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Solar energy is the centre of attention and major need of the world. The advancement in the photovoltaic devices plays the key role in the path of solar energy applications. The progress in the perovskite solar cell technologies in the direction of their theoretical power conversion efficiency necessitates elusive control above the carrier dynamics all over the whole device. In the present investigation, a comparative study via SCAPS simulation has been done for the optimization of the device in the light of high power conversion efficiency of organic–inorganic perovskite-based photovoltaic solar cells. Perovskite absorber layers CH3NH3PbI3 and CH3NH3SnI3 are sandwiched in between the TiO2 as electron transport layer (ETL) and spiro-OMeTAD as hole transport layer (HTL) to design the hetrostructures for the simulation. We have achieved enhancement in the power conversion efficiencies of both the devices as compared to the reported experimental and theoretical studies previously.

Lead free and environment friendly, light absorbing material is in high demand for the photovoltaic perovskite solar cell devices. The double perovskite La2NiMnO6 have the centre of attention for this demand. The present review is focused to discuss briefly the progress and challenges in the structural and magnetic properties of La2NiMnO6 in bulk, nano and thin film phases. The structural changes of La2NiMnO6 are highly interesting and have the direct correlation with the magnetic properties. On the basis of these transformations in the structure, efforts have been made to discuss several scientific progresses into technical novelties. This short review article is critically dedicated on reviewing the progresses, openings, and upcoming challenges in perovskite solar cell devices.

The control on magnetization via applied electric field is the centre of attention in multiferroic materials for the achievement of technological device applications. The bismuth ferrite (BiFeO3) is best multiferroic material which has the ferroelectric as well as weak magnetic nature simultaneously in the single phase near the room temperature. There are many unsolved problems in the path of the actual device applications of multiferroic BiFeO3 (BFO) due to the transformation of several scientific progresses into technical innovations. So, there is a need to solve these complications via focused research movements, which may convert this useful material into actual device applications. This review article is mainly concentrated on look over the recent advances on technological achievements and challenges in BFO via the magnetoelectric coupling and presents the latest devices achievements.

This paper presents synthesis and study of Structural, Optical, and Photocatalytic properties of bismuth ferrite (BFO) and nickel doped bismuth ferrite (BiFe1-xNixO3) nanoparticles. The synthesis of BiFeO3 and BiFe1-xNixO3 (x = 0.02, 0.04) are done by Sol-Gel method. After synthesis the samples of pure and transition metal ion (Ni) doped bismuth ferrite have been studied by using X-ray diffractometer (XRD), X-ray Photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope and Raman Spectroscopy. Optical properties are studied by using UV–vis spectroscopy using different wavelengths (range 300–800 nm). Photocatalytic properties are also studied by degradation of MB dye using prepared samples as photocatalyst. XRD patterns shows that all the prepared samples are crystalline and crystallinity increased by Ni-doping and shifts in XRD peaks by Ni-doping shows the distortion in the structure of BFO. Raman spectroscopy also indicates the rhombohedral distorted structure of Ni-doped BFO in R3C space group. FESEM micrographs shows that Ni-doped BFO has polyhedral and spherical shape grains and Ni doping cause reduction in grain size. Optical band gap reduced due to Ni-doping is shown by the UV–Vis spectroscopy results and Tauc’s plots. The increase in reduction of MB dye due to Ni-doping shows the enhanced photocatalytic properties of BFO by Ni doping.

This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of seven decontamination processes in reducing the pesticide mixture load of six insecticides (quinalphos, profenophos, ethion, lambda-cyhalothrin, imidacloprid, and acetamiprid) from chili (Capsicum annuum L.). In the control treatment, the pesticide residues were extracted without following any decontamination procedure. The extraction of the insecticides from chili was initiated after 48 h of pesticide mixture spray and was done using the QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe) method. The quantitative analysis of four insecticides, namely quinalphos, profenophos, ethion, and lambda-cyhalothrin, was done by coupled gas chromatography-electron capture detection and that of imidacloprid and acetamiprid by high-performance liquid chromatography-UV detection. The results depicted reduction of pesticide residues in all the decontamination treatments compared with the control, although it varied for different insecticides. Solutions of 1 and 5% NaCl and 5% CH3COOH served as efficient decontaminants in removal of quinalphos, profenophos, ethion, and lambda-cyhalothrin residues from chili to ca. 90%, whereas for imidacloprid and acetamiprid there was a mild decontamination only (33.33 to 52.44%). The solutions of 5% NaHCO3 and 0.01% KMnO4 were effective only in removing lambda-cyhalothrin residues from the chili crop, but for all other pesticides the decontamination was not much pronounced. HIGHLIGHTS

The development of smart negative electrode materials with high capacitance for the uses in supercapacitors remains challenging. Although several types of electrode materials with high capacitance in energy storage have been reported, carbon-based materials are the most reliable electrodes due to their high conductivity, high power density, and excellent stability. The most common complaint about general carbon materials is that these electrode materials can hardly ever be used as free-standing electrodes. Free-standing carbon-based electrodes are in high demand and are a passionate topic of energy storage research. Electrospun nanofibers are a potential candidate to fill this gap. However, the as-spun carbon nanofibers (ECNFs) have low capacitance and low energy density on their own. To overcome the limitations of pure CNFs, increasing surface area, heteroatom doping and metal doping have been chosen. In this review, we introduce the negative electrode materials that have been developed so far. Moreover, this review focuses on the advances of electrospun nanofiber-based negative electrode materials and their limitations. We put forth a future perspective on how these limitations can be overcome to meet the demands of next-generation smart devices.

Agriculture has always been affected by intractable pests. Conventional agriculture still relies on the use of several pesticides to control various pests to ensure the yield of the crop and to feed a constantly growing population. To reduce the pest menace, the fatuous behavior of people as well as a natural proclivity towards the use of pesticides in a non-judicious manner, has caused several ecological backlashes such as secondary pest outbreak, pest resurgence and non-target organism's exploitation. Effects of pesticides on non-target organisms area worldwide concern and contention are the basis for most legislation regarding usage of specific pesticides. Pesticides, besides their effect on pests, would also affect several beneficial non-targets. The effect of pesticides could be lethal and may prove catastrophic or sublethal and stimulate the growth and development of non targeted biota's. Hence, this review approaches well-analyzed hindsight regarding the effect of pesticides on the natural enemies as well as other non-target organisms present in the rice agroecosystem.

Farmers’ health and the environment are prime priorities for any agrarian economy. In India, almost 90% of the pesticides are used in rice, cotton, and vegetables. Nevertheless, factors associated with farmers’ behavior in pesticide use are lacking. This study assessed Indian rice farmers’ intention to use pesticides, by applying a modified version of the theory of planned behavior with knowledge of pesticide use and moral norms as additional constructs. The study is marshaled by the primary data collected from 480 rice growers of Odisha region, India through a multi-stage random sampling. The majority of the farmers showed positive attitudes towards pesticide use, relatively high levels of subjective norms, and almost neutral levels of moral norms. On the contrary, the majority of the farmers exhibited quite low levels of perceived behavioral control and knowledge of safe pesticide use. A significant positive correlation was established between intention and the variables attitudes, subjective norms, moral norms, perceived behavioral control, and knowledge. Knowledge was the most significant variable in controlling subjective norms, moral norms, and intention, while subjective norms and moral norms also played a crucial role in intention. Findings highlight the crucial role of knowledge, subjective norms, and moral norms in intention to use pesticides. Policy initiatives need to be implemented in the study area for judicious pesticide use, including integration of scientific knowledge about pesticide use with farmers’ traditional pest management and establishment of a strong link between rice farmers and extension experts, who can encourage ‘pesticide-free’ farming through proper certification programs.

Most of automotive and aerospace industries use journal bearing as support for rotating elements. It is because of such bearings exhibits prolonged material life and has better performance. In this research, material modeling and numerical simulation of an elliptic bore journal bearing with isotropic roughness is carried out for load carrying capacity (LCC) using finite difference method. The LCC is a governing parameter, which decides the bearing material and its implication for a particular bearing application. Load is evaluated by integrating the hydrodynamic pressure over bearing area. Subsequently, it is observed that bearing load depends on eccentricity(e), Non-circularity (G), L/D ratio (β) and roughness parameter (Y) due to which there is a complex effect of all these parameters on bearing performance and therefore on material selection. A grey based Taguchi optimization model is developed with four factors at two levels, to find the best combination of bearing parameters on the LCC. Optimized load carrying is achieved at e2-G1-β2-Y1 condition. The isothermal and the thermal non-dimensional loads are 7.0605 and 3.3 respectively in this condition.

The modern era of digital computing systems is deeply embedded around memory devices, which store an ocean of information accessible by an electronic gadget. Such electronic circuitry can be mimicked by molecules that became known to the scientific community over the last two decades. However, their mechanistic studies, fast switching events, reproducibility, and scaling-up approaches are crucial points for such molecular devices to have practical applications. Among the well-explored systems, redox-based resistive switching memories (RRAM) are the most prosperous research domain, expressly for technological augmentation. In situ stabilization of electrical charges on the molecule for the subsequent reduction of the frontier molecular orbital's energy gap, can be an excellent method to overcome the slow switching speed of prototype devices. The recent extension of resistive memory to memristors has also offered enormous charge storage capacity and processing ability to overcome Moore's limitation law and the Von Neumann bottleneck issue. Thereby, the central objective of the present review is to showcase the recent progress in the fabrication of devices incorporating inorganic, organic, and redox-active molecules, either in self-assembled monolayers or many molecules assembled between two electrical contacts followed by stimuli-responsive current–voltage (I–V) analysis. Solid-state molecular memory devices as a ‘proof-of-concept’ might be prolific in future applications.

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been synthesized by a simple and efficient pyrolysis technique, and composites of CNTs with PEDOT:PSS, and with P3HT:PCBM blend have been prepared by a modest solution treatment. Bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaic cell (OPVC) has been fabricated by spin coating technique with configuration ITO/PEDOT:PSS/P3HT:PCBM/Al to serve as reference OPVC. Three more OPVCs have been fabricated by the same procedure, the first one with CNTs/PEDOT:PSS composite replacing PEDOT:PSS, second one with CNTs/P3HT:PCBM composite replacing P3HT:PCBM blend, and the third one with both replacements. The performances of all the OPVCs at room temperature have been compared and CNTs have been observed to cause extraordinary increment in the power conversion efficiency (PCE) as well as other electrical parameters of all the devices depending on the layer in which they have been incorporated. To extend the study for understanding further advantages of CNTs incorporation in fighting against degradation, all the fabricated OPVCs have been exposed to open atmosphere and their electrical properties have been measured at room temperature in regular intervals. Encouragingly positive outcomes have been attained, demonstrating not only a well maintained enhancement in the PCE, but also a considerably improved device stability. The best performing OPVC has achieved 24% more PCE and 67% more lifetime in open atmosphere than the reference device, which clearly does indicate the significance of applications of filler CNTs to improve not only the performance but also the stability of OPVCs.

Construction of any excavation adds to the re-distribution of stresses around abutment and crown. This is stabilised by providing extra reinforcement. When a large underground cavern is excavated, stress re-distribution around abutment is obvious. Underground powerhouse cavern of Tala Hydropower Plant with adverse geological setting is one such cavern which encountered failure of a number of rock-bolts and series of other types of rockmass failure during its construction. It puts a question mark on the long-term stability of this powerhouse. To evaluate the dynamic stability of the rockmass (against induced stresses) around this powerhouse, microseismic monitoring network was installed. Microseismic data has been analysed in terms of static and dynamic parameters to assess the overall cavern stability. Spatio-temporal analysis of microseismic events could identify the potential risk zones which has significant cluster of events. To assess the overall stability due to these induced events, the ratio of transverse wave and longitudinal wave energy of these events was used as an index. It is found that cluster of events had shear failure. These events are basically of small non-damaging type and aid in releasing the built-up induced stresses. The slope of log–log plot of energy versus moment has a very high value. This indicates a stiffer rockmass which adds to its capability to absorb the induced stresses and aid to the overall stability of the region. Analysis reveals that no major seismic events are expected around this rockmass cavern and there is no dynamically unstable region against induced stresses.

A safe use of herbicide in the environment can be assessed by it’s adsorption – desorption behavior in soil. In the present work laboratory studies were performed to examine adsorption-desorption b...

Polymer nanocomposites with vital reinforcements of conductive fillers have evinced as next-generation high-performance materials with multi-functional applications. Herein, we report the facile synthesis of thermally stable, highly electrically conducting polyaniline multi-walled carbon nanotubes (PANI/MWCNT) nanocomposites doped in two different protonic acids, i.e. hydrochloric acid (HCl) and sulphuric acid (H2SO4). The doping acids significantly affect the electric and dielectric properties of conducting polymer nanocomposites. The paper probes in the synergistic effects of MWCNTs and the effect of doping acid on the thermal stability, conductivity and dielectric properties of the nanocomposites based on PANI nanofibres. The structural, morphological, optical, thermal and electrical properties were evaluated through X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, UV–Vis spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis and two-point probe technique. Ascribed to the high interfacial interaction between PANI and MWCNT, and considering the effect of doping acids, nanocomposites with high thermal stability, enhanced conductivity and high dielectric constant that can store large electrical charges have been synthesized by surfactant-assisted, in situ oxidative polymerization of aniline, in the presence of potassium persulfate as oxidant. The micellar structure of surfactant assists the dispersion of MWCNTs as well as the formation of PANI/MWCNT tubular structures. The effect of surfactant below and above critical micelle concentration was also studied. This complete study would affirm such a nanocomposite which procures excellent electrical and dielectric properties for microelectronic applications.

Green synthesis of silver nano-particles (AgNPs) from silver nitrate was carried out using purple-colored rice leaves' extracts containing higher phenols, anthocyanins, and flavonoids. The efficacy of synthesized AgNPs was tested against rice diseases and investigation was carried out to check negative effect of AgNPs on soil microbes. Substantial reduction of total anthocyanins, total phenols, and total flavonoids was observed in reaction mixture during AgNP formation indicating the role of secondary metabolites on AgNP formation and stabilization. Scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive spectroscopic images and FTIR spectral analysis of AgNPs confirmed the presence of elemental silver encapped by biomolecules. The optimized reaction parameters for synthesis of AgNPs from silver nitrate were (a) 48 h of incubation, (b) 9:1 (v/v) 1 mM AgNO3:plant extract, and (c) room temperature at 20-30 °C. Zeta potential and hydrodynamic particle sizes of synthesized AgNPs were ranged between - 16.61 to - 29.45 mV and 36-107 nm, respectively, at different time of incubation. AgNPs could control effectively Rhizoctonia solani and Xanthomonas oryzae pv. Oryzae and Helminthosporium oryzae. AgNPs at higher concentration could cause negative effect on microbial biomass carbon and soil enzymes for distant future. But the negative effects of AgNP solution (10% of 1 mM AgNPs) were comparable to commercial fungicide, carbendazim. The synthesized AgNPs with desirable characters were effective against a number of disease-causing pathogens in rice, and it can be recommended as broad-spectrum pesticide.

This paper approaches the question of how to describe the higher-level internal structures and representations of cognitive systems across various kinds of nonhuman (neuro)cognitive systems. While much research in cognitive (neuro)science and comparative cognition is dedicated to the exploration of the (neuro)cognitive mechanisms and processes with a focus on brain-behavior relations across different non-human species, not much has been done to connect (neuro)cognitive mechanisms and processes and the associated behaviors to plausible higher-level structures and representations of distinct kinds of cognitive systems in non-humans. Although the study of (neuro)cognitive mechanisms and processes can certainly be revealing, (neuro)cognitive mechanisms and processes are underspecified with respect to internal structures and representations of non-human cognitive systems because multiple such mechanisms can target, or be mapped onto, the same internal structure or vice versa. This paper outlines a biosemiotic approach to this linking problem in order to bridge the gap between functions of (neuro)cognitive systems in different species and the higher-level cognitive structures and representations. It is contended that the higher-level internal structures and representations of various cognitive systems are biosemiotic constraints on the (biological) functions of (neuro)cognitive systems that serve to restrict the range of functions (neuro)cognitive systems have or are selected for. This turns out to have implications for issues on the convergent evolution of cognitive traits.

Changes in the global temperature and precipitation regime have been significantly driving species responses, notably in sensitive areas such as the Himalayas. By conducting a study at two high altitude (3200–4100 m) valleys (Langtang and Tsum) situated in the central part of the Nepal Himalayas, we presented tree-ring width site chronologies for two Larix species (Larix griffithii and L. himalaica) for the first time. The longest chronology spans from 1771 to 2015 AD and showed a recent decline in the growth of Larix species in both sites, controlled mainly by drought. Tree growth showed a negative response to temperature and a positive response to precipitation, indicating that moisture stress is limiting the growth of the species. Based on the Larix ring width chronology statistics and climate response results, these species have good potential for past climate reconstruction such as temperature, rainfall or drought indices. Also, the study revealed that the Himalayan endemic Larix species investigated are promising for tree-ring based multi-aspect environmental change studies in the future.

The concept of molecular electronic devices (MEDs) has evolved since the first theoretical report was published in 1974. This theoretical article laid the foundation for understanding charge-transport phenomena by utilizing either a single molecule or numerous molecules sandwiched between two electrical conductors. Since then, many research groups have engaged in molecular junction fabrication using a variety of molecules including organic, inorganic, and organometallic molecules, polymers, and biomolecules that can mimic the electronic functions of traditional silicon-based devices. To date, most of these molecular junctions have been constructed using well-explored molecular assemblies of thiolated derivatives adsorbed mostly on Au substrates. However, the Au-S bond is not considered to be a true covalent bond in view of its surface bond energy, which is ∼1.9 eV, much less than pure covalent bond energy. Additionally, Au-S interfaces suffer from poor reactivity and instability over time; thus, they are not suitable for real world applications. Therefore, an alternative approach for the fabrication of molecular electronic junctions must be envisioned to address all the difficulties mentioned above. Herein, we summarize the most recent experiential outcomes to demonstrate how electrochemical techniques can be employed to form robust molecular layers on various substrates including Au, ZnO, SnO2, H-terminated Si, and conductive carbon electrodes that are suitable for the fabrication of reliable molecular electronics devices for charge-transport studies. This fascinating electrochemical technique is appropriate for producing not only homostructure but also heterostructure molecular layers with desired thicknesses. We also discuss the pros and cons of the electrochemical process for growing molecular layers in the Conclusion and outlook section.

Present work studies the effect of particle reinforcement on fracture toughness of bio-composites. The filler used has been taken as rice husk. Epoxy resin has been taken as matrix material. Composites with varying filler loading of 10, 20, 30 and 40 wt.% were fabricated. The fracture toughness was seen to be increasing with increase in filler loading. However beyond 20% there was a decrease in fracture toughness with increase in filler loading. The effect of fibre treatment on toughness was also observed. Rice husk fibres pre-treated with NaOH were used. It was observed that fracture toughness further improved due to treatment. The increase in fracture toughness was significant. Fracture toughness increased from 1.072 to 2.7465 MPa√mm for 20% reinforcement and after treatment it increased to 2.876 MPa√mm. It was observed that concentration of treatment media also affects the fracture toughness. Further the effect of hybridization was observed by addition of rice husk ash as a secondary reinforcement. The fracture toughness of the resulting composites was remarkably higher than that of pure epoxy.

During the manufacture of various components, a number of machining operations are carried out. It is essential to study the cutting process for economic aspects of the manufacturing of the components. To investigate the performance of cutting tool during the cutting, the measurement of cutting forces is essential. This helps the analysis of material cutting. The tool force measurement is an essential tool to analyze the process of material cutting. These test results are used to solve shop floor problems such as tool performance, load exerted on the machine, or on the jigs and fixtures. Effect of feed rate and cutting speed on cutting forces of almond shell and coconut fiber biocomposite was investigated using 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 weight percentages of almond shell particle and 2, 4, and 6 weight percentages of coconut fiber mixed with epoxy resin. It was found that the cutting force increases at higher rotational speed due to quick carrying out of heat generated during cutting process through tool or chips and hence thermal softness of chips increases the cutting force at higher rotational speed.

In this study, the removal of hexavalent chromium from aqueous solution were examined using activated charcoal derived from Sapindus trifoliate L fruit biomass in continuous fixed-bed column studies. The activated S. trifoliate L fruit charcoal was prepared by treating the fruit powder using concentrated nitric acid solution. Experiments were performed to investigate the effect of bed height and initial concentration on the breakthrough and saturation times. The breakthrough and saturation time increases with increase in bed height and initial concentration of chromium solutions. The maximum adsorption capacity of S. trifoliate L charcoal for hexavalent chromium was found to be 1.719 mg/g in the bed height 15 cm and initial concentration 10 mg/L, respectively. Column data required at various conditions were explained using Bohart-Adams and Thomas model. Two models were found to be suitable to describe the definite part of the dynamic behaviour of the column with regard to bed-height and initial concentration of hexavalent chromium. On comparison of Adjusted R2 and estimated standard error, the Thomas model was found to best-fitted model and can be used to predict the adsorption of the hexavalent chromium in fixed-bed column studies. Activated S. trifoliate L fruit charcoal was characterised by SEM-EDX and FTIR analysis. Highlights Fixed bed column adsorption is a potential technology for removal of toxicants from water.; The maximum adsorption capacity of charcoal was found to be 1.719 mg/g.; Activated S. trifoliate L fruit charcoal was characterised by SEM and FTIR analysis.; S. trifoliate L fruit charcoal is low-cost with considerable high adsorption capacity.; Thomas model was found to be the best-fitted model to predict the fixed bed adsorption.

Grain discolouration is an emerging disease of rice that has potential to cause huge losses if favourable conditions are available. The disease is caused by a pathogen complex and was reported from few places of India. During rabi season in 2019, a survey was undertaken at the paddy fields of NRRI, Cuttack, and found heavy incidences of grain discolouration in the cultivated rice genotypes with symptoms in the form of brown-/black-/ash-coloured grains mostly accompanied with chaffiness. The grain discolouration incidence ranged from 25 to 92% in different rice genotypes. The high disease incidence may be due to abrupt climate change, thereby increasing the virulence of the once minor pathogen(s) to gain fitness and causing devastation in rice crop. The mean yield loss due to grain discolouration was 18.9% and ranged between 0.1 and 60.2%. All the rice genotypes examined were susceptible to the disease. However, yield loss was not very devastating because only few genotypes showed higher yield loss while the remaining genotypes have much lower values. During the investigation, the temperature ranging from 25 to 37 °C, moderate rainfall, high relative humidity of 70–76% and high wind speed were observed that played a critical role in the disease outbreak. Therefore, epidemiology and management of grain discolouration should be the current concerns in order to halt the disease from affecting rice production in the country.

Antioxidant properties of four common green algal genera viz. Cladophora glomerata, Chaetomorpha aerea, Rhizoclonium crassipellitum, and Pithophora cleveana collected from Sunderban areas of Eastern India were tested in controlled and nutrient stress conditions. Experimental algae were exposed to growth media with variations in nitrate and NaCl salt concentrations from 0 to 1500 ppm level for a period of 21 days. A dose-dependent upregulation in total phenols, flavonoids, pigment, and antioxidant property in relation to % DPPH activity and % ferrous ion chelating activity was observed. Maximum phenol content was observed for algal biomass exposed to 1500 ppm nitrate stress conditions (52.55 ± 0.01 mg GAE/g DW-16.48 ± 0.041 mg GAE/g DW) with Rhizoclonium showing the maximum contents. In the case of total flavonoid content, maximum upregulation was noted in the hypersaline conditions and Pithophora showed the highest contents amongst all (71.8 ± 0.21 mg QE/g DW). The highest carotenoid contents were observed in 750 ppm stress condition. Optimally stressed algal biomass having maximum carotenoid levels and high antioxidant levels were selected as fish feed ingredients, based on dose- and time-dependent two-way Anova and Tukeys test (750 ppm nitrate, 7 days). The processed biomass was included as fish feed ingredient to study the nutritive effects on goldfish (Carassius auratus). Algal feed (AF) was prepared from algal biomass only, which was further mixed with the commercial feed (CF) in varying proportions to formulate three different types of value-added feed (VAF). The experimental feed (25% VAF, 50% VAF, 75%VAF and AF) were tested against commercial feed (control) for 30 days in artificially aerated static aquaria system. The feed type formulated as 50% VAF was found to be most effective in terms of skin pigmentation, growth, and antioxidant activities of experimental fishes showing almost (1.44–4-folds increase) compared to the control setup. Statistically significant results were obtained regarding nutritive properties of experimental feed and fishes using PCA and Tukeys test respectively. Body weight gain and specific growth rate also changed significantly in experimental fishes.

Soil fertility management requires a precise assessment of nutrient release from organic amendments to decide the rates and frequency of application. Time-dependent release of some macro- and micro-nutrients from farmyard manure, mushroom compost, poultry manure, vermi-compost, biogas slurry and biochar of Lantana sp. was studied during 120 days incubation through entrapment of released nutrients on ion exchange resins. Highest total concentration of K, Ca, Mg and S was in farmyard manure, Fe and Mn in mushroom compost, P, Zn and Cu in biogas slurry and B in biochar. Farmyard manure had the highest C:N ratio (34.2), while other organic amendment had C:N ratio

Introduction: Beta-thalassemia major is the most common chronic hemolytic anemia. It is a well-comprehended fact that the toxic effects of iron overload particularly the cardiomyopathy are the major complication that roots from beta-thalassemia major children. Therefore, timely diagnosis is crucial to optimize the long-term gain. Objective: The objective of the study is to find the cutoff level of serum ferritin for early diagnosis of cardiac iron overload. Materials and Methods: This study was an observational analytical cross-sectional diagnostic study which was conducted from November 2016 to October 2018. With due approval of Institutional Ethics Committee and after taking proper informed consent from the parents and/or legal heir, 105 thalassemic children were enrolled in the study by simple consecutive sampling after satisfying the pre-defined inclusion and exclusion criteria. In this study, two-dimensional Doppler echocardiography was used to detect cardiac iron overload. Serum ferritin levels were estimated, and cutoff values were calculated for each of the echocardiographic parameters of cardiac iron overload, i.e. ejection fraction (EF), left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD), and left ventricular end-systolic diameter (LVESD) by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Sensitivity (Sn), specificity (Sp), positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were calculated with considering p

The herpetofauna of Nepal have been historically understudied, and although previous studies have reported on bioinventory surveys of the Kathmandu Valley, few have surveyed widely during the peak ...

Introduction: The renal involvement has been reported in Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium malariae, and recently in Plasmodium vivax infection. Although malaria is highly endemic in the rural locality of Odisha and a significant proportion of severe malaria causes acute renal complication, there is no definite study on the survival of malarial acute kidney injury (AKI) in children of the setup of the current study. Objective: The objective of the study was to find out the survival of malarial AKI in children. Methods: A prospective analytical study was conducted from October 2016 to September 2018 in the postgraduate department of pediatrics, of a tertiary care hospital in Odisha, after approval from the Institutional Ethics Committee. Children with smear-positive and/or quantitative buffy coat (QBC) positive malaria were included in the study. All the relevant data (age, gender, duration of hospital stays, stages of AKI, signs, and symptoms of AKI, serum urea and creatinine, electrolytes, and routine hemogram) were collected, validated and results were analyzed in terms of one-way ANOVA and Kaplan–Meier survival analysis. Results: Out of 202 malarial cases, 50.4% (102) cases were found to be suffering from malarial AKI. Out of 102 malarial AKI children, 68% were affected due to falciparum infection, 12% due to vivax, and rest 20% due to mixed infection. The median duration of survival in days between three stages of AKI was significant as evidenced by Tarone-Ware Chi-square=48.365 (df=2), p=0.000. Conclusion: Mortality was 6% and all of these deaths belong to Stage 3 AKI; furthermore, the morbidities are more in Stage 3 as compared to other stages.

Rice blast caused by Magnaporthe oryzae is one of the most destructive diseases of rice in the world. The blast fungus shows a high degree of variability in the field and limited information is available on its genetic diversity and population structure in India. Twenty five polymorphic SSR markers were used to investigate the genetic diversity and population structure of 96 blast isolates collected from Odisha and Chhattisgarh region. The markers yielded a total of 110 alleles and number of alleles per locus varied from 2 to 8. The gene diversity ranged from 0.02 to 0.49 whereas, major allele frequency varied from 0.50 to 0.98. The PIC value varied from 0.02 to 0.37 with a mean value of 0.29. Cluster analysis grouped the blast isolates into four distinct major clusters. The high level of genetic diversity was observed with ninety one haplotypes and nucleotide diversity of 0.293. The principal coordinate and structure analysis identified two genetic clusters of M. oryzae isolates with some degree of distinctness according to affected plant parts. Analysis of molecular variance revealed more genetic variation within populations and less among populations. The outcome of this study would help to understand the genetic diversity of M. oryzae from eastern India that would guide in the development of more effective control strategies and improving rice blast resistance through development of new resistant varieties through marker-assisted breeding.

A major portion of Indian population depends upon agriculture. The irrigation canals play an important role in providing water to the plants for their turgidity. In this work an attempt is made to use relatively accurate instruments such as Flow Tracker ADV and micro ADV to calculate the discharge and the turbulence characteristics of the flow in Mundoghat canal, which take off from the power channel of Hirakud power house, India. The velocity was found to be 0.239 m/s using Flow Tracker ADV and 0.2518 m/s by using Micro ADV. The average Reynolds shear stress was found out to be 0.203 N/m2 and the average turbulent kinetic energy 41.251 cm2/s2. A humble attempt is made to measure the performance of Mundoghat canal through various indicators. The values of indicators for the Mundoghat canal are adequacy of 82.69%, dependability 77%, equity of 86.3% and the conveyance efficiency of 89.76%.

Robust opto-electroactive monolayers of three different RuII–terpyridyl complexes with amino and pyridyl termination are fabricated on SiOx-based substrates using siloxane-based attachment chemistry and either pyridyl or amine linkage to the preliminary prepared template. The UV–vis spectra of these monolayers display the characteristic metal-to-ligand charge-transfer bands, with a bathochromic shift compared to the spectra of the respective metalloligands dissolved in acetonitrile solution. This shift is notably larger for the pyridyl-linked monolayers compared to the amino-linked film, correlating qualitatively with the molecular grafting density. Cyclic voltammograms of the monolayers covalently attached onto indium tin oxide electrodes show reversible switching between the two redox states (Ru2+ to Ru3+ and vice versa), with a typical one-electron redox behavior. The sensing response of the monolayers to a series of different metal ions was tested, with the amino-decorated films showing a particularly...

Cooperative catalysis on solid surfaces relies primarily on two or more catalytic partners being close enough to each other to sustain the catalytic cycle. We describe here the synthesis and preliminary investigation of discrete homo-oligomers as flexible scaffolds to inflect the intersite distance and blur the compositional heterogeneity in a silica-grafted catalytic triad.

A field study with wheat crop was undertaken to examine the efficacy of two soil amendments, cereal straw and fresh cow dung slurry, in reducing leaching of sulfosulfuron to groundwater and its residue load in soil. The herbicide was extracted by the QuEChER’S method and quantified through high performance liquid chromatography. The amendments had no effect on the general properties of groundwater. Both cereal straw and fresh cow dung reduced leaching of sulfosulfuron into groundwater but cereal straw was more effective, probably because its addition decreases soil pH, thereby causing faster hydrolysis of the herbicide. At harvest time, residues of the herbicide in grains, straw and soil were below recommended maximum residue limits (0.1 mg kg-1) with both amendments. Thus, both the amendments can be recommended for wheat cropping systems to control sulfosulfuron leaching to groundwater. Keywords: Groundwater, Soil amendments, Wheat crop, Sulfosulfuron, Leaching

The current research presents a case study of optimal allocation of water for irrigation and power generation at Hirakud reservoir with the application of meta-heuristic algorithm. Hirakud is a mul...

A high-performance ultraviolet photodetector has been successfully fabricated based on new CuO/CdSe core-shell nanowires (NWs). The obtained modulated optical band gap due to quantum confinement effect has the capability to detect photons with energies (3.96 eV) significantly larger than the band gap of CuO (1.2 eV) and CdSe (1.7 eV), which is mainly attributed to the abrupt interface between the CuO core and CdSe shell. The fabricated CuO/CdSe core-shell heterostructure NWs as photodetector device showed responsivity 0.63A/W with external quantum efficiency approximately 3.14 × 102% under illumination of wavelength 254 nm. The strong response of CuO/CdSe NWs photodetector is explained by the Type-II band alignment which cause the separation of photo generated electron–hole pairs and their charge transfer at the junction.

Pr3+ and Ti4+ doped BiFeO3; Bi1-xPrxFe0.80Ti0.20O3 (x = 0.05, 0.10 and 0.15) ceramics were prepared by two stage solid state sintering method. The X-ray diffraction shows large structural distortio...

The effects of different state variables (contact time, pH, concentration, ionic strength and temperature) were investigated on the adsorption of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) onto goethite for its potential utilization in mitigating water pollution. The results suggested that the adsorption of 4-NP reached a quasi-steady state equilibrium at 24 h and followed pseudo-second order kinetics. The computed value of pseudo-second order rate coefficient for adsorption of 4-NP on goethite was 447.57 kg mM−1 h−1. Adsorption of 4-NP on goethite was higher when the solution pH was

Protein plays a role as an indispensable macronutrient in human nutrition. The utilization of new protein sources from plants requires a thorough investigation for application in foods. Functional characterization is the most important step for the quality assessment of protein along with annotating the protein with a specific application in food systems. The evaluation of plant protein for quality and functional properties is critical in replacing conventional animal-based proteins. This review aims to discuss the important parameters considered crucial for the application of protein in foods. The amino acid profile is the most important parameter for the evaluation of the quality of a protein, while others (viz., molecular weight distribution, structural morphology, and thermal stability) are crucial properties of the protein. This review also focuses on various food functional properties (water/oil holding capacity, emulsification activity/stability, and solubility) and in vitro digestibility, which are considered important for identifying a distinct application for a particular plant protein. Research trends show numerous emerging sources of quality plant proteins, but their utilization as food supplements depends on their availability, safety, and consumer preferences. However, advancements in techniques for functional characterization could assist in exploring new plant protein sources that can be utilized in human nutrition.

Urbanization and linear infrastructure are reported to influence amphibian assemblages and populations. In areas undergoing rapid infrastructure development and urbanization, the mounting threats to biodiversity are evident. Although protected area coverage and focus on charismatic species conservation are well recognized, non-charismatic species such as amphibians are far from mainstream conservation actions and policies in Nepal. Studies on pattern and distribution of amphibians are limited, as are the roles of environmental variables in amphibian diversity in the urban landscape. This study was designed to assess the frog species richness and correlates of amphibian occurrence in Kathmandu valley. Visual encounter survey of 161 belt transects was carried out in August 2018. Data analysis used two part or Hurdle regression methods where the richness of frogs was considered a response variable. A total of 10 frog species belonging to six families were recorded. The occurrence of frogs was negatively associated with the dry soil conditions and positively associated with increased distance from roads. Occurrence of frogs along road distance gradient depicts the influence of urban infrastructure in amphibian distribution. This entails consideration of systematic conservation planning for rapidly urbanizing areas.

Substituted phenols, such as 4-Nitrophenol (4-NP) and 2,4-Dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP), that are present in industrial wastewaters are considered as priority pollutants due to their toxic effects. Their removal by biosorption presents an eco-friendly, cost-effective method. The kinetics of removal of 4-NP and 2,4-DCP by untreated Nostoc sp. (UNB) and Fe-treated Nostoc sp. biomass (FNB) were studied at three different pH (4.0, 7.0 and 9.0). The highest sorption of both phenols (2.28 mg 4-NP and 1.51 mg 2,4-DCP g−1) coupled with the lowest cumulative percentage desorption was recorded with FNB at pH 7.0. The sorption of both phenols by UNB and FNB was best accounted for by pseudo-second-order kinetics. Compared to UNB, FNB had significantly higher equilibrium sorption capacities for both phenols at all the three pH values and also higher sorption rate constants of 4-NP at pH 4 and 9 and of 2,4-DCP at pH 4 and 7. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis showed that –OH and COO− groups of UNB interacted with Fe+3. The sorption of 4-NP and 2,4-DCP on UNB was likely through H-bonding/structural cation bridging with the phenolic group, while their sorption onto FNB appeared to be a complexation reaction with very low reversibility.

Chlorantraniliprole (CAP) is extensively used for rice pest management. Lack of information on the role of standing water and amount and timing of rainfall on CAP dissipation in rice ecosystem could hamper its prospective use. Present study was performed to investigate the effects of different water regimes (saturated, 5 and 10 cm standing water) and simulated rainfall (40 and 100 mm occurred at 4, 8 and 24 h after CAP application) on leaching, surface runoff and dissipation of CAP into components of rice ecosystem. The results showed highest concentration of CAP residues in soil and plant under saturated condition followed by 5 and 10 cm standing water conditions. Whereas, the highest concentration of CAP in leachates was detected under 10 cm standing water (12.19 ng mL−1). The results revealed large amount of leaching (21.99 ng mL−1) and surface runoff (42.25 ng mL−1) losses of CAP when 100 mm rainfall occurred at 4 h after pesticide application. The total quantity of CAP residues in soil and plant was highest when rainfall occurred at 24 h after pesticide application under both the rainfall amounts. Water stagnation and high intensity rainfall occurred shortly after pesticide application will contribute to pesticide loss to non-target sites through surface run-off and leaching. There will be less pesticide available in soil for plant uptake which may not be sufficient to kill the target organisms.

Love-type surface wave in a model comprising two prestressed layers over an inhomogeneous half-space under the influence of gravity is investigated. The considered uppermost prestressed layer is inhomogeneous having anisotropy of orthotropic type, whereas the lower prestressed layer is an anisotropic porous medium. The elastic constants and density of the upper layer and the gravitating half-space vary with the depth and this variation is defined by using trigonometric and exponential functions. Applying appropriate boundary conditions and using Whittaker’s function frequency equation is established, based on which numerical computations are carried out for a specific model, and graphs are plotted to depict the impact of different factors, e.g. inhomogeneity, initial stress, porosity, gravity and thickness proportion of the considered layers on the propagation of Love wave. It is found that there is profound impact of all these factors on the velocity of Love wave. The analytical derivations of the present paper may be useful to seismologists, structural engineers and those working in the field of geophysical prospecting and soil mechanics.

The efficient (site-specific) management of soil nutrients is possible by understanding the spatial variability in distribution of phyto-available nutrients (here after called available nutrients) and identifying the soil management zones (MZs) of agricultural landscapes. There is need for delineating soil MZs of agricultural landscapes of the world for efficient management of soil nutrients in order to obtain sustainability in crop yield. The present study was, therefore, undertaken to understand the spatial distribution pattern of available micronutrients (zinc (Zn), boron (B), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn) and copper (Cu)), available sulphur (S), and soil properties (soil acidity (pH), electrical conductivity (EC) and organic carbon (SOC) content) in soils of intensively cultivated Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) of India and to delineate soil MZs for efficient management of soil nutrients. Totally, 55101 soil samples from 0-15 cm depth were obtained from 167 districts of IGP during 2014 to 2017 and were analysed for different soil parameters. Soil pH, EC and SOC content varied from 4.44 to 9.80, 0.02 to 2.13 dS m-1 and 0.10 to 1.99%, respectively. The concentration of available Zn, B, Fe, Mn, Cu and S varied from 0.01 to 3.27, 0.01 to 3.51, 0.19 to 55.7, 0.05 to 49.0, 0.01 to 5.29 and 1.01 to 108 mg kg-1, respectively. Geostatistical analysis resulted in varied distribution pattern of studied soil parameters with moderate to strong spatial dependence. The extent (% area) of nutrient deficiencies in IGP followed the order: S > Zn > B > Mn > Cu > Fe. Principal component analysis and fuzzy c-means clustering produced six distinctly different soil MZs of IGP for implementation of zone-specific soil nutrient management strategies for attaining sustainability in crop yield. The developed MZ maps could also be utilized for prioritization and rationalization of nutrients supply in IGP of India.

The red panda Ailurus fulgens, an endangered herbivorous member of the order Carnivora that is endemic to the eastern Himalayan broadleaf and coniferous forests, is surviving under threats induced by human activity and climate change. The distribution range of the red panda in Nepal represents an understudied remnant population at the edge of its western biogeographic distribution range. To build a potentially suitable habitat, we used red panda occurrence and the least correlated bioclimatic variables in MaxEnt modeling. In addition, habitat variables were recorded in transects and quadrat plots to identify ecologically important variables for the red panda habitat. Currently, 14.23% (21,680 km2) of Nepal is a climatically suitable habitat for the red panda. The mean temperature of the warmest quarter, annual temperature range, mean temperature of the coldest quarter and precipitation of the coldest quarter are the major contributing variables in the model, with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.94. Climatic, geographic, and habitat group variables have considerable contributions, while disturbance has a low contribution. Multiple factor analysis identified mixed broadleaf forest, East Himalayan oak-laurel forest, canopy cover >20%, ground substrate use, bamboo cover >20%, tree stump presence, fallen logs of small trees and habitat without grazing as having high contributions in the qualitative groups. Similarly, the elevation, distance from settlements and roads, distance to water sources, annual temperature range, mean diurnal range and annual precipitation were important variables in the quantitative groups. The results will help guide conservation managers in implementing effective habitat management programs for the red panda. Keywords: Himalayas, Habitat feature, Multiple factor analysis, Red panda

In this study, we present analysis of stream flow near the snout of Chaturangi glacier during the ablation season (June to September (JJAS)) in the year 2015 with an aim to estimate the sediment and water input into the Bhagirathi River from the glacier. In order to assess the variation in meltwater discharge from Chaturangi glacier and to determine its relationship with suspended sediment concentration (SSC), the meltwater and discharge data were analyzed from near the snout to avoid mixing of water and sediment from other glacier tributaries. The meltwater discharge was measured by area velocity method, and the SSC was calculated by vacuum filtration technique. During the entire ablation season (JJAS), marked seasonal variations were observed in the SSC and meltwater discharge. The higher variation is observed in suspended sediment load (SSL) (Cv = 1.17) than SSC (Cv = 0.54) because computation of SSL includes both discharge (Cv = 0.76) and SSC. The average monthly SSC for JJAS was found to be 0.99, 2.29, 4.20, and 1.84 g l−1, respectively, and average monthly meltwater discharge for same period was observed as 5.83, 14.48, 39.81, and 12.69 m3 s−1, respectively. It suggested that throughout the ablation season, the cumulative percentage delivery of SSC follows meltwater discharge. The average suspended sediment yield (SSY) for the entire ablation season was estimated to be 2264.03 ton/km2, and consequent catchment denudation rate was measured as 0.85 mm. A strong positive correlation (r2 = 0.88), found between the discharge and SSC, revealed that both the parameters are dependent on each other. Our results also suggest that the Chaturangi glacier is a major contributor for transportation of sediment into the Bhagirathi River, compared with other tributaries of the Gangotri glacier system.

In this study, we investigate a mathematical model that describes the interactive dynamics of a predator-prey system with different kinds of response function. The positivity, boundedness, and uniform persistence of the system are established. We investigate the biologically feasible singular points and their stability analysis. We perform a comparative study by considering different kinds of functional responses, which suggest that the dynamical behavior of the system remains unaltered, but the position of the bifurcation points altered. Our model system undergoes Hopf bifurcation with respect to the growth rate of the prey population, which indicates that a periodic solution occurs around a fixed point. Also, we observed that our predator-prey system experiences transcritical bifurcation for the prey population growth rate. By using normal form theory and center manifold theorem, we investigate the direction and stability of Hopf bifurcation. The biological implications of the analytical and numerical findings are also discussed in this study.

Chirality-induced spin selectivity (CISS), whereby helical molecules polarize the spin of electrical current, is an intriguing effect with potential applications in nanospintronics. In this nascent field, the study of the CISS effect using paramagnetic chiral molecules, which could introduce another degree of freedom in controlling the spin transport, remains so far unexplored. To address this challenge, herein we propose the use of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of helical lanthanide-binding peptides. To elucidate the effect of the paramagnetic nuclei, monolayers of the peptide coordinating paramagnetic or diamagnetic ions are prepared. By means of spin-dependent electrochemistry, the CISS effect is demonstrated by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance measurements for both samples. Additionally, an implementation of the standard liquid-metal drop electron transport setup has been carried out, and this process helped to demonstrate the peptides' suitability for solid-state devices. Remarkably, the inclusion of a paramagnetic center in the peptide increases the spin polarization as was independently proved by different techniques. These findings permit the inclusion of magnetic biomolecules in the CISS field and pave the way to their implementation in a new generation of (bio)spintronic nanodevices.

Artificial neural network model is applied for the prediction of the biosorption capacity of living cells of Bacillus cereus for the removal of chromium (VI) ions from aqueous solution. The maximum biosorption capacity of living cells of Bacillus cereus for chromium (VI) was found to be 89.24% at pH 7.5, equilibrium time of 60 min, biomass dosage of 6 g/L, and temperature of 30 ± 2 °C. The biosorption data of chromium (VI) ions collected from laboratory scale experimental set up is used to train a back propagation (BP) learning algorithm having 4-7-1 architecture. The model uses tangent sigmoid transfer function at input to hidden layer whereas a linear transfer function is used at output layer. The data is divided into training (75%) and testing (25%) sets. Comparison between the model results and experimental data gives a high degree of correlation R2 = 0.984 indicating that the model is able to predict the sorption efficiency with reasonable accuracy. Bacillus cereus biomass is characterized using AFM and FTIR.

The present study investigates the prevailing cropping pattern, adopted by the farmers of the study area under consideration. It aims at improving the net benefits from the farming activities with ...

Effect of ionic liquid functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (IL-MWCNTs) on mechanical, thermal and electrical properties of MWCNTs-reduced graphene oxide (rGO)/PMMA nanocomposites is investigated. IL-MWCNTs-rGO/PMMA hybrid nanocomposites are prepared by solvent-casing method. Incorporation of IL-MWCNTs improved the tensile strength and modulus by 119% and 58% respectively at 0.5 wt.% than that of PMMA due to better load transfer from PMMA to IL-MWCNTs-rGO. Enhancement in thermal stability is also occurs with incorporation of IL-MWCNTs in rGO/PMMA composite due to strong interaction provided by IL-MWCNTs with the polymer matrix. IL-MWCNTs-rGO/PMMA hybrid nanocomposites also shows more electrical conductivity than IL-MWCNTs/PMMA composite.

Mesoporous tin oxide was prepared by template assisted and template-free methods. As-prepared materials were calcined at various temperatures to generate different nature (Bronsted and Lewis), amount and strength of acidic sites. The physico-chemical properties of the catalysts were studied by XRD, N2 sorption, pyridine-FTIR, NH3-TPD, DRS UV-vis, TGA, SEM, TEM, 1H MAS and 119Sn MAS NMR analyses. The catalytic behavior of mesoporous tin oxide catalysts was evaluated for acetalization and ketalization of glycerol with benzaldehyde and acetone respectively under solvent free conditions. The catalytic performance of mesoporous tin oxide was compared with that of other conventional solid acid catalysts namely H-ZSM-5, H-mordenite, H-beta, Al-MCM-41, Al-SBA-15 and Al-TUD-1. The efficiency of mesoporous tin oxide was also tested for cyclohexene epoxidation reaction. The catalyst prepared by template assisted method showed excellent catalytic performance compared to other catalysts due the difference in nature and amount of acidic sites in the catalyst. Meso-SnO2-T-350 was stable and reusable catalyst for four cycles without any appreciable loss in activity, and therefore it offers a good catalyst for potentially wide applications.