Search

Photosensitizer-functionalized reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanoparticles are promising materials for photodynamic therapy in cancer management. In this study, rGO is synthesized by a green route employing glucose as the reducing agent and functionalized with photosensitizer, protoporphyrin IX (PPIX) in a convenient, single-step procedure. PPIX-functionalized rGO exhibits photodynamic effect against cancer cells (HeLa) at 0.001 mg mL-1 under visible light illumination (635 nm). A 50% elimination of HeLa cells after 5 min irradiation is observed while very low phototoxicity (80% cell viability) is noted against normal dermal fibroblast cells. A positive correlation with ROS accumulation and increased expression of caspase-3 in PPIX-functionalized rGO-treated cancer cells is also established. The results evidence a simple and cost-effective route for developing photosensitizer-functionalized rGO for effective and selective killing of cancer cells.

Stem cells are a promising cell source for regenerative medicine due to their characteristics of self-renewal and differentiation. The intricate balance between these two cell fates is maintained by precisely controlled symmetric and asymmetric cell divisions. Asymmetric division has a fundamental importance in maintaining tissue homeostasis and in the development of multi-cellular organisms. For example, during development, asymmetric cell divisions are responsible for the formation of the body axis. Mechanistically, mitotic spindle dynamics determine the assembly and separation of chromosomes and regulate the orientation of cell division. Interestingly, symmetric and asymmetric cell division is not mutually exclusive and a range of factors are involved in such cell-fate decisions, the measurement of which can provide efficient and reliable information on the regenerative potential of a cell. The balance between self-renewal and differentiation in stem cells is controlled by various biophysical and biochemical cues. Although the role of biochemical factors in asymmetric stem cell division has been widely studied, the effect of biophysical cues in stem-cell self-renewal is not comprehensively understood. Herein, we review the biological relevance of stem-cell asymmetric division to regenerative medicine and discuss the influences of various intrinsic and extrinsic biophysical cues in stem-cell self-renewal. This review particularly aims to inform the clinical translation of efforts to control the self-renewal ability of stem cells through the tuning of various biophysical cues.

A rapid method for qualitative and quantitative assaying of l-lactate in milk is described. The method is based on oxidation of lactate by lactate oxidase with the simultaneous formation of H2O2 which subsequently oxidises 2, 4, 6-tribromo 3-hydroxy benzoic acid (TBHBA) in the presence of peroxidase. Oxidised TBHBA then reacts with 4-amino antipyrine to obtain magenta colour (λmax = 523 nm). In the qualitative assay, colour change becomes visible in raw milk samples spiked with 300 mg lactate/L. The absorbance increases linearly up to 1000 mg/L. The method can be used for rapid assessment of the hygienic quality of milk.

The identification of a new class of luminogens based on pyrrolo-quinoxaline embedded coumarin (PQC) structures is reported. The reaction relies on the gold-catalyzed hydroarylation reaction of appropriately substituted aryl alkynoates that produces molecules that exhibit solvatochromism and aggregation-induced emission enhancement (AIEE) phenomena. The application of PQCs for live cell imaging has also been demonstrated.

Angiogenesis, a process resulting in the formation of new capillaries from the pre-existing vasculature plays vital role for the development of therapeutic approaches for cancer, atherosclerosis, wound healing, and cardiovascular diseases. In this report, the synthesis, characterization, and angiogenic properties of graphene oxide (GO) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) have been demonstrated, observed through several in vitro and in vivo angiogenesis assays. The results here demonstrate that the intracellular formation of reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species as well as activation of phospho-eNOS and phospho-Akt might be the plausible mechanisms for GO and rGO induced angiogenesis. The results altogether suggest the possibilities for the development of alternative angiogenic therapeutic approach for the treatment of cardiovascular related diseases where angiogenesis plays a significant role.

Honey is known as a popular healing agent against tropical infections and wounds. However, the effects of honey dilutions on keratinocyte (HaCaT) wound healing under hypoxic condition is still not explored. In this study, we examined whether honey dilution have wound healing potential under hypoxic stress. The antioxidant potential and healing efficacy of honey dilution on in vitro wound of human epidermal keratinocyte (HaCaT cells) under hypoxia (3% O2 ), and normoxia is explored by nitro blue tetrazolium assay. The cell survival % quantified by MTT assay to select four honey dilutions like 10, 1, 0.1, and 0.01 v/v% and the changes in cellular function was observed microscopically. Further, the cell proliferation, migration, cell-cell adhesion, and relevant gene expression were studied by flow cytometry, migration/scratch assay, immunocytochemistry, and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, respectively. The expression pattern of cardinal molecular features viz. E-cadherin, cytoskeletal protein F-actin, p63, and hypoxia marker Hif 1α were examined. Honey dilution in 0.1% v/v combat wound healing limitations in vitro under normoxia and hypoxia (3%). Its wound healing potential was quantified by immunocytochemistry and real-time PCR for the associated molecular features that were responsible for cell proliferation and migration. Our data showed that honey dilution can be effective in hypoxic wound healing. Additionally, it reduced superoxide generation and supplied favorable bioambience for cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation during hypoxic wound healing. These findings may reveal the importance of honey as an alternative and cost effective therapeutic natural product for wound healing in hypoxic condition.

Easily accessible pyrrolo-quinoxaline embedded coumarins (PQC) represent a new class of fluorescent substances.

Precise histopathological localization of E-cadherin and p63 is of immense importance in understanding the integrity of oral mucosal stratified epithelium in normal and diseased conditions. Necessarily immunohistochemical imaging should have minimum bleaching impact on the dyes and ability to produce clear and crisp images. Here ApoTome provides an alternative with metal halide light source and structured illumination under the assistance of grids, along with integrated image processing modality to generate crisp images with digital interface. The current study demonstrates the applicability of such microscopic system in capturing fluorescence images of immunohistochemical sections of normal and precancerous biopsies in respect to the expression of p63 and E-cadherin in the epithelial cells. The ApoTome images localize the nuclear and membranous expressions of p63 and E-cadherin, respectively, with remarkable specificity. The findings on E-cadherin expression have enormous diagnostic significance as these images clearly differentiate the early and advanced stages of oral submucous fibrosis based on their cytoplasmic and membranous location. Thus, this study clearly depicts a remarkable performance of ApoTome with diagnostic significance.

Background: Misoprostol is the drug of choice for medical abortion worldwide but consensus is yet to be reached regarding its preferred route of administration. Aims: To compare the outcome of sublingual with vaginal administrations of misoprostol for induction of second trimester abortion. Methods: A randomised comparative trial where 300 women at 13–20 weeks gestation, requiring medical abortion, were randomly assigned to sublingual or vaginal route for misoprostol administration with a dose schedule of 400 µg three-hourly, up to a maximum five doses over 24 h. The same doses were repeated for another 24 h in non-responders. Primary outcome measure was complete abortion rate at 24 and 48 h, and the secondary outcome measures were induction–abortion interval, failure rate, side-effects and patients’ preference to the route. Results: No statistically significant differences in the complete abortion rates were observed at 24 h (64.03% vs 61.59%, P = 0.767) and at 48 h (79.14% vs 82.01%, P = 0.651) when sublingual and vaginal groups were compared. Mean induction–abortion intervals in sublingual and vaginal groups were 14.1 and 14.5 h, respectively (P = 0.066). Other outcome measures were also more or less similar in both groups. Differences in the incidence of side-effects were also statistically insignificant when both groups were compared. Sublingual administration of the drug was preferred by most of the women as compared to vaginal administration (P

— A fatigue life estimation procedure based on a fracture mechanics approach is analytically developed for components made of a 4140 grade high strength steel. The maximum allowable flaw sizes for both static and cyclic loads are computed. For different stress levels and shapes of the defects, initially-existing, allowable defect size versus number of operating cycles, as well as the thickness versus tolerable defect sizes curves, are presented. The maximum allowable operating cycles of components for non-destructively detectable minimum defects are also estimated. From these estimations, a more realistic prediction of the safe service life of components is possible.