Development of a co-cured composite torque shaft for rudder of high speed aircraft

The Carbon Fibre reinforced Composites are widely used in developing various composite parts of civil and13; military aircraft due to its high specific strength and specific stiffness. Rudder being a primary control surface in an aircraft, it is subjected to various loads and needs high degree of structural integrity. Usually rudders are made of metal with many fasteners. In NAL we have designed and developed a composite rudder. Specialty of this13; rudder is that it has a torque shaft made up of carbon composite and has only few rivets. Conventionally torque13; shaft s are made up of special metals like titanium. The objective of this paper is to highlight the development of13; various tooling techniques used to fabricate the composite torque shaft . All major parts of the torque shaft are13; made by Co-curing technique and the metal attachments are embedded to the composite parts by self locking13; mechanism design. To qualify the torque shaft fatigue tests are done and ageing studies performed to prove13; structural integrity of the torque shaft under extreme environmental conditions. This paper portrays the13; development efforts, tolling and fabrication approaches for successful realization of the CFRP Torque Shaft

Simulation of Water and Contaminant Transport Through Vadose Zone - Redistribution System

Movement of water in vadose zone, mainly focusing on infiltration and percolation that involves percolation of water under gravity from soil surface and redistribution which is the capillary rise of water movement upwards, is presented. In the global hydrologic cycle, 76% of the precipitating water enters the soil via percolation-infiltration, which leads to the downward movement of water (L’vovich 1974). The water used by natural processes, can move downwards due to infiltration and lift from groundwater table during natural redistribution process. The forecasting of water movement in unsaturated infiltration redistribution system is linked between soil hydraulic properties and hydrologic condition of natural surface water system. The understanding of water movement processes associated with infiltration and redistribution has a number of practical applications. One such application is to predict the fate and transport of materials through soil including nutrients, organic carbon and microbes under natural processes, which in turn will help in developing appropriate management plans for irrigation, fertilizer application and waste disposal on land

PHYTOCHEMICAL COMPOSITION, ANTIOXIDANT AND IN-VITRO ANTI-INFLAMMATORY ACTIVITY OF ETHANOL EXTRACT OF RUTA GRAVEOLENS L. LEAVES

Objective: The uses of medicinal herbs in prevention and treatment of numerous diseases attracting attention of scientists worldwide. It is necessary to bring vital healthcare to the people and the better substitute for various infectious diseases. Ruta graveolens is traditionally used as a medicinal plant as well as a flavoring agent in food. In the present study R. graveolens leaves extracts were evaluated for phytochemical and anti-inflammatory activity.Methods: The phytochemical, antioxidant (DPPH), ferrous reducing antioxidant property, Anti-lipid peroxidation and superoxide scavenging activity of extracts were assayed by spectrophotometerically. Anti-inflammatory activities; Human plural fluid phospholipase A2 (HPF-PLA2) inhibition by egg yolk plate method and lipoxigenase (LOX) inhibition were assayed by IN VITRO method.Results: The phenolics were significantly higher than the flavonoids, saponins and alkaloids contents in all the extracts. Among extracts of R. graveolens, ethanol and water extracts exhibits more phytochemicals. The ethanol extract had the highest antioxidant activity followed by the aqueous extract. The ethanol extract shows highest DPPH free radical scavenging, ferric reducing, superoxide scavenging and anti-lipid peroxidation activity and IC50 was 3.27±0.03, 3.58±0.05, 3.87±0.04 and 4.77±0.04 µg/µl respectively at dose-dependent manner. Further ethanol and water extracts were subjected for LOX inhibition in the concentration dependent manner and IC50 values are 4.25±0.05, 5.15±0.05 µg/µl for 5-LOX and 4.15±0.04, 4.66±0.05 µg/µl for 15-LOX respectively.Conclusion: The result shows R. graveolens has strong antioxidant property and anti-inflammatory activity. It suggests that the strong correlation between antioxidant activity and the phytochemical contents of the extracts.Keywords: HPF, Human Pleural Fluid, Anti-inflammatory, sPLA2, Secretory Phospholipase A2, HPF-PLA2, Human Pleural Fluid-PLA2. LOX Lipoxigenase, Lipid peroxidation, Anti-inflammation

HUMAN SECRETORY PHOSPHOLIPASE A2 (sPLA2) INHIBITION BY AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF MACROTYLOMA UNIFLORUM (SEED) AS AN ANTI-INFLAMMATORY ACTIVITY

Objective: Macrotyloma uniflorum (Horse gram) is an important legume widely consumed in the tropical south Asian countries including India. The present investigation is the elucidation of anti-inflammatory activity of M. uniflorum as it has several medicinal properties. The M. uniflorum was evaluated for inhibition of human secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) as a function of anti-inflammatory activity.Methods: The total phenols, antioxidant (DPPH scavenging), Anti-lipid peroxidation, PLA2 inhibition and lipoxygenase (5 & 15-LOX) inhibition activity of aqueous extracts of M. uniflorum coat and pulp were assayed by in vitro method. The aqueous extract of M. uniflorum seed coat was subjected to inhibit PLA2 enzymes from human inflammatory fluids (Human Synovial Fluid and Human Pleural Fluid) and snake venoms (Naja naja and Vipera russllii) using [14]C labeled E. coli by in vivo method. A further effect of substrate and calcium concentration on inhibition of VRV-PLA2 in presence and absence of M. uniflorum coat extract were assayed.Results: Aqueous coat extract of M. uniflorum shows higher phenolics and biological activity and inhibited all sPLA2 enzymes in concentration dependent manner. The IC50 values are found to be in the range of 11.42-20.88μg and IC50 values for 5-LOX and 15-LOX is 25.92μg and 32.47μg respectively. The extract effectively neutralized indirect hemolytic activity and showed similar potency in neutralizing the in vivo sPLA2 induced mouse paw edema.Conclusion: These findings suggest that, the active compound/s in extracts of M. uniflorum individually or synergistically responsible for observed sPLA2 inhibition.Â

Effect of dairy pond sludge/supernatant application on ryegrass dry matter yield and phosphorus fractions in soil

Pasture yield in dairy grazing systems is critical to supplying sufficient feed for milking cows and maintaining productivity. In the Australian dairy industry, ryegrass and clover are common grasses used in grazed pastures. Dairy shed effluent (DSE), the wastewater produced from washing down the dairy holding yards during and after milking, is generally managed through application to pasture as a fertilizer substitute/supplement following partial treatment in stabilization ponds. The aim of this study is to assess the benefits of applying sludge and supernatant collected from two-stage DSE pond systems to ryegrass pasture. A pot experiment was conducted which involved applying pond sludges and supernatant to soil seeded with ryegrass. The application rates of the pond by-products were set according to their labile (plant available) phosphorus content. Ryegrass yield and leachate generated from each of the pots were recorded, and samples were collected for analysis of nutrients and other parameters. The ryegrass grown in soil treated with pond sludge and supernatant yielded greater dry matter (DM) with higher nutrient content than untreated control pots. In addition, pots treated with pond sludge exhibited lower rates of phosphorus leaching from the soil compared with pots treated with supernatant. Thus, pond sludge retained more plant available phosphorus in soil than both the control and pond supernatant treatment. The potassium to calcium/magnesium ratios in the ryegrass in the pots treated with pond sludge and supernatant were below the recommended upper limit for grazing. Therefore, the application of pond sludges on the dairy paddocks was found to be superior to applying supernatant in terms of utilization and conservation of phosphorus within the dairy farm and presents low risks of groundwater pollution and grass tetany

Genetic recombination and diversity analysis reveal novel strain of Citrus tristeza virus (Closterovirus tristezae) in Khasi mandarin growing region of Assam

Northeast (NE) India, a hotspot for citrus biodiversity, is facing a serious threat from the Closterovirus tristezae (CTV). A devastating CTV transmitted by the brown citrus aphid (Toxoptera citricida). This pathogen has led to the decline of over one million citrus trees across India, threatening the region’s citrus industry. CTV is characterised by flexuous, filamentous virions (2000×11 nm) and a positive-sense, single-stranded RNA genome (~19.3 kb) encoding 12 open reading frames (ORFs) and approximately 19 putative proteins. To assess the prevalence and genetic diversity of CTV, a systematic survey was conducted in Khasi mandarin (Citrus reticulata) orchards across four districts of Assam: Kamrup Metro, Karbi Anglong, Kamrup Rural and Goalpara. Infected trees exhibited a spectrum of disease symptoms, including decline, chlorosis, leaf yellowing, poor growth and stunting. Disease incidence was determined using Direct Antigen Coated-Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (DAC-ELISA) and percent disease incidence, revealing 68.2 % overall infection rate. Genetic characterization of 19 CTV isolates, based on a 404-nt fragment of the 5’ ORF1a, unveiled substantial sequence variability, with pairwise nucleotide identities ranging from 85–100 %. Phylogenetic reconstruction grouped these isolates into five distinct genogroups, underscoring significant intra-farm genetic diversity within citrus orchards. Recombination analysis using RDP4 software identified multiple recombinant isolates (BHKM-1, ASKM-1, ASKM-2, MKM-2 and RTKM-1), with BHKM-6 as the major parent and MB-3 as a minor parent contributing to recombination events. These findings provide critical insights into the genetic landscape of CTV in Northeastern (NE) India, emphasising the need for targeted disease management strategies to mitigate further citrus decline

Progressive hemorrhage and myotoxicity induced by echis carinatus venom in murine model: neutralization by inhibitor cocktail of n,n,n `,n `-tetrakis (2-pyridylmethyl) ethane-1,2-diamine and silymarin

Viperbite is often associated with severe local toxicity, including progressive hemorrhage and myotoxicity, persistent even after the administration of anti-snake venom (ASV). In the recent past, investigations have revealed the orchestrated actions of Zn2+ metalloproteases (Zn(2+)MPs), phospholipase A(2)s (PLA(2)s) and hyaluronidases (HYs) in the onset and progression of local toxicity from the bitten site. As a consequence, venom researchers and medical practitioners are in deliberate quest of potent molecules alongside ASV to tackle the brutal local manifestations induced by aforesaid venom toxins. Based on these facts, we have demonstrated the protective efficacy of inhibitor cocktail containing equal ratios of N,N,N', N'-tetrakis (2-pyridylmethyl) ethane-1,2-diamine (TPEN) and silymarin (SLN) against progressive local toxicity induced by Echis carinatus venom (ECV). In our previous study we have shown the inhibitory potentials of TPEN towards Zn(2+)MPs of ECV (IC50: 6.7 mu M). In this study we have evaluated in vitro inhibitory potentials of SLN towards PLA(2)s (IC50: 12.5 mu M) and HYs (IC50: 8 mu M) of ECV in addition to docking studies. Further, we have demonstrated the protection of ECV induced local toxicity with 10 mM inhibitor cocktail following 15, 30 min (for hemorrhage and myotoxicity); 60 min (for hemorrhage alone) of ECV injection in murine model. The histological examination of skin and thigh muscle sections taken out from the site of ECV injection substantiated the overall protection offered by inhibitor cocktail. In conclusion, the protective efficacy of inhibitor cocktail is of high interest and can be administered locally alongside ASV to treat severe local toxicity