Data Nationalism

A BRICS Internet, the Euro Cloud, the Iranian ¿Halal¿ Internet: Governments across the world eager to increase control over the World Wide Web are tearing it apart. Iran seeks to develop an Internet free of Western influences or domestic dissent. The Australian government places restrictions on health data leaving the country. Russia requires personal information to be stored domestically. Vietnam insists on a local copy of all Vietnamese data. The last century¿s nontariff barriers to goods have reappeared as firewalls blocking international services. Legitimate global anxieties over surveillance and security are justifying governmental measures that break apart the World Wide Web, without enhancing either privacy or security. The issue is critical to the future of international trade and development, and even to the ongoing struggle between democracy and totalitarianism. The theory of this Article expands the conversation about international Internet regulation from efforts to prevent data from flowing in to a country through censorship, to include efforts to prevent data from flowing out through data localization. A simple formula helps demonstrate what is stake: censorship + data localization = total control

Secure Framework in Data Processing for Mobile Cloud Computing

Generally Mobile Cloud storage enables users to remotely store their data and enjoy the on-demand high quality cloud applications without the burden of local hardware and software management. Though the benefits are clear, such a service is also relinquishing users ‘physical possession of their outsourced data, which inevitably poses new security risks towards the correctness of the data in cloud. In order to address this new problem and further achieve a secure and dependable cloud storage service, we propose in this paper a new secure framework. In addition to providing traditional computation services, mobile cloud also enhances the operation of traditional ad hoc network by treating mobile devices as service nodes, e.g., sensing services. The mobile services or sensed information, such as location coordinates, health related information, should be processed and stored in a secure fashion to protect user’s privacy in the cloud. In this paper, we present a new mobile cloud data processing framework through trust management and private data isolation. Finally, an implementation pilot for improving teenagers’ driving safety, which is called FocusDrive, is presented to demonstrate the solution

Modelling interaction forces at a curved physical human-exoskeleton interface

In virtual modelling of exoskeletons, the human-exoskeleton interface is often simplified by modelling the interface forces at a single point instead of contact forces due to the straps or cuffs. In the past, force-generating elements (FGEs) have been used to predict ground reaction forces. However, unlike the ground, which is a planar surface, the human-exoskeleton interface presents curved surfaces. This work discusses the modifications required for using the FGEs for predicting the curved human-exoskeleton interface forces of a passive lower-limb exoskeleton, the Chairless Chair. A pressure mat was positioned at the human-exoskeleton interface to measure the area of contact and the centre of pressure (CoP) in three different sitting conditions. The strength of the FGEs was analysed in detail and its optimization based on the model outputs is discussed. The strength affects the model assistance and the CoP, and these outputs could be used to identify the optimal value of the strength. The strength of the FGEs affects the biomechanical outputs from the model also. Therefore, it is crucial to select the correct value of the strength. The results of this work would be useful for the detailed modelling of the human-exoskeleton interface

Measurement of femtosecond Polarization Mode Dispersion (PMD) using biased p-shifted low-coherence interferometry.

Conventional low-coherence interferometry (LCI) can be employed in the measurement of polarization mode dispersion (PMD) of fiber-optic components and fibers. However, the smallest PMD, which can be measured using this technique, is limited by the coherence length of the source. We propose a biased p-shifted Michelson interferometer where a birefringent crystal is inserted in front of the interferometer to introduce a bias differential group delay (DGD) larger than the coherence time of the source. In this way, the limitation imposed by the source coherence time has been overcome and PMDs much smaller than the source coherence time, in the order of several femtoseconds, can be measured. Experimental results for the PMD have been shown and compared with Jones matrix eigen-analysis. The theoretical model confirms the experimental observations

Recent Update on Serum Alkaline and Acid Phosphatases in Pre- and Postoperative Breast Cancer Patients

Background: Breast carcinoma in females is an ever-growing malaise with significant mortality and morbidity. In resource-poor settings, the need for a cost-effective and reliable diagnostic tool is of utmost importance.Methods: In the present study, 54 histopathologically proven breast cancer patients were investigated for their pre- and postoperative serum ALP and ACP levels.Results: A total of 34 cases (belonging to the age interval of 40–60 years) exhibited a significant drop in serum ALP level after surgery (P = 0.002). Although the serum ACP also showed a postoperative decline, it was not as significant as that of serum ALP.Conclusion: The role of serum ALP and ACP in the diagnosis, prognosis, and monitoring/surveillance of breast carcinoma cannot be underestimated particularly in third-world countries lacking in medical infrastructure or resource-poor settings. Keywords: alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase, breast cancer, malignanc

A study on lipid profile and assessment of cardiovascular risk in subclinical hypothyroidism

Background: The studies on association between subclinical hypothyroidism and lipid profile have produced conflicting results. The assessment of cardiovascular risk skin subclinical hypothyroid patients are rare in Indian scenario. Aim: To study the lipid profile in subclinical hypothyroid patients and to assess the cardiovascular risk in subclinical hypothyroid patients by using atherogenic indexes. Materials and Methods: In this case - control study newly diagnosed untreated subclinical hypothyroid patients were studied for dyslipidemia and cardiovascular risk is assessed using lipid ratios Athrogenic index of Plasma and Castelli risk index- I and II compared to euthyroid subjects. To find the significant difference between the bivariate samples in Independent groups the Unpaired sample t-test was used and to find the significance in categorical data Chi-Square test and Fisher's Exact was used. In all the above statistical tools the probability value .05 was considered as significant level. Results: Total cholesterol ,triglyceride and VLDL-C levels shows statistically significant association among subclinical hypothyroid patients compared to euthyroid subjects. Castelli risk index-II showed statistically significant association in subclinical hypothyroid patients compared to euthyroid controls. Conclusion: The positive association of subclinical hypothyroid patients and dyslipidemia warrants that all patients with subclinical hypothyroidism should be evaluated for deranged lipid profile paramaters. Castelli risk index-II calculated as LDL-C/HDL-C could be used as a better predictor of cardiovascular risk compared to the other risk assessment ratios Atherogenic index of plasma and Castelli risk index I

Role of vitamin D in modulating gestational diabetes

Low maternal levels of major circulating form of vitamin D could be a perplexing factor that leads to expression of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Insufficient or deficient levels of vitamin D may allow diabetic insult during pregnancy leading to gestational diabetes and inducing changes in a variety of key functional molecules and gene expression. Autocrine metabolism of vitamin D promotes anti-inflammatory response to maternal decidua and fetal trophoblasts. Immunomodulatory actions of vitamin D are likely to be compromised under conditions of low vitamin D levels with potential detrimental physiological consequences. Recent data are now available to implicate autocrine/paracrine impact of maternal vitamin D status can result in both increased insulin resistance and reduced insulin secretion, linking inflammation to metabolic disorder in the mother. Insulin and cytokines are the main contributors to the cascade of events and potential regulators of placental function in GDM. This article aims at exploring the possible mechanisms underlying GDM that could be regulated by pleotropic effects of vitamin D. Keywords. vitamin D, gestational diabetes, placenta, insulin, immune response.Низький рівень основної циркулюючої форми вітаміну D у вагітних може бути фактором, що викликає прояв гестаційного цукрового діабету (ГСД). Недостатній рівень або дефіцит вітаміну D може спричинити діабетичний інсульт під час вагітності і призвести до ГСД, а також, як наслідок, до змін у функціонуванні різних ключових молекул та експресії генів. Аутокринний метаболізм вітаміну D підвищує протизапальну відповідь на децидуальну оболонку і трофобласт. Імуномодулювальна дія вітаміну D може бути нівельована за умов його низького рівня і супроводжуватися негативними фізіологічними наслідками. Останні дані демонструють, що ауто- і паракринний вплив вітаміну D у вагітних здатний одночасно підвищувати стійкість до інсуліну і знижувати секрецію останнього, пов’язану із запаленнями та метаболічними розладами у матері. Інсулін і цитокіни забезпечують основний внесок у каскад подій та виступають потенційними регуляторами плацентарної функції при ГСД. Ця стаття покликана висвітлити результати вивчення можливих механізмів, що лежать в основі ГСД, які, вірогідно, регулюються плейотропними ефектами вітаміну D. Ключові слова: вітамін D, гестаційний цукровий діабет, плацента, інсулін, імунна відповідь.Низкий уровень основной циркулирующей формы витамина D у беременных может быть фактором, вызывающим проявление гестационного сахарного диабета (ГСД). Недостаточный уровень или дефицит витамина D может стать причиной диабетического инсульта во время беременности и приводить к ГСД, а также, как следствие, к изменению функционирования различных ключевых молекул и экспрессии генов. Аутокринный метаболизм витамина D повышает противовоспалительный ответ на децидуальную оболочку и трофобласт. Иммуномодулирующее влияние витамина D может быть нивелировано в условиях его низкого уровня и сопровождаться отрицательными физиологическими последствиями. Последние данные показывают, что ауто- и паракринное действие витамина D у беременных способно одновременно повышать устойчивость к инсулину и снижать секрецию последнего, связанную с воспалениями и метаболическими расстройствами у матери. Инсулин и цитокины вносят основной вклад в каскад событий и являются потенциальными регуляторами плацентарной функции при ГСД. В этой статье представлены результаты изучения возможных механизмов, лежащих в основе ГСД, которые могут регулироваться плейотропными эффектами витамина D. Ключевые слова: витамин D, гестационный сахарный диабет, плацента, инсулин, иммунный ответ

Influence Of Tillage Practices And Residue Management Practices on Yield Attributes And Yield Of Maize In Maize-Based Cropping Systems Under Semi-Arid Tropics

A field experiment was conducted during kharif and rabi in 2016-17 and 2017-18 at International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-arid Tropics, Patancheru, Hyderabad to study the influence of tillage practices and residue management practices on yield attributes and yield of maize in maize-based cropping systems under semi-arid tropics. The field experiment was laid out on broad-beds and furrows in a split-split design with four replications under rainfed conditions. Main plot consisted of two tillage practices (minimum tillage and conventional tillage), sub-plot of two crop residue management practices (residue addition and no-residue addition) and sub-sub plot of two cropping systems (Maize-chickpea sequential cropping and maize+pigeonpea intercropping system). The results revealed that yield and yield attributes of maize did not vary significantly due to tillage practices, however, minimum tillage led to considerable yield losses. Among the residue management practices, addition of crop residue recorded significantly higher yield and yield attributes (cob girth, number of grain rows and test weight) as compared to no residue addition. Yield attributes and yield remained non-significant among the two cropping systems

Combining ability studies for yield, associated traits and quality attributes in rice for South Gujarat (Oryza sativa L.)

Line x tester analysis using a set of four females, ten males and their forty hybrids was carried out to esti-mate the general combining ability of parents and specific combining ability of hybrids for yield and ten other associ-ated components in rice (Oryza sativa L.) in a Randomized Block Design during Kharif 2011. GCA variances for females (s2f) were significant at 0.1% level of significance for plant height (40.8), no. of grains per panicle (505.9), grain yield per plant (29.1), test weight(17.9), straw yield per plant (61.3) and kernel L/B ratio (0.2) whereas specific combining ability (SCA) variances for f x m interactions were highly significant for all the characters. Non-additive gene action was prevalent in all characters (Range: 0.03 in amylose content to 0.88 in kernel length breadth ratio) except plant height (1.33) as evident by low GCA to SCA ratio. None of the parents were good general combiner for all traits, however, female IR-28 and male AMT-119 and PNR-546 were good general combiners for a maximum number of traits i.e. five traits out of eleven.. The general combining ability for grain yield per plant for female parent Gurjari (6.19) and NVSR-178 (5.29); and male parents AMT 119 (2.73) and PNR 546 (2.44) makes them a good choice for improving yields in a hybridization programme as these female and male parents are also having signifi-cant GCA effects for maximum number of yield associated traits i.e. four and five traits out of eleven for female and male parents respectively. A vis-à-vis comparison of top three specific combining ability crosses with their mean performance showed correlation and these crosses were having at least one good general combining ability parent