Impact of posture and upper-limb muscle activity on grip strength

Purpose. The current research was carried out to determine grip strength (GS) with change in posture and upper-limb muscle activity of manual workers and investigate the impacts of these changes. Methods. For the current research, 120 male and 80 female participants were selected and GS was assessed using a digital hand grip dynamometer in various conditions. Results. The outcomes showed that male participants had higher GS as compared to female participants. Maximum GS was found in a standing posture with the fixed forward shoulder at 45°, elbow at 90° and a neutral position of the wrist and forearm for all participants. Conclusions. Higher values of GS were attained in standing postures which may result in attainment of higher performance levels by the workers. The outcomes justify the importance of correct postures during manual work in industries employing traditional methods.     

Reconstituting “America”: The Clean Energy Economy Ventriloquized

With the foregrounding of “clean energy” policies by climate change concerns, the rhetorical constitution of “America” as a collective subject, mobilized to adopt the clean energy economy (CEE), becomes crucial. Here, I analyze the constitutive rhetoric of Pew Charitable Trusts’ landmark 2009 report on the CEE, drawing from the ventriloqual perspective to communication. I argue that this approach provides a more pragmatic, conversational understanding of the interpellative process constituting “America,” noting it to be hybridized and composed of various human and nonhuman agents. Tracing the ingoing interaction among agents—some manifest in the text, others spectral—sheds light on the complex relations of power at stake, recognizes the open-ended possibilities (and restrictions) of agency, and the role of material structures shaping environmental communication and policy.     

Decay profile and metabolic pathways of quinalphos in water, soil and plants

The widespread occurrence of pesticide residues in different agricultural and food commodities has raised concern among the environmentalists and food chemists. In order to keep a proper track of these materials, studies on their decay profiles in the various segments of ecosystem under varying environmental conditions are needed. In view of this, the metabolites of quinalphos in water and soil under controlled conditions and in plants, namely tomato and radish in field conditions have been analysed and possible pathways suggested. In order to follow the decay of the pesticide, an HPLC procedure has been developed. Studies conducted in water at different temperatures, pH and organic content reveal that the persistence of the pesticide decreases with the increase in all the three variables. In the three different types of soils studied, the effect of pH is more or less apparent on a similar line. On an average a faster decay is observed in the case of plants than in water and soil. The decay profiles in all these cases follow first order kinetics. The metabolites were identified by GC-MS. The investigations reflect that degradation occurs through hydrolysis, S-oxidation, dealkylation and thiono-thiol rearrangement. The pathways seem to be complex and different metabolites were observed with the change in the matrix. Quinalphos oxon, O-ethyl-O-quinoxalin-2-yl phosphoric acid, 2-hydroxy quinoxaline and quinoxaline-2-thiol were observed in all the matrices. Results further indicate that the metabolites, 2-hydroxy quinoxaline and oxon, which are more toxic than parent compound, persist for a longer time.     

Design and manufacturing of femoral stems for the Indian population

Several researchers have stressed the need for a proper implant-patient match in hip joint replacements, in particular, for cementless femoral stems. Some of the complications of mismatch are aseptic loosening, improper load distribution, and discomfort. In this study, the differences in dimensions between femurs of elderly Indians and those of populations from other regions are compared in order to solve the problem of a possible geometric mismatch between a selected implant and the femurs of an Indian patients are concerned. This paper also describes a methodology for implant designing from measured anthropometric data, fit evaluation, finite element (FE) stress analysis and subsequently implant manufacturing using the CAM (Computer Aided Manufacturing) technique. The machining of the Titanium alloy femoral stem is usually performed on a 5 Axis CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machining center. However, in this study the machining of the femoral stem was effectively performed on a 3 Axis CNC machining center to emphasize on economical benefits for low cost manufacturing strategy.     

Indoor Ozone Exposures

Indoor and outdoor ozone concentrations were measured from late May through October at three office buildings with very different ventilation rates. The indoor values closely tracked the outdoor values, and, depending on the ventilation rate, were 20 to 80 percent of those outdoors. The Indoor/outdoor data are adequately described with a mass balance model. The model can also be coupled with reported air exchange rates to estimate indoor/outdoor ratios for other structures. The results from this and previous studies indicate that Indoor concentrations are frequently a significant fraction of outdoor values. These observations, and the fact that most people spend greater than 90 percent of their time indoors, indicate that indoor ozone exposure (concentration × time) is greater than outdoor exposure for many people. Relatively Inexpensive strategies exist to reduce indoor ozone levels, and these could be implemented to reduce the public’s total ozone exposure.     

Speciation of heavy metals in biosolids of wastewater treatment plants at Mysore,Karnataka, India

Urban wastewater treatment leads to the generation of large quantities of biosolids. Accumulation of biosolids is a problem of environmental relevance due to the existence of heavy metals in the biosolids. Determination of total metal in biosolid provides information relating pollution levels. Determination of their mobilization capacity and behaviour in the environment is an important task. An experimental approach commonly used for studying the mobility, transport and bioavailability of metal in biosolids is the use of selective sequential extraction procedure. In the present study an attempt has been made to study the heavy metal properties in biosolid samples collected from urban wastewater treatment plants located at Mysore, Karnataka. Few heavy metals selected for the present study are cadmium, chromium, copper, iron, nickel and zinc. The concentration of these metals in biosolids and their partition in different fractions are studied. The speciation of metals based on the sequential extraction scheme was carried out. The concentration of heavy metals is lower than that established by European legislation. The residual fraction has the maximum percentage of heavy metals whereas, only a small fraction of heavy metals (Fe, Zn and Cd) are extracted in the most soluble fractions, exchangeable and carbonate fractions.     

Variations in some environmental characteristics including C and N stable isotopic composition of suspended organic matter in the Mandovi estuary

Chemical and isotopic (??¹³C and ??¹⁵N) investigation of the Mandovi estuary along the Indian west coast affected strongly by the seasonal monsoon cycle was carried out. The Mandovi estuary is a major waterway for Goa and extensively used for transportation of iron and manganese ore. In addition, with large population centers as well as agricultural fields located on its shores, the estuary is assumed to have been influenced by human activities. Measurements of chemical and isotopic parameters made in the lower part of the estuary during the southwest (SW) monsoon and post-monsoon seasons reveal distinct changes, and it is observed that despite considerable enrichment of macronutrients during the SW monsoon, productivity of the estuary (phytoplankton biomass), as inferred from the chlorophyll-a content, is not as high as expected. This is due to occurrences of high turbidity and cloud cover that limits photosynthetic productivity. The isotopic characterization (C and N isotopes) of suspended organic matter produced/transported during the monsoon and post-monsoon seasons of year 2007 provides a baseline dataset for future isotopic studies in such type of tropical estuaries.     

Bacterial assisted phytoremediation for enhanced degradation of highly sulfonated diazo reactive dye

Purpose

Phytoremediation is the exploitation of plants and their rhizospheric microorganisms for pollutants treatment like textile dyes, which are toxic, carcinogenic and mutagenic from the effluent. The purpose of this work was to explore a naturally found plant and bacterial synergism to achieve an enhanced degradation of Remazol Black B dye (RBB).

Methods

In vitro cultures of Zinnia angustifolia were obtained by seed culture method. Enzymatic analysis of the plant roots and Exiguobacterium aestuarii strain ZaK cells was performed before and after decolorization of RBB. Metabolites of RBB formed after its degradation were analyzed using UV?CVis spectroscopy, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and gas chromatography?Cmass spectrometry (GC-MS). Phytotoxicity studies were performed.

Results

The consortium ZE was found to be more efficient than individual plant and bacteria. Z. angustifolia roots showed significant induction in the activities of lignin peroxidase, laccase, DCIP reductase and tyrosinase during dye decolorization. E. aestuarii showed significant induction in the activities of veratryl alcohol oxidase, azo reductase and DCIP reductase. Analysis of metabolites revealed differential metabolism of RBB by plant, bacteria and consortium ZE. E. aestuarii and Z. angustifolia led to the formation of 3,6-diamino-4-hydroxynaphthalene-2-sulfonic acid, (ethylsulfonyl)benzene, and 3,4,6-trihydroxynaphthalene-2-sulfonic acid and propane-1-sulfonic acid, respectively, whereas consortium ZE produced 4-hydroxynaphthalene-2-sulfonic acid, naphthalene-2-sulfonic acid and 4-(methylsulfonyl)phenol. The phytotoxicity study revealed the nontoxic nature of the metabolites formed after dye degradation.

Conclusion

Consortium ZE was found to be more efficient and faster in the degradation of RBB when compared to degradation by Z. angustifoila and E. aestuarii individually.     

Origin and characterisation of microparticles in an ice core from the Central Dronning Maud Land, East Antarctica

The scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectroscopic (SEM-EDS) study of selected samples from an ice core collected from Central Dronning Maud Land (CDML), East Antarctica, revealed several microparticles. They are mainly siliceous and carbonaceous particles and have distinct variations in their shape and composition. The morphology and major element chemistry of the particles suggest their origin from either volcanic eruptions or continental dust. The EDS analysis revealed that the volcanic particles are enriched in silica (average SiO2 62%), compared to the continental dust particle (average SiO2 56%). We found that the tephra relating to Agung (1963) and Karkatau (1883) volcanic eruptions, as recorded, in the ice core harbored microbial cells (both coocoid and rods). The occurrence of organic and inorganic particles which bear relation to volcanic eruption and continental dust implies significant environmental changes in the recent past.     

Phytoremediation of textile effluent and mixture of structurally different dyes by Glandularia pulchella (Sweet) Tronc

Plants of Glandularia pulchella (Sweet) Tronc. performed decolorization of structurally different dyes to varying extent because of induction of different set of enzymes in response to specific dyes. Differential pattern of enzyme induction with respect to time was obtained for lignin peroxidase, veratryl alcohol oxidase, tyrosinase and dichlorophenolindophenol reductase during the decolorization of dye mixture, whose combined action resulted in greater and faster decolorization of dyes. HPLC, FTIR and High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography (HPTLC) analysis confirmed degradation of dyes from textile effluent and mixture. HPTLC demonstrated progressive decolorization of dye mixture along with preferential degradation of the dyes. G. pulchella showed reduction in American Dye Manufacturer's Institute from 405 to 21 and 418 to 22, in case of textile effluent and mixture of dyes respectively. The non-toxic nature of the metabolites of degraded textile dye effluent and mixture of dyes was revealed by phytotoxicity studies.