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In oil refineries and chemical plants, chemical reactions and separations take place in the distillation column. The introduction of heat exchangers improves the efficiency of the system with recirculation of [...]

In recent years, research has focused on developing polymers from agricultural waste, and jackfruit waste has been identified as a potential source. The utilization of Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) waste for making value-added polymers is an innovative approach to reduce environmental pollution and create a sustainable environment. The edible part of jackfruit consists of only 40% of the whole fruit while other 60% goes to waste as non-edible part of the fruit. Jackfruit waste in mainly distributed into three parts which are seed, peel and latex respectively. Jackfruit waste is a significant source of cellulose and starch, which can be converted into various high-value products through different chemical and biochemical processes. The resulting value-added polymers have numerous applications in various fields, including packaging, textiles, and biomedical engineering. They exhibit good mechanical properties, thermal stability, and biodegradability, making them a promising alternative to conventional petroleum-based polymers. Considering the large volume of jackfruit production (> 500,000 metric tons pa in six countries), this waste can become feedstock for making new polymeric materials. Circular economy practices along with environmental protection are the need of modern world. This review covers the characterization of different parts of jackfruit waste and its utilization in making lightweight polymer composites.

Conventionally, carbon steel material has been widely used around the globe for the fabrication of static equipment--such as tall towers, vessels, heat exchangers, etc.--for less-corrosive service. This material is generally [...]

Exploring the effective incorporation of natural fibers into polymer composites offers a sustainable approach to finding eco-friendly alternatives that do not harm the environment. Sheep wool–based polymer composites have emerged as a promising and sustainable alternative in the field of materials science. This review comprehensively examines the recent advancements and developments in the utilization of sheep wool as reinforcement in polymer composites. The abundant availability of sheep wool as a natural and renewable resource makes it an attractive option for enhancing the properties of synthetic polymers. The unique structural characteristics of wool fibers, such as their high aspect ratio, surface morphology, and chemical composition, contribute to the improved mechanical, thermal, and flame-retardant properties of the resulting composites. This review explores the various techniques employed for preparing sheep wool fibers, including mechanical treatments, chemical modifications, and functionalization approaches, to optimize their compatibility with polymer matrices. The interfacial interactions between wool fibers and polymer matrices are also discussed, along with the effects of various processing parameters on the overall performance of the composites. The introduction of sheep wool fiber reinforcement results in a significant uptick in tensile strength, showcasing enhancements of up to 25% compared to unmodified polymers. The inherent thermal stability of sheep wool fibers leads to an enhanced thermal resistance, as demonstrated by a 15 °C elevation in the onset degradation temperature. Moreover, sheep wool fiber reinforcement precipitates a remarkable 50% reduction in peak heat release rate, thereby spotlighting augmented flame-retardant attributes. Additionally, the integration of sheep wool fibers yields a notable reduction in water absorption by up to 30%, signifying improved resistance against moisture-related degradation. Moreover, this review highlights the potential applications of sheep wool–based polymer composites in diverse fields, including construction materials, automotive components, textiles, and packaging materials. Furthermore, the environmental benefits of utilizing sheep wool as a renewable resource and its role in waste reduction from the textile industry are emphasized. However, challenges and limitations associated with sheep wool–based polymer composites are addressed, paving the way for future research directions. Overall, this review presents a comprehensive assessment of the current state of knowledge regarding sheep wool–based polymer composites, providing valuable insights for researchers, engineers, and industries interested in sustainable materials development and environmentally friendly technologies. Sheep wool is an exciting biomass which has a potential to create sustainable and innovative materials.

The researchers studying natural fibres are motivated by the demand for composite materials that are sustainable. Presently paddy straw is accumulating in the farms but its disposal by burning leads to environmental pollution. This work describes an alternative cleaner method of using this resource which is available in abundance. Earlier studies on natural fibre filled composites have restricted the loading up to mostly 40%. Our studies are mainly focused on using larger amount of paddy straw which will help for its easy disposal. In this work, we have included high filler loading in phenolic resin along with modifier such as cashew nut shell liquid [10 wt% CNSL]. Our experimental outcome on mechanical, thermal & morphological properties of these composites revealed that CNSL treated paddy straw filled phenolic composites exhibited better mechanical performance than untreated paddy straw filled phenolic composites. Overall, 75% with 10 wt% CNSL as resin modifier showed better outcome in terms of the tensile strength (15.5 MPa), flexural strength (30.21 MPa), and impact energy (2.93 J) which are suitable for lightweight natural fibre filled composites. These composites also showed better thermal stability than untreated paddy straw filled phenolic composites which is also confirmed by thermal characterization techniques. The SEM morphological analysis showed better wetting of the paddy straw with 10% CNSL which leads to higher interfacial adhesion and improved performance.

This study aimed to improving the mechanical impact resistance of epoxy resin used for coatings adopting a sustainable approach. Biobased modifiers, cashew nutshell liquid (CNSL) and tannic acid (TA), were incorporated using Taguchi’s method, varying their concentrations from 2 to 10 parts per hundred (pph) to optimize the formulation for improved impact resistance. Simultaneously, each formulation underwent evaluation covering key properties such as adhesion, hardness, flexibility, acid–alkali resistance, and solvent resistance. Subsequently, optimized formulation obtained from Taguchi method was further modified using vinyltrimethoxysilane (VTMS) to further enhance impact resistance by varying concentration up to 1.5 pph. The resulting formulations underwent a thorough evaluation, encompassing the aforementioned key properties, corrosion resistance, and thermal properties. Optimization revealed that epoxy resin biomodified with 10 pph of CNSL and 2 pph of TA significantly improved impact resistance, yielding a remarkable 53% and 41% increase for front and reverse impact tests respectively when compared to the unmodified resin. Additional improvements in adhesion and flexibility were also observed. Further incorporation of 1.5 pph of VTMS to the optimized biomodified epoxy resin increased its front and reverse impact resistance by 13% and 11.8% respectively. Adhesion was also improved from 4 to 5B. Corrosion resistance, as assessed by a 300-h salt spray test and EIS, showed enhancement. Furthermore, thermal properties, as determined by differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis, exhibited improvement. Thus, the role of VTMS was found to be very synergistic for development of sustainable CNSL- and TA-biomodified epoxy coatings with improved mechanical impact resistance.

Bacterial wilt, incited by Ralstonia solanacearum, has been found to be the most damaging and widespread disease of tomatoes throughout the world, causing heavy yield losses. Management of the disease is mainly relied on chemicals and their use is fraught with health risks. Among non-chemical strategies, development of resistant varieties or genotypes can be a good alternative. The present study was conducted to develop and characterize the recombinant inbred lines from the cross Anagha × FBT-41 for bacteria wilt incidence. For genotypic characterization, four bacterial wilt linked markers were used, out of which only one marker i.e., SCU176-534 showed polymorphism between the parents. Out of 147 recombinant inbred lines developed, only 23 lines showed high resistance to bacterial wilt in both polyhouse sick plot and pot conditions. Further, inheritance studies revealed that in Anagha variety single dominant gene governs resistance to bacterial wilt. This study will be significant and useful in increasing tomato production and developing new resistant tomato varieties through marker-assisted breeding.

Abstract: The leachability of low-level radioactive waste was meticulously evaluated to determine the efficacy of a cement–vermiculite matrix for immobilisation. Laboratory-scale blocks, with a cement-to-vermiculite ratio of 1:0.1, were subjected to the IAEA-recommended semi-dynamic leaching test using rainwater (RW) from the disposal site and demineralised water (DW) for comparative analysis. The experimental data elucidated the transport phenomena governing Cs-137 release from the matrix. A strong positive correlation was observed between pH, conductivity, and Cs-137 activity release, indicating their interdependent dynamics. This research derived mathematical equations for both single-source term models describing the entire leaching process and the most fitting combination models, based on statistical parameters. Key leaching parameters, including a diffusion coefficient of 5.83E-07 cm2/d, a dissolution velocity of 4.93E-05 cm/d, and a first-order kinetic rate constant of 8.00E-05 d−1, were established and used to identify the optimal leaching model. These parameters are crucial for future radiological impact assessments of the area. Various physico-chemical observations during the leaching period were documented, with efforts to elucidate their underlying causes. The cumulative Cs-137 release of less than 1% over the study period and a leachability index of 7.2 confirmed the matrices’ suitability for immobilising the studied waste. Research highlights:

Cs-137 is the major long-lived radionuclide present in low-level radioactive waste.

Waste is immobilized in cement–vermiculite matrix and disposed in reinforced concrete trenches at disposal site, Tarapur.

Cs-137 leaching from cement-waste products using rainwater and demineralised water is studied using IAEA standard leaching test.

Integrity of block is studied and Leaching parameters are evaluated from observed cumulative leach fraction.

Using statistical parameter, Index of agreement, best-fit leaching mechanism for Cs-137 was established.

The efficiency of the matrix in immobilising low-level waste is found suitable with Leachability Index > 6. Diffusion is the underlying controlling leaching mechanism.

Magnetic pulse welding (MPW) offers a promising alternative to traditional fusion welding techniques for joining dissimilar materials like D9 steel and SS316LN. This study employs a combined finite element Lagrangian and smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) approach to numerically investigate and optimise the MPW of a D9 steel tube to an SS 316LN end plug. The simulation methodology captured the electromagnetic field, structural deformation, and weld morphology with high fidelity. Results demonstrated close agreement between simulated deformation patterns and experimental observations. SPH simulations successfully reproduced metal jet emission, waviness formation, and key field variables, providing valuable insights into the underlying physics and predicting weldability window. Discharge voltage of 17 kV and 18 kV and taper angle of 8 degrees is observed to be best suited as per simulation as well as experiment considering waviness formation as the weldability criteria. X-ray tomography further corroborated the uniformity of the welded region in the working zone. This research underscores the effectiveness of combined numerical and experimental approaches in advancing the understanding and optimisation of MPW processes for dissimilar material joining applications.

BaSO4:Eu is a highly sensitive high Z thermoluminescence (TL) phosphor. The conventional synthesis of BaSO4:Eu yields very good TL sensitivity but weak optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) sensitivity. Earlier, we have reported novel synthesis method for the preparation of europium-doped BaSO4having good OSL sensitivity. This work reports OSL in nano- and microcrystalline phases of BaSO4:Eu. The study showed that the BaSO4:Eu sample in submicron size shows high TL as well as OSL sensitivity and its OSL sensitivity is 17% compared to the commercial alumina-doped carbon (Al2O3:C, Landauer Inc.). The TL peak at 200 °C gets depleted by 77% after the BSL readout. The dose response of the sample is linear in the 10 mGy–1 Gy dose range with MDD of ~ 10 μGy. For first ten days, practically no fading is observed and the phosphor shows excellent reusable property. High sensitivity, good reusability and low fading of the phosphor will make it suitable in radiation dosimetry applications, particularly for X-ray dosimetry using OSL technique.

The integrity of the fuel clad plays a pivotal role in the performance and safety of a nuclear reactor. The end plug of a fuel pin is conventionally joined to the clad tube using fusion welding techniques in fast breeder fuel fabrication routes. In the present study, joints between the D9 clad tubes and end plugs of SS 316LN were successfully developed using magnetic pulse welding (MPW). For this purpose, a 70 kJ,25 kV MPW machine, tool coil, field shaper and fixtures were developed. Process parameters were optimised by trial and error to give optimum results. The joints were qualified using several destructive and non-destructive welding methods. The leak rate of the joints was found to be 1.5 × 10–10Pa.m3/s, and the microstructure of the joint interface showed a wavy morphology typical of sound MPW joints. X-ray computer tomography of the MPW joints showed uniformity in the joints. The quality of the joints remained unaltered even after the internal hydraulic pressure burst test. Therefore, the present work demonstrates the capability of MPW, a solid-state joining technique, to serve as an alternate method for joining the end plugs to the clad tubes in the fuel fabrication of a fast breeder reactor.

Background: Peripheral muscle dysfunction is one of the major comorbidities seen in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Focusing more on upper extremity, unsupported elevation of arms results in a change in the recruitment pattern of the respiratory muscles. Over the years, many tests were developed to assess the upper limb capacity and include them in various rehabilitation protocol. Objective: To review the evidence on mechanism, tests, and rehabilitation protocol for the upper limb extremity muscle-dysfunction occurring in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Methods: PubMed and Google scholar databases were searched. Based on the inclusion criteria’s:- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases patients, any Randomized Controlled or clinical trials, systematic reviews, explaining upper limb extremity muscle dysfunction, various tests to assess upper limb functional capacity and different ways of upper limb extremity training, a total of 15 articles were retrieved. Results: The mechanism of upper extremity muscle dysfunction is now well understood. Various tests were designed in order to assess arm strength, arm endurance and functional capacity. All the studies which included upper limb extremity training as a part of the rehabilitation program, showed beneficial results in terms of reduction of dyspnoea and arm fatigue, as well as improving the activity performing capacity. Conclusion: This review concluded that the alteration in the upper limb extremity muscles is an inevitable consequence of chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, which can be confirmed by various upper extremity tests, with patients responding positively to the upper limb training incorporated during pulmonary rehabilitation protocols.

Presently, a number of commercial varieties of grapes are being introduced with Fantasy Seedless as one of them. Varying irrigation levels lead to biochemical changes affecting the vine productivity. In the present study, five irrigation levels (I) based on variable rates of replenishment of pan evaporation were imposed and the biochemical constituent levels were monitored on the field-grown grapevine cultivar Fantasy Seedless raised on 110R rootstock. During vegetative season, the levels of proline, anthocyanin, reducing sugars and malondialdehyde in leaves were higher in water deficit I-3, whereas it was lower in I-1 at all the stages. This suggests the adaptive response of grapevine leaves to cope and maintain the water stress. On the other hand, the levels of protein were higher in I-1, whereas it was lower in I-3 indicating the protein degradation caused by the oxidative damage under water stress. During fruiting season also, the results showed similar trends for all parameters in leaves. During berry development stages, the changes in composition revealed the protective and adaptive mechanisms by osmolyte accumulation. The irrigation level I-2 based on the yield (17.86 t/ha) and the water use efficiency (71.93 kg/mm) was found significantly superior over I-3, I-4 and I-5 with low applied irrigation. This study provides insights into the adaptive biochemical mechanisms, and comparing these biochemical responses under varying irrigation levels has elucidated the stress tolerance mechanisms in Fantasy Seedless.

Crude glycerol is produced as a by-product from biodiesel production via trans-esterification with methanol and this process accounts for 10% (w/w) of the total biodiesel produced worldwide. The glycerol glut created can be utilized to increase biodiesel profitability since disposal can pose a threat to the environment. The need is to transform this surplus crude glycerol into added-value products. Biological based conversions are efficient in providing products that are drop-in replacements for petro-chemicals and offer functionality advantage, commanding higher price with the potential to increase bio-refinery revenue. Glycerol is a stable and multifunctional compound used as a building block in fine chemical synthesis like bio-polymers, polyunsaturated fatty acids, ethanol, hydrogen, n-butanol, glycerol carbonate, glycerol acetyl esters etc. Bio-catalysts add higher value to bio based products by catalyzing not only their selective modification, but also their synthesis under controlled and mild conditions. This article focuses on different bioconversion technologies of crude-glycerol to value added industrial products – obtained as waste from current bio-diesel production. We abridge the recent relevant approach for the production of various platform chemicals from bio-glycerol over enzyme and chemical catalysts.

Byline: S. Karande, N. Kumbhare, M. Kulkarni, N. Shah Background : Parents of children with specific learning disability (SpLD) undergo stress in coping with their child's condition. Aim : To [...]

Byline: A. Desai, R. Wragg, M. Kulkarni, T. Tsang Sir, Sacrococcygeal teratoma (SCT) is the most common teratoma presenting at birth. It can have variable intrapelvic extension. One of the [...]

Dear editor, Trauma, leading to infection is a common sequel of diabetic foot ulceration, which, once established, progressively worsens and becomes more difficult to treat. Extended spectrum [sz] lactamases (ESBLs) [...]

Two hundred and thirty isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were obtained from samples of patients having diabetes (75%), cancer (20%), and both diabetes and cancer (5%) who were admitted to a [...]

Dear Editor, Human rotaviruses are the most important etiologic agents of acquired diarrhoea in infants and young children worldwide[1]. Rotavirus diarrhoea is more frequent during the winter. Limited reports are [...]

Abstract: Site-specific hydrogeological parameters are a prerequisite to investigate the migration of radionuclides in groundwater due to leaching from low-level solid radioactive waste disposal facility (SRWDF) site. The leaching event is a low probability event due to all the engineered safety features provided in SRWDF, but the impact assessment, even due to this low probability event of leaching is a regulatory requirement. The present study focuses on SRWDF located in Tarapur, India. Hydrogeological parameters such as radionuclide specific distribution coefficient (Kd), hydraulic conductivity (HC) and porosity are estimated for a watershed area in and around the SRWDF. Values of HC and porosity for soil samples collected from the disposal site are found to be in the range 0.006–0.15 cm/s (average 0.059 cm/s) and 25.64–32.62% (average 29.19%), respectively. Average hydraulic gradient is found to be 0.007. Using the estimated values of hydraulic gradient, porosity and HC in Darcy’s law, groundwater velocity is calculated as 0.13–3.22 m/day. The distribution coefficient of caesium, the most prevalent radionuclide in low-level solid radioactive waste, is estimated to be ranging between 116.73 and 393.54 ml/g. Physical and chemical characteristics of soil like pH, electrical conductivity, organic matter content, moisture content, CaCO3content and effective cation exchange capacity (ECEC) are determined experimentally. Correlation among the estimated parameters is also studied. The Kdof caesium is found to be positively correlated with porosity, ECEC, clay and silt fraction of the soil and negatively correlated to sand fraction. The site-specific parameters estimated in this study would be useful for carrying out the radiological impact assessment (RIA) of the SRWDF at Tarapur through the terrestrial pathway. Research Highlights:

The values of site-specific distribution coefficient (Kd) of the soil samples range from 116.73 to 393.54 ml/g.

Hydrogeological parameters like hydraulic conductivity, porosity, groundwater velocity have been estimated, and the values range from 0.006 to 0.15 cm/s, 25.64 to 32.62% (average 29.19%), 0.13 to 3.22 m/day, respectively.

Physico-chemical properties like pH, electrical conductivity, organic matter content, moisture content, CaCO3content, and effective cation exchange capacity have been estimated.

Correlation among estimated parameters is studied. Site-specific Kdis found to be positively correlated with porosity, effective cation exchange capacity, clay and silt fraction of the soil and negatively correlated to sand fraction.

Background: Alternative health care and dietary supplements are becoming increasingly popular for adults and children. However, many patients do not report the use of these medications to their own physicians. We report a fatal case of hypermagnesemia in a child due to the overuse of supplemental magnesium oxide (MgO). Case Report: A 2.5-year-old neurologically impaired male with history of normal renal function presented to the emergency department in full cardiorespiratory arrest. He was resuscitated with 100% [O.sub.2] and epinephrine and transferred to the pediatric ICU for further management. The mother reported that the child was under the care of a nutritionist who recommended a variety of multivitamins and minerals. The mother was instructed to adjust the dose of MgO supplements according to the child's bowel patterns. She denied reporting any of these supplements to her own pediatrician. Initial labs included Mg 20.3 mg/dL (3.2 mM; normal [is less than] 1.2 mM) and ionized Ca 0.9 mM (normal 1.08-1.34). During his ICU course, the patient required several catecholamine infusions and transesophageal pacing for persistent bradycardia and heart block, presumably secondary to hypermagnesemia. After 3 hours of hemodialysis, the Mg level decreased to 7.6 mg/dL. The patient continued to have bradycardia and hypotension despite increasing catecholamine support and pacing. The patient expired within 24 hours of admission. Conclusion: In this patient with normal renal function, excessive MgO supplementation may have contributed to irreversible heart block and death. Physicians should be aware of the popularity of alternative medicines and should counsel patients on the efficacy and potential hazards of these treatments., Kulkarni M, Baum C, Krug S. Children's Memorial Hospital, Chicago, [...]

Water hyacinth (WH) root powder was successfully utilized as a low cost and efficient adsorbent for the removal of Remazol Brilliant Blue (RBB) dye from aqueous solutions. Batch experiments were conducted for adsorption of Remazol Brilliant Blue dye onto WH root powder. The potential of WH for the dye removal and the effect of several parameters such as initial pH (2.0–9.0), contact time (2–300 min), adsorbent dosage (0.5–20 g L–1), initial dye concentration (50–500 mg L–1) and temperature (303–323 K) were analyzed. The results indicate that an acidic pH of 2.0 supports the adsorption of RBB dye onto WH. The maximum adsorption capacity for this dye was found to be 83.33 mg g–1at 323 K. Freundlich, Langmuir, Dubinin–Radushkevich and Temkin isotherms were utilized for modelling the RBB removal at equilibrium, the results of which revealed that the Langmuir model provided the best fit. The contact time data was found to fit well with the pseudo-second order kinetic model. Kinetic studies proved that the rate of RBB dye uptake was limited by both film diffusion and intra-particle diffusion. Results from thermodynamic studies revealed that the adsorption process was feasible, spontaneous and endothermic in nature (ΔG° and ΔH° values at 323 K are –7.33 kJ mol–1and 46.009 kJ mol–1, respectively).

Effluent water from dyeing industries has now for long been a taxing issue. Of the various dyes which are extremely toxic, Crystal Violet which is used in the dyeing industry is known for its mutagenic and mitotic poisoning nature. Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) is a perennial aquatic plant notorious for its rapid invasive growth on the surface of water bodies causing ill-effects on the biodiversity. The potential of powdered roots of water hyacinth was studied for decolorization of Crystal Violet dye. Influence of parameters such as initial pH (2.0–10.0), initial dye concentration (100–500 ppm), biosorbent dosage (0.5–5 g/l), contact time (10–240 min) and temperature (300–323 K) were examined. Maximum removal of dye was observed at pH 7.8. The obtained data were fit into different kinetic models and the biosorption was found to follow pseudo second order kinetic model. The Langmuir monolayer biosorption capacity of water hyacinth was estimated as 322.58 mg/g. The study has demonstrated water hyacinth as a potential low cost biosorbent for effective removal of Crystal Violet dye from aqueous solution.

In addition to the inherent dynamism associated with any shop floor, a job shop environment exhibits certain additional features that promotes the use of decentralized over centralized decision support systems on the benchmark of responsiveness. The current work first highlighted the system level and operational complexities associated with a job shop environment and very objectively established the need for a decentralized decision support system for such set ups. Unlike various attempts of developing agent systems for shop floor, where major focus has been on imparting intelligence to scheduling agents, the current work took into account the need for integrating multiple shop floor functions, namely scheduling and maintenance, and demonstrated the development of a decision mechanism considering more than one shop floor function. The detailed design constitutes a global scheduling agent for entire floor and a set of local scheduling and maintenance agents for each machine on the floor. The novelty of the work lies in the thoroughness with which individual agent design has been attempted. The work reported in this paper added to the multiagent literature, specifically in the context of manufacturing, by answering certain questions like “how should intelligence be built into a shop floor agent?’ and ‘how could agents from different domains be integrated?” The work also highlights the fact that the advantage of agent features can be leveraged in true sense and systems based on them could be successful only if means of integrating heterogeneous functions are taken into account.

Background: Microbial biological control agents are gaining worldwide attention to manage insect pests as an alternative to synthetic insecticides. Entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) meet eco-friendly pest management’s demand since mere contact of infective propagules is sufficient to cause disease in insect pests, unlike other entomopathogens. However, epiphytic fungal isolates encounter multiple challenges including direct exposure of conidia to sunlight and UV light, high temperature, and low moisture content that reduce their efficacy at the field level. Therefore, utilization of endophytic EPF is becoming more popular because they get protection from adverse conditions compared to the epiphytic EPF as they reside inside the host tissue. In addition, the endophytic EPF also give protection against crop diseases and promote plant growth, degradation of heavy metals, and tolerance to abiotic stress. Results: The increased mortality of Spodoptera litura(Fab.) (Noctuidae: Lepidoptera) was achieved through endophytic colonization of indigenous Beauveria bassianaUHSB-END-1 (OM131742). The bioassay proved the highest mortality 2nd instar larvae of S. lituraat 40 dpi, both in vivo and in plantaexperiment. Further, larvae fed with fungal colonized leaves of tomato plant ended with abnormal growth and developmental process. The recovery of B. bassianafrom different plant parts (stem, leaves, and roots) was the highest (100%) in all the methods of colonization at 14, 40, 60, 80 dpi, and it was decreased at 120 dpi (80%). The colonization rate was again increased in the next-generation seeds and seedlings (25 days old). This isolate gets vertically transmitted to their progenies via seeds, and it is the first report in tomato crop. Conclusion: After ensuring the safeness of this isolate against non-target organisms, it can be one of the constitutes in sustainable cost-effective strategy for management of pests affecting tomato as one of the components in integrated pests management. Inoculation of endophytic EPF into seed/seedling reduces environmental impacts and also easy, economical, and sustainable approach for pest management in horticulture crops which are often consumed as raw. Although field studies are required to support the present finding, this appears to be an interesting tool that should be considered for pest biocontrol.

In recent years, there has been tremendous increase in mobile adhoc networks applications ranging from military and rescue operations to collaborative and distributed computing, therefore secure data transmission has become one of the critical issue in MANET. A mobile adhoc network is genrally established without relying on centralized and dedicated servers. Attackers exploit the loopholes of route discovery process to carry out their malicious intent as it is an inevitable process in reactive protocols. Blackhole is one such popular attack that sends forged routing information to fool source node and drops all the data packets after introducing itself in the route between source node to destination. In this paper, damage caused to AODV in presence of blackhole node has been evaluated and solution to defend against blackhole attack has been proposed and simulated on Ns-2 to prove its efficiency and reliability. The packet processing technique of normal AODV is enhanced to detect routing misbehavior and alert other nodes using default AODV control message, HELLO messages to reduce additional overhead.

Nanorods/nanofibers of conducting polymer, polyaniline (PANI) were synthesized via static, liquid-liquid interfacial polymerization process using ammonium persulphate as an oxidizing agent. The monomer, aniline was dissolved in chloroform comprising the organic phase, while the oxidizing agent, ammonium per sulphate was dissolved in doubly distilled water to form an aqueous phase. Para toluene sulphonic acid (p-TSA) was used as dopant during the polymerization process to dope the polyaniline. The presence of conducting emeraldine salt phase of the polymer was confirmed by UV-Vis. and FT-IR spectroscopic characterization. This was further supported by XRD analysis. The morphological studies are carried out using FE-SEM analysis and revealed the presence of uniform sized nanorods/nanofibers having diameter of ~90 nm and length up to few microns. This rapid and novel interfacial polymerization process shows the potential of large scale synthesis of uniform sized nanorods/nanofibers of polyaniline. The synthesized nanostructured polyaniline was successfully utilized for the optical pH sensing application in aqueous state.

ABSTRACTResistance to extended-spectrum ß-lactam antibiotics has led to a greater reliance upon carbapenems, but the expression of carbapenemases threatens to limit the utility of these drugs. Current methods to detect carbapenemase activity are suboptimal, requiring prolonged incubations during which ineffective therapy may be prescribed. We previously described a sensitive and specific assay for the detection of carbapenemase activity using ertapenem and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). In this study, we assessed 402 Gram-negative rods, including both Enterobacteriaceaeand non-Enterobacteriaceaeexpressing IMP, VIM, KPC, NDM, and/or OXA carbapenemases, by using imipenem, meropenem, and ertapenem with LC-MS/MS assays. LC-MS/MS methods for the detection of intact and hydrolyzed carbapenems from an enrichment broth were developed. No ion suppression was observed, and the limits of detection for all three drugs were below 0.04 µg/ml. The sensitivity and specificity of meropenem and ertapenem for carbapenemase activity among non-Enterobacteriaceaewere low, but imipenem demonstrated a sensitivity and specificity of 96% and 95%, respectively, among all Gram-negative rods (GNR) tested, including both Enterobacteriaceaeand non-Enterobacteriaceae. LC-MS/MS allows for the analysis of more complex matrices, and this LC-MS/MS assay could easily be adapted for use with primary specimens requiring growth enrichment.

Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems (RMS) have the potential to emerge as a cost effective solution that will help manufacturing organizations to stay competitive in an environment where product mix changes frequently and product life cycles are getting shorter. Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems can achieve this as they are designed for quick changes in its configuration, as well as software and hardware components. This not only helps in accommodating production capacity but also production of new variety of products and introduction of new product within part family. However, the configurations have a significant impact on the productivity and reliability of the machines and the manufacturing system. In the present paper, the main objective is to present a framework consisting of Maintenance plan to be followed for the reconfigured machine, Reliability of the reconfigured machine, Quality of the product obtained. This framework can form as the basic idea and a link between maintenance, reliability and quality issues.

The present paper seeks to identify competitive priorities and their relative importance for Indian Automotive Industry, specifically for passenger cars, during the decade 2011-2020. The relative importance of the competitive priorities and the factors within each priority has been determined based on the responses collected from senior executives and consultants working with the Indian automotive industry. A response sheet has been prepared listing the competitive priorities along with important factors under each priority, based on the study of published research work and consultant reports. A sample industrial survey by getting the response sheet filled from senior executives and consultants of major automotive industries in India has been carried out for determining the ranking of competitive priorities in the order of their importance and weightage of various factors under each priority. The research findings indicate highest preference for the consumer perspective foliowed by quality and cost. Innovation and product technology have been adjudged as next important competitive priorities. However, delivery has been given comparatively low preference by Indian Automotive manufacturers which shall have to be given preference in the near future for global competitiveness. Flexibility and sustainability have been assigned low priorities at present but shall have to be given more significance towards the end of this decade. The knowledge of competitive priorities and their relative importance leads to better understanding of manufacturing strategies for the Indian automotive manufacturers during the next decade 2011-2020.

Abstract: The ion-aerosol balance equations are solved to get the profiles of atmospheric electric parameters over the ground surface in an aerosol-rich environment under the conditions of surface radioactivity. Combining the earlier results for low aerosol concentrations and the present results for high aerosol concentrations, a relation is obtained between the average value of atmospheric electric space charge in the lowest ∼2 m, the surface electric field and eddy diffusivity/aerosol concentration. The values of eddy diffusivity estimated from this method using some earlier measurements of space charge and surface electric field are in reasonably good agreement with those calculated from other standard methods using meteorological or electrical variables.

Arthrolysis and dynamic splinting have been used in the treatment of elbow contractures, but there is no standardised protocol for treatment of severe contractures with an arc of flexion < 30°. We present our results of radical arthrolysis with twin incisions with the use of a monolateral hinged fixator to treat very severe extra-articular contracture of the elbow. This retrospective study included 26 patients (15 males and 11 females) with a mean age of 30 years (12 to 60). The mean duration of stiffness was 9.1 months (5.4 to 18) with mean follow-up of 5.2 years (3.5 to 9.4). The mean pre-operative arc of movement was 15.6° (0° to 30°), with mean pre-operative flexion of 64.1° (30° to 120°) and mean pre-operative extension of 52.1° (10° to 90°). Post-operatively the mean arc improved to 102.4° (60° to 135°), the mean flexion improved to 119.1° (90° to 140°) and mean extension improved to 16.8° (0° to 30°) (p < 0.001). The Mayo elbow score improved from a mean of 45 (30 to 65) to 89 (75 to 100) points, and 13 had excellent, nine had good, three had fair and one had a poor result. We had one case of severe instability and one wound dehiscence which responded well to treatment. One case had deep infection with poor results which responded well to treatment.Our findings indicate that this method is very effective in the treatment of severe elbow contracture; however, a randomised controlled study is necessary for further evaluation.

Abstract: Three sediment cores in a north-south transect (3°N to 13°S) from different sediment types of the Central Indian Ocean Basin (CIOB) are studied to understand the possible relationship between magnetic susceptibility (χ) and Al, Fe, Ti and Mn concentrations. The calcareous ooze core exhibit lowest χ (12.32 × 10−7 m3 kg−1), Al (2.84%), Fe (1.63%) and Ti (0.14%), terrigenous clay core with moderate χ (29.93 × 10−7 m3 kg−1) but highest Al (6.84%), Fe (5.20%) and Ti (0.44%), and siliceous ooze core with highest χ (38.06 × 10−7 m3 kg−1) but moderate Al (4.49%), Fe (2.80%) and Ti (0.19%) contents. The distribution of χ and detrital proxy elements (Al, Fe, and Ti) are identical in both calcareous and siliceous ooze. Interestingly, in terrigenous core, the behaviour of χ is identical to only Ti content but not with Al and Fe suggesting possibility of Al and Fe having a non-detrital source. The occurrence of phillipsite in terrigenous clay is evident by the Al-K scatter plot where trend line intersects K axis at more than 50% of total K suggesting excess K in the form of phillipsite. Therefore, the presence of phillipsite might be responsible for negative correlation between χ and Al (r = −0.52). In siliceous ooze the strong positive correlations among χ, Alexc and Feexc suggest the presence of authigenic Fe-rich smectite. High Mn content (0.5%) probably in the form of manganese micronodules is also contributing to χ in both calcareous and siliceous ooze but not in the terrigenous core where mean Mn content (0.1%) is similar to crustal abundance. Thus, χ systematically records the terrigenous variation in both the biogenic sediments but in terrigenous clay it indirectly suggests the presence of authigenic minerals.

Conducting Polyaniline (Pani)-crooked Gold nanocomposites were synthesized by in situ chemo-oxidative polymerization of aniline with previously made crooked gold nanoparticles by using ammonium per oxidisulphate as oxidizing agent and p-toluene sulphonic acid (p-TSA) as dopant. The formation of nano gold was established by UV-visible spectroscopy with a SPR peak at 512 nm and crooked morphology was confirmed by TEM. Spectroscopic analysis confirmed the formation of the conducting emeraldine salt phase of the polymer. Due to clustering of composite nanoparticles, the polymer composite formed one-dimensional rod-like morphologies. Thermogravimetric analysis revealed a typical three-step decomposition pattern pertaining to polyaniline emeraldine salt. The conductivity of the nanocomposite was found to be lower (2.47 S/cm) than the virgin p-TSA doped polyaniline (5.55 S/cm).

Abstract: Background: Incisional hernia is an important complication of abdominal surgery. Its repair has progressed from a primary suture repair to various mesh repairs and laparoscopic repair. Laparoscopic mesh repair is a promising alternative, and in the absence of consensus, needs prospective randomized controlled trials. Methods: Between April 2003 and April 2005, 66 patients with incisional, primary ventral and recurrent hernias were randomized to receive either open retrorectus mesh repair or laparoscopic mesh repair. These patients were followed up at 1-, 3-, and 6-month intervals thereafter for a mean of 12.17 months (open repair group) and 13.73 months (laparoscopic repair group). Results: Lower abdominal hernias after gynecologic operations constituted the majority of the hernias (∼50%) in both groups. There was no significant injury to viscera or vessel in either group and no conversions. The defect size was 42.12 cm2 in the open (group 1) and 65.66 cm2 in the laparoscopic group (group 2), and the prosthesis sizes were, respectively, 152.67 cm2 and 203.83 cm2. The hospital stay was 3.43 days in open group and 1.47 days in laparoscopic group (p = 0.007). There was no significant difference in the pain scores between the two groups. More wound-related infectious complications occurred in the open group (33%) than in the laparoscopic group (6%) (p = 0.013). There was one recurrence in the open repair group (3%) and two recurrences in laparoscopic group (6%) (p = 0.55). Conclusions: Laparoscopic repair of incisional and ventral hernias is superior to open mesh repair in terms of significantly less blood loss, fewer complications, shorter hospital stay, and excellent cosmetic outcome.

The effect of smoke as a germination cue is well documented. Recent developments in smoke technology have suggested that smoke also improves vigor. It has been reported that indigenous storage methods of South African maize landraces using smoke enhances seedling vigor. This present study highlights the effects of aerosol smoke and smoke–water on the germination and seedling vigor of a commercial maize cultivar, Zea maysL. var. PAN 6479. Various presoaking and smoking combinations were investigated. Treating seeds with aerosol smoke showed significant (p< 0.05) stimulatory effects on vigor. However, prolonged exposure to aerosol smoke resulted in reduced germination which was alleviated by rinsing the seeds. Furthermore, presoaking seeds before exposure to aerosol smoke also significantly (p< 0.05) reduced the inhibitory effect of prolonged smoking. The combination of presoaking and smoking had a significant (p< 0.05) improvement on the percentage germination. This study also showed that smoke has the potential to improve not only the percentage germination but also seedling vigor of commercially bred maize seeds.

This paper examines the clinical problem of extensor tendon tethering and/or dorsal joint capsule tightening secondary to hand injury. One hundred and forty-one patients were examined 13 to 51 months after hand injuries of varying severity. Fifty-six patients (40%) had suffered simple and eighty-five patients (60%) complex injuries. Seventy-four (52%) of the 141 patients had no extensor tendon tethering and/or dorsal joint capsule tightening. In 30 (21%), the extensor tendon tethering and/or dorsal joint capsule tightening was considered to be ''obvious'' in that it was easily seen on examination using various commonly used clinical tests of finger flexion and extension. In 37 (26%), the extensor tendon tethering and/or dorsal joint capsule tightening was considered to be of ''lesser degree'' because it was only evident on application of specific tests which are described in this paper. Of the 37, 21 (56%) described themselves as being unable to make a ''proper'' fist with the injured hand, 33 (89%) had pain or discomfort on the dorsum of the injured hand and/or fingers on gripping (P< 0.01) and 25 (70%) had weakness of power of gripping (P< 0.01). Thirty-two (87%) complained of functional problems at work, with activities of daily living or with the pursuit of their hobbies.

This is a prospective cohort study of patients undergoing total hip replacement using an uncemented, proximally coated stem with a short tapered distal stem. Patients with a minimum of 24 months of clinical and radiological follow-up were included in this study.There were 18 males and 34 females. Average age at surgery was 40 years. The diagnoses included developmental dysplasia of the hip in 20 patients, osteoarthritis in 15, avascular necrosis of the femoral head in nine, and inflammatory arthritis in three. Average follow-up was 46 months (range 25–78). There was no evidence of subsidence of any stem at the final follow-up. Interface buttressing was observed in 52 patients on the AP view and in 32 on the lateral view. This was seen in Gruen zones 1, 7, 8 and 14. Heterotopic ossification was seen in 15 patients. Distal cortical hypertrophy was seen in three patients. Three patients had one episode of dislocation and two patients had superficial wound infection. None of the hips has been revised and there was no radiological evidence of aseptic loosening.The high percentage of patients exhibiting condensation of the bone and interface buttressing at the lower reaches of the metaphysis suggest the objective of proximal loading is being achieved. We believe that early stability and durable biological fixation can be achieved by this cementless implant, in which the stem is designed to avoid any contact with the diaphyseal cortex.

Optically active chiral polymers and copolymers of cholesteryl methacrylate have been studied for use in optical applications including plastic optical fibers. Homopolymers of chiral cholesteryl methacrylate with differing molecular weights and copolymers with methyl methacrylate were synthesized by free‐radical copolymerization in tetrahydrofuran using azobisisobutyronitrile at 67°C for 26 h. All polymers were characterized for molecular weight, glass‐transition temperature, optical rotation, transparency, and refractive index and solution blended to test for compatibility with poly(methyl methacrylate). Such chiral materials are of particular interest because they offer useful polarization properties without requiring bulk orientation of the molecules. This makes it possible to produce low cost optical elements such as circularly birefringent or circularly polarizing optical elements with potential applications in polarization manipulations and sensing. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 98: 58–65, 2005

Sustainability is a vital issue for long-term development of industries and effective environmental protection. The principal aim of sustainable development is the progress on all fronts, i.e., economy, environment, and society. In this paper, a set of new sustainability indices is introduced to assess the environmental and economic performances as well as the sustainability of industrial systems in a uniform structure. In these indices, the values of nonmoneyed and moneyed resources, services, and commodities are quantified using a common unit:  emergy. As compared to the existing emergy-based sustainability indices that originated from the study on agricultural or natural ecological systems, the newly defined indices improve the applicability and the effectiveness of the existing indices by addressing the unique features of industrial systems systematically. These new indices reveal strong interdependence among multiple objectives and provide clear guidance to the industries on how to improve their performance on multiple fronts. The utilities of the new indices are demonstrated by case studies.

A Global Positioning System (GPS) permanent station has been established as a reference point at the Department of Civil Engineering of Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB), by the IITB GPS group, and is continuously operating since January 2002. The station is being operated under a research project funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, under the “National GPS Programme for Earthquake Studies”. A brief description of the station set up, the strategy used in determining its precise position, and some sample results are presented in this paper.

The role of continuous bupivacaine infusion either into the wound or as a local nerve block, following hand surgery was investigated in 100 patients. After excluding six patients with complex pain problems in whom neither the bupivacaine infusion nor any other conventional analgesic techniques provided adequate analgesia post-operatively, 86 of 94 (91%) patients were adequately treated for post-operative pain by this system during the first night after surgery, when pain is presumed to be greatest. This system also provided adequate on-going analgesia for up to 1 week after surgery controlling nerve pain and allowing mobilization of tendons after tenolysis. Continuous bupivacaine infusion is of particular use in these two groups of patients and after major hand injuries, when considerable pain can be anticipated. Pain during the first night was not controlled adequately by the bupivacaine infusion system in eight of the 94 patients (8%). All eight had a technical failure of the system, which was rectified in six cases to restore adequate analgesia by the infusion system. Two patients developed infection at the infusion cannula insertion site, which occurred only after 1 week and was successfully treated by removal of the cannula and oral antibiotics.

A comprehensive review of dynamics of etching and its various applications in silicon wafer processing is accomplished, and new developments are discussed. A previously proposed pseudo two-phase phenomenological model to describe the dynamics of three-phase etching is revisited and novel augmentations are proposed. Interplay between the liquid-phase transport of reagents, the silicon surface kinetics, and the formation and the transport of gaseous bubbles is quantified. Both the model and the reported data explain effects of etching on silicon-surface polishing. Recent attempts to extend the pseudo two-phase model to describe the defect decoration by acid-based etching are discussed and new modifications are proposed. Microdefect (agglomerated defect) distribution in a monocrystalline silicon wafer is identified by growing copper precipitates on the microdefects followed by surface polishing and subsequent microdefect-decorating etching, which forms the pits on the wafer known as etch-pits by a relatively rapid chemical dissolution of the precipitates. The macrodecoration of microdefects is typically realized in the absence of significant effects of the liquid-phase mass-transport. The developed phenomenological model leads to classification of etchants as either polishing or potentially decorating and to the identification of conditions necessary for an efficient microdefect decoration. The reported analytical expressions for the microdefect-decorating and the microdefect-polishing conditions are also revisited, revised, and augmented. A series of reported experiments validates the developed model.

We have synthesized a novel enzymatically degradable prodrug system based on poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and tyrosine units by employing a synthetic methodology which eliminated the use of conventional blocking and deblocking methodology used for chemical linkage of drug molecule to the pendant &bond;NH2 group of amino acid. A diester of PEG (6 kDa) and tyrosine hydrochloride was synthesized by dicyclohexyl carbodiimide (DCC)-mediated condensation. In the second stage, oligomers were prepared by condensing phenolic &bond;OH groups of tyrosine in the diester with sebacic acid, using DCC. Finally, the hydrochloride salt of tyrosine in the oligomer was treated with triethylamine to activate &bond;NH2 groups, which were reacted with benzoyl chloride to obtain a model prodrug system. The products synthesized were characterized by IR, ¹H-NMR, and GPC. The spectral data were in accordance with the proposed structures of products. Chymotrypsin-catalyzed degradation of the oligomers was characterized by both MW measurements and Ninhydrin assay for free tyrosine. Degradation studies indicated that the rate of main-chain degradation (ester hydrolysis) is higher than that of the side chain (amide hydrolysis). This new, simple methodology should be useful for conjugating a variety of bioactive molecules to enzymatically degradable PEG–amino acid based polymers. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 85: 2108–2118, 2002

A molecularly imprinted polymeric receptor for trypsin was synthesized by employing a novel technique that is a combination of affinity separation and molecular imprinting. An enzyme–inhibitor complex of trypsin and N-acryloyl para-aminobenzamidine was polymerized with acrylamide and N,N'-methylene bis-acrylamide. Template trypsin was extracted out to obtain an affinity-imprinted polymer. Control experiments were performed to demonstrate the synergistic affinity-imprinting effect. The percentage of crosslinker used was the crucial factor in determining the imprinting efficacy of the polymers. Imprinted polymer containing 50% crosslinker exhibited a linear Scatchard plot. Unlike non-imprinted gel, the receptor exhibited almost exclusive recognition of trypsin in an individual batch experiment as well as from a mixture of trypsin and chymotrypsin. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 81: 1075–1083, 2001

Impact damage is of critical concern in structures using laminated fibre reinforced composites. Thermoplastic polycarbonate (PC) offers high impact resistance and is often used in a variety of applications, including the windshield and canopy of aircraft, pressure windows and automotive parts among others. Impact damage to structures utilizing composites has been an area of constant concern. In the current study, S2-glass/epoxy composite laminates bonded to PC (referred to as ‘S2-glass/epoxy-PC’ or ‘Laminate-PC’) have been investigated for their high strain rate (HSR) impact response. A compression Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB) with 19.05 mm (0.75”) incident and transmission bars with dynamic recovery technique was used to test four, six and eight layers S2-glass/epoxy-PC samples. Using dynamic recovery technique on the SHPB, the sample was subjected to a controlled single compressive pulse, providing information on damage evolution. The samples were tested under HSR impact in three directions (with respect to the side facing the incident bar of the SHPB). In the first, the PC faced the incident bar, in the second, the S2-glass/epoxy laminate faced the same, whereas in the third, the loading was in the in-plane direction of the laminate. The HSR impact tests were performed by considering three strain rates - 109, 327 and 544/s - for all the experiments. The results of the investigation showed that providing a PC facing to S2-glass/epoxy laminate is an effective way of obtaining deformation in the PC facing which absorbs a large portion of the incident energy, thereby minimizing any delamination threat to the composite backing. PC acts as a sacrificial layer that can be readily replaced in the application.