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Use of the flushing media contributes to the improvement in the overall performance of drilling operations. The paper reports findings of the laboratory scale work carried out on a rotary drilling machine using sandstone rock samples. This study was conducted to develop a process to optimize the fluid flushing rate and to understand the role of drilling fluid through real-time data generation. From the laboratory experimentation, it was found that, while working with optimum flushing rate, up to 500% increment in rate of penetration (ROP) has been observed. And, also 50% reduction in ROP was noticed with the increment in depth of drilling from 3 to 12 mm. The outcome of the study convincingly demonstrates that fluid flushing rate plays a vital role in the improvement of the overall efficiency of the drilling operation of the laboratory setup.

Regardless of significant improvement in the area of anti-HBV therapy, resistance and cross-resistance against available therapeutic agents are the major consideration in drug discovery of new agents. The present study is to obtain the insight of the molecular basis of drug resistance conferred by the B and C domain mutations of HBV-polymerase on the binding affinity of four anti-HBV agents [Adefovir (ADV), Tenofovir (TNF), Entecavir (ETV) & 2′-Fluoro-6′-methylene-carbocyclic adenosine (FMCA)]. In this regard, homology modeled structure of HBV polymerase was used for minimization, conformational search and Glide XP docking followed by binding energy calculation on wild-type as well as on mutant HBV-polymerases (N236T, L180M+M204V+S202G & A194T). Our studies suggest a significant correlation between the fold resistances and the binding affinity of anti-HBV nucleosides. The domain B residue, L180 is indirectly associated with other active-site hydrophobic residues such as A87, F88 and M204, whereas the domain C residue, M204 is closely associated with sugar/pseudosugar ring positioning in the active site. These hydrophobic residues can directly influence the interaction of the incoming nucleoside triphosphates and change the binding efficacy. The carbohydrate ring part of natural substrate dATP, dGTP, FMCA and ETV, are occupied in similar passion in the grooves of HBV polymerase active site. The exocyclic double bond of Entecavir and FMCA occupies in the backside hydrophobic pocket (made by residues A87, F88, L180and M204), which enhances the overall binding affinity. Additional hydrogen bonding interaction of 2’-fluorine of FMCA with R41 residue of polymerase promotes a positive binding in wild-type as well as in ADVr, ETVr and TNFr with respect to that of entecavir.

Under changing climate scenario, the need for Long-term Ecological Monitoring is well recognized for climate sensitive alpine environments in the Himalaya. Present study briefly describe the outcome of the attempt made for establishing first site of Global Observation Research Initiative in Alpine Environments in Uttarakhand, India. Base line on plant diversity (121 species) across observational sites (4 summits) has been prepared for comparison and detecting changes in vegetation diversity in future.

Abstract: Angelica glauca is one of the important medicinal plants and it is widely used by indigenous communities for different purposes. The present study analyzes variability in reproductive characters of A. glauca. The reproductive parts were found having significant positive correlation with altitude (e.g., number of umbellets /umber r= 0.857, p<0.05; umbel diameter r=0.735, p<0.05).

The HIV-1 RT inhibitory activity of 2-(2,6-dihalophenyl)-3-(substituted pyridin-2-yl)-thiazolidin- 4-ones has been analyzed with different topological descriptors obtained from DRAGON software. Here, simple topological descriptors (TOPO), Galvez topological charge indices (GVZ) and 2D autocorrelation descriptors (2DAUTO) have been found to yield good predictive models for the activity of these compounds. The correlations obtained from the TOPO class descriptors suggest that less extended or compact saturated structural templates would be better for the activity. The participating GVZ class descriptors suggest that they have same degree of influence on the activity. In 2DAUTO class, the large participation of descriptors of lags seven and three indicate the association of activity information with the seven and three centered structural fragments of these compounds. The physicochemical weighting components of these descriptors suggest homogeneous influence of mass, volume, electronegativity and/ or polarizability on the activity.

The drill bit or cutting tool is a very important part of the rock drilling operation, it is directly associated with the rate of penetration. Bit wearing has significant involvement of time, labor, and wealth. By identifying the effect of various machine and rock parameters on bit wearing, the optimum working condition can be adopted to achieve high drilling efficiency. In this experimental work, the rate of penetration and parameters of drilling fluids (i.e. type, additives, and concentration, etc.) were optimized to identify their respective impact on the bit wearing of impregnated core diamond bit. The study has been conducted on a laboratory rotary drilling setup. The role of aqueous solutions of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), guar gum (GG), and polyacrylamide (PAM) has been examined as polymeric drilling fluid additives on sandstone rock samples and compared with the results of tap water alone as drilling fluid. A significant decrement in bit wearing has been noticed with all additives and the maximum reduction of 70.02% was achieved with CMC fluid additive.

The various developmental stages of 184 species of high-altitude plants were studied during 1987 and 1988 in the Pindari glacial moraine area of Kumaun Himalaya in the Central Himalaya. The initiation of growth was synchronised with the beginning of the spring/or summer temperature rise and snowmelt. In this high-altitude zone, the peaks of various phenophases succeeded one after another over about 4 months from early June to October. It is suggested that the plants complete various growth cycles within a very short period of favourable conditions to ensure the survival of their progeny.

A total of 105 climber species were recorded and studied for their altitudinal distribution and phenology. Relatively higher percentage (54%) of deciduous species was recorded. In general, the climbers were distributed throughout the region between altitudes of 300–3500 m. However, maximum (more than 60%) species were confined either below or at around 1500 m altitude. Species richness declines gradually towards the higher altitudes, the decline was more sharp in evergreen species. The different phenological activities were usually governed by the seasonal variations in a year. Seasonality of flowering suggested the prevalence of insect pollination. Whereas, fruit types indicated equal sharing of biotic and abiotic dispersal. Study concludes, the distribution and nature of various climber species of Kumaun in Indian Central Himalaya, depends largely upon altitude and its climatic variable temperature. Whereas, the seasonality of rains plays an important role in seasonal progression of phenophases.

Phenology of tree layer species from the timber line of Kumaun in Central Himalaya was carried out during the years 1988-1989. The study indicates the prevalence (66%) of deciduous tree species at timber line vegetation. Growth initiation started in early summer with the rise of temperature. Different phenophases succeeded one another, culminating in leaf drop with the advent of winter. The various phenophases of the tree species at timber line have been discussed and compared with the lower Himalayan forests of Kumaun in India. The present study also supports the idea that the intense fluctuations in environmental conditions determine the onset of different growth activities within the short growing season.

Patterns of tree species distribution and their structural-functional features were studied along an altitudinal gradient in the Indian Central Himalaya. The forest vegetation falls within three formation types: low to mid-montane sclerophyllous, broad-leaved forests; mid-montane deciduous forests; and high-montane mixed stunted forests. Deciduous tree species formed a considerable (49%) portion of the high altitude forests between 1500–3300 m. The upper limit of forests ranges from 3000 to 3300 m, and three taxa are commonly found at tree line: an evergreen, needle-leaved gymnosperm (Abies pindrow Spach.), an evergreen, broad-leaved sclerophyllous oak (Quercus semecarpifolia Sm.), and a deciduous, broad-leaved birch (Betula utilis Don).