Characterization of organic semiconductors using cyclic voltammetry

Semiconductors play an important role in our everyday life: from computers to cell phone, to televisions, all these devices are controlled by transistors that are made of semiconductors. The performance of semiconductors is determined by the electronic structures, including HOMO and LUMO energy levels and the energy gap. One way to probe the electronic structure is through cyclic voltammetry. Cyclic voltammetry is generally used to study the electrochemical properties of an analyte in solution, such as oxidation potential and reduction potentials. With the redox potentials measured, the HOMO and LUMO levels and their gap can be calculated. My project is to use cyclic voltammetry to characterize new organic semiconductors that are synthesized in our lab, and then the results will be compared with other characterization methods, such as UV-vis and theoretical calculations

In Silico exploration of phytochemicals as potential drug candidates against dipeptidyl peptidase-4 target for the treatment of type 2 diabetes

Background: The objective of the study was to use docking and pharmacological research to explore phytochemicals as therapeutic candidates for the treatment of type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Methods: The 100 plant compounds for the study were selected after a thorough review of the most recent literature using PubMed and Google Scholar. Three-dimensional structure in Structure-Data File Format of all phytochemicals was downloaded and collected from the PubChem platform. In parallel, the three-dimensional structure of the target protein dipeptidyl peptidase-4 in Protein Data Bank (PDB) format was obtained from the website of the Research Collaboratory for Structural Bioinformatics-PDB. AutoDock Vina software was used for the docking purpose. SwissADME and the admetSAR web server were used to further examine the top docked compounds for the pharmacological investigation. Results: Out of 100 phytochemicals, only 15 have shown better or comparable binding affinity above the benchmark medication, sitagliptin (−7.9 kcal/mol). All of these compounds were assessed to determine their viability as potential drugs by predicting their Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion, and Toxicity (ADMET) properties. Two of these phytochemicals have proven their potential as medication candidates by passing the ADMET requirements. Conclusions: In silico studies help explore and find drug candidates among the enormous pool of phytochemicals and narrow down the screening process, saving time and money on experiments. In vitro and in vivo testing can be used in the future to further validate drug candidature

The role of TLR7 agonists in modulating COVID-19 severity in subjects with loss-of-function TLR7 variants

Abstract We investigate the mechanism associated with the severity of COVID-19 in men with TLR7 mutation. Men with loss-of-function (LOF) mutations in TLR7 had severe COVID-19. LOF mutations in TLR7 increased the risk of critical COVID by 16.00-fold (95% confidence interval 2.40–106.73). The deleterious mutations affect the binding of SARS-CoV2 RNA (− 328.66 ± 26.03 vs. − 354.08 ± 27.70, p = 0.03) and MYD88 (β: 40.279, p = 0.003) to TLR7 resulting in the disruption of TLR7-MyD88-TIRAP complex. In certain hypofunctional variants and all neutral/benign variants, there is no disruption of TLR7-MyD88-TIRAP complex and four TLR7 agonists showed binding affinity comparable to that of wild protein. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) also showed a higher binding affinity for the LOF variants (p = 0.03). To conclude, TLR7 LOF mutations increase the risk of critical COVID-19 due to loss of viral RNA sensing ability and disrupted MyD88 signaling. Majority of hypofunctional and neutral variants of TLR7 are capable of carrying MyD88 signaling by binding to different TLR7 agonists and NAC

Critical Review on Physiological and Molecular Features during Bovine Mammary Gland Development: Recent Advances

The mammary gland is a unique organ with the ability to undergo repeated cyclic changes throughout the life of mammals. Among domesticated livestock species, ruminants (cattle and buffalo) constitute a distinct class of livestock species that are known milk producers. Cattle and buffalo contribute to 51 and 13% of the total milk supply in the world, respectively. They also play an essential role in the development of the economy for farming communities by providing milk, meat, and draft power. The development of the ruminant mammary gland is highly dynamic and multiphase in nature. There are six developmental stages: embryonic, prepubertal, pubertal, pregnancy, lactation, and involution. There has been substantial advancement in our understanding of the development of the mammary gland in both mouse and human models. Until now, there has not been a thorough investigation into the molecular processes that underlie the various stages of cow udder development. The current review sheds light on the morphological and molecular changes that occur during various developmental phases in diverse species, with a particular focus on the cow udder. It aims to explain the physiological differences between cattle and non-ruminant mammalian species such as humans, mice, and monkeys. Understanding the developmental biology of the mammary gland in molecular detail, as well as species-specific variations, will facilitate the researchers working in this area in further studies on cellular proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, organogenesis, and carcinogenesis. Additionally, in-depth knowledge of the mammary gland will promote its use as a model organ for research work and promote enhanced milk yield in livestock animals without affecting their health and welfare

Deep Insight of the Pathophysiology of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

Diabetes mellitus is a severe metabolic disorder, which consistently requires medical care and self-management to restrict complications, such as obesity, kidney damage and cardiovascular diseases. The subtype gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) occurs during pregnancy, which severely affects both the mother and the growing foetus. Obesity, uncontrolled weight gain and advanced gestational age are the prominent risk factors for GDM, which lead to high rate of perinatal mortality and morbidity. In-depth understanding of the molecular mechanism involved in GDM will help researchers to design drugs for the optimal management of the condition without affecting the mother and foetus. This review article is focused on the molecular mechanism involved in the pathophysiology of GDM and the probable biomarkers, which can be helpful for the early diagnosis of the condition. The early diagnosis of the metabolic disorder, most preferably in first trimester of pregnancy, will lead to its effective long-term management, reducing foetal developmental complications and mortality along with safety measures for the mother

Molecular complexity of mammary glands development: a review of lactogenic differentiation in epithelial cells

AbstractThe mammary gland is a dynamic organ with various physiological processes like cellular proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis during the pregnancy-lactation-involution cycle. It is essential to understand the molecular changes during the lactogenic differentiation of mammary epithelial cells (MECs, the milk-synthesizing cells). The MECs are organized as luminal milk-secreting cells and basal myoepithelial cells (responsible for milk ejection by contraction) that form the alveoli. The branching morphogenesis and lactogenic differentiation of the MECs prepare the gland for lactation. This process is governed by many molecular mediators including hormones, growth factors, cytokines, miRNAs, regulatory proteins, etc. Interestingly, various signalling pathways guide lactation and understanding these molecular transitions from pregnancy to lactation will help researchers design further research. Manipulation of genes responsible for milk synthesis and secretion will promote augmentation of milk yield in dairy animals. Identifying protein signatures of lactation will help develop strategies for persistent lactation and shortening the dry period in farm animals. The present review article discusses in details the physiological and molecular changes occurring during lactogenic differentiation of MECs and the associated hormones, regulatory proteins, miRNAs, and signalling pathways. An in-depth knowledge of the molecular events will aid in developing engineered cellular models for studies related to mammary gland diseases of humans and animals