Development of highly bacterial filtration efficient and antibacterial cellulose acetate/gum rosin composite nanofibers for facemask application.

Cellulose acetate (CA) is a non-toxic, renewable, and biodegradable polymeric material that can be effectively electrospuned into bacterial filtration efficient nanofiber membrane for face mask application. However, its fragile and non-antibacterial nature influenced its scalability. In this context, natural antibacterial gum rosin (GR) additive can be explored. Therefore, the present study aimed to produce a CA/GR composite nanofibers membrane for the finest bacterial filtration, excellent antibacterial moiety, and improved tensile properties for facemask application. Hence, in this work, we have studied the effect of GR concentrations (0-15 g) on the needleless electrospinning behavior and fibers' morphology through rheology, electrical conductivity, and SEM analysis. These analyses revealed that GR significantly affects the fibers' spinning behavior, morphology, and diameter of the produced fibers. Later, ATR-FTIR spectroscopy mapped the functional changes in the produced nanofibers that affirmed the integration of GR with CA polymer. This modification resulted in a 3-fold rise in tensile strength and an 11-fold decline in elongation% in 15 g CA/GR composite nanofibers membrane than the control sample. Furthermore, it has shown 98.79 ± 0.10% bacterial filtration efficiency and âˆ¼ 93 % reduction in Staphylococcus Aureus and Klebsiella Pneumoniae bacterial growth, elucidating a high-efficiency level for potential facemask application.

Vegan leather: a sustainable reality or a marketing gimmick?

The textile industry is the only one which has utilised all kinds of resources available in nature, and the evolution of textile materials has drastically hampered nature as well. Leather and fur are a few of the classic examples of materials derived from animals that have attracted dialogues about animal rights and ethical sourcing. To substitute animal-based leather, numerous materials have been manufactured synthetically and semi-synthetically. This review article discusses various types of leather, viz., bovine leather, poromerics, leatherette, plant-based vegan leather, and the sustainable alternatives available in the market as well as at the inductive research phase. The article is a comprehensive review of the leather and its commercially available alternatives along with their marketing strategy, and technical details. The article also compiles insight into the processing, and the components of vegan leather and the environmental issues related to them. The sustainability and circularity of processing in manufacturing vegan leather have also been discussed, with biodegradability as the focal point.

Antimicrobial Nanomaterials as Advanced Coatings for Self-Sanitizing of Textile Clothing and Personal Protective Equipment.

Controlling bioaerosols has become increasingly critical in affecting human health. Natural product treatment in the nano form is a potential method since it has lower toxicity than inorganic nanomaterials like silver nanoparticles. This research is important for the creation of a bioaerosol control system that is effective. Nanoparticles (NPs) are gradually being employed to use bacteria as a nonantibiotic substitute for treating bacterial infections. The present study looks at nanoparticles' antimicrobial properties, their method of action, their impact on drug-opposing bacteria, and the hazards connected with their operation as antimicrobial agents. The aspects that influence nanoparticle conduct in clinical settings, as well as their distinctive features and mode of action as antibacterial assistants, are thoroughly examined. Nanoparticles' action on bacterial cells is presently accepted by way of the introduction of oxidative stress induction, metal-ion release, and nonoxidative methods. Because many concurrent mechanisms of action against germs would necessitate multiple simultaneous gene modifications in the same bacterial cell for antibacterial protection to evolve, bacterial cells developing resistance to NPs is difficult. This review discusses the antimicrobial function of NPs against microbes and presents a comprehensive discussion of the bioaerosols: their origin, hazards, and their prevention. This state of the art method is dependent upon the use of personal protective gear against these bioaerosols. The benefit of the utmost significant categories of metal nanoparticles as antibacterial agents is given important consideration. The novelty of this review depends upon the antimicrobial properties of (a) silver (Ag), (b) zinc oxide (ZnO), and (c) copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles. The value-added features of these nanoparticles are discussed, as well as their physicochemical characterization and pharmacokinetics, including the toxicological danger they pose to people. Lastly, the effective role of nanomaterials and their future in human wellness is discussed.

Improvement of bacterial blight resistance of the popular variety, Nellore Mahsuri (NLR34449) through marker-assisted breeding.

To combat the dreaded diseases in rice like bacterial blight (BB) and blast, host plant resistance has been advocated as the most suitable and sustainable method. Through the present study, we have successfully incorporated three major BB resistance genes, namely Xa21, xa13 and xa5 into NLR3449, a high yielding, blast resistant, fine-grain type, popular rice variety through marker-assisted backcross breeding. Foreground selection was carried out using polymerase chain reaction based, gene-specific markers, namely pTA248 (Xa21), xa13prom (xa13) and xa5FM (xa5) at each generation of backcrossing, while 127 polymorphic SSR markers spanning on 12 chromosomes were used for background selection and backcrossing was limited to two rounds. At BC2F1 generation, a single plant (NLR-87-10) with 89.9% recovery, possessing all the three BB resistance genes was forwarded to BC2F2 generation. A solitary BC2F2 plant, namely NLR-87- 10-106 possessing all the three resistance genes and 96% genome recovery was identified and advanced through selfing until BC2F4 generation by adopting pedigree-method of selection. Three best BC2F4 lines, possessing high level of resistance against BB and blast, and equivalent or superior to NLR 34449 in terms of yield, grain quality and agro-morphological traits were identified and advanced for multilocation trials.

Oxidative modification of LHC II associated with photosystem II and PS I-LHC I-LHC II membranes.

Under aerobic conditions the production of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) by electron transport chains is unavoidable, and occurs in both autotrophic and heterotrophic organisms. In photosynthetic organisms both Photosystem II (PS II) and Photosystem I (PS I), in addition to the cytochrome b6/f complex, are demonstrated sources of ROS. All of these membrane protein complexes exhibit oxidative damage when isolated from field-grown plant material. An additional possible source of ROS in PS I and PS II is the distal, chlorophyll-containing light-harvesting array LHC II, which is present in both photosystems. These serve as possible sources of 1O2 produced by the interaction of 3O2 with 3chl* produced by intersystem crossing. We have hypothesized that amino acid residues close to the sites of ROS generation will be more susceptible to oxidative modification than distant residues. In this study, we have identified oxidized amino acid residues in a subset of the spinach LHC II proteins (Lhcb1 and Lhcb2) that were associated with either PS II membranes (i.e. BBYs) or PS I-LHC I-LHC II membranes, both of which were isolated from field-grown spinach. We identified oxidatively modified residues by high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry. Interestingly, two different patterns of oxidative modification were evident for the Lhcb1 and Lhcb2 proteins from these different sources. In the LHC II associated with PS II membranes, oxidized residues were identified to be located on the stromal surface of Lhcb1 and, to a much lesser extent, Lhcb2. Relatively few oxidized residues were identified as buried in the hydrophobic core of these proteins. The LHC II associated with PS I-LHC I-LHC II membranes, however, exhibited fewer surface-oxidized residues but, rather a large number of oxidative modifications buried in the hydrophobic core regions of both Lhcb1 and Lhcb2, adjacent to the chlorophyll prosthetic groups. These results appear to indicate that ROS, specifically 1O2, can modify the Lhcb proteins associated with both photosystems and that the LHC II associated with PS II membranes represent a different population from the LHC II associated with PS I-LHC I-LHC II membranes.

Mapping novel QTLs for yield related traits from a popular rice hybrid KRH-2 derived doubled haploid (DH) population.

A doubled haploid (DH) population consisting of 125 DHLs derived from the popular rice hybrid, KRH-2 (IR58025A/KMR3R) was utilized for Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) mapping to identify novel genomic regions associated with yield related traits. A genetic map was constructed with 126 polymorphic SSR and EST derived markers, which were distributed across rice genome. QTL analysis using inclusive composite interval mapping (ICIM) method identified a total of 24 major and minor effect QTLs. Among them, twelve major effect QTLs were identified for days to fifty percent flowering (qDFF12-1), total grain yield/plant (qYLD3-1 and qYLD6-1), test (1,000) grain weight (qTGW6-1 and qTGW7-1), panicle weight (qPW9-1), plant height (qPH12-1), flag leaf length (qFLL6-1), flag leaf width (qFLW4-1), panicle length (qPL3-1 and qPL6-1) and biomass (qBM4-1), explaining 29.95-56.75% of the phenotypic variability with LOD scores range of 2.72-16.51. Chromosomal regions with gene clusters were identified on chromosome 3 for total grain yield/plant (qYLD3-1) and panicle length (qPL3-1) and on chromosome 6 for total grain yield/plant (qYLD6-1), flag leaf length (qFLL6-1) and panicle length (qPL6-1). Majority of the QTLs identified were observed to be co-localized with the previously reported QTL regions. Five novel, major effect QTLs associated with panicle weight (qPW9-1), plant height (qPH12-1), flag leaf width (qFLW4-1), panicle length (qPL3-1) and biomass (qBM4-1) and three novel minor effect QTLs for panicle weight (qPW3-1 and qPW8-1) and fertile grains per panicle (qFGP5-1) were identified. These QTLs can be used in breeding programs aimed to yield improvement after their validation in alternative populations. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-021-03045-7.

Development of multifunctional food packaging films based on waste Garlic peel extract and Chitosan.

A sustainable multifunctional food packaging composite film containing waste garlic peel extract (GPE) and Chitosan (CH) was prepared. This film exhibited antimicrobial potential towards Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae. GPE/CH films' morphological, physical, and functional properties were compared to those of CH film. Fourier transform infrared showed the interactions through hydrogen bonding between CH and GPE in the blends that improved the polymers' compatibility. Furthermore, X-ray diffraction analysis validated the compatibility between GPE and CH. GPE/CH films exhibited higher thickness and moisture content than the CH film. Remarkably, GPE/CH films showed lower water vapor barrier properties and higher ultra-violet protection and mechanical strength than CH film. Compact surfaces of the GPE infused CH films were unveiled through Scanning electron microscopy. GPE/CH film showed improved thermal stability after the addition of GPE. MTT method's cytotoxicity study manifested that the GPE/CH films are antioxidant and non-cytotoxic, implicating their biocompatibility and non-toxicity. The results suggest that GPE/CH films can find widespread commercial applications like food packaging materials, replacing the commonly used petrochemical plastics.

Effectiveness of Nimesulide in Acute Fever Management in Adults: Retrospective Electronic Medical Records Database Study Outcome in Outpatient Department.

BACKGROUND: Various clinical trials have established anti-inflammatory and antipyretic properties of Nimesulide in a controlled setting, however, the fever management in real-world settings is quite different. OBJECTIVE: To assess the effectiveness of Nimesulide in acute fever management in real-world clinical practice. METHODOLOGY: A retrospective, multicenter study was conducted on electronic medical records (EMR) of 302 patients visiting out-patient departments at three centers between Jan 2016 and Jan 2020 and were prescribed Nimesulide for acute fever. The effectiveness of Nimesulide was analyzed as a change in fever from baseline to follow-up visit within 14 days and tolerability as the number of side effects captured post-Nimesulide ingestion. RESULTS: The provisional diagnosis at the baseline visit reported major complaints like fever, fever with abdominal pain, body-ache, cough and myalgia. The mean baseline body temperature was 103.2±1.5°F with a mean duration of 4.4±2.8 days significantly (p 0.0001) decreased to 99.7±1.8°F on the administration of Nimesulide. The liver and the renal profiles were found to be normal on records, and the side effects such as nausea and dyspepsia were reported only in 2% of patients. CONCLUSION: Nimesulide was found to be well-tolerated and effective as an antipyretic for acute fever management in adults during short-term use in real-world clinical practice.

Novel major QTLs associated with low soil phosphorus tolerance identified from the Indian rice landrace, Wazuhophek.

With an objective of mapping novel low soil P (Phosphorus) tolerance loci in the non-Pup1 type donor rice line, Wazuhophek, we screened a recombinant inbred line (RIL) mapping population consisting of 330 lines derived from the cross Wazuhophek x Improved Samba Mahsuri (which is highly sensitive to low soil P) in a plot with low soil P for tolerance associated traits. Molecular mapping with SSR markers revealed a total of 16 QTLs (seven major and nine minor QTLs), which are associated with low soil P tolerance related traits. Interestingly, a QTL hotspot, harbouring 10 out of 16 QTLs were identified on the short arm of chromosome 8 (flanked by the makers RM22554 and RM80005). Five major QTLs explaining phenotypic variance to an extent of 15.28%, 17.25%, 21.84%, 20.23%, and 18.50%, associated with the traits, plant height, shoot length, the number of productive tillers, panicle length and yield, respectively, were located in the hotspot. Two major QTLs located on chromosome 1, associated with the traits, total biomass and root to shoot ratio, explaining 15.44% and 15.44% phenotypic variance, respectively were also identified. Complex epistatic interactions were observed among the traits, grain yield per plant, days to 50% flowering, dry shoot weight, and P content of the seed. In-silico analysis of genomic regions flanking the major QTLs revealed the presence of key putative candidate genes, possibly associated with tolerance.

Effect of a High-Protein High-Fibre Nutritional Supplement on Lipid Profile in Overweight/Obese Adults with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A 24-Week Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Foods rich in protein and dietary fibre could potentially improve lipid profile in overweight or obese diabetic patients with dyslipidemia and, thereby, mitigate their risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). In this study, the effect of providing high-protein high-fibre (HPHF) nutritional supplement in addition to standard care of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) on lipid profile was evaluated. METHODS: In this open-label, parallel-arm, prospective, randomized study, a total of 100 overweight/obese participants with T2DM were randomized to either an intervention group (25 g HPHF nutritional supplement given twice daily along with a standard care of T2DM) or a control group (standard care of T2DM) for 24 weeks. Change from baseline in lipid parameters such as total cholesterol (TChol), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and triglycerides (TG) was assessed between the intervention and control group at week 12 and week 24. Participant compliance was assessed using the dietary 24-hour recall. Statistical analysis was performed to assess the main effects on within- and between-group changes from baseline to end of 24 weeks. RESULTS: Participants in the HPHF nutritional supplement group showed a statistically significant improvement in HDL-C levels by the end of 24 weeks (p=0.04) and a significant increase in protein and total dietary fibre intake (p=0.002 and p=0.00, respectively) compared to the control group. The TChol/HDL-C ratio was significantly lower (p=0.03) in the HPHF group from baseline to 24 weeks. CONCLUSION: Twice-daily consumption of a HPHF nutritional supplement significantly improved HDL-C levels. Inclusion of the HPHF supplement would be a useful effective aid for managing dyslipidemia in overweight/obese individuals with T2DM.

Tocopherol controls D1 amino acid oxidation by oxygen radicals in Photosystem II.

Photosystem II (PSII) is an intrinsic membrane protein complex that functions as a light-driven water:plastoquinone oxidoreductase in oxygenic photosynthesis. Electron transport in PSII is associated with formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) responsible for oxidative modifications of PSII proteins. In this study, oxidative modifications of the D1 and D2 proteins by the superoxide anion (O2•-) and the hydroxyl (HO•) radicals were studied in WT and a tocopherol cyclase (vte1) mutant, which is deficient in the lipid-soluble antioxidant α-tocopherol. In the absence of this antioxidant, high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry was used to identify oxidation of D1:130E to hydroxyglutamic acid by O2•- at the PheoD1 site. Additionally, D1:246Y was modified to either tyrosine hydroperoxide or dihydroxyphenylalanine by O2•- and HO•, respectively, in the vicinity of the nonheme iron. We propose that α-tocopherol is localized near PheoD1 and the nonheme iron, with its chromanol head exposed to the lipid-water interface. This helps to prevent oxidative modification of the amino acid's hydrogen that is bonded to PheoD1 and the nonheme iron (via bicarbonate), and thus protects electron transport in PSII from ROS damage.

Molecular mapping of QTLs for yield related traits in recombinant inbred line (RIL) population derived from the popular rice hybrid KRH-2 and their validation through SNP genotyping.

The study was undertaken to identify the quantitative trait loci (QTLs) governing yield and its related traits using a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population derived from the popular rice hybrid, KRH-2 (IR58025A/KMR3R). A genetic map spanning 294.2 cM was constructed with 126 simple sequence repeats (SSR) loci uniformly distributed across the rice genome. QTL analysis using phenotyping and genotyping information identified a total of 22 QTLs. Of these, five major effect QTLs were identified for the following traits: total grain yield/plant (qYLD3-1), panicle weight (qPW3-1), plant height (qPH12-1), flag leaf width (qFLW4-1) and panicle length (qPL3-1), explaining 20.23-22.76% of the phenotypic variance with LOD scores range of 6.5-10.59. Few genomic regions controlling several traits (QTL hotspot) were identified on chromosome 3 for total grain yield/plant (qYLD3-1) and panicle length (qPL3-1). Significant epistatic interactions were also observed for total grain yield per plant (YLD) and panicle length (PL). While most of these QTLs were observed to be co-localized with the previously reported QTL regions, a novel, major QTL associated with panicle length (qPL3-1) was also identified. SNP genotyping of selected high and low yielding RILs and their QTL mapping with 1,082 SNPs validated most of the QTLs identified through SSR genotyping. This facilitated the identification of novel major effect QTLs with much better resolution and precision. In-silico analysis of novel QTLs revealed the biological functions of the putative candidate gene (s) associated with selected traits. Most of the high-yielding RILs possessing the major yield related QTLs were identified to be complete restorers, indicating their possible utilization in development of superior rice hybrids.

Effect of Gliclazide or Gliclazide plus Metformin Combination on Glycemic Control in Patients with T2DM in India: A Real-World, Retrospective, Longitudinal, Observational Study from Electronic Medical Records.

BACKGROUND: The efficacy of gliclazide has been reported in clinical trials in India. However, real-world data on the effectiveness of gliclazide in India is unavailable. OBJECTIVE: To provide real-world evidence regarding the effectiveness of gliclazide or gliclazide + metformin fixed-dose combination or separate medications, used either as monotherapy or as the latest add-on to other antihyperglycemic agents in reducing glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels in Indian patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). METHODS: Electronic medical record data of adult patients who were diagnosed with T2DM who were newly initiated on or had been prescribed gliclazide or gliclazide + metformin combination for < 30 days as monotherapy or as add-on therapy to other antihyperglycemic agents, and had HbA1c ≥ 6.5% were retrospectively analyzed. Mean change in HbA1c from baseline was the primary endpoint. Secondary endpoints were assessment of dosages and formulations of gliclazide or gliclazide + metformin prescribed in the HbA1c spectrum and antihyperglycemic agents to which gliclazide or gliclazide + metformin was added as an adjunct. Readings were obtained before initiating gliclazide or gliclazide + metformin and after at least 90 days of treatment with gliclazide or gliclazide + metformin. RESULTS: Included patients (n = 498) were categorized into gliclazide only (n = 66), gliclazide + metformin only (n = 179), gliclazide add-on (n = 169), and gliclazide + metformin add-on (n = 84) groups. Mean (95% confidence interval [CI]) change in HbA1c among patients with baseline HbA1c > 7% was - 0.8% (- 1.26, - 0.34) in gliclazide only group; - 1.6% (- 1.89, - 1.31; p < 0.001) in gliclazide + metformin group; - 1.2% (- 1.50, - 0.90; p < 0.001) in add-on gliclazide group; and - 1.4% (- 1.75, - 1.05; p < 0.001) in add-on gliclazide + metformin group. Gliclazide once daily was the most prescribed regimen in the gliclazide only group (72.7%), with 60 mg being the most prescribed modified-release dose (62.5%). Gliclazide + metformin twice daily was the most prescribed regimen in the gliclazide + metformin group (69.3%) with 80 mg + 500 mg being the most prescribed immediate-release dose (62.9%). Gliclazide and gliclazide + metformin were most added as an adjunct to existing prescriptions of biguanides (83.4%) or insulin (64.3%), respectively. CONCLUSION: Gliclazide or gliclazide + metformin prescribed as mono- or add-on therapy during routine clinical practice effectively reduced HbA1c in Indian patients with T2DM, thus validating the use of gliclazide and gliclazide + metformin for managing T2DM in India.

Cotton based composite fabric reinforced with waste polyester fibers for improved mechanical properties.

With the focus of industries shifting towards sustainable processing methods and the use of sustainable raw materials, reuse and recycling of polyester have gained a lot of momentum. In spite of considerable efforts, the utilization of polyester fiber waste has not yet found a strong foundation in textile processing. In this paper, waste polyester fibers obtained during the melt spinning process has been utilized by first dissolving it in an m-cresol solvent and later by chemical route polyester is regenerated on cotton leading to the preparation of cotton based composite fabric. The presence of polyester was confirmed using XRD, FTIR, and percent add on and SEM. Percent add on of 9.7% along with the doubling of tensile strength and enhanced thermal stability was observed. The results can make a way as one of the possibilities of utilizing polyester fiber waste.

Natively oxidized amino acid residues in the spinach PS I-LHC I supercomplex.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production is an unavoidable byproduct of electron transport under aerobic conditions. Photosystem II (PS II), the cytochrome  b6/f complex and Photosystem I (PS I) are all demonstrated sources of ROS. It has been proposed that PS I produces substantial levels of a variety of ROS including O2.-, 1O2, H2O2 and, possibly, •OH; however, the site(s) of ROS production within PS I has been the subject of significant debate. We hypothesize that amino acid residues close to the sites of ROS generation will be more susceptible to oxidative modification than distant residues. In this study, we have identified oxidized amino acid residues in spinach PS I which was isolated from field-grown spinach. The modified residues were identified by high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry. As expected, many of the modified residues lie on the surface of the complex. However, a well-defined group of oxidized residues, both buried and surface-exposed, lead from the chl a' of P700 to the surface of PS I. These residues (PsaB: 609F, 611E, 617M, 619W, 620L, and PsaF: 139L, 142A,143D) may identify a preferred route for ROS, probably 1O2, to egress the complex from the vicinity of P700. Additionally, two buried residues located in close proximity to A1B (PsaB:712H and 714S) were modified, which appears consistent with A1B being a source of O2.-. Surprisingly, no oxidatively modified residues were identified in close proximity to the 4Fe-FS clusters FX, FA or FB. These cofactors had been identified as principal targets for ROS damage in the photosystem. Finally, a large number of residues located in the hydrophobic cores of Lhca1-Lhca4 are oxidatively modified. These appear to be the result of 1O2 production by the distal antennae for the photosystem.

Lemongrass (Cymbopogon Flexuosus Steud.) wats treated textile: A control measure against vector-borne diseases.

Mosquito-borne diseases are one of the major threats to human health. The long-term use of synthetic repellents has made mosquitoes resistant to them leading to search for novel methods of mosquito control. In the present study, we have developed a low cost, safe and effective formulation to impart mosquito larvicidal and antibacterial effect using essential oils. Oil in water nanoemulsion of three different oils: Lemongrass (cymbopogon flexuosus steud.) wats (CF) oil, Eucalyptus oil (EO) and Chrysnathemum Indicum were prepared using high shear homogenization of the organic with the aqueous phase in presence of surfactant. The oil biocomponents were studied using GCMS. An experimental study of oil in water nanoemulsion preparation, process optimization and stability based on the required size distribution and accelerated stability was performed with surfactant oil ratio (SOR), stirring time and speed as the variables for nanoemulsion preparation. The storage stability of the nanoemulsion was also studied in terms of particle size, pH, viscosity and zeta potential at room temperature and refrigeration temperature for a period of 6 months. The optimized emulsion was also tested for its mosquito larvicidal effect against both the susceptible and resistant species of mosquitoes. The antimicrobial efficacy of the emulsion was also assessed. In the present study, nylon net fabric was treated with Cymbopogon flexuosus (CF) oil nanoemulsion by depositing polyelectrolyte multilayers through the layer by layer (LBL) technique. The nanoemulsion was characterized for particle size, zeta potential, viscosity, pH and Poly Dispersity Index. Mosquito antennal response to pure CF oil and its nanoemulsion was noted. The application technique was optimized for the concentration of nanoemulsion used and the number of polymeric layers applied. The treated samples were tested against mosquito bioassays, microbial growth and fragrance retention. Wash durability of the treated samples was also analysed. GCMS and SEM analysis of the treated and washed samples was done to ensure the presence of active ingredient and finish on the fabric. The fabrics showed good mosquito repellency, fragrance retention and antimicrobial efficacy even after 25 washes, though the percentage mortality dropped. The repellent and anti-microbial fabrics developed may provide a safe, environment-friendly and effective alternative to the chemical-based repellents for achieving protection against mosquito bites.

Potential application of medical cotton waste for self-reinforced composite.

The present work mainly deals with the efficacy of the waste medical grade cotton (MGC) used for the sustainable self-reinforced composite (SRC). MGC waste was exposed in the autoclave for destroying all microorganisms including infected bacteria's and virus followed by scoured and bleached for removing blood stains and foreign materials. SRC film was prepared by selective dissolved fibre surface of waste MGC into a dissolved microcrystalline cellulose (DMCC) matrix solution prepared by lithium chloride/N,N-dimethylacetamide (LiCl/DMAc) solvent system. The tensile strength of SRC films was significantly improved up to 252 MPa, and it was higher than that of the DMCC film. In the FTIR study, no peak was found in 1620 cm-1 in SRC confirming that the LiCl/DMAc has been completely removed. SEM study also revealed the presence of partial dissolution of the surface of MGC which merged with DMCC matrix in the SRC. The XRD results displayed higher crystallinity SRC than DMCC film. The thermal stability of SRC as determined by TGA improved compared to the DMCC film from 225 °C for DMCC to 250-283 °C for SRC films. Therefore, these prominent results revealed the potential utilization of a sustainable resource, waste MGC in producing environmentally friendly SRC films with high-performance properties.

Preparation and characterization of biocomposite packaging film from poly(lactic acid) and acylated microcrystalline cellulose using rice bran oil.

Surface acylation of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) was performed using rice bran oil (RBO). The resultant acylated MCC (RAMCC) exhibited reduced polarity as compared with MCC. Attenuated Total Reflection (ATR)- Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy confirmed hydrophobic MCC modification. RAMCC and MCC were incorporated into PLA matrix and their influence on morphological, mechanical, thermal and barrier properties of the PLA based biocomposite were analyzed. PLA/RAMCC biocomposite (with 2 wt% loading) exhibited lower water sorption compared to PLA film and PLA/MCC. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis result showed an increase in crystallinity of PLA/RAMCC and reduction in water vapour permeability as compared to PLA film and PLA/MCC composite. PLA/RAMCC exhibited the best mechanical, thermal and UV barrier properties. The fractured surfaces of the composites showed an even distribution of RAMCC throughout PLA matrix. Biodegradability of samples was characterized using soil buried method. The cytotoxicity of the developed PLA-based films was evaluated on human dermal fibroblast (HDF) monolayer culture by the MTT method and it has shown that the films were non-cytotoxic thus indicating their biocompatibility and non-toxicity. These biodegradable composite films can be a sustainable utilization of RBO and MCC in the packaging application.

Lipoxygenase in singlet oxygen generation as a response to wounding: in vivo imaging in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Wounding, one of the most intensive stresses influencing plants ontogeny and lifespan, can be induced by herbivory as well as by physical factors. Reactive oxygen species play indispensable role both in the local and systemic defense reactions which enable "reprogramming" of metabolic pathways to set new boundaries and physiological equilibrium suitable for survival. In our current study, we provide experimental evidence on the formation of singlet oxygen (1O2) after wounding of Arabidopsis leaves. It is shown that 1O2 is formed by triplet-triplet energy transfer from triplet carbonyls to molecular oxygen. Using lipoxygenase inhibitor catechol, it is demonstrated that lipid peroxidation is initiated by lipoxygenase. Suppression of 1O2 formation in lox2 mutant which lacks chloroplast lipoxygenase indicates that lipoxygenase localized in chloroplast is predominantly responsible for 1O2 formation. Interestingly, 1O2 formation is solely restricted to chloroplasts localized at the wounding site. Data presented in this study might provide novel insight into wound-induced signaling in the local defense reaction.

Subunit and chlorophyll organization of the plant photosystem II supercomplex.

Photosystem II (PSII) is a light-driven protein, involved in the primary reactions of photosynthesis. In plant photosynthetic membranes PSII forms large multisubunit supercomplexes, containing a dimeric core and up to four light-harvesting complexes (LHCs), which act as antenna proteins. Here we solved a three-dimensional (3D) structure of the C2S2M2 supercomplex from Arabidopsis thaliana using cryo-transmission electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and single-particle analysis at an overall resolution of 5.3 Å. Using a combination of homology modelling and restrained refinement against the cryo-EM map, it was possible to model atomic structures for all antenna complexes and almost all core subunits. We located all 35 chlorophylls of the core region based on the cyanobacterial PSII structure, whose positioning is highly conserved, as well as all the chlorophylls of the LHCII S and M trimers. A total of 13 and 9 chlorophylls were identified in CP26 and CP24, respectively. Energy flow from LHC complexes to the PSII reaction centre is proposed to follow preferential pathways: CP26 and CP29 directly transfer to the core using several routes for efficient transfer; the S trimer is directly connected to CP43 and the M trimer can efficiently transfer energy to the core through CP29 and the S trimer.