Sri Jayachamarajendra College of Engineering

Over the past decades, significant efforts have been made to prepare biofilms. These efforts aim to achieve biopolymeric films from fruits and vegetables waste with soluble and biodegradable new films. In the current study, biopolymeric films were prepared by the starch extracted from banana peel and potato peel and the mechanical and physical properties of the prepared samples were studied. The mechanical property showed that tensile strength decreased by increasing the banana peel starch content whereas the percentage elongation at break was increased. The swelling studies revealed that the weight of the films increased when the film was soaked in distilled water. Biodegradation studies showed biopolymeric films with potato peel composition of was 60% (P60) and 100% (P100) were completely degraded in 16 days. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) results indicated an increase in the degradation rate compared to the biofilms prepared using neat banana and potato peel starch. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images suggesting two-phase morphology which shows incompatibility of the blends prepared by potato and banana starch. The pure potato peel-based starch film showed good results compared to other compositions as well as neat banana peel starch based films. Based on the results obtained for 100% potato peel shows higher values compare to other compositions. The results suggested that the prepared biopolymeric films could be mainly used in wrapping applications and food packaging where load bearing properties is of least importance.

This paper presents the development of a Fire Detection and Surveillance System that integrates flame detection and automated fire suppression within a mobile surveillance robot. The system utilizes an IR-based flame sensor for accurate flame detection, an ESP32 microcontroller for signal processing, and a SIM800C GSM module to provide real-time notifications and control, enabling remote monitoring and response capabilities. The surveillance robot, equipped with a water sprayer, performs automated fire suppression and guides individuals to safety in hazardous environments. Manual control of the robot and live video feed to a central system allow for enhanced situational awareness and informed decisionmaking during rescue operations. Future enhancements, including AI-driven decision-making, autonomous navigation, and integration with smart building systems, are proposed to further improve fire detection, response time, and operational efficiency. This system aims to advance fire safety by enabling early detection, coordinated response, and minimizing potential loss of life and property in fire-prone environments.

Polyurethane (PU) is one of the important industrial polymers. PU and its composites can be used in different applications. This paper examines the potential of PU/copper sulphide (CuS) nanocomposites (NCs) for application as green mulching films in agriculture. Castor oil-based PU NCs were fabricated by varying the CuS concentration viz., 0.0%, 1.0%, 2.0%, 4.0% and 8.0%. The NCs were characterised for microcrystalline nature by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy used for examining spectral characteristics, morphological assessment by scanning electron microscopy and elemental analysis by energy-dispersive x-ray Spectroscopy. The NCs were characterised for tensile properties, which revealed that a 4% PU/CuS nanocomposite (NC) exhibited high elongation at break of 399.72 MPa, suitable for mulching applications. Thermogravimetric analysis was used to examine the thermal stability and degradation. The chemical resistance and water absorption were evaluated in various atmosphere. The biodegradability was investigated through the soil and cow dung burial test. The pot study experiment is conducted to investigate the effect of NC on growth rate of the plants, which showed that beans treated with PU/CuS NC showed a 43% increase in height within 7 days and a 32% increase within 35 days, with an increase of about 62.5% in leaf width within 7 days and continues to increase until the 35th day and shows considerably more branches and stem diameter than the control. This work concludes that PU/CuS NCs have high potential as green mulching films for application in agriculture. Graphical abstract

This study investigates the drug-like properties of target molecules containing thiophene sulfonamide groups (7a-7s) using computational molecular docking techniques. The binding interactions of these derivatives were assessed using protein 2NSD (Enoyl acyl carrier protein reductase InhA, complexed with N-(4-methylbenzoyl)-4-benzylpiperidine, PDB DOI: 10.2210/pdb2NSD/pdb) as the receptor. Molecular docking results revealed notable docking scores for all compounds, ranging from -6 to -12 kcal/mol. Compounds 7e, 7i, and 7f, in particular, demonstrated impressive glide scores (>11 kcal/mol) and were selected for further analysis through molecular dynamics simulations, which provided deeper insights into their dynamic behavior and stability. The drug-like properties of these molecules were evaluated based on Lipinski's Rule of Five and ADME (Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, and Excretion) criteria and compared with known drugs. Additionally, we synthesized these target molecules (7a-7s) using Suzuki-Miyaura coupling with a nickel catalyst replacing palladium. The chemical structures of the synthesized compounds were confirmed through elemental analysis, LC-MS,1H-NMR, and 13C-NMR spectroscopy.

This study reports the green synthesis of ZnFe₂O₄ nanoparticles using a papaya extract by combustion method with papaya leaf extract as a fuel. Structural, physical and chemical properties of the nanoparticles were characterized using advanced spectroscopic and analytical techniques, such as X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and mapping, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), UV–Vis absorbance spectroscopy (UV–Vis), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). Development of eco-friendly electrochemical sensor for detection of AC drug. Electrochemical assessment of drug was done using bare GCE and drop casting GCE/ZnFe₂O₄. The electrochemical study revealed that ZnFe₂O₄ nanoparticles facilitated electron transfer, resulting in enhanced redox peak currents and reduced peak potentials. The GCE/ZnFe₂O₄ sensor exhibited a low detection limit of 0.5274 µM and a broad linear response range from 0.1 to 40 µM. In real sample analysis, the sensor demonstrated good recovery rates, indicating its accuracy in detecting and quantifying AC in pharmaceutical samples, such as Zerodol P and Dolo drops. Additionally, the sensor displayed acceptable reproducibility, stability, selectivity, sensitivity and reliability towards AC. The study underscores the effectiveness of ZnFe₂O₄ nanoparticles in enhancing the electrochemical performance of sensors, contributing to advancements in sensor technology for pharmaceutical analysis.

Chloramphenicol, a widely used antibiotic for treating bacterial infections, is favored for its low cost. However, repeated use of this antibiotic can lead to adverse effects. To address this concern and detect the presence of chloramphenicol, we have developed a novel electrochemical sensor using Cd-doped TiO2 as the sensing material for the detection of the nitroaromatic contaminant chloramphenicol (CAP). Cd-doped TiO2 was synthesized using a sol–gel method, followed by a hydrothermal process at 450 °C to obtain the final sensor material. The sensor material underwent comprehensive characterization, including XRD, FT-IR, HR-TEM, and EIS. To evaluate its detection capabilities, CV and LSV techniques were employed, yielding impressive results with a remarkably low detection limit of 3.5 nM and a linear concentration range from 1 to 25 µM. Real sample analysis was performed using various samples, such as honey and coconut water. Additionally, DFT studies were conducted to analyze the HOMO–LUMO of CAP and electrostatic potential. The results obtained were highly accurate, making this sensor material a promising candidate for the detection of CAP in real-world applications. Graphical Abstract

Laser-welding is a promising technique for welding NiTi shape memory alloys with acceptable tensile strength and comparable corrosion performance for biomedical applications. The microstructural characteristics and localized corrosion behavior of NiTi alloys in a simulated body fluid (SBF) environment are evaluated. A microstructural examination indicated the presence of fine and equiaxed grains with a B2 austenite phase in the base metal (BM), while the weld metal (WM) had a coarse dendritic microstructure with intermetallic precipitates including Ti2Ni and Ni4Ti3. The hardness decreased from the BM to the WM, and the average hardness for the BM was 352 ± 5 HV, while it ranged between 275 and 307 HV and 265 and 287 HV for the HAZ and WM, respectively. Uni-axial tensile tests revealed a substantial decrease in the tensile strength of NiTi WM (481 ± 19 MPa), with a reduced joint efficiency of 34%. The localized corrosion performance of NiTi BM was superior to the WM, with electrochemical test responses indicating a pitting potential and low corrosion rate in SBF environments. The corrosion rate of the NiTi BM and WM was 0.048 ± 0.0018 mils per year (mpy) and 0.41 ± 0.019 mpy, respectively. During welding, NiTi’s strength and biocompatibility properties changed due to the alteration in microstructure and formation of intermetallic phases as a result of Ti enrichment. The performance and safety of welded medical devices may be impacted during welding, and it is essential to preserve the biocompatibility of NiTi components for biomedical applications.

Light‐absorbing carbonaceous aerosols that dominate atmospheric aerosol warming over India remain poorly characterized. Here, we delve into UV‐visible‐IR spectral aerosol absorption properties at nine PAN‐India COALESCE network sites (Venkataraman et al., 2020, https://doi.org/10.1175/bams‐d‐19‐0030.1). Absorption properties were estimated from aerosol‐laden polytetrafluoroethylene filters using a well‐constrained technique incorporating filter‐to‐particle correction factors. The measurements revealed spatiotemporal heterogeneity in spectral intrinsic and extrinsic absorption properties. Absorption analysis at near‐UV wavelengths from carbonaceous aerosols at these regional sites revealed large near‐ultraviolet brown carbon absorption contributions from 21% to 68%—emphasizing the need to include these particles in climate models. Further, satellite‐retrieved column‐integrated absorption was dominated by surface absorption, which opens possibilities of using satellite measurements to model surface‐layer optical properties (limited to specific sites) at a higher spatial resolution. Both the satellite‐modeled and direct in‐situ absorption measurements can aid in validating and constraining climate modeling efforts that suffer from absorption underestimations and high uncertainties in radiative forcing estimates.

Polyurethane (PU) is one of the important industrial polymers. PU and its composites can be used in different applications. This paper examines the potential of PU/copper sulfide (CuS) NCs for application as green mulching films in agriculture. Castor oil-based PU NCs were fabricated by varying the CuS concentration viz., 0.0%, 1.0%, 2.0%, 4.0% and 8.0%. The NCs were characterized for microcrystalline nature by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy used for examining spectral characteristics, morphological assessment by Scanning electron microscopy and elemental analysis by Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy. The NCs were characterized for tensile properties, which revealed that a 4% PU/CuS NC exhibited high elongation at break of 399.72 MPa, suitable for mulching applications. Thermogravimetric analysis was used to examine the thermal stability and degradation. The chemical resistance and water absorption were evaluated in various atmosphere. The biodegradability was investigated through the soil and cow dung burial test. The pot study experiment is conducted to investigate the effect of NC on growth rate of the plants, which showed that beans treated with PU/CuS NCs showed a 43% increase in height within 7 days and a 32% increase within 35 days, with an increase of about 62.5% in leaf width within 7 days and continues to increase until the 35th day and shows considerably more branches and stem diameter than the control. This work concludes that PU/CuS NCs have high potential as green mulching films for application in agriculture.

The present study reports the synthesis of multifunctional silver nanoparticles using citral–tryptamine (CT@AgNPs). In this approach, synthesis of citral–tryptamine-based Schiff base (CT) was characterized using various spectral studies such as NMR, FT-IR, and LCMS. The various biological properties were investigated using ADME, Bioactive, and molecular docking analysis of CT compound. Interaction and binding affinities toward protein IDs 6SJA and 3DAQ were significant. Silver nanoparticles were synthesized by reduction method using CT compound and confirmed by XRD, EDX, SEM, and DLS analysis. Herein, CT@AgNPs have an average diameter of 52 nm. The silver nanoparticle exhibited enhanced antibacterial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA); the MIC value is 15 ± 0.50 µg/mL. These nanoparticles showed remarkable toxic effect against SiHa cervical cancer cell line, and obtained IC50 value is 100 µg/mL. Additionally, we propound the rapid, sensitive, and cost-effective electrochemical approach for detection of nitrite with linear dynamic range of 0.4 to 4.0 mM with a lower detection limit of 0.4 mM. These results advocate promising antibacterial and anticancer properties of CT@AgNPs for futuristic therapeutics and sensor application.

Indoor navigation framework plays a significant role in day today life. In the outdoor application, GPS signals identifies the exact location or points of the user, but it is not true in indoor scenarios. To overcome this issue there are various techniques have been devised to predict the position and identify the location of the user in the indoor application. These include attaching sensors to the shoes or suites or ceiling of the building and using WIFI signals to predict the position and navigate user to the destination. But not all the time this is possible as the sensors may get damaged and signal interferences may lead to large accumulated errors in the results. This paper proposes a novel technique to predict the position and navigate the user making use of the sensors present in the smartphone. Use of smartphone eliminates the need for external sensors to be attached to the shoes or suits, as it has inbuilt magnetometer, accelerometer, and gyroscope. The data generated by these sensors are used to estimate the pitch and roll values and also the heading information. The step count and the time at which the user performs each step are calculated using peak detection algorithm. A rule-based algorithm is proposed to estimate the step length and the smart phone beacon signals are used to provide the heading information. A voice based guiding facility is also built in to alert the user in case he selects the wrong path. With all these features, the proposed system certainly helps the user to navigate correctly from source location to the intended destination. The experiments are carried out in different scenarios under various realistic conditions and the results displays that, the proposed method achieves a high position accuracy with significant reduction in the error (less than 2.5%) and performs well compared to the conventional estimation methods. The performance is assessed in terms of displacement and root mean square error and compared with the position-estimation method (Poulose in IEEE Access 7: 11165–11177, 2019).

Herein, we report the synthesis of calcium-doped cobalt oxide (Ca-CoO) nanocomposites using the simple and effective solution combustion method, and casting of polyvinyl pyrrolidone and polyvinyl alcohol (PVP-PVA) was done by solution intercalation method. Here, 0.5. 1.0, 2.0, and 4.0 wt% of nanofillers were introduced to polymer host. Polymer nanocomposites (PNCs) were subjected to various characterizations, where Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) reveals the positive interaction between the added nanofillers and polymer blends; meanwhile, scanning electron spectroscopy (SEM) analysis reveals the morphological behavior and particle size of 100–140 nm which was confirmed using DLS study. The PNCs reveal the steep UV absorption behavior using the optical absorbance study, while optical and electrical parameters were evaluated as they support the scope of engineering, the band gap, and dopant-dependent optical properties. The band gap energies were decreased from 5.0 to 3.60 eV as the weight % of nanofiller was increased. Dielectric properties along with AC conductivity were increased as the weight percentage of nanofiller increases. Additionally, PNCs were tested for the production of citric acid using Aspergillus niger, which shows that an increase in the wt% of PNCs increases citric acid production and 4% PNCs yields 17.0 g/L.

Background: Adolescence, a volatile period of growth between the ages of 10 and 19, is associated with increased vulnerability to mental health problems. Factors such as academic pressure can contribute to these challenges. Objectives: The current study aimed to evaluate the factors and prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress among adolescents in the urban and rural areas of Mysuru district. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in private high schools in both urban and rural regions. Prior permission and informed consent were obtained from participants and their legal guardians aged 18 years and older. Results: The gender distribution in urban areas was 60.2% female and 39.8% male, while in rural areas, it was 51% male and 49% female. The prevalence of depression was higher in rural (39.3%) than in urban areas (24.2%), while anxiety was more prevalent in urban (50.6%) than in rural areas (49%). Stress was also more common in rural (16.6%) than urban adolescents (14.6%). Factors significantly associated with mental health outcomes included monthly family income, parenting practices, academic pressures, and self-esteem. Key needs identified were mobile mental health applications, online counseling services, and access to school counselors. Conclusion: This study provides insights into the prevalence and correlates of common mental health issues among adolescents in this region of South India. The findings emphasize the necessity of providing mobile applications and offline counseling services to effectively support and meet the needs of adolescents in these settings.

Introduction Globally, 19.3 million new cancer cases were diagnosed in 2020, with over 10.0 million cancer deaths. Patients with cancer often face various long-term physical, social, financial, psychological, and existential challenges, complicating their survivorship. Objectives This study aimed to evaluate the different needs of patients undergoing chemotherapy at a tertiary care cancer center. Materials and Methods Data were collected from a tertiary care cancer center using purposive sampling. A total of 101 samples were collected over a 2-month period. Results The majority of participants were female (61.4%), with 38.6% being male. Most participants were in the third stage of cancer (57.4%), with 42.6% in the fourth stage. Localized metastasis was observed in 83.2% of participants. The most common symptoms were lack of appetite (59.4%) and nausea/vomiting (54.5%). Most participants rated the care provided by nurses during chemotherapy as good (86.1%). The majority had moderate needs (67.3%) during the treatment course. Conclusion The study highlights significant needs in the physical and psychological domains among patients undergoing chemotherapy.