Grey analytic hierarchy process applied to effectiveness evaluation for groundwater potential zone delineation

An attempt has been made to identify plausible groundwater potential zones (GWPZ) based on Grey Analytic Hierarchy Process Method (Grey-AHP) using integrated remote sensing and geographic information system. Grey-AHP combines the advantages of classical analytic hierarchy process and grey clustering method for accurate estimation of weight coefficients. The method also examines the effectiveness of GWPZ identification process. The proposed methodology has been applied to the Hirakud canal command area, Odisha (India). Feature layers [e.g. soil type, geology] are utilized for groundwater potential index (GWPI) calculation. The resulting GWPI map has been classified into three GWPZ namely: good, moderate and poor. Effectiveness based on grey clustering method is found to be in between ‘better’ and ‘common’ classes. Value of coefficient of determination (R2 = 0.865) supports the obtained effectiveness evaluation result. This analysis demonstrates the potential applicability of the methodology for a general aquifer system

Ligand specificity and ligand-induced conformational change in gal repressor

Gal repressor (GalR) binds D-galactose, which is responsible for lifting of repression of the gal operon. Proton T1 measurements of α- and β-anomers of galactose as a function of gal repressor show preferential binding of the β-anomer. The β-anomer was isolated by high-performance liquid chromatography and was shown to bind tightly to GalR. Calorimetry was used to determine enthalpy changes at several temperatures. Heat capacity change was found to be positive, indicating that a significant amount of hydrophobic surface area was exposed upon galactose binding. Bis-ANS binding to GalR is significantly enhanced in the presence of a saturating amount of galactose, indicating additional exposure of hydrophobic surfaces. We propose that the galactose-induced conformational change involves the opening of the two subdomains, which may disrupt protein-protein interactions responsible for repression

A Peptide‐PNA Hybrid Beacon for Sensitive Detection of Protein Biomarkers in Biological Fluids

Specific and rapid detection of proteins in biological fluids poses a challenging problem. In biological fluids, many proteins are present at low concentrations, requiring high affinity and specificity of the beacon‐protein interaction. We report the design of a peptide‐PNA hybrid beacon that exploits the dimeric nature of a target protein, S100B, a biomarker for brain trauma, to enhance binding affinity and specificity. The complementary base‐pairing of the PNA bases brings the two arms of the beacon, one carrying an Alexa tag and the other carrying a Dabcyl moiety, into proximity, thus quenching Alexa fluorescence. Each of the arms carries a sequence that binds to one of the subunits. Binding to the target separates the quencher from the probe lifting the quenching of fluorescence. Enhanced affinity and specificity resulting from simultaneously binding to two sites allowed specific detection of S100B at low‐nanomolar concentrations in the presence of serum. The design can be easily adapted for the detection of proteins containing multiple binding sites and could prove useful for rapid and sensitive biomarker detection. Needle in a haystack: A fluorescence‐based peptide‐PNA hybrid beacon targeting the S100B protein, a biomarker for brain trauma, has been developed. The molecular beacon is capable of detecting nanomolar concentrations of S100B protein rapidly, even in the presence of serum. The design should be useful for developing molecular beacons for other protein biomarkers

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Not AvailableAbstract A hydro-environmental assessment has been performed for Hirakud command area (India) in terms of quantity and physicochemical quality analysis of groundwater. Quantity analysis has been performed in terms of water level variation and groundwater potential zone identification. Groundwater table fluctuation analysis reveals that water level is declining rapidly due to insufficient recharge owing to frequent recession of monsoon and excessive pumping of groundwater. Inefficient distribution of canal water especially in the tail end of the Hirakud command is accentuating the high dependency on ground water. The groundwater potential zone index map is generated using analytic hierarchy process along with different influencing features, e.g., land use/cover, soil type, geology. Three zones have been identified for Hirakud command area (poor: 21.15 %, moderate: 46.32 %, and good: 32.53 %). Physical and chemical parameters of groundwater, e.g., electrical conductivity, pH, total dissolved solids, total hardness, nitrate, iron, sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, chlorine, bicarbonate and fluoride are analyzed for the study area. Piper analysis is used to identify dominant hydrochemical facies. United States Salinity Laboratory and Wilcox Diagram are used to determine the irrigation water quality. Principal component analysis is utilized to find out key groundwater quality parameters. The chemical analysis shows that values of all parameters are within permissible limit. However, nitrate, iron and fluoride are found above permissible limit in some areas. The assessment reveals the state of the aquifer in terms of quantity and quality.Not Availabl

Not Available

Not AvailableA hydro-environmental assessment has been performed for Hirakud command area (India) in terms of quantity and physicochemical quality analysis of groundwater. Quantity analysis has been performed in terms of water level variation and groundwater potential zone identification. Groundwater table fluctuation analysis reveals that water level is declining rapidly due to insufficient recharge owing to frequent recession of monsoon and excessive pumping of groundwater. Inefficient distribution of canal water especially in the tail end of the Hirakud command is accentuating the high dependency on ground water. The groundwater potential zone index map is generated using analytic hierarchy process along with different influencing features, e.g., land use/cover, soil type, geology. Three zones have been identified for Hirakud command area (poor: 21.15 %, moderate: 46.32 %, and good: 32.53 %). Physical and chemical parameters of groundwater, e.g., electrical conductivity, pH, total dissolved solids, total hardness, nitrate, iron, sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, chlorine, bicarbonate and fluoride are analyzed for the study area. Piper analysis is used to identify dominant hydrochemical facies. United States Salinity Laboratory and Wilcox Diagram are used to determine the irrigation water quality. Principal component analysis is utilized to find out key groundwater quality parameters. The chemical analysis shows that values of all parameters are within permissible limit. However, nitrate, iron and fluoride are found above permissible limit in some areas. The assessment reveals the state of the aquifer in terms of quantity and quality.Not Availabl

Not Available

Not AvailableA hydro-environmental assessment has been performed for Hirakud command area (India) in terms of quantity and physicochemical quality analysis of groundwater. Quantity analysis has been performed in terms of water level variation and groundwater potential zone identification. Groundwater table fluctuation analysis reveals that water level is declining rapidly due to insufficient recharge owing to frequent recession of monsoon and excessive pumping of groundwater. Inefficient distribution of canal water especially in the tail end of the Hirakud command is accentuating the high dependency on ground water. The groundwater potential zone index map is generated using analytic hierarchy process along with different influencing features, e.g., land use/cover, soil type, geology. Three zones have been identified for Hirakud command area (poor: 21.15 %, moderate: 46.32 %, and good: 32.53 %). Physical and chemical parameters of groundwater, e.g., electrical conductivity, pH, total dissolved solids, total hardness, nitrate, iron, sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, chlorine, bicarbonate and fluoride are analyzed for the study area. Piper analysis is used to identify dominant hydrochemical facies. United States Salinity Laboratory and Wilcox Diagram are used to determine the irrigation water quality. Principal component analysis is utilized to find out key groundwater quality parameters. The chemical analysis shows that values of all parameters are within permissible limit. However, nitrate, iron and fluoride are found above permissible limit in some areas. The assessment reveals the state of the aquifer in terms of quantity and quality.Not Availabl

Antagonists of Hsp16.3, a Low-Molecular-Weight Mycobacterial Chaperone and Virulence Factor, Derived from Phage-Displayed Peptide Libraries

The persistence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a major cause of concern in tuberculosis (TB) therapy. In the persistent mode the pathogen can resist drug therapy, allowing the possibility of reactivation of the disease. Several protein factors have been identified that contribute to persistence, one of them being the 16-kDa low-molecular-weight mycobacterial heat shock protein Hsp16.3, a homologue of the mammalian eye lens protein alpha-crystallin. It is believed that Hsp16.3 plays a key role in the persistence phase by protecting essential proteins from being irreversibly denatured. Because of the close association of Hsp16.3 with persistence, an attempt has been made to develop inhibitors against it. Random peptide libraries displayed on bacteriophage M13 were screened for Hsp16.3 binding. Two phage clones were identified that bind to the Hsp16.3 protein. The corresponding synthetic peptides, an 11-mer and a 16-mer, were able to bind Hsp16.3 and inhibit its chaperone activity in vitro in a dose-dependent manner. Little or no effect of these peptides was observed on alphaB-crystallin, a homologous protein that is a key component of human eye lens, indicating that there is an element of specificity in the observed inhibition. Two histidine residues appear to be common to the selected peptides. Nuclear magnetic resonance studies performed with the 11-mer peptide indicate that in this case these two histidines may be the crucial binding determinants. The peptide inhibitors of Hsp16.3 thus obtained could serve as the basis for developing potent drugs against persistent TB

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Not AvailableDelineation of groundwater potential zones (GWPZ) has been performed for a coastal groundwater basin of eastern India. The groundwater potential zone index (GWPZI) map is generated by using Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) from different influencing features, e.g., Land Use/Land Cover (LU/LC), soil (S), geomorphology (GM), hydrogeology (HG), surface geology (SG), recharge rate (RR), drainage density (DD), rainfall (RF), slope (Sl), surface water bodies (SW), lineament density (LD), and Normalized Difference Vegetative Index (NDVI). Recharge rate values are estimated from hydrological water balance model. Overlay weighted sum method is used to integrate all thematic feature maps to generate GWPZ map of the study area. Four zones have been identified for the coastal groundwater basin [very good: 36.39 % (273.53 km2 , good: 43.57 % (327.47 km 2), moderate: 18.27 % (137.30 km2), and poor: 1.77 % (13.27 km2)]. Areas in north to south-west and south-east direction show very good GWPZ due to the presence of low drainage density. GWPZ map and well yield values show good agreement. Sensitivity analysis reveals that exclusion/absence of rainfall and lineament density increases the poor groundwater potential zones. Omission of hydrogeology, soils, surface geology, and NDVI show maximum increase in good GWPZ. Obtained GWPZ map can be utilized effectively for planning of sustainable agriculture. This analysis demonstrates the potential applicability of the methodology for a general coastal groundwater basin.Not Availabl

Not Available

Not AvailableDelineation of groundwater potential zones (GWPZ) has been performed for a coastal groundwater basin of eastern India. The groundwater potential zone index (GWPZI) map is generated by using Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) from different influencing features, e.g., Land Use/Land Cover (LU/LC), soil (S), geomorphology (GM), hydrogeology (HG), surface geology (SG), recharge rate (RR), drainage density (DD), rainfall (RF), slope (Sl), surface water bodies (SW), lineament density (LD), and Normalized Difference Vegetative Index (NDVI). Recharge rate values are estimated from hydrological water balance model. Overlay weighted sum method is used to integrate all thematic feature maps to generate GWPZ map of the study area. Four zones have been identified for the coastal groundwater basin [very good: 36.39 % (273.53 km2, good: 43.57 % (327.47 km2), moderate: 18.27 % (137.30 km2), and poor: 1.77 % (13.27 km2)]. Areas in north to south-west and south-east direction show very good GWPZ due to the presence of low drainage density. GWPZ map and well yield values show good agreement. Sensitivity analysis reveals that exclusion/absence of rainfall and lineament density increases the poor groundwater potential zones. Omission of hydrogeology, soils, surface geology, and NDVI show maximum increase in good GWPZ. Obtained GWPZ map can be utilized effectively for planning of sustainable agriculture. This analysis demonstrates the potential applicability of the methodology for a general coastal groundwater basinNot Availabl

A Genetic Network That Balances Two Outcomes Utilizes Asymmetric Recognition of Operator Sites

Stability and induction of the lysogenic state of bacteriophage l are balanced by a complex regulatory network. A key feature of this network is the mutually exclusive cooperative binding of a repressor dimer (CI) to one of two pairs of binding sites, OR1-OR2 or OR2-OR3. The structural features that underpin the mutually exclusive binding mode are not well understood. Recent studies have demonstrated that CI is an asymmetric dimer. The functional importance of the asymmetry is not fully clear. Due to the asymmetric nature of the CI dimer as well as its binding sites, there are two possible bound orientations. By fluorescence resonance energy transfer measurements we showed that CI prefers one bound orientation. We also demonstrated that the relative configuration of the binding sites is important for CI dimer-dimer interactions and consequent cooperative binding. We proposed that the operator configuration dictates the orientations of the bound CI molecules, which in turn dictates CI cooperative interaction between the OR1-OR2 or OR2-OR3, but not both. Modeling suggests that the relative orientation of the C- and N-terminal domains may play an important role in the mutually exclusive nature of the cooperative binding. This work correlates unique structural features of a transcription regulatory protein with the functional properties of a gene regulatory networ