Graphical Database Architecture For Clinical Trials

The general area of the research is Health Informatics. The research focuses on creating an innovative and novel solution to manage and analyze clinical trials data. It constructs a Graphical Database Architecture (GDA) for Clinical Trials (CT) using New Technology for Java (Neo4j) as a robust, a scalable and a high-performance database. The purpose of the research project is to develop concepts and techniques based on architecture to accelerate the processing time of clinical data navigation at lower cost. The research design uses a positivist approach to empirical research. The research is significant because it proposes a new approach of clinical trials through graph theory and designs a responsive structure of clinical data that can be deployed across all the health informatics landscape. It uniquely contributes to scholarly literature of the phenomena of Not only SQL (NoSQL) graph databases, mainly Neo4j in CT, for future research of clinical informatics. A prototype is created and examined to validate the concepts, taking advantage of Neo4j’s high availability, scalability, and powerful graph query language (Cypher). This research study finds that integration of search methodologies and information retrieval with the graphical database provides a solid starting point to manage, query, and analyze the clinical trials data, furthermore the design and the development of a prototype demonstrate the conceptual model of this study. Likewise the proposed clinical trials ontology (CTO) incorporates all data elements of a standard clinical study which facilitate a heuristic overview of treatments, interventions, and outcome results of these studies

Beneficial Effects of Rhizobacterial Inoculation on Nutrient Uptake, Growth and Yield of Banana (Musa Spp. Cv. 'Berangan')

Banana, an important fruit crop, requires high amounts of N-fertilizers for commercial cultivation, which is costly and can be hazardous to the environment when used excessively. Biofertilizer is globally accepted as an alternative source of nitrogen fertilizer and can substantially supplement the N requirement while enhancing the uptake of water and mineral nutrients of crop plants. A series of research study involving six experiments were conducted to observe the effects of PGPR inoculation on root stimulation and colonization, nutrient absorPtion, growth, yield and fruit quality of bananas (Musa spp cv 'Berangan', AA type) under hydroponics condition. In the preliminary study, the effects of inoculation with two PGPR strains, Sp7 (Azospirillum brasilense) and UPMB10 (Bacillus sphaericus UPMB10), on plant growth and N accumulation of banana plantlets were observed under N-free hydroponics condition for 45 days. A marked increase in root growth namely length (33-44%), volume (76-168%) and mass (137-141%) were recorded due to the PGPR inoculation besides a higher shoot growth (123-202%) and N yield (94-144%). An in vitro electron microscopy study was conducted to observe the pattern of colonization ofPGPR strains Sp7 and UPMBI0 on roots of banana plantlets. This study demonstrated that both strains could effectively colonize the banana roots and more bacterial cells were present in the root hair proliferation zone. In the growth study with banana plantlets under hydroponics condition using 4.0 L plastic pots,] 50 ppm fertilizer-N was found to be optimum for the 45 days period. Another study with similar conditions was undertaken to observe the synergistic effect of minimal fertilizer-N supply (33% of the total N requirement) and PGPR inoculation on root growth and nutrient uptake of banana plantlets. The results showed that inoculation by UPMB10 with minimal fertilizer-N supply increased the primary root elongation and secondary root initiation and subsequently increased the root mass. The same treatment also increased N concentration in pseudostem and leaves and Ca concentration in roots. The total accumulation of N, P, K, Ca and Mg was increased due to inoculation; a consequence of increased plant growth. Plants with this treatment produced an equivalent total dry matter as those supplied with 100% N

Rhizobium as a crop enhancer and biofertilizer for increased cereal production

Greater production of cereals brings forth higher production cost and pollutes the soil environment due to excessive use of chemical fertilizers. Therefore, crop scientists are exploring an alternative source namely biofertilizers which are cost effective and environment friendly. In the biofertilizer technology, Rhizobium-legume is most common and widely used in different countries. Recently, it is also found that rhizobia can make an association with graminaceous plants such as rice, wheat, maize, barley millets and other cereals some time as endophytic without forming any nodule-like structure or causing any disease symptoms. Increasing the ability of rhizobia in biofertilizer, crop enhancing activity in nonlegumes especially cereal grains would be a useful technology for increased crop yields among resource-poor farmers. Recent findings showed both more crop enhancing and biofertilizer attributes in cereal crops due to rhizobial inoculation. In addition, plant nutrients like P, K, Ca, Mg and even Fe accumulation were also observed. Therefore, further research in this area will be able to develop a sustainable biofertilizer technology for greater and environment friendly cereal production system.Key words: Biofertilizer, cereal, crop enhancer, Rhizobium, yield