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In this present study, we report the synthesis of Au nanodots on α-Fe2O3@reduced graphene oxide (RGO) based hetero-photocatalytic nanohybrids through a chlorophyll mediated photochemical synthesis. In this process, chlorophyll induces a rapid reduction (30 min) of Au3+ ions to Au° metallic nanodots on α-Fe2O3@RGO surface under sunlight irradiation. The nucleation growth process, photo-induced electron-transfer mechanism and physico-chemical properties of the Au@α-Fe2O3@RGO ternary nanocomposites were systematically studied with various analytical techniques. This novel photochemical synthesis process is a cost-effective, convenient, surfactant-less, and scalable method. Moreover, the prepared ternary nanocomposites enhanced catalytic activity as compared to pure α-Fe2O3 and α-Fe2O3@RGO. The advantages and synergistic effect of Au@α-Fe2O3@RGO exhibit, (i) a broader range of visible-light absorption due to visible light band gap of α-Fe2O3, (ii) lower recombination possibility of photo-generated electrons and holes due to effect of Au and (iii) faster electron transfer due to higher conductivity of RGO. Therefore, the prepared Au@α-Fe2O3@RGO hetero-photocatalytic nanohybrids exhibited a remarkable photocatalytic activity, thus enabling potential active hetero-photocatalyst for industrial and environmental applications.

Welding is one of the main fabrication method used to join alloy materials. Friction Stir Welding (FSW) is an emerging solid state joining process which is based on frictional heat generated through contact between a non-consumable rotating tool and the work piece. This paper focuses on optimization of process parameters in FSW of Al6061-Al7075using Taguchi method of experimental design. The process parameters such as rotational speed, welding speed, and number of passes were consideredto determine the optimum process parameters with reference to Ultimate Tensile Strength (UTS) and hardness of the weld joint. L9 orthogonal array of Taguchi technique was used for experimental trials. The optimum process parameters have been identified to achieve maximum ultimate tensile strength and hardness. Significant process parameters were identified from the analysis of variance (ANOVA).

Lactic acid (LA) is the precursor monomer used in the production of biodegradable and eco-friendly polylactic acid (PLA) polymer. The purpose of this study was to first determine the role of nano-metal oxides in improving the production of L-LA from food waste via the dark fermentation process and then to compare the conversion of L-LA to PLA using conventional and novel catalysts. Compared to the control run without nanoparticles (NPs) addition, maximum L-LA concentration (38.86 g/L), yield (0.194 g/g- TS), and productivity (3.88 g/L-day) were achieved for iron oxide (FeO x ) nanoparticles (NPs)-assisted fermentation at an optimal dosage of 15 mg/L. Nickel oxide (NiO x ) and cobalt oxide (CoO x ) NPs also showed similar enhancing effects for L-LA production. However, high dosages of the metal oxide NPs decreased the LA production in the medium. Moreover, a new nanocatalyst, iron phosphate (FePO4), was prepared and examined for PLA production from the as-synthesized L-LA monomeric units by ring-opening polymerization. A high yield of lactide (84.71%) was produced in a shorter reaction time (10 h) using FePO4 than the conventional tin chloride (SnCl2) catalyst. PLA polymer with molecular weights in the range of 4,900–5,200 Da was obtained using FePO4 and tin chloride dihydrates (SnCl2) catalysts under the optimized conditions. As such, this work has demonstrated a practical way to improve LA production from organic waste streams and its effective conversion to PLA for potential applications in the biomedical and bioplastic sectors.

In the present study, a facile synthesis of pure CeO2 and various concentrations of Zr doped CeO2 nanoparticles, characterization, optical property, photocatalytic activity, bromophenol blue dye degradation, antibacterial and antifungal activities were described. The Zr doped CeO2 nanoparticles were ZrxCe1-xO2 (x = 0.05, 0.1 and 0.15 wt %). The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized using X-ray diffraction techniques (XRD), high resolution transmission microscope (HRTEM), Ultra-violet spectrophotometer (UV–Vis), photoluminescence (PL) and fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer (FTIR). The XRD reveals the crystalline nature of the nanoparticles with an average size of 10 nm. HRTEM images exhibit the spherical shaped nanoparticles. The PL spectra of the pure CeO2, 5, 10 and 15 % wt Zr doped CeO2 show absorption at 383, 410, 419 and 521 nm, respectively. It indicates that the absorption band of Zr doped CeO2 slightly shifted to higher wavelength due to doping. The increasing the Zr concentration (5%, 10% and 15%), the average crystalline size was slightly decreased. The optical properties (UV–Visible reflectance and Photoluminescence) studies were tested for CeO2 and Zr doped CeO2 samples. The optical band gap energy of the pure CeO2 and three Zr doped nanoparticles was 3.3, 3.36 and 3.4 eV. The FTIR result confirms the chemical bonding of Ce metal stretching with oxygen. The bromophenol blue dye degradation reveals the photocatalytic activity of Zr doped CeO2 nanoparticles. The Zr doped CeO2 nanoparticles showed moderate antibacterial and antifungal activities. From the outcome of these study, Zr doped CeO2 nanoparticles could be used a suitable nanomaterials for the degradation of bromophenol blue dyes discarded as pollution.

Herein, we report a new synthesis route for generating porous on graphene with a scalable and controllable size of micron to submicron through the successive insertion of potassium atoms into interlayers of graphite at low temperature. Comprehensive studies such as physico-chemical analysis confirm that the as-obtained porous graphene has few layers with fewer defects. Further, the magnetically separable magnetite (Fe 3 O 4 )/porous graphene nanocomposites were synthesized through a facile, cost-effective hydrothermal process. The as-prepared nanocomposites were characterized by different analytical techniques. In the nanocomposites, superparamagnetic Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles with an average size of 30 nm nanoparticles uniformly dispersed on the porous graphene sheets, and they acted as mutual spacers in the nanocomposites to avoid aggregation of the magnetic nanoparticles and restacking of the porous graphene layers. In addition, Fe 3 O 4 /porous graphene nanocomposites possessed high adsorption capacities of dyes and heavy weight metal ions from wastewater. An organic dye methyl violet was used as an adsorbate for investigating the adsorption characteristics of the Fe 3 O 4 /porous graphene nanocomposites. Fe 3 O 4 /porous graphene exhibited rapid adsorption (5 min), high adsorption capacity (Q o -460 mg/g), easy separation and reuse owing to the high specific surface area with porous nature of graphene and high magnetic property of Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles. Also, the nanocomposite used as an ultrahigh performance of novel capacitive deionization electrodes (CDI) for removal of Pb 2+ and Cu 2+ ions at constant applied potential 1.2 V and constant flow rate 4 ml/min. The results indicate that the Fe 3 O 4 /graphene nanocomposites exhibit an ultrahigh electrosorption for Pb 2+ , Cu 2+ and Cd 2+ ions. The progress made so far will guide further development of graphene based nanostructures with porous and exploration of such porous nanomaterials in environmental remediation toward removal of organic and inorganic contaminants.

A series of novel substituted bis-benzimidazole derivatives were synthesized by reaction of 5,5′-methylenebis(2-hydroxybenzaldehyde) with various substituted o-phenylenediamines in glacial acetic acid. The structure of the newly synthesized compounds was elucidated by 1H and 13C NMR, FT-IR, and MS spectra, and their antimicrobial activity against gram positive and gram negative bacteria and antifungal activity were evaluated. The thienyl-substituted derivative showed significant activity against Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumonia (bacteria), and Fusarium solani (fungi). The activities of the fluoro-substituted substituted derivative against some bacterial strains and of the thienyl-substituted derivative against fungi were found to be similar to those of standard drugs.

Graphene-based dressings have gained interest in wound healing due to their biocompatibility and antimicrobial properties. This study developed a graphene oxide/TiO2/curcumin integrated cellulose acetate (CA) nanofiber for wound dressing applications. Electrospinning was used to fabricate the CA/GO/TiO2/curcumin nanofiber. The formation of CA nanofiber was clearly visible using FE-SEM. The presence of curcumin in CA/GO/TiO2/curcumin nanofiber was confirmed by FT-IR analysis. The prepared nanofiber was characterized by swelling, degradation, tensile strength, and in-vitro wound healing properties. CA/GO/TiO2/curcumin nanofiber demonstrated considerable antibacterial activity against wound pathogens and improved wound healing, as confirmed by MTT and migration assays. The fabricated CA/GO/TiO2/curcumin nanofiber exhibited exceptional hemocompatibility and biocompatibility. The drug release study revealed that sustained curcumin release would improve skin regeneration and wound healing. Invitro analysis confirmed that CA/GO/TiO2/curcumin nanofiber has the potential to be used as a wound dressing material.

The present study highlights a hybrid approach to capture and convert carbon dioxide (CO2) from exhaust gases using bovine carbonic anhydrase (CA) submerged into aqueous amine solvents. Particularly, the sterically hindered amines have unique properties to absorb CO2 and also play a key role in wide range of industrial applications. In this work, the reaction kinetics of CO2 were studied in the aqueous phase of sterically hindered amines (SHAs), 2-amino-2-hyroxymethyl-1,3-propanediol (AHPD) and 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol (AMP), mixed with bovine CA as test and without CA as control using the stopped flow technique. The results showed a significant improvement in the rate of reaction between SHAs (either aqueous AHPD or aqueous AMP) and CO2 in the presence of CA. Moreover, the absorption capacity of SHA for CO2 and its initial absorption rate in presence of CA was significantly enhanced. The rate constants of pseudo first-order reaction of CO2 reacting with AHPD and AMP (each 0.5 kmol/m3) with varied concentration of CA were determined at temperature range of 298- 353 K. The aqueous AHPD and AMP systems in the presence of CA and control retained 65% of absorption capacity after 5 repetitive cycles. Also, the amine solvent captured CO2 was converted into calcium carbonate (CaCO3) which is white powder materials. The synthesized CaCO3 was characterized for its morphological and physicochemical properties using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transformer infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) etc. Overall, as the CA present is the amine solvent can efficiently convert the CO2 and that can be removed easily in the form of CaCO3 precipitates.

Effective improvement of an easily recoverable photocatalyst is equally vital to its photocatalytic performance from a practical application view. The magnetically recoverable process is one of the easiest ways, provided the photocatalyst is magnetically strong enough to respond to an external magnetic field. Herein, we prepared graphitic carbon nitride nanosheet (g-C3N4), and ZnS quantum dots (QDs) supported ferromagnetic CoFe2O4 nanoparticles (NPs) as the gC3N4/ZnS/CoFe2O4 nanohybrid photocatalyst by a wet-impregnation method. The loading of CoFe2O4 NPs in the g-C3N4/ZnS nanohybrid resulted in extended visible light absorption. The ferromagnetic g-C3N4/ZnS/CoFe2O4 nanohybrid exhibited better visible-light-active photocatalytic performance (97.11%) against methylene blue (MB) dye, and it was easily separable from the aqueous solution by an external bar magnet. The g-C3N4/ZnS/CoFe2O4 nanohybrid displayed excellent photostability and reusability after five consecutive cycles. The favourable band alignment and availability of a large number of active sites affected the better charge separation and enhanced photocatalytic response. The role of active species involved in the degradation of MB dye during photocatalyst by g-C3N4/ZnS/CoFe2O4 nanohybrid was also investigated. Overall, this study provides a facile method for design eco-friendly and promising g-C3N4/ZnS/CoFe2O4 nanohybrid photocatalyst as applicable in the eco-friendly dye degradation process.

The synergistic photoelectrochemical (PEC) technology is a robust process for the conversion of CO2 into fuels. However, designing a highly efficient UV–visible driven photoelectrocatalyst is still challenging. Herein, a plasmonic Ag NPs modified TiO2/RGO photoelectrocatalyst (Ag–TiO2/RGO) has been designed for the PEC CO2 reduction into selective production of CH3OH. HR-TEM analysis revealed that Ag and TiO2 NPs with average sizes of 4 and 7 nm, respectively, were densely grown on the few-micron-sized 2D RGO nanosheets. The physicochemical analysis was used to determine the optical and textural properties of the Ag–TiO2/RGO nanohybrids. Under VU-Vis light illumination, Ag–TiO2/RGO photocathode possessed a current density of 23.5 mA cm−2 and a lower electrode resistance value of 125 Ω in CO2-saturated 1.0 M KOH-aqueous electrolyte solution. Catalytic studies showed that the Ag–TiO2/RGO photocathode possessed a remarkable PEC CO2 reduction activity and selective production of CH3OH with a yield of 85 μmol L−1 cm−2, the quantum efficiency of 20% and Faradic efficiency of 60.5% at onset potential of −0.7 V. A plausible PEC CO2 reduction mechanism over Ag–TiO2/RGO photocathode is schematically demonstrated. The present work gives a new avenue to develop high-performance and stable photoelectrocatalyst for PEC CO2 reduction towards sustainable liquid fuels production.

Capacitive deionization (CDI) is an evolving technology for eradicating salt and toxic heavy metal ions from brackish wastewater. However, traditional CDI electrodes have lower salt adsorption capacity and inadequate adsorption of selective metal ions for long-term operations. Herein, Ag nanospheres incorporated pomegranate peel-derived activated carbon (Ag/P-AC) was prepared and implied to the CDI process for removing NaCl, toxic mono-, di-, and trivalent metal ions. Morphological analysis revealed that the 80-100 nm-sized Ag nanospheres were uniformly decorated on the surfaces of P-AC nanosheets. The Ag/P-AC has a higher specific surface area (640 m2 g−1), superior specific capacitance (180 F g−1 at 50 mV s−1) and a lower charge transfer resistance (0.5 Ω cm2). CDI device was fabricated by Ag/P-AC as an anode, which adsorbed anions and P-AC as cathode for adsorption of positively charged ions at 1.2 V in an initial salt concentration of 1000 mg L−1. An asymmetric Ag/P-AC//P-AC exhibited a maximum NaCl adsorption capacity of 36 mg g−1 than symmetric P-AC//P-AC electrodes (22.7 mg g−1). Furthermore, Pb(II), Cd(II), F−, and As(III) ions were successfully removed from simulated wastewater by using Ag/P-AC//P-AC based CDI system. These asymmetric CDI-electrodes have an excellent prospect for the removal of salt and toxic contaminants in industrial wastewater.

Increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration has motivated researchers to develop large-scale CO2 sequestration and subsequent fuel conversion processes using various nanocatalysts. Herein, a 2D alloyed Pd50-Ru50 nanoparticles decorated MXene (Pd50-Ru50/MXene) nanocatalyst for efficient hydrogenation of CO2 into selective production of methanol is successfully fabricated and analyzed for its performance. HR-TEM and BET studies showed that hexagonal close-packed Pd50-Ru50 was formed with an average size of 3.2 nm and grown on the MXene nanosheets resulting in a higher specific surface area of 120 m2 g−1. Among the various catalysts studied, Pd50-Ru50/MXene showed a superior catalytic activity for hydrogenation of CO2 into selective production of CH3OH. The CO2 hydrogenation process involved the hydrolysis of NaBH4 (H2 facilitator) with ethylene glycol as CO2 capture agent. The Pd50-Ru50/MXene catalyst produced a higher CO2 conversion efficiency of 78% with a CH3OH yield of 76% (total turnover number based on Pd50-Ru50 = 2932) under mild conditions (pCO2 = 10 bar; T = 150 °C; t = 12 h). The recyclability test and morphological analysis of the spent Pd50-Ru50/MXene catalyst demonstrated its chemical stability even after prolonged usage for several hours indicating its promise for commercial-scale CO2 capture and renewable liquid fuel production.

The development of effective and low-cost catalysts for the hydrogenation and stabilization of bio-oils is still a challenge that needs to be overcome. Several nanostructured WO3 catalysts were synthesized in this study to investigate the effect of their morphology on their catalytic activity and selectivity for the hydrogenation of biomass-derived compounds such as furfural (FF). The morphology of the catalysts was tuned via a surfactant-assisted hydrothermal process. Nanorod and nanoprism WO3 catalysts were produced using dodecyl dimethylammonium bromide (DAB) and poly (ethylene-alt-maleic anhydride), respectively, while WO3 nanocubes were produced without the use of surfactants. Various analytical techniques were used to characterize the morphology of the synthesized WO3 catalyst. Furthermore, the hydrogenation of FF was used as a probe reaction to evaluate the catalytic performance of the WO3 nanostructures. Notably, DAB-assisted WO3 nanorods (D-WO3) exhibited a relatively high furfuryl alcohol (FFA) selectivity of 85% with an FF conversion of 52% at 100 °C, under 10 bar of H2 pressure over a reaction time of 120 min. A plausible route for the hydrogenation of FF into FFA and other products over D-WO3 nanocatalyst was illustrated. The D-OW3 nanocatalyst’s promising results indicate that it could be a viable, low-cost, and efficient alternative catalyst for hydrogenating FF into FFA.

In recent years, substantial progress has been made towards developing effective catalysts for the hydrogenation of CO2 into fuels. However, the quest for a robust catalyst with high activity and stability still remains challenging. In this study, we present a cost-effective catalyst composed of MoS2 nanosheets and functionalized porous date seed-derived activated carbon (f-DSAC) for hydrogenation of CO2 into formic acid (FA). As-fabricated MoS2/f-DSAC catalysts were characterized by FE-SEM, XRD, Raman, FT-IR, BET, and CO2-TPD analyses. At first, bicarbonate (HCO3–) was successfully converted into FA with a high yield of 88% at 200 °C for 180 min under 10 bar H2 atmosphere. A possible reaction pathway for the conversion of HCO3– into FA is postulated. The catalyst has demonstrated high activity and long-term stability over five consecutive cycles. Additionally, MoS2/f-DSAC catalyst was effectively used for the conversion of gaseous CO2 into FA at 200 °C under 20 bar (CO2/H2 = 1:1) over 15 h. The catalyst exhibited a remarkable TOF of 510 h–1 with very low activation energy of 12 kJ mol−1, thus enhancing the catalytic conversion rate of CO2 into FA. Thus, this work demonstrates the MoS2/f-DSAC nanohybrid system as an efficient non-noble catalyst for converting CO2 into fuels.

This project is focused on the use of the Internet of Things Vibration Detection. The assessment of passing motions in a system is vibration control. When unusual vibrations are detected, this project involves developing an SMS alert. It requires a laboratory-based vibration detection experiment when applying the different magnitude of the force. This force causes the sensor’s values to change from their initial values. Acceleration values can be seen on the webpage and, if necessary, analysis can be done. The warning signal will be produced considering the maximum magnitude at which destruction is high. Using GSM technology, this message will be sent to various mobile phones. Properly performed, vibration monitoring can be extremely useful in identifying the extent of the damage and assessing the origin in order to avoid damage to structures. We are currently using our key parts, the Arduino microcontroller, the accelerometer sensor, and the GSM module. The Arduino Uno microcontroller’s code is written in C++.

Inferior pole fracture accounts for only 20% of surgically treated patellar fractures. The treatment option for inferior pole patella fracture is still being debated. In our study we treated comminuted inferior pole patella fracture by excision of the comminuted fragment and transosseous fixation of patellar tendon by using Ethibond No. 5. Among 10 patients who were retrospectively studied, excellent and good results were found in 9 out of 10 patients according Gaur’s criteria for knee evaluation. Hence we concluded that for comminuted inferior pole patella fractures, excision of the fragments and transosseous fixation of patellar tendon to the proximal patella is a very effective treatment method.

A simple hydrothermal procedure was implemented to prepare hydroxyapatite (HAp) nanorods grown on graphene oxides (GO) sheet. The crystalline structure, chemical composition and morphology of the as-prepared nanocomposites were characterized by using X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Nanorods like HAp nanostructure with the diameter and length in the range of ∼32 and 60–85 nm were uniformly grown on GO sheets. A possible formation mechanism of HAp nanorods grown on GO is proposed. Further, the bio-physical properties of HAp/GO nanocomposites were studied by using Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) as a model protein. The particle surface effects on the BSA structure, the HAp/GO -protein composites were studied by circular dichroism (CD) between 200 and 260 nm. Result conforms, the primary structure of the 10 μM BSA exhibits a characteristic alpha-helix spectrum between wavelength 200–240, after 12 h incubation of the BSA with HAp/GO, no significant change in the alpha helix pattern of the BSA. Moreover, human skin cancer cells (A431) was used to determine the cytotoxicity of HAp/GO nanocomposites at various concentrations of 50–500 μg/mL for 24 h and the cytotoxicity was observed using MTT assays. The as-prepared HAp/GO nanocomposites showed no cytotoxicity effects on A431 cancer cell lines. Significance of this study shows that the as-prepared HAp/GO nanocomposites provide excellent biocompatibility which was used orthopedic, drug delivery and dentistry applications.

Herein, we report a simple hydrothermal synthesized V2O5 flake employed as an electrode material for non-enzymatic hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) sensor application. The morphology, structural, and electrochemical properties of the as-prepared material were characterized by using various physicochemical and electrochemical methods viz. scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), cyclic voltammetry (CV), and amperometric (i-t). Moreover, an excellent electrochemical performance has been achieved by using the V2O5 flakes modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) over the reduction of H2O2. In optimum experimental conditions, the reported electrochemical sensor was found with a wide linear range (0.1–408 μM), low detection limit (0.06 μM), and excellent sensitivity (9.87 μA μM−1 cm−2) with anticipated selectivity. Hence, the novel as-prepared V2O5-GCE provides a new avenue for the fabrication of amperometric H2O2 sensor with excellent real sample analysis.

Harmonics produced by loads in commercial, industrial and residential places have become a growing alarm in the past 5 years because of the wide adoption of power-electronic-based home purposes. Concepts of power electronics has been broadly employed in home applications, like compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), LED lamps, etc. Power electronic based devices are harmonic contaminators, which could inject a big sum of harmonics into the utility relative to their power demand. A comparative study on the harmonic characteristics of warm and cool white AC LED bulb were conducted in this paper. The study results indicate that the total harmonic current distortion levels of warm white LED bulbs were higher than cool white LED bulbs. The 3rd harmonic is the most prominent component. The THD i values of warm and cool white LED bulbs range between 9.5% and 127.5%. The 3rd harmonic component is less for 9W and 14 W due to presence of harmonic filters thereby leading to reduction in third harmonic distortion.

In this paper, a study of loading the array of SRSRRs antenna designs is conducted. By conducting parametric study on the number of the SR-SRR unit cells for loading, miniaturization ability has been realized. By increasing the number of the SR-SRR unit cells, the monopole resonance has been brought down from 4.35 GHz to 2.55 GHz with a little impedance mismatch. The explanation and validation of the above technique is done with help of the simulated field distribution and parameter extraction of resonator unit cell. The simulation of antenna models were carried out with Ansys HFSS.

Processing of medical images is important to improve their visibility and quality to facilitate computer-aided analysis and diagnosis in medical science. Such images are usually tainted by noise due to impediments in image capturing devices, unsupportive environment or during transmission over the network. Multi-resolution is a profound technique for decomposing the images into multiple scales and is widely used for image analysis in detail. This paper describes various multi-resolution techniques such as discrete wavelet transform, multi-wavelet transform, and Laplacian pyramid to reduce a wide variety of noise in images. Also, an image de-noising algorithm based on multi-resolution analysis for noise reduction has been described.

Health hazards associated with usage of plastic films for food preservation demands for development of active films from non-toxic and antioxidant rich bio-sources. The reported work highlights the development, characterization and application studies of chitosan films enhanced for their antioxidant activity by mango leaf extract (MLE) incorporation. Effect of MLE variation (1–5%) on the morphology, optical nature, water exposure and mechanical characteristics of the chitosan-MLE composite films was studied. Increase in the MLE concentration resulted in films with increased thickness and decreased moisture content. Contact angle, water solubility and vapor permeability analysis demonstrated the reduced hydrophilicity and water vapor penetrability of the films due to MLE inclusion. MLE films possessed better tensile strength (maximum of 23.06 ± 0.19 MPa) with reduced elongation ratio than the pure chitosan film (18.14 ± 0.72 MPa). Antioxidants assessment in terms of total phenolic content, DPPH radical scavenging, ferric reducing power and ABTS radical scavenging showed improved antioxidant activity with the incremental amounts of MLE in the chitosan films. Microscopic studies revealed the smooth, compact and dense nature of the MLE-chitosan films favouring low oxygen transport rates. Application studies to cashew nuts preservation for 28 days storage indicated 56% higher oxidation resistance for the 5% MLE film than a commercial polyamide/polyethylene film. Results highlight the potential and promising nature of MLE impregnated chitosan films as suitable alternative for active packaging films for food preservation.

Valorization of waste phytomass into valuable components provide new functionality to these biowastes and annul problems associated with their safe disposal. In this study, date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) coir (DPC) waste was tested for its toxic hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) ions biosorption. The DPC biosorbent was subjected to SEM, EDX, FTIR, TGA and N2 adsorption/desorption characterization studies. Results showed that the cellulose-rich DPC surface contained mesopores with a wide number of functional groups and possessed suitable surface attributes for Cr(VI) ions sequestration. Batch biosorption tests established the Cr(VI) ions sequestration potential of the DPC biosorbent with a maximum chromium removal efficiency of 87.2% for a 100 ppm initial feed concentration at pH 2, dosage 0.3 g, temperature 30 °C, contact time 60 min and agitation speed 100 rpm. Langmuir isotherm fitted well (R2 = 0.9955) with the experimental data while the kinetic analysis showed that Cr(VI) ions sequestration by DPC followed the pseudo-second order model. Biosorption thermodynamics revealed the exothermic nature and low-temperature preference for the effective binding of chromium ions on DPC. Regeneration of the biosorbent using NaOH wash showed a nearly steady Cr(VI) ions removal efficiency (with a loss

A 24-year-old male was brought to our emergency with complaints of abdominal pain for two days. There was a history of foreign body ingestion five days earlier, details of which he refused to reveal. After investigation with abdominal X ray and ultrasound, the foreign body was detected to be a mobile phone containing a battery. Clinical evaluation revealed no signs of lithium toxicity due to battery leak. The patient underwent endoscopy for removal of the mobile phone. The case shows the importance of thorough investigation and prompt attempt at endoscopic removal in the event of ingestion of foreign bodies containing batteries.

Bimetallic Ru-Pd catalysts are increasingly being investigated for applications in the upgrading of bio-oils to biofuels, owing to their high catalytic activities. Similarly, the recent development of Ru-Pd alloyed nanoparticle (NP) incorporated into hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) catalysts that can be utilized for tuning the selectivity of desired products has also received considerable attention. In the present study, nanoclusters of Ru0-Pd0 that self-assemble into spherical-like Ru-Pd bimetallic catalytic sites were successfully grown on the surfaces of BN nanosheets (Ru-Pd/BN NCs) via microwave irradiation for 30 s. HR-TEM investigations revealed the formation of 25 nm sized Ru-Pd nanoparticles comprising ≤ 2 nm hexagonal closed-pack (hcp) Ru-Pd clusters with Ru crystallites on the BN nanosheets. Further, furfural was effectively converted into furfural alcohol at a lower temperature (150 °C) and valuable cyclopentanone was obtained at a higher temperature (>250 °C) over the Ru-Pd/BN catalyst through the protonation of water molecules. Furthermore, various solvents namely 2-propanol, toluene, and cyclohexane were also used to achieve the production of furan and tetrahydrofuran over the Ru-Pd/BN catalyst via the decarbonylation of furfural under mild reaction conditions. Moreover, for real-time upgrading, furfural-rich bio-oil produced by the pyrolysis of date-tree biomass was processed over the Ru-Pd/BN catalyst to obtain a maximum of 97% furfural conversion with a 71% FFA yield at 150 °C. The stability and reusability of the catalyst were also determined. The results demonstrated that the Ru-Pd/BN catalyst is highly active and chemically stable, and is therefore suitable for industrial applications.

Natural fiber reinforced composite materials are most increasingly used as sustainable structures in engineering industries due to their vast availability and eco-friendly nature. In this regard, an emphasis is given in the present work to the use of natural fiber in structural composite material in place of synthetic fibers for structural applications. In the present study, the mechanical properties and free vibration characteristics of a pure green composite laminate were experimentally evaluated. For complete understanding of the behaviour of green composite material, a second laminate is prepared using synthetic resin. Two types of composite laminates were fabricated by hand layup method. In the pure green laminate, natural flax fiber is embedded in cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL) resin and for the second laminate epoxy resin is used as matrix. The flax fiber is preferred due to its high mechanical strength among all the natural fibers. Alkaline treatment is done for the natural flax fiber before fabrication to remove impurities and also improve the surface adhesion. Both the laminates were tested for mechanical properties and free vibration characteristics according to ASTM standards. The experimentally evaluated tensile, flexural properties and modal frequency values of two types of laminates are reported and discussed.

The contamination of aquatic ecosystems by fluoride and heavy metal ions constitute an environmental hazard and has been proven to be harmful to human health. This study explores the feasibility of using asymmetric capacitive deionization (CDI) electrodes to remove such toxic ions from wastewater. An asymmetric CDI cell was fabricated using 2D Ni/MAX as an anode and 3D porous reduced graphene oxide (pRGO) as a cathode for the electrosorption of F−, Pb2+, and As(III) ions. A simple microwave process was used for the synthesis of Ni/MAX composite using fish sperm DNA (f-DNA) as a cross-linker between MAX nanosheets (NSs) and the metallic Ni nanoparticles (NPs). Further, pRGO anode was prepared through effective reduction of RGO using lemon juice as green reducing agent with the assist of f-DNA as a structure-directing agent for the formation of 3D network. With this tailored nanoarchitecture, pRGO and Ni/MAX electrodes exhibited a high specific capacitance of 760 and 385 F g−1, respectively. The fabricated Ni/MAX and pRGO based CDI system demonstrated a high electrosorption capacity of 68, 76, and 51 mg g−1 for the monovalent F−, divalent Pb2+, and trivalent As(III) ions at 1.4 V in neutral pH. Furthermore, Ni/MAX//pRGO system was successfully applied for the removal of total F(T), Pb(T), and As(T) ions from real industrial wastewater and contaminated groundwater. The present findings indicate that the fabricated Ni/MAX//pRGO electrode has excellent electrochemical properties that can be exploited for the removal of anionic and cationic metal ions from aqueous solutions in a CDI based system.

Hot compression analysis of Magnesium/Boron nitride nanocomposites were investigated with the help of UTM attached with Furnace having a capacity of 100 KN. The tests were conducted from 0.001-1 s–1 strain rate and 200–450°C temperature with an interval of 50°C. The Dynamic Material Model (DMM) is used to obtain the flow curves and processing maps and optimum hot-working conditions. The optical and scanning electron microscopes are used to analyse the microstructure of the materials. The results illustrated in relation to the material damage and structural change of the s amples are varied according to the environments. It was demonstrated that the correct microstructure is also associated with the microstructure observed.

Early diagnosis of a brain tumor may increase life expectancy. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) accompanied by several segmentation algorithms is preferred as a reliable method for assessment. This manuscript presented the performance analysis of clustered based and fusion-based segmentation techniques intended to detect the tumor from human brain MRI images in an efficient manner. Four primary steps are involved in this work such as pre-processing, clustering, segmentation, and fusion techniques. The main clustering methods such as K-means and fuzzy c-means (FCM) were first applied to the pre-processed MRI images, and then, the clustered images were segmented directly using the active contour segmentation techniques such as chan-vese (C-V) and level set method (LSM). Then in the next step, the clustered images were fused by using the non-sub sampled contour transform (NSCT) and convolution neural network (CNN) fusion methods, and then, the fused images were segmented by using the C-V and LSM segmentation methods again. The results of both clustered based and fusion-based segmentation in terms of structural similarity index measure (SSIM), dice coefficient (DC), computational time, sensitivity, precision, and segmentation accuracy revealed that CNN fusion-based C-V segmentation performs better than without fusion (clustered based or direct segmentation) to detect the tumors from the MRI images. The results indicate that C-V performs better with CNN as compared with the LSM. Finally, the fusion-based segmentation is an efficient approach to detect the tumor from the MRI images with minimal information loss and high segmentation accuracy over the clustered based segmentation.

Production of multi-functional zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) for wastewater treatment through green-approaches is a desirable alternative for conventional synthesis routes. Biomass waste valorization for nanoparticles synthesis has received increased research attention. The present study reports date pulp waste (DPW) utilization as an effective bio-reductant for green-synthesis of ZnO-NPs. A simple and eco-friendly process with low reaction time and calcination temperature was adopted for DPW mediated ZnO-NPs (DP-ZnO-NPs) synthesis. Microscopic investigations of DP-ZnO-NPs confirmed the non-agglomeration and spherical nature of particles with mean diameter of 30 nm. EDX and XPS analysis defined the chemical composition and product purity of DP-ZnO-NPs. UV and photoluminescence studies exhibited surface plasmonic resonance at 381 nm and fluorescent nature of DP-ZnO-NPs. FTIR studies established a formation mechanism outline for DP-ZnO-NPs. XRD and Raman investigations confirmed the crystalline and hexagonal wurtzite phase of DP-ZnO-NPs. DSC/TG analysis displayed the thermal stability of DP-ZnO-NPs with

Capacitive deionization (CDI) is an emerging technology for water desalination and is based on electrosorption of ions onto surfaces of electrically charged electrodes. The CDI electrode materials play a significant role in determining the process efficiency. In this study, pure and mixed nickel-cobalt ferrites CoxNi1-xFe2O4 (x = 0.0, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7 and 1.0) were synthesized using the sol-gel auto-combustion method and investigated as novel CDI electrode materials. The purity, structure, and morphology of the synthesized ferrite nanoparticles were analyzed by various techniques. The electrochemical performance of the synthesized materials was investigated, and the results showed that the mixed ferrite Co0.5Ni0.5Fe2O4 electrode possessed the highest specific capacitance of 255 F/g at a scan rate of 10 mV/s. The electrodes were used to treat 250 mg/L NaCl solution in a CDI cell at 1.2 V and a feed flow rate of 10 mL/min. Under optimized experimental conditions, the highest specific salt adsorption capacity was 21.84 mg/g, corresponding to 23.43% of NaCl removal efficiency. These electrodes were highly stable and easily regenerable with less than 5% loss in electrosorption capacity for six adsorption/desorption cycles. The recyclability, stability, and enhanced electrochemical performance of the fabricated electrodes establish cobalt-nickel ferrites as a promising material for use in CDI desalination application.

Capacitive deionization (CDI) is one of the most efficient and emerging techniques for water desalination applications. This work reports the development, characterization and CDI studies of watermelon derived activated carbon (WMAC) and its MnFe2O4 composite (WMAC/MnFe2O4) for NaCl desalination. WMAC was prepared through single-step low-temperature pyrolysis by H3PO4 activation. Facile synthesis of spinel MnFe2O4 nanoparticles on WMAC surface was performed through the hydrothermal technique. Morphological, textural and physico/electro–chemical analysis showed the effect of MnFe2O4 incorporation on WMAC. The nanocomposite possessed definite crystallites, low structural disorders and sufficient magnetization for electrochemical applications. Also, the nanocomposite was dominantly composed of mesopores with a specific surface area of 483 m2/g. The high specific capacitance value of 425 F/g (scan rate – 10 mV/s) along with better stability and low charge resistance, confirmed the suitability of WMAC/MnFe2O4 as an efficient electrode material for CDI applications. NaCl removal studies using WMAC/MnFe2O4 showed an electrosorption capacity of 29.7 mg/g for the nanocomposite, with rapid desalination and good recyclability. A plausible mechanism of salt adsorption and desorption is also presented. WMAC/MnF2O4 exhibited significant application potential for the industrial desalination.

Several 2-anilino-3-aroylquinolines were designed, synthesized, and screened for their cytotoxic activity against five human cancer cell lines: HeLa, DU-145, A549, MDA-MB-231, and MCF-7. Their IC50 values ranged from 0.77 to 23.6 μm. Among the series, compounds 7 f [(4-fluorophenyl)(2-((4-fluorophenyl)amino)quinolin-3-yl)methanone] and 7 g [(4-chlorophenyl)(2-((4-fluorophenyl)amino)quinolin-3-yl)methanone] showed remarkable antiproliferative activity against human lung cancer and prostate cancer cell lines. The IC50 values for inhibiting tubulin polymerization were 2.24 and 2.10 μm for compounds 7 f and 7 g, respectively, and were much lower than that of the reference compound E7010 [N-(2-(4-hydroxyphenylamino)pyridin-3-yl)-4-methoxybenzenesulfonamide]. Furthermore, flow cytometric analysis revealed that these compounds arrest the cell cycle at the G2 /M phase, leading to apoptosis. Apoptosis was also confirmed by mitochondrial membrane potential, Annexin V-FITC assay, and intracellular ROS generation. Immunohistochemistry, western blot, and tubulin polymerization assays showed that these compounds disrupt tubulin polymerization. Molecular docking studies revealed that these compounds bind efficiently to β-tubulin at the colchicine binding site.

A series of novel {5-[4-hydroxy-3-(4-phenyl-2,3-dihydro-1H-benzo[b][1,4]diazepin-2-yl)benzyl]- benzofuran-2-yl}(phenyl)methanones (5a–5g) were prepared by the condensation of (E)-3-{5-[(2- benzoylbenzofuran-5-yl)methyl]-2-hydroxyphenyl}-1-phenylprop-2-en-1-one (chalcone) (4a) with various substituted o-phenylene diamines in the presence of oxalic acid as catalyst. The structures of all compounds were characterized by FTIR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and MS. The representative examples were screened in vitro for antimicrobial activity. Among all compounds 4g and 5g showed potent antibacterial activity, 4b and 5g showed good antifungal activity. The data was further compared with structure based investigations using docking studies with the crystal structure of adenosine-5'-(β,γ-imido)triphosphate (2ONJ) from Staphylococcus aureus for antibacterial activity and trypsin (1FY5) protein from Fusarium oxysporum for the antifungal activity. The score values estimated by genetic algorithm were found to have a good correlation with the experimental inhibitory potencies.

Background and Aim: Chronic rheumatic heart disease (RHD) patients who undergo valve replacement with mechanical valves require lifelong anticoagulation. Acenocoumarol, a vitamin K antagonist has a narrow therapeutic range and wide inter-individual variability. Our aim was to investigate the influence of polymorphisms of VKORC1 and CYP2C9 genes on the mean daily dose requirement of acenocoumarol. Methods: 205 chronic RHD patients, with mechanical heart valves and on acenocoumarol therapy, were recruited. Genotyping for VKORC1 (−1639G>A and 1173C>T) and CYP2C9 (*2 & *3 alleles) polymorphisms was done by PCR-RFLP. There was complete linkage disequilibrium between VKORC1 polymorphisms (r2 = 0.98, D′ = 1.0, LOD = 74.02). VKORC1 genotype distribution for GG/CC, GA/CT, and AA/TT were 57.6%, 36.1%, and 6.3%, respectively. CYP2C9 genotype distribution for *1/*1, *1/*3, *1/*2, *2/*2, and *2/*3 were 78.5%, 14.1%, 6.3%, 0.5%, and 0.5%, respectively. Patients with a wild type of both VKORC1 (−1639GG and 1173CC) and CYP2C9 gene variants required higher acenocoumarol dose compared to those with mutant genotype ( P = 0.023 and P = 0.008 respectively). On combined genotype analysis, patients having a combination of wild type of VKORC1 with wild type of CYP2C9 (44.4%) required higher daily dose compared to patients bearing heterozygous VKORC1 (−1639GA & 1173CT) with wild type of CYP2C9 (30.2%, P = 0.008). Conclusion: Presence of a mutant allele of VKORC1 (−1639A & 1173T) and CYP2C9 genes increased the odds of requiring a lower mean dosage of acenocoumarol. Studying the combination of genotypes in RHD patients could predict acenocoumarol dose requirement more accurately.

A series of novel 1,2,3-triazole/isoxazole functionalized pyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidine derivatives 6a-c, 7a-h and 8a-e were prepared in series of synthetic steps. All the compounds screened for the anticancer activity against four human cancer cell lines using Nocodazole as standard. Compounds 7d and 7h showed highest activity against PANC-1 (pancreatic cancer) and A549 (lung cancer) cell lines respectively and more than standard. All the compounds also screened for antibacterial activity using Rifampicin and Ciprofloxacin as standards and identified promising compounds further evaluated for minimum inhibitory concentration to validate the data.

Well-designed noble metals and ceramic nanoarchitectures are significantly important for the development of high performance, selective, sensitive and cost effective electrochemical sensors. Here, we report gold (Au) nanoparticles (NPs) uniformly dispersed on hydroxyapatite (HAp) nanorods forming particles on rod nanoarchitectures for sensitive hydrazine sensors. The Au/HAp nanocomposites were prepared by a versatile hydrothermal precipitation method. The precipitated citrate-stabilized Au NPs were 6–8 nm in size and strongly anchored onto rod-shaped HAp with a diameter of 10 nm and length of 65 nm. The structural, chemical, and electrochemical properties and growth mechanism of the Au nanoparticles on the HAp nanorods (NRs) are presented. Progress toward the application of hybrid nanocomposites in electrochemical oxidation of hydrazine is reviewed. Compared to Au NPs, the incorporation of Au NPs into HAp NRs favored the adsorption of hydrazine, thus bringing hydrazine much closer to the catalytic sites of Au NPs and then increasing the efficiency of hydrazine oxidation in neutral solution. The amperometric (i–t) hydrazine sensor, using the as-prepared Au/HAp as the electrochemical catalyst, shows a wide linear response range of 0.5–1429 μM, a lower detection limit (0.017 μM) and very high sensitivity of 0.5 μA μM−1 cm−2. Furthermore, the Au/HAp nanocomposites showed an excellent anti-interference property towards the various organic and inorganic electroactive compounds, and good inter-electrode and intra-electrode reproducibility. Our present technique shows both qualitative and quantitative measurement of hydrazine in various water samples with high sensitivity, cost effectiveness and rapid analysis time.

Aiming to develop a new target for the anticancer treatment, a series of 5'H-spiro[indoline-3,4'-pyrrolo [1,2-a]quinoxalin]-2-ones has been synthesized by simple, highly efficient and environmentally friendly method in excellent yields under catalyst-free conditions using ethanol as a green solvent. A simple filtration of the reaction mixture and subsequent drying affords analytically pure products. The synthesized derivatives were evaluated for their antiproliferative activity against five different human cancer cell lines, among the congeners compound 3n showed significant cytotoxicity against the human prostate cancer (DU-145). Flow cytometric analysis revealed that this compound induces cell cycle arrest in the G0/G1 phase and Western blot analysis suggested that reduction in Cdk4 expression level leads to apoptotic cell death. This was further confirmed by mitochondrial membrane potential ((ΔΨm), Annexin V-FITC assay and docking experiments. Furthermore, it was observed that there is an increase in expression levels of cyclin dependent kinase inhibitors like Cip1/p21 and Kip1/p27.

Ultrafine cerium oxide (CeO2) nanoparticles have been confirmed to be capable photocatalysts for environmental remediation because of their strong redox ability, long-term stability, nontoxicity, and cost effectiveness. CeO2 nanoparticles were successfully synthesized by a solution combustion method using cerium nitrate and urea. The physical, chemical, thermal and optical properties of the as-prepared samples were characterized using various analytical techniques. X-ray diffraction data confirm that the synthesized nanocrystalline CeO2 samples have cubic structure with an average grain size of 10, 8 and 19 nm corresponding to as-prepared, 300 and 600 °C annealed samples, respectively. The HRTEM results confirmed that the synthesized nanoparticles exhibit good polycrystalline nature with spherical ultrafine nanoparticles having size in the range of ∼9 nm. The UV/vis spectrum shows a maximum absorption at 294 nm and the band gap of CeO2 was tuned by adjusting the annealing temperature. In the PL spectra, a strong and broad emission band was observed at 425 nm due to the presence of a blue shift in the visible region. The photocatalytic activities of annealed CeO2 nanoparticles were investigated by photodegradation of methylene blue (MB) under UV light irradiation. It was found that the ultra-fine CeO2 nanoparticles exhibited better photocatalytic activity than that of already available commercial photocatalysts. Based on the investigation, these ultra-fine CeO2 nanoparticles possess adaptable potential applications for wastewater purification.