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Osmotic stress caused by drought and high salinity is a significant environmental threat that limits plant growth and agricultural yield. Redox regulation plays an important role in plant stress responses, but the mechanisms by which plants perceive and transduce redox signals are still underexplored. Here, we report a critical function for the thiol peroxidase GPX1 in osmotic stress response in rice, where it serves as a redox sensor and transducer. GPX1 is quickly oxidized upon exposure to osmotic stress and forms an intramolecular disulfide bond, which is required for the activation of bZIP68, a VRE-like basic leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factor involved in the ABA-independent osmotic stress response pathway. The disulfide exchange between GPX1 and bZIP68 induces homo-tetramerization of bZIP68 and thus positively regulates osmotic stress response by regulating osmotic-responsive gene expression. Furthermore, we discovered that the nuclear translocation of GPX1 is regulated by its acetylation under osmotic stress. Taken together, our findings not only uncover the redox regulation of the GPX1-bZIP68 module during osmotic stress but also highlight the coordination of protein acetylation and redox signaling in plant osmotic stress responses.

Addressing thrombosis and biofouling of indwelling medical devices within healthcare institutions is an ongoing problem. In this work, two types of ultra-low fouling surfaces (i.e., superhydrophobic and lubricant-infused slippery surfaces) were fabricated to enhance the biocompatibility of commercial medical grade silicone rubber (SR) tubes that are widely used in clinical care. The superhydrophobic (SH) coatings on the tubing substrates were successfully created by dip-coating in superhydrophobic paints consisting of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), perfluorosilane-coated hydrophobic zinc oxide (ZnO) and copper (Cu) nanoparticles (NPs) in tetrahydrofuran (THF). The SH surfaces were converted to lubricant-infused slippery (LIS) surfaces through the infusion of silicone oil. The anti-biofouling properties of the coatings were investigated by adsorption of platelets, whole blood coagulation, and biofilm formation in vitro. The results revealed that the LIS tubes possess superior resistance to clot formation and platelet adhesion than uncoated and SH tubes. In addition, bacterial adhesion was investigated over 7 days in a drip-flow bioreactor, where the SH-ZnO-Cu tube and its slippery counterpart significantly reduced bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation of Escherichia coli relative to control tubes (>5 log10 and >3 log10 reduction, respectively). The coatings also demonstrated good compatibility with fibroblast cells. Therefore, the proposed coatings may find potential applications in high-efficiency on-demand prevention of biofilm and thrombosis formation on medical devices to improve their biocompatibility and reduce the risk of complications from medical devices.

Quinoline Schiff bases are notified for their extensive pharmacological applications which paved way for the continuous exploration of their properties by the chemists of various fields. The theoretical exploration of organic compounds finds new dimensions in the recent advances of science intend us to study the nonlinear optical behaviour of Schiff Bases. In this context, four series of substituted hydrazinoquinoline Schiff bases 1–4 [ 4-methyl-2-salicylidenehydrazinoquinoline (1), 4,6-dimethyl-2-salicylidene hydrazine quinoline (2), 6-chloro-4-methyl-2salicylidenehydrazinoquinoline (3), 4-methyl-6-methoxy-2-salicylidene hydrazine quinoline (4)] were synthesised and characterised by IR and 1H NMR spectral studies. The DFT studies of the synthesised compounds viz., Frontier Molecular Orbital analysis and first hyperpolarisabilty were carried out by using B3LYP functional 6-31G (d,p) basis level. From the DFT results, the first hyperpolarisability suggest that the studied compounds have good non-linear properties. The global reactivity descriptors value indicates that the synthesised compounds are hard with greater kinetic stability. Having lower band gap energy of 4.1 eV–3.73 eV and a low lying LUMO, the synthesised compounds might be a excellent NLO candidate and also act as superconductors, and may have prospective used in both technological as well as pharmaceutical related applications.

Cellular exposure to extreme environments leads to the expression of multiple proteins that participate in pathophysiological manifestations. Hypobaric hypoxia at high altitude (HA) generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) that can damage telomeres. Tankyrase (TNKS) belongs to multiple telomeric protein complexes and is actively involved in DNA damage repair. Although published research on TNKS indicates its possible role in cancer and other hypoxic diseases, its role in HA sicknesses remains elusive. Understanding the roles of telomeres, telomerase, and TNKS could ameliorate physiological issues experienced at HA. In addition, telomeric TNKS could be a potential biomarker in hypoxia-induced sicknesses or acclimatization. Thus, a new research avenue on TNKS linked to HA sickness might lead to the discovery of drugs for hypobaric hypoxia.

Background: Human serum albumin (HSA) is one of the most abundant proteins in the blood plasma, urine as well as in the organic matrix of renal calculi. Macromolecules present in the urine modulate kidney stone formation either by stimulating or inhibiting the crystallization process. Objective: In the present study, the effect of HSA protein on the growth of calcium oxalate monohydrate crystal (COM) was investigated. Methods: Crystal growth assay was used to measure oxalate depletion in the crystal seeded solution in the presence of HSA. HSA concentrations exhibiting effect on crystal growth were selected for FTIR and XRD analysis. In silico docking was performed on seven different binding sites of HSA. Results: Albumin plays dual role in the growth of calcium oxalate crystallization. FTIR and XRD studies further revealed HSA exerted strain over crystal thus affecting its structure by interacting with amino acids of its pocket 1. Docking results indicate that out of 7 binding pocket in protein, calcium oxalate interacts with Arg-186 and Lys-190 amino acids of pocket 1. Conclusion: Our study confirms the role of HSA in calcium oxalate crystallization where acidic amino acids arginine and lysine bind to COM crystals, revealing molecular interaction of macromolecule and crystal in urolithiasis.

The high-performance liquid chromatography with dual Agilent jet stream electrospray ionization- quadrupole time of flight-mass spectrometry method enabled the identification of 10 and 13 phenolic ...

Pharmacological importance of the nitrogen heterocycles is countless. The triazines are found to possess exceptional biological antitumor, anti-HIV, antiviral, antimalarial, antimicrobial, cytotoxic activities. The current investigation attempts to evaluate invitro antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant potential, and cytotoxicity of newly synthesized substituted 4'-methyl-3-thioxo-1,2,4-triazinoquinolin-5-one. The antimicrobial activity was done by Agar Well Diffusion Method and the MIC of the compound was found using the Broth dilution assay method. The compounds showed excellent antibacterial activity against selected bacterial strains, including Gram-positive S. aureus, S. pyogens, and Gram-negative bacteria P. aeroginosa, E. coli, K. peumoniae, Pseudomonas Sp with the zones of inhibition 9 to 19nm. The standard drug Ampicillin showed a maximum inhibitory zone 18 nm. Among all the screened compounds, sample exhibited good activity. Similarly, the compounds were screened for antifungal properties, which showed an excellent reduction in the growth of selected fungal strain for Candida albicans. The compounds were also screened for 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) activity. Cytotoxicity was done in Dalton's Lymphoma Ascites (DLA) cells which were obtained from Amala Cancer Research Center. The tested compounds exhibited significant antioxidant activity in a concentration-dependent manner.

Background: In Ayurveda, single or multiple herbs mixed in a particular proportion are used for the treatment of different diseases. Caturjata Curna (CC) is a popular Ayurvedic medicine with therapeutic application in tastelessness, diseases due to vitiated Kapha, poisoning and discoloration. The present study is an attempt to standardize a polyherbal medicine CC. Methods: CC was prepared by mixing an equal proportion of ingredients including Tvak (Cinnamomum verum) - stem bark, Ela (Elettaria cardamomum (L.) Maton) - seed, Tvakpatra (Cinnamomum tamala (Buch.-Ham.) T.Nees & Eberm.) - leaf and Nagakesara (Mesua ferrea L.) - stamen in equal parts as per guidelines in Ayurvedic Formulary of India. Macro-microscopy, physico-chemical parameters, HPTLC fingerprinting, and spectroscopic parameters were determined according to standardised methodology available in Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India. Results: Caturjata curna is brown coloured with a characteristic odour and aromatic taste. Powder microscopy showed the presence of diagnostic characters like horse shoe-shaped stone cells, perisperm cells with volatile oil droplets, paracytic stomata and endothecium layers of anthers indicating each ingredient of the formulation. HPTLC showed 13, 13 and 16 bands each under short UV, long UV and white light post derivatisation respectively in ethanolic extract of the formulation. Physico-chemical standards like loss on drying at 105º (10.39 %), total ash (4.1 %), acid-insoluble ash (0.90 %), ethanol- soluble extractive (10 %), water-soluble extractive (8.77 %) and pH of 10% aqueous solution (4.58) were recorded. The presence of cinnamaldehyde and 1-eicosene was confirmed by GC-MS and NMR studies. Conclusion: a monograph on quality standards for CC has been proposed which would serve as a document to control the quality of this polyherbal formulation.

The presence of emerging pollutants in the environment can pose potential risks to the natural ecosystem. Hence, the efficacious removal of emerging pollutants, like pharmaceuticals, including anti...

A total of 50 patients who presented during the period of 24 months (October 2013 to October 2015) were studied. In this study, age of the patients ranged from 20 - 60 years and most of patients are between the age group 30- 40 years, as alcohol consumption was more in this age group. The present study has shown that alcoholic pancreatitis is more common in males. There are no females in this study. Because intake of alcohol is more common in males. Serum amylase and lipase are markers that are elevated in episodes of pancreatitis. Prophylactic usage of antibiotics in alcohol induced pancreatitis has no role. Over 97% of alcohol- induced pancreatitis responded well to the management without antibiotics.

Visible light-active rhodium and antimony-co-doped SrTiO3 nanocubes (Rh/Sb:SrTiO3 NCs) were synthesized at low temperatures from Rh/Sb:TiO2 nanorods by the molten salt flux method. The effects of different calcination temperatures (700, 800, and 900 °C) and addition of transition metal oxides (NiOx, CoOx, and CuOx) on the photocatalytic properties of the Rh/Sb:SrTiO3 NCs were studied. The phase composition and morphology of the Rh/Sb:SrTiO3 NC photocatalysts (after calcination) were characterized using standard analytical techniques. The synergistic effect of the metal oxides and Rh/Sb:SrTiO3 NCs boosted the photocatalytic degradation of orange II dye and bisphenol A as well as the inactivation of bacteria. 2 wt% CoOx-loaded Rh/Sb:SrTiO3 photocatalyst showed higher photocatalytic performance for the degradation of orange II (96.3%) and bisphenol A (87%) in aqueous solution than Ni (2 wt%) and Cu (2 wt%)-loaded Rh/Sb:SrTiO3 NC composites. In addition, inactivation of Escherichia coli (96%) and Staphylococcus aureus (97.1%) was achieved over CoOx (2 wt%)-loaded Rh/Sb:SrTiO3 for 2 h under visible light irradiation (λ ≥ 420 nm). Further, scavenging experiments confirmed that superoxide anion radicals (·O2−) and holes (h+) are the major active species and OH· is a minor species responsible for the photocatalytic degradation of the studied organic pollutants. The synthetic strategy presented here offers a novel approach to the design of highly active visible light active photocatalysts for the removal of organic pollutants and inactivation of bacteria in wastewater.

The direct synthesis reaction (H2 + O2 → H2O2) may provide a low-cost method to form H2O2 if catalytic systems with sufficient selectivities and stabilities are developed. Here, we examine how sodium bromide, a ubiquitous promoter for direct synthesis, impacts steady-state rates and apparent barriers for H2O2 and H2O formation in water and relate changes to the effect of NaBr on surface and bulk properties of Pd nanoparticle catalysts. Comparisons of turnover rates and selectivities measured over an extended period (>80 h) demonstrate that these systems require more than 10 h to reach steady-state, whereupon, H2O2 selectivities depend strongly upon [NaBr] and increase from 17% in pure water to ~65% at 10−4 M NaBr (55 kPa H2, 200 kPa O2). Contact with these NaBr solutions irreversibly modifies Pd nanoparticles, such that H2O2 selectivities remain at 40% in pure water, due to irreversible uptake of Br*-atoms. Bromide adsorption isotherms measured show that reduced Pd nanoparticles adsorb several monolayers of Br*-atoms, which suggests Br saturates surfaces but also resides within the near-surface region of Pd nanoparticles. Ex situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy indicates that Br*-atoms withdraw charge from Pd atoms and yield greater fractions of Pd2+. Comparisons among infrared spectra of adsorbed CO imply that persistent Br atoms preferentially bind to undercoordinated sites. H2O2 and H2O formation rates, both in the presence and absence of Br*-atoms, change with H2 and O2 pressures in ways consistent with elementary steps that involve H2O-mediated proton-electron transfer (PET). Therefore, increased selectivities on Br*-modified surfaces reflect differences in apparent activation enthalpies for H2O2 ( Δ H ‡ H 2 O 2 ) and H2O ( Δ H ‡ H 2 O ) formation. Δ H ‡ H 2 O 2 and Δ H ‡ H 2 O increase systematically with [NaBr], although with different sensitivities. Comparisons of activation enthalpies alongside ex situ characterization provide compelling evidence that Br atoms adsorb onto and intercalate beneath the surfaces of Pd nanoparticles and increase steady-state H2O2 selectivities, which persist without further addition of liquid-phase bromide for at least 15 h. These findings indicate H2O2 selectivities for a continuous catalytic process may be increased by a one-time (or infrequent) addition of halide promoters, which can reduce the complexity of subsequent product purification for many applications of H2O2.

Objective: In the aim of refining mucilage polysaccharide extracted from the leaf of Basella alba, extraction and differential precipitation of the protein content was studied. This was attempted by pH adjustment by adding Trichloroacetic acid (TCA) and Hydrochloric acid (HCl). Materials and Methods: The presence of residual protein before and after deproteinization in the polysaccharide solution was detected by UV spectrum analysis. The % polysaccharide, % polysaccharide loss, protein concentration and the deproteinization efficiency were studied as comparative indices to evaluate the precipitation experimental conditions using pH adjustment. Results: The result showed that 10% w/v TCA precipitated over 80% of the protein when the pH of the aqueous polysaccharide solution was 3. Discussion: TCA was proved to be superior to hydrochloric acid as evidenced by the highest deproteinization efficiency (83.3%). The polysaccharides of all the extracted solutions obtained were identified with only slight variations in percentage. The Hcl method excelled over the TCA method in obtaining polysaccharides with little lower percentage of polysaccharide loss (13.94 %). Conclusion: The TCA method will offer a room for deproteinization of polysaccharides if optimization is studied.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a public health problem, which has a prevalence of 17.2% in India. As kidney function decreases, there is a gradual deterioration in the regulation of bone mineral homeostasis. Vitamin D is recognized as the central player in the maintenance of bone health in CKD. Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative (KDOQI) guidelines suggest that vitamin D supplementation should be given to all CKD patients with serum 25-hydroxy vitaminD (25(OH)D) level 30 ng/mL. Hence we undertook this study to evaluate the vitamin D status in South Indian patients with CKD.Fifty-nine non-dialysis CKD patients of stage 3 and 4 were recruited and screened for 25(OH)D deficiency. Circulating levels of 25(OH)D were measured using chemiluminescence immunoassay. The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was calculated using the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology (CKD-EPI) equation. Serum calcium, phosphorous, creatinine and alkaline phosphatase levels were measured spectrophotometrically by an autoanalyzer.Contrary to published literature, 75% of South Indian CKD patients had normal 25(OH)D (≥30 ng/mL), 15% of them had insufficient (20-29 ng/mL) and 10% had 25(OH)D deficiency (20 ng/mL). Alkaline phosphatase levels were found to be increased in only 20% of cases. Calcium1 levels were normal in all CKD cases and hyperphosphatemia was observed in 5% of CKD patients.We found that most of our CKD patients (75%) had normal vitamin D levels. This paradoxical finding could be explained by the fact that most of them gave a history of intake of vitamin D and calcium supplements, as advised by their doctors before coming to our institute. Hence we conclude that before prescribing vitamin D or calcium supplements to CKD patients, their 25(OH)D status should be ascertained to prevent hypervitaminosis D and its complications.

The increasing population and the problem of land use change that continues to increase raises the problem of food security. Government programs have been carried out such as the expansion of marginal land in coastal areas, namely saline land. The research objective was to assess the effectiveness of P uptake due to the aplication of humic acid and silica on lowland rice crop production. The research method was arranged in a randomized block design that was repeated 3 times. Size of planting 2x2 m2, 4 kinds of treatment include; a. control b. humic acid c. silica d. humic acid + silica. The results showed that the application of humic acid + silica had a significant affect the rice growth with an average plant height of 85,74 cm at 10 mst and rice production of 4,20 ton.ha-1. Humic acid + silica can also improve soil chemical properties : pH 6,95 CEC 40,24 and P nutrient 197,6. This is because the ability of humic acid to chelate by removing the Pbonds from the uptake of metal and silica elements can increase the P content in the soil into a from that is more available to plants.

Advancements in telecommunication sector result in increasing exposure to electromagnetic (EM) radiation, which has been correlated with incidence of male infertility. Therefore, the present study focused on analyzing the consequence of EM radiation (2115 MHz) exposure on the reproductive system of male Wistar rats. Besides, the antioxidant protective effect of Punica granatum juice was also evaluated. For experimental analysis, rats were divided into five groups (control, sham exposed, exposed, herbal plus exposed, and herbal only). Individual group consisted of 6 rats which were exposed to radiation for 45 days (2 h/day). The herbal-treated groups were given 1 ml of Punica granatum extract orally. Various parameters such as organ to body ratio, sperm count, motility, viability, and testis histopathology were studied. Furthermore, oxidative stress parameters and free radical generation were analyzed. The exposed group showed changes in sperm parameters along with decrease in seminiferous tubule diameter. On the contrary, herbal-exposed group showed enhanced sperm count, increased motility, and viability in comparison to exposed group. Histopathology studies also revealed the protective role of herbal juice. Significant alteration in oxidative parameters along with an enhanced free radical generation in exposed group and reduction in herbal groups was observed. The results thus indicate that continuous exposure to EM radiation can lead to oxidative stress which induces biochemical changes in rat sperms. However, Punica granatum extract has a protective role against oxidative damage induced by EM radiation.

Titanium alloys, especially Ti–6Al–4V, were reported as a promising biomaterial featuring excellent corrosion resistance and good biocompatibility, but it lacks anti-infection capacity and osseointegration. In this work, we aimed to improve the bio-functions and corrosion resistance of AT-Ti-6Al–4V by applying cerium incorporated hydroxyapatite using a spin coater. The triple layer of Ce-HAP coatings was systematically accumulated using different speeds such as 2000, 3000 and 4000 RPM, which were sintered for 2 h at 500 °C. XRD and SEM-EDS characterize the developed Ce-HAP coatings to confirm the phase formation and surface morphology. The Colony Forming Unit confirms that Ce-HAP coatings exhibited significant inhibition efficiency towards the pathogens. In vitro bioactivity study evaluated in SBF indicates excellent apatite layer formation on Ce-HAP coatings. The cell viability studies using MG-63 cells showed good cell proliferation and attachments on a coated implant. The electrochemical properties of coatings were analysed by EIS and the result displayed pronounced anti-corrosion property. This study suggests that the cerium incorporated HAP promotes bioactivity with rapid osteointegration and presented higher corrosion resistance that makes it essential for the desired biomedical applications.

The sweet potato root, a potent source of starch which is being considered as an efficient alternative for fuel ethanol production in recent times. The starchy substrate needs to be subsequently dextrinized and saccharified so as to enhance the utilization of its carbohydrates for ethanol production. In the present investigation, acid-enzyme process was conducted for the dextrinization and saccharification of sweet potato root flour (SPRF). The best optimized condition for dextrinization was achieved with an incubation period of 60 min, temperature 100 ºC and 1M HCl. However, for saccharification, the best result was obtained with an incubation of 18 h, pH 4, temperature 65 ºC and 1000 U concentration of Palkodex®. After the dextrinization process, maximum concentrations of total sugar and hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) [380.44 ± 3.17 g/kg and 13.28 ± 0.25 mg/g, respectively] were released. Nevertheless, after saccharification, 658.80 ± 7.83 g/kg of total sugar was obtained which was about 73% more than that of dextrinization. After successful dextrinization and saccharification, the structural, chemical and elemental analysis were investigated using techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrophotometer (EDXRF), respectively. Effective hydrolysis was demonstrated in thin layer chromatography (TLC) where the HCl was able to generate monomeric sugar such as glucose and maltose. On the other hand, only glucose is synthesized on the mutual effect of HCl and Palkodex®. The SEM findings indicate that the rough structure of both dextrinized and saccharified sample was gained due to the vigorous effect of both acid and enzyme subsequently. The saccharified SPRF when subjected to fermentation with Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Zymomonas mobilis separately, it was observed that Z. mobilis produced more stretching vibration of –OH than S. cerevisiae, which evidenced the better production of bioethanol. Additionally, evaluation of the influence of S. cerevisiae and Z. mobilis through elemental analysis revealed upsurge in the concentrations of S, Cl, Ca, Mn, Fe and Zn and decline in the concentrations of P, K and Cu in the fermented residue of S. cerevisiae and Z. mobilis, however, Z. mobilis showed little more variation than that of S. cerevisiae.

Objective To assess the impact of using corrected calcium versus total calcium on hypercalcemia case detection in hospitalized patients. Methods Patients hospitalized from June 2012 to June 2017 with a corrected calcium level of ≥10.5 mg/dL were identified by medical record review. One-year follow-up data through June 2018 were acquired. Albumin-corrected calcium level was calculated: (4 − albumin concentration in g/dL) × 0.8 + total serum calcium in mg/dL. Results A group of 1067 patients had a corrected calcium level of ≥10.5 mg/dL. The prevalence of hypercalcemia was 0.73% with total calcium and 1.09% with corrected calcium, respectively, with a 49% relative increase. Most patients (62%) had mild hypercalcemia (10.5-11.9 mg/dL); 3.7% had severe hypercalcemia (>14 mg/dL). With corrected calcium, the most common categories of hypercalcemia were malignancy (35.4%), hypercalcemia that was not further evaluated (31.1%), and hyperparathyroidism (22.4%). All patients in the unidentified category had albumin levels Conclusion Using albumin-corrected calcium resulted in an ∼50% increase in the detection of hypercalcemia cases. Although hypercalcemia resolved in majority of the undiagnosed cases at 1 year, a number of these remained abnormal. Detecting hypercalcemic disorders by correcting for low albumin level can help identify conditions such as hyperparathyroidism. Adding auto-calculated albumin-corrected calcium to routine laboratory tests could be a cost-effective intervention to improve the detection of hypercalcemic disorders.

The present work attempts to assess the machinability of tungsten heavy alloys (WHAs) with varying tungsten content in terms of different machining characteristics such as chip thickness, material removal rate, cutting force and surface roughness under varied cutting conditions. The feed rate is found to have major influence on the machining characteristics; whereas the effect of rake angle appears to be marginal. With increase in W content both cutting force and material removal rate increase whereas surface roughness decreases. Since WHAs are difficult to machine, an additional objective of the study is to optimize machining parameters. An optimal balance of the experimental cutting parameters using Grey relational analysis has been achieved, which can be effectively employed for the machining of the alloys with close dimensional tolerances and desirable surface finish.

Inorganic membranes for organic solvent nanofiltration (OSN) inherently rely on the chemical affinity of pores, in particular, hydrophobicity of the pores and pore functionalities, to reject small ...

Cubic phase of MgO nanoparticles were prepared by microwave-assisted combustion synthesis and investigated for the removal of toxic dyes like Congo Red (CR) and Trypan blue (TB). The crystallite size of the MgO nanoparticle was calculated to be 18 nm from XRD pattern. The sample was further characterized by FTIR, TGA and FESEM techniques. The dyes were subjected to prototypical batch adsorption process, including investigation of different parameters like MgO dosage, dye concentration, solution pH, agitation speed and temperature. It was found that, 0.2 g of MgO NPs showed maximum removal efficiency for both the dyes (more than 98%), having 25 ppm of dye concentration at an acidic pH (3–4). The maximum loading capacity of MgO NPs was obtained to be 136 mg/g and 132 mg/g for CR and TB, respectively. Different thermodynamic parameters like ΔG0, ΔH0 and ΔS0 were measured. The negative ΔH0 and the positive ΔS0 values for both the dyes correspond to an exothermic process and an increase in randomness of the adsorbent and dye. The isotherm analysis exhibited that the Freundlich model fits better to the experimental equilibrium data, suggesting heterogeneous surface of the nanoparticles. Whereas, the kinetic data revealed a pseudo 2nd order rate for adsorption process.

The ungenerous release of metals from different industrial, agricultural, and anthropogenic sources has resulted in heavy metal pollution. Metals with a density larger than 5 g cm−3 have been termed as heavy metals and have been stated to be potentially toxic to human and animals. Algae are known to be pioneer organisms with the potential to grow under extreme conditions including heavy metal-polluted sites. They have evolved efficient defense strategies to combat the toxic effects exerted by heavy metal ions. Most of the algal strains are reported to accumulate elevated metal ion concentration in cellular organelles. With respect to that, this review focuses on understanding the various strategies used by algal system for heavy metal resistance. Additionally, the application of this metal resistance in biosynthesis of metal nanoparticles and metal oxide nanoparticles has been investigated in details. We thereby conclude that algae serve as an excellent system for understanding metal uptake and accumulation. This thereby assists in the design and development of low-cost approaches for large-scale synthesis of nanoparticles and bioremediation approach, providing ample opportunities for future work.

Solvents forming redox mediators The role of solvents participating directly in thermal catalytic reactions is clearer for homogeneous catalysis than for heterogeneous catalysis. Adams et al. studied the formation of hydrogen peroxide from hydrogen and oxygen on palladium nanoparticles by measuring the kinetic isotope effect and performing density functional theory simulations in aqueous and organic solvents. Methanol formed chemisorbed hydroxymethyl intermediates. These surface redox mediators transferred electrons and protons to adsorbed oxygen species and were regenerated by oxidizing chemisorbed hydrogen atoms. However, water molecules heterolytically oxidized hydrogen to generate solvated protons and surface electrons that reduced oxygen. Science , this issue p. 626

In recent years, photocatalysis and photoelectrocatalysis (PEC) have emerged as efficient strategies for facing the energy crisis and environmental pollution. In this regard, the very suitable and exciting material, graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4), has drawn spectacular attention because of its fascinating physicochemical properties. However, its practical application in the field of photocatalysis and PEC is still a bottleneck due to its narrow solar energy absorption range, low surface area, which provides less active sites, low electronic conductivity due to deficient CN donor density, poor electron–hole separation efficiency, insufficient redox potentials, and difficulty in the formation of thin films due to its poor dissolution in common solvents. To optimize the redox potential and provide effective spatial charge separation, Z scheme systems are being fabricated by imitating the natural photosynthesis process. In this review, the historical development of g-C3N4-based Z scheme systems is summarized along with their construction, synthesis, and various photocatalytic and PEC applications. g-C3N4-based Z scheme systems, such as the redox mediator solution-phase Z scheme, solid-state Z scheme, and direct Z scheme, and their characterization methods have been discussed briefly. Also, the methodology for the detection of Z scheme charge transfer processes has been explored. Lastly, conclusions and various future perspectives regarding the challenges in the construction and progress of the Z scheme photocatalytic systems are presented.

The photosensitivity of amorphous chalcogenide thin films brings out light-induced changes in the nonlinear and linear optical parameters upon sub-bandgap and bandgap laser irradiation. The present work reports the in situ laser irradiated changes in the optical properties of As50Se40Sb10 thin films. The thermally evaporated film showed an exponential decrease in optical bandgap and increase in Urbach energy. The decay rate of the bandgap was 6.24 min and growth rate of Urbach energy was 6.67 min respectively. The dynamics of photo-induced changes were observed from the changes in linear refractive index and its dependent parameters such as 3rd order nonlinear susceptibility, nonlinear refractive index, dispersion and dielectric parameters. The conversion of heteropolar to homopolar bonds induced the photodarkening mechanism that changed the dispersion parameters. The decrease in Ed and Eo reduced the oscillator strength along with the zero-frequency dielectric constant. The optical and electrical conductivity changed significantly with time. The changes were saturated with time which brings stability in the film properties that is useful for various optical applications. However, no structural and compositional changes upon laser irradiation were noticed from the X-ray diffraction and EDX studies respectively. The surface homogeneity was checked from the FESEM picture.

Phosphorus, sulfur, and boron doped graphitic carbon nitride were successfully synthesized by solid-state calcination of melamine, as precursor of g-C3N4 and ammonium dihydrogen phosphate [NH4(H2PO4)], thiourea (CH4N2S), and boric acid (H3BO3) as dopant. The as synthesized materials were further subjected to chemical exfoliation using hydrochloric acid as exfoliating agent. The different physicochemical properties of the synthesized materials were well characterized by means of Powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), UV–Visible diffuse reflectance absorption spectra (UV-DRS), photoluminescence spectra (PL), and electrochemical measurement. Boron doping into the bulk CN lattice enhance the absorption of light, electron-hole separation as revealed from absorption and PL emission spectra. From the photocurrent and impedance spectra it is clear that boron doping not only enhances the photocurrent value but also decreases the charge transfer resistance of the parent material. All synthesised materials were tested for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction, out of which CNB shows highest rate of hydrogen generation (18.2 μmolh−1) which is around three times more than that of g-C3N4.

Objective: To compare anticonvulsant activity of methanol extracts of Sapindus emarginatus (MESE) and Acorus calamus (MEAC) in experimental seizure models in mice. Methods: Hind limb tonic extension (HLTE) in Maximal electroshock (MES) seizure and clonic seizure in Pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) seizure models were assessed. Group I (control) mice received 1% gum acacia in distilled water (1 ml/100 g). Topiramate (50 mg/kg) was administered in group II (standard) animals. Group III and IV mice were treated with 200 and 400 mg/kg of MESE, respectively. Mice in group V and VI were given MEAC at the dose of 200 and 400 mg/kg, respectively. Drugs were given orally suspended in 1% gum acacia suspension (1 ml/100 g) for 7 d. Next day after 1 h of drug administration, the seizure was induced for evaluation. Results: Anticonvulsant property of both extracts was confirmed by reduction (p

Four mononuclear cobalt (II) complexes of substituted hydrazino quinoline Schiff bases 1(a–d) were synthesised and characterized by UV, IR, NMR and TGA studies. The geometry of cobalt complexes 1(a–d) unambiguously attested as distorted octahedral’ and the ligand was coordinated through NNO donor fashion of tridentate nature. Structure of the proposed complexes were optimized using Density Functional theory (DFT) with Gaussian 09/ Gauss view software. Mulliken charges, global softness and electrophilicity index were derived for the optimized structure and the energy of highest occupied orbital (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied orbital (LUMO) and energy gap were calculated. The photophysical properties of the synthesised complexes were analyzed by UV–Visible and photoluminescence spectral studies, the results revealed that the emission bands centered in the range of 445–455 nm with higher luminescence intensity and relatively large Stoke’s shift observed (198 nm–215 nm) in the absorption and emission shoed a promising novel material towards OLED’S.

In this present article, zinc oxide nanoparticles (NPs) have been synthesized by a greener approach using Acacia concinna fruit extract via sol–gel technique. These biosynthesized ZnO NPs were characterized by XRD, SEM, FTIR, BET and HRTEM techniques. The XRD pattern revealed the samples are crystalline and having hexagonal ZnO phase with wurzite type structure. The morphology of zinc oxide nanoparticles were analysed by SEM, which suggested that the particles are in agglomerated form and porous in nature. The adsorption of Congo red dye by using these ZnO NPs was investigated extensively. The kinetics, thermodynamics and adsorption isotherm data were obtained from the batch experiment analysis of the Congo red dye, where the efficiency of adsorption of the sample was found to be ∼ 92%. The kinetics data analysis, indicated the adsorption process to be of pseudo-second order type. The Freundlich isotherm was found to be best fitted with R2 = 0.998, signifying a multilayer adsorption. Thermodynamic parameters, ΔH0 and ΔS0 were calculated. The negative value of ΔH0 (−5.644 kJ/mol) corresponded to an exothermic adsorption process and the positive value of ΔS0 (0.0108 J mol−1 K−1) signified the increased randomness at the interface of the adsorbate and the adsorbent.

Polyhydroxybutyrates (PHBs) are biodegradable polymers synthesised and stored as cytoplasmic inclusions in various bacteria. They have a wide variety of applications in various fields such as Biomedical, food, agriculture, and pharmaceutical industries and used as a vehicle for controlled-release drug delivery system. The PHB producing microorganisms were isolated from the dump soil, screened by fluorescence microscope at 490 nm and characterised by 16sRNA sequencing. Process parameters optimisation is performed for maximum PHB production by changing the parameters, viz., temperature, pH, different carbon, and nitrogen source. The isolate showed maximum PHB accumulation in the concentration of 0.07 mg/mL after 72 hours incubation at 35⁰C and in pH 7 showed the maximum concentration of 0.055 mg/mL. FT-IR characterised PHB shows the bands at 3426 cm-1 are due to the presence of C–H methylene and methyl groups and retention time of the peak at 12.39 min was determined HPLC. D- Glucose was found to be the best carbon source for the maximum production of PHB in the concentration of 0.0319 mg/mL and the media supplemented with peptone as the nitrogen source showed the 0.0723 mg/mL is the maximum accumulation of PHB in the cells; thus, the isolate shows the potential of PHB production for further exploitation.

The plant kingdom has been the most significant source of anticancer drugs. These include alkaloids, diterpenes, tannins, phenolics, lignans, glycosides which have exhibited lesser toxicity than conventional drugs. In leukaemia, the human body is susceptible to infections due to the replacement of normal leucocytes replaced by a large number of immature cells. Chemotherapy for leukaemia is associated with side effects and drug resistance by the leukemic cells. Cytotoxic agents with higher efficacy and lesser side effects are good candidates in cancer therapy, and plant metabolites serve as potential bioactive agents in anticancer drug formulations. This review article discusses the anti-leukemic properties of compounds obtained from plants and the mechanism of anti-leukemic activity induced by each of these plants. Effect of plants and their metabolites on different leukemic cell lines such as HL60, Kasumi-1, CCRF-CEM, K-562, U-937, THP-1 and MOLT-3 was compared. The findings showed anti-leukemic activity through cell cycle arrest, DNA damage, destruction of mitochondrial function, suppression of tumour genes, apoptosis-inducing enzymes and cytotoxic activities of plants and their derivatives. Based on extensive research findings from this review, phytochemicals and their derived analogues possess the most promising option for the better and less toxic anti-leukemic treatment. Identification of the mechanism of action by the plant bioactive compounds helps in developing standard herbal medicines for effective leukaemia treatment.

Today most common psychiatric problem across the world is depression and stress is main source of ailment. According to World health organization, it will be the main cause of morbidity by 2020 in the world. Depression can critically affects the quality of life as it is characterized by many symptoms like unhappy feeling, lack of interest and pleasure, down energy, inadequacy, regret feeling, slow-down of thoughts or reduction in physical movement, speech can affects, altered appetite or sleep, sad, and increase the risk of suicide. Human body is inadequate to produce tryptophan which is a crucial amino acid; therefore it must be required from diet. After absorption, L-tryptophan crosses the BBB (Blood brain barrier) by non-specific L-type amino acid transporter and act as precursor to various metabolic pathways in central nervous system (CNS). Kynurenine is an important pathway that is associated with tryptophan (TRP) metabolism, where it develops a lot of metabolites such as 3-hydroxykynurenine (3HK), anthranilic acid (AA), kynurenic acid (KYNA), 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid (3HAA) and quinolinic acid (QUIN) known as kynurenines. It is already reported previously that disturbance in neuroprotective and neurotoxic metabolites leads to many psychiatric disorders. This review summarizes the role of kynurenine pathway metabolites in depression.

Introduction and Aim: The green-synthesized Manganese nanoparticles (MnNPs) were produced rapidly by treating Manganese ions with an aqueous extract of Hopea ponga leaf. The reaction process was monitored using UV-visible spectroscopy. FTIR spectra of plant extract and MnNPs are illustrated. The aim of the present study is to evaluate in-vitro antioxidant and anticancer activity of aqueous leaf extract of H. ponga and its synthesized MnNPs. Materials and Methods: Herbal extraction was carried out by Soxhlet extraction method with water as a solvent. The antioxidant potential of plant extracts and MnNPs were evaluated by FRAP, H2O2, DPPH and PM assays. The effect of aqueous extract of H. ponga along with its synthesized MnNPs on the viability of non- small cell lung cancer (A549) cells was determined by MTT assay. Results: The synthesized MnNPs showed significant antioxidant activity in all performed assays. The aqueous extract from leaves of H. ponga has strong dose dependent anticancer activity against non-small cell lung cancer cells A549. Conclusion: The newly synthesized MnNPs showed significant antioxidant activity in all performed assays. Further, aqueous extract from leaves of H. ponga have a strong dose dependent anticancer activity against non- small cell lung cancer cells A549.

Biofilm and thrombus formation on surfaces results in significant morbidity and mortality worldwide, which highlights the importance of the development of efficacious fouling-prevention approaches. In this work, novel highly robust and superhydrophobic coatings with outstanding multiliquid repellency, bactericidal performance, and extremely low bacterial and blood adhesion are fabricated by a simple two-step dip-coating method. The coatings are prepared combining 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorooctyltriethoxysilane (FAS-17)-coated hydrophobic zinc oxide and copper nanoparticles to construct hierarchical micro/nanostructures on commercial polyurethane (PU) sponges followed by polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) treatment that is used to improve the binding degree between the nanoparticles and the sponge surface. The micro/nanotextured samples can repel various liquids including water, milk, coffee, juice, and blood. Relative to the original PU, the superhydrophobic characteristics of the fabricated sponge cause a significant reduction in the adhesion of bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus) by up to 99.9% over a 4-day period in a continuous drip-flow bioreactor. The sponge is also highly resistant to the adhesion of fibrinogen and activated platelets with ∼76 and 64% reduction, respectively, hence reducing the risk of blood coagulation and thrombus formation. More importantly, the sponge can sustain its superhydrophobicity even after being subjected to different types of harsh mechanical damage such as finger-wiping, knife-scratching, tape-peeling, hand-kneading, hand-rubbing, bending, compress-release (1000 cycles) tests, and 1000 cm sandpaper abrasion under 250 g of loading. Hence, this novel hybrid surface with robustness and the ability to resist blood adhesion and bacterial contamination makes it an attractive candidate for use in diverse application areas.