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We extend Aziz and Mohammad's result that the zeros, of a polynomial P(z) = Σnj=0 ajzj, taj ≽ aj--1 > 0, j = 2, 3,. . .,n for certain t (> 0), with moduli greater than t(n -- 1) /n are simple, to polynomials with complex coefficients. Then we improve their result that the polynomial P(z), of degree n, with complex coefficients, does not vanish in the disc... for r < a < 2,r being the greatest positive root of the equation xn -- 2xn--1 + 1 = 0, and finally obtained an upper bound, for moduli of all zeros of a polynomial, (better, in many cases, than those obtainable from many other known results). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Haematopoietic stem cells undergo mobilization from bone marrow to blood in response to physiological stimuli such as ischemia and tissue injury. The aim of study was to determine the kinetics of circulating CD34+ and CD133+CD34+ progenitor cells in response to 75 g glucose load in subjects with normal and impaired glucose metabolism. Methods Asian Indian male subjects (n = 50) with no prior history of glucose imbalance were subjected to 2 hour oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). 24 subjects had normal glucose tolerance (NGT), 17 subjects had impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and 9 had impaired fasting glucose (IFG). The IGT and IFG subjects were grouped together as pre-diabetes group (n = 26). Progenitor cell counts in peripheral circulation at fasting and 2 hour post glucose challenge were measured using direct two-color flow cytometry. Results The pre-diabetes group was more insulin resistant (p < 0.0001) as measured by homeostasis assessment model (HOMA-IR) compared to NGT group. A 2.5-fold increase in CD34+ cells (p = 0.003) and CD133+CD34+ (p = 0.019) cells was seen 2 hours post glucose challenge in the NGT group. This increase for both the cell types was attenuated in subjects with IGT. CD34+ cell counts in response to glucose challenge inversely correlated with neutrophil counts (ρ = -0.330, p = 0.019), while post load counts of CD133+CD34+ cells inversely correlated with serum creatinine (ρ = -0.312, p = 0.023). Conclusion There is a 2.5-fold increase in the circulating levels of haematopoietic stem cells in response to glucose challenge in healthy Asian Indian male subjects which is attenuated in subjects with pre-diabetes.

ABSTRACT Objectives: Argemone mexicana have been widely studied for its several pharmacological benefits and has been used in traditional medicine to treat constipation like symptoms. The present study carried out to evaluate the extract for its diuretic and laxative potential. Methods: The aqueous extract of Argemone mexicana prepared using percolation method and subjected to phytochemical analysis. Evaluation of diuretic and laxative activity was carried out using metabolic cage apparatus and flame photometer as per the standard method reported earlier. Frusemide (20 mg/kg) and sodium picosulate (5 mg/kg) were served as positive control for diuretic activity and laxative activity respectively. Result: The extract showed significant diuretic activity at 250 mg/kg dose when compared to standard frusemide. Even this extract also effective in increasing electrolyte concentration. Whereas the extract at 250 mg/kg showed significantly increasing in fecal output, and also significantly increased the weight of feces at 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg dose. Conclusion: The previous significant finding supports the traditional use of Argemone mexicana for its diuretic and laxative potential

Treatment of [Cp*TiCl 3 ] with [LiBH 4  ⋅ THF] followed by thermolysis with [Ph 2 E 2 ] (E=S or Se) resulted in the formation of classical diborane(6) complexes, [(Cp*Ti)(η 4 -B 2 H 4 LL')] (L=C 6 H 4 E; L'=C 6 H 5 E; 1 a: E=S, 1 b: E=Se), stabilized at titanium template. To the best of our knowledge, they are the first examples of mono-metallic classical diborane(6) complexes. The bonding analysis and theoretical studies suggest that the stabilization of these diborane(6) species is due to the presence of four bridging ligands in ĸ 4 -fashion, where two of them are phenyl thiolates/selenolates that provide more electrons to the electron-deficient titanium center. Reactions of these diborane(6) species with [M(CO) 5  ⋅ THF] (M=Mo, W) led to the cleavage of the electron-precise B(sp 3 )-B(sp 3 ) bond that yielded ĸ 3 -hydridoborato complexes [(Cp*Ti)(ĸ 3 -BH 3 R)(μ-EPh) 2 {M(CO) 4 }] (2 a-c: R=H, 3 a-c: R=Ph). In an attempt to isolate the Te-analogue of 1 a-b, a similar reaction was performed; however, the complex was too unstable to be isolated. Interestingly, the treatment of this unstable intermediate with [W(CO) 5  ⋅ THF] yielded [(Cp*Ti)(ĸ 3 -BH 3 R)(μ-TePh) 2 {W(CO) 4 }] (2 d: R=H, 3 d: R=Ph) that are analogues of 2 a-c and 3 a-c, respectively. Formation of these species provide indirect evidence for the existence of unstable [(Cp*Ti)(η 4 -B 2 H 4 LL')] (L=C 6 H 4 Te; L'=C 6 H 5 Te; 1 c)., (© 2024 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

ConspectusUnlike carbon, boron does not usually form ring compounds due to its electron-deficiency-driven affinity toward polyhedral geometries. The polyhedral boranes having closo -, nido -, arachno -, or hypho -shapes can be structurally and electronically correlated using various electron counting rules developed by Wade, Mingos, and one of us. However, in the last few decades, boron chemistry progressed significantly toward ring systems. In this regard, three of our research groups have made significant contributions to the development of boron ring molecules through different synthetic approaches. While the Ghosh group generally starts from transition metal (TM) stabilized boron species, the Himmel group typically starts from electron-deficient TM-free boron ring compounds. On the other hand, the Jemmis group studies boron rings and their analogous structures computationally and develops electron counting rules to describe them. Over the past few years, through different synthetic approaches, several boron ring molecules have been prepared by our research groups and others. Recently, the Ghosh group has reported the synthesis of an almost planar B 6 -ring that is stabilized by a TM template. Similarly, the B 3 -, B 4 -, and B 5 -rings have also been stabilized in the coordination spheres of early and late TMs. The recent work of Himmel has uncovered some remarkable diversity in the structures and bonding of B 3 and B 4 rings, along with their redox reactions. The well-known hydrocarbon analogues of these borane rings, i.e., two-dimensional aromatic compounds [C 3 H 3 ] + , [C 5 H 5 ] - , [C 6 H 6 ], etc., are governed by Hückel's (4 n + 2) π-electron rule. However, planar or nearly planar borane rings are not seriously thought of as achievable targets. One of the reasons for this is the influence of the Rudolph diagram in the thought process of chemists that the nido - and arachno -structures generated from closo -polyhedral boranes must also be three-dimensional (3D) fragments. However, this is not the only possibility. Flat arachno - and nido -boranes reminiscent of their organic counterparts follow from an equivalent of the Rudolph diagram. Therefore, this Account is very much necessary for the boron community, in particular, to design and synthesize 3-6 membered boron rings or beyond. This Account aims to highlight significant ongoing experimental and theoretical results in this area from our groups, in addition to relevant works from other groups wherever appropriate. This will also bring into focus various ways in which the flat B n -systems can be stabilized, such as the utilization of TM or main group caps, utilization of various Lewis bases, edge-condensation of small rings, control over the electron count, and orbital engineering.

Background: Proximal femur fracture surgeries have become increasingly prevalent, presenting unique challenges for postoperative pain management due to patient demographics and comorbidities. Erector spinae plane block (ESPB) has emerged as a relatively safe alternative to paravertebral block (PVB). Our aim was to compare ultrasound-guided continuous ESPB with continuous PVB for postoperative analgesia in patients undergoing proximal femur surgeries under spinal anesthesia., Methods: A prospective randomized interventional study was conducted on 60 patients between 18 and 60 years of age undergoing proximal femur surgeries under spinal anesthesia with American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I and II between January 2019 and April 2020. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either ultrasound-guided continuous ESPB (Group E, n = 30) or ultrasound-guided continuous PVB (Group P, n = 30) using a computer-generated randomization table. The mean maximum visual analog scale (VAS) score, VAS score in the first 24 h, the time of rescue analgesia, and total requirement of rescue analgesia were assessed., Results: The maximum VAS score within the first 24 h was numerically higher in Group P but statistically insignificant ( p -value 0.279). VAS scores at 0, 1, 2, 6, and 18 h postoperatively were comparable in both groups. However, at the 24-h mark, the VAS score between Group E and Group P was statistically significant ( p -value 0.018) but not clinically relevant. The mean paracetamol and tramadol requirements were comparable between the two groups., Conclusion: Continuous ESPB is as effective as continuous PVB for postoperative analgesia in proximal femur surgeries. The enhanced safety profile of erector spinae block underscores its significance in postoperative pain management., (© 2024 the author(s), published by De Gruyter.)

Syntheses and structural elucidation of homo- and heterochalcogen-bridged complexes of cobalt are described. The photolytic reaction of bimetallic hydridoborate species [(Cp*CoPh)(Cp*Co)(μ-TePh)(μ-k 2 -Te,H-TeBH 3 )] ( 1 ) in the presence of [ M (CO) 5 ·THF] ( M = Mo and W) afforded unprecedented tellurolate-bridged [(Cp*Co) 2 (μ-TePh) 3 ] + [TePh{ M (CO) 5 } 2 ] - ( M = Mo ( 2 ), W ( 3 )) as ionic complexes with the release of BH 3 . Complex 2 has three bridged-TePh moieties between two Cp*Co fragments in the cation part, whereas the anionic part, [TePh{ M (CO) 5 } 2 ] - , shows a distorted trigonal pyramidal core. In order to synthesize mixed chalcogenate-bridged complexes having both S and Te, we carried out the photolytic reaction of 1 with CS 2 . Although the objective of generating mixed chalcogen-bridged complex [(Cp*Co) 2 (μ-TePh) 2 (μ-S)] was not achieved, the reaction yielded an unusual bimetallic thiotellurite complex [(Cp*Co) 2 (μ-S 3 TeS 3 -κ 2 S:κ 2 Te:κ 2 S')] ( 4 ). Complex 4 has two wings, each consisting of three sulfur atoms, that are connected to two Co-atoms and one Te-atom. Further, to synthesize the Fe analogue of 2 and 3 , a similar reaction was carried out with [Fe 2 (CO) 9 ]. However, the reaction led to the formation of the trimetallic complex [Cp*Co(CO)(μ 3 -Te) 2 {Fe 2 (CO) 6 }] ( 5 ). These complexes were characterized by employing different multinuclear NMR, IR spectroscopies, single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses, and mass spectrometry. Additionally, computational analyses of these chalcogen-bridged neutral and ionic complexes were conducted to offer insight into their bonding.

Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.

In an effort to explore the coordination chemistry of the coordinative sulfur centers in arachno -ruthenaborane [(Cp*Ru) 2 (B 3 H 8 )(CS 2 H)] ( arachno -1), we have thermolyzed arachno -1 with group-6 metal carbonyls [M(CO) 5 ·THF] (M = Cr, Mo and W). The reaction of arachno -1 with [Cr(CO) 5 ·THF] resulted in the formation of hetero-trimetallic triply bridging borylene [(Cp*Ru) 2 (μ-CO)(μ 3 -CH 2 S 2 -κ 2 S':κ 2 S''){Cr(CO) 3 }(μ 3 -BH)] (2), bridging boryl-borylene [(Cp*Ru) 2 (μ-CO){(μ 3 -BH(CH 2 S 2 )-κ 2 B:κ 2 S':κ 1 S'')}{Cr(CO) 3 }(μ 3 -BH)] (3), and sulfido bridged hetero-trimetallic complex [(Cp*Ru) 2 (μ-CO) 3 {Cr(CO) 3 }(μ 3 -S)] (4). In 2, one side of Ru 2 Cr-triangle features a μ 3 -BH ligand while the other side is quadruply bridged by a methanedithiolato ligand in an unsymmetrical fashion. Unlike 2, in complex 3, one side of the Ru 2 Cr-triangle has a μ 3 -BH ligand while the opposite side is bridged by a boryl ligand BH(CH 2 S 2 ) in an unsymmetrical way (μ 3 -κ 2 :κ 2 :κ 1 ) to the metal centers. Interestingly, when the similar reactions of arachno -1 were performed with heavier group-6 metal carbonyls [M(CO) 5 ·THF] (M = Mo and W), it led to the formation of methanedithiolato bridged hetero-trimetallic chain complexes, [{Cp*Ru(CO)} 2 (μ-CO) 2 (μ 3 -CH 2 S 2 -κ 2 S':κ 2 S''){M(CO) 2 }] (5, M = Mo; 6, M = W) and sulfido-bridged hetero-trimetallic complexes [(Cp*Ru) 2 (μ-CO) 3 {M(CO) 3 }(μ 3 -S)] (7, M = Mo; 8, M = W), analogous to 4. In complexes 5 and 6, a Ru 2 M-chain is symmetrically bridged by a methanedithiolato ligand. On the other hand, in complexes 4, 7, and 8, a sulfido ligand coordinates to two ruthenium and one group-6 metal atoms in μ 3 -fashion. All the complexes have been characterized by 1 H NMR, 13 C NMR, UV-vis, IR spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry and their structural architectures have been unambiguously established by single crystal X-ray diffraction studies. In addition, theoretical investigations provided valuable insights into their electronic structures and bonding properties.

Transition metal triple-decker complexes are an interesting class of sandwich complexes that engrossed great attention due to their structures and properties. Over the decades, synthesis of triple-decker complexes featuring homocyclic, heterocyclic or π-conjugated rings as middle decks have been abundantly reported. In this regard, the chemistry of such complexes bearing boron in the middle deck are well explored due to the ability of boron-containing cycles to readily coordinate bifacially with metal atoms thereby forming triple-decker complexes. On the other hand, electron counting rules and theoretical calculations have strengthened our knowledge of the structure and bonding in these complexes. Further, these complexes can be used as synthons to generate organometallic polymers having interesting electronic, optical and magnetic properties that can be appropriately tuned to cater to a wide range of applications. In our quest for novel metallaboranes and metallaheteroboranes, we have been successful in isolating various triple-decker complexes that feature boron in the middle deck. This review explained elaborately the synthesis, structures, and bonding in such complexes reported by us and others., (© 2023 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

The demand for highly sensitive and selective gas sensors has been steadily increasing, driven by applications in various fields such as environmental monitoring, healthcare, and industrial safety. In this context, ternary alloy indium aluminum nitride (InAlN) semiconductors have emerged as a promising material for gas sensing due to their unique properties and tunable material characteristics. This work focuses on the fabrication and characterization of InAlN nanorods grown on sapphire substrates using an ultra-high vacuum magnetron sputter epitaxy with precise control over indium composition and explores their potential for acetone-gas-sensing applications. Various characterization techniques, including XRD, SEM, and TEM, demonstrate the structural and morphological insights of InAlN nanorods, making them suitable for gas-sensing applications. To evaluate the gas-sensing performance of the InAlN nanorods, acetone was chosen as a target analyte due to its relevance in medical diagnostics and industrial processes. The results reveal that the InAlN nanorods exhibit a remarkable sensor response of 2.33% at 600 ppm acetone gas concentration at an operating temperature of 350 °C, with a rapid response time of 18 s. Their high sensor response and rapid response make InAlN a viable candidate for use in medical diagnostics, industrial safety, and environmental monitoring.

Food industry is the biggest and rapidly growing industries all over the world. This sector consumes around 40 % of the total plastic produced worldwide as packaging material. The conventional packaging material is mainly petrochemical based. However, these petrochemical based materials impose serious concerns towards environment after its disposal as they are nondegradable. Thus, in search of an appropriate replacement for conventional plastics, biopolymers such as polysaccharides (starch, cellulose, chitosan, natural gums, etc.), proteins (gelatin, collagen, soy protein, etc.), and fatty acids find as an option but again limited by its inherent properties. Attention on the initiatives towards the development of more sustainable, useful, and biodegradable packaging materials, leading the way towards a new and revolutionary green era in the food sector. Eco-friendly packaging materials are now growing dramatically, at a pace of about 10-20 % annually. The recombination of biopolymers and nanomaterials through intercalation composite technology at the nanoscale demonstrated some mesmerizing characteristics pertaining to both biopolymer and nanomaterials such as rigidity, thermal stability, sensing and bioactive property inherent to nanomaterials as well as biopolymers properties such as flexibility, processability and biodegradability. The dramatic increase of scientific research in the last one decade in the area of bionanocomposites in food packaging had reflected its potential as a much-required and important alternative to conventional petroleum-based material. This review presents a comprehensive overview on the importance and recent advances in the field of bionanocomposite and its application in food packaging. Different methods for the fabrication of bionanocomposite are also discussed briefly. Finally, a clear perspective and future prospects of bionanocomposites in food packaging were presented., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Accurate evaluation of morphological changes in articular cartilage are necessary for early detection of osteoarthritis (OA). 3T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has highly sensitive contrast resolution and is widely used clinically to detect OA. However, synchrotron radiation phase-contrast imaging computed tomography (SR-PCI) can also provide contrast to tissue interfaces that do not have sufficient absorption differences, with the added benefit of very high spatial resolution. Here, MRI was compared with SR-PCI for quantitative evaluation of human articular cartilage. Medial tibial condyles were harvested from non-OA donors and from OA patients receiving knee replacement surgery. Both imaging methods revealed that average cartilage thickness and cartilage volume were significantly reduced in the OA group, compared to the non-OA group. When comparing modalities, the superior resolution of SR-PCI enabled more precise mapping of the cartilage surface relative to MRI. As a result, MRI showed significantly higher average cartilage thickness and cartilage volume, compared to SR-PCI. These data highlight the potential for high-resolution imaging of articular cartilage using SR-PCI as a solution for early OA diagnosis. Recognizing current limitations of using a synchrotron for clinical imaging, we discuss its nascent utility for preclinical models, particularly longitudinal studies of live animal models of OA., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Bairagi et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Although Lipscomb predicted in 1977 that supra-icosahedral boron clusters would be viable, their synthesis has been impeded by the unavailability of appropriate synthetic methodologies. Herein, we report the first examples of the open 16-vertex oblato - hypho -titanaborane clusters [(Cp*Ti) 2 B 14 H 17 R] (1: R = H; 2: R = Me) having a non-Wadean 19-skeletal-electron-pair count. Interestingly, these clusters show a six-membered [Ti 2 B 4 ] open face, which could lead to closo -19-vertex clusters.

The synthesis and structural elucidation of a series of ruthenium diborane and triborane compounds are described. Treatment of [Cp*Ru(PPh 3 ) 2 Cl] ( 1 ) (Cp* = 1,2,3,4,5-pentamethylcyclopentadienyl; PPh 3 = triphenylphosphine) with [BH 3 ·THF] (THF = tetrahydrofuran) at 60 °C led to the formation of the hydrogen-rich ruthena-octahydrotetraborane arachno -[2-{Cp*Ru(PPh 3 )B 3 H 8 }] ( 2 ). The chemistry of 2 is explored with [Fe 2 (CO) 9 ] at room temperature, which resulted in the formation of a metal-stabilized triborane species, [{Cp*Ru(PPh 3 )}(μ 3 -η 1 :η 2 :η 2 -B 3 H 6 ){Fe 2 (CO) 7 }] ( 3 ). Compound 3 can be considered as a triborane analogue [B 3 H 6 ] 3- that stabilizes in the coordination sphere of two iron and one ruthenium atoms. Further, the photolysis of nido -[1,2-(Cp*Ru) 2 (μ-H) 2 (B 3 H 7 )] ( 4 ) with [M(CO) 5 ·THF] (M = Mo and W) afforded an arachno -[1,2-(Cp*Ru)(Cp*RuCO)(μ-H)(B 3 H 8 )] ( 5 ), in which the [M(CO) 5 ·THF] acted as a CO source. In an attempt to convert arachno - 5 into a closo or nido species, we have pyrolyzed arachno - 5 in toluene at 90 °C for 20 h that afforded nido -[2,3-(Cp*Ru) 2 (μ-CO)(μ 3 -H)(B 3 H 6 )] ( 6 ) having two ruthenium atoms at the basal position. Irradiation of arachno - 5 with an intermediate generated from CS 2 and [LiBH 4 ·THF] in THF afforded the diborane(5) species [(Cp*RuCO)(Cp*Ru)(μ-H)(μ-η 1 :η 2 -B 2 H 4 )(CS 2 H)] ( 7 ) in which a dithioformato ligand (SHC═S) is attached to one Ru-B bond. Compound 7 can be considered as a diborane(5) species, which is stabilized by a dithioformato ligand. All the synthesized compounds have been characterized by employing electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry, multinuclear NMR, and IR spectroscopy techniques. The single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies of compounds 2 , 3 , 6 , and 7 helped to establish the structural integrity of these compounds. Further, density functional theory studies were performed to provide insight into the bonding of these metal-stabilized diborane and triborane species.

In this report, surfactant free solid solution of NiZn with a hierarchical architecture was synthesized via a one-pot colloidal approach. Evidence supporting hierarchical crystal growth and alloying of metals at the atomic level was obtained from field emission scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy-energy-dispersive X-ray data. Lattice sites of face-centered metallic Ni were found to be occupied by Zn as evident from powder X-ray diffraction where a gradual shift in the peak position and increase in the average lattice parameter upon reduction of the Ni content in the alloy samples can be observed. This well-alloyed, magnetically separable, non-noble metal-based solid solution has the potential to replace the palladium-based catalyst in the Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling of aryl halides (-Cl/-Br) and phenylboronic acid. The nanostructured catalyst was formed through the assembly of a triangular spiked and sheet-like structure and is magnetically well separable that is stable enough under the catalytic reaction condition. The developed heterogeneous catalyst and the designed economical catalytic model are the first ever reported work. The catalytic results outperformed most of the reported state-of-the-art works involving the transition metal-based catalyst.

A high-performance textile triboelectric nanogenerator is developed based on the common commercial fabrics silk and polyester (PET). Electrospun nylon 66 nanofibers were used to boost the tribo-positive performance of silk, and a poly(vinylidene difluoride) (PVDF) coating was deployed to increase the tribo-negativity of PET. The modifications confer a very significant boost in performance: output voltage and short-circuit current density increased ∼17 times (5.85 to 100 V) and ∼16 times (1.6 to 24.5 mA/m 2 ), respectively, compared with the Silk/PET baseline. The maximum power density was 280 mW/m 2 at a 4 MΩ resistance. The performance boost likely results from enhancing the tribo-positivity (and tribo-negativity) of the contact layers and from increased contact area facilitated by the electrospun nanofibers. Excellent stability and durability were demonstrated: the nylon nanofibers and PVDF coating provide high output, while the silk and PET substrate fabrics confer strength and flexibility. Rapid capacitor charging rates of 0.045 V/s (2 μF), 0.031 V/s (10 μF), and 0.011 V/s (22 μF) were demonstrated. Advantages include high output, a fully textile structure with excellent flexibility, and construction based on cost-effective commercial fabrics. The device is ideal as a power source for wearable electronic devices, and the approach can easily be deployed for other textiles.

Isolation of planar [B 6 H 6 ] is a long-awaited goal in boron chemistry. Several attempts in the past to stabilize [B 6 H 6 ] were unsuccessful due to the domination of polyhedral geometries. Herein, we report the synthesis of a triple-decker sandwich complex of titanium [(Cp*Ti) 2 (μ-η 6  : η 6 -B 6 H 6 )(μ-H) 6 ] (1), which features the first-ever experimentally achieved nearly planar six-membered [B 6 H 6 ] ring, albeit within a [B 6 H 12 ] borate. The small deviation from planarity is a direct consequence of the predicted structural pattern of the middle ring in 24 Valence Electron Count (VEC) triple-decker complexes. The large ring size of [B 6 H 6 ] in 1 brings the metal-metal distance into the bonding range. However, significant electron delocalization from the M-M bonding orbital to the bridging hydrogen and B-B skeleton in the middle decreases its bond strength., (© 2022 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Nanoparticles of green materials have gained enormous interest due to their broad range of applications in several disciplines since they have significantly improved multifunctional activities. This article attempts a sustainable green approach to synthesize sodium lignosulfonate nanoparticles (SLS NPs) using another biomolecule, i.e., chitosan. The synthesized SLS NPs (with an average diameter of ~125 nm to 129 nm) have demonstrated synergetic efficacy by exhibiting outstanding multifunctional properties due to the presence of two types of biomolecules (i.e., lignosulfonate as well as chitosan) in their structure. The synthesized SLS NPs have bestowed excellent antibacterial activity against both the Gram-positive (S. aureus) and Gram-negative (E. coli) bacteria. Moreover, SLS NPs have displayed ~92% antioxidant property. Having polyphenolic entities in the structure of SLS NPs, they have shown UV-visible absorption peak at 224 nm, which directly indicates that they can act as an outstanding UV protective agent which has also been proven experimentally., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Empirical evidence on the responsiveness and sensitivities of food consumption to its drivers is vital for conducting economic studies. Despite recent attempts to provide such estimates, much empirical work remains to be done considering the prevailing shifts in consumption trends in the Philippines. Price and expenditure elasticities are estimated for seven food categories for rural and urban Filipino households, using Stone-Lewbel (SL) price indices and the quadratic almost-ideal demand system (QUAIDS) model. We used multiple years (2006, 2009, 2012, 2015, and 2018) of the Philippines Family Income and Expenditure Survey (FIES) to estimate the food demand system. The results show that rice is a normal good for most households, particularly for rural consumers. However, it is an inferior good for the top 30% of rural Filipinos and the top 40% of urban Filipinos. As income increases, such wealthy households tend to replace their rice-dominated diet with nutrient-dense food products. Female-headed households, younger households, and households with educated members consume significantly more animal proteins such as meat and dairy products., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

The supply chain disruptions caused by the COVID-19 outbreak have led to changes in food prices globally. The impact of COVID-19 on the price of essential and perishable food items in developing and emerging economies has been lacking. Using a recent phone survey by the World Bank, this study examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the prices of the three essential food items in India. The results indicate that price of basic food items such as atta (wheat flour) and rice increased significantly during the pandemic compared to the pre-pandemic period. In contrast, during the same period, the price of onions declined significantly. The findings may suggest panic-buying, hoarding, and storability of food items. The results further reveal that remittance income and cash transfers from the government negatively affected commodity prices. Thus, this study's findings suggest that families may have shifted the demand away from essential foods during the pandemic., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Despite the synthesis and structural characterization of closo-hydroborate dianions, [B n H n ] 2- (n=6-12) more than 50 years ago, some ambiguity remains about the structure of [B 8 H 8 ] 2- . Although the solid-state structure of [B 8 H 8 ] 2- was established by single-crystal X-ray studies in 1969, fast rearrangements in solution at accessible temperatures prevented its detailed characterization. We therefore stabilized a derivative of [B 8 H 8 ] 2- by using Cp 2 MBH 3 and structurally characterized two new octaborane analogues, [(Cp 2 MBH 3 ) 2 B 8 H 6 ] (Cp=η 5 -C 5 H 5 ; M=Zr (1-Zr) and Hf (1-Hf)), so that the dynamics of the B 8 skeleton were arrested. The solid-state structures of both 1-Zr and 1-Hf comprise a dodecahedron core protected by {Cp 2 MBH 3 } moieties on both sides of the cluster. Spectroscopic characterization ( 11 B NMR) validates the intactness of the B 8 dodecahedron core in solution as well. Theoretical calculations establish that the two exo-{Cp 2 MBH 3 } fragments provide structural and electronic structural stability to the B 8 core and its intact dodecahedral dianionic nature. Furthermore, we propose isodesmic equations for the formation of higher analogues of the B n core (n>8) guarded by different group 4 transition metals. Our analysis suggests that, as we move to higher polyhedra (n>10), the formation becomes unfavourable irrespective of metal., (© 2021 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

For centuries, heirloom rice varieties have been grown on the terraces of the Cordillera Mountains of Luzon, Philippines, terroirs known for their significant historical, cultural, and aesthetic values. However, heritage heirloom rice farming is gradually being abandoned, mainly because of its lower productivity and the struggle of the sector to create a sustainable niche market for heirloom rice by branding its cultural, social, and nutritional values. We propose several demand-side intervention strategies for the valorization of heirloom rice. To support the development of a segmented marketing strategy for heritage farming, we provide evidence on urban consumers' willingness to purchase heirloom rice. We interviewed 500 urban consumers from Metro Manila in July-August 2015, who placed a purchasing bid on a kilogram of heirloom rice. Consumers' bids averaged PHP 72.61 kg -1 (USD 1.60 kg -1 ), which is less than half its current market price. This explains why heirloom rice struggles to gain market share in urban markets in the Philippines. Given this bid price, we estimate a potential market size of PHP 20.3 billion (USD 443 million) that could be created for heirloom rice and tapped into by heritage farmers. Findings further indicate that women, business owners, and consumers who buy packaged rice and eat pigmented rice are willing to pay more for heirloom rice. Finally, our evidence suggests that proper information framing will be necessary to create demand and support the valorization of heirloom rice to preserve cultural heritage and in situ biodiversity of rice landraces in the Philippines., (© The Author(s) 2020.)

A self-powered system is very much essential aspect in the recent trend to improve the working efficiency of the portable and wearable devices. Here, we have reported a fully sustainable, self-poled, bio-compatible, and bio-waste based piezoelectric energy harvester which has been made of Pomelo Fruit Membrane (PFM). PFM based piezoelectric generator (PFMBPEG) could generate ~ 6.4 V output voltage and ~ 7.44 μA output current directly, only by finger tapping on the device and registers a power density of ~ 12 μW cm -2 whereas, the same piezoelectric generator can generate ~ 15 V output voltage, 130 μA output current, and power density of ~ 487.5 μW cm -2 by using a full wave rectifier. The sensitivity and energy harvesting competence of the generator have also been assessed by attaching this nanogenerator into various parts of human body (as energy sources) such as wrist, elbow, finger, throat, jaws, leg and putting the device into ultrasonic bath and in every case, it could successfully generate voltage. Therefore, this bio-waste based energy harvester can be used as a power source for the different potable and wearable electronic goods where a small amount of energy is required, specifically in the biomedical applications (i.e., health monitoring, power source for the implantable devices and so on). Finally, mechanical stability the developed piezoelectric generator has been evaluated by cyclic bending test and it has been observed that there is no significant deformation of the PFM film even after 100 cycles.

In the present study, the effect of varying the concentration of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on the piezoelectric performance of a poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF)/potassium sodium niobate (KNN)-based electrospun nanocomposite has been revealed. The incorporation of 0.1% CNTs in the PVDF/KNN composite results in a significant improvement in the performance of the nanogenerator, with an output voltage of ∼23.24 V, a current of ∼9 μA and a power density of 52.29 μW cm -2 under finger tapping compared with a voltage of ∼12 V, a current of ∼18 μA and a power density of 54 μW cm -2 upon the application of a mechanized compressive force. In fact, the addition of CNTs led to a higher β-fraction in the hybrid nanocomposite. Moreover, the presence of CNTs creates a conducting path in the nanofiller loaded polymer jet, which results in enhanced mechanical stretching of the electrospun fibres. This hybrid lead-free nanogenerator could be a good candidate for use in self-powered portable and wearable electronic goods where a very small amount of power is required.

In an effort to isolate the chalcogen-rich niobium analogue of [(Cp*Ta)3(μ-S)3(μ3-S)3BH], the room temperature reaction of [Cp*NbCl4] (Cp* = η5-C5Me5) with Li[BH2S3] was carried out. Although the objective of isolating the niobium analogue was not achieved, the reaction yielded a homocubane-type cluster [(Cp*Nb)3(μ-S)3(μ3-S)3(μ-S)BH], 1, and a hexa-sulfido cluster [(Cp*Nb)3(μ-S)6], 2. Cluster 1 is a notable example of a homocubane-type cluster in which one of the vertices of the homocubane is missing. Compound 1 may be considered as a hypo-electronic cluster with an electron count of 64 cve (cve = cluster valence electrons), whereas compound 2 shows the presence of two doubly bridging η1-S around each Nb-Nb bond. On the other hand, the room temperature reaction of [Cp*TaCl4] with selenaborate ligand, [LiBH2Se3], led to the formation of [(Cp*Ta)3(μ-Se)4{μ-Se2(Se2)}], 3. Compound 3 is one of the rarest examples having a Ta3Se6 core structure with a unique diselenide bridging fragment. The presence of a short Se-Se bond of this diselenide unit makes this molecule of further interest. All these compounds were characterized by 1H, 11B{1H} and 13C{1H} NMR spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and single-crystal X-ray crystallography. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were carried out to provide insight into the bonding and electronic structures of these chalcogen-rich trimetallic clusters.

Sex steroid hormones are major regulators of uterine and placental growth and functions, as well as many other biological processes. To examine the mRNA expression of nuclear estrogen (ESR1 and 2) and progesterone (PGRAB and B) receptors in different compartments of the uterus and placenta, tissues were collected in experiment 1 on days 16, 20, and 28 after natural mating (NAT) and on day 10 after estrus (nonpregnant controls [NP]); and in experiment 2 on day 22 of NAT, and pregnancies established after transfer of embryos generated through mating of FSH-treated ewes (NAT-ET), in vitro fertilization (IVF), or in vitro activation (parthenotes). In experiment 1, ESR1 expression in endometrial stroma (ES), endometrial glands (EGs), and myometrial blood vessels (MBVs), ESR2 in endometrial blood vessels (EBV), PGRAB in ES, and PGRB in ES, EG, and MBV was greater in pregnant than NP ewes depending on the day of pregnancy. The day of pregnancy affected the expression of ESR1 in MBV, ESR2 in EBV and MBV, and PGRAB in ES. In experiment 2, ESR1, PGRAB, and PGRB in EG, but not in other compartments, was greater in NAT-ET than NAT, and PGRB was greater for NAT-ET than IVF. These data demonstrate that ESR and PGR expression differ in pregnant versus NP ewes in selected compartments and was affected by pregnancy stage or embryo origin in selected utero-placental compartments. Thus, sex steroid hormone mRNA expression is differentially regulated in a spatiotemporal manner in the uterus and placenta and is affected by the application of assisted reproductive technology in sheep., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The aim of this study was to evaluate the pattern of protein expression of the steroid receptor isoforms of nuclear progesterone receptors (PGR) A and B, and estrogen receptors (ESR1 and 2) in utero-placental compartments during early pregnancy. Utero-placental tissues were collected from days 14-30 (n = 4 ewes/day), and uterine tissues were collected from non-pregnant ewes on day 10 after estrus (n = 4). Cross sections of formalin-fixed and paraffin embedded tissues were immunofluorescently stained to detect PGRAB, PGRB, ESR1 and ESR2, followed by image generation of entire cross-sections of uterine and utero-placental tissues, confocal imaging of individual uterine and utero-placental compartments, and image and statistical analyses. PGRAB, PGRB, ESR1 and ESR2 were detected in several compartments of uterine and utero-placental tissues. Quantitative image analysis of staining intensity demonstrated that compared to non-pregnant controls 1) expression of PGRAB and PGRB was less in luminal epithelium and endometrial glands from day 14-16 till 30; 2) PGRAB expression tended to be greater in endometrial and myometrial blood vessels on days 28 and/or 30; 3) PGRB expression in myometrum was lower on days 16 and 28; 4) ESR1 in endometrial stroma was lower in all days of pregnancy; 5) ESR2 expression was similar in all compartments and not affected by pregnancy stage; and 6) in FM, expression of steroid receptors was similar. Thus, we have demonstrated spatial and temporal expression of nuclear PGR and ESR isoforms in utero-placental compartments during early pregnancy., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.

There is a growing demand for durable advanced wound dressings for the management of persistent infections after deep burn injuries. Herein, we demonstrated the preparation of durable antimicrobial nanofiber mats, by taking advantage of strong interfacial interactions between polyhydroxy antibiotics (with varying number of OH groups) and gelatin and their in-situ crosslinking with polydopamine (pDA) using ammonium carbonate diffusion method. Polydopamine crosslinking did not interfere with the antimicrobial efficacy of the loaded antibiotics. Interestingly, incorporation of antibiotics containing more number of alcoholic OH groups (N OH  ≥ 5) delayed the release kinetics with complete retention of antimicrobial activity for an extended period of time (20 days). The antimicrobials-loaded mats displayed superior mechanical and thermal properties than gelatin or pDA-crosslinked gelatin mats. Mats containing polyhydroxy antifungals showed enhanced aqueous stability and retained nanofibrous morphology under aqueous environment for more than 4 weeks. This approach can be expanded to produce mats with broad spectrum antimicrobial properties by incorporating the combination of antibacterial and antifungal drugs. Direct electrospinning of vancomycin-loaded electrospun nanofibers onto a bandage gauze and subsequent crosslinking produced non-adherent durable advanced wound dressings that could be easily applied to the injured sites and readily detached after treatment. In a partial thickness burn injury model in piglets, the drug-loaded mats displayed comparable wound closure to commercially available silver-based dressings. This prototype wound dressing designed for easy handling and with long-lasting antimicrobial properties represents an effective option for treating life-threatening microbial infections due to thermal injuries., (Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Background: Glucose-induced kinetics of bone marrow-derived stem cells in healthy females is presently unknown. The objectives of this study were to determine whether circulating levels of CD133(+), CD34(+) and CD133(+)CD34(+) cells increase in response to glucose load in healthy females and whether the kinetics is altered in amenorrhoeic women. The other objective of the work was to compare the endothelial differentiation potential of peripheral blood-derived endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) from healthy versus amenorrhoeic women., Methods: In this case-control study, 44 amenorrhoeic subjects and 36 age-matched females with no menstrual disturbance were recruited at Apollo Hospitals, a Tertiary health care center in Chennai, India. Circulating bone marrow-derived stem cells were measured by two color direct flow cytometry. Cultured progenitor cells were characterized at Day 7 and 14 for expression of endothelial markers and production of nitric oxide (NO) via immunofluoroscence., Results: The amenorrhoeic subjects were insulin resistant with homeostatic model of assessment of insulin resistance values of 3.33 ± 0.3 versus 1.75 ± 0.148 observed for controls (P< 0.0001). Among the amenorrhoeic subjects, 38 subjects had polycystic ovaries with no signs of hyperandrogenism. Fasting levels of CD133(+), CD34(+) and CD133(+)CD34(+) cells were reduced in amenorrhoeic subjects (P< 0.001). There was a 1.5 to 2-fold increase in the circulating levels of these cells in response to 75 g oral glucose challenge at 1 and 2 h post-load conditions in controls, which was significantly blunted for CD133(+) (P< 0.001) and CD133(+)CD34(+) (P< 0.001) cells in amenorrhoeic subjects. A positive correlation was observed between estrogen and fasting CD133(+) (r= 0.205, P= 0.070), CD34(+) (r= 0.249, P= 0.027) and CD133(+)CD34(+) (r= 0.217, P= 0.055) cell counts. Additionally, fasting counts for CD34(+) and CD133(+)CD34(+) cells positively correlated with FSH and inversely correlated with LH and C-peptide in the polycystic group. Cultured cells from polycystic subjects exhibited reduced adherence to fibronectin and expressed lower levels of endothelial nitric-oxide synthase and NO., Conclusions: Oral glucose-induced increase in circulating numbers of CD133(+) and CD133(+)CD34(+) cells and endothelial differentiation potential of peripheral blood-derived EPCs is attenuated in insulin resistant amenorrhoeic subjects.