Indian decentrings of Macbeth: postmodern creativity in filmic adaptations by Vishal Bhardwaj and Jayaraj

The never-ending contemporaneity of William Shakespeare’s Macbeth is established by the experimental adaptations of the play that have transcended time and space. The filmic adaptations, in particular, have recontextualized the original dramatic text in several innovative ways. This paper sets out to analyse from certain postmodern angles the creative and innovative adaptation of a classic literary text from a Scottish setting to two completely different Indian settings (geographically, culturally and politically) and also from 16th century Scotland, United Kingdom to two different time periods in India – Maqbool (director Vishal Bhardwaj, 2003) being a reimagination of Macbeth set in the 21st century underworld of Mumbai, India and Veeram (director Jayaraj, 2016) being an attempt to link the play with 13th century Kerala, India. The transmutations occur at multiple levels and this lends new interpretations to the text in two entirely different temporal and spatial contexts, though both of these adaptations are Indian. Santrauka Williamo Shakespearre’o Makbeto nesenkantį šiuolaikiškumą steigia pjesės ekperimentinės adaptacijos, peržengiančios laiką ir erdvę. Filmų adaptacijose visų pirma keletu inovatyvių būdų buvo atnaujintas originalus dramos tekstas. Iš tam tikrų postmoderniojo požiūrio taškų straipsnyje siekiama išanalizuoti klasikinės literatūros teksto škotiškojo varianto bei dviejų visiškai skirtingų indiškųjų versijų (geografine, kultūrine ir politine prasmėmis) kūrybines ir inovatyvias adaptacijas, taip pat pasitelkiant XVI amžiaus Škotijos (Jungtinė Karalystė) du skirtingus laikotarpius apimančias indų interpretacijas – Makbulą (režisierius Vishalas Bhardwajus, 2003), kuris yra Makbeto varianto naujas pervaizdavimas XXI amžiaus Mumbajaus (Indija) pogrindinio pasaulio kontekste, ir Viramą (režisierius Jayaraj, 2016), kuriame bandoma susieti pjesę su XIII amžiaus Kerala (Indija). Šie perkeitimai įvyksta daugeliu lygmenų ir inspiruoja naujas teksto interpretacijas dviejuose visiškai skirtinguose laiko ir erdvės kontekstuose, nors abi šios adaptacijos ir yra indiškos. Reikšminiai žodžiai: adaptacija, drama, filmas, postmodernizmas, rekontekstualizavimas, Williamas Shakespeare’as

Interference of Phosphate in Adsorption of Arsenate and Arsenite over Confined Metastable Two-Line Ferrihydrite and Magnetite

Contamination of groundwater by arsenic (As(III/V)) is a serious global issue, and phosphate (P(V)) is known to be the biggest interference in adsorption-based remediation methods. The present study is focused on understanding the interaction between phosphate and iron oxides/oxy-hydroxides with two well-known classes of potential adsorbents in the important pH range of 5–9 and the effect of such interactions on the uptake of arsenite and arsenate. Spectroscopic studies such as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy were used to understand the binding of various oxyanions of phosphorous and arsenic with the iron oxides/oxy-hydroxides, exploring the core levels of P 2p and Fe 2p. Materials used for adsorption experiments were magnetite (MAG) and a nanocomposite, confined metastable two-line ferrihydrite (CM2LF); CM2LF is used for arsenic remediation in the affected states in India. Further, we studied the interference of P(V) in As(III/V) adsorption. The kinetics of adsorption was quantified using ion chromatography (IC), where P(V) alone followed a pseudo-second-order model. In the case of mixed solutions, namely, APmix1 (P(V) + As(III)) and APmix2 (P(V) + As(V)), kinetics data suggested that P(V) or As(III/V) oxyanions partially follow the pseudo-second-order model. Results also confirmed that CM2LF performed better than magnetite (MAG) for As(III/V) uptake in the presence of P(V). As(III) and As(V) species are more competitive than P(V) at neutral pH. A model for the adsorption of P(V) species in water on ferrihydrite particles was developed using density functional theory (DFT). This accounted for phosphate complexation at various pH values. The study is highly useful in developing an affordable solution for sustainable arsenic remediation. Various aspects of sustainability are discussed.acceptedVersionPeer reviewe

Extracellular polysaccharide production by a <i>Rhizobium</i> sp. isolated from legume herb <i>Crotalaria</i> <i>saltiana </i>Andr.

340-345A symbiont, isolated from root nodules of Crotalaria saltiana Andr., was identified as Rhizobium sp. It produced large amount of extracellular polysaccharides (EPS) in broth culture in yeast extract mannitol (YEM) medium. The EPS production and growth started simultaneously, though they have different stationary phases. The symbiont produced maximum EPS (16 g/mL) when the medium was supplemented with preferable carbon (glucose) 2%, nitrogen (glycine) 0.1%, and vitamin (biotin) 1 g/mL. Attempts were made to optimize the cultural requirements for growth and EPS production. The EPS produced by the symbiont contained glucose and galactose. The possible role on Rhizobium root nodule symboiosis has been discussed in the light of EPS production

Lignin beyond the status quo:recent and emerging composite applications

The demand for biodegradable materials across various industries has recently surged due to environmental concerns and the need for the adoption of renewable materials. In this context, lignin has emerged as a promising alternative, garnering significant attention as a biogenic resource that endows functional properties. This is primarily ascribed to its remarkable origin and structure that explains lignin's capacity to bind other molecules, reinforce composites, act as an antioxidant, and endow antimicrobial effects. This review summarizes recent advances in lignin-based composites, with particular emphasis on innovative methods for modifying lignin into micro and nanostructures and evaluating their functional contribution. Indeed, lignin-based composites can be tailored to have superior physicomechanical characteristics, biodegradability, and surface properties, thereby making them suitable for applications beyond the typical, for instance, in ecofriendly adhesives and advanced barrier technologies. Herein, we provide a comprehensive overview of the latest progress in the field of lignin utilization in emerging composite materials.</p

Indomethacin enhances anti-tumor efficacy of a MUC1 peptide vaccine against breast cancer in MUC1 transgenic mice.

In recent years, vaccines against tumor antigens have shown potential for combating invasive cancers, including primary tumors and metastatic lesions. This is particularly pertinent for breast cancer, which is the second-leading cause of cancer-related death in women. MUC1 is a glycoprotein that is normally expressed on glandular epithelium, but is overexpressed and under-glycosylated in most human cancers, including the majority of breast cancers. This under-glycosylation exposes the MUC1 protein core on the tumor-associated form of the protein. We have previously shown that a vaccine consisting of MUC1 core peptides stimulates a tumor-specific immune response. However, this immune response is dampened by the immunosuppressive microenvironment within breast tumors. Thus, in the present study, we investigated the effectiveness of MUC1 vaccination in combination with four different drugs that inhibit different components of the COX pathway: indomethacin (COX-1 and COX-2 inhibitor), celecoxib (COX-2 inhibitor), 1-methyl tryptophan (indoleamine 2,3 dioxygenase inhibitor), and AH6809 (prostaglandin E2 receptor antagonist). These treatment regimens were explored for the treatment of orthotopic MUC1-expressing breast tumors in mice transgenic for human MUC1. We found that the combination of vaccine and indomethacin resulted in a significant reduction in tumor burden. Indomethacin did not increase tumor-specific immune responses over vaccine alone, but rather appeared to reduce the proliferation and increase apoptosis of tumor cells, thus rendering them susceptible to immune cell killing