Opportunistic Routing Protocol Based EPO–BES in MANET for Optimal Path Selection

Wireless Personal Communications - Despite its various benefits, the Mobile Ad-hoc Network (MANET) has a number of obstacles due to its mobility, unstable topology, energy efficiency, and other...     

Silver nanoparticles modified nanocapsules for ultrasonically activated drug delivery

Novel ultrasound-sensitive nanocapsules were designed via layer-by-layer assembly (LbL) of polyelectrolytes for remote activated release of biomolecules/drug. Nanocapsules embedded with silver nanoparticles in the walls were synthesized by alternate assembly of poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) and dextran sulfate (DS) on silica template followed by nanoparticle synthesis and subsequent template removal thus yielding nanocapsules. The silver NPs were synthesized in situ within the capsule walls under controlled conditions. The nanocapsules were found to be well dispersed and the silver NPs were evenly distributed within the shell. FITC-dextran permeated easily into the capsules containing silver NP's due to the pores generated during the formation of NP's. When the loaded nanocapsules were sonicated, the presence of the silver NPs in the shell structure led to rupturing of the shell into smaller fragments thus releasing the FITC-dextran. Such nanocapsules have the potential to be used as drug delivery vehicles and offer the scope for further development in the areas of modern medicine, material science, and biochemistry.     

2D-titanium carbide (MXene) based selective electrochemical sensor for simultaneous detection of ascorbic acid,dopamine and uric acid

Two-dimensional (2D) titanium carbide (MXene) nanosheets exhibited excellent conductivity,flexibility,high volumetric capacity,hydrophilic surface,thermal stability,etc.So,it has been exploited in various applications.Herein,we report synthesis of mixed phase 2D MXene as a catalytic material for simultaneous detection of important biomolecules such as ascorbic acid (AA),dopamine (DA) and uric acid (UA),Crystalline structure,surface morphology and elemental composition of mixed phase titanium carbide (Ti-C-Tx) MXene (Tx =-F,-OH,or-O) nanosheets were confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD),Raman spectroscopy,high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM),high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (HR-SEM) and Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) mapping analysis.Furthermore,Ti-C-Tx modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was prepared and its electrochemical properties are studied by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV).It was found that Ti-C-Tx modified GCE (Ti-C-Tx/GCE) showed excellent electrocatalytic activity and separated oxidation peaks of important biomolecules such as AA (at 0.01 V),DA (at 0.21 V) and UA (at 0.33 V).Also,Ti-C-Tx/GCE sensor is enabled their simultaneous detection in physiological pH from 100 to 1000 μM for AA,0.5-50 μM for DA and 0.5-4 μM & 100-1500 μM for UA.The limit ofdetection's (LOD) was estimated as 4.6 μM,0.06 μM and 0.075 μM for AA,DA and UA,respectively.Moreover,real sample analysis indicated that spiked AA,DA and UA can be determined accurately by Ti-C-Tx/GCE with the recovery ratio in the range between 100.5％-103％ in human urine samples.The proposed Ti-C-Tx modified electrode exhibited good stability,selectivity and reproducibility as an electrochemical sensor for the detection ofAA,DA and UA molecules.     

Comparative Analysis of DNA‐Binding Selectivity of Hairpin and Cyclic Pyrrole‐Imidazole Polyamides Based on Next‐Generation Sequencing

Many long pyrrole‐imidazole polyamides (PIPs) have been synthesized in the search for higher specificity, with the aim of realizing the great potential of such compounds in biological and clinical areas. Among several types of PIPs, we designed and synthesized hairpin and cyclic PIPs targeting identical sequences. Bind‐n‐Seq analysis revealed that both bound to the intended sequences. However, adenines in the data analyzed by the previously reported Bind‐n‐Seq method appeared to be significantly higher in the motif ratio than thymines, even though the PIPs were not expected to distinguish A from T. We therefore examined the experimental protocol and analysis pipeline in detail and developed a new method based on Bind‐n‐Seq motif identification with a reference sequence (Bind‐n‐Seq‐MR). High‐throughput sequence analysis of the PIP‐enriched DNA data by Bind‐n‐Seq‐MR presented A and T comparably. Surface plasmon resonance assays were performed to validate the new method.     

Advancing Small‐Molecule‐Based Chemical Biology with Next‐Generation Sequencing Technologies

Next‐generation‐sequencing (NGS) technologies enable us to obtain extensive information by deciphering millions of individual DNA sequencing reactions simultaneously. The new DNA‐sequencing strategies exceed their precursors in output by many orders of magnitude, resulting in a quantitative increase in valuable sequence information that could be harnessed for qualitative analysis. Sequencing on this scale has facilitated significant advances in diverse disciplines, ranging from the discovery, design, and evaluation of many small molecules and relevant biological mechanisms to maturation of personalized therapies. NGS technologies that have recently become affordable allow us to gain in‐depth insight into small‐molecule‐triggered biological phenomena and empower researchers to develop advanced versions of small molecules. In this review we focus on the overlooked implications of NGS technologies in chemical biology, with a special emphasis on small‐molecule development and screening.     

Polyelectrolyte microcapsules for sustained delivery of water-soluble drugs

Polyelectrolyte capsules composed of weak polyelectrolytes are introduced as a simple and efficient system for spontaneous encapsulation of low molecular weight water-soluble drugs. Polyelectrolyte capsules were prepared by layer-by-layer (LbL) assembling of weak polyelectrolytes, poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) and poly(methacrylic acid) (PMA) on polystyrene sulfonate (PSS) doped CaCO₃ particles followed by core removal with ethylene-diaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). The loading process was observed by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) using tetramethylrhodamineisothiocyanate labeled dextran (TRITC-dextran) as a fluorescent probe. The intensity of fluorescent probe inside the capsule decreased with increase in cross-linking time. Ciprofloxacin hydrochloride (a model water-soluble drug) was spontaneously deposited into PAH/PMA capsules and their morphological changes were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The quantitative study of drug loading was also elucidated which showed that drug loading increased with initial drug concentration, but decreased with increase in pH. The loaded drug was released in a sustained manner for 6 h, which could be further extended by cross-linking the capsule wall. The released drug showed significant antibacterial activity against E. coli. These findings indicate that such capsules can be potential carriers for water-soluble drugs in sustained/controlled drug delivery applications.     

Silver nanoparticle synthesis: novel route for laser triggering of polyelectrolyte capsules

We have demonstrated the synthesis of light-sensitive polyelectrolyte capsules (PECs) by utilizing a novel polyol reduction method and investigated its applicability as photosensitive drug delivery vehicle. The nanostructured capsules were prepared via layer by layer (LbL) assembly of poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) and dextran sulfate (DS) on silica particles followed by in-situ synthesis of silver nanoparticles (NPs). Capsules without silver NPs were permeable to low molecular weight (M(w), 479 g/mol) rhodamine but impermeable to higher molecular weight fluorescence labeled dextran (FITC-dextran). However, capsules synthesized with silver NPs showed porous morphology and were permeable to higher molecular weight (M(w) 70 kDa) FITC-dextran also. These capsules were loaded with FITC-dextran using thermal encapsulation method by exploiting temperature induced shrinking of the capsules. During heat treatment the porous morphology of the capsules transformed into smooth pore free structure which prevents the movement of dextran into bulk during the loading process. When these loaded capsules are exposed to laser pulses, the capsule wall ruptured, resulting in the release of the loaded drug/dye. The rupture of the capsules was dependent on particle size, laser pulse energy and exposure time. The release was linear with time when pulse energy of 400 μJ was used and burst release was observed when pulse energy increased to 600 μJ.     

Identification of Sequence Specificity of 5‐Methylcytosine Oxidation by Tet1 Protein with High‐Throughput Sequencing

Tet (ten‐eleven translocation) family proteins have the ability to oxidize 5‐methylcytosine (mC) to 5‐hydroxymethylcytosine (hmC), 5‐formylcytosine (fC), and 5‐carboxycytosine (caC). However, the oxidation reaction of Tet is not understood completely. Evaluation of genomic‐level epigenetic changes by Tet protein requires unbiased identification of the highly selective oxidation sites. In this study, we used high‐throughput sequencing to investigate the sequence specificity of mC oxidation by Tet1. A 6.6×10⁴‐member mC‐containing random DNA‐sequence library was constructed. The library was subjected to Tet‐reactive pulldown followed by high‐throughput sequencing. Analysis of the obtained sequence data identified the Tet1‐reactive sequences. We identified mCpG as a highly reactive sequence of Tet1 protein.