Evaluation of SMAP downscaled brightness temperature using SMAPEx-4/5 airborne observations.

The Soil Moisture Active and Passive (SMAP) mission, launched by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on 31st January 2015, was designed to provide global soil moisture every 2 to 3 days at 9 km resolution by downscaling SMAP passive microwave observations obtained at 36 km resolution using active microwave observations at 3 km resolution, and then retrieving soil moisture from the resulting 9 km brightness temperature product. This study evaluated the SMAP Active/Passive (AP) downscaling algorithm together with other resolution enhancement techniques. Airborne passive microwave observations acquired at 1 km resolution over the Murrumbidgee River catchment in south-eastern Australia during the fourth and fifth Soil Moisture Active Passive Experiments (SMAPEx-4/5) were used as reference data. The SMAPEx-4/5 data were collected in May and September 2015, respectively, and aggregated to 9 km for direct comparison with a number of available resolution-enhanced brightness temperature estimates. The results show that the SMAP AP downscaled brightness temperature had a correlation coefficient (R) of 0.84 and Root-Mean-Squared Error (RMSE) of ~10 K, while SMAP Enhanced, Nearest Neighbour, Weighted Average, and the Smoothing Filter-based Modulation (SFIM) brightness temperature estimates had somewhat better performance (RMSEs of ~7 K and an R exceeding 0.9). Although the SFIM had the lowest unbiased RMSE of ~6 K, the effect of cloud cover on Ka-band observations limits data availability.

Joint Sentinel-1 and SMAP data assimilation to improve soil moisture estimates.

SMAP (Soil Moisture Active and Passive) radiometer observations at ~40 km resolution are routinely assimilated into the NASA Catchment Land Surface Model to generate the 9-km SMAP Level-4 Soil Moisture product. This study demonstrates that adding high-resolution radar observations from Sentinel-1 to the SMAP assimilation can increase the spatio-temporal accuracy of soil moisture estimates. Radar observations were assimilated either separately from or simultaneously with radiometer observations. Assimilation impact was assessed by comparing 3-hourly, 9-km surface and root-zone soil moisture simulations with in situ measurements from 9-km SMAP core validation sites and sparse networks, from May 2015 to December 2016. The Sentinel-1 assimilation consistently improved surface soil moisture, whereas root-zone impacts were mostly neutral. Relatively larger improvements were obtained from SMAP assimilation. The joint assimilation of SMAP and Sentinel-1 observations performed best, demonstrating the complementary value of radar and radiometer observations.

Prognostic relevance of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) expression in patients with gall bladder disease and carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Gallbladder carcinoma (GBC) has been stated as an Indian disease, with the highest number of cases being reported from certain districts of northeast India, which has an ethnically distinct population. Unfortunately there are no scientific reports on the underlying molecular mechanisms associated with the pathogenesis of the disease from this region. AIM: The present study evaluated the role of differential expression of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) in the development of gall bladder anomalies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Blood and tissue samples were collected from patients undergoing routine surgical resection for clinically proven cases of gallbladder disease {cholelithiasis (CL, n=50), cholecystitis (CS, n=40) and GBC (n=30) along with adjacent histopathologically proved non-neoplastic controls (n=15)} with informed consent. Whole blood was also collected from age and sex matched healthy controls (n=25) for comparative analysis. Differential hTERT mRNA expression was evaluated by semi-quantitative rt-PCR and real-time PCR based analysis using ß-actin as an internal control. Evaluation of differential hTERT protein expression was studied by Western blot analysis and immunoflourescence. Statistical analysis for differential expression and co-relation was performed by SPSSv13.0 software. RESULTS: Gallbladder anomalies were mostly prevalent in females. The hTERT mRNA and protein expression increased gradiently from normal

Characterizing toxic Cr(VI) contamination in chromite mine overburden dump and its bacterial remediation.

Cr(VI) generated due to natural oxidation of chromite mineral present in chromite mine overburden (COB) dumps of Sukinda, India, has been characterized by different physico-chemical methods. The Cr(VI) was found to be associated with goethite matrix at a contamination level of 500 mg Cr(VI)kg(-1) of COB. Bacillus sp. isolated from the overburden sample exhibiting high tolerance to the hexavalent chromium, was used for the remediation of Cr(VI) in the overburden. The process was optimized while varying the parameters such as pH (2-9), pulp density (10-60%) and temperature (25-40 °C). Optimal reduction of more than 98% of Cr(VI) in the COB sample was achieved in 16 h at pH∼7.0 and 60% pulp density with the Bacillus sp. (4.05 × 10(7)cells mL(-1)) in absence of media. The exponential rate equation yielded rate constant value of 2.14 × 10(-1)h(-1) at 60% pulp density. The mode of bio-reduction of Cr(VI) in the overburden sample was established by FT-IR, XRD, EPMA and SEM-EDS studies.

Chemical and microbial remediation of hexavalent chromium from contaminated soil and mining/metallurgical solid waste: a review.

Chromium is a highly toxic non-essential metal for microorganisms and plants, and its occurrence is rare in nature. Lower to higher chromium containing effluents and solid wastes released by activities such as mining, metal plating, wood preservation, ink manufacture, dyes, pigments, glass and ceramics, tanning and textile industries, and corrosion inhibitors in cooling water, induce pollution and may cause major health hazards. Besides, natural processes (weathering and biochemical) also contribute to the mobility of chromium which enters in to the soil affecting the plant growth and metabolic functions of the living species. Generally, chemical processes are used for Cr- remediation. However, with the inference derived from the diverse Cr-resistance mechanism displayed by microorganisms and the plants including biosorption, diminished accumulation, precipitation, reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III), and chromate efflux, bioremediation is emerging as a potential tool to address the problem of Cr(VI) pollution. This review focuses on the chemistry of chromium, its use, and toxicity and mobility in soil, while assessing its concentration in effluents/wastes which becomes the source of pollution. In order to conserve the environment and resources, the chemical/biological remediation processes for Cr(VI) and their efficiency have been summarised in some detail. The interaction of chromium with various microbial/bacterial strains isolated and their reduction capacity towards Cr(VI) are also discussed.

Selenite adsorption using leached residues generated by reduction roasting-ammonia leaching of manganese nodules.

This study was carried out to investigate the adsorption characteristics of leached manganese nodule residue (MNR), generated from the reduction roasting-ammonia leaching process, towards aqueous selenite. Physicochemical characterization revealed that the leached residue was a complex mixture of oxides of mainly manganese and iron along with MnCO(3). Adsorption studies of the water washed leached residue (wMNR) at varying the pH, selenite ion concentration, wMNR dosage, heat treatment condition indicated that selenite uptake increased with increasing pH and heat-treatment temperature of wMNR. The maximum value of selenite uptake was obtained at pH ~5.0 with wMNR heat-treated at 400°C and thereafter decreased on increasing the pH and heat-treatment temperature further. The adsorption data were best fitted by the Freundlich isotherm model. The derived monolayer selenite adsorption capacities increased from, X(m)=9.50 mg Se/g (for untreated wMNR) to 15.08 mg Se/g (for wMNR heat-treated at 400°C). The results of the studies may be useful for possible utilization of MNR as an adsorbent for the removal of selenite ions from contaminated water bodies.

Optimization and characterization of chromium(VI) reduction in saline condition by moderately halophilic Vigribacillus sp. isolated from mangrove soil of Bhitarkanika, India.

A Gram-positive moderately halophilic Cr(VI) tolerant bacterial strain H4, isolated from saline mangrove soil, was identified as Vigribacillus sp. by biochemical characterization and 16S rRNA analysis. In LB medium, the strain could tolerate up to 1000 mg L(-1) Cr(VI) concentration and reduced 90.2 and 99.2% of 100 mg L(-1) Cr(VI) under optimized set of condition within 70 h in absence and presence of 6 wt.% NaCl, respectively. The fitting of time course reduction data to an exponential rate equation yielded the Cr(VI) reduction rate constants in the range (0.69-5.56)×10(-2)h(-1). Analyses of total chromium and bacterial cell associated with reduced product by AAS, SEM/EDS, TEM/SAED, FT-IR and UV-vis-DRS indicated the formation of about 35% of insoluble Cr(III) either as Cr(OH)(3) precipitate in nanometric size or immobilized on the bacterial cell surface while the remaining 65% of reduced chromium was present as soluble Cr(III) in the growth medium. Powder XRD analysis revealed the amorphous nature of the precipitated Cr(OH)(3). The high Cr(VI) reducing ability of the strain under saline condition suggests the Vigribacillus sp. as a new and efficient strain capable of remediating highly saline Cr(VI) polluted industrial effluents.

Oxidative decolorization of methylene blue by leached sea-nodule residues generated by the reduction-roasting ammoniacal leaching process.

The leached residue, generated after selective extraction of Cu, Ni and Co by reductive-roasting ammoniacal leaching of sea nodules, was characterized by various physicochemical methods. The finely divided residue, containing mainly manganese carbonate/silicates and manganese (III, IV) (hydr)oxides along with iron oxides, showed a lower surface area (66.3 m2 g(-1)) than that of the parent sea nodule (130 m2 g(-1)). The catalytic efficiency of water-washed sea nodule residue (WSNR) was evaluated taking oxidative decolorization of methylene blue (MB) as the test reaction. The extent of decolorization was decreased with increase in pH but increased in the presence of H2O2 or NaCl. Decolorization of MB occurred in two consecutive steps; the rate constant of the first step was -10 times higher than that of the second step. The formation of a surface precursor complex between WSNR and MB at a rate-limiting step, followed by electron transfer from MB to the active metal centre of WSNR and release of product(s), was proposed as the decolorization process.

Extraction of cadmium from dilute solution using supported liquid membrane.

The extraction efficiencies of three phosphoric acid derivatives (D2EHPA, PC-88A and Cyanex 272) for Cd in supported liquid membrane (SLM) have been reported. The equilibrium study indicated the release of two moles of H(+) ions from the extractant for extraction of one mole of cadmium ion and association of two moles of the extractants in the extracted species in each case. The diffusion constant of Cd-D2EHPA, Cd-PC-88A and Cd-Cyanex 272 complex through the membrane phase was found to be 2.53 x 10(-9), 5.435 x 10(-9) and 11.22 x 10(-9)m(2)/s, respectively. The effects of various parameters such as flow rate, pH of feed solution, concentration of extractants in membrane phase, concentration of H(2)SO(4) in strip solution and concentration of Cd in feed solution on cadmium flux (J(Cd)) have been investigated. At pH 7.5, the percentage of cadmium extraction was found to be maximum with 600 mol/m(3) D2EHPA and PC-88A and 800 mol/m(3) Cyanex 272. The extraction of cadmium using the phosphoric acid derivative follows the order D2EHPA>PC-88A>Cyanex 272.

Adsorption of Cr(VI) and Se(IV) from their aqueous solutions onto Zr4+-substituted ZnAl/MgAl-layered double hydroxides: effect of Zr4+ substitution in the layer.

Hydrotalcite-like compounds (layered double hydroxides, LDHs) containing varying amounts of Al(3+), Zr(4+), and Zn(2+) or Mg(2+) in the metal hydroxide layer have been synthesized and characterized by various physicochemical methods. The adsorption behavior of uncalcined (as-synthesized) and calcined LDHs have been investigated for Cr(2)O(7)(2-) and SeO(3)(2-). The mixed oxides, obtained on calcination at 450 degrees C, exhibit high adsorption capacities for Cr(2)O(7)(2-) (1.6-2.7 meq/g) and SeO(3)(2-) (1.1-1.5 meq/g), where adsorption occurs through rehydration. Substitution of Zr(4+) in the LDHs, for either M(2+) or Al(3+) ions, increases the adsorption capacity up to 20%, thus providing an alternative way to enhance the adsorption capacity of this type of material. The high adsorption capacity of these materials could be successfully used for removal of undesirable anions from water and also for synthesis of intercalated materials with tailored acidobasicity.

Mental morbidity and urban life-an epidemiological study.

A survey of the mental morbidity of an urban group and two rural groups was made with the same method, same operational definition of a case and by the same team. The aim was to find out the nature and extent of the difference in their rates of morbidity and to identify the psychosocial variables associated with this difference. It was found that the rate of total morbidity was significantly higher in the urban group than in the rural groups. Psychosis was, however, commoner among the Brahmins, a rural group. The wide difference in the rates of mental morbidity between the urban and rural groups was mainly due to the difference in the rate of neurosis (165.3/1000, 51.6/1000 and 1.5/1000 respectively). The rate of neurosis in its turn was considered to be positively correlated with certain psychosocial characteristics irrespective of urban or rural residence of the group concerned.

Structure of the D-galactan isolated from garlic (Allium sativum) bulbs.

Hot-water extraction of defatted garlic-bulbs yielded a mixture of polysaccharides containing a D-galactan, a D-galacturonan, an L-arabinan, a D-glucan, and a D-fructan. A trace of L-rhamnose was also detected in the polysaccharide hydrolyzate. The pectic acid was partially removed by precipitation with aqueous calcium chloride; from the remaining polysaccharide mixture, a pure D-galactan containing 97.3% of D-galactose was isolated by fractional precipitation and repeated chromatography through a column of DEAE-cellulose. Methanolysis and hydrolysis of the permethylated D-galactan yielded 2,3,4,6-tetra-, 2,3,6-tri-, and 2,3,di-O-methyl-D-galactose in the molar proportions of 1:2:1. On periodate oxidation, the D-galactan reduced 1.18 molar equivalents of the oxidant per D-galactosyl residue, and liberated one molar equivalent of formic acid per 4.13 D-galactosyl residues. Smith degradation of the D-galactan was also conducted. From these results, a structure has been assigned to the repeating unit of the D-galactan.