MERCHANT TO MERCHANT LENDING

The present disclosure relates to a method and system for establishing a merchant-to-merchant lending network to process lending and/or borrowing of money between merchants. The present disclosure suggests collecting various data related to the merchants, and ranking the merchants based on their net POS sales value. Thereafter, a merchant is allowed to borrow the money from another merchant based on the ranking of the merchants. Subsequently, the lending money requests and borrowing money requests are matched to facilitate the lending/borrowing of the money. The borrowing merchant is allowed to repay the borrowed money on a periodical repayment schedule based on the percentage of the net POS sales of the borrowing merchant

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR FACILITATING ENHANCED SECURITY IN CONNECTED ENVIRONMENTS FOR IOT DEVICES

The present disclosure relates to a method and a system for facilitating enhanced security in connected environments for IoT devices. The system comprises a SOAP sender and a SOAP receiver. Here, the SOAP sender and the SOAP receiver utilize truncated TCP packets in corresponding transport layers of IoT protocol stack, instead of using conventional UDP packet and conventional TCP packet. Due to use of modified TCP packet in the transport layer, security is enhanced as compared to use of UDP packet for CoAP implementation at application layer of the IoT protocol stack. Further, due to truncation of the conventional TCP packet, huge memory requirement and power overhead associated with the conventional TCP packet is reduced. The truncated TCP packet is obtained by eliminating some fields such as Data offset, Reserved, Flags and Window fields from the conventional TCP packet. Also, another security increasing measure is to implement CoAP is implemented over a SOAP web architecture, which provides additional security, data privacy and integrit

Following Black Hole States

We study $\mathcal{N}=4$ SYM at non-integer number of colours. By varying $N$ we can continuously follow states all the way from $N=\infty$ where integrability reigns to finite $N$ where quantum gravity effects dominate. As an application we consider classically $1/16$ BPS states. Quantum mechanically, these states are generically non-supersymmetric but some special states -- at special values of $N$ -- become super-symmetric at the quantum level as well. They are the so-called quantum black hole states studied recently using cohomology. We write down the form of the lightest BH state at $N=2$ -- and follow it in $N$, both at weak coupling and -- more speculatively -- at strong coupling as well. At weak coupling this state has protected dimension $\Delta=19/2$ at $N=2$ and becomes a triple trace made out of Konishi and two light BPS operators at infinite $N$ with $\Delta=19/2+12\lambda+\dots$. At strong coupling we suspect it becomes a quadruple trace with dimension $\Delta \simeq 19/2+\text{integer}$.Comment: 7+8 pages, 20 footnote

Where is M-theory in the space of scattering amplitudes?

We use the S-matrix bootstrap to carve out the space of unitary, analytic, crossing symmetric and supersymmetric graviton scattering amplitudes in nine, ten and eleven dimensions. We extend and improve the numerical methods of our previous work in ten dimensions. A key new tool employed here is unitarity in the celestial sphere. In all dimensions, we find that the minimal allowed value of the Wilson coefficient $\alpha$, controlling the leading correction to maximal supergravity, is very close but not equal to the minimal value realized in Superstring theory or M-theory. This small difference may be related to inelastic effects that are not well described by our numerical extremal amplitudes. Although $\alpha$ has a unique value in M-theory, we found no evidence of an upper bound on $\alpha$ in 11D.Comment: 17 pages, 18 figure

Evaluation of antimicrobial activity of Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus rhamnosus against clinically isolated Klebsiella pneumoniae: an in vitro study

Background: Klebsiella pneumoniae are Gram-negative opportunistic pathogen, belonging to the family Enterobacteriaceae that can cause severe nosocomial infections particularly in immuno-compromised individuals. They exhibit co-resistance to multiple antibiotics which emphasize the need for non-antibiotic therapies. The goal of the presented study was to investigate the antimicrobial ability of probiotic Lactobacilli on clinical isolates of K. pneumoniae. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, antimicrobial activities of probiotic L. acidophilus and L. rhamnosus on K. pneumoniae were evaluated by Agar overlay interference technique. Clear zone around Lactobacilli were taken as positive inhibition. Antibiotic susceptibility profiles of K. pneumoniae were determined by Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method, analyzed using interpretive standards of CLSI M100-S33 and categorized into MDR, XDR and Non MDR groups. Statistical analysis was done using descriptive statistics such as mean and standard error and inferential statistics such as ANOVA single factor. Results: K. pneumoniae exhibited positive inhibition with both the probiotic strain. On comparing the zone of inhibition of L. acidophilus and L. rhamnosus (both treated-pH adjusted and untreated), L. acidophilus had greater zone of inhibition against K. pneumoniae but concluded that statistically the values are insignificant (p>0.05). Based on antibiotic susceptibility pattern of K. pneumoniae, 63% of isolates were XDR, 3% were MDR and 34% were Non MDR Conclusions: It can be concluded that L. acidophilus and L. rhamnosus had significant inhibitory effect against K. pneumoniae in vitro and should be further studied for their human health benefit

Study of antimicrobial resistance profile and efflux mediated drug resistance in clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa detected by ethidium bromide-agar Cartwheel method

Background: Development of antibiotic resistance or multidrug resistance (MDR) is one of the major causes of treatment failure of bacterial infections and has rapidly evolved into a threat to global health care. Bacterial efflux pumps play a significant role in the development of antibiotic resistance. This study evaluates the prevalence of efflux pump- mediated drug resistance in clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa.Methods: Clinical isolates (n=100) of P. aeruginosa were collected from various clinical laboratories in Kerala and their efflux mediated drug resistance detected by the ethidium bromide (EB) agar Cartwheel method.Results: The EB agar cartwheel method of screening revealed efflux activity in 17% (n=17) strains. The efflux activity was revealed at a minimum concentration of EB at 0 mg/l. P. aeruginosa strains showed the highest activity up to a concentration of 2.5 mg/l.Conclusions: This study discusses the emergence of efflux pump- mediated drug resistance in P. aeruginosa from various clinical samples. Our results showed that 17% drug resistance in P. aeruginosa is attributable to efflux related mechanisms.

Meeting IMT 2030 Performance Targets: The Potential of OTFDM Waveform and Structural MIMO Technologies

The white paper focuses on several candidate technologies that could play a crucial role in the development of 6G systems. Two of the key technologies explored in detail are Orthogonal Time Frequency Division Multiplexing (OTFDM) waveform and Structural MIMO (S-MIMO)

Post-traumatic stress disorder in children and adolescents one year after a super-cyclone in Orissa, India: exploring cross-cultural validity and vulnerability factors

BACKGROUND: It has been asserted that psychological responses to disasters in children and adolescents vary widely across cultures, but this has rarely been investigated. The objectives of the study were to clinically evaluate the construct of traumatic stress symptoms and disorder in children and adolescents after a super-cyclone in Orissa, India; to find out the prevalence at one year; compare the effect in high and low exposure areas and study the factors associated with it. METHODS: Clinical examination of children and adolescents (n = 447) was done, supplemented by a symptoms checklist based on International Classification of Mental and Behavioural Disorders, Diagnostic Criteria for Research and a semi-structured questionnaire for disaster related experiences. RESULTS: A majority of children had post-traumatic symptoms. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was present in 30.6% (95% confidence interval: 26.4 to 34.9), and an additional 13.6% had sub-syndromal PTSD. Parents or teachers reported mental health concerns in 7.2% subjects, who were a minor proportion (12.8%) of subjects with any syndromal diagnosis (n = 196). Significantly more (43.7%) children in high exposure areas had PTSD than that (11.2%) in low exposure areas (p < 0.001). Depression was significantly associated with PTSD. Binary logistic regression analysis indicated that high exposure, lower educational level and middle socioeconomic status significantly predicted the outcome of PTSD. Extreme fear and perceived threat to life during the disaster, death in family, damage to home, or staying in shelters were not significantly associated with PTSD. CONCLUSION: Following natural disaster PTSD is a valid clinical construct in children and adolescents in Indian set up; and though highly prevalent it may be missed without clinical screening. Its manifestation and associated factors resembled those in other cultures

Measuring progress and projecting attainment on the basis of past trends of the health-related Sustainable Development Goals in 188 countries: an analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016

The UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are grounded in the global ambition of “leaving no one behind”. Understanding today’s gains and gaps for the health-related SDGs is essential for decision makers as they aim to improve the health of populations. As part of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2016 (GBD 2016), we measured 37 of the 50 health-related SDG indicators over the period 1990–2016 for 188 countries, and then on the basis of these past trends, we projected indicators to 2030

Global, regional, and national under-5 mortality, adult mortality, age-specific mortality, and life expectancy, 1970–2016: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016

BACKGROUND: Detailed assessments of mortality patterns, particularly age-specific mortality, represent a crucial input that enables health systems to target interventions to specific populations. Understanding how all-cause mortality has changed with respect to development status can identify exemplars for best practice. To accomplish this, the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2016 (GBD 2016) estimated age-specific and sex-specific all-cause mortality between 1970 and 2016 for 195 countries and territories and at the subnational level for the five countries with a population greater than 200 million in 2016. METHODS: We have evaluated how well civil registration systems captured deaths using a set of demographic methods called death distribution methods for adults and from consideration of survey and census data for children younger than 5 years. We generated an overall assessment of completeness of registration of deaths by dividing registered deaths in each location-year by our estimate of all-age deaths generated from our overall estimation process. For 163 locations, including subnational units in countries with a population greater than 200 million with complete vital registration (VR) systems, our estimates were largely driven by the observed data, with corrections for small fluctuations in numbers and estimation for recent years where there were lags in data reporting (lags were variable by location, generally between 1 year and 6 years). For other locations, we took advantage of different data sources available to measure under-5 mortality rates (U5MR) using complete birth histories, summary birth histories, and incomplete VR with adjustments; we measured adult mortality rate (the probability of death in individuals aged 15-60 years) using adjusted incomplete VR, sibling histories, and household death recall. We used the U5MR and adult mortality rate, together with crude death rate due to HIV in the GBD model life table system, to estimate age-specific and sex-specific death rates for each location-year. Using various international databases, we identified fatal discontinuities, which we defined as increases in the death rate of more than one death per million, resulting from conflict and terrorism, natural disasters, major transport or technological accidents, and a subset of epidemic infectious diseases; these were added to estimates in the relevant years. In 47 countries with an identified peak adult prevalence for HIV/AIDS of more than 0·5% and where VR systems were less than 65% complete, we informed our estimates of age-sex-specific mortality using the Estimation and Projection Package (EPP)-Spectrum model fitted to national HIV/AIDS prevalence surveys and antenatal clinic serosurveillance systems. We estimated stillbirths, early neonatal, late neonatal, and childhood mortality using both survey and VR data in spatiotemporal Gaussian process regression models. We estimated abridged life tables for all location-years using age-specific death rates. We grouped locations into development quintiles based on the Socio-demographic Index (SDI) and analysed mortality trends by quintile. Using spline regression, we estimated the expected mortality rate for each age-sex group as a function of SDI. We identified countries with higher life expectancy than expected by comparing observed life expectancy to anticipated life expectancy on the basis of development status alone. FINDINGS: Completeness in the registration of deaths increased from 28% in 1970 to a peak of 45% in 2013; completeness was lower after 2013 because of lags in reporting. Total deaths in children younger than 5 years decreased from 1970 to 2016, and slower decreases occurred at ages 5-24 years. By contrast, numbers of adult deaths increased in each 5-year age bracket above the age of 25 years. The distribution of annualised rates of change in age-specific mortality rate differed over the period 2000 to 2016 compared with earlier decades: increasing annualised rates of change were less frequent, although rising annualised rates of change still occurred in some locations, particularly for adolescent and younger adult age groups. Rates of stillbirths and under-5 mortality both decreased globally from 1970. Evidence for global convergence of death rates was mixed; although the absolute difference between age-standardised death rates narrowed between countries at the lowest and highest levels of SDI, the ratio of these death rates-a measure of relative inequality-increased slightly. There was a strong shift between 1970 and 2016 toward higher life expectancy, most noticeably at higher levels of SDI. Among countries with populations greater than 1 million in 2016, life expectancy at birth was highest for women in Japan, at 86·9 years (95% UI 86·7-87·2), and for men in Singapore, at 81·3 years (78·8-83·7) in 2016. Male life expectancy was generally lower than female life expectancy between 1970 and 2016, an