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•Starch was modified via phthaloylation prior to polymer electrolyte fabrication.•Inclusion of urea in NADES improves the conductivity and physical properties of the gel.•Highest ...ionic conductivity of 2.86mScm−1 was achieved.
A first-of-its-kind, eco-friendly quasi-solid bioelectrolyte derived from potato starch was prepared. Starch was chemically modified via phthaloylation to synthesize amorphous, hydrophobic starch derivative and the attachment of the phthaloyl group was confirmed via FTIR which showed phthalate ester peak at 1715cm−1; and 1H NMR peaks between 7.30–7.90ppm attributed to the aromatic protons of the phthaloyl group. The resulting starch derivative was then infused with ternary natural deep eutectic solvent (NADES) made from different molar ratios of choline chloride, urea and glycerol. Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) revealed that the highest ionic conductivity was obtained by the system consisting of NADES with choline chloride:urea:glycerol in molar ratios of 4:6:2, with a magnitude of 2.86mScm−1, hence validating the prospects of the materials to be further experimented as an alternative electrolyte in various electrochemical devices.
The present study intends to explore the inducing factors for going public in the emerging market of Pakistan from 2000 to 2018. This study used ordinary least square (OLS), stepwise regression, ...robust regression and quadratic model to achieve the objectives. The findings revealed that inflation, gross domestic product (GDP) and political stability were positively significant, whereas lending interest rate and underpricing were negatively significant in explaining the number of initial public offerings in Pakistan, as supported by the empirical evidence. Furthermore, the weak macroeconomic factors indicated unfavourable development in the capital market of Pakistan. Concurrently, low confidence for both potential issuers and investors could be seen in fewer IPO activities due to the country’s weak macroeconomic indicators.
The multidrug resistance phenomenon presents a major threat to the pharmaceutical industry. This resistance is a common occurrence in several diseases and is mediated by multidrug transporters that ...actively pump substances out of the cell and away from their target regions. The most well-known multidrug transporter is the P-glycoprotein transporter. The binding sites within P-glycoprotein can accommodate a variety of compounds with diverse structures. Hence, numerous drugs are P-glycoprotein substrates, with new ones being identified every day. For many years, the mechanisms of action of P-glycoprotein have been shrouded in mystery, and scientists have only recently been able to elucidate certain structural and functional aspects of this protein. Although P-glycoprotein is highly implicated in multidrug resistant diseases, this transporter also performs various physiological roles in the human body and is expressed in several tissues, including the brain, kidneys, liver, gastrointestinal tract, testis, and placenta. The expression levels of P-glycoprotein are regulated by different enzymes, inflammatory mediators and transcription factors; alterations in which can result in the generation of a disease phenotype. This review details the discovery, the recently proposed structure and the regulatory functions of P-glycoprotein, as well as the crucial role it plays in health and disease.
P-glycoprotein; Multidrug resistance; Multidrug transporters; Phospholipid bilayer; Blood-brain barrier.
This paper investigates the impact of digital technology on the relationship between financialization and income inequality of 54 countries from 2010 to 2015. The results show that financialization ...and digital technology widen the income inequality gap. Therefore, policies should be centred primarily on eliminating obstacles and developing innovative products that focus on solutions to the low-income consumer problem and those who have been marginalized.
PurposeThe present study investigated the influence of country-level institutional quality on IPO initial return using World Bank Governance indices.Design/methodology/approachThis study analysed 84 ...IPOs listed on Pakistan Stock Exchange between 2000 and 2017 using cross-sectional data. The impact of country-level institutional quality on IPO initial returns was examined using ordinary least square, robust least square, stepwise least square and quantile regression.FindingsEmpirically, the values of political stability, government effectiveness and regulatory quality were positively significant, whereas rule of law and control of corruption were negatively significant in explaining the intensity of IPO initial return. The results also show the presence of significant risk in the market. Hence, investors were compensated with higher initial returns for weak country-level institutional quality. The results also reveal that improving country-level institutional quality would improve the financial market transparency, thereby reducing IPO initial returns.Originality/valueNo studies have been conducted regarding the influence of country-level institutional quality on IPO initial return in Pakistan. This study is a pioneering study that seeks to give insights into the link between these variables in the context of Pakistan.
The heat transfer performance in materials to remove heat is attained in various designs according to the devices' design. Simulation studies are comprising of heat transfer knowledge in detail suit ...the theories and applications. This review provides an understanding of the simulation work focusing on the heat transfer in the various design of electronic devices. This discussion begins with a briefing on the simulation principle and current focus. Then, the review continues by explaining various simulation methods that exhibit recent heat transfer analysis. The properties of simulation studies are also summarized in detail to understand the significant properties that impact analysis. The application of simulation in thermal model is looked forward to obtain significant heat transfer improvement and impactful research direction. This review also provides insights into challenges in simulation work with available opportunities to solve the heat transfer issue by understanding fundamental knowledge.
Less sedimentation and convection in a microgravity environment has become a well-suited condition for growing high quality protein crystals. Thermostable T1 lipase derived from bacterium
has been ...crystallized using the counter diffusion method under space and earth conditions. Preliminary study using YASARA molecular modeling structure program for both structures showed differences in number of hydrogen bond, ionic interaction, and conformation. The space-grown crystal structure contains more hydrogen bonds as compared with the earth-grown crystal structure. A molecular dynamics simulation study was used to provide insight on the fluctuations and conformational changes of both T1 lipase structures. The analysis of root mean square deviation (RMSD), radius of gyration, and root mean square fluctuation (RMSF) showed that space-grown structure is more stable than the earth-grown structure. Space-structure also showed more hydrogen bonds and ion interactions compared to the earth-grown structure. Further analysis also revealed that the space-grown structure has long-lived interactions, hence it is considered as the more stable structure. This study provides the conformational dynamics of T1 lipase crystal structure grown in space and earth condition.
Skin injuries represent a prevalent form of physical trauma, necessitating effective therapeutic strategies to expedite the wound healing process. Hesperidin, a bioflavonoid naturally occurring in ...citrus fruits, exhibits a range of pharmacological attributes, including antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticoagulant, and analgesic properties. The main objective of the study was to formulate a hydrogel with the intention of addressing skin conditions, particularly wound healing.
This research introduces a methodology for the fabrication of a membrane composed of a Polyvinyl alcohol - Sodium Alginate (PVA/A) blend, along with the inclusion of an anti-inflammatory agent, Hesperidin (H), which exhibits promising wound healing capabilities. A uniform layer of a homogeneous solution comprising PVA/A was cast. The process of crosslinking and the enhancement of hydrogel characteristics were achieved through the application of gamma irradiation at a dosage of 30 kGy. The membrane was immersed in a Hesperidin (H) solution, facilitating the permeation and absorption of the drug. The resultant system is designed to deliver H in a controlled and sustained manner, which is crucial for promoting efficient wound healing. The obtained PVA/AH hydrogel was evaluated for cytotoxicity, antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities, anti-inflammatory and membrane stability effect. In addition, its action on oxidative stress, and inflammatory markers was evaluated on BJ-1 human normal skin cell line.
We determined the effect of radical scavenging activity PVA/A (49 %) and PVA/AH (87%), the inhibition of Human red blood cell membrane hemolysis by PVA/AH (81.97 and 84.34 %), hypotonicity (83.68 and 76.48 %) and protein denaturation (83.17 and 85.8 %) as compared to 250 μg/ml diclofenac (Dic.) and aspirin (Asp.), respectively. Furthermore, gene expression analysis revealed an increased expression of genes associated with anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and downregulated TNFα, NFκB, iNOS, and COX2 by 67, 52, 58 and 60%, respectively, by PVA/AH hydrogel compared to LPS-stimulated BJ-1 cells. The advantages associated with Hesperidin can be ascribed to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory attributes. The incorporation of Hesperidin into hydrogels offers promise for the development of a novel, secure, and efficient strategy for wound healing. This innovative approach holds potential as a solution for wound healing, capitalizing on the collaborative qualities of PVA/AH and gamma irradiation, which can be combined to establish a drug delivery platform for Hesperidin.
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of pricing mechanism on initial public offerings (IPOs) oversubscription in Pakistan.
Design/methodology/approach
This study used ...cross-sectional data to analyse 85 listed IPOs on the Pakistan stock exchange during the period of 2000-2017 to assess hypotheses related to influential determinants of IPO oversubscription. Accordingly, ordinary least square, robust regression and quantile regression approaches were applied in this study to evaluate the factors that influenced oversubscription.
Findings
The outcome displayed pricing mechanism is negatively significant with an oversubscription of IPOs. This indicates firms using the fixed-price mechanism signalled higher information asymmetry and uncertainty in their value. Thus, investors are aware that they will be offset with underpricing, and it is expected the demand will be higher for the particular IPOs.
Research limitations/implications
This study is entirely focused on the available information of prospectus that should not be ignored by potential investors at the time of subscription of IPO. Therefore, the study contributes to extending the available literature in signalling theory whereby issuers should consider using the book-building pricing mechanism in enhancing the efficiency of the IPO offer price during the listing.
Originality/value
This paper provides evidence for the determinants of the IPO oversubscription.
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