The Hydrodynamical Limit of Quantum Hall system

We study the current algebra of FQHE systems in the hydrodynamical limit of small amplitude, long-wavelength fluctuations. We show that the algebra simplifies considerably in this limit. The hamiltonian is expressed in a current-current form and the operators creating inter-Landau level and lowest Landau level collective excitations are identified.Comment: Revtex, 16 page

Herbal vs. Chemical Actives as Antidandruff Ingredients -Which Are More Effective in the Management of Dandruff?– An Overview

Dandruff, a clinical condition caused by Malassezia (Pityrosporum) species is of great cosmetic concern all over the world. Dandruff is known to be controlled by fungistatic ingredients in Anti-dandruff shampoos. A comparative study on the efficacy of chemical and herbal anti-dandruff ingredients on ‘as is’ basis and their performance in market shampoos was done in vitro against Pityrosporum ovale (MTCC 1374). Zinc pyrithione (ZnPTO), ketoconazole and other azole compounds recorded good anti-Pityrosporum activity among the chemical ingredients. Herbal ingredients like tea tree oil, rosemary oil, coleus oil, clove oil, pepper extract, neem extract, and basil extract also recorded anti-pityrosporum activity, but their MIC values are much higher than the synthetic ingredients. Shampoos containing ZnPTO and ketoconazole recorded higher in vitro activities than the shampoos containing herbal AD ingredients

Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines, IFNγ and TNFα, Influence Immune Properties of Human Bone Marrow and Wharton Jelly Mesenchymal Stem Cells Differentially

BACKGROUND: Wharton's jelly derived stem cells (WJMSCs) are gaining attention as a possible clinical alternative to bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs) owing to better accessibility, higher expansion potential and low immunogenicity. Usage of allogenic mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) could be permissible in vivo only if they retain their immune properties in an inflammatory setting. Thus the focus of this study is to understand and compare the immune properties of BMMSCs and WJMSCs primed with key pro-inflammatory cytokines, Interferon-gamma (IFNgamma) and Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNFalpha). METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Initially the effect of priming on MSC mediated suppression of alloantigen and mitogen induced lymphoproliferation was evaluated in vitro. Treatment with IFNgamma or TNFalpha, did not ablate the immune-suppression caused by both the MSCs. Extent of immune-suppression was more with WJMSCs than BMMSCs in both the cases. Surprisingly, priming BMMSCs enhanced suppression of mitogen driven lymphoproliferation only; whereas IFNgamma primed WJMSCs were better suppressors of MLRs. Further, kinetic analysis of cytokine profiles in co-cultures of primed/unprimed MSCs and Phytohematoagglutinin (PHA) activated lymphocytes was evaluated. Results indicated a decrease in levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Interestingly, a change in kinetics and thresholds of Interleukin-2 (IL-2) secretion was observed only with BMMSCs. Analysis of activation markers on PHA-stimulated lymphocytes indicated different expression patterns in co-cultures of primed/unprimed WJMSCs and BMMSCs. Strikingly, co-culture with WJMSCs resulted in an early activation of a negative co-stimulatory molecule, CTLA4, which was not evident with BMMSCs. A screen for immune suppressive factors in primed/unprimed WJMSCs and BMMSCs indicated inherent differences in IFNgamma inducible Indoleamine 2, 3-dioxygenase (IDO) activity, Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and Prostaglandin E-2 (PGE2) levels which could possibly influence the mechanism of immune-modulation. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: This study demonstrates that inflammation affects the immune properties of MSCs distinctly. Importantly different tissue derived MSCs could utilize unique mechanisms of immune-modulation

Performance Exploration of Multiple Classifiers with Grid Search Hyperparameter Tuning for Detecting Epileptic Seizures from EEG Signals

This study evaluates the performance of two-level classifications using dimensionality reduction methods to determine the risk level of epilepsy from EEG dataset. To diminish the complexity of EEG data, dimensionality reduction techniques such as Singular Value Decomposition (SVD), Independent Component Analysis (ICA), and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) are utilized. The risk level of epilepsy classification from EEG dataset would then be carried out using three classifiers: Hidden Markov Model (HMM), Naïve Bayesian Classifier (NBC) and Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM). The Grid Search (GS) process is employed to tune the hyperparameters of GMM and NBC classifiers. This study analyzed twenty patients’ datasets. Performance evaluation of classifiers with and without GS hyperparameter tuning is examined, including performance index, sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy. The GMM classifier with the GS hyper-tuning approach for SVD dimensionality reduction technique achieved a higher accuracy of 98.18% than its counterpart classifiers

Evaluation of no-choice cage, detached leaf and diet incorporation assays to screen chickpeas for resistance to the beet armyworm Spodoptera exigua (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

It is difficult to compare genotypic resistance to insects across seasons and locations because of the variation in the onset and severity of insect infestation. Therefore, in this study, we used the no-choice cage technique and detached leaf and artificial diet incorporation assays for evaluating chickpea genotypes for resistance to the beet armyworm Spodoptera exigua (Hubner). The results indicated that the no-choice cage technique was not useful for evaluating chickpea genotypes for resistance to S. exigua. In the detached leaf assay, leaf feeding by S. exigua larvae was significantly lower in ICC 12 475 and RIL 20 genotypes at the vegetative stage and in ICC 10 393, ICC 12 475, KAK 2, RIL 20 and RIL 25 genotypes at the flowering stage, while larval weight gain was lower in insects reared on EC 583264, ICC 10 393, ICC 12 475 and RIL 20 genotypes at the vegetative stage; and in those reared on ICC 10 393, ICC 12 475, EC 583264, ICCL 86 111, KAK 2, RIL 20 and RIL 25 genotypes at the flowering stage in plants raised under greenhouse conditions. In plants raised under field conditions, the EC 583260, ICC 12 475, ICCL 86 111, ICCV 10, KAK 2, RIL 20 and RIL 25 genotypes in the November sowing and the KAK 2, ICC 3137, ICCL 86 111 and RIL 25 genotypes in the December sowing suffered low leaf damage at the vegetative stage; and EC 58 320, EC 583264, ICC 12 745 and RIL 25 genotypes in the November sowing and the EC 583264, ICC 3137, ICC 12 475, 1CCL 86 111, KAK 2, RIL 20 and RIL 25 genotypes in the December sowing suffered low leaf damage at the flowering stage, while low larval weights were recorded in insects reared on the ICC 12 475, EC 583264, ICCL 86 111 and RIL 25 genotypes at the flowering stage. In the diet incorporation assay, the survival of S. exigua larvae reared on diets with leaf powder of the ICC 12 475, ICC 10 393 and RIL 25 genotypes was significantly lower, while a significant reduction in larval weights was recorded in those reared on diets with leaf powder of the ICC 10 393, ICC 12 475, ICCL 86 111, KAK 2, RIL 25 and ICC 3137 genotypes. The fecundity of insects was also reduced in insects reared on diets with leaf powder of the RIL 25, RIL 20, ICCV 10, ICCL 86 111, ICC 12 475, ICC 3137, KAK 2 and ICC 10 393 genotypes. The results suggest that detached leaf assay could be used for large-scale screening of chickpea genotypes for resistance to S. exigua, while the diet incorporation assay could be used to gain additional information on the antibiosis mechanism of resistance to this insect

Evaluation of Chickpea Genotypes for Resistance to Beet Armyworm, Spodoptera exigua

Chickpea genotypes were evaluated for resistance to Spodoptera exigua pest under field and laboratory conditions. In the detached leaf assay, the genotypes RIL 20 and ICC 12475 at the vegetative stage, and EC583264, ICC 12475 and RIL 25 at the flowering stage suffered lower leaf damage (DR 1.0 – 1.8) as compared to ICCL 86111 (DR 6.8). There were no significant differences in larval survival among the genotypes tested. However, only 22.4% larvae survived on ICC 12475 as compared to 60.0% on ICCL 86111 at the vegetative stage, and 23.3% larvae survived on KAK 2 as compared to 73.3% on ICC 10393 at the flowering stage. Larval weights were significantly lower on RIL 20, ICC 10393 and EC583264 (5.6 - 7.1 mg per larva) as compared to the larvae reared on the susceptible check, ICC 3137 (21.8 mg per larva) at the vegetative stage. There were no significant differences in larval weights at the flowering stage. Percentage pupation was significantly lower on KAK 2, RIL 20 and ICC 12475 (10.0 - 11.4%) as compared to that of ICC 10393 (35.0%) at vegetative stage, and on ICCV 10, EC583264, ICCL 86111, ICC 3137, ICC 12475 and KAK 2 (10.1 - 15.6%) at the flowering stage as compared to 34.3% pupation on ICC 10393. There were no significant differences in larval period and pupal weights of the insects reared on different chickpea genotypes. Under field conditions, there were no significant differences in Helicoverpa armigera and S. exigua eggs and larvae of S. exigua on different genotypes at the vegetative, flowering and maturity stages. However, significant differences were observed in H. armigera larvae on different genotypes at all the three stages. The lowest H. armigera larval density and leaf and pod damage were recorded on ICC 12475. Grain yield was significantly greater in ICCV 10 (1732.0 kg/ha), ICCL 86111 (1248.3 kg/ha), ICC 10393 (1132.1 kg/ha) and ICC 12475 (1127.8 kg/ha) than in the susceptible check, ICC 3137 (73.3 kg/ha). The genotypes suffering lower damage and with high grain yield potential can be used in chickpea improvement for resistance to S. exigu

Designing multi-period supply chain network considering risk and emission: a multi-objective approach

This research formulates a multi-objective problem (MOP) for supply chain network (SCN) design by incorporating the issues of social relationship, carbon emissions, and supply chain risks such as disruption and opportunism. The proposed MOP includes three conflicting objectives: maximization of total profit, minimization of supply disruption and opportunism risks, and minimization of carbon emission considering a number of supply chain constraints. Furthermore, this research analyses the effect of social relationship levels between different tiers of SCN on the profitability, risk, and emission over the time. In this regard, we focus on responding to the following questions. (1) How does the evolving social relationship affect the objectives of the supply chain (SC)? (2) How do the upstream firms’ relationships affect the relationships of downstream firms, and how these relationships influence the objectives of the SC? (3) How does the supply disruption risk interact with the opportunism risk through supply chain relationships, and how these risks affect the objectives of the SC? (4) How do these three conflicting objectives trade-off? A Pareto-based multi-objective evolutionary algorithm–non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm-II (NSGA-II) has been employed to solve the presented problem. In order to improve the quality of solutions, tuning parameters of the NSGA-II are modulated using Taguchi approach. An illustrative example is presented to manifest the capability of the model and the algorithm. The results obtained evince the robust performance of the proposed MOP

Population density and damage by pod borers, helicoverpa armigera and spodoptera exigua in a diverse array of chickpea genotypes under natural infestation in the field

Host plant resistance is one of the important components of resistance to insects, and hence, we evaluated a diverse array of chickpea genotypes for resistance to pod borers, Helicoverpa armigera and Spodoptera exigua under field conditions. Data were recorded on S. exigua egg masses and larvae, H. armigera eggs and larvae, plant damage at the vegetative, flowering and podding stages, and grain yield at crop harvest. During the vegetative stage, significantly lower numbers of H. armigera and S. exigua larvae were recorded on ICC 10393, ICCL 86111, ICC 12475 and RIL 20; while leaf damage was significantly lower on ICC 12475, ICC 10393, ICCV 10, and RIL 25 as compared to that on ICC 3137. During the flowering stage, leaf damage was significantly lower on ICC 12475, RIL 20, RIL 25, ICC 10393, ICCL 86111, KAK 2, and ICCV 10 than on ICC 3137; of which the numbers of H. armigera larvae were significantly lower on ICCL 86111, RIL 20, ICC 10393, RIL 25 and ICC 12475 than on ICC 3137 in one or both sowings/seasons. During the podding stage, the H. armigera and/or S. exigua larval densities were significantly lower on ICC 12475, ICC 10393, RIL 25, ICCV 10, and RIL 20; of which EC 583264, ICC 10393, ICC 12475, ICCL 86111, ICCV 10, RIL 20 and RIL 25 than in ICC 3137. The grain yield of these genotypes was also significantly greater than that of ICC 3137 one or both sowings/seasons, and these genotypes can be used for improving chickpea to pod borer resistance for sustainable crop production