Knockdown of type 2 orexin receptor in adult mouse testis potentiates testosterone production and germ cell proliferation.

Orexins (OXs) are neuropeptides which regulate various physiological processes. OXs exist in two different forms, mainly orexin A (OXA) and orexin B (OXB) and their effects are mediated via OX1R and OX2R. Presence of OXB and OX2R in mouse testis is also reported. However, the role of OXB/OX2R in the male gonad remains unexplored. Herein we investigated the role of OXB/OX2R system in testicular physiology under in vivo and ex vivo conditions. Adult mice were given a single dose of bilateral intratesticular injection of siRNA targeting OX2R and were sacrificed 96 h post-injection. OX2R-knockdown potentiated serum and intratesticular testosterone levels with up-regulation in the expressions of major steroidogenic proteins. Germ cell proliferation also increased in siRNA-treated mice. Results of the ex vivo experiment also supported the findings of the in vivo study. In conclusion, OX2R may regulate testosterone production and thereby control the fine-tuning between steroidogenesis and germ cell dynamics.

Design of a Humidity Sensor for a PPE Kit Using a Flexible Paper Substrate.

The present work reports the rapid sweat detection inside a PPE kit using a flexible humidity sensor based on hydrothermally synthesized ZnO (zinc oxide) nanoflowers (ZNFs). Physical characterization of ZNFs was done using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transmission infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), UV-visible, particle size analysis, Raman analysis, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis, and the hydrophilicity was investigated by using contact angle measurement. Fabrication of a flexible sensor was done by deposition on the paper substrate using the spin coating technique. It exhibited high sensitivity and low response and recovery times in the humidity range 10-95%RH. The sensor demonstrated the highest sensitivity of 296.70 nF/%RH within the humidity range 55-95%RH, and the rapid response and recovery times were also calculated and found as 5.10/1.70 s, respectively. The selectivity of the proposed sensor was also analyzed, and it is highly sensitive to humidity. The humidity sensing characteristics were theoretically witnessed in terms of the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) and electronic properties of sensing materials in ambient and humid conditions. These theoretical results are evidence of the interaction of ZnO with humidity. Overall, the present study provides a scope of architecture-enabled paper-based humidity sensors for the detection of sweat levels inside PPE kits for health workers.

High selectivity and sensitivity through nanoparticle sensors for cleanroom CO2detection.

Clean room facilities are becoming more popular in both academic and industry settings, including low-and middle-income countries. This has led to an increased demand for cost-effective gas sensors to monitor air quality. Here we have developed a gas sensor using CoNiO2nanoparticles through combustion method. The sensitivity and selectivity of the sensor towards CO2were influenced by the structure of the nanoparticles, which were affected by the reducing agent (biofuels) used during synthesis. Among all reducing agents, urea found to yield highly crystalline and uniformly distributed CoNiO2nanoparticles, which when developed into sensors showed high sensitivity and selectivity for the detection of CO2gas in the presence of common interfering volatile organic compounds observed in cleanroom facilities including ammonia, formaldehyde, acetone, toluene, ethanol, isopropanol and methanol. In addition, the urea-mediated nanoparticle-based sensors exhibited room temperature operation, high stability, prompt response and recovery rates, and excellent reproducibility. Consequently, the synthesis approach to nanoparticle-based, energy efficient and affordable sensors represent a benchmark for CO2sensing in cleanroom settings.

Development and integration of a hierarchical Pd/WO3 acetone-sensing device for real-time exhaled breath monitoring with disposable face mask.

This study introduces an inventive acetone-sensing device seamlessly integrated into a disposable face mask, enabling real-time continuous breath monitoring. The sensor demonstrates exceptional sensitivity, registering a response of 8.22 at 1 ppm and an impressive sensor response of 57.33 at 100 ppm of acetone concentration. Particularly noteworthy is the remarkable lower limit of detection (LOD) of 0.076 ppm within the concentration range of 0.1-0.8 ppm, underscored by a robust R2 value of 0.994. To validate practicality, the Pd/WO3 sensor was fabricated onto cellulose paper and utilized for real-time breath analysis, yielding a substantial sensor response of 1.70 at 8 vol% (equivalent to a single exhale breath volume). The unique design incorporates a built-in disposable face mask, facilitating dependable and convenient real-time breath analysis. Additionally, this research explores the profound impact of introducing acetone and Pd atoms on the energy levels and dipole moments. The species elucidated through density functional theory (DFT) investigations encompassing WO3, WO3-acetone, Pd-WO3, and Pd-WO3-acetone species. This work presents an innovative and cost-effective approach for developing a portable, non-invasive, and highly sensitive acetone-sensing device, effectively integrated into a disposable face mask for real-time breath analysis. This pioneering technology holds immense potential for various applications in healthcare and beyond.

An investigation into the hybrid architecture of Mn-Co nanoferrites incorporated into a polyaniline matrix for photoresponse studies.

In this study, an enhanced photoresponse was observed in the Mn-Co Nanoferrites (MCFs)-Polyaniline (PANI) nanohybrid architecture due to the formation of interface between PANI and MCFs, which provided a conduction pathway for the movement of charge carriers, and these interfaces were observed in a high-resolution transmission electron micrograph (HR-TEM). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) suggests that the carbon (C 1s) of the MCF-PANI nanohybrid shows peaks at 287.80 eV for CO, 286.17 eV for C-O, 285.24 eV for C-N, 284.50 eV for the sp3 hybridized carbon (C-C/C-H) and 283.84 eV for the sp2 hybridized carbon (CC). Current-voltage (I-V) curves reveal an ohmic nature of the MCF-PANI nanohybrid photodetector device. The photoresponse measurements were analyzed using the trap depth concept, demonstrating that the conductive polymer increases the photoconduction mechanism efficiency of MCFs. The constructed photodetector device exhibits a high photoresponsivity of 22.69 A W-1, a remarkable detectivity of 1.36 × 1012 cm Hz1/2 W-1 and a fast rise/decay time of 0.7/0.8 s. The excellent performance of the as-fabricated photodetector device could be explained by the intimate interaction between MCFs and PANI at their interface.

CuMoO4 nanorods-based acetone chemiresistor-enabled non-invasive breathomic-diagnosis of human diabetes and environmental monitoring.

A nano-enabled low-trace monitoring system for acetone has the potential to revolutionize breath omics-based non-invasive diagnosis of human diabetes and environmental monitoring technologies. This unprecedented study presents the state-of-the-art facile and economic template-assisted hydrothermal route to fabricate novel CuMoO4 nanorods for room temperature breath and airborne acetone detection. Physicochemical attribute analysis reveals the formation of crystalline CuMoO4 nanorods with diameters ranging from 90 to 150 nm, and an optical band gap of approximately 3.87 eV. CuMoO4 nanorods-based chemiresistor demonstrates excellent acetone monitoring performance, with a sensitivity of approximately 33.85 at a concentration of 125 ppm. Acetone detection is rapid, with a response time of 23 s and fast recovery within 31 s. Furthermore, the chemiresistor exhibits long-term stability and selectivity towards acetone, compared to other interfering volatile organic compounds (VOCs) commonly found in human breath such as ethanol, propanol, formaldehyde, humidity, and ammonia. The linear detection range of acetone from 25 to 125 ppm achieved by the fabricated sensor is well-suited for human breath-based diagnosis of diabetes. This work represents a significant advancement in the field, as it offers a promising alternative to time-consuming and costly invasive biomedical diagnostics, with the potential for application in cleanroom facilities for indoor contamination monitoring. The utilization of CuMoO4 nanorods as sensing nanoplatform opens new possibilities for the development of nano-enabled, low-trace acetone monitoring technologies for non-invasive diabetes diagnosis and environmental sensing applications.

Earth-abundant and environmentally benign Ni-Zn iron oxide intercalated in a polyaniline based nanohybrid as an ultrafast photodetector.

Nickel-zinc iron oxide (NZF) was introduced into a polyaniline (PANI) matrix by an in situ chemical oxidation polymerization approach. The surface composition and chemical states were investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), which revealed an Fe 2p spectrum with the two peak positions of Fe 2p3/2 and Fe 2p1/2 at 711.00 and 724.48 eV, respectively. Deconvolution of the Fe 2p3/2 peak revealed two components with binding energies of 713.98 and 718.16 eV, corresponding to the presence of Fe cations in the octahedral and tetrahedral sites. Additionally, the Rietveld refinement of NZF showed a cubic system with the Fd3m space group. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) analysis showed that the NZF material strongly interacts with polyaniline, while the selected area electron diffraction (SAED) pattern perfectly matched with the XRD data. Lognormal distribution was used to determine the particle size, which was found to be in the range of 1-100 nm. A flexible photodetector device utilizing the NZF-PANI nanohybrid was fabricated on an environmentally friendly, biodegradable cellulose paper substrate and the device exhibited excellent performance, i.e., a responsivity of 0.069 A W-1 and detectivity of 7.258 × 1010 Jones at a very low voltage of 0.1 V. The non-stretched device showed a responsivity of 24.980 A W-1 at 5 V, whereas at 2 cm-1 bending curvature, the device showed a responsivity of 20.175 A W-1, which was much higher than the responsivity of a commercial photodetector (<0.5 A W-1).

Detrimental Effects of Heavy Metals in Soil, Plants, and Aquatic Ecosystems and in Humans.

Environmental pollution has posed a major threat to flora as well as fauna for the past few decades. Industries release effluents into the environment which act as the major source of pollution. The hazardous effects of heavy metals released from these industries impact the soil and due to bioaccumulation of these compounds in the food chain, they ultimately result in a serious human health hazard. The concentration of metals like chromium (Cr), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), cadmium (Cd), zinc (Zn), titanium (Ti), cobalt (Co), and several others in plants as well as in aquatic animals is above permissible limits according to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA) guidelines. This is why we need to prevent the aquatic ecosystem and human health from detrimental effects. In this review we will be discussing the harmful effects of these metals on soil, plants, aquatic ecosystems, and human health.

Maxillary neurilemmoma-Rarest of the rare tumour: Report of 2 cases.

INTRODUCTION: Intraoral neurilemmomas (schwannoma) are rare, even rarer are intraosseous ones, and the rarest are the maxillary neurilemmomas. Going by the literature only 5 cases of maxillary neurilemomas are reported till now. Neurilemmomas are benign tumours of nerve sheath origin. Approximately 30% arise in head and neck region, of these 1-12% arise intraorally mainly involving tongue. PRESENTATION OF CASE: Here we report two cases of maxillary neurilemmoma, one in a 9 year old girl and second one in a 27 year old female, both involving the lateral surface of maxilla on right side. Both the patients presented with a long standing history of swelling which was increasing gradually. 9-Year-old girl also had 1 lesion in the temporal region on right side and the 27-year-old patient had associated erosion of the soft palate. Diagnosis was made on the basis of histopathology and immunohistochemistry. DISCUSSION: Neurilemmomas are slow growing benign tumour of the nerve sheath origin arising from the Schwann cells. Their aetiology is not known. Most common complaint is that of a gradually increasing swelling followed by pain and paresthesias. Surgery remains the treatment of choice with close follow up. CONCLUSION: Maxillary neurilemmomas are rarest of the rare tumour which closely mimic benign odontogenic cysts and tumours, and should be kept in the differential diagnosis of these lesions. Knowledge of the radiologic and clinical behaviour of these tumours is extremely important for prompt diagnosis and treatment.