Hybrid Signal Processing and Soft Computing approaches to Power System Frequency Estimation

Dynamic variation in power system frequency is required to be estimated for implementing the correcting measures. This paper presents power system frequency estimation by using RLS-Adaline and KF-Adaline algorithms. In the proposed hybrid approaches the weights of the Adaline are updated using RLS/KF algorithms. Frequency of power system signal is estimated from final updated weights of the Adaline. The performances of the proposed algorithms are studied through simulations for several critical cases that often arise in a power system. These studies show that the KF-Adaline algorithm is superior over the RLS-Adaline in estimating power system frequency. Studies made on experimental data also support the superiority

Managing aging in nuclear power plants: Insights from NRC`s Maintenance Team Inspection reports

A plant`s maintenance program is the principal vehicle through which age-related degradation is managed. From 1988 to 1991, the NRC evaluated the maintenance program of every nuclear power plant in the United States. Forty-four out of a total of sixty-seven of the reports issued on these in-depth team inspections have been reviewed for insights into the strengths and weaknesses of the programs as related to the need to understand and manage the effects of aging on nuclear plant structures, systems, and components (SSCs). Relevant information has been extracted from these inspection reports sorted into several categories; including Specific Aging Insights, Preventive Maintenance, Predictive Maintenance and Condition Monitoring, Post Maintenance Testing, Failure Trending, Root Cause Analysis and Usage of Probabilistic Risk Assessment in the Maintenance Process. Specific examples of inspection and monitoring techniques successfully used by utilities to detect degradation due to aging have been identified

Association Between Use of Tobacco and Age on Graying of Hair

Aims and Objectives: To determine the association between smoking, chewing tobacco (gutka), and age of individual on graying of hair. Materials and Methods: The present study was conducted on 120 patients attending the Outpatient Department of the DJ College of Dental Sciences and Research, Modinagar, UP. The individuals were classified into four groups (group I, II, III, IV) on the basis of the form of tobacco use (smoking or chewing). The Pearson correlation coefficient was utilized to find the correlation between the mean percentage of individuals with gray hair, risk multiplication factor (RMF), and age of the individual. Results: Mean percentage of individual with gray hair and RMF (r = 0.6487) are found to be positively associated. A significant and positive correlation was observed between the age of the individual and the frequency of individuals with gray hair. Conclusion: This study suggests that there is a significant association between tobacco use and aging on graying of hair.Keywords: Graying of hair, risk multiplication factor, smokin

Development of a RAD-Seq Based DNA Polymorphism Identification Software, AgroMarker Finder, and Its Application in Rice Marker-Assisted Breeding

Abstract Rapid and accurate genome-wide marker detection is essential to the marker-assisted breeding and functional genomics studies. In this work, we developed an integrated software, AgroMarker Finder (AMF: http://erp.novelbio.com/AMF), for providing graphical user interface (GUI) to facilitate the recently developed restriction-site associated DNA (RAD) sequencing data analysis in rice. By application of AMF, a total of 90,743 high-quality markers (82,878 SNPs and 7,865 InDels) were detected between rice varieties JP69 and Jiaoyuan5A. The density of the identified markers is 0.2 per Kb for SNP markers, and 0.02 per Kb for InDel markers. Sequencing validation revealed that the accuracy of genome-wide marker detection by AMF is 93%. In addition, a validated subset of 82 SNPs and 31 InDels were found to be closely linked to 117 important agronomic trait genes, providing a basis for subsequent marker-assisted selection (MAS) and variety identification. Furthermore, we selected 12 markers from 31 validated InDel markers to identify seed authenticity of variety Jiaoyuanyou69, and we also identified 10 markers closely linked to the fragrant gene BADH2 to minimize linkage drag for Wuxiang075 (BADH2 donor)/Jiachang1 recombinants selection. Therefore, this software provides an efficient approach for marker identification from RAD-seq data, and it would be a valuable tool for plant MAS and variety protection

Adaptation of velogenic Newcastle disease virus in Vero cells: velogenicity of virus unaltered after adaptation

Στην παρούσα εργασία, ταχυγενές στέλεχος του ιοΰ της Ψευδοπανώλους (Newcastle disease virus, NDV) προσαρμόστηκε σε κύτταρα της συνεχούς κυτταρικής σειράς Vero χωρίς την προσθήκη εξωγενούς θρυψίνης. Το κυτταροπαθογόνο αποτέλεσμα του NDV στα κύτταρα παρατηρήθηκε από την τρίτη δίοδο, με συνακόλουθη αύξηση της αιμοσυγκολλητικής του δύναμης και του τίτλου του. Το κυτταροπαθογόνο αποτέλεσμα χαρακτηριζόταν από στρογγυλοποίηση των κυττάρων, αποκόλληση τους από την επιφάνεια της φιάλης και σχηματισμό συγκυτιων. Επιβεβαιώθηκε η παρουσία του προσαρμοσμένου ND ιού στα κύτταρα Vero με RT-PCR, που ανίχνευσε το γονίδιο της αιμοσυγκολλητινης - νευραμινιδάσης στα μολυσμένα κύτταρα. Ο μέσος χρόνος των 58 ωρών που προκλήθηκε θάνατος των εμβρύων σε εμβρυοφόρα αβγά και ο δείκτης παθογενητικότητας (ενδοφλέβιας χορήγησης) 2.12 (intravenous pathogenicity index (IVPI) που εμφανίσθηκε μετά τον ενοφθαλμισμό εμβρυοφόρων SPF αβγών υποδεικνύει ότι ο προσαρμοσμένος στα κύτταρα Vero ιός διατήρησε την παθογενητικότητά του ακόμη και μετά από δέκα διόδους. Επιπλέον, τα νευρικά συμπτώματα και οι αιμορραγίες στον πρόλοβο των πτηνών, τα οποία κατάληξαν 5 ημέρες μετά τον ενοφθαλμισμό τους με ΡΙΟ ιού, επιβεβαίωσαν ότι ο προσαρμοσμένος ιός στα κύτταρα Vero ήταν ένα νευροτρόπο, σπλαχνοτρόπο, ταχυγενές στέλεχος.In the present experiment, velogenic Newcastle disease virus (NDV) was adapted to Vero cells without the addition of exogenous trypsin. The cytopathic effect (CPE) in NDV-infected Vero cells was observed from passage 3 (P 3) onwards with concomitant increase in the haemagglutination (HA) and virus titres. The CPE was characterized by rounding of cells, their detachment from the surface and syncytia formation. The Vero-adapted NDV was confirmed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), which detected the amplification of haemagglutinin neuraminidase (HN) gene from virus-infected cells. The mean death time (MDT) of 58 hours upon inoculation to embryonated chicken eggs and the intravenous pathogenicity index (IVPI) of 2.12 following inoculation to SPF chicken suggested that Vero adapted virus retained the velogenicity even after ten passages. Furthermore, the nervous signs and haemorrhages in the pro-ventriculus of birds that died at day 5 post inoculation with PIO virus confirmed that the Vero-adapted NDV was a neurotropic viscerotropic velogenic strain

Mapping of seed shattering loci provides insights into origin of weedy rice and rice domestication

Seed shattering is an important trait that distinguishes crop cultivars from the wild and weedy species. The genetics of seed shattering was investigated in this study to provide insights into rice domestication and the evolution of weedy rice. Quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis, conducted in 2 recombinant inbred populations involving 2 rice cultivars and a weedy rice accession of the southern United States, revealed 3-5 QTLs that controlled seed shattering with 38-45% of the total phenotypic variation. Two QTLs on chromosomes 4 and 10 were consistent in both populations. Both cultivar and weedy rice contributed alleles for increased seed shattering. Genetic backgrounds affected both QTL number and the magnitude of QTL effects. The major QTL qSH4 and a minor QTL qSH3 were validated in near-isogenic lines, with the former conferring a significantly higher degree of seed shattering than the latter. Although the major QTL qSH4 overlapped with the sh4, the presence of the nonshattering single nucleotide polymorphism allele in the weedy rice accession suggested involvement of a linked locus or an alternative molecular genetic mechanism. Overlapping of several QTLs with those from earlier studies indicated that weedy rice may have been derived from the wild species Oryza rufipogon. Natural hybridization of rice cultivars with the highly variable O. rufipogon present in different geographic regions might be responsible for the evolution of a wide range of phenotypic and genotypic variabilities seen in weedy rice populations worldwide. © The American Genetic Association 2013

Cytokine Response at High Altitude: Effects of Exercise and Antioxidants at 4300 m

Purpose: This study tested the hypothesis that antioxidant supplementation would attenuate plasma cytokine (IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α), and C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations at rest and in response to exercise at 4300-m elevation. Methods: A total of 17 recreationally trained men were matched and assigned to an antioxidant (N = 9) or placebo (N = 8) group in a double-blinded fashion. At sea level (SL), energy expenditure was controlled and subjects were weight stable. Then, 3 wk before and throughout high altitude (HA), an antioxidant supplement (10,000 IU β-carotene, 200 IU α-tocopherol acetate, 250 mg ascorbic acid, 50 2g selenium, 15 mg zinc) or placebo was given twice daily. At HA, energy expenditure increased approximately 750 kcald-1 and energy intake decreased approximately 550 kcald-1, resulting in a caloric deficit of approximately 1200–1500 kcald-1. At SL and HA day 1 (HA1) and day HA13, subjects exercised at 55% of VO2peak until they expended approximately 1500 kcal. Blood samples were taken at rest, end of exercise, and 2, 4, and 20 h after exercise. Results: No differences were seen between groups in plasma IL-6, CRP, or TNF-! at rest or in response to exercise. For both groups, plasma IL-6 concentration was significantly higher at the end of exercise, 2, 4, and 20 h after exercise at HA1 compared with SL and HA13. Plasma CRP concentration was significantly elevated 20 h postexercise for both groups on HA1 compared to SL and HA13. TNF-α did not differ at rest or in response to exercise. Conclusion: Plasma IL-6 and CRP concentrations were elevated following exercise at high altitude on day 1, and antioxidant supplementation did not attenuate the rise in plasma IL-6 and CRP concentrations associated with hypoxia, exercise, and caloric deficit

Resumption of immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy after immune-mediated colitis

PURPOSE: Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy often is suspended because of immune-mediated diarrhea and colitis (IMDC). We examined the rate of and risk factors for IMDC recurrence after ICI resumption. METHODS: This retrospective multicenter study examined patients who resumed ICI therapy after improvement of IMDC between January 2010 and November 2018. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses assessed the association of clinical covariates and IMDC recurrence. RESULTS: Of the 167 patients in our analysis, 32 resumed an anti-cytotoxic T-cell lymphocyte-4 (CTLA-4) agent, and 135 an anti-programmed cell death 1 or ligand 1 (PD-1/L1) agent. The median age was 60 years (interquartile range [IQR], 50-69 years). The median duration from IMDC to restart of ICI treatment was 49 days (IQR, 23-136 days). IMDC recurred in 57 patients (34%) overall (44% of those receiving an anti-CTLA-4 and 32% of those receiving an anti-PD-1/L1); 47 of these patients (82%) required immunosuppressive therapy for recurrent IMDC, and all required permanent discontinuation of ICI therapy. The median duration from ICI resumption to IMDC recurrence was 53 days (IQR, 22-138 days). On multivariable logistic regression, patients who received anti-PD-1/L1 therapy at initial IMDC had a higher risk of IMDC recurrence (odds ratio [OR], 3.45; 95% CI, 1.59 to 7.69; P = .002). Risk of IMDC recurrence was higher for patients who required immunosuppression for initial IMDC (OR, 3.22; 95% CI, 1.08 to 9.62; P = .019) or had a longer duration of IMDC symptoms in the initial episode (OR, 1.01; 95% CI, 1.00 to 1.03; P = .031). Risk of IMDC recurrence was lower after resumption of anti-PD-1/L1 therapy than after resumption of anti-CTLA-4 therapy (OR, 0.30; 95% CI, 0.11 to 0.81; P = .019). CONCLUSION: One third of patients who resumed ICI treatment after IMDC experienced recurrent IMDC. Recurrence of IMDC was less frequent after resumption of anti-PD-1/L1 than after resumption of anti-CTLA-4

Adoption of fertilizer technology for rice cultivation in Kalahandi District, Odisha

The management of nutrients presents a significant challenge for farmers and is a matter of concern for environmentalists. The key issue doesn’t lie in innovation but in the diffusion of technology among agricultural practitioners. Developed by international fertilizer development corporations, Urea Deep Placement (UDP) technology represents an innovative approach to rice cultivation. Its primary objective is to address the issue of nitrogen loss and enhance the utilization efficiency of urea. UDP modifies the method and placement of urea to optimize its effectiveness and minimize environmental impacts. This study employs a two-stage treatment effect model to investigate the following questions: which are the aspects that influence the adoption of UDP technology in rice cultivation? and how does the implementation of this technology impact rice yield? Critical factors influencing adoption include land tenure, gender, extension services, non-agricultural income, affiliation with farming groups and participation in training, guaranteed risk mitigation, and access to irrigation. Furthermore, farm size and the adoption of UDP significantly affect rice production. Beyond the economic advantages of adopting this technology, it also generates job opportunities in the manufacture of urea briquettes and their application. The use of urea briquettes curtails chemical runoff and water pollution. The embrace of UDP technology has concurrently spurred farmers to adopt mechanization and improve water management and distribution in rice fields