Air Quality Monitoring in Bangalore – A Case Study

Particulate matter which includes PM10 (Particulate Matter) and TSPM (Total Suspended Matter) serves as an important tool to determine the ambient air quality. Bangalore is a capital of the state of Karnataka is the original “Silicon Valley” of India. The present day environment crisis demands a change in attitude, which initiatives may be taken to rescue environment from destruction in the metropolis of Bangalore. But the urban areas have a big proportion in the present day environmental troubles from the automobiles (air pollutants) throughout the world.  Most of the metropolitan cities are dealing with serious air pollution problems due to concentration of motor cars and human populace within the confined urban regions.  Particulate matter were analyzed the year of January (2019) to December (2019) at five different locations in Bangalore city were selected. So to improve the quality of air and water there is a need of strict enforcement and monitoring program by the Karnataka Pollution Control Board

An investigation into how Mathematics educators teach the outcomes-based curriculum

This study investigates how educators at General Education and Training (GET) level (senior phase) go about teaching problem solving skills, reasoning and communication as indicated in the OBE Mathematics curriculum (GET). In comparison to previous curricula, the new Outcomes-Based Education (OBE) Mathematics curriculum at the GET level, places more emphasis on problem solving, reasoning and communicating mathematical ideas. If properly implemented as intended by the curriculum reformers, then many of the problems that are encountered at tertiary level might no longer exist. Thus it is interesting to investigate how educators at GET level go about teaching such skills as problem solving, reasoning and communication as indicated in the OBE Mathematics curriculum at GET level. This study describes case studies of Grades 8 and 9 Mathematics teachers in eleven secondary schools in Mpumalanga Province in South Africa. The case studies explore whether and how the mathematics teachers go about trying to achieve the outcomes mentioned in the OBE (GET) Mathematics curriculum. The educators’ pedagogical methods are investigated, and, generally, how well the learning outcomes are achieved. A third research strand focuses on whether there exists a relationship between the teachers’ contribution (input), which is the foundation laid by the teacher for the later realisation of outcomes and outcomes as attempted or demonstrated by learners (output). The data were collected through video-tape recordings by trained educators, that is, Mpumalanga Secondary Science Initiative (MSSI) project staff to ensure authenticity and credibility of results.Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2007.Mathematics and Applied Mathematicsunrestricte

BIOACCUMULATION OF ARSENIC IN THE FRESHWATER FISH LABEO ROHITA (HAM.)

Bioaccumulation of arsenic in the fish- Labeo rohita, was investigated after exposure to two sub lethal concentration of arsenic trioxide (1/10th - 0.27 ppm and 1/3rd - 0.91 ppm of the 96 h LC50) for 7th, 14th, 21st & 28th days. The highest / maximum level of accumulation of arsenic was seen in the liver whereas the lowest level of arsenic had been accumulated in the muscle tissues at the end of 28 days of exposure period. It is clear that arsenic has been accumulated primarily in the liver tissues of L. rohita exposed to sublethel concentration of arsenic. The present investigation indi- cates that the rate of accumulation of arsenic was found to be dose and time dependent

A Comparative Study of the Effect of Clonidine Tramadol and Nalbuphine on Postspinal Anaesthesia Shivering

OBJECTIVES: To compare the efficacy of Tramadol, Nalbuphine, and Clonidine in the treatment of shivering after spinal anaesthesia in caesarean section. METHODS: A prospective randomised comparative study was conducted between 1.8.2013 to 1.9.2014 to compare the efficacy of Tramadol, Nalbuphine, Clonidine in treatment of shivering after spinal anaesthesia in casearean section. Patients included in this study are those who developed shivering after spinal anaesthesia for caesarean section. Patients were randomly allotted to one of the three groups, namely T group (25) who received Tramadol 0.5mg/kg i.v., N group (25) who received Nalbuphine 0.1mg/kg i.v and C group (25)who received clonidine 0.5μg/kg iv. Vital parameters of the patient such as H.R. B.P. SPO2, RR and temperature were monitored at regular intervals as per protocol. Events such as onset of shivering, time taken to stop shivering, recurrence of shivering and side effects like nausea, vomiting bradycardia, hypotension and sedation were also noted. Statistical tests like chi square test, Anova test were applied to the data collected. RESULTS: Among the 75 patients who developed shivering of grades 3 & 4 requiring treatment were randomly allotted to one of the three group. The mean temperature at which patient developed shivering was 36.4°C, and the mean duration of shivering to occur following spinal anaesthesia was 22.5 mts. Tramadol 0.5 mg/kg controlled shivering in mean time of 4 minutes, clonidine 0.5 μg/kg, controlled shivering in mean time of 2 minutes and Nalbuphine 0.1 mg/kg controlled shivering in mean time of 4 minutes. CONCLUSION: Our study concludes that all three drugs namely Tramadol clonidine and nalbuphine were effective in controlling postspinal anesthesia shivering. Among them clonidine took lesser time to achieve complete cessation of shivering and also maintained better hemodynamics throughout the study

Caspase-2 is upregulated after sciatic nerve transection and its inhibition protects dorsal root ganglion neurons from Apoptosis after serum withdrawal

Sciatic nerve (SN) transection-induced apoptosis of dorsal root ganglion neurons (DRGN) is one factor determining the efficacy of peripheral axonal regeneration and the return of sensation. Here, we tested the hypothesis that caspase-2(CASP2) orchestrates apoptosis of axotomised DRGN both in vivo and in vitro by disrupting the local neurotrophic supply to DRGN. We observed significantly elevated levels of cleaved CASP2 (C-CASP2), compared to cleaved caspase-3 (C-CASP3), within TUNEL+DRGN and DRG glia (satellite and Schwann cells) after SN transection. A serum withdrawal cell culture model, which induced 40% apoptotic death in DRGN and 60% in glia, was used to model DRGN loss after neurotrophic factor withdrawal. Elevated C-CASP2 and TUNEL were observed in both DRGN and DRG glia, with C-CASP2 localisation shifting from the cytosol to the nucleus, a required step for induction of direct CASP2-mediated apoptosis. Furthermore, siRNAmediated downregulation of CASP2 protected 50% of DRGN from apoptosis after serum withdrawal, while downregulation of CASP3 had no effect on DRGN or DRG glia survival. We conclude that CASP2 orchestrates the death of SN-axotomised DRGN directly and also indirectly through loss of DRG glia and their local neurotrophic factor support. Accordingly, inhibiting CASP2 expression is a potential therapy for improving both the SN regeneration response and peripheral sensory recovery

Cellular Uptake and Clearance of Oxidatively-modified Apolipoprotein E3 by Cerebral Cortex Endothelial Cells

Apolipoprotein E3 (apoE3) plays a critical role in the metabolism of lipoproteins and lowers plasma lipid levels by serving as a ligand for the low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLr) family of proteins and by promoting macrophage cholesterol efflux. The current study examines the effect of acrolein (an endogenously generated metabolite and an environmental pollutant) modification on the structure and function of apoE3. Acrolein modification was confirmed in Western blots by reactivity with acrolein–lysine-specific antibody and by the presence of oligomeric species due to cross-linking. LC-MS/MS analysis revealed modification of 10 out of 12 lysines in apoE3, with Nε-(3-methylpyridinium)-lysine being the predominant form of modification, and Lys75 being a 'hot spot' in terms of susceptibility to oxidation. Circular dichroism spectroscopy showed no major change in overall secondary structure compared to unmodified apoE3. Reconstituted high density lipoprotein (HDL) bearing acrolein modified apoE3 showed loss of binding to soluble LDLr; however, incubation with mouse endothelioma bEnd.3 cells showed that it was internalized. Incubation with excess LDL did not abolish cellular uptake of acrolein modified apoE3, suggesting alternative mechanism(s) not involving LDLr. Incubation with anti-CD36 antibody did not show a decrease in internalization while incubation with anti- lectin-like oxidized LDL receptor 1 (LOX1) showed partial internalization. However, incubation with anti-scavenger receptor class B type I (SRB1) antibody abolished internalization of acrolein modified apoE3. Taken together, our studies suggest that acrolein modification of apoE3 at lysine residues leads to increase in net negative charge, and as a consequence, results in clearance by LOX1 and SRB1 on endothelial cells. Overall, oxidative modification of apoE3 likely impairs its role in regulating plasma cholesterol homeostasis, eventually leading to lipid disorders.https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms201845821422-006

Increasing STEM Skills, Knowledge and Interest Among Diverse Students: Results from an Intensive Summer Research Program at the University of California, San Francisco.

This study evaluates the effectiveness of the UCSF Summer Student Research Program (SSRP) in enhancing research-related skills, academic outcomes, and post-baccalaureate aspirations of underrepresented minority (URM) and non-URM undergraduate students in biomedical sciences and STEM fields. The SSRP, spanning 9 weeks, provides immersive research experiences, structured mentorship, trainings, seminars, and STEM education. Pre- and post-program survey data from eight cohorts (N = 315) were analyzed using paired-sample t-tests, MANOVA, and content analysis. Results demonstrate significant gains in critical thinking skills, research abilities, science identity, applied science skills, and readiness for a research career. Notably, participants exhibited improvements in understanding the research process, scientific thinking, science writing, and problem-solving. URM and non-URM students experienced similar gains, highlighting the programs inclusivity. The SSRP also positively influenced students postgraduate aspirations. Some participants expressed heightened interest in pursuing Master of Arts, Ph.D., and M.D. degrees, indicating increased clarity and motivation towards advanced education and research careers. Furthermore, 87% of participants expressed a high likelihood of engaging in future research endeavors, underscoring the programs sustained impact on research interest. This study underscores the transformative potential of a well-structured, intensive summer research program in significantly enhancing academic outcomes for URM and non-URM students alike. These findings align with the persistence framework, emphasizing the importance of early research experiences, active learning, and learning communities in fostering student success. The SSRPs effectiveness in improving research skills and post-baccalaureate aspirations suggests its potential in diversifying the STEM fields, biomedical sciences and health-related professions