The modification of fluid turbulence due to suspended particles is analysed using direct numerical simulations for the fluid turbulence and discrete particle simulations where the point-particle approximation is used for the particle force on the fluid. Two values of the Reynolds number based on the channel width $h$ and the average gas velocity $\bar{u}$ , $(\unicode[STIX]{x1D70C}_{f}\bar{u}h/\unicode[STIX]{x1D702}_{f})=3300$ and 5600 are considered, where $\unicode[STIX]{x1D70C}_{f}$ and $\unicode[STIX]{x1D702}_{f}$ are the gas density and viscosity. The particle Reynolds number based on the root mean square of the difference in the particle and fluid velocities is in the range 4–15. The particle volume fraction is small, in the range  $0{-}3.5\times 10^{-3}$ , the mass loading is varied in the range 0–13.5 and the particle Stokes number (ratio of particle relaxation time and fluid integral time) is varied in the range 1–420. Multiple models for the force on the particles are examined, the Stokes drag law, the Schiller–Naumann correlation, a correction to determine the ‘undisturbed’ fluid velocity at the particle centre, the lift force and wall corrections. In all cases, as the particle volume fraction is systematically increased, there is a discontinuous decrease in the turbulence intensities at a critical volume fraction. The mean square velocities and the rate of production of turbulent energy decrease by 1–2 orders of magnitude when the volume fraction is increased by $10^{-4}$ at the critical volume fraction. There is no compensatory increase in the particle fluctuating velocities or the energy dissipation rate due to the drag force on the particles, and there is a significant decrease in the total fluid energy dissipation rate at the critical volume fraction. This shows that the turbulence collapse is due to a catastrophic reduction in the turbulent energy production rate. This is contrary to the current understanding that turbulence attenuation is caused by the enhanced dissipation due to particle drag.

In this article, we establish a Lyapunov-type inequality for the following extremal Pucci’s equation:

$$\begin{eqnarray}\left\{\begin{array}{@{}ll@{}}{\mathcal{M}}_{\unicode[STIX]{x1D706},\unicode[STIX]{x1D6EC}}^{+}(D^{2}u)+b(x)|Du|+a(x)u=0 & \text{in}~\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FA},\\ u=0 & \text{on}~\unicode[STIX]{x2202}\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FA},\end{array}\right.\end{eqnarray}$$

$\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FA}$

$\mathbb{R}^{N}$

$N\geq 2$

Chickpea is one of the most important nutritious grain legume crops in the world. There is limited information available on micro- and macro-nutrients in chickpea. Therefore, an effort was made to evaluate a set of 40 chickpea genotypes belonging to all the gene pools including cultivated (Cicer arietinum) as well as wild, Cicer reticulatum from the primary gene pool, Cicer echinospermum from the secondary gene pool and Cicer microphyllum from the tertiary gene pools. Concentration in the seed of the micro- (Zn, Fe, Cu and Mn) and macro-nutrients (Ca, Mg and K) was studied. Substantial variation was observed among different gene pools for the concentration of all the nutrients. The cultivated chickpea exhibited higher seed Cu, Mn, Mg and Ca than wilds indicating positive domestication effect, whereas wild crop relatives were found to have higher levels than cultivated chickpeas for seed Zn, Fe and K concentrations. While comparing desi-type chickpeas with Kabulis, it was revealed that desi types possessed more Zn, Cu, Ca and Mg than Kabulis but reverse was true for seed Fe, Mn and K. Among different desi types (desi brown, desi green and desi black), desi brown types were generally associated with higher mineral nutrient levels. The present study led to the identification of most promising genotypes for different seed micro- and macro-nutrients. These promising lines may serve as genetic resources useful in gene discovery programmes and for alleviating malnutrition or hidden hunger in the developing world.

The difference in the defect structures produced by different ion masses in a tungsten lattice is investigated using 80 MeV Au7+ ions and 10 MeV B3+ ions. The details of the defects produced by ions in recrystallized tungsten foil samples are studied using transmission electron microscopy. Dislocations of type b = 1/2[111] and [001] were observed in the analysis. While highly energetic gold ion produced small clusters of defects with very few dislocation lines, boron has produced large and sparse clusters with numerous dislocation lines. The difference in the defect structures could be due to the difference in separation between primary knock-on atoms produced by gold and boron ions.

Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) has played an important role in the evolution of nematodes. Among candidate genes, cyanase, which is typically found only in plants, bacteria and fungi, is present in more than 35 members of the Phylum Nematoda, but absent from free-living and clade V organisms. Phylogenetic analyses showed that the cyanases of clade I organisms Trichinella spp., Trichuris spp. and Soboliphyme baturini (Subclass: Dorylaimia) represent a well-supported monophyletic clade with plant cyanases. In contrast, all cyanases found within the Subclass Chromadoria which encompasses filarioids, ascaridoids and strongyloids are homologous to those of bacteria. Western blots exhibited typical multimeric forms of the native molecule in protein extracts of Trichinella spiralis muscle larvae, where immunohistochemical staining localized the protein to the worm hypodermis and underlying muscle. Recombinant Trichinella cyanase was bioactive where gene transcription profiles support functional activity in vivo. Results suggest that: (1) independent HGT in parasitic nematodes originated from different Kingdoms; (2) cyanase acquired an active role in the biology of extant Trichinella; (3) acquisition occurred more than 400 million years ago (MYA), prior to the divergence of the Trichinellida and Dioctophymatida, and (4) early, free-living ancestors of the genus Trichinella had an association with terrestrial plants.

Magnetic tunnel junction can produce highly configurable molecular spintronics devices. This paper highlights a rather subtle attribute of magnetic tunnel junction fabrication that can lead to the very pronounced impact on magnetic properties of molecular spintronics device. We conducted magnetic studies to observe the effect of depositing ~5 nm Tantalum (Ta) on the top of a magnetic tunnel junction. We investigated the effect of Ta by using characterization techniques like ferromagnetic resonance, magnetometry, and polarized neutron reflectometry. Bridging paramagnetic molecules between the two ferromagnetic electrodes of magnetic tunnel junctions with and without Ta top layer produced the very different magnetic response.

Agriculture in the Central Himalayan Region depends on the availability of suitable germplasm as well as natural conditions. Due to extreme weather conditions, food and nutrition security is a major issue for communities inhabiting these remote and inaccessible areas. Millets are common crops grown in these areas. Foxtail millet (Setaria italica (L.) P. Beauv) is an important crop and forms a considerable part of the diet in this region. The aim of the present study was to explore, collect, conserve and evaluate the untapped genetic diversity of foxtail millet at the molecular level and discover variability in their nutritional traits. A total of 30 accessions having unique traits of agronomic importance were collected and molecular profiling was performed. A total of 63 alleles were generated with an average of 2.52 alleles per locus and average expected heterozygosity of 0.37 ± 0.231. Significant genetic variability was revealed through the genetic differentiation (Fst) and gene flow (Nm) values. Structure-based analysis divided whole germplasm into three sub-groups. Rich variability was found in nutritional traits such as dietary fibre in husked grains, carbohydrate, protein, lysine and thiamine content. The collected germplasm may be useful for developing nutritionally rich and agronomically beneficial varieties of foxtail millet and also designing strategies for utilization of unexploited genetic diversity for food and nutrition security in this and other similar agro-ecological regions.

The present study aimed to evaluate growth performance and meat quality of broiler chicken with respect to feeding of 100 g flaxseed meal (FM)/kg and increasing lysine levels in the broiler diet. The results revealed no effect of lysine and FM feeding on growth performance except for a negative effect of FM on feed efficiency of birds, which was countered by feeding 1.25 BIS lysine. Feeding FM improved the fatty acid profile of broiler chicken meat significantly, whereas no effect was observed for increasing lysine levels beyond BIS recommendation. FM significantly reduced meat cholesterol, fat, water-holding capacity (WHC), extract release volume (ERV) and antioxidant potential, whereas it increased the pH of fresh meat, drip loss and lipid peroxidation of broiler chicken meat. As compared with other lysine levels, generally 1.25 BIS lysine significantly increased the pH of refrigerated stored meat, WHC, ERV and antioxidant potential, whereas it significantly reduced cholesterol, fat, drip loss and lipid peroxidation of broiler chicken meat. Thus, the inclusion of 100 g FM/kg diet along with 1.25 BIS lysine in broiler ration was optimum for desirable broiler performance, fatty acid profile, oxidative stability and other functional properties of broiler chicken meat.

The mountain ecosystem of the Central Himalayan Region is known for its diversity of crops and their wild relatives. In spite of adverse climatic conditions, this region is endowed with a rich diversity of millets. Hence, the aim of the present study was to explore, collect, conserve and evaluate the diversity of barnyard millet (Echinochloa frumentacea) to find out the extent of diversity available in different traits and the traits responsible for abiotic stress tolerance, and to identify trait-specific accessions for crop improvement and also for the cultivation of millets in the region as well as in other similar agro-ecological regions. A total of 178 accessions were collected and evaluated for a range of morpho-physiological and biochemical traits. Significant variability was noted in days to 50% flowering, days to 80% maturity, 1000 seed weight and yield potential of the germplasm. These traits are considered to be crucial for tailoring new varieties for different agro-climatic conditions. Variations in biochemical traits such as lipid peroxidation (0·552–7·421 nmol malondialdehyde formed/mg protein/h), total glutathione (105·270–423·630 mmol/g fresh weight) and total ascorbate (4·980–9·880 mmol/g fresh weight) content indicate the potential of collected germplasm for abiotic stress tolerance. Principal component analysis also indicated that yield, superoxide dismutase activity, plant height, days to 50% flowering, catalase activity and glutathione content are suitable traits for screening large populations of millet and selection of suitable germplasm for crop improvement and cultivation. Trait-specific accessions identified in the present study could be useful in crop improvement programmes, climate-resilient agriculture and improving food security in areas with limited resources.

The occurrence of pesticidal pollution in the environment and the resistance in the mosquito species makes an urge for the safer and an effective pesticide. Permethrin, a poorly water-soluble pyrethroid pesticide, was formulated into a hydrodispersible nanopowder through rapid solvent evaporation of pesticide-loaded oil in water microemulsion. Stability studies confirmed that the nanopermethrin dispersion was stable in paddy field water for 5 days with the mean particle sizes of 175.3 ± 0.75 nm and zeta potential of −30.6 ± 0.62 mV. The instability rate of the nanopermethrin particles was greater in alkaline (pH 10) medium when compared with the neutral (pH 7) and acidic (pH 4) dispersion medium. The colloidal dispersion at 45°C was found to be less stable compared with the dispersions at 25 and 5°C. The 12- and 24-h lethal indices (LC50) for nanopermethrin were found to be 0.057 and 0.014 mg l−1, respectively. These results were corroborative with the severity of damages observed in the mosquito larvae manifested in epithelial cells and the evacuation of the midgut contents. Further, the results were substantiated by the decrease in cellular biomolecules and biomarker enzyme activity in nanopermethrin treated larvae when compared to bulk and control treatment.

Photolithographically patterned thin films often possess unwanted spikes along the side edges. These spikes are a significant issue for the development of spinvalve memory, tunnel junction based molecular devices, and micro-electromechanical systems. Here, we report a very simple, economical, and fast way of creating an optimum photoresist profile for the production of spike-free patterned films. This approach is based on performing a soaking step in the positive-photoresist’s developer solution before the UV exposure. However, the success of this method depends on multiple photolithography factors: photoresist thickness (governed by spin speed), soft baking temperature, soaking time in developer, and exposure time. In this paper, we report our systematic experiments to study the effect of these factors by following the L9 experimental scheme of the Taguchi Design of experiment (TDOE) approach. The L9 experiment scheme effectively accommodated the study of four photolithography factors, each with three levels. After performing photolithography as per L9 TDOE scheme, we sputter deposited 20 nm Tantalum to check the side edge profile of the patterned film by atomic force microscope (AFM). We measured the heights of the spikes along the thin film edges. We utilized spike height as the desired property and chose “smaller the better” criteria for the TDOE analysis. TDOE enabled us to understand the relative importance of the parameters, relationship among the parameters, and impact of the various levels of the parameters on the thin film edge profile. TDOE analysis yielded an optimum combination of levels for the four photolithography factors. The optimum combination of photolithography factors included spin speed 4000 rpm, 100 °C soft baking temperature, 60 sec pre-soaking in the developer solution, and 15 sec UV exposure. We validated the TDOE by AFM and observed spike free patterned films. We also made complete tunnel junction devices by utilizing the optimized photolithography factors for the bottom electrode and obtained excellent tunneling behavior. In summary, this study provides a very simple, economical, and fast photolithography approach for creating optimum photoresist profile for the micro-nano scale devices and electromechanical structures.

Interaction of GaAs with sulfur can be immensely beneficial in reducing the deleterious effect of surface states on recombination attributes. Bonding of sulfur on GaAs is also important for developing novel molecular devices and sensors, where a molecular channel can be connected to GaAs surface via thiol functional group. However, the primary challenge lies in increasing the stability and effectiveness of the sulfur passivated GaAs. We have investigated the effect of single and double step surface passivation of n-GaAs(100) by using the sulfide and fluoride ions. Our single-step passivation involved the use of sulfide and fluoride ions individually. However, the two kinds of double-step passivations were performed by treating the n-GaAs surface. In the first approach GaAs surface was firstly treated with sulfide ions and secondly with fluoride ions, respectively. In the second double step approach GaAs surface was first treated with fluoride ions followed by sulfide ions, respectively. Sulfidation was conducted using the nonaqueous solution of sodium sulfide salt. Whereas the passivation steps with fluoride ion was performed with the aqueous solution of ammonium fluoride. Both sulfidation and fluoridation steps were performed either by dipping the GaAs sample in the desired ionic solution or electrochemically. Photoluminescence was conducted to characterize the relative changes in surface recombination velocity due to the single and double step surface passivation. Photoluminescence study showed that the double-step chemical treatment where GaAs was first treated with fluoride ions followed by the sulfide ions yielded the highest improvement. The time vs. photoluminescence study showed that this double-step passivation exhibited lower degradation rate as compared to widely discussed sulfide ion passivated GaAs surface. We also conducted surface elemental analysis using Rutherford Back Scattering to decipher the near surface chemical changes due to the four passivation methodologies we adopted. The double-step passivations affected the shallower region near GaAs surface as compared to the single step passivations.

Understanding spatial and temporal neuronal activities is crucial for finding the cure for brain related ailments and advancement of our knowledge about the brain itself. This paper discusses our recent finding of the patternable rough textured gold microwire for neurochemical sensing. We have successfully fabricated the ∼5 µm wide and ∼ 60 nm thick gold microwires based electrochemical sensor. We produced these microwires along the edge of lithographically patterned nickel thin film. A nickel thin film edge was shadowed by the photoresist overhang during electrochemical growth only to allow gold deposition along the edges. Our electrochemical growth conditions yielded very rough textured sensor. Rough textured biosensors are highly desirable for increasing surface/volume ratio for efficient electrochemical sensing. These rough-textured microwires were transformed into the functional neurochemical sensor to detect dopamine. Our voltammetry and chronoamperometry studies on rough textured microwires based sensor confirmed the successful detection of dopamine.

We have studied the diffusion mechanism of lithium ions in glassy oxide-based solid state electrolytes using elastic and quasielastic neutron scattering. Samples of xLi2SO4-(1-x)(Li2O-P2O5) were prepared using conventional melt techniques. Elastic and inelastic scattering measurements were performed using the triple-axis spectrometer (TRIAX) at Missouri University Research Reactor at University of Missouri and High Flux Backscattering Spectrometer (HFBS) at NIST Center for Neutron Research, respectively. These compounds have a base glass compound of P2O5 which is modified with Li2O. Addition of Li2SO4 leads to the modification of the structure and to an increase lithium ion (Li+) conduction. We find that an increase of Li2SO4 in the compounds leads to an increase in the Lorentzian width of the fit for the quasielastic data, which corresponds to an increase in Li+ diffusion until an over-saturation point is reached (< 60% Li2SO4). We find that the hopping mechanism is best described by the vacancy mediated Chudley-Elliot model. A fundamental understanding of the diffusion process for these glassy compounds can help lead to the development of a highly efficient solid electrolyte and improve the viability of clean energy technologies.