Stable and Metastable vortex states and the first order transition across the peak effect region in weakly pinned 2H-NbSe_2

The peak effect in weakly pinned superconductors is accompanied by metastable vortex states. Each metastable vortex configuration is characterized by a different critical current density J_c, which mainly depends on the past thermomagnetic history of the superconductor. A recent model [G. Ravikumar, et al, Phys. Rev. B 61, R6479 (2000)] proposed to explain the history dependent J_c postulates a stable state of vortex lattice with a critical current density J_c^{st}, determined uniquely by the field and temperature. In this paper, we present evidence for the existence of the stable state of the vortex lattice in the peak effect region of 2H-NbSe_2. It is shown that this stable state can be reached from any metastable vortex state by cycling the applied field by a small amplitude. The minor magnetization loops obtained by repeated field cycling allow us to determine the pinning and "equilibrium" properties of the stable state of the vortex lattice at a given field and temperature unambiguously. The data imply the occurence of a first order phase transition from an ordered phase to a disordered vortex phase across the peak effect.Comment: 20 pages, 10 figures. Corresponding author: S. Ramakrishna

A novel method of staining acid-fast bacilli in sputum containers

Background & objectives: Making centrifuged deposit smears from sputum to detect acid-fast bacilli (AFB) is considered hazardous. We carried out this study to stain the centrifuged deposits with carbol-fuchsin in sputum containers and to decolourize and counterstain their smears made on glass slides. Methods: The centrifuged deposits of 180 sputum samples from pulmonary tuberculosis patients were used for making smears (initial deposit smears) and staining by Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN) method for the detection of AFB. Each of the sputum deposit was then treated with one ml of 1 per cent carbol-fuchsin and a smear made between 2 to 3 h was then decolourized and counterstained by the same procedures followed in ZN method (2 h stained deposit smear). The coded initial deposit smears and the corresponding 2 h stained deposit smears were read by the same readers and the results compared. Results: One hundred and fifty (70 positive and 80 negative) 2 h stained deposit smears were compared with initial deposit smears and the difference was not statistically significant. Interpretation & conclusion: Centrifuged deposits of sputum in sputum containers can be stained by carbol-fuchsin within 2-3 h and their smears made subsequently on glass slides can then be decolourized and counterstained by the procedures followed in ZN method for detection of AFB by light microscopy

IN VITRO ANTIPLASMODIAL ACTIVITY OF NATIVE INDIAN SEAWEED SARGASSUM SP.

ABSTRACTObjectives: To investigate the antiplasmodial activity of three different solvent extracts of Sargassum tenerrimum against Plasmodium falciparum.Methods: The seaweed species of S. tenerrimum were collected from Rameshwaram, Southeast coast of India. The collected samples were dried andextracted with three different polaritic (hexane, acetone, and ethylacetate) solvents and tested against P. falciparum parasite strain.Results: Acetone extract exhibited better activity than the other two extracts. The inhibitory concentration values of acetone S. tenerrimum werefound to be 27.82 and 18.14 µg/ml at 24-48 hrs, respectively. S. tenerrimum crude extracts were subjected for the phytochemical analysis, and itshowed the presence of steroids, alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, glycosides, amino acids, and phenol compounds. The gas chromatography-massspectroscopy result reveals that the presence of 10 major and minor compounds in the S. tenerrimum extract. In that, cyclotrisiloxane hexamethylcompounds might be responsible for the effective parasite suppression.50Conclusion: It can be concluded from the present study that the acetone extract of S. tenerrimum has strong antiplasmodial activity. Furthermore, thestudy has been extended to the isolation of the possible active compounds that is responsible for the antiplasmodial properties.Keywords: Antiplasmodial assay, Different polaritic solvents, Plasmodium falciparum, Sargassum tenerrimum

A neo-clerodane diterpene from Teucrium tomentosum. Corrigendum

Corrigendum to Acta Cryst. (2004), E60, o117–o119

Based Crime Mapping and Analysis A Case Study of Mudugiri Town Police Station Jurisdiction

Madhugiri, also known as Maddagiri is a Taluk headquarter in Tumkur districtin the Indian state of Karnataka, geographically located at 13.66°N and 77.21°E, with anaverage elevation of 787 m (2582 ft), located at ~43 km north of Tumkur town and 107km north-west of Bangalore city. The present study aimed to analyze the crime scenarioin Madugiri town police station jurisdiction by using Hot Spot and Buffer Analysis.Based on Madugiri police station records, the crime data were classified under variousgroup of offence such as Murder, Robbery, Cheating, House theft, Motor-vehicles theft,Missing, Mobile theft, Pick pocketing, Burglary, Chain snatching, Quarreling andHouse breaking (day), House breaking (Night), etc. The distribution of crime incidenceshowed that KHB colony, Madugiri old and new bus-stand around Madugiri fort,Gowribidanur road, Koratgere road, Sira road and Madugiri market areas were affectedby notorious activities. Crime maps generated were able to identify and differentiate hotspot of crime and their displacement, illustrate the relationship between the mappedcrimes patterns and socio-economic characteristics of Madugiri town. It was concludedthat in Madugiri police jurisdiction, crime rates were not so high, but still occurrences ofcrimes like house theft, material theft, etc., were of a great concern. The crime patternschange over space and time in an area and hence the data so generated will be ofimmense help to Indian Police Department to utilize GIS tools and techniques instead oftraditional pin and dot maps to determine spatio-temporal crime pattern as well as tocapture crime series and forecast future crime occurrences. The public can also beeducated with the visual information obtained through GIS analysis to clarify crimeconcerns and enlist community action and finally to arrive at reducing overall crimedisorders.Key words: GIS, GPS, Hot spot analysis, Buffer analysis, Crime analysis

Investigation on Synthesis, Structural and Optical Properties of CDS Nanoparticles

Hexagonal wurtzite structured CdS nanoparticles were synthesized by using a chemical precipitation method. Various spectroscopic technics were used for the characterization of the prepared sample. The X-ray diffraction pattern shows the high intense crystalline peaks and the average crystallite size is found to be 19nm. FT-IR spectrum exhibited a metal sulfide band at 615cm-1 and other functional groups. SEM micrographs reveal the non-uniformly distributed spherical shaped structures. EDS analysis confirms the stoichiometric composition and presence of target elements. The optical absorption spectrum exhibited a broad peak at 510nm, which indicates the shifting of the absorption rage of CdS nanoparticles into the visible region. PL spectrum exhibited the characteristic emission bands in visible region. © 2020 Author(s).One of the authors Dr. G. Thirumala Rao would like to thank the GMR Institute of Technology, Rajam for providing financial support to carry out the research work. Authors would also like to thank the Department of Physics, Acharya Nagarjuna University, Guntur