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BBX22 enhances the accumulation of antioxidants to inhibit DNA damage and promotes DNA repair under high UV‐B
No full textUnder changing climatic conditions, plant exposure to high-intensity UV-B can be a potential threat to plant health and all plant-derived human requirements, including food. It's crucial to understand how plants respond to high UV-B radiation so that proper measures can be taken to enhance tolerance towards high UV-B stress. We found that BBX22, a B-box protein-coding gene, is strongly induced within one hour of exposure to high-intensity UV-B. Our metabolomics data indicated that BBX22 promotes the accumulation of antioxidants like ascorbic acid and proline. These antioxidants play a vital role in shielding plants exposed to high UV-B from the detrimental effects of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), including DNA damage. Additionally, BBX22 promotes DNA damage repair by inducing the expression of DNA repair genes like UVR1 and UVR3. BBX22 directly binds to the promoter of UVR1 to regulate its expression. Furthermore, BBX22 indirectly induces the expression of UVR1 and UVR3 by enhancing the binding of HY5 to their promoters. Together, these results suggest a multi-pronged role of BBX22 in protection against high-intensity UV-B. Enhancing BBX22 levels or its orthologs in different plant species can potentially offer DNA damage protection and tolerance against intense UV radiation
Bactericidal hemostatic sponge: A point of care solution to combat traumatic injury
No full textUncontrollable haemorrhage and associated microbial contamination in the battlefield and civilian injuries pose a tremendous threat to healthcare professionals. Such traumatic wounds often necessitate an effective point-of-care solution to prevent the consequent morbidity owing to blood loss or haemorrhage. However, developing superior hemostatic materials with anti-infective properties remains a challenge. To address this, an injectable, cationic dextran-mesoporous silica nanoparticle-based bactericidal hemostatic sponge (BACSTAT) has been developed. A dual crosslinking approach is adopted through in situ covalent cross-linking through photo polymerization and silica nanoparticle-induced non-covalent interactions. This interconnected macroporous BACSTAT sponge has superior fluid absorption properties and fluid-induced rapid shape recovery of the sponge helps to seal the irregularly shaped wound. Furthermore, this sponge can stimulate a coagulation cascade for rapid blood clotting in mice femoral vein incision and liver puncture model. The optimum sponge exhibited potent antibacterial activity against wide-spectrum Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens. Notably, it is completely biocompatible with mammalian cells and mice skin. Significantly, this sponge reduces Pseudomonas aeruginosa burden >99% in mice subcutaneous infection model with substantially lessening inflammatory responses in infected tissues. Collectively, the optimized sponge bears immense potential to be developed as point-of-care solution for military and civilian traumatic injury
Geotechnical challenges for high-rise buildings in Mumbai, India.
No full textThe present study demonstrates the development of high-rise buildings (HRBs) and related geotechnical challenges across the city of Mumbai, India. Due to this increase in demand for high-rises in Mumbai, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) revised the minimum height for a building from 70 m to 120 m and/or the aspect ratio (height to average width) to more than 9 to simplify and expedite approvals for real estate in the city. However, it was observed that due to the existence of closely spaced structures in the city, the main problem during the construction of HRBs is interference effects. Therefore, the interference effects of a few HRBs with other adjacent structures were presented through 3D finite element analysis of HRB foundations (pile or raft foundation). Through the comparative study of numerical analysis and field tests, the safety and serviceability of the foundations were verified for all possible loading combinations
Eco-friendly wastewater management technologies and environmental impact.
No full textEffective wastewater management is paramount to safeguarding water resources and soil quality in pursuing sustainable leather production. With increasing awareness of industrial environmental impacts, there is a growing imperative for green wastewater treatment practices within the leather industry. This involves employing biodegradation, oxidation, and aeration techniques to purify wastewater streams. By harnessing the power of microbial activity, organic compounds and pollutants present in wastewater are efficiently decomposed, thereby mitigating the environmental footprint associated with leather production. Furthermore, adopting advanced membrane technologies such as ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, and reverse osmosis is a promising avenue for eco-friendly wastewater treatment in leather manufacturing processes. These techniques mimic natural filtration processes, effectively removing contaminants from wastewater and yielding purified water that meets stringent quality standards. By embracing such sustainable wastewater treatment solutions, the leather industry reduces energy consumption and contributes significantly to mitigating water pollution, enhancing its overall sustainability profile
<scp>RAFT</scp>‐engineered polymeric surfactant: Exploring the self‐assembly of homopolymers from poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate.
No full textPolymeric surfactants, valued for their ability to stabilize interfaces and tunable self-assembled structures, find extensive applications in personal care, drug delivery, pharmaceuticals, and industrial formulations. To develop an efficient polymeric surfactant, herein we investigate the synthesis and characterization of side-chain poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-based homopolymers (PPEGMAx), using reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization in the presence of a hydrophobic tail-functionalized chain transfer agent (CTA), enabling precise control over molar mass and narrow dispersity (Đ). Structural confirmation and compositional analysis are performed using 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectroscopy. The amphiphilic nature and self-assembly behavior of the polymers are investigated through fluorescence spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The polymers show critical aggregation concentrations in the range 27–63 μg/mL in water, with sizes ranging from 40 to 80 nm. However, a suitable hydrophobic/hydrophilic balance in the polymer structure is necessary for the aggregation behavior to develop their potential as polymeric surfactants
RNA Sequencing Identifies WT1 Overexpression as a Predictor of Poor Outcomes in Acute Myeloid Leukemia
No full textBackground/Objectives: AML is a heterogeneous hematological malignancy distinguished by the clonal expansion of immature myeloid progenitor cells. Despite advances in therapy, relapse rates remain high, and outcomes are poor. The WT1 gene has emerged as a potential contributor to leukemogenesis, but its clinical relevance at the transcriptional level is not fully understood. This study employed RNA sequencing as a discovery tool to identify WT1 gene expression in AML and further investigated its role in diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment response. Methods: Between 2020 and 2024, 345 diagnostic, 259 post-induction, and 70 relapse-stage BM or PB samples were prospectively collected from de novo AML patients at AIIMS, New Delhi. RNA sequencing was initially performed on five paired diagnosis-relapse samples to profile transcriptomic changes and assess WT1 expression dynamics. WT1 expression was further validated by qPCR. The relationship between WT1 expression and various clinical parameters was evaluated using Cox regression analysis to determine its impact on prognosis. Results: RNA sequencing and qPCR confirmed WT1 overexpression at diagnosis, which significantly declined following induction therapy. High WT1 expression at diagnosis was linked with adverse clinical characteristics, including elevated WBC counts and higher blast percentages and predicted poor survival outcomes. WT1 expression was identified as a significant prognostic marker, correlating with OS and EFS. Conclusions: By integrating RNA sequencing with targeted validation, this study highlights WT1 expression as a critical biomarker for AML diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment response. The findings suggest that WT1 expression may serve as a valuable tool for monitoring disease status, risk stratification, and guiding treatment decisions in AML, with potential applications for WT1-targeted precision therapies
Mitophagy-Driven Prognosis in Pediatric Acute Myeloid Leukemia: A New Frontier
No full textBackground: Mitophagy is a crucial mitochondrial quality control mechanism that removes dysfunctional mitochondria via lysosomal degradation, maintaining cellular homeostasis. Cancer cells exploit this process to sustain mitochondrial function, promote tumor renewal, and enhance therapy resistance. While mitophagy has been extensively studied in solid tumors, its role in Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), particularly in pediatric cases, remains largely unexplored. Therefore, this study investigated the prognostic value of pivotal mitophagy-related genes, PINK1, FUNDC1, and BNIP3, contributing to the flagging and recognition of damaged mitochondria. Methodology: Expression of PINK1, FUNDC1, and BNIP3 was analyzed using qRT-PCR in bone marrow samples from 90 pediatric AML patients and 30 controls. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed to evaluate their association with overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS) based on quartile expression. Pathway enrichment analysis was conducted using bioinformatics tools. Results: PINK1 (fold-change ~2.5, p = 0.0180) and FUNDC1 (fold-change ~4.0, p = 0.0335) were significantly upregulated in AML samples, with lower quartile expression of PINK1 strongly correlating with poor overall survival (OS) [Hazard Ratio (HR) = 3.636; 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.723–7.671; p = 0.0001]. Similarly, the lower quartile expression of FUNDC1 was associated with poor OS (HR = 2.027; 95% CI: 0.9474–4.339; p = 0.0384). Notably, BNIP3 expression did not differ significantly between pediatric AML and control samples (p = 0.769); however, higher quartile expression of BNIP3 was associated with poorer OS (HR = 3.238; 95% CI: 1.500–6.989; p = 0.0001). We did not observe the association of mitophagy-related genes with RFS. Pathway enrichment analysis revealed that PINK1 and FUNDC1 play key roles in mitophagy and hypoxia adaptation, while BNIP3 is primarily involved in apoptosis and cellular stress signaling. Conclusion: Overall, PINK1 and FUNDC1 may be potential prognostic biomarkers for OS in pediatric AML, emphasizing their role in mitochondrial homeostasis and leukemia progression. However, BNIP3 could also be used as prognostic markers; further validation on a large sample size is still required. This study will open a new AML diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy frontier
International Conference on Carbon Capture and Utilization (ICCCU-24): a platform to sustainability and net-zero goals
No full textThis article does not have an abstract
Tuning the electronic structure and SMSI by integrating trimetallic sites with defective ceria for the CO<sub>2</sub> reduction reaction
No full textHeterogeneous catalysts have emerged as a potential key for closing the carbon cycle by converting carbon dioxide (CO2) into value-added chemicals. In this work, we report a highly active and stable ceria (CeO2)-based electronically tuned trimetallic catalyst for CO2 to CO conversion. A unique distribution of electron density between the defective ceria support and the trimetallic nanoparticles (of Ni, Cu, Zn) was established by creating the strong metal support interaction (SMSI) between them. The catalyst showed CO productivity of 49,279 mmol g−1 h−1 at 650 °C. CO selectivity up to 99% and excellent stability (rate remained unchanged even after 100 h) stemmed from the synergistic interactions among Ni-Cu-Zn sites and their SMSI with the defective ceria support. High-energy-resolution fluorescence-detection X-ray absorption spectroscopy (HERFD-XAS) confirmed this SMSI, further corroborated by in situ electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) and density functional theory (DFT) simulations. The in situ studies (HERFD-XAS & EELS) indicated the key role of oxygen vacancies of defective CeO2 during catalysis. The in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) imaging under catalytic conditions visualized the movement and growth of active trimetallic sites, which completely stopped once SMSI was established. In situ FTIR (supported by DFT) provided a molecular-level understanding of the formation of various reaction intermediates and their conversion into products, which followed a complex coupling of direct dissociation and redox pathway assisted by hydrogen, simultaneously on different active sites. Thus, sophisticated manipulation of electronic properties of trimetallic sites and defect dynamics significantly enhanced catalytic performance during CO2 to CO conversion
A new coastal ice-core site identified in Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica, for high-resolution climate reconstructions to the Last Glacial Maximum
No full textHigh-resolution ice cores from the Antarctic Ice Sheet margin are crucial for reconstructing the climate history of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean. Ice-rise summits with stable positions and substantial snow accumulation can be ideal sites for such ice cores. We surveyed two ice rises at 16° E, at the eastern edge of the Lazarev Ice Shelf. Kupol Verbljud (VER) is an isle at the calving front, and Kamelryggen (KAM) is a promontory landward of VER. Radar survey reveals ice thicknesses of 560 m under VER's summit and 525 m under KAM's summit. The long-term stable englacial features, Raymond Arches, are observed in both ice rises, but while VER's arches are tilted, KAM exhibits vertically-aligned arches within its summit, indicating a more stable summit position. We find KAM's summit area better suited for a long ice core, given its gentler bed slope and simpler ice stratigraphy. Surface mass balance derived from dated reflectors show consistent spatial patterns over recent decades. Using a one-dimensional age-depth model we consider the local ice flow as a combination of two extreme cases: diverging divide flow and shear-dominated flank flow. We determine which combination of these flow regimes best reproduces the mapped englacial radar stratigraphy and use it to estimate the age of ice. We conclude that KAM's summit is well-suited for obtaining a high-resolution ice core record beyond the Last Glacial Maximum with expected ~20 kiloyear-old ice at a depth 80 m above the bed where the resolution is expected to be 2.5 a cm-1