Changing Configuration of Alternative Energy Systems

Recent and rampant regulatory changes for sustainable development are seeking to transform current energy systems towards cleaner and greener forms of energy sources. In this scenario, alternative energy technologies are considered the building blocks towards this transformed energy system. This chapter will show how the alternative energy market since the 1970s changed, in response to external oil price shocks and to other selective pressures and institutions. It will observe that the configuration of the market has been changing since 1970s, in terms of firm-composition, size and types of technologies considered in the green energy mix. It will further provide three explanations explaining why there are changes between firms, policies and these energy technologies. These three processes are considered important in determining technological innovation among firms in clean and green energy technologies.Renewable Energy, New Technologies, Firm Competition, Technology Policy, Energy Technologies

Shared Prosperity, Stronger Regions: An Agenda for Rebuilding America's Older Core Cities

Explores opportunities for community collaborations to promote economic development and neighborhood revitalization, and offers strategies for public/private investment. Includes case studies in Baltimore, Cleveland, Detroit, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh

Applying the Theory of Planned Behavior toEnd-User Training and Learning

In this paper, we used the theory of planned behavior as the premise to conduct a laboratory study to examine whether the beliefs and expected benefits of using a particular computer system can serve as motivational factors to improve training outcomes. Our results showed that while learning outcomes were not significantly improved, subjects left the training sessions with enhanced motivation to use the system

IN VITRO ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF MARINE ACTINOBACTERIA ISOLATES FROM PULICAT LAKE, TAMIL NADU, INDIA

ABSTRACTObjectives: The present investigation is undertaken with an aim to check the antimicrobial potential of marine Actinobacteria isolated from marinesediment samples collected from Pulicat Lake, Tamil Nadu.Methods: In this study, various physical and chemical pretreatment methods were used for selective isolation of Actinobacteria including air drying,incubation of soil samples with calcium carbonate, incorporation of antibacterial, antifungal antibiotics in the media and plating on Actinobacteriaspecificmedia.Acombinationof suchmethodsfacilitatedisolationof slowgrowingActinobacteriawith a simultaneous reductionof otherfree-livingbacterialand fungalcontaminants. The primary and secondary screeningwasdone toascertain the antimicrobialpotentialof these isolates.Results: The results obtained from primary screening was about 110 isolates, were tested against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus,Candida albicans, and Aspergillus niger, out of these, 31 isolates showed remarkable antimicrobial activity. Based on the results of primary screening,31 isolates were subjected to secondary screening from which two isolates with a strong and broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity were selectedfor further studies.Conclusion: The present study is useful as the isolation of most of the antimicrobial compounds from different Actinobacteria species showed partialresemblance to earlier reported antibiotic chemical structures. Further, chemical characterization of the isolated compound from producer isolatesmay yield more effective analogs or hybrid bioactive molecules.Keywords: Actinobacteria, Antimicrobial activity, Pulicat lake

Process of Fingerprint Authentication using Cancelable Biohashed Template

Template protection using cancelable biometrics prevents data loss and hacking stored templates, by providing considerable privacy and security. Hashing and salting techniques are used to build resilient systems. Salted password method is employed to protect passwords against different types of attacks namely brute-force attack, dictionary attack, rainbow table attacks. Salting claims that random data can be added to input of hash function to ensure unique output. Hashing salts are speed bumps in an attacker’s road to breach user’s data. Research proposes a contemporary two factor authenticator called Biohashing. Biohashing procedure is implemented by recapitulated inner product over a pseudo random number generator key, as well as fingerprint features that are a network of minutiae. Cancelable template authentication used in fingerprint-based sales counter accelerates payment process. Fingerhash is code produced after applying biohashing on fingerprint. Fingerhash is a binary string procured by choosing individual bit of sign depending on a preset threshold. Experiment is carried using benchmark FVC 2002 DB1 dataset. Authentication accuracy is found to be nearly 97\%. Results compared with state-of art approaches finds promising

Antimicrobial Activity of Amomum subulatum and Elettaria cardamomum Against Dental Caries Causing Microorganisms

The in vitro antimicrobial activity of Amomum subulatum and Elettaria cardamomum fruit extracts were studied against Streptococcus mutans, Staphylococcus aureus, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Candida albicans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The acetone, ethanol and methanol extracts of the selected plants exhibited antimicrobial activity against all tested microorganism except L. acidophilus. The most susceptible microorganism was S.aureus followed by S.mutans, S.cerevisiae and C.albicans in case of Amomum subulatum while in the case of Elettaria cardamomum; S.aureus was followed by C.albicans, S. cerevisiae and S.mutans. The largest mean zone of inhibition was obtained with the ethanolic extract of A. subulatum and acetonic extract of E.cardamomum against Staphylococcus aureus (16.32mm and 20.96mm respectively). Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of the extracts were also determined against the four selected microorganisms showing zones of inhibition ≥10mm. This study depicts that ethanol and acetone extracts of fruits of Amomum subulatum and Elettaria cardamomum can be used as a potential source of novel antimicrobial agents used to cure dental caries

Study of liver function tests in hypertensive disorders of pregnancy

Background: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy with spectrum complications is one among leading causes of feto-maternal morbidity and mortality especially when its associated with HELLP syndrome.Methods: The present prospective study was conducted over a period of three years in the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Chalmeda Anandarao Institute of Medical Sciences, Karimnagar, Telangana from January 2008 to January 2009. This is a prospective study on 50 pregnant women with 28-40 weeks of gestation with diastolic BP ≥110 mm Hg recorded 6 hours apart.Results: This is a prospective study on 50 pregnant women with 28-40 weeks of gestation with diastolic BP≥110 mm Hg recorded 6 hours apart. Severe pre eclampsia was seen in younger age group ˂25 years. In patients with raised LFTs unbooked cases were more (64%) showing complications are more in unbooked cases. Renal complications are seen in 16% of the total cases and in 28% of the cases with raised LFTs. In overall study group number of primi gravid were 50% and multi were 27%. Incidence of severe pre eclampsia was 78% in overall cases. In patients with raised LFTs the incidence was 30 (88%).Conclusions: Detection of increased LFTs in cases of severe pre-eclampsia is a risk category, associated with increased rate of feto-maternal complications, compared to severe pre-eclampsia with normal LFTs. Such cases need special attention with early detection and referral to higher centre with better facilities of NICU set up to reduce the complications and mortality

Clinical study of placenta previa and its effect on maternal health and fetal outcome

Background: When the placenta is implanted partially or completely in the lower uterine segment it is called placenta previa. The objective of the study was to determine the incidence, obstetric risk factors, obstetric management, maternal mortality and morbidity, perinatal outcome in women presenting with placenta previa.Methods: Total 106 pregnant women with placenta previa were analyzed between January to December 2015. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria these women were analyzed with respect to their age, parity, gestational age and clinical features at presentation, history of warning bleeding, duration  of hospitalization, need for blood transfusion, period of gestation at delivery, route of delivery and ICU admissions. For the newborn APGAR score, birth weight, need for NICU admission, still birth rate, neonatal mortality rate are noted down.Results: In this study 0.64% of the deliveries were complicated with placenta previa among them 23.6% women were above 30 years of age and 80.2% were multigravidas. 60.4% had major degree placenta previa, 36.8% had prior cesarean deliveries, 7.5% had prior abortion, 39.7% preterm deliveries. 85.8% cases delivered by cesarean delivery, 12.7% cases had postpartum haemorrhage and 4.7% had adherent placenta. There were 86.8% ICU admissions, 3.8% cases of acute kidney injury in present series.Conclusions: Advancing maternal age, multiparity, prior cesarean section, and prior abortions are independent risk factors for placenta previa. Placenta praevia remains a risk factor for adverse maternal and perinatal outcome. The detection of placenta previa should encourage a careful evaluation with timely delivery to reduce the associated maternal and perinatal complications

EFFECTIVENESS OF SPIRULINA MOUTHWASH ON REDUCTION OF DENTAL PLAQUE AND GINGIVITIS: A CLINICAL STUDY

Objective: The present study evaluated the effectiveness of Spirulina mouthwash on the reduction of dental plaque and gingivitis.Methods: A single-blind clinical trial was conducted among thirty patient's aged 18-40 y visiting dental college and hospital in Bangalore city. Mouthwash was prepared using 0.5% Spirulina. Intervention protocol consisted of instructing the patients to rinse with 10 ml of mouthwash for 1 minute twice daily for 7 d. Plaque index and Gingival index were used to assess the variables at the baseline and after the intervention. The perception of the individual subjects with regard to the use of mouthwash was assessed using 10 cm long visual analog scale (VAS). Statistical analysis was carried out using Wilcoxon signed rank test for mean pre and post plaque and gingival scores respectively. Descriptive statistics was performed for VAS questionnaireResults: The results showed a highly significant difference (p<0.001) between the mean plaque scores at the baseline (2.16±0.34) and at the follow up (1.27±0.46). The mean gingival scores at the baseline (1.86±0.38) and at the follow-up (1.05±0.43) also showed a highly significant difference (p<0.001). Regarding the Visual Analog Scale, the mean values of 5 or greater than suggested the responses to be favourable as the values were reflectedConclusion: The study showed that Spirulina mouthwash resulted in significant reduction in dental plaque and gingivitis. Also, the mouthwash was convenient to use without any adverse effects. Hence, the use of herbal mouth rinses such as Spirulina should be supported