An Empirical Analysis of the Effects of Plant Variety Protection Legislation on Innovation and Transferability

Under the TRIPs Agreement, all member-countries of the World Trade Organization are required to provide an "effective" system of plant variety protection within a specific time frame. In many developing countries this has led to a divisive debate about the fundamental desirability of extending intellectual property rights to agriculture. But empirical studies on the economic impacts of PVP, especially its ability to generate large private sector investments in plant breeding and facilitate the transfer of technology, have been very limited. This paper examines two aspects of the international experience of PVP legislation thus far (i) The relationship between legislation, R&D expenditures and PVP grants, i.e., the innovation effect, and (ii) The role of PVP in facilitating the flow of varieties across countries, i.e., the transferability effect.Plant variety protection, biotechnology, technology transfer, Crop Production/Industries,

Comparison of Fracture Delineation Methods in Anteroposterior Pelvic Radiographs

Pelvic fractures are very difficult to detect due to the visual complexity of the pelvic bone. Pelvic fracture occurs less frequently, only when there is a high energy event such as fall from a height or vehicle collision. In elder people and in osteoporosis patients even a low energy incident may cause fracture. The paper includes the comparison of three different fracture detection methods – GLCM and ANN based, Statistical curve fitting and classifier based and finally statistical curve fitting and ANN based method

Wideband Fabric Antenna for Ultra Wideband Applications using for Medical Applications

Traditional cancer detection imaging techniques suffer high costs, high false negatives, high false positives,and pain. The microwave imaging techniques overcome the limitations, which depend primarily on antenna design. If an antenna is wearable and implantable, the imaging system gives better results with less pain and cost. A wide band fabric antenna that operates at the ultra-wideband frequency with a low specific absorption rate (SAR) on breast phantom is verified. The proposed design has Jeans material as a substrate and the copper patch as a radiating element. The patch is designed in a circular shape with an M-type slot to suppress the spurious modes. The designed antenna model is commonly used for monitoring microwave imaging and has dimensions of 28X30X1.6 mm3. The proposed antenna design covers 2.3-8 GHz frequency with a broadside radiation pattern. The gain over the operating frequency is about 2.3-4.5 dB, and the efficiency is 55 %–79 %. The antenna model was designed and simulated in CST microwave studio. The performance of an antenna is tested on breast cancer to detect the presence of tumor cells in the breast. The antenna analysis on the phantom was done by considering the tumor location and corresponding results are presented. By varying the sizes of the tumor the antenna performance is analysed. The simulated SAR values of the proposed antenna design on breast phantom are under the limits of FCC

HEPATOPROTECTIVE ACTIVITY OF AQUEOUS EXTRACTS OF CHRYSANTHEMUM INDICUM FLOWERS ON PARACETAMOL INDUCED LIVER INJURY IN ALBINO RATS

Objective: The present investigation was evaluated that protective activity of aqueous extract of flowers of Chrysanthemum indicum studied againstparacetamol-induced hepatotoxicity in animal model.Methods: Bioactive functional groups, such as alcohol, carboxylic acid, and amines, were present in the aqueous extract of flowers of C. indicumidentified by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The animals were grouped into 5 and each group has 6 animals and induced the hepatic failure.Silymarin was used as reference standard. Aqueous extract of flowers of C. indicum treated in a different dose which was compared with control groupof animals.Results: Aqueous extract of flowers of C. indicum reduced the level of aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), serum bilirubin,protein, triglycerides, and cholesterol compared than paracetamol treated Group II animals. Histopathological studies were confirmed that reductionof necrosis and inflammation in the liver cells.Conclusion: Thus, these results revealed that the aqueous extract of flowers of C. indicum shown very significant (p<0.01) hepatoprotection againstparacetamol-induced hepatic failure in animal model by reducing AST, ALT, serum total bilirubin, protein, triglycerides, and cholesterol levels.Keywords: Hepatoprotective activity, Chrysanthemum indicum, Paracetamol

Operationalizing the concept of farming system for nutrition through the promotion of nutrition-sensitive agriculture

Despite impressive gains in agricultural production and greater availability of food many people in India suffer from undernutrition. Improvements in agricultural production that lead to greater access to nutritious food could help combat undernutrition. This article in Current Science shares a new farming model to promote improved nutrition outcomes amongst vulnerable farming communities. Five villages in Wardha district of Maharashtra have been selected for the study to evaluate the effectiveness of the farming system for nutrition (FSN) approach. The programme includes on farm demonstrations of arable crops and community nutrition gardens of vegetables and fruits (managed by women). A wide range of nutritious vegetables were promoted in the nutrition gardens to ensure availability to the households in the selected communities.UK AidDepartment for International Development (DFID

Histopathological evaluation of endometrial sampling in perimenopausal women with abnormal uterine bleeding

Background: Abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) is one of the common symptoms in the gynaecology outpatient department. About one third of women are affected at some time in their lives. The perimenopausal women show significant number of underlying organic pathology. The evaluation of endometrium and/or organ histopathology has the dual advantage of finding the cause of AUB and to rule out endometrial cancer or the potential for cancer in future like endometrial hyperplasia with atypia. The aim of the study was to determine the histopathological pattern of endometrial sampling in perimenopausal women with AUB and to follow them up for a period of six months after the procedure.Methods: The prospective observational study was conducted at the department of obstetrics and gynaecology at Sree Gokulam Medical College and Research Foundation, Venjaramood, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, for a period of one year from December 2019 to December 2020. The study was conducted on 116 perimenopausal women 41-52 years who presented with AUB and had undergone endometrial sampling. These ladies were subsequently followed up for six months post procedure to assess the response to medical treatment or the need for any surgical intervention like hysterectomy.Results: A total 39.65% patients had heavy and prolonged menstrual bleeding and 18.16% patients had irregular bleeding. 14.65% patients had prolonged flow, 8.6% had heavy flow, 6.8% had infrequent with prolonged flow, 6% had prolonged, infrequent with heavy bleeding. Non-structural (COEIN) causes contributed to about 60.4% of AUB in perimenopausal women and 39.6% had structural (PALM) causes. 49% cases were secretory endometrium. 29.3% had disordered proliferative endometrium, 4.3% had proliferative endometrium, 5.2% each had polyp or hyperplasia without atypia. 18 (15.5%) cases underwent hysterectomy, 3 patients who had adenocarcinoma underwent staging laparotomy, 2 patients had LNG IUS insertion and 40 patients were on follow up requiring either no treatment and 53 (45.68%) patients were given antifibrinolytics or hormonal therapy.Conclusions: Heavy and prolonged menstrual bleeding was the most common presenting symptom. COEIN contributed to about 60.4% of cases. Evaluation of the endometrium showed that, secretory endometrium was commonest (49%) followed by disordered proliferative endometrium (29.3%). On follow up for six months, 15.5% patients underwent hysterectomy, 2 patients had insertion of levonorgestrel IUD, 45.68% patients had medical management with antifibrinolytics or hormones and were on follow up. The responsibility of gynaecologist in the management of AUB in perimenopausal women is to exclude hyperplasia of endometrium and endometrial cancer

Unscarred uterine rupture: a retrospective analysis

Uterine rupture is an obstetrical emergency associated with significant maternal and fetal mortality and morbidity. Spontaneous rupture of an unscarred uterus, though rare, can occur in developing countries. Many risk factors for uterine rupture, as well as a wide range of clinical presentations, have been identified. The aim of the study was to analyze the incidence, predisposing factors and to determine the maternal and perinatal outcomes of unscarred uterine rupture. A retrospective analysis of cases of unscarred uterine rupture was conducted at the department of obstetrics and gynecology, Andhra Medical College/King George Hospital, Visakhapatnam from 01 October 2020 to 31 October 2021. Out of the 8657 deliveries in our hospital during the study period, there were 11 cases of ruptured unscarred uteri giving an incidence of 0.127%. All of these (100%) were unbooked cases. Most of them (90.9%) were multigravida. Uterine rupture occurred at term in 9 cases and 2 were pre term. Maternal mortality was 18.18% (2 cases) and perinatal mortality was 72.72% (8 cases). Sub-total hysterectomy was done in 4 and laparotomy with repair of the rent was performed in the remaining 7 cases. Unscarred uterine rupture though a rare complication of pregnancy, can occur commonly in developing countries. Obstructed labour, mismanaged labour, injudicious use of oxytocin and grand multiparity are the common risk factors associated with unscarred uterine rupture