Metallographic Image Fusion

Image processing plays important role in manufacturing, aerospace, biomedical fields. To determine the classification of metallic sample, edge structure and images without blur are required. Instead of finding the noise kernel blur section of images can be removed by using multiple images fusion. There are different methods used for image fusions like average method, maxima, wavelet transform. For image fusion discrete wavelet transform is used. Image fusion improves the quality of image, data content. In this paper three images are used to fuse together. This images having standard size of 640x480 pixels. Image fusion improves the quality so that edge structure can be determined. According to edge structure the classification is done using ASTME standards

FORMULATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF SUSTAINED RELEASE MATRIX TABLETS OF LORNOXICAM

Lornoxicam is a NSAID having oxicam class mainly prescribed in the treatment of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. NSAID have the potential to relieve the pain and inflammation without the immunosuppressive and metabolic side effects associated with corticosteroids. Generally the classification of NSAID is applied to drugs that inhibit one or more steps in the metabolism of Arachidonic Acid (AA). In general, NSAID do not inhibit lipoxygenase formation or the formation of other inflammatory mediators. Due to its more biological half-life i.e. 3-5 hrs. in India, the dosage form is available in 8-16 mg, it can be increased upto 24 mg/day if necessary. The main objectives of present investigation are to confirm the drug by various analytical techniques, to study the drug excipients compatibility, to avoid the dose as well as the frequency of the dosage form and to perform the stability. The tablet can be developed with the combination of HPMC K 100M and Ethyl Cellulose as a matrix former. Lornoxicam is NSAID that has numerous functions in the body. It can be absorbed rapidly and completely from gastrointestinal track after the oral administration. Absolute bioavailability of Lornoxicam is 90-100%. No first pass effect is observed. It is found in the plasma in the unchanged form and as its hydroxylated metabolite. The hydroxylated metabolite exhibits no pharmacological activity. CYP2C3 has been shown to be the primary enzyme responsible for the biotransformation of Lornoxicam. Approximately 2/3 part of Lornoxicam is eliminated via the liver and 1/3 via the kidneys as inactive substance. Lornoxicam inhibits the production of prostaglandins by inhibiting the action of cyclooxygenase, which regulates the conversion of Arachidonic Acid to Prostaglandins. Lornoxicam mainly prescribed in the treatment of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, and also in the management of ankylosing spondylitis, acute sciatica and low back pain.Keywords: Lornoxicam, Sustained release, matrix

Assessing impacts of projected climate on pigeonpea crop at Gulbarga

Pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan(L.) Millsp] is an important semi-arid legume crop in India. In Karnataka, pigeonpea is largely grown in the northern parts of the state especially in Gulbarga, which is called “Pulse Bowl of Karnataka”. Climate change is one of the major challenges being faced by agriculture in the Semi-Arid Tropics (SAT) of the country. Pigeonpea productivity in Gulbarga is affected by large variations in rainfall amount and distribution, increased temperatures, depleting soil productivity and disturbing water balance. Based on daily weather data of 41 years (1969-2009), productivity and water use of pigeonpea under eleven climate scenarios are assessed using the pigeonpea model in Agricultural Production Systems Simulator (APSIM). Simulations are done with automatic sowing based on rainfall and soil moisture availability during the sowing window (15 Jun to 20 Aug) and following recommended crop management practices. Simulations show that increase in temperature by 2°C could reduce pigeonpea yields by about 16%. Rainfall decrease of 10% from present coupled with 2°C increase in temperature could reduce yields further by 4%, making the total reduction to be at 20%. Crop duration was shortened by about 10 days and water use reduced by 25 mm with increase in temperature. Increased rainfall scenarios have considerably reduced the adverse effects of higher temperature. Breeding of varieties tolerant to higher temperature and adoption of better water management (both in-situ and ex-situ) practices achieved through integrated watershed approach could play a major role in sustaining pigeonpea productivity under future climate scenarios

Increased arid and semi-arid areas in India with associated shifts during 1971-2004

Climate change is one of the major challenges in 21st century faced by Agriculture in India, more so in the Semi-Arid Tropics (SAT) of the country. In recent years, natural and anthropogenic factors have impacted climate variability and contributed to a large extent to climate change. Based on one degree gridded data of India Meteorological Department (IMD) for 34 years (1971-2004), climatic water balances are computed for 351 pixels in India and used for classifying in to six climate types following Thornthwaite’s moisture regime classification and areas falling under different climatic zones in India are delineated. Considerable changes in the country’s climate area observed between the two periods; 1971-90 and 1991-2004. Increased semi-arid area by 8.45 M ha in five states viz., Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Punjab, and decreased semi-arid area by 5 M ha in eleven states, contributed to overall increase in SAT area of 3.45 M ha in the country.Overall, there has been a net reduction of 10.71 M ha in the dry sub-humid area in the country. Results indicated that dryness and wetness are increasing in different parts of the country in the place of moderate climates existing earlier in these regions. ICRISAT’s Hypothesis of Hope through Integrated Genetic and Natural Resources Management (IGNRM) using climate ready crops and Integrated Watershed Management could be a potential adaptation strategy by bridging the yield gaps for developing climate resilient agriculture in the country

Gender Based Within-Household Inequality in Childhood Immunization in India: Changes over Time and across Regions

Background and Objectives: Despite India’s substantial economic growth in the past two decades, girls in India are discriminated against in access to preventive healthcare including immunizations. Surprisingly, no study has assessed the contribution of gender based within-household discrimination to the overall inequality in immunization status of Indian children. This study therefore has two objectives: to estimate the gender based within-household inequality (GWHI) in immunization status of Indian children and to examine the inter-regional and inter-temporal variations in the GWHI. Data and Methods: The present study used households with a pair of male-female siblings (aged 1–5 years) from two rounds of National Family Health Survey (NFHS, 1992–93 and 2005–06). The overall inequality in the immunization status (after controlling for age and birth order) of children was decomposed into within-households and between-households components using Mean log deviation to obtain the GWHI component. The analysis was conducted at the all-India level as well as for six specified geographical regions and at two time points (1992–93 and 2005–06). Household fixed-effects models for immunization status of children were also estimated. Results and Conclusions: Findings from household fixed effects analysis indicated that the immunization scores of girls were significantly lower than that of boys. The inequality decompositions revealed that, at the all-India level, the absolute level of GWHI in immunization status decreased from 0.035 in 1992–93 to 0.023 in 2005–06. However, as a percentage o

Application of ordinal logistic regression analysis in determining risk factors of child malnutrition in Bangladesh

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The study attempts to develop an ordinal logistic regression (OLR) model to identify the determinants of child malnutrition instead of developing traditional binary logistic regression (BLR) model using the data of Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey 2004.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Based on weight-for-age anthropometric index (Z-score) child nutrition status is categorized into three groups-severely undernourished (< -3.0), moderately undernourished (-3.0 to -2.01) and nourished (≥-2.0). Since nutrition status is ordinal, an OLR model-proportional odds model (POM) can be developed instead of two separate BLR models to find predictors of both malnutrition and severe malnutrition if the proportional odds assumption satisfies. The assumption is satisfied with low p-value (0.144) due to violation of the assumption for one co-variate. So partial proportional odds model (PPOM) and two BLR models have also been developed to check the applicability of the OLR model. Graphical test has also been adopted for checking the proportional odds assumption.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>All the models determine that age of child, birth interval, mothers' education, maternal nutrition, household wealth status, child feeding index, and incidence of fever, ARI & diarrhoea were the significant predictors of child malnutrition; however, results of PPOM were more precise than those of other models.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These findings clearly justify that OLR models (POM and PPOM) are appropriate to find predictors of malnutrition instead of BLR models.</p

The rank reversal problem in multi-criteria decision making : a literature review

Despite the importance of multicriteria decision-making (MCDM) techniques for constructing effective decision models, there are many criticisms due to the occurrence of a problem called rank reversal. Nevertheless, there is a lack of a systematic literature review on this important subject which involves different methods. This study reviews the pertinent literature on rank reversal, based on 130 related articles published from 1980 to 2015 in international journals, which were gathered and analyzed according to the following perspectives: multicriteria technique, year and journal in which the papers were published, co-authorship network, rank reversal types, and research goal. Thus our survey provides recommendations for future research, besides useful information and knowledge regarding rank reversal in the MCDM field

Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy (4th edition)1.

In 2008, we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, this topic has received increasing attention, and many scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Thus, it is important to formulate on a regular basis updated guidelines for monitoring autophagy in different organisms. Despite numerous reviews, there continues to be confusion regarding acceptable methods to evaluate autophagy, especially in multicellular eukaryotes. Here, we present a set of guidelines for investigators to select and interpret methods to examine autophagy and related processes, and for reviewers to provide realistic and reasonable critiques of reports that are focused on these processes. These guidelines are not meant to be a dogmatic set of rules, because the appropriateness of any assay largely depends on the question being asked and the system being used. Moreover, no individual assay is perfect for every situation, calling for the use of multiple techniques to properly monitor autophagy in each experimental setting. Finally, several core components of the autophagy machinery have been implicated in distinct autophagic processes (canonical and noncanonical autophagy), implying that genetic approaches to block autophagy should rely on targeting two or more autophagy-related genes that ideally participate in distinct steps of the pathway. Along similar lines, because multiple proteins involved in autophagy also regulate other cellular pathways including apoptosis, not all of them can be used as a specific marker for bona fide autophagic responses. Here, we critically discuss current methods of assessing autophagy and the information they can, or cannot, provide. Our ultimate goal is to encourage intellectual and technical innovation in the field