Community-based water supply schemes - Swajaldhara

Community-based water supply schemes - Swajaldhar

Community hygiene promotion through Human Resources Development Programme, PHE Dept - impact in Manipur, India

The Meitei community of the Manipur valley in the northeastern part of India has an in-built socio-cultural traditional cleanliness. The Human Resources Development Programme of Public Health Engineering Department has taken up, with good progress and results, the community hygiene promotion programme for a better future of the inhabitants of the valley areas

Study of Data Security Algorithms using Verilog HDL

This paper describes an overview of data security algorithms and its performance evaluation. AES, RC5 and SHA algorithms have been taken under this study. Three different types of security algorithms used to analyze the performance study. The designs were implemented in Quartus-II software. The results obtained for encryption and decryption procedures show a significant improvement on the performance of the three algorithms. In this paper, 128-bit AES, 64-bit of RC5 and 512-bit of SHA256 encryption and Decryption has been made using Verilog Hardware Description Language and simulated using ModelSim

CORBYS cognitive control architecture for robotic follower

In this paper the novel generic cognitive robot control architecture CORBYS is presented. The objective of the CORBYS architecture is the integration of high-level cognitive modules to support robot functioning in dynamic environments including interacting with humans. This paper presents the preliminary integration of the CORBYS architecture to support a robotic follower. Experimental results on high-level empowerment-based trajectory planning have demonstrated the effectiveness of ROS-based communication between distributed modules developed in a multi-site research environment as typical for distributed collaborative projects such as CORBYS

Ex-situ conservation of Climbing plants at University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, Karnataka

Ex-situ conservation center for climbing plants has been established at the Botanical Garden, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bangalore. The Botanical garden of this university is of unique type adopting systematic classification for conservation plants of Karnataka in particular and country in general. The dedicated Climber plants block has the collection  More than 50 species collected from all parts of the Karnataka, which are used by various tribals and local people to cure different ailments ranging from simple injuries, wounds, cuts, fever, diarrhea, ulcers, swelling, bone fractures, potency, antidote, skin care, night blindness, toothache, asthma, cough & cold. The present study work provides detailed account of Climbing shrub and woody climber plants conserved with their unique uses

Study Versatility of Lateral Supramalleolar flap as a Reconstructive Tool for Ankle and Foot Defects

INTRODUCTION: Reconstruction of soft tissue defects in ankle and foot is challenging because of more bony prominences and easy exposure of tendons, nerves and vessels. Use of skin graft to cover these sites is of not ideal choice because more morbidity results due to cover of mobile structures thereby the function is also impaired. Hence use of fasciocutaneous flaps to cover these sites brings in a better vascularity to the site and thereby provides a stable cover to the vital structures. The lateral supramalleolar flaps have been used in the past two decades as fasciocutaneous flaps for reconstruction of ankle and foot defects. Even though free flaps are a option for reconstruction of such defects, the expertise and facilities for microsurgery are not available everywhere. Local flaps also provide better colour match. Advantages of fasciocutaneous flaps are ease of elevation, less bulk, high reliability, easier transfer in comparison with muscle of musculocutaneous flaps. Lateral Supramalleolar flaps are fasciocutaneous flaps, alternative to free flaps for reconstruction of ankle and foot defects. As a rotation flap it can also be used for reconstruction for defects in medial aspect of distal third leg also Proximally based flaps are used to reconstructive defects around ankle. Distally based flaps are used to reconstruct whole of dorsum of foot, medial and lateral arches of foot or the heel region. It is also useful to cover defects of stump resulting from transmetatarsal amputations. Donor site is covered by split skin grafts. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to evaluate the usefulness of anastomosis around the lateral malleolar region in raising a fasciocutaneous flap for soft tissue reconstruction of ankle and foot defects and to ascertain the dimensions in raising a flap within the safe limits. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using Lateral supramalleolar flap as a versatile reconstructive tool for defects in ankle and foot. Duration of the study: September 2006-April 2009. Venue of the Study: Department of Plastic, Reconstructive, Maxillofacial surgery, Madras Medical college, Government General Hospital and Department of Anatomy, Madras Medical College. Patient Selection Criteria: 1) 20 in number, 2) Patients with defects in ankle and foot regions, 3) No exclusion criteria, 4) Pre-operative Doppler study was done with 8MHz hand held Doppler. Method of the Study: After measuring the exact defect size, planning of Lateral Supramalleolar flap is done. The flap is raised from lateral aspect of lower leg . It is based on the Peroneal artery perforator communicating to the lateral malleolar artery anterior branch as a proximally based flap or as a distally based flap based on the communications of lateral tarsal artery at the level of sinus tarsi. Based on the site and the size of required flap it is based either proximally or distally. Dissection is proceeded from leg to foot. The superficial peroneal nerve along with the superficial peroneal nerve artery which is a branch of anterior tibial artery is included in all the flaps. This flap is a neurocutaneous flap with the inclusion of superficial peroneal nerve. It is also a reverse flow flap. Measurements were made with digital calipers and scales. Patterns were cut. Planning in reverse were also done to take required length of pedicle. Digital photography were taken. Cadaver dissections were done in which the peroneal artery perforators and the communications with anterior lateral malleolar artery and communications at the level of sinus tarsi with lateral tarsal artery were confirmed. OBSERVATIONS AND RESULTS: 1) The flap was mainly raised within the dimensions described, the middle of the leg, anteriorly the crest of the tibia, posteriorly, the fibula and distally the anastomosis with the anterior lateral malleolar artery in proximally based flap and upto sinus tarsi in distally based flaps. 2) There were 20 patients in the study, 13 males and 7 females. 3) The soft tissue defects were due to; a) Post traumatic, b) Post infective, c) Post burns scar contracture, d) Neoplastic excisional defect. 4) Diabetic status of the patients were included, 6 patients were diabetic. 5) The sites of soft tissue defects included; a) Dorsum of foot, b) Malleolar region, c) Tendo Achilles region, d) Ankle region. 6) Out of 20 cases, 2 were distally based and others were proximally based flaps. 7) The length of pedicle on an average ranged between 4-6cm for proximally based and 11-13cm for distally based flaps. 8) The standard markings for the flaps were crossed in 4 cases, that is the upper limit was extended beyond the middle of the leg for 1-3 cms. 9) The site of emergence of the Ramus Perforans ranged from 4.6-5.2 cms 10) The average size of the soft tissue defect was about 4*3cm to 7*4 cms. 11) Regarding anatomical variations encountered in the dissections, in one case Ramus Perforans was larger and there were no communication with anterior lateral malleolar artery, a proximally based flap was raised to cover a defect in the dorsum of foot. 12) Complications: a) Donor site graft loss in one case, b) Distal necrosis in two cases (one case territory of middle of leg was crossed and other was due to pedicle kinking), c) Venous congestion in two cases which settled in two days. 13) Necessity of second surgery in above three cases, 14) All patients had full range of movement across the ankle joint, 15) The donor site in the lower third leg graft site settled well and patients usually covered these sites with pants or saree. CONCLUSION: 1) The Lateral Supramalleolar flap based on the anastomosis around the ankle lateral malleolar region is a reverse flow flap useful in the reconstructions of the defects in ankle and foot regions. 2) Preoperative Doppler is required to confirm this anastomotic network before planning the flap. 3) The flap is limited to the dimensions of middle of the leg above, medially crest of tibia and laterally fibula. It can be raised as proximally based on the Ramus perforans or distally based on the communications at the level of sinus tarsi. 4) It is a local flap which gives good colour match, texture and thickness to cover the exposed tendons, bones and vessels in the foot and ankle regions. 5) Even though donor site morbidity occurred, the ankle joint movements were well restored

‘In-situ’Inspection Technologies: Trends in Degradation Assessment and Associated Technologies

The advent of advanced, innovative and complex engineered systems has established new technologies that are far more superior and perform well even in harsh environments. It is well established that such next generation systems need to be maintained regularly to prevent any catastrophic failure as a result of regular wear and tear. Non-destructive and structural monitoring technologies have been supporting maintenance activities for over a century and industries still continue to rely on such technologies for effective degradation assessment. Maintenance ‘in-situ’ has been adopted for decades where the health of system or component needs to be inspected in its natural environment, especially those safety critical systems that need in-field inspection to determine its health. This paper presents selective case studies adopted in the area of damage assessment that qualify for both field and ‘in-situ’ inspection. The future directions in the applicability of traditional and advanced inspection techniques to inspect multiple materials and in the area of inaccessible area degradation assessment have also been presented as part of this study

Significance of Grasses in Establishment of Ecological Restoration in Mined out Degraded Land in Jharia Coalfield, Dhanbad

This paper reviews the experience of ecological restoration adopted by Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL), a Miniratna Company, a subsidiary of Coal India Limited, Government of India, Public Sector Undertaking to restore the mined out degraded land in Jharia Coalfield (JCF). JCF is one of the oldest coalfield of India and was mined in an unscientific manner for more than 100 years by the erstwhile private entrepreneurs until it was nationalised in 1972-73, due to which the coalfield was subjected to severe land degradation, mine fires and subsidence. The total degraded land in the JCF in 1986 was 6,294 hectares. In the span of ~25 years (1986-2011), BCCL had taken up plantation/afforestation on 3676 ha of degraded lands through District Forest Office. Now, BCCL is trying to restore these mined out degraded land ecologically. The ecological restoration is to establish a three-tier vegetation comprising of native species grasses as lower tier, shrubs and bushes as middle tier and trees as upper tier with an objective to establish biodiversity and food chain; to improve the local climate regime and socio-economic condition. In 2011, BCCL in association with Forest Research Institute (FRI), Dehradun and Prof. CR Babu, Centre for Environmental Management of Degraded Ecosystem (CEMDE), Delhi University started ecological restoration of the mined out degraded land and overburden dumps. Two study sites were taken up in 2011-12; one at Damoda (23°47\u27N and 86°30\u27E) of 7 ha and another at Tetulmari (23°81\u27N and 86°33\u27E) of 8 ha, respectively. The mined dumps were composed of big and small boulders of shaly sandstone, sandstone, shale and with traces of soil. Earlier, these dumps were profusely invaded by exotic weeds like Parthenium hysterophorus, Croton bonplandianus, Xanthium strumarium and Eupatorium odoratum, Lantana camara. Due to more than 100 years of mining and severe land degradation, there is no soil cover on the dumps and was poor in nutrients. Efforts were specially made in selection of species which are native to the region; generate the large quantity of biomass to enrich the soil; ability to stabilize the soil structure; utility to the local community. Therefore, species of trees, shrubs, herbs, grasses with multiple use value like fuel, fodder, fruit, medicine were used during the process of ecological restoration. In our study, the importance was given to the establishment of grass cover as grasses generate larger quantity of biomass; stabilize the slopes and bind the stratum. The grass cover also plays a key role in establishment of the lower trophic levels of the ecosystem. The grass species introduced are Cenchrus ciliaris, Cenchrus setigerus, Pennisetum pedicellatum, Heteropogon, Stylosanthes,hamata, Chrysopogon, Bothriochloia, Thysanolaena latifolia, Dichanthium, Arundo, Eragrostis, Cynodon dactylon, Chloris, Digitaria, Saccharum spontaneum, and Panicum. In addition, Shrub species Dodonaea viscose, Vitex negundo, Dendrocalamus strictus, Dendrocalamus asper and Bambusa bambos, Woodfordia fruticosa, Calotropis procera, Cassia tora, Datura stramonium, Ziziphus mauritiana, Tephrosia purpurea, Adhatoda zeylanica and Agave sislana and the tree species Albizia procera, Dalbergia sisso, Phyllanthus embilica, Albizia lebbeck, Bahunia variegate, Aegle Marmelos, madhuca indica, Ficus religiosa, Ficus hispida, Syzygium cumini, Casia Fistula etc have been introduced