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In recent years nitric oxide (NO) has been established as a versatile molecule due to its multifaceted roles in growth and development and as a key signaling molecule in different intracellular processes in plants. Moreover, NO also acts as a direct or indirect antioxidant and regulates the level of reactive oxygen species in stressed cells. A plentiful of literature is available with the information on the role of NO in growth, physiological, biochemical and molecular attributes of plants and responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. The enzyme nitric oxide synthase (NOS) that oxidizes arginine to NO and citrulline, has been characterized as the source of NO in animals. However, in plants, as several sources of NO are identified, synthesis of NO is more complex and is a matter of considerable debate. Based on the previous evidences, the present review is focused on the enzymatic and non-enzymatic sources of NO in plants.

The plants extracts are widely used in traditional medicines and hence considered a potential source for drug discovery. In this study, we assessed the phytochemical composition of Asplenium dalhousiae and Asplenium polypodioides in acetone extracts and checked its antiproliferative potential in MDA-MB-231 cells. We found that both plants are rich in phenolic and flavonoid compounds and are efficient in antioxidant activities. The total phenolic compounds in A. dalhousiae were 44.15 ± 1.38 µg/mg whereas in A. polypodioides were 27.73 ± 1.35 µg/mg. Total flavonoids in A. dalhousiae were 105.39 ± 2.92 µg/mg whereas in A. polypodioides were 101.56 ± 1.75 µg/mg. The ferric reducing power assay indicates 66.38 ± 2.6% reduction by A. dalhousiae whereas 78.43 ± 0.47% reduction by A. polypodioides. Similarly, the total antioxidant capacity of A. dalhousiae was found to be 59.95 ± 1.13 whereas for A. polypodioides the recorded value was 33.03 ± 1.67%. Using GCMS analysis, we identified 25 compounds in A. dalhousiae whereas 26 in A. polypodioides. Four of these compounds are common in both plants. The morphological study and MTT assay revealed that both plants have antiproliferative potential as both plants exerted significant effects on the shape of the MDA-MB-231 cells and inhibited cellular proliferation in time and dose dependent manner. We conclude that both Asplenium plants have potential anticancer compounds.

Exogenous potassium (K + ) and endogenous hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) synergistically alleviate drought stress through regulating H + -ATPase activity, sugar metabolism and redox homoeostasis in tomato seedlings . Present work evaluates the role of K+ in the regulation of endogenous H2S signaling in modulating the tolerance of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L. Mill.) seedlings to drought stress. The findings reveal that exposure of seedlings to 15% (w/v) polyethylene glycol 8000 (PEG) led to a substantial decrease in leaf K+ content which was associated with reduced H+-ATPase activity. Treatment with sodium orthovanadate (SOV, PM H+-ATPase inhibitor) and tetraethylammonium chloride (TEA, K+ channel blocker) suggests that exogenous K+ stimulated H+-ATPase activity that further regulated endogenous K+ content in tomato seedlings subjected to drought stress. Moreover, reduction in H+-ATPase activity by hypotaurine (HT; H2S scavenger) substantiates the role of endogenous H2S in the regulation of H+-ATPase activity. Elevation in endogenous K+ content enhanced the biosynthesis of H2S through enhancing the synthesis of cysteine, the H2S precursor. Synergistic action of H2S and K+ effectively neutralized drought stress by regulating sugar metabolism and redox homoeostasis that resulted in osmotic adjustment, as witnessed by reduced water loss, and improved hydration level of the stressed seedlings. The integrative role of endogenous H2S in K+ homeostasis was validated using HT and TEA which weakened the protection against drought stress induced impairments. In conclusion, exogenous K+ and endogenous H2S regulate H+-ATPase activity which plays a decisive role in the maintenance of endogenous K+ homeostasis. Thus, present work reveals that K+ and H2S crosstalk is essential for modulation of drought stress tolerance in tomato seedlings.

Present investigation reports the role of calcium (Ca2+) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) crosstalk associated with Vigna radiata seedlings subjected to K+ deficient conditions under short-term (24 h) and long-term (72 h) NaCl stress. Perusal of the data reveals that under short-term NaCl stress an initial decline in K+ level led to the elevation in Ca2+ and H2S levels along with improvement in antioxidant system and reduction in reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Under long-term NaCl stress a further decline in K+ content was deleterious that led to a lower K+/Na+ ratio. This was followed by reduction in antioxidant system along with excessive accumulation of ROS and methylglyoxal content, and increased membrane damage. However, supplementation of the seedling roots with Ca2+ enhanced biosynthesis of H2S through enhancing cysteine pool. The present findings suggest that synergistic action of Ca2+ and H2S induced the activity of H+-ATPase that created H+ gradient which in turn induced Na+/H+ antiport system that accelerated K+ influx and Na+ efflux. All of these together contributed to a higher K+/Na+ ratio, activation of antioxidative defense system, and maintenance of redox homeostasis and membrane integrity in Ca2+-supplemented stressed seedlings. Role of Ca2+ and H2S in the regulation of Na+/H+ antiport system was validated by the use of sodium orthovanadate (plasma membrane H+-ATPase inhibitor), tetraethylammonium chloride (K+ channel blocker), and amiloride (Na+/H+ antiporter inhibitor). Application of Ca2+-chelator EGTA (ethylene glycol-bis(b-aminoethylether)-N,N,Nʹ,Nʹ-tetraacetic acid) and H2S scavenger hypotaurine abolished the effect of Ca2+, suggesting the involvement of Ca2+ and H2S in the alleviation of NaCl stress. Moreover, use of EGTA and HT also substantiates the downstream functioning of H2S during Ca2+-mediated regulation of plant adaptive responses to NaCl stress. To sum up, present findings reveal the association of Ca2+ and H2S signaling in the regulation of ion homeostasis and antioxidant defense during K+-deficient NaCl stress.

Friction stir welding (FSW) is one of the best suitable solid state welding techniques for joining of light weight metallic materials such as aluminium, magnesium, etc. Several process parameters such as rotational speed, travel speed, tilt angle of tool, etc. affect the performance of FSW. In this research work, an attempt was made to analyze the effect of rotation speed of tool (TRS) on the weld quality of friction stir welded joints of AA6061 alloy. RST was varied in the range of 700 to 1120 rpm keeping other parameters as constant throughout the experimentation. Results reflected that RST significantly affects the weld quality, microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of welds.

Nitric oxide (NO), a signaling molecule with diverse physiological functions, improves immunity of the plant against different environmental stresses. Heavy metal stress-induced structural and functional damages in cells are common consequences. Seed germination and seedlings development are crucial phases in the life cycle of a plant. The present experiment was designed to investigate how NO suppresses hexavalent chromium Cr(VI)-provoked impairment in the key processes during seed germination and seedlings development of tomato. This study reports that Cr(VI) stress significantly impaired seed germination attributes and the activity of hydrolyzing enzymes, such as α-amylase (α-A) and protease (Pr). However, exogenous NO donor sodium nitroprusside substantially improved seed germination parameters and upregulation of α-A and Pr. Furthermore, NO improved the content of nitrogen (N), NO, and proline (Pro), and modulated the activity of enzymes involved in Pro and N-assimilation. Under Cr(VI) toxicity conditions, NO improved the content of metal ligation compounds (non-protein thiols and total thiols), ascorbate and glutathione (GSH), and maintained higher content of GSH in glutathione pool (GSH:GSSG) and suppressed the formation of 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal and protein carbonylation, and electrolyte leakage. It may be concluded that NO improved the activity of hydrolyzing and Pro and N-metabolism enzymes. Application of NO also enhanced non-enzymatic antioxidants, and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity under Cr(VI) toxicity conditions, thereby improved enhanced seed germination and seedlings vigor.

Copper (Cu) nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared by sol–gel process, and superconducting (Cu0.5Tl0.5)Ba2Ca2Cu3O10−δ {(CuTl)-1223} phase was synthesized by conventional solid-state reaction. The desired (Cu)x/(CuTl)-1223, x = 0–4.0 wt% composites, were obtained by adding Cu NPs in superconducting (CuTl)-1223 phase. These composites were characterized by X-ray diffraction, DC-resistivity versus temperature (R–T) and AC conduction measurements. The tetragonal crystal structure with P4/mmm space group of the host superconducting (CuTl)-1223 phase remained dominant after the addition of Cu NPs. The zero-resistivity critical temperature Tc(0) (K) was increased, and normal state resistivity was decreased after addition of Cu NPs in CuTl-1223 phase. The frequency- and temperature-dependent AC conduction properties of (Cu)x/(CuTl)-1223 composites were explored via dielectric, impedance and electric modulus measurements. The dielectric constant (ɛr/, ɛr//) and loss tangent (tanδ) were suppressed, while AC conductivity (σac) was improved with the addition of Cu NPs in (CuTl)-1223 phase. Comparatively, the capacitance associated with grain boundaries regions was found to be greater than the capacitance associated with grain regions. The capacitive behavior of the grain boundaries was decreased, while that of the grains was increased with increasing operating temperature for all these composite samples. The shifting of peaks in imaginary part of the electric modulus (M//) versus frequency (f) spectra toward lower frequency regime with increasing Cu NPs contents in superconducting (CuTl)-1223 phase is witnessed for the existence of non-Debye relaxation in the material.

Aggregation of human α-synuclein (αSyn) is linked to Parkinson’s disease (PD) pathology. The central region of the αSyn sequence contains the non-amyloid β-component (NAC) crucial for aggregation. However, how NAC flanking regions modulate αSyn aggregation remains unclear. Using bioinformatics, mutation, and NMR we identify a 7-residue sequence, named P1 (residues 36-42), that controls αSyn aggregation. Deletion or substitution of this ‘master-controller’ prevents aggregation at pH 7.5 in vitro. At lower pH, P1 synergises with a sequence containing the PreNAC region (P2, residues 45-57) to prevent aggregation. Deleting P1 (ΔP1) or both P1 and P2 (ΔΔ) also prevents age-dependent αSyn aggregation and toxicity in C. elegans models and prevents αSyn-mediated vesicle fusion by altering the conformational properties of the protein when lipid-bound. The results highlight the importance of a master-controller sequence motif that controls both αSyn aggregation and function- a region that could be targeted to prevent aggregation in disease.

Despite numerous reports on the role of nitric oxide (NO) in regulating plants growth and mitigating different environmental stresses, its participation in sulfur (S) -metabolism remains largely unknown. Therefore, we studied the role of NO in S acquisition and S-assimilation in tomato seedlings under low S-stress conditions by supplying NO to the leaves of S-sufficient and S-deficient seedlings. S-starved plants exhibited a substantial decreased in plant growth attributes, photosynthetic pigment chlorophyll (Chl) and other photosynthetic parameters, and activity of enzymes involved in Chl biosynthesis (δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase), and photosynthetic processes (carbonic anhydrase and RuBisco). Also, S-deficiency enhanced reactive oxygen species (ROS) (superoxide and hydrogen peroxide) and lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde) levels in tomato seedlings. Contrarily, foliar supplementation of NO to S-deficient seedlings resulted in considerably reduced ROS formation in leaves and roots, which alleviated low S-stress-induced lipid peroxidation. However, exogenous NO enhanced proline accumulation by increasing proline metabolizing enzyme (Δ1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthetase) activity and also increased NO, hydrogen sulfide (a gasotransmitter small signaling molecule) and S uptake, and content of S-containing compounds (cysteine and reduced glutathione). Under S-limited conditions, NO improved S utilization efficiency of plants by upregulating the activity of S-assimilating enzymes (ATP sulfurylase, adenosine 5-phosphosulfate reductase, sulfide reductase and O-acetylserine (thiol) lyase). Under S-deprived conditions, improved S-assimilation of seedlings receiving NO resulted in improved redox homeostasis and ascorbate content through increased NO and S uptake. Application of 2-(4-carboxyphenyl)-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxy l-3-oxide (an NO scavenger) invalidated the effect of NO and again caused low S-stress-induced oxidative damage, confirming the beneficial role of NO in seedlings under S-deprived conditions. Thus, exogenous NO enhanced the tolerance of tomato seedlings to limit S-triggered oxidative stress and improved photosynthetic performance and S assimilation.

Neurodegenerative diseases are a group of debilitating maladies involving protein aggregation. To this day, all advances in neurodegenerative disease therapeutics have helped symptomatically but have not prevented the root cause of the disease, i.e., the aggregation of involved proteins. Antibiotics are becoming increasingly obsolete due to the rising multidrug resistance strains of bacteria. Thus, antibiotics, if put to different use as therapeutics against other diseases, could pave a new direction to the world of antibiotics. Hence, we studied the antibiotic levofloxacin for its potential anti-amyloidogenic behavior using human lysozyme, a protein involved in non-systemic amyloidosis, as a model system. At the sub-stoichiometric level, levofloxacin was able to inhibit amyloid formation in human lysozyme as observed by various spectroscopic and microscopic methods, with IC50 values as low as 8.8 ± 0.1 μM. Levofloxacin also displayed a retarding effect on seeding phenomena by elongating the lag-phase (from 0 to 88 h) at lower concentration, and arresting lysozyme fibrillation at the lag stage in sub-stoichiometric concentrations. Structural and computational analyses provided mechanistic insight showing that levofloxacin stabilizes the lysozyme in the native state by binding to the aggregation-prone residues, and thereby inhibiting amyloid fibrillation. Levofloxacin also showed the property of disrupting amyloid fibrils into a smaller polymeric form of proteins which were less cytotoxic as confirmed by hemolytic assay. Therefore, we throw new light on levofloxacin as an amyloid inhibitor and disruptor which could pave way to utilization of levofloxacin as a potential therapeutic against non-systemic amyloidosis and neurodegenerative diseases.

Our previous study revealed that the treatment of 5-aza-2-deoxycytidine (5-aza) inhibited while treatment of suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA) enhanced the adipogenic differentiation of MG-63 cells. In this study, we examined the transcriptomic profiles of the derived adipocyte-like cells from MG-63 cells in the presence of 5-aza (Treatment 1) and SAHA (Treatment 2). Genome wide expression analysis showed high within sample variability for the adipocytes derived with 5-aza versus vehicle. Additionally, the expression profile of 5-aza derived cells was separated from the other sample groups. Differential analysis on the pairwise comparison of 5-aza versus control and SAHA versus 5-aza identified 1290 and 1086 differentially expressed (DE) genes, respectively. Furthermore, some overlap was observed between the up and down-regulated DE genes of 5-aza versus control and SAHA versus control (jaccard score 0.3) as well as between the differentially regulated genes of 5-aza versus control and 5-aza versus SAHA (jaccard score 0.29). A total of 73 transcription factors (TFs) were differentially expressed across all the pair wise comparisons with some overlap between the under and over expressed TFs of 5-aza versus control and 5-aza versus SAHA (jaccard score 0.29). Unsupervised clustering of TFs showed that the samples within the group are consistent in expression and the samples cluster in accordance with the group. Several GO terms related to enhanced adipogenesis such as neutral lipid biosynthetic process, lipid metabolic processes, cellular amide metabolic processes and cellular carbohydrate metabolic processes were enriched in the down regulated genes of 5-aza derived adipocytes versus control, indicating 5-aza inhibit the adipogenic differentiation of MG-63 cells. GSEA analysis on selected gene sets of MAPK and PI3K signaling pathway in MSigDB identified the pathways were up-regulated in 5-aza versus control. This study revealed that inhibition of MG-63 adipogenesis due to 5-aza treatment is associated with large transcriptomics changes and further research is needed to unravel the roles of these genes in the adipogenesis.

Since aggregation of protein result into number of human diseases including diabetes mellitus, Huntington's and Alzheimer's disease, etc. Hence prevention of aggregation of a polypeptide is of great clinical importance. Human serum albumin (HSA) being major transporter serum protein was studied here in order to prevent its aggregation under extreme conditions. Sulfamethoxazole (SMZ) which is an antibiotic, caused significant inhibition of aggregation which was evident by number of biophysical techniques. Molecular docking was performed to elucidate the protein ligand binding site. In the presence of SMZ decrease in ThT, ANS and RLS fluorescence intensity suggested the inhibitory potency of this antibiotic. Further resistance to increment in the absorbance of Congo red and turbidity was observed even at elevated temperature. Circular dichroism also corroborated these results in retaining its secondary structure in the presence of SMZ. Finally the formation of aggregates, visualized under transmission electron microscopy (TEM) validated the inhibitory tendency of SMZ. Also in the parallel sets we have monitored aggregation kinetics using ThT and turbidity assay and it is noteworthy that SMZ caused maximum inhibition at protein SMZ concentration ratio of 1:30 and 1:40. Our findings would set a hallmark for designing new therapeutics for untreatable protein conformational disorders.

Protein and peptides are converted from their soluble forms into highly ordered fibrillar aggregates under various conditions inside the cell. Such transitions confer diverse neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease Prion's disease, Parkinson's disease, polyQ and share abnormal folding of potentially cytotoxic protein species linked with degeneration and death of precise neuronal populations. Presently, major advances are made to understand and get detailed insight into the structural basis and mechanism of amyloid formation, cytotoxicity and therapeutic approaches to combat them. Here we highlight classifies and summarizes the detailed overview of protein misfolding and aggregation at their molecular level including the factors that promote protein aggregation under in vivo and in vitro conditions. In addition, we describe the recent technologies that aid the characterization of amyloid aggregates along with several models that might be responsible for amyloid induced cytotoxicity to cells. Overview on the inhibition of amyloidosis by targeting different small molecules (both natural and synthetic origin) have been also discussed, that provides important approaches to identify novel targets and develop specific therapeutic strategies to combat protein aggregation related neurodegenerative diseases.

Metal ions play a vital role in the aggregation of proteins by interfering with their correct folding, thereby affecting protein homeostasis and cell viability, leading to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Development of therapeutics against protein misfolding diseases has become one of the widely studied areas of research. Till date, all advances in neurodegenerative diseases' therapeutics help symptomatically but do not prevent the root cause of the disease, i.e., the aggregation of protein involved in the diseases. Recent studies show a promising potential for metal based therapy utilising metal chelators. In this regard, we aimed to study the behaviour of gallic acid, a well characterised anti-aggregation compound, towards inhibition of metal-induced aggregation of a model enzyme, the human lysozyme. Using various spectroscopic and microscopic techniques we show that gallic acid inhibits metal induced aggregation. We delineate that gallic acid inhibits metal-induced aggregation by chelating the metal ions in the solvent, thereby inhibiting the aggregation of human lysozyme as demonstrated by our spectroscopic results which showed the formation of a complex between Mg2+ and gallic acid. Our studies showed retention of lysozymal activity upto 63.2% in presence of gallic acid. Our study therefore shows that gallic acid exhibits bifunctional inhibitory roles i.e., as an anti amyloidogenic and metal induced aggregation inhibitor. Due to its metal chelating activity, gallic acid can be further developed in metal based therapy against neurodegenerative diseases.

Naphthalene diimide (NDI)-based copolymers are promising polymer acceptors in all-polymer solar cells (all-PSCs), but their large crystal domains cause large-scale phase separation in all-polymer blend films. This limits the photovoltaic performance and mechanical stability of all-PSCs. Herein, we control all-polymer blend films by introducing a fluorinated copolymer of NDI and (E)-1,2-bis(3-fluorothiophen-2-yl)ethene (FTVT) (PNDI–FTVT) as a polymer acceptor for flexible all-PSCs. The copolymer PNDI–FTVT has a less crystalline structure and higher electron mobility than its nonfluorinated copolymer counterpart (PNDI–TVT). A blended film incorporating PNDI–FTVT exhibits a well-mixed morphology and improves the chain interconnectivity with a polymer donor, providing better charge transport pathways and enhanced mechanical resilience. The PNDI–FTVT-based flexible all-PSC exhibits enhanced photovoltaic performance in comparison with a PNDI–TVT-based flexible all-PSC (5.11–7.14%) as well as excellent mechanica...

Due to the global warming, rising temperature became a serious threat to the world agriculture. Faba bean plant is very susceptible to heat stress and performs poorly under high temperature condition. Therefore, the performance of faba bean (Vicia faba L.), genotype ‘C5’ was tested to explore (i) the biosynthesis of proline (Pro) in response to heat stress (HS) and the involvement of nitric oxide (NO) and Pro in thermotolerance mechanism and (ii) the role of heat shock proteins (HSPs) and Pro in defense, and their correlation with the tolerance of faba bean plant to HS. Exposure of plants to HS for 48 h resulted in increased levels of reactive oxygen species [hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and superoxide ions (O2•−)], nitric oxide (NO), accumulation of Pro and malondialdehyde, electrolyte leakage, DNA damage, chlorophyll (Chl) degradation and in decreased leaf relative water content (RWC) and Chl content in faba bean plants. However, at the same time increasing levels of HS (32, 37 and 42 °C) increased the accumulation of NO, Pro, activities of Pro metabolizing enzymes (Δ1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthetase, ornithine-δ-aminotransferase and proline dehydrogenase) and expression of HSPs (Hsp17.6, Hsp70, Hsp90-1, and Hsp101). Induced biosynthesis of NO and Pro under HS activated defense system of plants by enhancing the activities of antioxidant enzymes [superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione reductase and ascorbate peroxidase] and also by increasing the content of reduced glutathione (GSH), ascorbate (AsA) and oxidized glutathione (GSSG). While, an increase in GSSG content was found lesser than an increase in GSH under HS stress. Application of 2-(4-carboxyphenyl)-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide (cPTIO; an NO scavenger) decreased the accumulation of leaf RWC and Pro and NO. Therefore, it can be proposed that NO acts as both signal molecule and promotor of Pro biosynthesis. The present investigation reveals that above studied parameters could be used in identifying a HS-tolerant plant that can be utilized in future breeding programs.

Plants produce and release a vast variety of secondary metabolites with diversified functions, and possess ecological, toxicological and biological effects that mimic the activities of synthetic chemicals. Coumarins extracted from bacteria, fungi and many edible plants are widely used for their antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, anti-HIV and anticancer activities. This review presents a concise summary based on the latest knowledge of the biological and pharmaceutical uses of coumarin and its derivatives, including an evaluation of future therapeutic potential. The presence of coumarins in various plant organs like fruits, seeds, roots, leaves and latex supplement recent work reported in scientific literature related to these compounds and their development. Due to low production in plants, the upscaling and industrial scale production, commercialization and industry demand of coumarins has faced hurdles. We searched Google Scholar and Web of Science for relevant literature upto 2018 using the keywords pharmaceutical, biological activities and coumarins. This review has thoroughly overviewed the related facts and figures about coumarins and its derivatives, especially in terms of biological and pharmaceutical properties including anti-microbial, anti-viral, anti-diabetic, anticoagulant, estrogenic, dermal photosensitizing, vasodilator, molluscacidal, antithelmintic, sedative and hypnotic, analgesic, hypothermic, anti-cancer activity, anti-oxidant, anti-parasitic, antihelmintic, anti-proliferative, anti-convulsant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-hypertensive activities. The pharmaceutical impact of coumarins on public health is a complex phenomenon, with several questions in relation to safety during medical therapies and consumption through diet. The present review focuses on coumarin clinical studies in the treatment of various chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, depression, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and HIV. However, further research and review are necessary to broaden the therapeutic effectiveness of coumarin in patients suffering from such ailments.

The degradation of organic contaminants under high salinity condition is still a challenge for environmental remediation due to the inhibiting effect resulted from the side reactions between radicals and anions. Here, we demonstrate the non-radical oxidation process via peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation by metal-free carbon catalyst for efficiently decomposing bisphenol A (BPA) in saline water. The nitrogen-doped graphitic carbon (NGC700) exhibits excellent catalytic activity for depredating BPA at acid and neutral pH. Based on the scavenger experiments and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) analyses, the mechanism of catalytic oxidation was elucidated as the non-radical pathway, and singlet oxygen was identified as the primary reactive species. Experiments on the influence of anions (5–500 mM) further show that the inhibiting effect was overcame due to the non-radical process. Interestingly, Cl− markedly facilitated the catalytic performance by generating HOCl in the catalytic process. The results highlight leveraging the non-radical pathway dominated by singlet oxygen to conquer the inhibitory effect of anions in NGC700/PMS system, which represents a crucial step towards environmental remediation under high salinity condition.

The application of nanotechnology in agriculture includes the use of nanofertilizers, nanopesticides, and nanoherbicides that enhance plant nutrition without disturbing the soil texture and protect it against microbial infections. Thus, nanotechnology maintains the plant's health by maintaining its soil health. The use of nanoparticles (NPs) in agriculture reduces the chemical spread and nutrient loss and boosts crop yield and productivity. Effect of NPs varies with their applied concentrations, physiochemical properties, and plant species. Various NPs have an impact on the plant to increase biomass productivity, germination rate and their physiology. Also, NPs change the plant molecular mechanisms by altering gene expression. Metal and non-metal oxides of NPs (Au, Ag, ZnO, Fe2O3, TiO2, SiO2, Al2O3, Se, carbon nanotubes, quantum dots) exert an important role in plant growth and development and perform an essential role in stress amelioration. On the other hand, other effects of NPs have also been well investigated by observing their role in growth suppression and inhibition of chlorophyll and photosynthetic efficiency. In this review, we addressed a description of studies that have been made to understand the effects of various kind of NPs, their translocation and interaction with the plants. Also, the phytoremediation approaches of contaminated soil with combined use of NPs for sustainable agriculture is covered.

Potassium (K+) is one of the vital macronutrients required by plants for proper growth and blossoming harvest. In addition, K+ also plays a decisive role in promoting tolerance to various stresses. Under stressful conditions, plants deploy their defense system through various signaling molecules, including hydrogen sulfide (H2S). The present investigation was carried out to unravel the role of K+ and H2S in plants under NaCl stress. The results of the study show that NaCl stress caused a reduction in K+ and an increase in Na+ content in the tomato seedling roots which coincided with a lower H+-ATPase activity and K+/Na+ ratio. However, application of 5 mM K+, in association with endogenous H2S, positively regulated the Na+/H+ antiport system that accelerated K+ influx and Na+ efflux, resulting in the maintenance of a higher K+/Na+ ratio. The role of K+ and H2S in the regulation of the Na+/H+ antiport system was validated by applying sodium orthovanadate (plasma membrane H+-ATPase inhibitor), tetraethylammonium chloride (K+ channel blocker), amiloride (Na+/H+ antiporter inhibitor), and hypotaurine (HT, H2S scavenger). Application of 5 mM K+ positively regulated the ascorbate–glutathione cycle and activity of antioxidant enzymes that resulted in a reduction in reactive oxygen species generation and associated damage. Under NaCl stress, K+ also activated carbohydrate metabolism and proline accumulation that caused improvement in osmotic tolerance and enhanced the hydration level of the stressed seedlings. However, inclusion of the H2S scavenger HT reversed the effect of K+, suggesting H2S-dependent functioning of K+ under NaCl stress. Therefore, the present findings report that K+, in association with H2S, alleviates NaCl-induced impairments by regulating the Na+/H+ antiport system, carbohydrate metabolism, and antioxidative defense system.

In this study, Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNTs) and Marble Powder (MP) have been utilized in reinforced concrete columns to assess their structural behavior. The nanotubes from 0.025% to 0.20% and 5% MP by weight of cement were used. The compressive strength of reinforced concrete columns and cubes was analyzed as the main property. The incorporation of MWCNTs and marble powder was able to increase the compressive strength of columns by 72.69% and mortar by 42.45% as compared to reference concrete. The ductility was noted to be improved by 42.04%. The load-deformation and stress-strain behaviors were also analyzed. The Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis revealed the formation of a strong compact bridge (90–100 layers), Calcium Silicate Hydrate (C-S-H) gel, evenly dispersion, and bridging effect caused by MWCNTs. The incorporation of 0.20% MWCNTs by weight of cement was recommended to be effectively used as a reinforcing agent in concrete.

There is lot of research work at enhancing the performance of energy conversion and energy storage devices such as solar cells, supercapacitors, and batteries. In this regard, the low bandgap and a high absorption coefficient of CdSe thin films in the visible region, as well as, the low electrical resistivity make them ideal for the next generation of chalcogenide-based photovoltaic and electrochemical energy storage devices. Here, we present the properties of CdSe thin films synthesized at temperatures (below 100°C using readily available precursors) that are reproducible, efficient and economical. The samples were characterized using XRD, FTIR, RBS, UV-vis spectroscopy. Annealed samples showed crystalline cubic structure along (111) preferential direction with the grain size of the nanostructures increasing from 2.23 to 4.13 nm with increasing annealing temperatures. The optical properties of the samples indicate a small shift in the bandgap energy, from 2.20 to 2.12 eV with a decreasing deposition temperature. The band gap is suitably located in the visible solar energy region, which make these CdSe thin films ideal for solar energy harvesting. It also has potential to be used in electrochemical energy storage applications.

Obesity is marked by the buildup of fat in adipose tissue that increases body weight and the risk of many associated health problems, including diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Treatment options for obesity are limited, and available medications have many side effects. Thus there is a great need to find alternative medicines for treating obesity. This study explores the anti-adipogenic potential of the n-butanol fraction of Cissus quadrangularis (CQ-B) on 3T3-L1 mouse preadipocyte cell line. The expression of various lipogenic marker genes such as adiponectin, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma, leptin, fatty acid-binding proteins, sterol regulatory element-binding proteins, fetal alcohol syndrome, steroyl-CoA desaturase-1, lipoproteins, acetyl-CoA carboxylase alpha, and acetyl-CoA carboxylase beta were variously significantly downregulated. After establishing the anti-adipogenic potential of CQ-B, it was fractionated to isolate anti-adipogenic compounds. We observed significant reduction in neutral lipid content of differentiated cells treated with various fractions of CQ-B. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis revealed the presence of thirteen compounds with reported anti-adipogenic activities. Further studies to purify these compounds can offer efficacious and viable treatment options for obesity and related complications.

Plants are always in a state of fighting against detrimental effects imposed by environmental stresses. Plants counter these adverse conditions through their defense system comprised of a well-orchestrated network of proteins, enzymes, hormones, metabolites and signaling molecules. Exposure of plants to these abiotic stresses usually lead to the induction of plants’ defense system through a network of signaling molecules. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is considered as an important signaling molecule and is involved in the protection of plants against various abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity, metal, chilling, cold, heat, UV radiations etc. Cysteine (Cys) serves as a precursor molecule for the biosynthesis of H2S by Cys desulfhydrases. However, plants synthesize Cys in a reaction catalyzed by O-acetylserine(thiol)lyase, which also synthesizes H2S from Cys in a reverse reaction. Cys not only serves as a precursor of H2S but also the primary organic compound containing reduced sulfur and acts as sulfur donor for biosynthesis of various biomolecules and defense compounds. Directly or indirectly, Cys alleviates abiotic stresses in plants through affecting the functioning of various cellular processes and molecules. These include antioxidant defense system, redox homeostasis, glutathione, phytochelatins, metallothioneins etc. The present chapter is focused on the role of Cys and its allied molecules and products in the mechanisms responsible for plant acclimation to environmental stresses. In the light of available information, biosynthesis of Cys and H2S and their mode of action during plant adaptive responses is also discussed.

Due to climate change, the severity of the damage caused by the biotic and abiotic stress is unprecedented. In order to overcome the loss of productivity plant scientists are trying to elucidate the mechanisms of organism’s response to environmental changes worldwide. Their findings recorded that the organisms make physiological adjustments and genetic changes to adapt in a new environment. These adjustments and changes require the participation of an array of signaling molecules like reactive oxygen species (ROS), reactive nitrogen species (RNS), carbon monoxide (CO), nitric oxide (NO), hydrogen sulfide (H2S), calcium (Ca), salicylic acid, phospholipids etc. The understanding of how these molecules cross talk within the organism will elucidate the mechanisms through which they adapt to their external environment. Among these molecules, H2S is on the crossroad of regulation of the processes at key cellular, sub-cellular, and molecular level in plants and known to play a vital role in plant growth and development. The signaling molecule H2S, protects plants from various types of biotic and abiotic stresses. Moreover, H2S also interacts with different phytohormones and other signaling molecules like Ca and NO in different metabolic processes in plants under different environmental conditions.

Development of efficient catalysts for peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation and further understanding its mechanism on organic pollutants degradation is of significant importance for advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). Herein, hollow (Co, Mn)3O4 catalysts were synthesized by calcination of Co, Mn containing metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and further used to evaluate the effectiveness of organic pollutants (Bisphenol A (BPA), atrazine (ATZ), and diethyl phthalate (DEP)) degradation by PMS activation. The PMS utilization efficiency in (Co, Mn)3O4/PMS system (36.4%) was estimated to be 28.0% and 43.8% higher than that of Co3O4/PMS and Mn5O8/PMS system, respectively. Notably, the metal leaching in (Co, Mn)3O4/PMS system was significantly suppressed. The utilization efficiency also reveals an inverse proportionality relationship with BPA mineralization but decreases with increasing initial pH value. A synergy between oxides of Co and Mn was perceived to enhance PMS utilization efficiency and BPA degradation. The results indicate enhanced catalytic performance with (Co, Mn)3O4 compared to Co3O4 derived from Co-MOF and other reported catalysts, with 99% of BPA degradation within 4 min. The oxidation mechanism was then proposed based on the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and XPS results. Our findings might have contributed to designing heterogeneous catalysts for efficient PMS utilization in AOPs.

The increasing costs of virgin content, decreasing resources, and growing plastic waste have shifted the research momentum towards green and sustainable road pavements. Hence, in recent years, various researchers have worked on the utilization of different types of plastic wastes in asphalt concrete by replacing it with binder content. Under this premise, this study examines the effect of expanded polystyrene beads (EPS) as a replacement to the binder at seven different dosages ranging from 5% to 50%. The bitumen of 60/70 grade was utilized in this study. The fresh properties of polymer-modified bitumen were checked and compared to that of conventional specimens. The mechanical properties of all specimens were investigated in terms of Marshall Stability properties. The results indicated that the adding of PEB improves the stability of modified asphalt concrete. Furthermore, the addition of EPS by substituting bitumen content could be a promising way to reduce the environmental impact of bitumen, and will also help in economic infrastructure development.

The ability of naturally occurring transmembrane β-barrel proteins (TMBs) to spontaneously insert into lipid bilayers and form stable transmembrane pores is a remarkable feat of protein evolution and has been exploited in biotechnology for applications ranging from single molecule DNA and protein sequencing to biomimetic filtration membranes. Because it has not been possible to design TMBs from first principles, these efforts have relied on re-engineering of naturally occurring TMBs that generally have a biological function very different from that desired. Here we leverage the power of de novo computational design coupled with a “hypothesis, design and test” approach to determine principles underlying TMB structure and folding, and find that, unlike almost all other classes of protein, locally destabilizing sequences in both the β-turns and β-strands facilitate TMB expression and global folding by modulating the kinetics of folding and the competition between soluble misfolding and proper folding into the lipid bilayer. We use these principles to design new eight stranded TMBs with sequences unrelated to any known TMB and show that they insert and fold into detergent micelles and synthetic lipid membranes. The designed proteins fold more rapidly and reversibly in lipid membranes than the TMB domain of the model native protein OmpA, and high resolution NMR and X-ray crystal structures of one of the designs are very close to the computational model. The ability to design TMBs from first principles opens the door to custom design of TMBs for biotechnology and demonstrates the value of de novo design to investigate basic protein folding problems that are otherwise hidden by evolutionary history.One sentence summarySuccess in de novo design of transmembrane β-barrels reveals geometric and sequence constraints on the fold and paves the way to design of custom pores for sequencing and other single-molecule analytical applications.

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and nitric oxide (NO) have been known to affect vast number of processes in plants under abiotic stresses. Also, calcium (Ca) works as a second messenger in plants, which underpins the abiotic stress-induced damage. However, the sequence of action of these signaling molecules against cadmium (Cd)-induced cellular oxidative damage remains unidentified. Therefore, we studied the synergistic actions and/or relationship of signaling molecules and Ca-dependent activation of tolerance mechanisms in Vigna radiata seedlings under Cd stress. The present study shows that exogenous Ca supplemented to Cd-stressed V. radiata seedlings reduced Cd accumulation and improved the activity of nitrate reductase, and L/D-cysteine desulfhydrase (LCD/DCD) that resulted in improved synthesis of NO and H2S content. Application of Ca also elevated the level of cysteine (Cys) by upregulating the activity of Cys-synthesizing enzymes serine acetyltransferase and O-acetylserine(thiol)lyase in Cd-stressed seedlings. Maintenance of Cys pool under Cd stress contributed to improved H2S content which together with Ca and NO improved antioxidant enzymes and components of ascorbate-glutathione (AsA-GSH) cycle. All these collectively regulated the activity of NADPH oxidase and glycolate oxidase, resulting in the inhibition of Cd-induced generation of reactive oxygen species. The elevated level of Cys also assisted the Cd-stressed seedlings in maintaining GSH pool which retained normal functioning of AsA-GSH cycle and led to enhanced content of phytochelatins coupled with reduced Cd content. The positive effect of these events manifested in an enhanced rate of photosynthesis, carbohydrate accumulation, and growth attributes of the plants. On the contrary, addition of NO scavenger cPTIO [2-(4-carboxyphenyl)-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide], H2S scavenger HT (Hypotaurine) and Ca-chelator EGTA (Ethylene glycol-bis(b-aminoethylether)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid) again developed a condition similar to stress and positive effect of the signaling molecules was abolished. The findings of the study postulate that Ca in association with NO and H2S mitigates Cd-induced impairment and enhances the tolerance of the V. radiata plants against Cd stress. The results of the study also substantiate that Ca acts both upstream as well as downstream of NO signals whereas, H2S acts downstream of Ca and NO during Cd-stress responses of the plants.

The interplay between melatonin (Mel) and calcium (Ca) in enhancing tolerance to metalloid toxicity and underlying physiological and biochemical mechanisms of this relationship still remains unknown. The present study reveals that the signaling molecules Mel and/or Ca enhanced tolerance of Vicia faba (cv. Tara) plant to metalloid arsenic (As) toxicity. However, a combination of Mel and Ca was more efficient than alone. Plants grew with As exhibited enhanced hydrogen peroxide, superoxide anion, electrolyte leakage, lipid peroxidation together with increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) producing enzymes, such as NADPH oxidase and glycolate oxidase (GOX). On the contrary, an inhibition in chlorophyll (Chl) biosynthesis and gas exchange parameters (net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, intercellular carbon dioxide concentration) was observed. Under As toxicity conditions, the application of Mel and Ca synergistically suppressed the plants’ program cell death features (nucleus condensation and nucleus fragmentation) in guard cells of stomata, DNA damage, and formation of ROS in guard cells, leaves and roots. Moreover, it enhanced gas exchange parameters and activity of enzymes involved in photosynthesis process (carbonic anhydrase and RuBisco), Chl biosynthesis (δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase), and decreased activity of Chl degrading enzyme (chlorophyllase) under As toxicity conditions. Our investigation evidently established that expression of ATP synthase, Ca-ATPase, Ca-DPKase, Hsp17.6 and Hsp40 was found maximum in the plants treated with Mel + Ca, resulting in higher tolerance of plants to As stress. Also, increased total soluble carbohydrates, cysteine, and Pro accumulation with increased Pro synthesizing enzyme (Δ-pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthetase (P5CS) and decreased Pro degrading enzyme (proline dehydrogenase) in Mel + Ca treated plants conferred As toxicity tolerance. The obtained results postulate strong evidence that the application of Mel along with Ca enhances resilience against As toxicity by upregulating the activity of plasma membrane H-ATPase, enzymes involved in antioxidant system, and ascorbate-glutathione pathway., The authors extend their appreciation to the Deanship of Scientific Research at King Saud University for funding this work through Research Group No. RG-1441-438.

Copper (Cu) nanoparticles and Cu0.5Tl0.5Ba2Ca2Cu3O10−δ (CuTl-1223) superconducting phase were synthesized by sol-gel and solid-state reaction, respectively. These metallic Cu nanoparticles were added in CuTl-1223 superconducting matrix to get (Cu)x/CuTl-1223; x = 0–4.0 wt% nanoparticles-superconductor composites and their temperature dependent magneto-transport properties were studied. The zero-field-cooled (ZFC) and field-cooled (FC) temperature dependent magnetization (M-T) measurements of (Cu)x/CuTl-1223 samples showed an increase in transition temperature and in amplitude of diamagnetic signal after the inclusion of Cu nanoparticles in the host CuTl-1223 matrix. The improvement in these magneto-transport properties can be attributed to the increase in number of efficient pinning centres in CuTl-1223 matrix after addition of Cu nanoparticles. Magnetization hysteresis (M-H) loops were obtained at various operating temperatures from which the magnetization critical current density (Jc) was estimated using Bean's critical state model. M-H loops indicated the combined superconducting and ferromagnetic behaviour up to 90 K in all (Cu)x/CuTl-1223 samples. Improvement in Jc could also be due to increase in number of pinning centres with addition of Cu nanoparticles in CuTl-1223 matrix. Maximum improvement in magneto-transport properties of (Cu)x/CuTl-1223 samples was observed for x = 1.0 wt%, which had specified the optimum content level of Cu nanoparticles in CuTl-1223 phase.

Different amounts of MgF2 were substituted in (1-x)BiScO3-xPbTiO3 (BS-PT) at x = 0.64. Magnesium as an acceptor was supposed to be incorporated at B-site and fluorine at anionic sites. Morphotrophic phase boundary (MPB) was found at 0.5% MgF2 doping where tetragonal and monoclinic phases coexisted in almost equal proportion. Tolerance factor as well as cationic displacements played important role in enhancing Tc. MgF2 doping enhanced Curie temperature (Tc) and electromechanical coupling factor (kp) up to 490 °C and 0.66, respectively. Grain size and porosity increased with doping amount due to fluorine. The dielectric loss was suppressed with MgF2 addition at room temperature.

The data provided in this data set is the study of organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite solar cells fabricated through incorporating the small amounts of ammonium halide NH4X (X = F, Cl, Br, I) additives into a CH3NH3PbI3 (MAPbI3) perovskite solution and is published as “High-Performance CH3NH3PbI3 Inverted Planar Perovskite Solar Cells via Ammonium Halide Additives”, available in Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry [1]. A compact and uniform perovskite absorber layer with large perovskite crystalline grains, is realized by simply incorporating small amounts of additives into precursor solutions, and utilizing the anti-solvent engineering technique to control the nucleation and growth of perovskite crystal, turning out the enhanced device efficiency (NH4F: 14.88 ± 0.33%, NH4Cl: 16.63 ± 0.21%, NH4Br: 16.64 ± 0.35%, and NH4I: 17.28 ± 0.15%) compared to that of a reference MAPbI3 device (Ref.: 12.95 ± 0.48%). In addition, this simple technique of ammonium halide addition to precursor solutions increase the device reproducibility as well as long term stability. Keywords: CH3NH3PbI3 perovskite, Inverted planar structure, Ammonium halide additives, anti-solvent engineering, Perovskite grain size

Paper description: The manuscript demonstrates the first isolation and characterization of PGPR associated with the Nicotiana tabacum root soil system from an unexplored and isolated area of Pakistan. The findings demonstrate that the indigenous microbial community of this region possess a strong potential to enhance the growth and yield of tobacco crop through enhancement of nutrients uptake and antifungal activity. These finding have a significant and sustainable impact in terms of reduction of application of chemical fertilizers/fungicides and enhancement of growth and yield of crop. A bstract: An unexplored soil microbial community associated with the root system of Nicotiana tabacum was isolated to analyze its impact on growth and yield of the crop. A total of nine isolates out of 180 were biochemically screened and characterized as potential plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria due to the expression of growth-promoting traits. All isolates were positive for ammonia production, 8 were positive for phosphate solubilization but none for auxin production. The majority of the isolates were also found positive for hydrogen cyanide, siderophore and hydrolytic/degradative enzymes production, enabling them to restrict the growth of Fusarium oxysporum in an in vitro assay. Although all tested isolates enhanced tobacco growth significantly, Baj-ER-01 and CD-RS-03 were found to be the most promising in enhancing all aspects of growth. This study provides evidence for the enhancement of growth and yield of inoculated tobacco plants through an adequate supply of nutrients and/or controlling phytopathogens. https://doi.org/10.2298/ABS180315035K Received: March 15, 2018; Revised: July 22, 2018; Accepted: July 26, 2018; Published online: August 9, 2018 How to cite this article: Khan S, Subhan F, Haleem KS, Khattak MNK, Khan I, Sultan T, Tauseef I. Impact of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria on yield and disease control of Nicotiana tabacum . Arch Biol Sci. 2018;70(4):717-25.

Among the heavy metals (HMs), lead (Pb) is considered as a toxic HM which adversely affects growth and development of crop plants. The present experiment was aimed to investigate the potential role of ascorbic acid (ASC) in the reversal of Pb-inhibited nitrogen and sulfur assimilation enzymes activity and activity of photosynthesis enzyme ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) and growth response in wheat plants. Wheat seedlings were subjected to 0 mM (control) and 0.2 mM and 0.6 mM of ASC with and without 2 mM of Pb. Plants treated with Pb exhibited the following reduced growth characteristics (root length, shoot length, root fresh weight (FW), shoot FW, root dry weight (DW) and shoot DW). A decrease was also observed in the activity of Rubisco and ATP sulfurylase (ATP-S), relative water content (RWC), accumulation of total chlorophyll (Total Chl) and content of nutrients [nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg)] in Pb-treated plants. However, an increase in Chl degradation and in the activity of O-acetylserine(thiol)lyase (OAS-TL) and accumulation of cysteine (Cys), malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) was observed in plants under Pb stress. On the contrary, exogenous application of ASC mitigated the Pb-toxicity-induced oxidative damage by enhancing the activities of antioxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione reductase. Improved activity of antioxidant enzymes suppressed the formation of MDA and H2O2, which was reflected in the form of improved growth characteristics. Moreover, ASC induced improvement in plants defense systems by reduced Chl degradation and improved the content of essential nutrients (N, P, K, Ca and Mg) and Cys, RWC and the activity of Rubisco, ATP-S, NR and OAS-TL.

Water remains one of the most important mediums for the survival of Living organisms. However, because of the human activities, it has lost its nature and becomes extremely polluted. Among various pollutants, the synthetic dyes have huge contribution for the contamination of the natural water bodies because of their vast application in food, cosmetics, pharmaceutical, textile etc. The presence of such hazardous contaminants causes cancer, kidney failure, dysfunction of brain, infertility etc. Consequently, their removal is indispensable prior to releasing them in natural water resources. Here, low cost adsorbent (activated carbon) was prepared from date palm trunk fiber by using chemical activation using H 3 PO 4 as activating agent. That was utilized for removal of basic cationic dye Malachite Green as a model dye from water by using the Batch adsorption method. The effect of different parameters including adsorbent amount, pH and contact time were studied. The optimum conditions determined were adsorbent dosage 0.5g, contact time 20 minutes and pH5-7. From the result, we conclude that activated carbon of date fiber remains an efficient adsorbent for removal of Malachite Green and may prove the best low cost adsorbent for other dye effluents and wastewater treatment.

The (Cu0.5Tl0.5)Ba2Ca3Cu4O12−δ thin films were synthesized at 895, 905 and 920 °C. These films are c-axis oriented and have shown tetragonal structure. The samples have been investigated for excess conductivity analysis. The analyses are carried out by following Aslamazov–Larkin theory. It is observed that the values of ξc(0), vF, λp.d, J decrease, but that of Bc(T), Bc1(T), Jc(0) increase with the increase of synthesis temperature. However, with the post-annealing of the samples at 100, 300 and 400 °C, the values of ξc(0), vF, τϕ and J increase but, the values of Bc(T), Bc1(T) and Jc(0) suppress with the increasing annealing temperature. It is proposed that with the higher synthesis temperature thallium defects are created in the charge reservoir layer that act as pinning centers whereas with post-annealing of the samples oxygen defects are removed. The former enhances whereas the later promotes suppression of Bc(T), Bc1(T), Jc(0) parameters in (Cu0.5Tl0.5)Ba2Ca3Cu4O12−δ thin films.

In this article, we report the synthesis of two (A3 and A4) new ferrocene-based heterobimetallic compounds of Fe and Sn. Both compounds are structural isomers with formula (C5H5)Fe(C5H4C6H4COO)Sn(CH3)3 and have been characterized by elemental analysis, cyclic voltammetry, FTIR, UV-vis and NMR spectroscopy. Additionally, the structure of A3 was confirmed by single-crystal XRD studies. XRD studies confirmed that in the solid phase A3 exists as a unidirectional polymeric material. DNA-binding potential of these compounds was evaluated by UV-vis spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry and viscosity measurements. These interaction assays conclude that A3 (binding constant ~104 M−1) and A4 have good attraction towards DNA and bind with DNA in intercalative manner.

The reduction of charge carrier recombination and intrinsic defect density in organic–inorganic halide perovskite absorber materials is a prerequisite to achieving high-performance perovskite solar cells with good efficiency and stability. Here, we fabricated inverted planar perovskite solar cells by incorporation of a small amount of excess organic/inorganic halide (methylammonium iodide (CH3NH3I; MAI), formamidinium iodide (CH(NH2)2I; FAI), and cesium iodide (CsI)) in CH3NH3PbI3 perovskite film. Larger crystalline grains and enhanced crystallinity in CH3NH3PbI3 perovskite films with excess organic/inorganic halide reduce the charge carrier recombination and defect density, leading to enhanced device efficiency (MAI+: 14.49 ± 0.30%, FAI+: 16.22 ± 0.38% and CsI+: 17.52 ± 0.56%) compared to the efficiency of a control MAPbI3 device (MAI: 12.63 ± 0.64%) and device stability. Especially, the incorporation of a small amount of excess CsI in MAPbI3 perovskite film leads to a highly reproducible fill factor of ...

Aerosol assisted chemical vapour deposition (CVD) is a sophisticated, unique and modern technique which is used to deposit coatings, films, and other related structures from thermally unstable or the involatile precursors at laboratory and large scale productions. A light weight semiconducting and ceramic oxide based coatings on appropriate substrates can be produced at a lower cost by employing chemical vapour deposition method. There is broader choice of chemical precursors and their availability for obtaining high quality thin films at lower cost and the reaction environment is more flexible ranging from low pressure to atmospheric pressure in CVD. New ferrocene containingheterobimetallic precursor, [C 58 H 80 Fe 2 O 4 Sn 2 ] has been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, FT-IR spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis and molecular structure was determined by X-ray single crystal analysis. The heterobimetallic complex was used as a single-source precursor for the growth of iron tin oxide thin film by aerosol assisted chemical vapor deposition. The deposited thin film was characterized by X-ray diffractometer, scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy techniques. The average roughness of deposited film at 425 °C from heterobimetallic precursor was in the range of 4.39 nm. The deposited thin film on glass strip was found to have no cracks, excellent adhesion and to be crystalline in nature and free from any carboneous impurities.

The oil and gas industry is plagued by inevitable formation damaged in the wellbore proximity during entire life of the well. Therefore, it is indispensable to ameliorate the damaged permeability by either using conventional applied techniques or ultrasonic-assisted stimulation method. The latter is characterized by efficient, simple and convenient, and environmentally secure method. Due to these distinguished characteristics, the demand of this physical Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) technique increased in petroleum industry. In this study, ultrasonic waves and hydrochloric acid (HCl) were used separately as well as in combination to recover the lost productivity caused by calcium carbonate (CaCO3) inorganic plugs in low permeability sandstone core samples. Results showed that permeability recovery increased with irradiation time up to 100 min; however, it decreased with further irradiation. This deviation could be due to particles bridge formation at later stage. In addition, optimum frequency and power of...

A facile chemical precipitation method for slab and flower like WO3 microstructure having three-dimensional (3D) architecture is reported. The as-prepared WO3 powder specimens were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) combined with Rietveld refinements, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and UV–vis spectroscopy. SEM and XRD results revealed that the hierarchical WO3 microstructures with uniform flower-like morphology are congregated by number of interleaving nanosheets which have thickness of 150–180 nm and are crystallized in a single monoclinic WO3 phase. Thermo-gravimetric analysis shows a major weight loss of 8% due to evaporation of adsorbed water. The impedance spectroscopy of compact WO3 pellets showed that all samples were semiconducting with a minute difference in electrical properties. The photo-catalytic activity of the as-prepared WO3 samples was evaluated by the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) under ultra-violet light irradiation. The results showed that 3D hierarchical architectures exhibits high photo-catalytic efficiency compared with the slab like structure due to their porous hierarchical structures. The optical band gap energy of slab like structure is found to be lowered compared to flower-like WO3 structures. These tunable optical and transport features allow the development of new materials for potential applications as photo-catalysts, transparent conducting electrodes, electrochromic and sensor devices.

Climate change represents a major threat to agriculture. High ambient temperatures, as a result of global warming, are currently limiting plant growth and development. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of sodium nitroprusside (SNP) in combination with indole acetic acid (IAA) on tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) plants under heat stress (HS) and non-heat stress (non-HS) conditions. HS is suggested to induce the formation of reactive oxygen species, such as superoxide and hydrogen peroxide, which may lead to genotoxicity by damaging DNA, which can be detected by the comet assay (single-cell gel electrophoresis). HS substantially enhanced proline (Pro), malondialdehyde accumulation, electrolyte leakage (EL), growth reduction, and reduced physiological and biochemical parameters. However, the co-application of SNP and IAA alleviated the adverse effects of HS by promoting catalase, peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase activities and enhancing the accumulation of photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll a and b) and Pro with a concomitant decrease in H2O2 and $\hbox{O}_ 2^ - $ content, EL, and DNA damage. Conversely, the treatment of tomato plants with the NO scavenger cPTIO [2-(4-carboxyphenyl)-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide] along with SNP and IAA further reduced the SNP signal. Therefore, these results suggest that the application of SNP with IAA improves plant defense mechanisms against HS.