Heterosis and combining ability for yield and its related traits in ridge gourd [Luffa acutangula (L.)Roxb.]

Line × Tester analysis involving three lines and four testers was carried out in ridge gourd [Luffa acutangula (Roxb.) L.]. Significant variation was noticed in the mean performance of the parents and hybrids for all the characters studied except for vine length and fruit girth. The results from GCA and SCA variance indicated the predominance of non-additive gene action for all the traits except fruit girth. Significant heterosis of 177.78% over standard check, Arka Sumeet for fruit weight per plant was expressed by the cross GARG-1 × CO-1. The best general combiners were GARG-1 and Pusa Nutan among the lines, and Jaipur long and CO-1 among testers. Best specific combining ability effects for fruit length and yield (t/ ha) were recorded by the crosses Pusa Nasdar × Arka Sumeet and GARG-1 × CO-1

Design and Performance Analysis of Low Latency Routing Algorithm based NoC for MPSoC

The Network on Chip is appropriate where System-on-Chip technology is scalable and adaptable. The Network on Chip is a new communication architecture with a number of benefits, including scalability, flexibility, and reusability, for applications built on Multiprocessor System on a Chip (MPSoC). However, the design of efficient NoC fabric with high performance is critically complex because of its architectural parameters. Identifying a suitable scheduling algorithm to resolve arbitration among ports to obtain high-speed data transfer in the router is one of the most significant phases while designing a Network on chip based Multiprocessor System on a Chip. Low latency, throughput, space utilization, energy consumption, and reliability for Network on chip fabric are all determined by the router. The performance of the NoC system is hampered by the deadlock issues that plague conventional routing algorithms. This work develops a novel routing algorithm to address the deadlock problem. In this paper, a deterministic shortest path deadlock-free routing method is developed based on the analysis of the Turn Model. In the 2D-mesh structure, the algorithm uses separate routing methods for the odd and even columns. This minimizes the number of paths for a single channel, congestion, and latency. Two test scenarios—one with and one without a load test—were used to evaluate the proposed model. For a zero-load network, three clock cycles are utilized to transfer the packets. For the load network, five clocks are utilized to transfer the packets. The latency is measured for both cases without load and with load test and the corresponding latency is 3ns and 7ns respectively.The proposed method has an 18.57Mbps throughput.  The area and power utilization for the proposed method are 69% (IO utilization) and 0.128W respectively. In order to validate the proposed method, the latency is compared with existing work and 50% latency is reduced both with and without congestion load

RTL Implementation of image compression techniques in WSN

The Wireless sensor networks have limitations regarding data redundancy, power and require high bandwidth when used for multimedia data. Image compression methods overcome these problems. Non-negative Matrix Factorization (NMF) method is useful in approximating high dimensional data where the data has non-negative components. Another method of the NMF called (PNMF) Projective Nonnegative Matrix Factorization is used for learning spatially localized visual patterns. Simulation results show the comparison between SVD, NMF, PNMF compression schemes. Compressed images are transmitted from base station to cluster head node and received from ordinary nodes. The station takes on the image restoration. Image quality, compression ratio, signal to noise ratio and energy consumption are the essential metrics measured for compression performance. In this paper, the compression methods are designed using Matlab.The parameters like PSNR, the total node energy consumption are calculated. RTL schematic of NMF SVD, PNMF methods is generated by using Verilog HDL

Markers of Dysglycaemia and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease in People without Diabetes: Reykjavik Prospective Study and Systematic Review

BACKGROUND: Associations between circulating markers of dysglycaemia and coronary heart disease (CHD) risk in people without diabetes have not been reliably characterised. We report new data from a prospective study and a systematic review to help quantify these associations. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Fasting and post-load glucose levels were measured in 18,569 participants in the population-based Reykjavik study, yielding 4,664 incident CHD outcomes during 23.5 y of mean follow-up. In people with no known history of diabetes at the baseline survey, the hazard ratio (HR) for CHD, adjusted for several conventional risk factors, was 2.37 (95% CI 1.79-3.14) in individuals with fasting glucose > or = 7.0 mmol/l compared to those or = 7 mmol/l at baseline were excluded, relative risks for CHD, adjusted for several conventional risk factors, were: 1.06 (1.00-1.12) per 1 mmol/l higher fasting glucose (23 cohorts, 10,808 cases, 255,171 participants); 1.05 (1.03-1.07) per 1 mmol/l higher post-load glucose (15 cohorts, 12,652 cases, 102,382 participants); and 1.20 (1.10-1.31) per 1% higher HbA(1c) (9 cohorts, 1639 cases, 49,099 participants). CONCLUSIONS: In the Reykjavik Study and a meta-analysis of other Western prospective studies, fasting and post-load glucose levels were modestly associated with CHD risk in people without diabetes. The meta-analysis suggested a somewhat stronger association between HbA(1c) levels and CHD risk

Do smallholder farmer-led seed systems have the capacity to supply good-quality, fungal-free sorghum seed?

Local seed systems that are developed, managed and maintained by farmers are a fundamental practice in smallholder crop production, supporting more than 80% of farmers in sub-Saharan Africa and feeding more than 70% of its population. The resilience of such systems is under threat from poverty, climate change, drought, increased pests and diseases, over-promotion of modern crop varieties, change of lifestyles and restrictive seed policies. The system continues to be maligned as having inferior quality, yet few studies support this assertion. This study aims to fll this research gap by evaluating 60 sorghum seed samples collected from smallholder farmers in Uzumba-MarambaPfungwe and Chimanimani districts of Zimbabwe. We investigated the efect of farmer-led seed management practices (e.g. seed acquisition and seed storage practices) on farm-derived sorghum seed quality (moisture, germination and fungal incidences). We found farmers using diverse seed sources and seed storage practices. Seeds were typically of good quality in that their storage moisture content was low, their germination was high, and fungal incidences were low. Seed sourced from local markets, non-governmental organizations and other farmers had germination and moisture standards that met the sorghum certifcation standards in Zimbabwe. However, few samples obtained from the relatives and government failed to meet the germination and/or moisture certifcation standards. We detected low incidences of fungi (Aspergillus favus, Aspergillus niger, Curvularia lunata, Fusarium sp. and Penicillium sp.) in sorghum seed samples tested and in particular Fusarium sp., which is the most economic important fungus in sorghum production. We conclude that farmer-led seed systems have the capacity to supply seeds of good quality and recommend that such systems should be recognized and promoted to meet the ever-evolving needs of smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa

HMG-coenzyme A reductase inhibition, type 2 diabetes, and bodyweight: evidence from genetic analysis and randomised trials.

BACKGROUND: Statins increase the risk of new-onset type 2 diabetes mellitus. We aimed to assess whether this increase in risk is a consequence of inhibition of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase (HMGCR), the intended drug target. METHODS: We used single nucleotide polymorphisms in the HMGCR gene, rs17238484 (for the main analysis) and rs12916 (for a subsidiary analysis) as proxies for HMGCR inhibition by statins. We examined associations of these variants with plasma lipid, glucose, and insulin concentrations; bodyweight; waist circumference; and prevalent and incident type 2 diabetes. Study-specific effect estimates per copy of each LDL-lowering allele were pooled by meta-analysis. These findings were compared with a meta-analysis of new-onset type 2 diabetes and bodyweight change data from randomised trials of statin drugs. The effects of statins in each randomised trial were assessed using meta-analysis. FINDINGS: Data were available for up to 223 463 individuals from 43 genetic studies. Each additional rs17238484-G allele was associated with a mean 0·06 mmol/L (95% CI 0·05-0·07) lower LDL cholesterol and higher body weight (0·30 kg, 0·18-0·43), waist circumference (0·32 cm, 0·16-0·47), plasma insulin concentration (1·62%, 0·53-2·72), and plasma glucose concentration (0·23%, 0·02-0·44). The rs12916 SNP had similar effects on LDL cholesterol, bodyweight, and waist circumference. The rs17238484-G allele seemed to be associated with higher risk of type 2 diabetes (odds ratio [OR] per allele 1·02, 95% CI 1·00-1·05); the rs12916-T allele association was consistent (1·06, 1·03-1·09). In 129 170 individuals in randomised trials, statins lowered LDL cholesterol by 0·92 mmol/L (95% CI 0·18-1·67) at 1-year of follow-up, increased bodyweight by 0·24 kg (95% CI 0·10-0·38 in all trials; 0·33 kg, 95% CI 0·24-0·42 in placebo or standard care controlled trials and -0·15 kg, 95% CI -0·39 to 0·08 in intensive-dose vs moderate-dose trials) at a mean of 4·2 years (range 1·9-6·7) of follow-up, and increased the odds of new-onset type 2 diabetes (OR 1·12, 95% CI 1·06-1·18 in all trials; 1·11, 95% CI 1·03-1·20 in placebo or standard care controlled trials and 1·12, 95% CI 1·04-1·22 in intensive-dose vs moderate dose trials). INTERPRETATION: The increased risk of type 2 diabetes noted with statins is at least partially explained by HMGCR inhibition. FUNDING: The funding sources are cited at the end of the paper

Synthesis of (R)-2-benzyloxy-1-iodo-3-butene - a new chiral synthon from L-(+)-tartaric acid: its application to (R)-v-caprolactone

A practical synthesis of (R)-2-benzyloxy-1-iodo-3-butene, a bifunctional chiral synthon from (R,R)-tartaric acid and its application to (R)-v-caprolactone, a pheromone of Trogoderma species, is described