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Background The normal ability to distinguish two points from one is known as the two-point discriminative (2PD) sense. This forms an extremely important assessment in patient with injuries to the nerves distributed to the upper extremity. Objective The aim of this study was to estimate the normal reference values of static 2PD in healthy adults and children. Materials and Methods A total of 624 normal adults comprising 380 men and 244 women were recruited randomly for the study at three different centers. Additionally, 172 healthy children, comprising 110 boys and 62 girls, were studied. Eight sensory areas in the palmar surface of the hand were delineated. The ability to distinguish the static 2PD was estimated in millimeters by using disk discriminator. The results were tabulated and statistically analyzed. Results The mean static 2PD in the adult population ranged from 2.78 to 3.5 mm in the fingertips and 5.39 to 7.13 mm in the mid-palm. There was a statistically significant difference between men and women in zones 6, 7, and 8. In children, the observed 2PD values were 2.15 to 3.63 mm in the fingertips and 4.10 to 5.77 mm in the palm. Children have a significantly better 2PD sense when compared with adults. Conclusion The normal value of static 2PD in the palmar surface of the hand among the Indian pediatric and adult populations was established in the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strong crosswinds can cause catastrophic accidents like overturning and derailment in extreme circumstances, therefore the train's capacity to tolerate their impacts is crucial. Despite the significance of this issue, there exists a notable research gap in understanding the specific effects of various positions of a high-speed train within a tunnel on its aerodynamic loads and flow structure under different crosswind conditions. To address this gap, numerical simulations were performed using computational fluid dynamics. The crosswind angles (Ψ) were 15°, 30°, 45°, and 60° and the number of coaches exiting the tunnel was one to three coaches, respectively. The incompressible flow around the train was simulated using the Unsteady Reynolds-Averaged NavierStokes (URANS) equations in conjunction with the k-epsilon (k-ε) turbulence model. The Reynolds number employed in the simulation was 1.3 x 106, calculated based on the height of the train and the freestream velocity. With regard to aerodynamic performance due to the crosswind, force coefficients such as drag, side, and lift and moment coefficients of rolling, pitching, and yawing were measured. The higher crosswind angles including ψ = 45° and ψ = 60° cases produced the worse results of aerodynamic load coefficients compared to the lower crosswind angles of ψ = 15° and ψ = 30°. For instance, the highest side force coefficient (Cs) was recorded at a crosswind angle of ψ = 45°, with a value of 23.6. Meanwhile, the flow structure revealed that the leading coach of the train experienced intricate flow patterns during crosswinds, characterized by vortices and flow separation. These findings indicate that aerodynamic instabilities can potentially affect the overall performance of the train. Additionally, this increases the risk of derailment or overturning to be high, particularly when the majority of coaches are exiting the tunnel under strong crosswind conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The early stages of ageing are a critical time window in which the ability to detect and identify precocious molecular and cognitive markers can make the difference in determining a healthy vs unhealthy course of ageing. Using the 6-different object task (6-DOT), a highly demanding hippocampal-dependent recognition memory task, we classified a population of middle-aged (12-month-old) CD1 male mice in Impaired and Unimpaired based on their short-term memory. This approach led us to identify a different microRNAs expression profile in the hippocampus of Impaired mice compared to Unimpaired ones. Among the dysregulated microRNAs, miR-153-3p was upregulated in the hippocampus of Impaired mice and appeared of high interest for its putative target genes and their possible implication in memory-related synaptic plasticity. We showed that intra-hippocampal injection of the miR-153-3p mimic in adult (3-month-old) mice is sufficient to induce a short-term memory deficit similar to that observed in middle-aged Impaired mice. Overall, these findings unravel a novel role for hippocampal miR-153-3p in modulating short-term memory that could be exploited to prevent early cognitive deficits in ageing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The entrepreneurship proclivities of the deaf and hard-of-hearing community are under-researched or often grouped together into the broad disability literature. This study represents the first effort in developing a framework for deaf entrepreneurship. It departs from prior work by employing a mixed method study to examine the drivers, career motivations and prevalence of entrepreneurial activity of the deaf community in the United States. Building on the nascent entrepreneurship disability literature, this research develops and tests a deaf entrepreneurship framework. Results indicate that entrepreneurship in the deaf community is limited, primarily driven by push-oriented motivations–tightly linked to unique contextual factors. It also finds that the dynamics of entrepreneurship in the deaf community differ substantially from the existing disability entrepreneurship literature revealing the need for different policies. Implications for theory and policy along with directions for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The combination of sedimentation, electrocoagulation (EC) and ozonation processes was investigated to treat wastewater from a medium-density fiberboard panel industry. The set-up of the EC process was composed of aluminum anodes and iron cathodes. For the sedimentation, the residence time was studied in a range from 5 to 120 min, achieving 80% suspended solids removal at 60 min. Three current densities have been investigated for EC: 57.1, 128.6 and 214.3 A/m2. The addition of 20 mL/min of polyamide (100 mg/L) was also tested using 200 mL/min of wastewater at an initial pH of 7.5 in order to analyze its effect on the pollutant removal, and therefore, on EC performance. The best operating EC conditions were 214.3 A/m2 of current density by the addition of polyamide aqueous solution. After EC, chemical oxygen demand (COD), color and turbidity removals of 66.3%, 99.7% and 99.9%, respectively, were obtained. For the ozonation process, an ozone flow of 2.5 g/h was fed to the wastewater, at an initial pH of 7.4. The effect of various ozone doses on COD, color and turbidity removal has also been studied. The highest achieved removal rates were 38.0%, 10.5% and 0.3% for COD, color and turbidity, respectively, at 20 min ozonation time. For the overall treatment, the removal percentages of these parameters were 90.9%, 99.7% and 99.9%, respectively. Furthermore, the combined treatment increased the wastewater biodegradability by a factor of 4.5. Thus, the combined processes of sedimentation, EC and ozonation can be a suitable alternative to reduce contaminant load in effluents from wood industries, and therefore, to comply with the Ecuadorian regulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

D2 gastrectomy is the globally accepted standard surgical procedure for operable gastric cancer, and lymph node (LN) dissection is considered as the critical part of radical surgery and closely related to the prognosis. The splenic hilar LN (SHLN) or level 10 are to be removed during standard D2 total gastrectomy. In situ and ex situ spleen-preserving lymphadenectomies have been the most common dissection approaches for SHLNs. No study exists which compares the outcomes of these techniques in Indian population. This study is aimed to analyse the operative outcomes of ex situ in vivo technique of spleen-preserving splenic hilar lymph node dissection in patients who underwent D2 total gastrectomy for operable proximal gastric cancer in comparison with in situ in vivo technique of splenic hilar lymph node dissection. We reviewed prospectively collected data from 17 patients with operable proximal gastric cancer between September 2016 and April 2019 who underwent D2 total gastrectomy with splenic hilar lymph node dissection and studied the preoperative demographic factors, operative and postoperative outcomes comparing the different operative techniques. Patients with oesophago-gastric junction involvement, direct splenic or other adjacent organ invasion requiring multivisceral resection and gastric stump carcinoma were excluded. Overall, 17 patients underwent D2 total gastrectomy for operable gastric cancer. Mean age of presentation was 54.7 years including 13 males and 4 females. Five patients had middle third and 12 patients had upper third cancer. All patients had splenic hilar nodal clearance as follows: in situ — 14 and ex situ — 3 patients. R0 resection was achieved in all patients. Lymph node harvest tends to be higher with lower operative time and blood loss in patients with ex situ technique compared to in situ technique with similar morbidity. Ex situ in vivo technique of spleen-preserving splenic hilar lymph node dissection can be considered as both safe and feasible procedure for operable proximal gastric cancer patients in experienced centres to achieve better lymph node yield with no significant increase in morbidity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that has resulted in global pandemic and crisis in health care system. Several studies have focused only on hospitalized patients with 30 to 90 days after one cycle of illness but post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 existing even after a year remains unclear. Moreover, long-term sequelae in outpatients have not been documented and henceforth myriad clinical sequelae in long haulers continue to evolve. In this study, we report three cases represents a single family presenting several post-acute sequelae one after the other extending beyond one year of recovery. To our knowledge such a case series has not been reported in earlier studies. Herein, we present the sequelae in various organs namely neuropsychiatric (tinnitus, anxiety, depression, insomnia, and posttraumatic stress disorder, cognitive decline), cardiovascular (tachycardia, bradycardia), gastrointestinal (appendicitis) and Dermatologic (erythematous rash and acne) besides ophthalmic manifestations (conjunctivitis and dry eyes) in Long-COVID-19 and recommend management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The day by day new combinations drugs are being launched in market. Then the multiple therapeutic agents which acts at diverse sites are used in the management of various diseases and disorders are done. Thus it is necessary to develop methods for analysis with the help of number of analytical methods which are available for the estimation of the drugs in combination. The analyst were estimate the rapid, selective, specific, simple, RP-HPLC method is developed and validated for simultaneous estimation of Losartan potassium and Hydrochlorthiazide in pharmaceutical tablet dosage form. RP-HPLC method was performed on the HPLC System with UV-VIS detector and Nucleodur,C8 (150 mm × 3.9 mm, 5 μm), using the mobile phase (Acetonitrile: Buffer B (7:93 v/v) pH 7.0 to 7.5 with 0.05% at a flow rate of 1.0 ml/min, injection volume 20 μl and UV detection at 280 nm. This method is validated according to BP, USP and ICH requirements for new methods, which include accuracy, precision, robustness, ruggedness, linearity and range. Linear relationships were obtained in the ranges of 100-300 μg/ml and 50-150 μg/ml with correlation coefficients of 0.9999 and 0.9996 at Rt value of 10.769 min and 21.633 min for Losartan potassium and hydrochlorthiazide respectively. According to ICH guidelines the developed method was validated. The proposed method can be used for estimation of these drugs in combined pharmaceutical dosage forms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Underpinned by the consumer-based model of authenticity (CBA), this study aims to investigate whether leisure involvement, object-based and existential authenticity, host sincerity and engagement stimulate positive memorable visitor experiences in a distinctive commercial hospitality setting: a living history site. Design/methodology/approach: Quantitative data were gathered from living history site visitors (n = 1,004), with partial least squares structural equation modeling used to test the hypothesized relationships. Findings: The results confirm the inclusion of the hypothesized relationships between leisure involvement, sincerity and authenticity, relative to engagement and subsequent memorability. The findings suggest that engagement can be a predictor of a positive memorable experience, contingent on CBA constructs (sincerity; object-based authenticity; existential authenticity). The significant association between object-based authenticity and memorable experience identified herein differs from some published studies, while other results are broadly consistent with extant research. Results also reveal significant differences for visitors who purchased souvenirs when compared to those who did not. Research limitations/implications: The research extends the CBA by positing sincere hospitality as a relationship-based encounter between host and guest that influences social interaction, engagement and memorability within the novel living history site context. Further, the ability to differentiate visitors based on their purchases at the site is illustrated. Originality/value: Given the ubiquity of engagement and authenticity as precursors to memorable experiences within contemporary commercial hospitality and heritage discourses, the findings apply to hospitality experiences beyond the living history site context examined herein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, the inhibition potential of the combination of the compounds, thiourea-Zn2+-glycine on mild steel (MS) corrosion was investigated. Predetermined corrosion on MS was carried out in H2SO4 at pH 4. The examinations on study were made using different gravimetric and conventional techniques including surface morphology, polarisation, alternating current impedance, Scanning electron microscope (SEM), Atomic force microscopy (AFM), UV, and fluorescence. The impedance measurements confirmed the polarisation behaviour of the corrosion products. In addition, the polarisation profile showed that the inhibitor behaves as mixed type with more pronounced cathodic effect. The observed corrosion data indicated that the inhibition of MS corrosion due to adsorption of the inhibitor molecule on the metal surface that helps to minimise the corrosion. Form the inference, the combination of the inhibitors contained, 100 ppm of thiourea, 25 ppm of Zn2+ and 250 ppm of glycine showed very good inhibition efficiency on MS corrosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite sustained economic growth and reduction in some of forms of malnutrition, Ghana still faces a national prevalence rate of 20.8% vitamin A deficiency (VAD) among for children 6–59 months old. Orange-fleshed sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas L.) (OFSP) can significantly improve vitamin A intake and contribute toward reducing VAD, especially in Northern Ghana where VAD is 31% among young children. Several poverty and nutrition projects in Ghana have promoted the use of OFSP for its health benefits. This study assesses the effect of three varietial attributes on adoption of the first released OFSP variety in Northern Ghana namely, Apomuden. The study concluded that sweetness, taste and dry matter have joint significant effects on adoption of an OFSP variety. The positive and negative traits highlighted will inform the on-going breeding effort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article describes the case of a 65-year-old female with bleeding superficial lower limb varicosities and was referred to a vascular unit for definitive treatment. Topics discussed include finding on clinical examination, the patient's diagnosis of varicosities secondary to severe tricuspid regurgitation (TR), and effectiveness of sclerotherapy to chemically ablate a relatively short segment of the vein to manage the local symptoms/complications.

In recent years, the multilingual content over the internet has grown exponentially together with the evolution of the internet. The usage of multilingual content is excluded from the regional language users because of the language barrier. So, machine translation between languages is the only possible solution to make these contents available for regional language users. Machine translation is the process of translating a text from one language to another. The machine translation system has been investigated well already in English and other European languages. However, it is still a nascent stage for Indian languages. This paper presents an overview of the Machine Translation in Indian Languages shared task conducted on September 7–8, 2017, at Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Coimbatore, India. This machine translation shared task in Indian languages is mainly focused on the development of English-Tamil, English-Hindi, English-Malayalam and English-Punjabi language pairs. This shared task aims at the following objectives: (a) to examine the state-of-the-art machine translation systems when translating from English to Indian languages; (b) to investigate the challenges faced in translating between English to Indian languages; (c) to create an open-source parallel corpus for Indian languages, which is lacking. Evaluating machine translation output is another challenging task especially for Indian languages. In this shared task, we have evaluated the participant's outputs with the help of human annotators. As far as we know, this is the first shared task which depends completely on the human evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explore the interplay between social currency (SC) and consumer engagement on social networks. We use text analyses based on both human coding and machine learning asisted sentiment analysis on reviews collected from Facebook pages, and we show that SC has a positive effect on ratings and visitor loyalty. First, we find that attractions have varying makeup of SC as represented in the six dimensions of SC. Second, repeat visits increase SC. Third, SC positively impacts revisit intentions even in the absence of prior experience. We also find that prior experience does not appear to yield better ratings, however, it predicts revisit intentions. This study represents the first use of SC in the tourism domain. Theoretical and practical implications alongside limitations and future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK)-barium zirconate (BaZrO3)-based polymer nanocomposite membranes are prepared by solvent casting technique. The composite membranes have been characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), water uptake, swelling, and ion exchange capacity (IEC). The NMR, IEC, and CHNSO analyses confirmed the degree of sulfonation level of SPEEK as 65%. Addition of 6 wt% BaZrO3 filler improved the proton conductivity of the polymer electrolyte considerably with 3.12 × 10−1 S/cm at 90 °C. SEM and AFM studies indicated that the BaZrO3 nanofillers are well distributed in the polymer up to 8 wt%. The maximum power and current density are 183 mW cm−2 and 280 mA cm−2 for 94 wt% SPEEK and 06 wt% BaZrO3. It is concluded that the above composite membrane is a potential candidate for PEM fuel cell applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Economically viable limestone deposits are mostly formed by calcite minerals, and these minerals are widely used in manufacturing of cement, mortar, fertilizer and flux for smelting of iron ores, and mapping of such deposits is significant and important in scientific research. This study examines the capability of Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) with the wavelength range visible–near-infrared and short-wave infrared spectral bands to map such limestone carbonate deposits and associated lithounits occurred in and around of Chikkanayakanahalli, southern part of the Chitradurga schist belt using minimum noise fraction (MNF) and decorrelation stretching methods. The study results that (1) the RGB image of MNF (R: B1; G: B2; B: B3) of ASTER is capable of discriminating the limestones and associated different rock types, namely banded magnetite quartzites (BMQ), graywackes, Mn- and Fe-rich cherts, metabasalts, granitic gneisses, granitoids and migmatites and (2) the decorrelation stretch image of ASTER bands 8, 3, 1 of the ASTER delineated clearly the limestones and associated rocks of the study area. Study of spectral signatures of field samples of such economic limestones in the wavelength of 350–2500 nm using Fieldspec3 Spectroradiometer showed the spectral absorption near 2.32 μm due to the presence of calcite minerals in the rocks. The results of study are cross-verified in the study area and confirmed through petrological and chemical analyses of the samples. This study bespeaks the potential of ASTER sensor and application of image processing methods to map the economic limestone deposits and associated rocks of the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Glucokinase‐maturity‐onset diabetes of the young (GCK‐MODY) is a form of diabetes caused by heterozygous inactivating mutations in the GCK gene. Affected individuals maintain their fasting glucose levels at a higher set point (5.4–8.3 mmol/l) than the general population. Hyperglycaemia in women with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes is known to confer increased risk of fetal congenital abnormalities. The association between GCK‐MODY and congenital abnormalities, however, remains uncertain. Case report: A 35‐year‐old woman in her third pregnancy was diagnosed with gestational diabetes at 13 weeks' gestation (fasting blood glucose 6.0 mmol/L, 1‐h blood glucose 9.2 mmol/l, 2‐h blood glucose 7.3 mmol/l). The morphology scan at 19+2 weeks' gestation showed a Type III sacral agenesis. The woman elected to terminate the pregnancy. Her postpartum oral glucose tolerance test was suggestive of GCK‐MODY (fasting blood glucose 7.4 mmol/l, 1‐h blood glucose 9.3 mmol/l, 2‐h blood glucose 7.3 mmol/l). Mutation analysis of the GCK gene identified a novel heterozygous GCK missense mutation, p.V199M, classified as likely pathogenic, providing molecular confirmation of the suspected GCK‐MODY diagnosis. Discussion: Sacral agenesis is a rare form of sacral abnormality affecting 0.005% to 0.1% of pregnancies. It is a subtype of the caudal regression sequence, a cardinal feature of diabetic embryopathy. This case raises the question as to whether hyperglycaemia in GCK‐MODY may increase the risk of fetal caudal regression syndrome as reported in women with pre‐existing diabetes mellitus. Improved diagnostic rates of GCK‐MODY, and MODY registers that include pregnancy outcomes, are important to further elucidate risk of congenital abnormalities in GCK‐MODY. What's new?: The association between maternal glucokinase‐maturity‐onset diabetes of the young (GCK‐MODY) in pregnancy and fetal congenital abnormalities is unclear.This report describes a case of sacral agenesis in the fetus of a woman who was subsequently diagnosed with a novel GCK‐MODY mutation.The case raises the question as to whether hyperglycaemia in GCK‐MODY may increase the risk of caudal regression syndrome as reported in people with pre‐existing diabetes mellitus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In modern History, metals and alloys have been used as implants. In the early development, metal implants faced corrosion and insufficient strength problems. Metal implants experienced vast development and clinical use. Type of metal used in biomedical depends on specific implant applications. SS316L & Ni-Cr are still the most used alloy in all implants division ranging from Cardiovascular to Otorhinology. However, when the implant requires high wear resistance such as artificial joints, SS316L and Ni-Cr alloys are better served. This work aims at studying the electrochemical behavior of meals like Ni-Cr, SS316L, and Gold22 & Gold18 and for comparative purpose mild steel in the presence of Simulated Ringer Solution. The behavior of metals was mentioned by Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS). All the experiments were carried out at a constant temperature at 37° C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proton Exchange Membranes (PEMs) based on nanocomposite consisting of Chitosan and Poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO)/modified montmorillonite (H+‐MMT) was prepared by solution casting technique. To appraise PEM performance, the structural properties, hydrolytic stability and transport properties of the prepared membranes were investigated using various characterization methods like FT‐IR, XRD, SEM, AFM, water uptake, swelling ratio, ion exchange capacity (IEC), and proton conductivity measurements. Fabricated blend membranes showed favorable PEM characteristics such as afford comparable proton conductivity, moderate ion exchange capacity and reasonable water uptake. Proton conductivities of the blend membranes are about 2.99 × 10−2 S/cm at room temperature. All the membranes are homogenous that could be revealed from the XRD studies. All the results obtained from this study can be used to conclude that the Chitosan/PEO membrane with H+‐MMT filler is a promising high performance PEM candidate for fuel cell applications in future. POLYM. COMPOS., 40:E301–E311, 2019. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Older people are at a higher risk of developing chronic wounds, both because of a weakened immune system and because the cause of the wound (pressure, reduced blood supply) cannot be taken away. Subbiyan Rajendran advises on treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Colon cancer is one of the most common malignancies in many regions of the world and is thought to arise from the accumulation of mutations in a single epithelial cell of the colon and rectum. The benzimidazole comprises a important pharmacophore and privileged structure in modern drug discovery. Various substituted benzimidazole derivatives have been found to possess potential anticancer properties. Objective: The study aimed to prove the anti-colon cancer activity of novel benzimidazole derivative 4-(1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)-6-phenylpyrimidin-2-amine loaded chitosan nanoparticle (BZI 3 nano) by an 1, 2 Dimethylhydrazine (DMH) Induced rat model in-vivo study and identify the targeting efficiency of BZI 3 nano to treat colorectal cancer. Method: The effect of novel benzimidazole derivative 4-(1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)-6-phenylpyrimidin-2-amine loaded chitosan nanoparticle (BZI 3 nano) on the formation of aberrant crypt foci (ACF), apoptosis, histopathology, body weight, organs weight and heamotological parameters were studied in 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH)-induced colon cancer in rats. Results: BZI 3 nano (5 mg/kg, p.o) administration significantly reduced ACF number and increased the weight gain and apoptotic index compared to DMH treated group. The histological alterations induced by DMH were also significantly improved. Conclusion: In-vivo anticancer activities results revealed that the presence substituted benzimidazole derivative nanoparticle (BZI 3 nano) could have the anticancer potential of the scaffold and selective, good target for drug discovery, which can be regarded as promising anticancer potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traveling in remote areas at nights is very risky and tire getting puncture at that time is dangerous. To avoid any of this complications a sub wheel system is installed in the vehicle. Sub wheels helps to go to required destination and change the puncture wheel. The tires used in this system are mold tires so they don't get affected by the road conditions. The sub wheel is operated by means of a hydraulic system. Power for this sub wheel is provided from the engine placed in the back of the vehicle. This is system is very useful heavy weight vehicle which travel in difficult terrain (army vehicles). The height of the car is increased so that Sub wheels won't affect the chassis or the engine. This type of system is used in le24race but they only use hydraulic system to lift the car. The advantage of this system is its user friendly and effective to use. By pressing a button required sub wheel comes down and start to function. By using CATIA a diagram of this system is drawn to check it's various forces acting on it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plasticized polymer electrolytes comprising of ethylene carbonate as the plasticizing agent in poly (vinyl chloride) [PVC]-poly (butyl methacrylate) [PBMA] blended polymer electrolytes were prepared by solution casting technique. Complex formation, structural elucidation, conductivity, dielectric parameters (Ɛ′, Ɛ″, M′, and M″), thermal stability, and surface morphology are brought out from FTIR, XRD, ac impedance analysis, dielectric studies, thermogravimetry/differential thermal analysis, and scanning electron microscopic studies, respectively. Polymer electrolytes are found to exhibit higher ionic conductivity at higher concentration of plasticizer at the cost of their mechanical stability. Conductivity of 1.879 × 10 S cm is exhibited by the polymer electrolyte consisting of 69% of plasticizer with appreciable thermal stability up to 523 K. Temperature and frequency dependence of conductivity is found to follow Vogel Tammann Fulcher relation and Jonscher power law, respectively. Real and imaginary parts of dielectric constants are found to decrease with increase in frequency which could be due to the electrode polarization effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid excited-state quenching in the solid state is a widespread limitation for organic chromophores. Even when molecules are dispersed in neutral host matrices, photoluminescence quantum yields decrease sharply with increased concentration, pointing to efficient intermolecular non-radiative decay pathways that remain poorly understood. Here we study the nature of the intermolecular states formed in dispersions of the prototypical BODIPY dyes. Using temperature-dependent and time-resolved photoluminescence measurements, we describe the processes of energy transfer into excimer states and, in materials with suitable chemical structure, excitonically coupled dimers. These dimer states exhibit remarkable near-unity quantum yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

RNA interference (RNAi) refers to the process of post-transcriptional silencing of cellular mRNA by the application of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA). RNAi strategies have been widely employed to regulate gene expression in plants and animals including insects. With the availability of the full genome sequences of major vector mosquitoes, RNAi has been increasingly used to conduct genetic studies of human pathogens in mosquito vectors and to study the evolution of insecticide resistance in mosquitoes. This review summarizes the recent progress in our understanding of mosquito-pathogen interactions using RNAi and various methods of dsRNA delivery in mosquitoes at different stages. We also discuss potential applications of this technology to develop novel tools for vector control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanostructured metal (Sn, Cu and Ni) doped TiO was successfully synthesized by microwave irradiation method. Metal doped TiO was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and UV-Vis spectroscopy (UV-Vis). The XRD pattern confirms the formation of monoclinic phase TiO and metal doped TiO samples. SEM images show the attractive morphologies for metal doped TiO nanopowders. The photocatalytic activity of the synthesized sample was also studied by the decomposition of methylene blue dye under UV light irradiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The polymer electrolytes composed of poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) with various concentration of ammonium thiocyanate salt have been prepared by solution casting technique. The complex formation between polymer and dissociated salt has been confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The highest conductivity has been found to be 6.5 × 10−3 S cm−1at 343 K for 25 wt% ammonium thiocyanate. The temperature-dependent conductivity of polymer electrolyte follows Arrhenius hopping relation. Thermogravimetric analysis has been used to ascertain the thermal stability of the polymer electrolytes. Atomic force microscopy analysis predicts the roughness parameter of the sample with higher conductivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among all alternate fuel sources available, the biodiesel of Jatropha curcas appears to be a potential fuel as it widely exists in Asia. The Jatropha methyl ester (JME) is produced by transesterification process. In the transesterification process, alkyl group of ester exchanges with that of an alcohol. This work focuses on optimizing various parameters like quantities of methanol, KOH, and stirrer speed, which influence high JME yield. Based on L9 orthogonal array, experiments are conducted by using Taguchi technique. All the nine combinations of L9 orthogonal array are experimentally done for extraction of JME, and then it is used for analysis in Taguchi technique. The analysis of maximum yield is done on the basis of "larger is better" signal to noise ratio (S/N ratio). The best combination in the L9 orthogonal array is found to be methanol (110 ml), KOH (1.306 gm), and stirrer speed (1200 rpm). The influence of methanol, KOH, and stirrer speed on the yield is found by analysis of variance (ANOVA). Based on the results of ANOVA, it is found that the influence of methanol, KOH, and stirrer speed on the yield are obtained as 70.10%, 20.35%, and 5.78%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses the inhibition effect on the corrosion of mild steel, in sulphuric acid solution at pH 4, where a new combination of urea, Zn2+ and L-phenylalanine was used as inhibitors. The inhibition efficiency was calculated using the weight loss method. The system, urea (150 ppm) - Zn2+ (25 ppm) - L-phenylalanine (250 ppm) has 93% inhibition efficiency. The surface morphology of inhibited mild steel was analysed by FTIR spectra, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDAX). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent years have seen increasing political interest and growing public health awareness and advocacy for diversifying diets into highly nutritious traditional vegetables, fruits and other nutrition-sensitive crops as a more viable approach to mitigate the growing scourge of malnutrition due to unhealthy and imbalanced diets. These foods contribute essential micronutrients, vitamins, antioxidants, and other health-related phytochemicals to staple-based diets and their consumption is crucial for the attainment of several Millennium Development Goals. Despite their nutritional benefits and the high farm gate values per unit of land, the production and marketing of traditional vegetables from Tanzania and other countries in sub-Saharan Africa are constrained by factors such as poor quality seeds, lack of appropriate market information and support systems, and lack of consumer awareness of their nutritional importance. This paper investigates the determinants and pathways for smallholder participation in traditional African vegetable production and identifies entry points for farmers to increase traditional vegetable production by linking nutritional awareness and promotion with potential high value markets. A primary survey of 181 traditional vegetable growers from five regions of Tanzania indicates that perceptions about the nutritional value of traditional African vegetables are a main driver of household production decisions in the sector. The results of this study provide evidence that farmers tend to grow more African traditional vegetables as compared to other crops based on their increased level of perception towards nutritional value of traditional vegetables along with other factors such as their market value, timely availability of quality certified seeds, willingness to invest in labour, required training for women and better access to credits. Farmsize negatively affects growing traditional vegetables, implying that on a comparative basis, smallholders tend to grow more traditional vegetables than larger-farm operators. Thus, more attention should be given to reducing production and its associated transaction costs by ensuring timely access to quality certified seeds, ensuring optimal use of inputs and increasing labour productivity, particularly for smallholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium ion-conducting membranes with poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)/poly(vinylidene chloride-co-acrylonitrile) (PVdC-co-AN)/lithium perchlorate (LiClO) were prepared by solution casting method. Different plasticizers ethylene carbonate (EC), propylene carbonate (PC), gamma butyrolactone (gBL), diethyl carbonate (DEC), dimethyl carbonate (DMC), and dibutyl phthalate (DBP) were complexed with the fixed ratio of PEO/PVdC-co-AN/LiClO. The preparation and physical and electrochemical properties of the gel polymer electrolytes have been briefly elucidated in this paper. The maximum ionic conductivity value computed from the ac impedance spectroscopy is found to be 3 × 10 S cm for the EC-based system. From DBP-based system down to EC-based system, a decrease of crystallinity and an increase of amorphousity are depicted by X-ray diffraction technique, the decrease of band gap energy is picturized through UV-visible analysis, the decrease of glass transition temperature is perceived from differential scanning calorimetry plots, and the reduction of photoluminescence intensity is described through photoluminescence spectroscopy study at an excitation wavelength of 280 nm. Atomic force microscopic images of EC-based polymer electrolyte film show the escalation of micropores. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy study supports the complex formation and the interaction between the polymers, salt, and plasticizer. The maximum thermal stability is obtained from thermogravimetry/differential thermal analysis, which is found to be 222 °C for the sample complexed with EC. The cyclic voltagram of the sample having a maximum ionic conductivity shows a small redox current at the anode, and cathode and the chemical stability is confirmed by linear sweep voltammetry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poly(vinylidene chloride-co-acrylonitrile)-based gel polymer electrolytes are obtained using solution casting technique. The ionic conductivity and thermal behavior of polymer electrolytes have been investigated as a function of wt% of ethylene carbonate (EC). The thermal decompositions of polymer electrolytes have been determined by thermogravimetry and differential thermal analysis in the temperature range between 30 and 800°C. All the polymer complexes can be operated upto 170°C. This range well includes the operating temperature range of the lithium polymer batteries incorporating these materials. Bulk resistance of the electrolyte from alternating current (AC) impedance analysis gives the optimal EC ratio as 80 wt% for maximum ionic conductivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research targets the moment of tumble and swirl function of air flow in cylinder. It is explained by introducing aerodynamically efficient aerofoil plate in the path of inlet stream of air with fuel mixture. In normal level, Engine have cylinder and inlet manifold geometry that lead to tumble motion and better mixture of air and fuel. The motion of tumble is entirely different than traditional method. The new level research carries the manifold with 8mm and 10 mm aerofoil plate for the amalgamation of fuel and air. By the low level speed in any prevailing engines the movement of tumble is practiced. To have a complete combustion stimulated by the process of mixing air and fuel molecules with the observation at lower engine speed and better mixing is the Moto of research. The performance of the engine increase and complete combustion leads to reduced emission (CO, HC, and CO2) and small change in volumetric efficiency. It is also proved that, increased tumble movement introduces aerofoil plate that helps the flame spread which used into constant heat transfer rate. This suggests to a new combustion technique that should be developed to yield improved primary combustion processes in-side the engine with slightly increase in the break thermal efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]