Recent Advances and Future Perspectives of Metal-Based Electrocatalysts for Overall Electrochemical Water Splitting.

Recently, the growing demand for a renewable and sustainable fuel alternative is contingent on fuel cell technologies. Even though it is regarded as an environmentally sustainable method of generating fuel for immediate concerns, it must be enhanced to make it extraordinarily affordable, and environmentally sustainable. Hydrogen (H2 ) synthesis by electrochemical water splitting (ECWS) is considered one of the foremost potential prospective methods for renewable energy output and H2 society implementation. Existing massive H2 output is mostly reliant on the steaming reformation of carbon fuels that yield CO2 together with H2 and is a finite resource. ECWS is a viable, efficient, and contamination-free method for H2 evolution. Consequently, developing reliable and cost-effective technology for ECWS was a top priority for scientists around the globe. Utilizing renewable technologies to decrease total fuel utilization is crucial for H2 evolution. Capturing and transforming the fuel from the ambient through various renewable solutions for water splitting (WS) could effectively reduce the need for additional electricity. ECWS is among the foremost potential prospective methods for renewable energy output and the achievement of a H2 -based economy. For the overall water splitting (OWS), several transition-metal-based polyfunctional metal catalysts for both cathode and anode have been synthesized. Furthermore, the essential to the widespread adoption of such technology is the development of reduced-price, super functional electrocatalysts to substitute those, depending on metals. Many metal-premised electrocatalysts for both the anode and cathode have been designed for the WS process. The attributes of H2 and oxygen (O2 ) dynamics interactions on the electrodes of water electrolysis cells and the fundamental techniques for evaluating the achievement of electrocatalysts are outlined in this paper. Special emphasis is paid to their fabrication, electrocatalytic performance, durability, and measures for enhancing their efficiency. In addition, prospective ideas on metal-based WS electrocatalysts based on existing problems are presented. It is anticipated that this review will offer a straight direction toward the engineering and construction of novel polyfunctional electrocatalysts encompassing superior efficiency in a suitable WS technique.

Semantic Web in Healthcare: A Systematic Literature Review of Application, Research Gap, and Future Research Avenues.

Today, healthcare has become one of the largest and most fast-paced industries due to the rapid development of digital healthcare technologies. The fundamental thing to enhance healthcare services is communicating and linking massive volumes of available healthcare data. However, the key challenge in reaching this ambitious goal is letting the information exchange across heterogeneous sources and methods as well as establishing efficient tools and techniques. Semantic Web (SW) technology can help to tackle these problems. They can enhance knowledge exchange, information management, data interoperability, and decision support in healthcare systems. They can also be utilized to create various e-healthcare systems that aid medical practitioners in making decisions and provide patients with crucial medical information and automated hospital services. This systematic literature review (SLR) on SW in healthcare systems aims to assess and critique previous findings while adhering to appropriate research procedures. We looked at 65 papers and came up with five themes: e-service, disease, information management, frontier technology, and regulatory conditions. In each thematic research area, we presented the contributions of previous literature. We emphasized the topic by responding to five specific research questions. We have finished the SLR study by identifying research gaps and establishing future research goals that will help to minimize the difficulty of adopting SW in healthcare systems and provide new approaches for SW-based medical systems' progress.

Green Synthesis of Silymarin-Chitosan Nanoparticles as a New Nano Formulation with Enhanced Anti-Fibrotic Effects against Liver Fibrosis.

BACKGROUND: Silymarin (SIL) has long been utilized to treat a variety of liver illnesses, but due to its poor water solubility and low membrane permeability, it has a low oral bioavailability, limiting its therapeutic potential. AIM: Design and evaluate hepatic-targeted delivery of safe biocompatible formulated SIL-loaded chitosan nanoparticles (SCNPs) to enhance SIL's anti-fibrotic effectiveness in rats with CCl4-induced liver fibrosis. METHODS: The SCNPs and chitosan nanoparticles (CNPs) were prepared by ionotropic gelation technique and are characterized by physicochemical parameters such as particle size, morphology, zeta potential, and in vitro release studies. The therapeutic efficacy of successfully formulated SCNPs and CNPs were subjected to in vivo evaluation studies. Rats were daily administered SIL, SCNPs, and CNPs orally for 30 days. RESULTS: The in vivo study revealed that the synthesized SCNPs demonstrated a significant antifibrotic therapeutic action against CCl4-induced hepatic injury in rats when compared to treated groups of SIL and CNPs. SCNP-treated rats had a healthy body weight, with normal values for liver weight and liver index, as well as significant improvements in liver functions, inflammatory indicators, antioxidant pathway activation, and lipid peroxidation reduction. The antifibrotic activities of SCNPs were mediated by suppressing the expression of the main fibrosis mediators TGFßR1, COL3A1, and TGFßR2 by boosting the hepatic expression of protective miRNAs; miR-22, miR-29c, and miR-219a, respectively. The anti-fibrotic effects of SCNPs were supported by histopathology and immunohistochemistry (IHC) study. CONCLUSIONS: According to the above results, SCNPs might be the best suitable carrier to target liver cells in the treatment of liver fibrosis.

Investigation of the Effect of Substituents on Electronic and Charge Transport Properties of Benzothiazole Derivatives.

A series of new benzothiazole-derived donor-acceptor-based compounds (Comp1-4) were synthesized and characterized with the objective of tuning their multifunctional properties, i.e., charge transport, electronic, and optical. All the proposed structural formulations (Comp1-4) were commensurate using FTIR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, ESI-mass, UV-vis, and elemental analysis techniques. The effects of the electron-donating group (-CH3) and electron-withdrawing group (-NO2) on the optoelectronic and charge transfer properties were studied. The substituent effect on absorption was calculated at the TD-B3LYP/6-31+G** level in the gas and solvent phases. The effect of solvent polarity on the absorption spectra using various polar and nonpolar solvents, i.e., ethanol, acetone, DMF, and DMSO was investigated. Light was shed on the charge transport in benzothiazole compounds by calculating electron affinity, ionization potential, and reorganization energies. Furthermore, the synthesized compounds were used to prepare thin films on the FTO substrate to evaluate the charge carrier mobility and other related device parameters with the help of I-V characteristic measurements.

Elucidation of the role of guanidinium incorporation in single-crystalline MAPbI3 perovskite on ion migration and activation energy.

Ion migration plays a significant role in the overall stability and power conversion efficiency of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). This process was found to be influenced by the compositional engineering of the A-site cation in the perovskite crystal structure. However, the effect of partial A-site cation substitution in a methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI3) perovskite on the ion migration process and its activation energy is not fully understood. Here we study the effect of a guanidinium (GUA) cation on the ion transport dynamics in the single crystalline GUAxMA1-xPbI3 perovskite composition using temperature-dependent electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). We find that the small substitution of MA with GUA decreases the activation energy for iodide ion migration in comparison to pristine MAPbI3. The presence of a large GUA cation in the 3D perovskite structure induces lattice enlargement, which perturbs the atomic interactions within the perovskite lattice. Consequently, the GUAxMA1-xPbI3 crystal exhibits a higher degree of hysteresis during current-voltage (J-V) measurements than the single-crystalline MAPbI3 counterpart. Our results provide the fundamental understanding of hysteresis, which is commonly observed in GUA-based PSCs and a general protocol for in-depth electrical characterization of perovskite single crystals.

Changes in the Electrical Characteristics of Perovskite Solar Cells with Aging Time.

The last decade has witnessed the impressive progress of perovskite solar cells (PSCs), with power conversion efficiency exceeding 25%. Nevertheless, the unsatisfactory device stability and current-voltage hysteresis normally observed with most PSCs under operational conditions are bottlenecks that hamper their further commercialization. Understanding the electrical characteristics of the device during the aging process is important for the design and development of effective strategies for the fabrication of stable PSCs. Herein, electrochemical impedance spectroscopical (IS) analyses are used to study the time-dependent electrical characteristics of PSC. We demonstrate that both the dark and light ideality factors are sensitive to aging time, indicating the dominant existence of trap-assisted recombination in the investigated device. By analyzing the capacitance versus frequency responses, we show that the low-frequency capacitance increases with increasing aging time due to the accumulation of charges or ions at the interfaces. These results are correlated with the observed hysteresis during the current-voltage measurement and provide an in-depth understanding of the degradation mechanism of PSCs with aging time.

Synthesis of benzimidazole-linked-1,3,4-oxadiazole carboxamides as GSK-3ß inhibitors with in vivo antidepressant activity.

Recent findings of potential implications of glycogen synthase kinase-3ß (GSK-3ß) dysfunction in psychiatric disorders like depression, have increased focus for development of GSK-3ß inhibitors with possible anti-depressant activity. Keeping this in view, we synthesized a series of benzimidazole-linked-1,3,4-oxadiazole carboxamides and evaluated them for in vitro GSK-3ß inhibition. Active compounds were investigated for in vivo antidepressant activity in Wistar rats. Docking studies of active compounds have also been performed. Among nineteen compounds synthesized, compounds 7a, 7r, 7j, and 7d exhibited significant potency against GSK-3ß in sub-micromolar range with IC50 values of 0.13 µM, 0.14 µM, 0.20 µM, 0.22 µM respectively and significantly reduced immobility time (antidepressant-like activity) in rats compared to control group. Docking study showed key interactions of these compounds with GSK-3ß. These compounds may thus serve as valuable candidates for subsequent development of effective drugs against depression and related disorders.

Photophysics of Dihydroquinazolinone Derivatives: Experimental and Theoretical Studies.

Herein, we report the synthesis of two dihydroquinazolinone derivative 2-(2-Hydroxy-naphthalen-1-yl)-2, 3-dihydro-1H-quinazolin-4-one (1) and 2-(3-Methyl-thiophen-2-yl)-2,3-dihydro-1H-quinazolin-4-one (2) by using 2-aminobenzamide, 2-hydroxybenzaldehyde and 3-methyl thiophene-2-carboxaldehyde. The synthesized compounds were characterized by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, FT-IR and its spectral, photophysical, intramolecular charge transfer characteristics were studied by absorption and emission spectroscopy. The synthesized compound exhibits significant changes in their photophysical properties depending on the solvent polarity. The observed bathochromic emission band and difference in Stokes shift on changing the polarity of the solvents clearly demonstrate the highly polar character of the excited state. The synthesized compounds were also studied by density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) to expose the reproducibility by computational means.

Synthesis of benzimidazole based thiadiazole and carbohydrazide conjugates as glycogen synthase kinase-3ß inhibitors with anti-depressant activity.

A series of benzimidazole based thiadiazole and carbohydrazide conjugates have been synthesized and evaluated for inhibition of glycogen synthase kinase-3ß and anti-depressant effect. Compounds 4f, 4j, 5b, 5g and 5i were found to be the most potent inhibitors of GSK-3ß in vitro amongst the twenty-five benzimidazole based thiadiazole and carbohydrazide conjugates synthesized. Compound 5i was also found to exhibit significant antidepressant activity in vivo at 50mg/kg, when compared to fluoxetine, a known antidepressant drug. The molecular docking studies revealed multiple hydrogen bond interactions by the synthesized compounds with various amino acid residues, viz, ASP-133, LYS-183, PRO-136, VAL-135, TYR-134, or LYS-60 at the GSK-3ß receptor site.

A Combined Experimental and Computational Investigation on Spectroscopic and Photophysical Properties of a Coumarinyl Chalcone.

Here, we synthesized a new coumarinyl chalcone derivative 3-[3-(3-Methyl-thiophen-2-yl)-acryloyl]-chromen-2-one (MTC) by simple and proficient method. A comprehensive study on the photophysics of a coumarinyl chalcone derivative having pi-conjugated potential chromophore system 3-[3-(3-Methyl-thiophen-2-yl)-acryloyl]-chromen-2-one (MTC) has been carried out spectroscopically. The electronic absorption and emission characteristic of MTC were studied in different protic and aprotic solvents using absorption and steady-state fluorescence techniques. The spectral behavior of this compound is found to be extremely sensitive to the polarity and hydrogen bonding nature of the solvent. The compound shows very strong solvent polarity dependent changes in their photophysical characteristics, namely, remarkable red shift in the emission spectra with increasing solvent polarity, change in Stokes shift, significant reduction in the fluorescence quantum yield; indicating that the fluorescence states of these compounds are of intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) character. The solvent effect on the photophysical parameters such as singlet absorption, molar absorptivity, oscillator strength, dipole moment, fluorescence spectra, and fluorescence quantum yield of the compound has been investigated in detail. The difference between the excited and ground state dipole moments (Δµ) were estimated from solvatochromic methods using Lippert-Mataga and Reichardt's correlations. The prepared compound was also studied by density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT). The results revealed that it could be easily reproduce by computational means.

Synthesis of pyrimidin-4-one-1,2,3-triazole conjugates as glycogen synthase kinase-3ß inhibitors with anti-depressant activity.

GSK-3 specific inhibitors are promising candidates for the treatment of devastating pathologies such as diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases and cancers. We have synthesized a library of pyrimidin-4-one-1,2,3-triazole conjugates using click-chemistry approach and evaluated them as glycogen synthase kinase-3ß inhibitors. Compounds 3g, 3j, 3n and 3r were found to be most potent among the eighteen pyrimidin-4-one-1,2,3-triazole conjugates synthesized and they were further evaluated for their in vivo anti-depressant activity. Compound 3n (2-((1-(3,4-dimethylphenyl)-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)methylthio)-3-methyl-6-phenylpyrimidin-4(3H)-one) exhibited the most potent inhibitory activity against GSK-3ß with IC50 value of 82nM and was also found to exhibit significant antidepressant activity at 50mg/kg, when compared with fluoxetine, a known antidepressant drug. The molecular docking studies were performed to elucidate the binding modes of the compounds with the GSK-3ß target and two crucial interactions namely, hydrogen bond formation with Val 135 and Lys 183 residues in the active site of GSK-3ß were observed.

How does hybrid bridging core modification enhance the nonlinear optical properties in donor-π-acceptor configuration? A case study of dinitrophenol derivatives.

This study spotlights the fundamental insights about the structure and static first hyperpolarizability (ß) of a series of 2,4-dinitrophenol derivatives (1-5), which are designed by novel bridging core modifications. The central bridging core modifications show noteworthy effects to modulate the optical and nonlinear optical properties in these derivatives. The derivative systems show significantly large amplitudes of first hyperpolarizability as compared to parent system 1, which are 4, 46, 66, and 90% larger for systems 2, 3, 4, and 5, respectively, at Moller-Plesset (MP2)/6-31G* level of theory. The static first hyperpolarizability and frequency dependent coupled-perturbed Kohn-Sham first hyperpolarizability are calculated by means of MP2 and density functional theory methods and compared with respective experimental values wherever possible. Using two-level model with full-set of parameters dependence of transition energy (ΔΕ), transition dipole moment (µ(0)) as well as change in dipole moment from ground to excited state (Δµ), the origin of increase in ß amplitudes is traced from the change in dipole moment from ground to excited state. The causes of change in dipole moments are further discovered through sum of Mulliken atomic charges and intermolecular charge transfer spotted in frontier molecular orbitals analysis. Additionally, analysis of conformational isomers and UV-Visible spectra has been also performed for all designed derivatives. Thus, our present investigation provides novel and explanatory insights on the chemical nature and origin of intrinsic nonlinear optical (NLO) properties of 2,4-dinitrophenol derivatives.

Design and Development of Bioceramic Based Functionalized PLGA Nanoparticles of Risedronate for Bone Targeting: In-vitro Characterization and Pharmacodynamic Evaluation.

PURPOSE: Bioceramic(Hydroxyapatite) based Poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) nanoparticles of Risedronate was prepared by dialysis method for bone-targeting. METHODS: Risedronate, a targeting moiety that has a strong affinity for bone, was conjugated to PLGA via carbodiimide chemistry. Mono-methoxy PEG(mPEG)-PLGA block polymers were synthesized and used to impart surface hydrophilicity to nanoparticles to avoid its uptake by reticuloendothelial system (RES). The structure of prepared di block copolymers were characterized by FT-IR and NMR spectrometry. Risedronate was adsorbed on the surface of hydroxyapatite (RIS-HA) and it was conjugated with different ratios of mPEG-PLGA. The formation of surface-modified PLGA nanoparticle prepared with various ratios of risedronate as well as hydroxyapatite and mPEG was confirmed by (1)H NMR and FT-IR spectrometry. RESULTS: Size and % entrapment of the prepared nanoparticle was found to be 79.3 ± 2.3 nm and 93 ± 3.1%. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed that mPEG-PLGA-RIS-HA nanoparticles possess smooth and uniform surface. Pharmacodynamic study was performed on Dexamethasone (DEX) induced osteoporotic model. The effect of various formulations (mPEG-PLGA-RIS, mPEG-PLGA-RIS-HA and RISOFOS tablet) on bone was studied by Volume bone density (VBD) and by histopathological evaluation. Interestingly mPEG-PLGA-RIS-HA, showed a significant enhancement in bone micro-architecture when compared with other formulations. CONCLUSIONS: The results strongly implicated that mPEG-PLGA-RIS-HA has a therapeutic benefits over risedronate sodium monotherapy for the treatment of osteoporosis in a rat model.

Diradical character and nonlinear optical properties of buckyferrocenes: focusing on the use of suitably modified fullerene fragments.

The buckyferrocenes, synthesized through face-to-face fusion of ferrocene and fullerene fragments (C60Me10), are expected to enjoy the rich scientific heritage of ferrocene and fullerene with an extensively large π-conjugation network between the two Fe atoms [Y. Matsuo, K. Tahara and E. Nakamura, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2006, 128, 7154]. However, the addition of pentamethyl groups at each end of the fullerene fragment breaks the π-conjugation path as well as metal-metal spin correlation between the two-ferrocene faces in a buckyferrocene. We found that the unblocking of π-conjugation from different positions in fullerene fragments have substantial effects on their topologies, spin densities, diradical characters as well as nonlinear optical (NLO) properties of these buckyferrocenes. We study the topological dependence of open-shell diradical character and second hyperpolarizability (γ), the third-order NLO properties at the molecular scale, in several buckyferrocenes. On the basis of their different diradical characters (yi), which are defined by the occupation number of the lowest unoccupied natural orbital (LUNO) + i (i = 0, 1,…), these buckyferrocenes are categorized into three groups, i.e., closed-shell (yi = 0), intermediate open-shell singlet (0 < yi < 1), and almost pure open-shell singlet (yi = 1) compounds. For example, we found that buckyferrocenes including (CpFe)2η(5)C60Me10 and (CpFe)2η(5)C70Me10 have closed-shell configurations. The buckyferrocenes (CpFe)2η(5)C60, (CpFe)2η(5)C70, (CpFe)2η(5)C70Me8, (CpFe)2η(5)C70Me4 and (CpFe)2η(5)C30 are intermediate open-shell singlet, while (CpFe)2η(5)C60Me4 and (CpFe)2η(5)C60Me8 are pure open-shell singlet complexes. Interestingly, the γzzzz amplitude of (CpFe)2η(5)C60, an open-shell intermediate diradical complex, is about 41 times and 13 times as large as those of its closed-shell ((CpFe)2η(5)C60Me10) and pure diradical ((CpFe)2η(5)C60Me8) counterparts, respectively. Similarly, the γzzzz amplitudes of (CpFe)2η(5)C70, (CpFe)2η(5)C70Me4, and (CpFe)2η(5)C70Me8 with intermediate diradical character are about 36, 17, and 9 times as large as that of their closed-shell (CpFe)2η(5)C70Me10 counterpart. The fact that larger γzzzz values are obtained for buckyferrocenes with intermediate diradical characters is in line with the "y-γ correlation" obtained from the valence configuration interaction (VCI) results for a two-site diradical model [M. Nakano, et al., Phys. Rev. Lett., 2007, 99, 033001] as well as for fullerene and graphene systems. The γzzzz density analysis shows that the large positive contributions originate from the large γzzzz density distributions on the upper- and lower-extended edges of the buckyferrocenes, between which significant spin polarizations appear within the spin-unrestricted DFT level of theory. These results demonstrate that such buckyferrocenes are potential candidates for a novel class of open-shell singlet NLO systems, where γzzzz values are modulated by tuning their diradical character through the use of suitably modified fullerene fragments.

Unplanned urbanization and health risks of Dhaka City in Bangladesh: uncovering the associations between urban environment and public health.

Background: Dhaka City, the capital of Bangladesh, has experienced rapid and unplanned urbanization over the past few decades. This process has brought significant challenges to public health as the urban environment has become a breeding ground for various health risks. Understanding the associations between unplanned urbanization, the urban environment, and public health in Dhaka City is crucial for developing effective interventions and policies. Objectives: This review paper aims to uncover the associations between unplanned urbanization and health risks in Dhaka City, with a specific focus on the urban environment and its impact on public health. The objectives of this study are to examine the health challenges faced by the city's population, explore the specific urban environmental factors contributing to health risks, analyze the socioeconomic determinants of health in unplanned urban areas, evaluate existing policies and governance structures, identify research and data gaps, and provide recommendations for future interventions. Methods: A comprehensive literature review was conducted to gather relevant studies, articles, reports, and policy documents related to unplanned urbanization, the urban environment, and public health in Dhaka City. Various databases and online resources were searched, and the selected literature was critically analyzed to extract key findings and insights. Results: The findings reveal that unplanned urbanization in Dhaka City has led to a range of public health risks, including air pollution, inadequate water and sanitation, poor waste management, overcrowding, slums, and substandard housing conditions. These environmental factors are strongly associated with respiratory diseases, waterborne illnesses, and other adverse health outcomes. Socioeconomic determinants such as poverty, income inequality, and limited access to healthcare further exacerbate the health risks faced by the urban population. Conclusion: Unplanned urbanization in Dhaka City has significant implications for public health. Addressing the associations between unplanned urbanization, the urban environment, and public health requires comprehensive policies and interventions. Improved urban planning, enhanced infrastructure, and better policy governance are essential for mitigating health risks. Furthermore, addressing socioeconomic disparities and ensuring equitable access to healthcare services are crucial components of effective interventions.

Probing the Low-Frequency Response of Impedance Spectroscopy of Halide Perovskite Single Crystals Using Machine Learning.

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) has emerged as a versatile technique for characterization and analysis of metal halide perovskite solar cells (PSCs). The crucial information about ion migration and carrier accumulation in PSCs can be extracted from the low-frequency regime of the EIS spectrum. However, lengthy measurement time at low frequencies along with material degradation due to prolonged exposure to light and bias motivates the use of machine learning (ML) in predicting the low-frequency response. Here, we have developed an ML model to predict the low-frequency response of the halide perovskite single crystals. We first synthesized high-quality MAPbBr3 single crystals and subsequently recorded the EIS spectra at different applied bias and illumination intensities to prepare the dataset comprising 8741 datapoints. The developed supervised ML model can predict the real and imaginary parts of the low-frequency EIS response with an R2 score of 0.981 and a root mean squared error (RMSE) of 0.0196 for the testing set. From the ground truth experimental data, it can be observed that negative capacitance prevails at a higher applied bias. Our developed model can closely predict the real and imaginary parts at a low frequency (50 Hz-300 mHz). Thus, our method makes recording of EIS more accessible and opens a new way in using the ML techniques for EIS.

Green Synthesis of Pristine and Ag-Doped TiO2 and Investigation of Their Performance as Photoanodes in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells.

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have emerged as a potential candidate for third-generation thin film solar energy conversion systems because of their outstanding optoelectronic properties, cost-effectiveness, environmental friendliness, and easy manufacturing process. The electron transport layer is one of the most essential components in DSSCs since it plays a crucial role in the device's greatest performance. Silver ions as a dopant have drawn attention in DSSC device applications because of their stability under ambient conditions, decreased charge recombination, increased efficient charge transfer, and optical, structural, and electrochemical properties. Because of these concepts, herein, we report the synthesis of pristine TiO2 using a novel green modified solvothermal simplistic method. Additionally, the prepared semiconductor nanomaterials, Ag-doped TiO2 with percentages of 1, 2, 3, and 4%, were used as photoanodes to enhance the device's performance. The obtained nanomaterials were characterized using XRD, FTIR, FE-SEM, EDS, and UV-vis techniques. The average crystallite size for pristine TiO2 and Ag-doped TiO2 with percentages of 1, 2, 3, and 4% was found to be 13 nm by using the highest intensity peaks in the XRD spectra. The Ag-doped TiO2 nanomaterials exhibited excellent photovoltaic activity as compared to pristine TiO2. The incorporation of Ag could assist in successful charge transport and minimize the charge recombination process. The DSSCs showed a Jsc of 8.336 mA/cm2, a Voc of 698 mV, and an FF of 0.422 with a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 2.45% at a Ag concentration of 4% under illumination of 100 mW/cm2 power with N719 dye, indicating an important improvement when compared to 2% Ag-doped (PCE of 0.97%) and pristine TiO2 (PCE of 0.62%).

ß Pore-forming Protein-based Evolutionary Divergence of Gnathostomata from Agnatha.

INTRODUCTION: The first vertebrates were jawless fish, or Agnatha, whose evolution diverged into jawed fish, or Gnathostomes, around 550 million years ago. METHODS: In this study, we investigated ß PFT proteins' evolutionary divergence of lamprey immune protein from Agnatha, reportedly possessing anti-cancer activity, into Dln1 protein from Gnathostomes. Both proteins showed structural and functional divergence, and shared evolutionary origin. Primary, secondary and tertiary sequences were compared to discover functional domains and conserved motifs in order to study the evolution of these two proteins. The structural and functional information relevant to evolutionary divergence was revealed using hydrophobic cluster analysis. RESULTS: The findings demonstrate that two membrane proteins with only a small degree of sequence identity can have remarkably similar hydropathy profiles, pointing towards conserved and similar global structures. When facing the lipid bilayer or lining the pore lumen, the two proteins' aerolysin domains' corresponding residues displayed a similar and largely conserved pattern. Aerolysin-like proteins from different species can be identified using a fingerprint created by PIPSA analysis of the pore-forming protein. CONCLUSION: We were able to fully understand the mechanism of action during pore formation through structural studies of these proteins.

Early and Sensitive Detection of Pathogens for Public Health and Biosafety: An Example of Surveillance and Genotyping of SARS-CoV-2 in Sewage Water by Cas12a-Facilitated Portable Plasmonic Biosensor.

Infectious diseases severely threaten public health and global biosafety. In addition to transmission through the air, pathogenic microorganisms have also been detected in environmental liquid samples, such as sewage water. Conventional biochemical detection methodologies are time-consuming and cost-ineffective, and their detection limits hinder early diagnosis. In the present study, ultrafine plasmonic fiber probes with a diameter of 125 µm are fabricated for clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated protein (CRISPR/Cas)-12a-mediated sensing of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Single-stranded DNA exposed on the fiber surface is trans-cleaved by the Cas12a enzyme to release gold nanoparticles that are immobilized onto the fiber surface, causing a sharp reduction in the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) wavelength. The proposed fiber probe is virus-specific with the limit of detection of ~2,300 copies/ml, and genomic copy numbers can be reflected as shifts in wavelengths. A total of 21 sewage water samples have been examined, and the data obtained are consistent with those of quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). In addition, the Omicron variant and its mutation sites have been fast detected using S gene-specific Cas12a. This study provides an accurate and convenient approach for the real-time surveillance of microbial contamination in sewage water.

2D MXenes Embedded Perovskite Hydrogels for Efficient and Stable Solar Evaporation.

Solar evaporation is a facile and promising technology to efficiently utilize renewable energy for freshwater production and seawater desalination. Here, the fabrication of self-regenerating hydrogel composed of 2D-MXenes nanosheets embedded in perovskite La 0.6Sr 0.4Co 0.2Fe 0.8O3- δ (LSCF)/polyvinyl alcohol hydrogels for efficient solar-driven evaporation and seawater desalination is reported. The mixed dimensional LSCF/Ti3C2 composite features a localized surface plasmonic resonance effect in the polymeric network of polyvinyl alcohol endows excellent evaporation rates (1.98 kg m-2 h-1) under 1 k Wm-2 or one sun solar irradiation ascribed by hydrophilicity and broadband solar absorption (96%). Furthermore, the long-term performance reveals smooth mass change (13.33 kg m-2) during 8 h under one sun. The composite hydrogel prompts the dilution of concentrated brines and redissolves it back to water (1.2 g NaCl/270 min) without impeding the evaporation rate without any salt-accumulation. The present research offers a substantial opportunity for solar-driven evaporation without any salt accumulation in real-life applications.