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This article presents the performance estimation of a single-stage vapor adsorption system employing various carbon-based adsorbents with ethanol refrigerant, coupled with a small-scale biomass-based heating unit for space cooling, refrigeration, and heat-pumping applications. A detailed parametric investigation highlights the effects of operating temperatures, and heat exchanger to adsorbent mass ratio on specific cooling energy (SCE), coefficient of performance (COP), uptake efficiency (ηu), and mass of adsorbent to combustion fuel (mad/mcf) to identify the suitable adsorbent and sorption bed designs for each application. The numerical findings reveal that the flat-finned tube (FFT) adsorber outperforms traditional-finned tube (TFT) and tube & shell-type (T&S) adsorbers, achieving 19% and 30% higher COP, respectively, with biomass carbon-ethanol pair. The H2-treated Maxsorb-III shows the greatest optimal cooling COP (0.73), followed by the biomass-carbon (0.72) for refrigeration and space cooling. For heat pumping applications, biomass carbon-ethanol achieves the highest heat pumping COP (1.84) at a desorption temperature of 90°C, surpassing H2-treated Maxsorb-III. Further, the biomass-derived activated carbon requires the lowest amount of adsorbent per unit mass of combustion fuel in the biomass heating unit. The present thermodynamic analysis is a precursor for optimization of the potential heat-exchanger geometries and operating parameters, with the high-performance carbon adsorbents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continuous improvement in the living standards of developing countries, calls for an urgent need of high quality meat and dairy products. The farm animals have a micro-ecosystem in gastro-intestinal tract, comprising of a wide variety of flora and fauna which converts roughages and agricultural byproducts as well as nutrient rich concentrate sources into the useful products such as volatile fatty acids and microbial crude proteins. The microbial diversity changes according to composition of the feed, host species/breed and host's individual genetic makeup. From culture methods to next-generation sequencing technologies, the knowledge has emerged a lot to know-how of microbial world viz. their identification, enzymatic activities and metabolites which are the keys of ruminant's successful existence. The structural composition of ruminal community revealed through metagenomics can be elaborated by metatranscriptomics and metabolomics through deciphering their functional role in metabolism and their responses to the external and internal stimuli. These highly sophisticated analytical tools have made possible to correlate the differences in the feed efficiency, nutrients utilization and methane emissions to their rumen microbiome. The comprehensively understood rumen microbiome will enhance the knowledge in the fields of animal nutrition, biotechnology and climatology through deciphering the significance of each and every domain of residing microbial entity. The present review undertakes the recent investigations regarding rumen multi-omics viz. taxonomic and functional potential of microbial populations, host–diet–microbiome interactions and correlation with metabolic dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The innate lymphoid cell (ILC) system comprising of the circulating and tissue-resident cells is known to clear infectious pathogens, establish immune homeostasis as well as confer antitumor immunity. Human natural killer cells (hNKs) and other ILCs carry out mopping of the infectious pathogens and perform cytolytic activity regulated by the non-adaptive immune system. The NK cells generate immunological memory and rapid recall response tightly regulated by the adaptive immunity. The interaction of NK and B cell, and its role to induce the pathogen specific immunity is not fully understood. Hence, present article sheds light on the interaction between NK and B cells and resulting immune responses in the infectious diseases. The immune responses elicited by the NK-B cell interaction is of particular importance for developing therapeutic vaccines against the infectious pathogens. Further, experimental evidences suggest the immune-response driven by NK cell population elicits the host-specific antibodies and memory B cells. Also, recently developed humanized immune system (HIS) mice and their importance in to understanding the NK-B cell interaction and resulting pathogen specific immunity has been discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nuclear receptors (NRs) are ligand-modulated transcription factors that regulate multiple physiological functions in our body. Many NRs in their unliganded state are localized in the cytoplasm. The ligand-inducible nuclear translocation of NRs provides a valuable tool for studying the NR-ligand interactions and their downstream effects. The translocation response of NRs can be studied irrespective of the nature of the interacting ligand (agonist, antagonist, or a small molecule modulator). These nuclear translocation studies offer an advantage over promoter-reporter-based transcription assays where transcription response is observed only with the activating hormones or agonistic ligands. Globally, milk serves as a major dietary source. However, suspected presence of endocrine/metabolism-disrupting chemicals like bisphenols, parabens, organochlorine pesticides, carbamates, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, chloramphenicol, brominated flame retardants, etc. has been reported. Considering that these chemicals may impart serious developmental and metabolism-related health concerns, it is essential to develop assays suitable for the detection of xenobiotics present at differing levels in milk. Since milk samples cannot be used directly on cultured cells or for microscopy, a combination of screening strategies has been developed herein based on the revelation that i) lipophilic NR ligands can be successfully retrieved in milk-fat; ii) milk-fat treatment of cells is compatible with live-cell imaging studies; and finally, iii) treatment of cells with xenobiotics-spiked and normal milk derived fat provides a visual and quantifiable response of NR translocation in living cells. Utilizing a milk-fat extraction method and Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) tagged NRs expressed in cultured mammalian cells, followed by an assessment of NR response proved to be an effective approach for screening xenobiotics present in milk samples. Diverse endocrine and metabolism-disrupting chemicals are suspected to contaminate milk. Nuclear receptors serve as 'xenosensors' for assessing the presence of xenobiotics in milk. Nuclear import of steroid receptors with (ant)agonist can be examined in live cells. Lipophilic xenobiotics are extracted and observed enriched in milk-fat fraction. A comprehensive cell-based protocol aids in the detection of xenobiotics in milk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immunotoxicity is the critical endpoint used by some regulatory agencies to establish toxicity values for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). However, the hypothesis that exposure to certain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) causes immune dysregulation is subject to much debate. An independent, international expert panel was engaged utilizing methods to reduce bias and "groupthink". The panel concluded there is moderate evidence that PFOS and PFOA are immunotoxic, based primarily on evidence from animal data. However, species concordance and human relevance cannot be well established due to data limitations. The panel recommended additional testing that includes longer-term exposures, evaluates both genders, includes other species of animals, tests lower dose levels, assesses more complete measures of immune responses, and elucidates the mechanism of action. Panel members agreed that the Faroe Islands cohort data should not be used as the primary basis for deriving PFAS risk assessment values. The panel agreed that vaccine antibody titer is not useful as a stand-alone metric for risk assessment. Instead, PFOA and PFOS toxicity values should rely on multiple high-quality studies, which are currently not available for immune suppression. The panel concluded that the available PFAS immune epidemiology studies suffer from weaknesses in study design that preclude their use, whereas available animal toxicity studies provide comprehensive dataset to derive points of departure (PODs) for non-immune endpoints. The panel recommends accounting for potential PFAS immunotoxicity by applying a database uncertainty factor to POD values derived from animal studies for other more robustly supported critical effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of feeding rice gluten meal (RGM) as an alternative protein source along with protease enzyme supplementation on growth performance, expression of nutrient transporter genes, nutrient digestibility, immune response and gut histomorphometry of broiler chicken. Proximate analysis of RGM revealed 923 g dry matter (DM), 500 g crude protein (CP), 69.2 g ether extract, 94.7 g crude fiber, 215.4 g nitrogen-free extract, 43.7 g ash, 6.20 g calcium, 7.80 g total phosphorus, 18.99 MJ gross energy and 12.68 MJ metabolizable energy per kg diet. Significant upregulation of nutrient transporter genes (PepT1, EAAT3 and mucin) and better growth performance was observed in the birds fed control diet which was statistically similar to the birds fed 150 g RGM compared to birds fed higher RGM levels. Histomorphometry of jejunum, nutrient digestibility, and immune response of birds did not reveal any significant effect of RGM or protease enzyme supplementation. However, the inclusion of RGM up to 150 g/kg diet resulted in significant decline of feed cost/kg live weight gain, dressed meat yield and eviscerated meat yield by 13.13%, 12.99% and 13.36%, respectively compared to control. Thus, it was concluded that the inclusion of 150 g RGM/kg diet in broiler chicken ration has no adverse effects on the growth pattern of birds and can be used for least-cost feed formulation for chicken. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Equal Channel Angular Pressing (ECAP) is one of the most effective techniques for the formation of ultra-fine grained bulk material. The material is passed through the channel in the specially designed die in the ECAP process. The die design parameters like corner angle, channel angle and other parameters play an important role in the formation of ultra-fine grains. The die with optimum design parameters, with channel angle 90° and corner angle 20°, was designed and fabricated in the laboratory and commercial Aluminium AA6063 was used as sample material to investigate the mechanical behaviour/properties before and after the ECAP process. In the present work, the mechanical behaviour of commercially pure Aluminium processed by ECAP die with an optimum die design parameter is studied and examined. The path adopted was BC and pressing was done from 0 to 3 numbers of times. The results revealed that the grain size reduced from 530 to 220 nm and tensile strength increases from 275.8 to 368.4 MPa after three numbers of ECAP passes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Equal Channel Angular Pressing (ECAP) is one of the most innovative Severe Plastic Deformation (SPD) methods used for grain refinement of materials up to ultra-fined or Nano structured level which leads to superior mechanical properties. Computer simulation is one of the best alternative of actual ECAP deformation to know the influence of each processing parameters on end results. In the present work, AA2024 alloys is used, which is a demanding material in aircraft structure and automotive applications. To understand the process/die design parameter, 3D FEM simulation is done on ECAP process using DEFORM-3D software. Simulation was done on different channel angles such as 90º, 105º, 120º and 135º and corner angles such as 0º, 10º, 20º and 30º. The ECAP process was simulated for a single ECAP pass. The results concern to the extrusion load, developed stresses, effectivestrain and temperature variation on the processed material were noted obtained. From the observed results, it was found that the minimum channel angle produces the maximum temperature profile on the material, develop maximum stress and strain at deformation zone. Additionally, the outcome acquired by such computational technique illustrate that the shear strain decrease with increase in channel and corner angle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hybrid metal matrix composite is an integration of two or more reinforcements to produce better strength, stiffness, and high strength to weight ratio. However, low material removal and high electrode wear are some of the major obstacles in the EDM processing of hybrid metal matrix composites due to the fragile and non-conductive nature of the reinforcement ceramics. For this purpose, processes such as rotary electrical discharge machining (REDM), gas-assisted electrical discharge machining (GAEDM), and gas-assisted powder mixed electrical discharge machining (GAPMEDM) are compared on the basis of the material removal rate and the electrode wear rate. The metal removal rate obtained in the gas-assisted powder mixed electrical discharge machining process is up to 75% higher and the electrode wear rate is at least 25% lower than the REDM process. The metal removal rate acquired by the gas-assisted powder mixed electrical discharge machining process is at least 45% better and the electrode wear rate is at least 15% lower than the GAEDM process. Experimental findings show that MRR is better and EWR is lower in GAPMEDM compared to GAEDM and the conventional REDM process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of organic chromium (Cr) on physico-biochemical and oxidative stability of turkey meat. Ninety-six (16th weeks) male turkeys were distributed into 16 groups (4 diet × 4 replicates × 6 birds each). Four dietary treatments (T1, T2, T3 and T4) were formulated with supplementation of 0.0, 250, 500 and 750 µg Cr/kg diets, respectively. Cholesterol and fat contents in meat reduced (p < 0.05) in T4 (750 µg Cr/kg) but no difference was observed in pH and drip loss. No significant effect was recorded on water holding capacity (WHC) and extract release volume (ERV) of fresh meat but the effect (p < 0.05) was observed on WHC and ERV in refrigerated meat. No significant difference was observed in DPPH (1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazy) and ABTS (2, 2-azinobis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) of fresh breast and thigh meat but effect (p < 0.05) was noticed in refrigerated meat of turkey fed T4. Lipid oxidation (free fatty acids and Thio-barbituric acid reactive substances-TBARS) were improved in fresh as well as refrigerated meat from birds fed diet supplemented with 750 µg Cr/kg (T4). Whereas, peroxide value was improved (p < 0.05) only in refrigerated meat. Thus, it may be concluded that inclusion of Cr at 750 µg/kg diet with basal diet improved in desirable physio-biochemical properties, antioxidant and oxidative stability of male turkey meat under cold chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A yoke is an interface between bullock power and actual work to be performed. The yoke is worn on the neck of the bullocks and is secured by a belt around the neck. The bullocks push the yoke with their shoulders, hump and neck; therefore, the work is performed. Neck of the bullock is subjected to a high pressure which damages the body tissues. Consequently, bullocks are subjected to injuries, pain and fatigue that limit their performance. The neck seats are shaped similar to the neck profile of the bullocks which ensures high contact area between animal body and neck seat leading to lesser pressure and more animal comfort. The neck of a bullock was digitized using an optical scanner and a large number of points were obtained. The 3-D model was created on the digitized points, and the neck seat was developed subsequently. The contact analysis was performed using the augmented Lagrangian formulation option of Ansys Workbench for predicting contact pressure. The results of the body contoured yoke are compared with that of a flat wooden plank yoke and a cylindrical yoke. A substantial reduction of contact pressure and indentation on the neck has been found for the body contoured yoke. Conversely, the contact pressure was found much higher for other two types of yokes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The surface functionalization of ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) was carried out by a simple one pot co-precipitation method followed by a facile ligand introduction onto the surface. This technique allows for tailoring of the surface chemistry to impart the specificity and affinity toward the target analytes (heavy metal ions like Pb and Hg) depending on the ligand incorporated on the surface resulting in highly selective sorbents. The functionalized ZnO NPs were characterized using different techniques. Elemental, IR, and thermal analysis studies confirm the presence of functional groups. X-ray diffraction (XRD) shows functionalization does not result in change of ZnO NPs but reduces their crystallinity. The average crystallite size of the nanoparticles is not affected by functionalization indicating that the process is restricted to the surface only. Surface area measurements reveal that functionalization results in mesoporous structures as can be deduced from the average pore diameter. Functionalization resulted in enhanced uptake of Pb and Hg, and the kinetics were very fast. Different models were used to understand the sorption behavior. The Langmuir uptake capacity values for lead and mercury using the thiol-functionalized ZnO NPs were found to be 78 and 145 mg/g, respectively. The role of interfering ions on the sorption was evaluated to get an idea of the selective nature of the sorbent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Tuberculosis (TB) is still one of the major global health threats and delayed diagnosis or misdiagnosis continues to fuel the global epidemic. The conventional diagnostic approaches have shortcomings that might hinder the process of diagnosis of the disease and ultimately affect the prognosis. Area covered: We emphasize on the process of the synthesis of liposomes, its physicochemical properties affecting the formulation and their utilization in the field of molecular diagnostics for TB. The review also sheds a light on other nanoparticle-based molecular diagnostic approaches for TB. Despite the advent of science, we are yet to have a diagnostic tool that is simple, rapid, sensitive, and specific, and most importantly, one that enables us to demarcate patients with active tuberculosis from those with quiescent lesions, prior vaccination, or other diseases. Expert opinion: The utility of liposomes for diagnostic purposes has been attempted so as to overcome the challenges posed by conventional diagnostic tools for TB. Through this review, we present insights into liposome formulation and selection processes, various studies that report the use of liposome-based diagnostic tools for TB, as well as the limitations associated with the same that can be improvised to make the technology more efficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX) have been classified as hazardous air pollutants and cause serious effects on human health. In this study, BTEX sampling was conducted during March 2018 and the concentrations were analyzed using GC-FID. The BTEX emissions exhibited a diurnal pattern with a peak in the evening followed by in morning due to rush hours of traffic. The study suggests that the high density of vehicles and traffic on road is responsible for higher emission of BTEX that affects the health of daily commuters and also the people residing near the roadside area in East Delhi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on the role of organizational climate factors and inequities in influencing the attractiveness of alternative rewards available salespersons. An understanding of the determinants of reward attractiveness can be quite useful to the organization in designing effective reward programs for the sales force. To examine the attractiveness of various rewards available to salespersons, it is useful to recognize that two major types of rewards that is, intrinsic and extrinsic which are generally available in sales job situations. Intrinsic rewards come directly from the performance itself. Extrinsic rewards, on the other hand, are those that are not under the control of individuals. These rewards are externally generated and are given by others. Nevertheless, statistically significant findings in the hypothesized directions may be considered as suggestive of some possible implications. First, since organizational climate dimensions and conditions leading to inequities are controllable from an organization's perspective, the understanding of how they affect salespersons' desirability of various rewards may be particularly useful. Sales organizations should attempt to determine how situation-specific organizational dimensions can influence the desirability of specific extrinsic and intrinsic rewards. Second, organizations may attempt to assess which extrinsic rewards are perceived to be inequitably distributed. Careful steps can then be taken to reduce perceptions of inequity. At regular intervals, attitude surveys may be conducted among salespersons to examine the causes of perceived inequity.

Given the importance of jobs for motivating sales performance, it is essential to understand how the nature of jobs and the design of work affects the behavior of salespersons in sales organizations. The main objective of this article is to test the validity of the job diagnostic model in the context of salesperson jobs. The linkages and interactions among components of the model are tested using data collected from a sales population. Possible implications for salespersons' work redesign are then discussed. The results of this study are encouraging as most of the proposed linkages of the job diagnostic model are supported. In general, the job diagnostic model seems to be quite useful in predicting salespersons' internal work motivation, performance, and satisfaction. The following two major implications may be drawn on the basis of the results presented in this study. Diagnose existing jobs to evaluate existing state of core job dimensions, critical psychological states, and personal and work outcomes. If salespersons' motivation and satisfaction are problematic, and are accompanied by documented problems of work performance, customer service, or turnover as revealed by independent organizational indices, the organization should take steps to systematically diagnose the job.

The effect of aloe gel (AG) and vegetable oil (VO) as animal fat replacers on the texture, dynamic rheology, microstructure, and oxidative stability of low-fat meat emulsions was evaluated. There was no difference in complex viscosity (η*), G'0 - G"0, and An values between 50% fat replacement and full-fat meat emulsion samples. In all the samples, the G' values were much higher than G' values with a small frequency dependency. In low-fat meat emulsion (50% fat replacement) samples, the difference between G' and G" was higher which suggested strong matrix network structure. Hardness and springiness values were affected (P < 0.05) by addition of AG and were in agreement with dynamic rheological parameters (G' and G"). The scanning electron microscopic (SEM) images of meat emulsion samples containing 50% AG showed more regular, compact, and dense continuous phase as compared to other samples. Higher oxidative stability (low TBARs) was observed (P < 0.05) in samples which contained AG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural plant-based gums and their derivatives are widely utilized in food industries, however, their applications as edible coatings to extend fresh fruits and vegetable shelf-life has been explored recently. These natural polymeric polysaccharides have many advantages as compared to synthetic polymers, because they are biodegradable, nontoxic, economical and easily available in the environment. Natural gums can also be semi synthetically modified to produce derivatives, which can easily compete with the synthetic preservatives available on the food market. In this review, the recent developments in the use of natural gums and their derivatives as edible coatings have been explored and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Data on the status of air quality are presented for two locations in Delhi, the capital city of India, for 2013. Our study revealed that the levels of oxides of nitrogen (NOx), particulate matter of 10 or <10 μm aerodynamic diameter (PM10) and benzene exceeded the maximum permissible limits laid down in the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). On most of the monitoring days, the concentrations of PM10also exceeded the limits for 24 h averages stipulated by the NAAQS. This study also demonstrated that the concentration of pollutants varied with the season, peaking in dry season (winter) mainly because of the relatively stable meteorological conditions and recording the lowest values in the wet season (the rainy season) because of turbulence, strong winds, and rains. The post-monsoon season showed the contribution of local sources. The strong correlation among NOx, PM10, and benzene strongly suggests that motor vehicles are the major contributor to this pollution. Intervention by regulatory agencies is essential to improve the air quality of Delhi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an adaptive searchless fractal image compression technique in the frequency domain is proposed. Proposed methods aim to improve image compression fidelity criteria in discrete cosine transform domain (DCT). In this work spatial domain, adaptive methods are exercised in discrete cosine domain for optimisation of image encoding. Variance-based selection of image blocks and adaptive threshold are two simple adaptive techniques administered on attaining objectives of image compression. First, range block exclusion adaptive method removes homogenous range blocks before FIC coding. This exclusion consequently recedes the number of range-domain blocks matching operations. Proposed hybrid compression algorithm localises domain block location about range block without searching entire domain pool. Second technique implemented is domain pool size reduction. Variances of range and domain blocks are compared. Domain blocks that are within threshold value are kept in the pool. Finally to further optimise the performance of encoding adaptive threshold in quadtree partitioning is applied in along with variance domain selection approach. Simulation results substantiate that adaptive techniques have higher coding performance in terms of encoding time, peak signal to noise ratio and compression ratio in contrast to the fractal image encoding without adaptive techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. Two experiments were conducted to examine the effect of feeding higher supplemental vitamin E (VE) concentrations on male reproductive variables, fertility and hatchability of quails. 2. In experiment 1, sixty 5-week-old male quails, reared in individual cages, were fed male breeder diets supplemented with 0, 75, 150, 225 or 300 IU α-tocopherol acetate/kg. At 10 weeks, observations on cloacal gland size, foam production, testes weight and blood samples for testosterone estimation were taken. 3. In experiment 2, 50 male and 50 female cage-reared quails (5 weeks old) were fed male breeder and layer rations, respectively, supplemented with 0, 75, 150, 225 or 300 IU/kg. At 13 weeks, 9 different mating pairs (5 pairs/group) were formed. Group 1 contained one control male and one control female in each of 5 pens. In groups 2 to 5, control males were paired with females on supplements of 75, 150, 225 or 300 IU/kg. In groups 6 to 9, control females were paired with males on supplements of 75, 150, 225 and 300 IU/kg. During subsequent adaptation and egg collection periods, each of 10 d, control layer ration was fed to all groups. All the eggs laid during the 10-d egg collection period were incubated artificially to estimate fertility and hatchability. The trial was repeated at 15 weeks. 4. Adult male quails receiving moderate supplemental VE (75 and 150 IU/kg) had a higher cloacal gland index, quantity of foam secretion, testicular weight and plasma testosterone than quails fed on either VE-deficient or more highly supplemented diets (225 and 300 IU α-tocopherol acetate/kg). 5. It was concluded that a supplement of 75 IU VE/kg in maize/soybean diet could provide the best reproductive performance of male breeder quails. Cloacal gland index, quantity of foam secretion, testicular weight and plasma testosterone can serve as indirect indicators of testicular activity and fertilising ability in quails. Supplemental VE did not affect the fertility and hatchability of male and female Japanese quails. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. Nitrogen-corrected apparent metabolisable energy values (AME N ) of three varieties of sorghum (white—low tannin, brown—medium tannin and red—high tannin) were measured in three species of poultry (cockerel, guinea fowl and Japanese quail) by a practical diet replacement (total collection) method. 2. Each variety of sorghum was tested at two concentrations (200 and 400&ThickSpace;g/kg of reference diet) in 6 replications with one cockerel or guinea fowl or two quails per replication. The duration of the trial included a 10&ThickSpace;d preliminary feeding period (on conventional grower diet) followed by a 12&ThickSpace;d adaptation period (on reference and test diets) and a 3&ThickSpace;d balance period (with recording of feed intake and excreta output). 3. The calculated AME N values of different sorghum varieties were: white—12.9, 12.8 and 12.7; brown—12.7, 12.3 and 12.6; and red—11.4, 11.1 and 11.6&ThickSpace;MJ/kg for cockerels, guinea fowls and quails, respectively. The mean AME N value of red sorghum (11.3&ThickSpace;MJ/kg) was significantly lower than those of brown (12.5&ThickSpace;MJ/kg) or white sorghum (12.8&ThickSpace;MJ/kg). A negative correlation was observed between tannin concentration and AME N . 4. There was no significant difference in the AME N values of white, brown and red sorghum varieties to the different poultry species. AME N values of sorghum for the cockerel could, therefore, be used in practical feed formulation for guinea fowl and quail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. The nitrogen-corrected apparent metabolisable energy (AMEN) content of solvent-extracted rapeseed and sunflower seed (un-decorticated) meals in relation to species (chicken, guinea fowl and quail) and dietary addition of feed enzymes (0 or 0&CenterDot;5?g/kg diet) was evaluated by a diet replacement method in a 3?×?2 factorial design.2. The metabolism trial was conducted at two substitution levels (200 and 400?g/kg diet) of each meal with or without supplementation of commercial enzyme preparation in 6 individuals or 6 groups of cockerels, guinea fowls and quails.3. The experimental diets were fed for a period of 12?d followed by a 3-d collection period during which total feed consumed and droppings output were quantitatively recorded.4. The AMEN values of rapeseed meal for cockerels, guinea fowls and quails were 8&CenterDot;4, 8&CenterDot;7 and 8&CenterDot;8?MJ/kg, respectively, while the corresponding values for sunflower seed meal were 6&CenterDot;1, 6&CenterDot;1 and 6&CenterDot;2?MJ/kg dry matter, without enzyme supplementation.5. The AMEN value of rapeseed meal did not improve with enzyme supplementation. However, AMEN values of sunflower seed meal significantly increased with enzyme supplementation, from 6&CenterDot;1 to 6&CenterDot;5?MJ/kg dry matter.6. Since AMEN values of rapeseed meal and sunflower seed meal were similar in chicken, guinea fowl and quail, values reported for chicken could, therefore, be used for guinea fowl and Japanese quail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants have developed intricate mechanisms to overcome abiotic stresses. The process of signal perception and activation of signaling cascades involves a large number of factors and molecules belonging to diverse classes of gene families. In comparison to animals, plants harbor larger multigene families along with the occurrence of plant-specific ones. Gene families with abiotic-stress-responsive members were analyzed and categorized into classes such as transcription factors, signal transduction components, transporters, epigenetic regulators, and other regulatory components. The number of members, phylogeny, family expansion, domain composition, subcellular localization, and expression profiling during varied abiotic stresses have been summarized. Candidate genes from families, functionally characterized for abiotic stress responses, have been described. Based on our compilation, the expansion of abiotic-stress-responsive gene families in rice has occurred via segmental and tandem duplication events to accommodate sub-functionalization needed for regulating diverse abiotic stress responses at expression, localization, and functional levels. The information documented here can be further utilized as a primer for selecting candidate genes for improvement of rice yield under abiotic stresses. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The present study documents the fabrication and characterization of a topically applicable gel loaded with nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) of adapalene (ADA) and vitamin C (ascorbyl-6-palmitate [AP]). The NLCs were prepared by high pressure homogenization (HPH) method followed by incorporation into AP loaded gel. The fabricated system was characterized for size, poly dispersity index, entrapment efficiency (EE) andin vitrodrug release properties, and was further investigated for skin compliance, skin transport characteristics (skin permeation and bio-distribution), rheological behavior, texture profile analysis and anti-acne therapeutic potential against testosterone-induced acne in male Wistar rats. The NLC-based formulation improved targeting of the skin epidermal layer and reducing systemic penetration. The co-administration of vitamin C led to an adjunct effect in acne therapy in physiological conditions. In brief, the present results suggest the potential of NLCs as a novel carrier for the dermal delivery of ADA and also the synergistic effect of vitamin C in topical therapeutics. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The surface charge of nanosorbents is a very important factor which affects applications. In the present paper, the surface charge of ZnO NPs was tailored using by adopting different synthesis protocols. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized and zeta potential measurements showed that the ZnO Nps synthesized by pyrolysis method (ZnO (PY)) and the gel-combustion method (ZnO (GC)) possess a positive charge while the co-precipitation method results in nanoparticles (ZnO (CP)) with negative surface charge. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In the present study, the tribological properties of hydrogenated diamond-like carbon (DLC) coating were investigated using various sliding counterbodies such as steel, Al2O3 and SiC balls. A friction mechanism based on surface chemistry and mechanical properties of sliding interfaces is proposed. During initial sliding passes, the high friction coefficient is governed by the surface roughness of the sliding interfaces. However, for longer sliding cycles, the sliding interfaces get smoothened and magnitude of friction coefficient is reduced. Under these experimental conditions, appropriate description of friction involves formation of carbonaceous transferlayer on ball sliding surface have been investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. To know the occurrence and distribution of Pilomyxoid Astrocytomas amongst tumours previously diagnosed histologically as Pilocytic Astrocytoma and to assess the clinical impact of this new entity. Methods. Retrospective Diagnostic review of all cases histologically diagnosed as WHO Grade I Astrocytoma at a single Neurosurgical unit between 1990 and 2003. Results. Of a total of 91 cases identified, 9 were found to have Pilomyxoid histology. Of these, 8 were children (mean age 3.33 years) and 1 adult. 6 tumours were hypothalamochiasmatic in location. The clinical course of Pilomyxoid tumours was aggressive marked by maturation, multiple recurrences and disease control was rarely achieved with single treatment modality as opposed to typical pilocytics. The overall survival of the pilomyxoid group was not statistically different from the pilocytic tumours. Conclusions. Encompassing all age-groups and locations, Pilomyxoid Astrocytomas constitute about 10% of all tumours previously diagnosed as Pilocytic Astrocytoma. Nearly two-thirds are hypothalamo-chiasmatic in location. Knowledge of this entity is essential for appropriate aggressive treatment and follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pollen, regarded as the gold dust carrying the male germ line of flowering plants, is generated in the male reproductive organ called stamen. During the last few years, molecular biology and genetics have been integrated to enhance our knowledge regarding the structural and functional aspects of anther and pollen development. The promoters of several anther-/pollen-specific genes have been characterized to help understand the development of anther that involves the expression of a large number of genes temporally as well as spatially. The cis-acting regulatory elements of promoters necessary for interaction with transcription factors and their activity have been delineated. Many transcription factor genes having distinct anther-specific expression pattern have been identified with the help of transcriptome studies in Oryza sativa as well as Arabidopsis thaliana. The nature of complex interactions between genes and regulatory hierarchy involving developmental signal cascades have been investigated to design a working model for anther development. The immediate challenge ahead is to isolate and functionally characterize missing links and terminal ends of regulatory components for enhancing our knowledge about the male gametophyte development. The information generated on this aspect would help design suitable strategies to develop traits such as male sterility in crop plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

90Sr having moderate half life (t1/2 = 30 yr) is of major concern for radioactive waste management. Metal antimonate compounds have been employed for the removal of 90Sr from low level liquid waste stream (LLW). Antimonate compounds of tin, manganese, and zirconium were synthesized and their composite materials were prepared by coating with polymethyl metha acrylate beads (PMMA). The composite materials were evaluated for the removal of radiostrontium. The Kd value of about 1800-2000 was observed for all the three metal antimonate composite materials. Effect of pH, salt concentration, temperature, and strontium ion concentration on Kd value was studied. The sorption behavior was examined with various sorption isotherms like Langmuir, Freundlich, and Dubinin-Radushkevich. The thermodynamic parameters for the three composite materials were evaluated. The sorption was observed to be spontaneous and endothermic in nature. From the practical utilization point of view, the rate of uptake of radiostrontium by the composite material was investigated. Weber Morris diffusion model of the uptake studies suggested an intraparticle diffusion mechanism. The kinetics was found to follow pseudo first order pattern with intraparticle diffusion. However, intraparticle diffusion is not the rate controlling step. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An attempt has been made to synthesize nickel sulphide (NiS) compound by different routes. The NiS material thus obtained was coated on polymethyl metha acrylate (PMMA) beads to form a composite material, which was subjected to its performance evaluation for uptake of 106Ru from low level radioactive liquid waste (LLW) stream. Distribution Coefficient (Kd) of 106Ru from LLW using NiS-PMMA composite beads was found to be in the range of 9000-12000 (ml/g). The effect of various parameters viz. pH, ionic strength, temperature, time equilibration, etc. towards the uptake of 106Ru was investigated. The sorption mechanism was also studied. The ΔG, ΔH, and ΔS value for sorption were evaluated. The sorption was observed to be spontaneous and endothermic in nature. From the practical utilization point of view, the rate of uptake of 106Ru by the composite material was studied. The data of sorption was investigated with Lagergren first-order, pseudo-first-order, and second-order plots. Its intraparticle diffusion mechanism was studied with the Weber Morris model. The kinetics was found to follow a pseudo-first-order pattern with intraparticle diffusion. However, intraparticle diffusion is not the rate controlling step. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The essential oil of the rhizome of Alpinia speciosa K. Schum. collected from Dehradun, India, was isolated by hydrodistillation and analyzed by CC and CC/MS. Sixty-six compounds representing 95.98% of the oil were identified. The major constituents of the essential oil of the rhizome were terpinen-4-ol (15.4%), 1,8-cineole (11.1%) and T-cadinol (8.8%). The oil showed antibacterial activity against Micrococcus luteus, Streptococcus niutans, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus (Grain-positive), Salmonella typhi and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Grain-negative) using the well diffusion method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biofouling, especially microfouling, is a major concern with the use of titanium (Ti) in the marine environment as a condenser material in cooling water systems. Earlier, copper-nickel (Cu/Ni) alloys were extensively used in marine environments due to their high corrosion and biofouling resistance. However, the choice of condenser material for the new fast breeder reactor in Kalpakkam is Ti to avoid steam side corrosion problems, which may pose a threat to steam generator parts having sodium as the secondary coolant. This study evaluates the surface modification of Ti using nano films of copper (Cu) and nickel (Ni) to utilize the antibacterial property of copper ions in reducing microfouling. The surface modification of Ti was carried out by the deposition of a Cu/Ni bilayer and (Cu/Ni)10 multilayer films using a pulsed laser deposition technique. Various surface characterization studies revealed that the deposited Cu/Ni films were thin and nanocrystalline in nature. The antibacterial properties were evaluated using total viable count and epifluorescence microscopic techniques. The results showed an apparent decrease in bacterial attachment on multilayered and bilayered Cu/Ni thin films on Ti surfaces. Comparative studies between the two types of films showed a bigger reduction in numbers of microorganisms on the multilayers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Solanaceae is an important family of vegetable crops, ornamentals and medicinal plants. Tomato has served as a model member of this family largely because of its enriched cytogenetic, genetic, as well as physical, maps. Mapping has helped in cloning several genes of importance such as Pto, responsible for resistance against bacterial speck disease, Mi-1.2 for resistance against nematodes, and fw2.2 QTL for fruit weight. A high-throughput genome-sequencing program has been initiated by an international consortium of 10 countries. Since heterochromatin has been found to be concentrated near centromeres, the consortium is focusing on sequencing only the gene-rich euchromatic region. Genomes of the members of Solanaceae show a significant degree of synteny, suggesting that the tomato genome sequence would help in the cloning of genes for important traits from other Solanaceae members as well. ESTs from a large number of cDNA libraries have been sequenced, and microarray chips, in conjunction with wide array of ripening mutants, have contributed immensely to the understanding of the fruit-ripening phenomenon. Work on the analysis of the tomato proteome has also been initiated. Transgenic tomato plants with improved abiotic stress tolerance, disease resistance and insect resistance, have been developed. Attempts have also been made to develop tomato as a bioreactor for various pharmaceutical proteins. However, control of fruit quality and ripening remains an active and challenging area of research. Such efforts should pave the way to improve not only tomato, but also other solanaceous crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer immunotherapy aims at eliciting an immune response directed against tumor antigens to help fight off residual tumor cells and, thereby, improve the survival and quality of life of cancer patients. Different immunotherapeutic approaches share the use of dendritic cells (DCs) to present tumor-associated antigens to T lymphocytes. DCs are specialized for antigen presentation, and their immunogenicity leads to the induction of antigen-specific immune responses. Ex vivo-generated DCs can be loaded with antigens and re-infused to the patients or they can be used for the ex vivo expansion of anti-tumor lymphocytes. Alternatively, methods exist to target antigens in vivo without the need for ex vivo cell manipulations. DCs loaded ex vivo with RNA can be administered safely and might prove to be an asset for producing antigen-specific immune responses. Furthermore, these observations have led to clinical trials designed to investigate the immunological and clinical effects of RNA-pulsed DCs administered as a therapeutic vaccine in cancer patients. However, selection of the antigen, methods for introducing tumor-associated antigens into MHC class I and II processing pathways, methods for isolation and activation of DCs and route of administration are the parameters to be considered for designing and conducting clinical trials with phenotypically altered DCs. The enhanced RNA transfection efficiency and DC maturation would further improve antigen processing and presentation and T-cell costimulation, resulting in the induction of heightened anti-tumor immune responses. Therefore, DCs pulsed with RNA continues to hold promise for cellular immunotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The introduction of vaccine technology has facilitated an unprecedented multiantigen approach to develop an effective vaccine against complex pathogens, such as Plasmodium spp., that cause severe malaria. The capacity of multisubunit DNA vaccines encoding different stage Plasmodium antigens to induce CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes and IFN-γ responses in mice, monkeys and humans has been observed. Moreover, genetic vaccination may be multiimmune (i.e., capable of eliciting more than one type of immune response, including cellmediated and humoral). In the case of malaria parasites, a cytotoxic T-lymphocyte response is categorically needed against the intracellular hepatocyte stage while a humoral response, with antibodies targeted against antigens from all stages of the life cycle, is also needed. Therefore, the key to success for any DNA-based therapy is to design a vector able to serve as a safe and efficient delivery system. This has encouraged the development of nonviral DNA-mediated gene-transfer techniques, such as liposomes, virosomes, microspheres and nanoparticles. Efficient and relatively safe DNA transfection using lipoplexes makes them an appealing alternative to be explored for gene delivery. In addition, liposome-entrapped DNA has been shown to enhance the potency of DNA vaccines, possibly by facilitating uptake of the plasmid by antigen-presenting cells. Another recent technology using cationic lipids has been deployed and has generated substantial interest in this approach to gene transfer. This review comprises various aspects that could be decisive in the formulation of efficient and stable carrier system(s) for the development of malaria vaccines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over recent years, layered manufacturing (LM) has been one of the most important emerging research areas, as well as practice perspective, owing to its capability to reduce the product development time, and therefore time-to-market. In LM, owing to the significant role played by the part orientation in the successful and efficient reduction of the staircase effect, the determination of optimal part orientation is a matter of paramount importance. In this research, the dual parameters problem has been modelled, taking into consideration the constraints pertaining to the rotation of the computer aided design (CAD) model about two axes, while aiming to optimize the objective function that involves layered process error as well as build time. The current paper presents an advanced stickers-based DNA algorithm (SDNA) inspired by the characteristics of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) as a tool to achieve the optimal orientation during fabrication of a part. The salient feature of the proposed algorithm is the use of stickers along with DNA memory strand, which are responsible for the representation of information. Moreover, fundamental operations are applied to manipulate the positions of the stickers in essentially all the possible ways. The performance of SDNA has been tested on two standard case studies and the comparisons are made with results obtained from genetic algorithm (GA). The results clearly demonstrate the efficacy of proposed algorithm over GA when applied to the underlying problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice is the most amenable crop plant for genetic manipulation amongst monocots due to its small genome size, enriched genetic map, availability of entire genome sequence, and relative ease of transformation. Improvement in agronomic traits of rice is bound to affect a sizeable population since it is a primary source of sustenance. Recent advances like use of 'clean gene' technology or matrix attachment regions would help improve rice transformation. Function of several novel genes and their promoters has been analyzed in transgenic rice. Significant progress has been made in introducing traits like herbicide, biotic stress and abiotic stress tolerance. Attempts also have been made to enhance nutritional characteristics of the grain and yield. Identification of genes controlling growth and development can be used to modify plant architecture and heading period. Transgenic rice can serve as a biofactory for the production of molecules of pharmaceutical and industrial utility. The drive to apply transgenic rice for public good as well as commercial gains has fueled research to an all time high. Successful field trials and biosafety of transgenic rice have been reported. This would act as a catalyst for greater acceptance of genetically modified food crops. The lessons learnt from rice can be extended to other cereals thereby opening new opportunities and possibilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Light can modulate development and differentiation of the vital photosynthetic organelle, chloroplast, by photomorphogenetic mechanisms involved in regulating transcription of various photosynthetic genes encoded by nuclear genome. The nuclear genes encode majority of proteins involved in photosynthesis. After perception, light signal is transduced via signaling intermediates, which have been identified using various approaches. These signaling components can either directly influence the binding of light regulatory trans-acting factors to cis-acting elements present in a photosynthetic gene promoter or modulate their activity by various means to facilitate transcription in response to light. Some cis-acting elements show a high degree of conservation among photo-responsive nuclear genes in plants and have been designated as light regulatory elements (LREs). The gene regulation seems to involve interplay of several cis-acting elements and regulatory factors. Additional information available about the post-transcriptional mechanisms responsible for light-regulated expression of photosynthetic genes suggests the importance of these levels in regulation biology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This communication presents the parametric study of an irreversible regenerative Brayton cycle with nonisentropic compression and expansion processes for finite heat capacitance rates of external reservoirs. The power output of the cycle is maximized with respect to the working fluid temperatures and the expressions for maximum power output and the corresponding thermal efficiency are obtained. The effect of the effectiveness of the various heat exchangers and the efficiencies of the turbine and compressor, the reservoir temperature ratio and the heat capacitance rate of heating and cooling fluids and the cycle working fluid on the power output and the corresponding thermal efficiency has been studied. It is seen the effect of cold side effectiveness is more pronounced for the power output while the effect of regenerative effectiveness is more pronounced for the thermal efficiency. It is found that the effect of turbine efficiency is more than the compressor efficiency on the performance of these cycles. It is also found that the effect of sink-side heat capacitance rate is more pronounced than the heat capacitance rate on the source side and the heat capacitance rate of the working fluid. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

It is evident that the past decade has seen a tremendous growth in international trade. Many experts, however, believe that advances in international business and marketing education have not been able to keep pace with the growth of international trade. The review of the literature suggests that even though progress has been made in recent years much remains to be done to enhance the level of international marketing education. This study examines the current status of international marketing education and future challenges that face marketing educators. Specifically, issues such as what levels of objectives are being set for internationalizing marketing education, what approaches of internationalization are currently being used, to what extent different incentives have been effective in faculty internationalization, what factors are seen as obstacles to internationalization are examined. Results indicate that though significant progress has been made in internationalizing marketing curricula, much more remains to be accomplished. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]