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Cannabis sativa , widely known as 'Marijuana' poses a dilemma for being a blend of both good and bad medicinal effects. The historical use of Cannabis for both medicinal and recreational purposes suggests it to be a friendly plant. However, whether the misuse of Cannabis and the cannabinoids derived from it can hamper normal body physiology is a focus of ongoing research. On the one hand, there is enough evidence to suggest that misuse of marijuana can cause deleterious effects on various organs like the lungs, immune system, cardiovascular system, etc. and also influence fertility and cause teratogenic effects. However, on the other hand, marijuana has been found to offer a magical cure for anorexia, chronic pain, muscle spasticity, nausea, and disturbed sleep. Indeed, most recently, the United Nations has given its verdict in favour of Cannabis declaring it as a non-dangerous narcotic. This review provides insights into the various health effects of Cannabis and its specialized metabolites and indicates how wise steps can be taken to promote good use and prevent misuse of the metabolites derived from this plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To compare the clinical outcomes of the routine use of 5-strand hamstring grafts (where possible) with those of 4-strand grafts in primary anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction.Methods: A total of 64 patients were enrolled in a prospective randomized controlled study comparing the use of 5-strand and 4-strand semitendinosus-gracilis autografts in single bundle ACL reconstruction (n = 32 in each group). Four participants in each group were lost to follow-up and were excluded from the outcome analysis. The outcomes of 28 patients in the 5-strand group and 28 patients in the 4-strand group were analyzed. The diameters of all grafts were measured intraoperatively. Patients were assessed postoperatively at 2 years with objective assessments (anterior knee laxity using the KT-2000 arthrometer, Lachman test, pivot-shift test, hop test) and patient-reported outcome scores (Lysholm knee score, Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score, International Knee Documentation Committee subjective knee score, SF-36 physical and mental components, Tegner activity scale). Postoperative graft ruptures were also noted.Results: There were improvements in all outcome measures postoperatively regardless of the number of graft strands. When we compared the study and control groups, there were no significant differences in all subjective and objective outcome measures except the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score symptoms score (5-strand group 93.3 ± 9.2 vs 4-strand group 86.2 ± 14.7, P = .04). The KT-2000 side-to-side difference was 2.79 ± 2.11 mm in the 5-strand group and 2.54 ± 1.75 mm in the 4-strand group (P = .63). The 5-strand study group had 2 graft ruptures at 1 year, whereas the 4-strand control group had one partial graft rupture at 6 months.Conclusions: At 2-year follow-up, the routine use of the 5-strand hamstring tendon autograft was not superior to that of the quadrupled or 4-strand graft in primary ACL reconstruction.Level Of Evidence: Level I, prospective randomized controlled trial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract India is currently the world's largest producer of papaya (Carica papaya L.), producing fruits for both the domestic market and export. Morphological sex identification of papaya plants is not possible at seedling stage, it is commonly cultivated by planting 2–3 seedlings in a pit, followed by uprooting of the undesirable male plants after flowering which not only increases the cost of inputs (seeds & other basic inputs) and labour but also restricts efficient usage of land. This causes great losses to papaya producers and the identification of the sex of seedlings during the nursery stage would be an important advance. In our study random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and sequence characterized amplified region (SCAR) analysis were used to differentiate between the sexual forms of papaya. Analysis of sex types at seedling stage with two marker system also confirmed the same accuracy level and chances for the false negative result also minimized to zero. This method could reduce both the time and costs associated with breeding programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To determine the extent to which a strategy of routinely preparing a 5-strand hamstring autograft would increase graft size in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction.Methods: A total of 64 patients were enrolled in a prospective randomized controlled study comparing 5-strand and quadrupled semitendinosus-gracilis autografts in single-bundle ACL reconstruction (5-strand group, n = 32; 4-strand group, n = 32). In the 5-strand group, the diameter of the 4-strand construct and the subsequent 5-strand graft used were measured, whereas in the 4-strand group, the diameter of the quadrupled graft used was measured. Quadrupled graft diameter and hamstring tendon lengths were correlated with patient gender, height, weight, and body mass index (BMI).Results: The mean diameter of the final graft used in the 5-strand group was 8.8 ± 0.8 mm, whereas that in the 4-strand group was 7.8 ± 0.7 mm (P < .001). The mean increase in graft size achieved with the use of the 5-strand technique was 1.4 ± 0.3 mm. In the 5-strand group, 24 of 32 (75%) patients had graft diameters exceeding 8 mm compared with 9 of 32 (28%) patients in the 4-strand group (P < .001). Quadrupled graft diameter was significantly correlated with patient height and BMI, whereas the gracilis and semitendinosus lengths were significantly correlated with patient height.Conclusions: The 5-strand hamstring autograft provides a significantly larger diameter graft compared with the quadrupled hamstring autograft in ACL reconstruction. Graft sizes exceeding 8 mm are achievable in 75% of patients with the routine application of this technique. This is significantly more than that obtained with the standard quadrupled hamstring graft. Hamstring tendon length and quadrupled hamstring graft diameter are also significantly correlated with patient height.Level Of Evidence: Level 1, prospective randomized controlled trial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, solar air heater duct roughened with non-uniform cross-section saw tooth rib has been numerically investigated for Nusselt number and friction factor. The investigation has been carried in 3-D with computational fluid dynamics software. The parameters, Reynolds number and relative roughness pitch ranged from 3000 to 15000 and 4 to 30 respectively. The relative roughness height and saw-tooth angle were 0.043 and 45° respectively. The renormalization group (RNG) k-ε turbulence model was selected for analysis. At relative roughness pitch of 16, both the Nusselt number and friction factor were maximum for the investigated Reynolds number range. The contours of turbulent dissipation rate, turbulent kinetic energy, static temperature and static pressure have also been plotted. The maximum Nusselt number and friction factor enhancement over smooth duct was 2.18 and 3.34 respectively at Reynolds number of 15000 and relative roughness pitch of 16. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Comparison and quantification of effects of MNP injection rates on MNP distribution pattern. • Comparison and quantification of effects tumor physiological aspects in terms of diffusion coefficient on MNP distribution pattern. • Temperature profile evaluation based on different MNP distribution profiles. Effects of injection rate and tumor physiology on the diffusion of magnetic nano-particles (MNPs) and temperature profile during magnetic hyperthermia are investigated in this work. The study considers three injection rates (2.5 μL/min, 10 μL/min, and 40 μL/min), and two MNP diffusion coefficients (10−9 m2/s and 10−11 m2/s). The simulation of this physics has been done on 3D tumor surrounded by healthy tissue. Transient MNP distribution in tissue is evaluated using Darcy's flow model and the MNP transport (convection-diffusion) equation. The temperature profile in the tumor model is computed by solving Penne's bioheat transfer equation (PBHTE). Results show tumors with high collagen content (with low MNP diffusivity) are more restrictive towards MNP transport than tumors having low collagen content. Thus, tumors with low MNP diffusivity need a higher injection rate to increase the homogeneity of MNP concentration as well as temperature profile during thermo-therapy. Results also show that, MNP fluid injected with a higher injection rate produces a more uniform MNP concentration up to greater depth than the lower injection rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • DFT approach towards Nucleophilic reaction of 5,7-dinitroquinazoline-4-selenone and methylamine. • Peri position of 5,7-dinitroquinazoline-4-selenone are more sensitive towards the to attack of methylamine due H Bonding with Se atom. • Hydrogen bonding interactions is confirmed by FMO approach. • Products have been docked into the protein 5FCT's active site to predict favored binding location. Herein, we explored the theoretical aspect of reaction between 5,7-dinitroquinazoline-4-selenone and methylamine by employing density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The energetic parameters confirmed that the reaction progressed via. concerted mechanism with the single step process instead of two step process via intermediate formation. Further, role of Se = C bond as non-conventional H-bond acceptor is reported in reaction controlling factors that monitors the regioselectivity of the present proposed reaction. Despite of substantial steric hindrance at ortho -position of 5,7-dinitroquinazoline-4-selenones, the regioselective amination resulted into ortho -substituted product (P 2) rather than para -substituted product (P 1) attributed to non-conventional N H---Se = C intramolecular hydrogen bonding. The topological properties of the electron density distributions have been studied by using quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM). The presence of non-conventional hydrogen bond acceptor–donor interactions (N H---Se = C) in ortho -positioned amination is achieved by electron density ρ(r) and Laplacian of electron density ∇2ρ(r) in QTAIM analysis and supported the results of DFT studies hybrid with B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) basis set. Due to the lack of intramolecular hydrogen bonding interactions (N H---Se = C), the para -positioned amination on 5,7-dinitroquinazoline-4-selenone is founded to be less feasible. Further, the DFT technique has been used to investigate frontier molecular orbital (FMO) analysis and global reactive parameters using the aforesaid level of theory and basis set. HOMO-LUMO analysis revealed that ortho -substituted product (P 2) has a wider energy gap (3.0684 eV) than para -substituted product (P 1) (2.6402 eV) suggesting more stability of P 2. The presence of hydrogen bonding interactions is further confirmed by the change in electrostatic potential regions in ortho -substituted product (P 2) as compared to reactants in molecular electrostatic potential surface (MEPS) studies. Both para -substituted product (P 1) and ortho -substituted product (P 2) have been docked into the protein 5FCT's active site to predict favored binding location, activity and affinity by using docking studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Present study is among the first attempts to prioritize the prominent Indian states for better utilization of available solar resources. In this context, potentiality indices are performed on the basis of six prime factors that influence the effective utilization of solar energy and ranking is done accordingly. Firstly, in order to determine the weightage and hierarchy of the evaluation parameters modified digital logic (MDL) approach is employed. Availability of solar radiation is found to be the most influential parameter. Thereafter, fuzzy-analytical hierarchy process (AHP) is used for determination of the potentiality index and the corresponding ranking of different states. The ranks thus obtained are compared to current installed capacity ranks. It is found that a few states despite of high potential for the exploitation of solar energy are not getting proper attention by their respective governments. In order to promote the solar energy exploitation in such states it becomes vital to identify the vital parameters that may lead to the improvement in the current ranking. In this direction, sensitivity analysis is performed to determine the percentage change in distinct parameters which is required for the upgradation in the ranking. Such studies are capable to make a paradigm shift in technology utilization and formulation of energy policies as the proposed approach provides a concrete layout for re-evaluation of current policies as well as formulation of newer ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are many benefits of utilizing OFDM like robustness and high spectral efficiency against ISI but still there are some disadvantages. The main problem that arises in OFDM systems is high PAPR. There are many techniques available for reduction of PAPR like tone reservation (TR), clipping and filtering, partial transmit sequence (PTS), active constellation scheme, interleaving and selected mapping (SLM). Clipping and filtering are the easiest techniques but they are not suitable when large number of sub-carriers are present. The most common techniques used for PAPR reduction are PTS and SLM. PTS and SLM algorithms have achieved good performance in PAPR reduction. A new method is proposed in this paper which is hybrid combination of PTS and SLM and this method has also reduced the PAPR from 6 to 5. The results are compared with the already available techniques and this method achieves better results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ever increasing demand for energy sources and reduction of non-renewable fossil fuel reserves have lead to exploration of alternative and renewable energy sources. Due to wide distribution, agronomic suitability, and desirable oil properties, J. curcas has been identified as a renewable and alternative energy source of biodiesel. Large scale commercial cultivation of this crop would not only be environmentally friendly and be worthwhile in carbon sequestration but also in decreasing the energy supply pressures. Wide adaptation across geographic regions, short gestation period compared to most tree species, rapid growth, hardiness, optimum plant size, and easy propagation in combination make this species suitable for large scale cultivation on barren lands. The limited information of the genetics and inheritance of desirable traits, unpredictable and low yields, the limited diversity and susceptibility to diseases and insects are however, key limitations in fruitful farming of J. curcas . In this review, an effort is made to project the current biotechnology and molecular biology tools employed in the direction of, evaluating the genetic diversity and phylogeny revelation of Jatropha spp., identification of genetic markers for desirable traits, development of efficient micropropagation and regeneration system, and genetic transformation methods for J. curcas . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Number of options available for online users for buying items is growing manifold; tool which has come to the rescue of online users is Recommender Systems. Recommender System is expanding as an influential research area and has its applications in various fields like e-commerce, business, entertainment, education, medical sciences and so on. The developed applications in education field are limited to recommend the articles, research papers, courses and books to students and research scholars. However, application of recommender system to recommend faculty of an education institution to the students, management and other members does not exist. So to further extend its usage in education domain, applications of recommender system to recommend faculty of education institution to the students, management and other members is proposed and evaluated in this work. The collaborative filtering (CF) is used to implement Faculty Recommender and comparison between the user-user CF and item-item CF results is done to find the optimal approach for this proposed Faculty Recommender system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Castor ( Ricinus communis L.), one of the most important crops of the family Euphorbiaceae, is grown widely for its oleaginous seeds which yield the much valued castor oil. Because of its unique chemical properties, the oil from castor seeds has wide variety of uses and therefore makes castor an industrially important crop. Castor, though being monotypic, has good variability for most of the morphological and agronomic traits, and this variability has also been exploited for its improvement. Great scope still exists for genetic improvement of castor through conventional breeding methods like inter-specific hybridization and induced mutations. However, narrow information of genetics of little and unpredictable yields and susceptibility to diseases and insects are major challenges in successful breeding of castor. Biotechnology offers alternative and effective tools for genetic improvement of castor. The current status of development and use of genetic markers in castor genetic improvement is reviewed. Genetic transformation is also likely to play an important role in future genetic improvement effort in castor. The efforts for development of efficient in vitro propagation system, which is reproducible, rapid, and applicable to a wide range of genotypes, and genetic transformation, are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose To compare the clinical outcomes of single-bundle hamstring anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction between the anteromedial (AM) and transtibial (TT) techniques. Methods We performed a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis of the English-language literature in the PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases for articles that compared clinical outcomes of AM versus TT ACL reconstruction. The outcome measures analyzed included postoperative Lachman test, pivot-shift test, International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC), and Lysholm scores. Results We included 10 articles from an initial 308 abstracts for the systematic review and included 6 studies for the meta-analysis. The study population consisted of a total of 733 patients, of whom 366 (49.9%) underwent the AM technique and 367 (50.1%) underwent the TT technique for ACL reconstruction. For postoperative knee stability, the AM technique yielded superior results in terms of the proportion of negative Lachman test results (n = 243; odds ratio [OR], 2.98 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.29 to 6.88]) and proportion of negative pivot-shift test results (n = 238; OR, 3.67 [95% CI, 1.80 to 7.52]). For postoperative functional status, the AM technique yielded superior results in terms of objective IKDC grading (proportion with IKDC grade A) (n = 269; OR, 2.19 [95% CI, 1.23 to 3.88]) but had comparable Lysholm scores (n = 478; mean difference, 1.43 [95% CI, 0.01 to 2.84]). Conclusions Single-bundle hamstring ACL reconstruction using the AM technique showed superior surgeon-recorded stability according to the IKDC knee score, Lachman test, and pivot-shift test. However, there was no difference in patient-reported functional outcome (Lysholm score). Level of Evidence Level III, systematic review and meta-analysis of Level I, II, and III studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The lithiation of 2-picoline (1a) and 2,3-lutidine (1b) in diethyl ether has been investigated with and without prior complexation with BF3. The reactions of the BF3 adduct of these moieties (2a and 2b) with lithium diisopropylamide (LDA) and subsequent trapping with benzaldehyde or dimethyl disulfide gave products corresponding to exclusive lithiation at the α-methyl carbon. The yields obtained with these reactions were far superior to that obtained with the lithiation of uncomplexed 1a and 1b. The dilithiation of 2a and 2b has also been investigated and a convenient and efficient synthesis of the diiodo derivatives of 1,2-bis(pyridin-2-yl)ethane has been provided. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The BF3-directed lithiation of 3-chloro- and 3-bromopyridine (1a and 1b, respectively) has been investigated. The reactions of 3-chloro- or 3-bromopyridine–BF3 adduct with LDA (1.3/1.1 equiv) followed by quenching with benzaldehyde or iodine exclusively gave the C-2 substituted products. However, when 2.2 equiv of LDA and dimethyl disulfide was used, a C-6 substituted product was obtained. Dilithiation of 1a and 1b has been studied with and without the involvement of BF3 complexation. The role of Li⋯F(BF3) interactions has been investigated by experimental and DFT calculations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Introduction:: Elderly patients are particularly vulnerable to adverse drug reactions as a result of polypharmacy and metabolic changes associated with aging. We present a case of leukocytoclastic vasculitis induced by olanzapine, a medication commonly used in elderly patients. Case summary:: An 82-year-old woman was admitted to the extended-care center for short-term rehabilitation after prolonged hospitalization for a pulmonary embolism requiring mechanical ventilation. The pulmonary problem resolved, but her hospitalization and subsequent rehabilitation were complicated by agitated delirium, which was treated with olanzapine and modification of contributory factors. At the time of admission to the rehabilitation facility, the patient had been receiving warfarin for 2 weeks and olanzapine for 6 days. On the eighth day after initiation of olanzapine, erythematous skin lesions developed on dependent areas. The international normalized ratio for warfarin was within the acceptable range; however, because warfarin has been associated with subcutaneous bleeding presenting as petechiae and ecchymosis, subcutaneous enoxaparin was substituted for warfarin. The skin lesions continued to worsen over the next week and developed into palpable lesions. Biopsy of the rash revealed leukocytoclastic vasculitis. In the absence of another cause, olanzapine was discontinued and the rash improved significantly. When the agitation recurred, risperidone was initiated, but the patient experienced dizziness with this agent. Olanzapine was resumed and the skin lesions recurred. Olanzapine was then changed to quetiapine, and the skin lesions improved over the next few weeks. Discussion:: Olanzapine is commonly used in elderly patients to control behavioral disturbances associated with dementia, delirium, and other psychiatric disorders. Leukocytoclastic vasculitis is an infrequently reported adverse drug reaction with olanzapine. Its exact pathogenic mechanism is unknown, but both cell-mediated and humoral immunity appear to play important roles. Because drug-induced vasculitis has an identical clinical presentation and identical serologic/pathologic parameters to idiopathic forms of vasculitis, a high index of suspicion is necessary for its accurate diagnosis. Conclusions:: Because adverse drug reactions are common in elderly patients taking multiple medications, physicianConclusions:528 should be vigilant when starting new medications and should attempt to eliminate unnecessary medications. Clinicians should be aware of the potential for leukocytoclastic vasculitis in association with olanzapine. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Container-as-a-service approach is used to handle the user applications using edge computing. • Stackelberg game is formulated for resource allocation mechanism between end user and Edge devices. • Energy-efficient container consolidation and migration scheme is designed for load balancing. • Validations performed for CPU serve time, network serve time, overall delay, and energy consumption. The workload generated by the Internet of Things (IoT)-based infrastructure is often handled by the cloud data centers (DCs). However, in recent time, an exponential increase in the deployment of the IoT-based infrastructure has escalated the workload on the DCs. So, these DCs are not fully capable to meet the strict demand of IoT devices in regard to the lower latency as well as high data rate while provisioning IoT workloads. Therefore, to reinforce the latency-sensitive workloads, an intersection layer known as edge computing has successfully balanced the entire service provisioning landscape. In this IoT-edge-cloud ecosystem, large number of interactions and data transmissions among different layer can increase the load on underlying network infrastructure. So, software-defined edge computing has emerged as a viable solution to resolve these latency-sensitive workload issues. Additionally, energy consumption has been witnessed as a major challenge in resource-constrained edge systems. The existing solutions are not fully compatible in Software-defined Edge ecosystem for handling IoT workloads with an optimal trade-off between energy-efficiency and latency. Hence, this article proposes a lightweight and energy-efficient container-as-a-service (CaaS) approach based on the software-define edge computing to provision the workloads generated from the latency-sensitive IoT applications. A Stackelberg game is formulated for a two-period resource allocation between end-user/IoT devices and Edge devices considering the service level agreement. Furthermore, an energy-efficient ensemble for container allocation, consolidation and migration is also designed for load balancing in software-defined edge computing environment. The proposed approach is validated through a simulated environment with respect to CPU serve time, network serve time, overall delay, lastly energy consumption. The results obtained show the superiority of the proposed in comparison to the existing variants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Proposed work aims at solving mixed integer optimization problem known as Unit Commitment scheduling problem. • The technique has been tested on 6 unit system by taking into consideration various system and unit constraints. • The proposed methodology involves the blending of Differential Evolution, Genetic Algorithm and Whale Optimization. • The proposed technique has given promising results in the terms of operation cost. Unit Commitment (UC) is a complication in the domain of power systems engineering which is integral to the secure, efficient, and economic daily operation of a power system. UC is an optimization problem that aims at scheduling which generating units will be on at what time to meet electricity demand over a given horizon and that horizon it's typically 24–48 hours from now. This research paper proposes a hybrid approach which is the extension of hGADE algorithm aims at solving mixed-integer optimization problem known as the Unit Commitment scheduling problem. The Whale Optimization Algorithm has been incorporated for the calculation of total operation cost of power system operation. The technique has been tested on a 6 unit system by taking into consideration various system and unit constraints. The hybridization of differential evolution, genetic algorithm, and whale optimization algorithm has produced a significant improvement in overall results. It has been found that the average cost of operation is 142814.9603 INR and it gets reduced to 142809.8944 INR after applying optimization (hGADE). The cost is further reduced to 142790.0 INR after the application of the Whale Optimization Algorithm (WOA). In this paper, we present a hybrid approach which involves the blending of Differential Evolution, Genetic Algorithm, and Whale Optimization aim at solving mixed-integer optimization problem known as Unit Commitment scheduling problem and has given promising results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An exponential increase in the data generation resources is widely observed in last decade, because of evolution in technologies such as-cloud computing, IoT, social networking, etc. This enormous and unlimited growth of data has led to a paradigm shift in storage and retrieval patterns from traditional data structures to Probabilistic Data Structures (PDS). PDS are a group of data structures that are extremely useful for Big data and streaming applications in order to avoid high-latency analytical processes. These data structures use hash functions to compactly represent a set of items in stream-based computing while providing approximations with error bounds so that well-formed approximations get built into data collections directly. Compared to traditional data structures, PDS use much less memory and constant time in processing complex queries. This paper provides a detailed discussion of various issues which are normally encountered in massive data sets such as-storage, retrieval, query, etc. Further, role of PDS in solving these issues is also discussed where these data structures are used as temporary accumulators in query processing. Several variants of existing PDS along with their application areas have also been explored which give a holistic view of domains where these data structures can be applied for efficient storage and retrieval of massive data sets. Mathematical proofs of various parameters considered in the PDS have also been discussed in the paper. Moreover, the relative comparison of various PDS with respect to various parameters is also explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to enhance the solar energy harvesting capabilities of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), with a focus on integrating solar power to improve overall energy harvesting systems. The proposed method combines two independent renewable systems to extract electricity from the environment. UAV wings equipped with solar panels capture solar energy, employing optimal power point tracking for increased efficiency. Simulation results utilize an ensemble machine learning algorithm, incorporating environmental variables and UAV data to predict solar power output. A comparative analysis involving various machine learning algorithms provides additional insights gleaned from the UAV dataset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Castor (Ricinus communis L.) is an important plant for production of industrial oil. The systematic evaluation of the molecular diversity encompassed in castor inbreds or parental lines offers an efficient means of exploiting the heterosis in castor as well as for management of biodiversity. Two DNA-based molecular marker techniques, viz., random amplified polymorphism DNA (RAPD) and inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR), were used to assess the genetic diversity in castor genotypes. Out of the 200 RAPD and 21 ISSR primers screened, a total of 35 polymorphic primers (30 RAPDs and 5 ISSRs), were used in this study. Amplification of genomic DNA of 22 genotypes, using RAPD analysis, yielded 256 fragments, of which 205 were polymorphic, with an average of 6.83 polymorphic fragments per primer. Number of amplified fragments with RAPD primers ranged from 6 to 12, with the size of amplicons ranging from 160 to 3000bp in size. The polymorphism ranged from 27.2 to 100.0, with an average of 80.2%. The 5 ISSR primers produced 47 bands across 22 genotypes, of which 32 were polymorphic, with an average of 6.4 polymorphic fragments per primer. The number of amplified bands varied from 8 to 13, with size of amplicons ranging from 240 to 2700bp. The percentage of polymorphism using ISSR primers ranged from 33.3 to 100.0, with an average of 68.1%. The Mantel test between the two Jaccard''s similarity matrices gave r =0.32, showing low correlation between RAPD- and ISSR-based similarities. Clustering of genotypes within the groups was not similar when RAPD and ISSR derived dendrograms were compared, whereas, the pattern of clustering of the genotypes remained akin in RAPD and combined data of RAPD and ISSR. The similarity coefficient ranged from 0.53 to 0.91, 0.55 to 1.00, and 0.51 to 0.93 with RAPD, ISSR, and combined dendrogram, respectively. Knowledge on the genetic diversity of castor can be used to future breeding programs for increased oil production to meet the ever increasing demand of castor oil for industrial uses as well as for biodiesel production. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Synthetic biology transforms the way we perceive biological systems. Emerging technologies in this field affect many disciplines of science and engineering. Traditionally, synthetic biology approaches were commonly aimed at developing cost-effective microbial cell factories to produce chemicals from renewable sources. Based on this, the immediate beneficial impact of synthetic biology on the environment came from reducing our oil dependency. However, synthetic biology is starting to play a more direct role in environmental protection. Toxic chemicals released by industries and agriculture endanger the environment, disrupting ecosystem balance and biodiversity loss. This review highlights synthetic biology approaches that can help environmental protection by providing remediation systems capable of sensing and responding to specific pollutants. Remediation strategies based on genetically engineered microbes and plants are discussed. Further, an overview of computational approaches that facilitate the design and application of synthetic biology tools in environmental protection is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Two novel ribs are investigated and compared for performance enhancement in SAH's. • Both experimental and CFD analysis has been carried out. • The effect of various roughness and flow parameters has been presented. • Flow visualization for thermal characteristics and air-flow phenomena. Lower thermal performance of conventional solar air heaters (SAH) can be enhanced by implementing small sized roughness elements on the air-flow side of the absorber plate. This article presents the results of a comparative study of two novel ribs arrangement namely multiple broken transverse ribs and square wave shaped ribs for performance enhancement in SAH's. The investigation incorporates rib parameters as P/e = 10, e/D = 0.043 and W/w = 7 for both arrangements and investigated at six levels of Reynolds number ranging 3000–18,000. The effect of two different multiple shaped ribs on heat transfer and friction factor characteristics has been investigated using experimental and numerical investigation. The optimum parameters based on thermo-hydraulic performance has been evaluated. The CFD methodology has been validated for the smooth and roughened duct. Maximum thermal enhancement of 2.50 times with corresponding pumping power penalty of 3.92 times is obtained for square wave shaped ribs whereas in case of multiple broken ribs, the enhancements are 3.24 and 3.85 times respectively. The experimental results are illustrated and justified with the visualization of flow pattern and contours of temperature, pressure and turbulence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ta inserts in double magnetic tunnel junctions have been shown to induce perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. We fabricated the central layers of a CoFeB/MgO based double magnetic tunnel junction with a Ta insertion layer between the free layers of the magnetic tunnel junctions. The thickness of the Ta insert and CoFeB layer were varied from 0.5 to 1.1 nm and 0.9 to 1.7 nm respectively, to find which minimum thickness of Ta will induce perpendicular anisotropy in the MTJ. FMR studies were performed to measure the interfacial anisotropy K u,i . We demonstrated that the most effective stack minimized the CoFeB thickness while maximizing the Ta thickness. This was balanced with the need to keep both CoFeB layers from decoupling or becoming magnetically dead. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The lithiation of N,N,N′,N′-tetraisopropylpyridine-2,6-dicarboxamide (1) and its application in the synthesis of chalcogen (Se/Te) derivatives was investigated. It was found that the selectivity of the reaction changed with the change in the amount of n-BuLi used. The lithiation of 1 with 6.1 equiv of n-BuLi followed by subsequent reactions with selenium/tellurium and iodomethane exclusively afforded the monosubstituted chalcogen derivative (2a/2b) in excellent yield. However, the use of 2.1 or 4.2 equiv of n-BuLi gave two additional products along with 2a/2b. One of the isolated products corresponded to the double lithiation of 1 and the other to the ortho lithiation followed by nucleophilic addition of n-BuLi to the one of the two carbonyl moieties. The prepared compounds have been characterized by single crystal X-ray crystallography, NMR (1H, 13C, 77Se and 125Te), IR, UV–Visible and Mass spectroscopy. Crystal structure of N,N,N′,N′-tetraisopropyl-3,5-bis(methyltelluryl)pyridine-2,6-dicarboxamide (3b) reveals a strong intramolecular C O⋯Te secondary and intermolecular Te⋯π pyridyl interactions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]