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Policy design studies typically focus on broad policy goals and the types of tools that governments use to realize them. There is however limited scholarly understanding of how these goals and tools are operationalized “on-the-ground.” In this paper, we apply Capano and Howlett’s 2024 Framework on the Micro-Dimensions of Policy Design to understand how universal health coverage goals in the United States, Singapore, and Thailand are operationalized. The framework unpacks the “nuts and bolts” of policy design particularly the specification of policy targets and tools. A comparative analysis of three programs (Obamacare in the US, Medisave in Singapore, and Universal Coverage Scheme in Thailand) demonstrates how similar high-level policy goals are pursued through different tools and settings. Studying these micro dimensions provides insights into the actual operational ways in which high-level objectives are translated into impacts at the ground level. From an applied point of view, a comparative focus on the dimensions of the micro level of policy design is useful for generating evidence and informing health policy debates about what works or does not work on-the-ground.

The depletion of conventional energy sources has led to an increase in interest in renewable energy across the globe. The usage of renewable energy has lowered economic risk in the electricity markets. This study presents an approach to utilize solar photovoltaic as a renewable energy source, fuel cells as the energy storage system, and Flexible AC Transmission networks (FACTS) to reduce system risk in deregulated networks. The difference between real and expected renewable energy data is the primary cause of disequilibrium pricing (DP) in the renewable energy-integrated system. Integration of the FCs with a Unified Power Flow Controller (UPFC) can play an important role in coping with the disequilibrium pricing, emphasizing optimizing profitability and societal welfare in a deregulated environment. The paper also evaluates the system voltage outline and LBMP (location-based marginal pricing) scenarios, both with and without the integration of solar power. Two distinct factors, i.e., Bus Sensitivity Index (BSI) and Line Congestion Factor (LCF), have been proposed to identify the key buses and lines for solar power and Unified Power Flow Controller installation in the system. The study also employs conditional-value-at-risk (CVaR) and value-at-risk (VaR) to assess the system’s risk. Using a real-time IEEE 39-bus New England system, multiple optimization algorithms including Sequential Quadratic Programming and the Slime Mould Algorithm (SMA) are employed to estimate the financial risk of the considered system. This analysis demonstrates that the risk coefficient values improve with the placement of UPFC and fuel cells in the renewable incorporated system.

Stroh formalism provides an elegant method of solution for two-dimensional anisotropic elasticity problems through the generalized eigen relation associated with the dual coordinate system that gives the material eigen values and eigen vectors, and also the fundamental elasticity matrix and its associated Barnett-Lothe tensors. The extended Stroh-like formalism of Hwu and Hsieh has expanded the scope of basic Stroh formalism by addressing the electro-mechanical coupling effects in electro elastic plates. This paper presents an inclusive solution that addresses the two-dimensional problems in infinite electro-elastic, anisotropic, and isotropic plates with an arbitrary hole under remote arbitrary coupled electro-mechanical loading. This is achieved by adopting the Stroh formalism and its subsequent versions to consider the anisotropic and electro-elastic plates, and further, by incorporating the arbitrary biaxial loading condition into the boundary conditions, and the generalized mapping function into the basic formulation to accommodate all types of in plane loading and a variety of hole shapes respectively. Various equations of the solution are derived explicitly for easy understanding and computer implementation. The stress function is derived explicitly to satisfy the condition of traction free hole with remote electro-mechanical loading under generalized plane stress-open circuit condition. The stresses and electric displacements around the hole boundary are obtained by taking the derivative of the stress function with respect to unit normal along the hole boundary. The solution presented can be degenerated to the anisotropic or isotropic case by choosing the corresponding material properties, or appropriate values of complex parameters respectively. This general solution has exactly reproduced the results of other solutions in the literature for piezoelectric plates given by different methods. New results of stresses and electric displacements are obtained for various arbitrary holes in [PZT5H/45/-45/PZT5H]s graphite/epoxy plate and PZT 4 plates. Results for holes in piezoelectric laminates and PZT 4 piezo layer are also presented by FEM.

Breast cancer poses a significant health concern due to its increasing prevalence and mortality rates. Hence, prompt action is needed to develop innovative therapeutic interventions, as conventional treatments exhibit severe adverse effects and have limited efficacy. This study aims to develop an innovative therapeutic intervention for breast cancer using biosynthesized nanoceria. Nanoceria has gained significant importance in the medicinal field due to its biocompatibility, dual capabilities as both antioxidant and prooxidant, and specific cytotoxicity towards cancer cells. Herein, nanoceria was biosynthesized using Echinochloa frumentaceae grain extract (EFNC) due to its eco-friendly and cost-efficient nature, and it was systematically investigated using standard characterization techniques. Furthermore, their anticancer efficacy against MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines was studied using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) cell viability assay, and the occurrence of apoptosis was determined using acridine orange/ethidium bromide (AO/EtBr) staining. Significantly, EFNC exhibited superior anticancer efficacy even at lower concentrations (10 µg/mL), and the IC50 value was found at 47.32 µg/mL. In addition, the observed bright green and orange-red fluorescence, along with fragmented/condensed chromatin features in AO/EtBr staining clearly indicated that the EFNC caused cell death through the apoptotic route. One potential factor contributing to the observed anticancer effectiveness of EFNC could be its prooxidant properties within cancer cells. These properties ultimately enhanced oxidative stress, induced the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and led to apoptosis. Hence, the in vitro analysis substantiated the significant anticancer efficacy of EFNC, suggesting its potential utility as a promising therapeutic agent in anticancer treatment. These findings pave the way for further exploration and development of EFNC as a valuable candidate for addressing cancer-related challenges.

The usage of renewable energy sources in the power sector has increased day by day to preserve non-renewable resources from extinction. The growth of earnings in the electricity market has also become a critical part as the electricity generated from the renewable integrated system is fluctuating in nature. For a renewable-associated system, energy is abundant during low-demand hours. These excess units are available due to the presence of renewable energy sources like solar, wind, etc. So, a better way to manage this situation is to store the excess energy in the storage devices and use that energy in high-demand hours to enhance the system’s economic profit. This paper presents a comparative study of system economic parameters between regulated and deregulated renewable-associated systems. Solar power has been considered here as a renewable energy source due to its high efficiency and easy availability nature. This work also focused on maximizing the system profit in a deregulated system by the placement of a Thyristor Controlled Series Compensator (TCSC) along with the fuel cell in the presence of a disequilibrium price (DP). The disequilibrium price has occurred due to the disparity of real and expected renewable data which controls the entire renewable-associated system. To achieve maximum profit, it is imperative to reduce generation expenses to a minimum. A flexible alternating current transmission system (FACTS) is used to enhance and increase the system’s power transfer capability and controllability. The system voltage profile and the scenarios of location-based marginal price (LBMP) with and without consideration of TCSC have also been deployed in this work. The study has been performed with different optimization techniques such as Sequential Quadratic Programming (SQP) and Artificial Bee Colony Algorithms (ABC) to analyze the economic risk of the system with a modified IEEE 14-bus system.

Since their detection and abundance are disrupted by a number of unidentified conditions, anaerobic ammonium oxidising bacteria (anammox) play a vital role in wastewater. Low Strength Wastewaters (LSW) are those that have a chemical oxygen demand (COD) < 1000 ppm. Nitrogen and phosphorus are the major nutrients present in LSW in addition to the organic carbon. The biological nitrogen removal was studied through using a recent process of anaerobic ammonium oxidation (Anammox) process. A thorough explanation of the anammox substrate removal mechanism and denitrification phosphorus removal is provided. Denitrification was studied in a high rate anoxic hybrid reactor (HR) which yielded NO3−-N removal in the range of 92–100% till a Hydraulic Retention Time (HRT) of 0.3 d and 79% at 0.24 d respectively for an inlet NO3−-N concentration of 500 ppm. Total kjedahl nitrogen (TKN) removal of 91%, 77%, 69% and 61% were obtained in the HR containing anammox and denitrifying granules at a HRT of 2.14, 0.94, 0.56 and 0.4 per day respectively for an inlet TKN concentration of 500 ppm. Phosphorus removal of 100, 83 and 72% was obtained for an inlet PO43−- P concentration of 50, 75 and 100 ppm, respectively at an optimum anaerobic HRT of 0.06 d (1.5 h) and aerobic HRT of 0.94 d. It is evident that the phosphorus removal efficiency is better in continuous mode than in the batch mode.

In this work, the influence of silane treatment on characterization of Ipomoea staphylina plant fiber composites reinforced with epoxy matrix are studied. The silane treated I. staphylina fiber reinforced composites (ISFRCs) are fabricated through hand layup and compression molding methods. The composites are subjected to characterization techniques, such as tensile strength, flexural strength, thermo-gravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction studies, and field emission scanning electron microscopy analysis. Results revealed that the silane treatment has a significant influence on characterization of ISFRCs.

In this world, unnoticed sound that disturbs frequently is called as noise. It is one of the main reasons for reducing the environment quality of human being. This effect can be minimized by using acoustic absorbent material in different areas where the sound absorption is required. In textile, acoustic property of non-woven is better than the woven fabric. The non-woven fabrics were developed using the needle punching technique using kapok, jute, flax, viscose, polyester, polypropylene, and recycled polyethylene terephthalate (R-Pet) fibers. Sound absorbency parameter was tested by sound absorption tester specially designed for this purpose. The effects of fiber type, number of layers in the fabric, thickness of the sample, areal density, air permeability, and pore size on sound absorption capacity were investigated in this research work. Experimental results show that 100% kapok non-woven fabric with its high compact structure, higher thickness, lesser air permeability, and less average flow diameter exhibit good sound absorption property than other samples, and it is best-suitable for interior in automotive applications for noise control.

In this experimental work, the influence of Haritaki (Terminalia chebula) powder on thermo-mechanical, water absorption, and morphological properties of Tindora (Coccinia grandis) tendrils fiber-reinforced epoxy composites is investigated. The Coccinia grandis fibers (CGFs) were extracted from tendrils of the Tindora plant, and composites with and without Haritaki powder (HP) are fabricated by using hand layup and compression molding techniques. The mechanical strengths, water absorption studies, and the characterization techniques such as thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction studies, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy studies are conducted. From the results, it is found that the mechanical strengths of the HP filled C. grandis fiber-reinforced composites (HPCGFRCs) are 14.26–26.59% higher than that of those without HP composites. The maximum weight gain percentages of CGFs and their composites due to water absorption varied between 6.32% and 10.63%. Findings of the experiments reveal that the inclusion of HP has a significant influence on the properties of CGFRCs and ascertained that HP could be the potential nanofiller formost of the polymer matrix composites.

This study was aimed to develop knitted denim fabrics by using cotton and eri silk yarns. Three combinations of 3/1 twill knitted denim fabrics were developed. Two materials cotton yarn 30s and eri silk yarn 2/80s Nm with three types (100% cotton, 50% cotton/50% eri silk, 100% eri silk) of knitted denim fabrics were produced. Moisture management properties were tested for the developed samples.100% eri silk knitted denim fabric was found with the excellent accumulative one way transport index % and a very good overall moisture management capability better than that of 100% cotton and 50% cotton/50%eri silk knitted denim fabrics. The results indicated that the eri silk knitted denim fabric is more suitable for active wear and functional wear applications.

The high-strength materials fabricated from biodegradable resources are in demand due to their renewable nature, lightweight, and environmental friendliness. The current experimental investigation aims to examine the influence of Vachellia nilotica subsp. indica tree trunk bark nano-powder on properties of milkweed fiber-reinforced polymer composites (MFPCs). The composites were prepared by compression molding method, and the properties such as mechanical strength and water absorption behavior were analyzed; differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observation were also carried out. Results revealed that the inclusion of V. indica tree trunk nano-powder had a considerable effect on the properties of MFPCs, and it could act as an impending nano-filler for the polymer matrix composites.

In the present era, natural fiber composites are replacing synthetic fibers because of their wide range of advantages. The present research concerns the manufacturing and characterization of hybrid composites containing banana/pineapple fibers with different stacking sequences produced by the hand layout process. Manufactured stacking sequences were tested for (tensile, flexural, impact, interlaminar shear) strength, Shore D hardness, flammability and water absorption properties. The thermal properties of the manufactured composites have been analyzed using Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA). Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) was used to study the tensile-fractured surface. The results showed that the tensile strength, flexural and impact strength increased when the stacking sequence was Pineapple-Banana-Pineapple-Banana. The hybrid composites with Pineapple–Pineapple- Pineapple–Pineapple have better interlaminar properties and high thermal resistance. The hybrid composite made up of Banana–Banana- Banana–Banana has improved shore D hardness. The image obtained from the SEM studies was also in correlation with the experimental results. It can be extended to light load conditions for automotive and building equipment.

Two-dimensional (2D) nano-materials have provided attraction for many researchers in the innovation of viable routes for large scale synthesis, doping and integration of mono-layers and the development of unique materials with excellent properties. Graphene-based 2D nano-materials are promising agents for several biosensor and bioelectronics applications due to their intriguing properties. In this review, a detailed discussion on preparation, synthesis, properties, and characterization of graphene and graphene-based 2D nano-materials focusing on bioelectronics and biosensors has been carried out and the findings have been provided. Discussions relating to the current review might provide motivation for the future researchers to perform more studies on graphene-based 2D nano-materials and explore more applications in such a way that it can be used as cost effective alternative for the conventional materials. Further this review provides the critical over look on this topic, highlighting the major unexplored areas which require future investigation.

The tri-layer knitted fabrics created for the aim of active sportswear have been enhanced with the help of microdenier filament polyester yarn, spun polyester yarn, polypropylene, and cotton in this study. These developed tri-layer knitted fabrics are then examined for the thermal comfort properties. The results evidently showed that Microdenier Polyester/Microdenier Polyester/Cotton tri-layer knitted fabrics combination shows exceptionally appreciable thermal comfort properties due to their structural factors such as filamentous nature, lesser thickness, low areal density, and lesser bulkiness. The effect of fiber chosen also plays a crucial part with respect to the thermal comfort properties of tri-layer fabrics developed. Samples such as Microdenier Polyester/Polypropylene/Cotton, Polypropylene/Microdenier Polyester/Cotton also performed better next to that of the Microdenier Polyester/Microdenier Polyester/Cotton combination because polypropylene also possesses a good wicking characteristic. A poor thermal behavior was found in the Microdenier Polyester/Cotton/Polypropylene sample because of the reasons such as protruding fibers of cotton, increased thickness, high areal density, etc. Also on comparing between the filament and the spun yarn, the filament yarn is highly recommended due to its appreciable behavior. Results evidently show that Microdenier Polyester/Microdenier Polyester/Cotton combination possesses an exceptionally appreciable thermal comfort property.

Solar energy is the most accessible, eco-friendly, and renewable energy source available to meet the world’s expanding energy needs. Solar collectors are commonly utilized to convert solar energy directly into heat for purposes ranging from house heating to timber seasoning and crop drying. The purpose of this research is to design a modified solar air heater (SAH) with a baffle plate and to examine the performance due to the provision of zinc-ferrite nanocoated baffles. The entire system is mounted over a transformer for effective cooling and also produces hot air for industrial requirements. A flat plate collector and a centrifugal blower were used in the experiment. Maximum output air temperatures of 55°C, 62°C, and 72°C were measured for collectors without baffles, baffled collectors, and inverted baffled collectors, respectively. It was also found that the thermal efficiency of flat plate collectors without baffles was 36%, with baffles, it was 44%, and with inverted baffles it was 54%. This study shows that inverted SAH with zinc-ferrite nanocoated baffle plates works better than SAH without baffle plates or with baffle plates in the normal position.

Ripe Bulrush fibers (RBFs) is one of the grass fibers that have the potential to replace synthetic fibers. This work focuses on the effect of alkalization on characterization of Ripe Bulrush fiber-reinforced composites (RBRCs). The composites are fabricated by compression molding process and the characterization techniques such as Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR) spectroscopy analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies, Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis, Thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies have been carried out. From the results, it is found that the significant improvement in properties and more thermal stability due to the alkalization.

The essential concepts of sellers and buyers are supply and demand. Organizations must be able to accurately predict demand in order to establish plans. Sales Prediction is based on predicting sales for various Big Mart stores in order to adjust the business strategy based on the projected performance. For Big Mart firms, in this paper present a novel approach to demand forecast. The Big Mart firms' business model, for which the model is executed, contains multiple shops selling the same product at the same time across the country where the company maintains a marketplace model. This proposed Supervised and Artificial Neural Network Algorithms produces reliable results when compared to other learning methods. Feature selection, data transformation, and data exploration will all play essential roles. This method is used on data from Big-Mart Sales, where data is discovered, processed, and enough relevant data is taken to help forecast correct future outcomes.

In this paper, a Four Dimensional Space Vector Modulation (4D-SVM) is implemented for five phase Voltage Source Inverter (VSI) to improve the performance of the inverter. The 4D-SVM control technique generates switching pulses for five phase VSI system. The reference vector for 4D-SVM is identified by tracking subcubes and prisms located in the complex 4D-cubic region. The 4D-SVM for five phase inverter includes 32 switching state vectors; all the switching states are non-redundant switching states, which are located in 32 vertices of the 4D-cube. The proposed five phase inverter with 4D-SVM reduces CMV and Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) and minimized neutral current value. The minimization of CMV leads to avoid the damage of the winding and increases the life time of the motor. So for in two level inverter, the CMV is reduced up to Vdc/3 times of input voltage; In this proposed system, made an attempt to reduce the CMV level below this reported value. The simulation and hardware results are verified using matlab simulink and Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) processor.

Policy tools are a critical part of policy-making, providing the ‘means’ by which policy ‘ends’ are achieved. Knowledge of their different origin, nature and capabilities is vital for understanding policy formulation and decision-making, and they have been the subject of inquiry in many policy-related disciplines and sector-specific studies. Yet many crucial aspects of policy tools remain unexplored. Existing studies on policy tools used in policy formulation tend to focus on ‘substantive’ tools – those used to directly affect policy outcomes such as regulation or subsidies – and largely neglect ‘procedural’ tools used to indirectly but significantly affect policy processes and outcomes. A key aim of this special issue is to fill this knowledge gap in the field. This article introduces the issue by establishing that procedural tools play a more determining role in public policy-making than is generally acknowledged and deserve a more systematic inquiry into their workings, their impact on the policy process and the organization and delivery of public and private goods and services.

A study was conducted on eri silk/micro denier polyester/bamboo and eri silk/micro denier polyester/tencel plated interlock knitted fabrics with disperse and reactive dyes and also to test the color fastness properties of these selected eri silk plated knitted fabrics. All dyed samples were subjected to wash fastness, light fastness, perspiration, rubbing; dry cleaning, chlorine and non chlorine bleach and hot pressing tests. Results indicated very good and excellent wash fastness to color change and color staining. The values showed that eri silk/micro denier polyester/bamboo and eri silk/micro denier polyester/tencel plated knitted fabrics were better in case of samples dyed with required disperse and reactive dyes. It can be concluded that the eri silk/micro denier polyester/bamboo and eri silk/micro denier polyester/tencel plated interlock fabrics have excellent color fastness properties.

Nowadays, research attention on composite materials accentuates where not only was their unique attributes agglomerated-alleviated weight and density, elevated impact and specific strengths, but also on where their bio-degradability and eco-friendliness transpires. In these, the alkali treated composites, to meet the needs of the aforementioned attributes and economy, with significant applicability in the market avenues. Hence, the present experimental study endeavors on investigating the effect of alkali treatment on mechanical and thermal properties of Tapsi fiber-reinforced polymer composites. Further, their characterization was done using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies. From the results, it is found that 15 gms Tapsi fiber reinforced with NaOH treated specimens exhibited 43.02 MPa and 160 MPa of tensile and flexural strengths, respectively, which is notable and 10 gms Tapsi fiber reinforced with NaOH treated specimens revealed more thermal stability. The results are witnessed that showcase the effect of alkali treatment on the aforementioned properties through different characterization techniques.

The jute fibers have been mechanically fibrillated, and the wet-laid nonwoven fabrics have been manufactured using these fibers at two different concentrations of binder. The mechanically fibrillated states from non-fibrillated and partially fibrillated to highly fibrillated are considered at different lengths of fibers such as 5 and 10 mm to 15 mm. The tensile strength, air permeability, and the acoustic property of formed web are analyzed. There is no significant effect of fiber fibrillation found on the tensile properties of the manufactured wet-laid web, while there is an effect of fiber fibrillation observed on air permeability.

The objective is to determine the mechanical behavior of fiber-reinforced composite of a rotating disc by using experimental and Finite Element Analysis (FEA) studies. Firstly, the FEA analysis have been conducted for two different families under the loading conditions of 600 RPM as rotational velocity with external frictional force as 10 N. In which, the seven different composite specimens such as Epoxy-Carbon-UD-Prepreg-SiC, Epoxy-Carbon-UD-Wet-SiC, Epoxy-Carbon-Woven-Prepreg-SiC, Epoxy-Carbon-Woven-Wet-SiC, Epoxy E-Glass-UD-SiC, Epoxy-E-Glass-Wet-SiC and Epoxy-S-Glass-UD-SiC are undergoing for structural characterization analysis with help of FEA tool. Apart from these materials, the four base materials were also analyzed through FEA for comparison under the same loading conditions. Secondly, the experimental study was conducted to investigate the applicability of the FRP solid disc brake rotor with Silicon Carbide (SiC), in this regard the ASTM standard specimens based pin on disc apparatus for Carbon Woven based Ceramic-composite was prepared. The validation is also executed in between displacements of these two approaches. Finally, this work confirmed that the carbon fiber ceramic matrix composite materials are the good materials to resist rotodynamic loads therefore the work also strongly recommended that CCMC to be implemented in the fabrication of rotating components like aircraft and automotive disc brakes.

This study proposes a novel W-cut twisted tape to evaluate and enhance the effectiveness of novel grooved tube heat exchanger. The experimental investigations are carried out with W-cut inserts, which possess two main control factors, namely, twist tape ratio (y = 3.5 to 6.5) and width tape ratio (WR = 0.43 to 0.6). The investigation results prove that in all cases the energy transmission and friction factor of W-cut insert along with the first law and second law efficiency are considerably higher than the conventional tube arrangement. The empirical model equations for friction factor, performance enhancement ratio, Nusselt number, and rational efficiency are developed, and they show good affinity with experimental data. Since the abovementioned factors have conflicting terms, it is essential to select the proper operating configuration of the heat exchanger in order to increase the thermal energy transfer rate with reduced consumption of pumping energy. The multi-objective genetic algorithm (GA) tool is used to identify the optimum operating conditions. Further, the hybrid multi-criteria decision-making model, FAHP-VIKOR, is applied to select the perfect model from the set of non-dominated solution. The ranking of alternatives is as follows: A4 > A11 > A2 > A9 > A21 > A17 > A1 > A24 > A11 > A23 > A7 > A18 > A13 > A10 > A20 > A5 > A19 > A14 > A16 > A22 > A25 > A6 > A15 > A3 > A8. The optimized configuration of W-cut insert is compared with the former inserts, and the optimal configuration exhibits supreme performance than other inserts.

The goal of this project is to find optimization parameters in the TIG weld bead. To ensure the success of this research project, a semiautomatic TIG was developed. Samples are made in a single bead on top of a substrate (base metal) in a horizontal position. Aluminum 6082 is used as the substrate, and AA5356 filler wire with a diameter of 2.4 mm is used as the filler wire. This research project employs argon as the shielding gas. Welding current (A), travel speed (mm/min), and gas flow rate (lit/min) have all been identified as influencing parameters for welding. The Taguchi orthogonal array L9 (Minitab 19) was used to calculate the amount of runoff and analyze the samples. Tensile and hardness tests were performed on the welded samples. According to the test results, as the current value increases, the tensile strength and the hardness values decrease. As a result of this experiment, it is possible to conclude based on grey relational analysis that the best parameters for welding Al 6082 alloy are 150 A of welding current, 200 mm/min of travel speed, and a gas flow rate of 14 lit/min.

Nonbiodegradable polymers constitute major pollution and their usage cannot be ignored due to their properties. Hybrid polymer composite research has increased in recent times due to improved characteristics and biodegradable nature. The effect of different stacking sequences containing pineapple/banana/basalt fiber has been studied in the present work to reduce the usage of synthetic fibers without compromising on properties. Hybrid composites were manufactured using the hand layup method and were assessed for mechanical and morphological characteristics. The results showed that several properties improved by keeping the pineapple layer in the skin layer. The adhesion between the matrix and the fiber played a vital role in determining the properties of the composites manufactured. Morphological studies have concluded that the proper bonding between the matrix and the fiber has enhanced several properties.

The use of unconventional machining technique for Aluminum based Metal Matrix Composites [MMCs] are generated considerable interest in machining. In the aviation industry, in order to obtain a high precision, a good surface finishing and high working speed, the processing of these hard materials is done with the help of the fiber beam laser). The objective is to determine the mechanical properties of the hybrid composite and further investigate its machinability. The aerospace industry uses the laser machining for its machining process like drilling the cooling holes etc. Standard frequency and variation in other parameters such as pulse width, power, and time will occur the impact in the laser beams composites like diameter and roundness of the hole. Especially, the increase in the variation of power and time plays a vital role in the diameter and roundness of the hole.

The present study aims to investigate the moisture management and wicking properties of eri knitted fabrics. In this study, two different knit structures, namely, single pique and honeycomb fabric, were developed with the combinations of two different tightness values of slack and tight by using 2/80s Nm and 2/140s Nm eri silk yarns. The developed fabrics were analyzed for vertical wicking, moisture management properties such as wetting time, spreading speed, absorption rate, maximum wetting radius, accumulative one-way transport index (AOTI), and overall moisture management capacity (OMMC). Variables such as yarn linear density, tightness, and knitting structure have a significant influence on the wicking and moisture management properties. The overall OMMC indices of eri silk knitted fabric lie in the ‘very good’ to ‘excellent’ category, indicating the suitability of eri silk yarn for skin fit as well as active wear applications.

The objective of this collection of essays is to gain insights into the different national-level state responses to COVID-19 around the world and the conditions that shaped them. The pandemic offers a natural experiment wherein the policy problem governments faced was the same but the responses they made were different, creating opportunities for comparison of both the kinds of policy tools being used and the factors that accounted for their choice. Accordingly, after surveying on-line databases of policy tools used in the pandemic and subjecting these to topic modelling to reveal the characteristics of a ‘standard’ national pandemic response, we discuss the similarities and differences found in specific responses. This is done with reference to the nature and level of policy capacity of respective governments, highlighting the critical roles played by (in)adequate preparation and lesson-drawing from past experiences with similar outbreaks or crises. Taken together the articles show how the national responses to the COVID-19 pandemic were shaped by the opportunity and capacity each government had to learn from previous pandemics and their capacity to operationalize and build political support for the standard portfolio of policy measures deployed to deal with the crisis. However, they also show how other factors such as the nature of national leadership, the organization of government and civil society, and blindspots towards the vulnerabilities of certain population segments also helped to shape policy responses to the pandemic.

A rapid and increasing spread of COVID-19 pandemic disease has been perceived worldwide in 2020. The current COVID-19 disease outbreak is due to the spread of SARS-CoV-2. SARS-CoV-2 is a new strain of coronavirus that has spike protein on the envelope. The spike protein of the virus binds with the ACE-2 receptor of the human lungs surface for entering into the host. Therefore, the blocking of viral entry into the host by targeting the spike protein has been suggested to be a valid strategy to treat COVID-19. The patients of COVID-19 were found to be asymptomatic, cold, mild to severe respiratory illness, and leading to death. The severe illness has been noted mainly in old age people, cardiovascular disease patients, and respiratory disease patients. However, the long-term health effects due to COVID-19 are not yet known. Recently, the vaccines were authorized to protect from COVID-19. However, the researchers have put an effort to discover suitable targets and newer medications in the form of small molecules or peptides, based on in-silico methods and synthetic approaches. This manuscript describes the current perspectives of the causative agent, diagnostic procedure, therapeutic targets, treatment, clinical trials, and development of potential clinical candidates of COVID-19. The study will be useful to identify the potential newer medications for the treatment of COVID-19.

The present investigation was undertaken to study the frequency and spectrum of Chlorophyll mutations along with the mutagenic effectiveness and efficiency of different doses of EMS, Gamma ray and combination of both, in barnyard millet variety CO(Kv). 2. In M2 generation, no chlorophyll mutations were observed in the control population. The treatments behaved differently in the frequency of occurrence of chlorophyll mutations. The spectrum of chlorophyll mutations (chlorina, xantha, albino, viridis, and striata) were observed and grouped. Except striata, remaining four kinds of mutations viz., xantha, chlorina, viridis and albino were observed more frequently. The overall mutation spectrum showed that chlorina (0.47%) occurred with the highest frequency, followed by albino (0.37%), xantha (0.26%) viridis (0.19%) and Striata (0.08%). The mutagenic effectiveness decreased with the increase in dose of mutagen in both mutagens, indicating that negative relationship between effectiveness and dose of mutagen. Mutagenic efficiency (mutation rate in relation to M1 damage) in both mutagens was highest at the lowest dose and it decreased with the increase in dose. The study concluded that Barnyard millet, Co(Kv).2 millet responds well to EMS, Gamma ray and combination of EMS and Gamma ray treatments.

An experiment was conducted to estimate the lethal dose of the chemical mutagen EMS and physical mutagen gamma ray in barnyard millet variety Co(Kv) 2. Genetically pure seeds were treated with different doses of EMS viz. 30mM, 40mM, 50mM, 60mM, 70mM, 80mM, 90mM and 100mM and gamma rays viz., 500 Gy, 600 Gy, 700 Gy, 800 Gy, 900Gy and 1000 Gy. The LD50 values were observed based on growth reduction of seedlings after EMS and gamma ray treatment. The LD50 dose for EMS and gamma ray under in vitro and in vivo condition were fixed at 70mM and 800 Gy respectively, based on probit analysis. As the doses of applied EMS and gamma ray increased, there was a decrease in germination, survival rate of seedlings, root length, shoot length, seedling height, vigour index under in vitro conditions and emergence and survival under field (in vivo) conditions in M1 generation as compared to the control.

The new design orientation in the policy sciences has placed renewed emphasis on problem-solving and developing effective public policies. In this paper, we contribute to this scholarship by presenting a policy framework on anticipating effective policies. We argue that anticipation – that is, foreseeing the future and preparing for it – must be central to how a policy is designed, executed and assessed. Anticipating policy effectiveness requires a careful understanding of the problem and its root causes, as well as selection and utilization of the most ‘appropriate’ policy instrument(s) to solve it. We consider ‘appropriateness’ along three dimensions – analytical, political and operational – in two different respects: choice of policy tools and the capacity of the implementing agency.

How best to deal with uncertainty and surprise in policy-making is an issue which has troubled policy studies for some time. Studies of policy uncertainty and policy failure have emphasized the need to create policies able to be improvised upon in the face of an uncertain future, meaning there is a need to design and adopt policies featuring agility, and flexibility in their components and processes. Such policies require redundant resources and capabilities and this need is in strong opposition to ideas about design which equate better designs with efficiency, implying the allocation of only the minimum amount of resources possible, and which also often emphasize routinization and the replication of standard operating procedures and programme elements in order to ensure consistency in programme delivery. While these latter designs may be appropriate in stable circumstances or where competition can provide a degree of system-level resilience, this is not true for many public sector activities where government is the sole provider of particular goods and where services and future scenarios are unknown, contested or unpredictable. As studies of crisis management and other similar situations have emphasized, in these instances robustness is needed and can be planned for. This article examines the concepts of surprise, agility and improvisation and their linkages to robustness in order to both clarify terminology and outline the organizational and managerial features of policies and policy-making which prevent, and facilitate, flexible adaptation in both policy content and processes.

Self-medication practices of type 2 diabetes in India include the use of both traditional and western medications. It is important to understand the factors influencing self-medication. A total of 3257 studies were screened and nine studies (six quantitative and three qualitative) were included. The Hawker tool and Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal tool were used to assess the quality of studies. The findings of the quantitative studies were descriptively analysed while thematic analysis was performed to identify key themes from the qualitative studies. The analysis indicated that participants had greater trust in traditional medications regardless of their socioeconomic and/or educational backgrounds as these were often recommended by friends and family members. Low cost, ease of availability and perceived lower side effects of traditional medications were some of the factors contributing to greater trust. It is suggested that ongoing management of type 2 diabetes requires stringent policies and regulations in the dispensing of traditional and western medications. Continual education to inform people on the use of self-medications and its possible adverse effects is also required.

Educational systems around the world have undergone major reforms since the 1980s, with largely disappointing results. The objective of this paper is to understand the reasons behind the lackluster results with the purpose of devising ways to address them. Analysis in the paper is based on the understanding that the education sector is characterized by distinct functional imperatives that need to be addressed in policy responses that must involve a wide array of actors to be effective. In this view, education policy is fundamentally about establishing a governance structure to ensure that all the essential functions necessary to achieve the chosen policy goals are performed. Accordingly, the paper proposes a governance framework for education comprising political and operational functions, which it then applies to education policy reforms in the Philippines since the 1970s. The analysis finds that the reforms have focused on financing and decentralization issues while overlooking many other critical governance functions. The lackluster results are unsurprising given that the sector has been beset by many problems unrelated to centralized bureaucratic administration and which have been left unattended. The conclusions regarding the importance of comprehensive governance to emerge from this study are relevant not only for understanding education policy reforms in the Philippines and elsewhere but will also help develop a fuller understanding of the functioning of the education sector in general.

Schizophrenia is a chronic mental-disorder and one of the top 10 causes of disability globally. Nearly 4.3 million people suffer from schizophrenia in India but very few visit a hospital for diagnosis or treatment. Of those patients who receive treatment, medication non-adherence and decreased quality of life (QOL) are the major problems. The objective of study was to assess the impact of pharmacist-led collaborative patient education on medication adherence and QOL in schizophrenia patients in a psychiatry out-patient setting of a tertiary-care setting. Patients were randomized into two groups. Interventional patients received medication review, followed by patient education session using Patient-Information Leaflets (PILs) developed for the study. Control patients received usual-care. Patients data were collected at the beginning of the study and after each follow-up of one-month interval, till 3rd follow-up. Medication adherence and QOL were assessed using Medication Adherence Rating Scale and WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire respectively. Twenty-three patients completed the study, 13 were in the intervention and 10 in the control group. Majority of the study subjects were of age group 18â39 years (69.56%) and female (65.21%). Medication adherence mean improvement was 0.7 ± 0.67 and 1.75 ± 0.2 in control and intervention groups respectively. Similarly, mean QOL improvement was 16.12 ± 1.98 and 24.17 ± 0.3 in control and intervention groups respectively. Statistically significant improvement in the mean medication adherence and QOL was observed in the intervention group. Results showed that pharmacist-psychiatrist collaborative care can significantly improve patientsâ medication adherence and QOL. Keywords: Schizophrenia, Collaborative care, Medication adherence, Quality of life, Pharmacist

Background: Use of pesticides in agricultural fields has a series of toxicological and environmental problems. Methyl parathion (MP), an organophosphorus (OP) insecticide is a widely used pesticide and is highly toxic to non-target organisms. Fish has been used as indicator species for monitoring of pollution in the aquatic environment. Catla catla an Indian major carp is an edible fish and is highly sensitive to slight stress. Recently, fish biomarkers are widely used to determine the internal and external health status caused by chemicals. Results: C. catla were exposed to acute (0.09 ppm) and sublethal (0.009 ppm) concentrations of MP to determine the alterations in antioxidant and metabolic enzyme activities in blood plasma and tissues (gill and liver). Intoxication with MP resulted in induction of oxidative stress which implies that fish utilizes enzymatic mechanisms to tolerate the effects caused by generated ROS due to MP accumulation. Significant alterations in GOT and GPT activity in plasma and tissues during acute as well as sublethal exposure might have resulted from the organal damage. The significant increase of LDH activity indicates severe cellular damage in organ/tissues of MP treated fish. Conclusion: The results of the present investigation suggest that gill is the most sensitive organ to MP toxicity. The alterations of the enzymatic parameters can be effectively used as potential biomarkers for monitoring of the organophosphorus pesticides in aquatic environment. Further, MP should be used with caution in order to protect natural waters and aquatic organisms.

In the present study, the median lethal concentration (LC 50) of neem leaf extract to Cirrhinus mrigala for 24 h was found to be 1.035 g l-l. During the study period, the haematological parameters including Hb, Hct, RBC, MCV, MCH and MCHC levels were significantly decreased in neem leaf extract exposed fish when compared to the control fish whereas WBC count was increased. Similarly, plasma Na+ and Cl- levels were significantly lower and K+ level were significantly higher when compared to the control. In biochemical study, elevated plasma glucose and induced protein levels were noticed. The enzymes, glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT) and glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT) activities were increased significantly in gill, liver and muscle of treated fish compared to that of their control groups. The results of the present investigation suggest that neem leaf extracts affects the hematological, ionoregulatory, biochemical and enzymological parameters of fish and alterations of these parameters can be useful in environmental biomonitoring of neem based products in freshwater environment.

Background. Copper is a heavy metal, and an aquatic pollutant, known for its bio-accumulative and non-biodegradable properties. In the aquatic ecosystems, acute and sublethal concentrations of copper may be linked to a variety of effects. Recently, hormones, particularly those regulating vital functions, such as osmoregulation, energy metabolism, and reproduction, may be used as potential biomarkers for sublethal toxicity studies. In the present study, the potential effect of a heavy metal—copper on hormonal changes (cortisol and prolactin) in an economically important fresh-water fish—common carp, Cyprinus carpio, was examined. Materials and methods. The experimental fish were subjected to two experimental regimes (backed by controls). In the first treatment they were exposed to the acute concentration of copper sulphate, amounting to 0.7 ppm. The second treatment featured copper sulphate concentration of 0.07 ppm, constituting 10% of LC50 (24 h). The acute-toxicity trials were carried out in two, 20-L, circular plastic tubs. Twenty fish from the tank were selected randomly and introduced to each tub. Control was maintained in 2 similar plastic tubs with 20 fish per tub. After 24 h, fish from control- and copper-exposure tubs were taken for analyses. To observe the sublethal toxicity four, 125-L, glass aquaria, filled with clean water were used. 200 fish were randomly selected from the stock and 100 of them were added to two aquaria, 50 fish in each, as experimental fish and 100 in two other aquaria, 50 in each, for as control fish. By the end of the stipulated period, 20 fish from control and 20 fish from experimental group were used for the hormone assay. Results. In both acute- and sublethal treatments, both cortisol- and prolactin levels increased. In sublethal treatment, however, plasma prolactin level decreased after 28-day exposure, showing a minimum percentage point decrease of 3.84 by the end of 35-day trial. Conclusion. The increase of the plasma cortisol was probably caused by release of cortisol from the interrenal tissue, as a mechanism of coping with stress. Significantly lower content of prolactin levels in sublethal treatment could be an indicative of a possible restored hydromineral balance or atrophy of the pituitary prolactin cells leading to inhibited prolactin secretion of the fish. These alterations of the above hormonal changes may be used as stress biomarkers in fish.

In the present study, the median lethal concentration (LC 50) of neem leaf extract to Cirrhinus mrigala for 24 h was found to be 1.035 g l-l. During the study period, the haematological parameters including Hb, Hct, RBC, MCV, MCH and MCHC levels were significantly decreased in neem leaf extract exposed fish when compared to the control fish whereas WBC count was increased. Similarly, plasma Na+ and Cl- levels were significantly lower and K+ level were significantly higher when compared to the control. In biochemical study, elevated plasma glucose and induced protein levels were noticed. The enzymes, glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT) and glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT) activities were increased significantly in gill, liver and muscle of treated fish compared to that of their control groups. The results of the present investigation suggest that neem leaf extracts affects the hematological, ionoregulatory, biochemical and enzymological parameters of fish and alterations of these parameters can be useful in environmental biomonitoring of neem based products in freshwater environment. Keywords: Azadirachta indica, Acute toxicity, Cirrhinus mrigala, Haematology, Ion regulation, Biochemical and Enzymological parameters.