Mixed-Integer Linear Programming for Vehicle Routing Problem with Simultaneous Delivery and Pick-Up with Maximum Route-Length

The vehicle routing problem with simultaneous delivery and pick-up (VRPSDP) is the problem of optimally assimilating goods collection and distribution, when no priority constraints are imposed on the order in which the vehicle must perform the operations. This paper considers an additional constraint of maximum route length in VRPSDP. We develop a mixed-integer linear programming model for VRPSDP with an additional constraint of maximum route length. The results are encouraging for a sample benchmark data set

Evaluation of drug promotional brochures in a tertiary teaching hospital of Kannur, India

Background: Pharmaceutical industries worldwide are heavily involved in aggressive drug promotions. WHO has framed guidelines for ethical drug promotion in 1988. The transparency of pharmaceutical advertisements is important because decision of the physician is likely to be influenced by the claims made by the pharmaceutical companies in the promotional drug brochures and pharmaceutical industries treat their marketing material as “educational material” for doctors. Authors did this study to analyze the information given on drug promotional brochures by the drug companies using ethical criteria of drug promotion by WHO 1988 and to verify the authenticity of the claims given by the pharmaceutical companies in drug promotional brochures.Methods: Cross sectional study extending from 1/8/2012 to 31/7/2013. 612 drug promotional brochures satisfied our inclusion criteria. Drug brochures were analyzed with WHO ethical criteria 1988 and further categorizing the data into type of claims, number and source of references. Validity of journal articles were checked by using a validity measure developed by Cardarelli.Results: Total 612 brochures satisfied inclusion criteria. INN was mentioned in 93.8% of collected brochures. Brand name was mentioned in 100% brochures. Content of active ingredients was mentioned in 92% of brochures. Name of the other ingredients known to cause problem 28.4% of brochures. Dosage form or regimen was mentioned in 23.2% of brochures. Approved therapeutic use mentioned in 65.7% brochures. Side effects and major adverse drug reactions were mentioned in 31.4% brochures. Precautions and contraindications and warnings were mentioned in 30.4% drug promotional brochures. Drug interactions were mentioned in 26.5% brochures. Name and address was mentioned by 69.1% brochures. There were 1144 claims and 739 references. Efficacy claims were 84.88% of the total claims. Main source of reference was from journal articles (74.1%) and among them 49.65% were randomized control trials. Only 47.94 % of the journal references were valid.Conclusions: Brochures were lacking in vital information which included contraindication, warning, precaution, name of the other ingredients known to cause problem hence companies were found violating WHO ethical criteria. Claims were not well supported with references. Less than half of the given journal references were only valid. This study highlights the need of healthcare professionals to remain cautious about promotional material presented by pharmaceutical representatives

Isolation, identification and culture of the marine rotifer Colurella adriatica Ehrenberg, 1831 (Family: Lepadellidae) from Andaman & Nicobar Islands: A promising live feed for larval rearing of high value shellfishes and finfishes

An extremely small rotifer was isolated from the micro zooplankton samples collected during February, 2014 from Havelock islands of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The species was identified as Colurella adriatica Ehrenberg, 1831 (Family: Lapadellidae). Its lorica length under culture period ranged from 47.530 to 98.868 μm and width from 34.308 to 56.277 μm. The size of the eggs, neonates and adults are also documented. Comparison of size of C. adriatica with Brachionus plicatilis (L type) and B. rotundiformis (S and SS type) revealed that C. adriatica is smaller in length and width than the SS-type rotifer which is currently used as a first feed in marine tropical fish larval rearing. However, the larvae of many marine food fishes including groupers and high value marine ornamental fishes are unable to consume the SS-type rotifers as a first feed due to their extremely small mouth gape. The culture of C. adriatica was carried out using Nannochloropsis oculata Diet-I), N. oculata and yeast (0.01g/litre) (Diet-II), Yeast (0.01g/litre) alone (Diet-III). Average population density of C. adriatica with these diets reached a maximum of 1000 nos. of individuals /ml on 10th day of culture on feeding with Diet-I; 950 nos. /ml on 14th day (Diet-II) and 650 nos. /ml on 15th day of culture (Diet-III). Diet I &II and Diet II &III did not show any significant difference (P>0.05) whereas, Diet I and III showed significant difference (P<0.01). Preliminary studies of C. adriatica as a feed to the larvae of Stenopus hispidus, Lysmata amboinensis and Pomacentrus caeruleus showed better survival than larvae fed with B. routundiformis during first phase of larval rearing

Stepwise Formation Constants of La(III), Ce(III), Pr(III) & Nd(III) with 4-H'ydroxy- 3-formyl-(2'/4')-methylazobenzenes

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Application of Regression and Fuzzy Logic Method for Prediction of Tool Life

AbstractThis paper presents a model for predicting tool life when end milling IS2062 steel using P30 uncoated carbide tipped tool under various cutting conditions. A tool life model is developed from regression model obtained by using results of the experiments conducted based on Taguchi's approach. A second model is developed based on fuzzy logic method for predicting tool life. The results obtained from fuzzy method are compared with regression model. The results of the fuzzy model is found to be more closer to experimental value

AN ANTIMICROBIAL PHTHALATE DERIVATIVE FROM BACILLUS CEREUS, THE SYMBIOTIC BACTERIUM ASSOCIATED WITH A NOVEL ENTOMOPATHOGENIC NEMATODE, RHABDITIS (OSCHEIUS) SP

Objective: To isolate and identify the bioactive metabolites from the culture filtrates of a bacterium (Bacillus cereus) symbiotically associated with a novel entomopathogenic nematode Rhabditis (Oscheius) species.Methods: The bacterium was cultured in three different media and the antimicrobial activity was determined by the well diffusion assay. The ethyl acetate extract of the cell free culture filtrate was then purified by silica gel column chromatography and thin layer chromatography. Identification of the active metabolite was done with HPLC, GC-MS and LC-MS.Results: The cell free culture filtrate of a nematode symbiotic bacterium showed both antibacterial and antifungal activities. Fermentation conditions were standardized and optimum antibacterial activity was observed in tryptic soy broth at 72 h of incubation at 30 °C. When the ethyl acetate extract was purified by silica gel column chromatography and thin layer chromatography, an active fraction was obtained which was subjected to HPLC analysis along with GC-MS and LC-MS leading to the identification of a major compound Bis (2-ethyl hexyl) phthalate. The compound was active against Gram positive bacteria Bacillus subtilis MTCC2756, Staphylococus aureus MTCC902, Gram negative bacteria Escherichia coli MTCC 2622 and fungi such as Aspergillus flavus MTCC277, Candida albicans MTCC183, Fusarium oxysporum MTCC 284, Rhizoctonia solani MTCC 4634.Conclusion: Bis (2-ethyl hexyl) phthalate was identified as one of the metabolites produced by a nematode symbiotic bacterium associated with a novel entomopathogenic nematode Rhabditis (Oscheius) species. Thus similar compounds isolated from novel entomopathogenic bacteria would pave the way for identifying new drugs for the pharmaceutical and agricultural sector.Â

Quality of life of alcohol dependent patients attending a deaddiction centre in Kannur district

Background: Quality of life (QOL) is individuals' perceptions of their position in life. QOL of alcohol dependent patients is an area that has received relatively less attention compared to other alcohol related problems.Methods: A deaddiction centre based cross sectional study was done on 370 individuals using a predesigned questionnaire during the period of 2012-2013. The data was analyzed using SPSS version 17. Spearman’s rank correlation test was used to find association between the study variables.Results: The mean age of the study subjects was 38.08±8.46 years. The mean duration of drinking was 12.62±7.47 years. The overall score of the QOL and the perceived health in alcohol dependent patients was 3.19±0.89 and 3.01±0.98 respectively. The mean of the transformed scores of physical, psychological, social and environmental domains are 69.12±12.82, 57.84±12.81, 58.52±17.05, 68.62±10.23 respectively. Statistical analysis of age with physical, environmental and social domains showed a significant negative correlation; literacy status with QOL, perceived health, physical, psychological, social and environmental domains showed a significant positive correlation; socio economic status with QOL and psychological domain showed a significant positive correlation; duration of drinking with QOL, perceived health, physical and psychological domain showed a significant negative correlation.Conclusions: Harm from alcohol use is a major public health problem. Reducing the level of social and health harms from alcohol requires preparation and planning

Evidence for Molecular Evolutionary Conservedness of Small Heat-Shock Protein Sequence in Solanaceaeous Crops Using in silico Methods

Drought and heat contribute to much of the yield decline in agricultural lands all over the world. The basic physiological responses developed against drought and heat stress overlie each other, as; both these stresses eventually lead to dehydration of the cell and to osmotic imbalance. To cope with abiotic stresses, it is necessary to understand plant responses to stresses that disturb homeostatic equilibrium at the cellular and molecular level. Although there has been remarkable progress in this with development of microarray-based expression profiling methods (together with genomic sequence data), understanding on ways to employ these data to engineer plants with improved stresstolerance is still at a nascent stage. However, these data can be used for discovering genes, functional microsatellites and regulatory elements using&nbsp;in silico&nbsp;methods. In this context, single nucleotide repeat marker sequences have been identified which is associated with small heat-shock protein sequence (sHSP) for heat tolerance in&nbsp;Capsicum annuum. These sHSP sequences have some structural features in common; its characteristic is that it is homologous and highly conserved. These sequences have been analyzed for molecular evolutionary conservedness in solanaceaeous crops and have been found to have a single nucleotide repeat sequence and a highly conserved sHSP sequence

Comparative Analysis of Regression Models for Remote Sensing-based Water Quality Assessment

The 80-kilometer-long Vembanad Lake in Kerala, India, is a Ramsar site. Eutrophication is deteriorating its water quality and threatening its biodiversity. In this study, satellite imageries of Sentinel 2A and Landsat 8 OLI were utilized to determine its water quality. Various data sets of the water quality parameters viz. pH, Electrical conductivity, TSS, TDS, BOD, DO, chloride etc. are analyzed and interpreted. Regression models were developed on the parameters taken up for water quality analysis. The empirical R2 values of the developed models evidenced the accuracy of the developed mdoels. The findings show that remote sensing images are reliable for analyzing surface water quality characteristics. The comparative analysis of the model developed illustrated the effectiveness of using the imaging systems mentioned above for water quality index estimation through remote sensing

Marine ornamental fishes and their breeding: CMFRI initiatives

The marine ornamental fish trade is a sunrise industry in aquaculture and has become a growing industry worldwide. As a result the trade of marine ornamentals has been expanding in recent years and has grown into a multimillion dollar enterprise mainly due to the emergence of modern aquarium gadgets and technologies for setting and maintenance of miniature reef aquaria. Since the marine ornamental trade is operated throughout the tropics, the global marine ornamental trade is estimated at US$ 200- 330 million. Since India is endowed with a vast resource potential of marine ornamentals distributed in the coral seas and rocky coasts with patchy coral formations and the increasing the demand in the domestic trade, it appears very much lucrative for India to venture into this industry