Induction of mutations in Cichorium intybus L. by base analogue 6-aminopurine (6-AP) and their detection with random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis

The effect of 6-aminopurine (6-AP) on induction of mutations in Cichorium intybus L. (Asteraceae) in three consecutive generations (M1 to M3) was investigated. Three distinct mutants at 0.8% concentration were generated. These mutants were subjected to cytological analysis where 6-AP induced chromosomal aberrations such as univalents, multivalents, stickiness, laggards, bridges, etc, which reflects its potency to generate point mutations. These mutants were further analyzed using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) profiles, which differentiate the mutants genotypically, on the basis of occurrence of new bands and disappearance of old bands in combined random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) profiles. The results clearly indicate that high concentrations of 6-AP induce base addition and substitution, resulting in mutations in Cichorium.Keywords: Mutation, Cichorium intybus, random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD), 6-aminopurine (6-AP), cytolog

An estimation of long endurance power supply system for a rotary wing unmanned aerial vehicle

The vast applications of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) have made it versatile. However, this battery powered vehicle has a short flight time thereby limiting its performance. Therefore, this paper represents the analysis of two power systems to obtain a better performing system with longer duration. Thus, to obtain a long endurance power system, the regular battery was compared to the tethering mechanism power supplier. The power utilized by the two systems differed, hence, the performance parameters were compared to obtain feasibility of the system. Both the theoretical and experimental parameters were evaluated to estimate the accuracy. The comparative experiments would help to implement better device for the tethering mechanism to increase its efficiency and comprehend its durability

Functionalized Carbon Nanotube and MnO2 Nanoflower Hybrid as an Electrode Material for Supercapacitor Application

Functionalized carbon nanotube (FCNT) and Manganese Oxide (MnO2) nanoflower hybrid material was synthesized using hydrothermal technique as a promising electrode material for supercapacitor applications. The morphological investigation revealed the formation of ‘nanoflower’ like structure of MnO2 connected with FCNT, thus paving an easy path for the conduction of electrons during the electrochemical mechanism. A significant improvement in capacitance properties was observed in the hybrid material, in which carbon nanotube acts as a conducting cylindrical path, while the major role of MnO2 was to store the charge, acting as an electrolyte reservoir leading to an overall improved electrochemical performance. The full cell electrochemical analysis of FCNT-MnO2 hybrid using 3 M potassium hydroxide (KOH) electrolyte indicated a specific capacitance of 359.53 F g−1, specific energy of 49.93 Wh kg−1 and maximum specific power of 898.84 W kg−1 at 5 mV s−1. The results show promise for the future of supercapacitor development based on hybrid electrode materials, where high specific energy can be achieved along with high specific power and long cycle life

Bioinspired and biomimetic cancer-cell-derived membrane nanovesicles for preclinical tumor-targeted nanotheranostics

Funding Information: J.C. and B.M. acknowledge European Research Council grant agreement 848325 . R.P. would like to thank the Director, Indian Institute of Technology (BHU), Varanasi and the School of Biochemical Engineering, IIT (BHU) for support during preparation of this manuscript. We thank the Trident Diagnostics Center and staff for imaging and laser studies and NCCS, Pune for in vivo facilities. We would like to thank Prof. Rohit Srivastava and Dr. Sumit for their kind support. We extend our thanks to the School of Biotechnology and Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences, KIIT, Institute of Eminence, Bhubaneswar. We dedicate this article to the memory of the late Prof. Sanjiv Sam Gambhir, a molecular imaging scientist. Figures/schemes were created with BioRender . Funding Information: J.C. and B.M. acknowledge European Research Council grant agreement 848325. R.P. would like to thank the Director, Indian Institute of Technology (BHU), Varanasi and the School of Biochemical Engineering, IIT (BHU) for support during preparation of this manuscript. We thank the Trident Diagnostics Center and staff for imaging and laser studies and NCCS, Pune for in vivo facilities. We would like to thank Prof. Rohit Srivastava and Dr. Sumit for their kind support. We extend our thanks to the School of Biotechnology and Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences, KIIT, Institute of Eminence, Bhubaneswar. We dedicate this article to the memory of the late Prof. Sanjiv Sam Gambhir, a molecular imaging scientist. Figures/schemes were created with BioRender. J.C. and R.P. conceived the idea. M.G. G.C.K. R.P. and J.C. designed the experiments. M.G. G.C.K. R.P. and N.G. performed in vivo imaging and therapeutics studies. B.P. and E.H.A.W. conducted the western blots. B.P. and H.Q. performed the simulation studies. R.P. B.M. and J.C. wrote the paper. All authors contributed to final editing and multiple revisions of the present manuscript. J.C. is a co-founder and shareholder of TargTex S.A. R.P. is part of national and international patents related to lipid, gold, silica, and erythrocyte-based nanoparticles. Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Author(s)Bioinspired cell-membrane-camouflaged nanohybrids have been proposed to enhance tumor targeting by harnessing their immune escape and self-recognition abilities. In this study, we introduce cancer-cell-derived membrane nanovesicles (CCMVs) integrated with gold nanorods (AuVNRs) in addition to therapeutic and imaging cargos such as doxorubicin and indocyanine green. This approach enhances targeted tumor imaging and enables synergistic chemo-phototherapeutics for solid tumors. CCMVs demonstrate significant tumor penetration and retention, serving as nanotheranostics with accessible surface biomarkers, biomimicking properties, and homologous targeting abilities. By evading uptake by the mononuclear phagocytic system, CCMVs can diffuse into the deep tumor core, leading to precise tumor reduction while preserving the surrounding healthy tissues. Notably, intravenous administration of these theranostic agents ensures biocompatibility, as evidenced by a survival period of approximately two months (up to 63 days) without any observed side effects. Our findings underscore the diagnostic and therapeutic potential of this biomimetic nanotheranostics platform.publishersversionepub_ahead_of_prin

Activated Functionalized Carbon Nanotubes and 2D Nanostructured MoS2 Hybrid Electrode Material for High‐Performance Supercapacitor Applications

Alkali-activated functionalized carbon nanotubes (AFCNTs) and 2D nanostructured MoS2 are investigated as a novel hybrid material for energy-storage applications. The nanoflower-like 2D MoS2 is grown on the surface of AFCNT using the controlled one-step hydrothermal technique. The activation of functionalized carbon nanotubes results in greater performance due to the improved surface area. The Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area of the AFCNTs is found to be 594.7 m2 g−1 which is almost 30 times of the as-prepared carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The improved surface area with attached hydroxyl and carboxylic functional groups helps in the attachment of MoS2 nanoflowers onto the AFCNT, thus reducing the interfacial resistance and providing an easy path for electron transfer. The electrochemical analysis shows a high specific capacitance of 516 F g−1 at 0.5 A g−1 with a corresponding energy density of 71.76 Wh kg−1, which is an encouraging reported value from AFCNT and MoS2 hybrid material. To the best of our knowledge, herein, the first report on AFCNTs and 2D MoS2 nanostructured hybrid electrode material for supercapacitor applications is provided, and promising results in terms of specific capacitance, energy density, and power density by boosting the properties of individual material are explained

If Deficits are Not the Culprit, What Determines Indian Interest Rates? An Evaluation Using the Maximum Entropy Bootstrap Method

This paper challenges two clichés that have dominated the macroeconometric debates in India. One relates to the neoclassical view that deficits are detrimental to growth, as they increase the rate of interest, and in turn displace the interest-rate-sensitive components of private investment. The second relates to the assumption of "stationarity" - which has dominated the statistical inference in time-series econometrics for a long time - as well as the emphasis on unit root-type testing, which involves detrending, or differencing, of the series to achieve stationarity in time-series econometric models. The paper examines the determinants of rates of interest in India for the periods 1980-81 and 2011-12, using the maximum entropy bootstrap (Meboot) methodology proposed in Vinod 1985 and 2004 (and developed extensively in Vinod 2006, Vinod and Lopez-de-Lacalle 2009, and Vinod 2010 and 2013). The practical appeal of Meboot is that it does not necessitate all pretests, such as structural change and unit root-type testing, which involve detrending the series to achieve stationarity, which in turn is problematic for evolutionary short time series. It also solves problems related to situations where stationarity assumptions are difficult to verify - for instance, in mixtures of I(0) and nonstationary I(d) series, where the order of integration can be different for different series. [...