Scientists have developed a novel compound made of bamboo cellulose and silver nanoparticles that can better treat skin injuries, an advance which may lead to films and ointments for wound-healing dressing materials with antibacterial properties.

Current wound-dressing materials have drawbacks such as foul smell, low porosity and poor-healing capacity. Some are even toxic to biological cells.

"An effective wound healing or a dressing material is needed that can cater moist environment to wound, prevent microbial infection and can be readily removed from the wound site without causing much pain," Sudesh Kumar, a scientist at Centre of Innovative and Applied Bioprocessing in Punjab told PTI.

Researchers from the CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology in Himachal Pradesh and Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research in New Delhi synthesised nanobiocomposites by inserting silver nanoparticles into the matrix of cellulose nanocrystals isolated from two species of bamboo leaves.

Cellulose is major component of plant cell wall. Different plants have different shape and size and this could be one of the reason for the different characteristics.

Bamboo was chosen for the research as it grows faster and has longest internode segment – allowing scientists to isolate appropriate-sized cellulose nanocrystals.

After overnight incubation with infectious bacteria, the nanocomposites showed strong antibacterial activities, researchers said.

The nanocomposites inhibited the growth of the bacteria by releasing silver nanoparticles which stuck to the cell membrane and eventually ruptured the bacterial cells.

"Among biomedical applications, wound repair has been a realm of extensive research over a past few decades.

Plants are the natural largest source of cellulose, but are largely unexplored in such biomedical applications," said Kumar.

Ointment and films made from the nanocomposites completely healed skin wounds in mice. The composite kept the wound site moist and stimulated the activities of certain enzymes, allowing the regeneration of skin cells.

The nanocomposites induced the growth of collagen fibres and stopped the proliferation of specific immune cells that trigger inflammation and delay wound healing.

After two weeks, presence of few hair follicles in the mice skin wounds indicated completion of tissue repair.

"So far the developed nanocomposite has shown promising result against acute wound healing. For other kind of wound healing experiments are undergoing," said Kumar.

The research was published in the journal Carbohydrate Polymers.

Actor William Christopher, who rose to fame playing Father John Mulcahy on TV show "M*A*S*H", is no more.

He was 84.

According to his representative, Christopher died on Saturday morning, reports people.com. His wife was with him.

Christopher's son John told ABC news that the actor died from a non-small cell lung carcinoma at his home in Pasadena, California, on Saturday.

According to his representative, Christopher has diagnosed with cancer a year and a half ago. He had begun a new treatment about a month ago but his health deteriorated "about a week ago". He entered hospice care on December 26.

"He was not in pain, he went peacefully," his representative said.

Christopher had a long list of TV credits, including appearances on "Hogan's Heroes", "Gomer Pyle: USMC" and "The Love Boat". He also did voice-over for the 1980s hit "Smurfs". He most recently portrayed Father Tobais in an 11-episode guest stint on "Days of Our Lives" in 2012.

The actor, who was born in Evanston, Illinois, is survived by his wife Barbara, and their two sons, John and Ned.

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Sunday said that his ministry will do its best to support the steps announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the New Year's eve.

"I see 2017 as a year whose agenda was set by the Prime Minister last night. Cheaper loans for affordable housing, for women's health, agriculture sector and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) sector… is the future of India," Jaitley told the media here.

"The Finance Ministry will do its best to implement what Modi announced yesterday (Saturday)," he said.

The minister also lauded the demonetisation move as very instrumental in distributing the resources more equitably.

"Resources which were hitherto centred in the hands of few in the form of black money are being distributed now," he said.

Jaitley said that he envisions 2017 as a year where digitisation along with Goods and Services Tax (GST) will play an important role for the growth of the economy.

"I see 2017 as a year where a combination of GST and digitisatised economies are the future of India… which will lay down the footsteps for the growth of the country."

A NASA photographer has captured a stunning image of the International Space Station (ISS) making its way in front of the Sun at a speed of about 28,968 kilometres per hour.

Noel Kowsky, a lensman working for NASA captured the photograph of the ISS just when it was about to make a transit in front of the Sun on December 17.

Kowsky was able to capture several images of the event, 10 of which combined to make a single composite view of the ISS.

The image shows the orbital space station – considered to be the largest man-made structure ever to be built in space – transiting across the Sun.

Capturing a photo of such solar transits is no small feat since it takes a considerable amount of time to plan and actually pull off, 'Tech Times' reported.

The ISS orbits the Earth at an altitude of about 330 to 435 kilometres that it would be very difficult to see it directly without the help of a high-powered telescope at times.

There is also the challenge of knowing where the space station will be, relative to Earth and at what time.

Stargazers often use a tracker to find out the location of the ISS.

The real reason for Titanic's tragic sinking that claimed over 1,500 lives in 1912 was a fire in the ocean liner's boiler room and not simply a collision with a giant iceberg, a new documentary has claimed.

The Titanic's hull was fatally weakened by a fire that had been smouldering in the coal bunker in the boiler room since she left the shipyard in Belfast, Irish journalist and author Senan Molony has claimed in the documentary.

Photographs of the ship with a dark mark on her hull before she left Southampton – at the same spot the iceberg struck – support the theory, Molony, who has spent 30 years researching the disaster, was quoted as saying by The Times.

He claimed that J Bruce Ismay, president of the company that built the ship and the man forever branded a coward for taking one of the few lifeboat places, knew about the fire but downplayed its significance in the aftermath.

In Molony's documentary, Titanic: The New Evidence to be broadcast on Channel 4, he suggests that the prolonged fire subjected the partitions, or bulkheads, in the hull to temperatures in excess of 1,000C, making the hull so weak and brittle that what should have been a minor collision became a catastrophe that killed more than 1,500 people.

"The official Titanic inquiry branded the sinking as an act of God. This isn't a simple story of colliding with an iceberg and sinking. It's a perfect storm of extraordinary factors coming together: fire, ice and criminal negligence," Molony is quoted as saying.

He points to dark marks that can be seen on the starboard side in a set of photographs that came to light in a private auction recently.

Molony believes it is evidence of the fire inside and the reason why the most luxurious ocean liner of her day was, unusually, reversed into her berth – presenting the unmarked side to passengers as they boarded.
"Nobody has investigated these marks before or dwelled upon them. It totally changes the narrative," he said.

"Since 1912, there has been this myth of a 300ft gash that opened the ship up but when the wreckage was examined, people were perplexed because they couldn't find anything like it," Molony said.

"We have metallurgy experts telling us that when you get that level of temperature against steel it makes it brittle, and reduces its strength by up to 75 per cent. The fire was known about and briefly addressed at the inquiry, but it was played down. She should never have been put to sea but the Titanic had already been delayed a couple of times and was committed to leaving on April 10th," he said.

A secret fire, Molony claims, would go some way to explaining why the Titanic was going so fast through icy seas.

Richard De Kerbrech, the author of several books on the Titanic, said the theory was plausible.

At least 39 persons were killed and 69 injured as a gunman opened fire at people celebrating new year at a nightclub in Istanbul early on Sunday, authorities said.

The assailant, who has not yet been identified, opened fire inside the high-end Reina nightclub at the busy Besiktas area, Turkish state-run news agency Anadolu reported.

The gunman, dressed as Father Christmas and speaking Arabic, changed his ammunition clip several times during the gory shooting spree, Xinhua news agency reported. The killer escaped.

According to Istanbul Governor Vasip Sahin, the man shot dead a police official guarding the club's gate and then attacked as many as 400 people gathered inside to celebrate the new year.

"It was a cruel, cold-blooded act," CNN quoted the Governor as saying.

"We are face to face with a terror attack," Interior minister Suleyman Soylu told the media.

Twenty-one of the dead had been identified, Soylu said. Of these, 16 were foreign nationals and five Turkish.

The US called it a terror attack, making it the first of 2017.

Soylu said: "The efforts to locate the terrorist are ongoing. Security forces have begun the necessary operations. God willing, (the attacker) will be apprehended soon."

No group has claimed responsibility for the massacre.

Witnesses at the club heard a loud noise and then a security official told everyone to get out.

According to one witness who survived by hiding himself, he did not know how many attackers were there but he saw at least one gunman.

"I got shot in the leg, man," he said while being taken into an ambulance. "These crazy people came in shooting everything."

Turkish media said some people jumped into the sea to escape as the night club is close to the Bosporus Strait, prompting a rescue operation by the Coast Guard.

Besiktas is known for its expensive, upper-middle class neighbourhoods. The area had been under heavy police security for new year celebrations.

Reina is one of the first clubs to open in the neighbourhood and remains a touchstone for Istanbul's exclusive nightlife.

Turkey has endured a recent wave of terrorist attacks, leaving many people wary.

"This attack is, of course, a horrible development, but not shocking to many Turks who chose to stay inside this new year eve," said Aykan Erdemir, a former member of the Turkish Parliament.

He said the latest attack seemed similar to what happened at the Bataclan, a Paris concert hall that was attacked by gunmen in 2015.

"This is an attack on Western lifestyle. This is an attack on Turkey's secular, urban way of living. And this will simply fuel the ongoing cultural clashes, the ongoing polarisation in Turkey," Erdemir said.

The US State Department said the attacks on an NATO ally "only reinforce our strong determination to work with the government of Turkey to counter the scourge of terrorism".

The US embassy in Turkey warned citizens to avoid the area where the attack occurred.

Turkey faces numerous battles across different fronts. Not only has the Syrian conflict and refugee crisis spilled over into Turkey, but Ankara is also battling the Islamic State and Kurdish militants.
 

Ravaged by injuries, India's star singles player Somdev Devvarman on Sunday announced his retirement from professional tennis, bringing an abrupt end to what was once a promising career.

"Starting 2017 on a new note, retiring from pro tennis.Thanks to everyone for the love and support over the years. #newyearnewbeginnings," Somdev said on his Twitter page.

The 31-year-old's career was hampered by a recurring shoulder injury in 2012. He recovered to stage a comeback but he had been missing from action without any specified reason for some time now.

There is speculation that he might take to coaching from here on.

Somdev was India's star singles player since he first broke into the scene in 2008.

A regular in India's Davis Cup squad, Somdev appeared in 14 rubbers and played a crucial role in India reaching the World Group back in 2010.

Somdev had also made the finals of two ATP Tour events — the 2009 Chennai Open as a wildcard and the 2011 South Africa Open. He also the singles and doubles gold medals at the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, China.

His 44 1 win-loss record in 2008 at the NCAA Men's Tennis Championship remains unmatched so far.

He was conferred the Arjuna award — the country's second highest sporting honour — in 2011.

Branding demonetisation a "huge scam", Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday sought an independent probe into and a White Paper on the note ban.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader also told the media here that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had become a laughing stock globally after taking out 86 per cent of the currency from the system on November 8.

"The world has started making fun of Modi… At least (former Prime Minister) Manmohan Singh had the respect of the world."

"Demonetisation is the biggest scandal in independent India," Kejriwal said.

"The entire exercise was political and guided by corruption."

He claimed that even hardcore BJP and RSS supporters were disappointed by Modi's speech of Saturday because he failed to mention when people could resume withdrawing money from their bank accounts at will.

"There should be an independent investigation into the note ban," he said. "There should also be a White Paper on the stated objectives of the demonetisation and what was really achieved."

He said the White Paper should detail the fall in GDP growth and in industrial and agricultural production after the November 8 announcement.

Kejriwal and the AAP have been among the most vocal critics of the note ban which caused an unprecedented cash crunch in the country.

He said after all the hardships that people endured, none of the stated objectives in Modi's November 8 speech were achieved.

He said there had been no reduction in corruption, black money had not been wiped out and terror financing had not ended.

The AAP leader accused the BJP leaders of converting black money into white before and amid the cash shortage and demanded to know why Modi was promoting Paytm for cashless transactions. 

"Has he taken bribes from Paytm? Paytm is the biggest gainer from demonetisation."

Kejriwal also denounced Delhi Metro's fiat that only Paytm transactions would be considered valid in select metro stations.

"They can't do this. They can't promote one single company. I will ask them… Maybe they are under pressure."

Reports of Priyanka Chopra doing Sanjay Leela Bhansali's film on legendary poet Sahir Ludhianvi are doing the rounds, but the actress says she has not yet signed any Bollywood project.

The 34-year-old star, however said she can not say no to Bhansali if he asks her to be a part of his film.

"I haven't decided any film yet. (But) Sanjay sir is someone I can't say no to. He knows my pulse, he knows what I will like to do. Every time we meet we look for things to do together. And hopefully, we will combine something. But I haven't zeroed in on any film yet," Priyanka told PTI.

When asked if she was offered the film, the actress said, "I don't like to talk about films that have been offered to me as then the list is long." 

Priyanka, during her stay in India has been a lot reading scripts and will be finalising her next Hindi films.

"In New York and India, I have been hearing lot of filmmakers since two three months. I have heard lot of amazing scripts. I have four months in the year in which I can do two films. I am in the process of finalising them…Will finalise it by January," she said.

Priyanka's last Bollywood film was Prakash Jha's "Jai Gangaajal" in which she played a tough cop.

She says she is looking forward to the release of her Hollywood debut film "Baywatch", which is slated to open in May.

British Prime Minister Theresa May used a New Year video message on Sunday to pledge she would work towards getting the "right deal" for Britain as it prepares to leave the European Union after a "divisive" referendum.

Describing the Brexit referendum vote in June which brought her to power at Downing Street as a "momentous" yet "divisive" decision, May called for a "truly united Britain" in 2017.

She said: "I know that the referendum last June was divisive at times. I know, of course, that not everyone shared the same point of view, or voted in the same way. But I know too that, as we face the opportunities ahead of us, our shared interests and ambitions can bring us together."

"These ambitions unite us, so that we are no longer the 52 per cent who voted 'Leave' and the 48 per cent who voted 'Remain', but one great union of people and nations with a proud history and a bright future."

"So when I sit around the negotiating table in Europe this year, it will be with that in mind the knowledge that I am there to get the right deal not just for those who voted to Leave but for every single person in this country." 

May said she wanted to make 2017 the year when barriers that hold people back are pulled down to secure a better deal for ordinary, working people.

"After all, it is through unity that our people have achieved great things: through our precious union of nations England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland; through our union of people from sports teams to armed forces; businesses to charities; schools to hospitals; and, above all, through our union of communities and families," she said.

She also invoked the memory of Labour MP Jo Cox, who was stabbed and shot to death by a right-wing fanatic in her constituency in central England in June ahead of the referendum.

May concluded: "As the fantastic MP Jo Cox, who was so tragically taken from us last year, put it: 'We are far more united and have far more in common than that which divides us'."

"We have a golden opportunity to demonstrate that to bring this country together as never before, so that whoever you are, wherever you live, our politics, economy and society work for you, not just a privileged few." 

The British premier has set a March 2017 deadline to invoke Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, which will trigger the official two-year period of Brexit negotiations.

But before that, she awaits a Supreme Court ruling early in the New Year on whether she can go ahead with this process without seeking parliamentary approval.

Researchers have designed molecules with the potential to deliver healing power to stressed cells -such as those involved in heart attacks.

The research, at a cellular level in the laboratory, involves organic molecules that break down to release hydrogen sulphide when triggered by specific conditions such as increased oxidative stress.

Oxidative stress damages cells and is tied especially to heart disease and cancer as well as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.

"We have discovered that small organic molecules can be engineered to release a molecule called carbonyl sulphide, which is the most prevalent sulphur-containing molecule in the atmosphere, but more importantly converts rapidly to hydrogen sulphide under biological conditions," said study co-author Michael Pluth, Professor at the University of Oregon in the US.

"We developed and demonstrated a new mechanism to release small molecules that provide therapeutic hydrogen sulphide," Pluth said.

Hydrogen sulphide, a colourless gas, has long been known for its dangerous toxicity -and its telltale smell of rotten eggs -in the environment, but it also is produced in mammals, including humans, with important roles in molecular signalling and cardiac health.

One of the goals of developing these small hydrogen sulphide-releasing molecules is the potential for long-term applications in therapeutics, Pluth said.

Separate portions of the research were detailed in the Journal of the American Chemical Society and in an international journal Angewandte Chemie.

New Army Chief General Bipin Rawat on Sunday said the role of the force is to maintain peace and tranquillity at the border but it will not "shy away from flexing its muscles, if the need be".

Eastern Army commander Lt Gen Praveen Bakshi and Southern commander Lt Gen P M Hariz will continue to serve the Army and maintain the unity, he said.

"The force is to maintain peace and tranquillity at the border but it will not shy away from flexing its muscles, if the need be," Gen Rawat said.

All units and services of the Army are together and he would always look at each one of them as one unit, he said.

Rawat, who took over as the 27th Army chief on Saturday was speaking to reporters here after inspecting the Guard of Honour at the South Block here.

Gen Rawat had superseded two senior most Lt Generals – Praveen Bakshi and P M Hariz.

Lt Gen Bakshi on Saturday announced "full support" to the new chief and told theatre officers through video conferencing he will continue to lead with full professional sincerity as hither-to-fore.

Government sources had earlier said Rawat was found best suited among the Lt Generals to deal with emerging challenges, including a reorganised and restructured military force in the north, continuing terrorism and proxy war from the west, and the situation in the Northeast.

While ringing in 2017, the city of Sydney paid tribute to two iconic musicians Prince and David Bowie, who died in 2016.

The two legendary artistes were honoured during the New Year's Eve fireworks celebrations with custom pyrotechnics set to their signature songs "Purple Rain" and "Space Oddity", reported Entertainment Weekly.

The Sydney Harbour Bridge was lit up in purple for Prince, who died in April at the age of 57, while fireworks shaped like heavenly bodies saluted Bowie, who died in January aged 69.

"This year, sadly, we saw the loss of many music and entertainment legends around the world. So celebrating their music as part of Sydney New Year's Eve fireworks displays is an opportunity to reflect on the year that has been and what the future may hold," fireworks co-producer Catherine Flanagan said.

Uttar Pradesh's ruling Samajwadi Party plunged into a fresh crisis on Sunday as Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav removed his father Mulayam Singh Yadav as the National President, sacked Shivpal Yadav as the state unit head and expelled Rajya Sabha MP Amar Singh.

The decisions were taken at a hurriedly called Emergency Convention of Akhilesh Yadav supporters who elected him the Samajwadi Party's new chief in place of party founder Mulayam Singh.

At the meeting at the Janeshwar Mishra Park here, senior leader and Akhilesh Yadav's uncle Ram Gopal Yadav moved motions to this effect. These were promptly endorsed by party leaders and thousands of activists with a roar of approval. 

The meeting stopped short of expelling Mulayam Singh, saying he would be the party's "Marg Darshak".

Mulayam Singh soon struck back and called the convention illegal. He also expelled Ram Gopal from the party for six years. He was ousted on Friday but taken back as part of a compromise formula later.

Mulayam Singh also announced a convention of his own on January 5. 

The Akhilesh camp refused to stick to the so-called compromise formula and went ahead with Sunday's convention, firming up a split in the party. 

After a show of strength on Saturday when more than 200 party legislators of the total 229 in the state assembly attended a meeting called by him, Akhilesh Yadav, 43, on Sunday took complete control of the organisation.

Prompted by Akhilesh's uncle Ram Gopal, party veterans, close associates of the SP chief and ministers refused to be deterred by threats from Mulayam Singh. All of them shared the stage with Akhilesh Yadav.

Prominent among them were Rajya Sabha MPs Reoti Raman Singh and Naresh Agarwal and ministers Rajendra Chowdhary, Balram Yadav, Abhishek Mishra, Nitin Agarwal and Ahmad Hasan. 

The young brigade included Anand Bhadauria, Sunil Singh 'Sajan' and Udayveer Singh – all MLCs from the Akhilesh camp who had been ousted from the party in October. 

They applauded every word Akhilesh Yadav spoke.

Urban Development Minister and senior leader Mohd Azam Khan, who brokered peace on Saturday between the father and son, did not attend the meeting.

In his brief address, the Chief Minister said after being anointed the new national party chief that he was doing all this to save the Samajwadi Party. 

He said nothing had changed between him and his father and that he would continue to serve him in the capacity of a son. 

Akhilesh Yadav added that his father would be the happiest if the Samajwadi Party won the coming assembly elections, likely to be announced any time now.

Shivpal Yadav, he thundered, had been working against the interests of the party.

"I am ready to sacrifice everything for Samajwadi Party," Akhilesh Yadav said. And to another roar from the gathering, he thanked everyone who have stood by him in the ugly war within the state's first family.

He made it clear that he would take action against those "who act against the party".

There are now two versions of the Samajwadi Party candidates — one each issued by the Mulayam and Akhilesh camps. 

The Mulayam camp said on Sunday that the list issued by it was final. On Saturday, Shivpal Yadav had said they would make a new list to accommodate everyone's concerns.

Meanwhile, supporters of Mulayam Singh and Shivpal Yadav took to the streets and staged sit-ins at several places to protest against the ouster of Mulayam Singh.

Ramgopal Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav were both expelled for six years from the Samajwadi Party by Mulayam Singh on Friday. The decision was revoked a day later — ahead of the Sunday convention.

Demonetisation of high value currency notes has paved the way for cutting corporate income tax in the forthcoming union budget 2017-18, industry chamber said on Sunday.

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) said this in a statement following expiry of the deadline to deposit old Rs.500 and 1,000 notes in banks.

"With a larger share of the economy captured in the tax net, the government has greater space to lower corporate income tax rates. In our recommendations for budget 2017-18, the CII has called for reducing the corporate income tax rate to 18 per cent, including all surcharges and cess, along with removal of all tax incentives and concessions," CII Director General Chandrajit Banerjee said here.

"Going by experience, it is found that a lower tax rate encourages higher compliance. We believe that lowering the tax rate to 18 per cent and removing all tax exemptions will not negatively impact the government revenues on this head," he said.

"CII notes that there are 32 incentives applicable on corporate profits before calculating tax. The effective tax rate works out to about 19.8 per cent," the statement said.

It said that in its pre-budget suggestions to the Finance Ministry, the CII has requested a four-pronged strategy for strengthening economic activity by reducing corporate income tax rate, revival of investments, creation of better quality jobs in the formal sector, and a national technology strategy with a "ten-fold increase in public investment in research in higher education institutions".

"A National Innovation Fund with a corpus of at least Rs.10,000 crore should be set up, using Rs.8,000 crore collected through cess on technology imports," it said.

 Oscar-winner Kate Winslet has paid a touching tribute to her "Sense and Sensibility" co-star Alan Rickman, saying the actor was very "kind".

The 41-year-old actress revealed how the veteran star, who passed away at the beginning of 2016, had a habit of ensuring he was always the one to pay the bills at a restaurant, reported Entertainment Weekly.

"At Al's memorial, Juliet Stevenson told the story of how whenever Al would go out to supper and anyone else would try and pay, he would somehow have phoned ahead or slipped his credit card ahead of the meal so no one even got a look at the cheque," Winslet said.

"He was always a great big softy. If there was one word I could use to really describe Al, it would be kind." 

Earlier this year, following the news of his demise, Winslet described Rickman as one of "the kindest and best men".

The two had reunited for 2015's "A Little Chaos", which Rickman directed.

"He was loved enormously by so many. He was an exceptionally warm and giving man and an utterly phenomenal actor and gifted director," she said at the time.