SYNOPSISShort pineapple-leaf-fiber-(PALF) -reinforced low-density polyethylene (LDPE) composites were prepared by melt-mixing and solution-mixing methods. In the melt-mixing technique, a mixing time of 6 min, rotor speed of 60 rpm, and mixing temperature of 130°C were found to be the optimum conditions. Tensile properties of melt-mixed and solution-mixed composites were compared. Solution-mixed composites showed better properties than meltmixed composites. The influence of fiber length, fiber loading, and orientation on the mechanical properties has also been evaluated. Fiber breakage and damage during processing were analyzed from fiber distribution curve and optical and scanning electron micrographs. Considering the overall mechanical properties and processability characteristics, fiber length of 6 mm was found to be the optimum length of pineapple leaf fiber for the reinforcement in LDPE. The mechanical properties were found to be enhanced and elongation a t break reduced with increasing fiber loading. Longitudinally oriented composites showed better properties than randomly and transversely oriented composites. Recyclability of the composite was found to be very good. A comparison of the properties of the PALF-reinforced LDPE composites with those of other cellulose-fiber-reinforced LDPE systems indicated superior performance of the PALF-LDPE composites. 0 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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Brinjal/eggplant/aubergine is one of the major solanaceous vegetable crops. Recent availability of genome information greatly facilitates the fundamental research on brinjal. Gene expression patterns during different stages of fruit development can provide clues towards the understanding of its biological functions. Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) has become one of the most widely used methods for rapid and accurate quantification of gene expression. However, its success depends on the use of a suitable reference gene for data normalization. For qPCR analysis, a single reference gene is not universally suitable for all experiments. Therefore, reference gene validation is a crucial step. Suitable reference genes for qPCR analysis of brinjal fruit development have not been investigated so far. In this study, we have selected 21 candidate reference genes from the Brinjal (Solanum melongena) Plant Gene Indices database (compbio.dfci.harvard.edu/tgi/plant.html) and studied their expression profiles by qPCR during six different fruit developmental stages (0, 5, 10, 20, 30, and 50 days post anthesis) along with leaf samples of the Pusa Purple Long (PPL) variety. To evaluate the stability of gene expression, geNorm and NormFinder analytical softwares were used. geNorm identified SAND (SAND family protein) and TBP (TATA binding protein) as the best pairs of reference genes in brinjal fruit development. The results showed that for brinjal fruit development, individual or a combination of reference genes should be selected for data normalization. NormFinder identified Expressed gene (expressed sequence) as the best single reference gene in brinjal fruit development. In this study, we have identified and validated for the first time reference genes to provide accurate transcript normalization and quantification at various fruit developmental stages of brinjal which can also be useful for gene expression studies in other Solanaceae plant species.

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Cerium oxide (CeO 2 ) nanoparticles are added to different lubricating oils together with suitable surfactants to obtain modified nanolubricants. Lubricating properties of these surfactant modified nanolubricants have been investigated using a pin on disc tribotester under boundary lubrication conditions. Coconut oil, paraffin oil and a commercial engine oil (SAE15W40) have been used as base oils for the present study. Changes in frictional coefficient and specific wear rate have been studied as a function of nanoparticle concentration in the lubricant together with an estimation of the settling trend of nanoparticles with time. Results show that the frictional force and specific wear rate decrease with increase in concentration of nanoparticles, come to a minimum at a specific concentration level and then increase, showing the presence of an optimum concentration level at which both friction and wear are the least. At this concentration level, coconut oil shows the lowest frictional coefficient and specific wear rate among the three oils studied. The morphology of the pin surfaces after sliding has been studied using atomic force microscopy, optical interferometer and SEM. When CeO 2 nanoparticles are added to the lubrication oil together with surfactant modification, settling trend and agglomeration of nanoparticles with time are reduced to a great extent compared to the case in which nanoparticles are added without surfactant modification.

SummaryWe have examined the patterns of DNA sequence variation in and around the genes coding for ICAM1 and TNF, which play functional and correlated roles in inflammatory processes and immune cell responses, in 12 diverse ethnic groups of India. We aimed to (a) quantify the nature and extent of the variation, and (b) analyse the observed patterns of variation in relation to population history and ethnic background. At the ICAM1 and TNF loci, respectively, the total numbers of SNPs that were detected were 28 and 12. Many of these SNPs are not shared across ethnic groups and are unreported in the dbSNP or TSC databases, including two fairly common non-synonymous SNPs at positions 13487 and 13542 in the ICAM1 gene. Conversely, the TNF-376A SNP that is reported to be associated with susceptibility to malaria was not found in our study populations, even though some of the populations inhabit malaria endemic areas. Wide between-population variation in the frequencies of shared SNPs and coefficients of linkage disequilibrium have been observed. These findings have profound implications in case-control association studies.