Myocardial Infarction

Myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack is the disease of the blood vessels supplying the heart muscle (Myocardium) i.e. coronary heart disease. The area of heart muscle that has either zero flow or so little flow that it cannot sustain cardiac muscle function is said to be infracted and the overall process is called a myocardial infarction. MI are of two types; transmural and subendocardial. Mainly it is caused due to oxidative stress and atherosclerosis.Chest pain is the most common symptom of acute MI and is often described as a sensation of tightness, pressure, or squeezing. Other symptoms include diaphoresis (an excessive form of sweating), Shortness of breath (dyspnea), weakness, light-headedness, nausea, vomiting, and palpitations. The most common symptoms of MI in women include dyspnea, weakness, and fatigue, sleep disturbances. It can be treated by using  blockers, diuretics, ACE inhibitors, calcium channel blockers and nitrates

Performance of pearl millet genotypes under irrigated and rainfed conditions at Hisar, India

A field experiment was carried out at Research Farm of Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, India to evaluate the performance of pearl millet genotypes (HHB 67 ‘Improved’, HHB 197, HHB 223 and HHB 234) under different environment (rainfed and irrigated). Results showed that irrigated condition recorded significantly (p < 0.05) higher plant height, dry matter accumulation, root dry weight, ear head girth, test weight and yield of pearl millet than rainfed condition. Root length was significantly (p < 0.05) higher under rainfedthan irrigated condition. Genotypes were found significant (p < 0.05) with respect to plant height at harvest and HHB 234 recorded higher plant height. Genotype HHB 223 recorded higher earhead girth (2.6 cm) and test weight (11.16 g) compared to other genotypes. Interaction effect was also found significant (p < 0.05) with respect to plant height, dry matter accumulation, root length and weight and yield. These were higher in genotype HHB 223 and HHB 234 under irrigated and rainfed condition respectively but at 20 days after sowing, longest root was observed in genotype HHB 67 ‘Improved’ under rainfed condition and genotype HHB 197 under irrigated condition. To examine the performance of pearl millet genotypes in terms of survivality and yield potential, evaluation trials are necessary under different environment. Therefore, release of those varieties under different situations are essential for the sustainability of the fragile arid and semi arid regions of country

A compendium of Technologies, Practices, Services and Policies for Scaling Climate Smart Agriculture in Odisha (India)

Stakeholders engaged in agricultural research for development (AR4D) are increasingly tackling risks associated with climate change in smallholder systems. Accordingly, development and scaling of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) are one of the priorities for all the organizations, departments and ministries associated with the farm sector. Having a ‘one-stop-shop’ compiled in the format of a compendium for CSA technologies, practices and services would therefore serve a guide for all the stakeholders for scaling CSA in smallholder systems. Bringing out a Compendium on Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) for Odisha, India was therefore thought of during the workshop on ‘Scaling Climate-Smart Agriculture in Odisha’ organized at Bhubaneswar on 18-19 July 2018 by International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in collaboration with Department of Agriculture (DoA) & Farmers’ Empowerment, Indian Council of Agricultural Research-National Rice Research Institute (ICAR-NRRI), Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) & International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) under the aegis of CGIAR Research program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS). The main objectives to bring forth this compendium are: to argue the case for agriculture policies and practices that are climate-smart; to raise awareness of what can be done to make agriculture policies and practices climatesmart; and to provide practical guidance and recommendations that are well referenced and, wherever possible, based on lessons learned from practical action. CSA programmes are unlikely to be effective unless their implementation is supported by sound policies and institutions. It is therefore important to enhance institutional capacities in order to implement and replicate CSA strategies. Institutions are vital to agricultural development as well as the realisation of resilient livelihoods.They are not only a tool for farmers and decision-makers, but are also the main conduit through which CSA practices can be scaled up and sustained. The focus in this compendium is on CSA and it’s relevant aspects, i.e., (i) technologies and practices, (ii) services, (iii) technology targeting, (iv) business models, (v) capacity building, and (vi) policies. The approaches and tools available in the compendium span from face-to-face technicianfarmer dialogues to more structured exchanges of online and offline e-learning. In every scenario it is clear that tailoring to local expectations and needs is key. In particular, the voice of farmers is essential to be captured as they are the key actors to promote sustainable agriculture, and their issues need to be prioritized. CSA practices are expected to sustainably increase productivity and resilience (adaptation), reduce Greenhouse Gases (mitigation), and enhance achievement of national food security along with sustainable development goals. CSA is widely expected to contribute towards achieving these objectives and enhance climate change adaptation. CSA practices have to be included in State’s Climate Policy as a priority intervention as the state steps up efforts to tackle climate change. Furthermore, emphasis shoud be laid on CSA training for a sustainable mode to enhance CSA adoption in the state hence the relevance of developing this document. The adaption of climate related knowledge, technologies and practices to local conditions, promoting joint learning by farmers, researchers, rural advisor and widely disseminating CSA practices, is critical. This compendium brings together a collection of experiences from different stakeholders with background of agricultural extension and rural advisory services in supporting CSA. The contributions are not intended to be state-of-the art academic articles but thought and discussion pieces of work in progress. The compendium itself is a ‘living‘ document which is intended to be revised periodically

Greenhouse cultivation of fruit crops with special reference to India: An overview

India is facing various challenges in fruit cultivation viz., climate change, increasing pressure on natural resources, decreasing land tenure with the ever-increasing population. Besides this, the demand for quality fruit is also on the rise as people are now more aware of a nutritious and healthy diet. The quality with higher production is difficult with the traditional system of cultivation and requires a more scientific approach in cultivation. Greenhouse cultivation technology can enhance quality and quantity both. This technology is required to convert some portion of the present 6.5 million ha of the fruit-growing area to increase national productivity and product quality. The purpose of greenhouse cultivation is to grow crops by altering the micro-environment surrounding the crop so that the plant performs maximum to its genetic potential. It also increases the yield, improves the quality and stability of production and makes commodities available when there is no outdoor production. China is the world leader in greenhouse fruit production with the largest area under this technology. In India, greenhouse fruit cultivation is in its infancy as the only strawberry is commercially being grown under greenhouses. However, in fluctuating environmental conditions and losses in fruit crops due to various biotic and abiotic stresses, protecting the fruit crops for the off-season, quality and higher production will be a necessity in future. Keeping in view the low productivity of fruit crops in India and future needs of round the year quality production, an overview of work and cultivation scenario on this aspect is discussed in this paper

Reviewable Automated Decision-Making: A Framework for Accountable Algorithmic Systems

This paper introduces reviewability as a framework for improving the accountability of automated and algorithmic decision-making (ADM) involving machine learning. We draw on an understanding of ADM as a socio-technical process involving both human and technical elements, beginning before a decision is made and extending beyond the decision itself. While explanations and other model-centric mechanisms may assist some accountability concerns, they often provide insufficient information of these broader ADM processes for regulatory oversight and assessments of legal compliance. Reviewability involves breaking down the ADM process into technical and organisational elements to provide a systematic framework for determining the contextually appropriate record-keeping mechanisms to facilitate meaningful review - both of individual decisions and of the process as a whole. We argue that a reviewability framework, drawing on administrative law's approach to reviewing human decision-making, offers a practical way forward towards more a more holistic and legally-relevant form of accountability for ADM

A study of the correlation of serum vitamin D levels to Child-Pugh and MELD-Na scoring system in cirrhosis of the liver

Background: Vitamin D is a hormone with known effect on calcium homeostasis, but recently there is increasing recognition that it also is involved in cell proliferation and differentiation, has immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory properties. These effect may explain its importance in the liver diseases. Vitamin D deficiency has been reported highly prevalent in Chronic liver disease (CLD) and there is an emerging interest to explore the relationship of vitamin D deficiency and severity of CLD. The aim of the study was to evaluate the correlation of serum vitamin D levels to the Child Pugh and MELD-Na scoring system in liver cirrhosis and to establish its relationship with the severity of the disease.Methods: Serum vitamin D levels were measured in 100 patients of CLD and 100 healthy controls. The degree of liver dysfunction was estimated by Child-Pugh and MELD-Na scores.Results: 91% of the CLD patients had subnormal vitamin-D levels. The mean vitamin D level in CLD patients was lower (15.97±7.45) than controls (30.12±6.60) with statistical significance (p= 0.0001). On linear regression vitamin D level showed significant negative correlation with Child Pugh score (r= –0.446, p<0.001) and MELD score (r= –0.395, p<0.001). Low vitamin D level was associated with poor outcome (mean vitamin D level 9.61±3.01 who died versus 16.52±7.47 who survived and discharged).Conclusions: CLD is associated with a significantly low level of vitamin D. The lower level of vitamin D is associated with severity of CLD, mortality and increased risk for complications. Awareness of serum vitamin D level in CLD patients is important to improve outcome

Seed yield and quality as influenced by growing conditions in hybrid seed production of bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.) cv. Pusa Hybrid-1

The present investigation was carried out under insect proof net house (IPN) and open field condition (OFC) at Centre for Protected Cultivation Technology and Seed Testing Laboratory of Division of Seed Science &amp;Technology, IARI, New Delhi in bitter gourd cv. Pusa Hybrid-1 during summer season because under open field condition the seed yield and seed quality of bitter gourd drastically reduced due to viral diseases and fruit fly in kharif and early onset of high temperature, unseasonal rains during summer, which restricts the hybrid seed production of bitter gourd under north Indian condition. The observations on seed yield &amp; quality characters and physical properties of seed were recorded. The quality attributes were evaluated immediately after harvest and after 8 months of ambient storage and their results were compared. The experimental results revealed that total number of seed per fruit (46.7), number of filled seed per fruit (45.3), seed yield per fruit (9.41g), seed yield per plant (27.28g), and seed yield per hectare (232kg) were significantly higher under IPN in comparison to OFC. Among the physical parameters of seed, seed width (0.81cm) &amp; seed coat (0.79g) weight recorded significantly higher in IPN. The seed quality attributes immediately after harvest was also significantly superior under IPN compared to OFC except for germination %. The hybrid seed produced under IPN conditions could maintain their superiority for quality traits even after 8 monthsof its ambient storage. The seed yield and seed quality attributes were comparatively superior under IPN conditions. The seed crop grown under IPN overcomes the threat of insect vectors, viral diseases and unfavourable climatic conditions and helps in attaining the better seed yield and quality

Effect of variety and planting date of rice on population of natural enemies of brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens (Stal)

The present study on the effect of variety and planting date of rice on population of natural enemies of brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens (Stal) showed that during August, the mean population of spiders was statistically on par on CSR 30 and PR 114. The population differed with dates and was significantly (p=0.05) higher (9.0/10 hills) in D2 during 2011 only. There was no significant difference in the population of spiders on two varieties and dates of transplanting during September 2011 only. However, significantly higher population of spiders was recorded in variety PR 114 (21.65/10 hills) and D2 (20.52/10 hills) than on CSR 30 (13.67/10 hills) and D1 (14.80/10 hills) during September, 2012. The mean population of spiders did not differ significantly with the dates during October, 2011 and 2012. However, it was significantly higher on variety PR 114 (27.65/10 hills) than on CSR 30 during both the crop seasons. Mirid bugs did not appear in the month of August, 2011 and 2012 whereas during September 2011, the variety CSR 30 and D1 registered significantly higher population than other variety and date. However, a reverse trend was observed with varieties and dates during 2012. The mean population of coccinelid, carabid and staphylinid beetles remained very low on both the varieties in the month of August during 2011 and 2012. However, the population of these predators was influenced significantly by the varieties and dates during 2012. The population of nymphal-adult parasitoids also remained very low during both years and was not influenced by varieties and dates

Big Ideas paper: Policy-driven middleware for a legally-compliant Internet of Things.

Internet of Things (IoT) applications, systems and services are subject to law. We argue that for the IoT to develop lawfully, there must be technical mechanisms that allow the enforcement of speci ed policy, such that systems align with legal realities. The audit of policy enforcement must assist the apportionment of liability, demonstrate compliance with regulation, and indicate whether policy correctly captures le- gal responsibilities. As both systems and obligations evolve dynamically, this cycle must be continuously maintained. This poses a huge challenge given the global scale of the IoT vision. The IoT entails dynamically creating new ser- vices through managed and exible data exchange . Data management is complex in this dynamic environment, given the need to both control and share information, often across federated domains of administration. We see middleware playing a key role in managing the IoT. Our vision is for a middleware-enforced, uni ed policy model that applies end-to-end, throughout the IoT. This is because policy cannot be bound to things, applications, or administrative domains, since functionality is the result of composition, with dynamically formed chains of data ows. We have investigated the use of Information Flow Control (IFC) to manage and audit data ows in cloud computing; a domain where trust can be well-founded, regulations are more mature and associated responsibilities clearer. We feel that IFC has great potential in the broader IoT context. However, the sheer scale and the dynamic, federated nature of the IoT pose a number of signi cant research challenges

Framework Guidlines and Governance for Designing Local Adaptation Plan of Action to Mainstream Climate Smart Villages in India

Based on the extensive review of existing frameworks and practices on climate change adaptation and authors experiences in Indian context, this study presented BRIFFS (bottom-up, responsive, inclusive, flexible, forward-looking, and sustainable) as the major guidelines for developing LAPA. This study presented the major steps of LAPA with clear actions, activities and also tools that can be used in each step. The nine steps of LAPA are as follows: 1) Communicating climate change risks and adaptation measures at local level, 2) Assessment of climate risks and vulnerabilities and scoping of adaptation actions, 3) Prioritisation of adaptation options, 4) Formulation of LAPA, 5) LAPA integration in planning process, 6) Institutional arrangement to implement LAPA, 7) Implementation of LAPA, 8) Progress assessment of LAPA, and 9) Feedback and revision of LAPA