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In the present work, systematic studies on the optical properties of six tin (IV) oxide (SnO2) thin films of varying thicknesses were done and their influence on gas sensing response were studied. Refractive index and packing density of 90 nm tin (IV) oxide film was observed to be lowest among all six films which the presence of voids and defects in the film. Further, the dispersion in the refractive index of tin (IV) oxide thin films was analyzed in light of the single-oscillator model (SOM). A good agreement between the experimental refractive index data and the SOM was observed. The values of E o, E d and S o were found to be the lowest for the 90 nm thin tin (IV) oxide film, which further confirms the presence of a large concentration of voids and a lower density. The outcome of the present study suggests the potential use of 90 nm thin tin (IV) oxide film as the base material that can be used for efficient detection of liquefied petroleum gas.

The present work focuses on understanding the impact of varying the thickness of SnO2 thin films on its gas-sensing response. Systematic studies were conducted by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) on the structural and morphological properties of SnO2 thin films, which were thereafter correlated for a deeper understanding of the sensing phenomenon. The structural and morphological properties of SnO2 thin films were found to be highly dependent on the film thickness. The 90 nm SnO2 thin film exhibits the maximum sensing response to 200 ppm liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). A rough microstructure and the maximum surface-to-volume ratio of the 90 nm SnO2 thin film favors the gas-sensing response. It also possesses the smallest grain size, with the majority of crystallites oriented along the preferred (110) plane. The results suggest the possibility of utilizing the 90 nm SnO2 thin film as a base material, which can be further modified using a catalyst for the efficient detection of LPG gas in the future.

In this paper we report a novel method for determining the Planck’s constant experimentally. We have determined the Planck’s constant using light emitting diodes (LEDs) of four different colours (Red, Green, Yellow and Blue) with the aid of a python programming. The LEDs were not provided with a specific wavelength value, and they could have any arbitrary wavelength in their respective colour bands. We determined the wavelengths of the LED lights using a Python program and calculated the value of the Planck’s constant using them. The value obtained was compared with the Planck’s constant value determined using a traditional method being followed in undergraduate labs and its actual value. The relative error while reporting the value of Planck’s constant using traditional method was around 18% which was reduced to 6% by using the method reported in the present study.

This study analyses the research output in diabetes literature in India during 2019 indexed on Web of Science database on several aspects includes growth, rank and global publication and share of international collaborative papers. It also analyses the most productive authors, top journals, on-year wise distribution, country wise distribution and authorship pattern of contribution. The highest number of scientific outputs belongs to USA, UK, Netherland, India followed by other countries which considerably had a lower rate of publication. Among all authors globally V. Mohan contributed 75 articles on Diabetes literature. From this study it was concluded that the publication on Diabetes literature was increased and more participation should be needed for the growth of Diabetes literature nationally throughout countries.

Among atrial fibrillation (AF) patients, it is unclear whether the efficacy and safety of direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC) relative to warfarin is consistent across various levels of international normalized ratio (INR) control. To determine the efficacy and safety of DOAC agents compared with warfarin for patients with various levels of anticoagulation control as reflected by their time in therapeutic range (TTR), we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of published randomized controlled trials of DOAC versus (vs) warfarin which reported outcomes stratified by TTR. Based on reported center-based TTR (cTTR) ranges, degrees of INR control were categorized into 3 cTTR strata: low (60%), intermediate (60% to 66%), and high (66%). Pooled hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were determined for stroke or systemic embolism (SSE), major bleeding, and intracranial hemorrhage (ICH). Across all cTTR strata, DOAC-treated patients had lower risk of SSE versus warfarin, with a HR of 0.73 (95% CI 0.61 to 0.88) for the low, 0.76 (95% CI 0.59 to 0.98) intermediate; and 0.78 (95% CI 0.63 to 0.96) high cTTR subgroups. Compared with warfarin, DOAC-treated patients had lower risk of major bleeding in the low and intermediate cTTR strata, and similar risk in the highest cTTR stratum (HR 1.00, 95% CI 0.80 to 1.26). Patients treated with DOAC had lower risk of ICH compared with warfarin (HR 0.55, 95% CI; 0.40 to 0.74) which was observed across all cTTR strata. In conclusion, regardless of the degree of INR control, DOAC agents are preferable over warfarin as stroke prevention therapy for patients with AF.

Library resources and services are pivotal role players in teaching, learning, and innovation. Owing to the adoption of information communication technology (ICT) in library and day-to-day changing information needs of the users, it is need of present era to redesign the library resources and services. The study which forms the subject matter of the present article highlights the usage of resources and services by agriculture postgraduate colleges of Chhattisgarh and examines the library resources and services which are really useful to agriculture scientist. Further the study is focused on significance satisfaction level differences amongst agriculture scientists. For carrying out this study, the research approach was used as a survey method. Questionnaire was used as a tool for getting information from respondents. The findings of the study have confirmed that most of the agriculture scientists were occasional visitors to the library due to less information resources in the library. It was found that majority of the agriculture scientists were partially satisfied with the library resources and services.

In the present study, rhizobial isolate LB2 was procured from the root nodules of Leucaena leucocephala wildly growing in saline soil. On the basis of morphology, biochemical analysis and nucleotide sequence homology LB2 was identified as Agrobacterium tumefaciens syn. Rhizobium radiobacter (Accession no. KY392996). Rhizobium radiobacter LB2 showed various plant growth promoting (PGP) activities such as mineral (zinc and phosphate) solubilisation, nitrogen fixation, production of indole acetic acid (IAA), exopolysaccharides (EPS) and siderophore. LB2 also showed salt tolerance activity up to 4% NaCl concentration. In this study, four types of fertilizers, including chemical (NPK), vermicompost (VC), farmyard manure (FYM) and bacterial inoculant (R. radiobacter LB2) were applied on lettuce crop to check their impact on growth, nutritional content and yield in the field conditions. Among all the treatments, bacterial inoculant R. radiobacter was observed as best for lettuce cultivation. Rhizobium radiobacter (LB2) caused highest increment in all the plant growth parameters with improved nutritional content in comparison to control and other treatments. Rhizobium radiobacter treatment was found to be effective even in saline soil. Rhizobium radiobacter (LB2) can thus be used for the enhanced lettuce cultivation along with combating soil salinity in sustainable manner without the input of harmful chemicals.

Since last century or so anthropogenic activities have intensely metamorphosed the earth’s ecosystem and resulted into major environmental changes. Widespread interference of human related activities have resulted in major problems including environmental pollution, land degradation, global warming/climate change, paucity of potable water supply and biodiversity loss. These issues have directly affected the quality and sustainability of the ecosystems. In addition, these activities have resulted in loss of habitats resulting in mass extinction of species which in itself is a matter of great concern. Studies and data clearly show that if present trends continue the conditions are expected to worsen in the coming time and human civilization itself will be in trouble. To minimize this crisis, possible green solutions like use of microbes and biotechnological tools are gaining importance and need further attention in order to lessen or remediate the harmful effects of anthropogenic activities thus ensuring environmental sustainability.

Graphical abstract, Background The collective impact of climate change and soil salinity is continuously increasing the degraded lands across the globe, bringing agricultural productivity and food security under stress. The high concentration of salts in saline soils impose osmotic, ionic, oxidative and water stress in plants. Biological solutions can be the most reliable and sustainable approach to ensure food security and limit the use of agro-chemicals. Aim of Review Halo-tolerant plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (HT-PGPR) are emerging as efficient biological tools to mitigate the toxic effects of high salt concentrations and improve the growth of plants, simultaneously remediating the degraded saline soils. The review explains the role of HT-PGPR in mitigating the salinity stress in plants through diverse mechanisms and concurrently leading to improvement of soil quality. Key Scientific Concepts of Review HT-PGPR are involved in alleviating the salinity stress in plants through a number of mechanisms evoking multipronged physiological, biochemical and molecular responses. These include changes in expression of defense-related proteins, exopolysaccharides synthesis, activation of antioxidant machinery, accumulation of osmolytes, maintaining the Na+ kinetics and improving the levels of phytohormones and nutrient uptake in plants. The modification of signaling by HT-PGPR inoculation under stress conditions elicits induced systemic resistance in plants which further prepares them against salinity stress. The role of microbial-mechanisms in remediating the saline soil through structural and compositional improvements is also important. Development of novel bioinoculants for saline soils based on the concepts presented in the review can be a sustainable approach in improving productivity of affected agro-ecosystems and simultaneously remediating them.

The aim of this work is based on assessment of heavy metal pollution in aquatic ecosystem. HMs are ubiquitous in nature and they emanate from nature as well as anthropogenic sources. In past few years, due to continuous discharge from sewage plants and industries, contamination of water bodies has increased tremendously. In recent few years, HMs have received a significant awareness. Basically toxicity of HMs depends upon the embodiment and course of manifestations. They cause interruption in intracellular homeostasis, damage to cellular components through free radicals. This review highlights the necessity for development of mechanism or strategies to overcome metal exposure and to identify substances that devote significantly to overcome their toxic effects within living organisms’ body.

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.

Salinity is a major abiotic stress which limits the crop productivity. In this study salt tolerant bacteria were isolated from root nodules of Crotalaria juncea plant collected from different salt affected sites. Salt tolerance activity of all the isolates was checked and it was observed that 47% of the isolates showed up to 8% salt tolerance. On the basis of morphological, biochemical and physiological characterization isolates were found to be Gram negative, rod shaped and motile bacteria that belong to rhizobia. All the isolates also showed nodulation in host plant. Most of the isolates were positive for various plant growth promoting attributes. On the basis of salt tolerance and plant growth promoting characterization isolate CR6 was selected for further studies. CR6 showed positive results for phosphate and zinc solubilisation, and was able to produce indole acetic acid (IAA), siderophore and exopolysaccharides (EPS). CR6 also showed nitrogen fixation and ACC deaminase activity. CR6 was applied on Crotalaria plant to enhance growth in saline soil. After application of CR6 seed germination rate and various growth parameters such as root length, shoot length, nodule number, fresh weight, dry weight, leaves count, chlorophyll and proline content of plants were enhanced in comparison to control, hence CR6 can be used as an efficient bioinoculant to enhance crop growth in saline soil.

The rhizosphere is the region around plant roots where maximum microbial activities occur. In the rhizosphere both beneficial and harmful activities of microorganisms affect plant growth and development. The mutualistic rhizospheric bacteria which improve the plant growth and health are known as plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR). They are of much importance due to their ability to help the plant in diverse manners. PGPR such as Pseudomonas, Bacillus, Azospirillum, Azotobacter, Arthrobacter, Achromobacter, Micrococcus, Enterobacter, Rhizobium, Agrobacterium, Pantoea, and Serratia are now very well known. Application of PGPR as bioinoculants/bioformulations is found to be very effective in enhancing crop productivity in a sustainable way. The use of PGPR in agriculture is also ecologically important as the synthetic chemicals used in agriculture are a severe threat to agroecosystems.

The prescription of Methotrexate is well-recognized for various neoplastic diseases. For Rheumatoid arthritis, it is prescribed once a week, low-dose regimen for the treatment of psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis. Apart from providing therapeutic benefit, it is not devoid of side effects like oral ulceration which may be due to over dosage regarding its once-weekly regime. This case report describes a patient with inherent Methotrexate toxicity that developed oral mucositis due to Methotrexate being given for rheumatoid arthritis.

Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) are emerging as a new class of biodegradable green solvents; a cost-effective alternative to the conventional room temperature ionic liquids and organic solvents. Hydrophilic nature of DES finds its applications in many industrial and chemical processes. Aqueous mixtures of DESs have potential to afford modified properties for specific applications. A comparative study of densities of two well-known DESs named as ethaline (mixture of choline chloride and ethylene glycol in 1:2 molar ratio) and maline (mixture of choline chloride and malonic acid in 1:2 molar ratio) and their aqueous mixtures in the temperature range 283.15–363.15 K is presented. Decrease in density with increasing temperature is found to follow a quadratic expression. Excess molar volumes of the aqueous mixtures of both ethaline and maline are found to be negative and significant at all temperatures and compositions. Absolute excess molar volume is found to decrease as the temperature is increased from 283.15 K to 323.15 K. For temperature above 323.15 K, the excess molar volume does not change much with further increase in temperature till 363.15 K. The outcomes hint at the presence of relatively stronger interactions, preferably H-bonding type, between water and ethaline/maline, as compared to those among water and among ethaline/maline molecules, respectively. The excess molar volumes at higher temperatures strongly indicate facile interstitial accommodation of water within H-bonded ethaline/maline network to be also present within these aqueous DES mixtures.

In this study, siderophore production by various bacteria amongst the plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria was quantified by a rapid and efficient method. In total, 23 siderophore-producing bacterial isolates/strains were taken to estimate their siderophore-producing ability by the standard method (chrome azurol sulphonate assay) as well as 96 well microplate method. Production of siderophore was estimated in percent siderophore unit by both the methods. It was observed that data obtained by both methods correlated positively with each other proving the correctness of microplate method. By the modified microplate method, siderophore production by several bacterial strains can be estimated both qualitatively and quantitatively at one go, saving time, chemicals, making it very less tedious, and also being cheaper in comparison with the method currently in use. The modified microtiter plate method as proposed here makes it far easier to screen the plant-growth-promoting character of plant-associated bacteria.

The nitrogen fixing bacterial group known as rhizobia are very important and are used as biological fertilizers for two main purposes; one is to fulfil the nutritional requirements of increasingly populated world and other to overcome the problems arising due to chemical fertilizers. Rhizobial bioformulations are in the market since more than a century and can be the solution for deficiency of nitrogen in our food and soils. Rhizobia maintain the soil fertility along with higher crop yields due to the capability of biological nitrogen fixation (BNF). Currently, various types of rhizobial biofertilizers are commercially available in the market all over the world for agricultural purposes. These can be solid carrier based formulations (organic and inorganic), liquid formulations (with and without additives), synthetic polymer based formulations or metabolite based formulations, but there still is a great room for improvement. However, over the years there have been subtle changes in the rhizobial inoculants in terms of production and application.

The bibliometrics analysis of the journal “SRELS journal of information management (2000-2013)” shows a trend of growth in contribution and average number of contribution is 44.78 per volume. Majority of the library and information scientists prefer to do collaborative research and contribute their papers jointly. Majority of the library and information scientists have cited journals in large number 2900 (40.57%) while books comes on second with 2090 (29.24%) citations.

The paper examines the authorship pattern and author collaboration in the conference proceedings of World library and Information Congress organised by International Federation of Library Institution and Association (IFLA). For the study, the data from 2011 to 2015(5 years) has been taken. The authorship pattern is studied and the degree of collaboration is calculated which is 0.4463 for the present dataset. In the paper, Lotka's law was tested for which the value of the exponent n and the constant c were computed. Kolmogorov-Smirnov (K-S) goodness-of-fit is applied to verify the applicability of Lotka's law. It is found from the study that observed distribution is different from theoretical distribution predicted by Lotka's law. The law does not fit in the observed distribution of IFLA.

In the last few years, biopesticides have emerged as suitable alternatives to synthetic chemical pesticides. They are cheaper and pose no threat to agroecosystems. This is why their demand and production are also increasing at global level. The law and policies regulating their use and development vary from country to country, and in-depth analysis shows that there is no uniform regulatory model that can simplify their regulation and registration process. Although by the effort of some global agencies such as the International Organization for Biological Control (IOBC), European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization (EPPO) and Organization for Economic and Co-operative Development (OECD), some flexibility to biopesticide regulation have been provided, but in comparison to chemical pesticides, which have firm market and established nonoverlapping laws, biopesticides lag behind. This chapter provides comprehensive details of regulation systems adopted around the globe and to address shortcomings of existing system; besides this emphasis is also given to adopt innovative practices that could pave way for regulations which are simpler and more universal.

The present study evaluates the ethno-medicinal importance and anti-microbial activity of Bacopa monnieri ( L.), a creeping herb, belonging to Scrophulariaceae against selected bacterial strains ( E.coli,E.coli K 88,Klebsiella pneumoniae,Proteus vulgaris,Bacillus subtilis UC 564,B.pumilus 8241,B.licheniformis,Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6571,Streptococcus faecalis 52,Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212,Pseudomonas aeruginosa,Salmonella typhii 62,Shigella dysenteriae 3,S.flexneri E0 3429,S.sonnei E0 8869 ) and fungal cultures of Aspergillus niger and candida albicans.

Strontium substituted CaBi4Ti4O15 ceramics with the chemical formula Ca1−xSrxBi4Ti4O15 (CSBT) (x = 0.0–1.0) have been prepared through conventional solid state route. The formation of single phase material with orthorhombic structure was verified from X-ray diffraction with incorporation of Sr substitution. Decrease in a-axis displacement of Bi ion in the perovskite structure in the CSBT ceramics were observed from the relative changes in soft mode (20 cm−1) in the Raman spectra, and increase in Sr incorporation shows the shift in ferroelectric to paraelectric phase transition temperature. The dielectric properties for all the CSBT ceramic compositions are studied as a function of temperature over the frequency range of 100 Hz–1 MHz. Curie's temperature was found to be function of Sr substitution and with increase in the Sr concentration the phase transition becomes sharper and phase transition temperature gets shifted towards lower temperature (790–545 °C). The behavior of ac conductivity as a function of frequency (100 Hz–1 MHz) at low temperature (

SrBi2Nb2O9 (SBN) and SrBi1.9La0.1Nb2O9 (SBLN) have been prepared through conventional solid state route. The crystallographic orientation of the prepared ceramics was investigated using x-ray diffraction. FTIR spectroscopy indicate the growth of single-phase layered perovskite material. The dielectric properties of prepared ceramics are studied as a function of frequency (10 KHz–1 MHz) at different temperatures (25–500°C). The phase transition temperature of SrBi2Nb2O9 ceramic was found to decrease from 420°C to 395°C with La (10%) doping. A slight decrease in the value of dc conductivity at 500°C from 3.82 × 10−6 to 2.28 × 10−6 Ω−1cm−1 was observed with substitution of La at the Bi-site. The power law behavior of ac conductivity is analyzed as a function of frequency at different temperatures.

Objective: To investigate the antibacterial efficacy of methanol extracts of leaves and roots of B. diffusa, Eclipta alba, Phyllanthus niruri and Ricinus communis. Methods: The antimicrobial efficacy of methanol extracts of some medicinal plants was evaluated by agar well diffusion method against selected pathogenic bacterial strains. Gram+ve strains ( S. aureus, B. subtilis ) were tested and Gram-ve strains tested were ( E. coli, S. typhii and K. pneumoniae ). Antifungal activity against was tested. Results: B. diffusa and P. niruri leaf extract showed highest antibacterial activity against S. aureus and S. typhii . Leaf extract of P. niruri and R. communis showed highest antifungal activity against A. niger and C. albicans respectively Conclusion: The methanolic leaf extracts of B. diffusa and P. niruri were highly active against S. aureus and S. typhii .

The advent of IT has made a clear and persistent impact in almost the area of library services. The paper highlights the management of selected University libraries of Chhattisgarh. It describes the information sources, services and facilities preferred and satisfaction level of the services given to library users and the library environment's quick changes to new generation of libraries.

Chemistry Department, N. R. E. C. College, Khurja-201 131 Manuscriptreceived 28 October 1994. revised 26 June 1995. accepted 25 August 1995 Chemistry of Blue Chromium Peroxide Adducts with Ketoanils.

Chemistry Department, physics Department, N. R. E. C. College, Khurja-203 131 Manuscript received 23 November 1994, revised 23 July 1995, accepted 28 July 1995 Spectro-magnetic Studies on Inner and Their Heteropolynuclear Complexes, including Isomers, with Polydentate Ketoanils. &nbsp

Lanthanum doped SrBi2Nb2O9 ceramics with the chemical formula SrBi2−xLaxNb2O9 (SBLN) (x=0–0.5) have been prepared through conventional solid state route. X-ray diffraction reveals the shrinkage of unit cell of strontium bismuth niobate with incorporation of La3+ dopant, having no lone pair electrons. Shifting of Raman phonon modes indicates the reduced rattling space of NbO6 octahedra with increase in La doping concentration. Further, the softening of lowest frequency phonon mode with increasing x in SBLN shows the transition from ferroelectric to paraelectric at room temperature. The dielectric properties for all the compositions are studied as a function of temperature (25 to 500 °C) over the frequency range of 10 kHz–1 MHz. With increase in lanthanum doping concentration the phase transition becomes diffused and transition temperature gets shifted toward lower temperature. A phase transition from normal ferroelectric to paraelectric has been observed via relaxor-type ferroelectrics with increase in x. The frequency dependence of transition temperature was studied in terms of Vogel–Fulcher relation for SBLN (x=0.4).

Chemistry Department, N. R. E. C. College, Khurja-203 131 Manuscript received 10 July 1986, revised 18 March 1987, accepted 22 April 1987 p-Dimethylaminoanil of 2-thiopheneglyoxal, which precipitates several platinum metal ions in alkaline medium at different pH, has been used as gravimetric reagent in the estimation of RuIII, RhIII, IrIII and PtIV cations individually.