Fabrication and Characterization of Zinc Oxide Nanowire Based Two-electrode Capacitive Biosensors on Flexible Substrates for Estimating Glucose Content in a Sample

The present work deals with fabrication and characterization of the zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowire based novel two-electrode capacitive biosensors on flexible Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates for accurate estimation of glucose by analyzing the fundamental dielectric nature of the relevant sample. The morphology and crystalline quality of grown nanowires are analyzed by using field-emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and X-ray diffractometer (XRD), respectively. Current and capacitance values of the device have been studied for ten different glucose concentrations relevant to the physiological standards. The analytical performance of the devices in terms of enzyme activity, reliability and flexibility has also been evaluated.     

Coulomb screening in graphene with topological defects

We analyze the screening of an external Coulomb charge in gapless graphene cone, which is taken as a prototype of a topological defect. In the subcritical regime, the induced charge is calculated using both the Green’s function and the Friedel sum rule. The dependence of the polarization charge on the Coulomb strength obtained from the Green’s function clearly shows the effect of the conical defect and indicates that the critical charge itself depends on the sample topology. Similar analysis using the Friedel sum rule indicates that the two results agree for low values of the Coulomb charge but differ for the higher strengths, especially in the presence of the conical defect. For a given subcritical charge, the transport cross-section has a higher value in the presence of the conical defect. In the supercritical regime we show that the coefficient of the power law tail of polarization charge density can be expressed as a summation of functions which vary log periodically with the distance from the Coulomb impurity. The period of variation depends on the conical defect. In the presence of the conical defect, the Fano resonances begin to appear in the transport cross-section for a lower value of the Coulomb charge. For both sub and supercritical regime we derive the dependence of LDOS on the conical defect. The effects of generalized boundary condition on the physical observables are also discussed.     

Spectroscopic and Computational Study of a Nonheme Iron Nitrosyl Center in a Biosynthetic Model of Nitric Oxide Reductase

A major barrier to understanding the mechanism of nitric oxide reductases (NORs) is the lack of a selective probe of NO binding to the nonheme Fe_B center. By replacing the heme in a biosynthetic model of NORs, which structurally and functionally mimics NORs, with isostructural ZnPP, the electronic structure and functional properties of the Fe_B nitrosyl complex was probed. This approach allowed observation of the first S=3/2 nonheme {FeNO}⁷ complex in a protein‐based model system of NOR. Detailed spectroscopic and computational studies show that the electronic state of the {FeNO}⁷ complex is best described as a high spin ferrous iron (S=2) antiferromagnetically coupled to an NO radical (S= 1/2) [Fe²⁺‐NO^.]. The radical nature of the Fe_B‐bound NO would facilitate N? N bond formation by radical coupling with the heme‐bound NO. This finding, therefore, supports the proposed trans mechanism of NO reduction by NORs.     

Optimization of ultrasound-assisted extraction of phenolic compounds from Sesamum indicum

Abstract

Effective extraction of phyto-biomolecules insures retaining maximum functionality along with higher recovery. In this study, ultrasound-solvent assisted extraction (USAE) was employed for optimal extraction of phyto-biomolecules from Sesamum indicum (sesame) leaves using the approach of Response Surface Methodology (RSM). The optimized condition of 200?W power, 59% methanol concentration with 1:14?g/mL solid–liquid ratio and 15?min of extraction time yielded 367.39?±?1.85?mg GAE/100?g of total phenolic content, 96.72?±?3.27% of free radical scavenging activity and 81.20?±?2.87% of iron chelating activity respectively. The extract consist of essential phytocomponents like gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, and quercetin with lipid peroxidation activities of >50% over incubation time of 48?h. Also, showed antimicrobial activity against various Gram’s negative and positive food borne pathogens. The results of this study implied the importance of USAE for effective and optimum recovery of phyto-biomolecules from Sesame leaves with retained functional properties.     

A Low‐Temperature Molecular Precursor Approach to Copper‐Based Nano‐Sized Digenite Mineral for Efficient Electrocatalytic Oxygen Evolution Reaction

In the urge of designing noble metal‐free and sustainable electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER), herein, a mineral Digenite Cu₉S₅ has been prepared from a molecular copper(I) precursor, [{(PyHS)₂Cu^I(PyHS)}₂](OTf)₂ ( 1 ), and utilized as an anode material in electrocatalytic OER for the first time. A hot injection of 1 yielded a pure phase and highly crystalline Cu₉S₅, which was then electrophoretically deposited (EPD) on a highly conducting nickel foam (NF) substrate. When assessed as an electrode for OER, the Cu₉S₅/NF displayed an overpotential of merely 298±3 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm^?2 in alkaline media. The overpotential recorded here supersedes the value obtained for the best reported Cu‐based as well as the benchmark precious‐metal‐based RuO₂ and IrO₂ electrocatalysts. In addition, the choronoamperometric OER indicated the superior stability of Cu₉S₅/NF, rendering its suitability as the sustainable anode material for practical feasibility. The excellent catalytic activity of Cu₉S₅ can be attributed to the formation of a crystalline CuO overlayer on the conductive Cu₉S₅ that behaves as active species to facilitate OER. This study delivers a distinct molecular precursor approach to produce highly active copper‐based catalysts that could be used as an efficient and durable OER electro(pre)catalysts relying on non‐precious metals.     

Ion beam synthesis of metal-quantum dots for photonic applications

Although electronics technologies have made great advances in device speed, optical devices can function in the time domain inaccessible to electronics. In the time domain less than 1 ps, optical devices have no competition. Photonic or optical devices are designed to switch and process light signals without converting them to electronic form. The major advantages that these devices offer are speed and preservation of bandwidth. The switching is accomplished through changes in refractive index of the material that are proportional to the light intensity. The third-order optical susceptibility, χ⁽³⁾, known as the optical Kerr susceptibility which is related to the non-linear part of the total refractive index, is the nonlinearity which provides this particular feature. Future opportunities in photonic switching and information processing will depend critically on the development of improved photonic materials with enhanced Kerr susceptibilities, as these materials are still in a relatively early stage of development. Different glass systems are now under investigation to increase their nonlinearity by introducing a variety of modifiers into the glass-network. Ion implantation is an attractive method for inducing colloid formation at a high local concentration unattainable by the melt-glass fabrication process and for confining the non-linearities to specific patterned regions in a variety of host matrices. Recent works on metal-ion implanted colloid generation in bulk fused silica glasses have shown that these nanocluster-glass composites under favourable circumstances have significant enhancement of χ⁽³⁾ with picosecond to femtosecond temporal responses.     

Automated leukocyte recognition using fuzzy divergence

This paper aims at introducing an automated approach to leukocyte recognition using fuzzy divergence and modified thresholding techniques. The recognition is done through the segmentation of nuclei where Gamma, Gaussian and Cauchy type of fuzzy membership functions are studied for the image pixels. It is in fact found that Cauchy leads better segmentation as compared to others. In addition, image thresholding is modified for better recognition. Results are studied and discussed.     

AC Conduction and Time–Temperature Superposition Scaling in a Reduced Graphene Oxide–Zinc Sulfide Nanocomposite

We report, herein, the results of an in depth study and concomitant analysis of the AC conduction [σ′(ω): f=20 Hz to 2 MHz] mechanism in a reduced graphene oxide–zinc sulfide (RGO–ZnS) composite. The magnitude of the real part of the complex impedance decreases with increase in both frequency and temperature, whereas the imaginary part shows an asymptotic maximum that shifts to higher frequencies with increasing temperature. On the other hand, the conductivity isotherm reveals a frequency‐independent conductivity at lower frequencies subsequent to a dispersive conductivity at higher frequencies, which follows a power law [σ′(ω)∝ω^s] within a temperature range of 297 to 393 K. Temperature‐independent frequency exponent ′s′ indicates the occurrence of phonon‐assisted simple quantum tunnelling of electrons between the defects present in RGO. Finally, this sample follows the “time–temperature superposition principle”, as confirmed from the universal scaling of conductivity isotherms. These outcomes not only pave the way for increasing our elemental understanding of the transport mechanism in the RGO system, but will also motivate the investigation of the transport mechanism in other order–disorder systems.     

Singular Propositions,Negation and the Square of Opposition

This paper contains two traditions of diagrammatic studies namely one, the Euler–Venn–Peirce diagram and the other, following tradition of Aristotle, the square of oppositions. We put together both the traditions to study representations of singular propositions (through a diagram system Venn-i, involving constants), their negations and the inter relationship between the two. Along with classical negation we have incorporated negation of another kind viz. absence (taking a cue from the notion of ‘abhãva’ existing in ancient Indian knowledge system). We have also considered the changes that take place in the context of open universe.