Biological Systems Research Articles

Ultrasound assisted techniques for starch modification to develop novel drug delivery systems: A comprehensive study

Starch derived from plants plays an essential role in pharmaceuticals due to its components Amylose and Amylopectin, which form essential granules for drug delivery. Its biocompatibility and cost-effectiveness make it indispensable in pharmaceutical formulations, facilitating controlled drug release and tablet breakdown. The effectiveness and safety of drug formulations are often hindered by challenges such as low solubility and stability. In order to overcome these obstacles, current research is focused on modifying the properties of starch. The goal is to improve its solubility, swelling, erosion, stability, and ability to release drugs. A promising solution that has emerged is ultrasound-based modification. This technique has shown great potential in transforming starch granules, leading to improved solubility, degradability, and control over drug release. Not only is this method efficient and quick, but it also has the added benefit of being eco-friendly. This discussion will explore the mechanisms behind the modification of starch based on ultrasound, delving into both the physical and chemical changes that occur in starch granules. The analysis explores the utilization of modified starch induced by ultrasound in the field of drug delivery, investigating its stability and compatibility with biological systems. By exploring the capabilities and difficulties associated with the use of ultrasound to change starch for the delivery of drugs, we highlighted its potential as a leading and effective methodology.

Light‐Driven Micronavigators for Directional Migration of Cells

AbstractCell migration is an essential physiological process in the life cycle of cells, playing a crucial role in cancer metastasis, neural development, and cellular immune response. However, achieving precise control of cell migration at single‐cell level is challenging due to the intricate and diverse microenvironments of cells. Here, an optical technique is presented that utilizes light‐actuated micronavigators to guide the directional migration of individual cells both in vitro and in vivo. Employing high‐speed scanning optical tweezers, micronavigators near target cells are trapped and rotated at a rotation speed of up to 12 000 rpm, which, to the best of knowledge, represents the fastest rotation of light‐driven micromotors in a biological environment to date. The micronavigators generate a powerful fluid shear force (up to 40 pN) which can guide the migration of immune and nerve cells in a predetermined direction. Furthermore, micronavigators are employed to guide cell migration in various biological systems, including lab‐on‐a‐chip devices and blood vessels within living animals. This technique offers new opportunities for controlling cell migration, enabling precise immune activation, and neuron repair at the single‐cell level.

Modulation of polyaniline memristive device switching voltage by nucleotide-free analogue of vitamin B12.

Memristive devices offer essential properties to become a part of the next-generation computing systems based on neuromorphic principles. Organic memristive devices exhibit a unique set of properties which makes them an indispensable choice for specific applications, such as interfacing with biological systems. While the switching rate of organic devices can be easily adjusted over a wide range through various methods, controlling the switching potential is often more challenging, as this parameter is intricately tied to the materials used. Given the limited options in the selection conductive polymers and the complexity of polymer chemical engineering, the most straightforward and accessible approach to modulate switching potentials is by introducing specific molecules into the electrolyte solution. In our study, we show polyaniline-based device switching potential control by adding nucleotide-free analogue of vitamin B12, aquacyanocobinamide, to the electrolyte solution. The employed concentrations of this molecule, ranging from 0.2 to 2 mM, enabled organic memristive devices to achieve switching potential decrease for up to 100 mV, thus providing a way to control device properties. This effect is attributed to strong aromatic interactions between polyaniline phenyl groups and corrin macrocycle of the aquacyanocobinamide molecule, which was supported by ultraviolet-visible spectra analysis.

Deciphering the influence of salinity stress on the biological aniline degradation system: Pollutants degradation performance and microbial response

In order to evaluate the impact of salinity gradients on the aniline biodegradation system, six reactors at salinity concentrations (0%–5%) were established. The results presented the salinity except for 5% imposed negligible effects on aniline degradation performance. Nitrification had prominent resistance to salinity (0%–1.5%) while were significantly restrained when salinity increased. The total nitrogen (TN) removal efficiency of Z4 (1.5%) was 20.5% higher than Z1 (0%) during the stable operation phase. Moreover, high throughput sequencing analysis showed that halophilic bacterium, such as Halomonas, Rhodococcus, remained greater survival advantages in high salinity system. The substantial enrichment of Flavobacterium, Dokdonella, Paracoccus observed in Z4 ensured its excellent nitrogen removal performance. The close cooperation among dominant functional bacteria was strengthened when salt content was below 1.5% while exceeding 1.5% led to the collapse of metabolic capacity through integrating the toxicity of aniline and high osmotic pressure.

Synthetic Genomics: Repurposing Biological Systems for Applications in Engineering Biology.

Substantial improvements in DNA sequencing and synthesis technologies and increased understanding of genome biology have empowered the development of synthetic genomics. The ability to design and construct engineered living cells boosted up by synthetic chromosomes provides opportunities to tackle enormous current and future challenges faced by humanity and the planet. Here we review the progresses, considerations, challenges, and future direction of the "design-build-test-learn" cycle used in synthetic genomics. We also discuss future applications enabled by synthetic genomics as this emerging field shapes and revolutionizes biomanufacturing and biomedicine.

Design of a New Neuro-Generator with a Neuronal Module to Produce Pseudorandom and Perfectly Pseudorandom Sequences

This paper presents the design of a new neuro-generator of pseudorandom number type PRNG Pseudorandom Number Generator, which produces complex sequences with an adequate bit distribution. The circuit is connected to a neuronal module with six impulse neurons with different behaviors: spike frequency adaptation, phasic spiking, mixed mode, phasic bursting, tonic bursting and tonic spiking. This module aims to generate a non-periodic signal that becomes the clock signal for one of the LFSRs Linear Feedback Shift Register that the neuro-generator has. To verify its correct operation, the neuro-generator was subjected to a series of tests where the frequencies of the impulse neurons were modified. This modification allows the generation of a greater number of pulses at the output of the neuronal module, to obtain sequences with different characteristics that pass different NIST statistical tests (National Institute of Standards and Technology of U.S.). The results show that the new neuro-generator maintains pseudo-randomness in the sequences obtained with different frequencies and it can be implemented on a reconfigurable FPGA Field Programmable Gate Array Virtex 7 xc7vx485t-2ffg1761 device. Therefore, it can be used for applications such as biological systems.

FAIR assessment of nanosafety data reusability with community standards.

Nanomaterials hold great promise for improving our society, and it is crucial to understand their effects on biological systems in order to enhance their properties and ensure their safety. However, the lack of consistency in experimental reporting, the absence of universally accepted machine-readable metadata standards, and the challenge of combining such standards hamper the reusability of previously produced data for risk assessment. Fortunately, the research community has responded to these challenges by developing minimum reporting standards that address several of these issues. By converting twelve published minimum reporting standards into a machine-readable representation using FAIR maturity indicators, we have created a machine-friendly approach to annotate and assess datasets' reusability according to those standards. Furthermore, our NanoSafety Data Reusability Assessment (NSDRA) framework includes a metadata generator web application that can be integrated into experimental data management, and a new web application that can summarize the reusability of nanosafety datasets for one or more subsets of maturity indicators, tailored to specific computational risk assessment use cases. This approach enhances the transparency, communication, and reusability of experimental data and metadata. With this improved FAIR approach, we can facilitate the reuse of nanosafety research for exploration, toxicity prediction, and regulation, thereby advancing the field and benefiting society as a whole.

A sensory–neuromorphic interface capable of environmental perception, sensory coding, and biological stimuli

AbstractThe sensory–neuromorphic interface is key to the application of neuromorphic electronics. Artificial spiking neurons and artificial sensory nerves have been created, and a few studies showed a complete neuromorphic system through cointegration with synaptic electronics. However, artificial synaptic devices and systems often do not work in real environments, which limits their ability to provide realistic neural simulations and interface with biological nerves. We report a sensory–neuromorphic interface that uses a fiber synapse to emulate a biological afferent nerve. For the first time, a sensing–neuromorphic interface is connected to a living organism for peripheral nerve stimulation, allowing the organism to establish a connection with its surrounding environment. The interface converts perceived environmental information into analog electrical signals and then into frequency‐dependent pulse signals, which simplify the information interface between the sensor and the pulse‐data processing center. The frequency of the interface shows a sublinear dependence on strain amplitude at different stimulus intensities, and can deliver increased frequency spikes at potentially damaging stimulus intensities, similar to the response of biological afferent nerves. To verify the application of this interface, a system that monitors strain and provides an overstrain alarm was constructed based on this afferent neural circuit. The system has a response time of <2 ms, which is compatible with the response time in biological systems. The interface can be potentially extended to process signals from almost any type of sensors for other afferent senses, and these results demonstrate the potential for neuromorphic interfaces to be applied to bionic sensory interfaces.

Heavy Metal Exposure-Induced Cardiovascular Diseases: Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Role of Antioxidants.

Globally, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the main cause of mortality every year worldwide. CVD health is influenced by various health factors, such as blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and glucose control. The main risk factors include smoking, physical activity, food intake, and body mass index. Around 90% of CVDs could be prevented by controlling these risk factors. Heavy metals are indigenous to the environment of the earth. However, modern lifestyles have led to the exploitation of our environment by unconstrained use of heavy metals. Though heavy metals are essential components, they are hazardous to humans and living systems due to their persistent and non-degradable nature. The mainpurpose of this study is to provide a literature review on the mechanisms of heavy metals, particularly arsenic, lead, and cadmium, that cause cardiovascular diseases. The major mechanism by which heavy metals result in various modalities of cardiovascular disease is the generation of reactive species and the depletionof the antioxidant reserves inside the biological system. The generation of reactive species gradually leads to the activation of various signaling pathways, resulting in either apoptosis or unrestricted cell growth. These unfavorable conditions result in a state when there is an imbalance between reactive species generation and antioxidant activity. Both endogenously present antioxidants and dietary antioxidants are very much essential in regulating the redox potential of the body. They help in the detoxification and excretion of heavy metals and their metabolites in the biological system. Therefore, recognizing the role of heavy metals in cardiovascular health is crucial for developing preventive strategies and interventions aimed at mitigating their adverse effects on human health.

Electrophoresis-Based Approach for Characterizing Dendrimer-Protein Interactions: A Proof-of-Concept Study.

Improving the clinical translation of nanomedicine requires better knowledge about how nanoparticles interact with biological environments. As researchers are recognizing the importance of understanding the protein corona and characterizing how nanocarriers respond in biological systems, new tools and techniques are needed to analyze nanocarrier-protein interactions, especially for smaller size (<10 nm) nanoparticles like polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers. Here, we developed a streamlined, semiquantitative approach to assess dendrimer-protein interactions using a nondenaturing electrophoresis technique combined with mass spectrometry. With this protocol, we detect fluorescently tagged dendrimers and proteins simultaneously, enabling us to analyze when dendrimers migrate with proteins. We found that PAMAM dendrimers mostly interact with complement proteins, particularly C3 and C4a, which aligns with previously published data, verifying that our approach can be used to isolate and identify dendrimer-protein interactions.

On-Demand Activatable and Integrated Bioorthogonal Nanocatalyst against Biofilm-Associated Infections.

Bioorthogonal chemistry has emerged as a powerful tool for manipulating biological processes. However, difficulties in controlling the exact location and on-demand catalytic synthesis limit its application in biological systems. Herein, we constructed an activatable bioorthogonal system integrating a shielded catalyst and prodrug molecules to combat biofilm-associated infections. The catalytic species is activated in response to the hyaluronidase (HAase) secreted by the bacteria and the acidic pH of the biofilm, which is accompanied by the release of prodrugs, to achieve the bioorthogonal catalytic synthesis of antibacterial molecules in situ. Moreover, the system can produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) to disperse bacterial biofilms, enabling the antibacterial molecules to penetrate the biofilm and eliminate the bacteria within it. This study promotes the design of efficient and safe bioorthogonal catalysts and the development of bioorthogonal chemistry-mediated antibacterial strategies. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Advanced Biomimetic and Biohybrid Magnetic Micro/Nano‐Machines

AbstractBiomimetic and biohybrid micro/nano‐structures involve the replication and creation of technologies, structures, and materials based on biological systems at the micrometer and nanometer scale. These strategies harness the natural biological principles to develop innovative treatment methods and advanced microstructure devices for noninvasive therapies. In this study, a detailed overview of fabrication processes, magnetically assisted locomotive techniques, and potential applications of biomimetic and biohybrid micro/nano‐machines are presented. The latest advancements in magnetically actuated biomimetic structures, such as annelid‐worm‐like microswimmers, jellyfish‐shaped microparticles, fish‐shaped microswimmers, and walnut‐shaped micromotors are explored. Additionally, the magnetic biohybrid systems, including sunflower seed‐based micro‐perforators, nanomotors extracted from the bamboo stem, sperm cell‐based micromotors, bacteria‐based robots, scaffold‐based microrobots, DNA‐based micromotors, microalgae‐based microswimmers, and red blood cell‐based microswimmers are also examined. A thorough investigation of the magnetically assisted locomotive behavior of these microstructure devices in biological Newtonian fluids, featuring cork‐screw motion, undulatory motion, surface wrinkling motion, traveling wave‐like motion, and ciliary stroke motion is discussed. Furthermore, unprecedented and innovative treatment methods developed using these minuscule devices such as cervical cancer treatment using tetrapod hybrid sperm micromotors, tissue regeneration using silk fibroin protein‐based magnetic microscale scaffolds, and doxorubicin drug delivery using mushroom‐based microrobots is extensively presented.

Green Core Competencies, Green Process Innovation, and Firm Performance: The Moderating Role of Sustainability Consciousness, a Mixed Method Study on Golf Hotels

Sustainability of biological, social, and economic systems is crucial for protecting our common future and preserving the balance between nature and humans. Environmental concerns should be adopted by all units of society and sustainability awareness should be adapted to all processes through optimum technologies both in daily life and in business management. The basic objective of this article is to determine the effects of green core competencies, green process innovation, and firm performance variables on each other and to examine the moderating role of sustainability consciousness on these effects. A survey and semi-structured interview forms were preferred as data collection methods. In the analysis of the survey data, AMOS was adopted to test the hypothetical model and the Hayes Process macro was employed to determine the moderating effect. The data of interview forms were analyzed with the bag of words model. The research results show that green core competencies positively affect green process innovation and green process innovation positively affects firm performance. In addition, the moderating effect of the attitudinal and behavioral dimensions of sustainability awareness on the impact of green process innovation on firm performance is supported, while the moderating effect of the sustainability knowingness dimension is not supported.

Bio‐Inspired Magnetic‐Responsive Supramolecular‐Covalent Semi‐Convertible Hydrogel

Bio-inspired magnetic-responsive hydrogel is confined in exceedingly narrow spaces for soft robots and biomedicine in either gel state or magnetofluidic sol state. However, the motion of the gel state magnetic hydrogel will be inhibited in various irregular spaces due to the fixed shape and size and the sol-state magnetofluid gel may bring unpredictable residues in the confined narrow space. Inspired by the dynamic liquid lubricating mechanism of biological systems, novel magnetic-responsive semi-convertible hydrogel (MSCH) is developed through imbedding magnetic-responsive gelatin and amino-modified Fe3O4 nanoparticles network into the covalent network of polyvinyl alcohol, which can be switched between gel state and gel-sol state in response to magnetic stimuli. It can be attributed the disassembly of triple-helix structures of the gelatin under the action of the magnetic field, driven by force from the magnetic particles conjugated on the gelatin chain through electrostatic interactions, while the covalent network retains the hydrogel structural integrity. This leads to a sol layer on the MSCH surface enabling the MSCH to pass effectively through the confined channel or obstacle under magnetic field. The present MSCH will provide an alternative mode for magnetic field-related soft robots or actuators.

Magnetic Modulation of Biochemical Synthesis in Synthetic Cells.

Synthetic cells can be constructed from diverse molecular components, without the design constraints associated with modifying 'living' biological systems. This can be exploited to generate cells with abiotic components, creating functionalities absent in biology. One example is magnetic responsiveness, the activation and modulation of encapsulated biochemical processes using a magnetic field, which is absent from existing synthetic cell designs. This is a critical oversight, as magnetic fields are uniquely bio-orthogonal, noninvasive, and highly penetrative. Here, we address this by producing artificial magneto-responsive organelles by coupling thermoresponsive membranes with hyperthermic Fe3O4 nanoparticles and embedding them in synthetic cells. Combining these systems enables synthetic cell microreactors to be built using a nested vesicle architecture, which can respond to alternating magnetic fields through in situ enzymatic catalysis. We also demonstrate the modulation of biochemical reactions by using different magnetic field strengths and the potential to tune the system using different lipid compositions. This platform could unlock a wide range of applications for synthetic cells as programmable micromachines in biomedicine and biotechnology.

Graphene Oxide, a Prominent Nanocarrier to Reduce the Toxicity of Alzheimer's Proteins: A Revolution in Treatment.

Graphene oxide, a derivative of graphene, has recently emerged as a promising nanomaterial in the biomedical field due to its unique properties. Its potential as a nanocarrier in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease represents a significant advancement. This abstract outlines a study focused on utilizing graphene oxide to reduce the toxicity of Alzheimer's proteins, marking a revolutionary approach in treatment strategies. The pathological features of Alzheimer's disease, primarily focusing on the accumulation and toxicity of amyloid-beta proteins, have been described in this review. These proteins are known to form plaques in the brain, leading to neuronal damage and the progression of Alzheimer's disease. The current therapeutic strategies and their limitations are briefly reviewed, highlighting the need for innovative approaches. Graphene oxide, with its high surface area, biocompatibility, and ability to cross the blood-brain barrier, is introduced as a novel nanocarrier. The methodology involves functionalizing graphene oxide sheets with specific ligands that target amyloid-beta proteins. This functionalization facilitates the binding and removal of these toxic proteins from the brain, potentially alleviating the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. Preliminary findings indicate a significant reduction in amyloid-beta toxicity in neuronal cell cultures treated with graphene oxide nanocarriers. The study also explores the biocompatibility and safety profile of graphene oxide in biological systems, ensuring its suitability for clinical applications. It calls for further research and clinical trials to fully understand and harness the benefits of this nanotechnology, paving the way for a new era in neurodegenerative disease therapy.

Enhanced Near-infrared Phosphorescent Emission Modulated by Clipping of Metallotweezers in Aqueous Media.

Near-infrared phosphorescent materials have received significant attention due to their potential applications in bioimaging and diagnostics. Although, many types of organic phosphors with near-infrared emission have been developed, the low phosphorescence efficiency in aqueous solution hampers their practical applications in biological systems. Hence, there is an urgent need to develop near-infrared phosphorescent materials with high emission efficiency in aqueous media. Metallotweezers, based on d8 transition metal complexes, emerge as the potential candidates for realizing this objective. Specifically, metallotweezers, featuring two positively charged platinum(II) terpyridine and neutral gold(III) diphenylpyridine pincers on diphenylpyridine spacer, have been designed and synthesized, respectively. The pre-organization effect, rendered by the rigid spacer, enables the resulting metallotweezers to complex with each other, resulting in the formation of clipping complex. The synergistic rigidifying and shielding effects of clipping structure results in enhanced phosphorescent emission intensity. Concurrently, due to phase segregation between the clipping units and the polyethylene glycol tail, the clipping complex undergoes self-assembly in aqueous solution, resulting in phosphorescent emission in the near-infrared region. Overall, non-covalent clipping of metallotweezers illustrated in this study presents a new and effective approach toward near-infrared phosphorescent materials.

The most probable transition pathway of a predator–prey system under noise

Stochastic population dynamics plays a crucial role in biological systems. The number and distribution of biological populations often affect the stability of ecosystems, and even lead to the transition of ecosystems from one steady-state to another. The transition between different states of a population has a significant impact on both population dynamics and biological evolution. In this paper, we examined a stochastic population model and used Onsager–Machlup action functional and neural shooting method to obtain the most probable transition pathway between different states. Moreover, we analyzed the influence of noise intensity, maximum harvest rate [Formula: see text] and time [Formula: see text] on most probable transition pathway in two different parameter scenarios. Our research may provide a better understanding of evolutionary process such as genetic variation in populations and the evolution of species adaptation, meanwhile, may provide a theoretical guidance for species conservation and management in real world.

Structural and practical identifiability of contrast transport models for DCE-MRI.

Contrast transport models are widely used to quantify blood flow and transport in dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging. These models analyze the time course of the contrast agent concentration, providing diagnostic and prognostic value for many biological systems. Thus, ensuring accuracy and repeatability of the model parameter estimation is a fundamental concern. In this work, we analyze the structural and practical identifiability of a class of nested compartment models pervasively used in analysis of MRI data. We combine artificial and real data to study the role of noise in model parameter estimation. We observe that although all the models are structurally identifiable, practical identifiability strongly depends on the data characteristics. We analyze the impact of increasing data noise on parameter identifiability and show how the latter can be recovered with increased data quality. To complete the analysis, we show that the results do not depend on specific tissue characteristics or the type of enhancement patterns of contrast agent signal.

Enzymatic Reaction-Coupled, Cooperative Supramolecular Polymerization.

Nature employs sophisticated mechanisms to precisely regulate self-assembly and functions within biological systems, exemplified by the formation of cytoskeletal filaments. Various enzymatic reactions and auxiliary proteins couple with the self-assembly process, meticulously regulating the length and functions of resulting macromolecular structures. In this context, we present a bioinspired, reaction-coupled approach for the controlled supramolecular polymerization in synthetic systems. To achieve this, we employ an enzymatic reaction that interfaces with the adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-templated supramolecular polymerization of naphthalene diimide monomers (NSG). Notably, the enzymatic production of ATP (template) plays a pivotal role in facilitating reaction-controlled, cooperative growth of the NSG monomers. This growth process, in turn, provides positive feedback to the enzymatic production of ATP, creating an ideal reaction-coupled assembly process. The success of this approach is further evident in the living-growth characteristic observed during seeding experiments, marking this method as the pioneering instance where reaction-coupled self-assembly precisely controls the growth kinetics and structural aspects of supramolecular polymers in a predictive manner, akin to biological systems.