Identifying susceptible groundwater contamination zones in western Odisha of India using hydro-geochemical and geospatial approaches.

Nuapada is one of the most drought-affected and fluoride-contaminated districts in Odisha, India. The presence of various dissolved substances, evapotranspiration, and lowering water table during pre- and post-monsoon (PRM and POM) seasons are responsible for declining groundwater (GW) quality over the Nuapada region. To comprehend the contaminated GW zones over the Nuapada and Komna blocks of the northern Nuapada district during the seasons, integration of hydrogeochemistry and statistical approaches using GW sample data on a geospatial platform have been done.

Nutritional status of reproductive age group women: A community-based study.

Introduction: Anemia continues to be a major public health problem worldwide, particularly among females of reproductive age in developing country settings. The prevalence of anemia in South Asia is among the highest in the world, mirroring overall high rates of malnutrition.

Objective: 1) To estimate the prevalence of anemia and undernutrition among reproductive age group females.

Valence state, hybridization and electronic band structure in the charge ordered AlV2O4.

The valence state, hybridization and electronic band structure of charge ordered AlV2O4 are investigated by measuring the electron energy loss spectra (EELS) and performing band structure calculations using the WIEN2k code. White line ratio and O K edges of V2O5, VO2, V2O3 and AlV2O4, obtained using electron energy loss spectroscopy, are analysed specifically to probe systematically the VO6 octahedra in all of them. The systematic decrease of the L2 intensity and the O K edge intensity from V(5+) in V2O5 to AlV2O4 indicates a progressive increase in the occupancy of the hybridized states, which is corroborated by the absence of a transition from O 1s to hybridized 2t(2g).

Pressure-induced frustration in charge ordered spinel AlV₂O₄.

AlV2O4 is the only spinel compound so far known that exists in the charge ordered state at room temperature. It is known to transform to a charge frustrated cubic spinel structure above 427 ° C. The presence of multivalent V ions in the pyrochlore lattice of the cubic spinel phase brings about the charge frustration that is relieved in the room temperature rhombohedral phase by the clustering of vanadium into a heptamer molecular unit along with a lone V atom.

Synthesis of novel Ru2C under high pressure-high temperature conditions.

We report here, for the first time, synthesis of the Fe(2)N type hexagonal phase of ruthenium carbide by a high pressure-high temperature technique using a laser heated diamond anvil cell (LHDAC). The synthesis is carried out by laser heating a mixture of pure elements, Ru and C, at very low 'pressure' of 5 GPa and T ~ 2000 K. The structure of the temperature quenched high pressure phase is characterized by in situ high pressure x-ray diffraction (HPXRD) and is corroborated by ex situ TEM imaging and diffraction, carried out for the first time on the retrieved sample synthesized by LHDAC.

Cryogenic gas loading in a Mao-Bell-type diamond anvil cell for high pressure-high temperature investigations.

A simple system for loading argon fluid at cryogenic temperatures in a Mao-Bell-type diamond anvil cell (DAC) has been developed. It is done in a two step process in which the piston-cylinder assembly alone is submerged in the cryogenic chamber for trapping the liquefied inert gas. Liquid nitrogen is used for condensing the argon gas.