Nanocarbon Reinforced Rubber Nanocomposites: Detailed Insights about Mechanical, Dynamical Mechanical Properties, Payne, and Mullin Effects

The reinforcing ability of the fillers results in significant improvements in properties of polymer matrix at extremely low filler loadings as compared to conventional fillers. In view of this, the present review article describes the different methods used in preparation of different rubber nanocomposites reinforced with nanodimensional individual carbonaceous fillers, such as graphene, expanded graphite, single walled carbon nanotubes, multiwalled carbon nanotubes and graphite oxide, graphene oxide, and hybrid fillers consisting combination of individual fillers. This is followed by review of mechanical properties (tensile strength, elongation at break, Young modulus, and fracture toughness) and dynamic mechanical properties (glass transition temperature, crystallization temperature, melting point) of these rubber nanocomposites. Finally, Payne and Mullin effects have also been reviewed in rubber filled with different carbon based nanofillers

Morphology, Phytochemistry and Pharmacological Activity of Vitex negundo: An Overview

Now days a herbal and traditional medicines mostly used in all over the world according to WHO, about 60 to 65% world population practicing herbal and traditional medicines. Vitex negundo Linn. is an aromatic herb belong to family Verbenaceae. It is also known as Nirgundi, Five leaved chaste tree. Plants have many chemical constituents as flavonoids, volatile oil, triterpenes, diterpenes, sesquiterpenes, lignan, flavones, glycosides, iridoid glycosides and stilbene derivative. These chemical constituents are present in each part of the plant. Vitex negundo extract have various pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, anti-arthritic, antioxidant, analgesic activity, antibacterial activity, antitumor activity, anti-amnesic activity, anxiolytic activity, Nephroprotective activity, anti-HIV activity, Antitubercular activity, antieosinophilic activity, anti-snake venom activity. This review article provides depth information related to plant morphology, cultivation, chemical constitutes, pharmacological activities and their medicinal uses. Keywords: Vitex negundo, Nirgundi, Casticin, Anti-Gout Activit

Protective role of Carica papaya and Ficus bengalensis latex against CCl4 induced liver toxicity in experimental rats

Objective: To study the hepatoprotective activity of  Carica Papaya Latex at the  dose 400mg/kg/b.w. per oral and Ficus Bengalensis latex at dose 300mg/kg/b.w. per oral  against CCl4  induce Hepatotoxicity in albino rats. Method: Animals were divided into 5 groups of 6 animals in each group. Group I – Served as a normal control received saline 1ml /Kg for 21 days. The group -II, III, IV and V animals were received CCl4 at dose 1ml/Kg b.w./day  intra- peritoneally. Animals from group –III to V received Carica Papaya Latex (400mg/Kg.p.o.), Ficus Bengalensis Latex (300mg/Kg.p.o.) and standard drug Silymarin (30mg/Kg.p.o.) once daily for 21 days.  All groups animals were sacrificed on 22 days under light ether anesthesia  . Blood sample were collected and used for bio-chemical parameters like serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (SGOT), serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT), Bilirubin(BRN), Alkaline phosphate (ALP) and total protein. Result:The results were observed that  Carica Papaya latex at dose 400 mg/kg.b.w and CCl4  treated group , Ficus Bengalensis latex at dose 300 mg/kg.B.w and CCl4  treated groups were found the decreased levels of SGPT,SGOT,, ALP and Bilirubin  and increased total protein level compare to CCl4 treated group .So that this  study indicated hepatoprotective effect . Conclusion: Present investigation indicated that both latex of Carica papaya and Ficus Bengalensis showed significant protection against CCl4 nduced hepatotoxicity in Rats. Keywords: Carica Papaya, Ficus Bengalensis, Hepatoprotective, Carbon Tetra Chloride, Silymarin

Erratum: Tiwari, S., et al. Biosensors for Epilepsy Management: State-of-Art and Future Aspects. Sensors 2019, 19, 1525.

The authors wish to make the following correction to the above-mentioned published paper [...]

Cloning and sequencing of complete τ-crystallin cDNA from embryonic lens of Crocodylus palustris

τ-Crystallin is a taxon-specific structural protein found in eye lenses. We present here the cloning and sequencing of complete τ-crystallin cDNA from the embryonic lens of Crocodylus palustris and establish it to be identical to the τ-enolase gene from non-lenticular tissues. Quantitatively, the τ-crystallin was found to be the least abundant crystallin of the crocodilian embryonic lenses. Crocodile τ-crystallin cDNA was isolated by RT-PCR using primers designed from the only other reported sequence from duck and completed by 5'- and 3'-rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) using crocodile gene specific primers designed in the study. The complete τ-crystallin cDNA of crocodile comprises 1305 bp long ORF and 92 and 409 bp long untranslated 5'- and 3'-ends respectively. Further, it was found to be identical to its putative counterpart enzyme τ-enolase, from brain, heart and gonad, suggesting both to be the product of the same gene. The study thus provides the first report on cDNA sequence of τ-crystallin from a reptilian species and also re-confirms it to be an example of the phenomenon of gene sharing as was demonstrated earlier in the case of peking duck. Moreover, the gene lineage reconstruction analysis helps our understanding of the evolution of crocodilians and avian species

An Intra-Vaginal Zinc Oxide Tetrapod Nanoparticles (ZOTEN) and Genital Herpesvirus Cocktail Can Provide a Novel Platform for Live Virus Vaccine

Herpes simplex virus type-2 (HSV-2) is a common cause of genital infections throughout the world. Currently no prophylactic vaccine or therapeutic cure exists against the virus that establishes a latent infection for the life of the host. Intravaginal microbivac is a developing out-of-the-box strategy that combines instant microbicidal effects with future vaccine-like benefits. We have recently shown that our uniquely designed zinc oxide tetrapod nanoparticles (ZOTEN) show strong microbivac efficacy against HSV-2 infection in a murine model of genital infection. In our attempts to further understand the antiviral and immune bolstering effects of ZOTEN microbivac and to develop ZOTEN as a platform for future live virus vaccines, we tested a ZOTEN/HSV-2 cocktail and found that prior incubation of HSV-2 with ZOTEN inhibits the ability of the virus to infect vaginal tissue in female Balb/c mice and blocks virus shedding as judged by plaque assays. Quite interestingly, the ZOTEN-neutralized virions elicit a local immune response that is highly comparable with the HSV-2 infection alone with reduced inflammation and clinical manifestations of disease. Information provided by our study will pave the way for the further development of ZOTEN as a microbivac and a future platform for live virus vaccines

Light-Mediated Growth of Noble Metal Nanostructures (Au, Ag, Cu, Pt, Pd, Ru, Ir, Rh) From Micro- and Nanoscale ZnO Tetrapodal Backbones

Micro- and nanoscale ZnO tetrapods provide an attractive support for metallic nanostructures since they can be inexpensively produced using the flame transport method and nanoparticle synthesis schemes can take advantage of a coupled response facilitated by the formation of a semiconductor-metal interface. Here, we present a light-mediated solution-based growth mode capable of decorating the surface of ZnO tetrapods with nanostructures of gold, silver, copper, platinum, palladium, ruthenium, iridium, and rhodium. It involves two coupled reactions that are driven by the optical excitation of electron-hole pairs in the ZnO semiconductor by ultraviolet photons where the excited electrons are used to reduce aqueous metal ions onto the ZnO tetrapod as excited holes are scavenged from the surface. For the most part, the growth mode gives rise to nanoparticles with a roundish morphology that are uniformly distributed on the tetrapod surface. Larger structures with irregular shapes are, however, obtained for syntheses utilizing aqueous metal nitrates as opposed to chlorides, a result that suggests that the anion plays a role in shape determination. It is also demonstrated that changes to the molarity of the metal ion can influence the nanostructure nucleation rate. The catalytic activity of tetrapods decorated with each of the eight metals is assessed using the reduction of 4-nitrophenol by borohydride as a model reaction where it is shown that those decorated with Pd, Ag, and Rh are the most active

Nanoscale Synergetic Effects on Ag-TiO2 Hybrid Substrate for Photoinduced Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (PIERS) with Ultra-Sensitivity and Reusability

Here, a 4N-in-1 hybrid substrate concept (nanocolumnar structures, nanocrack network, nanoscale mixed oxide phases, and nanometallic structures) for ultra-sensitive and reliable photo-induced-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (PIERS), is proposed. The use of the 4N-in-1 hybrid substrate leads to an ≈50-fold enhancement over the normal surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, which is recorded as the highest PIERS enhancement to date. In addition to an improved Raman signal, the 4N-in-1 hybrid substrate provides a high detection sensitivity which may be attributed to the activation possibility at extremely low UV irradiation dosage and prolonged relaxation time (long measurement time). Moreover, the 4N-in-1 hybrid substrate exhibits a superior photocatalytic degradation performance of analytes, allowing its reuse at least 18 times without any loss of PIERS activity. The use of the 4N-in-1 concept can be adapted to biomedicine, forensic, and security fields easily

Relationship between Thyroid Profile with Reproductive Hormones and Semen Quality

Semen quality is associated with various factors. The objective of the study was to investigate the impact of hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism on human semen quality and reproductive hormones level if any. A total of 351 subjects were enrolled. They were subjected to assess the status of thyroid as well as reproductive hormones and semen quality. The subjects were grouped on the basis of thyroid hormone profile as, hypothyroid, hyperthyroid and normal thyroid hormone profile with respect to semen quality and reproductive hormones level.  Semen volume, sperm count and viability was non-significant statistically in both hypothyroid and hyperthyroid subjects with respect to subjects with normal thyroid profile. Whereas, percent fast progressive Sperm was significantly lower in hypothyroid subjects, while non-motile sperm was significantly higher in hypothyroid subjects as compared to normal thyroid profile subjects. The data on reproductive hormones level indicated that FSH was higher and testosterone level was lower in both hypo and hyperthyroid subjects as compared to subjects with normal thyroid profile. Although the results were statistically non-significant. While LH level was also higher which was statistically significant in hypothyroid subjects with respect to subjects having normal thyroid profile. The data obtained suggest that impaired thyroid hormone has an impact on semen quality as well as reproductive hormone profile to some extent

Selective Laser Melting of 316L Austenitic Stainless Steel: Detailed Process Understanding Using Multiphysics Simulation and Experimentation

The parameter sets used during the selective laser melting (SLM) process directly affect the final product through the resulting melt-pool temperature. Achieving the optimum set of parameters is usually done experimentally, which is a costly and time-consuming process. Additionally, controlling the deviation of the melt-pool temperature from the specified value during the process ensures that the final product has a homogeneous microstructure. This study proposes a multiphysics numerical model that explores the factors affecting the production of parts in the SLM process and the mathematical relationships between them, using stainless steel 316L powder. The effect of laser power and laser spot diameter on the temperature of the melt-pool at different scanning velocities were studied. Thus, mathematical expressions were obtained to relate process parameters to melt-pool temperature. The resulting mathematical relationships are the basic elements to design a controller to instantly control the melt-pool temperature during the process. In the study, test samples were produced using simulated parameters to validate the simulation approach. Samples produced using simulated parameter sets resulting in temperatures of 2000 (K) and above had acceptable microstructures. Evaporation defects caused by extreme temperatures, unmelted powder defects due to insufficient temperature, and homogenous microstructures for suitable parameter sets predicted by the simulations were obtained in the experimental results, and the model was validated