Glutamic Acid Modified Gold Nanorod Sensor for the Detection of Calcium ions in Neuronal Cells.

Calcium (Ca2+) ions play a crucial role in the functioning of neurons, governing various aspects of neuronal activity such as rapid modulation and alterations in gene expression. Ca2+ signaling has a significant impact on the development of diseases and the impairment of neuronal functions. Herein, the study reports a Ca2+ ion sensor in neuronal cells using a gold nanorod. The gold nanorod (GA-GNR) conjugated glutamic acid developed in the study was used as a nano-bio probe for the experimental and in vitro detection of calcium. The nanosensor is colloidally stable, preserves plasmonic properties, and shows good viability in neuronal cells, as well as promoting neuron cell line growth. The cytotoxicity and cell penetration of the nanosensor are studied using Raman spectroscopy, brightfield and darkfield microscopy imaging, and MTT assays. The quantification of Ca2+ ions in neuronal cells is determined by monitoring the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of the GA-GNR. The change in the intensity profile in the presence of Ca2+ incubated neurons was effectively used to develop a portable prototype of an optical Ca2+ sensor, proposing it as a tool for neurodegenerative disease diagnosis and neuromodulation evaluation.

Spectrophotometric Evaluation of Translucency of Various Commercially Available Zirconium Oxide Ceramic Systems: An In Vitro Study.

AIM: To evaluate and compare the translucency of various commercially available zirconium oxide ceramic systems, i.e., Ceramill® Zolid Classic, Ceramill® Zi, and DD Bio ZX²71 by using a dual beam UV-visible spectrophotometer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present study comprised of 21 disk-shaped samples of zirconia for every group, i.e., group I-Ceramill® Zolid Classic, group II-Ceramill Zi®, and group III-DD Bio ZX²71. Furthermore, each group was split into three subgroups and every subgroup had seven samples each one of 0.7, 0.8, and 0.9 mm thickness. The samples were prepared by computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) system devised by Amann Girrbach AG in accord with the steps provided by the manufacturer. The entire sample was designed having 10 mm in diameter with 0.7, 0.8, and 0.9 mm thickness for every group. The UV-visible dual beam spectrophotometer equipped with D2 lamp and W lamp was used for the measurement of absorbance and transmittance in order to assess the translucency of the fabricated zirconia samples. RESULTS: The mean value of transmittance % for Ceramill® Zi at 0.8 mm came out to be 0.849 ± 0.024, i.e., the least among all, whereas the mean value of Ceramill® Zolid Classic was 1.408 ± 0.033, being the highest for the same thickness. DD Bio ZX²71 had an intermediate value of 1.274 ± 0.012. The mean value of absorbance for Ceramill® Zi at 0.8 mm came out to be 2.086 ± 0.013, i.e., the maximum among all, whereas the mean value of Ceramill® Zolid Classic was, being the lowest for the same thickness. DD Bio ZX²71 had an intermediate value of 1.902 ± 0.004. CONCLUSION: The present study data suggest that all the materials subjected to evaluation exhibited a substantial translucency. We attempted to study few of the desirable properties, these materials should possess when used for prosthetic rehabilitation with esthetic contentment a clinical setup. There has been an ambiguous distinction that Ceramill® Zi Zirconia supersedes the Ceramill® Zolid Classic and DD Bio ZX²71. Furthermore, 0.8 mm thickness substantiates to be the most ideal among 0.7, 0.8, and 0.9 mm. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The desired outcome of the procedure becomes dependent solely on the clinician's judgment to opt for the material whose properties are most fitting as per the demands of the esthetics. While a clinician should always be ambitious, but a good clinician should also bear in mind that the success of any treatment procedure not only depends on the assortment of properties of these materials but also the host response and satisfaction evoked by these materials.

Layer-by-layer assembled graphitic carbon nitride membranes for water treatment.

Meeting societal demand for potable water supply remains one of the prioritized challenges faced in the modern era. The anthropogenic intervention has led to a dire situation threatening ecological balance and human health. There is an inevitable need for the development of new technologies and innovations in existing technologies for water treatment. Photocatalytic Membrane technology, encompassing the merits of membrane filtration and photocatalytic degradation has evolved as a potential and reliable technology for sustainable water treatment. Innovations in photocatalytic materials and membrane fabrication techniques can lead to the goal of commercialization of membrane water treatment technology. Herein, we demonstrate the potential of graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) and its functionalized analog as photocatalytic membranes for sustainable water treatment. g-C3N4 and Tetracarboxyphenylporphyrin sensitized g-C3N4 (g-C3N4/TCPP) was introduced onto commercial nylon membrane surface via a layer-by-layer (LBL) assembly method using chitosan and sodium salt of polystyrene sulphonic acid as polyelectrolytes. The fabricated membranes were characterized to ensure the integration of the photocatalysts. The performance of the membranes for water treatment was assessed by selecting some common dyes as model pollutants. The modified membranes exhibited excellent flux recovery and could afford high rejection rates upon irradiation indicating the prospects for sustainable filtration.

Porphyrin and doxorubicin mediated nanoarchitectonics of copper clusters: a bimodal theranostics for cancer diagnosis and treatment in vitro.

Nanoarchitectonics, an emerging strategy, presents a promising alternative for developing highly efficient next-generation functional materials. Multifunctional materials developed using nanoarchitectonics help to mimic biological molecules. Porphyrin-based molecules can be effectively utilized to design such assemblies. Metal nanocluster is one of the functional materials that can shed more insight into developing nanoarchitectonic materials. Herein, an inherently near-infrared (NIR) fluorescing copper nanocluster (CuC)-mediated structural assembly via protoporphyrin IX (PPIX) and doxorubicin (Dox) is demonstrated as the functional material. Dox-loaded porphyrin-mediated CuC assembly shows singlet oxygen generation and 66% drug release at 15 min. Furthermore, the efficacy of this material is tested for cancer diagnosis and bimodal therapeutic strategy due to the fluorescing ability of the cluster and loading of PPIX as well as the drug, respectively. The nanoarchitecture exhibits targeted imaging and 83% cell death in HeLa cells upon laser irradiation with 10 nmoles and 20 nmoles of PPIX and Dox, respectively.

Design of Linear Block Copolymers and ABC Star Terpolymers That Produce Two Length Scales at Phase Separation.

Quasicrystals (materials with long-range order but without the usual spatial periodicity of crystals) were discovered in several soft matter systems in the last 20 years. The stability of quasicrystals has been attributed to the presence of two prominent length scales in a specific ratio, which is 1.93 for the 12-fold quasicrystals most commonly found in soft matter. We propose design criteria for block copolymers such that quasicrystal-friendly length scales emerge at the point of phase separation from a melt, basing our calculations on the Random Phase Approximation. We consider two block copolymer families: linear chains containing two different monomer types in blocks of different lengths, and ABC star terpolymers. In all examples, we are able to identify parameter windows with the two length scales having a ratio of 1.93. The models that we consider that are simplest for polymer synthesis are, first, a monodisperse ALBASB melt and, second, a model based on random reactions from a mixture of AL, AS, and B chains: both feature the length scale ratio of 1.93 and should be relatively easy to synthesize.

Copper Nanocluster Enables Simultaneous Photodynamic and Chemo Therapy for Effective Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment in Vitro.

Metal-nanocluster-mediated cancer diagnosis and therapy has drawn considerable attention in recent years due to the unique optical and photophysical properties of metal clusters. This type of material is highly useful for the diagnosis, treatment, and further follow-up of disease. However, a single treatment modality is not sufficient for a complete cure. The use of a multi-therapeutic strategy is among the most promising methods for effective treatment, along with an early-stage diagnosis. To address the multiple therapeutic modalities in a single nanomaterial, a copper nanocluster was synthesized using glutathione, having inherent singlet oxygen generation and emission at 674 nm. A tumor-targeting agent (folic acid) and an anticancer drug (doxorubicin) was conjugated to the copper cluster for cancer diagnosis via targeted imaging and further double therapy (photodynamic and chemotherapy) in vitro. 10.5 µg (18.1 nmol) of drug conjugated copper cluster shows 56 % cell death for 30 second laser irradiation in HeLa cells. Effective cancer cell imaging and therapeutic efficacy are demonstrated in vitro.

Coping, perceived stress, and job satisfaction among medical interns: The mediating effect of mindfulness.

BACKGROUND: Past research studies on the exploration of attributes to the stress of doctors/medical interns were reported more often than the types of coping strategies, healthy practices to strengthen their internal resources to deal effectively with the stressful situations. OBJECTIVES: The present study was conducted to find such internal resource - "mindfulness" as a mediator of coping, perceived stress, and job satisfaction among medical interns. METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive study comprised 120 medical interns forms from various medical colleges in Mangalore were recruited and completed the assessment on mindfulness, cognitive-emotive regulation, coping strategies, perceived stress, and job satisfaction from doctoral interns were collected. RESULTS: Initial correlation analysis results indicate that adaptive coping strategies significantly associate with greater mindfulness and less perceived stress. In turn, mindfulness is negatively correlated with nonadaptive coping strategies and perceived. Job satisfaction showed no significant relationship with any of the other variables. Mediational models indicate that the relationship between adaptive coping strategies and perceived stress was significantly mediated by mindfulness. Furthermore, partial mediation between nonadaptive strategies and perceived stress through mindfulness indicates that respondents reported a high level of nonadaptive strategy experience and a lower level of mindfulness can be counterproductive as they encourage the ineffective way to deal with the stresses. CONCLUSION: The implication of the results were discussed with suggesting a possible intervention to improve the adaptive strategies and mindfulness among the medical interns.