Effect of moisture content on physio-mechanical properties of coriander seeds (Coriandrum sativum)

Study to determine physical and mechanical properties of seeds at different moisture content is necessary for the design of equipment to handle, process, transport, and store the same.  The physical properties of coriander seeds have been evaluated as a function of seed moisture content, varying from 8% to 16% (w.b.). In the moisture 11.2%, seeds major, minor and medium dimensions were 5.062, 3.27, and 3.404 mm respectively. Sphericity of the seeds was found to be 0.757 with a surface area of 46.167 mm2.  One thousand seed weight increased linearly from 8.89 to 9.826 g when the moisture content increases from 8.5 to 15.89% (w.b.).  The true density of coriander seeds decreased when the moisture content increased 8.73 to 12%, from this point, true density increased with increasing moisture content while the bulk density of coriander seeds varied initially from 260 to 245.5 kg m-3 in 8 to 15% MC (w.b.).  As the moisture content of seeds increased the bulk density decreased.  Also, the porosity started at 24.284% and reduced nonlinearly to 22.88% at 11.50% seed moisture content then increased nonlinearly up to 27.466% at 16.67% seed moisture content.  Static coefficient of friction was observed lowest for stainless steel sheet and maximum for galvanized iron sheet.  The angle of repose increased linearly from 25.5° to 30.1° with the increase in moisture content.  Mechanical properties was found to be a function of moisture content, as moisture content of the product increased failure force reduced but failure deformation increased.Keywords: physical properties, mechanical propertie

Evaluation of buprofezin 70 DF an insect growth regulator for eco-friendly management of jassid (Amrasca bigutulla bigutulla Ishida) in okra, Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench

Field experiments were carried out for two seasons in 2012 to evaluate the efficacy of a new formulation of buprofezin (buprofezin 70 DF) against jassid (Amarasca biguttula biguttula Ishida) in okra, Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench. The insecticide was applied at 200 and 150 g a.i./ha at the ETL level of the insect (2 Jassids/leaf) and the performance of the same was compared with imidacloprid 17.8 SL @ 20 g a.i./ha, acephate 75 SP @ 562.5g a.i./ha and an untreated control. Results revealed that both the dosages of buprofezin 70 DF were significantly superior over the untreated control at 5 % level of significance. Buprofezin 70 DF at 200 and 150 g a.i./ha performed better over the other treatments with 88.81 and 85.96 % reduction during first season and 89.60 and 84.73% reduction during second season, respectively. Buprofezin , an insect growth regulator which had less or no hazardous effects on human health and environment and thus it can be incorporated in Integrated Pest Management programme in okra cultivation

Modeling for the Modified Atmosphere Packaging of Sapota Fruit

Modified atmospheric packaging utilizes polymeric films with selective permeability for O2 & CO2 and modifies the storage environment by lowering O2 concentration and increasing CO2 concentration. Modeling and design of the Sapota fruit for modified atmosphere storage was done with different packaging materials for the higher shelf life. Based on the respiration rate and permeability of the packaging material the suitable packaging films obtained for the modified atmospheric packaging of Sapota fruit were low density Polyethylene, Polyvinyl chloride, Polypropylene and Polystyrene film. Saran and Polyester films were found to be unsuitable for MAP storage of the Sapota fruit. The developed model provides an effective way for selection of the proper packaging material for Sapota fruit and this model can also be employed for designing packaging films for other fruits and vegetables

The Landscape of Bounds for Binary Search Trees

Binary search trees (BSTs) with rotations can adapt to various kinds of structure in search sequences, achieving amortized access times substantially better than the Theta(log n) worst-case guarantee. Classical examples of structural properties include static optimality, sequential access, working set, key-independent optimality, and dynamic finger, all of which are now known to be achieved by the two famous online BST algorithms (Splay and Greedy). (...) In this paper, we introduce novel properties that explain the efficiency of sequences not captured by any of the previously known properties, and which provide new barriers to the dynamic optimality conjecture. We also establish connections between various properties, old and new. For instance, we show the following. (i) A tight bound of O(n log d) on the cost of Greedy for d-decomposable sequences. The result builds on the recent lazy finger result of Iacono and Langerman (SODA 2016). On the other hand, we show that lazy finger alone cannot explain the efficiency of pattern avoiding sequences even in some of the simplest cases. (ii) A hierarchy of bounds using multiple lazy fingers, addressing a recent question of Iacono and Langerman. (iii) The optimality of the Move-to-root heuristic in the key-independent setting introduced by Iacono (Algorithmica 2005). (iv) A new tool that allows combining any finite number of sound structural properties. As an application, we show an upper bound on the cost of a class of sequences that all known properties fail to capture. (v) The equivalence between two families of BST properties. The observation on which this connection is based was known before - we make it explicit, and apply it to classical BST properties. (...

A graphene transmon operating at 1 T

A superconducting transmon qubit resilient to strong magnetic fields is an important component for proposed topological and hybrid quantum computing (QC) schemes. Transmon qubits consist of a Josephson junction (JJ) shunted by a large capacitance, coupled to a high quality factor superconducting resonator. In conventional transmon devices, the JJ is made from an Al/AlO$_x$/Al tunnel junction which ceases operation above the critical magnetic field of Al, 10 mT. Alternative junction technologies are therefore required to push the operation of these qubits into strong magnetic fields. Graphene JJs are one such candidate due to their high quality, ballistic transport and electrically tunable critical current densities. Importantly the monolayer structure of graphene protects the JJ from orbital interference effects that would otherwise inhibit operation at high magnetic field. Here we report the integration of ballistic graphene JJs into microwave frequency superconducting circuits to create the first graphene transmons. The electric tunability allows the characteristic band dispersion of graphene to be resolved via dispersive microwave spectroscopy. We demonstrate that the device is insensitive to the applied field and perform energy level spectroscopy of the transmon at 1 T, more than an order of magnitude higher than previous studies.Comment: attached supplementary materia

A Non - Singular Cosmological Model with Shear and Rotation

We have investigated a non-static and rotating model of the universe with an imperfect fluid distribution. It is found that the model is free from singularity and represents an ever expanding universe with shear and rotation vanishing for large value of time.Comment: 10 pages, late

J. Cell. Sci.

Electrophysiological studies demonstrate that transient receptor potential vanilloid subtype 1 (TRPV1) is involved in neuronal transmission. Although it is expressed in the peripheral as well as the central nervous system, the questions remain whether TRPV1 is present in synaptic structures and whether it is involved in synaptic processes. In the present study we gathered evidence that TRPV1 can be detected in spines of cortical neurons, that it colocalizes with both pre- and postsynaptic proteins, and that it regulates spine morphology. Moreover, TRPV1 is also present in biochemically prepared synaptosomes endogenously. In F11 cells, a cell line derived from dorsal-root-ganglion neurons, TRPV1 is enriched in the tips of elongated filopodia and also at sites of cell-cell contact. In addition, we also detected TRPV1 in synaptic transport vesicles, and in transport packets within filopodia and neurites. Using FM4-64 dye, we demonstrate that recycling and/or fusion of these vesicles can be rapidly modulated by TRPV1 activation, leading to rapid reorganization of filopodial structure. These data suggest that TRPV1 is involved in processes such as neuronal network formation, synapse modulation and release of synaptic transmitters