Advances in organocatalyzed synthesis of organic compounds.

The recent advancements in utilizing organocatalysts for the synthesis of organic compounds have been described in this review by focusing on their simplicity, effectiveness, reproducibility, and high selectivity which lead to excellent product yields. The organocatalytic methods for various derivatives, such as indoles, pyrazolones, anthrone-functionalized benzylic amines, maleimide, polyester, phthalimides, dihydropyrimidin, heteroaryls, N-aryl benzimidazoles, stilbenoids, quinazolines, quinolines, and oxazolidinones have been specifically focused. The review provides more understanding by delving into potential reaction mechanisms. We anticipate that this collection of data and findings on successful synthesis of diverse compound derivatives will serve as valuable resources and stimulating current and future research efforts in organocatalysis and industrial chemistry.

Visible light assisted photooxidative facile degradation of azo dyes in water using a green method.

In this study, the methyl orange (MO) dye has been degraded after screening several azo dyes due to its effective results and being toxic and carcinogenic to aquatic life and humans. An environmentally friendly, economical, and green method for water purification was used in this study using the photooxidative method. Several organic acids were screened for oxidative applications against various azo dyes but due to better results, methyl orange was selected for the whole study. Ascorbic acid, also known as vitamin C, was found to be best for photodegradation due to its high oxidative activity among various organic acids utilized. A newly developed photoreactor box has been used to conduct the photooxidation process. To evaluate the degradation efficiency of AsA, photooxidative activity was monitored periodically. When the dose of AsA was used at a contact time of 180 minutes, degradation efficiency was 96%. The analysis of degraded products was performed using HPLC and GC-MS. The nucleophilicity of HOMO-LUMO and MEPs was confirmed using density functional theory. For the optimization of the process, central composite design (CCD) in Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was utilized.

Techno-economic and environmental analysis of renewable energy integration in irrigation systems: A comparative study of standalone and grid-connected PV/diesel generator systems in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Water is an essential requirement for agricultural productivity. In the agriculture sector, electricity generated by conventional sources contributes to a substantial amount of carbon footprints for pumping water through tube wells. Over the past few decades, a transitional shift towards renewable resources has increased leading to decarbonizing the environment and is considered as a viable solution for electricity production. To assist and provide a road map for this paradigm shift, the proposed study presents a techno-economic and environmental analysis of irrigation systems by carrying comparative analysis of both standalone and grid-connected systems based on four independent sites in a developing country. PV system integrated with grid enabling both energy purchase and sale (PV + G(P+S)), proved to be the most optimal configuration with cost of energy (COE) of $0.056/kWh, $0.059/kWh, $0.061/kWh, and $0.068/kWh while having net present cost (NPC) of $7,908, $20,186, $25,826, and $34,487 for Peshawar, Khyber Agency, Mardan, and Charsadda respectively, over a useful life span of 25 years. Furthermore, sensitivity analysis has been carried out based on uncertain variables such as Grid power purchase (GPP) and average solar radiation (GHI) to check the optimality behavior of the system. Results from environmental analysis revealed that (PV+ G(P+S)) system has a relatively low carbon impact as compared with conventional sources. This configuration also has the ability to prevent excess water extraction by selling any excessive solar PV energy to the grid. This study provides a policy framework insight for the entities for future optimization.

Green Organo-Photooxidative Method for the Degradation of Methylene Blue Dye.

This study used an organophoto-oxidative material to degrade the toxic azo dye, methylene blue (MB), due to its hazardous effects on aquatic life and humans. MB is traditionally degraded using metal-based catalysts, resulting in high costs. Several organic acids were screened for organo-photooxidative applications against various azo dyes, and ascorbic acid (AA), also known as vitamin C, was found to be best for degradation due to its high photooxidative activity. It is an eco-friendly, edible, and efficient photooxidative material. A photocatalytic box has been developed for the study of organo-photooxidative activity. It was found that when AA was added, degradation efficiency increased from 42 to 95% within 240 min. Different characterization techniques, such as HPLC and GC-MS, were used after degradation for the structural elucidation of degraded products. DFT study was done for the investigation of the mechanistic study behind the degradation process. A statistical tool, RSM, was used for the optimization of parameters (concentration of dye, catalyst, and time). This study develops sustainable and effective solutions for wastewater treatment.

Ageratina adenophora damages the rumen epithelium via inducing the expression of inflammatory factors in goats.

The aim of this experiment was to investigate the effects of Ageratina adenophora on the expression of epithelium tight junction proteins and inflammatory factors in the rumen of goats. Twelve goats were randomly divided into three groups. The first group was the blank control group (n = 3, C) which was fed normal diet. The second group was fistulas control group (n = 3, RFC), which was fitted with rumen fistulas, and fed normal diet. The third group was the A. adenophora test group (n = 6, AA), which was fitted with rumen fistulas and fed a mixture of 60% of normal diet and 40% of A. adenophora grass powder. The feeding experiment lasted for 90 d, after which all goats were sacrificed and samples were collected from the rumen dorsal sac and ventral sac. The relative expression of mRNA of inflammatory factors in the rumen epithelium (tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNF-α], interferon gamma [IFN-γ], interleukin 1 beta [IL-1ß], IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, and IL-10) and tight junction protein genes (occludin, claudin-1, and ZO-1) was measured by quantitative real-time fluorescence PCR. Expression of tight junction proteins in the rumen epithelium was measured by Western blot. A correlation was established between the expression of inflammatory factors and tight junction protein genes using Graph Pad Prism. The results showed that A. adenophora caused a significant increase in the mRNA expression levels of TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-1ß, IL-2, IL-6, and IL-10 in the rumen epithelial (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). The expression of tight junction proteins at both gene and protein levels was significantly decreased (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Furthermore, the correlation analysis revealed that the changes in tight junction protein expression in the test group were closely related to the upregulation of the expression of inflammatory factors TNF-α and IFN-γ in rumen epithelial cells. In conclusion, the expression of inflammatory factors was increased and the expression of tight junction proteins was decreased in goats after feeding on A. adenophora, which caused some damage to the rumen epithelium.

The article aims to investigate the toxic effects of Ageratina adenophora, an invasive plant on the integrity of the rumen epithelium by measuring the changes in the expression of inflammatory factors and tight junction proteins after the consumption of A. adenophora in goats. The results showed that A. adenophora causes damage to the rumen epithelium by increasing the expression of pro-inflammatory markers like TNF-α and IFN-γ and reducing the expression of tight junction proteins such as occludin and claudin-1 in goats.

Effect of dust accumulation on the performance of photovoltaic modules for different climate regions.

In the past decade, solar photovoltaic (PV) modules have emerged as promising energy sources worldwide. The only limitation associated with PV modules is the efficiency with which they can generate electricity. The dust is the prime ingredient whose accumulation on the surface of PV impacts negatively over its efficiency at a greater rate. This research aims to explore the effects of dust accumulation on the energy output and operating temperature of polycrystalline silicon PV panels situated in two different climatic regions of Pakistan, i.e., Islamabad and Bahawalpur. In both the regions, one PV module is kept in ambient environment for six weeks to allow dust to deposit over its surface and perform experimental analysis with one clean module as reference for performance comparison. After six weeks of atmospheric exposure, dusty modules displayed significantly smaller efficiency as a function of different dust densities in the two regions. Dust samples from both cities are collected and analyzed to evaluate their structural attributes and composition. The PV module in Islamabad region had a dust layer over its surface with a density of 6.388 g/m2 and its efficiency was reduced by 15.08%. In Bahawalpur region, the dust density was observed to be 10.254 g/m2 which caused the output power to be slashed by 25.42%. Temperature analysis of modules shows that dust increases their temperatures which is also a quantity responsible for lower PV power generation with same amount of irradiance. The research findings are crucial for determining and predicting PV power degradation in two different atmospheres and determining the schedule of cleaning cycle.

Hepatotoxicity effects of Ageratina adenophora, as indicated by network toxicology combined with metabolomics and transcriptomics.

Ageratina adenophora (A. adenophora), one of the prominent invasive plants in the Asian continent has shown toxicity in animals. However, studies examining the gene expression and metabolic profiles of animals that ingest A. adenophora have not yet been reported in the literature. Therefore, considering the wide distribution of A. adenophora, it is necessary to elucidate the toxic mechanisms of A. adenophora via multiomics approach. In this study, we identified and evaluated the toxic mechanisms of action associated with bioactive compounds in A. adenophora by using network toxicology studies combined with metabolomics and transcriptomics and found that 2-deoxo-2-(acetyloxy)- 9-oxoageraphorone, 10Hß-9-oxo-agerophorone, 10Hα-9-oxo-agerophorone, nerolidol, 9-oxo-10,11-dehydro-agerophorone were the main active toxic compounds in A. adenophora. In addition, using metabolomics approach we identified differential metabolites such as L-pyroglutamic acid, 1-methylhistidine, prostaglandin F2alpha and hydrocortisone from A. adenophora and these metabolites were involved in amino acid metabolism, lipid metabolism and signal conducting media regulation. Based on network toxicological analysis, we observed that, A. adenophora can affect the Ras signaling, Phospholipase D signaling and MAPK signaling pathways by regulating EGFR, PDGFRB, KIT and other targets. From the results of this study we concluded that A. adenophora induces liver inflammatory damage by activating the EGFR expression and Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK signaling pathways as well as affect nutrients metabolism and neuron conduction.

Network pharmacology- and molecular docking-based analyses of the antihypertensive mechanism of Ilex kudingcha.

Herein, network pharmacology was used to identify the active components in Ilex kudingcha and common hypertension-related targets. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses were conducted, and molecular docking was performed to verify molecular dynamic simulations. Six active components in Ilex kudingcha were identified; furthermore, 123 target genes common to hypertension were identified. Topological analysis revealed the strongly associated proteins, with RELA, AKT1, JUN, TP53, TNF, and MAPK1 being the predicted targets of the studied traditional Chinese medicine. In addition, GO enrichment analysis revealed significant enrichment of biological processes such as oxidative stress, epithelial cell proliferation, cellular response to chemical stress, response to xenobiotic stimulus, and wound healing. Furthermore, KEGG enrichment analysis revealed that the genes were particularly enriched in lipid and atherosclerosis, fluid shear stress and atherosclerosis, and other pathways. Molecular docking revealed that the key components in Ilex kudingcha exhibited good binding potential to the target genes RELA, AKT1, JUN, TP53, TNF, and IL-6. Our study results suggest that Ilex kudingcha plays a role in hypertension treatment by exerting hypolipidemic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects and inhibiting the transcription of atherosclerosis-related genes.

Techno-economic analysis of PV systems installed by using innovative strategies for smart sustainable agriculture farms.

Hybrid renewable energy sources are sustainable and eco-friendly and challenge the alternative sources of conventional energy production facilities. Pakistan's present energy dilemma is a serious impediment to its economic progress. This paper proposes a techno-economic analysis of commercial-scale photovoltaic (PV) systems for commercial agricultural farms in Punjab, Pakistan. A survey was conducted to gather the load data of the farms from major cities of north, center, and south Punjab. For the PV system design, the K-means approach was used to cluster data from 93 farmers into nine clusters with similar electrical consumption. A complete technical, economic, and environmental study is undertaken of the PV systems deployed in five selected cities. The most practical locations are Attock and Multan, which have the lowest Levelized Cost of Energy at 5.52 and 5.37 cents/kWh, respectively. PV installations are nevertheless technically, economically, and environmentally feasible for all cities. Throughout its lifespan, the planned PV system has the potential for Faisalabad and Chiniot to minimize 154 metric tons of emissions, resulting in a greener environment.

Epidemiology and complications of snakebite in rural area of Badin and Thar Sind, Pakistan.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the population at risk of snakebite, the peak season and the site of bite. METHODS: The retrospective study was conducted at the Indus Hospital, Badin, Pakistan, and comprised data of patients bitten by snake between January 2017 and December 2020 in the rural area of the Sindh province who presented to the emergency room and were treated according to the institutional protocol. Data was collected on a structured proforma. Data was analysed using SPSS 21. RESULTS: Of the 695 patients, 517(74.4%) were males and 178(25.6%) were females. The overall mean age was 29.9±15.7 years. Majority of the patients were farmers 294(42.3%), followed by labourers 195(28.1%). The most common site of snakebite was foot 556(80%). In 476(68.5%) cases, the snake type was not identified. Viper bite was noted in 193(28.2%) cases. Proteinuria, haematuria and renal dysfunction were observed in 302(43.5%), 302(43.5%) and 112(16.1%) patients, while leucocytosis, raised prothrombin time and low platelets were found in 305(43.5%), 268 (38.6%) and 100(14.4%) patients, respectively. Maximum number of cases took place in the peak summer month of July 112(16.1%). There were 8(1.2%) mortalities. CONCLUSIONS: Morbidity and mortality by snakebite was found to be prevalent in the study site, calling for preventing strategies.

Antibiograms of Gut Flora of Poultry Farms Workers Reveal Higher Resistance Levels as Compared to Non-Workers.

Introduction: Antibiotics are being used in humans and animals for treatment and control of bacterial infections. Excessive use of antibiotics in the production of poultry is a popular practice, but it poses serious health issues by transferring resistance from farm to humans via food or direct exposure. Study Objective: The objective of this study was to carry out a comparison of the resistance and sensitivity profile of isolated isolates from sewage of toilets that were in use of workers inside the farm and from sewage of household toilets. Methodology: In this study, a total of 320 sewage samples were collected. The antibiotic susceptibility profile was checked by Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method, and the statistical analysis was carried out by MS excel. Chi-square test was performed to determine whether the antibiograms from two sample types were statistically different from each other or not. Results: From 320 sewage samples, a total of 296 bacterial isolates were isolated among which the leading bacterium was E. coli. The proportion of resistance, ESBL production and MDR was significantly higher in bacteria isolated from sewage of toilets under use of poultry farm workers as compared to the sewage from domestic use toilets. Conclusion: Resistance significantly increased in the bacteria isolated from toilets under use of poultry farm workers as compared to the ones isolated from control sewage samples.

Green Synthesis and Incorporation of Sericin Silver Nanoclusters into Electrospun Ultrafine Cellulose Acetate Fibers for Anti-Bacterial Applications.

Fiber based antibacterial materials have gained an enormous attraction for the researchers in these days. In this study, a novel Sericin Encapsulated Silver Nanoclusters (sericin-AgNCs) were synthesized through single pot and green synthesis route. Subsequently these sericin-AgNCs were incorporated into ultrafine electrospun cellulose acetate (CA) fibers for assessing the antibacterial performance. The physicochemical properties of sericin-AgNCs/CA composite fibers were investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), field emission electron microscopy (FE-SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and wide X-ray diffraction (XRD). The antibacterial properties of sericin-AgNCs/CA composite fibers against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) were systematically evaluated. The results showed that sericin-AgNCs incorporated in ultrafine CA fibers have played a vital role for antibacterial activity. An amount of 0.17 mg/mL sericin-AgNCs to CA fibers showed more than 90% results and elevated upto >99.9% with 1.7 mg/mL of sericin-AgNCs against E. coli. The study indicated that sericin-AgNCs/CA composite confirms an enhanced antibacterial efficiency, which could be used as a promising antibacterial product.

Synthesis of Highly Conductive Electrospun Recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate Nanofibers Using the Electroless Deposition Method.

Plastic bottles are generally recycled by remolding them into numerous products. In this study, waste from plastic bottles was used to fabricate recycled polyethylene terephthalate (r-PET) nanofibers via the electrospinning technique, and high-performance conductive polyethylene terephthalate nanofibers (r-PET nanofibers) were prepared followed by copper deposition using the electroless deposition (ELD) method. Firstly, the electrospun r-PET nanofibers were chemically modified with silane molecules and polymerized with 2-(methacryloyloxy) ethyl trimethylammonium chloride (METAC) solution. Finally, the copper deposition was achieved on the surface of chemically modified r-PET nanofibers by simple chemical/ion attraction. The water contact angle of r-PET nanofibers, chemically modified r-PET nanofibers, and copper deposited nanofibers were 140°, 80°, and 138°, respectively. The r-PET nanofibers retained their fibrous morphology after copper deposition, and EDX results confirmed the presence of copper on the surface of r-PET nanofibers. XPS was performed to analyze chemical changes before and after copper deposition on r-PET nanofibers. The successful deposition of copper one r-PET nanofibers showed an excellent electrical resistance of 0.1 ohms/cm and good mechanical strength according to ASTM D-638.

Rectal malakoplakia presenting as a mass and fistulous tract in a renal transplant patient.

Malakoplakia (MK) is a rare, chronic inflammatory disorder with characteristic morphologic features. It most commonly involves urogenital organs but can affect any organ system in the body. Gastrointestinal tract is the second common site of involvement. It commonly occurs in nontransplant patients but transplant patients are also vulnerable to it. We present a case report of a forty year old male renal transplant patient, who received a kidney from his brother with 1 haplotype and 4 antigen match. He was on regular post transplant follow up with stable graft function. Fifteen months post transplant he presented with the complaint of painful defecation, a swelling in the perianal region and inability to sit down properly. Biopsy examination showed malakoplakia with characteristic Michaelis-Gutmann bodies. Culture of the tissue grew E Coli. Immunosuppression therapy was curtailed and patient was started on ciprofloxacin 500mg OD for 6 months. The lesions regressed completely after six months of the above therapy and the patient became completely symptoms free.