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Utilizing plant-based sources for the preservation of fresh and fresh-cut fruits and vegetables offers a natural and chemical-free method. However, the inherent instability of plant bioactive compounds underscores the necessity for encapsulation techniques. Essential oil-based nanoemulsions (EO-NEs) stand out among food additives due to their distinctive antibacterial and antioxidant properties. This review delves into recent advancements in the application of EO-NEs as edible coatings for fresh and fresh-cut produce. It examines the efficacy of EO-NEs in enhancing the preservation of fruits and vegetables by harnessing their bioactive compounds for antibacterial, antifungal, and antioxidant activities. Additionally, the review accentuates the efficacy of EO-NEs in inhibiting biofilm formation on fruits and vegetables. It reveals that coatings derived from plant-source nanoemulsions exhibit exceptional mechanical, optical, and microstructural qualities, as well as superior water barrier properties. In contrast to conventional emulsions, nanocoatings facilitate the gradual and controlled release of antimicrobial and antioxidant compounds during food storage. This feature enhances bioactivity, extends shelf life, and enhances the nutritional profile of products. By preserving and protecting shelf stability, EO-NEs contribute to the maintenance of vegetable freshness. Nonetheless, ensuring their commercial viability necessitates additional research into the toxicity of EO-based nanoemulsions., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper. The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

The main goal of emerging food-packaging technologies is to address environmental issues and minimize their impact, while also guaranteeing food quality and safety for consumers. Bio-based polymers have drawn significant interest as a means to reduce the usage and environmental impact of petroleum-derived polymeric products. Therefore, this current review highlights on the biopolymer blends, various biodegradable bio-nanocomposites materials, and their synthesis and characterization techniques recently used in the smart food packaging industry. In addition, some insights on potential challenges as well as possibilities in future smart food packaging applications are thoroughly explored. Nanocomposite packaging materials derived from biopolymers have the highest potential for use in improved smart food packaging that possesses bio-functional properties. Nanomaterials are utilized for improving the thermal, mechanical, and gas barrier attributes of bio-based polymers while maintaining their biodegradable and non-toxic qualities. The packaging films that were developed exhibited enhanced barrier qualities against carbon dioxide, oxygen, and water vapour. Additionally, they demonstrated better mechanical strength, thermal stability, and antibacterial activity. More research is needed to develop and use smart food packaging materials based on bio-nanocomposites on a worldwide scale, while removing plastic packaging., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

To explore the rice seed microbiome, our objective was to isolate novel strains of Xanthomonas, a plant-associated bacterium with diverse lifestyles. Four isolates, anticipated to be Xanthomonas based on morphological features of yellow colonies, were obtained from healthy rice seeds. Phylo-taxono-genomic analysis revealed that these isolates formed monophyletic lineages belonging to a novel species within the genus Luteibacter. Pairwise ortho Average Nucleotide Identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization confirmed their distinct species status. We propose Luteibacter sahnii sp. nov. as a novel species, with PPL193 T  = MTCC 13290 T  = ICMP 24807 T  = CFBP 9144 T as the type strain and PPL201, PPL552, and PPL554 as other constituent members. The fatty acid profile of the type strain is dominated by branched fatty acids like Iso-C 15:0 , consistent with other members of the genus. The novel species displays non-pathogenic attributes and exhibits plant probiotic properties, protecting rice plants from the leaf blight pathogen X. oryzae pv. oryzae. Production of Indole-3-Acetic Acid (IAA) and genomic regions encoding anti-microbial peptides emphasize its potential contributions to plant hosts. This study underscores the importance of employing a combination of phenotypic and genotypic methods in culturomics to enhance our understanding of rice seed microbiome diversity., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Monolayer 2D transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) show high sensitivity to the local dielectric environment, leading to modulation of their optoelectronic properties. Here, we report on the formation of localized trions in a MoS 2 /few-layer graphene van der Waals heterostructure. We performed temperature-dependent photoluminescence and Raman studies down to 80 K, to understand the mechanism for localized charge excitation, which shows contrasting behaviour with MoS 2 /SiO 2 . We attribute trion formation to optically induced charge transfer from few-layer graphene to MoS 2 . Our theoretical analysis and simulations comparing the dielectric screening between MoS 2 /SiO 2 and MoS 2 /few-layer graphene strongly suggest the dominance of excess charge carrier concentration over dielectric screening as the cause of trion formation. The concentration of charge carriers could be tuned actively with excitation power. Our findings provide an efficient approach for trion formation in MoS 2 and explain the mechanism behind charge transfer in the MoS 2 /few-layer graphene heterostructure.

Despite progress in diagnosis and treatment strategies, breast cancer remains a primary risk to female health as indicated by second most cancer-deaths globally caused by this cancer. High risk mutation is linked to prognosis of breast cancer. Due to high resistance of breast cancer against current therapies, there is necessity of novel treatment strategies. Sirtuins are signaling proteins belonging to histone deacetylase class III family, known to control several cellular processes. Therefore, targeting sirtuins could be one of the approaches to treat breast cancer. Several plants synthesize phytoestrogens which exhibit structural and physiological similarities to estrogens and have been recognized to possess anticancer activity. In our study, we investigated several phytoestrogens for sirtuin inhibition by conducting molecular docking studies, and in-vitro studies against breast cancer cell lines. In molecular docking studies, we identified coumestrol possessing high binding energy with sirtuin proteins 1-3 as compared to other phytoestrogens. The molecular dynamic studies showed stable interaction of ligand and protein with higher affinity at sirtuin proteins 1-3 binding sites. In cell proliferation assay and colony formation assay using breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7 and MDAMB-231) coumestrol caused significant reduction in cell proliferation and number of colonies formed. Further, the flow cytometric analysis showed that coumestrol induces intracellular reactive oxygen species and the western blot analysis revealed reduction in the level of SIRT-1 expression in breast cancer cell lines. In conclusion, in-silico data and in-vitro studies suggest that the phytoestrogen coumestrol has sirtuin inhibitory activity against breast cancer., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Xanthomonas species are major pathogens of plants and have been studied extensively. There is increasing recognition of the importance of non-pathogenic species within the same genus. With this came the need to understand the genomic and functional diversity of non-pathogenic Xanthomonas (NPX) at the species and strain level. This study reports isolation and investigation into the genomic diversity and variation in NPX isolates, chiefly Xanthomonas indica , a newly discovered NPX species from rice. The study establishes the relationship of X. indica strains within clade I of Xanthomonads with another NPX species, X. sontii , also associated with rice seeds. Identification of highly diverse strains, open-pan genome, and systematic hyper-variation at the lipopolysaccharide biosynthetic locus when compared to pathogenic Xanthomonas indicates the acquisition of new functions for adaptation. Furthermore, comparative genomics studies established the absence of major virulence genes such as type III secretion system and effectors, which are present in the pathogens, and the presence of a known bacterial-killing type IV secretion system (X-T4SS). The diverse non-pathogenic strains of X. indica and X. sontii were found to protect rice from bacterial leaf blight pathogen, X. oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo). The absence of phenotype of an X-T4SS mutant suggests redundancy in the genetic basis of the mechanisms involved in the bioprotection function, which may include multiple genetic loci, such as putative bacteriocin-encoding gene clusters and involvement of other factors such as nutrient and niche competition apart from induction of innate immunity through shared microbial-associated molecular patterns. The rice-NPX community and its pathogenic counterpart can be a promising model for understanding plant-microbe-microbiome interaction studies.IMPORTANCEThe Xanthomonas group of bacteria is known for its characteristic lifestyle as a phytopathogen. However, the discovery of non-pathogenic Xanthomonas (NPX) species is a major shift in understanding this group of bacteria. Multi-strain, in-depth genomic, evolutionary and functional studies on each of these NPX species are still lacking. This study on diverse non-pathogenic strains provides novel insights into genome diversity, dynamics, and evolutionary trends of NPX species from rice microbiome apart from its relationship with other relatives that form a sub-clade. Interestingly, we also uncovered that NPX species protect rice from pathogenic Xanthomonas species. The plant protection property shows their importance as a part of a healthy plant microbiome. Furthermore, finding an open pan-genome and large-scale variation at lipopolysaccharide biosynthetic locus indicates a significant role of the NPX community in host adaptation. The findings and high-quality genomic resources of NPX species and the strains will allow further systematic molecular and host-associated microbial community studies for plant health., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Crafting rational heterojunctions with nanostructured materials is instrumental in fostering effective interfacial charge separation and transport for optoelectronics. Layered halide perovskites (LHPs) that form heterojunctions between organic spacer molecules and inorganic metal halide layers exhibit tunable photophysics owing to their customizable band alignment. However, controlling photogenerated carrier dynamics by strategically designing layered perovskite heterojunctions remains largely unexplored. We combine a data-driven approach with time-domain density functional theory (TD-DFT) and non-adiabatic molecular dynamics (NAMD) to screen and select electronically active spacer dications (A') that introduce a type-II heterojunction in the lead iodide-based Dion-Jacobson phase LHPs. The composition-structure-electronic property correlations reveal that the number of nitrogens in aromatic heterocycles is the key factor in designing electron-accepting spacers in these perovskites. The detailed atomistic simulations validate the design strategy further by modeling (A')PbI 4 perovskites, which incorporate three different screened electroactive A' spacers. The computed excited charge carrier dynamics illustrate the phonon-mediated ultrafast interfacial electron transfer from the inorganic conduction band edge to the lower-lying unoccupied orbitals of spacers, exhibiting photoluminescence quenching in these (A')PbI 4 perovskites. The spatially separated electrons and holes at the type-II heterojunction interface prolong the excited charge carrier lifetime, boosting the carrier transport and exciton dynamics. Our work illustrates a robust in silico approach for designing LHPs with exciting optoelectronic properties originating from their fine-tuned heterojunctions.

Artificial intelligence has the potential to alter the agricultural and food processing industries, with significant ramifications for sustainability and global food security. The integration of artificial intelligence in agriculture has witnessed a significant uptick in recent years. Therefore, comprehensive understanding of these techniques is needed to broaden its application in agri-food supply chain. In this review, we explored cutting-edge artificial intelligence methodologies with a focus on machine learning, neural networks, and deep learning. The application of artificial intelligence in agri-food industry and their quality assurance throughout the production process is thoroughly discussed with an emphasis on the current scientific knowledge and future perspective. Artificial intelligence has played a significant role in transforming agri-food systems by enhancing efficiency, sustainability, and productivity. Many food industries are implementing the artificial intelligence in modelling, prediction, control tool, sensory evaluation, quality control, and tackling complicated challenges in food processing. Similarly, artificial intelligence applied in agriculture to improve the entire farming process, such as crop yield optimization, use of herbicides, weeds identification, and harvesting of fruits. In summary, the integration of artificial intelligence in agri-food systems offers the potential to address key challenges in agriculture, enhance sustainability, and contribute to global food security., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The extraction of phytocompounds from Achocha ( Cyclanthera pedata ) vegetable juice using traditional methods often results in suboptimal yields and efficiency. This study aimed to enhance the extraction process through the application of thermosonication (TS). To achieve this, an artificial neural network (ANN) and a genetic algorithm (GA) were utilized to simulate and optimize the process parameters. The study investigated the influence of ultrasonic amplitude (30%-50%), temperature (30 °C-50 °C), and sonication duration (15-60 min) on total polyphenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), antioxidant activity (AOA), and ascorbic acid content (AA). Remarkably, the ANN-GA optimization resulted in optimal TS conditions: an ultrasonic amplitude of 40%, a temperature of 40 °C, and a sonication duration of 30 min. Subsequent analysis of extraction kinetics and thermodynamics across various temperatures (30 °C-50 °C) and extraction times (0-30 min) demonstrated R 2 (0.98821) and χ 2 (1.74773) for TPC with activation energy (E a ) 26.0456, R 2 (0.99906) and χ 2 (0.07215) for TFC with E a 26.2336, R 2 (0.99867) and χ 2 (0.03003) for AOA with E a 26.0987, R 2 (0.99731) and χ 2 (0.13719) for AA with E a 26.0984, validating the pseudo second-order kinetic model. These findings indicate that increased temperature enhances the saturation concentration and rate constant of phytochemical extraction.

Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are an indispensable part of our daily life. After being studied for a few decades, this field still has some room for improvement. In this regard, perovskite materials may take the leading role. In recent years, LEDs have become a most explored topic, owing to their various applications in photodetectors, solar cells, lasers, and so on. Noticeably, they exhibit significant characteristics in developing LEDs. The luminous efficiency of LEDs can be significantly enhanced by the combination of a poor illumination LED with low-dimensional perovskite. In 2014, the first perovskite-based LED was illuminated at room temperature. Furthermore, two-dimensional (2D) perovskites have enriched this field because of their optical and electronic properties and comparatively high stability in ambient conditions. Recent and relevant advancements in LEDs using low-dimensional perovskites including zero-dimensional to three-dimensional materials is reported. The major focus of this article is based on the 2D perovskites and their heterostructures (i.e., a combination of 2D perovskites with transition metal dichalcogenides, graphene, and hexagonal boron nitride). In comparison to 2D perovskites, heterostructures exhibit more potential for application in LEDs. State-of-the-art perovskite-based LEDs, current challenges, and prospects are also discussed., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Biodegradable and sustainable food packaging (FP) materials have gained immense global importance to reduce plastic pollution and environmental impact. Therefore, this review focused on the recent advances in biopolymers based on cellulose derivatives for FP applications. Cellulose, an abundant and renewable biopolymer, and its various derivatives, namely cellulose acetate, cellulose sulphate, nanocellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, and methylcellulose, are explored as promising substitutes for conventional plastic in FP. These reviews focused on the production, modification processes, and properties of cellulose derivatives and highlighted their potential for their application in FP. Finally, we reviewed the effects of incorporating cellulose derivatives into film in various aspects of packaging properties, including barrier, mechanical, thermal, preservation aspects, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties. Overall, the findings suggest that cellulose derivatives have the potential to replace conventional plastics in food packaging applications. This can contribute to reducing plastic pollution and lessening the environmental impact of food packaging materials. The review likely provides insights into the current state of research and development in this field and underscores the significance of sustainable food packaging solutions., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Transition metal tungstates (TMTs) possess a wolframite-like lattice structure and preferably form via an electrostatic interaction between a divalent transition metal cation (M II ) and an oxyanion of tungsten ([WO 4 ] 2- ). A unit cell of a TMT is primarily composed of two repeating units, [MO 6 ] oh and [WO 6 ] oh , which are held together via several M-μ 2 -O-W bridging links. The bond character (ionic or covalent) of this bridging unit determines the stability of the lattice and influences the electronic structure of the bulk TMT materials. Recently, TMTs have been successfully employed as an electrode material for various applications, including electrochemical water splitting. Despite the wide electrocatalytic applications of TMTs, the study of the structure-activity correlation and electronic factors responsible for in situ structural evolution to electroactive species during electrochemical reactions is still in its infancy. Herein, a series of TMTs, M II W VI O 4 (M = Mn/Fe/Co/Ni), have been prepared and employed as electrocatalysts to study the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) under alkaline conditions and to scrutinize the role of transition metals in controlling the energetics of the formation of electroactive species. Since the [WO 6 ] oh unit is common in the TMTs considered, the variation of the central atom of the corresponding [MO 6 ] oh unit plays an intriguing role in controlling the electronic structure and stability of the lattice under anodic potential. Under the OER conditions, a potential-dependent structural transformation of MWO 4 is noticed, where MnWO 4 appears to be the most labile, whereas NiWO 4 is stable up to a high anodic potential of ∼1.68 V (vs RHE). Potential-dependent hydrolytic [WO 4 ] 2- dissolution to form MO x active species, traced by in situ Raman and various spectro-/microscopic analyses, can directly be related to the electronic factors of the lattice, viz., crystal field splitting energy (CFSE) of M II in [MO 6 ] oh , formation enthalpy (Δ H f ), decomposition enthalpy (Δ H d ), and Madelung factor associated with the MWO 4 ionic lattice. Additionally, the magnitude of the Löwdin and Bader charges on M of the M-μ 2 -O-W bond is directly related to the degree of ionicity or covalency in the MWO 4 lattice, which indirectly influences the electronic structure and activity. The experimental results substantiated by the computational study explain the electrochemical activity of the TMTs with the help of various structural and electronic factors and bonding interactions in the lattice, which has never been realized. Therefore, the study presented here can be taken as a general guideline to correlate the reactivity to the structure of the inorganic materials.

The paper presents the performance evaluation of a modified indirect solar dual collector dryer (MIS2CD) integrated with a thermal storage system for drying myrobalan slices. The design of the solar collector and solar collector with thermal storage was to supply uninterrupted thermal energy to the drying chamber during sunny and sunset hours. To evaluate the dryer performances, one lot (20 kg) of myrobalan was dried in the MIS2CD, and as a result, the thermal efficiency and energy supply period of MIS2CD increased by 12 ± 02% and 41 ± 1.2%, respectively. Drying characteristics of myrobalan slices in MIS2CD, TD, and OSD were studied and compared. A two-term exponential model best explains the drying kinetics of myrobalan slices dried in MIS2CD. The dried sample in MIS2CD results in lesser ΔE* values than TD and OSD methods. The highest exergy efficiency of 78.2% and lower exergy losses were recorded. The energy payback period of the MIS2CD was evaluated as 1.42 years. The CO 2 emitted and CO 2 reduced reduction are calculated for drying myrobalan in MIS2CD for a lifetime (20 years) of 67.85 kg and 20.65 tons, respectively. The capital cost of the solar dryer design was estimated depending on the economic considerations of the state. The drying hours were increased in MIS2CD against OSD by 59% on the annual sunny days (210 days). The sample drying period MSD and TD to reach the final moisture level of 7% was 9 h and 5 h, respectively. The total economic benefit is 22,622 INR (annually), and the 2.08 benefit-cost ratio for myrobalan dried in MIS2CD compared to TD. The MIS2CD's payback period is nearly 2.18 years, much less than the dryer's lifetime., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Herein, MoS 2 quantum dots (QDs) with controlled optical, structural, and electronic properties are synthesized using the femtosecond pulsed laser ablation in liquid (fs-PLAL) technique by varying the pulse width, ablation power, and ablation time to harness the potential for next-generation optoelectronics and quantum technology. Furthermore, this work elucidates key aspects of the mechanisms underlying the near-UV and blue emissions the accompanying large Stokes shift, and the consequent change in sample color with laser exposure parameters pertaining to MoS 2 QDs. Through spectroscopic analysis, including UV-visible absorption, photoluminescence, and Raman spectroscopy, we successfully unraveled the mechanisms for the change in optoelectronic properties of MoS 2 QDs with laser parameters. We realize that the occurrence of a secondary phase, specifically MoO 3- x , is responsible for the significant Stokes shift and blue emission observed in this QD system. The primary factor influencing these activities is the electron transfer observed between these two phases, as validated by excitation-dependent photoluminescence and XPS and Raman spectroscopies.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia, which arises due to low levels of acetyl and butyrylcholines, an increase in oxidative stress, inflammation, metal dyshomeostasis, Aβ and tau aggregations. The currently available drugs for AD treatment can provide only symptomatic relief without interfering with pathological hallmarks of the disease. In our ongoing efforts to develop naturally inspired novel multifunctional molecules for AD, systematic SAR studies on EJMC-4e were caried out to improve its multifunctional properties. The rigorous medicinal efforts led to the development of 12o , which displayed a 15-fold enhancement in antioxidant properties and a 2-fold increase in the activity against AChE and BChE over EJMC-4e . Molecular docking and dynamics studies revealed the binding sites and stability of the complex of 12o with AChE and BChE. The PAMPA-BBB assay clearly demonstrated that 12o can easily cross the blood-brain barrier. Interestingly, 12o also expresses promising metal chelation activity, while EJMC-4e was found to be devoid of this property. Further, 12o inhibited metal-induced or self Aβ 1-42 aggregation. Observing the neuroprotection ability of 12o against H 2 O 2 -induced oxidative stress in the PC-12 cell line is noteworthy. Furthermore, 12o also inhibited NLRP3 inflammasome activation and attenuated mitochondrial-induced ROS and MMP damage caused by LPS and ATP in HMC-3 cells. In addition, 12o is able to effectively reduce mitochondrial and cellular oxidative stress in the AD Drosophila model. Finally, 12o could reverse memory impairment in the scopolamine-induced AD mice model, as evident through in vivo and ex vivo studies. These findings suggest that this compound may act as a promising candidate for further improvement in the management of AD.

Elephant apple, a fruit with numerous bioactive compounds, is rich in therapeutic qualities. However, its use in processed products is limited due to insufficient postharvest processing methods. To address this issue, an automatic core cutter (ACC) was developed to handle the hard nature of the fruit while cutting. The physical characteristics of the elephant apple were considered for designing and development of the cutter. The cutter is divided into four main sections, including a frame, collecting tray, movable coring unit, and cutting base with five fruit holders. The parts that directly contact the fruit are made of food-grade stainless steel. The efficiency of the cutter was analyzed based on cutting/coring capacity, machine efficiency, loss percentage, and other factors, and was compared to traditional cutting methods (TCM) and a foot-operated core cutter (FOCC). The ACC had an average cutting/coring capacity of 270-300 kg/h, which was significantly higher than TCM's capacity of 12-15 kg/h and comparable to FOCC's capacity of 115-130 kg/h. The ACC offered a higher sepal yield of 85.68 ± 1.80% compared to TCM's yield of 65.76 ± 1.35%, which was equivalent to the yield obtained by FOCC. Therefore, the ACC outperforms TCM in terms of quality, quantity, and stress associated and is superior to FOCC in terms of higher efficiency of machine and labor.

Food product drying is a crucial stage in the preservation of crops and agricultural by-products that are used as raw materials for numerous end applications. The novelty of the study is the application of a phase change material in a solar dryer to improve the effectiveness of drying and reducing the overall drying period for drying while retaining/improving the quality parameters of the dried dhekia (Diplazium esculentum). The modified indirect thermal storage integrated solar dryer made up of a single-pass solar collector is attached with the drying chamber of 16.5 kg capacity. A thermal energy storage system prepared with paraffin wax embedded inside the drying cabinet was used. The proposed solar dryer has a thermal efficiency that is 11 ± 0.2% greater than the conventionally constructed solar dryer and reduces drying time by 40 ± 2.1%. Drying kinetic analysis of dhekia was performed, and two new drying kinetic models were proposed to predict moisture ratio. From statistical analysis, it was found that the chi square value and root mean square error value fits well for the proposed models. The anti-oxidant, total phenolic content, and total flavonoid content values of samples dried in solar dryer exhibit better results compared to fresh, tray dried, and open sun-dried samples. The developed dryer shows better results in saving drying time and quality of the product. Due to its affordability and long-term solution for drying fresh farm goods, this dryer can be very helpful to small-scale farmers., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Rice-based integrated farming system improves the productivity and profitability by recycling resources efficiently. In the sub-humid tropics, rice production without sufficient nutrient replenishment often leads to soil health and fertility degradation. There has been very limited research on soil health and fertility after adopting a multi-enterprising rice-based integrated farming system (IFS), notably in the rice-fish-livestock and agroforestry system, when compared to a conventional farming system (CS). Therefore, the present study analyzed the dynamics of soil properties, soil bacterial community structure and their possible interaction mechanisms, as well as their effect on regulating soil quality and production in IFS, IFSw (water stagnant area of IFS) and CS. The results indicated that soil nutrient dynamics, bacterial diversity indices (Shannon index, Simpson index, Chao 1, ACE and Fisher index) and system productivity were higher in IFSw and IFS compared to CS. Moreover, relative operational taxonomic units of dominant bacterial genera (Chloroflexi, Acidobacteria, Verrucomicrobia, Planctomycetes, Cyanobacteria, Crenarchaeota and Gemmatimonadetes) were also higher in IFSw and IFS compared to CS. Mean soil quality index (SQI) was highest in IFSw (0.780 ± 0.201) followed by IFS (0.770 ± 0.080) and CS (0.595 ± 0.244). Moreover, rice equivalent yields (REY) and rice yields were well correlated with the higher levels of soil biological indices (SQI Biol ) in IFS. Overall, our results revealed that rice-based IFS improved the soil health and fertility and ensuing crop productivity through positive interaction with soil bacterial communities and nutrient stoichiometry leading to agroecosystem sustainability., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

This study investigated the quality characteristics of pasteurized and thermosonicated bor-thekera (Garcinia pedunculata) juices (TSBTJs) during storage at 4 °C for 30 days. Various parameters, including pH, titratable acidity (TA), total soluble content (TSSs), antioxidant activity (AA), total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), ascorbic acid content (AAC), cloudiness (CI) and browning indexes (BI), and microbial activity, were analyzed at regular intervals and compared with the quality parameters of fresh bor-thekera juice (FBTJ). A multi-layer artificial neural network (ANN) was employed to model and optimize the ultrasound-assisted extraction of bor-thekera juice. The impacts of storage time, treatment time, and treatment temperature on the quality attributes were also explored. The TSBTJ demonstrated the maximum retention of nutritional attributes compared with the pasteurized bor-thekera juice (PBTJ). Additionally, the TSBTJ exhibited satisfactory results for microbiological activity, while the PBTJ showed the highest level of microbial inactivation. The designed ANN exhibited low mean squared error values and high R 2 values for the training, testing, validation, and overall datasets, indicating a strong relationship between the actual and predicted results. The optimal extraction parameters generated by the ANN included a treatment time of 30 min, a frequency of 44 kHz, and a temperature of 40 °C. In conclusion, thermosonicated juices, particularly the TSBTJ, demonstrated enhanced nutritional characteristics, positioning them as valuable reservoirs of bioactive components suitable for incorporation in the food and pharmaceutical industries. The study underscores the efficacy of ANN as a predictive tool for assessing bor-thekera juice extraction efficiency. Moreover, the use of thermosonication emerged as a promising alternative to traditional thermal pasteurization methods for bor-thekera juice preservation, mitigating quality deterioration while augmenting the functional attributes of the juice.

We present the measurement of the cosmic ray proton spectrum from 50 TeV to 1.3 PeV using 7.81×10^{6} extensive air shower events recorded by the ground-based GRAPES-3 experiment between 1 January 2014 and 26 October 2015 with a live time of 460 day. Our measurements provide an overlap with direct observations by satellite and balloon-based experiments. The electromagnetic and muon components in the shower were measured by a dense array of plastic scintillator detectors and a tracking muon telescope, respectively. The relative composition of the proton primary from the air shower data containing all primary particles was extracted using the multiplicity distribution of muons which is a sensitive observable for mass composition. The observed proton spectrum suggests a spectral hardening at ∼166  TeV and disfavors a single power law description of the spectrum up to the Knee energy (∼3  PeV).

Agro-food waste is a rich source of biopolymers such as cellulose, chitin, and starch, which have been shown to possess excellent biocompatibility, biodegradability, and low toxicity. These properties make biopolymers from agro-food waste for its application in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Thus, this review highlighted the properties, processing methods, and applications of biopolymers derived from various agro-food waste sources. We also highlight recent advances in the development of biopolymers from agro-food waste and their potential for future tissue engineering and regenerative medicine applications, including drug delivery, wound healing, tissue engineering, biodegradable packaging, excipients, dental applications, diagnostic tools, and medical implants. Additionally, it explores the challenges, prospects, and future directions in this rapidly evolving field. The review showed the evolution of production techniques for transforming agro-food waste into valuable biopolymers. However, these biopolymers serving as the cornerstone in scaffold development and drug delivery systems. With their role in wound dressings, cell encapsulation, and regenerative therapies, biopolymers promote efficient wound healing, cell transplantation, and diverse regenerative treatments. Biopolymers support various regenerative treatments, including cartilage and bone regeneration, nerve repair, and organ transplantation. Overall, this review concluded the potential of biopolymers from agro-food waste as a sustainable and cost-effective solution in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, offering innovative solutions for medical treatments and promoting the advancement of these fields., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Water pollution presents a significant challenge, impacting ecosystems and human health. The necessity for solutions to address water pollution arises from the critical need to preserve and protect the quality of water resources. Effective solutions are crucial to safeguarding ecosystems, human health, and ensuring sustainable access to clean water for current and future generations. Generally, cellulose and its derivatives are considered potential substrates for wastewater treatment. The various cellulose processing methods including acid, alkali, organic & inorganic components treatment, chemical treatment and spinning methods are highlighted. Additionally, we reviewed effective use of the cellulose derivatives (CD), including cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), cellulose nano-fibrils (CNFs), CNPs, and bacterial nano-cellulose (BNC) on waste water (WW) treatment. The various cellulose processing methods, including spinning, mechanical, chemical, and biological approaches are also highlighted. Additionally, cellulose-based materials, including adsorbents, membranes and hydrogels are critically discussed. The review also highlighted the mechanism of adsorption, kinetics, thermodynamics, and sorption isotherm studies of adsorbents. The review concluded that the cellulose-derived materials are effective substrates for removing heavy metals, dyes, pathogenic microorganisms, and other pollutants from WW. Similarly, cellulose based materials are used for flocculants and water filtration membranes. Cellulose composites are widely used in the separation of oil and water emulsions as well as in removing dyes from wastewater. Cellulose's natural hydrophilicity makes it easier for it to interact with water molecules, making it appropriate for use in water treatment processes. Furthermore, the materials derived from cellulose have wider application in WW treatment due to their inexhaustible sources, low energy consumption, cost-effectiveness, sustainability, and renewable nature., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Artificial packaging materials, such as plastic, can cause significant environmental problems. Thus, the use of polysaccharide-based biodegradable polymers (cellulose, starch, and alginate) has the potential in the field of environmental sustainability, reprocessing, or protection of the environment. Morphological and structural alterations caused by material degradation have a substantial impact on polymer material characteristics. To avoid degradation during storage, it is critical to evaluate and comprehend the structure, characteristics, and behavior of modern bio-based materials for potential food packaging applications. Hence, this review focused on the various types of polysaccharide-based biodegradable polymers (cellulose, starch, and alginate), their properties, and their commercial potential for food packaging applications. In addition, we overviewed the recent development of polysaccharide-based biodegradable polymer (cellulose, starch, and alginate) packaging for food products. The review concluded that the membrane and chromatographics are widely used in production of cellulose, starch, and alginate-based biodegradable polymers. Also, nanotechnology-based food packaging is widely used to improve the properties of cellulose, starch, and alginate biodegradable polymers and the incorporation of active agents to enhance the shelf life of food products. Overall, the review highlighted the potential of cellulose, starch, and alginate biodegradable polymers in the food packaging industry and the need for potential research and development to improve their properties and commercial viability., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: A peer support intervention, called basic psychological support for people affected by neglected tropical diseases (BPS-N), was piloted in India to improve mental well-being and social participation and to reduce stigma among people with disabilities due to leprosy or lymphatic filariasis. Preintervention and postintervention assessments showed improvements in mental well-being and reductions in depression and stigma. This study aimed to further evaluate this intervention at approximately 2 mo after its completion., Methods: Scales were administered to 62 clients to measure stigma, depression, mental well-being and participation levels. Interviews with 13 clients and six peer supporters were conducted., Results: Stigma scores were significantly reduced at 2 mo postintervention compared with preintervention and postintervention. The improvement in mental well-being detected at immediate postintervention had not changed significantly 2 mo later. Depression levels were higher than at postintervention, but lower than at preintervention levels. No significant differences were found in median participation scores, but the number of clients with moderate and severe participation restrictions reduced significantly from postintervention to 2 mo follow-up. Qualitative results showed that clients received information about their condition and treatment, and that some experienced positive effects on their emotions and self-esteem., Conclusions: This study provides additional evidence on the proof of concept of BPS-N., Contexte: Une intervention de soutien par les pairs, appelée Soutien psychologique de base pour les personnes atteintes de maladies tropicales négligées (BPS-N), a été pilotée en Inde afin d'améliorer le bien-être mental et la participation sociale, et de réduire la stigmatisation, chez les personnes souffrant d'incapacités dues à la lèpre ou à la filariose lymphatique. Les évaluations avant et après l'intervention ont montré une amélioration du bien-être mental et une réduction de la dépression et de la stigmatisation chez ces personnes. Cette étude avait pour but d'évaluer cette intervention environ 2 mois après son achèvement., Méthodes: Des échelles ont été administrées à 62 clients pour mesurer la stigmatisation, la dépression, le bien-être mental et les niveaux de participation. Des entretiens ont été menés avec 13 clients et 6 pairs aidants., Résultats: Les scores de stigmatisation ont été significativement réduits deux mois après l'intervention par rapport à la situation avant et après l'intervention. L'amélioration du bien-être mental détectée immédiatement après l'intervention n'a pas changé de manière significative deux mois plus tard. Les niveaux de dépression étaient plus élevés qu'après l'intervention, mais plus bas qu'avant l'intervention. Aucune différence significative n'a été constatée dans les scores médians de participation, mais le nombre de clients ayant des restrictions de participation modérées et sévères a diminué de manière significative entre la période post-intervention et les deux mois de suivi. Les résultats qualitatifs ont montré que les clients ont reçu des informations sur leur état et leur traitement, et que certains ont ressenti des effets positifs sur leurs émotions et leur estime de soi., Conclusions: Cette étude a fourni des preuves supplémentaires de l'efficacité de la BPS-N., Introducción: Una intervención de apoyo entre iguales, denominada Apoyo Psicológico Básico para personas afectadas por enfermedades tropicales desatendidas (BPS-N), se puso a prueba en la India para mejorar el bienestar mental y la participación social y reducir el estigma entre las personas con discapacidades debidas a la lepra o la filariasis linfática. Las evaluaciones previas y posteriores a la intervención mostraron mejoras en el bienestar mental y reducciones en la depresión y el estigma. El objetivo de este estudio era seguir evaluando esta intervención ∼2 meses después de su finalización., Métodos: Se administraron escalas a 62 clientes para medir el estigma, la depresión, el bienestar mental y los niveles de participación. Se realizaron entrevistas con 13 clientes y 6 compañeros de apoyo., Resultados: Las puntuaciones de estigma se redujeron significativamente a los 2 meses de la intervención, en comparación con antes y después de la misma. La mejora del bienestar mental detectada inmediatamente después de la intervención no había cambiado significativamente 2 meses después. Los niveles de depresión eran más altos que en el postintervención, pero más bajos que en el preintervención. No se encontraron diferencias significativas en las puntuaciones medias de participación, pero el número de clientes con restricciones de participación moderadas y graves se redujo significativamente entre el periodo posterior a la intervención y los 2 meses de seguimiento. Los resultados cualitativos mostraron que los clientes recibieron información sobre su enfermedad y tratamiento, y que algunos experimentaron efectos positivos en sus emociones y autoestima., Conclusiones: Este estudio aportó pruebas adicionales sobre la prueba de concepto de la BPS-N., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.)

Background: People with leprosy and lymphatic filariasis (LF)-related disabilities experience higher levels of poor mental well-being compared with the general community. Mental health services are often not available. This study was conducted to provide proof of concept that basic psychological support for people affected by neglected tropical diseases (BPS-N) can be given by peer supporters to reduce stigma, improve mental well-being and participation among clients., Methods: The BPS-N approach was tested in a quasi-experimental design using mixed methods. To provide psychological support using the BPS-N, peer supporters were selected and trained. They supported people with leprosy- and LF-related disabilities. Preintervention and postintervention, stigma, mental well-being, depression and participation were measured through standard scales within 4 wk of the intervention; differences were tested using standard tests of significance., Results: After 3 mo of intervention, the mean level of stigma had decreased (30.3 to 24, p<0.001); high mental well-being increased (0% to 13.3%, p<0.001); and moderate to severe depression decreased (88% to 47%, p<0.001). No significant change occurred in participation restrictions (87% to 92%, p=0.497)., Conclusions: Psychological peer support using the BPS-N guideline appears effective in reducing stigma and improving mental well-being and can be operationalised. However, this should be confirmed through a randomised controlled trial., Contexte: Les personnes atteintes de lèpre et de handicaps liés à la filariose lymphatique (FL) souffrent davantage d'un manque de bien-être mental que le reste de la population. Les services de santé mentale ne sont souvent pas disponibles hors des zones urbaines. Cette étude a été menée pour démontrer que le soutien psychologique de base pour les personnes atteintes de MTN (BPS-N) peut être dispensé par des pairs (dans une logique de transfert de tâches) afin de réduire la stigmatisation et d'améliorer le bien-être mental et la participation des clients., Méthodes: L'approche du BPS-N a été testée dans le cadre d'un modèle quasi-expérimental utilisant des méthodes mixtes. Pour fournir un soutien psychologique à l'aide du BPS-N, des pairs ont été sélectionnés et formés. Ils sont venus en aide aux personnes atteintes de lèpre et de déficiences liées à la FL. Avant et après l'intervention, les éléments suivants ont été mesurés à l'aide d'échelles standardisées: niveau de stigmatisation, bien-être mental, symptômes dépressifs, et enfin, la participation sociale. Les différences ont été testées à l'aide de tests de signification standardisés., Résultats: Après 3 mois d'intervention, le niveau moyen de stigmatisation a diminué (30,3 à 24, p<0 001) ; le niveau de bien-être mental a augmenté (0% à 13,3%, p<0 001) et la dépression modérée à sévère a diminué (88% à 47%, p<0 001). Aucun changement significatif n'a été observé en ce qui concerne les restrictions de participation (87% contre 92%, p=0 497)., Conclusions: Le soutien psychologique par les pairs utilisant la ligne directrice BPS-N semble efficace pour réduire la stigmatisation et améliorer le bien-être mental. Toutefois, cette efficacité doit être confirmée par un essai contrôlé randomisé., Antecedentes: Las personas con lepra y discapacidades relacionadas con la filariasis linfática (FL) sufren niveles más altos de malestar mental en comparación con la comunidad en general. Los servicios de salud mental no suelen estar disponibles a nivel periférico. Este estudio se llevó a cabo para proporcionar una prueba de concepto de que el Apoyo Psicológico Básico para personas afectadas por NTDs (BPS-N) puede ser dado por compañeros de apoyo (rotación de tareas) para reducir el estigma, mejorar el bienestar mental y la participación entre los clientes., Métodos: El enfoque BPS-N se probó en un diseño cuasi-experimental utilizando métodos mixtos. Para proporcionar apoyo psicológico con el BPS-N, se seleccionaron y formaron compañeros de apoyo. Apoyaron a personas con lepra y discapacidades relacionadas con la FL. El estigma, el bienestar mental, la depresión y la participación se midieron antes y después de la intervención, mediante escalas estándar; las diferencias se comprobaron mediante pruebas estándar de significación., Resultados: Después de 3 meses de intervención, el nivel medio de estigma disminuyó (30,3 a 24, p<0 001); el bienestar mental alto aumentó (0% a 13,3%, p<0 001) y la depresión moderada a grave disminuyó (88% a 47%, p<0 001). No se produjeron cambios significativos en las restricciones de participación (87% frente a 92%, p=0 497))., Conclusiones: El apoyo psicológico entre iguales, utilizando la guía BPS-N, parece eficaz para reducir el estigma y mejorar el bienestar mental. Sin embargo, esto debe confirmarse mediante un ensayo controlado aleatorizado., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.)

Hybrid halide perovskites (HHPs), whose every branch generates intrusiveness, have been utilized in solar cells from a broader perspective. However, the inclusiveness of employing HHP as a photocatalyst is in its initial stage. This study mainly focuses on the unexpected utilization of, so far, undesirable material vacancy-ordered MA 2 SnBr 6 quantum dots synthesized from MASnBr 3 nanosheets. Here, the quantum confinement grounded a large blue shift in ultraviolet (UV) and photoluminescence (PL) spectra with a Stokes shift of 420 meV, where the band gap increase is observed as size decreases in MA 2 SnBr 6 . Remarkably, MA 2 SnBr 6 exhibits air and moisture stability, better charge transfer, and high oxidation potential compared to MASnBr 3 . The first-principles-based atomistic computations reveal the strain relaxation in the Sn-Br framework that structurally stabilizes the MA 2 SnBr 6 lattice. Furthermore, the direct band gap and strongly localized valence band edge give rise to a new potential photocatalyst MA 2 SnBr 6 for efficient solar-driven C(sp 3 )─H activation of cyclohexane and toluene under ambient conditions.

The critical photophysical properties of lead-free halide double perovskites (HDPs) must be substantially improved for various applications. In this regard, strain engineering is a powerful tool for enhancing optoelectronic performance with precise control. Here, we employ ab initio simulations to investigate the impact of mild compressive and tensile strains on the photophysics of Cs 2 AgB'X 6 (B' = Sb, Bi; X = Cl, Br) perovskites. Depending on the pnictogen and halide atoms, the band gap and band edge positions of HDPs can be tuned to a significant extent by controlling the applied external strain. Cs 2 AgSbBr 6 has the most substantial strain response under structural perturbations. The subtle electronic interactions among the participating orbitals and the band dispersion at the edge states are enhanced under compressive strain, reducing the carrier effective masses. The exciton binding energies for these Br-based HDPs are in the range 59-78 meV and weaken in the compressed lattices, suggesting improved free carrier generation. Overall, the study emphasizes the potential of lattice strain engineering to boost the photophysical properties of HDPs that can ultimately improve their optoelectronic performance.

Food by-products and waste are a boundless source of bioactives, nutraceuticals, and naturally occurring substances that are good for human health. In fact, a lot of by-products and wastes are generated by several food businesses. Therefore, waste management and by-product utilization are the most important aspects of the food sector. According to various studies, many bioactive compounds such as phenolics, carotenoids, and proteins can be recovered as feed stock from various industries' by-products and wastes using potential technologies. As a result, current trends are shifting attention to the sustainable valorisation of food sector waste management and by-products utilization. Thus, the circular economy principles have been applied to the field of food science. The aim of the circular economy is to ensure environmental protection and promote economic development while minimizing the environmental impact of food production. All of these aspects of the circular economy, at present, have become a challenging area of research for by-product valorisation as well. Hence, this review aims to highlight the emerging trends in the efficient utilization of food industry waste and by-products by focusing on innovative encapsulation techniques and controlled release mechanisms of bioactive compounds extracted from food industry waste and by-products. This review also aims to suggest future research directions, and addresses regulatory and toxicity considerations, by fostering knowledge dissemination and encouraging eco-friendly approaches within the food industry. This review reveals the role of encapsulation strategies for the effective utilization of bioactive compounds extracted from food industry waste and by-products. However, further research is needed to address regulatory and toxicity considerations of encapsulated bioactive compounds and health-related concerns.

This study explored the effect of thermosonication on the nutritional properties of lapsi ( Choerospondias axillaris ) fruit juice. The intent of the present investigation was to process lapsi fruit juice using both thermosonication and thermal pasteurisation and to compare the effects of these treatments on the juice's physicochemical, nutritional, and microbiological qualities. In order to maximise the retention of nutritional properties, enhance juice quality, and boost efficiency, an artificial neural network (ANN) model was also developed to forecast the optimisation of process parameters for the quality of lapsi fruit juice. This study establishes a novel experimental planning method using an ANN to multi-objectively optimise the extraction process and identify the ideal extraction conditions for thermosonication (50, 75, and 100% amplitude at 30, 40, and 50 °C for 15, 30, 45, and 60 min) to augment lapsi juice's nutritional and microbiological properties by improving certain attributes such as ascorbic acid (AA), antioxidant activity (AOA), total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), total plate count, and yeast and mould count (YMC). The maximum values for AA (71.80 ± 0.05 mg/100 mL), AOA (74.60 ± 0.28%), TPC (187.33 ± 0.03 mg gallic acid equivalents [GAE]/mL), TFC (127.27 ± 0.05 mg quercetin equivalents [QE]/mL), total plate count (not detected), and YMC were achieved in thermosonicated lapsi juice (TSLJ) under optimal conditions. For AA and TFC, the optimal conditions were 100% amplitude, 40 °C, and 45 min. For AOA and TPC, the optimal conditions were 100% amplitude, 40 °C, and 60 min, and for YMC, the optimal conditions were 100% amplitude, 50 °C, and 60 min. According to the findings, thermosonicated juices have improved nutritional properties, making them an excellent source of bioactive elements for use in both the food and pharmaceutical sectors. According to this study, ANN has been identified as a valuable tool for predicting the effectiveness of lapsi fruit juice extraction, and the application of thermosonication as an approach for lapsi juice preservation could be a potential successor to thermal pasteurisation. This approach can help to minimise or hinder quality degradation while improving the juice's functionality.

Elephant apple ( Dillenia indica L.) grows wild in Southeast Asia's forests, including in China, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. Elephant apples are considered essential fruit crops because of their high nutritional value, which includes high levels of vitamin C, carbohydrates, fats, fibre, protein, minerals, and fatty acids. It is important to understand the nutritional value and health benefits of elephant apples in order to increase fruit intake in people's daily diets. The present review paper focuses on elephant apple's phytochemistry, bioactive compounds, therapeutic value, and medicinal capabilities for designing and developing a wide range of food formulations. Proteins, minerals, fats, crude fibre, carbohydrates, vitamin C, tannins, malic acid, and glucose are abundant in the leaves, bark, and fruit of the elephant apple. In addition to nutritional components, many phytochemicals found in elephant apples have been identified as bioactive compounds with a broad range of biological activities, the most prominent of which are antioxidant, anticancer, antidiabetic, and anti-inflammatory properties. Overall, elephant apple is a rich, natural source of bioactive compounds with potential applications in the production of value-added foods and nutraceuticals for disease prevention and management.

Mono-layer transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) have emerged as an ideal platform for the study of many-body physics. As a result of their low dimensionality, these materials show a strong Coulomb interaction primarily due to reduced dielectric screening that leads to the formation of stable excitons (bound electron-hole pairs) and higher order excitons, including trions, and bi-excitons even at room temperature. van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures (HSs) of TMDCs provide an additional degree of freedom for altering the properties of 2D materials because charge carriers (electrons) in the different atomically thin layers are exposed to interlayer coupling and charge transfer takes place between the layers of vdW HSs. Astoundingly, it leads to the formation of different types of quasi-particles. In the present work, we report the synthesis of vdW HSs, i.e. , α-MoO 3 /MoS 2 , on a 300 nm SiO 2 /Si substrate and investigate their temperature-dependent photoluminescence (PL) spectra. Interestingly, an additional PL peak is observed in the case of the HS, along with A and B excitonic peaks. The emergence of a new PL peak in the low-energy regime has been assigned to the formation of a positive trion. The formation of positive trions in the HS is due to the high work function of α-MoO 3 , which enables the spontaneous transit of electrons from MoS 2 to α-MoO 3 and injection of holes into the MoS 2 layer. In order to confirm charge transfer in the α-MoO 3 /MoS 2 HS, systematic power and wavelength-dependent Raman and PL studies, as well as first-principle calculations using Bader charge analysis, have been carried out, which clearly validate our mechanism. We believe that this study will provide a platform towards the integration of vdW HSs for next-generation excitonic devices.

In this communication, we demonstrate uniaxial strain relaxation in monolayer (1L) MoS 2 transpires through cracks in both single and double-grain flakes. Chemical vapour deposition (CVD) grown 1L MoS 2 has been transferred onto polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) substrates for low (∼1%) and high (1-6%) strain measurements. Both Raman and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy revealed strain relaxation via cracks in the strain regime of 4-6%. In situ optical micrographs show the formation of large micron-scale cracks along the strain axis and ex situ atomic force microscopy (AFM) images reveal the formation of smaller lateral cracks due to the strain relaxation. Finite element simulation has been employed to estimate the applied strain efficiency as well as to simulate the strain distribution for MoS 2 flakes. The present study reveals the uniaxial strain relaxation mechanism in 1L MoS 2 and paves the way for exploring strain relaxation in other transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) as well as their heterostructures., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Mn-based oxides are widely investigated as electrode materials for electrochemical supercapacitors, because of their high specific capacitance in addition to the high abundance, low cost, and environmental friendliness of Mn. The pre-insertion of alkali metal ions is found to improve the capacitance properties of MnO 2 . While the capacitance properties of MnO 2 , Mn 2 O 3 , P2-Na 0.5 MnO 2 , and O3-NaMnO 2 etc. are reported, there is no report yet on the capacitive performance of P2-Na 2/3 MnO 2 , which has already been studied as a potential positive electrode material for Na-ion batteries. In this work, we have synthesized sodiated manganese oxide, P2-Na 2/3 MnO 2 by a hydrothermal method followed by annealing at a high temperature of about 900 °C for 12 h. For comparison, manganese oxide Mn 2 O 3 (without pre-sodiation) is synthesized by following the same method, but annealing at 400 °C. While P2-Na 2/3 MnO 2 exhibits a high specific capacitance of 234 F g -1 , Mn 2 O 3 can deliver only 115 F g -1 when cycled at 0.4 A g -1 in an aqueous electrolyte of 1.0 M Na 2 SO 4 in a three-electrode cell. An asymmetric supercapacitor Na 2/3 MnO 2 ‖AC is assembled, which can exhibit a SC of 37.7 F g -1 at 0.1 A g -1 with an energy density of 20.9 W h kg -1 , based on the total weight of Na 2/3 MnO 2 and AC with an operational voltage of 2.0 V and possesses excellent cycling stability. This asymmetric Na 2/3 MnO 2 ‖AC supercapacitor can be cost-effective considering the high abundance, low-cost and environmental friendliness of Mn-based oxides and aqueous Na 2 SO 4 electrolyte., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

The growing population and healthy food demands have led to a rise in food waste generation, causing severe environmental and economic impacts. However, food waste (FW) can be converted into sustainable animal feed, reducing waste disposal and providing an alternative protein source for animals. The utilization of FW as animal feed presents a solution that not only tackles challenges pertaining to FW management and food security but also lessens the demand for the development of traditional feed, which is an endeavour that is both resource and environmentally intensive in nature. Moreover, this approach can also contribute to the circular economy by creating a closed-loop system that reduces the use of natural resources and minimizes environmental pollution. Therefore, this review discusses the characteristics and types of FW, as well as advanced treatment methods that can be used to recycle FW into high-quality animal feed and its limitations, as well as the benefits and drawbacks of using FW as animal feed. Finally, the review concludes that utilization of FW as animal feed can provide a sustainable solution for FW management, food security, preserving resources, reducing environmental impacts, and contributing to the circular bioeconomy.

The osmotic energy from a salinity gradient (i. e. blue energy) is identified as a promising non-intermittent renewable energy source for a sustainable technology. However, this membrane-based technology is facing major limitations for large-scale viability, primarily due to the poor membrane performance. An atomically thin 2D nanoporous material with high surface charge density resolves the bottleneck and leads to a new class of membrane material the salinity gradient energy. Although 2D nanoporous membranes show extremely high performance in terms of energy generation through the single pore, the fabrication and technical challenges such as ion concentration polarization make the nanoporous membrane a non-viable solution. On the other hand, the mesoporous and micro porous structures in the 2D membrane result in improved energy generation with very low fabrication complexity. In the present work, we report femtosecond (fs) laser-assisted scalable fabrication of μm to mm size pores on Graphene membrane for blue energy generation for the first time. A remarkable osmotic power in the order of μW has been achieved using mm size pores, which is about six orders of magnitudes higher compared to nanoporous membranes, which is mainly due to the diffusion-osmosis driven large ionic flux. Our work paves the way towards fs laser-assisted scalable pore creation in the 2D membrane for large-scale osmotic power generation., (© 2022 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

The aim of this study was to compare the refractance window drying method (RWD) with the hot air oven drying (HD), vacuum drying (VD), and freeze-drying (FD) methods in order to analyze the outcomes of the qualitative properties of dragon fruit slices and pulp. Moreover, the impact of temperature on the phenolic content, antioxidant activity, color, and texture of the dragon fruit slices and pulp were studied. The results showed that the RWD samples exhibited a high nutritional quality in contrast to the other drying methods. The RWD method had a short drying time of 960 min to reach the final moisture content of 6.50% (dry basis), while the FD, VD, and HD methods had significantly higher drying times of 1320, 1200, and 1080 min, respectively, to reach the final moisture content. Higher values of TPC (182 mg GAE/100 g) and crude fiber (0.98%) were obtained in the RWD dragon fruit samples, indicating the potential of RWD to preserve the quality of dried samples. In conclusion, this study revealed that RWD provides an appropriate drying temperature as an alternative to freeze-drying. RWD may improve dragon fruit drying, adding value to the food industry.

In the past couple of years, cellulose has attracted a significant amount of attention and research interest due to the fact that it is the most abundant and renewable source of hydrogels. With increasing environmental issues and an emerging demand, researchers around the world are focusing on naturally produced hydrogels in particular due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and abundance. Hydrogels are three-dimensional (3D) networks created by chemically or physically crosslinking linear (or branching) hydrophilic polymer molecules. Hydrogels have a high capacity to absorb water and biological fluids. Although hydrogels have been widely used in food applications, the majority of them are not biodegradable. Because of their functional characteristics, cellulose-based hydrogels (CBHs) are currently utilized as an important factor for different aspects in the food industry. Cellulose-based hydrogels have been extensively studied in the fields of food packaging, functional food, food safety, and drug delivery due to their structural interchangeability and stimuli-responsive properties. This article addresses the sources of CBHs, types of cellulose, and preparation methods of the hydrogel as well as the most recent developments and uses of cellulose-based hydrogels in the food processing sector. In addition, information regarding the improvement of edible and functional CBHs was discussed, along with potential research opportunities and possibilities. Finally, CBHs could be effectively used in the industry of food processing for the aforementioned reasons.