World Environment Day: Guest Comment

World Environment Day: Guest Comment by Dr. Swati Sharma, Reader and Staff Incharge, Department of Public Health Dentistry, School of Dental Sciences, Sharda University, Greater Noid

Polymer-to-Carbon Conversion: From Nature to Technology

Glassy carbon is derived from synthetic organic polymers that undergo the process of coking during their pyrolysis. Polymer-to-carbon conversion (hereafter referred to as PolyCar) also takes place in nature, and is indeed responsible for the formation of various naturally occurring carbon allotropes. In the last few decades the PolyCar concept has been utilized in technological applications, i.e., specific polymers are patterned into the desired shapes and intentionally converted into carbon by a controlled heat-treatment. Device fabrication using glassy carbon is an excellent example of the use of the PolyCar process in technology, which has rapidly progressed from conventional to micro- and nanomanufacturing. While the technique itself is simple, one must have a good understanding of the carbonization mechanism of the polymer, which in turn determines whether or not the resulting material will be glassy carbon. Publications that comprise this special issue shed light on several aspects of the formation, properties and performance of glassy carbon in the cutting-edge technological applications. The results of detailed material characterization pertaining to two important research areas, namely neural electrodes and precision glass molding, are presented as examples. I hope that the readers will enjoy as well as benefit from this collection

Role of the Two Adaptor Proteins in the Chp Chemosensory System of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa

The Chp chemosensory system in Pseudomonas aeruginosa controls two outputs: twitching motility (surface-mediated movement via Type IV pili) and intracellular adenosine 3’, 5’-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) levels (by modulating the activity of major adenylate cyclase CyaB). This study was done to investigate the roles of the two adaptor proteins, PilI and ChpC in connecting one methyl-accepting protein (MCP) to one histidine kinase. We assayed -galactosidase activity as an indicator of the relative levels of intracellular cAMP and measured twitching motility. We also studied the interaction of the adaptor proteins within the Chp chemosensory system. Our bacterial adenylate cyclase two-hybrid analysis showed that PilI and ChpC interacted with each other, but did not show interaction with themselves or with the MCP. Both adaptor proteins were required for the proper functioning of the system. However, PilI played a much bigger role than ChpC in regulating both twitching motility and cAMP levels

Impact of fiscal policy shocks on the Indian economy

Impact of Fiscal Policy Shocks on the Indian Economy Swati Yadav , V.Upadhyay , Seema Sharma Abstract In this paper, we analyse the impact of fiscal shocks on the Indian economy using structural vector autoregression (SVAR) methodology. The study uses quarterly data for the period 1997Q1 to 2009Q2. Two different identification schemes have been used to assess the effects of shocks to government spending and tax revenues on output. The recursive scheme is based on the Cholesky decomposition and the second identification scheme Blanchard & Perrotti (1999) technique of using information on tax system to identify the SVAR model. We find that the impulse responses obtained from both identification schemes behave in a similar fashion but the value of multipliers differs. Also the shock to tax variable has a bigger impact on GDP than the government spending shock. In the extended four variable VAR model the effects of fiscal shocks on private consumption has been assessed using the recursive identification scheme. Findings indicate that the tax variable has larger impact on private consumption as compared to the government spending variable. In the short run the impact of expansionary fiscal shocks follow Keynesian tradition but the long run response is mixed.SVAR, Fiscal shocks, Multipliers

Social Learning of Employee Engagement

The influence of coworkers on workplace attitudes and behaviors is a well-researched and established occurrence in organizational psychology. Given that many of these relationships may be bi-directional, Social Learning theory is a fitting lens to examine these connections. One construct that consistently surfaces as a prominent topic in organizational research is employee engagement. The aim of this research was to investigate how social learning theory may be applied to the relationship between engagement levels of role models and observing employees. Results revealed some truly validating insights, primarily confirming the influence of coworkers on employee engagement. Model type (i.e., manager vs. non-manager) as well as relationship satisfaction were explored and added some contextually mixed evidence to what was postulated. Additionally, the interactions of energy, enablement and self-efficacy within the model-observer engagement relationship were corroborated – albeit, in a condition contrary to the hypothesis, but with significant implications nonetheless

Malunited supracondylar femur fracture in haemophilia A: a case report on evaluation and management

Haemophilia is a rare inherited X-linked bleeding disorder associated with various levels of coagulation factor VIII (type A) or IX (type B) deficit. Hemophilic patients can be affected by trauma and fractures just like the general population. But due to their bleeding disorder, such patients need specific multidisciplinary management, from the emergency room to the operating theatre, in order to limit severe complications. The goal of modern fracture treatment is to obtain an optimal outcome, with the patient's return to full activity as soon as possible. If a fracture is correctly treated in a haemophilic patient, it will progress to consolidation in a similar time-frame to fractures occurring in the general population. Worldwide, there are only a few specialized orthopaedic centres dedicated to the management of hemophilia. Management of supracondylar femur fracture in patients with haemophilia is no different from general population if an adequate haemostasis is achieved. The purpose of this paper is to report our experience on the supracondylar fracture of the femur in hemophilia by a multidisciplinary team at a single institution

Dimorphic aggregation behavior of a fusion polypeptide incorporating a stable protein domain (EGFP) with an amyloidogenic sequence (retroCspA)

AbstractWe describe the behavior of a polypeptide consisting of the genetic fusion of a structurally stable single-domain protein, EGFP (an analog of the green fluorescent protein) with an amyloidogenic sequence, retroCspA (known to readily form amyloid fibrils). Refolding of the fusion protein through single-step removal of denaturant and salt results in precipitation into amyloid aggregates displaying fibrillar morphology, thioflavin T binding as well as green fluorescence. Refolding through step-wise reduction of denaturant concentration in the presence of salt yields a soluble aggregate containing a folded, thermally-stable, non-fluorescent EGFP domain. Together, these results indicate that retroCspA forces the fusion protein to aggregate; however, the EGFP domain remains folded in a native-like structural format in both soluble aggregates and precipitates

Hybrid Approach for Food Recognition Using Various Filters

Food image recognition system has various applications now a day. In this paper we have used machine learning supervised approach and Support Vector Machine to classify different food images. SVM has being classified to detect and recognize food images with least modification. By applying various filters like texture filter, segmentation method, clustering and SVM approach we have achieved more accuracy then other machine learning approaches with manually extract features. Sustenance is an indivisible piece of people groups lives. we tend to apply an convolution neural network(CNN) to the undertakings of analyst work and perceiving sustenance pictures. Be clarification for the wide decent variety of styles of nourishment, picture acknowledgment of sustenance things is typically unpleasantly difficulties. Nevertheless, profound learning has been demonstrated starting late to be a genuinely extreme picture acknowledgment framework, and CNN could be a dynamic approach to manage profound learning. CNN showed on a very basic level higher precision than did old-fashioned help vector-machine-based courses with carefully assembled decisions. For sustenance picture disclosure, CNN likewise demonstrated fundamentally count higher precision than a standard technique. Generally higher precision than standard techniques.Keywords: CNN, texture filter, k-mean clustering, segmentatio

SECURE AND RELIABLE POWER SUPPLY WITH CHALLENGES- SMART GRID

Smart Grid implementations will certainly increase the quantity, quality and use of information available from advanced sensing, computing and communications hardware as well as software. There is virtually universal agreement that it is necessary to upgrade the electric grid to increase overall system efficiency and reliability. Many technologies currently in use by the grid is outdated and in many cases unreliable. The reliance on old technology leads to inefficient systems, costing unnecessary money to the utilities, consumers and taxpayers. To upgrade the grid and to operate an improved grid will require significant dependence on distributed intelligence and broadband communication capabilities. The access and communications capabilities require the latest in security technology which are reliable for extremely large, wide-area communications networks. This paper discusses features, reasons of development, barriers and their solutions for a smart grid system

An Integrated Model with Variable Production and Demand Rate under Inflation

AbstractIn this article, an integrated model is developed in which a manufacturer purchases raw materials from a supplier, and then produces finished products/goods, after that delivers them to a buyer. In the intended model production rate is assumed as a function of demand rate and customer demand rate is time dependent. To make the model more realistic the effect of inflation and time value of money is also taken into consideration. The concept of the model is illustrated through the numerical example and sensitivity analysis with respect to the system parameters is also performed