Biodiesel, an alternative renewable fuel made from transesterification of vegetable oil with alcohol, is becoming more readily available for use in blends with conventional diesel fuel for ...transportation applications. Soybean and Rapeseed are common feedstocks for Biodiesel production in USA and Europe, respectively. However, Asian countries are not self sufficient in edible oil and exploring non-edible seed oils, like Jatropha and Pongamia as biodiesel raw materials. However there is a gestation period of few years before these crops start yielding seeds and oil. On the other hand, South Eastern countries like Malaysia and Thailand have surplus Palm crops. But due to substantial amount of saturated fats in Palm, the Palm biodiesel has poor low temperature properties. In order to exploit the proximity of South Asian and South-East Asian countries, blends of Jatropha and Palm biodiesel have been examined to study their physico-chemical properties and to get an optimum mix of them to achieve better low temperature properties, with improved oxidation stability.
According to proposed National Mission on biodiesel in India, we have undertaken studies on stability of biodiesel from tree borne non-edible oil seeds Jatropha. European biodiesel standard EN-14214 ...calls for determining oxidation stability at 110
°C with a minimum induction time of 6
h by the Rancimat method (EN-14112). Neat Jatropha biodiesel (JBD) exhibited oxidation stability of 3.95
h and research was conducted to investigate influence of presence of transition metals, likely to be present in the metallurgy of storage tanks and barrels, on oxidation stability of Jatropha methyl ester. It was found that influence of metal was detrimental to oxidation stability and catalytic. Even small concentrations of metal contaminants showed nearly same influence on oxidation stability as large amounts. Copper showed strongest detrimental and catalytic effect. The dependence of the oxidation stability on the type of metal showed that long-term storage tests in different types of metal containers for examining the influence of container material on oxidation stability of biodiesel may be replaced by significantly faster Rancimat test serving as an accelerated storage test.
Review of the literature with analysis of pooled data.
To assess common intraoperative neuromonitoring (IOM) changes that occur during the course of spinal surgery, potential causes of change, and ...determine appropriate responses. Further, there will be discussion of appropriate application of IOM, and medical legal aspects. The structured literature review will answer the following questions: What are the various IOM methods currently available for spinal surgery? What are the sensitivities and specificities of each modality for neural element injury? How are the changes in each modality best interpreted? What is the appropriate response to indicated changes? Recommendations will be made as to the interpretation and appropriate response to IOM changes.
Total number of abstracts identified and reviewed was 187. Full review was performed on 18 articles.
The MEDLINE database was queried using the search terms IOM, spinal surgery, SSEP, wake-up test, MEP, spontaneous and triggered electromyography alone and in various combinations. Abstracts were identified and reviewed. Individual case reports were excluded. Detailed information and data from appropriate articles were assessed and compiled.
Ability to achieve IOM baseline data varied from 70% to 98% for somatosensory-evoked potentials (SSEP) and 66% to 100% for motor-evoked potentials (MEP) in absence of neural axis abnormality. Multimodality intraoperative neuromonitoring (MIOM) provided false negatives in 0% to 0.79% of cases, whereas isolated SSEP monitoring alone provided false negative in 0.063% to 2.7% of cases. MIOM provided false positive warning in 0.6% to 1.38% of cases.
As spine surgery, and patient comorbidity, becomes increasingly complex, IOM permits more aggressive deformity correction and tumor resection. Combination of SSEP and MEP monitoring provides assessment of entire spinal cord functionality in real time. Spontaneous and triggered electromyography add assessment of nerve roots. The wake-up test can continue to serve as a supplement when needed. MIOM may prove useful in preservation of neurologic function where an alteration of approach is possible. IOM is a valuable tool for optimization of outcome in complex spinal surgery.
The area under the ROC curve is frequently used for assessing the predictive efficacy of a model, and the Youden index is commonly used to provide the optimal cut-off. Both are misleading tools for ...predictions. A ROC curve is drawn for the sensitivity of a quantitative test against its (1 - specificity) at different values of the test. Both sensitivity and specificity are retrospective in nature as these are indicators of correct classification of already known conditions. They are not indicators of future events and are not valid for predictions. Predictivity intimately depends on the prevalence which may be ignored by sensitivity and specificity. We explain this fallacy in detail and illustrate with several examples that the actual predictivity could differ greatly from the ROC curve-based predictivity reported by many authors. The predictive efficacy of a test or a model is best assessed by the percentage correctly predicted in a prospective framework. We propose predictivity-based ROC curves as tools for providing predictivities at varying prevalence in different populations. For optimal cut-off for prediction, in place of the Youden index, we propose a P-index where the sum of positive and negative predictivities is maximum after subtracting 1. To conclude, for correctly assessing adequacy of a prediction models, predictivity-based ROC curves should be used instead of the usual sensitivity-specificity-based ROC curves and the P-index should replace the Youden index.
A recombinant inbred line (RIL) population, comprising 181 lines derived from ILC588 × ILC3279, was evaluated in 10 environments across three locations with different moisture gradients. A drought ...resistance score (DRS) and three phenology traits—plant height (PLHT), days to flowering (DFLR), and days to maturity (MAT)—were recorded along with seven yield-related traits—grain yield (GY), biological yield (BY), harvest index (HI), the number of pods/3 plants (Pod), percentage of empty pods (%Epod), 100 seed weight (100 sw), and seed number/3 plants (SN). Two RILs (152, 162) showed the best GYs and DRSs under stressed and non-stressed environments. The quantitative trait loci (QTLs) analyses detected 93 significant QTLs (LOD ≥ 2.0) across the genome × environment interactions. The highest phenotypic variation (>24 %) was explained by the QTLDFLR in Terbol-11. Four common possible pleiotropic QTLs on LG3 and LG4 were identified as associated with DFLR, DRS, GY, MAT, HI, SN, and Pod. No significant epistatic interactions were found between these QTLs and the other markers. However, the QTL for DRS was detected as a conserved QTL in three late planting environments. The markers H6C-07 (on LG3) and H5G01 (on LG4) were associated with QTLs for many traits in all environments studied except two. The allele ‘A’ of marker H6C07 (from the tolerant parent ILC588) explained 80 % of the yield increase under late planting and 29.8 % of that under dry environments. Concentrating on LG3 and LG4 in molecular breeding programs for drought could speed up improvement for these traits.
To minimize use of biodiesels synthesized from edible oils like Palm due to raising food versus fuel issue, Palm biodiesel (PBD) was blended with biodiesels derived from tree borne non-edible oil ...seeds Jatropha, and Pongamia to examine the effect on cloud point (CP) and pour point (PP) of PBD. Dependence of CP and PP on esters of fatty acid composition was also examined. Good correlations between CP and palmitic acid methyl ester (PAME) and between PP and PAME were obtained. A correlation between CP and total unsaturated fatty acid methyl ester (X) was also obtained and correlation between PP and X was also determined. Using these four correlations, cloud and pour points of different biodiesel blends can be determined.
Transition metal complexes of type M(L)2(H2O)x were synthesized, where L is deprotonated Schiff base 2,4‐dihalo‐6‐(substituted thiazol‐2‐ylimino)methylphenol derived from the condensation of ...aminothiazole or its derivatives with 2‐hydroxy‐3‐halobenzaldehyde and M = Co2+, Ni2+, Cu2+ and Zn2+ (x = 0 for Cu2+ and Zn2+; x = 2 for Co2+ and Ni2+). The synthesized Schiff bases and their metal complexes were thoroughly characterized using infrared, 1H NMR, electronic and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopies, elemental analysis, molar conductance and magnetic susceptibility measurements, thermogravimetric analysis and scanning electron microscopy. The results reveal that the bidentate ligands form complexes having octahedral geometry around Co2+ and Ni2+ metal ions while the geometry around Cu2+ and Zn2+ metal ions is four‐coordinated. The geometries of newly synthesized Schiff bases and their metal complexes were fully optimized in Gaussian 09 using 6–31 + g(d,p) basis set. Fluorescence quenching data reveal that Zn(II) and Cu(II) complexes bind more strongly to bovine serum albumin in comparison to Co(II) and Ni(II) complexes. The ligands and their complexes were evaluated for in vitro antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 (Gram negative) and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213 (Gram positive) and cytotoxicity against lever hepatocellular cell line HepG2.
Among the three ligands, HL3 exhibits maximum percentage inhibition as aminothiazole is sterically more demanding (R = R1 = H). Therefore a dose–response curve of ligand HL3 compared to standard drugs was obtained with concentration ranging from 30 to 0.2 μg ml−1.
Summary
Phenylephrine is currently the vasopressor of choice during elective caesarean section, but it can cause reflex bradycardia. Noradrenaline, a potent α‐agonist and weak β‐agonist, may be ...associated with a lower incidence of bradycardia. However, comparative information is limited. This double‐blind randomised controlled trial compared the effects of 100 μg phenylephrine and 5 μg noradrenaline administered as boluses for the treatment of postspinal hypotension during elective caesarean section in women with an uncomplicated singleton pregnancy. Hypotension was defined as a decrease of ≥ 20% from baseline systolic arterial pressure, or an absolute value < 100 mmHg. Ninety women were included in the study. The primary outcome was the incidence of maternal bradycardia < 60 beats.min−1. There was no difference in the incidence of bradycardia (37.8% with phenylephrine vs. 22.2% with noradrenaline; p = 0.167), number of hypotensive episodes, number of boluses required to treat the first hypotensive episode or reactive hypertension. The total number of boluses used was higher in the phenylephrine group (p = 0.01). Maternal heart rate at 1 min after vasopressor administration was non‐significantly lower using phenylephrine vs. noradrenaline (p = 0.034, considering p < 0.01 as statistically significant). The umbilical artery pH was higher using phenylephrine than with noradrenaline (p = 0.034). In conclusion, both vasopressors reversed postspinal hypotension without a statistically significant difference in maternal bradycardia. However, in view of the lower umbilical artery pH when using noradrenaline, further research is warranted to study its placental transfer and fetal metabolic effects.
The present article reviews the test techniques for some of the important heat transport properties of oils such as viscosity, density, specific heat capacity and thermal conductivity mainly used for ...characterization of heat transfer fluids. It can be seen that while density of oils can be tested at higher temperatures, the other heat transport properties of oils like viscosity, specific heat capacity and thermal conductivity have a limitation of being tested at low temperatures below 100–150 °C. While quite a few number of researchers have reported evaluation of heat transfer properties like specific heat capacity and thermal conductivity of oils by different methods, there remains a huge scope of debate and discussions on the repeatability and reproducibility of such tests, especially in case of oils used in high-temperature applications. A lot of insight has been gathered with respect to testing of thermal conductivity of oils, and several common test methods have been compared with each other. Lastly, two mathematical models, reported in the literature in open domain, have been reviewed and compared with each other. If the oils are to be used at elevated temperatures, like heat transfer fluids used in concentrated solar power generation where temperatures go as high as 400 °C and beyond, there is an urgent need to standardize a laboratory test method for performance evaluation of heat transport properties, which can help in formulating new generation oils based on novel chemistries and technologies like nanofluids, synthetic oils of novel chemistries, molten salts and molten metals.
The present study assessed sperm functional characteristics in the frozen-thawed semen of buffalo bulls and estimated their relationship with field fertility. Frozen semen samples from three ...different freezing operations each from nine Murrah buffalo bulls were used for the assessment of different sperm functions related to fertilizing potential. Bulls were classified into high (n = 2), medium (n = 5), and low (n = 2) fertile based on adjusted field fertility. The sperm functions estimated included membrane integrity using carboxyfluorescein diacetate-propidium iodide, acrosome reaction status using fluorescein isothiocyanate peanut agglutinine, status of apoptosis using Annexin-V, protamine deficiency using Chromomycin A3, membrane stability using Merocyanine 540 and lipid peroxidation status using 4, 4-difluoro-4-bora-3a, 4a-diaza-s-indacene. The relationship between the proportion of live acrosome-intact spermatozoa and fertility was positive and significant (r = 0.59; P = 0.001). The proportion of moribund spermatozoa showed a significantly negative correlation with fertility (r = −0.50; P = 0.008). Similarly, the relationship of spermatozoa with unstable membrane (r = −0.51; P = 0.007), necrotic (r = − 0.42; P = 0.028), early necrotic (r = −0.42; P = 0.031), and apoptotic spermatozoa (r = −0.39; P = 0.046) with bull fertility was negative and significant. The correlation between the protamine-deficient spermatozoa and fertility was negative, but not significant. Among different combinations of tests, live acrosome-intact spermatozoa and lipid peroxidation status of spermatozoa revealed high positive correlation with buffalo bull fertility (adjusted R2 = 0.73, Cp = 0.80). These preliminary findings may help in developing tools for assessing fertility of buffalo bulls, once validated in more animals.
