Notes on the Vicissitudes of Liberalism

Nikhil Pal Singh 한국외국어대학교 영미연구소 2005 영미연구 Vol.12 No.-

Liberalism is one of the most important terms in Anglo-American, and more broadly Euro-American political and philosophical discourse. Liberalism has a special purchase for scholars of American cultural studies as intellectual assertions about US adherence to a consistent and thoroughgoing liberalism (often said to be derived from the writings of John Locke) tends to underpin the discourse of American exceptionalism. This short paper explores the historical and conceptual vicissitudes of liberalism, with a particular focus on the contradictions between market liberalism and political liberalism, freedom and equality, liberal universalism and liberal exclusion. It suggests that liberalism is a term whose long-term resilience as a frame of reference for modern politics masks profound shifts and variations in its meaning and uses across space and time. It argues finally that liberalism has no fixed, doctrinal definition, but rather comprises a set of constitutive, and in many ways politically productive, tensions and ambiguities at the heart of what are now referred to as liberal-democratic nation-states.

Peroral Endoscopic Myotomy: Establishing a New Program

Nikhil A. Kumta,Shivani Mehta,Prashant Kedia,Kristen Weaver,Reem Z. Sharaiha,Norio Fukami,Hitomi Minami,Fernando Casas,Monica Gaidhane,Arnon Lambroza,Michel Kahaleh 대한소화기내시경학회 2014 Clinical Endoscopy Vol.47 No.5

Achalasia is an esophageal motility disorder characterized by incomplete relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) and aperistalsis of the esophageal body. Treatment of achalasia is aimed at decreasing the resting pressure in the LES. Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM), derived from natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) and advances in endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD), presents a novel, minimally invasive, and curative endoscopic treatment for achalasia. POEM involves an esophageal mucosal incision followed by creation of a submucosal tunnel crossing the esophagogastric junction and myotomy before closure of the mucosal incision. Although the procedure is technically demanding and requires a certain degree of skill and competency, treatment success is high (90%) with low complication rates. Since the first described POEM in humans in 2010, it has been used increasingly at centers worldwide. This article reviews available published clinical studies demonstrating POEM efficacy and safety in order to present a proposal on how to establish a dedicated POEM program and reach base proficiency for the procedure.

A Second Nuclear Era? It’s Not Worth the Risk

Nikhil Desai 동아시아재단 2011 Global Asia Vol.6 No.2

Heterogeneous Sensor Data Analysis Using Efficient Adaptive Artificial Neural Network on FPGA Based Edge Gateway

( Nikhil B. Gaikwad ),( Varun Tiwari ),( Avinash Keskar ),( Nc Shivaprakash ) 한국인터넷정보학회 2019 KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Syst Vol.13 No.10

We propose a FPGA based design that performs real-time power-efficient analysis of heterogeneous sensor data using adaptive ANN on edge gateway of smart military wearables. In this work, four independent ANN classifiers are developed with optimum topologies. Out of which human activity, BP and toxic gas classifier are multiclass and ECG classifier is binary. These classifiers are later integrated into a single adaptive ANN hardware with a select line(s) that switches the hardware architecture as per the sensor type. Five versions of adaptive ANN with different precisions have been synthesized into IP cores. These IP cores are implemented and tested on Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA using Microblaze test system and LabVIEW based sensor simulators. The hardware analysis shows that the adaptive ANN even with 8-bit precision is the most efficient IP core in terms of hardware resource utilization and power consumption without compromising much on classification accuracy. This IP core requires only 31 microseconds for classification by consuming only 12 milliwatts of power. The proposed adaptive ANN design saves 61% to 97% of different FPGA resources and 44% of power as compared with the independent implementations. In addition, 96.87% to 98.75% of data throughput reduction is achieved by this edge gateway.

Numerical modeling of two species radionuclide transport in a single fracturematrix system with variable fracture aperture

Nikhil Bagalkot,Govindarajan Suresh Kumar 한국지질과학협의회 2016 Geosciences Journal Vol.20 No.5

A variable aperture model, instead of a conventional parallel plate model, is utilized to study the transport of radionuclides in a single coupled fracture-matrix system. A fully implicit finite difference model has been developed, which incorporates fracture aperture width variation in the numerical study of two species radionuclide transport. Two distinct geometric profiles namely, sinusoidal and logarithmic have been used to capture the variation of aperture width. The dependence of advection, hydrodynamic dispersion, linear sorption, and matrix diffusion on aperture width is considered in the analysis of radionuclides transport. Two species (parent and daughter) radioactive decay chain is also incorporated. There is a greater retardation of radionuclides in fracture for the variable aperture model than the parallel plate model. Sensitivity analysis on fracture surface sorption coefficient, longitudinal dispersivity, matrix porosity, and matrix diffusion coefficient shows that the conventional parallel plate model overestimate the radionuclide concentration in the fracture when compared to the variable aperture model.

Bridging Asian Communities with New Academic Partnerships and the Exchange of Ideas : Capacity Building in Architectural Heritage Conservation

Nikhil Joshi 한국전통문화대학교 한국전통문화연구소 2021 한국전통문화연구 Vol.2021 No.S

Given the current lack of awareness and training regarding heritage conservation in Asia, it is inevitable that advanced discourses about cultural heritage management are urgently required at every level from the national to the regional and global, and advanced discourses among skilled historic buildings professionals are needed as well. If nothing is planned now, it is believed that the current heritage education situation will get even worse in the future due to the rapid urban development of historic cities and mass tourism in Asia. The need to lead a collaborative effort with top Asian university partners to advance conservation pedagogy and research is urgently required. This proposed offering would train skilled professionals in architectural conservation who would subsequently develop the region’s heritage conservation capacity. The proposed research aims to provide a framework for establishing the Asian heritage education community of five Asian universities, which are already running or intending to offer heritage conservation degree courses soon, to develop architectural conservation pedagogy and research. The collaborative programmes would then be provided for students and professionals in the region through classroom-based or online programmes. The universities, which could become a part of this heritage community, are the Korea National University of Cultural Heritage (Daejeon, South Korea), the National University of Singapore, Southeast University (Nanjing, China), Tsinghua University (Beijing, China), and the University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong SAR).

Countering the Effects of Chronic Inflammation in Obesity

Nikhil V. Dhurandhar 대한비만학회 2014 The Korean journal of obesity Vol.23 No.2

Obesity is linked with a chronic low grade inflammation of non-infectious origin, typically marked by a preponderance of inflammatory cytokines,and a reduced presence of anti-inflammatory cytokines in adipose tissue or circulation. Inflammation in obesity is strongly linked withinsulin resistance. However, approaches such as weight loss or anti-inflammatory therapy have not been adequate in countering insulin resistancelinked with inflammation and obesity. Hence, a better understanding of the origins of obesity-associated inflammation is needed todesign more effective approaches. Also, novel approaches that can improve insulin resistance independent of body weight or inflammation maybe highly desirable. These two aspects are briefly described here. It is postulated that a preponderance of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokinesassociated with body adiposity may in fact be a mechanism to maintain body fat stores within a desirable range. Excessive fat accumulation mayderail this regulation, leading to a chronic state of inflammation associated with obesity and diabetes. Recognizing this underlying physiologicalbasis for inflammation may help in understanding why anti-inflammatory therapy has not achieved significant improvement in insulin sensitivity. Finally, a novel strategy to potentially improve glycemic control is discussed. This strategy relates to a template offered by Ad36, -a humanadenovirus, and its E4orf1 protein, which can enhance glucose disposal even in the presence of inflammation and obesity, and without weightloss. Overall, a different perspective about the origin of chronic inflammation, and a novel treatment strategy may help in countering the effectsof chronic inflammation in obesity.

Effect of random fracture aperture on the transport of colloids in a coupled fracture-matrix system

Nikhil Bagalkot,Govindarajan Suresh Kumar 한국지질과학협의회 2017 Geosciences Journal Vol.21 No.1

A variable aperture model, including the random variation of fracture aperture as against the conventional parallel plate model, has been developed to adequately examine the transport of colloids/suspended particles in a single coupled fracturematrix system. Rather than relying on a complex geostatistical method for an accurate representation of fracture aperture, which requires an enormous field data and resource for its validation, a simple statistical method (linear congruential generator) is implemented in the present article. The random variation of fracture aperture is an honest representation of the unpredictable geometry/ morphology of fracture aperture in comparison with widely applied the conventional parallel plate model or the simple mathematical functions based on fractal theory (self-affine structures). A considerable number of parameters are involved in investigating the extent of penetration of colloids into the rock matrix, which creates complexity and ambiguity in the analysis. To overcome this problem, a single parameter “Maximum Penetration Factor” has been introduced for simple and reliable assessment of diffusion of colloids within the rock matrix. Additionally, a non-dimensional parameter ‘Matrix Mitigation Factor’ has been introduced in the present study, which can provide a means of evaluating the diffusion of suspended particles within the rock matrix when it comes to real time applications like microbial enhanced recovery (MEOR) and chemical enhanced recovery (CEOR) in the petroleum industry (nanoparticles and nanofluids). A semi-implicit finite difference model has been adopted for solving the coupled partial differential equations in the present numerical study. Finally, Neumann and Robinson boundary conditions as a function of time have been applied at the fracture inlet to better represent the field scenario as against the conventional constant source condition (Dirichlet). The model results indicate that there is a difference in concentration between the parallel plate model and random fracture model when it comes to colloidal concentration in the fracture and rock matrix. The variance in concentration is due to the inclusion of variation of the aperture in the variable aperture model, which is absent in the parallel plate model. Additionally, the results suggest that the variable source boundary condition has a significant influence on the transport of colloids in fracture-matrix system. Finally, from the evaluation of the extent of diffusion of colloids into rock matrix, it was concluded that that variable aperture model is associated with more mitigation of colloids compared to the parallel plate model, especially in the case of random fracture.

ALED System to Provide Mobile IoT Assistance for Elderly and Disabled

Nikhil Chaudhari,Akash Gupta,SSV Raju 보안공학연구지원센터 2016 International Journal of Smart Home Vol.10 No.8

The United Nations estimates that about 15 percent of the world’s population lives with some type of disability. Equally important is the increasing life expectancy rate of elderly people. People falling in any of these categories face great difficulty in living an independent life and have to be dependent on others. Internet-of-Things (IoT) presents immense potential in solving these problems. IoT is a concept by which everyday objects can communicate with each other via a network. This enables us to collect and store the data from these devices in the Cloud. Although there are existing systems that help to solve some of these problems; however, a comprehensive system is missing. In this paper, we propose a unified system ALED (Assisted Living for the Elderly and Disabled) using Google Brillo and Weave platform to solve both of these problems. The system provides a solution by collecting data from IoT devices (e.g., smart sensors, wearable devices, tags) and utilizes the Cloud to process the information from database. The system enables the elderly and disabled to live their life independently and at the same time make it more pleasing.

Optimization of Transistor Characteristics and Charge Transport in Solution Processed ZnO Thin Films Grown from Zinc Neodecanoate

Nikhil Tiwale,Satyaprasad P. Senanayak,Juan Rubio-Lara,Yury Alaverdyan,Mark E. Welland 대한금속·재료학회 2019 ELECTRONIC MATERIALS LETTERS Vol.15 No.6

Solution processing of metal oxide-based semiconductors is an attractive route for low-cost fabrication of thin flms devices. ZnO thin flms were synthesized from one-step spin coating-pyrolysis technique using zinc neodecanoate precursor. X-raydifraction (XRD), UV–visible optical transmission spectrometry and photoluminescence spectroscopy suggested conversionto polycrystalline ZnO phase for decomposition temperatures higher than 400 °C. A 15 % precursor concentration was foundto produce optimal TFT performance on annealing at 500 °C, due to generation of sufcient charge percolation pathways. Thedevice performance was found to improve upon increasing the annealing temperature and the optimal saturation mobility of0.1 cm2V−1 s−1 with ION/IOFF ratio~107was achieved at 700 °C annealing temperature. The analysis of experimental resultsbased on theoretical models to understand charge transport envisaged that the grain boundary depletion region is major sourceof deep level traps and their efective removal at increased annealing temperature leads to evolution of transistor performance.