Waste-to-chemicals: Green solutions for bioeconomy markets.

In the fast-developing time, the accumulation of waste materials is always in an uptrend due to population increases and industrialization. This excessive accumulation in waste materials harms the ecosystem and human beings by depleting water quality, air quality, and biodiversity. Further, by use of fossil fuel problem-related global warming, greenhouse gases are the major challenge in front of the world. Nowadays, scientists and researchers are more focused on recycling and utilizing different waste materials like a municipal solid waste (MSW), agro-industrial waste etc. The waste materials added to the environment are converted into valuable products or green chemicals using green chemistry principles. These fields are the production of energy, synthesis of biofertilizers and use in the textile industry to fulfil the need of the present world. Here we need more focus on the circular economy considering the value of products in the bioeconomic market. For this purpose, sustainable development of the circular bio-economy is the most promising alternative, which is possible by incorporating the latest techniques like microwave-based extraction, enzyme immobilization-based removal, bioreactor-based removal etc., for the valorization of food waste materials. Further, the conversion of organic waste into valuable products like biofertilizers and vermicomposting is also realised by using earthworms. The present review article focuses on the various types of waste materials (such as MSW, agricultural, industrial, household waste, etc.), waste management with current glitches and the expected solutions that have been discussed. Furthermore, we have highlighted their safe conversion into green chemicals and contribution to the bioeconomic market. The role of the circular economy is also discussed.

Ionic Liquid-Based Polymer Nanocomposites for Sensors, Energy, Biomedicine, and Environmental Applications: Roadmap to the Future.

Current interest toward ionic liquids (ILs) stems from some of their novel characteristics, like low vapor pressure, thermal stability, and nonflammability, integrated through high ionic conductivity and broad range of electrochemical strength. Nowadays, ionic liquids represent a new category of chemical-based compounds for developing superior and multifunctional substances with potential in several fields. ILs can be used in solvents such as salt electrolyte and additional materials. By adding functional physiochemical characteristics, a variety of IL-based electrolytes can also be used for energy storage purposes. It is hoped that the present review will supply guidance for future research focused on IL-based polymer nanocomposites electrolytes for sensors, high performance, biomedicine, and environmental applications. Additionally, a comprehensive overview about the polymer-based composites' ILs components, including a classification of the types of polymer matrix available is provided in this review. More focus is placed upon ILs-based polymeric nanocomposites used in multiple applications such as electrochemical biosensors, energy-related materials, biomedicine, actuators, environmental, and the aviation and aerospace industries. At last, existing challenges and prospects in this field are discussed and concluding remarks are provided.

Novel synthesis methods and applications of MXene-based nanomaterials (MBNs) for hazardous pollutants degradation: Future perspectives.

MXenes are a quickly growing and extended group of two-dimensional (2D) substances that have earned unbelievable analysis credits for various application areas within different manufacturing areas. Due to novel essential architectural and physicochemical properties shows good properties, such as elevated exterior area, living adaptability, strong electrochemistry, and great hydrophilicity. Given the fast progress within the structure and synthesis of MBNs for water treatment, quick updates on this research field are required to remove toxic substances, such as production approaches and characterization methods for the advantages and constraints of MXenes for pollutant degradation. MXenes are determined as a proposed road toward atmosphere-clean-up machinery to identify and decrease a pattern of hazardous resistant pollutants from environmental forms. Here, in this review article, we have been focused on describing the overview, novel synthesis methods, and characteristics of the MXene-based nanomaterials (MBNs) in the field for removing hazardous contaminants from environmental conditions. In the last, the utilizations of MBNs in water sanitization, organic solvent filtration, antibiotics degradation, pesticide degradation, heavy metals degradation, ions removal, bacterial pathogens degradation, along with the conclusion, challenges, and prospects in this field, have been discussed.

Learnings from two independent malaria elimination demonstration projects in India.

PROBLEM: India and sub-Saharan Africa contributes about 85% of the global malaria burden, and India is committed to eliminating malaria by 2030. APPROACH: Two novel initiatives-the Malaria Elimination Demonstration Project (MEDP) in Madhya Pradesh and Durgama Anchalare Malaria Nirakaran (DAMaN) in Odisha-were initiated independently to demonstrate that indigenous malaria can be eliminated in a short period of time. LOCAL SETTING: These initiatives focused on rural, tribal areas where there is a high malaria burden and complex epidemiology. RELEVANT CHANGES: The case management and vector control strategies used in these programmes were based on the national guidelines, with context-specific changes and introduction of accountability at management, operational, technical and financial levels. The MEDP achieved a 91% reduction in malaria cases and recorded zero transmission for 6 consecutive and a total of 9 mo. The DAMaN project brought about an 88% reduction in malaria cases. LESSONS LEARNED: Malaria elimination will require robust surveillance and case management, monitoring of vector control interventions, community-centric information education communication and behaviour change communication initiatives and management controls, as well as regular internal and external reviews.

Natural compounds as potential inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 main protease: An in-silico study

Objective:To explore natural compounds as potential inhibitors against main protease (Mpro) of SARS-CoV-2. Methods:In the current study, systematic molecular docking analysis was conducted using AutoDock 4.2 to determine the binding affinities and interactions between natural compounds and Mpro. Selected natural compounds were further validated using a combination of molecular dynamic (MD) simulations and molecular mechanic Poisson-Boltzmann surface area (MM/PBSA) free energy calculations. Results:Out of twenty natural compounds, four natural metabolites namely, amentoflavone, guggulsterone, puerarin, and piperine were found to have strong interaction with Mpro of SARS-CoV-2 based on docking analysis. During MD simulations, all four natural compounds bound to Mpro at 50 ns and MM/G/P/BSA free energy calculations showed that all four shortlisted ligands had stable and favorable energies with strong binding to Mpro protein. Conclusions:Guggulsterone is a potential inhibitor of COVID-19 main protease Mpro. Further in vitro and pre-clinical studies are needed.

The capability of commercial CFD code to predict organic peroxide fireball characteristics.

Fireballs of liquid organic peroxides differ from those of liquid hydrocarbon fuels. Modified equations for predicting the fireball diameter, height, surface emissive power and the duration in dependence of the fuel mass are presented for di-tert-butyl peroxide. They base on 13 steel drum tests with fuel masses from 10 kg to 168 kg. Moreover, computational fluid dynamics simulations are performed using the laminar flamelet approach and a statistically turbulence treatment. Fireballs involving peroxide from 10 kg to 80 kg were simulated and their properties compared to the experimentally developed models. The deviations of each property are partially compensating each other leading to an adequate prediction of thermal safety distances for both, a time-independent and a time-averaged treatment. Simulations prove to be a good tool for predicting thermal radiation hazards of fireball scenarios.

Andrographolide: A Novel Antimalarial Diterpene Lactone Compound from Andrographis paniculata and Its Interaction with Curcumin and Artesunate.

Andrographolide (AND), the diterpene lactone compound, was purified by HPLC from the methanolic fraction of the plant Andrographis paniculata. The compound was found to have potent antiplasmodial activity when tested in isolation and in combination with curcumin and artesunate against the erythrocytic stages of Plasmodium falciparum in vitro and Plasmodium berghei ANKA in vivo. IC(50)s for artesunate (AS), andrographolide (AND), and curcumin (CUR) were found to be 0.05, 9.1 and 17.4 µM, respectively. The compound (AND) was found synergistic with curcumin (CUR) and addictively interactive with artesunate (AS). In vivo, andrographolide-curcumin exhibited better antimalarial activity, not only by reducing parasitemia (29%), compared to the control (81%), but also by extending the life span by 2-3 folds. Being nontoxic to the in vivo system this agent can be used as template molecule for designing new derivatives with improved antimalarial properties.

Plasmodium falciparum: in vitro interaction of quassin and neo-quassin with artesunate, a hemisuccinate derivative of artemisinin.

Quassia amara L. (Family Simaroubaceae) is known to have several medicinal properties including the activity against malaria. An HPLC method was employed for purification of the biologically active quassinoids; quassin (Q) and neo-quassin (NQ), further characterized by MALDI-TOF analyses. Purified Q, NQ and the crude bark extract (S1) along with artesunate (AS) were studied for their in vitro anti-plasmodial activity. The in vivo toxicity studies at intraperitoneal doses with higher concentrations of the crude bark extract (S1) in Balb/C mice ruled out the apprehension of toxicity. Interaction studies between the test compounds among themselves (Q+NQ) and individually with artesunate (AS+Q, AS+NQ), were carried out in vitro at four ratios (1:5, 1:2, 2:1 and 5:1) on chloroquine sensitive (MRC-pf-20) and resistant (MRC-pf-303) strains of Plasmodium falciparum. The crude bark extracts of Q. amara exhibited higher P. falciparum inhibitory activity (IC(50)=0.0025 microg/ml) as compared to that of the isolated compounds, quassin (IC(50)=0.06 microg/ml, 0.15 microM), neo-quassin (IC(50)=0.04 microg/ml, 0.1 microM) and also to the positive control, artesunate (IC(50)=0.02 microg/ml, 0.05 microM). The in vitro drug interaction study revealed the compounds, quassin and neo-quassin to be additive to each other. At lower ratios, artesunate was found to be a potential combination partner with both the compounds. It was interesting to note that none of the combinations exhibited antagonistic interactions. This phenomenon offers the opportunity for further exploration of novel therapeutic concentrations and combinations.

Anti-malarial activities of Andrographis paniculata and Hedyotis corymbosa extracts and their combination with curcumin.

BACKGROUND: Herbal extracts of Andrographis paniculata (AP) and Hedyotis corymbosa (HC) are known as hepato-protective and fever-reducing drugs since ancient time and they have been used regularly by the people in the south Asian sub-continent. Methanolic extracts of these two plants were tested in vitro on choloroquine sensitive (MRC-pf-20) and resistant (MRC-pf-303) strains of Plasmodium falciparum for their anti-malarial activity. METHODS: Growth inhibition was determined using different concentrations of these plant extracts on synchronized P. falciparum cultures at the ring stage. The interactions between these two plant extracts and individually with curcumin were studied in vitro. The performance of these two herbal extracts in isolation and combination were further evaluated in vivo on Balb/c mice infected with Plasmodium berghei ANKA and their efficacy was compared with that of curcumin. The in vivo toxicity of the plant derived compounds as well as their parasite stage-specificity was studied. RESULTS: The 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) of AP (7.2 microg/ml) was found better than HC (10.8 microg/ml). Combination of these two herbal drugs showed substantial enhancement in their anti-malarial activity. Combinatorial effect of each of these with curcumin also revealed anti-malarial effect. Additive interaction between the plant extracts (AP + HC) and their individual synergism with curcumin (AP+CUR, HC+CUR) were evident from this study. Increased in vivo potency was also observed with the combination of plant extracts over the individual extracts and curcumin. Both the plant extracts were found to inhibit the ring stage of the parasite and did not show any in vivo toxicity, whether used in isolation or in combination. CONCLUSION: Both these two plant extracts in combination with curcumin could be an effective, alternative source of herbal anti-malarial drugs.

The development and evaluation of a single step multiplex PCR method for simultaneous detection of Brugia malayi and Wuchereria bancrofti.

A single step novel multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has been developed for simultaneous detection of human filarial parasites, Brugia malayi and Wuchereria bancrofti, from blood samples and mosquitoes. The primers used were novel and have been tested with the parasite DNA amplifying 188bp (BM) and 129bp (WB) DNA fragments, specific to B. malayi and W. bancrofti, respectively, in a single reaction. The specificity of the PCR product was confirmed by DNA sequencing and slot blot hybridization assay. The test was found highly sensitive for both B. malayi and W. bancrofti by detecting the parasitaemia up to the level of one microfilaria per reaction. The assay was further evaluated on 98 blood samples and 144 mosquito samples collected from filarial endemic areas. The PCR was found to be more efficient in comparison to microscopy by detecting 8% and 5% more filarial parasites in field-collected blood and mosquito samples, respectively. This novel PCR that offers scope for simultaneous detection of both the parasites may be used as a diagnostic tool for the detection of filariasis in population and can be adopted for rapid surveillance and monitoring of mosquitoes for use in the effective control of filariasis.

Multiplex PCR assay for the detection of Anopheles fluviatilis species complex, human host preference, and Plasmodium falciparum sporozoite presence, using a unique mosquito processing method.

A multiplex PCR assay has been developed for detection of Anopheles fluviatilis cryptic species, their human host preference, and Plasmodium falciparum presence in the mosquito. PCR conditions were optimized using primer sets specific for A. fluviatilis cryptic species, Homo sapiens, and P. falciparum and evaluated with field-collected mosquitoes. A unique mosquito processing method was used for screening P. falciparum carrying capacity and human host preference of A. fluviatilis mosquitoes in first-round multiplex PCR. The vectorial status of the mosquito for P. falciparum parasite was confirmed in second-round PCR. Of the 121 collected mosquitoes, 92 were of S type, 26 of T type, and 3 were of other types. Human host preference was dominant in S type, of which 4% were P. falciparum sporozoite positive. This assay and processing method can also be used to evaluate vector competence of other anophelines.

Combined detection of Brugia malayi and Wuchereria bancrofti using single PCR.

A single step PCR method has been developed for the combined detection of the human filarial parasites, Brugia malayi and Wuchereria bancrofti. Parasites' DNA were isolated from filaria positive blood samples that were collected from endemic areas. The primers used were Hha1 and Ssp I, which amplified the DNA fragments of 322 bp and 188 bp specific to B. malayi and W. bancrofti, respectively. The sensitivity of the assay was tested with blood and mosquito samples having one W. bancrofti in a pool of 10 B. malayi. The assay was further evaluated on field collected blood and mosquito samples. Use of this assay as a diagnostic tool for the detection of filariasis being the most promising aspect of this study, offers scope for detection of both the parasites even at low levels of infection.