Visible-Light-Activated Divergent Reactivity of Dienones: Dimerization in Neat Conditions and Regioselective E to Z Isomerization in the Solvent.

2,4-Dienones undergo visible-light-promoted, photocatalyst-free dimerization in neat conditions to provide cyclohexene derivatives stereoselectively through cascade rearrangement pathways, whereas regioselective E → Z isomerization of the more dienophilic double bond takes place exclusively in nitromethane. On the basis of intermediate isolation and computational DFT studies, the dimerization reaction is proposed to proceed via s-trans to s-cis isomerization/regioselective E → Z isomerization/Diels-Alder cycloaddition.

Modeling and optimization of process variables for HCl gas removal by response surface methodology.

In the present article, optimization of process variables has been done to maximize the removal efficiency of toxic HCl gas in a submerged self-priming venturi scrubber. Response surface methodology with central composite design has been chosen to predict the effect of process variables on the removal efficiency. A quadratic equation was found from this study to predict the removal efficiency and from the ANOVA test, the significance of process variables was evaluated.

Efficacious Electrochemical Oxygen Evolution from a Novel Co(II) Porphyrin/Pyrene-Based Conjugated Microporous Polymer.

Oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is energetically challenging from the platform of making many photovoltaic devices such as metal-air batteries and water splitting systems because of its poor kinetics even when precious metals are used. Herein, a Co(II)-porphyrin/pyrene-comprised conjugated microporous polymer Co-MPPy-1 has been developed which shows efficient OER in alkaline medium. The material was characterized by Fourier transform infrared, solid-state C cross-polarization magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance, N volumetric adsorption/desorption analysis, scanning electron microscopy, ultra high resolution-transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and other physical studies.

A novel acid modified alumina adsorbent with enhanced defluoridation property: Kinetics, isotherm study and applicability on industrial wastewater.

Excessive fluoride contamination in ground and surface water is hazardous to human health. Adsorptive removal is a better option for defluoridation due to its simplicity and efficient working property. In the current research, an attempt was made for the removal of fluoride ions from wastewater by a novel adsorbent synthesized with alumina and HSO acid by acidic activation.

Defluoridation of synthetic and industrial wastewater by using acidic activated alumina adsorbent: characterization and optimization by response surface methodology.

Excessive contamination of fluoride in wastewater is the cause of several chronic health problems. For this purpose, an adsorbent was prepared from alumina by acidic activation using sulfuric acid. The current research aims to find the maximum fluoride adsorption (%) from synthetic and industrial wastewater at optimum process parameters by using response surface methodology (RSM).

NIR fluorescent organic nanoparticles for photoinduced nitric oxide delivery with self monitoring and real time reporting abilities.

Nitric oxide photodonor (NOD) conjugated perylene tetracarboxylate ester (TPT) based fluorescent organic TPT(NOD) nanoparticles (NPs) with aggregation induced NIR emission have shown photoinduced nitric oxide delivery along with a red to green emission transition. Time dependent imaging and dose dependent cytotoxicity studies of these NPs using U87MG cells demonstrate the self monitoring and real time reporting abilities and potential anticancer activity of the system, respectively.

Prospects of nonmulberry silk protein sericin-based nanofibrous matrices for wound healing - In vitro and in vivo investigations.

Unlabelled: Recently, the progress in biomaterials for biomedical applications brings the focus of the research community toward nanomaterials. The nanofibrous matrices offer certain advantages (structural similarity to extracellular matrix, high surface area-to-volume ratio, increased elasticity, biostability, and strength) compared to other prevalent type of materials. This affirms their superiority and flexibility to be used in regenerative medicine.

Is skewed income distribution good for environmental quality? A comparative analysis among selected BRICS countries.

A large number of studies have examined the linkage between income inequality and environmental quality at the individual country levels. This study attempts to examine the linkage between the two factors for the individual BRICS economies from a comparative perspective, which is scarce in the literature. It examines the selected countries (Brazil, India, China and South Africa) by endogenising the patterns of primary energy consumption (coal use and petroleum use), total primary energy consumption, economic growth, and urbanisation as key determining factors in CO emission function.

Optimization of process condition for the preparation of amine-impregnated activated carbon developed for CO capture and applied to methylene blue adsorption by response surface methodology.

The present research describes the optimal adsorption condition for methylene blue (MB). The adsorbent used here was monoethanol amine-impregnated activated carbon (MEA-AC) prepared from green coconut shell. Response surface methodology (RSM) is the multivariate statistical technique used for the optimization of the process variables.

Interaction of Engineered Nanoparticles with the Agri-environment.

Nanoparticles with their unique surface properties can modulate the physiological, biochemical, and physicochemical pathways, such as photosynthesis, respiration, nitrogen metabolism, and solute transport. In this context, researchers have developed a wide range of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) for the improvement of growth and productivity by modulating the metabolic pathways in plants. This class of tailor-made materials can potentially lead to the development of a new group of agrochemical nanofertilizers.

Removal of HS pollutant from gasifier syngas by a multistage dual-flow sieve plate column wet scrubber.

The objective of this study was to observe the performance of a lab-scale three-stage dual-flow sieve plate column scrubber for hydrogen sulfide (HS) gas removal from a gas stream, in which the HS concentration was similar to that of gasifier syngas. The tap water was used as scrubbing liquid. The gas and liquid were operated at flow rates in the range of 16.

Removal of fly-ash and dust particulate matters from syngas produced by gasification of coal by using a multi-stage dual-flow sieve plate wet scrubber.

In this work, fly-ash water scrubbing experiments were conducted in a three-stage lab-scale dual-flow sieve plate scrubber to observe the performance of scrubber in fly-ash removal at different operating conditions by varying the liquid rate, gas rate and inlet fly-ash loading. The percentage of fly-ash removal efficiency increases with increase in inlet fly-ash loading, gas flow rate and liquid flow rate, and height of the scrubber; 98.55% maximum percentage of fly-ash removal efficiency (ηFA) is achieved at 19.

Removal of CO2 in a multistage fluidized bed reactor by diethanol amine impregnated activated carbon.

To mitigate the emission of carbon dioxide (CO2), we have developed and designed a four-stage fluidized bed reactor. There is a counter current exchange between solid adsorbent and gas flow. In this present investigation diethanol amine (DEA) impregnated activated carbon made from green coconut shell was used as adsorbent.

Degradation pattern of porous CaCO3 and hydroxyapatite microspheres in vitro and in vivo for potential application in bone tissue engineering.

Despite superior clinical handling, excellent biocompatibility, biodegradation property of calcium phosphate needs to be improved to coincide with the rate of new bone formation. In this study, spherical CaCO3 are fabricated in the presence of the silk sericin and then transformed into porous hydroxyapatite (HAP) microspheres via hydrothermal method. The degradation behavior of obtained CaCO3, HAP and their mixture is first investigated in vitro.

Immunogenicity and safety of two doses of catch-up immunization with Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate vaccine in Indian children living with HIV.

Background: Children living with HIV are at increased risk of disease from Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib). Data are limited on the immunogenicity of a two-dose, catch-up schedule for Hib conjugate vaccine (HibCV) among HIV-infected children accessing antiretroviral therapy (ART) late.

Objectives: The objectives of the study were to: (1) evaluate baseline immunity to Hib and the immunogenicity and safety of two doses of HibCV among HIV-infected Indian children; and (2) document the threshold antibody level required to prevent Hib colonization among HIV-infected children following immunization.

Carboxymethylsulfonylated Ribopyrimidines: Rational Design of Ribonuclease A Inhibitors Employing Chemical Logic.

Hydrolysis of RNA by ribonuclease A crucially depends on the participation of the 2'-OH group as well as the positioning of the internucleotide bond at two different sites of the enzyme. Therefore, ribopyrimidines were modified with -SO2CH2CO2H, an acidic functional group, which was expected to interact with the phosphate binding site. These ribonucleosides were designed to understand the influence of the 2'-OH group of these inhibitors on ribonuclease A inhibition along with the effect of the -SO2CH2CO2H group.

Studies on antioxidative and immunostimulating fucogalactan of the edible mushroom Macrolepiota dolichaula.

A water soluble fucogalactan (PS-II) of an average molecular weight ∼1.2×10(5) Da was isolated from the aqueous extract of an edible mushroom Macrolepiota dolichaula. It was composed of fucose, galactose and 3-O-methyl galactose in a molar ratio of nearly 1:4:1.

Structural, immunological, and antioxidant studies of β-glucan from edible mushroom Entoloma lividoalbum.

A water soluble β-glucan having molecular weight ∼2×10(5)Da was isolated from hot water extract of the fruit bodies of an edible mushroom Entoloma lividoalbum (Kühner & Romagn) Kubička. This polysaccharide (ELPS) contains (1→3,6)-β-D-Glcp, (1→3)-β-D-Glcp, (1→6)-β-D-Glcp, and terminal β-D-Glcp moieties in a molar ratio of nearly 1:1:3:1. Chemical and spectroscopic analysis showed that the backbone of glucan consists of three (1→6)-β-D-glucopyranosyl and two (1→3)-β-D-glucopyranosyl residues, out of which one (1→3)-β-D-glucopyranosyl moiety was branched at O-6 with a terminal β-D-glucopyranosyl residue.

A partially methylated mannogalactan from hybrid mushroom pfle 1p: purification, structural characterization, and study of immunoactivation.

A new water-soluble heteropolysaccharide (PS-II) with apparent molecular weight ∼1.65×10(5) Da, was isolated from the fruiting bodies of hybrid mushroom pfle 1p by hot aqueous extraction. It is composed of d-mannose, d-galactose, and 3-O-Me-d-galactose in a molar ratio of 1.

Oxidative status in granulosa cells of infertile women undergoing IVF.

Studies on elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in granulosa cells (GC) and its subsequent effect on fertilization are limited. Oxidative stress (OS) mediated alterations in GC of infertile women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) and embryo transfer (ET) was investigated. GC were obtained from 28 women with endometriosis (Group A), 26 women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) (Group B), and 32 women with tubal factor infertility (Group C).

Antiproliferative and immunostimulatory protein fraction from edible mushrooms.

Fruit bodies and mycelia of various higher Basidiomycetes were studied in search of biological effector molecules. In this study, we evaluated the antiproliferative and immunomodulatory properties of a protein fraction designated as Cibacron blue affinity eluted protein (CBAEP) isolated from five different species of edible mushrooms (Termitomyces clypeatus, Pleurotus florida, Calocybe indica, Astraeus hygrometricus, and Volvariella volvacea). This protein fraction (10-100μg/ml) mediated antiproliferative activity on several tumor cell lines through the induction of apoptosis.