Climate change and forests in India

Forests play a critical role in addressing climate change concerns in the broader context of global change and sustainable development. Forests are linked to climate change in three ways. i) Forests are a source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions: ii) Forests offer mitigation opportunities to stabilise GHG concentrations: iii) Forests are impacted by climate change. This paper reviews studies related to climate change and forests in India: first, the studies estimating carbon inventory for the Indian land use change and forestry sector (LUCF), then the different models and mitigation potential estimates for the LUCF sector in India. Finally it reviews the studies on the impact of climate change on forest ecosystems in India, identifying the implications for net primary productivity and bio-diversity. The paper highlights data, modelling and research gaps relevant to the GHG inventory, mitigation potential and vulnerability and impact assessments for the forest sector in India.

1-D hydrogen-bonded organization of hexanuclear {3d-4f-5d} complexes: evidence for slow relaxation of the magnetization for [{LMe2Ni(H2O)Ln(H2O)4.5}2{W(CN)8}2] with Ln = Tb and Dy

Heterometallic {3d-4f-5d} aggregates with formula [{LMe2Ni(H2O)Ln(H2O)4.5}2{W(CN)8}2]·15H2O, (LMe2 stands for N,N-2,2-dimethylpropylenedi(3-methoxysalicylideneiminato) Schiff-base ligand) with Ln = Gd, Tb, Dy, have been obtained by reacting bimetallic [LMe2Ni(H2O)2Ln(NO3)3] and Cs3{W(CN)8} in H2O. The hexanuclear complexes are organized in 1-D arrays by means of hydrogen bonds established between the solvent molecules coordinated to Ln and the CN ligands of an octacyanometallate moiety. The X-ray structure was solved for the Tb derivative. Magnetic behavior indicates ferromagnetic {W–Ni} and {Ni–Ln} interactions (JNiW = 18.5 cm-1, JNiGd = 1.85 cm-1) as well as ferromagnetic intermolecular interactions mediated by the H-bonds. Dynamic magnetic susceptibility studies reveal slow magnetic relaxation processes for the Tb and Dy derivatives, suggesting SMM type behavior for these compounds.

Towards a temperature-guided molecular switch: an unusual reversible low-temperature polymorphic phase transition in a conformational locked environment

A conformationally locked tetraacetate undergoes, quite akin to a temperature-guided molecular switch, a reversible thermal switching between two polymorphic modifications; the room-temperature alpha-form converted at -4 degrees C to a low-temperature denser beta-form, which displayed an unusual kinetic stability till 67 degrees C and transformed back to the alpha-form beyond this temperature.

The Frontiers of India's Biological Diversity

India has a long and rich history of tropical science. But here, as elsewhere in the tropical world, there are surprises to be discovered. One thinks immediately of the description, in December 2004, of a new species of macaque from India - the Arunachal macaque Macaca munzala. I use the word description deliberately, because this species was long known to the local people, and the species name rightly reflects this knowledge. Mun zala means "deep-forest monkey" in the language of the Dirang Monpa people of Tawang and West Kameng Districts of Arunachal Pradesh, where this species lives. The new macaque was discovered by science during field trips to these areas by Indian scientists from the Nature Conservation Foundation in Mysore, the National Institute of Advanced Studies in Bangalore, the Wildlife Conservation Society in New York, and the International Snow Leopard Trust. In this habitat, the largely Buddhist local community abstains from killing wildlife for food or sport, although the monkey has been reportedly shot for crop raiding. This species, one of the world's highest-living primate species, lives at altitudes between 1,600 and 3,500m, and is thus a veritable yeti.

A new mixed-matrix membrane for DMFCs

A new mixed-matrix membrane based on stabilized phosphotungstic acid (PTA) incorporated to chitosan (CS)-hydroxy ethyl cellulose (HEC) for application in direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs) is reported. Membranes are characterised using Fourier Transform Spectroscopy (FTIR), Thermo-Gravimetric Analysis (TGA), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and their mechanical properties are evaluated. The PTA content in the CS-HEC blend and its influence on proton conductivity, water/methanol sorption, and methanol cross-over in the DMFC is studied. The DMFC with 3 wt. % stabilized PTA-CS-HEC mixed-matrix membrane delivers peak power-density of 58 mW/cm(2) at a load current-density of 210 mA/cm(2) with a lower methanol cross-over than that observed for a DMFC operating with a Nafion membrane electrolyte.

An FETI-preconditioned conjuerate gradient method for large-scale stochastic finite element problems

In the spectral stochastic finite element method for analyzing an uncertain system. the uncertainty is represented by a set of random variables, and a quantity of Interest such as the system response is considered as a function of these random variables Consequently, the underlying Galerkin projection yields a block system of deterministic equations where the blocks are sparse but coupled. The solution of this algebraic system of equations becomes rapidly challenging when the size of the physical system and/or the level of uncertainty is increased This paper addresses this challenge by presenting a preconditioned conjugate gradient method for such block systems where the preconditioning step is based on the dual-primal finite element tearing and interconnecting method equipped with a Krylov subspace reusage technique for accelerating the iterative solution of systems with multiple and repeated right-hand sides. Preliminary performance results on a Linux Cluster suggest that the proposed Solution method is numerically scalable and demonstrate its potential for making the uncertainty quantification Of realistic systems tractable.

Prediction of protein-protein interactions between Helicobacter pylori and a human host

A lack of information on protein-protein interactions at the host-pathogen interface is impeding the understanding of the pathogenesis process. A recently developed, homology search-based method to predict protein-protein interactions is applied to the gastric pathogen, Helicobacter pylori to predict the interactions between proteins of H. pylori and human proteins in vitro. Many of the predicted interactions could potentially occur between the pathogen and its human host during pathogenesis as we focused mainly on the H. pylori proteins that have a transmembrane region or are encoded in the pathogenic island and those which are known to be secreted into the human host. By applying the homology search approach to protein-protein interaction databases DIP and iPfam, we could predict in vitro interactions for a total of 623 H. pylori proteins with 6559 human proteins. The predicted interactions include 549 hypothetical proteins of as yet unknown function encoded in the H. pylori genome and 13 experimentally verified secreted proteins. We have recognized 833 interactions involving the extracellular domains of transmembrane proteins of H. pylori. Structural analysis of some of the examples reveals that the interaction predicted by us is consistent with the structural compatibility of binding partners. Examples of interactions with discernible biological relevance are discussed.

Multiple excitation nano-spot generation and confocal detection for far-field microscopy

An imaging technique is developed for the controlled generation of multiple excitation nano-spots for far-field microscopy. The system point spread function (PSF) is obtained by interfering two counter-propagating extended depth-of-focus PSF (DoF-PSF), resulting in highly localized multiple excitation spots along the optical axis. The technique permits (1) simultaneous excitation of multiple planes in the specimen; (2) control of the number of spots by confocal detection; and (3) overcoming the point-by-point based excitation. Fluorescence detection from the excitation spots can be efficiently achieved by Z-scanning the detector/pinhole assembly. The technique complements most of the bioimaging techniques and may find potential application in high resolution fluorescence microscopy and nanoscale imaging.

New Strategies for the Enrichment of Metallic Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

Enrichment of metallic single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) has been accomplished by several means, including new extraction and synthetic procedures and by interaction with metal nanoparticles as well as electron donor molecules. In the presence of Fe(CO)(5) the arc discharge method yields nearly pure metallic nanotubes. Fluorous chemistry involving the preferential diazotization of metallic SWNTs offers a good procedure of obtaining the pure metallic species. Interaction of gold or platinum nanoparticles as well as of electron-donor molecules such as aniline and tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) transform semiconducting SWNTs into metallic ones. Raman and electroni spectroscopies provide ideal means to monitor enrichment of metallic SWNTs.

A course for teaching design research methodology

Design research informs and supports practice by developing knowledge to improve the chances of producing successful products.Training in design research has been poorly supported. Design research uses human and natural/technical sciences, embracing all facets of design; its methods and tools are adapted from both these traditions. However, design researchers are rarely trained in methods from both the traditions. Research in traditional sciences focuses primarily on understanding phenomena related to human, natural, or technical systems. Design research focuses on supporting improvement of such systems, using understanding as a necessary but not sufficient step, and it must embrace methods for both understanding reality and developing support for its improvement. A one-semester, postgraduate-level, credited course that has been offered since 2002, entitled Methodology for Design Research, is described that teaches a methodology for carrying out research into design. Its steps are to clarify research success; to understand relevant phenomena of design and how these influence success; to use this to envision design improvement and develop proposals for supporting improvement; to evaluate support for its influence on success; and, if unacceptable, to modify, support, or improve the understanding of success and its links to the phenomena of design. This paper highlights some major issues about the status of design research and describes how design research methodology addresses these. The teaching material, model of delivery, and evaluation of the course on methodology for design research are discussed.

Segal-Bargmann Transform and Paley-Wiener Theorems on Motion Groups

We study the Segal-Bargmann transform on a motion group R-n v K, where K is a compact subgroup of SO(n) A characterization of the Poisson integrals associated to the Laplacian on R-n x K is given We also establish a Paley-Wiener type theorem using complexified representations

On kuhnels 9-vertex complex projective plane

We present an elementary combinatorial proof of the existence and uniqueness of the 9-vertex triangulation of C P2. The original proof of existence, due to Kuhnel, as well as the original proof of uniqueness, due to Kuhnel and Lassmann, were based on extensive computer search. Recently Arnoux and Marin have used cohomology theory to present a computer-free proof. Our proof has the advantage of displaying a canonical copy of the affine plane over the three-element field inside this complex in terms of which the entire complex has a very neat and short description. This explicates the full automorphism group of the Kuhnel complex as a subgroup of the automorphism group of this affine plane. Our method also brings out the rich combinatorial structure inside this complex.

Stability of copper tolerance in Thiobacillus ferrooxidans

A strain of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans MAL-4-1 was adapted to grow at higher concentrations of copper by repeated subculturing in the presence of increasing levels of added cupric ions in 9K medium. The strains adapted to copper were found to be more efficient in bioleaching of copper from concentrates. When copper tolerant strains were back cultured repeatedly in 9K medium without cupric ions, the initially developed metal tolerance was observed to be lost. This indicates that the copper tolerance developed is stress-dependent and not a permanent trait of the adapted strain.