Some study on dark and bright optical solitons in a real system with periodically distributed dispersion and nonlinearity

We study the dynamics of short optical pulses in a real system with periodically distributed dispersion and the nonlinearity is governed by the higher order nonlinear Schrödinger equation (HNLSE) with linear and nonlinear gain (loss). Under specific parametric circumstances, where the dark and bright solitary waves are combined, a set of entirely new types of solitary waves with nonlinear chirp have emerged. For a properly intense optical pulse in the combined solitary waves, the binding of the bright and dark solitary waves is very strong. It is seen that by numerical simulation, these pooled types of solitary-like solutions show a high degree of stability while propagating over an extremely long distance in the considering system, even in the presence of a high degree of perturbation of the amplitude and white noise. All constraint relations on the physical parameters are explicitly shown to be related to the development and to the dynamical study of the chirped solitary like solution in the considering medium.     

Effect of Processing of Sword Beans (Canavalia gladiata) on Physicochemical Properties of Starch

The effect of various processing methods on physico‐chemical properties of sword bean starch was studied. Seed grits and flour were cooked with and without soaking, wet‐autoclaved, and roasted. The changes in starch associated with these processing methods were studied by observing changes in granular structure, water solubility index, water absorption index, molecular size distribution and the degree of gelatinization estimated by differential scanning calorimetry. Intact, ungelatinized starch granules of raw and dry‐heat treated samples were observed under the light microscope. The starch granules were elliptical in shape and had an average length and breadth of 37–40 μm and 27 μm, respectively. Wet‐processed samples had the lowest water solubility, higher water absorption and lower gelatinization enthalpies than the raw bean flour, whereas the dry heat‐treated samples showed higher water solubility and higher gelatinization enthalpies. The starch molecular size distribution pattern showed a higher amount of high molecular size carbohydrates in dry heat‐treated samples and a large fraction of intermediate molecular size carbohydrates in the wet‐processed samples. The low molecular size carbohydrate content was low in wet‐processed samples where processing was done with excess water.     

A Revision of OPTEMP-LS Model for Selecting Optimal EMP Combination for Minimizing Sediment and Water Yield from Hilly Urban Watersheds

Water Resources Management - Hilly watersheds are inherently susceptible to more sediment and water yield. Urban developments in hills cause conversion of the natural sloppy surface to bare steep...     

Effect of processing on the protein nutritional value of Canavalia gladiata seeds

Evaluation of protein true digestibility (TD), biological value (BV), and net protein utilization (NPU) of diets containing mature sword bean (Canavalia gladiata), seed flour and grits were carried out with male Sprague-Dawley rats. The seed flour and grits were processed by soaking, cooking, soaking and cooking, autoclaving, and roasting. The TD of processed flour (cooked (84.8), soaked and cooked (76.2), autoclaved (82.0), roasted grits (64.5), and roasted flour (61.2)) were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than in the raw (51.4) and the soaked only grits (35.8). Soaking the grits decreased the TD. The BV of cooked grits and grits cooked after soaking were significantly higher than that of the other processed samples (p < 0.05). However, the BV of the diets containing cooked and soaked and cooked grits were not significantly different. The NPU of the cooked grits (39.4) and grits cooked after soaking (37.6) were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than that of the other processed samples (autoclaved grits (31.0), roasted grits (19.5), roasted flour (10.8), and soaked only grits (1.6)). The NPU of all the processed samples were significantly lower than the reference casein (p < 0.05). The highest protein nutritional quality was obtained by either cooking the grits or by soaking and cooking the grits. In vitro protein digestibility measurements were not well correlated to the true digestibility.     

Systemic Evaluation of Mechanism of Cytotoxicity in Human Colon Cancer HCT-116 Cells of Silver Nanoparticles Synthesized Using Marine Algae Ulva lactuca Extract

In the current study, biogenic silver nanoparticles (U-AgNPs) were synthesized using marine green macro-algal Ulva lactuca extract, and evaluated mechanism behind its anticancer activity against the Human colon cancer (HCT-116). The biogenic U-AgNPs were characterized using various physiochemical techniques. The TEM micrographs confirmed the spherical morphology of synthesized U-AgNPs, with a mean size of 8–14 nm. EDX spectrum as well as ICP-OES confirmed that AgNPs was nearly 90% purity for silver. FTIR Spectra analysis of U-AgNPs confirmed U. lactuca extract bioactive molecules presence over U-AgNPs surface as a stabilizing agent, thereby improving biocompatibility. The cytotoxicity study revealed the dose dependent cell death in colon cancer cells with no loss of viability in normal human colon epithelial cells. Furthermore, the fluorescence micrographs of nucleus staining assay revealed the DNA fragmentation and nucleus condensation of cancer cells treated with U-AgNPs, indicating an apoptosis-mediated cell death. The western bolt and RT-PCR analysis of U-AgNPs treated cancer cells showed the rise in proapoptotic markers (P53, Bax, and P21) and decline in anti-apoptotic markers (Bcl-2), thus confirming the p53-dependent apoptosis mediated cell death in HCT-116. Overall, our study concluded that novel biogenic U-AgNPs nanoparticles, synthesized using marine green macro-algal U. lactuca extract showed efficient anticancer activity against HCT-116 cell line and hence could work as potential therapeutic agent for targeted anti-cancer therapy.