bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Anodization as a scalable nanofabrication method to engineer mechanobactericidal nanostructures on complex geometries
Authors: Roy Anindo , Reddy Kolipyak Sravan , Chatterjee Kaushik 
Published: February 2024

AbstractBacterial contamination of implant surfaces is one of the primary causes of their failure, and this threat has been further exacerbated due to the emergence of drug‐resistant bacteria. Nanostructured mechanobactericidal surfaces that neutralize bacteria via biophysical forces instead of traditional biochemical routes have emerged as a potential remedy against this issue. Here, we report on the bactericidal activity of titania nanotubes (TNTs) prepared by anodization, a well‐established and scalable method. We investigate the differences in bacterial behavior between three different topographies and demonstrate the applicability of this technique on complex three‐dimensional (3D) geometries. It was found that the metabolic activity of bacteria on such surfaces was lower, indicative of disturbed intracellular processes. The differences in deformations of the cell wall of Gram‐negative and positive bacteria were investigated from electron micrographs Finally, nanoindentation experiments show that the nanotubular topography was durable enough against forces typically experienced in daily life and had minimal deformation under forces exerted by bacteria. Our observations highlight the potential of the anodization technique for fabricating mechanobactericidal surfaces for implants, devices, surgical instruments, and other surfaces in a healthcare setting in a cheap, scalable way.
On the Existence of Pnictogen Bonding Interactions in As(III) S‐Adenosylmethionine Methyltransferase Enzymes
Authors: Gomila Rosa M. , Frontera Antonio 
Published: February 2024

AbstractAs(III) S‐adenosylmethionine methyltransferases, pivotal enzymes in arsenic metabolism, facilitate the methylation of arsenic up to three times. This process predominantly yields trivalent mono‐ and dimethylarsenite, with trimethylarsine forming in smaller amounts. While this enzyme acts as a detoxifier in microbial systems by altering As(III), in humans, it paradoxically generates more toxic and potentially carcinogenic methylated arsenic species. The strong affinity of As(III) for cysteine residues, forming As(III)‐thiolate bonds, is exploited in medical treatments, notably in arsenic trioxide (Trisenox®), an FDA‐approved drug for leukemia. The effectiveness of this drug is partly due to its interaction with cysteine residues, leading to the breakdown of key oncogenic fusion proteins. In this study, we extend the understanding of As(III)′s binding mechanisms, showing that, in addition to As(III)−S covalent bonds, noncovalent O⋅⋅⋅As pnictogen bonding plays a vital role. This interaction significantly contributes to the structural stability of the As(III) complexes. Our crystallographic analysis using the PDB database of As(III) S‐adenosylmethionine methyltransferases, augmented by comprehensive theoretical studies including molecular electrostatic potential (MEP), quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM), and natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis, emphasizes the critical role of pnictogen bonding in these systems. We also undertake a detailed evaluation of the energy characteristics of these pnictogen bonds using various theoretical models. To our knowledge, this is the first time pnictogen bonds in As(III) derivatives have been reported in biological systems, marking a significant advancement in our understanding of arsenic‘s molecular interactions.
Nano Metal–Organic Frameworks as Advanced Electrode Materials in Electrochemical Energy Storage
Authors: Wu Xiaohui , Fan Ziheng , Hu Jinliang , Yan Yan , Pang Huan 
Published: February 2024

AbstractNano metal–organic frameworks as an attractive new class of porous materials, are synthesized via metal ions and organic ligands. With their desirable properties of abundant pores, high specific surface areas, fully exposed active sites and controllable structures, nano MOFs are acknowledged to be one of the most vital materials in electrochemical energy storages. However, in their practical applications, nano MOFs are still confronted with various difficulties and challenges because of their low conductivity, poor stability, and other disadvantages. The selection and development of MOF composites, MOF–derived materials and modified MOFs might be beneficial to use as better electrode materials to greatly improve the electrochemical properties of energy storage devices. This paper mainly focuses on the recent developments of nano MOFs as prospective materials in electrochemical energy storage applications, including lithium–ion batteries (LIB), lithium–sulfur batteries (LSB), zinc–ion batteries (ZIB), and supercapacitors (SCs). Finally, the challenges faced by these kinds of energy storage devices are proposed, along with the current directions and prospect.
Green synthesis of tellurium‐doped SnO2 nanoparticles with sulfurized g‐C3N4: Insights into methylene blue photodegradation and antibacterial capability
Authors: Umar Misbah , Ajaz Humayun , Javed Mohsin , Mansoor Sana , Iqbal Shahid , Mahmood Sajid , Rauf Abdul , Aroosh Komal , Bahadur Ali , Alshalwi Matar 
Published: February 2024

AbstractThe construction of SnO2 nanoparticles (NPs), specifically Te‐doped SnO2 NPs, using a simple and economical co‐precipitation technique has been thoroughly described in this work. NH3 served as the reducing agent in this procedure, whilst polyethylene glycol served as the capping agent. The primary goals of our work were to investigate the physicochemical properties of the synthesized SnO2 NPs and assess their potential use as antibacterial agents and photocatalysts. Scanning electron microscopy–energy dispersive X‐ray, ultraviolet light, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction (XRD), and other analytical techniques were used to thoroughly analyze the NPs. Based on the full width at half maximum of the most noticeable peaks in the XRD spectrum, the Debye–Scherrer equation was used to calculate the crystallite sizes, which indicated the presence of a single tetragonal SnO2 phase. Particularly noteworthy was the exceptional photocatalytic activity of graphene‐assisted Te‐doped SnO2 NPs, achieving an impressive decomposition efficiency of up to 98% in the photo‐oxidation of methylene blue. Furthermore, our investigation delved into the antibacterial attributes of the synthesized SnO2 NPs against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, demonstrating inhibitory effects on both bacteria strains. This suggests potential applications for these NPs in various environmental and medical contexts.
Intermediate product control in cascade reaction for one‐pot production of ε‐caprolactone by Escherichia coli
Authors: Chen Hefeng , Liu Ran , Cai Shengliang , Zhang Yingjiao , Zhu Chaoyi , Yu Hao , Li Shuang 
Published: February 2024

Abstractε‐Caprolactone is an important non‐toxic compound for polymer synthesis like polycaprolactone which has been widely used in drug delivery and degradable plastics. To meet the demand for a green economy, a bi‐enzymatic cascade, consisting of an alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and a cyclohexanone monooxygenase (CHMO), was designed and introduced into Escherichia coli to synthesize ε‐caprolactone from cyclohexanol with a self‐sufficient NADPH‐cofactor regeneration system. To further improve the catalytic efficiency, a carbonyl group‐dependent colorimetric method using inexpensive 2,4‐dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH) was developed for assay of cyclohexanone, an intermediate production of cascade reaction. It can be used to screen mutant strains with high catalytic efficiency from high‐throughput library by detecting the absorbance value in microtiter plates (MTP) instead of gas chromatography (GC) analysis. Moreover, an RBS combinatorial library was constructed for balancing the expression of ADH and CHMO from two independent transcriptional units. After the high‐throughput screening based on intermediate product control, an optimal variant with higher substrate tolerance and long‐term stability was obtained from RBS combinatorial library. Through a fed‐batch process, ε‐caprolactone production reached 148.2 mM after 70 h of reaction under the optimized conditions, which was the highest yield achieved to date.
Lung‐specific exosomes for doxorubicin delivery in lung adenocarcinoma therapy
Authors: Yu Fengqiang , Chen Yanxun , Yi Weiqiang , Guan Maohao , Lin Nanlong , Zhuo Yi , Lin Jianbo , Lai Fancai 
Published: February 2024

AbstractDoxorubicin (DOX) could be utilized to treat lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), while dose‐limiting cardiotoxicity limits its clinical utilization. MDA‐MB‐231 cell‐derived exosomes show lung‐specific organotropism features. In this study, we aimed to explore the potential of MDA‐MB‐231 cell‐derived exosomes in DOX specific delivery to the lung. MDA‐MB‐231 cell‐derived exosomes were coincubated with to construct for the doxorubicin delivery system (D‐EXO). Exosomes labeled with fluorescein isothiocyanate were incubated with A549 cells or 293T cells, and the engulf and the mean intensity of the fluorescence were detected with immunofluorescence and flow cytometry assay. Cell viability was detected with cell counting kit‐8 (CCK‐8), and cell migration was determined by scratch test. The protein expression was detected by Western blot assay. A549 cell line‐derived xenograft mouse model was constructed to examine the treatment effect of D‐EXO. MDA‐MB‐231 cell‐derived exosomes could be specially taken up by A549 cells with diminished cell viability but not engulfed by 293T cells. D‐EXO inhibited A549 cell migration, and upregulated the protein expression of caspase 3 and cleaved caspase 3 expression, while did not show any inhibition on 293T cells. In vivo orthotopic xenotransplantation model indicated that D‐EXO inhibited tumor growth characterized by diminished tumor weight and improved survival rate. No significant change in body weight was observed after the D‐EXO treatment. In conclusion, D‐EXO proposed in this study could be utilized to treat LUAD with lung‐specific delivery effects to improve the survival rate.
Duplication of a chromosome 2 segment in production CHO cell lines correlates with age‐related growth improvement
Authors: Wei Wei , Zielewicz Laura , Zhang Lin 
Published: February 2024

AbstractMonitoring the stability of recombinant Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cell lines is essential to ensure the selection of production cell lines suitable for biomanufacturing. It has been frequently observed that recombinant CHO cell lines develop phenotypic changes upon aging, such as accelerated cell growth in late generation cultures. However, the mechanism responsible for age‐correlated changes is poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying the age‐correlated cell growth improvement in Pfizer's platform fed‐batch production process, by examining multiple cell lines derived from different CHO expression systems, expressing a variety of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). Comprehensive whole‐genome resequencing analysis revealed duplication of a continuous 50.2 Mbp segment in chromosome 2 (Chr2) specific to clones that showed age‐correlated growth change as compared to clones that did not exhibit age‐correlated growth change. Moreover, such age‐ and growth‐related Chr2 duplication was independent of the presence or type of recombinant monoclonal antibody expression. When we compared transcriptome profiles from low‐growth and high‐growth cell lines, we found that >95% of the genes overexpressed in high‐growth cell lines were in the duplicated Chr2 segment. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of large genomic duplication, specific to Chr2, being associated with age‐correlated growth change. Investigation of the cause‐and‐effect relationship between the genes identified in the duplicated regions and age‐correlated growth change is underway. We are confident that this effort will lead to improved cell line screening and targeted rational cell line engineering efforts to develop cell lines with improved stability performance.
High throughput generating stable spheroids with tip‐refill wafer
Authors: Yang Xiaoyan , Pan Rong , Ning Ke , Xie Yuanyuan , Chen Feng , Sun Wei , Yu Ling 
Published: February 2024

AbstractThree‐dimensional (3D) cell cultures have garnered significant attention in biomedical research due to their ability to mimic the in vivo cellular environment more accurately. The formation of 3D cell spheroids using hanging drops has emerged as a cost‐effective and crucial method for generating uniformly‐sized spheroids. This study aimed to validate the potential of a tip‐refill wafer (TrW), a disposable laboratory item used to hold pipette tips, in facilitating 3D cell culture. The TrW allows for easy generation of hanging drops by pipetting the solution into the holes of the wafer. The mechanical stability of the hanging drops is ensured by the surface wettability and thickness of the TrW. Hanging drops containing 60‐µL of solution remained securely attached to the TrW even when subjected to orbital shaking at 210 rpm. The exceptional resistance to mechanical shaking enabled the use of inertial focusing to facilitate spheroid formation. This was demonstrated through live/dead cell staining, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analysis, and cytoskeleton staining, which revealed that horizontal orbiting at 60 rpm for 15 min promoted cell aggregation and ultimately led to the formation of 3D spheroids. The spheroid harvest rate is 96.1% ± 3.5% across three TrWs, each containing 60 hanging drops. In addition to generating mono‐culture 3D spheroids, the TrW‐based hanging drop platform also enables the formation of multicellular spheroids, and on‐demand pairing and fusion of spheroids. The TrW is a disposable item that does not require any fabrication or surface modification procedures, further enhancing its application potential in conventional biological laboratories.
Encapsulation of pristine and silica‐coated human adipose‐derived mesenchymal stem cells in gelatin colloidal hydrogels for tissue engineering and bioprinting applications
Authors: Maciel Marta M. , Hassani Besheli Negar , Correia Tiago R. , Mano João F. , Leeuwenburgh Sander C. G. 
Published: February 2024

AbstractColloidal gels assembled from gelatin nanoparticles (GNPs) as particulate building blocks show strong promise to solve challenges in cell delivery and biofabrication, such as low cell survival and limited spatial retention. These gels offer evident advantages to facilitate cell encapsulation, but research on this topic is still limited, which hampers our understanding of the relationship between the physicochemical and biological properties of cell‐laden colloidal gels. Human adipose‐derived mesenchymal stem cells were successfully encapsulated in gelatin colloidal gels and evaluated their mechanical and biological performance over 7 days. The cells dispersed well within the gels without compromising gel cohesiveness, remained viable, and spread throughout the gels. Cells partially coated with silica were introduced into these gels, which increased their storage moduli and decreased their self‐healing capacity after 7 days. This finding demonstrates the ability to modulate gel stiffness by incorporating cells partially coated with silica, without altering the solid content or introducing additional particles. Our work presents an efficient method for cell encapsulation while preserving gel integrity, expanding the applicability of colloidal hydrogels for tissue engineering and bioprinting. Overall, our study contributes to the design of improved cell delivery systems and biofabrication techniques.
Recent advances in applying omic technologies for studying acetic acid bacteria in industrial vinegar production: A comprehensive review
Authors: Román‐Camacho Juan J. , Mauricio Juan C. , Santos‐Dueñas Inés María , García‐Martínez Teresa , García‐García Isidoro 
Published: February 2024

AbstractVinegar and related bioproducts containing acetic acid as the main component are among the most appreciated fermented foodstuffs in numerous European and Asian countries because of their exceptional organoleptic and bio‐healthy properties. Regarding the acetification process and obtaining of final products, there is still a lack of knowledge on fundamental aspects, especially those related to the study of biodiversity and metabolism of the present microbiota. In this context, omic technologies currently allow for the massive analysis of macromolecules and metabolites for the identification and characterization of these microorganisms working in their natural media without the need for isolation. This review approaches comprehensive research on the application of omic tools for the identification of vinegar microbiota, mainly acetic acid bacteria, with subsequent emphasis on the study of the microbial diversity, behavior, and key molecular strategies used by the predominant groups throughout acetification. The current omics tools are enabling both the finding of new vinegar microbiota members and exploring underlying strategies during the elaboration process. The species Komagataeibacter europaeus may be a model organism for present and future research in this industry; moreover, the development of integrated meta‐omic analysis may facilitate the achievement of numerous of the proposed milestones. This work might provide useful guidance for the vinegar industry establishing the first steps towards the improvement of the acetification conditions and the development of new products with sensory and bio‐healthy profiles adapted to the agri‐food market.
Hydrodynamic studies of innovative membrane reactor for enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulosic waste
Authors: Dąbkowska‐Susfał Katarzyna , Lipińska Joanna , Sobieszuk Paweł , Kołtuniewicz Andrzej B. 
Published: February 2024

AbstractThis paper presents the study concerning the impact of the basic operational parameters on the performance of an innovative microfiltration membrane reactor applied for enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass. The concept and basic hydrodynamics of the reactor with tubular ceramic membranes and a propeller agitator were shown. Besides, the efficiency of enzymatic hydrolysis of corn straw was studied to check reactor functionality. It has been proven that the proposed reactor construction can improve the microfiltration of lignocellulosic suspension by reducing the cake layer on the membrane surface. Increasing the rotational speed of the propeller agitator also improved the filtration efficiency. The permeate flux during the microfiltration experiments was lower for smaller lignocellulose biomass fraction (D < 425 μm) when compared to the less fragmented corn straw (425 < D < 900 μm). For larger solid fractions, a stirring speed increase enhanced the separation efficiency regardless of the differences in biomass concentration. In contrast, this trend for the finer biomass fraction was only noticeable for the highest used biomass concentration (C = 2.0%). Considering the enzymatic hydrolysis of corn straw, membrane separation of reaction products positively influenced the process yield, and the results depended on the applied operational parameters.
A sustainable strategy for biosynthesis of Rebaudioside D using a novel glycosyltransferase of Solanum tuberosum
Authors: Ma Siyuan , Ma Yuanyuan 
Published: February 2024

AbstractBioconversion of Rebaudioside D faces high‐cost obstacles. Herein, a novel glycosyltransferase StUGT converting Rebaudioside A to Rebaudioside D was screened and characterized, which exhibits stronger affinity and substrate specificity for Rebaudioside A than previously reported enzymes. A whole‐cell catalytic system was thus developed using the StUGT strain. The production of Rebaudioside D was enhanced significantly by enhancing cell permeability, and the maximum production of 6.12 g/L and the highest yield of 98.08% by cell catalyst was obtained by statistical‐based optimization. A new cascade process utilizing this recombinant strain and E. coli expressing sucrose synthase was further established to reduce cost through replacing expensive UDPG with sucrose. A StUGT‐GsSUS1 system exhibited high catalytic capability, and 5.27 g L−1 Rebaudioside D was achieved finally without UDPG addition by systematic optimization. This is the best performance reported in cell‐cascaded biosynthesis, which paves a new cost‐effective strategy for sustainable synthesis of scarce premium sweeteners from biomass.
Liamocins overproduction via the two‐pH stage fermentation and anti‐Aspergillus flavus activity of Massoia lactone
Authors: Wang Peng , Zhang Mei , Zhao Shou‐Feng , Zhang Zhao‐Rui , Liu Guang‐Lei , Chi Zhe , Chi Zhen‐Ming 
Published: February 2024

AbstractAureobasidium melanogenum was found to be grown the best at the constant pH 7.0 and to produce the highest amount of liamocins at the constant pH 3.0. Therefore, the wild type strain A. melanogenum 9‐1 and the engineered strain V33 constructed in the laboratory were grown at the constant pH 7.0 for 48 h, then, they were continued to be cultivated at the constant pH 3.0. Under such conditions, A. melanogenum 9‐1 produced 36.51 ± 0.55 g L−1 of liamocin and its cell mass was 27.43 ± 0.63 and 6.00 ± 0.11 g L−1 of glucose was left in the finished medium within 168 h while the engineered strain V33 secreted 70.86 ± 2.04 g L−1 of liamocin, its cell mass was 31.63 ± 0.74 g L−1, 0.16 ± 0.01 g L−1 of glucose was maintained in the finished medium. Then, Massoia lactone was released from the produced liamocins. The released Massoia lactone loaded in the nanoemulsions could be used to actively damage cell wall and cell membrane of both spores and mycelia of Aspergillus flavus, leading to its cell necrosis. Massoia lactone loaded in the nanoemulsions also actively inhibited cell growth of A. flavus, its conidia production and aflatoxin biosynthesis on peanuts, indicating that Massoia lactone loaded in the nanoemulsions had highly potential application in controlling cell growth of A. flavus and aflatoxin biosynthesis in foods and feedstuffs.
In vivo and in vitro metabolite profiling of nirmatrelvir using LC–Q‐ToF–MS/MS along with the in silico approaches for prediction of metabolites and their toxicity
Authors: Chaganti Sowmya , Kushwah Bhoopendra Singh , Velip Laximan , Tiwari Shristy S. , Chilvery Shrilekha , Godugu Chandraiah , Samanthula Gananadhamu 
Published: February 2024

AbstractNirmatrelvir (NRV), a 3C‐like protease or Mpro inhibitor of SARS‐CoV‐2, is used for the treatment of COVID‐19 in adult and paediatric patients. The present study was accomplished to investigate the comprehensive metabolic fate of NRV using in vitro and in vivo models. The in vitro models used for the study were microsomes (human liver microsomes, rat liver microsomes, mouse liver microsomes) and S9 fractions (human liver S9 fractions and rat liver S9 fractions) with the appropriate cofactors, whereas Sprague–Dawley rats were used as the in vivo models. Nirmatrelvir was administered orally to Sprague–Dawley rats, which was followed by the collection of urine, faeces and blood at pre‐determined time intervals. Protein precipitation was used as the sample preparation method for all the samples. The samples were then analysed by liquid chromatography–quadrupole time‐of‐flight tandem mass spectrometry (LC‐Q‐ToF‐MS/MS) using an Acquity BEH C18 column with 0.1% formic acid and acetonitrile as the mobile phase. Four metabolites were found to be novel, which were formed via amide hydrolysis, oxidation and hydroxylation. Furthermore, an in silico analysis was performed using Meteor Nexus software to predict the probable metabolic changes of NRV. The toxicity and mutagenicity of NRV and its metabolites were also determined using DEREK Nexus and SARAH Nexus.