Enter records

ID: 62452
Title: Modelling lateral width for merging of U-turning vehicles in divided urban roads
Author: Tathagatha Khan and Smruti Sourava Mohapatra
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2021
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES &EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 120 (11) 1768-1777 (2021)
Subject: Modelling lateral width for merging of U-turning vehicles in divided urban roads
Keywords: Geometrical augmentation, heterogeneous traffic, lateral width for merging, mid-block median opening, U-turning vehicles.
Abstract: The present study was carried out to understand the lateral width for merging (LWM) characteristics and for developing LWM prediction models for U-turning vehicles. Data were collected from 14 test sections using videography. The collected data were analyzed, and it was observed that various operational characteristics, namely service delay, occupancy time and approaching through traffic volume influence LWM of U-turning vehicles. Subsequently, utilizing the stepwise multilinear regression method, LWM prediction models were developed in six-lane and four-lane divided urban roads. Finally, using the proposed LWM85 prediction model, a geometrical augmentation scheme has been suggested. The present study holds significance to enhance the level of service and safety at uncontrolled mid-block median openings.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: GoI, Basic Road Statistics of India (Report), Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Government of India, 2016. Das, U., Trends in growth of roads development programmes in India. Int. J. Soc. Sci. Econ. Res., 2018, 3(6), 2617–2630.
Literature cited 2: Cooner, S. A., Rathod, Y. K., Alberson, D. C., Bligh, R. P., Ranft, S. E. and Sun, D., Development of guidelines for cable median barrier systems in Texas. Federal Highways Administrations, US Department of Transportation, USA, 2009. Mondal, S. and Gupta, A., Assessment of vehicles headway during queue dissipation at signal-controlled intersection under mixed traffic. Curr. Sci., 2019, 116(3), 437–444.

ID: 62451
Title: Accumulation and enrichment of platinum group elements in hydrogenous Fe–Mn crust and nodules from the Andaman Sea, India
Author: Saju Varghese, Rajani P. Ramesh, Rachna Pillai, Sethu Rose Joseph, B. Gopakumar, Resmi Sathikumar, Rajesh Kumar Joshi, Priyanka Dey Guha, R. V. Manoj and M. Nagasundaram
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2021
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES &EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 120 (11) 1740-1743 (2021)
Subject: Accumulation and enrichment of platinum group elements in hydrogenous Fe–Mn crust and nodules from the Andaman Sea, India
Keywords: Accumulation and enrichment, crusts, hydrogenous ferromanganese deposits, nodules, platinum group elements.
Abstract: Present study explores the processes influencing the concentration, mechanism of incorporation and sources of Platinum Group of Elements (PGE) in hydrogenous ferromanganese crusts and nodules (hereafter crusts and nodules) from the West Sewell Ridge and Sewell Rise in the Andaman Sea. ∑PGE content is lower in nodules (633 ppb) as compared to crusts (average = 1284 ppb) due to the diagenetic influence. The chondrite-normalized PGE patterns of crusts and nodules demonstrate consistent Platinum (Pt) enrichment and Palladium (Pd) depletion. We suggest that Pt, Iridium (Ir), and Ruthenium (Ru) are scavenged from seawater by sorption and oxidation on δ-MnO2 surfaces of suspended ferromanganese oxyhydroxides. However, non-correlation of Pd with other trace elements revealed its nonaccumulation in crusts and nodules. Different PGE ratios reveled that Ir and Pd originated largely from a cosmogenic source and Ru, Rh, and Pt were probably sourced from ophiolites in the Andaman Accretionary Prism.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Halbach, P. E., Jahn, A. and Cherkashov, G., Marine Co-rich ferromanganese crust deposits: description and formation, occurrences and distribution, estimated world-wide resources. In Deep-Sea Mining, Springer, Switzerland, 2017, pp. 65–141. Kuhn, T., Wegorzewski, A., Rühlemann, C. and Vink, A., Composition, formation, and occurrence of polymetallic nodules. In Deep-Sea Mining, Springer, Switzerland, 2017, pp. 23–63.
Literature cited 2: Baturin, G. N., Geochemistry of oceanic ferromanganese nodules. Nauka, Moscow, Russia, 1986. Balaram, V., Mathur, R., Banakar, V. K., Hein, J. R., Rao, C. R. M., Gnaneswara Rao, T. and Dasaram, B., Determination of the platinum-group elements (PGE) and gold (Au) in manganese nodule reference samples by nickel sulfide fire-assay and Teco precipitation with ICP-MS. Indian J. Mar. Sci., 2006, 35, 7–16.

ID: 62450
Title: Rithi Ranjana: reconstructing crop economy based on archaeobotanical evidence and radiocarbon dates from an Early Iron Age site in semi-arid Vidarbha, Maharashtra, India
Author: Himani Patel, Anil K. Pokharia, Nihildas, N. Niraj Rai and Rajeshwar P. Sinha
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2021
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES &EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 120 (11) 1728-1739 (2021)
Subject: Rithi Ranjana: reconstructing crop economy based on archaeobotanical evidence and radiocarbon dates from an Early Iron Age site in semi-arid Vidarbha, Maharashtra, India
Keywords: Archaeobotany, crop economy, microbotanical remains, radiocarbon dates, semi-arid region.
Abstract: We present results of the macrobotanical remains from an Early Iron Age site Rithi Ranjana in the Vidarbha region, Maharashtra, India. Analysis of 34 floated samples indicates that the likely staple foodgrains were Oryza sativa, Hordeum vulgare and Triticum aestivum. Besides, few minor crops, pulses and oil/fibre-yielding plants have been retrieved. In addition, there is evidence of fruits like Carissa sp., Ziziphus nummularia and Emblica sp., which may have been gathered by the ancient settlers for consumption. The macro-botanical finds indicate the presence of winter and summer crops. Few weeds and other wild taxa as an admixture with the above economically important remains were also retrieved. The AMS radiocarbon dates of the plant remain and recovered archaeological artifacts support the affirmation of Early Iron Age cultural period at the site.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Moorti, U. S., Megalithic Culture of South India: Socioeconomic Perspectives, Ganga Kaveri Publishing House, Varanasi, 1994. Rivett-Carnac, J. H., Prehistoric Remains in Central India, Baptist Mission Press, Calcutta, 1879.
Literature cited 2: Pearse, G., Notes on the excavation of a stone circle near Kamptee in Central Province of India. Ethnography Society of London, UK, 1869, pp. 428–429. Carey, J. J., Stone circles found near Khairwada, Wardha districts. Proc. Asiatic Soc. Bengal, 1871, 105, 238–239.

ID: 62449
Title: Characterizing shifting pattern of disaster-induced death and disaster management policies: a regional analysis from Odisha, India
Author: Manoranjan Mishra, Tamoghna Acharyya and Namita Pattnaik
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2021
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES &EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 120 (11) 1721-1727 (2021)
Subject: Characterizing shifting pattern of disaster-induced death and disaster management policies: a regional analysis from Odisha, India
Keywords: Disaster-induced death, mitigation strategies, regional analysis, shifting patterns
Abstract: A study was conducted to understand if the disaster death in Odisha, India across five categories, viz. tropical cyclone, lightning, heat wave, cold wave and extreme precipitation events underwent any significant change during 2001–14. It was based on timeseries data available at the National Data Portal of India. Results of the study suggest that the number of fatalities from sporadic meso-scale meteorological hazards like cyclones and heavy precipitation have drastically reduced due to better forecasting and effective evacuation strategies adopted by the Government. However, fatalities due to more frequent recurring extreme events, such as lightning and heat stress are on the rise. Male adults and middle-aged people (30–44 and 45–59 years respectively) constituted the most vulnerable groups affected by lightning and heat stress which account for maximum number of deaths in the state. Older population (especially older women) were more vulnerable towards cold wave due to reduced thermoregulatory mechanism. The finding is significant, because often deaths due to lightning injury, heat stress and cold wave either go unnoticed or are under-reported. We expect that the present study which focuses on gender and age disaggregated death would help in adopting more targeted mitigation or adaptation strategies in Odisha. The study also points out the need of a single and detailed spatio-temporal data infrastructure for all kinds of disaster deaths for more in-depth and insightful analysis.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: CRED, Natural Disasters 2017, Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters, Brussels, Belgium, 2017; https:// cred.be/sites/default/files/adsr_2017.pdf Mahapatra, B., Walia, M. and Saggurti, N., Extreme weather events induced deaths in India 2001–2014: trends and differentials by region, sex and age group. Weather Climate Extrem., 2018, 21, 110–116.
Literature cited 2: Ikefuji, M. and Horii, R., Natural disasters in a two-sector model of endogenous growth. J. Public Econ., 2012, 96, 784–796 Paprotny, D., Sebastian, A., Morales-Nápoles, O. and Jonkman, S. N., Trends in flood losses in Europe over the past 150 years. Nature Commun., 2018, 9.

ID: 62448
Title: Policy-driven approach to demand management from space cooling and water heating appliances: insights from a primary survey of urban Bengaluru, India
Author: Sashi Kiran Challa, Shoibal Chakravarty and Kshitija Joshi
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2021
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES &EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 120 (11) 1712-1720 (2021)
Subject: Policy-driven approach to demand management from space cooling and water heating appliances: insights from a primary survey of urban Bengaluru, India
Keywords: Ownership and usage patterns, primary survey, residential electricity demand, space cooling, water heating
Abstract: Appliances that provide thermal comfort services like space cooling and water heating have high energy demands and significant seasonal variation in usage. Ownership and usage of these appliances increase rapidly with income. Given the significant impact of these appliances on electricity demand, it is key to analyze their ownership and usage. Well-designed policy and standards framework can help transition households as well as manufacturers towards a higher efficiency ecosystem, and significantly lower electricity demand growth rates. In this study, we analyze ownership and usage patterns of these appliances using data from a primary survey of Bengaluru, India. We suggest some passive demand-side management frameworks based on current policies implemented for these appliance categories.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Murthy, K. V. N. and Sumithra, G. D., End-uses of electricity in households of Karnataka state, India. Energy Sustain. Dev., 2001,5(3), 81–94; https://doi.org/10.1016/S0973-0826(08)60278-1 World Bank, Residential consumption of electricity in India. The World Bank, 2008, pp. 1–73; https://doi.org/http://www.moef.nic. in/downloads/public-information/Residentialpowerconsumption. pdf
Literature cited 2: Khosla R. and Chunekar, A. (eds), Plugging. In A Collection of Insights on Electricity Use in Indian Homes. Research Report, Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi and Prayas (Energy Group), Pune, 2017. Narasimha Rao, M. and Reddy, B. S., Variations in energy use by Indian households: an analysis of micro level data. Energy, 2007, 32(2), 143–153; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2006.03.012.

ID: 62447
Title: A methodology for unsupervised feature learning in hyperspectral imagery using deep belief network
Author: C. Sherin Shibi and R. Gayathri
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2021
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES &EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 120 (11) 1705-1711 (2021)
Subject: A methodology for unsupervised feature learning in hyperspectral imagery using deep belief network
Keywords: Deep belief network, hyperspectral image, remote sensing, spatial–spectral classification, superpixel segmentation.
Abstract: Deep learning approaches have received major interest in the field of remote sensing. Hyperspectral imaging has rich data that are distributed in multidimensions. It is challenging to apply deep learning algorithms due to the limited amount of labelled data. So, unsupervised feature extraction approaches are used to overcome this limitation. In this study, we propose an unsupervised feature learning approach using deep belief network (DBN). In the proposed framework, the input hyperspectral image is segmented using entropy rate superpixel segmentation and filtered by domain transform recursive filter which extracts spatial and spectral information effectively. Then the features are learned by improved DBN. In the traditional methods, DBN is stacked with restricted Boltzmann machine (RBM) which is suitable for only binary value data. In the proposed framework, we used Gaussian–Bernoulli RBM which was constructed for real value data such as images. The experiments were carried out using Pavia University dataset. The results show that the proposed network has good performance in terms of classification accuracy and computation time.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Khan, M. J., Khan, H. S., Yousaf, A., Khurshid, K. and Abbas, A., Modern trends in hyperspectral image analysis: a review. IEEE Access, 2018, 6, 14118–14129. Massoudifar, P., Rangarajan, A. and Gader, P., Super pixel estimation for hyperspectral imagery. In Proceedings of the IEEE Computer Society Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition, 2014, pp. 287–292; doi:10.1109/CVPRW.2014.51.
Literature cited 2: Felzenszwalb, P. F. and Huttenlocher, D. P., Efficient graph-based image segmentation. Int. J. Comput. Vis., 2004, 59, 167–181. Levinshtein, A. et al., TurboPixels: fast superpixels using geometric flows. IEEE Trans. Pattern Anal. Mach. Intell., 2009, 31, 2290–2297.

ID: 62446
Title: Using high effective risk of adult–senior duo in multigenerational homes to prioritize COVID-19 vaccination
Author: Brijesh Saraswat, Santosh Ansumali and Meher K. Prakash
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2021
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES &EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 120 (11) 1698-1704 (2021)
Subject: Using high effective risk of adult–senior duo in multigenerational homes to prioritize COVID-19 vaccination
Keywords: COVID-19, high risk groups, intergenerational homes, population demographics, vaccination strategy.
Abstract: Universal vaccination on an urgent basis is a way of controlling COVID-19 infections and deaths. Vaccine shortage and practical deployment rates on the field necessitate prioritization. The global strategy has been to prioritize those with high personal risk due to their age or comorbidities, and those who constitute the essential workforce of the society. Rather than a systematic age-based rolldown, assigning the next priority requires a local strategy based on vaccine availability, effectiveness of the specific vaccines, population size as well as its age demographics and the scenario of how the pandemic is likely to develop. The adult (20–60 yrs) – senior (over 60 yrs) duo from a multigenerational home presents a high-risk demographic. The estimated ‘effective age’ of an adult living with a grandparent who is not vaccinated may be up to 40 years higher. The proposed model suggests that strategically vaccinating the adults from multigenerational homes in India may be effective in saving the lives of around 70,000 to 200,000 seniors, under the different epidemiological scenarios possible with or without strict lockdowns.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Ferguson, N. et al., Report 9: Impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) to reduce COVID19 mortality and healthcare demand. Imperial College London, 2020, pp. 491–497, 10.77482. Randolph, H. E. and Barreiro, L. B., Herd immunity: understanding COVID-19. Immunity, 2020, 52(5), 737–74
Literature cited 2: Fontanet, A. and Cauchemez, S., COVID-19 herd immunity: where are we? Nature Rev. Immunol., 2020, 20(10), 583–584. Anderson, R. M. et al., How will country-based mitigation measures influence the course of the COVID-19 epidemic? The Lancet, 2020, 395(10228), 931–934.

ID: 62445
Title: Can the restrictive boundaries of intellectual property create a larger social impact?
Author: Akriti Jain and Anjula Gurtoo
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2021
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES &EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 120 (11) 1667-1669 (2021)
Subject: Can the restrictive boundaries of intellectual property create a larger social impact?
Keywords: intellectual property, social impact
Abstract: This note highlights broad societal concerns associated with the intellectual property (IP) system and presents illustrative case examples to show how firms can address such concerns to fulfil their corporate social responsibility while simultaneously enjoying exclusivity obtained through IP rights. IP-specific initiatives taken by mission-oriented private organizations suggest that if designed and exercised consciously and wisely, stronger and efficient IP policy systems can act as a powerful tool to realize better societal outcomes to achieve social sustainability.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. and Anr. vs Cipla Limited on 19 March 2008. https://indiankanoon.org/doc/64813/ Bayer Corporation versus Union of India on 15 July 2014; https://indiankanoon. org/doc/28519340/
Literature cited 2: Scaria, A. G., The Wire, 2021; https:// thewire.in/law/sci-hub-elsevier-delhi-highcourt-access-medical-literature-scientific-publishing-access-inequity. Martin, M. and Owen, T., Routledge Handbook of Human Security, Routledge, UK, 2013

ID: 62444
Title: TTR cardiac amyloidosis: the right time to start clinical diagnosis globally
Author: ASHWANI KUMAR THAKUR1, SHREYA GHOSH1 DIBBENDHU KHANRA AJAY NAIK RAVI KUMAR SANDEEP BANSAL PRAKASH NEGI GURPREET WANDER VINAY KRISHNA KEWAL KISHAN TALWAR
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2021
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES &EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 120 (11) 1657-1657 (2021)
Subject: TTR cardiac amyloidosis: the right time to start clinical diagnosis globally
Keywords: TTR cardiac amyloidosis, clinical diagnosis
Abstract: Cardiac amyloidosis (CA) is caused by the deposition of amyloid fibrils in the myocardium, leading to cardiomyopathy. Both wild type transthyretin (ATTRwt) and mutant transthyretin (ATTRv) protein can form amyloid fibres to cause CA . Increased heart wall thickness, apical sparing and late gadolinium enhancement provide heightened clinical suspicion of CA. Technetium-labelled imaging scans using bone tracers can non-invasively differentiate CA caused by transthyretin (ATTR) from amyloid light chain (AL) type. Congo red, TTRspecific immunostaining, mass spectrometry on endomyocardial biopsy and genetic analysis, differentiating ATTRwt from ATTRv, confirm the diagnosis.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Ruberg, F. L., Grogan, M., Hanna, M., Kelly, J. W. and Maurer, M. S., J. Am. Coll. Cardiol., 2019, 73, 2872–2891. Rubin, J. and Maurer, M. S., Annu. Rev. Med., 2020, 71, 203–219.
Literature cited 2: Witteles, R. M. et al., JACC: Heart Fail., 2019, 7, 709–716. Grogan, M. et al., J. Card. Fail., 2017, 23(8), S73

ID: 62443
Title: Application of electrical resistivity tool to monitor soil contamination by herbicide
Author: Pandurang Balwant, Kavita Bramhanwade, Veligeti Jyoti, Paras R.Pujari, Shalini Dhyani Parikshit Verma, Alberto Godio and Fulvia Chaiampo
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2021
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES &EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 120 (10) 1636-1639 (2021)
Subject: Application of electrical resistivity tool to monitor soil contamination by herbicide
Keywords: Agriculture geophysics, contamination, electrical resistivity method, herbicide
Abstract: The interpretation of the resistivity method depends on acquired resistivity contrast between the contaminated object and the host matrix. The present attempt reports preliminary understanding of the sensitivity of resistivity method to monitor herbicide 2, 4–dichloro-phenoxyacetic acid (2, 4-D) contamination in order to produce a reference dataset to develop a geophysical method to monitor soil bioremediation of herbicide–contaminated soil. Laboratory level experiments were carried out to define the correlation between herbicide concentration (He) and resistivity in non-polarizable (mili q double distilled water of 5.9 µs/cm EC) and sandy soil matrix. The results confirm that the resistivity method can be used for the purpose of monitoring herbicide by adopting formation factor as 2.5 for the sandy soil matrix. The results indicate that moisture content of soil affects the resistivity parameter and it should be considered in the interpretation of data.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Singh, K.P., Biogeophysical signatures of microbial natural gas accumulation. Curr. Sci., 2014, 107(11), 1880-1884. Atekwana, E.A., Werkema, D.D and Atekwana, E.A., Biogeophysics: the effects of microbial processes on geophysical properties of the shallow subsurface. Appl. Hydrogeophys., 2006, 71, 161-193.
Literature cited 2: Personna, Y.R., Slater, L., Ntarlagiannis, D., Werkema, D., and Szabo, Z., Complex resistivity signatures of ethanol in sand-clay mixtures. J. Contaminant Hydrol, 2013, 149, 76-87. Pujari, P., Pardhi, P., Muduli, P., Harkare, P. and Nanoti, M., Assessment of pollution near landfill site in Nagpur, India by resistivity imaging and GPR.Environ.Monit.Assess., 2007, 131, 489-500.

ID: 62442
Title: Biomass production and carbon stock in Psidium guajava orchards under hot and sub-humid climate
Author: Sushanta Kumar Naik, Pradip Kumar Sarkar, Biksh Das, Arun Kumar Singh and Bhagwati Prasad Bhatt
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2021
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES &EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 120 (10) 1627-1635 (2021)
Subject: Biomass production and carbon stock in Psidium guajava orchards under hot and sub-humid climate
Keywords: Biomass production, carbon stock, global warming, growth models, Psidium guajava
Abstract: Biomass and carbon storage in orchard ecosystems serve as significant carbon sinks to reduce global warming. The objective of this study was to determine the best-fitted model for non-destructive prediction of dry biomass and carbon stock in Psidium guajava. Richard’s model was well validated and considered as best performing with lowest Akaike information criterion of 90.13, root mean square error of 1.69 kg tree-1 and highest adjusted R2 of 0. 981.Tree components like leaves, branches, bole, total above-ground biomass, total below ground biomass and root biomass were fitted in Richard’s model for dry biomass and carbon stock prediction. The total dry biomass of P.guajava ranged for m0.54 to 9.26 Mg ha-1 in 2-10-years-old orchards. The highest mean dry biomass across tree components was observed in branches, while roots recorded the lowest mean biomass. The total carbon stock was 0.27 and 4.19 Mg ha-1 with CO2 sequestration potential of 0.76 and 11.54 Mg ha-1 in 2-year and 10-year-old orchards respectively.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Houghton, R.A., Why are estimates of the terrestrial carbon balance so different? Global change Biol, 2003, 9, 500-509. IPCC, Climate Change 2007: Synthesis Report: Contribution of Working Groups I, II and III to the Fourth Assessment Report. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Geneva, Switzerland, 2007.
Literature cited 2: https:www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/ccgg/trends/ (assessed on 25 June 2017) Jackson, M., Ford Lloyd, B. And Parry, M., Plant Genetic Resources and Climate Change, CAB International, Manila, Philippines, 2014.

ID: 62441
Title: Fate of stem cells grown on the extracellular matrix isolated from cancer cels and their possible applications in tissue engineering.
Author: Koyeli Girigoswami, Devender, N.Srinivasan and Agnishwar Girigoswami
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2021
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES &EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 120 (10) 1616-1622 (2021)
Subject: Fate of stem cells grown on the extracellular matrix isolated from cancer cells and their possible applications in tissue engineering
Keywords: Cancer cell lines, extracellular matrix, regenerative medicine, stem cells, tissue engineering
Abstract: Propagation of stem cells in abundance is essential for use as cell therapy in regenerative medicine. Proliferation and differentiation of stem cells are influenced y interaction between cells and their microenvironment. Extracellular matrix (ECM) forms the chunk of niche with its components, which is remodeled by the extracellular activity. ECM plays a vital role in the uncontrolled proliferation of cancer cells. In the present study, we have examined the proliferative ability of mouse embryonic stem cells (C3H10T1/2 clone 8) grown on cell-free ECM isolated from KB and MCF-7 cancer cell line cultures. Separately, using standard ammonium hydroxide method. The texture of ECM was characterized from images captured with inverted microscope and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The growth of C3H10 T1/2 clone 8 cells over KB-ECM and MCF-ECM was monitored up to 192 h and the doubling time was estimated. KB-ECM promoted growth rate by reducing the doubling time from 23 to 14 h, whereas MCF-ECM prolonged the lifetime of stem cells by extending the log phase of growth. The surface topography of KB-ECM under SEM showed rough, irregular and mesh-like structure compared to MCF-7 derived ECM. This may account for enhanced growth rate of stem cells. The findings underscore the relevance of modifications to scale-up the generation of stem cells for use in regenerative medicine. Further studies are required with different sources of stem cells grown on modified components of ECM to identify the appropriate ECM.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Haque, M.A., Nagaoka, M., Hexig, B. and Akaike, T., Artificial extracellular matrix for embryonic stem cell cultures: a new frontier of nanobiomaterials. Sci. Technol. Adv. Mater., 2010, 11, 1-10. Lu, P., Weaver, V.M., and Werb, Z., The extracellular matrix: a dynamic niche in cancer progression. J. Cell Biol., 2012, 196, 395-406.
Literature cited 2: Ahmed, M. and French-Constant, C., Extracellular matrix regulation of stem cell behaviour. Curr. Stem cell Rep., 2016, 2, 197-206. Lutolf, M.P., Gilbert, P.M. and Blau, H.M., Designing materials to direct stem-cells fate. Nature, 2009, 462 (7272), 433-441.

ID: 62440
Title: Quantification of reduction in air pollution due to bypassing traffic in Delhi, India
Author: Ch.Ravi Sekhar, Niraj Sharma, Mukti Advani and Ravindra Kumar
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2021
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES &EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 120 (10) 1600-1610 (2021)
Subject: Quantification of reduction in air pollution due to bypassing traffic in Delhi, India
Keywords: Air pollution, bypassing traffic, express way, travel demand estimation, vehicular emission load.
Abstract: The worldwide known relationship between transport and air pollution id demanding innovative solutions for satisfying the mobility demand is a long-term target, the most commonly adopted approach is to decongest the ‘hotspots’ having an alarming level of pollution. The main objective of providing bypasses and expressways is to divert the through traffic coming into the city. Delhi is one of the most congested and polluted cities in India. Among the various sources, vehicular pollution is a significant source of air pollution. Different policies and strategies have been developed to decongest and de-pollute Delhi. The Eastern Peripheral Expressway (EPE) is one such option is implemented to decongest the national capital of India by diverting the traffic not destined for Delhi. It becomes essential to evaluate the performances of such significant infrastructural investments for better decision making in the future. Accordingly, the present study quantities the impact of constructed EPE in terms of diverted traffic and the reduction of vehicular pollution from the capital of India. For this, various primary surveys like classified traffic volume, origin-destination and fuel station surveys were conducted in the study area. Vehicle kilometer travelled for all vehicle types was calculated using the primary data, and this parameter is considered for quantifying vehicular emissions. The results showed that reduction of vehicular emission due to diverted traffic was 0.7% of PM (PM2.5), 7.1 % of NOx and 2.5 % CO in the total vehicular emission load of Delhi.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Vitkunas, R. and Meidure, I., Evaluation of bypass influence on reducing air pollution in Vilnius city. Transport, 2011, 26 (1), 43-49; doi:10.3846/16484142.2011.561004. WHO, Ambient air pollution: a global assessment of exposure and burden of disease, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland, 2016?
Literature cited 2: WHO, Ai pollution and Health: Summary, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland, 2019; https://www.who.int/airpollutionambient/about/en (accessed on 24 July 2019). Durgabhayani, P., Environmental co-benefits of public transportation improvement initiative: the case of Trans-Jogia bus system in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. J. Clean. Prod., 2013, 58, 74-81.

ID: 62439
Title: Heat wave fatalities over India: 1978-2014
Author: Preeti Malik, Pankaj Bhardwaj and Omvir Singh
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2021
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES &EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 120 (10) 1593-1599 (2021)
Subject: Heat wave fatalities over India: 1978-2014
Keywords: Disaster management, extreme temperature, fatalities, gender difference, heat wave
Abstract: The present paper is an attempt to study the heat waves associated fatalities over space and time in India. For this, ‘Disastrous Weather Events’ reports statistics have been used for the period 1978-2014.The analysis has shown that a total of 660 heat wave ties every year),Only five states namely ,Andhra Pradesh (42%) , Rajasthan (17%) , Odisha (10) , Uttar Pradesh (7%) and Bihar (7%) have accounted more states namely, Arunachal Pradesh,Nagaland,Manipur,Meghalaya,Tripura,Sikkim,Mizoram,Uttarakhand and Goa have never reported heat wave events and fatalities during 1978-2014.Interestingly, each event has resulted about 104 fatalities in Andhra Pradesh state. Further, fatality and density rates have been witnessed to the tune of 0.35 and 3.81 respectively. Temporally, heat wave events have displayed large differences with a significant increasing trend (p<0.01), whereas no trend could be noticed in fatalities. Majority of events have been witnessed in May and June months. It has been observed that men have been more harshly affected compared to women and children. Finally, it is believed that this study may provide new insight towards making better disaster management guidelines for minimizing the shocks of harsh temperature.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Gosling, S.N., Lowe, J.A., McGregor, G.R., Pelling, M. and Malamud, B.D., Associations between elevated atmospheric temperature and human mortality: a critical review of literature. Climate change, 2009, 92, 299-341. Perkins, S.E., and Alexander, L.V., On the measurement of heat waves.J.Climate, 2013, 156, 4500-4517.
Literature cited 2: Gersshunov, A., Johnston, Z., Margolis, H.G., and Guirguis, K., The Cliforniaheat wave 2006 with impacts on statewide medical emergency: a space-time analysis. Geogr. Res., Forum, 2011 31, 53-59. Song, X., Zhang, Z., Chen, Y., Wang, P., Xiang, M., Shi, P. and Tao, F., Spatiotemporal changes of global extreme temperature events (ETEs) since 1981 and the meteorological causes. Nat. Hazards., 2014, 70, 975-994.

ID: 62438
Title: Shock waves induce changes in meningiomas of the brain
Author: B.J.Sudhir, Anita Mahadevan and K.P.J.Reddy
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2021
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES &EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 120 (10) 1587-1592 (2021)
Subject: Shock waves induce changes in meningiomas of the brain
Keywords: Meningioma, neurosurgery, Reddy tube, shock tube, shock waves.
Abstract: The effect of shock waves on biological systems has been extensively researched for its traumatic effects. Few research groups have attempted and successfully harnessed the power of shock waves for therapeutic benefits. In neurosurgical applications, shock waves have been explored as a brain dissection tool. However, the difficulties of controlling the effects of shock waves preclude the safe use of shock waves in neurosurgery. The present study focuses on understanding the effects of shock waves on meaningiomas, tumors that arise from the protective layers of the brain. Freshly excised meningioma specimens, subjected to shock waves generated manually using a Reddy tube, were examined.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: A1-Rodhan, N.R.F. and Laws, E.R., Meningioma: A historical study of the tumor and its surgical management .Neurosurgery, 1990, 26, 832-847. Goldwyn, R.M., Bovie: The man and the machine. Ann. Plastic Surg., 1979, 2, 135-153.
Literature cited 2: Bulsara, K.R., Sukhla, S. and Nimjee, S.M., History of bipolar coagulation. Neurosurg. Rev., 2006, 29, 93-96, discussion 96. Fasano, V.A., Zeme, S., Frego, L. and Gunetti, R., Ultrasonic aspiration in tech surgical treatment of intracranial tumors. J. Neeurosurg.Sci., 1981, 25, 35-40.