Adsorption of Chromium Ion by Acid Activated Low Cost Carbon-Kinetic, Mechanistic, Thermodynamic and Equilibrium Studies

A carbonaceous adsorbent prepared from an indigenous waste by acid treatment was tested for its efficiency in removing chromium ion. The parameters studied include agitation time, initial chromium ion concentration, carbon dose, pH and temperature. The adsorption followed first order reaction equation and the rate is mainly controlled by intra-particle diffusion. Freundlich and Langmuir isotherm models were applied to the equilibrium data. The adsorption capacity (Qm) obtained from the Langmuir isotherm plots were 27.40, 26.06, 26.06 and 26.17 mg/g respectively at an initial pH of 7.0 at 30, 40, 50 and 60°C. The temperature variation study showed that the chromium ion adsorption is endothermic and spontaneous with increased randomness at the solid solution interface. Significant effect on adsorption was observed on varying the pH of the chromium ion solutions. Almost 70% removal of chromium ion was observed at 60°C. The Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms obtained, positive ∆H0 value, pH dependent results and desorption of dye in mineral acid suggest that the adsorption of chromium ion on PDC involves physisorption mechanism

Facile fabrication of thin metal oxide films on porous carbon for high density charge storage

In an effort to minimize the usage of non-renewable materials and to enhance the functionality of the renewable materials, we have developed thin metal oxide coated porous carbon derived from a highly abundant non-edible bio resource, i.e., palm kernel shell, using a one-step activation-coating procedure and demonstrated their superiority as a supercapacitive energy storage electrode. In a typical experiment, an optimized composition contained ~10 wt.% of Mn2O3 on activated carbon (AC); a supercapacitor electrode fabricated using this electrode showed higher rate capability and more than twice specific capacitance than pure carbon electrode and could be cycled over 5000 cycles without any appreciable capacity loss in 1 M Na2SO4 electrolyte. A symmetric supercapacitor prototype developed using the optimum electrode showed nearly four times higher energy density than the pure carbon owing to the enhancements in voltage window and capacitance. A lithium ion capacitor fabricated in half-cell configuration using 1 M LiPF6 electrolyte showed larger voltage window, superior capacitance and rate capability in the ~10 wt.% Mn2O3@AC than the pure analogue. These results demonstrate that the current protocol allows fabrication of superior charge storing electrodes using renewable materials functionalized by minimum quantity of earthborn materials

Global Climate Change and Invariable Photoperiods: A Mismatch That Jeopardizes Animal fitness

The Earth\u27s surface temperature is rising, and precipitation patterns throughout the Earth are changing; the source of these shifts is likely anthropogenic in nature. Alterations in temperature and precipitation have obvious direct and indirect ef‐ fects on both plants and animals. Notably, changes in temperature and precipita‐ tion alone can have both advantageous and detrimental consequences depending on the species. Typically, production of offspring is timed to coincide with optimal food availability; thus, individuals of many species display annual rhythms of reproductive function. Because it requires substantial time to establish or re‐establish reproduc‐ tive function, individuals cannot depend on the arrival of seasonal food availability to begin breeding; thus, mechanisms have evolved in many plants and animals to monitor and respond to day length in order to anticipate seasonal changes in the environment. Over evolutionary time, there has been precise fine‐tuning of critical photoperiod and onset/offset of seasonal adaptations. Climate change has provoked changes in the availability of insects and plants which shifts the timing of optimal reproduction. However, adaptations to the stable photoperiod may be insufficiently plastic to allow a shift in the seasonal timing of bird and mammal breeding. Coupled with the effects of light pollution which prevents these species from determining day length, climate change presents extreme evolutionary pressure that can result in se‐ vere deleterious consequences for individual species reproduction and survival. This review describes the effects of climate change on plants and animals, defines photo‐ period and the physiological events it regulates, and addresses the consequences of global climate change and a stable photoperiod

Randomized Clinical Trial of High-Dose Rifampicin With or Without Levofloxacin Versus Standard of Care for Pediatric Tuberculous Meningitis: The TBM-KIDS Trial

Background. Pediatric tuberculous meningitis (TBM) commonly causes death or disability. In adults, high-dose rifampicin may reduce mortality. The role of fluoroquinolones remains unclear. There have been no antimicrobial treatment trials for pediatric TBM. Methods. TBM-KIDS was a phase 2 open-label randomized trial among children with TBM in India and Malawi. Participants received isoniazid and pyrazinamide plus: (i) high-dose rifampicin (30 mg/kg) and ethambutol (R30HZE, arm 1); (ii) high-dose rifampicin and levofloxacin (R30HZL, arm 2); or (iii) standard-dose rifampicin and ethambutol (R15HZE, arm 3) for 8 weeks, followed by 10 months of standard treatment. Functional and neurocognitive outcomes were measured longitudinally using Modified Rankin Scale (MRS) and Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL). Results. Of 2487 children prescreened, 79 were screened and 37 enrolled. Median age was 72 months; 49%, 43%, and 8% had stage I, II, and III disease, respectively. Grade 3 or higher adverse events occurred in 58%, 55%, and 36% of children in arms 1, 2, and 3, with 1 death (arm 1) and 6 early treatment discontinuations (4 in arm 1, 1 each in arms 2 and 3). By week 8, all children recovered to MRS score of 0 or 1. Average MSEL scores were significantly better in arm 1 than arm 3 in fine motor, receptive language, and expressive language domains (P < .01). Conclusions. In a pediatric TBM trial, functional outcomes were excellent overall. The trend toward higher frequency of adverse events but better neurocognitive outcomes in children receiving high-dose rifampicin requires confirmation in a larger trial. Clinical Trials Registration. NCT02958709

Interval Training’s Influence on Changes in Selected Strength Parameters among College Kabaddi Players

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of interval training on changes in selected strength parameters among college kabaddi players. It was hypothesized that there would be significant differences on selected strength parameters due to the effect of interval training among college kabaddi players. For the present study, 30 male college kabaddi players from Affiliated Colleges of Bharathidasan University in Tiruchirappalli jurisdiction, Tamilnadu, were selected at random and their age ranged from 18 to 25 years. For the present study, pre-test–post-test random group design which consists of control group and experimental group was used. The subjects were randomly assigned to two equal groups of fifteen each and named as Group “A” and Group “B”. Group “A” underwent interval training and Group “B” has not undergone any training. Explosive strength was assessed by standing long jump and muscular strength was assessed by push-up test. The data were collected before and after 12 weeks of training. The data were analyzed by applying analysis of covariance. The level of significance was set at 0.05. Interval training has a positive impact on college kabaddi players’ explosive strength and muscular strength

Examination of the Changes on Selected Performance Parameters in Response to Circuit Training among Kabaddi Players

The purpose of the study was to examine the changes on selected performance parameters in response to circuit training among college kabaddi players. It was hypothesized that there would be significant differences on selected performance variables due to the effect of circuit training among college kabaddi players. For the present study, the 30 male college kabaddi players from Affiliated Colleges of Bharathidasan University in Tiruchirappalli jurisdiction, Tamil Nadu, were selected at random and their age ranged from 18 to 25 years. For the present study, pretest-posttest random group design which consists of control group and experimental group was used. Performance variables were assessed by subjective rating. The subjects were randomly assigned to two equal groups of 15 each and named as Group “A” and Group “B.” Group “A” underwent circuit training and Group “B” has not undergone any training. The data were collected before and after 12 weeks of training. The data were analyzed by applying dependent “t”-test. The level of significance was set at 0.05. The circuit training had positive impact on knee hold and kicking among college kabaddi players

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Not AvailableSugarcane yellow leaf virus (SCYLV) that causes yellow leaf disease (YLD) in sugarcane (recently reported in India) belongs to Polerovirus. Detailed studies were conducted to characterize the virus based on partial open reading frames (ORFs) 1 and 2 and complete ORFs 3 and 4 sequences in their genome. Reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed on 48 sugarcane leaf samples to detect the virus using a specific set of primers. Of the 48 samples, 36 samples (field samples with and without foliar symptoms) including 10 meristem culture derived plants were found to be positive to SCYLV infection. Additionally, an aphid colony collected from symptomatic sugarcane in the field was also found to be SCYLV positive. The amplicons from 22 samples were cloned, sequenced and acronymed as SCYLV-CB isolates. The nucleotide (nt) and amino acid (aa) sequence comparison showed a significant variation between SCYLV-CB and the database sequences at nt (3.7–5.1%) and aa (3.2–5.3%) sequence level in the CP coding region. However, the database sequences comprising isolates of three reported genotypes, viz., BRA, PER and REU, were observed with least nt and aa sequence dissimilarities (0.0–1.6%). The phylogenetic analyses of the overlapping ORFs (ORF 3 and ORF 4) of SCYLV encoding CP and MP determined in this study and additional sequences of 26 other isolates including an Indian isolate (SCYLV-IND) available from GenBank were distributed in four phylogenetic clusters. The SCYLV-CB isolates from this study lineated in two clusters (C1 and C2) and all the other isolates from the worldwide locations into another two clusters (C3 and C4). The sequence variation of the isolates in this study with the database isolates, even in the least variable region of the SCYLV genome, showed that the population existing in India is significantly different from rest of the world. Further, comparison of partial sequences encoding for ORFs 1 and 2 revealed that YLD in sugarcane in India is caused by at least three genotypes, viz., CUB, IND and BRA-PER, of which a majority of the samples were found infected with Cuban genotype (CUB) and lesser by IND and BRA-PER genotypes. The genotype IND was identified as a new genotype from this study, and this was found to have significant variation with the reported genotypes.Not Availabl

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Not AvailableMosaic caused by sugarcane mosaic virus (SCMV), a Potyvirus is widespread and affecting cane production in India. Recently occurrence of another virus, sugarcane streak mosaic virus (SCSMV), a Tritimovirus in plants showing mosaic has also been reported in the country. Further studies were conducted to identify associated viruses with mosaic with a set of sugarcane varieties by RT-PCR using virus-specific primers. Among the nine major varieties exhibiting different types of symptoms tested, four varieties viz, BO 72, Co 740, CoC 671 and CoPant 84213 were found to have infections of both SCMV and SCSMV. Whereas, the varieties viz., Co 89003 and CoS 94270 were positive to SCMV only and CoJ 77, CoJ 86 and CoM 9217 were positive to SCSMV alone. In RT-PCR, a product of ~900 bp and 870 bp were amplified for SCMV and SCSMV, respectively. The amplicons from sugarcane varieties viz., BO 72, Co 740 and CoC 671 for SCMV and Co 740, CoC 671 and CoJ 77 for SCSMV were cloned, sequenced and were compared with the database sequences. Four of our SCMV isolates showed 96.80 to 99.30% nucleotide identity among them and are closer to the Australian isolates than any other continental isolates. When compared to SCMV, relation of the new SCSMV isolates with the database sequences is comparatively low. Among the four isolates, 84.80 to 96.70% nucleotide sequence identity was observed. The SCSMV-CB671 sequence was closer to the SCSMV-PAK strain and the rest of the three sequences were closer to the SCSMV-AP strain. The phylogenetic analyses of 36 SCMV sequences reported from different continents were grouped according to their continental origin under five major groups. The tree constructed with maximum likelihood method with molecular clock showed that the other SCMV isolates lineated from SCMV CB isolates. The phylogenetic analyses of 13 SCSMV sequences were distributed in three major groups. One of our four SCSMV nucleotide sequences SCSMV-CB671 grouped with SCSMV-PAK and the remaining three formed another separate subgroup, grouped with SCSMV-AP. The results established for the first time that sugarcane mosaic is the cause of SCMV and SCSMV either alone or in combination. The nucleic acid sequences coding for viral coat proteins exhibit less variation in SCMV and wide variation in SCSMV.Not Availabl

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Not AvailableSixty-three sugarcane leaf samples were collected from fifty-eight sugarcane varieties, evolved from eleven major sugarcane growing states in India, Australia, South Africa and USA. In RT-PCR, using gene specific primers for sugarcane streak mosaic virus (SCSMV)-CP, 58 of 63 sugarcane samples were found positive to the virus infection and rest of the five samples were negative. Partial CP gene sequences of 42 SCSMV isolates including an isolate from aphid colony (Melanaphis indosacchari) infested on sugarcane variety from this study were characterized after cloning and sequencing for selective isolates represented by at least one isolate from each location. The new sequences identified in the study were named as SCSMV-CB isolates. Fifty two sequences including the 10 database sequences (complete CP cds) deposited earlier from this institute were compared with each other as well as GenBank database sequences of Potyviridae members viz., Rymovirus, Potyvirus, Ipomovirus, Tritimovirus and eight sequences of SCSMV reported from elsewhere. Among the SCSMV-CB isolates sequenced in the study, 85.7–100% (nucleotide) and 89.9–100% (amino acid) sequence identities were observed and with the other data base sequences of SCSMV, the respective identities were 82.2–97.5 and 89.7–98.6%. Grouping of the isolates by the maximum likelihood with molecular clock model, distributed 60 SCSMV sequences including the eight database sequences deposited by other SCSMV working groups from India and USA in 16 different phylogenetic groups. Although the isolates of SCSMV were relatively close to Ipomovirus and Tritimovirus, they were sandwiched between Rymovirus and Ipomovirus. The sequence comparison and phylogenetic studies revealed that the relatedness of SCSMV with the potyviral related genera was comparatively low to consider it as a member of earlier described potyviral genera, hence the genus “Susmovirus” (sugarcane streak mosaic virus) has been proposed, with SCSMV as the sole species to be included. The 52 SCSMV-CB isolates from this institute were distributed in 14 phylogenetic groups and the grouping pattern revealed that the virus isolates could not be grouped based on geographical origin of the host varieties or longevity of the host variety.Not Availabl

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Not AvailableSugarcane mosaic virus (SCMV) is one of the two causative viruses of mosaic in sugarcane, a sugar crop widely grown under tropical and subtropical conditions worldwide. Although molecular characterization of SCMV strains was reported from many countries, strains occurring in India, a major sugarcane producer have not been reported so far. Twenty-six sugarcane samples represented by seven major sugarcane growing states in India and USA were subjected to reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using a pair of newly designed coat protein specific primers. Among them 17 were found positive to the SCMV infection. The lengths of the sequences derived in this study using the new set of primers varied between 812 and 866 nt. The amino acid sequence comparison of 30 Indian SCMV isolates showed wide range of sequence similarities in core region (88.80–100%) and hyper variable region (51.3–100%). In the N-terminal region of the five Indian isolates, a deletion of 12 aa residues between aa 11 and 30 was observed, whereas the deletion was between aa 45 and 50 in SCMV-B and -D and between aa 61 and 70 in SCMV-A. The phylogenetic analyses performed with 46 SCMV CP sequences for both hyper variable region and core region separated the isolates mostly according to their geographical origin. The 30 Indian SCMV isolates were included exclusively in four groups besides SCMV-IND, which was grouped with SCMV-SC, a type of strain from Australia. Nearly 97.0% of the Indian isolates have no signs for close relationships with previously characterized SCMV type strains (SCMV-A, -B, -D, -E, and -SC) reported from other countries. Our studies revealed that the sugarcane mosaic in India are caused by at least nine new SCMV variants (IND-CC1, -CC2, -CC3, -CC4, -CO1, -CO2, -CP, -CS, and -J) and a type strain SCMV-SC represented by SCMV-IND. This is the first report on the variability and occurrence of new SCMV population in India.Not Availabl