Showing papers by "Government College published in 2003"

Woody species diversity of four sacred groves in the Pondicherry region of South India

Abstract: Plant wealth and diversity of four sacred groves – twoanthropogenic stands and two natural forest patches – along the southeastcoast of India adjoining Pondicherry was studied. A total of 111species, belonging to 103 genera in 53 families, were recorded from thefour sites, which together measure 15.6 ha. The number of woody species (girth at breast height(gbh) ≤20 cm) was 20 each in Keezbuvanagiri (KBG) andKilialamman (KLM) grove, followed by 13 in Periyakattupalayam (PKP) and 15in Periyamudaliar chavadi (PMC). Based on the important value index (IVI), PMCgrove is an association of Aglaia elaeagnoidea,Borassus flabellifer and Pterospermumsuberifolium. A two-layered forest structure resembling tropical dryevergreen forest (TDEF) was found there. Stratification was obscured in the KBGgrove, as the scrub species were abundant, indicating a scrub woodland formation.PKP and KLM were characterised by the abundance of a few species. The presenceof a stout liana of Secamone emetica (gbh 35cm), the robustness of Cretaeva magna (gbh 220cm), Syzigium cumini (gbh 207.45cm), P. suberifolium (gbh 128.7cm) and Tamarindus indica (gbh 250cm), and survival of evergreen species like A.elaeagnoidea and Pamburus missionis isbotanically significant; Polyalthia suberosa is a raretaxon found only within the groves. The persistence of the groves until thepresent time is a testimony to the sacred grove status enjoyed by them.

Fingerprint verification using wavelet transform

Abstract: Fingerprint verification is one of the most reliable personal identification methods and it plays a very important role in forensic and civilian applications. However, manual fingerprint verification is so tedious, time-consuming, and expensive in that it is incapable of meeting today's increasing performance requirements. Hence, an automatic fingerprint identification system (AFIS) is widely needed. Wavelet transform which has wide range of applications such as image compression, denoising noisy data, texture classification, etc., is used in this paper, for fingerprint verification. It describes the design and implementation of an offline fingerprint verification system using wavelet transform. In this method, matching can be done between the input image and the stored template without resorting to exhaustive search using the extracted feature. The experimental results show that the wavelet transform based approach is better than the existing minutiae based method and it takes less response time which is more suitable for online verification, with high accuracy.

A novel autosomal recessive non-syndromic deafness locus (DFNB35) maps to 14q24.1 – 14q24.3 in large consanguineous kindred from Pakistan

Abstract: Autosomal recessive nonsyndromic deafness is one of the most frequent forms of inherited hearing impairment. Over 30 autosomal recessive nonsyndromic hearing loss loci have been mapped, and 15 genes have been isolated. Of the over 30 reported autosomal recessive nonsyndromic hearing loss (NSHL) loci, the typical phenotype is prelingual non-progressive severe to profound hearing loss with the exception of DFNB8, which displays postlingual onset and DFNB13, which is progressive. In this report we describe a large inbred kindred from a remote area of Pakistan, comprising six generations and segregating autosomal recessive nonsyndromic prelingual deafness. DNA samples from 24 individuals were used for genome wide screen and fine mapping. Linkage analysis indicates that in this family the NSHL locus, (DFNB35) maps to a 17.54 cM region on chromosome 14 flanked by markers D14S57 and D14S59. Examination of haplotypes reveals a region that is homozygous for 11.75 cM spanning between markers D14S588 and D14S59. A maximum two-point LOD score of 5.3 and multipoint LOD score of 7.6 was obtained at marker D14S53. The interval for DFNB35 does not overlap with the regions for DFNA9, DFNA23 or DFNB5.

Effect of mercuric chloride on circulating hormones in adult albino rats.

Abstract: The effect of mercuric chloride at two different doses, 0.5 mg/kg body weight (low dose), 1 mg/kg body weight (high dose), for 30 days, was seen on the circulating hormones in the mature male albino rats. Testosterone level was markedly decreased in the low dose (P < 0.01) and high dose (P < 0.001) treated animals. The level of luteinizing hormone (LH) was also reduced in the low dose (P < 0.01) as well as in the high dose (P < 0.001) treated animals. However, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and prolactin (PRL) levels were found to be decreased only in the high dose (P < 0. 05) treated animals and no change was observed in the low dose treated animals. The changes in the hormone levels caused by the mercuric chloride treatment suggest the dysfunction of pituitary-testicular axis.

Rapid and sensitive spectrophotometric determination of trace amounts of iron(III) using leuco Xylene cyanol FF

Abstract: A new, simple, sensitive, and reliable method is presented for the rapid spectrophotometric determination of trace amounts of iron(III) using leuco Xylene cyanol FF. The method is based on the oxidation of leuco Xylene cyanol FF (LXCFF) to its blue form of xylene cyanol FF by iron(III) in sulfuric acid medium (pH 2.0–3.0), the absorbance of the formed dye is measured in an acetate buffer medium (pH 2.8–4.4) at 615 nm. The method obeys Beer's law over a concentration range of 0.15–0.9 μg mL-1 iron, having a molar absorptivity of 5.6×104 L mol-1 cm-1 and a Sandell's sensitivity of 0.0001 μg cm-2. The optimum reaction conditions and other analytical parameters have been evaluated. The developed method has been successfully applied to the determination of iron in water, soil, industrial effluent, plant material, pharmaceutical preparations, synthetic mixtures, and aluminum alloys.

An LRS Bianchi type I bulk viscous fluid string cosmological model in general relativity

Abstract: An LRS Bianchi type I string dust cosmological model with and without bulk viscosity following a method used by Letelier and Stachel, is investigated. To get a determine solution, it is assumed that σ∝θ whereσ is shear and θ is scalar of expansion and which leads to A =αBn were n is a constant. The physical and geometrical aspects of the model are also discussed.

2-Keto-4-methylthiobutyric acid-dependent biosynthesis of ethylene in soil

Abstract: 2-Keto-4-methylthiobutyric acid (KMBA) has been identified as an intermediate in methionine-derived ethylene (C2H4) biosynthesis by microbial cultures. This study was designed to assess the effectiveness of KMBA as an C2H4 precursor in soil. Gas chromatographic analysis indicated that amendment with KMBA (up to 10 mM) stimulated the biosynthesis of C2H4 in two Pakistani soils. Results also revealed that substrate- (KMBA)-dependent C2H4 production was inhibited when the soils were amended either with glucose (as a C source), NH4NO3 (N source) or antibiotics. The KMBA-derived C2H4 biosynthesis in both soils was maximum when the soil suspension was amended with 10 mM substrate and incubated at pH 7.5 for a period of 120 h at 35°C with shaking. Comparison of soils revealed that C2H4 production was relatively greater in a silty clay loam S1 (containing 1.15% organic C) soil compared to a loamy S2 (containing 0.54% organic C) soil. KMBA was found to be an equally effective substrate of C2H4 when compared with another intermediate, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC), whereas, α-ketglutaric acid failed to serve as an C2H4 substrate in soil. As far as we know, this is the first study reporting KMBA-dependent C2H4 production in soil.

Food insecurity in metropolis of the developing world--observations from central district of Karachi, Pakistan.

Abstract: Objective: To asses the prevalence of household food insecurity at various income levels in urban areas of Karachi Methods: A cross sectional survey of different localities in the central district of Karachi was carried out. The data was collected through household interviews of housewives conducted by trained nutritionist. Housewives were interviewed about food security status of the household. Results: A total of 797 families were visited from the central district of Karachi. Mean Food Security Score increased with income level. The difference was statistically significant (ANOVA) between 1st and second (P=0.000) and 2nd and 3rd group (P=0.000) but not between 3rd and fourth group. At the very low and low income levels 83% & 51% families respectively were food insecure in any degree, while this percentage was very low at the middle (6.3%) and high income level (1.8%). The difference in prevalence of food insecurity between the VLI and LI, and, LI and MI income groups was statistically significant (chi.sq. test, p<0.001 in each case). Hunger (because of lack of money) was experienced in the preceding year only by "very low income" (37%) and "low income" families (17%). Use of coping strategies was most frequently mentioned for parents and then for children and only occasionally for infants or grand parents. Females were more likely to be effected by food insecurity than males. Meat, milk and fruits were the food groups which were preferred and considered healthy but were avoided because of lack of money by a majority (51%-86%) of families. Conclusions: In spite of having an impression of being an affluent city of Pakistan, the prevalence of food insecurity with and without hunger is rampant not only among very low income (slum dwellers) but also among low income families of Karachi (JPMA 53:556;2003).

Axial and off-axial dynamic transitions in uniaxially anisotropic heisenberg ferromagnet: a comparison

Abstract: Uniaxially anisotropic Heisenberg ferromagnet, in the presence of a magnetic field varying sinusoidally in time, is studied by Monte Carlo simulation. The axial (field applied only along the direction of anisotropy) and off-axial (field applied only along the direction which is perpendicular to the direction of anisotropy) dynamic transitions are studied. By studying the distribution of the dynamic order parameter component, it is observed that the axial transition is discontinuous for low anisotropy and becomes continuous in high anisotropy. The off-axial transition is found to be continuous for all values of anisotropy. In the infinite anisotropy limit, both types of transitions are compared with that observed in an Ising ferromagnet for the same value of the field and frequency. The infinitely anisotropic axial transition and dynamic transition in the Ising ferromagnet occur at different temperatures, whereas the infinitely anisotropic off-axial transition and the equilibrium ferro-para transition in the Ising model occur at the same temperature.

Aluminum five‐ and six‐coordination in bis(acetylacetonato)aminoalkoxides

Abstract: Reactions of bis(acetylacetonato)aluminum(III)-di-μ-isopropoxo-di-isopropoxo aluminum(III), [(CH3COCHCOCH3)2Al(μ-OPri)2Al(OPri)2] with aminoalcohols, (HORNR1R2) in 1:1 and 1:2 molar ratios in refluxing anhydrous benzene yielded binuclear complexes of the types [(CH3COCHCOCH3)2Al(μ-OPri)2Al(ORNR1R2)(OPri)] and [(CH3COCHCOCH3)2Al(μ-OPri)2Al(ORNR1R2)2] (R (CH2)3, R1 = R2 = H; R = CH2C(CH3)2, R1 = R2 = H; R = (CH2)2, R1 = H, R2 = CH3; and R (CH2)2, R1 = R2 = CH3), respectively. All these compounds are soluble in common organic solvents and exhibit sharp melting points. Molecular weight determinations reveal their binuclear nature in refluxing benzene. Plausible structures have been proposed on the basis of elemental analysis, molecular weight measurements, IR, NMR (1H, 13C, and 27Al), and FAB mass spectral studies. 27Al NMR spectra show the presence of both five- and six-coordinated aluminum sites. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 14:518–522, 2003; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/hc.10184

Genomic effect of glucocorticoids on enzymes of intermediary metabolism in Oreochromis mossambicus.

Abstract: The present study examined the effect of long‐term treatment with cortisol and corticosterone on enzymes of intermediary metabolism, namely malic enzyme (ME), glucose‐6‐phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH), isocitrate dehydrogenase (ICDH), glucose 6 phosphatase (G‐6‐Pase), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in Oreochromis mossambicus. Cortisol and corticosterone regulate intermediary metabolism in the liver of O. mossambicus as evidenced by changes in the activity pattern of gluconeogenic and lipogenic enzymes and aminotransferases. The long‐term in vivo ip administration of glucocorticoids (GCs) suggests hyperglycemic, gluconeogenic, and antilipogenic roles of the hormones in O. mossambicus. The genomic mode of action of GCs is well established in the present study since the long‐term treatment is sensitive to the action of transcription and translation inhibitors.

Phyl­lanthin from the plant Phyl­lanthus amarus

Abstract: In the title compound, C24H34O6, the mol­ecule resides on a crystallographic twofold axis, which runs through the central C—C bond. The crystal packing is stablized by C—H⋯O intramolecular and C—H⋯π intermolecular interactions.

Evaluation of zero tree wavelet coders

Abstract: Image compression techniques play a vital role in satellite and multimedia applications. Wavelet transforms have received significant attention recently due to their suitability for a number of signal and image compression applications and they have established their viability for the same. This is mainly due to the lapped nature of this transform and the computational simplicity, which comes in the form of filter bank implementations. In this paper, the performance of zero tree wavelet coders such as the Embedded Zero Tree Wavelet (EZW) coder, Set Partitioning In Hierarchical Trees (SPIHT) coder and Packetizable Zero tree Wavelet (PZW) coder for different levels of decomposition, compression ratios and for different percentage of packet losses are evaluated. PSNR is used as the criteria for the measurement of reconstructed image quality.

Quantitative structure-activity relationship study of 5-iodo- and diaryl-analogues of tubercidin: inhibitors of adenosine kinase.

Abstract: The adenosine kinase inhibitory (AKI) activity of 5-iodo and diaryl analogues of tubercidin is quantitatively analyzed using Fujita-Ban and Hansch type analyses The Fujita-Ban analysis being a non-parametric approach assigned the highest contribution to Cl at the X-position, C6H4-4-Cl, C6H5, 2-furanyl and I at the Y-position and CH2NH2 and CH3 at the Z-position In addition, a OH substituent at the C-position also emerged as a better choice possibly due to its engagement in hydrogen bonding with some active site function Thus a compound having Cl, C6H4-4-Cl, CH2NH2 and OH respectively at X-, Y-, Z- and C-positions is predicted to have a potency nearly 15 orders of magnitude higher than the most potent compound of the parent data set The Hansch type analysis, on the other hand, is a parametric approach and is carried out on two sub-sets of original compounds This sub-division is based on size and nature of the substituents present at the X- and Y-positions For the compounds in the first sub-set the d

Modeling and computer simulation of an insurance policy: a search for maximum profit

Abstract: We have developed a model for a life-insurance policy In this model, the net gain is calculated by computer simulation for a particular type of lifetime distribution function We observed that the net gain becomes maximum for a particular value of upper age for last premium

Quality of Life in Dimapur Nagaland (India)

Abstract: This study deals with several issues relating to an investigation into conceptualization, definition, measurement, spatial and community-wise distribution, asymmetry, inequality and a few other related aspects of quality of life in a commercial township of a developing tribal-abundant state located in a less developed, hilly and frontier region of India. Unlike many studies on the assessment of quality of life at a macro level wherein certain gross indicators (mortality rates, per capita income or literacy rate, etc. at the national or the regional level) have conventionally been used to measure QOL, in this investigation we measure QOL by means of 135 micro-level indicators - at the household and his neighbourhood level. Four facets of QOL are visualized - those related to housing, economic aspects and high consumption, which are singularly dominant and positive. They together contribute over 97 percent to the Composite Index of QOL. The fourth facet relates to accessibility. It contributes but only a little to the Index. The distribution of sample households according to the value of the Composite Index of QOL is asymmetric around the mean value. Overall, the sample households are closer to the Hell point and farther from the Bliss point. Asymmetry is the least in sector 3 followed by sector 4, and the most in sector 5 followed by the sectors 2 and 1. Average Quality of Life improves as one moves away from the core of the city, attains it peak at the medial sector and sharply declines afterwards. There are a number of destitute households in the sample. Most of them are in the rural outskirts of Dimapur, but scarcely a few in the sectors 2 and 3, where average quality of life is better. Perhaps, a residence in sector 2 or 3 is economically inaccessible to them. Construction of the facet indices as well as the composite index based on full matrix of inter-correlation among the indicators of QOL yields better results than if the indices are constructed by using block-diagonal partial information. A perusal of the table containing loadings of pooled object variables (indicators) suggests that about one-fourth of the loadings (absolute value) are less than 0.10. Exclusion of such variables from the object set would not affect the composite index of QOL adversely, but only add to the parsimony. However, retaining them does not have any undesirable affect. We avoid pruning them out. An advice to exclude such 'weaklings' from the set of object variables in order to enhance the explanatory power of the index is rather usual. We hold that such an advice is naive and its practice illusive. An inference based on partial information can never outperform the inference based on full information.

2-Acetyl­benzo­[b]­furan

Abstract: The benzo­furan moiety of the title mol­ecule, C10H8O2, is planar and forms a dihedral angle of 6.69 (9)° with the attached acetyl group. In the crystal structure, symmetry-related mol­ecules are linked to form chains by C—H⋯O intermolecular hydrogen bonds involving the furan H atom and the O atom of the acetyl group. Adjacent chains are interlinked through weak C—H⋯π interactions involving the furan ring.

Ethyl 4-(2,5-dioxo-2,5-dihydro-1H-pyrrol-1-yl)benzoate

Abstract: Structural properties of C13H11NO4 compound was studied. Maleanilic acid was synthesized by refluxing maleic anhydride, 5.5ml of p-nitroaniline and 75 ml of ether. Molecular chains were observed, via two different C-H··· O hydrogen bonds running along the a and c axes, respectively. The C-H···O hydrogen-bonded chain down the a axis involves the ester carbonyl group, whereas the other down the c axis employs one of the carbonyl groups of maleimide ring. It was observed that the dihedral angle between the benzene and maleimide rings is 41.4 (1)°.

Determinants of Quality of Life in Dimapur Nagaland (India)

Abstract: This study is an attempt to identify the determinant factors of quality of life in Dimapur and its periphery Dimapur town is the most important and cosmopolitan commercial centre of Nagaland, India We delineate the township into five concentric rings around the CBD and every ring into several sectors Then twenty one sites have been chosen randomly from these sectors; four each from the first and the second sectors, five each from the third and the fourth sectors, and three from the fifth sector (control) From each site, we have selected eleven households randomly to collect information on the scheduled variables - 113 in number - reflecting various aspects of quality of life (eg education, housing, utilities and amenities, accessibility, waste disposal and environment, income & expenditure, entertainment, health condition, etc) In total, we have surveyed two hundred thirty one (231) households Factor analysis is used for resolving the multivariate complex of data into a handful of composite variables identified as: (1) High-End Consumption, (2) Low-End Consumption; (3) Consumption of Public Goods, Commons and Negative Spillovers, (4) Supplementary Consumption, and (5) Health-related Attributes A regression analysis of spatial distribution of mean factor scores over the sectors of the township reveals that mean scores of factors #1, #2, and #4 (that are closely related with standard of living) are lower in the CBD and rise as we move away to sectors #2 and #3 They attain their peak in sector #3 and after that the experience a decline as we move away further to sectors #4 and #5 On the other hand, factor #3, monotonically decreases as we move away from the central business district (CBD) to the periphery The CBD is more crowded and polluted It caters to the largest floating population who over-use the public facilities there Factor #5 (related with poor health conditions) scores higher in the CBD and as we move away to sectors # 3 and #4, a decline is observed Health conditions are poorer in the CBD and better in sectors #3 and #4 But due to poor conditions of living, health in the rural areas scores poorer We conclude that standard of living and consumption of public goods/services including negative spillover determine quality of life The QOL in the medial sector between the CBD and the periphery is better than that in other sectors mainly due to higher standard of living but QOL due to consumption of public goods/externalities monotonically improves as we move away from the CBD The overall index of quality of life has a weak relationship with the nature of employment of the respondents The advance Nagas (Semas, Angamis, Aos and Lothas) score favourably on the Factors of QOL relating to the standard of living, but they also share the negative spillovers of urban living more in proportion Zeliangs and Kukis score unfavourably on the standard of living but they share the urban externalities and negative spillover of urban living lesser in proportion

Resonant spin-flavor precession constraints on the neutrino parameters and the twisting structure of the solar magnetic fields from the solar neutrino data

Abstract: Resonant spin-flavor precession (RSFP) scenario with twisting solar magnetic fields has been confronted with the solar neutrino data from various ongoing experiments. The anticorrelation apparent in the Homestake solar neutrino data has been taken seriously to constrain (Δ m 2 ,φ′) parameter space and the twisting profiles of the magnetic field in the convective zone of the Sun. The twisting profiles, thus derived, have been used to calculate the variation of the neutrino detection rates with the solar magnetic activity for the Homestake, Super-Kamiokande and the gallium experiments. It is found that the presence of twisting reduces the degree of anticorrelation in all the solar neutrino experiments. However, the anticorrelation in the Homestake experiment is expected to be more pronounced in this scenario. Moreover, the anticorrelation of the solar neutrino flux emerging from the southern solar hemisphere is expected to be stronger than that for the neutrinos emerging from the northern solar hemispheres.

Axial and off-axial dynamic transitions in uniaxially anisotropic Heisenberg ferromagnet: A comparison

Abstract: Uniaxially anisotropic Heisenberg ferromagnet, in the presence of a magnetic fieldvarying sinusoidally in time, is studied by Monte Carlo Simulation. The axial (field applied only along the direction of anisotropy) and off-axial (field applied only along the direction which is prependicular to the direction of anisotropy) dynamic transitions are studied. By studying the distribution of the dynamic order parameter component, it is observed that the axial transition is discontinuous for low anisotropy and becomes continuous in high anisotropy. The off-axial transition is found to be continuous for all values of anisotropy. In the infinite anisotropy limit, both types of transitions are compared with athat observed in an Ising ferromagnet for the same value of the field and frequency. The infinitely anisotropic axial transition and dynamic transition in the Ising ferromagnet occur at different temperatures, whereas the infinitely anisotropic off-axial transition and the equilibrium ferro-para transition in the Ising model occur at the same temperature.