Biofuels – An Eco-Friendly Energy Source

Biofuels are liquids that derive from bio mass, both from plant materials and animal fat. Biofuels are products that can be processed in to liquid fuels for either transport or heating purposes. The most popular forms of biofuel are bioethanol, biodiesel and methanol. Bio ethanol is an alcohol derived from sugar or starch crops by fermentation. A second generation of bio ethanol-lignocelluloses includes a range of forestry products such as forestry coppices and energy grasses. Bio ethanol can be used in pure from or blended with gasoline. Bio ethanol is produced from agricultural products including starchy and cereal crops such as sugarcane, corn, beets, wheat and sorghum. Bio diesel is derived from vegetable oils by reaction of the oil with methanol. A second generation of bio diesel technologies synthesizes diesel fuel from wood and straw to a gasification stage. Biodiesel can be used in pure form or blended with automotive diesel. Biodiesel is made from oil or tree seeds such as rapeseed, sunflower, soya, palm, Pongamapinnata, Andiroba(Carporaguianensis), Babassu(Orbigniasp), barley, Camelina(Camelina sativa) coconut(copra), Jatropha curcas, Cumary (Dipterus odorata),groundnut, mustard, peanut, fishoil, and animal fat. Biodiesel derived from green algae and cyanobacteria biomass has the potential for high volume and cost effective production. It is carbon neutral. In recent years, bioenergy has drawn attention as a sustainable energy resource that may help cope with rising energy prices, but also provides income to poor farmers and rural communities around the globe. Developing countries with tropical climate have a comparative advantage in growing energy with biomass. Advantages of using bio fuel are renewable fuel, low toxicity, biodegradable, lower emissions of contaminants, lower health risk, no sulfur dioxide emissions and higher flash point and also decreases the country’s dependence on imported petroleum. Biofuels represent important opportunities and challenges for sustainable development, both globally and domestically. Bio fuels can help to tackle climate change and improve rural employment and livelihood. Their reduced carbon emissions compared to conventional fuels and their positive impacts on rural development, together with the current high oil prices are key elements behind their market development. Thus bio diesel is a potential replacement for petroleum based liquid fuels. Biomass for fuel production is gaining importance in terms of its productivity, practicality and innovative potential to create a cost competitive, environment friendly and renewable source of liquid fuel

Effect of Cobalt Chloride on the Amino Acid Levels in Silk Gland of Silkworm, Bombyx mori L

The effect of cobalt on the total proteins, protease activity, free amino acids, alanine amino transferase (ALAT) activity and aspartate amino transferase (AAT) activity were studied. The increase of total protein content in silk gland may be either due to increased efflux or decreased proteolysis activity which might lead to accumulation of protein content. The decrease of protease activity level in silk gland may be due to lower rate of histolysis. The free amino acids showed a decrease in the silk gland of cobalt chloride treated larvae which indicates the faster mobilization of free amino acids into oxidative metabolism in the presence of cobalt chloride. The ALAT and AAT activity levels were elevated after cobalt chloride treatment indicating the active involvement in the protein synthesis. DOI: 10.17762/ijritcc2321-8169.15079

Performance Evaluation of wide Bandwidth RF Signal Generator Chip

The work in this paper is to give an overview of the compact wide band RF signal generator board design, emphasizing on the analyses and evaluation of the performance characteristics corresponding to the output signal purity and stability. The paper describes the design aspects involved in developing a reliable RF generating source which includes details regarding the factors that have taken care for optimum output power, spectral purity and noise performance. The simulation results obtained from the tool given by Maxim integrated are used as reference to evaluate the actual board when it is realised. These results are shown here for reference. Design aspects such as the power supply, noise filtering, loop filter component selection board layout consideration along with easy and compact form factor is considered. The board contains not only the signal generator device but also an FPGA from Xilinx to control the device, to make the board more useful for future applications; the board also has an SDRAM and an USB controller. This paper mainly concentrates on to MAX2870 signal generator and simulation results obtained by EE-Sim tool. Since the actual board is still in the process of being developed, the comparison of the actual performance to the simulation performance may not be possible at this point of time but definitely is in pipeline

SUKHPRASAVA (NORMAL LABOUR) IN ANCIENT LITERATURE: A REVIEW

Ayurveda value lies in the fact that it is not a medical science dealing solely with treatment of disease. Instead, it offers practical guidelines that apply to every facet of daily existence. It also seeks to reconcile health and lifestyle with universal aspects of existence, and to enhance wellbeing. Earliest available evidence and concept of maternal and child care are present in Rigveda, Yajurveda, Atharvaveda, Upnishada and Samhita. Historical review focused on examining research throughout a period of time, often starting with the first time an issue, concept, theory, phenomena emerged in the literature. Details about mechanism and management of labor are described elaborately. To get relieved from difficulties of labor, certain oblations and enchanting of Mantra are advised. Vivid description of Sukhprasava chronologically presented in this article

ROLE OF AYURVEDIC DRUGS IN TREATING GERIATRIC DISORDERS AND IN IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE - A DEMONSTRATIVE PROJECT

Present study is a demonstrative trial taken up with the aim of establishing the safety and efficacy of compound Ayurvedic drugs in geriatric people, who are institutionalised at old age home. Patients recruited under this study were suffering with minor to moderate ailments and given disease specific Ayurvedic medicines along with them one Rasayana drug like Ashvagandha/ Triphala/ Yashtimadhu/ Amalaki. Mini mental status examination (MMSE) and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HARS) tests were applied initially and after completion of six months to evaluate the efficacy of Ayurvedic drugs in treating the Geriatric problems and enhancing the quality of life on total 30 subjects recruited for this study. All the patients were undergone blood tests before and after treatment for their kidney and liver function tests.On analysis of MMSE, it is found that total 16 (53.34) cases were showed improvement; in the HARS – Psychic level, majority of cases showed improvement in all the parameters viz., anxiety, tension, fear, insomnia, intellectual and depression; similarly in the HARS-somatic level, showed improvement in all the parameters - General Somatic (muscular), General Somatic (sensory), cardio-vascular, respiratory, gastro-intestinal, genito-urinary and autonomic system symptoms. Blood markers of liver and kidney function were within normal limits in all patients before and after treatment. This indicates that the used Ayurvedic drugs are safe even in the geriatric people.

A CASE REPORT ON EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT OF ASRIGDARA

Any uterine bleeding outside the normal volume, duration, regularity or frequency is considered as abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB). Nearly thirty percent of all gynaecological outpatient attendants are for AUB. Abnormal menstrual bleeding pattern have been traditionally expressed by terms like menorrhagia, metrorrhagia, polymenorrhagia & oligomenorrhoea. Normal menstrual cycle interval is 28 days (21-35 days), menstrual flow duration 4-5 days and normal menstrual blood loss should be 35ml (20-80 ml). Any deviation in the above criteria comes under abnormal uterine bleeding, means excessive amount of bleeding or increased duration of bleeding during menstruation or both termed as AUB. In Ayurveda same is described as Pradara. A female patient aged 22 years visited OPD of Prasuti Tantra and Stri Roga department of NIA, with complaints of heavy menstrual bleeding and prolonged menstrual bleeding more than seven days since six months. Pictorial blood loss assessment chart was used to assess the amount of blood loss before and after treatment. SF-36 questionnaire was assessed to know the improvement in quality of life. Patient was given Kutajashtakaleha 10 gm BD with cows milk

Validation of a new ovarian malignancy suspicion index for preoperative evaluation of adnexal masses

Background: The currently available ovarian malignancy probability scores incorporate biochemical markers such as CA 125 (Carbohydrate Antigen 125), which is not routinely available in peripheral centers. There is a need for tumour marker independent prediction model to differentiate malignant ovarian masses from their benign counterparts in order to plan appropriate surgery. To formulate and prospectively validate a new Ovarian Malignancy Suspicion Index (OMSI) independent of serum CA 125 level, in preoperative evaluation of adnexal masses admitted for surgery.Methods: This was a combined retrospective and prospective cohort study conducted in a tertiary referral hospital over a period of one and half years. Retrospective sample included 100 subjects who had undergone surgery for adnexal masses and who had definite histopathological report. Detailed data were obtained with respect to age, menopausal status, sonographic findings including solid areas, ascites, mean diameter, bilateralism, and presence of septa. A logistic multivariate regression analysis was carried out to find the best prediction score (OMSI - Ovarian Malignancy Suspicion Index). This model was further evaluated prospectively in 60 subjects for its diagnostic ability to identify benign and malignant ovarian pathology.Results: OMSI at the cut off value of 3.9 differentiated effectively malignant ovarian mass from benign variety with a good diagnostic performance (Sensitivity 100%, Specificity 90.5%, Positive Predictive Value 81.8% and Negative Predictive Value 100%) as good as currently recommended RMI (Risk Malignancy Index) score. It was also found that OMSI > 3.9 was associated with positive ultrasound evidence for ovarian malignancy such as presence of thick septae (90%), solid areas within the tumour (93.8%), papillary projections (100%), bilaterality (90%) and ascites (100%).Conclusions: This study shows that it is possible to derive ovarian malignancy prediction model such as OMSI without including CA 125 with diagnostic ability in par with risk scoring systems such as WHO recommended RMI. Using this model, physicians working in peripheral centers without facilities for estimating serum tumour markers can arrive at the possible diagnosis and plan appropriate management strategies

Effectiveness and safety of intravenous ferric carboxy maltose in anaemic women attending gynecological unit

Background: Anaemia is a significant problem worldwide, particularly in women. Several intravenous iron preparations are available for the treatment of anaemia. Some of them cause life-threatening anaphylactic reactions while others require multiple small infusions to prevent iron reactions. Ferric carboxy maltose (FCM), a non-dextran intravenous iron, is safe and effective option that can be administered as single high dose without serious adverse effects.Methods: A prospective study was undertaken in the department of obstetrics and gynecology, Adichunchungiri institute of medical sciences, B G Nagara, from August 2020 to November 2021 in which 50 cases with iron deficiency anaemia were enrolled. IV FCM 1g was given. Change in the laboratory parameters such as haemoglobin (Hb), mean corpuscular value, serum ferritin levels over a 4 weeks period were observed.Results: A significant increase in mean Hb from 8.14 to 11.71 g was observed in patients treated with FCM after 4 weeks of therapy. Majority belonged to age group of 21-30 years and moderate type of anaemia was most common. No serious drug reaction was reported.Conclusions: IV FCM is safe and effective option for improving Hb in iron deficiency anaemia, in terms of restoring iron stores in short duration of time as well as patient compliance

GARBHASANSKARA: A MIRACLE TO WOMAN

Garbhasanskara means reforming, polishing and ultimate moulding and cultivating the unborn. Simply, we can say, it is a process of selecting and transmitting positive influence by means of Yoga, reading, thinking, praying including healthy eating and cheerful behaviour. There is special bond between mother and baby due to Garbha sanskara. It is a process of training the baby as well as mothers mind during pregnancy. Pre-planning for pregnancy (Supraja janan), preparing the body in advance before conceiving helps greatly in having a healthy progeny. Sanskara is Sanskaro hi Gunaantaradhanam means to substitute bad traits by superior ones. In this review, a complete description about the Garbhasanskara has been discussed, along with these essential factors for conception, Sodhana (purificatory process), Rasayan and Vajikarana, Ahara vihara, Garbhini paricharya, Mantra, meditation, stress and Pranayama