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Magnetorheological Elastomers (MRE) endure a change in mechanical properties with the application of an externally applied magnetic field. It consists of an elastomeric matrix reinforced with ferromagnetic powdered particles. This paper focuses on the investigation of viscoelastic properties of Room Temperature Vulcanized (RTV) silicone based isotropic MRE in sandwich beam configuration by varying the volume percentage of Carbonyl Iron Powdered (CIP) reinforcement. Viscoelastic properties of the MRE core material were calculated by following the ASTM E756-05 standard. The magnetic field was applied by employing a Halbach array which was numerically analyzed using Finite Element Method Magnetics (FEMM). The magnetic field was varied up to 0.15 T. Loss factor and shear modulus were found to be strongly influenced by the percentage content of CIP. The loss factor and shear modulus of 30% MRE at 0.15 T were higher than other tested samples. The variation of natural frequency with respect to the addition of CIP was validated numerically using Modal analysis conducted in Hyperworks.

Researchers are trying to find an alternative to the conventional methods of treatment for various pain associated ailments. Patients prefer pain killer as an immediate solution which is proven to have adverse reactions. Since vibroacoustic sound therapy has shown to have relieving effect on different forms of pain, the goal of the study was to find impact of the same using β-endorphin as biomarker, as this could be non-invasive protocol for dental pain management in the future. As a pilot project, 9 subjects of 20-40 years, clinically diagnosed with acute pulpal pain were considered and exposed to 3 frequency groups (low, moderate and high). Impact of vibroacoustic therapy was clinically evaluated by analyzing human salivary β-endorphin using Elisa kit and pain rated by the patients through a numeric rating scale. Statistical analysis performed showed that there is no significant difference for the entire population (P=0.0526), in (P= 0.3618, 0.8264, 0.0671) and between (P=0.4637) the study groups. It would be misleading to take inference due to the small sample size and other observations made.

Introduction: Obesity is a lifestyle disease that is becoming prevalent nowadays and is associated with a surplus in energy balance related to lipid metabolism, inflammation and hypoxic condition, resulting in maladaptive adipose tissue expansion. This study used the publicly available gene dataset to identify a small subset of important genes for diagnostics or as potential targets for therapeutics. Methods: Chemometric analyses by principal component analysis (PCA), random forest (RF), and genetic algorithm (GA) were used to identify 50 genes that differentiate adipose samples from high-fat diet- and normal diet-fed mice. The first 30 important genes were studied for classifying the samples using six different classification techniques. Gene ontology (GO), pathway analysis, and protein-protein interaction studies on the 50 selected genes were subsequently done to identify important functional genes. Finally, gene regulatory effects by microRNA were assessed to confirm the genes’ potential as targets for new therapeutic drugs. Results: The genes identified by RF are best for differentiating the samples, followed by PCA, with the least predictability shown by genes chosen by GA. However, PCA identified more genes with functional importance, such as the hub genes ATP5a1 and Apoa1. ATP5a1 is the main hub gene, whereas Apoa1 is involved in cholesterol metabolism. Vapa and Npc2 are crosstalk genes that link both of these main genes and could be targeted for therapeutic drug design. Conclusion: The combination of different chemometric techniques and functional analysis of genes could be used to select for a small number of genes which could serve as more suitable diagnostic or therapeutic targets.

In this research, the results of different weight percentage of glass fiber (30, 40 & 50), cement (0, 3 & 6) and polyester resin (70, 60 & 50), on the properties of glass fiber-cement-polyester composites are investigated. The specimens are prepared by hand lay-up technique. All the specimens are tested for tensile and flexural strength as per ASTM standards. Results showed that escalation in glass fiber wt.% improved the tensile strength (by 9% at 40 wt.% and 17% at 50 wt.%) and flexural strength (by 10% at 40 wt.% and 16.5% at 50 wt.%). Whereas an increase in cement weight percentage decreases tensile strength and increases flexural strength. The failure of the sample is due to glass fiber pull out and rupture of the matrix, under tensile load.

Permo-Triassic formations in Mandapetta field from eastern onshore, India possesses historical drilling challenges in terms of wellbore instability, non-productive time and poor hole condition in deep higher stressed formations. Lack of acquiring reliable log data and problems in recovering good quality cores present difficulties in proper formation evaluation and zone selection for testing. Historical well test results in target K-Formation has been not encouraging despite good gas shows during drilling. Estimated formation pressure gradient ranges 1.45sg-1.52sg. Layered shale with coal and tight sandstone in same open hole section pose risks of mud losses and poor cement job. Present study highlights the workflow adopted to improve drilling and completion in open hole section of more than 1000 m with varying lithology being drilled successfully. Advanced 3D anisotropic acoustic measurements acquired are used to estimate anisotropic elastic properties (vertical and horizontal Young's modulus and Poisson's ratio) in the overlying shales. Horizontal tectonics has been determined across stress induced anisotropic layers. This approach provides better understanding of formations and stress distribution. Thomsen Gamma values range 0.1 to 0.4 in shale layers of overburden formations. In order to minimize uncertainty in 8.5inch section while drilling, advanced logs were acquired in 12.25inch hole section to estimate tectonics at well location while constraining ratio of horizontal to vertical Young's modulus and Poisson Ratio in shale layers based on Thomsen Gamma and clay volume. Analysis suggested typical VTI anisotropy of 15%-20% in shale layers. Inverted direct horizontal strain parameters at well location suggested the ratio of maximum to minimum horizontal stress to vary 1.15-1.23. Mud weight used while drilling 8.5inch section ranged 1.49sg1.52sg against the recommended mud weight of 1.50sg-1.52sg while pumping sealing agents to prevent mud losses in coal layers. Flow rate was maintained on lower values to minimize ECD values. Hole condition improved significantly with no issues in logging. Post-drill anisotropic rock mechanics model suggested good quality sandstone in target source formation with usual conventional reservoir in shallower formation. Zone was selected based on permeability, breakdown and completion quality for perforations. Analysis of high-quality sonic slowness helped to identify possible gas reservoir in laminated source rock. There was stress contrast of 2000psi-2500psi among reservoir layers and shale stress barriers. Implemented workflow and successful execution helped to drill the well 5 days earlier than plan with no major drilling incidents. Successful core recovery for Shale Gas evaluation was also possible due to better wellbore quality. Initial testing of K-Formation produced gas with significant improved flow rate by 150% without any stimulation for the 1st time in the history of the field.

Nicotine (C10 H14 N2) exists in all parts of the plant but notably in the leaves. Nicotiana tabacum, or cultivated tobacco, is an annually grown herbaceous plant of the Nicotiana genus. In this study a rapid and sensitive evaluation of Nicotine by Thin Layer Chromatography is carried out.

Increment in energy demand, stringent outflow standards and consumption of oil assets have driven the specialists to discover alternative energizes source for internal combustion engine. On the other hand the plastic waste creates a serious problem to environments. Due to this facts researchers found a solution to rectify both problem by converting waste plastics into oil through pyrolysis process. In this paper a detailed review about the production of oil from waste plastics, engine performance and emission characteristics while using plastic oil as fuel and also varies approaches followed by different authors to overcome the problems faced by engine while using plastic oil as fuel in engine was discussed. Due to more aromatic component the plastic oil as fuel cannot be used as long term so deep study and advance technology needed in future in order to overcome this problem of braking the aromatic compound in combustion problem

Interpersonal violence (IPV) is highly prevalent in the United States and is a major public health problem. The emergence and/or worsening of chronic pain are known sequelae of IPV; however, not all those who experience IPV develop chronic pain. To mitigate its development, it is critical to identify the factors that are associated with increased risk of pain after IPV. This proof-of-concept study used machine-learning strategies to predict pain severity and interference in 47 young women, ages 18 to 30, who experienced an incident of IPV (i.e., physical and/or sexual assault) within three months of their baseline assessment. Young women are more likely than men to experience IPV and to subsequently develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and chronic pain. Women completed a comprehensive assessment of theory-driven cognitive and neurobiological predictors of pain severity and pain-related interference (e.g., pain, coping, disability, psychiatric diagnosis/symptoms, PTSD/trauma, executive function, neuroendocrine, and physiological stress response). Gradient boosting machine models were used to predict symptoms of pain severity and pain-related interference across time (Baseline, 1-,3-,6- follow-up assessments). Models showed excellent predictive performance for pain severity and adequate predictive performance for pain-related interference. This proof-of-concept study suggests that machine-learning approaches are a useful tool for identifying predictors of pain development in survivors of recent IPV. Baseline measures of pain, family life impairment, neuropsychological function, and trauma history were of greatest importance in predicting pain and pain-related interference across a 6-month follow-up period. Present findings support the use of machine-learning techniques in larger studies of post-IPV pain development and highlight theory-driven predictors that could inform the development of targeted early intervention programs. However, these results should be replicated in a larger dataset with lower levels of missing data.

A substantial minority of women who experience interpersonal violence will develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). One critical challenge for preventing PTSD is predicting whose acute posttraumatic stress symptoms will worsen to a clinically significant degree. This 6-month longitudinal study adopted multilevel modeling and exploratory machine learning (ML) methods to predict PTSD onset in 58 young women, ages 18 to 30, who experienced an incident of physical and/or sexual assault in the three months prior to baseline assessment. Women completed baseline assessments of theory-driven cognitive and neurobiological predictors and interview-based measures of PTSD diagnostic status and symptom severity at 1-, 3-, and 6-month follow-ups. Higher levels of self-blame, generalized anxiety disorder severity, childhood trauma exposure, and impairment across multiple domains were associated with a pattern of high and stable posttraumatic stress symptom severity over time. Predictive performance for PTSD onset was similarly strong for a gradient boosting machine learning model including all predictors and a logistic regression model including only baseline posttraumatic stress symptom severity. The present findings provide directions for future work on PTSD prediction among interpersonal violence survivors that could enhance early risk detection and potentially inform targeted prevention programs.

BACKGROUND Lung carcinomas are quite commonly diagnosed. Thanks to the ever increasing smokers’ population. Majority of the city dwellers are at a higher risk of having this disease when compared to the village counterparts. The stigma through which the person and the family have to undergo before confirming the diagnosis is enormous. So the radiographic methods of diagnosing the malignancies have to improve. Before confirming the diagnosis, the radiologists, the treating physicians should be somewhat confident about the diagnosis so as to prepare the patients and their relatives for the most probable diagnosis before the confirmatory report. The confirmatory procedures include the PET scan and the Histopathology. Both are time consuming procedures and in an economy like ours, finding a PET scanning centre is rather difficult. So the most probable diagnosis has to be thought of using minimal resource. This study puts in a sincere effort to understand and evaluate the pulmonary nodule when identified by a CT scan. This paper is intended to help the practicing radiologists and also make life easy for a practicing physician to identify correctly the lesions and also help the patients to prevent further progression of the disease. METHODS The study was a cross-sectional study. The sample size of the study consisted of thirty patients. CT scan was done in thirty patients who were identified to have lung nodules either by other mode of radiological studies or first time identified in a CT scan itself. The study was conducted in Fathima Institute of Medical Sciences, Kadapa. The study was conducted from 2014 to 2015. RESULT Non-solid nodules were more in number when compared to the solid nodules. All the non-solid nodules were confirmed to be adenomas. Eighty percent of the nodules which were more than 8 mm in size were confirmed to be malignant. One hundred percent of the spiculated border on CT was confirmed to be malignant. In the present study, the lobulated mass was confirmed to be malignant in one hundred percent of cases. One case that was infectious origin was also lobulated in appearance. In eighty percent of the confirmed malignant cases, the halo sign was negative. Calcification was negative in one hundred percent cases of confirmed malignancy and the cavitation with thick wall was seen in one hundred percent of confirmed malignancy. Air bronchogram was positive in all the cases of confirmed cases of malignancy. Increase in the size of more than 4 mm was confirmed to be malignant in one hundred percent of cases. CONCLUSION The different characteristic features of the presenting pulmonary nodules has been identified and discussed successfully. The different features once the lesions have been confirmed by PET and histopathological reports gives an extra edge of suspecting the cases early and also helps to diagnose the life-threatening diseases. The life-threatening diseases if diagnosed and evaluated early gives the physicians that extra precious time to respond to the needs of the patients and also in some cases to save the life of the patients.

As a consequence of the recent developments in the fields of Artificial Intelligence, Computer Vision and advancements in the processing capabilities of embedded processors, robots are gaining widespread acceptance for applications in indoor environments. The basic requirements of a robot that is meant for interior applications include the ability to localize itself in the environment and navigate through it. While localization using specific markers has its advantages, a more generic solution would involve the use of a 2D map and adequate algorithms to navigate the area using this map. This paper proposes a design for an autonomous robot that can achieve the basic requirements of navigation in a static environment using low-cost 3D cameras like Kinect. The designed robot uses particle filters to localize in a 2D map. Once localized, it uses A* algorithm for global path planning. Once a path is available, feedback from odometry is used by a PID controller to achieve motion control.

Background World Health Organisation´s South-East Asia Region is home to about one fourth of the world's population. Of this, there are about 246 million smokers and 290 million smokeless tobacco users. In addition to the human toll, the effects of tobacco are felt significantly in the economy of a country. The World Bank has declared that, when effects of poverty due to loss of income, spending on tobacco and costs of illness are taken into account, tobacco use is a net loss to an economy. Methods Objective of the study: To determine the correlation of tobacco use with tobacco related disease burden and developmental indicators of South East Asian countries. Study method: Secondary data-based Cross-Sectional Study Data sources: Data on tobacco prevalence, cancer prevalence, human development index, tobacco economics and poverty indicators during the year 2014-2015 were collected from various sources such as WHO Report on Global Tobacco Epidemic 2015, World Bank data, Tobacco Atlas and World Life Expectancy 2014 reports. Data analysis: Data were analyzed using Pearsonn´s Correlation Coefficient on SPSS version 16. Results were considered significant at 95% level of significance. Results The Study represented data of 11 Countries of the WHO South East Asia Region. Current smoking prevalence ranged between 2.80% and 39.80% with a mean prevalence of 20.7% (± 9.24). Both prevalence of smoking and number of cigarettes smoked per year per ca-pita in the 11 countries had a positive moderate correlation with the number of deaths per 100000 population due to lung cancer (r= 0.62 & 0.76; P=0.04 & 0.01). Oral Cancer increased with prevalence of smokeless tobacco use (r=0.07; P=0.07). [Correlates between tobacco use and tobacco burden] Conclusions The study findings suggest that tobacco prevalence, tobacco related deaths and tobacco economics can be correlated with the health profile of countries in the region. These countries show positive correlation between tobacco use and related diseases.

Nowadays the market is increasingly demanding more customized products, thus making the manufacturers under the pressure of cost reduction, to survive in the highly competitive market. Working on this, Robert Bosch INdia (RBIN) Limited, Bangalore Plant (BanP) designs and produces Diesel systems which make vehicles more cleaner and economical. To be the world’s leading manufacturer of diesel injection systems, Bosch has to manufacture its very own design to fulfill the requirements for every customers, economically. Fuel Injection Equipment in diesel engine is the “Heart of the Engine” and plays a major role in its performance, emissions and reliability. Hot Forged Rail (HFR) finds its application in common rail fuel injection system, which stores the fuel at high pressure (1600bar). And at the same time, the pressure oscillation, which is generated due to the high pressure pump delivery and the injection of fuel are damped by the rail volume. Its design varies according to customer requirement and engine design. Therefore, BanP has to produce different types of rails to complete diesel market in India. In order to be customer centric and productive, BOSCH follows Bosch Production Systems (BPS), the elements of BPS in Lean manufacturing are Value Stream Mapping (VSM), Value Stream Design (VSD) and Value Stream Planning (VSP). The Single Minute Exchange of Die (SMED) is one important lean manufacturing tool to reduce waste and improve production flexibility, allowing lot size reduction and manufacturing flow improvements. Quick Change Over (QCO) is a set of activities (preparation, changing and adjustment) which are being carried out in between the production of two varieties to reduce changeover time and to reach the optimum production running. The proposed SMED approach was tested for injection machines changeovers in the automotive industry and the implementation had enabled reduction in setup time, through company’s internal resources reorganizations without the need for significant investment. The objective of the present study is to implement the SMED/QCO tool approach in RBIN, BanP, HFR production line to reduce the changeover time by >65% and improve availability by 15%, thereby eliminating the possibility of investing on new production line to meet customer demand.

Tracheobronchial foreign body (TFB) aspiration can be a life-threatening emergency associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Aspiration of foreign bodies into the tracheobronchial tree is common in pediatric age group but rarer in adults. Adults account for only about 20% of the reported cases. The clinical presentation in adults may vary from being asymptomatic to severe respiratory distress. In this case report, we describe two cases of bronchial foreign body one with an unusual presentation of a common foreign body and the other an unusual foreign body.

Background: Majority of students tend to have their own preferred pastime physical exercise in dealing stress and to benefit them in their academic piece. Aim: The present cross sectional survey is aimed to probe the positive networking between physical exercise and academic performances amongst future medical professionals in Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA). Review of literature: The reviews of previous researches validate that there may be some short-term improvements of stress related positive mental activity such as memory enrichment but the long-term improvement of academic achievement as a result of more vigorous physical activity is not well corroborated. The relationship between physical activity in student and academic outcomes requires further exposition. Justification: Since previous research did not clearly state the positive relationship between exercise carried out by students and academic excellence in a longer time span, therefore our research aims to find out apt exercise(s) that students prefer in improving their mental state and in turn academic enrichment among both preclinical and clinical phase MBBS students in UniSZA through survey done by questionnaires. Expected outcome: The outcome of this research will hopefully benefit not only the medical students of UniSZA but also others by encouraging a healthy lifestyle and also reduce the incidence of chronic health diseases. Methodology: The respondents are the future medical professionals (year I to V) of UniSZA residing in MAIDAM with 100 in number which includes both genders and different races. Results and Interpretation: The following yardsticks were scrutinized through the questionnaire and were tabulated as per the detail furnished. i.e. choice of exercise, period of practice, duration of exercise per session, past and current CGPA results, and their level of stress. Conclusion: From this cross sectional study among future UniSZA meducationists, it could be postulated that the choice of physical exercise may have an impact on stress-free academic performance.

Background: Chronic pulmonary disease is increasing day by day due to lifestyle of general population. Smoking and air pollution are important factors. The present study was carried out to know the bacteriological profile of such cases. Methods: A total of 64 patients suffering with COPD were included in this study. Purulent sputum was collected from all the patients and subjected to routine bacteriological study. Culture positive were identified by routine bacteriological methods and antimicrobial susceptibility tests were performed using Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method, MIC were determined following CLSI guidelines. Results: Out of 64 samples, 51 showed culture positive. Among aerobic bacteria, Pseudomonas was found to be predominant (54.05%) which was immediately followed by Klebsiella (45.94%). Amikacin was found to be effective (90%), followed by imipenim (85%) and trimethoprim (85%). The ureidopenicillin, piperacillin showed 70% sensitivity. All the strains were resistant to ampicillin and co-trimoxazole (100%). Conclusion: Antipseudomonal agents, imipenim and piperacillin were effective though slight resistance was noted. Therefore continuous monitoring of antipseudomonal agents is necessary to combat the development of resistance. Health education regarding smoking and air pollution needs to be strongly implemented.

A new model of limb xenotransplantation has been developed to determine whether the newer immunosuppressive agents, FK-506 and RS-61443, either alone or in combination, can delay the rejection of a composite limb xenograft from donor Golden Syrian hamsters to recipient Lewis rats. Using a short-term course of immunosuppression for 14 days post-transplant, both FK-506 2 mg/kg/day and RS-61443 30 mg/kg/day were able to delay rejection. FK-506-treated animals had a mean rejection time of 10.2 days and RS-61443-treated animals had a mean rejection time of 10 days, compared with a mean rejection time of 6.4 days in non-immunosuppressed controls. Combination and sequential immunosuppression with both FK-506 and RS-61443 did not produce any improvement, compared with single-agent immunosuppression, and were quite toxic. Histologically, FK-506 seemed to prevent signs of rejection in the skin and muscle components of the limb xenograft better than RS-61443.

This article 'Donors for quality traits from the international aromatic nursery' appeared in the International Rice Research Notes series, created by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) to expedite communication among scientists concerned with the development of improved technology for rice and rice-based systems. The series is a mechanism to help scientists keep each other informed of current rice research findings. The concise scientific notes are meant to encourage rice scientists to communicate with one another to obtain details on the research reported.

This article 'Rice Cultures Resistant to Rice Gall Midge (GM) Biotypes 1 and 4 Under Artificial Infestation in Greenhouse' appeared in the International Rice Research Notes series, created by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) to expedite communication among scientists concerned with the development of improved technology for rice and rice-based systems. The series is a mechanism to help scientists keep each other informed of current rice research findings. The concise scientific notes are meant to encourage rice scientists to communicate with one another to obtain details on the research reported.

Ten patients with extremity sarcomas adriamycin 60 mg/M2 into the artery supplying the area of tumor. There were minimal local side effects consisting of occasional local erythema or slight transitory pain. Nine of these patients had subsequent surgery, and an average 32.86% histologic tumor necrosis was recorded in the peripherally viable areas of seven patients with residual tumor, compared to a 5.71% necrosis recorded in the biopsy sections (P value less than 0.01).

This article 'Performance of Early Prasanna Variety' appeared in the International Rice Research Newsletter series, created by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). The primary objective of this publication was to expedite communication among scientists concerned with the development of improved technology for rice and for rice based cropping systems. This publication will report what scientists are doing to increase the production of rice in as much as this crop feeds the most densely populated and land scarce nations in the world.

This article 'Breeding Varieties for Rainfed Upland Situations' appeared in the International Rice Research Newsletter series, created by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). The primary objective of this publication was to expedite communication among scientists concerned with the development of improved technology for rice and for rice based cropping systems. This publication will report what scientists are doing to increase the production of rice in as much as this crop feeds the most densely populated and land scarce nations in the world.

This article 'An Improved Method for Field Screening Cultures Resistant to Brown Planthopper' appeared in the International Rice Research Newsletter series, created by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). The primary objective of this publication was to expedite communication among scientists concerned with the development of improved technology for rice and for rice based cropping systems. This publication will report what scientists are doing to increase the production of rice in as much as this crop feeds the most densely populated and land scarce nations in the world.