Characterization of Pr6O11-Ag2o-B2O3 Glasses

Silver borate glasses doped with Praseodymium of different concentration has been prepared by melt quench technique. X-ray diffraction pattern shows that there is no sharp peak it confirms the amorphous nature of the present glasses. The glass transition temperature (Tg) of this glass system have been studied using the Matac MBS-8000 Digital Signal Processing and Conventional Thermal Analysis (DTA) method. The Tg of these glasses increases with increase in concentration of Pr6O11 except at 0.2 mol%Tg value is lower. We investigate the network structure of Pr6O11-Ag2O-B2O3 glass by 11B magic angle spinning (MAS)-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) which shows the presence of sharp peak at around 18 ppm. Formation of B4 units is assumed to be occurring initially through the formation of oxygen bridges between [BO3/2]0 units in B2O3

Optical Properties of Praseodymium Doped Silver-Borate Glasses

Praseodymium doped silver–borate glasses having composition xPr6O11–(25 – x)Ag2O–75B2O3 (x = 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) were prepared by conventional melt quenching method. The density, molar volume, and optical energy band gap of these glasses were measured. Optical absorption spectra of these glasses were recorded in the range 300–1000 nm at room temperature. The refractive index, molar refraction, and polarizability of oxide ion were calculated by using Lorentz–Lorentz relations. The oxide ion polarizabilities deduced from two different quantities, viz. refractive index and optical energy band gap, agree well compared with other glasses. The variation of the preceding optical parameters with respect to praseodymium concentration is explained

Application of fast technology for analysis (FTA) for sampling and recovery of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) for molecular characterization of cowpea breeding lines for Striga resistance

Article purchasedStriga gesnerioides (Willd) Vatke is a significant constraint to cowpea production in the dry savannas of sub-Saharan Africa. Yield losses caused by S. gesnerioides in these regions are estimated in millions of tons annually and the prevalence of Striga soil infestation is steadily increasing. Conventional breeding efforts have developed some cowpea lines with Striga resistance as well as other important agronomic traits but it is time-consuming and difficult to pyramid favorable traits. The use of marker-assisted selection (MAS) makes it easier to select plant traits and reduce the time needed to develop new varieties. The potential of Fast Technology for Analysis (FTA) as an effective technology for sampling and retrieval of DNA from plant tissue and their subsequent molecular analysis was assessed in the laboratory. DNA was successfully recovered from the leaf tissues of cowpea pressed into the FTA® Classic card and the DNA obtained from the FTA papers was found to be suitable for molecular analysis by PCR-based techniques. The marker efficiency of Sequence Characterized Amplified Region (SCAR) marker MahSe2 and C42B was 93% in detecting SG3 resistance. This study demonstrated that the application of MAS using FTA technology has the potential to put the breeding process on a fast track and increase the efficiency of breeding activities

Manurial value of byproducts of bio-diesel feed stocks on finger millet grain and dry fodder productivity

A replicated field experiment was conducted at Agricultural Research Station (ARS), Madenur located in Hassan District, Karnataka in rainy season during 2007 to assess the manurial value of by-products of bio-diesel feed stocks-pongamia and neem oil seed cakes vis-à-vis conventional plant nutrients sources (combination of farm yard manure and inorganic fertilizers) on the grain and fodder productivity of finger millet, the staple food cereal of southern Karnataka. Grain and dry fodder productivity of finger millet crop grown using pongamia and neem seedoil cakes is comparable to that grown using conventional plant nutrient sources. Application of plant nutrients only through pongamia and neem seed oil cakes resulted in higher available soil Nitrogen, Potassium and Organic Carbon contents

Manurial value of byproducts of bio-diesel feed stocks on finger millet grain and dry fodder productivity

A replicated field experiment was conducted at Agricultural Research Station (ARS), Madenur located in Hassan District, Karnataka in rainy season during 2007 to assess the manurial value of by-products of bio-diesel feed stocks-pongamia and neem oil seed cakes vis-à-vis conventional plant nutrients sources (combination of farm yard manure and inorganic fertilizers) on the grain and fodder productivity of finger millet, the staple food cereal of southern Karnataka. Grain and dry fodder productivity of finger millet crop grown using pongamia and neem seedoil cakes is comparable to that grown using conventional plant nutrient sources. Application of plant nutrients only through pongamia and neem seed oil cakes resulted in higher available soil Nitrogen, Potassium and Organic Carbon contents

Influence of Pongamia, Mahua and Neem cakes on finger millet productivity and soil fertility

A field experiment conducted at Bio-fuel park, Agricultural Research Station, Madenur, Hassan in Kharif season of 2009 to asses the performance of finger millet (Eleusine coracana L.) under different organic manure treatment consisting of four treatments viz., recommended FYM and NPK through inorganic fertilizers as control, Pongamia, Mahua and Neem cake with 5 replications laid in randomized complete block design. The results revealed that application of recommended FYM along with neem cake equivalent to 100% recommended N performedbetter in respect of finger millet productivity and maintenance of soil fertility followed by recommended FYM with 100% NPK through fertilizers. Nutrient supplementation with different oilcakes proved superior in respect of soil sustainability

Structural investigation, spectroscopic and energy level studies of Schiff base: 2-(3�-N-salicylidenephenyl)benzimidazole using experimental and DFT methods

The Schiff base 2-(3�-N-salicylidenephenyl)benzimidazole (Spbzl) was characterized by FT-Raman, 1H NMR, 13C NMR and single crystal X-ray diffraction technique. Crystallographic studies reveal the presence of two water molecules in the asymmetry unit which aid the intermolecular hydrogen bonding with imidazole ring, and the trans-conformation of the azomethine bond. Theoretical computations conducted using density functional theory (DFT) analysis support the experimental facts. Energy levels estimated by DFT studies are in good agreement with the values obtained from cyclic voltammetry technique. Frontier molecular orbital analysis shows that charge transfer has taken place from donor to acceptor moiety, which is also supported by the high hyperpolarizability values in both gaseous and solution phases, indicating high charge transfer capability of the molecule. A comparative theoretical study of Spbzl with derivative 4-((3-(1H-benzimidazol-2-yl)phenylimino)methyl)-3-hydroxybenzoic acid (Pbzlb) having an added anchor group COOH substituted at para position in the acceptor ring has been made. The result shows the feasibility of charge transfer to the semiconductor surface in dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC) applications for Pbzlb. © 2017 Elsevier B.V

Long-term application of fertilizers on chemical and biological properties of an Alfisol

A long term fertilizer experiment (30 years) at Bengaluru had been started during 1986 with eleven treat-ments and four replications in an Alfisol on finger millet (Elusine coracana) maize (Zea mays) cropping sequence. The results of the ongoing experiment after 27 cycles of finger millet and maize on changes in soil chemical proper-ties revealed that application of inorganics alone resulted in impaired soil fertility status (soil pH, organic carbon con-tent and available nutrients in soil were decreased) over balanced fertilizer application. There was a decline in soil reaction over the initial status and the maximum decrease was observed in 100 % NP (-1.46), 100 % N (-1.20) and other treatments. Application of 100 % NPK+FYM+lime maintained the soil pH (6.2) compared to all the other treat-ments. Organic carbon content of soil in all the treatments was higher (6.46 g kg-1) compared to the initial status; however, maximum increase in organic carbon content was registered on application of NPK+FYM. Application of 10 t ha-1 along with recommended dose of fertilizers and lime was found promising in term of sustaining crop and soil productivity

Repeatability of nerve thickness assessment in the clinical examination for leprosy

The assessment of the thickness of the superficial peripheral nerve trunks to document nerve involvement is an important aspect of clinical examination in case finding for leprosy, and is usually done by trained paramedical workers (PMWs). This assessment is subject to variability and has implications on the outcome of the survey. The present study proposes to quantify this variability. In this study, 242 individuals, consisting of 50 neuritic cases, 143 nonneuritic cases of leprosy and 49 normal controls, selected from the records of the trial of BCG prophylaxis in leprosy in South India, were examined by a doctor and paramedical workers. Repeatability of nerve thickness assessment for ulnar aud popliteal nerves between the medical officer (MO) and the PMWs was quantified using Kappa statistics. The Kappa values for repeatability between the MO and the PMWs ranged from 0.45 to 0.54 and 0.52 to 0.69 for ulnar and popliteal nerves, respectively. The implications of the variability in nerve assessment are discussed