Suboptimality of Nonlocal Means for Images with Sharp Edges

We conduct an asymptotic risk analysis of the nonlocal means image denoising algorithm for the Horizon class of images that are piecewise constant with a sharp edge discontinuity. We prove that the mean square risk of an optimally tuned nonlocal means algorithm decays according to $n^{-1}\log^{1/2+\epsilon} n$, for an $n$-pixel image with $\epsilon>0$. This decay rate is an improvement over some of the predecessors of this algorithm, including the linear convolution filter, median filter, and the SUSAN filter, each of which provides a rate of only $n^{-2/3}$. It is also within a logarithmic factor from optimally tuned wavelet thresholding. However, it is still substantially lower than the the optimal minimax rate of $n^{-4/3}$.Comment: 33 pages, 3 figure

A prospective clinical trial to evaluate the prevalence of thyroid disorder among pregnant women and obstetrical and fetal outcome in a tertiary health centre located in central India

Background: A prospective clinical trial to evaluate the prevalence of thyroid disorder among pregnant women and obstetrical and fetal outcome was done in a tertiary health centre (RKDF Medical College and Research Centre, Bhopal) located in central India.Methods: This prospective study was carried out in antenatal women in their first trimester attending antenatal OPD in RKDF Medical College and Research Centre, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh to know the prevalence of thyroid disorder and its association with pregnancy outcome.Results: In this study prevalence of thyroid disorder was 12.4%, subclinical hypothyroidism 7.2%, overt hypothyroidism 3.4%, subclinical hyperthyroidism 1.4%, overt hyperthyroidism 0.4%. Thyroid disorder is responsible for several obstetrical and fetal complication like pre-eclampsia, preterm delivery, abortion, IUGR and low birth weight.Conclusions: Thyroid disorder associated with poor obstetrical outcome and fetal complication. so timely diagnosis and treatment is required. Universal screening should be preferred over high-risk screening because of high prevalence of the disease in India

A study to compare the efficacy, acceptability and side effect of combined contraceptive vaginal ring with the combined oral contraceptive pills in a tertiary health centre located in central India

Background: A study to compare the efficacy, acceptability and side effect of combined contraceptive vaginal ring with the combined oral contraceptive pills in a tertiary health centre (RKDF Medical College and Research Centre, Bhopal) located in central India.Methods: This prospective randomized comparative trial enrolled hundred women aged between 20 to 40 years seeking for contraception with no contraindication to hormonal contraception. After proper counseling and informed consent, women divided into two groups, study group (50) includes women using contraceptive vaginal ring and control group (50) include women using combined oral contraceptives. The contraceptive efficacy, acceptability, tolerability and adverse events were recorded at each follow-up visit at RKDF Medical College and Research Centre, Bhopal.Results: Vaginal ring and combined oral contraceptives were found to have comparable contraceptive efficacy. In study group no pregnancy reported during study period while one pregnancy reported in control group, which was statistically insignificant. Satisfaction, continuation and recommendation to others were more with vaginal ring which were not significant statistically. Cycle control is superior with vaginal ring. Incidence of adverse effects was same in both groups.Conclusions: Combined contraceptive vaginal ring is an effective and reliable contraception with excellent cycle control, well-tolerated and highly acceptable to most women

Strange stars at finite temperature

We calculate strange star properties, using large N_c approximation with built-in chiral symmetry restoration (CSM). We used a relativistic Hartree Fock mean field approximation method, using a modified Richardson potential with two scale parameters \Lambda and \Lambda^\prime, to find a new set of equation of states for strange quark matter. We take the effect of temperature (T) on gluon mass, in addition to the usual density dependence, and find that the transition T from hadronic matter to strange matter is 80 MeV. Therefore formation of strange stars may be the only signal for formation of QGP with asymptotic freedom and CSM.Comment: To be published in the proceedings of The Third 21COE Symposium, held at Department of Physics, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan, September 1-3, 200

PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING OF AGLAIA ELAEAGNOIDEA AND THEIR EFFICACY ON ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTIMICROBIAL GROWTH

Phytochemicals are extensively found at different levels in many plants and serves as basic raw material in the manufacturing of medicine, nutrition, cosmetics, dyeing and other industries. The present study aimed to lighten the medicinal uses of the leaves and stem bark of Aglaia elaeagnoide plant in the treatment of different ailments such as astringent, antidiarrhoeal, antidysenteric, skin diseases, tumours in Indian medicine of Ayurveda. In the present work we investigated the phytochemical screening to find out new sources of natural antioxidant and antimicrobial activity source from the leaf and stem bark of Aglaia elaeagnoidea with different solvents such as chloroform, ethanol, methanol, petroleum ether and water. Phytochemical screening of all crude extracts of leaf and bark reveals the presence of alkaloids, steroids, phenols, flavonoids, tannins, coumarins, quinones, xanthoproteins, terpinoids, carbohydrates, fatty acids, leucoanthocyanins, saponins and emodins. In vitro antioxidant activity of ethanolic extracts of leaf and bark exhibited maximum phenolic compounds and scavenging activity. Phenolic compounds of leaf and bark exhibit positive correlation to antioxidant activity. All the crude extracts of leaf and bark showed low to moderate inhibition zone against Staphylo coccus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Vibrio vulnificus and Candida albicans. The antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of different crude extracts of bark exhibited more efficacy compared to the leaf extracts. Thus, further development of new phytochemicals for the treatment of different disorders by using sustainable approach opens up possibilities in the usage of these as antioxidant and antimicrobial in various medicinal composition

Discovery and Timing of Millisecond Pulsars with the Arecibo 327 MHz Drift-Scan Survey

We present the discovery and timing solutions of four millisecond pulsars (MSPs) discovered in the Arecibo 327 MHz Drift-Scan Pulsar Survey. Three of these pulsars are in binary systems, consisting of a redback (PSR J2055+1545), a black widow (PSR J1630+3550), and a neutron star-white dwarf binary (PSR J2116+1345). The fourth MSP, PSR J2212+2450, is isolated. We present the multi-year timing solutions as well as polarization properties across a range of radio frequencies for each pulsar. We perform a multi-wavelength search for emission from these systems and find an optical counterpart for PSR J2055+1545 in Gaia DR3, as well as a gamma-ray counterpart for PSR J2116+1345 with the Fermi-LAT telescope. Despite the close co-location of PSR J2055+1545 with a Fermi source, we are unable to detect gamma-ray pulsations, likely due to the large orbital variability of the system. This work presents the first two binaries found by this survey with orbital periods shorter than a day; we expect to find more in the 40% of the survey data which have yet to be searched.Comment: 20 pages, 11 figures, 4 tables. Submitted to Ap