Synthesis and Characterization of BSLT–NZFO Multiferroic Composite

Magnetodielectric composites with composition (1 – y)Ba0.885Sr0.1La0.01TiO3 – yNi0.8Zn0.2Fe2O4(BSLTNZFO) where y = 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 have been prepared by Hydroxide Co-precipitation route followed by microwave sintering. The X-ray diffraction pattern of the composites shows the formation of cubic spinel structure for the ferromagnetic phase and tetragonal pervoskite structure for the ferroelectric phase. Scanning electron micrographs (SEM) were taken to understand the surface morphology, grain size and grain growth of the composite. Dielectric and magneto dielectric (MD) properties of the composites also investigated at room temperature with different frequencies

Whole-genome sequencing reveals host factors underlying critical COVID-19

Critical COVID-19 is caused by immune-mediated inflammatory lung injury. Host genetic variation influences the development of illness requiring critical care1 or hospitalization2,3,4 after infection with SARS-CoV-2. The GenOMICC (Genetics of Mortality in Critical Care) study enables the comparison of genomes from individuals who are critically ill with those of population controls to find underlying disease mechanisms. Here we use whole-genome sequencing in 7,491 critically ill individuals compared with 48,400 controls to discover and replicate 23 independent variants that significantly predispose to critical COVID-19. We identify 16 new independent associations, including variants within genes that are involved in interferon signalling (IL10RB and PLSCR1), leucocyte differentiation (BCL11A) and blood-type antigen secretor status (FUT2). Using transcriptome-wide association and colocalization to infer the effect of gene expression on disease severity, we find evidence that implicates multiple genes—including reduced expression of a membrane flippase (ATP11A), and increased expression of a mucin (MUC1)—in critical disease. Mendelian randomization provides evidence in support of causal roles for myeloid cell adhesion molecules (SELE, ICAM5 and CD209) and the coagulation factor F8, all of which are potentially druggable targets. Our results are broadly consistent with a multi-component model of COVID-19 pathophysiology, in which at least two distinct mechanisms can predispose to life-threatening disease: failure to control viral replication; or an enhanced tendency towards pulmonary inflammation and intravascular coagulation. We show that comparison between cases of critical illness and population controls is highly efficient for the detection of therapeutically relevant mechanisms of disease

Global, regional, and national levels of maternal mortality, 1990�2015: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015

Background In transitioning from the Millennium Development Goal to the Sustainable Development Goal era, it is imperative to comprehensively assess progress toward reducing maternal mortality to identify areas of success, remaining challenges, and frame policy discussions. We aimed to quantify maternal mortality throughout the world by underlying cause and age from 1990 to 2015. Methods We estimated maternal mortality at the global, regional, and national levels from 1990 to 2015 for ages 10�54 years by systematically compiling and processing all available data sources from 186 of 195 countries and territories, 11 of which were analysed at the subnational level. We quantified eight underlying causes of maternal death and four timing categories, improving estimation methods since GBD 2013 for adult all-cause mortality, HIV-related maternal mortality, and late maternal death. Secondary analyses then allowed systematic examination of drivers of trends, including the relation between maternal mortality and coverage of specific reproductive health-care services as well as assessment of observed versus expected maternal mortality as a function of Socio-demographic Index (SDI), a summary indicator derived from measures of income per capita, educational attainment, and fertility. Findings Only ten countries achieved MDG 5, but 122 of 195 countries have already met SDG 3.1. Geographical disparities widened between 1990 and 2015 and, in 2015, 24 countries still had a maternal mortality ratio greater than 400. The proportion of all maternal deaths occurring in the bottom two SDI quintiles, where haemorrhage is the dominant cause of maternal death, increased from roughly 68 in 1990 to more than 80 in 2015. The middle SDI quintile improved the most from 1990 to 2015, but also has the most complicated causal profile. Maternal mortality in the highest SDI quintile is mostly due to other direct maternal disorders, indirect maternal disorders, and abortion, ectopic pregnancy, and/or miscarriage. Historical patterns suggest achievement of SDG 3.1 will require 91 coverage of one antenatal care visit, 78 of four antenatal care visits, 81 of in-facility delivery, and 87 of skilled birth attendance. Interpretation Several challenges to improving reproductive health lie ahead in the SDG era. Countries should establish or renew systems for collection and timely dissemination of health data; expand coverage and improve quality of family planning services, including access to contraception and safe abortion to address high adolescent fertility; invest in improving health system capacity, including coverage of routine reproductive health care and of more advanced obstetric care�including EmOC; adapt health systems and data collection systems to monitor and reverse the increase in indirect, other direct, and late maternal deaths, especially in high SDI locations; and examine their own performance with respect to their SDI level, using that information to formulate strategies to improve performance and ensure optimum reproductive health of their population. Funding Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY licens

Performance Analysis of AODV and DSDV Routing Protocol in MANET and Modifications in AODV against Black Hole Attack

AbstractMANET stands for Mobile ad hoc network and is an infrastructure-less network and it is having ability to configure itself. The topology of network changes dynamically. It consists of wireless mobile nodes which communicate with each other without any centralized administration. In MANET different types of routing protocols are introduced. These protocols can be categorized into reactive, proactive and hybrid routing protocols. In this paper, AODV and DSDV protocols are analyzed in terms of routing overhead, packet delivery ratio, throughput and end to end delay. The performance of AODV is better than DSDV in terms of throughput, packet delivery ratio and routing overhead. As the DSDV is a proactive routing protocol, it is having a less end to end delay as compare to AODV. The performance of AODV gets affected by black hole attack. This paper gives the modification in AODV which helps to improve the performance of AODV in presence of black hole attack

An Overview of Wind Power Generation and Design Asp ects in India

There is huge activity in wind power, pan-India with the instal led capacity increasing to 10,000MW. India today has the fifth largest installed capacity of wind power in the world w ith 11087MW installed capacity and potential for on-shore capabilities of 65000MW. However the plant load factor (PLF) in wi nd power generation is very low, often in the single digits. The increase in interest in wind energy is due to inves tment subsidies, tax holidays, and government action towards renewable energy playing a big part in nation’s energy system. T here is a need to generate environment friendly power that not only raises energy efficiency and is sustainable too. The time has come for moving to generation based subsidies and understanding the drawbacks associated with wind power in India. The capital cost of wind power is third higher than Conventional thermal power; further electrical problems like v oltage flicker and variable frequency affect the implementation of wind farm. However advances in technologies such as offshore construction of wind turbines, advanced control methodologies, and simulation of wind energy affecting over all grid performance are making a case for wind energy