Bio-fabricated bismuth-based materials for removal of emerging environmental contaminants from wastewater.

Although rapid industrialization has made life easier for humans, several associated issues are emerging and harming the environment. Wastewater is regarded as one of the key problems of the 21st century due to its massive production every year and requires immediate attention from all stakeholders to protect the environment. Since the introduction of nanotechnology, bismuth-based nanomaterials have been used in variety of applications.

An investigation of the structural, mechanical, electronic, optical, and thermoelectric characteristics of novel double perovskite halides CsCaSnX (X = Cl, Br, I) for optically influenced RRAM devices.

Hybrid lead halide perovskites have been considered as promising candidates for a large variety of optoelectronic applications. By exploring novel combinations of lead-free double perovskite halides, it is possible to find a suitable replacement for poisonous lead halide perovskites, enhancing electronic and optical response for their application as optically-influenced resistive switching random access memory (RRAM). In this work, the structural, mechanical, elastic, electronic, optical, and thermoelectric characteristics of lead-free double halide perovskites were investigated by Vienna initio simulation package (VASP) to explore their role in RRAM.

Transformation and expressional studies of GaZnF gene to improve drought tolerance in Gossypium hirsutum.

Drought stress is the major limiting factor in plant growth and production. Cotton is a significant crop as textile fiber and oilseed, but its production is generally affected by drought stress, mainly in dry regions. This study aimed to investigate the expression of Zinc finger transcription factor's gene (GaZnF) to enhance the drought tolerance in Gossypium hirsutum.

A PRECEDE-PROCEED model-based educational intervention to promote healthy eating habits in middle school girls.

The present study was designed to develop Nutrition Education Program (NEP) based on PRECEDE-PROCEED model (PPM) to address healthy eating behavior among middle school girls aged between 4 and 12 years. For this, middle school girls from grade 1 to 8 ( = 900) were consulted for their eating behaviors, followed by the analysis of their health problems. From 15 different schools of three large cities (Faisalabad, Lahore, and Rawalpindi) of Pakistan, students were divided into two groups: control group ( = 30) and intervention group ( = 30) from each school.

Berberis lyceum root bark extract attenuates anticancer drugs induced neurotoxicityand cardiotoxicity in rats.

Background: Traditionally, was extensively used for the treatment of several human diseases.

Objective: This study was undertaken to determine in vivo effects of Berberis lyceum root bark against doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity and cisplatin-induced neurotoxicity in Sprague Dawley rats.

Methods: A single dose of doxorubicin (20 mg/ kg i.

Carboxymethyl cellulose-based materials as an alternative source for sustainable electrochemical devices: a review.

In electrochemistry, bio-based materials are preferred over the traditional costly and synthetic polymers due to their abundance, versatility, sustainability and low cost. One of the bio-based polymers is carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) which has become an overarching material in electrochemical devices pertaining to its amphiphilic nature with multi-carbon functional groups. Owing to its flexible framework with fascinating groups on its surface like hydroxide (-OH) and carboxylate (-COO), CMC is able to be modified into conducting materials by blending it with other biopolymers, synthetic polymers, salts, acids and others.

Role of biostimulants (ascorbic acid and fulvic acid) to synergize Rhizobium activity in pea (Pisum sativum L. var. Meteor).

Biostimulants such as ascorbic acid (AA) and fulvic acid (FA)can enhance the efficiency of root-nodulating bacteria. This study investigates optimum concentration of these two biostimulants to maximize the Rhizobium activity and increase root size, nodulation capability, NPK uptake, yield and quality. Interaction with nitrogenase enzyme through molecular docking was also studied by using both AA and FA as ligands to better understand their inhibitory role in excess amounts.

Combined molecular dynamics simulations and experimental studies of the removal of cationic dyes on the eco-friendly adsorbent of activated carbon decorated montmorillonite Mt@AC.

In recent years, the combination of experimental and theoretical study to explain adsorbate/adsorbent interactions has attracted the attention of researchers. In this context, this work aims to study the adsorption of two cationic dyes, namely methylene blue (MB) and crystal violet (CV), on a green adsorbent Montmorillonite@activated carbon (Mt@AC) composite and to explain the adsorption behavior of each dye by the molecular dynamics (MD) simulation method. The eco-friendly nanocomposite Mt@AC is synthesized and characterized by the analysis methods: XRD, FTIR, BET, TGA/DTA, SEM-EDS, EDS-mapping and zeta potential.

A pH responsive and superporous biocomposite hydrogel of polysaccharide--methacrylic acid for intelligent drug delivery.

Herein, a drug delivery system (SSH--MAA) based on the mucilage from seeds of (SSH; polymer) and methacrylic acid (MAA; monomer) is introduced for the controlled delivery of venlafaxine HCl using a sustainable chemical approach. The optimized conditions for the designing of the ideal formulation (M4) of SSH--MAA were found to be 2.5% (w/w) of SSH, 30.

A compendium of macrofungi of Pakistan by ecoregions.

Macrofungi form fruiting bodies that can be detected with the naked eye in the field and handled by hand. They mostly consist of basidiomycetes, but also include some ascomycetes. Mycology in Pakistan is still in its infancy, but there have been many historical reports and checklists of macrofungi occurrence from its 15 ecoregions, which range from Himalayan alpine grasslands and subtropical pine forests to deserts and xeric shrublands.

2,1-Benzothiazine - (quinolin/thiophen)yl hydrazone frameworks as new monoamine oxidase inhibitory agents; synthesis, and investigation.

Two series of new 2,1-benzothiazine derivatives have been synthesized by condensation of 4-hydrazono-1-methyl-3,4-dihydro-1-benzo[][1,2]thiazine 2,2-dioxide (5) with 2-chloroquinoline-3-carbaldehydes and acetylthiophenes to acquire new heteroaryl ethylidenes 7(a-f) and 9(a-k) in excellent yields. After characterization by FTIR, H NMR, C NMR and elemental analyses, the newly synthesized analogues were investigated against monoamine oxidase enzymes (MAO A and MAO B). The titled compounds exhibited activity in the lower micromolar range among which 9e was the most potent compound against MAO A with IC of 1.

In vitro evaluation of immunomodulatory, anti-diabetic, and anti-cancer molecular mechanisms of Tribulus terrestris extracts.

Dampened immunity and impaired wound healing in diabetic patients may lead to diabetic foot ulcer disease, which is the leading cause of limb amputations and hospitalization. On the other hand, cancer is the most significant cause of mortality globally, accounting for over 10 million fatalities in 2020, or nearly one in every six deaths. Plants and herbs have been used to treat chronic diseases due to their essential pharmaceutical attributes, such as mitigating drug resistance, ameliorating systemic toxicities, reducing the need for synthetic chemotherapeutic agents,and strengthening the immune system.

Fabrication of graphene-based sensor for exposure to different chemicals.

Opto-chemical sensors are the most significant type of sensors that are widely used to detect a variety of volatile organic compounds and chemicals. This research work demonstrates the fabrication and characterization of an opto-chemical sensor based on a graphene thin film. A 300 nm graphene thin film was deposited on clean glass with the help of RF magnetron sputtering.

Synthesis of Al/starch co-doped in CaO nanoparticles for enhanced catalytic and antimicrobial activities: experimental and DFT approaches.

In this work, aluminum/starch (St)-doped CaO nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized by a co-precipitation method to degrade harmful dyes in various pH media. Systematic characterization was performed to investigate the influence of Al/St dopants on the composition, crystal structure, functional groups present, optical characteristics, and morphology of CaO NPs. Further hybrid density functional analyses corroborated that the band gap energy was reduced as the Al concentration in starch-doped CaO is increased.

Preparation of stimuli responsive microgel with silver nanoparticles for biosensing and catalytic reduction of water pollutants.

Herein, we report poly(-isopropylacrylamide/2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid) microgel fabricated with silver nanoparticles. The identification of copolymerization and functional groups in the bare microgel and those fabricated with silver nanoparticles was examined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The pH and temperature sensitivity of microgels was studied using dynamic light scattering.

Tooth marker of ecological abnormality: The interpretation of stress in extinct mega herbivores (proboscideans) of the Siwaliks of Pakistan.

Climate affects living ecosystems and defines species physiology. Climate change causes certain stress on animals, recorded as Enamel Hypoplasia (EH). Proboscideans, the mega herbivores, were extensively represented in the Siwaliks of Pakistan between the Middle Miocene to Pleistocene (~15.

Correction: Unveiling concentration effects on the structural and optoelectronic characteristics of Zn Cd S ( = 0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1) cubic semiconductors: a theoretical study.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1039/D2RA03850A.].

Tailoring TiO/AlO heterolayers as optical filters for the visible region.

Optical filters operating in the visible region of the spectrum are highly desired for applications ranging from optical communication and sensing to fluorescence microscopy and skin therapy. However, complex fabrication procedures and/or inferior performance, limit the practical applications of previously reported thin-film-based optical filters. Herein, we describe the structual design concepts and facile fabrication of vertically stacked heterolayers of TiO/AlO to obtain a bandpass filter and a longwave pass edge filter operating in the spectral range 410-600 nm and 400-597 nm, respectively.

Evaluation of bactericidal potential and catalytic dye degradation of multiple morphology based chitosan/polyvinylpyrrolidone-doped bismuth oxide nanostructures.

In this study, 0.02 and 0.04 wt% of chitosan (CS) were successfully incorporated in a fixed amount of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)-doped BiO nanostructures (NSs) a co-precipitation approach.

Unveiling concentration effects on the structural and optoelectronic characteristics of Zn Cd S ( = 0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1) cubic semiconductors: a theoretical study.

The structural and optoelectronic characteristics of Zn Cd S ( = 0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.

Fabrication of a graphene-based sensor to detect the humidity and the temperature of a metal body with imprecise data analysis.

Graphene is a 2D material with remarkable properties. The present study demonstrates the fabrication of a graphene-based sensor for measuring the temperature and humidity of a metal body. The graphene sensor was fabricated by depositing a thin film of graphene nanoparticles between silver electrodes (separated by ∼50 μm) on a glass substrate.

Genetic data of 22 autosomal STR loci in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and Gilgit Baltistan population of Pakistan using PowerPlex® fusion system.

In this study we have provided forensic genetic data of 22 autosomal STRs for Pakhtun, Balochi and Balti population of Pakistan in total of 601 samples. Among these loci, Penta E was found the most discriminatory in all groups and allele 15 was observed most frequent at D22S1045 in Balti whereas in other two populations allele 8 was more common at TPOX. The combined power of discrimination, combined power of exclusion and the combined matching probability was calculated as 0.