Fergusson College

We studied the surface morphology (micro- plus nanostructure) of Indian carpenter bee wings. In comparison with the Stenocara beetle’s surface morphology or the lotus leaf surface morphology, the Indian carpenter bee wing shows a different type of surface morphology. It is observed that the two-tire surface morphology of the wings plays a key role in controlling wettability. The equilibrium contact angle (θ) and contact angle hysteresis (Δθ) measurement revealed that the carpenter bees’ wings behave as superhydrophobic and self-cleaning for large water drops. Small drops formed by condensation nucleate in microchannels and ridges, grow through condensation and coalescence, and eventually become larger Wenzel or Wenzel–Cassie–Baxter type drops that lose their superhydrophobicity and self-cleaning property. Growth dynamics of condensed water drops on the wing surface show two distinguishing growth laws < R > tα, α = 0.41 ± 0.03 in the initial state and < R > tα, α = 0.99 ± 0.03 in the self-similar (coalescence-dominated) state with maximum surface coverage ≃ 0.45.

Abstract Water pollution remains a significant environmental challenge in the contemporary era, largely attributed to the widespread use of synthetic dyes in textile industries and the discharge of pathogens such as Escherichia coli (E. coli) into nearby water bodies. These organic and microbial contaminants pose various health risks, including but not limited to carcinogenic threats, reproductive issues, skin allergies, and other potential health hazards. Addressing this issues, recent efforts have focused on leveraging waste management strategies and geochemical water pollution control approaches, particularly through the photodegradation process, to eliminate different types of contamination from wastewater. This study employed a green synthesis method to produce tea waste hydrochar (TWH) through a hydrothermal process at 180˚C for 10 h. Characterization of the TWH involved techniques such as XRD (X-ray Diffraction), SEM (scanning electron microscopy), and FTIR (Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy). Subsequently, the synthesized TWH was utilized to eliminate dye-based contamination from both pure (Milli Q water) and river-based water under UV light irradiation. The experimental findings revealed remarkable photodegradation efficiency, as methylene blue (MB) dye achieved 90% degradation in pure water and 75% degradation in river-based water within 3 h under UV light irradiation. Moreover, the TWH exhibited excellent antibacterial action in removing E. coli bacteria from river water achieved 99.64% removal efficiency under UV light irradiation. These results confirm TWH offers dual-functionality, cost-effective and greener approach for wastewater treatment, particularly in the organic contaminants degradation and antimicrobial activities, and help to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 6: Clean water and sanitation) of the United Nations.

Emerging research suggests psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) exist on a continuum and consist of subclinical phenomena like perceptual abnormalities and delusional ideation. PLEs may influence impulsivity- and previous literature shows a link between emotional dysregulation and impulsivity. This study examined whether PLEs as well as gender moderated the relationship between emotional dysregulation and impulsivity in a non-clinical sample of young adults. A total of 95 females and 95 males completed self-report measures assessing emotional dysregulation, impulsivity, and PLEs. Associations among study variables were examined using correlational analyses, followed by a moderated moderation analysis conducted using Hayes’ PROCESS macro. Emotional dysregulation and impulsivity, as well as PLEs and impulsivity, were positively correlated. Moderation analyses revealed gender-specific effects: among females, higher PLEs attenuated the association between emotional dysregulation and impulsivity, whereas in males, PLEs amplified this relationship. These findings suggest that PLEs shape how dysregulated affect translates into impulsive behavior differently for men and women, potentially reflecting distinct emotion regulation strategies. Future research should investigate the mechanisms behind these gender-specific pathways and examine whether these patterns generalize across cultural contexts.

Background: Negative symptoms in schizophrenia are commonly conceptualized as comprising avolition/apathy (AA) and diminished expression (DE). However, the validity of this distinction when operationalized using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) remains unclear, and person-centered approaches to characterizing symptom heterogeneity are limited. Methods: This study analyzed PANSS data from 3,006 individuals with schizophrenia. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to evaluate established PANSS models and the AA–DE framework. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted to identify data-driven structures, followed by CFA validation. Cluster analysis (Ward’s method and K-means) was applied to factor scores to identify patient profiles. Cluster validity was assessed using silhouette coefficients. Differences in age at onset and sex were examined. Results: The AA-DE model and the Marder five-factor model were non-admissible in CFA. EFA identified a two-factor structure comprising interpersonal-affective impairment and behavioral-volitional impairment, which demonstrated good fit in CFA. Cluster analysis revealed three profiles: behavioral-volitional impairment, interpersonal-affective impairment, and low negative symptoms. The overall silhouette coefficient indicated moderate cluster separation. Clusters differed significantly in age at onset and sex, with the interpersonal-affective profile associated with later onset. Conclusion: Findings suggest that PANSS may not adequately capture the AA-DE distinction, instead yielding alternative dimensional structures. Person-centered analyses identified clinically meaningful subgroups, highlighting heterogeneity in negative symptom presentation and the need for improved measurement approaches.

Staphylococcus aureus inhabits the skin and mucous membranes as a harmless commensal. However, it can invade the host physiological barriers, enter in systemic circulation producing huge spectrum of symptoms manifesting numerous clinical conditions. Growing antibiotic resistance increases the need of discovering and developing new drugs against biofilm formation. Tinospora cordifolia extract inhibited S. aureus biofilm by 88.5% which was also observed in scanning electron microscopy. Metabolites were subjected to virtual screening by molecular docking to find potential compounds to bind to the S. aureus accessory gene regulator A protein. Rutaretin showed the lowest binding free energy of -7.45 kcal/ mol with the C- terminal domain of Accessory gene regulator A (AgrAc) involving key residues such as Ser-164, His-169 and Arg-170. Cyclonormammein interacted with Ser-168, His-169 and Arg-170 residues of AgrAc with a binding free energy of -6.82 kcal/ mol. The metabolites were also subjected to in silico ADMET screening to determine their drug likeliness, which revealed that cyclonormammein can be a potential candidate for the anti- Staphylococcus aureus studies. The current study helped in finding potential phytocompounds that can be used to inhibit S. aureus virulence.