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| SCIENCE TRIBUNE | Thursday, June 21, 2001, Chandigarh, India |
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Unravelling the secrets of brain Environment protection tips Fibre cable via sewer pipes Water-purification technique
Making printed circuit boards Drycleaning made easy SCIENCE QUIZ
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Unravelling the secrets of brain HUMAN brain is a highly complex but a wonderful organ. It is the key to human thinking, learning and all mundane or higher mental functions. It has an unparalleled ability to think rationally. But how does this it function and perform the bewildering range of tasks assigned to it? Just as any information flow is facilitated by proper connections between the sender and receiver, the flow of information, to and from the brain is through a complex network of nerves that connect brain to all body parts. The human brain consists of more than a hundred billion nerve cells or neurons, which are connected through a complex network of nerve fibre. Communications between neurons forms the basis of brain action. The Nobel Prize for Physiology and Medicine for the year 2000 was awarded jointly to three neuroscientists — Arvid Carlsson of the Department of Pharmacology, University of Gothenburg, Sweeden; Paul Greengard of the Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Science, Rockfeller University, New York and Eric Kandel of the Centre for Neurology & Behaviour, Columbia University, New York. These scientists’ pioneering work has helped in understanding the normal functioning of the brain and how disturbances in this transmission can give rise to neurological and psychiatric disorders. Their research has opened the doors for developing new drugs for controlling several neurological and psychotic disorders. In human brain a neuron generates an electrical impulse in response to a stimulus. The impulse is communicated to another neuron of a target cell either directly as at an "electrical synapse" or through the release of a chemical compound, a neurotransmitter (NT), at the chemical synapse. A neuron can have thousands of such contacts with other neurons. Arvid Carlsson is credited with the discovery that dopamine is itself an NT and not just a precursor to the NTnoradrenaline as was believed until now. Through a series of experiments in the 1950s, Carlsson had demonstrated that dopmine is an NT involved in motor control. In another series of experiments he had shown that the systems caused by a naturally occurring substance, reserpine (which depletes the storage of several NTs) were similar to those in Parkinson’s disease. This has led to the discovery that the disease is caused by the low levels of dopamine in the brain. As a consequence, L-dopa (the precursor, which is converted into dopamine in the brain) was developed as the drug for Parkinson’s disease. L-dopa remains to date the most important treatment for the disease. Carlsson’s research work has had a great impact on the treatment for depression as well. Paul Greengard shares the Nobel Prize for showing how these NTs exerted their influence at the synapse. The NT first acts on a receptor on the cell surface. This triggers a cascade of reactions, which affects certain "key proteins" that regulate a variety of functions in the neuron. Greengard showed that the key to this process (called the slow synaptic transmission) is a chemical reaction called protein phosphorylation. It involves the coupling of proteins with phosphate groups. This coupling alters the shape and function of the proteins. Greengard has demonstrated that when dopamine stimulates a receptor in the cell membrane, the levels of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (c-AMP) in the cell are elevated. This process activates the enzyme protein kinase A, which is able to add phosphate molecules to other proteins of the nerve cell. Some of these proteins are responsible for forming ion channels in the membrane of the nerve cell. This enables the neuron to send electric impulses along the nerve fibres extending from it. He has also shown that phosphorylation is also important for other molecular reactions in the neuron, for example those that regulate the memory process. Eric Kandel, the third receipt of the Noble Prize, has shown that the efficiency of the synapses can be modified using certain specific molecules. Kandel used the sea slug’s simple protective reflex that protects its gills to study the basic learning mechanism. Certain types of stimuli were found to amplify the protective reflex. Kandel showed that this amplification was due to the amplification of the signal in the synapse that connected the sensory neurons to certain muscular neurons controlling the reflex. A stronger and long lasting stimulus gave rise to a form of long-term memory that remained for weeks. During the 1990s Kandel demonstrated the same process in the mice as well. It is believed that fundamental
mechanism, that memory is "located in the synapses" can be
applied to humans too. Thus Kandel’s findings have provided crucial
insights about the key cellular and molecular mechanism of memory.
With the extraordinary research work done by these Nobel Laureates it
is expected that medication to improve memory function in patients
with different types of dementia be on the anvil.
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Environment protection tips ENVIRONMENT came into sharp focus after United Nations Conference on Human Environment at Stockholm held in 1972, where it was asserted on the participating countries that nature is not an infinite asset but a fragile and limited resource. The consequences of Stockholm conference and several other factors promoted the Government of India to establish a separate Ministry of Environment & Forests in early eighties in order to bring environment, forests and wildlife under one roof and give more attention to these issues. Series of acts, rules and regulations have been brought out by the Ministry to protect and improve the environment as a whole. In order to oversee the implementation of these acts and rules, six regional officers have also been setup in the country. The northern States are having very less forest cover and are slowly coming in the grip of serious environmental problems. The most important and disturbing problem is of increasing water pollution, both surface and ground water. Both the prominent rivers, Sutlej and Yamuna, have water pollution problems at several places. Though Yamuna action plan and Sutlej action plan are under active stage of implementation to minimise pollution load, a lot is yet to be done. The Central Ground Water Board has also reported serious ground water pollution in the industrial zone of Ludhiana, Panipat and Faridabad. The upcoming urban areas like Chandigarh, Ludhiana and Panipat are fast coming in the grip of air pollution. The measures enforced in the Delhi region need to be implemented right at this stage so that the problem does not go out of control. The rapid industrialisation and urbanisation in these areas has resulted in increased quantum of solid waste and has rather affected the entire region. One can locate heaps of polythene bags even in remote areas like Rohtang Pass near Manali. A growing awareness cum action programme is the need of the hour as against the common notion that plantation and pollution are the disciplines to be tackled and controlled by the government and not by an individual or common man. I feel it is other way round. A common man could prove to be more effective if he follows the tips enlisted here and the combined effect would be much more significant and long lasting. i) Plant saplings on birthdays/anniversaries etc. ii) Protect and save the trees. iii) Encourage urban wildlife: keep an earthern/pot/container of water birds/squirrels. iv) Reduce your paper consumption: Use both sides of papers, make rough note pad of waste papers, reuse envelopes. v) Reduce consumption of water. Use bucket instead of water pipe for washing vehicles. vi) Use public transport/bicycle, walk short distances. vii) Do not use plastics bags: Carry a jute/cloth bag for shopping. viii) Restrict the use of disposable items: drink from reusable bottle/can/glass. ix) Start vermiculture to compost organic waste (peels of fruits) and vegetables, leaves, etc.) x) Do not use inorganic fertilisers/insecticides: promote use of vermicompost manure for better productivity and soil fertility. xi) Take care of environment at home; the environment of the region will be taken care of.
These points, if implemented in right
spirit, will go a long way in protection and improvement of life
supporting systems which are vital for our survival. This perhaps
would be a better way to observe World Environment Day.
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Fibre cable via sewer pipes SEWER lines provide an untapped area, which can be used optimally for laying optical fibre cable across the city with the help of robots and hence eliminate the problems associated with digging of land for cable laying. The universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) is all set to bring Internet, video and other multimedia capabilities to mobile phones and other wireless devices. In this era of convergence of services the optical fibre cable layout has played a pivotal role. The deployment of optical fibre cable is associated with problem such as road trenching leading to traffic hazards and unintentional interference with electrical cables. Moreover, massive legal battles are being fought over access to cable laying over non-government land. Sewer lines provide a potential untapped area, which can be used optimally for laying optical fibre cable across the city. Sewer systems reach virtually every building in a city and hence can provide end-to-end all-fibre connectivity. A telecommunication network that meets the existing and future needs of the customers can be easily designed. Robots have been used with success worldwide for the deployment of optical fibre cables across the sewer lines. SAM (Sewer Access Module) is software driven robot equipped with cameras to install steel alloy rings that support the fibre optic cables inside sewer pipes. The STAR (Sewage Telecommunication Access by Robot) is a cable laying robot about 1.9 metre in length and is equipped with five cameras to monitor operations. This robot is fed into the sewer system through manholes and can operate in pipes ranging from 7 inches to 50 inches in diametre. Once the cable has been fed into the sewer, the robot drills holes in the pipe wall and fixes the cable to the wall at four-foot intervals using tie bolts. The cable is designed to be rodent proof and is chemical resistant. Europe is ahead of the rest of the world in
using the robot technology to lay fibre optic cable in the sewers. The
countries that have a good sewer system and needs telecom have a new
underground solution as the robots go below street level to provide the
ultimate convergence.
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Water-purification technique GEOSCIENTISTS have developed a new, low-tech water purification mechanism which requires no more sophisticated equipment than a bucket. The new technique came in the wake of challenge posed by contaminated water to the inhabitants of Zimapan, a mining district 200 kilometers north of Mexico city. The inhabitants have to cope up with water supplies that are contaminated with arsenic but cannot afford commercially available domestic purifying systems. Lead, silver and zinc are the main metals extracted from mineralised ores present in the district. The natural sources contaminate some water supplies, while others may be polluted by modest quantities of rainwater leaching through mine tailings. Spurred by the challenge, scientists discovered that the answer to the problem lay all around them — in the form of various local rocks — a report published in the journal Geochemistry, Exploration, Environment, Analysis said. Researchers created experimentally contaminated water (ECW) by shaking pure water with samples of mine tailings. This had a concentration of 0.6 mg arsenic per litre. The ECW was then reacted with samples of various local rocks. Experiments clearly demonstrated that
arsenic is reduced below detectable levels in any sample of ECW that
has been mixed with rocks of the local "Soyatal Formation"
— a calareous shale containing upto 15 per cent clay minerals (kaolinite
and illite). PTI |
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NEW PRODUCTS & DISCOVERIES Remote-control tower crane THE first radio remote control system specifically designed to improve the productivity, safety and load handling speed of tower cranes is pictured here in operation in Derbyshire, northern England, during its first application trails. The system was developed by a British manufacturer for use with new or existing tower cranes and will be marketed initially in South Africa before distribution to other African countries. The portable equipment allows the crane operator to control the tower crane and observe load clearances for safety and handling speed while moving freely on the ground or on any other level. (NF) Making printed circuit boards Researchers have perfected a fast and cheap way of producing printed circuit boards (PCBs) by using offset lithography allowing electrical circuits to be printed at very high speed on to a variety of flexible substrates such as paper or polyester, at a rate of upto 10,000 A4 size sheets an hour. Scientists from Brunel University on the outskirts of London have not only developed a commercially licensed process for making such low cost flexi circuits but have also produced printed polymer light-emitting diodes (LEDs) using offset lithography to accomplish the patterning of the light-emitting areas. The breakthrough means that there is the prospect that the advertising industry could take a piece of paper and have a bright illuminated logo printed on it fast and at low cost by means of offset lithography. Using this method as the basis for the manufacture of low-specification electrical circuit boards, researchers have shown that this leads to considerably reduced production time and raw material use compared with the conventional thick-film printing approach, a report in British Commercial News said. "We started with the exciting idea of printing circuits on paper using offset lithography and ended up producing many other components including capacitors and resistors," David Harrison, the team leader said. PTI Drycleaning made easy A new laundry process not only enables users to dry clean their clothes at home but can also help refresh clothes which have been worn a few times but are not dirty. The process Persil Revive — uses a dualaction sheet impregnated with a water-based formula which spot-cleans and refreshes clothes in a tumble dryer in 30 minutes. Small stains can first be spot-cleaned, with a Revive sheet before the same sheet is put into the tumble dryer with up to four items of dry-clean-only clothes. The process, developed by scientists in Lever Brothers Limited, Leverpool, UK, came after two years of research which showed significant changes in lifestyle and need for a product which can be used to dry-clean clothes simply and quickly at home. The research also indicated that most visits to high-street dry-cleaners are made to refresh clothes which have been worn a few times and are not dirty. The process is so convenient and fast that it would transform the laundry industry and create a market worth and estimated 30 million pounds in the United Kingdom alone a report in British Commercial News says.
"People have told us time and time again that they want
convenient dry-clean clothes care at home. The research for Persil
Revive showed that people particularly linked its simplicity and
convenience. There’s no fuss, no mess and the dualaction sheet
cleans stains and refreshes clothes in just 30 minutes," said
Lawrence Bates, Laundry category director of Lever Brother. PTI
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SCIENCE QUIZ 1. This British ornithologist collected thousands of eggs, nests and skins of birds of various species of the Indian subcontinent and wrote two books "Nests and Eggs of Indian Birds" and "The Game Birds of India". Name this scientist-statesman who also founded the Indian National Congress. 2. Mummography is generally used for detecting breast cancer. FNAC is a simpler method for this detection. What is the full name of FNAC, which is free from the radiation hazard that mummography has? 3. This bird mainly found in India, New Zealand and Australia is famous for its courage and attacks birds much bigger than itself if they come near its nest to eat its eggs or hatchings. For this reason this bird is popularly called "kotwal" (watchman). Which is this black coloured bird that feeds on insects and nectar of flowers? 4. This "metal", actually an alloy of nickel and copper with small quantities of iron, manganese, silicon and carbon, is used to make acid-resisting equipment in the industry. What is this "metal" called? 5. What are the light sensitive elements of the retina of the eye called? Which ones are mainly responsible for day vision and which ones for night vision? 6. Fizeau, Foucalt and Michelson are known for making a difficult and standard measurement in Physics. Which measurement? 7. When dried fruits and vegetables are put in water, they slowly swell and regain their original form. Can you name the process by which this happens? 8. This cell makes use of electrochemical reactions between hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity, has a high efficiency and is environmental friendly. What is this cell called? 9. Large green leaves of this popular decorative plant normally have long white spots on them. But the juice of its leaves is so poisonous that it can paralyse our tongue and throat. Some varieties of this plant are picta, pince, tropic snow and memoria korsai. Which is this plant that can be easily propagated from its stem? 10. Name the woman who had the longest stay in space for 188 days. In which space object did she achieve this feat? Answers 1. Allan Octavian Hume |
