Grey Relational Analysis Based Optimization of Underwater Nd: YAG Laser Micro-channeling on PMMA

AbstractLaser based micro-channeling is emerging as the most widely used process for fabrication of polymer based micro-fluidic devices. Nd:YAG lasers are one of the most favoured laser system by industries involved in laser based material processing. However, they have not been fully explored for micro-level processing. In this research work, Nd:YAG laser has been utilized in fabrication of micro-channels on PMMA in underwater condition. The input parameters have been chosen as lamp current, scanning speed, pulse frequency and pulse width. Depth, burr height and burr width of the micro-channel have been taken as output quality characteristics. Taguchi methodology in combination with grey relational analysis has been employed to determine the optimal parametric condition for satisfying multiple objectives at same time. Underwater laser processing has resulted in minimization of undesirable effects of laser processing like heat affected zone and redeposition around the micro-channels resulting in cleaner and finer structure than open air processing

Market information to mobiles promote transparency within Senegal's value chains

Digital agribusiness, N'kalô, is empowering Senegal's smallholders through the provision of reliable and objective market information to their phones. Using this data, farmers are able to negotiate to achieve the best prices for their produce

Le téléphone mobile au service de l'agribusiness : un outil, plusieurs bénéfices

Un service d'information sur le marché via téléphone portable contribue à promouvoir la transparence au Sénégal, en permettant aux agriculteurs – y compris ceux qui ne sont pas abonnés au service – d'obtenir des prix plus justes pour leurs produits

A 19-SNP coronary heart disease gene score profile in subjects with type 2 diabetes: the coronary heart disease risk in type 2 diabetes (CoRDia study) study baseline characteristics

Background: The coronary risk in diabetes (CoRDia) trial (n = 211) compares the effectiveness of usual diabetes care with a self-management intervention (SMI), with and without personalised risk information (including genetics), on clinical and behavioural outcomes. Here we present an assessment of randomisation, the cardiac risk genotyping assay, and the genetic characteristics of the recruits. / Methods: Ten-year coronary heart disease (CHD) risk was calculated using the UKPDS score. Genetic CHD risk was determined by genotyping 19 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) using Randox’s Cardiac Risk Prediction Array and calculating a gene score (GS). Accuracy of the array was assessed by genotyping a subset of pre-genotyped samples (n = 185). / Results: Overall, 10-year CHD risk ranged from 2–72 % but did not differ between the randomisation groups (p = 0.13). The array results were 99.8 % concordant with the pre-determined genotypes. The GS did not differ between the Caucasian participants in the CoRDia SMI plus risk group (n = 66) (p = 0.80) and a sample of UK healthy men (n = 1360). The GS was also associated with LDL-cholesterol (p = 0.05) and family history (p = 0.03) in a sample of UK healthy men (n = 1360). / Conclusions: CHD risk is high in this group of T2D subjects. The risk array is an accurate genotyping assay, and is suitable for estimating an individual’s genetic CHD risk. / Trial registration: This study has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov; registration identifier NCT0189178

Effectiveness of a self-management intervention with personalised genetic and lifestyle-related risk information on coronary heart disease and diabetes-related risk in type 2 diabetes (CoRDia): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

Background Many patients with type 2 diabetes fail to achieve good glycaemic control. Poor control is associated with complications including coronary heart disease (CHD). Effective self-management and engagement in health behaviours can reduce risks of complications. However, patients often struggle to adopt and maintain these behaviours. Self-management interventions have been found to be effective in improving glycaemic control. Recent developments in the field of genetics mean that patients can be given personalised information about genetic- and lifestyle-associated risk of developing CHD. Such information may increase patients’ motivation to engage in self-management. The Coronary Risk in Diabetes (CoRDia) trial will compare the effectiveness of a self-management intervention, with and without provision of personalised genetic- and lifestyle-associated risk information, with usual care, on clinical and behavioural outcomes, the cognitive predictors of behaviour, and psychological wellbeing. Methods/Design Participants will be adults aged 25–74 years registered with general practices in the East of England, diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, with no history of heart disease, and with a glycated haemoglobin level of ≥6.45 % (47 mmol/mol). Consenting participants will be randomised to one of three arms: usual care control, group self-management only, group self-management plus personalised genetic- and lifestyle-associated risk information. The self-management groups will receive four weekly 2-hour group sessions, focusing on knowledge and information sharing, problem solving, goal setting and action planning to promote medication adherence, healthy eating, and physical activity. Primary outcomes are glycaemic control and CHD risk. Clinical data will be collected from GP records, including HbA1c, weight, body mass index, blood pressure, and HDL and total cholesterol. Self-reported health behaviours, including medication adherence, healthy eating and physical activity, and cognitive outcomes will be assessed by questionnaire. Measures will be taken at baseline, 3 months (questionnaire only), 6 months and 12 months post-baseline. Discussion This study will determine whether the addition of personalised genetic- and lifestyle-associated CHD risk information to a group self-management intervention improves diabetes control and CHD risk compared with group self-management and usual care. Effectiveness of the combined intervention on health behaviours cognitions theorised to predict them, and psychological outcomes will also be investigated. Trial registration This study has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov; registration identifier NCT01891786, registered 28 June 2013

A 19-SNP coronary heart disease gene score profile in subjects with type 2 diabetes: the coronary heart disease risk in type 2 diabetes (CoRDia study) study baseline characteristics

Background The coronary risk in diabetes (CoRDia) trial (n = 211) compares the effectiveness of usual diabetes care with a self-management intervention (SMI), with and without personalised risk information (including genetics), on clinical and behavioural outcomes. Here we present an assessment of randomisation, the cardiac risk genotyping assay, and the genetic characteristics of the recruits. Methods Ten-year coronary heart disease (CHD) risk was calculated using the UKPDS score. Genetic CHD risk was determined by genotyping 19 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) using Randox’s Cardiac Risk Prediction Array and calculating a gene score (GS). Accuracy of the array was assessed by genotyping a subset of pre-genotyped samples (n = 185). Results Overall, 10-year CHD risk ranged from 2–72 % but did not differ between the randomisation groups (p = 0.13). The array results were 99.8 % concordant with the pre-determined genotypes. The GS did not differ between the Caucasian participants in the CoRDia SMI plus risk group (n = 66) (p = 0.80) and a sample of UK healthy men (n = 1360). The GS was also associated with LDL-cholesterol (p = 0.05) and family history (p = 0.03) in a sample of UK healthy men (n = 1360). Conclusions CHD risk is high in this group of T2D subjects. The risk array is an accurate genotyping assay, and is suitable for estimating an individual’s genetic CHD risk. Trial registration This study has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov; registration identifier NCT0189178

An integrated organic farming system: innovations for farm diversification, sustainability, and livelihood improvement of hill farmers

IntroductionOrganic farming is a promising solution for mitigating environmental burdens related to input-intensive agricultural practices. The major challenge in organic agriculture is the non-availability of large quantities of organic inputs required for crop nutrition and sustaining soil health, which can be resolved by efficient recycling of the available on- and off-farm resources and the integration of the components as per the specific locations.MethodsAn integrated organic farming system (IOFS) model comprising agricultural and horticultural crops, rainwater harvesting units, livestock components, and provisions for nutrient recycling was developed and disseminated in the adopted organic villages Mynsain, Pynthor, and Umden Umbathiang in the Ri-Bhoi District, Meghalaya, India, to improve the income and livelihood of farmers. Harvested rainwater in farm ponds and Jalkunds was used for live-saving irrigation in the winter months and diversified homestead farming activities, such as growing high-value crops and rearing cattle, pigs, and poultry.ResultsMaize, french bean, potato, ginger, tomato, carrot, and chili yields in the IOFS model increased by 20%−30%, 40%−45%, 25%−30%, 33%−40%, 45%−50%, 37%−50%, and 27%−30%, respectively, compared with traditional practices. Some farmers produced vermicompost in vermibeds (made of high-density polyethylene) and cement brick chambers, generating 0.4−1.25 tons per annum. Two individual farmers, Mr. Jrill Makroh and Mrs. Skola Kurbah obtained net returns (without premium price) of Rs. 46,695 ± 418 and Rs. 31,102 ± 501 from their respective 0.27- and 0.21-ha IOFS models, which is equivalent to Rs. 172,944 ± 1,548/ha/year and Rs. 148,105 ± 2,385/ha/year, respectively. The net returns obtained from the IOFS models were significantly higher than those obtained from the farmers' practice of maize-fallow or cultivation of maize followed by vegetable (~30% of the areas). It is expected that, with the certification of organic products, the income and livelihood of the farmers will improve further over the years. While Mr. Jrill Makroh's model supplied 95.1%, 82.0%, and 96.0% of the total N, P2O5, and K2O, respectively, needed by the system, Mrs. Skola Kurbah's model supplied 76.0%, 68.6%, and 85.5% of the total N, P2O5, and K2O, respectively.DiscussionThus, IOFS models should be promoted among hill farmers so that they can efficiently recycle farm resources and increase their productivity, net returns, and livelihood while reducing their dependence on external farm inputs

Implementation of an early rule-out pathway for myocardial infarction using a high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T assay.

OBJECTIVES: Patients with suspected acute coronary syndrome and high-sensitivity cardiac troponin (hs-cTn) concentrations below the limit of detection at presentation are low risk. We aim to determine whether implementing this approach facilitates the safe early discharge of patients. METHODS: In a prospective single-centre cohort study, consecutive patients with suspected acute coronary syndrome were included before (standard care) and after (intervention) implementation of an early rule-out pathway. During standard care, myocardial infarction was ruled out if hs-cTnT concentrations were <99th centile (14 ng/L) at presentation and at 6-12 hours after symptom onset. In the intervention, patients were ruled out if hs-cTnT concentrations were <5 ng/L at presentation and symptoms present for ≥3 hours or were ≥5 ng/L and unchanged within the reference range at 3 hours. We compared duration of stay (efficacy) and all-cause death at 1 year (safety) before and after implementation. RESULTS: We included 10 315 consecutive patients (64±16 years, 46% women) with 6642 (64%) and 3673 (36%) in the standard care and intervention groups, respectively. Duration of stay was reduced from 534 (IQR, 220-2279) to 390 (IQR, 218-1910) min (p<0.001) after implementation. At 1 year, all-cause death occurred in 10.9% (721 of 6642) and 10.4% (381 of 3673) of patients in the standard care group (referent) and intervention group, respectively (adjusted OR 1.02, 95% CI 0.88 to 1.18). CONCLUSION: In patients with suspected acute coronary syndrome, implementing an early rule-out pathway using hs-cTnT concentrations <5 ng/L at presentation reduced the duration of stay in hospital without compromising safety

Perfluoroarene induces a pentapeptidic hydrotrope into a pH-tolerant hydrogel allowing naked eye sensing of Ca\u3csup\u3e2+\u3c/sup\u3e ions

\u3cp\u3eSelf-assembly of a novel thermoresponsive, pyrene-appended oligopeptide sequence VPGKP (PyP) leads to the formation of spherical aggregates in water. The sizes of the globular aggregates of the peptide, PyP, strongly depend on the temperature of its suspension in water and decrease with the decrease in temperature showing a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) phenomenon. Furthermore, a pyrene-octafluoronaphthalene (OFN) 'pair' has been used as a supramolecular synthon to induce hydrogelation of PyP in the presence of an equimolar amount of OFN via complementary quadrupole-quadrupole interactions. The gel shows excellent pH tolerance and thixotropic behavior. Detailed studies suggest the existence of lamellar packing of the gelators in a right-handed helical fashion which yields globular aggregates. The globular aggregates are sticky in nature and form a gel via inter-globular interactions. Addition of Ca\u3csup\u3e2+\u3c/sup\u3e ions reinforces the mechanical strength and also reduces the critical gelator concentration of the native gel through coordination with the free -COO\u3csup\u3e-\u3c/sup\u3e group of the gelator. Therefore, the present hydrogel system could further be used as a naked eye sensor of Ca\u3csup\u3e2+\u3c/sup\u3e ions.\u3c/p\u3

First report of charge-transfer induced heat-set hydrogel b: structural insights and remarkable properties

\u3cp\u3eThe remarkable ability of a charge-transfer (CT) complex prepared from a pyrene-based donor (Py-D) and a naphthalenediimide-based acceptor (NDI-A) led to the formation of a deep-violet in color, transparent hydrogel at room temperature (RT-gel). Simultaneously, the RT-gel was diluted beyond its critical gelator concentration (CGC) to obtain a transparent sol. Very interestingly, the resultant sol, on heating above 70 °C, transformed into a heat-set gel instantaneously with a hitherto unknown CGC value. Detailed studies revealed the smaller globular aggregates of the RT-gels fuse to form giant globules upon heating, which, in turn, resulted in heat-set gelation through further aggregation. The thermoresponsive property of Py-D alone and 1:1 Py-D:NDI-A CT complex was investigated in detail which revealed the hydrophobic collapse of the oxyethylene chains of the CT complex upon heating was mainly responsible for heat-set gelation. Thixotropy, injectability, as well as stimuli responsiveness of the RT-gels were also addressed. In contrast, heat-set gel did not show thixotropic behavior. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns of the xerogel depicted lamellar packing of the CT stacks in the gel phase. Single crystal XRD studies further evidenced the 1:1 mixed CT stack formation in the lamellae and also ruled out orthogonal hydrogen bonding possibilities among the hydrazide unit in the CT gel although such interaction was observed in a single crystal of NDI-A alone. In addition, a Ag\u3csup\u3e+\u3c/sup\u3e-ion triggered metallogelation of NDI-A and nematic liquid-crystalline property of Py-D were also observed.\u3c/p\u3