Effect of Intensity on Prevalence of N3 Potential in Ears with Severe to Profound Hearing Loss

Objective of the study: To look for the presence of N3 potential at two different intensities in children and in adults. Method: A total of 260 ears with severe to profound hearing loss were studied from the participants in the age range of 1 to 50 years, with 170 subjects in the age group below 10 years and remaining 90 subjects of more than 10 years. Auditory brainstem response (ABR) was recorded at two intensities, 90 and 99dBnHL, to look for the presence of N3 potential. Result: N3 potential was observed in 30% of the total ears taken in the study at 90dBnHL and 38.8% at 99dBnHL. Presence of N3 potential in children was 45%, which was higher than the age group of above 10 years. When the intensity was increased there was an increase in amplitude and a reduction in latency with better wave morphology. Conclusion: It is better to use higher intensity for the identification of the N3 potential while doing ABR and thus with the single recording, auditory assessment as well as saccular assessment can be done

Peering through the Kaleidoscope: Variation and Validity in Data Collection on Terrorist Attacks

The nature of underreporting terrorism in developing countries is often acknowledged but poorly understood. Focusing on India, we triangulate terrorist attacks captured across three media-based datasets (GTD, SATP, WITS) against official police records from Andhra Pradesh. Results suggest that media-based datasets capture the geographic prevalence of terrorism yet severely underestimate the frequency of violence, biasing towards lethal bombings. Considerable variation is present for attacks targeting specific classes or types of actors. Similar to other crimes, the results suggest that existing terrorism databases represent a select version of violence in these countries, discounting the prevalence and regularity of non-lethal violent activity

Comparative genetic diversity analysis of oat (Avena sativa L.) by microsatellite markers and morphological rainfed expressions

Equivalence was appraised between phenotypic and molecular markers (ISSR) to analyze the genetic diversity of 20 high yielding genotypes representing different geographical zones of the world. A moderate range of genetic similarity (0.84 to 0.20) was observed on the basis of 20 inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSR) markers, where it was found high (0.995 – 0.204) on the basis of 7 primary morphological rainfed expression. Genotypes in morphological character based dendogram were clustered into their respective geographic groups, while a random grouping was observed in dendogram based on the ISSR markers. A negative correlation (r = -0.186) was found among morphological and molecular marker systems, but the latter was found effective in distinguishing the genotypes using specific band positions for them. The genotypic classification agreed closely with the grouping observed in ISSR based 3D analysis.Keywords: Avena sativa, diversity, inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSR), morphology, oat, relationshipAfrican Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 12(22), pp. 3414-342

Developing distributed manufacturing strategies from the perspective of a product-process matrix

In today’s highly competitive global business landscape, customers demand personalised products and responsive distribution systems, hence fuelling the concept of Distributed Manufacturing (DM) as a paradigm that suggests the geographical distribution of manufacturing systems adjacent to the markets to enable ‘production on demand’. To this end, the objective of this research is to explore the DM concept to inform firms about the dynamically changing manufacturing environment, along with the emerging opportunities, and support business stakeholders in implementing DM-oriented strategies to achieve digitalisation, personalisation, and localisation. More specifically, the present research builds upon the Dynamic Capability Theory (DCT) and conducts semi-structured interviews with a panel of 16 experts from the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods, Automotive, and Engineering industries to develop 12 exploratory industry cases. Our analysis highlights that companies can adopt three strategies to implement DM and realise shorter lead times and personalised product offerings, namely: (i) small-scale DM; (ii) in-house decoupled manufacturing; and (iii) outsourced decoupled manufacturing. However, the economic viability of the DM concept is identified as a significant barrier to relinquish the traditional centralised economies-of-scale. This research contributes by applying the DCT to the DM concept to advocate the viability and sustainability of manufacturing systems in the era of Industry 4.0. Pertaining to the originality of this research, limited work is available on the applicability of DM in industries, from the DCT perspective, to accomplish competitive advantages in the dynamic environment of manufacturing.his research has received funding from the EPSRC under Reference No. EP/K02888X/1, Project Title: “Engineering Driven Sustainable Supply Networks – A UK/India Collaborative Study”

Do makerspaces represent scalable production models of community-based redistributed manufacturing?

This research explores the development of local community-based “makerspaces” as potential scalable forms of redistributed manufacturing (RDM). Makerspaces are rapidly emerging in post-industrial economies and have been identified as a catalyst of local regeneration in urban areas. However, their role in local production systems is limited. There is a gap in the literature, with respect to the evolution of makerspaces and their productive contribution. The purpose of this paper therefore is to identify, classify and examine the different types of makerspaces. Our focus is on the implementation characteristics that enable industrial production activity to take place. First, we used Leximancer (to identify from the literature) three types of makerspace. Second, we then identify five RDM implementation characteristics. The characteristics were integrated together to form the RDM-makerspace implementation model. Third, case studies were purposively selected to test and advance this model. They were subsequently classified as a Type 1 (educational), Type 2 (design) or Type 3 (production) makerspace. Only one of the case studies was classified as a fully evolved Type 3 production space. The findings concur with the literature that makerspaces tend to be primarily Type 1 or Type 2. Finally, the contribution to local production theory is emphasised

SCREENING AND IN SILICO ANALYSIS OF HYPTIS SUAVEOLENS METABOLITES FOR ACETYLCHOLINESTERASE INHIBITION

Objective: Current drugs to Alzheimer's disease (AD) are targeted to delay the breakdown of acetylcholine, thereby increasing the concentrationof acetylcholine released into synaptic cleft and enhancing cholinergic neurotransmission. This paper deals with screening and identification ofacetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors in solvent extracts of Hyptis suaveolens (HS).Methods: In search of natural inhibitors of AChE, this study is focused on extract of HS, a member of Lamiaceae. 1:4 ratio of methanolic extractis prepared with shade dried areal parts of HS plant. The extract was assayed by Ellman's method for inhibition activity and then purified usingammonium sulfate precipitation and chromatography techniques. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) identified compounds wereanalyzed by docking studies.Results: Methanolic extract showed maximum percentage inhibition of 75.00±4.30 (2.1 mg/ml) with an ICvalue of 1.020±0.026 mg/ml.However, saturated ammonium sulfate precipitation of methanolic extract and further fractionation by gel permeation chromatography showed86.00±1.30% AChE inhibition (AChEI) activity. Reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) fraction (retention time [RT]5.170) showed significant inhibition when compared to the other peak (RT 6.643). RP-HPLC fraction (RT 5.170) with significant inhibition wasidentified as Eugenol by GC-MS analysis. In silico analysis of all the GC-MS identified molecules revealed Eugenol as possessing preeminent absorption,distribution, metabolism, elimination properties and a glide (docking) score of −9.14 kcal/mole with AChE enzyme of pacific electric ray (Torpedocalifornica - TcAChE) (PDB ID: 1EVE).Conclusion: Screening, purification and identification, and identification of diverse phytochemicals of the HS plant, as potent source of AChEI.Keywords: Acetylcholinesterase, Acetylcholnesterase inhibitor, Hyptis suaveolens, Alzheimer's disease, Dementia.5

SCREENING AND MOLECULAR DOCKING STUDIES OF NEW NATURAL AGONISTS AGAINST PEROXISOME PROLIFERATOR-ACTIVATED RECEPTOR-ALPHA TARGETED TO TREAT OBESITY

ABSTRACTObjective: Obesity was considered as a serious health concern apart from the age group in today's population globally. The percentage of obese peoplein the world's population is increasing at a faster rate, and health issues arising due to obesity are gradually increasing. Our present insilico study wasaimed to screen out natural molecules against the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR), especially alpha aids in triggering the obesity.Methods: Several targets for treating obesity were identified, and one among such promising target was PPAR. Using the insilico applications such asnatural database was screened and the molecules were further evaluated based on their docking score parameter with the receptor.Results: The docking methodology suggested that two molecules zinc02091671 and zinc02137525 were found to reproduce the similar type ofinteractions such as that of the known inhibitor and crystal ligand.Conclusion: The reported two molecules were found to be promising agonists based on the computational studies and can be advanced the in vitrobased evaluation.Keywords: Obesity, Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor, e-pharmacophore, QikProp, Docking

Gamma-Ray Bursts in the Swift Era

With its rapid-response capability and multiwavelength complement of instruments, the Swift satellite has transformed our physical understanding of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). Providing high-quality observations of hundreds of bursts, and facilitating a wide range of follow-up observations within seconds of each event, Swift has revealed an unforeseen richness in observed burst properties, shed light on the nature of short-duration bursts, and helped realize the promise of GRBs as probes of the processes and environments of star formation out to the earliest cosmic epochs. These advances have opened new perspectives on the nature and properties of burst central engines, interactions with the burst environment from microparsec to gigaparsec scales, and the possibilities for non-photonic signatures. Our understanding of these extreme cosmic sources has thus advanced substantially; yet more than 40 years after their discovery, GRBs continue to present major challenges on both observational and theoretical fronts.Comment: 67 pages, 16 figures; ARAA, 2009; http://arjournals.annualreviews.org/toc/astro/47/

Effect of Herbal Mycotoxin Binders in Amelioration of Induced Mycotoxicosis in White Leghorn Laying Hens

Efficacy of herbal mycotoxin binders in ameliorating induced mycotoxicosis was evaluated in white leghorn laying hens. Birds were randomly divided into six groups containing 15 birds in each group. Group I was served as control fed with basal diet, group II birds were fed with aflatoxins and ochratoxin A at 100 ppb each. Group III, IV, V and VI birds were fed with aflatoxins and ochratoxin A at 100ppb each and herbal mycotoxin binders Vilocym®, Toxiroak®,Vilocym-Z® in feed at 1 kg/tonne and AV/LBP/20® at 1 ml/litre in drinking water respectively for 10 weeks. The cultured rice and wheat samples were screened for presence of mycotoxins by LC-MS/MS method. Aflatoxins concentration in cultured rice sample was 826 ppb. Ochratoxin A concentration in cultured wheat sample was 8990 ppb. The hematological parametes viz., Hb, TEC, PCV showed signmificant decreased level in (Group II, III, IV, V and VI) compared to their respective control group. Similarly biochemical parameters viz., aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase showed significantly decreased level in treatred groups (Group II, III, IV, V and VI) compared to their respective control group. Serum albumin and serum total protein level significantly decreased in treatred groups (Group II, III, IV, V and VI) compared to their respective control group(Group I). Histopathology of Group II birds revealed toxic effects on liver and kidney. Supplementation of herbal mycotoxin binders in mycotoxicated feed showed improvement in all the parameters indicating that herbal mycotoxin binders reduce the severity of toxicity.Keywords: White leghorn laying hens Aspergillus flavus Aspergillus ochraceous Aflatoxins & ochratoxin A Herbal mycotoxin binder