Current Comparison Domino based CHSK Domino Logic Technique for Rapid Progression and Low Power Alleviation

The proposed domino logic is developed with the combination of Current Comparison Domino (CCD) logic and Conditional High Speed Keeper (CHSK) domino logic. In order to improve the performance metrics like power, delay and noise immunity, the redesign of CHSK is proposed with the CCD. The performance improvement is based on the parasitic capacitance, which reduces on the dynamic node for robust and rapid process of the circuit. The proposed domino logic is designed with keeper and without keeper to measure the performance metrics of the circuit. The outcomes of the proposed domino logic are better when compared to the existing domino logic circuits. The simulation of the proposed CHSK based on the CCD logic circuit is carried out in Cadence Virtuoso tool

Identification and characterization of phytoconstituents of ethanolic root extract of Clitoria ternatea L. utilizing HR-LCMS analysis

Medicinal plants act as a vital source in improving health and overcoming the side effects of modern-day medicine. Many evidence-based reports are present in the literature about the benefits of medicinal plants. Clitoria ternatea L. belongs to the family Fabaceae and is known to be one of the important Ayurvedic medicinal plant whose uses are specified mainly for the modification of nervous system activities. ‘Medhyarasayana’ is one of the Ayurvedic formulations which is used to promote the intellectual capacity, revive the body and nervous tissue, Clitoria ternatea serves as a major constituent of ‘Medhyarasayana.’ Identification and characterization of active metabolites of C. ternatea will help to isolate the important phytoconstituents responsible for the central nervous system effects, isolated components can be utilized in future for the formulation of new medicine for various neurodegenerative disorders. In the present study, the phytochemical evaluation of the ethanolic root extract of C. ternatea (EECT) was performed using the HR-LCMS technique. Preliminary qualitative phytoconstituents analysis showed the presence of tannins, alkaloids, saponins, steroids, carbohydrate, protein, flavonoids and triterpenoids in the ethanolic root extract. Almost 42 compounds were identified when the EECT subjected to HR-LCMS analysis

A Generic Model for Current Collapse in Spin Blockaded Transport

A decrease in current with increasing voltage, often referred to as negative differential resistance (NDR), has been observed in many electronic devices and can usually be understood within a one-electron picture. However, NDR has recently been reported in nanoscale devices with large single-electron charging energies which require a many-electron picture in Fock space. This paper presents a generic model in this transport regime leading to a simple criterion for the conditions required to observe NDR and shows that this model describes the recent observation of multiple NDR's in Spin Blockaded transport through weakly coupled-double quantum dots quite well. This model shows clearly how a delicate interplay of orbital energy offset, delocalization and Coulomb interaction lead to the observed NDR under the right conditions, and also aids in obtaining a good match with experimentally observed features. We believe the basic model could be useful in understanding other experiments in this transport regime as well.Comment: 10 pages, 10 figures. to appear in Phys Rev

Red palm weevil incidence: Spatial pattern and implications in technology adoption

Red palm weevil (RPW) is one of the major fatal pests of coconut. Conventional extension approaches need to be refined forachieving the desired outcome on adoption of integrated pest management (IPM) strategies against RPW, especially among smalland marginal farming communities. The pattern of incidence, severity of infestation and age of palms are the factors motivatingfarmers for adoption of IPM practices. Taking these into account, a technology delivery approach for RPW management wasevolved and implemented in the entire geographical extent of 520 ha area of Edava grama panchayat in Thiruvananthapuramdistrict of Kerala state, India. This approach involves farmer participatory surveillance and monitoring with technical facilitationfrom research institutions which is a paradigm shift to community based area wide management strategies. Besides holdings’profile, number of RPW infested/lost palms and GPS (i.e., latlong) coordinates of infested palms were recorded. The spatialdistribution pattern was analyzed using Indices of Dispersion (ID), Patchiness (IP) Cluster Frequency (ICF) and Mean Crowding(IMC) at different cluster levels (i.e., holdings, administrative segments and grids). ESRI GIS software was used to depict geospatialpatterns of RPW infestation. Among 5410 coconut holdings, 18.7 per cent were having RPW infested palms. The pest incidencein juvenile palms was significantly higher compared to adult palms. The distribution pattern of infested palms was observed to beaggregated. Knowledge level of farmers regarding aspects of pest and management was below 10 per cent. The proposedmethodology of participatory data documentation resulted in rapid and reliable collection of data from large area with an additionalbenefit of experiential learning for farmers in the locality

Ethanol-Induced Defects on Zebrafish Retinal Development: Rescue by Nutritional Supplements

poster abstractFetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), a result of prenatal alcohol exposure, produces a wide range of developmental defects including severe ocular defects that include microphthalmia, optic nerve hypoplasia, scotopic vision loss and coloboma. The zebrafish FASD model recapitulates many defects seen in human patients. Ethanol exposure (100 and 150 mM) during early development (midblatula transition through somitogenesis, 2-24 hours post fertilization, hpf) produced severe ocular defects including microphthalmia, optic nerve hypoplasia and photoreceptor differentiation defect. Examining specific terminal differentiation markers showed ethanol-induced defects in differentiation of most retinal cell types. Ethanol exposure altered gene expression of critical transcription factors. Increased cell death accounted for the small eye phenotype, and the retina responds with increased proliferation in the outer nuclear layer, inner nuclear layer, and ciliary marginal zone (CMZ). Ethanol treated retinas showed an expanded CMZ and cell cycle exit defects of the photoreceptor cells. In order to examine progenitor cell populations and differentiation defects in the ethanol treated retinal cells, specific markers for retinal stem, precursor and progenitor cell populations were examined. While control retinas showed terminally differentiated photoreceptors at 72 hpf, ethanol treated retinas expressed immature and nascent photoreceptor markers in cell populations undergoing proliferation. Nutrient co-supplement with retinoic acid (RA) or folic acid (FA) with ethanol during 2-24 hpf rescued photoreceptor differentiation and optic nerve defects. Competitive inhibition of RA synthesis by ethanol was hypothesized by Duester (1991), and rescue of ethanol-induced retinal defects suggest an effect on RA levels in the developing retina. Treatment with RA inhibitors produced retinal defects similar to ethanol-treated embryos. Interestingly, RA supplementation (24-48 hpf and 48-72 hpf) following ethanol treatment (2-24 hpf) restored photoreceptor differentiation suggesting RA provides a critical signal for precursor cell differentiation. In contrast, post-treatment with FA, did not restore retinal cell differentiation. FA functions as a critical component of one-carbon metabolism and can influence histone- and DNA-methyl transferase activities. Molecular mechanisms underlying disruption of cell cycle exit and FA rescue of ethanol-induced defects are being actively studied

Probing electronic excitations in molecular conduction

We identify experimental signatures in the current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of weakly contacted molecules directly arising from excitations in their many electron spectrum. The current is calculated using a multielectron master equation in the Fock space of an exact diagonalized model many-body Hamiltonian for a prototypical molecule. Using this approach, we explain several nontrivial features in frequently observed I-Vs in terms of a rich spectrum of excitations that may be hard to describe adequately with standard one-electron self-consistent field (SCF) theories.Comment: Significantly different content -- inadequacy of SCF approach described with simple model, and a whole new class of experiments showing gate modulated current steps discussed in terms of excitations in the molecular many-body spac

Soil and water conservation measures for sustainable coconut production: Impact of interventions under Farmers Participatory Action Research Programme

A study was conducted to analyse the experiences and impact of technological interventions related to soil and water conservation implemented in 105 coconut farmers’ gardens in Kasaragod District of Kerala state during 2009 to 2011 under Farmers Participatory Action Research Programme (FPARP). Participatory assessment of soil and water conservation technologies was done using matrix scoring technique. Impact assessment showed that soil conserved in the coconut basin having half-moon bund around it varied greatly in different farms. Soil collected varied from 0.038 m3 to 0.091 m3 and water conserved varied from 1.2 m3 to 9.6 m3. Soil conserved in a trench varied from 0.35 m3 to 0.082 m3 and water conserved varied from 1.8 m3 to 8.3 m3. The average pre-intervention yield was 54 nuts per palm per year. The post intervention yield was increased to 64 nuts per palm thereby indicating an average yield increase by 19 per cent. Based on the matrix scoring, mulching coconut basins was ranked first compared to other soil and water conservation technologies. Simple and comparatively low cost soil and water conservation technologies could be replicated in a substantial number of farm holdings through the farmer participatory watershed-based decentralized development schemes of local self governments with the support of National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme under MGNREGA thus indicating the replicability and horizontal spread of technologies demonstrated under the FPARP project. Analysis of impact of technological interventions under FPARP in farmers’ field revealed the efficacy of soil and water conservation technologies for water saving/water use efficiency and yield enhancement in coconut besides enhancement in knowledge about soil and water conservation measures

Crop weather relationship in arecanut

Weather plays an important role in the crop development and yield of any agricultural crops. Even though, arecanut (Areca catechu L.) grows in a wide range of climatic conditions, its performance is greatly influenced by the weather. The effect of weather variables such as maximum temperature, minimum temperature, relative humidity and rainfall at different stages of crop development on the annual yield of arecanut is studied. The study showed that the maximum temperature positively influences the flowering and fruit set in arecanut. Also, high rainfall and relative humidity during the flowering and fruit setting period adversely affect the arecanut yield. The stepwise regression model fitted using the significant weather variables could explain 97 per cent of the yield variation in arecanut