Effect of Meander on Bridge Pier Scour

Lots of work regarding the scour around bridge piers in straight channelhave been done in the past by many researchers. Many factors which affectscour around piers such as shape of piers, size, positioning and orientationetc. have been studied in detail by them. However, similar studies inmeandering channels are scanty. Very few researchers have studied theeffect of angular displacement which has considerable effects of scouraround bridge piers.In this paper an attempt has been made to carry out a detailed study ofangular displacement on scour. A constant diameter bridge pier of circularshape has been tested in a meandering channel bend with bend angle as 800 .The test bed was prepared by using uniform sand having d50 as 0.27 mmand run was taken for a discharge of 2.5 l/s

Investigation of abrasion and morphology of rubber/nano titanium oxide nanocomposites

Rubber/Titanium oxide nanocomposites might be considered as potential materials in medical and industrial applications due to the flexibility of the polymer and antibacterial properties of nanometric additive. In this research paper, the morphology and physical properties of nanocomposites based on Styrene Butadiene rubber have been investigated in the presence of nano titanium oxide additive. The nanocomposites have been prepared by mechanical blending using two roll mills. Nano Titanium oxide particles have been added to Styrene Butadiene rubber and the abrasion and thermal properties have been surveyed. Optical microscopic observation and scanning electron microscopic pictures have been used to investigate the morphology of nanocomposites based on rubber. Abrasion test results showed that the nano Titanium oxide particles could enhance the abrasion resistance of Styrene Butadiene rubber matrix due to appropriate properties of nano Titanium oxide particles. © 2006-2014 Asian Research Publishing Network (ARPN)

Antifungal Activity of Cinnamomum Verum on Soybean Seed-Borne Aspergillus Flavus

The aim of this study was to examine the efficacy of Cinnamomum verum J. Presl bark aqueous extract for its antifungal potential against soybean seedborne Aspergillus flavus. A. flavus is dominant storage fungus colonizing soybean seeds due to its high nutrient composition. They produce aflatoxins which are toxic, immunosuppressive carcinogenic in nature and also causes seed rots, post-emergence damping off and reduces seed viability. At 500 mg/mL it showed complete inhibition of A. flavus. Thus the results obtained in this study demonstrate that C. verum bark aqueous extract possess a fungicidal activity which can be an alternative to synthetic fungicides for controlling soybean seed borne A. flavus

Antifungal Activity of Herbal Extracts against Neem Die-Back Pathogen Phomopsis Azadirachtae

Herbal extracts of 26 plants belonging to 20 different families of the plant kingdom were evaluated for antifungal activity against Phomopsis azadirachtae, a fungus causing destructive die-back disease in neem. Test fungus was isolated from infected neem seeds. The screening was performed by poisoned food technique. Extracts of Syzygium aromaticum, Lawsonia inermis, Cinnamomum verum and Allium sativum exhibited significant antifungal activity in a dose-dependent manner. Relatively potent herbal extracts were further evaluated to determine the obligate lowest concentration required to inhibit visible mycelial growth of the pathogen. Syzygium extract exhibited 100% inhibition of the pathogen at minimum concentration of 20% then followed by Lawsonia and Ocimum extracts thus being strongest antifungal agents. The present study revealed that, these plants could be exploited for the possible control of deadly pathogen P. azadirachtae. Accordingly, this is an important step towards preventing the spread of the die-back disease through a more ecofriendly approach

Evaluating different scenarios for optimizing energy consumption to achieve sustainable green building in Malaysia

One of the most users of energy in the construction industry is residential buildings that use the high value of energy. Because of the high effect of construction activities on environment, serious attention should be given to sustainability concept in construction activities. There are climate factors such as temperature, humidity and pressure that have a considerable effect on the sustainability of green buildings based on energy consumption. The main goal of this paper is to achieve a sustainable green building by optimizing the energy consumption based on two significant factors which are temperature and humidity. To achieve this goal, the design of experiments (DOE) and building simulation are applied. A two-storey house in Malaysia was selected as the case study. The final result shows that to achieve the optimum value of cooling load to have a sustained design of green residential buildings all the significant factors should be placed on a low level which it means that temperature and humidity should be equal to 20 degrees Celsius and 60% respectively

A review on nanocellulosic fibres as new material for sustainable packaging: process an applications

The demand for exploring advanced and eco-friendly sustainable packaging materials with superior physical, mechanical and barrier properties is increasing. The materials that are currently used in packaging for food, beverage, medical and pharmaceutical products, as well as in industrial applications, are non-degradable, and thus, these materials are raising environmental pollution concerns. Numerous studies have been conducted on the utilization of bio-based materials in the pursuit of developing sustainable packaging materials. Although significant improvements have been achieved, a balance among environmental concerns, economic considerations and product packaging performance is still lacking. This is likely due to bio-based materials being used in product packaging applications without a proper design. The present review article intends to summarize the information regarding the potential applications of cellulosic nanofiber for the packaging. The importance of the design process, its principles and the challenges of design process for sustainable packaging are also summarized in this review. Overall it can be concluded that scientists, designers and engineers all are necessarily required to contribute towards research in order to commercially exploit cellulose nanofiber for sustainable packaging

Integrated modelling and design for realizing a two-wheeled wheelchair for disabled

Two-wheeled wheelchairs are considered highly nonlinear and complex systems. The systems mimic a double-inverted pendulum scenario and will provide better manoeuvrability in confined spaces and also to reach higher level of height for pick and place tasks. The challenge resides in modelling and control of the two-wheeled wheelchair to perform comparably to a normal four-wheeled wheelchair. Most common modelling techniques have been accomplished by researchers utilizing the basic Newton’s Laws of motion and some have used 3D tools to model the system where the models are much theoretical and quite far from the practical implementation. This paper is aimed at closing the gap between the conventional mathematical modelling approaches where the integrated 3D modelling approach with validation on the actual hardware implementation was conducted. To achieve this, both nonlinear and a linearized model in terms of state space model were obtained from the mathematical model of the system for analysis and, thereafter, a 3D virtual prototype of the wheelchair was developed, simulated and analysed. This have increased the confidence level for the proposed platform and facilitated the actual hardware implementation of the two-wheeled wheelchair. Results show that the prototype developed and tested has successfully worked within the specific requirements established

Effects of tectonics and large scale climatic changes on the evolutionary history of Hyalomma ticks

Corrigendum to Effects of tectonics and large scale climatic changes on the evolutionary history of Hyalomma ticks Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution (2017) 114:153-165. Sands AF, Apanaskevich DA, Matthee S, Horak IG, Harrison A, Karim S, Mohammad MK, Mumcuoglu KY, Rajakaruna RS, Santos-Silva MM, Kamani J, Matthee CA. Mol Phylogenet Evol. 2018 Mar;120:390. doi: 10.1016/j.ympev.2018.01.010. Disponível em: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1055790318300307?via%3DihubHyalomma Koch, 1844 are ixodid ticks that infest mammals, birds and reptiles, to which 27 recognized species occur across the Afrotropical, Palearctic and Oriental regions. Despite their medical and veterinary importance, the evolutionary history of the group is enigmatic. To investigate various taxonomic hypotheses based on morphology, and also some of the mechanisms involved in the diversification of the genus, we sequenced and analysed data derived from two mtDNA fragments, three nuclear DNA genes and 47 morphological characters. Bayesian and Parsimony analyses based on the combined data (2242 characters for 84 taxa) provided maximum resolution and strongly supported the monophyly of Hyalomma and the subgenus Euhyalomma Filippova, 1984 (including H. punt Hoogstraal, Kaiser and Pedersen, 1969). A predicted close evolutionary association was found between morphologically similar H. dromedarii Koch, 1844, H. somalicum Tonelli Rondelli, 1935, H. impeltatum Schulze and Schlottke, 1929 and H. punt, and together they form a sister lineage to H. asiaticum Schulze and Schlottke, 1929, H. schulzei Olenev, 1931 and H. scupense Schulze, 1919. Congruent with morphological suggestions, H. anatolicum Koch, 1844, H. excavatum Koch, 1844 and H. lusitanicum Koch, 1844 form a clade and so also H. glabrum Delpy, 1949, H. marginatum Koch, 1844, H. turanicum Pomerantzev, 1946 and H. rufipes Koch, 1844. Wide scale continental sampling revealed cryptic divergences within African H. truncatum Koch, 1844 and H. rufipes and suggested that the taxonomy of these lineages is in need of a revision. The most basal lineages in Hyalomma represent taxa currently confined to Eurasia and molecular clock estimates suggest that members of the genus started to diverge approximately 36.25 million years ago (Mya). The early diversification event coincides well with the collision of the Indian and Eurasian Plates, an event that was also characterized by large scale faunal turnover in the region. Using S-Diva, we also propose that the closure of the Tethyan seaway allowed for the genus to first enter Africa approximately 17.73 Mya. In concert, our data supports the notion that tectonic events and large scale global changes in the environment contributed significantly to produce the rich species diversity currently found in the genus Hyalomma.The National Research Foundation (NRF) is thanked for their financial support of the study and the Faculty of Science (University of Stellenbosch) for a scholarship provided to AFS.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Major Advances in Monkeypox Vaccine Research and Development – An Update

Monkeypox (MPX) is a zoonotic disease that is endemic to the western and central regions of Africa and it is caused by monkeypox virus (MPXV), which is classified as a member of the Poxviridae family, specifically the Chordopoxvirinae subfamily, and the Orthopoxvirus genus. The current multiregional outbreak of MPX, which started in May of 2022, has since swiftly spread across the globe and thus has been declared a global public health emergency by the World Health Organization (WHO). Protective immunity against MPXV can be achieved by administering a smallpox vaccination, as the two viruses share antigenic properties. Although smallpox was declared eradicated in 1980, the vaccine campaign was halted the following year, leaving the population with significantly less immunity than it had before. The potential for human-to-human transmission of MPXV has grown as a result. Due to the lack of a particular treatment for MPX infection, anti-viral medications initially designed for the smallpox virus are being employed. However, the prognosis for MPX may vary depending on factors like immunization history, pre-existing illnesses, and comorbidities, even though the majority of persons who develop MPX have a mild, self-limiting illness. Vaccines and antiviral drugs are being researched as potential responses to the latest 2022 MPX epidemic. The first-generation smallpox vaccinations maintained in national stockpiles of several countries are not recommended due to not meeting the current safety and manufacturing criteria, as stated by the WHO. Newer, safer (second- and third-generation) smallpox vaccines, such as JYNNEOSTM, which has been licensed for the prevention of MPX, are indicated as potentially useful in the interim guideline. Studies on vaccines and antiviral drugs are still being investigated as possible remedies to the recent MPX outbreak. This mini-review article serves as a retrospective look at the evolution of smallpox vaccines from their inception in the 1700s to the current trends up to the end of year 2022, specifically for developing monkeypox vaccines

Cotton in the new millennium: advances, economics, perceptions and problems

Cotton is the most significant natural fibre and has been a preferred choice of the textile industry and consumers since the industrial revolution began. The share of man-made fibres, both regenerated and synthetic fibres, has grown considerably in recent times but cotton production has also been on the rise and accounts for about half of the fibres used for apparel and textile goods. To cotton’s advantage, the premium attached to the presence of cotton fibre and the general positive consumer perception is well established, however, compared to commodity man-made fibres and high performance fibres, cotton has limitations in terms of its mechanical properties but can help to overcome moisture management issues that arise with performance apparel during active wear. This issue of Textile Progress aims to: i. Report on advances in cotton cultivation and processing as well as improvements to conventional cotton cultivation and ginning. The processing of cotton in the textile industry from fibre to finished fabric, cotton and its blends, and their applications in technical textiles are also covered. ii. Explore the economic impact of cotton in different parts of the world including an overview of global cotton trade. iii. Examine the environmental perception of cotton fibre and efforts in organic and genetically-modified (GM) cotton production. The topic of naturally-coloured cotton, post-consumer waste is covered and the environmental impacts of cotton cultivation and processing are discussed. Hazardous effects of cultivation, such as the extensive use of pesticides, insecticides and irrigation with fresh water, and consequences of the use of GM cotton and cotton fibres in general on the climate are summarised and the effects of cotton processing on workers are addressed. The potential hazards during cotton cultivation, processing and use are also included. iv. Examine how the properties of cotton textiles can be enhanced, for example, by improving wrinkle recovery and reducing the flammability of cotton fibre