The Nucleus

Occupational Hazards and Environmental Consequences of Sandstone Mining: A Case Study from Soorsagar, Jodhpur, Rajasthan

B. Saha — Thu, 06 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0500

Mining plays a crucial role in the economic growth and supports national development. However, it also raises significant concerns due to its environmental impact and health risks, particularly in the nearby areas. In India’s sandstone mines, both mechanical and manual methods are employed. Mining operations rely heavily on equipment such as trucks, dumpers, compressors, drills for blasting, and cranes for lifting heavy blocks. These activities generate large amounts of dust containing high levels of silica, which poses severe health risks. Prolonged inhalation of silica dust can lead to silicosis, a preventable but serious disease characterized by dyspnoea (shortness of breath) and persistent cough, and is sometimes associated with lung cancer and tuberculosis. Silicosis is one of the most common occupational diseases globally and has a significant impact on workers' health in developing countries like India. The use of heavy machinery and vehicles also creates high levels of noise and vibration in the surrounding. Prolonged exposure to noise can result in occupational hearing loss due to neurosensory deafness. Additionally, continuous exposure to whole-body vibrations leads to degenerative spinal conditions, including chronic back pain. Although stone quarrying near Soorsagar, Jodhpur, contributes to both the rural and national economies, its environmental consequences are considerable. Unplanned and haphazard quarrying has resulted in environmental degradation, and unauthorized mining activities have further worsened the local ecological balance.

LRS Bianchi Type-I Cosmological Model in Modified f(R, T) Gravitation Theory filled with Perfect Fluid

V. Ingle, V.G. Mete — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0500

This study explores LRS Bianchi Type-I space time filled with a perfect fluid within the framework of f(R,T) gravity, where R represents the Ricci scalar and T denotes the trace of the stress-energy momentum tensor. We analyze the simplest form of cosmic evolution in the context of general non-minimally coupled gravity models. Two specific models of f(R,T) gravity are considered. A time-dependent deceleration parameter is introduced, leading to an accelerated universe with an exact field solution. Additionally, we examine the kinematical and physical properties of the proposed models.

Assessment of Spring Distribution across Pakistan: Implications for Water Security

G. Akbar, M.B. Iqbal — Wed, 12 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0500

Springs play a vital role in Pakistan’s water security, particularly in remote regions where they serve as a lifeline for agriculture, livestock, and domestic needs. However, increased pressure on spring resources from climate change, population growth, deforestation, and land degradation has significantly reduced their availability. Springs have been largely overlooked in both research and policy formulation in Pakistan. This study assesses the distribution and status of springs across Pakistan’s main provinces and regions. Focusing on the springs data from the 2023 Survey of Pakistan, along with population data from the 2023 census and climatic data from the nearest stations of Pakistan Meteorological Department, this study maps the spatial distribution of springs and examines the influence of environmental parameters, such as rainfall, temperature, elevation, and slope on their existence. The findings highlight that 81% of the nation’s springs are concentrated in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Baluchistan provinces, with substantial regional dependency on these resources. The Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region of Pakistan hosts around 5051 springs (28%) in Pakistan. Approximately 114 million people live in 108 spring districts with an average of around 25000 persons per spring, while the average spring density is around three springs per ten thousand hectares. Through province-level mapping, this study underscores the urgent need for sustainable policies to conserve springs and improve water security. This study emphasized the need for sustainable water management policies and their urgent field implementation that prioritize spring conservation and adaptation to climate change impacts.

Statistical Analysis of Yttrium-Doped ZnO Nanoparticles for Gas Sensing Applications

S. Kumar, A. Nehra — Wed, 12 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0500

Yttrium-doped ZnO (YZ) thin films were synthesized using sol-gel spin coating technique on planar glass substrates. Their optical and electrical properties were analyzed to assess their potential for O₂ gas detection. XRD analysis confirmed a hexagonal wurtzite crystal structure, while FE-SEM images revealed a network of spherical nanoparticles. Optical transmission spectra showed that increasing Y-dopant concentration widened the bandgap from 3.27 eV to 3.30 eV. Electrical measurements indicated that YZ3 exhibited highest conductivity. Gas sensing performance was evaluated for YZ2 and YZ4 at an O₂ flow rate of 450 sccm and an operating temperature of 70°C. Among them, YZ4 demonstrated the highest response, reaching a value of 1, with a fast response time of 2 seconds and a recovery time of 4 seconds. Statistical analysis suggests that YZ thin films hold promise for efficient gas sensing at lower operating temperatures.

Evaluation of Radiation and Radiation Protection Awareness Among Radiographers Working in Hospitals of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), Pakistan

M. Raza, B. Hussain — Mon, 24 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0500

Radiation, in terms of ionizing or non-ionizing form, has always had a pivotal role in the field of medical diagnosis and treatment. Its uses also contain a lot of risk and increase the risk of cancer. Numerous challenges with radiation awareness, hazards, protections, safety measures, and dosimetry usage need to be evaluated in radiology departments of public and private hospitals located in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB). This study aims to assess the radiation protection awareness and practices among radiographers working in public and private hospitals of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB). This study included 18 public sectors and 21 private sector hospitals (total of 39) in GB. Mostly general radiography, computed tomography, and dental radiography are used in all hospitals included in this study, along with that some hospitals also using mammography, MRI, and interventional radiology. All hospitals included in this study have limited resources of radiation facilities. This Cross-sectional study was carried out using a validated questionnaire, which was completed by 74 (67 male & 7 female) radiographers. The data was collected through purposive sampling and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), version 21.0. This study concludes that 93.2 % of radiographers are well-aware that X-ray emits ionizing radiation, but only 36.5 %, and 32.4.0%, respectively, think that Ultrasound and MRI emit ionizing radiation. And 97.3 % of radiographers are aware of the radiation sensitivity of the Human Reproductive Organs.

Re-Analysis of Neutron Capture on 90,92Zr at s-Process Energies

Zain Ul Abideen, A.K. Khan — Tue, 27 May 2025 00:00:00 +0500

The Maxwellian-averaged cross sections (MACS) for the ^90,92Zr(n,γ)^91,93Zr processes were analyzed within the framework of the Hauser-Feshbach theory, making use of microscopic nuclear inputs. The effects of nuclear level densities and photon strength functions were studied for the mentioned isotopes. A comparison with the experimental data and KADoNiS was conducted at the s-process energies. Good agreement was achieved for both nuclear reactions under study. Finally, making use of the best-fit microscopic nuclear ingredients, we calculated the thermonuclear reaction rates, which show a reduction from the previously reported calculations.

DFT-Based Quantum Chemical Analysis of Coumarin Derivatives

S. More, O. Patil, S. Chillargikar, D. Lalasangi, S. M. Hanagodimath — Tue, 27 May 2025 00:00:00 +0500

The goal of the current work is to use density functional theory (DFT) at the B3LYP level of theory, using a basis set of 6-311++G (d, p), to comprehend the physical and chemical characteristics of 6-Methoxy-4-(4-nitro-phenoxy methyl)-chromen-2-one (6MNPM) and 1-(4-nitro-phenoxy methyl)-benzo[f]-chromen-3-one (4NPMB) of coumarin derivatives. Bond lengths and bond angles, two geometrical parameters, are calculated for coumarin derivatives. We have estimated the frontier molecular orbitals (FMO). Furthermore, to shed light on the stability and chemical reactivity of coumarin derivatives, the global reactivity descriptors were computed using FMO. The molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) investigation aims to identify the coumarin molecules' preferred locations for electrophilic and nucleophilic attacks. The distribution of atomic charge in Mulliken has been performed. The nonlinear optical properties (NLO) of coumarin molecules have been calculated to assess their suitability for NLO applications. The computation of natural bonding orbital (NBO) allows the identification of the most likely intense intermolecular interactions. The analysis focused on the temperature dependency of the thermodynamic characteristics of coumarin derivatives.

Study of Kinetic and Neutronic Parameters for HEU and Potential LEU/MEU Fuels in a Typical MNSR

M. Sohail, H. Tariq, R. Ahmed — Wed, 28 May 2025 00:00:00 +0500

The MTR-PC package, which combines WIMSD and CITATION codes, was used to calculate the effective delayed neutron fraction and prompt neutron lifetime for a Miniature Neutron Source Reactor (MNSR). In the Reduced Enrichment for Research and Training Reactors (RERTR) program, these kinetic parameters were calculated for various potential LEU and MEU fuels. The effect of composition changes due to fuel depletion on these parameters was studied for HEU and potential LEU/MEU fuels. The results of kinetic and other neutronic parameters for the HEU MNSR core are in agreement with the values in the literature. The delayed neutron fraction and prompt neutron lifetime showed minor variations over the 200 Effective Full Power Days (EFPD) burnup cycle of the MNSR cores for each fuel. The maximum change in delayed neutron fraction (β_eff) over the burnup cycle was found for UO₂ fuel with Zircaloy-4 clad system, showing the maximum ²³⁹Pu production among all fuel types. The maximum neutron generation time (Λ) increase of 0.4µs was found in UAl₄90.3% enriched core.

Quantum Optimization for Enhanced Combinatorial Algorithms

P. K. Pandey, R. Chaturvedi, S. B. Dangi — Tue, 03 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0500

The twenty-first century has been the era of data. Algorithms are crucial in tasks ranging from simple document searches to complex batching and scheduling jobs. Optimization techniques are often applied to enhance algorithms and achieve better results. As Moore rightly predicted, the exponential increase in transistors has led to a point where classical computers can no longer solve specific problems within a human timeframe. This paved the way for the development of quantum computers, which utilize quantum phenomena to solve problems. Quantum optimization techniques and algorithms have been designed to leverage the quantum advantage for improved optimization. This research compares and presents the results of quantum optimization techniques applied to classic combinatorial algorithms.