Design of controllers for a Non-linear system using Pole-placement and Linear Quadratic Regulator Technique to solve Servo and Regulatory problem

This project mainly discusses about the design of controller for a nonlinear system like rotary inverted pendulum. This system is under actuated and well-suited for verification and practice of ideas emerging in control theory. Nonlinear systems exhibit instability, making the design of controllers for balancing in the stable position, a challenging problem. The dynamic model of the rotary inverted pendulum is identified first and the state space representation of the system is obtained. The controller is designed by using the pole placement technique and Linear Quadratic Regulator technique in MATLAB software package. The regulatory problem and the servo problem of rotary inverted pendulum system is solved with these controllers designed. The different controller design is implemented in simulation and their performances are compared. Simulation results onto a nonlinear system are given to illustrate the effectiveness of the developed strategies.nbs

Gender dimensions: employment trends in India, 1993-94 to 2009-10

"This paper examines some of the explicit as well as not so explicit trends in relation to women’s employment in India from 1993-94 till 2009-10 and argues that they indicate a grave and continuing crisis in women’s employment under liberalization led growth. Trends in the distribution of male and female workers by employment status and broad industry for the same period are also outlined. The paper shows how specific attention to unpaid work in the NSS data can overturn standard assumptions regarding women’s employment, and indeed has relevance for more general discussions on employment growth in India. It argues that the time has come to constantly and explicitly make a clearer distinction between income earning/paid employment and unpaid work in the analysis of employment trends.

Laboratory diagnosis of urinary tract infections using diagnostics tests in adult patients

Background:The primary aim of this study was to evaluate laboratory diagnosis of urinary tract infection using diagnostics tests in adult patients.Methods:Among the diagnostic tests, urinalysis is useful mainly for excluding bacteriuria. For isolation of pathogenic bacteria semiquantitative culture techniques was used and biochemical tests were done to differentiate Gram +ve and Gram –ve bacteria.Results: The incidence of pathogenic infection caused by Escherichia coli accounts for 216 cases (60%) followed by Pseudomonas, Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella.Conclusion:Physicians should distinguish urinary tract infections caused by different organisms for an effective treatment and appropriate clinical information gives clues for better diagnostic evaluation and their susceptibility to antimicrobial agents as well addressing host factors that contribute to the occurrence of infection

Co-Transcriptomic Analysis of the Maize–Western Corn Rootworm Interaction

The Western corn rootworm (WCR; Diabrotica virgifera virgifera) is an economically important belowground pest of maize. Belowground feeding by WCR is damaging because it weakens the roots system, diminishes nutrient uptake, and creates entry points for fungal and bacterial pathogens and increases lodging, all of which can significantly suppress maize yields. Previously, it was demonstrated that belowground herbivory can trigger plant defense responses in the roots and the shoots, thereby impacting intraplant communication. Although several aspects of maize-WCR interactions have been reported, co-transcriptomic remodeling in the plant and insect are yet to be explored. We used a maize genotype, Mp708, that is resistant to a large guild of herbivore pests to study the underlying plant defense signaling network between below and aboveground tissues. We also evaluated WCR compensatory transcriptome responses. Using RNA-seq, we profiled the transcriptome of roots and leaves that interacted with WCR infestation up to 5 days post infestation (dpi). Our results suggest that Mp708 shoots and roots had elevated constitutive and WCR-feeding induced expression of genes related to jasmonic acid and ethylene pathways, respectively, before and after WCR feeding for 1 and 5 days. Similarly, extended feeding by WCR for 5 days in Mp708 roots suppressed many genes involved in the benzoxazinoid pathway, which is a major group of indolederived secondary metabolites that provides resistance to several insect pests in maize. Furthermore, extended feeding by WCR on Mp708 roots revealed several genes that were downregulated in WCR, which include genes related to proteolysis, neuropeptide signaling pathway, defense response, drug catabolic process, and hormone metabolic process. These findings indicate a dynamic transcriptomic dialog between WCR and WCR-infested maize plants

Association of dopamine receptor polymorphisms with schizophrenia and antipsychotic response in a South Indian population

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Alterations in the dopamine transmission and receptor density are hypothesized in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia but ethnic disparities are reported to exist in disease association and therapeutic response to psychotropic medication. Antipsychotics have higher binding affinity to D2 subtype of dopamine receptor. DRD2 Cys311, TaqIB1 and TaqIA1 variants are considered to have either reduced affinity for dopamine and hypo-dopaminergic activity.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We examined the role of Taq1B, Taq1D, S311C, H313H and Taq1A polymorphisms of DRD2 gene in schizophrenia and antipsychotic treatment response in 213 patients and 196 controls from a homogenous South Indian population. A more detailed genotype phenotype association analysis was carried out to understand the disease in terms of its socio-cultural factors.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>H313HTT genotype was found to be associated with schizophrenia (P = 0.004) while TaqIB1B1 genotype was significantly associated with higher psychopathology score. When treatment response was considered H313HCC, TaqIA2A2 and Taq1D1D1 had higher mean improvement scores. TaqID1D1 and H313HTT genotype were found to be significantly higher in responders than in nonresponder group. Distinct shift in the LD patterns of responder and non-responder group was observed. Certain symptoms were characteristic of our patient population. Following medication the scores and presentation of these symptoms tend to vary in the responder and non-responder groups.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Based on genotype phenotype correlations it can be suggested that certain polymorphisms can be defined for their critical functions in disease and their role in treatment response in South Indian population. The present study suggests that in addition to ethnic bias, socio-cultural factors should also be considered while evaluating genotype phenotype correlations, in association and treatment response to complex disorders like schizophrenia.</p

Crisis in the NICU and the Medley with Midazolam

Epidemiologic studies of human patients have revealed a correlation between childhood exposure to general anesthetic and sedative agents and subsequent cognitive deficits. This association is supported by data from animal models, which shows that developmental exposure to both anesthetics and sedatives causes lasting impairments in learning. This study focused on midazolam (MDZ), a common benzodiazepine regularly used as a sedative agent on neonates in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). However, a knowledge gap that remains is how long-term exposure to MDZ during very early stages of life impacts synaptic alterations and neurobiological mechanisms. Elucidation of these mechanisms is of high clinical importance and may develop neuroprotective therapeutic strategies for optimizing outcomes for uniquely vulnerable NICU populations. Using a preclinical rodent model system, we mimicked a dose-escalation regimen from postnatal day 3 (P3) pups until P21 to comprehensively characterize how early-life exposure to MDZ impacts neurodevelopment outcomes at different tiers ─ phenotypic, molecular, behavioral, and high throughput- “omics” levels. Our data demonstrated that repetitive exposure to MDZ at an early age stunts neurodevelopment during the early stages of life disrupts the blood-brain barrier, and alters the synaptic components and neurochemistry, which may be indicative of behavioral deficits at later development. Additionally, our bioinformatics analysis from purified synaptosome identified enrichment of proteins associated with actin-binding and protein depolymerization process. One potential hit identified was alpha adducin (ADD1), belonging to the family of cytoskeleton proteins, upregulated in the MDZ group and whose expression was further validated by western blot. Our study has provided a comprehensive characterization of MDZ effects on development at multiple tiers yielding novel insights on how long-term exposure to MDZ impacts development. Notably, the identification of ADD1 as a potential target and further characterization of its downstream mechanisms can give additional insights into its role as a potential therapeutic for treating neurodevelopmental alterations associated with long-term MDZ use in neonates.https://digitalcommons.unmc.edu/chri_forum/1056/thumbnail.jp

Final technical report of the project on gender and migration : negotiating rights; a women’s movement perspective

The project devised a new method for assessing women’s work/employment situations through separation of paid and unpaid work, which has allowed for construction of a picture of female labour migration previously camouflaged in the official data by the dominance of marriage migration. At another level, the project investigated cross-region long distance marriage, to explore factors that determine movement of young brides to distant and different cultural regions. The research shows diverse patterns of migration and how migrant women workers are excluded from a range of citizenship rights: as migrant workers, as migrant women and as migrating citizens

Promoting the importance of aquatic foods on human nutrition and public health under APART in Assam

One of the key activities (Deliverable 7) under the APART project is “Improving impact of aquaculture and beel fisheries on human Nutrition”. WorldFish with partners is supporting the implementation of this activity. This consolidated report summarizes all the work done by WorldFish and partners as part of deliverable 7. The project has developed and tested several Social Behavioural Change Communication (SBCC) resources (e.g. banners, leaflets, brochures, calendars, TV spots, and videos) to promote the consumption of aquatic foods by vulnerable communities, PLM, adolescent girls, and children by targeting relevant stakeholders (e.g. Integrated Child Development Services programs, District Social Welfare (DSW) field functionaries, Anganwadi workers, Village communities, primary health centres, and the general public). We have trained 597 trainers to spread the message on the role of aquatic foods. We conducted 36 cluster-level awareness programs where 1994 numbers of women, adolescent girls and community people were given information on the benefits of fish consumption. We also organised 2 zonal workshops and 1 statelevel workshop for different stakeholders to build awareness of the importance of aquatic foods. Based on the demonstrations at the community level, the project documented all the small fish-based recipes cooked locally at the community level and produced a Small Fish Recipes book