Boron and Nitrogen Co-Doped Porous Graphene Nanostructures for the Electrochemical Detection of Poisonous Heavy Metal Ions.

Heavy metal poisoning has a life-threatening impact on the human body to aquatic ecosystems. This necessitates designing a convenient green methodology for the fabrication of an electrochemical sensor that can detect heavy metal ions efficiently. In this study, boron (B) and nitrogen (N) co-doped laser-induced porous graphene (LIG) nanostructured electrodes were fabricated using a direct laser writing technique.

Superior functionality of niobium pentoxide nano-rod/tripod photocatalyst synthesized using polyethyleneimine as a soft template for the abatement of methylene blue under UV and visible irradiation.

Polyethyleneimine (PEI) capping agent-cum-template-mediated synthesis of niobium oxide nanoparticles is reported to explore its impact on the resultant morphology, porosity, crystallinity, phase complexation, and thus on the photocatalytic activity. The resultant niobium oxides calcined at 800°C and 1000°C crystallized into highly ordered nano-rod/tripod nanostructure with inter-rod angle <120° having orthorhombic phase and heavily agglomerated rod-like nanostructures having monoclinic crystal phase, respectively. Contrary to the expectations, the nano-rod/tripods showed superior photocatalytic degradation kinetics and high adsorption of methylene blue dye in the hydrocolloid than formerly reported monoclinic nanoparticles.

Single Crystalline α-FeO Nanosheets with Improved PEC Performance for Water Splitting.

We report the photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance of a densely grown single crystalline hematite (α-FeO) nanosheet photoanode for water splitting. Unlike expensive ITO/FTO substrates, the sheets were grown on a piece of pure Fe through controlled thermal oxidation, which is a facile low cost and one-step synthesis route. The sheets grow with a widest surface parallel to basal plane (0001).

A single-step plasma method for rapid production of 2D, ferromagnetic, surface vacancy-engineered MoOnanomaterials, for photothermal ablation of cancer.

A rapid, clean plasma-chemical technique is demonstrated here, for cost-effective, synthesis of surface vacancy engineered, 2D, molybdenum-oxide nanomaterials, during a one-step, integrated synthesis-hydrogenation process for biomedical applications. A laminar plasma beam populated with O and H radicals impinges on a molybdenum target, out of which molybdenum-oxide nanomaterials are very rapidly generated with controlled surface O vacancies. 2D, dark-blue coloured, nano-flake/ribbon like MoOis produced maximum up to 194 g h, the core of which still remains as stoichiometric molybdenum-oxide.

Temperature-Dependent n-p-n Switching and Highly Selective Room-Temperature n-SnSe/p-SnO/n-SnSe Heterojunction-Based NO Gas Sensor.

Many toxic gases are mixed into the atmosphere because of increased air pollution. An efficient gas sensor is required to detect these poisonous gases with its ultrasensitive ability. We employed the thermal evaporation method to deposit an n-SnSe/p-SnO/n-SnSe heterojunction and observed a temperature-dependent n-p-n switching NO gas sensor with high selectivity working at room temperature (RT).

Enhanced Thermoelectric Performance of Novel Reaction Condition-Induced BiS-Bi Nanocomposites.

This is the first report on the enhanced thermoelectric (TE) properties of novel reaction-temperature () and duration-induced BiS-Bi nanocomposites synthesized using a facile one-step polyol method. They are well characterized as nanorod composites of orthorhombic BiS and rhombohedral Bi phases in which the latter coats the former forming BiS-Bi core-shell-like structures along with independent Bi nanoparticles. A very significant observation is the systematic reduction in electrical resistivity ρ with a whopping 7 orders of magnitude (∼10) with just reaction temperature and duration increase, revealing a promising approach for the reduction of ρ of this highly resistive chalcogenide and hence resolving the earlier obstacles for its thermoelectric application potentials in the past few decades.

Vibrational spectra and optical properties of FeCrVO solid solutions: With a group theory analysis.

The present manuscript reports vibrational spectra and optical studies of polycrystalline FeCrVO solid solutions through FT-IR spectroscopy augmented with a group theory (G.T.) analysis and UV-Visible DRS spectroscopy.

Complete Genome Sequence of α-1,3-Glucanase-Producing Strain RSP-02.

A mutanase (α-1,3 glucanase)-producing bacterial strain of Paracoccus mutanolyticus was isolated from soil samples rich in cellulosic waste. Here, we report the whole-genome sequencing and annotation of P. mutanolyticus, which has a genome size of around 3.

Draft genome sequence and detailed characterization of biofuel production by oleaginous microalga LWG002611.

Background: Due to scarcity of fossil fuel, the importance of alternative energy sources is ever increasing. The oleaginous microalgae have demonstrated their potential as an alternative source of energy, but have not achieved commercialization owing to some biological and technical inefficiency. Modern methods of recombinant strain development for improved efficacy are suffering due to inadequate knowledge of genome and limited molecular tools available for their manipulation.

Thiourea priming enhances salt tolerance through co-ordinated regulation of microRNAs and hormones in Brassica juncea.

Activation of stress tolerance mechanisms demands transcriptional reprogramming. Salt stress, a major threat to plant growth, enhances ROS production and affects transcription through modulation of miRNAs and hormones. The present study delineates salt stress ameliorating action of thiourea (TU, a ROS scavenger) in Brassica juncea and provides mechanistic link between redox, microRNA and hormones.

Draft Genome Sequence of Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli Strain E24377A, Obtained from a Tribal Drinking Water Source in India.

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is a major cause of diarrheal disease in humans and animals. Its dissemination can occur through water sources contaminated by it. Here, we report for the first time the draft genome sequence of ETEC strain E24377A, obtained from a tribal drinking water source in India.

First observation of the temperature-dependent light-induced response of Ge(25)As(10)Se(65) thin films.

Ge-rich ternary chalcogenide glasses (ChGs) exhibit photobleaching (PB) when illuminated with bandgap light. This effect originates from the combined effects of intrinsic structural changes and photo-oxidation. In a sharp contradiction to previous observations, in this Letter, we demonstrate, for the first time, that Ge-rich Ge(25)As(10)Se(65) ChG thin films exhibit photodarkening (PD) at 20 K and PB at 300 and 420 K after having been continuously illuminated for ∼3 hours.

Whole-Genome Sequencing and Annotation of a Clinical Isolate of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from Mumbai, India.

We report here the annotated genome sequence of a clinical isolate of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from Mumbai, India.

Whole-Genome Sequences of Four Clinical Isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from Tamil Nadu, South India.

We report the annotated genome sequences of four clinical isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from Tamil Nadu, India.