Motion of Curves and Surfaces and Nonlinear Evolution Equations in (2+1) Dimensions

It is shown that a class of important integrable nonlinear evolution equations in (2+1) dimensions can be associated with the motion of space curves endowed with an extra spatial variable or equivalently, moving surfaces. Geometrical invariants then define topological conserved quantities. Underlying evolution equations are shown to be associated with a triad of linear equations. Our examples include Ishimori equation and Myrzakulov equations which are shown to be geometrically equivalent to Davey-Stewartson and Zakharov -Strachan (2+1) dimensional nonlinear Schr\"odinger equations respectively.Comment: 13 pages, RevTeX, to appear in J. Math. Phy

Cost Effective Library ICT Implementation - A Case Study

Information Communication Technology (ICT) has provided plenty of opportunities and challenges to the Librarians. This paper discusses the cost effective ICT methods that have been implemented at Sri Sarada College for Women, Tirunelveli. The case study method has been adopted to study the purpose. Sarada Library has implemented library automation with barcode facility, institutional repository, library consortia, library 2.0 tools, coordinate NPTEL courses and conducted information literacy skill development programmes. Sarada library has implemented successful cost effective ICT methods and provided technological services to the end users

Fuzzy Semi-S-irresolute Continuous Mappings in Šostak’s Fuzzy Topological Spaces

In this paper, the concepts of fuzzy semi-S-irresolute open map, fuzzy semi-S-irresolute closed map and fuzzy semi-S-irresolute homeomorphism to the fuzzy topological spaces in Šostak’s sense are introduced and studied. Some of their characteristic properties are considered. Also a comparison between these new types of functions are established by giving examples

Seasonal variations in Secondary Production of the Mandovi-Zuari Estuarine System of Goa

7-9Mean rates of secondary production in the Mandovi, Zuari and Cumbarjua canal, Goa, India were 16.9, 35.9 and 32.4 mg C/m2/day respectively. The general hydrographic conditions of the Zuari were responsible for the higher secondary production. In general, the saline period was more productive (12.9 mg dry wt/m3/day) compared to the low saline period (11 mg dry wt/m3/day). The average secondary production in the estuarine system was 21.4 mg dry wt/m3/day or 1078 tonnes carbon/yr. The coefficient of energy transfer from primary to secondary level was 6.6%. Theoretical estimate of fish biomass in this estuarine system was 1007 tonnes/yr

Better estimation of protein-DNA interaction parameters improve prediction of functional sites

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Characterizing transcription factor binding motifs is a common bioinformatics task. For transcription factors with variable binding sites, we need to get many suboptimal binding sites in our training dataset to get accurate estimates of free energy penalties for deviating from the consensus DNA sequence. One procedure to do that involves a modified SELEX (Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential Enrichment) method designed to produce many such sequences.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We analyzed low stringency SELEX data for <it>E. coli </it>Catabolic Activator Protein (CAP), and we show here that appropriate quantitative analysis improves our ability to predict <it>in vitro </it>affinity. To obtain large number of sequences required for this analysis we used a SELEX SAGE protocol developed by Roulet <it>et al</it>. The sequences obtained from here were subjected to bioinformatic analysis. The resulting bioinformatic model characterizes the sequence specificity of the protein more accurately than those sequence specificities predicted from previous analysis just by using a few known binding sites available in the literature. The consequences of this increase in accuracy for prediction of in vivo binding sites (and especially functional ones) in the <it>E. coli </it>genome are also discussed. We measured the dissociation constants of several putative CAP binding sites by EMSA (Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay) and compared the affinities to the bioinformatics scores provided by methods like the weight matrix method and QPMEME (Quadratic Programming Method of Energy Matrix Estimation) trained on known binding sites as well as on the new sites from SELEX SAGE data. We also checked predicted genome sites for conservation in the related species <it>S. typhimurium</it>. We found that bioinformatics scores based on SELEX SAGE data does better in terms of prediction of physical binding energies as well as in detecting functional sites.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We think that training binding site detection algorithms on datasets from binding assays lead to better prediction. The improvements in accuracy came from the unbiased nature of the SELEX dataset rather than from the number of sites available. We believe that with progress in short-read sequencing technology, one could use SELEX methods to characterize binding affinities of many low specificity transcription factors.</p

Antinociceptive effect of methanolic extract of Murraya koenigii leaves in swiss albino mice

Background: The objective of the study was to evaluate anti-nociceptive effect of methanolic extract of Murraya koenigii leaves on thermal and mechanical pain in swiss albino mice.Methods: Thirty adult male swiss albino mice weighing 25-30 grams were selected and allocated in to five groups. Each group consists of six animals. The control group received vehicle (10 ml/kg), standard group received morphine (10 mg/kg) and test groups received dried methanolic extract of Murraya koenigii leaves (100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg, 400 mg/kg per oral respectively) 1 hour before placing the animal over the hot plate at temperature of 55⁰C . A cut off period of 10 sec was observed to avoid damage of the paw. The response in the form of withdrawal of paws or licking of the paws. The delay in the reaction time denotes analgesic activity. The latency was recorded before and after 15, 30, 60, 120 minutes administration of drug. After washout period of 1 month the same group of animals were utilized to evaluate the analgesic effect by tail clip method for better comparison.Results: All the doses of Murraya koenigii leaves significantly delayed reaction time in hot plate method and tail clip method. The results were comparable to that produced by standard drug morphine.Conclusions: Murraya koenigii leaves has analgesic activity which was comparable to morphine

Antipsoriatic activity of Cassia auriculata L. flowers in Freund’s adjuvant-formaldehyde induced animal model

259-265The plant Cassia auriculata L. belonging to the family Caesalpiniaceae (Leguminosae) used in the Ayurvedic system of medicine for the treatment of diabetes, ulcers, leprosy, conjunctivitis, liver and skin diseases. The present study aimed to evaluate the antipsoriatic effect of the ointments 0.5 and 1.0% (w/w) containing ethanol extract of the flowers of C. auriculata using complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) and induced animal model and also evaluated for its physical parameters. Antipsoriatic effect of 0.5 and 1.0% (w/w) ointments was evaluated by the phenotypic features (redness, erythema, and scales) in terms of psoriasis severity index (PSI) and histological features (epidermal thickness and degree of orthokeratosis). Evaluation of physical parameters for the prepared ointments showed satisfactory results with an acceptable condition of consistency for application. 0.5 and 1.0% (w/w) ointments treated animals showed a significant (*P **P **P st day. The present investigations revealed that the flowers of Cassia auriculata possess antipsoriatic activity, confirming their traditional use in skin disorders.

Study of changes in non-stress test following antenatal corticosteroid therapy in preterm pregnancy

Background: Preterm birth is the largest unsolved problem in obstetrics and the single most significant cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. Preterm labour constitutes 5-10% of pregnancies and is the leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. It is a major public health problem in terms of loss of life, long term disability (cerebral palsy, blindness, deafness, chronic lung disease). The objectives of this study were to determine whether antenatal corticosteroid administration affects the non-stress test. To evaluate the effect of antenatal steroid on foetal movements. To assess the incidence of respiratory distress syndrome and neonatal mortality after antenatal corticosteroid administration.Methods: All antenatal cases between 28-32 weeks of gestation judged to be at risk for preterm delivery attending the outpatient department or admitted in a tertiary care hospital, Tamil Nadu during the study period of 3 years.Results: The present study was undertaken to evaluate the NST for a period of 3 days following antenatal corticosteroid administration and to study the immediate changes in the mother and the foetus. We found out that there was a statistically significant change (p <0.01) in non-stress test when compared with the pre-betamethasone assay.Conclusions: Corticosteroids can cause metabolic alterations in mother, short- and long-term effect in the foetus

Trends in ectopic pregnancy: a retrospective clinical study of 79 cases

Background: To know the age group, parity, risk factors, clinical features, modalities of treatment employed and their efficacies, morbidity and mortality associated with ectopic pregnancy.Methods: This is a retrospective study conducted in the department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute; Chennai over a period of 3 years from January 2014 to December 2016. A total number of 79 cases of ectopic pregnancies were reported during this period. Data were collected, tabulated and analyzed.Results: 79 cases were diagnosed as ectopic pregnancies during the study period giving an incidence of 3.49%. Incidence of cases was maximum in women between the age group of 26-30 years (40.50%), in multiparous women (72.15%) and also in women of gestational age between 6 to 10 weeks (81.01%).72% of the cases had one or more identifiable risk factors. Ruptured ectopic was observed in 45 (56.96%)cases while unruptured in 31 (39.24%) cases. Tubal abortion was found in 3 (3.74%) cases. 2.53% cases were expectantly managed. 34.17% cases were medically managed. 63.29% cases were managed surgically. Morbidity due to ectopic pregnancy included anaemia, wound infection, SICU admission. No mortality observed.Conclusions: A high index of suspicion is needed in the diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy especially in women with high risk factors to arrive at early diagnosis, followed with conservative management, thus reducing the morbidity. We can reduce the incidence of ectopic pregnancy by awareness on safe sexual practices and contraception. The lady’s future fertility can be improved by focusing on prevention, early diagnosis and conservative management of ectopic pregnancy