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Nowadays the usage of Remote Sensing and GIS techniques are too vast and many Earth observations had been done by Remote Sensing and GIS techniques. The innovation of this work is to use the LANDSAT image data and GIS Techniques to assess land information and soil classification in the most coming up area of Vellore district and propose the possible fertilization for this study area. Landsat image is classified by minimum distance classification algorithm and according to the reflectance characteristics of the surface material. From the classified data we can find out the best fertilization for the best soil using colour of the soil. It is proved that, within limitations the classification algorithms and threshold parameters have an important influence on the classification result. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

LiMn2O4 compound are synthesized by polymer precursor method using polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) at temperatures (T), 650, 750 and 850°C which was coated by a thin La0.61Li0.17TiO3 (LLT). The structure and the morphology of the compounds are studied by the Rietveld refined X-ray diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques, respectively. To investigate the effect of LLT coating galvanostatic charge-discharge cycling (60 mA g-1) studies are made in the voltage range of 3.5-4.3 V vs. Li at elevated temperature (55 deg. C). The high-temperature electrochemical performance of the LiMn2O4 was significantly improved by the LLT coating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perovskite PbLa(ZrTi)O ceramic material was prepared through sol-gel process. Structural, phase formation and thermal properties were confirmed by X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetry and differential thermal analysis; size and microstructural study was carried out using particle size analyser and scanning electron microscope. The electrical properties of the ceramics were investigated as a function of both temperature (from room temperature to 500 °C) and frequency (from 100 Hz to 1 MHz) using complex impedance spectroscopy (CIS). The impedance spectrum results indicate the decrease in dielectric constant with increase in frequency while the dielectric loss increases with frequency. The activation energy of the sample was calculated from the slope of the Arrhenius plot as 0.129 eV from the Arrhenius's plot of dc conductivity versus inverse of absolute temperature. The dc conductivity was obtained from CIS measurements and the activation energy. The remnant polarization (P) and coercive electric fields (E) are found out as 6.52 μC/cm and 2.55 kV/cm from the ferroelectric loop measured at room temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: (Li, Al)-co-doped manganese oxide spinel compounds, Li(Li0.1Al0.1Mn1.8)O4 are prepared at temperatures (T), 600, 650 and 750°C by polymer precursor method using polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP). The structure and morphology of the porous and sub-micron size particles of the compounds are characterized by the Rietveld refined X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared and Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) and Brunauer, Emmett and Teller (BET) surface area techniques. Galvanostatic charge–discharge cycling in the voltage range of 3.5–4.3V vs. Li at various current (C) rates, 0.5–3C at 24°C up to 60 cycles and at 0.5C and at 55°C up to 50 cycles is carried out. The influence of the Li-excess, the type of Al3+ dopant cation and the amount of fuel (polyvinyl pyrrolidone) used in the synthesis on the electrochemical behavior of the spinel in a Li-cell at room (24°C) and at elevated temperature (55°C) has been studied. Results show that at 24°C and at 0.5C, the phases prepared at 600°C (I) and 650°C (II) showed reversible capacities of 79 and 105mAhg−1 and retained 99 (±1)% of the capacity after 50 cycles. At 1C, 2C and 3C rates, II showed stable capacities of 97, 83 and 57mAhg−1, respectively. At 55°C and at 0.5C, II showed a reversible capacity of 114mAhg−1 and retains 92% of it at the end of 50 cycles, signifying the best cathodic performance for a doped-LiMn2O4. Complementary cyclic voltammetry, impedance spectra and ex situ XRD data are described and discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Tavorite-structured LiFePO4F is synthesized by solid-state reaction and characterized by Rietveld refined X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, BET surface area, IR and Raman spectroscopy techniques. The ionic conductivity (σ ionic) of LiFePO4F estimated using impedance analysis at 27°C and at 50°C are 0.6(±0.1)×10−7 and 5.4(±0.1)×10−7 Scm−1, respectively, with an energy of activation (E a)=0.75eV. Its electrochemical behavior were examined by galvanostatic charge–discharge cycling up to 100 cycles, cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy using Li-metal as the counter and reference electrode, at 0.1C rate in the voltage range, 1.5–4V. LiFePO4F delivers an initial discharge capacity of 115(±3)mAhg−1 which increases to 119(±3)mAhg−1 at the 20th cycle. The capacity degrades slowly thereafter over 100 cycles, with a capacity loss of 19%. CV data show a clear indication of the Fe3+/2+ redox couple at 3.3–2.6V that involves a two-phase reaction. Electrochemical impedance spectra measured at various voltages at selected cycles were fitted to an equivalent circuit and the variation of impedance parameters interpreted. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A study was under taken to analyse the technical efficiency of milk production in the state of Tamil Nadu. By applying multidimensional scaling method, the state of Tamilnadu was segmented into four homogenous milk zones based on the resource endowment of the districts, favourable for dairy development. From the four zones, four districts viz., Kanchipuram, Erode, Nagappattinam and Thoothukudi were selected to represent each zone based on the factor scores obtained by these districts in each zone. A total sample size of 480 dairy farmers were selected for the present study. To estimate the level of efficiency in milk production, stochastic frontier production function was used. The farm specific technical efficiencies revealed that the distribution of most efficient elite group (Technical efficiency more than 90 per cent) of dairy farmers was the highest in Erode district (42.5 per cent) followed by Kanchipuram district (39.17 per cent) and Nagapattinam district. The mean technical efficiency was 85.5 per cent, 85.8 per cent, 82.7 per cent and 77.4 per cent respectively for Kanchipuram, Erode, Nagapattinam and Thoothukudi district indicating that on an average the sample farmers tended to realise 77.4 to 85.8 per cent of their technical abilities and the remaining per cent of their technical abilities were not realized [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: LiCoPO4 has been prepared by the Pechini-type polymerizable precursor method. The formation of the compound is confirmed by XRD analysis. Ion transport mechanism has been analyzed using the AC impedance technique. The conductivity parameters such as ion hopping frequency (ω p) and the charge carrier concentration term (K) have been calculated using Almond and West formalisms. The conductivity relaxation time (τ c) is calculated from the peak frequency of the modulus spectra. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Lithium samarium oxide has been prepared by solid-state reaction method and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and impedance spectroscopy. XRD pattern of the sample reveals the formation of the sample. The conductivity studies, dielectric studies, and modulus analysis of the samples have been carried out for different temperatures. The bulk conductivity of the sample has been found to be 1.21 × 10−5 Scm−1 at 420 °C. The temperature variation of the direct current conductivity obeys the Arrhenius relation. The modulus analysis of the sample indicates the non-Debye nature of the sample which corresponds to long-time slow polarization and relaxation of hopping charges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study was carried out to estimate the cost of production of milk in crossbred cows farms of Tamil Nadu. The data was collected from 150 dairy farmers of Salem district. Conventional analysis in the form of percentages and averages were used to analyse the data. The results revealed that among the different categories of farmers the cost of production per litre of milk was the lowest in small farmers' category (Rs.8.73) and was the highest in large farmers' category (Rs.9.86). Among the components of total return from rearing crossbred cows, sale of milk was the significant factor with its contribution ranging from 95 to 98 per cent with the overall figure of 97.69 per cent. The return from sale of calves formed 1.12 cent of the total returns. The return from sale of manure and gunny bags contributed less significantly to the total returns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study was designed to prioritise the constraints in milk production in Tamil Nadu and to analyse the socio-economic factors associated with the intensity of these constraints. The results revealed that lower price for milk was the fore most constraint in milk production. Farmers rearing cross-bred cow perceived that higher feed cost was the second important constraint followed by high investment requirement as their third constraint. Farmers rearing local and buffalo farmers perceived low productivity as their second and fourth important constraint respectively. The results of the study to analyse the factors associated with constraint intensity showed that out of the eleven variables taken for analysis, only six variables age of the farmer, level of extension agency contact, family size, ways of marketing through MPCS, private dairies and cross-bred cattle rearing were found to be associated negatively at a significant level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An attempt was made to investigate the factors influencing the draught cattle density in Tamil Nadu during the year 1997 to 2007 using secondary data by fitting multiple linear regression equation. The variables viz., farm power and cultivators had a significant and positive influence on draught animal population. The net sown area per cultivator was dominant and that had negatively contributed to the work animal density (-4.908). The square of net sown area per cultivator, percentage of tractor power to farm power and farm power to net sown area were found to have significant positive influence on work animal density. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the influence of cutting parameters on thrust force, surface finish, and burr formation in drilling Al2219/15SiCp and Al2219/15SiCp-3Gr composites. The composites were fabricated using the liquid metallurgy method. The tools used were commercially available carbide and coated carbide drills. The results revealed that feed rate had a major influence on thrust force, surface roughness, and exit burr formation. Graphitic composites exhibit lesser thrust force, burr height, and higher surface roughness when compared to the other material. The reduced thrust force and burr height is attributed to the solid lubricating property of the graphite particles. The higher surface roughness value for Al2219/15SiCp-3Gr composite is due to the pullout of graphite from the surface. The chips formed when machining graphitic composites are more discontinuous when compared to SiCp reinforced composites and hence advantageous. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was carried out to find the factors influencing alternate poultry meat consumption among the consumers of Chennai city, India. The required data were collected by personally interviewing 180 respondents. The results of the multiple linear regression analysis revealed that the coefficient of multiple determinations (R2) was 0.706. The factors like monthly expenditure for food, livestock products and non-food items had a significant negative influence over the quantity of alternate poultry meat consumed. Total expenditure of the household had a significant positive influence over the quantity of alternate poultry meat consumed. These results emphasized that if the respondents spent more for food, livestock products, meat and non food items, they will reduce the intake of alternate poultry meat. Increase in the consumption of alternate poultry meat will obviously increase the total expenditure and the households with high total family expenditure are more likely to buy alternate poultry meat in Chennai city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study was carried out to analyze the consumption pattern of milk and other livestock products in both rural and urban areas of Tamil Nadu. The monthly consumption of milk was 1.89 litres in low income group, followed by middle (3.48 litres) and high (3.79 litres) income groups. Among high income groups, the monthly average meat consumption was 1.17 kg in rural households, 1.75 kg in urban households and 1.45 kg in overall households. The results also showed that, monthly egg consumption per consumption unit was very low among the rural households (2.18 numbers), as compared to urban households (8.36 numbers). As a whole, chicken (49.59 per cent) enjoyed the first rank among different meat items and second rank was equally shared by mutton/chevon and fish (21.49 per cent). Similar to meat, egg consumption also increased with increase in level of income. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses a study which analyzed the individual and group performance characteristics of the dairy self-help group (SHG) women members in Tamil Nadu, India. SHG is defined as a small economically homogenous group of people having common goal of socio-economic development. It is revealed that individual characteristics like income, livestock possession and land holding had a negative relationship with group performance indicators such as team spirit, decision making and leadership.

The objective of this research is to analyze the mechanical such as porosity; hardness and high temperature wear behavior of Magnesium (MgZE41A) hybrid composites reinforced with Silver (Ag) and Lithium Aluminate (LiAlO2). The various wt. % such as Ag (1.0 & 1.5) and LiAlO2 (1.0 & 1.5) was reinforced in MgZE41A using Powder Metallurgy (P/M) technique. The sintered composites were characterized using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) coupled with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) line mapping Technique. The porosity and Vicker's hardness of the samples were assessed. Further, the high temperature wear behavior of the composites was evaluated using tribometer with heater setup by varying the heat inputs such as 30°C, 50°C, 100°C, 150°C and 200°C. The results revealed that increasing the wt. % of Ag and LiAlO2 led to decrease the porosity from 0.11 % to 0.09 % due to high compacting pressure and sintering temperature. High temperature Wear rate of the composites was reduced from 2.15 * 10-4 to 0.83 * 10-4 because of wt. % of reinforcement, high compacting pressure and better sintering temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study was carried out in Tiruvannamalai district of Tamil Nadu to evaluate the social, economic and political constraints in livestock rearing as perceived by women SHG members and non-members. A detailed questionnaire among various aspects of socio-economic and political constraints involved in livestock rearing were enlisted and women livestock farmers from SHG members and non-members in the study area were asked to rank each constraint which was then analyzed using Garrets ranking technique. The results showed that SHG member's perceived lack of gender based academic institutions causing illiteracy and lack of agro based industries in rural atmosphere as their vital constraints whereas non-members perceived these constraints trivially. Both SHG members and hon-members identified unhealthy traditions and customs existing in the social atmosphere insignificantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study was undertaken to identify the linkage between crop and livestock farming in tribal areas of Tamil Nadu by collecting data from 900 tribal farmers of six hilly areas of Tamil Nadu. The data were analysed and linkage coefficient was calculated for forward and backward linkages between crop and livestock farming. The results revealed that the backward linkage between livestock and crop farming was observed to be high when compared to the forward linkage between the crop and livestock farming. The factors like vegetable cropping, reduced supply of by products and crop residues, animal ploughing due to uneven shape and surface of land, less market value for dung, etc. favoured the crop-livestock linkages in the hilly areas of Tamil Nadu. It is the need for the hour to take necessary steps for improving the forward linkage i.e. increasing the supply of animal feed and fodder in order to increase the co-efficient of forward linkage atleast at the level of backward linkage for improving the strength and longevity of linkage between the crop and livestock farming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Materials that integrate more than one useful property in single- and multi-phase structures are known as multifunctional materials. Most of them fall in the category of ABO3 perovskite type and in recent times, these materials have attracted considerable attention from engineers and scientists around the globe for electronic devices of the future. Among the perovskites, barium titanate-based structures have emerged at the top for modern research in advanced materials. In this study, polycrystalline Ba0.85Ca0.15Ti(1–x)HfxO3, x = 0.00, 0.05, 0.10, 0.15, materials were synthesized by sol–gel combustion technique and their optical properties were studied. X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed that, Ba0.85Ca0.15Ti(1–x)HfxO3 crystallized at 1000°C with tetragonal symmetry having P4mm space group. In addition to XRD, the presence of the tetragonal phase was confirmed using Raman spectroscopy. The crystallite sizes computed using Scherrer equation were found to range from 15 to 18 nm. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis showed a significant peak at 565 cm−1, confirming the formation of the metal oxide-based ceramics. Ultraviolet-Visible-near-IR spectroscopy of Ba0.85Ca0.15Ti(1–x)HfxO3 showed a slight increase in bandgap energy with the increase of Hf4+. Photoluminescence spectra confirmed the composition of three colours (blue, green and red) with the intensity of emission increasing with Hf4+ doping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ⊗ h -product that is referred in the title was introduced in 2008 as a generalization of the Kronecker product of digraphs. Many relations among labelings have been obtained since then, always using as a second factor a family of super edge-magic graphs with equal order and size. In this paper, we introduce a new labeling construction by changing the role of the factors. Using this new construction the range of applications grows up considerably. In particular, we can increase the information about magic sums of cycles and crowns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dry sliding wear behavior of Al 2219 alloy and Al 2219/SiCp/Gr hybrid composites are investigated under similar conditions. The composites are fabricated using the liquid metallurgy technique. The dry sliding wear test is carried out for sliding speeds up to 6 m/s and for normal loads up to 60 N using a pin on disc apparatus. It is found that the addition of SiCp and graphite reinforcements increases the wear resistance of the composites. The wear rate decreases with the increase in SiCp reinforcement content. As speed increases, the wear rate decreases initially and then increases. The wear rate increases with the increase in load. Scanning electron microscopy micrographs of the worn surface are used to predict the nature of the wear mechanism. Abrasion is the principle wear mechanism for the composites at low sliding speeds and loads. At higher loads, the wear mechanism changes to delamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study was carried out to analyse the trend, seasonal and spatial variations in wholesale and retail egg prices in major market centres of South India. The data on monthly average wholesale NECC prices of egg from major market centres of South India viz., Namakkal, Hyderabad, Nellore, Vijayawada and Mysore and monthly average retail NECC prices of egg from major consumption centres of South India viz., Bangalore, Chennai and Mumbai for the period from August 2000 to July 2009 were collected from various secondary sources. The slope of linear trend equations revealed that the wholesale egg price hiked at rate of four-fifth of a paise per month. The retail egg price trend equation fitted for major consumption centres of South India revealed that the egg price had increased by 0.79 to 0.81 paise per egg. The intercept of trend equations was more (Rs. 99.84 to 107.05) for retail price when compared to the wholesale price (Rs. 92.33 to 96.79). The monthly price indices of egg price in various market centres of South India inferred that the price indices of all the observed centres coincides with each other over various months. The monthly egg price index was observed to be the minimum during the months of March and April and started increasing to reach peak during the month of June. Further, it started decreasing and reached lower value during the months of August and September. The monthly price index was found to increase to reach higher index values during the months of November to January. The seasonal wholesale/ retail egg price index was found to be the highest during the month of November and December and the lowest during the month of April. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study was conducted to identify the bottlenecks in tribal livestock rearing in six hilly areas of Tamil Nadu namely Kolli hill in Namakkal district, Yercaud hill in Salem district, Ooty hill in The Nilgiris district, Kodaikanal in Dindigul district, Yelagiri hill in Vellore district and Sitheri hill in Dharmapuri district. The data were collected from 900 tribal farmers which included landless, marginal, small and large categories based on landholdings. The data were analysed by Garett's ranking technique. The study revealed that the major bottlenecks in livestock farming among different categories of tribal farmers were lack of sufficient pasture land, lack of marketing facilities, lack of adequate credit facilities, exploitation by middlemen, non-remunerative price for the livestock products and lack of scientific knowledge. Based on the results of the study, policies related to the pasture land development, organized livestock products marketing, extensive credit facilities and improvement of animal and human resources were suggested for effective development of different categories of tribal livestock farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The main concern in the present study is the surface roughness variations on the drilled surface and extension of surface and sub-surface deformation due to drilling. The influence of different tools and cutting conditions on Al2219/15%SiCp and Al2219/15%SiCp-3%Graphite (hybrid) composites is investigated experimentally. The composites are fabricated by liquid metallurgy method. The drilling tests are conducted with carbide and coated carbide tools. The surface roughness decreases with the increase in cutting speed and increases with the increase in feed rate. The surface is analyzed using scanning electron microscope (SEM). Microhardness profiles indicate that the subsurface deformation extends up to a maximum of 120μm below the machined surface for Al2219/15SiCp-3Gr composite when compared to 150μm in Al2219/15SiCp composite. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Purpose: Despite several reports on risk factors for septic arthritis (SA) in adults, the outcomes on quality of life and joint function are sparsely reported. This study aimed to investigate the quality of life and joint function in adult patients treated for SA. Methods: This prospective observational study enrolled clinically diagnosed adult SA patients and estimated Euroqol 5-dimension 5 levels (EQ-5D-5L) questionnaire, Euroqol Visual Analog Scale (EQ-VAS) and a validated tool for joint function at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after debridement. Results: Twenty seven patients (20 males/7 females) with 21 knees, four shoulders, and two elbows were evaluated. The mean age of the cases was 51(± 13.00) years. Three cases sustained mortality. EQ-5D-5L (P < 0.01) and EQ-VAS (P < 0.01) scores improved significantly between all time frames. Mean Knee society (P < 0.01), Shoulder QuickDASH, and Mayo elbow scores improved at all time frames. There was no difference in primary outcomes between early (< 14 days) and late (14 days or more) presentation. There was no difference in primary outcome measures between confirmed and suspected SA. Fifteen patients could ambulate without support, while 6 needed some support for walking at 1 year. Conclusion: Improved outcomes can be expected in quality of life and joint function in adults' septic arthritis at the end of 1 year after surgical treatment; however, the effects of delay in presentation need to be investigated further. Isolation of the microorganism from an infected joint has no bearing on the outcome measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The treatment of Neer's type II distal clavicle fractures is challenging because of the high risk of non-union with non-operative management on one hand and complications associated with the operation on other. Methods. Autologous semitendinosus tendon mediated anatomical coracoclavicular (CC) ligament reconstruction was done in 9 Neer's type II acute distal clavicle fractures. The functional and radiological outcomes were assessed after 12 months of operation. Results. There were 8 men and 1 woman in the patients assessed at 12 months of operation. At final evaluation of 12 months 7 Neer's type IIA, and 2 IIB fractures were assessed. The mean age of the patients included in the study was 39 years. The mean operating time was 87 minutes. All except one patient achieved radiological union. All patients had excellent functional outcome scores. The mean Constant and Murley (CMS) score at 12 months of follow up was 90.55 ± 57.80. The CMS score for the case with non-union was 85 at 12 months. The mean CC distance before and after the operation was 19.56 ± 2.80 mm and 11.56 ± 6.7 mm. The difference in the mean CC distance between normal and operated side was less than 5 mm after 12 months of operation in all the cases. Conclusions. The application of autograft mediated anatomical acromioclavicular joint reconstruction technique to CC stabilization in Neer's II distal clavicle fracture achieves union and excellent functional outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Li(NiCoMn)O (LNCMO) cathode material is prepared by poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP)-assisted sol-gel/hydrothermal and poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(propylene glycol)-block-poly (ethylene glycol) (Pluronic-P123)-assisted hydrothermal methods. The compound prepared by PVP-assisted hydrothermal method shows a comparatively higher electrical conductivity of ~2 × 10 S cm and exhibits a discharge capacity of 152 mAh g in the voltage range of 2.5 to 4.4 V, for a C-rate of 0.2 C, whereas the compounds prepared by P123-assisted hydrothermal method and PVP-assisted sol-gel method show a total electrical conductivity in the order of 10 S cm and result in poor electrochemical performance. The structural and electrical properties of LNCMO (active material) and its electrochemical performance are correlated. The difference in percentage of ionic and electronic conductivity contribution to the total electrical conductivity is compared by transference number studies. The cation disorder is found to be the limiting factor for the lithium ion diffusion as determined from ionic conductivity values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Several methods such as copolymerization, plasticization and blending etc., have been used to modulate the conductivity of polymer electrolytes. Polymer blending is one of the most important contemporary ways for the development of new polymeric materials and it is a useful technique for designing materials with a wide variety of properties. Polymer blend electrolyte has been prepared with different concentrations of PVA and PVP by solution casting technique using DMSO as solvent. The prepared films have been investigated by different techniques. The increase in amorphous nature of the polymer electrolytes has been confirmed by XRD analysis. The FTIR analysis reveals that the interchain hydrogen bonding within a PVA–PVP blends. The dielectric permittivity (ε*) and modulus (M*) have been calculated from the ac impedance spectroscopy in the frequency range 42Hz–1MHz and the temperature range 308–373K. The maximum conductivity has been found to be 1.58×10−6 Scm−1 at room temperature for 70PVA:30PVP concentration. The conductivity has been increased to 5.49×10−5 Scm−1 when the temperature is increased to 373K. The activation energy of all samples was calculated using the Arrhenius plot and it has been found to be 0.53eV to 0.78eV. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This work describes the comparison of the catalytic performances of α-MnO 2 nanorods synthesized by a facile hydrothermal approach at varying temperatures (140-200 °C). The structure and morphology of these nanorods were analyzed by XRD, N 2 -physisorption, NH 3 -TPD, Raman, SEM, HRTEM, and XPS. The prepared α-MnO 2 nanorods also performed exceptionally well in the catalytic oxidation of cyclohexanone to dicarboxylic acids under mild reaction conditions. The characterization results conferred that there is a significant influence of hydrothermal temperatures on the textural properties, morphology, and catalytic activity. Notably, the α-MnO 2 nanorods obtained from 180 °C hydrothermal conditions outperformed other catalysts with 77.3 % cyclohexanone conversion and 99 % selectivity towards acid products such as adipic acid (AA), glutaric acid (GA) and succinic acid (SA). The improved catalytic activity may be attributed to the interaction of the bifunctional Mn 3+/4+ redox metal centres and surface acidic sites. The present oxidation reaction was found to be a promising eco-benign process with high selectivity for the production of commercially significant carboxylic acids from cyclohexanone., (© 2024 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

The emergence of social media has given rise to a variety of networking and communication opportunities, as well as the well-known issue of cyberbullying, which is continuously on the rise in the current world. Researchers have been actively addressing cyberbullying for a long time by applying machine learning and deep learning techniques. However, although these algorithms have performed well on artificial datasets, they do not provide similar results when applied to real-time datasets with high levels of noise and imbalance. Consequently, finding generic algorithms that can work on dynamic data available across several platforms is critical. This study used a unique hybrid random forest-based CNN model for text classification, combining the strengths of both approaches. Real-time datasets from Twitter and Instagram were collected and annotated to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed technique. The performance of various ML and DL algorithms was compared, and the RF-based CNN model outperformed them in accuracy and execution speed. This is particularly important for timely detection of bullying episodes and providing assistance to victims. The model achieved an accuracy of 96% and delivered results 3.4 seconds faster than standard CNN models., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Nitya Harshitha, Prabu, Suganya, Sountharrajan, Bavirisetti, Gadde and Uppu.)

Introduction: Chemical testing showed that Zamzam water is completely safe to drink and has health benefits due to its high percentage of sodium, calcium, magnesium, and many other minerals. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the remineralization effect of Zamzam water on extracted premolars using the Vickers Microhardness test., Methods: Teeth samples (N=40) with artificially induced carious lesions were divided randomly into four groups: Study group (I) treated with agitated Zamzam water (n=10), study group (II) treated with non-agitated Zamzam water (n=10), control positive group (III) treated with sodium fluoride (n=10), and control negative group (IV) treated with deionized water (n=10). Teeth were subjected to microhardness testing before and after artificial demineralization and after remineralization treatment within the four groups., Results: Following treatment with different solutions in both study and control groups, there was an increase in microhardness after remineralization but with varying degrees. The highest increase in microhardness was shown after remineralization with sodium fluoride followed by agitated Zamzam water., Conclusion: Zamzam water with agitation causes an increase in the microhardness of the enamel surface after demineralization. Zamzam water is an effective remineralizing agent in initial carious lesions, and its efficacy is comparable to that of sodium fluoride., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2022, Alkhalifah et al.)

Perovskites have emerged as promising earth-abundant alternatives to precious metals for catalyzing the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Herein, we report the synthesis of a series of porous perovskite nanostructures, LaCo0.97O3-δ, with systematic Ni substitution in Co octahedral sites. Their electrocatalytic activity during the water oxidation reaction was studied in alkaline electrolytes. The electrocatalytic OER activity and stability of the perovskite nanostructure was evaluated using the rotating disk electrode technique. We show that the progressive replacement of Co by Ni in the LaCo0.97O3-δ perovskite structure greatly altered the electrocatalytic activity and that the La(Co0.71Ni0.25)0.96O3-δ composition exhibited the lowest OER overpotential of 324 and 265 mV at 10 mA cm(-2) in 0.1 M KOH and 1 M KOH, respectively. This value was much lower than that of the noble metal catalysts, IrO2, Ru/C, and Pt/C. Furthermore, the La(Co0.71Ni0.25)0.96O3-δ nanostructure showed outstanding electrode stability, with no observable decrease in performance up to 114th cycle in the auxiliary linear sweep voltammetry that lasted for 10 h in chronoamperometry studies. The excellent oxygen evolution activity of the La(Co0.71Ni0.25)0.96O3-δ perovskite nanostructure can be attributed to its intrinsic structure, interconnected particle arrangement, and unique redox characteristics. The enhanced intrinsic electrocatalytic activity of the La(Co0.71Ni0.25)0.96O3-δ catalyst was correlated with several parameters, such as the electrochemical surface area, the roughness factor, and the turnover frequency, with respect to variation in the transition metals of the perovskite structure. Subsequently, La(Co0.71Ni0.25)0.96O3-δ was utilized as the air cathode in a zinc-air battery application.

Nitrogen-doped/undoped thermally reduced graphene oxide (N-rGO) decorated with CoMn2O4 (CMO) nanoparticles were synthesized using a simple one-step hydrothermal method. The activity and stability of this hybrid catalyst were evaluated by preparing air electrodes with both primary and rechargeable zinc-air batteries that consume ambient air. Further, we investigated the relationship between the physical properties and the electrochemical results for hybrid electrodes at various cycles using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, galvanodynamic charge-discharging and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The structural, morphological and electrocatalytic performances confirm that CMO/N-rGO is a promising material for safe, reliable, and long-lasting air cathodes for both primary and rechargeable zinc-air batteries that consume air under ambient condition.

A nickel-doped cobalt oxide spinel structure is a promising non-precious metal electrocatalyst for oxygen evolution and oxygen reduction in rechargeable metal-air batteries and water electrolyzers operating with alkaline electrolytes. One dimensional NiCo2O4 (NCO) nanostructures were prepared by using a simple electrospinning technique with two different metal precursors (metal nitrate/PAN and metal acetylacetonate/PAN). The effect of precursor concentration on the morphologies was investigated. Single-phase, NCO with an average diameter of 100 nm, porous interconnected fibrous morphology was revealed by FESEM and FETEM analysis. The hierarchical nanostructured 1D-spinel NiCo2O4 materials showed a remarkable electrocatalytic activity towards oxygen reduction and evolution in an aqueous alkaline medium. The extraordinary bi-functional catalytic activity towards both ORR and OER was observed by the low over potential (0.84 V), which is better than that of noble metal catalysts [Pt/C (1.16 V), Ru/C (1.01 V) and Ir/C (0.92 V)], making them promising cathode materials for metal-air batteries. Furthermore, the rechargeable zinc-air battery with NCO-A1 as a bifunctional electrocatalyst displays high activity and stability during battery discharge, charge, and cycling processes.

Background: The aim of this investigation was to compare the effectiveness of 3% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), 2% chlorhexidine, 1% peracetic acid, and 10% povidone-iodine in the rapid disinfection of Resilon (Pentron Clinical Technologies, LLC, Wallingford, CT) and gutta-percha cones contaminated with Enterococcus faecalis and Bacillus subtilis., Methods: Two hundred fifty-six samples consisting of 128 gutta-percha cones and 128 Resilon cones were used in this study. The materials were tested for disinfection according to the type of solution (3% NaOCl, 2% chlorhexidine, 1% peracetic acid, or 10% povidone-iodine), the time of exposure to each solution (1 or 5 minutes), and the type of microorganisms (E. faecalis or B. subtilis). Subsequent to the disinfection, samples were placed in test tubes containing 10 mL Mueller-Hinton broth and incubated at 37°C for 7 days. All test tubes were observed at 24-hour intervals and visually checked for turbidity, signifying microbial growth., Results: In this study, 1% peracetic acid showed the best results for both 1 minute and 5 minutes of disinfection, 2% chlorhexidine showed the second best results although it was statistically at par with peracetic acid, and 3% hypochlorite ranked third in disinfection; this was statistically significant when compared with peracetic acid and chlorhexidine. Disinfection by povidone-iodine was the least within all the groups for both contact times although disinfection for 5 minutes showed better results than disinfection for 1 minute for gutta-percha., Conclusions: The outcome of this study confirmed the efficacy of 1% peracetic acid and 2% chlorhexidine in the rapid disinfection of both Resilon and gutta-percha., (Copyright © 2013 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)