Department of Science and Technology

Anthropogenic stresses and climate change are posing a growing threat to the Barda Hills, an ecologically delicate wildlife sanctuary in Gujarat, India. This study examines the interconnected dynamics of land use change, land surface temperature (LST), spectral indices, topography, and lithology to provide an integrated geo-hydro-biological assessment from 1995 to 2025. Topographic modeling, geochemical analysis, and multi-temporal remote sensing data were all combined in a multidisciplinary approach. According to the findings, there has been a sharp 64.7% decrease in dense vegetation cover, a 62.1% increase in bare land, and a notable increase in the maximum LST from 40.7°C to 50.5°C. Significant correlations between LST and spectral indices were found, indicating that built-up areas intensify the urban heat island effect, as shown by the Normalized Difference Built-up Index (NDBI) with LST (r = +0.75), and that vegetation and moisture serve as natural coolants, as indicated by the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) with LST (r = –0.53). It was discovered that lithology and topography were important modulating factors, with north-facing slopes acting as essential microclimatic refugia. Anthropogenic and natural factors are combined in this analysis. In addition to mining and urbanization pressures, it takes topography and lithology into account. Targeted strategies to strike a balance between development and conservation can be proposed thanks to this integrated approach. The results highlight the critical need for water resource management, rigorous mining regulations, and slope-specific afforestation in order to improve the ecological resilience of the Barda Hills. The methodology described provides a reproducible model for evaluating and protecting semi-arid ecosystems around the world.

The need for natural biocontrol agents has intensified due to the rising environmental impacts of synthetic insecticides and the increasing resistance of key agricultural pests, including the Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda). The aim of the current study was to determine the time and effectiveness profile of CORNTRA, a novel maize-derived β-32 Ribosome-Inactivating Protein (RIP) biopesticide. Through solvent extraction and ammonium sulfate precipitation, a concentrated RIP stock was formulated with 5% ethanol and tested against 2nd–4th instar larvae. Bioassays revealed that CORNTRA achieved a 100.00% mean corrected mortality, numerically exceeding the 83.33% mortality of the 0.5% chlorpyrifos benchmark. One-way ANOVA confirmed significant treatment effects (F (2, 6) = 31.00, p = 0.0007), while Tukey’s HSD indicated no significant difference in lethal efficacy between CORNTRA and the synthetic control (p = 0.4736), showing their near-equal performance. Crucially, CORNTRA also demonstrated a significantly faster onset of action (F (2,6) = 61.00, p = 0.0001) in comparison to the synthetic control, greatly outperforming it (p = 0.0064). Overall, CORNTRA showed a superior performance profile, combining rapid activity with high efficacy, highlighting its potential as a sustainable and effective biopesticide for the control of S. frugiperda.

BackgroundCarbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) has become a major global public health threat, with limited treatment options and poor clinical outcomes. In this study, we evaluated the potential of antimicrobial peptides as adjuvants in the treatment of CRAB.MethodsIn vitro synergistic and bactericidal effects of DD-S052P in combination with the US Food and Drug Administration-approved antibiotics against CRAB were assessed using the checkerboard method and time-kill assay. Mice infected with CRAB were used to evaluate the survival-enhancing effects of DD-S052P-based combination therapy. CRAB isolates were obtained from blood samples of patients with bacteremia.ResultsIn both the checkerboard method and time-kill assay, DD-S052P demonstrated in vitro synergistic activity against CRAB isolates when combined with ampicillin/sulbactam, ceftolozane/tazobactam, and colistin. Notably, all combinations exhibited bactericidal effects against CRAB isolates in the time-kill assay. Combination therapy with DD-S052P plus colistin yielded a 100% survival rate in the mouse infection models.ConclusionOur findings indicate that DD-S052P in combination with colistin may represent a promising therapeutic option for CRAB infections. Further research is required to elucidate the mechanisms by which DD-S052P overcomes existing carbapenem resistance and validate its clinical applicability.

The study presents a novel process to design lightweight, high-performance cooling manifolds for power electronics using generative design. The process begins with a baseline design that defines the constraints of the manifold with regard to the target cooling geometry and flow path. A flow optimization is then performed to optimize flow distribution and maximize convective efficiency. Once a final fluid volume is obtained, a structural optimization is conducted to minimize weight and material usage. The simulation results for the final design demonstrated a 40.1% increase in the average heat transfer coefficient, a 7.5% decrease in average chip temperature, a 76.6% improvement in temperature uniformity, and a 63.3% reduction in weight at the expense of a minimal 5.1% increase in pressure drop compared to the baseline design.