Performance tests on Screw Feeder Conveyor for Nodule Transfer Deep Sea Applications

A screw conveyor is a versatile conveyor used in many process plants for the transfer of bulk solids and powders. The following article has written to understand screw conveyor design and selection of the right screw conveyor for underwater applications to convey crushed manganese nodules to the pump system for nodule transfer. The nodules from the sea bed will be collected by a pickup device and crushed into less than 30mm pieces by using a crusher and pumped by a positive displacement pump to the mother vessel. Screw feeder is used to transfer curshed Polymetallic Nodules from hopper to pump system with controlled feed rate. A land based screw feeder is modified to suit the under water applications. Studies on screw conveyors were conducted to examine performance in land as well as underwater. Most of these studies were experimental in nature. This paper presents a critical review on the design and validation of a screw conveyor

Sound-Speed Prediction as a Function of Temperature at Discrete Depths in the Bay of Bengal

Through regression analysis, temperature dependent relationships are developed to predict sound-speed. at discrete depths in the Bay of Bengal, thereby demonstrating the feasibility of sound-speed prediction through polynomial expressions in temperature disregarding salinity variations. A separate regression equation is develbped for the historical sound-speed and temperature data at the standard depths upto 250 m. At specific depths and in the given geographic area in the Bay of Bengal (5-8" N, 90-93" E) polynomials of temperature are proved to be a precise way to predict sound-speed

Phytochemical Screening, GC-MS Analysis and Antibacterial Evaluation of Ethanolic Leaves Extract of Avicennia marina

Medicinal plants were used to treat diseases traditionally since ancient times. The present work aims to investigate the bioactive constituents through GC MS analysis of ethanolic leaf extracts of A.marina. Phytochemical screening confirmed the presence of Alkaloids, Flavonoids, Phenols, Reducing sugars, Saponins, Tannin, Glycoside, Triterpenoids and Carbohydrate in A.marina. The characterization of the compounds by Gas Chromatography – Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) technique has reported the presence of thirty compounds in A.marina leaves. These compounds possess different pharmacological properties like anti-microbial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective properties. Keywords: Avicennia marina, GC-MS, Bioactive compounds, Antibacterial activity

Dendrimers as a Novel Carrier in Anti-HIV Therapy

The present treatments for HIV transfection include chemical agents and gene therapies. Although many chemical drugs, peptides and genes have been developed for HIV inhibition, a variety of non-ignorable drawbacks limited the efficiency of these materials. Dendrimers has ability to carrier of antiviral drugs due to some properties such as mono-dispersity, defined structure, amenability for functionalization using diverse ligands and its low-nanometer size. In this review, we discuss the application of dendrimers as both therapeutic agents and non-viral vectors of chemical agents and genes for HIV treatment. In one way, dendrimers with functional end groups combine with the gp120 of HIV and CD4 molecule of host cell to suppress the attachment of HIV to the host cell. In another way, dendrimers are also able to transfer chemical drugs and genes into the host cells, which increase the anti-HIV activity of these materials. Dendrimers as therapeutic tools provide a potential treatment for HIV infection. Keywords: Dendrimers, Drug release, Drug targeting, gp120, CD4, Antiviral dru

Ecofriendly synthesis of silver nanoparticles from leaves extract of Phyllanthus niruri (L.) and their antibacterial properties

In recent times, plant-mediated synthesis of nanoparticles has garnered wide interest owing to its inherent features such as rapidity, simplicity, eco-friendliness and cheaper costs. For the first time, silver nanoparticles were successfully synthesized using Phyllanthus niruri leaf extract in the current investigation. The silver nanoparticles were characterized by UV–Vis spectrophotometer and the characteristic surface plasmon resonance peak was identified to be 423 nm. The morphology of the silver nanoparticles was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The size of the silver nanoparticles was found to be 10-50 nm, with an average size 15 nm.  FTIR analysis was done to identify the functional groups responsible for the synthesis of the AgNPs. The antibacterial potential of synthesized AgNPs was compared with that of aqueous extracts of P.niruri by well diffusion method. The AgNPs at 50µl concentration significantly inhibited bacterial growth against A.hydrophila (16 ± 0.09 mm). Thus AgNPs showed broad spectrum antibacterial activity at lower concentration and may be a good alternative therapeutic approach in future. Keywords: Phyllanthus niruri, AgNps, Aeromonas hydrophila, Antibacterial Activity

Enhancing Banana (Musa sp.) productivity through micronutrient application and technological interventions

Banana (Musa sp.) is one of the most important fruit crops globally. However, its productivity is decreasing year by year. Therefore, there is an urgent need to enhance productivity to meet domestic demand, commercial markets and export requirements. Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Vamban, Pudukkottai, conducted Front Line Demonstrations (FLDs) on the micronutrient mixture IIHR (Indian Institute of Horticultural Research) Banana Special during 2016-17 and 2017-18 to increase the marketable bunches of bananas. Technological interventions such as pairing and pralinage, desuckering, propping, denaveling, foliar application of micronutrients, bunch covering, soil application of biocontrol agents, crop rotation, mulching and plant protection measures led to an increase in bunch weight and yield by 20 % with a benefit-cost (B:C) ratio of 3.7 in demonstrated plots, compared to 3.4 in control plots. Promoting eco-friendly production technologies and integrating indigenous technical knowledge with modern cultivation techniques is critical. Moreover, supporting farmers with subsidies or loans for small-scale processing units is recommended

A rare case study: pre-excited atrial fibrillation in Wolff-Parkinson white syndrome associated with partial ventricular septal defect

Wolff–Parkinson–white (WPW) syndrome is a congenital disorder affecting the hearts’ conduction system, which is recognized by the existence of an accessory pathway (AP) that can lead to pre-excitation of ventricles, paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardias and in severe cases to sudden cardiac death. Thus, AP usually has non-decremental conduction allowing immediate ventricular activation which in case of AF leads to rapid ventricular response with high risk of transformation into ventricular fibrillation and cardiac arrest. Physical examination of this patient revealed the following clinical manifestations of WPW syndrome like severe tachycardia, dizziness and presyncope. The lab findings revealed an increase in the high-sensitive troponin I suggesting the underlying result from atrial fibrillation. And hyperbilirubinemia was shown in the biochemical analysis confirming the concomitant disease of this patient which is Gilbert’s Syndrome. The ECGs depicted the presence of a type A WPW pattern and paroxysmal form of atrial fibrillation (AF). The echocardiograms disclosed the presence of ventricular septal defect (VSD) in the membranous part of the interventricular septum. Both the ECGs and Echocardiograms revealed type A WPW pattern and paroxysmal form of atrial fibrillation respectively. The patient’s heart rate was monitored routinely in the intensive care unit with the help of 24-hour Holter monitoring device, breathing rate and blood pressure to detect the evaluation the patient’s prognosis. This article enhances the difficulties in differential diagnosis, experience of amiodarone uses in acute management, interventional treatment of pre-excited AF and VSD, because this can be a primary manifestation in young patients

Efficacy of the anterograde calcaneo-stop method in the management of flexible flatfoot in children

Background: Flexible flatfoot is one of frequent foot deformity among pediatric population. The calcaneo-stop procedure has been reported to be effective in short-term studies when conservative treatment is not successful. The aim of this study to evaluate the efficacy after removal of screws following the anterograde calcaneo-stop procedure in the treatment of flexible flatfoot in children. Methods: This retrospective study consists of 260 calcaneo-stop procedures performed from the period of January 2016 to December 2024 in 65 patients (130 anterograde calcaneo-stop surgeries and 130 removals of calcaneo-stop implant surgeries), which were evaluated clinically, and instrumental diagnostic techniques such as radiography, photoplantography and pedobarography were implemented. The inclusion criteria of this study consist of patients with symptomatic flexible flatfoot, patients with ages from 6 to 14 years, patients with informed consent, patients with negative Wynne-Davies joint hypermobility test and the exclusion criteria of this study includes the following; patients with ages below 6 years and above 14 years, the time elapsed of 3 years after screw implantation, patients with other skeletal deformities, patients without informed consent. Results: Out of the 130 surgical interventions performed on bilateral flexible flatfoot, which were evaluated in 65 patients after removal the screws following the anterograde calcaneo-stop procedure, revealed no signs of loss correction; which were further evaluated by radiography, photoplantography and pedobarography. Conclusions: The calcaneo-stop procedure is the least invasive and simplest surgical treatment for symptomatic flexible flatfoot in children. The collected data indicated a sufficiently high efficiency of anterograde calcaneo-stop method in the treatment of flexible flatfoot in children