Rice is a highly consumed staple cereal cultivated predominantly in Asian countries, which share 90% of global rice production. Rice is a primary calorie provider for more than 3.5 billion people ...across the world. Preference and consumption of polished rice have increased manifold, which resulted in the loss of inherent nutrition. The prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies (Zn and Fe) are major human health challenges in the 21
century. Biofortification of staples is a sustainable approach to alleviating malnutrition. Globally, significant progress has been made in rice for enhancing grain Zn, Fe, and protein. To date, 37 biofortified Fe, Zn, Protein and Provitamin A rich rice varieties are available for commercial cultivation (16 from India and 21 from the rest of the world; Fe > 10 mg/kg, Zn > 24 mg/kg, protein > 10% in polished rice as India target while Zn > 28 mg/kg in polished rice as international target). However, understanding the micronutrient genetics, mechanisms of uptake, translocation, and bioavailability are the prime areas that need to be strengthened. The successful development of these lines through integrated-genomic technologies can accelerate deployment and scaling in future breeding programs to address the key challenges of malnutrition and hidden hunger.
A rapid synthesis of N-substituted pyrroles has been described by the reaction of 4-hydroxyproline with isatins in ionic liquid under microwave irradiation. The recovered ionic liquid was reused for ...six cycles. The reaction proceeds without the addition of any acid promoter
Nanomaterial synthesis using a greener route has received massive attention as a sustainable, feasible, reliable, cost-effective, wealthy and environmentally friendly paradigm. Perhaps, synthesis via ...a greener route is considered as a sophisticated tool to minimize the toxic effects agglomerated with the conventional procedures of synthesis adapted for nanomaterials generally preferable in industry and laboratory. This work outlines the basic processes on the advanced patterns of the eco-friendly and various approaches involved in the green synthesis and its mechanism particularly accounted to metal and metal-based oxides like silver (Ag), gold (Au), zinc oxide (ZnO) and copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles with the aid of plant extracts. This review article encompasses the essential purpose of biological approaches, green roué for nanoparticle synthesis, the impact of various operating parameters, and solvent-based techniques. The toxicity/stability of nanomaterials and the occluded surface engineering protocols for deriving biocompatibility along with various solvent systems have also been outlined. Various mechanisms involved for green synthesis, merits of greener chemistry and its application in various fields are emphasized. Finally, the prospects of green route strategies for metal/metal oxide nanomaterials synthesis are proposed for further development. The challenges in utilizing the green synthesized metal/metal oxide nanoparticles are discussed. The recommendations of the green chemistry towards the cleaner production are emphasized.
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•This audit features the strategies for green synthesis of metal nanoparticles.•The metal oxide nanoparticles have been synthesized effectively by greener route utilizing bio species.•The plant extracts have exceptional properties which can be used as reducing agent for stabilization of nanoparticles•Future viewpoints and their prospective applications towards environmental applications are recommended.
Recent data have provided evidence of systemic inflammatory markers playing an important role in determining the disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) of patients with oral squamous ...cell carcinoma (OSCC). The aim of the present study was to determine the prognosis of OSCC using the preoperative neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR).
We enrolled 130 patients with OSCC who received treatment in the present retrospective study. Both PLR and NLR correlated with the demographic data, tumor characteristics, and prognosis. The optimal cutoff for PLR and NLR was determined by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis and was 142 and 3.1 for PLR and NLR, respectively. The prognostic significance of both markers was determined by univariate and multivariate analysis. Survival curves were plotted using the Kaplan-Meier method.
The clinicopathologic variables correlated with cumulative survival on univariate analysis. Advanced clinical lymph node stage (P = .001), pathologic lymph node stage (P = .001), pathologic tumor stage (P = .049), pathologic TNM stage (P = .006), receipt of multimodality treatment (P = .013), and high PLRs (P = .001) and NLRs (P = .002) showed a statistically significant association with shorter DFS. A multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression model demonstrated that a high PLR (hazard ratio HR, 2.998; 95% confidence interval CI, 1.128 to 7.968; P = .028) and patient age (HR, 1.100; 95% CI, 0.750 to 1.613; P = .025) were independent factors for determining DFS and OS.
We observed that high PLRs and NLRs were significant in determining the prognosis. The PLR was superior to the NLR in determining DFS and OS and can be used as an independent prognostic indicator in patients with OSCC.
The development of stable and selective electrocatalysts for converting CO2 to value-added chemicals or fuels has gained much interest in terms of their potential to mitigate anthropogenic carbon ...emissions. Most of the electrocatalysts are tested under pure CO2; however, industrial outlet flue gas contains numerous impurities, such as NO and SO2, which poison the electrocatalysts and alter the product selectivity. Developing electrocatalysts that are resistant to such impurities is essential for commercial implementation. Herein, we prepared bilayer porous electrocatalysts, namely, Sn, Bi, and In, on porous Cu foam mesh (Sn/Cu-f, Bi/Cu-f, and In/Cu-f) by a two-step electrodeposition process and employed these electrodes for the electrochemical reduction of CO2 to formate. It was observed that the bilayer porous electrocatalysts exhibited high CO2 reduction activity compared to catalysts coated on a Cu mesh. Among bilayer porous electrocatalysts, Sn/Cu-f and Bi/Cu-f electrocatalysts showed more than 80% faradaic efficiency (FE) toward formate production, with a formate partial current density of around −16 and −10.4 mA cm–2, respectively, at −1.02 V vs RHE. In/Cu-f electrocatalyst showed nearly 40% formate FE with formate partial current density of −15 mA cm–2 at −1.22 V vs RHE. We investigated the effect of NO and SO2 impurities (500 ppm of NO, 800 ppm of SO2, and 500 ppm of NO + 800 ppm of SO2) on these electrocatalysts’ selectivity and stability toward formate. It was observed that the Bi/Cu-f electrocatalyst showed 50 h stability with 80 ± 5% formate FE, and Sn/Cu-f showed 18 h stability with above 80 ± 5% efficiency in the presence of NO and SO2 mixed with CO2. Furthermore, we studied the effect of CO2 concentration with Sn/Cu-f and Bi/Cu-f catalysts in the range of 15–100% CO2, for which formate FEs of 45–80% were observed.
Cadmium (Cd) is a non-essential and toxic element, without any metabolic significance whereas, zinc (Zn) is an essential element required by many vital enzymes, and plays a significant structural ...role as stabilizer of proteins, membranes and DNA-binding proteins (Zn-fingers). Therefore, the interactive functions of Zn and Cd on photosynthetic apparatus in
Ceratophyllum demersum were investigated.
C. demersum was treated with Cd 10
μM alone, and Cd along with Zn (10, 50, 100 and 200
μM). Treatments with Zn only (10, 50, 100 and 200
μM) were also given for comparison. Cd not only exhibited pronounced toxicity on the over all photosynthetic machinery, but also the pigment biosynthesis. Chlorophyll-a, chlorophyll-b, and carotenoids reduced due to Cd toxicity. Cd-induced severe destruction of chloroplast membrane structure as estimated by the intactness of isolated chloroplasts. As a result, the rate of photosynthesis, electron transport processes, and activity of photosystems (PS I and PS II) altered. Zn supplementation showed complete protection of chloroplasts and associated photochemical functions. Treatments with Zn alone did not show significant differences in the chosen parameters of investigation indicating, the non-toxic nature of the chosen Zn concentrations. These findings indicate that Zn alleviates Cd-induced toxicity in upholding the normal photochemical processes in
C. demersum.
Pannexins are single-membrane large-pore channels that release ions and ATP upon activation. Three isoforms of pannexins 1, 2, and 3, perform diverse cellular roles and differ in their pore lining ...residues. In this study, we report the cryo-EM structure of pannexin 3 at 3.9 Å and analyze its structural differences with pannexin isoforms 1 and 2. The pannexin 3 vestibule has two distinct chambers and a wider pore radius in comparison to pannexins 1 and 2. We further report two cryo-EM structures of pannexin 1, with pore substitutions W74R/R75D that mimic the pore lining residues of pannexin 2 and a germline mutant of pannexin 1, R217H at resolutions of 3.2 Å and 3.9 Å, respectively. Substitution of cationic residues in the vestibule of pannexin 1 results in reduced ATP interaction propensities to the channel. The germline mutant R217H in transmembrane helix 3 (TM3), leads to a partially constricted pore, reduced ATP interaction and weakened voltage sensitivity. The study compares the three pannexin isoform structures, the effects of substitutions of pore and vestibule-lining residues and allosteric effects of a pathological substitution on channel structure and function thereby enhancing our understanding of this vital group of ATP-release channels.
