Preparation of nanostructured TiO2 photoelectrode for flexible dye-sensitized solar cell applications

Nanocrystalline titanium dioxide (TiO2) thin film was successfully prepared by simple electrodeposition method from alkaline aqueous solution containing potassium titanium oxalate and hydroxylamine. Surface characterization of the electrodeposited films indicates the formation of crystalline TiO2. The dye solar cell constructed from dye-modified electrodeposited TiO2 film achieved an overall light-to-electricity conversion efficiency of 2.1 % under 1 sun illumination, indicating its high potential as a photoelectrode material for the DSCs

Sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor-1 (S1P1) is expressed by lymphocytes, dendritic cells, and endothelium and modulated during inflammatory bowel disease

The sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor-1 (S1P1) agonist ozanimod ameliorates ulcerative colitis, yet its mechanism of action is unknown. Here, we examine the cell subsets that express S1P1 in intestine using S1P1-eGFP mice, the regulation of S1P1 expression in lymphocytes after administration of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS), after colitis induced by transfer of CD4+CD45RBhi cells, and by crossing a mouse with TNF-driven ileitis with S1P1-eGFP mice. We then assayed the expression of enzymes that regulate intestinal S1P levels, and the effect of FTY720 on lymphocyte behavior and S1P1 expression. We found that not only T and B cells express S1P1, but also dendritic (DC) and endothelial cells. Furthermore, chronic but not acute inflammatory signals increased S1P1 expression, while the enzymes that control tissue S1P levels in mice and humans with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) were uniformly dysregulated, favoring synthesis over degradation. Finally, we observed that FTY720 reduced T-cell velocity and induced S1P1 degradation and retention of Naïve but not effector T cells. Our data demonstrate that chronic inflammation modulates S1P1 expression and tissue S1P levels and suggests that the anti-inflammatory properties of S1PR agonists might not be solely due to their lymphopenic effects, but also due to potential effects on DC migration and vascular barrier function

SSR markers based identification of genetic variability of spiraling whitefly, <em>Aleurodicus</em> <em>dispersus</em> populations in Tamil Nadu, India

322-328The spiraling whitefly, Aleurodicus dispersus Russell (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), is a polyphagous and important pest of agricultural and horticultural crops in India. Despite its economic importance, little is known about the level and patterns of genetic variability in populations. In this study, we used the simple sequence repeats - polymerase chain reaction (SSR-PCR) technique to study the genetic diversity of spiraling whitefly populations from 18 districts of Tamil Nadu. About 54. 7% of alleles were polymorphic in A. dispersus populations from 18 districts. Our SSR study clearly detected moderate levels of polymorphism among the whitefly populations as multiple alleles were identified in many markers. The polymorphism information content (PIC) for SSR primers ranged from 0 to 1. Average genetic distances were estimated to investigate the level of DNA variation among 18 spiraling whitefly populations from 18 districts of Tamil Nadu. The highest average genetic distance (0.855) was found between populations from Tiruppur, Erode, Tiruchirappalli and Villupuram. An unweighted pair group method of arithematic-average (UPGMA) dendrogram constructed  based on similarity coefficients for the 18 A. dispersus populations from 18 districts of Tamil Nadu. The spiraling whitefly population from Pudukkottai was separated from those in the other 17 districts of Tamil Nadu

Cell Trafficking Interference in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Therapeutic Interventions Based on Basic Pathogenesis Concepts

After 20 years of successful targeting of pro-inflammatory cytokines for the treatment of IBD, an alternative therapeutic strategy has emerged, based on several decades of advances in understanding the pathogenesis of IBD. The targeting of molecules involved in leukocyte traffic has recently become a safe and effective alternative. With 2 currently approved drugs (ie, natalizumab, vedolizumab) and several others in phase 3 trials (eg, etrolizumab, ozanimod, anti-MAdCAM-1), the blockade of trafficking molecules has firmly emerged as a new therapeutic era for IBD. We discuss the targets that have been explored in clinical trials: chemokines and its receptors (eg, IP10, CCR9), integrins (eg, natalizumab, AJM300, vedolizumab, and etrolizumab), and its endothelial ligands (MAdCAM-1, ICAM-1). We also discuss a distinct strategy that interferes with lymphocyte recirculation by blocking lymphocyte egress from lymph nodes (small molecule sphingosine-phosphate receptor [S1PR] agonists: fingolimod, ozanimod, etrasimod, amiselimod). Strategies on the horizon include additional small molecules, allosteric inhibitors that specifically bind to the active integrin form and nanovectors that allow for the use of RNA interference in the quest to modulate pro-inflammatory leukocyte trafficking in IBD. © 2018 Crohn&apos;s &amp; Colitis Foundation. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved