Thrombospondin-1 CD47 Signalling: From Mechanisms to Medicine

Recent advances provide evidence that the cellular signalling pathway comprising the ligand-receptor duo of thrombospondin-1 (TSP1) and CD47 is involved in mediating a range of diseases affecting renal, vascular, and metabolic function, as well as cancer. In several instances, research has barely progressed past pre-clinical animal models of disease and early phase 1 clinical trials, while for cancers, anti-CD47 therapy has emerged from phase 2 clinical trials in humans as a crucial adjuvant therapeutic agent. This has important implications for interventions that seek to capitalize on targeting this pathway in diseases where TSP1 and/or CD47 play a role. Despite substantial progress made in our understanding of this pathway in malignant and cardiovascular disease, knowledge and translational gaps remain regarding the role of this pathway in kidney and metabolic diseases, limiting identification of putative drug targets and development of effective treatments. This review considers recent advances reported in the field of TSP1-CD47 signalling, focusing on several aspects including enzymatic production, receptor function, interacting partners, localization of signalling, matrix-cellular and cell-to-cell cross talk. The potential impact that these newly described mechanisms have on health, with a particular focus on renal and metabolic disease, is also discussed.     

Extraction of iridium(III) by ion-pair formation with 2-octylaminopyridine in weak organic acid media

To extract iridium(III), various physicochemical parameters were studied. 2-Octylaminopyridine was used for the extraction of iridium(III) from acetate medium at 8.5 pH. Quantitative extraction of iridium(III) was achieved via ion-pair formation of cation [2-OAPH⁺] and anion [Ir(CH₃COO)₄]^?. The stripping of iridium(III)-laden organic phase was carried out 2 M HCl (3 × 10 mL) . The stoichiometry of the extracted ion–pair complex was found to be 1:4:1 (metal: acetate: extractant). The extracted species [2-OAPH⁺. Ir(CH₃COO)₄^?] is assumed to be an ion association product of [Ir(CH₃COO)₄] ^? and [2-OAPH]⁺. The proposed method was successfully used in the separation of iridium(III) from binary and ternary mixtures. Analysis of various alloy samples was also carried out.     

Electrosynthesis and characterization of iron selenide thin films

Iron selenide thin films have been deposited onto stainless steel and fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) glass substrates by the electrodeposition process, in potentiostatic mode using ferric chloride (FeCl₃) and selenium dioxide (SeO₂) salts. The deposition mechanism and growth of the films were investigated by cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry. The structural, morphological, compositional and optical properties of the deposited films have been studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), EDAX and optical absorption techniques, respectively. XRD studies reveal that the films are polycrystalline with monoclinic crystal structure. The surface morphology study shows that grains are uniformly distributed over the entire surface of the substrate. EDAX study reveals that the iron selenide films are rich in iron. Optical absorption study shows the presence of direct transition with bandgap energy of 1.23 eV.     

Customizing MRI-Compatible Multifunctional Neural Interfaces through Fiber Drawing

Fiber drawing enables scalable fabrication of multifunctional flexible fibers that integrate electrical, optical, and microfluidic modalities to record and modulate neural activity. Constraints on thermomechanical properties of materials, however, have prevented integrated drawing of metal electrodes with low-loss polymer waveguides for concurrent electrical recording and optical neuromodulation. Here, two fabrication approaches are introduced: 1) an iterative thermal drawing with a soft, low melting temperature (T_m) metal indium, and 2) a metal convergence drawing with traditionally non-drawable high T_m metal tungsten. Both approaches deliver multifunctional flexible neural interfaces with low-impedance metallic electrodes and low-loss waveguides, capable of recording optically-evoked and spontaneous neural activity in mice over several weeks. These fibers are coupled with a light-weight mechanical microdrive (1 g) that enables depth-specific interrogation of neural circuits in mice following chronic implantation. Finally, the compatibility of these fibers with magnetic resonance imaging is demonstrated and they are applied to visualize the delivery of chemical payloads through the integrated channels in real time. Together, these advances expand the domains of application of the fiber-based neural probes in neuroscience and neuroengineering.     

A selective ethanol gas sensor based on spray-derived Ag–ZnO thin films

A simple and cost-effective spray pyrolysis technique was employed to synthesize silver-doped zinc oxide (Ag–ZnO) thin films on the glass substrates from aqueous solutions of zinc acetate and silver nitrate precursors at 450 °C. The effects of Ag doping on structural, morphological, and gas-sensing properties of films were examined. The X-ray diffraction spectra of the Ag–ZnO films showed the polycrystalline nature having hexagonal crystal structure. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of the pure ZnO films revealed the uniform distribution of the spherical grains (~80 nm size). Tiny Ag nanoparticles are clearly visualized in the SEM of Ag–ZnO films. The investigation of the effect of Ag doping on the gas-sensing properties of the Ag–ZnO revealed that the 15 % Ag-doped ZnO sample has the highest gas sensitivity (85 %) and excessive Ag doping in ZnO degraded the gas sensitivity. A possible mechanism of Ag–ZnO-based sensor sensitivity to the target gas is also proposed.     

Gas-Sensing Properties of Zinc Ferrite Nanoparticles Synthesized by the Molten-Salt Route

Zinc ferrite (ZnFe₂O₄) nanoparticles have been synthesized at 700°C using sodium chloride as a growth inhibitor. Single-phase formation of spinel zinc ferrite having crystallite size in the range of 15–20 nm was observed by XRD and confirmed by TEM. In the present work, the gas-sensing properties of these zinc ferrite nanoparticles toward ethanol, LPG, H₂, NO _x . SO _x , and H₂S have been studied. It was found that they exhibit excellent selective sensitivity toward 200 ppm of H₂S at the operating temperature of 250°C, and thus this nanosized ferrite is expected to be useful in an industrial application as a potential H₂S gas sensor.     

Aqueous chemical route deposition of nanocrystalline ZnO thin films as acetone sensor: Effect of molarity

Nanocrystalline ZnO thin films were deposited onto glass substrate using a simple and inexpensive aqueous chemical method at low temperature (90 °C). The concentration of precursor solution was varied in order to study its effect on structural, morphological, and gas response properties. Field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) images indicate the growth of ZnO with hexagonal shaped nanostructure. Further these films were used to explore gas response properties towards acetone, propanol and ethanol vapors. The sensor response was found to be decreased with increase in precursor concentration. The highest sensor response of 92% was observed towards acetone for the film deposited at 0.05 M at an operating temperature of 350 °C. The higher vapor response towards acetone is attributed to size and surface morphology of the film deposited at 0.05 M.