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Critical review on arsenic: Its occurrence, contamination and remediation from water and soil
With the increasing pollution in todays world, importance is being given to solve a problem and do it in a sustainable, eco-friendly manner. Arsenic is a class-1 carcinogen and also causes many other side effects to humans, plants and animals. The utilization of arsenic as wood preservatives, pesticides, or its historical overuse by some military units for rice killing operations has led to the increase in the toxic effects of arsenic like its carcinogenicity, decreased immune response etc. Although conventional methods like coagulation, lime softening, adsorption, membrane technology are effective, they have their disadvantages like additional waste generation, causing increased pollution and are expensive. The better alternative is phytoremediation. Appropriate plants like Brassica juncea, Hydrilla verticilata, Pteris vittata L., Vallisneria natans, can be chosen based on the method of the remediation like phytoextraction, phytostabilization and phytofiltration or phytovoltalization. This review provides the list of a few plants which can be likely chosen for the purpose of both water and soil remediation. Advancements are occurring in bioremediation studies with the development of transgenic plants like transgenic tobacco, transgenic Arabidopsis thali-ana for better phytoremediation. Understanding the mechanism employed by the plant for its uptake/detoxification can aid in the enhancement of the process of remediation with the external supply of phosphorus. Along with this, the proper and safe disposal of plants is crucial for the remediation process. In addition, awareness of this solution to the general public is to be made for its effectiveness. : Author (s). Publishing rights @ ANSF. -
Cross layer design with weighted sum approach for extending device sustainability in smart cities
IoT associates with MEMS technology and various other technologies to connect smart devices globally. Providing reliable interaction between the smart devices and maintaining the battery sustainability of smart devices are the major demand since most of the IoT devices are run by a battery source. Device sustainability is the prime concern in most the IoT applications such as smart cities, e-health, smart grid, etc. Thus, we have come up with a cross layer design that improves the device sustainability and lifetime of the IoT networks in smart cities. In the proposed design, physical layer and data link layer information is utilized by the network layer to explore the energy efficient communication among the IoT devices, since 70% - 80% of device energy is utilized for its communication. Cross-layer design can be an optimal solution to enhance the modalities of the wireless network. The Weighted sum approach is used in the proposed model which is an effective computation method to analyze and identify the routing metrics that are associated with energy efficiency. Based on the routing metric analysis (Table 2) it is found that a particular combination of routing metrics performs effective power utilization (by attaining optimal transmission power) and achieves sustained device lifetime. From the obtained results, it is noticed that the MTPM + ETP + ND routing metric combination outperforms all the other combinations, and designing the cross-layer mechanism with the weighted sum approach computation gives better network performance without compromising the device lifetime. In smart cities applications, the device scalability is huge, since frequent battery replacement is a very difficult task. Therefore, we come up with an efficient network model that is more suitable to maintain device sustainability in smart cities. 2021 Elsevier Ltd -
Crumpled and porous graphene for supercapacitor applications: a short review
Research on Graphene and its importance in the field of energy conversion and storage devices such as fuel cells, batteries, supercapacitors and solar cells has gained momentum recently. It is studied to be the most suitable electrode material for enhanced performance of supercapacitors in terms of chargedischarge cycles, specific capacitance, high power and energy densities and so on, specifically due to its high conductivity and large theoretical surface area. Unfortunately, it posits lot of challenges due to its irreversible stacking between the individual sheets resulting in the decrease in the Specific Surface Area (SSA) compared to the theoretically reported values. Numerous studies have been carried out to prevent this stacking in order to increase the surface area, thereby being a more suitable material for the manufacture of electrodes for supercapacitors as its capacitance greatly depends on the electrode material. To solve this problem, the conversion of two-dimensional graphene sheets to three-dimensional crumpled graphene structure has been verified to be the most effective approach. The study of crumpled graphene has been one of the recent trends in the field of energy storage applications in consumer electronics and hybrid vehicles as the process of crumpling can be controlled to suit the prospective device applications. 2021, Korean Carbon Society. -
Current scenario of Gastric cancer (GC): A systematic review
Gastric cancer (GC) is amongst the most difficult cancers to treat and, hence, has to be studied from the roots to be properly analysed. The disease starts as precancerous lesions which have to be observed. This includes dysplasia, atrophic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia. This is effective for detecting the prognosis of GC so that it can be resolved in early stages. This is dependent on a variety of risk factors which include blood type, gender, age, geography, gene polymorphisms, acid secretion, pernicious anemia, oxidative damage, previous gastric surgery, etc. Probably the most important, however, is infection by H. Pylori. With respect to virulence factors and host factors, both are significant players in the development of several cases of malignancies. Other genetic factors and lifestyle choices including alcohol use, tobacco usage and obesity, will also be analysed. There are also several genetic conditions that cause high risk of development into a malignancy including Menetrier s disease, hereditary diffuse GC, Lynch syndrome, Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, Li Fraumani syndrome etc. Several diagnostic procedures such as lab tests, physical examinations and biopsy are used. The current review analysed the factors which are involved in the prognosis and causative agents in the development of GC. This is to better understand how GC can be diagnosed and confirmed. This may include molecular testing, including genes, which can be of high risk followed by modern treatment methods discussing surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy and radiotherapy. Chemotherapy includes discussion of several drugs and how they target the malignancy in question. By understanding the disease in detail, through causes, prognosis, detection and treatment, we can go one step closer to find the cure for GC. 2022 World Research Association. All rights reserved. -
Cytokine see-saw across pregnancy, its related complexities and consequences
During pregnancy, a woman's immune system adapts to the changing hormonal concentrations, causing immunologic transition. These immunologic changes are required for a full-term pregnancy, preserving the fetus' innate and adaptive immunity. Preterm labor, miscarriage, gestational diabetes mellitus, and pre-eclampsia are all caused by abnormal cytokine expression during pregnancy and childbirth. A disruption in the cytokine balance can lead to autoimmune diseases or microbiologic infections, or to autoimmune illness remission during pregnancy with postpartum recurrence. The cytokine treatments are essential and damaging to the developing fetus. The current review summarizes the known research on cytokine changes during pregnancy and their possible consequences for pregnant women. Studies suggest that customizing medication for each woman and her progesterone levels should be based on the cytokine profile of each pregnant woman. Immune cells and chemicals play an important function in development of the placenta and embryo. During pregnancy, T cells divide and move, and a careful balance between proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines is necessary. The present review focuses on the mother's endurance in generating fetal cells and the immunologic mechanism involved. 2022 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. -
Deciphering the global research trends and significance of moral intelligence via bibliometric analysis
Introduction: Moral Intelligence (MI) as a concept has gained importance in recent years due to its wide applicability in individual, organizational, and clinical settings or even policy making. The present study employed Bibliometric analysis to understand the emerging topics associated with MI and its global research trend. This papers primary aim was (i) to explore the temporal and geographic growth trends of the research publication on MI. (ii) to identify the most prolific countries, institutions, and authors, working on MI, (iii) to identify the most frequent terminologies, (iv) to explore research topics and to provide insight into potential collaborations and future directions, and (v) to explore the significance of the concept of moral intelligence. Method: Bibliometric analysis was used to understand the emerging topics associated with MI and its global research trend using the SCOPUS database. VOS viewer and R were employed to analyze the result. Through the analysis conducted, the development of the construct over time was analyzed. Results: Results have shown that Iran and the United States and these two combined account for 53.16% of the total country-wise publications. Switzerland has the highest number of Multi-county publications. Authors from Iran and Switzerland have the most number of publications. Emerging topics like decision-making, machine ethics, moral agents, artificial ethics, co-evolution of human and artificial moral agents, green purchase intention etc were identified. Discussion: The application of MI in organisational decision-making, education policy, artificial intelligence and measurement of moral intelligence are important areas of application as per the results. Research interest in MI is projected to increase according to the results delineated in this article. Copyright 2024 Bagchi, Srivastava and Tushir. -
Deciphering the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on food security, agriculture, and livelihoods: A review of the evidence from developing countries
With COVID-19 now spreading in developing countries, massive consequences on health and livelihoods are feared. Food security is the most important and crucial aspect of sustainable development. The agricultural sector forms the backbone of the economy and provides livelihood to a large section in developing countries. Therefore, the disruption in food security and the agricultural sector will have far-reaching impacts on these countries. Owing to the importance of these sectors, this paper performs a comprehensive assessment of the effect of COVID-19 on food security and agriculture. The research suggests coping and mitigation mechanisms that can be adopted to sustain livelihoods. 2020 The Author(s) -
Design and genome engineering of microbial cell factories for efficient conversion of lignocellulose to fuel
The gradually increasing need for fossil fuels demands renewable biofuel substitutes. This has fascinated an increasing investigation to design innovative energy fuels that have comparable Physico-chemical and combustion characteristics with fossil-derived fuels. The efficient microbes for bioenergy synthesis desire the proficiency to consume a large quantity of carbon substrate, transfer various carbohydrates through efficient metabolic pathways, capability to withstand inhibitory components and other degradation compounds, and improve metabolic fluxes to synthesize target compounds. Metabolically engineered microbes could be an efficient methodology for synthesizing biofuel from cellulosic biomass by cautiously manipulating enzymes and metabolic pathways. This review offers a comprehensive perspective on the trends and advances in metabolic and genetic engineering technologies for advanced biofuel synthesis by applying various heterologous hosts. Probable technologies include enzyme engineering, heterologous expression of multiple genes, CRISPR-Cas technologies for genome editing, and cell surface display. 2022 Elsevier Ltd -
Development and Validation of Work Environment Services Scale (WESS)
Purpose: This study presents a nine-factor, 32-item measure of work environment scale in the service sector. A healthy work environment is one in which employees trust the people they work for, have pride in what they do, and enjoy working with the people (Levering and Moskowitz, 2004). Methodology: This instrument builds on the conceptual model espoused by Insel and Moos (1974), Gordon (1973), Fletcher and Nusbaum (2010), Amabile et al. (1996), and Spector (2003). The scale included items elicited through a literature review, the use of the Delphi technique with a panel of experts, and tested on 824 full-time employees from nine service sector industries and five major cities in India. Findings: The Work Environment Services Scale (WESS) is a reliable and valid scale useful for measuring the nine work environment factors in the Indian services organization, with its own norms and a detailed manual. Originality/Value: The prevailing scales for measuring work environment do not capture the influence of ethics, recreation facilities, and the impact of social giving on the work environment. Most scales were suitable for sectors in the Western context, and there were no Indian scales measuring service employees' perception of their work environment. 2021 Harold Andrew Patrick et al., published by Sciendo 2021. -
Development challenges for agriculture in Maharashtra
Maharashtra is heralded as one of the economically advanced states, but this illusion crashed under the attack of COVID-19 virus and economic deterioration is expected to follow. It is argued here that the state policy dished out a raw deal to the agricultural sector and set the sector under severe stress. The path of this retrogression, reasons behind the trends and the possible policy platform for the last six decades are traced. Stagnation has gripped the agricultural sector, and it is losing cultivable land to other uses. This is accompanied by a sharp increase in small and marginal holdings. Surprisingly, the state has no agricultural policy document in place and the sector largely depends on only sporadic firefighting approaches with a policy paralysis. 2020 Economic and Political Weekly. All rights reserved. -
Developmental prospects of carrageenan-based wound dressing films: Unveiling techno-functional properties and freeze-drying technology for the development of absorbent films A review
This review explores the intricate wound healing process, emphasizing the critical role of dressing material selection, particularly for chronic wounds with high exudate levels. The aim is to tailor biodegradable dressings for comprehensive healing, focusing on maximizing moisture retention, a vital element for adequate recovery. Researchers are designing advanced wound dressings that enhance techno-functional and bioactive properties, minimizing healing time and ensuring cost-effective care. The study delves into wound dressing materials, highlighting carrageenan biocomposites superior attributes and potential in advancing wound care. Carrageenan's versatility in various biomedical applications demonstrates its potential for tissue repair, bone regeneration, and drug delivery. Ongoing research explores synergistic effects by combining carrageenan with other novel materials, aiming for complete biocompatibility. As innovative solutions emerge, carrageenan-based wound-healing medical devices are poised for global accessibility, addressing challenges associated with the complex wound-healing process. The exceptional physico-mechanical properties of carrageenan make it well-suited for highly exudating wounds, offering a promising avenue to revolutionize wound care through freeze-drying techniques. This thorough approach to evaluating the wound healing effectiveness of carrageenan-based films, particularly emphasizing the development potential of lyophilized films, has the potential to significantly improve the quality of life for patients receiving wound healing treatments. 2024 Elsevier B.V. -
Dharma in Manusmrti: Agent of social cohesion and equilibrium
Dharma, through its role as a moral ideal and through its manifestations that permeate every part of the society, binds all the individuals in Manu's society as envisaged in Manusmrti. It serves as a common value and dictates common goals for the people that could be attained by functioning for the good of the institutions they belong to and, ultimately, for the survival of the society. Social institutions like marriage, family, varna system, as?rama system, political system and legal system were structured with accurate positions and roles for their efficient and smooth functioning. They were made to function compatibly with each other to ensure the survival of the society. Manu carefully avoided conflicts and competitions in the society. Thus, by acting as a cohesive agent, Dharma, as a foundational moral principle, integrates both individuals and the institutions to maintain the equilibrium of Manu's state. 2013 Journal of Dharma: Dharmaram Journal of Religions and Philosophies (Dharmaram Vidya Kshetram, Bangalore), ISSN: 0253-7222. -
Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Review of Three Focused Interventions
Autism is a neurological developmental disorder that impacts a persons physical, social, and emotional behavior. This disorder develops over time and is characterized by social deficits and repetitive behavior. Although there is no cure for this disorder, an early diagnosis and intervention can do significant wonders and can help the subject to become active functioning members of the family and society. The aim of this study is to minimize the diagnostic period by finding an optimal diagnosis procedure from the existing diagnosis tools. The diagnosis of autism can be done in three ways: 1. clinical evaluation; 2. screening tools; 3. brain images. In this review paper, we have thoroughly gone through all three types of diagnostic procedures and found that there was no single diagnostic tool to confirm the disorder. We also found that the diagnosis period was too long. As the result of this review, we found an ASD diagnosis triad which helps to choose the right diagnosis procedure based on the subjects age which reduces the diagnostic period and helps to aid early diagnosis by eliminating the chaos in choosing the diagnostic tools. 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. -
Diazanorbornene: A Valuable Synthon towards Carbocycles and Heterocycles
Desymmetrization of meso compounds is well recognized as a powerful method for delivering biologically relevant molecular skeletons in a few synthetic steps. Heterobicyclic olefins are a class of meso compounds which exhibit exceptional reactivity due to their high ring strain originating from the unfavorable bond angles and eclipsing interactions. Extensive research was carried out towards the synthetic transformations of oxa-, aza-, and diazanorbornenes/norbornadienes for the synthesis of a wide variety of carbocycles and heterocycles in a single step, most importantly in a stereo- and chemo-selective manner. This review summarizes the relevant aspects of diazanorbornene reactivity which will inspire the synthetic community for exploiting these highly strained bicyclic systems for the creation of extensive libraries of novel structurally and biologically interesting molecules. The review is divided into several sections based on the type of reactions that diazanorbornenes are subjected to. 2020 Wiley-VCH GmbH -
Dietary nutrients and their control of the redox bioenergetic networks as therapeutics in redox dysfunctions sustained pathologies
Electrons exchange amongst the chemical species in an organism is a pivotal concomitant activity carried out by individual cells for basic cellular processes and continuously contribute towards the maintenance of bioenergetic networks plus physiological attributes like cell growth, phenotypic differences and nutritional adaptations. Humans exchange matter and energy via complex connections of metabolic pathways (redox reactions) amongst cells being a thermodynamically open system. Usually, these reactions are the real lifeline and driving forces of health and disease in the living entity. Many shreds of evidence support the secondary role of reactive species in the cellular process of control apoptosis and proliferation. Disrupted redox mechanisms are seen in malaises, like degenerative and metabolic disorders, cancerous cells. This review targets the importance of redox reactions in the body's normal functioning and the effects of its alterations in cells to obtain a better understanding. Understanding the redox dynamics in a pathological state can provide an opportunity for cure or diagnosis at the earlier stage and serve as an essential biomarker to predict in advance to give personalized therapy. Understanding redox metabolism can also highlight the use of naturally available antioxidant in the form of diet. 2021 Elsevier Ltd -
Disclosure of University Social Responsibility A Review of Select Higher Educational Institutions
This paper explores the disclosure of university social responsibility by higher educational institutions. Based on the disclosure of information on institutional websites, 39 universities were selected for the study. The data, which was assessed on the criteria used by regulatory authorities for grading institutions, revealed that while 12 institutions performed above average in most of the criteria, 17 were in the medium range, and 10 performed below average. The study proposes that disclosure of social responsibility activities with adequate evidence from institutional websites can attract more viewers and prospective students. 2023 Tata Institute of Social Sciences. All rights reserved. -
Discovering Consumer Behavior Towards Back-of-Pack Nutrition Labels: A Systematic Literature Review
This systematic literature review aims to examine the impact of back-of-pack (BOP) labels on food manufacturers' practices in the field of consumer behaviour research. The review comprehensively analyses a wide range of articles spanning over two decades to provide an up-to-date and comprehensive analysis of the subject matter. It focuses specifically on how BOP labels affect consumers, food manufacturers' behaviors and practices. The findings highlight that BOP labels conveying intuitive information effectively prompt product reformulation, particularly in reducing unhealthy nutrients such as sodium, sugar, and calories. Voluntary BOP labeling has limited uptake and is often applied to already healthier products. Consumers and food producers' response varies based on label design and enforcement type, suggesting strategic labeling of healthier choices. The review provides valuable insights for future public health research and policymaking efforts, emphasizing the importance of mandatory policies and specific guidance in BOP labels. This research brings novelty by comprehensively examining the impact of back-of-pack (BOP) labeling on consumers and food manufacturers' practices. The findings contribute to the literature by highlighting the differential effects of mandatory and voluntary BOP labeling approaches and offering insights into label design and enforcement types. As per the researcher knowledge there is no available systematic literature review (SLR) specifically focusing on BOP labeling in recent years. Future research should explore the long-term impacts of mandatory versus voluntary BOP labeling on consumer dietary habits and food manufacturers' product reformulation strategies. 2024 The Author(s). -
Disorders in graphene: types, effects and control techniquesa review
The development of graphene and graphene-like materials has been a breakthrough in the field of nanotechnology for its exceptional properties. It exhibits extraordinary properties owing to its unique, regular arrangement of carbon atoms in it. However, graphene is usually modified for specific applications, by introducing disorder in the system. Since disorders are ubiquitous during the synthesis of graphene and graphene-like materials, it is best to exploit the defects for tuning its exceptional properties for suitable device applications. Like in any material, the disorder can drastically affect the properties, and hence they are deliberately incorporated into the material. In this review, we discuss topics related to the creation and configuration of disorders in graphene such as corrugations, topological defects, vacancies, adatoms and sp3-defects. The effects of these disorders on the electrical, thermal, chemical and mechanical properties of graphene are analysed subsequently. Finally, we review earlier works on the modulation of structural defects in graphene for specific applications. 2021, Korean Carbon Society. -
Do geopolitical tensions instigate mindless following in stock markets? An empirical enquiry into the indices of CNX Nifty HFT
Geopolitical tensions between nations play a crucial role in triggering volatility and affecting the investors behavior in stock markets. This empirical work attempts to detect the traces of herding and bubble embedded in the Indian stock indices of CNX Nifty 50 and CNX Nifty 100 (both in High-Frequency Trading domains) during the latest events of geopolitical tensions escalated between India-China and India-Pakistan. An event window approach is employed to capture the impact of these events on herding behavior and information uncertainty in the considered stock indices. Multifractal Detrended Fluctuation Analysis (MFDFA) is applied to compute the Hurst value in all the trading days of the event window. The results of both indices exhibit conclusive evidence of herding and bubble formation during the overall period of geopolitical tensions between India-China and India-Pakistan. However, the degree of herding in the stock indices intensifies to a profound pattern when the tensions between India and China escalated into deadly violent clashes, and also during the heightened tensions between India and Pakistan that eventually ended up in airstrikes across the boundaries. The overall level of information uncertainty depicted by entropy is within control. The volatility in these stock indices has been confirmed to follow a unidirectional pattern. Krishna T. A., Suresha B., 2021 -
Dolastatins and their analogues present a compelling landscape of potential natural and synthetic anticancer drug candidates
Human cancer remains a leading cause of global mortality. Traditional treatment methods, while effective are often associated with substantial side effects, high technical requirements, and considerable expenses. Recently, anticancer peptides, such as dolastatin-type peptides naturally found in marine mollusc Dolabella auricularia, have gained attention due to their enhanced characteristics and specific targeting of cancer cells with minimal toxicity to normal cells. This review aims to provide a comprehensive summary of the anticancer activities of natural dolastatins and synthetic analogues over the past 35 years, focusing on their utilization in advancing cancer treatment strategies. This updated review encompasses a detailed analysis of numerous studies demonstrating the cytotoxic effects of dolastatins and their synthetic analogues on various human tumour cell lines. The analysis includes investigations into their ability to activate apoptosis pathways, inhibit cell cycle progression, and indirectly limit inflammation and angiogenesis in tumours. Both natural dolastatins and synthetic analogues have demonstrated significant anticancer properties through a variety of mechanisms in vitro and in vivo pharmacological studies. Some have even advanced to clinical trials, either alone or in combination with other agents, and have shown promising outcomes. The biological activities of dolastatins and their synthetic analogues offer a promising path in the development of more effective and sustainable anticancer drugs. Their specific action on cancer cells and relative non-toxicity to normal cells highlight their potential as superior cancer therapeutic agents. The current study provides a platform for the most recent preclinical and clinical research on dolastatins and their analogues. Further research into these marine peptides may contribute to the development of sustainable and efficient treatment models for cancer, filling a significant gap in the current cancer therapeutic portfolio. 2023 The Authors