Artificial Intelligence: way forward for India

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is likely to transform the way we live and work. Due to its high potential, its adoption is being treated as the fourth industrial revolution. As with any major advancement in technology, it brings with it a spectrum of opportunities as well as challenges. On one hand, several applications have been developed or under development with potential to improve the quality of life significantly. As per a study, it is expected to double the annual economic growth rate of 12 developed countries by 2035. On the other hand, there is a possibility of loss of jobs. As per the available reports, the loss of jobs during the next 10-20 years is estimated to be 47% in the US, 35% in the UK, 49% in Japan, 40% in Australia, and 54% in the EU. In the era of globalization, no country can isolate itself from the impact of the advances in technology. However, the benefits can be maximized and losses can be minimized by putting necessary infrastructure and policy in place. Though several countries have decided their strategy for AI, India has not yet formulated its strategy. This article reviews the international as well as national scenario and suggests way forward for India

ANTIHYPERGLYCEMIC AND ANTIDYSLIPIDEMIC ACTIVITY IN ETHYL ACETATE FRACTION OF THE FRUITS OF XYLOCARPUS GRANATUM AND XYLOCARPUS MOLUCCENSIS

Objectives: Although various species of Xylocarpus i. e. Granatum, moluccensis are known for their medicinal properties. Yet, its anti-diabetic activity remains to be defined. So the aim of this study was to evaluate the antihyperglycemic and antidyslipidemic activity in ethyl acetate fraction of the fruits of X. granatum and X. moluccensis on validated animal models as well as in-vitro glucose uptake stimulatory effect and their cytotoxicity effect in L6 skeletal muscle cells.Methods: The ethyl acetate fraction of the fruits of X. granatum and X. moluccensis were administered to diabetic groups daily up to 10 days for prolonged study. Biochemical parameters notably glucose tolerance, insulin level, lipid profile were assessed. The ethyl acetate fraction of the fruits of X. granatum and X. moluccensis were also tested for glucose uptake effect by skeletal muscle cells in the concentration dependent manner.Results: The present study show that the ethyl acetate fraction of the fruits of X. granatum as well as X. moluccensis are effective in improving glucose tolerance, declining blood glucose as well as serum cholesterol and triglycerides levels in low dosed streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats and dyslipidemic hamsters, respectively. These fractions were also found efficient in increasing glucose uptake by L6 skeletal muscle cells but did not show any effect on cell viability of L6 skeletal muscle cells.Conclusion: Based on the results, the present study revealed that ethyl acetate fraction of the fruits of X. granatum and X. moluccensis lowered blood glucose profile by increasing the glucose uptake by L-6 and this may be the possible mechanisms for the antidiabetic and antidyslipidemic action

Packing directed beneficial role of 3-D rigid alicyclic arms on the templated molecular aggregation problem

Subtle changes in molecular structure have been used to alter the molecular packing and optical properties of organic luminophores. Thus it is important to study simple and advantageous structural modification to overcome limitations of aggregation quenching of fluorescence. Planar conjugated organic compounds are unlikely to be used in OLED devices as they suffer with luminescence weakening due to pi-pi cofacial stacking and excimer formation in the solid state. To avoid such critical issues, doped device architecture for OLED devices has widely been adopted which actually complicates the device fabrication process. Thus an approach for delimiting these drawbacks using simple methodologies is highly desirable for cost effective OLED device fabrication. In this context, two 3-dimensional rigid arms have been introduced into a planar benzo[h]chromen-2-one core, which suffers from aggregation caused quenching, as peripheral substituents to tune the molecular packing and subsequently their optical properties. The resultant compounds 1 and 2 have been tested for non-doped and doped OLED device application. Compound 1 was found to be highly thermally stable with a decomposition temperature of 344 degrees C. Single crystal XRD studies helped to elucidate that voluminous ring substituents are capable of eradicating co-facial pi-pi stacking by increasing the intermolecular distance and hence the luminescence in the solid state could be regenerated. This tuning of intermolecular distance between molecules helped to mitigate the close packed arrangement at a molecular level and also provided the bulk with the enhanced emission property. Electroluminescence from a pristine layer of compound 1 was possible. Thus an approach enabling planar luminophores to be used in OLED applications utilizing thin films of structurally engineered luminophores has been presented

Effects of chlorpyrifos on ultimobranchial and parathyroid glands of Indian skipper frog, Euphlyctis cyanophlyctis

This study investigated effects of chlorpyrifos on ultimobranchial (UBG) and parathyroid glands (PTG) of frog, Euphlyctis cyanophlyctis. Frogs were treated with chlorpyrifos for short and long term and sacrificed after 24, 48, 72 or 96 h in short term and after 5.10, 15 and 30 days in long term. Chlorpyrifos exposure provokes   decrease  in    serum  calcium  levels  after  48 h which persists till 96 h. There is slight decrease in the nuclear volume of UBG cells and  cytoplasm depict weak staining response after 72 h. After 96 h these changes are more pronounced. PTG of Euphlyctis cyanophlyctis exposed to chlorpyrifos exhibit no change till 96 h. Serum calcium decreases on day 10 after chlorpyrifos exposure which continue to fall progressively till 30 days. After 15 days chloryrifos exposure, nuclear volume of UBG exhibit decrease and follicular epithelium displays decrease in height. Follicular epithelium after 30 days chlorpyrifos exposure reduces to the extent that it becomes single layered. Few degenerating cells have been discerned. At this interval nuclear volume of ultimobranchial cells exhibits a further decrease. PTG of chlorpyrifos treated frog depicts increased nuclear volume of PTG at 10 and 15 days. The nuclei of PTG are hyperchromatic and the gland becomes compact at 15 days. After 30 days following chlorpyrifos treatment nuclear volume exhibits further increase. Also degenerating cells make their appearance. Calcium regulating glands UBG and PTG of frogs were adversely affected by exposure to chlorpyrifos which may disturb the physiological functions of the organism. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.400415

Jamun seed and orange peel extracts protects effects of microcystin LR on serum calcium and phosphate of rats

Wistar rats were treated as Group A: Control; Group B: microcystin LR (MCLR); Group C: microcystin LR and jamun seed extract (MCLR+JSE); Group D: microcystin LR and orange peel extract (MCLR+OPE); Group E: orange peel extract (OPE); Group F: jamun seed extract (JSE). MCLR dose was 10 µg/kg body wt/day whereas OPE and JSE dose was 200 mg/kg body wt/day. Serum calcium and phosphate were analyzed on 15 and 30 day. Serum calcium of rat exposed  for 15 day to MCLR; MCLR+JSE and MCLR+OPE decreased. Although there is little increase in levels of group C and group D  but treatment with OPE and JSE is not able to completely restore decreased calcium levels caused by MCLR. After 30 day calcium decreased after MCLR; MCLR+JSE and MCLR+OPE treatment. Levels in group E and F remain unaltered. Levels in group C and D exhibit elevation as compared to group B which indicates that treatment with OPE and JSE recovered calcium. Serum phosphate decreased after 15 day in MCLR; MCLR+JSE and MCLR+OPE  treated rats. Phosphate levels of group C (compared with group F) and group D (compared with group E) show decrease. After 30 day exposure to MCLR; MCLR+JSE and MCLR+OPE phosphate levels decreased. Levels of group C and D when compared with group B are increased. Phosphate levels of group C (compared with group F) and D (compared with group E) are decreased. This indicates that OPE and JSE treatment provoked some recovery of phosphate levels. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.394065

Influence of micro-structural parameters on fatigue life of discontinuous reinforced metal matrix composites

348-355The micro-structural parameters such as reinforcement shape, size, distribution, volume fraction, property mismatch, aging condition, bonding strength, and whisker orientation can influence the fatigue life of discontinuous reinforced metal matrix composites (DRMMCs). The strengthening effect plays a vital role in predicting the fatigue behaviour of DRMMCs. The modified shear lag (MSL) and enhance dislocation density (EDD) are two main factors that describes the strength of DRMMCs. In the present work, fatigue crack growth life model based MSL and EDD strengthening mechanism has been developed by integrating fatigue damage deformation at the crack-tip under the total strain-controlled conditions. The closed form expression predicts the dependency of particle size, reinforcement volume fraction and reinforcement constraint of the matrix on the fatigue crack growth life. The model fitting with experimental data affirms the appropriateness of proposed fatigue crack growth life prediction model for DRMMCs

Influence of micro-structural parameters on fatigue life of discontinuous reinforced metal matrix composites

The micro-structural parameters such as reinforcement shape, size, distribution, volume fraction, property mismatch, aging condition, bonding strength, and whisker orientation can influence the fatigue life of discontinuous reinforced metal matrix composites (DRMMCs). The strengthening effect plays a vital role in predicting the fatigue behaviour of DRMMCs. The modified shear lag (MSL) and enhance dislocation density (EDD) are two main factors that describes the strength of DRMMCs. In the present work, fatigue crack growth life model based MSL and EDD strengthening mechanism has been developed by integrating fatigue damage deformation at the crack-tip under the total strain-controlled conditions. The closed form expression predicts the dependency of particle size, reinforcement volume fraction and reinforcement constraint of the matrix on the fatigue crack growth life. The model fitting with experimental data affirms the appropriateness of proposed fatigue crack growth life prediction model for DRMMCs

Probing defect induced room temperature ferromagnetism in CVD grown MoO3 flakes: A correlation with electronic structure and first principle-based calculations

In this paper, we report the growth of pure {\alpha}-MoO3 micro-flakes by CVD technique and their structural, electronic, optical, and magnetic properties. Samples are annealed at various temperatures in an H2 atmosphere to induce ferromagnetism. All the samples exhibit ferromagnetism at room temperature, and 250oC annealed sample shows the highest magnetic moment of 0.087 emu/g. It is evident from PL data that pristine as well as annealed samples contain different types of defects like oxygen vacancies, surface defects, interstitial oxygen, etc. It is deduced from the analysis of Mo3d and O1s core-level XPS spectra that oxygen vacancies increase up to an annealing temperature of 250oC that correlates with the magnetic moment. Significant changes in the total density of states and also in the magnetic moment for two and three oxygen vacancies are noticed through first-principle-based calculations. It is concluded that the magnetic moment is produced by oxygen vacancies or vacancy clusters, which is consistent with our experimental findings