<p>Shiv Nadar University is a comprehensive, multidisciplinary, research-focused, and student-centric University offering a full range of academic programs at the undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral level. With state-of-the-art infrastructure, the University comprises of academic wings, sophisticated labs, international standard sports facilities, amphitheaters, auditorium, conference rooms and smart classrooms. The University&rsquo;s goal is to become internationally recognized for the quality of its research and creative endeavors and their applicability to improving quality of life, generating new insights and expanding the boundaries of human knowledge creativity. Committed to excellence in teaching, research and service, the University aims to serve the higher education needs of India and the world beyond.</p>

Shiv Nadar University

(SoNS) School of Natural Sciences

Synthesis of phosphorous-doped graphitic materials (P-Gc) using phytic acid as a precursor was done in a microwave oven in a cost- and time-effective green way. The material was used as a solid acid catalyst for microwave (MW)-assisted synthesis of β-ketoenamines and Baeyer-Villiger (BV) oxidation. In the case of BV oxidation, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) was used as a green oxidant. For β-ketoenamines, in most cases, 100\% conversion with an ∼95\% yield was achieved in ethyl acetate medium. In solventfree conditions, the yield of β-ketoenamines was ∼75\%. A kinetic study suggested that the resonance stabilization of the positive reaction center happens in the transition state for β-ketoenamine synthesis. In BV oxidation, cyclic ketones were converted to their corresponding cyclic esters in good to high yields (∼80\% yield) in a shorter reaction time (6-20 min). As per our knowledge, this is the first report of BV oxidation catalyzed by a heteroatom-doped graphitic material. For BV oxidation, the phosphoric acid functional groups present in P-Gc might increase the electrophilicity of the carbonyl group of the ketones to compensate for the weakness of H2O2 as a nucleophile and a spiro-bisperoxide intermediate has been identified in high-resolution mass spectrometry. © 2020 American Chemical Society.

Chemistry

World University root node

Fulltext

ACS Omega

Phosphorous-doped graphitic material as a solid acid catalyst for microwave-assisted synthesis of β-ketoenamines and baeyer-villiger oxidation

It is shown that for positive real numbers 0&lt;λ1&lt;…&lt;λn, [Formula presented], where β(⋅,⋅) denotes the beta function, is infinitely divisible and totally positive. For [Formula presented], the Cholesky decomposition and successive elementary bidiagonal decomposition are computed. Let w(n) be the nth Bell number. It is proved that [w(i+j)] is a totally positive matrix but is infinitely divisible only upto order 4. It is also shown that the symmetrized Stirling matrices are totally positive. © 2020 Elsevier Inc.

Mathematics

Linear Algebra and Its Applications

Positivity properties of some special matrices

Flexible micro-supercapacitors, with high energy and power density, and using materials with a low environmental impact are attractive for next-generation energy storage devices. Carbon-based materials are widely used for supercapacitors but can be increased in energy density via combination with metal oxides. Red mud is an iron-oxide-rich by-product of aluminum production, which needs to be more widely utilized to reduce its environmental damage. To achieve a flexible micro-supercapacitor device with increased energy density, a laser-induced graphene (LIG) supercapacitor is realized from a polyimide substrate, decorated with red-mud nanoparticles (LIG-RM), employing a solid-state ionic liquid electrolyte with a mixture of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF), 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([EMI][TFSI]), and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([EMIM][BF4]). The fabricated two-electrode flexible device, in an interdigitated planar design, with inkjet-printed silver current collectors, has a high energy of 0.018 mWh cm−2 at a power of 0.66 mW cm−2, with 81\% of capacitance retained after 4000 cycles and good resistance to bending and flexing. The high energy storage performance, brought about through the combination of graphene and red-mud nanoparticles, which would—if not utilized—be an environmental liability, shows a promise as a material for future energy storage with low environmental impact. © 2020 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim

Physics

Advanced Sustainable Systems

Recycled Red Mud–Decorated Porous 3D Graphene for High-Energy Flexible Micro-Supercapacitor

A novel and strategic green energy production method that utilizes relative wind generated from moving vehicles is presented. A speeding train generates an enormous wake of wind around it, which stocks a substantial amount of kinetic energy. In this study, this freely accessible wind power is harvested by installing a modified savonius wind turbine within the slipstream region of the train. A computer-oriented fluid-solid integrate simulation of wind turbine propelled by train-induced wind is performed by executing all physically realistic boundary conditions. The numerical study is based on open-source CFD toolbox OPENFOAM, and the results were validated against benchmark experimental study. Parametric sensitivity analysis such as optimal turbine performance within the slipstream regime, torque prediction from express trains, two opposite crossing trains, tunnel condition, and turbine wind turbine clusters arrangement has been reported. This study enhances the understanding of the power generation by the turbine from the train slipstream which is not reported in any open literature as far as the authors’ present knowledge goes. Copyright © 2020 by ASME

Mechanical Engineering

(SoE) School of Engineering

Journal of Energy Resources Technology, Transactions of the ASME

A Numerical study toward harvesting power from train slipstream using savonius rotor

Here, we report the toxic effects of various imidazolium-based ionic liquids (ILs) with varying hydrocarbon chain lengths, on different human cell lines. Multiple biological assays have shown that the ILs with long hydrocarbon chains have stronger adverse effect especially on human liver cancer cells (Huh-7.5 cells). Further, our study has confirmed that the ILs induce necrosis dependent cell death and that it is related to cell membrane damage. To understand the molecular mechanism of such an effect, the cellular membranes were mimicked as lipid monolayers formed at the air-water interface and then as lipid bilayer vesicles. The pressure area-isotherms measured from the monolayer have shown that the interaction of ILs with the lipid layer is energetically favourable. The addition of these ILs reduces the in-plane elasticity of the self-assembled molecular layer. Quasielastic neutron scattering data clearly indicate that ILs in liver lipid vesicles significantly affects the dynamics of the lipid, in particular, the lateral motion of the lipids. It has been concluded that the mammalian cell death induced by these ILs is due to the modulated structure and altered physical properties of the cellular membrane. © 2019 Elsevier B.V.

Life Sciences

Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - Biomembranes

Imidazolium-based ionic liquids cause mammalian cell death due to modulated structures and dynamics of cellular membrane

We report a case of Wegener's granulomatosis (WG) who very well responded to the combination strategy of therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) and immunosuppression. The patient was a 38-year-old female, diagnosed with severe form of WG. A total of seven cycles was performed with 1.3 total plasma volumes (TPVs) on every alternate day. Standard induction therapy was also started that comprised of a combination of 500 mg intravenous (i.v.) cyclophosphamide and methylprednisolone 1 g slow i.v. daily for 3 days followed by oral prednisolone 60 mg daily for 4 weeks. After seven cycles of TPE, the patient improved and hence TPE was stopped. © 2020 Asian Journal of Transfusion Science.

Asian Journal of Transfusion Science

Therapeutic plasma exchange: A life-saving modality in Wegener's granulomatosis

A biostratigraphic and biochronological study from the late Neogene-Quaternary section of Ocean Drilling Pro-gram (ODP) Site 807A, located on the Ontong Java Plateau, western equatorial Pacific, revealed 50 planktic foraminiferal events, enabling the identification of eight late Neogene-Quaternary biozones, from the Globorotalia plesiotumida Interval Zone to the Globorotalia truncatulinoides Interval Zone. A significant faunal turnover (17 events) from late Pliocene identified in cores 7 and 8, between 70 and 55 meters below seafloor (mbsf), and spanning 0.67 million years (Myr). This noteworthy turnover may be the result of a shift in oceanographic conditions pertaining to the closure of the Indo-Pacific Seaway, followed by the Northern Hemisphere Glaciation. This study provides a high resolution biostrati-graphic and biochronological framework for ODP Site 807A that will aid in correlation and timing the various paleoceano-graphic changes over the last 6 million years in the western equatorial Pacific. © 2020 Cushman Foundation. All rights reserved.

Journal of Foraminiferal Research

Late Neogene-Quaternary Planktic Foraminiferal Biostratigraphy and Biochronology from ODP Site 807A, Ontong Java Plateau, Western Equatorial Pacific

Background: Salidroside is a glucoside of tyrosol found mostly in the roots of Rhodiola spp. It exhibits diverse biological and pharmacological properties. In the last decade, enormous research is conducted to explore the medicinal properties of salidroside; this research reported many activities like anti-cancer, anti-oxidant, anti-aging, anti-diabetic, anti-depressant, anti-hyperlipidemic, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, etc. Objective: Despite its multiple pharmacological effects, a comprehensive review detailing its metabolism and therapeutic activities is still missing. This review aims to provide an overview of the metabolism of salidroside, its role in alleviating different metabolic disorders, diseases and its molecular interaction with the target molecules in different conditions. This review mostly concentrates on the metabolism, biological activities and molecular pathways related to various pharmacological activities of salidroside. Conclusion: Salidroside is produced by a three-step pathway in the plants with tyrosol as an intermediate molecule. The molecule is biotransformed into many metabolites through phase I and II pathways. These metabolites, together with a certain amount of salidroside may be responsible for various pharmacological functions. The salidroside based inhibition of PI3k/AKT, JAK/ STAT, and MEK/ERK pathways and activation of apoptosis and autophagy are the major reasons for its anti-cancer activity. AMPK pathway modulation plays a significant role in its anti-diabetic activity. The neuroprotective activity was linked with decreased oxidative stress and increased antioxidant enzymes, Nrf2/HO-1 pathways, decreased inflammation through suppression of NF-κB pathway and PI3K/AKT pathways. These scientific findings will pave the way to clinically translate the use of salidroside as a multi-functional drug for various diseases and disorders in the near future. © 2020, Bentham Science Publishers. All rights reserved.

Current Drug Metabolism

Salidroside-can it be a multifunctional drug?

Patients who suffer from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) often experience deterioration of baseline respiratory symptoms, acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD), that become more frequent with disease progression. Based on symptom severity, approximately 20% of these patients will require hospitalization. The most common indicators for intensive care unit (ICU) admission have been found to be worsening or impending respiratory failure and hemodynamic instability. Bacterial and viral bronchial infections are the causative triggers in the majority of COPD exacerbations in the ICU, with a comprehensive assessment revealing them in 72% of cases. The distribution of bacterial pathogens involved in AECOPD requiring ICU admission show an increased incidence of gram-negative respiratory isolates, including Pseudomonas and Enterobacteriaceae spp., when compared with outpatient exacerbations. Evaluation of these patients requires careful attention to comorbid conditions. An effort to rapidly obtain lower respiratory samples for microbiological samples prior to initiation of antibiotics should be made as adequate samples can guide subsequent modifications of antibiotic treatment if the clinical response to empiric treatment is poor. Empiric antibiotic treatment should be promptly initiated in all patients with a major consideration for the choice being the presence of risk factors for Pseudomonas infection. Evaluation of clinical response at 48 to 72 hours is crucial, and total duration of antibiotics of 5 to 7 days should be adequate. © 2020 Royal Society of Chemistry. All rights reserved.

Seminars in Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in the Intensive Care Unit: Antibiotic Treatment of Severe Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Exacerbations

To gain insight into the impact of mutations on the viability of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) genome, we created a set of full-genome mutant libraries, differing from the parent sequence as well as each other, by using a random mutagenesis approach; the proportion of mutations increased across these libraries with declining template amount or dATP concentration. The replication efficiencies of full-genome mutant libraries ranged between 71 and 329 focus-forming units (FFU) per 105 Huh7.5 cells. Mutant libraries with low proportions of mutations demonstrated low replication capabilities, whereas those with high proportions of mutations had their replication capabilities restored. Hepatoma cells transfected with selected mutant libraries, with low (4 mutations per 10,000 bp copied), moderate (33 mutations), and high (66 mutations) proportions of mutations, and their progeny were subjected to serial passage. Predominant virus variants (mutants) from these mutant libraries (Mutantl, Mutantm, and Mutanth, respectively) were evaluated for changes in growth kinetics and particle-to-FFU unit ratio, virus protein expression, and modulation of host cell protein synthesis. Mutantm and Mutantl variants produced &gt;3.0-log-higher extracellular progeny per ml than the parent, and Mutanth produced progeny at a rate 1.0-log lower. More than 80\% of the mutations were in a nonstructural part of the mutant genomes, the majority were nonsynonymous, and a moderate to large proportion were in the conserved regions. Our results suggest that the HCV genome has the ability to overcome lethal/deleterious mutations because of the high reproduction rate but highly selects for random, beneficial mutations. IMPORTANCE Hepatitis C virus (HCV) in vivo displays high genetic heterogeneity, which is partly due to the high reproduction and random substitutions during errorprone genome replication. It is difficult to introduce random substitutions in vitro because of limitations in inducing mutagenesis from the 5= end to the 3= end of the genome. Our study has overcome this limitation. We synthesized full-length genomes with few to several random mutations in the background of an HCV clone that can recapitulate all steps of the life cycle. Our study provides evidence of the capability of the HCV genome to overcome deleterious mutations and remain viable. Mutants that emerged from the libraries had diverse phenotype profiles compared to the parent, and putative adaptive mutations mapped to segments of the conserved nonstructural genome. We demonstrate the potential utility of our system for the study of sequence variation that ensures the survival and adaptation of HCV. Copyright © 2020 American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.