Bhabha Atomic Research Center Hospital

Obesity remains a global health challenge. One-anastomosis gastric bypass (OAGB) has gained popularity for its advantages, including significant weight loss. However, concerns have arisen regarding weight regain and other complications. This study aims to assess the effectiveness and safety of endoscopic transoral outlet reduction (TORe) as a treatment for weight regain after OAGB. In this retrospective study, consecutive patients from two bariatric centers with weight regain following OAGB were evaluated. Eligible patients were those with an increase in weight of 10% or a BMI = > 30. Diagnostic gastroscopy determined anastomosis diameter and rule out contraindications for TORe. The procedure involved full thickness suturing over the anastomosis, following circumferential argon plasma coagulation. Patients data were collected, outcomes assessed in accordance with ethical standards. 64 patients were treated over a period of 4 years and were followed up for a minimum of 1 year. Mean age was 45.2 ± 1.4. Percentages of females were 47%. Mean pre-treatment BMI was 35.5 ± 0.5. Average weight regain from post OAGB nadir was19.4% (112.5Kg from 90.7Kg). Average weight loss following TORe was 7% of total body weight (TBW) after 6 months and 8% after 12 months (p = 0.03). Additional treatments were needed in 11 (17%) patients. Two patients suffered a perforation, one of which required surgical intervention. TORe appears moderately effective for the treatment of weight regain post OAGB, with a 97% safety rate. Sustained weight loss was seen during 1 year of follow up. Further investigation is needed to assess long term durability.

The self-assembly of small molecules with a suitable metal ion is a critical bottom-up approach for preparing solution-processable metallo-supramolecular polymers and to realize their potential as a photocatalyst. Herein, we report the design, synthesis, self-assembly, and gelation behavior of a low-molecular-weight gelator (LMWG) based on a pyrene core connected to four terpyridine units (TPY-PY) through amide linkages. TPY-PY forms an organogel (OG) in the DMSO/H2O mixed solvent with a nanofibrillar morphology. In contrast, the introduction of RuII with the LMWG resulted in a Ru-TPY-PY coordination polymer gel (CPG) with a cross-linked fibrillar nanostructure with a length of several micrometers. The Ru-TPY-PY CPG exhibited highly efficient photoreduction of CO2 to CO (yield: 10.79 mmol g–1, rate: 899.17 μmol g–1 h–1) with 90% selectivity, under visible light irradiation, and in the presence of triethylamine (TEA) as a sacrificial electron donor. Moreover, metallo-supramolecular polymers with diverse nanomorphologies, formed at different RuII to TPY-PY ratios, showed different efficiencies in the photo reduction of CO2 to CO. Among these nanostructures, 1D nanofibers exhibited enhanced photocatalytic activity compared to the nanospheres for CO2 reduction, attributed to the abundance of catalytically active sites on their surface with facile CO2 diffusion capabilities. Furthermore, femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy, in situ DRIFTS analysis, and DFT calculation help to understand the feasibility of the electron transfer pathway, and reaction mechanism in the overall process. The “soft” processable hybrid metal–organic supramolecular polymers that integrate both the catalytic site and the light-absorbing units are a class of catalysts showing efficient CO2 photoreduction to CO.

This study deciphers the genetic architecture of rice bran nutraceuticals, providing elite germplasm, molecular markers, and candidate genes for breeding biofortified, heart-healthy rice varieties. Rice bran oil is uniquely rich in nutraceuticals, such as γ-oryzanol and tocols, which confer anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, and cardioprotective properties. Despite their nutritional and economic value, the genetic basis of variation in these traits in rice remains poorly understood. We investigated 192 diverse rice genotypes from the globally significant Chhattisgarh germplasm collection. Using multi-year biochemical profiling, we quantified the natural variation in bran oil content, γ-oryzanol, and total tocols. Genome-Wide Association Studies used both the GLM and BLINK models for statistical robustness with 1K-Rice Custom Amplicon (1K-RiCA) SNP genotyping data. We observed wide genetic variation, with oil content reaching 21.8%, γ-oryzanol exceeding 14,000ppm, and tocols reaching up to 170ppm. Genome-wide association studies identified three consistent SNP-trait associations: two (chr01_28142020 and chr10_19217152) with oil content across all seasons and one (chr12_8070782) with γ-oryzanol in two seasons. Candidate gene mining within ± 1Mb revealed lipid metabolism and transport genes, including OsLACS4, multiple OsLTP2 family members, and a CXE carboxylesterase that is putatively involved in γ-oryzanol turnover. These genes showed seed-, panicle-, and embryo-specific expression, supporting their roles in oil biosynthesis and storage. This study uncovers the genomic regions and candidate genes underlying nutritionally important compounds in rice bran oil and highlights the underutilized value of Chhattisgarh rice germplasm. By linking specific SNPs to metabolic functions, we provide molecular targets for marker-assisted selection and biofortification strategies aimed at developing rice varieties enriched with health-promoting oil components. These findings establish a foundation for breeding "heart-healthy rice" and contribute to edible oil self-sufficiency.

Strategic doping in halide double perovskites, with structure A2M(I)M′(III)X6, has shown great potential in improving their emission properties. While the site preference of monovalent or trivalent metal dopants is on the expected lines, the same is not true for bivalent dopants, like Mn2+, etc. In this Letter, we employ positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy measurements along with density functional theory (DFT) calculations to address the preferred doping site of Mn2+ in the Cs2AgInCl6 double perovskite structure. Our results conclusively reveal that the preferred substitution site of Mn2+ is Ag+ for the most stable configuration, and the overall decrease in the average lifetime of the positrons indicates an excess of electrons after doping. Furthermore, temperature-dependent photoluminescence measurements reveal a negative thermal quenching of the Mn2+ emission, attributed to effective energy transfer from self-trapped excitons to Mn2+, explained using a two-term Arrhenius equation. Such efficient exciton-dopant energy transfer is crucial, as it bridges the host excitonic states with dopant emission, thereby maximizing luminescence efficiency.

Core–shell (Bi2O3@Bi2S3) and heterostructure composites of bismuth oxide (Bi2O3) and bismuth sulfide (Bi2S3) have been produced using wet chemical method. The performance of both materials as anode material for lithium-ion battery (LIB) have been evaluated. The Bi2S3/Bi2O3 heterostructure composite exhibited superior electrochemical performance compared to Bi2O3@Bi2S3 core–shell for LIB. It demonstrated high coulombic efficiency, high capacity, superior capacity retention, excellent rate capability, and long cycle stability. Higher capacity of ~ 530 mAh g−1 was obtained for Bi2O3/Bi2S3 heterostructure composite compared to ~ 335 mAh g−1 for Bi2O3@Bi2S3 core–shell anode after a run of 500 cycles. Polysulfide shuttling is more prevalent in the core–shell Bi2O3@Bi2S3 in which the outer shell is predominantly Bi2S3 compared to Bi2O3/Bi2S3 heterostructure composite. As sodium-ion battery anode, the Bi2O3/Bi2S3 heterostructure composite delivers a reversible discharge capacity of 421 mAh g−1 at current rate of 100 mA g−1 after 200 cycles. Materials characterization and electrochemical analysis revealed that enhanced energy storage properties of Bi2O3/Bi2S3 heterostructure composites are accredited to the synergistic effect of upgraded charge transfer in the heterostructures and reduced polysulfide leaching compared to the core–shell structures. The results showed that Bi2O3/Bi2S3 heterostructure composites have high potential for application as advanced anodes for Li-ion and Na-ion storage.

Mixed oxides (MOX) of uranium, plutonium, and neptunium are proposed as fast-reactor fuels with the aim to transmute long-lived neptunium into shorter-lived, less radioactive products. The use of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to accurately predict high-temperature thermophysical properties, essential for fuel design, performance modelling, and safety assessment, requires the availability of suitable interatomic potentials of the component oxides. Although the Cooper-Rushton-Grimes (CRG) potential for NpO2 exists, it cannot predict the melting temperature and other high-temperature thermophysical properties of NpO2 accurately. In the present work, a new interatomic potential for NpO2 is developed by re-optimizing the CRG potential, with the target of accurate prediction of the melting temperature (MT). The re-optimized potential predicts the MT (3025 ± 50 K) of NpO2 in good agreement with the experimental result (3070 ± 62 K), representing a significant improvement over the predicted value (3550 ± 50 K) in this work using the CRG potential, without significantly affecting the other characteristics of the material at lower temperatures. Other thermal properties, such as thermal expansion coefficients (α), enthalpy increments, and specific heats (Cp) of U1-yNpyO2 and Pu1-yNpyO2 (for 0 < y < 0.5) systems computed from MD simulations using the re-optimized potential across temperatures up to MT, show excellent agreement with experimental results, wherever available. The calculated data for the α and Cp of U1-yNpyO2 and Pu1-yNpyO2 (for 0 < y < 0.5) are fitted to the Bathellier equation, enabling the prediction of high temperature fuel behaviour in regimes where experimental measurements are lacking. Additionally, the influence of hyper/hypostoichiometry, prevalent in high-temperature MOX fuels, on the thermal properties is also investigated, providing information highly relevant to reactor operations.

Many potent anticancer agents suffer from poor water solubility, limiting their industrial translation into effective formulations. Although single micellar systems have been explored to address this issue, they often exhibit low stability and encapsulation efficiency. To overcome these limitations, this study developed and characterized PEG-based mixed micelles composed of Gelucire® 48/16 and Tetronic® 1304 (T1304), aiming to improve the solubilization and cytotoxicity of a model lung cancer drug, quercetin (QCT). The micelles were extensively analysed using cloud point (CP), small-angle neutron scattering (SANS), and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) techniques. SANS confirmed that Gelucire® 48/16 formed spherical or ellipsoidal micelles depending on composition with T1304. Micellar growth and improved drug encapsulation are noticed in saline conditions through the salting-out effect. In vitro cytotoxicity studies in lung epithelial adenocarcinoma (A549) cells demonstrated that Gelucire® 48/16 micelles enhanced the cytotoxic effect of QCT, while T1304 provided controlled release, with the mixed system offering intermediate modulation. The results indicate that mixed micellar systems showed a potential cytotoxic effect via increased ROS generation and DNA damage, ultimately damaging cancer cells. Additionally, our findings support a practical and commercially viable approach for enhancing the solubility and therapeutic efficacy of hydrophobic drugs, which can be further useful in various biomedical applications, such as healthcare formulations and drug delivery.