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Nigella sativa is commonly known as black seed traditionally used in various diseases. In this investigation to find out gastroprotective activity in rats. This paper reports on the investigation of the acute toxicity and gastroprotective effect of the Nigella sativa seed extract on Ibuprofen-induced ulcers. The extract did not show acute toxicity in mice treated with 2 g/kg p.o., but exhibited significant antiulcer activity in rats at doses of 300, and 400mg/kg p.o., with the reference drug omeprazole. The results provide evidence for the usage of Nigella sativa as angastroprotective agent, which has been based previously only on ethnopharmacological claims.

The main purpose of this study is to highlight the involvement of the facial nerve as one of the presenting symptoms in patients suspected of coronavirus disease associated mucormycosis (CAM).This is a retrospective observational study conducted at a tertiary care referral centre which included 300 patients with past history of being treated for coronavirus disease and who presented to our department with symptoms of invasive fungal sinusitis. All the patients were evaluated clinically and radiologically for presence of facial nerve palsy (FNP) in suspected cases of CAM. All the patients were managed with combined modality treatment with antifungal therapy and radical endoscopic debridement of the necrotic tissue and fungal debris.The data were analysed to assess the possible epidemiological factors linked to CAM. Diabetes mellitus was the most common associated factor identified for aggravating of CAM. FNP is also one of the common presentation seen among 53 patients with CAM.FNP is an unusual but significant sign in presentation of mucormycosis. It could be easily misdiagnosed as cerebrovascular accident leading to delay in the treatment. During this era of Covid-19 pandemic where wearing of masks has become mandatory, there is a high probability of this finding to be missed. Thus, our study emphasises for thorough cranial nerve examination in all cases of CAM, for an early and an immediate intervention to prevent the spread of the disease and also to improve the overall general condition of the patient.

Reflectance spectroscopy can provide an alternate approach to traditional method for estimation of a large scale of major soil parameter. In the present study, an airborne high-resolution hyperspectral data Airborne Visible Infrared Imaging Spectrometer-Next Generation (AVIRIS-NG) was used to spatially predict topsoil calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and clay content in parts of Karnataka, India. A total of 24 locations were selected over agricultural and waste land, and soil samples were collected, and surface reflectance was measured using an ASD Field Spec Pro Spectroradiometer in the laboratory. Continuum Removal (CR) method was used to normalize the reflectance spectra. Continuum Removal Absorption Depth (CRAD) of bands 2205 and 2340 nm was used to predict clay and CaCO3 content in soils through linear regression. The mean clay and CaCO3 content of 35.6% (95%CI 28.07–43.16%) and 4.16% (95%CI 3.61–4.71%) for surface soils were predicted by continuum removal linear regression (CRLR) method with estimation errors of RMSE = 11.0 and 2.19, R2 = 0.51 and 0.58, respectively. The 95% confidence intervals were used to calculate the uncertainty of the prediction which showed 42.3% and 26.4% for clay and CaCO3 prediction, respectively. The uncertainty assessment shows that CRLR approach is not a very promising tool for quantitative spatial prediction of soil clay; however, it can be used fairly for CaCO3 prediction from airborne hyperspectral data. The higher uncertainties in the clay estimates may be due to the nature and types of various clay minerals present in the studied soils. The regression models developed may or may not be utilized for other regions with similar variability.

A series of Sr1−x−yErxYbyMoO4 phosphor compositions codoped with Er3+ (x = 1 mol%) and varying Yb3+ (y = 0–9 mol%) dopants have been evaluated for luminescence-based thermometry. Sintered ceramics exhibit enhanced grain growth at an optimum Yb3+ content (y = 0.03) and exhibit improved upconversion luminescence and a relatively better thermometric performance over the phosphors in the powder form. Strong upconversion (UC) luminescence at ~ 529, ~ 552, and ~ 662 nm assisted by a 2-photon process, cooperative luminescence from Yb3+ ion pair at 495 nm, and weak UC emissions at ~ 380 and ~ 410 nm due to 3-photon process are identified. Luminescence quenching is observed in all the UC emission bands for Yb3+ content y > 3 mol%. Sensitization from Yb3+ to Er3+ and Yb3+–(MoO4)2− dimer to Er3+ ions results in selective enhancement of the green emission. Variation of UC emission intensity with increasing dopant concentration is analyzed using Dexter’s energy transfer formula, which supports the dipole–dipole interaction between Yb3+ and Er3+ ions. Changes in fluorescence intensity ratio (I529/I552) with temperature reveal the potential usefulness of the optimized Sr0.96Er0.01Yb0.03MoO4 phosphor composition in the ceramic form for non-contact optical thermometry and exhibits good repeatability for temperature sensing applications.

Imposition of large amplitude oscillatory shear (LAOS) on crystallizing polymer melts results in lamellar orientation in the shear gradient direction, in contrast to the flow-orientation observed for steady shear. LAOS enhances the formation of plate-like nuclei and orients their normals in the gradient direction. An Arrhenius temperature dependence (with activation energy ≈ 226 kJ/mol) characterizes the relaxation of crystal orientation with annealing.

Sintering characteristics of La2Ti2O7 prepared by solid state reaction method have been studied. Variations in the structural, electrical and ferroelectric properties are correlated with the changes in the physical and chemical microstructure occurring at different sintering temperatures. High sintering temperatures reduce the porosity; produce plate-like grain morphology with a large crystallite size, and a dense microstructure at 1600 °C with significant lattice strain. X-ray diffraction and vibrational spectroscopy confirm the formation of a well reacted La2Ti2O7 compound. Frequency dependent dielectric response e ' ( f ) in the range (10−2-106 Hz) shows significant dispersion for ceramics sintered at lower sintering temperatures (1200–1500 °C). Variations in the high frequency dielectric constant ( e ' ) in the dispersion-free region at 1 MHz are found to correlate with the micro-structural changes occurring at different sintering temperatures. Ceramics sintered at 1600 °C exhibit high resistivity (∼1014 Ω cm), low dielectric loss (tanδ ∼ 10−2-10−3), and a stable dielectric constant ( e ' ∼47) which remains dispersion-free in the entire frequency range (10−2-106 Hz). The high residual lattice strain in ceramics sintered at 1600 °C prevents reliable hysteresis loop measurements, whereas strain-free ceramics sintered at 1400–1500 °C exhibit hysteresis loops but the polarization values are low (0.34–0.37 μC/cm2), coercive fields are high (50–67 kV/cm) and the piezoelectric coefficient d33 = 1.0–1.5 pC/N is low.

To compare the efficacies and post operative outcomes of patients with nasal packing with merocel, intranasal splints and merocel along with intra-nasal infant feeding tubes following septo-turbinoplasty, in patients with nasal obstruction secondary to septal deviation and inferior turbinate hypertrophy. A prospective study was done in 60 patients of symptomatic deviated nasal septum with inferior turbinate hypertrophy. Septoturbinoplasty was performed. Patients' nasal cavity was packed for 48 h after being randomly divided into 3 groups: (1) packing using merocel, (2) intra-intra nasal septal silicone splint, (3) packing using truncated merocel along with infant feeding tube. Patients were given a questionnaire 24 h post operatively and their reponse was analysed to compare nasal blockage, epistaxis, epiphora and headache. Pain on pack removal was recorded after 48 h. We found that merocel with infant feeding tube had better tolerance than plain merocel in almost all cases, with symptoms of nasal blockage, epiphora, headache and pain on pack removal being lesser than with plain merocel, and comparable to the results produced by nasal splints. Also the epistaxis control in merocel with infant feeding tube was better than with nasal splints. Truncated merocel with infant feeding tubes provides a suitable and cheap replacement for nasal splints which may not be affordable to a lot of patients, or may not in available in many settings. The results are superior to plain merocel and the control of post operative bleeding is better than with intra nasal splints.

The primary objective of the study was to assess the Tubercle of zuckerkandl (TZ) during thyroid surgeries and its relationship with RLN and Superior parathyroid (SP). A prospective study was done in, 30 consecutive cases of total thyroidectomy in whom per operatively TZ was identified. The presence of TZ, its laterality, size, relationship with RLN and parathyroid glands were documented. A grading system outlined by Pelizzo was applied in our current study. In majority of the cases the RLN was found to lie medial to TZ (26/30), followed by lateral position (3/30) and one case it was found to be posterior to TZ (1/30). The superior parathyroid was identified in close relation (

BaSn x Ti 1- x O 3 solid solutions with varying Sn content ( x = 0.0–0.28) have been characterized for their structural, dielectric and ferroelectric properties. Rietveld analysis of high resolution X-ray diffraction (HRXRD) data reveals the coexistence of (tetragonal+orthorhombic) phases for x = 0.05, and (rhombohedral+cubic) phases for x = 0.12, and a single phase for the remaining compositions. Raman spectroscopy at room temperature reveals composition induced structural changes, and exhibits disorder-activated scattering at ∼110 cm −1 due to coexisting SnO 6 and TiO 6 octahedra in BaSn x Ti 1- x O 3 compositions with Sn content x ≥ 0.1. Presence of SnO 6 is confirmed both by Raman and infrared (IR) absorption spectroscopy. Incipient growth of a defect-induced semiconducting phase (BaSnO 3 ) builds-up with increasing Sn content ( x ≥ 0.05), but remains undetected by X-ray diffraction. It is prominently revealed by the high frequency Raman mode at ∼752 cm −1 , which upon de-convolution shows the involvement of two overlapped modes. A decreasing intensity ratio of the two modes with increasing Sn content ( x = 0.05–0.15) correlates with the observed decrease in remnant polarization, and a complete overlapping of the modes at a higher level of Sn content ( x = 0.27) signifies the onset of relaxor behavior in the dielectric characteristics.

The paper reports highest obtained dielectric constant for Ni-doped Lead Zirconate Titanate [PZT, Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3] ceramics. The Ni-doped PZT ceramic pellets were prepared via conventional solid-state reaction method with Ni content chosen in the range 0–20 at%. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy were employed to investigate the crystal structure of the prepared ceramics. The X-ray diffraction analysis indicated that the ceramic pellets had crystallized into tetragonal perovskite structure. A minute displacement of XRD peaks was detected in the diffraction spectra of Ni-doped PZT ceramic samples which when examined by size-strain plot (SSP) method revealed presence of homogenous strain that decreased with increase in concentration of Ni. In FTIR the maximum absorption at 597 cm−1, 608 cm−1, 611 cm−1, 605 and 613 cm−1 for Ni = 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 at%, respectively, confirmed the formation of perovskite structure in all the compositions and the slight shift suggests decrease in cell size on doping. The values of dielectric constant (e′) & tanδ as a function of frequency and temperature were measured for the prepared ceramics and it revealed highest ever reported dielectric constant for Ni - doped PZT with Ni = 5 at%. The dielectric variation with temperature exhibited a diffused type ferroelectric–paraelectric phase transition for the doped samples. Also, the maximum dielectric constant value (e′max) decreased while the phase transition temperature increased with increase in doping concentration of Ni. The estimated activation energy of different compositions was found to increase from 0.057 to 0.068 eV for x = 0.00 to x = 0.20 in ferroelectric phase. The piezoelectric, ferroelectric and magnetic properties were also investigated.

Structural and magnetic properties of as-prepared and annealed MgFe2O4 nano-powders prepared by auto-combustion method using dl-alanine fuel have been investigated. Nanoparticles with single-crystal electron diffraction patterns are analyzed, and phase purity is confirmed by X-ray diffraction and Raman and infrared spectroscopy. Residual carbon (C), hydrogen (H) and nitrogen (N) content in as-prepared powders is found to reduce by annealing the powders at 900 °C in air. Annealing the as-prepared powders in the range (600–1200 °C) increases the crystallite size from 35 to 46 nm, and increases saturation magnetization to 36 emu/g with low coercivity of ~ 33 Oe. Variations in the magnetic properties are correlated with changes in cation distribution in the octahedral and tetrahedral sites estimated from X-ray diffraction and magnetic studies.

The Er3+ / Yb3+ co-doped SrMoO4 phosphor were synthesized via solid state reaction method. X-ray diffraction studies on sintered powders indicated the formation of single phase tetragonal structure, and the lattice parameters are measured by Rietveld analysis using TOPAS software. A remarkable enhancement in upconversion (UC) emission intensity in the presence of Yb3+ sensitizer ion and the detailed mechanism in proposed UC emission is studied. The dynamics of up-conversion process, by recording the decay profiles is also studied.

The accurate and complete spatial distribution of soil texture is required for proper land use planning, soil management practices and other interventions linked to environmental protection. In the present study, we spatially predicted sand, silt and clay content in top soil (0–15 cm) in parts of Gadag district in Karnataka, India using satellite-based indices and geostatistical modeling. The study was conducted to evaluate the Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) remote sensing data as auxiliary variable along with CartoDEM for spatial prediction of sand, silt and clay content with a total of 57 number of field observations. The bands 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), The Grain Size Index (GSI) and the relationship between band 4 and 3, 4 and 7 and 6 and 7 of Landsat 8 OLI and slope, elevation of CartoDEM were used as covariates for modeling. Among these covariates NDVI and relationship between band 4 and band 7 were not significantly correlated with the sand, silt and clay content. However digital number (DN) of band 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, GSI and relationship between band 4 to band 3 were significantly correlated with the surface soil sand, silt and clay content. The DN of band 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, GSI and relationship between band 4 to band 3 were selected as auxiliary data for the estimation of sand and silt content, whereas the DN of band 5 and 7 explained most of the variability of soil clay. The Regression Kriging (RK) and Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) were employed to predict soil texture and compared for better accuracy of estimation. The greater spatial variability (58.8, 48.2 and 33.2%) of sand, silt and clay content respectively were predicted with lower estimation errors (RMSE = 7.41, 4.68 and 7.64, R2 = 0.95, 0.55 and 0.91 respectively) in RK as compared to MLR method (RMSE = 9.18, 5.65 and 11.13, R2 = 0.90, 0.38 and 0.80 respectively). The average decrease of 31.3, 19.2 and 17.5% in the prediction error was observed in RK over MLR approach in clay, sand and silt prediction respectively. The uncertainty of the prediction was calculated by 95% confidence intervals, which showed 7.51, 43.5 and 49.6% for sand, silt and clay prediction respectively. The current study showed that RK approach can be useful to predict sand, silt and clay content over MLR approach.

Ceramic compositions of (Ba1-xCdx)(Zr0.13Ti0.87)O3 with x = 0, 0.02, 0.04 and 0.06 exhibit a layered microstructure and enhanced grain growth (~ 50 µm for x = 0.06). The XRD and Raman measurements reveal the coexistence of rhombohedral, orthorhombic and tetragonal phase, and with increase in Cd content the rhombohedral phase fraction increases significantly (10–56%) whereas the phase fraction of tetragonal decreases (62–14%). Pyroelectric coefficient (p) increases with Cd content and a large value of p ~ 1841 μCm−2 K−1 is obtained for x = 0.06. Current responsivity Fi is maximum (~ 849 pmV-1) for x = 0.02, whereas the voltage responsivity Fv (~45 ×10−3 m2 C−1), detectivity Fd (~48 μPa−1/2) and thermal energy harvesting figure of merit Fe* (~34 pJ−1 m3) are maximum for x = 0.06. Ease of polarization rotation in the polymorphic state due to the coexistence of rhombohedral, orthorhombic and tetragonal phases, and a large ceramic grain size contribute to the strong pyroelectric response.

In the present study, formation of single-phase Strontium Bismuth Niobate (SBN) composition is investigated and the phase evolution is understood by studying the reaction mechanism between the raw materials and their combinations. The ceramics compositions were prepared using conventional solid-state reaction method. TG/DTA studies of all the constituents of SBN and the combination of its components have been carried out. X ray diffraction studies reveal the evolution of different phases among the raw powders thermally treated in different temperature ranges. FTIR studies reveal how different phases evolve as a function of calcination temperature. In the present study, an attempt is made to understand the effect of thermal treatment on the reaction mechanism for the formation of single-phase SBN.

Antimony (Sb) substituted Strontium Bismuth Niobate ceramics with chemical formula SrBi2-xSbx Nb2O9 (SBSN) have been prepared through conventional solid state reaction method with varying Sb content in the range (x = 0.0 to 0.5). Limited solubility of Sb content in SBN ceramics were revealed through X-ray diffraction studies which indicates secondary phases of Sb2O3 in prepared ceramics for Sb content x > 0.2. Formation of single phase with orthorhombic structure were confirmed for compositions having x = 0.0 to 0.2. Increase in c-axis of lattice crystal are analyzed and correlated to the ionic structure and existence of lone pair in Sb. Dielectric properties of all SBSN ceramics compositions are studied as a function of temperature over the frequency range of 100 Hz–1 MHz. Increase in Sb incorporation shows insignificant shift in Ferroelectric to Paraelectric Phase transition Temperature in SBSN ceramics. Sb substitution results in the increase in ferroelectricity (2Pr = 15.4 μC/cm2) and poiezoelectric coefficient (d33 = 20 pC/N) for composition having x = 0.1 in SBSN ceramic. Sb substitution results in increase of piezoelectric coefficients (d33) whereas piezoelectric charge coefficient values for composition SrSb0.1Bi1.9Nb2O9 was found to be comparable to that of PZT at room temperature. Existence of lone pair of electron in Antimony were correlated with high piezoelectric coefficient in SBSN ceramics.

Structural, optical, vibrational and magnetic properties of sol–gel auto-combustion assisted Zn1−xNixO (x = 0–3 mol%) nanoparticles have been characterized. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies show hexagonal wurtzite phase formation upto 1 mol% doping, confirming the substitution of Ni2+ ions. Photoluminescence and Raman spectroscopy confirm existence of zinc interstitials (Zni) and oxygen vacancies (Vo). Both extrinsic Ni doping and intrinsic oxygen vacancy contribute to the observed ferromagnetism. Magnetization values derived from bound magnetic polaron (BMP) model match the observed changes in magnetization. Temperature dependent magnetization characteristics of 1 mol% Ni doped ZnO exhibits distinct zero field cooled (ZFC) and field cooled (FC) curves.

Both tungsten (W) and platinum (Pt) are materials of interest in modern science and technology. Here, in this paper, we report the growth of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) by thermal chemical vapour deposition (CVD) on Pt–W catalyst with MgO as a support material. The XRD studies were used to determine the structural characteristic of the as-prepared catalyst. Raman spectroscopy studies confirm the growth of MWCNTs with less structural defects and non-crystalline carbonaceous products. The images of field scanning electron microscope (FESEM) show that the grown network of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) contains less impurities, whereas the high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) images indicate that the grown MWCNTs have good crystallinity with no lateral carbon deposit. TGA of the unpurified CNT product shows the addition of catalyst particles with the sample. This study will pave way for the new research area in the synthesis of CNTs and their applications in the electronic industry. Moreover, the results were compared with the previously reported results in the literature.