Visible-light-induced regioselective chalcogenation of indoloquinoxalines cross-dehydrogenative coupling under metal-free, open-air conditions.

A simple yet efficient method involving a visible-light-induced direct, regioselective chalcogenation of indoloquinoxaline derivatives has been developed. Thiols, disulfides and diselenides were found to be efficient as chalcogenating agents in the presence of Rose Bengal as a photosensitizer. This photoinduced C-H functionalization a cross-dehydrogenative-coupling (CDC) protocol was carried out at ambient temperature under an open-air atmosphere.

A Biomimetic Titanium Scaffold With and Without Magnesium Filled for Adjustable Patient-Specific Elastic Modulus.

This study focuses on determining the effective Young's modulus (stiffness) of various lattice structures for titanium scaffolds filled with magnesium and without magnesium. For a specific patient implant the success depends on adequate elastic modulus, which helps proper osteointegration. The Mg-filled portion in the Ti scaffold is expected to dissolve with time as the bone growth through the Ti scaffold porous cavity begins.

Bone Remodelling in Lumbar Spine: A Comparative Analysis of Ti-Alloy, PEEK and CFR-PEEK Implant Materials.

Long-term performance-based study to comprehend the biomechanics of Ti-6Al-4V, PEEK and CFR-PEEK implant materials in fusing a lumbar spine is not available in literature. The present study investigates the performance of these implant materials in fusing an L4-L5 segment by executing a strain energy density-based bone remodelling theory. The FE models of intact and implanted lumbar spines were reconstructed from computed tomography scan images and simulated for 500 N compressive load and a combination of 150 N preload and 10 Nm moment.

Multivariate optimization approach for formulation of malted Rice flour-based weaning mix and its rheological behavior in simulated human digestive system.

The multivariate optimization technique, i.e., the D-optimal mixture design approach, was employed to develop an energy-dense weaning food based on malted rice flour and fruit (Bhim kol), a wild banana indigenous to North-East India.

Resource efficient metal extraction and silicon wafer recovery from end-of-life monocrystalline solar cells: A chemical and environmental perspective.

With the rapid expansion of photovoltaic technology, managing photovoltaic-solid waste has become a growing challenge. This study presents an efficient process for recovering metals and silicon wafers from end-of-life solar cells, which has significant potential for generating auxiliary sources of revenue for the world economy and mitigating resource depletion risks along with environmental offsets. Following aluminium removal from the back of the solar cells utilizing hydrochloric acid, 99.

Electrochemical oxidation of propargyl alcohol: rapid access to an unprecedented dioxo-orthoester under mild conditions.

A novel, environmentally benign, metal-free method has been developed for synthesizing unique dioxo-orthoester derivatives through electrochemical oxidation of propargyl alcohols. This straightforward approach efficiently converts readily accessible -propargyl alcohols with terminal alkynes into dioxo-orthoesters, which constitute an unexplored class of compounds. The operational ease, inexpensive starting materials and broad substrate scope make this method appealing.

Effect of cage surface geometry on load transfer and ranges of motion in a fused lumbar spine model: A comparative finite element analysis.

Lumbar degenerative disc diseases (DDDs) are the common causes of low back pain, leading to non-conservative treatments like fusion and non-fusion surgery as a last resort. Fusion surgery is the gold standard for addressing DDDs, where implants such as cages, pedicle screws and rods are used for posterior stabilization. Various finite element (FE) studies have reported using corrugated cage surface textures; some others have used flat textures for virtual implantation.

Transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) surgery: A finite element analysis of open and minimally invasive approach on L4-L5 segment.

Background: To compare the effect of minimally invasive and open transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) approaches in fusing the L4-L5 segment and predicting the potential risk of adjacent segment degeneration (ASD).

Methods: A computed tomography scan image was processed and the three-dimensional model of the L1-L5 spine was reconstructed. The minimally invasive and Open TLIF finite element models were constructed.

Open laminectomy plus posterolateral fusion versus open laminectomy plus transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion surgical approaches for fusing degenerated L4-L5 segment: A comparative finite element study.

Various finite element (FE) studies reported the biomechanical effects of fusion surgeries in the lumbar spine. However, a comparative study on Open laminectomy plus Posterolateral Fusion (OL-PLF) and Open Laminectomy plus Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion (OL-TLIF) for fusing an L4-L5 segment has not been reported in the literature. The present comparative FE study evaluates the biomechanical variations in an L4-L5 segment fused using OL-PLF and OL-TLIF surgical approaches.

Carbonyldiimidazole (CDI) promoted direct and instantaneous thio-esterification of a carboxylic acid and thiol at ambient temperature.

A simple yet efficient method is disclosed for the synthesis of a diverse range of thioester derivatives. Carbonyldiimidazole promoted esterification between a carboxylic acid and thiol was carried out at ambient temperature. The short reaction time, excellent yield, operational ease and wide functional group tolerance are the notable features of the reaction.

Assessing sediment dynamics and retention services in the vulnerable mountain ecosystem of the Indian Himalayas.

Sediment loss and export pose significant global environmental issues, profoundly affecting water quality, soil fertility, and ecosystem stability, particularly in vulnerable mountain ecosystems like the Indian Himalayas. The present study used remote sensing data and the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Trade-offs (InVEST) sediment delivery ratio (SDR) model to analyze spatial-temporal variations in soil loss (SL), sediment export (SE), and sediment retention (SR) capabilities in the South Shimla watershed, Himachal Pradesh, India, from 1993 to 2023. The findings showed significant changes in land use and land cover (LULC): evergreen forest and scrub land decreased sharply by 11.

A systematic review on urban blue-green infrastructure in the south Asian region: recent advancements, applications, and challenges.

This study uses a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) process to know the present status of research on urban Blue-Green Infrastructure (BGI) in the lower-middle-income countries of the South Asian region, specifically India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Nepal, and Pakistan, which produced 77 relevant publications after detailed scanning published between 2013 and 2022. It was aimed to analyze variations on BGI's mentions in different regions, identify BGI components found in the literature and their uses to promote urban sustainability, research initiatives, and priorities, and identify knowledge gaps for future research. The review reveals significant differences in research distribution among countries, with the majority of the articles focusing on green spaces compared to bluescapes and concentrating on topics like local inhabitant's perception of urban green spaces, advantages of implementing nature-based solutions, the role of green infrastructures in minimizing the urban heat island effect, air pollution, etc.

Enhancing the city-level thermal environment through the strategic utilization of urban green spaces employing geospatial techniques.

Smart urban planning needs to have a multicriteria-based approach to prevent the deteriorating local thermal climate. Maximizing the cooling potential using the available grey infrastructure would be the utmost priority of future smart cities. Remote sensing and GIS can be the appropriate tools to develop a climate-resilient urban planning framework.

Finite element analysis of implanted lumbar spine: Effects of open laminectomy plus PLF and open laminectomy plus TLIF surgical approaches on L3-L4 FSU.

Several finite element (FE) studies reported performances of various lumbar fusion surgical approaches. However, comparative studies on the performance of Open Laminectomy plus Posterolateral Fusion (OL-PLF) and Open Laminectomy plus Transforaminal Interbody Fusion (OL-TLIF) surgical approaches are rare. In the current FE study, the variation in ranges of motions (ROM), stress-strain distributions in an implanted functional spinal unit (FSU) and caudal adjacent soft structures between OL-PLF and OL-TLIF virtual models were investigated.

Effects of open and minimally invasive Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion (TLIF) surgical techniques on mechanical behaviour of fused L3-L4 FSU: A comparative finite element study.

For predicting the biomechanical effects of the fusion procedure, finite element (FE) analysis is widely used as a preclinical tool. Although several FE studies examined the efficacies of various fusion surgical techniques, comparative studies on Open and minimally invasive (MIS) transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) procedures incorporating a follower coordinate system have not been investigated yet. The current FE study evaluates the ranges of motion (ROM) and load distributions of Open-TLIF and MIS-TLIF implanted models, under physiological loading such as compression, flexion, extension and lateral bending.

Aggregation-Induced Fluorescence Upconversion of Pyrene under Low Fluence: In Solutions and Polymeric Nanoparticles.

In this study, aggregation-induced photon upconversion (iPUC) is demonstrated in the small polyaromatic molecule, pyrene. In binary-solvent mixtures, water, which induces the aggregation of polyaromatic molecules, assisted in triplet-triplet annihilation-based upconversion. No upconverted emission was observed in a dry solvent.

An Atom-Economic Method for 1,2,3-Triazole Derivatives via Oxidative [3 + 2] Cycloaddition Harnessing the Power of Electrochemical Oxidation and Click Chemistry.

An electrochemical method was developed to accomplish the reagentless synthesis of 4,5-disubstituted triazole derivatives employing secondary propargyl alcohol as C-3 synthon and sodium azide as cycloaddition counterpart. The reaction was conducted at room temperature in an undivided cell with a constant current using a pencil graphite (C) anode and stainless-steel cathode in a MeCN solvent system. The proposed reaction mechanism was convincingly established by carrying out a series of control experiments and further supported by electrochemical and density functional theory (DFT) studies.

Finite element analysis of an intact lumbar spine model: Effects of loading under different coordinate systems.

Finite element (FE) analysis has been used in studying the biomechanics of the lumbar spine. While some FE studies used a follower load technique that intended to replace the compressing effect of local muscle force, other studies considered satisfying the relationship between the human body's posture and the centre of gravity (CG) for investigating spine biomechanics. However, the above studies did not reveal the importance of a coordinate system that gratifies the posture-CG relation and follower load techniques.

Biomechanical and clinical studies on lumbar spine fusion surgery: a review.

Low back pain is associated with degenerative disc diseases of the spine. Surgical treatment includes fusion and non-fusion types. The gold standard is fusion surgery, wherein the affected vertebral segment is fused.

A direct entry to polycyclic quinoxaline derivatives I-DMSO mediated oxidative decarboxylation of α-amino acids and the subsequent Pictet-Spengler cyclization reaction.

A facile and highly efficient iodine-promoted strategy has been delineated for the synthesis of indolo and pyrrolo[1,2-]quinoxaline derivatives an oxidative Pictet-Spengler type amino cyclo-annulation reaction using ∝-amino acids as aldehyde surrogates. The concomitant benzylic oxidation and the compatibility of different starting materials under standard conditions made the current method versatile. The salient features of the protocol such as readily available starting materials, inexpensive promoters, environmental benignity, broad substrate scope, scalability, and good to excellent yield make the method more attractive to practitioners of organic synthesis.

Interaction of a Jaundice Marker Molecule with a Redox-Modulatory Nano-Hybrid: A Combined Electrochemical and Spectroscopic Study toward the Development of a Theranostic Tool.

This study explores a combined electrochemical and spectroscopic approach to investigate the degradation of bilirubin, a molecular marker of jaundice in humans using a biocompatible nanohybrid (citrate-functionalized Mn O nanohybrid; C-Mn O NH). The approach is aimed at the development of a facile theranostic tool for treatment, detection, and prognosis of jaundice. Linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) studies on bilirubin, C-Mn O NH, a model carrier protein, and its complex with bilirubin reveal the efficacy of the nanohybrid for both degradation and detection of bilirubin.

COVID-19 and central nervous system interplay: A big picture beyond clinical manifestation.

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV2) has been declared a pandemic. Global research updates confirm that the infected patients manifest a range of clinical symptoms and sometimes remain entirely asymptomatic, posing a greater threat to the people coming in contact. Despite several case reports coming up every day, our knowledge about the neurotropic mechanism of the SARS-CoV-2, immunological responses, and the mode of disease progression and mechanism of crosstalk between the central nervous system (CNS), heart, lungs, and other major organs is not complete.

3D Bioprinting for fabrication of tissue models of COVID-19 infection.

Over the last few decades, the world has witnessed multiple viral pandemics, the current severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic being the worst and most devastating one, claiming millions of lives worldwide. Physicians, scientists, and engineers worldwide have joined hands in dealing with the current situation at an impressive speed and efficiency. One of the major reasons for the delay in response is our limited understanding of the mechanism of action and individual effects of the virus on different tissues and organs.

Recent trends in analytical and digital techniques for the detection of the SARS-Cov-2.

The current global outbreak of COVID-19 due to SARS-CoV-2 is an unprecedented humanitarian crisis. Considering the gravity of its impact there is an immediate need to develop a detection technique that is sensitive, specific, fast, and affordable for the clinical diagnosis of the disease. Real time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR)-based detection platforms are contemplated to be the gold standard to detect viral RNA.