Amino Acid-Based Molecular and Membranous Chiral Tools for Enantiomeric Recognition.

Given the need, both academic and industrial, for new approaches and technologies for chiral discrimination of enantiomers, the present work demonstrates the development through rational design and integration of two new chiral platforms (molecular and membranous) for enantioselective recognition through visual as well as microscopic observation. The molecular platform (TPT) is based on the tryptophan derivative developed through the condensation of two tryptophan units with terepthaloyl chloride. While TPT based on l-tryptophan recognizes R-mandelic acid over the S-isomer, the host with reverse chirality (TPDT) recognizes S-mandelic acid over R-isomer. The role of chemical functionality in this sensitive recognition process was established experimentally by developing an analogue of TPT and by judiciously using different chiral analytes. Importantly, a detailed theoretical study at the molecular level revealed the U-shaped conformation of TPT, creating a cavity for accommodating a chiral guest with selective functional interaction resulting in the discrimination of enantiomers. Finally, a chiral polymeric mat of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)/polyacrylonitrile (PAN) (2:3) impregnated with TPT was developed via electrospinning. The resulting fibrous mat was successfully utilized for chiral recognition through microscopic and architectural observation. Hence, the present work reports simple chiral tools for enantiomeric recognition.

Sterically Crowded Donor-Rich Imidazole Systems as Hole Transport Materials for Solution-Processed OLEDs.

Imidazole, being an interesting dinitrogenic five-membered heterocyclic core, has been widely explored during the last several decades for developing various fascinating materials. Among the different domains where imidazole-based materials find wide applications, the area of optoelectronics has seen an overwhelming growth of functional imidazole derivatives developed through remarkable design and synthesis strategies. The present work reports a design approach for integrating bulky donor units at the four terminals of an imidazole core, leading to the development of sterically populated imidazole-based molecular platforms with interesting structural features. Rationally chosen starting substrates led to the incorporation of a bulky donor at the four terminals of the imidazole core. In addition, homo- and cofunctional molecular systems were synthesized through a suitable combination of initial ingredients. Our approach was extended to develop a series of four molecular systems, i.e., Cz3PhI, Cz4I, Cz3PzI, and TPA3CzI, containing carbazole, phenothiazine, and triphenylamine as known efficient donors at the periphery. Given their interesting structural features, three sterically crowded molecules (Cz4I, Cz3PzI, and TPA3CzI) were screened by using DFT and TD-DFT calculations to investigate their potential as hole transport materials (HTMs) for optoelectronic devices. The theoretical studies on several aspects including hole reorganization and exciton binding energies, ionization potential, etc., revealed their potential as possible candidates for the hole transport layer of OLEDs. Single-crystal analysis of Cz3PhI and Cz3PzI established interesting structural features including twisted geometries, which may help attain high triplet energy. Finally, the importance of theoretical predictions was established by fabricating two solution-process green phosphorescent OLED devices using TPA3CzI and Cz3PzI as HTMs. The fabricated devices exhibited good EQE/PE and CE of ∼15%/56 lm/W/58 cd/A and ∼13%/47 lm/W/50 cd/A, respectively, at 100 cd/m2.

Overview of imidazole-based fluorescent materials with hybridized local and charge transfer and hot-exciton pathway characteristics in excited states.

Herein, we discuss an imidazole-based molecular framework, which can successfully transform triplet excitons present in high triplet levels into singlet states. We explain the working mechanisms of different methods for collecting triplet excitons, including hot excitons or HLCT states. After the development of an hot exciton material by Ma and Yang, many studies have demonstrated that the organic conjugated molecules having imidazole core have possibilities to show high efficiencies via hot exciton pathways. Finally, we provide a detailed investigation of recently published hot exciton luminogens based on imidazole molecular frameworks. This review provides an overview of the molecular structures, frontier molecular orbital information, and glass transition temperature of developed luminogens as well as the efficiency of organic light-emitting diodes (OLED) devices.

Indolo[3,2-a]carbazoles as Engineered Materials for Optoelectronic Applications: Synthesis, Structural Insights, and Computational Screening.

The biological and medicinal importance of indolocarbazoles has been known for the past several decades. However, in recent times, these compounds have been emerging as potential candidates for optoelectronic applications, although several challenges are associated with their synthesis. We report here a Pd(II)-catalyzed process for the synthesis of indolo[3,2-a]carbazoles. The reaction proceeded under neat conditions and in the presence of aqueous nonmetallic oxidant TBHP, and the products were purified directly after the completion of the reaction. Also, the possibility of employing the present method for reaction with gram-scale feed was investigated. A detailed single-crystal analysis of several indolo[3,2-a]carbazoles revealed how the molecular arrangement can be tuned by altering the functionalization. Finally, the developed molecules were screened computationally to assess their potential for possible use as hole transport materials (HTMs) for organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs).

Charge transporting and thermally activated delayed fluorescence materials for OLED applications.

The design and synthesis of effective charge transporting (CT) and thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) materials are in high demand to obtain high-performing OLED devices. Recently, the significant development in the field of OLEDs has led to the creation of numerous charge transporting and TADF materials with diverse structures. To further improve the device performance, a better understanding of the structural characteristics and structure-property relationships of these materials is essential. Moreover, to enhance the efficiency of OLEDs, all the electrogenerated excitons should be constrained in EMLs. The TADF mechanism can theoretically register 100% IQE through a potent up-conversion method from non-radiative triplet excitons to radiative singlet excitons. In this review, the structural importance, classification, physical properties, and electroluminescence data of some recent charge transporting and TADF materials are summarized and discussed. Moreover, their molecular structural dependence on functional groups and linkers is classified, which can enhance their charge transporting or emitting ability. To offer a potential roadmap for the further development of charge transporting and TADF materials, it is hoped that this study will encourage researchers to acknowledge their important role in OLEDs.

Self-assembled molecular network with waterwheel-like architecture: experimental and theoretical evaluation toward electron transport capabilities for optoelectronic devices.

In recent times, self-assembled electron transport materials for optoelectronic devices, both solar cells and organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), have been gaining much interest as they help in fabricating high-efficiency devices. However, designing organic small molecular materials with star-shaped self-assembled networks is a challenge. To achieve this sort of target, we chose triazine and benzene-1,3,5-tricarbonyl cores for developing such architecture, and we developed four molecular systems, vizTCpCN, TCmCN, TmCN, and TpCN. Successful isolation of single crystals followed by structural analysis of TmCN revealed interesting molecular arrangements in the solid state resulting in the formation of a waterwheel type architecture with an extended network bearing characteristic voids. Theoretical calculations was carried out to check their electron transportability. The natural transition orbital calculation helped in understanding the locally excited and charge transfer excited states. The low electron reorganization energies of these molecules indicated that these materials may have potential to be used in electron transport layers of optoelectronic devices, particularly in OLEDs. Moreover, the assembled networks have a relatively wide surface area and linked structures, which are advantageous for the conduction of carriers with poor electron recombination inside the ETL, and these may offer a straightforward channel for electron conduction to the emissive layer. Finally, the fabricated electron-only device indicated that the synthesized materials may be used as ETMs in the electron transport layer of optoelectronic devices.

Microbial Consortia: Promising Tool as Plant Bioinoculants for Agricultural Sustainability.

In the present scenario, growing population demands more food, resulting in the need for sustainable agriculture. Numerous approaches are explored in response to dangers and obstacles to sustainable agriculture. A viable approach is to be exploiting microbial consortium, which generate diverse biostimulants with growth-promoting characteristics for plants. These bioinoculants play an indispensable role in optimizing nutrient uptake efficiency mitigating environmental stress. Plant productivity is mostly determined by the microbial associations that exist at the rhizospheric region of plants. The engineered consortium with multifunctional attributes can be effectively employed to improve crop growth efficacy. A number of approaches have been employed to identify the efficient consortia for plant growth and enhanced crop productivity. Various plant growth-promoting (PGP) microbes with host growth-supporting characteristics were investigated to see if they might work cohesively and provide a cumulative effect for improved growth and crop yield. The effective microbial consortia should be assessed using compatibility tests, pot experimentation techniques, generation time, a novel and quick plant bioassay, and sensitivity to external stimuli (temperature, pH). The mixture of two or more microbial strains found in the root microbiome stimulates plant growth and development. The present review deals with mechanism, formulation, inoculation process, commercialization, and applications of microbial consortia as plant bioinoculants for agricultural sustainability.

Smart Anisotropic Colloidal Composites: A Suitable Platform for Modifying the Phase Transition of Diblock Copolymers by Gold Nanoparticles.

Surface modification of metallic nanoparticles (NPs) by stimuli-responsive polymers is a benign method to prepare smart colloidal composites which tune the characteristic properties of individual systems. The temperature-dependent transition of diblock copolymer poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-block-poly(N-vinylcaprolactam) (PNIPMA-b-PVCL) synthesized using reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization was studied by incorporating anisotropic gold NPs (AGPs) such as spheres (AuNSs), rods (AuNRs), cubes (AuNCs), and rhombic dodecahedrals (AuRDs). Shape-dependent physiochemical properties of nanostructures alter the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of the chemical inhomogeneous diblock copolymer. Heterogeneous nucleation of AuNPs was facilitated by seed-mediated synthesis for incorporating uniformity. In the mixed system, the presence of PNIPAM-b-PVCL modifies the surface of AGPs through physisorption which is supported by transmission electron microscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy showing the NPs embedding in the polymeric matrix. Furthermore, steady state fluorescence spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were performed to examine the phase transition behavior of PNIPAM-b-PVCL in AGPs. The formation of a smart polymer nanocomposite alters the physiochemical properties of the diblock copolymer as demonstrated from the variation of LCST in the dynamic light scattering measurement. Henceforth, functionalizing the surfaces of AGPs with a thermoresponsive diblock copolymer provides combinatorial benefits in the properties of smart polymeric colloidal systems with potential applications in bioimaging and drug delivery.

Validation of secretory Immunoglobulin A (IgA) for early and efficient diagnosis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa lung infection.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a gram-negative bacterium that is considered to be a major causal organism of nosocomial infection. This study brought data-specific evidence to reveal the efficacy of secretory Immunoglobulin A (IgA) measurement in diagnosing pulmonary P. aeruginosa infection and claims its validation as a diagnostic marker. This study has included controls and patients of Pseudomonas and grouped them into four, namely, controls, chronic cases, intermittent cases, and negative group. The last group, that is, the "Negative" group, is the ones who had a history of infection but currently showed negative blood culture. The level of sIgA was quantified in all the patients and the controls and then their status of pulmonary infection was determined by their blood culture. ANOVA and Pearson Chi-Square were employed for showing the association between sIgA and pulmonary infection. The mean value of salivary sIgA has been found the highest in chronic cases followed by Intermittent cases and Negative Infections. The boxplot diagram showed several parameters of sIgA quantification in each group and control. ANOVA and Pearson Chi-square (P<0.005) tests showed a significant association between sIgA level in saliva and pulmonary infection of P. aeruginosa. The ROC curve was plotted to determine the cut-off value of sIgA (sIgA≧13.09 U/ml) for efficient clinical diagnosis of pulmonary P. aeruginosa infection. The study has validated statistically that quantification of salivary sIgA can be used in clinical practice for early diagnosis of pulmonary infection of P. aeruginosa.

Serum Expression Level of MicroRNA-122 and its Significance in different Stages of Hepatitis B Virus Infection.

This study aims to determine the serum expression level of miRNA-122 and its significance in the different stages of Hepatitis B virus infection. The study subjects were recruited and grouped for Hepatitis B associated with Chronic Hepatitis B infection, hepatic sclerosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and healthy controls were also considered. Venous blood was collected from the participants including the controls and routine blood tests and quantification of miRNA-122 were done and analyzed in each case of hepatitis B infection and compared with that of healthy controls. The miRNA-122 was determined, which came to be highest in patients with Chronic Hepatitis B while patients with hepatic sclerosis and patients with hepatocellular carcinoma showed a subsequent number of copies. The number of copies of miRNA-122 in the CHB, hepatic sclerosis, and HCC group was significantly higher than in the healthy control. The quantification of miRNA-122 and subsequently plotting the ROC curve has shown that miRNA-122 can be considered as a biomarker of hepatitis B for screening and diagnosis purposes.

Rationally heteroarylated pyridines as hole transport materials for OLEDs.

The advancement in developing highly efficient hole transport materials for OLED devices has been a challenge over the past several years. For an efficient OLED device, there should be an efficient promotion of charge carriers from each electrode and effective confinement of triplet excitons in the emissive layer of the phosphorescent OLED (PhOLED). Thus, the development of stable and high triplet energy hole transport materials is in urgent demand for high-performing PhOLED devices. The present work demonstrates the development of two hetero-arylated pyridines as high triplet energy (2.74-2.92 eV) multifunctional hole transport materials to reduce the exciton quenching and to enhance the extent of charge carrier recombination in the emissive layer. In this regard, we report the design, synthesis, and theoretical modeling with electro-optical properties of two molecules, namely PrPzPy and MePzCzPy, with suitable HOMO/LUMO energy levels and high triplet energy, by incorporating phenothiazine as well as other donating units into a pyridine scaffold, and finally developing a hybrid phenothiazine-carbazole-pyridine based molecular architecture. The natural transition orbital (NTO) calculations were done to analyze the excited state sensation in these molecules. The long-range charge transfer characteristics between the higher singlet and triplet states were also analyzed. The reorganization energy of each molecule was calculated to examine their hole transportability. The theoretical calculations for PrPzPy and MePzCzPy revealed that these two molecular systems could be promising materials for the hole transport layer of OLED devices. As a proof of concept, a solution-processed hole-only device (HOD) of PrPzPy was fabricated. The increase in current density with an increase in operating voltage in the range of ∼3-10 V supported that the suitable HOMO energy of PrPzPy can facilitate the hole transportation from the hole injection layer (HIL) to the emissive layer (EML). These results indicated the promising hole transportability of the present molecular materials.

Deep eutectic solvents induced changes in the phase transition behavior of smart polymers: a sustainable future approach.

Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) are considered "green" and "sustainable" alternatives to conventional organic solvents and ionic liquids (ILs) due to their characteristic properties and relatively low costs. DESs are considered IL analogs and have attracted consideration as benign media formulations for the synthesis of novel polymers because they satisfy the principle of sustainability. Over the past few years, the use of DESs has resulted in novel pathways for the synthesis of novel materials, biomaterials, functional materials, and ionic soft materials. Furthermore, DESs have been widely applied in the science, industrial, engineering, and technological fields. On the other hand, stimulus-responsive (smart) polymers have been widely utilized in intelligent devices owing to their virtues of good processibility, stimuli and environmental sensitivity, responsivity, and so on. With the introduction of a DES into the smart polymeric matrices, their potential characteristics, biocompatibility, and flexibility endow the corresponding DES-based polymeric materials with intriguing properties, which in turn will broaden their applications in various domains of polymer science and material chemistry. Substantial research has been done in the fabrication of DES-based polymeric materials. Numerous studies have extensively investigated the effects of DESs on biomolecules such as proteins/enzymes and nucleic acids, whereas few have addressed the impact of DESs on the aggregation and phase transition behaviors of smart polymers. This review focuses on mechanistic insights, aggregation behavior, and interactions between smart polymers and DESs. Opportunities and future research perspectives in this blossoming arena are also discussed. It is hoped that this review will pave futuristic pathways for the design and development of advanced DES-based polymeric materials and biomaterials for various applications.

Recent advancement in nanomaterials for the detection and removal of uranium: A review.

Uranyl ions U(VI), are the common by-product of nuclear power plants and anthropogenic activities like mining, excess utilization of fertilizers, oil industries, etc. Its intake into the body causes serious health concerns such as liver toxicity, brain damage, DNA damage and reproductive issues. Therefore, there is urgent need to develop the detection and remediation strategies. Nanomaterials (NMs), due to their unique physiochemical properties including very high specific area, tiny sizes, quantum effects, high chemical reactivity and selectivity have become emerging materials for the detection and remediation of these radioactive wastes. Therefore, the current study aims to provide a holistic view and investigation of these new emerging NMs that are effective for the detection and removal of Uranium including metal nanoparticles, carbon-based NMs, nanosized metal oxides, metal sulfides, metal-organic frameworks, cellulose NMs, metal carbides/nitrides, and carbon dots (CDs). Along with this, the production status, and its contamination data in food, water, and soil samples all across the world are also complied in this work.

Therapeutic targeting of the tumor microenvironments with cannabinoids and their analogs: Update on clinical trials.

Cancer is a major global public health concern that affects both industrialized and developing nations. Current cancer chemotherapeutic options are limited by side effects, but plant-derived alternatives and their derivatives offer the possibilities of enhanced treatment response and reduced side effects. A plethora of recently published articles have focused on treatments based on cannabinoids and cannabinoid analogs and reported that they positively affect healthy cell growth and reverse cancer-related abnormalities by targeting aberrant tumor microenvironments (TMEs), lowering tumorigenesis, preventing metastasis, and/or boosting the effectiveness of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Furthermore, TME modulating systems are receiving much interest in the cancer immunotherapy field because it has been shown that TMEs have significant impacts on tumor progression, angiogenesis, invasion, migration, epithelial to mesenchymal transition, metastasis and development of drug resistance. Here, we have reviewed the effective role of cannabinoids, their analogs and cannabinoid nano formulations on the cellular components of TME (endothelial cells, pericytes, fibroblast and immune cells) and how efficiently it retards the progression of carcinogenesis is discussed. The article summarizes the existing research on the molecular mechanisms of cannabinoids regulation of the TME and finally highlights the human studies on cannabinoids' active interventional clinical trials. The conclusion outlines the need for future research involving clinical trials of cannabinoids to demonstrate their efficacy and activity as a treatment/prevention for various types of human malignancies.

Dopant-driven recombination delay and ROS enhancement in nanoporous Cd1-xCuxS heterogeneous photocatalyst for the degradation of DR-23 dye under visible light irradiation.

Developing an efficient heterogeneous photocatalyst for environmental remediation and treatment strategies using visible light harvesting processes is promising but challenging. Herein, Cd1-xCuxS materials have been synthesized and characterized by precise analytical tools. Cd1-xCuxS materials exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity for direct Red 23 (DR-23) dye degradation in visible light irradiation. The operational parameters, like dopant concentration, photocatalyst dose, pH, and initial concentration of dye were investigated during the process. The photocatalytic degradation process follows pseudo-first-order kinetics. As compared to other tested materials, 5% Cu doped CdS material revealed superior photocatalytic performance for the degradation of DR-23 (k = 13.96 × 10-3 min-1). Transient absorption spectroscopy, EIS, PL, and transient photocurrent indicated that adding copper to the CdS matrix improved the separation of photo-generated charge carriers by lowering the recombination rate. Spin-trapping experiments recognized the photodegradation primarily based on secondary redox products, i.e., hydroxyl and superoxide radicals. According to by Mott-Schottky curves, photocatalytic mechanism and photo-generated charge carrier density were elucidated regarding dopant-induced valence and conduction bands shifting. Thermodynamic probability of radical formation in line with the altered redox potentials by Cu doping has been discussed in the mechanism. The identification of intermediates by mass spectrometry study also showed a plausible breakdown mechanism for DR-23. Moreover, samples treated with nanophotocatalyst displayed excellent results when tested for water quality metrics such as DO, TDS, BOD, and COD. Developed nanophotocatalyst shows high recyclability with superior heterogeneous nature. 5% Cu-doped CdS also exhibit strong photocatalytic activity for the degradation of colourless pollutant bisphenol A (BPA) under visible light (k = 8.45 × 10-3 min-1). The results of this study offer exciting opportunities to alter semiconductors' electronic band structures for visible-light-induced photocatalytic activity for wastewater treatment.

Unmanned Ariel Vehicle (UAV) Path Planning for Area Segmentation in Intelligent Landmine Detection Systems.

Landmine contamination is a significant problem that has devastating consequences worldwide. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) can play an important role in solving this problem. The technology has the potential to expedite, simplify, and improve the safety and efficacy of the landmine detection process prior to physical intervention. Although the process of detecting landmines in contaminated environments is systematic, it is proven to be rather costly and overwhelming, especially if prior information about the location of the lethal objects is unknown. Therefore, automation of the process to orchestrate the search for landmines has become necessary to utilize the full potential of system components, particularly the UAV, which is the enabling technology used to airborne the sensors required in the discovery stage. UAVs have a limited amount of power at their disposal. Due to the complexity of target locations, the coverage route for UAV-based surveys must be meticulously designed to optimize resource usage and accomplish complete coverage. This study presents a framework for autonomous UAV-based landmine detection to determine the coverage route for scanning the target area. It is performed by extracting the area of interest using segmentation based on deep learning and then constructing the coverage route plan for the aerial survey. Multiple coverage path patterns are used to identify the ideal UAV route. The effectiveness of the suggested framework is evaluated using several target areas of differing sizes and complexities.

Inhibition of BET Proteins Regulates Fcγ Receptor Function and Reduces Inflammation in Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Overactivation of immune responses is a hallmark of autoimmune disease pathogenesis. This includes the heightened production of inflammatory cytokines such as Tumor Necrosis Factor α (TNFα), and the secretion of autoantibodies such as isotypes of rheumatoid factor (RF) and anticitrullinated protein antibody (ACPA). Fcγ receptors (FcγR) expressed on the surface of myeloid cells bind Immunoglobulin G (IgG) immune complexes. Recognition of autoantigen-antibody complexes by FcγR induces an inflammatory phenotype that results in tissue damage and further escalation of the inflammatory response. Bromodomain and extra-terminal protein (BET) inhibition is associated with reduced immune responses, making the BET family a potential therapeutic target for autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In this paper, we examined the BET inhibitor PLX51107 and its effect on regulating FcγR expression and function in RA. PLX51107 significantly downregulated expression of FcγRIIa, FcγRIIb, FcγRIIIa, and the common γ-chain, FcϵR1-γ, in both healthy donor and RA patient monocytes. Consistent with this, PLX51107 treatment attenuated signaling events downstream of FcγR activation. This was accompanied by a significant decrease in phagocytosis and TNFα production. Finally, in a collagen-induced arthritis model, PLX51107-treatment reduced FcγR expression in vivo accompanied by a significant reduction in footpad swelling. These results suggest that BET inhibition is a novel therapeutic approach that requires further exploration as a treatment for patients with RA.

In Vivo Cancer Microenvironment Responsive Glycan Receptor-Targeted Nanoparticles for Gemcitabine Delivery to Benzo[a]pyrene-Induced Lung Cancer Model.

Targeted gemcitabine (GEB) loaded 5-N-acetyl-neuraminic acid (Neu5Ac) assembled chitosan nanoparticles (CA-NPs) were formulated by ionotropic gelation process and evaluated for physicochemical and morphological characterization, in vitro and in vivo studies in A-549 cells and lung cancer mice model, respectively. The mean diameter of GEB-CA-Neu5Ac-NPs determined by dynamic light scattering was 161.16 ± 7.70 nm with a polydispersity index (PDI) value of 0.303 ± 0.011 and its zeta potential and entrapment efficiency (%EE) were 40.3 ± 3.45 mv and 66.11 ± 1.94%, respectively. The in vitro cellular uptake studies showed that glycan receptor-targeted nanoparticles deliver significantly more amount (p < 0.001) of GEB into the A-549 lung cancerous cells than non-targeted nanoparticles. The cytotoxicity study using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay clearly demonstrated that GEB-CA-Neu5Ac-NPs have lower IC50 value (6.39 ± 3.78 µg/ml) than others groups that showed that the greater lung cancerous cells inhibition potential of targeted nanoparticles. The in vivo biodistribution of the GEB-loaded 5-N-acetyl-neuraminic acid conjugated chitosan nanoparticles was revealed that targeted nanoparticles showed higher accumulation and retention for an extended period of time due to the active targeting ability of Neu5Ac to glycan receptors. Histopathological examination showed significant recovery in the physiological architecture upon administration of targeted nanoparticles. The glycan receptor-targeted nanoparticles treated groups showed a significant decline in the number of metastatic lung epithelial cells, as compared to the untreated positive control group (p < 0.001) confirming higher anticancer efficacy of the GEB-CA-Neu5Ac-NPs.

Transcriptomic profiling of nonneoplastic cortical tissues reveals epileptogenic mechanisms in dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumors.

Low-grade dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumors (DNTs) are a frequent cause of drug-refractory epilepsy. Molecular mechanisms underlying seizure generation in these tumors are poorly understood. This study was conducted to identify altered genes in nonneoplastic epileptogenic cortical tissues (ECTs) resected from DNT patients during electrocorticography (ECoG)-guided surgery. RNA sequencing (RNAseq) was used to determine the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in these high-spiking ECTs compared to non-epileptic controls. A total of 477 DEGs (180 upregulated; 297 downregulated) were observed in the ECTs compared to non-epileptic controls. Gene ontology analysis revealed enrichment of genes belonging to the following Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways: (i) glutamatergic synapse; (ii) nitrogen metabolism; (iii) transcriptional misregulation in cancer; and (iv) protein digestion and absorption. The glutamatergic synapse pathway was enriched by DEGs such as GRM4, SLC1A6, GRIN2C, GRM2, GRM5, GRIN3A, and GRIN2B. Enhanced glutamatergic activity was observed in the pyramidal neurons of ECTs, which could be attributed to altered synaptic transmission in these tissues compared to non-epileptic controls. Besides glutamatergic synapse, altered expression of other genes such as GABRB1 (synapse formation), SLIT2 (axonal growth), and PROKR2 (neuron migration) could be linked to epileptogenesis in ECTs. Also, upregulation of GABRA6 gene in ECTs could underlie benzodiazepine resistance in these patients. Neural cell-type-specific gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) revealed transcriptome of ECTs to be predominantly contributed by microglia and neurons. This study provides first comprehensive gene expression profiling of nonneoplastic ECTs of DNT patients and identifies genes/pathways potentially linked to epileptogenesis.

Square Lattice Formation in a Monodisperse Complex Plasma.

We present the first observations of a square lattice formation in a monodisperse complex plasma system, a configurational transition phenomenon that has long been an experimental challenge in the field. The experiments are conducted in a tabletop L-shaped dusty plasma experimental device in a dc glow discharge Argon plasma environment. By a careful control of the vertical potential confining the charged particles as well as the strength of the ion wake charge interactions with the dust particles, we are able to steer the system toward a crystalline phase that exhibits a square lattice configuration. The transition occurs when the vertical confinement strength is slightly reduced below a critical value leading to a buckling of the monodisperse hexagonal 2D dust crystal to form a narrowly separated bilayer state (a quasi-2D state). Some theoretical insights into the transition process are provided through molecular dynamics simulations carried out for the parameters relevant to our experiment.