Public distribution system reforms and consumption in Chhattisgarh

Chhattisgarh's public distribution system reforms have been lauded as a model for the National Food Security Act, and as one that other states can emulate. Previous research has shown that PDS rice consumption increased in Chhattisgarh following reforms by the Raman Singh government, which began in 2004. However, one-third of PDS rice consumption growth in Chhattisgarh took place before 2004. This finding suggests that the pre-2004 reforms to fair price shop ownership and state procurement by the Ajit Jogi government contributed to PDS consumption growth. Our findings suggest that sustained reforms, when coupled with political and social will, can improve PDS access, and that improvements may not be substantial or sustained in the absence of these factors

Food price subsidies and nutrition: evidence from state reforms to India's public distribution system

We investigate whether food price subsidies affect household nutrition using a dramatic expansion of the availability of subsidized rice in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh in the early 2000's. Households in Chhattisgarh improved their nutritional intake relative to households in districts bordering the state as the availability of subsidized rice expanded. This increase is driven by households most likely to be eligible for rice subsidies, and we do not find evidence that households least likely to be eligible changed their diet. These results differ from recent studies suggesting that food subsidies may have little eff ect on nutrition

Tribological studies on Aluminium alloys

Aluminium alloys have extensive application in industries. The range of physical properties that can be imparted to them is remarkable. Addition of Silicon to Aluminium helps to increase their strength and wear resistance. Al-Si alloys are extensivelyused in industrial applications due to better tribological properties. In the present work,an attempt has been made to study the tribological properties of three Aluminium as-cast alloy samples i.e Al-7wt%Si, Al-10wt%Si and Al-14wt%Si. Wear tests were conducted using a pin-on-disc type wear testing machine(DUCOM wear and friction monitor) after metallographic examination followed by hardness measurement.The operational parameters that were varied were percentage Silicon content of the alloy, normal load,sliding velocity, sliding distance and lubrication. The wear was higher at increased velocity at increased normal load. Wear was found to be increasing with decreasing Silicon content. SEM characterisation was done. Interestingly, wear under lubricated condition was higher. The interaction of Silicon platelets at the Al-Si boundary might have been the possible reason

Re-emergent Tongue Tremor in Neuroleptic Induced Parkinsonism

Background: A re-emergent tremor is suggested to be specific to Parkinson’s disease and although a tongue tremor has been reported in levosulpiride-induced parkinsonism (LIP), re-emergence has never been reported. Case Report: A 59-year-old female presented with a 3-month history of bradykinesia, 2-week history of right-leg tremor, and 10-day history of lip and tongue tremor. A review of the medication revealed a 15-month history of levosulpiride consumption. On examination, asymmetric bradykinesia, rigidity, rest tremor of the right leg, and re-emergent tongue tremor were observed. The parkinsonism subsided after levosulpiride was stopped. Discussion: This is the first report of re-emergent tongue tremor in LIP

Fault Detection and Classification using Wavelet and ANN in DFIG and TCSC Connected Transmission Line

This paper presents fault detection and classification using Wavelet and ANN based methods in a DFIG-based series compensated system. The state-of-the art methods include Wavelet transform, Fourier transform, and Wavelet-neuro fuzzy methods-based system for fault detection and classification. However, the accuracy of these state-of-the-art methods diminishes during variable conditions such as changes in wind speed, high impedance faults, and the changes in the series compensation level. Specifically, in Wavelet transform based methods, the threshold values need to be adapted based on the variable field conditions. To solve this problem, this paper has proposed a Wavelet-ANN based fault detection method where Wavelet is used as an identifier and ANN is used as a classifier for detecting various fault cases. This methodology is also effective under SSR condition. The proposed methodology is evaluated on various fault and non-fault cases generated on an IEEE first benchmark model under varying compensation levels from 20% to 55%, impedance faults, and wind velocity from 6m/sec to 10m/sec using MATLAB/Simulink, OPALRT(OP4510) manufactured real-time digital simulator environment, Arduino board I/O ports communicating with external PC in which ANN model dumped, using Arduino support package of MATLAB. The preliminary results are compared with the state-of-the-art fault detection method, where the proposed method shows robust performance under varying field conditions

A Review on Pottali Kalpana w.s.r. to Kaparda Purana Putapaka method of preparation

Pottali Kalpana is one of the unique Kalpana mentioned in our classics. It is one among the four Moorchita Parada Yogas. Kaparda Purana Putapaka method is one the methods mentioned for preparation of this Kalpana. It brings in the compactness of the Dravyas. Pottali Kalpana are a blend of extremely important trace elements which form the crux of the immune system. Various Kaparda Purana Method of preparation of Pottalis have been compiled here which have been mentioned in classical Rasashastra texts along with its ingredients and other variations. The alkalinity of the Kaparda Purana method of preparation owing to calcium probably has a significant role to play in the management of Atisara and Grahani. This Kalpana can be used in emergency care as well

Oligonucleotides tethered to a short polyguanylic acid stretch are targeted to macrophages: enhanced antiviral activity of a vesicular stomatitis virus-specific antisense oligonucleotide

The poor membrane permeability of oligonucleotides is one of the major problems of antisense technology. Here we report the construction of designer oligonucleotides for targeted delivery to macrophages. The oligonucleotides tethered to a 10-mer poly(G) sequence at their 3' ends were recognized by scavenger receptors on macrophages and were taken up about 8- to 10-fold as efficiently as those oligonucleotides that either lacked a poly(G) tail or that contained a 10-mer poly(C) tail instead of the poly(G) tail. The enhanced uptake of poly(G) constructs was inhibited in the presence of poly(G) and other known ligands of the scavenger receptor. The bioefficacy of poly(G)-mediated targeting of antisense oligonucleotides (ANS) was demonstrated by using vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) as a model system. The ability of ANS directed against the translation initiation site of N protein mRNA of VSV to inhibit virus replication was assessed. The ANS with the 10-mer poly(G) sequences (ANS-G) brought about significant inhibition of VSV replication in J774E cells (a murine monocyte/macrophage cell line) and Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell transfectants expressing scavenger receptors. The ANS lacking a 10-mer poly(G) stretch were ineffective. The inhibition of VSV replication due to ANS-G was completely abrogated in the presence of 10-mer poly(G), indicating that the antisense effect of the ANS-G molecule was a consequence of scavenger receptor-mediated enhanced uptake. Importantly, antisense molecules linked exclusively by natural phosphodiester bonds were as bioeffective as those synthesized with a mixed backbone of phosphodiester and phosphorothioate. Taken together, these results suggest that macrophage-directed designer ANS against infective agents may simply be obtained by adding a short stretch of guanylic acid sequence to the desired specific ANS during solid-phase synthesis. This nucleic acid-based strategy, which utilizes homogeneous preparation of ANS, may find applications in directed manipulation of macrophage metabolism for a variety of purposes as well as in therapy of a broad spectrum of macrophage-related disorders amenable to the antisense approach