The Images of White Womanhood in Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl

Black women’s literature especially, slave narratives, are generally considered as a resistance against the white male hegemony. But, if we go deep into it we notice, woven in the intricate weave of the narrative, the stories of the white women as well. Complex relationships between black and white women and between white men and white women are depicted in these records of American history. The present paper is an analysis the relationship of the white women to their circumstances as depicted in Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs. Incidents is a compelling true story about the physical and psychological oppression of the black slave women in the south but it is also a story that breaks many a myth about the southern white women as well. Key words: Slave Narrative; Black American Literature; Slavery; Cult of True Womanhood; Oppression; Racism; White Male Hegemony; Deep Sout

GENETIC MARKERS OF AUTISM

Autism is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder with a significant genetic component. The prevalence of autism has been increasing globally, though exact statistics for India are not available. Several genetic markers for autism have been studied. These include chromosomal abnormalities, copy number variations, submicroscopic cytogenetic anomalies, single nucleotide polymorphisms and other point mutations. This review gives details on the current data available on these genetic markers of autism, with a focus on single nucleotide polymorphisms. Studies on SNPs within candidate genes on each chromosome are dealt with, including some details on which populations show which variation. Methodology involved in analysis of SNPs, i.e. techniques in SNP genotyping are also reviewed, focusing on those techniques that are simple and economically feasible in the Indian scenario

Fabrication of PLA-PEG Nanoparticles as Delivery Systems for Improved Stability and Controlled Release of Catechin

The purpose of this study was to develop an oral delivery system for the controlled release of catechin and evaluate the antioxidant potential and stability of catechin loaded PLA/PEG nanoparticles (CATNP). Nanoparticles were synthesized using a double emulsion solvent evaporation method. The fabricated nanoparticles were relatively small with a hydrodynamic diameter of 300 nm and an encapsulation efficiency of 95%. SEM image analysis showed uniform sized and spherically shaped nanoparticles. In vitro release profiles indicated a slow and sustained release of catechin from the nanoparticle. Stability of the nanoparticle in simulated gastric and intestinal fluids is maintained due to the PEG coating on the nanoparticles, which effectively protected catechin against gastrointestinal enzyme activity. Enhanced inhibition action of free radicals and metal chelation potential was noted when catechin was encapsulated in these polymeric nanoparticles. The reports obtained from this study would provide an opportunity for designing an oral delivery system aimed at inhibiting oxidative stress in the human body

Human health risks and socio-economic perspectives of arsenic exposure in Bangladesh : A scoping review

Arsenic contamination of drinking water, which can occur naturally or because of human activities such as mining, is the single most important public health issue in Bangladesh. Fifty out of the 64 districts in the country have arsenic concentration of groundwater exceeding 50 µg

Degree of heterogeneity versus prediction error in Regional Flood Frequency Analysis : a case study for Victoria, Australia

In flood management and hydraulic infrastructure design, flood risk assessment is needed. To estimate flood quantiles accurately at an ungauged catchment Regional Flood Frequency Analysis (RFFA) is widely adopted. In RFFA, the homogeneity of a region refers to the state of similar flood responses, which is mostly the reflection of similar flood and catchment characteristics. This study examines the homogeneity of 113 gauged catchments in Victoria, Australia. The selected catchments are divided into two groups by drainage division and then subdivided each of them into two sub-regions. Hosking and Wallis (HW) test statistics (H) are applied, and few sites are detected as discordant. H1-statistics are relatively low (ranging from 3.6 to 20.2) in the sub-groups but highest (26.6) in Victoria as a single region, which indicates that these regions were highly heterogeneous. A log-log model is used to develop prediction equations using ordinary least squares regression (OLS). To check the relative accuracy of the developed RFFA models a leave-one-out (LOO) is adopted. It is found that the degree of heterogeneity does not have any direct effect on the accuracy of design flood estimates. More investigation is needed to better understand the association between the degree of regional heterogeneity and model accuracy in RFFA

Impact of catchment homogeneity on the accuracy of design flood estimation : a case study for NSW

Regional Flood Frequency Analysis (RFFA) is widely adopted to estimate design floods in ungauged catchments. In RFFA, homogeneity of region is a fundamental concept, which is the state of being similar flood responses, mostly the reflection of similar catchment and flood characteristics. In general, it can be said that the more the homogeneity for a region the more accurate the flood quantile estimation is by the developed RFFA model. The main objective of this study is to examine the impact of heterogeneity on the accuracy of flood quantile estimation in RFFA. This study selected 88 gauged catchments across New South Wales (NSW), Australia. Based on Hosking and Wallis (HW) test, it was found that a few stations were discordant, and H-statistics ranged from 6.62 to 14.23, which indicated the region was highly heterogeneous. Selected catchments were grouped into two regions based on drainage divisions. Similarly, HW test statistics were calculated and developed RFFA model to estimate flood quantiles. A log-log model was used to develop prediction equations using ordinary least squares regression (OLS). Median absolute relative errors (REs) were estimated and compared with H-statistics. The leave-one-out (LOO) validation was adopted to check the relative accuracy of the developed RFFA techniques. It was found that degree of heterogeneity does not have a direct impact on the RE. Further study is needed to better understand the link between regional heterogeneity and the precision of quantile estimation

EGCG Nanoparticles Attenuate Aluminum Chloride Induced Neurobehavioral Deficits, Beta Amyloid and Tau Pathology in a Rat Model of Alzheimer’s Disease

Rational: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative pathology characterized by the presence of neuritic plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. Aluminum has been reported to play an important role in the etiology and pathogenesis of this disease. Hence, the present study aimed to evaluate the neuroprotective role of epigallocatechin-gallate (EGCG) loaded nanoparticles (nanoEGCG) against aluminum chloride (AlCl3) induced neurobehavioral and pathological changes in AD induced rats.Method: 100 mg/kg body weight AlCl3 was administered orally for 60 days, which was followed by 10 mg/kg body weight free EGCG and nanoEGCG treatment for 30 days. Morris water maze, open field and novel object recognition tests were employed for neurobehavioral assessment of the rats. This was followed by histopathological assessment of the cortex and the hippocampus in the rat brain. For further validation biochemical, immunohistochemistry and western blot assays were carried out.Result: Aluminum exposure reduced the exploratory and locomotor activities in open field and significantly reduced the memory and learning curve of rats in Morris water maze and novel object recognition tests. These neurobehavioral impairments were significantly attenuated in nanoEGCG treated rats. Histopathological assessment of the cortex and hippocampus of AlCl3 induced rat brains showed the presence of both neuritic plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. In nanoEGCG treated rats this pathology was absent. Significant increase in biochemical, immunohistochemical and protein levels was noted in AlCl3 induced rats. While these levels were greatly reduced in nanoEGCG treated rats.Conclusion: In conclusion, this study strengthens the hypothesis that EGCG nanoparticles can reverse memory loss, neuritic plaque and neurofibrillary tangles formation