22 research outputs found
Effect of Heat Input on Evolution of Microstructure and Tensile Properties of Gas Tungsten Constricted Arc (GTCA) Welded Inconel 718 Alloy Sheets
Prevalence of different species of Culicoides in Bangalore rural and urban districts of South India
Starch-based gel electrolyte thin films derived from native sago (Metroxylon sagu) starch
Starch-based gel electrolyte (SbGE) thin films were prepared by mixing native sago starch with different amounts of glycerol, and subsequently doped with various types of ionic salts. SbGE thin films showed substantially enhanced mechanical properties and ionic conductivity through incorporating optimal composition of native sago starch, glycerol, and ionic salts. A maximum room temperature ionic conductivity of the order of 10â3 S cmâ1 was achieved for optimized SbGE thin film consisting of 80 wt% of native sago starch and 20 wt% of glycerol, and doped with 8 wt% of LiCl. SbGE thin films were characterized by Fourier transformed infrared spectrometry, scanning electron microscopy, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Due to their favorable mechanical properties, high ionic conductivity at room temperature, ease of preparation, environmentally benign, and cheap, SbGE thin films show high potential utility as gel electrolyte materials for the fabrication of solid-state electrochemical devices
A video clip of the biting midge Culicoides anophelis ingesting blood from an engorged Anopheles mosquito in Hainan, China
Characterisation of sweet stem sorghum genotypes for bio-ethanol production
In an effort to characterise and select promising sweet stem sorghum genotypes with enhanced biofuel productivity, the present study investigated phenotypic variability present among diverse sweet stem sorghum genotypes based on ethanol production and related agronomic traits. One hundred and ninety genotypes were evaluated. Data were subjected to variance, cluster, correlation, path coefficient and principal component analyses. Significant differences (Pâ<â0.01) were detected among tested genotypes for all measured traits. Days to flowering varied from 62 to 152 with a mean of 93. Plant height varied from 90 to 420â
cm with a mean of 236â
cm. Stem diameter ranged from 7 to 31â
mm with a mean of 16â
mm. Biomass yield varied from 6.668 to 111.2â
tâ
haâ1 with a mean of 30â
tâ
haâ1. Stalk dry matter content ranged from 17.2% to 44.2% with a mean of 29.8%, while fibre content varied from 8.92% to 34.8% with a mean of 17.2%. The stalk brix yield varied from 3.3% to 18.9% with a mean of 12.1%. Ethanol productivity ranged from 240.9 to 5500â
lâ
haâ1 with a mean of 1886â
lâ
haâ1. The best ethanol producing genotypes were AS203, AS391, AS205, AS251 and AS448. Days to flowering, plant height, stalk brix and stem diameter exerted the greatest indirect effects on ethanol production through higher biomass production. Biomass yield had the greatest direct effect on ethanol production. Therefore, the above traits should be considered during breeding sorghum for bio-ethanol production. Also, the traits had high heritability values, hence selection should provide for good genetic gains. Overall, the above sweet stem sorghum genotypes are useful genetic resources for breeding of sorghum with enhanced bio-ethanol production