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[Purpose] The debate over Net Neutrality (NN) that dominated discussion in the domain of Internet and telecommunications for over two decades, has largely been settled in favour of the principle of an open, non-discriminatory regime for all traffic travelling over networks. The rapid commercialisation of 5G mobile telecom technologies in telecom markets, however, draws regulatory attention once again, to aspects of NN regimes in apparent conflict with the requirements of the new technology. The emerging discussion has prompted reviews of NN policies in many countries. [Methodology] This paper uses a policy Delphi to assess expert and stakeholder opinion on the likely impact of 5G of the NN regime in India and what, if any, modifications and alterations are required to enable proliferation of 5G services in the country. [Findings] The paper arrives at a set of policy recommendations for management of the NN regime in India in the context of 5G technology, markets and services. [Practical Implications and Value] These recommendations would be of practical utility to regulators and administrators in other countries as 5G is adopted in their telecommunications sectors.

Objectives: The Prospective Randomized On-X Mechanical Prosthesis Versus St Jude Medical Mechanical Prosthesis Evaluation (PROSE) trial purpose was to investigate whether a current-generation mechanical prosthesis (On-X; On-X Life Technologies/Artivion Inc) reduced the incidence of thromboembolic-related complications compared with a previous-generation mechanical prosthesis (St Jude Medical Mechanical Prosthesis; Abbott/St Jude Medical). This second report documents the valve-related complications by individual prostheses and by Western and Developing populations. Methods: The PROSE trial study was conducted in 28 worldwide centers and incorporated 855 subjects randomized between 2003 and 2016. The study enrollment was discontinued on August 31, 2016. The study protocol, and analyses of 10 demographic variables and 24 risk factors were published in detail in 2021. Results: The total patient population (N = 855) included patients receiving an On-X valve (n = 462) and a St Jude Medical valve (n = 393). The overall freedom evaluation showed no differences at 5 years between the prostheses for thromboembolism or for valve thrombosis. There were also no differences in mortality. There were several differences between Developing and Western populations. The freedom relations at 5 years for mortality favored Western over Developing populations. Valve thrombosis was differentiated by position and site: aortic

Abstract This study presents spatial distribution, sources and toxicological risks of As, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn in the surface sediments from north-western Karnataka, southern India. Heavy metals (except Hg) are 1–5 times enriched than upper continental crust. High concentration of Cr, Ni, Cu, and Zn is in the central Kudalgaon, Devarayi, and Tavargatti and in the south-western Ganeshgudi area, whereas Arsenic is enriched in the north-eastern Alnavar, Kakkeri,Tavargatti and Pb, and Hg in the north-western Kapoli, Devarayi, Manjarpal villages. The ecological risk index, toxic risk index, and mean probable-effects-levels quotient of heavy metals suggest that ~ 40% of the area is prone to very high risk especially for Cr and As to the hydrological, biological, and ecological systems. Multivariate statistical analysis suggests possible geogenic sources for Ni, Cr, Cu, and Zn and anthropogenic sources such as emissions from vehicles and agricultural sectors for As, Hg, and Pb. This study is the first of its kind in the area, which will help, in better formulation of environmental pollution and risk related remedial measures to conserve the natural ecosystem and the well-being of humans.

As usage of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies across industries increases, there is a growing need for creating large marketplaces to host and transact good-quality data sets to train AI algorithms. Our study analyzes the characteristics of such an oligopsony crowdsourced AI Marketplace (AIM) that has a large number of producers and few consumers who transact data sets as per their expectations of price and quality. Using agent-based modeling (ABM), we incorporate heterogeneity in agent attributes and self-learning by the agents that are reflective of real-world marketplaces. Our research augments the existing studies on the effect of and reputation systems in such market places. Extensive simulations using ABM indicate that ratings of the data sets as a feedback mechanism plays an important role in improving the quality of said data sets, and hence the reputations of producers. While such marketplaces are evolving, regulators have started enacting varying rules to oversee the appropriate functioning of such marketplaces, to minimize market distortions. In one of the first such studies, we integrate regulatory interventions in a marketplace model to analyze the impacts of various types of regulations on the functioning of an AIM. Our results indicate that very stringent regulatory measures negatively affect the production of quality data sets in the marketplace. On the other hand, regulatory oversight along with a ratings-based feedback mechanism improves the functioning of an AIM, and hence is recommended for governments and policy makers to adopt.

Abstract Objectives The PROSE trial purpose is to investigate whether the incidence of thromboembolic—related complications is reduced with a current generation mechanical prosthesis (On-X Life Technologies/CryoLife Inc.—On-X) compared with a previous generation mechanical prosthesis (St Jude Medical—SJM). The primary purpose of the initial report is to document the preoperative demographics, and the preoperative and operative risk factors by individual prosthesis and by Western and Developing populations. Methods The PROSE study was conducted in 28 worldwide centres and incorporated 855 subjects randomized between 2003 and 2016. The study enrollment was discontinued on August 31, 2016. The preoperative demographics incorporated age, gender, functional class, etiology, prosthetic degeneration, primary rhythm, primary valve lesion, weight, height, BSA and BMI. The preoperative and operative evaluation incorporated 24 risk factors. Results The total patient population (855) incorporated On-X population (462) and the St Jude Medical population (393). There was no significant difference of any of the preoperative demographics between the On-X and SJM groups. The preoperative and operative risk factors evaluation showed there was no significant difference between the On-X and St Jude Medical populations. The preoperative and operative risk factors by valve position (aortic and mitral) also documented no differentiation. The dominant preoperative demographics of the Western world population were older age, male gender, sinus rhythm, aortic stenosis, congenital aortic lesion, and mitral regurgitation. The dominant demographics of the Developing world population were rheumatic etiology, atrial fibrillation, aortic regurgitation, mixed aortic lesions, mitral stenosis and mixed mitral lesions. The Developing world group had only one significant risk factor, congestive heart failure. The majority of the preoperative and operative risk factors were significant in the Western world population. Conclusions The preoperative demographics do not differentiate the prostheses but do differentiate the Western and Developing world populations. The preoperative and operative risk factors do not differentiate the prostheses BUT do differentiate the Western and Developing world populations.

Climate change evokes future food security concerns and needs for sustainable intensification of agriculture. The explicit knowledge about crop yield gap at country level may help in identifying management strategies for sustainable agricultural production to meet future food demand. In this study, we assessed the rice yield gap under projected climate change scenario in India at 0.25° × 0.25° spatial resolution by using the Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) model. The simulated spatial yield results show that mean actual yield under rainfed conditions (Ya) will reduce from 2.13 t/ha in historical period 1981–2005 to 1.67 t/ha during the 2030s (2016–2040) and 2040s (2026–2050), respectively, under the RCP 8.5 scenario. On the other hand, mean rainfed yield gap shows no change (≈1.49 t/ha) in the future. Temporal analysis of yield indicates that Ya is expected to decrease in the considerably large portion of the study area (30–60%) under expected future climate conditions. As a result, yield gap is expected to either stagnate or increase in 50.6 and 48.7% of the study area during the two future periods, respectively. The research outcome indicates the need for identifying plausible best management strategies to reduce the yield gap under expected future climate conditions for sustainable rice production in India. HIGHLIGHTS The study assessed rice yield gap in India by using the DSSAT model.; Equidistant quantile mapping technique is used for bias correction of RCM outputs.; Rice yield is expected to decrease in 30–60% of the study area in future.; Mean rainfed yield gap of 1.49 t/ha is expected in future.; The RegCM4 model performed well to simulate rice yield than other models.;

Ferroelectric thin films are vital in a large number of applications due to their promising properties. Although ferroelectric films' electrical response is studied at high temperatures, their low-temperature behavior is not well understood. In the present study, the εr-V and I-V characteristics of BaTiO3 (BTO) thin films are explored at cryogenic temperatures. BTO thin films have systematically deposited different Ar/O2 ratios by RF sputtering and investigated their structural, microstructural, optical, and electrical properties. The microstructures of these films are well-packed with uniform grain growth and revealed lower rms roughness. The thickness of the films (~170 nm) is obtained by cross-sectional scanning electron microscope images and transmittance spectra. There is not much variation in the optical bandgap, which shows the full stoichiometry and similar thickness of the films. The εr-V response of the film measured at 387 K shows the asymmetry in dielectric constant maxima value. It signifies that there are movable ions and charge accumulation at the interface of film and electrodes. The dielectric response obtained as a temperature function exhibited a Tc of 387 K, indicating the phase transition from ferroelectric tetragonal phase to paraelectric cubic phase. The I-V characteristics of the film measured at 300 K revealed the leakage current of 10−6 Amp, whereas, at 43 K, it is 8.83 × 10−10 Amp. The slope of the I-V curve of the film measured between 1 and 5 V displayed the Ohmic nature. The slope of the film obtained at 6–10 V indicated the space charge limited conduction mechanism, which corresponds to discrete trap carriers. Therefore, trap carriers assisted discrete conduction mechanism is one of the leading factors controlling the conduction process in BTO oxide thin films. The acquired electrical response of the BTO films deposited at 50 Ar is promising for cryogenic devices.

Abstract Objectives The objective of this article is to briefly outline the utilization of biosensors in medicine and surgery and present diagnostic efficacy of thermal product (TP) based biosensor. Results The working principle of biosensor is based on measuring TP of a material in contact with the sensor. When an electrical square wave pulse of certain amplitude and duration is passed through TP based biosensor, the generated heat from its higher resistance will be dissipated and recorded by the sensor. As the surrounding material composition changes, the dissipated heat split between the sensor substrate and surrounding material changes which can be correlated to the change in TP of the material. For biological tissues, it is known that the thermal properties of tissues are quite different for different layers in the body and hence the heat absorbed will be different. The experiments were conducted on biological and non-biological tissues. For data acquisition software LabView 2014 (64-bit) was used and software used for post-processing was MATLAB R2015a (64-bit). The resulting graphs of TP from various materials (oil, water, saline, acetone) and biological tissue (porcine belly, porcine thigh layers and porcine abdominal viscera) expressed prominent deflections indicating diagnostic efficacy of TP based biosensor.

The advent of cloud technology, machine learning and internet of things (IoT) has foreseen the possibility of completely autonomous factories. Future shop-floor operations are completely automated and controlled by cloud-based manufacturing system. The researchers have made an attempt to use cloud computing to share the welding parameters and maintain a virtual library for ready reference irrespective of the user location. The automated welding cell is a friction stir welding (FSW) machine and its parameters were used as the reference for the cloud database. Cloud database is built by collecting information from several welders and researchers who are working in the various part of the world. The proposed Machine controls as service, MCaaS reduces the downtime of the weld cell by real-time monitoring and also assist the researchers in real-time data sharing among them, irrespective of their geographical location.

Novel biodegradable poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate) [PHBV]/graphene nanocomposites were prepared by solution casting. The thermal properties, crystallization behavior, microstructure, and fracture morphology of the composites were investigated. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) results show that graphene layers are homogeneously dispersed in the polymer matrix. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and dynamic scanning calorimetry (DSC) studies show that the well dispersed graphene sheets act as nucleating agent for crystallization. Consequently, the mechanical properties of the composites have been substantially improved as evident from dynamic mechanical and static tensile tests. Differential thermal analysis (DTA) showed an increase in temperature of maximum degradation. Soil degradation tests of PHBV/graphene nanocomposites showed that presence of graphene doesn’t interfere in its biodegradability.

Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) is the world leading natural fiber crop on which the textile industry worldwide is largely based on. Cotton occupies a pivotal position in the Indian economy. Cotton is infested by a large number of insect pests right from the sowing till harvest. Sucking pests cause significant damage to cotton and it is estimated that 22.58 per cent of cotton yield is effected by sucking pests. Among the key pests of cotton the Sap-sucking pests viz., aphid (Aphis gossypii), whitefly (Bemisia tabaci), Jassids (Amrasca biguttula) and thrips (Thrips tabaci) cause severe damage and serious threat to the crop at early stage of the crop growth and can also affect the crop stand and yield of cotton. With the onset of monoculture-driven modern agriculture, selective pressure on insects to overcome resistances has dramatically increased. Therefore plant breeders have resorted to high-tech tools to continuously create new insect-resistant crops. An alternative to transgenic approaches is the use of wild relatives of crop plants, searching for desirable traits and then crossing those into the elite cultivars. Such plant breeding has been made substantially easier with the availability of novel sequence-based molecular approaches. Two Recombinant cotton inbred lines (RIL’S) were derived by wide hybridization from wild relatives, which were used to obtain near Iso-genic lines (NIL’s) for the sucking pest resistant trait. The objectives of the present study are to develop and validate molecular markers linked to sucking pest resistance by next generation sequencing. A total number of 3450 mapped SSR markers across all 26 chromosomes were used to screen and identify markers linked to the trait of interest. We are also using Next generation sequencing approaches to identify and develop SNP based markers for sucking pest resistance in our cotton lines.

Recently hybrid cloud solutions integrating public and private cloud is proposed to address the privacy and security concerns faced by Enterprises in their data offloading decisions. In these solutions, the transformed data is kept in public cloud while transformation keys are kept in private cloud. The existing works for data transformation used in hybrid clouds does not address multiple objectives of privacy, security, fine grained access control, utility preservation for mining and data retrieval efficiency. This work proposes a multi objective data transformation technique for hybrid cloud to address all these objectives. The proposed solution is built on attribute based hierarchical data access control with hierarchy selection based on joint consideration of security, utility preservation and retrieval efficiency. The proposed solution is able to provide 5% higher security strength, 1.34% higher clustering accuracy over perturbed data and 29.95 % higher data retrieval efficiency over perturbed data compared to existing works. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laboratory studies were conducted to standardise optimum dose of gamma irradiation to induce sterility in males of South American tomato moth [Phthorimaea (Tuta) absoluta (Meyrick)], a major pest on tomato. Among the different irradiation doses tested, 150 Gy was found to be effective to induce male sterility in P. absoluta, where sterile males exhibited mating competitiveness, significantly reduced fecundity and hatchability in F1 and F2 generations. Five days old pupae were found ideal for exposing to gamma irradiation to induce male sterility in P. absoluta that could be used for area wide management using SIT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]