The objective of this study is to evaluate the acute and subacute toxicity of the ethanolic extract of
(MTE) leaves (family: Asclepiadaceae) in albino rats. The acute toxicity was performed where the ...limit dose of 5000 mg/kg body weight used. Observations were made and recorded for 24 h, and once daily further for a period of 14 days. The rats were weighed and various observations, like mortality, behavior, injury, or any signs of illness were conducted once daily during the period. For subacute study, four groups of 10 animals (female rats) received 10% Tween 20 in distilled water (control), and 250, 500, and 1000 mg/kg of freshly-prepared extracts, respectively, every 24 h orally for 28 days. At the end of each study, hematological analysis and biochemical parameters were evaluated. Histopathological examination of vital organs of the animals were taken for gross findings, compared to controls. There was no significant difference (
> 0.05) observed in the relative organs, body weights, hematological, biochemical parameters, and gross abnormalities, compared to the control. No mortality was recorded. Therefore, analysis of results may lead to the conclusion that the medium-term oral administration of the MTE leaves for 28 days does not cause toxicity.
Solid acid catalysts occupy a special class in heterogeneous catalysis for their efficiency in eco-friendly conversion of biomass into demanding chemicals. We synthesized porphyrin containing porous ...organic polymers (PorPOPs) using colloidal silica as a support. Post-modification with chlorosulfonic acid enabled sulfonic acid functionalization, and the resulting material (PorPOPS) showed excellent activity and durability for the conversion of fructose to 5-hydroxymethyl furfural (HMF) in green solvent water. PorPOPS composite was characterized by N
sorption, FTIR, TGA, CHNS, FESEM, TEM and XPS techniques, justifying the successful synthesis of organic networks and the grafting of sulfonic acid sites (5 wt%). Furthermore, a high surface area (260 m
/g) and the presence of distinct mesopores of ~15 nm were distinctly different from the porphyrin containing sulfonated porous organic polymer (FePOP-1S). Surprisingly the hybrid PorPOPS showed an excellent yield of HMF (85%) and high selectivity (>90%) in water as compared to microporous pristine-FePOP-1S (yield of HMF = 35%). This research demonstrates the requirement of organic modification on silica surfaces to tailor the activity and selectivity of the catalysts. We foresee that this research may inspire further applications of biomass conversion in water in future environmental research.
Using genome-wide clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) screens to understand endocrine drug resistance, we discovered ARID1A and other SWI/SNF complex components as the ...factors most critically required for response to two classes of estrogen receptor-alpha (ER) antagonists. In this context, SWI/SNF-specific gene deletion resulted in drug resistance. Unexpectedly, ARID1A was also the top candidate in regard to response to the bromodomain and extraterminal domain inhibitor JQ1, but in the opposite direction, with loss of ARID1A sensitizing breast cancer cells to bromodomain and extraterminal domain inhibition. We show that ARID1A is a repressor that binds chromatin at ER cis-regulatory elements. However, ARID1A elicits repressive activity in an enhancer-specific, but forkhead box A1-dependent and active, ER-independent manner. Deletion of ARID1A resulted in loss of histone deacetylase 1 binding, increased histone 4 lysine acetylation and subsequent BRD4-driven transcription and growth. ARID1A mutations are more frequent in treatment-resistant disease, and our findings provide mechanistic insight into this process while revealing rational treatment strategies for these patients.
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•Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of algal-fuel production routes based on experimental data.•Environmental impacts beyond global warming potential critically discussed.•Environmental ...impacts of Anaerobic digestion > Environmental impacts of Hydrothermal liquefaction.•Based on LCA outcomes, improvement strategies suggested, to attain sustainability.
Studies highlighting the actual roadblocks in sustainability of algal fuels require systemic analysis using real-time experimental inventories. In view of this, the authors performed Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) for 3 previously developed algal biofilms-based conversion systems; 1) wastewater grown algae (WWA) processed via anaerobic digestion (AD), 2) WWA processed via hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) and 3) synthetic media grown algae (SMA) processed via HTL. Their environmental impacts were compared for resources depletion, ecosystem damage, human health deterioration and climate change. Results showed that HTL of WWA had 41.1 % lesser impact compared to AD of the same biomass, because of the huge energy input, production of CO2 and huge volume of algal digestate. Due to the short reaction time in HTL (20 min), energy input and resources usage was minimal. Further, the HTL of WWA showed 98% lesser impact than HTL of SMA. HTL of SMA had larger impact on the human health (3.95Pt), compared to HTL of WWA (0.25Pt). The latter also showed positive impact on the eutrophication reduction due to the treatment of wastewater during algal cultivation. The global warming potential for biocrude production from WWA was 10 times lower than biomethane production from the same biomass and 21 times lower than the biocrude production from SMA. The results of the comparative LCAs proved that HTL of WWA is a sustainable route for valorizing the biomass. Based on the LCA outcomes, shortcomings of the respective algal technologies were identified, and improvement strategies were suggested.
Disaster risks are increasing and changing their nature. The global risk landscape is evolving as new risks – many of them arising from cascading and inter-connected hazards – are arising. While ...significant achievements have been made to reduce loss of lives, economic and asset damages are still on the increasing trend. G20, which started as the major economic group meeting, has emerged over years as an influential political forum. While there have been several attempts to bring disaster risk reduction agenda to G20, the issue has not been addressed in a comprehensive and sustained manner. A new working group on Disaster Risk Reduction has been established under India's Presidency. This paper analyzes G20 and DRR risk reduction agenda's evolution, provides insights on India's contribution to the thematic area, and suggest future interventions required at G20. While Indian Prime Minister's 10-points agenda sets the future DRR interventions targets, India's leadership in DRR can be seen in terms of local level risk management framework, resilient infrastructure, financing of disaster risk management, social protection, people's engagement, and resource management. In addition to that, response to COVID-19 through the Disaster Management Act has set up a new milestone for multi hazards and all hazards risk management, including complex and cascading risks. Five specific areas that are urgently required are: 1) investment in resilient infrastructure, 2) digital infra and data management protocol, including open data, open governance, 3) use of disruptive and emerging technologies, 4) enhancement of technology transfer and market creation through private sector involvement, and 5) fostering youth innovation and entrepreneurship in DRR. This will help not only the G20 nations, but also contribute to other vulnerable countries and communities.
Prompt detection is a cornerstone in the control and prevention of infectious diseases. The Integrated Disease Surveillance Project of India identifies outbreaks, but it does not exactly predict ...outbreaks. This study was conducted to assess temporal correlation between Google Trends and Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) data and to determine the feasibility of using Google Trends for the prediction of outbreaks or epidemics.
The Google search queries related to malaria, dengue fever, chikungunya, and enteric fever for Chandigarh union territory and Haryana state of India in 2016 were extracted and compared with presumptive form data of the IDSP. Spearman correlation and scatter plots were used to depict the statistical relationship between the two datasets. Time trend plots were constructed to assess the correlation between Google search trends and disease notification under the IDSP.
Temporal correlation was observed between the IDSP reporting and Google search trends. Time series analysis of the Google Trends showed strong correlation with the IDSP data with a lag of -2 to -3 weeks for chikungunya and dengue fever in Chandigarh (
> 0.80) and Haryana (
> 0.70). Malaria and enteric fever showed a lag period of -2 to -3 weeks with moderate correlation.
Similar results were obtained when applying the results of previous studies to specific diseases, and it is considered that many other diseases should be studied at the national and sub-national levels.
Background
Association between human mobility and disease transmission has been established for COVID-19, but quantifying the levels of mobility over large geographical areas is difficult. Google has ...released Community Mobility Reports (CMRs) containing data about the movement of people, collated from mobile devices.
Objective
The aim of this study is to explore the use of CMRs to assess the role of mobility in spreading COVID-19 infection in India.
Methods
In this ecological study, we analyzed CMRs to determine human mobility between March and October 2020. The data were compared for the phases before the lockdown (between March 14 and 25, 2020), during lockdown (March 25-June 7, 2020), and after the lockdown (June 8-October 15, 2020) with the reference periods (ie, January 3-February 6, 2020). Another data set depicting the burden of COVID-19 as per various disease severity indicators was derived from a crowdsourced API. The relationship between the two data sets was investigated using the Kendall tau correlation to depict the correlation between mobility and disease severity.
Results
At the national level, mobility decreased from –38% to –77% for all areas but residential (which showed an increase of 24.6%) during the lockdown compared to the reference period. At the beginning of the unlock phase, the state of Sikkim (minimum cases: 7) with a –60% reduction in mobility depicted more mobility compared to –82% in Maharashtra (maximum cases: 1.59 million). Residential mobility was negatively correlated (–0.05 to –0.91) with all other measures of mobility. The magnitude of the correlations for intramobility indicators was comparatively low for the lockdown phase (correlation ≥0.5 for 12 indicators) compared to the other phases (correlation ≥0.5 for 45 and 18 indicators in the prelockdown and unlock phases, respectively). A high correlation coefficient between epidemiological and mobility indicators was observed for the lockdown and unlock phases compared to the prelockdown phase.
Conclusions
Mobile-based open-source mobility data can be used to assess the effectiveness of social distancing in mitigating disease spread. CMR data depicted an association between mobility and disease severity, and we suggest using this technique to supplement future COVID-19 surveillance.
CKD and its associated risk factors cause a rise in tendency to develop the cardiovascular (CV) diseases. The spectrum of CVD consists of left ventricular hypertrophy, congestive heart failure, ...ischemic heart disease, peripheral vascular disease and arrhythmias. The objective of the current investigation is to recognise electrocardiographic alterations in people with chronic diseases. A total of 100 CKD patients (63 males & 37 females) attending OPD & IPD were included. All patients were undergone for CBC, KFT, Urine routine microscopy, Abdominal USG, ECG. The present study shows subjects with electrocardiographic changes in chronic kidney disease. Maximum 36% cases were with LVH, followed by 22% cases being normal, 10% each were with ischemia and conduction abnormalities, Hyperkalemia 3%, Atrial fibrillation seen in 2% cases. To detect any early indication of CVD, regular ECG monitoring is necessary.
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•(PZ + DEA + H2O) as alternative to benchmark MEA-based solvents.•Interaction in (PZ + DEA + H2O) is established by thermo-physical parameters.•Higher reaction rate constant of ...(PZ + DEA + H2O) with CO2 than (PZ + AMP + H2O).•Replacing DEA by small PZ into blend, CO2 kinetics was enhanced significantly.•CO2 capture by (PZ + DEA + H2O) requires less energy than (PZ + MEA + H2O).
Although activated alkanolamine based solvents had great potential for energy-efficient post-combustion CO2 capture, yet these suffers from disadvantageous due to high capital cost of the process. In this research we developed and discussed the overall reaction scheme between CO2 and activated solvents. We investigated the kinetics of CO2 into piperazine (PZ) activated aqueous diethanolamine (DEA) by wetted-wall column contactor at (298–323) K, (5–15) kPa and fixed 3.0 kmol∙m−3. Physicochemical properties of such systems were determined while detailed uncertainty analysis were conducted. In thermodynamics point of view, liquid–liquid interaction were explored and evaluated by related parameters. The kinetics rate parameters for such activated solvents were interpreted based on kinetic study affording to the pseudo-first-order reaction method. At various temperature, kov of (PZ + DEA + H2O) were considerably larger than reported (AMP + PZ + H2O) systems. The results of kinetics study demonstrated that rate of CO2 in solvents were enhanced substantially as compared to DEA due to the addition of low quantity (0–0.45 kmol∙m−3) PZ into solvents. Besides, physicochemical properties were measured in terms of different models with absolute average deviation (AAD) < 5 %. Ultimately, (PZ + DEA + H2O) may be considered as vital solvents in amine scrubbing due to lower energy requirement for CO2 capture compared to (PZ + MEA + H2O).
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