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Split learning (SL) is a privacy-focused method for training deep learning models that prevents clients and servers from sharing raw data. There are a few downsides to supervised learning, despite its numerous advantages. The need for large client-side computing resources and the possibility of data privacy compromise are two major drawbacks. Binary Sequential Split Vanilla networks are suggested in this research as a way to safely and efficiently transfer data. In addition, the proposed fix may lessen the impact of accuracy while reducing privacy breaches caused by SL damaged data. Here, each client is tasked with training a subset of the model, called a “cut layer,” that is smaller than the whole. The results of these cut layers are then sent to a central server, which continues the training process without having direct access to the initial client data. As an additional measure to supplement the present model and fortify privacy protection, it is also proposed including the bullet fish algorithm. This research tries to evaluate several benchmark models in relation to experimental findings by using the MUsculoskeletal RAdiographs (MURA) datasets. Lightweight applications in the IoT and Consumer Electronics sectors, particularly those involving mobile healthcare and other areas with high privacy protection concerns, may benefit from the suggested models, according to our research.

Wireless sensor network (WSN) is integrated with internet of things (IoT) for providing feasible solution towards data handling and information access, in a ubiquitous manner. The operations of the IoT platform are backboned by the sensor nodes to meet the end-user application demands. Contrarily, the intrinsic behavior and resource constraint nature of the nodes degrade the performance of the IoT application and services. To suppress the issues in WSN communication due to energy and data handling, application-centric information-aware routing (ACIAR) technique is introduced in this article. This routing technique focuses on route discovery and information handling with the aid of iterative decision process and weighted neighbor selection to grant seamless support for IoT data requirements. The process of weighted neighbor selection is adaptable depending on the requirement and run-time of the application ensuring unanimous data support from the sensor network using ACIAR. The performance of the proposed routing technique is estimated using the metrics throughput, delay, data loss, transmission and residual energy.

Since 2014, Emotet has been using Man-in-the-Browsers (MITB) attacks to target companies in the finance industry and their clients. Its key aim is to steal victims' online money-lending records and vital credentials as they go to their banks' websites. Without analyzing network packet payload computing (PPC), IP address labels, port number traces, or protocol knowledge, we have used Machine Learning (ML) modeling to detect Emotet malware infections and recognize Emotet related congestion flows in this work. To classify emotet associated flows and detect emotet infections, the output outcome values are compared by four separate popular ML algorithms: RF (Random Forest), MLP (Multi-Layer Perceptron), SMO (Sequential Minimal Optimization Technique), and the LRM (Logistic Regression Model). The suggested classifier is then improved by determining the right hyperparameter and attribute set range. Using network packet (computation) identifiers, the Random Forest classifier detects emotet-based flows with 99.9726 percent precision and a 92.3 percent true positive rating.

Background: A novel single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), G(-248)A, in the 5' untranslated region of the BAX promoter and its association with reduced protein expression, progression beyond Rai stage 0, and [...]

Terrorist groups like ISIS have made considerable use of the dark web (DW) to carry out their malicious objectives such as spreading propaganda, recruiting and radicalizing new recruits, and secretly raising finances. Al-Hayat Media Center, an ISIS media agency, released a link on their forum describing how to access their DW website. It also sent out the identical message over Telegram, which included links to a Tor service with a “.onion” address. This study develops an analytical framework for scraping and analyzing the DW on the internet. The authors successfully tested a web crawler to collect account information for thousands of merchants and their related marketplace listings using a case study marketplace. The paper explains how to scrape DW marketplaces in the most viable and effective way possible. The findings of the case study support the validity of the proposed analytical framework, which is useful for academics researching this emerging phenomena as well as investigators looking into illegal behavior on the DW.

ABSTRACTThe effective elimination of noise from the original image has emerged as a hard nut to crack for the researchers. The hunt for effective image denoising techniques continues to be a strenuous task at the cross junction of the functional investigation and statistics. Though there are many approaches to image denoising, the performances of them are comparatively low. In this paper, the internal and external data cubes are smartly configured so as to arrive at the identical patches from the respective noise-contaminated and web images. In this regard, there are two phases employing diverse filtering methods intended for the reduction of noise. In the initial phase, a graph-based optimization technique is introduced to effectively enhance the patch harmonizing in the external denoising. In the second stage, the noise is significantly scaled down by removing the respective internal and external cubes. Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) filtering approach is utilized for achieving the superlative precision in denoising image in relation to the existing filters.

The furthermost important issues in WSN are to provide a multi-path and multi-constraint Qualify of Service (QoS) routing for uninterrupted communications between the nodes. On one hand, multi-constrained QoS routing deals with identifying paths that assure numerous autonomous QoS limitations, and on the other hand, multi-path refers to the identification of multiple paths. The EB-RRTC (Energy based random repeat trust computation) algorithm is employed for encountering trusted nodes with destination node. The proposed method also employs the Reliable Fuzzy and Heuristic Concurrent ACO (RF-HEACO) QoS Routing Protocol to improve QoS. The HEACO-RF QoS Routing Protocol includes two phases. In the first phase, the Ant Colony Optimization algorithm is modified to identify a deposit of candidate routes among a pair of source and destination. While identifying the candidate routes along with the QoS metrics, heuristic factors and Reliable Fitness Functions are considered. In the second phase, the reliability technique is used to measure each path, and the paths with high reliability is selected by the ant agents using Fuzzy logic based on the metrics link stability, residual energy, and packet loss rate. Simulation outcomes prove that RF-HEACO QoS routing protocol can decrease the energy consumption and improve the packet delivery ratio, and packet loss rate with the minimum delay when compared with the techniques. In other words, our method is well capable of offering improved QoS (Quality of Service).

Knowledge management is the process of providing tacit knowledge for gathering and analysing data to perform particular examination in different applications such as soft-ware engineering, business industry, and education, military and so on. Among the various applications, reliability of the army management process is one of the major issues due to lack of details about particular commanding and training section. This paper introduces the reliable army knowledge management system by using the knowledge based machine learning approach. Initially, battle, training and commanding knowledgeable information's are collected by using perception tacit knowledge process. The collected army knowledge's are examined by applying the xenogeneic deep neural network which analyses the data by splitting different domains for making the developments in different knowledge process such as human resource analysis, army organisation, and their competitiveness. The collected knowledge information is used to improve the performance of army management.

The conformational analysis of long chain phosphates poses a serious challenge due to the presence of rotationally flexible multiple alkyl groups. Tri-sec-butyl phosphate (TsBP) is an interesting example, in which branching can be expected to influence the conformational landscape. To solve the conformational problem of TsBP systematically, the conformations of model dimethyl-sec-butyl phosphate (DMsBP), a molecule possessing a single secondary butyl strand, were analyzed. On the basis of the analysis of the energy profile of DMsBP, a few conformational bunches were eliminated. The presence of branched methyl group appears to completely influence the conformational space of TsBP and as a result, the number of conformations is drastically reduced in comparison to its structural isomer, tri-n-butyl phosphate (TBP). B3LYP level of theory in association with 6-311++G(d,p) basis set was used for computing all the conformer geometries. Experimentally, the conformations of TsBP were studied using infrared spectroscopy by trapping the molecule in N2and Ar matrixes at low temperatures, which were correlated well with the computational results.

SYNOPTIC ABSTRACTNadarajah, Jayakumar, and Ristić (2013) introduced a family of life time models using truncated negative binomial distribution and derived some properties of the family of distributions. It is a generalization of Marshall–Olkin family of distributions. In this article, we introduce Generalized Exponential Truncated Negative Binomial (GETNB) distribution using the same approach. The GETNB distribution is a generalization of the Marshall–Olkin Generalized Exponential (MOGE) distribution studied in Ristić and Kundu (2015) and Exponential Truncated Negative Binomial (ETNB) distribution studied in Nadarajah et al. (2013). The shape properties of density function and the hazard rate of GETNB distribution are discussed. The expressions for moments, order statistics, and entropy are obtained. The parameters of GETNB distribution are estimated using the method of maximum likelihood. An application to a real data set is also presented.

As we know that the generated data from the million sensors in Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is tremendously heterogeneous, large, & dynamic. This, in turn, poses a significant demand on the decision making and real-time analysis for detection of an anomaly in IIoT. In this paper, an effective scheme for energy efficient secured data transmission is presented for outlier detection in IIoT. The main intention of this approach is to offer a secure and privacy preserved data transmission scheme in industrial IoT. For this, industrial data like power, loop sensor, and the land sensor is taken as input, and the system network model is created which is then optimized with the use of Multi-scale grasshopper optimization scheme. Then the data is stored in the cloud and is transmitted in a secured manner. For this purpose, the attack detection in the network is made using Robust Multi-cascaded CNN (RMC-CNN) classification approach to distinguish the type of attack. Then the data is encrypted by key generation mechanism using a dynamic honey pot encryption algorithm. Thus, the encrypted information is transmitted securely and is stored in the IoT cloud, which can be decrypted as per user request. The performance analysis is made and is compared with existing techniques in term of accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score for power, loop sensor and land sensor dataset. And also, the comparison is made for throughput, delay, and detection rate analysis. Finally, the encryption, decryption and execution time is estimated and are compared with existing techniques. The study shows that the proposed system achieves a better outcome for the proposed system than the existing methods.

Utilization of Au and nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) as interlayers noticeably modifies the microstructure and field electron emission (FEE) properties of hexagonal boron nitride nanowalls (hBNNWs) grown on Si substrates. The FEE properties of hBNNWs on Au could be turned on at a low turn‐on field of 14.3 V μm−1, attaining FEE current density of 2.58 mA cm−2and life‐time stability of 105 min. Transmission electron microscopy reveals that the Au‐interlayer nucleates the hBN directly, preventing the formation of amorphous boron nitride (aBN) in the interface, resulting in enhanced FEE properties. But Au forms as droplets on the Si substrate forming again aBN at the interface. Conversely, hBNNWs on NCD shows superior in life‐time stability of 287 min although it possesses inferior FEE properties in terms of larger turn‐on field and lower FEE current density as compared to that of hBNNWs‐Au. The uniform and continuous NCD film on Si also circumvents the formation of aBN phases and allows hBN to grow directly on NCD. Incorporation of carbon in hBNNWs from the NCD‐interlayer improves the conductivity of hBNNWs, which assists in transporting the electrons efficiently from NCD to hBNNWs that results in better field emission of electrons with high life‐time stability.

In this work, we have explored the potential of electrochemical impedance technique to follow the kinetics of nonspecific adsorption of enzymes on to a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of 3-mercapto benzoic acid (3-MBZ) formed on gold electrodes. We have also studied kinetics of enzyme–substrate reactions on the immobilized surface using this technique. During the adsorption process, the surface coverage is measured using the imaginary component of the impedance at a given frequency, which was found to follow Langmuir adsorption kinetics. The adsorbed enzyme was then allowed to interact with different concentrations of its substrate and the resulting reaction was followed in real time. Changes in the imaginary component of the impedance at various substrate concentrations have been found to follow Michelis–Menten kinetics. The results show that electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) is a powerful technique that can be used to follow enzymatic reactions on surfaces in real time. Our results also suggest that this technique has the potential to emerge as an effective immunosensor tool that can be utilized for a large range of enzyme systems.

More recently, the emphasis has shifted to the ability of vendors in providing high quality rather than low cost software products and services from India. The present research is to explore key organisational and socio-technical factors which influence software quality, through case study of a leading midsize Indian software firm, which offers consulting and software services globally to some of the well known companies, specifically in the context of COTS (ERP) environment. Our research reveals that the factors such as requirements uncertainty, process maturity, communication and control, knowledge transfer and integration, trained personnel and infrastructure facilities have significant impact on achieving product quality. Based on our research, we suggest organisational factors have greater influence on achieving software quality. We present the implications for practice and directions for further research.

Abstract: Alcohol route is being adopted for cleaning sodium from sodium-wetted small components of coolant circuits of fast reactors. For better understanding of sodium-alcohol reactions and their energetics, the data on thermo-chemical properties such as heats of sodium-alcohol reactions, heats of dissolution, heat capacities, thermal decomposition behaviour, etc of their end products are essential. In order to generate such data, high purity sodium alkoxides, viz. sodium methoxide, sodium ethoxide and sodium n-propoxide, were prepared by reacting sodium metal with respective alcohol. These compounds were characterized using X-ray diffraction technique and IR spectroscopy. The elemental analysis was carried out by CHNS analyser and atomic emission spectroscopy. Normal chain sodium alkoxides were found to exhibit tetragonal crystal structure. Crystal structures of sodium ethoxide and sodium n-propoxide are reported for the first time. The IR spectrum of sodium n-propoxide is also reported for the first time.

Functioning of proteins efficiently at the solid–liquid interface is critical to not only biological but also modern man-made systems such as ELISA, liposomes and biosensors. Anchoring hydrophilic proteins poses a major challenge in this regard. Lipid modification, N-acyl-S-diacylglyceryl-Cys, providing an N-terminal hydrophobic membrane anchor is a viable solution that bacteria have successfully evolved but remains unexploited. Based on the current understanding of this ubiquitous and unique bacterial lipid modification it is possible to use Escherichia coli, the popular recombinant protein expression host, for converting a non-lipoprotein to a lipoprotein with a hydrophobic anchor at the N-terminal end. We report two strategies applicable to non-lipoproteins (with or without signal sequences) employing minimal sequence change. Taking periplasmic Shigella apyrase as an example, its signal sequence was engineered to include a lipobox, an essential determinant for lipid modification, or its mature sequence was fused to the signal sequence of abundant outer membrane lipoprotein, Lpp. Lipid modification was proved by membrane localization, electrophoretic mobility shift and mass spectrometric analysis. Substrate specificity and specific activity measurements indicated functional integrity after modification. In conclusion, a convenient protein engineering strategy for converting non-lipoprotein to lipoprotein for commercial application has been devised and tested successfully.

To test the hypothesis that HIV infection brings about an alteration in the immune response to tuberculosis (TB), mycobacterial antigen-induced production and plasma levels of the inflammatory cytokine interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and its regulatory cytokines interleukin-12 (IL-12), IL-18, and IL-10 were determined in patients infected dually with HIV and TB and compared with individuals with either disease and with healthy controls. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of TB patients with HIV infection produced lesser amounts of IFN-γ and IL-12 compared with TB patients without HIV infection after in vitro stimulation with mycobacterial antigens. There was no difference in antigen-induced IL-18 production in TB patients with or without HIV infection. The in vivo cytokine pattern did not correlate with that seen in vitro. Higher levels of IFN-γ, IL-12, and IL-18 were detected in the plasma of TB patients infected with HIV compared with TB patients without HIV infection. The presence of significantly higher plasma levels of proinflammatory cytokines suggests a greater degree of immune activation in individuals with HIV and TB, particularly those with low CD4 counts. In vitro IL-10 production by HIV-positive TB patients was similar to that of the HIV-negative TB group and higher than in HIV-positive individuals without TB, but the plasma levels were similar. HIV infection downregulates the in vitro Th1 cytokine response to TB and simultaneously increases systemic levels of these cytokines.

For numerical simulations to be effective tools in plasma propulsion research, a high-order accurate solver that captures MHD shocks monotonically and works reliably for strong magnetic fields is needed. For this purpose, a characteristics-based scheme for the MHD equations, with flux limiters to improve spatial accuracy, has been developed. In this method, the symmetric form of the MHD equations, accounting for waves propagating in all directions, are solved. The required eigensystem of axisymmetric MHD equations, with appropriate normalization, is presented. This scheme was validated with unsteady (Riemann problem) and force-free equilibrium (Taylor state) test cases, as well as with measured current density patterns in a magnetoplasmadynamic thruster. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Hydrogen-bonded H···π complexes of C2H2 and C2H4 were studied both computationally and experimentally. Computationally, C2H2-C2H4 clusters ranging from 1:1 to 6:1 stoichiometries were identified. Using matrix isolation infrared spectroscopy, the 1:1 adduct was studied in an argon matrix. Formation of these adducts was evidenced by shifts in the vibrational frequencies of the acetylene and ethylene submolecules in the complex. The molecular structure, vibrational frequencies, and stabilization energies of the complexes were calculated at the HF, MP2, MP2(full), and B3LYP levels of theory by employing basis sets ranging from 6-31G(d,p) to 6-311++G(2d,2p). Both computations and experiments showed that two types of complexes are formed, one in which acetylene acts as a proton donor to the π cloud of ethylene and another in which ethylene acts as the proton donor to the π cloud of acetylene. Structures, interaction energies, and vibrational frequencies have also been obtained for 1:2, 1:4, and 1:6 complexes of ethylene and acetylene. This work presents a case study of hydrogen-bonded clusters formed through the H−π interaction.

Infrared absorption spectra of methyl vinyl ketone (MVK, butenone) isolated in solid Ar were recorded. Irradiation of MVK at 308 nm partially converts antiperiplanar (ap-, previously called s-trans) MVK to synperiplanar (sp-, previously called s-cis) MVK; the difference spectrum clearly distinguishes absorption lines of these two conformers. Calculations using density functional theories (B3LYP with an aug-cc-pVTZ basis set) were performed to predict the geometry, energy, vibrational wavenumbers, and infrared intensities of ap- and sp-MVK. Experimental results on vibrational wavenumbers and relative intensities agree with theoretical calculations. To distinguish these conformers isolated in matrices, irradiation in situ is more effective than use of supersonic expansion during deposition.

Persistent fetal circulation (PFC), also known as persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn, is defined as postnatal persistence of right-to-left ductal or atrial shunting, or both in the presence of elevated right ventricular pressure. It is a relatively rare condition that is usually seen in newborns with respiratory distress syndrome, overwhelming sepsis, meconium and other aspiration syndromes, intrauterine hypoxia and ischemia, and/or neonatal hypoxia and ischemia. This condition causes severe hypoxemia, and, as a result, has significant morbidity and mortality. Improved antenatal and neonatal care; the use of surfactant; continuous monitoring of oxygenation, blood pressure and other vital functions; and early recognition and intervention have made this condition even more rare. In modern neonatal intensive care units, anticipation and early treatment of PFC and its complications in sick newborns are commonplace. Thus, severe forms of PFC are only seen on isolated occasions. Consequently, it is even more imperative to revisit PFC compared with the time when there were occasional cases of PFC seen in neonatal intensive care units, and to discuss evolving treatment and management issues that pertain to this syndrome.

Uranium was laser-ablated in the presence of N2/Ar mixtures, and the reaction products were studied using matrix isolation infrared spectroscopy. These reactions were studied over a wide range of N2 concentrations in Ar (0.1% to 50%) and also with pure N2. We observed that at low N2 concentrations in Ar (<1%), the reaction product was the insertion product UN2 and its complexes with molecular N2, a result that agreed with an earlier report of Andrews and group. Interestingly, however, as the N2 concentration was increased, we observed the formation of the mononitride, UN. We believe that as the N2 concentration is increased, new reaction channels open up, resulting in the formation of nitrogen atoms and N3 species which then react with laser-ablated uranium atoms to produce UN. The assignment of the infrared feature due to UN in a N2 matrix is also discussed.

Abstract: Aluminum alloy 7050 was friction-stir welded (FSW) in a T7451 temper to investigate the effects on the microstructure and mechanical properties. Results are discussed for the as-welded condition (as-FSW) and for a postweld heat-treated condition consisting of 121 °C for 24 hours (as-FSW + T6). Optical microscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) examination of the weld-nugget region show that the FS welding process transforms the initial millimeter-sized pancake-shaped grains in the parent material to fine 1 to 5 µm dynamically recrystallized grains; also, the FS welding process redissolves the strengthening precipitates in the weld-nugget region. In the heat-affected zone (HAZ), the initial grain size is retained, while the size of the strengthening precipitates and of the precipitatefree zone (PFZ) is coarsened by a factor of 5. Tensile specimens tested transverse to the weld show that there is a 25 to 30 pct reduction in the strength level, a 60 pct reduction in the elongation in the as-FSW condition, and that the fracture path is in the HAZ. The postweld heat treatment of 121 °C for 24 hours did not result in an improvement either in the strength or the ductility of the welded material. Comparison of fatigue-crack growth rates (FCGRs) between the parent T7451 material and the as-FSW + T6 condition, at a stress ratio of R = 0.33, shows that the FCG resistance of the weldnugget region is decreased, while the FCG resistance of the HAZ is increased. Differences in FCGRs, however, are substantially reduced at a stress ratio of R = 0.70. Analysis of residual stresses, fatigue-crack closure, and fatigue fracture surfaces suggests that decrease in fatigue crack growth resistance in the weld-nugget region is due to an intergranular failure mechanism; in the HAZ region, residual stresses are more dominant than the microstructure improving the fatigue crack growth resistance.

Uranium oxide was laser-ablated using the second harmonic of a Nd : YAG laser, and the products studied after trapping them in Ar and N2matrices. The species obtained in the Ar matrix were UO, UO2and UO3, which represent the primary products of laser ablation. Charge transfer complexes, (UO2+) (O2−) and (UO22+)(O22−) were also observed. In the N2matrix, in addition to the primary ablation products, reaction products with nitrogen were also observed; the prominent among them being UN2and NUO, together with their complexes with N2. Charge transfer complexes were also seen in these experiments. Features due to NO, N3and N3−were identified, which clearly point to the role of nitrogen in these reactions.

Rabbit intestinal glucoamylase-maltase was examined in detail with respect to its molecular weight, sedimentation, diffusion and viscosity. It is a large asymmetrical molecule, with a molecular weight of 750 000-760 000. Its appearance under the electron microscope supports the idea that it is a long string (62.0 nm) consisting of eight beads of diameter 6.0 nm each and a surface-to-surface interbead distance of approx. 2.0 nm. The shape of the enzyme derived from its hydrodynamic behaviour by using the string-of-spherical-beads model originally proposed by Kuhn [(1932) Z. Phys. Chem. Abt. A 161, 1-32] and later modified by Shulman [(1953) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 75, 5846-5852] fits moderately well with the electron-microscopic picture. The beads might represent about six subunits, and the absence of sulphur from the enzyme and the inability to dissociate the enzyme by conventional methods indicate the possibility of unusual covalent cross-linking between the subunits and between the beads.

Estimated cerebral blood flow (eCBF) was measured sequentially in seven term infants with evidence of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and compared with that of normal-term infants. The eCBF was determined by a noninvasive method involving brief bilateral jugular venous occlusion with simultaneous measurement of occipitofrontal circumference. There was a significant decrease in eCBF on day 2 (30 ± 4 ml/min/100 g brain weight) and on day 4 (36 ± 5 ml/min/100 g brain weight) compared with control values (56 ± 4 ml/min/100 g brain weight; 54 ± 4 ml/min/100 g brain weight) (P< 0.01). The alveolar CO2was significantly lower on days 2 and 4 in the HIE group (P< 0.001), and these values increased to control values by day 6. There was no significant correlation between estimated cerebral blood flow and alveolar CO2in infants with HIE. We conclude that term infants with evidence of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy demonstrate lowered eCBF in the first 4 days of life.

Summary: Estimated cerebral blood flow (eCBF) was measured sequentially in seven term infants with evidence of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and compared with that of normal-term infants. The eCBF was determined by a noninvasive method involving brief bilateral jugular venous occlusion with simultaneous measurement of occipitofrontal circumference. There was a significant decrease in eCBF on day 2 (30 ± 4 ml/min/100 g brain weight) and on day 4 (36 ± 5 ml/min/100 g brain weight) compared with control values (56 ± 4 ml/min/100 g brain weight; 54 ± 4 ml/min/100 g brain weight) (P < 0.01). The alveolar CO2was significantly lower on days 2 and 4 in the HIE group (P < 0.001), and these values increased to control values by day 6. There was no significant correlation between estimated cerebral blood flow and alveolar CO2in infants with HIE. We conclude that term infants with evidence of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy demonstrate lowered eCBF in the first 4 days of life.Speculation: Some of the treatment schedules used for infants with hypoxicischemic encephalopathy may, in fact, alter brain blood flow. Therefore, consideration of low cerebral blood flow in these infants becomes very important when such therapy is contemplated.

A relatively simple method has been described for the rapid purification of D-amino acid oxidase from Trigonopsis variabilisby hydrophobic chromatography on Phenyl-Sepharose CL-4B and negative adsorption on DEAE-cellulose. The purified enzyme had a specific activity of 22–24 units at 25°C and exhibited three bands on enzymatic staining.

The infrared spectra of adducts of triethyl phosphate (TEP) with H2O, D2O, and methanol (MeOH), isolated in a nitrogen matrix, are reported. A red shift in the phosphoryl (P=O) stretching vibration of triethyl phosphate was seen, which indicated adduct formation. Adducts of the type 1:1 and 1:2 of TEP…H2O and TEP…MeOH were identified in the matrix. It was observed that adduct formation occurred only with the phosphoryl oxygen and not with the alkoxy oxygen of triethyl phosphate. A red shift in the OH stretching vibration of water, as well as that of methanol, was also observed because of adduct formation. Solution spectra of TEP were also recorded in the same solvents and compared with the matrix spectra.

Matrix-isolation infrared spectra of trimethyl phosphate (TMP), triethyl phosphate (TEP), and tri-n-butyl phosphate (TBP), in argon and nitrogen matrices, are reported for the first time. The peak widths of the sharpest features in our matrix-isolated spectra are typically 2 cm−1, compared with peak widths of 40 cm−1seen in liquids for these compounds. Comparison with the vapor-phase spectrum of TMP reported earlier indicates that TMP is trapped in two different conformations in these matrices. Similar spectra were also obtained for TEP. Our matrix-isolated spectra indicate that the intramolecular hydrogen bonding (which is believed to be responsible for the lowering of the P=O frequency in the C3, conformer relative to the C3conformer in these compounds) is stronger in TEP than in TMP. In the case of TBP, the peak widths were larger (8–10 cm−1) than those obtained for TMP and TEP. This observation is probably due to a distribution of conformers that may be trapped in the matrix, as a result of the increased alkyl chain length in TBP.

Trimethyl phosphate (TMP) and water were co-deposited in nitrogen and argon matrices, and adducts of these species were identified using infrared spectroscopy. Formation of the adducts was evidenced by shifts in the vibrational frequencies of TMP and water. We computed the structures of these adducts and the vibrational frequencies at the HF/6-31G** level. The computed vibrational frequencies in the adducts involving the TMP submolecule compared well with the observed frequencies, while the agreement was rather poor for the modes involving the H2O submolecule. Both experimental and computational studies indicated that two types of TMP−water complexes were formed:  one in which the hydrogen in water was bonded to the phosphoryl oxygen of TMP and another in which the bonding was at the alkoxy oxygen of the phosphate. The stabilization energy of these adducts, corrected for zero-point energies and basis set superposition errors, was computed at both the HF/6-31G**//HF/6-31G** and MP2/6-31G**//HF/6-31G** levels. Our computations indicated that both the phosphoryl and alkoxy oxygen bonded TMP−H2O complexes had a cyclic structure determined by a combination of two hydrogen-bonded interactions, one involving a hydrogen in water and another involving a hydrogen in the methyl group of TMP.

We report infrared absorption of Y1Ba2Cu3O7−δas a function of oxygen stoichiometry (0<δ<1) and copper substitution by iron in the spectral range of 450–700 cm−1. The strong bands associated with Cu-O vibrations undergo significant changes in their frequencies and intensities asδis varied across the orthorhombic to tetragonal phase. These changes coupled with those arising as a result of doping with iron has helped in identifying the nature of the vibrational modes.

Abstract: Experiments were conducted in a rotary kiln containing ilmenite particles to study the residence time distribution (RTD) of low-density particles, holdup, and bed depth profile. The variables include feed rate of solids, slope and rotational speed of the kiln, type and size of the tracer, and dam height. Correlations are presented for mean residence time, dispersion number, holdup, and steady-state throughput of solids in terms of the process variables. A simple method is proposed to estimate the dam height that gives rise to a flat profile of solids bed along the length of the kiln.

This paper summarizes the major results of the joint Indo-Soviet experiment for testing the Indianmhdgenerator channel section, designed and fabricated at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Bombay, which was carried out at the U-02 facility in Moscow, USSR, in May 1980.

The 105,000 X g supernatant fraction of bovine pineal gland contains a phosphodiesterase activity that hydrolyzes both cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP. The rate of hydrolysis is 4-5 times greater with cyclic GMP as substrate than with cyclic AMP. Chromatography of supernatant fraction on Sephadex G-150 resolves phosphodiesterase activity into two fractions designated PDE I and PDE II. These are distinguishable on the basis of their molecular size, substrate specificity, and kinetic parameters. PDE I hydrolyzes cyclic GMP at a faster rate than cyclic AMP and has a molecular weight of 163,000. PDE II appears to be a smaller protein with a molecular weight of 24,400 and is specific for cyclic AMP. PDE I has apparent Km values of 83 and 53 micron for cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP, respectively, whereas PDE II exhibits an apparent Km value of 330 micron for cyclic AMP. With subsaturating concentrations of cyclic AMP as substrate, the phosphodiesterase activity of PDE I is inhibited by the addition of cyclic GMP. However, PDE II activity remains unaffected by cyclic GMP even at concentrations up to 125 micron. PDE II appears to be thermostable, losing only 20% of its activity on heating at 80 degrees for 2 min. Similar treatment completely abolishes the enzyme activity of PDE I.

A prospective, randomized, controlled evaluation comparing a 4-mg/kg loading dose (LD) of gentamicin to the standard regimen of 2.5 mg/kg every 12, 18 or 24 h was conducted in critically ill neonates. The objective of the study was to compare the time required to achieve a therapeutic peak serum concentration (i.e. the number of dosing intervals) and to compare the number of serum concentrations outside the therapeutic range as an indicator of potential toxicity between the treatment groups. Eighteen of 26 patients, 5 of 13 in the control group and 13 of 13 in the LD group (p = 0.012) achieved an initial peak concentration of > 5 μg/ml following the first gentamicin infusion. There were no significant differences between the control and LD group in the number of potentially toxic serum concentrations. When patients were subdivided according to gestational age (GA), patients of < 34 weeks had significantly lower initial peak concentrations. A LD of 4 mg/ kg in neonates, particularly those of < 34 weeks GA, produced a therapeutic peak concentration following the initial dose. There is a minimal risk of attaining serum concentrations commonly associated with toxicity providing the dosage interval is adjusted based on serum creatinine determinations. Based on this study, infants of > 34 weeks GA generally achieve therapeutic peak concentrations after the first dose with conventional dosing; however, in younger infants an appropriate LD is required to reach therapeutic concentrations early in therapy.

The ability of Shigella spp. to bind Congo red from agar medium is generally correlated with their virulence properties. We used a metabolically active culture of Shigella flexneri 2a to determine the effect of Congo red on its membrane protein profiles. Virulent S. flexneri grown in the presence of Congo red at 37 degrees C showed increased levels of three proteins with Mrs of 43,000, 58,000, and 63,000 (43K, 58K, and 63K proteins) in the Sarkosyl-soluble membrane fractions. The observed phenomenon was temperature dependent. At 30 or 42 degrees C the protein levels remained unaffected by the presence of Congo red. Similar regulation of the levels of the 43K, 58K, and 63K membrane proteins was also observed with Shigella dysenteriae 1 and enteroinvasive Escherichia coli, but not with enteropathogenic E. coli. The cellular uptake of Congo red seemed to be essential, but not sufficient, for regulation. All three proteins reacted with human convalescent-phase sera in immunoblots of S. flexneri 2a Sarkosyl-soluble membrane fractions. Using the 43K-specific antiserum as the primary antibody, by indirect immunofluorescence studies, we detected an increase in the level of the 43K protein in S. flexneri which had invaded epithelial cells. These observations strongly indicate that the 43K, 58K, and 63K proteins are virulence associated. We propose that the observed regulatory effect of Congo red on membrane proteins of S. flexneri is mediated through induction. Since the same regulatory effect was also observed during the invasion of epithelial cells by S. flexneri, it is suggested that Congo red mimics some host tissue factor in vitro.

General anaesthetic techniques continue to be used for Caesarean section despite the possible increased incidence of foetal acidosis and neonatal depression. Two techniques of general anaesthesia ( methoxyflurane-oxygen and nitrous oxideoxygen) and lumbar epidural anaesthesia were compared in 37 patients undergoing elective Caesarean section. Apgar scores at birth were similar in all three groups. Neurophysiological testing of the neonates at six hours and twenty-four hours of age revealed a superiority for the methoxyflurane-oxygen and lumbar epidural techniques, although the babies in the epidural group tended to be hypotonic. Cord blood gas analysis showed the babies in the methoxyflurane group to have a higher Pao2with less metabolic acidosis than the babies from the other two groups. The maternal effects of the three anaesthetic techniques were similar, with only a small rise in serum fluoride levels noted in the methoxyflurane group.

Bacterial lipoproteins and lipid modification are gaining importance owing to their essential nature, roles in pathogenesis and interesting commercial applications. We have created an exclusive knowledge base for bacterial lipoproteins by processing information from 510 entries to provide a list of 199 distinct lipoproteins with relevant links to molecular details. Features include functional classification, predictive algorithm for query sequences, primary sequence analysis and lists of predicted lipoproteins from 43 completed bacterial genomes along with interactive information exchange facility.

Abstract: Pseudocercospora elaeocarpi sp. nov. is described and illustrate from dead leaves ofElaeocarpus sp. collected in India.