Microplastic and adhesive free, multifunctional, circular economy approach-based biomass-derived drinking straws.

Generation of voluminous single-use plastic waste and byproducts from agricultural harvests such as rice straws (RSs) are major global challenges due to their disposal issues, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions, and affecting the ecological system with threats to human health. A scalable, low-cost, and eco-friendly strategy for fabricating cellulose-silica-based drinking straws, free from microplastics and adhesive, through strategic valorization of RS is reported. Functionalization by delignification-cum-crosslinking of RS leads to development of straws with high water stability (∼5 days), solvothermal stability (0°C-95°C), tensile strength (128 MPa), low migration values (<60 mg/kg), improved biodegradability (∼126 days) with reduced wettability and hydrophobicity. RS drinking straws show antibacterial, self-cleaning, self-healing, anti-fizzing, reusable, and generate significantly lower carbon footprint (<99.8% and <53.34% global warming potential than metal and polylactic acid straws). Repurposing of agro-wastes from farms to commercially viable drinking straws which biodegrades after its consumption achieves the goal of circular economy and sustainable development.

A Real-World Observational Study to Evaluate the Safety and Effectiveness of Fluticasone Furoate-Oxymetazoline Fixed Dose Combination Nasal Spray in Patients with Allergic Rhinitis.

BACKGROUND: Allergic rhinitis (AR) has shown an increasing prevalence leading to a considerable medical and social burden. Nasal congestion is the cardinal symptom of AR, and the upper respiratory tract is most affected by this long-lasting ailment. Intranasal corticosteroids alleviate nasal congestion, along with other symptoms of AR, but their effect is not evident immediately. Oxymetazoline has a rapid onset of action, but its use should be limited to 3-5 days. OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the fixed-dose combination nasal spray containing fluticasone furoate and oxymetazoline hydrochloride (FF + OXY) 27.5/50 mcg once daily in patients with AR in a real-world clinical setting. METHODS: The study was a prospective, open-label, single-arm, multicenter, real-world observational study conducted in patients with AR for a period of 28 days. Patients (n = 388) with a diagnosis of AR were treated with a combination of FF + OXY nasal spray. Total nasal symptom score (TNSS), total ocular symptom score (TOSS) and total symptom score (TSS) were documented at baseline and at the end of study period. The overall effectiveness of treatment with FF + OXY was rated by the investigators as very good/good/satisfactory/poor (4-point Likert scale) for each patient. RESULTS: Treatment with FF + OXY resulted in significant reduction in the TNSS, TOSS and TSS, from 7.18 ± 3.38 at baseline to 0.20 ± 0.84 (p < 0.001), from 2.34 ± 2.29 at baseline to 0.09 ± 0.53 (p < 0.001), from 9.51 ± 4.94 at baseline to 0.29 ± 1.32 (p < 0.001) at 28 days respectively. With respect to effectiveness, the investigators reported very good effectiveness in 52.12% of patients. No serious adverse events were reported. CONCLUSION: The fixed-dose combination of once-daily fluticasone furoate and oxymetazoline hydrochloride nasal spray 27.5/50 mcg was effective in relieving the nasal congestion and reduction of TNSS, TOSS and TSS in patients suffering from AR. The combination was safe and well tolerated with no rebound congestion throughout the treatment period.

Large-Area Inkjet-Printed Flexible Hybrid Electrodes with Photonic Sintered Silver Grids/High Conductive Polymer.

The field of printed organic electronics has not only made flexible devices accessible but also allows the production process toward a high throughput industrial scale. The current research involves the inkjet-printing of an indium tin oxide-free large-area flexible hybrid electrode compose of a high conductivity organic layer (PEDOT: PSS) as a main electrode and inorganic silver nanoparticles-based grid/film for the auxiliary electrode. The current bottleneck in the roll-to-roll production of printed electronics is the time required for the conductive inks to dry and sinter. Flash sintering is used to dry nano-silver conductive ink to 77.6 m Ω â–¡-1 sheet resistance in <20 ms, the quickest annealing procedure, without damaging flexible substrates. Flexible organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) are created with a large active area (500 mm2 ) to demonstrate the efficacy of the flexible hybrid electrodes and the excellent bending stability (4 mm bending radius) of OLEDs. Maximum current efficiency of 19.58 cd A-1 and a maximum luminescence of 8708 cd m-2 at a low turn-on voltage of 3.1 V for the small-area (16 mm2 ) OLEDs are achieved. This method is promising for reducing indium consumption and paving the way for creating new high throughout hybrid electrodes for large-area flexible printed electronics.

Large area inkjet-printed OLED fabrication with solution-processed TADF ink.

This work demonstrates successful large area inkjet printing of a thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) material as the emitting layer of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). TADF materials enable efficient light emission without relying on heavy metals such as platinum or iridium. However, low-cost manufacturing of large-scale TADF OLEDs has been restricted due to their incompatibility with solution processing techniques. In this study, we develop ink formulation for a TADF material and show successful ink jet printing of intricate patterns over a large area (6400 mm2) without the use of any lithography. The stable ink is successfully achieved using a non-chlorinated binary solvent mixture for a solution processable TADF material, 3-(9,9-dimethylacridin-10(9H)-yl)-9H-xanthen-9-one dispersed in 4,4'-bis-(N-carbazolyl)-1,1'-biphenyl host. Using this ink, large area ink jet printed OLEDs with performance comparable to the control spin coated OLEDs are successfully achieved. In this work, we also show the impact of ink viscosity, density, and surface tension on the droplet formation and film quality as well as its potential for large-area roll-to-roll printing on a flexible substrate. The results represent a major step towards the use of TADF materials for large-area OLEDs without employing any lithography.

Single-Step Inkjet-Printed Dielectric Template for Large Area Flexible Signage and Low-Information Displays.

In recent years, the proliferation of smart gadgets has increased the demand for information displays; fortunately, organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) show great promise for use in display, lighting, and signage contexts. This research demonstrates inkjet printing of dielectric materials to provide maskless emission area patterning and electrical isolation for large-area OLEDs on flexible/rigid indium tin oxide (ITO)-coated substrates, avoiding the need for typical photolithography steps, including etching and lift-off processes. We have studied the impact of impinged droplets' velocity fluctuations, which are measured in relation to their interaction with the substrate, allowing for the determination of the drop diameter and shape. The inkjet parameters, such as pulse waveform, pulse voltage, and pulse width, are controlled to provide consistently repeatable ejection of dielectric ink droplets. The single-step patterning of complex designs with a minimum opening of 18 µm features is successfully printed with high fidelity. The effect of substrate temperature on the printed template/structure size and shape is explored. We have successfully demonstrated an ultralarge-area (120 × 120 mm2) OLED signage application on inkjet-printed dielectric template (IJPDt). Standard small-area OLEDs (4 × 4 mm2) achieved a maximum brightness of 24480 cd m-2 at 10 V and a maximum current efficiency of 17 cd A-1 with a low turn-on voltage of 2.7 V.

Bioformulation Containing Cohorts of Ensifer adhaerens MSN12 and Bacillus cereus MEN8 for the Nutrient Enhancement of Cicer arietinum L.

Here we examine the effects of different carrier based bioinoculants on the growth, yield and nutritional value of chickpea and on associated soil nutrients. A consortium of two taxonomically distinct endophytic bacteria-Ensifer adhaerens MSN12 and Bacillus cereus MEN8-have promising plant growth promoting (PGP) attributes. We demonstrate their delivery from the laboratory to the field via the formulation of an effective bioinoculant with economic and accessible carriers. Sugarcane straw ash (SCSA) was found to be an efficient carrier and bioformulation for enhancing viability and shelf-life of strains up to 12 months. A bioformulation containing an SCSA-based consortium (MSN12 + MEN8) increased seed germination by 7%, plant weight by 29%, length by 17%, seed-yield by 12%, harvesting index by 14% and proximate nutritional constituents by 20% over consortium treatment without SCSA. In addition, the bioformulation of post-harvest treated soil improved the physico-chemical properties of the soil in comparison to a pre-sowing SCSA-based bioformulation treated crop, being fortified in different proximate nutritional constituents including dry matter (30%), crude protein (45%), crude fiber (35%), and ether extract (40%) in comparison to the control. Principal component analysis and scattered matrix plots showed a positive correlation among the treatments, which also validates improvement in the soil nutrient components and proximate constituents by T6 treatment (MSN12 + MEN8 + SCSA). The above results suggest efficiency of SCSA not only as a carrier material but also to support microbial growth for adequate delivery of lab strains as a substitute for chemi-fertilizers.

Microbial Biosurfactant: A New Frontier for Sustainable Agriculture and Pharmaceutical Industries.

In the current scenario of changing climatic conditions and the rising global population, there is an urgent need to explore novel, efficient, and economical natural products for the benefit of humankind. Biosurfactants are one of the latest explored microbial synthesized biomolecules that have been used in numerous fields, including agriculture, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, food processing, and environment-cleaning industries, as a source of raw materials, for the lubrication, wetting, foaming, emulsions formulations, and as stabilizing dispersions. The amphiphilic nature of biosurfactants have shown to be a great advantage, distributing themselves into two immiscible surfaces by reducing the interfacial surface tension and increasing the solubility of hydrophobic compounds. Furthermore, their eco-friendly nature, low or even no toxic nature, durability at higher temperatures, and ability to withstand a wide range of pH fluctuations make microbial surfactants preferable compared to their chemical counterparts. Additionally, biosurfactants can obviate the oxidation flow by eliciting antioxidant properties, antimicrobial and anticancer activities, and drug delivery systems, further broadening their applicability in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Nowadays, biosurfactants have been broadly utilized to improve the soil quality by improving the concentration of trace elements and have either been mixed with pesticides or applied singly on the plant surfaces for plant disease management. In the present review, we summarize the latest research on microbial synthesized biosurfactant compounds, the limiting factors of biosurfactant production, their application in improving soil quality and plant disease management, and their use as antioxidant or antimicrobial compounds in the pharmaceutical industries.

Genome-wide analysis of the CCCH zinc finger family identifies tissue specific and stress responsive candidates in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.).

The CCCH zinc finger is a group of proteins characterised by a typical motif consisting of three cysteine residues and one histidine residue. These proteins have been reported to play important roles in regulation of plant growth, developmental processes and environmental responses. In the present study, genome wide analysis of the CCCH zinc finger gene family was carried out in the available chickpea genome. Various bioinformatics tools were employed to predict 58 CCCH zinc finger genes in chickpea (designated CarC3H1-58), which were analysed for their physio-chemical properties. Phylogenetic analysis classified the proteins into 12 groups in which members of a particular group had similar structural organization. Further, the numbers as well as the types of CCCH motifs present in the CarC3H proteins were compared with those from Arabidopsis and Medicago truncatula. Synteny analysis revealed valuable information regarding the evolution of this gene family. Tandem and segmental duplication events were identified and their Ka/Ks values revealed that the CarC3H gene family in chickpea had undergone purifying selection. Digital, as well as real time qRT-PCR expression analysis was performed which helped in identification of several CarC3H members that expressed preferentially in specific chickpea tissues as well as during abiotic stresses (desiccation, cold, salinity). Moreover, molecular characterization of an important member CarC3H45 was carried out. This study provides comprehensive genomic information about the important CCCH zinc finger gene family in chickpea. The identified tissue specific and abiotic stress specific CCCH genes could be potential candidates for further characterization to delineate their functional roles in development and stress.

Dissecting the Root Nodule Transcriptome of Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.).

A hallmark trait of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), like other legumes, is the capability to convert atmospheric nitrogen (N2) into ammonia (NH3) in symbiotic association with Mesorhizobium ciceri. However, the complexity of molecular networks associated with the dynamics of nodule development in chickpea need to be analyzed in depth. Hence, in order to gain insights into the chickpea nodule development, the transcriptomes of nodules at early, middle and late stages of development were sequenced using the Roche 454 platform. This generated 490.84 Mb sequence data comprising 1,360,251 reads which were assembled into 83,405 unigenes. Transcripts were annotated using Gene Ontology (GO), Cluster of Orthologous Groups (COG) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) metabolic pathways analysis. Differential expression analysis revealed that a total of 3760 transcripts were differentially expressed in at least one of three stages, whereas 935, 117 and 2707 transcripts were found to be differentially expressed in the early, middle and late stages of nodule development respectively. MapMan analysis revealed enrichment of metabolic pathways such as transport, protein synthesis, signaling and carbohydrate metabolism during root nodulation. Transcription factors were predicted and analyzed for their differential expression during nodule development. Putative nodule specific transcripts were identified and enriched for GO categories using BiNGO which revealed many categories to be enriched during nodule development, including transcription regulators and transporters. Further, the assembled transcriptome was also used to mine for genic SSR markers. In conclusion, this study will help in enriching the transcriptomic resources implicated in understanding of root nodulation events in chickpea.

Genome-wide survey and expression analysis of F-box genes in chickpea.

BACKGROUND: The F-box genes constitute one of the largest gene families in plants involved in degradation of cellular proteins. F-box proteins can recognize a wide array of substrates and regulate many important biological processes such as embryogenesis, floral development, plant growth and development, biotic and abiotic stress, hormonal responses and senescence, among others. However, little is known about the F-box genes in the important legume crop, chickpea. The available draft genome sequence of chickpea allowed us to conduct a genome-wide survey of the F-box gene family in chickpea. RESULTS: A total of 285 F-box genes were identified in chickpea which were classified based on their C-terminal domain structures into 10 subfamilies. Thirteen putative novel motifs were also identified in F-box proteins with no known functional domain at their C-termini. The F-box genes were physically mapped on the 8 chickpea chromosomes and duplication events were investigated which revealed that the F-box gene family expanded largely due to tandem duplications. Phylogenetic analysis classified the chickpea F-box genes into 9 clusters. Also, maximum syntenic relationship was observed with soybean followed by Medicago truncatula, Lotus japonicus and Arabidopsis. Digital expression analysis of F-box genes in various chickpea tissues as well as under abiotic stress conditions utilizing the available chickpea transcriptome data revealed differential expression patterns with several F-box genes specifically expressing in each tissue, few of which were validated by using quantitative real-time PCR. CONCLUSIONS: The genome-wide analysis of chickpea F-box genes provides new opportunities for characterization of candidate F-box genes and elucidation of their function in growth, development and stress responses for utilization in chickpea improvement.

Global transcriptome analysis of developing chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) seeds.

Understanding developmental processes, especially in non-model crop plants, is extremely important in order to unravel unique mechanisms regulating development. Chickpea (C. arietinum L.) seeds are especially valued for their high carbohydrate and protein content. Therefore, in order to elucidate the mechanisms underlying seed development in chickpea, deep sequencing of transcriptomes from four developmental stages was undertaken. In this study, next generation sequencing platform was utilized to sequence the transcriptome of four distinct stages of seed development in chickpea. About 1.3 million reads were generated which were assembled into 51,099 unigenes by merging the de novo and reference assemblies. Functional annotation of the unigenes was carried out using the Uniprot, COG and KEGG databases. RPKM based digital expression analysis revealed specific gene activities at different stages of development which was validated using Real time PCR analysis. More than 90% of the unigenes were found to be expressed in at least one of the four seed tissues. DEGseq was used to determine differentially expressing genes which revealed that only 6.75% of the unigenes were differentially expressed at various stages. Homology based comparison revealed 17.5% of the unigenes to be putatively seed specific. Transcription factors were predicted based on HMM profiles built using TF sequences from five legume plants and analyzed for their differential expression during progression of seed development. Expression analysis of genes involved in biosynthesis of important secondary metabolites suggested that chickpea seeds can serve as a good source of antioxidants. Since transcriptomes are a valuable source of molecular markers like simple sequence repeats (SSRs), about 12,000 SSRs were mined in chickpea seed transcriptome and few of them were validated. In conclusion, this study will serve as a valuable resource for improved chickpea breeding.

A draft genome sequence of the pulse crop chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.).

Cicer arietinum L. (chickpea) is the third most important food legume crop. We have generated the draft sequence of a desi-type chickpea genome using next-generation sequencing platforms, bacterial artificial chromosome end sequences and a genetic map. The 520-Mb assembly covers 70% of the predicted 740-Mb genome length, and more than 80% of the gene space. Genome analysis predicts the presence of 27,571 genes and 210 Mb as repeat elements. The gene expression analysis performed using 274 million RNA-Seq reads identified several tissue-specific and stress-responsive genes. Although segmental duplicated blocks are observed, the chickpea genome does not exhibit any indication of recent whole-genome duplication. Nucleotide diversity analysis provides an assessment of a narrow genetic base within the chickpea cultivars. We have developed a resource for genetic markers by comparing the genome sequences of one wild and three cultivated chickpea genotypes. The draft genome sequence is expected to facilitate genetic enhancement and breeding to develop improved chickpea varieties.

Acute cardiac toxicity of nerium oleander/indicum poisoning (kaner) poisoning.

We present a case of oleander leaf extract poisoning manifested by vomiting, lightheadedness, and heart block. Practicing physicians should understand the potential lethal properties of oleander and its availability throughout the world.