Ethnomedicinal uses of Sthalavrikshas (temple trees) in Tamil Nadu, southern India

Worship of plants is practiced throughout the world and is well established from pre-historic periods in India. In Tamil Nadu state, India this customary practice follows with religious faiths and culture. One such religious worship is known as Sthalavriksha (sthal: locality, vriksha: tree) in temples. Very few field studies have been conducted on Sthalavriksha practice and its role in social, ecological and environmental impacts of local people. In particular, ethnomedicinal uses on Sthalavrikshas, occurring in the temples of Tamil Nadu have been unexplored. A survey was conducted at 1165 ancient temples of the state and revealed the occurrence of 112 plant species during 2002-2006. At the time of study, several ethnomedicinal uses of 101 Sthalavriksha species were recorded by both direct observations and referred to by devotees, priests and Nattuvaidyas (traditional healers) in the temples

Selective biochemical studies in a freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium nobilli(Crustecea: Palaemodinae)

Calcium and phosphorous contents of abdomen and cheliped muscles of juvenile, male and female Macrobrchium nobilii were determined from field collected samples. In all the three groups calcium concentration was higher in chelipeds while the phosphorous content was more in abdomen muscles than in the chelipeds. However between three groups the calcium content varied significantly both in the abdomen and cheliped muscles (P<O.OOl) while the phosphorous content differed (P<O.OS) only in abdomen muscles

NMR GHZ

We describe the creation of a Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger (GHZ) state of the form |000>+|111> (three maximally entangled quantum bits) using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR). We have successfully carried out the experiment using the proton and carbon spins of trichloroethylene, and confirmed the result using state tomography. We have thus extended the space of entangled quantum states explored systematically to three quantum bits, an essential step for quantum computation.Comment: 4 pages in RevTex, 3 figures, the paper is also avalaible at http://qso.lanl.gov/qc

Dual diagnostic complexity in ART: pituitary microadenoma and heterotopic pregnancy - a case-based insight

Pituitary microadenomas are benign adenohypophyseal tumors most commonly related to hormonal dysregulation, possibly affecting fertility and reproductive function. This case report presents a 24-year-old female with a pre-existing preclinical diagnosis of pituitary microadenoma presenting to assisted reproductive treatment for subfertility. In spite of regular menstrual cycles and lack of any of the features of hyperprolactinemia at treatment, her clinical history warranted meticulous hormonal assessment and customized stimulation protocol. After controlled ovarian stimulation, ICSI, and frozen embryo transfer of two blastocysts, she got pregnant. To her astonishment, she was diagnosed with a heterotopic pregnancy, as evidenced by the presence of intrauterine and tubal gestation. This case points towards the intricate interplay between pituitary pathology and ART outcome. It emphasizes the need for individualized fertility management in patients with pituitary disease, who could have atypical or unpredictable responses to stimulation and implantation. The successful diagnosis and management of this uncommon dual-gestation event emphasize the caution required in the evaluation and multidisciplinary management in ART cycles with underlying endocrine pathology

Stochastic Models on Time to Recruitment in a Two Grade Manpower System using Different Policies of Recruitment

In this paper a two grade organization in which depletion of manpower occurs due to its policy decisions is considered. Two mathematical models are constructed employing two different univariate recruitment policies, based on shock model approach. The mean and variance of the time to recruitment are obtained for both the models under different conditions. The analytical results are numerically illustrated and relevant conclusions are presented

Mean and Variance of the Time to Recruitment in a Two Graded Manpower System with Two Thresholds for the Organization

In this paper, a two graded manpower system which is subject to exit of personnel due to the policy decisions taken in the system is considered. There is an associated loss of manpower if a person quits. As the exit of personnel is unpredictable, a new recruitment policy involving two thresholds – one is optional and the other one mandatory is suggested to enable the organization to plan its decision on recruitment. Based on shock model approach, two mathematical models are constructed using a univariate policy of recruitment. The analytical expression for the mean and variance of the time to recruitment are obtained when i) the loss of manpower processes in grades 1& 2 form separately a sequence of independent and identically distributed exponential random variables ii) the inter-decision times are independent and identically distributed exponential random variables and iii) the optional and mandatory thresholds in both the grades follow exponential, exponentiated exponential distribution and the distribution having SCBZ property respectively. The results are numerically illustrated for both the models and relevant conclusions are made. ÂÂ

Preparation of Al2O3 - SiC In-Situ Composite Powder Mixtures by Carbothermal Reduction of Kaolinite

A1,,O3-SiC,, composite powder mixtures were prepared by carbothermal reduction of kaolinite (A],03.2SiO,.2H,O) in argon atmosphere at constant gas pressure of 0.15 MPa. The reactions were carried out with different mole ratios of silica (in the precursor) and carbon (4.5-9.0), with two types of carbon i.e.carbon black (300m2/g)and activated charcoal (1000m2/g) and at different temperatures in the temperature range of 1550-17000C with one hour of soaking to find the progress of the reaction in all the cases. It was observed that the reactions were complete at 17000C. The reactions were carried out with higher soaking time to optimise the process. It was noted that mullite forms as the intermediate phase at lower temperatures which converts progressively later to a mixture of A1,O, and SiC,, composite product at higher temperatures

Proteomic profiling of Burkholderia cenocepacia clonal isolates with different virulence potential retrieved from a cystic fibrosis patient during chronic lung infection

Respiratory infections with Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) bacteria in cystic fibrosis (CF) are associated with a worse prognosis and increased risk of death. In this work, we assessed the virulence potential of three B. cenocepacia clonal isolates obtained from a CF patient between the onset of infection (isolate IST439) and before death with cepacia syndrome 3.5 years later (isolate IST4113 followed by IST4134), based on their ability to invade epithelial cells and compromise epithelial monolayer integrity. The two clonal isolates retrieved during late-stage disease were significantly more virulent than IST439. Proteomic profiling by 2-D DIGE of the last isolate recovered before the patient's death, IST4134, and clonal isolate IST439, was performed and compared with a prior analysis of IST4113 vs. IST439. The cytoplasmic and membrane-associated enriched fractions were examined and 52 proteins were found to be similarly altered in the two last isolates compared with IST439. These proteins are involved in metabolic functions, nucleotide synthesis, translation and protein folding, cell envelope biogenesis and iron homeostasis. Results are suggestive of the important role played by metabolic reprogramming in the virulence potential and persistence of B. cenocepacia, in particular regarding bacterial adaptation to microaerophilic conditions. Also, the content of the virulence determinant AidA was higher in the last 2 isolates. Significant levels of siderophores were found to be secreted by the three clonal isolates in an iron-depleted environment, but the two late isolates were more tolerant to low iron concentrations than IST439, consistent with the relative abundance of proteins involved in iron uptake.This work was supported by FEDER and FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (contract PEst-OE/EQB/LA0023/2011_ research line: Systems and Synthetic Biology; PhD grant to A.M. – SFRH/BD/37012/2007, and PD grants to S.S. – SFRH/BPD/75483/2010 and C.C. – SFRH/BPD/ 81220/2011. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio