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Post-mortem studies suggest that schizophrenia is associated with abnormal expression of specific GABAA receptor (GABAAR) α subunits, including α5GABAAR. Positron emission tomography (PET) measures of GABAAR availability in schizophrenia, however, have not revealed consistent alterations in vivo. Animal studies using the GABAAR agonist [3H]-muscimol provide evidence that antipsychotic drugs influence GABAAR availability, in a region-specific manner, suggesting a potential confounding effect of these drugs. No such data, however, are available for more recently developed subunit-selective GABAAR radioligands. To address this, we therefore combined a rat model of clinically relevant antipsychotic drug exposure with quantitative receptor autoradiography. Haloperidol (0.5 and 2 mg/kg/day) or drug vehicle were administered continuously to adult male Sprague-Dawley rats via osmotic mini-pumps for 28 days. Quantitative receptor autoradiography was then performed post-mortem using the GABAAR subunit-selective radioligand [3H]-Ro15-4513 and the non-subunit selective radioligand [3H]-flumazenil. Chronic haloperidol exposure increased [3H]-Ro15-4513 binding in the CA1 sub-field of the rat dorsal hippocampus (pd = +1.3), which was not dose-dependent. [3H]-flumazenil binding also increased in most rat brain regions (pAR radioligands and is the first to demonstrate a potential effect of haloperidol on the binding of a α1/5GABAAR-selective radioligand. Although caution should be exerted when extrapolating results from animals to patients, our data support a view that exposure to antipsychotics may be a confounding factor in PET studies of GABAAR in the context of schizophrenia.

NiO-TiO2 (TN) nanocomposite is synthesized from an assembly of p-type nickel oxide (NiO) and n-type titanium oxide (TiO2) in an ultrasound assisted operation. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) demonstrates the existence of hexagonal particles in the nanocomposite. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements show stable TN nanoparticles (NPs) at a negative zeta potential (−18.5 ± 0.8 mV). The nanocomposite is tested for its catalytic activity towards degrading malachite green (MG), a known water toxicant and methylene blue (MB) under ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. Response surface methodology (RSM) is employed to optimise the influence of significant variables such as initial dye concentration, catalyst dose and time. Their mutual interactions are mapped by response surface and contour plots and correlated with degradation process by a designed model. The best photocatalytic efficiency (87%) is observed at an optimised concentration of 5 ppm dye with 10 ppm catalyst. The presence of inorganic ions and organic matter hardly affected the aggregate size of TN but caused a decline in photoactivity. The catalyst is found effective even in real water system (Hooghly River). A (Fluorine doped tin oxide) FTO/TN/Al heterojunction is fabricated. TN showed enhanced carrier mobility (1.03.10−4 m2V-1s-1) and low transit time (1.76.10-6 s) evaluated using space charge limited current (SCLC) theory. The nanocomposite appears suitable for energy preservation and environmental applications.

NTRK gene rearrangements are important to identify as predictors of response to targeted therapy in many malignancies. Only 0.16–0.3% of colorectal carcinomas (CRCs) harbor these fusions making universal screening difficult. We therefore investigated whether pan-Trk immunohistochemistry (IHC), mismatch repair deficiency (MMRd), and BRAFV600E mutation status could be used to triage molecular testing for NTRK gene rearrangements in CRC. CRCs from 4569 unselected patients underwent IHC in TMA format with two different anti-pan-Trk rabbit monoclonal antibodies. All positive cases were confirmed on whole sections and underwent RNA-sequencing. Pan-Trk IHC was positive in 0.2% of CRCs (9/4569). Both antibodies demonstrated similar staining characteristics with diffuse positive staining in all neoplastic cells. Of note 8/9 (89%) IHC positive cases were both MMRd (all showing MLH1/PMS2 loss) and lacked BRAFV600E mutation. That is, IHC was positive in 5.3% (8/152) MLH1/PMS2/BRAFV600E triple negative CRCs, but only 0.02% (1/4417) not showing this phenotype. All nine IHC positive CRCs demonstrated gene rearrangements (LMNA-NTRK1 in 5 CRCs, TPR-NTRK1, STRM-NTRK1, MUC2-NTRK2, and NTRK1 with an unknown partner in one each), suggesting close to 100% specificity for IHC in this sub-population. NTRK fusions were associated with right sided (p = 0.02), larger tumors (p = 0.029) with infiltrative growth (p = 0.021). As a part of universal Lynch syndrome screening many institutions routinely test all CRCs for MMRd, and then proceed to reflex BRAFV600E mutation testing in MLH1/PMS2 negative CRCs. We conclude that performing pan-Trk IHC on this preselected subgroup of MLH1/PMS2/BRAFV600E triple negative CRCs (only 3.3% of all CRC patients) is a resource effective approach to identify the overwhelming majority of CRC patients with NTRK gene fusions.

Zinc sulphide (ZnS) nanostructures have been prepared by solvothermal method using ethylenediamine (EDA) as solvent and cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) as surfactant. The prepared nanostructures were characterized spectroscopically. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) imaging was done to investigate changes in morphology of ZnS nanostructures prepared with different molar ratios. A distorted square pyramidal geometry with sulfur atoms around the zinc ions was revealed from X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrograph. Absorbance studies indicate significant blue shift. Enhanced luminescence depicted by photoluminescence (PL) studies predicts applications in optical devices.

Developing highly efficient biocatalyst is a pertinent requirement for biofuels production, in particularly biodiesel/bioethanol. To circumvent the minimal efficiency of conventionally used biocatalysts, nanotechnology paves a way by indulging nanoparticles as carriers of biocatalysts. The nanobiocatalysts so formed are applied as a tool for utilizing wide set of biomass related molecules into biofuels. The disadvantages of conventional biocatalysts such as catalyst deactivation, mass transfer, poisoning, and long reaction time can be outstripped by novel nanobiocatalysts. Nanobiocatalyst increases the catalytic activity; and this higher activity is because of the increased surface to volume ratio and hence it can act as a deoxygenation catalyst too. In recent years, exploiting modern tools for nanoparticles synthesis and characterization yielded high quality optimized and conditioned nanocatalyst systems such as metal oxide nanoparticles, magnetic nanoparticles, and carbon nanotubes to increase the biofuel productivity. Nanomaterial immobilized lipases and cellulases are predictably innovative catalysts having remarkable properties. The present article is critically discussed various nanomaterial immobilized enzyme development and its influence over production of biofuel. Continuous research and development and novel nanobiocatalyst engineering is essential for stabilization of biofuel producing companies.

Bitter sensation is mediated by various bitter taste receptors (T2Rs), thus T2R antagonists are actively explored. Our objective was to look for novel T2R blockers in hen protein hydrolysate (HPH). We screened the least bitter HPH fractions using electronic tongue, and analyzed their peptide sequences and calcium mobilization in HEK293T cells expressing T2Rs. The results showed that the HPH fractions with higher bitterness intensity had higher hydrophobicity, more hydrophobic amino acids, and more positively charged peptides, but fewer known umami peptides. The peptide fractions from the least bitter HPH fraction significantly inhibited quinine bitterness (P 0.05), and also significantly inhibited quinine- or diphenhydramine-dependent calcium mobilization of HEK293T cells expressing human T2R4, T2R7, or T2R14 (P 0.05). Among them, the first eluted (least bitter) peptide fraction showed the strongest bitter-inhibitory effect. In conclusion, HPH peptides are the blockers of T2R4, T2R7, and T2R14.

In this study, we report synthesis of pure rutile phase titanium oxide (TiO2) nanoparticles (NPs) at a considerably low temperature with particle size ca. 20 nm (from TEM). The sample showed mesoporous nature as per Brunauer- Emmett- Teller (BET) method with a surface area of 211.7 m2 g−1and band gap 2.94 eV stretching into the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. Two Indium tin oxide (ITO)/TiO2 (rutile and commercial)/Aluminium (Al) based heterojunctions were fabricated and carrier transport properties evaluated with the help of space charge limited current (SCLC) theory. The values of mobility and transit time for rutile were 7.44 × 10−7 m2V−1s−1and 9.52 × 10−5 s respectively and were found to be enhanced on illumination in comparison to commercial TiO2. Rutile exhibited a higher photosensitivity of 5.48 which predict photo-switching nano device applicability. Impedance analysis showed stable and enhanced photocurrent response. The degradation ability of rutile for malachite green oxalate (MG), a hazardous dye, was also checked and found to be 97.54% in 3 h being comparable to commercial TiO2 when irradiated with a definite dose of ultraviolet (Uv) radiation (1.035 × 10−15 Jsm2). The Langmuir- Hinshelwood model was delineated to calculate the reaction rate which was higher for rutile (0.0183 min−1). Lower electron hole pair (EHP) recombination was proved for rutile by photoluminescence (PL) measurements.

Background: Use of heterologous prime-boost COVID-19 vaccine schedules could facilitate mass COVID-19 immunisation, however we have previously reported that heterologous schedules incorporating an adenoviral-vectored vaccine (ChAd, Vaxzevria, Astrazeneca) and an mRNA vaccine (BNT, Comirnaty, Pfizer) at a 4-week interval are more reactogenic than homologous schedules. Here we report the immunogenicity of these schedules. Methods: Com-COV (ISRCTN: 69254139, EudraCT: 2020-005085-33) is a participant-blind, non-inferiority trial evaluating vaccine reactogenicity and immunogenicity. Adults ≥ 50 years, including those with well-controlled comorbidities, were randomised across eight groups to receive ChAd/ChAd, ChAd/BNT, BNT/BNT or BNT/ChAd, administered at 28- or 84-day intervals. The primary endpoint is geometric mean ratio (GMR) of serum SARS-CoV-2 anti-spike IgG levels (ELISA) at one-month post boost between heterologous and homologous schedules given the same prime vaccine. We tested non-inferiority of GMR using a margin of 0.63. The primary analysis was on a per-protocol population, who were seronegative at baseline. Safety analyses were performed amongst participants receiving at least one dose of study vaccines. Findings: In February 2021, 830 participants were enrolled and randomised, including 463 with a 28-day prime-boost interval whose results are reported in this paper. Participant mean age was 57.8 years, 45.8% were female, and 25.3% from ethnic minorities.The geometric mean concentration (GMC) of day 28 post-boost SARS-CoV-2 anti-spike IgG in ChAd/BNT recipients (12,906 ELU/ml) was non-inferior to that in ChAd/ChAd recipients (1,392 ELU/ml) with a geometric mean ratio (GMR) of 9.2 (one-sided 97.5% CI: 7.5, ∞). In participants primed with BNT, we failed to show non-inferiority of the heterologous schedule (BNT/ChAd, GMC 7,133 ELU/ml) against the homologous schedule (BNT/BNT, GMC 14,080 ELU/ml) with a GMR of 0.51 (one-sided 97.5% CI: 0.43, ∞). Geometric mean of T cell response at 28 days post boost in the ChAd/BNT group was 185 SFC/106 PBMCs (spot forming cells/106 peripheral blood mononuclear cells) compared to 50, 80 and 99 SFC/106 PBMCs for ChAd/ChAd, BNT/BNT, and BNT/ChAd, respectively. There were four serious adverse events across all groups, none of which were considered related to immunisation. Interpretation: Despite the BNT/ChAd regimen not meeting non-inferiority criteria, the GMCs of both heterologous schedules were higher than that of a licensed vaccine schedule (ChAd/ChAd) with proven efficacy against COVID-19 disease and hospitalisation. These data support flexibility in the use of heterologous prime-boost vaccination using ChAd and BNT COVID-19 vaccines. Trial Registration: The trial is registered at www.isrctn.com as ISRCTN: 69254139. Funding: Funded by the UK Vaccine Task Force (VTF) and National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Declaration of Interest: MDS acts on behalf of the University of Oxford as an Investigator on studies funded or sponsored by vaccine manufacturers including AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer, Novavax, Janssen, Medimmune, and MCM vaccines. He receives no personal financial payment for this work. JSN-V-T is seconded to the Department of Health and Social Care, England. AMC and DMF are investigators on studies funded by Pfizer and Unilever. They receive no personal financial payment for this work. AF is a member of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation and Chair of the WHO European Technical Advisory Group of Experts (ETAGE) on Immunisation. He is an investigator and/or provides consultative advice on clinical trials and studies of COVID-19 vaccines produced by AstraZeneca, Janssen, Valneva, Pfizer and Sanofi and of other vaccines from these and other manufacturers including GSK, VPI, Takeda and Bionet Asia. He receives no personal remuneration or benefits for any of this work. SNF acts on behalf of University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust as an Investigator and/or providing consultative advice on clinical trials and studies of COVID-19 and other vaccines funded or sponsored by vaccine manufacturers including Janssen, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, Novavax, Seqirus, Sanofi, Medimmune, Merck and Valneva vaccines and antimicrobials. He receives no personal financial payment for this work. PTH acts on behalf of St. George’s University of London as an Investigator on clinical trials of COVID-19 vaccines funded or sponsored by vaccine manufacturers including Janssen, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Novavax and Valneva. He receives no personal financial payment for this work. CAG acts on behalf of University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust as an Investigator on clinical trials and studies of COVID-19 and other vaccines funded or sponsored by vaccine manufacturers including Janssen, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Novavax, CureVac, Moderna, and Valneva vaccines, and receives no personal financial payment for this work. VL acts on behalf of University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust as an Investigator on clinical trials of COVID-19 vaccines funded or sponsored by vaccine manufacturers including Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Valneva. He receives no personal financial payment for this work. TL is named as an inventor on a patent application covering this SARS-CoV-2 vaccine and is an occasional consultant to Vaccitech unrelated to this work. Oxford University has entered into a partnership with AstraZeneca for further development of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 Ethical Approval: The trial was reviewed and approved by the South-Central Berkshire Research Ethics Committee (21/SC/0022), the University of Oxford, and the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency MHRA). An independent data safety monitoring board (DSMB) reviewed safety data, and local trial- site physicians provided oversight of all adverse events in real-time.

A new supportive signal namely Combined Derivative of Reactive Power and Bus Frequency (CDRPF) in SVS for alleviating torsional oscillations due to SSR is developed. The IEEE first benchmark model incorporating midpoint located SVS is considered as a test system. The effect of CDRPF-SVS supportive signal for restraining torsional oscillations due to SSR is illustrated. An analysis through eigenvalues of the linearized series compensated power system is demonstrated once incorporating the proposed supportive signal and once without any supportive signal. It is found that the unstable torsional modes are effectively eliminated with the proposed supportive signal. Also, the performance of the proposed supportive signal is assessed for the non-linear system model under large disturbance conditions. The concept of designing of proposed supportive signal has been implemented by using a detailed system model reflecting the system dynamics of various power system components accurately. Results of simulation demonstrate the effective damping of torsional oscillation due to subsynchronous resonance (SSR) under severe conditions and confirm the efficacy of the supportive input signal under consideration.

Dilute acid pretreatment of biomass generates enormous amount of hydrolysate (rich in inhibitors and pentose sugars), that remains unutilized for bioethanol production due to inadequacy of efficient C5-fermenting organisms. In this study, a predominantly pentose fermenting extremely thermophilic bacterium strain DBT-IOC-X2, pertaining to the genus Thermoanaerobacter was isolated from Himalayan hot spring. Batch experiments indicated substantial inhibitor resistance (2 g dm−3 for furfural, 5-HMF, and acetic acid), substrate tolerance (∼15 g dm−3), co-sugar fermentation ability (co-production ethanol yield of 0.29 g/g), and high ethanol yield (83.57% and 91.12% of the theoretical maximum from 5 g dm−3 glucose and xylose, respectively) by the bacterium at 70 °C and pH 8.0. Here, bioethanol production process was developed using pre-treated rice straw hydrolysate (PRSH) as low-cost agro-waste and 83.47% of the total sugar conversion was obtained. This study shows that Thermoanaerobacter sp. DBT-IOC-X2 could utilize diluted PRSH efficiently to improve the overall cost-effectiveness of biomass processing to bioethanol.

An earth-abundant and relatively less toxic, quatemary Cu2ZnSnSe4 (CZTSe) quantum dots (QDs) were prepared by hot injection method at low temperature to use as a sensitizer for QDSC. The formation of tetragonal phase and stoichiometry were confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis, respectively. The UV-Vis-NIR and photoluminescence spectroscopy was used to determine the bandgap (1.66 eV) and narrow emission (1050-1130 nm) range. Moreover, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to find out the average size of CZTSe QDs and it was found to be similar to( )5 nm. It can highly adsorb on the porous TiO2 nanofibers (NFs) and enhance the absorbance due to its smaller size. The photoconversion efficiency was investigated using the prepared CZTSe QDs sensitized porous TiO2 NFs based QDSC and its photoconversion efficiency (PCE) was found to be 3.61% which is higher than that of the conventional TiO2 NFs based QDSC (eta approximate to 2.84%).

Silicon nanowire-based devices have properties such as optical, electronic, and physical that can outperform their traditional counterparts in various ways because the silicon nanowires (SiNWs) have a high surface Si area to volume ratio and unique quasi-one-dimensional (1D) electronic structure. A variety of approaches are being classified into top-down and bottom-up methods to fabricate SiNWs. The present work demonstrates the synthesis of porous SiNWs (PSiNWs) through the metal-assisted chemical etching (MACE). The MACE produces PSiNWs using an aqueous solution composed of hydrofluoric acid (HF) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Effect of MACE parameters such as H2O2 concentration, etching time, and Si wafer resistivity variation on the morphological characteristics (especially length) of PSiNWs are compared and thoroughly discussed. The structure and morphology of PSiNWs are characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The XRD data show the PSiNWs crystal growth direction.

To overcome the challenges associated with combined bioprocessing of lignocellulosic biomass to biofuel, finding good organisms is essential. An ethanol producing bacteria DBT-IOC-DC21 was isolated from a compost site via preliminary enrichment culture on a pure hemicellulosic substrate and identified as a Clostridium strain by 16S rRNA analysis. This strain presented broad substrate spectrum with ethanol, acetate, lactate, and hydrogen as the primary metabolic end products. The optimum conditions for ethanol production were found to be an initial pH of 7.0, a temperature of 70 °C and an L-G ratio of 0.67. Strain presented preferential hemicellulose fermentation when compared to various substrates and maximum ethanol concentration of 26.61 mM and 43.63 mM was produced from xylan and xylose, respectively. During the fermentation of varying concentration of xylan, a substantial amount of ethanol ranging from 25.27 mM to 67.29 mM was produced. An increased ethanol concentration of 40.22 mM was produced from a mixture of cellulose and xylan, with a significant effect observed on metabolic flux distribution. The optimum conditions were used to produce ethanol from 28 g L−1 rice straw biomass (RSB) (equivalent to 5.7 g L−1 of the xylose equivalents) in which 19.48 mM ethanol production was achieved. Thus, Clostridium strain DBT-IOC-DC21 has the potential to perform direct microbial conversion of untreated RSB to ethanol at a yield comparative to xylan fermentation.

In the present study, we synthesized TiO2 nanofibers (NFs) by electrospinning technique and they were subject to solvosonication process using glycerol as a pore forming agent to produce porous TiO2 NFs. The prepared porous TiO2 NFs are seen to improve the light harvesting capability as a result of enhanced light scattering inside the TiO2 NFs and offer a high surface area for maximum adsorption of pre-synthesized CdSe (similar to 4 nm) QDs. The FESEM and BET analysis were performed to confirm the surface texture and surface area of porous TiO2 NFs, respectively. Finally, QDSSCs were fabricated using these porous TiO2 NFs sensitized with CdSe QDs as the photoanode, Cu2S nanoparticles as the counter electrode and polysulfide redox couple (S2-/S-x(2-)) as the electrolyte. The porous TiO2 NFs obtained by solvosonication at the time duration of 90 min has enhanced photo current density (J(sc)) of 9.21 mA/cm(2) with high power conversion efficiency (eta) of 2.15% than the conventional TiO2 NFs (eta approximate to 1.50%).

Purpose The intranasal (IN) administration of radiopharmaceuticals is of interest in being a viable route for the delivery of radiopharmaceuticals that do not ordinarily cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB). However, to be viable in a patient population, good image quality as well as safety of the administration should be demonstrated. This work provides radiation dosimetry calculations and simulations related to the radiation safety of performing such experiments in a human cohort. Methods We performed Monte Carlo (MC) simulations to estimate radiation dose to the skin inside a cylindrical model of the nasal cavity assuming a homogenous distribution layer of 11 C and 18 F and calculated a geometry conversion factor (FP-C ) which can be used to convert from a planar geometry to a cylindrical geometry using more widely available software tools. We compared radiation doses from our simulated cylindrical geometry with the planar dose estimates employing our geometry conversion factor from VARSKIN 6.1 software and also from an analytical equation. Furthermore, in order to estimate radiation dosimetry to surrounding organs of interest, we performed a voxelized MC simulation of a fixed radioactivity inside the nasal cavity and calculated S-values to organs such as the eyes, thyroid, and brain. Results MC simulations of contamination scenarios using planar absorbed doses of 15.50 and 8.60 mGy/MBq for 18 F and 11 C, respectively, and 35.70 and 19.80 mGy/MBq per hour for cylindrical geometries, leading to determination of an FP-C of 2.3. Planar absorbed doses (also in units of mGy/MBq) determined by the analytical equation were 16.96 and 8.68 (18 F and 11 C) and using VARSKIN were 16.60 and 9.26 (18 F and 11 C), respectively. Application of FP-C to these results demonstrates values with a maximum difference of 9.41% from the cylindrical geometry MC calculation, demonstrating that when accounting for geometry, more simplistic techniques can be utilized to estimate IN dosimetry. Voxelized MC simulations of radiation dosimetry from a fixed source of 1 MBq of activity confined to the nasal cavity resulted in S-values to the thyroid, eyes, and brain of 1.72 x 10-6 , 1.93 x 10-5 , and 3.51 x 10-6 mGy/MBq·s, respectively, for 18 F and 1.80 × 10-6 , 1.95 × 10-5 , and 3.54 × 10-6 mGy/MBq·s for 11 C. Conclusion Dosimetry concerns about IN administrations of PET radiotracers should be considered before clinical use. Values presented in the simulations such as the S-values can be further used for assessment of absorbed doses in cases of IN administration, and can be used to develop and adapt specific study protocols. All three presented methods provided similar results when considering the use of a geometry conversion factor for planar to cylindrical geometry, demonstrating that standard tools rather than dedicate MC simulations may be used to perform dose calculations in nasal administrations.

In this study, an innovative approach is proposed for the valorization of all sugars (cellulosic and hemicellulosic) contained in a lignocellulosic feedstock, as is rice straw biomass (RSB), for the production of second-generation bioethanol. For this purpose, the whole slurry obtained after dilute sulfuric acid pretreatment at a biomass loading of 5% (w/v) was subjected to consolidated bioprocessing without previous solid-liquid separation and/or detoxification and the concentrated solution of carbohydrates recovered was fermented to bioethanol by a co-culture of thermophilic anaerobic bacteria. To bypass the inhibitory effect of undetoxified whole slurry on the lower fermentability of the co-culture, the concentration of different additives was optimized for improved buffering capacity, enhanced substrate-microbe interaction, and by-product elimination. The individual supplementation of 3 selected additives at optimum concentration; 20 mM calcium carbonate, 0.4% (v/v) polyethylene glycol, and 1% (w/v) sodium acetate resulted in enhanced ethanol yield of 130.83 mM, 106.37 mM, and 99.10 mM, respectively, compared to 75.03 mM ethanol yield in control. The combined effect of optimal dosage of these additives was able to improve the ethanol concentration and yield to 142 mM and 48% of the theoretical maximum respectively, suggesting about 88.58% increase compared to control medium without additives supplementation. The combined supplementation of additives proved to be an advantageous strategy for bioethanol production using undetoxified whole slurry biomass.

The surge in nano/microplastics (NPs/MPs) through myriad daily products released in the aqueous environment highlights the importance of the urgent development of mitigation techniques. The study has assessed the performance of iron-modified biochar pyrolyzed at two different temperatures, i.e., 550 °C (FB-550) and 850 °C (FB-850), with magnetic extractability for the easy and prompt removal of NPs of varying size and surface functionality. NP1 (1000 nm, carboxyl), NP2 (1000 nm, amine), and NP3 (30 nm, carboxyl) were subjected to batch experiments with the composites. Rapid elimination of all the NPs ( 2) was found through the general order model, and a good fit for Sips isotherm suggests ultrafast NPs removal and heterogeneous nature of the composite surface. Maximum removal capacities for NP1 (225.11 mg/g), and NP3 (206.46 mg/g) were obtained using FB-850, whereas FB-550 showed higher removal of NP2 (290.20 mg/g). The influence of solution pH on the sorption of NPs was limited with significant variation in zeta potential, suggesting the probability of surface complexation of NPs. The spectroscopic analysis of reaction mixture showed the disappearance of COO− peak, generation of FeOOH stretching, and shift in Fe-O band, confirming the involvement of surface complexation in the sorption process. Minimal impact of environmental parameters, reaction spontaneity, and efficient removal of NPs in complex aqueous matrices justify the composites' environmental applicability. No-iron release and excellent reusability of the utilized adsorbents support the large-scale applicability of the composites.

The ubiquitous distribution of microplastics (MPs) leads to inevitable interactions with the toxic pollutants present in the environment including metal-oxide nanoparticles. This study investigates the interaction of CeO2 nanoparticles (CeNPs) with MPs generated from a disposable plastic container. Further, rough MPs (R-MPs), generated through mechanical abrasion of MPs with sand, were used to probe the impact of roughness. To understand the sorption kinetics and underlying interaction processes, batch experiments were carried out. The results distinctly indicate that CeNPs sorption occurred on MPs surfaces and was consistent with the pseudo-second order kinetics model. For pristine MPs, the sorption capacity was as high as 12.9 mg/g while for R-MPs kinetic equilibrium was achieved faster and an enhanced sorption capacity (13.4 mg/g) was identified. A rise in sorption with an increase in salinity was noted while pH and humic acid exhibited a negative correlation. The observed interactions were attributed to the aggregation profile and surface charge of CeNPs and MPs. Surprisingly, CeNPs also got loaded onto MPs in non-agitated and undisturbed conditions. The sorption process was influenced by the type of aqueous matrix and the sorption capacity at equilibrium followed the trend: distilled water> synthetic freshwater> river water. FTIR spectra, zeta potential, SEM imaging, and elemental mapping revealed electrostatic interaction as the dominant mechanism. This work contributes towards the knowledge gap on the environmental risk of MPs.

Although India is one of the major plastic-waste-generating countries, few studies have been conducted on microplastics (MPs) in freshwater systems that are key contributors to oceans. The current study explores MPs in sediments and water that were collected at five major cities across the Ganga River. MPs number and mass density range in sediment were found to be 17 to 36 items/kg dry weight (d.w.) and 10 to 45 mg/kg d.w. of sediments, respectively, while in the water sample, they were 380 to 684 items/1000 m3 and 143 to 340 mg/1000 m3, respectively. Overall, white color and film-shaped MPs were the major contributors in all samples. MPs of 2.5–5 mm size contributed to a greater number and mass as compared to other fractions. Polyethylene was found to be a widely distributed plastic-type reflecting its high usability.

Background Azoles are considered as one of the most efficient fungicides for the treatment of humans, animals, and plant fungal pathogens. They are of significant clinical importance as antifungal drugs and are widely used in personal care products, ultraviolet stabilizers, and in aircraft for its anti-corrosive properties. The prevalence of azole compounds in the natural environment and its accumulation in fish raises questions about its impact on aquatic organisms. Objectives The objective of this paper is to review the scientific studies on the effects of azole compounds in fish and to discuss future opportunities for the risk evaluation. Methods A systematic literature search was conducted on Web of Science, PubMed, and ScienceDirect to locate peer-reviewed scientific articles on occurrence, environmental fate, and toxicological impact of azole fungicides on fish. Results Studies included in this review provide ample evidence that azole compounds are not only commonly detected in the natural environment but also cause several detrimental effects on fish. Future studies with environmentally relevant concentrations of azole alone or in combination with other commonly occurring contaminants in a multigenerational study could provide a better understanding. Conclusion Based on current knowledge and studies reporting adverse biological effects of azole on fish, considerable attention is required for better management and effective ecological risk assessment of these emerging contaminants.

The hybrid of graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets with well embedded nanospherical TiO2 was prepared through mechanical mixing using ultrasound. This modified TiO2-GO (TGO) composite exhibits reduced recombination of charge carriers. Benefiting from unique morphology and surface area (92 m2g−1), the TGO composite showed remarkable catalytic activity for the photodegradation of congo red (CR) and methyl orange (MO). The rate constant values were 0.0652 min−1 (pseudo first order) for CR (5 ppm) and 0.0631 min−1 for MO (5 ppm). The stability and aggregation behavior of TGO was examined using the dynamic light scattering (DLS) technique. The key parameter affecting photocatalytic performance is electron-hole separation. To illustrate this issue, a Schottky diode has been fabricated with TGO composite, in contact with aluminium. Important diode parameters i.e. ideality factor, series resistance, barrier height have been estimated from forward current-voltage (I-V) characteristics. Space charge limited current (SCLC) theory was employed to provide insight into the carrier transport properties of TGO and enhanced carrier mobility (2.11.10−6 m2V−1s−1) and low transit time (0.237.10−6 s) under illumination was obtained. The composite appears suitable for energy and photocatalytic applications.

Lignocellulosic biomass represents a promising feedstock for supplying biofuels and other useful bioproducts in near future. As an example of process innovation, this study describes an integrated microbial fermentation process involving a thermoanaerobe and a marine thraustochytrid, aiming at the co-production of docosahexaenoic acids and bioethanol from rice straw biomass as substrate. Key points of the process are: (a) consolidated bioprocessing of pretreated rice straw biomass to bioethanol (anaerobic fermentation) resulting into 1.8 g L−1 bioethanol and 29.40% solubilization of rice straw biomass; (b) utilization of spent lignocellulose derived sugars in microalgal fermentation (aerobic fermentation) with subsequent promising cell growth (2.77 g L−1), substantial lipids (17.05%) and docosahexaenoic acids production (44.0% of total fatty acids). Other major fatty acids (as total fatty acid %) were palmitic acid (13.95%), stearic acid (5.07%), eicosapentaenoic acid (7.24%), and docosapentaenoic acid (16.12%). This study provides a new route for marine algae utilization of lignocellulosic biomass for co-production of bioethanol and value-added bioproducts.

The present work aims at outlining the role of lattice strain in modifying the structural properties of doped samples. Dual doping of TiO2 by anions nitrogen (N) and fluorine (F) was carried out by a typical hydrothermal route using inorganic precursors; ammonia solution (NH3-H2O) and ammonium fluoride (NH4F). N monodoped TiO2 (NT) showed poor crystallinity while codoping with N, F promoted the crystal growth thereby resulting in tunable particle sizes. The synergistic effects of codoping was systematically examined by changing the molar ratio of F and N. The crystalline development in the doped samples was investigated by X-ray broadening and Williamson-Hall (W-H) analysis was used to study the contribution of lattice strain to it. In comparison to NT, codoped samples showed better visible light sensitivity. Strain; even in minute amounts; induced a pronounced effect on the structural properties of the doped samples. NFT1 with the maximum strain value exhibited distinct hexagonal morphology in comparison to NFT2 and NT with lower strain values. Also, photoluminescence intensity got enhanced with increase in strain values. This study manifests the influence of strain on the dynamics of charge carriers which might affect photoactivity as well.

Acupuncture (針灸 Zhēn Jiǔ) (‘acus’ (needle)+‘punctura’ (to puncture)) is the stimulation of specific points along the skin of the body involving various methods such as penetration by thin needles or the application of heat, pressure, or laser light. Acupuncture (針灸 Zhēn Jiǔ) aims to treat a range of medical and dental ailments, though is most commonly used for pain relief. This article reviews about the various possible roles of acupuncture (針灸 Zhēn Jiǔ) in clinical dental practice. Acupuncture (針灸 Zhēn Jiǔ) has potential in supplementing conventional treatment procedures by its diverse applicability outreach. Role of acupuncture (針灸 Zhēn Jiǔ) in dental practice has been well supported by clinical trials. Its role in alleviating facial pain, pre-operative and post-operative dental pain has led to its widespread application. Its role as sole analgesic for treatment procedure has to be tested. It's It is a thought that acupuncture (針灸 Zhēn Jiǔ) may prove an indispensible supplement to conventional treatment modalities and more of clinical trials and studies are required to prove the efficacy. Acupuncture (針灸 Zhēn Jiǔ) is not a miracle cure and is not going to replace the drill. However, the technique can be a supplement to conventional treatments in TMDs, facial pain, pain management Sjoegrens syndrome, and in phobias and anxiety. The application and use of Acupuncture (針灸 Zhēn Jiǔ) comes with some side effects. Proper training needs to be obtained before commencement of any procedure related to acupuncture (針灸 Zhēn Jiǔ). Various training programs are offered to train clinical practitioners the apt method to use acupuncture (針灸 Zhēn Jiǔ).

Bitter taste receptors (T2Rs) belong to the superfamily of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). T2Rs are chemosensory receptors with important therapeutic potential. In humans, bitter taste is perceived by 25 T2Rs, which are distinct from the well-studied Class A GPCRs. The activation mechanism of T2Rs is poorly understood and none of the structure–function studies are focused on the role of the important third intracellular loop (ICL3). T2Rs have a unique signature sequence at the cytoplasmic end of fifth transmembrane helix (TM5), a highly conserved LxxSL motif. Here, we pursue an alanine scan mutagenesis of the ICL3 of T2R4 and characterize the functionality of 23 alanine mutants. We identify four mutants, H214A, Q216A, V234A and M237A, that exhibit constitutive activity. To our surprise, the H214A mutant showed very high constitutive activity over wild type T2R4. Interestingly, His214 is highly conserved (96%) in T2Rs and is present two amino acids below the LxxSL motif in TM5. Molecular modeling shows a dynamic network of interactions involving residues in TM5–ICL3–TM6 that restrain the movement of the helices. Changes in this network, as in the case of H214A, Q216A, V234A and M237A mutants, cause the receptor to adopt an active conformation. The conserved LxxSL motif in TM5 performs both structural and functional roles in this process. These results provide insight into the activation mechanism of T2Rs, and emphasize the unique functional role of ICL3 even within the GPCR subfamilies.

The enhanced fermentation effectiveness of Ruminiclostridium thermocellum on pure microcrystalline cellulose is well established. Here, direct microbial solubilization of pretreated rice straw biomass (PT-RSB) and sugarcane bagasse biomass (PT-SCB) to bioethanol by a Ruminiclostridium thermocellum strain ATCC 31924 was investigated. This study directly compared the influence of low (5 g L−1) and high glucan loadings (20 g L−1, 25 g L−1, and 30 g L−1) of these biomasses on the fermentation performance of strain ATCC 31924 under parallel conditions. Both the type of biomass and their initial glucan loadings impacted metabolic end product profiles and biomass conversion efficiency for strain ATCC 31924. After 144 h, biomass solubilization reached in the range of 25.67% to 61.40% for PT-RSB and 24.25% to 53.85% for PT-SCB, depending on loadings. This study establishes the potential of strain ATCC 31924 for the efficient conversion of low-cost renewable biomass to a carbon neutral product, particularly bioethanol.

Tuberculosis epidemics have defied constraint despite the availability of effective treatment for the past half-century. Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of TB, is continually exposed to a number of redox stressors during its pathogenic cycle. The mechanisms used by Mtb to sense redox stress and to maintain redox homeostasis are central to the success of Mtb as a pathogen. Careful analysis of the Mtb genome has revealed that Mtb lacks classical redox sensors such as FNR, FixL, and OxyR. Recent studies, however, have established that Mtb is equipped with various sophisticated redox sensors that can detect diverse types of redox stress, including hypoxia, nitric oxide, carbon monoxide, and the intracellular redox environment. Some of these sensors, such as heme-based DosS and DosT, are unique to mycobacteria, whereas others, such as the WhiB proteins and anti-σ factor RsrA, are unique to actinobacteria. This article provides a comprehensive review of the literature on these redox-sensory modules in the context of TB pathogenesis.

The human bitter taste receptors (T2Rs) are non-Class A members of the G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) superfamily, with very limited structural information. Amino acid sequence analysis reveals that most of the important motifs present in the transmembrane helices (TM1-TM7) of the well studied Class A GPCRs are absent in T2Rs, raising fundamental questions regarding the mechanisms of activation and how T2Rs recognize bitter ligands with diverse chemical structures. In this study, the bitter receptor T2R1 was used to systematically investigate the role of 15 transmembrane amino acids in T2Rs, including 13 highly conserved residues, by amino acid replacements guided by molecular modeling. Functional analysis of the mutants by calcium imaging analysis revealed that replacement of Asn-66(2.65) and the highly conserved Asn-24(1.50) resulted in greater than 90% loss of agonist-induced signaling. Our results show that Asn-24(1.50) plays a crucial role in receptor activation by mediating an hydrogen bond network connecting TM1-TM2-TM7, whereas Asn-66(2.65) is essential for binding to the agonist dextromethorphan. The interhelical hydrogen bond between Asn-24(1.50) and Arg-55(2.54) restrains T2R receptor activity because loss of this bond in I27A and R55A mutants results in hyperactive receptor. The conserved amino acids Leu-197(5.50), Ser-200(5.53), and Leu-201(5.54) form a putative LXXSL motif which performs predominantly a structural role by stabilizing the helical conformation of TM5 at the cytoplasmic end. This study provides for the first time mechanistic insights into the roles of the conserved transmembrane residues in T2Rs and allows comparison of the activation mechanisms of T2Rs with the Class A GPCRs.

Calpastatin is an endogenous inhibitor of calpain, which has been implicated in various physiological and pathological processes. In the present study we determined the molecular and inhibitory properties of HMWCaMBP, calpastatin I, and calpastatin II. Western blot analysis with antibodies raised against either full length HMWCaMBP or internal peptides that are common to all isoforms showed that all three homologs have common antigenic epitopes. However, additional Western blot analysis with N-terminal specific antibodies showed that all three proteins are different at the N-terminal end. HMWCaMBP is clearly different from two other homologues, calpastatin I and II, at the N-terminal end. In addition, HMWCaMBP also showed the same affinities for m-calpain as calpastatin I and calpastatin II. Our findings suggest that HMWCaMBP is the homolog of calpastatin and may be a CaM-binding form of calpastatin.