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Background: The study included four genotypes of tomato (EC620378, EC620380, EC620383, EC620534) which were cultivated to find out their similarities and differences based on phenotypic traits when they were grown under different soil zones of Doha (Qatar) and Meerut (India) to find out that which of the genotypes can be cultivated better in Qatar and India. Methods: The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RBCD) with two replications. Statistical analysis for variation in quantitative characteristics among genotypes was done by collecting data in 15 qualitative and quantitative traits. Data showed great variation for almost all the traits. The principal component analysis involved plant height and days to marketable maturity as the most discriminating trait that accounted for greater variability in genotypes in both zones, and they should be considered in tomato improvement programs. The correlation analysis showed that fruit yield per plant was positively and significantly correlated with number of fruits per plant and fruit width. Present findings suggest that the identified superior genotypes may be utilized by different farms to further improve their breeding and cultivation strategies. Result: In Indian soil zone, genotype EC620534 performed extremely well in terms of maximum yield per plant. Similarly, in Qatar soil zone, EC620534 and EC620380 performed well. The phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) was higher than its corresponding genotypic counterpart (GCV) for all characters studied showing environmental influence. High broad-sense heritability were recorded for days to marketable maturity, fruit shape index and fruit weight in both agro-climatic zones, they were associated with low genetic advance indicating non-additive gene action and environmental influence, hence, heterosis breeding is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is defined as carbohydrate intolerance of variable severity with its onset or first recognition during pregnancy. GDM has its effect both on the pregnant women and the fetus, like- higher rates of cesarean deliveries, pregnancy induced hypertension and higher risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes in future. Objective To estimate proportion of Overt Diabetes among Pregnant women who were diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus and to evaluate awareness regarding screening for Overt Diabetes in women who were diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus. Methods It is a cross sectional observational study where details of the pregnant women who were diagnosed to have Gestational Diabetes Mellitus delivered during the period January 2022 to December 2022 is taken from medical records. Through phone call participants are interrogated about the screening for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus at or after 6-12 weeks of post postpartum and annually thereafter and the details of the same will be noted. Those who are not screened for the Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus at or after 6-12 weeks of post postpartum will be advised to undergo screening for the same and followed up accordingly. Results Progression to Dysglycemia (Over Diabetes Mellitus and impaired glucose tolerance) among GDM women is nearly 26% within 2 years post-delivery. Among the women who developed diabetes, 72% had a history of insulin administration during pregnancy. Despite this rapid conversion rate, 42% of GDM women did not undergo screening as per the protocol, with the major reasons being a lack of awareness about the risk of conversion to overt diabetes and inadequate counseling regarding the screening protocols post-delivery. Conclusion In Indian women with GDM, progression to type 2 Diabetes mellitus is high. Hence measures should be taken to provide proper counseling to women with GDM about the risk of converting to Overt Diabetes and the need for screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface water and groundwater are primary resources for communities living in arid and semi-arid regions. The expansion of industrial and agricultural practices has raised pressure on natural resources. Water quality assessment provides valuable information about potential of resources for intended uses. The correlation study was carried out on the physicochemical parameters of surface water and groundwater in the Tikamgarh city. The physicochemical parameters, such as pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), total hardness (TH), calcium (Ca2+), magnesium (Mg2+), total alkalinity (TA), sulphate (SO4 2-), fluoride (F- ), iron (Fe), nitrate (NO3- ), chloride (Cl- ) and turbidity were analysed to determine correlation between parameters. The grab sampling technique was adopted to collect water samples from selected dug wells and reservoirs. The results of physicochemical parameters were fitted in the correlation coefficient equation to predict probable values of different parameters for selected locations. Results of the correlation study showed that calcium and TH are strongly correlated, followed by TH with chloride. However, Ca2+, TH, Cl-, TA, TDS, SO42-, and iron show a high correlation. The findings show that water quality can be managed by controlling TH and TDS concentrations through conventional and non-conventional treatment methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Underwater drilling and blasting techniques have been developed to overcome the challenges posed by various subaquatic operations, including marine construction, oil and gas exploration, and underwater mining, demolition, dredging and excavation, seismic surveys and marine research. The drilling operation is followed by underwater blasting, which involves the creation of boreholes in submerged surfaces, such as sea beds or riverbeds. Specialized drilling equipment is utilized, which can operate in aquatic environments. To ensure efficient and reliable performance, the drilling equipment is designed to withstand the pressures and corrosive nature of seawater. Once the desired depth is reached, underwater blasting is utilized to break the rock or seabed. The primary objective of blasting is to loosen the substrate and create a cavity for subsequent operations. Safety is a crucial factor in underwater drilling and blasting operations. To safeguard personnel involved and prevent accidents during drilling and blasting activities, strict safety measures are implemented. In addition to human safety, precautions are taken to minimize the environmental impacts of underwater drilling and blasting, including measures to prevent pollution, protect marine life, and preserve the underwater ecosystem. In this article, the core elements of underwater drilling and blasting operations are outlined. Despite notable progress in this domain, the paper highlights the enduring constraints and obstacles, underscoring the need for continued investigation and understanding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose of the Study: The purpose of this study is to review and analyze the intersection of Internet of Things (IoT) and Machine Learning (ML) technologies in remote healthcare monitoring. It aims to highlight how these technologies are transforming patient care by improving early detection of health issues, enhancing personalized healthcare, and fostering patient independence, particularly in the context of an aging population. Methodology: This study employs a comprehensive state-of-the-art review methodology, synthesizing existing literature on the application of IoT and ML in healthcare. It explores various use cases and technological advancements that facilitate the continuous collection and analysis of patient data through wearable sensors and remote monitoring devices. Results: The study finds that the convergence of IoT and ML has significantly advanced remote healthcare monitoring by enabling real-time data collection and intelligent data analysis. This integration allows for early detection of health issues, improved personalized healthcare services, and increased autonomy for patients, especially the elderly. Implication of the Study: The implications of this study are substantial for both healthcare providers and technology developers. It provides insights into the potential of IoT and ML to revolutionize patient monitoring systems, reduce the strain on healthcare facilities, and improve patient outcomes. The study also highlights the importance of adopting these technologies for addressing the growing demand for personalized, data-driven healthcare. Novelty: This study uniquely synthesizes the state-of-the-art developments at the intersection of IoT and ML within the healthcare sector. It contributes to the field by offering a comprehensive overview of the ways these technologies are collectively enhancing remote healthcare monitoring and shaping future trends in healthcare innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthrax is endemic in various pockets of India, but many cases remain undocumented due to lack of a proper diagnostic system. Anthrax is caused by Bacillus anthracis, a Gram-positive, spore forming, rod-shaped bacterium The clone construction has remained a very essential step in any expression study. The protective antigen toxin of the B. anthracis is the central toxin and extensively studied for its applicability in diagnosis and prophylaxis. This study reports construction of a PA-pET28a clone which will act as a backbone for expression study and analysis. Full length PA gene was amplified using the genome of Sterne vaccine strain as template. The complete PA gene (~2226bp) was amplified after optimizing the PCR annealing conditions using gradient PCR followed by RE digestion of the insert and vector. The digested vector and insert were ligated and transformed in to E.coli TOP 10 cells for screening and isolation of the PA-pET28a clone. The in-silico characterization of the PA protein indicated the soluble nature and high antigenicity of the protein. The PApET28a clone will serve as a backbone for expression studies and development of a candidate for suitable diagnostic and vaccines in livestock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Longhole stoping is a productive exploitation technique for underground metalliferous deposits. The method consists of deep-hole blasting with increased explosive charges to excavate larger volume of ore from a single blast. However, large scale blasting produces hazards in terms of blast-induced vibration. The underground structures viz. drivages, cross-cuts, shaft pillar, shaft, decline, etc. in the proximity of blasting face need to be safeguarded from damages due to blast vibration. This paper is a case study on investigating the influence of the charging parameters on the safety of nearby underground structures at Sindesar-Khurd Lead-Zinc underground mine. Experimental blasts with variations in charging parameters were performed at the mine for this purpose. The ground vibration data were recorded from the experiment and analysed using neural network analysis and regression analysis. The importance of different charging parameters on ground vibration magnitude has been identified using importance analysis. Regression analysis has been carried out to establish predictor equations correlating different charging parameters with peak particle velocity (PPV). The influence of charging parameters has also been investigated using Probability-value (P-value) approach. The neural network and regression analysis approaches have identified the zones from the blasting face where, distance, maximum charge weight per delay, total explosive charge in a ring and total explosive charge in a blasting round has significant impact. Accordingly, the predictors consisting of different charging parameters have been established. The optimum charging parameters have been suggested based on these predictors for blasting at the mine. The suggested charging parameters are focused on to reduce vibration near underground structures within the safe limit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last few decades, the development in the field of radical chemistry has gained great attention. The majority of these radical strategies mainly depend on the in situ generation of reactive radical species by employing radical initiators such as oxidants and metal salts or methods such as photocatalysis and electrochemistry etc. This review covers the literature on the generation of imidoyl radicals using photoredox catalysis. In the majority of the reactions, the spontaneity of the underlying SET transitions is correlated by the compiled redox potential data of the reacting species for a better understanding of the readers. Besides, the applications of these reactive imidoyl radicals to access a variety of heterocycles such as benzothiazoles, indoles, quinoxalines, phenanthridines, isoquinolines, pyridines, and amides are also addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photocatalytic amidation of α‐keto aldehydes is herein investigated. This transformation was achieved using rose bengal as photocatalyst at room temperature under ambient air and under irradiation of a 20 W white LED bulb. The method is mild, efficient and environmentally benign. This photocatalytic method is compatible with different unsubstituted and substituted α‐keto aldehydes having electron‐withdrawing or ‐donating groups, secondary amines, cyclic or acyclic, and primary aliphatic amines. Mechanistic studies reveal that the reaction proceeds via oxidative quenching of the photocatalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient and green strategy is developed to synthesize 2‐amino‐2‐oxospiro [indoline‐3, 4′‐pyran]‐3′‐carbonitriles. The method encompasses a domino multicomponent reaction using isatin or acetanaphthelenequinone, malononitrile or ethylcyanoacetate and enolizable 1, 3‐dicarbonyl compounds without any promoter and catalyst in one pot through hand grinding in excellent yields within minutes. Fused pyran‐spiro‐oxindoles have been synthesized from readily available starting materials such as isatin, malononitrile and some 1, 3‐dicarbonyl compounds by employing domino multicomponent reaction strategy assisted by mechano‐chemical (hand grinding) technique under solvent and catalyst free conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing fabrication cost of CMOS-based computing devices and the ever-approaching limits of their fabrication have led to the search for feasible options with high device density and low power waste. Quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA) is an emerging technology with such potential to match the design target beyond the limits of state-of-the-art CMOS. But nanotechnologies, like QCA are extremely susceptible to various forms of flaws and variations during fabrication at nano scale. Thus, the exploration of ingenious fault tolerant structure around QCA is gaining high importance. This work targets a new robust QCA tile structure hybridizing rotated and non-rotated cell together resulting lesser kink energy. Different QCA logic primitives (majority/minority logic, fanout tiles, etc.) are made using such hybrid cell structure. The functional characterization using the kink energy and the polarization level of such QCA structures under different cell defects have been thoroughly investigated. The results suggest that the proposedQCAlogic primitives have achieved high fault tolerance of 97.43 %. Also, 100%fault tolerance can be ascertained if the proposed logic circuit drives the correct output with the application of 〈001, 011〉 as a primitive test vector only. A comparative performance of the proposed logic over existing structuremakes it more reliable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: India is a major contributor to the global burden of leprosy and tuberculosis (TB), which adversely affects the poorest tribal communities. Despite prioritisation by disease control programmes, programme performance for leprosy and TB in tribal communities continues to be a challenge. In addition to access to services and infrastructural limitations, socio-cultural concepts of illness causation and related help seeking (HS) rooted in distinct features of tribal culture need to be addressed to improve programme outcomes. Methods: A cultural epidemiological survey of leprosy and TB patients was carried out using a locally adapted, semi-structured explanatory model interviews. A total of 100 leprosy and 50 TB patients registered for treatment at government health facilities were selected randomly from tribal dominant blocks of the Thane district, Maharashtra state. The perceived causes (PCs) of leprosy and TB in patients were compared based on prominence categories. The relationship between PCs as predictors, and disease conditions and HS preferences as outcome variables were assessed using multivariate logistic regression. Results: In the multivariate logistic regression model with disease conditions as outcome variables, TB patients were significantly more likely to report PCs in the categories of ingestion; health, illness and injury; and traditional, cultural and supernatural. Tuberculosis patients more frequently first sought help from private facilities as compared to leprosy patients who preferred government health facilities. In a combined analysis of leprosy and TB patients employing multivariate logistic regression, it was found that patients who reported PCs in the environmental and contact-related categories were more likely to visit traditional rather than non-traditional practitioners. In another multivariate combined model, it was found that patients who reported PCs in the traditional, cultural and supernatural category were significantly more likely to visit private rather than public health facilities. Conclusion: Cultural concepts about illness causation and associated HS behaviours should be considered as priorities for action, which in turn would provide the necessary impetus to ensure that tribal patients seek help in a timely and appropriate manner, and could facilitate improvement in programme performance in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: India is a major contributor to the global burden of leprosy and tuberculosis (TB), which adversely affects the poorest tribal communities. Despite prioritisation by disease control programmes, programme performance for leprosy and TB in tribal communities continues to be a challenge. In addition to access to services and infrastructural limitations, socio-cultural concepts of illness causation and related help seeking (HS) rooted in distinct features of tribal culture need to be addressed to improve programme outcomes. Methods: A cultural epidemiological survey of leprosy and TB patients was carried out using a locally adapted, semi-structured explanatory model interviews. A total of 100 leprosy and 50 TB patients registered for treatment at government health facilities were selected randomly from tribal dominant blocks of the Thane district, Maharashtra state. The perceived causes (PCs) of leprosy and TB in patients were compared based on prominence categories. The relationship between PCs as predictors, and disease conditions and HS preferences as outcome variables were assessed using multivariate logistic regression. Results: In the multivariate logistic regression model with disease conditions as outcome variables, TB patients were significantly more likely to report PCs in the categories of ingestion; health, illness and injury; and traditional, cultural and supernatural. Tuberculosis patients more frequently first sought help from private facilities as compared to leprosy patients who preferred government health facilities. In a combined analysis of leprosy and TB patients employing multivariate logistic regression, it was found that patients who reported PCs in the environmental and contact-related categories were more likely to visit traditional rather than non-traditional practitioners. In another multivariate combined model, it was found that patients who reported PCs in the traditional, cultural and supernatural category were significantly more likely to visit private rather than public health facilities. Conclusion: Cultural concepts about illness causation and associated HS behaviours should be considered as priorities for action, which in turn would provide the necessary impetus to ensure that tribal patients seek help in a timely and appropriate manner, and could facilitate improvement in programme performance in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was undertaken to investigate whether RP-1 treatment protected mitochondrial system against radiation damage and also to unravel the mechanism associated with this process. Radioprotection of mitochondrial system by Podophyllum hexandrum (RP-1) was investigated to understand its mechanism of action. Levels of superoxide anion (O2−), reduced or oxidized glutathione (GSH or GSSG), thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS), protein carbonyl (PC), ATP, NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase (complex-I), NADH-cytochrome c oxidoreductase (complex I/II), succinate-cytochrome c oxidoreductase (complex II/III) and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) were studied in mitochondria isolated from liver of mice belonging to various treatment groups. Whole body γ-irradiation (10 Gy) significantly (p < 0.01) increased the formation of O2−, PC, and TBARS, upto 24 h as compared to untreated control. RP-1 treatment (200 mg/kg b.w.) to mice 2 h before irradiation reduced the radiation-induced O2− generation within 4 h and formation of TBARS and PC upto 24 h significantly (p < 0.01). Singularly irradiation or RP-1 treatment significantly (p < 0.01) increased the levels of glutathione within an hour, as compared to untreated control. Pre-irradiation administration of RP-1 enhanced levels of GSH induced increase in complex I (upto 16 h), complex I/III (4 h) complex II/III activity (upto 24 h; p < 0.01) and inhibited the radiation-induced decrease in MMP significantly (24 h; p < 0.01). The present study indicates that RP-1 itself modulates several mitichondrial perameters due to its influence on the biochemical milieu within and outside the cells. However, RP-1 treatment before irradiation modulates radiation induced perturbations such as the increase in electron transport chain enzyme activity, formation of O2−, TBARS and PC to offer radioprotection (Mol Cell Biochem 266: 65–77, 2004) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radioprotection by an aqueous extract of Podophyllum hexandrum (RP-1) was investigated in HepG2 cells by evaluating colony forming efficacy (CFE), redox status of mitochondria, reactive oxygen species (ROS), generation of nitric oxide (NO), peroxidation of lipids and intracellular glutathione. Lower concentrations of RP-1 (0.1 and 1 μg/ml) rendered maximum radioprotection when administered 1 or 2 h before irradiation. Higher concentrations (5 and 10 μg/ml) however were less effective when administered 1 or 2 h before irradiation, but were more effective with increased time intervals (4 or 8 h) between RP-1 administration and irradiation. RP-1 pre-treatment also significantly inhibited radiation-induced MTT reduction in a concentration and time-dependent manner by decreasing gamma radiation-induced leakage of electrons from electron transport chain. Pre-irradiation administration of RP-1 significantly reduced both ROS and NO generation and enhanced glutathione levels, thereby inhibiting lipid peroxidation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A correction to the article "Analysis and Optimization of Sleeping Mode in WiMAX via Stochastic Decomposition Techniques" that was published in the September 2011 issue is presented.

The paper establishes a general approach for analyzing queueing models with repeated inhomogeneous vacations. The server goes on for a vacation if the inactivity prolongs more than the vacation trigger duration. Once the system enters in vacation mode, it may continue for several consecutive vacations, possibly with a different probability distribution. We study a simple M/G/1 queue, which has the advantage of being tractable analytically. The theoretical model is applied to the problem of power saving for mobile devices in which the sleep durations of a device correspond to the server vacations. Various system performance metrics such as the frame response time and the economy of energy are derived. A constrained optimization problem is formulated to maximize the economy of energy in power save mode with QoS constraints. An illustration of the proposed methods is shown with a WiMAX system scenario to obtain design parameters for better performance. Our analysis allows us not only to optimize the system parameters for a given traffic intensity but also to propose parameters that provide the best performance under worst case conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

We consider a mobile connected to a base station, and study how to optimally schedule shutting off its transceiver. First, we study the model from optimal control perspective. We consider off-times (periods of inactivity) of (controlled) duration. We study the question of scheduling "waking up" instants in which the mobile communicates with the base station and checks whether the inactivity period is over. There is a cost proportional to the delay from the moment the off-time ends until the mobile discovers it, a (small) running cost while the mobile is sleeping and a cost for waking up. We present conditions for optimal sleep periods to be constant and derive the optimal period. For the case that the conditions do not hold, we obtain suboptimal solutions which perform strictly better than the optimal constant one. We then investigate optimality restricted to classes of policies with specific constraints. We adopt the parametric optimization approach which entails cost minimization for a given parameterized policy and selection of the best policy among a class. We then compare the performance of optimal policies, of the proposed suboptimal policies as well as that of standard policies like IEEE 802.16e. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]