Impacts of Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Natural Elixirs for Neuronal Health, on Brain Development and Functions

Omega-3 fatty acids play a seminal role in maintaining the structural and functional integrity of the nervous system. These specialized molecules function as precursors for many lipid-based biological messengers. Also, studies suggest the role of these fatty acids in regulating healthy sleep cycles, cognitive ability, brain development, etc. Dietary intake of essential poly unsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are foundational to the optimal working of the nervous system. Besides regulating health, these biomolecules have great therapeutic value in treating several diseases, particularly nervous system diseases and disorders. Many recent studies conclusively demonstrated the beneficial effects of Omega-3 fatty acids in treating depression, neuropsychiatric disorders, neurodegenerative disorders, neurochemical disorders, and many other illnesses associated with the nervous system. This chapter summates the multifaceted role of poly unsaturated fatty acids, especially Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA), in the neuronal health and functioning. The importance of dietary intake of these essential fatty acids, their recommended dosages, bioavailability, the mechanism of their action, and therapeutic values are extensively discussed.

A study of neural artistic style transfer models and architectures for Indian art styles

Neural Style Transfer (NST) has been a widely researched topic as of late enabling new forms of image manipulation. Here we perform an extensive study on NST algorithms and extend the existing methods with custom modifications for application to Indian art styles. In this paper, we aim to provide a comprehensive analysis of various methods ranging from the seminal work of Gatys et al which demonstrated the power of Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) in creating artistic imagery by separating and recombining image content and style, to the state of the art image-to-image translation models which use Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) to learn the mapping between two domain of images. We observe and infer based on the results produced by the models on which one could be a more suitable approach for Indian art styles, especially Tanjore paintings which are unique compared to the Western art styles. We then propose the method which is more suitable for the domain of Indian Art style along with custom architecture which includes an enhancement and evaluation module. We then present evaluation methods, both qualitative and quantitative which includes our proposed metric, to evaluate the results produced by the model.

Contemporary Developments and Emerging Trends in the Application of Spectroscopy Techniques: A Particular Reference to Coconut (Cocos nucifera L.)

The number of food frauds in coconut-based products is increasing due to higher consumer demands for these products. Rising health consciousness, public awareness and increased concerns about food safety and quality have made authorities and various other certifying agencies focus more on the authentication of coconut products. As the conventional techniques for determining the quality attributes of coconut are destructive and time-consuming, non-destructive testing methods which are accurate, rapid, and easy to perform with no detrimental sampling methods are currently gaining importance. Spectroscopic methods such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), infrared (IR)spectroscopy, mid-infrared (MIR)spectroscopy, near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible (UV-VIS) spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Raman spectroscopy (RS) are gaining in importance for determining the oxidative stability of coconut oil, the adulteration of oils, and the detection of harmful additives, pathogens, and toxins in coconut products and are also employed in deducing the interactions in food constituents, and microbial contaminations. The objective of this review is to provide a comprehensive analysis on the various spectroscopic techniques along with different chemometric approaches for the successful authentication and quality determination of coconut products. The manuscript was prepared by analyzing and compiling the articles that were collected from various databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus and ScienceDirect. The spectroscopic techniques in combination with chemometrics were shown to be successful in the authentication of coconut products. RS and NMR spectroscopy techniques proved their utility and accuracy in assessing the changes in coconut oil’s chemical and viscosity profile. FTIR spectroscopy was successfully utilized to analyze the oxidation levels and determine the authenticity of coconut oils. An FT-NIR-based analysis of various coconut samples confirmed the acceptable levels of accuracy in prediction. These non-destructive methods of spectroscopy offer a broad spectrum of applications in food processing industries to detect adulterants. Moreover, the combined chemometrics and spectroscopy detection method is a versatile and accurate measurement for adulterant identification.

High-throughput virtual screening followed by in vitro investigation to identify new lead inhibitors of Cyclin Dependent Kinase 4

In the family of serine/threonine kinases, Cyclin Dependent Kinase 4 (CDK4), is an important regulator in numerous signal transduction pathways. The cell cycle is dysregulated in human breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7). A set of various categorical QSAR models were generated and validated in the current examination. A recursive partition model, with predictive ability shown by an accuracy of greater than 0.90, was used for virtual screening of 500,000 molecules. Following a consecutive series of molecular docking procedures, followed by pharmacokinetic analysis of 49759 molecules predicted to have pIC50 greater than 7.39, 25 molecules displayed properties that could be described as drug-like. We selected the lead molecules in the MCF-7 cell line based on its ability to promote cell cycle progression.

Shape-Controlled Synthesis of Palladium Nanostructures from Flowers to Thorns: Electrocatalytic Oxidation of Ethanol

The study focuses on facile shape-controlled deposition of rose, splintery, chrysanthemum flower, and thorn-like structures of palladium on indium-tin-oxide substrates. The hierarchical variation in morphologies from roses to thorns is attributed to a rational choice of the applied potential. This study involved investigating the influence of the precursor concentration, nature of the electrolyte, and deposition time on the morphological patterns. The shape-dependent electrocatalytic performance of these structures for oxidation of ethanol is demonstrated using cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The onset potential, active surface area, mass activity, and exchange current density are investigated, and the results indicate that the catalytic activity of thorn-like morphologies is superior to that of the other shapes. The structural growth mechanism of the thorns deduced via scanning electron microscopy reveals the progression from spheres to thorns via cotton wools. The directional growth patterns via transmission electron microscopy indicate that the nanospikes of each thorn exhibit growth with the main branch of the (200) plane and the side branches along the (111) direction.

Green Technology Enabled Graphene Oxide Reduction Using Justichia wynaadensis Extract and Assessment of In Vitro Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activity

Graphene oxide (GO) was reduced using Justichia wynaadensis aqueous extract. GO was mixed with extract and refluxed at 100 °C for 10 h to obtain reduced GO. PXRD of rGO showed broad peak at 2 = 25° and disappearance of 2 = 9.75° after refluxing which indicates efficient removal of oxygen containing groups. SEM images of rGO showed flaky structures typical of retainment of GO structure with folded curtains like appearance of rGO. UV-vis spectra demonstrated absorption band ~300 nm and shoulder at 400 nm corresponding to π–π* transitions and C ═ O bonds respectively indicating that rGO is red shifted due to decrease in oxygen functional groups. rGO showed potent antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, upon testing against S. aureus and P. aeruginosa. It showed 67% radical scavenging against DPPH at 500 μg/mL concentration. In conclusion, J. wynaadensis aqueous extract efficiently removed oxygen functionalities from GO surface with significant biological activities.

An analysis of cyclic fatigue resistance of reciprocating instruments in different canal curvatures after immersion in sodium hypochlorite and autoclaving: An in vitro study

Aim

The aim of this study is to assess the effect of sodium hypochlorite and sterilization on the cyclic fatigue resistance of two reciprocating nickel-titanium files using a rotary and a reciprocating motor.

Materials and Methods

Totally, 160 Reciproc and Wave One files were tested. The eighty files of the same brand were assigned into four groups (n = 20). These four groups were further divided into two subgroups, 1a and 1b, 2a and 2b, 3a and 3b, 4a and 4b consisting of ten files in each group. 2.5% NaOCl for 5 min, 2.5% NaOCl for 5 min + 1 cycle of autoclave sterilization, 2.5% NaOCl for 5 min + 5 cycles of autoclave sterilization, no sterilization (control). Groups 1a, 2a, 3a, and 4a were subjected to 30° and Groups 1b, 2b, 3b, and 4b were subjected to 60° canal curvature.

Results

Intergroup comparison reveals that there is an increase in cyclic fatigue resistance from the first cycle to the fifth cycle of autoclave which is statistically significant.

Conclusion

Reciproc and Wave One showed reduced cyclic fatigue resistance on immersion in NaOCl for 5 min. Multiple autoclaving cycles significantly increased the cyclic fatigue resistance of Reciproc file system in both the curvatures. There was a decrease in cyclic fatigue resistance for Wave One after multiple autoclaving at 60° curvature which was statistically significant.

Nanomaterials at Liquid/Liquid Interfaces-A Review

The charge transfer processes occurring at the interface between two immiscible electrolyte solutions are of considerable importance in diverse fields of chemistry and biology. The introduction to nanoparticles and analysis of nanostructures in diverse branches of science and engineering are provided. The chemical and electrochemical techniques pertaining to the synthesis of metal nanoparticles, polymeric nanostructures and metal-polymer nanocomposites at liquid/liquid interfaces are surveyed. The unique features pertaining to the chemical synthesis of metal nanoparticles while employing diverse electrolytes and solvents are outlined. The advantages of various electrochemical synthetic protocols such as four-electrode assembly, thin film electrode, Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy and Solid/liquid/liquid interfaces for the study of nanoparticles at liquid/liquid interfaces are emphasized. The crucial role played by the liquid/liquid interfaces in altering the morphological patterns of metal nanoparticles, conducting polymers and metal-polymer nanocomposites is indicated. A few typical novel applications of these nanomaterials in fabrication of biosensors, electrochemical supercapacitors, and electrocatalysts have been outlined.