Scheduling in multiprocessor system using genetic algorithms

Multiprocessors have emerged as a powerful computing means for running real-time applications, especially where a uniprocessor system would not be sufficient enough to execute all the tasks. The high performance and reliability of multiprocessors have made them a powerful computing resource. Such computing environment requires an efficient algorithm to determine when and on which processor a given task should execute. This paper investigates dynamic scheduling of real-time tasks in a multiprocessor system to obtain a feasible solution using genetic algorithms combined with well-known heuristics, such as 'Earliest Deadline First' and 'Shortest Computation Time First'. A comparative study of the results obtained from simulations shows that genetic algorithm can be used to schedule tasks to meet deadlines, in turn to obtain high processor utilization.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Biblical community : moving from multicultural congregation to an intimate spiritual family

https://place.asburyseminary.edu/ecommonsatsdissertations/2260/thumbnail.jp

CBIR of Brain MR Images Using Histogram of Fuzzy Oriented Gradients and Fuzzy Local Binary Patterns

Retrieval of similar images from large dataset of brain images across patients would help the experts in the decision diagnosis process of diseases. Generally used feature extraction methods are color, texture and shape. In medical images texture and shape features are most efficient. Histogram of Oriented Gradients (HOG) and Local Binary Pattern (LBP) are good descriptor for brain MR image retrieval. But there are many challenges facing in medical application. An empirical study of the impact of increasing bins number in the HOG descriptor concluded that larger the number is more accurate the descriptor is. In fact this is due to the reduction of orientations range that each bin covers. Despite the efficiency of augmenting the bins number, this technique has limited spatial support as the augmentation of the number of bins used leads to increase the histogram dimension. So here proposed a method called Histogram of Fuzzy Oriented Gradients (HFOG), in which a pixel can belong several bins with different degrees. The Local Binary Patterns feature extraction method is widely used for texture analysis; however, the original LBP is based on hard thresholding the neighborhood of each pixel. Therefore, texture representation with LBP is very sensitive to noise and cannot distinguish between a strong and a weak pattern. In this study, Fuzzy Local Binary Patterns was introduced to improve the original LBP

How effective is intra-cuff lignocaine in reducing post-operative sore throat and emergence cough: a comparative study

Background: Sore throat and cough during emergence are common side effects of general anaesthesia and its incidence is reported by 30-70% of patients after tracheal intubation. Also, not to forget the hemodynamic fluctuations associated with it, adds on to the magnitude of the problem. Thinking of a simple and cost-effective way to tackle this problem, this study was undertaken to determine the benefits of using intra-cuff lignocaine to prevent post intubation sore throat and emergence cough. The objective of this study to assess the efficacy of intra-cuff 2% lignocaine solution, in reducing emergence cough and post-operative sore throat after extubation in general surgery patients intubated for 2-4 hours.Methods: A prospective observational study where 100 ASA I and II status patients divided into 2 groups of 50 each was compared. In one group ETT cuff was filled with air, while in the other group, 2% plain lignocaine solution was used. Side effects like sore throat, coughing and blood pressure changes were assessed. Chi square and t-tests were used to compare the findings.Results: Among those patients where intra-cuff lignocaine was used, only 27.5% complained of sore throat and 12.5% had emergence cough, whereas among those patients where intra-cuff air was used, 72.5% had post-operative sore throat and 87.5% of patients had cough on emergence.Conclusions: This study proves that 2% intra-cuff lignocaine is an effective method in reducing post-operative sore throat and emergence cough and thereby beneficial in controlling the hemodynamic changes associated with emergence

Comparison of empirical antibiotics used with microbiological sensitivity pattern among patients admitted with urinary tract infection

Background: Symptomatic Urinary tract infection (UTI) is among the most common infection described in hospital settings. Inappropriate use of antibiotics initiated before the laboratory results of urine culture contribute to increasing resistance to antibiotics in uropathogens. Awareness of the disease, knowledge of the spectrum of antibiotics and common complication of UTI will help to reduce morbidity and mortality. This study compares common empirical antibiotics used with their  clinical outcomes and microbiological sensitivity pattern among patients admitted with UTI in a tertiary care hospital.Methods: It is a cross sectional study conducted in inpatients of Pushpagiri medical college, Thiruvalla from January 2017 – June 2018. Assuming that 50% of organisms will show sensitivity to empirical antibiotic therapy with a relative precision of 20% and alpha error of 5 %. Sample size is calculated as 100. Those patient  satisfying the inclusion criteria was recruited into the study after obtaining informed consent till the sample size attained. Symptoms on the day of admission was assessed using the questionnaire for Clinical profile. Primary outcome was matching of empirical antibiotics with culture and sensitivity pattern.  Secondary outcomes were Symptom resolution on third day with empirical antibiotics and profile organisms causing UTI.Results: Majority of the population belonged to 61-80 year of age (57%). The study population had 44 percent male and 56 females.72 percent of total population was diabetic.  The most common antibiotic used to treat empirically was piperacillin –tazobactum accounting for 47.2 percent followed by ceftriaxone  45 percent. Others contributed less than 8 percent.75 percent of empirical antibiotics matched with culture and sensitivity report in the study population.The most common organisms found was Escherichia coli (61%) followed by Klebsiella pneumonia(15 %) The most common resistant organism was E Coli followed by Klebsiella pneumonia. Esbl resistance was encountered in 28 cases and carbepenamase resistance in 2 percent cases. 27 percent of diabetic patient had resistant organism infection in urine. Symptoms  of  urinary tract infections were better resolved when empirical antibiotics used had  matched microbiological sensitivity pattern.Conclusions: After the age of 60 year UTI occurred almost equal in male and females There was only 75 percent agreement with empirical antibiotics and culture sensitivity report. Resistant organism were common in the diabetic population. Most common organism encountered in symptomatic UTI is E coli. Symptomatic resolution occurred in majority of cases where the empirical antibiotic was sensitive than compared to resistant case. Some of the resistant cases had symptomatic resolution  possibly explained by the in vivo sensitivity. As the agreement with empirical antibiotics became low, hospital antibiotic policies must reviewed and changed according to resistance pattern and type of organism that is locally prevalen

Ethosuximide associated drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms syndrome masqueraded as adenovirus infection

Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DRESS) syndrome is a serious adverse reaction due to drugs. Due to the rarity of this condition particularly in children, DRESS can be often misdiagnosed. An 8-year-old boy was referred to our paediatrics department with the complaints of persisting fever and rashes. He was tested positive for Adenovirus infection and was provisionally diagnosed with urticaria due to viral infection, for which he was started with antiviral and antipyretics. The child was also recently diagnosed with Myoclonic Absence Epilepsy and was started on syrup Ethosuximide. Despite being treated with antiviral and antipyretics his fever spikes were consistent with itchy rashes. Multidisciplinary medical consultations were done to finally rule out DRESS associated with Ethosuximde and the drug was stopped. The child showed significant improvement from the next day with no further episodes of fever spike. Hence, we present this case to provide an alert for the need of early differential diagnosis of DRESS syndrome in case of concomitant viral infection

Tourist Profiles and Characteristics vis-à-vis Market Segmentation of Ecotourism Destinations in Kerala

Kerala, a classic ecotourism destination in India, provides significant opportunities for livelihood options to thepeople who depend on the resources from the forest and those who live in difficult terrains. This article analysesthe socio-demographic, psychographic and travel behavior patterns and its sub-characteristics in the backgroundof foreign and domestic tourists. The data source for the article has been obtained from a primary survey of 350randomly chosen tourists, 175 each from domestic and foreign tourists, visiting Kerala’s ecotourists destinationsduring August-December 2010-11. Several socio-demographic, psychographic and life style factors have beenidentified based on the inference from field survey. There is considerable divergence in most of the factorsidentified in the case of domestic and international tourists. Post-trip attributes like satisfaction and intentions toreturn show that the ecotourism destinations in Kerala have significant potential that can help communities in theregion.Keywords: Tourists, Ecotourism, Socio-demographic, Psychographic, Lifestyle, Motivation, Satisfaction,Revisi