Assessment of groundwater quality: a fusion of geochemical and geophysical information via Bayesian neural networks.

Deplorable quality of groundwater arising from saltwater intrusion, natural leaching and anthropogenic activities is one of the major concerns for the society. Assessment of groundwater quality is, therefore, a primary objective of scientific research. Here, we propose an artificial neural network-based method set in a Bayesian neural network (BNN) framework and employ it to assess groundwater quality. The approach is based on analyzing 36 water samples and inverting up to 85 Schlumberger vertical electrical sounding data. We constructed a priori model by suitably parameterizing geochemical and geophysical data collected from the western part of India. The posterior model (post-inversion) was estimated using the BNN learning procedure and global hybrid Monte Carlo/Markov Chain Monte Carlo optimization scheme. By suitable parameterization of geochemical and geophysical parameters, we simulated 1,500 training samples, out of which 50 % samples were used for training and remaining 50 % were used for validation and testing. We show that the trained model is able to classify validation and test samples with 85 % and 80 % accuracy respectively. Based on cross-correlation analysis and Gibb's diagram of geochemical attributes, the groundwater qualities of the study area were classified into following three categories: "Very good", "Good", and "Unsuitable". The BNN model-based results suggest that groundwater quality falls mostly in the range of "Good" to "Very good" except for some places near the Arabian Sea. The new modeling results powered by uncertainty and statistical analyses would provide useful constrain, which could be utilized in monitoring and assessment of the groundwater quality.

The species composition, richness and diversity studies of fruit flies captured from the orchard of Nagpur mandarin.

The present experiment was conducted to study the diversity of fruit flies in Nagpur mandarin orchard from different agro-ecological zones of Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, India. The fruit flies samples were collected from 18 places falling under 9 agro-ecological zone using methyl eugenol traps. Out of the total collected catches of fruit flies from each zones, Bactrocera dorsalis was found to be the most prominent species followed by Bactrocera zonata. The Z. cucurbitae and B. correcta which occupied third and fourth rank in species composition, respectively. The species viz., Zeugodacus duplicatus and Zeugodacus gavisus recorded very less abundance at all locations. Shannons index of diversity was maximum in Morshi followed by Katol. Simpson index was more at Tiwasa and Achalpur locations which indicated minimum diversity in the population of fruit flies. Higher diversity of fruit flies were recorded in Morshi and Katol followed by Amravati.

An unusual cause for sicca syndrome.

We present a case of a 47-year-old female who presented with sicca symptoms since three months. As per the Revised International Classification Criteria for Sjögren's syndrome, patient was diagnosed as primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS). Patients with SS are known to have circulating monoclonal immunoglobulins. Serum electrophoresis revealed M band with serum gamma globulin concentration of 46 g/L. Bone marrow aspiration revealed 28% plasma cells. In absence of myeloma-related organ damage, a diagnosis of smouldering myeloma (MM) was made. Patient was treated with thalidomide and dexamethasone. Sicca symptoms resolved with anti-myeloma treatment. Although MM can occur as a complication of SS, MM can also rarely present as SS. In the present case, the short duration of sicca symptoms and response of these symptoms to anti-myeloma treatment support the diagnosis of MM presenting as SS. The present case highlights the importance of serum electrophoresis in patients presenting as SS.

Serum uric acid levels and its association with age-related macular degeneration (ARMD).

UNLABELLED: To investigate the possible association between serum uric acid levels, serum C-Reactive Protein (CRP), and age-related macular degeneration (ARMD). A total 232 patients of the eye department at Hospital Tuanku Ja'afar, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia were recruited over 9 weeks. Participants were divided into ARMD (Non-Neovascular ARMD, and Neovascular ARMD) and control groups. 107 participants with non-neovascular ARMD, 6 with neovascular ARMD, and 119 controls participated in the study. The control patients had a similar average Serum Uric Acid level to the average of all patients with ARMD (P = 0.617). CONTROL GROUP: mean 299.19 micromol/l +/- std dev. 89.847 micromol/l. ARMD group: mean 302.53 micromol/l +/- std dev. 80.794 micromol/l. The average serum uric acid levels were higher in patients with neovascular ARMD (median = 397 mean +/- std dev = 389.67 +/- 38 micromol/l) than in the non-neovascular ARMD group (288.5 micromol/l, 297.86 +/- 80.26 micromol/l), and control group (295.5 micromol/l, 299.19 +/- 89.95 micromol/l). Comparing the standardised serum uric acid levels in the control group (Median = 0.5) against the two ARMD groups separately, there was no significant difference to the non-neovascular group (P = 0.448) but there was a difference significant to the neovascular ARMD group (P = 0.044). The neovascular and non-neovascular ARMD groups had median CRP value of 0.25 mg/l and were not significantly different. There is no association between serum uric acid levels and ARMD as a whole. There is potentially an association between serum uric acid and neovascular ARMD, an association needs to be established further. There is no association between serum CRP and ARMD.

Validation of therapeutic claims of Tinospora cordifolia: a review.

This review article attempts to correlate Ayurvedic pharmacology and therapeutic claims for Tinospora cordifolia (Tc) with the evidence generated using scientific research methodology. In the present paper, a brief description of Ayurvedic pharmacology of the plant is presented. The work carried out by researchers using extracts of Tc in various areas such as diabetes, liver damage, free radical mediated injury, infections, stress and cancer have been reviewed. Also discussed are the immunomodulatory, diuretic, antiinflammatory, analgesic, anticholinesterase and gastrointestinal protective effects. An attempt has been made to provide the readers with the array of outcome variables, which can be further worked upon in clinical studies. Finally, this paper puts forth issues that need to be addressed by researchers in the future.

Rationale and efficacy of proteasome inhibitor combined with arsenic trioxide in the treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia.

Arsenic trioxide (ATO) mediates PML-RARA (promyelocytic leukemia-retinoic acid receptor-α) oncoprotein degradation via the proteasome pathway and this degradation appears to be critical for achieving cure in acute promyeloytic leukemia (APL). We have previously demonstrated significant micro-environment-mediated drug resistance (EMDR) to ATO in APL. Here we demonstrate that this EMDR could be effectively overcome by combining a proteasome inhibitor (bortezomib) with ATO. A synergistic effect on combining these two agents in vitro was noted in both ATO-sensitive and ATO-resistant APL cell lines. The mechanism of this synergy involved downregulation of the nuclear factor-κB pathway, increase in unfolded protein response (UPR) and an increase in reactive oxygen species generation in the malignant cell. We also noted that PML-RARA oncoprotein is effectively cleared with this combination in spite of proteasome inhibition by bortezomib, and that this clearance is mediated through a p62-dependent autophagy pathway. We further demonstrated that proteasome inhibition along with ATO had an additive effect in inducing autophagy. The beneficial effect of this combination was further validated in an animal model and in an on-going clinical trial. This study raises the potential of a non-myelotoxic proteasome inhibitor replacing anthracyclines in the management of high-risk and relapsed APL.

Systematic review of randomized controlled trials of low-carbohydrate vs. low-fat/low-calorie diets in the management of obesity and its comorbidities.

There are few studies comparing the effects of low-carbohydrate/high-protein diets with low-fat/high-carbohydrate diets for obesity and cardiovascular disease risk. This systematic review focuses on randomized controlled trials of low-carbohydrate diets compared with low-fat/low-calorie diets. Studies conducted in adult populations with mean or median body mass index of > or =28 kg m(-2) were included. Thirteen electronic databases were searched and randomized controlled trials from January 2000 to March 2007 were evaluated. Trials were included if they lasted at least 6 months and assessed the weight-loss effects of low-carbohydrate diets against low-fat/low-calorie diets. For each study, data were abstracted and checked by two researchers prior to electronic data entry. The computer program Review Manager 4.2.2 was used for the data analysis. Thirteen articles met the inclusion criteria. There were significant differences between the groups for weight, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triacylglycerols and systolic blood pressure, favouring the low-carbohydrate diet. There was a higher attrition rate in the low-fat compared with the low-carbohydrate groups suggesting a patient preference for a low-carbohydrate/high-protein approach as opposed to the Public Health preference of a low-fat/high-carbohydrate diet. Evidence from this systematic review demonstrates that low-carbohydrate/high-protein diets are more effective at 6 months and are as effective, if not more, as low-fat diets in reducing weight and cardiovascular disease risk up to 1 year. More evidence and longer-term studies are needed to assess the long-term cardiovascular benefits from the weight loss achieved using these diets.