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In this study, YMnO 3 (YMO) ceramics were successfully synthesized through microwave assisted radiant heating (MARH) method. Different microwave powers (0%, 15%, 30% and 50%) were employed during MARH synthesis of YMO ceramics. Detailed structural, magnetic and electrical leakage current properties of the synthesized samples were investigated. MARH has led to reduction of microcracking in YMO ceramic samples. A significant decrease in leakage current density is also observed for the YMO samples when microwave power is applied during MARH. This study clearly suggests that MARH is a facile and effective method to synthesize multiferroic ceramics like YMO for technological applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current study, the feasibility of utilizing municipal secondary wastewater sludge for Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) extraction was improved by optimization of various parameters (temperature, duration and concentration of sludge solids). Optimized process parameters resulted in PHA recovery of 0.605 g, significantly higher than un-optimized conditions. The characterization of PHA was carried out by GC–MS, FT-IR and NMR ( 1 H and 13 C) spectroscopy. The PHA profile was found to be dominated by mcl PHA (58%) along with other diverse PHA. The results of the present study show rich diversity of PHA extracted from a raw material which is readily available at minimal cost. In conclusion, exploring the potential of wastes for production of bioplastics not only reduces the cost of bioplastic production, but also provides a sustainable means for waste management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Networks of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), capable of providing flexible aerial views over large areas, are playing important roles in today’s distributed sensing systems. Since camera sensors are sensitive to occlusions, it is more challenging for UAVs to provide satisfactory sensing quality in geometrically complex environments, such as dense urban areas and mountainous terrains. This paper proposes a new quality-aware and energy-efficient UAV coverage and path planning scheme with the objective of sensing a geometrically complex target area with satisfactory spatial and temporal resolutions. An occlusion-aware waypoint generation algorithm is first designed to find the best set of waypoints for taking pictures in a target area to satisfy the spatial resolution requirement. The selected waypoints are then assigned to multiple UAVs by solving a vehicle routing problem (VRP) such that all the waypoints are visited within a global deadline to satisfy the temporal resolution requirement. The vehicle routing problem is formulated to minimize the maximum energy for the UAVs to travel through the waypoints within the deadline. A Min-Max energy path planning algorithm is designed to solve this problem in two steps: first, a mixed integer linear programming problem (MILP) is solved to calculate the minimum energy for a UAV to go from one waypoint to other; then, a genetic algorithm is devised to plan the paths for all the UAVs. Evaluation results show that the proposed coverage and path planning scheme results in better coverage and energy consumption than traditional coverage and path planning techniques for UAVs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer is a leading cause of disease burden throughout the world. Many cancers develop as a result of exposure to both lifestyle and environmental factors that are potentially modifiable. In the last few years, much of the scientific attention has drawn to the discovery of new and effective chemopreventive agents from natural sources. A multitude of phytoconstituents have been explored for their potential to prevent the occurrence of carcinogenesis both in vitro and in vivo by means of diverse cellular and molecular approaches. Key focus of this review is to highlight some significant and new information about different molecular aspects of chemopreventive ability of plant based phytochemicals in terms of their inhibitory potential on cancer growth. In addition, information regarding certain limiting factors such as whole animal physiology, tumour microenvironment and bioavailability of active components of phytoconstituents used in pre/clinical trials are further explored. This review would further assist the scientific community involved in designing efficacious chemopreventive approaches using these phytochemicals in treating cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to industrialization and urbanization, as humans continue to rely on fossil fuels, carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) will inevitably be generated and result in an increase of Global Warming Gases (GWGs). However, their prospect is misted up because of the environmental and economic intimidation posed by probable climate shift, generally called it as the “green house effect”. Among all GWGs, the major contributor in greenhouse effect is CO 2 . Mitigation strategies that include capture and storage of CO 2 by biological means may reduce the impact of CO 2 emissions on environment. The biological CO 2 sequestration has significant advantage, since increasing atmospheric CO 2 level supports productivity and overall storage capacity of the natural system. This paper reviews CO 2 sequestration mechanism in bacteria and their pathways for production of value added products such as, biodiesel, bioplastics, extracellular polymeric substance (EPS), biosurfactants and other related biomaterials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accurate and efficient photovoltaic (PV) model is very crucial for performance assessment of solar PV (SPV) systems in embedded power system applications and maximum power point tracking. A five parameter single-diode and seven parameter double-diode models of SPV system for ensuring the reliable and accurate performance assessment are presented. Since these parameters are unknown, it is important to extract these parameters for accurate modeling of the SPV systems. The accurate parameter extraction using numerical method needs suitable initial values, for which an approximate analytical solution is provided which serves as an initial value. A hybrid approach of numerical and analytical solutions are utilized which require minimal information from the module datasheet. Moreover, the reciprocal of slope of I-V curve at short circuit and open circuit conditions is calculated, which further used in analytical and numerical algebraic equations of double-diode model to enhance the parameters extraction accuracy. This makes it a cheaper and efficient parameter extraction technique. The outcomes of both PV models are compared with the manufacturer, indoor and outdoor experimental results for validation. Further, the performance of both models has been assessed at different temperature and solar insolation for determining the best-suited model for characterizing the SPV system under given environmental conditions. Double-diode model has been found more accurate than single-diode model, particularly at low-level solar insolation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a successful simulink model by using the photovoltaic (PV) product along with DC/DC buck converter, lithium ion battery, maximum power point tracker (MPPT) along with loads. The current-voltage ( I-V ) and power-voltage ( P-V ) characteristics of a Kyocera KC200GT product is validated using single diode PV model in conjunction with Lambert W function. Fuzzy logic algorithm is incorporated in MPPT for high tracking accuracy at steady state and better performance to the varying atmospheric conditions. The complete model is simulated under two testing scenarios i.e., sunny and cloudy day conditions. Exact analytical solution technique by using Lambert W function is followed by expressing I-V and P-V characteristic of PV module by converting into discrete equations. The proposed Lambert W function based mathematical model is accurate and there is a good agreement between calculated and simulated outputs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel designs of magnetron sputtering sources provide desired control over plasma parameters for efficient use of mass and energy transport during the deposition of thin films. Here, a cup-like magnetron source, comprising a base and a cylinder part, is developed and diagnosed for deposition of transparent conductive Al doped ZnO thin films. The coupling of the base or/and cylinder parts, applied power and working pressure are systematically varied and consequent effects on the plasma density, electron temperature, and substrate temperature are studied. The sensitive optical emission and absorption spectroscopic results of plasmas reveal that base source mainly delivers the Zn ionic species whereas coupling of cylinder source induces higher ion-electron recombination and lowering the substrate temperature. The present source is capable of producing Al doped ZnO thin films with resistivity in the range of 5 × 10 −2 Ωcm to 12.1 Ωcm and process throughput close to 40 nm/min under conditions of plasma induced substrate temperature ≤60 °C. The obtained values have promising applications for flexible electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present investigation, perennial grass ( Saccharum ravannae L.) based activated biochar was synthesized for possible application in both arsenic (As) and fluoride (F − ) removal from aquous solution using optimization technique response surface methodology (RSM) based on central composite design (CCD). Influence of initial concentration, adsorbent dose and contact time on removal efficiency of As and F − adsorption was investigated. Activated biochar was characterized by proximate and ultimate analysis, FTIR, XRD, Raman, SEM-EDX, BET, pH and electrical conductivity. Isotherm and kinetics models were also investigated. Results obtained from CCD showed that the best local maximum for As removal was at initial ion concentration 100 mg L −1 , adsorbent dosage 0.2 g 50 mL −1 and contact time 60 min with removal percentage of 72.1 for As and for F − the removal percentage was 24.3 at initial ion concentration of 25 mg L −1 , adsorbent dosage of 0.2 g 50 mL −1 and contact time 60 min. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Observations on aerosols with specific emphasis to black carbon (BC) are reported for an urban site over middle Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP), South Asia. Emphases are made to evaluate variation in BC concentrations during typical monsoon season (June-September, JJAS) from 2009 to 2011, and to recognize its impact on aerosol radiative forcing (ARF) and atmospheric heating. Almost entire Indian sub-continent experienced a drought year in 2009 before achieving a normal monsoon in 2010 and 2011. The ground monitoring station in Varanasi over middle-IGP experienced minimum monsoonal rain during 2009 drought year (total monsoon rain: 437.3 mm), which gradually increased during 2010 (deficit monsoon, 613.4 mm), before achieving a normal monsoon in year 2011 (1207.0 mm). The BC mass loading during drought year was relatively high (mean ± SD: 7.0 ± 3.3; range: 5.3–8.8 μg m −3 ) compared to 2010 (4.9 ± 2.1, 3.7–5.8 μg m −3 ) and 2011 (4.6 ± 2.1, 3.2–5.2 μg m −3 ). The increase in BC aerosols especially during drought year was associated to lower wind speed and reduced rate of wet removal, which potentially enhanced BC loading in comparison to years with normal monsoon. Columnar aerosol loading in terms of aerosol optical depth (AOD) was retrieved from space-borne MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor on-board Terra satellite. It has revealed high AOD over Varanasi during drought (2009: 1.03 ± 0.15) and deficit monsoon (2010: 1.07 ± 0.53) before being reduced during 2011 (0.89 ± 0.20). Conclusively, a radiative transfer model was run to estimate the ARF for composite aerosols for both surface (SUF), atmosphere (ATM) and top of the atmosphere (TOA). The 2009 drought year was found to have reasonably higher ATM and SUF forcing (ATM: 105; SUF: − 122 W m −2 ) in comparison to deficit (ATM: 61; SUF: − 88 W m −2 ) and normal (ATM: 67; SUF: − 89 W m −2 ) monsoon scenarios. The lower atmosphere heating rates during 2009 monsoon was also recorded to be as high as 2.9 K day −1 in comparison to 2010 (1.7 K day −1 ) and 2011 (1.9 K day −1 ). Such findings provide meaningful outcomes in terms of climatic effects of BC aerosols and their associated inference on Indian summer monsoon. Capsule BC induced aerosol radiative forcing during 2009 drought year was higher in comparison to deficit (2010) and normal (2011) monsoon scenarios over middle IGP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel thermophilic chitinase producing strain Humicola grisea ITCC 10,360.16 was isolated from soil of semi-arid desert region of Rajasthan. Maximum enzyme production (116 ± 3.45 U l −1 ) was achieved in submerged fermentation. Nutritional requirement for maximum production of chitinase under submerged condition was optimized using response surface methodology. Among the eight nutritional elements studied, chitin, colloidal chitin, KCl and yeast-extract were identified as the most critical variables for chitinase production by Plackett–Burman design first. Further optimization of these variables was done by four-factor central composite design. The model came out to be significant and statistical analysis of results showed that an appropriate ratio of chitin and colloidal chitin had resulted into enhancement in enzyme production levels. Optimum concentration of the variables for enhanced chitinase production were 7.49, 4.91, 0.19 and 5.50 (g l −1 ) for chitin, colloidal chitin, KCl and yeast extract, respectively. 1.43 fold enhancement in chitinase titres was attained in shake flasks, when the variables were used at their optimum levels. Thin layer chromatography revealed that enzyme can effectively hydrolyze colloidal chitin to produce chitooligosaccharides. Chitinase production from H. grisea and optimization of economic production medium heighten the employment of enzyme for large scale production of bioactive chitooligosaccharides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proteomics and metabolomics analysis has become a powerful tool for characterization of microbial ability for fixation of Carbon dioxide. Bacterial community of palaeoproterozoic metasediments was enriched in the shake flask culture in the presence of NaHCO 3 . One of the isolate showed resistance to NaHCO 3 (100 mM) and was identified as Serratia sp. ISTD04 by 16S rRNA sequence analysis. Carbon dioxide fixing ability of the bacterium was established by carbonic anhydrase enzyme assay along with proteomic analysis by LC–MS/MS. In proteomic analysis 96 proteins were identified out of these 6 protein involved in carbon dioxide fixation, 11 in fatty acid metabolism, indicating the carbon dioxide fixing potency of bacterium along with production of biofuel. GC–MS analysis revealed that hydrocarbons and FAMEs produced by bacteria within the range of C 13 –C 24 and C 11 –C 19 respectively. Presence of 59% saturated and 41% unsaturated organic compounds, make it a better fuel composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

United Nations adopted Sustainable Development Goals to ensure prosperity, reduction of poverty and mitigation of climate change. Energy is a part of these goals. Today, energy demand heavily relies on the fossil fuel sources: petroleum, natural gas, coal etc., which causes greenhouse gas emission and environmental deterioration. In order to avoid environmental impacts, current energy systems need to transform into clean and renewable sources of energy systems. Deployment of solar energy, an omnipresent renewable energy source, is gaining popularity due to the easiness of installation, availability and competitive cost. For effective utilization and higher penetration of solar energy, knowledge about technology and performance of solar energy system is required. In this paper, different solar photovoltaic (SPV) technology and mathematical modeling to characterize the SPV systems are comprehensively presented. The performance analysis on the basis of standard parameters like performance ratio, yield energy, reference energy, capacity utilization factor etc. and on the basis of exergy as well as energy efficiency are also presented. Variation in environmental conditions significantly affects the outdoor performance and operation of SPV systems. Therefore, study of degradation and failure modes is important for accurate prediction of performance of SPV systems and has been discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of seismic hazard definition on the distribution of isolation-system displacements in a nuclear power plant (NPP) are studied and recommendations are made for design practice. The sample NPP is sited at Diablo Canyon in California, a region of high seismic hazard, and is horizontally isolated using Friction Pendulum™ (FP) seismic isolation bearings. Four descriptions of seismic hazard are investigated: uniform hazard response spectrum (UHRS), conditional mean spectrum (CMS), conditional spectra (CS), and UHRS-MaxMin. Uniform hazard response spectra are derived by probabilistic seismic hazard analysis and are the traditional description of seismic hazard in the nuclear industry in the United States. The UHRS is used to characterize the effects of design basis shaking but its ordinates across a wide range of period do not represent shaking associated with one ground motion set. The CMS and CS are derived from a UHRS and better characterize the effects of shaking from one ground motion set. The UHRS-MaxMin definition is also based on the UHRS but explicitly recognizes differences between motions in the orthogonal horizontal directions. To investigate the utility of alternate descriptions of seismic hazard, a macro model of a seismically isolated NPP is subjected to ground motions consistent with the four definitions and for two intensities of earthquake shaking: design basis (DB) and beyond design basis (BDB) shaking as defined in the seismic isolation NUREG. The coefficient of friction at the sliding surface is defined using two models: (1) Coulomb, and (2) p-T-v model that updates the coefficient of sliding friction at each time step as a function of axial pressure, temperature and sliding velocity. The key results of the study, which are broadly applicable to sites of lower seismic hazard and other nonlinear bearings (e.g., the lead-rubber bearing), are: (1) the seismic hazard definition should account for differences between the amplitude of ground motions in the principal horizontal directions, (2) the displacement capacity of an NPP isolation system is controlled by the 90th percentile BDB shaking displacement, for a given hazard definition, and (3) the coefficient of friction at the sliding surface of a single-concave FP bearing should be defined using a p-T-v model because the standard Coulomb model may be inadequate for high values of axial pressure and nominal coefficient of sliding friction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Statement of problem It is unclear how pathogenic bacteria adhere to different implant materials and whether biomarker matrix metalloproteinase-8 (MMP-8) level provides a reliable method of evaluating the connective tissue status of peri-implant tissues. Purpose The purpose of this pilot clinical study was to evaluate peri-implant connective tissue response by assessing the MMP-8 levels in peri-implant crevicular fluid around titanium and zirconia abutments. Material and methods The study was designed as a prospective, within-subject comparison with left-right randomization low. Twelve participants with partial edentulism were selected according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. Peri-implant sulcal fluid sampling and pocket probing depths were assessed at 1, 3, and 12 months after placing the abutments. The MMP-8 protein level of the peri-implant sulcal fluid was determined by MMP-8-specific sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay system. The independent t test or Wilcoxon test was used to compare MMP-8 levels and probing depth assessment between the zirconia and titanium groups at different time points (1, 3, and 12 months). Repeated measures ANOVA was used for within-group comparison of the MMP-8 levels at 3 time points (α=.05). Results At 1 and 3 months, the titanium abutments showed significantly higher MMP-8 levels and probing depths than the zirconia abutments ( P <.05), but no significant differences were found at 12 months for either variable ( P >.05). Conclusions This study suggests the presence of more remodeling and/or inflammatory phenomena around titanium implant abutments than around zirconia abutments of a different design during the early stages but not at 1 year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fast and precise tracking of grid voltage attributes is essential for the smooth and reliable control and operation of grid-side converters. The synchronous reference-frame phase-locked loop (SRF-PLL) approach is commonly used for this purpose, although it has issues related to the stability limit and sluggish transient response. Consequently, PLL-less grid synchronization approaches are becoming increasingly prevalent. In this context, in the present paper, a discrete Fourier transform-based band pass filter (DFT-BPF) is designed in the prefiltering stage for the purpose of extracting the fundamental frequency positive sequence component (FFPS) from unbalanced and distorted grid conditions. Despite being widely used, the SRF-PLL is struggling with stability issues and demands tedious tuning effort. For this objective, a simple frequency estimator has been developed, which is capable of accurately estimating the fundamental frequency. Additionally, a curve fitting based error correction technique is employed to adaptively estimate the amplitude and phase-angle of the fundamental component without using frequency feedback loop. The experimental results validate the efficacy of the proposed scheme. • Quick non-adaptive pre-filter-based PLL-less grid synchronization scheme • Rapid extraction of FFPS; and elimination of FFNS, DC-offset, and harmonics • Reduced efforts in generating filtered orthogonal signals • Better frequency tracking is possible with an open-loop frequency detection approach • Error-free estimation of grid voltage amplitude/phase information is possible [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Combustion characteristics of ABE mixture and ABE/Jet A-1 blends are investigated and compared with Jet A-1 in a swirl-stabilized combustor. • Experiments are conducted for three loading ratios of ABE/Jet A-1 (10%, 30%, and 50% by volume) • Jet A-1 blended with ABE exhibits better combustion performance in terms of flame temperature profile and chemiluminescence signatures and lower CO and NOx emissions compared to neat Jet A-1. The projected growth of the energy demand due to domestic energy security, diversity of fuel supplies, and long-term fuel costs has attracted the scientific community to search for new alternative gas turbine fuels. Alcohol-based fuel could be a potential candidate for alternative fuel. The acetone-butanol-ethanol mixture with existing fossil fuels may be another prospect for alternative fuels that can drive gas turbine engines for clean combustion. However, well-suited alternatives to micro gas turbine fuel are still in the initial stages of growth. At present, the combustion characteristics of Jet A-1, ABE, and their mixtures in a swirl-stabilized combustor have been experimentally investigated. To compare the outcome of these fuels, visualization of true flame images, combustor exit temperature, and exhaust gas emission have been carried out. ABE1J9 has shown a 5 % reduction in pollutant emissions (e.g. CO 2 , NO x , compared to Jet A-1 whereas a 20 % reduction for the case of ABE3J7 and an almost 25–30 % reduction for the case of ABE5J5 are observed. Overall ABE blended fuel has shown better combustion performance in terms of the flame temperature profile, chemiluminescence, and pollutant emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interplay between liquid crystals and nanostructures is fascinating as well as challenging to understand the dispersion effect of nanomaterials onto liquid crystals. Herein, we report the dispersion of zero-dimensional silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) in two discotic liquid crystals. The columnar stacks of 1,5-dihydroxy-2,3,6,7-tetrakis(3,7-dimethyloctyloxy)-9,10-anthraquinone (RTAQ) and 2,3,6,7,10,11-hexabutoxytriphenylene (HAT4) discotics are self-assembled with silver nanoparticles in a hexagonal manner at different weight concentrations. The dispersion of NPs reduces the lattice parameter, intracolumnar packing and increases electrical conductivity by the order of four to five in HAT4 DLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a new non-isolated DC-DC converter for photovoltaic application. This converter topology is based on dual stage integration. In first stage conventional boost topology is integrated with Self-Lift Sepic converter. This topology is then integrated with Ćuk converter. The first stage provides a high static voltage gain and reduced voltage stress across the single switch facilitating the use low rating switch resulting in low conduction losses. The second stage further aids the high static voltage gain. There is reduced voltage stress across the diodes too, encouraging the use of Schottky diodes for eliminating the problem of reverse recovery time resulting in further reduction of conduction losses. This paper presents design consideration of new topology and stated characteristics are verified by simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The synthesis of novel C -4ʹ-spiro-oxetano- α -L- ribo nucleosides T and U in 39 and 45% overall yields have been achieved from 2′,3′,5′-tri- O -acetyl-4′- C - p- toluenesulfonyloxymethyl- β -D- xylo furanosylthymine and 2′,3′,5′-tri- O -acetyl-4′- C - p- toluenesulfonyloxymethyl- β -D- xylo furanosyluracil, respectively. Both the tosylated nucleoside precursors have been synthesized following recently developed Novozyme ® -435 catalyzed methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brinjal or eggplant ( Solanum melongena L.) is an important vegetable crop of sub-tropics and tropics. Among the major biotic constraints, phytoplasmas associated eggplant diseases are major limiting factors affecting its cultivation and yield. Almost all the eggplant varieties under cultivation are susceptible to the phytoplasma disease and caused severe economic losses. Different symptoms associated with disease are reported as little leaf, phyllody, flower virescence, giant calyx, big bud and witches' broom. Several diagnostic methods like Diene's staining, florescence staining and transmission electron microscopy are developed for the localization and detection of phytoplasma bodies in the sieve tubes of phloem tissues of the infected plants. But the PCR based assays along with sequence comparison and RFLP analysis of 16SrRNA gene has been well established and most reliable diagnostic criterions for the phytoplasma identification associated with eggplants. A wide range of genetic diversity was detected among eggplant associated phytoplasmas. Six phytoplasma ribosomal groups (16SrI, 16SrII, 16SrIII, 16SrVI, 16SrIX,16SrXII) were reported to be associated with eggplant from all around the world. The phytoplasma diseases in eggplants are reported to be transmitted by dodder, grafting and through leaf hopper vectors. Moreover, many weed species are reported as alternate hosts of the phytoplasma strains identified on eggplants. No absolute effective control measures of the disease could be developed so far, except resistance, management of insect vectors and altering the dates of sowing to avoid peaks of insect vector population. This review reports an up-to-date account of history, distribution, symptoms, diagnosis, genetic diversity, epidemiology and management of eggplant associated phytoplasma diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For thousands of years, the plant-based natural products have been a source of curative agents for various ailments. Butea monosperma (Fabaceae) has an important place in Indian traditional system of medicine for curing number of disorders. The present study deals with evaluation of hepatoprotective properties of ethyl acetate fraction ( Beac ) from B. monosperma bark in rat model. In preliminary antioxidant studies, Beac demonstrated pronounced superoxide scavenging (IC 50 88.85 μg/ml) and anti-lipid peroxidation (IC 50 131.66 μg/ml) potential. In animal studies, Beac showed protective effect against thioacetamide-induced pathophysiology in liver of male Wistar rats. The levels of different parameters related to hepatic functions were altered by thioacetamide treatment (300 mg/g bw) in rats. The pre-treatment of rats with Beac (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg bw) was able to normalize the biochemical markers viz. serum bilirubin, SGOT, SGPT, albumin and ALP along with liver antioxidative molecules viz. SOD, CAT, GSH and GR. Results of histopathological and colorimetric studies revealed that Beac treatment also restored the markers of fibrosis i.e. collagen and hydroxyproline towards normal level. Beac considerably inhibited thioacetamide-induced expression of p-PI3K, p-Akt and p-mTOR in hepatocytes as revealed from immunohistochemical studies. This finding is the first evidence of inhibitory action of B. monosperma bark on these pro-carcinogenic proteins. HRMS analysis revealed the presence of quercetin, buteaspermin B and ononin in Beac fraction of Butea monosperma . From the results, it can be concluded that B. monosperma bark is a rich source of phytochemicals with in vitro and in vivo protective activities which deserves further mechanistic studies for its use as a hepatoprotective agent in the prevention of hepatic inflammation and its related malignancies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pteris vittata L. commonly called ‘Brake Fern’ possesses some interesting medicinal properties but its chemopreventive potential largely remains unexplored. Therefore, this study was designed to explore the chemopreventive efficacy of P. vittata L. ethyl acetate fraction (PVEA) against 2-acetylaminofluorene (2-AAF) induced liver toxicity in Wistar rats. Antioxidant activity of PVEA was evaluated using various in vitro antioxidant assays. The protective effects of PVEA were evaluated against 2-acetylaminofluorene (2-AAF) induced hepatic damage in Wistar rats. p53 expression in liver tissue was checked using immunohistochemical staining. Phytochemical composition of PVEA was determined using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). PVEA showed promising radical scavenging activity with an EC 50 (concentration of a drug that gives half-maximal response) of 41.18 μg/ml in DPPH assay, 26.99 μg/ml in site specific deoxyribose degradation assay, 13.43 μg/ml in non site specific deoxyribose degradation assay and 21.88 μg/ml in superoxide anion scavenging assay. Three different doses of PVEA 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight (b.w.) followed by administration of 2-AAF (50 mg/kg b.w. i.p.) for five consecutive days induced significant changes in activity of liver marker enzymes, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, lipid hydroperoxides, reduced glutathione content and phase I and II enzymes. Activity of hepatic enzymes and normal hepatic architecture was restored following PVEA treatment. PVEA modulated the expression of p53 in liver tissue as compared to 2-AAF treated group. HPLC analysis of the fraction revealed the abundance of epicatechin (20.809 ppm) and umbelliferone (22.308 ppm) as major polyphenols. The present study highlights the potentiality of P. vittata in cancer chemoprevention which warrants further investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fine particulates (PM 2.5 ) constitute dominant proportion of airborne particulates and have been often associated with human health disorders, changes in regional climate, hydrological cycle and more recently to food security. Intrinsic properties of particulates are direct function of sources. This initiates the necessity of conducting a comprehensive review on PM 2.5 sources over South Asia which in turn may be valuable to develop strategies for emission control. Particulate source apportionment (SA) through receptor models is one of the existing tool to quantify contribution of particulate sources. Review of 51 SA studies were performed of which 48 (94%) were appeared within a span of 2007–2016. Almost half of SA studies (55%) were found concentrated over few typical urban stations (Delhi, Dhaka, Mumbai, Agra and Lahore). Due to lack of local particulate source profile and emission inventory, positive matrix factorization and principal component analysis (62% of studies) were the primary choices, followed by chemical mass balance (CMB, 18%). Metallic species were most regularly used as source tracers while use of organic molecular markers and gas-to-particle conversion were minimum. Among all the SA sites, vehicular emissions (mean ± sd: 37 ± 20%) emerged as most dominating PM 2.5 source followed by industrial emissions (23 ± 16%), secondary aerosols (22 ± 12%) and natural sources (20 ± 15%). Vehicular emissions (39 ± 24%) also identified as dominating source for highly polluted sites (PM 2.5 >100 μgm -3 , n = 15) while site specific influence of either or in combination of industrial, secondary aerosols and natural sources were recognized. Source specific trends were considerably varied in terms of region and seasonality. Both natural and industrial sources were most influential over Pakistan and Afghanistan while over Indo-Gangetic plain, vehicular, natural and industrial emissions appeared dominant. Influence of vehicular emission was found single dominating source over southern part while over Bangladesh, both vehicular, biomass burning and industrial sources were significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new data encryption scheme is proposed based on the position substitution, shuffling and a diffusion process. The algorithm searches for the position of a text symbol in randomly generated 3-D matrix and subsequently replaces the symbol. The positions in matrix are shuffled in a retraceable manner depending upon the encryption key. Further, the substituted positions are diffused so that all the cipher text get affected even if a single symbol is changed. The system uses a Logistic map for matrix generation and position shuffling. The algorithm also checks the integrity of cipher text by including its parity in encrypted form. As the system includes substitution, permutation and diffusion, high level of cryptographic complexity is achieved in cipher text. The proposed method is key sensitive output cipher text is random in nature and has avalanche effect. The key length chosen is sufficient to resist a brute force attack. The cryptographic model as a whole demonstrate remarkable resistance to statistical attacks which is a key feature. Detailed runtime comparison with different known cryptographic systems is given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, nonlinear fatigue crack growth analysis of an inclined edge crack is performed by extended finite element method (XFEM) [1] . The material behavior is assumed to be nonlinear, which is modelled by Ramberg-Osgood model and von-Mises yield criterion. Due to inherent material nonlinearity, the interaction integral approach cannot be used for evaluating the individual stress intensity factors (SIFs). Hence, the mixed mode crack growth problem is solved by decomposing the mixed mode J -integral into mode-I and mode-II. The decomposition of stress, strain and displacement fields is done by considering the symmetric and anti-symmetric parts of the corresponding field [2] . The symmetric part of these fields is related with the symmetric part of J -integral and provides mode-I SIF ( K I ) whereas the anti-symmetric part of these fields provides the mode-II SIF ( K II ). The equivalent K I and K II are used to find the direction of crack growth and the equivalent effective K Ieq for the obtained direction of the crack growth. The range of K Ieq (Δ K Ieq ) is used with the Paris law to evaluate the rate of crack growth. For highly nonlinear materials, J -integral decomposition method is more suitable then interaction integral approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medical wastes include all solid and liquid wastes that are produced during the treatment, diagnosis, and immunisation of animals and humans. A significant proportion of medical waste is infectious, hazardous, radioactive, and contains potentially toxic elements (PTEs) (i.e., heavy metal (loids)). PTEs, including arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb) and mercury (Hg), are mostly present in plastic, syringes, rubber, adhesive plaster, battery wastes of medical facilities in elemental form, as well as oxides, chlorides, and sulfates. Incineration and sterilisation are the most common technologies adopted for the safe management and disposal of medical wastes, which are primarily aimed at eliminating deadly pathogens. The ash materials derived from the incineration of hazardous medical wastes are generally disposed of in landfills after the solidification/stabilisation (S/S) process. In contrast, the ash materials derived from nonhazardous wastes are applied to the soil as a source of nutrients and soil amendment. The release of PTEs from medical waste ash material from landfill sites and soil application can result in ecotoxicity. The present study is a review paper that aims to critically review the dynamisms of PTEs in various environmental media after medical waste disposal, the environmental and health implications of their poor management, and the common misconceptions regarding medical waste. [Display omitted] • Safe management of hazardous medical wastes is a major global challenge. • A significant proportion of medical waste is infectious, hazardous and radioactive. • Potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in medical waste occur mostly as oxides. • Incinerated medical waste ash application can release PTEs to environment. • Chemical stabilisation is effective in preventing PTEs release into the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dermatophytes are keratinophilic fungi that cause skin infections in both humans and animals. Recently, the incidence rates of fungal infections associated with Trichophyton spp. have been considered endemic in many locations. The aim of this study was to isolate and characterize Trichophyton spp. from canines and felines. In the present study, screened 442 canine (n = 386) and feline (n = 56) samples for dermatophytes. Among all the samples, ten isolates were identified as Trichophyton spp. based on micro-morphological features. For comparative analysis, we included three human strains of Trichophyton mentagrophytes complex. In vitro susceptibility of antifungal drugs indicated the highest sensitivity except for fluconazole. The canine and human strains were genetically characterized by sequencing three genes: the internal transcribed spacer region of rDNA, translation elongation factor 1- gene, and beta-tubulin. Based on sequence homology and phylogenetic analysis, the ten canine strains belonged to four different species/ genotypes such as T. mentagrophytes genotype VIII (T. indotineae) (n = 5) , T. interdigitale (n = 2), T. simii (n = 2) and T. quinckeanum (n = 1). The three human strains used for comparative analysis were identified as T. mentagrophytes genotype VIII (n = 2) and T. benhamiae (n = 1). The study hence indicates that the T. mentagrophytes genotype VIII, considered as an endemic and emerging human pathogenic clone in India, is also the prevalent in animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reclaimed water is highly required for environmental sustainability and to meet sustainable development goals (SDGs). Chemical processes are frequently associated with highly hazardous and toxic by-products, like nitrosamines, trihalomethanes, haloaldehydes, haloketones, and haloacetic acids. In this context, we aim to summarize the formation of various commonly produced disinfection by-products (DBPs) during wastewater treatment and their treatment approaches. Owing to DBPs formation, we discussed permissible limits, concentrations in various water systems reported globally, and their consequences on humans. While most reviews focus on DBPs detection methods, this review discusses factors affecting DBPs formation and critically reviews various remediation approaches, such as adsorption, reverse osmosis, nano/micro-filtration, UV treatment, ozonation, and advanced oxidation process. However, research in the detection of hazardous DBPs and their removal is quite at an early and initial stage, and therefore, numerous advancements are required prior to scale-up at commercial level. DBPs abatement in wastewater treatment approach should be considered. This review provides the baseline for optimizing DBPs formation and advancements in the remediation process, efficiently reducing their production and providing safe, clean drinking water. Future studies should focus on a more efficient and rigorous understanding of DBPs properties and degradation of hazardous pollutants using low-cost techniques in wastewater treatment. [Display omitted] • Disinfection is highly required but mostly associated with byproduct formation. • Raw water reported high disinfection byproducts (DBPs) levels than treated water. • UV/Cl 2 was reported to be an effective disinfectant for DBPs formation. • Technique to remove nitrosamine precursors from WWTPs is urgently needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastics (MPs) are non-biodegradable substances that can sustain our environment for up to a century. What is more worrying is the incapability of modern technologies to annihilate MPs from om environment. One ramification of MPs is their impact on every kind of life form on this planet, which has been discussed ahead; that is why these substances are surfacing in everyday discussions of scholars and researchers. This paper discusses the overview of the global occurrence, abundance, analysis, and remediation techniques of MPs in the environment. This paper primarily reviews the event and abundance of MPs in coastal sediments and agricultural soil of three major Asian countries, India, China, and Japan. A significant concentration of MPs has been recorded from these countries, which affirms its strong presence and subsequent environmental impacts. Concentrations such as 73,100 MPs/kg in Indian coastal sediments and 42,960 particles/kg in the agricultural soil of China is a solid testimony to prove their massive outbreak in our environment and require urgent attention towards this issue. Conclusions show that human activities, rivers, and plastic mulching on agricultural fields have majorly acted as carriers of MPs towards coastal and terrestrial soil and sediments. Later, based on recorded concentrations and gaps, future research studies are recommended in the concerned domain; a dearth of studies on MPs influencing Indian agricultural soil make a whole sector and its consumer vulnerable to the adverse effects of this emerging contaminant. [Display omitted] • Film & fibre shaped microplastics (MPs) are more abundant in India, China and Japan. • Plastic mulching is the root cause of major MPs pollution in soil and sediment. • Estuarian soil/sediment are more prone to MPs pollution than terrestrial and coastal. • FT-IR is highly used for MPs identification; mass spectrometry & microscopy are least. • MPs work as a vector for metals, PPCPs, surfactants and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A base-supported partially-filled fluid–shell system representing the pressure vessel of a fast reactor is studied. The shell is made of two cylindrical parts joined through a conical part. The shell is characterized using Donnell's theory, while the fluid is modeled using a velocity potential approach. Compatibility and interface conditions led to the energy functional, minimization of which yielded natural frequencies. The approach was validated against previously studied joined systems. Parametric studies revealed that vibration frequencies of the fluid-shell system (i.e., bulging frequencies) are comparable to shell-only vibration frequencies if only the lowermost part is filled. Vibration frequencies of the free fluid surface (i.e., sloshing frequencies) do not change materially with fluid height if most of the vessel is filled. Present study did not consider the coupling between bulging and sloshing modes, which may need to be considered for a completely-filled vessel with a large base radius (e.g., > 3 m) as the two sets of frequencies for such systems can be comparable. • Closed-form solution for a cylindrical–conical–cylindrical fluid–shell system. • Minor modification in solution parameters yield results for other joined systems. • Frequencies depend significantly on level of fluid and base radius. • Sloshing frequencies unaffected by fluid height for a completely filled system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black Carbon (BC) is an important constituent of both aquatic and terrestrial environment, but also has several adverse effects on human health, aquatic life, and contributes to the global climate change. Thus, to understand the fate and transport of BC nanoparticles (NPs) in the environment, it's important to understand the colloidal stability or aggregation behaviour and factors affecting it, under various environmental conditions, including both aquatic and atmospheric. This study investigated the individual influence of ionic strengths, valence (Na+, Ca2+ and Mg2+), metals (Zn2+, Cu2+, Ni2+ and Cd2+), and organic substances (PO 4 3− and Humic Acid: HA) on the effective diameter or hydrodynamic diameter and zeta potential of BC-NPs in aquatic systems. A dynamic light scattering (DLS) principle-based 90 Plus Particle Size Analyzer was used for measurements of BC particle size and zeta potential at varying ionic chemistry. The results showed that strong ionic strength promotes aggregation of BC-NPs till the repulsion forces become dominant due to more negative zeta potential. The Aggregation of BC-NPs was observed to be significantly dependent on the ionic valence, where divalent ions caused more aggregation than monovalent ions. Metal ions at higher concentration (around 1 mM) promoted the aggregation rate of BC-NPs, and Cu+2 dominated among all selected metals. Conversely, organic matter (PO 4 3− and HA) tends to promote stabilisation of BC-NPs instead of aggregation. Though this study investigated individual effect of substances, influence of possible environmental combination of substances will help to get more clear idea. Cause: Soot particles aggregation in the environmental waters increase with presence of the ligands and their valences however organic matter stabilizes the aggregation leading to enhanced transport. Effect: Higher TDS of groundwater will help to make soot form larger aggregates leading to precipitation or buoyancy, however more organic matter in the river will help it to transport to a greater distance. [Display omitted] • Black carbon nanoparticles aggregation in the aquatic medium is ionic in nature. • BC-NPs aggregation increases with ionic strength till the repulsion takeover. • Cu metal ions had more aggregating influence on BC-NPs compared to Ni, Pb and Zn. • Organic matter stabilizes BC-NPs aggregation implying better transport with river. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The limited sources of fossil fuels and pollutant emissions are the major challenges for the aviation industry. To meet the energy demand of the aviation industry, researchers have taken an interest in exploring new aviation fuels and biofuels may be potential candidates for alternative aviation fuels due to their favorable properties for combustion. The physical properties of butyl butyrate meet the criteria for other possible aviation fuels to some extent. Therefore, in the present study, the combustion characteristics of butyl butyrate, Jet A-1, and their blends (BB/Jet A-1 with 10%, 30%, and 50% volumetric loading of butyl butyrate) are investigated experimentally in a swirl-stabilized combustion test rig at non-preheated and pre-heated swirling air (373 and 473 K). For a comparative assessment, the theoretical power output is kept constant for all the fuel cases by suitably adjusting the fuel flow rates based on the lower heating value of the fuels. The temperatures at the combustor exit (representative of turbine inlet temperature) for two individual fuels and their blends appear to be comparable which indicates the similar thermal output at these operating conditions. The post-combustion emissions show that Jet A-1 produced higher NOx compared to that of butyl butyrate and the blends. The NOx emission increases with an increase in the swirling air temperature and this trend is consistent for all the fuels tested. Irrespective of preheating, pure butyl butyrate and blends exhibit significantly lower CO emissions compared to Jet A-1. Pre-heating seems to influence all the fuels similarly; however, pure butyl butyrate and its blends with Jet A-1 (particularly 50% case) outperform in terms of overall performance. • Combustion characteristics of Jet A-1, butyl butyrate, and their blends are studied in lab-scale swirl-stabilized combustor. • Adjusted fuel flow rates influence the flame lengths, but the temperatures at the combustor exit are approximately the same for all the tested fuels. • Butyl butyrate and Jet A-1 blends show better emission characteristics (in terms of soot formation, CO and NOx concentration) relative to Jet A-1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cassia fistula L. (Fabaceae) fruits are highly recommended in folklore medicine for curing various ailments. In the current study, methanol (CaFM), hexane (CaFH), chloroform (CaFCl), ethyl acetate (CaFE), butanol (CaFB) and aqueous (CaFA) fractions of C. fistula fruits were investigated for their potential to inhibit the genotoxicity of mutagens and free radicals. The antimutagenicity of fractions was evaluated against the reactive carcinogenic ester generating mutagen, 2-aminofluorene (2-AF) and frame-shift mutation inducing mutagen, 4-nitro- o -phenylenediamine (NPD) in Ames Salmonella typhimurium TA98 tester strain. Among the fractions, CaFE showed strongest protective effect against the mutagenicity of both S9-dependent and direct-acting mutagen with an inhibitory percentage of 81% and 64% at the concentration of 1 × 10 3 and 2.5 × 10 3 respectively. All the fractions were analyzed for free radical scavenging activity using DPPH, nitric oxide, lipid peroxidation and superoxide anion assays. CaFE fraction showed maximum antioxidant activity in comparison to other fractions with an IC 50 of 97.01, 172.36, 144 and 264.79 μg/ml respectively. High performance liquid chromatography showed the presence of catechin, epicatechin and umbelliferone in appreciable amount which may account for its efficacy in combating free radicals and also showed protective effect against the mutagenicity of S9-dependent mutagen, 2-AF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work is an attempt to study As and F+ coevality using laboratory based assays which couples fractionation and batch dissolution experiments. Sequential extraction procedure (SEP) resulting into five “operationally defined phases”, was performed on sediment and soil samples collected from the Brahmaputra flood plains, Assam, India. High correlation between the Fe (hydr)oxide fraction and total As content of the soil/sediment sample indicates the involvement of Fe (hydr)oxides as the principal source of As. F − being an anion has high potential to be sorbed onto positively charged surfaces. Findings of the SEP were used to design the batch desorption experiments by controlling the Fe (hydr)oxide content of the soil/sediment. Desorption of As and F − was observed under acidic, neutral and alkaline pH from untreated and Fe (hydr)oxide removed samples. Highest amount of As and F − were found to be released from untreated samples under alkaline pH, while the amount leached from samples with no Fe (hydr)oxide was low. The study showed that the Fe (hydr)oxide fraction commonly found in the soils and sediments, had high affinity for negatively charged species like F − oxyanions of As, AsO 4 3− (arsenate) and AsO 3 3− (arsenite). Fe (hydr)oxide fraction was found to play the major role in co-evolution of As and F − . Two sorption coefficients were proposed based on easily leachable fraction and As present in the groundwater of sampling location for understanding of contamination vulnerability from the leaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerical experiments are performed to study natural convection over moving and fixed heated cylindrical geometries using a simple and efficient sharp interface immersed boundary method (IBM). The current IBM implementation uses a coupled MAC-SOLA solver where SOLA based iterative pressure correction techniques are used to satisfy mass conservation at the intercepted cells while strongly maintaining the boundary conditions that are implemented using interpolation along the direction normal to the complex boundary surface. An overall second order accuracy is maintained in the discretization and interpolation schemes. The present numerical approach provides simplicity, computational efficiency and accuracy for solving moving boundary cases. Predictions are compared with available experimental and numerical data for several fixed and moving boundary cases. Throughout smooth flow and thermal profiles are obtained. Observations are made on the dynamic behavior of the flow features and temperature fields due to natural convection during oscillations of a hot cylinder in a cold square enclosure. The effects of different parameters, viz: Rayleigh number, cylinder diameter, enclosure, eccentricity, amplitude and frequency of oscillation and axis of oscillation on the heat transfer and flow structures are reported. Augmentation of heat transfer due to dynamic interaction of the moving buoyant plume with the boundary layer attached to the cold enclosure wall is also investigated in detail. The present study focuses on understanding the physics of natural convection over moving boundaries within fixed enclosures and can be useful in envisioning better design or optimization of the process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, analysis has been carried out for transmission loss minimization with the integrated hybrid PV and Wind turbine in the power system network. For obtaining the power output from the PV and Wind turbine, a probabilistic model for the solar irradiation and wind has been considering using Beta and Weibull distribution function. A Mixed Integer Nonlinear Programming (MINLP) approach has been utilized for determining optimal location and number of distributed generators considering minimization of transmission loss. The analysis has been carried out with constant PQ load and Zip load model. The impact of different load models has been studied. The analysis has been carried out for IEEE24 bus test system in pool/bilateral electricity market model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Brahmaputra river system (BRS) produces the largest discharge in India, supplying water to more than 62 million inhabitants. The present study aims to quantify the environmental elements that affect the spatio-temporal variation of nutrients in the Brahmaputra river system (BRS). The association of physico-chemical characteristics of floodplain sediments with the distribution pattern of P during wet and dry periods in different depths were also studied. The seasonal variation suggest that the average dissolved inorganic nitrogen and dissolve inorganic phosphorus are found higher in monsoon while the average dissolve silica were higher in post-monsoon. The spatial variation of dissolve inorganic phosphate and nitrate concentration suggests both the nutrient are higher in upstream sites. The DiS concentrations tended to be higher in downstream. In 70% of the sampled tributaries, the average molar ratio for dissolved inorganic nitrogen/dissolved inorganic phosphorous (DIN/DIP) was greater than 16:1, which indicates phosphate limited biological productivity. In contrast, an average molar ratio of dissolved inorganic silica/DIN (DSi/DIN) of 3.8 ± 3.0 favoured diatom growth in those tributaries where DSi/DIN molar ratio was lower than 1, indicating eutrophication. The BRS transported 24.7, 5.93, and 312 × 104 tons/year−1 of DIN, PO 4 –P and SiO 2 –Si, respectively. The depth-wise variation of P -fraction during monsoon suggests that the authigenic phosphorus was most abundant followed by Fe-bound, exchangeable, detrital and organic. In the post-monsoon, Fe-bound P was found at a higher concentration followed by authigenic phosphorus. High nutrient concentrations with more δ18O depleted water implied precipitation being the major source of nutrients in the BRS. [Display omitted] • Characterization of nutrient loads on the Brahmaputra River System (BRS) is carried out. • Hydro-geochemistry, P -fractionation, and isotopic ratios are coupled to understand nutrient dynamics. • Phosphate limitation and eutrophication, in parts of the BRS were detected. • Authigenic phosphorus was most abundant followed by Fe-bound, exchangeable, detrital and organic. • High nutrient with depleted δ18O water implied precipitation being the major source of nutrients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a fast and accurate single-phase grid voltage parameter tracking scheme under distorted grid voltage conditions. The input stage of the proposed scheme consists of a half-cycle moving-window discrete Fourier transform (HC-MWDFT) based pre-filter, whose design guidelines are discussed in the viewpoint of its stability and orthogonal signal generation. Combining a positive feed-forward comb filter and a fractional complex resonator helps to attenuate odd-order harmonics and allows fast extraction of fundamental components. Unlike the phase-locked loop (PLL) techniques, the grid frequency is indirectly estimated using a simple open-loop frequency detector. The proposed method is free from tedious controller tuning aspects and can avoid external phase/frequency feedback loops. The amplitude and phase information are adaptive to the grid frequency by employing a simple linear regression-based error correction technique. The overall efficacy of the proposed algorithm is assessed using numerical and experimental methods. • Rapid detection of the fundamental frequency, amplitude, and phase information • Reinvestigation of half-cycle moving window discrete Fourier transform-OSG approach • Non-adaptive pre-filter approach helps avoid the frequency feedback-loop • Open-loop frequency estimator is a less complex solution then the PLLs and the FLLs • Better dynamic behavior, noise rejection, and reduced number of control parameters [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Synthesis of novel CAB@BOFe for safe drinking water production perspective. • Maximum adsorption capacity of CAB@BOFe was 62.5 µg g−1 for As(V) in 120 min. • Homogenous As(V) sorption onto CAB@BOFe followed pseudo–second–order model. • Trivial reduction (∼3.6 %) in As(V) sorption efficiency after 5 regeneration cycles. • Significant removal (52.1%) of As(V) from multi contaminants mixture with CAB@BOFe. Arsenic (As) can geogenically and anthropogenically contaminate the potable water resources and undoubtedly reduces its availability for human consumption. To circumvent this predicament, present study focuses on the development of a novel biosorbent by impregnating calcium cross-linked polyuronate (alginate) beads (CABs) with bilayer–oleic coated magnetite nanoparticles (CAB@BOFe) for As(V) removal. Initially, the system parameters (i.e., adsorbents dose (0.1– 3.0 g L–1), pH (4.0–13), reaction times (0–180 min) and sorbate concentrations (10–150 µg L–1)) were optimized to establish adsorbent at the lab-scale. CAB@BOFe had higher monolayer (ad)sorption capacity (∼62.5 µg g−1, 120 min) than CABs (∼17.9 µg g−1, 180 min). Electrostatic/Ion-dipole interactions and surface-complexation mechanisms mediated As(V) sorption onto CAB@BOFe mainly obeyed Langmuir isotherm (R2 ∼ 0.9) and well described by intraparticle diffusion process. Furthermore, it demonstrated an excellent arsenate removal performance from the single/multiple anionic contaminants simulated water samples which supported its prospective field applicability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving the properties of polymeric membranes for water filtration have inspired a lot of interest due to the undesirable long-term impacts. Some of the most recent achievements in this sector are the development of mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) and thin-film nanocomposites (TFNs). Here we describe the development of a novel cellulose triacetate nanofiber membrane made of α-Fe2O3/polyacrylonitrile (PAN)/CaCO3/cellulose triacetate (CTA). This multi-functional membrane is capable of adsorption and removal of heavy metal ions as well as organic pollutants, photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants and remineralisation of water. Further, the membrane showed very good stability in the pH regime of 3–9 (environmental interest) and in different solvents. Moreover, the membrane could sustainably remineralize water with calcium (95 mg/L) up to 7 days. The adsorption abilities of the α-Fe2O3/PAN/CaCO3/CTA (FPCC) nanofiber membrane for lead and copper were 91 % and 77 % percent for 100 mg/L initial concentration of lead and copper, according to the results. Methylene blue (MB) and methyl orange, (MO) two organic contaminants that pollute water, are removed effectively at the rate of 96 % and 95 %, respectively. The development of such a multi-functional membrane opens up a new opportunity for solving drinking water concerns in the context of environmental remediation. [Display omitted] • TFN nanoporous membranes for waste water treatment and remineralisation in a single device • Heavy metals and organic dyes were removed utilising nano adsorbents in the membrane. • Stable TFN membrane's in industrial wastewater treatment for a wide pH range of 3–9. • Remineralisation of calcium ions with sustained release for 7-day calcium 95 mg/L [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contaminant vulnerability in the critical zones like groundwater (GW)-seawater (SW) continuum along the entire Gujarat coast was investigated for the first time through an extensive water monitoring survey. The prime focus of the study was to evaluate whether or not: i) seawater intrusion induced metal load translates to toxicity; ii) in the coastal groundwater, metal distribution follows the pattern of other geogenic and anthropogenic contaminants like NO 3 - and F-; and iii) what future lies ahead pertaining to metal fate in association with saturation conditions of the coastal aquifers. The spatial distribution of contaminants depicts that the Gulf of Khambhat area is highly contaminated. Ecological risk assessment (ERA) indicates that the Gujarat coast is experiencing a high ecological risk compared to the southeast coast of India. Investigation results revealed that metals, pH, NO 3 , and CO 3 are more vulnerable at the SW-GW mixing interface. An increase in pH is reflected in fewer ionic species of metals in the GW. Salinity ingress due to seawater intrusion (SWI) reduces the toxicities of all trace metals except Cu, attributed to the increase of Ca in GW, leading to dissociation of CuCO 3. Reactive species are dominant for Zn and Cd; and M-CO 3 ligands are dominant for Cu and Pb owing to the undersaturation of dolomite and calcite in the aquifer system. SWI tends to increase the metal load but the toxicity of metals varies with the density of industries, anthropogenic activities, changes in the mixing-induced saturation conditions, and intensive salt production across the coast. Multivariate analysis confirmed that the hydrogeochemical processes change due to GW-SW mixing and dictates over natural weathering. The ecological risk index (ERI) for the Arabian sea is experiencing moderate (300 ≥ ERI>150) to high ecological risk (ERI >600). Children population is likely to encounter a high health risk through ingestion and dermal exposure than adults. Overall, the study emphasizes the complexity of toxicity-related health impacts on coastal communities and suggests the dire need for frequent water monitoring along the coastal areas for quick realization of sustainable development goals. [Display omitted] • Seawater intrusion increases metal load but does not necessarily translate to toxicity. • In the coastal groundwater, metal distribution differs the pattern of NO 3 − and F−. • M2+ and CO 3 2− forms were dominant for Zn & Cd; and Cu & Pb, respectively. • Higher intrusion seems to decrease free ionic metals but has no profound effect on pH. • Undersaturation of Dolomite & Calcite reasons the dominance of MCO 3 forms. Capsule: Seawater intrusion increases metal load but does not necessarily translate to toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wastewater-based genomic surveillance can identify a huge majority of variants shed by the infected individuals within a population, which goes beyond genomic surveillance based on clinical samples (i.e., symptomatic patients only). We analyzed four samples to detect key mutations in the SARS-CoV-2 genome and track circulating variants in Ahmedabad during the first wave (Sep/Nov 2020) and before the second wave (in Feb 2021) of COVID-19 in India. The analysis identified a total of 34 mutations in the spike protein across samples categorized into 23 types. The spike protein mutations were linked to the VOC-21APR-02; B.1.617.2 lineage (Delta variant) with 57% frequency in wastewater samples of Feb 2021. The key spike protein mutations were T19R, L452R, T478K, D614G, & P681R and deletions at 22029 (6 bp), 28248 (6 bp), & 28271 (1 bp). Interestingly, these mutations were not seen in the samples from Sep/Nov 2020 but did appear before the massive second wave of COVID-19 cases, which in India started in early April 2021. In fact, genetic traces of the Delta variant were found in samples of early Feb 2021, more than a month before the first clinically confirmed case of this in March 2021 in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The present work describes the circulating of SARS-CoV-2 variants in Ahmedabad and confirms the consequential value of wastewater surveillance for the early detection of variants of concerns (VOCs). Such monitoring must be included as a major component of future health protection systems. [Display omitted] • First detection of delta variant (VOC-21APR-02; B.1.617.2) in the wastewater of India. • Treated water showed more prevalence of Delta variant than the non-treated wastewater. • WBE is capable to detect and deal with SARS-CoV-2 variants and their cryptic transmission. • WW genomic surveillance can aid the decision-making system for public health policies. • Delta variant found a month earlier in the wastewater than the first confirmed clinical case. Delta variant found a month earlier in the wastewater of Ahmedabad than the first confirmed clinical patient report. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, feasibility of biodiesel production from freeze dried sewage sludge was studied and its yield was enhanced by optimization of the in situ transesterification conditions (temperature, catalyst and concentration of sludge solids). Optimized conditions (45 °C, 5% catalyst and 0.16 g/mL sludge solids) resulted in a 20.76 ± 0.04% biodiesel yield. The purity of biodiesel was ascertained by GC–MS, FT-IR and NMR ( 1 H and 13 C) spectroscopy. The biodiesel profile obtained revealed the predominance of methyl esters of fatty acids such as oleic, palmitic, myristic, stearic, lauric, palmitoleic and linoleic acids indicating potential use of sludge as a biodiesel feedstock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of attack-prone hardware makes designing secure schemes for data collection a complex task. Addressing the continuous threat of attacks at the aggregator nodes, this work proposes a privacy preserving secure in-network data aggregation (PPSDA) technique for wireless sensor networks (WSNs). Using the pallier crypto system, a secure scheme which is resilient to false data injection attacks, is devised to compute the SUM, COUNT and MEAN at the sink node. Extensive theoretical analysis and simulation results show that the proposed scheme outperforms other existing aggregation approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients are at high risk of loco-regional recurrence and despite the improvement in treatment strategy, 5-year survival rates are about 50%. Identification of patients at high risk of recurrence may enable rigorous personalized post-treatment management. In an earlier proteomics study we observed overexpression of End Binding Protein (EB1) in OSCC. In the present study we investigated the diagnostic and prognostic significance of alterations in expression of EB1 in oral cancer. Methods In this retrospective study, the expression of EB1 protein was evaluated in 259 OSCCs, 41 dysplasia, 166 hyperplasia and 126 normal tissues using immunohistochemistry and correlated with clinical-pathological parameters and prognosis of OSCC patients over a follow-up period of up to 91 months. Results Significantly higher expression of cytoplasmic EB1 was observed in hyperplasia [p < 0.001, OR = 7.2, 95% CI = 4.1–12.8], dysplasia (p < 0.001, OR = 21.8, CI = 8.8–50.2) and OSCCs (p < 0.001, OR = 10.1, CI = 5.8–17.4) in comparison with normal mucosa. Univariate analysis revealed cytoplasmic EB1 association with tumor grade, tumor size and recurrence of the disease. Kaplan Meier survival analysis of EB1 expression showed significantly reduced disease free survival (DFS) (p = 0.003). Notably, OSCC patients showing cytoplasmic EB1 overexpression demonstrated significantly reduced DFS (p = 0.004, HR = 2.1). Conclusion EB1 overexpression is an early event in oral tumorigenesis and cytoplasmic EB1 accumulation is associated with poor prognosis and tumor recurrence in OSCC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]