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The present work elucidates the first report on the synthesis and energy applications of the novel BaLa2MnS5prepared from single source precursor route. This metal chalcogenide expressed a tuned band gap of 3.84 eV and an average crystallite size of 20.52 nm. Functional groups explored for BaLa2MnS5expressed strong signals for presence of the metal sulfide bonds. The thermal decomposition pattern of BaLa2MnS5followed a two‐phased mechanism. Synthesized metal sulfide possessed an irregular morphology with particles arranged in random manner. An assessment of the chalcogenide BaLa2MnS5for energy applications has been carried out. When employed as an electrode material in 1 M KOH, which acted as the background electrolyte, BaLa2MnS5chalcogenide showed a specific capacitance of 597 F g−1. Furthermore, this BaLa2MnS5chalcogenide decorated electrode has a low resistance, as shown by the Rsof 1.35 Ω, and a specific power density of 7366 W kg−1, according to the impedance investigations. The electrochemical results for the OER activity are indicative of the OER overpotential and Tafel slope values as 388 mV and 108 mV/dec. This electrode achieved the HER overpotential value of 241 mV while the obtained Tafel slope was 194 mV/dec. Mixed metal chalcogenides prepared via dithiocarbamate precursor route has profound potential for electrochemical charge storage.

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Researchers are keen to reduce the over potential value through fabrication of electrocatalyst consisted of environmentally benign and inexpensive material. Supercapacitors on the other hand have gained immense attention in recent years as an energy storage device due to the high power density potential of these devices as compared to conventional batteries based storage system. The research aims to synthesize nanoscale transition metal oxides (TMO) through green route. TMO based nanomaterials have vast role in energy related applications. In this study, organic compounds of A. Viridis were used as reducing and stabilizing agents in the synthesis of binary nanocomposite Sb2O3–ZrO2. The synthesized nanocomposite was characterized using x‐ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy. The electrode material was analyzed for supercapacitor potential using cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge discharge techniques. HER and OER studies were also conducted using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and linear sweep voltammetry. The synthesized material was also tested for stability. The crystal size was 15.9 nm. Optical band gap of 2.55 eV was obtained through Tauc plot. The capacitance value of 339.8 F/g at 2 mV/s and the specific capacitance of 100.6 F/g was obtained at 1 A/g. The overpotential value of 201 mV and Tafel value of 121 mV/dec was recorded for the HER, whereas the lower Tafel value of 106 mV/dec and over potential value of 383 mV was determined for OER. Electrode showed promising stability up to various cycles in case of both applications. The obtained results revealed the promising performance with excellent stability of fabricated electrode for super capacitor as well as water splitting studies. Organic compounds of Amaranthus viridiswere used as reducing and stabilizing agents in the synthesis of binary nanocomposite Sb2O3‐ZrO2. Sb2O3‐ZrO2was evaluated for its potential in energy‐relevant applications. The electrode material was analyzed for supercapacitor potential using cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge–discharge techniques. HER and OER studies were also conducted using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and linear sweep voltammetry.

The crop phosphorus (P) utilization efficiency of commercial fertilizers is only 10–15%, leaving much P fixed in the soil. Coating fertilizer can lessen this problem, but most of the current available options are potentially toxic and expensive. This study-investigated nanobiochar as a coating material for engineering “smart” di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) fertilizer that controls P and nitrogen (N) release in soil, ultimately enhancing nutrient utilization by maize. Biochar was produced from farmyard manure and ball-milled to obtain nanobiochar. Different nanobiochar concentrations (2.5%, 5%, and 10% w/w) were used to coat the DAP granules in a fluidized-bed coater. The release of N and P was studied after immersing both coated and uncoated DAP fertilizers in water. In a pot experiment, five treatments, i.e.i) control (C), ii) uncoated DAP (UF), iii) 2.5% nanobiochar-coated DAP (CUNB1), iv) 5% nanobiochar-coated DAP (CUNB2), and v) 10% nanobiochar-coated DAP (CUNB3) were introduced, after which maize was sown. The presence of a uniform nanobiochar coating on DAP was confirmed by the discrete carbon peaks observed through X-ray diffraction and FTIR spectroscopic analyses. In a laboratory study, the slowest release of N and P was observed for CUNB3. Remarkably, the application of CUNB1 substantially increased the microbial biomass carbon and N by 104% and 147%, respectively, while enhancing the plant-available P, N, and potassium (K) by 40%, 70%, and 46%, respectively, compared with those of C. This treatment increased maize shoot dry matter yield by 88%, accompanied by marked increases of 229%, 205%, and 67% in maize P, N, and K uptakes compared to C, respectively. However, other coating treatments failed to increase these parameters compared with those of UF, confirming that these coatings had the slowest nutrient availability for short-duration crops. The 2.5% nanobiochar concentration can be recommended for coating DAP fertilizer to reduce problems of P fixation and enhance P availability, crop growth and nutrients uptake, hence contributing to sustainable fertilizer management practices in agroecosystem.

In alkaline soils, optimizing fertilizer use efficiency stands as a critical concern. Slow-release fertilizers enriched with essential micronutrients, particularly zinc (Zn), present a promising solution. The addition of bio-binders like gelatin can further improve their performance. This study assesses the impact of these coatings on ryegrass, with a specific emphasis on examining the influence of Zn and gelatin, a bio-binder, in enhancing nutrient absorption and crop yield. Slow-release fertilizers were prepared by coating urea with zinc oxide (ZnO) and gelatin using a fluidized bed coater, resulting in four formulations: G2, G2.5, ZnOG2, and ZnOG2.5. Various characterizations and agronomical tests were conducted to assess their performance. Physical and chemical analyses confirmed the uniform and strong coating, chemical composition, crystalline structure, and mechanical durability of the coated fertilizers. Soil analysis revealed remarkable results: soil mineral nitrogen levels reached 24.33 ± 0.97 kg/ha and soil-available zinc measured 5.1 ± 0.24 kg/ha. Additionally, ZnOG2.5 treatment improved soil health, enhancing microbial activity, with microbial biomass carbon at 210.5 ± 9.55 mg/kg and microbial biomass nitrogen at 69.2 ± 4.8 mg/kg. Plant responses were exceptional, with nitrogen (137.1 ± 10.52 kg/ha) and zinc (18.01 ± 0.86 kg/ha) uptake indicating potential of our slow-release fertilizer to boost plant nutrition. Significant improvements were seen in dry matter yield (7271.9 ± 330.06 kg/ha for shoots) and apparent nitrogen recovery (40.1 ± 4% for shoots), underscoring the practical benefits of our approach for nutrient utilization efficiency. Therefore, the utilization of ZnOG2 emerges as a viable option to enhance nitrogen uptake in the context of sustainable and environmentally friendly agricultural practices.

Neodymium (Nd3+) substituted Ba4Co2NdxFe36-xO60(0.0 ≤ x≤ 0.16, Δx= 0.04) hexaferrite materials were produced by self-combustion sol–gel synthesis and sintered at 1200 °C for 6 h in a digitally controlled box furnace. XRD was performed to examine all the specimens for structural examination. XRD spectra confirmed the single-phase development of synthesized materials. Incorporating Nd into structural parameters resulted in an enhancement in lattice parameters (aand c). The fluctuations were also noted in the lattice values of “a" and “c" that are 5.866–5.869 Å and 112.745–112.800 Å. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy identifies two absorption bands between 507–485 cm−1and 462–435 cm−1due to Fe–O stretching vibrations. Epsilometer R60 VNA was used to perform the dielectric measurements from the 1 MHz–6 GHz frequency range. Maxwell–Wagner theory explains the variations in frequency-dependent dielectric parameters well. The value of dielectric loss was decreased at a higher frequency region (6 GHz) for all doped samples. The sample with x= 0.08 shows the maximum Q-value about 17,893 at 0.037 GHz. The impedance study approved the impact of grain and grain boundaries on Cole–Cole graphs. The attenuation/reflection loss factor of the unsubstituted sample has the smallest value of − 44.2 dB at 1.2 GHz, considered the best-absorbing material among all the samples. Scanning electron microscopy gives information about the morphology and approves the hexagonal plate-like shape of grains. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirmed the existence of all metal ions with their required valence states. According to these findings, impedance analysis, Q-value, and reflection loss, the prepared materials are suitable for higher frequency gadgets, including MLCI, microwave absorbers, and dielectric resonators.

Soil zinc (Zn) deficiency is a major cause of Zn-malnutrition, low yields, and low nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in wheat. Improving grain Zn concentration and NUE in wheat without compromising yield has become a global concern. A study was therefore conducted to explore the potential of Zn-solubilizing bacteria (ZnSB) and Zn oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) for improving Zn biofortification and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in wheat. Two strains of ZnSB (Pseudomonas aeruginosa(YZn1) and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia(WZn1)) were isolated from field soil and selected for study based on Zn solubilization efficiency, IAA production, and Zn release efficiency. The potential of soil and foliar applications of ZnONPs separately, or in combination with consortia of ZnSB, to enhance wheat Zn concentrations, productivity and NUE was evaluated. The treatments tested were: Control (T1), ZnSB (T2), ZnSO4(soil application; T3), ZnONPs (foliar application; T4), ZnSB + ZnONPs (soil and foliar applications respectively; T5), and ZnONPs + ZnSB (soil applications of both) + ZnONPs (foliar application) (T6). Soil application of ZnONPs when combined with ZnSB and a foliar application of ZnONPs (T6) significantly (P≤ 0.05) improved yield and yield traits compared to the control (T1) and ZnSO4(T3) treatments. Notably, T6increased chlorophyll SPAD value, 1000-grain weight, grain yield, harvest index (HI), and grain Zn concentration by 27.61%, 29.63%, 53.54%, 23.07%, and 89.06% respectively, over control (T1). The T6treatment also increased grain zinc concentration and yield relative to T3by 20.95% and 6.12% respectively. The NUE was also increased in response to T6, with significantly higher nitrogen physiological efficiency (48.79 g g− 1), agronomic use efficiency (27.08 g g− 1), nitrogen harvest index (80.84%), and partial factor productivity (61.34 g g− 1). However, the maximum Zn apparent recovery (71.02%) was observed in plants subjected to T5. Combined application of ZnSB and ZnONPs in the soil along with foliar application of ZnONPs can replace conventional application of ZnSO4for maximum yield, Zn-enriched grain, and improved NUE in wheat when grown in Zn-deficient soils.

• MnSnO 2 @CsPbBr 3 quantum dots heterostructure designed by a wet impregnation method. • Photocatalyst performed excellent degradation activity. • DFT exhibited higher Fukui index (f 0) atoms were radical assault sites. • Excellent photostability in subsequent cycle experiments. In this work, we developed a promising photocatalyst in CsPbBr 3 quantum dots (QDs) because of their exceptional optoelectronic characteristics. However, QDs applications in the field of photocatalysis were mainly hampered by their poor stability and insufficient charge transfer efficiency. Herein, a novel and efficient MnSnO 2 @CsPbBr 3 (MSO@QDs) nanocomposite was first time effectively designed and synthesized by a wet impregnation method for peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation under the light. The newly generated interface phase of QDs between MnSnO 2 (MSO) showed great potential to improve light absorption, leading to effective separation and transfer of photoelectron-hole pairs. This novel nanocomposite MSO@QDs showed great Flurbiprofen (FL) removal efficiency under the PMS/Light system. It should be noted that this nanocomposite removed 85.74% of FL in just 70 min, which was almost 1.11 and 2.51 times greater than using pure QDs and pure MSO, respectively. Based on thorough measurements of structural analysis, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), UV-vis spectra, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), transient photocurrent response, and a potential mechanism for organic pollutants degradation over MSO@QDs nanocomposite was envisioned. The principal reactive species of photoinduced holes (h+), i.e. O 2 ˙−, SO 4 ˙−, ˙OH, and non-radical (1O 2) were characterized via scavengers' technique and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) measurements. The highest photocatalytic performance for the removal of MO, MB, and IBU was demonstrated by MSO@QDs nanocomposite/PMS, revealing their excellent ability to remove organic pollutants through photo-oxidation. Furthermore, the developed nanocomposite exhibited good stability in an aqueous medium. According to computational investigation using the density functional theory (DFT) method, the site's higher Fukui index f 0 value corresponds to a greater propensity to be attacked by reactive species. This work offers a fresh perspective on developing further high-efficiency, low-cost photocatalysts for wastewater treatment. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current study, total six hydrazinyl 1,2,4-triazoles derivatives (5a–5f) are reported. A new series of pyridine substituted 1,2,4-triazoles was synthesized and tested for in vitro studies, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition assay, kinetics mechanism studies and chemical characterization (1HNMR and 13CNMR analysis). The acetylcholinesterase inhibition activity of the compound 5f(IC50± SEM = 0.0249 ± 0.01 µM) was maximum as compared to the rest of the derivatives. Results of kinetics mechanism showed that synthetic compound (5f) had inhibitory effect on enzyme in a competitive manner and its KiValue was 0.025 µM. These findings were also supported by molecular docking studies to rule out the binding interactions in the molecules. In addition, comprehensive molecular dynamics simulations were performed to investigate the stability of protein–ligand complex. It was revealed that RMSD fluctuations demonstrated stable pattern. The data showed that almost all derivatives are best inhibitors of AChE in comparison to neostigmine. Therefore, it can be suggested that these derivatives must be explored further at molecular level so that their role can be identified as lead molecules in drug discovery for the management of age related neurodegenerative diseases.

Agricultural and lignocellulose residues are a large number of available biomass substrates and important sources for the fermentation of biofuels. Gasification and enzymatic hydrolysis are the main technologies for converting lignocellulose biomass into products for the production of biofuels as a sustainable energy source for fuel transportation. Bio-fuel production is getting interest due to the depletion of crude oil reserves. Biofuel production is an economical alternative source for transport and energy sectors since it offers the utilization of cheap lignocellulose biomass for generating valued bio-fuels and chemicals. However, most of the processes are still in development phase due to techno-economic challenges and diversity in composition of lignocellulose biomass. Optimizations have been made over the years to make these processes developed enough to be employed on the industrial scale. This review accounts the sources and compositions of different lignocellulosic biomasses along with several thermo-chemical, catalytic, and integrated strategies for their conversion to produce bio-fuels and other valuable chemicals.

To tackle the critical environmental and industrial challenges, this research endeavors to develop nanomaterial with enhanced photocatalytic function, corrosion resistance, self-cleaning capabilities, and optimal effluent treatment. This research successfully synthesized Ag@ZnFe2O4nanocomposite to activate peroxymonosulfate (PMS) for the removal of Congo red from water. The structural composition and morphology of the materials were examined by the utilization of XRD, FTIR, XPS, SEM with EDS and TEM. The study examined the impacts of catalyst dosage, concentrations of PMS, pH, and simultaneous ions on the experiment, as well as the ability of the nanocomposites to be reused and their stability. The photocatalytic degradation process was hypothesized to operate using free radical trapping tests. Results indicated that the heterostructure junction flanked by ZnFe2O4nanoparticles and Ag promoted charge transfer, reducing electron-hole recombination. By adding 5 mg of Ag@ZnFe₂O₄ nanocomposite, Congo red degradation was optimized at 98.7 % due to the huge surface area of Ag microflowers, which boosted active sites and CR elimination. Due to nanoparticle surface charge, PMS speciation, and radical interactions, CR degradation was most efficient at pH 7.3 and less efficient at pH 9.5. CR degradation rates rose with PMS concentration, reaching 34.7 %, 67.9 %, and 97.9 % at 0.3, 0.6, and 1 mM, respectively. The order of the inhibitory action was CO32−> H2PO4−> Cl−> NO3−. Free radical entrapment experiments show that hydroxyl (•OH) and sulfate radicals (•SO₄⁻) are key in CR photodegradation, with h+and •O₂ being the main active species.ESR tests revealed radicals, while electron transfer between ZnFe₂O₄ and Ag boosted carrier migration, driving redox cycles and CR breakdown into stable byproducts like CO₂ and H₂O. Light-induced reaction eliminated 45.8 % of TOC, indicating CR partial mineralization. Mechanism of PMS-based photodegradation of CR removal was proposed. This study underscores the promising potential of Ag@ZnFe2O4/nanocomposites for PMS activation in degrading Congo red-contaminated wastewater. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) showed that a polymeric nanocomposite coating greatly improves the ability to resist corrosion in steel substrates when exposed to a 3.5 % NaCl solution. This is achieved by reducing the corrosion current density and boosting corrosion resistance. Superhydrophobic nanocomposite coatings repel water and pollutants, safeguarding various substrates from soil residues.

Using single‐source precursor route, this work reports the synthesis of the novel chalcogenide heterosystem, i.e., BaS:CoS:La2S3trichalcogenide heterosystem. With the narrowed band gap energy, BaS:CoS:La2S3expresses excellent photonic response with 3.47 eV of tailored band gap resulting from chemical synergism. This chalcogenide is marked by superior crystallinity and possessed an average crystallite size of 18.29 nm. Morphologically, BaS:CoS:La2S3exists in the form of the roughly spherical grains arranged in the irregular manner. The developed chalcogenide is assessed for charge storage by fabricating the electrode using a nickel form as a support. In a 0.1 mKOH background electrolyte, the BaS:CoS:La2S3adorns electrode excelled in achieving a specific capacitance of 967.24 F g−1. In addition, this trichalcogenide expresses the specific power density of 1659 W kg−1. Fabricated electrode retains original capacitance after different cycles. Regarding electrode–electrolyte interactions, the fabricated electrode shows minimal resistance, with an equivalent series resistance (Rs) of 1.42 Ω as indicated by impedance studies. Additional circuit elements, including CPE (Yo= 2.17 × 10−04, n= 0.71) and Rct(6.97 Ω cm−2), are obtained after circuit fitting for the BaS:CoS:La2S3trichalcogenide decorated electrode. Exhibiting stable behavior for 43 h, the synthesized material demonstrates profound durability and functionality. Novel BaS:CoS:La2S3trichalcogenide has narrow band gap with the excellent optical, crystalline, vibrational, and morphological specifications. BaS:CoS:La2S3decorates nickel foam electrode expressed it as profound energy storage material with of 484 F g−1specific capacitance and specific power density of 1659 W kg−1. It is a highly durable and stable energy semiconductor for energy storage.

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are a type of crystalline material that possess persistent porous nature by exhibiting highly organized architectures. Compared to various kinds of polymers, COF has a unique characteristic of being intrinsically pre-designable, synthetically programmable, and chemically controllable. The geometric architecture of COF provides topological instructions for the well arrangement of elongated porous triangles, while polymerization processes offer different preparation methods in order to develop predetermined but high-ordered configurations. The advancements made in the chemistry of these two features during last decade have undeniably laid the foundation for the field of COF. The COFs, have become a new area of organic substances due to their abundance of organic units and variety of structures and connections. This makes them a great tool for designing complicated structures and developing customized functions. This article aims to conduct a thorough examination of the field of COFs, including a historical background of their chemistry, an assessment of advancements in structure design and preparation ways, along with an exploration of their structural characteristics and disparities, an analysis of possible uses for energy conversion storage and environmental remediation, a discussion of the most crucial and technical concerns that require attention, and a projection of the future prospects from the perspectives of physics, chemistry and materials science.

The increasing importance of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) has led to research on the linguistic characteristics of its levels, as this would help the application of the CEFR in the design of teaching materials, courses, and assessments. This study investigated whether CEFR levels can be distinguished with reference to syntactic complexity (SC). 14- and 17-year-old Finnish learners of English (N=397) wrote three writing tasks which were rated against the CEFR levels. The ratings were analysed with multi-facet Rasch analysis and the texts were analysed with automated tools. Findings suggest that the clearest separators at lower CEFR levels (A1–A2) were the mean sentence and T-unit length, variation in sentence length, infinitive density, clauses per sentence or T-unit, and verb phrases per T-unit. For higher levels (B1–B2) they were modifiers per noun phrase, mean clause length, complex nominals per clause, and left embeddedness. The results support previous findings that the length of and variation in the longer production units (sentences, T-units) are the SC indices that most clearly separate the lower CEFR levels, whereas the higher levels are best distinguished in terms of complexity at the clausal and phrasal levels.

•Fungal endophytes are the medicinal plant partners that not only help plants synthesize important secondary metabolites and help them resist biotic stress.•Fungal endophytes in medicinal plants produce anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, antioxidant, and various other compounds that improve the medicinal status of these plants.•Fungal endophytes greatly enhance biotic stress resistance in medicinal plants and also contain genes to positively impact the production of secondary metabolites in medicinal plants.

The present work investigated the degradation of norfloxacin (NOR) antibiotics as a model pollutant in the bioelectro-Fenton (BEF) system. The BEF was catalyzed by three types of composite electrodes incorporated with nanoferrites, that is, Fe3O4, Fe3O4@MoS2, and CuFe2O4as heterogeneous Fenton catalysts at three pH levels (3, 7, and 9). The synthesized materials were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The anode chambers were inoculated with anaerobic digestion (AD) sludge and marine sludge. The highest current and power output were evident in a reactor (BEF 2) inoculated with marine sludge, and this phenomenon influenced the NOR removal as well. Among the composite catalysts, Fe3O4exhibited the best performance in terms of NOR degradation (ca. 90%), followed by CuFe2O4and Fe3O4@MoS2(82–87 and 80–86%, respectively) at pH 3 using AD sludge and marine sludge. The BEF system with all composite electrodes produced negligible concentration of residual iron, which was far below the permissible limit of China and European Union. The microbial community analyses showed Proteobacteria, Firmicutes,and Actinobacteriaas the dominant phyla in both inocula. The results indicated that using the BEF system with composite electrodes is a promising approach to not only remove biorecalcitrant pollutants but also generate more bioelectricity.

Te main purpose of this grounded theory research was to explore Diabetic Patients’ (DPs) experiences related to their chronic illness in the light of the Health Belief Model (HBM). Diabetic mellitus II is a grave public health concern, and its management is the cornerstone to avoid life-threatening complications. In contemporary research, the role of the patient in the decision-making process is essential because the holistic care domain warrants including patients’ voices. This research marks the first step in this direction. Te sampling strategy used for this study was convenience and snowballing. HBM was used to explore and interpret the DP voices. One-to-one interviews with 11 DPs were the source of data collection. Te data were analyzed using the constant comparative analysis method, which is recommended for grounded theory research. Te results showed that the main problem of patients is their inability to follow the diet plan accurately owing to financial concerns, social limitation, and a desire to eat more. However, all participants were familiar with the signs and symptoms of the disease. One major observation was the accidental diagnosis of the disease, indicating that proper screening is very necessary to reduce its incidence rate. Nursing must educate patients about the necessity of strictly adhering to a diet plan and taking medications on time. Patients’ fears and anxiety related to the disease and its complications must be reduced to improve the quality of life.

ABSTRACTIn vitrorecalcitrance of wheat to regeneration is the major bottleneck for its improvement through callus-based genetic transformation. Nanotechnology is one of the most dynamic areas of research, which can transform agriculture and biotechnology to ensure food security on sustainable basis. Present study was designed to investigate effects of CuSO4, AgNO3and their nanoparticles on tissue culture responses of mature embryo culture of wheat genotypes (AS-2002 and Wafaq-2001). Initially, MS-based callus induction and regeneration medium were optimized for both genotypes using various concentrations of auxin (2,4-D, IAA) and cytokinins (BAP, kinetin). The genotypes differed for embryogenic callus induction and regeneration potential. Genotype AS-2002 yielded maximum embryogenic calli in response to 3.0 mg/l 2,4-D, whereas Wafaq-2001 offered the highest embryogenic calli against 3.5 mg/l 2,4-D supplemented in the induction medium. Genotype AS-2002 showed maximum regeneration (59.33%) in response to regeneration protocol comprising 0.5 mg/l IAA, 0.3 mg/l BAP and 1.0 mg/l Kin, while Wafaq-2001 performed best in response to 0.5 mg/l IAA, 0.3 mg/l BAP and 1.5 mg/l Kin with 55.33% regeneration efficiency. The same optimized basal induction and regeneration medium for both genotypes were further used to study effects of CuSO4, AgNO3and their nano-particles employing independent experiments. The optimized induction medium fortified with various concentrations of CuSO4or CuNPs confirmed significant effects on frequency of embryogenic callus. Addition of either 0.020 mg/l or 0.025 mg/l CuSO4, or 0.015 mg/l CNPs showed comparable results for embryogenic callus induction and were statistically at par with embryogenic callus induction of 74.00%, 75.67% and 76.83%, respectively. Significantly higher regeneration was achieved from MS-based regeneration medium supplemented with 0.015 mg/l or 0.020 mg/l CuNPs than standard 0.025 mg/l CuSO4. In another study, the basal induction and regeneration medium were fortified with AgNO3or AgNPs ranging from 1 to 7 mg/l along with basal regeneration media devoid of AgNO3or AgNPs (control). The maximum embryogenic calli were witnessed from medium fortified with 3.0 mg/l or 4.0 mg/l AgNPs compared with control and rest of the treatments. The standardized regeneration medium fortified with 5.0 mg/l AgNO3or 3.0 mg/l AgNPs showed pronounced effect on regeneration of wheat genotypes and offered maximum regeneration compared with control. The individual and combined effect of Cu and Ag nanoparticles along with control (basal regeneration media of each genotype) was also tested. Surprisingly, co-application of metallic NPs showed a significant increase in embryogenic callus formation of genotypes. Induction medium supplemented with 0.015 mg/l CuNPs + 4.0 mg/l AgNPs or 0.020 mg/l CuNPs + 2.0 mg/l AgNPs showed splendid results compared to control and other combination of Cu and Ag nanoparticles. The maximum regeneration was achieved by co-application of 0.015 mg/l CuNP and 4.0 mg/l AgNPs with 21% increment of regeneration over control. It is revealed that CuNPs and AgNPs are potential candidate to augment somatic embryogenesis and regeneration of mature embryo explants of wheat.Abbreviations: 2,4-D (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid), BAP (6-benzylaminopurine), IAA (Indole-3-acetic acid), AgNPs (silver nanoparticles), CuNPs (copper nanoparticles)

Menthol synthesis is possible through citral and citronellal hydrogenations via following multistage chemical reactions such as hydrogenation and cyclization. This research mainly focuses on a design of selective, active and cost-effective metal-acid (bifunctional) catalysts for menthol production via citral and citronellal hydrogenations. More specifically, Pd and Ni metals were impregnated over acidic support (e.g., hetero-poly acid supported montmorillonite, HPA_MM). The prepared catalysts were characterized by BET, pyridine adsorption and amine titration methods. Some of the most important parameters such as metal type and loading; applied pressure and reaction time have been investigated throughout this work. The obtained results reveals that the 8 wt% Ni-HPA-MM catalyst (Cat-5) has produced 63% menthols (initial reaction rate 0.126 mmol/min) from citral hydrogenation (80 °C, 1.0 MPa) within 24 h. Similarly, during lower applied pressure (0.5 MPa), the production of menthol was significantly improved (approximately 98% of menthol, initial reaction rate ~ 0.138 mmol/min) with the application of 8 wt% Ni-HPA-MM catalyst (Cat-5) in citronellal hydrogenation. Higher menthol selectivity was achieved from both reactions (citral and citronellal hydrogenation) which might be due to the presence of strong Lewis and medium Brønsted acid sites.

Present study deals with use of agricultural based waste material Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) seeds for removal of toxic Acid orange 7 (AO7) dye from aqueous streams. Batch mode experiments were conducted as function of pH, initial dye concentration, contact time and dosage of adsorbent. Biomass was used in native, pretreated and immobilized forms. Maximum removal was observed at pH 2. Desorption studies were done in order to determine degree of stability and regeneration of immobilized biomass. For equilibrium studies, Langmuir and Freundlich models were applied. Pseudo 1st& 2ndorder models were applied on experimental data for reaction kinetics evaluation. Pseudo 2ndorder model was best fit for present experiments. Biomass characterization was done by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) techniques for elucidation of biomass constituents and surface morphology before and after dye loading. It was observed that loquat seeds may be potential adsorbent for removal of toxic dyes from wastewater.

We report the lifetime of spontaneous parametric four wave mixing (SP-FWM) and multiorder fluorescence in two-, three-, and four-level systems of negatively charged nitrogen vacancy (NV^−) in diamond. The lifetime of SP-FWM is enhanced at high power by the induced dark state from coupling fields. The reduction and enhancement in fluorescence lifetime are attributed to destructive and constructive quantum interference, respectively. The quantum interference is induced by interaction among different decay pathways of spontaneous emission by closely spaced energy levels, which can be controlled by dipole–dipole interaction and the mutual orientations of dipole moments. The lifetime is observed to be longer in two-level as compared to three-level and four-level systems. The different measured lifetimes suggest the sensitivity of these NV systems to quantum interference and the dressing effect. These outcomes may provide new insights in development of all-optical communication devices and quantum storage on photonic chips.

We study an optical transistor (switch and amplifier) and router by spontaneous parametric four-wave mixing and fluorescence in diamond nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center. The routing results from three peaks of fluorescence signal in the time domain, while the switching and amplification are realized by correlation and squeezing. The intensity switching speed is about 17 ns. The optical transistor and router are controlled by the power of incident beams. Our experimental results provide that the advance technique of peak division and channel equalization ratio of about 90% are applicable to all optical switching and routing.

Rydberg-dressed four-wave mixing (FWM) is theoretically and experimentally demonstrated with two electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) windows generated in a Y-type Rb85 atomic configuration. Such dressing effect related to Rydberg states can lead to enhancement and suppression in the FWM process, which can be manipulated by the frequency detuning, Rabi frequency, and polarization of laser fields. Particularly, with the enhancement condition satisfied, coexisting FWM and Rydberg six-wave mixing (SWM) peaks with ultranarrow linewidth (much less than 30 MHz) are simultaneously observed. The controllable enhancement and suppression in a Rydberg-EIT medium can provide a novel nondestructive nonlinear method to investigate the spectrum involving Rydberg excitation in the atomic ensemble above room temperature.

An effective and eco-friendly method for the bis(indolyl)methanes synthesis has been developed. A successive methodology involving sodium iodate/sodium hydrogen sulfite catalyzed reaction of indole with many aldehydes gave the resultant bis-indol in good yield. This method offers synthetically inexpensive alternate to the previously developed procedures for the bis-indol synthesis. The use of a low-cost and straightforwardly accessible catalyst, improved yields and a simple reaction process are the salient features of the current method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple and rapid spectrophotometric technique has been designed for the trace copper analysis employing 1-(2-Thiazolylazo)-2-naphthol (TAN) reagent in aqueous micellar solution of cetyl trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as a surfactant. Copper complexed with 1-(2-Thiazolylazo)-2-naphthol to form bis[1-(2-Thiazolylazo)-2-naphthol]copper. The present spectrophotometric technique was very important since the micellar system was used in place of the toxic, high cost and time-consuming solvent extraction steps. The technique showed an enhanced detection efficiency, specificity, and molar absorptivity. It was found that the molar absorption coefficient and sensitivity of Sandel were ε2.45 × 104 L mol−1cm−1and 2.6 ngcm−2at λmax578.4 nm. A linear calibration plot in the range 0.12–5.0 μg mL−1was obtained; a stoichiometric metal ligand ratio [M:L] of 1:2 was found for the formation of Cu-[TAN]2. The complex was formed at pH 9.5 and was stable up to 24 h. The proposed technique has been employed to study copper from different alloys, biological, environmental and pharmaceutical samples.

The exhaust gases from an internal combustion (IC) engine carry away about 75% of the heat energy which means only 25% of heat energy is operated for power production. A recovery unit at the exhaust outlet port can ensure heat exchange between different temperature fluids through conjugate heat transfer phenomena. This study represents heat recovery from exhaust gases that are emitted from IC engines which can be utilized in various applications such as vapor absorption refrigeration systems. In the present work, a new type of perforated fin heat exchanger for waste heat recovery of exhaust gases is designed using SolidWorks, and the flow field design of the heat recovery system is optimized using ANSYS software. Various parameters (velocity, pressure, temperature, and heat conduction) of hot and cold fluid have been analyzed. Inlet velocity of cold fluids including refrigerant (LiBr solution), water, and graphene oxide (GO) nanofluid have been adopted at 0.03 m/s, 0.165 m/s, and 0.3 m/s, respectively. Inlet velocity of hot fluid is taken as 2 m/s, 4 m/s, and 6 m/s, respectively, to develop a test matrix. The results showed that maximum temperature reduction by the exhaust is achieved at 104.8°C using graphene oxide nanofluids with an inlet velocity of 0.3 m/s and exit velocity of 2 m/s in the heat recovery unit. Similarly, temperature reduction by exhaust gases is acquired at 102 °C using water and 96.34 °C by using a refrigerant (LiBr solution) with the same exit velocity (2m/s). Furthermore, maximum effectiveness of 0.489 is also obtained for GO nanofluid when compared with water and the refrigerant. On the other hand, the refrigerant has the maximum log mean temperature difference from all fluids with a value of 224.4 followed by water and GO.

•Temperature variation across tube length of car radiator is studied using ANSYS.•Effectiveness is calculated with GO and compared with conventional coolant (water).•Comparison at concentration of nano fluid (GO) particles (6, 8, 10% vol.) is examined.

The aim of this study involves establishing a three-dimensional computational fluid dynamic (3D-CFD) model of solar flat plate collector (SFPC) in order to investigate the effect of operating and geometric parameters on thermal efficiency. In this research work, commercial CFD code ANSYS FLUENT®14.0 version was used for the development of a model of solar plate collector. The single circular tube geometry was created using ANSYS DesignModeler®14.0. The general continuity equation along with Navied–Stokes equations was solved for tracking motion of the working fluid. The general k–εturbulence modeling approach was used for solving the turbulence in the flow. Solar ray tracing was activated for calculating solar load in the model. The latitude and longitude of the Hyderabad region were inserted in the solar ray-tracing model for calculating solar intensity as per local conditions. Two fluids i.e., water and air were circulated with different flow rates in the developed model of SFPC. It was observed that water gave higher efficiency due to high density and thermal conductivity. The simulation results gathered revealed that the temperature of water and air was raised by almost 79 °C and 73 °C respectively.

Insect sting-related envenomation rarely produces seizures. We present a patient with confusion and seizures that began 24 hours after a yellow jacket (wasp) sting. Given the rapid onset and resolution of symptoms, as well as accompanying dermatological and orbital features, and the lack of any infectious or structural abnormalities identified, the toxic effect of the wasp venom (and related anaphylaxis reaction) was believed to be the cause of his presentation.