The Role of Lipid Droplets in Host-pathogen Interactions of Intracellular and Extracellular Bacteria

Context: Lipid droplets (LDs) are cytoplasmic lipid storage organelles that have recently gained importance in host-pathogen interactions. They are surrounded by a phospholipid monolayer and store excess cellular free fatty acids and cholesterol as triacylglycerol (TAG) and cholesterol ester (CE) respectively. LDs are crucial to lipid metabolism and energy homeostasis. Further, their role in membrane trafficking, cell signaling, and inflammation make them a prime target for pathogens. Several bacterial, viral, and protozoal pathogens exploit host- or self-derived LDs to build new infectious progeny and/or modulate inflammation to promote infection. However, the diverse role of LDs in different bacterial pathogens remains elusive and merits in-depth elucidation. Objective: The goal of this review is to summarize the current research describing how certain bacterial pathogens manipulate LDs, and how those LDs affect the survival and infectivity of said bacteria. Methods/Design: We investigated literature from the last ten years involving LD-pathogen interactions for the intracellular pathogens Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycobacterium leprae, and Mycobacterium bovis; and the extracellular pathogens Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Vibrio cholera. Results: Mycobacterium spp. use LDs as both a fatty acid reservoir and a source of immune mediators, thus enhancing bacterial growth. Pseudomonas mobilizes LDs to increase its virulence whereas V. cholera uses fatty acids derived from aquatic animals to remodel its membrane phospholipids and provide stability for the bacterium. Conclusion: Because LDs are important metabolic organelles, understanding how pathogens exploit LDs during infection will emphasize the underappreciated role of cellular metabolic processes during bacterial infections. Our review will shed light on the importance of LDs during intracellular and extracellular bacterial infections, exploring a novel aspect of host-pathogen interactions

A Novel Approach to Multiagent based Scheduling for Multicore Architecture

In a Multicore architecture, eachpackage consists of large number of processors. Thisincrease in processor core brings new evolution inparallel computing. Besides enormous performanceenhancement, this multicore package injects lot ofchallenges and opportunities on the operating systemscheduling point of view. We know that multiagentsystem is concerned with the development andanalysis of optimization problems. The main objectiveof multiagent system is to invent some methodologiesthat make the developer to build complex systems thatcan be used to solve sophisticated problems. This isdifficult for an individual agent to solve. In this paperwe combine the AMAS theory of multiagent systemwith the scheduler of operating system to develop anew process scheduling algorithm for multicorearchitecture. This multiagent based schedulingalgorithm promises in minimizing the average waitingtime of the processes in the centralized queue and alsoreduces the task of the scheduler. We actuallymodified and simulated the linux 2.6.11 kernel processscheduler to incorporate the multiagent systemconcept. The comparison is made for different numberof cores with multiple combinations of process and theresults are shown for average waiting time Vs numberof cores in the centralized queue

A Quaternionic Wavelet Transform-based Approach for Object Recognition

Recognizing the objects in complex natural scenes is the challenging task as the object may be occluded, may vary in shape, position and in size. In this paper a method to recognize objects from different categories of images using quaternionic wavelet transform (QWT) is presented. This transform separates the information contained in the image better than a traditional Discrete wavelet transform and provides a multiscale image analysis whose coefficients are 2D analytic, with one near-shift invariant magnitude and three phases. The two phases encode local image shifts and the third one contains texture information. In the domain of object recognition, it is often to classify objects from images that make only limited part of the image. Hence to identify local features and certain region of images, patches are extracted over the interest points detected from the original image using Wavelet based interest point detector. Here QWT magnitude and phase features are computed for every patch. Then these features are trained, tested and classified using SVM classifier in order to have supervised learning model. In order to compare the performance of local feature with global feature, the transform is applied to the entire image and the global features are derived. The performance of QWT is compared with discrete wavelet transform (DWT) and dual tree discrete wavelet transform (DTDWT). Observations revealed that QWT outperforms the DWT and shift invariant DTDWT with lesser equal error rate. The experimental evaluation is done using the complex Graz databases.Defence Science Journal, Vol. 64, No. 4, July 2014, pp. 350-357, DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.14429/dsj.64.450

A Comparative Study of HARR Feature Extraction and Machine Learning Algorithms for Covid-19 X-Ray Image Classification

In this study, we investigated how effectively COVID-19 image categorization using Harr feature extraction and machine learning algorithms. We were particularly interested in the effectiveness of these algorithms. A dataset of 500 X-ray scans, equally split between 250 COVID-19-positive cases and 250 healthy controls, served as the basis for our study.  K-nearest neighbors,decision tree,  Linear regression, support vector machine, regression, classification, naive Bayes,random forest,  as well as linear discriminant analysis were among the seven machine-learning approaches used to categorize the photos. With the use of Harr feature extraction, the features of the pictures were extracted. We studied the efficacy of COVID-19 X-ray images for classification utilizing the combination of machine learning as well as the Harr feature extraction methods in the present investigation due to their effectiveness. We searched a database of 500 X-rays for this investigation, dividing them equally between groups of 250 patients with COVID-19-positive cases and 250 healthy people. Following that, the images were examined using seven various machine learning approaches for recognition. These methods included naive Bayes, linear discriminant analysis, random forests, classification,k-nearest neighbors,  and regression trees. The information from the photos was gathered using the Harr feature extraction method. The effectiveness of the algorithms was evaluated with the help of a variety of metrics, such asF1 score, precision,accuracy, recall, the area under the ROC curve, and the region of interest curve. According to our research, the Support Vector Machine algorithm had the highest accuracy, at 77%, while the Naive Bayes approach had the lowest accuracy, at 58%. By using machine learning and Harr feature extraction approaches, the Random Forest method yields the best results, based on our research. The development of future COVID-19 X-ray image-based automated diagnostic systems may be influenced by these findings. Results from the suggested model were comparable to those of cutting-edge models trained using transfer learning techniques. The proposed model's main advantage is that it has ten times fewer parameters than the most advanced models.A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve's F1 score, and the algorithms' accuracy, precision, the area under the curve,  and recall were all used as metrics. According to our findings, the Naive Bayes method gained the least accuracy (58%) and the Support Vector Machine method produced the highest accuracy (77%) when used. Our results reveal that employing Harr feature extraction and machine learning techniques, the Random Forest strategy is the most successful way to recognize COVID-19 X-ray pictures. These findings may be pertinent to the development of automated COVID-19 diagnosis tools relying on X-ray images. The recommended model produced results that were competitive when measured against cutting-edge models trained using transfer learning techniques. The suggested model employs 10 times fewer parameters than the most advanced models, which is its key selling point.&nbsp

Wilson Disease: Uncommon but Not to Be Forgotten

Wilson disease (WD) is an autosomal recessive genetic disorder caused by mutations of ATP7B, a copper transporter, which results in impaired copper clearance. Its clinical manifestations are varied and can result in a mix of hepatic and neuropsychiatric symptoms. We present the case of a 26-year-old female with a past medical history of alcohol use who presented with right upper quadrant abdominal pain with associated vomiting, jaundice, and fatigue. She was found to have signs and symptoms of decompensated cirrhosis and was initially concerned about superimposed alcoholic hepatitis. With low ceruloplasmin and alkaline phosphatase, the suspicion for WD remained, and the patient underwent liver transplantation due to her worsening clinical status. The quantitative hepatic copper content of the explanted liver was elevated, and genetic testing confirmed the diagnosis of WD. Our case highlights the importance of including WD in the differential of a young patient with severe liver disease, and it highlights the utility of the phosphatidyl ethanol (PEth) test as a marker for chronic severe alcohol use. In patients with a significant alcohol use history, the diagnosis of WD should still be considered for those with reasonable clinical suspicion

Kanta-asiakasjärjestelmän ja liikeidean päivittäminen asiakastyytyväisyyskyselyn avulla : case: Kauneuskeskus Eleganssi

Opinnäytetyön toimeksiantajana toimi Kauneuskeskus Eleganssi, jolla on kolme toimipistettä Keski-Suomen alueella. Toimeksiantajan toiveena oli selvittää asiakastyytyväisyys, pääasiassa kanta-asiakkailta, sillä aiemmin asiakastyytyväisyyskyselyä ei ole tehty. Pääasiassa toimeksiantaja halusi saada selville, mitä palveluita sekä tuotteita käytetään ja kuinka tyytyväisiä niihin ollaan sekä selvittää mahdolliset kehitysehdotukset. Opinnäytetyön tarkoituksena oli saada luotettavia ja käyttökelpoisia tuloksia asiakastyytyväisyydestä. Tulosten avulla haluttiin toteuttamiskelpoisia kehitysehdotuksia tyytyväisyyden parantamiseksi ja ylläpitämiseksi, kanta-asiakasjärjestelmän kehittämiseksi ja liikeidean täsmentämiseksi. Asiakastyytyväisyyden selvittämiseksi suoritettiin asiakastyytyväisyystutkimus. Tutkimus pohjautui kirjallisuuteen ja Kauneuskeskus Eleganssin toiveisiin. Tutkimuksessa otettiin huomioon tuotteet, palvelut, ulkoinen ja sisäinen ympäristö sekä kanta-asiakkuus. Tutkimus toimitettiin kaikille kanta-asiakkaille sähköpostilla, ja muilla asiakkailla oli mahdollisuus vastata kyselyyn toimipisteissä paperiversiona. Asiakastyytyväisyyskyselyn otos oli yhteensä 606 lomaketta. Verkkokyselyyn vastasi 70 asiakasta ja vastausprosentti oli 14,7. Liikkeistä saatiin yhteensä 25 vastausta ja vastausprosentti oli 19,2. Tuloksista selvisi, että asiakkaat ovat yleensä tyytyväisiä tai erittäin tyytyväisiä Kauneuskeskus Eleganssin toimintaan ja tarjontaan. Negatiiviset tulokset olivat suurimmaksi osaksi yksittäisiä eivätkä vastanneet yleistä näkemystä. Suurimmiksi ongelmiksi tutkimuksessa osoittautuivat epäselvyys kanta-asiakkuudesta ja kanta-asiakkaiden hallinta. Kyselyn tulosten perusteella kanta-asiakasjärjestelmään liittyen tehtiin muutama kehitysehdotus, joiden avulla Kauneuskeskus Eleganssin olisi helppoa aloittaa kanta-asiakkaiden hallinta. Lisäksi kehitysideoissa käsiteltiin palautteenantoa ja liikeidea päivitettiin tutkimustulosten pohjalta ajan tasalle.The assigner of the bachelor’s thesis, Kauneuskeskus Eleganssi, is located in three places in Central Finland. Kauneuskeskus Eleganssi wished to find out their customers’, mainly regular customers’, satisfaction, with the services, which had not been studied before. The assigner wished to find out what products and services the customers preferred, the overall customer satisfaction and possible development proposals. The idea of the bachelor’s thesis was to gain reliable and useful results of customer satisfaction. The aim was to create realizable development proposals which create and sustain customer satisfaction, improve the regular customer system and define the business idea. The sample of customer satisfaction survey was 606. To find out the customer satisfaction, a customer satisfaction survey was conducted. The survey was based on literature and the assigner’s wishes. The survey included questions of the products, services, staff, business environment and regular customer system. The survey was distributed to all regular customers via email. The survey was also available as a paper version in all three places. The whole sample was 606 questionnaires. 70 customers responded the online questionnaire and the response rate was 14,7. 25 responses were received from stores and the response rate was 19,2. The results indicated that customers were either satisfied or extremely satisfied with the services and products provided by Kauneuskeskus Eleganssi. The negative feedback was mostly single and they did not represent the overall opinion. The main problem, as the survey indicated, was the vagueness of the regular customer system and the maintenance of the relationship with the regular customers. The bachelor’s thesis provides a few development proposals of how to improve the regular customer system and customers’ feedback system. Furthermore the business idea was upgraded based on the results of the survey

Depictions of Life as portrayed in the novel Pallikondapuram

The classical language, Tamil, has infinite creative elements. In the literary works from the Sangam age to the present day, it is known that the soil and man are the objects of the subject. Literature, which is life's fiction, serves as a repository for describing people's lives. Thus, novel literature has the ability to record all aspects of life. The novel Pallikondapuram has captured the life stories of the people of Kerala very well. The fact that the cultural and cultural events that are integral to the lives of people are marked as traces of life gives a sense of history. The novel Pallikondapuram has captured the life stories of the people of Kerala very well. The fact that the cultural events that are integral to the lives of people are marked as traces of life gives a sense of history. Thus, this article describes the life stories mentioned in the novel Pallikondapuram

Comparison of Induction and Recovery characteristics of Propofol and Sevoflurane in Day Care Adult Tonsillectomies

INTRODUCTION: Ambulatory anaesthesia is one administered for elective surgical procedure performed on carefully selected patients, which is undertaken with all its constituent elements (admission, surgery and discharge home) on the same day. It is also referred to as day case, day care or outpatient anaesthesia and more recently office - based anaesthesia. Ambulatory anaesthesia is a rapidly growing subspecialty. Although its history is as old as the history of general anaesthesia itself, it has emerged as a recognized concept and is evolving over the past couple of decades. In the US, it comprises 70 percent of anaesthesia services provided. In the UK, the NHS plan, published recently predicts that 75 percent of elective surgical procedures will soon be conducted as day cases. Back home, 70 percent of elective surgeries that qualify the criteria are performed as day cases in Hinduja Hospital, Mumbai. Anaesthetic agents today have been designed and marketed to meet specific niche criteria for ambulatory anaesthesia. Among the agents available in India, propofol and sevoflurane have increased the ability of the anaesthesiologist to provide a successful day case experience. The present study compares the induction and recovery characteristics of these two anaesthetic drugs and their usefulness in ambulatory anaesthesia. AIM OF THE STUDY: The aim of the study is to compare the induction and recovery characteristics of propofol and sevoflurane by the time to loss of consciousness, incidence of apnoea, induction complications, recovery times and incidence of postoperative nausea,vomiting & pain when they are used as sole induction and maintenance anaesthetic agent in adult tonsillectomies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was carried out in the ENT theatre, Government General Hospital, Chennai after obtaining ethical committee and institutional approval. The aim of the study was to compare the induction and recovery characteristics of propofol and sevoflurane when they are used as single induction and maintenance anaesthetic agent in adult day care tonsillectomies. STUDY DESIGN: The study was a randomized prospective study. SELECTION OF CASES: Forty patients undergoing tonsillectomy were selected for the study. Their age ranged from 13 to 40 years. All the patients were assessed and those with normal clinical, biochemical, radiological and haematological parameters were selected. Informed written consent was obtained from all the patients and parents in case of minor. Each patient was randomly allocated to either the propofol or the sevoflurane group by lots. The groups were named ‘P’ for propofol and ‘S’ for sevoflurane. INCLUSION CRITERIA: 1. Assessed patients of ASA physical status I & II. 2.Normal biochemical and haematological parameters. 3. Age group between 13 to 40 years. 4. No known hypersensitivity to egg or drugs. 5. Airway – MPC I & II. 6. Undergoing tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy. 7. Surgery lasting around one hour. 8. Patients normally able to ambulate well. 9. Educated attender who can understand and carryout instructions. EXCLUSION CRITERIA: 1. Patient not willing, 2. ASA class III and above, 3. Patients with H/O drug or egg allergy, 4. Anticipated difficult airway, 5. H/O serious adverse experience with anaesthesia, 6. Severe CVS/RS/CNS/ Metabolic disease. MATERIALS: 1. Anaesthesia machine with sevoflurane vaporizer. 2. Appropriate drugs in labeled, preloaded syringes. 3. functioning Laryngoscope with appropriate size blades 4. Appropriate sized endotracheal tubes, 5. Equipments and drugs for resuscitation. METHODS: Patients were assessed pre-operatively. Procedure was explained to the patient and informed consent obtained. They were assessed with particular attention to any contraindications. The tests for recovery and the importance of strictly following instructions were emphasized. SUMMARY: Despite the low blood: gas solubility of sevoflurane, the inhalation induction of anaesthesia was slower than intravenous induction with propofol. Though the incidence of induction complications was more with sevoflurane group, they did not compromise tracheal intubation or haemadynamics except severe bradycardia observed in one patient. The increased incidence of apnoea in both groups is attributable to the enhancement of the ventilatory depressant effect of propofol and sevoflurane by the opioid fentanyl. The shorter emergence time in the sevoflurane group did not translate into a shorter hospital study. And the increased incidence of PONV and pain did not affect the time for home readiness. Though the small sample size in our study precludes drawing statistical conclusions, sevoflurane is found to be a useful alternative for elective procedures of short duration. CONCLUSION: On comparing the induction and recovery characteristics of propofol and sevoflurane in adult tonsillectomies, it was found that:- · Induction with sevoflurane is slower and with more complications. · Incidence of apnoea is equal in both groups. · Phase I & II recovery times were comparable between both groups. · Sevoflurane anaesthesia was associated with high PONV and postoperative pain rate which is statiscally not significant. · The smoother induction and less post operative PONV and pain with propofol make it more ideal for induction and maintenance of anaesthesia in adult outpatient surgeries

Evaluation of the Proliferative and Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition Characteristics in Oral Epithelial Dysplasia: A Case Control study

BACKGROUND: Abnormal proliferations, presence of cancer stem cells and epithelial mesenchymal transition have been hypothesized to play a vital role in the malignant transformation of dysplastic epithelium. The evaluation of these characteristics using molecular markers is been carried out in this study. AIM AND OBJECTIVE: To study and compare the expression of the proliferative marker Ki-67, cancer stem cell marker Oct-4, cell to cell adhesion molecule E-cadherin in oral epithelial dysplasia cases compared to controls. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Formalin fixed, paraffin embedded tissue sections of Oral epithelial dysplasia (n= 30) with equal representation from each grade which were histopathologicaly diagnosed were used in this study. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed with the antibodies against Ki-67, Oct-4 and E-cadherin and scoring was done based on the scoring criteria. RESULTS: Ki-67 expression between cases and controls was statistically significant, Oct-4 expression between cases and controls was not statistically significant and the expression of E-cadherin between cases and controls was statistically significant between cases and controls. CONCLUSION: The significant difference in the expression of the proliferative marker Ki67 and cell to cell adhesion molecule E cadherin between cases and controls suggest that these markers may play a vital role in transformation to malignancy