Impedance Spectroscopy: A Powerful Technique for Study of Electronic Ceramics

Electronic ceramics are technological materials having a vast variety of applications such as actuators and sensors, computer memories, electrically controlled microwave tuning devices for RADAR, etc. and are playing key role in electronics industry today. An electronic ceramic component can be visualised as grain-grain boundary-electrode system. Impedance spectroscopy is being widely used to separate out contributions of these to the overall property of a ceramic. This involves equivalent circuit models. To facilitate development of suitable equivalent circuit models and obtain values of the components, some most useful circuits with their simulated behaviour are presented. Steps highly useful in the modelling process are summarised. The procedure of impedance spectroscopy is illustrated by analysing the impedance data of the ceramic system BaFexTi1-xO3 (x = 0.05) containing two phases

The Effect of Melatonin on Essential Oil Production in Mentha Spicata

Mentha Spicata (spearmint), an herbaceous perennial aromatic plant, is the most common herb in tropical and subtropical countries. The essential oil (EO) of Mentha spicata is a valuable source of antioxidants in nutraceuticals and cosmetic industries. In-vitro culturing of Mentha Spicata was done via the micro-propagation technique, and exogenous Mel was used as a plant growth regulator. The field trials involved the plant’s foliar spray of different concentrations of Mel at various time points. The EO of leaves of control and Mel-treated plants (S1-S6) was steam-distilled using a Clavenger-type apparatus. The UV, FTIR, and GC analyses of the EO of control and S1-S6 were recorded. The antioxidant capacity of the EO of control and S1-S6 was measured using a DPPH (1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) assay. The nodal explants of Mentha Spicata showed different responses to the shoot proliferation process in the presence of exogenous Mel. The EO yield percentage of control and S1-S6 were in the range of 0.92±0.05% and 0.74±0.03%-0.39±0.04%%, respectively. The UV, FTIR, and GC spectra of the EO of control and S1-S6 presented different numbers of peaks and compounds in the selected range. The EO of control and Mel-treated plants could reduce the free radical DPPH to DPPHH with varying values of IC50. Melatonin could regulate the plant’s growth and development, change the EO yield, improve the EO’s phytochemical profile qualitatively, and enhance the free-radical scavenging capacity of the plant’s EO in a concentration and time-dependent mode. So, it may act as a promising molecule to increase aromatic crop yield with the desired quality

Epithelioid Leiomyosarcoma of Greater Omentum- Case Report of a Rare Tumour

A 50 year old man presented with a large, circumscribed mass in the abdomen. With ultrasonography, computed tomography, endoscopy and FNAC, preoperative diagnosis could not be made. Complete resection of the mass was performed; the tumor weighed 10.5 kg. Immuno-histochemical study confirmed the diagnosis of epithelioid leiomyosarcoma (ELMS). These are generally solid tumours commonly arising from the stomach. It is uncommon in the greater omentum

IMPROVED GROWTH AND COLCHICINE CONCENTRATION IN GLORIOSA SUPERBA ON MYCORRHIZAL INOCULATION SUPPLEMENTED WITH PHOSPHORUS-FERTILIZER

Background: Gloriosa superba produces an array of alkaloids including colchicine, a compound of interest in the treatment of various diseases. The tuber of Gloriosa superba is a rich source of colchicine which has shown anti-gout, anti-inflammatory, and anti-tumor activity. However, this promising compound remains expensive and Gloriosa superba is such a good source in global scale. Increase in yield of naturally occurring colchicine is an important area of investigation. Materials and Methods: The effects of inoculation by four arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM), fungi, Glomus mossae, Glomus fasciculatum, Gigaspora margarita and Gigaspora gilmorei either alone or supplemented with P-fertilizer, on colchicine concentration in Gloriosa superba were studied. The concentration of colchicine was determined by high-performance thin layer chromatography. Results: The four fungi significantly increased concentration of colchicine in the herb. Although there was significant increase in concentration of colchicine in non-mycorrhizal P-fertilized plants as compared to control, the extent of the increase was less compared to mycorrhizal plants grown with or without P-fertilization. This suggests that the increase in colchicine concentration may not be entirely attributed to enhanced P-nutrition and improved growth. Among the four AM fungi Glomus mossae was found to be best. The total colchicine content of plant (mg / plant) was significantly high in plants inoculated with Glomus mossae and 25 mg kg-1phosphorus fertilizer (348.9 mg /plant) while the control contain least colchicine (177.87 mg / plant)

A comparison of apple varieties based on yield and production efficiency under north western plain zones of Uttar Pradesh

Apple is largely cultivated in India's northwestern Himalayan area, which also encompasses the nation's mountainous north-eastern regions as well as the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh. This research was conducted during 2019-2020 and 2020-21 at Horticultural Research Centre, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture & Technology, Meerut. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design (RBD) and the number of treatments was 3, each replicated 4 times. Each treatment consists of one plant. Total 12 plants were selected for study. The plants were planted at spacing of 5x5 m. The obtained results showed that the no. of fruits per plant (176.62), no. of branches per plant (28.5) was found to be significant. On the other side canopy spread (4.84 m), stem girth (33.87 cm), plant height (4.06 m), number of flowers (1020.75), fruit size (length) (57.12 mm), fruit size (width) (52.61 mm), fruit weight per fruit (76.62 gm), ), fruit weight (5 fruits) (383.12) were found to be non-significant. The results of present study indicate that the basis of their vegetative behavior, Dorsett Golden appeared to be superior variety in terms of tree morphology and other as moderate. Further, it can be concluded that variety Dorsett Golden had more productivity and the fruits of ANNA and HRMN-99 were having more marketable fruit traits. The current study revealed the diversity of the apple cultivars analysed in this experiment, highlighting the significance of safeguarding these precious genetic resources and pursuing additional study to ensure their conservation, exchange, and utilisation in upcoming breeding initiatives for the development of novel, improved apple varieties

Assessment of different elite mango varieties suitable for North western plain zones of Uttar Pradesh

The evaluation of different mango varieties was conducted during 2019-20 and 2020-21. The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design (RBD) with four varieties, namely, Ambika, Pusa Arunima, Kesar, and Dashehari-51, each replicated three times. The plants were spaced at 4x4 m intervals. The results obtained demonstrated significant variations in various parameters, ranging from minimum to maximum values. The canopy spread ranged from 1.77 to 7.49 m, stem girth from 16.67 to 40 cm, number of fruits per plant from 21 to 118, fruit length from 92.04 to 123.28 mm, fruit width from 56.02 to 77.41 mm, and fruit weight from 202 to 591 g. However, the number of primary branches (2-3) and plant height (1.54-4.35 m) were found to be nonsignificant. Based on the morpho-economic traits, Pusa Arunima appeared to be a superior variety in terms of tree morpho-economic traits, while others were considered moderate. Considering the average number of fruits per plant and fruit weight (g) over a two-year period, Pusa Arunima clearly outperformed the other three varieties in terms of yield. Furthermore, Pusa Arunima, Kesar, and Ambika exhibited more marketable fruit traits. These findings emphasize the significant diversity among the examined mango cultivars. Therefore, it is crucial to protect and preserve these valuable genetic resources for future breeding programs aimed at developing novel and commercially viable cultivars

Light Curve and Spectral Evolution of Type IIb Supernovae

Stripped-Envelope Supernovae constitute the sub-class of core-collapse supernovae that strip off their outer hydrogen envelope due to high stellar winds or due to interaction with a binary companion where mass transfer occurs as a result of Roche lobe overflow. We present here the photometric and spectroscopic analysis of a member of this class : SN 2015as classified as a type IIb supernova. Light curve features are similar to those of SN 2011fu while spectroscopic features are quite similar to those of SN 2008ax and SN 2011dh. Early epoch spectra have been modelled with SYN++ which indicates a photospheric velocity of 8500 km sec-1 and temperature of 6500K. Spectroscopic lines show transitioning from H to He features confirming it to be a type IIb supernova. Prominent oxygen and calcium emission features are indicative of the asymmetry of the ejecta. We also estimate the signal to noise ratio of the 3.6m telescope data. This telescope is located at ARIES, Devasthal, Nainital at an altitude of 2450m. We also show the comparison plots of spectra taken with a 2m and 4m class telescopes to enlighten the importance of spectral features displayed by bigger diameter telescopes

Phytotherapy for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is commonly a neurodevelopmental behavioural disorder in children and adolescents. Mainly characterized by symptoms like lack of attention, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness, it can impact the overall mental development of the one affected. Several factors, both genetic and non-genetic, can be responsible for this disorder. Although several traditional treatment methods involve medication and other counselling techniques, they also come with different side effects. Hence, the choice is now shifting to alternative treatment techniques. Herbal treatments are considered one of the most popular complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) administered. However, issues related to the safety and efficacy of herbal remedies for the treatment of ADHD need to be investigated further. This study aims to find out the recent advancement in evidence-based use of herbal remedies for ADHD by a comprehensive and systematic review that depicts the results of the published works on herbal therapy for the disorder. The electronic databases and the references retrieved from the included studies present related randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and open-label studies. Seven RCTs involving children and adolescents diagnosed with ADHD met the inclusion criteria. There is a fair indication of the efficacy and safety of Melissa officinalis L., Bacopa monnieri (L.) Wettst., Matricaria chamomilla L., and Valeriana officinalis L. from the studies evaluated in this systematic review for the treatment of various symptoms of ADHD. Limited evidence was found for Ginkgo biloba L. and pine bark extract. However, various other preparations from other plants did not show significant efficacy. There is inadequate proof to strongly support and recommend the administration of herbal medicines for ADHD, but more research is needed in the relevant field to popularize the alternative treatment approach