PReFacTO: Preference Relations Based Factor Model with Topic Awareness and Offset

Recommendation systems create personalized list of items that might interest the user by analyzing the user’s history of past purchases and/or consumption. Generally only a small subset of the items are assessed by each user, and from the large subset of unseen items, the systems need to produce an accurate list of recommendations. For rating based systems, most of the traditional methods for recommendation focus on the absolute ratings provided by the users to the items. In this work, we extend the traditional Matrix Factorization approach for recommendation and propose pairwise relation based factor modeling. We propose the method based on the pairwise preferences between the items to capture the relative tendency of user selecting one item over the other. While modeling the items in the system, the use of pairwise preferences allow information flow between the items through the preference relations as an additional information. Item feedbacks are available in the form of reviews apart from the rating information. The reviews have textual information that can be really helpful to represent the item’s latent feature vector appropriately. We perform topic modeling of the item reviews and use the topic vectors to guide the joint factor modeling of the users and items and learn their final representations. The proposed methods shows promising results in comparison to the state-of-the-art methods in our experiments. v

PReFacTO: Preference Relations Based Factor Model with Topic Awareness and Offset

Recommendation systems create personalized list of items that might interest the user by analyzing the user’s history of past purchases and/or consumption. For rating based systems, most of the traditional methods for recommendation focus on the absolute ratings provided by the users to the items. In this paper, we extend the traditional Matrix Factorization approach for recommendation and propose pairwise relation based factor modeling. While modeling the items in the system, the use of pairwise preferences allow information flow between the items through the preference relations as an additional information. Item feedbacks are available in the form of reviews apart from the rating information. The reviews have textual information that can be really helpful to represent the item’s latent feature vector appropriately. We perform topic modeling of the item reviews and use the topic vectors to guide the joint factor modeling of the users and items and learn their final representations. The proposed method shows promising results in comparison to the state-of-the-art methods in our experiments

Clinical analysis of gynecological diseases in postmenopausal women in tertiary care centre

ABSTRACTBackground: Menopause is a natural step in ageing process represents the period end of menstruation after last menstrual period in previous 12 months. Gynaecological disorder in older women differs from those who are younger. Disorders peculiar to ageing are pelvic organ prolapse, urinary incontinence, genital infections and malignancies. Present study is contemplated with a view to assess the magnitude of postmenopausal gynaecological morbidity. The goal of this study was to assess the age of onset of menopause and the spectrum of different gynaecological diseases, their incidence, diagnosis and treatment modality in postmenopausal females.Methods: A Prospective observational study of postmenopausal females attending Gynecology OPD or admitted in Sultania Zanana Hospital, Bhopal was carried out between July 2014 to June 2015. Total 401 postmenopausal females were included. Age of menopause and detail of all gynecological problems were recorded using predesigned proforma.Results: The study population was drawn from both rural (41.4%) and urban (58.8%) areas. Mean age of onset of menopause was 48.01 years in study population. In all, 28.4% had pelvic organ prolapse, 26.6% had genital malignancies, 25.5% had urogenital infections and 17.7% had benign disorder like senile endometritis, fibroid uterus etc.Conclusions: Menopausal health has been one of the neglected area in our country and needs timely vital attention as they are at risk of developing various genital malignancies. This emphasises the need for a screening programme for Indian women in our scenario

Ab initio no-core shell model study of neutron-rich 18,19,20^{18,19,20}C isotopes

We implement the ab initio no-core shell model approach to study neutron-rich $^{18}$C, $^{19}$C and $^{20}$C isotopes. For this purpose, we employ charge-dependent Bonn 2000 (CDB2K), inside non-local outside Yukawa (INOY) and chiral next-to-next-to-next-to-leading order (N$^{3}$LO) nucleon-nucleon interactions. Low-lying energy spectra, electromagnetic properties and point-proton radii for these nuclei up to basis space $N_{\rm max}$ = 4 are calculated. Binding energies obtained with INOY interaction are in better agreement with the experimental values as compared to other \textit{ab initio} interactions. We also show the behavior of ground state energy and point-proton radii with the NCSM parameters, $\hbar$$\Omega$ and $N_{\rm max}$. We report a strong sensitivity of the B(E2) values from the first excited $2^+$ to the ground state of $^{18}$C and $^{20}$C to the nuclear interaction. Shell model calculations with YSOX interaction are also performed, and corresponding results are compared with ab initio one.Comment: Nuclear Physics A 1029, 122565 (2023

Ab initio description of Si, P, S, Cl and Ar isotopes in sd-shell

In the present work, we have reported comprehensive study of the $sd$-shell nuclei in the range $Z = 14 - 18$ with neutron number varying from $N = 9$ to $N = 20$ using the microscopic effective valence shell interactions. These effective $sd$-shell interactions are developed using the ab initio no-core shell model wave functions and the Okubo-Lee-Suzuki transformation method. The valence shell effective interactions, which are used in this project, are N3LO, JISP16 and DJ16A interactions. For comparison, we have also performed shell model calculations with the empirical USDB interaction. Theoretically calculated shell model results are compared with the experimental data, to check the predictive strength of the microscopic interactions. It is found that the binding energies of the ground states are better reproduced with the DJ16A interaction as compared to other microscopic interactions. Spin-tensor decomposition of two-body interaction is presented to understand the contributions from central, vector and tensor components into these interactions. Electromagnetic properties of these isotopic chains have been studied. Spectroscopic strengths of $^{23}$Al($d$,$n$)$^{24}$Si are calculated for the newly performed experiment at NSCL. The beta-decay properties of $^{32}$Ar are also determined for recently available experimental data.Comment: 23 pages, 16 figure

Closure of Pfannenstiel skin incisions in cesarean sections: comparison of wound outcomes with interrupted mattress vs. subcuticular suture

Background: Cesarean section is by far the commonest surgery performed worldwide. Most of these surgeries are performed by Pfannenstiel incision. Various techniques and material have been tried for skin closure in these surgeries. Each method has its own advantages and disadvantages. The objective of the study was to compare wound outcomes in Pfannenstiel incisions closed in interrupted mattress sutures and subcuticular suture with absorbable material, in a prospective study of cesarean deliveries.Methods: It was studied that 104 women who had cesarean sections with Pfannenstiel incision prospectively for wound outcomes in terms of wound complications (hematoma formation, infection, nonunion, dehiscence and need for resuturing), pain and cosmetic appearance in two groups. One with absorbable subcuticular sutures, another with interrupted mattress suture.Results: Women who had subcuticular stitches had less postoperative pain, better wound outcomes, faster recovery, early discharge from hospital and cosmetically superior scars as compared with interrupted mattress sutures.Conclusions: While search for the best method and material for skin closure continues, the subcuticular suture with an absorbable material seems to leave a cosmetically better scar with lesser wound complications

Non-surgical management of unruptured tubal ectopic pregnancy

Background: Ectopic pregnancy is still the leading cause of pregnancy related morbidity in the first trimester. Since majority of the women who present with ectopic pregnancies are sub fertile and young, there is a role for non-surgical options of managing these pregnancies. Expectant and medical management not only serves to conserve the fallopian tubes but also saves women from surgical trauma and morbidity. The objective of this retrospective study was to share our experience of treating un-ruptured tubal ectopic pregnancies conservatively.Methods: Women diagnosed with un-ruptured tubal ectopic pregnancy, fit for conservative /medical management were included. Women with serum beta HCG levels less than 1000 mIU/L were treated expectantly and women with Bet HCG levels >1000 but <10,000 mIU /L were given Injectable methotrixate. Response to treatment was monitored by serial beta HCG levels.Results: Total 37 women included in the study.12% women showed complete resolution with expectant treatment alone and 88% resolved after a single dose methotrixate.Conclusions: Many women with un-ruptured tubal ectopic pregnancies would benefit from expectant management, or methotrixate therapy. Methotrixate used in carefully selected women is safe and effective in resolving these cases with good post treatment reproductive outcome

Management of Mycotoxin Contamination in Preharvest and Post Harvest Crops: Present Status and Future Prospects

Fungal secondary metabolites (mycotoxins) produced as contaminants on food and feed commodities are considered to be economically and toxicologically important world wide. Aflatoxins, orchratoxins, citrinin, fumonisins, zearalenone and trichothecenes are important mycotoxins which have been analysed as natural contaminants in various agricultural commodities. Many developed countries have laid down specific regulations for import and export of those items in terms of economic implications. In the light of present status different measures (prevention, elimination, and decontamination/inactivation) have been discussed in this review to minimize the risk of mycotoxin contamination in preharvest, harvest and post harvest conditions.Ajoy Kumar Choudhary and Priyanka Kumari. Management of Mycotoxin Contamination in Preharvest and Post Harvest Crops: Present Status and Future Prospects. J Phytol 2/7 (2010) 37-52

Prevalence and symptomatology of polycystic ovarian syndrome in Indian women: is there a rising incidence?

Background: Polycystic ovarian syndrome [PCOS] is a complex ill understood hormonal disorder resulting in myriads of symptoms like irregular menses, hyperandrogenism, metabolic disturbances and infertility. It occurs in about 8-11% of reproductive age group women. Recently changing lifestyles and rising obesity worldwide have contributed to rise in the incidence of PCOS. Objective of the present is to study the prevalence and symptomatology of PCOS in Indian women.Methods: 170 women in reproductive age group, with irregular menstrual cycles attending OPD, voluntarily participated in a cross sectional study. All were subjected to detailed history, examination and investigated with a battery of lab tests to confirm PCOS. Out of 170 women investigated 70 women with features of PCOS were included in the study (diagnosed as PCOS by NIH criteria).Results: The overall prevalence of PCOS in the study population was, 41%. It was 16% in married women and 24 % in unmarried girls. Common menstrual irregularity was-oligomenorrhea (40%), Menorrhagia (12.8%) amenorrhea (11%). Common symptoms were hirsutism, acne, infertility and alopecia.Conclusions: PCOS is rising in young women and to some extent the changing lifestyle in urban women may be linked to it. There in a world-wide increase in the incidence of obesity, diabetes mellitus and metabolic syndrome, PCOS and its accompanying insulin resistance is contributing to it. Treating PCOS and its complications is adding to health care burden