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Mitochondria are an autonomous organelle that plays a crucial role in the metabolic aspects of a cell. Cortical spreading depression (CSD) and fluctuations in the cerebral blood flow have for long been mechanisms underlying migraine. It is a neurovascular disorder with a unilateral manifestation of disturbing, throbbing and pulsating head pain. Migraine affects 2.6% and 21.7% of the general population and is the major cause of partial disability in the age group 15-49. Higher mutation rates, imbalance in concentration of physiologically relevant molecules and oxidative stress biomarkers have been the main themes of discussion in determining the role of mitochondrial disability in migraine. The correlation of migraine with other disorders like hemiplegic migraine; mitochondrial myopathy, encephalopathy, lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes [MELAS]; tension-type headache (TTH); cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS), ischaemic stroke; and hypertension has helped in the assessment of the physiological and morphogenetic basis of migraine. Here, we have reviewed the different nuances of mitochondrial dysfunction and migraine. The different mtDNA polymorphisms that can affect the generation and transmission of nerve impulse has been highlighted and supported with research findings. In addition to this, the genetic basis of migraine pathogenesis as a consequence of mutations in nuclear DNA that can, in turn, affect the synthesis of defective mitochondrial proteins is discussed along with a brief overview of epigenetic profile. This review gives an overview of the pathophysiology of migraine and explores mitochondrial dysfunction as a potential underlying mechanism. Also, therapeutic supplements for managing migraine have been discussed at different junctures in this paper.

The microwave enhanced advanced oxidation process (MW-AOP) has been applied to pre-treat different sludge types and high solids content. Secondary sludge not only had the highest solids and nutrient content but also yielded higher treatment efficiency than primary or mixed sludge. In the case of secondary sludge with 4% total solids (TS), the total suspended solids (TSS) concentration was reduced by 32% while soluble chemical oxygen demand concentration increased from 1% to 40% after treatment at 110°C. A high level of nutrient release was also achieved; about 65% total phosphate (TP) solubilized at 110°C. The degree of secondary sludge disintegration was dictated by temperature and hydrogen peroxide dosage. The optimal operating temperature for the system was 110°C, and sludge containing TS up to 8% was treated effectively. Secondary sludge with 8% TS had a TSS reduction of 41% after treatment at 110°C while COD solubilization was about 45%; about 55% TP was solubilized at 10 min holding time. Treatment of sludge with higher solids content would allow for handling larger amounts of sludge at a given period and reduce heating cost per unit of treated sludge. The inter-relationship between the degree of sludge disintegration and changes in chemical and physical properties was also clearly demonstrated here. The treated sludge would be an ideal substrate for anaerobic digestion or phosphorous recovery processes. High levels of nutrients (phosphorus and nitrogen) and metal release, and solids disintegration from sludge containing high solids content would make subsequent resource recovery processes more effective and economical.

Mixtures of fats, oils and grease (FOG) either with dairy manure or with thickened waste secondary sludge (TWSS) were treated using microwave enhanced advanced oxidation process (MW-AOP). For both dairy manure and TWSS mixtures, the maximum increase in soluble COD (SCOD) resulted from the 1:1 mixture by total solids (TS) weight. In the TWSS mixtures, production of volatile fatty acid (VFA) increased with greater FOG content, while there was a decreasing production trend in VFA in dairy manure mixtures. Nutrients and metals were also released for all sets. The degradation followed peroxidation mechanism to produce lower molecular weight substrates such as short-chain fatty acids which would be less inhibitory to microbes. Nutrients and metals in the treated solution would sustain microbial growth in a biological system. FOG content for the mixtures in the MW-AOP treatment should be less than 75% by TS weight to prevent oxidation to CO

Algal biomass and Colocasia esculenta (Taro) leaves are available as waste biomass all over India. These biomasses can be used as renewable and sustainable resources for sugars and nutrients. Recovered nutrients and sugars can be used as cheap raw materials for biofuels and biomaterials production. The hydrolysis of dried algal biomass and Colocasia esculenta (Taro) leaves were investigated using 1%, 2%, and 5% solutions of ferric-chloride, nitric acid, and acetic acid for the reaction times of 30 and 60 min at 121 °C and 103.4 kPa (15 psi). 1% and 2% H2SO4 treatments were used as the reference. The solid: liquid ratio was kept at 1:10 for all the experiments. For algal biomass, a 5% acetic acid treatment for 60 min was found to be optimum with a total carbohydrate release of 44.2 mg/g biomass (solubilized monomers-0.82 mg/g of biomass) and N and P solubilization of 1.8 mg total nitrogen/g biomass and 7 mg total phosphorus/g biomass. Moreover, for Colocasia esculenta (Taro) leaves, the maximum carbohydrate yield of 95 mg/g biomass (solubilized monomers-43.6 mg/g of biomass) and nutrient solubilization of 5.02 mg total nitrogen/g biomass was obtained with 5% ferric chloride treatment for 60 min. The results obtained showed that various hydrolyzing agents used in this study acted differently on different types of biomasses. Acetic acid worked best in hydrolyzing the algal biomass, and for the hydrolysis of Taro leaves, ferric chloride and nitric acid were effective. Statistical analysis showed that the chemical concentration was one of the prime factors for releasing P from algal biomass. For carbohydrate release from Taro leaves, either time or concentration, or both, were the prime factors that affected the carbohydrate release.

Black pepper (Piper nigrum L.) is a prominent spice that is an indispensable ingredient in cuisine and traditional medicine. Phytophthora capsici, the causative agent of footrot disease, causes a drastic constraint in P. nigrum cultivation and productivity. To counterattack various biotic and abiotic stresses, plants employ a broad array of mechanisms that includes the accumulation of pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins. Through a genome-wide survey, eleven PR-1 genes that belong to a CAP superfamily protein with a caveolin-binding motif (CBM) and a CAP-derived peptide (CAPE) were identified from P. nigrum. Despite the critical functional domains, PnPR-1 homologs differ in their signal peptide motifs and core amino acid composition in the functional protein domains. The conserved motifs of PnPR-1 proteins were identified using MEME. Most of the PnPR-1 proteins were basic in nature. Secondary and 3D structure analyses of the PnPR-1 proteins were also predicted, which may be linked to a functional role in P. nigrum. The GO and KEGG functional annotations predicted their function in the defense responses of plant-pathogen interactions. Furthermore, a transcriptome-assisted FPKM analysis revealed PnPR-1 genes mapped to the P. nigrum-P. capsici interaction pathway. An altered expression pattern was detected for PnPR-1 transcripts among which a significant upregulation was noted for basic PnPR-1 genes such as CL10113.C1 and Unigene17664. The drastic variation in the transcript levels of CL10113.C1 was further validated through qRT-PCR and it showed a significant upregulation in infected leaf samples compared with the control. A subsequent analysis revealed the structural details, phylogenetic relationships, conserved sequence motifs and critical cis-regulatory elements of PnPR-1 genes. This is the first genome-wide study that identified the role of PR-1 genes during P. nigrum-P. capsici interactions. The detailed in silico experimental analysis revealed the vital role of PnPR-1 genes in regulating the first layer of defense towards a P. capsici infection in Panniyur-1 plants.

Simple Summary Aim of this review is to provide an overview on (a) Fructosamine-3-Kinase (FN3K) and its role in regulating Nuclear Factor Erythorid-2-Related Factor-2 (Nrf2); (b) the role of glycation and deglycation mechanisms in modulating the functional properties of proteins, in particular, the Nrf2; (c) the dual role of Nrf2 in the prevention and treatment of cancers. Since controlling the glycation of Nrf2 is one of the key mechanisms determining the fate of a cell; whether to get transformed into a cancerous one or to stay as a normal one, it is important to regulate Nrf2 and deglycating FN3K using pharmacological agents. Inhibitors of FN3K are being explored currently to modulate Nrf2 activity thereby control the cancers. Abstract Glycated stress is mediated by the advanced glycation end products (AGE) and the binding of AGEs to the receptors for advanced glycation end products (RAGEs) in cancer cells. RAGEs are involved in mediating tumorigenesis of multiple cancers through the modulation of several downstream signaling cascades. Glycated stress modulates various signaling pathways that include p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK), nuclear factor kappa–B (NF-κB), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, etc., which further foster the uncontrolled proliferation, growth, metastasis, angiogenesis, drug resistance, and evasion of apoptosis in several cancers. In this review, a balanced overview on the role of glycation and deglycation in modulating several signaling cascades that are involved in the progression of cancers was discussed. Further, we have highlighted the functional role of deglycating enzyme fructosamine-3-kinase (FN3K) on Nrf2-driven cancers. The activity of FN3K is attributed to its ability to deglycate Nrf2, a master regulator of oxidative stress in cells. FN3K is a unique protein that mediates deglycation by phosphorylating basic amino acids lysine and arginine in various proteins such as Nrf2. Deglycated Nrf2 is stable and binds to small musculoaponeurotic fibrosarcoma (sMAF) proteins, thereby activating cellular antioxidant mechanisms to protect cells from oxidative stress. This cellular protection offered by Nrf2 activation, in one way, prevents the transformation of a normal cell into a cancer cell; however, in the other way, it helps a cancer cell not only to survive under hypoxic conditions but also, to stay protected from various chemo- and radio-therapeutic treatments. Therefore, the activation of Nrf2 is similar to a double-edged sword and, if not controlled properly, can lead to the development of many solid tumors. Hence, there is a need to develop novel small molecule modulators/phytochemicals that can regulate FN3K activity, thereby maintaining Nrf2 in a controlled activation state.

Background: Black pepper is a prominent spice which is an indispensable ingredient in culinary and traditional medicine. Phytophthora capsici, the causative agent of foot rot disease causes drastic constraint in black pepper cultivation and productivity. To counterattack various biotic and abiotic stresses plants employ a broad array of mechanisms one such includes the accumulation of pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins. Several studies have reported the role of PR-1 proteins in triggering the plant defenses during plant-oomycete interaction.Results: Through the genome-wide survey, eleven PR-1 genes that belongs to a CAP superfamily protein with Caveolin-Binding Motif (CBM) and CAP-derived peptide (CAPE) were identified from P. nigrum. Despite the critical functional domains, PnPR1 homologs differ in their signal peptide motifs, and core amino acid sequence composition in the functional protein domains. The GO, biological function analysis reveals their role in defense responses and response to biotic stimulus whereas the KEGG functional annotation predicted their function in the plant-pathogen interactions. Furthermore, transcriptome-assisted FPKM analysis revealed PnPR-1 genes mapped to P. nigrum - P. capsici interaction pathway. The differentially expressed pathogen-responsive PR-1 gene was validated through qRT-PCR. Subsequent analysis revealed the structural details, phylogenetic relationships, conserved sequence motifs and critical cis-regulatory elements of PnPR-1 genes.Conclusion: This is the first genome-wide study that identified the role of PR-1 genes during P. nigrum - P. capsici interactions. The detailed in silico experimental analysis revealed the vital role of PnPR-1 genes in regulating the first layer of defense towards P. capsici infection in Panniyur-1 plants.

Background: Anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) is a marker for predicting ovarian response to gonadotropin stimulation. It plays an important role in ovarian primordial follicle recruitment and dominant follicle selection. Therefore, the present study evaluated the AMH levels and their association with oocyte morphology, embryo quality, clinical pregnancy rate, and fertility outcome among women undergoing IVF. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on 665 women in GarbhaGudi Institute of Reproductive Health and Research in India from October 2018 to 2019. Subjects were divided into ³1.1 and £1.1 AMH level groups. Data on age, luteinizing hormone; LH (mIU/L), follicle-stimulating hormone values; FSH (mIU/ml), LH value, oocytes retrieved, and oocytes fertilization were collected. AMH category was considered as the primary explanatory variable. Independent sample t-test and chi-square tests were performed. The p

Herein, we report the synthesis and characterization of a new Schiff base ligand 3-[[(E)-(3-hydroxyphenyl)-methylidene]amino]-2-methyl-quinazolin-4(3H)-one (HAMQ) and its Cd(II), Ni(II), Zn(II), and Cu(II) complexes (C1&ndash, C4). The ligand HAMQ was synthesized by reacting 3-hydroxybenzaldehyde and 3-amino-2-methyl-4(3H)-quinazolinone in a 1:1 molar ratio. The structure of the ligand and its complexes (C1&ndash, C4) were evaluated using ultraviolet (UV)&ndash, visible (Vis) light spectroscopy, 1H-NMR, Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, MS, elemental analysis, conductance data, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The characterization results suggested that the bidentate ligand, HAMQ, coordinated to the metal center through the lactum oxygen and the azomethine nitrogen. Moreover, all the metal complexes were analyzed using powder X-ray diffraction studies, which revealed that all of them belong to a triclinic crystal system. The research was supplemented by density functional theory (DFT) studies on the IR and UV&ndash, Vis spectra, as well as the chemical reactivity of the HAMQ and its four metallic derivatives making use of conceptual density functional theory (CDFT) by means of KID (Koopmans in DFT) methodology. The synthesized complexes displayed significant in vitro anticancer activity against human cancer cell lines (HeLa and HCT-115).

Three sludge types (primary sludge, secondary sludge, and anaerobic digested sludge) and centrate produced from a local municipal wastewater treatment plant were treated by the microwave enhanced advanced oxidation process. All sludge types exhibited a certain degree of solids solubilization and phosphorus release, as well as altered physical properties after the treatment. The extent of treatment was influenced by the inherent characteristics of sludge itself, besides the treatment process conditions, such as temperature and hydrogen peroxide dosage. The microwave enhanced advanced oxidation process was very effective for the treatment of all types of sludge for purpose of solids solubilisation, and nutrients release for resource recovery. Very high soluble chemical oxygen demand concentrations (62%) and total suspended solids reduction (75%) were obtained in the treated secondary sludge conducted in the pilot-scale continuous-flow system. The microwave enhanced advanced oxidation treatment system shall be used for treating both primary and secondary sludge, and therefore, the system shall be installed in the treatment train after an aerobic biological treatment system, and before an anaerobic digestion system to gain the maximum process efficiency.

This study investigated the effectiveness of bench and pilot-scale microwave enhanced advanced oxidation process (MW-AOP) for treatment of sewage sludge in neutral, acidic (pH 4) and alkaline (pH 9) conditions. The MW-AOP treatments were very effective: total suspended solids reduction and chemical oxygen demand solubilization were better in the sets at pH 9 than at pH 4. Alkaline conditions would be more favorable for the subsequent anaerobic digestion for biogas production. Release of orthophosphate, particle size distribution, dewatering properties and settling of the sets at pH 4 were better than at pH 9. The supernatants obtained from the sets at pH 4 had a high orthophosphate concentration and a low total suspended solids content, which were more suitable for struvite (a fertilizer) recovery process. Energy consumption was lower for the pH adjusted treatment sets compared to those of MW only and MW-AOP at neutral conditions; energy for the pH adjusted sets varied between 0.32 and 0.41 kWh/L of sludge treated. The results indicated that the MW-AOP could reduce the volume of sludge for disposal, and produce a high quality treated effluent suitable for further resource and energy recovery. Depending on the needs of each wastewater treatment plant’s treatment priority, the experimental conditions applied in the process can be adjusted accordingly.

The study was done to compare fertilization, cleavage, and pregnancy outcome of a man affected with necro zoospermia using pentoxifylline and a hypoosmotic swelling (HOS) test to select viable spermatozoa from testicular biopsy specimens. A patient was diagnosed with necrozoospermia by semen analysis, and testicular spermatozoa were injected intracytoplasmically, using pentoxifylline and HOS (Hypo osmotic swelling test) and the following ICSI results were observed. Significantly higher fertilization rates (pentoxifylline 100% vs HOS 80%) were observed. There was no significant difference observed in cleavage rates among both groups. Finally, a healthy female infant with birth weight 3 kg was delivered at the second frozen embryo transfer cycle.it was found that selecting viable spermatozoa using pentoxifylline was more effective in fertilization and pregnancies than obtaining it through a HOS test. ICSI is effective for necrozoospermic man.

Liquid organic fertilizers (LOFs) are relatively easier to degrade than those of solid organic fertilizers, and the nutrients are readily available for plant uptake. Microwave enhanced advanced oxidation treatment (MW/H2 O2 -AOP) was used to convert solid organic fertilizers (insoluble blood meal, bone meal, feather meal, sunflower ash and a mixture) into LOF.; Results: After the MW/H2 O2 -AOP treatment, high soluble nitrogen (11-29%), soluble phosphorus (64%) and potassium (92%), as well as low total suspended solids content could be obtained. The resulting LOF would make the nutrients more bioavailable, and would provide some of them for the plant uptake immediately. Temperature and hydrogen peroxide dosage were found to be significant factors affecting nitrogen release from blood meal and feather meal, while temperature and pH were found to be significant factors for solubilizing phosphorus and potassium from bone meal and ash, respectively.; Conclusion: The MW/H2 O2 -AOP reduced suspended solids, and released nutrients into solution; therefore, it was an effective treatment method to make LOFs. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.; © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

A newly designed continuous-flow 915 MHz microwave wastewater treatment system was used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the microwave enhanced advanced oxidation process (MW/H2O2-AOP) for treating dairy manure. After the treatment, about 84% of total phosphorus and 45% of total chemical oxygen demand were solubilized with the highest H2O2 dosage (0.4% H2O2 per %TS). The reaction kinetics of soluble chemical oxygen demand revealed activation energy to be in the range of 5–22 kJ mole−1. The energy required by the processes was approximately 0.16 kWh per liter of dairy manure heated. A higher H2O2 dosage used in the system had a better process performance in terms of solids solubilization, reaction kinetics, and energy consumption. Cost-benefit analysis for a farm-scale MW/H2O2-AOP treatment system was also presented. The results obtained from this study would provide the basic knowledge for designing an effective farm-scale dairy manure treatment system.

The microwave-enhanced advanced oxidation (MW/H2O2-AOP) treatment of sewage sludge in a continuous-flow 915 MHz microwave system was studied. A higher H2O2 dosage at the same flow rate resulted in better solids disintegration in terms of higher soluble chemical oxygen demand. The highest soluble chemical oxygen demand concentration of 5174 mg/L was obtained at a dosage of 0.005 L/L (0.5 % v/v). A higher soluble chemical oxygen demand was obtained at a higher flow rate with the same H2O2 dosage. A substantial amount of soluble phosphorus (over 60 % of total phosphorus content) was produced for all treatments, regardless of H2O2 dosage. A first-order reaction kinetics of soluble chemical oxygen demand was proposed in this study. Real-time energy consumption corresponding to performance efficacy, which provides a realistic assessment of the process efficiency, was calculated. Energy consumption was found to vary between 0.22–0.29 kWh/L of sludge treated. The results demonstrated that a continuous-flow 915 MHz microwave system resulted in high treatment efficiency in terms of nutrient release, solids disintegration, and low energy consumption, which is suitable for real-time industrial applications.

Exosomes exhibit a wide range of biological properties and functions in the living organisms. They are nanometric vehicles and used for delivering drugs, as they are biocompatible and minimally immunogenic. Exosomal secretions derived from cancer cells contribute to metastasis, immortality, angiogenesis, tissue invasion, stemness and chemo/radio-resistance. Exosome-derived microRNAs (miRNAs) and long non-coding RNAs (lnc RNAs) are involved in the pathophysiology of cancers and neurodegenerative diseases. For instance, exosomes derived from mesenchymal stromal cells, astrocytes, macrophages, and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells are involved in the cancer progression and stemness as they induce chemotherapeutic drug resistance in several cancer cells. This review covered the recent research advances in understanding the role of exosomes in cancer progression, metastasis, angiogenesis, stemness and drug resistance by illustrating the modulatory effects of exosomal cargo (ex. miRNA, lncRNAs, etc.) on cell signaling pathways involved in cancer progression and cancer stem cell growth and development. Recent reports have implicated exosomes even in the treatment of several cancers. For instance, exosomes-loaded with novel anti-cancer drugs such as phytochemicals, tumor-targeting proteins, anticancer peptides, nucleic acids are known to interfere with drug resistance pathways in several cancer cell lines. In addition, this review depicted the need to develop exosome-based novel diagnostic biomarkers for early detection of cancers and neurodegenerative disease. Furthermore, the role of exosomes in stroke and oxidative stress-mediated neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and Parkinson’s disease (PD) is also discussed in this article.

The microwave enhanced advanced oxidation process (MW-AOP) was used to treat dairy manure in a continuous-flow 915 MHz microwave wastewater treatment system. The treatment efficiency increased with an increase in temperature, as well as hydrogen peroxide dosage. The settling property was also improved in all treated sets, regardless of temperature applied. The system operated at temperatures100 °C had a much higher soluble chemical oxygen demand than at temperatures100 °C. The highest soluble carbonaceous compounds, orthophosphate and ammonia were obtained at 110 °C and 0.6%H

Fats, oils, and grease (FOG) and source separated organics (SSO) were treated with the microwave-enhanced advanced oxidation process (MW-AOP) at 90 and 110 °C, with varying amounts of hydrogen peroxide dosages. The treatment efficiency, in terms of soluble substrates and volatile fatty acids (VFA), increased with an increase in both temperature hydrogen peroxide dosages. Fatty acids and compounds with carbonyl group and/or hydroxyl group in both initial and treated FOG samples were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. MW-AOP treatment temperatures and hydrogen peroxide dosages dictated the formation of degradation products. The degradation followed peroxidation mechanism to produce lower molecular weight substrates such as short chain fatty acids which would be less inhibitory to microbes. After the MW-AOP treatment, both SSO and FOG comprised of more soluble and low molecular weight compounds. These compounds included VFA and nutrients that would be readily available for bacterial or plant uptake.

A novel technology involving radiofrequency heating and hydrogen peroxide (RF/H 2 O 2 ) was used for the treatment of dairy manure. RF/H 2 O 2 process efficacy was affected by power intensity, hydrogen peroxide dosage and holding time. The optimal conditions for nutrient release and solids disintegration were determined: for orthophosphate release, power intensity of 3 kW/L (kW/L substrate treated), holding time of 65 min and H 2 O 2 dose of 1%; and power intensity of 1.9 kW/L, holding time of 53 min and H 2 O 2 dose of 1.2% for soluble chemical oxygen demand concentration. The results indicated that the treatment efficacy of radiofrequency process was comparable to microwave process. However, the radiofrequency process required a longer holding time than microwave process. Nevertheless, energy required by the radiofrequency was lower than microwave as the radiofrequency system was capable of handling higher volumes of manure with higher solids content at a given time.

An innovative radiofrequency oxidation technology was developed to treat organic slurries with high solids content. The extent of nutrient release and solids disintegration from separated solids fraction of dairy manure was examined in a pilot scale 6 kW radiofrequency system. The factors affecting the process were hydrogen peroxide dosage, heating time and power intensity of radiofrequency. The newly developed RF oxidation process was highly efficient in releasing orthophosphate and soluble chemical oxygen demand in the treated solution and found to be viable to treat dairy manure.

Aerobic sewage sludge and dairy manure were pre-treated by conventional heating (CH) (40, 50 and 60°C) followed by microwave enhanced advanced oxidation process (MW/H2O2-AOP) at 100 and 120°C for solids disintegration and nutrient release. Increasing CH and MW temperatures resulted in an increase in soluble chemical oxygen demand concentration and volatile fatty acids in the treated solution. The maximum ratio of soluble to total chemical oxygen demand obtained for sewage sludge and dairy manure was 60% and 22%, respectively. The synergistic effect of microwave irradiation and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) was more pronounced for sewage sludge at high CH and MW temperatures. Temperature and treatment time played a significant role in releasing orthophosphates. A maximum orthophosphate-to-total phosphate ratio of 55% and 85% was obtained for sewage sludge and dairy manure, respectively. A simple energy balance reveals that the CH step proves to be advantageous during continuous real-time operation of MW/H2O2-AOP technology.

A pilot-scale continuous-flow 915-MHz microwave enhanced advanced oxidation (MW/H2O2-AOP) treatment system was specifically designed and used for the treatment of sewage sludge. The focus o...

The emergence of the new coronavirus and its associated fatalities are growing at an alarming rate causing unprecedented losses worldwide. As the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic accelerates in India, access to basic personal protective wear such as masks for health-care workers and for the general public is a key concern. Aerosol transmission of biological particles such as viruses is only one of several routes of exposure for contagion of which personal protection such as masks must be used by the general public. The protection level offered by N95 and surgical masks is defined by the percent of ambient particles penetrating across the protective mask. Recent interventions in nanotechnology have effectuated need-based virus resistance masks developed by impregnating nanomaterials or nanocoatings in the mask to combat the virus and augment protection levels. The aim of this review will be to highlight the coherent strategies of using versatile nanomaterials as an effective antiviral material coated onto masks and understanding the mechanism of “virus-nanoparticle” interaction. This viricidal effect is made possible by the use of functionalized nanoparticles through the addition of biomolecule covers or modified surfaces capable of interacting with active sites present on the membrane (capsid) allowing the virus to be deactivated.

A H2O2 dosing strategy for microwave enhanced advanced oxidation process treatment of sewage sludge was formulated. The timing of hydrogen peroxide introduction in a continuous-flow 915-MHz system affected the treatment efficiency in terms of solids destruction, nutrient release and volatile fatty acid (VFA) production. Introducing hydrogen peroxide into the treatment set at 60°C was found to be more effective than adding it at the beginning. The treatment set with hydrogen peroxide introduced at 60°C resulted in higher soluble chemical oxygen demand concentrations and VFAs, higher soluble total Kjeldahl nitrogen and soluble total phosphate and also improved dewaterability and settling. However, there were no differences in terms of ammonia and orthophosphate release between the two treatment schemes. It is an advantage to introduce hydrogen peroxide into the treatment set at 60°C in a continuous-flow microwave system.

A continuous column study was carried out using immobilized Mucor rouxii biomass beads as a biosorbent for the removal of oil from water. Three oils were used in the study—standard mineral oil, canola oil, and Bright-Edge 80 cutting oil. Column data were examined using Thomas, Yan, Yoon–Nelson, Wolborska, Belter, and Chu models. Thomas, Yan, and Yoon–Nelson models were found suitable for describing column behavior for all the three oils studied. The sorbed oil was desorbed from the beads using deionized water. After column regeneration, the beads could be reused to remove oil to the extent of initial capacity.

This study was undertaken to evaluate the efficiency of a liquid-solids separation process and microwave pretreatment, as well as anaerobic biodegradability of microwave pretreated dairy manure. Liquid-solids separation of raw dairy manure resulted in solid and liquid fractions having different properties, with the solid fractions richer in total and volatile solids content and liquid fractions richer in nutrients and metal ions. Substantial amounts of soluble chemical oxygen demand and nutrients were released into the solution after the microwave treatment. The microwave pretreated dairy manure was also subjected to anaerobic digestion. The kinetic parameters of methane production potential, maximum methane production rate and lag time were determined using the modified Gompertz equation. Anaerobic digestion of liquid manure, without microwave treatment, outperformed the sets with microwave treatment. The microwave-treated liquid dairy manure, without acid addition had better results in terms of methane potential and methane production, than with acid addition. Thermophilic digestion exhibited a higher maximum methane production rate than that of mesophilic digestion, but lower methane yields. The microwave pretreatment of dairy manure resulted in high soluble chemical oxygen demand; however, methane yield was not increased.

A pilot-scale (5 kW) 915-MHz microwave-enhanced advanced oxidation process (MW/H2O2-AOP) was custom designed and tested to treat dairy manure. The objective of the study was to verify the performance efficiency of the new system in terms of nutrient release, solids disintegration and energy consumption and compare it with an existing pilot-scale (5 kW) 2450-MHz microwave system. The 915-MHz MW/H2O2-AOP resulted in a release of about 60% of total phosphorus as orthophosphate, and about 25% of total chemical oxygen demand was disintegrated in the treated solution. The treatment performance was similar to that of 2450-MHz MW/H2O2-AOP albeit using lower H2O2 dosage. Research and development work currently underway with the 915-MHz MW/H2O2-AOP will optimise the treatment and energy efficiency.

Dye wastewater is one of the most difficult to treat. There has been exhaustive research on biosorption of dye wastewater. It is evolving as an attractive option to supplement conventional treatment processes. This paper examines various biosorbents such as fungi, bacteria, algae, chitosan and peat, which are capable of decolorizing dye wastewaters; discusses various mechanism involved, the effects of various factors influencing dye wastewater decolorization and reviews pretreatment methods for increasing the biosorption capacity of the adsorbents. The paper examines the mismatch between strong scientific progress in the field of biosorption and lack of commercialization of research.

A batch study was conducted to evaluate efficiencies of four types of biomaterials to remove oil from water. The oils used in the study were standard mineral oil, vegetable oil and cutting oil. Two fungal biomasses of Mucor rouxii and Absidia coerulea along with chitosan and walnut shell media were the biomaterials used. The study was carried out with an initial oil concentration of 200mg/L for 6h. Non-viable M. rouxii biomass was found to be more effective than A. coerulea biomass in removing oil from water. The study demonstrated that the removal efficiencies by M. rouxii for these oils were in the 77-93% range at a pH of 5.0. The adsorption capacities for standard mineral oil, vegetable oil and cutting oil were 77.2, 92.5, and 84 mg/g of biomass, respectively. The adsorption capacities for various oils exhibited by M. rouxii biomass were less than those of chitosan and walnut shell media.

A fractional factorial design analysis was conducted to screen the significant factors influencing removal of three emulsified oils from water, namely, standard mineral oil (SMO), canola oil (CO) and Bright-Edge 80 cutting oil using non-viable biomass of fungus Mucor rouxii rich with chitosan in its cell wall. Factors investigated were pH of the solution (3-9), temperature (5-30 degrees C), adsorbent dose (0.05-0.5 g), concentration of oil (50-350 mg/L) and rotational speed of the shaker (100-200 rpm). It was observed that pH of the solution was the most influencing parameter on the removal of all the three oils studied. Higher oil removal efficiencies (80-99%) were obtained at a pH of 3.0 by M. rouxii biomass for all the three oils studied. Temperature had an effect on SMO and Bright-Edge 80 removal while adsorbent dose was found to influence the removal of SMO. Average removals of SMO and Bright-Edge 80 were higher by 13% at a solution temperature of 30 degrees C compared to removals at 5 degrees C. Oil concentration had an effect on the removal of CO. The average removal of CO was found to be higher by approximately 15% at an initial oil concentration of 50mg/L than at 350 mg/L.

Water consumption in a fish-processing industry and high-strength wastewater from such an industry are of great concern world-wide. Liquid effluent regulations are becoming more stringent day by day. Biological treatment is the best option for such a wastewater. Anaerobic processes such as upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor, anaerobic filter (AF) and anaerobic fluidized bed (AFB) reactor can achieve high (80-90%) organics removal and produce biogas. Aerobic processes such as activated sludge, rotating biological contactor, trickling filter and lagoons are also suitable for organics removal. Anaerobic digestion followed by an aerobic process is an optimal process option for fish processing wastewater treatment.

Fuel cells are recognized as an emerging power generation system for the future. Fuel cells make use of mostly hydro- gen gas as their input fuel, which is extracted from various processes involving emissions and energy consumption. A complete understanding of environmental impacts associated with fuel cell during its entire life cycle, starting from extraction of fuel, through manufacturing, operation and ultimately to the disposal stage is greatly required. The current paper reviews various life cycle analysis studies on fuel cell technology. Such an approach would demand the support of informatics tools to analyze and manage information. The paper aims at assessing various environmental informatics tools available to support the life cycle studies. The paper investigates, in particular, the environmental contributions of various components and materials during the production process of hydrogen fuel. En- ergy requirements and reduction in air emissions have been studied in comparison with alternative technologies such as IC engines, wind and solar energy.