The Political Economy of Village Sanitation in South India: Capture or Poor Information?

Despite efforts to mandate and finance local governments' provision of environmental sanitation services, outcomes remain poor in the villages surveyed in the four South Indian states. The analysis indicates some key issues that appear to hinder improvements in sanitation. Local politicians tend to capture sanitary infrastructure and cleaning services for themselves, while also keeping major village roads reasonably well-served. Their decisions suggest, however, that they neither understand the health benefits of sanitation, nor the negative externalities to their own health if surrounding areas are poorly served. Our findings suggest that improving sanitary outcomes requires disseminating information on the public goods nature of their health benefits, as well as on the local government's responsibilities. It also requires putting public health regulations in place, along with measures to enable accountability in service provision.access to services; accountability; Accounting; affiliates; agricultural output; agriculture; air; air freight; air transport; Backbone; bank loans; Bank of Tanzania; Banking sector

A Game Theoretic Approach to Modelling Jamming Attacks in Delay Tolerant Networks

Cyberspace plays a prominent role in our social, economic and civic welfare and cyber security issues are of paramount importance today. Growing reliance of the intertwined military and civilian applications on wireless computer networks makes these networks highly vulnerable to attacks of which jamming attacks are a vital and exigent problem. In this paper, we study defence against jamming attacks as game in a delay tolerant network, with two adversarial players: the jammer playing against the transmitter. The transmitters seek to choose an optimal time to schedule his transmission securely, so as to maximize the probability of successful delivery before his session expires, while these transmissions are subject to inference from the jammer, who attempts to minimize this probability . We design strategies for the transmitters that offset transmission period based inference of network traffic by the jammer. We model these interactions and decisions as a game and use simulation as a tool to evaluate the games. Probability distribution functions over finite set of strategies are proposed to compute the expected payoff of both the players. Simulation results are used to evaluate the expected payoff along with the resulting equilibrium in cases where players are biased and unbiased. These results are used to strategically decide on the optimal time for both the players, and evaluate the efficiency of the strategies used by the transmitters against jammer attacks.

Four Essential Tremor Cases with Moderately Impaired Gait: How Impaired Can Gait Be in This Disease?

Background A body of literature is emerging regarding gait/balance impairments observed in essential tremor (ET) patients. Although impairment is generally mild, the full extent of the spectrum remains undefined. We present four ET cases with more severe gait/balance impairment. Methods A battery of subjective and objective gait/balance assessments was performed: the Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale, the Berg Balance Scale, and the Tinetti Performance Oriented Mobility Assessment (POMA). Tandem missteps during 10 steps were counted. Quantitative gait testing was performed (GAITRite) to quantify gait speed, dynamic balance, gait symmetry, and gait variability. Results Two patients were middle‐aged (38 and 52 years) and two were older (70 and 79 years). All had longstanding classic ET (duration 22-60 years). The mean POMA score was 21.5, which is indicative of moderate fall risk. On average, there were five missteps during tandem gait, which was higher than observed in substantially older ET cases (age 86.0 plus or minus 4.6 years), and four times higher than seen in ET patients of comparable age. On quantitative gait analysis, patients demonstrated significant balance impairment. Discussion We present a sample of ET patients with a level of gait difficulty that would not be characterized as mild. The existence of such cases raises a number of questions, one of which is how impaired can gait be in ET

SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF A NOVEL MUCOADHESIVE DERIVATIVE OF PSYLLIUM SEED POLYSACCHARIDE

Objective: In the present study, thiol-functionalization of psyllium seed polysaccharide (PSY) was cross-linked with thioglycolic acid by esterification in an attempt to reveal the mucoadhesive properties of thiolated psyllium seed polysaccharide (TPSY).Methods: The crosslinking was carried out by the microwave-assisted method. A simplex centroid design was employed to systematically study the mucoadhesive strength, mucoadhesive retention time and drug release profile. Comparative evaluation of carbopol-based ciprofloxacin hydrochloride (HCl) tablets containing PSY and TPSY was carried out. Acute oral toxicity studies and repeated oral toxicity for TPSY were also conducted.Results: Thiol-functionalization was confirmed by-SH stretch in Fourier Transform infra-red spectra at 2353 cm-1. Thiolation was observed in thiolated PSY (TPSY) by a change in the surface morphology of psyllium from fibrous to granular and resulted in 82 %swelling in deionized water. TPSY was found to contain 102.35 mmol of thiol groups/g as determined by the Ellman's method. The percent increase in mucoadhesive strength of TPSY was found to be 50.31 % as compared to PSY and 128.30 % as compared to carbopol. The percent increase in mucoadhesive retention time of TPSY was found to be 110 % as compared to PSY and 50 % as compared to carbopol.Conclusion: Mucoadhesion strength and mucoadhesive retention time were greater of tablets containing a higher amount of TPSY. Further, the acute oral toxicity studies and repeated oral toxicity for TPSY proved it as non-toxic and hence safe for human use

A Game Theoretic Software Test-bed for Cyber Security Analysis of Critical Infrastructure

National critical infrastructures are vital to the functioning of modern societies and economies. The dependence on these infrastructures is so succinct that their incapacitation or destruction has a debilitating and cascading effect on national security. Critical infrastructure sectors ranging from financial services to power and transportation to communications and health care, all depend on massive information communication technology networks. Cyberspace is composed of numerous interconnected computers, servers and databases that hold critical data and allow critical infrastructures to function. Securing critical data in a cyberspace that holds against growing and evolving cyber threats is an important focus area for most countries across the world. A novel approach is proposed to assess the vulnerabilities of own networks against adversarial attackers, where the adversary’s perception of strengths and vulnerabilities are modelled using game theoretic techniques. The proposed game theoretic framework models the uncertainties of information with the players (attackers and defenders) in terms of their information sets and their behaviour is modelled and assessed using a probability and belief function framework. The attack-defence scenarios are exercised on a virtual cyber warfare test-bed to assess and evaluate vulnerability of cyber systems. Optimal strategies for attack and defence are computed for the players which are validated using simulation experiments on the cyber war-games testbed, the results of which are used for security analyses

DESIGN AND EVALUATION OF SUSTAINED RELEASE MATRIX TABLETS USING SINTERING TECHNIQUE

Objective: Itopride Hydrochloride (ITO) is a prokinetic agent commonly used for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease. It activates GI propulsive motility due to its dopamine D2 antagonizing activity and acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity. The present work deals with application of sintering technique to matrix tablets of itopride hydrochloride to achieve sustained release using hydrophobic polymersMethods: Eudragit L-100 and carnauba wax were used in combination to achieve sustained release. A 32 factorial design was used to study the effect of sintering and various ratios of Eudragit and carnauba wax on percent drug release at 10 h, contact angle, and porosity. The tablets were also evaluated in terms of tensile strength, in-vitro dissolution and pharmacokinetic studies.Results: The results of a 32 full factorial design revealed that sintering caused decrease in drug release as compared to unsintered tablets. The concentration ratio of Eudragit L-100 and carnauba wax polymers also significantly affected the release profile. Carnauba wax maintained the integrity of the matrix, whereas Eudragit L-100 slowly eroded in the matrix as the drug was released. Thus, the area-to-volume ratio of the tablet remained constant over the duration of the drug release. The optimized formulation followed first order release kinetics with the diffusion-erosion mechanism. In vivo studies revealed higher Tmax of matrix tablet compared to a plain drug which is suggestive of slower absorption. However, the AUC0-10 h of the optimized formula and plain drug was found to be 1.561 h. µg/ml and 0.481 h. µg/ml respectively.Conclusion: Matrix tablets of Itopride hydrochloride can be formulated using the sintering technique to achieve sustained drug release along with increased bioavailability.Â

CONTROLLED RELEASE FLOATING ORAL IN SITU GEL OF ITOPRIDE HYDROCHLORIDE USING PH SENSITIVE POLYMER

Objective: In situ gels are suitable to overcome problems of immediate release and short gastrointestinal residence of liquids. These systems are liquids before administration and on contact with gastric contents are converted to gel. The present work deals with the formulation, evaluation and optimization of pH triggered floating oral in situ gel of Itopride hydrochloride by using sodium alginate as a gelling polymer and HPMC K100M as a release retardant polymer. Methods: A 32 factorial designs was carried out and the effect of variation in concentrations of sodium alginate and calcium carbonate on percent drug release at 1 h, 6 h, gel strength and T50% i. e. time required for the release 50 % of loaded drug was evaluated. The gels were studied for their viscosity, in vitro buoyancy and drug release, in vitro gelling capacity, density, gel strength. Results: The results of a 32 full factorial design revealed that the concentration of sodium alginate and concentration of calcium carbonate significantly affected the dependent variables. A controlled release profile was observed for these formulations. The dissolution data were fitted to various kinetic models which indicated diffusion controlled release profile. In vivo studies revealed higher Tmax of gel compared to plain drug which is suggestive of slower absorption. However, the AUC0-12 h was found to be nearly 90% higher than plain drug. Thus, bioavailability was found to be increased with in situ gel of Itopride hydrochloride. Conclusion: Floating oral in situ gelling system of amoxicillin can be formulated using sodium alginate as a gelling polymer to sustain the drug release for 12 h with diffusion controlled release kinetics

FORMULATION AND EVALUATION OF TOPICAL FORMULATION FOR CUTANEOUS TUBERCULOSIS

Cutaneous Tuberculosis is also known as dermal tuberculosis or tuberculosis cutis (extrapulmonary tuberculosis) which can occur in any age group and patients who may or may not be suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis. The current treatment given for the disease is oral therapy of anti-tubercular drugs which has many side effects such as hepatotoxicity, headache, anxiety, euphoria, insomnia, eosinophilia, hepatitis. Hence to avoid these side effects and to increase efficiency of current therapy a topical proniosomal gel of isoniazid was formulated. Coacervation phase separation method was used and proniosomal gel was formulated by using Span 20, soya lecithin, and cholesterol. Optimum concentration of 3 factors Span 20, soya lecithin, and cholesterol were determined using Box Behnken design with at 2 levels and vesicle size and entrapment efficiency as responses. The optimized proniosomal gel was characterized by vesicle size, entrapment efficiency, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), in vitro drug release, skin retention studies, skin irritation studies and stability studies. The optimised batch showed vesicle size of 2.27±1.82 µ, and entrapment efficiency of 98.15±0.25 %. The optimised formulation was stable under refrigeration condition (5°C) in amber coloured bottle, was non-irritating and showed 98.10±1.28 % release and 85±1.53 % permeation after 6 h and 436±12 µg drug was retained in the skin after 3 hrs. Keywords: Cutaneous tuberculosis, isoniazid, proniosomal gel, stabilityÂ

Diffraction Limited 3D Cell Volume Derivation for Scattering Data Analysis

Ultrasound speckle carries information about the interrogated scattering microstructure. The complex signal is represented as a superposition of signals due to all scatterers within a resolution cell volume, VE. A crossbeam geometry with separate transmit and receive transducers is well suited for such studies. The crossbeam volume, VE is defined in terms of the overlapping diffraction beam patterns. Given the focused piston transducer\u27s radius and focal distance, a Lommel diffraction formulation suitable for monochromatic excitation is used to calculate VE as a function of frequency and angle. This formulation amounts to a Fresnel approximation to the diffraction problem and is not limited to the focal zone or the far field. Such diffraction corrections as VE are needed to remove the system effects when trying to characterize material using moment analysis. Theoretically, VE is numerically integrated within the overlapping region of the product of the transmit-receive transfer functions. Experimentally, VE was calculated from the field pattern of a medium-focused transducer excited by a monochromatic signal detected by a 0.5mm diameter PVDF membrane hydrophone. We present theoretical and experimental evaluations of VE for the crossbeam geometry at frequencies within the transducers\u27 bandwidth, and its application to tissue microstructure characterization (Refer to PDF file for exact formulas)

FORMULATION AND EVALUATION OF ANTIFUNGAL PRONIOSOMAL GEL FOR ORAL CANDIDIASIS

Fluconazole is a synthetic antifungal drug, belonging to triazole group and mostly used to treat oral candidiasis caused by the yeast Candida albicans. Fluconazole commercially available in tablets that offer poor bioavailability, due to hepatic first pass effect and gastric instability leads to frequent dosing. Buccal drug delivery can bypass such problems of tablet and leads to increase in bioavailability. Due to low molecular weight, fluconazole can suitably administered by buccal route, hence local and targeted action can achieve. The present study was conducted to develop proniosomal gel of fluconazole by coacervation phase separation method using Span 20, cholesterol, soya lecithin, ethanol and aqueous vehicle. Based on preliminary studies surfactant and aqueous vehicle was selected. The Box Behnken design was employed to optimized proniosomes by evaluating responses like entrapment efficiency, vesicle size and drug release. The optimized proniosomes were evaluated with entrapment efficiency (96.83%), vesicle size (2µm), in-vitro drug release 85.66 % (3 h) and ex vivo mucosal permeation (85.67 %) with flux (394.09 μg/cm2h). The optimized proniosomes were incorporated into 2% w/w Carbopol gel 934 (1:1) to obtain proniosomal gel. This optimized proniosomal gel was found with good viscosity, good spreadability and adhesiveness, also it shows maximum drug release and permeation as compared to plain gel of fluconazole. In microbiological studies, optimized formulation shows the maximum inhibitory effect as compared to plain gel of drug, which concluded that optimized proniosomal gel exerted local and targeted buccal delivery with good fungistatic effect than plain gel of fluconazole against Candida albicans. Keywords: proniosomal gel, oral candidiasis, fluconazole, mucoadhesion, Candida albicans