Quadcopter based Automatic Spattering of Pesticides and Fertilizers

Agriculture plays a major role in Indian Economy. The crop yield depends upon the pesticides and fertilizers applied in the fields. But the manual handling of these things leads to health hazards. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that over 3 million cases of pesticides poison each year, which is majority in developing countries like India. This paper aims to overcome the problem by automating the spray of pesticides and fertilizers in the fields. The system is constituted by an aerial sprayer which consists of a Quadcopter and spraying mechanism. The Quadcopter is controlled by the Radio Frequency signals and the spraying of pesticides is achieved with less manual labour without any health issues. This paper is to mainly overcome the ill-effects of pesticides on human beings and also to cover larger areas with short span of time

PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF A THREE-PHASE EMULSION OF JATROPHA BIODIESEL PRODUCED BY PEROXIDATION. 48 1 2 3 4

Abstract Keywords: Indiscriminate extraction and lavish consumption of fossil fuels have led to reduction in underground based carbon resources. The search for an alternative fuel, which promises a harmonious correlation with sustainable development, energy conservation, management, efficiency and environmental preservation, has become highly pronounced from the refined edible vegetable oil such as Jatropha seed oil by alkaline catalyzed transesterification process. In the study reported herein, Jatropha oil was used as raw oil to produce biodiesel by transesterification reaction accompanied by peroxidation to further improve the fuel properties of the biodiesel. By means of high-speed mechanical homogenizer, the biodiesel product was then emulisified with distilled water and emulsifying surfactant to produce a three phase oil droplets in-water-droplets-in-oil(ie.O/W/O) biodiesel emulsion and an O/W/O emulsion that contained aqeous ammonia, which is a NO inhibitor agent. The prepared x biodiesel was then subjected to performance and emission tests in order to evaluate its actual performance, when used as a diesel engine fuel. A single cylinder direct injection diesel engine was used for this work to investigate the engine performance and emission characteristics of the biodiesel, the O/W/O biodiesel emulsion, the O/W/O biodiesel emulsion that contained aqeous ammonia. The brake specifc fuel consumption (BSFC) and brake thermal efficiency (BTE) were calculated from the recorded data. Moreover, the existence of aqeous ammonia in the O/W/O biodiesel emulsion curtails NO formation, thus X resulting in the lowest NO emissions among the four tested fuels in burning the O/W/O biodiesel emulsion that contained X aqeous ammonia

Economical cultivation system of microalgae Spirulina platensis for lipid production

The marine algae Spirulina platensis was cultured in a medium of palm oil mill effluent (POME) and the production of lipid in the biomass was optimized. Among 7 species Spirulina platensis was isolated from the marine sample which have greater lipid potential was collected from Pantai Teluk Cempedak, Kuantan which is located at East Coast region of Pahang state. At 28+2 °C, the maximum lipid content in the biomass harvested at the end of a 15 days batch culture was quantified with the following values of the experimental factors: POME concentration with (10%, 20% and 30%) (v/v) and light intensity (3,000 lux, 4,000 lux, 5,000 lux). Under the optimized conditions with 20% of POME, the maximum dry mass concentration of the was 754.5 mg L−1 with lipid 34.5% production on day 13 of a batch culture, declining to ∼687 mg L−1 on day 15. At 5,000 lux light intensities, the maximum yield obtained was 854.6 mg L−1 with lipid 35.8% production on day 14, it declined to 732.8 mg L−1 on day 15

Effect of turmeric and Spatoglossum asperum on shelf life extension of marine finfish Sillago sihama in chilled storage condition

829-838The effect of turmeric and seaweed powder (Spatoglossum asperum) on shelf life extension of Sillago sihama in chilled storage condition was determined by sensory, pH, biochemical and bacteriological analysis. The experimental setup was divided into six groups, undeveined, deveined, undeveined coated with 5 % S. asperum powder, deveined coated with 5 % S. asperum powder, undeveined coated with 5 % turmeric and deveined coated with 5 % turmeric, all the group of fishes were stored in chilled conditions with 1:1 (fish:ice) ratio. Deveined S. sihama coated with 5 % turmeric demonstrated a longer shelf life of 14 days and between the groups significant differences (P < 0.05) were found in the sensorial, pH, biochemical and bacteriological values. Nevertheless, the validity of group one and two were found to be acceptable up to 8 and 10 days, respectively. In conclusion, deveined S. sihama coated with 5 % turmeric and stored in chilled conditions retain the shelf-life up to 14 days

Synthesis, Characterization and Magnetic Susceptibility of the Heavy Fermion Transition Metal Oxide LiV_{2}O_{4}

The preparative method, characterization and magnetic susceptibility \chi measurements versus temperature T of the heavy fermion transition metal oxide LiV_{2}O_{4} are reported in detail. The intrinsic \chi(T) shows a nearly T-independent behavior below ~ 30 K with a shallow broad maximum at about 16 K, whereas Curie-Weiss-like behavior is observed above 50-100 K. Field-cooled and zero-field-cooled magnetization M measurements in applied magnetic fields H = 10 to 100 G from 1.8 to 50 K showed no evidence for spin-glass ordering. Crystalline electric field theory for an assumed cubic V point group symmetry is found insufficient to describe the observed temperature variation of the effective magnetic moment. The Kondo and Coqblin-Schrieffer models do not describe the magnitude and T dependence of \chi with realistic parameters. In the high T range, fits of \chi(T) by the predictions of high temperature series expansion calculations provide estimates of the V-V antiferromagnetic exchange coupling constant J/k_{B} ~ 20 K, g-factor g ~ 2 and the T-independent susceptibility. Other possible models to describe the \chi(T) are discussed. The paramagnetic impurities in the samples were characterized using isothermal M(H) measurements with 0 < H <= 5.5 Tesla at 2 to 6 K. These impurities are inferred to have spin S_{imp} ~ 3/2 to 4, g_{imp} ~ 2 and molar concentrations of 0.01 to 0.8 %, depending on the sample.Comment: 19 typeset RevTeX pages, 16 eps figures included, uses epsf; to be published in Phys. Rev.

Bioactive Compounds of Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum L.)

Rambutan, a widely popular tropical fruit encompasses rich amount of bioactive compounds. All parts of this plant (leaves, bark, root, fruits, fruit skin, pulp and seeds) finds traditional usage, and are linked with high therapeutic values. Rambutan fruits parts like that of peel, pulp and seeds have been scientifically investigated in-depth and is reported to encompass high amounts of bioactive compounds (such as polyphenol, flavonoid, alkaloid, essential mineral, dietary fiber). These compounds contribute towards antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticancer, antidiabetic and anti-obesity activities. However, literature pertaining towards potential industrial applications (food, cosmetics, pharmaceutical) of rambutan fruits are limited. In the present chapter, it is intended to document some of the interesting research themes published on rambutan fruits, and identify the existing gaps to open up arena for future research work.This chapter theme is based on our ongoing project—VALORTECH, which has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No 810630

Uptake and Accumulation of Oxidized Low-Density Lipoprotein during Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection in Guinea Pigs

The typical host response to infection of humans and some animals by M. tuberculosis is the accumulation of reactive oxygen species generating inflammatory cells into discrete granulomas, which frequently develop central caseous necrosis. In previous studies we showed that infection of immunologically naïve guinea pigs with M. tuberculosis leads to localized and systemic oxidative stress that results in a significant depletion of serum total antioxidant capacity and the accumulation of malondialdehyde, a bi-product of lipid peroxidation. Here we show that in addition, the generation of excessive reactive oxygen species in vivo resulted in the accumulation of oxidized low density lipoproteins (OxLDL) in pulmonary and extrapulmonary granulomas, serum and lung macrophages collected by bronchoalveolar lavage. Macrophages from immunologically naïve guinea pigs infected with M. tuberculosis also had increased surface expression of the type 1 scavenger receptors CD36 and LOX1, which facilitate the uptake of oxidized host macromolecules including OxLDL. Vaccination of guinea pigs with Bacillus Calmette Guerin (BCG) prior to aerosol challenge reduced the bacterial burden as well as the intracellular accumulation of OxLDL and the expression of macrophage CD36 and LOX1. In vitro loading of guinea pig lung macrophages with OxLDL resulted in enhanced replication of bacilli compared to macrophages loaded with non-oxidized LDL. Overall, this study provides additional evidence of oxidative stress in M. tuberculosis infected guinea pigs and the potential role OxLDL laden macrophages have in supporting intracellular bacilli survival and persistence

Primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma: detection of BCL2 gene rearrangements by PCR analysis and FISH

Primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma (PMBCL) has a characteristic clinical presentation, morphology, and immunophenotype, representing a clinically favorable subgroup of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). By gene expression profiling (GEP), PMBCL shares features with classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL). Of further interest, BCL6 gene mutations and BCL6 and/or MUM1 expression in a number of PMBCLs have supported an activated B-cell (ABC) origin. Several studies, including GEP, have failed to detect BCL2 gene rearrangements (GRs) in PMBCL. An index case of t(14; 18)+ PMBCL prompted our study of the incidence of BCL2 GRs in PMBCL by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)/fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analyses and its possible clinical impact. Twenty-five retrospectively identified, well-defined PMBCLs (five with cytogenetics) from three institutions were analyzed for a BCL2 GR by PCR/FISH analyses. The formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue blocks of 24 available cases were also analyzed by BCL2 immunohistochemistry (IHC). Of the five with cytogenetics, two had a t(14; 18) (q32; q21). Of the 25 analyzed by PCR, 2 had no amplifiable DNA (aDNA), including 1 t(14; 18)+ case. Of those with aDNA, two showed a BCL2 GR; by FISH analysis, three demonstrated a BCL2 GR. BCL2 protein expression by IHC analysis was variably detected in 21 out of 24 (strongly, uniformly expressed: 6, including all with a t(14; 18) or a BCL2 gene rearrangement; moderately weakly expressed in a subset of the malignant cells: 15). Available clinical follow-up of this BCL2+ subset showed a similar course to the other PMBCL cases. Our results imply that a subset of PMBCL [(4 out of 24 analyzed) in our series] may be of GC origin. A larger study is necessary to determine any clinical significance

Synthesis of (cinnamate-zinc layered hydroxide) intercalation compound for sunscreen application

Background: Zinc layered hydroxide (ZLH) intercalated with cinnamate, an anionic form of cinnamic acid (CA), an efficient UVA and UVB absorber, have been synthesized by direct method using zinc oxide (ZnO) and cinnamic acid as the precursor. Results: The resulting obtained intercalation compound, ZCA, showed a basal spacing of 23.9 Å as a result of cinnamate intercalated in a bilayer arrangement between the interlayer spaces of ZLH with estimated percentage loading of cinnamate of about 40.4 % w/w. The UV–vis absorption spectrum of the intercalation compound showed excellent UVA and UVB absorption ability. Retention of cinnamate in ZLH interlayers was tested against media usually came across with sunscreen usage to show low release over an extended period of time. MTT assay of the intercalation compound on human dermal fibroblast (HDF) cells showed cytotoxicity of ZCA to be concentration dependent and is overall less toxic than its precursor, ZnO. Conclusions: (Cinnamate-zinc layered hydroxide) intercalation compound is suitable to be used as a safe and effective sunscreen with long UV protection effect

RNA-Seq Mapping and Detection of Gene Fusions with a Suffix Array Algorithm

High-throughput RNA sequencing enables quantification of transcripts (both known and novel), exon/exon junctions and fusions of exons from different genes. Discovery of gene fusions–particularly those expressed with low abundance– is a challenge with short- and medium-length sequencing reads. To address this challenge, we implemented an RNA-Seq mapping pipeline within the LifeScope software. We introduced new features including filter and junction mapping, annotation-aided pairing rescue and accurate mapping quality values. We combined this pipeline with a Suffix Array Spliced Read (SASR) aligner to detect chimeric transcripts. Performing paired-end RNA-Seq of the breast cancer cell line MCF-7 using the SOLiD system, we called 40 gene fusions among over 120,000 splicing junctions. We validated 36 of these 40 fusions with TaqMan assays, of which 25 were expressed in MCF-7 but not the Human Brain Reference. An intra-chromosomal gene fusion involving the estrogen receptor alpha gene ESR1, and another involving the RPS6KB1 (Ribosomal protein S6 kinase beta-1) were recurrently expressed in a number of breast tumor cell lines and a clinical tumor sample