An iterative method based FLC-SLM system design for forming multiple complex structures simultaneously in 3D volume with tissue

Complex structure formation and fast focusing of light inside or through turbid media is a challenging task due to refractive index heterogeneity, random light scattering and speckle noise formation. Here, we have proposed a weighted-mutation assisted genetic algorithm (WMA-GA) with an R-squared metric based fitness function that advances the contrast, resolution, focuses light tightly and does fast convergence for both simple and complex structure formation through the scattering media. As a compatible system with the binary WMA-GA, we have presented a fast, cost-effective, and robust iterative wavefront shaping system design with an affordable ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC) based binary-phase spatial light modulator (SLM). The proposed wavefront shaping system design has been used to construct multiple complex hetero-structures simultaneously in 3D volume by an optimized single phase-mask. The WMA-GA and the prototype system have been validated with 120, 220, 450, and 600 grit ground glass diffusers along with 323, 588, and 852 {\mu}m thick fresh chicken tissues including fluorescence in it. We have demonstrated the robustness of the proposed method to control the photon-in and photon-out from a localized fluorescent dye embedded in the tissue. The detailed results show that the proposed class of algorithm-backed integrated system converges fast with higher contrast and advances the resolution.Comment: 17 pages, 13 figure

Recent Advancements in Electrochemical Conversion of Carbon Dioxide

Electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide into eco-friendly and clean products is a promising approach to eradicate pollution. Although carbon dioxide emission is inhibited by the advent of renewable sources of energy, it is present in the atmosphere and needs to be cleaned. The reduction of carbon dioxide from atmospheric gases can be accomplished by its adsorption and subsequent transportation to electrolytic chambers, where it is reduced to hydrocarbons, organic acids or carbonates. This review focuses on developing a three compartment electrochemical cell to reduce carbon dioxide used as a catholyte. Various factors affecting the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide and recent advancements in this field are deliberated

Studies on plasma treatment and priming of seeds of bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.)

The present investigation was carried out at Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan during the year 2014 -2015 to study the “Effect of cold plasma treatment and priming on bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L. cultivar California Wonder) for seed germination and seedling vigour. The seeds were ex-posed to various durations of oxygen plasma treatment using glow discharge technique at FCIPT, Institute for Plas-ma Research, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India. Seeds were pre-treated with power of 100 W for treatment durations of 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 minutes for 0, 4, 8 and 12 month durations. The changes in surface morphology of plasma treated seeds were studied by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Contact Angle Goniometer. Along with plasma treatment, seeds were also treated with standard priming method i.e osmoprimng for comparison. Results showed that plasma treatment alone as well as in combination with osmoprimng up to 6 minutes duration had positive effects on seed germination and seedling vigour. Germination and vigour indices significantly increased by 21.75% and 90.71% respectively. Characteristics of germination percentage, speed of germination, seedling vigour index-I & II, significantly increased by 13.92%, 1.39 cm, 0.38 mg, 322.07 respectively, compared with control. And it was found that immediately after plasma exposure the germination (84.41%) and vigour (228.50) was highest and it was reduced to (73.54%) and (174.27) after 12 months of storage. These results indicated that cold plasma treatment might promote the growth and modify the speed of germination i.e. higher speed of germination was observed in seeds exposed to plasma treat-ment for 6 minutes (59.82%), whereas, lowest germination speed (40.76%) was observed in untreated control

Genetic variability and correlation studies for growth and yield characters in chilli (Capsicum annuum L.)

Twenty three genotypes were used to study the genetic variability, heritability, genetic advance and correlation for growth and yield contributing characters in chilli under Kashmir conditions. Significant variations were observed for all the characters studied except for days to flowering and crop duration [mature (green) as well as dry (red)]. High Phenotypic Coefficient Variation (PCV) and Genotypic Coefficient Variation (GCV) were recorded for number of fruits plant-1, fruit weight and dry (red) yield. All the characters showed high heritability estimates. However, number of the fruits plant-1, green fruit yield plant-1, dry (red) yield plant-1, number of seeds plant-1 and plant height exhibited high genetic advance as percentage of mean indicating additive gene effect. Fruit yield (green and red) plant-1 was positively and significantly correlated with number of fruits plant-1 and fruit length. It revealed that the characters viz., plant height, fruit length, number of fruits plant-1, fruit weight and fruit yield (green & red) are the most important traits for genetic improvement of chilli. &nbsp

Low-frequency dielectric processes in deformed helix ferroelectric liquid crystals

A low-frequency dielectric relaxation mode in deformed helix ferroelectric liquid crystal (DHFLC) has been observed at the interface of strongly rubbed substrates and DHFLC material which may find applications in low power consumption FLC devices. The surface-induced dielectric relaxation process at the interface of DHFLC and substrate is called the partially unwound helical mode (p-UHM) due to the unwinding of the helical structure at this interface. After investigation of the material under various parameters such as temperature, variation of the amplitude of probing ac voltage and dc bias voltage, the relaxation frequency of p-UHM is found to be shifted towards Goldstone mode and merged with it. The relaxation frequency of Goldstone mode is found to decrease, whereas the relaxation frequency of p-UHM process increases with the increase in temperature of DHFLC. Finally, both the modes merge and the resultant relaxation frequency is found to be lower than Goldstone mode in SmC* phase. It seems that phason mode and partial helical unwinding mode are coupled together due to dipole moment that is resulting in a new relaxation frequency. p-UHM process is significant for low-power displays and non-displays applications like a part of sensor where weak electric signal is required to be realized without pre-amplification

Effect of mechanical soil management through subsoiling and preparatory tillage on growth and nutrients uptake of sugarcane (Saccharum complex hybrid) plant and ratoon crop

A field experiment was conducted during 2008-2010 at G B Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar to study the response of sugarcane plant and ratoon crops to subsoiling and preparatory tillage. The experiment consisting of five subsoiling treatments in plant crop (No subsoiling, subsoiling at 1.0 m, subsoiling at 1.5 m, cross- subsoiling at 1.0 m and cross-subsoiling at 1.5 m distance) and three preparatory tillage practices (two harrowing, four harrowing and one rotavator) was laid out in strip plot design with three replications. The ratoon crop was managed mechanically with a newly developed Sugarcane Ratoon Manager in all the subsoiling treatments. The root and shoot growth, nutrients uptake, and yield of plant and ratoon crops increased with the intensity of subsoiling. The most intense subsoiling, i.e. cross-subsoiling at 1.0 m in plant crop resulted significantly more root biomass (70.1 g/ m3), shoot dry matter (40.9 tonnes/ha), nutrient uptake (220.9 kg N, 26.6 kg P and 307.6 kg K/ha), cane weight (883.8 g), millable canes (100.2 thousand/ha) and cane yield (75.8 tonnes/ha). Subsoiling practices coupled with mechanized management of ratoon exhibited significant improvement in root biomass (73.6 %), shoot dry matter (31.7 %), NPK uptake (29.3, 34.9 and 34.3 %, respectively), cane weight (13.6%), millable canes (21.9%) and cane yield (26.6%) over manual operations (control). All the preparatory tillage practices were at par with respect to the parameters studied, however, root biomass increased significantly with increase in number of tillage practices being maximum in four harrowing treatment

Five insights from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019 provides a rules-based synthesis of the available evidence on levels and trends in health outcomes, a diverse set of risk factors, and health system responses. GBD 2019 covered 204 countries and territories, as well as first administrative level disaggregations for 22 countries, from 1990 to 2019. Because GBD is highly standardised and comprehensive, spanning both fatal and non-fatal outcomes, and uses a mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive list of hierarchical disease and injury causes, the study provides a powerful basis for detailed and broad insights on global health trends and emerging challenges. GBD 2019 incorporates data from 281 586 sources and provides more than 3.5 billion estimates of health outcome and health system measures of interest for global, national, and subnational policy dialogue. All GBD estimates are publicly available and adhere to the Guidelines on Accurate and Transparent Health Estimate Reporting. From this vast amount of information, five key insights that are important for health, social, and economic development strategies have been distilled. These insights are subject to the many limitations outlined in each of the component GBD capstone papers.Peer reviewe

Burden of injury along the development spectrum : associations between the Socio-demographic Index and disability-adjusted life year estimates from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017

Background The epidemiological transition of non-communicable diseases replacing infectious diseases as the main contributors to disease burden has been well documented in global health literature. Less focus, however, has been given to the relationship between sociodemographic changes and injury. The aim of this study was to examine the association between disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) from injury for 195 countries and territories at different levels along the development spectrum between 1990 and 2017 based on the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2017 estimates. Methods Injury mortality was estimated using the GBD mortality database, corrections for garbage coding and CODEm-the cause of death ensemble modelling tool. Morbidity estimation was based on surveys and inpatient and outpatient data sets for 30 cause-of-injury with 47 nature-of-injury categories each. The Socio-demographic Index (SDI) is a composite indicator that includes lagged income per capita, average educational attainment over age 15 years and total fertility rate. Results For many causes of injury, age-standardised DALY rates declined with increasing SDI, although road injury, interpersonal violence and self-harm did not follow this pattern. Particularly for self-harm opposing patterns were observed in regions with similar SDI levels. For road injuries, this effect was less pronounced. Conclusions The overall global pattern is that of declining injury burden with increasing SDI. However, not all injuries follow this pattern, which suggests multiple underlying mechanisms influencing injury DALYs. There is a need for a detailed understanding of these patterns to help to inform national and global efforts to address injury-related health outcomes across the development spectrum.Peer reviewe

Minimal information for studies of extracellular vesicles (MISEV2023): From basic to advanced approaches

Extracellular vesicles (EVs), through their complex cargo, can reflect the state of their cell of origin and change the functions and phenotypes of other cells. These features indicate strong biomarker and therapeutic potential and have generated broad interest, as evidenced by the steady year-on-year increase in the numbers of scientific publications about EVs. Important advances have been made in EV metrology and in understanding and applying EV biology. However, hurdles remain to realising the potential of EVs in domains ranging from basic biology to clinical applications due to challenges in EV nomenclature, separation from non-vesicular extracellular particles, characterisation and functional studies. To address the challenges and opportunities in this rapidly evolving field, the International Society for Extracellular Vesicles (ISEV) updates its 'Minimal Information for Studies of Extracellular Vesicles', which was first published in 2014 and then in 2018 as MISEV2014 and MISEV2018, respectively. The goal of the current document, MISEV2023, is to provide researchers with an updated snapshot of available approaches and their advantages and limitations for production, separation and characterisation of EVs from multiple sources, including cell culture, body fluids and solid tissues. In addition to presenting the latest state of the art in basic principles of EV research, this document also covers advanced techniques and approaches that are currently expanding the boundaries of the field. MISEV2023 also includes new sections on EV release and uptake and a brief discussion of in vivo approaches to study EVs. Compiling feedback from ISEV expert task forces and more than 1000 researchers, this document conveys the current state of EV research to facilitate robust scientific discoveries and move the field forward even more rapidly