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Millets gained a great attention at the global level in 2023 which is celebrated as the "International Year of Millets" to create awareness to eventually promote consumption and production. An attempt is made here to understand the cultivation and production dynamics of millets as influenced by their demand and supply. We also assess challenges and emerging opportunities to make millets more productive, competitive, and relevant to future farming. Millets registered a 60% decline in area and a 200% rise in productivity, but production has remained the same during the last seven decades. The demand of millets decreased as food due to greater incentives (purchasing grain at a pre‐determined price) and policies (distribution of grains to the public at a subsidized rate) in favor of wheat and rice. Millets would play a greater role in future agriculture due to challenges posed by climate change, limited water supply, and reduced agro‐biodiversity. This would need a much greater intensity of investment in millet research and adequate support as extended to wheat and rice. Increased emphasis on their genetic improvement and agronomic management is required to develop cultivars, using new tools and technologies, with high production potential and adequate environmental adaptation to make millets competitive with other crops. Mainstreaming the nutritional traits in millet breeding is also critically important to develop high‐yielding cultivars with improved grain quality traits. Promoting millet consumption would remain the key issue for increasing their demand as food, feed, and industrial raw materials through policies and awareness programs. Strengthening of value chain will help in diversifying agri‐food production system and creating an ecosystem for millet promotion. Core Ideas: There have been significant changes in millet cultivation in India during last seven decades.Millets registered a 60% decline in area and 200% rise in productivity.Production of millets has remained same during last seven decades.Millets would play a greater role in future agriculture due to anticipated challenges posed by climate‐change.Increasing millet productivity and promoting consumption are the key issues to be addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In e‐commerce platforms, sentiment analysis on an enormous number of user reviews efficiently enhances user satisfaction. In this article, an automated product recommendation system is developed based on machine and deep‐learning models. In the initial step, the text data are acquired from the Amazon Product Reviews dataset, which includes 60 000 customer reviews with 14 806 neutral reviews, 19 567 negative reviews, and 25 627 positive reviews. Further, the text data denoising is carried out using techniques such as stop word removal, stemming, segregation, lemmatization, and tokenization. Removing stop‐words (duplicate and inconsistent text) and other denoising techniques improves the classification performance and decreases the training time of the model. Next, vectorization is accomplished utilizing the term frequency–inverse document frequency technique, which converts denoised text to numerical vectors for faster code execution. The obtained feature vectors are given to the modified convolutional neural network model for sentiment analysis on e‐commerce platforms. The empirical result shows that the proposed model obtained a mean accuracy of 97.40% on the APR dataset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work describes a novel iron‐catalysed approach for the synthesis of aryl‐substituted benzimidazoles and benzoxazoles. The methodology employs reductive carbonylation using readily available aryl iodides and aryl amines as precursors, with carbon monoxide serving as the efficient carbonyl source. The reaction proceeds under mild conditions with the addition of hydrosilanes and bases. Notably, aryl aldehydes are generated in situ from the aryl iodides, which subsequently react with o‐phenylenediamine or 2‐aminophenol to afford the desired products in high yields. The structures of the synthesized benzimidazoles and benzoxazoles were confirmed using 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

E‐glass fibers are widely preferred due to ease of processing and its low cost, which has substantial scope in the fields of electronics and electrical insulation applications. Because of its low strength and corrosion resistance, use of E‐glass fibers is limited in aerospace and automotive applications. There is a need for enhancing the properties of the composite to overcome such limitations. Therefore, an attempt is made to introduce multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) as fillers into E‐glass fibers to meet the industry needs. In the current study, woven glass fiber of 5 layers and multi‐walled nano carbon fillers of 2, 4 and 6 by wt%, LY556 epoxy resin, and HY951 hardener were used to prepare 4 different type of composites along with the neat epoxy glass fiber reinforced polymer composites (GFRP). The hand‐layup route was used in the composite preparation due to its low cost, technological feasibility, and simple process setup. The developed samples were characterized for mechanical properties via tensile, flexural and impact tests. Tribological characteristics were performed by air jet erosion test. Chauvenet's criterion is applied for identifying the outliers (if any) from the data of repeated test properties. Taguchi's L9OA (orthogonal array) is selected for obtaining optimal hybrid composite, which yield better mechanical properties. Empirical relations are developed for the material properties in terms of process variables. The sample (4 wt% MWCNT) exhibited enhancement of 17.27% in tensile strength, 6% of impact strength and 7.3% of flexural strength when compared with neat epoxy GFRP. This hybrid composite is considered for thermal aging and observed at 60°C, 8% increase in tensile, 7% increase of impact and 15% in flexural strength due to the precipitation on carbon nano tubes along the gain boundaries. The present study recommends 4% MWCNT fillers in developing hybrid glass epoxy polymer composites for use in aerospace, automotive and civil construction industries due to economic and technological feasibility. Highlights: Utilize low‐cost E‐glass fibers in electronics and electrical insulation applications.Improve composite properties for aerospace and automotive industries.Develop hybrid glass epoxy composites with 2 to 6 wt% MWCNT fillers.Examine wear characteristics under air jet erosion and study the impact of thermal aging on mechanical properties.Apply Chauvenet's criterion for outlier identification in measured properties datasets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The urgent need to address the global energy and environmental crisis necessitates the development of efficient solar‐power harvesting systems. Among the promising candidates, hierarchical inorganic nanostructures stand out due to their exceptional attributes, including a high specific surface area, abundant active sites, and tunable optoelectronic properties. In this comprehensive review, we delve into the fundamental principles underlying various solar energy harvesting technologies, including dye‐sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), photocatalytic, photoelectrocatalytic (water splitting), and photothermal (water purification) systems, providing a foundational understanding of their operation. Thereafter, the discussion is focused on recent advancements in the synthesis, design, and development of hierarchical nanostructures composed of diverse inorganic material combinations, tailored for each of these solar energy harvesting systems. We meticulously elaborate on the distinct synthesis methods and conditions employed to fine‐tune the morphological features of these hierarchical nanostructures. Furthermore, this review offers profound insights into critical aspects such as electron transfer mechanisms, band gap engineering, the creation of hetero‐hybrid structures to optimize interface chemistry through diverse synthesis approaches, and precise adjustments of structural features. Beyond elucidating the scientific fundamentals, this review explores the large‐scale applications of the aforementioned solar harvesting systems. Additionally, it addresses the existing challenges and outlines the prospects for achieving heightened solar‐energy conversion efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The importance of two‐level inverters is well known in EV applications; it contains significant unwanted harmonics in generated voltage. One of the most efficient way to increase power quality is to replace a two‐level inverter with a multilevel inverter (MLI). The MLI's essence considerably reduces total harmonic distortion. Eventually, the size of the filter requirement also will minimize. Because of the increased device count and capacitor voltage balance issues, these converters have a slew of reliability concerns. To mitigate these drawbacks, a novel switched‐capacitor based nine‐level inverter (SC‐NLI) structure with a new optimal control switching technique for electric vehicle (EV) applications is proposed in this paper. The proposed SC‐NLI structure comprises 10 switches, one diode, and two capacitors. The proposed structure's circuit description, modes of operation, proper component selection, and a new optimal switching scheme are presented. A discussion about the comparative analysis of suggested topology with currently developed MLI structures is presented. In addition, to the simulation results, experimental tests are conducted under various load conditions to evaluate the proposed SC‐NLI structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal characteristics of biodiesels are useful in system design, modeling, and operation. Such investigations are extensively being carried out in combustors, engine, and process industries. This article examines the thermal characteristics of jatropha (Jatropha curcas), honge (Pongamia pinnata), and their equal mixing from thermogravitometry and differential scanning calorimetry (TG‐DSC) curves for the specific 10°C/min heating rate under atmospheric air. Fuel properties are measured following ASTM standards to compare with diesel properties. Each experiment was repeated three times, and the properties showed insignificant scatter. The average properties of the repeated tests are presented. Two phases of decomposition were observed for diesel, whereas three (viz., devolatilization of aqueous fractions, combustion of methyl esters, and combustion of carbonaceous residues) in biodiesels. Jatropha oil methyl ester (JOME) is thermally stable compared to honge oil methyl ester (HOME). Mixed biodiesel (JOME+HOME) is prone to oxidation due to the high content of oleic and linoleic acids. Recorded onset and offset temperatures of mixed biodiesel are low compared to pure biodiesel. Mixed biodiesel exhibited high volatility resembling diesel characteristics. It exhibited an enthalpy of 240 J/g, whereas the enthalpy of diesel, jatropha, and honge exhibited enthalpies of 130, 321, and 570 J/g, respectively. The combustion index (S) of diesel, jatropha, honge, and mixed biodiesel was 41.6, 82.8, 77.74, and 64.6, respectively. Mixed biodiesel reduces the intensity of combustion (Hf), promising better combustion characteristics. Thus, mixed biodiesel shows the potential of an efficient alternative energy source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Millets are termed 'Nutri‐cereals' as they possess exceptional nutrition profiles. They undergo several processing operations from farm to fork. Polishing is one of the important primary processing operations of millets that facilitates de‐branning. The current work aims to investigate the effect of polishing process parameters like grain's initial moisture content, the rotational speed of polisher, polishing time, on milling yield, nutritional losses of kodo, and browntop millets; to optimize the polishing process through response surface methodology. The polisher speed was found to influence milling and nutritional properties in both the millets whereas, the effect of grain's initial moisture was mostly observed in some responses of browntop millet. Kodo millet polishing at 10% initial moisture content, 1900 rpm for 2 min, and browntop millet polishing at 10% initial moisture content, 1300 rpm for 8 min were obtained as optimum polishing conditions. The degree of polishing and head grain yield at optimum conditions were in the range of 3.5%–4.0%, and 84%–92%, respectively. Less than 15% of nutritional losses were observed at optimum polishing conditions. Practical applications: Indiscriminate polishing of millets has become most common industrial practice resulting in less head yield and high nutritional losses. Form the current study, both food processors and researchers get a brief knowledge on the effect of every polishing parameter such as grain moisture content before polishing, rotational speed of abrasive roller in polisher, time of polishing on milling losses and proximate compositions. The optimized process parameters can be directly employed in industrial polishing applications to produce polished grains with higher head yield and very minimal nutritional losses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Skin cancer is one of the life threating diseases in the world. So, millions of lives can be saved by early detection of skin cancer. In addition, automating the computer‐aided system of skin lesion detection and classification (SLDC) will assist the medical practitioners to ensure more efficacious treatment of skin lesion disease. Material and Method: In this article, a hybrid preprocessing‐based transfer learning model for SLDC is proposed, which is named as SLDCNet. Initially, the hybrid Gaussian filter (HGF) with connected component label (CCL) based fast march inpainting procedure is used for hair removal and denoising of skin lesions. Next, full resolution convolutional networks (FrCN) based segmentation method is adapted for detecting the cancer region. Then, feature extraction is performed using deep residual learning and finally, transfer learning mechanism is applied for classification of eight skin lesions. Results: The extensive simulation results shows that proposed SLDCNet resulted in a classification accuracy of 99.92%, sensitivity of 99%, and specificity of 99.36%, respectively. Conclusion: From the obtained results, it is proven that proposed SLDCNet provides better performance as compared to state‐of‐art SLDC approaches, and even the standard ISIC‐2019 public challenge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, video in‐painting technique with enhanced priority function and optimal patch searching algorithm is proposed. Initially, the source frames are extracted from video based on edge information, these frames are partitioned into two regions (1) target region (region to be in‐painted) and (2) source region that is region to be considered as appropriate patch selection for in‐painting the target region. A new priority function using confidence value, local structure multiplier, and motion vector uniformity to determine the in‐paint location. The suitable patch is identified in source region, using correlation measure, like sum of squared difference method. The searching of the suitable patch in source region is optimized through modified artificial bee colony (MABC) algorithm. To capture more edge information, irregular patch filling is carried out to in‐painting process. The in‐painting process is more improved by optimal patch scaling for better vision. Finally, the in‐painted source frames are combined to obtain the corrected video. The proposed method works better than the other art state applications. The proposed peak signal to noise ratio (PSNR) attains better 8.06%, 7.90%, 32.15%, and 13.06% compared with other previous methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article titled "Cover Feature: Advances in Hierarchical Inorganic Nanostructures for Efficient Solar Energy Harvesting Systems" discusses the negative impacts of fossil fuel usage, such as pollution and depletion of non-renewable resources. It highlights the importance of exploring clean, renewable energy sources like solar power and emphasizes the significance of solar energy harvesting systems for providing clean energy, fuel, and water for future generations. The article provides more information on this topic in a review authored by C. Manjunatha, C. K. Rastogi, A. Khosla, and their colleagues. [Extracted from the article]

We have reported the electronic, magnetic and optical properties of carbon doped bilayer hexagonal boron nitride (h‐BN) using thedensity functional theory. A single C‐doping at B/N sites gives the large band gap similar to dilute magnetic semiconducting behaviour with a finite net magnetic moment of 1.001 and 0.998μB, respectively. For double doping at B/N sites the net magnetic moment increases to 1.998 and 1.824μB, respectively. Upon C‐doping at N‐site, we obtained transition from non‐magnetic semiconductor (pristine) → magnetic semiconductor (1C) → half‐metal ferromagnetic (2C) → metal (3C). In case of the B site, we observed metallic behaviour for 2C‐doping. As 1,2 C‐doping at the B site reduces the energy band gap from 1.8 eV to 0.81 eV, falls in the visible range and offers an opportunity to utilized as a photocatalyst material. C‐doped systems show a magnetic semiconducting behavior crucial for spintronic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new and powerful rotation invariant fractional derivative convolution neural network model is proposed for the classification of five categories of interstitial lung diseases. Fractional derivative convolution neural network model employs fractional derivative filters for the texture enhancement of the lung tissue patches instead of the raw image, is given as input directly to the convolution neural network. These FD filters are rotation invariant which solves the problem of rotation invariance of lung tissue patterns caused by pose variations of the patient during CT scanning. Also, the problem of the poor performance of most classifiers such as, support vector machine and K‐nearest neighbours caused by an imbalanced dataset is solved, by oversampling the minority categories emphysema and ground glass patches, and under‐sampling the majority category, micronodules patches. The experimental results are executed on the publicly available interstitial lung disease database which shows the fractional derivative convolution neural network model performs better than the state‐of‐art with average F‐score and accuracy noted as 93.32% and 93.33% respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This manuscript proposes the optimal power quality reinforcement in grid‐connected hybrid renewable energy sources like solar photovoltaic, wind turbine, battery storage using an intelligent approach. The proposed hybrid approach is the consolidation of Egyptian vulture optimization algorithm (EVOA) and random forest algorithm (RFA); hence, it is known as EVORFA technique. The major objective of this research is voltage stabilizing, power loss reduction, extenuating harmonic distortion. EVOA is mainly used to the offline way to differentiate the perfect combination and forms the dataset of proportional integral gain parameters; load current, DC‐link voltage, and voltage sources are based on reduced error objective function. In EVOA, multiple parameters are considered that is identified to the power quality (PQ) issues. The RFA predicts most optimal control signal with minimum error based on the accomplished dataset. The proposed EVORFA approach is executed in MATLAB/Simulink work site. The EVORFA approach performance is carried out in two modes, that is, simultaneous PQ reinforcement and RES power injection PRES > 0 and PQ reinforcement (PRES = 0). By then the experimental results are compared to the existing methods like gravitational search algorithm (GSA) and RFA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy management system for the distribution system using Internet of things with hybrid technique. The proposed hybrid technique is the joined execution of both the fruitfly optimisation algorithm and random decision forest and named as FORDF strategy. The main objective of the proposed system is to optimally manage the power and resources of distribution system by persistently screen the data from the Internet of things‐based communication system. In the proposed system, each home device is interfaced with data acquisition module with IP address bringing about a huge work wireless network of devices. So as to encourage the improvement of demand response for distribution system to deal with the energy, the Internet of things‐based communication system is utilised. So as to ideally deal with the energy, the optimal load demand prediction and the energy control PROCESSES are handled by the FORDF system. Besides, the optimum utilisation of the accessible resources and the flexibility of such networks are given and expanded by the Internet of things based distribution system. Furthermore the proposed technique is qualified to satisfy the general SUPPLY and energy demand. At long last, the proposed model is implemented in MATLAB/simulink platform and the exhibition is contrasted and different systems [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zinc Alumino Lithium borate (ZnAlLiB) glasses of different compositions doped with Cu2+ and Mn3+ ions have been prepared using a conventional melt quenching technique. Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR) studies have been carried out for ZnAlLiB glasses. The physical properties have been measured. The FT‐IR studies indicate that insertion of Cu2+ ions produces [BO3] and [BO4] basic structural units by breaking the boroxol (B3O6) ring, while manganese ions are found to gradually depolymerize MnO2─B2O3 glass matrix. This report presents the synthesis and FT‐IR studies of zinc alumino lithium borate glasses doped with CuO and MnO2. The local structure of copper and manganese ions in the glass system can be studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To evaluate the antimicrobial, toxicity and cleaning effectiveness of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and maleic acid (MA) alone and combined with cetrimide (CTR). Methodology: Cytotoxic and genotoxic effects were assessed on Chinese hamster cells V79 using the MTT, clonogenic and micronucleus assays, respectively. The bacterial inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations (MIC and MBC, respectively) were determined on a strain of Enterococcus faecalis. Antimicrobial tests were performed on a biofilm model after treatment with the chelating agents by using a biofilm eradication concentration (MBEC) and confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM) assays. Quantification of cell biomass and percentage of live and dead cells in the biomass were assessed for each group. The percentage reduction of accumulated hard‐tissue debris (AHTD) after root canal preparation and final irrigation protocols was evaluated by micro‐CT. Statistical tests of one‐way analysis of variance (anova), Bonferroni test, Kruskal–Wallis test, Dunn's multiple comparison test and Wilcoxon matched‐pairs signed‐rank tests were used. Results: Cetrimide alone as well as in combination with EDTA and MA at dilutions of 1/10 and 1/100 was significantly more toxic as compared to untreated controls (P < 0.001). All tested mixtures were nontoxic at a dilution of 1/1000. EDTA retained a weak inhibitory and bactericidal effect against planktonic cells, whilst MA inhibited cells growth and killed 99.9% of the cells when diluted. CTR revealed the most prominent effect, being inhibitory and bactericidal, also when diluted. Cetrimide alone or combined with EDTA was able to remove, respectively, 40% (P < 0.01) and 60% (P < 0.001) of the entire biomass after 1 min. Conversely, MA alone and in combination with CTR did not have a significant effect on biomass reduction. After final irrigation, the AHTD volume was significantly decreased in all groups (P < 0.05). EDTA + CTR and MA + CTR were associated with a significant reduction in the percentage of AHTD on the entire root canal compared to the same solutions without surfactant. Conclusions: 7% MA was less cytotoxic in comparison with 17% EDTA. The addition of cetrimide to EDTA and MA removed accumulated hard‐tissue debris effectively from the canal walls and increased their antimicrobial activity when compared to the same solutions without detergents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Indian Ocean Geoid Low (IOGL) is the most prominent geoid anomaly (−106 m) on the globe, whose origin remains elusive. In the present study, we investigate the mantle transition zone (MTZ) structure beneath the region using P receiver functions (PRFs), to examine its role in the genesis of this feature. Results from 3‐D time to depth migration of PRFs reveal a thin MTZ primarily due to an elevation of the 660 km discontinuity. This is suggestive of anomalously hot temperatures in the mid mantle beneath the IOGL region, possibly sourced from the African Large Low Shear Velocity Province (LLSVP). The combined effect of the hot (low‐density) material in the MTZ proposed in this study and the (high‐density) cold slab graves atop the core‐mantle boundary inferred from previous studies can possibly explain this geoid low. Key Points: The mantle transition zone (MTZ) beneath the Indian Ocean Geoid Low is investigated using receiver functionsA thin MTZ primarily due to an elevated 660 km discontinuity provides evidence for a hot anomaly in the mid mantleA hot low‐density material in the mid mantle is one of the sources to explain the world's largest geoid low [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Microwave vacuum drying is an innovative technology for drying fruits and vegetables. However, this technology has not been well explored for drying seafood. In the present study, the effects of microwave vacuum drying (MVD), hot air drying (HAD) and sun drying (SD) on the proximate composition, texture, rehydration, color and microstructure of squid shreds were investigated. RESULTS: Proximate components of the samples dried by different methods were not significantly different, but the drying time was markedly lower for the MVD technique. The rehydration rate and water absorption index followed the order MVD > HAD > SD. The extent of browning as indicated by the b* value was significantly lower in MVD samples (14.38) compared with HAD (19.47) and SD (21.94) samples. MVD resulted in the lowest values for hardness, springiness and chewiness of both dried and rehydrated squid shreds, while SD recorded the highest values for the same. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of the muscle fiber indicated muscle shrinkage and more toughness in SD samples, whereas Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra revealed a small extent of protein degradation in MVD samples. CONCLUSION: The study revealed that higher‐quality dried squid shreds can be prepared by microwave vacuum drying in a shorter time compared with the traditional methods of sun drying and hot air drying. Hence microwave vacuum drying can be used as an energy‐efficient and time‐saving technology to make dried seafood of superior quality. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To test whether the incorporation of a chelation powder, etidronate, marketed for root canal irrigation (Dual Rinse HEDP) into a sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) solution induced additional cytotoxic and genotoxic effects not observed with NaOCl alone. Methodology: Fresh and 24‐h‐old mixtures of 0.9 g of etidronate in 10 mL of 2.5% NaOCl were assessed for their basic chemical features including pH and the ability to chelate Ca2+ from hydroxylapatite. Pure NaOCl and phosphate‐buffered saline (PBS) with/without etidronate served as control solutions. Cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of diluted solutions (1:10, 1:100, and 1:1000) were assessed on Chinese hamster lung fibroblast (V79) using the MTT, clonogenic and micronucleus assays, respectively. One‐way ANOVA and Tukey's HSD test were applied with an alpha‐type error of 5% (P < 0.05). Results: In mixtures of NaOCl and etidronate, the free available chlorine was lost completely after 24 h, and the pH dropped by more than 3 units. However, the ability of the etidronate to chelate Ca2+ was maintained. The fresh mixtures of NaOCl and etidronate were not more toxic than NaOCl alone (P > 0.05), whilst the 24‐h‐old mixtures were less toxic (P < 0.05) and statistically similar to pure etidronate. Etidronate per se showed little cytotoxicity and no genotoxicity at the tested dilutions. Conclusions: The ability of the used etidronate, Dual Rinse HEDP, to chelate calcium is not affected by NaOCl. Cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of mixed solutions is dictated by the presence of free available chlorine therein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This Letter presents an ultrasonic waveguide sensor for measuring fluctuations in a liquid level using leaky longitudinal wave L(0,2) in a coolant loop system. A 20% cold‐worked D9 fuel pin clad tube of 1000 mm long, 6.6 mm outer diameter and 0.45 mm wall thickness was used as a waveguide on which the L(0,2) mode was transmitted/received along the axial direction at 500 kHz. When the waveguide got introduced into a coolant loop and partially immersed in a non‐viscous liquid (water/liquid sodium), the amplitude of L(0,2) mode got reduced due to leakage. The rate of leakage depends on the characteristics of the waveguide and the embedding liquid medium. By utilising this physical property of L(0,2) mode, it is possible to predict the variations in liquid level during dynamic conditions. Experimental measurements were carried out on a mock‐up test loop in which water was used as embedding liquid and two artificial notches were made on the waveguide at different depths were used as reference levels. The time‐amplitude signals were monitored and the reflected energies from the bottom end of the waveguide and the notches were used as the threshold and reference amplitudes respectively for identification of water level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: MgFe2O4‐C composite nanofibers were prepared via electrospinning technique followed by carbonization at 600 °C. Thermogravimetric‐differential thermal analysis (TG‐DTA) results showed ignition, decomposition and carbonization temperatures of the as‐grown fibers. Formation of the nanocrystalline phase of the MgFe2O4 over the amorphous phase of the carbon fibers sample was confirmed from the analysis of the measured XRD results. FE‐SEM images of the as‐spun and calcined fibers sample showed that the formation of one dimensional (1‐D) MgFe2O4‐C composite nanofibers and the formed 1‐D nanofibers were well interconnected with high porous structured morphology. The electrochemical properties of the MgFe2O4‐C composite nanofibers sample were tested as an anode material for lithium‐ion battery. Lithium‐ion battery made up of the newly developed MgFe2O4‐C composite nanofibers sample, used as an anode material, showed discharge capacity of 575 mAh g−1 at a current density of 100 mA g−1 after 20th cycles. Further, the discharge capacity of the lithium‐ion battery also measured at a high current density of 1 A g−1 and it was found to be 433 mAh g−1 even after 85 cycles. Also, the lithium‐ion battery showed exceptional reversible capacity with the coulombic efficiency of 99.6% even after 85 cycles at a high current density of 1 A g−1. Hence the electrochemical properties suggest that the newly developed MgFe2O4‐C composite nanofibers can be used as high capacity anode materials for lithium‐ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experiments were conducted to study the effect of soil applications of kunai grass ( Imperata cylindrica) biochar (0 and 10 t/ha) and laboratory grade urea (0, 200 and 500 kg N/ha) and their co-application on nitrogen (N) mineralization in an acid soil. The results of an incubation study showed that the biochar only treatment and co-application with urea at 200 kg N/ha could impede transformation of urea to ammonium-N ( NH4+-N). Soil application of biochar together with urea at 500 kg N/ha produced the highest nitrate-N ( NO3−-N) and mineral N concentrations in the soil over 90 days. Co-application of urea N with biochar improved soil N mineralization parameters such as mineralization potential ( N A) and coefficient of mineralization rate ( k) compared to biochar alone. In a parallel study performed under greenhouse conditions, Chinese cabbage ( Brassica rapa L. ssp. chinensis L.) showed significantly greater ( P < 0.05) marketable fresh weight, dry matter production and N uptake in soil receiving urea N at 500 kg/ha or co-application of biochar with urea N compared to the control. Application of biochar only or urea only at 200 kg N/ha did not offer any short-term agronomic advantages. The N use efficiency of the crop remained unaffected by the fertilizer regimes. Applications of biochar only at 10 t/ha did not offer benefits in this tropical acid soil unless co-applied with sufficient urea N. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND The pangasius catfish ( Pangasianodon hypophthalmus) is a ubiquitous item of seafood in global markets. However, pesticide residues in aquaculture fish, arising from agricultural run-off and/or direct application during pond preparation, pest control and harvest, are a potential food safety concern. This study assessed the level of chemical hazard in domestic and imported pangasius fish in India. RESULTS A total of 119 contaminants, including polyaromatic hydrocarbons ( PAHs), organochlorines ( OCs) and other groups of pesticides, were screened in 148 samples during 2014-2015 as the first endeavour of its kind in an Indian context, employing a validated gas chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry ( GC/ MS/ MS) method. Apart from the low-level incidence of OCs, pesticides such as quinalphos, malathion, parathion-methyl, etc. were detected in 38% of the samples. In comparison with Indian pangasius, fewer contaminants at low residue level were detected in pangasius fillets imported from Vietnam. CONCLUSION The human dietary exposures of the residue concentrations detected were less than the maximum permissible intakes and hence appeared safe. However, detection of commonly used pesticides indicated their direct application in aquaculture and contamination from agricultural run-off. This emphasizes the need for continual residue monitoring in aquaculture fish. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tilapia parvovirus (TiPV) has been associated with heavy mortalities in tilapia as a single infection or in co‐infection with Tilapia lake virus (TiLV). In this study, TiPV was detected in farmed Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, from two geographical regions of India, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. TiPV‐specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) reported earlier was used in the screening. Tilapia collected from Maharashtra showed characteristic clinical signs, and TiPV was detected along with TiLV and/or Aeromonas spp. However, fish from Uttar Pradesh were apparently healthy and only TiPV could be detected in these samples. A high prevalence of TiPV was recorded from both the geographical locations, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh (59.6% and 95.0% respectively). The virus could be detected in tissues such as the spleen, liver, kidney, brain and mucus. The spleen appeared to be the best tissue for detecting TiPV in apparently healthy tilapia. The presence of TiPV was further confirmed through sequencing the PCR products, isolation of the virus in the cell line and electron microscopy. Sequences of the NS1 gene of the two TiPV isolates showed similarity to the earlier reported TiPV isolates. The virus could be successfully propagated in O. niloticus Liver (OnL) cell line, and cytopathic effect was observed as early as 3 days post‐infection. Furthermore, the presence of non‐enveloped icosahedral to round virus particles measuring about 26–35 nm could be demonstrated in the cytoplasm and nucleus of infected OnL cells in transmission electron microscopy. With this confirmation of the presence of the virus, India is the third country to report TiPV after China and Thailand. The detection of TiPV in co‐infection cases with TiLV and in apparently healthy Nile tilapia suggests its wide distribution and potential synergistic effect in co‐infection cases. Therefore, this emerging virus needs holistic attention to understand its virulence, host‐specificity and epidemiological risk factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, the biomass of an invasive and obnoxious weed, kunai grass ( Imperata cylindrica), is uncontrollably burnt in Papua New Guinea in subsistence farming systems resulting in unwarranted negative environmental consequences. We explored the possibility of sustainable utilization of biochar produced from the weed biomass along with a standard feedstock-rice husk ( Oryza sativa). Biochars were produced with lab-scale pyrolysis at 550°C, characterized for chemical properties and plant nutrient composition. Further, agronomic efficacy of soil incorporation of biochars (5 t ha−1) or co-applied with mineral fertilizers (100, 11, and 62 kg ha−1 N, P, K, respectively) was tested for sweet potato ( Ipomoea batatas L. Lam) in a field experiment. The two biochars differed significantly ( P < 5%) with respect to recovery from the feedstocks, chemical characters and nutrient composition. Kunai grass biochar was poorer in nutrients (< 1%) with distinctly alkaline pH and higher electrical conductivity. Biochar amendment to soil showed significant ( P < 5%) improvement of soil moisture, while co-application of biochars along with mineral fertilizers showed soil moisture decrease. Biochar amendment improved the growth parameters and total tuber yield of sweet potato by about 20%, while co-application with mineral fertilizers augmented total tuber yield by 100% and above-ground biomass yields by > 75%. Besides, improving agronomic performance of sweet potato crop, co-application of biochars with mineral fertilizers enhanced uptake of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, and S. Production and utilization of biochar in sweet-potato production could offer an efficient means of disposing biomass of kunai grass with concomitant productivity improvement in Papua New Guinea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present article reports eco-friendly multi-functional polyurethane-ZnO hybrid nanocomposite coatings obtained from Thevetia peruviana seed oil (TPSO). Initially, the polyols were prepared by treating TPSO with glycerol and the formation was supported by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and H-NMR studies. In the next stage, siloxane functionalized ZnO nanoparticles were added to the polyol mixture in different weight percentages (0, 1 and 2 %) and then treated with excess 4,4′-diisocyanatodicyclohexylmethane (HMDI) in order to synthesize isocyanate terminated polyurethane nanocomposites. The polyurethane hybrids were then casted as thin films and cured under atmospheric moisture. After complete curing they were characterized by using FT-IR, H-NMR, C-NMR, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis techniques. The hybrid nanocomposites showed superior thermo-mechanical and anti-corrosive properties compared to pristine polyurethane. Also, due to the presence of nano ZnO in the polyurethane matrix, the composite coatings are showing excellent resistance towards various bacterial and fungal stains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) thin films were deposited onto p-Si substrates held at room temperature by reactive Direct Current (DC) magnetron sputtering at various sputter powers in the range 80-200 W. The as-deposited TiO2 films were annealed at a temperature of 1023 K. The post-annealed films were characterized for crystallographic structure, chemical binding configuration, surface morphology and optical absorption. The electrical and dielectric properties of Al/TiO2/p-Si structure were determined from the capacitance-voltage and current-voltage characteristics. X-ray diffraction studies confirmed that the as-deposited films were amorphous in nature. After post-annealing at 1023 K, the films formed at lower powers exhibited anatase phase, where as those deposited at sputter powers >160 W showed the mixed anatase and rutile phases of TiO2. The surface morphology of the films varied significantly with the increase of sputter power. The electrical and dielectric properties on the air-annealed Al/TiO2/p-Si structures were studied. The effect of sputter power on the electrical and dielectric characteristics of the structure of Al/TiO2/p-Si (metal-insulator-semiconductor) was systematically investigated. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]