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The complex dielectric permittivity of Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP K-30) [C6H9ON]n in four different alcohols (methanol, ethanol, propanol, and butanol) with no. of carbon atoms ranging from one to four has been determined in the frequency range of 10 MHz to 50 GHz over the temperature range of 278.15–298.15 K at various concentrations of PVP (C) using time-domain reflectometry technique. The dielectric permittivity spectra were described using the Cole-Davidson model. Two modes of relaxation processes were observed, namely low-frequency (secondary) and high-frequency (primary) relaxation. The low-frequency relaxation is due to the interaction between solute–solvent molecules, whereas the reorientation of solvent molecules is responsible for the high-frequency dispersion of relaxation. By using the Harviliak-Negami equation, the frequency-dependent complex dielectric permittivity has been studied. Dielectric parameters such as static dielectric constant (εj), relaxation time (τj), dipole moment (û), Kirkwood correlation factor (g1), number of solvent molecules irrotationally bound to solute molecules (Zib), and effective volume of rotation (Veff) were determined. In addition to this, thermodynamic properties such as the free energy of activation (ΔFj), enthalpy of activation (ΔHj), and entropy of activation (ΔSj) were also calculated. It was observed that the low-frequency static dielectric constant (εl) increases with the PVP concentration in all cases except in methanol. εl values strongly depend on the temperature, and they increase as the temperature of the system decreases, whereas the high-frequency dielectric constant (εh) increases towards higher concentrations of solute molecule as well as towards lower temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen, owing to its clean and efficient combustion and abundance in the form of water, has emerged as an important energy source for future needs. For safety, it is essential to develop fast, selective and highly sensitive hydrogen detectors for any practical applications and the metal oxide-based chemiresistive gas sensors are the front-runners due to their compatibility with the electrical circuits and current semiconductor technology. This work presents excellent hydrogen sensing performance of magnetron-sputtered pure SnO2 thin film-based sensors. The effect of deposition temperature on structure and hydrogen (H2) gas-sensing properties of SnO2 thin film is discussed. The maximum response 57.41% (500 ppm) is obtained at lower operating temperature of 200 °C for a sensor deposited at 125 °C. The response/recovery time of the sensor are found to be remarkably fast 50 s/39 s for 5 ppm concentration of hydrogen gas. The detection limit (DL) of the sensor as liner fit is 129.27 ppb. The stability and selectivity in humid conditions were also investigated and the sensor's response is found stable up to humidity of 40% RH. Sensor shows good selectivity toward H2 gas in dry air and high humidity level 80% RH. The experimental results are explained and supported by simulation studies using the Crowell-Sze model in Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD) simulations on the COMSOL Multiphysics platform. Drift Diffusion-Poisson equations were used to simulate the electric potential distribution in the active material during gas sensing. The significantly high sensing response, good selectivity and low operating temperature reported in this work, emphasize the strong potential of SnO2-based thin film gas sensors for hydrogen detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1 is a hormone released by enteroendocrine L-cells after food ingestion. L-cells express various receptors for nutrient sensing including G protein-coupled receptors (GPRs). Intestinal epithelial cells near the lumen have a lower O2 tension than at the base of the crypts, which leads to hypoxia in L-cells. We hypothesized that hypoxia affects nutrient-stimulated GLP-1 secretion from the enteroendocrine cell line STC-1, the most commonly used model. In this study, we investigated the effect of hypoxia (1% O2) on alpha-linolenic acid (αLA) stimulated GLP-1 secretion and their receptor expressions. STC-1 cells were incubated for 12 h under hypoxia (1% O2) and treated with αLA to stimulate GLP-1 secretion. 12 h of hypoxia did not change basal GLP-1 secretion, but significantly reduced nutrient (αLA) stimulated GLP-1 secretion. In normoxia, αLA (12.5 μM) significantly stimulated (~ 5 times) GLP-1 secretion compared to control, but under hypoxia, GLP-1 secretion was reduced by 45% compared to normoxia. αLA upregulated GPR120, also termed free fatty acid receptor 4 (FFAR4), expressions under normoxia as well as hypoxia. Hypoxia downregulated GPR120 and GPR40 expression by 50% and 60%, respectively, compared to normoxia. These findings demonstrate that hypoxia does not affect the basal GLP-1 secretion but decreases nutrient-stimulated GLP-1 secretion. The decrease in nutrient-stimulated GLP-1 secretion was due to decreased GPR120 and GPR40 receptors expression. Changes in the gut environment and inflammation might contribute to the hypoxia of the epithelial and L-cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the need for an efficient traffic management system, this paper introduces the Integrated Traffic Analysis and Optimization (ITAO) methodology. This innovative method combines two powerful techniques: Cluster-based Deep Anomaly Detection (CDAD) and the Nelder–Mead Pareto African Vultures Optimization Algorithm (NelPareto AVOA). Together, they tackle the major challenges of urban traffic. Using large amounts of traffic data from various sources, ITAO can identify complex traffic patterns, quickly detect unusual conditions, and make real-time adjustments. This paper details the steps of collecting and processing data, using CDAD for deep analysis and feature extraction. It highlights the use of a time-decay function in DBSCAN clustering and Temporal Deep Belief Networks to better understand traffic patterns and detect anomalies. Furthermore, ITAO employs a multi-objective optimization strategy to achieve several goals: maximizing traffic flow, reducing congestion, improving energy efficiency, and enhancing pedestrian safety. The NelPareto AVOA, inspired by nature, ensures that traffic signals and patterns are analyzed and optimized in real-time, adapting to the changing urban environment. Across various datasets, ITAO achieves superior predictive accuracy, consistently delivering the lowest Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) values. For instance, in PEMS-BAY, the RMSE is approximately 15.5 for a batch size of 10 and rises to 16.0 for larger batches. Similarly, in METR-LA, the RMSE starts at 14.0 for a batch size of 10 and increases to 15.0 at batch size 40. INRIX-SEA follows a similar trend, with an RMSE of 15.0 at a batch size of 10, reaching 16.0 for larger sizes. The RMSE for PeMSD4 begins at 14.5 and rises to 15.5, while for PeMSD8, it starts at 15.0, increasing to 16.0 for larger batches. In addition to its accuracy, ITAO excels in classification tasks, as illustrated by True Positive Rate (TPR) values. At specific False Positive Rate (FPR) levels, ITAO outperforms other methods with TPR ranging from 0.9 to 1.0, while methods like WKNN-FDCN achieve TPR values from 0.7 to 1.0. Other models perform less robustly: STAWnet shows TPR between 0.4 and 0.9, PGCN from 0.3 to 0.8, VDGCNet from 0.2 to 0.7, DSTF from 0.1 to 0.5, and DL from 0.0 to 0.4. These results, combined with ITAO's ability to optimize multiple objectives such as traffic flow, energy efficiency, and pedestrian safety, highlight its effectiveness over existing methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades, microalgae have been getting attention as one sustainable and promising feedstock for biofuel production. Algal biomass can be a viable and long-term alternative for biofuel generation and has the capability to replace petroleum or diesel. According to technological economic models, algal biomass can become economically comparable to petroleum due to lowering carbon energy indices. This review entails the process, mechanism, comparative studies, challenges, and various reports involved in algal-based biofuel production. It also discusses the revolutionizing potential or option of algal biofuel, particularly in the transportation sector. Several advantages of algal biofuel over fossil fuels have been discussed, such as renewable, clean, low-cost, and commercial viability. Biofuels can be used as the primary fuel in motors or as a supplement. Sustainable issues regarding renewable biofuel have been addressed, which reduces greenhouse gas emissions. The preparation of biofuel from three basic components, which are lipids, carbohydrates, and proteins, is also discussed. Algae biomass can be used as an energy source for vehicular engines or as an additive to traditional fuels, such as by blending ethanol from sugar biomass with gasoline, offering a sustainable solution for both green product manufacturing and renewable energy requirements. In the aspect of carbon neutrality, algal biomass can be converted intobiofuels, including biomethane, bioethanol, and biohydrogen. The variety of available research and updated mechanisms represent a clear-cut idea for the suitability of industrial-scale biofuel production using selected algal strains. Finally, this review will be helpful to researchers who are working to improve production efficiency, reduce production costs, and realize industrial-scale production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porosity and acoustic impedance are important in the study of subsurface properties of rocks and soil. Porosity is influenced by the type of minerals, and fluids, and their distribution within the subsurface material. Acoustic impedance is a key parameter in seismic inversion because it governs the reflection and transmission of seismic waves at interfaces between different rock layers. Mapping porosity and acoustic impedance using seismic inversion poses several challenges such as low resolution, longer convergence times compared to other optimization techniques, and handling large datasets. To address these challenges, our current study has employed a semi-hybrid optimization approach by incorporating a pattern search (PS) method into the globally recognized simulated annealing (SA) technique. In our devised methodology, seismic data is meticulously inverted, trace by trace, initially utilizing the simulated annealing process and subsequently integrating the pattern search which further reduces computational Complexity. The output from SA serves as the foundation for the PS optimization, preventing it from getting trapped in local minima or maxima. To evaluate the algorithm, we initiated a systematic analysis using synthetic data. The hybrid optimization method performed well, yielding highly accurate inversion results with a remarkable high resolution and correlation between original and inverted impedance. We then applied this approach to actual seismic reflection data from the Blackfoot field in Alberta, Canada. Notably, the inversion identified a sand channel between 1055 and 1070 ms two-way travel time, characterized by low impedance and high porosity, suggesting the potential presence of hydrocarbon reservoirs. The level of performance demonstrated in this context may not be anticipated when utilizing SA or PS optimization alone. Hence, the newly devised semi-hybrid optimization approach emerges as a highly recommended solution, offering the potential to address the constraints of individual optimization methods and deliver thorough subsurface insights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current scenario of growing world population, limited cultivable land resources, plant diseases, and pandemics are some of the major factors responsible for declining global food security. Along with meeting the food demand, the maintenance of food quality is also required to ensure healthy consumption and marketing. In agricultural fields, pest infestations and bacterial diseases are common causes of crop damage, leading to massive yield losses. Conventionally, antibiotics and several pesticides have been used to manage and control these plant pathogens. However, the overuse of antibiotics and pesticides has led to the emergence of resistant strains of pathogenic bacteria. The bacteriophages are the natural predators of bacteria and are host-specific in their action. Therefore, the use of bacteriophages for the biocontrol of pathogenic bacteria is serving as a sustainable and green solution in crop protection and production. In this review, we have discussed the important plant pathogens and their impact on plant health and yield loss. Further, we have abridged the role of bacteriophages in the protection of crops from bacterial disease by discussing various greenhouse and field trials. Finally, we have discussed the impact of bacteriophages on the plant microbiome, phage resistance, and legal challenges in the registration and commercial production of bacteriophage-based biopesticides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traffic prediction is a vital paradigm in intelligent transport system (ITS) due to the increase in traffic flow. The big data traffic flow prediction faces heterogeneity and complexity in data samples due to the huge number of data samples. The proposed WKNN-FDCNN method simplifies the big data handling process by utilizing the Weighted K Nearest Neighbour (WKNN) algorithm for data mining and a Fuzzy based Deep Convolutional Neural Network (FDCNN) for prediction. The spatio-temporal characteristics of traffic flow data are modeled as a weight function in WKNN, which helps in handling heterogeneity and complexity in data samples. The fuzzy logic incorporates uncertain information from real traffic flow data to improve the prediction performance. Finally, a DCNN approach is designed to predict the traffic flow using spatio-temporal features, traffic state information mined using the WKNN, and fuzzy traffic rules. The WKNN-FDCNN outperforms the conventional approaches in terms of Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE= 13.27), Mean Absolute Error (MAE= 10.34), R-square (0.98), and Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE= 0.92) in the PeMSD4 dataset. The proposed method contributes to the development of intelligent transportation systems and provides a promising solution to handle big data challenges in traffic flow prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present investigations demonstrate for the first time, fast and reversible ammonia (NH3) gas sensing performance of nitrogen-doped reduced graphene oxide/zinc oxide (N-rGO/ZnO) nanocomposites at room temperature. The motivation to use nitrogen as a dopant stems from the fact that it lies next to carbon in the periodic table, therefore is similar in size and covalent nature. The synthesis of N-rGO/ZnO was carried out by a simple two-step in situ method via the wet chemical route. The NH3 sensing potential of reduced graphene oxide (rGO), nitrogen-doped rGO (N-rGO), and rGO–ZnO nanocomposites synthesized by similar routes was also assessed. N-rGO/ZnO was found to exhibit superior NH3 sensing performance as compared to rGO, N-rGO, and rGO–ZnO. Further, the study of the sensing mechanism also affirms that the improved response in N-rGO/ZnO is attributed to the formation of p–n heterojunction sites and the charge activation due to N-dopant. To study the effect of N-doping levels on the NH3 sensing performance of N-rGO/ZnO, different samples were prepared by altering the amount of nitrogen source ammonia solution (0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3 µL mg−1 of GO) in the reaction. Consequently, ZnO nanoparticles of different morphologies anchored to flexible N-rGO sheets were obtained. The nitrogen doping has been quantified using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis. An optimal gas sensing performance of 18.35% toward 10-ppm NH3 with response/recovery time 2.5/72 s was obtained for the 0.1-µL mg−1 sample. The variation in NH3 sensing response in the presence of different %RH levels of humidity was also assessed. The response changed only by 2.6% when %RH is changed from 10 to 80%. The sensor also displayed appreciable stability with ambient aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Serpentine soils are contaminants of naturally occurring metal-rich agricultural and fallow lands due to erosion of the serpentine site with consequences and deterioration of soil, water quality, and water sources in the ecosystem. The harsh climatic conditions due to the high concentration of potential toxic elements, organic pollutants, and acidity make it difficult to cultivate and establish vegetation on serpentine or adjacent land. Recently, biochar amendments have emerged in the area of soil remediation technology with the suitability and potential to promote seed emergence, plant growth, biomass productivity, and vegetation cover on contaminated soils such as serpentine soil. By enhancing the buffering capacity of the soil through pH, soil nutrients and water holding capacity stimulate the diversity and function of microbes. In this review, we have conferred the physicochemical aspects of serpentine soil, heavy metal contaminants, and their consequences, especially in crop production and phytotoxicity. Another, the assessment of biochar preparation using various types of feedstock, their characteristics, and the application for the amendment of serpentine soils has been deliberated. The restoration of sites with a high fraction of heavy metal contaminents and organic pollutants associated with serpentine soils using biochar has been highlighted for its importance. In line with the possibility of expanding the cultivated area, future research directions have been suggested in field trials, advances in biochar production, and environmental risk assessment. In addition, the applicable mechanisms have prerequisites to accelerate the efficiency of biochar amendments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present investigation pertains to a theoretical study of mathematical model for methane steam reforming in membrane reactor, by simulating the operating variables of the reactor for high hydrogen yield and methane conversion. Basically, it deals with the development of the mathematical model of a fluidized bed Auto thermal membrane reactor (without integrated O2 perm-selective membranes), by using the mass balance macroscopically. Model is validated with the available experimental data in the literature and was found that the prediction from the models is in excellent agreement with the experimental values, with a maximum deviation of –12 to +13% and –12 to +1.8% for methane gas conversion and hydrogen yield, respectively. Finally, it investigates the effect of operating variables namely, reactor pressure, temperature, and steam to methane ratio (SMR) and permeates side pressure, on the methane gas conversion and hydrogen. The prediction reveals that the hydrogen yield and methane conversion increases with increase in reactor temperature and pressure whereas decreases with increase in SMR and permeate side pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chicken is one of the most preferred protein sources for nonvegetarian consumers around the world. Due to the huge demand for quality chicken products, the processors and the suppliers need to maintain the optimum chicken quality during the supply chain. Therefore, this study was aimed to develop a suitable device to monitor chicken quality in supply chain. In the present study, a natural dye extracted from coleus blumei leaves (Plectranthus scutellarioides) has been used to develop a chicken quality monitoring sensor. This sensor has been tested for its color-changing ability by attaching inside the packet of fresh chicken at different storage temperatures viz., 4 ± 1, 10 ± 1, 15 ± 1, 25 ± 1, and 37 ± 1 °C. During the storage of chicken the changes in quality parameters (physicochemical, microbiological, and sensory attributes) were measured at regular intervals. The sensor showed a color change during the progress of the storage period and this was well in concurrence with the changes in the quality parameters of the chicken. The results showed the potentiality of the coleus blumei leaves dye-based sensor as a monitoring device to detect the quality of chicken during its storage at various temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sensitive and stable defect tolerant detectors with a long life, operating at low bias are essential for portable medical and security applications. Low-cost Polymer-high Z composite with conductive fillers show enhanced charge transportation and better long-term stability compared to conventional direct X-ray detector materials. Here, we report Polystyrene-Bismuth triiodide composite with carbon black incorporated as conductive filler. The composite showed great tolerance towards radiation induced structural damage as confirmed with XRD studies of pre and post irradiated samples. Also, the radiation induced defects in the composite due to continuous irradiation of X-rays have been studied with variation in thickness. In traditional planar detector configuration, photon absorption efficiency is defined by the thickness of the material, however as a downside, it limits the charge transport properties affected by traps in the chosen material. Therefore, a trade-off must be found between photon absorption efficiency and charge collection efficiency The detector shows low dark current density of 0.5 nA/cm2 and high sensitivity of 0.6 × 103 µC/Gy-cm3 against dose rate of 500 µ-Gy/sec. at 30 V bias. In addition, the stability test exhibits no deterioration in sensing for integrated dose of 3200 mGy in one run which is 32,000 times the dose used in chest X-rays. In addition, the sample fully recovers its charge collection ability and neutralizes the space charge accumulation due to continuous irradiation illustrating longevity of the sample. The composite shows intriguing results as a promising material for low-bias, portable detector with high stability for X-ray imaging and detection applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since studies on biochar stability in agricultural soils are very limited, the microbial biomass carbon and soil enzyme activity influenced by biochar addition to field condition remains uncertain. Results of this study revealed that microbial biomass carbon and different soil enzyme activity were significantly influenced by both manure alone and combined biochar-manure application. The microbial biomass carbon was highest in vermicompost (355.28 mg kg−1 soil) and lowest in pig manure (343.62 mg kg−1 soil). Among combined biochar-manure treatment, the MBC was highest in goat manure 5 t ha−1 + biochar 5 t ha−1 (476.58 mg kg−1 soil) and lowest in FYM @ 10 t ha−1 + biochar 5 t ha−1 (458.53 mg kg−1 soil) than control (301.43 mg kg−1 soil). The dehydrogenase activity increased significantly with increase in biochar application rate. But acid phosphatase activity decreased with increase in biochar application rate. Urease activity was highest in poultry manure and lowest in pig manure. Vermicompost with biochar resulted maximum increase in protease and lowest in FYM with biochar. The specific UV absorbance (SUVA) increased with biochar application at 2.5 t ha−1 and then again slightly decreased at 5.0 t ha−1 significantly. Among the biochar-manure treatment, the fluorescein diacetate was highest in FYM @ 10 t ha−1 + biochar 5 t ha−1 (66.29 mg of fluorescein kg−1 oven dry soil h−1) and lowest in poultry manure 5 t ha−1 + biochar 5 t ha−1 (56.36 mg of fluorescein kg−1 oven dry soil h−1) than control from initial value (16.38 mg of fluorescein kg−1 oven dry soil h−1). The vermicompost with biochar resulted maximum increase in invertase activity and lowest in goat manure with biochar. Finally, the microbial quotient decreased significantly with increase in biochar application rate. This is the first time report of examining microbial biomass carbon and soil enzyme activity using combined biochar and organic manure under an acidic hilly soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The collective utilization of biochar and organic manure represents the profit to plants and nutrient cycling. In this experiment, the maize (stalk and cob) biomass was pyrolyzed at 600 °C and morpho-mineralogically characterized. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) image represented cross-linked pores and feathery plate–like layer construction on the surface of biochar. The 75:25 ratio combinations of organic manure and biochar were the best for developing low-cost biochar co-compost technology. The maximum increase in pH was observed in biochar-poultry manure (7.05) co-compost followed by pig manure (6.97), goat manure (9.93), vermicompost (6.85), and FYM (6.83) co-compost. The release of cumulative CO2 decreased with increase in biochar ratio in biochar co-compost mixture. The organic manure/biochar (co-compost) ratio at 75:25 enhanced maximum yield in poultry manure (4528 and 1027 kg/ha) followed by goat manure (4378 and 1016 kg/ha), vermicompost (4278 and 986 kg/ha), pig manure (4218 and 956 kg/ha), and FYM (4178 and 949 kg/ha) for maize and black gram, respectively. The poultry75+BC25 results in maximum grain nitrogen content in both maize and black gram and minimum with FYM25+BC75. Lastly, with increase in biochar ratio in co-compost, the specific leaf weight and chlorophyll content significantly increased. Thus, the encouraging role of biochar co-compost on crop growth, yield, soil health, and physiology proposes that it is a superior technique to overcome biochar's intrinsic nutrient deficit, making it a proper way serving to refine farm-scale nutrient cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NiO thin films have been fabricated in two-step process synthesis of NiO nanoparticles using hydrothermal method and fabrication of NiO thin film on fluorine-doped tin oxide substrate via spin-coating technique. Changing the molarities of precursor solution as 0.1 M, 0.2 M, 0.3 M, in synthesizing NiO nanoparticles affects the morphological, structural, optical, and electrochromic properties of NiO thin films. Spin-coated NiO thin films shows face-centered cubic structure with a preferred direction along < 111 >. Synthesized NiO thin films exhibits anodic electrochromism with changing transparent to colored state upon deintercalations of OH− ions and electrons. NiO thin films having 0.1 M precursor solution shows better electrochromic reversibility, improved diffusion coefficient with minimum coloration and bleaching switching time. Also, it gives higher short-circuit current density with 0.7% efficiency when used in DSSC application. Thus, synthesized NiO thin films are highly efficient when used as transparent film for solar cell and electrochromic device applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It was quantified the influence of four different biomasses viz. tree, weed and crop on twenty compositional characteristics of produced biochar for their wide range of environmental application. The removal of most widespread heavy metal ions (cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu) and arsenic (As)) by adsorption on four biochars has been investigated. Initial evaluation revealed that all the biochar was efficient in removing a mixture of six heavy metals from aqueous phase having maximum removal for arsenic and minimum nickel. Utilizing four different biochars, the average removal rate of heavy metal from aqueous solution was 49.5–66.1% (Cd), 47.3–60.0% (Pb), 45.5–60.6% (Ni), 46.6–60.8% (Zn), 49.3–63.2% (Cu) and 52.7–64.2% (As) compared with no biochar treatment. The percent decrease of Pb heavy metal adsorption with increase in maximum contaminant level (MCL) from 1- to 5-fold was 54.7 (black gram biochar), 53.5 (pine needle biochar), 52.02 (Lantana camara biochar) and 50.0 (maize stalk biochar). The effect of dose study showed that As adsorption on all the four types of biochar was most favourable and Ni adsorption was the most awful. At the bio-filtration stage, the wastewater was treated with four different biochars and the physico-chemical character changes were recorded before and after treatment with biochar. The wastewater total chemical oxygen demand, total soluble solid, ammonia, total potassium and nitrogen and total potassium values demonstrated an 88.3–90.6%, 84.8–81.1%, 90.9–86.6%, 58.8–69.3% and 88.1–77.96% decrease, respectively. Additionally, the wastewater As, Cd, Cr, Pb, Zn and Cu values resulted a 78.5–86.5%, 52.6–94.7%, 83.1–88.1%, 94.6–77.8%, 90.1–94.5% and 93.3–95.5% decrease, respectively, after being passed via biochar bio-filter. Therefore, the four developed biochar explored huge potential for removal of heavy metal along with wastewater treatment to meet guidelines for wastewater effluent disposal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Remarkable research attention has been rekindled on bacteriophage therapy against pathogenic bacterial infections of aquaculture as phages are the widespread, natural viral predators of bacteria, are non-toxic, and highly host specific. Also, the use of phage cocktails improves the target specificity of phage therapy, simultaneously eliminating the problem of phage resistance that may accompany monophage therapy. The application of phages is rapid and inexpensive and should be explored further for the prevention and control of fish bacterial pathogens. This review discusses the phage therapy potential, mode of applications, recent developments, advantages, risks involved, and challenges in the success and popularization of phage-based treastments, and discusses their outlook as novel biosensing tools and coupling with nanobubbles for improved fish health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solution-processed, NiO thin films have been synthesized via spin coating technique. Nickel nitrate hexahydrate and 2-Aminoethanol have been used as nickel precursor and oxidizing agent, respectively for depositing layers of NiO solution on the FTO substrate. Investigating the effect of NiO layers on morphological, structural, electrochromic properties has been observed. An X-Ray diffraction study has confirmed the deposition of cubic phase nanostructured NiO with an observed average crystallite size varying from 15 to 25 nm. FESEM images of NiO thin films show the formation of nanorods and nano pebbles structures. Synthesized NiO thin films exhibit anodic electrochromism in 1 M KOH electrolyte solution, i.e., transition from bleached to coloration state due to intercalation of OH− ions and electrons with a switching time of around 1.2 s. Transportation of OH− ions and electrons at the interface of NiO thin film has been well explained using cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in potential window of −1.0 V to + 1.0 V. 20 layers of NiO thin film shows better electrochromic reversibility and stability. Also, it gives a Power conversion efficiency of 0.41% when used as hole transporting layer (HTL) in Dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC) application with maximum value of Jsc as 5.81 mA/cm2. Thus, synthesized NiO thin film has been a potential candidate for DSSC and electrochromic based applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, an attempt is made to examine the effects of loading pattern on critical temperature of the cold-formed steel (CFS) members under fire. Most of the past studies on CFS flexural members at elevated temperature included either point loading or uniform moment cases, however, critical temperature established for one loading pattern may prove to be unsafe or over-conservative in other loading scenario. Finite element model is developed using commercially available program ABAQUS and is validated against experimental and numerical results available in literature. Four types of loading patterns are considered namely, 4-point loading, 3-point loading, uniformly distributed load and uniform moment. Three load ratios: 0.3, 0.5 and 0.7 are considered in this study. Results from parametric study clearly indicate there is a significant effect on the critical temperature of the CFS steel flexural members due to change in loading patterns. Other parameters affecting the critical temperature such as non-dimensional slenderness, initial applied load levels, grade and geometric properties are also discussed in detail. Based on findings of this research two proposals are suggested in order to define critical temperature of the CFS flexural members under various loading conditions. Both the proposals are found to predict the safe critical temperature of CFS flexural members with accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biochar production from agro-environmental waste biomass is attracting huge interest as a low-cost amendment due to its potential numerous benefits to agriculture and environment, as well as its ability to store soil water. This review summarizes the influences of biomass-derived low-cost biochar on agriculture and environmental health, crop responses, nutrient dynamics, and soil biological parameter–related issues as well as how biochar can helpful for agriculture and environment management. Besides, biochar safety issues and human health in agro-environment have also been discussed. Application of biochar in agro-environment exerts measurable changes in physico-chemical and biological properties as well as carbon balance. Mechanistic evidences of biochar's potential for enhancing crop productivity, soil water availability, biochar co-composting, and nutrient use efficiency are also discussed. The review also identifies several knowledge gaps and future research directions for large-scale use of biochar. Hence, this information in the form review is new of its kind which is useful to the broad spectrum of readers. Thus, the biochar addition in agro-environment emerges as a "win-win strategy" for sustainable soil health and environmental ecofriendly assets. But some technical and practical barriers are reported in biochar application in large quantities, which are a major concern today. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Utilizing of biochar as an amendment for environmental management has been a catalyst for the recent global enthusiasm for advancing biochar production technology and its management. While both research and development of biochar for environmental management at a global scale are a somewhat recent development, it is by no means new in certain regions and has even been the subject of scientific research for quite some time. This article deals with both positive and negative impacts of biochar application for environmental management and toxic pollutant remediation by collecting exponentially increased number of publications and summarizes it to explain that how biochar can enhance in greenhouse gasses (GHGs) emission reduction, wastewater reuse, fertilizer pollution minimizing, mineral nutrients leaching reduction, and land degradation with soil erosion management. It also provides new insights into the state-of-the-art accomplishments of biochar's potential on the removal of heavy metal, toxic pollutant, and renewable energy generation was also considered. Biochar can significantly be used to trim down the leachability and bioavailability of different organic toxic pollutants via sorption mechanism. Increasing the carbon sink in soil through biochar application can help to reduce the amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O) emission in environment. The future researches should focus on the long-term environmental fate of organic pollutant sorbed on biochar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seed treatment with biomass-derived biochar has potential to overcome the moisture, nutrients, and hormonal constraint on native germination and early growth. An experiment was conducted to study the effect of different levels of biochars obtained from four divergent biomass on seed germination and seedling growth of maize and black gram. All the biochars were prepared at 500 °C and characterized for their physicochemical properties. We determined the effect of biochar type and application rate. The biochar under study enhanced the seed germination and seedling growth significantly at a reasonable application rate than higher rate which might be due to secretion of chemical substances by the respective biochar. But the pine needle biochar (PNB) did not perform satisfactorily, and it may be due to lignin-rich feedstock. Both the maize stalk biochar (MSB) and Lantana camara biochar (LCB) showed slightly inhibitory effect at higher application rate due to presence of some heavy metals. However, the black gram biochar (BGB) performed well and constantly increased seed germination as well as seedling growth, and thus has a greater potential to increase its application rate under field condition. The shoot/root ration decreased with increase in biochar application rate. Our results offer new facts for the requirement of creating environmental risk management of biochar before its field soil application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experiment was conducted to assess the effect of combined application of biochar and organic manure amendment in an acidic hilly soil on grain quality, nutrient contents, biomolecular composition and biochemical response, and energy budgeting as well as soil quality under maize-black gram cropping system. Our results suggested that biochar application increased protein content. Lysine content decreased with manures addition and increase in biochar application rate. Hydration index, swelling index, water absorption capacity, and water uptake ratio increased in both the manures without biochar and manures with biochar. The seed density, foaming capacity, and foam stability increased significantly with addition of both manures without biochar and manures with biochar. Biochar application increased the nitrogenase activity. Manures without biochar application increased nodule relative water content and manures with biochar addition decreased nodule relative water content. Biochar application significantly decreased number of nodules per plant. Results revealed that protein, ash, tannin, C, N, P, K, Zn, Fe, Cu, Mn, and B content significantly increased and enhanced by both the manures without biochar and manures with biochar. The nodule soluble sugars were increased by manures and biochar application. Both the manures and biochar significantly enhanced all the energy related terminology in maize and black gram crop. Results suggest that biochar application may affect the grain quality in maize and black gram adversely and nutritional imbalance in grains might occur. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The large offshore and marginal marine Kerala–Konkan basin consists mainly of the Warkalli Group, of which the Quilon Formation represents a transgressional facies of carbonates and siliciclastics with a distinct marine biota consisting of ostracods, foraminifers, otoliths, echinoderms, bryozoans, etc. Depositional ages initially assigned to this formation varied from Eocene to Pliocene, although subsequent estimates favoured an early or middle Miocene age. Based on strontium isotopic compositions (87Sr/86Sr) measured from well preserved, marine, unaltered aragonitic molluscs from the Quilon Formation of Kerala basin, we report a precise numerical age and prefer a depositional age between 17.08 and 17.13 Ma, which is in agreement with the Burdigalian Stage assigned to this formation on the basis of paleontological data. The new-age data suggest that the Quilon Formation records the onset of Mid-Miocene Climatic Optimum (MMCO). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Till date there is not much concrete data available linking valorization of biomass-derived engineered biochar for soil, plant, water system, and microbial dynamics under changing climatic conditions. This review article deals with the abovementioned burning topic by collection of world literature. It summarizes the conversion of biomass into biochar, their characterization, and pyrolysis influence on composition. Besides it discusses about biomass through biochar which can help to establish a relationship with soil, plant, and water to manage soil fertility–related issues and microbe interactions. Biochar addition exerts measurable changes in carbon footprint, physicochemical and biological soil properties, nutrient sorption-retention, water retention, crop production, and nutrient leaching. Mechanistic evidences of biochars' potential on soil biology, systemic resistance, carbon mineralization kinetics and N2-fixation, and mycorrhizal colonization were mentioned in this review article. The recalcitrance, pore space, surface morphology, and pH of biochar on soil, plant, water system, and microbes are found to be controlled by biomass type, pyrolysis temperature, biotic interactions, etc. Biochar with fertilizer integration offers an improved soil management strategy, and therefore, biomass valorization through its application in soil, plant, water, and microbial dynamics comes out as a "win-win strategy" for adequate climate change mitigation and environmental eco-friendly technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal and metal oxide nanoparticles are significant in terms of their use in various medical, photo-catalytic, semiconducting devices and many more promising industrial applications. AM-ZnO NP was sustainably synthesized from Atalantia monophylla aqueous leaf extract to avoid the pros and cons of the chemical synthesis of metallic nanoparticles under the theme of green chemistry. Opto-structural properties of AM-ZnO NP have been characterized by UV–Vis spectrophotometer, FTIR spectral band, and Photoluminescence to optimize the optical properties while XRD, SEM, HR-TEM, and EDX have been used to optimize structural properties. Temperature dependant stability of AM-ZnO NP was evaluated through Thermal analysis (TGA, DSC and DTG). However, average hydrodynamic diameter (192 nm), poly-dispersity index (0.150) and Zeta potential values (− 8.66 mV) confirmed the stability of nanoparticles in double-distilled water as well. The successful application of AM-ZnO NP was proved by the formation of an active zone of inhibition around the disc where the diffusion method was used against both gram-positive and gram-negative strains at 200 µg/ml. Significant antioxidant activity by AM-ZnO NP has been noticed using the in-vitro DPPH (IC50—78.49 µg/ml) and ABTS (IC50—88.46 µg/ml) assay compared to antioxidant activity shown by A. monophylla leaf extract and Gallic acid standard. AM-ZnO NP presented biocompatible properties with normal (immortal) HEK 293 cells (IC50—63.29 µg/ml) but demonstrated active inhibitory ion properties against HeLa cell lines (IC50—51.93 µg/ml). Green synthesis of AM-ZnO NP using bio-resource as template offers a better option in biomedical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this work was to determine the effect of sodium methyl mercaptide (SMM) on the minimization of peeling reactions of southern pine chips in the kraft pulping process. Two methods were evaluated for SMM addition to the pulping process: (1) pre-treatment before pulping or (2) co-addition with white liquor. The effect of SMM charge, pre-treatment temperature and time, and pH of pre-treatment liquor was studied.The experimental results showed about 1.5 to 2.5% (on O.D. (oven dry) wood basis) increase in the pulp yield after pre-treatment with or co-addition of 4.38% SMM (on O.D. wood basis). The use of 4.38% SMM allowed a decrease of the white liquor effective alkali charge (EA, on O.D. wood basis) by 3%. 4.38% SMM charge seemed to be optimum for the pre-treatment. Pre-treatment at lower pH resulted in a significant decrease in yield and an increase in rejects. The increase in pulp yield was mostly due to the increased retention of cellulose and xylan. The retention of galactoglucomannan was negligible. The degree of polymerization of cellulose increased from 5180 to about 6000 due to SMM pre-treatment. About 80% of the cellulose yield increase is due to the suppression of primary peeling. The remainder (0.3–0.4% of the yield increase (on O.D. wood basis) is due to reduced alkaline hydrolysis and subsequent secondary peeling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ferroelectric ceramic–polymer composites consisting of Poly Vinyledine Fluoride–Hexa Fluoro Propylene (PVDF-HFP) as polymer host and 0.5Ba(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3−0.5(Ba0.7Ca0.3)TiO3 (BZT-BCT) ceramics as filler were prepared using solution casting technique. These composites are characterized for structural, microstructural, vibrational, optical, dielectric and ferroelectric properties at various experimental conditions. The electroactive β phase fraction (observed from XRD and FTIR analysis) increases as the filler concentration increases up to 20 wt% of BZT-BCT and above that its value decreases. FTIR results were analyzed to understand the mechanism of enhancement of β phase by the interaction between negatively surface charged ions of filler with the CH2 dipole of polymer matrix. UV–visible spectroscopy also employed to confirm polymer–ceramic filler interaction. Variation of the dielectric constant with different filler concentrations is explained using the percolation theory. Finally, the interplay between the functional properties and the β phase is discussed in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The focus of the present study is on a recycling folded cascode (RFC) operational transconductance amplifier (OTA) in which the transconductance, as well as the slew rate of OTA, are enhanced. RFC OTA, proposed in this study, is employed using a Dynamic Threshold Voltage MOSFET (DTMOS) based differential pair with class AB operation. To achieve class AB operation, an adaptive biasing technique comprising a flip voltage follower is used which boosts the dynamic current and gain-bandwidth product of OTA. Conventional current mirrors are replaced with source degenerated non-linear current mirrors to achieve a better slew rate. The conventional and proposed RFC structures are designed and simulated in a standard 180 nm CMOS process at 1 V supply voltage. The proposed RFC OTA demonstrates a significant enhancement in the performance parameter as 11 dB improvement in the gain as well as 290% more GBW and achieves a slew rate that is nine times better compared to the conventional RFC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiferroic composites are promising candidates for magnetic field sensors, next-generation low power memory and spintronic devices, as they exhibit much higher magnetoelectric (ME) coupling and coupled ordering parameters compared to the single-phase multiferroics. Hence, the 3-0 type particulate multiferroic composites having general formula (1 − Φ)[PbFe0.5Nb0.5O3]-Φ[Co0.6Zn0.4Fe1.7Mn0.3O4] (Φ = 0.0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 1.0, (1 − Φ) PFN-ΦCZFMO) were prepared using a hybrid synthesis technique. Preliminary structural and microstructural analysis were carried out using XRD and FESEM techniques, which suggest the formation of 3-0 type particulate composite without the presence of any impurity phases. The multiferroic behaviour of the composites is studied with polarization versus electric field (P-E) and magnetization versus magnetic field (M-H) characteristics at room temperature. The nature of ME coupling was investigated elaborately by employing the Landau free energy equation along with the magneto-capacitance measurement. This investigation suggests the existence of biquadratic nature of ME coupling (P2M2). The magneto-electric coupling measurement also suggests that strain mediated domain coupling between the ferroelectric and magnetic ordering is responsible for the magneto-electric behaviour. The obtained value of direct ME coefficient 26.78 mV/cm-Oe for Φ = 0.3, found to be higher than the well-known single-phase materials and polycrystalline composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Around 10% to 30% patients with acute pancreatitis (AP) do not have a cause after the routine investigations, and are considered as having idiopathic acute pancreatitis (IAP). Establishing the etiology in such patients will prevent recurrences and evolution to chronic pancreatitis. Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) characteristically are used to diagnose IAP when routine methods fail, but their exact role is not determined. Methods: This prospective study was undertaken in a tertiary care hospital, in which patients admitted initially with diagnosis of IAP were evaluated. These patients underwent MRCP and EUS at least 4 weeks after an attack of AP. The results of EUS and MRCP were compared and analyzed with various clinical variables using suitable statistical tests. Results: A total of 31 patients with IAP were included. EUS and/or MRCP was able to establish at least one etiology in 17 patients (54.8%). The diagnoses revealed were gallbladder (GB) microlithiasis, GB sludge, choledocholithiasis, pancreatobiliary ductal anomalies, pancreatic adenocarcinoma, and intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm. Comparing the diagnostic accuracy of both the modalities, EUS (14/31) was able to diagnose more cases than MRCP (8/31). The diagnostic capability of EUS was lower in patients who had a cholecystectomy (12.5% vs. 56.5%; p = 0.03). Conclusions: EUS and MRCP are useful modalities in the etiological diagnosis of IAP and should be used in conjunction. EUS is better for establishing a possible biliary etiology and MRCP for an anatomical alteration in pancreatobiliary ducts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Renal failure is a common and severe complication of cirrhosis and confers poor prognosis. Serum creatinine is the most practical biomarker of renal function. Serum creatinine estimation in cirrhosis of the liver is affected by decreased formation, increased tubular secretion, increased volume of distribution, and interference by elevated bilirubin. Studies on the prognosis of cirrhotic patients using creatinine kinetics as a definition of acute kidney injury (AKI) proposed by the International Ascites Club are limited. Methods: In this single-center prospective observational study, decompensated cirrhotics with AKI defined by the International Ascites Club as the rise of serum creatinine ≥ 0.3 mg/dL within 48 h of admission or increase of serum creatinine ≥ 50% from stable baseline creatinine over the previous 3 months were followed and assessed for the development of complications during hospital course and in-hospital and 30-day mortality. Results: AKI developed in 142 out of 499 (28.45%) patients with cirrhosis. Twenty patients were excluded. The most common etiology of cirrhosis was alcohol (n = 64, 52%), and ascites was present in 115 (94%) patients. Eighty-two (67.21%) patients presented with AKI at the time of admission. Thirty-day mortality was 46.72% (57/122 patients). Hepatorenal syndrome had the highest mortality followed by AKI related to infection. Presence of jaundice and hepatic encephalopathy (HE) was associated with poor survival with adjusted hazard ratio of 3.54 and 2.17, respectively. On bivariate logistic regression analysis, jaundice, HE, type of AKI, AKI stage at maximum creatinine, bilirubin, serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT), international normalized ratio (INR), and Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) and model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) scores were predictors of mortality (p < 0.05). Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of MELD > 29 and CTP score > 11 were 75.44%, 82%, and 78.70% and 66.67%, 81.54%, and 74.60%, respectively for predicting 30-day mortality. Conclusion: Development of AKI as defined by the International Ascites Club in cirrhosis confers high short-term mortality. Jaundice, HE, AKI stage, creatinine at enrollment, bilirubin, CTP, and MELD score were the predictors of mortality. Bullet points of the study highlights What is already known? • Renal failure is a common and severe complication of cirrhosis. • Serum creatinine is the most practical biomarker of renal function but it has many limitations in cirrhotic patients. • Creatinine kinetics–based definition of acute kidney injury (AKI) was proposed by the International Ascites Club. What is new in this study? • Short-term mortality (30 days) in decompensated cirrhotic patients with AKI as defined by the International Ascites Club using creatinine kinetics was high. • AKI due to hepatorenal syndrome (HRS) has the highest short-term (30 days) mortality followed by AKI due to infection in decompensated cirrhosis. • Detection of AKI using creatinine kinetics–based definition may prompt an early appropriate intervention. What are the future clinical and research implications of study findings? • Creatinine kinetics–based definition of AKI diagnose renal injury at an earlier stage; an appropriate intervention should be initiated at the earliest in these patients to improve patient survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Video assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) is a surgical treatment option for empyema thoracis (ET). However, very few studies have been reported from India. The present study aims to evaluate the role, implementation and outcomes of VATS for all stages of ET. A prospective evaluation of 33 patients with ET managed by VATS decortication from January 2016 to December 2017 was performed. All were followed up for 6 months to evaluate surgical outcomes, conversion rate, morbidities and relapse.Out of 33, 5 patients had stage I, 18 had stage II and 10 had stage III empyema. Most common symptoms were dyspnea [75.75%] and fever [63.63%]. Commonest etiology was bronchopulmonary infection (51.51%) and tuberculosis (33.33%). Conversion rate was 3.03%. Mean operating time was 102, 178.8 and 323 min for stage I, II, III respectively. Mean hospital stay for stage I, II,III was 4, 5.11 and 9.3 days respectively. Intraoperative bleeding was high in stage III (625 ml) compared to stage II (327.7 ml). Mean chest tube duration for stage I, II and III was 13.4, 10.2 and 14.8 days respectively. VATS decortication is safe, feasible and effective treatment for all ET stages, when preformed in properly selected patients at appropriate time by experienced surgeons. It improves outcomes in stage I ET by reducing recurrence in cases with failure of conservative management. When timed appropriately, it has acceptable morbidity and postoperative recovery rates without significant conversion rates, even in stage III ET. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Literature on earthquake impact on hospital admissions is lacking, particularly in low-resource settings. Our aim was to study the pattern of admissions before and after the 2015 earthquake in a tertiary hospital in Nepal. We used routine hospital data from 9,596 admissions, and defined four periods: pre-earthquake (pre-EQ), acute (EQ1), post-acute (EQ2), and post-earthquake (post-EQ). We compared length of hospital stay (LOS) across the study periods using negative binomial regressions. We used logistic regressions to study changes in probability of admission for diagnostic categories, and Generalized Additive Models to model the difference in number of admissions compared to pre-EQ baseline. LOS was longer in EQ1 than during pre-EQ, in particular for injury-related admissions. In EQ1, the odds of injury admissions increased, while they decreased for the majority of other diagnoses, with the odds of pregnancy-related admissions remaining low until post-EQ. The number of admissions dropped in EQ1 and EQ2, and returned to pre-EQ trends in post-EQ, accumulating 381 admissions lost (CI: 206–556). Our findings suggest that hospital disaster plans must not only foresee injury management after earthquakes, but also ensure accessibility, in particular for pregnant women, and promote a quick return to normality to prevent additional negative health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In tropical dry forests, variation in understory light availability due to season and canopy tree density could be a governing factor in establishment and growth of tree seedlings. Species with varying life history traits are expected to respond differentially to such heterogeneity. We investigated the response of seedlings of four tree species in a tropical day forest in relation to spatiotemporal variability of light. We attempt to explore the role of leaf attributes in explaining intra- and inter-specific variations in relative growth rate. Four study sites, each with three contrasting canopy conditions, were selected along a soil moisture gradient. Seedlings of four tree species (viz., Acacia catechu, Bridelia retusa, Lagerstroemia parviflora, and Shorea robusta), varying in life history traits, were monitored for seasonal variations in growth traits across canopy condition and sites for 2 years. Results: We observed a larger variation in leaf attributes for pioneer species. A. catechu showed highest mean values for leaf dry matter content, leaf nitrogen concentration, leaf phosphorus concentration, net stomatal conductance, net photosynthetic rate, and relative growth rate in high light conditions. S. robusta and B. retusa demonstrated highest mean values for all the leaf attributes (except leaf dry matter content) in low light conditions. However, intermediate values for leaf attributes were observed in L. parviflora which preferred moderate light conditions. Conclusions: Seasonal variations in light availability at the forest floor appear to play an important role in the establishment and growth of tree seedlings in seasonal dry forests. Leaf attributes can be used to explain intra- and inter-specific variation in response to light availability. Leaf attributes in combinations can be used to predict relative growth rate of tree species in tropical dry environment, which apart from soil moisture is also determined by light availability due to seasonal changes and canopy tree density. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Doubly special relativity introduce a minimal length scale i.e. the Planck length scale, which is independent length scale in addition to the speed of light in the normal special theory of relativity (STR). Doubly special relativity leads to study the κ -Minkowski space-time. In this paper, we present the result of our investigation on the thermodynamics of photon gas in the κ -Minkowski space-time. For studying this, we start with the κ -deformed dispersion relation and keep terms upto first order in the deformation parameter a and we study that how does κ -deformed dispersion relation affect the thermodynamics of photon gas. In the limit, deformation parameter a → 0 , we get back all the results in the special theory of relativity (STR) (Greiner and Stocker in Thermodynamics and statistical mechanics, Springer, New York, 1995). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Present study was conducted to assess the resource use efficiency of broilers production, in tunnel-ventilated environment control (ECBH) and open-sided conventional (OSCBH) house under different stocking densities. Different treatments comprised of T (birds with floor space, 1.0/ft/bird in open-sided conventional broiler house (OSCBH) as control, while different treatments in tunnel-ventilated environment control broiler house (ECBH) were T , T , T , T and T with floor space of 1.0, 0.9, 0.8, 0.7and 0.6 ft per bird, respectively. The results of shed microclimate indicated that shed temperature and temperature humidity index (THI) at 12:00 and 15:00 IST and maximum and minimum temperature in OSCBH were significantly ( p ≤ 0.05) higher than ECBH. Litter moisture and pH did not differ significantly and were within permissible limits in both OSCBH and ECBH. Final body weight, body weight gain, feed intake were significantly higher and FCR, PER and EER were significantly better in ECBH than OSCBH ( T ) even at 10% increase in stocking density ( T ). Margin of receipt in T in ECBH from sale of live bird/unit area and kilogram live weight per unit area was maximum which was Rs. 5.08/- and 3.56/- higher than T for OSCBH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Now a day's meat and meat products are not only generating convenience trends; they have been recognized as core of meat industry. Meat spread is a convenience cooked spreadable product prepared with meat and non-meat additives. Response surface methodology was used to investigate the effects of three different levels of honey (10, 15, 20 g), vinegar (2.0, 6.0, 10.0 ml) and tomato powder (0.5, 1.0, 1.5 g) on response variables viz. color/appearance, flavor, spreadability, texture, after taste, adhesiveability, overall acceptability, while standardizing the process of development of sweet and sour chicken meat spread box-behnken experimental design was used in which 17 different runs with 5 trials of three similar centre point. A second order polynomial was fitted to all the response variables and surface plots as well as equations were conducted. All the processing variables significantly affected the response variables either linearly or quadratically whereas the 'Lack of Fit' was non-significant relative to the pure error. For optimization, target values were set in the form of ranges of all the processing and response variables. While applying multiple regression analysis, a total of 43 workable solutions was found, out of which the product with 14.28% honey, 5.38% vinegar and 1.39% tomato powder was selected. The responses for color/appearance, flavor, spreadability, texture, after taste, adhesiveability, overall acceptability, were predicted at 7.11, 6.72, 7.00, 6.99, 6.61, 6.94 and 6.79 respectively, with a desirability value of 1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]