Neotectonic appraisal of Ramganga River basin, Eastern Kumaun, Himalaya, India

The Ramganga River flows from north to south and drains the northeastern (Lesser Himalaya) of the Himalaya. It transects with numerous active faults, thrusts, and litho-tectonic units before the confluence with the Saryu River at Rameshwar.The present study aimed to determine the virtue of geomorphic indices in appraising the status of neotectonic activity in the Ramganga River Valley, Eastern Kumaun, Himalaya. The watersheds and drainage network were extracted using the Advanced Space-borne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) DEM at 50000 and 100 Pixels threshold, derived18 sub-watersheds and detailed drainage network. Further, this study deciphered the relative neo-tectonic activity of the Ramganga river using the Index of Relative Active Tectonics (IRAT) based on various geomorphic indices Bifurcation Ratio (Br), channel sinuosity (Cs), Asymmetry Factor (Af), Hypsometric Integral (HI), Basin Elongation Ratio (Re), Drainage Density (Dd), Drainage Texture (Dt), and Stream Length Gradient (SL). These indices were classified into high, moderate and low to provide a rank to sub-basin for deriving the IRAT.   The northeastern bank of Ramganga River shows high neo-tectonic activity, viz., stream length gradient (500- 1688), channel sinuosity (1.41- 1.48), and valley floor width to height ratio (0.11- 0.34) than southwestern parts.

Metabolic synergies in the biotransformation of organic and metallic toxic compounds by a saprotrophic soil fungus

The saprotrophic fungus Penicillium griseofulvum was chosen as model organism to study responses to a mixture of hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) isomers (α-HCH, β-HCH, γ-HCH, δ-HCH) and of potentially toxic metals (vanadium, lead) in solid and liquid media. The P. griseofulvum FBL 500 strain was isolated from polluted soil containing high concentrations of HCH isomers and potentially toxic elements (Pb, V). Experiments were performed in order to analyse the tolerance/resistance of this fungus to xenobiotics, and to shed further light on fungal potential in inorganic and organic biotransformations. The aim was to examine the ecological and bioremedial potential of this fungus verifying the presence of mechanisms that allow it to transform HCH isomers and metals under different, extreme, test conditions. To our knowledge, this work is the first to provide evidence on the biotransformation of HCH mixtures, in combination with toxic metals, by a saprotrophic non-white-rot fungus and on the metabolic synergies involved

KETERLIBATAN IBU DALAM LITERASI KELUARGA PADA PEMEBELAJARAN MENULIS PERMULAAN DI MASA PANDEMI COVID 19

Keluarga merupakan tempat belajar yang pertama dan utama bagi seorang anak dan memegang peranan yang penting dalam Pendidikan anak. Dengan lingkungan keluarga yang baik dan didukung oleh kegiatan literasi yang baik tentulah akan menghasilkan seorang anak yang literat dan mempunyai kompetensi kognitif, afektif dan psikomotor dengan baik. Dalam pasa pandemic covid 19 saat ini keluarga terutama peran Ibu sebagai pengelola rumah yang utama menjadi sangat krusial dalam kegiatan pembelajaran dari rumah yang saat ini sedang berlangsung. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk menganalisis keterlibatan Ibu dalam literasi keluarga pada pembelajaran menulis permulaan di masa pandemic covid 19. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah metode survei dengan melibatkan 6 orang Ibu yang berpendidikan tinggi yang memutuskan untuk menjadi full time mother yang mana mereka merupakan lulusan dari beberapa universitas ternama di Indonesia. Data dikumpulkan melalui angket dan wawancara, dan data dianalisis secara deskriptif kuantitatif. Hasil analisis data menunjukkan bahwa keterlibatan Ibu dalam literasi keluarga dapat mendukung keterampilan menulis permulaan anak yang masih duduk di kelas rendah sehingga anak dapat mencapai indikator keterampilan menulis permulaan tersebut. Hasil penelitian ini diharapkan bisa menjadi inspirasi pihak terkait mengenai keterlibatan Ibu secara langsung dalam proses pembelajaran anak di rumah

Comparative analysis of photoplethysmography signal quality from right and left index fingers

Photoplethysmography (PPG) has emerged as an increasingly attractive signal for non-invasive physiological measurements, owing to its simplicity, cost-effectiveness, and broad applicability spanning cardiovascular to respiratory systems. The burgeoning interest in PPG signal processing has facilitated its extensive incorporation in wearable devices, thus stimulating active research in this field. The present study undertakes a comprehensive evaluation to discern the optimal index finger (right or left) for PPG data acquisition and subsequent filtration, appraised through the lens of the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the filtered signal. An analysis conducted on signals contaminated with white Gaussian noise unveiled that the Savitzky-Golay filter (a polynomial filter) with a window size of three outperformed other window lengths, rendering the highest SNR. Among the Infinite Impulse Response (IIR) filters compared; the Chebyshev I filter emerged as superior. Interestingly, the right index finger consistently demonstrated a higher mean SNR across filters: 0.49% for the Savitzky-Golay filters, 4.32% for the Butterworth (order 6), 7.71% for the Chebyshev I (order 10), and 4.02% for the Chebyshev II (order 4), relative to the left index finger for PPG signals perturbed by white Gaussian noise. These findings provide an insightful perspective for future research and development in wearable devices, suggesting potential superiority of the right index finger for PPG signal acquisition and filtration

Vascular endothelial growth factor increases urokinase receptor expression in vascular endothelial cells

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a potent angiogenic factor and endothelial cell-specific mitogen that stimulates urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) activity in vascular endothelial cells. Here, we report that VEGF increases the high affinity binding of uPA to the same cells and that this binding is prevented by a peptide corresponding to the uPA receptor (uPAR) binding growth factor-like domain of uPA. Ligand cross-linking, ligand blotting, and uPA-Sepharose affinity chromatography revealed an increase in a cell surface uPA binding protein that corresponds to the uPAR on the basis of its affinity for uPA, M(r) of 50,000-55,000, and phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C sensitivity. By Scatchard analysis, VEGF increased the number of uPAR molecules by 2.8-3.5-fold and concomitantly decreased their affinity for uPA. By northern blotting uPAR mRNA was increased in a dose- and time-dependent manner in response to VEGF. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that VEGF-induced angiogenesis is accompanied by increased uPAR expression and uPA activity on the endothelial cell surface. These observations are consistent with the notion that the uPA-uPAR interaction facilitates cellular invasion

The Interaction of Α-Thalassaemia and Haemoglobin G Philadelphia

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/73251/1/j.1365-2141.1976.tb00918.x.pd

Rabies Situation in Cambodia

In Cambodia, rabies still elicits fear in the communities. Since 1998 the Institut Pasteur in Cambodia (IPC), Phnom Penh has been the only source of free post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) and post mortem diagnosis. During 1998–2007, on average ∼12,400 patients received PEP annually at IPC (range 8,907–14,475) and 63 fatal human cases presenting with encephalitis following a dog bite were reported including 73% who tested positive by fluorescent-antibody test on brain samples or/and by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction on skin, cerebrospinal fluid, or urine. In 2007, 14,475 patients received PEP (100 PEP/100,000 people in Cambodia) including 95% who resided in Phnom Penh city (615 PEP/100,000) or five neighboring provinces. Using a step-by-step probability model, we estimated that 810 human rabies deaths would occur in 2007 (95% confidence interval [CI] 394–1,607); an incidence of 5.8/100,000 (95%CI 2.8–11.5). As a result, despite high attendance at the IPC's PEP center most Cambodians living in peripheral provinces in Cambodia may not have adequate access to PEP. Finally, the model generated one of the highest incidences of rabies worldwide. A national rabies control program is needed to improve surveillance and access to PEP, and to initiate vaccination campaigns in dogs

Agroecology and Health: Lessons from Indigenous Populations.

Purpose of reviewThe article aims to systematize and disseminate the main contributions of indigenous ancestral wisdom in the agroecological production of food, especially in Latin America. For this purpose, it is necessary to ask whether such knowledge can be accepted by academia research groups and international forums as a valid alternative that could contribute to overcome the world's nutritional problems.Recent findingsAlthough no new findings are being made, the validity of ancestral knowledge and agroecology is recognized by scientific research, and by international forums organized by agencies of the United Nations. These recommend that governments should implement them in their policies of development, and in the allocation of funds to support these initiatives. Agroecology and ancestral knowledge are being adopted by a growing number of organizations, indigenous peoples and social groups in various parts of the world, as development alternatives that respond to local needs and worldviews. Its productive potential is progressively being recognized at an international level as a model that contributes to improve the condition of people regarding nutritional food