Nestedness pattern in stream diatom assemblages of central Western Ghats

Community diversity and the population abundance of a particular group of species are controlled by immediate environment, inter-and intra-species interactions, landscape conditions, historical events and evolutionary processes. Nestedness is a measure of order in an ecological system, referring to the order in which the number of species is related to area or other factors. In this study we have studied the nestedness pattern in stream diatom assemblages in 24 stream sites of central Western Ghats, and report 98 taxa from the streams of central Western Ghats region. The communities show highly significant nested pattern. The Mantel test of matrix revealed a strong relationship between species assemblages and environmental conditions at the sites. A significant relationship between species assemblage and environmental condition was observed. Principal component analysis (PCA) indicated that environmental conditions differed markedly across the sampling sites, with the first three components explaining 78% of variance. Species composition of diatoms is significantly correlated with environmental distance across geographical extent. The current pattern suggests that micro-environment at regional levels influences the species composition of epilithic diatoms in streams. The nestedness shown by the diatom community was highly significant, even though it had a high proportion of idiosyncratic species, characterized with high numbers of cosmopolitan species, whereas the nested species were dominated by endemic species. PCA identifies ionic parameters and nutrients as the major features which determine the characteristics of the sampling sites. Hence the local water quality parameters are the major factors in deciding the diatom species assemblages.

Study of transpiration cooling over a flat plate at hypersonic Mach numbers

Transpiration cooling over a flat plate at hypersonic Mach numbers is analyzed using Navier-Stokes equations, without the assumption of an isothermal wall with a prescribed wall temperature. A new criterion is proposed for determining a relevant range of blowing rates, which is useful in the parametric analysis. The wall temperature is found to decrease with the increasing blowing rate, but this effect is not uniform along the plate. The effect is more pronounced away from the leading edge. The relative change in the wall temperature is affected stronger by blowing at high Reynolds numbers. (AIAA)

Transitional intermittency detection by neural network

A neural network has been used to predict the flow intermittency from velocity signals in the transition zone in a boundary layer. Unlike many of the available intermittency detection methods requiring a proper threshold choice in order to distinguish between the turbulent and non-turbulent parts of a signal, a trained neural network does not involve any threshold decision. The intermittency prediction based on the neural network has been found to be very satisfactory.

Multiple garnet growth in garnet-kyanite-staurolite gneiss, Pangong metamorphic complex, Ladakh Himalaya: New constraints on tectonic setting

Garnet-kyanite-staurolite gneiss in the Pangong complex, Ladakh Himalaya, contains porphyroblastic euhedral garnets, blades of kyanite and resorbed staurolite surrounded by a fine-grained muscovite-biotite matrix associated with a leucogranite layer. Sillimanite is absent. The gneiss contains two generations of garnet in cores and rims that represent two stages of metamorphism. Garnet cores are extremely rich in Mn (X(Sps) = 0.35-038) and poor in Fe (X(Alm) = 0.40-0.45), whereas rims are relatively Mn-poor (X(Sps) =0.07-0.08), and rich in Fe (X(Alm), = 0.75-0.77). We suggest that garnet cores formed during prograde metamorphism in a subduction zone followed by abrupt exhumation, during early collision of the Ladakh arc and Karakoram block. The subsequent India-Asia continental collision subducted the metamorphic rocks to a mid-crustal level, where the garnet rims overgrew the Mn-rich cores at ca. 680 degrees C and ca. 8.5 kbar. PT calculations were estimated from phase diagrams calculated using a calculated bulk chemical composition in the Mn-NCKFMASHT system for the garnet-kyanite-staurolite-bearing assemblage. Muscovites from the metamorphic rocks and associated leucogranites have consistent K-Ar ages (ca. 10 Ma), closely related to activation of the Karakoram fault in the Pangong metamorphic complex. These ages indicate the contemporaneity of the exhumation of the metamorphic rocks and the cooling of the leucogranites. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Anticancer property of Bryophyllum pinnata (Lam.) Oken. leaf on human cervical cancer cells

Background: Bryophyllum pinnata (B. pinnata) is a common medicinal plant used in traditional medicine of India and of other countries for curing various infections, bowel diseases, healing wounds and other ailments. However, its anticancer properties are poorly defined. In view of broad spectrum therapeutic potential of B. pinnata we designed a study to examine anti-cancer and anti-Human Papillomavirus (HPV) activities in its leaf extracts and tried to isolate its active principle. Methods: A chloroform extract derived from a bulk of botanically well-characterized pulverized B. pinnata leaves was separated using column chromatography with step-gradient of petroleum ether and ethyl acetate. Fractions were characterized for phyto-chemical compounds by TLC, HPTLC and NMR and Biological activity of the fractions were examined by MTT-based cell viability assay, Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay, Northern blotting and assay of apoptosis related proteins by immunoblotting in human cervical cancer cells. Results: Results showed presence of growth inhibitory activity in the crude leaf extracts with IC50 at 552 mu g/ml which resolved to fraction F4 (Petroleum Ether: Ethyl Acetate:: 50: 50) and showed IC50 at 91 mu g/ml. Investigations of anti-viral activity of the extract and its fraction revealed a specific anti-HPV activity on cervical cancer cells as evidenced by downregulation of constitutively active AP1 specific DNA binding activity and suppression of oncogenic c-Fos and c-Jun expression which was accompanied by inhibition of HPV18 transcription. In addition to inhibiting growth, fraction F4 strongly induced apoptosis as evidenced by an increased expression of the pro-apoptotic protein Bax, suppression of the anti-apoptotic molecules Bcl-2, and activation of caspase-3 and cleavage of PARP-1. Phytochemical analysis of fraction F4 by HPTLC and NMR indicated presence of activity that resembled Bryophyllin A. Conclusions: Our study therefore demonstrates presence of anticancer and anti-HPV an activity in B. pinnata leaves that can be further exploited as a potential anticancer, anti-HPV therapeutic for treatment of HPV infection and cervical cancer.

Analytical solutions for diffuse fluorescence spectroscopy/imaging in biological tissues. Part I: zero and extrapolated boundary conditions

The mathematical model for diffuse fluorescence spectroscopy/imaging is represented by coupled partial differential equations (PDEs), which describe the excitation and emission light propagation in soft biological tissues. The generic closed-form solutions for these coupled PDEs are derived in this work for the case of regular geometries using the Green's function approach using both zero and extrapolated boundary conditions. The specific solutions along with the typical data types, such as integrated intensity and the mean time of flight, for various regular geometries were also derived for both time-and frequency-domain cases. (C) 2013 Optical Society of America

Clean localization super-resolution microscopy for 3D biological imaging

We propose clean localization microscopy (a variant of fPALM) using a molecule filtering technique. Localization imaging involves acquiring a large number of images containing single molecule signatures followed by one-to-one mapping to render a super-resolution image. In principle, this process can be repeated for other z-planes to construct a 3D image. But, single molecules observed from off-focal planes result in false representation of their presence in the focal plane, resulting in incorrect quantification and analysis. We overcome this with a single molecule filtering technique that imposes constraints on the diffraction limited spot size of single molecules in the image plane. Calibration with sub-diffraction size beads puts a natural cutoff on the actual diffraction-limited size of single molecules in the focal plane. This helps in distinguishing beads present in the focal plane from those in the off-focal planes thereby providing an estimate of the single molecules in the focal plane. We study the distribution of actin (labeled with a photoactivatable CAGE 552 dye) in NIH 3T3 mouse fibroblast cells. (C) 2016 Author(s).

Space experiments of thermocapillary convection in two-liquid layers

In 1999, the space experiments on the Marangoni convection and thermocapillary convection in a system of two immiscible liquid layers in microgravity environment were conducted on board the Chinese scientific satellite SJ-5. A new system of two-layer liquids such as FC-70 liquid and paraffin was used successfully, with the paraffin melted in the space. Two different test-cells are subjected to a temperature gradient perpendicular or parallel to the interface to study the Marangoni convection and thermocapillary convection, respectively. The experimental data obtained in the first Chinese space experiment of fluid are presented. Two-dimensional numerical simulations of thermocapillary convections are carried out using SIMPLEC method A reasonable agreement between the experimental investigation and the numerical results is obtained.

On crack path stability in a layered material

Crack paths in an elastic layer on top of a substrate are considered. Crack growth is initiated from an edge crack in the layer. The plane of the initially straight crack forms an angle to the free surface. The load consists of a pair of forces applied at the crack mouth and parallel to the interface. Crack paths are calculated using a boundary element method. Crack growth is assumed to proceed along a path for which the mode II stress intensity factor vanishes. The inclination and the length of the initial crack are varied. The effect of two different substrates on the crack path evolution is demonstrated. A crack path initially leading perpendicularly to the interface is shown to be directionally unstable for a rigid substrate. Irrespective of its initial angle, the crack does not reach the interface, but reaches the free surface if the layer is infinitely long. At finite layer length the crack reaches the upper free surface if the initial crack inclination to the surface is small enough. For an inextendable flexible substrate, on the other hand, the crack reaches the interface if its initial inclination is large enough. For the flexible substrate an unstable path parallel with the sides of an infinitely long layer is identified. The results are compared with experimental results and discussed in view of characterisation of directionally unstable crack paths. The energy release rate for an inclined edge crack is determined analytically.

3-dimensional transient wave response in a cracked elastic solid

The three-dimensional transient wave response problem is presented for an infinite elastic medium weakened by a plane crack of infinite length and finite width. Tractions are applied suddenly to the crack, which simulates the case of impact loading. The integral transforms are utilized to reduce the problem to a standard Fredholm integral equation in the Laplace transform variable and sequentially invert the Laplace transforms of the stress components by numerical inversion method. The dynamic mode I stress intensity factors at the crack tip are obtained and some numerical results are presented in graphical form.

Epanaphoras de varia historia portugueza a El Rey Nosso Senhor D. Afonso VI : em cinco relaçoens de sucessos pertencentes a este reyno que contem negocios publicos, politicos, tragicos, amorosos, belicos, triunfantes

Francisco Manuel de Melo nasceu em Lisboa, e m 23 de novembro de 1608. e morreu na sua quinta em Alcântara, em 13 de outubro de 1666. Estudou em colégio Jesuíta, especializando-se em Filosofia e Teologia. Aos dezessete anos, decidiu seguir carreira militar. Condenado por instigar homicídio, esteve preso por onze anos e, em 1655, foi degredado para o Brasil, para onde partiu na armada de Francisco de Brito Freire. Retornou a Portugal em 1658. De lá foi pua a Itália, onde permaneceu p r alguns anos e começou, em 1664, a fazer uma edição completa de suas obras as quais por motivo ignorado não deu continuidade. Transferiu-se para Lisboa onde veio a falecer. Historiador, poeta, orador e crítico moralista, Francisco Manuel foi um dos escritores mais eruditos e polidos. ‘Epanaphoras de varia historia portugueza...’ na sua primeira edição publicada em 1660 trazia dedicatória do autor ao Rei D. Afonso Vl, substituída, pelo editor Craesbeeck, na segunda edição, por dedicatória a D. João da Silva, Marquês de Gouvêa. A obra é composta de cinco epanaforas. Em três delas, Francisco Manuel relata acontecimentos que testemunhou: na Epanáfora Política conta o levante ocorrido em Evora em 1637; na Epanáfora Bélica narra a batalha naval da armada de D. Antonio ocorrida contra os holandeses no Canal da Mancha, em 1637; na Epanáfora Trágica descreve o naufrágio da frota de D. Manuel de Meneses na costa francesa. Outras duas Epanáforas - a Amorosa e a Triunfante - não fazem parte do gênero das memórias; referem-se, respectivamente, a uma lenda sobre o descobrimento da Ilha da Madeira e a restauração de Pernambuco, em 1654. Inocêncio afirma que a primeira edição é ‘infinitamente superior a esta em correção’, onde se podem verificar vários erros, muito embora ambas sejam igualmente raras e tenham o mesmo valor .