Fabrication of carboxymethyl tamarind kernel gum-based hydrogel and its applicability in different types of soils for agronomy.

An avant-garde agricultural hydrogel - Carboxymethyl tamarind kernel gum-poly sodium acrylate-polyacrylamide hydrogel was designed by free-radical polymerization of biopolymer: carboxy-methyl tamarind kernel gum and monomers: sodium acrylate, acrylamide, using N,N' methylene bisacrylamide as crosslinker and potassium persulphate as initiator, to explore its application as a soil conditioner. It was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and thermogravimetric techniques. Swelling was investigated at different pH and in saline solutions.

Advancing lithium-sulfur battery efficiency: utilizing a 2D/2D g-CN@MXene heterostructure to enhance sulfur evolution reactions and regulate polysulfides under lean electrolyte conditions.

Lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs) show promise for achieving a high energy density of 500 W h kg, despite challenges such as poor cycle life and low energy efficiency due to sluggish redox kinetics of lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) and sulfur's electronic insulating nature. We present a novel 2D TiC Mxene on a 2D graphitic carbon nitride (g-CN) heterostructure designed to enhance LiPS conversion kinetics and adsorption capacity. In a pouch cell configuration with lean electrolyte conditions (∼5 μL mg), the g-CN-Mx/S cathode exhibited excellent rate performance, delivering ∼1061 mA h g at C/8 and retaining ∼773 mA h g after 190 cycles with a Coulombic efficiency (CE) of 92.

Bladder cancer with pioglitazone: A case-control study.

Background: Varied reports suggest a contentious relationship of bladder malignancy with pioglitazone in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Aim: To study an association (prevalence and predictors) of bladder malignancy with pioglitazone therapy in Asian-Indian type 2 diabetes patients.

Method: In this observational multicenter study, type 2 diabetic patients attending out-patient diabetes-clinic were evaluated.

Photocatalytic Activity of Green Synthesized AgCl Nanoparticles Towards Bacteria.

The present work focus on plant extracts mediated synthesis of silver chloride nanoparticles (AgCl-NPs). The AgCl-NPs were synthesized using the plant leaf extract of by one step green synthesis method. The characterization of as prepared AgCl-NPs were done by various analytical techniques such as UV-Vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR).

Silver Doped Graphitic Carbon Nitride for the Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity Towards Organic Dyes.

Recently, graphitic carbon nitride has been investigated as a promising photocatalyst for organic dye degradation application. In this study, a facile strategy to synthesise silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) doped graphitic carbon nitride (GCN-Ag) has been reported. The characterisation study of the asprepared samples was performed using various analytical techniques.

Au-TiO-Loaded Cubic g-CN Nanohybrids for Photocatalytic and Volatile Organic Amine Sensing Applications.

A green and efficient approach for efficient nanohybrid photocatalysts in extending the light response to the visible spectrum is a hot research topic in sustainable energy technologies. In this work, novel Au-TiO@m-CN nanocomposite was synthesized using hard template of cubic ordered mesoporous KIT-6 via the nanocasting process. The as-prepared Au-TiO@m-CN nanohybrids exhibit enhanced photocatalytic activities with improved stability and reusability using methyl orange dye.

Predictors of Pre-operative Anxiety in Indian Children.

Objective: To identify the predictors of pre-operative anxiety in school-going children in India.

Methods: A prospective observational study was done at a tertiary care teaching hospital. Children aged 7-12 y scheduled for elective surgery and their parents were enrolled.

Near-Room-Temperature Ethanol Detection Using Ag-Loaded Mesoporous Carbon Nitrides.

Development of room-temperature gas sensors is a much sought-after aspect that has fostered research in realizing new two-dimensional materials with high surface area for rapid response and low-ppm detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Herein, a fast-response and low-ppm ethanol gas sensor operating at near room temperature has been fabricated successfully by utilizing cubic mesoporous graphitic carbon nitride (g-CN, commonly known as g-CN), synthesized through template inversion of mesoporous silica, KIT-6. Upon exposure to 50 ppm ethanol at 250 °C, the optimized Ag/g-CN showed a significantly higher response ( / = 49.

Microbubble-liposome conjugate: Payload evaluation of potential theranostic vehicle.

Liposome-microbubble conjugates are considered as better targeted drug delivery vehicles compared to microbubbles alone. The microbubble in the integrated drug delivery system delivers the drug intracellularly on the target, whereas the liposome component allows loading of high drug dose and extravasation through leaky vasculature. In this work, a new high yielding microbubble production method was used to prepare microbubbles for formulation of the liposome-conjugated drug delivery system.

Synthesis and evaluation of antibacterial and antioxidant activity of novel 2-phenyl-quinoline analogs derivatized at position 4 with aromatically substituted 4H-1,2,4-triazoles.

A set of novel quinolone-triazole conjugates (12-31) were synthesized in three steps in good yields starting from 2-phenylquinoline-4-carboxylic acid. All the intermediates, as well as the final 1,2,4-triazolyl quinolines were fully characterized by their detailed spectral analysis utilizing different techniques such as IR, H NMR, C NMR, and finally mass spectrometry. All the synthesized compounds were evaluated in vitro for their potential antibacterial activity and their preliminary safety profile was assessed through cytotoxicity assay.

Metyrapone for Long-Term Medical Management of Cushing's Syndrome.

Cushing's syndrome is characterized by any cause of excess cortisol in the blood and produces many physiologic consequences. Left untreated, Cushing's is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Seventy percent of endogenous cases of Cushing's syndrome are secondary to a pituitary tumor; because of this, the primary mode of management is surgical resection of the tumor.

Synthesis, characterization and surface modification of ZnCrFeO4 nanoparticles.

The aim of this research was to investigate zinc chromium ferrite (ZnCrFeO4) nanoparticles, synthesized using the sol gel technique with nanoparticle size controlled through a two-stage annealing process. Stage one was a low temperature firing which produced low quality nanocrystals with an average size of 15 nm. This was followed by a second firing stage at high temperature which enhanced the crystal quality.

Liraglutide as additional treatment to insulin in obese patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Objective: Because approximately 40% of patients with type 1 diabetes have the metabolic syndrome, we tested the hypothesis that addition of liraglutide to insulin in obese patients with type 1 diabetes will result in an improvement in plasma glucose concentrations, a reduction in hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), a fall in systolic blood pressure, and weight loss.

Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of data obtained from 27 obese patients with type 1 diabetes treated with liraglutide in addition to insulin. Patients were also treated for hypertension.

Folic acid conjugated guar gum nanoparticles for targeting methotrexate to colon cancer.

It was envisaged to develop surface modified Guar Gum Nanoparticles (GGNP) with Folic acid (FA) charged with methotrexate (MTX) to target the colon specifically. The MTX loaded FA functionalized GGNP (MTX-FA-GGNP) have been prepared by emulsion crosslinking method. These surface modified nanoparticles were compared with unmodified MTX loaded GGNP (MTX-GGNP).

Episodic transdermal delivery of testosterone.

Film-forming lotions, precast films and adhesive patches containing testosterone (T) were prepared by compounding vinylic, acrylic and cellulosic polymers with a variety of excipients in order to achieve distribution of T in domains of heterogeneity within multicomponent matrices. The feasibility of this approach in achieving episodic transdermal delivery of testosterone (T) was investigated. Composition-dependent differences in extent of in vitro drug release and periodicity were observed.

Biodegradable nanoparticles in the murine vagina: trans-cervical retrograde transport and induction of proinflammatory cytokines.

Biodegradable nanoparticles (NP) of average size 75 nm and composed of poly(lactic acid, PLA) were prepared by single emulsion. Upon instillation into the vagina of mice in estrus, these particles undergo retrograde transport across the cervix to the uterus. Uterus lavage conducted after instillation of NP into the vagina indicated that proinflammatory signals such as RANTES and TNF were induced in the uterine environment, which is inimical to establishment of pregnancy.

Evaluation of Diagnos Malaria Stix test (antigen detection assay) for diagnosis of malaria.

Malaria is one of the most common parasitic infection in India. The diagnosis largely depends on peripheral blood smear examination. Newer diagnostic methods like various antigen detection assays are now in use for prompt diagnosis and treatment.

Comparison of beta-lactamase genes in clinical and food bacterial isolates in India.

Background: The present study aimed to determine the occurrence of human disease-causing enteric bacteria on raw vegetables, fruits, meats, and milk products sold in Indian markets. The study further aimed to analyze antibiotic resistance rates and the presence of blaCTX-M, blaTEM, blaSHV, and blaAmpC.

Methodology: Twenty-three food-borne and 23 clinical isolates were compared for antibiotic resistance rates and the presence of blaCTX-M, blaTEM, blaSHV, and blaAmpC.

Nanoscaffold matrices for size-controlled, pulsatile transdermal testosterone delivery: nanosize effects on the time dimension.

Pulsatile transdermal testosterone (T) has applications in hormone supplementation and male contraception. Pulsatile T delivery was achieved by assembling crystalline and nanoparticulate T in nucleation-inhibiting polymer matrices of controlled porosity. Different interference patterns observed from various polymeric films containing T were due to the various particle sizes of T present in the polymer matrices.