Piezoresistivity and strain-sensing behaviour of poly(butylene adipate--terephthalate)/multiwalled carbon nanotube nanocomposites.

Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) at different concentrations, ranging from 0.5 to 10 wt%, as a conductive filler, were incorporated into poly(butylene adipate--terephthalate) (PBAT), a flexible biodegradable copolyester, melt-mixing, followed by compression moulding. The electrical conductivity of the prepared nanocomposites was evaluated by considering their volume resistivity value.

Comparative investigation of fillers loading effect on morphological, micromechanical, and thermal properties of polyvinyl alcohol/cellulosicfillers-based composites.

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-based biocomposites were fabricated by the incorporation of chitosan (Ch), cellulose fibers (CS), and their mixture (1:1 ratio). Fillers with various loading (2, 4, 8, and 10 wt.-%) were incorporated into PVA employing the solution casting method.

Some Highly Potent Nepalese Medicinal Plants with Antimicrobial Properties.

In recent years, microbial infections have emerged as a serious global health problem, necessitating the search for novel and effective treatments. Medicinal plants contain phytochemicals that can be used to prevent and treat various infections. Traditional medicinal practices have long relied on the healing properties of herbs, and Nepal is particularly rich in this knowledge.

Pretreatment of Melanoma Cells with Aqueous Ethanol Extract from Bark Strongly Potentiates the Activity of a Low Dose of Dacarbazine.

is an evergreen tree distributed in India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. This tree is commonly known as Mahua and is used in traditional medicine. It was demonstrated that ethanol extract from the bark of possessed potent cytotoxic activity towards two melanoma cell lines, in contrast to aqueous extract that exhibited no activity.

Phytochemical Analysis, Antioxidant Potential and Antibacterial Activities of Different Anatomical Parts of Choisy.

The genus comprises a large number of species. The flower, leaf, stem, and root of the species are widely used in traditional medicine in different cultures. Many species have been well investigated phytochemically and pharmacologically.

Identification of hydroxyquinazoline alkaloids from Justicia adhatoda L. leaves, a traditional natural remedy with NF-κB and AP-1-mediated anti-inflammatory properties and antioxidant activity.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Justicia adhatoda L. is used as traditional medicine in Nepal to treat cough, asthma, and inflammatory disorders, and is indicated as "Asuro". Leaves are used worldwide as herbal medicine due to cardiotonic, expectorant, anti-asthmatic, and bronchodilatory properties.

Bioinspired graphene-based metal oxide nanocomposites for photocatalytic and electrochemical performances: an updated review.

Considering the rapidly increasing population, the development of new resources, skills, and devices that can provide safe potable water and clean energy remains one of the vital research topics for the scientific community. Owing to this, scientific community discovered such material for tackle this issue of environment benign, the new materials with graphene functionalized derivatives show significant advantages for application in multifunctional catalysis and energy storage systems. Herein, we highlight the recent methods reported for the preparation of graphene-based materials by focusing on the following aspects: (i) transformation of graphite/graphite oxide into graphene/graphene oxide exfoliation and reduction; (ii) bioinspired fabrication or modification of graphene with various metal oxides and its applications in photocatalysis and storage systems.

The quantum mechanics of skincare: A context for the biochemistry curriculum.

Designing a relevant and engaging curriculum for biochemistry undergraduates can be challenging for topics which are at the periphery of the subject. We have used the framework of context-based learning as a means of assessing understanding of quantum theory in a group of students in their junior year. Our context, the role of retinol in skincare, provides a basis for the simple application of quantum mechanical principles to a biological context in an adaptation of the polyene in a box concept.

Insights from study of receptor energetics of SARS-CoV-2 variants.

The emergence of new variants of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 with increased infectivity, superior virulence, high transmissibility, and unmatched immune escape has demonstrated the adaptability and evolutionary fitness of the virus. The subject of relative order of the binding affinity of SARS-CoV-2 variants with the human ACE2 (hACE2) receptor is hotly debated and its resolution has implications for drug design and development. In this work, we have investigated the energetics of the binding of receptor binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs): Beta (B.

Superior Visible Photoelectric Response with Au/CuNiSnS Core-Shell Nanocrystals.

The incorporation of plasmonic metal nanostructures into semiconducting chalcogenides in the form of core-shell structures provides a promising approach to enhancing the performance of photodetectors. In this study, we combined Au nanoparticles with newly developed copper-based chalcogenides CuNiSnS (Au/CNTS) to achieve an ultrahigh optoelectronic response in the visible regime. The high-quality Au/CNTS core-shell nanocrystals (NCs) were synthesized by developing a unique colloidal hot-injection method, which allowed for excellent control over sizes, shapes, and elemental compositions.

Assessment of iridoids and their similar structures as antineoplastic drugs by approach.

Iridoids commonly found in plants as secondary metabolites have been reported to possess significant biological activities such as anticancer, antioxidant, hypoglycemic, antimicrobial etc. The strong interactions of iridoids with cyclic-dependent kinase 8 (CDK8) protein could show inhibitory effects that could modulate tumour growth. From the molecular docking calculations, some iridoids interacted effectively with the target CDK8 protein (PDB ID: 5ICP) with better binding affinities of -9.

(= ): Isolation of flavan-3-ols and their contribution to the antibacterial and antidiabetic activity in vitro.

KOENIG (= (L.) is an evergreen tree that is widely distributed throughout Nepal, India, and Sri Lanka. The bark has various traditional uses: as a paste in the treatment of cuts and wounds or internally as a decoction that is given to diabetic patients.

Biomedical,clinical and environmental applications of platinum-based nanohybrids: An updated review.

Platinum nanoparticles (Pt NPs) have numerous applications in various sectors, including pharmacology, nanomedicine, cancer therapy, radiotherapy, biotechnology and environment mitigation like removal of toxic metals from wastewater, photocatalytic degradation of toxic compounds, adsorption, and water splitting. The multifaceted applications of Pt NPs because of their ultra-fine structures, large surface area, tuned porosity, coordination-binding, and excellent physiochemical properties. The various types of nanohybrids (NHs) of Pt NPs can be fabricated by doping with different metal/metal oxide/polymer-based materials.

pH-Effect in the Fabrication of ZnO Nanostructured Thin Films by Chemical Bath Deposition for Increasing the Efficiency of Solar Cells.

In this study, the impact of pH on the production of ZnO nanostructured thin films using chemical bath deposition was investigated for the purpose of enhancing the efficiency of solar cells. The ZnO films were directly deposited onto glass substrates at various pH levels during the synthesis process. The results indicate that the crystallinity and overall quality of the material were not affected by the pH solution, as observed through X-ray diffraction patterns.

Phenolics and triterpenoids from stem bark of (Whitmore) P. F. Stevens and their cytotoxic activities.

Genus is well-known for its phenolic constituents, especially coumarins, which have shown to have a wide range of significant biological activities. In this study, four known phenolic constituents and two triterpenoids have been isolated from the stem bark of . The compounds were two pyranochromanone acids are known as caloteysmannic acid (), isocalolongic acid (), a simple dihydroxyxanthone, namely euxanthone (), one coumarin named calanone (), and two common triterpenoids, friedelin (), and stigmasterol ().

Impact of air pollution on human health in different geographical locations of Nepal.

According to a recent survey, Nepal's urban air quality has been classified as one of the worst in the globe. A large portion of the country's population is subjected to health risks caused by air pollution. As Nepal has a wide variation in altitude coupled with socio-cultural and biological diversities, it is important to understand the different health hazards in the different geographical regions - Terai, Hills and Mountains.

Effects of sex, sire and in-bag dry-ageing on the physicochemical and microbial properties, colour and fatty acids stability of lamb.

Forty legs from twenty lamb of different sexes and sires (colour stable and labile) were aged using in-bag dry- (BD) and wet-ageing (W) for 21 days. BD resulted in significantly lower moisture content, cook loss, colour (L*, a*, b* and chroma) and % polyunsaturated fatty acids (FAs), higher levels of microbial growth and saturated FAs compared to W. Similar NADH content was observed regardless of sex, sire and ageing.

Material Properties of Traditional Handmade Paper Samples Fabricated from Cellulosic Fiber of Lokta Bushes.

Handmade papers (HPs) are fabricated from fibrous biomass of Lokta bushes and other plant species following traditional eco-friendly method in Nepal. Although HP fabricated from Lokta bushes is believed to be durable and resistant to bugs and molds, material properties of this paper are not reported in literature. In this study, we measured several material properties of 10 handmade Lokta paper samples collected from local enterprises and paper industries.

Stability of drugs of abuse in synthetic oral fluid investigated using a simple "dilute and inject" method of analysis.

Human oral fluid is well established as a matrix for drug screening, particularly in the workplace. The need to synthesise synthetic oral fluid (SOF) has been recognised in order to overcome human oral fluid's composition variability. We have used SOF spiked with six common drugs of abuse or their primary metabolites: morphine, amfetamine, benzoylecgonine, cocaine, diazepam, and (-)-Δ -tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in order to assess the suitability of this matrix for quality assurance purposes.

Design, Fabrication, and Characterisation of a Label-Free Nanosensor for Bioapplications.

In this paper, we present a hybrid semiconductor structure for biosensing applications that features the co-integration of nanoelectromechanical systems with the well-known metal oxide semiconductor technology. The proposed structure features an MOSFET as a readout element, and a doubly clamped beam that is isolated from the substrate by a thin air gap, as well as by a tunnel oxide layer. The beam structure is functionalised by a thin layer of biotargets, and the main aim is to detect a particular set of biomolecules, such as enzymes, bacteria, viruses, and DNA/RNA chains, among others.

Dynamics and mechanism of the physical developer process for visualization of latent fingerprints on paper.

We present a detailed mechanistic study of the PD process, focused on the nucleation and growth dynamics of silver particles on fingermarks deposited on a paper surface, from macroscopic (whole fingermark) and microscopic (particle level) perspectives. Conceptually, we separate the outcomes into aspects that precede exposure of the exhibit (relating to the reagent formulation), that relate to the development of the fingermark during immersion in the PD formulation, and that characterise the fully developed mark subsequent to immersion. Initially, dynamic light scattering shows the silver particles in solution to be relatively monodisperse, with a peak particle size of 880 nm.