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Developing robust bio‐based epoxy against petroleum‐derived epoxy is necessary for environmentally friendly and high‐performance natural fiber‐reinforced composites. A bio‐based vanillin epoxy (VE) is synthesized from the lignin‐derived vanillin, and a thermoset resin is prepared after mixing it with a 4,4′‐diaminodiphenyl methane (DDM) hardener. Further, it is infused in high‐cellulose‐containing alkali‐treated jute fiber (TJF) mats through a simple approach to enhance the adhesion between the VE‐DDM and TJF. Bio‐based VE‐DDM resin shows better compatibility with TJF than petroleum‐derived bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (DGEBA) epoxy. The bio‐based VE‐DDM/TJF composite demonstrates the Tgis ≈165 °C, tensile strength is ≈83.12 ± 3.80 MPa, and Young's modulus is ≈2.86 ± 0.10 GPa with excellent flexural strength (138.72 ± 3.81 MPa) and flexural modulus (8.01 ± 0.11 GPa). It also shows merits regarding hydrophobicity, reduced water absorption ability, durability, and chemical resistance in an acidic medium. The natural fiber‐reinforced VE composites pave the way to produce environmentally friendly and high‐performance composites for structural applications. Bio‐based vanillin epoxy (VE) and jute fiber composite inspire an environmentally friendly material for high‐performance structural applications. The excellent interfacial adhesion strength of VE resin with natural fibers significantly improves the composite's flexural strength. The robust cross‐linking between the functional groups of resin and fibers provides the durability of the composite imine bond‐containing network structure in a hydrophilic solvent.

In recent years, stimuli-responsive nanogels that can undergo suitable transitions under endogenous (e.g., pH, enzymes and reduction) or exogenous stimuli (e.g., temperature, light, and magnetic fields) for on-demand drug delivery, have received significant interest in biomedical fields, including drug delivery, tissue engineering, wound healing, and gene therapy due to their unique environment-sensitive properties. Furthermore, these nanogels have become very popular due to some of their special properties such as good hydrophilicity, high drug loading efficiency, flexibility, and excellent biocompatibility and biodegradability. In this article, the authors discuss current developments in the synthesis, properties, and biomedical applications of stimulus-responsive nanogels. In addition, the opportunities and challenges of nanogels for biomedical applications are also briefly predicted.

Novel sodium carboxymethyl cellulose-g-poly (sodium acrylate)/Ferric chloride (CMC-g-PNaA/FeCl3) nanoporous hydrogel beads were prepared based on the ionic cross-linking between CMC-g-PNaA and FeCl3. The structure of CMC and CMC-g-PNaA were elucidated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and the elemental composition was analyzed by energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX). The physicochemical properties of the CMC-g-PNaA/FeCl3 hydrogel beads were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The swelling percentage of hydrogel beads was studied at different time periods. The obtained CMC-g-PNaA/FeCl3 hydrogel beads exhibited a higher nanoporous morphology than those of CMC-g-PNaA and CMC beads. Furthermore, an AFM image of the CMC-g-PNaA/FeCl3 beads shows granule type topology. Compared to the CMC-g-PNaA (189 °C), CMC-g-PNaA/FeCl3 hydrogel beads exhibited improvement in thermal stability (199 °C). Furthermore, CMC-g-PNaA/FeCl3 hydrogel beads depicted a higher swelling percentage capacity of around 1452%, as compared to CMC-g-PNaA (1096%). Moreover, this strategy with preliminary results could be useful for the development of polysaccharide-based hybrid hydrogel beads for various potential applications.

With the growing awareness of mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, developing bio-based, multi-functional, water-based and high-performance resins is in urgent demand for structural applications. This study demonstrates how water-based lignin-polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) resins can be used as a matrix in natural-fiber-reinforced composites for high-performance applications. The lignin-derived water-based resin is synthesized by blending demethylated lignin quinone (DLq) and PVA to obtain PVA-blended-DLq (PDLq) resin, followed by thermal curing. Compared to neat PVA, the optimized PDLq resin demonstrates a significant 30.5% increase in tensile strength to 162.86 MPa and a 45% improvement in Young’s modulus to 8.52 GPa. It also shows good UV shielding performance, around 100% for UVB and 99.5% for UVA. Compared to previously reported jute composites, the treated jute fiber (TJF)-reinforced PDLq composite fabricated through hot pressing demonstrates superior flexural strength, 190.9 ± 7.1 MPa and flexural modulus, ~ 13.8 GPa. The water-based PDLq resin synthesized shows potential for UV shielding and all-green natural-fiber-reinforced PDLq composite for indoor high-performance applications.

Considerable variations among probiotics with respect to their health benefitting attributes fuel the research on bioprospecting of proficient probiotic strains from various ecological niches especially the poorly unexplored ones. In the current study, kalarei , an indigenous cheese-like fermented milk product, and other dairy-based sources like curd and raw milk were used for isolation of lactic acid bacteria (LAB). Among 34 LAB isolates, 7 that could withstand simulated gastrointestinal (GI) conditions were characterized for functional probiotic attributes, viz. adhesion ability, aggregation and coaggregation, extracellular enzyme producing capability, antibacterial activity against pathogens and antibiotic resistance. The isolate M-13 (from kalarei ) which exhibited most of the desirable probiotic functional properties was identified as Lactobacillus plantarum based on 16S ribosomal DNA sequence analysis and designated as L. plantarum M-13. The sequence was submitted to GenBank (accession number KT592509 ). The study presents the first ever report of isolation of potential probiotic LAB, i.e. L. plantarum M-13 from indigenous food kalarei , and its application for development of potential probiotic fermented oat flour (PFOF). PFOF was analysed for parameters like viability of L. plantarum M-13, acidity and pH. Results show that PFOF serves as a good matrix for potential probiotic L. plantarum M-13 as it supported adequate growth of the organism (14.4 log cfu/ml after 72 h of fermentation). In addition, appreciable acid production by L. plantarum M-13 and consequential pH reduction indicates the vigorous and active metabolic status of the potential probiotic organism in the food matrix. Thus, study shows that fermented oat flour may possibly be developed as a potential probiotic carrier especially in view of the problems associated with dairy products as probiotic vehicles.

In chronic myelogenous leukemia, leukemia stem cell function requires a microRNA that is provided by bone marrow endothelial cells. Leukemia stem cells (LSCs) in individuals with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) (hereafter referred to as CML LSCs) are responsible for initiating and maintaining clonal hematopoiesis. These cells persist in the bone marrow (BM) despite effective inhibition of BCR–ABL kinase activity by tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). Here we show that although the microRNA (miRNA) miR-126 supported the quiescence, self-renewal and engraftment capacity of CML LSCs, miR-126 levels were lower in CML LSCs than in long-term hematopoietic stem cells (LT-HSCs) from healthy individuals. Downregulation of miR-126 levels in CML LSCs was due to phosphorylation of Sprouty-related EVH1-domain-containing 1 (SPRED1) by BCR–ABL, which led to inhibition of the RAN–exportin-5–RCC1 complex that mediates miRNA maturation. Endothelial cells (ECs) in the BM supply miR-126 to CML LSCs to support quiescence and leukemia growth, as shown using mouse models of CML in which Mir126a (encoding miR-126) was conditionally knocked out in ECs and/or LSCs. Inhibition of BCR–ABL by TKI treatment caused an undesired increase in endogenous miR-126 levels, which enhanced LSC quiescence and persistence. Mir126a knockout in LSCs and/or ECs, or treatment with a miR-126 inhibitor that targets miR-126 expression in both LSCs and ECs, enhanced the in vivo anti-leukemic effects of TKI treatment and strongly diminished LSC leukemia-initiating capacity, providing a new strategy for the elimination of LSCs in individuals with CML.

Microbial proteases due to their enormous application potential in numerous biotechnological processes have gathered considerable research impetus during recent years. However, lack of process suitable characteristics viz. thermostability, wide range pH stability, resistance to inhibitors, among others, in most of the available proteases motivated the search for better and efficient proteases. High production cost of microbial proteases mainly due to expensive substrates (carbon/nitrogen sources used for cultivation of microorganisms) is another limitation for wide range industrial application of these enzymes. Current investigation reports production of a thermostable and pH stable protease from a bacterial isolate Bacillus licheniformis K-3 using agroindustrial/forestry residues as inexpensive substrates for cost-effective enzyme production. Pine needle biomass is being reported for the first time as a proficient carbon source that supported maximum protease production (1321 U/ml), and was followed by wheat bran (1303 U/ml), potato peel (1167 U/ml) and cane bagasse (1122 U/ml). Gram husk as nitrogen source enhanced enzyme production maximally (932 U/ml) as compared to control (389 U/ml), and was followed by soybean meal (823 U/ml), malt extract (742 U/ml), mustard cake (724 U/ml) and fish scales (670 U/ml). Optimum pH and temperature for enzyme was 9.0 and 60 °C, however, protease showed considerable activity over high temperatures and broad pH range. Protease from B. licheniformis K-3 showed remarkable tolerance against detergents like CTAB, SDS and Tween-20. The protease exhibited excellent potential for industrial applications like degelatinization of X-ray films and dehairing of animal hide. Graphical Abstract Hydrolytic enzyme potential of bacterial isolate B. licheniformis K-3. Plates A – F indicates: culture morphology of bacterium ( A ), proteolytic activity ( B ), amylolytic ( C ), lipolytic ( D ) keratinolytic ( E ) gelatinolytic ( F ), and cellulolytic activity ( G ) of bacterial isolate

Microenvironment cues received by haematopoietic stem cells (HSC) are important in regulating the choice between self-renewal and differentiation. On the basis of the differential expression of cell-surface markers, here we identify a mesenchymal stromal progenitor hierarchy, where CD45 − Ter119 − CD31 − CD166 − CD146 − Sca1 + (Sca1 + ) progenitors give rise to CD45 − Ter119 − CD31 − CD166 − CD146 + (CD146 + ) intermediate and CD45 − Ter119 − CD31 − CD166 + CD146 − (CD166 + ) mature osteo-progenitors. All three progenitors preserve HSC long-term multi-lineage reconstitution capability in vitro ; however, their in vivo fates are different. Post-transplantation, CD146 + and CD166 + progenitors form bone only. While Sca1 + progenitors produce CD146 + , CD166 + progenitors, osteocytes and CXCL12-producing stromal cells. Only Sca1 + progenitors are capable of homing back to the marrow post-intravenous infusion. Ablation of Sca1 + progenitors results in a decrease of all three progenitor populations as well as haematopoietic stem/progenitor cells. Moreover, suppressing production of KIT-ligand in Sca1 + progenitors inhibits their ability to support HSCs. Our results indicate that Sca1 + progenitors, through the generation of both osteogenic and stromal cells, provide a supportive environment for hematopoiesis. How the environment of the niche regulates haematopoietic stem cells (HSC) is unclear. Here, the authors identify a mesenchymal stromal progenitor hierarchy and identify Sca1+ cells as common progenitors for mesenchymal stromal cells in the adult niche that provide a supportive environment for hematopoiesis.

Dissecting the preneoplastic disease states’ biological mechanisms that precede tumorigenesis can lead to interventions that can slow down disease progression and/or mitigate disease-related comorbidities. Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) cannot be cured by currently available pharmacological therapies, which fail to eradicate aberrant hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), most of which are mutated by the time of diagnosis. Here, we sought to elucidate how MDS HSCs evade immune surveillance and expand in patients with clonal cytopenias of undetermined significance (CCUS), the pre-malignant stage of MDS. We used multi-omic single-cell approaches and functional in vitro studies to show that immune escape at disease initiation is mainly mediated by mutant, dysfunctional natural killer (NK) cells with impaired cytotoxic capability against cancer cells. Preclinical in vivo studies demonstrated that injecting NK cells from healthy donors efficiently depleted CCUS mutant cells while allowing normal cells to regenerate hematopoiesis. Our findings suggest that early intervention with adoptive cell therapy can prevent or delay the development of MDS. Patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) have limited therapeutic options. Here the authors show that functionally impaired NK cells contribute to immune escape of pre-malignant clones in early stage MDS and that NK adoptive cell therapy can be considered to prevent or delay the development of MDS.

Probiotics are the live microorganisms which when ingested in adequate amounts confer health benefits. The strains most frequently used as probiotics include Lactic acid bacteria, bifidobacteria and yeast Saccharomyces boulardii. However, several other bacterial strains are being investigated for potential probiotic value viz. Enterococcus, Streptococcus, Bacillus, among others. Significant therapeutic potential of probiotics has been demonstrated in several in vitro studies and that involving animal models and humans. Despite intense focus on probiotics research the mechanisms responsible for health benefits are not yet completely understood. Several important mechanisms have been proposed such as improvement of gut epithelial barrier function, Immunomodulatory effects, degradation of toxin receptors, competition for nutrients, production of inhibitory substances, antiproliferative effects, blocking of adhesion sites and modulation of gut microbiota. Bacterial cell components such as DNA or peptidoglycan may also be involved in functional mechanism of probiotics. Effectiveness of a probiotic for potential application as prophylactic or treatment agent for certain ailment is determined by its ability to possess all or most of these characteristic features. The current article describes the general functional mechanisms of probiotics.