Worship and trees in India

Trees are significant in many of the world’s mythologies and religions and have been given deep and sacred meanings throughout the ages. In India, large numbers of herbs, shrubs and trees are traditionally worshiped and most of them are known for their uses in worship of several lords. India is a country showing diversity in religion and it is believed, that there are more than 33 million Gods and Goddesses worshiped in various traditional ways throughout the year. The trees and their products are part of Indian rituals and ceremonies and various Gods and Goddesses are associated with different trees. In Indian culture trees are believed to have consciousness similar to humans so they can feel pain as well as happiness like us. Human beings, observing the growth and death of trees and the annual death and revival of their foliage, have often imagined them as powerful symbols of growth, death and rebirth. The people in India believe that life cannot exist without trees. Trees are the main natural sources of solar energy vital for our existence that bring flowers, fruits, wood and medicines. Therefore, tree worship is one of the most widespread forms of popular religion in India. Indians worship offering roots, stem, leaves, flowers, fruits and seeds to God since time immemorial and this is done as a symbol of gratitude because they believe that life cannot exist without trees. Present communication provides botanical names and families of more than 60 angiosperm trees used in worship of various Gods and Goddesses. The trees have been listed and their significance has been considered. Gymnosperms used in worship have also been discussed. Selection of plantation site and day, time, month of worship, list of flowers and plants prohibited in worship and interesting description of trees worshiped as per the zodiac signs have also been given

Blood stage malaria antigens induce different activation-induced cell death programs in splenic CD4<SUP>+</SUP> T cells

CD4+ T cells respond to antigen immunization through a process of activation, clonal expansion to generate activated effector T cells followed by activation-induced clonal deletion of the responding T cells. While loss of responding T cells in post-activation death by apoptosis is a major factor regulating immune homeostasis, the precise pathways involved in downsizing of Plasmodium falciparum antigen-induced T cell expansions are not well characterized. We report in this study that splenic CD4+ T cells from mice immunized with nonreplicating immunogens like OVA or recombinant blood stage P. falciparum antigens, PfMSP-3 and PfMSP-119 or crude parasite antigen (PfAg) undergo sequential T cell activation, proliferation followed by activation-induced cell death (AICD) in a dose- and time-dependent manner after Ag restimulation. While PfMSP-3 and OVA-induced AICD was mediated through a death receptor-dependent apoptotic program, PfMSP-119 and PfAg-induced AICD was via a mechanism dependent on the activation of mitochondria apoptosis signalling pathway through Bax activation. These results provide insights into the mechanism through which two blood stage merozoite antigens trigger different apoptotic programs of AICD in splenic CD4+ T cells

Potentiality of Acidithiobacillus Thiooxidans in Microbial Solubilization of Phosphate Mine Tailings

This paper deals with the solubilization behavior of the tailings produced by the floatation of a complex low grade phosphate ore. The composition of the tailings was essentially dolomite (52.04%) with minor amounts of phosphate, iron and aluminium oxides (10.4 and 0.5% respectively). The presence of these products created uncontrolled land pollution and severely affected groundwater. An initiative has been taken up for utilization of this waste to generate an eco-friendly product. First step towards this panorama is incorporation of suitable microorganisms for the biodegradation of this effluent. Sulphur oxidizing bacteria Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans produces sulphuric acid which neutralizes the dolomitic tailings and convert it into plant available forms. The solubilization activity was tested in sulphur medium with 5, 10, 15 and 20% concentration of tailings. The solubilization is graded on the basis of pH, Electrical conductivity (EC), soluble calcium and magnesium and soluble phosphate. The results from ex-situ experiments showed that the treatment with 15% tailings ended with highest solubilization. The values of pH, EC, soluble calcium and magnesium and soluble phosphate for this treatment were 4.92, 31.6 dS/m, 10.8 mL EDTA and 17.24 µg/mL respectively. Also, the results proved that sulphur oxidizing bacteria Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans is capable of solubilizing dolomitic tailings from the Jhamarkotra mines. Finally, an important factor taken into account wassolubilization of residual phosphate along with dolomite in the tailings. This combined action affects the solubilization behaviour of the residue, which was also showed successfully with the assayed laboratory studies

A general model for sample size determination for collecting germplasm

The paper develops a general model for determining the minimum sample size for collecting germplasm for genetic conservation with an overall objective of retaining at least one copy of each allele with preassigned probability. It considers sampling from a large heterogeneous 2 k-ploid population under a broad range of mating systems leading to a general formula applicable to a fairly large number of populations. It is found that the sample size decreases as ploidy levels increase, but increases with the increase in inbreeding. Under exclusive selfing the sample size is the same, irrespective of the ploidy level, when other parameters are held constant. Minimum sample sizes obtained for diploids by this general formula agree with those already reported by earlier workers. The model confirms the conservative characteristics of genetic variability of polysomic inheritance under chromosomal segregation

How familiarity warps representation in the face space

Recognition of familiar as compared to unfamiliar faces is robust and resistant to marked image distortion or degradation. Here we tested the flexibility of familiar face recognition with a morphing paradigm where the appearance of a personally familiar face was mixed with the appearance of a stranger (Experiment 1) and the appearance of one's own face with the appearance of a familiar face and the appearance of a stranger (Experiment 2). The aim of the two experiments was to assess how categorical boundaries for recognition of identity are affected by familiarity. We found a narrower categorical boundary for the identity of personally familiar faces when they were mixed with unfamiliar identities as compared to the control condition, in which the appearance of two unfamiliar faces was mixed. Our results suggest that familiarity warps the representational geometry of face space, amplifying perceptual distances for small changes in the appearance of familiar faces that are inconsistent with the structural features that define their identities

Assessment of bio-medical waste management in three apex Government hospitals of Agra,

Abstract: Waste management practices in three apex government hospitals of Agra viz., Sarojini Naidu Medical College, Lady Lyall Maternity Hospital and District Hospital were studied during January, 2004 -January, 2005. Data were collected with the help of (i) personal observations of the waste treatment and disposal practices and (ii) assessment of knowledge, attitude and practices of working personnel with the help of questionnaires. The results obtained indicated lack of knowledge and awareness regarding legislations on bio-medical waste management even among qualified hospital personnel. None of these hospitals were equipped with higher technological options e.g. incinerator, autoclave, microwave and had no facilities to treat the liquid waste generated inside the hospital. It is concluded that generation and implementation of a waste management policy, institutional/organizational set up, training and motivation must be given paramount importance to meet the current needs and standards of bio-medical waste management in these hospitals

Sample size for collecting germplasms - a polyploid model with mixed mating system

The present paper discusses a general expression for determining the minimum sample size (plants) for a given number of seeds or vice versa for capturing multiple allelic diversity. The model considers sampling from a large 2 k-ploid population under a broad range of mating systems. Numerous expressions/results developed for germplasm collection/regeneration for diploid populations by earlier workers can be directly deduced from our general expression by assigning appropriate values of the corresponding parameters. A seed factor which influences the plant sample size has also been isolated to aid the collectors in selecting the appropriate combination of number of plants and seeds per plant. When genotypic multiplicity of seeds is taken into consideration, a sample size of even less than 172 plants can conserve diversity of 20 alleles from 50,000 polymorphic loci with a very large probability of conservation (0.9999) in most of the cases

Complexes of Organotin(IV) Halides with Neutral Schiff Bases of Salicylaldehyde & 2-Hydroxy-l-naphthaldehyde with 2-Aminopyridine

1023-102

Camera-Based Visual Feedback Learning Aid for Recovering Sense of Smell and Taste in COVID-19 Survivors: A Proof-of-Concept Study

Introduction: A significant proportion of people report persistent COVID 19-related anosmia, hyposmia or parosmia, often accompanied with ageusia, hypogeusia or dysgeusia. Here, we present a proof-of-concept study that assessed the feasibility and acceptability of a new Camera-Based Visual Feedback Learning Aid (CVFLA) and explored its potential to restore or improve persistent COVID-19-related smell and/or taste impairment. Methods: Fifteen adult participants with persistent smell and/or taste impairment were randomly allocated to 7-, 14-, or 21-days baseline of symptom monitoring before receiving the intervention in up to 10 sessions (length and frequency determined by participant’s preference and progress) using a specialised CVFLA apparatus (patent no. 10186160). Smell and taste were assessed pre- and post intervention subjectively, and also objectively using the ODOFIN Taste Strips and Sniffin Sticks. Participant feedback about their experience of receiving CVFLA was obtained via a semi-structured interview conducted by someone not involved in delivering the intervention. Results: The intervention was extremely well received, with no dropouts related to the intervention. There was also a significant improvement in smell and taste from pre- to post-CVFLA intervention (mean number of sessions = 7.46, SD = 2.55; total duration = 389.96 min, SD = 150.93) both in subjective and objective measures. All participants, except one, reported experiencing some improvement from the 2nd or 3rd session. Discussion: This new CVFLA intervention shows promise in improving COVID-19 related impairment in smell and taste with a very high level of acceptability. Further studies with larger samples are required to confirm its potential in restoring, improving or correcting smell and/or taste impairment in relevant clinical and non-clinical groups.Brunel University London, and the European Research Development Fund (EDRF) and Learning JBE Ltd. via Anglia Ruskin University. Learning JBE Ltd. owns the patent on the camera-based feedback learning technique used in the study. Learning JBE Ltd. was not involved in the study design, collection, analysis, interpretation of data, the writing of this article or the decision to submit it for publication