Study explains scar less skin grafting using mussel adhesive protein

Pohang [South Korea], July 3: In collaboration with Dr. Hyo Jeong Kim of the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, a research team led by Professor Hyung Joon Cha, Woo Hyung Park, and PhD candidate Jae Yun Lee from the Department of Chemical Engineering at POSTECH has created a bioadhesive for skin grafting that contains two different types of drugs.

Swati Bhat

The findings of the research were published in the journal 'Chemical Engineering Journal'. The research team developed the bioadhesive by introducing allantoin and epidermal growth factor in a mussel adhesive protein coacervate.

Upon application of this bioadhesive, the two drugs are successively released, according to the stage of the wound healing process, and regenerate the skin. Results of the study indicate that the wound area recovered more efficiently than when treated with sutures used in current skin grafting. In particular, loss of hair follicles in the transplanted area was minimal, while collagen and major skin factor levels were effectively revived.

A characteristic of this bioadhesive is that, unlike sutures, it leaves minimal scarring on the wound area and is harmless to the human body because it utilizes mussel adhesive protein, a biomaterial. Professor Hyung Joon Cha explained, "We used the mussel adhesive protein -- a biomaterial that originated in Korea -- in the newly developed bioadhesive for skin grafting that resulted in minimal scarring and promoted skin regeneration." He added, "This new system will be effectively applied in the transplantation of various affected areas requiring tissue regeneration."

This study was supported by the Health Technology Research and Development Project of the Ministry of Health and Welfare of Korea. The technology of the mussel adhesive protein (MAP) has undergone a technology transfer to Nature Gluetech Co. Ltd, and among these, "FIxLight," a medical adhesive for extra-epidermal soft tissue, is undergoing human clinical trials. The commercialization and development of the medical adhesive coacervate are in progress.

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Google bans several malicious India-linked domains

Washington [US], July 3: More than a dozen malicious India-linked domains and websites that were being used in attacks targeting users worldwide by hack-for-hire groups have now been banned by American tech giant Google's Threat Analysis Group (TAG).

Pritish Bagdi

To warn users about the threat, the company recently published a blog post where they listed these banned domain links which used to inject spying tools into users' PCs/laptops by appearing as fake login pages for websites or apps.

The blog post read, "As part of TAG's mission to counter serious threats to Google and our users, we've published analysis on a range of persistent threats including government-backed attackers, commercial surveillance vendors, and serious criminal operators." "We're sharing intelligence on a segment of attackers we call hack-for-hire, whose niche focuses on compromising accounts and exfiltrating data as a service," it continued.

Below is the list of these banned India-linked domains:

- dtiwa.app[.]link

- share-team.app[.]link

- mipim.app[.]link

- processs.app[.]link

- aws-amazon.app[.]ink

- clik[.]sbs

- loading[.]sbs

- userprofile[.]live

- requestservice[.]live

- unt-log[.]com

- webtech-portal[.]com

- id-apl[.]info

- rnanage-icloud[.]com

- apl[.]onl

- go-gl[.]io

Whenever a user typed in their login credentials on these domains, their details were secretly sent to the hacker, who could then use them to break into the user's system and take complete control over it.

Government organizations to AWS and Gmail accounts have been the targets of these phishing messages. Apart from India, Google has also provided examples of the hack-for-hire ecosystem from Russia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), in order to help users.

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Priyanka Chopra's new homeware brand 'Sona Home' trolled by netizens for being 'overpriced'

Mumbai [India], July 2: Actor and businesswoman Priyanka Chopra, who recently launched her new Indian homeware lineup 'Sona Home' is under fire for keeping the prices of the items in the collection 'exorbitantly high'.

Swati Bhat

Many people took to the micro-blogging site Twitter to express disappointment and shock. According to their website, their 'Panna' Collection has a tablecloth that is priced at around Rs 31,000 (USD 398)! They also have a Dinner set collection - 'Sultan'.

On the website, a cup and saucer set is priced around Rs 5,300 approximately (USD 68), and Chutney Pots (a set of 6) is priced around Rs 15,000 approximately (USD 198). Looks like the price list didn't go down well with netizens. In reaction, they started a hilarious thread on Twitter. One user wrote, "I wanna be rich to a point where I can casually buy a SONA HOME tablecloth worth 30K INR".

Another user wrote, "Sona home is beautiful and I was down to splurge on it bc I've been wanting new dinnerware but $60/per plate. Miss Chopra, you crazy."

On June 23, Priyanka took to her Instagram to share the news of 'Sona Home' launch. She shared a video on Instagram and wrote, "Launch day is here! I couldn't be more proud to introduce you all to SONA HOME. It was challenging to come from India and make America my second home, but my journey led me to a place where I found a second family and friends. I bring a piece of India into everything I do and this is an extension of that thought. It's awesome to be working alongside @maneeshkgoyal and our entire team in creating something so dear to our hearts and heritage."

Many congratulated Priyanka on the launch of the homeware collection but now, due to the trolling, many think their sales will be affected.

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