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A lightweight and highly versatile architecture for replicating the resistance of a source memristor into a destination memristor is presented. This can be useful for storing or backing up sensed analogue information, e.g. sensed resistance, voltage, etc. in a single memristor. The architecture, which is simple and power efficient, is also able to produce non‐linear digital codes during the replication process for added security by taking advantage of the non‐linear behaviour of memristors. The generated codes can also be used to retrieve the analogue value within acceptable conversion errors, with circuit elements already built into the replicator. The authors also show that the architecture demonstrates physical uncloneable properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India is experiencing multiple transitions with respect to nutrition patterns, epidemiology and demography. Along with staggering childhood undernutrition, a rapid rise in chronic diseases and their risk factors including overweight-obesity ( O- O), among all sections of society, is compounding India's health challenges. We present an overview of the O- O scenario (prevalence, determinants) and profile existing initiatives to address this modifiable risk factor in India. Urgent attention from all sectors, committed resources, policy support and targeted actions are warranted to combat the dual burden of malnutrition. The health systems should be reoriented and strengthened, in addition to enabling actions in other sectors, to address prevention and control of non-communicable diseases and associated risk factors like O- O. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background In spite of a perception that alcohol use is rampant in Nepal, there has been no survey to assess the extent of alcohol dependence in the country. Aims (i) To assess prevalence of alcohol dependence in the community of Dharan and (ii) to correlate this with various socio-demographic characteristics. Design The CAGE questionnaire was administered to all adult individuals in houses selected randomly in the township of Dharan. Findings Among 2344 adults assessed, the prevalence of alcohol dependence was found to be 25.8%. The prevalence of alcohol dependence increased with age to peak in the age group 45-54 years and was more than twice as common in men as in women. Also, alcohol dependence was more common among those with lower level of education, widowers and divorcees and those belonging to the Matwali community. The extent of dependence was influenced by socio-cultural sanctions. Conclusions The prevalence of alcohol dependence is too high for comfort in Dharan, a town in eastern Nepal. There is an urgent need to formulate a policy for substance abuse in the country taking into account the findings of this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

α-Mercapto-β-(2-furyl) acrylic acid (MFA), α-mercapto-β-(phenyl) acrylic acid (MPA), α-mercapto-β-(2-hydroxyphenyl) acrylic acid (MHA), α-mercapto-β-(4-methoxyphenyl) acrylic acid (MMA), β-1,2-phenylene di-α-mercapto acrylic acid (1, 2-PDMA) and β-1, 4-phenylene di-α-mercapto acrylic acid (1, 4-PDMA) enhanced faecal excretion and reduced liver, spleen and blood burden of inorganic mercury when administered (0.5 m mol/kg, in two split doses) 24 hr after Hg (II) (1 mg/kg) in rats. MFA, MPA, MHA and MMA were also effective in lowering renal Hg mainly from the cytosol, without any significant increase in urinary excretion of Hg. The results indicate that all the mono-mercapto acrylic acids including MFA were more effective than di-mercapto acrylic acids and act through the mechanism characteristic of thiol chelators, that is, mobilization of Hg as their complexes, contrary to the reported observation that MFA acts through the induction of metallothionein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new technique for second harmonic distortion (HD2) reduction is presented. The proposed technique can be very useful for front-end receiver applications where single-ended high-gain, low-distortion amplifiers are required. The theoretical analysis and simulations of this scheme in which the second derivative of the current can be cancelled by using an extra transistor biased in the triode region in parallel to a MOSFET in saturation is presented. This technique is also robust to process variations as a result of the use of a tuning voltage in the proposed design. A 9 dB reduction in the magnitude of HD2 has been achieved with this technique compared with an amplifier of similar power consumption. This technique can be used in a design without significant impact on area, power or noise performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a case of a 5-year old boy who was referred for evaluation due to the development of a rectal prolapse. Indication of a prolapsed rectum while flexible sigmoidoscopy revealed multiple polyps extending from the anus to at least the transverse colon; Development for multiple hamartomatous polyps in the gasrtointestinal tract particularly in the colon; Aid of genetic studies in revealing mutations in tumor suppressor genes in the majority of patients.

1. Chronic wounds, especially in diabetics, represent a serious threat to human health. 2. Correcting a compromised state of tissue oxygenation by the administration of supplemental O(2) is known to benefit wound healing. Beyond its role as a nutrient and antibiotic, O(2) supports wound healing by driving redox signaling. 3. Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy is widely used and approved by Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services to treat specific ulcerations. The current literature supports the notion that approaches to topically oxygenate wounds may be productive. 4. Here, we present the results of two simultaneous studies testing the effects of HBO and portable topical oxygen (TO) therapies. These two therapeutic approaches have several contrasting features. 5. In total, 1854 patients were screened in outpatient wound clinics for non-randomized enrolments into the HBO (n = 32; 31% diabetic) and TO (n = 25; 52% diabetic) studies. 6. Under the conditions of the present study, HBO treatment seemed to benefit some wounds while not benefiting others. Overall, HBO did not result in statistically significant improvements in wound size in the given population over the time monitored in the present study. 7. However, TO significantly improved wound size. Among the three O(2)-sensitive genes (VEGF, TGFbeta1 and COL1A1) studied in wound edge tissue biopsies, TO treatment was associated with higher VEGF165 expression in healing wounds. Expression of the other genes mentioned was not affected by TO. There was no significant change in the expression levels of any of genes studied in patients in the HBO study. This establishes a link between VEGF gene expression and healing outcome for TO therapy. 8. Taken together, the present study provides evidence demonstrating that TO treatment benefits wound healing in patients suffering from chronic wounds. Treatment with TO is associated with an induction of VEGF expression in wound edge tissue and an improvement in wound size.