Jawaharlal Nehru University

About: Jawaharlal Nehru University is a education organization based out in New Delhi, India. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Politics. The organization has 6082 authors who have published 13455 publications receiving 245407 citations. The organization is also known as: JNU.

ARIMA forecasting of ambient air pollutants (O3, NO, NO2 and CO)

Abstract: In the present study, a stationary stochastic ARMA/ARIMA [Autoregressive Moving (Integrated) Average] modelling approach has been adapted to forecast daily mean ambient air pollutants (O3, CO, NO and NO2) concentration at an urban traffic site (ITO) of Delhi, India. Suitable variance stabilizing transformation has been applied to each time series in order to make them covariance stationary in a consistent way. A combination of different information-criterions, namely, AIC (Akaike Information Criterion), HIC (Hannon–Quinn Information Criterion), BIC (Bayesian Information criterion), and FPE (Final Prediction Error) in addition to ACF (autocorrelation function) and PACF (partial autocorrelation function) inspection, has been tried out to obtain suitable orders of autoregressive (p) and moving average (q) parameters for the ARMA(p,q)/ARIMA(p,d,q) models. Forecasting performance of the selected ARMA(p,q)/ARIMA(p,d,q) models has been evaluated on the basis of MAPE (mean absolute percentage error), MAE (mean absolute error) and RMSE (root mean square error) indicators. For 20 out of sample forecasts, one step (i.e., one day) ahead MAPE for CO, NO2, NO and O3, have been found to be 13.6, 12.1, 21.8 and 24.1%, respectively. Given the stochastic nature of air pollutants data and in the light of earlier reported studies regarding air pollutants forecasts, the forecasting performance of the present approach is satisfactory and the suggested forecasting procedure can be effectively utilized for short term air quality forewarning purposes.

Structure and content of the Entamoeba histolytica genome.

Abstract: The intestinal parasite Entamoeba histolytica is one of the first protists for which a draft genome sequence has been published. Although the genome is still incomplete, it is unlikely that many genes are missing from the list of those already identified. In this chapter we summarise the features of the genome as they are currently understood and provide previously unpublished analyses of many of the genes.

Targeting the polyamine biosynthetic enzymes: a promising approach to therapy of African sleeping sickness, Chagas' disease, and leishmaniasis

Abstract: Trypanosomatids depend on spermidine for growth and survival. Consequently, enzymes involved in spermidine synthesis and utilization, i.e. arginase, ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (AdoMetDC), spermidine synthase, trypanothione synthetase (TryS), and trypanothione reductase (TryR), are promising targets for drug development. The ODC inhibitor alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) is about to become a first-line drug against human late-stage gambiense sleeping sickness. Another ODC inhibitor, 3-aminooxy-1-aminopropane (APA), is considerably more effective than DFMO against Leishmania promastigotes and amastigotes multiplying in macrophages. AdoMetDC inhibitors can cure animals infected with isolates from patients with rhodesiense sleeping sickness and leishmaniasis, but have not been tested on humans. The antiparasitic effects of inhibitors of polyamine and trypanothione formation, reviewed here, emphasize the relevance of these enzymes as drug targets. By taking advantage of the differences in enzyme structure between parasite and host, it should be possible to design new drugs that can selectively kill the parasites.

The Birth of a ‘Discipline’: From Refugee to Forced Migration Studies

Abstract: This essay seeks to understand and explain the birth of Forced Migration Studies. It argues that the turn from Refugee Studies to Forced Migration Studies must be viewed against the backdrop of the history and relationship of colonialism and humanitarianism, as a certain commonality binds the past and present eras. The move to Forced Migration Studies accompanies the inauguration of a phase of political humanitarianism with a distinct accent, albeit encapsulated in new forms and issues, on ‘civilizing’ the Other. In making this contention the paper distances itself from both the defenders and critics of the turn to Forced Migration Studies. It inter alia contends that Refugee Studies, like Forced Migration Studies, has served the geopolitics of hegemonic states. But since all knowledge is dual use, both have also had humanitarian effects. But a greater degree of disciplinary reflexivity would go a long way to ensure that the genuinely humanitarian strand in Forced Migration Studies prevails.