Study of Distribution and Asymmetry of Solar Active Prominences During Solar Cycle 23

In this paper we present the results of a study of the spatial distribution and asymmetry of solar active prominences (SAP) for the period 1996-2007 (solar cycle 23). For more meaningful statistical analysis we have analysed the distribution and asymmetry of SAP in two subdivisions viz. Group1 (ADF, APR, DSF, CRN, CAP) and Group2 (AFS, ASR, BSD, BSL, DSD, SPY, LPS). The north-south (N-S) latitudinal distribution shows that the SAP events are most prolific in the 21-30degree slice in the northern and southern hemispheres and east-west (E-W) longitudinal distribution study shows that the SAP events are most prolific (best visible) in the 81-90degree slice in the eastern and western hemispheres. It has been found that the SAP activity during this cycle is low compared to previous solar cycles. The present study indicates that during the rising phase of the cycle the number of SAP events were roughly equal on the north and south hemispheres. However, activity on the southern hemisphere has been dominant since 1999. Our statistical study shows that the N-S asymmetry is more significant then the E-W asymmetry.Comment: 21 pages 5 figures; Published online; 02 October, 2009; Solar Physics Journa

EFFICACY OF IMIDACLOPRID (CONFIDOR 200 SL) AGAINST APHIDS INFESTING WHEAT CROP

Imidacloprid (Confidor 200 SL) was evaluated either alone or with a fungicide (Tilt 0.01%) against wheat aphids. There were seven different treatments, including an untreated control. All the treatments were replicated three times in a similar field environment. Population of wheat aphids was recorded on randomly selected five plants in each plot at different intervals, both before and after the spraying. Confidor 200 SL @ 400 ml/ha treatment was found most effective against wheat aphids. However, mixing of Confidor 200 SL @ 100 ml/ha with Tilt @ 0.01 %, was found significantly least effective for wheat aphids control

Quality evaluation of naturally fermented alcoholic beverages, microbiological examination of source of fermentation and ethanol productivity of the isolates

The naturally fermented alcoholic (NFA) beverages collected from tribal areas contained higher quantity of methanol, with wide variations in ethanol, pH and volatile acidity. The NFA beverages were also found to be contaminated with Brettanomyces spp. and coliform bacteria indicating a potential danger of their consumption. The examination of natural sources of fermentation (NSF), frequently used in such fermentations, revealed the presence of fungi viz., Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus oryzae, Mucor spp., Rhizopus spp.: the yeast included Saccharomyces spp., Scytalidium thermophilus (Torula) and Rhodotorula and bacteria viz., Pediococcus, Leuconostoc and Pseudomonas. Except for a few, the general ethanol productivity of the isolates from NSF was low. Saccharomyces spp. had higher population and was predominant among the yeasts isolated from NSF. The abnormal characteristics of the NFA beverages could be correlated with the raw materials, source and method of fermentation and distillation. Use of pure yeast and proper distillation method could improve the quality of such beverages

A study on dog bite incidence in Union Territory of Dadra & Nagar Haveli, India

The injuries caused by dog bites have grown to such epidemic proportions that they are now considered a major public health concern. The epidemiology of dog bites in the UT of Dadra & Nagar Haveli has been evaluated, for the year 2012. This assessment included victims age, sex, biting site and season of the year. During the study, a total of 938 dog bites, were reported from aforesaid place. Of all the dog bites reported, 39.6% victim belonged to age group upto 0-15 year (children) and 60.4% were more than 15 years old (adults). The majority of the incidents 40.8% occurred during the pre monsoon period (1-20 weeks). There was no case of rabies. There is a need to educate the public about the magnitude of dog-bite problems, enforce leash laws and impound stray dogs as an integral part of prevention programs

DEVELOPMENT OF HERB BASED PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY IN UTTARAKHAND STATE

Uttarakhand has been known as a place for best medicinal plants since ancient times as referred in original Ayurvedic classics i.e. Charaka Samhita (1000 BC). In recent years the pharmaceutical industries have realized its potential medicinal flora because of diversified agro climatic zone as well as less environmental pollution as 63% of the land belongs to forest. Thus the state has immense potential area to cater the demand to produce best Ayurvedic products nutraceuticals, cosmoceuticals and Agro-chemical based industrial products. Herb based Pharmaceutical industry is having great potential and opportunities for development in future because of acetate demand of the medicinal plants & their value added products are well accepted in Domestic & International Market as Ayurvedic, Unani and Siddha, Homoeopathic medicines, Herbal Nutraceuticals, Herbal Cosmoceutical, Herbal Health drinks, Dietary Health Supplements, Medicinal Plants / Crude Drugs, Herbal Extracts / Concentrates, Veterinary Medicines, Health Foods. Various issues & challenges of Herbal Pharmaceutical Industries in Uttarakhand need proper attention of policy makers in favour of small industries. If, the challenges & issues related to development of Herbal sector in Uttarakhand is addressed the State could be the capital of Herbs in India

EMERGING QUALITY CONTROL PERSPECTIVES FOR AYURVEDIC DRUG

Ayush system of medicines based Herbal Pharmaceutical industry (ASU & H drug mfg) is having great potential and opportunities in India for development in future because of global acceptability of the medicinal plants & their value added products in Domestic & International Market as Ayurvedic, Unani and Siddha medicines, Herbal Nutraceuticals, Herbal Cosmoceutical, Herbal Health drinks, Dietary Health Supplements, Medicinal Plants / Crude Drugs, Herbal Extracts / Concentrates, Veterinary Medicines, Health Foods. India is rich with 771468 registered Ayush practitioners, 8667 licensed Ayurvedic drug manufacturing units. Quality Control/Assurance is the department, which controls all activities at various level of manufacturing as National & International standard. Ministry of Ayush continues to lay emphasis on up gradation of AYUSH educational standards, Quality control and standardisation of drugs, improving the availability of medicinal plant material, research and development and awareness generation about the efficacy of the system domestically and internationally. There are various issues & challenges related to drug quality for ASU&H Pharmaceutical Industries in India. It needs proper attention of policy makers and regulator & academia. Complete Implementation of GMP (schedule T) norm/guidelines and quality control/assurance procedure and activities is a big challenge for ensuring quality of drug

Predicting the Amplitude of a Solar Cycle Using the North-South Asymmetry in the Previous Cycle: II. An Improved Prediction for Solar Cycle~24

Recently, using Greenwich and Solar Optical Observing Network sunspot group data during the period 1874-2006, (Javaraiah, MNRAS, 377, L34, 2007: Paper I), has found that: (1) the sum of the areas of the sunspot groups in 0-10 deg latitude interval of the Sun's northern hemisphere and in the time-interval of -1.35 year to +2.15 year from the time of the preceding minimum of a solar cycle n correlates well (corr. coeff. r=0.947) with the amplitude (maximum of the smoothed monthly sunspot number) of the next cycle n+1. (2) The sum of the areas of the spot groups in 0-10 deg latitude interval of the southern hemisphere and in the time-interval of 1.0 year to 1.75 year just after the time of the maximum of the cycle n correlates very well (r=0.966) with the amplitude of cycle n+1. Using these relations, (1) and (2), the values 112 + or - 13 and 74 + or -10, respectively, were predicted in Paper I for the amplitude of the upcoming cycle 24. Here we found that in case of (1), the north-south asymmetry in the area sum of a cycle n also has a relationship, say (3), with the amplitude of cycle n+1, which is similar to (1) but more statistically significant (r=0.968) like (2). By using (3) it is possible to predict the amplitude of a cycle with a better accuracy by about 13 years in advance, and we get 103 + or -10 for the amplitude of the upcoming cycle 24. However, we found a similar but a more statistically significant (r=0.983) relationship, say (4), by using the sum of the area sum used in (2) and the north-south difference used in (3). By using (4) it is possible to predict the amplitude of a cycle by about 9 years in advance with a high accuracy and we get 87 + or - 7 for the amplitude of cycle 24.Comment: 21 pages, 7 figures, Published in Solar Physics 252, 419-439 (2008

Fertility, Living Arrangements, Care and Mobility

There are four main interconnecting themes around which the contributions in this book are based. This introductory chapter aims to establish the broad context for the chapters that follow by discussing each of the themes. It does so by setting these themes within the overarching demographic challenge of the twenty-first century – demographic ageing. Each chapter is introduced in the context of the specific theme to which it primarily relates and there is a summary of the data sets used by the contributors to illustrate the wide range of cross-sectional and longitudinal data analysed

A Conformally Invariant Holographic Two-Point Function on the Berger Sphere

We apply our previous work on Green's functions for the four-dimensional quaternionic Taub-NUT manifold to obtain a scalar two-point function on the homogeneously squashed three-sphere (otherwise known as the Berger sphere), which lies at its conformal infinity. Using basic notions from conformal geometry and the theory of boundary value problems, in particular the Dirichlet-to-Robin operator, we establish that our two-point correlation function is conformally invariant and corresponds to a boundary operator of conformal dimension one. It is plausible that the methods we use could have more general applications in an AdS/CFT context.Comment: 1+49 pages, no figures. v2: Several typos correcte