Media and India-China Relations: Critiquing the Contents and the Intent

Media is a double edged sword. To an extent, it can make or mar relationships between two countries, particularly if the two share the shibboleth of historical animus and have exhibited a definitive trust deficit in the past. It would be naïve to expect a news report, an editorial piece or an op-ed article to read like a press hand out or a banquet speech interspersed with bonhomie and pious platitude, but an adverse or a critical report or a comment in the media on the sensitive and complex Indo-China relations has all the potential to harden people’s perception, which in turn can tell up further on the relationship between the two countries. Media can also dispel many a common myths and negative perceptions and be the ultimate catalyst to promote better understanding and cooperation. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.340589

Design and Modeling of Hysteresis Motor with High Temperature Superconducting Material in the Rotor using Finite Element Method

In this paper, a 2-pole, 50 Hz high temperature superconducting hysteresis motor with simplest construction has been numerically simulated using finite element method for its performance calculation. In this high temperature superconducting hysteresis motor, conventional stator is used and the rotor is made up of high temperature superconducting material which has the ability to trap the magnetic field as high as possible and also carries greater current densities at higher magnetic fields. Since huge investments and time are required for the practical experiments for this work, numerical simulation are preferred. The performance parameters are compared with that of the conventional hysteresis motor in which ferro-magnetic material is used as a rotor. All of these calculations are done using MATLAB based program developed in-house and PDE based module of COMSOL Multiphysics software with proper Dirichlet and Neumann boundary conditions.  The simulation result shows a good agreement with the experimental results. Keywords: High temperature superconductor (HTS), Yttrium Barium Copper Oxide (YBCO), Finite element method (FEM), Partial differential equation (PDE), COMSOL Multiphysics

Differential biomass allocation to plant organs and their allelopathic impact on the growth of crop plants: A case study on the invasibility of Ageratum conyzoides in Indian dry tropics

Variation in biomass allocation strategy of the alien winter annual billy goat weed (Ageratum conyzoides L.) was investigated for its invasiveness at two contrasting sites of occurrence in Indian dry tropical peri-urban region at longterm and recurrently infested site (LTI) and short-term infested (STI) site. Growth retardation impact of leaf, stem, root and reproductive part of this weed on maize and mung growths was also investigated. Compared to LTI site, the plants at STI site had higher mean basal diameter, leaf number, total plant biomass, leaf and reproductive mass fractions. Phenotypic plasticity was also higher here, albeit marginally. On the other hand, LTI plants had higher mean shoot length, belowground: aboveground biomass ratio, stem and root mass fractions. Biomass allocation to different components varied with ontogeny and site/soil conditions. While stem allocation increased with plant size at both sites, the leaf allocation generally declined. At any ontogenetic point, the reproductive and leaf allocations by plants were higher at STI compared to LTI. Root allocation at STI increased with plant size, whereas it decreased at LTI. Soil organic carbon significantly improved with increasing amount of residue of leaf, stem, root and reproductive part incorporated in soil. The leaf and root residue-amended soils recorded increasing growth retardation with increase in the amount of their incorporation in the soil

Post-intervention Status in Patients With Refractory Myasthenia Gravis Treated With Eculizumab During REGAIN and Its Open-Label Extension

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether eculizumab helps patients with anti-acetylcholine receptor-positive (AChR+) refractory generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG) achieve the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (MGFA) post-intervention status of minimal manifestations (MM), we assessed patients' status throughout REGAIN (Safety and Efficacy of Eculizumab in AChR+ Refractory Generalized Myasthenia Gravis) and its open-label extension. METHODS: Patients who completed the REGAIN randomized controlled trial and continued into the open-label extension were included in this tertiary endpoint analysis. Patients were assessed for the MGFA post-intervention status of improved, unchanged, worse, MM, and pharmacologic remission at defined time points during REGAIN and through week 130 of the open-label study. RESULTS: A total of 117 patients completed REGAIN and continued into the open-label study (eculizumab/eculizumab: 56; placebo/eculizumab: 61). At week 26 of REGAIN, more eculizumab-treated patients than placebo-treated patients achieved a status of improved (60.7% vs 41.7%) or MM (25.0% vs 13.3%; common OR: 2.3; 95% CI: 1.1-4.5). After 130 weeks of eculizumab treatment, 88.0% of patients achieved improved status and 57.3% of patients achieved MM status. The safety profile of eculizumab was consistent with its known profile and no new safety signals were detected. CONCLUSION: Eculizumab led to rapid and sustained achievement of MM in patients with AChR+ refractory gMG. These findings support the use of eculizumab in this previously difficult-to-treat patient population. CLINICALTRIALSGOV IDENTIFIER: REGAIN, NCT01997229; REGAIN open-label extension, NCT02301624. CLASSIFICATION OF EVIDENCE: This study provides Class II evidence that, after 26 weeks of eculizumab treatment, 25.0% of adults with AChR+ refractory gMG achieved MM, compared with 13.3% who received placebo

Minimal Symptom Expression' in Patients With Acetylcholine Receptor Antibody-Positive Refractory Generalized Myasthenia Gravis Treated With Eculizumab

The efficacy and tolerability of eculizumab were assessed in REGAIN, a 26-week, phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody-positive (AChR+) refractory generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG), and its open-label extension

India-China relations : a new paradigm

Abstract: "India-China relations may not be ideal in the narrative of a bilateral relationship between the countries. But given the complexity of the engagement and interaction between the two countries and taking into account the divergent political systems, the unresolved territorial issues, compulsions of geopolitics, the quest for resources and markets, and aspirations of the two countries for global influence and power, the relations between the two countries are certainly a matter of reassurance and optimism. In spite of the occasional hiccups, the two countries have shown a certain degree of resilience and have learnt to live together"

The US factor in Sino-Indian relations : India's fine balancing

"The monograph aims to determine the extent to which the US is a factor as an intervening variable in the complex India-China relations. The intervening variable works both as determinant and consequent of the triangular relations. The study attempts to probe the research question as to how China perceives U.S. policy towards India in particular, and whether growing Indo-US ties can affect China’s security interest negatively. Related to this research question is how India is trying to calibrate its relationship with both USA and China, and how far India has been successful in this endeavour in the context of strategic distrust and security dilemma. It endorses the assertion that “skillful maneuvering and manipulating of great power alignment can add to a country’s existing diplomatic capital in more practical terms.”1As the full import of the US factor in Sino-Indian relations can only be grasped in the context of Indo-US relations and Sino-Indian relations, it is imperative that these two aspects are put in perspective, while elucidating the US factor in India-China relations.

Diabetes and hypertension in urban bhutanese men and women

Background: Bhutan is a mountainous country with 31% urban population. There is no information on prevalence of diabetes and hypertension in Bhutan yet. This was the first study of its kind conducted in the capital city. Objective: To determine prevalence of diabetes, impaired fasting glucose (IFG), impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and hypertension in urban Bhutanese population aged 25 to 74 years. Materials and Methods: Stratified two-stage sampling was adopted to include 2474 respondents (Males: 1132, Females: 1342) equally distributed among different age and sex groups. A questionnaire containing demographic, educational and social details and history of diabetes and hypertension was administered on the sampled population the previous evening and blood pressure measured the next morning in nearby camp where fasting blood samples were collected and an oral glucose tolerance test done. Results: Age and sex standardized prevalence of diabetes, IGT and IFG were 8.2.0, 21.6 and 4%, respectively. Only 66.5% of the population had normal blood sugar. Prevalence of diabetes and IGT increased progressively with increasing age. Prevalence of hypertension was 26% (Males: 28.3%, Females: 23.2%). It was observed that 54.1% of diabetes population had hypertension. Conclusion: The study shows that not only is prevalence of diabetes and hypertension high in the urban Bhutanese but also there is a high diagnosis and treatment gap in these disorders

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Not AvailableChromium (Cr) presently used in various major industries and its residues possess a potent environmental threat. Contamination of soil and water resources due to Cr ions and its toxicity has adversely affected plant growth and crop productivity. Here, deleterious effects of different levels of Cr (VI) treatments i.e., 0, 30, 60, 90, and 120 μM on two mungbean cultivars, Pusa Vishal (PV) and Pusa Ratna (PR), in hydroponic and pot conditions were evaluated. Germination, seedling growth, biomass production, antioxidant enzyme, electrolytic leakage, oxidative stress (hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde), and proline content were determined to evaluate the performance of both cultivars under hydroponic conditions for 15 days. The hydroponic results were further compared with the growth and seed yield attributes of both the genotypes in pot experiments performed over 2 years. Seedling growth, biomass production, total chlorophyll (Chl), Chl-a, Chl-b, nitrogen content, plant height, seed protein, and seed yield decreased significantly under the 120 μM Cr stress level. Activities of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase and peroxidase increased in the leaves following Cr exposure at 60–90 μM but declined at 120 μM. Cr-induced reductions in growth and seed yield attributes were more in the sensitive than in the tolerant cultivar. Cr accumulation in the roots, stems, leaves, and seeds increased with an increase in Cr concentrations in the pot conditions. Furthermore, for both cultivars, there were significant negative correlations in morpho-physiological characteristics under high Cr concentrations. Overall results suggest that (PR) is more sensitive to Cr stress (PV) at the seedling stage and in pot conditions. Furthermore, (PV) can be utilized to study the mechanisms of Cr tolerance and in breeding programs to develop Cr-resistant varieties.Not Availabl

Not Available

Not AvailableChromium (Cr) presently used in various major industries and its residues possess a potent environmental threat. Contamination of soil and water resources due to Cr ions and its toxicity has adversely affected plant growth and crop productivity. Here, deleterious effects of different levels of Cr (VI) treatments i.e., 0, 30, 60, 90, and 120 μM on two mungbean cultivars, Pusa Vishal (PV) and Pusa Ratna (PR), in hydroponic and pot conditions were evaluated. Germination, seedling growth, biomass production, antioxidant enzyme, electrolytic leakage, oxidative stress (hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde), and proline content were determined to evaluate the performance of both cultivars under hydroponic conditions for 15 days. The hydroponic results were further compared with the growth and seed yield attributes of both the genotypes in pot experiments performed over 2 years. Seedling growth, biomass production, total chlorophyll (Chl), Chl-a, Chl-b, nitrogen content, plant height, seed protein, and seed yield decreased significantly under the 120 μM Cr stress level. Activities of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase and peroxidase increased in the leaves following Cr exposure at 60–90 μM but declined at 120 μM. Cr-induced reductions in growth and seed yield attributes were more in the sensitive than in the tolerant cultivar. Cr accumulation in the roots, stems, leaves, and seeds increased with an increase in Cr concentrations in the pot conditions. Furthermore, for both cultivars, there were significant negative correlations in morpho-physiological characteristics under high Cr concentrations. Overall results suggest that (PR) is more sensitive to Cr stress (PV) at the seedling stage and in pot conditions. Furthermore, (PV) can be utilized to study the mechanisms of Cr tolerance and in breeding programs to develop Cr-resistant varieties.Not Availabl