Development of a Cu/MoS2/Ni Self-Lubricating Composite Clad through Laser Additive Approach over a Ti6Al4V Substrate and Its Characterizations.

Solid lubricant coatings play a critical role in enhancing the tribological properties of engineering materials, particularly in aerospace and biomedical applications. Ti6Al4V is widely used in aerospace and defense industries due to its excellent mechanical properties and high strength-to-weight ratio. In this regard, a solid lubricant metal matrix composite (MMC) clad was successfully fabricated over Ti6Al4V. A full factorial (L16) was successfully implemented to investigate the interaction of process parameters for laser power and scanning speed with response outputs, such as the clad layer thickness and microhardness. The microstructural study of the clad confirmed the presence of dark and bright phases of the microstructure with cylindrical, elliptical, and lamellar structures. This showed the presence of molybdenum and sulfide phases (MoS2, TiS, CuS) and the presence of a nickel phase (TiNi, NiS, CuNi), confirmed through X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy; these phases bestowed hardness as well as solid lubricating properties on the clad. The microhardness of the clad was found to be 2-3 times that of the substrate material. The wear behavior of the clad was studied in the load range of 5-15 N; the coefficient of friction (0.33 for clad and 0.5 for base), wear track depth profile, and wear mechanism revealed that the cladded sample has higher wear resistance as compared to the substrate material. The worn morphology showed that microcutting and microplowing are the major phenomena of wear occurrence. Further, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis was performed to determine the binding energy of the compound formed at the clad zone, which can predict the most significant phase for the alteration of the mechanical behavior of the solid lubrication clad.

Lipid-induced alteration in retinoic acid signaling leads to mitochondrial dysfunction in HepG2 and Huh7 cells.

A surfeit of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inflammation serve as obligatory mediators of lipid-associated hepatocellular maladies. While retinoid homeostasis is essential in restoring systemic energy balance, its role in hepatic mitochondrial function remains elusive. The role of lecithin-retinol acyltransferase (LRAT) in maintenance of retinoid homeostasis is appreciated earlier; however, its role in modulating retinoic acid (RA) bioavailability upon lipid-imposition is unexplored. We identified LRAT overexpression in high-fat diet (HFD)-fed rats and palmitate-treated hepatoma cells. Elevation in LRAT expression depletes RA production and deregulates RA signaling. This altered RA metabolism enhances fat accumulation, accompanied by inflammation that leads to impaired mitochondrial function through enhanced ROS generation. Hence, LRAT inhibition could be a novel approach preventing lipid-induced mitochondrial dysfunction in hepatoma cells.

Seedpod extracts of Wrightia tinctoria shows significant anti-inflammatory effects in HepG2 and RAW-264.7cell lines.

W. tinctoria, an Indian herb Indrajao, has significant therapeutic potential. While studies have highlighted the anti-inflammatory potential of the leaves and bark of this plant, similar efficacy of the seed-pods remains unexplored. We demonstrate significant anti-inflammatory effects of the hexane fraction (Fr-B) of ethyl acetate extract of the seedpods in reducing lipopolysaccharide and palmitate mediated inflammation in RAW264.7 macrophages and HepG2 cells. GC-MS and NMR profiling of Fr-B revealed the existence of hexadecanoic acid, ethyl hexadecanoate, 9,12-octadecanoic acid, 9,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid, 9,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid ethyl ester, ethyl linoleate and octadecanoic acid ethyl esters.