Onset of Convection in a Nanofluid Saturated Porous Layer with Temperature Dependent Viscosity

The effect of nanofluid viscosity varying exponentially with temperature on the onset of convection in a layer of nanofluid saturated Darcy porous medium is investigated. The nanoparticle flux is zero condition on the boundaries is invoked to account for physically realistic situation. The resulting eigenvalue problem is solved numerically using the Galerkin method. It is observed that the instability sets in only as stationary convection and the occurrence of oscillatory convection is ruled out. The effect of viscosity parameter on the characteristics of stability is found to be significant and dual in nature. The onset of convection is hastened and the size of convection cells is enlarged with an increase in the value of modified diffusivity ratio, concentration Darcy-Rayleigh number, the modified particle density increment parameter and the Lewis number

EVALUATION OF IN VITRO ANTIOXIDANT POTENTIAL OF SPENT CHILLI AND SPENT CUMIN OBTAINED AFTER OLEORESIN EXTRACTION

Objective: Chilli spent residue (CHSR) and Cumin spent residue (CSR) obtained after oleoresin extraction is known to be rich in polyphenols, however, the very limited commercial application is known except for its use as veterinary feeds. Considering that a huge residue is left over by oleoresin spice industry, application-oriented utilization of spent residue of chilli and cumin is warranted. In these lines, we in this study evaluate the antioxidant potential of Chilli spent residue (CHSR) and Cumin spent residue (CSR) obtained after oleoresin extraction by DPPH method.Methods: In vitro radical scavenging activity of CHSR and CSR obtained after oleoresin extraction was evaluated by checking its role in scavenging DPPH.Results: The spent chilli extract exhibited higher DPPH scavenging activity when compared to the spent cumin and the IC50 values of spent chilli; spent cumin and ascorbic acid were found to be 186.23±1.05 µg/ml, 284±1.03 µg/ml and 33.21±1.04, respectively. As CHSR and CSR obtained after oleoresin extraction is known to be rich in polyphenols, these might be responsible for potent and significant antioxidant activity observed.Conclusion: This study shows that by-products obtained/generated in oleoresin industry can be utilized as value added product. Future work will be interesting to know the chemical composition and better understand the mechanism of action of the antioxidants present in the extract for development as a drug for therapeutic application.Â

A Survey of Energy Harvesting Sources for IoT Device

Environmental Energy is an alternative energy for wireless devices. A Survey of Energy Harvesting Sources for IoT Device is proposed. This paper identifies the sources of energy harvesting, methods and power density of each technique. Many reassert have carried to extract energy from environment. The IoT and M2M are connected through internet or local area network and these devices come with batteries. The maintenance and charging of batteries becomes tedious due to thousands of device are connected. The concept of Energy harvesting gives the solution for powering IoT, M2M, Wireless nodes etc. The process of extracting energy from the surrounding environment is termed as energy harvesting and derived from windmill and water wheel, thermal, mechanical, solar

Peer Leader Perspectives From a PLTL Implementation in a Hispanic-serving Institution

Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL) is a pedagogical approach that has been shown to benefit all students, especially underrepresented minority students and peer leaders in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines. In this work, we present results from our study of the impact of PLTL on our peer leaders from a controlled implementation in general biology, general chemistry, and statistics courses at a Hispanic-serving, minority-serving institution. More specifically, we have measured our PLTL program’s impact on our peer leaders\u27 skill development, engagement with the subject material, and sense of belonging as peer leaders. Weekly peer leader reflections analyzed using the Dreyfus model exhibited a consistent set of skills, while those analyzed using the Pazos model revealed a consistent type of student-peer leader interactions, allowing for peer leaders to be assigned to specific levels in the hierarchy of each of the models. Analysis of eight skill-based Likert-scale questions on the SALG survey showed an overall positive shift at the highest level. Independent of the skill or interaction level of the peer leader, we observed several instances of peer leaders acknowledging development in their communication skills, sincere attempts at creating an engaging classroom, and a deep investment in their student’s success. Peer leaders also reported improvements in understanding of the subjects they were teaching, wanting to persevere and solve problems independently, and feeling passionate about helping other students

ANTISNAKE VENOM PROPERTIES OF MEDICINAL PLANTS

Snake envenoming and consequent deaths are of common occurrence in tropical and subtropical regions. Approximately 1,25,000 deaths are witnessed every year and WHO has declared it as a neglected tropical disease in 2009. The immunotheraphy is the only treatment available, but it has side effects like serum sickness, pyrogen reactions moreover the non availability and storage problems has rendered the mankind to look in others sources to treat snake bite deaths. This has led to the investigation of naturally available antidotes or the herbal antidotes. The plants were used by humans from centuries to treat diseases which have become an ancient knowledge which are passed through the generations. Many scientific investigations have been carried out on the grounds of folk knowledge. Some of the plants include Aristolochia indica, Andrographis paniculata, Hemidesmus indicus, Vitis vinifera etc., many metabolites have also been isolated which show promising pharmacological inhibitory effect on the toxic snake venom. Further exploration and characterization of molecules would be able to provide an alternative to the existent Antisnake venom. Â

Subchronic exposure to phytoestrogens alone and in combination with diethylstilbestrol - pituitary tumor induction in Fischer 344 rats

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Subchronic administration of the potent pharmaceutical estrogen diethylstilbestrol (DES) to female Fischer 344 (F344) rats induces growth of large, hemorrhagic pituitaries that progress to tumors. Phytoestrogens (dietary plant estrogens) are hypothesized to be potential tumor inhibitors in tissues prone to estrogen-induced cancers, and have been suggested as "safer" estrogen replacements. However, it is unknown if they might themselves establish or exacerbate the growth of estrogen-responsive cancers, such as in pituitary.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We implanted rats with silastic capsules containing 5 mg of four different phytoestrogens - either coumestrol, daidzein, genistein, or <it>trans</it>-resveratrol, in the presence or absence of DES. We examined pituitary and other organ weights, blood levels of prolactin (PRL) and growth hormone (GH), body weights, and pituitary tissue histology.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Blood level measurements of the administered phytoestrogens confirmed successful exposure of the animals to high levels of these compounds. By themselves, no phytoestrogen increased pituitary weights or serum PRL levels after 10 weeks of treatment. DES, genistein, and resveratrol increased GH levels during this time. Phytoestrogens neither changed any wet organ weight (uterus, ovary, cervix, liver, and kidney) after 10 weeks of treatment, nor reversed the adverse effects of DES on pituitaries, GH and PRL levels, or body weight gain after 8 weeks of co-treatment. However, they did reverse the DES-induced weight increase on the ovary and cervix. Morphometric examination of pituitaries revealed that treatment with DES, either alone or in combination with phytoestrogens, caused gross structural changes that included decreases in tissue cell density, increases in vascularity, and multiple hemorrhagic areas. DES, especially in combination with phytoestrogens, caused the development of larger and more heterogeneous nuclear sizes in pituitary.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>High levels of phytoestrogens by themselves did not cause pituitary precancerous growth or change weights of other estrogen-sensitive organs, though when combined with DES, they counteracted the growth effects of DES on reproductive organs. In the pituitary, phytoestrogens did not reverse the effects of DES, but they did increase the sizes and size heterogeneity of nuclei. Therefore, phytoestrogens may oppose some but not all estrogen-responsive tissue abnormalities caused by DES overstimulation, and appear to exacerbate DES-induced nuclear changes.</p

Prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in women with abnormal uterine bleeding in reproductive age

Background: Abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) is one of the commonest presentations encountered in gynecological outpatient department. Menstruation is also regulated by many mechanisms, including thyroid hormone. So, for definitive management of AUB, it becomes imperative to assess thyroid status in those with abnormal uterine bleeding.Methods: Cross sectional study was conducted on all woman attending to OPD at Sri Siddhartha Medical College, Tumukuru, with complaints of abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB). Thyroid test was done for those who were eligible under inclusion criteria. Incidence of thyroid disorders among AUB and type of abnormal menstrual pattern associated with specific type of thyroid dysfunction were noted in this study.Results: Total of 522 presented with AUB. AUB was most common among woman age >40 years at 49.23% (257 of total 522 cases). AUB was more common in Multipara at 61.49% (321 of 522 cases). Menorrhagia was commonest pattern in AUB accounting for 51.34% (268 of 522cases). Thyroid dysfunction was present in 12.27% (64 of 522) of cases with AUB. Among them hypothyroid was most common accounting for 8.81% (46 of 522 cases). Hyperthyroidism was present in 3.44% (18 of 522 cases). Menorrhagia was most common pattern in Hypothyroidism at 65.21% (30 of 46 cases, followed by polymenorrhea at 17.39% (8 of 46 cases). Oligomenorrhea was most common in hyperthyroid group at 55.54% (10 of 18 cases) closely followed by hypomenorrhea at 44.44% (8 of 18 cases).Conclusions: Abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) is one of the commonest gynecological complaint at gynecological OPD.  Thyroid dysfunction is noted consistently in cases of AUB. So, evaluation of thyroid profile should be part of evaluation of AUB, especially during perimenopause

IN VITRO INHIBITORY ACTIVITY OF MEDICINAL PLANTS AGAINST PHOMOPSIS AZADIRACHTAE, THE INCITANT DIE BACK DISEASE OF NEEM

Objectives: Plant diseases extend a threat to the global production of herbal medicines. Safer plant protection strategies are in need to meet the demands from the pharmaceutical industry. Neem is a tree with great medicinal values, which is being infected by Phomopsis azadirachtae (PA), causing die back disease. The resulting massive destruction of the tree demands optimum disease management methods and thus, the objective of the present study was to evaluate the inhibitory potential of some plant extracts against the growth of PA.Methods: In this study, we investigate the in vitro antifungal activity of ether: chloroform (1:1), ethyl acetate, acetone and ethanol extracts from different parts (leaves and roots) of five plant species viz., Ocimum tenuiflorium, Centella asiatica, Solanum nigrum, Apium graveolens and Besella alba against the growth of PA.Results: All the 40 crude extracts (at concentration of 1000 μg/ml), were active against PA. Among them, the ethanol and ethyl acetate extracts proved optimum with antifungal activity ranging from 65-95% and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values from 75-200 μg/ml. The antifungal activity of the extracts was in the order: ethanol&gt;ethyl acetate&gt;acetone&gt;ether: chloroform (1:1). Also, noteworthy results were observed in all the extracts tested against the spore germination of PA, with concentration and time-dependent kinetics.Conclusion: The results prove promising in order to develop new antifungal agents against the growth and spread of PA.Â

Organic Farming on Productivity of Rice and Soil Fertility under Alfisols of Southern Transition Zone of Karnataka, India

The research results concluded that the green manuring with organic manures increased the green manures biomass yield. Green manuring with FYM at sowing and incorporating insitu green manures enhanced the productivity of organically grown rice and soil fertility. The build up of soil available nutrients and microbial diversity were observed in organic farming