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The pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) is a primary pest of cotton in many regions of the world. In many parts of India, pink bollworm (PBW) has become resistant to BG-I (Bollgard I®) that expresses a single Bt gene (Cry1Ac) in 2009 and BG-II (Cry1Ac and cry 2Ab) in 2015. The brief review addresses the possible reasons and solutions to resistance posed by this insect. The review addresses the following points: reasons for resistance in PBW is discussed; the life-history is discussed how it’s distinctness from other bollworms; the introduction of hybrid cotton lead to insecticide treadmill in India; reduced accomplishment of the refugia recommendations also contributed to the problem; poor compliance of the bio-safety laws also led to the problem; unfavorable crop management practices prove to be an add-on to the problem. Furthermore, the possible solutions of the problem are discussed; monitoring and mating disruption; cultivation of High-density short season (HD-SS) pure line varieties; case studies of sterile insect technique (SIT) proved to be supporting in control of PBW; RNA interference technique can overcome the problem of resistance; use of chemical insecticides in different manner can change the perspective; proper cultural or farming practices can make the difference; Bio-control agents can overcome the problem; extension functionaries can help in solving the PBW problem. Therefore the management of resistance in PBW requires a broader vision and development of technology.

The laboratory experiments were conducted during 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 to study the efficacy of seed protectants namely fly ash, paddy husk and it’s ash, turmeric powder, silica gel, neem leaves and oil, eucalyptus leaves and oil, canola oil and boric acid against rice weevil Sitophilus oryzae (L.) and lesser grain borer Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) and khapra beetle Trogoderma granarium Everts on stored maize (genotype HQPM 1). The results revealed that neem oil was the most ecofriendly treatment against S. oryzae with 94.76% adult mortality, 12.54x population growth after 6 months and 0% grain damage (pooled data). In case of R. dominica, maximum mortality (91.90%) and 0% grain damage was observed in neem oil but minimum growth (12.44-) value was observed for canola oil. The neem oil was also found effective against T. granarium (92.83% mortality; 0% grain damage), and the least (60.04 larval growth was observed with canola oil. Neem oil showed maximum (80%, 80% and 86.67%) repellency against S. oryzae, R. dominica and T. granarium, respectively which was followed by eucalyptus oil. The neem oil showed 86% germination which was followed by eucalyptus oil (84%). The boric acid showed adverse effects on germination of maize seeds.

An experiment was conducted using five different wheat genotypes to determine their resistance to Sitotroga cerealella (L.) at Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar during the year 2018-2020. The experiment was carried out in Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with three replications in a control temperature of 29±2˚C with 65±5% relative humidity. The cultures were maintained in glass jars of 1 kg capacity containing the wheat grains and 25 adults of S. cerealella were released in these jars, separately. The results were evaluated by calculation of susceptibility index, percent grains damaged and percent weight loss of wheat grains against the infestation of S. cerealella. Among all the genotypes percent grains damaged (52.91%), percent weight loss (21.75%) and was found to be ‘highly susceptible’ genotype, while the lowest percent damaged grains (25.25%) and weight loss (8.64%) were recorded in genotype HPBW 1 and was found the ‘susceptible’ genotype against the infestation of pest, while all the remaining genotypes were intermediary to the pest attack.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis ( Mtb) is the pathogen that causes tuberculosis (TB), a leading infectious disease of humans worldwide. One of the main histopathological hallmarks of TB is the formation of granulomas comprised of elaborately organized aggregates of immune cells containing the pathogen. Dissemination of Mtb from infected cells in the granulomas due to host and mycobacterial factors induces multiple cell death modalities in infected cells. Based on molecular mechanism, morphological characteristics, and signal dependency, there are two main categories of cell death: programmed and nonprogrammed. Programmed cell death (PCD), such as apoptosis and autophagy, is associated with a protective response to Mtb by keeping the bacteria encased within dead macrophages that can be readily phagocytosed by arriving in uninfected or neighboring cells. In contrast, non-PCD necrotic cell death favors the pathogen, resulting in bacterial release into the extracellular environment. Multiple types of cell death in the PCD category, including pyroptosis, necroptosis, ferroptosis, ETosis, parthanatos, and PANoptosis, may be involved in Mtb infection. Since PCD pathways are essential for host immunity to Mtb, therapeutic compounds targeting cell death signaling pathways have been experimentally tested for TB treatment. This review summarizes different modalities of Mtb-mediated host cell deaths, the molecular mechanisms underpinning host cell death during Mtb infection, and its potential implications for host immunity. In addition, targeting host cell death pathways as potential therapeutic and preventive approaches against Mtb infection is also discussed.

The emergence of drug-resistant mycobacteria, including Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) and non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), poses an increasing global threat that urgently demands the development of new potent anti-mycobacterial drugs. One of the approaches toward the identification of new drugs is fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD), which is the most ingenious among other drug discovery models, such as structure-based drug design (SBDD) and high-throughput screening. Specialized techniques, such as X-ray crystallography, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and many others, are part of the drug discovery approach to combat the Mtb and NTM global menaces. Moreover, the primary drawbacks of traditional methods, such as the limited measurement of biomolecular toxicity and uncertain bioavailability evaluation, are successfully overcome by the FBDD approach. The current review focuses on the recognition of fragment-based drug discovery as a popular approach using virtual, computational, and biophysical methods to identify potent fragment molecules. FBDD focuses on designing optimal inhibitors against potential therapeutic targets of NTM and Mtb (PurC, ArgB, MmpL3, and TrmD). Additionally, we have elaborated on the challenges associated with the FBDD approach in the identification and development of novel compounds. Insights into the applications and overcoming the challenges of FBDD approaches will aid in the identification of potential therapeutic compounds to treat drug-sensitive and drug-resistant NTMs and Mtb infections.

The present study encompasses a unique concept involving the formation of core-shell particles with surface-activated fly ash (FA) as core and nanoscale zerovalent iron (nZVI) particles as shell, which not only imparts high adsorption efficiency for Cr(VI) but also contributes to fruitful utilization of FA while overcoming the drawbacks associated with ZVI nanoparticles (aggregation, rapid oxidation and less durability). The otherwise inert surface of FA has been modified and activated to achieve a uniform and stable layer of nZVI over FA. The functionalized particles were studied using FE-SEM/EDAX, HR-TEM, XRD and FT-IR studies for its physical, functional and morphological characteristics. The results indicate the strong adsorption ability of nZVI@FA particles, with 100% removal efficiency within 10 min at low initial concentrations of Cr(VI), which is appreciably higher than that of pure fly ash (26%) after 60 min of reaction. Besides, the so-formed structure of composite aids to improve its life, as the synthesized nZVI@FA particles could be efficiently regenerated and reused up to 5 subsequent adsorption-desorption cycles, which is in contrast with the ability of fly ash considering its low desorption potential. Hence, the composite material proves to be an effective and sustainable alternative for treatment of a waste using a waste.

Na-Y Zeolite synthesized from fly ash was exchanged with Ag+ and Cu2+ ions by ion exchange process. The antibacterial action and efficacy of silver and copper exchanged Na-Y zeolite on Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were investigated. Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus was suspended in broth media and exposed to silver and copper exchanged zeolite Y (ranging from 25-1000 μg) for a period of 24 h. The minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of silver and copper loaded zeolite-Y powder was 50 and 250 μg for Escherichia coli. Staphylococcus aureus was destroyed at a powder concentration of 100 μg for both Ag-Y and Cu-Y zeolite. Further, the present work also focuses to incorporate 5% silver and copper exchanged zeolite pigment in coating and study the antibacterial effect on the coated 304 stainless coupons. Paint containing copper exchanged zeolite shows antibacterial activity compared to paint with silver containing zeolite.

16 p.-8 fig.-4 tab., The L-arginine biosynthesis pathway consists of eight enzymes that catalyse the conversion of L-glutamate to L-arginine. Arginine auxotrophs (argB/argF deletion mutants) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis are rapidly sterilised in mice, while inhibition of ArgJ with Pranlukast was found to clear chronic M. tuberculosis infection in a mouse model. Enzymes in the arginine biosynthetic pathway have therefore emerged as promising targets for anti-tuberculosis drug discovery. In this work, the ligandability of four enzymes of the pathway ArgB, ArgC, ArgD and ArgF is assessed using a fragment-based approach. We identify several hits against these enzymes validated with biochemical and biophysical assays, as well as X-ray crystallographic data, which in the case of ArgB were further confirmed to have on-target activity against M. tuberculosis. These results demonstrate the potential for more enzymes in this pathway to be targeted with dedicated drug discovery programmes., This work was funded by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation HIT-TB (OPP1024021) and SHORTEN-TB (OPP1158806). PG was funded by a Gates Cambridge Scholarship. TLB is funded by the Wellcome Trust (Wellcome Trust Investigator Award 200814_Z_16_Z: RG83114). ST acknowledges SC1GM140968 grant from National Institute of Health to support this work.

Although vaccination with BCG prevents disseminated forms of childhood tuberculosis (TB), it does not protect against pulmonary infection or Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) transmission. In this study, we generated a complete deletion mutant of the Mtb Esx-5 type VII secretion system (Mtb Δesx-5). Mtb Δesx-5 was highly attenuated and safe in immunocompromised mice. When tested as a vaccine candidate to boost BCG-primed immunity, Mtb Δesx-5 improved protection against highly virulent Mtb strains in the murine and guinea pig models of TB. Enhanced protection provided by heterologous BCG-prime plus Mtb Δesx-5 boost regimen was associated with increased pulmonary influx of central memory T cells (T(CM)), follicular helper T cells (T(FH)) and activated monocytes. Conversely, lower numbers of T cells expressing exhaustion markers were observed in vaccinated animals. Our results suggest that boosting BCG-primed immunity with Mtb Δesx-5 is a potential approach to improve protective immunity against Mtb. Further insight into the mechanism of action of this novel prime-boost approach is warranted.

The present study focusses on the adsorption properties of zinc oxide (ZnO) in the form of nanoflakes on the surface of zeolite for the removal of Congo red (CR) dye. The purpose is to study the modification of adsorbent for improved adsorptive and photocatalytic performance. The morphology and structure of synthesized composite has been characterized by Scanning electron microscopy, Transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and its performance towards adsorption and photodecomposition of CR has been evaluated. Adsorption dynamics as studied by time variation and concentration variation indicates that the adsorption data follows pseudo second order kinetics and Langmuir isotherm model with a maximum adsorption capacity of 161.3 mg/g, thus indicating homogeneous physiochemical adsorption of CR dye on the adsorbent surface. The synthesized composite is easily regenerable and reusable and is capable of removing CR dye from the polluted water up to 90% (for 5 regeneration cycles) and hence proves to be highly efficient and viable material for the water purification industries.

Introduction: Adolescents youthful citizens between the period of 12 and 19 year - are often thinking of as a in good physical shape group. It is the transition stage between babyhood and adolescence. Also many grave diseases in maturity have their ancestry in adolescent. For e.g. Tobacco use sexually transmitted disease together with HIV and deprived intake and exercise behaviour direct to illness or early death afterwards in life. Adolescence and young women make up approximately the 40 % residents of India. It covers about 22.5 % of total population. It is the most fascitinating and changeover period between babyhood and adolescence. The quick bodily, sexual, physiological, and emotional changes causes anxiety and stress, also many serious diseases in adolescence have their root in adolescence. Material & Method: Quantitative approach with one group pre test post test Experimental design was used .Total 30 adolescents’ girls of 10th standard students of Vijaya Raje government schools were selected by convenient sampling technique. Pre test conducted then planned teaching given on polycystic ovarian syndrome then after one week post-test done on same group, and analysis done by using descriptive and inferential statistics. Result: The result revealed that in pre test 50% girls had poor knowledge, 40% girls had average knowledge and 10% girls had good knowledge. In post test knowledge score75% girls had good knowledge, 25% girls had average knowledge and 0% girls had poor knowledge. Study also showed that there is no association between pre test knowledge score on PCOS and demographic variables but in Post test knowledge score some variables showed significant association. Conclusion: The study concluded that planned teaching programme on polycystic ovary syndrome is useful tool for improving knowledge of adolescent girls and it may be used by health care provider for improving knowledge regarding any areas of education.

The L-arginine biosynthesis pathway consists of eight enzymes that catalyse the conversion of L-glutamate to L-arginine, appears to be attractive target for anti-Tuberculosis (TB) drug discovery. Starvation of M. tuberculosis deleted for either argB or argF genes led to rapid sterilization of these strains in mice while Chemical inhibition of ArgJ with Pranlukast was also found to clear chronic M. tuberculosis infection in animal models. In this work, the ligandability of four enzymes of the pathway ArgB, ArgC, ArgD and ArgF is explored using a fragment-based approach. We reveal several hits for these enzymes validated with biochemical and biophysical assays, and X-ray crystallographic data, which in the case of ArgB were further confirmed to have on-target activity against M. tuberculosis. These results demonstrate the potential of more enzymes in this pathway to be targeted with dedicated drug discovery programmes.

The present work describes the effect of surface modification of a high silica zeolite on removal of multiple ions [Pb(II), Fe(III), Cd(II)] and organics (Methylene blue, Aniline and p-nitrophenol) from contaminated water systems. Porous layer of ZnO nanoflakes (NFs) is grown on the surface of the zeolite in the form of a core-shell (CSPs) which alters the interface of the zeolite to convert the adsorption mechanism from slower chemisorption in zeolite to rapid physiochemisorption in CSPs as inferred from the comparative analysis of the adsorption dynamics. An inter-particle synergy encompassing ion exchange by zeolite and adsorption/photodegradation by the ZnO has been established by changed interfacial charge, enhanced surface area and increased porosity of the CSPs. Specificity of the developed CSPs for particular ions/organics and possible mechanism for enhanced adsorption of the CSPs has been discussed in detail. The specificity of adsorption follows the order of Pb (II) > Fe (III) > Cd (II) for heavy metal ions whereas for organics, the order of adsorption is methylene blue > p-nitrophenol > aniline. Results indicate that presence of ZnO nanoflakes as porous shell increases the equilibrium adsorption capacity of the CSPs to 74.661 mg/g in comparison to 45.96 mg/g of zeolite. The results of the specificity studies and significant increase in adsorption capacity prove that the altered interface leads to enhanced and rapid removal of toxic pollutants from water with highest specificity for Pb(II) and MB dye.

Core–shell materials are designed to bring synergy of two materials. We describe a greener approach for fabrication of fly ash (FA)-based cool pigment having core–shell morphology, viz., FA as core and multilayers of nano-TiO2 as shell—introducing high reflectivity in the near infrared region. Core–shell structure was prepared in an aqueous medium under sonication without use of organic solvent or surfactant. Dispersion of FA in aqueous medium is achieved by activating the surface of FA while increasing its surface roughness. High zeta potential (−42.7 mV) of FA, coupled with ultrasonication, helps in achieving better suspension of FA. Well-separated FA particles act as nuclei for the seeding of nano-TiO2, resulting in uniform shell formation as seen in scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy studies. A significant improvement in reflectivity is evident by its high solar reflective index of 94%. Thermal diffusivity of a 123 ± 5 μm thick cool coating indicate a temperature differe...

Superhydrophobic coatings have opened new vistas in the field of self-cleaning surfaces by having improved performance, robustness and preservation of cleaning agents including water. Presently, fluoropolymers are extensively explored and used for this purpose. However, the major drawback accompanying fluoropolymers is formation of environmentally persistent and toxic compounds, viz. PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) and PFOS (perfluorooctanesulfonic acid) on their degradation raising concern on their use. In the present study, an effort has been made to develop a facile process by using an environmentally safe material. A simple dip coating technique is reported to fabricate superhydrophobic surface. SiO2 nanoparticles of size 25–30 nm, prepared by sol–gel route, were dip-coated on glass substrate in multilayers followed by coating of a surfactant to achieve homogeneity of SiO2 layers and enhanced binding with subsequent layer of NUVA-2114 [a commercially used fluorotelomer with chemical composition C2F6(CF2CF2) n X]. It was observed that SiO2 nanoparticles and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) surfactant exhibit a synergistic effect on interface stability at optimized SDS concentration. A water contact angle of 152° is achieved. The established method is simple, scalable, environmentally safe and cost-effective.

For colloidally stable nanoparticle dispersions, it is imperative that some sort of interparticle repulsion is introduced to balance or overcome the ever-present van der Waals forces of attraction. In the present work, we have demonstrated that an efficient stabilization of a TiO2 nanoparticle dispersion depends upon the pH and zeta potential which are influenced by the route of synthesis (aqueous or ethanol based) and by the addition of suitable polymeric dispersants. In this work, both pH and zeta potential of the TiO2 nanoparticles have been accredited as a good index of the magnitude of the interaction between colloidal particles and their measurements are used to assess the stability of TiO2 and polymer/TiO2 composite colloidal systems synthesized via different routes. The concept of steric and electrostatic stabilization of colloids for both TiO2 (aqueous) and TiO2 (ethanol) systems and its corresponding polymer nanocomposites has been explained appropriately by means of a pictorial model. The efficient charge transfer across the polymer-TiO2(aqueous) interface as inferred from photoluminescence quenching measurements meets the desired criteria for the selection of TiO2(aqueous) materials for hybrid organic photovoltaic devices.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis is an ancient master of the art of causing human disease. One important weapon within its fully loaded arsenal is the type VII secretion system. M. tuberculosis has five of them: ESAT-6 secretion systems (ESX) 1 to 5. ESX-1 has long been recognized as a major cause of attenuation of the FDA-licensed vaccine Mycobacterium bovis BCG, but its importance in disease progression and transmission has recently been elucidated in more detail. This review summarizes the recent advances in (i) the understanding of the ESX-1 structure and components, (ii) our knowledge of ESX-1’s role in hijacking macrophage function to set a path for infection and dissemination, and (iii) the development of interventions that utilize ESX-1 for diagnosis, drug interventions, host-directed therapies, and vaccines.

Zeolite has been surface modified to form novel multifunctional materials having capability for simultaneous and facile removal of heavy metals [Pb(II)], organic pollutants [methylene blue dye], and microorganisms [E. Coli, S. Aureus, and Pseudomonas] from contaminated water. The unique concept involves formation of core-shell particles with a functional core of zeolite and a porous shell of ZnO nanoflakes which not only imparts photocatalytic and antibacterial properties but also renders the surface negatively charged, thereby facilitating rapid adsorption of Pb(II) and MB. The uniform formation of ZnO nanoflakes (shell) on the zeolite (core) surface has been confirmed by XRD, DRS, FE-SEM, and TEM studies. Metal ion adsorption studies under varying conditions of time and concentration indicate that the material follows the Langmuir isotherm model and pseudo-second-order kinetics with good correlation to the experimental data. The rapid and high adsorption capacity of the material for both Pb (II) and MB has been established while factors responsible for enhanced adsorption have been discussed. The antibacterial studies against Gram negative bacteria (E. Coli and Pseudomonas) and Gram positive bacteria (S. Aureus) showed good zone inhibition characteristics. The material can be regenerated and reused besides having ease of separation using simple techniques. Being multifunctional, efficient, nontoxic, energy neutral, and recyclable with no effluent generation, the material is an efficient and sustainable alternative for water purification.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated oxidative stress and DNA damage have recently been recognized as contributing to the efficacy of most bactericidal antibiotics, irrespective of their primary macromolecular targets. Inhibitors of targets involved in both combating oxidative stress as well as being required for in vivo survival may exhibit powerful synergistic action. This study demonstrates that the de novo arginine biosynthetic pathway in Mycobacterium tuberculosis ( Mtb ) is up-regulated in the early response to the oxidative stress-elevating agent isoniazid or vitamin C. Arginine deprivation rapidly sterilizes the Mtb de novo arginine biosynthesis pathway mutants Δ argB and Δ argF without the emergence of suppressor mutants in vitro as well as in vivo. Transcriptomic and flow cytometry studies of arginine-deprived Mtb have indicated accumulation of ROS and extensive DNA damage. Metabolomics studies following arginine deprivation have revealed that these cells experienced depletion of antioxidant thiols and accumulation of the upstream metabolite substrate of ArgB or ArgF enzymes. Δ argB and Δ argF were unable to scavenge host arginine and were quickly cleared from both immunocompetent and immunocompromised mice. In summary, our investigation revealed in vivo essentiality of the de novo arginine biosynthesis pathway for Mtb and a promising drug target space for combating tuberculosis.

The adsorption capacity and selectivity are vital for designing economically feasible treatment system for drinking water. This work is aimed at enhancing the selectivity of nitrate adsorption through metal impregnation. Impregnation of Mg, Fe, Co, Ni, Zn and Cu on alumina was investigated. Nickel impregnation was found to be the best, with an increase in 13 times the nitrate adsorption capacity compared to unmodified alumina. The optimal pH for nitrate adsorption using nickel-modified alumina was in a wide range from 3 to 7. The nitrate adsorption capacity was not influenced by the presence of fluorides and phosphates, whereas carbonates and sulphates were found to decrease the adsorption capacity by 50%. The adsorbents were also tested on drinking water samples from Madhya Pradesh, India. The nitrate adsorption capacity of nickel-impregnated alumina was still 10 times higher compared to the bare adsorbent.

Fly ash (FA) is an industrial waste produced in large quantities whereas nano-TiO2 is a widely studied material for multifarious applications. Synergy of the two materials is created to produce a multifunctional composite material for low cost NIR reflective coating applications. Effective formation of a TiO2 shell on the FA core was achieved by use of an anionic surfactant (SDS). Studies on thermal annealing of specimen of different TiO2 loadings showed changes in morphology of TiO2 and effects on porosity, particle size, and phase of TiO2. NIR reflectivity increased with increase in annealing temperatures as result of fusion of nanoparticles and formation of rutile phase. Change in porosity increased adsorption and decomposition of dye. The amorphous nature and higher surface area of nano-TiO2 annealed at lower temperature showed better performance in zone-inhibition test to establish antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus indicating its self-cleaning nature. The prese...

Fly ash, an industrial waste from coal based thermal power stations and a vast resource for silica and alumina, remains underutilized. It consists of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, metals, silica etc. which are toxic in nature and silica has also been classified as a carcinogenic material. So a definite need is to make a proper use of the fly ash in order to convert it into useful materials possessing enormous functionality. Preparation of uniform nanocrystalline mesoporous NaY zeolites from fly ash without use of organic structural directing agents is reported for the first time. Different ratios of fumed silica are added to fly ash for preparation of NaY zeolites. The effect of amount of water used during the crystallization process on particle size of the zeolite is reported. Detailed characterization of the prepared zeolites is carried out using XRD, FTIR, SEM EDAX and DLS. Si/Al ratio was calculated using NMR and EDAX data. Porosity, pore size distribution and pore volume were determined using nitrogen adsorption data. The particle size of zeolites was found to be in the range of 400–670 nm whereas the crystallite size calculated from the XRD data was in 9–13.4 nm range. The synthesized zeolites are found to possess high crystallinity (90–93 %). Formation of octahedral crystals is confirmed by SEM observations. BET analysis shows high surface areas and presence of mesopores. IR and NMR spectroscopy confirms the formation of NaY with increased silica content. The prepared zeolites exhibited good ion exchange capacities which were found to decrease with increase in Si/Al ratio. Unlike the common applications of zeolites in catalysis where high purity is desirable, the fly ash based zeolites were exchanged with zinc metal ion and applied as pigment in anticorrosive paint formulations. Corrosion resistance was evaluated using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements. The results indicate that metal exchanged zeolite possesses good anticorrosive property and can be used as an alternate to the conventionally used toxic, lead and chromate based anticorrosive pigments.

Mercury contaminated drinking water significantly affects the central nervous system, kidneys and other organs in humans even at very low concentration. Higher concentration of mercury are reported to be effectively removed by adsorption and precipitation techniques. Reverse osmosis (RO) is a better known technique used for the removal of low concentration of Hg (

Contamination of water due to arsenic has been extensively reported all over the world. It has led to massive epidemics of arsenic poisoning. An urgent need is being felt to develop efficient techniques for the removal of arsenic from contaminated water. In this context, cerium (Ce) loaded chitosan (CHT)–polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) composite (Ce-CHT/PVA) nanofibers were developed by electrospinning technique and have been employed for removing As(III). The Ce-CHT/PVA composite nanofibers efficiently adsorb As(III) and purify water below the prescribed limit of WHO/EPA. As(III) adsorption over the surface of Ce-CHT/PVA has been confirmed by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDAX), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The quantitative estimation of As(III) has been carried out by flameless atomic adsorption spectrophotometer-hydride generator (AAS-HG) system. The As(III) adsorption efficiency of Ce-CHT/PVA composite nanofibers has been established as a function of pH, time, temperature and adsorbent dose. The adsorption data were best fitted to Langmuir isotherm, and the maximum adsorption capacity (qm) was found to be 18.0 mg g−1. The interference studies of several ionic species individually as well multi-element for As removal have also reported. The measurement of the uncertainty of As(III) determination was calculated after determining the contributing factors. The data are reported with a confidence level of 95% (K = 2). The Ce-CHT/PVA composite nanofibers are non toxic and can be directly used for water purification or after being embedded in the form of membrane or candles.

Context: Spinal anaesthesia has been reported as an alternative to general anaesthesia for performing laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). Aims: Study aimed to evaluate efficacy, safety and cost benefit of conducting laparoscopic cholecystectomy under spinal anaesthesia (SA) in comparison to general anaesthesia(GA) Settings and Design: A prospective, randomised study conducted over a two year period at an urban, non teaching hospital. Materials and Methods: Patients meeting inclusion criteria e randomised into two groups .Group A and Group B received general and spinal anaesthesia by standardised techniques. Both groups underwent standard four port laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Mean anaesthesia time, pneumoperitoneum time and surgery time defined primary outcome measures. Intraoperative events and post operative pain score were secondary outcome measure. Statistical Analysis Used: The Student t test, Pearson′s chi-square test and Fisher exact test. Results: Out of 235 cases enrolled in the study, 114 cases in Group A and 110 in Group B analysed. Mean anaesthesia time appeared to be more in the GA group (49.45 vs. 40.64, P = 0.02) while pneumoperitoneum time and corresponding the total surgery time was slightly longer in the SA group. 27/117 cases who received SA experienced intraoperative events, four significant enough to convert to GA. No postoperative complications noted in either group. Pain relief significantly more in SA group in immediate post operative period (06 and 12 hours) but same as GA group at time of discharge (24 hours). No late postoperative complication or readmission noted in either group. Conclusion: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy done under spinal anaesthesia as a routine anaesthesia of choice is feasible and safe. Spinal anaesthesia can be recommended to be the anaesthesia technique of choice for conducting laparoscopic cholecystectomy in hospital setups in developing countries where cost factor is a major factor.

TiO2 NPs synthesized via aqueous route shows better photocatalytic activity as compare to doped TiO2 NPs. The presence of dopants inhibits the recombination of exciton. The photocatalytic activity of the nanomaterial have been reduced because of less adsorption sites are available for MB dye due to increase surface coverage of nanomaterial by increase in Cr loading and thus less degradation is shown by doped material. Undoped TiO2 nanoparticles shows complete degradation of MB in 90 min, whereas doped TiO2 takes 120 min for complete degradation. The results suggested as higher concentration of dopant material leads to reduction in photocatalytic efficiency.

Solar radiation consists of nearly 49 % near-infrared radiation (Thermal region, wavelength = 750–2500 nm). Heat reflective pigments increases the near infrared reflectance of exterior finishes and paints, there by dropping the surface temperatures of roofs and walls , which, in turn, reduces the cooling-energy demand of the building. However, the cost of developed pigments is prohibitive for wider acceptance of NIR reflective pigments. Fly ash is an industrial waste produced in large quantities by coal based power plants. It creates an environmental problem and therefore efforts are on for its safe disposal or to make value added products. In the present work, Flyash based core shell composite particles are prepared using flyash in the core and nano titanium dioxide as the shell. Coating of titanium dioxide over flyash improves its whiteness and renders high reflectivity which is useful for preparation of reflective coatings for building applications. The coatings possess good abrasion and chemical resistance due to flyash which is abrasive and has good chemical resistance. The composite particles were prepared by precipitation of nano titanium dioxide on flyash surface by two techniques: Insitu and Exsitu. The composite particles were characterized by X-ray diffraction, SEM and DRS (Diffused reflectance Spectroscopy) technique.

In the present study, waste fly ash, a by-product from coal power stations was converted into zeolite NaY for its successful utilization as an anticorrosive pigment in paints. The synthesized zeolite NaY was modified by exchanging its nominal cation Na+1 with Mo+1 ion. The Mo+1 exchanged zeolite was used as an anticorrosive pigment in coatings. The synthesized zeolite was characterized using X-ray diffraction and Scanning electron microscopy techniques. Coatings were formulated using various percentages of the synthesized pigment in epoxy resin. The coatings in epoxy resin were applied on mild steel substrate and tested using Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) . The results indicate effective anti-corrosive properties of the fly ash based zeolitic pigments containing Mo+1.

The purpose of this work is to evaluate the utilization of waste fly ash in anticorrosive paints. Zeolite NaY was synthesized from waste fly ash and subsequently modified by exchanging its nominal cation Na+ with Mg2+ and Ca2+ ions. The metal ion exchanged zeolite was then used as anticorrosive zeolitic pigments in paints. The prepared zeolite NaY was characterized using X-Ray diffraction technique and Scanning electron microscopy. The size, shape and density of the prepared fly ash based pigments were determined by various techniques. The paints were prepared by using fly ash based zeolitic pigments in epoxy resin and the percentages of pigments used in paints were 2% and 5%. These paints were applied to the mild steel panels and the anticorrosive properties of the pigments were assessed by the electrochemical spectroscopy technique (EIS).

Fly ash is a combustion residue, mainly composed of silica, alumina and iron oxides. It is produced by the power industries in very large amounts and usually disposed in landfills, which have represented an environmental problem in recent years1. The need to generate a market for fly ash consumption is the main reason why alternative applications have been studied. It has been applied as an additive in construction materials like cement and pavements2. The present work describes the synthesis of Flyash-Titania core-shell particles by precipitation technique using Titanium tetra isopropoxide (TTIP) which can be used for variety of applications such as NIR reflecting materials for cool coatings, Photocatalysis etc.In this work, Fly ash is used in core and Nano -TiO2 is coated as shell on it. Surfactants are used to improve the adhesion of Nano Titania shell on fly ash core. Effect on adhesion of TiO2 on Fly ash is studied by using different types of surfactant. The preparation of core shells was carried out...