Radiation-Induced Hydrogel for Water Treatment.

Along with serving as drug delivery sensors and flexible devices, hydrogels are playing pioneering roles in water purification. Both chemical and radiation methods can produce hydrogels, with the latter method gaining preference for its pure adducts. The water treatment process entails the removal of heavy and toxic metals (above the threshold amount), dyes, and solid wastes from industrial effluents, seawater, and groundwater, as well as sterilization for microorganism destruction. This review analyzed the different types of hydrogels produced by applying various radiations for water treatment. Particularly, we examined the hydrogels created through the application of varying levels of gamma and electron beam radiation from the electron gun and Co-60 sources. Moreover, we discuss the optimized radiation doses, the compositions (monomers and polymers) of raw materials required for hydrogel preparation, and their performance in water purification. We present and predict the current state and future possibilities of radiation-induced hydrogels. We explain and compare the superiority of one radiation method over other radiation methods (UV-visible, X-ray, microwave, etc.) based on water treatment.

Potential of Carbon Aerogels in Energy: Design, Characteristics, and Applications.

In energy applications, the use of materials with hierarchical porous structures and large surface areas is essential for efficient charge storage. These structures facilitate rapid electron and ion transport, resulting in high power density and quick charge/discharge capabilities. Carbon-based materials are extensively utilized due to their tunable properties, including pore sizes ranging from ultra- to macropores and surface polarity. Incorporating heteroatoms such as nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, phosphorus, and boron modifies the carbon structure, enhancing electrocatalytic properties and overall performance. A hierarchical pore structure is necessary for optimal performance, as it ensures efficient access to the material's core. The microstructure of carbon materials significantly impacts energy storage, with factors like polyaromatic condensation, crystallite structure, and interlayer distance playing crucial roles. Carbon aerogels, derived from the carbonization of organic gels, feature a sponge-like structure with large surface area and high porosity, making them suitable for energy storage. Their open pore structure supports fast ion transfer, leading to high energy and power densities. Challenges include maintaining mechanical or structural integrity, multifunctional features, and scalability. This review provides an overview of the current progress in carbon-based aerogels for energy applications, discussing their properties, development strategies, and limitations, and offering significant guidance for future research requirements.

Conductive Gels for Energy Storage, Conversion, and Generation: Materials Design Strategies, Properties, and Applications.

Gel-based materials have garnered significant interest in recent years, primarily due to their remarkable structural flexibility, ease of modulation, and cost-effective synthesis methodologies. Specifically, polymer-based conductive gels, characterized by their unique conjugated structures incorporating both localized sigma and pi bonds, have emerged as materials of choice for a wide range of applications. These gels demonstrate an exceptional integration of solid and liquid phases within a three-dimensional matrix, further enhanced by the incorporation of conductive nanofillers. This unique composition endows them with a versatility that finds application across a diverse array of fields, including wearable energy devices, health monitoring systems, robotics, and devices designed for interactive human-body integration. The multifunctional nature of gel materials is evidenced by their inherent stretchability, self-healing capabilities, and conductivity (both ionic and electrical), alongside their multidimensional properties. However, the integration of these multidimensional properties into a single gel material, tailored to meet specific mechanical and chemical requirements across various applications, presents a significant challenge. This review aims to shed light on the current advancements in gel materials, with a particular focus on their application in various devices. Additionally, it critically assesses the limitations inherent in current material design strategies and proposes potential avenues for future research, particularly in the realm of conductive gels for energy applications.

In Vitro Anti-Rotaviral Activity of Bavachin Isolated from Psoralea corylifolia L. (Fabaceae).

Rotavirus is the main causative agent of viral gastroenteritis among young animals worldwide. Currently, no clinically approved or effective antiviral drugs are available to combat rotavirus infections. Herein, we evaluated the anti-rotaviral activities of extracts and bavachin isolated from Psoralea corylifolia L. (Fabaceae) (P. corylifolia) against the bovine rotavirus G8P[7] and porcine rotavirus G5P[7] in vitro. Two assay strategies were performed: (1) a virucidal assay to reduce viral infectivity by virus neutralization and (2) a post-treatment assay to assess viral replication suppression. The results from the virucidal assay showed that the extracts and bavachin did not exert anti-rotaviral activities. In the follow-up analysis after treatment, bavachin exhibited robust antiviral efficacy, with 50% effective concentration (EC50) values of 10.6 µM (selectivity index [SI] = 2.38) against bovine rotavirus G8P[7] and 13.0 µM (SI = 1.94) against porcine rotavirus G5P[7]. Bavachin strongly suppressed viral RNA synthesis in the early (6 h) and late stages (18 h) after rotaviral infection. These findings strongly suggest that bavachin may have hindered the virions by effectively inhibiting the early stages of the virus replication cycle after rotaviral infection. Furthermore, confocal imaging showed that bavachin suppressed viral protein synthesis, notably that of the rotaviral protein (VP6). These results suggest that bavachin has strong antiviral activity against rotaviruses, inhibits viral replication, and is a candidate natural therapeutic drug targeting rotaviral infection. The utilization of bavachin isolated from P. corylifolia may contribute to decreased mortality rates, lower medication expenses, and enhanced economic viability in domestic farms.

Novel microbiota Mesosutterella faecium sp. nov. has a protective effect against inflammatory bowel disease.

A novel Gram-negative, obligate anaerobe, non-motile, flagella-lacking, catalase- and oxidase-negative, coccobacilli-shaped bacterial strain designated AGMB02718T was isolated from swine feces. The 16S rRNA gene analysis indicated that strain AGMB02718T belonged to the genus Mesosutterella with the highest similarity to M. multiformis 4NBBH2T (= DSM 106860T) (sequence similarity of 96.2%), forming a distinct phylogenetic lineage. Its growth occurred at 25-45°C (optimal 37°C) and in 0.5-1% NaCl (optimal 0.5%). Strain AGMB02718T was asaccharolytic and contained menaquinone 6 (MK-6) and methylmenaquinone 6 (MMK-6) as the predominant respiratory quinones. The major cellular fatty acids in the isolate were C18:1ω9c and C16:0. Based on the whole-genome sequencing analysis, strain AGMB02718T had a 2,606,253 bp circular chromosome with a G + C content of 62.2%. The average nucleotide identity value between strain AGMB02718T and M. multiformis 4NBBH2T was 72.1%, while the digital DNA-DNA hybridization value was 20.9%. Interestingly, genome analysis suggested that strain AGMB02718T possessed a low-toxicity lipopolysaccharide (LPS) because the genome of the isolate does not include lpxJ and lpxM genes for Kdo2-Lipid A (KLA) assembly, which confers high toxicity to LPS. Moreover, in vitro macrophage stimulation assay confirmed that AGMB02718T produced LPS with low toxicity. Because the low-toxicity LPS produced by the Sutterellaceae family is involved in regulating host immunity and low-toxicity LPS-producing strains can help maintain host immune homeostasis, we evaluated the anti-inflammatory activity of strain AGMB02718T against inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). As a result, strain AGMB02718T was able to prevent the inflammatory response in a dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis model. Therefore, this strain represents a novel species of Mesosutterella that has a protective effect against DSS-induced colitis, and the proposed name is Mesosutterella faecium sp. nov. The type strain is AGMB02718T (=GDMCC 1.2717T = KCTC 25541T).

Design of DNA Storage Coding Scheme With LDPC Codes and Interleaving.

In this paper, we propose a new coding scheme for DNA storage using low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes and interleaving techniques. While conventional coding schemes generally employ error correcting codes in both inter and intra-oligo directions, we show that inter-oligo LDPC codes, optimized by differential evolution, are sufficient in ensuring the reliability of DNA storage due to the powerful soft decoding of LDPC codes. In addition, we apply interleaving techniques for handling non-uniform error characteristics of DNA storage to enhance the decoding performance. Consequently, the proposed coding scheme reduces the required number of oligo reads for perfect recovery by 26.25% ~ 38.5% compared to existing state-of-the-art coding schemes. Moreover, we develop an analytical DNA channel model in terms of non-uniform binary symmetric channels. This mathematical model allows us to demonstrate the superiority of the proposed coding scheme while isolating the experimental variation, as well as confirm the independent effects of LDPC codes and interleaving techniques.

Comprehensive Insights and Advancements in Gel Catalysts for Electrochemical Energy Conversion.

Continuous worldwide demands for more clean energy urge researchers and engineers to seek various energy applications, including electrocatalytic processes. Traditional energy-active materials, when combined with conducting materials and non-active polymeric materials, inadvertently leading to reduced interaction between their active and conducting components. This results in a drop in active catalytic sites, sluggish kinetics, and compromised mass and electronic transport properties. Furthermore, interaction between these materials could increase degradation products, impeding the efficiency of the catalytic process. Gels appears to be promising candidates to solve these challenges due to their larger specific surface area, three-dimensional hierarchical accommodative porous frameworks for active particles, self-catalytic properties, tunable electronic and electrochemical properties, as well as their inherent stability and cost-effectiveness. This review delves into the strategic design of catalytic gel materials, focusing on their potential in advanced energy conversion and storage technologies. Specific attention is given to catalytic gel material design strategies, exploring fundamental catalytic approaches for energy conversion processes such as the CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR), oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), oxygen evolution reaction (OER), and more. This comprehensive review not only addresses current developments but also outlines future research strategies and challenges in the field. Moreover, it provides guidance on overcoming these challenges, ensuring a holistic understanding of catalytic gel materials and their role in advancing energy conversion and storage technologies.

A nationwide real-world study for evaluation of effectiveness and safety of T-DM1 in patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer in Korea (KCSG BR19-15).

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate clinical practices and factors related to the outcomes of T-DM1 use in patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer (mBC). Methods: We included patients with HER2-positive mBC who received T-DM1 as a palliative therapy between August 2017 and December 2018. The safety and outcomes of T-DM1, including overall response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS), were evaluated. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate the hazard ratio and 95% confidence interval (CI) for mortality or progression to HER2-positive mBC. Results: In total, 824 patients were enrolled during the study period. The mean age of patients was 58 years, and 516 (62.6%) patients relapsed after curative treatment. Excluding a history of endocrine therapy, 341 (41.4%) patients previously received none or first-line chemotherapy, 179 (21.7%) received second-line therapy, and 303 (36.9%) received third-or later-line chemotherapy before T-DM1 therapy. During a median follow-up of 16.8 months, the ORR was 35%, the median PFS was 6.6 months, and the median OS was not reached. The clinical factors associated with the hazard of progression were age (<65 years), poor performance status (⩾2), advanced line of palliative chemotherapy (⩾2), prior pertuzumab use, and treatment duration of palliative trastuzumab (<10 months). Common grade 3-4 adverse events were thrombocytopenia (n = 107, 13.2%), neutropenia (n = 23, 2.8%), anemia (n = 21, 2.6%), and elevated liver enzyme (n = 20, 2.5%). Hypokalemia (⩽3.0 mmol/L) and any-grade bleeding events occurred in 25 (3.1%) and 94 (22.6%) patients, respectively. Conclusion: This is the first nationwide real-world study of T-DM1 use in patients with HER2-positive mBC in Korea. The effectiveness and toxicity profiles of T-DM1 in real-world practice were comparable to those in randomized trials. Moreover, patient factors and previous anti-HER2 therapy could predict the outcomes of T-DM1 therapy.

Iterative Soft Decoding Algorithm for DNA Storage Using Quality Score and Redecoding.

Ever since deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was considered as a next-generation data-storage medium, lots of research efforts have been made to correct errors occurred during the synthesis, storage, and sequencing processes using error correcting codes (ECCs). Previous works on recovering the data from the sequenced DNA pool with errors have utilized hard decoding algorithms based on a majority decision rule. To improve the correction capability of ECCs and robustness of the DNA storage system, we propose a new iterative soft decoding algorithm, where soft information is obtained from FASTQ files and channel statistics. In particular, we propose a new formula for log-likelihood ratio (LLR) calculation using quality scores (Q-scores) and a redecoding method which may be suitable for the error correction and detection in the DNA sequencing area. Based on the widely adopted encoding scheme of the fountain code structure proposed by Erlich et al., we use three different sets of sequenced data to show consistency for the performance evaluation. The proposed soft decoding algorithm gives 2.3%  âˆ¼  7.0% improvement of the reading number reduction compared to the state-of-the-art decoding method and it is shown that it can deal with erroneous sequenced oligo reads with insertion and deletion errors.

Anti-obesity activity of human gut microbiota Bacteroides stercoris KGMB02265.

Obesity is a global health threat that causes various complications such as type 2 diabetes and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Gut microbiota is closely related to obesity. In particular, a higher Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio has been reported as a biomarker of obesity, suggesting that the phylum Bacteroidetes may play a role in inhibiting obesity. Indeed, the genus Bacteroides was enriched in the healthy subjects based on metagenome analysis. In this study, we determined the effects of Bacteroides stercoris KGMB02265, a species belonging to the phylum Bacteroidetes, on obesity both in vitro and in vivo. The cell-free supernatant of B. stercoris KGMB02265 inhibited lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes, in which the expression of adipogenic marker genes was repressed. In vivo study showed that the oral administration of B. stercoris KGMB02265 substantially reduced body weight and fat weight in high-fat diet induced obesity in mice. Furthermore, obese mice orally administered with B. stercoris KGMB02265 restored glucose sensitivity and reduced leptin and triglyceride levels. Taken together, our study reveals that B. stercoris KGMB02265 has anti-obesity activity and suggests that it may be a promising candidate for treating obesity.

Bacterial cancer therapy using the attenuated fowl-adapted Salmonella enterica serovar Gallinarum.

We report here a novel anti-cancer therapy based on an avian-host-specific serotype Salmonella enterica serovar Gallinarum (S. Gallinarum) deficient in ppGpp synthesis. To monitor the tumor targeting, a bioluminescent ΔppGpp S. Gallinarum was constructed and injected intravenously into mice bearing syngeneic and human xenograft tumors. Strong bioluminescent signals were detected specifically in all grafted tumors at 2 days post-injection (dpi). The bacterial counts in normal and tumor tissue at 1 dpi revealed that ΔppGpp S. Gallinarum reached >108 CFU/g in tumor tissue and 106-107 CFU/g in endothelial organs; counts were much lower in other organs. At 16 dpi, ΔppGpp S. Gallinarum counts in tumor tissue decreased to ∼106 CFU/g, while those in the other organs became undetectable. A strong anti-cancer effect was observed after the injection of ΔppGpp S. Gallinarum into BALB/c mice grafted with CT26 colon cancer cells. This could be attributed to reduced virulence, which allowed the administration of at least a 10-fold greater dose (108 CFU) of ΔppGpp S. Gallinarum than other attenuated strains of S. enterica serovar Typhimurium (≤107 CFU). An advantage of the avian-specific S. Gallinarum as a cancer therapeutic should be a reduced capacity to cause infections or harm in humans.

Analysis of random mutations in Salmonella Gallinarum dihydropteroate synthase conferring sulfonamide resistance.

In bacteria and primitive eukaryotes, sulfonamide antibiotics block the folate pathway by inhibiting dihydropteroate synthase (FolP) that combines para-aminobenzoic acid (pABA) and dihydropterin pyrophosphate (DHPP) to form dihydropteroic acid (DHP), a precursor for tetrahydrofolate synthesis. However, the emergence of resistant strains has severely compromised the use of pABA mimetics as sulfonamide drugs. Salmonella enterica serovar Gallinarum (S. Gallinarum) is a significant source of antibiotic-resistant infections in poultry. Here, a sulfonamide-resistant FolP mutant library of S. Gallinarum was generated through random mutagenesis. Among resistant strains, substitution of amino acid Arginine 171 with Proline (R171P) in the FolP protein conferred the highest resistance against sulfonamide. Substitution of Phe28 with Leu or Ile (F28L/I) led to modest sulfonamide resistance. Structural modeling indicates that R171P and Phenylalanine 28 with leucine or isoleucine (F28L/I) substitution mutations are located far from the substrate-binding site and cause insignificant conformational changes in the FolP protein. Rather, in silico studies suggest that the mutations altered the stability of the protein, potentially resulting in sulfonamide resistance. Identification of specific mutations in FolP that confer resistance to sulfonamide would contribute to our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of antibiotic resistance.

Reducing cost in DNA-based data storage by sequence analysis-aided soft information decoding of variable-length reads.

MOTIVATION: DNA-based data storage is one of the most attractive research areas for future archival storage. However, it faces the problems of high writing and reading costs for practical use. There have been many efforts to resolve this problem, but existing schemes are not fully suitable for DNA-based data storage, and more cost reduction is needed. RESULTS: We propose whole encoding and decoding procedures for DNA storage. The encoding procedure consists of a carefully designed single low-density parity-check code as an inter-oligo code, which corrects errors and dropouts efficiently. We apply new clustering and alignment methods that operate on variable-length reads to aid the decoding performance. We use edit distance and quality scores during the sequence analysis-aided decoding procedure, which can discard abnormal reads and utilize high-quality soft information. We store 548.83 KB of an image file in DNA oligos and achieve a writing cost reduction of 7.46% and a significant reading cost reduction of 26.57% and 19.41% compared with the two previous works. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION: Data and codes for all the algorithms proposed in this study are available at: https://github.com/sjpark0905/DNA-LDPC-codes.

The Preparation and Characterization of N,N-Dimethyl Acrylamide-Diallyl Maleate Gel/Hydrogel in a Non-Aqueous Solution.

A few drugs need non-aqueous gels for release in the specific region of the intestine. The present work focuses on preparing N,N-Dimethyl acrylamide-Diallyl Maleate (DMAA-DAM) gel in Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) solvent by applying different doses of gamma radiation and then characterization. The blend solution of 10%: 10%-DMAA: DAM was prepared in DMSO and irradiated at 2, 5, 10, 20, and 30 kGy doses from the Co-60 gamma source. After extraction, it was observed that all of the radiation doses yielded more than 95% gel content. The best gel content was found for 10 kGy dose, which was 97%. The equilibrium swelling was optimized 1800% of the dried gel for 5 kGy dose. Gel formation was confirmed by analyzing characteristic functional groups and the environment of protons in the gel structure by using FTIR and NMR spectroscopy. The thermal stability was tested using DSC and TGA which showed the glass transition temperature at 86.55 °C and the degradation started at 320 °C. The XRD pattern analysis revealed the semi-crystalline nature of the gel. Therefore, DMAA-DAM gels can be a good candidate for use in different fields of study, especially in drug delivery.

Gamma Radiation-Induced Advanced 2,3-Dimethylacrylic Acid-(2-Acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic Acid) Superabsorbent Hydrogel: Synthesis and Characterization.

Gamma radiation technique for the preparation of pure hydrogels is gaining popularity worldwide. Superabsorbent hydrogels play vital roles in different fields of application. The present work mainly focuses on the preparation and characterization of 2,3-Dimethylacrylic acid-(2-Acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propane sulfonic acid) (DMAA-AMPSA) superabsorbent hydrogel by applying gamma radiation and optimization of the proper dose. To prepare DMAA-AMPSA hydrogel, different doses ranging from 2 kGy to 30 kGy were imparted on the blend aqueous solution of the monomers. The equilibrium swelling increases with increasing radiation dose, followed by decreasing after reaching a certain level, and the highest result is found to be 26,324.9% at 10 kGy. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy confirmed the formation of co-polymer by showing the characteristic functional groups and proton environment of the gel. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) pattern indicates the crystalline/amorphous nature of the gel. The Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Thermogravimetry Analysis (TGA) revealed the thermal stability of the gel. The surface morphology and constitutional elements were analyzed and confirmed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) equipped with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS). Finally, it can be stated that hydrogels can be usable in metal adsorption, drug delivery, and other relevant fields.

Analysis of antibiotic resistance gene cassettes in a newly identified Salmonella enterica serovar Gallinarum strain in Korea.

Antimicrobial resistant pathogens are a global health threat driven by the indiscriminate use of antimicrobials. Antimicrobial resistance can be acquired by resistance genes encoded by mobile genetic elements. In this study, we identified a strain of Salmonella enterica serovar Gallinarum (SG4021) from an infected chicken in Korea and characterized the presence of resistance genes in its plasmid by whole genome sequencing. The sequence was then compared with that of a plasmid (P2) from strain SG_07Q015, the only other strain of S. Gallinarum isolated in Korea for which a genome sequence is available. The results revealed that both strains harbored nearly identical DNA carrying antibiotic resistance gene cassettes inserted into integron In2 of the transposable element Tn21, namely an aadA1 resistance gene conferring resistance to aminoglycosides and a sul1 resistance gene conferring resistance to sulfonamide. Interestingly, despite the presence of sul1 in SG4021, an antibiotic sensitivity test revealed that it was sensitive to sulfonamides. Further analysis revealed that this disparity was due to the insertion of a ~ 5 kb ISCR16 sequence downstream of the promoter driving sul1 expression in SG4021. Using various mutants, we showed that the insertion of ISCR16 blocked the expression of the sul1 gene from the upstream promoter. Therefore, the functionality of antimicrobial resistance genes determines phenotypic antimicrobial resistance.

Abietane Diterpenoids Isolated from Torreya nucifera Disrupt Replication of Influenza Virus by Blocking the Phosphatidylinositol-3-Kinase (PI3K)-Akt and ERK Signaling Pathway.

Although vaccines and antiviral drugs are available, influenza viruses continue to pose a significant threat to vulnerable populations globally. With the emergence of drug-resistant strains, there is a growing need for novel antiviral therapeutic approaches. We found that 18-hydroxyferruginol (1) and 18-oxoferruginol (2) isolated from Torreya nucifera exhibited strong anti-influenza activity, with 50% inhibitory concentration values of 13.6 and 18.3 µM against H1N1, 12.8 and 10.8 µM against H9N2, and 29.2 µM (only compound 2) against H3N2 in the post-treatment assay, respectively. During the viral replication stages, the two compounds demonstrated stronger inhibition of viral RNA and protein in the late stages (12-18 h) than in the early stages (3-6 h). Moreover, both compounds inhibited PI3K-Akt signaling, which participates in viral replication during the later stages of infection. The ERK signaling pathway is also related to viral replication and was substantially inhibited by the two compounds. In particular, the inhibition of PI3K-Akt signaling by these compounds inhibited viral replication by sabotaging influenza ribonucleoprotein nucleus-to-cytoplasm export. These data indicate that compounds 1 and 2 could potentially reduce viral RNA and viral protein levels by inhibiting the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. Our results suggest that abietane diterpenoids isolated from T. nucifera may be potent antiviral candidates for new influenza therapies.

Constitutive Expression of a Cytotoxic Anticancer Protein in Tumor-Colonizing Bacteria.

Bacterial cancer therapy is a promising next-generation modality to treat cancer that often uses tumor-colonizing bacteria to deliver cytotoxic anticancer proteins. However, the expression of cytotoxic anticancer proteins in bacteria that accumulate in the nontumoral reticuloendothelial system (RES), mainly the liver and spleen, is considered detrimental. This study examined the fate of the Escherichia coli strain MG1655 and an attenuated strain of Salmonella enterica serovar Gallinarum (S. Gallinarum) with defective ppGpp synthesis after intravenous injection into tumor-bearing mice (~108 colony forming units/animal). Approximately 10% of the injected bacteria were detected initially in the RES, whereas approximately 0.01% were in tumor tissues. The bacteria in the tumor tissue proliferated vigorously to up to 109 colony forming units/g tissue, whereas those in the RES died off. RNA analysis revealed that tumor-associated E. coli activated rrnB operon genes encoding the rRNA building block of ribosome needed most during the exponential stage of growth, whereas those in the RES expressed substantially decreased levels of this gene and were cleared soon presumably by innate immune systems. Based on this finding, we engineered ΔppGpp S. Gallinarum to express constitutively a recombinant immunotoxin comprising TGFα and the Pseudomonas exotoxin A (PE38) using a constitutive exponential phase promoter, the ribosomal RNA promoter rrnB P1. The construct exerted anticancer effects on mice grafted with mouse colon (CT26) or breast (4T1) tumor cells without any notable adverse effects, suggesting that constitutive expression of cytotoxic anticancer protein from rrnB P1 occurred only in tumor tissue.

Synthesis and Characterization of Gamma Radiation Induced Diallyldimethylammonium Chloride-Acrylic Acid-(3-Acrylamidopropyl) Trimethylammonium Chloride Superabsorbent Hydrogel.

The gamma radiation technique is simple and time-saving for the synthesis of pure hydrogels. The present work focuses on synthesizing and characterizing Diallyldimethylammonium Chloride-Acrylic acid-(3-Acrylamidopropyl) trimethylammonium Chloride (DADMAC-AAc-APTAC) superabsorbent hydrogels. The hydrogels were synthesized by applying gamma radiation of different doses (2 kGy to 30 kGy) to two different compositions of monomers. The equilibrium swelling was found to be 33483.48% of dried gel for a 1:0.5:1 composition ratio of monomers at a 2 kGy radiation dose. Therefore, on the basis of equilibrium swelling, 2 kGy is the optimum radiation dose for synthesizing the hydrogel. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) characterization techniques were used to analyze and confirm the structure of the hydrogel. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) clearly showed the thermal stability and surface morphology of the gel. Therefore, it can be concluded that hydrogels can be used in metal adsorption, drug delivery, and other fields of study.