Technology Adoption Behaviour of Jasmine Growers – A Critical Analysis

Jasmine (Jasminum sambac) is one of the oldest fragrant flowers cultivated by man. The flower is used for various purposes viz., making garlands, bouquets, decorating hair of women, religious offerings etc. Scientific cultivation of jasmine is one of the important prerequisites for increasing the production and productivity among the jasmine growers. The technology adoption of jasmine cultivation by the jasmine growers has not received the attention of both the extension functionaries of State Department of Horticulture and Agriculture to the required level and hence, the present study was undertaken with the objective to study the adoption behavior of jasmine growers in Tiurnelveli District. Vallioor block of Tirunelveli district in Tamil Nadu was selected purposively for the study based on more area under jasmine cultivation with a sample size of 120. The respondents were selected based on proportionate random sampling method. The data were collected from each respondent through pre-tested interview schedule. The results of the study revealed that majority of the jasmine growers had adopted local variety (Ramanathapuram), pest management practices for blossom midge and bud worm, right time of harvest, application of inorganic fertilizers, water management, weed management and application of manure after pruning. One-third of the respondents had adopted the technologies like optimum spacing, application of FYM and root rot disease management. Based on the findings , the paper suggests concerted dissemination efforts by the change agents in the region, for improving jasmine productivit

Dipstick proteinuria is an independent predictor of high on treatment platelet reactivity in patients on clopidogrel, but not aspirin, admitted for major adverse cardiovascular events.

Abstract The effectiveness of aspirin and clopidogrel in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) suffering from acute cardiovascular events is unclear. High on treatment platelet reactivity (HTPR) has been associated with worse outcomes. Here, we assessed the association of dipstick proteinuria (DP) and renal function on HTPR and clinical outcomes. Retrospective cohort analysis of 261 consecutive, non-dialysis patients admitted for Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events (MACE) that had VerifyNow P2Y12 and VerifyNow Aspirin assays performed. HTPR was defined as P2Y12 reactivity unit (PRU) \u3e 208 for clopidogrel and aspirin reaction units (ARU) \u3e 550 for aspirin. Renal function was classified based on the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and dipstick proteinuria was defined as ≥30 mg/dl of albumin detected on a spot analysis. All cause mortality, readmissions, and cardiac catheterizations were reviewed over 520 days. In patients on clopidogrel (n = 106), DP was associated with HTPR, independent of eGFR, diabetes mellitus, smoking or use of proton pump inhibitor (AOR = 4.76, p = 0.03). In patients with acute coronary syndromes, HTPR was associated with more cardiac catheterizations (p = 0.009) and readmissions (p = 0.032), but no differences in in-stent thrombosis or re-stenosis were noted in this cohort. In patients on aspirin (n = 155), no associations were seen between DP and HTPR. However, all cause mortality was significantly higher with HTPR in this group (p = 0.038). In this cohort, DP is an independent predictor of HTPR in patients on clopidogrel, but not aspirin, admitted to the hospital for MACE

RNA-Seq identifies SPGs as a ventral skeletal patterning cue in sea urchins

The sea urchin larval skeleton offers a simple model for formation of developmental patterns. The calcium carbonate skeleton is secreted by primary mesenchyme cells (PMCs) in response to largely unknown patterning cues expressed by the ectoderm. To discover novel ectodermal cues, we performed an unbiased RNA-Seq-based screen and functionally tested candidates; we thereby identified several novel skeletal patterning cues. Among these, we show that SLC26a2/7 is a ventrally expressed sulfate transporter that promotes a ventral accumulation of sulfated proteoglycans, which is required for ventral PMC positioning and skeletal patterning. We show that the effects of SLC perturbation are mimicked by manipulation of either external sulfate levels or proteoglycan sulfation. These results identify novel skeletal patterning genes and demonstrate that ventral proteoglycan sulfation serves as a positional cue for sea urchin skeletal patterning

Prospective study on sonographic measurement of umbilical cord thickness, foetal fat layer, interventricular septal thickness as predictors of macrosomia in fetus of women with gestational diabetes mellitus

Background: The objectives of the study were to evaluate the Prediction of foetal macrosomia based on sonographic measurements of foetal fat layer, Interventricular septal thickness and umbilical cord thickness in Gestational Diabetes Mellitus at term.Methods: After assessment of inclusion and exclusion criteria 100 antenatal women of gestational age more than 37 weeks selected for study in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of Vinayaka Mission’s Kirupananda variyar medical college and hospital, Salem. Participants underwent a third trimester scan and three extra measurements i.e. Umbilical cord thickness, Interventricular septal thickness and foetal fat layer are measured in addition to the normal examination.Results: In present study umbilical cord thickness had good sensitivity and negative predictive value. Hence, if umbilical cord thickness is less than 90th centile the chance of macrosomia is less, the cut off of foetal fat layer ≥5 mm as predictor of macrosomia had sensitivity of 84.2% and specificity of 86.4% and cut off of Interventricular septal thickness ≥3.9mm as a predictor of macrosomia had sensitivity of 84.2%, specificity of 64.2%, negative predictive value of 95.9%. Thus, interventricular septal thickness and foetal fat layer is a reliable predictor of macrosomia.Conclusions: From this study authors concluded that Umbilical cord thickness, foetal fat layer and Interventricular septal thickness are good predictors of foetal macrosomia. In the assessment of risk of macrosomia in addition to the ultrasonographic measurements the clinical risk factors must be considered

Comparative evaluation of the shear bond strength between repair composite resin bonded to bilayered and monolithic ceramic restorations: An In Vitro study

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: The purpose of this in vitro study was to comparatively evaluate the shear bond strength between repair composite resin bonded to bilayered and monolithic ceramic restorations. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty two wax patterns were fabricated from customized stainless jig (5mm in height for monolithic group and 3mm in height for bilayered group with 10mm diameter and 4 mm diameter central defect with 5mm height). The samples were divided into 2 groups with each group comprising of 11 samples. Group I wax patterns were heat pressed Lithium disilicate ceramic with dimension as 3 mm in height, 2 mm layer of layering ceramic (IPS emax Ceram Powder Dentin, Ivoclar vivadent, Schaan, Liechtenstein) 10 mm diameter and 4 mm diameter with 5 mm height central defect (IPS emax press, Ivoclar vivadent, Schaan, Liechtenstein) and Group II wax patterns were heat press Lithium disilicate ceramic of 5 mm height with 10 mm diameter and with 4 mm diameter with 5 mm height central defect. The samples were etched with 5% HF for 20s, one sample from each group was analysed under SEM for etched surface characteristics. The remaining 20 samples were silanized, bonding agent applied and repair composite resin was filled according to the manufacturer’s instructions. The samples were then subjected to thermocycling and shear bond testing using universal testing machine and data was obtained. The data was then subjected to statistical analysis using non-parametric Mann-Whitney U test. Also mode of failure was analysed using scanning electron microscope. RESULTS: The mean shear bond value for Group I: 5.34 MPa and for Group II: 13.88 MPa. There was high statistical significant difference between the two test groups (P<0.05) CONCLUSION: Within the limitations of this study, the mean shear bond strength of repair composite resin bonded to monolithic lithium disilicate restorations is higher than that of bilayered lithium disilicate restorations

Ameloglyphics in sex determination

BACKGROUND: Ameloglyphics is the study of enamel rod end patterns. Enamel rod end patterns are unique for every individual. Enamel rod end patterns in male and female can be studied by cellulose acetate peel technique. Teeth can withstand extreme temperatures and are resistant to post-mortem decay. Thus it can be used as an evidence to identify sex of an individual from badly burned, traumatized, decomposed and skeletonised remains in mass disasters. Ameloglyphics is a simple, inexpensive and rapid method. AIM OF THE STUDY: To study the utility of enamel rod patterns in identification of gender in forensic odontology. OBJECTIVE: 1. To study the enamel rod end patterns of teeth extracted from 100 individuals (N=100) 2. To compare the enamel rod end patterns of extracted teeth between males (n=50) and females (n=50). HYPOTHESIS: There is no difference between enamel rod end patterns of teeth between sex. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, 100 extracted teeth were collected, of which 50 are from males and 50 are from females. The selected teeth were scaled and polished. The selected area was conditioned with 37% orthophosphoric acid for 20 seconds. Then it was rinsed with water and dried. A drop of acetone was applied on to the tooth surface and was covered by a small piece of cellulose acetate film and left undisturbed for 20 min. The acetone dissolves a layer of cellulose acetate and the dissolute settles down along the irregularities on the enamel surface. The film was gently peeled after 20 min and observed under light microscope. A photomicrograph of the acetate peel was obtained at 40X magnification and then subjected to biometric analysis using Verifinger standard SDK version 10.0 software (NEUROtechnology). The software recognizes the patterns of enamel rod endings as series of lines running in varying directions. The software uses certain points called minutiae for identification of each pattern. These minutiae will be used by the software to compare the similarity/variability of two patterns3. RESULTS: Enamel rod pattern was unique for each individual. There was significant difference in the age in wavy and linear unbranched pattern. There were seven enamel rod patterns seen- wavy, linear branched, linear unbranched, loop, whorl close, whorl open and stem pattern. Though there were overall differences within in the patterns in incisors, canines, premolars and molars, it was not significant to distinguish between the gender. CONCLUSION: Enamel rod pattern could help in personal identification when there is pre-recorded information of the same. To understand the the utility of ameloglyphics in sex determination, more studies are needed with a larger sample size and further software validation

Indian Legal NLP Benchmarks : A Survey

Availability of challenging benchmarks is the key to advancement of AI in a specific field.Since Legal Text is significantly different than normal English text, there is a need to create separate Natural Language Processing benchmarks for Indian Legal Text which are challenging and focus on tasks specific to Legal Systems. This will spur innovation in applications of Natural language Processing for Indian Legal Text and will benefit AI community and Legal fraternity. We review the existing work in this area and propose ideas to create new benchmarks for Indian Legal Natural Language Processing

Managing Coexisting Anemia and Hypothyroidism: A Case Report Highlighting Drug Interactions

Introduction: Hypothyroidism arises from the diminished levels of thyroid hormone, exhibiting a diverse range of underlying causes and clinical presentations. If left untreated, hypothyroidism rise to heightened rates of morbidity and mortality . Globally, the foremost cause of this condition stems from dietary iodine deficiency. This case study investigates a 44-year-old woman who was hospitalised in the general medicine department presenting symptoms such as dizziness, tiredness, acid reflux, and headache which was eventually diagnosed as hypothyroidism and anaemia. Objectives: The main aim is to assess the pharmacological interactions in the therapeutic management of hypothyroidism. Methods: The methodology involves selecting a patient with hypothyroidism and anaemia, reviewing their medical history, performing necessary lab tests, and adjusting medication timing to minimize drug interactions. The patient receives personalized treatment, regular follow-ups, and counselling on medication adherence and lifestyle modifications to monitor progress and improve quality of life. Results: The case study demonstrates the significance of diagnosing and treating hypothyroidism, especially in their showcasing the potential complexities and challenges in management. In this patient concomitant administration of pantoprazole and Levothyroxine in the morning has been shown to suppress intra gastric pH level which results in heartburn. Conclusions: The prevalent interaction among the Proton Pump Inhibitor(PPI) was identified with levothyroxine on co-administration with incorrect&nbsp; interval between the drugs. Rigorous screening recommendations, pharmacist interventions with extensive patient counselling strategies including lifestyle modifications and drug related guidelines provides comprehensive knowledge for improving the quality of life in&nbsp; hypothyroid patients

Artificial Gravity Partially Protects Space-Induced Neurological Deficits in Drosophila Melanogaster

Spaceflight poses risks to the central nervous system (CNS), and understanding neurological responses is important for future missions. We report CNS changes in Drosophila aboard the International Space Station in response to spaceflight microgravity (SFmg) and artificially simulated Earth gravity (SF1g) via inflight centrifugation as a countermeasure. While inflight behavioral analyses of SFmg exhibit increased activity, postflight analysis displays significant climbing defects, highlighting the sensitivity of behavior to altered gravity. Multiomics analysis shows alterations in metabolic, oxidative stress and synaptic transmission pathways in both SFmg and SF1g; however, neurological changes immediately postflight, including neuronal loss, glial cell count alterations, oxidative damage, and apoptosis, are seen only in SFmg. Additionally, progressive neuronal loss and a glial phenotype in SF1g and SFmg brains, with pronounced phenotypes in SFmg, are seen upon acclimation to Earth conditions. Overall, our results indicate that artificial gravity partially protects the CNS from the adverse effects of spaceflight

Fenugreek residue as nutraceutical and antibacterial agent in broiler ration

A study was conducted in broiler chicken for 6 weeks to find out the efficacy of fenugreek residue (FR) as an additive in poultry rations and to evaluate the nutraceutical property of FR as a replacement of antibiotic (AB) in broiler rations. Day-old broiler chicks (216) were divided into 9 treatment groups, each treatment group had 3 replicates with 8 birds in each replicate. The treatments were 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 % FR with and without antibiotic (500 g of 10% oxytetracycline/tonne). At the end of 6 weeks (0 – 42 day), the body weight gain was comparable with the control, whereas significantly higher feed intake and poor FCR was found in 1.0% and 1.5% FR without AB group than the control. Slaughter studies with 6 birds/treatment group were conducted at the end of the experiment revealed that dressing %, giblet and abdominal fat (g/kg body weight) did not vary among the groups. The blood glucose was not influenced and muscle cholesterol levels reduced in all treatment groups than the control. The intestinal bacterial Escherichia coli and Clostridium spp. count was found to be reduced in FR without AB, however FR with AB fed birds have intestinal Clostridium content comparable (0.5 and 2.0% FR) or higher (1.0 and 1.5% FR) than the control. Inclusion of FR with AB provided better returns over that of control. Supplementation of FR up to 2% with or without AB (except 1.5% FR without AB) in feed improved the performance of birds and reduced the feed cost per unit gain