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"Pandey, Pankaj"
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Effect of physicochemical and biological parameters on the quality of river water of Narmada, Madhya Pradesh, India
Narmada River is considered to be the holy river of the state Madhya Pradesh. A study was considered for the development of water quality index using eight parameters pH, Temperature, Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Turbidity, Nitrate-Nitrogen (NO3-N), Phosphate (PO43−), Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), Dissolved Oxygen (DO) measured at six different sites (S1–S6) along the river Narmada. Three methods (Weighted Arithmetic Water Quality Index, National Sanitation Foundation Water Quality Index and Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment Water Quality Index) were used for calculation of water quality index. This was observed that the water quality was found to be excellent to good in the season summer and winter and poor to unsuitable for human consumption in the season monsoon along the river Narmada. The fall in the quality of water in monsoon season was due to poor sanitation, turbulent flow, soil erosion and high anthropogenic activities.
Journal Article
An integrated approach of GIS, RUSLE and AHP to model soil erosion in West Kameng watershed, Arunachal Pradesh
Soil erosion has always been a major environmental problem in many parts of the world including the northeastern region of India. An increase in the rate of soil erosion has tremendous implications on land degradation, biodiversity loss, productivity, etc. Hence, assessment of soil erosion hazard and its spatial distribution is essential to serve as a baseline data for effective control measures. The present study uses revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE) and analytical hierarchy process (AHP) approach integrated with geospatial technology for modeling soil erosion hazard zone of West Kameng watershed of Arunachal Pradesh, Northeast India. The assessment showed that the erodibility factor of soil ranged between 0 and 0.38 t/ha/MJ/mm and slope length and steepness factor increases with increase in slope angle. Lower normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) values depict vegetation cover and higher values represent the rocky area or barren land. Spatial distribution of conservation support practice on soil loss indicated the variability (0–1) where lower value represents the higher conservation practice. The predicted average soil erosion rate was 124.21 t/ha/Yr. Normalized eigenvector values ranged between 0.03 and 0.20. The areas with more slope, relative relief, drainage density, lineament density, and frequency have shown comparatively higher eigenvector values, and it has been noticed that the strength of these eigenvectors reduces with a decrease in the values of the parameters. The spatial soil erosion potential map was delineated using eight geo-environmental variables (LULC, geomorphology, slope, relative relief, drainage density, drainage frequency, lineament density, and lineament frequency). The soil hazard map showed that the moderate soil erosion has the maximum (57.71%) area cover followed by high erosion class (26.09%) which depicts that most of the watershed areas are moderate to high vulnerable to soil erosion. The efficiency of the AHP was validated applying area under curve (AUC) method which result 84.90% accuracy in the present study. Based on the findings, it is being recommended that present watershed requires adequate control procedures on a priority basis to conserve soil resources and reduce flood events and siltation of water bodies.
Journal Article
Genome-wide analysis of transcription factors during somatic embryogenesis in banana (Musa spp.) cv. Grand Naine
Transcription factors BABY BOOM (BBM), WUSCHEL (WUS), BSD, LEAFY COTYLEDON (LEC), LEAFY COTYLEDON LIKE (LIL), VIVIPAROUS1 (VP1), CUP SHAPED COTYLEDONS (CUC), BOLITA (BOL), and AGAMOUS LIKE (AGL) play a crucial role in somatic embryogenesis. In this study, we identified eighteen genes of these nine transcription factors families from the banana genome database. All genes were analyzed for their structural features, subcellular, and chromosomal localization. Protein sequence analysis indicated the presence of characteristic conserved domains in these transcription factors. Phylogenetic analysis revealed close evolutionary relationship among most transcription factors of various monocots. The expression patterns of eighteen genes in embryogenic callus containing somatic embryos (precisely isolated by Laser Capture Microdissection), non-embryogenic callus, and cell suspension cultures of banana cultivar Grand Naine were analyzed. The application of 2, 4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2, 4-D) in the callus induction medium enhanced the expression of MaBBM1, MaBBM2, MaWUS2, and MaVP1 in the embryogenic callus. It suggested 2, 4-D acts as an inducer for the expression of these genes. The higher expression of MaBBM2 and MaWUS2 in embryogenic cell suspension (ECS) as compared to non-embryogenic cells suspension (NECS), suggested that these genes may play a crucial role in banana somatic embryogenesis. MaVP1 showed higher expression in both ECS and NECS, whereas MaLEC2 expression was significantly higher in NECS. It suggests that MaLEC2 has a role in the development of non-embryogenic cells. We postulate that MaBBM2 and MaWUS2 can be served as promising molecular markers for the embryogencity in banana.
Journal Article
Techno-economic optimization of packed-bed thermal energy storage system combined with CSP plant using DOE: design of experiment technique and Taguchi method
Three distinct sensible thermal energy storage (STES) mediums were researched in order to optimize the packed-bed thermal energy storage (PB-TES) system for a combined CSP and CO
2
Rankine plant. PB-TES was studied using various particle types, including alumina, steel particles, and a hybrid of the two. The PB-TES system for various STES media has been simulated using CFD models. The experiments were confirmed by a prior investigation with constant mass flow rate air as a heat transfer fluid. In the present study, a cylindrical tank containing porous STES material was used for CFD modeling using the Ansys Fluent program. Using a transient two-phase model equation for fluid and solid phases, simulations of charging and discharging are performed for the current study. For more accurate simulation outcomes, the thermal dispersion and conductivity of the STES in the PB-TES system were taken into account. After confirming the CFD simulation, the combined solar thermal and Rankine cycle plant sizing and design cost for the PB-TES is required. Using the design of experiment approach (“Taguchi method”), a techno-economic analysis is conducted for an optimized PB-TES system employing the dynamic cycling methodology. In this study, geometric modifications of the PB-TES system with respect to cost assumptions were also examined. Hybrid STES media predict optimal outcomes for the PB-TES system at a significant cost.
Graphical abstract
Journal Article
Selective Inhibition of Human Monoamine Oxidase B by Acacetin 7-Methyl Ether Isolated from Turnera diffusa (Damiana)
The investigation of the constituents that were isolated from Turnera diffusa (damiana) for their inhibitory activities against recombinant human monoamine oxidases (MAO-A and MAO-B) in vitro identified acacetin 7-methyl ether as a potent selective inhibitor of MAO-B (IC50 = 198 nM). Acacetin 7-methyl ether (also known as 5-hydroxy-4′, 7-dimethoxyflavone) is a naturally occurring flavone that is present in many plants and vegetables. Acacetin 7-methyl ether was four-fold less potent as an inhibitor of MAO-B when compared to acacetin (IC50 = 50 nM). However, acacetin 7-methyl ether was >500-fold selective against MAO-B over MAO-A as compared to only two-fold selectivity shown by acacetin. Even though the IC50 for inhibition of MAO-B by acacetin 7-methyl ether was ~four-fold higher than that of the standard drug deprenyl (i.e., SelegilineTM or ZelaparTM, a selective MAO-B inhibitor), acacetin 7-methyl ether’s selectivity for MAO-B over MAO-A inhibition was greater than that of deprenyl (>500- vs. 450-fold). The binding of acacetin 7-methyl ether to MAO-B was reversible and time-independent, as revealed by enzyme-inhibitor complex equilibrium dialysis assays. The investigation on the enzyme inhibition-kinetics analysis with varying concentrations of acacetin 7-methyl ether and the substrate (kynuramine) suggested a competitive mechanism of inhibition of MAO-B by acacetin 7-methyl ether with Ki value of 45 nM. The docking scores and binding-free energies of acacetin 7-methyl ether to the X-ray crystal structures of MAO-A and MAO-B confirmed the selectivity of binding of this molecule to MAO-B over MAO-A. In addition, molecular dynamics results also revealed that acacetin 7-methyl ether formed a stable and strong complex with MAO-B. The selective inhibition of MAO-B suggests further investigations on acacetin 7-methyl as a potential new drug lead for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders, including Parkinson’s disease.
Journal Article
Covariance-based analysis of spindle-band EEG during declarative and non-declarative odor cueing in sleep
Sleep supports memory consolidation through the reactivation of neural circuits engaged during learning. Targeted Memory Reactivation (TMR), in which memory-associated sensory cues are presented during sleep, can enhance declarative memory retention. However, the neural signatures supporting odor-cued reactivation remain incompletely characterized.
Here, we analyzed high-density electroencephalography (EEG) recordings from a TMR paradigm designed to dissociate neural responses associated with declarative and non-declarative odor cueing during sleep. EEG epochs were examined across fast- (12.5-16 Hz) and slow-spindle (9-12.5 Hz) frequency bands, channel subsets (all, frontal, central, and posterior), and multiple post-cue time windows (0-2, 0-4, and 0-7 s). Using within-participant machine learning based on Riemannian geometry, we classified EEG epochs elicited by a declarative memory-associated odor (Odor D) vs. vehicle control, and by a non-declarative odor associated with a motor task (Odor M) vs. vehicle.
Decoding performance relative to permutation-derived chance showed condition-dependent patterns across frequency bands, time windows, and channel subsets. Across analyses, decoding tended to be higher in the declarative condition (Odor D) than in the non-declarative condition (Odor M), with the strongest effects observed in central channels. Channel-level contribution analysis further indicated more spatially structured covariance patterns during Odor D over central regions, whereas contributions during Odor M were more diffuse and less consistent. These effects were modest and did not survive correction for multiple comparisons.
These results suggest that declarative odor cueing during sleep is associated with more structured spindle-band EEG patterns than non-declarative cueing, particularly over central channels, although effects were modest and did not survive correction for multiple comparisons. A key finding is a difference in central-channel contribution patterns between conditions, consistent with memory-related neural modulation. These findings also highlight the potential of covariance-based decoding approaches for probing distributed sleep EEG dynamics, warranting further validation in larger samples.
Journal Article
Chloroplasts evolved an additional layer of translational regulation based on non-AUG start codons for proteins with different turnover rates
Chloroplasts have evolved from photosynthetic cyanobacteria-like progenitors through endosymbiosis. The chloroplasts of present-day land plants have their own transcription and translation systems that show several similarities with prokaryotic organisms. A remarkable feature of the chloroplast translation system is the use of non-AUG start codons in the protein synthesis of certain genes that are evolutionarily conserved from Algae to angiosperms. However, the biological significance of such use of non-AUG codons is not fully understood. The present study was undertaken to unravel the significance of non-AUG start codons in vivo using the chloroplast genetic engineering approach. For this purpose, stable transplastomic tobacco plants expressing a reporter gene i.e.
uidA
(GUS) under four different start codons (AUG/UUG/GUG/CUG) were generated and β-glucuronidase (GUS) expression was compared. To investigate further the role of promoter sequences proximal to the start codon,
uidA
was expressed under two different chloroplast gene promoters
psbA
and
psbC
that use AUG and a non-AUG (GUG) start codons, respectively, and also showed significant differences in the DNA sequence surrounding the start codon. Further, to delineate the role of RNA editing that creates AUG start codon by editing non-AUG codons, if any, which is another important feature of the chloroplast transcription and translation system, transcripts were sequenced. In addition, a proteomic approach was used to identify the translation initiation site(s) of GUS and the N-terminal amino acid encoded when expressed under different non-AUG start codons. The results showed that chloroplasts use non-AUG start codons in combination with the translation initiation site as an additional layer of gene regulation to over-express proteins that are required at high levels due to their high rates of turnover.
Journal Article
Pseudogenes in Juvenile Nasopharyngeal Angiofibroma: First Pilot Observation
To investigate the role of Pseudogenes (PG) in juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma (JNA) that were once considered to be junk-DNA or ‘genomic fossils’. Five to 10 fresh JNA samples were analyzed for molecular expressions of 5 PG/respective parent genes (VEGFR1P1/VEGFR; FGFR3P1/FGFR3; PDGFAP1/PDGFA; IL6RP1/IL6R; POU5F1B/POU5F1) and clinical details correlated. IL6R, PDGFA, VEGFR2, FGF3 and their respective PG (VEGFR1P1, PDGFAP1, IL6RP1, FGFR3P1) were highly expressed but POU5F1/POU5F1B were not. The difference in expression between IL6R & IL6RP1 was substantially larger compared with other 4 pairs. While VEGFR1P1, PDGFAP1 & POU5F1B were expressed more than their respective parent genes; IL6RP1 & FGFR3P1 showed reduced expression. No clinical significance was apparent in any parameter nor was any difference noted between recurrent and upfront cases. A definite implication of pseudogene in JNA is evident in this ever first global study but future studies are needed to validate the current findings as well as further characterize its role/profile in larger sample. This may explain extreme variability of JNA, its heterogenous etiopathogenesis, evolving patterns and molecular characterization for possible targeted therapy.
Journal Article
Classifying oscillatory brain activity associated with Indian Rasas using network metrics
Neural signatures for the western classification of emotions have been widely discussed in the literature. The ancient Indian treatise on performing arts known as
Natyashastra
categorizes emotions into nine classes, known as
Rasa
s.
Rasa
—as opposed to a pure emotion—is defined as a superposition of certain transitory, dominant, and temperamental emotional states. Although
Rasa
s have been widely discussed in the text, dedicated brain imaging studies have not been conducted in their research. Our study examines the neural oscillations, recorded through electroencephalography (EEG) imaging, that are elicited while experiencing emotional states corresponding to
Rasa
s. We identify differences among them using network-based functional connectivity metrics in five different frequency bands. Further, Random Forest models are trained on the extracted network features, and we present our findings based on classifier predictions. We observe slow (delta) and fast brain waves (beta and gamma) exhibited the maximum discriminating features between
Rasa
s, whereas alpha and theta bands showed fewer distinguishable pairs. Out of nine
Rasa
s, Sringaram (love), Bibhatsam (odious), and Bhayanakam (terror) were distinguishable from other
Rasa
s the most across frequency bands. On the scale of most network metrics, Raudram (rage) and Sringaram are on the extremes, which also resulted in their good classification accuracy of 95%. This is reminiscent of the circumplex model where anger and contentment/happiness are on extremes on the pleasant scale. Interestingly, our results are consistent with the previous studies which highlight the significant role of higher frequency oscillations in the classification of emotions, in contrast to the alpha band that has shows non-significant differences across emotions. This research contributes to one of the first attempts to investigate the neural correlates of
Rasa
s. Therefore, the results of this study can potentially guide the explorations into the entrainment of brain oscillations between performers and viewers, which can further lead to better performances and viewer experience.
Journal Article