Answering user queries based on aggregate information

People often consult others in their neighborhood for recommendations regarding specific household needs, such as appliances, furniture, kitchenware, etc. Many common household objects have the capability to connect to the Internet. However, there are no current mechanisms to obtain and present aggregate information about these items, e.g., for geographic neighborhoods. This disclosure describes techniques that use permitted information gathered from smart objects in households in a neighborhood to provide appropriate answers to user queries. The information is obtained with permission of the respective users that own the smart objects and can be incorporated within rule-based and/or machine learning based techniques to generate answers

Advertising based on usage characterization of household appliances

This disclosure describes usage characterization of an appliance (or service) within a household and identification of key decision makers associated with the appliance. Per techniques of this disclosure, with user permission and express consent, use of appliances and services within a household is linked to respective users from within the household. Use of an appliance is identified with the use of voice recognition techniques to analyze voice commands issued via a virtual assistant to respective appliances by different users in the household. An edge connects an appliance to one or more users and indicates usage of the appliance that meets a threshold use by a user. The weight of the edge is indicative of an extent of usage. The weighted graph enables identification of decision makers for different products and services. With user permission, the graph can be utilized to direct advertisements for particular products towards key decision makers

Behavior of a Multi-Planetary Search Engine

The present disclosure describes computer-implemented systems and methods for providing search results to users located in remote areas utilizing local hardware and locally cached data to return search results at little or no cost and providing a greater search breadth tier that utilizes remote hardware and data with an associated cost. User profiles associated with the users located in the remote areas may drive an aggregate, anonymized and frequency adjust model to determine subjects of interest to the plurality of users

Customized query responses based on available appliances

This disclosure describes techniques to provide customized responses to user queries for household tasks, e.g., use of an appliance such as a washer/dryer. The responses are customized based on information regarding appliances available within the household, obtained with user permission. The query may be received by a virtual assistant, e.g., available via a household appliance, or via device such as a smartphone, smart speaker, personal computer, etc. Information regarding the appliances is obtained, e.g., by indexing product manuals and other information. Results are provided that guide the user to complete the household task using an available appliance

MEETING-AWARE PRESENTATION OF A HOME SCREEN USER INTERFACE FOR A CLOUD-BASED CONTENT MANAGEMENT PLATFORM

A mechanism is proposed for intelligently presenting a home screen UI of a CBCM platform based on scheduled meetings. The method includes receiving a request to provide a home screen of the CBCM platform. The method also includes determining attributes of one more meetings scheduled in close proximity to receiving the request. Further, the method includes determining whether the request is associated with a meeting based on attributes of the meeting. The method furthermore includes, responsive to determining that the request is associated with the meeting, determining a type of the meeting based on the attributes of the meeting. The method includes predicting one or more files to be displayed in the home screen of the CBCM platform based on the type of meeting. The method then includes presenting the home screen of the CBCM platform with the predicted one or more files

HIV and Malnutrition: Effects on Immune System

HIV or human immunodeficiency virus infection has assumed worldwide proportions and importance in just a span of 25 years. Continuous research is being done in many parts of the world regarding its treatment and vaccine development, and a lot of money has flown into this. However, fully understanding the mechanisms of immune depletion has still not been possible. The focus has also been on improving the quality of life of people living with HIV/AIDS through education, counselling, and nutritional support. Malnutrition further reduces the capacity of the body to fight this infection by compromising various immune parameters. Knowledge of essential components of nutrition and incorporating them in the management goes a long way in improving quality of life and better survival in HIV-infected patients

Acanthus ilicifolius linn.-lesser known medicinal plants with significant pharmacological activities

Acanthus ilicifolius Linn. (Acanthaceae) is relatively lesser-known, yet important medicinal plant of Herbal Materia Medica. The plant is used in traditional systems of medicine, including Traditional Indian Medicine (TIM) or Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). The plant is reported to contain phytochemicals including alkaloid and wide range of glucosides (lignan and phenylethanoid). In traditional medicine, the plant is used in the treatment of diseases ranging from snake bite to skin diseases. Laboratory investigations on extracts of the plant have demonstrated significant pharmacological activities like antioxidant, anticarcinogenic, anti-osteporotic and hepatoprotective. The review analyses traditional medicinal usage, and phyto-pharmacological investigations done on the medicinal plant.Keywords: Acanthus ilicifolius, traditional medicine, phytochemistry, pharmacology, glucoside