COMPUTATIONAL FLUID DYNAMIC ANALYSIS OF VARIABLE INLET AREA RAMJET ENGINE

The usage of ramjet engine is very important in the missile and aircraft propulsion. When it is cruising at supersonic air velocity the flow characteristic of the ramjet engine produces a shock wave. This formation of shock wave will raise the pressure of the upstream airflow in front of the inlet cone. This pressure rise with reduced air speed is suitable for the subsonic combustion of the ramjet engine. The cone will help to change the area of the ramjet engine inlet and mass flow rate of the incoming pressure raised air. The change in mass flow rate of the inlet leads to the variation in thrust production. This engine is integrated with a convergent-divergent nozzle to produce supersonic velocity at the nozzle exit. This variation in thrust production is to be studied in detail. In this project, the variable inlet area ramjet engine design and model is investigated. In order to predict the thrust value for variable inlet area ramjet engine by using commercial numerical codes. The increment of thrust value will be expected by using the variable inlet area ramjet engine, which means it attains more thrust

Isolation and molecular identification of polyphenol oxidase and associated enzyme production from Bacillus spp.

Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) causes browning in food by converting phenolics to quinone,  rendering unwanted organoleptic and nutritional changes. As a result, it represents a major problem in the food industry which must be addressed to reduce food waste and maximize food quality and shelf life despite PPOs importance in various industrial processes. The present study aimed to isolate Bacillus sp., evaluate their PPO production and related enzymes, and identify them through 16S rRNA sequencing. The selected strains isolated from soil were induced, and the cultures were grown OD600 of 1.0 (1x108 CFU) for evaluation. The study identified various types of Bacillus sp. as the source of PPO, tyrosinase and catecholase production. The data revealed that the strains Bacillus cereus, Bacillus albus, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus thuringenesis and Bacillus tropicus exhibited PPO, tyrosinase and catecholase enzyme production with a maximum of 104.2 IU/ml, 68.61 IU/ml and 61.59 IU/ml respectively. Enzyme activity differed between organisms and substrate activities, which must be standardized. Despite the importance of PPO and related enzymes to browning reactions and food processing, there has been limited progress in this area. Therefore, taking a different approach to provoke more concerns is probably necessary.

Bio-nanotechnology application in wastewater treatment

The nanoparticles have received high interest in the field of medicine and water purification, however, the nanomaterials produced by chemical and physical methods are considered hazardous, expensive, and leave behind harmful substances to the environment. This chapter aimed to focus on green-synthesized nanoparticles and their medical applications. Moreover, the chapter highlighted the applicability of the metallic nanoparticles (MNPs) in the inactivation of microbial cells due to their high surface and small particle size. Modifying nanomaterials produced by green-methods is safe, inexpensive, and easy. Therefore, the control and modification of nanoparticles and their properties were also discussed

Association of SUMOlation Pathway Genes With Stroke in a Genome-wide Association Study in India

OBJECTIVE: To undertake a genome-wide association study (GWAS) to identify genetic variants for stroke in an Indian population. METHODS: In a hospital-based case-control study, 8 teaching hospitals in India recruited 4,088 participants, including 1,609 stroke cases. Imputed genetic variants were tested for association with stroke subtypes using both single-marker and gene-based tests. Association with vascular risk factors was performed with logistic regression. Various databases were searched for replication, functional annotation, and association with related traits. Status of candidate genes previously reported in the Indian population was also checked. RESULTS: Associations of vascular risk factors with stroke were similar to previous reports and show modifiable risk factors such as hypertension, smoking, and alcohol consumption as having the highest effect. Single-marker–based association revealed 2 loci for cardioembolic stroke (1p21 and 16q24), 2 for small vessel disease stroke (3p26 and 16p13), and 4 for hemorrhagic stroke (3q24, 5q33, 6q13, and 19q13) at p < 5 × 10(−8). The index single nucleotide polymorphism of 1p21 is an expression quantitative trait locus (p(lowest) = 1.74 × 10(−58)) for RWDD3 involved in SUMOylation and is associated with platelet distribution width (1.15 × 10(−9)) and 18-carbon fatty acid metabolism (p = 7.36 × 10(−12)). In gene-based analysis, we identified 3 genes (SLC17A2, FAM73A, and OR52L1) at p < 2.7 × 10(−6). Eleven of 32 candidate gene loci studied in an Indian population replicated (p < 0.05), and 21 of 32 loci identified through previous GWAS replicated according to directionality of effect. CONCLUSIONS: This GWAS of stroke in an Indian population identified novel loci and replicated previously known loci. Genetic variants in the SUMOylation pathway, which has been implicated in brain ischemia, were identified for association with stroke

Adenosine and lymphocyte regulation

Adenosine is a potent extracellular messenger that is produced in high concentrations under metabolically unfavourable conditions. Tissue hypoxia, consequent to a compromised cellular energy status, is followed by the enhanced breakdown of ATP leading to the release of adenosine. Through the interaction with A2 and A3 membrane receptors, adenosine is devoted to the restoration of tissue homeostasis, acting as a retaliatory metabolite. Several aspects of the immune response have to be taken into consideration and even though in general it is very important to dampen inflammation, in some circumstances, such as the case of cancer, it is also necessary to increase the activity of immune cells against pathogens. Therefore, adenosine receptors that are defined as ‘sensors–of metabolic changes in the local tissue environment may be very important targets for modulation of immune responses and drugs devoted to regulating the adenosinergic system are promising in different clinical situations

Telomerase activity as an adjunct to high-risk human papillomavirus types 16 and 18 and cytology screening in cervical cancer

Telomerase is a ribonucleoprotein comprising an RNA template, the telomerase-associated protein and its catalytic subunit, human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT). Telomerase activation is a critical step in cellular immortalisation and development of cancer. Enhanced telomerase activity has been demonstrated in cervical cancer. In the present study telomerase activity and hTERT mRNA expression were evaluated and correlated with the presence of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and cytological changes in the cervical lesions. Telomerase activity was assayed by telomeric repeat amplification protocol, hTERT mRNA expression by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and presence of high risk HPV (HR-HPV) infection by polymerase chain reaction. Out of 154 cervical samples of different cytology, 90 (58.44%) were positive for HR-HPV types 16/18, while among 55 normal cervical scrapes, 10 (18.18%) were HPV DNA positive. All 59 invasive cancer samples showed a very high telomerase activity. Among dysplasia, seven (63.6%) mild dysplasia, 18 (100%) of moderate, 20 (100%) of severe dysplasia and 6 (100%) carcinoma in situ (CIS) samples were positive with mild to moderate to high to very high telomerase activity respectively. Seven (12.7%) samples of apparently normal cervical scrapes were weakly positive for telomerase activity. We observed a good correlation (P<0.001) between telomerase activity and HR-HPV 16/18 positivity with a sensitivity of 88.1% for HPV and 100% for telomerase activity. It is suggested that telomerase activity may be used as an adjunct to cytology and HPV DNA testing in triaging women with cervical lesions

Global Research Publications on Hepatitis C from SCOPUS Database (2009-2018): A Scientometric Study

This paper examines the Global publications on hepatitis C research during 2009-2018. This study aims to analyze the hepatitis c research publications, carried out by using the Scopus online database during the period of ten years from 2009 to 2018. From this study find out the year wise growth of publications, country, author, organization, document type, language-wise publications, and citation analysis and identified the impact factor (IF) of the journal productivity in the field of hepatitis C research. During the ten year study period, it identified that 59926 publications contributed to the field of hepatitis C research. During the period, RGR is 0.71 to 0.10 and correspondingly the doubling time (Dt) is 0.98 to 7.28. Maximum of 41141 (68.65%) research publications are articles, and 55746 research publications are the English Language. Maximum of 18160 (23.10%) publications contributed by the United States and the relative citation index is varied from 0.95 to 3.3

Isolation and identification of entomopathogenic fungus from Eastern Ghats of South Indian forest soil and their efficacy as biopesticide for mosquito control

The repeated usage of chemical insecticides, responsible for insecticide resistance in mosquitoes and environ- mental toxicity. Currently e#ective and environmental-safe control strategies are needed for the control disease- vector mosquitoes. Entomopathogens can be an e#ective alternative to chemical insecticide. Herein we isolated and tested 46 soil-borne entomopathogenic fungi belonging to six genera, namely Beauveria sp., Metarhizium sp., Fusarium sp., Aspergillus sp., Trichoderma sp., and Verticillium sp., fungi conidia were tested on Aedes aegypti, Anopheles stephensi and Culex quinquefasciatus larvae. Bioassays results show that M. anisopliae fungal isolate causes a 100%, 98.6% and 92% mortality within six days, on Aedes aegypti, Anopheles stephensi and Culex quinquefasciatus, respectively. M. anisopliae treated three mosquito larvae have lower lifetime with LT50 values in A. stephensi, 2.931 days; A. aegypti, 2.676 days and C. quinquefasciatus, 3.254 days. 18 s rDNA sequence analysis con!rmed that the isolated fungus are belonging to the genus of M. anisopliae-VKKH3, B. bassiana-VKBb03, and V. lecanii-VKPH1. Our results clearly show that M. anisopliae has good potential, as a low-cost, environmentally safe tool for the control of A. aegypti, A. stephensi, and C. quinquefasciatus mosquitoes