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Aditya K Kar,1,2 Amrita Singh,1,2 Nitesh Dhiman,1,2 Mahaveer P Purohit,1,2 Pankaj Jagdale,3 Mohan Kamthan,4 Dhirendra Singh,3 Mahadeo Kumar,3 Debabrata Ghosh,2,5 Satyakam Patnaik1,2 1Water Analysis Laboratory, Nanomaterial Toxicology Group, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (CSIR-IITR), Lucknow 226001, Uttar Pradesh, India; 2Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (CSIR-IITR), Lucknow 226001, Uttar Pradesh, India; 3Regulatory Toxicology, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (CSIR-IITR), Lucknow 226001, Uttar Pradesh, India; 4CITAR, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (CSIR-IITR), Lucknow 226001, Uttar Pradesh, India; 5Immunotoxicology Laboratory, Food Drug and Chemical Toxicology Group, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (CSIR-IITR), Lucknow 226001, Uttar Pradesh, IndiaCorrespondence: Satyakam PatnaikWater Analysis Laboratory, Nanomaterial Toxicology Group, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (CSIR-IITR), Vishvigyan Bhawan, 31, Mahatma Gandhi Marg, Lucknow 226001, Uttar Pradesh, IndiaTel +91 5222627586, Ext. 205Fax +91 5222628227Email satyakampatnaik@yahoo.comIntroduction: An ideal wound dressing material needs to be predisposed with desirable attributes like anti-infective effect, skin hydration balance, adequate porosity and elasticity, high mechanical strength, low wound surface adherence, and enhanced tissue regeneration capability. In this work, we have synthesized hydrogel-based wound patches having antibacterial silver nanoparticles and antioxidant epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and showed fast wound closure through their synergistic interaction without any inherent toxicity.Methods and results: Wound patches were synthesized from modified guar gum polymer and assessed to determine accelerated wound healing. The modified polymer beget chemical-free in-situ synthesis of monodispersed silver NPs (∼12 nm), an antimicrobial agent, besides lending ionic surface charges. EGCG impregnated during ionotropic gelation process amplified the efficacy of wound patches that possess apt tensile strength, porosity, and swellability for absorbing wound exudates. Further, in vitro studies endorsed them as non-cytotoxic and the post agent effect following exposure to the patch showed an unbiased response to E coli K12 and B. subtilis. In vivo study using sub-cutaneous wounds in Wistar rats validated its accelerated healing properties when compared to a commercially available wound dressing material (skin graft; Neuskin-F®) through better wound contraction, promoted collagen deposition and enhanced vascularization of wound region by modulating growth factors and inflammatory cytokines.Conclusion: Synthesized wound patches showed all the desired attributes of a clinically effective dressing material and the results were validated in various in vitro and in vivo assays.Keywords: aminated guar gum, hydrogels, silver nanoparticles, epigallocatechin gallate, wound healing

Abstract The purpose of this study was biogenic synthesis of silver nanoparticles using aqueous leaf extract of Cissus woodrowii (CW-AgNPs) and exploration of their role in inhibition cell proliferation of breast cancer cells. Inhibitory effect of biogenic CW-AgNPs on cell proliferation of MCF-7 cells was determined by MTT assay. Apoptotic cell death was demonstrated by caspase-3 assay, DNA fragmentation assay, Annexin-V-FITC/PI staining assay and cell cycle arrest assay by flow cytometry. Expression of apoptosis-related genes including caspase-3, p53 and Bcl2 was studied by western blot analysis and semi-quantitative RT-PCR. Results of UV–Vis spectrum of colloidal solution of CW-AgNPs showed surface plasmon resonance peak at 430 nm. TEM and XRD results confirmed spherical shaped, 20–30 nm sized nanoparticles. Cell proliferation results showed inhibitory effects of CW-AgNPs on MCF-7 with IC50 (24 h) 8.48 µg/mL and (48 h) 7.11 µg/mL. The CW-AgNPs altered cell morphology of MCF-7 cells and induced apoptosis significantly which was evidenced through caspase-3 activation and nuclear DNA fragmentation. The results were supported by the observation of Annexin-V-FITC/PI staining and cell cycle arrest assays. The up-regulated expression of both p53 and caspase-3 genes and down-regulation of Bcl2 at both protein and mRNA level supported their role in induction of apoptosis in MCF-7 cells in response to CW-AgNPs. The findings obtained in current study supported the role of biogenic CW-AgNPs in inhibition of cell proliferation in breast cancer cells through induction of apoptosis. Graphical Abstract

The emergence and subsequent advancement of nanotechnology in recent years have greatly benefited the healthcare sector, particularly in the treatment of cancer. As per study, major fatalities are related to the lung cancer. For many years, oral tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) against the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) family of receptors have been used in the clinic to treat human malignancies, although they observed some very serious adverse effects in the treatment of lung cancer, especially in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Despite EGFR-TKIs’ exceptional qualities as small-molecule targeted medications, their applicability is nevertheless limited by their poor solubility, inconsistent oral bioavailability, high daily dose needs, high plasma albumin binding propensity, and initial/acquired drug resistance. Article’s purpose is to investigate EGFR-TKI’s effects on lung cancer and get around some of its drawbacks, nanotechnology will be an innovative strategy. An effective tool to increase the effectiveness of these pharmaceuticals is nanotechnology by methods other than oral. This article signifies that a range of nanomedicine delivery systems have been developed to effectively distribute EGFR-TKIs with improved drug release kinetics and tissue-targeting capacity. This review article intends to present information regarding lung cancer and EGFR relation, mechanism of recently approved EGFR-TKI’s targeted therapy, an updated landscape of EGFR-TKIs and their clinical status over lung cancer, advantages and disadvantages of nanotechnology, and new breakthroughs in nano-delivery which mentioned as a significantly better over traditional drug chemotherapy and delivery.

Hybrid photocatalysts, comprising both inorganic and organic polymeric components, are the most promising photocatalysts for the degradation of organic contaminants. The nanocomposite, Titania-Polyaniline (TiO2-PANI) was synthesized using the chemical oxidative polymerization method. Various characterization techniques were employed to assess the properties of the catalysts. The ultraviolet diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-DRS) analysis revealed that the TiO2 absorbs only UV light while the TiO2-PANI nanocomposite absorbs light from both UV and visible regions. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) results confirmed the presence of TiO2 (anatase) in both TiO2 nanoparticles and TiO2-PANI (Titania-Polyaniline) nanocomposite. The phases of the catalysts were verified through Raman, TEM, and SAED techniques where all results are in good agreement with each other. The average crystallite size of TiO2 nanoparticle and TiO2-PANI nanocomposite were 13.87 and 10.76 nm. The thermal stability of the catalysts was assessed by the Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) technique. The order of the thermal stability is TiO2 > TiO2-PANI > PANI. The crystal lattice characteristics were confirmed using Transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The surface area measurements were confirmed from the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) study and were employed for the evaluation of the photocatalytic efficiency of both, TiO2 nanoparticles and TiO2-PANI nanocomposite catalysts. The energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) study was employed for elemental detection of the fabricated materials. While Raman spectroscopy was employed for the chemical structure and the phase characteristics of the materials. The standard conditions for the degradation of the CF dye were 8 g/L of catalyst dosage, 20 mg/L of dye concentration, and a pH of 7. The TiO2-PANI nanocomposite exhibited superior efficiency as compared to pure TiO2 nanoparticles, achieving almost 100 % degradation in just 40 minutes.

The three-point hitch, found on agricultural tractors, facilitates the raising and lowering of an attached implement. Some tractors include a rock shaft that comprises a physical shaft that interconnects and facilitates the raising and lowering of the lower arms of the three-point hitch in a synchronized manner. In this study, we deal with a hitch system with the lower arms actuated by two independent hydraulic cylinders. This innovative tractor hitch system design allows the implement to follow the terrain, instead of the tractor, about the fore–aft (roll) axis of the tractor. However, since the two lower arms are independent, a specialized controller is needed to move these arms in unison. First, we present a position controller for individual arms and a roll controller to move these arms together. Second, we present a unique algorithm to emulate a physical rock shaft while the implement is operating in float mode. The algorithm ensures that the implement does not roll around the fore–aft axis while making sure it moves up and down vertically to follow the terrain. We present experimental results from the step response of the hitch system’s height while tracking a velocity reference. With the roll of the implement defined as the difference between the left arm’s position in percentage and that of the right arm in percentage, we observe that the largest mean roll was 0.23% with a flail mower attached and 0.26% without any implement. We then present results from the implement’s position in the float mode when the software rock shaft was activated and compare them with the case without the software rock shaft. The experiments showed that, when the software rock shaft was turned on, the mean roll reduced from 4.64% to 0.58% with a seed drill implement and from −3.99% to −0.59% with a flail mower implement. The standard deviations in these two implement cases improved from 16.77% to 2.79% and 6.45% to 3.53%, respectively, proving the effectiveness of the software rock shaft and its potential to replace the physical rock shaft found on the traditional tractors.

Background: In recent years, biosynthesized nanoparticles has shown a promise as alternative avenue for improving the effectiveness of conventional chemotherapy. Despite, there is a significant gap in existing literature concerning the comprehensive study of biogenic silver nanoparticles derived from terrestrial fern species and their potential effects on cancer cells. This study is aiming to investigate effects of biogenic silver nanoparticles synthesized using aqueous extract of bracken fern Pteridium revolutum on inhibiting cell proliferation and inducing apoptosis in HCT-15 cells. Methods: Biogenic silver nanoparticles synthesized using aqueous extract of Pteridum revolutum followed by their characterization (UV–Visible spectroscopy, TEM, XRD and FTIR). The impact on cell proliferation of HCT-15 cells was assessed by MTT assay while induction of apoptosis was demonstrated via DNA fragmentation, caspase-3 assay, cell cycle arrest, FITC V- Annexin assay and evaluation of expression of apoptotic genes using real time PCR and western blotting techniques. Results: Results of UV–Vis spectrum of colloidal solution of CW-AgNPs showed surface plasmon resonance peak at 430 nm. TEM and XRD results confirmed synthesis of spherical shaped, 20–40 nm sized nanoparticles. The results elucidate cytotoxic effect of PR-AgNPs against HCT-15 cells in time and dose dependent manner with IC50 observed at 5.79 ± 0.58 µg /mL after 24 h of exposure. Furthermore, PR-AgNPs induce significant alterations in cellular morphology, elevate DNA DNA fragmentation and enhance expression of p53 and caspase-3 in HCT10 cells. Conclusion: The findings from this study address the noteworthy antiproliferative effects of PR-AgNPs in cancer cells primarily mediated through activation of intrinsic apoptosis pathway by inducing p53 and caspase-3 genes.

Milk proteins play a pivotal role in human nutrition and serve as abundant reservoirs of essential amino acids and bioactive compounds. Beyond their nutritional significance, they are also crucial ingredients in the food industry due to their unique physicochemical properties, which include emulsification, foaming, viscosity, and gelation capabilities. Despite the increasing popularity of plant-based proteins, the indispensability of milk protein remains undeniable. This review highlights the significance of milk proteins, focusing on casein and whey, their chemistry, functional properties, and applications in various industries. It delves into the chemical composition and functional properties of these proteins, shedding light on their multifaceted applications and the technological advancements employed for their extraction and refinement. Animal-derived protein fractions can be modified into micro- or nanoscale delivery systems, which deliver and shield bioactive compounds, promoting specific responses at specific sites in the body. A comprehensive understanding of the unique attributes of milk proteins continues to drive their widespread integration into the food industry and beyond, reaffirming their role in fostering balanced metabolism and supporting overall human health. This review provides insights into the potential of milk proteins to drive innovations for future demands across various sectors.

The work presents the usefulness of cotton fibre waste as a source of carbon fibre (CF) by pyrolysis. Different pyrolysis temperatures were studied to assess the surface and structural changes during carbonisation. The structural and surface modification of fibres during carbonisation was studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), and Raman spectroscopy. Low-pressure plasma employed for surface functionalization treatment in presence of oxygen was conducted. The surface modification was analysed and compared by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and contact angle analysis. Carbon fibre structural strength was studied using nanoindentation. The carbon fibres before and after functionalization revealed a significant change in surface hydrophilicity. In nanoindentation, the maximum displacement of carbon fibre produced at 400 °C is higher when compared to treatment of 600 °C and 800 °C, for identical applied load, revealing lower resistance to applied load, while the carbon fibre produced at 600 °C has the least displacement, i.e. higher resistance to applied load. Enhancement of material strength (through resistance to applied load) after surface functionalization is evidenced for the case of carbon fibre produced at 400 °C and no effect for carbon fibre (both plain and functionalized) produced at 800 °C.

In-situ microstructural control is desirable in additively manufactured metal parts due to limited post-processing options for net-shaped components. Here, we introduce a novel selective rescanning approach to control the local solidification conditions and the microstructure in metal parts produced by laser powder-bed fusion (LPBF). We show that the melt pool dimensions, grain size, and sub-grain cell structure can be selectively varied in three dimensions to engineer the mechanical response of LPBF parts. The lattice-based rescanning strategy enables the formation of an interpenetrating microstructure comprised of fine and coarse grains. The localized heating and cooling-induced thermal stresses increase the hardness and tensile strength of rescanned specimens. The study shows the potential of selective rescanning strategy as a promising avenue for achieving precise control of microstructure and properties in as-printed LPBF parts without subsequent processing.

BACKGROUND: End stage kidney disease (ESKD) patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis (HD) face an elevated bleeding risk. There are the factors such as body mass index (BMI), comorbidities, and medications such as antiplatelet, anticoagulants, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that increase the bleeding risk. The validity of bleeding risk assessment tools in the ESKD population needs to be studied. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a prospective, observational study in a HD unit at a tertiary care teaching hospital in Ajman. Sixty adult patients on regular maintenance HD sessions were included in the study. Severity of bleeding was categorized based on the World Health Organization (WHO) classification. Each patient's risk of bleeding was assessed monthly using 9 different bleeding risk assessment tools (HASBLED, ATRIA, HEMORR2HAGES, ORBIT, IMPROVE, OBRI, S2TOP-BLEED, intracranial-B2 LEED3S, and Glasgow Blatchford Score for gastrointestinal bleeding) for 6 months' period. Patients were categorized into low- and high-risk groups according to their risk scores. The predictive power of risk assessment tools was assessed by calculating its sensitivity and specificity. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted, and the area under the curve was estimated for each risk assessment tool. Logistic regression model was also done using the SPSS software version 29. RESULTS: The mean age of the study group was 56 years, and the average BMI was 27 kg/m2. A total of 20 bleeding events were reported among ten patients (16.7%). The WHO category 1 and WHO category 2 bleeding were observed in 15 and 5 bleeding events, respectively. None had category 3 or 4 bleeding. Bleeding risk was found to be associated with ethnicity and obesity but not to other patient demographic factors or medication use. Based on sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and the area under the ROC curve, HEMORR2HAGES score showed better prediction of bleeding risk compared to the other tools used. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, most of the risk assessment tools showed poor predictive value in the maintenance HD population. Existing bleeding risk tools may not be helpful in dialysis patients. A more valid bleeding risk tool needs to be developed for the ESKD patient population.

Xp11 translocation renal cell carcinoma (XPTRCC) is a very rare kidney neoplasm, which has been predominantly reported in young patients. Sarcomatoid transformation in renal cell carcinomas is known. However, its occurrence in XPTRCC is unreported so far in the literature. We report a unique case of sarcomatoid transformation in a XPTRCC in a 23-year-old female, who presented with a huge right-sided renal mass and had metastatic deposits in lungs. Morphologically, clear cell morphology with papillary architecture along with foci of sarcomatoid transformation and rhabdoid differentiation were noted. Immunohistochemistry showed Pax-8 and TFE-3 expression in all components including the sarcomatous areas, whereas CK and EMA were expressed in conventional clear cell component. We present an extremely rare case of sarcomatous transformation in XPTRCC and discuss the case as determined by histopathology and immunocytochemistry. To our knowledge, this is the first case of sarcomatoid transformation XPTRCC being reported in the world literature.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effect of molecular size on the pulmonary pharmacokinetics (PK) of proteins following systemic and local administration in wild-type mice. Methods: A non-cross-reactive antibody trastuzumab, and F(ab′)2, Fab, and scFv fragments of this antibody were used for the investigation. Proteins were injected intravenously or via intratracheal instillation, and PK was measured in plasma, lungs, trachea, bronchi, and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) using ELISA. Concentrations in BAL were urea normalized. Results: Following systemic administration, the biodistribution coefficient (BC) for lungs, trachea, bronchi, and BAL was 11%, 11%, 15%, and 2% for the antibody; 15%, 7%, 13%, and 8% for F(ab′)2; 25%, 17%, 28%, and 46% for Fab; and 14%, 1%, 2%, and 50% for scFv. The antibody exposure in BAL was ~50-fold lower than plasma and ~5–7-fold lower than lung tissues. A tissue-dependent BC vs. molecular size relationship was observed, where distribution in tissues was the highest for Fab (50 kDa), and scFv demonstrated the highest distribution in the BAL. PK data generated following local administration were quite variable; however, local dosing resulted in BAL exposures that were 10–100-fold higher than those achieved after systemic dosing for all proteins. The BAL antibody concentrations were 100–1000-fold higher than plasma concentrations initially, which normalized by day 14. For most proteins, local dosing resulted in higher lung concentrations than trachea and bronchi, opposite to what was observed after systemic dosing. Conclusions: The PK data presented here provide an unprecedented quantitative insight into the effect of molecular size on the pulmonary disposition of proteins following systemic and local administration.

Osteoporosis is a metabolic bone condition that occurs when bone mineral density and mass decrease. This makes the bones weak and brittle. The disorder is often undiagnosed and untreated due to its asymptomatic nature until the manifestation of a fracture. Machine Learning (ML) is extensively used in diverse healthcare domains to analyze precise outcomes, provide timely risk scores, and allocate resources. Hence, we have designed multiple heterogeneous machine-learning frameworks to predict the risk of Osteoporosis. An open-source dataset of 1493 patients containing bone density, blood, and physical tests is utilized. Thirteen distinct feature selection techniques were leveraged to extract the most salient parameters. The best-performing pipeline consisted of a Forward Feature Selection algorithm followed by a custom multi-level ensemble learning-based stack, which achieved an accuracy of 89 %. Deploying a layer of explainable artificial intelligence using tools such as SHAP (SHapley Additive Values), LIME (Local Interpretable Model Explainer), ELI5, Qlattice, and feature importance provided interpretability and rationale behind classifier prediction. With this study, we aim to provide the holistic risk prediction of Osteoporosis and concurrently present a system for automated screening to assist physicians in making diagnostic decisions.

Insect chitin has been extracted from granary weevil - Sitophilus granarius L, commonly called wheat weevil in laboratory by treating it with 1 M HCl and 1 M NaOH. This was followed by decolorization. The yield of chitin from this species is 20.2%. The chemical structure and physicochemical properties of α-chitin was characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy. Chitin exhibited similar chemical structures and physicochemical properties to earlier investigated chitin form different insect as well as commercial chitin. The Degree of Acetylation (DA) value for chitin was 97.48% and chitin crystalline index (CrI) was 78.77%. Thus it is a promising alternative for source of chitin.

Goat milk contains an abundance of different macro and micro-nutrients. Compared with other milk, goat milk is a viable option due to its low allergy levels and is preferred for infants with cow milk allergies. A wide variety of goat milk-based products, including yoghurt, ice cream, fermented milk, and cheese, are available on the market. They are produced using effective processing technology and are known to exhibit numerous health benefits after consumption. However, goat milk consumption is limited in many nations (compared with cow, buffalo, camel, and sheep milk) due to a lack of awareness of its nutritional composition and the significance of its different byproducts. This review provides a detailed explanation of the various macronutrients that may be present, with special attention paid to each component, its purpose, and the health benefits it offers. It also compares goat milk with milk from other species in terms of its superiority and nutritional content, as well as the types, production methods, health advantages, and other beneficial properties of the various goat milk products that are currently available on the market.

Sistrunk procedure for thyroglossal duct cyst (TGDC) includes removal of the thyroglossal cyst, middle portion of the hyoid bone and the tract towards the foramen caecum. Endoscopic approaches have surpassed the traditional open approaches for the treatment of benign thyroid swellings and TGDCs. Endoscopic Sistrunk procedure using bilateral axillo-breast approach is a safe and better alternative for the successful treatment of TGDC and provides excellent cosmetic results.

Context: American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) antihypertensive treatment-resistance criteria have been not used in the hemodialysis (HD) population. Aims: To assess interim Blood Pressure (BP) measures in End-Stage Kidney Disease (ESKD) patients on maintenance hemodialysis after classifying them using the ACC/AHA criteria. Methods: The study was a case series assessing blood pressure readings of ESKD patients undergoing maintenance HD at a tertiary-level care hospital in the United Arab Emirates. Blood pressure readings before, during, and after HD sessions were collected and analyzed. SPSS version 26 was used for data analysis. Results: Out of 55 patients with HD, 10 were classified as having treatment-resistant hypertension, and 6 had controlled hypertension in borderline based on mean post-dialysis Systolic BP (SBP) data of a month. Altogether, the patients underwent 183 dialysis sessions in a month with over 1000 BP readings. The treatment-resistant population showed a p-value less than 0.05 with elevated Pre-SBP, Post-SBP, Mean Intra-SBP, Mean Intra-diastolic BP (DPB), Pre-DBP, Post-DBP, Post-pulse pressure (PP), and Post-mean arterial pressure (MAP). Conclusions: Use of ACC/AHA criteria for treatment-resistant hypertension might guide setting better treatment goals among ESKD patients on maintenance HD.

Redox active small organic molecules (OM) are the promising materials for energy storage applications. The practical utilization of such materials in combination with excellent redox-active material is advantageous to enhance the specific capacitance (Csp). Herein, naphthalene diimide (NDI) and perylenediimide (PDI) molecules linked with pyrazine (Pyr) are exploited as faradiac reversible redox-active material on graphite foil (GF) surface to act as electrode materials in supercapacitor (SC) device. The as-fabricated NDI-Pyr/GF and PDI-Pyr/GF electrodes were optimized in three-electrode SC device in view of their electrochemical performance. The NDI-Pyr/GF and PDI-Pyr/GF in SC device demonstrated a Csp of about 260 and 302 F g−1, respectively at 0.5 A g−1 current density. However, in two-electrode symmetric supercapacitor (SSC) device i.e. PDI-Pyr/GF//PDI-Pyr/GF exhibited excellent Csp of about 192 F g−1 at 1 A g−1 current density with longer cycling stability with 88.13% after 4000 galvanostatic (GCD) charge/discharge cycles. Furthermore, an excellent energy density of 54 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 2700 W kg−1 is provided by the SSC device. These results suggest that the as-prepared PDI-Pyr/GF//PDI-Pyr/GF have practical energy storage application in OSC devices.

In the present investigation five (E)-1-(benzo[d][1,3]dioxol-5-yl)-3-(4-aryl)prop-2-en-1-one derivatives were prepared by Claisen Schmidt condensation. They are characterized by FT-IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and HRMS spectroscopic methods. Theoretical investigation of these synthesized compounds was carried out by density functional theory (DFT) at the B3LYP/6–31+G(d,p) level of theory. The specifications for optimized geometries, frontier molecular orbitals, global reactivity descriptors, molecular electrostatic potential and harmonic vibrational wavenumber were calculated and addressed. All compounds were evaluated for in vitro antibacterial activities against Escherichia coli (MTCC 443), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MTCC 1688), Staphylococcus aureus (MTCC 96) and Streptococcus pyogenes (MTCC 442) strains, and in vitro antifungal activities against Candida albicans (MTCC 227), Aspergillus niger (MTCC 282) and Aspergillus clavatus (MTCC 1323) strains by using serial broth dilution method. Synthesized compounds show good antibacterial activity. In silico pharmacokinetics study is also carried out and study shows they have good ADME characteristics and might be used as antimicrobial agent.

Zinc oxide, iron-doped zinc oxide, and nickel-doped zinc oxide were tailored by the economic co-precipitation method. The hexagonal structure of the prepared samples was affirmed by structural investigation. The optical investigation confirmed that doping of Ni and Fe metal ions tune the band gap to 2.96 eV and 2.93 eV, respectively from 2.99 eV. The porous and voids across the surface of the photocatalyst were confirmed by SEM analysis and the elemental composition was validated by EDS. The 3.5 % Fe/ZnO was found superior photocatalyst to decolorize the cationic Crystal violot (CV) dye due to its small band gap and porous surface of the catalyst. It degraded almost 99.88 % CV dye within 60 min only, which was faster than 3.5 % Ni/ZnO (95 min) and ZnO (120 min). The competitive adsorption effect by strong ionic effect shown by anions can define the role of reactive species such as hydroxyl radicals, and superoxide anions in presence of CV dye.

Arsenic (As) exposure is progressively associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD), a leading public health concern present worldwide. The adverse effect of As exposure on the kidneys of people living in As endemic areas have not been extensively studied. Furthermore, the impact of only prenatal exposure to As on the progression of CKD also has not been fully characterized. In the present study, we examined the effect of prenatal exposure to low doses of As 0.04 and 0.4 mg/kg body weight (0.04 and 0.4 ppm, respectively) on the progression of CKD in male offspring using a Wistar rat model. Interestingly, only prenatal As exposure was sufficient to elevate the expression of profibrotic (TGF-β1) and proinflammatory (IL-1α, MIP-2α, RANTES, and TNF-α) cytokines at 2-day, 12- and 38-week time points in the exposed progeny. Further, alteration in adipogenic factors (ghrelin, leptin, and glucagon) was also observed in 12- and 38-week old male offspring prenatally exposed to As. An altered level of these factors coincides with impaired glucose metabolism and homeostasis accompanied by progressive kidney damage. We observed a significant increase in the deposition of extracellular matrix components and glomerular and tubular damage in the kidneys of 38-week-old male offspring prenatally exposed to As. Furthermore, the overexpression of TGF-β1 in kidneys corresponds with hypermethylation of the TGF-β1 gene-body, indicating a possible involvement of prenatal As exposure-driven epigenetic modulations of TGF-β1 expression. Our study provides evidence that prenatal As exposure to males can adversely affect the immunometabolism of offspring which can promote kidney damage later in life.

Currently, most licensed vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 infection are approved for adults and not for children. We conducted a test negative case-control study to assess the effectiveness of Measles Containing Vaccines (MCVs) against SARS-CoV-2 infection in Pune, India, in children who were ≥1 year and

Wireless sensor network is a dynamic field of networking and communication because of its increasing demand in critical Industrial and Robotics applications. Clustering is the technique mainly used in the WSN to deal with large load density for efficient energy conservation. Formation of number of duplicate clusters in the clustering algorithm decreases the throughput and network lifetime of WSN. To deal with this problem, advance distributive energy-efficient adaptive clustering protocol with sleep/wake scheduling algorithm (DEACP-S/W) for the selection of optimal cluster head is presented in this paper. The presented sleep/wake cluster head scheduling along with distributive adaptive clustering protocol helps in reducing the transmission delay by properly balancing of load among nodes. The performance of algorithm is evaluated on the basis of network lifetime, throughput, average residual energy, packet delivered to the base station (BS) and CH of nodes. The results are compared with standard LEACH and DEACP protocols and it is observed that the proposed protocol performs better than existing algorithms. Throughput is improved by 8.1% over LEACH and by 2.7% over DEACP. Average residual energy is increased by 6.4% over LEACH and by 4% over DEACP. Also, the network is operable for nearly 33% more rounds compared to these reference algorithms which ultimately results in increasing lifetime of the Wireless Sensor Network.

In this paper we produced a bio-based polyether-polyurethane foam PU1 through the prepolymer method. The prepolymer was obtained by the reaction of PEG 400 with L-Lysine ethyl ester diisocyanate (L-LDI). The freshly prepared prepolymer was extended with 2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)furan (BHMF) to produce the final polyurethane. The renewable chemical BHMF was produced through the chemical reduction of HMF by sodium borohydride. HMF was produced by a previously reported procedure from fructose using choline chloride and ytterbium triflate. To evaluate the degradation rate of the foam PU1, we tested the chemical stability by soaking it in a 10% sodium hydroxide solution. The weight loss was only 12% after 30 days. After that, we proved that enzymatic hydrolysis after 30 days using cholesterol esterase was more favoured than hydrolysis with NaOH, with a weight loss of 24%, probably due to the hydrophobic character of the PU1 and a better adhesion of the enzyme on the surface with respect to water. BHMF was proved to be of crucial importance for the enzymatic degradation assay at 37 °C in phosphate buffer solution, because it represents the breaking point inside the polyurethane chain. Soil burial degradation test was monitored for three months to evaluate whether the joint activity of sunlight, climate changes and microorganisms, including bacteria and fungi, could further increase the biodegradation. The unexpected weight loss after soil burial degradation test was 45% after three months. This paper highlights the potential of using sustainable resources to produce new biodegradable materials.

Wire electrical discharge machining (WEDM) is widely preferred for machining difficult-to-cut materials like Ti6Al4V. In the present study, current, pulse-off-duration (Toff), and pulse-on-duration (Toff) were identified as vital input factors for the WEDM process of Ti6Al4V. Material removal rate (MRR) and surface roughness (SR) were selected as output measures for the study. The experiments were carried out by employing Taguchi’s L9 design at three levels. Empirical models were generated, which give the relationship between the input and output factors of the process. To check the acceptability of the model terms, analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used. The regression mode was observed to be significant for the output measures. For MRR, Toff was recorded as the highly significant factor affecting the response values with 74.95% impact, followed by Ton with 16.39%, and current with 6.56%. In the case of SR, Ton was found to be a highly significant factor with a 50.24% impact, followed by current with 43.99%, and Toff with 1.47%. Further, multi-objective optimization by using the HTS technique was performed. The effect of expanded graphite (EG) nano-powder has been studied on the output factors of MRR and SR. The use of EG nano-powder was found to improve WEDM operations as MRR was increased by 45.35%, and simultaneously, SR was reduced by 36.16%. Lastly, the surface morphology of the machined surface was investigated by employing SEM to understand the effect of EG nano-powder. The results have shown a reduction in surface defects by using EG nano-powder compared to the conventional WEDM process.