Evaluation of sampling gear for demersal resource surveys

The three demersal trawls evaluated were 38 m HSDT-II, indigenously developed by CIFT for deep sea fishing in Indian EEZ; and two imported designs, viz., 45.6 m Expo model demersal trawl and 50 m fish trawl operated from vessels of FSI and IFP, respectively. Vertical opening at trawl mouth was heighest for 50 m fish trawl (3.2 m), followed by Expo model demersal trawl (2.5 m) and 38 m HSDT-II (2.2 m), due to differences in overall dimensions and design features. Estimate of horizontal opening between otter boards was highest for 38 m HSDT-II probably due to low drag of the gear, followed by 45.6 m and 50 m trawls. Lowest catch per unit effort obtained by 38 m HSDT-II is presumably due to smaller dimensions of the gear, larger codend mesh size and difference in ground rig, in addition to chance factors. However, 38 m HSDT-II scores on several features desirable in demersal sampling gear such as simplicity in design and construction, ease of operation; lower twine surface area and drag; and ground rig suitable for wider range of bottom conditions. Modifications to make it more effective while sampling for crustaceans and small sized finfish components are described

DeepQ Residue Representation of Moving Object Images using YOLO in Video Surveillance Environment

The IAEA photo evaluation software does have functions for scene-alternate recognition, black photo detection, and deficient scene analysis, even though its capabilities are not at their highest. The current workflows for detecting safeguards-relevant activities heavily rely on inspectors' laborious visual examination of surveillance videos, which is a time-consuming and error-prone process. The paper proposes using item-based totally movement detection and deep gadget learning to identify fun items in video streams in order to improve method accuracy and reduce inspector workload. An attitude transformation model is used to estimate historical movements, and a deep learning classifier trained on manually categorized datasets is used to identify shifting applicants within the history subtracted image. Through optical glide matching, we identify spatio-temporal tendencies for each and every shifting item applicant and then prune them solely based on their movement patterns in comparison to the past. In order to improve the temporal consistency of the various candidate detections, a Kalman clear out is performed on pruned shifting items. A UAV-derived video dataset was used to demonstrate the rules. The results demonstrate that our set of rules can effectively target small UAVs with limited computing power

Repetitive arm functional tasks after stroke (RAFTAS): a pilot randomised controlled trial

Background Repetitive functional task practise (RFTP) is a promising treatment to improve upper limb recovery following stroke. We report the findings of a study to determine the feasibility of a multi-centre randomised controlled trial to evaluate this intervention. Methods A pilot randomised controlled trial was conducted. Patients with new reduced upper limb function were recruited within 14 days of acute stroke from three stroke units in North East England. Participants were randomised to receive a four week upper limb RFTP therapy programme consisting of goal setting, independent activity practise, and twice weekly therapy reviews in addition to usual post stroke rehabilitation, or usual post stroke rehabilitation. The recruitment rate; adherence to the RFTP therapy programme; usual post stroke rehabilitation received; attrition rate; data quality; success of outcome assessor blinding; adverse events; and the views of study participants and therapists about the intervention were recorded. Results Fifty five eligible patients were identified, 4-6% of patients screened at each site. Twenty four patients participated in the pilot study. Two of the three study sites met the recruitment target of 1-2 participants per month. The median number of face to face therapy sessions received was 6 [IQR 3-8]. The median number of daily repetitions of activities recorded was 80 [IQR 39-80]. Data about usual post stroke rehabilitation were available for 18/24 (75%). Outcome data were available for 22/24 (92%) at one month and 20/24 (83%) at three months. Outcome assessors were unblinded to participant group allocation for 11/22 (50%) at one month and 6/20 (30%) at three months. Four adverse events were considered serious as they resulted in hospitalisation. None were related to study treatment. Feedback from patients and local NHS therapists about the RFTP programme was mainly positive. Conclusions A multi-centre randomised controlled trial to evaluate an upper limb RFTP therapy programme provided early after stroke is feasible and acceptable to patients and therapists, but there are issues which needed to be addressed when designing a Phase III study. A Phase III study will need to monitor and report not only recruitment and attrition but also adherence to the intervention, usual post stroke rehabilitation received, and outcome assessor blinding

The BLAST View of the Star Forming Region in Aquila (ell=45deg,b=0deg)

We have carried out the first general submillimeter analysis of the field towards GRSMC 45.46+0.05, a massive star forming region in Aquila. The deconvolved 6 deg^2 (3\degree X 2\degree) maps provided by BLAST in 2005 at 250, 350, and 500 micron were used to perform a preliminary characterization of the clump population previously investigated in the infrared, radio, and molecular maps. Interferometric CORNISH data at 4.8 GHz have also been used to characterize the Ultracompact HII regions (UCHIIRs) within the main clumps. By means of the BLAST maps we have produced an initial census of the submillimeter structures that will be observed by Herschel, several of which are known Infrared Dark Clouds (IRDCs). Our spectral energy distributions of the main clumps in the field, located at ~7 kpc, reveal an active population with temperatures of T~35-40 K and masses of ~10^3 Msun for a dust emissivity index beta=1.5. The clump evolutionary stages range from evolved sources, with extended HII regions and prominent IR stellar population, to massive young stellar objects, prior to the formation of an UCHIIR.The CORNISH data have revealed the details of the stellar content and structure of the UCHIIRs. In most cases, the ionizing stars corresponding to the brightest radio detections are capable of accounting for the clump bolometric luminosity, in most cases powered by embedded OB stellar clusters

Analysis of Population Structure and Genetic Diversity in Rice Germplasm Using SSR Markers: An Initiative Towards Association Mapping of Agronomic Traits in Oryza Sativa

Background Genetic diversity is the main source of variability in any crop improvement program. It serves as a reservoir for identifying superior alleles controlling key agronomic and quality traits through allele mining/association mapping. Association mapping based on LD (Linkage dis-equilibrium), non-random associations between causative loci and phenotype in natural population is highly useful in dissecting out genetic basis of complex traits. For any successful association mapping program, understanding the population structure and assessing the kinship relatedness is essential before making correlation between superior alleles and traits. The present study was aimed at evaluating the genetic variation and population structure in a collection of 192 rice germplasm lines including local landraces, improved varieties and exotic lines from diverse origin. Results A set of 192 diverse rice germplasm lines were genotyped using 61 genome wide SSR markers to assess the molecular genetic diversity and genetic relatedness. Genotyping of 192 rice lines using 61 SSRs produced a total of 205 alleles with the PIC value of 0.756. Population structure analysis using model based and distance based approaches revealed that the germplasm lines were grouped into two distinct subgroups. AMOVA analysis has explained that 14 % of variation was due to difference between with the remaining 86 % variation may be attributed by difference within groups. Conclusions Based on these above analysis viz., population structure and genetic relatedness, a core collection of 150 rice germplasm lines were assembled as an association mapping panel for establishing marker trait associations

Instance of mass fish mortality at Mandapam, South east coast of India

From the collected informations and data above information and the data, it appears that the cause offish mortality observed between 13th and 15th May, 1987 at the Palk Bay side of Mandapam was mainly due to the natural phenomenon resulted by the ecological changes restricted to an area of about 3-4 km* between the shore and the coral reef. It was possible that the phytoplankton blooms reported just before the phenomenon and its isolated occurrence immediately after the incidence, and the associated changes in the water quality, the mixing up of the polluted water drained from the Mandapam fish landing centre and its subsequent spread within the reef area due to the prevailing water current would have triggered off an anoxic condition in the water column causing stress in the environment and consequent mortality of the fishes. Further, the absence of any physical and biological symptoms as revealed by the examination of the dead fishes, their gills and the gut contents, and the absence of any report of untoward incidents on the consumption of the dead fishes excluded the possibility of the cause of the reported mortality due to poisoning, pollution or the use of explosives

Cluster-Randomized, Crossover Trial of Head Positioning in Acute Stroke

BACKGROUND The role of supine positioning after acute stroke in improving cerebral blood flow and the countervailing risk of aspiration pneumonia have led to variation in head positioning in clinical practice. We wanted to determine whether outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke could be improved by positioning the patient to be lying flat (i.e., fully supine with the back horizontal and the face upwards) during treatment to increase cerebral perfusion. METHODS In a pragmatic, cluster-randomized, crossover trial conducted in nine countries, we assigned 11,093 patients with acute stroke (85% of the strokes were ischemic) to receive care in either a lying-flat position or a sitting-up position with the head elevated to at least 30 degrees, according to the randomization assignment of the hospital to which they were admitted; the designated position was initiated soon after hospital admission and was maintained for 24 hours. The primary outcome was degree of disability at 90 days, as assessed with the use of the modified Rankin scale (scores range from 0 to 6, with higher scores indicating greater disability and a score of 6 indicating death). RESULTS The median interval between the onset of stroke symptoms and the initiation of the assigned position was 14 hours (interquartile range, 5 to 35). Patients in the lying-flat group were less likely than patients in the sitting-up group to maintain the position for 24 hours (87% vs. 95%, P<0.001). In a proportional-odds model, there was no significant shift in the distribution of 90-day disability outcomes on the global modified Rankin scale between patients in the lying-flat group and patients in the sitting-up group (unadjusted odds ratio for a difference in the distribution of scores on the modified Rankin scale in the lying-flat group, 1.01; 95% confidence interval, 0.92 to 1.10; P=0.84). Mortality within 90 days was 7.3% among the patients in the lying-flat group and 7.4% among the patients in the sitting-up group (P=0.83). There were no significant between-group differences in the rates of serious adverse events, including pneumonia. CONCLUSIONS Disability outcomes after acute stroke did not differ significantly between patients assigned to a lying-flat position for 24 hours and patients assigned to a sitting-up position with the head elevated to at least 30 degrees for 24 hours. (Funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia; HeadPoST ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02162017.

Plastic possibilities: Contrasting the uses of plastic ‘waste’ in India

This is the final version. Available on open access from Wiley via the DOI in this recordThis article draws on examples of inventive plastic reuse from India and personal anecdotes of elders as an anthropological reflection on possible plastic futures. It sketches the large-scale governmental reforms in the domain of municipal solid waste management, or MSWM (which, by legal definition in India, includes plastic waste). In this regard, it draws out some of the problematic socio-political and environmental implications of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ‘Clean India’ campaign, whose technocratic policy orientations towards standardized centralized MSWM echo his cultural nationalist agenda. These reforms contrast with home-based re-engineering methods and the redeploying of plastic discards (thereby making them notuner moton (‘like new again’), and their localized circulation through relatively local but uneven reputational and economic networks. Clean India sequesters and processes vast quantities of plastics through the wide-ranging adoption of a waste-to-energy techno-fix (in which plastics are incinerated). In contrast, the authors illustrate routine practices and relations whereby people reuse, repurpose and recycle plastics. While Clean India can detract from and disrupt these mundane practices and everyday relations, these are suggestive of alternative plastic futures – both socio-material and environmental