alcohols under mild conditions using MeOH as a solvent. This protocol is applicable for a wide range of aldehydes containing various functional groups. Importantly, α,ß-unsaturated aldehydes, including ynals, are hydrogenated with the CC double bond/CC triple bond intact. Our methodology was demonstrated for the conversion of biomass derived feedstocks such as furfural and 5-formylfurfural to furfuryl alcohol and 5-(hydroxymethyl)furfuryl alcohol respectively.

RFamide peptides, the novel regulators of mammalian HPG axis: A review.

The RFamide-related peptides (RFRPs) are the group of neuropeptides synthesized predominantly from the hypothalamus that negatively affects the hypothalamo-hypophyseal-gonadal (hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal [HPG]) axis. These peptides are first identified in quail brains and emerged as the mammalian orthologs of avian gonadotropin inhibitory hormones. The RFRP-3 neurons in the hypothalamus are present in several mammalian species. The action of RFRP-3 is mediated through a G-protein-coupled receptor called OT7T022. The predominant role of RFRP-3 is the inhibition of HPG axis with several other effects such as the regulation of metabolic activity, stress regulation, controlling of non-sexual motivated behavior, and sexual photoperiodicity in concert with other neuropeptides such as kisspeptin, neuropeptide-Y (NPY), pro-opiomelanocortin, orexin, and melanin. RFamide peptides synthesized in the granulosa cells, interstitial cells, and seminiferous tubule regulate steroidogenesis and gametogenesis in the gonads. The present review is intended to provide the recent findings that explore the role of RFRP-3 in regulating HPG axis and its potential applications in the synchronization of reproduction and its therapeutic interventions to prevent stress-induced amenorrhea.

Functional Myoglobin Model Composed of a Strapped Porphyrin/Cyclodextrin Supramolecular Complex with an Overhanging COOH That Increases O2/CO Binding Selectivity in Aqueous Solution.

A water-soluble strapped iron(III)tetraarylporphyrin (FeIIIPor-1) bearing two propylpyridinium groups at the side chains and a carboxylic acid group at the overhanging position of the strap was synthesized to mimic the function of myoglobin with the distal polar functionality in aqueous solution. FeIIIPor-1 forms a stable 1:1 inclusion complex with a per-O-methylated ß-cyclodextrin dimer having a pyridine linker (Py3OCD), providing a hydrophobic environment and a proximal fifth ligand to stabilize the O2-complex. The ferrous complex (FeIIPorCD-1) binds both O2 and CO in aqueous solution. The O2 and CO binding affinities (P1/2O2 and P1/2CO) and half-life time (t1/2) of the O2 complex of FeIIPorCD-1 are 6.3 and 0.021 Torr, and 7 h, respectively, at pH 7 and 25 °C. The control compound without the strap structure (FeIIPorCD-2) has similar oxygen binding characteristics (P1/2O2 = 8.0 Torr), but much higher CO binding affinity (P1/2CO = 3.8 × 10-4 Torr), and longer t1/2 (30 h). The O2 and CO kinetics indicate that the strapped structure in FeIIPorCD-1 inhibits the entrance of these gaseous ligands into the iron(II) center, as evidenced by lower konO2 and konCO values. Interestingly, the CO complex of FeIIPorCD-1 is significantly destabilized (relatively larger koffCO), while the koffO2 value is much smaller than that of FeIIPorCD-2, resulting in significantly increased O2/CO selectivity (reduced M value, where M = P1/2O2/P1/2CO = 320) in FeIIPorCD-1 compared to FeIIPorCD-2 (M = 21000).

Magnetic Nanostructures as Emerging Therapeutic Tools to Boost Anti-Tumour Immunity.

Cancer immunotherapy has shown remarkable results in various cancer types through a range of immunotherapeutic approaches, including chimeric antigen receptor-T cell (CAR-T) therapy, immune checkpoint blockade (ICB), and therapeutic vaccines. Despite the enormous potential of cancer immunotherapy, its application in various clinical settings has been limited by immune evasion and immune suppressive mechanisms occurring locally or systemically, low durable response rates, and severe side effects. In the last decades, the rapid advancement of nanotechnology has been aiming at the development of novel synthetic nanocarriers enabling precise and enhanced delivery of immunotherapeutics, while improving drug stability and effectiveness. Magnetic nanostructured formulations are particularly intriguing because of their easy surface functionalization, low cost, and robust manufacturing procedures, together with their suitability for the implementation of magnetically-guided and heat-based therapeutic strategies. Here, we summarize and discuss the unique features of magnetic-based nanostructures, which can be opportunely designed to potentiate classic immunotherapies, such as therapeutic vaccines, ICB, adoptive cell therapy (ACT), and in situ vaccination. Finally, we focus on how multifunctional magnetic delivery systems can facilitate the anti-tumour therapies relying on multiple immunotherapies and/or other therapeutic modalities. Combinatorial magnetic-based therapies are indeed offering the possibility to overcome current challenges in cancer immunotherapy.

Engineering of Interfacial Energy Bands for Synthesis of Photoluminescent 0D/2D Coupled MOF Heterostructure with Enhanced Selectivity toward the Proton-Exchange Membrane.

Engineering of the interface for tuning the structural, functional, and electronic properties of materials via the formation of heterostructure composites exhibits immense potential in the current research scenario. This study reports a novel ternary composite synthesized by decoration of zero-dimensional Pd nanoparticles (NPs) and two-dimensional (2D) graphite oxide (GO) sheets in the UiO-66 metal-organic framework (MOF). A mixed matrix membrane was fabricated by incorporating this composite in the SPEEK polymer matrix, which exhibited higher selectivity compared to commercial Nafion 117. The synthesized composite and fabricated membranes were thoroughly characterized in terms of their chemical structures, microstructural morphologies, physicochemical, thermal, photo-electrochemical, and optical properties, ion-exchange capacity, proton conductivity, and methanol permeability. As per our knowledge, this is the first study which explores the effect of noble metal NPs and carbon 2D material simultaneously on the electronic structure of the MOF, resulting in improved selectivity. The electron-accepting nature of GO and surface plasmon resonance effect of Pd alter the energy band positions and scavenge the electrons, improving the proton conduction of the composite. The introduction of oxygen vacancies in lattice leads to efficient charge separation. The formation of a Schottky junction results in the localized electric field effect due to electron density fluctuation which aids in ion transport. The current study opens up a new route to overcome the major challenge associated with direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs), that is, high/low methanol crossover by improving the proton conduction.