Evaluation of a same-metal PCB-based three-electrode system impedance studies using potassium ferricyanide.

We report for the first time the successful acquisition of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy data using an unconventional same-metal PCB-based three-electrode system. Conventional three-electrode systems primarily require expensive and bulky electrodes, and a high volume of analytes to conduct electrochemical impedance spectroscopy studies. The miniaturized PCB-based three-electrode system used in this work requires only trace amounts of analytes in the order of 10-20 μL owing to the design of the electrode sensor.

Novel same-metal three electrode system for cyclic voltammetry studies.

Conventional three-electrode systems used in electrochemical measurement demand time-consuming and maintenance intensive procedures to enable accurate and repeatable electrochemical measurements. Traditionally, different metal configurations are used to establish the electrochemical gradient required to acquire the redox activity, and vary between different electrochemical measurement platforms. However, in this work, we report using the same metal (gold) for the counter, working and reference electrodes fabricated on a miniaturized printed circuit board (PCB) for a much simpler design.

Synthesis, crystal structure elucidation, DFT analysis, drug-likeness and ADMET evaluation and molecular docking studies of triazole derivatives: Binary inhibition of spike protein and ACE2 receptor protein of COVID-19.

The recent incidence of terrible acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS CoV-2) has presently experienced some noteworthy mutations since its discovery in 2019 in Wuhan, China. The present research work focuses on the synthesis of three triazole derivatives (BMTPP, BMTTP, and BMTIP) and their inhibition activities against SARS-Cov-2 spike and ACE2 receptor proteins. The crystal structure for BMTTP was determined by the SCXRD method and optimized geometrical parameters for the three triazole derivatives were obtained by DFT calculations.

Natural deep eutectic solvent supported targeted solid-liquid polymer carrier for breast cancer therapy.

Solid-liquid nanocarriers (SLNs) are at the front of the rapidly emerging field of medicinal applications with a potential role in the delivery of bioactive agents. Here, we report a new SLN of natural deep eutectic solvent (NADES) and biotin-conjugated lysine-polyethylene glycol copolymer. The SLN system was analyzed for its functional groups, thermal stability, crystalline nature, particle size, and surface morphology through the instrumental analysis of FT-IR, TGA, XRD, DLS, SEM, and TEM.

The effect of post-deposition annealing conditions on structural and thermoelectric properties of sputtered copper oxide films.

The development of thin-film thermoelectric applications in sensing and energy harvesting can benefit largely from suitable deposition methods for earth-abundant materials. In this study, p-type copper oxide thin films have been prepared on soda lime silicate glass by direct current (DC) magnetron sputtering at room temperature from a pure copper metallic target in an argon atmosphere, followed by subsequent annealing steps at 300 °C under various atmospheres, namely air (CuO:air), nitrogen (CuO:N) and oxygen (CuO:O). The resultant films have been studied to understand the influence of various annealing atmospheres on the structural, spectroscopic and thermoelectric properties.

Novel star-shaped D-π-D-π-D and (D-π)-D-(π-D) anthracene-based hole transporting materials for perovskite solar cells.

Three types of novel star-shaped molecular architectures, D-π-D-π-D and (D-π)-D-(π-D) anthracene (ANTTPA, AOME, AOHE) based hole transporting materials, are designed for hybrid perovskite solar cells using the Gaussian 09 computation program with the B3LYP/6-31g (d, p) basis set level. The HOMO energy level of the designed materials has a higher HOMO energy level compared to the perovskite HOMO energy level, which is more facile for hole transport from the hole transporting layer to the oxidized perovskite layer. Thereafter, anthracene-based derivatives were synthesized from Buchwald-Hartwig and Mizoroki-Heck cross coupling reactions.

Dicarboxylic acid cross-linked metal ion decorated bentonite clay and chitosan for fluoride removal studies.

This study focused on the synthesis of a dicarboxylic acid (malic acid (A)), metal ion decorated bentonite clay (BC) modified with chitosan (CS) and the investigation of its defluoridation efficiency in fluoride contaminated groundwater. The synthesized adsorbent showed a fluoride removal capacity of 9.87 mg g.

Pheromone-binding proteins based phylogenetics and phylogeography of spp. from Asia, Africa, Oceania, and South America.

Variations in the functional response of legume pod borer () populations to sex pheromone blends were observed in Asia and Africa. Hence, this study was carried out to understand the differences in pheromone-binding proteins (PBPs) among populations in Asia, Africa, Oceania, and South America. A de novo transcriptome assembly was adopted to sequence the entire transcribed mRNAs in from Taiwan.

Efficiency of brown seaweed () polysaccharides encapsulated in nanoemulsion and nanostructured lipid carrier against colon cancer cell lines HCT 116.

Bioactive polysaccharides extracted from brown seaweeds have potent antioxidant, antitumor, antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory activities and nanomedicine applications. In the present study, we have made an attempt to overcome the instability and bioavailability problem of exopolysaccharides extracted from brown seaweed () by nanoencapsulation technology to enhance its therapeutic applications. Exopolysaccharides was encapsulated in orange oil nanoemulsion (NE) prepared by ultra-sonication method and nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC) prepared by hot solvent diffusion method.

Early maturation and liver necrosis in the fingerling stage of due to BPA can cause an ecological imbalance.

We investigated the effect of Bisphenol-A (BPA) on the fingerlings of collected from industrial waste. Fluorescence quenching assay using Rhodamine-B and mass detection assay using ESI-MS revealed that BPA was predominantly present in plastic industry effluent, where the fingerlings' ovaries exhibited early maturation. The histopathology of those fingerlings revealed a similar result.

A study on the impact of water quality on the murrel fish and from three major Southern Tamilnadu rivers, India.

Rivers are one of the natural fresh water resources that satisfy the domestic, agricultural and industrial needs of people. The Cauvery, Vaigai and Thamirabarani are the three major rivers flowing through the Southern Tamil Nadu region of India. In this study, the Water Quality Index (WQI) and heavy metal concentrations of river water during the pre- and post-monsoon periods in 2015 were recorded and the impact of heavy metal accumulation in two important murrel fish species, and , was analysed using micronuclei and histology assays.

Sulfonated graphene oxide/Nafion composite membranes for high temperature and low humidity proton exchange membrane fuel cells.

Iron oxide (FeO) nanoparticles anchored over sulfonated graphene oxide (SGO) and Nafion/FeO-SGO composites were fabricated and applied as potential proton exchange membranes in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) operated at high temperature and low humidity. FeO nanoparticles bridge SGO and Nafion through electrostatic interaction/hydrogen bonding and increased the intrinsic thermal and mechanical stabilities of Nafion/FeO-SGO composite membranes. Nafion/FeO-SGO composite membranes increased the compactness of ionic domains and enhanced the water absorption and proton conductivity while restricting hydrogen permeability across the membranes.

Nanocerium oxide increases the survival of adult rod and cone photoreceptor in culture by abrogating hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative stress.

In vitro cell culture system for adult rod and cone photoreceptor (PR) is an effective and economical model for screening drug candidates against all kinds of age related retinal blindness. Interestingly, adult PR cells have a limited survival in the culture system, thus preventing full exploitation of this in vitro approach for drug screening applications. The limited survival of the adult PR cells in culture is due to their inherently high oxidative stress and photic injury.

Characterization of saltern based Streptomyces sp. and statistical media optimization for its improved antibacterial activity.

A moderately halotolerant Streptomyces strain, designated JAJ13 was characterized and a culture medium was statistically optimized to improve its antibacterial activity. Based on the phenotypic and molecular characteristics, strain JAJ13 was identified as a moderately halotolerant Streptomyces sp. JAJ13.

Phylogenetic appraisal of antagonistic, slow growing actinomycetes isolated from hypersaline inland solar salterns at Sambhar salt Lake, India.

Inland solar salterns established in the vicinity of Sambhar Lake are extreme saline environments with high salinity and alkalinity. In view of the fact that microbes inhabiting such extreme saline environments flourish the contemporary bioprospecting, it was aimed to selectively isolate slow growing and rare actinomycetes from the unexplored solar salterns. A total of 14 slow growing actinomycetes were selectively isolated from three composite soil samples of inland solar salterns.

Retinoblastoma gene inhibits transactivation of HIV-LTR linked gene expression upon co-transfection in He La cells.

Co-transfection of HeLa cells with plasmids carrying human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) control elements along with plasmids harboring human retinoblastoma (RB) gene, results in the repression of transactivation of genes linked to HIV elements. Cells transfected with HIV LTR-linked chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT) and TAT genes showed a dose-dependent decrease in CAT activity when increasing amounts of RB genes were transfected along with HIV genes. CAT mRNAs were not detected in HeLa cells transfected with HIV LTR CAT gene alone.