A study of common aero-allergen in Mewar region, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India

Background: Aero-allergens are important causative factor in pathogenesis of allergic respiratory diseases (Asthma, Allergic Rhinitis). Present study aimed to identify the common aeroallergens in Mewar region, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India.Methods: Intradermal allergic testing done on 1050 respiratory allergic patients in last 15 yrs (2002 to 2016) by kit containing 125 allergen extracts includes pollen, fungi, insects, dust, dander’s, fabrics, feathers and wood. In 1020 patients (after excluding 30 patients), marked positive skin reaction (3+/4+) to one or more aeroallergen noted.Results: Most common aero allergens found were pollens (62%), woods (58.5%), dander (52%), insects (45%), dust mite (44.2%) and fungi (38.4%). Among pollens most common allergens were Holoptelia integrifolia, Parthenium hysterophorn, Cynodon. Among fungi aspergillus and candida species were most common. Cockroach and fly were predominant insects.Conclusions: Role of allergen testing have important role in management of allergic respiratory diseases as allergen immunotherapy or desensitization is only disease modifying treatment

The Longitudinal Flow of Oil and Petroleum Products in the Channels and Pipes. Part II

A model associated fluid flow and heat transfer of longitudinal flows of oil in pipes and channels is considered. The model is an extended version of the Bingham flow on the case of flow with one or two solid cores. The fluid part is a two-phase medium, wherein the disperse phase may consist of solid particles, droplets and gas bubbles. The sliding on the borders of pipes and channels, thermal conductivity and viscosity of such systems and their impact on the characteristics of the solid core are discussed. The flow with a yield point dependence on the temperature is also considered

Функциональные свойства гальванических сплавов Fe−Mo и Fe−Mo−W

The influence of the modes of electrodeposition on the morphology, topography, and structure of the galvanic alloys of iron with molybdenum and tungsten is discussed. It is shown that the increase in the corrosion resistance of Fe–Mo and Fe–Mo–W coatings in acid and neutral chloride-containing media is caused both by the elevation of their passivating ability caused by the process of alloying components and by the formation of globular surfaces with homogeneous chemical composition. The microhardnesses of Fe–Mo and Fe–Mo–W galvanic alloys prove to be 2–3 times higher than the microhardnesses of the substrates made of low-alloy steel, which can be explained by the formation of amorphous structures. The results of investigations and tribological tests show that it is reasonable to apply the coatings of double and triple iron alloys in order to reduce wear in friction couples and to increase the corrosion resistance and mechanical strength of the surfaces, which makes them promising for the repair and restoration technologies.Изучено влияние методов электроосаждения на морфологию, топографию и структуру гальванических сплавов железа с молибденом и вольфрамом. Показано, что рост коррозионной стойкости покрытий Fe–Mo и Fe–Mo–W в кислых и нейтральных хлоридсодержащих средах обусловлен увеличением их способности к пассивации в присутствии легирующих компонентов и формированием глобулярной равномерной по составу поверхности. Микротвердость гальванических сплавов Fe–Mo и Fe–Mo–W возрастает в 2-3 раза по сравнению с показателем подложки из низколегированной стали за счет формирования аморфной структуры. Результаты исследований и трибологических тестов показали целесообразность применения двойных и тройных сплавов железа для снижения износа в парах трения и увеличения коррозионного сопротивления и механической прочности поверхностей, что делает их привлекательными для технологий восстановления и упрочнения поверхностей

Predictions for Electromagnetic Counterparts to Neutron Star Mergers Discovered during LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA Observing Runs 4 and 5

We present a comprehensive, configurable open-source framework for estimating the rate of electromagnetic detection of kilonovae (KNe) associated with gravitational wave detections of binary neutron star (BNS) mergers. We simulate the current LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA (LVK) observing run (O4) using up-to-date sensitivity and up-time values as well as the next observing run (O5) using predicted sensitivities. We find the number of discoverable kilonovae during LVK O4 to be ${ 1}_{- 1}^{+ 4}$ or ${ 2 }_{- 2 }^{+ 3 }$, (at 90% confidence) depending on the distribution of NS masses in coalescing binaries, with the number increasing by an order of magnitude during O5 to ${ 19 }_{- 11 }^{+ 24 }$. Regardless of mass model, we predict at most five detectable KNe (at 95% confidence) in O4. We also produce optical and near-infrared light curves that correspond to the physical properties of each merging system. We have collated important information for allocating observing resources and directing search and follow-up observations including distributions of peak magnitudes in several broad bands and timescales for which specific facilities can detect each KN. The framework is easily adaptable, and new simulations can quickly be produced as input information such as merger rates and NS mass distributions are refined. Finally, we compare our suite of simulations to the thus-far completed portion of O4 (as of October 14, 2023), finding a median number of discoverable KNe of 0 and a 95-percentile upper limit of 2, consistent with no detection so far in O4.Comment: 16 pages, 13 figures, MNRAS: Accepted 2023 November 25. Received 2023 November 16; in original form 2023 October 2

Модифікація полімерних плівок двовісною орієнтацією

Проблематика. Для опису поведінки полімерів і полімерних плівок під дією сил розтягу існують різноманітні механічні моделі, які розглядають одновісне розтягання, і тому відповідні параметри процесу також стосуються лише одного напрямку. Проте за умови розтягання твердого тіла виникає не лише поздовжня, а й поперечна деформація, що істотно ускладнює аналіз поведінки полімерних плівок під час одно- або двовісного розтягання (орієнтації). Мета дослідження. Уточнення фізичної моделі механізму деформації рукавної полімерної плівки при її виготовленні, створення математичної моделі процесу двовісної орієнтації рукава. Методика реалізації. Поставлена мета досягається за рахунок розгляду механічної моделі полімерної плівки як квадрата, сторони якого є послідовно з’єднаними між собою елементами Гука та Ньютона, а діагоналі – елементами Гука. При цьому точки з’єднання сторін і діагоналей квадрата – шарнірні, а елементи Гука можуть мати різні коефіцієнти пружності. Результати дослідження. Розроблено механічну модель розтягання полімерів і полімерних плівок, що враховує їх деформацію у двох взаємно перпендикулярних напрямках за умови як одно-, так і двовісного розтягання (орієнтації). Експериментально підтверджено коректність деформації розробленої моделі за умови одно­вісного розтягання для розплаву полімеру. Показано, що максимальна відносна поперечна деформація за умови одновісного розтягання розплаву полімеру не перевищує 2/3 його відносної поздовжньої деформації. Висновки. Уточнено фізичну модель механізму деформації рукавної полімерної плівки при її виготовленні, яка базується на комбінації елементів Гука та Ньютона. Модель дійсна для будь-якого моменту ре­лак­саційних процесів у полімерній плівці. Експериментально доведено коректність застосування моделі для реаль­них об’єктів. Впливу температури на відношення поздовжніх і поперечних деформацій експеримен­тально не виявлено

Generation of a strong reverse shock wave in the interaction of a high-contrast high-intensity femtosecond laser pulse with a silicon target

We present ultrafast pump-probe reflectivity and Doppler spectrometry of a silicon target at relativistic laser intensity. We observe an unexpected rise in reflectivity to a peak approximately9 ps after the main pulse interaction with the target. This occurs after the reflectivity has fallen off from the initially high “plasma-mirror” phase. Simultaneously measured time-dependent Doppler shift data show an increase in the blue shift at the same time. Numerical simulations show that the aforementioned trends in the experimental measurements correspond to a strong shock wave propagating back toward the laser. The relativistic laser-plasma interaction indirectly heats the cool-dense (ne 10^23 cm^-3 and Te ~10eV) target material adjacent to the corona, by hot electron induced return current heating, raising its temperature to around 150eV and causing it to explode violently. The increase in reflectivity is caused by the transient steepening of the plasma density gradient at the probe critical surface due to this explosive behavior

Glycerol Monolaurate and Dodecylglycerol Effects on Staphylococcus aureus and Toxic Shock Syndrome Toxin-1 In Vitro and In Vivo

BACKGROUND:Glycerol monolaurate (GML), a 12 carbon fatty acid monoester, inhibits Staphylococcus aureus growth and exotoxin production, but is degraded by S. aureus lipase. Therefore, dodecylglycerol (DDG), a 12 carbon fatty acid monoether, was compared in vitro and in vivo to GML for its effects on S. aureus growth, exotoxin production, and stability. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS:Antimicrobial effects of GML and DDG (0 to 500 microg/ml) on 54 clinical isolates of S. aureus, including pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) types USA200, USA300, and USA400, were determined in vitro. A rabbit Wiffle ball infection model assessed GML and DDG (1 mg/ml instilled into the Wiffle ball every other day) effects on S. aureus (MN8) growth (inoculum 3x10(8) CFU/ml), toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1) production, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) concentrations and mortality over 7 days. DDG (50 and 100 microg/ml) inhibited S. aureus growth in vitro more effectively than GML (p<0.01) and was stable to lipase degradation. Unlike GML, DDG inhibition of TSST-1 was dependent on S. aureus growth. GML-treated (4 of 5; 80%) and DDG-treated rabbits (2 of 5; 40%) survived after 7 days. Control rabbits (5 of 5; 100%) succumbed by day 4. GML suppressed TNF-alpha at the infection site on day 7; however, DDG did not (<10 ng/ml versus 80 ng/ml, respectively). CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE:These data suggest that DDG was stable to S. aureus lipase and inhibited S. aureus growth at lower concentrations than GML in vitro. However, in vivo GML was more effective than DDG by reducing mortality, and suppressing TNF-alpha, S. aureus growth and exotoxin production, which may reduce toxic shock syndrome. GML is proposed as a more effective anti-staphylococcal topical anti-infective candidate than DDG, despite its potential degradation by S. aureus lipase

Estimating yield-contributing physiological parameters of cotton using UAV-based imagery

Lint yield in cotton is governed by light intercepted by the canopy (IPAR), radiation use efficiency (RUE), and harvest index (HI). However, the conventional methods of measuring these yield-governing physiological parameters are labor-intensive, time-consuming and requires destructive sampling. This study aimed to explore the use of low-cost and high-resolution UAV-based RGB and multispectral imagery 1) to estimate fraction of IPAR (IPARf), RUE, and biomass throughout the season, 2) to estimate lint yield using the cotton fiber index (CFI), and 3) to determine the potential use of biomass and lint yield models for estimating cotton HI. An experiment was conducted during the 2021 and 2022 growing seasons in Tifton, Georgia, USA in randomized complete block design with five different nitrogen treatments. Different nitrogen treatments were applied to generate substantial variability in canopy development and yield. UAV imagery was collected bi-weekly along with light interception and biomass measurements throughout the season, and 20 different vegetation indices (VIs) were computed from the imagery. Generalized linear regression was performed to develop models using VIs and growing degree days (GDDs). The IPARf models had R2 values ranging from 0.66 to 0.90, and models based on RVI and RECI explained the highest variation (93%) in IPARf during cross-validation. Similarly, cotton above-ground biomass was best estimated by models from MSAVI and OSAVI. Estimation of RUE using actual biomass measurement and RVI-based IPARf model was able to explain 84% of variation in RUE. CFI from UAV-based RGB imagery had strong relationship (R2 = 0.69) with machine harvested lint yield. The estimated HI from CFI-based lint yield and MSAVI-based biomass models was able to explain 40 to 49% of variation in measured HI for the 2022 growing season. The models developed to estimate the yield-contributing physiological parameters in cotton showed low to strong performance, with IPARf and above-ground biomass having greater prediction accuracy. Future studies on accurate estimation of lint yield is suggested for precise cotton HI prediction. This study is the first attempt of its kind and the results can be used to expand and improve research on predicting functional yield drivers of cotton

Protective Effects of Walnut Extract Against Amyloid Beta Peptide-Induced Cell Death and Oxidative Stress in PC12 Cells

Amyloid beta-protein (Aβ) is the major component of senile plaques and cerebrovascular amyloid deposits in individuals with Alzheimer’s disease. Aβ is known to increase free radical production in neuronal cells, leading to oxidative stress and cell death. Recently, considerable attention has been focused on dietary antioxidants that are able to scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS), thereby offering protection against oxidative stress. Walnuts are rich in components that have anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The inhibition of in vitro fibrillization of synthetic Aβ, and solubilization of preformed fibrillar Aβ by walnut extract was previously reported. The present study was designed to investigate whether walnut extract can protect against Aβ-induced oxidative damage and cytotoxicity. The effect of walnut extract on Aβ-induced cellular damage, ROS generation and apoptosis in PC12 pheochromocytoma cells was studied. Walnut extract reduced Aβ-mediated cell death assessed by MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) reduction, and release of lactate dehydrogenase (membrane damage), DNA damage (apoptosis) and generation of ROS in a concentration-dependent manner. These results suggest that walnut extract can counteract Aβ-induced oxidative stress and associated cell death

A Plant DJ-1 Homolog Is Essential for Arabidopsis thaliana Chloroplast Development

Protein superfamilies can exhibit considerable diversification of function among their members in various organisms. The DJ-1 superfamily is composed of proteins that are principally involved in stress response and are widely distributed in all kingdoms of life. The model flowering plant Arabidopsis thaliana contains three close homologs of animal DJ-1, all of which are tandem duplications of the DJ-1 domain. Consequently, the plant DJ-1 homologs are likely pseudo-dimeric proteins composed of a single polypeptide chain. We report that one A. thaliana DJ-1 homolog (AtDJ1C) is the first DJ-1 homolog in any organism that is required for viability. Homozygous disruption of the AtDJ1C gene results in non-viable, albino seedlings that can be complemented by expression of wild-type or epitope-tagged AtDJ1C. The plastids from these dj1c plants lack thylakoid membranes and granal stacks, indicating that AtDJ1C is required for proper chloroplast development. AtDJ1C is expressed early in leaf development when chloroplasts mature, but is downregulated in older tissue, consistent with a proposed role in plastid development. In addition to its plant-specific function, AtDJ1C is an atypical member of the DJ-1 superfamily that lacks a conserved cysteine residue that is required for the functions of most other superfamily members. The essential role for AtDJ1C in chloroplast maturation expands the known functional diversity of the DJ-1 superfamily and provides the first evidence of a role for specialized DJ-1-like proteins in eukaryotic development