Advances in two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides-based sensors for environmental, food, and biomedical analysis: A review.

Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) are versatile two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials used in biosensing applications due to their excellent physical and chemical properties. Due to biomaterial target properties, biosensors' most significant challenge is improving their sensitivity and stability. In environmental analysis, TMDCs have demonstrated exceptional pollutant detection and removal capabilities. Their high surface area, tunable electronic properties, and chemical reactivity make them ideal for sensors and adsorbents targeting various contaminants, including heavy metals, organic pollutants, and emerging contaminants. Furthermore, their unique electronic and optical properties enable sensitive detection techniques, enhancing our ability to monitor and mitigate environmental pollution. In the food analysis, TMDCs-based nanomaterials have shown remarkable potential in ensuring food safety and quality. These nanomaterials exhibit high specificity and sensitivity for detecting contaminants, pathogens, and adulterants in various food matrices. Their integration into sensor platforms enables rapid and on-site analysis, reducing the reliance on centralized laboratories and facilitating timely interventions in the food supply chain. In biomedical studies, TMDCs-based nanomaterials have demonstrated significant strides in diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Their biocompatibility, surface functionalization versatility, and photothermal properties have paved the way for novel disease detection, drug delivery, and targeted therapy approaches. Moreover, TMDCs-based nanomaterials have shown promise in imaging modalities, providing enhanced contrast and resolution for various medical imaging techniques. This article provides a comprehensive overview of 2D TMDCs-based biosensors, emphasizing the growing demand for advanced sensing technologies in environmental, food, and biomedical analysis.

Exploring a facile preparation method for Co-Ni/MoS2-derived nanohybrid from wheat straw extract and its physicochemical properties.

This study presents a novel approach for the fabrication of a Co,Ni/MoS2-derived nanohybrid material using wheat straw extract. The facile synthesis method involves a sol-gel process, followed by calcination, showcasing the potential of agricultural waste as a sustainable reducing and chelating reagent. The as-prepared nanohybrid has been characterized using different techniques to analyse its physicochemical properties. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the successful synthesis of the nanohybrid material, identifying the presence of NiMoO4, CoSO4 and Mo17O47 as its components. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy differentiated the functional groups present in the wheat straw biomass and those in the nanohybrid material, highlighting the formation of metal-oxide and sulphide bonds. Scanning electron microscopy revealed a heterogeneous morphology with agglomerated structures and a grain size of around 70 nm in the nanohybrid. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis shows the composition of elements with weight percentages of (Mo) 9.17%, (S) 6.21%, (Co) 12.48%, (Ni) 12.18% and (O) 50.46% contributing to its composition. Electrochemical analysis performed through cyclic voltammetry showcased the exceptional performance of the nanohybrid material as compared with MoS2, suggesting its possible applications for designing biosensors and related technologies. Thus, the research study presented herein underscores the efficient utilization of natural resources for the development of functional nanomaterials with promising applications in various fields. This study paves a way for manufacturing innovation along with advancement of novel synthesis method for sustainable nanomaterial for future technological developments.

Non-Enzymatic Glucose Sensors Composed of Polyaniline Nanofibers with High Electrochemical Performance.

The measurement of glucose concentration is a fundamental daily care for diabetes patients, and therefore, its detection with accuracy is of prime importance in the field of health care. In this study, the fabrication of an electrochemical sensor for glucose sensing was successfully designed. The electrode material was fabricated using polyaniline and systematically characterized using scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and UV-visible spectroscopy. The polyaniline nanofiber-modified electrode showed excellent detection ability for glucose with a linear range of 10 µM to 1 mM and a detection limit of 10.6 µM. The stability of the same electrode was tested for 7 days. The electrode shows high sensitivity for glucose detection in the presence of interferences. The polyaniline-modified electrode does not affect the presence of interferences and has a low detection limit. It is also cost-effective and does not require complex sample preparation steps. This makes it a potential tool for glucose detection in pharmacy and medical diagnostics.

Prevalence of pediatric sepsis in hospitalized children of Maiwand Teaching Hospital, Kabul, Afghanistan.

BACKGROUND: Sepsis is a clinical syndrome associated with a systemic reaction to infection that is seen as a bacteremia with systemic symptoms. Sepsis is one of the most important problems in children and is associated with many deaths, so recognizing this disease and it's causing factors and identifying the predisposing factors for it is of great importance. Globally, the prevalence and occurrences of sepsis and septic shock are increasing, while the incidence of deaths from them has decreased with the improvement of diagnostic and treatment facilities. According to a 2015 World Health Organization report, approximately 5.9 million children under 5 years old have lost their lives due to sepsis worldwide, the majority of which have occurred in developing countries. METHODS: This study was conducted in the pediatric department of Maiwand Teaching Hospital (MTH) in 2020 as a descriptive cross-sectional study. All children who were admitted to the pediatric department of Maiwand Teaching Hospital during 2020 were included in the research. Among them, the prevalence of sepsis in children with respect to age and sex was studied. The study included children over the age of 28 days who were admitted to the Maiwand Teaching Hospital pediatrics department in 2020. However, in this study, patients have been categorized into five categories according to age: less than two months, two months to one year, one to three years, three to five years old, and older than five years old. RESULTS: This study was conducted in the pediatric department of Maiwand Teaching Hospital in 2020 as a descriptive cross-sectional study, and it was found that the prevalence of sepsis in children who were admitted to the pediatric department at this year was 50.5%, including the highest prevalence in males (65.75%) and at the age of two months to one year (37.9%). In this study, it was found that the prevalence of sepsis was higher (88.46%) among urban children than children who were living in villages (11.53%). In this study, the mortality rate was 2.44% for patients admitted to Maiwand Teaching Hospital. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, it was found that the prevalence of sepsis was 50.5% in children admitted to the pediatrics department of Maiwand Teaching Hospital, of whom 67.75% were boys, 37.94% were aged two months to three years old, and it was more prevalent (88.46%) among children living in cities. The mortality rate was 2.44%.

A challenging high-risk surgery for necrotizing pneumonia in a right bilobed lung.

BACKGROUND: Necrotizing pneumonia is rare in children and is one of the most serious complications of a lung infection caused by antibiotic failure. We present a 12-year-old leukopenic child with a long-lasting lung infection, presenting as having a lung hydatid cyst, but diagnosing with necrotizing pneumonia in the right bilobed lung. Failure to medical treatment and ongoing leukopenia justified surgical intervention with positive results. CASE PRESENTATION: The patient was referred to our teaching hospital's pediatric surgery department. He had previously been diagnosed with intestinal tuberculosis (TB) and received anti-TB treatment. On referral to our hospital, the patient was suffering from restlessness, frequent coughing, fever, vomiting, and diarrhea. Following the completion of the clinical work-up, a blood test revealed leukopenia (white blood cell count of 2100/microliter), a normal platelet count, and a lesion in the right lung. Computerized tomography scanning (CT-Scan) image reported a lung hydatid cyst. In the pediatrics ward, a broad-spectrum antibiotics regimen with triple-antibiotic therapy (linezolid, vancomycin, and metronidazole) was instituted and continued for a week with no response, but worsening of the condition. In the pediatric surgery ward, our decision for surgical intervention was due to the failure of medical treatment because of a pulmonary lesion. Our team performed right lung upper lobe anterior segment wedge resection due to necrotizing pneumonia and followed the patient 45 days post-operation with a reasonable result. CONCLUSION: Living in remote rural areas with low resources and inaccessibility to proper and specialized diagnostic and treatment centers will all contribute to an improper diagnosis and treatment of lung infection. In total, all of these will increase the morbidity and mortality due to lung necrosis in the pediatric population, regardless of their age. In low-resource facilities, high-risk patients can benefit from surgical intervention to control the ongoing infection process.

Deep Learning-Based Quantitative Assessment of Melamine and Cyanuric Acid in Pet Food Using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy.

Melamine and its derivative, cyanuric acid, are occasionally added to pet meals because of their nitrogen-rich qualities, leading to the development of several health-related issues. A nondestructive sensing technique that offers effective detection must be developed to address this problem. In conjunction with machine learning and deep learning technique, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy was employed in this investigation for the nondestructive quantitative measurement of eight different concentrations of melamine and cyanuric acid added to pet food. The effectiveness of the one-dimensional convolutional neural network (1D CNN) technique was compared with that of partial least squares regression (PLSR), principal component regression (PCR), and a net analyte signal (NAS)-based methodology, called hybrid linear analysis (HLA/GO). The 1D CNN model developed for the FT-IR spectra attained correlation coefficients of 0.995 and 0.994 and root mean square error of prediction values of 0.090% and 0.110% for the prediction datasets on the melamine- and cyanuric acid-contaminated pet food samples, respectively, which were superior to those of the PLSR and PCR models. Therefore, when FT-IR spectroscopy is employed in conjunction with a 1D CNN model, it serves as a potentially rapid and nondestructive method for identifying toxic chemicals added to pet food.

Identification of Early Heat and Water Stress in Strawberry Plants Using Chlorophyll-Fluorescence Indices Extracted via Hyperspectral Images.

Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch) plants are vulnerable to climatic change. The strawberry plants suffer from heat and water stress eventually, and the effects are reflected in the development and yields. In this investigation, potential chlorophyll-fluorescence-based indices were selected to detect the early heat and water stress in strawberry plants. The hyperspectral images were used to capture the fluorescence reflectance in the range of 500 nm-900 nm. From the hyperspectral cube, the region of interest (leaves) was identified, followed by the extraction of eight chlorophyll-fluorescence indices from the region of interest (leaves). These eight chlorophyll-fluorescence indices were analyzed deeply to identify the best indicators for our objective. The indices were used to develop machine-learning models to assess the performance of the indicators by accuracy assessment. The overall procedure is proposed as a new workflow for determining strawberry plants' early heat and water stress. The proposed workflow suggests that by including all eight indices, the random-forest classifier performs well, with an accuracy of 94%. With this combination of the potential indices, namely the red-edge vegetation stress index (RVSI), chlorophyll B (Chl-b), pigment-specific simple ratio for chlorophyll B (PSSRb), and the red-edge chlorophyll index (CIREDEDGE), the gradient-boosting classifier performs well, with an accuracy of 91%. The proposed workflow works well with a limited number of training samples which is an added advantage.

Multispectral Wavebands Selection for the Detection of Potential Foreign Materials in Fresh-Cut Vegetables.

Ensuring the quality of fresh-cut vegetables is the greatest challenge for the food industry and is equally as important to consumers (and their health). Several investigations have proven the necessity of advanced technology for detecting foreign materials (FMs) in fresh-cut vegetables. In this study, the possibility of using near infrared spectral analysis as a potential technique was investigated to identify various types of FMs in seven common fresh-cut vegetables by selecting important wavebands. Various waveband selection methods, such as the weighted regression coefficient (WRC), variable importance in projection (VIP), sequential feature selection (SFS), successive projection algorithm (SPA), and interval PLS (iPLS), were used to investigate the optimal multispectral wavebands to classify the FMs and vegetables. The application of selected wavebands was further tested using NIR imaging, and the results showed good potentiality by identifying 99 out of 107 FMs. The results indicate the high applicability of the multispectral NIR imaging technique to detect FMs in fresh-cut vegetables for industrial application.

High-Throughput Phenotyping Approach for the Evaluation of Heat Stress in Korean Ginseng (Panax ginseng Meyer) Using a Hyperspectral Reflectance Image.

Panax ginseng has been used as a traditional medicine to strengthen human health for centuries. Over the last decade, significant agronomical progress has been made in the development of elite ginseng cultivars, increasing their production and quality. However, as one of the significant environmental factors, heat stress remains a challenge and poses a significant threat to ginseng plants' growth and sustainable production. This study was conducted to investigate the phenotype of ginseng leaves under heat stress using hyperspectral imaging (HSI). A visible/near-infrared (Vis/NIR) and short-wave infrared (SWIR) HSI system were used to acquire hyperspectral images for normal and heat stress-exposed plants, showing their susceptibility (Chunpoong) and resistibility (Sunmyoung and Sunil). The acquired hyperspectral images were analyzed using the partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) technique, combining the variable importance in projection and successive projection algorithm methods. The correlation of each group was verified using linear discriminant analysis. The developed models showed 12 bands over 79.2% accuracy in Vis/NIR and 18 bands with over 98.9% accuracy at SWIR in validation data. The constructed beta-coefficient allowed the observation of the key wavebands and peaks linked to the chlorophyll, nitrogen, fatty acid, sugar and protein content regions, which differentiated normal and stressed plants. This result shows that the HSI with the PLS-DA technique significantly differentiated between the heat-stressed susceptibility and resistibility of ginseng plants with high accuracy.

Chemosensitization of HT29 and HT29-5FU Cell Lines by a Combination of a Multi-Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor and 5FU Downregulates ABCC1 and Inhibits PIK3CA in Light of Their Importance in Saudi Colorectal Cancer.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains one of the main causes of death worldwide and in Saudi Arabia. The toxicity and the development of resistance against 5 fluorouracil 5FU pose increasing therapeutic difficulties, which necessitates the development of personalized drugs and drug combinations. OBJECTIVES: First, to determine the most important kinases and kinase pathways, and the amount of ABC transporters and KRAS in samples taken from Saudi CRC patients. Second, to investigate the chemosensitizing effect of LY294002 and HAA2020 and their combinations with 5FU on HT29, HT29-5FU, HCT116, and HCT116-5FU CRC cells, their effect on the three ABC transporters, cell cycle, and apoptosis, in light of the important kinase pathways resulting from the first part of this study. METHODS: The PamChip® peptide micro-array profiling was used to determine the level of kinase and targets in the Saudi CRC samples. Next, RT-PCR, MTT cytotoxicity, Western blotting, perturbation of cell cycle, annexin V, and immunofluorescence assays were used to investigate the effect on CRC, MRC5, and HUVEC cells. RESULTS: The kinase activity profiling highlighted the importance of the PI3K/AKT, MAPK, and the growth factors pathways in the Saudi CRC samples. PIK3CA was the most overexpressed, and it was associated with increased level of mutated KRAS and the three ABC transporters, especially ABCC1 in the Saudi samples. Next, combining HAA2020 with 5FU exhibited the best synergistic and resistance-reversal effect in the four CRC cells, and the highest selectivity indices compared to MRC5 and HUVEC normal cells. Additionally, HAA2020 with 5FU exerted significant inhibition of ABCC1 in the four CRC cells, and inhibition of PIK3CA/AKT/MAPK7/ERK in HT29 and HT29-5FU cells. The combination also inhibited EGFR, increased the preG1/S cell cycle phases, apoptosis, and caspase 8 in HT29 cells, while it increased the G1 phase, p21/p27, and apoptosis in HT29-5FU cells. CONCLUSION: We have combined the PamChip kinase profiling of Saudi CRC samples with in vitro drug combination studies in four CRC cells, highlighting the importance of targeting PIK3CA and ABCC1 for Saudi CRC patients, especially given that the overexpression of PIK3CA mutations was previously linked with the lack of activity for the anti-EGFRs as first line treatment for CRC patients. The combination of HAA2020 and 5FU has selectively sensitized the four CRC cells to 5FU and could be further studied.

Concurrent validity of the Arabic version of General Medication Adherence Scale using two validated indirect adherences measures in Saudi patients with non-communicable diseases.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the concurrent validity of the Arabic version of the General Medication Adherence Scale (GMAS) using two validated scales namely Adherence to Refills and Medications Scale (ARMS) and Medication Adherence Rating Scale (MARS) in Saudi patients with non-communicable diseases. METHODS: A cross sectional study was conducted for 2 months in out-patient departments at a tertiary care hospital in Khobar, Saudi Arabia. The study collected data from patients with chronic illnesses through convenience sampling. Pearson correlation (ρ) was conducted to report concurrent validity of GMAS. A correlation coefficient value ≥ 0.5 with p-value < 0.01 was considered threshold for establishing concurrent validity. The study was approved by an ethics committee (IRB-2019-05-002). RESULTS: A total of 406 patients responded to the study. The average age was 42.4 ± 5.94 years, and most patients were females (53.7%), married (70%), graduates (65.3%), employed (39.9%) and, had a monthly family income > SAR 10,000, i.e., USD 2666.2 (56.4%). The mean adherence scores obtained from MARS, ARMS and GMAS were 7.09, 19.9, and 27.4. The correlation (ρ) between GMAS and MARS scores was 0.65, and between GMAS and ARMS scores was -0.79, p < 0.01 for both comparisons. CONCLUSION: The concurrent validity of GMAS-AR was established in this study that would further substantiate psychometric properties of the scale in this population.

Hyperspectral Shortwave Infrared Image Analysis for Detection of Adulterants in Almond Powder with One-Class Classification Method.

The widely used techniques for analyzing the quality of powdered food products focus on targeted detection with a low-throughput screening of samples. Owing to potentially significant health threats and large-scale adulterations, food regulatory agencies and industries require rapid and non-destructive analytical techniques for the detection of unexpected compounds present in products. Accordingly, shortwave-infrared hyperspectral imaging (SWIR-HSI) for high throughput authenticity analysis of almond powder was investigated in this study. Two different varieties of almond powder, adulterated with apricot and peanut powder at different concentrations, were imaged using the SWIR-HSI system. A one-class classifier technique, known as data-driven soft independent modeling of class analogy (DD-SIMCA), was used on collected data sets of pure and adulterated samples. A partial least square regression (PLSR) model was further developed to predict adulterant concentrations in almond powder. Classification results from DD-SIMCA yielded 100% sensitivity and 89-100% specificity for different validation sets of adulterated samples. The results obtained from the PLSR analysis yielded a high determination coefficient (R2) and low error values (<1%) for each variety of almond powder adulterated with apricot; however, a relatively higher error rates of 2.5% and 4.4% for the two varieties of almond powder adulterated with peanut powder, which indicates the performance of quantitative analysis model could vary with sample condition, such as variety, originality, etc. PLSR-based concentration mapped images visually characterized the adulterant (apricot) concentration in the almond powder. These results demonstrate that the SWIR-HSI technique combined with the one-class classifier DD-SIMCA can be used effectively for a high-throughput quality screening of almond powder regarding potential adulteration.

Improvement in Purity of Healthy Tomato Seeds Using an Image-Based One-Class Classification Method.

The feasibility of a color machine vision technique with the one-class classification method was investigated for the quality assessment of tomato seeds. The health of seeds is an important quality factor that affects their germination rate, which may be affected by seed contamination. Hence, segregation of healthy seeds from diseased and infected seeds, along with foreign materials and broken seeds, is important to improve the final yield. In this study, a custom-built machine vision system containing a color camera with a white light emitting diode (LED) light source was adopted for image acquisition. The one-class classification method was used to identify healthy seeds after extracting the features of the samples. A significant difference was observed between the features of healthy and infected seeds, and foreign materials, implying a certain threshold. The results indicated that tomato seeds can be classified with an accuracy exceeding 97%. The infected tomato seeds indicated a lower germination rate (<10%) compared to healthy seeds, as confirmed by the organic growing media germination test. Thus, identification through image analysis and rapid measurement were observed as useful in discriminating between the quality of tomato seeds in real time.

Significance of Targeting VEGFR-2 and Cyclin D1 in Luminal-A Breast Cancer.

The hormonal luminal-A is the most pre-dominant sub type of breast cancer (BC), and it is associated with a high level of cyclin D1 in Saudi patients. Tamoxifen is the golden therapy for hormonal BC, but resistance of cancer cells to tamoxifen contributes to the recurrence of BC due to many reasons, including high levels of AIB1 and cyclin D1. Overcoming drug resistance could be achieved by exploring alternative targetable therapeutic pathways and new drugs or combinations. The objective of this study was to determine the differentially enriched pathways in 12 samples of Saudi women diagnosed with luminal-A using the PamChip peptide microarray-based kinase activity profiling, and to compare the activity of HAA2020 and dinaciclib with tamoxifen in singles and combinations in the MCF7 luminal-A cell line. Our results of network and pathway analysis of the 12 samples highlighted the importance of VEGFR and CDKs in promoting luminal-A breast cancer. The activation of VEGF signaling via VEGFR-2 leads to activation of PI3K/AKT kinases and an increase of cell survival, and leads to activation of Hsp90, which induces the phosphorylation of FAK1, resulting in cytoskeleton remodeling. PLC-gamma 1 is also activated, leading to FAK-2 and PKC activation. Notably, the G1/S cell cycle phases and phosphorylation processes contribute to the top seven tumorigenesis processes in the 12 samples. Further, the MTT combination of HAA2020 and dinaciclib showed the best combination index (CI), was more clonogenic against MCF7 cells compared to the other combinations, and it also showed the best selectivity index (SI) in normal MRC5 cells. Interestingly, HAA2020 and dinaciclib showed a synergistic apoptotic and G1 cell cycle effect in MCF7 cells, which was supported by their synergistic CDK2, cyclin D1, and PCNA inhibition activities. Additionally, the combination showed VEGFR-2 and Hsp90 inhibition activities in MCF7 cells. The results show the significance of targeting VEGFR-2 and cyclin D1 in Saudi luminal-A breast cancer patients, and the effect of combining HAA2020 and dinaciclib on those targets in the MCF7 model. It also warrants further preclinical and in vivo investigations for the combination of HAA2020 and dinaciclib as a possible future second-line treatment for luminal-A breast cancers.

Prevalence of refractive errors; an evidence from the public high schools of Lahore, Pakistan.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the magnitude of refractive errors among high school children. METHODS: The cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted from April to August 2017 in four public-sector high schools in Lahore, Pakistan. Using multistage simple random sampling, all public sector high schools of the city were initially included. Screening of refractive errors was managed on the school premises. Data was collected on a pre-tested, structured questionnaire. SPSS 23 was used for data analysis. RESULTS: There were 1000 subjects with an overall mean age of 13.78±1.72 years (range: 10-18 years). Refractive errors were present in 244(24.4%) and myopia 127(52%) was the major type of refractive error followed by astigmatism 93(38.1%) and hypermetropia 24(9.8%). Differece in the prevalence of refractive errors in urban and rural settings was significant (p=0.00002). CONCLUSIONS: Uncorrected refractive errors were present in a considerable segment of public-sector high school students of Lahore.

A novel homozygous mutation in POLR3A gene causing 4H syndrome: a case report.

BACKGROUND: 4H syndrome is a congenital hypomyelinating leukodystrophy characterized by hypodontia, hypomyelination and hypogonadotropic hypogonadism belonging to the Pol III-related leukodystrophies which arise due to mutations in the POLR3A or POLR3B gene. The clinical presentation is of neurodevelopmental delay or regression with ataxia, dystonia, nystagmus, delayed deciduous dentition and abnormal order of eruption of teeth. MRI brain shows a characteristic hypomyelination pattern. Several mutations have been described in the implicated genes but there are no reports on mutations seen in patients from India. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a 1½ year old girl, only child of a non-consanguinous couple who presented with delayed developmental milestones and delayed dentition. On physical examination she had downward slanting palpebral fissures, low set ears, smooth philtrum, hypodontia, prominent body hair and clitoromegaly. There was prominent horizontal nystagmus, hypertonia of both upper and lower limbs, exaggerated deep tendon jerks and flexor planter response. She had not attained complete head control and required support to sit. She showed absent waves on brainstem evoked response audiometry and her fundus examination showed bilateral optic atrophy with prolongation of P100 latencies on visual evoked potentials. MRI Brain showed hyperintensity of entire white matter with involvement of the internal and external capsule, frontal deep white matter and corpus callosum. Her karyotype was 46 XX and her endocrinal profile was unremarkable. Clinical exome sequencing identified an unreported mutation in the POLR3A gene. The same mutation was identified by Sanger sequencing in heterozygous state in both parents. The child is being managed with physiotherapy and developmental therapy. She has been provided with hearing aids and started on speech therapy. Parents were provided anticipatory guidance and genetic counselling about autosomal recessive nature of inheritance, risk of recurrence and need for follow-up. CONCLUSION: 4H syndrome is a rare congenital hypomyelinating leukodystrophy inherited as an autosomal recessive disorder due to mutations in the POLR3A and POLR3B gene. Delay or regression of milestones, abnormalities in dentition and endocrinal perturbations are its hallmark. A novel mutation in the POLR3A gene resulting in amino acid substitution of arginine for glutamine at codon 808 (p.R808Q) was detected in exon 18 in our case.

Facile Access to Amides from Oxygenated or Unsaturated Organic Compounds by Metal Oxide Nanocatalysts Derived from Single-Source Molecular Precursors.

Oxidative amidation is a valuable process for the transformation of oxygenated organic compounds to valuable amides. However, the reaction is severely limited by the use of an expensive catalyst and limited substrate scope. To circumvent these limitations, designing a transition-metal-based nanocatalyst via more straightforward and economical methodology with superior catalytic performances with broad substrate scope is desirable. To resolve the aforementioned issues, we report a facile method for the synthesis of nanocatalysts NiO and CuO by the sol-gel-assisted thermal decomposition of complexes [Ni(hep-H)(H2O)4]SO4 (SSMP-1) and [Cu(µ-hep)(BA)]2 (SSMP-2) [hep-H = 2-(2-hydroxylethyl)pyridine; BA = benzoic acid] as single-source molecular precursors (SSMPs) for the oxidative amidation of benzyl alcohol, benzaldehyde, and BA by using N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) as the solvent and as an amine source, in the presence of tert-butylhydroperoxide (TBHP) as the oxidant, at T = 80 °C. In addition to nanocatalysts NiO and CuO, our previously reported Co/CoO nanocatalyst (CoNC), derived from the complex [CoII(hep-H)(H2O)4]SO4 (A) as an SSMP, was also explored for the aforementioned reaction. Also, we have carefully investigated the difference in the catalytic performance of Co-, Ni-, and Cu-based nanoparticles synthesized from the SSMP for the conversion of various oxygenated and unsaturated organic compounds to their respective amides. Among all, CuO showed an optimum catalytic performance for the oxidative amidation of various oxygenated and unsaturated organic compounds with a broad reaction scope. Finally, CuO can be recovered unaltered and reused for several (six times) recycles without any loss in catalytic activity.

Octyl (2E)-2-[2-(di-phenyl-phosphan-yl)benzyl-idene]hydrazinecarbodi-thio-ate.

The title compound, C28H33N2S2P, adopts the thione tautomeric form, as supported by the C-S distance [1.6744 (18) Å]. The Schiff base exhibits an E conformation about the C=N bond but a Z conformation about the C-N bond. The terminal chain is disordered over two sets of sites with an occupancy ratio of 0.732 (3):0.268 (3). In the crystal, pairs of N-N-H hydrogen bonds between the thione groups link neighbouring mol-ecules into centrosymmetric dimers.

Prospects of graphene quantum dots preparation using lignocellulosic wastes for application in photofermentative hydrogen production.

Graphene quantum dots (GQDs) are a novel carbon nanomaterial from the graphene family due to their unique physicochemical properties and diverse range of applications. However, in terms of the sustainable utility of GQDs, their synthesis methods are the main roadblock because of their high production costs and the release of toxic byproducts during the production processes. Thus, the search for sustainable and economical fabrication methods for preparing GQDs is one of the most essential areas of research for their practical applications. In this context, lignocellulosic biomass (LCB) wastes are a prime choice for the fabrication of GQDs due to their high carbon and cellulose content, which are favorable for being employed as precursors and reducing agents Additionally, LCBs are a prime source of potential bioenergy production, which is currently a key research hotspot to combat environmental pollution, global warming, and energy crises. Therefore, the present review provides feasibility for sustainable and environmentally friendly fabrication of GQDs using LCB wastes for their possible utility in cellulosic biofuel production technology improvement. Furthermore, the prospective of using these GQDs as catalysts in bioenergy production for the development of low-cost biomass-based biofuel production technology has been discussed along with the existing limitations and their sustainable recommendation.

Biotransformation of Raw Mango Seed Waste into Bacterial Hydrolytic Enzymes Enhancement Via Solid State Fermentation Strategy.

Solid waste generation is a huge contributor to environmental pollution issues, and food wastes are prominent in this category due to their large generation on a day-to-day basis. Thus, the settlement of daily food waste is one of the major constraints and needs innovative manufacturing sheme to valorize solid waste in sustainable manner. Moreover, these food wastes are rich in organic content, which has promising scope for their value-added products. In the present study, raw mango seed waste has been biotransformed to produce bacterial hydrolytic enzymes as feedstock. On investigating the impact of substrate, the highest bacterial cellulase production was recorded to be 18 IU/gds FP (filter paper) in 24 h of microbial incubation at 5 g of substrate in solid-state fermentation (SSF). Furthermore, at 40 °C and pH 6.0, 23 IU/gds FP enzyme could be produced in 24 h of SSF. Beside this, on comparing the influence of inorganic and organic nitrogen sources, urea has been found to provide better cellulase production, which yielded 28 IU/gds FP in 24 h of incubation, along with 77 IU/gds BG (ß-glucosidase) and 89 IU/gds EG (endoglucanase). On the other hand, Tween-40 and Tween-80, two different surfactants, were employed at a 1.0% concentration for 24 h of incubation. It was noticed that Tween-80 showed complete enzyme activity at 24 h, which was found to be relatively superior to that of Tween-40. This study may have potential utility in enzyme production using mango seed as a food waste for various industrial applications.