Ravenelia acaciae-arabicae and Ravenelia evansii are distinct species on Acacia nilotica subsp. indica in India

The two rust fungi, Ravenelia acaciae-arabicae and R. evansii, were both found on Acacia nilotica subsp. indica in southern (Tamil Nadu) and northern (Gujarat) India. R. acaciae-arabicae has been often incorrectly synonymised with R. evansii, although each has distinctive urediniospores, viz. echinulate in R. acaciae-arabicae and verruculose in R. evansii. Both species are re-described and illustrated from fresh specimens collected in India. Herbarium specimens of R. evansii from South Africa, including the holotype, were also examined. The difficulty in connecting different anamorphic spore stages to either of these teleomorphic rusts is highlighted by the presence of similar aecidia on plants of A. robusta infected with R. evansii in South Africa and on A. nilotica subsp. indica infected with R. acaciae-arabicae in India. It is not known whether these aecidial rusts represent the same species, nor is it known if they represent an aecidial stage of either R. acaciae-arabicae, R. evansii or other rusts

On the Grunbaum Commutor Based Discrete Fractional Fourier Transform,”

ABSTRACT The basis functions of the continuous fractional Fourier transform (FRFT) are linear chirp signals that are suitable for time-frequency analysis of signals with chirping timefrequency content. Efforts to develop a discrete computable version of the fractional Fourier transform (DFRFT) have focussed on furnishing a orthogonal set of eigenvectors for the DFT that serve as discrete versions of the GaussHermite functions. Analysis of the DFRFT obtained from Grunbaum's tridiagonal commuter and the kernel associated with it reveals the presence of both amplitude and frequency modulation in contrast to just frequency modulation seen in the continuous case. Furthermore the instantaneous frequency of the basis functions of the DFRFT are sigmoidal rather than linear

First Report on Infection of Argulus quadristriatus (Arthropoda: Crustacea: Branchiura) on Marine Fish Cobia in Brood Stock Pond Culture [2019]

A total of 30 specimens of fish cobia Rachycentron canadum (Total Length = 45–120 cm, Weight = 3.0–25 kg) were stocked at the density of 1 kg/m³ in the polythene lined earthen pond. After 3 months of stocking, fish cobia was found with infection of ectoparasites. Then fishes were sampled at fortnight interval to find the percentage distribution of ectoparasites in different parts of the body for a year and also any pathological symptoms. Identification of the parasite was made through light and electron microscopies. The parasite was identified as Argulus quadristriatus Devaraj and Ameer Hamsa, 1977 (Crustacea: Branchiura: Argulidae) commonly called as fish lice. The maximum distribution of pathogenic argulid was observed on the head and operculum of cobia and was found high in summer months from April to June. Pathological symptoms were observed on cobia as erratic swimming, rubbing against substrate in the pond and lesions of epithelial tissues on the infected regions. It must be due to continuous rupturing and feeding of argulids on the skin of cobia using its powerful antennae. Scanning electron micrographs revealed some important morphological features of A. quadristriatus. This is a first report of A. quadristriatus infection on cobia reared in a land-based pond ecosystem

One-Pot Cu/TiO2 Nanoparticles Synthesis for Trans-Ferulic Acid Conversion into Vanillin

In this study, the co-synthesis of TiO2 and Cu metallic nanoparticles obtained via one-pot cost-efficient hydrothermal process has been addressed. Different nanocatalysts with Cu contents were characterized by X-ray diffraction, nitrogen porosimetry, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The TiO2 and Cu metallic nanoparticles were synthesized with copper loading up to one (Cu/Ti atomic ratio). Synthesized catalysts exhibited pore sizes in the mesoporous range and high surface areas above 150 m2/g. The particle size for TiO2 presented a homogeneous distribution of approximately 8 nm, moreover, Cu nanoparticles varied from 12 to >100 nm depending on the metal loading. The nanostructured materials were successfully tested in the conversion of trans-ferulic acid into vanillin under sustainable conditions, achieving the best performance for 0.3 Cu/Ti atomic ratio (70% vanillin yield)

Spin-lattice relaxation studies on semiquinone ions

Electron spin-lattice relaxation times of p-benzosemiquinone, durosemiquinone and 2, 5 ditertiary butyl-p-benzosemiquinone ions have been measured by the pulsed saturation recovery technique. The relaxation times of the different hyperfine components of a semiquinone ion are the same within the limits of experimental error in disagreement with the findings of Schreurs and Fraenkel. The dependence of T1 on viscosity does not follow the BPP's theory

Cardiotonic Activity of Coconut Water (Cocos nucifera)

The coconut (Cocos nucifera) is a member of the family Arecaceae (Palm family). Various parts of this tree is used in the treatment of, cancer (due to hexane fraction of coconut peel), indomethacin-induced ulceration (coconut milk).Coconut water consumption reduces diastolic blood pressure (due to the presence of potassium).In the present work fresh coconut water, dilution 1:1(coconut water: distilled water), are used to evaluate cardiac activity on the isolated frog heart and are labeled as T1, & T2 respectively and compared with Digoxin (S1) as standard solution. It was found that sample T1(Undiluted coconut water) showed better response as compared to the diluted coconut water(T2).These preliminary studies confirm the cardiotonic activity of the coconut water(Cocos nucifera)

Mechanochemical Preparation of Magnetically Separable Fe and Cu-Based Bimetallic Nanocatalysts for Vanillin Production

A highly sustainable method for the preparation of supported iron oxide and copper nanoparticles (NPs) on a biomass-derived carbon by solvent-free mechanochemical process is reported. In-situ mechanochemically obtained extracts from orange peel could behave as a green reducing agent, allowing the formation of Cu metal nanoparticles as well as generating a magnetic phase (magnetite) in the systems via partial Fe3+ reduction. At the same time, orange peel residues also served as template and carbon source, adding oxygen functionalities, which were found to benefit the catalytic performance of mechanochemically synthesized nanomaterials. The series of magnetic Cu-Fe@OP were tested in the oxidation of trans-ferulic acid towards vanillin, remarkably revealing a maximum vanillin yield of 82% for the sample treated at 200 °C