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Background: In-office three-dimensional (3D) printers and metal sleeveless surgical guides are becoming a major trend recently. However, metal sleeve-free designs are reported to be more prone to distortion which might lead to variation in the inner diameter of the drill hole and cause deviation and inaccuracy in the placement of the implant. Carbon fiber nanoparticles are reported to improve the properties of 3D printing resin material in industrial application. Aim: The purpose of the study is to evaluate and compare the wear resistance of 3D-printed implant guides with metal sleeve, sleeve-free, and reinforced sleeve-free resin to the guide drill. Materials and Methods: A total of 66 samples with 22 samples in each group. Three groups including 3D-printed surgical guide with metal sleeve (Group A), without metal sleeve (Group B), an carbon fiber reinforced without metal sleeve (Group C) were included in the study. All samples were evaluated before sequential drilling and after sequential drilling using Vision Measuring Machine. The data were tabulated and statistically evaluated. Results: The data obtained were statistically analyzed with one-way analysis of variance and post hoc test. The data obtained for wear observed in the samples showed that the wear was highest in Group B with a mean of 0.5036 ± 0.1118 and the least was observed in Group A with a mean of 0.0228 ± 0.0154 and Group C was almost similar to Group A with mean of 0.0710 ± 0.0381. The results showed there was a significant difference between Group B with Group A and C, respectively (P < 0.05). The results showed that there was no significant difference regarding the wear observed between Groups A and C (P > 0.05). Conclusion: The wear observed in the guide with a metal sleeve and carbon fiber reinforced without a metal sleeve was almost similar. The carbon fiber-reinforced guide showed better tolerance to guide drill equivalent to metal sleeve. Thus, carbon fiber nanoparticles reinforced in 3D printing resin have shown improved strength and can be used as a good replacement for a metal sleeve for an accurate placement of the implant.

In this modern era, pollution of water resources due to industrial waste effluents is an alarming problem as it can cause various health problems in aquatic animals as well as in humans. Among the industrial pollutants, organic dyes are one of the leading chemicals that cause severe damage to the aquatic environment. These harmful organic dyes are practically omnipresent in various types of industries such as textile, tannery, cosmetic, food industries, etc. Photodegradation of these organic dyes is regarded as a promising technology for industrial waste treatment as it is a cost-effective and environment-friendly process. In this study, a nanostructured material of iron has been synthesized using the Alstonia scholaris (L.) R. Br. extract in an easy and eco-friendly way. The potential of this synthesized nanostructured material to act as a photocatalyst, for the degradation of organic dyes, has been explored. Due to its small size and high dispersion, more than 72 % degradation has been achieved within 90 min. A comparative study of its photocatalytic efficiency in different degradation processes has also been performed.

A triple-metal-gate stacked III–V vertical tunnel field-effect transistor (TM-GS-VTFET) structure is examined. There are two different TM-GS-VTFETs: Device-A, which uses a source pocket, and Device-B, which uses a new source extension approach. Source pocket-engaged TFETs are recognized for their enhanced ON-state current (ION) and subthreshold swing compared to traditional TFETs. However, they may require more complex fabrication procedures. The source extension strategy alters the electric-field distribution and decreases the tunneling barrier width near the source side. This boosts the tunneling rate and increases the device functioning. The simulation was performed using the Silvaco Technology Computer-Aided Design (TCAD) tool. Various analog and radio-frequency (RF) parameters were examined. The ION in Device-B was found to be $234.03~\mu \text{A}/\mu \text{m}$ , the OFF-state current (IOFF) was $1.52\times 10^{\mathrm {-14}}\text{A}/\mu \text{m}$ , Sub-threshold swing (SS) was 28.58 mV/decade, and the transconductance (gm) was $245.28~\mu \text{S}/\mu \text{m}$ . The RF frequency parameter such as cutoff frequency (fT), oscillating frequency (fmax), and Gain Bandwidth Product (GBP) were 152.45 GHz, 830 GHz and 25.16 GHz respectively. It was observed that Device-B exhibited 11 times higher ION, 3.2 times higher GBP, and 3.15 times higher fmax than Device-A. The utilization of this source extension technique has proven to be advantageous for achieving enhanced analog and RF properties in TFETs.

With rapid population increases, people are facing the challenge to maintain healthy conditions. One of the challenges is air pollution. Due to industrial development and vehicle usage air pollution is becoming a high threat to human life. This air pollution forms through various toxic contaminants. This toxic contamination levels increase and cause severe damage to the living things in the environment. To identify the toxic level present in the polluted air various methods were proposed by the authors, But failed to detect the tolerance level of toxic gases. This article discusses the methods to detect toxic gasses and classify the tolerance level of gasses present in polluted air. Various sensors and different algorithms are used for classifying the tolerance level. For this purpose “Artificial Sensing Methodology” (ASM), commonly known as e-nose, is a technique for detecting harmful gases. SO2-D4, NO2-D4, MQ-135, MQ136, MQ-7, and other sensors are used in artificial sensing methods (e-nose). “Carbon monoxide, Sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and carbon dioxide” are all detected by these sensors. The data collected by sensors is sent to the data register from there it is sent to the Machine learning Training module (ML) and the comparison is done with real-time data and trained data. If the values increase beyond the tolerance level the system will give the alarm and release the oxygen.

This review paper offers a detailed analysis and summary of current studies related to energy management and carbon footprint reduction in university campuses. Using insights from different research papers, the review highlights the necessity for strategic and sustainable energy management approaches. The research reviewed explores a wide range of methodologies, including the examination of energy consumption, the identification of areas for improvement, the application of energy management and optimization techniques, and the use of renewable and sustainable energy strategies. It is evident from the review that successful energy management and carbon footprint reduction depend on energy management systems, integration of renewable energy, encouraging behavioural changes, and efficient resource use. The review paper is divided into six sections: understanding and enhancing energy consumption, Techniques for Energy Management and Optimization, random and systematic approaches to energy management, Energy Management Systems and their Applications, approaches for sustainable and renewable energy and carbon footprint reduction techniques. The review also identifies areas of future research in the field. It aims to serve as a valuable guide for university administrators, energy managers, and researchers seeking to implement sustainable energy practices and reduce carbon emissions on university campuses.

Today, the need for fabrics that resist the growth of microorganisms is rising rapidly, as bacteria and other microbes are resistant to any clean room environment. In particular, health care and hygiene textile products must be more bacterial resistant. This study thus concentrated on developing antibacterial surgical textile products using eco-friendly material, such as casein and banana peel, which were used to coat fabric using cyclodextrin as a cross-linking agent. In this research work, fabric was treated with banana peel, casein, and a combination of banana peel and casein, without cyclodextrin, while cyclodextrin-loaded fabric treated samples were tested for antimicrobial resistance (AATCC100-2004). The treated samples initially studied using FTIR showed a peak point at 3,278.99 cm-1, which infers the presence of an O-H group for banana peel extract, and at 3,340.71 cm-1, which infers the presence of an N-H group for casein. Antimicrobial tests against E. coli showed a bacterial reduction of 81.44%, while a reduction of 52.80% was recorded for S. aureus. An analysis of untreated and treated samples showed that treatment with extracts of an agent through the pad-dry-cure process did not have a significant effect on the tensile and air permeability characteristics of the samples.

Introduction: Lung cancer is the second most common cancer diagnosed in the world. According to GLOBOCAN 2020, it is approximately 11.4% of all malignancies and accounts for one in five cancer deaths worldwide. Several driver gene mutations are known in lung adenocarcinoma including Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR), Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog(KRAS), v-raf murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B1(BRAF), Human epidermal growth factor receptor2 (HER 2), anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK), Ros Protooncogene 1, Receptor Tyrosine Kinase (ROS1) and rearranged during transfection (RET). Among these, KRAS mutation has been classically defined as bearing a negative prognostic factor. They are described to have unfavourable survival rates as compared with KRAS wild- type tumours. However, its real significance remains controversial due to heterogeneity amongst studies. Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the histomorphology, immunophenotype, EGFR and KRAS mutation profile in invasive mucinous and mixed mucinous/non mucinous type lung carcinoma. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study was done at a tertiary cancer centre in the state of Kerala, South India to identify the frequency of EGFR and KRAS mutations in invasive mucinous or mixed mucinous/non mucinous type lung carcinoma diagnosed during the period June 2017 to March 2019. Immunohistochemical assays for CK7, CK20, TTF-1, Napsin-A, CDX-2 and p63 were done on all cases. EGFR mutation analysis for exons 18, 19, 20, 21 were done using ARMS PCR and KRAS mutation analysis for codons 12, 13, 61, 146 by Sanger sequencer. Descriptive statistics was used wherever applicable. Results: Out of a total of 290 patients of pulmonary adenocarcinoma during the two year study period, twelve cases (4.1%) were diagnosed as invasive mucinous or mixed mucinous/non mucinous types based on histomorphology and immunophenotype, on both lung tissue biopsies as well as material from metastatic sites. Of the twelve, nine (75%) were pure mucinous and three (25%) were mixed mucinous and non mucinous. All the twelve cases were subjected to molecular testing for both EGFR and KRAS. Three cases (25%) showed KRAS mutations in codon 12. EGFR mutation (TKI resistant T790M mutation) was found only in a single case which had a histology of mixed mucinous and non mucinous carcinoma and a coexistent mutation in KRAS (c12 G>C) gene. Conclusions: Our study corroborates the described fact that pulmonary mucinous carcinoma differ from the conventional adenocarcinoma in terms of its histology, immunoprofile and molecular profile. KRAS mutation appears to be the main pathogenetic factor in this variant. In the current day practice, there is no demonstrable effective therapy for KRAS mutant lung adenocarcinoma and more trials are needed to identify newer mutations that can modify treatment outcomes.

Aim: Antibiotics treat various diseases by targeting microorganisms by killing them or reducing their multiplication rate. New Delhi Metallo-beta-lactamase-1 (NDM-1) is produced by bacteria possessing the resistance gene blaNDM-1, the enzyme that makes bacteria resistant to beta-lactams. Bacteriophages, especially Lactococcus, have shown their ability to break down lactams. Hence, the current study computationally evaluated the binding potential of Lactococcus bacteriophages with NDM using Molecular docking and dynamics. Methods: Modelling of NDM I-TASSER for Main tail protein gp19 OS=Lactococcus phage LL-H or Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis after downloading from UNIPROT ID- Q38344. Cluspro tool helps in Understanding cellular function and organization with protein-protein interactions. MD simulations(19) typically compute atom movements over time. Simulations were used to predict the ligand binding status in the physiological environment. Results: The best binding affinity score was found -1040.6 Kcal/mol compared to other docking scores. MD simulations show in RMSD values for target remains within 1.0 Angstrom, which is acceptable. The ligand-protein fit to receptor protein RMSD values of 2.752 fluctuates within 1.5 Angstrom after equilibration. Conclusions: Lactococcus bacteriophages showed a strong affinity to the NDM. Hence, this hypothesis, supported by evidence from a computational approach, will solve this life-threatening superbug problem.

Even for the construction of conventional buildings, materials for construction expense is unnecessarily rising, and this is becoming a major factor impacting the global housing market. This has made research into the economy of building materials necessary. In this regard, concretes have been created that partially substitute conventional aggregates with Demolished Concrete Waste (DCW) as coarse and fine aggregates. By bridging concrete cracks, the steel fibers’ characteristic helps to increase the inherent tensile strength of the material. For the purposes of this study, three distinct combinations of DCW content replacement were created using M25 grade concrete: 50% of Aggregate obtained through recycling process (RCA) + 20% Recycled Fine Aggregate (RFA), 50% RCA + 10% RFA, and 50% RCA. Additionally, 1% steel fiber reinforcements were added to each combination. To ascertain the required mechanical properties, concrete specimens in the shape of a “cube, cylinder, & prism” were cast and tested after seven, fourteen, and twenty eight days of curing. The mechanical properties of the newly developed concrete included splitting tensile strength, flexural strength, and compressive strength. These properties were evaluated and compared to those of traditional concrete. According to test results, the newly developed concrete produced strengths that were on par with those of conventional concrete.

Introduction: Cancer patients are disproportionately at high risk of developing infections, with a risk of infection about 10 times than that of non cancer patients. Extended Spectrum Beta-Lactamases (ESBLs) enzyme producing gram-negative bacteria have been marked as one of the “serious” threat by the centre for disease control. This enzyme has the ability to hydrolyse the beta-lactam antibiotics and posses a major threat for the immunocompromised and cancer patients. Hence, understanding its prevalence at the grammatical level is important to decide upon the type of drugs to be prescribed. Aim: To study the prevalence of ESBL genes among the GramNegative Bacteria (GNB) isolated from cancer patients. Materials and Methods: The present study was a hospitalbased cross-sectional study carried out in Microbiology Division, Malabar Cancer Centre, Thalassery, Kerala, India, from January to March 2021. Microbiological identification of the causative agents was done by staining, culturing and biochemical methods. Screening of the isolates for ESBL was done using Double Disc Synergy Test (DDST). Antibiotic susceptibility testing was carried out using modified Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. The ESBL producers were genotypically confirmed through Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and typed accordingly. The data were given as average with standard deviation and analysed using Microsoft Excel. Results: Out of 1,310 specimens, 366 (27.9%) were culture positive. Among the GNB, Escherichia coli (50%) followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (46.07%), Proteus (1.96%) and Enterobacter cloacae (0.98%) were the predominant isolates. Most of these ESBL producers (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae) were Multidrug Resistant (MDR). However, significant isolates of Escherichia coli (98.03%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (36.1%), Proteus, (50%) and Enterobacter cloacae (100%) were sensitive to immunocompromised. Among 102 ESBL producers, prevalence of blaTEM (67.64%) was highest followed by blaCTX-M (10.78%), blaSHV (14.70%) and blaOXA (18.62%). All of the ESBL producers tested showed the presence of one of four betalactamase encoding genes by PCR. One of the isolate Proteus mirabilis found to be ESBL producer as confirmed by phenotypic methods but lacked ESBL genes. Conclusion: Higher prevalence of ESBL producing strains warrants stringent measures to tackle the spread of MDR strains. Carbapenems can be considered as the drug of choice against ESBL producers. Highly prevalent blaTEM gene could be considered as potential therapeutical and diagnostic target against the ESBL producing GNBs.

This research focuses on a comprehensive exploration of the experimental and mechanical aspects of the electrical discharge machining (EDM) process, specifically targeting the machining characteristics of AA2014/Si3N4/Mg/cenosphere hybrid composites. The aim is to optimize the process parameters for enhanced machining performance through a combination of testing, optimization, and modelling methodologies. The study examines the effects of key EDM variables—peak current, pulse on time, and pulse off time—on critical output responses: surface roughness (Ra), electrode wear rate (EWR), and material removal rate (MRR). Leveraging an L9 Taguchi orthogonal array experimental design, the impact of controllable factors on these responses is analysed. An integrated approach utilizing MATLAB’s logic toolbox and Mamdani’s technique is employed to model the EDM process, and a multiple-response performance index is calculated using fuzzy logic theory, enabling multiobjective optimizations. Furthermore, a mechanical behaviour evaluation of AA2014/Si3N4/Mg/cenosphere hybrid composites is performed through mechanical testing, with a comparison between experimental machining results and predicted values. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images reveal the presence of filler reinforcements within the base alloy, displaying an improved microstructure and uniform reinforcement dispersion. An X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirms the major elemental constituents—aluminium, silicon, and magnesium—in the hybrid composites. A microstructural analysis of the hybrid metal matrix composites (MMCs) prepared for EDM showcases closely packed reinforcement structures, circular ash-coloured spots indicating silicon and nitrates, and a fine dispersion of cenosphere reinforcement particles. The study’s outcomes demonstrate a promising application potential for these hybrid composites in various fields.

Climate change poses existential threat on all forms of life on earth. Flood is one of the major fallout of it. Tropical humid zones experiences worst form of rain related disasters in the recent times. Kerala, a tropical humid state of India experienced one of the most destructive flood events of the century during August 2018. It had heavy impact on every sector including animal husbandry. Based on this event, a study was conducted to assess the impact of flood in 2018 on Livestock Farming System of Pariyaram Panchayat in Thrissur district of Kerala. The entire Panchayat was delineated into affected and unaffected wards and detailed survey on faming system and socio economic profile of the flood affected area was conducted. Pre and post flood livestock system of the flood affected area differed significantly regarding herd strength, milk production and feeding pattern. Livelihood of farmers who were depending on the agriculture and livestock rearing for their survival suffered due to the event, suggesting need for better preparedness.

Increasing concerns about the vulnerability of the world’s energy supply and the necessity to implement sustainable technologies have prompted researchers to develop high-performance electrocatalysts that are affordable and efficient for converting and storing renewable energy. This article reports a facile approach to fabricating two-dimensional (2D) Ge-decorated h-BN/MoS2 heterostructure nanosheets by self-assembly for multiple electrochemical applications such as supercapacitor and hydrogen evolution reactions. The organization of the physical and chemical links between the germanium modulations on the heterostructure of boron nitride/molybdenum sulphide (Ge/h-BN/MoS2) were facilitated to generate more active sites. Furthermore, the asymmetric supercapacitor of Ge-decorated h-BN/MoS2 amplified the capacitance to 558.53 F g−1 at 1 A g−1 current density and 159.19 F g−1 at 10 A g−1, in addition to a retention rate of 85.69% after 2000 cycles. Moreover, the Ge-decorated h-BN/MoS2 catalyst realized a low over-potential value, with an RHE of 0.57 (HER) at 5 mA/cm2, a Tafel value of ∼204 mV/dec, and long-term electrolysis stability of 10 h. This work may open the door for further investigations on metal-decorated heterostructures, which have a significant potential for both supercapacitor and water-splitting applications.

Dissimilar metal joints (DMJs) are more common in the application of piping system of many industries. A 2- D and 3-D finite element analysis (FEA) is carried out on dissimilar metal Single Edged Notch Bending (DMSENB) specimens fabricated from ferritic steel, austenitic steel and Inconel – 182 alloy to study the behavior of DMJs with constraints by using linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) principles. Studies on DMSENB specimens are conducted with respect to (i) dissimilar metal joint width (DMJW) (geometrical constraints) (5 mm, 10 mm, 20 mm, 30 mm and 50 mm) (ii) strength mismatch (material constraints) and (iii) crack lengths (16 mm, 20 mm and 24 mm) to study the DMJ behavior. From the FEA investigation, it is observed that (i) SIF increases with increase of crack length and DMJWs (ii) significant constraint effect (geometry, crack tip and strength mismatch) is observed for DMJWs of 5 mm and 10 mm (iii) stress distribution at the interfaces of DMSENB specimen exhibits clear indication of strength mismatch (iv) 3-D FEA yields realistic behavior (v) constraint effect is found to be significant if DMJW is less than 20 mm and the ratio of specimen length to the DMJW is greater than 7.4.

Morphological characterization of 47 tetraploid cotton varieties cultivated in different zones of India was carried out over two seasons. The lay out followed randomized block Design and evaluation was done using 36 DUS descriptors in two replications. The visual characters showed uniform expression within the variety for two consecutive years indicating that they were uniform and stable in expression. Eleven out of 37 traits were monomorphic among the varieties. The remaining 26 characters were used for Principal Component Analysis to find the contribution of traits towards total variability. The PCA identified a total of 10 Components with Eigen values more than 1 contributing to a cumulative 77.74 % variability. The first component (PC1) exhibited maximum variability and highly correlated with traits such as leaf shape and petal spot which are also included in the grouping characters of DUS test guideline. The scatter diagram drawn using first two principle components with highest variability as well as the hierarchical cluster analysis performed using all the ten components distinctly classified genotypes in a consistent manner. The grouping of genotypes was attributed to relatively high contribution from few characters or variables which had high positive loadings, distributed among first two components rather than small contribution from each character.

The present study was carried out in the F2 population of the cross OMT 21 A × JLSC 96 of sesame with the objective to assess the genetic variability, character association of yield and yield related traits in sesame. Experimental materials were raised during Kharif season of 2019 at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. Seven biometrical traits viz., days to first flowering, plant height, the number of branches per plant, the number of capsules per plant, the number of seeds per capsule, 1000 seed weight and yield per plant were recorded. The magnitude of PCV and GCV values were higher for the traits yield per plant, the number of branches per plant and the number of capsules per plant. The traits number of branches per plant and 1000 seed weight exhibited a high heritability along with a high genetic advance as per cent of mean. Yield per plant had a significant positive correlation with the number of capsules per plant followed by 1000 seed weight, plant height and the number of branches per plant. Path analysis revealed that the number of capsules per plant had a high positive direct effect on yield per plant. So, the selection based on these traits such as number of capsules per plant, plant height, 1000 seed weight and the number of branches per plant would be advantageous for crop improvement.

In most structural failures, deterioration of reinforced concrete structure is due to corrosion of reinforcing bars. Ingress of chloride ions and reaction of carbon dioxide with the cement paste due to poor-quality concrete or inadequate cover are the main causes of corrosion. Corrosion can be reduced by using high-quality concrete and providing proper cover to reinforcement. In addition, corrosion inhibitors are used to protect the reinforcement in order to extend the service life of concrete structures. This research work is focused on determining the effectiveness of corrosion inhibitors under cracked and uncracked sections of U-shaped beam. The U-shaped beam concept was used in this study, which helps to develop the crack width within 0.3 mm as per IS: 456 code provision. The two vertical stubs of the U-shaped beam were stressed in order to generate the cracks at the soffit of the beam. Then, the beams are tested for accelerated corrosion along with the half-cell potential meter calculations for the corrosion potential measurement.

The moored buoy network in the Indian Ocean revolutionized the observational programs with systematic time-series measurement of in situ data sets from remote marine locations. The real-time meteorological and oceanographic data sets significantly improved the weather forecast and warning services particularly during extreme events since its inception in 1997. The sustenance of the network requires persistent efforts to overcome the multitude of challenges such as vandalism, biofouling, rough weather, corrosion, ship time availability, and telemetry issues, among others. Besides these, the COVID-19 pandemic constrained the normal functioning of activities, mainly by delaying the maintenance of the network that resulted in losing a few expensive buoy system components and precious data sets. However, the improvements in the buoy system, in-house developed data acquisition system, and efforts in ensuring the quality of measurements together with “best practice methods” enabled 73% of the buoy network to be functional even when the cruises were reduced to 33% during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020. The moored buoys equipped with an Indian buoy data acquisition system triggered high-frequency transmission during the Super cyclone Amphan in May 2020, which greatly helped the cyclone early warning services during the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 lockdown points toward the reliability and enhanced utility of moored buoy observations particularly when other modes of measurements are limited and necessitates more such platforms to better predict the weather systems. The present study analyzed the enhancement of the buoy program and improvisation of the buoy system that extended the life beyond the stipulated duration and enabled the high-frequency data transmission during cyclones amid the COVID-19 lockdown. The recommendations to better manage the remote platforms specifically in the event of a pandemic based on the operational experience of more than two decades were also presented.