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A moderate size earthquake (ML 5.9) occurred near Mechuka in Siang Valley on 23rd April 2019 at 20:15:50.00 UTC in the rupture zone of the great Assam earthquake of 15th August 1950. This shallow-focused earthquake occurred close to NE trending Main Central Thrust has a thrust fault mechanism striking parallel to this major tectonics of the Himalaya. Including this event, a dataset of 46 local, micro and low magnitude earthquakes (1.5 ≤ ML ≤ 5.9) of the Siang Valley of Arunachal Pradesh, NE India, are evaluated for the characteristics of the earthquake source, seismicity, stress drop and tectonic structures. The earthquake events were recorded by a close digital network of eight broadband seismic stations installed in December 2018 in the Siang Valley. The stress drop (Δσ) obtained for the Mechuka earthquake in the Siang Valley is 114.71 bars, the seismic moment (Mo) of 6.86E + 16 Nm and the source radius (r) of 1392.41 m. The seismic moments obtained from the microearthquakes vary between 2.44E + 11 and 6.86E + 16 Nm, and the source radius varies from 172.90 to 1392.41 m based on Brune's circular source model 1970. The corner frequencies (fc) of the events range from 1.03 to 8.04 Hz. Seismically intense clustering of microearthquakes has a low-stress drop below 10 bar except for the Mechuka earthquake, which varies from 0.05 to 114.72. This high-stress drop of moderate earthquake compared to its low values of lower magnitude earthquakes indicates that the earthquake of 23rd April 2019 is associated with high-strength material accumulating high strain during the earthquake-building process. Moment magnitude of whole data set ranges from 1.52 to 5.16. The scaling relationship between Mo and fc is obtained as 9.089E + 16fc–9.52, and for Mo and Δσ are modelled to be related as Mo = 8.96E + 10Δσ2.86. Evaluated low-stress drop for the smaller size of earthquakes shows brittleness of the upper crustal region. Research highlights: Modelling of earthquake source parameters to obtain scaling relations for Siang Valley, Arunachal Pradesh. The estimated Mo, fc, r, ∆σ and Mw are 2.44 × 1011 to 6.86 × 1016 Nm, 1.03–8.04 Hz, 172.90–1392.41 m, 0.05–114.71 bar and 1.52–5.16, respectively. Scaling relation between Mo and fc, Mo and Δσ and Mw and fc is Mo = 9.089E + 16fc−9.52, Mo = 8.96E + 10 Δσ2.86 and Log fc = –0.39Mw + 2.39, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Backlit image enhancement is a challenging research problem in image processing and computer vision. The complexity of enhancing backlit images is that they simultaneously contain bright and dark intensity regions. Existing state-of-the-art methods usually have low contrast enhancement in the dark regions, are prone to color distortion in the background or noise amplification, and have high computational complexity. Inspired by its potentiality, this paper applies region segmentation and a transfer learning-based approach to enhance the contrast of the dark regions in backlit images using multi-illumination mappings. In the proposed framework, gamma and log transform functions are applied to achieve a varied set of illumination-map to improve the brightness and contrast of the backlit image. The average results of the validation metrics of the proposed method for contrast measure (CM), entropy (E), CM/E ratio, and SSIM are 8.10, 7.52, 1.07, and 0.58, respectively. The experimental results corroborate that the proposed method demonstrates superior performance to state-of-the-art methods both subjectively and objectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cellular metabolism plays an essential role in the regrowth and regeneration of a neuron following physical injury. Yet, our knowledge of the specific metabolic pathways that are beneficial to neuron regeneration remains sparse. Previously, we have shown that modulation of O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) signaling, a ubiquitous post-translational modification that acts as a cellular nutrient sensor, can significantly enhance in vivo neuron regeneration. Here, we define the specific metabolic pathway by which O-GlcNAc transferase (ogt-1) loss of function mediates increased regenerative outgrowth. Performing in vivo laser axotomy and measuring subsequent regeneration of individual neurons in C. elegans, we find that glycolysis, serine synthesis pathway (SSP), one-carbon metabolism (OCM), and the downstream transsulfuration metabolic pathway (TSP) are all essential in this process. The regenerative effects of ogt-1 mutation are abrogated by genetic and/or pharmacological disruption of OCM and the SSP linking OCM to glycolysis. Testing downstream branches of this pathway, we find that enhanced regeneration is dependent only on the vitamin B12 independent shunt pathway. These results are further supported by RNA sequencing that reveals dramatic transcriptional changes by the ogt-1 mutation, in the genes involved in glycolysis, OCM, TSP, and ATP metabolism. Strikingly, the beneficial effects of the ogt-1 mutation can be recapitulated by simple metabolic supplementation of the OCM metabolite methionine in wild-type animals. Taken together, these data unearth the metabolic pathways involved in the increased regenerative capacity of a damaged neuron in ogt-1 animals and highlight the therapeutic possibilities of OCM and its related pathways in the treatment of neuronal injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate parameter identification plays an integral role in the modeling of an optimized solar module which in turn helps in the error-free prediction of its output. Five important parameters: the photoelectric current (Iph), ideality factor(α), saturation current (Io), series resistance (Rs), and shunt resistance (Rsh) are required for the accurate modeling of the PV cells/modules and need to be extracted as these parameters are not provided by the manufacturer in the datasheet. This paper proposes a new metaheuristic jellyfish optimization (JFO) algorithm for the parameter extraction of a solar module. The JFO algorithm achieves the optimal solution without being trapped in local solutions in less time. The parameter extraction using the JFO algorithm is done on two different solar modules i.e., Soltech-1STH-215P and PWP-201. The results are compared in terms of extracted parameters (Iph, α, Io, Rs, and Rsh) with the well-known optimization techniques like PSO, GA, and others available in the literature and with the manufacturer I–V and P–V characteristics. The proposed technique I–V and P–V characteristics are validated at different environmental conditions and are found to be similar to that of PSO and GA. It is also observed that the extracted parameters obtained using JFO are comparable with the other twenty-two techniques, and the proposed technique is one of the highly efficient techniques that can be utilized for parameter extraction of PV modules and to predict solar cell characteristics for all commercial modules without setting up any experimental measurements. MATLAB/simulation software is used for implementation and performance validation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Siang Valley of Arunachal Pradesh, North-East India, is one of the seismotectonically active region that lie in the eastern Himalayan Syntaxis (EHS); we have investigated seismicity, fault plane solutions (FPS) and P (Pressure) axis orientation in this region. We have analyzed 756 local earthquakes of magnitude range (1.0 ≤ ML ≤ 5.9) in the region during the period from January 2019 to December 2021. From the spatial distribution of local seismicity, it is estimated that the concentration of seismicity is in Namcha-Barwa, western and eastern flanks of Siang Antiform, respectively. The depth distribution of seismicity extends upto a focal depth of 60 km with a higher concentration in the upper crustal part. Further, we determined 15 fault plane solutions (FPS) using waveform inversions (ISOLA) for events with a magnitude range of 3.5 to 5.9. The waveform inversion has been performed for the events with maximum azimuthal coverage. The frequency band used for the inversion is in the 0.01–0.1 Hz range corresponding to the maximum signal to noise ratio to precise crustal velocity structures, hypocenter positions, and appropriate frequency ranges were used to obtain reliable FPS. The FPS obtained for the shallow focused earthquakes shows Normal faulting with Strike-slip components. The compressional axes orientations of the thrust FPS show a north-east direction. The intense seismic activity and compressional axis orientation in this study area is due to the collision between Indian and Eurasian plate in the north and and east-ward subduction of Indian plate below the Burmese plate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Backlit image is obtained when image is captured with intense reflection of light. It is a frequently observed condition of lighting that can cause significant image quality deterioration. They are a combination of dark and bright regions, and the objects in the image generally appear to be dark. The region of interest (ROI) depicts some dark image regions or objects present in the image. Such ROI has low contrast in backlit images; therefore, visualization is uncertain. In order to visualize the contents properly, enhancement of ROI in backlit images is essential. A novel and simplified approach based on the multiple features of ROI of backlit images is proposed. The proposed approach’s fundamental idea is to blend different features into a single one to enhance the ROI. Global tone mappings, namely gamma correction and logarithmic transform, are performed while preserving global and local contrast effectively to improve the visual quality. In the next step, gradient map and filter-based operations were performed to preserve the image’s naturalness. Furthermore, the proposed method introduces weight maps based on the exposedness to increase the visibility and the fusion of the results. Experimental results based on the contrast measure (CM), discrete entropy (DE), and balanced mean magnitude of relative error (BMMRE) of discrete entropy reveal the proposed approach’s effectiveness and its gains in visual consistency over existing backlit image enhancement algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study was carried out from October, 2020 to September, 2021to investigate the diversity of fishes and the conservation status of Chittaura Jheel (Bahraich), Uttar Pradesh. During the study period, 38 fish species belonging to 28 genera, 14 families and 7 orders have been identified. The order Cypriniformes was found the dominated order with 15 species(39.47%) followed by Siluriformes 10 species (26.31%), Perciformes 4 species (10.52%), Ophiocephaliformes 4 species (10.52%), Synbranchiformes2 species (5.26%), Osteoglossiformes 2 species (5.26%) and Clupiformes 1 species (2.63 %), The present investigation showed that the wetland, Chittaura Jheel possesses rich fish biodiversity but proper conservation measures are required to maintain sustainability and richness of the fish species diversity of that wetland of U.P. According to IUCN, 30 were enlisted as Least Concern (LC), 2 species as near endangered (NE), 3 species as near threatened (NT), 2 listed as Endangered (EN) and 1 species was listed as Vulnerable (VU). There is a need of conservation of fish diversity of this natural wetland. The pressure is increasing day by day due to increasing population, leading to loss of fish diversity hence identifying the problem and making a better management plan is the way for conservation of the fish diversity of the Chittaura Jheel, a wetland of Bahraich district of Uttar Pradesh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Backlit images simultaneously include dark as well as light regions of intensity. Objects in dark and low-contrast regions are complex for humans to perceive. In particular, such parts are selected as the image's region of interest (ROI). In backlit images, ROI is typically very dark and of low contrast, which makes visualization difficult. This paper explores and presents an approach for contrast enhancement and preserving the naturalness of the ROI of the backlit image. The proposed methodology considers stretching the contrast and balancing other aspects of the ROI, such as textural details, visibility, etc. In the last stage, a fusion-based approach is carried out to obtain enhanced ROI of the backlit image. It also examines the experimental results of the proposed method using various steps and, based on the validation, confirms that the proposed solution produces better results for the ROI of the backlit image than the other state-of-the-art methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multistage interconnection networks are used as a medium for interconnecting processors and memories in multiprocessor systems. Multistage interconnection networks are an effective substitute for crossbar switches, used in telephone network systems and parallel computers, due to their low cost, better performance and easy maintainability. In this paper, we propose new fault-tolerant hybrid multistage interconnection networks obtained from shuffle exchange gamma interconnection network (SEGIN) and logical neighborhood network named as shuffle exchange gamma logical neighborhood interconnection network (SEGLNIN). We evaluated the performance of SEGLNIN in terms of disjoint paths, reliability and hardware cost and compared it with some well-known MINs like shuffle exchange network (SEN), shuffle exchange network with one extra stage (SEN +) and shuffle exchange network with two extra stages (SEN + 2), SEGIN-1, and SEGIN-2. The results illustrate that the performance of the proposed SEGLNIN is better than that of the compared networks in terms of reliability and disjoint paths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In earlier reported chat-based steganography techniques, only direct communication between the sender and receiver was considered which can raise suspicion for further investigations by an attacker. If the adversary traces the communication between the two, he may investigate to find out the data shared during communication, can alter the content, or destroy it. In such a situation, a steganography system is required which can bypass adverse attention through indirect communication instead of direct communication. In this paper, we propose a new framework to camouflage hidden communication between the transceivers. The framework is based on online social networking and video-sharing website's communication. The secret message is communicated using comment features of these social networking and video-sharing websites in a totally new way compared with earlier approaches. Stego-comment is generated by performing synonym-substitution based on Huffman code on the auto-summarized previous comments of a chosen post. The stego-comment does not raise any suspicion to the intermediary by being technically similar to other comments which may not have any hidden message, which makes this method successful. Similarity indices of the stego-comment with respect to other comments are calculated using a String Similarity Tool which uses fuzzy comparison functions between strings for one sample dataset. The proposed method gives average bit-rate (as a measure of embedding efficiency) of 9.04 bits per sentence for a set of five different case studies which is high compared with average bit rates found in the literature. This communication cannot be traced between the communicators through traffic analysis in any easy way due to the absence of any direct communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Propose a novel method for contrast enhancement of ROI of backlit image for surveillance systems. • Gamma and Log tone maps improve the contrast and luminosity of the dark regions of the backlit image. • A transfer learning-based approach generates multi-illumination maps for the ROI of backlit images. • An average-based fusion method for multi-illumination maps amalgamation. The surveillance images under backlit conditions is a potential and challenging research problem in image processing and computer vision. Low contrast regions of interest of backlit images form an indiscernible part for the real-time surveillance and biometrics applications. However, current state-of-the-art techniques typically offer limited dark-region contrast enhancement, are susceptible to colour distortion. This research work uses region of interest segmentation and a transfer learning-based strategy to improve the contrast of the dark intensity regions in backlit image using multi-illumination mappings, motivated by its usefulness. To generate a diversified collection of illumination-maps and enhance the brightness and contrast of the backlit image, the proposed framework applies the varied set of log and gamma transforms. The experimental findings confirm the assertion that the proposed method provides better performance than state-of-the-art methods both objectively and subjectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cause–effect relationship has tremendous role in interpreting the engineering and scientific problems which basically deals with the identifying potential causes of problem. Bayesian belief networks (BBN) also referred as Bayesian casual probabilistic network used widely to deal with probabilistic events to elucidate the complications having uncertainty. A major challenge in BBN is to construct a node probability table (NPT), which grows exponentially with the rising number of variables. Various approaches exist for NPT construction, including expert elicitation, data analysis, survey and weighted functions, noisy-OR, noisy-MAX, recursive noisy-OR (ROR), extended recursive noisy-OR, and ranked nodes. However, these methods are problem-specific and lacking behind a generalized approach applicable to all problem types. To address this issue, this paper proposes a generalized universal approach for constructing the NPT using fuzzy logic. The suggested strategy has been validated by applying it to a BBN prototype for software design and development. The proposed strategy has been evaluated with best-case and worst-case software metrics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Steganography is a way of communication between the transceivers by hiding the secret message in innocuous medium, so that no one doubts the secret communication. In this paper we put forth a novel method to embed secret data in the game, "Minesweeper", as minesweeper is a very popular game in standalone system and is also available to be played online. The proposed method generates a minesweeper grid which is visually indistinguishable by humans from other minesweeper games currently present online. The game has several properties, using which, steganography can be performed. Here, we have used position of mines present in the minesweeper grid to hide the secret message. The phenomenon of camouflage starts with the player's first click on the minesweeper grid. To place the mines on the minesweeper grid in a scattered way, different matrix traversal approaches and rules to be followed are also designed to prevent the game from raising suspicion to the intermediary. The statistical analysis of different properties also shows resemblance of the proposed game to other online and offline minesweeper games. The game simulator is given with embedded message within it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Construction of membership functions from numerical data is very important in various applications of the fuzzy set theory. In last two decade, many methods of membership function generation have been developed. Majority of the methods are application domain dependent and complex. In this paper, a simple method for the construction of membership functions from numerical data is proposed. To validate the proposed method, commonly used and suggested evaluation measures: average error rate, mean magnitude of relative error (MMRE), balanced mean magnitude of relative error (BMMRE), and coefficient of determination (R²), have been taken. The validating results show that proposed method has a higher accuracy than existing methods. The sensitivity analysis has been performed to analyze the impact of input variable on the output variable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new protocol for the synthesis of amides from tert-butyl peroxybenzoate (TBPB) and ammonia/amines has been developed under catalyst- and solvent-free conditions. The ammonia, primary and secondary amines reacted smoothly with TBPB to furnish the corresponding primary, secondary, and tertiary amides in excellent yields. TBPB proved to be an efficient and highly chemoselective benzoylating reagent for aliphatic amines in the presence of aromatic amines/ hydroxyl groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new base-mediated protocol has been developed for the synthesis of imines and amines from N-phenylureas and alcohols under normal air. From the synthetic point of view, the protocol can be considered as an efficient alternative to conventional methods for the synthesis of imines and amines in moderate to excellent yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Glycerol as a green, environmentally benign, safe, and nontoxic reaction media. [•] Variety of aryl halides gave corresponding N-aryl heterocycles using CuI catalyst. [•] The copper/glycerol catalytic system was efficiently recycled up to four runs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

An efficient methodology has been developed for the synthesis of nitriles through an aerobic oxidative reaction of alcohols and ammonium formate with copper as a homogeneous catalyst under a normal air atmosphere and solvent-free conditions. This protocol uses the air as a green oxidant and ammonium formate as the nitrogen source. A wide range of substrates were well tolerated in the reaction that gave water as a byproduct. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teleseismic earthquake data recorded by 11 broadband digital seismic stations deployed in the India-Asia collision zone in the eastern extremity of the Himalayan orogen (Tidding Suture) are analyzed to investigate the seismic anisotropy in the upper mantle. Shear-wave splitting parameters ( Φ and δt) derived from the analysis of core-refracted SKS phases provide first hand information about seismic anisotropy and deformation in the upper mantle beneath the region. The analysis shows considerable strength of anisotropy (delay time ~0.85-1.9 s) with average ENE-WSW-oriented fast polarization direction (FPD) at most of the stations. The FPD observed at stations close to the Tidding Suture aligns parallel to the strike of local geological faults and orthogonal to absolute plate motion direction of the Indian plate. The average trend of FPD at each station indicates that the anisotropy is primarily originated by lithospheric deformation due to India-Asia collision. The splitting data analyzed at closely spaced stations suggest a shallow source of anisotropy originated in the crust and upper mantle. The observed delay times indicate that the primary source of anisotropy is located in the upper mantle. The shear-wave splitting analysis in the Eastern Himalayan syntaxis (EHS) and surrounding regions suggests complex strain partitioning in the mantle which is accountable for evolution of the EHS and complicated syntaxial tectonics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated sedimentary thickness and shear wave velocity structure in the western part of the Indo-Gangetic Plain (Punjab and Haryana Plain) and adjoining Siwalik Himalaya with the help of receiver function inversion at 20 broad-band seismological stations. This region is one of the most seismically vulnerable zones of the world due to the presence of thick surface sediments in the foreland basin that can amplify seismic waves and cause huge damage due to the earthquakes of the Himalaya. The study reveals a progressive thickening of sediments from southwest to northeast. The basement depth varies from ∼1.5 to 1.7 km in the Central Alluvium Plain, ∼1.8 to 2.8 km in the Zone of Terminal Fans, and attains a maximum of ∼3.8 km near the Himalayan Frontal Thrust. The inverted models show the presence of soft alluvial with extremely low Vs (< 0.5 km s−1) and high Vp / Vs (∼2.5–3.0) at the top ∼400–700 m of the surface at most of the stations. A comparatively higher velocity of surface sediments observed at northern stations suggests the presence of compact sediments at the surface. The layered sedimentary structure revealed by the S -wave velocity models supports the previous geophysical investigations using borehole data. The velocity–depth structure obtained in this study is important for evaluating the seismic hazard of the densely populated urban areas spread over this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synthesis of novel N-cinnamoyl dipeptide esters have been carried out under solution phase conditions. The synthesized compounds have been characterized by IR, NMR and mass spectrometry. These compounds readily self-assemble to form nanorods. Their morphology have been studied using SEM and TEM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crustal configuration beneath the indenting northeast corner of the Indian Plate in the Eastern Himalayan Syntaxis has been investigated with the help of receiver function (RF) analysis of teleseismic earthquakes recorded by 19 broad-band seismological stations. The common conversion point stacking of RFs and 1-D velocity models obtained through inversion provide new information on the intracrustal structure. The study reveals the signature of the Main Himalayan Thrust (MHT) beneath the Lohit Valley at ∼22–26 km depth. The MHT is not prominent in the Siang window plausibly due to large-scale crustal deformation related to the formation of the window and antiform folding. Unlike in the western and central Himalaya, the MHT does not play a major role in seismogenesis in the Lohit Valley and Siang Window, where seismicity is active up to the crustal depth of ∼40 km. The crustal thickness increases from ∼38 km at Pasighat in the south to ∼50 km at the northernmost station (Gelling) in the Siang window. In Lohit Valley, the crustal thickness increases from ∼40 km at Mahadevpur in the west to ∼54 km in the Tidding–Tuting suture zone, which again shallows to ∼51 km in the eastern Lohit Plutonic Complex (Walong station). The thinner crust beneath the Tidding–Tuting suture compared to the Indus Tsangpo Suture Zone of northwest Himalaya is caused due to the differences in convergence rate, higher exhumation rate and mechanisms to accommodate collision and rotational tectonics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) is a donor which provides the methyl groups for histone or nucleic acid modification and phosphatidylcholine production. SAM is hypothesized to link metabolism and chromatin modification, however, its role in acute gene regulation is poorly understood. We recently found that Caenorhabditis elegans with reduced SAM had deficiencies in H3K4 trimethylation (H3K4me3) at pathogen-response genes, decreasing their expression and limiting pathogen resistance. We hypothesized that SAM may be generally required for stress-responsive transcription. Here, using genetic assays, we show that transcriptional responses to bacterial or xenotoxic stress fail in C. elegans with low SAM, but that expression of heat shock genes are unaffected. We also found that two H3K4 methyltransferases, set-2/SET1 and set-16/MLL, had differential responses to survival during stress. set-2/SET1 is specifically required in bacterial responses, whereas set-16/MLL is universally required. These results define a role for SAM in the acute stress-responsive gene expression. Finally, we find that modification of metabolic gene expression correlates with enhanced survival during stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A diagram is presented which shows the mild N-benzoylation and tert-butyl peroxybenzoate mediated selective of ammonia/amines under solvent- and catalyst-free conditions.

Various aryl amines react with either allyl alcohol or crotyl alcohol to form quinolines in efficient manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An abstract of the article "Base-Catalyzed Synthesis of Amides and Imines via C-C and C=C Bond Cleavage" is presented.

Application of aliphatic instead of benzylic alcohols yields carbamate and no imine derivatives, even in the absence of base. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An abstract of the article "N-Arylation of Indoles with Aryl Halides Using Copper/Glycerol as a Mild and Highly Efficient Recyclable Catalytic System" by Dilip Kumar T. Yadav, Sanil S. Rajak, and Bhalchandra M. Bhanage is presented.

The article discusses synthesis of nitriles by aerobic oxidative reaction of alcohols and ammonium formate with using copper as catalyst and also presents a chemical reaction depicting formation of nitriles.

[Display omitted] • Crustal thickness varies within the range ∼38–53 km in the Siang Window. • Poisson's ratios (σ) vary significantly from 0.23 to 0.308 in the window. • A high σ value is due to partially serpentinized rocks in the ophiolitic mélange. • The study portrays regional variation of Poisson's ratio in the Eastern Himalaya. We investigated the average crustal thickness and Poisson's ratio (σ) at 8 broadband seismological stations established in the Siang Window of the Eastern Himalayan Syntaxis. The H- k stacking method has been adopted on receiver functions of teleseismic earthquakes recorded by the seismological stations. The study reveals the variation of crustal thickness from ∼38 km in the Brahmaputra Valley (Pashighat) to ∼53 km at the northern boundary of the window. The estimated Poisson's ratios show significant variation from 0.23 to 0.308 in the window. The average crustal Poisson's ratios (σ) estimated at each station are divided into three categories, low (σ ≤ 0.25), intermediate (0.25 ≤ σ ≤ 0.27), and high (σ ≥ 0.27). The wide variations in σ can be attributed to the local geology. The extremely low σ at Along (0.23) can be explained by the presence of SiO 2 rich quartzite in the vicinity, while the extremely high σ at Gelling (0.308) suggests the presence of partially serpentinized rocks in the ophiolitic mélange. The available data of Poisson's ratios and Moho depths in and around the study region has been plotted to portray regional variations. The Siang Window is seismically active up to ∼40 km crustal depth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crustal thickness and Poisson's ratios are estimated across the northwest (NW) Himalaya and eastern Ladakh applying H-k stacking method on receiver functions of teleseismic earthquakes recorded at 16 broadband seismological stations. The results show significant lateral variation of crustal thickness from the Lesser and Higher Himalaya (∼50 km thick) to Ladakh (∼80 km thick) through the Indus Tsangpo Suture Zone (ITSZ). The Indian Moho is continuously traceable across the ITSZ which is consistent with the underthrusting of the Indian plate beyond the surface collision boundary. The estimated Poisson's ratios in the Lesser and Higher Himalaya are low (0.249-0.253), suggesting felsic composition of the crust. The Poisson's ratio is intermediate in the Tethyan Himalaya (0.269-0.273) and high beneath Ladakh (0.280-0.303), indicating the effect of aqueous fluid/partial melt present in the crust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tectonics of the Garwal-Kumaon Himalaya is characterized by thrusts, tectonic windows, and klippen. We investigate crustal shear wave velocity variations using ambient noise cross-correlation tomography. The studied region encompasses the Kali River valley in the east to Satluj valley in the west, with the adjoining Indo-Gangetic Plain in the south covering the northern part of the Delhi-Haridwar ridge. The fundamental mode group velocities of Rayleigh waves are extracted from cross-correlation data of 33 broadband seismological stations from a regional seismic network. A total of 374 dispersion curves with a period range of 4–29 s show a group velocity variation between ∼2.3 and ∼ 3.4 km/s. The shear wave velocity structure of the uppermost lithosphere down to ∼50 km obtained by non-linear inversion of the Rayleigh wave dispersion data provides new insight into the geometry of the crust. A large variation in Vs in the range of ∼2.8 to ∼4.7 km/s corresponds to a variety of changes in the tectonic deformation, structure, and crustal thickness of the Himalayan wedge. Thick low-velocity sedimentary formations are identified beneath the Indo-Gangetic Plain and the frontal Himalaya. Anomalous low Vs zones are also observed in the mid-crust beneath the higher Himalaya and southern Tibet, indicating partial melting or the presence of aqueous fluid zones. The high-velocity anomalies may be correlated with duplex structures beneath the Lesser Himalaya and with lithospheric flexure. [Display omitted] • Very low Vs in the uppermost crust beneath IGP indictes upto 10 km thick sediments. • Contrast of Vs in different depths in western and eastern parts of Central Himalaya. • Low Vs around MCT with high seismicity close and above Main Himalayan Thrust. • Possibility of flexure in the mantle below ramp structure. • Moho depth is between 40 and 47 km depth or deeper beneath study region of NW Himalaya. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mounting evidence suggests that nutritional exposures during pregnancy influence the fetal epigenome, and that these epigenetic changes can persist postnatally, with implications for disease risk across the life course.Methods: We review human intergenerational studies using a three-part search strategy. Search 1 investigates associations between preconceptional or pregnancy nutritional exposures, focusing on one-carbon metabolism, and offspring DNA methylation. Search 2 considers associations between offspring DNA methylation at genes found in the first search and growth-related, cardiometabolic and cognitive outcomes. Search 3 isolates those studies explicitly linking maternal nutritional exposure to offspring phenotype via DNA methylation. Finally, we compile all candidate genes and regions of interest identified in the searches and describe their genomic locations, annotations and coverage on the Illumina Infinium Methylation beadchip arrays.Results: We summarize findings from the 34 studies found in the first search, the 31 studies found in the second search and the eight studies found in the third search. We provide details of all regions of interest within 45 genes captured by this review.Conclusions: Many studies have investigated imprinted genes as priority loci, but with the adoption of microarray-based platforms other candidate genes and gene classes are now emerging. Despite a wealth of information, the current literature is characterized by heterogeneous exposures and outcomes, and mostly comprise observational associations that are frequently underpowered. The synthesis of current knowledge provided by this review identifies research needs on the pathway to developing possible early life interventions to optimize lifelong health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decision-making is very important activities in the various applications of science, engineering, and technology. A decision can be derived in three manners by these applications: (1) by developing a mathematical model, (2) taking domain experts advice, (3) developing an expert system. However, accurate mathematical model may not be developed for the domain that might not be completely interpreted. Moreover, the problem with the second method is that the human intervention is not possible all the time and the expenditure of hiring a domain expert may be high. Decision-making, using expert system or controller induces great interest among the researchers and professionals. Expert systems or controllers are capable enough to counter unpredictability, noise, and vagueness. Fuzzy set theory is commonly used in building the expert systems and controllers due to its ease and similarity to human reasoning. Therefore, the proposed approach is based on fuzzy logic for decision making. The proposed model is explained through a case study. The result of the proposed work is compared and judged by the results of earlier studies. The result depicts that the proposed method has a better performance and effectiveness than existing studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maternal nutritional deficiency significantly perturbs the offspring's physiology predisposing them to metabolic diseases during adulthood. Vitamin B 12 and folate are two such micronutrients, whose deficiency leads to elevated homocysteine levels. We earlier generated B 12 and/or folate deficient rat models and using high-throughput proteomic approach, showed that maternal vitamin B 12 deficiency modulates carbohydrate and lipid metabolism in the liver of pups through regulation of PPAR signaling pathway. In this study, using similar approach, we identified 26 differentially expressed proteins in the kidney of pups born to mothers fed with vitamin B 12 deficient diet while only four proteins were identified in the folate deficient group. Importantly, proteins like calreticulin, cofilin 1 and nucleoside diphosphate kinase B that are involved in the functioning of the kidney were upregulated in B 12 deficient group. Our results hint towards a larger effect of vitamin B 12 deficiency compared to that of folate presumably due to greater elevation of homocysteine in vitamin B 12 deficient group. In view of widespread vitamin B 12 and folate deficiency and its association with several diseases like anemia, cardiovascular and renal diseases, our results may have large implications for kidney diseases in populations deficient in vitamin B 12 especially in vegetarians and the elderly people.This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Proteomics in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Maternal nutritional deficiency in-utero is known to predict risk of complex disorders like cardiovascular disease, diabetes and many neurological disorders in the offspring and vitamin B12 is one such critical micronutrient. Here we performed 2D-DIGE followed by MALDI TOF/TOF analysis to identify proteins that are differentially expressed in liver of pups born to mothers fed vitamin B12 deficient diet vis-à-vis control diet. To further establish causality, we analyzed the effect of B12 rehabilitation at parturition on the protein levels and the phenotype in pups. We identified 38 differentially expressed proteins that were enriched in pathways involved in the regulation of amino acid, lipid and carbohydrate metabolism. Further, three enzymes in the β-oxidation pathway (hydroxyacyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase, medium-chain specific acyl-CoA dehydrogenase, 3-ketoacyl-CoA thiolase) were down-regulated in pups born to mothers fed vitamin B12 deficient diet. We observed age-dependent differential expression of peroxisome proliferator activated-receptor (PPAR) α and γ in the deficient pups. Interestingly, expression of 27 proteins that were differentially expressed was restored to the control levels after rehabilitation of female rats with vitamin B12 from parturition. Our study thus provides the first evidence that maternal vitamin B12 deficiency influences lipid and other micronutrient metabolism in pups through regulation of PPAR signaling pathway. Biological significance: Maternal vitamin B12 deficiency has been shown to predict the onset of complex disorders like atherosclerosis, type II diabetes etc. in the next generation during their adulthood. We have shown earlier that pups born to female rats fed with vitamin B12 deficient diet were obese and developed high levels of other intermediate traits such as triglycerides, cholesterol etc. that are related to the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disorders. In this piece of work using differential proteomic approach we have identified the altered metabolic processes in the liver of vitamin B12 deficient pups. We have also documented that the proteins involved in β-oxidation pathway are down-regulated. Further, differential expression of PPARα and PPARγ was evidently documented as the master regulator for the alteration of lipid, amino acid and carbohydrate metabolism during maternal vitamin B12 deficiency. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]