Browse Items (16481 total)
Sort by:
-
Valorization of lignin to produce nanofibers of industrial importance
Lignin nanofibers (LNFs) have emerged as promising materials for various environmental applications due to their unique properties, abundance, and sustainability. This review examines recent advances in LNF synthesis and their environmental applications, lignin types are discussed in relation to nanofiber production. Synthesis techniques are evaluated, with electrospinning emerging as a versatile method for producing LNFs with diameters typically in the nanometer range. The intrinsic properties including molecular weight, polydispersity, and glass transition temperature, significantly influence nanofiber formation and performance. Environmental applications of LNFs are extensively reviewed, highlighting their potential in adsorption of pollutants, air filtration, energy storage devices, and as catalyst supports. Despite significant progress, challenges remain in large-scale production, consistency of properties, and economic viability. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of LNFs technology, addressing both opportunities and challenges in leveraging this sustainable material for environmental solutions. 2025 Elsevier Ltd. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies. -
Valorization of Fish Waste for Chitosan Production: A Sustainable Approach
Fish waste can be used as an ideal substrate for extraction of commercially important bio-polymers like chitosan. Chitosan is a versatile biopolymer with various biological and chemical properties such as biocompatibility, biodegradability and antimicrobial properties and can be a major applicant in different industries. The present research work focuses on extracting chitosan from fish scale waste through chemical extraction methods. Demineralization in this study is done using 1% HCl for 36 hours at 150 rpm and deproteinization is done using dilute 0.5N NaOH for 18 hours at 150 rpm. The final step deacetylation is done using a concentrated 40% NaOH solution at 90?C for 6 hours. The extracted chitosan had a yield of 12% per 100g of fish scale and characterization was done using FTIR, XRD, TGA and DSC. Further the possibility of fabrication of chitosan films followed by assessing their biodegradability will be the future scope of the work. The Electrochemical Society -
Valorization of bovine tannery fleshing waste as a fish meal replacer: a conceivable green approach
The study intended to utilize bovine tannery fleshing (BTF) a significant contributor of solid wastes in leather industries, in its unhydrolyzed form (raw fleshing flour [RFF]) as well as in fermented form (fermented fleshing flour [FFF]) as fish meal (FM) replacer in formulated aqua feeds. In line with this, experimental diets were formulated, characterized, and evaluated for their virtue. Improvement in the physical quality of diets was achieved with FFF incorporation, enabling better pelletability, palatability, and feed texture. As the formulated diets were of sinking type, feeding trials on column as well as bottom feeders were concertedly attempted, as a value-added application of proteinaceous feed ingredient (BTF) in aquaculture sector. FFF inclusion diets proved superior to RFF inclusion diets. Maximum protein and lipid retentions of 89% and 92% were evidenced. Fish feeding experiments disclosed the productive impact of substituting FM with FFF by 50 and 75% on the performance (fish growth) of Cirrhinus mrigala (19.03 cm final length, 112.89 g Kg-1 final body weight, and 99% survival rate) and Labeo rohita (22.19 cm final length, 214.99 g Kg-1 final body weight, and 97% survival rate) respectively, with enhanced muscle biochemical compositions. FFF inclusion diets best suited column feeders than bottom feeders, with acceptable feed conversion ratio (< 2) and about 65% and 69% of protein in Rohu and Mrigal, respectively after 90 days of feeding. Absence of feed related mortality and multimycotoxins in FFF inclusion diets authenticated its invulnerable nature, signifying the need of bacterial fermentation processes to pull out the maximum worth of the solid waste. Thus, bovine tannery fleshing (BTF) would probably be used as a relatively inexpensive, effectual, safe, and an absolute source of protein for marine animals, reinforcing aquaculture business to strengthen up its profitability and eventually; this is an assuring conscientious solid waste management strategy that could be scaled-up to develop high-quality aquaculture feeds. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2023. -
Valorization of bovine tannery fleshing waste as a fish meal replacer: a conceivable green approach
The study intended to utilize bovine tannery fleshing (BTF) a significant contributor of solid wastes in leather industries, in its unhydrolyzed form (raw fleshing flour [RFF]) as well as in fermented form (fermented fleshing flour [FFF]) as fish meal (FM) replacer in formulated aqua feeds. In line with this, experimental diets were formulated, characterized, and evaluated for their virtue. Improvement in the physical quality of diets was achieved with FFF incorporation, enabling better pelletability, palatability, and feed texture. As the formulated diets were of sinking type, feeding trials on column as well as bottom feeders were concertedly attempted, as a value-added application of proteinaceous feed ingredient (BTF) in aquaculture sector. FFF inclusion diets proved superior to RFF inclusion diets. Maximum protein and lipid retentions of 89% and 92% were evidenced. Fish feeding experiments disclosed the productive impact of substituting FM with FFF by 50 and 75% on the performance (fish growth) of Cirrhinus mrigala (19.03 cm final length, 112.89 g Kg-1 final body weight, and 99% survival rate) and Labeo rohita (22.19 cm final length, 214.99 g Kg-1 final body weight, and 97% survival rate) respectively, with enhanced muscle biochemical compositions. FFF inclusion diets best suited column feeders than bottom feeders, with acceptable feed conversion ratio (< 2) and about 65% and 69% of protein in Rohu and Mrigal, respectively after 90 days of feeding. Absence of feed related mortality and multimycotoxins in FFF inclusion diets authenticated its invulnerable nature, signifying the need of bacterial fermentation processes to pull out the maximum worth of the solid waste. Thus, bovine tannery fleshing (BTF) would probably be used as a relatively inexpensive, effectual, safe, and an absolute source of protein for marine animals, reinforcing aquaculture business to strengthen up its profitability and eventually; this is an assuring conscientious solid waste management strategy that could be scaled-up to develop high-quality aquaculture feeds. 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature. -
Valorization of agro-industrial fruit peel waste to fluorescent nanocarbon sensor: Ultrasensitive detection of potentially hazardous tropane alkaloid
Millions of tonnes of agro-industrial waste are generated each year globally, with the vast majority of it going untreated, underutilized, and disposed of by burning or landfilling, causing severe environmental distress and economic downturn. A practical solution to this global issue is to use green chemistry to convert this waste into value-added products. Accordingly, in the present study, agro-industrial orange peel waste was valorized into fluorescent nanodiamond-like carbon sensor via a green route involving hydrothermal treatment of microwave carbonized orange peel waste. The developed sensor, used for the fluorescence detection of potentially hazardous drug atropine sulfate, exhibits unique dual linearity over concentration ranges of 300 nM to 1 M and from 1 M to 10 M, as well as ultra-low sensitivity of 34.42 nM and 356.46 nM, respectively. Additionally, the sensor demonstrates excellent reproducibility, high stability, and satisfactory recovery when used to identify and quantify atropine sulfate in biological samples and commercially available pharmaceuticals, indicating promising multidisciplinary applications. [Figure not available: see fulltext.] 2021, Higher Education Press. -
Valorisation of starfruit waste derived pectin for biodegradable sheet fabrication: A comprehensive study on extraction and characterization
This research work focuses on the extraction and characterization of pectin from starfruit peel and its application for fabrication of pectin film. Starfruit is chosen as the source for pectin extraction as the data regarding pectin extraction starfruit is relatively scarce in the available literature. Conventional organic acid based extraction using citric acid is employed for pectin extraction as it is eco-friendly and cost effective. The yield of pectin was found to be 8.22 1.018 (w/w). Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), analysis is used to identify functional groups present in the extracted pectin and X-ray Powder Diffraction (XRD) is done to check its crystallinity. Furthermore, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) characterization was performed to deduce the morphological characteristics of the extracted biopolymer. The particle size was found to be between 1m and 20 m. Fabrication of pectin based film was done using solvent cast method. The biodegradable film developed was found to be transparent and flexible. This work highlights the use of starfruit as a cost effective substrate for pectin extraction. Future studies should aim at exploring various applications of pectin and utilizing its potential in diverse applications. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/). -
Valorisation of coffee husk as replacement of sand in alkali-activated bricks
The coffee industry is known to generate voluminous amount of waste during its production process. Different types of waste such as coffee hush ash and spent coffee ground, to name a few, have been extensively researched as a substitute in the construction industry. However, the utilization of coffee husk as a substitute for construction materials has seen limited exploration. In particular, there are no studies which investigate the utilization of waste coffee husk (WCH) in alkali-activated bricks. Therefore, in this research WCH was employed as a substitute to sand in alkali-activated bricks. Alkali-activated bricks were synthesized with ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS), fly ash (FA), sand, and sodium silicate solution (SS). Sand was replaced with WCH at replacement rates of 0 %, 5 %, 10 %, 15 %, 20 %, and 30 % by volume. The developed bricks were evaluated for strength, density, water absorption, porosity, and efflorescence. Additionally, structural and morphological characteristics of bricks were assessed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis. The results indicate that bricks with WCH improve the compressive strength with a maximum value of 15.7 MPa, and reduce the density with a minimum value of 1509 kg/m3 for composites with 30 % WCH, respectively. The water absorption and porosity of bricks increased with incorporation of WCH due to porous structure of WCH. The physico-chemical analysis of the bricks shows effective geopolymerization in the composite system with WCH, and further the bricks with 30 % WCH depict thermal stability with insignificant weight loss at 575 ?. Finally, the composites with 30 % WCH classify as good quality bricks as per IS 1077: 1992 specifications, and this will improve practical feasibility of such materials in the construction industry. 2024 The Authors -
Validity of a Short Version Scale of Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Sexual and Reproductive Health in Indigenous Women in Mexico
The study evaluated the validity and reliability of the Scale of Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Sexual and Reproductive Health (ECAPSSR) in indigenous women in Mexico. A total of 177 women aged 14 to 48 participated, and signed and authorized their participation. Three dimensions were evaluated: knowledge, attitudes and practices. A final version of 78 questions of the original scale was obtained with acceptable reliability. Confirmatory Factor Analysis suggests an acceptable fit in three subscales. A valid, reliable and structured version was obtained as a screening option that allowed the evaluation of sexual and reproductive health in indigenous women. 2025 Society for Menstrual Cycle Research. -
Validation of localised coastal wind forecasts for artisan fishers of southwestern India
[No abstract available] -
VALIDATION OF CONTINUOUS FLOW METAL PLATE REACTORS IN THE TERPENE KETONE SYNTHESIS BY ALCOHOL OXIDATION
The present study elucidates the oxidation of alcohols to terpene ketones using dichloro(p-cymene) ruthenium (II) dimer catalyst by continuous flow process using a metal plate reactor. The synthesized products were separated and validated using GC, GCMS,1 H-NMR, and13 C-NMR techniques. The reaction process exhibited product yield in the range of 80-95% on a scale of 1-80 grams. Optimization studies were conducted to calibrate the reaction conditions to improve the product yield. The scope of the reaction was explored using aromatic, cyclic, and aliphatic alcohols under optimized conditions, which resulted in high yields of terpene ketones. A reaction mechanism is proposed for the oxidation of alcohols by a continuous flow process. The significant advantages of the current protocol include synthesis at mild conditions, safer handling of reagents, flexibility to tune reaction conditions, and straightforward scale-up in the range of 1-80 grams with high efficiency and reproducibility. 2024, Rasayan Journal of Chemistry, c/o Dr. Pratima Sharma. All rights reserved. -
Validating a Teacher Professional Development Program to Develop Leadership and Mentorship among in-Service Teachers
School teachers are pivotal in shaping the world's future. Their ongoing professional development (PD) is crucial to fostering a positive school culture. This study aimed to develop and validate a PD program for in-service teachers, ensuring its content and empirical validity in enhancing teacher leadership and mentorship. The module underwent content validation by 14 experts using Lawshe's content validity ratio and the content validity index to determine its appropriateness and alignment with PD proposed by the National Education Policy 2020. Empirical validation was conducted with 30 participants using a single-group pre-testpost-test design to measure the module's impact. Content validation confirmed the high expert agreement, indicating strong content relevance. Empirical validation revealed significant improvements in participants leadership and mentorship competencies as evidenced by positive post-test outcomes. The findings suggest that the module effectively enhances teacher professional development (TPD) by improving association, professional learning, assessment, instruction, community and policy in leadership, and self-efficacy and outcome expectancy in mentorship. The validated module is a structured framework for TPD that contributes to evidence-based educational training. Future research could explore its long-term effectiveness with larger samples and a mixed-methods design, employing multiple models and frameworks, including India-specific ones, across diverse educational contexts. The Author(s) 2026 -
Vacuum flask: An innovation of scientists /
Patent Number: 202141039314, Applicant: A S Nikkitta Fame.
We are living in an era where we want to get things instantly. Whatever it is, we want it immediately. During a pandemic, long journey or even at your workspace you wont be able to get things in a flash. Thats when this customised flask Fames comes into the picture. Its usage isnt restricted to any specific age, it could be used by people belonging to all age group. The proposed flask has three parts as a whole. The 1 st is the cap which could also be used as a mug to pour the drink. The 2nd part is the body which is made up of metal, where you store the liquid. -
Vacuum annealed tin sulfide (SnS) thin films for solar cell applications
Thin films of tin sulfide (SnS) were grown on a glass substrate at an optimum temperature of 300 C by thermal evaporation technique. Following the deposition, films were vacuum annealed at different temperatures in the range of 100 to 300 C for 2 h. The effect of annealing temperature (Ta) on the composition, surface morphology, microstructure, optical and electrical properties was investigated. Elemental analysis showed sulfur deficiency of annealed films and the Sn to S atomic percent ratio increased from 1.0 to 1.1. XRD analysis confirmed the orthorhombic crystal structure of the films with (111) preferred orientation and phase purity. Degree of preferred orientation decreased with increase in Ta and the diffraction peaks corresponding to other planes intensified. Increasing the Ta to 300 C led to an increase in crystallite size to 129 nm. Results indicated presence of several crystallites in the grains of as-deposited films. AFM studies revealed the fragmentation of larger grain and the average grain size reduced form 265 nm for as-deposited films to 132.8 nm for the film annealed at 300 C. An apparent shift in absorption edge towards longer wavelengths is observed for films annealed at Ta > 200 C. The optical constant such as optical band gap, extinction coefficient (k), absorption coefficient (?) and refractive index (n) have been evaluated. The optical band gap of SnS thin films varied marginally with the annealing temperature and remained in between 1.331.29 eV. The extinction coefficient of the film annealed at 300 C was enhanced and is found to be 0.85 at 700 nm. At the annealing temperature of 300 C, the SnS films had enhanced electrical properties: the electrical resistivity was 7.8 ? cm, the p-type carrier concentration was up to 2.17 1016 cm?3, and the mobility was about 36.9 cm2V?1s?1. The variation of physical parameters with Ta has been explained by taking into account the crystallite size and the presented values are discussed with relevance to solar cells. 2017 Elsevier B.V. -
UWB Radar based Respiratory Rate Detection for Driver
Continuous health monitoring and the early detection of physiological abnormalities play an important role in vehicular environments. In particular, respiration rate and heart rate estimations are crucial for preventing accidents caused by sudden health impairments to the driver. Impulse radio ultra-wideband (IR-UWB) radar provides an effective solution for long-duration and non-invasive respiration rate monitoring. UWB systems offer sub-nanosecond time resolution while operating at low transmitted power levels, making them suitable for continuous monitoring of the human body. UWB pulses possess strong penetration capability, allowing signals to pass through obstacles such as clothing and vehicle seat covers. This paper presents an IR-UWB radar-based framework for estimating respiration rate using a seat-integrated monostatic radar configuration, where UWB signals propagate through the thoracic region from the posterior side toward the lung. Respiration-induced variations in lung geometry and dielectric properties under different physiological conditions result in corresponding changes in the reflected pulses, which can be analysed for respiration monitoring. Furthermore, variations in the antenna reflection coefficient (S11) exhibit noticeable differences under different lung conditions, from which respiration waveforms can be derived. The extracted respiration-related signal is subsequently transformed into the frequency domain using the Fast Fourier transform (FFT), which enables the accurate estimation of the respiration rate. In this paper, the UWB signal for radar communication complies the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) spectral mask from 3.1 - 10.6 GHz to ensure human safety. The results presented in this paper confirm that the proposed UWB Gaussian seventh-derivative IR-UWB Radar combined with FFT-based processing enables reliable respiration rate estimation and is well-suited for continuous in-seat vital sign monitoring in driving environments. 2026 IEEE. -
UWB Monostatic RADAR-Based Heartbeat Monitoring in an Autonomous Vehicle
Monitoring a driver's physiological state in real time is vital for enhancing road safety by detecting fatigue, medical emergencies, and enabling future health-intervention systems in autonomous vehicles. Ultra-Wideband (UWB) impulse radio monostatic Radar emerges as an attractive alternative due to its ability to perform non-invasive and highly sensitive detection of vital signs, including respiration and heart rate, through obstacles such as clothing or car seats. This paper presents a radar setup located in the seat, which propagates a UWB signal through human tissues from the back side of the driver up to the heart location. The transmitted and reflected UWB signal and antenna reflection coefficient S11 parameter are analysed to detect the heart rate for a heartbeat-induced heart model. Various UWB pulse types and their spectral characteristics are analysed to ensure efficient energy transmission within the FCC mask safety constraints. Time-domain analysis of the transmitted and received pulses reveals clear heartbeat analysis with minimal distortion, achieving accurate heart detection rates. Reflected-pulse analysis shows clear differences in amplitude between systole and diastole for normal and abnormal heart-radius conditions, allowing reliable detection of heart states. Time-of-flight and range estimation help in tracking the heart-wall movement accurately. FFT-based analysis of the time-varying S11 parameter estimates the heart rate, confirming precise non-invasive heartbeat detection through the thorax. . This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/) -
UVIT view of NGC 5291: Ongoing star formation in tidal dwarf galaxies at ? 0.35 kpc resolution
NGC 5291, an early-type galaxy surrounded by a giant H I ring, is believed to be formed from collision with another galaxy. Several star forming complexes and tidal dwarf galaxies are distributed along the collisional ring which are sites of star formation in environments where extreme dynamical effects are involved. Dynamical effects can affect the star formation properties and the spatial distribution of star forming complexes along the tidal features. To study and quantify the star formation activity in the main body and in the ring structure of the NGC 5291 system, we use high spatial resolution FUV and NUV imaging observations from the Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope onboard AstroSat. A total of 57 star-forming knots are identified to be part of this interacting system out of which 12 are new detections (star forming complexes that lie inside the H I contour) compared to the previous measurements from lower resolution UV imaging. We estimate the attenuation in UV for each of the resolved star-forming knots using the UV spectral slope ?, derived from the FUV - NUV colour. Using the extinction corrected UV fluxes, we derive the star formation rate of the resolved star forming complexes. The extinction corrected total star formation rate of this system is estimated as 1.75 0.04 M? yr-1. The comparison with dwarf galaxy populations (BCD, Sm, and dIm galaxies) in the nearby Universe shows that many of the knots in the NGC 5291 system have SFR values comparable to the SFR of BCD galaxies. 2023 The Author(s). -
UVIT view of Centaurus A: A detailed study on positive AGN feedback
Supermassive black holes at the centre of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) produce relativistic jets that can affect the star formation characteristics of the AGN hosts. Observations in the ultraviolet (UV) band can provide an excellent view of the effect of AGN jets on star formation. Here, we present a census of star formation properties in the Northern Star-forming Region (NSR) that spans about 20 kpc of the large radio source Centaurus A hosted by the giant elliptical galaxy NGC 5128. In this region, we identified 352 UV sources associated with Cen A using new observations at an angular resolution of <1.5 arcsec observed with the Ultra-Violet Imaging Telescope (UVIT) onboard AstroSat. These observations were carried out in one far-ultraviolet (FUV; ?mean = 1481 and three near-ultraviolet (NUV; with ?mean of 2196, 2447, and 2792 respectively) bands. The star-forming sources identified in UV tend to lie in the direction of the jet of Cen A, thereby suggesting jet triggering of star formation. Separating the NSR into Outer and Inner regions, we found the stars in the Inner region to have a relatively younger age than the Outer region, suggesting that the two regions may have different star formation histories. We also provide the UVIT source catalogue in the NSR. 2022 The Author(s) Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Astronomical Society. -
UVIT observations of the star-forming ring in NGC 7252: Evidence of possible AGN feedback suppressing central star formation
Context. Some post-merger galaxies are known to undergo a starburst phase that quickly depletes the gas reservoir and turns it into a red-sequence galaxy, though the details are still unclear. Aims. Here we explore the pattern of recent star formation in the central region of the post-merger galaxy NGC 7252 using high-resolution ultraviolet (UV) images from the UVIT on ASTROSAT. Methods. The UVIT images with 1.2 and 1.4 arcsec resolution in the FUV and NUV are used to construct a FUV-NUV colour map of the central region. Results. The FUV-NUV pixel colour map for this canonical post-merger galaxy reveals a blue circumnuclear ring of diameter ?10?? (3.2 kpc) with bluer patches located over the ring. Based on a comparison to single stellar population models, we show that the ring is comprised of stellar populations with ages ? 300 Myr, with embedded star-forming clumps of younger age (? 150Myr). Conclusions. The suppressed star formation in the central region, along with the recent finding of a large amount of ionised gas, leads us to speculate that this ring may be connected to past feedback from a central super-massive black hole that has ionised the hydrogen gas in the central ?4?? ?1.3 kpc. ESO 2018. -
UVIT Observations of the Small Magellanic Cloud: Point-source Catalog
Three fields in the outskirts of the Small Magellanic Cloud were observed by the UltraViolet Imaging Telescope (UVIT) on board AstroSat, between 2017 December 31 and 2018 January 1. The observations were carried out on a total of seven filters, three in the far-ultraviolet (FUV; 1300-1800 band and four in the near-ultraviolet (NUV; 2000-3000 band. We carried out photometry of these observations that have a spatial resolution better than 1.?5. We present here the first results of this work, which is a matched catalog of 11,241 sources detected in three FUV and four NUV wavelengths. We make the catalog available online, which would be of use to the astronomical community to address a wide variety of astrophysical problems. We provide an expression to estimate the total count rate in the full point-spread function of UVIT that also incorporates the effect of saturation. 2023. The Author(s). Published by the American Astronomical Society. -
UVIT data release version 7: Regenerated high-level UVIT data products
Ultra-Violet Imaging Telescope (UVIT) on board AstroSat is an active telescope capable of high-resolution far-ultraviolet imaging (<1.5??) and low-resolution (?/???100) slitless spectroscopy with a field-of-view as large as ? 0.5?. Now almost a decade old, UVIT continues to be operational and generates valuable data for the scientific community. UVIT is also capable of near-ultraviolet imaging (<1.5??); however, the near-ultraviolet channel stopped working in August 2018 after providing data for nearly 3years. This paper gives an overview of the latest version (7.0.1) of the UVIT pipeline and UVIT data release version 7. The high-level products generated using pipeline versions having a major ver. no. 7 will be called UVIT data release version 7. The latest pipeline version overcomes two limitations of the previous version (6.3), namely: (a) inability to combine all episode-wise images; and (b) failure of the astrometry module in a large fraction of the observations. The procedures adopted to overcome these two limitations as well as a comparison of the performance of this new version over the previous one, are presented in this paper. The UVIT data release version 7 products are available at the Indian Space Science Data Center of the Indian Space Research Organization for archival and dissemination from 1 June 2024. New pipeline version is open source and made available on GitHub. Indian Academy of Sciences 2025.