Indian Institute of Technology Palakkad&nbsp;(IIT Palakkad or IIT PKD) is a public autonomous&nbsp;engineering&nbsp;and&nbsp;research&nbsp;institute located in&nbsp;Palakkad,&nbsp;Kerala. It was&nbsp;one of the five new&nbsp;IITs&nbsp;proposed in the&nbsp;2014 Union budget of India. The campus was inaugurated on 3 August 2015. The institute has 94 faculty, 978 students, and 63 non-teaching staffs.

IT Palakkad currently offers four-year Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) and two years MS programmes in 8 different engineering disciplines including&nbsp;Computer Science, Electrical, Mechanical, Civil among others.

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IIT Palakkad

Bacteria such as Escherichia coli move about in a series of runs and tumbles: while a run state (straight motion) entails all the flagellar motors spinning in counterclockwise (CCW) mode, a tumble is caused by a shift in the state of one or more motors to clockwise (CW) spinning mode. In the presence of an attractant gradient in the environment, runs in the favourable direction are extended, and this results in a net drift of the organism in the direction of the gradient. Existing theoretical predictions for the drift velocity are limited to exponentially distributed run durations. However, recent experimental observations strongly suggest that the CCW and CW intervals have gamma, rather than exponential distributions. We present a path-integral method which can be used to compute various quantities of interest for the run and tumble walk, with and without chemotaxis, for arbitrary distributions of run and tumble intervals, as power series expansions in the gradient. The effectiveness of the method is demonstrated by deriving a number of existing results for the mean-squared displacement (including motion with directional persistence and algebraically distributed run times) and also chemotactic drift (with exponentially distributed run intervals) in a systematic way, starting from a set of general formulae. New results for chemotactic drift velocity for gamma-distributed run and tumble intervals are then derived, in the limit of weak gradients. Finally, by making use of available experimental data, we make testable predictions for the dependence of the drift velocity on the clockwise bias of the flagellar motor. © 2019 IOP Publishing Ltd.

World University root node

Department of Physics

Fulltext

Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretical

A path-integral characterization of run and tumble motion and chemotaxis of bacteria

Studying the deformation and breakup behavior of molten metal droplets is crucial in the context of their atomization to form metal powders. During secondary breakup, droplets deform and then break up. The initial deformation plays an important role in the breakup phenomenon, as it is the first stage that the droplet goes through during its breakup. In this work, secondary breakup experiments were performed at low Weber numbers where the bag breakup mode is predominant and deformation characteristics of the droplet were measured. Since studies on molten metals are scarce, the test liquids included high-surface-tension liquids (molten tin and gallium), as well as water and ethanol, to obtain a wide range of surface tension values (0.71-0.022 N/m). The objectives were to investigate deformation and breakup behavior of molten metals compared to waterlike liquids, to examine the range of Weber numbers corresponding to the bag breakup mode and to check the applicability of the standard Taylor analogy breakup (TAB) model to molten metal atomization. The experimental results show that the deformation and breakup characteristics of molten metal droplets are different from classical waterlike liquids; the extent of deformation and the deformation rate are low for molten metals. To take this into account, a correlation relating the maximum cross-stream length to the initial droplet diameter is proposed. A semianalytical model which predicts the deformation of the droplet is also presented. The results from this model agree well with our experimental results and the literature. The model also performs better than the TAB model for most of the conditions studied. © 2019 by Begell House, Inc. www.begellhouse.com

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Atomization and Sprays

Experimental and semianalytical investigation of droplet deformation in a cross-flow

This study details syntheses of unsymmetrical magnesium(I)-adduct complexes, [(ArNacnac)(D)Mg-Mg(ArNacnac)] (ArNacnac = [(ArNCMe)2CH]-), Ar = xylyl (Xyl), mesityl (Mes), 2,6-diethylphenyl (Dep), or 2,6-diisopropylphenyl (Dip); D = N-heterocyclic carbene or 4-dimethylaminopyridine, DMAP), which X-ray crystallographic studies show to have markedly elongated Mg-Mg bonds. Two of these highly reactive species are shown to reductively trimerize CO to yield rare crystallographically characterized examples of the planar, aromatic deltate dianion, incorporated in the complexes [{(DipNacnac)(D)Mg(μ-C3O3)Mg(DipNacnac)}2] (D = DMAP or:C{N(Me)C(Me)}2). DFT calculations suggest that these complexes form via stepwise two-electron reductions of three CO molecules, resulting in the formation of three C-C bonds within the cyclic deltate unit. This work highlights the utility of activated magnesium(I) adduct complexes as soluble organometallic models for the study of reductive C-C bond-forming events in, for example, the heterogeneously catalyzed Fischer-Tropsch process. © 2019 American Chemical Society.

Department of Chemistry

Journal of the American Chemical Society

Reductive trimerization of CO to the deltate dianion using activated magnesium (I) compounds

Cadmium and lead tolerant plant growth promoting rhizobacteria can be an eco-friendly option for reclamation of metal-contaminated soil and mitigation of heavy metal stress for phytostimulation to develop sustainable agriculture. Novel heavy metal tolerant PGPR strain isolation is prerequisite in practical scale. The present study was to isolate, characterize and identify cadmium and lead tolerant PGPR strains. Some potent multi heavy metal tolerant PGPRs were isolated from rhizospheric soil contaminated with industrial, sewage or agrochemical waste and two most promising strains were identified as Lysinibacillus varians strain KUBM17 and Pseudomonas putida strain KUBM18 on the basis of 16S rDNA sequencing. These two strains were exhibiting a high degree of Cd and Pb tolerant ability with bioaccumulatory properties to remove Cd and Pb from the medium which was evidenced by AAS study. Furthermore, L. varians strain KUBM17 and P. putida strain KUBM18 showed very promising PGP traits such as ammonia production, IAA production (20-22 mu g/ml), Nitrogen fixation, phosphate solubilization (55-515 ppm) and siderophore production (14-40 nmole) capability together with biocontrol properties with survival ability under different agro-climatic conditions. These PGPR isolates improved the early radish plant growth under cadmium and lead stress condition. So, KUBM 17 and KUBM 18 might be concerned as PGPR-biofertilizer in heavy metal-contaminated agricultural soil.

SOIL \& SEDIMENT CONTAMINATION

Isolation of Cadmium and Lead Tolerant Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria: Lysinibacillus Varians and Pseudomonas Putida from Indian Agricultural Soil

Biological Sciences and Engineering

Immunotherapy

Current trends with FOXP3+ regulatory T cell immunotherapy to contest autoimmunity and inflammation

Background: Therapeutic normal IgG or intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) exerts anti-inflammatory effects through several mutually nonexclusive mechanisms. Recent data in mouse models of autoimmune disease suggest that IVIG induces IL-4 in basophils by enhancing IL-33 in SIGN-related 1–positive innate cells. However, translational insight on these data is lacking. Objective: We sought to investigate the effect of IVIG on human basophil functions. Methods: Isolated circulating basophils from healthy donors were cultured in the presence of IL-3, IL-33, GM-CSF, thymic stromal lymphopoietin, or IL-25. The effect of IVIG and F(ab')2 and Fc IVIG fragments was examined based on expression of various surface molecules, phosphorylation of spleen tyrosine kinase, induction of cytokines, and histamine release. Basophil phenotypes were also analyzed from IVIG-treated patients with myopathy. Approaches, such as depletion of anti-IgE reactivity from IVIG, blocking antibodies, or inhibitors, were used to investigate the mechanisms. Results: We report that IVIG directly induces activation of IL-3–primed human basophils, but IL-33 and other cytokines were dispensable for this effect. Activation of basophils by IVIG led to enhanced expression of CD69 and secretion of IL-4, IL-6, and IL-8. IVIG-treated patients with myopathy displayed enhanced expression of CD69 on basophils. The spleen tyrosine kinase pathway is implicated in these functions of IVIG and were mediated by F(ab')2 fragments. Mechanistically, IVIG induced IL-4 in human basophils by interacting with basophil surface-bound IgE but independent of FcγRII, type II Fc receptors, C-type lectin receptors, and sialic acid–binding immunoglobulin-like lectins. Conclusion: These results uncovered a pathway of promoting the TH2 response by IVIG through direct interaction of IgG with human basophils. © 2018 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology

Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology

Intravenous immunoglobulin induces IL-4 in human basophils by signaling through surface-bound IgE

Herein we report the synthesis of fluorescent, glycosylated 4-amino-1,8-naphthalimide (Nap) 1, and the related 1,8-naphthalimides Tröger's bases (TBNap) 2 and 3, from 1,8-naphthalic anhydride precursors, the α-mannosides being introduced through the use of CuAAC mediated ‘click' chemistry. We investigate the photophysical properties of these probes in buffered solution and demonstrate their ability to function as fluorescent probes for Concanavalin A (Con A) lectin. We show that both the Nap and TBNap structures self-assemble in solution. The formation of the resulting supramolecular structures is driven by head-to-tail π-π stacking and extended hydrogen bonding interactions of the Nap and the triazole moieties. These interactions give rise to spherical nano-structures (ca. 260 nm and 100 nm, for 1 and 3, respectively), which interact with the Con-A protein, the interaction being probed by using both luminescent and Scanning Electron Microscopy imaging as well as dynamic light scattering measurements. Finally, we show that these supramolecular assembles can be used as luminescent imaging agents, through confocal fluorescence imaging of HeLa cells of the per-acetylated version 2. © The Royal Society of Chemistry.

Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry

Glycosylated naphthalimides and naphthalimide Tröger's bases as fluorescent aggregation probes for Con A

The authors regret that there were errors in the structure of compounds 2/3 in Scheme 1. The correct scheme is shown below. [Formula Presented]. The Royal Society of Chemistry apologises for these errors and any consequent inconvenience to authors and readers. © The Royal Society of Chemistry.

Correction: Glycosylated naphthalimides and naphthalimide Tröger's bases as fluorescent aggregation probes for Con A (Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry (2019) DOI: 10.1039/c8ob02980f)

In this paper, a constant switching frequency predictive control method for a three-level flying capacitor active front end converter is presented for the first time. This predictive control scheme results in reduced switching frequency operation of the converter with reduced computation burden compared to conventional predictive control methods. For the predictive controller, the cost function is defined in terms of grid current error vector in synchronously rotating d-q frame and the condition for optimal converter voltage vector is derived. The optimal converter voltage vector is then synthesized using level shifted carrier based space vector modulation. Thus the proposed method overcomes the disadvantage of variable switching frequency in predictive based control methods. The controller ensures very low harmonic distortion of line currents with minimum computational requirement of the predictive controller. The performance of the proposed predictive controller is analysed using MATLAB/SIMULINK and the results are compared with that of a conventional PI based control. It can be observed that the proposed controller results in similar performance in terms of harmonic spectrum, better performance in response time and decoupled control compared to a classical PI based controller and can be readily used for grid connected power conversion applications and distributed generation systems.

Department of Electrical Engineering

IEEE Region 10 Annual International Conference, Proceedings/TENCON

Constant Switching Frequency Virtual Vector Based Predictive Control of a Three-Level Flying Capacitor Active Front End Converter

Fifth generation (5G) of mobile networks are expected to serve multiple heterogeneous use cases. These use cases are extremely diverse in terms of service requirements and bundling them in a single monolithic network is a challenge. Network slicing is identified as one of the main enablers of 5G systems, where multiple logical End-to-End (E2E) networks share the resources of a single physical network. Radio Resource Management (RRM) in a sliced network should be able to simultaneously fulfill the required services of slices, dynamically share the network and assure the independence of slices so that slices cannot affect each other negatively. In this paper, we study the existing mechanisms that provide similar features in legacy networks and demonstrate the contributions and shortcomings of such existing RRM mechanisms in a sliced network. Thereafter, we argue the need for a new entity that will complement the existing RRM mechanisms to be slice-aware. With the aid of system-level simulations, we compare different slicing schemes and illustrate the drawbacks of legacy networks in fulfilling the objectives of a fully sliced network. Moreover, we illustrate the capabilities of the slice-aware RRM in steering the network's Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). © 2019 IEEE.