The thermal power plants produce huge quantity of fly ash as waste materials, and dumped in to the ash dykes, which occupies several acres of land and ultimately, spoil it. Researchers are looking ...for the reasonable treatment process to convert the fly ash into useful materials like zeolites. In this work, fly ash derived Mordenite zeolite has been synthesized with improved catalytic activity. The utility of this material is demonstrated as solid acid catalyst for synthesis of n-butyl levulinate from biomass derived levulinic acid. This study involves demonstrate successful cost effective transformation of fly ash into environmentally benign catalyst.
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•Waste coal fly ash (CFA) transformation into value added materials.•Synthesis of zeolites (Mordenite) from waste coal fly ash and their characterization.•Synthesis of n-butyl levulinate from levulinic acid using fly ash derived zeolites.•High conversion with selectivity towards n-butyl levulinate.•Proposed reaction mechanism for the synthesis of n-butyl levulinate.
OBJECTIVE This prospective study was undertaken to evaluate the role of colour Doppler sonography in the assessment of prostate carcinoma. METHODS Forty consecutive patients who were suspected of ...having prostate carcinoma with either raised prostate specific antigen or abnormal digital rectal examination were included in the study. Transrectal greyscale and colour Doppler sonography of the prostate was performed using a 5–9 MHz intracavitary probe. Needle biopsies were taken from areas that showed increased flow on colour Doppler. The results were correlated with the final diagnosis established on histopathological examination. RESULTS Comparison of greyscale and colour Doppler sonography showed that the latter is more sensitive and specific in predicting the malignancy. The statistical parameters of colour Doppler versus greyscale sonography were: sensitivity 88.23 vs. 73.52, specificity 66.66 vs. 33.33, positive predictive value 93.75 vs. 85.18, and negative predictive value 50 vs. 22.22, respectively. CONCLUSION Colour Doppler and greyscale sonography should be routinely performed to improve detection of prostate carcinoma and to target the lesion.
In this paper, a hybrid exchanger, zirconium triethylenetetramine (ZrT), of the class of tetravalent metal acid (TMA) salts, has been synthesized by the sol–gel method. In the present work, an ...attempt has been to investigate the sorption behavior of lanthanum, cerium, and thorium metal ions towards ZrT exchanger in various electrolytes media with different concentrations. In order to understand the uptake behavior of ZrT, parametric studies, kinetic and thermodynamic studies have been investigated. Distribution studies data revealed the feasibility of binary lanthanide separations using ZrT and show possibility of its promising use as an efficient ion exchanger in the treatment of water containing radioactive metal waste. In general, the decay storage or ion exchange treatment is used for the treatment of aqueous waste generated from the low nuclear power reactor. As per the report (IAEA-TECDOC-654, 1992), such nuclear aqueous waste generated is found acidic in view of used acidic chemicals during the process. The use of ZrT will be effective or in other words, ZrT can be a potential candidate to be used as an ion-exchange material for the treatment of such nuclear aqueous waste, after optimizing the process parameters, in particular maintaining the pH in the range of 4–5.
Summary
Cytokinin group of phytohormones regulate root elongation and branching during post‐embryonic development. Cytokinin‐degrading enzymes cytokinin oxidases/dehydrogenases (CKXs) have been ...deployed to investigate biological activities of cytokinin and to engineer root growth. We expressed chickpea cytokinin oxidase 6 (CaCKX6) under the control of a chickpea root‐specific promoter of CaWRKY31 in Arabidopsis thaliana and chickpea having determinate and indeterminate growth patterns, respectively, to study the effect of cytokinin depletion on root growth and drought tolerance. Root‐specific expression of CaCKX6 led to a significant increase in lateral root number and root biomass in Arabidopsis and chickpea without any penalty to vegetative and reproductive growth of shoot. Transgenic chickpea lines showed increased CKX activity in root. Soil‐grown advanced chickpea transgenic lines exhibited higher root‐to‐shoot biomass ratio and enhanced long‐term drought tolerance. These chickpea lines were not compromised in root nodulation and nitrogen fixation. The seed yield in some lines was up to 25% higher with no penalty in protein content. Transgenic chickpea seeds possessed higher levels of zinc, iron, potassium and copper. Our results demonstrated the potential of cytokinin level manipulation in increasing lateral root number and root biomass for agronomic trait improvement in an edible legume crop with indeterminate growth habit.
•Women’s self-help groups can effectively promote energy access to local households.•Local services enabled continued functioning of lamps, increasing consumer confidence.•Solar lamps used for ...multiple activities; households prefer solar for basic lighting.•Capacity building and handholding of SHGs required for speed, quality and coverage.•Livelihood opportunities are primary drivers for SHG network participation.
The solar photovoltaic (PV) technologies offer a sustainable solution to energy-poor communities. Adoption and sustained use of solar PV merit participation of local communities in planning and implementation. The literature on off-grid solar PV interventions that do not take the approach of involving communities point towards the difficulties experienced in reaching the bottom of the pyramid (BoP) communities as wells as in supply chain and after-sales service. Similarly, there is a gap in scientific literature that explores community inclusive initiatives to foster sustained uptake of solar PV technologies. Our study fills this gap, and discusses: 1) pathways to engage with rural poor communities to promote solar off-grid access, and 2) the impact of engaging with these communities particularly women, on their energy security and livelihood opportunities. We study a two-phased intervention in rural poor setting in Dungarpur district of Rajasthan state in India. The intervention can be broadly classified into two phases: (i) the distribution of solar study lamps to rural school students and mothers, wherein the lamps were assembled and maintained by the local community (self-help group networks), (ii) the entrepreneurship development of local community members towards continued livelihood through solar. We adopted mixed methods approach to collect and analyze the quantitative data from beneficiary households, while qualitative data were collected from SHG members. Our findings demonstrate the utility of localized intervention and the significance and challenges of engaging local communities. The consumers used these solar lamps for multiple activities and prefer solar over grid electricity for basic lighting. The voltage fluctuations or poor quality of electricity supply influences the preference to solar over the conventional grid. Local services enabled continued functioning of lamps, thereby increasing consumer confidence. The intervention built capacity of and created continued livelihood opportunities for local women in these communities, resulting in their economic and social growth. Appropriate capacity building and support to the SHG federations can channelize clean energy interventions at required speed, quality, and coverage. In the context of energy poor BoP communities of the Global South, our research provides key determinants impacting development of community-centered renewable energy interventions, crucial for the realization of Sustainable Development Goal 7.
Background: Vasopressors for prophylaxis and treatment of spinal hypotension have grown in popularity in recent years. Norepinephrine is now emerging as one of the feasible options for prevention as ...well as management of spinal-induced hypotension in caesarean section (CS). The aim of our study was to compare the efficacy of two different doses of norepinephrine as prophylaxis for spinal-induced hypotension during CS. Material and Methods: Total 110 patients were recruited in this prospective randomized double-blind study from December 2017 to June 2019. After fulfilling the inclusion and exclusion criteria, this study was conducted on 90 patients undergoing elective CS under spinal anesthesia, who were assigned into three groups of 30 patients each. Group N6received norepinephrine 6 μg as an intravenous bolus, group N4received norepinephrine 4 μg, and group C received normal saline simultaneously with subarachnoid block. Incidence of hypotension, requirement of rescue doses of norepinephrine, time of first rescue dose, hemodynamic parameters, adverse effects, and neonatal complications were assessed, compared and analyzed. Results: The incidence of post spinal hypotension was 63.33% in group N6, 80% in group N4, and 83.33% in group C (p = 0.155). Total rescue dose requirement of norepinephrine was significantly less in group N6(8.21 ± 2.97 μg) as compared to N4(9.00 ± 3.06 μg) and control group (11.00 ± 4.57 μg).(p = 0.011). The median time to first rescue dose requirement of norepinephrine was significantly delayed in group N6(68-4.5 min) and group N4(49-2.5 min) as compared to control group (45-2 min) (p = 0.004). Conclusion: Prophylactic intravenous bolus dose of 6 μg norepinephrine when co-administered with spinal anesthesia was found to be more effective than 4 μg norepinephrine in terms of decreasing total rescue dose requirement of vasopressor and delaying the time to first rescue dose, without significant change in the incidence of hypotension.
Interestingly more than 50% of the world’s area is rainfed and approximately 80% of maize is cultivated under rainfed condition where selection of cultivar and management of nitrogen have major ...impact on production. The aim of this study was to evaluate the growth, phenology, yield and quality parameters of maize as influenced by variety and nitrogen scheduling under rainfed condition. For this, a field experiment having two factors was laid out in a factorial randomised block design and replicated three times. The first factor was variety, i.e., V1 (JM 216) and V2 (JM 218), and the second was six nitrogen scheduling, i.e., N1 to N6, in which nitrogen splitting was done based on 30-years of average rainfall data. Variety JM 218 and N5 40 kg N as basal followed by (fb) 2 splits of 40 kg N and 38.8 kg N at 30 and 52 days after sowing (DAS) and 1% N foliar spray at 40 DAS nitrogen scheduling were found promising under rainfed situation because it recorded maximum value of growth parameters, yield attributes, grain yield and quality parameters (protein, mineral and dickson quality index). Thus, it can be inferred that JM 218 and N5 nitrogen schedule would be a better choice than alternative options.
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