Chandigarh (The Hawk): Research.com issued the first edition of its top scientists list for Chemistry. Since 2014, it has been one of the key websites for Chemistry research, providing accurate statistics on scientific achievements. The rating includes h-index, publication, and citation data as of December 6th, 2021. Based on a comprehensive study of 166,880 scientists on Google Scholar and Microsoft Academic Graph, the top scientists ranking is a credible list of notable scientists in the field of Chemistry. The goal of this list is to inspire others around the world to investigate where leading experts are headed, as well as to provide an opportunity for the entire scientific community to learn who the leading experts are in specific fields of research, across countries, and within research institutions. The entire ranking for India is available at:Dr. S.K. Mehta (F.R.S.C), Vice Chancellor of University of Ladakh and Professor in Panjab University, has been ranked 196thamong 1000 scientist of India and is the only person from Panjab University to achieve this feat. Dr. Mehta attained his Doctoral degree in Chemistry from Panjab University and Post-Doc from TechnischeUniversität Berlin, Germany. He is a recipient of Haryana Vigyan Ratan Award, Bronze medal from Chemical Research Society of India (CRSI), Authors award by Royal Society of Chemistry UK and Prof. W.U. Malik memorial award of Indian council of chemists. He was also awarded STE Green Excellence award for his noteworthy contributions in the field of “Colloidal Chemistry” and “Nanochemistry”. Prof. Mehta has an h-index of 57with 10255citations. He has guided 13 Post-Doctoral/Research associates, 47 Ph.D., 48 M.Sc. and 21 Summer trainees. He has delivered more than 25 International talks and 122 National lectures. His extensive research experience of more than 45 years paved way for new technological insights and breakthroughs. He has extensive research experience in the fabrication of different nanostructures and nano-assemblies, for diverse applications such as drug delivery, photocatalysis, sensing and bioactivity to name a few.Over the years, Prof. Mehta has relentlessly contributed towards the human health and environment through highly substantial scientific efforts that have led him to be the recipient of several acclaims and awards. The inclusion in the top scientist list of Chemistry has given great joy for everyone associated with Prof. Mehta and congratulated him for this achievement.

 Research.com issued the first edition of its top scientists list for Chemistry. Since 2014, it has been one of the key websites for Chemistry research, providing accurate statistics on scientific achievements. The rating includes h-index, publication, and citation data as of December 6th, 2021. Based on a comprehensive study of 166,880 scientists on Google Scholar and Microsoft Academic Graph, 

Research.com Issues First Edition Of Its Top Scientists List For Chemistry	

 Research.com issued the first edition of its top scientists list for Chemistry. Since 2014, it has been one of the key websites for Chemistry research, providing accurate statistics on scientific achievements. The rating includes h-index, publication, and citation data as of December 6th, 2021. Based on a comprehensive study of 166,880 scientists on Google Scholar and Microsoft Academic Graph, 





Changigarh (The Hawk): On behalf of Smt. Prem Lata and Professor D VS Jain Research Foundation, Department of Chemistry, Panjab University (PU), Chandigarh organized6thBest Research Award Ceremony for the year 2020 on 3rdAugust 2022 at 11 am.The Research Foundation has come into existence in year 2015 with Rs. 50 lakhs endowment fund donated by Prof. Jain’s family. Professor Raj Kumar, Hon’ble Vice Chancellor, Panjab University presided over the occasion. In his presidential address, Prof. Raj Kumar congratulated the awardees, and exhorted other faculty members and young researchers to carry out meaningful research, not only for wider scientific reach but also for societal impact. The Vice chancellor expressed gratitude and appreciation towards the generous contribution of the Jain family. Prof. Raj Kumar believes that such endowment funds will really support and accelerate the university research activities in multifaceted ways.Prof. Ganga Ram Chaudhary, Professor, Department of Chemistry, PUwas awarded withProfessor D. V. S. Jain Research Award (2020) which includes a citation and award amount of Rs. 30,000. WhileProf. NavneetKaur, ProfessorDepartment of Chemistry, PUwas awarded with Smt. PremLata Jain Research Award (2020)which includes a citation and award amount of Rs. 15,000. The six Best Publication awards for the year 2020, for publication of outstanding research articles with impact factor more than 5.0, were presented to Prof. SonalSighal(Chemistry), Prof. Anupama Sharma (UICET), Dr. ShwetaRana (Chemistry), Prof. NavneetKaur(Chemistry), Prof. Prince Sharma (Microbiology), Prof. G. R. Chaudhary and Dr. SavitaChaudhary. The best publication awards included a citation and award amount of Rs. 5,000 for each awardee. The certificates of appreciation for publishing high impact papers in the year 2018 were bestowed upon Dr. GurpreetKaur (Chemistry), Dr. SumanMor (Environment Studies), Dr. SanjeevGautam (UICET), Dr. VarinderKaur (Chemistry) Prof. Sushil K. Kansal (UICET), Dr. SangeetaSah (UIPS), Dr. Rajeev Kumar (Environment Studies), Prof. Kashmir Singh(Biotechnology), Dr. Vishal Sharma (Forensics), Dr. Rohit Kumar Sharma (Chemistry), Dr. Nishima (UIET), Dr. NavneetAgnihotri (Biochemistry), Prof. Indu Pal Kaur (UIPS), Dr. SantoshUpadhyay (Botany) and Dr. GargiGhoshal (UICET).During the event, Prof. SonalSinghal, Chairperson, Department of Chemistry and Dr. Rohit K. Sharma, Convenerbriefed about the genesis objectives of Smt. PremLata and Professor D V S Jain Research Foundation. This foundation has been created based on the endowment funddonated by Professor D.V.S. Jain. The main objective of this foundation is to promote and nurture scientific research in Panjab University. The foundation has initiated scientific programs such as Best Researcher Awards, Best Publication Awards, Bright-Begin Research Grant, Conceptual Consolidation in Innovative Areas Lecture Series, Fellowships for research scholars and Book fund.

 On behalf of Smt. Prem Lata and Professor D VS Jain Research Foundation, Department of Chemistry, Panjab University (PU), Chandigarh organized6thBest Research Award Ceremony for the year 2020 on 3rdAugust 2022 at 11 am.

Best Research And Publication Award Ceremony Held By Dept Of Chemistry, PU

New Delhi (The Hawk): The Royal Society of Chemistry and the Council for Industry and Scientific Research (CSIR) have partnered to support an outreach programme designed to promote the chemical sciences in schools and universities.
About 2000 students across the country participated in RSC’s Global Coin experiment organised across over 30 CSIR laboratories.
The two organisations have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), committing to work together on the CSIR’s Jigyasa programme – an India-wide outreach programme aimed at school children and researchers. The MoU will be a non-financial one and will be time-bound for at least three years with an option of renewal.
The CSIR is dedicated to research and development across the spectrum of science and technology – from oceanography and mining to chemicals and nanotechnology. The organisation owns a network of laboratories and outreach centres across India.
The Jigyasa programme will complement existing educational programmes in India. For example, the RSC-Jigyasa partnership will help to expand the RSC’s existing teacher training programme and Chemistry Camps, and will be launching several online education initiatives.
As part of the launch event for the Jigyasa programme, the collaboration is organising a Global Experiment including all the CSIR’s laboratories. At least 2,000 schoolchildren, 150 teachers, and 350 volunteers took part in the ‘RSC’s Global Coin experiment organised across over 30 CSIR laboratories, in which participants are asked to compare batteries made from different types of coins. The participants will then be able to compare their data with that of participants from around the globe.
The MoU was signed by both organisations at a ceremony on 22 September. It was signed by Dr. Geetha Vani Rayasam from the CSIR and Paul Lewis, Chief Operating Officer, RSC in the presence of Dr N Kalaiselvi, Director General of the CSIR and Dr Venugopal Achanta, Director of National Physical Laboratory (CSIR-NPL).
Paul Lewis, Chief Operating Officer of the RSC, said: “Collaboration is at the heart of everything the Royal Society of Chemistry does, which is why I’ve travelled to Delhi to sign this agreement with CSIR providing a basis for us to work together to promote the chemical sciences across India for many years to come”.
Speaking on the occasion Dr. Kalaiselvi, DG, CSIR, highlighted that S&amp;T is a crucial as India aims for self-reliance and sustainable development not only for the country but the world. She delivered a popular science lecture “Insights into future of battery technology” and emphasized that the partnership with RSC will help in dissemination of science among students and motivate them to be future scientists.
Ajit Sharma, Manager Director, RSC India, added: “We are excited to have the opportunity to collaborate with the Jigyasa programme, which will bring together the considerable expertise and resources of both the RSC and the CSIR to help to provide enhanced learning opportunities for those studying the chemical sciences in India. Our young people will be solving the global challenges of the future, which is why it’s so important to provide them with a solid grounding and practical experience in the sciences.”
Royal Society of Chemistry
We are an international organisation connecting chemical scientists with each other, with other scientists, and with society as a whole. Founded in 1841 and based in London, UK, we have an international membership of over 50,000. We use the surplus from our global publishing and knowledge business to give thousands of chemical scientists the support and resources required to make vital advances in chemical knowledge. We develop, recognise and celebrate professional capabilities, and we bring people together to spark new ideas and new partnerships. We support teachers to inspire future generations of scientists, and we speak up to influence the people making decisions that affect us all. We are a catalyst for the chemistry that enriches our world.
Council for Industry and Scientific Research (CSIR)
CSIR, established in 1942, is an autonomous society known for its cutting-edge R&amp;D knowledgebase in diverse Science &amp; Technology areas. CSIR is a contemporary Research, Development &amp; Engineering organization having Pan-India presence with a dynamic network of 37 national laboratories. CSIR’s R&amp;D expertise and experience is embodied in its 7000 scientific and technical personnel. CSIR today is amongst the foremost and is one of the largest publicly funded scientific and industrial organizations in the world. The Royal Society of Chemistry and the Council for Industry and Scientific Research (CSIR) have partnered to support an outreach programme designed to promote the chemical sciences in schools and universities.
About 2000 students across the country participated in RSC’s Global Coin experiment organised across over 30 CSIR laboratories.
The two organisations have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), committing to work together on the CSIR’s Jigyasa programme – an India-wide outreach programme aimed at school children and researchers. The MoU will be a non-financial one and will be time-bound for at least three years with an option of renewal.
The CSIR is dedicated to research and development across the spectrum of science and technology – from oceanography and mining to chemicals and nanotechnology. The organisation owns a network of laboratories and outreach centres across India.
The Jigyasa programme will complement existing educational programmes in India. For example, the RSC-Jigyasa partnership will help to expand the RSC’s existing teacher training programme and Chemistry Camps, and will be launching several online education initiatives.
As part of the launch event for the Jigyasa programme, the collaboration is organising a Global Experiment including all the CSIR’s laboratories. At least 2,000 schoolchildren, 150 teachers, and 350 volunteers took part in the ‘RSC’s Global Coin experiment organised across over 30 CSIR laboratories, in which participants are asked to compare batteries made from different types of coins. The participants will then be able to compare their data with that of participants from around the globe.
The MoU was signed by both organisations at a ceremony on 22 September. It was signed by Dr. Geetha Vani Rayasam from the CSIR and Paul Lewis, Chief Operating Officer, RSC in the presence of Dr N Kalaiselvi, Director General of the CSIR and Dr Venugopal Achanta, Director of National Physical Laboratory (CSIR-NPL).
Paul Lewis, Chief Operating Officer of the RSC, said: “Collaboration is at the heart of everything the Royal Society of Chemistry does, which is why I’ve travelled to Delhi to sign this agreement with CSIR providing a basis for us to work together to promote the chemical sciences across India for many years to come”.
Speaking on the occasion Dr. Kalaiselvi, DG, CSIR, highlighted that S&amp;T is a crucial as India aims for self-reliance and sustainable development not only for the country but the world. She delivered a popular science lecture “Insights into future of battery technology” and emphasized that the partnership with RSC will help in dissemination of science among students and motivate them to be future scientists.
Ajit Sharma, Manager Director, RSC India, added: “We are excited to have the opportunity to collaborate with the Jigyasa programme, which will bring together the considerable expertise and resources of both the RSC and the CSIR to help to provide enhanced learning opportunities for those studying the chemical sciences in India. Our young people will be solving the global challenges of the future, which is why it’s so important to provide them with a solid grounding and practical experience in the sciences.”
Royal Society of Chemistry
We are an international organisation connecting chemical scientists with each other, with other scientists, and with society as a whole. Founded in 1841 and based in London, UK, we have an international membership of over 50,000. We use the surplus from our global publishing and knowledge business to give thousands of chemical scientists the support and resources required to make vital advances in chemical knowledge. We develop, recognise and celebrate professional capabilities, and we bring people together to spark new ideas and new partnerships. We support teachers to inspire future generations of scientists, and we speak up to influence the people making decisions that affect us all. We are a catalyst for the chemistry that enriches our world.
Council for Industry and Scientific Research (CSIR)
CSIR, established in 1942, is an autonomous society known for its cutting-edge R&amp;D knowledgebase in diverse Science &amp; Technology areas. CSIR is a contemporary Research, Development &amp; Engineering organization having Pan-India presence with a dynamic network of 37 national laboratories. CSIR’s R&amp;D expertise and experience is embodied in its 7000 scientific and technical personnel. CSIR today is amongst the foremost and is one of the largest publicly funded scientific and industrial organizations in the world.

The Royal Society of Chemistry and the Council for Industry and Scientific Research (CSIR) have partnered to support an outreach programme designed to promote the chemical sciences in schools and universities.

Royal Society Of Chemistry And CSIR Work Together To Support Chemistry In Schools Across India 

Stockholm (Sweden): The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences on Wednesday awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2022 to Carolyn R. Bertozzi, Morten Meldal and K. Barry Sharpless.
Bertozzi from Stanford University, US; Meldal from University of Copenhagen, Denmark and Sharpless from Scripps Research, US have been awarded "for the development of click chemistry and bioorthogonal chemistry"
"BREAKING NEWS: The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has decided to award the 2022 #NobelPrize in Chemistry to Carolyn R. Bertozzi, Morten Meldal and K. Barry Sharpless for the development of click chemistry and bioorthogonal chemistry," the official Twitter feed of the Nobel Prize said in a tweet. "Barry Sharpless has just become the fifth individual to be awarded two Nobel Prizes. He follows in the footsteps of double #NobelPrize laureates John Bardeen, Marie Sklodowska Curie, Linus Pauling and Frederick Sanger. Sharpless was awarded the chemistry prize in 2001 and 2022,"
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2022 is about making difficult processes easier. Barry Sharpless and Morten Meldal have laid the foundation for a functional form of chemistry - click chemistry - in which molecular building blocks snap together quickly and efficiently. Carolyn Bertozzi has taken click chemistry to a new dimension and started utilising it in living organisms. Chemists have long been driven by the desire to build increasingly complicated molecules. In pharmaceutical research, this has often involved artificially recreating natural molecules with medicinal properties. This has led to many admirable molecular constructions, but these are generally time consuming and very expensive to produce.
"This year's Prize in Chemistry deals with not overcomplicating matters, instead working with what is easy and simple. Functional molecules can be built even by taking a straightforward route," says Johan Aqvist, Chair of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry. —ANI

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences on Wednesday awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2022 to Carolyn R. Bertozzi, Morten Meldal and K. Barry Sharpless.

Carolyn Bertozzi, Morten Meldal, Barry Sharpless Awarded Nobel Prize In Chemistry

Washington: An upcoming NASA mission to Saturn's giant moon Titan aims to discover the development of life in the universe, the US space agency said. The mission called Dragonfly is due to launch in 2027, and will reach Titan in 2034. Dragonfly carries an instrument called the Dragonfly Mass Spectrometer (DraMS), which will shed light on the kinds of chemical steps that occurred on Earth that ultimately led to the formation of life, called prebiotic chemistry. Titan's abundant complex carbon-rich chemistry, interior ocean, and past presence of liquid water on the surface make it an ideal destination to study prebiotic chemical processes and the potential habitability of an extraterrestrial environment, the mission officials said in a statement. DraMS will allow scientists back on Earth to remotely study the chemical makeup of the Titanian surface. "We want to know if the type of chemistry that could be important for early pre-biochemical systems on Earth is taking place on Titan," Dr Melissa Trainer of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, said in a statement. To accomplish this, the Dragonfly robotic rotorcraft will capitalise on Titan's low gravity and dense atmosphere to fly between different points of interest on Titan's surface, spread as far as several miles apart. This allows Dragonfly to relocate its entire suite of instruments to a new site when the previous one has been fully explored, and provides access to samples in environments with a variety of geologic histories. At each site, samples less than a gram in size will be drilled out of the surface by the Drill for Acquisition of Complex Organics (DrACO) and brought inside the lander's main body, to a place called the "attic" that houses the DraMS instrument.  There, they will be irradiated by an onboard laser or vaporised in an oven to be measured by DraMS. "DraMS is designed to look at the organic molecules that may be present on Titan, at their composition and distribution in different surface environments," Trainer said. Organic molecules contain carbon and are used by all known forms of life. They are of interest in understanding the formation of life because they can be created by living and non-living processes. —IANS

An upcoming NASA mission to Saturn's giant moon Titan aims to discover the development of life in the universe, the US space agency said. The mission called Dragonfly is due to launch in 2027, and will reach Titan in 2034.

NASA Mission To Saturn's Moon May Unravel Chemistry Leading To Life

An upcoming NASA mission to Saturn's giant moon Titan aims to discover the development of life in the universe, the US space agency said.
The mission called Dragonfly is due to launch in 2027, and will reach Titan in 2034.

Washington: A new research attempted to determine the understanding of Earth's crust by testing and ultimately eliminating one popular hypothesis about why continental crust is lower in iron and more oxidized compared to oceanic crust. The iron-poor composition of continental crust is a major reason why vast portions of the Earth's surface stand above sea level as dry land, making terrestrial life possible today. The study, published in Science, uses laboratory experiments to show that the iron-depleted, oxidized chemistry typical of Earth's continental crust likely did not come from crystallization of the mineral garnet, as a popular explanation proposed in 2018. The research was conducted by Elizabeth Cottrell, research geologist and curator of rocks at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History, and lead study author Megan Holycross, formerly a Peter Buck Fellow and National Science Foundation Fellow at the museum and now an assistant professor at Cornell University. The building blocks of new continental crust issue forth from the depths of the Earth at what are known as continental arc volcanoes, which are found at subduction zones where an oceanic plate dives beneath a continental plate. In the garnet explanation for continental crust's iron-depleted and oxidized state, the crystallization of garnet in the magmas beneath these continental arc volcanoes removes non-oxidized (reduced or ferrous, as it is known among scientists) iron from the terrestrial plates, simultaneously depleting the molten magma of iron and leaving it more oxidized. One of the key consequences of Earth's continental crust's low iron content relative to oceanic crust is that it makes the continents less dense and more buoyant, causing the continental plates to sit higher atop the planet's mantle than oceanic plates. This discrepancy in density and buoyancy is a major reason that the continents feature dry land while oceanic crusts are underwater, as well as why continental plates always come out on top when they meet oceanic plates at subduction zones. The garnet explanation for the iron depletion and oxidation in continental arc magmas was compelling, but Cottrell said one aspect of it did not sit right with her. "You need high pressures to make garnet stable, and you find this low-iron magma at places where crust isn't that thick and so the pressure isn't super high," she said. In 2018, Cottrell and her colleagues set about finding a way to test whether the crystallization of garnet deep beneath these arc volcanoes is indeed essential to the process of creating continental crust as is understood. To accomplish this, Cottrell and Holycross had to find ways to replicate the intense heat and pressure of the Earth's crust in the lab, and then develop techniques sensitive enough to measure not just how much iron was present, but to differentiate whether that iron was oxidized. To recreate the massive pressure and heat found beneath continental arc volcanoes, the team used what are called piston-cylinder presses in the museum's High-Pressure Laboratory and at Cornell. A hydraulic piston-cylinder press is about the size of a mini fridge and is mostly made of incredibly thick and strong steel and tungsten carbide. Force applied by a large hydraulic ram results in very high pressures on tiny rock samples, about a cubic millimetre in size. The assembly consists of electrical and thermal insulators surrounding the rock sample, as well as a cylindrical furnace. The combination of the piston-cylinder press and heating assembly allows for experiments that can attain the very high pressures and temperatures found under volcanoes. In 13 different experiments, Cottrell and Holycross grew samples of garnet from molten rock inside the piston-cylinder press under pressures and temperatures designed to simulate conditions inside magma chambers deep in Earth's crust. The pressures used in the experiments ranged from 1.5 to 3 gigapascals -- that is roughly 15,000 to 30,000 Earth atmospheres of pressure or 8,000 times more pressure than inside a can of soda. Temperatures ranged from 950 to 1,230 degrees Celsius, which is hot enough to melt rock. Next, the team collected garnets from Smithsonian's National Rock Collection and from other researchers around the world. Crucially, this group of garnets had already been analyzed so their concentrations of oxidized and unoxidized iron were known. Finally, the study authors took the materials from their experiments and those gathered from collections to the Advanced Photon Source at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois. There the team used high-energy X-ray beams to conduct X-ray absorption spectroscopy, a technique that can tell scientists about the structure and composition of materials based on how they absorb X-rays. In this case, the researchers were looking into the concentrations of oxidized and unoxidized iron. The samples with known ratios of oxidized and unoxidized iron provided a way to check and calibrate the team's X-ray absorption spectroscopy measurements and facilitated comparison with the materials from their experiments. The results of these tests revealed that the garnets had not incorporated enough unoxidized iron from the rock samples to account for the levels of iron-depletion and oxidation present in the magmas that are the building blocks of Earth's continental crust. "These results make the garnet crystallization model an extremely unlikely explanation for why magmas from continental arc volcanoes are oxidized and iron-depleted," Cottrell said. "It's more likely that conditions in Earth's mantle below continental crust are setting these oxidized conditions." Like so many results in science, the findings lead to more questions: "What is doing the oxidizing or iron depleting?" Cottrell asked. "If it's not garnet crystallization in the crust and it's something about how the magmas arrive from the mantle, then what is happening in the mantle? How did their compositions get modified?" Cottrell said that these questions are hard to answer but that now the leading theory is that oxidized sulfur could be oxidizing the iron, something a current Peter Buck Fellow is investigating under her mentorship at the museum. This study is an example of the kind of research that museum scientists will tackle under the museum's new Our Unique Planet initiative, a public-private partnership, which supports research into some of the most enduring and significant questions about what makes Earth special. Other research will investigate the source of Earth's liquid oceans and how minerals may have served as templates for life. This research was supported by funding from the Smithsonian, the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy and the Lyda Hill Foundation. —ANI

A new research attempted to determine the understanding of Earth's crust by testing and ultimately eliminating

Iron-Depleted, Oxidized Chemistry Of Earth's Continental Crust Not From Crystallization Of Mineral Garnet: Study

Birmingham: Hazardous chemicals often seen in aerosols, such as those produced during cooking and cleaning, can be 'protected' in 3D structures made by surfactants, allowing them to stay longer in the air, according to research led by the University of Birmingham. Surfactants, or ‘surface-active agents’ are a class of chemical compounds that are used in everyday objects such as soaps and cleaning products, as emulsifiers, foaming and wetting agents. They are also released through natural processes such as sea spray and a key emission from cooking activities. The research, published in Accounts of Chemical Research, was led by the University of Birmingham in collaboration with the University of Bath and the Central Laser Facility at the Science and Technology Facilities Council. It was funded mainly by the Natural Environment Research Council. The scientists have built an extensive body of research over the last 5-6 years initially examining how one of these surfactants, oleic acid, a common cooking and marine emission, forms complex structures at the nanoscale, and how these affect the interaction of oleic acid with other chemicals in the air. Recent experiments explored increasingly complex mixtures of surfactants to establish the impact of a broad range of aerosol components encountered in the air. Professor Christian Pfrang from the University of Birmingham who led the work said: “Aerosols are commonly created by everyday activities such as cooking and cleaning, and with modern life seeing people spending on average 90 per cent of their time indoors there is an urgent need to understand how indoor aerosols are processed. Oleic acid is known to self-organise into a range of 3D nanostructures, some of which are highly viscous and can delay the ageing and thus the breakdown of key chemical components in aerosols.” By combining laboratory and computational studies the researchers established that harmful, reactive materials may be shielded inside aerosol particles and underneath highly viscous (honey-like) shells, potentially extending the atmospheric residence times and thus their reach from the emission source of the otherwise short-lived species. The researchers conducted a wide range of experimental studies investigating self-organisation in particles levitating in the air as well as in thin films on solid surfaces (“window grime” proxies) and floating on water (representing the surface of aqueous droplets which are most commonly found in the atmosphere). These self-organised aerosols were analysed with state-of-the-art techniques, following the structure on the nanoscale with small-angle X-ray scattering and the chemical behaviour with Raman microscopy. Complementary computer models were developed by the team to understand how surfactants may organise themselves in the atmosphere. They found that surfactants can organise themselves into different kinds of 3D structures when mixed with other aerosol components found in the atmosphere. This self-organisation significantly reduces the reactivity of the chemicals, in turn increasing their lifetime. A crust of product material may form on the surface of the particles, protecting hazardous materials and extending the time they may persist in the atmosphere. Prof Pfrang continued: “Our complex multi-scale experimental studies intimately linked to tailored computational modelling indicate that these surfactant structures may offer an effective shield for harmful chemicals common in aerosols which could persist in the atmosphere for longer and travel much further. For those of us who spend the vast majority of our time indoors, which is most people in the Western world, this should be cause for concern. We know that aerosols contribute to air pollution and can have a negative impact on human health, and these findings indicate that we are breathing in more harmful chemicals for longer than we have previously thought, especially after cooking and cleaning.” The research has opened avenues to further study how these surfactant arrangements impact the climate as well as both indoor and outdoor air quality. Prof Pfrang concluded: “The crucial question now is, how important are these processes that we have carefully quantified in the laboratory in real-life conditions – indeed, we have started to collect aerosol samples for analysis from areas where high concentrations of surfactants are to be expected, such as students’ kitchens. More research is needed to understand how these structures act both outdoors and indoors, what this means for the quality of the air we breathe, and the impact this may have on human health. But in the meantime, we would recommend opening a window and making sure your space is well ventilated whilst cooking and cleaning.” —ANI

Hazardous chemicals often seen in aerosols, such as those produced during cooking and cleaning, can be 'protected' in 3D structures made

Surfactants May Cause Toxic Chemicals In Aerosols To Last Longer In Air: Study

New Delhi (The Hawk): The Indian Journal of Biochemistry and Biophysics (IJBB), CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (NIScPR), New Delhi, has brought out a special issue in association with the Department of Biochemistry, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara on the theme, “Multiple facets of Protein Science” in the Indian context. As a leading publicly funded Science publishing institute in India, CSIR-NIScPR publishes 16 indexed journals in various STM disciplines. IJBB, a monthly premier peer-reviewed research journal in the subject area of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, with the JIF score of 1.4, ranks first amongst the CSIR-NIScPR journals published across the disciplines. With the able guidance and active support of the recently re-constituted editorial board with reputed national/international experts, the journal has been receiving considerable attention from researchers and academicians across the globe. This special issue September 2023 IJBB Vol. 60 Issue no. 9 has 8 original research papers and 4 review articles broadly covering the emerging trends in structural biology contributed by reputed researchers in the subject area. The articles cover (i) Design and development of mutant EGFR inhibitors from a structural perspective; (ii) Mechanistic insights into the oncogenic partnership of hADA3 and HPVE6 - paving ways for improved cervical cancer therapy; (iii) Protein Carbamylation in Neurodegeneration and other age-related disorders; (iv) Newly-discovered behaviour in the bacterial histone-like protein, HU; (v) Genotypic, phenotypic, and in silico analysis of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae; (vi) Mitigation of pathological parameters under Jagged1 influence in DMD knockout zebrafish and patient-derived myoblast cultures; (vii) Isolation, purification and characterization of a protease from the seeds of Artocarpus heterophyllus; (viii) Polyphenol MHQP as an allosteric inhibitor of Kinesin-5: Cease the molecular catwalk of “Drunken Sailor”; (ix) Solution structures and thermodynamics of cis-trans X-Pro conformers of a novel single disulfide conopeptide; (x) Synthesis, DFT and Molecular docking study of novel bis 1,2,3-triazole derivatives of 2-hydroxyquinoline-4-carboxylate as antimicrobial agents; (xi) Determination of neuroprotective effects of medium chain fatty acids and their derivatives on mutant huntingtin aggregates, oxidative stress and ATP levels in HD150Q cell line model of Huntington’s disease; and (xii) The role of water molecules and its dynamics to the binding site of ß-lactamase enzyme with respect to ß-lactamase inhibitor. The successful publication of this special issue would not have been possible without the unwavering support and encouragement extended by Prof. Ranjana Aggarwal, Director of CSIR-NIScPR, New Delhi. Her dedication to promoting research in the field has been instrumental in bringing this issue to fruition. The success of any scientific journal relies heavily on the collaborative efforts of various individuals and teams. In the case of the Indian Journal of Biochemistry and Biophysics (IJBB), the initiative taken by Prof DN Rao (Executive Editor, IJBB), and Dr. NK Prasanna, Sr Scientist &amp; Scientific Editor, IJBB has played a crucial role in shaping this special issue. The necessary support and expertise from Prof Ranjana Aggarwal, Shri RS Jayasomu, Dr G Mahesh, Dr NK Prasanna, Dr Meher Wan, have made significant strides in promoting high-quality research in the field throughout the journal's journey. Contribution from authors, reviewers, and the technical support provided by the print production team of CSIR-NIScPR for successful, timely publication of this issue deserves special mention.

The Indian Journal of Biochemistry and Biophysics (IJBB), CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (NIScPR)

IJBB Special Issue On 'Multiple Facets Of Protein Science'

Singapore: Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) researchers have discovered fresh evidence regarding how chemicals released by brain cells influence our attention span. Findings from the study could pave the way for new therapies to treat neurological conditions associated with concentration difficulties, such as depression and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). To communicate with one another, neurons in the brain and nervous system release chemicals called neurotransmitters that relay messages from one cell to another. Neurotransmitters are crucial for brain function and regulating all bodily functions, ranging from breathing and heart rate to reproduction. These chemicals also coordinate cognitive processes that enable us to focus on important information within the constant barrage of stimuli the brain receives from the external environment, otherwise known as our attention span. Researchers have long thought that our attention span was directed by only one neurotransmitter, acetylcholine, which excites neurons and causes them to fire electrical signals. However, recent work suggests that attention could require another neurotransmitter, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which inhibits neurons from receiving and sending messages. In their study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), the team demonstrated for the first time that GABA works together with acetylcholine in a precise sequence to regulate the transmission of signals from a part of the brain's information processing network, called the claustrum. Hidden deep in the brain, the claustrum is a thin sheet-like structure that receives and processes information from different parts of it. The claustrum helps to regulate concentration, but its exact role remains unknown. Neurotransmitters toggle 'like a switch' to relay information In lab experiments, the NTU scientists investigated how neurons in the claustrum in mice respond to acetylcholine and GABA produced by a part of the brain called the forebrain, that plays a central role in several brain functions. The key technological advance that allowed the researchers to make this discovery is called optogenetics. Optogenetics uses light-sensitive proteins to selectively control the activity of specific types of neurons within the brain. In this case, the neurons within the forebrain that release acetylcholine and GABA were activated by light, allowing the team to measure the response of the claustrum to such a stimulus. They discovered that two types of neurons in the claustrum, which send output signals to different parts of the brain, respond in opposing ways to acetylcholine and GABA. Neurons that extend to structures deep in the brain were excited by acetylcholine while neurons that extend to structures on the surface of the brain were inhibited by GABA. Through this coordinated sequence of opposing actions, the two neurotransmitters toggle the transfer of information between the claustrum and the rest of the brain, like a switch. The study provides evidence that the neurotransmitters regulate a "microcircuit" in the brain, that allows the organ to differentiate important information from noise, helping a person pay attention. The opposing actions of the neurotransmitters (acetylcholine and GABA) on neurons in the claustrum enable brain signals to be encoded efficiently, allowing the brain to pay attention and ignore noise. First author Mr Aditya Nair, former researcher at LKCMedicine and a current Ph.D. student at Caltech, said, "Our study advances our understanding of the claustrum's role in directing attention span. Understanding how the claustrum regulates attention span at the cellular level also provides a window into other areas regulated by similar signalling pathways, such as arousal and learning." Lead investigator and neuroscientist Professor George Augustine from NTU's Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine (LKCMedicine) said, "By understanding how acetylcholine and GABA work together to direct our attention, new and more effective therapies may be developed in the future to improve the attention span of patients with conditions such as ADHD and depression." Commenting as an independent expert, Dr Geoffrey Tan, Consultant (Psychiatry) Clinician-Scientist at the Institute of Mental Health Singapore, said, "Directing attention and multi-tasking are crucial cognitive processes for everyday functioning that require toggling between networks or circuits in the brain. This study identifies a 'switch' in the claustrum that provides a mechanism by which acetylcholine may drive computations such as these. It is timely as we increasingly incorporate brain networks into how we think about cognition, psychiatric conditions and even interventions like mindfulness." The next steps for this project will be to determine how altering the dual-transmitter switch alters attention and brain disorders that affect attention, such as ADHD. It will also be important to determine whether the switch mechanism applies to other brain processes, such as arousal and learning. —ANI

Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) researchers have discovered fresh evidence regarding how chemicals 

Scientists Discover New Evidence To Explain How Humans Pay Attention

Texas (US): Millions of people in the United States are affected by neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's, and the expense of caring for persons with these conditions totals hundreds of billions of dollars each year. Researchers at The University of Texas in El Paso believe they have discovered a solution for leftover coffee grounds, which are thrown from homes and companies all around the world every day. A team led by Jyotish Kumar, a doctoral student in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and overseen by Mahesh Narayan, PhD, a professor and Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry in the same department, discovered that caffeic-acid-based Carbon Quantum Dots (CACQDs), which can be derived from spent coffee grounds, have the potential to protect brain cells from the damage caused by several neurodegenerative diseases. Their findings are detailed in a report published in Environmental Research. "Caffeic-acid based Carbon Quantum Dots have the potential to be transformative in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders," Kumar said. "This is because none of the current treatments resolve the diseases; they only help manage the symptoms. Our aim is to find a cure by addressing the atomic and molecular underpinnings that drive these conditions." Neurodegenerative diseases are primarily characterized by the loss of neurons or brain cells. They inhibit a person's ability to perform basic functions such as movement and speech, as well as more complicated tasks including bladder and bowel functions, and cognitive abilities. The disorders, when they are in their early stages and are caused by lifestyle or environmental factors, share several traits. These include elevated levels of free radicals -- harmful molecules that are known to contribute to other diseases such as cancer, heart disease and vision loss -- in the brain, and the aggregation of fragments of amyloid-forming proteins that can lead to plaques or fibrils in the brain. Kumar and his colleagues found that CACQDs were neuroprotective across test tube experiments, cell lines and other models of Parkinson's disease when the disorder was caused by a pesticide called paraquat. The CACQDs, the team observed, were able to remove free radicals or prevent them from causing damage and inhibited the aggregation of amyloid protein fragments without causing any significant side effects. The team hypothesizes that in humans, in the very early stage of a condition such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's, a treatment based on CACQDs can be effective in preventing full-on disease. "It is critical to address these disorders before they reach the clinical stage," Narayan said. "At that point, it is likely too late. Any current treatments that can address advanced symptoms of neurodegenerative disease are simply beyond the means of most people. Our aim is to come up with a solution that can prevent most cases of these conditions at a cost that is manageable for as many patients as possible." Caffeic acid belongs to a family of compounds called polyphenols, which are plant-based compounds known for their antioxidant, or free radical-scavenging properties. Caffeic acid is unique because it can penetrate the blood-brain barrier and is thus able to exert its effects upon the cells inside the brain, Narayan said. The process the team uses to extract CACQDs from used coffee grounds is considered "green chemistry," which means it is environmentally friendly. In their lab, the team "cooks" samples of coffee grounds at 200 degrees for four hours to reorient the caffeic acid's carbon structure and form CACQDs. The sheer abundance of coffee grounds is what makes the process both economical and sustainable, Narayan said. —ANI

Millions of people in the United States are affected by neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's, and the expense 

Coffee Grounds Can Help Prevent Neurological Disorders

Chicago: A study conducted by chemists at the University of Chicago discovered a technique to use electricity to enhance a sort of chemical reaction commonly used in the synthesis of novel pharmaceutical medication candidates. The finding, which was published in Nature Catalysis, represents an advancement in the field of electrochemistry and indicates a road ahead to creating and directing reactions--and making them more sustainable. "What we want to do is understand what's happening at the fundamental level at the electrode interface, and use that to predict and design more efficient chemical reactions," said Anna Wuttig, UChicago Neubauer Family Assistant Professor and the senior author on the paper. "This is a step towards that eventual goal." In certain chemical reactions, electricity can boost the output--and because you can get the needed electricity from renewable sources, it could be part of making the worldwide chemical industry greener. But electrochemistry, as the field is known, is especially complex. There is much scientists don't know about molecular interactions, especially because you have to insert a conductive solid (an electrode) into the mix to provide electricity, which means the molecules interact with that electrode as well as with each other. To a scientist trying to untangle the roles each molecule is playing and in what order, this makes an already complicated process even more complicated. "What if you think about it as electrochemistry providing us with a unique design lever that's not possible in any other system?" she said. In this case, she and her team focused on the surface of the electrode that provides the electricity to the reaction. "There were hints that the surface itself is catalytic, that it plays a role," Wuttig said, "but we don't know how to systematically control those interactions at the molecular level." They tinkered with a type of reaction that is commonly used in manufacturing chemicals for medicine, to form a bond between two carbon atoms. According to theoretical predictions, when this reaction is performed using electricity, the yield from the reaction should be 100 per cent, that is, all the molecules that went in are made into a single new substance. But when you run the reaction in the lab, the yield is lower. The team thought the presence of the electrode was tempting some of the molecules away from where they were needed during the reaction. They found that adding a key ingredient could help, a chemical known as a Lewis acid added to the liquid solution redirected those molecules. "You get a near-clean reaction," Wuttig said. Moreover, the team was able to use special imaging techniques to watch the reactions unfold at the molecular level. "You can see that the presence of the modulator has a profound effect on the interfacial structure," she said. "This allows us to visualize and understand what's happening, rather than regard it as a black box." This is a crucial step, Wuttig said, because it shows a path forward towards being able to not only use the electrode in chemistry but also to predict and control its effects. Another benefit is that the electrode can be re-used for more reactions. "This is a step towards sustainable synthesis," she said. "Moving forward, my group is very excited to use these types of concepts and strategies to map out and address other synthetic challenges." —ANI

A study conducted by chemists at the University of Chicago discovered a technique to use electricity to enhance a sort of chemical reaction

Scientists Find New Method Of Boosting Chemical Reactions Using Electricity

Dehradun (The Hawk): The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping &amp; Waterways and Ayush, Sarbananda Sonowal launched four major initiatives to boost Ayush sector in the North East India. A dedicated Panchakarma block, a first in the North East region, was inaugurated and dedicated to the nation by Sarbananda Sonowal at the Central Ayurveda Research Institute (CARI) here today. A state-of-the-art Pharmacology &amp; Bio Chemistry lab for Ayush, a first in the region, was also inaugurated &amp; dedicated to nation by the Ayush Minister here today. The Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal also laid the foundation stones, virtually, for the permanent campus of the Regional Research Institute for Homoeopathy (RRIH) along with the Integrated Ayush Wellness Centre to come up at Azara in the city. The Integrated Ayush Wellness Centre is a first of its kind centre in the country. Speaking on the occasion, the Union Minister, Sarbananda Sonowal said, “Under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, the traditional system of medicine has been revamped so that it adds strength to the healthcare delivery system in the country. Given the proven results of our rich healing systems of medicine like Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, Homoeopathy, Naturopathy and Sowa Rigpa, it is imperative that their centuries old treatments are incorporated into the modern medicinal practice. This is going to result in a powerful Integrated Medicine which will heal both physical ailments and provide avenues for mental well being. The new Panchakarma block as well as the state of the art laboratories for Ayush are steps that will enable Ayush healthcare delivery system in the region, which will be particularly beneficial for the people of Assam and the North East.” It is to be noted that the foundation stones for the two buildings - ‘Panchakarma Block’ and ‘Pharmacology &amp; Bio Chemistry labs’ - were laid by Sarbananda Sonowal less than two years ago on 12 February, 2022, with an aim to boost up capacity at Central Ayurveda Research Institute (CARI) in Guwahati. Adding further, the Ayush Minister, Sarbananda Sonowal said, “Modi ji once said that our government ensures completion of projects that were started by us. Once the foundation stones are laid, it is evident that they are executed well within time so that they are dedicated to the nation. The inauguration of ‘Panchakarma Block’ and ‘Pharmacology &amp; Bio Chemistry’ lab are yet another examples on how, under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, we continue to embark on this journey for swift development of initiatives, ensuring speedy growth. I would like to assure you that Modi ji’s leadership will inspire us to deliver the permanent campus of Regional Research Centre for Homoeopathy as well as India’s first Integrated Ayush Wellness Centre are inaugurated within its stipulated time so that we continue our tradition. We are also actively considering elevating the Central Ayurveda Research Institute into a national institute.” The Health &amp; Family Welfare Minister, Assam, Keshab Mahanta; the MP (Lok Sabha) for Guwahati, Queen Oja; the MLA (Dispur) Atul Bora; the MLA (West Guwahati), Ramendra Narayan Kalita also graced the occasion and joined the Union Minister, Sarbananda Sonowal at the launch of these big ticket initiatives for promotion of Ayush in the region. Many leading personalities from the civic society, senior officials of Ayush Ministry, local administration as well as students joined the event. The dedicated Panchakarma Block (G+3) at CARI will be providing best Panchakarma therapies to people at reasonable rates. The researchers will also be examining the role of Panchakarma in healing patients as well as enriching the quality of lives of the people. With an area of 9453.30 square feet, the new building will conduct scientific validation of Panchakarma therapies. A Panchakarma Training Course will also be undertaken here to train panchakarma technicians, ensuring quality resources for the Ayush market. The G+3 building was built at a cost of more than ?7.72 crores. The building is equipped with dedicated rooms to perform key Panchakarma therapies like Snehana and Swedana room, Shirodhara room, Basti room. A medicine lab to prepare medicines used in the Panchakarma like Kwath preparation and making of Basti Dravya has also been created. Space has also been made for dedicated classrooms to train Panchakarma technicians under the Panchakarma Technician Course. The G+3 building is also equipped with a conference hall, Special Therapy room for VIP guests with living room, guest room &amp; waiting room as well as a canteen. Various machines like New Panchakarma Droni, Bashpa Swedana Yantra (steam chamber), Nadi Swedana Yantra, Sarvangadhara Yantra, Shirodhara Yantra, Basti Yantra, Nasya applicator, Avagaha tub, Sauna chamber and other key instruments are also being installed for effective Panchakarma treatment. A first of its kind ‘Pharmacology and Biochemistry Laboratories’ in Ayush sector in the North East are equipped with facilities for drug standardisation, safety and efficacy evaluation of Ayurvedic formulations. The labs will scientifically validate therapeutic and safety potential of classical Ayurvedic formulation, ethno-medicinal plants and plant-based formulations. It will further work to develop cost-effective novel poly herbal formulations from Ayurvedic plants, especially found in the North East region. The G+2 building was built at a cost of more than ?2.71 crores. A modern Animal House to probe pre-clinical studies for safety and efficacy of Ayurvedic formulations, a state-of-the-art Pharmacology lab with sophisticated equipments like Rotary Evaporator &amp; Soxhlet extractor, Automatic Haemology analyzer, Biochemistry analyzer, Coagulation analyzer, Analgesiometer, UV-VIS Spectrophotometer, Laboratory deep Freezer, Plethysmometer, among others. The Chemistry lab to work on drug standardisation of Ayurvedic formulations and to ensure quality of the drugs. Modern instruments like High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography (HPTLC), High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS), X-ray Diffractometer (XRD) among others. Spread over an area of 3491.62 square feet, the new lab (G+2), the modern machines were installed at a total cost of more than ?6.42 crores. The new campus Regional Research Institute of Homoeopathy (RRIH) has a sprawling campus of 18,610 square feet area. Built at an estimated cost of ?53.89 crores, the project is scheduled to be completed by 2026. The new campus will be equipped with 50 bedded IPD unit and OPD services with specialty clinics. Clinical lab with state-of-the-art equipment, Emergency unit as well as minor operation theatre will be part of the new campus. India’s first Integrated Ayush Wellness Centre will have treatment and OPD facilities in the streams of Ayurveda, Yoga &amp; Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy. The centre will also impart therapies of Panchakarma, Naturopathy, Unani and Siddha for the benefit of the people. A herbal garden will also be created at the centre.

The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways and Ayush, Sarbananda Sonowal launched four major initiatives to boost Ayush sector

The Hawk

Tag : Chemistry

Research.com Issues First Edition Of Its Top Scientists List For Chemistry

Sunil Aswal

Tag : Chemistry

Research.com Issues First Edition Of Its Top Scientists List For Chemistry

Sunil Aswal

More about Chemistry