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Turbinaria ornata, tropical brown algae found in the South pacific and Indian Ocean ecosystems. In accordance with recent studies, Turbinaria ornata J. has potent anti-inflammatory effects. Therefore, this study is aimed to explore the biological activities of ethanolic extract of Turbinaria ornata J by analyzing the presence of phytochemical components, antioxidant property, antimicrobial activity and the wound healing activity. From the results, phytochemical analysis of ethanolic extract of T. ornata showed the presence of alkaloids, saponins, oils, total phenolic and total flavanoid content were estimated to be 0.683 Abs and 0.433 Abs respectively. Anti-oxidant activity of the ethanolic extract of T. ornata extract showed remarkable DPPH radical scavenging activity of about 58.8% at 200μg/ml and total anti-oxidant activity of 0.257 absorbance at 100μg/ml concentration, as compared to that of their respective controls. The ethanolic extract of T. ornata exhibited the maximum zone of inhibition against the clinical pathogens like Pseudomonas aeuruginosa, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus with their potent anti-microbial activity. Wound healing effects of the ethanolic extract of T. ornata was analysed by using Zebra fish model. The results showed the rapidand significant regeneration of the wounded caudal fin on day 14. Therefore, the preliminary results of this study strongly supports the ethanolic extract of T. ornata may be effective in wound healing and regeneration of the wounded tissues.

In this study, the optimisation of a process for producing medium-chain-length polyhydroxyalkanoate (mcl-PHA) by Pseudomonas putida KT2440 when fed with a polyethene (PE)-derived fatty acid mixture was investigated. The PE was pyrolysed to produce a hydrocarbon wax that was subsequently oxidised to produce a mixture of fatty acids, purified, and used as a PHA substrate for the growth and selection of microorganisms. Based on the shaken flask screening, a production strain, i.e., Pseudomonas putida KT2440, was selected for conducting bioreactor studies. Feeding PE-derived fatty acids in a 20-L setup resulted in high mcl-PHA yields (83.0 g L−1 CDW with 65% PHA in 25 h). Furthermore, life-cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted to determine the environmental advantages of the proposed process and its impacts compared to those of other technologies for treating PE-derived waste streams. We conclude that processing waste PE into PHA, rather than incineration, produces biodegradable material while also reducing the additional emissions that arise from traditional PE waste treatment processes, such as incineration to gain energy.

The oxycyclohexyl acid BMS-986278 (33) is a potent lysophosphatidic acid receptor 1 (LPA1) antagonist, with a human LPA1 Kb of 6.9 nM. The structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies starting from the LPA1 antagonist clinical compound BMS-986020 (1), which culminated in the discovery of 33, are discussed. The detailed in vitro and in vivo preclinical pharmacology profiles of 33, as well as its pharmacokinetics/metabolism profile, are described. On the basis of its in vivo efficacy in rodent chronic lung fibrosis models and excellent overall ADME (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion) properties in multiple preclinical species, 33 was advanced into clinical trials, including an ongoing Phase 2 clinical trial in patients with lung fibrosis (NCT04308681).

Phytochemical evaluation of the alcoholic extract of Rubia cordifolia Linn. roots resulted in the identification of two anthraquinone compounds 1a (1,4-dihydroxyanthracene-9,10(4aH,9aH)-dione) and 1b (2-methylanthracene-9,10(4aH,9aH)-dione). The isolated compounds were characterized by spectroscopic methods and their structures were established. The derivatives were found to be nontoxic against Vero and HepG2 cells.

The chemical, physical, thermal, and surface morphological properties of aerial root Ficus amplissima fiber (ARFAF) were studied. Chemical composition analysis of ARFAF quantified the cellulose (52...

The main goal of this paper is to investigate the effects of recycled aggregates in geopolymer pervious concrete (GPC). The usage of recycled aggregate (RA) in the construction field is getting more attention nowadays due to sustainable construction methods. In this study, natural aggregates (NA) are partially replaced with recycled aggregates such as recycled concrete aggregate and recycled brick aggregate (RBA) in geopolymer previous concrete. For preparing geopolymer, ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) was used in this investigation. Activators such as 12 M sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate solutions were used to synthesize the geopolymer concrete in this investigation. The sodium silicate-to-sodium hydroxide ratio was maintained at 2.5 throughout this study. Mechanical and durability properties of GPC were determined as per Indian standards. The effects of RA in geopolymer pervious concrete were briefly investigated. It has been observed that durability properties are affected by the incorporation of recycled aggregate (RA) in geopolymer concrete. The compressive strength value of RC12 is less than that of GC12 and RB12 is less than that of RC12. The strength properties of structural beam elements were reduced due to the incorporation of recycled concrete and recycled brick aggregate in geopolymer concrete; at the same time, the reduction always lies in acceptable ranges. Validation was done using ANSYS software. This paper leads the utilization of recycled aggregates in GGBS-based GPC instant of NA at ambient curing condition.

This paper investigates quantum mechanical effects on surface potential and threshold voltage in a two-dimensional molybdenum disulfide (MoS $$_{2}$$ ) based transistor. Drain current improvement occurs as a result of the low work function for metal Ti and electron affinity of MoS $$_{2}$$ , thereby reducing the Schottky barrier height (SBH). The titanium (Ti) contact introduced into the mono-layer MoS $$_{2}$$ helps in obtaining lower contact resistance and improved drain current due to the lowering of SBH. An analytical model is proposed for evaluating various device parameters such as surface potential, threshold voltage, contact resistance, mobility, and drain current. This model provides useful aspects for understanding the physics of quantum mechanical effects. Compared to other conventional devices, this transistor incorporates Ti, a low work function metal, in the contact region, producing better current drive and lower contact resistance values. A positive Schottky barrier is noticed between the mono-layer MoS $$_{2}$$ and the Ti metal. Compared to other high function metals, the proposed device displayed about 11% improvement in current drive and 8% less contact resistance. By attaining an enhanced carrier injection and decreased contact resistance, this device serves as a suitable prospect for low-power applications.

In search of better antibacterial agents, a series of novel 5-((aryl)methyl)-3-(1H-indol-2-yl)isoxazole (IIIa–e) and 5-((3-chlorophenoxy)methyl)-3-(1-((1-(aryl)-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)methyl)-1H-indol-2-yl)isoxazole (VIa–e) were synthesized in one-pot by using indole-2-carbaldehyde (I), substituted (prop-2-yn-1-yloxy) benzene and different substituted 1-azidobenzene (V) and further evaluated for their in vitroantibacterial activity. 5-((3-Chlorophenoxy)methyl)-3-(1-((1-(3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)methyl)-1H-indol-2-yl)isoxazole (VId) showed more potent activity against B. subtilis and S. aureus, whereas, the compound 5-((3-chlorophenoxy)methyl)-3-(1-((1-(3,5-dichlorophenyl)-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl) methyl)-1H-indol-2-yl)isoxazole (VIb)showed potent activity against S. aureus when compared with standard streptomycin. Molecular docking studies were also carried out to complement the experimental results.

The present study aims to evaluate the potential of agro wastes such as apple pomace, Grasses, sugarcane bagasse as potential sources of bioethanol production. Bioethanol is the one of the recent increasing biofuels due to its positive impact on the environment and especially towards second generation of biofuels i.e. from non-food biomass. It’s produced from high sugar and starch containing raw materials and lignocellulosic biomass. Lignocellulose may be a complex mixture of carbohydrate that needs an efficient pretreatment for the assembly of fermentable sugar, after hydrolysis are fermented into ethanol. Pretreatment of lignocellulose has received considerable research globally thanks to economic and environmental sustainability of ethanol production. Microbes like Zymomonas mobilis, and Phanerochaete provide sufficient fermentation yield and can be utilized for fermenting lignocellulosic substrate. These microbes are isolated from the feedstock samples in the present study. A suitable media was also designed for the growth of the isolated microorganisms. The antioxidant tests were analyzed on the potential samples using UV-VIS spectrophotometer. Lowering the cost of bioethanol production is one of the biggest challenges currently and can be greatly reduced by utilizing renewable feedstocks. Thus, making bioethanol is more economically competitive compared to fossil fuel.

One dimensional (1D) metal organic framework (MOF) micro/nanostructural arrays are highly promising candidates for their potential applications in energy related areas. These exceptional behaviors ...

In this study performance evaluation of Radiator is numerically investigated with different fluids and different volume flow rates using CFD technique. Radiator 3D model is developed in SOLIDWORKS and same model is imported to ANSYS-FLUENT for further analysis. Mesh sensitivity analysis shows that 0.5 mm element size is optimum for the selected radiator model. For this study, various fluids such as pure water, water with 50% ethylene glycol, water with 0.05% concentration of Al2O3 nanoparticle, water with 0.1% concentration of Al2O3 nanoparticle and water with 0.2% concentration of Al2O3 nanoparticle are chosen as cooling fluid. Results show that, the Nusselt Number increases with the volume of rate and particle concentration. Also, the heat transfer coefficient increases with the particle concentration and volume of rate. The performance of the Nanofluid based radiator is enhanced by 10.64% and 3.82% in terms of Nusselt Number and heat transfer coefficient respectively when compared with pure water. Finally, water and ethylene glycol mixture with Al2O3 nanoparticle 0.05% concentration has better performance than remaining fluids.

The cationic content of water represents a major quality control parameter that needs to be followed by a rapid, on-site, and low-cost method. Herein, we report a novel method for a facile monitoring of the mineral content of drinking water by making use of responsive complex emulsions. The morphology of biphasic oil-in-water droplets solely depends on the balance of interfacial tensions, and we demonstrate that changes in the surfactant effectiveness, caused by variations in the mineral content inside the continuous phase, can be visualized by monitoring internal droplet shapes. An addition of metal cations can significantly influence the surfactant critical micelle concentrations and the surface excess values and therefore induce changes in the effectiveness of ionic surfactants, such as sodium dodecyl sulfate. The morphological response of Janus emulsions droplets was tracked via a simple microscopic setup. We observed that the extent of the droplet response was dependent on the salt concentration and valency, with divalent cations (responsive for water hardness), resulting in a more pronounced response. In this way, Ca2+ and Mg2+ levels could be quantitatively measured, which we showcased by determination of the mineral content of commercial water samples. The herein demonstrated device concept may provide a new alternative rapid monitoring of water hardness levels in a simple and cost-effective setup.

The aim of the study is to develop and investigate the suitability of thermoplastic composites for underwater applications. PA6/PP/PP-g-MA (70 wt%/30 wt%/3 phr) blend is used as a novel matrix to synthesize UDCF composites with balanced strength and toughness even in humid conditions. This novel matrix has around 60% lower water absorption capacity compared to PA6. Short carbon fibres (SCF) and unidirectional carbon fibre fabric (UDCF with 12K rovings) are used as reinforcements. X-ray CT data of injection-molded SCF composites revealed good wetting. However, in the case of compression-molded UDCF composites, a few unwetted zones were found. Comparing dry and wet samples, wet-matrix, wet-SCF composite and wet-UDCF composites had 40, 15, and 25% reduction in their tensile strengths, respectively. However, the impact strength of wet-matrix and wet-UDCF composites increased by 67 and 61%, respectively. Hence, SCF composites having a wet tensile strength of 46 MPa can be used in preparing underwater components due to the low number of interfacial voids. UDCF composites having more interfacial voids are recommended for humid conditions wherein the wet impact strength (11.4 J) and wet tensile strength (266 MPa) are the main criteria.

In the present study, the mesoporous Ti-SBA-15-SO3H catalyst is synthesized by using the sol-gel method. Further, these materials have been characterized by different advanced analytical techniques such as Low angle X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Thermogravimetry/Differential thermal analysis (TG/DTA), N2 adsorption/desorption studies, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Temperature-programmed desorption of ammonia (NH3-TPD) and Lactic acid esterification catalytic activity studies. The Ti-SBA-15-SO3H catalyst is found to have a surface area of 457 m2/g, a pore volume of 0.12 cm3/g, a pore diameter of 3.16 nm, and a high acid density of 1.72 mmol/g. The optimum reaction conditions for lactic acid esterification with n-butanol are found to be a 1: 4 M ratio, 3 wt-% catalysts, 115 °C temperature, and 120 min reaction time to obtain 72% conversion. Further, the reusability tests reveal that the spent catalyst can be used for five successive runs without the loss of considerable activity. The pseudo-homogeneous model was able to describe the kinetics of this esterification with negligible error. The activation energy and equilibrium rate constant for Ti-SBA-15-SO3H is found to be Ea = 0.063 KJ/mol and K = 5.019 lit/mol min, respectively, to catalyze the esterification of lactic acid with n-butanol. A plausible mechanism for the catalytic activity is proposed.

Sisal fiber composites became attractive due to their high specific strength, lightweight and biodegradability. The aim of this work is to examine characteristics of sisal fiber as composite material for light body vehicles on experimental basis. Composite materials prepared using biodegradable natural fibers are found to be most promising materials which can be used in vehicle body which results in reduction of overall weight of the vehicle. In this work sisal fiber was used. Sisal fiber was extracted using knife from the sisal plant leaves collected from Ethiopian highland. To remove cellulosic matter and improve surface roughness of the sisal fiber, it was immersed in sodium hydroxide solution for 24 h. The specimen of composite material is prepared using the general purpose resin as a matrix, the hardener and the sisal fiber as a reinforcement material with the fiber orientation of 00, ± 450, 00 & 900 by using experimental (hand layup fabrication technique). The specimen was prepared and tested as per ECAE and ASTM standard. From the test results it was found that sisal fiber composite is a good light weight replacement for conventional materials in vehicle body applications. From the experiment result it was observed that different orientation of fiber has shown enhanced mechanical properties of the sisal fiber composite material.

The dc characteristics of AlGaN/gallium nitride (GaN) metal–oxide–semiconductor-high electron mobility transistor (MOS-HEMT) with an AlInN back-barrier layer has been studied here. An analytical model is proposed for evaluating the charge density ( $\sigma _{{\mathrm {tot}}}$ ), carrier concentration ( ${n}_{{\mathrm {S}}}$ ), drain current ( ${I}_{{\mathrm {D}}}$ ), and transconductance ( ${g}_{{\mathrm {m}}}$ ) of the device by incorporating Hafnium oxide (HfO2) as a high- ${k}$ dielectric layer. The charges created between the oxide and the AlGaN barrier layer influence the enhancement of carrier concentration of up to $6.2\times 10 ^{13}$ cm $^{-2}$ , at the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG). The AlInN back-barrier increases the conduction band (CB) level of the GaN buffer and eliminates the confinement problems near the channel. By deriving the mathematical dependence of these parameters, this device demonstrated a positive threshold shift and a high current drive of 880 mA/mm. Cubic spline interpolation (CSI) technique is employed here to model the parameters in a more precise manner. The outcomes are evidence that the device could be a potential solution for high power switching as well as microwave applications.

Purpose Diabetes mellitus (DM)-induced brain damage is characterized by cellular, molecular and functional changes. The mechanisms include oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, reduction of neurotrophic factors, insulin resistance, excessive amyloid beta (Aβ) deposition and Tau phosphorylation. Both antidiabetic and neuroprotective effects of the phytoestrogen genistein have been reported. However, the beneficial effect of genistein in brain of the ob/ob mouse model of severe obesity and diabetes remains to be determined. Methods In this study, female ob/ob mice and lean control mice were fed with either a standard diet or a diet containing genistein (600mg/kg) for a period of 4 weeks. Body weight was monitored weekly. Blood was collected for the measurement of glucose, insulin and common cytokines. Mice brains were isolated for Western immunoblotting analyses. Results Treatment with genistein reduced weight gain of ob/ob mice and decreased hyperglycemia compared to ob/ob mice fed the standard diet. The main findings show that genistein treatment increased insulin sensitivity and the expression levels of the neurotrophic factors nerve growth factor (NGF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factors (BDNF). In these mice, genistein also reduced Aβ deposition and the level of hyper-phosphorylated Tau protein. Conclusion The results of our study indicate the beneficial effects of genistein in the obese diabetic mouse brain, including improving brain insulin signaling, increasing neurotrophic support, and alleviating Alzheimer's disease-related pathology.

Template/surfactant-free ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized by hydrothermal process at 120 °C, 150 °C, 180 °C and 210 °C for 3-h duration and were annealed at 400 °C for 3 h. Since the ZnO nanoparticles synthesized at 150 °C for 3 h and annealed at 400 °C for 3 h showed improved photocatalytic activities, the ZnO nanoparticles were further synthesized at 150 °C for 6-h, 9-h, and 12-h durations and were annealed at 400 °C for 3 h. All the synthesized ZnO nanoparticles were characterized for their structural, optical, and morphological properties. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed that the ZnO nanoparticles belong to the hexagonal wurtzite system. Transmission electron microscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy analyses revealed that the hydrothermally synthesized ZnO nanoparticles at 150 °C for 3 h and annealed at 400 °C for 3 h acquired spherical and hexagonal morphologies with size ~ 50 nm. Variation in the hydrothermal temperatures and time durations with annealing at 400 °C for 3 h acquired nearly hexagonal, spheroidal, and hexagonal morphology of the ZnO nanoparticles. Optical band gap of synthesized ZnO nanoparticles was slightly influenced by the different synthesis parameters. The photocurrent measurements revealed that the ZnO nanoparticles synthesized at 150 °C for 3 h and annealed at 400 °C for 3 h possess relatively enhanced of photocurrent of about 3.58 μA than that of the other synthesized samples. The ZnO nanoparticles synthesized at 150 °C for 3 h and annealed at 400 °C for 3 h showed ~ 78% and 36% of photodegradation efficiency against Rhodamine B dye and 4-chlorophenol, respectively, in a time period of 60 min. The sonophotocatalytic activity process enhanced degradation efficiency to 99% in 60 min against Rhodamine B and 80% in 60 min against 4-chlorophenol.

Alkaline protease enzymes are enzymes which can catalyze the process of proteolysis between the pH ranges from 8 to 12. Extracellular alkaline proteases are used as additives in detergent powders. In the present study, source of the organism was from a detergent contaminated area. The study has been carried out in Aeromonas hydrophila AH10 strain that produces protease enzyme with an alkaline pH optimum. The organism was a gram-negative rod with a protease enzyme activity of 0.385 ml/min. purification of the protease enzyme from the bacteria was carried out. This protease is suitable for use in alkaline detergent powders as well as in silver recovery process. The Aeromonas hydrophila strain AH10 gene encoding this high-alkaline protease was cloned and characterized. Int. J. Appl. Sci. Biotechnol. Vol 8(2): 154-160

The objective of this study was to understand the influence of bleaching on % residual lignin, water retention value, brightness and morphological properties of Subabul heartwood and sapwood pulps. The second aim was to compare the properties of unbleached and bleached handsheets with respect to tensile index and fractography. Screened wood chips of Subabul were subjected to kraft cooking (165 °C, 3 hours) followed by ECF bleaching and refining. When unbleached handsheets were compared, higher tensile index was found for sapwood sheets (29.8 N.m/g) than heartwood sheets (12.8 N.m/g). Therefore, it is recommended to use unbleached sapwood sheets for packaging grade applications. The bleached pulps have exhibited negligible residual lignin (0.1 %), higher water retention value (∼21) and higher brightness (88 %) compared to unbleached pulps. Subsequently, the bleached heartwood sheets revealed higher tensile index (∼7 fold) and higher modulus of elasticity (∼2.7 fold) compared to unbleached heartwood sheets. For printing grade applications bleached sapwood and bleached heartwood pulps are equally recommended, because no differences were observed in their pulp and sheet characteristics.

Prodigiosin is a natural pigment produced by Serratia marcescens. The pigment was grown in MacConkey agar and Luria Bertani agar. Growth of the pigment was higher in Luria Bertani agar when compared with MacConkey agar. Antibacterial activity was evaluated using test organisms such as E.coli, Pseudomonas sp. by well diffusion method. The pigment was impregnated on the surface of the test organism in different concentrations and incubated. The clear inhibition zones that formed around the well indicates antibacterial activity. Keywords: Ecoli. Prodigiosin. Pseudomonas sp. Serratia marcescens.

The hybrid composites was prepared from epoxy polymer layers with aluminum sheets of 1 and 2 layers. The epoxy polymer was mixed with conch sea shells (sharp parts) in order to gain more impact strength and incorporated with chopped banana fibers. The mechanical properties such as flexural, tensile, hardness tests were carried out along with the ballistic test. The microstructure SEM images showed bonding of banana fiber along with the banana fibers. Ballistic test with the short hand gun, and the conclusion made the composite fits for ballistic protection.

A field experiment was conducted during kharif, 2018 at Agricultural College Farm, Mahanandi to assess “Effect of plant density and nitrogen management on yield and quality of sweet corn (Zea mays var Saccharata)”. Among the plant densities tried, plant density at (D1) 60 cm X 15 cm recorded that highest uptake of N, P2O5 and K2O by the crop at all the growth stages. Among the nitrogen levels tried, application of (T5) 125% RDN + FYM @ 10 t ha-1 at 25, 50 DAS and at harvest recorded the highest uptake of N, P2O5 and K2O which was however, found parity with (T4) 100% RDN + FYM @ 10 t ha-1. Among the plant densities 60 cm X 20 cm recorded higher total sugar, starch and amylose content over the other plant densities. Application 100% RDN + FYM @ 10 t ha-1 recorded significantly higher total sugar, starch and amylose content over rest of the treatments. Among the plant densities 60 cm X 20 cm recorded higher available nitrogen and 60 cm X 25 cm recorded higher available phosphorus and potassium available in soil after the harvest over other treatments. The maximum available nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium in soil was recorded with the application of 125% RDN + FYM @ 10 t ha-1 and it was on par with 100% RDN + FYM @ 10 t ha-1.

The present work highlights the synthesis of styrene from ethylbenzene dehydrogenation by coupling with reverse water gas shift reaction (RWGSR) and ammonia synthesis reactions over high surface area Al2O3 supported molybdenum nitride (γ-Mo2N) catalyst. γ-Mo2N was prepared by in-situ thermal decomposition of molybdenum hexamethylenetetramine complex and the support high surface area Al2O3 (HSA) was prepared by sol-gel method. Different weight loadings of γ-Mo2N (10, 20 and 30) supported on HSA catalysts were systematically characterized by using powder XRD, N2 physisorption, H2 - TPR, XPS and TEM analysis. XRD, TEM and normalized BET surface area analysis reveal highly dispersed nitride species over HSA surface. The synthesized catalysts have been studied for ethylbenzene dehydrogenation reaction using CO2 and N2 as feed gases with different percentage compositions. It was found that CO2 rich N2 feed gas favors higher ethylbenzene conversion due to RWGSR and N2 rich CO2 favors higher selectivity to styrene due to ammonia synthesis. EB dehydrogenation along with RWGSR and ammonia synthesis reactions come along and privileged the formation of higher styrene yields. Keywords: Ammonia synthesis, Ethylbenzene, High surface area alumina, Molybdenum nitride, Reverse water gas shift reaction, Styrene

The effect of doping nano Sm2O3 particles in PVA + Na3C6H5O7 (90:10% w/w) polymer composite films on the structural, thermal, electrical properties and battery parameters are investigated. The PVA + Na3C6H5O7 + nano Sm2O3 (90:10:1- 4% w/w) films were synthesized and characterized. A 2% w/w Sm2O3 film was relatively homogeneous with high amorphous in nature enabled the movement of nanoparticles in the matrix of polymer under potential gradient. The maximum conductivity was 2.09 × 10-3 S cm-1 for 2% w/w nano Sm2O3 film and it is 7 orders more than polyvinyl alcohol. The films were adopted in batteries with configuration: Anode (Mg+MgSO4)/[{PVA:Na3C6H5O7 (90:10% w/w)} + nano Sm2O3 (1-4% w/w)]/cathode (iodine + carbon + pieces of electrolyte) and battery parameters were assessed. The discharge time is 174 h with the cell having 2.0% w/w nano Sm2O3 film. These nano Sm2O3 doped films are successfully adopted in the fabrication of batteries and also the proposed cells are simple, effective, eco-friendly and economical.

The present work reports on a novel ternary nanocomposite of ZnO rods encapsulated by graphitic like carbon nitride (g-C3N4) and coupled with graphene oxide (GO) prepared by ultrasonication assisted hydrothermal method which provides enhanced photocatalytic activity and stability. Field emission scanning electron microscopy analysis showed that the surface morphology of ZnO, g-C3N4 (prepared by heating method) and the GO contains nanorods structures, sheet like structures and sheets with porous structures respectively. Formation of rod like structures of ZnO and thin sheet like structures of g-C3N4 were observed from transmission electron microscopy analysis. Transmission electron microscopy analysis of g-C3N4 (6 wt%)/ZnO nanocomposites showed that ZnO nanorods are encapsulated by the thin sheets of g-C3N4 and g-C3N4(6 wt%)/ZnO/GO (30 mg) ternary nanocomposites contains porous structures of GO. The optical band gap of ZnO nanoparticles was shifted from 3.08 eV to 2.85 eV for g-C3N4(6 wt%)/ZnO/GO(30 mg) ternary nanocomposites. Under visible light irradiation the ZnO nanorods and g-C3N4 (6 wt%)/ZnO showed photodegradation efficiency of ∼21% and 90% respectively for 120 min whereas g-C3N4 (6 wt%)/ZnO/GO(30 mg) showed about 99% photodegradation efficiency in a time period of 14 min. The recycle process carried out for g-C3N4(6 wt%)/ZnO/GO(30 mg) composites up to five cycles showed 91.5% of photodegradation in the fifth cycle for a time period of 14 min. Total Organic Carbon (TOC) analysis shows removal of carbon content 83% in 28 min. The Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy analysis shows the intermediate products of 1,2 benzenedicarboxylic acid and phthalic acid during the RhB dye photodegradation process. The radical trapping experiment reveals that the photo-induced holes (h+) are one of the main reactive species involved in the degradation of the RhB. Keywords: g-C3N4/ZnO/GO ternary nanocomposite, Ultrasonication, Hydrothermal, Optical band gap, Raman analysis, Photocatalysts

Purpose: Human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients do not adhere to their antiretroviral therapy (ART) due to adverse effects of drugs. The continuous monitoring of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) may ensure the safe use of drugs in patients. Hence, a retrospective analysis was carried out to assess the ADRs pattern, causality, and severity associated with various antiretroviral drug regimens in patients receiving ART. Materials and Methods: A retrospective, analytical study was carried out at ART nodal center in Sri Venkateswara Ramnarain Ruia Government General Hospital, Tirupati. Data were collected by spontaneous reporting of health-care professionals from ART centers using Suspected ADR Reporting Forms of Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission to record the ADRs occurred in the patients who underwent treatment from December 2015 to November 2016. A total of 299 ADR reports were collected during the study period. The causality and severity of the reported ADRs were assessed using suitable scales. Results: From a total of 299 ADR reports, females (63.81%) experienced higher ADRs than males (36.12%). The highest number of ADRs was reported to zidovudine/lamivudine/nevirapine (ZLN) regimen (76.92%) than tenofovir/lamivudine/efavirenz (TLE) regimen (23.07%). Cutaneous reactions were higher (34.34%) among patients receiving ZLN therapy, and drowsiness (53.62%) was the most common ADR in patients receiving TLE regimen. According to the World Health Organization causality assessment scale, most of the ADRs were possible (75.92%). On the assessment of Modified Hartwig and Siegel Severity Scale, 55.09% of ADRs were moderate. Conclusion: The study showed an increased incidence of ADRs to ART which calls for efficient pharmacovigilance systems to improve patient care and drug safety.

Biodegradable and biocompatible polymers polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) have a wide range of applications from packaging to medical. For the production of PHA at scale it is necessary to develop a high productivity bioprocess based on the use of a cheap substrate. The objective of the current study was to develop a high cell density bioreactor-based process for the production of medium chain length polyhydroxyalkanoate (mclPHA) with waste cooking oil as the sole carbon and energy source. A number of substrate feeding strategies for bacterial growth and polymer production were investigated. Pseudomonas chlororaphis 555 achieved high biomass of 73 g/l medium and a good biomass yield (including PHA in the cell) of 0.52 g/g substrate. P. chlororaphis 555 accumulated 13.9 g mclPHA/L and achieved polymer productivity of 0.29 g mclPHA/(L h). The mclPHA contained predominantly (R)-3-hydroxyoctanoic acid and (R)-3-hydroxydecanoic acid monomers, with a high fraction of (R)-3-hydroxydodecanoic acid monomers. This polymer is of low molecular weight (18 324 kDa), low polydispersity, it is amorphous, and has a glass transition temperature of −64 °C.

Telmisartan belongs to a BCS class II drug i.e. low solubility and high permeability. It is an angiotensin II type-I receptor blocker essentially used for the treatment and curing of hypertension. The critical problem facing with telmisartan as it shows low solubility in biological fluids which results into less bioavailability after oral administration. The aim of the present work is to enhance the solubility, dissolution rate of telmisartan by formulating an optimal SMEDDS formulation. SMEDDS were prepared by admixing method using Peceol and Captex 200 as oil phases. Labrafil M2125 as surfactant and Transcutol and plurololeique as co-surfactants. Later they obtained liquid SMEDDS were converted in to free flowing powder using adsorbent like Aerosil 200. All the SMEDDS formulations were found to be stable and they were further evaluated for physical parameters such as phase separation, particle size and drug content. The formulation CT1 with oil to co-surfactant ratio 1:1 respectively showed highest rate of dissolution than the other ratios. The drug, excipients and optimized formulation were subjected to characterization studies such as FTIR and DSC studies shown that there were no interactions between drug and excipients used.

Curcuma longa commonly known as turmeric belongs to the family Zingiberaceae. It is mainly used for treating chronic diseases especially Diabetes mellitus. The present study aims at evaluating the anti-oxidant, anti-haemolytic, anti-angiogenesis and anti-bacterial activities of Curcumin fraction. Different antioxidant assays were carried out for evaluating the antioxidant capacity of aqueous extract of Curcuma longa. The maximum1, 1-diphenyl 2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity of curcumin fraction was 30.62±0.87% at 60 μg/mL concentration. The inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of DPPH radical scavenging activity was 97.97 μg/mL concentration. The maximum superoxide radical scavenging activity of Curcuma longa extract was 57.01±0.17% at 60 μg/mL concentration and the inhibitory concentration (IC50) was 46.91 μg/mL concentration. The maximum anti-haemolytic activity of curcumin fraction was 44.53±0.84 and the IC50 was 67.37 μg/mL. The maximum Fe3+ reduction and Mo6+ reduction were 54.85±0.35% and 61.13±0.21% at 60 μg/mL concentration and the reduction concentration (RC50) were 51.59 μg/mL and 28.69 μg/mL concentration respectively.

Raltegravir sodium synthesis was achieved from its one of the key starting materials with retro synthetic approach, in which without using its critical starting material chemically known as 5-methyl-1,3,4-oxadiazole-2-carbonyl chloride and which is more unstable during the synthesis of raltegravir potassium. Almost all the existed literatures commonly using this starting material in its synthesis even it is having a stability issue and hence to achieve a stable and economically viable synthesis. The current research describes a new route of synthesis by constructing an oxadiazole ring in a retro synthetic manner.

Background:Increased consumer demand for curry leaves free from pesticides demands fast and reliable analytical methods for the analysis of pesticide residues.Objective:The optimization of a QuEChERS based sample preparation technique with improved analytical accuracy by removing interfering matrix components for LC-MS/MS analysis of pesticide residues from curry leaves.Methods:A modified QuEChERS solid phase extraction method was developed and validated for the analysis of 26 pesticides in fresh and dried curry leaves. The effects of the sample preparation steps and column retention time on the matrix suppression of analyte ions were also evaluated.Results:Validation parameters were found within an acceptable range. The matrix effect evaluation studies showed that the QuEChERS sample preparation was able to minimize the ion suppression of analytes due to co-eluting matrix of components and that a d-SPE clean up step had major role in reducing matrix effect. The gradient mobile phase with longer retention time for analytes resulted in comparatively lesser matrix effects than the isocratic mobile phase of non-polar nature. Even after the clean up, a considerable number of compounds had more than 20% reduction in their MS response in the gradient mobile phase.Conclusion:This study emphasized the need of proper sample clean up before a LC-MS/MS analysis and the usage of matrix matched standards and mobile phase that ultimately results in an appropriate analyte separation in reasonable retention times.

This paper presents the experimental results of self-healing efficiency of two different bacteria namely Bacillus sphaericus and Bacillus subtilis incorporated in with polypropylene fibre reinforced concrete. Concrete was prepared with an optimum amount of polypropylene fibre and cultured bacteria. The artificial cracks were formed in the concrete to perform this investigation. The cracked concrete was observed at constant intervals. The effectiveness of self-healing was evaluated by the mechanical test over the bacterial concrete with fibre (BCF). The results obtained from the mechanical study show that the BCF produced commendable results. The precipitation characteristic analysis was carried out by SEM and XRD diffractogram analysis was performed to confirm the precipitation in BCF. The analysis shows that there is a presence of sufficient self-healing compound in cracked concrete. The effectiveness of the developed BCF concrete in regaining strength shows a substantial increase in strength after self-healing therefore, the effectiveness of self-healing of BCF is admirable.

Mesoporous carbon derived from pongamia pinnata fruit hulls was used as support to incorporate magnesium oxide for the study of CO2 adsorption and separation of CO2/N2. All synthesized adsorbents were characterized by PXRD, N2 adsorption-desorption isotherms, Raman and SEM with EDX techniques. Characterization results revealed the existence of magnesium oxide on mesoporous carbon. CO2 adsorption on MgO incorporated mesoporous carbon was higher than bulk mesoporous carbon, due to the electrostatic interaction between magnesium oxide and CO2. High CO2 adsorption capacity 1.68 mmol/g was obtained for 10 wt% MgO incorporated mesoporous carbon at 298 K, 1 bar compared to remaining loadings, because of the high content of MgO. However, the N2 adsorption capacity decreased with the increase of MgO content due to a decrease in surface area and no interaction of the N2 molecule with the adsorbent. The selectivity of CO2/N2 was higher on 10 wt% MgO incorporated mesoporous carbon and the value was 40. The heat of CO2 adsorption was 36KJ/mol at low coverage of CO2, and CO2 adsorption capacity was constant in each adsorption cycle over the same adsorbent.

We report crystal growth, AC and DC magnetic susceptibilities [χ(T, H)], magnetization [M(T, H)], and heat capacity [CP(T, H)] measurement results of GdSbTe single crystal. GdSbTe is isostructural to the confirmed nonmagnetic nodal-line semimetal ZrSiS of noncentrosymmetric tetragonal crystal structure in space group P4/nmm (No. 129), but it shows additional long-range antiferromagnetic spin ordering for the Gd spins of S = 7/2 below TN. Both χ(T, H) and CP(T, H) measurements confirm the existence of a long-range antiferromagnetic (AFM) spin ordering of Gd spins below TN ∼ 12 K, and an additional spin reorientation/recovery (sr) behavior is identified from the change of on-site spin anisotropy between Tsr1 ∼ 7 and Tsr2 ∼ 4 K. The anisotropic magnetic susceptibilities of χ(T, H) below TN clearly demonstrate that the AFM long-range spin ordering of GdSbTe has an easy axis parallel to the ab-plane direction. The field- and orientation-dependent magnetization of M(T, H) at 2 K shows two plateaus to indicate the spin-flop transition for H||ab near ∼2.1 T and a metamagnetic state near ∼5.9 T having ∼1/3 of the fully polarized magnetization by the applied field. The heat capacity measurement results yield Sommerfeld coefficient of γ ∼ 7.6(4) mJ/mol K2 and θD ∼ 195(2) K being less than half of that for the nonmagnetic ZrSiS. A three-dimensional (3D) AFM spin structure is supported by the ab initio calculations for Gd having magnetic moment of 7.1 μB and the calculated AFM band structure indicates that GdSbTe is a semimetal with bare density of states (0.36 states/eV fu) at the Fermi level, which is 10 times smaller than the measured one to suggest strong spin-fluctuation.

Poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) – based solid electrolyte films with potassium thiocyanate (KSCN) were prepared by solution-cast technique. The pure and KSCN- doped PVA films have been investigated for the charge transport mechanism in the polymer electrolyte system by using the DC conductivity (The composition dependence and temperature dependence in 300-385K range) and transference number measurements. The graphs related to conductivity – temperature shows that an increase in conductivity with respect to rise in the temperature. At room temperature, the conductivity of the (PVA+KSCN) electrolyte is 102 times greater than that of pure PVA. The transference number data exhibit that the charge transport in this polymer electrolyte system is predominantly due to ions. The ionic transference numbers (tion) lies in the range of 0.92 to 0.99 for the films of PVA with KSCN in the wt% ratios (90:10), (80:20) and (70:30).

Reports related to cuticle damage and hair’s mechanical properties are of interest to dermatologists in treatment of hair disorders. Apart from tensile test, few studies were reported on mechanical properties of hair, especially nanomechanical properties of cortex and medulla regions. Inner diameter of hair fiber (8–12 µm) is considered as medulla and it exists in hair at the beginning of the anagen phase. This study is aimed for quantitative comparison of nanomechanical properties between cortex and medulla and also with respect to donor age by performing nanoindentation on fiber cross sections using two different instruments. The medulla and cortex regions revealed hardness values of 70–170 MPa and 200–312 MPa, respectively. Similarly lower values of indentation modulus were observed for medulla compared to cortex because medulla has poorer orientation of microfibrils compared to the surrounding cortex. This study also found a linear correlation between hardness and indentation modulus especially for medulla region. This could be due to the fact that organization of the microfibrils increases from the medulla center to medulla periphery. It is also found that donor age has no influence on cortex modulus and hardness. The findings of this study will be useful for dermatologists in estimating the hair disorders and for estimating dye uptake of keratin fibers in textiles.