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Wave energy is rapidly emerging as a promising and innovative solution among the various renewable energy sources. Given India's extensive coastline, including islands, research on wave energy is essential to harness this resource effectively and contribute to a sustainable energy future. To accelerate research and technological development, a comprehensive review of wave energy potential along the Indian coast is immediately needed. This includes understanding the consistency and variation of wave energy along the Indian coastline, identifying potential sites, and evaluating suitable technologies for exploitation; these aspects are addressed in the present review paper. Studies reveal that among different seasons, the highest wave energy along the Indian coastline is typically available during the southwest monsoon. Additionally, when comparing the west coast and east coast of India, the Arabian Sea offers superior opportunities (annual mean wave power of 19.5 GW) compared to the Bay of Bengal (8.7 GW). Among the islands, the Lakshadweep islands demonstrated a yearly mean wave energy ranging from 10 to 15 kW/m, while in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, wave power increases southwards, peaking in Little Andaman and Nicobar. Further, the studies identified the region near Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu as one of the significant potential areas for wave energy exploitation. To exploit this energy, there are numerous types of wave energy converters (WECs)/technologies available in the market, and among them, Oscillating Water Columns (OWC), WaveStar, Wave Dragons, and Pontoons seem to be tailored to Indian conditions. Overall, India experiences low wave energy outside the southwest monsoon season, necessitating further research into hybrid wave energy converters suitable for these conditions. • The wave energy potential and variability along the Indian coast are reviewed. • Promising sites for wave energy exploitation along the Indian coast are summarized. • Proposed the most suitable wave energy converters for Indian conditions. • Suggested promising pathways to enhance energy resilience for Indian coast. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2007.01.055 Byline: Y. Pari (a), M.V. Ramana Murthy (a), S. Jaya kumar (b), B.R. Subramanian (a), S. Ramachandran (c) Keywords: Morphology; Geographic information system; Estuary; Tsunami; Beach profile; Global positioning system Abstract: Coastal subsystems formed by interaction of various processes, impacted by natural hazards like tsunami and storms, pose irreversible morphological changes. Vellar estuary, located on the southeast coast of India, with huge sand dunes (of 3-6m height and spread to 560ha) and barrier islands, has undergone extensive morphological changes due to the giant Indian Ocean tsunami that occurred on 26th December 2004. The damage caused by the tsunami has been quantified using extensive field data collected during pre- and post-tsunami periods through Real Time Kinematic GPS (for mapping coastal features and beach profiles) and Geographic Information System (GIS) couple. The tsunami with a wave height as high as 4m not only inundated the entire coastal land up to a maximum of 2km but also eroded the sand dunes and deposited the eroded material at the inlet, which ultimately formed as a vast tidal flat spread over 31ha. The estuary has suffered immensely due to the tsunami especially in terms of (i) loss of natural protection barriers (sand dunes), which made this coastal area more vulnerable to storm attack, and (ii) shallowness of inlet creating hindrance to navigation of fishing vessels. Based on the observations made at Vellar coast and past recovery experiences of tsunami/hurricanes elsewhere in the world, we contend that the morphological loss might take at least two annual cycles to regain its original form and the rebuilding of sand dunes may even take a decade. Author Affiliation: (a) ICMAM-PD, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Chennai 601 302, Tamil Nadu, India (b) National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, Goa 403 004, India (c) Vice Chancellor, University of Madras, Chennai 600 005, Tamil Nadu, India Article History: Received 28 February 2006; Revised 12 September 2006; Accepted 16 January 2007

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2007.01.050 Byline: S. Jaya Kumar (a), K.A. Naik (a), M.V. Ramanamurthy (b), D. Ilangovan (a), R. Gowthaman (a), B.K. Jena (c) Keywords: Indian Ocean tsunami; Tamil Nadu coast; Beach profile; Longshore sediment transport; Littoral observations Abstract: The 26th December 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami devastated coastal regions of the Indian subcontinent. Andaman and Nicobar Islands, coastal stretches of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala were the most affected regions of India. Changes in the beach profiles, long shore currents, breaking wave characteristics in the surf zone at selected locations along the Tamil Nadu coast were studied during January, April, October 2005 and January 2006. Long shore sediment transport rates were estimated from the observed parameters. Studies were carried out earlier (1995-1996 and 1998) to understand the coastal environment over a one-year cycle in the study region. The post-tsunami observations were compared with the earlier studies to establish the variations in the littoral environment and to ascertain the normalcy of the littoral environment in the post-tsunami scenario. From the changes in the beach profiles, the shoreline was observed to recede by about 20m and built-up of backshore by about 0.5m at most locations. Observations from the field investigations and comparisons with earlier studies along this stretch of the coastline indicate that the coastline is yet to return completely to normalcy. Author Affiliation: (a) National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, Goa, 403 004, India (b) ICMAM, NIOT Campus, Narayanapuram, Chennai, 601302, India (c) National Institute of Ocean technology, NIOT Campus, Narayanapuram, Chennai, 601302, India Article History: Received 13 March 2006; Revised 16 July 2006; Accepted 15 January 2007

• Hydro-deoxynation of pyrolytic oil has been reviewed. • Bio-oil stability parameters are studied and discussed in-depth. • Techn-economic analysis (TEA) of Hydro-deoxynation of pyrolytic oil is reviewed. • The influence of reactors types on HDO of pyroltic oil is also discussed. • HDO of pyrolysis oil is a feasible technology from the economic point of view. The rapid depletion of fossil fuels and environmental concerns have led researchers to explore alternative sources of energy. Pyrolytic oil derived from biomass is considered to be a potential alternative to fossil fuels, but it lacks certain physicochemical properties that make it unsuitable to be used as fuel. For instance, the high oxygen content in the pyrolytic oil exhibits chemical instability, the tendency to polymerize, and low energy density compared to traditional fuels. The hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) method is a viable technique to enhance the desirable characteristics of pyrolytic oil for commercial applications. This method has the disadvantage of catalyst deactivation owed due to coking, and its extent depends on the nature of oxy-compounds, catalyst type, and experimental conditions. However, by varying the experimental parameters such as catalyst acidity, temperature, pressure, solvent, and reaction time, the HDO product characteristics may be tailored to meet the specific requirements and applications. In this work, we have presented a comprehensive review of multiple alternatives to produce pyrolytic oil with essential fuel characteristics. The techno-economic analysis (TEA) and kinetic analysis of the pyrolytic oil were also elaborated. Overall, the review paper highlights the influence of process variables, kinetics investigation, reactor types and techno-economic analysis of HDO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pyrolysis oil and distribution is still in the incipient stages, though it is a potential source of energy and valueable chemicals. The current work focused on the kinetics study and thermo-catalytic pyrolysis of Azadirachta indica seeds (AZI) over CaO and CuO. The kinetic behaviour of AZI is studied in a TGA under an inert atmosphere at dynamic heating rates (10, 20 and 30 °C min−1) using Starink method (ST) and Vyazovkin model (VM). Further, AZI were pyrolyzed in a semi-batch tubular reactor at 500 °C, 50 °C min−1 heating rate and 100 mL min−1 nitrogen flow rate at 20 wt% catalyst loading. The biomass and pyrolysis liquid were characterised via proximate analysis, elemental analysis, thermal stability, FTIR, viscosity, density, acidity, moisture content, GC-MS etc. Kinetic analysis of AZIs confirmed that biomass decomposition takes place in a multifaceted route, and the activation energy is associated with conversion and temperature. Thermal pyrolysis exhibited 39.53 wt% liquid yields; however, introducing 20 wt% catalyst has improved the yield to 46.53 wt% and 45.36 wt% for CaO and CuO, respectively. The findings of the thermal and catalytic pyrolytic oil demonstrated that the addition of catalysts significantly enhanced the properties of pyrolytic oil by lowering viscosity and oxygen content while raising heating value and acidity. Finally, GC-MS results displayed that the use of catalysts resulted in a considerable decline in the proportion of oxygenated compounds, acids, and phenols and an increase in the proportion of hydrocarbons, aldehydes and alcohols. [Display omitted] • Azadirachta indica seeds and CaO, and CuO were utilized for pyrolysis oil. • Kinetic results confirmed the progressive value of activation energy over conversion. • Catalytic pyrolysis results established maximum liquid yield at 20 wt%. • The HHV of pyrolysis oil increased using catalysts at optimized conditions. • The catalysts increased the hydrocarbons and reduced the oxygenated compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have realized a Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP)-graphene nanohybrid obtained by a direct LFP crystal colloidal synthesis on few-layer graphene (FLG) flakes produced by the liquid phase exfoliation (LPE) of pristine graphite. This hybrid material has been tested as a cathode in Li-ion batteries, achieving fast charge/discharge responses to high specific currents. We demonstrate a specific capacity exceeding 110 mAh g −1 at 20 C, with no electrode damaging. Our LFP-FLG electrodes display a low charge transfer resistance, chemical stability and steady electrochemical behavior even under stressful conditions, such as impulsive charges at a high-rate (5 C) and long cycles at 1 C (> 700 cycles). The LFP colloidal synthesis combined with the FLG production by LPE allows for tuning both the LFP-platelets like and FLG flake morphologies in order to promote an optimal connection between the LFP and FLG flakes, ensuring fast charge transfers and consequently high-rate electrochemical performances. The method here proposed yields a scalable production path, which can be easily extended to silicate-, phosphate- and fluorophosphates-based cathode materials for the next generation of high-power lithium batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Workload management in a Database Management System (DBMS) has become difficult and challenging because of workload complexity and heterogeneity. During and after execution of the workload, it is hard to control and handle the workload. Before executing the workload, predicting its performance can help us in workload management. By knowing the type of workload in advance, we can predict its performance in an adaptive way that will enable us to monitor and control the workload, which ultimately leads to performance tuning of the DBMS. This study proposes a predictive and adaptive framework named as the Autonomic Workload Performance Prediction (AWPP) framework. The proposed AWPP framework predicts and adapts the DBMS workload performance on the basis of information available in advance before executing the workload. The Case-Based Reasoning (CBR) approach is used to solve the workload management problem. The proposed CBR approach is compared with other machine learning techniques. To validate the AWPP framework, a number of benchmark workloads of the Decision Support System (DSS) and the Online Transaction Processing (OLTP) are executed on the MySQL DBMS. For preparation of training and testing data, we executed more than 1000 TPC-H and TPC-C like workloads on a standard data set. The results show that our proposed AWPP framework through CBR modeling performs better in predicting and adapting the DBMS workload. DBMSs algorithms can be optimized for this prediction and workload can be controlled and managed in a better way. In the end, the results are validated by performing post-hoc tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Review the existing knowledge on the biochar properties and its future perspectives; • Biochar is derived from waste biomass using pyrolysis techniques reviewed; • Different modification technologies were extensively mentioned in this review; • Modified biochar had a better function in application compared with original biochar; • TEA and LCA of biochar have been reviewed in depth and discussed. Biochar generation from biomass pyrolysis is an appealing and practical technology for storing carbon and lowering the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Carbon recalcitrance in biochar, also known as biochar stability, is an important feature that determines carbon sequestration capacity. Further, the stability of biochar affects the varying process parameter, which flatters the frontier of biochar study. Also, the properties of biochar substantially alter with the various parameters such as operating constraints, types of feedstock, reactors types, etc. In this review, the stability of biochar is explored in-depth, as well as how and why biomass handling variables such as pyrolysis temperature and reaction residence time, compositions and physicochemical properties impact on it. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Techno-Economic Analysis (TEA) of biochar are also highlighted in this review. This review invalidates the failure of current research to give weight to such important concerns in the exposure of TEA and LCA to biochar production. According to this review, relatively high temperatures (400–900 °C), extended residence and holding times, moderate heating rates, certain minerals, and biomass feedstock with a high lignin content and big particle size are desirable for biochar stability. However, the trade-offs between biochar stability and other potential improvements are mediated by constraints. The compromises between the stability of biochar and other possible gains are mediated by obstacles. In addition to carbon nanotubes, capacitors, energy storage devices, and bio-adsorbents, strategies have been developed to promote the use of biochar as a tool to mitigate climate change. The goal of this review is to improve and commercialize biochar technology to fulfill the needs of many industries; it help to the researcher particularly interested in the thermochemical alteration of feeds and the creation of novel pyrolyzer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a case of adenocarcinoma of the pigmented ciliary epithelium arising in a phthisical eye. A 92-year-old man who initially presented with severe ocular pain had calcification extending from the posterior pole to ciliary body on B-scan ultrasonography to a degree not previously reported. We highlight the importance of screening for intraocular neoplasms in adults with a long-standing phthisical eye. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Withdrawal from long-term ethanol consumption results in overexcitation of glutamatergic neurotransmission in the amygdala, which induces an anxiety-like syndrome. Most alcoholics that suffer from such symptoms frequently depend on habitual drinking as self-medication to alleviate their symptoms. Metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 5 (mGlu5) and protein kinase C (PKC) epsilon have been reported to mediate acute and chronic effects of ethanol. This study explores the changes in mGlu5 and PKC epsilon in the amygdala following acute administration of ethanol during ethanol withdrawal (EW) induced anxiety. Male Wistar rats were fed a modified liquid diet containing low-fat cow milk, sucrose, and maltodextrin, with a gradual introduction of 2.4%, 4.8% and 7.2% ethanol for 20 days. Six hours into EW, the rats were intraperitoneally injected with normal saline and ethanol (2.5 g/kg, 20% v/v), and exposed to open-field and elevated plus maze tests. Then, amygdala tissue was dissected from the rat brain for Western blot and gene expression studies. EW-induced anxiety was accompanied by a significant increase in mGlu5, total PKC epsilon, and phosphorylated PKC epsilon protein levels, and also of mRNA of mGlu5 (GRM5) in the amygdala. Acute administration of ethanol significantly attenuated EW-induced anxiety as well as an EW-induced increase in GRM5. The acute challenge of ethanol to EW rats had little effect on the phosphorylated and total protein levels of PKC epsilon in the amygdala. Our results demonstrate that amygdala PKC epsilon may not be directly involved in the development of anxiety following EW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tidal inlets along the Maharashtra coast on the central west coast of India were classified according to three methods available in the literature. Two classification methods viz., (i) Hydrodynamic classification (Hayes, 1979) and (ii) Classification based on dimensionless parameters (Vu, 2013) used for the classification are compared with the morphological classification of de Vriend et al., (1999). The hydrodynamic classification of Tidal inlets along Maharashtra coast is carried out considering mean annual significant wave height. The classification is also extended considering significant wave heights obtained for South-West monsoon, North-East monsoon and Fair Weather seasons. It has been observed that 74% of the inlets are tide dominated as per morphological classification whereasconsidering annual mean wave heights in Vu (2013) method, 67% of the inlets are wave dominated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal inlets are the openings along the coastline that provide a linkage between the open ocean and the hinterland water bodies. These coastal inlets are varied in nature depending on many influencing parameters such as tide, wind, river flow and waves. Amongst these parameters, the tides are the most regular while waves and freshwater flow are more seasonal. The tidal inlets have to be examined and studied to understand the nearshore coastal processes. The inlet remains stable (i.e. open) as long as the alongshore sediment bypasses the tidal inlet. Classification of coastal systems in a broader view is necessary for the management of tidal inlets. There are several methods to classify tidal inlets based on different perspectives namely geo-morphological, hydrodynamic etc. In the present study, tidal inlet classification is carried out considering the hydrodynamics and morphodynamics along the Andhra Pradesh coast, considering the classification method as in Hayes (1984) and Thuy (2013). The Hayes (1984) classification considers only the tidal range and significant wave height, whereas Thuy (2013) considers discharge due to tide (∼Tidal prism /tide duration) and wave (∼ ). A total of 108 tidal inlets along Andhra Pradesh coast on the east coast of India are classified considering annual mean wave height (Hs) as well as seasonal wave heights. This paper presents the methods used and results of the coastal classification along the central east coast of India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: An internal field induced resonant intensity enhancement of Raman scattering of phonon excitations in InAs nanowires is reported. The experimental observation is in good agreement with the simulated results for the scattering of light under varying incident wavelengths, originating from the enhanced internal electric field in an infinite dielectric cylinder. Our analysis demonstrates the combined effect of the first higher lying direct band gap energy (E 1) and the refractive index of the InAs nanowires in the internal field induced Raman scattering. Furthermore, the difference in the relative contribution of electro-optic effect and deformation potential in Raman scattering of nanowires and bulk InAs over a range of excitation energies is discussed by comparing the intensity ratio of their LO and TO phonon modes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Direct measurements of bed shear stresses (using a shear cell apparatus) generated by non-breaking solitary waves are presented. The measurements were carried out over a smooth bed in laminar and transitional flow regimes (~104

Neurotrophin is a growth factor that regulates the development and repair of the nervous system. From all factors, two pioneer groups, the nerve growth factor (NGF) and brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), have been widely explored for their role in disease pathogenesis and potential use as therapeutic agents. Nonetheless, neurotrophin-3 (NT3) and neurotrophin-4 (NT4) also have promising potential, albeit less popular than their counterparts. This review focuses on the latter two factors and their roles in the pathogenesis of brain disorders and potential therapies. An extensive literature search of NT3 and NT4 with their receptors, the TrkB and TrkC on the nervous system were extracted and analyzed. We found that NT3 and NT4 are not only involved in the pathogenesis of some neurodegenerative diseases, but also have promising therapeutic potential on injury- and vascular-related nervous system disease, neuropsychiatry, neurodegeneration and peripheral nerve diseases. In conclusion, the role of NT3 and NT4 should be further emphasized, and more studies could be explored on the potential use of these neurotrophins in the human study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Computers are used for a variety of purposes in clinical management. They are used to store data of patients using electronic medical records (EMR): it requires a careful analysis and decision of the clinician along with the software personnel in designing, refining and maintaining electronic medical record system. Many kinds of data can be stored, retrieved and analysed, which helps in clinical care, communication as well as research. EMRs can be networked to hospital information system (HIS) in which data from different locations can be accessed and used as with EMRs. Security issues would become important for both EMRs and HISs. In addition, information technology and computers can be used to access scientific information from the Internet using PubMed and other sources. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: We describe a patient who had a history of cirrhosis and intravenous drug abuse. He had findings of the hepato-pulmonary syndrome and pulmonary hypertension. The co-existence of the hepato-pulmonary syndrome and pulmonary hypertension may be attributable to two separate processes: (a) cirrhosis causing pulmonary vascular dilatation at the pulmonary capillary level resulting in the hepato-pulmonary syndrome and (b) intravenous drug abuse causing narrowing of pulmonary vascular bed at the level of small pulmonary arteries, thereby, resulting in pulmonary hypertension with elevated pulmonary vascular resistance. However, the co-existence of the hepato-pulmonary syndrome and porto-pulmonary hypertension remains a distinct possibility. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A crystal structure of the bacteriophage T7 gene 5 protein/Escherichia coli thioredoxin complex reveals a region in the exonuclease domain (residues 144–157) that is not present in other members of the E. coli DNA polymerase I family. To examine the role of this region, a genetically altered enzyme that lacked residues 144–157 (T7 polymerase (pol) Δ144–157) was purified and characterized biochemically. The polymerase activity and processivity of T7 pol Δ144–157 on primed M13 DNA are similar to that of wild-type T7 DNA polymerase implying that these residues are not important for DNA synthesis. The ability of T7 pol Δ144–157 to catalyze the hydrolysis of a phosphodiester bond, as judged from the rate of hydrolysis of a p-nitrophenyl ester of thymidine monophosphate, also remains unaffected. However, the 3′-5′ exonuclease activity on polynucleotide substrates is drastically reduced; exonuclease activity on single-stranded DNA is 10-fold lower and that on double-stranded DNA is 20-fold lower as compared with wild-type T7 DNA polymerase. Taken together, our results suggest that residues 144–157 of gene 5 protein, although not crucial for polymerase activity, are important for DNA binding during hydrolysis of polynucleotides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ophthalmia neonatorum is one of the most common infections during the neonatal period. Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoea must be ruled out, given their high virulence and systemic complications. We describe a case of ophthalmia neonatroum from Klebsiella pneumonia. Gram-negative organisms have been reported in hospital-acquired conjunctivitis (HAC), but we are unaware of any published reports of K . pneumonia conjunctivitis in an otherwise healthy full-term infant born in the United States who has received prophylaxis. It is important to promptly identify and treat Klebsiella conjunctivitis because it can lead to severe complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetes mellitus is associated with endothelial dysfunction that leads to cardiovascular complications. Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors demonstrated efficacy in glycemic control in type 2 diabetes patients with positive cardiovascular outcome. Recent research revealed a link between SGLT2 inhibition and improved macro- and microvascular endothelial functions. Mechanisms underlying this phenomenon could be due to the role of SLGT2 in the regulation of endothelial physiology. In this review, current knowledge and hypothesis on the link between SGLT2 and endothelial function were critically appraised and the impact of SGLT2 inhibitors on endothelial dysfunction in pre-clinical and clinical studies was discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advanced atherosclerosis is linked to plaque instability, which can result in rupture and the onset of a heart attack. Evidence gathered from human atheroma plaques indicates that intraplaque neovascularization poses a risk to plaque stability and may lead to plaque hemorrhage. Hence, targeting the neovascularization within the atheroma plaque has the potential to mitigate the plaque's vulnerability. While neovascularization has been extensively explored in the context of cancer, research on pharmacological inhibition of this phenomenon in atherosclerosis remains limited. This systematic review aimed to comprehensively assess current and emerging pharmacological interventions for inhibiting intraplaque neovascularization in preclinical settings. Electronic databases (Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, and Ovid) were searched from January 2013 until February 1, 2024. Preclinical studies reporting the effect of any pharmacological interventions targeting intraplaque neovascularization were included. A total of 10 articles involving in vivo animal studies were eligible for inclusion, with five of them incorporating in vitro experiments to complement their in vivo findings. The pharmacological interventions studied were axitinib, ghrelin, K5, rosuvastatin, atorvastatin, 3PO, everolimus, melatonin, Si-Miao-Yong-A, and protocatechuic aldehyde. All the interventions showed a positive impact in inhibiting intraplaque neovascularization in various atherosclerotic animal models through various signaling pathways. This review provides valuable insights into pharmacological approaches to attenuate intraplaque neovascularization that could serve as a promising therapeutic avenue to enhance plaque stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: 3,3′-Diselenodipropionic acid (DSePA), a diselenide and a derivative of selenocystine, was evaluated for in vivo radioprotective effects in Swiss albino mice, at an intraperitoneal dose of 2 mg/kg body wt, for 5 days before whole-body exposure to γ-radiation. The radioprotective efficacy was evaluated by assessing protection of the hepatic tissue, the spleen, and the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and survival against sub- and supralethal doses of γ-radiation. DSePA inhibited radiation-induced hepatic lipid peroxidation, protein carbonylation, loss of hepatic function, and damage to the hepatic architecture. DSePA also attenuated the depletion of endogenous antioxidants such as glutathione, glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and catalase in the livers of irradiated mice. DSePA also restored the radiation-induced reduction in villus height, crypt cell numbers, and spleen cellularity, indicating protective effects on the GI tract and the hematopoietic system. The results from single-cell gel electrophoresis of the peripheral blood leukocytes showed that DSePA can attenuate radiation-induced DNA damage. The mRNA expression analysis of genes revealed that DSePA augmented GADD45α and inhibited p21 in both spleen and liver tissues. DSePA also inhibited radiation-induced apoptosis in the spleen and reversed radiation-induced alterations in the expression of the proapoptotic BAX and the antiapoptotic Bcl-2 genes. In line with these observations, DSePA improved the 30-day survival of irradiated mice by 35.3%. In conclusion, these findings clearly confirm that DSePA exhibits protective effects against whole-body γ-radiation and the probable mechanisms of action involve the maintenance of antioxidant enzymes, prophylactic action through the attenuation of the DNA damage, and inhibition of apoptosis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this study, we investigated the effect of the morphology of few-layer (FLG) and multi-layer (MLG) graphene flakes on the gas barrier properties of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) films. Composite films of TPU filled with FLG and MLG at different concentrations are prepared by solution blending-casting and hot-pressing, achieving an in-plane alignment of the fillers and, consequently, improving the gas barrier properties. Specifically, the hot-pressed TPU composites loaded with 4 wt% of the MLG with a lateral size distribution of 0.1–25.0 μm demonstrates a reduction of ~81% in the gas permeability compared to the pristine TPU. Additionally, the thermal conductivity of the TPU composite (loaded with 4 wt% of MLG) is enhanced ~3 times and the Young modulus increases more than 5 times compared to the pristine TPU. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]