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► The green synthesis of AgNPs by using Artocarpus heterophyllus seed powder extracts (ASPE). ► ASPE provides a simple, cost effective and efficient way for the synthesis of NPs. ► ...FTIR spectra indicated the role of amino acids, amides group I in reduction process. ► The AgNPs obtained showed highly potent antibacterial activity. ► ASPE is a very good ecofriendly, nontoxic bioreductant for the synthesis of AgNPs.
A novel approach for the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) from aqueous solution of silver nitrate (AgNO3) by using Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam. seed powder extract (ASPE), as a reducing agent has been reported in the present work. The seed contains Jacalin, a lectin which is a single major protein representing more than 50% of the proteins from the jackfruit crude seed extract having several biological activities. The reaction of ASPE and AgNO3 was carried out in an autoclave at 15psi, 121°C for 5min and the biosynthesis of the AgNPs in solution was monitored by measuring the UV–vis spectroscopy. The morphology and crystalline phase of the NPs were determined using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with X-ray energy dispersive spectrophotometer (EDAX) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The AgNPs synthesized were generally found to be irregular in shapes with an average size 10.78nm. The FTIR spectra indicated the role of amino acids, amides group I in the synthetic process. The AgNPs thus obtained showed highly potent antibacterial activity toward Gram-positive (Bacillus cereus, Bacillus subtilis and Staphyloccocus aureus) and Gram-negative (Pseudomonas aeruginosa) microorganisms. The results confirmed that the ASPE is a very good eco friendly and nontoxic source for the synthesis of AgNPs as compared to the conventional chemical/physical methods. Therefore, A. heterophyllus seed provides future opportunities in nanomedicine by tagging nanoparticles with jacalin.
Dusty star-forming galaxies at high redshift (1 < z < 3) represent the most intense star-forming regions in the universe. Key aspects to these processes are the gas heating and cooling mechanisms, ...and although it is well known that these galaxies are gas-rich, little is known about the gas excitation conditions. Only a few detailed radiative transfer studies have been carried out owing to a lack of multiple line detections per galaxy. Here we examine these processes in a sample of 24 strongly lensed star-forming galaxies identified by the Planck satellite (LPs) at z ∼ 1.1-3.5. We analyze 162 CO rotational transitions (ranging from Jup = 1 to 12) and 37 atomic carbon fine-structure lines (C i) in order to characterize the physical conditions of the gas in the sample of LPs. We simultaneously fit the CO and C i lines and the dust continuum emission, using two different non-LTE, radiative transfer models. The first model represents a two-component gas density, while the second assumes a turbulence-driven lognormal gas density distribution. These LPs are among the most gas-rich, IR-luminous galaxies ever observed ( L L IR ( 8 − 1000 m ) ∼ 10 13 − 14.6 L ; 〈 LMISM 〉 = (2.7 1.2) × 1012 M , with L ∼ 10-30 the average lens magnification factor). Our results suggest that the turbulent interstellar medium present in the LPs can be well characterized by a high turbulent velocity dispersion ( 〈 ΔVturb 〉 ∼ 100 km s−1) and ratios of gas kinetic temperature to dust temperature 〈 Tkin/Td 〉 ∼ 2.5, sustained on scales larger than a few kiloparsecs. We speculate that the average surface density of the molecular gas mass and IR luminosity, M ISM ∼ 103-4 M pc−2 and L IR ∼ 1011-12 L kpc−2, arise from both stellar mechanical feedback and a steady momentum injection from the accretion of intergalactic gas.
Pile foundations near the crest of a slope are often required to resist lateral loads. In the present study, the effect of slope inclination and edge distance from crest of clayey slope on ultimate ...lateral pile capacity has been investigated using PLAXIS 3D. From the obtained results, the hyperbolic
p
-
y
relationship has been established for different edge distances. For the case of pile located at crest, the increase of slope inclination from 0° to 30°, the ultimate lateral pile capacity decreased by 14.5 and 16.9% for undrained cohesion of 50 and 100 kPa, respectively. For the slope angle 30°, increase in the crest distance from 0 to 7 times pile diameter resulted increment in the ultimate lateral pile capacity by 16.7 and 20.4% for undrained cohesion of 50 and 100 kPa, respectively. The maximum normalized bending moment increased with increase in the ground slope angle. Marginal reduction in the maximum normalized bending moment has been noticed with increase in the edge distance.
Contiguous pile walls (CPW) as a cost-effective retention technique have emerged as a solution to urbanization's land shortage. The stability of a pile wall is mainly governed by the cumulative ...influence of site geometry, backfill stiffness, wall stiffness, loading type and intensity. The current research focuses on the geotechnical stability of contiguous pile walls retaining sandy backfill and sustaining surcharge loads. The lateral deflection, vertical settlement of surcharge, and bending moment response of the CPW were investigated using an extensive series of plane strain model experiments for various surcharge distances. The backfill density was varied as 25, 50 and 70% with the loading intensity varying as per different adopted factor of safety over bearing capacity of soil. Additionally, the observed response was further mobilized by increasing the stiffness of pile wall to improve its stability. Apart from conventional CPW (
S
1
wall), a novel CPW wall (
S
2
wall) comprising of two sets of pile with non-identical stiffness placed alternatively was also constructed to check the response. Noticeable improvement in vertical settlement (
δ
v
)
,
lateral deflection (
δ
h
) and bending moment (
M
) was observed with increment of stiffness of pile wall, soil density and surcharge distance. Numerical model validation was performed to check the reliability of experimental results. Higher stiffness wall supporting dense backfill has greater stability and performs better in mobilizing shear forces in soil and has wide possibility as stable and economic field solution.
The nitrogen-to-oxygen (N/O) abundance ratio is an important diagnostic of galaxy evolution because the ratio is closely tied to the growth of metallicity and the star formation history in galaxies. ...Estimates for the N/O are traditionally made with optical lines that could suffer from extinction and excitation effects, so the N/O is arguably measured better through far-infrared (far-IR) fine-structure lines. Here we show that the N iii57 m/O iii52 m line ratio, denoted N3O3, is a physically robust probe of N/O. This parameter is insensitive to gas temperature and only weakly dependent on electron density. Although it has a dependence on the hardness of the ionizing radiation field, we show that it is well corrected when the Ne iii15.5 m/Ne ii12.8 m line ratio is included. We verify the method, and characterize its intrinsic uncertainties by comparing the results to photoionization models. We then apply our method to a sample of nearby galaxies using new observations obtained with SOFIA/FIFI-LS in combination with available Herschel/PACS data, and the results are compared with optical N/O estimates. We find evidence for a systematic offset between the far-IR and optically derived N/O. We argue that the likely reason is that our far-IR method is biased toward younger and denser H ii regions, while the optical methods are biased toward older H ii regions as well as diffuse ionized gas. This work provides a local template for studies of the abundance of interstellar medium in the early Universe.
Micropiles, on account of their versatility, can serve as both a new foundation and a long-term option for prevailing foundations without disturbing the subgrade underneath. They can improve highway ...facilities, historically significant structures, or distressed structures. The present laboratory model study is conducted on a square footing installed with micropiles all around it and subjected to vertical concentric loading. A parametric analysis based on the impact of five micropile parameters is also performed. The results obtained from this study reveal that the inclination of micropiles has little effect on ultimate vertical load but can profoundly impact the horizontal load. As the diameter of micropiles is progressively increased from 10 to 20 mm, the bearing capacity improves by around 27%. As the micropile spacing decreases from five times diameter (5d) to three times diameter (3d), the footing system’s bearing capacity increases nearly by 22.2%. The bearing capacity ratio shows a reduction beyond the value of
L
/
b
= 2. Installing micropiles nearer to the footing edge (
E
D
/
b
= 0.3) provided approximately 76% improvement with respect to the unreinforced footing. The optimum value of the different parameters is equal to
L
/
b
= 2,
d
= 20 mm,
E
D
/
b
= 0.3, and
S
/
d
= 3. There is a 98% improvement in bearing capacity at the optimum values for 30° inclined micropiles.
Abstract
We investigate the properties of the interstellar medium, star formation, and the current-day stellar population in the strongly lensed star-forming galaxy H-ATLAS J091043.1-000321 (SDP.11), ...at
z
= 1.7830, using new Herschel and Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) observations of far-infrared fine-structure lines of carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen. We report detections of the O
iii
52
μ
m, N
iii
57
μ
m, and O
i
63
μ
m lines from Herschel/PACS, and present high-resolution imaging of the C
ii
158
μ
m line, and underlying continuum, using ALMA. We resolve the C
ii
line emission into two spatially offset Einstein rings, tracing the red and blue velocity components of the line, in the ALMA/Band 9 observations at 0.″2 resolution. The values seen in the C
ii
/far-infrared (FIR) ratio map, as low as ∼0.02% at the peak of the dust continuum, are similar to those of local ULIRGs, suggesting an intense starburst in this source. This is consistent with the high intrinsic FIR luminosity (∼3 × 10
12
L
⊙
), ∼16 Myr gas depletion timescale, and ≲8 Myr timescale since the last starburst episode, estimated from the hardness of the UV radiation field. By applying gravitational lensing models to the visibilities in the uv-plane, we find that the lensing magnification factor varies by a factor of two across SDP.11, affecting the observed line profiles. After correcting for the effects of differential lensing, a symmetric line profile is recovered, suggesting that the starburst present here may not be the result of a major merger, as is the case for local ULIRGs, but instead could be powered by star formation activity spread across a 3–5 kpc rotating disk.
Development and ripening in fruit is a unique phase in the life cycle of higher plants which encompasses several stages progressively such as fruit development, its maturation, ripening and finally ...senescence. During ripening phase, several physiological and biochemical changes take place through differential expression of various genes that are developmentally regulated. Expression and/or suppression of these genes contribute to various changes in the fruit that make it visually attractive and edible. However, in fleshy fruit massive losses accrue during post harvest handling of the fruit which may run into billions of dollars worldwide. This encouraged scientists to look for various ways to save these losses. Genetic engineering appears to be the most promising and cost effective means to prevent these losses. Most fleshy fruit ripen in the presence of ethylene and once ripening has been initiated proceeds uncontrollably. Ethylene evokes several responses during ripening through a signaling cascade and thousands of genes participate which not only sets in ripening but also responsible for its spoilage. Slowing down post ripening process in fleshy fruit has been the major focus of ripening-related research. In this review article, various developments that have taken place in the last decade with respect to identifying and altering the function of ripening-related genes have been described. Role of ethylene and ethylene-responsive genes in ripening of fleshy fruit is also included. Taking clues from the studies in tomato as a model fruit, few case studies are reviewed.
Production of recombinant proteins is primarily established in cultures of mammalian, insect and bacterial cells. Concurrently, concept of using plants to produce high-value pharmaceuticals such as ...vaccines, antibodies, and dietary proteins have received worldwide attention. Newer technologies for plant transformation such as plastid engineering, agroinfiltration, magnifection, and deconstructed viral vectors have been used to enhance the protein production in plants along with the inherent advantage of speed, scale, and cost of production in plant systems. Production of therapeutic proteins in plants has now a more pragmatic approach when several plant-produced vaccines and antibodies successfully completed Phase I clinical trials in humans and were further scheduled for regulatory approvals to manufacture clinical grade products on a large scale which are safe, efficacious, and meet the quality standards. The main thrust of this review is to summarize the data accumulated over the last two decades and recent development and achievements of the plant derived therapeutics. It also attempts to discuss different strategies employed to increase the production so as to make plants more competitive with the established production systems in this industry.
Micropiles can act as structural support for a new foundation and sustainable solution for existing foundations with advantages such as high load-carrying capacity and use in in situ conditions. ...Installing micropiles around the footing at some distance from the footing edge could turn out to be extremely helpful for existing distressed foundations where improvement is needed. An experimental investigation is carried out on a laboratory model square footing in the ongoing study, placed on sand, with micropiles driven around the footing. A parametric study focusing on the effect of the slenderness ratio of the micropiles, the state of sand beds, the micropile spacing ratio (S/b), and the micropile edge distance ratio (E
D
/d) are analyzed. The results demonstrate that the micropiles can appreciably improve the footing’s settlement characteristics and load-bearing capacity when placed around it. The load-carrying capacity shows some appreciable increase by increasing the slenderness ratio of micropiles, but increasing the slenderness ratio beyond 20 is insignificant. For unreinforced footing, a denser form of sand was found more advantageous in terms of bearing capacity, while as for reinforced footing, micropiles provided maximum improvement for medium-density sand. The improvement in bearing capacity is approximately 22.2% when the spacing ratio is reduced from 0.5 to 0.3. Also, for an edge distance ratio of 3, the improvement in the bearing capacity ratio is 76% higher than that of unreinforced footing. Multivariate linear regression showed a strong correlation between the experimental and predicted bearing capacity ratio.
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