Antibacterial and cytotoxicity studies of pyrrolo-based organic scaffolds and their binding interaction with bovine serum albumin.

Two pyrrolo-based compounds, 1H-pyrrolo[3,2-b]pyridine-3-carboxylic acid (L1) and 1H-pyrrolo[3,2-c]pyridine-4-carboxylic acid (L2), were employed for the detection of bovine serum albumin (BSA) by UV-Vis and fluorescence spectroscopic methods in phosphate buffer solution (pH = 7). In the presence of L1 and L2, the fluorescence emission of BSA at 340 nm was quenched and concomitantly a red-shifted emission band appeared at 420 nm (L1)/450 nm (L2). The fluorescence spectral changes indicate the protein-ligand complex formation between BSA and L1/L2. An isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) experiment was conducted to determine the binding ability between BSA and L1/L2. The binding constants are found to be 4.45 ± 0.22 × 104 M-1 for L1 and 2.29 ± 0.11 × 104 M-1 for L2, respectively. The thermodynamic parameters were calculated from ITC measurements (i.e. ∆rH = -40 ± 2 kcal/mol, ∆rG = -4.57 ± 0.22 kcal/mol and -T∆rS = 35.4 ± 1.77 kcal/mol), which indicated that the protein-ligand complex formation between L1/L2 with BSA is mainly due to the electrostatic interactions. The protein-ligand interactions were studied by performing molecular docking. Further, the antibacterial assay of L1 and L2 was conducted against gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial strains in an effort to address the difficulties caused by the co-occurrence of antimicrobial and multidrug-resistant bacteria. E. coli and S. aureus were significantly inhibited by L1 and L2. The L1 exhibits 13, 12 and 15 mm, whereas L2 exhibits a 2, 3 and 5 mm zone of inhibition against S. aureus, S. pyogenes and E. coli, respectively. In silico molecular docking of L1 and L2 was performed with bacterial DNA gyrase to establish the intermolecular interactions. Finally, the in vitro cytotoxicity activities of the ligands L1 and L2 have been carried out using drosophila.

In Vivo Wound Healing in Drosophila melanogaster and Mouse Models: Synergistic Effect of Bovine Serum Albumin and Graphene Quantum Dots.

Bovine serum albumin (BSA)-based biomaterials have garnered significant attention for their remarkable potential in wound healing, primarily due to their effective biological actions in addressing the skin inflammation phase and mitigating hypoalbuminemia. Motivated by these attributes, a nanocomposite hydrogel is developed by blending BSA with poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), complemented by the incorporation of graphene quantum dot (GQD). The FTIR study establishes a hydrogen-bonding interaction between the -NH2 groups of BSA and the -OH group of PVA. Microscopic investigations establish that the dispersion of GQDs with an average size of 22.5 nm results in smoothening of the surface of the nanocomposite. The nanocomposite hydrogel reveals excellent swelling attributes of about 920% in a period of 6 h due to its optimum cross-linking condition. Furthermore, the hydrogel exhibits a water vapor transmission rate of 8.45 mg cm-2 h-1, akin to the transmission rate of wounded skin. The PVA/BSA@GQD nanocomposite's antibacterial efficacy is evaluated against Morganella morganii bacteria, showing 99% killing, while its cytotoxicity assay against HeLa cells exhibited a minimum cell viability of 76% at a 20 µM concentration, which is ideal for a wound dressing material. In vivo wound healing investigations are conducted on Drosophila, showcasing a 100% wound surface closure within 4 h. This outcome is further substantiated through in vivo studies involving mice, where complete re-epithelialization is achieved within a span of 13 days. The combined results establish the PVA/BSA@GQD nanocomposite as a potential wound dressing material.

Exploring the factors influencing the effectiveness of online learning: A study on college students.

To prevent the rapid transmission of the viruses among students and staff during the COVID-19 epidemic, on-campus classes have been cancelled at colleges and institutions throughout the world. Due to this unexpected disruption in face-to-face learning, pedagogical methods were changed, and colleges quickly accepted online instruction. Both university lecturers and professors as well as university students were impacted by the advent of online learning. The student's performance is what determines how well online learning works. Students' performance is affected by the course material, how a teacher teaches them, and a variety of other factors. So, the study's focus is to investigate the effect of numerous elements e.g. instructor-student interaction, peer interaction, social media use, family support, and technical support on College students' engagement and performance. Population of this study consist of universities' under-graduate and post-graduate students. Data were collected from 300 under-graduate and post-graduate students who belong to the three universities/colleges of Jaipur (Rajasthan) namely; JK Lakshmipat University, Arya College of Engineering and I.T., and JECRC University. Data were analyzed using two software Programs "SPSS and AMOS". After going through validity, reliability, exploratory, and confirmatory factor analysis; we applied structural equation modeling (SEM). Our findings show that Instructor-Student Interaction, Use of social media, Family as well as Technical support have a positive relationship with Students' Learning Performance through Students Engagement. It was also shown that peer interaction had a minor influence on learners' performance. All the observed Indices are within the threshold limits.

Higher education students' behaviour and mental health during Covid-19 lockdown: a pilot study.

Background: The flare-up of Covid-19 in India caused open turmoil and pressure on emotional wellbeing among university students. At first, it was about course finishing; later, the issues moved to assessment. This scourge increases mental issues, stress, dissatisfaction, sorrow, and nervousness. Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the mental health and behaviour of Mizoram University students during the Covid-19 lockdown period. Methods: This study was a cross-sectional investigation, and a snowball method sampling technique was utilised for obtainging information from the students. Results: There were 65.2% of students who revealed that they were giving more consideration to their emotional wellbeing during this pandemic. More than half of the participants (67.2%) reported no expanded worry of stress from scholastic work, and 65.2% reported that they were paying more attention to their emotional wellbeing and mental health following the pandemic. Further, 69.7% reported that they were spending more time exercising. Nearly 55% of students took part in Zoom classes, with a length of 35 to 40 min. About 65.7% of students gained proficiency in their course by means of a learning management system. Students performed activities at home during the lockdown period, watching TV (75.4%), reading books (38.7%), and on writing assignments (34.8%); and 34.5% of the students viewed news from TV, newspapers, and social media about the Covid-19 pandemic each day. Conclusion: The positive effects on psychological wellbeing may have helped the students adapt to other negative effects and expanded pressure on emotional wellbeing. This pandemic impact will probably be engraved on every individual surveyed.

Online teaching-learning in higher education during lockdown period of COVID-19 pandemic.

The whole educational system from elementary to tertiary level has been collapsed during the lockdown period of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) not only in India but across the globe. This study is a portrayal of online teaching-learning modes adopted by the Mizoram University for the teaching-learning process and subsequent semester examinations. It looks forward to an intellectually enriched opportunity for further future academic decision-making during any adversity. The intended purpose of this paper seeks to address the required essentialities of online teaching-learning in education amid the COVID-19 pandemic and how can existing resources of educational institutions effectively transform formal education into online education with the help of virtual classes and other pivotal online tools in this continually shifting educational landscape. The paper employs both quantitative and qualitative approach to study the perceptions of teachers and students on online teaching-learning modes and also highlighted the implementation process of online teaching-learning modes. The value of this paper is to draw a holistic picture of ongoing online teaching-learning activities during the lockdown period including establishing the linkage between change management process and online teaching-learning process in education system amid the COVID-19 outbreak so as to overcome the persisting academic disturbance and consequently ensure the resumption of educational activities and discourses as a normal course of procedure in the education system.

Nonlinearly coupled, gain-switched Nd:YAG second harmonic laser with variable pulse width.

An all-solid-state, gain-switched, green laser is developed using a side diode-array pumped Nd:YAG laser and a KTiOPO(4) (KTP) crystal as an intracavity frequency doubler. The effect of nonlinear coupling on the pulse width of the fundamental is studied and is found to be in good agreement with the experimental measurement. In this preliminary experiment, a peak power of 40 W at 532 nm corresponding to a pulse width of 409 ns is obtained for an average pump power of 2 W. Compared to a Q-switched laser, it is simple and does not require a high voltage RF driver or saturable absorbers in its operation. The laser may be useful where relatively longer nanosecond pulses are required such as eye surgery, micromachining, and underwater communication.