Study of barium hexaferrite (BaFe12O19)synthesised by sol gel auto- combustion technique

The powders of barium ferrite (BaFe12O19) were synthesized from metal nitrates in the molar ratio of 1:9:10 (Ba/Fe/glycine) by a sol–gel auto combustion technique using glycine as firing agent. At the time of synthesis three types of precautions considered such as, without considering any extra agent (Sample-1), the solution maintained the Ph value 7 by adding ammonia solution (Sample-2) and by adding nitric acid (Sample-3). All the combusted samples calcined at different temperatures and time durations for confirmation of phase formation. The XRD study of calcined samples reveals the single phase formation of BaFe12O19 but for different precautions the phase formation temperatures and time durations are different. It is found that the calcined temperature for Sample-1 is 1000oC/3hr, for Sample-2 it is 950oC /3hr and for Sample-3 it is 950oC/5hr. Particle size for all the calcined samples measured by Scherrer formula. The UV-Visible spectroscopy of all samples studied and the measured band gap of all samples form UV-Visible data. For Sample-2 room temperature Dielectric and impedance spectroscopy study done by WK LCR meter

THE ROLE OF NUTRIENT SENSITIVE PROTEIN O-GLCNACYLATION IN DEVELOPMENTAL CORTICAL NEUROGENESIS

The nutrient responsive O-GlcNAcylation is a dynamic, posttranslational protein modification present on many nucleocytoplasmic and mitochondrial proteins. Previous research has indicated that hyperglycaemia increases the levels of total O-GlcNAcylation within cells. Transcription factors and histones are among hundreds of proteins that have been reported to be O-GlcNAcylated and have importance in cell fate determination during cell growth, proliferation, and differentiation. However, the role of protein O-GlcNAcylation in epigenome control in response to nutritional perturbations is poorly understood. Hyperglycaemia induced protein O-GlcNAcylation have been linked to several pathologies, including obesity, diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. Given that maternal hyperglycaemia during pregnancy is linked to adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in the offspring, it is interesting to identify the impact of elevated protein O-GlcNAcylation on embryonic neurogenesis. Herein, we investigate and confirm the implications of protein O-GlcNAcylation by pharmacological induction of O-GlcNAc during embryonic neurogenesis by directed differentiation of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) into cortical neurons, which precisely mimics early events of human embryonic corticogenesis. The presence of total O-GlcNAc levels during neural differentiation was determined by immunocytochemistry and western blotting techniques. Investigation of several regulatory transcription factor genes and histones needed for stem cell fate during neurogenesis was carried out through different molecular biology techniques including, western blotting, qPCR, and immunocytochemistry. The impact of elevated O-GlcNAc on transcriptional/epigenetic mechanisms was investigated through high-throughput RNA sequencing and ChIP-qPCR. Resulted that increased O-GlcNAcylation is associated with decreased neural progenitor proliferation, premature cortical neurogenesis, reduced AKT signaling, induced apoptosis and defective expression of several genes essential for neural differentiation. This also led to increased expression of key neurogenic transcription factor (TF) genes. Further investigation has shown that de-repression of neurogenic TFs is associated with increased H3K4me3 and decreased H3K27me3 (promoter bi-valency) levels at the promoter of these genes. Increased O-GlcNAc levels also increased Pol IISer5 phosphorylation whereas, levels of H2BS112O-GlcNAc and H2BK120Ub1 were inconsistently affected at different gene promoters. Also studied the effect of elevated O-GlcNAc levels on embryonic neurogenesis in a rat model of maternal hyperglycaemia. We observed similar epigenetic defects including changes in promoter bivalency and induced Pol IISer5p, H2BS112O-GlcNAc and H2BK120Ub1 in the developing embryo brain cortex due to hyperglycaemia. Resulted findings show O-GlcNAc regulated chromatin sensitivity based on maternal nutritional status on neurodevelopment and suggest that metabolic dysregulations can affect stem cell fate decisions via O-GlcNAc mediated epigenetic gene regulating mechanisms during development. These results may have implications in neurodevelopmental disorders associated with metabolically compromised pregnancies

“Women in an Alien Land”- Nuances of Diasporic Identity and Survival in Bharati Mukherjee’s Desirable Daughters

Bharati Mukherjee, an Indian Born, Canadian/ American novelist has made a deep impression on the literary canvass. The prime premise of her works is the issues encountered by women in the foreign atmosphere.  As a diasporic author most of her characters are ‘displaced’ and ‘alienated’ from the land of origin to USA where they are ‘simultaneously invisible’ as an individual and ‘overexposed’ as a racial minority. Focusing on Mukherjee’s Desirable Daughters, first of the trilogy including The Tree Bride and Miss New India, the present paper attempts to analyze the complexities of diasporic identity and the process of re-birth and re-invention of Indian women immigrants to adapt in the new world. A story of three sisters- Padma, Parvati and Tara, the novel showcases the problems of identity of Indian immigrant women in an alien society as they suffer from ‘no greater visibility but great marginality’. The problem with these sisters is not only that are immigrants but what makes their condition worse is their gender as well. Being with the label of ‘second sex’, these women are often confronted by a double quest- quest for identity as a woman first and second as a displaced human being in an alien world. The diasporic situation in fact entangles the sisters into a maze- standing between two worlds-with complex realities of unequal cultural dynamics of the traditional homeland and liberal spaces of host land- they tend to experience conflicting subjectivities of freedom and subjugation, yet they do find a way for self-exploration and deliberation to conceive new identities and move beyond the fixed definitions of diasporic Indian women. So, my paper will be a modest attempt to unravel the nuances of diasporic identity which is always a matter of ‘becoming’ as well as of ‘being’ and to highlight the extremely individualistic ways of survival of the three immigrant sisters in an apparently alien culture

Building capacity of teacher educators to implement action research : Feasibility of a local model

In the area of in-service professional development programmes, action research is considered to be a tool for generating practical knowledge and bringing improvement in practices. Teacher could use action research as a process for professional learning, and to improve classroom practices, where students could be one of the beneficiaries. However, the task is challenging in a developing country like Pakistan, where the concept of classroom research is not well recognized. Therefore, responding to the demands of the changing world and knowing the significance of action research, AKU-IED had offered Action Research course to two cohort of participant under Strengthening Teacher Education in Pakistan (STEP) project. Two variants of intervention were implemented as part of this course including: (i) face to face only; and (ii) face to face with field support. All course participants (CPs) were practicing teacher educators with no research background, from distinct teacher education institutes of Sindh and Balochistan. This paper reports how much this course helped to improve CPs’ knowledge and understanding about action research and explored their experiences and skills to implement action research in their workplace. In order to gauge participants ‘knowledge and understanding’ as well as ‘experiences’ of using action research in their context two assessment tools were administered before and after the course. The internal consistency of the knowledge test (α = 0.61) and experience questionnaire (α = 0.87) was found to be satisfactory. Data were analysed using appropriate statistical strategies to describe knowledge & understanding (mean) and to make comparison between two variants of the course (t-test, effect size). Overall, the result exhibits significant increase (p \u3c 0.01) in mean test scores as well as confidence in implementing action research across two variants. However, the magnitude of this difference was comparatively bigger (test r = 0.70; experience r = 0.91) for face to face (f2f) and field support as compared to the face to face only (test r = 0.37; experience r = 0.86). In other words, field support seemed to have contributed positively in participant knowledge and reported skills of implementing action research. Based on these finding it is recommended that including action research course in teacher training programmes would be beneficial to nurture inquiry based culture in education. Furthermore, initial researchers would benefit more by scaffolding their learning through field support

Effect of supplementary feed on the growth of shinghi (Heteropneustes fossilis Bloch)

Effect of two supplementary feed (food A and food B) on the growth of shinghi, Heteropneustes fossilis was observed for 3 months period during winter and summer. Food B containing rice bran 2 g, wheat bran 2 g and blood 10 ml, showed better growth. The net gain in length was 70.04 mm and in weight was 13.82 g. Total net production was observed as 254.00 g/m² with feed A and 345.50 g/m² with feed B

NUMERICAL RESPONSE OF LIPOLEXIS OREGMAE (HYMENOPTERA : APHIDIINAE) AGAINST APHIS CRACCIVORA (HEMIPTERA : APHIDIDAE)

The performance of the parasitoids is usually evaluated by studying its life-table which involves the statistics of birth and death rate illustrating the condition of the biological community. The study of numerical response provides the data for the calculating the number of parasitoid needed to regulate the pest population. Thus, parasitoid density also influences the lifetable statistics of the parasitoids especially net fecundity, total fecundity, progeny sex ratio etc. Lipolexis oregmae is very common parasitoid and found abundantly in several districts of Bihar (India). Few aspects of biological and ecological studies were made by few workers. We need more information about it especially in a relation to the future production. Aphis craccivora (cowpea aphids) is a sporadic pest in Bihar and abundantly found in all localities. This aphid has an extensive host range, hence the performance of the parasitoids at different density on three host plants Lablab purpureus (=Dolichos lablab), Phaseolus sinensis and Vicia faba on A. craccivora was investigated. At six parasitoid, the maximum fecundity of L. oregmae was recorded on V. faba (64.20 ± 6.85) and minimum on P. sinensis ( 53.20 ± 4.65)

Distribution of Macrobrachium rosenbergii (de Man) in three rivers of Paikgacha, Bangladesh

Distribution of post larvae, juveniles and adults of Macrobrachium rosenbergii was studied in three rivers of Paikgachha, Khulna during November '91 to Apri1 '94. The adults were found to ascend upstream and the matured ones again return to the estuary to breed. Post larvae of M. rosenbergii prefer a salinity range in between 0.5 to 19.0 ppt and juveniles require a salinity range in between 0.0 to 2.0 ppt

NUMERICAL RESPONSE OF LIPOLEXIS OREGMAE (HYMENOPTERA : APHIDIINAE) AGAINST APHIS CRACCIVORA (HEMIPTERA : APHIDIDAE)

The performance of the parasitoids is usually evaluated by studying its life-table which involves the statistics of birth and death rate illustrating the condition of the biological community. The study of numerical response provides the data for the calculating the number of parasitoid needed to regulate the pest population. Thus, parasitoid density also influences the lifetable statistics of the parasitoids especially net fecundity, total fecundity, progeny sex ratio etc. Lipolexis oregmae is very common parasitoid and found abundantly in several districts of Bihar (India). Few aspects of biological and ecological studies were made by few workers. We need more information about it especially in a relation to the future production. Aphis craccivora (cowpea aphids) is a sporadic pest in Bihar and abundantly found in all localities. This aphid has an extensive host range, hence the performance of the parasitoids at different density on three host plants Lablab purpureus (=Dolichos lablab), Phaseolus sinensis and Vicia faba on A. craccivora was investigated. At six parasitoid, the maximum fecundity of L. oregmae was recorded on V. faba (64.20 ± 6.85) and minimum on P. sinensis ( 53.20 ± 4.65)