Derandomizing Isolation Lemma for K3,3-free and K5-free Bipartite Graphs

The perfect matching problem has a randomized NC algorithm, using the celebrated Isolation Lemma of Mulmuley, Vazirani and Vazirani. The Isolation Lemma states that giving a random weight assignment to the edges of a graph, ensures that it has a unique minimum weight perfect matching, with a good probability. We derandomize this lemma for K3,3-free and K5-free bipartite graphs, i.e. we give a deterministic log-space construction of such a weight assignment for these graphs. Such a construction was known previously for planar bipartite graphs. Our result implies that the perfect matching problem for K3,3-free and K5-free bipartite graphs is in SPL. It also gives an alternate proof for an already known result – reachability for K3,3-free and K5-free graphs is in UL.

Global Services Sourcing: Issues of Cost and Quality

Global Services Sourcing (GSS) is not an original concept. What is original about it is the media attention it seems to be getting. We have adopted the "then and now" philosophy in developing this report. We start by talking to the pioneers of global services sourcing, companies like General Electric, Nortel Networks and Citibank. The key learning from talking to these companies who have been sourcing their processes for more than a decade is that the long held view -- "went for cost, stayed for quality" about moving processes outside the company (in some cases outside the country) is too simplistic. Rather we found that "went for cost and quality, stayed for continued quality at competitive costs" is more in line with the strategy that that these companies employed. Next, our in depth questionnaire tries to capture the "now" of the global services sourcing industry. Since the pioneers had shone the arc light on quality we developed specific quality related questions. The results validated the pioneers' views: Of the companies that are engaged in services sourcing, 79% of respondents were using an offshore based provider. Perhaps in a sign of maturing of global services sourcing 62% chose to offshore their services to at least one country in addition to India, the current offshoring destination of choice. As far as country risk factors, legal risks (laws comparable to international standards - data security, intellectual property rights) followed by political risks were identified as the top areas of concern. The lesson for countries competing for offshored business and FDI inflows in services is that the robustness and fairness of the legal system is a major factor for companies especially in the face of concerns about loss of institutional knowledge. The overall satisfaction level with outsourcing was high at 68% but a sizeable chunk of respondents -- 26% were either unsatisfied or very unsatisfied with their outsourcing arrangements. Almost all of these unsatisfied firms have been outsourcing for 12 months or less, reinforcing the literature about thinking of outsourcing being a long term investment rather than a short term win

Fault Classification in double circuit transmission lines using ANN

—— This paper discusses the application of ANN techniques for classification of all type of faults on double circuit transmission lines. It is very challenging task to provide distance protection a double circuit transmission line .An accurate algorithm for fault classification of single line to ground fault, double line to ground fault, three phase faults in double circuit transmission line presented using feed forward neural network (FFNN) algorithm. The algorithm used the fundamental components of voltage and current signals which is taken from the simulation diagram. This technique not requires the online data from the other communication link to retrieve the remote end data nor other sequence current compensation for healthy phases are required. This is a major advantage of the proposed technique for protection of double circuit line. Results of study on a 250 kV transmission line fed from both the ends are presented as an illustration. Simulation results indicate that algorithm is immune to the effect of mutual coupling, fault resistance and fault type

Development and Optimization of Fast Dissolving Tablets of Losartan Potassium Using Natural Gum Mucilage

Current research work involves preparation of fast dissolving tablets of Losartan Potassium by direct compression method using different concentrations of Plantago ovata and Lepidium sativum mucilage as natural superdisintegrants. A two factor three level (32) factorial design is being used to optimize the formulation. Nine formulation batches (A1-A9) were prepared by taking two factors as independent variables (X1- amount of Plantago ovata mucilage and X2- amount of Lepidium sativum mucilage)were taken with three levels (+1, 0, -1). All the active blends were evaluated for precompression parameters (angle of repose, bulk density, carr’s index, hausner’s ratio) and formulated tablets were evaluated for post compression parameters (hardness, friability, weight variation, wetting time, disintegration time, water absorption ratio). In vitro drug release studies were carried out using USP II dissolution apparatus for 30 min. The software Design Expert (8.0.7.1) was used for generating experimental design, modeling the response surface and calculating the statistical evaluation. Tablet parametric tests of formulation batches (A1-A9) of FDT were found within prescribed limits.DT was observed in the range from 12±2 to 58.7±2.52 sec and WT from 10.3±1.52 to 49.7±5.13 sec for formulation batches (A1-A9). More than 87% drug release was observed in all formulation batches (A1-A9) within 15 minutes. Polynomial mathematical models, generated for various response variables using multiple linear regression analysis, were found to be statistically significant (P < 0.05). Formulation A7 was selected by the design expert software which exhibited DT (22.15sec), WT (17.31sec) and in vitrodrug release (100%) within 15 minutes

Utility of ranolazine in chronic stable angina patients

Chronic stable angina is a debilitating illness affecting at least 6.6 million US residents. Despite being optimally treated by pharmacotherapy and revascularization up to 26% of patients still experience angina. Diabetes mellitus is a common co-morbid condition in angina patients. Several new investigational medications are being tested for chronic angina. Advances in understanding of myocardial ischemia have prompted evaluation of a number of new antianginal strategies. In this review we discuss the utility of ranolazine, a recently approved novel antianginal agent and its efficacy in the diabetic patient population. In addition to its antianginal action in diabetic patients with chronic angina, ranolazine may have favorable effects on glycated hemoglobin levels

The Impact of Lesion In-Painting and Registration Methods on Voxel-Based Morphometry in Detecting Regional Cerebral Gray Matter Atrophy in Multiple Sclerosis

Background and Purpose: VBM has been widely used to study GM atrophy in MS. MS lesions lead to segmentation and registration errors that may affect the reliability of VBM results. Improved segmentation and registration have been demonstrated by WM LI before segmentation. DARTEL appears to improve registration versus the USM. Our aim was to compare the performance of VBM-DARTEL versus VBM-USM and the effect of LI in the regional analysis of GM atrophy in MS. Materials and Methods: 3T T1 MR imaging scans were acquired from 26 patients with RRMS and 28 age-matched NC. LI replaced WM lesions with normal-appearing WM intensities before image segmentation. VBM analysis was performed in SPM8 by using DARTEL and USM with and without LI, allowing the comparison of 4 VBM methods (DARTEL + LI, DARTEL − LI, USM + LI, and USM − LI). Accuracy of VBM was assessed by using NMI, CC, and a simulation analysis. Results: Overall, DARTEL + LI yielded the most accurate GM maps among the 4 methods (highest NMI and CC, P < .001). DARTEL + LI showed significant GM loss in the bilateral thalami and caudate nuclei in patients with RRMS versus NC. The other 3 methods overestimated the number of regions of GM loss in RRMS versus NC. LI improved the accuracy of both VBM methods. Simulated data suggested the accuracy of the results provided from patient MR imaging analysis. Conclusions: We introduce a pipeline that shows promise in limiting segmentation and registration errors in VBM analysis in MS

Comparison of 12-Month Outcomes with Zotarolimus- and Paclitaxel-Eluting Stents: A Meta-Analysis

Revascularization after myocardial infarction is often achieved via percutaneous coronary intervention, which often entails stenting. Drug-eluting stents have shown benefits over bare metal stents in this setting, and a variety of drug-eluting stents are now available, including sirolimus-, paclitaxel-, and zotarolimus-eluting stents. There are studies that have compared the various drug-eluting stents and this meta-analysis pools data comparing 12-month clinical outcomes of zotarolimus- and paclitaxel-eluting stents. End points studied were myocardial infarction, major adverse cardiac events, cardiac death, all-cause death, stent thrombosis, target vessel revascularization, and target lesion revascularization.There was a statistically significant reduction in risk of myocardial infarction (odds ratio, 0.250, confidence interval, 0.160 to 0.392) and statistically insignificant reductions in major adverse cardiac events (odds ratio, 0.813, confidence interval, 0.656 to 1.007), cardiac death (odds ratio, 0.817, confidence interval, 0.359 to 1.857), all cause death (odds ratio, 0.820, confidence interval, 0.443 to 1.516), and target lesion revascularization (odds ratio, 0.936, confidence interval 0.702 to 1.247). There was a statistically significant increase in target vessel revascularization (odds ratio, 1.336, confidence interval, 1.003 to 1.778) and a statistically insignificant increase in stent thrombosis (odds ratio, 1.174, confidence interval, 0.604 to 2.280). These findings are similar to the individual studies although other studies have noted increased late loss with zotarolimus-eluting stents and this current data associated with late loss should be kept in mind when makimg clinical decisions regarding sent selection