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Tropical cyclone (TC) forecasting over the North Indian Ocean (NIO) has been improved significantly during past decade (2010-2019). The improvement is largely attributed to the numerical weather prediction (NWP) models and dynamical-statistical Cyclone Prediction System (CPS). The CPS has five components namely, (i) Genesis Potential Parameter (GPP), (ii) Multi-Model Ensemble (MME) technique for track prediction, (iii) Statistical Cyclone Intensity Prediction (SCIP), (iv) Rapid intensification (RI) and (v) Decay model for intensity forecast after landfall. Performance of CPS and NWP models is assessed to review the improvement during the decade. Forecast analysis revealed low false alarm ratio (0.13), high probability of detection (0.95) and high critical success index (0.84) for GPP. Mean track error of MME was ranged from 67 km at 24h to 246 km at 120 h and about 30% less than NWP models. The MME error has also reduced by 52% to 55% for 24 h to 48 h and 41% to 24% for 72 h to 96 h forecast during 2010-2019. Mean landfall point error was ranged from 31 km at 24 h to 127 km at 120 h and landfall time error was ranged from 2.2 h at 24 h to 8.1 h at 120 h. Mean intensity error of SCIP model was ranged from 8.3 kt at 24 h to 12.6 kt at 120 h. Probabilistic rapid intensification index (RII) achieved a good Brier score (BS) 0.079 for RI forecasting. Mean decaying intensity error (after landfall) was ranged from 6.6 kt at 6 h to 3.3 kt at 24 h. There has been improvement of forecasts for NWP models also but MME outperformed all models. Results demonstrate the role of CPS for improvement of cyclone forecast over the NIO in past decade.

Background Laccases and laccase-like multicopper oxidases (LMCOs) oxidize a vast array of phenolic compounds and amines, releasing water as a byproduct. Their low substrate specificity is responsible for their tremendous biotechnological interest, since they have been used for numerous applications. However, the laccases characterized so far correspond to only a small fraction of the laccase genes identified in fungal genomes. Therefore, the knowledge regarding the biochemistry and physiological role of minor laccase-like isoforms is still limited. Results In the present work, we describe the isolation, purification and characterization of two novel LMCOs, PcLac1 and PcLac2, from Pleurotus citrinopileatus. Both LMCOs were purified with ion-exchange chromatographic methods. PcLac2 was found to oxidize a broader substrate range than PcLac1, but both LMCOs showed similar formal potentials, lower than those reported previously for laccases from white-rot fungi. Proteomic analysis of both proteins revealed their similarity with other well-characterized laccases from Pleurotus strains. Both LMCOs were applied to the oxidation of ferulic and sinapic acid, yielding oligomers with possible antioxidant activity. Conclusions Overall, the findings of the present work can offer new insights regarding the biochemistry and variability of low-redox potential laccases of fungal origin. Low-redox potential biocatalysts could offer higher substrate selectivity than their high-redox counterparts, and thus, they could be of applied value in the field of biocatalysis.

This paper demonstrates a modification method for real-time improvement of wind field forecasts for a typical cyclone VARDAH, which formed over the Bay of Bengal (BoB) in 2016. The proposed method to improve the wind field forecasts associated with tropical cyclone consists of two components. The first one is the relocation method, which relocates the wind field forecasts obtained from the Global Forecast System(GFS) data of National Centres for Environmental Prediction(NCEP). The relocation of the model forecasts wind field is made on forecast locations generated by Multi Model Ensemble (MME) track forecast of India Meteorological Department(IMD). The second one is the modification of wind speed, which directly modifies the NCEP GFS wind speed forecasts based on intensity forecasts by Statistical Cyclone Intensity Prediction(SCIP) model of IMD. Applying these two methods, the displacement of wind field and underestimation/overestimation of wind speed in the model forecast field can be improved. Both modification methods show considerable improvements in the displacement and speed of wind field forecasts. The displacement error of wind field is found to have improved by about 51% at 48 h and about 80% at 72 h forecast. Overestimation of maximum wind speed in the forecast field is found to be improved by about 88% at 48 h and about 38% at 72 h forecast. The spatial distributions of corrected wind speed forecasts are also found to be more analogous than direct model forecasts with the corresponding analysis wind at all forecast hours. Two proposed modification methods could provide improved wind field forecast associated with tropical cyclones in real-time.

Studies were taken up to monitor the seasonal occurrence of whitefly population in cotton as well as its insecticidal management under field conditions of Institutional Research Farm, Institute of Agriculture, Visva-Bharati, Sriniketan, during the kharif season of 2018-19. Population reduction of whitefly was done with eight insecticides having different molecular composition and one untreated check. The experiment was drawn in a Randomised Block Design with three replications. The occurrence of whitefly was noticed during the fourth week of July (0.2 whitefly per plant) which continued till late December. Highest whitefly population was found during fourth week of September (12.24 Whitefly per plant). Correlation studies of whitefly population and abiotic factors suggested that whitefly population was significantly correlated with maximum temperature at 1% level of significance. Among the different insecticides tested for population reduction of whitefly in Bt cotton it was noticed that combination product of Imidacloprid 6% + Lambda Cyhalothrin 4%SL @ 500 ml/ha and 450 ml/ha proved most effective and gave 94.15% and 93.81% pest population reduction after second spray imposition respectively.

We report the oxygen isotopic anomaly (Δ17O) and clumped isotopic composition (Δ47) of CO2 sampled from the middle troposphere (~10 km above ground) during two CARIBIC (Civil Aircraft for the Regular Investigation of the atmosphere Based on an Instrument Container) flights in summer and winter seasons: one from Düsseldorf to Isla Margarita on 11 August 2001 and the other from Puerto Plata to Munich on 21 February 2002. The mid‐tropospheric Δ17O values were higher than the near‐surface values by 0.051 ± 0.010 ‰, indicating enhanced stratospheric influence. The Δ47 values were also higher by 0.160 ± 0.015 ‰ compared to that from the lower troposphere. Stratospheric influence is supported by the observed correlations of the Δ17O values with the mixing ratios of N2O, O3, and 14CO, which carry stratospheric signatures. The increase in the anomaly in the free troposphere represents a balance between the stratosphere‐troposphere exchange fluxes and biogeochemical/hydrospheric isotopic resetting rates at the Earth surface. Using a simple two box model with the free tropospheric Δ17O values, an average surface exchange rate of CO2 between 327 and 772 PgC/year is inferred, giving a CO2 turnover time of 1.4 to 2.8 years in the atmosphere. The present estimates are based on a rather small set of free tropospheric data and have relatively large uncertainties, but they agree with the existing model and proxy‐based estimates.

The isotopic enhancement of atmospheric ozone (O3) is mainly determined by two processes of formation and photolytic decomposition. The formation is known to be associated with isotopic fractionation which can be as high as 120‰ relative to the parent oxygen. Photolysis‐induced isotopic fractionation in O3, however, is not known accurately. Absorption cross sections of various ozone species have been calculated by Zero Point Energy‐based model and quantum mechanical wave packet model. But their predictions pertaining to isotopic fractionations have not been verified experimentally. In the present work, we performed irradiation experiments of O3 at several wavelengths in the Hartley and Chappuis bands and determined the dissociative isotopic fractionation factors by a Rayleigh distillation model. In laboratory conditions, photolysis of ozone produces reactive atomic and/or molecular oxygen which influence the dissociative process through secondary chemistry. The complex interplay of primary photolysis and secondary chemistry was tracked by a kinetic model, and isotopic fractionation factors associated with photolysis alone were derived within a range of uncertainties. The fractionations are found to depend on the photon wavelength and deviate significantly at some wavelengths from the predicted values. For example, at 254 nm the zero point energy‐based models predict lower photolysis rate coefficients for the lighter isotopic species; the present data show about 50‰ higher values.

Additional file 1. Figure S1. 3rd Harmonic of (a) PcLac1 and (b) PcLac2. Experimental conditions: deaerated tartrate buffer pH 4.0 100 mM, T 43oC, v 50 mV/s, A 180 mV and f 6 (black), 9 (red), 12 (green) and 16 (blue) Hz. Figure S2. Possible products from ferulic acid dimerization. Products shown were previously reported [1–4]. Figure S3. Possible products from ferulic acid dimerization. Products shown were previously reported [1,2,4,5]. Figure S4. Possible products from ferulic acid trimerization. Products shown were previously reported [6–9]. Figure S5. Possible products from sinapic acid dimerization. Products shown were previously reported [4,5,10–12].

The importance of Asian countries towards increase of atmospheric pollutants is being examined critically in recent times. In this context, we carried out analysis of nitrates separated from aerosol samples collected during 2010 from Mt. Lulin (NOAA code: LLN), Taiwan, located at an altitude of 2 862 m above sea level. Large temporal variations are seen in δ15N, δ18O and Δ17O values of the nitrate, with day-to-day variations comparable to the seasonal amplitude. The δ15N values of nitrate are found to be higher in spring months (March–April; −1±3‰) and lower in summer (June–September; −5±3‰). Similarly, the δ18O (69 ± 15‰ versus 32 ± 13‰) and Δ17O (23 ± 5‰ versus 12 ± 4‰) values are higher in spring and lower in summer. The lowest δ18O value observed was 10.8‰. The higher values of δ15N in spring could be attributed to enhanced contribution from fossil fuel combustions, especially burning of coal in nearby Asian countries like China, with the resultant pollutants being brought to the Lulin station by long-range transport. An alternative explanation is the isotopic exchange reaction between N2O5 and HNO3 that elevates the δ15N value in nitrate. The oxygen isotope variability is explained by changes in contribution from two major pathways of nitrate formation from its precursor NOx molecules. During spring time, nitrate formation via the N2O5 pathway is dominant, resulting in higher values of both δ18O and Δ17O. In contrast, during summer, formation involving HO2/RO2 radicals becomes important, producing lower values of δ18O and Δ17O. A chemistry box model was used to study the nitrate formation pathways through oxidation of NO and NO2 via formation of NO2 and NO3−/HNO3. Both the model results and observations suggest that for the formation of NO2 from NO, the pathway via O3 is more active in spring, whereas in summer the pathway via HO2/RO2 radicals predominates. For the subsequent formation of NO3− and HNO3, the OH pathway is more active in summer than in spring. These suggestions are supported by a wind rose diagram and back trajectory analysis of air masses bringing the precursor NOx to the sampling site.

Toxic components of STE induced serious, adverse human oral health outcomes. In the present study, we observed that STE was involved in oral toxicity by reducing the viability of human squamous epithelial cells, SCC-25, along with the simultaneous induction of both apoptosis and autophagic signaling. STE was also found to induce significant amount ROS generation in SCC-25 cells. The dietary flavonoid morin, found abundantly in a variety of herbs, fruits and wine, has been reported to attenuate ROS-induced pathogenesis including autophagy. In this study we designed three different treatment regimes of morin treatment, such as pre, co, and post - treatment of STE challenged SCC-25 cells. In all cases morin provided cytoprotection to STE challenged SCC-25 cells by augmenting STE induced ROS-dependent cytotoxic autophagy. Hence, morin is a potential option for antioxidant therapy in treatment of STE induced toxicity.

Colchicine is a well-known and potent microtubule targeting agent, but the therapeutic value of colchicine against cancer is limited by its toxicity against normal cells. But, there is no report of its cytotoxic potential against lung cancer cell, at clinically permissible or lower concentrations, minimally toxic to non-cancerous cells. Hence, in the present study, we investigated the possible mechanism by which the efficacy of colchicine against lung cancer cells at less toxic dose could be enhanced. Colchicine at clinically admissible concentration of 2.5 nM had no cytotoxic effect and caused no G2/M arrest in A549 cells. However, at this concentration, colchicine strongly hindered the reformation of cold depolymerised interphase and spindle microtubule. Colchicine induced senescence and reactive oxygen species mediated autophagy in A549 cells at this concentration. Autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine (3-MA) sensitised the cytotoxicity of colchicine in A549 cells by switching senescence to apoptotic death, and this combination had reduced cytotoxicity to normal lung fibroblast cells (WI38). Together, these findings indicated the possible use of colchicine at clinically relevant dose along with autophagy inhibitor in cancer therapy.

A Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) based objective intensity prediction approach has been explored for prediction of tropical cyclone intensity over the North Indian Ocean (NIO) using ECMWF model outputs. The intensity of a tropical cyclone is classified by the maximum sustained wind (10-min mean) according to World Meteorological Organization (WMO). An empirical relationship between the difference of the model’s maximum mean sea level pressure (MSLP) inside a 6° × 6° grid box around the centre of the system and the lowest mean sea level pressure at the centre of the system (ΔP) with the observed intensity is developed using over 100 analyses during 2010–2012. The same is used to predict intensity of very severe cyclonic storm Hudhud and a Deep Depression observed over the Bay of Bengal during 2014. The results show that the empirical equation is skillful in prediction of intensity as compared to predictions computed using the relationship (V_{max} = K sqrt(Delta P)) with different constant values of K. The error analyses show that the relative error in intensity prediction using the empirical equation derived in the present study is 34% less than the same using (K = 14.2 kt/sqrt(hPa)) in (V_{max} = K sqrt(Delta P)) with an improvement which is significant at the level of 0.95., U radu je istražena metoda objektivne prognoze intenziteta tropskih ciklona nad Sjeverno-indijskim oceanom (NIO) temeljm numeričke prognoze vremena (NWP) modelom Europskog centra za srednjoročnu prognozu vremena (ECMWF). Intenzitet tropskog ciklona klasificira se prema prema Svjetskoj meteorološkoj organizaciji (WMO) na temelju maksimalnog vjetra (10-minutni srednjak). Upotrebom preko 100 analiza tijekom 2010. – 2012. izvedena je empirijska relacija koja povezuje razliku između najvećeg srednjeg tlaka zraka na razini mora (MSLP) unutar kvadrata mreže 6° × 6° oko središta sustava i najnižeg srednjeg tlaka na razini mora u središtu sustava (Δ P) s opaženim intenzitetom ciklona. Dobivena relacija primjenjena je na prognozu intenziteta olujnih ciklona Hudhud i Deep Depression (Duboka depresija) koji su opaženi u Bengalskom zaljevu tijekom 2014. godine. Rezultati pokazuju da empirijska jednadžba prognozira intenzitet ciklona uspješnije od prognoza izračunatih pomoću relacije (V_{max} = K sqrt(Delta P)) s različitim konstantnim vrijednostima K. Analize pogrešaka pokazuju da je relativna pogreška u prognozi intenziteta primjenom dobivene empirijske jednadžbe 34% manja od pogreške pri korištenju relacije (K = 14.2 kt/sqrt(hPa)) u (V_{max} = K sqrt(Delta P)), a poboljšanje je značajno na razini signifikantnosti od 0,95.

From the face of each of 9 patients having rosacea-like lesions the follicle mites identified as Demodex folliculorum (DF) (Simon) were in varying numbers. In our control cases no mites were demonstrated from similar sites. Treatment with one percent lindane (Cosmascab lotion-Napha) applied locally for seven consecutive days improved the condition in all patients.

This study was undertaken in a series of 70 infants (48 males, 22 females) and children aged 1 month to 5 years: with eczematous dermatitis (scabetic 36, pediculous 7, microbic 9, seborrhoeic 10, atopic 6 and due to irritant applications 2) as the primary disease for which medical advice was sought.. Nutritional failure was detected anthropothetrically in 58 (83%) of them, including 16(23%) with acute malnutrition and 42(60%) with chronic malnutrition. They were variably wasted. A few had stomatoglossitis and 4 had pitting oedema (Kwashiorkor). Biochemically, the serum proteins, particularly albumin was significantly low in eczematous children. Under poor dietary and socio- ecomomic conditions, it is difficult to ascribe the malnutrition to eczematous dermatitis alone but the occurrence of malnutrition in 12 out of 13 from higher economic status with better dietary and environmental background suggests the role of eczematous dermatitis in malnutrition. Associated pyogenic infections seemed to be the most important factor producing malnutrition in this study.

An objective NWP-based cyclone prediction system (CPS) was implemented for the operational cyclone forecasting work over the Indian seas. The method comprises of five forecast components, namely (a) Cyclone Genesis Potential Parameter (GPP), (b) Multi-Model Ensemble (MME) technique for cyclone track prediction, (c) cyclone intensity prediction, (d) rapid intensification, and (e) predicting decaying intensity after the landfall. GPP is derived based on dynamical and thermodynamical parameters from the model output of IMD operational Global Forecast System. The MME technique for the cyclone track prediction is based on multiple linear regression technique. The predictor selected for the MME are forecast latitude and longitude positions of cyclone at 12-hr intervals up to 120 hours forecasts from five NWP models namely, IMD-GFS, IMD-WRF, NCEP-GFS, UKMO, and JMA. A statistical cyclone intensity prediction (SCIP) model for predicting 12 hourly cyclone intensity (up to 72 hours) is developed applying multiple linear regression technique. Various dynamical and thermodynamical parameters as predictors are derived from the model outputs of IMD operational Global Forecast System and these parameters are also used for the prediction of rapid intensification. For forecast of inland wind after the landfall of a cyclone, an empirical technique is developed. This paper briefly describes the forecast system CPS and evaluates the performance skill for two recent cyclones Viyaru (non-intensifying) and Phailin (rapid intensifying), converse in nature in terms of track and intensity formed over Bay of Bengal in 2013. The evaluation of performance shows that the GPP analysis at early stages of development of a low pressure system indicated the potential of the system for further intensification. The 12-hourly track forecast by MME, intensity forecast by SCIP model and rapid intensification forecasts are found to be consistent and very useful to the operational forecasters. The error statistics of the decay model shows that the model was able to predict the decaying intensity after landfall with reasonable accuracy. The performance statistics demonstrates the potential of the system for improving operational cyclone forecast service over the Indian seas.

The tropical cyclone Viyaru maintained a unique quasi-uniform intensity during its life span. Despite being in contact with sea surface for >120 hr travelling about 2150 km, the cyclonic storm (CS) intensity, once attained, did not intensify further, hitherto not exhibited by any other system over the Bay of Bengal. On the contrary, the cyclone Phailin over the Bay of Bengal intensified into very severe cyclonic storm (VSCS) within about 48 hr from its formation as depression. The system also experienced rapid intensification phase (intensity increased by 30 kts or more during subsequent 24 hours) during its life time and maximum intensity reached up to 115 kts. In this paper, a comparative study is carried out to explore the evolution of the various thermodynamical parameters and possible reasons for such converse features of the two cyclones. Analysis of thermodynamical parameters shows that the development of the lower tropospheric and upper tropospheric potential vorticity (PV) was low and quasi-static during the lifecycle of the cyclone Viyaru. For the cyclone Phailin, there was continuous development of the lower tropospheric and upper tropospheric PV, which attained a very high value during its lifecycle. Also there was poor and fluctuating diabatic heating in the middle and upper troposphere and cooling in the lower troposphere for Viyaru. On the contrary, the diabatic heating was positive from lower to upper troposphere with continuous development and increase up to 6∘C in the upper troposphere. The analyses of cross sections of diabatic heating, PV, and the 1000–500 hPa geopotential metre (gpm) thickness contours indicate that the cyclone Viyaru was vertically tilted (westward) and lacked axisymmetry in its structure and converse features (axisymmetric and vertical) that occurred for the cyclone Phailin. In addition, there was a penetration of dry air in the middle troposphere of Viyaru, whereas high moisture existed in the middle troposphere of Phailin. The vertical wind shear (5–10 ms−1) near the core of the storm region between 850 and 200 hPa was favourable for both the systems but was higher in the northern region of the cyclone Viyaru. The divergent development of these thermodynamic features conspired to produce converse characteristic of the two cyclones.

Hybrid solar cells are based on the concept of using both organic and inorganic materials for fabrication of devices. Hybrid solar cells, based on a heterojunction between inorganic electron acceptor layer and organic donor layer, has been fabricated. Effect of electron transport layer on open circuit voltage (Voc) of hybrid solar cells was investigated. Hybrid solar cells were fabricated using amorphous silicon as main absorbing layer and as electron acceptor layer while using copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) as the donor materials. Al doped ZnO layer was used as buffer layer between ITO and a-Si:H to prevent ITO from reacting with silane gas during plasma enhanced chemical deposition (PECVD) process. ZnO:Al thin film also acts as electron transport layer. The open circuit voltage of hybrid solar cells studied with varying the thickness of ZnO:Al layer. Voc was increased from 0.30 volt to 0.52 volt with increasing the thickness of ZnO:Al layer from 15 nm to 45 nm. The poor interface between inorganic (a-Si:H) and organic layers may be a possible reason for low fill factor and low photocurrent in hybrid solar cells.

Red Fire Ants Are Present In Almost All Countries And In All Places. Because Of Their Resistance To Natural And Chemical Control, Fire Ants Can Overwhelm Their Environment And Destroy Land And Animals. Fire Ants Can Also Cause A Variety Of Health Problems In Humans, Ranging From Simple Stings To Severe Life Threatening Anaphylaxis. Most Of The Deaths Following Red Fire Ant Strings Are Reported From South-Eastern United States And Australia. We Report A Three-Year-Old Child, Known Allergic To Ant-Venom, Who Died From Severe Anaphylactic Reactions Following Multiple Red Fire Ant Strings (Solenopsis Geminata). This Type Of Presentation Following Red Fire Ant Strings Is Probably First Time Reported From India. Beside Clinical Diagnosis, Significance Of Laboratory Investigations Including Postmortem Examinations In Fatal Anaphylaxis Is Also Discussed Here.

There is increased recognition of non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) as a major cause of severe febrile illness in sub-Saharan Africa. However, little is known about community-based incidence of NTS in Asia. In a multicentre, community-based prospective Salmonella surveillance study, we identified a total of six NTS cases: three in Karachi, Pakistan, one in Kolkata, India, and two in North Jakarta, Indonesia. No NTS cases were identified in Hechi, People's Republic of China, and Hue, Viet Nam. Three cases were in children under 3 years, and one case was in a child aged 10 years and one in a child aged 15 years. Only one case was an adult (29 years). The highest incidence of NTS infection was in Karachi (7.2 culture-proven NTS cases per 100,000 person years in age group of 2-15 years). However, in comparison with sub-Saharan Africa, the NTS burden in Asia appears rather limited.

Red rice is the reservoir of large amount of phytochemicals such as carotenoids, phenolics, alkaloids, nitrogen and organosulfur containing compounds, possesses antioxidant properties, richer source of protein, zinc and have nutritive and medicinal value. Present study examines the utility of red rice accessions for their resistance against Brown planthopper (BPH), a damaging insect pest of rice. A total of 215 red rice accessions along with susceptible check TN1, resistance checks PTB-33 and Salkathi were evaluated under greenhouse condition of the National Rice Research Institute (NRRI), Cuttack. Accessions were screened using standard seed box technique for mass screening followed by replicated screening for the confirmation of resistant reaction. Only four accessions, namely, matameher, manipuri black sonahanan and hormonona were found to be highly resistant (score-1) while eleven showed resistant reaction (Score-3) and 13 were moderately resitant (Score-5) to BPH. Mechanism of resistance was studied in the resistant accessions through the method of antixenosis or nymphal preference to plants. Matameher and manipuri black showed least nymphal preference as compared to the susceptible check TN1. Resistant genotypes identified and confirmed in the present study can be grown as resistant varieties in BPH endemic areas and also can be utilised in resistance breeding programme to develop BPH-resistant varieties with other desired traits.

The incidence of Vibrio cholerae non-O1, non-O139 strains from hospitalized patients with acute diarrhea constituted 27.4% ( n = 54) of the total 197 V. cholerae strains isolated from patients in Kolkata, India, in 2003. Of 197 strains, 135 were identified as O1 serotype Ogawa and 2 were identified as O139. In the same time period, six O1 background rough strains that possessed all known virulence factors were identified. Serotype analysis of the non-O1, non-O139 strains placed 42 strains into 19 serogroups, while 12 remained O nontypeable (ONT); the existing serotyping scheme involved antisera to 206 serogroups. Detection of a good number of ONT strains suggested that additional serogroups have arisen that need to be added to the current serotyping scheme. The non-O1, non-O139 strains were nontoxigenic except for an O36 strain (SC124), which regulated expression of cholera toxin as O1 classical strains did. Additionally, strain SC124 carried alleles of tcpA and toxT that were different from those of the O1 counterpart, and these were also found in five clonally related strains belonging to different serogroups. Strains carrying tcpA exhibited higher colonization in an animal model compared to those lacking tcpA . PCR-based analyses revealed remarkable variations in the distribution of other virulence factors, including hlyA , rtxA , Vibrio seventh pandemic island I (VSP-I), VSP-II, and type III secretion system (TTSS). Most strains contained hlyA (87%) and rtxA (81.5%) and secreted cytotoxic factors when grown in vitro. Approximately one-third of the strains (31.5%) contained the TTSS gene cluster, and most of these strains were more motile and hemolytic against rabbit erythrocytes. Partial nucleotide sequence analysis of the TTSS-containing strains revealed silent nucleotide mutations within vcsN2 (type III secretion cytoplasmic ATPase), indicating functional conservation of the TTSS apparatus.

A fuzzy based method has been proposed for identification of probable capacitor nodes of radial distribution system. Simulated annealing technique has been used for final selection of the capacitor sizes. New fuzzy membership functions have been formulated where the active power membership is an exponential function of the nodal per unit active power and branch active power loss, the reactive membership function is a function of nodal reactive power and reactive branch loss. Voltage membership has been formulated in two ways - as function of the node voltage only and also as function of the nodal voltage and reactive power as well. The method has been applied to different test systems. It has been found that the proposed membership functions are less dependent upon weighting factors. The weighting factor may even be avoided at all. The proposed method thus is more general a other fuzzy based capacitor placement methods.

India has reasons to be concerned about climate change. Over 650 million people depend on climate-sensitive sectors, such as rain-fed agriculture and forestry, for livelihood and over 973 million people are exposed to vector borne malarial parasites. Projection of climatic factors indicates a wider exposure to malaria for the Indian population in the future. If precautionary measures are not taken and development processes are not managed properly some developmental activities, such as hydro-electric dams and irrigation canal systems, may also exacerbate breeding grounds for malaria. This article integrates climate change and developmental variables in articulating a framework for integrated impact assessment and adaptation responses, with malaria incidence in India as a case study. The climate change variables include temperature, rainfall, humidity, extreme events, and other secondary variables. Development variables are income levels, institutional mechanisms to implement preventive measures, infrastructure development that could promote malarial breeding grounds, and other policies. The case study indicates that sustainable development variables may sometimes reduce the adverse impacts on the system due to climate change alone, while it may sometimes also exacerbate these impacts if the development variables are not managed well and therefore they produce a negative impact on the system. The study concludes that well crafted and well managed developmental policies could result in enhanced resilience of communities and systems, and lower health impacts due to climate change.

Measurements of CO2 (direct GHG) and CO, SO2, NO (indirect GHGs) were conducted on-line at some of the coal-based thermal power plants in India. The objective of the study was three-fold: to quantify the measured emissions in terms of emission coefficient per kg of coal and per kWh of electricity, to calculate the total possible emission from Indian thermal power plants, and subsequently to compare them with some previous studies. Instrument IMR 2800P Flue Gas Analyzer was used on-line to measure the emission rates of CO2, CO, SO2, and NO at 11 numbers of generating units of different ratings. Certain quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) techniques were also adopted to gather the data so as to avoid any ambiguity in subsequent data interpretation. For the betterment of data interpretation, the requisite statistical parameters (standard deviation and arithmetic mean) for the measured emissions have been also calculated. The emission coefficients determined for CO2, CO, SO2, and NO have been compared with their corresponding values as obtained in the studies conducted by other groups. The total emissions of CO2, CO, SO2, and NO calculated on the basis of the emission coefficients for the year 2003–2004 have been found to be 465.667, 1.583, 4.058, and 1.129 Tg, respectively.

SUMMARY This study reports the analgesic, anti-inflammatory and membrane-stabilizing property of alcoholicextract of Ophiorrhiza nicobarica (ON), a wild herb, used as an anti-infective ethnomedicine ofNicobarese and Shompen tribes of Great Nicobar Island, India. We for the first time investigated theanalgesic and antiinflammatory potential of this herb in acute, subacute and chronic model ofinflammation in Swiss albino mice and Wistar albino rats, along with sheep RBC-induced sensitivityand membrane stabilization. The acetic acid induced writhing, tail flick and tail immersion tests areused as a model for evaluating analgesic activity; while the carrageenin-induced paw oedema wasused as the model for acute inflammation, dextran-induced oedema as sub-acute and cotton-pellate-induced granuloma as chronic inflammatory model. The probable mode by which ON mediate itseffect on inflammatory conditions was studied on sheep RBC-induced sensitivity and membranestabilization. The in vitro results revealed that the ON extract possesses significant (P < 0.05) dosedependent analgesic and antiinflammatory activity at 200 and 300 mg/kg and its fractions at 50 mg/kg, p.o. respectively, compared to the control groups. However, the extract failed to exhibitmembrane-stabilizing property as it unable to reduce the level of haemolysis of RBC exposed tohypotonic solution. The acute toxicity studies of ON extract in rats and mice revealed that the extractwas nontoxic even up to 3.0 g/kg body weight of the animals, with a high safety profile. We haveisolated ursolic acid, β-sitosterol and harmaline respectively, from the bioactive part of the extract. Theresults indicated that the O. nicobarica is indeed beneficial in primary health care, and suggest that itsanti-inflammatory activity may not be related to membrane-stabilization.Key words: Ophiorrhiza nicobarica; Analgesic activity; Anti-inflammatory activity; Membrane-stabilizing property

SUMMARYIn this study, we have analysed the epidemiological significance of the concurrent infections caused by Vibrio cholerae and intestinal parasites among different age groups of hospitalized diarrhoeal patients in Kolkata. A total of 3556 stool samples collected during 1996–2004 were screened for vibrios and parasites. The seasonality of V. cholerae and parasitic infections were studied in detail. The detection rates for Ascaris lumbricoides and Giardia lamblia infection were more than for the hookworm, Trichuris trichiura and Entamoeba histolytica. V. cholerae O1 was identified as the predominant serogroup among diarrhoeal patients. The highest rates for V. cholerae infection were in the 2–5 years age group and combined infection of V. cholerae and parasites was recorded among children aged between 2 and 10 years.

Variations of carbon and oxygen isotopic ratios in response to cyclical sea level fluctuations have been documented from a Paleoproterozoic peritidal stromatolite succession. The upper division of the Kajrahat Limestone, Vindhyan Supergroup of central India consists of several shallowing upward stromatolite cycles identified by regular and systematic changes in stromatolite size. Normally, larger stromatolites are followed upward in the succession by smaller stromatolites and microbial laminites that occupy the top of the cycle. Desiccation cracks are found in all the facies indicating subaerial exposure. We investigated the stable isotope compositional variations across nine complete stromatolite cycles showing frequent subaerial emergence. Carbon and oxygen isotopic values of the limestones, in general, are comparable to contemporary marine values available from earlier studies but show regular depletion in response to shallowing of the water level. The δ13C and δ18O values of the limestones vary within an individual stromatolite cycle; depleted values characterize the topmost part of the cycles. The isotope pattern is explained by micritic carbonate deposition in different sub environments of the shallow marine domain having different salinity and variable duration of exposure. These variations also probably caused the observed scatter in δ13C and δ18O values of supratidal microbial laminites., © Elsevier

Picobirnaviruses (PBVs) with bisegmented small RNA genome profile (1.75 and 1.55 kbp for segment 1 and 2, respectively) were detected from 1999 to 2003 in faecal specimens of acute watery diarrhoea cases, largely children ( n = 20) and an adult in Kolkata, India. Varying degrees of dehydration necessitated their visit to hospital for further treatment and management of acute watery diarrhoea. PBV was associated with rotavirus ( n = 3) or astrovirus ( n = 3) and with both in one case. No co-infection with norovirus, sapovirus or adenovirus was detected in the picobirnavirus positive cases. No co-infection with parasites ( Cryptosporidium spp., Giardia spp., Entamoeba spp., helminths) or bacteria ( Vibrio spp., Shigella spp., Escherichia coli ) was detected among the picobirnavirus positive cases. There was a single instance of co-infection with Salmonella spp. ( n = 1). PBVs not associated with serious diarrhoea illness and showing large genome profile (2.3–2.6 and 1.5–1.9 kbp for segment 1 and 2, respectively) have earlier been reported in adult individuals and recently among children from a slum community in Kolkata, India. The short genome profile PBVs associated with acute watery diarrhoea may be another emerging diarrhoeagenic virus in Kolkata, India. Molecular characterization using reported primers PicoB25–PicoB43 for Genogroup I and PicoB23–PicoB24 for Genogroup II in RT-PCR showed the presence of Genogroup I PBVs ( n = 6) and Genogroup II PBVs ( n = 5), while some could not be amplified ( n = 3) with these primers. Sequence analysis of Genogroup I amplicons indicated remarkable sequence heterogeneity. After more than a decade, four PBV positives of Genogroup II were detected during this study. Phylogenetic analysis showed varying degree of genetic diversity amongst PBV strains from Kolkata and other countries.

Axisymmetric Vibrations of Orthotropic Shells in a Magnetic Field

Application of Differential Thermal Analysis Technique to the Study of Solid Catalysts

Studies on Chemisorption of Oxygen on Copper Orthovanadate

REFLECTION AND REFRACTION OF WAVES AT A LIQUID-SOLID INTERFACE IN THE PRESENCE OF A MAGNETIC FIELD

STATE SPACE APPROACH TO THERMOELASTIC AND MAGNETOTHERMOELASTIC PROBLEMS

The study is aimed to determine the seasonal distribution and clinical characteristics of astroviruses associated with acute watery diarrhoea among children in Kolkata and characterize them at the molecular level. Method of study Faecal specimens of acute watery diarrhoea cases (n = 857) and non-diarrhoeic samples (n = 211) from the hospitals and a nearby field community were screened with IDEIA Astrovirus detection kit; astrovirus co-infections with rotavirus and/or picobirnavirus were detected by RNA-PAGE and silver staining. Further RT-PCR was carried out using specific primers, viz. Mon340 (+) and Mon348 (−) targeting a highly conserved domain of ORF1a (289 bp) of human astroviruses. Results Astrovirus infection was detected in 50 cases (50/857); astroviruses were detected mostly in children aged 6–12 months (50%); all non-diarrhoeic samples (n = 211) were negative for astrovirus. In 52% of astrovirus positive cases, the virus was detected as the sole agent; mixed infections were also detected with other diarrhoeic pathogens such as rotavirus (32%), picobirnavirus (2%), rotavirus and picobirnavirus (2%), picobirnavirus and Enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) (2%), rotavirus and ETEC (2%), rotavirus and Enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC) (2%), Enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) (2%), Shigella flexneri type 3a (2%) and Ascaris (2%). RT-PCR and sequencing of amplicons of astroviruses from Kolkata, with specific primers targeted to the conserved domain of ORF1a (289 bp) of the astrovirus genome, showed maximum homology to the astrovirus strain (“5–158”) from Seoul (98%). Results and Conclusions Clinical characteristics of the diarrhoeic children in Kolkata indicated that astrovirus infections were detected throughout the year and were associated with varying degree of dehydration and acute watery diarrhoea. In-depth molecular epidemiological surveillance of astroviruses in Kolkata is essential for better understanding of their overall genetic nature.

An investigation was conducted to determine the distribution, virulence gene profile and phenotypes of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) strains within a dairy farm in Kolkata, India by characterizing the STEC strains isolated from healthy dairy cow and calf stool samples, raw milk and farm floor swabs from July 2001 to March 2002. Primary screening by multiplex-PCR detected stx1 and stx2, the common virulence genes of STEC, in 18.9% of cow faeces, 32.4% of calf stool samples, 21.6% of farm floor swabs and 4.5% of raw milk samples and viable STEC were recovered from 4.5, 9.9, 8.1 and 1.8% of the corresponding PCR-positive samples. Strains harbouring stx1 (63.3%) and hlyA (53.3%) were frequently detected compared to eae (13.3%). Most of the strains harboured similar sets of reported virulence genes common among isolates from diarrhoea patients. Most of the strains also exhibited multidrug resistance, sorbitol fermentation and produced enterohaemolysin. The randomly amplified polymorphic DNA-PCR (RAPD-PCR) profile of the STEC strains isolated from the farm milieu revealed diverse banding patterns and clonal analysis demonstrated that the strains from different sources were not identical but showed some genetic relatedness. The study demonstrates the potential of dairy farm for housing virulent STEC.

A comprehensive study was performed to examine incidence, species distribution, drugs sensitivity, virulence genes and molecular fingerprints of Aeromonas species isolated from patients with acute diarrhoea over a period of 2 years in Kolkata, India. Following the Aerokey II scheme, more than 95 % of strains were identified to species level. Seven different species were encountered in this study, with Aeromonas caviae being dominant, followed by Aeromonas hydrophila and Aeromonas veronii biovar sobria. Thirty different serotypes were encountered, with O16, O83 and O85 being dominant, but no serotype was associated specifically with a single species. The majority of Aeromonas strains exhibited multidrug resistance. The alt and act genes, which encode heat-labile cytotonic and cytotoxic enterotoxins, were respectively found in 71.9 and 20.1 % of strains examined. Only 2.4 % of strains carried the heat-stable cytotonic enterotoxin (ast) gene. The hlyA gene was found in 28 % of Aeromonas strains. With few exceptions, genomic diversity of Aeromonas strains belonging to the same serotype was observed by random amplification of polymorphic DNA PCR and ribotyping. Different species of Aeromonas and different clones of Aeromonas species seem to be associated with hospitalized cases of diarrhoea in Kolkata, India.

Carbonate rocks of late Neoproterozoic-early Cambrian (?) age occur in two extremities of the Nagaur-Ganganagar basin in western India: in east as part of Bilara hills (type locality) and in west as part of Baghewala oil field. These rocks have close stratigraphic correlation with the Ara Formation (Huqf Group, south Oman salt basin) which transgresses the late Neoproterozoic-early Cambrian boundary. Sedimentological and stable isotopic studies of these rocks show prevalence of arid and evaporitic conditions during their depostion. Close resemblance of C-isotopic profiles of Hanseran evaporites and Bilara carbonates allows intra-basinal correlation and suggests that they are coeval facies variants. There are several characteristic carbon isotopic excursions one of which can be tentatively correlated with the globally recorded excursion close to the late Neoproterozoic-early Cambrian boundary. In contrast other peaks are possibly of regional significance and can be attributed to fluctuations in bioproductivity, correlatable with variation in nutrient supply on a basinal scale. Highly depleted carbon isotopic composition of the organic matter in subsurface organic-rich carbonates (Upper carbonate Formation, Baghewala-II core) has been ascribed to incorporation of biomass synthesized by chemoautotrophic bacteria under anoxic or eutrophic basinal condition caused by salinity stratification.

The X-ray powder diffraction, reflectance, photoluminescence, photoluminescence excitation and ESR spectra of Ca5(PO4)3F:Eu3+ phosphor have been studied. Three distinct variants of calcium substitutional Eu3+-sites have been observed in this host and the charge compensating species related to each of these sites has been identified. It is noted that the host related trace impurities those have prospects of acting as charge compensator, and the reaction environment that exists during the preparation of the material, greatly influence the preferential substitution of different Ca2+-sites by the Eu3+ ions. It is also noted that the charge compensating species in a suitable case, takes part in the photophysical process of luminescence of the Eu3+.

Virulence-associated genes and neutral DNA markers of Helicobacter pylori strains from the Santhal and Oroan ethnic minorities of West Bengal, India, were studied. These people have traditionally been quite separate from other Indians and differ culturally, genetically, and linguistically from mainstream Bengalis, whose H. pylori strains have been characterized previously. H. pylori was found in each of 49 study participants, although none had peptic ulcer disease, and was cultured from 31 of them. All strains carried the cag pathogenicity island and potentially toxigenic s1 alleles of vacuolating cytotoxin gene ( vacA ) and were resistant to at least 8 μg of metronidazole per ml. DNA sequence motifs in vacA mid-region m1 alleles, cagA , and an informative insertion or deletion motif next to cagA from these strains were similar to those of strains from ethnic Bengalis. Three mobile elements, IS 605 , IS 607 , and IS Hp608 , were present in 29, 19, and 10%, respectively, of Santhal and Oroan strains, which is similar to their prevalence in Bengali H. pylori. Thus, there is no evidence that the gene pools of H. pylori of these ethnic minorities differ from those of Bengalis from the same region. This relatedness of strains from persons of different ethnicities bears on our understanding of H. pylori transmission between communities and genome evolution.

Diarrhoeal infection caused by Escherichia coli is common in India with occasional outbreaks. However, association of different pathotypes of diarrhoeagenic E. coli (DEC) with the disease and its phenotypic and genotypic characteristics are not fully demonstrated. In this study, E. coli strains from sporadic cases and outbreaks of diarrhoea during 2000-2001 were confirmed as DEC by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting the specific virulence genes. DEC represented by enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC), enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) and enteroaggregative E. coli (EAggEC) were mostly belonged to O serogroups 25, 86a, 114 and 146. The gene astA was frequently detected among ETEC and EAggEC than EPEC. After initial screening of 200 DEC strains with serology and antibiotic susceptibility test, 32 strains representing ETEC, EPEC, and EAggEC isolated from different areas of India were included in the pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) analysis. Using the PFGE results, the hierarchical representation of different linkage levels between the DEC strains were determined by unweighed pair-group arithmetic mean (UPGAMA) method. Except for few strains, clonotyping by PFGE revealed no correlation between pathotypes and serogroups as well as the place of isolation of the DEC strains. The prevailing clonal diversity among the different categories of DEC strains suggests that the pathotypes of DEC belonged to diverse clones.