Bioinspired Soft Machines: Engineering Nature's Grace into Future Innovations.

This article explores the transformative advances in soft machines, where biology, materials science, and engineering have converged. We discuss the remarkable adaptability and versatility of soft machines, whose designs draw inspiration from nature's elegant solutions. From the intricate movements of octopus tentacles to the resilience of an elephant's trunk, nature provides a wealth of inspiration for designing robots capable of navigating complex environments with grace and efficiency.

Applicability of In Silico New Approach Methods for the Risk Assessment of Tattoo Ink Ingredients.

Tattoo inks contain several substances, including organic and inorganic pigments, additives, and solvents, which may pose a health risk to not only the tattooed skin but also to other parts of the human body due to intradermal exposure. Substances in tattoo inks are regulated by entry 75 in Annex XVII of REACH Regulation (EC) No. 1907/2006.

An Insight Into Unveiling Nano Luminescence for Industrial Dye Detection.

Dye, a major contaminant from the textile, paper, and pulp industries, is a serious environmental and human health hazard. Because of their low cost, environmental friendliness, and sustainability, semiconductor nanoparticles are among the most effective photocatalysts for detecting dyes in wastewater. Quantum dots (QDs), particularly Carbon quantum dots (CQDs), have received a lot of attention due to their unique optical and electrical properties, making them excellent for applications such as sensing and detection.

Quantitative prediction of toxicological points of departure using two-stage machine learning models: A new approach methodology (NAM) for chemical risk assessment.

Point of departure (POD) is a concept used in risk assessment to calculate the reference dose of exposure that is likely to have no appreciable risk on health. POD can be directly utilized from no observed adverse effect levels (NOAEL) which is the dose or exposure level at which there is little or no risk of adverse effects. However, NOAEL values are unavailable for most of the chemicals due to inconsistent animal toxicity data.

Navigating the COVID-19 Therapeutic Landscape: Unveiling Novel Perspectives on FDA-Approved Medications, Vaccination Targets, and Emerging Novel Strategies.

Amidst the ongoing global challenge of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, the quest for effective antiviral medications remains paramount. This comprehensive review delves into the dynamic landscape of FDA-approved medications repurposed for COVID-19, categorized as antiviral and non-antiviral agents. Our focus extends beyond conventional narratives, encompassing vaccination targets, repurposing efficacy, clinical studies, innovative treatment modalities, and future outlooks.

AI and ML-based risk assessment of chemicals: predicting carcinogenic risk from chemical-induced genomic instability.

Chemical risk assessment plays a pivotal role in safeguarding public health and environmental safety by evaluating the potential hazards and risks associated with chemical exposures. In recent years, the convergence of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and omics technologies has revolutionized the field of chemical risk assessment, offering new insights into toxicity mechanisms, predictive modeling, and risk management strategies. This perspective review explores the synergistic potential of AI/ML and omics in deciphering clastogen-induced genomic instability for carcinogenic risk prediction.

circRNAs as Epigenetic Regulators of Integrity in Blood-Brain Barrier Architecture: Mechanisms and Therapeutic Strategies in Multiple Sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory neurodegenerative disease leading to progressive demyelination and neuronal loss, with extensive neurological symptoms. As one of the most widespread neurodegenerative disorders, with an age onset of about 30 years, it turns out to be a socio-health and economic issue, thus necessitating therapeutic interventions currently unavailable. Loss of integrity in the blood-brain barrier (BBB) is one of the distinct MS hallmarks.

Nanoprimers in sustainable seed treatment: Molecular insights into abiotic-biotic stress tolerance mechanisms for enhancing germination and improved crop productivity.

Abiotic and biotic stresses during seed germination are typically managed with conventional agrochemicals, known to harm the environment and reduce crop yields. Seeking sustainable alternatives, nanotechnology-based agrochemicals leverage unique physical and chemical properties to boost seed health and alleviate stress during germination. Nanoprimers in seed priming treatment are advanced nanoscale materials designed to enhance seed germination, growth, and stress tolerance by delivering bioactive compounds and nutrients directly to seeds.

Harmonization Risks and Rewards: Nano-QSAR for Agricultural Nanomaterials.

This comprehensive review explores the emerging landscape of Nano-QSAR (quantitative structure-activity relationship) for assessing the risk and potency of nanomaterials in agricultural settings. The paper begins with an introduction to Nano-QSAR, providing background and rationale, and explicitly states the hypotheses guiding the review. The study navigates through various dimensions of nanomaterial applications in agriculture, encompassing their diverse properties, types, and associated challenges.

Semen Cryopreservation to Expand Male Fertility in Cancer Patients: Intracase Evaluation of Semen Quality.

To preserve male fertility after diagnosis of any kind of cancer, a prompt assessment of the semen quality and an appropriate semen cryopreservation must be performed before radio-chemotherapy starts. The present work aims to evaluate the semen parameters at diagnosis of different cancer patients before cryopreservation and after thawing. Testicular tumors and lymphomas are among the most common cancers in younger patients, and while chemotherapy significantly increases patients' survival, it can epigenetically alter the semen fluid, resulting in temporary or permanent infertility.

LINE-1 global DNA methylation, iron homeostasis genes, sex and age in sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL).

Background: Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) is an abrupt loss of hearing, still idiopathic in most of cases. Several mechanisms have been proposed including genetic and epigenetic interrelationships also considering iron homeostasis genes, ferroptosis and cellular stressors such as iron excess and dysfunctional mitochondrial superoxide dismutase activity.

Results: We investigated 206 SSNHL patients and 420 healthy controls for the following genetic variants in the iron pathway: SLC40A1 - 8CG (ferroportin; FPN1), HAMP - 582AG (hepcidin; HEPC), HFE C282Y and H63D (homeostatic iron regulator), TF P570S (transferrin) and SOD2 A16V in the mitochondrial superoxide dismutase-2 gene.

Synergistic and Additive Effects of Menadione in Combination with Antibiotics on Multidrug-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus: Insights from Structure-Function Analysis of Naphthoquinones.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) interferes with the effective treatment of infections and increases the risk of microbial spread and infection-related illness and death. The synergistic activities of combinations of antimicrobial compounds offer satisfactory approaches to some extent. Structurally diverse naphthoquinones (NQs) including menadione (-CH group at C2) exhibit substantial antimicrobial activities against multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens.

miRNAs Epigenetic Tuning of Wall Remodeling in the Early Phase after Myocardial Infarction: A Novel Epidrug Approach.

Myocardial infarction (MI) is one of the leading causes of death in Western countries. An early diagnosis decreases subsequent severe complications such as wall remodeling or heart failure and improves treatments and interventions. Novel therapeutic targets have been recognized and, together with the development of direct and indirect epidrugs, the role of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) yields great expectancy.

Herbal concoction Unveiled: A computational analysis of phytochemicals' pharmacokinetic and toxicological profiles using novel approach methodologies (NAMs).

Herbal medications have an extensive history of use in treating various diseases, attributed to their perceived efficacy and safety. Traditional medicine practitioners and contemporary healthcare providers have shown particular interest in herbal syrups, especially for respiratory illnesses associated with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. However, the current understanding of the pharmacokinetic and toxicological properties of phytochemicals in these herbal mixtures is limited.

Overcoming Challenges and Innovations in Orthopedic Prosthesis Design: An Interdisciplinary Perspective.

Recent advances in the orthopedic prostheses design have significantly improved the quality of life for individuals with orthopedic disabilities. However, there are still critical challenges that need to be addressed to further enhance the functionality of orthopedic prostheses improving biocompatibility to promote better integration with natural tissues, enhancing durability to withstand the demands of daily use, and improving sensory feedback for better control of movement are the most pressing issues. To address these challenges, promising emerging solutions such as smart prosthetics, 3D printing, regenerative medicine, and artificial intelligence have been developed.

Digital Transformation in Toxicology: Improving Communication and Efficiency in Risk Assessment.

Toxicology is undergoing a digital revolution, with mobile apps, sensors, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning enabling better record-keeping, data analysis, and risk assessment. Additionally, computational toxicology and digital risk assessment have led to more accurate predictions of chemical hazards, reducing the burden of laboratory studies. Blockchain technology is emerging as a promising approach to increase transparency, particularly in the management and processing of genomic data related with food safety.

Integrative toxicogenomics: Advancing precision medicine and toxicology through artificial intelligence and OMICs technology.

More information about a person's genetic makeup, drug response, multi-omics response, and genomic response is now available leading to a gradual shift towards personalized treatment. Additionally, the promotion of non-animal testing has fueled the computational toxicogenomics as a pivotal part of the next-gen risk assessment paradigm. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to provid new ways analyzing the patient data and making predictions about treatment outcomes or toxicity.

Polymer Translocation and Nanopore Sequencing: A Review of Advances and Challenges.

Various biological processes involve the translocation of macromolecules across nanopores; these pores are basically protein channels embedded in membranes. Understanding the mechanism of translocation is crucial to a range of technological applications, including DNA sequencing, single molecule detection, and controlled drug delivery. In this spirit, numerous efforts have been made to develop polymer translocation-based sequencing devices, these efforts include findings and insights from theoretical modeling, simulations, and experimental studies.

Recent Advances in Nano-Enabled Seed Treatment Strategies for Sustainable Agriculture: Challenges, Risk Assessment, and Future Perspectives.

Agro seeds are vulnerable to environmental stressors, adversely affecting seed vigor, crop growth, and crop productivity. Different agrochemical-based seed treatments enhance seed germination, but they can also cause damage to the environment; therefore, sustainable technologies such as nano-based agrochemicals are urgently needed. Nanoagrochemicals can reduce the dose-dependent toxicity of seed treatment, thereby improving seed viability and ensuring the controlled release of nanoagrochemical active ingredients However, the applications of nanoagrochemicals to plants in the field raise concerns about nanomaterial safety, exposure levels, and toxicological implications to the environment and human health.

Host genetics impact on SARS-CoV-2 vaccine-induced immunoglobulin levels and dynamics: The role of , , , , , and genes.

Development and worldwide availability of safe and effective vaccines against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) to fight severe symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and block the pandemic have been a great achievement and stimulated researchers on understanding the efficacy and duration of different vaccine types. We investigated the levels of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies (IgG) and neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) in 195 healthy adult subjects belonging to the staff of the University-Hospital of Ferrara (Italy) starting from 15 days up to 190 days (about 6 months) after the second dose of the BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) mRNA-based vaccine (n = 128) or ChAdOx1 (AstraZeneca) adenovirus-based vaccine (n = 67) using a combined approach of serological and genomics investigations. A strong correlation between IgG and NAb levels was detected during the 190 days of follow-up ( = 0.

Coronavirus-mimicking nanoparticles (CorNPs) in artificial saliva droplets and nanoaerosols: Influence of shape and environmental factors on particokinetics/particle aerodynamics.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, abbreviated as SARS-CoV-2, has been associated with the transmission of infectious COVID-19 disease through breathing and speech droplets emitted by infected carriers including asymptomatic cases. As part of SARS-CoV-2 global pandemic preparedness, we studied the transmission of aerosolized air mimicking the infected person releasing speech aerosol with droplets containing CorNPs using a vibrating mesh nebulizer as human patient simulator. Generally speech produces nanoaerosols with droplets of <5 μm in diameter that can travel distances longer than 1 m after release.

Micropatterned Neurovascular Interface to Mimic the Blood-Brain Barrier's Neurophysiology and Micromechanical Function: A BBB-on-CHIP Model.

A hybrid blood-brain barrier (BBB)-on-chip cell culture device is proposed in this study by integrating microcontact printing and perfusion co-culture to facilitate the study of BBB function under high biological fidelity. This is achieved by crosslinking brain extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins to the transwell membrane at the luminal surface and adapting inlet-outlet perfusion on the porous transwell wall. While investigating the anatomical hallmarks of the BBB, tight junction proteins revealed tortuous zonula occludens (ZO-1), and claudin expressions with increased interdigitation in the presence of astrocytes were recorded.