Fabrication of mesoscale topographical gradients in bulk titanium and their use in injection moulding

Fabrication methods for titanium substrates exhibiting continuous micro and nano scale arrays, with increasing feature heights over the length of the array are reported. The resultant feature heights spanned 0–2 μm. Patterned gradient arrays of circular features with diameters of: 500 nm, 1 μm and 2 μm, spaced by twice the diameter were manufactured by the process using specially prepared titanium substrates. Patterns were exposed by electron beam lithography and the length of the patterned arrays was 15 mm or 20 mm. This work presents two selectivity amplification processes to achieve a gradient of feature heights ranging over the titanium array after consecutive reactive ion etching processes. The first, route A: a HSQ on Ti, gradient amplification process. The second, route B, a SiO2 layer amplification transfer into Ti. The crucial initial gradient component deposited for the amplification process for both routes was a diffusion limited plasma polymerised hexane gradient. Etching using respective reactive ion etch chemistries for each gradient transfer through the various selectivity amplification layers (employing consecutive etch steps, in this way) enables a dual amplification for each route to manufacture. The original gradient is transferred into titanium as a function of the sum of the respective selectivities between the materials, using the appropriate dry etch plasma conditions. The substrates henceforth are referred to as inlays, and were tested for use as a high throughput platform for polymer replication by injection moulding. It is envisaged that the fabrication methodology and resultant topographies have use in a range of engineering applications. The overall selectivity to Ti for polymerised hexane is increased by more than 20 times using each dual amplification process

Effects of sand-shale anisotropy on amplitude variation with angle (AVA) modelling: The Sawan Gas Field (Pakistan) as a key case-study for South Asia's sedimentary basins

Amplitude variation with angle (AVA) is a technique widely used in the characterisation of hydrocarbon reservoirs and assumes the Earth’s crust to be an isotropic medium. Yet, anisotropy is ubiquitous in stratigraphic sequences and has first-order effects on seismic AVA responses when investigating subsurface prospects. This work analyses the effects of anisotropic strata on AVA responses using the Lower Goru Formation, middle Indus basin (Pakistan) as a case study. In the study area, shale intervals are interbedded with reservoir sands of the Sawan gas field. Shales in this field form laminae or are dispersed within reservoir sands, making the Lower Goru Formation an example of a vertically transversely isotropic (VTI) medium. In this work, we calculate the effective (saturated) mechanical properties of the Lower Goru Formation based on rock physics templates; the Backus (1962) average typically designed for layered media, combined with the empirical relations of Brown and Korringa (1975) and Wood (1955). The input data used in our rock physics modelling is based on detailed petrophysical analyses of well data. Using the saturated effective mechanical properties of the Lower Goru Formation, we generate angle-dependent reflection coefficient curves (and seismic AVA responses) based on exact and approximate solutions, for both isotropic and anisotropic reservoir scenarios. Our results suggest that the effects of lithological anisotropy are more pronounced in places with thick shale beds within reservoir sands. Conversely, angle-dependent reflection curves, and seismic AVA responses based on isotropic or anisotropic cases, give similar solutions in the presence of thin shale beds. As a corollary of this work, we present a Bayesian inversion method for the estimation of porosity in VTI media

Molecular mechanism of photoperiod sensing

ELF3 and GI are two important components of the Arabidopsis circadian clock. They are not only essential for the oscillator function but are also pivotal in mediating light inputs to the oscillator. Lack of either results in a defective oscillator causing severely compromised output pathways, such as photoperiodic flowering and hypocotyl elongation. Although single loss of function mutants of ELF3 and GI have been well-studied, their genetic interaction remains unclear. We generated an elf3 gi double mutant to study their genetic relationship in clock-controlled growth and phase transition phenotypes. We found that ELF3 and GI repress growth during the night and the day, respectively. We also provide evidence that ELF3, for which so far only a growth inhibitory role has been reported, can also act as a growth promoter under certain conditions. Finally, circadian clock assays revealed that ELF3 and GI are essential Zeitnehmers that enable the oscillator to synchronize the endogenous cellular mechanisms to external environmental signals. In their absence, the circadian oscillator fails to synchronize to the light dark cycles even under diurnal conditions. Consequently, clock-mediated photoperiod-responsive growth and development is completely lost in plants lacking both genes, suggesting that ELF3 and GI together convey photoperiod sensing to the central oscillator. Since ELF3 and GI are conserved across flowering plants and represent important breeding and domestication targets, our data highlight the possibility of developing photoperiod-insensitive crops by manipulating the combination of these two key genes

Natural variation reveals that intracellular distribution of ELF3 protein is associated with function in the circadian clock

Natural selection of variants within the Arabidopsis thaliana circadian clock can be attributed to adaptation to varying environments. To define a basis for such variation, we examined clock speed in a reporter-modified Bay-0 x Shakdara recombinant inbred line and localized heritable variation. Extensive variation led us to identify EARLY FLOWERING3 (ELF3) as a major quantitative trait locus (QTL). The causal nucleotide polymorphism caused a short-period phenotype under light and severely dampened rhythm generation in darkness, and entrainment alterations resulted. We found that ELF3-Sha protein failed to properly localize to the nucleus, and its ability to accumulate in darkness was compromised. Evidence was provided that the ELF3-Sha allele originated in Central Asia. Collectively we showed that ELF3 protein plays a vital role in defining its light-repressor action in the circadian clock and that its functional abilities are largely dependent on its cellular localization

Humic acid from Shilajit – a physico-chemical and spectroscopic characterization

Shilajit is a blackish–brown exudation, consisting of organic substances, metal ions and minerals, from different formations, commonly found in the Himalayan region (1000–3000 m) from Nepal to Kashmir. Shilajit can also be collected throughout the mountain regions in Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, Bajkal, throughout Ural, Caucasus and Altai mountains also, at altitudes between 1000 to 5000 m. The major physiological action of shilajit has been attributed to the presence of bioactive dibenzo-α-pyrones together with humic and fulvic acids, which act as carrier molecules for the active ingredients. In this work, the aim was to extract humic acid from Shilajit from various sources and characterised these humic acids based on their physicochemical properties, elemental analysis, UV/Vis and FTIR spectra, X-ray diffraction pattern and DSC thermograms. The spectral features obtained from UV/Vis, FTIR, XRD and DSC studies for samples of different origins showed a distinct similarity amongst themselves and in comparison to soil humic acids. The surfactant properties of the extracted fulvic acids were investigated by determining the effect of increasing concentration on the surface tension of water. The study demonstrated that humic acids extracted from shilajit indeed possessed surfactant properties

Detection of Kids milk Quality using Methylene Blue Reduction test

Back ground and Objectives: Milk is a highly nutritious food that serves as an excellent growth medium for a wide range of microorganisms. Rapid, simple and inexpensive microbiological quality determination methods including Methylene Blue Reduction (MBRT) test could be commonly used as a quick method to assess the microbiological quality of raw and pasteurized milk. The aim of study is to determine quality of kids milk using Methylene Blue Dye Reduction Test Methods: A total of 37 samples comprising of kids milk collected at different levels of collection and processed. Accordingly 12 different milk samples from hypermarket, 8 different milk samples from unlicensed hawker (retail market), 11 different samples with additives from hyper market samples and 6 different samples with high price. Samples were collected. One ml of the Methylene Blue Thiocyanate solution added into a test tube then 10 ml of milk poured into test tube. Tubes incubated at 37 oC Results: Results showed that all types of milk that purchased from super market, local market and high price milk types shown no change of methylene Blue color appear on the base of time, that indicate very good quality of the milk. On the base of milk types with additive materials only one milk showed change in colour but after confirm test the colour remained blue and not changed. Conclusion: Methylene blue reduction test is rapid economic method that can be used for detection of milk quality. Approximately all the kids of milks that is purchased in our market and local markets showed sterility and the source contamination if take place may be by storage condition and transvers vehicle

Impact of remittances on economic growth in developing countries: The role of openness

The paper examines the empirical relationship between remittances and economic growth for a sample of 62 developing countries over the time period 1990–2014. Remittances seem to promote growth only in the ‘more open’ countries. That is because remittances are in themselves not sufficient for growth. The extent of the benefit depends on domestic institutions and macroeconomic environment in the receiving country. Unlike the ‘less open’ countries, ‘more open’ countries have better institutions and better financial markets to take advantage of the remittances income and channelise them into profitable investments which, in turn, accelerates the rate of economic growth in these countries.N/

Ethnobotanical study of some medicinal plants from tehsil BudhaL, District Rajouri, (Jammu and Kashmir)

An ethno-botanical survey was carried out in Tehsil Budhal of District Rajouri for documentation and information from local tribal communities (Gujjar and Bakerwals) about the ethno-medicines uses of plants. The indigenous knowledge of local uses of plants by these tribal communities was collected through personal interviews during field of this hilly and far flung Tehsil of Jammu and Kashmir. Most of the ethno-medicinal knowledge about the local uses of the plants was poorly known by the locals of this hilly area because of the elders of this region died along the traditional knowledge of the plants as they failed to document or communicate the same to their offspring due to lack of education and writing skill. I made extensive survey and trips to reach the head men and oldest persons of these communities in the different villages of this Tehsil for gathering the long-hidden indigenous knowledge. This study is one of its kinds in this hilly and remotest Tehsil of Jammu and Kashmir State. While interviewing the tribal, they got delighted in expressing their indigenous knowledge about the local uses of plants in this area