Recent developments in nanotechnology transforming the agricultural sector: a transition replete with opportunities

The applications and benefits of nanotechnology in the agricultural sector have attracted considerable attention, particularly in the invention of unique nanopesticides and nanofertilisers. The contemporary developments in nanotechnology are acknowledged and the most significant opportunities awaiting the agriculture sector from the recent scientific and technical literature are addressed. This review discusses the significance of recent trends in nanomaterial‐based sensors available for the sustainable management of agricultural soil, as well as the role of nanotechnology in detection and protection against plant pathogens, and for food quality and safety. Novel nanosensors have been reported for primary applications in improving crop practices, food quality, and packaging methods, thus will change the agricultural sector for potentially better and healthier food products. Nanotechnology is well‐known to play a significant role in the effective management of phytopathogens, nutrient utilisation, controlled release of pesticides, and fertilisers. Research and scientific gaps to be overcome and fundamental questions have been addressed to fuel active development and application of nanotechnology. Together, nanoscience, nanoengineering, and nanotechnology offer a plethora of opportunities, proving a viable alternative in the agriculture and food processing sector, by providing a novel and advanced solutions. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry     

Contribution of plasminogen activators and their inhibitors to the survival prognosis of patients with Dukes' stage B and C colorectal cancer

Despite the advances in pre-, peri- and post-operative medical care of colorectal carcinoma patients, the prognosis has improved only marginally over recent decades. Thus, additional prognostic indicators would be of great clinical value to select patients for adjuvant therapy. In previous studies we found that colorectal carcinomas have a marked increase of the urokinase-type of plasminogen activator (u-PA), and the inhibitors PAI-1 and PAI-2, whereas the tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) is found to be decreased in comparison with adjacent normal mucosa. In the present study we evaluated the prognostic value of several plasminogen activation parameters, determined in both normal and carcinomatous tissue from colorectal resection specimens, for overall survival of 136 Dukes' stage B and C colorectal cancer patients, in relation to major clinicopathological parameters. Uni- and multivariate analyses indicated that a high PAI-2 antigen level in carcinoma, a low t-PA activity and antigen level and a high u-PA/t-PA antigen ratio in adjacent normal mucosa are significantly associated with a poor overall survival. A high ratio of u-PA antigen in the carcinomas and t-PA antigen in normal mucosa, i.e. u-PA(C)/t-PA(N), was found to be predictive of a poor overall survival as well. All these parameters were found to be prognostically independent of the clinicopathological parameters. Multivariate analysis of combinations of these prognostically significant plasminogen activation parameters revealed that they are important independent prognostic indicators and have in fact a better prognostic value than their separate components. Based on these combined parameters, subgroups of patients with Dukes' stage B and C colorectal cancer could be identified as having either a high or a low risk regarding overall survival. In conclusion, these findings emphasize the relevance of the intestinal plasminogen activation system for survival prognosis of patients with colorectal cancer and, in the future, might constitute a patient selection criterion for adjuvant therapy.     

Predicting the tensile behaviour of adhesively bonded sheets using equivalent geometrical heterogeneities

In the present work, the formability of adhesively bonded sandwichsteel sheets is predicted during tensile tests, with the help of equivalent geometrical heterogeneities in the base sheets, without incorporating adhesive layer and properties during modelling simulations. This will help us mainly to overcome the difficulties while incorporating adhesion/adhesive properties during formability simulation and prediction. The limit strains during the tensile test are predicted and validated with experiments. The effect of hardener to resin (H/R) ratios of adhesive on the forming limit strains has been predicted with a set of thickness heterogeneity factor ‘f’ and size (w) of the defect, located in the base material. In other words, a relationship between defect morphology (f, w) and adhesive properties has been evaluated. For example, in the case of rectangular-infinite groove of width, w?=?0.5 mm, the limit strains of DDQ steel evaluated during tensile tests at f?=?0.912, f?=?0.9137, f?=?0.924, f?=?0.927, and f?=?0.95 are equivalent to the H/R ratios of 0.6:1, 0.7:1, 0.8:1, 0.9:1, and 1:1 of adhesive, respectively. The limit strains are predicted in the same manner with a square hole and finite square defect in the base material. It is suggested that the overall forming (tensile) behaviour of adhesively bonded blanks (ABB) can be predicted with the help of a thickness heterogeneity factor (or similar geometrical heterogeneities) that is equivalent to all the geometrical and structural heterogeneities in the whole bonded sheets.     

Experimental investigation of impact of diesel particulate filter on smoke and NO<Subscript>x</Subscript> emissions of a Euro-I compression ignition engine with active and off-board regeneration

Old engines (Euro III or earlier) produce more emissions, and it will be difficult to entirely stop their usage especially in developing and under-developed nations; hence, it is desired that appropriate emission reduction technologies are tested on such engines to analyze their feasibility and economical acceptability. While most such studies have been conducted on constant speed stationary engines and modern engines, this study tried to analyze the effectiveness of an uncoated wall-flow type ceramic diesel particulate filter on a Euro-I, water-cooled, direct injection, variable speed, compression ignition engine in a laboratory set-up in India. Also, this study focused on diesel particulate filter regeneration by two methods: active regeneration by diesel injection in the particulate filter using an electronic control unit and off-board regeneration by taking out and heating the diesel particulate filter in an electrical resistance furnace at 650 °C for 10 h. The results, in the form of smoke emission, NO_x emission and engine performance, obtained using both the regeneration methods were analyzed, and conclusions were drawn. It was found that using diesel particulate filter, particulate matter emissions (smoke) were almost entirely eliminated. It was also found that off-board regeneration had numerous advantages compared to active regeneration. Since a furnace would be needed for off-board regeneration, an exchange process for diesel particulate filter is suggested.     

Automated TB classification using ensemble of deep architectures

Multimedia Tools and Applications - Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease that mainly affects the lung region. Its initial screening is mostly performed using chest radiograph, which is also...     

Chitosan–silver nanocomposites: New functional biomaterial for health-care applications

Chitosan–silver nanocomposites (CS-HDA-AgNCs) was prepared using chitosan, biogenic silver nanocomposites, and crosslinker, hexamethylene 1,6-di(amino carboxysulfonate) (HDA). The film is flexible and transparent. Its physical, mechanical, thermal, hydrophilicity, and swelling properties were improved by HDA (2.5%). The antimicrobial activity of CS-HDA-AgNCs were not displayed any remarkable zone of inhibition but showed toxic effect in the presence of normal 3T3 fibroblasts and cancer HeLa cells. It decreases to ca. 5–7% for both cell lines. In conclusion, it can be mentioned that the CS-HDA-AgNCs, a kind of new functional biomaterial, could be useful for health-care applications.     

Low-Pressure Flame Deposition of Nanostructured Oxide Films

The influence of electroless nickel plating on lead-based relaxor ferroelectric multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCs) was studied by a comparison experiment. It was found that the influence is related to reactions in the electroless plating. It is proposed that adsorbed hydrogen atoms generated in electroless plating can diffuse into the ceramic bodies of MLCs and undergo some reduction reaction with them, resulting in the failure of electroless nickel plating. The implications for the negative influence of electroplating on MLCs and for the degradation in MLCs are also included, in which much attention is paid to the reduction reaction of hydrogen atoms generated by electrolysis of water.     

Study of the Effect of Nano-silica Particles on Resin-Bonded Moulding Sand Properties and Quality of Casting

The cast quality in chemical bonded sand mould system is influenced primarily by sand mould properties such as, compression strength, permeability, gas evolution, and collapsibility. Amount of resin and hardener, curing time and number of strokes influence the sand mould properties. The experiments are conducted with the above mentioned input output, as per Taguchi’s L₉ orthogonal array. Pareto analysis of variance is conducted to determine the percent contribution of inputs on output, individually. The optimal factor level is determined for each output separately. The conflicting requirements in foundry sand mould properties can be solved by multiple objective optimization. Principal component analysis is applied to determine the relative importance of individual output. Grey relational analysis is used to convert multiple objective functions to a single objective function for optimization task. Pareto analysis is utilized to determine the optimal input factor combination and their relative percent contribution towards moulding sand properties. The nano-silica particles are used as additive to enhance the moulding sand properties. The results have shown that, the nano-silica particles pose a remarkable improvement in sand mould properties and casting quality.