Self-esteem and wellbeing among tribal and non-tribal adolescent girls

 Background: Adolescent period reports experiences of changes in physical, mental and social functions. Self-esteem has a significant contribution to wellbeing and depression in adolescent. The aim and objective was to evaluate self-esteem and wellbeing among adolescent girls with tribal and non-tribal ethnicity.Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted in which 2 schools and 1 institute selected using purposive sampling. The total enumeration method of random sampling was obtained to select participants. Total of 360 adolescent girls (180 each tribal and non-tribal adolescent girls) were selected for the study. Socio-demographic datasheet, adolescent wellbeing scale and Rosenberg self-esteem scale were used for the assessment.Results: The adolescent girls with tribal ethnicity found to have low self-esteem and wellbeing (depressive) compared to adolescent girls with non-tribal ethnicity. 33.9% of tribal adolescent girls and 13.3% of non-tribal adolescent girls found in depressive dimension.Conclusions: The deliberate efforts to build self-esteem and wellbeing among tribal adolescent girls can help to promote their mental health. The mental health promotion and wellness programs specific to ethnicity and culture requires to uphold the wellbeing of the adolescent girls with tribal ethnicity

A numerical scheme for singularly perturbed delay differential equations of convection-diffusion type on an adaptive grid

In this paper, an adaptive mesh strategy is presented for solving singularly perturbed delay differential equation of convection-diffusion type using second order central finite difference scheme. Layer adaptive meshes are generated via an entropy production operator. The details of the location and width of the layer is not required in the proposed method unlike the popular layer adaptive meshes mainly by Bakhvalov and Shishkin. An extensive amount of computational work has been carried out to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed method

Note: Fiber optic transport probe for Hall measurements under light and magnetic field at low temperatures: Case study of a two dimensional electron gas

A fiber optic based probe is designed and developed for electrical transport measurements in presence of quasi-monochromatic (360-800 nm) light, varying temperature (T = 1.8-300 K), and magnetic field (B = 0-7 T). The probe is tested for the resistivity and Hall measurements performed on a LaAlO3-SrTiO3 heterointerface system with a conducting two dimensional electron gas

Note: Fiber optic transport probe for Hall measurements under light and magnetic field at low temperatures: Case study of a two dimensional electron gas

A fiber optic based probe is designed and developed for electrical transport measurements in presence of quasi-monochromatic (360-800 nm) light, varying temperature (T = 1.8-300 K), and magnetic field (B = 0-7 T). The probe is tested for the resistivity and Hall measurements performed on a LaAlO3-SrTiO3 heterointerface system with a conducting two dimensional electron gas

Glassiness Vs. Order in Densely Frustrated Josephson Arrays

We carry out extensive Monte Carlo simulations on the Coulomb gas dual to the uniformly frustrated two dimensional XY model, for a sequence of frustrations f converging to the irraltional (3-sqrt 5)/2. We find in these systems a sharp first order equilibrium phase transition to an ordered vortex structure at a T_c which varies only slightly with f. This ordered vortex structure remains in general phase incoherent until a lower pinning transition T_p(f) that varies with f. We argue that the glassy behaviors reported for this model in earlier simulations are dynamic effects.Comment: 4 pages, 4 eps figure

Phase Diagram of the Two Dimensional Lattice Coulomb Gas

We use Monte Carlo simulations to map out the phase diagram of the two dimensional Coulomb gas on a square lattice, as a function of density and temperature. We find that the Kosterlitz-Thouless transition remains up to higher charge densities than has been suggested by recent theoretical estimates.Comment: 4 pages, including 6 in-line eps figure

Positional Disorder (Random Gaussian Phase Shifts) in the Fully Frustrated Josephson Junction Array (2D XY Model)

We consider the effect of positional disorder on a Josephson junction array with an applied magnetic field of f=1/2 flux quantum per unit cell. This is equivalent to the problem of random Gaussian phase shifts in the fully frustrated 2D XY model. Using simple analytical arguments and numerical simulations, we present evidence that the ground state vortex lattice of the pure model becomes disordered, in the thermodynamic limit, by any amount of positional disorder.Comment: 4 pages, 4 eps figures embedde

INVESTIGATION ON THE PRODUCTION OF L-GLUTAMINASE FROM PSEUDOMONAS STUTZERI STRAIN UNDER SOLID STATE FERMENTATION USING VARIOUS AGRO RESIDUES

Solid state fermentation was carried out for the production of L-glutaminase by Pseudomonas stutzeri PIMS6 using different agro residues including green gram husk, Bengal gram husk, cattle feed, wheat bran and groundnut oil cake as solid substrates. L-glutaminase has received significant attention in recent years owing to its potential applications in medicine as an anticancer agent, as an efficient anti-retroviral agent and as a biosensor. In food industries it is used as a flavor and aroma enhancing agent. The maximum yield (55.24 U/gds) of L-glutaminase by Pseudomomonas stutzeri PIMS6 was obtained using cattle feed at 75% initial moisture content, initial pH 8.0, supplemented with glucose (1.0%), ammonium sulphate (1.0%),  inoculated with 5% of inoculum and incubated at 37°C for 96 h. Both physico-chemical and nutritional parameters played a significant role in the production of the enzyme L-glutaminase.Keywords: L-glutaminase, Pseudomonas stutzeri PIMS6, Cattle feed, Solid state fermentation

Insights from establishing a high throughput viral diagnostic laboratory for SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR testing facility: challenges and experiences

Background: The World Health Organization declared the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) a global pandemic on 11 March 2020. Identifying the infected people and isolating them was the only measure that was available to control the viral spread, as there were no standardized treatment interventions available. Various public health measures, including vaccination, have been implemented to control the spread of the virus worldwide. India, being a densely populated country, required laboratories in different zones of the country with the capacity to test a large number of samples and report test results at the earliest. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) took the lead role in developing policies, generating advisories, formulating guidelines, and establishing and approving testing centers for COVID-19 testing. With advisories of ICMR, the National Institute of Cancer Prevention and Research (NICPR) established a high-throughput viral diagnostic laboratory (HTVDL) for RT-PCR-based diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 in April 2020. HTVDL was established during the first lockdown to serve the nation in developing and adopting rapid testing procedures and to expand the testing capacity using “Real-Time PCR.” The HTVDL provided its testing support to the national capital territory of Delhi and western Uttar Pradesh, with a testing capacity of 6000 tests per day. The experience of establishing a high-throughput laboratory with all standard operating procedures against varied challenges in a developing country such as India is explained in the current manuscript which will be useful globally to enhance the knowledge on establishing an HTVDL in pandemic or non-pandemic times

Pharmacological characterisation of capsaicin-induced relaxations in human and porcine isolated arteries

Capsaicin, a pungent constituent from red chilli peppers, activates sensory nerve fibres via transient receptor potential vanilloid receptors type 1 (TRPV1) to release neuropeptides like calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and substance P. Capsaicin-sensitive nerves are widely distributed in human and porcine vasculature. In this study, we examined the mechanism of capsaicin-induced relaxations, with special emphasis on the role of CGRP, using various pharmacological tools. Segments of human and porcine proximal and distal coronary arteries, as well as cranial arteries, were mounted in organ baths. Concentration response curves to capsaicin were constructed in the absence or presence of the CGRP receptor antagonist olcegepant (BIBN4096BS, 1 μM), the neurokinin NK1 receptor antagonist L-733060 (0.5 μM), the voltage-sensitive calcium channel blocker ruthenium red (100 μM), the TRPV1 receptor antagonist capsazepine (5 μM), the nitric oxide synthetase inhibitor Nω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester HCl (l-NAME; 100 μM), the gap junction blocker 18α-glycyrrhetinic acid (10 μM), as well as the RhoA kinase inhibitor Y-27632 (1 μM). Further, we also used the K+ channel inhibitors 4-aminopyridine (1 mM), charybdotoxin (0.5 μM) + apamin (0.1 μM) and iberiotoxin (0.5 μM) + apamin (0.1 μM). The role of the endothelium was assessed by endothelial denudation in distal coronary artery segments. In distal coronary artery segments, we also measured levels of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) after exposure to capsaicin, and in human segments, we also assessed the amount of CGRP released in the organ bath fluid after exposure to capsaicin. Capsaicin evoked concentration-dependent relaxant responses in precontracted arteries, but none of the above-mentioned inhibitors did affect these relaxations. There was no increase in the cAMP levels after exposure to capsaicin, unlike after (exogenously administered) α-CGRP. Interestingly, there were significant increases in CGRP levels after exposure to vehicle (ethanol) as well as capsaicin, although this did not induce relaxant responses. In conclusion, the capsaicin-induced relaxations of the human and porcine distal coronary arteries are not mediated by CGRP, NK1, NO, vanilloid receptors, voltage-sensitive calcium channels, K+ channels or cAMP-mediated mechanisms. Therefore, these relaxant responses to capsaicin are likely to be attributed to a non-specific, CGRP-independent mechanism