An adult Indian buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) presented with corneal opacity, irritation, and excessive lacrimation from the left eye in the Referral Veterinary Polyclinic-Teaching Veterinary Clinical Complex (RVC-TVCC), Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar. Clinical examination revealed a whitish thread-like worm in the left eye’s anterior chamber. The worm was surgically removed from the eye with supportive nerve blocks. Light microscopy was used for parasite morphological identification, which provided insight into the worm as female Setaria sp. Genomic DNA was isolated, and polymerase chain reaction amplification of 12S rRNA was conducted for molecular confirmation of the parasite. The amplicon was sequenced and analysed by bioinformatics software. Sequence data showed an amplicon size of 243 bp. Phylogenetic analysis with reference data from the NCBI Genbank database revealed the worm was S. digitata, with a similarity of 99.17%. The common predilection site of S. digitata is in the peritoneal cavity of natural hosts like cattle and buffalo and is mostly non-pathogenic. The aberrant migration of the parasite larva to the brain and eye commonly occurs in goats, sheep, and horses, causing clinical conditions like cerebrospinal nematodiasis (lumbar paralysis) and ocular setariasis, respectively. Nevertheless, until now, there have been no reports of ocular setariasis in buffalo. This report is the first unusual occurrence of ocular setariasis in buffalo and its molecular confirmation and phylogenetic analysis using 12S rRNA.

Apart from its role as a digestive and absorptive organ, the gastrointestinal (GI) tract is a vital immune organ that encompasses roughly 70 % of the total immune cells of the body. As such, the physical, chemical and nutrient composition of the diet influences overall GI function, effectively as an immune organ. With the improvement in feed technology, agro-industrial co-products that are high in fibre have been widely used as a feed ingredient in the diets of pigs and poultry. Arabinoxylan (AX) and mannan are the most abundant hemicellulosic polysaccharides present in cereal grain and co-product ingredients used in the livestock industry. When monogastric animals consume diets containing high amounts of AX and mannans, stimulation of GI immune cells may occur. This involves the activation of several cellular and molecular pathways of the immune system and requires a considerable amount of energy and nutrients to be expended by the animal, which may ultimately influence overall health and growth performance of animals. Therefore, a better understanding of the role of AX and mannan in immune modulation will be helpful in modulating untoward GI immune responses, thereby minimising nutrient and energy expenditure toward this effort. This review will summarise pertinent research on the role of oligosaccharides and polysaccharides containing AX and mannans in immune modulation in order to preserve gut integrity.

The ideal anxiolytic drug would be effective in all anxiety disorders, with a rapid onset of action, across all symptom domains and the spectrum of severity, in achieving remission and minimising disability, in preventing relapse, and in treating comorbid depression. Ideally, the drug would be suitable for once-daily dosage, would have minimal adverse effects or cause minimal interference with everyday life, not lead to the development of tolerance, have no discontinuation symptoms, be suitable in physically ill patients and free from interactions, and be safe in overdose.

But there are no ideal anxiolytic drugs. Response rates to initial treatment can be disappointing, it is not possible to reliably predict likelihood of response; a substantial proportion of patients experience unwanted effects; many will relapse despite treatment adherence; comparatively little is known about further management after initial non-response; and discontinuation symptoms can be troublesome.

Hence there is much room for improvement in identifying those patients who are most likely to benefit from treatment; in choosing between drug and psychological treatments; in choosing the right drug for the right patient groups; in optimising medication dosage to achieve maximum effectiveness whilst minimising adverse effects; in combining drug treatments to enhance efficacy; and in treating over the long term to prevent relapse and recurrence.

A novel flexible radio frequency (RF) sensor is designed to facilitate the accurate testing of various samples used in the biomedical industry at the industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) frequency band. The proposed RF biosensor comprises a liquid channel-loaded interdigitated capacitor, which is integrated on a coplanar waveguide structure. The prototype of the sensor is fabricated on a 0.13 mm thin biodegradable polyethylene terephthalate polyester film to perform the testing of various bio-graded samples by recording the corresponding resonant frequency. It is observed that there is a noticeable change between the measured resonant frequencies of these samples, which primarily occurs due to the difference in their dielectric properties. The designed sensor was used to monitor and investigate the quality of glycerol, which is the most commonly used raw ingredient in the biomedical and food industry. The determination of glucose concentration in base fluids is considered to ease the challenges faced by doctors and biochemists regarding the monitoring of glucose concentration. It is found that the proposed sensor can quantify the glycerol purity up to the minimum specified adulteration level of 2 and 1% corresponding to toxic contaminants diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol, respectively, and the glucose concentration of 0.5 mg/ml.

In this paper, two different radiating structures fed with modified L-probe, are reported using a circuit theory concept. The proposed antennas are operating in wireless local area network (WLAN) and universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) frequency bands. In the first design, an E-shaped patch is studied to increase the bandwidth. It is observed that the bandwidth is directly proportional to notch dimensions. In the second design, E-shaped patch is modified to reduce the antenna size up to 30% with high bandwidth. In the first design, measured bandwidth and gain achieved are 32.68% (1.92–2.67 GHz) and 8.43 dBi while in second design it is 34.19% (1.94–2.74 GHz) and 8.39 dBi, respectively. Radiation patterns for both the antennas are symmetrical and broadside in nature. The proposed antennas are fabricated and measured results compare well with the theoretical and simulated results.

An enormous solar tornado was observed by SDO/AIA on 25 September 2011. It was mainly associated with a quiescent prominence with an overlying coronal cavity. We investigate the triggering mechanism of the solar tornado by using the data from two instruments: SDO/AIA and STEREO-A/EUVI, covering the Sun from two directions. The tornado appeared near to the active region NOAA 11303 that produced three flares. The flares directly influenced the prominence-cavity system. The release of free magnetic energy from the active region by flares resulted in the contraction of the active region field. The cavity, owing to its superior magnetic pressure, expanded to fill this vacated space in the corona. We propose that the tornado developed on the top of the prominence due to the expansion of the prominence-cavity system.

Model selection (i.e., the choice of an asset pricing model to the exclusion of competing models) is an inherently misguided strategy when the true model is unavailable to the researcher. This paper illustrates the advantages of a model pooling approach in characterizing the cross section of stock returns. The optimal pool combines models using the log predictive score criterion, a measure of the out-of-sample performance of each model, and consistently outperforms the best individual model. The benefits to model pooling are most pronounced during periods of economic stress, and it is a valuable tool for asset allocation decisions.

A field experiment was conducted on a saline sodic soil at Kanpur to study the effects of sedimentary pyrites and Zn on the yield, Zn and Ca utilization by rice and wheat crops and on the amelioration of saline sodic soil. The grain yield of the first crop of rice increased from 1·55 t/ha for the ‘control’ to 3·44 and 4·01 t/ha with the 40 and 80% gypsum requirement pyrites treatments. The grain yield of succeeding wheat and rice crops also increased significantly owing to pyrites residues. The favourable effect of pyrites on crop yield was associated with an appreciable decrease in the pH, electrical conductivity and exchangeable and soluble sodium content of the soil resulting in greater utilization of Zn and Ca by the crops. Zinc applications also greatly increased grain yield and Zn uptake by the crops. The higher levels of pyrites with adequate N, P and K fertilizers but without Zn did not give yields that were obtained by adding 11 kg Zn/ha.

Significant yield responses were observed in the succeeding wheat and rice crops to Zn residues from the higher Zn treatments. The ‘pyrites+Zn’ treatment was most effective in decreasing the Na content and enhancing Ca uptake which increased the Ca/Na ratio in plants. The Zn treatment alone also decreased soil pH, electrical conductivity and exchangeable Na.

The responses to Zn fertilizer of wheat, barley, oats, lentil, chickpea, pea, mustard and linseed were studied on a Typic Ustochrept soil in Pura, India in winter 1982/83 and 1983/84. Application of Zn significantly increased the grain or seed and total biomass yield of all the crops and enhanced Zn concentration and uptake. The response was greatest in lentil, followed by chickpea, pea, wheat, linseed, mustard, barley and oats. Cereals accumulated the most Zn, followed by the pulses and oilseeds. The pulses were more sensitive to Zn deficiency than the other crops.

Seed inoculation with Bacillus polymyxa markedly increased the yields of rice and chickpea crops, while Pseudomonas striata caused a greater impact on crop production when used with rock phosphate or super-phosphate in a wheat crop. The effect of the phospho-microbe inoculants was greater in phosphorus-deficient soils.

The change in seed oil percentage and 100-seed weight of Brassica juncea Varuna was studied as the crop matured during rabi 1977–78. Statistically, the oil percentage reached its highest value at 55 days from flowering, whereas the 100-seed weight was highest about 20 days later, when the pods were fully yellow. Oil yield (the product of oil percentage and seed weight) also reached its highest value when the pods were fully yellow. This information should enable the crop to be harvested at the proper physiological stage (yellow-podded) for maximum oil yield.

A field experiment was conducted for two consecutive years commencing in 1979–80 on the Indo-Gangetic alluvial soil of Pura to investigate the requirements for zinc of wheat, chickpea, mustard and Egyptian clover. Chickpea and Egyptian clover were more sensitive to zinc deficiency than wheat and mustard, respectively. Average total dry matter production by Egyptian clover and wheat was larger than mustard and chickpea. Egyptian clover and wheat required more zinc to achieve maximum dry matter production but they also recovered from the soil a larger proportion of applied zinc than chickpea and mustard. Mustard produced the most dry matter per unit of zinc absorbed.

The effects of iron pyrites, organic materials and micronutrients on the yield of rice and wheat and on the amelioration of saline sodic soil were studied at Kanpur. The grain yield of the first crop of rice increased from 1.37 to 2.97 t ha−1 following application of pyrites at 50% of the estimated gypsum requirement. The grain yield of succeeding wheat and rice crops also increased significantly with pyrites treatment. These increases were associated with marked decreases in pH, electrical conductivity, exchangeable and soluble sodium content and bulk density of the soil and with an increase in its hydraulic conductivity. The beneficial effect of pyrites was increased with the application of rice straw, Sesbania as green manure and micronutrients, the pyrites plus Sesbania green manure treatment being the most effective.

Oil content (percentage) was determined by pulsed nuclear magnetic spectrometry to study its variability in rai (Brassica juncea) and yellow sarson (B. campestris). Wide inter-varietal and intra-varietal variability was observed in both crops. Genetic aspects of oil content were also worked out, and single-plant and bulk selection methods used for 3 years to exploit the intra-varietal variability. A positive trend in the improvement of oil percentage was observed in 27 out of 30 varieties, some of which showed significant improvements over their respective unselected stocks. A maximum increment of 7% was observed in variety BR 40 of rai and 6% in variety YSM of yellow sarson.

This paper analyses the photovoltaic parameters of the most promising CdS/CdTe solar cells for large application prepared by close space sublimation (CSS) and high vacuum evaporation (HVE). CdS/CdTe solar cells that have an efficiency of~10 % have been studied by current-voltage, capacitance-voltage and quantum efficiency measurements. The current-voltage characteristics show that the addition of small amounts of Cu or Te to back contacts by thermal evaporation improves contact properties by p+-doping the CdTe surface and creating a pseudo-ohmic contact. The cell deposited by CSS seriously suffers in FF compared to the cells prepared by HVE. For both types of the cells above mentioned measurements reveal that the efficiency of CdS/CdTe solar cells fabricated by CSS is limited by a light-dependent shunt resistance and by a high series resistance, but concerning of the cells fabricated by HVE - by the formation of a thick layer of CdS1-xTex at the interface.

To characterize the influence of sodium diffusion on the Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) layer, samples with and without an A12O3 diffusion barrier were investigated by transmission electron microscopy. The soda lime glass acts as a sodium source for samples without diffusion barrier while a post deposition treatment with NaF adds sodium to the CIGS layer for samples with diffusion barrier. For low deposition temperatures in the three-stage growth process for CIGS slightly columnar CIGS grains near the Mo back contact are found and larger grains near the top surface. Samples subject to high-temperature post deposition treatments show slightly larger grain sizes in the CIGS layer than samples prepared at the same temperature but with sodium from the soda lime glass. The surface smoothness of the CIGS layer and therefore the continuity of the following layers is improved for samples with higher deposition temperature. Occasional defects are found on the surface of the ZnO layer which can locally alter reflectivity and absorption properties of these solar cells. Despite the high CIGS surface roughness, the CdS layer with an average thickness of only 50 nm appears continuous and even fills trenches between CIGS grains near the interface.

The formation of MoSe2 has been studied on polycrystalline Mo layers and on Mo single crystals in dependence of the Mo orientation, the Na concentration, and also as a function of the Se source and the substrate temperatures. The Mo substrates were selenized by evaporation of Se. The samples were analyzed by means of X-ray diffraction, Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, elastic recoil detection analysis, and by conventional and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. It was found that the crystal structure and orientation of the MoSe2 layer change with increasing substrate temperature. However, the texture of MoSe2 does not depend on the orientation of the Mo substrate. It was also found that the MoSe2 growth is significantly influenced by the Na concentration at substrate temperatures of 450°C and 580°C.

This article develops a framework for environmental–economic decision-making in a single project case that includes the ecological sustainability criteria, environmental costs, natural resource scarcity prices and local peoples’ preferences and presents a case study of the lowland irrigated agriculture system. The geographic information system (GIS) technique has been used for evaluating ecological criteria and integrating information for use in the cost–benefit analysis at different levels of computation process. The environmental costs and economic value of water associated with the lowland irrigated agriculture are estimated using both the direct and indirect economic valuation approaches. Various sets of alternatives were designed for promoting sustainable use of resources, and the net present value is estimated in each of these cases by incorporating environmental costs and economic values of water obtained from different methods. The cost–benefit analysis (CBA) carried out in these different cases indicated that diversification of crops, rather than the conventional monocropping system, would promote sustainable resource use and generate higher benefits to the farmers and society, if external costs, such as environmental costs and scarcity value of irrigation water, and ecological sustainability criteria are also considered in the economic decision-making process. The results of the case study also indicated that sustainability criteria could well be incorporated into the CBA in a single project case by addressing local people's concerns, resource scarcity values and ecological sustainability criteria with the use of spatial analysis techniques such as GIS.

The recent introduction of dual inlaid Cu and oxide based interconnects within sub-0.25μm CMOS technology has delivered higher performance and lower power devices. Further speed improvements and power reduction may be achieved by reducing the interconnect parasitic capacitance through integration of low-k interlevel dielectric (ILD) materials with Cu. This paper demonstrates successful multi-level dual inlaid Cu/low-k interconnects with ILD permittivities ranging from 2.0 to 2.5. Integration challenges specific to inorganic low-k and Cu based structures are discussed. Through advanced CMP process development, multi-level integration of porous oxide materials with moduli less than 0.5 GPa is demonstrated. Parametric data and isothermal annealing of these Cu/ low-k structures show results with yield comparable to Cu/oxide based interconnects.

The recent introduction of dual inlaid Cu and oxide based interconnects within sub-0.25μm CMOS technology has delivered higher performance and lower power devices. Further speed improvements and power reduction may be achieved by reducing the interconnect parasitic capacitance through integration of low-k interlevel dielectric (ILD) materials with Cu. This paper demonstrates successful multi-level dual inlaid Cu/low-k interconnects with ILD permittivities ranging from 2.0 to 2.5. Integration challenges specific to inorganic low-k and Cu based structures are discussed. Through advanced CMP process development, multi-level integration of porous oxide materials with moduli less than 0.5 GPa is demonstrated. Parametric data and isothermal annealing of these Cu/ low-k structures show results with yield comparable to Cu/oxide based interconnects.