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A focussed ion beam can change the structural, morphological, and electrical properties of polymer composites. In this work mechanical mixing technique is used to develop CaCu3Ti4O12/CoFe2O4/epoxy composites with CCTO loading (50wt%, 35wt%, 25wt%, and 15wt%). These composites were irradiated with 120 MeV Au+ beam at a constant fluence of 6 × 1012 ions/cm2 and their dielectric, morphological properties were investigated. The comprehensive examination of results revealed significant changes in surface morphology (polymer degradation, and rifts). The dielectric constant and dielectric loss of prepared composites was found to be ~ 35 and ~ 1.2, respectively. The hardness of composites was observed ~ 99 after irradiation. Ion irradiation induced physiochemical changes due to solid-ion interaction, which improvise composites applicability in microelectronic devices, and electromagnetic shields. Moreover, the mechanism of solid-ion interaction is conferred in the text. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ca9Y(VO4)7 phosphor activated with Er3+ ions have been developed by the urea-aided solution combustion technique. XRD profiles assisted with Rietveld refinement executed over-developed Er3+-activated Ca9Y(VO4)7 powder, revealed a trigonal phase with the R3c space group. The electron microscope techniques namely TEM and SEM characterize the size and surface-linked qualities of the developed nanopowder, respectively. The uniform distribution of various elements in the nanocrystalline sample is authenticated by an energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) system. The Eg (band gap) value of 3.64 eV for Ca9Y0.9Er0.1(VO4)7 and 3.74 eV for Ca9Y(VO4)7 has been estimated. Upon 382 nm excitation, Er3+: Ca9Y(VO4)7 phosphor gives rise to the bright green emission owing to the 4S3/2 → 4I15/2 transition. The concentration quenching after 10 mol% composition of trivalent erbium ions is attributed to dipole-dipole interlinkages in accordance with Dexter's theory. The radiative lifetime (1.1083 ms), non-radiative rates (0.2079 ms− 1), quantum efficiency (79%), along with colorimetric parameters i.e. CIE x (= 0.2577), y (= 0.4566), and CCT quantities offer Ca9Y0.9Er0.1(VO4)7 as a proficient green radiating nanomaterial for RGB phosphors in solid-state applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By tailoring and optimizing the structure of core or shell material, complete alteration of properties of the material can be obtained. Herein, we have reported synthesis of CaCu3Ti4O12@CoFe2O4 particles through the chemical co-precipitation route. CaCu3Ti4O12@CoFe2O4 particles consist of CaCu3Ti4O12 (~ 200 nm) as a core and CoFe2O4 as a shell of 2.5 nm. The prepared composites are characterized with appropriate characterization tools. The morphological results confirm the proper formation of core shell structure where CaCu3Ti4O12 and CoFe2O4 act as a core and shell, respectively. The greater CCTO content composites exhibited promising relative permittivity of 8.2 × 103 at 700 °C sintering temperature (8 h) at frequency 40 to 8 MHz. When CaCu3Ti4O12@CoFe2O4 undergoes heat treatment, it leads to the removal of oxalic acid. However, a weight loss of 8.3% is obtained for CCTO-coated composites that is quite low as compared to ~ 11% weight loss obtained in pristine CFO. The removal of organic groups significantly contributed to the increase in dielectric properties. These results imply that the development of CaCu3Ti4O12@CoFe2O4 core shell structure paves the wave for high-performance devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The research aimed to assess and compare the effect of bacterial inoculants, chemical additive and their combinations on the fermentation process of sugarcane tops silages along with variations in pH, yeast and mould count after aerobic exposure. Methods: In harvest season, sugarcane tops were collected from local farmer fields (27.80% DM). The treatments were, control (no additive), LP (Lactiplantibacillus plantarum), LF (Limosilactobacillus fermentum), PA (Propionic acid), a combination of LP + LF, PA + LP, PA + LF, and PA + LP + LF. After 30 days of ensiling, silage fermentation parameters and pH, yeast and mould were accessed after aerobic exposure. Results: The treatment with additives reduced pH (P < 0.05) and increased lactic acid, acetic acid and dry matter recovery significantly (p < 0.05). In the PA + LP + LF treatment, the oxalate content substantially reduced by 51.36% after ensiling (p < 0.05). NDF content reduced in all treatments as compared with control (p < 0.05). LAB count was higher in PA + LF treatment (8.58 log10 CFU/g) (p < 0.05). Yeast and Mould counts were lower in treatments PA + LP + LF and PA, 2.22 and 3.01 (log10 CFU/g) respectively (p < 0.05). Among the treatments, combinations of PA + LP + LF and PA + LF were the most effective to improve the fermentation quality of silage and the combination of PA + LF has shown more potential to reduce the yeast and moulds after aerobic exposure. Conclusion: The additives were effective to improve the fermentation quality and reduced oxalates content of the sugarcane tops silage. As the exposure time increased the pH values and the yeast-moulds count remained more stable in silage treated with bacterial inoculants and chemical additive which reduced aerobic spoilage in sugarcane tops silage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diversely substituted methoxy derivatives of arylpiperazinyl–alkyl benzothiazolone has been evaluated as specific probe for 5HT7. To determine the best methoxy derivative for 5HT7 receptor affinity, we synthesised a number of 2-benzothiazolone arylalkyl piperazine derivatives. In-vitro/vivo studies with C-2 substituted [11C]ABT showed 5HT7 specific binding. The radiochemical purity of [11C]ABT was found to be more than 99% with radiochemical stability persistence for more than 1.5 hr at 25 °C. The interaction of BSA and ABT has been analysed by photophysical studies for better understanding of properties such as adsortion, distribution, metabolism and elemination (ADME). The interaction between ABT and BSA was analyzed by using the UV-vis and fluorescence spectra. UV-vis spectra analyzed the changes in primary structure of BSA on its interaction with ABT. ABT showed quenched fluorescence emission intensity of tryptophan residues in BSA via static quenching mechanism. This study might help to understand how ABT binds to serum protein or subsequently to know the ADME of this drug candidate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ferrite/carbon (NiFe2O4/C) nanocomposite derived from metal–organic frameworks (MOF) has been evaluated as electrode material for supercapacitors. The ferrite/carbon hybrid has synthesized via one-step solvothermal method followed by heat treatment. The thermal treatment of the MOF has been conducted under different environments (N2 and air) at various temperatures, resulting in the formation of a porous diamond-shaped ferrite/carbon nanocomposite. Notably, the material subjected to pyrolysis at 500 °C in an N2 environment exhibits remarkable enhancements in its properties, showcasing the highest specific capacitance of 85.5 F g−1 at a current density of 0.25 A g−1. This excellent specific capacitance is attributed to surface redox reactions that take place due to the material's large active surface area. Asymmetric supercapacitor composed of NF500 and activated carbon has shown a high energy density of 69.2 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 180.07 W kg−1. These outstanding electrochemical properties make the synthesized hybrid material a highly promising candidate for various energy storage applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study was undertaken to identify the most promising combination of the additives which reduce the ensiling duration and improve silage quality in terms of microbial succession and fermentation profiles of sugarcane tops silage. Fresh sugarcane tops were ensiled in 3-L laboratory silos in four treatment groups supplemented with enzymes (cellulase + xylanase), enzymes plus Lactobacillus plantarum (C + X + LP), enzymes plus Lactobacillus fermentum (C + X + LF) and enzymes + Lactobacillus plantarum + Lactobacillus fermentum (C + X + LP + LF) for 15, 25, 35, and 45 days. Urea (0.5%) and molasses (1.5%) were added to all treatment groups. The silages were tested for microbiological and chemical parameters after storage. Results indicated that, in the first 15 days of ensiling, higher LAB counts were observed and thereafter decreased. The highest LAB count was observed in C + X + LP + LF treatment. Among all the durations of ensiling, the yeast and moulds count was lower at day 25. NH3–N, acetic acid (AA), and butyric acid significantly increased with increasing the days of ensiling. All additives improved lactic acid concentration relative to the enzymes (C + X) treated silage. The concentration of lactic acid (LA) in all silages soared to grasp a peak at day 35 and then decreased at the end of the ensiling days. The LA: AA ratio in all silages peaked at day 25 and then decreased with increasing the duration of ensiling. Consequently, among all treatments, exogenous enzymes and LAB-treated silages (C + X + LF and C + X + LP + LF) were the best combination based on LAB count, lactic acid, yeast–mould counts, and LA:AA ratio at days 15 and 25 of ensiling. The combined effect of LAB and enzymes can reduce the ensiling period and improve silage quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study reports the fabrication of hafnium oxide (HfO2) thin films on glass and silicon (Si) substrate using electron beam evaporation technique. The deposition of films was carried out in a stepwise approach, in which a run deposited the thickness of ~ 100 nm, and subsequently, the overall thickness was achieved by repeating the deposition process to achieve better quality films. Initially, films were amorphous and were subjected to a thermal treatment process above 400 °C temperature to assess the crystallinity. The structure of these films was analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) indicating crystalline nature of the annealed films. The surface morphology examined using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) revealed a dense microstructure with round-shaped grains with a diameter of 30–50 nm. The average surface roughness of HfO2 films was achieved in the range of 7–9 nm measured using optical profiler. The optical studies having UV–Vis–NIR range indicated high transparency in visible region (average transmission ~ 85%). The film thickness was evaluated using envelope method, and compared with the thickness obtained from cross-sectional SEM and reflectometer results. The surface wettability measurement of the HfO2 thin film was performed using a drop shape analyzer that indicates the hydrophobic nature of 500 nm thin films over glass and Si substrate. The observations showed that the developed single-layer thin film can be a promising choice in optical, anti-reflection, protective, optoelectronics, and so forth, applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a total of 118 genotypes, including 90 wild accessions belonging to AA genome (O. glaberrima, O. barthii, O. nivara, O. rufipogon, O. longistaminata, O. meridionalis, O. glumaepatula) and CC genome (O. officinalis), 19 non-basmati genotypes and nine basmati cultivars were analyzed for their protein content and grain characteristics in brown rice. The protein content in wild rice accessions was appreciably high as 20.8% followed by non-basmati and (11.5%) and basmati (11%) cultivars. Thousand-grain weight and grain breadth (GB) were highest in wild rice accessions (30.4gm and 2.9 mm), while grain length and L: B were highest in basmati cultivars (8.9 mm and 6.2). Fractionation of storage proteins and SDS gel electrophoresis revealed that significant differences in the protein content between the wild rice species and cultivated rice genotypes were mainly due to differences in their glutelin contents and high molecular weight glutelin polypeptides. The presence of characteristic bands in selected accessions is a useful parameter for identification of rice germplasm. The wild species that had high protein content has potential to increase the nutritional quality of rice through interspecific crosses in future breeding programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With increasing initiatives on "clean power plan" and "carbon neutrality," gasification is one of the most promising ways toward cleaner energy production using a diverse range of feedstocks. However, prior to gasification, the feedstock must be thoroughly analyzed. The characteristics of various feedstocks, including coal, biomass, petcoke, municipal solid waste (MSW), and their blends, are studied using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). TGA is widely employed to examine the effect of various parameters, such as time, temperature, heating rate, residence time, pressure, gas composition, and particle size, on the gasification reactivity and kinetics of different carbonaceous feedstocks. Since it is realistic, rapid, reliable, and cost-effective, it is a widely used technique. This review details various thermal analysis techniques, including TGA, differential thermal analysis, and derivative thermogravimetry that can be used for feedstock characterization. The objective of this review is to compare and analyze the reactivity and kinetics behavior of various feedstocks during gasification using TGA. It was observed that the reactivity of biomass is found to be greater than that of MSW, coal, and petcoke with their activation energy in the range of 56–230 kJ mol−1, 100–275 kJ mol−1, 58–250 kJ mol−1, and 120–640 kJ mol−1. This paper will also help in predicting the suitability of different feeds for gasification as well as selecting/designing suitable gasifier. It does highlight different feedstocks used in gasification, along with several thermal analysis techniques. Additionally, in this overview directions of future progress are anticipated for its sound development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gradient structures mainly boost the dielectric and mechanical properties of composites. Herein, the fabrication of silicon carbide (SiC)/epoxy gradient composites via centrifugal casting was carried out. Samples having different weight percentages (upto-30%) were prepared by centrifugal casting and compared with non-centrifuged samples. The prepared samples were characterized for their dielectric behavior such as breakdown strength, dielectric constant, and dissipation factor. The centrifuged samples exhibited better dielectric strength as compared to the non-centrifuged ones. The breakdown voltage of the sample was increasing owing to an increase in SiC contents in the direction of centrifugal force. However, the gradient samples exhibited a low dielectric constant as compared to non-gradient samples. The mechanism involved in such phenomenon is proposed and discussed in the text. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aphid transmitted viruses are the most significant constraint for quality seed potato production. Potato virus Y and Potato leaf roll virus are the most important aphid transmitted viruses in potato, which can be transmitted by a large number of aphid species. In order to determine the species composition of aphids infesting potato crops and to determine their viruliferous nature, aphid samples were collected from all the potatoes growing zones in India. Fourteen distinct aphid species were identified from 541 samples using morphological and molecular characterization. The identified species include Aphis craccivora, A. gossypii, A. fabae, A. spiraecola, Aulacorthum solani, Macrosiphum euphorbiae, Rhopalosiphum rufiabdominale, and Myzus persicae among the colonizing species and A. nerii, R. padi, R. maidis, Hyadaphis coriandri, Brevicoryne brassicae, and Lipaphis erysimi among the non-colonizing species. M. persicae and A. gossypii were the most abundant and most widespread species on potato in the country. Based on whole body testing of aphid samples through RT-PCR, M. persicae, A. gossypii, A. solani, and M. euphorbiae were found positive for PVY while M. persicae and A. gossypii tested positive for PLRV, which could potentially transmit the respective viruses in potato crops. The current study revealed that aphid species other than M. persicae could be important in determining the virus incidence in seed crops in the country. Therefore, management decisions should include such information to maintain the health standard of seed stocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is desirable to exploit biomass energy along with coal and petcoke through gasification, and understanding the differences between petroleum coke (petcoke), coal and biomass gasification behaviour becomes very essential. Consequently, present investigation compares gasification components of petcoke, sawdust and high ash coal with their physico-chemical properties under isothermal conditions in CO2 atmosphere in the temperature range of 1173–1623 K. Physico-chemical characterisation includes proximate and ultimate analyses, porous structure analysis by Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area from nitrogen (N2) adsorption isotherm, ash composition analysis and ash fusion temperature. The effects of temperature and nature of different solid fuels on gasification reactivity have been discussed. Gasification kinetics has been investigated using two nth-order kinetic models, such as homogeneous model (HM) and shrinking core model (SCM). Influence of diffusion resistance on gasification behaviour of different solid fuels is also reported. Thus, the present study will be helpful to realise the effects of high ash in gasification behaviour as well as in designing and modelling of the suitable gasifier and to establish optimum gasification conditions for petcoke, biomass and high ash coal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ternary nanocomposite comprising of manganese ferrite/poly (3, 4-ethylenedioxythiophene)/reduced graphene oxide (MnFe2O4/PEDOT/rGO) is synthesized by hydrothermal method. The synthesized nanocomposite is observed to have the crystallite size of approximate 19 nm. In situ incorporation of MnFe2O4 decorated PEDOT layers into rGO has enhanced the ion transportation by providing sufficient interconnected path. The better ion transportation has decreased the resistance of bare ferrite by three orders of magnitude (107 Ω). The synergistic charge storage mechanism of individual components in ternary nanocomposite is evaluated. The energy storage has taken place due to the synergistic effect of Mn2+ and Fe3+ ions as evaluated from X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The synthesized nanocomposite has shown both EDLC and pseudocapacitive behavior with good specific capacitance of 298.97 F g−1 at 1 A g−1 current density and 325 F g−1 at 2 mV s−1 scan rate. The material has shown high electrochemical stability with retention of 81% of capacitance over 5000 cycles. The nanocomposite also shows good capacitance retention of 87 F g−1 at higher current density of 10 A g−1. Altogether, the synthesized ternary nanocomposite with the better ion transportation could be utilized as an electrode material for supercapacitor fabrication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Potato crops are infected by a large number of aphid-transmitted viruses resulting in yield loss and degeneration of seed stocks. These viruses are transmitted by a large number of colonizing and non-colonizing aphids. The non-colonizing aphid species are mainly responsible for the spread of non-persistent viruses like potato virus Y (PVYo). The cabbage aphid, Brevicoryne brassicae L, an important pest of cruciferous crops, is a non-colonizing aphid visiting potato crops transiently. We evaluated the relative prevalence of cabbage aphids in potato crops at four locations namely, Jalandhar (Punjab), Shimla (Himachal Pradesh), Modipuram (Uttar Pradesh) and Kalyani (West Bengal), where most of the seed and ware potato production is carried out in India. The cabbage aphids constitute an appreciable proportion (3.57% to 19.04%) of the aphid population on potato plants at these locations. The cabbage aphids were found to successfully acquire and transmit the PVYo from and to potato plants. The virus transmission efficiency came out to be 11.25%, with a relative efficiency factor (REF) of 0.13, in comparison to the peach-potato aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer). This is the first report of B. brassicae being a vector of PVYo in India. Therefore, isolation of seed potato crops from cruciferous crops or stringent management of the aphids on the latter is necessary for production of healthy seed potatoes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, we designed Er3+-incorporated zincate-based nanomaterials via a rapid, low-cost, and environmentally friendly urea-combustion route. X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) profiles revealed their orthogonal crystalline structure. Electron microscopy showed nanoscale (48–70 nm) non-uniform agglomerated particles. The presence of [BaO11] and [ZnO5] structural units in the present samples was shown by Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Emission spectra yielded a characteristic peak at 551 nm, which contributed to their bright-green light. The optimal nanomaterial had 3.0 mol% of Er3+ content, and it exhibited excellent bright-green light. Exchange-type multipolar inter-linkages via cross-relaxation predominantly direct the quenching of luminescence post x = 0.03 Er3+ content, as shown by the Inokuti-Hirayama (I-H) model. The optical bandgap and Urbach energy were obtained from experimental data-fitting with Tauc's hypothesis and an empirical correlation. Excellent color-purity (87.86%) and color temperature (6916 K) with chromaticity coordinates (0.2531, 0.6106) of the optimized nanomaterial were similar to National Television Standards Committee (NTSC) and NICHIA Corporation fabricated light-emitting diode (LED) green standards. Hence, the developed nanomaterials appear to be a good candidates for generating cool-green light in high-performance blue/green/red (B/G/R) white-light-emitting diodes (wLEDs), sensors, and laser applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have shown influence of aliphatic side chain length and type on the transport properties of naphthalenediimide (NDI) materials by affecting molecular arrangement. There is lack of comparative study on the presence or absence of unsaturation in side chain and its effect on optical and electronic properties of NDI. The present work focuses on the structure–property relationship of four NDI derivatives bearing octyl (C8, OctA-NDI), hexadecyl (C16, HD-NDI), octadecyl (C18, ODA-NDI) and oleyl (C18-un, unsaturated, OLA-NDI) chain on imide-nitrogen. The self-assembling behaviour of the molecules is studied in concentrated solutions as fresh and aged samples in four different solvents by absorbance and emission spectroscopy. With increase in alkyl chain length, the aggregation behaviour is observed to increase. Very interestingly introduction of unsaturation in side chain reduces aggregation and restores the monomeric properties. Self-assembled microstructures formation was studied by scanning electron microscopy where all the four materials show different types of self-assembly formation. Finally, we compared the thermally activated electron conductivity and electron mobility of NDI derivatives, where also the side chain structure clearly influences the electron transport. Electron mobility decreases on increasing chain length from C8 to C18 and again increases in C18-un. A rationale for the structure–property relationship has been given based on the molecular packing and intermolecular π–π interactions. This study contributes significantly towards designing new NDI derivatives bearing long side chains with hampered aggregation for niche applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present investigation reports the attractive characteristics of vivid-green light-emitting Ba5Zn4Gd8O21:Er3+ nanomaterials fabricated via an eco-friendly and energy-saving solution combustion approach in detail. The Rietveld refinement technique was implemented on x-ray diffraction (XRD) data to analyze the crystallographic features. The photoluminescence emission spectrum showed an extraordinary band at 550 nm when activated under near UV (at 378 nm) light. The highest intensity emission band is attained at 2.0 mol.% Er3+ ions, after which emission was quenched due to a dipole–dipole (d–d) inter-transmission phenomenon. Finally, the vivid-green emission had color coordinate values (0.2401, 0.4492), which were comparable to the standard coordinates of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) system, making these nanoparticles a suitable green light-emitting constituent of advanced optoelectronic devices such as lasers and near-UV-activated light-emitting diodes (i.e., white-light-emitting diodes). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel yttrium oxide-based orange-red emanative BaSrY4(1−x)Sm4xO8 (x = 1.0–6.0 mol%) nanopowder were manufactured by ecologically benign and less energy consuming urea combustion methodology. Crystal structure investigations reported the orthorhombic symmetry type with Pnma (62) phase group. Nano-range of 25–40 nm and agglomerated morphology of the developed crystal were known by performing transmission and scanning electron microscopy. EDAX (energy dispersive X-ray analysis) results traced the uniform elemental composition of the nanomaterials. The manufactured materials depicted the fine orange-red band at 607 nm via 4G5/2 → 6H7/2 typical transition. Optical investigations revealed the wide Egap (band gap) values of BaSrY3.88Sm0.12O8 (5.25 eV) and BaSrY4O8 (5.79 eV). Reliance of the glowing intensity of the manufactured nanocrystals on activator (Sm3+) amount proclaimed the BaSrY3.88Sm0.12O8 as most alluring one, reporting CIE coordinates (0.580, 0.418), 96.31% color purity, 1667 K CCT (correlated color temperature), and 54.8% quantum efficiency. These magnificent results certified the relevancy of the targeted nanocrystals as a novel auspicious agent in the manufacturing of solid-state downconverted WLEDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present prospective observational study reports the generation of new Sm3+-incorporated BaYAlZn3O7 nanomaterials via urea-combustion route. Rietveld facilitated XRPD (X-ray powder diffraction) analysis outlines the absolute hexagonal phase in the nano-crystalline powders. Photo-luminescence (PL) technique reports the intense-orange–red emission, centered at 708 nm maximum. Higher content of Sm3+ retards the PL life-time and intensity, such that x = 0.02 is the best luminance composition. Post it, luminance quenching has been ascertained, which is attributed to the exchange type inter-linkages, as affirmed via Inokuti–Hirayama and Dexter's model. Also, various radiative-possessions including decay-time (2.4876 ± 0.0311 ms), intrinsic life-time (3.4380 ms), quantum-efficiency (72.36%) and relaxation-rate (0.1111 ms−1), which reflect their better luminance-potentiality, have been evaluated. Color-coordinates (0.5299, 0.4670) for the same phosphor have realized their intense-orange radiance, which are proximate to those (0.570, 0.420) illustrated via AMBER LED-NSPAR 70 BS (generated via NICHIA CORP.). All the crystallographic and optical properties of the phosphor-powders, thus, vividly define their potential usage in near-ultra-violet triggered white-light-emitting diodes, digital-signs, horticulture, bio-imaging, solar-cells, lasers, and other optoelectronic appliances. Also, all the reported outcomes will certainly open an avenue for researchers to design more BaYAlZn3O7-like materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of green light-emitting Ba5Zn4Y8O21:Er3+ nanophosphors were prepared via single-step solution combustion process. PXRD-Rietveld investigation revealed that Er3+ ions are well-substituted Y3+ ions and no major change was observed in the crystalline structure of pure host matrix. Tetragonal nanoparticles with almost no agglomeration were revealed by morphological analysis. Different elements present in the prepared nanomaterials were elucidated via EDAX mapping. Photoluminescence investigation of Ba5Zn4Y8O21:Er3+ nanophosphors displayed an intense green emission peak of Er3+ ions credited to 4S3/2 → 4I15/2 transition, under NUV excitation of 379 nm. The concentration quenching occurred after 2.0 mol% concentration of the Er3+ ions in Ba5Zn4Y8O21 host, thus apprehended it an optimized concentration. CIE coordinates (x, y) of all the prepared nanocrystalline phosphors lied in the green region. Bandgap (Egap) values of the optimized sample were calculated by analysing the DR spectra of that sample which are found to be 4.0 eV for the pure host and 3.9 eV for the doped sample which lie in semiconductor range. The brief description of all these results proves the importance of synthesized nanophosphors in R-G-B (red–green–blue) PC white light-emitting diodes (WLEDs). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an attempt to increase the nutritional attributes of gluten free muffins and its premix, amaranth flour was incorporated at various levels with black rice flour (0% as control, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40% and 50%). Moisture, crude fiber, fat, crude protein and functional properties showed a significant increase (p < 0.05) with increasing quantity of amaranth flour with maximum content in 50% substituted formulation. The results for total phenolics, flavonoid content and antioxidant activities DPPH (2, 2-Diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl) and ABTS (2, 20-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid diammonium salt) for both muffins and its premix were found appreciable for 50% substituted formulation. Scanning electron microscopic (SEM) analysis revealed the change in microstructure due to addition of amaranth flour. Muffins were also evaluated on the basis of its texture, color and sensory properties and muffins with 50% amaranth and 50% black rice flour were given the highest score by the panelist and exhibited a good overall acceptability. Therefore, this combination can be used for making acceptable gluten free muffins loaded with diversified nutritional attributes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yttrium-doped strontium hexaferrites particles, Sr1−xYxFe12O19 (x = 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3), are developed using auto combustion method. The doping resulted in partial replacement of Fe3+ ions with Fe2+ ions which is found to be an effective method to tune microwave absorption properties of strontium hexaferrite. The XRD spectrum confirmed the formation of ferrite with no secondary phase present. All the developed samples showed platelet-like morphology with an average particle size of 590 nm for the undoped sample. The average particle size decreased with the increase in the Y doping. The hysteresis loop revealed that the saturation magnetization increased with increase in doping concentration of yttrium in strontium hexaferrite. On the contrary, coercivity decreased from 296 to 209 G due to decrease in the magnetic anisotropy of the ferrite. The frequency-dependent dielectric and magnetic loss tangent are increased with the increase of Y doping. The sample with x = 0.3 showed the best impedance matching with the free space with an average normalized impedance of 1.28. The attenuation constant was also found to be maximum i.e., 85.6 for x = 0.3. The reflection loss is investigated for a frequency range from 8.2 GHz to 12.4 GHz (X-band) and indicated maximum reflection loss of -18.91 dB with -10 dB bandwidth of 2.18 GHz for x = 0.3 for coating thickness of 2.6 mm. The current study presents the Yttrium-doped strontium hexaferrites, Sr0.7Y0.3Fe12O19, as a strong candidate for the microwave absorption application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microwave absorbing composites containing strontium hexaferrite and titanium silicon carbide, SrFe12O19/Ti3SiC2 powder, were synthesized by mixing in different weight ratios. The strontium hexaferrite (SrFe12O19) particles were synthesized using low-temperature combustion. The 'as synthesized' strontium hexaferrite powder is observed to have low coercivity (255.09 G) and high saturation magnetization (45.1 emu/g). The titanium silicon carbide (Ti3SiC2) powder was synthesized by heat treatment of the precursors (Ti/Si/TiC) at 1100°C under argon atmosphere. A microwave absorbing composite is fabricated by mixing in a high-energy ball mill followed by heating of SrFe12O19 and Ti3SiC2 powders at 200°C. The maximum reflection loss of − 39.67 dB is observed at 9.46 GHz for the composite casted into pellets containing 20% Ti3SiC2 and 80% SrFe12O19 with 2-mm thickness. The bandwidth for less than − 10 dB loss is observed to be 2.77 GHz (66% of the total band). The developed magneto-dielectric composition confirmed its candidacy as a potential microwave absorbing material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Naphthalene diimide (NDI) derivatives have been synthesized via facile synthesis process and comprehensively studied their photophysical, thermal-activated conductivity and electron transport properties. Four different substituents at imide nitrogen, i.e. 2,6 diisopropyl phenyl (iPrP-NDI), diphenylmethylene (DPM-NDI), 2-nitrophenyl (NO2P-NDI) and pentafluorophenyl (PFP-NDI) have been studied for their effect on self-assembling, photophysical and electronic properties. Electrochemical analysis has been performed to evaluate their redox properties and calculation of HOMO and LUMO energy levels. These NDI derivatives have been analysed for their aggregation behaviour and aggregation-induced emission (AIE) by absorption and emission spectroscopy in fresh and aged solutions in different polarity solvents without using any external additive. Among all, NO2P-NDI showed strong AIE property in fresh as well as aged samples. Conductivity of NDI derivatives has been measured as a function of temperature where the highest conductivity ~ 10−4 S−1 cm−1 was obtained at 200 °C in iPrP-NDI. SEM images clearly showed different types of assembly formation in solid state for all the materials. All the materials showed excellent electron mobility of the order of 10−4 to 10−3 cm2 V−1 s−1 measured following the standard protocol of SCLC model. Such NDI materials with excellent photophysical and electronic properties are potential candidates to be used as n-type semiconductor material in organic electronics. NO2P-NDI which also shows aggregation-induced emission can be used on OLEDs or other bio-medical applications as luminescent material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of our case-control study was to determine expression of VEGFA mRNA in placentae of preeclamsia (PE) versus uncomplicated pregnancy to further clarify its differential expression in pregnancy hypertensive disorders.Study Design: The PE group was subdivided into severe and non-severe; those with or without HELLP syndrome and placental VEGFA characteristics were compared for these cohorts. Additionally, the neonatal and maternal outcomes were recorded. The quantification of placental VEGFA was done using quantitative real-time PCR and results were expressed as fold change.Results: Out of 42 PE cases, 23 (55%) were non-severe and 19 cases (45%) were severe PE. Out of 19 severe PE patients, 8 (42%) were HELLP syndrome (complete HELLP) and remaining 11 (58%) were non-HELLP severe PE. Compared to controls, the true fold change in PE, HELLP, non-HELLP, severe PE, non-severe PE was − 2.186, − 13.333, − 6.698, − 8.950 and 1.466, respectively.Conclusions: Our results showed a lowered VEGFA expression in PE placentae compared to uncomplicated controls. The finding of initial increase of VEGFA in non-severe PE and subsequent marked lowering in HELLP strengthens the existing hypothesis of decompensated VEGF being a major role player in PE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thermally activated electrical conductivity and charge transfer properties of self-assembled naphthalene diimide molecule have been studied with N,N'di(hexadecyl)naphthalene tetracarboxylic diimide (HD-NDI) derivative. The self-assembly of HD-NDI has been resulted in one-dimensional large micron-size ribbons. The aggregate formation and self-assembling property have been extensively studied by absorption, fluorescence and X-ray diffraction analysis. Absorption and fluorescence measurements were taken in variety of solvents in fresh and aged samples, and the study suggested J-type aggregation for self-assembly formation. The electrical conductivity of self-assembled HD-NDI material was measured as a function of temperature where the conductivity increased with temperature and the highest conductivity (1 × 10 S/cm) was obtained at 250 °C. SEM images clearly show the formation of ribbons of micron size. Further the electron transport property of HD-NDI was also evaluated by SCLC method at room temperature by fabricating electron-only devices with annealing the film at ~ 200 °C. HD-NDI shows excellent electron mobility (1.8 × 10 cm V s) because of effective channel formation due to self-assembly of HD-NDI molecules, and this material may find potential application in variety of electronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A design technique for multiple stop band graded index filters is proposed in this paper using quintic apodization function and by superimposing refractive index profiles optimized for different wavelengths in visible portion of electromagnetic spectrum (400, 500 and 600 nm). The optical performance of the filters is simulated using the Filmstar™ design software for double and triple stop band filters. The results are compared for constant and varying peak-to-peak refractive index. The aim of this work is to attain equal reflectance values at all desired wavelengths (~85%). The results show that reflectance performance for equal peak amplitude for double band and triple band filters is obtained as ~86 and 83%, respectively for each stop band wavelengths when peak-to-peak refractive index is varied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims/hypothesis: We aimed to examine prospectively the association between a range of retinal vascular geometric variables measured from retinal photographs and the 6 year incidence and progression of diabetic retinopathy. Methods: We conducted a prospective, population-based cohort study of Asian Malay individuals aged 40-80 years at baseline ( n = 3280) who returned for a 6 year follow-up. Retinal vascular geometric variables (tortuosity, branching, fractal dimension, calibre) were measured from baseline retinal photographs using a computer-assisted program (Singapore I Vessel Assessment). Diabetic retinopathy was graded from baseline and follow-up photographs using the modified Airlie House classification system. Incidence of diabetic retinopathy was defined as a severity of ≥15 at follow-up among those without diabetic retinopathy at baseline. Incidence of referable diabetic retinopathy was defined as moderate or severe non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy, proliferative diabetic retinopathy or diabetic macular oedema at follow-up in participants who had had no or mild non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy at baseline. Progression of diabetic retinopathy was defined as an increase in severity of ≥2 steps at follow-up. Log-binomial models with an expectation-maximisation algorithm were used to estimate RR adjusting for age, sex, diabetes duration, HbA level, BP, BMI, estimated GFR and total and HDL-cholesterol at baseline. Results: A total of 427 individuals with diabetes participated in the baseline and 6 year follow-up examinations. Of these, 19.2%, 7.57% and 19.2% developed incidence of diabetic retinopathy, incidence of referable diabetic retinopathy and diabetic retinopathy progression, respectively. After multivariate adjustment, greater arteriolar simple tortuosity (mean RR [95% CI], 1.34 [1.04, 1.74]), larger venular branching angle (RR 1.26 [1.00, 1.59]) and larger venular branching coefficient (RR 1.26 [1.03, 1.56]) were associated with incidence of diabetic retinopathy. Greater arteriolar simple tortuosity (RR 1.82 [1.32, 2.52]), larger venular branching coefficient (RR 1.46 [1.03, 2.07]), higher arteriolar fractal dimension (RR 1.59 [1.08, 2.36]) and larger arteriolar calibre (RR 1.83 [1.15, 2.90]) were associated with incidence of referable diabetic retinopathy. Greater arteriolar simple tortuosity (RR 1.34 [1.12, 1.61]) was associated with diabetic retinopathy progression. Addition of retinal vascular variables improved discrimination (C-statistic 0.796 vs 0.733, p = 0.031) and overall reclassification (net reclassification improvement 18.8%, p = 0.025) of any diabetic retinopathy risk beyond established risk factors. Conclusions/interpretation: Retinal vascular geometry measured from fundus photographs predicted the incidence and progression of diabetic retinopathy in adults with diabetes, beyond established risk factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Body mass index (BMI) is an established risk factor for diabetes. However, the association between BMI and diabetic retinopathy (DR) has been inconclusive. We aimed to assess the association between BMI and DR in a large population-based sample of multi-ethnic Asian adults in Singapore. We examined 2,278 adults aged ≥40 years with diabetes who participated in three population-based studies conducted from 2004 to 2011: the Singapore Malay Eye Study, the Singapore Indian Eye Study, and the Singapore Chinese Eye Study. Retinal photographs taken from both eyes were graded for any and vision-threatening (VTDR) using the modified Airlie House Classification. BMI (kg/m) was categorized into normal/underweight (<25), overweight (25-29.9), and obese (≥30). The prevalence rates of any and VTDR in the study population were 35.1 % and 9.1 %, respectively. The prevalence of any and VTDR decreased with increasing categories of BMI ( P trend <0.001 and 0.005). In multivariable models adjusted for potential confounders, compared to those with normal weight, the odds ratio (95 % confidence interval) of any DR was 0.71 (0.57-0.88) for overweight and 0.70 (0.53-0.92) for obese. Corresponding estimates for VTDR were 0.84 (0.59-1.21) for overweight and 0.58 (0.35-0.94) for obese. The inverse association between BMI and any DR was consistently present when BMI was analyzed as a continuous variable and in analyses stratified by ethnicity and age. In a population-based sample of multi-ethnic Asian adults, BMI levels were inversely associated with any DR and VTDR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relative stability of different oxidation states of actinide elements is influenced by the nature of complexes formed and redox equilibria in aqueous/non-aqueous solutions. The reduction/stripping studies on Pu(IV) ions from loaded organic phases of 1.1 M tributyl phosphate and of 1.1 M N,N-dihexyl octanamide in n-dodecane were studied using organic soluble tert-butyl hydroquinone (TBH) and aqueous soluble reductants like acetaldoxime (AX) and hydroxyurea (HU). These studies were carried out as a function of reductant and nitric acid concentration (0.5-4 M HNO) and of time. The changes in Pu oxidation states were followed by spectrophotometry for TBH and by distribution ratio values for AX and HU as reductants. Spectrophotometric investigations using TBH as reductant showed that it was desirable to strip Pu(III) formed after reduction of Pu(IV) in the organic phase, which may otherwise be reconverted to extractable Pu(IV) by in situ generated HNO from oxidative degradation of TBH to tert-butyl quinone. Similarly, the biphasic reduction/stripping of Pu(IV) using AX and HU as reductant rate was affected adversely with increased aqueous phase acidity. This data will help in the accurate simulation of Pu separation processes using these reductants in mixer-settlers/pulsed columns or centrifugal contactors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spectrophotometric investigations have been carried out on the disproportionation of Np(V) to form Np(IV) and Np(VI) in 1.1 mol⋅L solutions of tributyl phosphate (TBP) and in N, N-dihexyl octanamide (DHOA) in n-dodecane medium. The Np(V) was found to coordinate with Np(IV) in 1.1 mol⋅L TBP solution in n-dodecane to form a mixed valence 'cation-cation' complex by bonding through an axial oxo group on Np(V). By contrast, this interaction was less prominent in the case of 1.1 mol⋅L DHOA solutions. The effect of 1-octanol, added as phase modifier, on the disproportionation behavior of Np(V) was also investigated. An attempt was made to calculate the disproportionation/reduction rate constants for Np(V) under the conditions of these studies. Absorbance measurements on the Np stripped from organic phases revealed the occurrence of Np(V) in the aqueous phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extraction behavior of 1 × 10-0.1 M U(VI) from aqueous phases containing 0.86 M Th(IV) at 4 M HNO in 1.1 M tributyl phosphate (TBP) and 1.1 M N,N-dihexyl octanamide (DHOA) solutions in different diluents viz. n-dodecane, 10% 1-octanol + n-dodecane, and decahydronaphthalene (decalin) was studied. Third-phase formation was observed in both the extractants using n-dodecane as diluent. There was a gradual decrease in Th(IV) concentration in the third-phase (heavy organic phase, HOP) with increased aqueous U(VI) concentration [0.71 M (no U(VI))-0.61 M (0.1 M U(VI)) for TBP; 0.27 M (no U(VI))-0.22 M (0.1 M U(VI)) for DHOA]. The HOP volume in case of DHOA was ~2.2 times of that of TBP. Uranium concentration in HOP increased with its initial concentration in the aqueous phase [from 1.8 × 10 M (0.01 M U(VI))-0.162 M (0.1 M U(VI)) for TBP; from 1.4 × 10 M (0.01 M U(VI))-0.14 M (0.1 M U(VI)) for DHOA] suggesting that Th(IV) was being replaced by U(VI). An empirical correlation was developed for predicting the concentrations of uranium and thorium in HOP for both the extractants. No third-phase appeared during the extraction of uranium and thorium from the aqueous phases employing 10% 1-octanol + n-dodecane, or decalin as diluents, and therefore, were better choices as diluent for alleviating the third-phase formation during the reprocessing of spent thorium based fuels, and for the recovery of thorium from high-level waste solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The textured multilayer (ML) thin films of bismuth layered ferroelectric (FE) compounds, BiVO (BVO) and BiTiO (BTO) with different individual layer thicknesses were fabricated via pulsed laser deposition technique on Pt(111)/TiO/SiO/Si substrates. X-ray diffraction studies confirmed that BVO and BTO retained their respective crystal structures in these multilayer (ML) thin films. The atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy studies showed smooth and dense microstructures. The polarization hysteresis (P-E) studies on a representative (BVBT30) ML thin film at 300 K confirmed the remnant polarization ( 2P) and coercive field ( E) to be ~20 μC/cm and 250 kV/cm, respectively. The value of P obtained was greater than that of the single layer thin film of BVO ( P ~ 5.6 μC/cm). The room temperature dielectric constant (ε′) and the loss (D) for BVBT30 ML measured at 100 kHz were 170 and 0.01, respectively. The frequency and temperature dependent dielectric constant, impedance, modulus and ac conductivity of these ML thin films were studied as a function of frequency (100 Hz-1 MHz) in the 25-300 °C temperature range. Two distinct electrical responses were observed in these films, which were attributed to the grain effects at low temperatures and grain boundary effects at higher temperatures. The frequency dependent electrical conductivity was fitted well with the double power law which evidenced two different types of contributions to the conductivity; the low frequency conductivity being due to the short range translational hopping and the high frequency conductivity was due to the localized or reorientational hopping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bismuth vanadate (BVO) thin films were fabricated on indium tin oxide (ITO) coated glass substrates using pulsed laser ablation technique and investigated their structural, optical and electrical properties. The use of the indium tin oxide coated glass substrate resulted in reducing the leakage current characteristics of crystalline BVO thin films. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies confirmed the monophasic nature of the post annealed (500 °C/1 h) films. The atomic force microscopy indicated the homogeneous distribution of crystallites in the as-deposited films. The as-deposited and the post annealed films were almost 90% transparent (380-900 nm) as confirmed by optical transmission studies. Dielectric constant of around 52 was attained accompanied by the low dielectric loss of 0.002 at 10 kHz for post annealed films. The leakage current of the post annealed BVO films on ITO coated glass substrates measured at room temperature was 8.1 × 10 A at an applied electric field of 33 kV/cm, which was lower than that of the films with platinum and SrRuO as the bottom electrodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, the 5-HT7 receptor has achieved greater attention in research fraternity due to the involvement of neurotransmitter serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) in several neurological disorders. Targeting this neuroreceptor, we have synthesized six compounds named as butyl-benzoxazolone substituted piperazinium derivatives (BBOP) derivatives, abbreviated as L1-L6. These compounds have been evaluated for their binding interaction with BSA through photophysical and in-silico approaches. The UV absorption of these compounds with BSA at λmax = 280 nm, showed an optical density (O.D.) in the range of 0.5–0.9, i.e., 21%-53% (L1max = 1.4, L5min = 0.7385) at varied concentrations (17 μM-114 μM). For fluorescence studies, the Ksv value varied inversely with temperature, which confirmed the static mechanism of quenching with L1 showing maximum quenching. The parameters (ΔH, ΔS) obtained from the thermodynamic study for interaction between BSA and L1-L6 were correlated with in-silico (molecular docking) data. The in-silico docking study showed hydrophobic and the Van der Waals forces were the most significant forces. Amino acid residues ARG 217 & TRP 213 (Sudlow Site I) and LYS 116 & GLU 125 (Sudlow Site II) of BSA were primarily involved in H-bonding.Furthermore, the catalytic activity of BSA for hydrolyzingdifferent chemical entities have monitored in the presence of L1-L6 through esterase-like assay with p-NPA as a substrate, to get more insight about the interaction with catalytic residues (LYS 414, LYS 413, and TYR 411) in BSA at site II. These findings showed the potential of these 5-HT7 markers as promising ligands with appropriate drug likeliness characteristics.Graphical abstract: Recently, the 5-HT7 receptor has achieved greater attention in research fraternity due to the involvement of neurotransmitter serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) in several neurological disorders. Targeting this neuroreceptor, we have synthesized six compounds named as butyl-benzoxazolone substituted piperazinium derivatives (BBOP) derivatives, abbreviated as L1-L6. These compounds have been evaluated for their binding interaction with BSA through photophysical and in-silico approaches. The UV absorption of these compounds with BSA at λmax = 280 nm, showed an optical density (O.D.) in the range of 0.5–0.9, i.e., 21%-53% (L1max = 1.4, L5min = 0.7385) at varied concentrations (17 μM-114 μM). For fluorescence studies, the Ksv value varied inversely with temperature, which confirmed the static mechanism of quenching with L1 showing maximum quenching. The parameters (ΔH, ΔS) obtained from the thermodynamic study for interaction between BSA and L1-L6 were correlated with in-silico (molecular docking) data. The in-silico docking study showed hydrophobic and the Van der Waals forces were the most significant forces. Amino acid residues ARG 217 & TRP 213 (Sudlow Site I) and LYS 116 & GLU 125 (Sudlow Site II) of BSA were primarily involved in H-bonding.Furthermore, the catalytic activity of BSA for hydrolyzingdifferent chemical entities have monitored in the presence of L1-L6 through esterase-like assay with p-NPA as a substrate, to get more insight about the interaction with catalytic residues (LYS 414, LYS 413, and TYR 411) in BSA at site II. These findings showed the potential of these 5-HT7 markers as promising ligands with appropriate drug likeliness characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seventy-five strains of Escherichia coli from cases of infantile and childhood diarrhea were serogrouped and analysed in terms of hydrophobicity, mannose resistant haemagglutination and enterotoxigenicity. The strains were distributed over 21 serogroups of which 54.6% were hydrophobic, 37.3% were haemagglutinating and 66.5% were enterotoxigenic. EPEC strains were less than ETEC strains. LT producers were more than LTST or ST producers. MRHA activity was found to be well correlated with hydrophobicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The association between objective measures of body composition (BC) with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is inconclusive. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine the association between several body composition (BC) indices assessed using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and T2DM. Using PRISMA guidelines, we searched for observational studies investigating BC measures, including total body fat mass (BFM), visceral fat mass (VFM), subcutaneous fat mass (SFM), and fat free mass (FFM); and T2DM. Of 670 titles initially identified, 20 were included. High VFM was consistently associated with T2DM. For every kg increase in VFM, the odds of having T2DM increased by two-fold for males (OR 2.28 [95% CI 1.42 to 3.65], p = 0.001) and more than 4-fold for females (OR 4.24 [1.64 to 11.02], p = 0.003). The presence of T2DM was associated with 2-fold higher odds of low FFM (OR 2.38 [1.44 to 3.95]). We found evidence that greater VFM is a risk factor for prevalent and incident T2DM. While the presence of T2DM is associated with reduced FFM; the relationship between FFM and BFM with T2DM remains unclear. Reducing VFM and increasing FFM through lifestyle changes may reduce the risk of T2DM and mitigate its deleterious effect on BC, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Potato crops are infected by a large number of aphid-transmitted viruses resulting in yield loss and degeneration of seed stocks. These viruses are transmitted by a large number of colonizing and non-colonizing aphids. The non-colonizing aphid species are mainly responsible for the spread of non-persistent viruses like potato virus Y (PVYo). The cabbage aphid, Brevicoryne brassicae L, an important pest of cruciferous crops, is a non-colonizing aphid visiting potato crops transiently. We evaluated the relative prevalence of cabbage aphids in potato crops at four locations namely, Jalandhar (Punjab), Shimla (Himachal Pradesh), Modipuram (Uttar Pradesh) and Kalyani (West Bengal), where most of the seed and ware potato production is carried out in India. The cabbage aphids constitute an appreciable proportion (3.57% to 19.04%) of the aphid population on potato plants at these locations. The cabbage aphids were found to successfully acquire and transmit the PVYo from and to potato plants. The virus transmission efficiency came out to be 11.25%, with a relative efficiency factor (REF) of 0.13, in comparison to the peach-potato aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer). This is the first report of B. brassicae being a vector of PVYo in India. Therefore, isolation of seed potato crops from cruciferous crops or stringent management of the aphids on the latter is necessary for production of healthy seed potatoes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]