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The aim of the present study is to investigate reliability, availability, maintainability, and dependability (RAMD) of crystallization system of a sugar production plant. Previous studies attentive on the reliability and availability analysis of sugar plants specially its subsystems like evaporation units. This study is focus on the RAMD analysis of the crystallization system of sugar plant having four subsystems with different number of components. Failure and repair rates of all subsystems are taken as exponentially distributed. The transition diagram and ChapmanKolmogorov differential equations for each subsystem are derived by using Markov birth-death process. For all four subsystems, reliability, availability, mean time between failure (MTBF), mean time to repair (MTTR), and dependability ratio are computed using simple probabilistic concepts. The effect of change in failure rates of subsystem in system performance is also observed. It is shown that the crystallization subsystem found to be more sensitive among four subsystems from reliability point of view. This study can be helpful to system designer for further modeling/designing of reliable systems and enhancement in system’s performance through planning efficient maintenance strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) stands as a prominent vector-borne zoonotic pathogen, displaying neurotropism and eliciting Parkinson's disease (PD)-like symptoms among most symptomatic survivors. A characteristic feature of PD is the aggregation of mutated a-synuclein (a-syn) that damages the dopaminergic neurons. Considering this link between JEV-induced PD-like symptoms and a-syn pathogenesis, we explored the role of a-syn in JEV infectivity in neuronal cells. Our investigation revealed a significant increase in endogenous a-syn expression in JEV-infected cells. In addition, exogenous a-syn (Exoa-syn) treatment substantially reduced JEV replication, suggesting its anti-JEV effect. Furthermore, Exoa-syn treatment led to the upregulation of superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) and reduction in reactive oxygen species (ROS). The results were validated by endogenous a-syn-silencing, which decreased SOD1 and raised ROS levels in neuronal cells. Similarly, the SOD1 inhibition via LCS-1 also intensified ROS and JEV infection. Silencing of SOD1 in a-syn overexpressing neuro2a cells exhibited increased JEV replication. Overall, our results suggest that a-syn exerts an anti-JEV effect by regulating protein involved in oxidative stress inside neuronal cells. This study contributes valuable insights into the interplay between a-syn expression and JEV infectivity, shedding light on avenues further to investigate the potential role of a-syn in JEV pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Guinea grass seed starch nanoparticles (GSNPs) Were prepared via nanoprecipitation and dual‐modified with 3% octenyl succinic anhydride (OSA) and pulsed electric fields (PEF) (1.5, 3.0, and 4.5 kV cm⁻¹). Native and modified GSNPs Were assessed for cytotoxicity (Caco‐2 cells), in vitro digestibility, and their ability to stabilize Pickering emulsions. The cytotoxicity results showed no significant impact on cell viability or metabolic activity across all concentrations and modifications. The digestibility profile revealed that native GSNPs Were more digestible (62.61%) compared to modified samples (53.49%). The logarithmic slope analysis indicated that the digestion profiles of all samples followed a linear trend (r² 〉 0.86), characterized by first‐order kinetics. Pickering emulsions containing 0.25–2% GSNPs exhibited good stability, with higher concentrations (1–2%) ensuring 100% emulsified phase coverage and excellent storage stability. Droplet sizes ranged from 171.32 to 536.41 nm, and zeta potentials from −28.68 to −9.87 mV over two months. Microscopy confirmed that all emulsion droplets Were spherical, with smaller droplet sizes observed. The emulsions displayed shear‐thinning flow behavior, where apparent viscosity decreased with increasing shear rate, and increased with modification. These findings suggest that GSNPs have significant potential for use in forming stable Pickering emulsions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The term "acute myocardial infarction" (AMI) describes the destruction of heart muscle tissue brought on by ischemia, or the lack of oxygen to the heart's tissue. Aim: To investigate the correlation between serum levels of homocysteine, uric acid, and C-reactive protein in patients diagnosed with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Methods: A total of 60 patients with AMI were enrolled in this study. After recruitment, detailed history was recorded and physical examination of subjects was carried out. A serum sample, used to determine the homocysteine, uric acid concentrations and other general biochemical assays, was obtained with one anticoagulant-free 7.5 mL test tube. Other biochemical assays were performed and CRP (mg/L) was measured. Subjects were grouped according to Killip classification. Results: In present study, mean Homocysteine (umol/l) in Killip class I was 4.86±2.01, in class II was 5.97±2.30, in class III was 8.44±4.73 and in class IV was 13.47±6.12 (p <0.01). Mean uric acid (mg/dl) in Killip class I was 2.13±1.81, in class II was 2.54±1.74, in class III was 3.65±1.11 and in class IV was 4.51±1.07 (p <0.01). Mean C-Reactive Protein (mg/l) in Killip class I was 0.72±0.57, in class II was 1.61±0.88, in class III was 5.96±3.03 and in class IV was 8.75±4.84, (p value <0.01). A statistically significant correlation was found between Homocysteine & Uric acid level with Coefficient of correlation being 0.58 ( p value <0.01) ; between Homocysteine & C-Reactive Protein level with Coefficient of correlation being 0.43 (p=0.002) ; between Uric acid & C-Reactive Protein level with Coefficient of correlation being 0.41 (p value=0.005). Conclusion: The study found a significant correlation between blood levels of C-Reactive Protein (CRP), Uric acid, and Homocysteine with Killip classification in patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction. As the Killip classification stages progressed, the levels of these biomarkers also increased. There was a positive and statistically significant correlation between Homocysteine and Uric acid levels, Homocysteine and CRP levels, as well as Uric acid and CRP levels. These findings suggest that since these biomarkers are involved in Myocardial Infarction, monitoring their serum levels together could be beneficial for evaluating and managing these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary objective of present research work is to evaluate and improve the performance and availability of the paint manufacturing plant. Paint manufacturing plant consists of five subsystem naming mixer, grinder, thinner, labelling, and filling unit. Among them labelling and filling unit have two machines in parallel configuration and both are working simultaneously. All failure and repair rates are distributed exponentially. Markov birth-death process is utilized to model the dynamic behavior of the system and its sub-components, enabling a quantitative analysis of system availability. Grey wolf optimization (GWO), a swarm-based optimization technique is used to optimize the availability of the system. Moreover, the research conducts a thorough comparison between the outcomes derived from the Markov birth-death process and the GWO technique. By harnessing the power of GWO, the study aims to further enhance the plant's overall performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research article aims to provide a detailed numerical study of the multifaceted impact of S-shaped and broken arc roughness on solar air heaters. Therefore, a strong comparison was made between the modified heaters and smooth heaters for Reynolds numbers ranging from 2 000-22 000. Also, the impact of two parameters, i.e. pitch and gap was analyzed to optimize the performance of the heater. The gap varies from 0.3 mm to 0.9 mm in both types of ribs with a step size of 0.2 mm. Afterwards, the pitch distance between both types of roughness was varied from 15 mm to 25 mm in the step size of 5 mm. Notably, it has been observed that among all the considered configurations, the gap length of 0.9 mm and pitch length of 25 mm have shown significant improvements in heat transfer characteristics. The specific combination of the gap of 0.9 mm and pitch of 25 mm has demonstrated better heat transfer capabilities at the expense of an increased friction factor. Lastly, the thermal performance factor of the systems was analyzed and reported. It was reported that the pitch length of 25 mm and gap length of 0.9 mm have shown a maximum thermal performance factor value from 2.9 to 3.3, while the pitch length of 25 mm and gap length of 0.3 mm have depicted the lowest thermal performance factor value. In terms of the overall performance, i.e. the thermal performance factor, the combination with a gap of 0.9 mm and pitch of 25 mm has shown the best performance, while a gap of 0.3 mm and pitch of 25 mm has yielded the worst performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of present investigation is to evaluate and optimize the operational availability of the solar photovoltaic systems. As the solar energy is a prominent source of renewal energy and contribute a lot in global development having less environmental impacts but the safety and reliability issues of these systems also observed during the operational phase. Availability is an effective tool that is used to discourse the safety and performance issues of renewal energy sources especially solar photovoltaic systems. Here, a stochastic model is developed for solar photovoltaic system having solar photovoltaic plates, solar charger, solar battery, and inverter. The Markov birth-death process is applied for development of the mathematical model of the proposed system. The chapman-Kolmogorov differential difference equations of the proposed solar photovoltaic system used to predict the steady state availability of system. On the basis of literature, the failure and repair rates of all components of solar photovoltaic system are considered as exponentially distributed. In addition, an effort is also made to predict the optimum availability of solar photovoltaic system using well-known optimization technique cuckoo search algorithm. It is revealed that, the predicted availability of the solar photovoltaic system is 0.9988799 at population size 60 after 700 iterations. The estimated parametric values of the failure and repair rates also derived. To highlight the importance of the study the numerical and graphical results are presented and shared with the system designers and maintenance engineers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Nature and occurrence of food-borne pathogens in raw and processed food products evolved greatly in the past few years due to new modes of transmission and resistance build-up against sundry micro-/macro-environmental conditions. Assurance of food health and safety thus gained immense importance, for which bio-sensing technology proved very promising in the detection and quantification of food-borne pathogens. Considering the importance, different studies have been performed, and different biosensors have been developed. This study aims to summarize the different biosensors used for the deduction of food-borne pathogens. Design/methodology/approach: The present review highlights different biosensors developed apropos to food matrices, factors governing their selection, their potential and applicability. The paper discusses some related key challenges and constraints and also focuses on the needs and future research prospects in this field. Findings: The shift in consumers' and industries' perceptions directed the further approach to achieve portable, user and environmental friendly biosensing techniques. Despite of these developments, it was still observed that the comparison among the different biosensors and their categories proved tedious on a single platform; since the food matrices tested, pathogen detected or diagnosed, time of detection, etc., varied greatly and very few products have been commercially launched. Conclusively, a challenge lies in front of food scientists and researchers to maintain pace and develop techniques for efficiently catering to the needs of the food industry. Research limitations/implications: Biosensors deduction limit varied with the food matrix, type of organism, material of biosensors' surface, etc. The food matrix itself consists of complex substances, and various types of food are available in nature. Considering the diversity of food there is a need to develop a universal biosensor that can be used for all the food matrices for a pathogen. Further research is needed to develop a pathogen-specific biosensor that can be used for all the food products that may have accuracy to eliminate the traditional method of deduction. Originality/value: The present paper summarized and categorized the different types of biosensors developed for food-borne pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Developing a reliable and robust underwater acoustic communication system is a difficult task due to the complicated nature of the underwater channel, non‐stationary noise, and several other factors. Indeed, channel estimation or equalization presents numerous challenges in this non‐stationary, highly Doppler, multipath environment; as a result, traditional equalizers and PLL‐based methods have limited performance. Generally, communication over such time‐varying channels is accomplished via packets that contain a prefix/preamble signal for training, a payload containing the actual data, and a silent period for proper alignment. The prefix signal must be designed properly because it is used to estimate the channel and determine the start of the packet. In this paper, we propose a new prefix signal based on the hyperbolic chirp signal, which has Doppler invariance properties. These properties enable the extraction of the entire packet even under severe multipath and Doppler. Our new proposed prefix signal can accurately and efficiently characterize an underwater channel by estimating the multipath delay, amplitude, and Doppler scales. Our new method has been validated through extensive simulations using various channel models for its robustness and effectiveness under various conditions. It has also been tested on a real‐world channel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cloud infrastructure provides a real time computing environment to customers and had wide applicability in healthcare, medical facilities, business, and several other areas. Most of the health data recorded and saved on the cloud. But the cloud infrastructure is configured using several components and that makes it a complex structure. And the high value of availability and reliability is essential for satisfactory operation of such systems. So, the present study is conducted with the prominent objective of assessing the optimum availability of the cloud infrastructure. For this purpose, a novel stochastic model is proposed and optimized using dragonfly algorithm (DA) and Grey Wolf optimization (GWO) algorithms. The Markovian approach is employed to develop the Chapman-Kolmogorov differential difference equations associate with the system. It is considered that all failure and repair rates are exponentially distributed. The repairs are perfect. The numerical results are derived to highlight the importance of the study and identify the best algorithm. The system attains its optimum availability 0.9998649 at population size 120 with iteration 700 by GWO. It is revealed that grey wolf optimization algorithm performed better than the Dragonfly algorithm in assessing the availability, best fitted parametric values and execution time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was focused on microwave (dielectric) roasting (300-600 W, 5-15 min) on the physical, textural, color, and grinding of black pepper. The microwave roasting is a volumetric heating that causes rapid removal of moisture, and internal pressure generated inside the seed tends to change the physiology and physical attributes. An increase in roasting power and time increased the geometric mean diameter (5.216 to 6.283 mm), sphericity (0.883 to 0.927), aspect ratio (0.853 to 0.914), and surface area (85.560 to 124.262 mm2) of black pepper. Whereas the significant (p < 0.05) reduction was observed in 100 grain weight (7.55 to 5.63 g), bulk density (500.97 to 251.38 kg/m3), fracturability (72.99 to 1.78 N), and hardness (63.65 to 1.61 N). Roasting led to browning, and a significant reduction was observed in the color parameters, L ∗ (22.82 to 17.76), a ∗ (2.47 to 0.56), and b ∗ (2.41 to -0.75) with a significant (p < 0.05) increase in total color difference (0.96 to 5.30). Roasting also increased the particle size distribution in grounded power, and the mean particle size increased from 121.72 to 146.14 μm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, Guinea seed starch (GS) is extracted using four different isolation methods (Sodium hydroxide [NaOH], potassium metabisulphite [KMS], citric acid [CA], and distilled water [DW]) to investigate the effect of isolation methods on different properties of starch. The water and oil absorption capacity range from 0.69 to 1.12 g g−1 and 0.81 to 0.95 g g−1, respectively. The swelling and solubility of isolated starches are temperature dependent and increase with temperature (70–90 °C). The amylose content also varies with isolation method and all the starch showed typical A‐type X‐ray patterns. The mean particle size of GS is 9.86–13.36 µm and shows round to polygonal shapes with pores. The isolation method impacts glass transition temperatures and enthalpies, which vary between 73.36–83.67 °C and 0.72–23.69 J g−1, respectively. The pasting temperature (PT) also varies with the isolation method and follows the pattern of CA (84.80 ± 0.07 °C) > KMS (81.97 ± 0.06 °C) > DW (81.95 ± 0.05 °C) > NaOH (79.82 ± 0.03 °C). All the starches showed shear thinning behavior, and storage modulus is higher than loss modulus, representing that the elastic component is higher than the viscous component. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Allium wallichii (A. wallichii) Kunth is considered one of the underutilised, threatened, and unexplored medicinal plant species having several beneficial health-promoting actions. Moreover, being so popularised in both ethnobotanical and traditional systems, still, the plant is less studied in terms of proper pharmacognostic standardisation. The main objective of the current work is to establish standard pharmacognostic, physiochemical and phytochemical analytical parameters for routine quality control of A. wallichii Kunth. Intact leaves, powdered plant materials, and various extracts viz petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate, methanol, ethanol, hydro-alcohol and water (aqueous) were investigated following the prescribed guidelines of World Health Organization (WHO) standardisation of herbs. Morphological, microscopic, physiochemical (including all extractive, loss on drying and ash values) and preliminary phytochemical analysis of A. wallichii Kunth is presented and discussed to establish the standard quality control parameters. Additionally, high performance thin layer chromatographic (HPTLC) fingerprinting for A. wallichii Kunth extract and fractions were also incorporated. The outcome of the current research will add value for routine quality control to secure the safety and efficacy of A. wallichii Kunth (both crude and processed drug) in terms of future commercialisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elephant foot yam starch (EFYS) is modified by the pulsed electric field (PEF, 4–16 kV cm−1) and used for the development of the biodegradable film. The increase in PEF intensity increases the oil (1.66–2.22 g g−1) and water absorption capacity (1.79–2.08 g g−1) and reduces the gelatinization temperature (Tg) and enthalpy (ΔΗ). Storage modulus (G') is found to be higher than loss modulus (G"), indicating strong gel characteristics of EFYS. Electrical intensity affects the degree of crystallinity and disrupts the granule's surface. Film prepared with PEF‐modified EFYS and different concentrations of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA, 25%, 50%, and 90%) shows that the increase in the concentration of PVA results in increased thickness, tensile strength, % elongation, water vapor permeability, water vapor transmission rate, seal strength, and solubility. PEF modification increases the film's mechanical and moisture barrier properties. The study proves that PEF changes the physico‐functional and structural characteristics of EFYS, making it suitable to be used in the biodegradable film. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the cost of fuel rises, designing efficient solar air heaters (SAH) becomes increasingly important. By artificially roughening the absorber plate, solar air heaters' performance can be augmented. Turbulators in different forms like ribs, delta winglets, vortex generators, etc. have been introduced to create local wall turbulence or for vortex generation. In the present work, a numerical investigation on a solar air heater has been conducted to examine the effect of three distinct turbulators (namely D-shaped, reverse D- and U-shaped) on the SAH thermo-hydraulic performance. The simulation has been carried out using the computational fluid dynamics, an advanced and modern simulation technique for Reynolds numbers ranging from 4000 to 18000 (turbulent airflow). For the purpose of comparison, constant ratios of turbulator height/hydraulic diameter and pitch/turbulator height, of 0.021 and 14.28, respectively, were adopted for all SAH configurations. Furthermore, the fluid flow has also been analyzed using turbulence kinetic energy and velocity contours. It was observed that the U-shaped turbulator has the highest value of Nusselt number followed by D-shaped and reverse D-shaped turbulators. However, in terms of friction factor, the D-shaped configuration has the highest value followed by reverse D-shaped and U-shaped geometries. It can be concluded that among all SAH configurations considered, the U-shaped has outperformed in terms of thermohydraulic performance factor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) is one of the oldest spices crop of the world. It is the third largest seed spice in India after coriander and cumin. It is a Rabi season crop, mostly grown in sandy loam soil. The present study was carried out to get better information regarding GCV, PCV, heritability and genetic advance, pre requisite for formulating an effective breeding programme. Methods: Fifty-two accessions of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) including four checks viz., (AFg-1, AFg-2, AFg-3 and RMt-1) were evaluated in augmented complete block design (ACBD) in Rabi 2021-2022 for nine quantitative traits. Analysis of variance for agro-morphological characters showed in significant differences among the studied accessions indicating existence of wide variability. Adjusted mean values were used for estimation of genetic variability parameters. Result: The high to medium magnitude of genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) and phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV), high heritability coupled with high genetic advance were expressed by traits viz., number of branches per plant, number of pods per plant seed yield per plant and test weight. On the basis of per se performance of fifty-six accessions including checks it is concluded that selection of number of branches per plant and number of pods per plant could be effective in EC510598 and AFg-1. Likewise effective selection could be made in IC0624520 for early maturing. For pod length, accession EC510631 and for seed yield per plant EC510737, EC510536 and AFg-1 could be efficiently utilized for improvement of respective trait in fenugreek. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, guinea starch nanoparticles (GSNP) were prepared by nanoprecipitation technique and modified with octenyl succinic anhydride (3 %) and pulsed electric field (1.5, 3.0, and 4.5 kV/cm). The effect of dual modification on the physicochemical, structural, morphological, thermo-pasting, and rheological properties of GSNP was investigated. The dual modification successfully incorporated octenyl groups into GSNP, as confirmed by 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The degree of substitution increased from 0.0254 to 0.0347, with particle size ranging from 241.30 to 292.50 nm and zeta potential of −23.11 to −29.98 mV. TEM micrographs revealed that all SNP samples had self-aggregated granules with a mean size below 120 nm, and XRD confirmed a V-type crystalline structure. The amylose content and water absorption capacity decreased from 34.02 % to 24.63 % and from 2.45 to 1.91 g/g, respectively, while the oil absorption capacity and relative crystallinity increased from 3.42 to 4.01 g/g and from 17.82 % to 34.76 %, with modification. The gelatinization and degradation temperature of modified samples were higher while pasting properties exhibited variation with modification. The rheological properties of modified SNP samples exhibited more pronounced shear thinning, attributed to their weaker gel structure and fluid-like gel network. Overall, results suggested that modified GSNPs have potential for stabilizing Pickering emulsion and delivery of carrier materials for active functional substances. [Display omitted] • GSNPs were modified using dual OSA and PEF treatment. • 1H NMR and FTIR spectroscopy confirm the successful grafting of octenyl groups onto GSNP. • XRD analysis shows the V-type crystalline structure of GSNP. • TEM micrographs reveal the self-aggregate characteristic of GSNPs with a mean size under 120 nm. • Modification of GSNP improves thermal stability, relative crystallinity, and alters pasting and rheological properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Balanites aegyptiaca (L.), is commonly known as 'desert date', or 'Hingot' is an evergreen, woody, true xerophytic, spinous, perennial flowering tree belongs to the family Balanitaceae. It is widely distributed in sandy, plain and dry land areas of dry land areas of Africa, South Asia and throughout the drier parts of India specially in Western Rajasthan, West Bengal and Maharashtra. B. aegyptiaca is a multipurpose plant with high economic potential for the people of desert. Different parts of the plant are confirmed to be utilized in folkloric medicines for the treatment of many diseases in India and Asia. All parts of the plant have gifted various pharmacological activity. The fruit and nuts of collected germplasm accessions are showing peculiar morphological variation in size, shape colour and weight. This preliminary study shows presence of variability among widely distributed population of this plant which will further help in understanding natural variation available in habitat before planning exhaustive collection and conservation programme for genetic improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Published literature shows significant impact of sorghum type and flour on end-product quality, while demonstrating paucity in the studied varieties with respect to processing aspects (such as bread making) despite of enormous accessions available worldwide. Limited studies have reported usage of germinated flour for the above said purpose. The present study thus aimed at mitigating these gaps by utilizing results of sorghum (HJ-513) germination (Day 1-5) and flour derived from optimized condition (Day 3 as identified by partial least square analysis) to develop a composite functional bread (partial replacement of wheat). The germination process enhanced the total phenolics compounds (TPC, till day 3), water (14.01%) and oil absorption capacity (25.97%) while reducing the bulk density (760.99-644.69 kg/m3). This demonstrated increased potential of sorghum flour for development of bakery and confectionery products. The process also affected the pasting properties, total flavonoids compounds (TFC) and DPPH (2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) significantly (p < 0.05). The bread developed from partial replacement (10% and 20%) of refined wheat flour by sorghum was hard and darker than the control wheat bread. The bread developed at 20% was more dense and porous than the bread developed with 10% replacement. Specific volume of bread at 10% replacement was found higher than at 20% replacement. The study reports effective utilization of germinated sorghum flour for development of composite-functional bread without incorporation of any other additives/improvers. Future research however is warranted in the field to further increase the replacement of wheat flour by germinated sorghum flour to develop gluten free bread. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioactive glasses (BGs) are promising for bone tissue regeneration. BG composition can be tailored, according to the application of interest, and/or functionalized with organic molecules/biomolecules to improve their performances. However, despite the wide knowledge concerning BGs, their interaction with proteins, fundamental for controlling the fate of the implant, has not been deeply investigated yet. Controlling or predicting protein adsorption requires a full understanding of the materials surface physico-chemical properties. In this work, four different BGs (S53P4, B25, SCNB, PhGlass) were surface-modified by four different treatments: 72 h-soaking in TRIS, 72 h soaking in simulated body fluid, APTES grafting and quaternized APTES grafting. The surfaces were then characterized both untreated and after each treatment by contact angle, zeta potential analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier Transform InfraRed–Attenuated Total Reflectance spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy. Inductively Coupled Plasma – Optical Emission Spectrometry was then performed to investigate the ion leaching. The aim of this study (Part I) is the physico-chemical characterization of BGs as a function of the implemented treatments, aiming to better understand how the superficial properties are successively affecting protein adsorption. Protein adsorption on untreated and treated BGs will be discussed in a following manuscript (Part II). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kinnow peel powder (KPP) characterization (particle size; <180 μm, 180–250 μm, and 250–500 μm) showed that the particle size under 180 μm posses higher bulk density, color value L* & b*, oil absorption capacity, water solubility, and lower water holding capacity. Total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, and antioxidant properties of KPP varied in the range of 10.1 ± 0.21 to 10.9 ± 0.03 mg GAE/g, 4.96 ± 0.59 to 6.09 ± 0.56 mg QE/g, and 77.5 ± 0.96 to 87.2% ± 0.51%, respectively. An increase in particle size increased the pasting and thermal properties. Highest pasting viscosity (1069 ± 2 cP) and pasting temperature (75.3°C ± 0.10°C) were observed for the largest particle size KPP. Valorization of KPP was achieved by the development of muffins by partial replacement (5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%) of refine wheat flour. An increase in the concentration of KPP in muffins led to a decrease in the volume, color parameters, and increase in hardness. The highest desirability was found at 5% replacement level. Novelty impact statement: The present study was focused on valorization of kinnow peel for the development of muffins. The study will add the scientific data on kinnow peel with respect to different particle size for the development of bakery products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents a modified Constant Envelope Multiplexing with Intermodulation Construction (CEMIC) technique for multiplexing signals within a single frequency band. A constant envelope signal is necessary to operate a transponder at maximum efficiency. This paper proposes a novel scheme to incorporate backwards compatibility constraints into the cost function of the existing CEMIC scheme to minimize changes in the onboard navigation system and ground receivers. The proposed scheme maximizes multiplexing efficiency by optimizing signal power sharing as per system requirements. Simulation results indicate that the proposed scheme provides 0.1% to 13.7% better efficiency than the existing CEMIC scheme, depending upon the case severity. Furthermore, the power distribution and phasing of the individual intermodulation constituent signals are optimized to minimize intra-system and inter-system interference. As a result, the proposed scheme facilitates frequency coordination with GNSS service providers. The paper also discusses the hardware performance of the proposed scheme’s composite signal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biofilms are complex, three-dimensional structures that provide a long-established survival mechanism for microorganisms. Biofilms play a substantial role in pathogenesis as they can evade the immune response and be highly resistant to conventional antimicrobials, thus impacting the human health and healthcare system. To address this issue, BMC Microbiology invites submissions to the collection 'Biofilms and its impact on disease'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alpha-synuclein (α-syn), known for its pivotal role in Parkinson's disease, has recently emerged as a significant player in neurotropic RNA virus infections. Upregulation of α-syn in various viral infections has been found to impact neuroprotective functions by regulating neurotransmitter synthesis, vesicle trafficking, and synaptic vesicle recycling. This review focuses on the multifaceted role of α-syn in controlling viral replication by modulating chemoattractant properties towards microglial cells, virus-induced ER stress signaling, anti-oxidative proteins expression. Furthermore, the text underlines the α-syn-mediated regulation of interferon-stimulated genes. The review may help suggest potential therapeutic avenues for mitigating the impact of RNA viruses on the central nervous system by exploiting α-syn neuroprotective biology. • Modulation of viral replication via synaptic plasticity. • Modulation of interferon (IFN) stimulated genes by alpha-synuclein. • Role of alpha-synuclein as a chemoattractant. • Alpha-Synuclein mediated Stress pathways and its regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HgCdTe based infrared focal plane array (IRFPA) continues to be the best performing sensor for imaging infrared seeker systems. A detailed study on the flip chip bonding is described for an improvement in the performance and reliability of FPA under stringent thermal and mechanical cycling load. HgCdTe material has a limitation in the bonding temperature and pressure to preserve the detector performance. Process of thermo-compression bonding is developed here for a large format HgCdTe detector array with ultra-fine pitch. Flip-chip bonding under ultra-low force of 4.6 × 10−4 N/bump is achieved with minimum residual stress and it protects the HgCdTe photo-diodes from dislocation circuit multiplication after hybridization. This thermo-compression process is directly usable for other materials such as InSb, T2SL and InGaAs etc. with due consideration of the material's properties like Young's modulus, coefficient of thermal expansion, Poisson ratio and mechanical strength. HgCdTe FPAs with the optimum bonding parameters are packed in detector-dewar-cooler-assembly (DDCA) and tested for stringent thermal shock, mechanical shock and random vibration process. The fatigue life of 104 thermal cycles is achieved to make suitable for fail safe operation. HgCdTe FPA will have a life span of 13 years (if it is cooled down twice on each day) which is more than the vacuum integrity shelf life of a sealed DDCA. • Issues and their solution of thermo-compression bonding for HgCdTe based FPA with small pitch size. • Optimum bonding parameters provides interconnection of > 99.5 % in FPA. • Fatigue life of 104 thermal cycles achieved for fail safe operation of IRFPA. • HgCdTe based 2 K × 2K FPA (pitch size of 5 μm) is feasible with tolerable misalignment and stress using optimum bonding parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal augmentation in flat tube of car radiator using different nanofluids has been performed more often, but use of artificial roughness has been seldom done. Artificial roughness in the form of dimple is used in the present research work. Present study shows the impact of dimple shaped roughness and nanofluid (Al2O3/pure water) on the performance of car radiator. The pitch of dimples is kept at 15 mm (constant) for all the studies performed. The Reynolds number of the flow is selected in the turbulent regime ranging from 9350 to 23 000 and the concentration of the nanofluid is taken in the range of 0.1-1%. It has been found that the heat transfer rate has improved significantly in dimpled radiator tube on the expense of pumping power. Furthermore, the heat transfer rate also increases with increase in nanoparticle concentration from 0.1% to 1.0%. The highest heat transfer enhancement of 79% is observed at Reynolds number 9350, while least enhancement of 18% is observed for Reynolds number of 23 000. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper details the architecture of a novel scale-lag rake receiver for the doubly selective underwater acoustic (UWA) channel. The shallow UWA channel is known to have a large Doppler spread. The cause of this is primarily due to the large spread of the angle of arrival of the received signal's paths. The Doppler scale value is dependent on the angle of arrival of the received signal. The Doppler spread is significant, and multiple Doppler scales are present in the UWA channel. Therefore, the receivers operating with only a single Doppler scale compensation perform sub-optimally. The optimal receiver should incorporate all possible Doppler scales for better performance. The receiver needs to have multiple sampling rates to incorporate all Doppler scales. It is usually done by having multiple receive channels, one for each sampling rate. It requires tremendous resources as its complexity increases exuberantly. This paper shows that these Doppler scales are clustered and that an optimal receiver is implemented using fewer receiver channels, each corresponding to one such cluster. It reduces the receiver's complexity. The simulation results demonstrate that using the Doppler scale value associated with the path of the highest magnitude per cluster yields the best performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of microwave roasting parameters (300, 450 and 600 W; 5, 10 and 15 min) on acrylamide content in sorghum grain was determined using High Pressure Liquid Chromatography (HPLC)‐photo diode array (PDA) detector coupled with C‐18 column. Samples roasted at 300 and 450 W did not possess acrylamide, whereas 600 W (15 min) favoured formation of 2740.19 µg/kg of acrylamide, levels far exceeding the defined European Union (EU) limits. The chronic daily intake (CDI) for acrylamide through consumption of such grain flour was 3.25–9.5‐fold higher to Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) defined high exposure limits. The margin of exposure (MOE) values ranged from 4.3 to 12.76 and from 11.07 to 32.27 for neoplastic and neurological effects, respectively, demonstrating high exposure and serious health concerns associated with dietary intake of this toxicant. This study assesses the risk for the Indian population and highlights the importance of optimising process parameters for food product to minimise such exposure risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deficit irrigation (DI) has been emerging as an important technique for enhancing crop water productivity (WP). However, advantage of DI under varying nitrogen (N) application rates remains unclear. Field experiments were conducted during 2012–2014 to investigate the impacts of six irrigation levels[FI (full irrigation), DI10, DI20, DI30, DI40 and DI50, with irrigation amount of 100, 90, 80, 70, 60 and 50% of ETc, respectively) and four N application rates (N0, N10, N20 and N30, with 0, 10, 20 and 30 kg N ha−1, respectively) on WP, yield, quality, and net economic return of peanut in hot arid region of India. We used Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) method to obtain the optimal combination of irrigation and N rates. Both irrigation level and nitrogen dose had significant effects on yield and quality parameters examined in the study. Relative to FI, DI40 and DI50 significantly reduced yield (40.2–62.1%), economic benefit (70.8–118.5%), WP (8.2–33.0%), and kernel oil content (7.5–11.9%), but DI20 increased WP by 17.1% with only marginal reduction in economic benefit (2.6%), and yield (3.2%). Compared to N0, the N30 had 1.7, 1.1, and 1.6-folds increased yield, oil content in the kernel, and WP, respectively. Among all treatments, DI0N30 had the greatest yield and net return; DI20N30 had greatest WP and oil content in the kernel. TOPSIS analysis showed that DI20N30 was optimal in balancing of WP, yield, net return, and quality of peanut in northwestern arid India. The results have direct implications for improving irrigation water and N management for irrigated crops in arid regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Delivery of therapeutic compounds to the site of action is crucial. While many chemical substances such as beta-lactam antibiotics can reach therapeutic levels in most parts throughout the human body after administration, substances of higher molecular weight such as therapeutic proteins may not be able to reach the site of action (e.g., an infection) and are therefore ineffective. In the case of therapeutic phages, i.e., viruses that infect microbes, to treat bacterial infections, this problem is exacerbated; not only are phages unable to penetrate tissues, but phage particles can be cleared by the immune system, and phage proteins are rapidly degraded by enzymes or inactivated by the low pH in the stomach. Yet, the use of therapeutic phages is a highly promising strategy, in particular for infections caused by bacteria that exhibit multidrug resistance. Clinicians increasingly encounter situations where no treatment options remain available for such infections where antibiotic compounds are ineffective. While the number of drug-resistant pathogens continues to rise due to the overuse and misuse of antibiotics, no new compounds are becoming available, as many pharmaceutical companies discontinue their search for chemical antimicrobials. In recent years, phage therapy has undergone massive innovation for the treatment of infections caused by pathogens resistant to conventional antibiotics. While most therapeutic applications of phages are well described in the literature, other aspects of phage therapy are less well-documented. In this review, we focus on the issues that are critical for phage therapy to become a reliable standard therapy and describe methods for efficient and targeted delivery of phages, including their encapsulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Limited studies are present on dual modification of elephant foot yam (EFY) starch and no study investigated the combined effect of citric acid (CA) and ultra-sonication (US). In the present study, EFY starch was subjected to different concentrations of CA with and without US. Changes in different properties such as functional, morphology, thermo-pasting etc. were examined. Both treatments increased the water and oil absorption capacity of starch. Pasting properties significantly (p < 0.05) reduced with US modification, except pasting viscosity and pasting temperature. CA modification decremented the glass transition temperature which further reduced with US. Starch morphology revealed aggregation of individual granules upon CA modification whereas CA + US broke the aggregates and caused surface fissures and cracks. Overall crystallinity enhanced with an increase in the citric acid concentration. Changes in functional groups identified by FTIR analysis showed new peak formation (1710–1690 cm−1) associated with CA modification. The results showed that CA and CA + US changed the functionality, morphology and other structural characteristics of EFY starch which enable us to use the modified starch in the range of application i.e. bakery products, extruded products, thickening agent and other. • Ultrasonication (US) improves the WAC and OAC. • US led to formation of crack and changes morphology of starch. • Modification led to reduction in pasting properties and gelatinization temperature. • C O stretching vibrations after citric acid (CA) treatment • C C stretching after CA + US treatment [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing environmental concern of plastic packaging disposal has led to the innovation of biodegradable biopolymers. Consumer demand and health concern further necessitate the emergence of active and intelligent packaging system to monitor the quality of packed food. Whereas, the use of chemical dyes as an indicator in smart packaging is not suitable for food packaging because of their high toxicity and harmful effects on human health and the environment. Hence, the researchers are focused on natural pigments derived from plants and food waste as indicating substance in biodegradable packaging and also for the valorization of food waste. This paper summarizes the research on the utilization of naturally derived food- and food waste-based pigments (anthocyanins, curcumin, betalains, carotenoids, chlorophyll, brazilin, quercetin, etc.) with biopolymeric matrices (starch, cellulose, chitin, gums, agar, etc.) to fabricate "smart biodegradable films", for effective monitoring of spoilage and quality of meat products, seafood, milk, and others. The results show that the smart packaging material developed by the biopolymers with plant-based pigment has the potential to replace the traditional plastic packaging materials. The extracted from food and food waste act as an indicator in smart packaging and promotes the valorization of food waste. The biodegradable packaging is economical, safe, non-toxic, sensitive, and natural pigments act as a quality indicator in packaging systems. Further, these packaging films can be optimized and commercialized and to be employed as active and intelligent packaging for visual quality evaluation of fresh food products. Image 1 • Smart packaging with naturally derived pigments facilitate real-time fresh food monitoring. • Utilization of food waste in biodegradable packaging helps in valorization of food waste. • Easy to fabricate, safe and cost-effective solution for continuous visual monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to explore the effect of ultrasound pre‐treatment (USPT) and convective drying on the drying characteristics on the quality attributes of spine gourd (SG). The drying and rehydration characteristics were the best described by the Page model. USPT, as well as an increase in drying temperature, enhanced the drying rate of SG. USPT reduced the drying time whereas the sample dried at low temperature having higher rate of rehydration. The combined effect of USPT and drying temperature increased the moisture diffusivity of the sample from 8.55 × 10–10 to 2.63 × 10–9 m2/s. USPT of sample lowered the activation energy (34.57–29.43 kJ/mol) and increase in shrinkage. An increase in the drying temperature increased brittleness and crispiness but adversely affected the color. The higher retention of natural color favors the better acceptability of product dried at low‐temperature drying (50°C) than control and others. Practical applications: Limited studies have focused on the drying of spine gourd (SG). This study will add scientific data on the drying of SG with and without US. Dried slices can be directly cooked and break the barrier of seasonal availability. Dried crisp slices can be directly consumed as chips with spices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic–inorganic hybrid crystals have diverse functionalities, for example in energy storage and luminescence, due to their versatile structures. The synthesis and structural characterization of a new cobalt–vanadium‐containing compound, 2[Co(en)3]3+(V4O13)6−·4H2O (1) is presented. The crystal structure of 1, consisting of [Co(en)3]3+ complexes and chains of corner‐sharing (VO4) tetrahedra, was solved by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction in the centrosymmetric space group P1. Phase purity of the bulk material was confirmed by infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, elemental analysis and powder X‐ray diffraction. The volume expansion of 1 was found to be close to 1% in the reported temperature range from 100 to 300 K, with a volume thermal expansion coefficient of 56 (2) × 10−6 K−1. The electronic band gap of 1 is 2.30 (1) eV, and magnetic susceptibility measurements showed that the compound exhibits a weak paramagnetic response down to 1.8 K, probably due to minor CoII impurities (<1%) on the CoIII site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary The noise that affects underwater acoustic communication (UWAC) is primarily characterised by its non‐stationary nature and is predominantly non‐Gaussian in distribution. The Minimum Mean Square Error (MMSE) criterion‐based receiver/equaliser is suboptimal for Underwater Acoustic Communication (UWAC). An underwater acoustic communication (UWAC) system that is resilient should have the capability to effectively manage a wide range of underwater noise patterns and complex multipath, non‐stationary channels with a high level of reliability. To address these challenges, we suggest the deployment of a robust receiver that autonomously handles the communication channel. This receiver would consist of two stages: the first stage would involve a prefilter based on the time‐reversal mirror (TRM), while the second stage would utilise a Recurrent Neural Network (RNN). Analysis of the proposed receiver in different scenarios unequivocally demonstrates its superiority over the conventional Decision Feedback Equalise (DFE) and Deep Neural Network (DNN) based receiver. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Global obesity rates are rising due to rapid urbanisation and sedentary lifestyles, affecting health and economics. Modifications to one's way of life, medical interventions, and surgical procedures are among the methods that can be utilised to manage obesity. New dopaminergic drugs show promise, but regulatory hurdles remain. Dopamine modulation may reduce metabolic dysfunctions, but more research is needed. Aim and objectives: This study aims to examine the impact of Cabergoline on glucose tolerance and weight in obese adults. Method: The impact of cabergoline on blood glucose levels was examined in a double-blind research including 120 obese patients who were given either the active ingredient or a placebo. There was no statistically significant difference seen between the groups (P = 0.792). Medications were delivered every week for 3 months in addition to the ongoing therapy. The study involved the implementation of fundamental laboratory tests and measures to continuously monitor the outcomes. Result: This study presents the initial characteristics of the Cabergoline and Control groups, and compares them at 3 and 6 months. There were no notable disparities observed in terms of weight, waist circumference, blood pressure, or BMI. Once more, it examines the laboratory attributes before and following a 3-month therapy period, revealing that there are no notable disparities between the Cabergoline and Control groups in the majority of measures. Conclusion: Cabergoline did not differ significantly from the control group in terms of weight, waist circumference, blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), or the majority of laboratory values after three months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Guinea starch nanoparticles (GS-SNP) were developed using ultrasound and nanoprecipitation techniques. The physicochemical, thermal, structural, morphological, pasting, and rheological properties of GS-SNP were examined and compared with native starch. The particle size of GS-SNP was 391.50–206.00 nm, with a PDI of 0.35–0.23 and a zeta potential of −37.5 to −13 mV. The amylose content of GS-SNP increased with a decrease in relative crystallinity, and a V H -type crystalline structure was observed. The GS-SNP were in round shape with some self-aggregated granules. The water and oil absorption capacity, solubility, and gelatinization temperature of GS-SNP increased, but the swelling power was restricted. The viscosity of the GS-SNP dispersion remained almost constant throughout the heating but slightly increased after cooling. A higher degree of shear thinning was observed due to a fluid-like gel network and weak gel structure. The optimum conditions were: 50 % amplitude, 30 min time, and a starch to ethanol ratio (1:4) with 85 % maximum desirability. Overall, the findings suggest that GS-SNP have promising potential for application in a liquid system where viscosity of the system cannot be significantly influenced by temperature. [Display omitted] • GS-SNP exhibits small particle sizes ranging from 391.50 to 206.00 nm, a low polydispersity index of 0.35–0.23, and a favorable zeta potential, indicating good colloidal stability. • GS-SNP displays a V H -type crystalline structure and increased water and oil absorption capacity. • TEM images reveal self-aggregated granules with a mean hydrodynamic diameter of 97.66 nm. • GS-SNP exhibits a weakly structured gel with shear thinning behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chlorine is the most widely used sanitizer, however, there are varying reports on the exposure time and its effectiveness on fresh produce. This study determined the minimum exposure time for wet and dry contact chlorine treatments with the highest efficacy in reducing Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella enterica on spinach and bell pepper surfaces. The chlorine wash at 100 mg/L for 1 min resulted in a significant reduction (p < 0.05) of both pathogens on both produce. S. enterica was reduced by 4.86 log CFU/g on spinach and by 3.97 log CFU/g on bell pepper, while L. monocytogenes was reduced by 3.7 log CFU/g on spinach and by 3.08 log CFU/g on bell pepper. The majority of Listeria cross-contamination (>2.30 log CFU/g) on un-inoculated spinach and bell peppers was observed within 1 min of chlorine washing. Cross-contamination of Salmonella on spinach was >2.9 log CFU/g within 1 min and the level increased to 4.21 log CFU/g after 6 min. This study showed that washing spinach and bell pepper for up to 6 min with a 100 mg/L chlorine solution did not achieve additional reductions in L. monocytogene s and S. enterica populations compared to a 1 min wash. • Post-chlorine wash wet and dry contact time for microbial reduction was evaluated. • Most bacterial reduction was achieved after 1 min of chlorine wash. • Majority of cross-contaminations occurred within 1 min of washing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was aimed to evaluate the effect of sugar syrup concentration (SSC) (0, 30 and 60 °Brix (°B)), time of dipping (TD) of aonla segments in pomegranate juice (30, 60 and 90 min) and drying temperature (DT) (50°C, 60°C and 70°C) on the quality of aonla candy. The prepared candy was assessed for its physical, chemical and sensorial characteristics such as total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), ascorbic acid content (AA) and overall acceptability (OAA). Response surface methodology using Box-Behnken design was utilized for formulating the design of experiments, statistical analysis and optimization of process variables. Second-order polynomial models were fitted to determine the responses as a function of process variables. All three independent variables were observed to have significant effect (P = 0.01) with coefficient of determination (R2 = 0.90). The optimum process conditions for preparation of novel aonla candy were SSC of 60°B, TD of 30 min and DT of 70°C. The quality characteristics recorded at optimum experimental condition were TSS of 30.16°B, AA of 207.79 mg/100 g and OAA of 7.71 with lower TA of 1.48%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• 50% inorganic fertilizers + 50% farm yard/50% green manure was best soil erosion control method. • Significant negative relationships were recorded between carbon management index (CMI) and soil loss. • Positive relationships were found between CMI and maize, wheat yield. The impacts of the resource conservation practices can be evaluated in short-term through carbon management index (CMI) that conceptualizes the carbon lability and soil aggregation. To test this hypothesis, we investigated the labile organic carbon (LOC) pool and CMI in relation to runoff, soil loss and maize-wheat system productivity on 2% sloping crop lands of Indian Himalayan region in a study (2009–2014) where different nutrient management practices were adopted. Results showed that all integrated nutrient management (INM) practices (mineral fertilizers with different organic sources like farmyard manure (FYM), vermi-compost (VC), green manure (GM) and poultry manure (PM) enhanced soil aggregation compared with only mineral fertilization (NPK). Among all the treatments, the highest water-stable macroaggregates (+25%) in the 0–5 cm soil layer were recorded in 50% NPK + 50% FYM (7.5 t ha−1) treatment. Aggregate size of >2000, 250–2000, 53–250 and <53 µm had ∼18, 26, 34 and 18% higher soil aggregate-associated organic C in topsoil than 5–15 cm soil layer, respectively. Decreasing trend of soil aggregate-associated C was observed with decrease in size fraction from >2000 to <53 µm. Plots with fertilization of 50% NPK + 50% GM (1.8 t ha−1) had significantly higher Walkley-Black carbon (WBC), total soil organic C (TOC), LOC, macroaggregate-associated C concentrations, and soil aggregation than other treatments. In the NPK + FYM treatment, LOC was ∼16% significantly higher in topsoil than the sub-surface soil. CMI varied from ∼17–48% to 15–41% among the nutrient management practices in the 0–5 and 5–15 cm soil layers, respectively. Significant positive correlation was found between CMI with maize yield (r = 0.944; n = 28; p = 0.008), wheat yield (r = 0.942; n = 28; p = 0.005), and negative correlation with runoff (r = −0.818; n = 28; p = 0.042) and soil loss (r = −0.847; n = 28; p = 0.045). FYM, GM, VC and PM with mineral fertilization decreased soil degradation compared to only mineral fertilization and unfertilized control plots, and FYM and GM sources were the best among all the organic sources. The highest wheat equivalent yield (WEY) was recorded with 50% NPK + 50% FYM (∼6.0 t ha−1) while similar WEY was recorded in rest of 50% organic sources. Relationships revealed that the single value CMI can be used for the assessment of soil degradation in the sloping crop lands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Limited studies have been reported on the interaction of elephant foot yam (EFY) starch and hydrocolloids. Hence the present study investigated the effect of hydrocolloids (agar-agar, AAG and xanthan gum, XG) concentration (0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2%) on pasting, rheological, thermo-functional and morphological properties of EFY starch. The increase in concentration reduced the swelling index and enhanced the solubility. Peak, holding, break down and set back viscosity was highest at 2% XG than AAG. Dynamic storage modulus (G′) was higher than loss modulus (G″) within frequency range with an increase in hydrocolloids concentration. Pasting temperature reduced from 77.20 to 49.7 °C (AAG) and 77.20 to 61.56 °C (XG). FTIR exhibited differences in peak absorbance and broadness of O H and C O stretching at 3400–3200 cm−1 and 1260–1000 cm−1 upon hydrocolloids' addition. Increased AAG concentration reduced the peak temperature of gelatinization and retrogradation of EFY starch. The effect of hydrocolloids and their concentrations on the higher binding of EFY starch molecules and crystallinity has also been supported by SEM images. These results show that EFY starch with hydrocolloids can be used as a thickener. Its good binding ability may be explored for the possible applications in bakery industry and for the development of edible packaging film. • Hydrocolloid reduced the PT and enhanced the retrogradation and syneresis. • Hydrocolloids strengthen the elastic structure of EFY starch gels. • SEM images showed effects of XG/AAG on starch binding ability and crystallinity. • Strong starch-hydrocolloid linkage enhanced dynamic modulus than storage modulus. • EFY starch with XG has potential for the development of high-moisture food products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi's (AMF) role in plant nutrition and stress management is well known, but very few researches and studies have been conducted so far on the fungal ability to reduce different nutrient losses (runoff, leaching and volatilization) from the soil system. This important ecosystem service of AMF had been neglected largely. From the recent findings, it has been confirmed that mycorrhizal symbiosis has potential to check the losses of applied nutrients. The role of soil biota in nutrient cycling is indispensable and determines the nutrient availability to plants. Among these biota, AMF's association with plants is the most prevalent, but the exact mechanisms followed by AMF in nutrient cycling, transformation and reducing nutrient loss ability are still inconclusive. In this review, we will try to unlock this particular aspect of AMF which is important to achieve global food demand in a sustainable way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The use of sanitizers during produce wash operation is a common practice, but little is known about the effect of residual sanitizers on minimizing food safety risks associated with post-sanitizing cross-contaminations. This study investigated the effect of residual chlorine and organic acids on the survival and the attachment of E. coli O157:H7 and L. monocytogenes on spinach leaves during refrigerated storage. The pathogens were spot inoculated on chlorine (100 ppm), lactic acid (0.5%) and acetic acid (0.5%) treated leaves, and their survival during refrigerated storage (4 °C) was examined. A significant reduction (P < 0.05) in E. coli O157:H7 and L. monocytogenes populations was observed within 15 min of exposure on chlorine-treated leaves, with total reductions of 2.64 and 3.15 log CFU/cm2 respectively after 48 h. On 0.5% lactic acid treated leaves, the reduction in E. coli O157:H7 and L. monocytogenes population was 3.07 log CFU/cm2 (24 h) and 1.40 log CFU/cm2 (48 h), respectively. The effect of residual sanitizers was significantly greater on loosely attached populations compared to strongly attached populations. These results indicate that the residual sanitizers present on vegetable leaves after sanitizers wash may have a role in reducing the risks associated with post-sanitizing cross-contamination. Highlights • The residual chlorine was present on the treated spinach leaves up to 90 min. • Residual chlorine and lactic acid reduced E. coli O157:H7 and L. monocytogenes populations. • Loosely attached populations significantly decreased on sanitizers treated leaves during storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maleic acid functionalized boron nitride nanosheets (BNNS-MA)/Na-Alginate composite with enhanced mechanical, UV-shielding and antioxidation properties have been fabricated for the first time by solvent evaporation from a homogeneous aqueous dispersion of BNNS-MA/Na-Alginate composite solution. The composite fabrication was driven by homogenous nano-integrations and chemistry of compatibilization of BNNS-MA with Na-Alginate through H-bonding interactions between -COOH functional group of BNNS-MA and -OH, -COONa groups of Na-Alginate. The BNNS-MA/Na-Alginate composites show significant enhancement of mechanical, UV-blocking and antioxidant properties compared to the Na-Alginate. Integrating only 1 wt% BNNS-MA improved the UV-blocking, tensile strength, and antioxidant properties of Na-Alginate film by 99.1%, 73% and 60.3%, respectively. Overall, our findings of BNNS-MA integrated Na-Alginate composite films with improved physical, mechanical, UV shielding, and antioxidant functionalities is very promising to open new insight in the field of transparent UV-protected biopolymer film for consumer products, packaging, cosmetics, and engineering applications. • Chemistry of compatibilization of BNNS-MA with sodium alginate. • Significant improved of mechanical property at low BNNS-MA loading. • Exploring of UV-shielding, and antioxidant properties of BNNS-MA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, underutilized jicama starch (JS) is treated in dielectric‐heating at different power (300, 450, 600 W) and time (1, 3, 5 min), and the change in structural, thermo‐functional, and rheological properties is observed. The dielectric modification increases the water absorption (0.81–2.88 g g−1), whereas the oil absorption capacity (1.02–0.83 g g−1) and bulk density (0.52–0.39 g mL−1) are reduced as compared to native starch. Lightness (95.46–96.26) of JS non‐significantly varies with dielectric‐heating, whereas a significant effect is observed in redness (0.01–0.06) and yellowness (3.74–4.24). The apparent viscosity of all treated samples shows shear thinning behavior. All the pasting properties other than the setback and pasting temperature of dielectric treated samples are significantly (p < 0.05) decreased at higher power than control. The onset (46.50–81.67 °C), peak (64–99.23 °C), and end temperature (68.27–100.77 °C) of gelatinization transition increased, which shows better thermal stability as compared to control. The strong‐peak for the control and treated sample is observed at around 1000 cm−1 wavenumber in the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The structural changes have been observed by X‐ray diffraction analysis (XRD) and scanning electron micrographs (SEM) shows shrinkage and deformation at each power and time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pre-harvest contamination of produce has been a major food safety focus. Insight into the behavior of enteric pathogens on produce in pre-harvest conditions will aid in developing pre-harvest and post-harvest risk management strategies. In this study, the attachment strength (SR) and die-off rate of E. coli on the surface of watermelon fruits and the efficacy of aqueous chlorine treatment against strongly attached E. coli population were investigated. Watermelon seedlings were transplanted into eighteen plots. Prior to harvesting, a cocktail of generic E. coli (ATCC 23716, 25922 and 11775) was inoculated on the surface of the watermelon fruits (n = 162) and the attachment strength (SR) values and the daily die-off rates were examined up to 6 days by attachment assay. After 120 h, watermelon samples were treated with aqueous chlorine (150 ppm free chlorine for 3 min). The SR value of the E. coli cells on watermelon surfaces significantly increased (P<0.05) from 0.04 to 0.99 in the first 24 h, which was primarily due to the decrease in loosely attached population, given that the population of strongly attached cells was constant. Thereafter, there was no significant change in SR values, up to 120 h. The daily die-off rate of E. coli ranged from -0.12 to 1.3 log CFU/cm2. The chlorine treatment reduced the E. coli level by 4.2 log CFU/cm2 (initial level 5.6 log CFU/cm2) and 0.62 log CFU/cm2 (initial level 1.8 log CFU/cm2), on the watermelons that had an attachment time of 30 min and 120 h respectively. Overall, our findings revealed that the population of E. coli on watermelon surfaces declined over time in an agricultural environment. Microbial contamination during pre-harvest stages may promote the formation of strongly attached cells on the produce surfaces, which could influence the efficacy of post-harvest washing and sanitation techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The present study investigated the effects of microwave roasting on physical, thermal, functional, pasting and antioxidant properties of sorghum. The results demonstrate a significant (p < 0.05) reduction in sorghum bulk density upon roasting (778–546 kg/m3). Roasting increased the total colour change and browning index from 14.8 to 48.2 and 17.9 to 64.8, respectively, but decreased the lightness 'L*' from 83.1 to 50.6. Onset temperature, peak temperature, and end temperature for the amylose-lipid complex decreased by 21.00%, 19.01%, and 17.03%, respectively. Similarly, peak viscosity, pasting viscosity, breakdown viscosity and setback from the trough decreased from 2295 to 35.42, from 26.15 to 16.67, from 984.8 to 8.38 and from 2013 to 17.97, respectively. Non-significant variations in starch gelatinization and functional properties were observed. However, roasting had significant effects on total phenolic content, total flavonoid content and antioxidant properties of sorghum flour changing the corresponding values from 2.64 to 4.67 mg GAE/100 g, from 3.89 to 2.73 mg QE/100 g and from 92.50 to 83.95% DPPH, respectively. Roasted sorghum flour with better functional, pasting and antioxidant properties can be used for the development of various functional and healthy bakery products, which are especially suitable for consumption by the celiac disease population. Highlights • Sorghum grains were roasted in a microwave at 300, 450 and 600 W for 5, 10 and 15 min. • L* value was inversely proportional to the degree of roasting. • Significant increase in total phenolic content was observed with roasting time. • Water absorption capacity increased with increase in roasting power and time. • Peak viscosity decreased with increase in roasting power and time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The study evaluated the effects of convective hot air drying temperatures (40, 50, 60 and 70 °C) with different pre-treatments (Potassium metabisulphite (KMS) and KMS + Citric acid) on drying as well as rehydration kinetics, color, texture and calcium oxalate content of elephant foot yam (EFY) cubes. Moisture diffusivity (6.69 × 10−8-3.41 × 10−7 m2/s) and activation energy (25.18–32.46 kJ/mol) increased with pre-treatments and increase in drying temperature. Rehydration ratio increased with increase in drying as well as rehydration temperature compared to room temperature. Page and modified peleg models suited the best to describe drying and rehydration kinetics of EFY cubes, respectively. Color value 'L' decreased with increase in drying temperature and opposite trend was observed for 'a' and 'b' value. However the dried samples treated with KMS + blanching showed higher 'L' value and the highest L value (90.35) was observed at 50 °C. Sample hardness (94.34–349.57 N) and rupture energy (18.42–191.35 N/mm2) decreased with increase in drying temperature. Significant (p < 0.05) reduction in calcium oxalate (120–13.5 mg/100g) was observed during drying. Sample dried at higher temperatures had lower oxalate content and hardness which can be potentially used in curry making, bakery and confectionary products. Highlights • Page model and modified peleg described drying and rehydration kinetics. • Higher temperature had a pronounced effect on hardness. • Blanching controlled the enzymatic browning and enhanced appearance. • Drying temperature caused significant reduction of calcium oxalate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to enhance our understanding of effects of International Clearing Unions on the exchange market pressure (EMP). Using Asian Clearing Union (ACU) as an example of a typical International Clearing Union, the authors infers that ACU has not been very successful in synchronizing the EMP in the region. Other countries that are not members of such clearing union but are interested in monetary cooperation with other countries should consider the behavior of their EMP indices before attempting any form of integration. The study also provides a generic methodology for using EMP as an indicator for predicting the feasibility of monetary cooperation across countries.Design/methodology/approach An EMP model using the median absolute deviation is derived to reflect the policy preferences of each country. The weights for change in foreign reserves and interest rate differential are derived using analytical models. The index is then applied to ACU as a case study using monthly data from 2006 to 2015 for Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Iran. The descriptive statistics are studied to find the possibility of short-run relationship between the exchange rates, foreign exchange reserves and interest rate differential. The longitudinal data set generated is checked for cointegration to evaluate the EMPs of the countries.Findings The study finds that the EMP of ACU members’ shows similarity only in short-term movement but have no cointegration of EMP indices indicating the absence of long-term relationship. The absence of long-term cointegration of EMP for ACU members also indicates that ICU membership may not necessarily lead to similarity in exchange rate policies that facilitate the formation of a currency union. Creation of an ICU is not a sufficient condition for the formation of a currency union. The study also finds that the sample countries have faced persistent depreciation pressures in the period. The preferred tool for the management of EMP is direct intervention by sale and purchase of foreign currency. Interest rate changes are found to have the most significant effect on EMP.Research limitations/implications The EMP model limits itself only to the study of exchange rates, foreign reserves and interest rates. Exchange rate variation and policy responses there to are known to be driven by other factors such as speculation, political factors, autonomous capital flows and micro-level dynamics of exchange markets like order flows among others. The EMP model is a simplification of the market dynamics and does not look for associations on the account of these factors. The model is evaluated for only one ICU where member countries regulate exchange rates. The study of ICUs that comprises free float currencies and pegged currencies may yield different results.Practical implications Results indicate that the member of any ICU such as ACU cannot assume that its participation will serve as a foundation for creating higher forms of economic unions such as currency unions. In the absence of any long-term relationship between the EMP of countries, any attempt by these countries may cause the exchange rates to deviate further. This leads to the conclusion that the members of ACU should avoid any attempts to form currency unions or use a common currency for its settlement.Social implications Various countries that are considering the formation of currency union or the use of a common currency peg may like to examine its feasibility using EMP as a tool. Using EMP, they may be able to derive short-term and long-term strategies for pursuing their objectives.Originality/value There are few other studies that use EMP as an index for measuring the feasibility of formation of a currency union among countries that are the member of an ICU. While earlier studies apply EMP to a group of countries, none attempt to modify the index to reflect the EMP that is likely to affect central bank policy action. Few studies have attempted to use EMP to study the feasibility of formation of a currency union in South Asia based on exchange rate markets itself. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A thorough knowledge of the effects of land use systems (LUS) on the soil carbon pool and soil total nitrogen (STN) are critical to planning effective strategies for adaptation and mitigation in future scenarios of global climate and land use systems. This study conducted with the objectives of investigating soil carbon, nitrogen storage and carbon management index (CMI) in different LUS under middle Indian Himalayan ecosystem, four LUS: barren land (BL), cultivated land (CL), grass land (GL) and forest land (FL) were selected in Indian mid-Himalaya. A total of 111 composite soil samples [4 treatment (land use systems) 3- soil depths (0–15, 15–30 and 30–45 cm) and 8, 11, 8 and 10 replication for BL, CL, GL and FL systems, respectively] were collected for laboratory analyses. Forest land use system has the highest Walkley-Black Carbon (WBC), total carbon (TC), total nitrogen (TN), carbon and nitrogen (C and N)-storage and CMI values while barren land use system having least amount of WBC, TC, TN, CN-storage and CMI. Land use system had minimum effect on non-labile carbon (NLC), lability of carbon (LC), lability index (LI) and carbon pool index (CPI) of the ecosystem. Moreover, TC and TN were increase in the grass and forest land as compared to barren and cultivated land. The TC concentration was highly correlated with TN (R 2  = 0.88, p < 0.01) and soil N-sequestration (R 2  = 0.93, p < 0.01) concentrations. However, carbon storage and NSP relationship (p < 0.01) was NSP = 0.0916× + 0.7088 (R 2  = 0.93). Overall results indicated that LUS and C-storage were associated with N-storage and CMI. These results suggest restoration of degraded barren and cultivated land to grass and forest land and decrease in intensity of land use could increase carbon and nitrogen storage in the study area as well as other similar mountainous regions of Indian mid-Himalayas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]