Crop Planning using Stochastic Visual Optimization

As the world population increases and arable land decreases, it becomes vital to improve the productivity of the agricultural land available. Given the weather and soil properties, farmers need to take critical decisions such as which seed variety to plant and in what proportion, in order to maximize productivity. These decisions are irreversible and any unusual behavior of external factors, such as weather, can have catastrophic impact on the productivity of crop. A variety which is highly desirable to a farmer might be unavailable or in short supply, therefore, it is very critical to evaluate which variety or varieties are more likely to be chosen by farmers from a growing region in order to meet demand. In this paper, we present our visual analytics tool, ViSeed, showcased on the data given in Syngenta 2016 crop data challenge 1 . This tool helps to predict optimal soybean seed variety or mix of varieties in appropriate proportions which is more likely to be chosen by farmers from a growing region. It also allows to analyse solutions generated from our approach and helps in the decision making process by providing insightful visualizationsComment: 5 page

Delays in Liquidated and Resolved Firms

The ultimate objective of the Indian bankruptcy reform is to get up to plausible recovery rates and change the behavior of borrowers. The key tool for achieving these objectives is reducing the delay. In the existing literature, we know that there are large delays, particularly for large firms (Bhatia et. al. 2019, Felman et. al. 2019, Shah 2018). The most important proximate objective of the Indian bankruptcy reform is to reduce delays in the bankruptcy process (Shah and Thomas, 2018)

PHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS, HIGH-PERFORMANCE LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY, AND EX VIVO ANTIOXIDANT POTENTIAL OF A HERBAL FRUIT EXTRACT

Objective: The objective of the present investigation was to determine the presence of various phytochemicals in an ethanolic herbal fruit extract (HFE) made up by a blend of fruits of Phyllanthus emblica (PE), Ananas comosus (AC), Punica granatum (PG), and Terminalia chebula (TC). Followed by a qualitative high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis for standardization of the extract using ascorbic acid and gallic acid as standards, this study was also aimed at the determination of ex vivo antioxidant potential and calculation of inhibitory concentration (IC50) value of HFE. Methods: The analysis of phytochemicals present in HFE was done qualitatively by methods as described by various researchers. Reversed-phase HPLC was carried out on a C-18 column on gradient mode, using methanol and acetic acid as mobile phase. Ex vivo antioxidant potential was evaluated by inhibition of lipid peroxidation (LPO) method by the preparation of packed cell volume. Results: The results revealed the presence of multiple phytoconstituents in the HFE, and through the chromatographic analysis, the presence of gallic and ascorbic acid as marker compounds was achieved. IC50 values calculated after LPO inhibition method was found to be 21.87 μg/ml and 25.63 μg/ml for ascorbic acid (as standard) and ethanolic HFE, respectively. Conclusion: The use of herbal antioxidants can provide protection to the human body by fighting against multiple diseases caused as a result of the accumulation of free radicals, generated in the normal metabolic processes going on inside the body. Nowadays, researchers are amused to see the long-term positive effects of using a combination of antioxidants, for example, a polyherbal formulation, rather than single entities

A Method for Malicious Network Packet Detection based on Anomalous TTL Values

In the current digital age, a pervasive shift towards digitalization is evident in all aspects of life, encompassing entertainment, education, business, and more. Consequently, the demand for internet access has surged, paralleled therefore unfortunate escalation in cybercrimes. This study undertakes an exploration into the intrinsic nature of network packets, aiming to discern their potential for malice or legitimacy. In the internet, 32 intermediate nodes are encountered by a Network packet before it reaches its final host. Our findings suggest that the time-to-live (TTL) parameter in certain IP packets diverges from the initial TTL by more than 32 intermediary hops. It's likely that these packets are generated by specialized software. We anticipate that malicious IP packets exhibit unconventional TTL values, influenced by factors such as the source machine's operating system and protocols like TCP/ICMP/UDP, etc. To gauge the effectiveness and value of the proposed method, an experiment was conducted utilizing the SNORT NIDS system. Filtering rules based on signatures were formulated to thoroughly analyze the traffic. Real network data, along with DARPA and MACCDC 2012 datasets, were employed as inputs for the SNORT NIDS, and it has been observed that the suggested approach successfully detects the anomalous network packets

Beyond Tradition: A study of relationship evolution in Millennials and Gen Z

This paper examines the generational gaps that are observed in the pair bonding patterns of Gen Z and Millennials and how two of these younger generations are getting ahead of their parental generation in redefining their romantic and intimate relationships. As the socio-cultural environment has transformed radically over the last few decades, it has weakened the assumptions that existed about traditional interpersonal interactions, and the two generations have more inclination towards technological mediated fluid relationships. To collect the insights from both generations, a survey was conducted in Jaipur by using a quantitative research design. The results that we have obtained indicate that technology, shifting career priorities and changes in social behaviour have led these generations to build a more flexible lifestyle that transcends the traditional notions of relationships. From the data of our survey, we concluded that Millennials mostly prefer traditional relationships as compared to Generation Z, who are more open to non-traditional relationships like open relationships

Analyzing the Importance of Learnability and Understandability Quality Attributes in Reference to SPL Feature Models

The modeling foundation of SPL is promoting software reuse by segregation of variant features of all the products whi ch belong to a family. The analysis of various quality attribute s is very important in reference to SPL feature models. Identifying whether a feature model is easy to use and learn will help develop a successful product line. Two important quality sub factors of usability i.e. understandability and communicativeness play a great role in development of successful product line feature model. If the understanding of any feature model is low, it will result in lesser use of that feature model. Same applies to communicativeness , the more the communicativeness of a feature model, the more the usability. In other words, the successful reuse of any feature model will depend on the degree of its understa nding and communicativeness. C urrent analysis methods usually focus only on functional requirements of the product lines and do not focus on product quality. Whereas, non functional requirement s like maintainability, dependability and usability etc are essential dimensions of variability. This paper is intended to study the role of understandability and communicativeness over feature models. It also throws light on t he effect of these quality su b factors on SPL feature models and suggests ways to improve their degr

Role of lifestyle and psychological variables in erectile dysfunction: a cross-sectional study

Background: Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a highly prevalent yet underestimated disorder among men, associated with a significant burden of illness. The understanding of pathophysiological factors has led to better assessment of the disease yet a lot of patients are left dissatisfied and undertreated. The study was undertaken to elicit the various life style and psychological variables associated with ED.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on cases of ED reporting in urology OPD in 3 months period. A pretested semi structured questionnaire was used as a data collection tool. ED was addressed in five domains using International index of erectile function (IIEF) scale. Information collected included socio demographic factors, life style variables and psychological factors [perceived stress (PT), self-esteem (SST) and erectile performance anxiety (ET)]. Data collected was analyzed using independent sample t test.Results: A total of 155 cases of ED participated in the study. Their mean age was 33.93±5.05 years (range 25-48).  80.6% were non-smokers, 54.8% were alcoholic and 22.6% patients performed light physical activity. There was no statistically significant association between different life style variables with five domains of International index of erectile function except for the domain of orgasmic function with consumption of drugs (p=0.017) and intercourse satisfaction with physical activity(p=0.045). Barring the domain of overall satisfaction most of the other domains of ED showed a significant association with psychological variables.Conclusions: Contrary to lifestyle factors, psychological factors are significantly related to ED and need to be addressed effectively for improving patient treatment outcome

Software Product Line Engineering: Paradigm for Product Family

Abstract The modeling foundation of Software Product Line Engineering (SPLE) is the segregation of variant features of all the products which belong to a family. In brief, its aim is to catalog what is common and what differs between products. Feature is a basic term associated with SPL and feature model diagram portrays the product deviation. SPLE is a powerful approach to increase the efficiency of the software engineering process and variety of software system can be developed from a single software product line. Therefore it should be realized that a low quality design can ripple through many generated software systems. This state of the art presents a comprehensive overview of the software product lines theory and discusses the relationship between feature models and the various qualities attributes affecting them .The available methods (metrics) to measure these attributes are also discussed in brief

Sources, Fate, and Impact of Microplastics in Aquatic Environment

Over the past decade, enhanced scientific interest has produced an expanding knowledge base for microplastics. The highest abundance of microplastics is typically associated with coastlines and oceans but the fate of these microplastics is elusive. Microplastics sink following fragmentation which is further ingested by marine biota thus imposes threat to them. Thus, the present review focuses on properties and sources of microplastics, its impact on environment, the bioaccumulation and trophic transfer of microplastics and its impact on living biota. This study would be helpful for the development and implementation of risk management strategies for managing the disposal of microplastics