214 research outputs found
Sustainable tourism development: a compilation and analysis of expert views
Get PDFIncludes bibliographical references
Development of a decision support tool for planning municipal solid waste management systems in India
No full textThesis: S.M. in Technology and Policy, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, School of Engineering, Institute for Data, Systems, and Society, Technology and Policy Program, 2017.This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.Cataloged from student-submitted PDF version of thesis.Includes bibliographical references (pages 99-102).Waste management is a significant challenge for India. The Indian waste landscape is changing rapidly as the population grows, the composition of the waste generated evolves, the extent of waste segmentation changes and the technologies available to collect and process waste improve. Many solutions have been proposed for dealing with the mixed waste but the most appropriate solution for a particular context is difficult to quantify. Thus, decisions are often made without considering the long-term economic, environmental or social consequences. The present work focuses on helping Indian cities improve collection, transportation and treatment of waste by developing a GIS-based decision support tool that assesses the cost effectiveness and efficiency of collection strategies, treatment technologies and system configurations. The tool considers the unique elements of a city including the demographics, waste composition, scale, existing infrastructure for waste collection and treatment and potential for implementing new technologies. Understanding the prevailing waste management architecture of these cities is vital in designing systems which adapt to meet the needs of the growing population with changing aspirations and consumer behavior. There is a lack of bottom-up data on the composition and volumes of waste in India. Our data-driven decision-making approach combines baseline data collection through waste audits with a systems optimization modeling approach. By using the tool to evaluate the economic, environmental and social impact of different technology configurations at varying scales, we are able to quantify the expected performance associated with different architectures. The decision support tool can be used to find the minimum cost waste configuration that considers both environmental GHG emissions and employment, by constructing trade-off graphs between competing goals. A compromise solution that satisfies competing goals is obtained at the turning point of the trade-off graphs. We also test the feasibility of improving the segregation rate in Muzaffarnagar and the impact segregation policies have on the metrics of the waste system. From the waste audits, we see that Indian households have a high composition of organic waste and waste generation increases with income level. By implementing a weekly feedback social incentive mechanism, we see that the segregation rate of organic waste by households increases to nearly twice than those households that were given no feedback. The tool shows that as the segregation rate of the city increases, the costs and GHG emissions reduce, while the employment of the waste system increases. The level of centralization of the system reduces as the level of segregation of waste increases, that is, the system moves towards smaller scale processing plants instead of large scale centralized plants.by Dhivya Ravikumar.S.M. in Technology and Polic
Nutritional and Therapeutic values of Ginger wine using different strains of Yeast
No full textThis Dissertation / Report is the outcome of investigation carried out by the creator(s) / author(s) at the department/division of Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysore mentioned below in this page
Primal dual interior point algorithm for constrained economic load dispatch and optimal power flow
No full textIntegrin signaling is critical for myeloid-mediated support of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Get PDFWe previously found that T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) requires support from tumor-associated myeloid cells, which activate Insulin Like Growth Factor 1 Receptor (IGF1R) signaling in leukemic blasts. However, IGF1 is not sufficient to sustain T-ALL in vitro, implicating additional myeloid-mediated signals in leukemia progression. Here, we find that T-ALL cells require close contact with myeloid cells to survive. Transcriptional profiling and in vitro assays demonstrate that integrin-mediated cell adhesion activates downstream focal adhesion kinase (FAK)/ proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 (PYK2), which are required for myeloid-mediated T-ALL support, partly through activation of IGF1R. Blocking integrin ligands or inhibiting FAK/PYK2 signaling diminishes leukemia burden in multiple organs and confers a survival advantage in a mouse model of T-ALL. Inhibiting integrin-mediated adhesion or FAK/PYK2 also reduces survival of primary patient T-ALL cells co-cultured with myeloid cells. Furthermore, elevated integrin pathway gene signatures correlate with higher FAK signaling and myeloid gene signatures and are associated with an inferior prognosis in pediatric T-ALL patients. Together, these findings demonstrate that integrin activation and downstream FAK/PYK2 signaling are important mechanisms underlying myeloid-mediated support of T-ALL progression
Endoilluminator-assisted Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty and endoilluminator-assisted pre-Descemet endothelial keratoplasty
No full textSoosan Jacob,1,2 Amar Agarwal,1 Dhivya Ashok Kumar1 1Dr Agarwal’s Eye Hospital and Eye Research Centre, 2Dr Agarwal’s Refractive and Cornea Foundation (DARCF), Chennai, IndiaWe read with great interest the article by Kobayashi et al on the use of endoillumination probe-assisted Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) for bullous keratopathy secondary to argon-laser iridotomy.1 We would like to bring to the author’s notice that one of us (SJ) described the use of external endoillumination for DMEK, and the same was published under our names in 2014 as endoilluminator-assisted transcorneal illumination for DMEK,2 with study patients included from January 2013. Read the original article by Kobayashi et al 
A Clinical study on Documentation of Thaehiyin Ilakkanam compared with Neikuri in Siddha Science and Blood Grouping in Modern Science
Get PDFTHEHI is a biological constituent of body. Thehi portrays the physical traits and mental characteristics. It is transferred to the offspring from their parents right during the period of union if ovum and the sperm in mother’s womb. It remains constant all throughout the life of the individual. Thehi is useful to diagnose disease, identify the cause of the disease and helpful to treat a disease in proper way.
This research was descriptive cross sectional method of the documentation of Thehi based on features of vatham, pitham and kabam. Thehi is compared with neikuri and blood grouping and also observed the naadi and manikadai nool than the results would be given as per the observation. 100 individuals which were 50 Males and 50 Females are involved in this study with their consent.
Among the 100 cases the 36% of case are vathapitha thehi, 1% of case is vathakaba thehi, 38% of cases are pithavatha thehi, 16% of cases are pithakaba thehi, 1% of case is kabavatha thehi and 8% of cases are kaba pitham thehi.
In this research, observed as; nearby the underweight of BMI (below 20) (n=100) observed in 14% of pitha vatha thehi, 8% of vatha pitha thehi 2% of pitha kaba thehi and 1% of kaba pitha thehi in around normal range of BMI (21 – 25) observed in 23% of vatha pitha thehi, 19% of pitha vatha thehi, 10% of pitha kaba thehi and 5% kaba pitha thehi. And above the normal BMI range as obesity (above 25) in 5% of vatha pitha thehi, 5% of pitha vatha thehi, 4% of pitha kaba thehi, 2% of kaba pitha thehi 1% of kaba vatha thehi, and1% of vatha kaba thehi.
Therefore these results revealed as; pitha dominating thehi exposed to low range of BMI (<20), Pitha equal to other humors like Vatha or Kaba thehi exposed to normal range of BMI (21-25) and other humors dominating than pitha thehi exposed to higher than normal range of BMI (25<).
As per next comparison, thehi were compared with neikuri under the result as;
1) 36% of vatha pitha thehi had a neikuri of 26% of case had vatha pitha neikuri.
2) 1% of vatha kaba thehi had a neikuri of 1% of case had vatha kaba neikuri.
3) 38% of pitha kaba thehi had a neikuri of 26% of cases had pitha kaba neikuri.
4) 16% of pitha kaba thehi had neikuri of 8% of cases had pitha kaba neikuri.
5) 1% of case of kaba vatha thehi had a neikuri of vatha pitha neikuri.
6) 8% of kaba pitha thehi had neikuri of 4% of cases had vatha pitha neikuri.
However, in this research thehi compared with blood grouping result showed as;
1) A positive (A+ve) in 16% of VATHA PITHA, 21% of PITHA VATHA, 19% of PITHA KABA, 12.5% KABA PITHA thehi.
2) B Positive (B+ve) in 33% of VATHA PITHA, 31% of PITHA VATHA, 25% of PITHA KABA, 37.5% of KABA PITHA thehi.
3) AB positive (AB+ve) in 11% of VATHA PITHA, 10.5% of PITHA VATHA, 25% of PITHA KABA, 100% of KABA VATHA thehi.
4) O positive (O+ve) in 27% of VATHA PITHA, 100% of VATHA KABA, 30% of PITHA VATHA, 25% of PITHA KABA, 50% of KABA PITHA thehi.
5) All negative blood groups observed in 11% of VATHA PITHA THEHI, 8% of PITHA VATHA THEHI and 6% of PITHA KABA.
Therefore, blood grouping of cases interrelated with the specific thehi that was; VATHA THEHI more chances to have A POSITIVE (A+ve), PITHA THEHI more chances to have B POSITIVE (B+ve), KABA THEHI more chances to have O POSITIVE (O+ve), and VATHA and PITHA equally dominated THEHI were more chances to have AB POSITIVE (AB+ve).
The author observed in naadi;
1) 36 cases of vatha pitha thehi had naadi of 21 cases were vatha pitha naadi.
2) 1case of vatha kaba thehi had a naadi of kaba vatha naadi.
3) 38 cases of pitha vatha thehi had a naadi of 22 cases were pitha vatha naadi.
4) 16 cases of pitha kaba thehi had the naadi of 8 cases were pitha kaba naadi.
5) 1 case of kaba vatha thehi were a naadi of kaba vatha naadi.
6) 8 cases of kaba pitha thehi had a naadi of 3 cases were vatha pitha naadi and 3 cases were kaba pitha naadi.
The naadi consistent with thehi was observed as above respectively at the time of the case
condition.
The author observed in manikadai nool;
1) 36 cases of vatha pitha thehi had a manikadai nool of 8 cases were 8, 6 cases were 7.75 and 7 cases were 7.5.
2) Only 1case of vatha kaba thehi had manikadai nool of 7.75.
3) 38 cases of pitha vatha thehi had manikadai nool of 11 case s were 8 and 10 cases were 7.75.
4) 16 cases of pitha kaba thehi had manikadai nool of 4 cases were 9 and 3 cases were 7.5.
5) Only 1 case of kaba vatha thehi had manikadai nool of 9.
6) 8 cases of kaba pitha thehi had manikadai nool of 2 cases were 8.5 index, 2 cases were 8 and 2 cases were 7.75. The manikadai nool reliable with thehi was observed as above respectively as per selected cases
Progressive lupus nephritis : biological consequences of renal DNaseI gene silencing
Get PDFSystemic lupus erythematous (SLE) is an autoimmune syndrome which occurs most often between the ages 10-50 years. Lupus nephritis is the most severe clinical manifestation of SLE. 30-60% of the SLE patients may develop lupus nephritis during lifetime. At a certain time point in the life of (NZBxNZW) F1 mice prone to develop lupus nephritis, the expression of renal DNaseI endonuclease is lost. This result in accumulation of chromatin in glomeruli that are targeted by anti-chromatin antibodies results in development severe lupus nephritis. Understanding the mechanism(s) behind the renal DNaseI shut-down will be useful for future therapeutic targets to treat and prevent lupus nephritis. Our findings in this study revealed, however, a new direction to analyze the regulation of the DNaseI gene through transcriptional interference with the anti-apoptotic Trap 1 gene, possibly due to actions of pro-inflammatory cytokines. In the present study, we analyzed the biological consequence of renal DNaseI shut-down. Reduced chromatin fragmentation and exposure of chromatin in situ lead to, activation of toll like receptors (TLR) and Clec4e signaling pathways. Signaling molecules representing responses to activation of these receptors are shown to have a direct role on activation of the innate and adaptive immune system. Thus one central effect of these processes may be activation of chromatin-specific T and B cells, and a consequent production of antibodies reactive with components of chromatin. Activation of Clec4e in the context of lupus nephritis is a promising observation due to its link to secretion of MMPs, but also since this receptor has been shown to play a role in pathogenesis of glomerulonephritis. In the end, the observations presented in this study open for new possible pathways to describe lupus nephritis, and to identify new regulatory mechanisms for renal DNaseI. These processes must be further studied in detail, to analyse if they may provide insight into new possible therapies of lupus nephritis
Association of Serum Neutrophil Gelatinase Associated Lipocalin (NGAL) Levels with Preeclampsia
Get PDFBACKGROUND : Preeclampsia is a systemic disorder that affects multiple organs and is characterized by the new onset of hypertension and proteinuria or end-organ dysfunction or both in the second half of pregnancy. Kidney is one of the severely affected organs in preeclampsia. One of the biomarkers of kidney injury is Neutrophil Gelatinase Associated Lipocalin (NGAL). NGAL is a 25-kDa peptide of the lipocalin family. Rise of NGAL levels has been recognized in the plasma and urine of animal models of ischemic and nephrotoxic acute damage to the renal system.
Aim: This study was done with the aim of comparing the serum NGAL levels in patients with preeclampsia and in gestational age matched normotensive controls:
MATERIALS AND METHODS : Forty preeclamptic pregnant women and forty gestational age matched normotensive controls were included in the study. Presence of 140 mmHg and above systolic and 90 mmHg and above diastolic blood pressure which emerges after 20th gestation week, urine protein creatinine ratio more than 0.3 were used as diagnostic criterion for preeclamptic pregnant women. Measurements of serum NGAL was performed with enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
RESULTS : The basic characteristics were comparable between both groups. Systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, serum uric acid, urine protein creatinine ratio are shown in are higher in cases when compared with the control population. The serum
NGAL level appears to be equally distributed in both the cases and controls. The t-test does not show any significant difference in NGAL levels in these two groups. (p-0.062).
CONCLUSION : Serum NGAL levels are not significantly elevated in patients with preeclampsia when compared with the normotensive controls. There is no significant correlation between serum NGAL levels and systolic blood pressure, diastolicblood pressure,serum uric acid, urine PCR, maternal age and gestational age
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