Ropalidia rufoplagiata: a polistine wasp society probably lacking permanent reproductive division of labour

Ropalidia rufoplagiata Cameron (Hymenoptera: Vespidae), a polistine species from penisular India, appears to be unique among all known primitively eusocial wasps. A total of 33 out of 46 identified females from an observed colony were found to oviposit on 1-17 occasions. No single predominant egg-layer could be identified during the 45-day period. Of the 17 dissected egg-layers, 12 were mated. All egg-layers showed several oviposition-related behavioural patterns including systematic, but indiscriminate, cannibalism of eggs and larvae, cleaning of empty cells, and guarding of freshly-laid eggs. There was no correlation between the egg-laying activity of the females (whether mated or not), oophagy, and their position in the dominance hierarchy. All nest-maintenance activities were performed exclusively by the egg-layers, while the non-egg-layers were mainly involved in the extranidal task offoraging. No significant morphometric differences between egg-layers and foragers could be discerned. Almost all the older individuals in the colony were egg-layers, while foragers were mainly younger animals. Such a temporal differentiation in reproductive labour suggests the absence of a permanent reproductive caste in this species

Diffusional transport modulation through reversible bilayer membranes

A new approach to attaining time invariant diffusional flux through bilayered membranes with reversible barriers has been demonstrated. The barrier has been formed by exploiting the phenomenon of volume transition in polymers. The novelty of the approach is that such bilayers can be formed in situ. A theoretical analysis shows how the desired diffusional behaviour can be achieved. The validity of the concept, as well as the quantitative predictability of the theoretical analysis, is demonstrated by experimentation on model systems. A potential application is highlighted

Diffusional transport from structurally variant hydrogels

Diffusional release of solutes from polymer matrices undergoing structural changes has been analysed by incorporating the dependence of solute diffusivity on time. The functional dependence of diffusivity with time has been experimentally verified and its utility and limitations are discussed. Criteria for predicting release characteristics have been arrived at based on two model parameters, K and β. HereK represents the reciprocal of the time required for the structural change and β is the ratio of the solute diffusivity prior to the onset and after the completion of the structural change. The criteria, which are independent of the mechanistic details of the structural change, have been validated by analysing solute release from polymeric matrices undergoing diverse structural changes. The approach should be useful in predicting the relase characteristics of solutes on the basis of the physicochemical characteristics of the polymer-solute systems. It should also help in tailoring the polymers to obtain the desired release kinetics

Molecular docking studies on potent adsorbed receptor of Thrh protein: A new target for biodegradation of indigo dye

Vat dyes are aromatic compounds widely used for denim textile industries, this result in a great wastewater problem from this industry due to recalcitrant nature of these dyes. The active protein (ThrH) was purified from Pseudomonas aeruginosa by DEAE-Sepharose A-50 column chromatography and this 3D crystal structure was reported recently. The present study aimed to demonstrate the binding energy between 3D crystal structures of indigo dye and ThrH. We have calculated the gliding score as well as gliding energy based on the hydrophobic interactions between targeted sites (amino acid and dye residue) and the main think is binding energy which was observed maximum level because of the presence of magnesium ions along with catalytic molecules located at the binding sites. The dye degraded mineralized compound was predicted by mass spectrum and infrared spectroscopy

Precise Measurements of Self-absorbed Rising Reverse Shock Emission from Gamma-ray Burst 221009A

The deaths of massive stars are sometimes accompanied by the launch of highly relativistic and collimated jets. If the jet is pointed towards Earth, we observe a "prompt" gamma-ray burst due to internal shocks or magnetic reconnection events within the jet, followed by a long-lived broadband synchrotron afterglow as the jet interacts with the circum-burst material. While there is solid observational evidence that emission from multiple shocks contributes to the afterglow signature, detailed studies of the reverse shock, which travels back into the explosion ejecta, are hampered by a lack of early-time observations, particularly in the radio band. We present rapid follow-up radio observations of the exceptionally bright gamma-ray burst GRB 221009A which reveal an optically thick rising component from the reverse shock in unprecedented detail both temporally and in frequency space. From this, we are able to constrain the size, Lorentz factor, and internal energy of the outflow while providing accurate predictions for the location of the peak frequency of the reverse shock in the first few hours after the burst.Comment: 11 figures, 4 table

Impact of surface treatment on the mechanical properties of sisal and jute reinforced with epoxy resin natural fiber hybrid composites

Natural fiber composites (NFCs) are gaining importance in various fields of engineering due to their ecofriendly nature and low cost. The present work is aimed in studying the mechanical properties such as tensile strength, flexural strength, impact strength, and hardness for natural fiber/epoxy resin composites reinforced with sisal and jute. The composites are prepared by hand lay-up method by varying the proportion of jute fiber. One set of fibers is surface treated with NAOH solution and its impact on mechanical strength was studied. From the results obtained, it was observed that the tensile strength increases by 20%, flexural strength by 25%, impact strength increases by 27.27%, and hardness by 5% for surface treated composites. Scanning electron microscope was used to study the morphology of prepared specimen and fractured specimen. The results indicate that surface-treated composites perform better than the untreated fiber composites

A Qualitative Study of Artificial Intelligence Application Framework in Human Resource Management

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has grown by leaps and bounds in the past few years making it a necessary tool for organizations all over the world to pave the road to a smart future by entering into its various functions and making it more efficient. However, companies in India have been hesitant and slow to adapt this technology and this hesitation is ever so clearly seen in the Human Resources function of the organization. The Primary purpose of this article is to explore the application, benefits and challenges of integration, and the limitations of AI in HRM within the Indian context. The responses for the study were collected from various Top-level HR Professionals through multiple forms of interviews. The sampling method used was purposive sampling. The research is an exploratory study that uses the data collected through the interviews to identify the various methods in which artificial intelligence is used in the Human Resource function, the problems faced in implementation of the technology and the benefits of using AI. The studyis relevant and beneficial to organisations that seek to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of their HRM functions by leveraging the power of AI