Variations in mass of the PM 10,PM 2.5 and PM 1 during the monsoon and the winter at New Delhi

PM10, PM2.5 and PM1 mass concentrations have been measured at Delhi (28°35'N; 77°12'E) during the August to December 2007. The running mean of PM10, PM2.5 and PM1 data shows large variations. The PM10, PM2.5 and PM1 were ranged from 20 to 180 μg/m3 during the monsoon and from 100 to 500 μg/m3 during the winter (up to 1200 μg/m3 in November due to Deepavali fireworks). For the same running mean cycles, higher mass concentrations in the PM10, PM2.5 and PM1 were corresponded with peaks in the relative humidity and lower levels linked to peaks in the ambient temperature. The evolutions of PM10, PM2.5 and PM1 concentrations after the elapsed times are simulated with mean mass scavenging coefficients. These evolution patterns clearly show the difference in washout of PM10 with impaction scavenging relative to those for PM2.5 and PM1 particles over different rainfall durations. Air-mass pathways traced with HYSPLIT model over the study area illustrates the nature of PM10, PM2.5 and PM1 levels with monsoon and winter air-mass circulations over Delhi

In vivo assessment of brainstem depigmentation in Parkinson’s: potential as severity marker for multi-centre studies

Purpose: To investigate the pattern of neuromelanin signal intensity loss within the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc), locus coeruleus, and ventral tegmental area in Parkinson disease (PD); the specific aims were (a) to study regional magnetic resonance (MR) quantifiable depigmentation in association with PD severity and (b) to investigate whether imaging- and platform-dependent signal intensity variations can be normalized. Materials and Methods: This prospective case-control study was approved by the local ethics committee and the research department of Nottingham University Hospitals. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants before enrollment in the study. Sixty-nine participants (39 patients with PD and 30 control subjects) were investigated with neuromelanin-sensitive MR imaging by using two different 3-T platforms and three differing protocols. Neuromelanin-related volumes of the anterior and posterior SNpc, locus coeruleus, and ventral tegmental area were determined, and normalized neuromelanin volumes were assessed for protocol-dependent effects. Diagnostic test performance of normalized neuromelanin volume was investigated by using receiver operating characteristic analyses, and correlations with the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale scores were tested. Results: Reduction of normalized neuromelanin volume in PD was most pronounced in the posterior SNpc (median, −83%; P < .001), followed by the anterior SNpc (−49%; P < .001) and the locus coeruleus (−37%; P < .05). Normalized neuromelanin volume loss of the posterior and whole SNpc allowed the best differentiation of patients with PD and control subjects (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.92 and 0.88, respectively). Normalized neuromelanin volume of the anterior, posterior, and whole SNpc correlated with Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale scores (r2 = 0.25, 0.22, and 0.28, respectively; all P < .05). Conclusion: PD-induced neuromelanin loss can be quantified across imaging protocols and platforms by using appropriate adjustment. Depigmentation in PD follows a distinct spatial pattern, affords high diagnostic accuracy, and is associated with disease severity

Towards a common thread in Complexity: an accuracy-based approach

The complexity of a system, in general, makes it difficult to determine some or almost all matrix elements of its operators. The lack of accuracy acts as a source of randomness for the matrix elements which are also subjected to an external potential due to existing system conditions. The fluctuation of accuracy due to varying system-conditions leads to a diffusion of the matrix elements. We show that, for the single well potentials, the diffusion can be described by a common mathematical formulation where system information enters through a single parameter. This further leads to a characterization of physical properties by an infinite range of single parametric universality classes

Multi-Channel Transport in Disordered Medium under Generic Scattering Conditions

Our study of the evolution of transmission eigenvalues, due to changes in various physical parameters in a disordered region of arbitrary dimensions, results in a generalization of the celebrated DMPK equation. The evolution is shown to be governed by a single complexity parameter which implies a deep level of universality of transport phenomena through a wide range of disordered regions. We also find that the interaction among eigenvalues is of many body type that has important consequences for the statistical behavior of transport properties.Comment: 19 Pages, No Figure

Thermodynamics of protein folding: a random matrix formulation

The process of protein folding from an unfolded state to a biologically active, folded conformation is governed by many parameters e.g the sequence of amino acids, intermolecular interactions, the solvent, temperature and chaperon molecules. Our study, based on random matrix modeling of the interactions, shows however that the evolution of the statistical measures e.g Gibbs free energy, heat capacity, entropy is single parametric. The information can explain the selection of specific folding pathways from an infinite number of possible ways as well as other folding characteristics observed in computer simulation studies.Comment: 21 Pages, no figure

Diffuse Alveolar Hemorrhage due to Acute Mitral Valve Regurgitation

Diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DAH) can be caused by several etiologies including vasculitis, drug exposure, anticoagulants, infections, mitral valve stenosis, and regurgitation. Chronic mitral valve regurgitation (MR) has been well documented as an etiological factor for DAH, but there have been only a few cases which have reported acute mitral valve regurgitation as an etiology of DAH. Acute mitral valve regurgitation can be a life-threatening condition and often requires urgent intervention. In rare cases, acute mitral regurgitation may result in a regurgitant jet which is directed towards the right upper pulmonary vein and may specifically cause right-sided pulmonary edema and right-sided DAH. Surgical repair of the mitral valve results in rapid resolution of DAH. Acute MR should be considered as a possible etiology in patients presenting with unilateral pulmonary edema, hemoptysis, and DAH

Higher Order Correlations in Quantum Chaotic Spectra

The statistical properties of the quantum chaotic spectra have been studied, so far, only up to the second order correlation effects. The numerical as well as the analytical evidence that random matrix theory can successfully model the spectral fluctuatations of these systems is available only up to this order. For a complete understanding of spectral properties it is highly desirable to study the higher order spectral correlations. This will also inform us about the limitations of random matrix theory in modelling the properties of quantum chaotic systems. Our main purpose in this paper is to carry out this study by a semiclassical calculation for the quantum maps; however results are also valid for time-independent systems.Comment: Revtex, Four figures (Postscript files), Phys. Rev E (in press

Prevalence and Genotypes of Mycobacterium Avium Subspecies Paratuberculosis in Large Ruminants of Eastern Uttar Pradesh, North India

Uttar Pradesh is the fourth largest, most populous and leading milk and meat producing state in India. Despite the huge livestock population, information on the status of paratuberculosis homogeneity and heterogeneity of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) isolates of eastern Uttar Pradesh is non-existent. Present study was aimed to estimate the presence of MAP in large ruminants (Cattle and Buffaloes) of eastern Uttar Pradesh. A total 108 fecal samples were collected from farmer's herds of large ruminants (cattle and buffaloes) from different geographical regions (Chandauli, Mughalsarai, Gazipur, and Naugarh) of eastern Uttar Pradesh and screened for the presence of MAP infection using microscopic examination, direct IS900 PCR and culture on Herrold egg yolk (HEY) medium. The isolates recovered on HEY medium were subjected to molecular identification and genotyping using IS900 PCR and IS1311 PCR-REA method, respectively. Of the 108 fecal samples, 25 (23.14%) and 11 (10.18%) samples were positive for the presence of acid-fast bacilli and growth on HEY medium, respectively. Species-wise, 17.5, 7.5% and 26.5, 11.7% fecal samples from cattle and buffaloes were found positive for the presence of acid-fast bacilli and growth on HEY medium, respectively. Isolates recovered on HEY medium with mycobactin J were positive for IS900 sequence and genotyped as Bison Type using IS1311 PCR-REA method. Present study is the first report on the presence of MAP infection and ‘Bison Type' genotype of MAP in eastern Uttar Pradesh. These findings will be useful for the intervention of effective control measures in order to reduce the prevalence of MAP infection in domestic livestock species and prevent its spread to the human population in the regions

Alternative Technique for "Complex" Spectra Analysis

. The choice of a suitable random matrix model of a complex system is very sensitive to the nature of its complexity. The statistical spectral analysis of various complex systems requires, therefore, a thorough probing of a wide range of random matrix ensembles which is not an easy task. It is highly desirable, if possible, to identify a common mathematcal structure among all the ensembles and analyze it to gain information about the ensemble- properties. Our successful search in this direction leads to Calogero Hamiltonian, a one-dimensional quantum hamiltonian with inverse-square interaction, as the common base. This is because both, the eigenvalues of the ensembles, and, a general state of Calogero Hamiltonian, evolve in an analogous way for arbitrary initial conditions. The varying nature of the complexity is reflected in the different form of the evolution parameter in each case. A complete investigation of Calogero Hamiltonian can then help us in the spectral analysis of complex systems.Comment: 20 pages, No figures, Revised Version (Minor Changes