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Stringent emission regulations and the depletion of conventional fuel sources drive research on green fuels, additives, and the optimization of fuel injection and exhaust gas recirculation. This study analyzes the impact of butanol additives in diesel and cashew shell liquid biodiesel (CSLB) blends under optimal operating conditions. CSLB was produced with an 85.43% yield from waste cashew nut shell liquid under optimal conditions: a methanol/CSL molar ratio (MR) of 20:1, a process temperature (PT) of 70 °C, and a 4 wt% industrial waste-derived heterogeneous catalyst (IC), using the desirability function approach in the RSM-CCD model. The catalyst was characterized using XRD, FTIR, and BET analyses to confirm its catalytic activity. Engine performance improvements were achieved with specific modifications, including 4° CA timing retardation, 15% split injection, and a 20% exhaust gas recirculation rate when using CSLB blends. In common rail direct injection (CRDI) experimental investigations, diesel and CSLB blends were combined with butanol additives (2.5%, 5%, and 10%) and compared to the baseline test. Incorporating 10% butanol, with its higher latent heat, resulted in a lower combustion temperature, reducing NO x emissions by 47.09% in CSLB10. Additionally, the additive’s lower viscosity and higher oxygen content enhanced atomization, reducing CO (33%) and smoke (23.02%) emissions. However, a slight increase in CO 2 (8.92%) and a decrease in HC emissions (27.14%) were observed in CSLB10. Improved combustion characteristics, reflected in higher peak pressure and heat release rate, resulted in a 4.75% increase in brake thermal efficiency and a 13.92% reduction in brake-specific energy consumption compared to ideal conditions. Overall, this study explores the impact of butanol additives on the performance and emissions of CRDI engines fuelled with CSLB blends derived from waste cashew nut shell liquids, providing insights for sustainable fuel optimization.

In this study, electronic devices are experimentally examined to improve the thermal performance of the plate fin heat sink. It is performed on the basis of the paraffin wax used as a phase change material (PCM) filled in a heat sink plate. The aim of the study is to select the most efficient SiO2 volume fraction in paraffin wax to be filled in a heat sink with a plate finish. The SiO2 is considered to be a nano-particle and 1%, 3%, and 5% of SiO2 volume is selected for the preparation of nanoPCM. At the base of the plate fin heat sink, a constant heat source is applied. A plate fin heat sink is selected to quantify the effect of nanoPCM as a reference heat sink. The effect of thermal performance of heat sinks was examined using a different volume fraction of nanoPCM. The thermal performance comparison is carried out with and without PCM for the plate heat sink of Reynolds number 4000- 16000. In order to find the effect of PCM and variable Reynolds number, the investigation of the plate fin heat sink is examined. The results showed that the inclusion of PCM (paraffin wax and SiO2-based nanoPCM) in the heat sink plate provides better cooling performance and keeps the desired temperature. The results show that the heat sink based on PCM enriched with nanoparticles provided better thermal performance compared to the heat sink with a simple PCM. The thermal performance of the SiO2 based nanoPCM 3% volume fraction is better than 1% volume fraction and the heat sinks of the plate finish.

Biodiesel attracts most of the researchers and automotive industries in recent years as an alternative fuel for diesel engines, because of its better lubricity property, higher cetane number, and less greenhouse gas emissions. The use of bio diesel leads to reduction in hydro carbons, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter, but increase in NOx emissions. Increase in biodiesel blends in standard diesel leads to increase in NOx emission. In this study, an attempt is made to reduce the NOx emissions of a diesel engine fueled with pure soy methyl ester (B100) with low pressure steam injection. Experiments were carried out and studied for both standard diesel and pure biodiesel of soy methyl ester with steam injection ratio of 5, 10, and 15% on mass ratio basis of air in the inlet manifold. The present study has shown that around 30% reduction in NOx can be achieved for the steam injection rate of 10% and considerable reduction for all other steam injection rates when compared to standard diesel and B100. It is also observed that steam injection having significant impact on reduction of other emissions such as HC, CO, and CO2. The study also noted marginal improvement in the engine brake power, brake thermal efficiency and reduction in specific fuel consumption at part loads and minor increase during peak load operation for the low pressure steam injection on B100.

High heat flux at low excess temperature is the prime factor in pool boiling heat transfer. One of the methods to enhance peak heat flux in nucleate boiling is sur-face modification. The substrate of the copper has been modified by SiO2 thin film coating. The coating was performed on the substrate at three different thicknesses 250 nm, 500 nm, and 750 nm. The thin film coating was done by sputtering technique. The water contact angle was measured for bare and SiO2 thin film coated substrates. The contact angle decreased drastically because of more nucleation sites involved for wetting the substrate. The coating characteristics re-ported that the wettability of the copper substrate plays an important role in the critical heat flux enhancement. The critical heat flux test was carried out for bare copper substrate and SiO2 thin film coated copper substrates. The SiO2 thin film coating exhibited superhydrophillic nature on the substrate because of greater wettability. The superhydrophillic nature of the substrate enhanced the peak heat flux significantly. Also the boiling heat transfer coefficient was improved at high heat flux in nucleate boiling regime.

The immense potential of nanobiotechnology makes it an intensely researched field in modern medicine. Green nanomaterial synthesis techniques for medicinal applications are desired because of their biocompatibility and lack of toxic byproducts. We report the toxic byproducts free phytosynthesis of stable silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using the bark extract of the traditional medicinal plant Acacia leucophloea (Fabaceae). Visual observation, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to characterize the synthesized AgNPs. The visible yellow-brown color formation and surface plasmon resonance at 440 nm indicates the biosynthesis of AgNP. The TEM images show polydisperse, mostly spherical AgNP particles of 17-29 nm. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy revealed that primary amines, aldehyde/ketone, aromatic, azo, and nitro compounds of the A. leucophloea extract may participate in the bioreduction and capping of the formed AgNPs. X-ray diffraction confirmed the crystallinity of the AgNPs. The in vitro agar well diffusion method confirmed the potential antibacterial activity of the plant extract and synthesized AgNPs against the common bacterial pathogens Staphylococcus aureus (MTCC 737), Bacillus cereus (MTCC 1272), Listeria monocytogenes (MTCC 657), and Shigella flexneri (MTCC 1475). This research combines the inherent antimicrobial activity of silver metals with the A. leucophloea extract, yielding antibacterial activity-enhanced AgNPs. This new biomimetic approach using traditional medicinal plant (A. leucophloea) barks to synthesize biocompatible antibacterial AgNPs could easily be scaled up for additional biomedical applications. These polydisperse AgNPs green-synthesized via A. leucophloea bark extract can readily be used in many applications not requiring high uniformity in particle size or shape.

Biofilm, a consortium of microbial cells, protected by extracellular polymeric matrix, is considered a global challenge due to the inherent antibiotic resistance conferred by its lifestyle. Besides, it poses environmental threats causing huge damage in food industries, fisheries, refineries, water systems, pharmaceutical industries, medical industries, etc. Living in a community of microbial populations is most critical in the clinical field, making it responsible for about 80% of severe and chronic microbial diseases. The necessity to find an alternative approach is the need of the hour to solve these crises. So far, many approaches have been attempted to disrupt the initial stage of biofilm formation, including adherence and maturation. Bacteriocins are a group of antimicrobial peptides, produced by bacteria having the potential to disrupt biofilm either by itself or in combination with other drugs than antibiotic counterparts. A clear understanding on mechanisms of bacterial biofilm formation, progression, and resistance will surely lead to the development of innovative, effective biofilm control strategies in pharmaceutical, health care industries and environmental locales.

The authors report on a nonenzymatic catechol sensor that is based on the immobilization of ferrocene (Fc) on graphene oxide (GO). A glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was modified with GO which then was silanized with (3-aminopropyl)trimethoxysilane. Ferrocenecarboxaldehyde was then immobilized on GO via formation of a Schiff base. The immobilization process was monitored stepwise by using FTIR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Investigation of the modified electrode by CV revealed a pair of well-defined redox peaks with anodic and cathodic peak potentials at +0.380 and +0.277 V, corresponding to the Fc/Fc + redox couple. The Fc modified electrode exhibits excellent electrocatalytic activity towards the oxidation of catechol at a typical working voltage of +0.45 V (vs. Ag/AgCl). The response is linear in the 3 to 112 μM catechol concentration range, the detection limit is 1.1 μM, and the sensitivity is 1184.3 μA·mM −1 ·cm −2 . The sensor is stable, reproducible and reasonably selective. It was successfully applied to the determination of catechol in spiked tap water and lake water samples. Graphical abstract Schematic presentation of the covalent immobilization of ferrocene on graphene oxide through (3-aminopropyl)trimethoxysilane via Schiff base condensation for nonenzymatic catechol determination. The use of the electrode with covalently linked ferrocene and a graphene oxide host results in faster and enhanced amperometric response.

Herein, we have designed and demonstrated a facile and effective platform for the covalent anchoring of a tetrameric hemoprotein, hemoglobin (Hb). The platform comprises of naphthyl substituted amine functionalized gel type hydrophobic ionic liquid (NpNH 2 -IL) through which the heme protein was covalently attached over a glassy carbon electrode (Hb-NpNH 2 -IL/GCE). UV-vis and FT-IR spectral results confirmed that the Hb on NpNH 2 -IL retains its native structure, even after being covalently immobilized on NpNH 2 -IL platform. The direct electron transfer of redox protein could be realized at Hb-NpNH 2 -IL/GCE modified electrode and a well resolved redox peak with a formal potential of −0.30 V and peak separation of 65 mV was observed. This is due to the covalent attachment of highly conducting NpNH 2 -IL to the Hb, which facilitates rapid shuttling of electrons between the redox site of protein and the electrode. Further, the fabricated biosensor favoured the electrochemical reduction of bromate in neutral pH with linearity ranging from 12 to 228 µM and 0.228 to 4.42 mM with a detection limit and sensitivities of 3 µM, 430.7 µA mM −1 cm −2 and 148.4 µA mM −1 cm −2 respectively. Notably, the fabricated biosensor showed good operational stability under static and dynamic conditions with high selectivity and reproducibility.

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) account for nearly 75% of all deaths in Tamil Nadu. The government of Tamil Nadu has initiated several strategies to control NCDs under the Tamil Nadu Health Systems Reform Program (TNHSRP). We aimed to estimate the prevalence of NCD risk factors and determine the predictors of diabetes and hypertension, which will be helpful for planning and serve as a baseline for evaluating the impact of interventions. A state-wide representative cross-sectional study was conducted among 18-69-year-old adults in Tamil Nadu in 2020. The study used a multi-stage sampling method to select the calculated sample size of 5780. We adapted the study tools based on WHO's STEPS surveillance methodology. We collected information about sociodemographic factors, NCD risk factors and measured blood pressure and fasting capillary blood glucose. The predictors of diabetes and hypertension were calculated using generalised linear models with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Due to the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, we could cover 68% (n = 3800) of the intended sample size. Among the eligible individuals surveyed (n = 4128), we had a response rate of 92%. The mean age of the study participants was 42.8 years, and 51% were women. Current tobacco use was prevalent in 40% (95% CI: 33.7-40.0) of men and 7.9% (95% CI: 6.4-9.8) of women. Current consumption of alcohol was prevalent among 39.1% (95% CI: 36.4-42.0) of men. Nearly 28.5% (95% CI: 26.7-30.4) of the study participants were overweight, and 11.4% (95% CI: 10.1-12.7) were obese. The prevalence of hypertension was 33.9% (95% CI: 32.0-35.8), and that of diabetes was 17.6% (95% CI: 16.1-19.2). Older age, men, and obesity were independently associated with diabetes and hypertension. The burden of NCD risk factors like tobacco use, and alcohol use were high among men in the state of Tamil Nadu. The prevalence of other risk factors like physical inactivity, raised blood pressure and raised blood glucose were also high in the state. The state should further emphasise measures that reduce the burden of NCD risk factors. Policy-based and health system-based interventions to control NCDs must be a high priority for the state.

Globally, Salmonella infection poses a major public health problem. Here, we report antibiofilm activity and quorum sensing inhibition of aqueous seeds extract of Myristica fragrans (nutmeg) and biosynthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) against multidrug resistant (MDR) Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi ( S . Typhi) isolated from typhoid patients and asymptomatic carriers. S . Typhi isolates revealed higher percentage (46%) of biofilm production identified by tissue culture plate (TCP) than Congo red agar (CRA) and tube adherence (TA) methods. The inhibition of biofilm-producing MDR S. Typhi isolates and pigment production of Chromobacterium violaceum (indicator bacteria) demonstrated the quorum sensing potential of nutmeg. The aqueous seed extract of nutmeg exhibited 87% of antibiofilm activity, while the biosynthesized AgNPs showed 99.1% of antibiofilm activity. Molecular docking studies of bioactive compounds of nutmeg against transcriptional regulatory protein RcsB and sensor kinase protein RcsC revealed interaction with the target proteins. It is proposed that biosynthesized AgNPs could be used as one of the effective candidates in treating asymptomatic typhoid carriers or typhoid patients and to control the subsistence of biofilm-producing S. Typhi strains or other pathogenic bacteria in the environment or industrial settings.