Alteration in Serum Lipid Profile Pattern in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Potentially Malignant Disorders

Objective: To evaluate and compare lipid profile level in oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF), oral leukoplakia (OL) and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients. Material and Methods: Thirty histopathologically diagnosed subjects each of OL, OSMF, OSCC were recruited along with 30 healthy controls. 5ml of venous blood is collected and estimated using standard diagnostic kits. Results: The mean of Total cholesterol level in controls was 219.03 mg%, in OSCC, OL and OSMF was 142.89 ± 10.21mg%, 155.44 ± 17.63 mg% and 180.60 ± 13.25 mg%, respectively. The mean low-density lipid level in controls was 137.24 mg and in OSCC, OL and OSMF groups were 109.28 ± 2.16 mg%, 126.63 ± 0.85 mg% and 119.15 ± 0.93 mg%, respectively. The mean of high-density lipid level in controls, OSCC, OL and OSMF was 42.87 ± 0.42 mg%, 36.50 ± 2.31 mg%, 21.13 ± 0.77 mg% and 28.37 ± 1.11mg%, respectively. The mean of very low density lipids level in controls, OSCC, OL and OSMF was 30.12 ± 1.51 mg%, 17.24 ± 0.80 mg%, 22.25 ± 0.93 mg% and 25.89 ± 0.43 mg%, respectively. The mean triglyceride level in controls, OSCC, OL and OSMF was 118.80 ± 9.47 mg%, 91.2 ± 3.03 mg%, 105.05 ± 2.96 mg% and 106.19 ± 3.09 mg%, respectively. Conclusion: Lipid profile levels could be early indicators of precancer and cancer

Primitive selection of the fittest emerging through functional synergy in nucleopeptide networks

Many fundamental cellular and viral functions, including replication and translation, involve complex ensembles hosting synergistic activity between nucleic acids and proteins/peptides. There is ample evidence indicating that the chemical precursors of both nucleic acids and peptides could be efficiently formed in the prebiotic environment. Yet, studies on nonenzymatic replication, a central mechanism driving early chemical evolution, have focused largely on the activity of each class of these molecules separately. We show here that short nucleopeptide chimeras can replicate through autocatalytic and cross-catalytic processes, governed syn-ergistically by the hybridization of the nucleobase motifs and the assembly propensity of the peptide segments. Unequal assembly-dependent replication induces clear selectivity toward the formation of a certain species within small networks of complementary nucleopeptides. The selectivity pattern may be influenced and indeed maximized to the point of almost extinction of the weakest replicator when the system is studied far from equilibrium and manipulated through changes in the physical (flow) and chemical (template and inhibition) conditions. We postulate that similar processes may have led to the emergence of the first functional nucleic-acid-peptide assemblies prior to the origin of life. Furthermore, spontaneous formation of related replicating complexes could potentially mark the initiation point for information transfer and rapid progression in complexity within primitive environments, which would have facilitated the development of a variety of functions found in extant biological assembliesThe research was supported by the H2020 FET-Open (A.d.l.E and G.A.; CLASSY project, Grant Agreement Nº 862081), an NSF-BSF grant (GA; BSF-2015671), and the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitivity (A.d.l.E; MINECO: CTQ-2014-53673-P, CTQ-2017-89539-P, and EUIN2017-87022). The European COST Action CM1304 funded a Short-Term Scientific Mission of S.M.R. to BGU. A.K.B. received support from the BGU Kreitmann fellowships progra

A fluorescent 1,3-diaminonaphthalimide conjugate of Calix[4]arene for sensitive and selective detection of trinitrophenol: spectroscopy, microscopy, and computational studies, and its applicability using cellulose strips

A new fluorescent 1,3-diaminonaphthalimide conjugate of calix[4]arene receptor (R) was synthesized and characterized. The receptor displays good selectivity towards trinitrophenol (TNP) over other explosive aromatic- and aliphatic-nitro compounds by exhibiting changes in its fluorescence emission. Receptor-coated cellulose paper strips are equally effective in terms of their selective detection of TNP over other aromatic- and aliphatic-nitro compounds. When used in solution or on cellulose paper strips, R can detect up to submicromolar concentration of TNP by exhibiting changes in its fluorescence emission and in its supramolecular structure upon interaction. Interestingly, the microscopy features of R, TNP, and {R+TNP} are quite distinct, indicating the interactions present between R and TNP, as studied by using AFM and TEM. Computationally modeled complexes of receptor with TNP and TNT show enormous difference in their interaction energies in the favor of TNP by showing the host–guest interaction of cation⋅⋅⋅anion type in the presence of TNP but not TNT. This is because the receptor adopts an “arms-open”-type structure in the case of the TNP complex, whereas it adopts an “arms-closed”-type structure in the presence of TNT. Both the experimental and the computational studies reveal that the receptor selectively binds to TNP over TNT. Thus, R-coated Whatman No.1 filter paper strips provide easy, rapid, and economical detection of trace amounts of TNP both by visual and spectral measurement

Fluorescence and piezoresistive cantilever sensing of trinitrotoluene by an upper rim tetra-benzimidazole conjugate of calix[4]arene and the delineation of the features of the complex by molecular dynamics

A new benzimidazole-functionalized calix[4]arene receptor (R) was synthesized and characterized. The receptor R shows better selectivity toward trinitrotoluene (TNT) compared to the other nitro explosives in solution, which also retains its effectiveness for solid-phase detection. The chemical interactions of the molecule with different nitro explosive analytes were studied by fluorescence spectroscopy and by a molecular dynamics approach. The molecular dynamics studies show a 1:3 complex between R and TNT, and hence high sensitivity was imparted by fluorescence studies. The detection of explosive vapors in ambient conditions was tested by using a sensitive coating layer of R on an SU-8/CB-based piezoresistive cantilever surface. The developed device showed large sensitivity toward TNT compared to cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine (RDX) and pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) in the solid state at their respective vapor pressures at room temperature. The detection sensitivity of the device was estimated to be 35 mV for TNT at ambient conditions. Moreover, the sensor does not show a response when exposed to humidity. These results demonstrate that R can be used as one of the coating materials for a cantilever for the detection of TNT using piezoresistivity measurement. R can also detect the explosives in solution with high sensitivity and selectivity by fluorescence spectroscopy

Versatile, Reversible, and Reusable Gel of a Monocholesteryl Conjugated Calix[4]arene as Functional Material to Store and Release Dyes and Drugs Including Doxorubicin, Curcumin, and Tocopherol

Gels are interesting soft materials owing to their functional properties leading to potential applications. This paper deals with the synthesis of monocholesteryl derivatized calix[4]­arene (<b>G</b>) and its instantaneous gelation at a minimum gelator concentration of 0.6% in 1:1 v/v THF/acetonitrile. The gel shows remarkable thermoreversibility by exhibiting <i>T</i>_gel→sol at ∼48 °C and is demonstrated for several cycles. The gel shows an organized network of nanobundles, while that of the sol shows spherical nanoaggregates in microscopy. A bundle with ∼12 nm diameter possessing hydrophobic pockets in itself is obtained from computationally modeled gel, and hence the gel is suitable for storage and release applications. The guest-entrapped gels exhibit the same microstructures as that observed with simple gels, while fluorescence spectra and molecular mechanics suggests that the drug molecules occupy the hydrophobic pockets. All the entrapped drug molecules are released into water, suggesting a complete recovery of the trapped species. The reusability of the gel for the storage and release of the drug into water is demonstrated for four consecutive cycles, and hence the gel formed from <b>G</b> acts as a functional material that finds application in drug delivery

Dissolution-Dictated Recrystallization in Cesium Lead Halide Perovskites and Size Engineering in δ‑CsPbI₃ Nanostructures

Crystal strain, crystal size, and reactivity with surrounding species underlie the thermal stability of the photoactive γ-CsPbI3 in theoretical and practical perspectives. The spontaneous transformation of optically γ-CsPbI3 nanocrystals (NCs) to inactive δ-CsPbI3 nanostructures (NSs) hinders the development of the fabrication of efficient photovoltaic devices. To understand this process, we conducted a comprehensive investigation on the phase transformation kinetics and the nucleation and growth of δ-CsPbI3 NSs from γ-CsPbI3 NCs (∼8 nm) in a stepwise manner. The reaction scheme involved independently carrying out reactions where the γ-CsPbI3 NCs reacted with optimized amounts of aprotic polar solvent (acetone), which leads to dissolution followed by a recrystallization process at solvent interfaces (acetone/hexane) to observe even the early changes in this process. Interestingly, the γ-CsPbI3 NCs during dissolution in acetone enable the release of PbI2 NCs, eventually leading to changes in crystal phase, size, and shape of the NCs. As a result, we observed unique absorption spectra and multiple emission features that enable white light emission. In contrast to the previously explored phase transformation process (γ-CsPbI3 to δ-CsPbI3 NSs) observed in larger-sized γ-CsPbI3 NCs (∼18 nm), which occurs through an oriented self-assembly process when the NCs come in contact with polar solvents, in our two-step solvent introduction procedure, the γ-CsPbI3 NCs first transform into zero-dimensional Cs4PbI6 NCs by their dissolution in acetone. Depending on the rate of dissolution which is proportional to the amounts of supplied acetone, the reaction solution can result in Cs4PbI6 NCs, γ-CsPbI3 NCs, or δ-CsPbI3 NSs during the recrystallization process. Furthermore, our investigations provided insights into this phase transition mechanism governed by the seeded growth phenomenon. This research facilitates enhanced control over undesired transitions, thereby promoting the development of refined and uncomplicated methodologies for recycling stable γ-CsPbI3 NCs

Fluorescence and Piezoresistive Cantilever Sensing of Trinitrotoluene by an Upper-Rim Tetrabenzimidazole Conjugate of Calix[4]arene and Delineation of the Features of the Complex by Molecular Dynamics

A new benzimidazole-functionalized calix[4]­arene receptor (<b>R</b>) was synthesized and characterized. The receptor <b>R</b> shows better selectivity toward trinitrotoluene (TNT) compared to the other nitro explosives in solution, which also retains its effectiveness for solid-phase detection. The chemical interactions of the molecule with different nitro explosive analytes were studied by fluorescence spectroscopy and by a molecular dynamics approach. The molecular dynamics studies show a 1:3 complex between <b>R</b> and TNT, and hence high sensitivity was imparted by fluorescence studies. The detection of explosive vapors in ambient conditions was tested by using a sensitive coating layer of <b>R</b> on an SU-8/CB-based piezoresistive cantilever surface. The developed device showed large sensitivity toward TNT compared to cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine (RDX) and pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) in the solid state at their respective vapor pressures at room temperature. The detection sensitivity of the device was estimated to be 35 mV for TNT at ambient conditions. Moreover, the sensor does not show a response when exposed to humidity. These results demonstrate that <b>R</b> can be used as one of the coating materials for a cantilever for the detection of TNT using piezoresistivity measurement. <b>R</b> can also detect the explosives in solution with high sensitivity and selectivity by fluorescence spectroscopy

Evaluation of Stress Distribution and Force in External Hexagonal Implant: A 3-D Finite Element Analysis

Purpose: To analyze the stress distribution and the direction of force in external hexagonal implant with crown in three different angulations. Materials and Methods: A total of 60 samples of geometric models were used to analyze von Mises stress and direction of force with 0-, 5-, and 10-degree lingual tilt. Von Mises stress and force distribution were evaluated at nodes of hard bone, and finite element analysis was performed using ANSYS 12.1 software. For calculating stress distribution and force, we categorized and labeled the groups as Implant A1, Implant A2, and Implant A3, and Implant B1, Implant B2, and Implant B3 with 0-, 5-, and 10-degree lingual inclinations, respectively. Inter- and intra-group comparisons were performed using ANOVA test. A p-value of ≤0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: In all the three models, overall maximum stress was found in implant model A3 on the implant surface (86.61), and minimum was found on model A1 in hard bone (26.21). In all the three models, the direction of force along three planes was maximum in DX (0.01025) and minimum along DZ (0.002) direction with model B1. Conclusion: Maximum von Mises stress and the direction of force in axial direction was found at the maximum with the implant of 10 degrees angulation. Thus, it was evident that tilting of an implant influences the stress concentration and force in external hex implants

Cesium Lead Iodide Perovskites: Optically Active Crystal Phase Stability to Surface Engineering

Among perovskites, the research on cesium lead iodides (CsPbI3) has attracted a large research community, owing to their all-inorganic nature and promising solar cell performance. Typically, the CsPbI3 solar cell devices are prepared at various heterojunctions, and working at fluctuating temperatures raises questions on the material stability-related performance of such devices. The fundamental studies reveal that their poor stability is due to a lower side deviation from Goldschmidt&rsquo;s tolerance factor, causing weak chemical interactions within the crystal lattice. In the case of organic&ndash;inorganic hybrid perovskites, where their stability is related to the inherent chemical nature of the organic cations, which cannot be manipulated to improve the stability drastically whereas the stability of CsPbI3 is related to surface and lattice engineering. Thus, the challenges posed by CsPbI3 could be overcome by engineering the surface and inside the CsPbI3 crystal lattice. A few solutions have been proposed, including controlled crystal sizes, surface modifications, and lattice engineering. Various research groups have been working on these aspects and had accumulated a rich understanding of these materials. In this review, at first, we survey the fundamental aspects of CsPbI3 polymorphs structure, highlighting the superiority of CsPbI3 over other halide systems, stability, the factors (temperature, polarity, and size influence) leading to their phase transformations, and electronic band structure along with the important property of the defect tolerance nature. Fortunately, the factors stabilizing the most effective phases are achieved through a size reduction and the efficient surface passivation on the delicate CsPbI3 nanocrystal surfaces. In the following section, we have provided the up-to-date surface passivating methods to suppress the non-radiative process for near-unity photoluminescence quantum yield, while maintaining their optically active phases, especially through molecular links (ligands, polymers, zwitterions, polymers) and inorganic halides. We have also provided recent advances to the efficient synthetic protocols for optically active CsPbI3 NC phases to use readily for solar cell applications. The nanocrystal purification techniques are challenging and had a significant effect on the device performances. In part, we summarized the CsPbI3-related solar cell device performances with respect to the device fabrication methods. At the end, we provide a brief outlook on the view of surface and lattice engineering in CsPbI3 NCs for advancing the enhanced stability which is crucial for superior optical and light applications