Towards a fundamental astrometric reference system behind the Malleganic clouds : spectroscopic confirmation of new quasar candidates selected in the near-infrared

Quasi-stellar objects (quasars) located behind nearby galaxies provide an excellent absolute reference system for astrometric studies, but they are difficult to identify because of fore- and background contamination. We have embarked on a programme to expand the quasar reference system behind the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds, the Magellanic Bridge and Magellanic Stream. Hundreds of quasar candidates were selected, based on their near-infrared colours and variability properties from the ESO VISTA Magellanic Clouds (VMC) Public Survey. A subset of 49 objects was followed up with optical spectroscopy with FORS2. We confirmed the quasar nature of 37 objects (34 new identifications) that span a redshift range from z ~ 0.5 to 4.1

New quasars behind the Magellanic Clouds. Spectroscopic confirmation of near-infrared selected candidates

Context. Quasi-stellar objects (quasars) located behind nearby galaxies provide an excellent absolute reference system for astrometric studies, but they are difficult to identify because of fore- and background contamination. Deep wide-field, high angular resolution surveys spanning the entire area of nearby galaxies are needed to obtain a complete census of such quasars. Aims. We embarked on a program to expand the quasar reference system behind the Large and the Small Magellanic Clouds, the Magellanic Bridge, and the Magellanic Stream that connects the Clouds with the Milky Way. Methods. Hundreds of quasar candidates were selected based on their near-infrared colors and variability properties from the ongoing public ESO VISTA Magellanic Clouds survey. A subset of 49 objects was followed up with optical spectroscopy. Results. We confirmed the quasar nature of 37 objects (34 new identifications): four are low redshift objects, three are probably stars, and the remaining three lack prominent spectral features for a secure classification. The bona fide quasars, identified from their broad emisison lines, are located as follows: 10 behind the LMC, 13 behind the SMC, and 14 behind the Bridge. The quasars span a redshift range from z ~ 0.5 to z ~ 4.1. Conclusions. Upon completion the VMC survey is expected to yield a total of ~1500 quasars with Y< 19.32 mag, J< 19.09 mag, and Ks< 18.04 mag

Antagonistic Effect of Eight Sri Lankan Isolates of Pseudomonas fluorescens on, Meloidogyne incognita in Tomato, Lycopersicon esculentum

The study was conducted to determine the efficacy of Pseudomonas fluorescens isolates collected from eight locations in the Central Province of Sri Lanka against Meloidogyne incognita in tomato. Isolates were tested under laboratory conditions to determine the efficacy on egg hatchability and mortality of second stage juveniles. A planthouse experiment was conducted using potted tomato plants to determine the potential of P. fluorescens isolates and effective application technique. All tested isolates have significantly inhibited egg hatchability and increased the juvenile mortality after 72 hours. P. fluorescens isolate from Kangkung field in Pallekelle (PK) and tomato field in Udispattuwa (UT I) recorded 95% and 95.5% inhibition of egg hatchability after 72 hours. P. fluorescens isolates collected from tomato fields in Bopane (BT II) and Udispattuwa (UT II) and from Kangkung field in Pallekelle recorded the higher mortality of second stage juveniles 93%, 87% and 83.3% respectively. The highest reduction in the root knots (96.8%, 96.3%), egg masses (98.5%, 98.2%) and lower root galling index (1 and 1) were recorded in tomato plants treated as soil drench with UT II and PK isolates respectively.The root dipping technique gave higher reduction in the number of root knots (47.4%), egg masses (44.9%) and lower root galling index (3.75) were recorded from BT II, UT II and tomato fields in Nugethenna (NT) isolates respectively. UT II and PK found to be the most effective isolates and most effective application technique determined as soil drenching ten days after transplanting under plant house conditions

Sensorimotor priors in non-stationary environments

In the course of its interaction with the world, the human nervous system must constantly estimate various variables in the surrounding environment. Past research indicates that environmental variables may be represented as probabilistic distributions of a priori information (priors). Priors for environmental variables that do not change much over time have been widely studied. Little is known however, about how priors develop in environments with non-stationary statistics. We examine whether humans change their reliance on the prior based on recent changes in environmental variance. Through experimentation, we obtain an online estimate of the human sensorimotor prior (prediction) and then compare it to similar online predictions made by various non-adaptive and adaptive models. Simulations show that models that rapidly adapt to non-stationary components in the environments predict the stimuli better than models that do not take the changing statistics of the environment into consideration. We found that adaptive models best predict participants' responses in most cases. However, we find no support for the idea that this is a consequence of increased reliance on recent experience just after the occurrence of a systematic change in the environment

Adverse prognostic and predictive significance of low DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs) expression in early-stage breast cancers

Background: DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs), a serine threonine kinase belonging to the PIKK family (phosphoinositide 3-kinase-like-family of protein kinase), is a critical component of the non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) pathway required for the repair of DNA double strand breaks. DNA-PKcs may be involved in breast cancer pathogenesis. Methods: We evaluated clinicopathological significance of DNA-PKcs protein expression in 1161 tumours and DNA-PKcs mRNA expression in 1950 tumours. We correlated DNA-PKcs to other markers of aggressive phenotypes, DNA repair, apoptosis and cell cycle regulation. Results: Low DNA-PKcs protein expression was associated with higher tumour grade, higher mitotic index, tumour de-differentiation and tumour type (ps<0.05). Absence of BRCA1, low XRCC1/SMUG1/APE1/Polβ were also more likely in low DNA-PKcs expressing tumours (ps<0.05). Low DNA-PKcs protein expression was significantly associated with worse breast cancer specific survival (BCCS) in univariate and multivariate analysis (ps<0.01). At the mRNA level, low DNA-PKcs was associated with PAM50.Her2 and PAM50.LumA molecular phenotypes (ps<0.01) and poor BCSS. In patients with ER positive tumours who received endocrine therapy, low DNA-PKcs (protein and mRNA) was associated with poor survival. In ER negative patients, low DNA-PKcs mRNA remains significantly associated with adverse outcome. Conclusions: Our study suggests that low DNA-PKcs expression may have prognostic and predictive significance in breast cancers

Theoretical Analysis and Empirical Comparison of Different Population Initialization Techniques for Evolutionary Algorithms

Evolutionary Algorithms (EAs) are the potential tools for solving optimization problems. The EAs are the population based algorithms and they search for the optimal solution(s) from an initial set of candidates solutions known as population. This population is to be initialized at first before the evolution of the algorithm starts. There exists different ways to initialize this population. Understanding and choosing the right population initialization technique for the given problem is a difficult task for the researchers and problem solvers. To alleviate this issue, this paper is framed with two objectives. The first objective is to present the details of various Population Initialization (PI) techniques of EAs, for the readers to give brief description of all the PI techniques. The second objective is to present the steps and empirical comparison of the results of two different PI techniques implemented for Differential Evolution (DE) algorithm. Theoretical insights and empirical results of the PI techniques are presented in this paper

Efficient hardware prototype of ECDSA modules for blockchain applications

This paper concentrates on the hardware implementation of efficient and re- configurable elliptic curve digital signature algorithm (ECDSA) that is suitable for verifying transactions in Blockchain related applications. Despite ECDSA architecture being computationally expensive, the usage of a dedicated stand-alone circuit enables speedy execution of arithmetic operations. The prototype put forth supports N-bit elliptic curve cryptography (ECC) group operations, signature generation and verification over a prime field for any elliptic curve. The research proposes new hardware framework for modular multiplication and modular multiplicative inverse which is adopted for group operations involved in ECDSA. Every hardware design offered are simulated using modelsim register transfer logic (RTL) simulator. Field programmable gate array (FPGA) implementation of var- ious modules within ECDSA circuit is compared with equivalent existing techniques that is both hardware and software based to highlight the superiority of the suggested work. The results showcased prove that the designs implemented are both area and speed efficient with faster execution and less resource utilization while maintaining the same level of security. The suggested ECDSA structure could replace the software equivalent of digital signatures in hardware blockchain to thwart software attacks and to provide better data protection

Paving the way for a green transition through mitigation of green manufacturing challenges:A systematic literature review

The integration of sustainable strategies in manufacturing operations has become mandatory in recent years once sustainable development goals (SDGs) were introduced. Recently, several academicians have explored different strategies under the context of manufacturing including sustainable manufacturing and circular manufacturing. However, manufacturers struggle to shift towards these recent extensions of sustainable/circular manufacturing practices, because most of them are still not able to fully implement green manufacturing (GM). GM acts as a basic platform for these extended manufacturing practices to promote green transition, and manufacturers face several challenges within its implementation. Over the years, several studies explored the challenges and other related factors to promote GM, but manufacturers remain unclear on how to mitigate these challenges. This study considers two metrics of GM, challenges, and critical success factors (CSF), through which a systematic literature review has been made. Based on the review, a CSF theory-based framework has been developed by which GM adoption challenges were mapped with their corresponding mitigating CSFs of GM. To improve understanding among manufacturers, both the challenges and CSFs have been categorized into different dimensions. This is the first study to map the success factors of GM with adoption challenges of GM; this work permits manufacturers to recognize the exact challenges of GM and to understand how they can be mitigated particularly through selected CSFs. In fact, manufacturers will not need to examine other CSFs. In addition to strengthening the academic research of GM, this study seeks to assist practitioners in their journey of green transition with an in-depth explanation of mitigating challenges through CSFs.</p

INFLUENCE OF PHARMACEUTICAL CARE ACTIVITIES ON KNOWLEDGE ATTITUDE AND PRACTICE (KAP) AMONG DIABETIC PATIENTS IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

Objective: To assess the influence of pharmaceutical care activities on Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) among type 2 diabetic patients. Methods: A total of about 301 patients with type 2 Diabetes Mellitus were recruited from a tertiary care hospital. Patients were educated about their disease condition, lifestyle modifications and diet regimen to be followed and were given instructions for improving medication adherence. In the initial session, no pharmaceutical care was given, in the second session patient counseling was given verbally and in the last session patient counseling was given both verbally and non-verbally by means of pamphlet distribution. KAP questionnaire and glycemic levels (glycated hemoglobin, fasting blood sugar and post-prandial blood sugar) of participants were obtained at baseline and at follow up. Results: The baseline values of FBS in patients before intervention was found to be 176.5±74.46 mg/dL and it was reduced to 140.7±43.9 mg/dL after 3 mo. Henceforth, there was also an improvement in the PPBS values which was found to be 254±77.3 mg/dL at the baseline and was 212.9±54.2 mg/dL after intervention. The baseline values of HbA1c is 8.144±1.727% and after intervention, value reduced to about 7.173±2.768%. After the intervention, it was found to be that 30%, 16% and 12% reduction in FBS, PPBS and HbA1c values and the P-value (&lt;0.0001) found to be statistically significant. KAP scores also found to be improved after the intervention and statistically significant. The results clearly indicate that through proper guidance and educating the patients by the pharmacist is beneficial in managing the glycemic levels and reduce further complications. Conclusion: The study concluded that the pharmaceutical care by the pharmacist is highly essentially and useful for the patients to manage the glycemic index and prevent further diabetic complications