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Four-wave mixing process (FWM) in the non-degenerate category can be produced by the interaction of the radiation field with the third-order nonlinear optical media. In our present paper, to describe the non-degenerate four-wave mixing process we have used the fully quantum mechanical bosonic Hamiltonian. Heisenberg’s equations of motion for various modes involving pump, signal and idler are constructed. The corresponding differential equations are coupled and nonlinear. Due to non-linearity, the solution of these equations in closed set analytical form is not possible. To solve these coupled nonlinear differential equations we use the Sen-Mandal perturbative technique. Interestingly, this approach provides a broader and more general set of solutions that may be applicable across a wider range of conditions. The Sen-Mandal perturbative technique allows a more general solution that can result in a more accurate and general representation of the system that is more advantageous than the well-known short-time approximation method. The obtained solutions have been used to study the intermodal entanglement, normal order anti-bunching and normal order squeezing for various modes under the non-degenerate four-wave mixing process. The non-degenerate FWM is one of the processes for generating entanglement, squeezing and anti-bunching etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditionally, the well-being and living standards of an individual were measured by the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Later, a gradual shift was noticed from economic to socio-economic measures leading to prioritization of the Human Development Index (HDI). However, to overcome certain limitations in the HDI, a detailed analysis of its sub-indices is necessitated. Thus, the contextualization of Living Standards (LS) one of the sub-factors of HDI may be introduced applied to broaden the domain of human well-being. Since then, living standards have expanded from economic indicators to that of non-econometric factors such as family concern, occupational status, personality etc. Despite this, there is hardly any indicator measuring the Living Standard Index (LSI) in the Indian context, especially for the older adults in India. Here, the study is conducted amongst 390 older adults' respondents of a peri-urban region of India through a multi-stage cluster sampling. This study outcome reveals that the LSI of the Indian older adults is dependent on the region-specific amenities, their age-groups, and living arrangement within their proximate networked members. Thus, the LSI may be influential in implementing policies for the older adults in the Indian context and that may be replicated across the globe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming very popular nowadays to reduce the consumption of oil and environmental pollution. The use of battery and super-capacitor is increasing as the power-source of EVs. The bi-directional DC-DC converter is essential to integrate the battery and super-capacitor with the motor of the vehicle. However, a conventional second-order bi-directional DC-DC converter cannot give very high/low output voltage due to its efficiency reduction at extreme duty cycles, which is prerequisite for EVs. The problems of achieving high efficiency in wide-input-wide-output (WIWO) voltage range bidirectional operation using a conventional bidirectional converter are summarized in this paper. Additionally, the available converters from the literature for WIWO voltage range operation are discussed in detail. The various wide voltage range DC-DC converters are classified into different categories based on their operating principle. Additionally, the advantage and disadvantages of these various wide voltage range converter topologies are explained for the EV application. Finally, a general conceptual solution to achieve a WIWO converter with high efficiency is proposed. It is essential to change the voltage level of the motor input as per the speed requirement. Hence, this paper presents a clear idea for the WIWO bi-directional converters for EV application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glutathione (GSH) is a common antioxidant and its biological activity depends on the conformation and protonation state. We used molecular dynamics, Raman and Raman optical activity (ROA) spectroscopies to investigate GSH structural changes in a broad pH range. Factor analysis of the spectra provided protonation constants (2.05, 3.45, 8.62, 9.41) in good agreement with previously published values. Following the analysis, spectra of differently protonated forms were obtained by extrapolation. The complete deprotonation of the thiol group above pH 11 was clearly visible in the spectra; however, many spectral features did not change much with pH. Experimental spectra at various pH values were decomposed into the simulated ones, which allowed us to study the conformer populations and quality of molecular dynamics (MD). According to this combined ROA/MD analysis conformation of the GSH backbone is affected by the pH changes only in a limited way. The combination of ROA with the computations thus has the potential to improve the MD force field and obtain more accurate populations of the conformer species. The methodology can be used for any molecule, but for a more detailed insight better computational techniques are needed in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of the presence of two probe waveguides on the dynamics of hyper‐Raman processes is studied in terms of quantum Zeno and anti‐Zeno effects. Specifically, the enhancement (diminution) of the evolution of the hyper‐Raman processes due to interaction with the probe waveguides via evanescent waves is viewed as quantum Zeno (anti‐Zeno) effect. This study considers the two probe waveguides interacting with only one of the optical modes at a time. For instance, as a specific scenario, it is considered that the two non‐degenerate pump modes interact with each probe waveguide linearly, while Stokes and anti‐Stokes modes do not interact with the probes. Similarly, in another scenario, it is assumed both the probe waveguides interact with Stokes (anti‐Stokes) mode simultaneously. The present results show that quantum Zeno (anti‐Zeno) effect is associated with phase‐matching (mismatching). However, it do not find any relation between the presence of the quantum Zeno effect and antibunching in the bosonic modes present in the hyper‐Raman processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fish processing waste amounts to around 50% and contains novel recoverable molecules like glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), health beneficial bioactive polysaccharide, and a nutraceutical. The present work aimed to formulate gelatin based gummies with added GAGs targeting obesity. Prepared formulations were sugar (S) and no added sugar (NAS), where sugar was replaced with maltitol. GAGs were supplemented at 0.5%, 1.5%, and 3% (w/w) in both. Storage studies (6 months, 25°C in RT) showed no significant changes in texture or sensory analysis and were microbiologically safe; GAGs were extractable up to 95%. Gummies with maltitol and GAGs at 1.5% were a suitable formulation as anti-obesity product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, the effect of coffee leaf extract (CLE) on in vitro enzyme inhibition was studied. Furthermore, its impact on the high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice (C57BL/6) at the levels of 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight along with positive control (orlistat) and the normal group maintained with starch-fed diet (SFD) was observed. CLE had significant α amylase and lipase enzyme inhibitory properties. In HFD-induced obese mice, treatment with CLE significantly reduced the body weight gain. The investigation demonstrated that CLE administration lowered blood glucose, total cholesterol, total triglycerides and LDL levels while increasing the HDL levels. It reduced the development of fatty liver by reducing hepatic fat accumulation and decreased the fat cell size in the adipose tissue. Further, CLE significantly increased the liver antioxidant enzyme activities and lowered the levels of hepatotoxicity markers in the serum when compared to the HFD-fed mice. The treatment also downregulated the mRNA expression of lipogenic transcription factors (SREBP-1c, CEBP-α) and enzymes (ACC, FAS) than HFD. Overall, the results indicate that coffee leaves have anti-obesity potential and can be used as functional ingredients in the development of innovative products for managing lifestyle disorders such as obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neospora caninum is a protozoan parasite, the etiologic agent of Neosporosis—a common cause of abortion in cattle worldwide. Herd level prevalence of Neosporosis could be as high as 90%. However, there is no approved treatment and vaccines available for Neosporosis. MicroRNA (miRNA) based prophylaxis and therapeutics could be options for Neosporosis in cattle and other animals. The current study aimed to investigate the genome of Neospora caninum to identify and characterize the conserved miRNAs through Expressed Sequence Tags (ESTs) dependent homology search. A total of 1,041 mature miRNAs of reference organisms were employed against 336 non-redundant ESTs available in the genome of Neospora caninum. The study predicted one putative miRNA "nca-miR-9388-5p" of 19 nucleotides with MFEI value -1.51 kcal/mol and (A + U) content% 72.94% corresponding with its pre-miRNA. A comprehensive search for specific gene targets was performed and discovered 16 potential genes associated with different protozoal physiological functions. Significantly, the gene "Protein phosphatase" was found responsible for the virulence of Neospora caninum. The other genes were accounted for gene expression, vesicular transport, cell signaling, cell proliferation, DNA repair mechanism, and different developmental stages of the protozoon. Therefore, this study finding will provide pivotal information to future aspirants upon Bovine Neosporosis. It will also serve as the baseline information for further studies of the bioinformatics approach to identify other protozoal miRNAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Combination of optical activity with surface-enhanced Raman scattering has been a dream of physical chemists for a long time. We report a measurement protocol based on silver colloids and aromatic linkers where chiral acids could be detected in concentrations of about 10−5 M. We explain the mechanism by binding and self-assembly of the linkers into chiral aggregates on the silver surface. Following the "sergeants-and-soldiers" principle, the chirality is determined by the relatively minor acidic component. Such detection of biologically relevant molecules may be useful when other methods, such as electronic circular dichroism, are not sensitive enough. In the future, variations of the chemical structure of the linker or other conditions are needed to provide a more specific signal allowing one to better discriminate among the optically active molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Episodic memories are contextual experiences ordered in time. This is underpinned by associative binding between events within the same contexts. The role of prediction errors in declarative memory is well established but has not been investigated in the time dimension of complex episodic memories. Here we combine these two properties of episodic memory, extend them into the temporal domain and demonstrate that prediction errors in different naturalistic contexts lead to changes in the temporal ordering of event structures in them. The wrongly predicted older sequences were weakened despite their reactivation. Interestingly the newly encoded sequences with prediction errors, seen once, showed accuracy as high as control sequences which were viewed repeatedly without change. Drift–diffusion modelling revealed a lower decision threshold for the newer sequences than older sequences, reflected by their faster recall. Moreover, participants' adjustments to their decision threshold significantly correlated with their relative speed of sequence memory recall. These results suggest a temporally distinct and adaptive role for prediction errors in learning and reorganizing episodic temporal sequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study explored the ameliorative potency of aqueous extract of Capsicum annum (AqCA), against oxidative imbalance and renal toxicity induced by ethanol. Randomly grouped male Wistar rats (n = 6), were marked as ethanol‐treated (2 g/kg bw, i.p.), CA125 (125 mg/kg bw, i.p.), CA250 (250 mg/kg bw, i.p.), ethanol pre‐treated with CA (similar doses), and control (0.5 ml normal saline, i.p.), and treated for 30 consecutive days. Biochemical analysis of tissue and serum parameters was performed, along with histopathological and histochemical studies. Also, we performed TUNEL assay and western blotting for our experimental groups. Statistical analysis revealed significant (p ≤.001) alteration in the levels of antioxidant enzymes, serum urea, creatinine, pro‐inflammatory cytokines, and cleaved caspases, along with histopathological alterations in the ethanol‐treated group. Prior treatment with AqCA prevented ethanol‐induced alterations in tissue and serum parameters. These findings indicate that the extract of CA can protect renal cells from ethanol‐induced damage by inhibiting oxidative stress, inflammatory response, and apoptosis. Practical applications: Chronic alcohol consumption is a major public health concern that leads to various diseases and social problems as well. It affects both the affluent and non‐affluent society equally. Alcohol (ethanol) is a renowned hepato‐toxicant and a well‐documented risk factor for oxidative stress, with less known effect on the kidney. Thus, it is essential to investigate the effect of alcohol metabolism on the kidney to find a remedy to prevent it. The present investigation depicts the anti‐oxidative and anti‐inflammatory role of Capsicum annum against ethanol‐induced renal damage. The outcome of this study can be utilized in the future for phytotherapeutic herbal drug formulation. Besides, the bioactive components identified in the study can be further explored by researchers or pharmaceutical corporates for potential therapeutic purpose against renal impairment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article in ChemPlusChem discusses the use of Raman optical activity spectra to monitor the conformation and protonation states of glutathione. By combining this technique with density functional theory and molecular dynamics computations, researchers can deduce potential energy maps from the spectra. These maps can be used to verify or improve common force fields. The study found that the pH had a limited effect on the backbone conformation of glutathione. The full details of the research can be found in the article by Petr Bouř and his colleagues. [Extracted from the article]

Neospora caninum is a protozoan parasite, the etiologic agent of Neosporosis-a common cause of abortion in cattle worldwide. Herd level prevalence of Neosporosis could be as high as 90%. However, there is no approved treatment and vaccines available for Neosporosis. MicroRNA (miRNA) based prophylaxis and therapeutics could be options for Neosporosis in cattle and other animals. The current study aimed to investigate the genome of Neospora caninum to identify and characterize the conserved miRNAs through Expressed Sequence Tags (ESTs) dependent homology search. A total of 1,041 mature miRNAs of reference organisms were employed against 336 non-redundant ESTs available in the genome of Neospora caninum. The study predicted one putative miRNA "nca-miR-9388-5p" of 19 nucleotides with MFEI value -1.51 kcal/mol and (A + U) content% 72.94% corresponding with its pre-miRNA. A comprehensive search for specific gene targets was performed and discovered 16 potential genes associated with different protozoal physiological functions. Significantly, the gene "Protein phosphatase" was found responsible for the virulence of Neospora caninum. The other genes were accounted for gene expression, vesicular transport, cell signaling, cell proliferation, DNA repair mechanism, and different developmental stages of the protozoon. Therefore, this study finding will provide pivotal information to future aspirants upon Bovine Neosporosis. It will also serve as the baseline information for further studies of the bioinformatics approach to identify other protozoal miRNAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of drug N‐acetylcysteine (NAC) in preventing contrast‐induced nephropathy (CIN) and kidney diseases has been investigated with the help of in vitro Raman spectroscopy and density functional theory (DFT). Renal dysfunction or kidney failure is diagnosed by an increase in serum creatinine (CRN). The exposure to contrast agents during angiography also causes an increase in serum CRN, a condition termed as CIN. NAC is given to such patients, as it is known to prevent the toxic effect of CRN, although its mechanism of action is not clearly known till date. In the present study, we have studied the interaction between CRN and NAC and tried to detect the formation of a stable complex between the two by analyzing the in vitro Raman spectra of aqueous solutions of CRN and NAC mixed in different molar ratios. From the Raman spectral analysis, it is observed that a stable complex is formed at 1:1 molar ratio of CRN and NAC. This complex has been synthesized in the laboratory, and upon drying, it is transparent, gel‐like in appearance, and slightly yellowish in color. The complex is hygroscopic and has much better water solubility than CRN. Fourier‐transform infrared (FT‐IR) and Raman spectral analyses of the synthesized complex show the structural changes taking place because of complexation and provide proof that the complex is stable at room temperature. DFT‐based studies on a number of plausible structures of the complex have also been done to determine the most stable structure of the complex, and the mechanism of its formation has been explored by transition‐state calculations. This study highlights the effective role of NAC in reducing the toxic effect of CRN as the water‐soluble complex of CRN, and NAC is likely to be removed through urine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to design to detect the presence of subclinical mastitis and their physicochemical properties in milking cows at Sylhet district. A total of 51 raw milk samples; 25 were collected from Sylhet Government Dairy Farms (SGDF), and the rest from three local private dairy farms (LPDF), Sylhet between September 2019 and February 2020. Subclinical mastitis was detected at the farm premise with Modified White Side Test (MWST) revealing 20 farms negative, 6 strong positive, 12 distinct, 8 weak and 5 doubtful. The highest amount of samples (60%) found test negative at SGDF while 45% from LPDF. Therefore, the overall prevalence of SCM was counted for this study was 49.02% where individually estimated as 40% and 57.69% for SGDF and LPDF respectively. The flavor found normal with yellowish white color and slightly sweet taste. The mean Specific Gravity of collected milk sample were ranged between 1.027-1.030. Among chemical constituents, fat, solid-not-fat, total solid and water percentage showed significant difference (P value < 0.05) between samples except the proportion of protein, lactose and ash. The mean chemical compositions with 95% Confidence Interval of samples stated as Fat% 3.02±1.84, Protein% 3.38±0.56, Lactose% 5.26±0.33, SNF% 9.57±0.62, TS% 12.59±1.80 and Ash% 0.77±0.05. Study samples showed no visible difference from the mean standard value of Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and Bangladesh Standard (BDS). Although the study faced few restrictions of diagnostic kit availability, but still current experiment would cooperate with baseline information for the future detection of SCM in Sylhet district dairy cows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disembarking from a traditional approach of narrow hazardous environmental and structural conditions in understanding urban slums' health problems and moving towards a new notion of what constitutes health for slum dwellers will open a new avenue to recognise whether and how health is being prioritised in disadvantaged settings. Drawing on in‐depth semi‐structured interviews with a total of 67 men and 68 women from Kolkata slums and 62 men and 48 women from Bangalore slums, this study explored how knowledge, social realities, material and symbolic drivers of a place interweave in shaping slum‐dwellers' patterned way of understanding health, and the ways health and illnesses are managed. The current study adds to the growing evidence that ordinary members of the urban slums can articulate critical linkages between their everyday sociocultural realities and health conditions, which can support the design and delivery of interventions to promote wellbeing. The concept of health is not confined to an abstract idea but manifested in slum‐dwellers' sporadic practices of preventive and curative care as well as everyday living arrangements, where a complex arrangement of physical, psychological, financial, sociocultural and environmental dimensions condition their body and wellbeing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was twofold: firstly, it objectively measured the composite satisfaction index of a social support network on the elderlies' wellbeing; and secondly, identified the subjective pivotal functional roles of the social support networks, which boost their psycho-physical wellbeing. The study is triangulated in nature which follows a multistage cluster sampling method to survey 390 elderly respondents of 60 years and above, residing in a peri-urban district of West Bengal, India. The composite satisfaction index revealed that the satisfaction derived from the components such as family, friends, and neighbours, are correlated with their psycho-physical wellbeing. Further, the principal component analysis is applied here, explores various psycho-social activities enabling the functional roles of the social network by enhancing perceived satisfaction amongst them. The present findings may give directions towards formulating appropriate policies by provisioning the functional roles of social support networks to achieve subjective wellbeing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gloriosa superba is an economical source of pharmaceutical colchicine, which is a mitotic poison used to treat gout, cancer and inflammatory diseases. It is important to study the genetic variations in this plant, but the progress is impeded due to limited number of molecular markers. In this study, we developed the expressed sequence tag-derived simple sequence repeat (EST-SSR) markers from the transcriptome sequence of the leaf samples of three different ecotypes of G. superba. De novo assembly was performed on these sequencing data to generate a total of 65,579 unigenes and 38,200 coding sequences (CDSs). These CDSs were annotated using NCBI Nr protein database, gene ontology terms and KEGG pathways. Differential gene expression was studied to yield differences in these ecotypes at the molecular level. Finally, a total of 14,672 potential EST-SSRs were identified from these unigenes, among which the dinucleotide (5754, 39.22%) and trinucleotide (5421, 36.95%) repeats were most abundant types followed by mononucleotides (3213, 21.83%). The most frequent motifs were CT/GA (1392, 9.48%), AG/TC (1219, 8.31%), and GA/CT (1146, 7.82%) among the dinucleotide repeats and CCG/CGG (1487, 10.13%), AGG/CCT (1421, 9.68%), AGC/CTG (697, 4.75%) and AAG/CTT (621, 4.23%) among the trinucleotide repeats. Polymorphism study using a random set of 20 newly developed EST-SSRs revealed polymorphic information content value ranging from 0 to 0.5926 with an average of 0.4021. The large-scale ESTs developed in the current study will be useful as a genomic resource for further investigation of the genetic variations in this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have investigated the magnetic, magneto-dielectric and magnetocaloric properties of the double perovskite (DP) compound Ho 2 FeCoO 6. The Néel temperature T N and the spin reorientation transition T SR have been observed near 270 and 45 K respectively. At low temperature below T SR highly nonlinear variation of the dielectric constant Δε′ (H) has been observed under application of the magnetic field. At high temperature the enhancement of Δε′ (H) has been observed due to grain boundaries. An extremely large hysteresis in Δε′ (H) in presence of magnetic field suggests the strong irreversible electrical dipole orientation along the applied field. During the increasing and decreasing the magnetic field, Δε′ (H) reached to 23% and just 1%, respectively at 300 K for the magnetic field change 3 T. The isothermal magnetic entropy change (−Δ S m) and refrigeration cooling capacity (RCP) have been reached to 13 J/kg K and 325 J/kg respectively for 7 T magnetic field below 10 K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel bidirectional dc–dc converter having high voltage gain capability with high efficiency is proposed in this paper for interfacing storage in a range of applications. The proposed converter steps up (boost) the voltage in one direction while stepping it down (buck) in the other direction of operation. An attractive feature of the proposed converter is the symmetry of its operating modes. It also has inherent soft-switching capability during turn on of the switches, enabling high switching frequency operation. This, coupled with the fact that the proposed converter uses only one coupled inductor for both boost and buck modes, leads to a compact system. A clamped capacitor network is used to recover the leakage energy. Circuit description, design, and loss calculations for both buck and boost modes are explained. The bidirectional converter is designed for a voltage gain of 10 and (1/10) in the boost and buck modes, respectively. A 500 W laboratory prototype of the proposed converter has been developed and tested under rated conditions. Even for a large voltage gain of 10, a peak efficiency in excess of 94% is achieved, which is not possible with conventional converters. All the results of this work are included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Ethnopharmacological relevance Capsicum annum L. (CA) is used extensively as a spice and is a rich source of antioxidant vitamins. It has long been used in Indian, Native American, and Chinese traditional medicine as a carminative and an appetizer that normalizes liver function. However, its hepato-protective activity has so far not been studied. Aim of the study The present study was undertaken to evaluate the efficacy of aqueous extract of CA at two different doses (125 mg/kg body weight and 250 mg/kg body weight), against ethanol induced oxidative stress and apoptosis in liver tissue. Materials and methods Adult male Wistar rats, weighing 150–200 g, were randomly grouped (n = 6) and treated with ethanol (2 g/kg bw, i.p.), CA 125 (125 mg/kg bw, i.p.), CA 250 (250 mg/kg bw, i.p.), ethanol with CA (similar doses), and control (0.5 ml normal saline, i.p.) for 30 days. Lipid peroxidation (LPO) and reduced glutathione content (GSH) in tissue homogenate, along with catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (Cu-Zn-SOD & Mn-SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione-s-transferase (GST) and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-P-D) activity were evaluated. Serum levels of alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphate (ALP), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (CHLS), high density lipoprotein (HDL), low density lipoprotein (LDL) very low density lipoprotein (VLDL), tumour necrotic factor alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) were also measured using ELISA kits. Histopathological evaluation of the hepatic tissue was performed by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and periodic acid-schiff (PAS) staining. TUNEL assay was performed for apoptosis detection. Results Ethanol significantly (p < 0.001) increased ALT, AST, ALP, TNF-α, IL-6, LPO, Cu-Zn-SOD, GST, GPx, TG, CHLS, LDL, VLDL levels, along with significant (p < 0.001) decrease in HDL, Mn-SOD, CAT, GSH, GR and G6PD activity. Co-administration of CA along with ethanol alleviated changes in the above parameters (p < 0.001) in a dose-dependent manner and also reduced the number of apoptotic death cells. Histo-pathological and histo-chemical studies of liver sections also ascertained the outcomes of this study. Conclusion Thus, it can be concluded that the aqueous extract of green CA can exert a protective effect against ethanol induced hepato-toxicity. The possible mechanism may be by acting as an antioxidant; preventing ethanol induced apoptosis and reducing pro-inflammatory cytokine levels. Graphical abstract fx1 Highlights • Alcohol causes hepatic damage by the way of generating oxidative stress. • Capsicum annum (CA) is a commonly used spice worldwide. • Extract of green CA was studied as a hepatoprotective agent against ethanol. • Aqueous extract of CA can ameliorate the hepato-cellular damage caused by ethanol. • CA prevents fibrosis, DNA-fragmentation and cell apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid design and construction of mobile cabin hospitals (MCHs) have become imperative in the COVID-19 response. However, due to unique design specifications (e.g., parallel design and model pre-revision), collaboration in emergency construction projects (ECPs) like MCHs presents data security vulnerabilities, including a lack of traceability and transparency. These hazards invariably reduce design effectiveness, leading to undesirable rework and project delay. Blockchain technology is a potential solution to address the aforementioned security issues in ECPs because it offers immutable and traceable data storage. Nevertheless, directly implementing blockchain in ECPs is impractical, for the blockchain has a complex deployment process and provides limited functions supporting BIM-based design. Therefore, this paper develops a lightweight blockchain-as-a-service (LBaaS) prototype to enhance the ECPs design efficiency by securing and automating information exchange while eliminating the difficulties of deploying and using blockchain. This paper contributes three elements: (1) Security vulnerabilities of design in ECP are identified. Taking an MCH in Hong Kong as an example, this paper investigates its design process and determines two design characteristics and associated security flaws. (2) Key technologies to support easy deployment and usage of blockchain in ECPs are developed. New technical elements, including a Multi-to-One mapping (MtOM) kit for easy blockchain registration, an integrated workflow retaining existing design practices, and smart contracts for secure interaction with blockchain, are developed to support LBaaS functionality. (3) An LBaaS prototype is validated and evaluated. The prototype is illustrated and evaluated using design examples based on actual MCH project data. Results show that the LBaaS is a feasible and secure approach for ECPs collaboration. This paper deepens the understanding of data security issues in ECPs and offers technical guidance in establishing blockchain solutions. • Identified security vulnerabilities of BIM-based collaboration in emergency construction projects (ECPs). • Exploring the mechanism of integrating ECPs design with a lightweight blockchain-as-a-service (LBaaS). • Developed key technical elements to support functionalities of an LBaaS prototype. • Validated LBaaS prototype via three design examples from an actual mobile cabin hospital project. • Results show that the LBaaS is a practical solution for improving data security and ECP design efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nomenclatural status of the names Memecylon deccanense C.B. Clarke, M. heyneanum Benth. ex Wight & Arn., M. jambosioides Wight and M. wightianum Triana is discussed here. The name M. jambosioides, earlier considered a synonym of M. heyneanum, is here reinstated and treated as an accepted name. The binomial M. wightianum is rejected as superfluous and illegitimate, and M. deccanense is reduced to a synonym of M. heyneanum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Memecylon petiolatum TRIMEN EX ALSTON, an endemic species of Sri Lanka is recorded from India for the first time. Its taxonomic status is discussed here with proper circumscription. M. petiolatum is treated as variety of M. edule ROXB. Justification of the varietal rank under M. edule is discussed. A detailed description of the taxon supplemented by botanical illustration together with its flowering‐fruiting time, type details, etc. are provided to aid its correct and easy identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Empirical evidence shows that the relationship between health-seeking behaviour and diverse gender elements, such as gendered social status, social control, ideology, gender process, marital status and procreative status, changes across settings. Given the high relevance of social settings, this paper intends to explore how gender elements interact with health-seeking practices among men and women residing in an Indian urban slum, in consideration of the unique socio-cultural context that characterises India's slums. Methods: The study was conducted in Sahid Smriti Colony, a peri-urban slum of Kolkata, India. The referral technique was used for selecting participants, as people in the study area were not very comfortable in discussing their health issues and health-seeking behaviours. The final sample included 66 participants, 34 men and 32 women. Data was collected through individual face-to-face in-depth interviews with a semi-structured questionnaire. Results: The data analysis shows six categories of reasons underlying women's preferences for informal healers, which are presented in the form of the following themes: cultural competency of care, easy communication, gender-induced affordability, avoidance of social stigma and labelling, living with the burden of cultural expectations and geographical and cognitive distance of formal health care. In case of men ease of access, quality of treatment and expected outcome of therapies are the three themes that emerged as the reasons behind their preferences for formal care. Conclusion: Our results suggest that both men and women utilise formal and informal care, but with different motives and expectations, leading to contrasting health-seeking outcomes. These gender-induced contrasts relate to a preference for socio-cultural (women) versus technological (men) therapies and long (women) versus fast (men) treatment, and are linked to their different societal and familial roles. The role of women in following and maintaining socio-cultural norms leads them to focus on care that involves long discussions mixed with socio-cultural traits that help avoid economic and social sanctions, while the role of men as bread earners requires them to look for care that ensures a fast and complete recovery so as to avoid financial pressures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Slum dwellers display specific traits when it comes to disclosing their illnesses to professionals. The resulting actions lead to poor health-seeking behaviour and underutilisation of existing formal health facilities. The ways that slum people use to communicate their feelings about illness, the type of confidants that they choose, and the supportive and unsupportive social and cultural interactions to which they are exposed have not yet been studied in the Indian context, which constitutes an important knowledge gap for Indian policymakers and practitioners alike. To that end, this study examines the patterns of illness disclosure in Indian slums and the underpinning factors which shape the slum dwellers' disclosing attitude. Methods: In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted among 105 men and 113 women who experienced illness in the year prior to the study period. Respondents were selected from four urban slums in two Indian cities, Bangalore and Kolkata. Results: Findings indicate that women have more confidants at different social levels, while men have a limited network of disclosures which is culturally and socially mediated. Gender role limitations, exclusion from peer groups and unsupportive local situations are the major cause of disclosure delay or non-disclosure among men, while the main concerns for women are a lack of proper knowledge about illness, unsupportive responses received from other people on certain occasions, the fear of social stigma, material loss and the burden of the local situation. Prompt sharing of illness among men is linked with prevention intention and coping with biological problems, whereas factors determining disclosure for women relate to ensuring emotional and instrumental safety, preventing collateral damage of illness, and preventing and managing biological complications. Conclusions: The findings reveal that patterns of disclosure are not determined by the acknowledgment of illness but largely depend on the interplay between individual agency, disclosure consequences and the socio cultural environment. The results of this study can contribute significantly to mitigating the pivotal knowledge gap between health policymakers, practitioners and patients, leading to the formulation of policies that maximise the utilisation of health facilities in slums. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Possibilities of generation of lower order and higher order intermodal entanglement in four‐wave mixing (FWM) process are rigorously investigated using Sen‐Mandal perturbative technique. The investigation has revealed that for a set of experimentally realizable parameters, one can observe lower order and higher order intermodal entanglement between pump and signal modes and signal and idler modes in a FWM process. In addition, trimodal entanglement involving pump, signal and idler modes is also reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high resolution 14,000 year old record of benthic foraminifera from ODP Hole 723A was produced to understand changing intensity of the NW Arabian Sea Oxygen Minimum Zone (OMZ) and its links with intermediate water circulation and Indian Monsoon Intensity. During the latest Pleistocene, the OMZ was very weak marked by the abundance of oxic species. From early to mid Holocene period (up to 6500 years BP), intense SW monsoon-related high surface productivity led to the development of an OMZ in the Arabian Sea; however, presence of oxic and suboxic species indicate that OMZ intensification was minimized by cyclic incursions of oxygen-rich intermediate waters from the South. The middle Holocene was a transitional period to intense OMZ conditions. The intensification of the OMZ could be due to replacement of oxygen-rich southern source Sub-Antarctic Mode and Antarctic Intermediate Waters (SAMW-AAIW), with oxygen poor Red Sea Water (RSW) from the north during the middle Holocene. As the intensity of the summer monsoon weakened during the late Holocene (~ 4200 years BP onwards) the Arabian Sea OMZ intensified, suggesting total cut off from the oxygenated SAMW-AAIW. Spectral analysis of Information Function (H), benthic foraminifer Bolivina spp. and oxic species of benthic foraminifera indicate that the intensity of the OMZ and deep water conditions respond closely to solar cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to optimize a method of extracting ergosterol rich concentrate (ECF) and to evaluate its significant impact on adipogenesis and associated complications in high-fat diet (HFD) induced obese mice. A comparative analysis (soxhlet and ultra sound assisted extraction) was done to obtain the highest yield of ergosterol from Agaricus bisporus. The ECF was evaluated for the biological effect on 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes in-vitro and in male C57BL/6 mice model in-vivo. Ultra sound assisted extraction method using the solvent n -hexane resulted in highest ergosterol yield. ECF treatment significantly reduced the differentiation and lipid accumulation in pre-adipocyte cells without any cytotoxicity. In-vivo study illustrated beneficial impact on cholesterol metabolism by down regulating the hepatic gene expression of LXR-α, HMG-CoR and up-regulating LDL-R expression. Significant increase in fecal excretion of cholesterol and bile acids have also been observed among the ECF treated animals compared to high fat diet (HFD) fed mice. ECF had an anti-adipogenic activity in-vivo mainly by inhibiting the activity of PPAR-γ, C/EBP-α and SREBP-1c. The results also depicted the improvement of obesity associated insulin resistance by ECF treatment manly via decrease in plasma resistin and up-regulation in skeletal GLUT4 protein expression. Our study illustrated diverse activity of ECF in the therapeutic management of obesity associated metabolic complications mainly by reducing adipogenesis and improving glucose uptake in skeletal muscle in conjunction with improved cholesterol metabolism. [Display omitted] • The study optimized a method for preparation of a novel fraction rich in ergosterol and linoleic acid. • Treatment with the ergosterol concentrate fraction (ECF) significantly reduced in-vitro differentiation and lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 preadipocyte cells. • In-vivo study (C57BL/6 mice model) illustrated anti-adipogenic activity of ECF by down-regulating the mRNA expression of PPAR-γ, C/EBP-α and SREBP-1c in white adipose tissues. • ECF found to be beneficial on in-vivo cholesterol metabolism mainly by up-regulation of LDL-R mRNA expression with subsequent increase in fecal cholesterol and bile acid excretion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arsenic of natural or industrial origin often occurs in water and makes it impotable. Due to its high toxicity, very sensitive detection is required. In the present study an ultra-sensitive arsenite (As3+) sensing is reported, based on aggregation-aided surface-enhanced Raman scattering (AA-SERS) of modified silver colloids. SERS intensity of mercapto-compounds attached to the colloidal silver nanoparticles surface is greatly increased in the presence of arsenic. Colloid aggregation is facilitated by cross-linking; a meshwork consisting of arsenic atoms and glutathione bridges is formed, as indicated by UV–Vis absorption spectroscopy, TEM and Raman imaging. The best 2-mercaptopyridine reporter molecule makes it possible to directly detect As3+ at concentrations as low as 0.5 ppb, which is better than achieved by the SERS technique so far. [Display omitted] • Direct AA-SERS detection of arsenic by a specialized colloid cross-linking protocol. • As3+ is detected from the increased SERS signal of a mercapto-compound. • The novel use of 2-MPY provided the lowest detection limit achieved by SERS till date. • Aggregation of colloid via a meshwork made of arsenic atoms and glutathione bridges. • The mechanism is confirmed by the TEM and Raman images of the aggregates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Usually, the high-gain high-efficiency dc–dc converters consist of many passive components, which increases the order of the system. As the order increases, system modeling and control become more complex. Thus, there is a need for the simplification of the small signal modeling process of such converters. This paper presents a generalized small signal model and equivalent circuit for an $n$ th-order coupled-inductor-based high-voltage gain converters (CIHVGC) that can be conveniently used for the control design. The state variable representation of a generalized coupled inductor with p windings is included. A simplified step by step procedure to obtain small signal model using visual inspection is presented. Analysis is included and verified using simulations and experiments for the output voltage regulation of high-voltage gain converters. The usefulness and versatility of the proposed model is verified with three examples of high gain converters belonging to the CIHVGC family. All the analytical, simulation, and experimental details of this paper are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Formulations were developed for targeted controlled delivery of 5-fluorouracil at the colonic site. Methods: Probable dose for drug loading in the tablets and duration of drug release at the colon was determined. Core tablets were formulated with an aim to deliver the drug at a constant rate following zero order kinetics throughout the duration of release. Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose E15 and potassium chloride were incorporated as hydrophilic agents in the core matrix for drug release at the desired level and the formulation with the best release profile was chosen for coating with a coating solution containing Eudragit S100, polyethylene glycol 400 and talc. The amounts of Eudragit S100 and weight gain of the tablet were optimized using sequential simplex optimization method. Results: The optimized coated formulation (0.6875 g of Eudragit S100; 7.5% weight gain) was able to provide minimum drug release in the 5 hr lag time (5.9% of cumulative release) and an average release rate of 19.8% per hr thereafter. Conclusion: The optimized formulation for 5-Fluorouracil delivery at the colonic site was able to achieve a sufficient lag time and controlled drug release and can be highly beneficial for optimum therapeutic activity and negligible side effects when administered orally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to prepare a novel lipophilic fraction rich in fat soluble bioactive from Agaricus bisporus and investigated its impact through in vitro and in vivo assessments since the prospective biological activities of fat soluble components from mushrooms are limited. Ergosterol concentrate fraction (ECF) preparation followed by subsequent characterization of the extract using various analytical techniques (HPLC-UV, Mass spectroscopy, NMR). Furthermore, the fraction has been evaluated for antioxidant activity, DNA protection ability, hypolipidemic properties by in vitro specific enzyme inhibition and in vivo animal model (C57BL/6). The fraction majorly contains ergosterol (504 mg/100 g dw) and linoleic acid (71.92 %). In vitro studies showed that the fraction limited free radicals induced DNA damage, exhibited significant free radical scavenging activities (IC 50 of DPPH 15.64; ABTS 8.28 mg/ml), and inhibited HMG-CoA reductase activity (IC 50 5.03 mg/ml). Further, in vivo study showed that ECF treatment significantly (p < 0.05) improved insulin sensitivity (reduced plasma glucose & insulin, increased adiponectin) and reduced inflammatory markers (CRP & TNF-α) in comparison to high fat fed mice. Furthermore, ECF has significantly reduced plasma lipid profile and accumulation of lipids in liver. This could be due to down regulation of mRNA expression of lipogenic transcription factors such as SREBP-1c and SREBP-2, and key lipogenic enzyme ACC. Moreover, ECF treatment has suppressed protein expression of FAS, induced cholesterol clearance by enhancing LDL-R protein expression. The present work for the first time evaluated the synergistic potential of ergosterol and linoleic acid to improve antioxidant defense system and ameliorate obesity associated metabolic dysfunction. [Display omitted] • A novel ergosterol concentrate fraction (ECF) prepared from Agaricus bisporus by a simple non conventional technique enriched in ergosterol and linoleic acid. • In vitro ; ECF exhibited free radical scavenging activity, limited free radical induced DNA damage and inhibited HMG-CoA reductase activity. • In-vivo; ECF improved insulin sensitivity, glucose homeostasis and increased anti inflammatory adipokine (adiponectin) in C57BL/6 mice. • ECF down regulated hepatic gene expression of transcription factors SREBP-1c, SREBP-2 and key lipogenic enzyme ACC. • ECF suppressed protein expression of FAS, induced cholesterol clearance by enhancing LDL-R protein expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renewable sources like solar photovoltaic (PV) and fuel cell stack are preferred to be operated at low voltages. For applications such as grid-tied systems, this necessitates high voltage boosting resulting in efficiency reduction. To handle this issue, this paper proposes a novel high voltage gain, high-efficiency dc–dc converter based on coupled inductor, intermediate capacitor, and leakage energy recovery scheme. The input energy acquired from the source is first stored in the magnetic field of coupled inductor and intermediate capacitor in a lossless manner. In subsequent stages, it is passed on to the output section for load consumption. A passive clamp network around the primary inductor ensures the recovery of energy trapped in the leakage inductance, leading to drastic improvement in the voltage gain and efficiency of the system. Exorbitant duty cycle values are not required for high voltage gain, which prevents problems such as diode reverse recovery. Presence of a passive clamp network causes reduced voltage stress on the switch. This enables the use of low voltage rating switch (with low “on-state” resistance), improving the overall efficiency of the system. Analytical details of the proposed converter and its hardware results are included. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper proposes a novel 3 $\phi$ stand-alone solar photovoltaic (PV) system configuration that uses high-gain high-efficiency $(\approx\! 96\%)$ dc–dc converters both in the forward power stage and the bidirectional battery interface. The high-voltage-gain converters enable the use of low-voltage PV and battery sources. This results in minimization of partial shading and parasitic capacitance effects on the PV source. Series connection of a large number of battery modules is obviated, preventing the overcharging and deep discharging issues that reduce the battery life. In addition, the proposed configuration facilitates “required power tracking (RPT)” of the PV source as per the load requirements, eliminating the use of expensive and “difficult to manage” dump loads. High-performance inverter operation is achieved through $abc$ to $dq$ reference frame transformation, which helps in generating precise information about the load's active power component for RPT, regulation of ac output voltage, and minimization of control complexity. Inverter output voltage is regulated by controlling the modulation index of sinusoidal pulsewidth modulation, resulting in a stable and reliable system operation. The active power demand is controlled by regulating the dc link voltage. All the analytical, simulation, and experimental results of this work are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article discusses a behavioral experiment that examines the dissociation between expectancy violation and value updating. It notes that the proposed role of anteria insula is in line with its suggested role in mediating the interaction between executive control network and default mode network. It adds that the projections from the amygdala, hypothalamus, and other subcortical regions to vmPFC need to be explored.

Experiments suggest that the migration of some cells in the three-dimensional extracellular matrix bears strong resemblance to one-dimensional cell migration. Motivated by this observation, we construct and study a minimal one-dimensional model cell made of two beads and an active spring moving along a rigid track. The active spring models the stress fibers with their myosin-driven contractility and a-actinin-driven extendability, while the friction coefficients of the two beads describe the catch and slip-bond behaviors of the integrins in focal adhesions. In the absence of active noise, net motion arises from an interplay between active contractility (and passive extendability) of the stress fibers and an asymmetry between the front and back of the cell due to catch-bond behavior of integrins at the front of the cell and slip-bond behavior of integrins at the back. We obtain reasonable cell speeds with independently estimated parameters. We also study the effects of hysteresis in the active spring, due to catch-bond behavior and the dynamics of cross linking, and the addition of active noise on the motion of the cell. Our model highlights the role of α-actinin in three-dimensional cell motility and does not require Arp2/3 actin filament nucleation for net motion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Homopolymers of decyl acrylate and isooctyl acrylate and copolymers of each of them with 1-decene were synthesized and characterized by viscosity measurement, thermogravimetric and spectral analysis. Viscometric methods were used to determine the intrinsic viscosity of each of them. Pour point depressant (PPD) and viscosity index improver (VII) properties were tested with additive doped base oil in terms of pour point (PP) and viscosity index (VI), respectively. Although the decyl acrylate polymers were thermally more stable than the isooctyl acrylate polymers, the latter showed higher VI and pour point depression efficiency. VI and PP values of the additive doped base oils depend on the nature of mineral base oils as well as on the type and concentration of VI improvers. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The Lectotype of Memecylon flavescens Gamble is designated here. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Document management systems in AEC projects manage important project documents such as schedules, RFIs, and change orders. Hence, security concerns in document management systems especially involving data integrity of documents and records may have a severe effect on a project in terms of money and the reputations of project participants. Therefore, in this research blockchain technology is leveraged to facilitate data integrity in document management for construction applications through - (1) irreversible and irrevocable approval workflow logic via smart contract technology, (2) irreversible recording of document changes via blockchain ledger technology, and (3) document version history integrity via a blockchain-based data structure. A prototype of the proposed smart contract framework was developed using Hyperledger fabric and evaluated. The scalability of the proposed framework to support document version integrity was also evaluated and discussed. A formulation based on existing literature is developed to evaluate the cost viability of the proposed framework. • A smart contract logic to facilitate integration via customizable document approval workflows is developed. • A data structure to securely record document version history is developed. • A blockchain ledger data model to securely record document lifecycle is developed. • An example scenario and prototype evaluation of the proposed framework are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

If a Higgs field is conformally coupled to gravity, then it can give rise to the scale invariant density perturbations. We make use of this result in a realistic inert Higgs doublet model, where we have a pair of Higgs doublets conformally coupled to the gravity in the early universe. The perturbation of the inert Higgs is shown to be the scale invariant. This gives rise to the density perturbation observed through CMB by its couplings to the standard model Higgs and the subsequent decay. Loop corrections of this conformally coupled system gives rise to electroweak symmetry breaking. We constrain the couplings of the scalar potential by comparing with the amplitude and spectrum of CMB anisotropy measured by WMAP and this model leads to a prediction for the masses of the lightest Higgs and the other scalars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vacuum stability condition of the Standard Model (SM) Higgs potential with mass in the range of 124-127 GeV puts an upper bound on the Dirac mass of the neutrinos. We study this constraint with the right-handed neutrino masses up to TeV scale. The heavy neutrinos contribute to ΔL = 2 processes like neutrinoless double beta decay and same-sign-dilepton (SSD) production in the colliders. The vacuum stability criterion also restricts the light-heavy neutrino mixing and constrains the branching ratio (BR) of lepton flavor-violating process, like μ→eγ mediated by the heavy neutrinos. We show that neutrinoless double beta decay with a lifetime ~1025 years can be observed if the lightest heavy neutrino mass is <4.5 TeV. We show that the vacuum stability condition and the experimental bound on μ→e γ together put a constrain on heavy neutrino mass MR>3.3 TeV. Finally we show that the observation of SSDs associated with jets at the LHC needs much larger luminosity than available at present. We have estimated the possible maximum cross-section for this process at the LHC and show that with an integrated luminosity 100 fb-1 it may be possible to observe the SSD signals as long as MR < 400 GeV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eight polymers (two homopolymers and six copolymers with 1-decene) of isodecyl acrylate and isooctyl acrylate were synthesized using benzoyl peroxide as initiator and characterized by spectral analysis, viscometric, and thermogravimetric measurements. Intrinsic viscosity obtained from the viscometric method was used to determine the viscometric molecular weight of the polymers. Pour point (PP) and viscosity index (VI) of the additive-doped base oils were evaluated to check the efficiency of the polymers as pour point depressant (PPD) and viscosity index improver (VII), respectively. Analysis of different properties indicates that the isooctyl acrylate polymers have better lube oil additive property than that of isodecyl acrylate polymers. VI and PP values of the polymers doped in base oils depend on the nature of mineral base oils, polymer type, and also on the concentration of the additives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We show that a nonminimal coupling of electromagnetism with background torsion can produce birefringence of the electromagnetic waves. This birefringence gives rise to a B-mode polarization of the CMB. From the bounds on CMB polarization from QUaD experiment, one can put limits on the background torsion at ξ1Ti = (2.78 ± 4.85) × 10-20 GeV-1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In jute ( Corchorus olitorius), quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis was conducted to study the genetics of eight fibre yield traits and two fibre quality traits. For this purpose, we used a mapping population consisting of 120 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) and also used a linkage map consisting of 36 SSR markers that was developed by us earlier (Das et al. ). The RIL population was derived from the cross JRO 524 (coarse fibre) × PPO4 (fine fibre) following single seed descent. Using single-locus analysis involving composite interval mapping, a total of 21 QTLs were identified for eight fibre yield traits whereas for fibre quality (fibre fineness), only one QTL was detected. The QTL for fibre fineness explained 8.31-10.56% of the phenotypic variation and was detected in two out of three environments. Using two-locus analysis involving QTLNetwork, as many as 11 M-QTLs were identified for seven fibre yield traits (excluding top diameter) and one M-QTL was identified for fibre fineness which accounted for 4.57% of the phenotypic variation. For six fibre yield traits, we detected 16 E-QTLs involved in nine QQ epistatic interactions. For fibre fineness, four E-QTLs involved in two QQ epistatic interactions and for fibre strength, six E-QTLs involved in three QQ epistatic interactions were identified. Eight out of the 11 M-QTLs observed for the fibre yield traits were also involved in QE interactions; for fibre fineness and fibre strength, no QE interactions were observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cytoskeleton of living cells contains many types of crosslinkers. Some crosslinkers allow energy-free rotations between filaments and others do not. The mechanical interplay between these different crosslinkers is an open issue in cytoskeletal mechanics. Therefore, we develop a theoretical framework based on rigidity percolation to study a generic filamentous system containing both stretching and bond-bending forces to address this issue. The framework involves both analytical calculations via effective medium theory and numerical simulations on a percolating triangular lattice with very good agreement between both. We find that the introduction of angle-constraining crosslinkers to a semiflexible filamentous network with freely rotating crosslinks can cooperatively lower the onset of rigidity to the connectivity percolation threshold-a result argued for years but never before obtained via effective medium theory. This allows the system to ultimately attain rigidity at the lowest concentration of material possible. We further demonstrate that introducing angleconstraining crosslinks results in mechanical behaviour similar to just freely rotating crosslinked semflexible filaments, indicating redundancy and universality. Our results also impact upon collagen and fibrin networks in biological and bioengineered tissues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jute is an important natural fibre crop, which is only second to cotton in its importance at the global level. It is mostly grown in Indian subcontinent and has been recently used for the development of genomics resources. We recently initiated a programme to develop simple sequence repeat markers and reported a set of 2469 SSR that were developed using four SSR-enriched libraries (Mir et al.). In this communication, we report an additional set of 607 novel SSR in 393 SSR containing sequences. However, primers could be designed for only 417 potentially useful SSR. Polymorphism survey was carried out for 374 primer pairs using two parental genotypes (JRO 524 and PPO4) of a mapping population developed for fibre fineness; only 66 SSR were polymorphic. Owing to a low level of polymorphism between the parental genotypes and a high degree of segregation distortion in recombinant inbred lines, genotypic data of only 53 polymorphic SSR on the mapping population consisting of 120 RIL could be used for the construction of a linkage map; 36 SSR loci were mapped on six linkage groups that covered a total genetic distance of 784.3 cM. Hopefully, this map will be enriched with more SSR loci in future and will prove useful for identification of quantitative trait loci/genes for molecular breeding involving improvement of fibre fineness and other related traits in jute. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the generation of magnetic field in Higgs inflation models where the Standard Model Higgs boson has a large coupling to the Ricci scalar. We couple the Higgs field to the electromagnetic fields via a nonrenormalizable dimension six operator suppressed by the Planck scale in the Jordan frame. We show that by choosing the Higgs coupling λ(MZ) = 0.132 (which corresponds to mh = 126 GeV in keeping with the recent measurements by ATLAS and CMS) and curvature coupling ξ(MZ) = 103 we can generate comoving magnetic fields of 10-7 Gauss at present and comoving coherence length of 100 kpc. The problem of large back-reaction which is generic in the usual inflation models of magneto-genesis is avoided as the back-reaction is suppressed by the large Higgs-curvature coupling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]