Evaluation of global research trends in photocatalytic degradation of dye effluents using scientometrics analysis.

Photocatalysis technology is observed to be an effective approach for its outstanding performance to eliminate wide range of organic pollutants including dyes in textile effluent. Despite growing number of studies, there is no scientometric perspective addressing the research topic "photocatalytic degradation of dye effluents". In this regard, a total of 954 documents were extracted from the Web of Science (WoS) database using keywords search to cover all the published documents during the period 1996-2020. Publications in this area started to increase exponentially from year 2007. The most dominant subject categories were Engineering, Chemistry and Environmental Science & Ecology. Applied Catalysis B-Environmental and Desalination & Water Treatment were identified as the most-impactful and productive journals respectively. Authors based in India accounted for 29.6% of total publications followed by China (14.2%); but in terms of citations Spain and Italy were more influential. Based on keyword analysis, azo dyes, TiO2, nanoparticles, adsorption, methylene blue, visible light, ZnO and kinetics are the most studied, and visible light mediated photocatalysis, hybrid treatment systems, nano based photocatalysis and more recently, metal based photocatalysis, have received most attention. Studies on cost and energy analysis, recovery of value-added products, development of more efficient photocatalytic materials and new photocatalyst regeneration approaches should be considered for future research. This study therefore, provides a comprehensive understanding about the trends and patterns of the specified research field worldwide.

Identifying global status and research hotspots of heavy metal remediation: A phase upgrade study.

Impact of heavy metal (HM) pollution and its understanding on environment as well as human beings has grown a lot during the last few decades. The goal of this study is to create a scientometric study on heavy metal contamination, in the period 1989 to 2020, in order to provide futuristic goals for the new researchers on wastewater treatment. For this, a search was conducted in the Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus databases, related to heavy metal pollution. Totally, 37,154 records were collected during the study period from 1989 to 2020. The findings revealed that China, the United States, and India has most referenced papers across a wide range of trans disciplinary issues such as toxicity, technology, and pollution. As a result, this study concludes that more research on various treatment methods is required in order to obtain high-quality water for consumption and routine activities, with the incorporation of various treatment tasks poses various challenges for the upcoming future studies.

Similar biologics in India: A story of access or potential for compromise?

Biosimilars or similar biotherapeutic products are the biological products approved by regulatory agencies based on the demonstration of similarity in quality, safety and efficacy with reference biologics (or original biologics). Though biosimilars could be considered as interchangeable therapeutic alternatives over original biologics, there are concerns regarding their similarity in effectiveness and safety with reference product along with the level of evidence of similarity required for approval. The biosimilars, particularly, monoclonal antibodies that are developed based on the complex manufacturing processes, require stringent comparative evaluations. The Indian Regulatory Authorities in July 2012 developed the first guidelines for approval of similar biologics, which comprised requirements for the manufacturing process, quality evaluation, preclinical and clinical studies, as well as post-marketing studies. The 2016 guidelines, an update to previous guidelines, were released with the intent to provide a well-defined pathway at par with international regulations for the approval of similar biologics in India. This article highlights the key attributes of the 2016 Regulatory Guidelines and also describes the aspects such as interchangeability, nomenclature and labelling of similar biologics in India. Rigorous consideration is imperative for highly complex similar biologics of monoclonal antibodies on a case-to-case basis.

Analgesic efficacy and safety of transdermal and oral diclofenac in postoperative pain management following dental implant placement.

The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of transdermal and oral routes of diclofenac for postoperative pain management in patients undergoing dental implant placement. Twenty systemically healthy, partially edentulous patients who required dental implants bilaterally in the mandibular first molar region were included. While the patient was under local anesthesia, an implant was placed in the mandibular first molar region of one quadrant. After a minimum of 4 weeks, an implant was placed in the contralateral quadrant under local anesthesia. Patients were prescribed 50 mg of oral diclofenac, taken twice daily for 3 days, following implant placement on the first side and a 100-mg diclofenac transdermal patch, placed once daily for 3 days, after surgery on the contralateral side. Postoperative pain was documented using the Numeric Rating Scale, Verbal Rating Scale, and Pain Relief Scale. Demographic, intraoperative, and postoperative characteristics were comparable in all the patients. The data obtained with the 3 subjective scales were analyzed by the Mann-Whitney test. No statistically significant differences in scores were discerned between the oral and transdermal routes of diclofenac delivery. None of the patients developed any adverse effects when using the transdermal patch, whereas 3 patients reported gastric irritation and a mild burning sensation when taking oral diclofenac. Thus, while the efficacy of transdermal and oral diclofenac for postoperative pain management was similar, the safety of the transdermal diclofenac patches was evidently superior. Further research with larger patient samples is necessary, but delivery of diclofenac through a transdermal route is a promising approach to the management of postoperative pain.

Comparative Study on Various Authentication Protocols in Wireless Sensor Networks.

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) consist of lightweight devices with low cost, low power, and short-ranged wireless communication. The sensors can communicate with each other to form a network. In WSNs, broadcast transmission is widely used along with the maximum usage of wireless networks and their applications. Hence, it has become crucial to authenticate broadcast messages. Key management is also an active research topic in WSNs. Several key management schemes have been introduced, and their benefits are not recognized in a specific WSN application. Security services are vital for ensuring the integrity, authenticity, and confidentiality of the critical information. Therefore, the authentication mechanisms are required to support these security services and to be resilient to distinct attacks. Various authentication protocols such as key management protocols, lightweight authentication protocols, and broadcast authentication protocols are compared and analyzed for all secure transmission applications. The major goal of this survey is to compare and find out the appropriate protocol for further research. Moreover, the comparisons between various authentication techniques are also illustrated.

Development of sensor system and data analytic framework for non-invasive blood glucose prediction.

Periodic quantification of blood glucose levels is performed using painful, invasive methods. The proposed work presents the development of a noninvasive glucose-monitoring device with two sensors, i.e., finger and wrist bands. The sensor system was designed with a near-infrared (NIR) wavelength of 940 nm emitter and a 900-1700 nm detector. This study included 101 diabetic and non-diabetic volunteers. The obtained dataset was subjected to pre-processing, exploratory data analysis (EDA), data visualization, and integration methods. Ambiguities such as the effects of skin color, ambient light, and finger pressure on the sensor were overcome in the proposed 'niGLUC-2.0v'. niGLUC-2.0v was validated with performance metrics where accuracy of 99.02%, mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.15, mean square error (MSE) of 0.22 for finger, and accuracy of 99.96%, MAE of 0.06, MSE of 0.006 for wrist prototype with ridge regression (RR) were achieved. Bland-Altman analysis was performed, where 98% of the data points were within ± 1.96 standard deviation (SD), 100% were under zone A of the Clarke Error Grid (CEG), and statistical analysis showed p < 0.05 on evaluated accuracy. Thus, niGLUC-2.0v is suitable in the medical and personal care fields for continuous real-time blood glucose monitoring.

Wound healing activities of PVA-urea composites from Ormocarpum cochinchinense.

The aim of this work is to prepare ternary blended polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-urea hydrogels containing Ormocarpum cochinchinense, Cinnamomum zeylanicum and antibiotic cephalexin by freezing-thawing method in order to assess the wound healing qualities. In addition to being a synthetic polymer, PVA is a recyclable and biocompatible artificial polymer blend that has attracted a lot of interest in biological applications. The freezing-thawing process with PVA-urea blend is used to make hydrogel film. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and swelling investigations were carried out for the composite membranes. Biological studies involving antibacterial, antifungal, cytotoxicity and wound healing activities were also carried out for the composite membranes. The composite membrane developed has a lot of potential for wound dressing and other applications.

Trimethyl-ammonium 2,6-dioxo-5-(2,4,6-trinitro-phen-yl)-1,2,3,6-tetra-hydro-pyrimidin-4-olate.

IN THE TITLE BARBITURATE SALT (TRIVIAL NAME: trimethyl-ammonium 2,4,6-trinitro-phenyl-barbiturate), C(3)H(10)N(+)·C(10)H(4)N(5)O(9) (-), the asymmetric unit contains two sets of anion-cation moieties. The dihedral angle between the rings in the anions are 44.0 (3) and 45.7 (3)°. Adjacent anions are connected into ribbons along [100] through R(2) (2)(8) ring motifs formed by N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds involving the barbiturate rings. Attached to both sides of these ribbons via N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds are the trimethyl-ammonium cations. C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds are also observed.

Identification of Stable and Multiple Environment Interaction QTLs and Candidate Genes for Fiber Productive Traits Under Irrigated and Water Stress Conditions Using Intraspecific RILs of Gossypium hirsutum var. MCU5 X TCH1218.

Cotton productivity under water-stressed conditions is controlled by multiple quantitative trait loci (QTL). Enhancement of these productivity traits under water deficit stress is crucial for the genetic improvement of upland cotton, Gossypium hirsutum. In the present study, we constructed a genetic map with 504 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) covering a total span length of 4,416 cM with an average inter-marker distance of 8.76 cM. A total of 181 intra-specific recombinant inbred lines (RILs) were derived from a cross between G. hirsutum var. MCU5 and TCH1218 were used. Although 2,457 polymorphic SNPs were detected between the parents using the CottonSNP50K assay, only 504 SNPs were found to be useful for the construction of the genetic map. In the SNP genotyping, a large number of SNPs showed either >20% missing data, duplication, or segregation distortion. However, the mapped SNPs of this study showed collinearity with the physical map of the reference genome (G. hirsutum var.TM-1), indicating that there was no chromosomal rearrangement within the studied mapping population. RILs were evaluated under multi-environments and seasons for which the phenotypic data were acquired. A total of 53 QTL controlling plant height (PH), number of sympodial branches, boll number (BN), and boll weight (BW) were dissected by QTL analysis under irrigated and water stress conditions. Additionally, it was found that nine QTL hot spots not only co-localized for more than one investigated trait but were also stable with major QTL, i.e., with > 10% of phenotypic variation. One QTL hotspot on chromosome 22 flanked by AX-182254626-AX-182264770 with a span length of 89.4 cM co-localized with seven major and stable QTL linked to a number of sympodial branches both under irrigated and water stress conditions. In addition, putative candidate genes associated with water stress in the QTL hotspots were identified. Besides, few QTL from the hotspots were previously reported across various genetic architects in cotton validating the potential applications of these identified QTL for cotton breeding and improvement. Thus, the major and stable QTL identified in the present study would improve the cotton productivity under water-limited environments through marker-assisted selection.

Triethyl-ammonium [2-eth-oxy-carbonyl-2-(2-methyl-benz-yl)-6,9-dinitro-3-oxo-bicyclo-[3.3.1]non-6-en-8-yl-idene]azinate.

In the title salt, C(6)H(16)N(+)·C(20)H(20)N(3)O(9) (-), the cations and anions are connected by N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds. The structure is consolidated by weak C-H⋯O inter-actions.

Methyl 2,2-bis-(2,4-dinitro-phen-yl)ethano-ate.

In the title compound, C(15)H(10)N(4)O(10), the dihedral angle between the aromatic rings is 89.05 (16)°. One O atom of one of the nitro groups is disordered over two sites in a 0.70:0.30 ratio. In the crystal, the mol-ecules are linked by weak C-H⋯O inter-actions.

Influence of Titania Nanotubes Diameter on Its Antibacterial Efficacy against Periodontal Pathogens: An In vitro Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Peri implant infection in dental implantology is a frequently encountered clinical problem. Titania nanotubes (TNTs) are recent improvement in surface characterization, showing promising results. AIM: The nanosurface parameter tweaking has been implicated with profound change in the microbiological and biological response. Hence, it was proposed that alteration in the nanotube diameter could have positive influence in its antibacterial activity against salient periodontal pathogens. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Commercially, pure titanium discs of 8-mm diameter and 1.5-mm thickness were prepared. Polished titanium discs were used as control (Group A). Vertically oriented, structured TNTs were fabricated by anodization technique and grouped as B and C, having nanotube diameter, 40 and 80 nm subsequently. The surface characterizations of the samples were done by scanning electron microscope analysis. The antibacterial activity was evaluated with the bacterial colony counting method, at 24 h, 72 h, and 1-week intervals. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: The one-way analysis of variance and Tukey's honest significance post hoc test were employed to assess the statistical significance. RESULTS: The 80 nm nanotubes showed better antibacterial activity comparatively, at all three-time intervals investigated. CONCLUSION: The optimal TNT diameter of 80 nm was the most effective from an antimicrobial stand point of view.

Evaluation of Long-term Stability of Secondary Alveolar Bone Grafts in Cleft Palate Patients Using Multislice Computed Tomography and Three-Dimensional Printed Models: A Prospective Study.

AIM: Three-dimensional (3D) printed models are contemporary volumetric bone graft assessment technique for secondary alveolar bone grafting (SABG) in cleft lip and palate (CLP) patients. The study aimed at evaluation of long-term stability of iliac autograft in SABG using multislice computed tomography (CT) and 3D-printed model-based volumetric analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-eight patients were included in this prospective clinical study. CT image (T1) was taken after orthodontic maxillary expansion, correlating with the presurgical image. Furthermore, 3D-printed model was prepared, and volumetric assessment of graft needed was ascertained with water displacement technique. SABG was carried on with the anterior iliac crest autografting procedure. After 1-year follow-up, postoperative CT analysis (T2) was followed upon. RESULTS: The stability of bone graft at the 1-year postoperative was found to be 43.74% with mean bone loss of 56.26% (95% confidence interval; P < 0.005). The moderate scale of CLP cases has shown statistically significant bone stability compared to that of severe and mild cases. Furthermore, the 3D-printed model has shown a significant difference to that of T1 CT imaging (P < 0.005). CONCLUSION: Within the limitations of the study, it seems appropriate to conclude that 3D-printed models serves as better reference than CT imaging in the context of planning and execution of precise bone grafting in SABG.

Patient-centered comparative outcome analysis of platelet-rich fibrin-reinforced vestibular incision subperiosteal tunnel access technique and Zucchelli's technique.

BACKGROUND: Multiple gingival recession (MGR) coverage, especially in esthetic area, demands a high patient satisfaction. Coronally advanced flap modifications, namely Zucchelli's technique (ZT) and vestibular incision subperiosteal tunnel access (VISTA), are techniques, recommended in the correction of MGR. AIM: The purpose was to comparatively analyze the ZT and VISTA technique reinforced with the platelet-rich fibrin membrane in the management of MGR. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This split-mouth, randomized study comprised 16 consenting, systemically healthy participants. The bilateral Miller's multiple class I and II lesions were managed with ZT and VISTA technique and had a follow-up period of 18 months. Gingival thickness (GT), mean percentage of root coverage, and patient-centered outcome scales, including patient comfort score, patient esthetic score, and hypersensitivity score, were the primary outcome measures. Further clinical parameters assessed were gingival index, probing depth, clinical attachment level, and width of keratinized gingiva. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS AND RESULTS: Paired t-test and unpaired t-test were used for intragroup comparison and intergroup analysis, respectively. While both the techniques exhibited high root coverage percentage (VISTA: 93.95% and ZT: 96.84%), statistically significant difference was noted with patient esthetic score and surgical mortality score in VISTA. CONCLUSION: Both ZT and VISTA were effective in terms of root coverage and GT augmentation in MGR management. From the patient's perspective, they preferred VISTA technique over ZT, stating its minimal postoperative morbidity and improved esthetic outcome. Hence, within the limitations of this study, the VISTA technique was found to be a superior alternative compared to that of ZT in MGR management.

A feed-forward repression mechanism anchors the Sin3/histone deacetylase and N-CoR/SMRT corepressors on chromatin.

Transcription in eukaryotes is governed in part by histone acetyltransferase (HAT)- and histone deacetylase (HDAC)-containing complexes that are recruited via activators and repressors, respectively. Here, we show that the Sin3/HDAC and N-CoR/SMRT corepressor complexes repress transcription from histone H3- and/or H4-acetylated nucleosomal templates in vitro. Repression of histone H3-acetylated templates was completely dependent on the histone deacetylase activity of the corepressor complexes, whereas this activity was not required to repress H4-acetylated templates. Following deacetylation, both complexes become stably anchored in a repressor-independent manner to nucleosomal templates containing hypoacetylated histone H3, but not H4, resulting in dominance of repression over activation. The observed stable anchoring of corepressor complexes casts doubt on the view of a dynamic balance between readily exchangeable HAT and HDAC activities regulating transcription and implies that pathways need to be in place to actively remove HDAC complexes from hypoacetylated promoters to switch on silent genes.

N-[Morpholino(phen-yl)meth-yl]benzamide.

The title compound, C(18)H(20)N(2)O(2), crystallizes with two mol-ecules in the asymmetric unit. The morpholine rings of both mol-ecules adopt chair conformations. The crystal structure is stabilized by inter-molecular N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds. One phenyl ring is disordered over two orientations in a 0.665 (5):0.335 (5) ratio.

Characterization and in vivo evaluation of sol-gel derived hydroxyapatite coatings on Ti6Al4V substrates.

Hydroxyapatite (HAP) based coatings on titanium alloy Ti6Al4V were attempted by sol-gel process. Precursor sol was dip-coated onto the substrates and the formation of HAP as the main phase was ensured after the sintering of coatings at 900 degrees C, as confirmed by the characterization studies involving XRD, FT-IR, Raman, and SEM-EDXS analysis. The biocompatibility of HAP-based coated titanium implants was tested by implantation studies in rabbit's tibia for a period of 8 weeks. Bone remodelling and inflammatory responses of the implants were studied during the implantation period. The better tissue-implant interaction of the coated implants with respect to the uncoated implants was observed after a defect healing period of 8 weeks. A coated implant with no evidence of rejection is a further advantage of the sol-gel derived HAP coating.

Nucleosomes in solution exist as a mixture of twist-defect states.

The 2.0 A crystal structure of a nucleosome core particle in complex with a bivalent pyrrole-imidazole polyamide reveals that this "clamp" effectively crossbraces the two gyres of the DNA superhelix, thereby stabilizing the nucleosome against dissociation. Using X-ray crystallography and footprinting techniques, we show that the clamp preferentially binds nucleosomes over free DNA, and that nucleosomal DNA exists as a mixture of multiple twist-defect intermediates in solution. The nucleosomes exist in one of two different conformations in various crystal structures that trap twist-defect intermediates, even on a strong positioning sequence. Evidence has been obtained supporting the existence of twist-defect states in nucleosomal DNA in solution that are similar to those obtained in crystal structures. Our results also substantiate the idea that twist diffusion may represent an important means of altering the accessibility of nucleosomal DNA both in the presence and in the absence of ATP-dependent chromatin-remodelling enzymes.

Assessment of interns and postgraduate dental student's knowledge regarding equipment ergonomics.

CONTEXT: The substantial knowledge concerning ergonomics and its practical application is vital for forestalling musculoskeletal disorders. The role of equipment ergonomics (EE) in preventing these work-related ailments is significantly noteworthy. AIM: The aim of the study was to assess the prevailing perception of postgraduates (PGs) and interns regarding EE and preparing the Indian dental workforce for the challenges of India's growing economy and population. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: Authors conducted a cross-sectional survey between December 2013 and February 2014 amidst the interns and PG dental students of Davangere city, Karnataka, India. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The data were collected using 21-item custom designed proforma, comprising of questions evaluating student's basic knowledge about EE. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Statistical analysis was done using Chi-square test in each group (PGs and interns) and Mann-Whitney test was implemented for comparison between both groups. RESULTS: Of 358 subjects surveyed, 48% PGs and 52% interns affirmed that they came across EE only through this survey. In addition, 91.18% of PGs and 90.59% interns believed that the accentuation on EE is less in the current dental curriculum. CONCLUSIONS: Comprehensive understanding and practical application of EE among the participants was found to be lacking. The importance of microbreaks and chair side exercises should be emphasized and training should be initiated at an early stage before improper postural habits develop.