Landslides are a frequent and recurrent problem in hilly regions of India and predicting them is always a challenging task. In this paper, an attempt was made to deal with this problem using advanced physical and numerical modeling methods. Detailed understanding of the initial slope failures is very interesting, and challenging at the same time, in the design and development of wireless sensor network based on early warning of landslide monitoring. A small scale physical model was developed to assess the instability through a sensor network with variable rain fall intensity. This was achieved by increasing the simulated rain water flow intensity in different time spans (dry condition, at t=0 to t= 30 min, 0.5 mm/min at t=30 to t= 60 min, 0.75 mm/min at t=60 to t=91 min and 1 mm/min at t=91 to t= 120 min). The water level and movement in the slope was recorded by rainfall sensor, vibration sensor, soil moisture sensor and a digital camera. The following changes were observed during the slope failure: a) movement of small particles at top of the slope; b) initial failure of medium size soil particle; c) scouring of soil mass; d) whole slope collapse. The obtained results clearly indicated the superiority and effectiveness of the proposed system in providing a factor of safety for the progressive slope.

Carbohydrates such as fructooligosaccharides (FOS) are associated with improved gastrointestinal health and prevention of excess body fat. We evaluated the long-term effects of high amounts of FOS on metabolic parameters, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and short-chain fatty acids (SCFA). Sixty C57BL/6 mice received diets for four months: control (C), normolipid rich in fiber (F), normolipid supplemented with FOS (FOS), high fat (HL), high fat with high fiber (HLF) and high fat with FOS (HLFOS). We analyzed: animal weight; body composition; food intake; fasting blood glucose; serum and liver lipid profile; liver and intestinal histologies; malondialdehyde (MDA), hepatic retinol and α-tocopherol; SCFA in the feces. Supplementation with FOS in a high-fat diet promoted less body weight gain and reduced liver and retroperitoneal adipose tissue weights compared to HL and HF. FOS prevented NASH and decreased alanine aminotransferase and serum cholesterol levels in experimental animal models of obesity and metabolic syndrome (MS). There was found statistical differences in the dosages of the three main SCFAs in feces (acetic, isobutyric and isovaleric acids). Long-term supplementation with high doses of FOS was effective in reducing weight, adiposity, NAFLD and serum cholesterol in C57BL mice with obesity and MS induced by a high-fat diet.

Rapid draw-down in an earthfill dam has serious implications for dam safety regarding slope stability. The evaluation of reservoir draw-down impact on slope stability was carried out considering the case study of 8 hours of rapid draw-down of the Middle Marsyangdi Hydroelectric Power Project (MMHPP) rock-fill dam using the Limit Equilibrium Method (LEM) and stress-based Finite Element Method (FEM). The time-dependent factor of safety (FOS) was evaluated and found that the 8 hours of rapid draw-down undertaken in October 2012 for reservoir flushing was unsafe with a draw-down rate of 1.91m/h. The resulting FOS of 1.28 and 1.27 using LEM and FEM was classified as unsafe as per the US Army Corps of Engineers’ guideline, the minimum required factors of safety should be greater than 1.3. The minimum safe allowable draw-down rate of 0.76m/h for 20 hours was identified. Applying three layers of horizontal filter materials and increasing the upstream dam’s permeability provided adequate FOS results for all cases by increasing seepage discharge to reduce the destabilizing excess pore water pressure. Several gradual draw-down rates were also tested and found that FOS increases with decreased draw-down rates, as it reduces the excess pore water pressure controlled with stabilizing existing water load.

Prebiotic oligosaccharides are widely used as human and animal feed additives for their beneficial effects on the gut microbiota. However, there are limited data to assess the direct effect of such functional foods on the transcriptome of intestinal epithelial cells. The purpose of this study is to describe the differential transcriptomes and cellular pathways of colonic cells directly exposed to galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) and fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS). We have examined the differential gene expression of polarized Caco-2 cells treated with GOS or FOS and their respective mock-treated cells using mRNA sequencing (RNA-seq). A total of 89 significant differentially expressed genes were identified between GOS and mock-treated groups. For FOS treatment, a reduced number of 12 significant genes were observed to be differentially expressed relative to the control group. KEGG and Gene Ontology functional analysis revealed that genes up-regulated in the presence of GOS were involved in digestion and absorption processes, fatty acids and steroids metabolism, potential antimicrobial proteins, energy-dependent and -independent transmembrane trafficking of solutes and amino acids. Using our data, we have established complementary non-prebiotic modes of action for these frequently used dietary fibers.

L-17 is a thiadiazine derivative with putative anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, and antidepressant-like properties. In this study, we applied combined in silico, ex vivo, and in vivo electrophysiology techniques to reveal the potential mechanism of action of L-17. PASS 10.4 Professional Extended software suggested that L-17 might have pro-cognitive, antidepressant, and antipsychotic effects. Docking energy assessment with AutoDockVina predicted that the binding affinities of L-17 to the serotonin transporter (SERT) and serotonin receptors 3 and 1A (5-HT3 and 5-HT1A) receptors are compatible to the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) fluoxetine and selective antagonists of 5-HT3 and 5-HT1A receptors, granisetron and WAY100135, respectively. Acute pre-treatment with L-17 robustly increased c-Fos immunoreactivity in the amygdala (central nucleus), suggesting increased neuronal excitability in this brain area after L-17 administration. Acute L-17 also dose-dependently inhibited of 5-HT neurons of the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN). This inhibition was partially reversed by subsequent administration of WAY100135, suggesting the involvement of extracellular 5-HT. Based on in silico predictions, c-Fos immunohistochemistry, and in vivo electrophysiology, we suggest that L-17 is a potent 5-HT reuptake inhibitor and/or partial 5-HT1A receptor antagonist. Thus, L-17 might be a representative of a new class of antidepressant drugs. Since L-17 also possesses neuro- and cardio-protective properties, it can be useful in post-stroke and post-myocardial infarction (MI) depression. In general, combined in silico predictions and ex vivo neurochemical and in vivo electrophysiological assessment might be a useful strategy for early preclinical assessment of the affectivity and neural mechanism in action of the novel CNS drugs.