Insights from unifying modern approximations to infections on networks

Networks are increasingly central to modern science owing to their ability to conceptualize multiple interacting components of a complex system. As a specific example of this, understanding the implications of contact network structure for the transmission of infectious diseases remains a key issue in epidemiology. Three broad approaches to this problem exist: explicit simulation; derivation of exact results for special networks; and dynamical approximations. This paper focuses on the last of these approaches, and makes two main contributions. Firstly, formal mathematical links are demonstrated between several prima facie unrelated dynamical approximations. And secondly, these links are used to derive two novel dynamical models for network epidemiology, which are compared against explicit stochastic simulation. The success of these new models provides improved understanding about the interaction of network structure and transmission dynamics

Oral Cancer Awareness and its Determinants among a Selected Malaysian Population

Objective: To assess oral cancer awareness, its associated factors and related sources of information among a selected group of Malaysians. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted on all Malaysian ethnic groups aged >= 15 years old at eight strategically chosen shopping malls within a two week time period. Data were analysed using chi-square tests and multiple logistic regression. Significance level was set at alpha<0.05. Results: Most (84.2%) respondents had heard of oral cancer. Smoking was the most (92.4%) recognized high risk habit. Similar levels of awareness were seen for unhealed ulcers (57.3%) and red/white patches (58.0%) as signs of oral cancer. Age, gender, ethnicity, marital status, education, occupation and income were significantly associated with oral cancer awareness (p<0.05). Conclusions: There was a general lack of awareness regarding the risk habits, early signs and symptoms, and the benefits of detecting this disease at an early stage. Mass media and health campaigns were the main sources of information about oral cancer. In our Malaysian population, gender and age were significantly associated with the awareness of early signs and symptoms and prevention of oral cancer, respectively.Article Link: http://koreascience.or.kr/article/ArticleFullRecord.jsp?cn=POCPA9_2013_v14n3_195

OSPEN: an open source platform for emulating neuromorphic hardware

This paper demonstrates a framework that entails a bottom-up approach to accelerate research, development, and verification of neuro-inspired sensing devices for real-life applications. Previous work in neuromorphic engineering mostly considered application-specific designs which is a strong limitation for researchers to develop novel applications and emulate the true behaviour of neuro-inspired systems. Hence to enable the fully parallel brain-like computations, this paper proposes a methodology where a spiking neuron model was emulated in software and electronic circuits were then implemented and characterized. The proposed approach offers a unique perspective whereby experimental measurements taken from a fabricated device allowing empirical models to be developed. This technique acts as a bridge between the theoretical and practical aspects of neuro-inspired devices. It is shown through software simulations and empirical modelling that the proposed technique is capable of replicating neural dynamics and post-synaptic potentials. Retrospectively, the proposed framework offers a first step towards open-source neuro-inspired hardware for a range of applications such as healthcare, applied machine learning and the internet of things (IoT)

Consumption Patterns of Major Food Items in Pakistan: Provincial, Sectoral and Inter-temporal Differences 1979 - 1984-85

Two studies were presented at the Fourth Annual General Meeting of the Pakistan Society of Development Economists that dealt with the regional and intertemporal differences in .consumption behaviour in Pakistan. The first study by Ahmad and Ludlow (1987) presented a sophisticated analysis using the modified LES method and household-level observations, based on the 1979 Household Income and Expenditure Survey. Based on the disaggregated estimates of the demand response for the rural and urban areas of Pakistan's four provinces the study concluded that there were significant differences in consumption patterns between rural and urban areas and across provinces for the 17 commodities studied. However, the analysis did not present any rigorous econometric testing of these differences. The second study by Malik et of. (1987) while studying the rural-urban differences and the stability of consumption behaviour for six aggregate commodity groups presented fairly rigorous tests to conclude that for the commodity groups studied, although there were statistically significant differences in consumption behaViour over time, there were no rural-urban differences in the two largest categories considered i.e. food and drinks and clothing and footwear in any of the years from 1963•64 to 1984•85 for which the aggregate Household Income and Expenditure Survey data were available in published form. This obvious difference in the results from the two studies could in fact have resulted from the aggregation of the commodities analyzed in the second study. This apparent contradiction in the results needs to be evaluated further

Synthesis and Characterization of New Schiff Bases Derived from N (1)-Substituted Isatin with Dithiooxamide and Their Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Pd(II), and Pt(IV) Complexes

Three new Schiff bases of N-substituted isatin LI, LII, and LIII = Schiff base of N-acetylisatin, N-benzylisatin, and N-benzoylisatin, respectively, and their metal complexes C1a,b = [Co2(LI)2Cl3]Cl, C2 = [Ni(LI)2Cl2]0.4BuOH, C3 = [CuLICl(H2O)]Cl ⋅ 0.5BuOH, C4 = [Pd(LI)2Cl]Cl, C5 = [Pt(L1)2Cl2]Cl2 ⋅ 1.8EtOH.H2O, C6a = [CoLIICl]Cl ⋅ 0.4H2O ⋅ 0.3DMSO, C6b = [CoLIICl]Cl ⋅ 0.3H2O ⋅ 0.1BuOH, C7 = [NiLIICl2], C8 = [CuLII]Cl2 ⋅ H2O , C9 = [Pd(LII)2]Cl2, C10 = [Pt(LII)2.5Cl]Cl3, C11a = [Co(LIII)]C12 ⋅ H2O, C11b = [Co(LIII)]Cl2 ⋅ 0.2H2O, and C12 = [Ni(LIII)2]Cl2, C13 = [Ni(LIII)2]Cl2 were reported. The complexes were characterized by elemental analyses, metal and chloride content, spectroscopic methods, magnetic moments, conductivity measurements, and thermal studies. Some of these compounds were tested as antibacterial and antifungal agents against Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus vulgaris, Candida albicans, and Aspergillus niger

Global investment targets for malaria control and elimination between 2016 and 2030

Background Access to malaria control interventions falls short of universal health coverage. The Global Technical Strategy for malaria targets at least 90% reduction in case incidence and mortality rates, and elimination in 35 countries by 2030. The potential to reach these targets will be determined in part by investments in malaria. This study estimates the financing required for malaria control and elimination over the 2016–2030 period. Methods A mathematical transmission model was used to explore the impact of increasing intervention coverage on burden and costs. The cost analysis took a public provider perspective covering all 97 malaria endemic countries and territories in 2015. All control interventions currently recommended by the WHO were considered. Cost data were sourced from procurement databases, the peer-reviewed literature, national malaria strategic plans, the WHO-CHOICE project and key informant interviews. Results Annual investments of $6.4 billion (95$4.5–$9.0 billion)) by 2020,$7.7 billion (95% UI $5.4–$10.9 billion) by 2025 and $8.7 billion (95$6.0–$12.3 billion) by 2030 will be required to reach the targets set in the Global Technical Strategy. These are equivalent to annual investment per person at risk of malaria of US$3.90 by 2020, US$4.30 by 2025 and US$4.40 by 2030, compared with US$2.30 if interventions were sustained at current coverage levels. The 20 countries with the highest burden in 2015 will require 88% of the total investment. Conclusions Given the challenges in increasing domestic and international funding, the efficient use of currently available resources should be a priorit

Effect of Rake Angle on Stress, Strain and Temperature on the Edge of Carbide Cutting Tool in Orthogonal Cutting Using FEM Simulation

Demand for higher productivity and good quality for machining parts has encourage many researchers to study the effects of machining parameters using FEM simulation using either two or three dimensions version. These are due to advantages such as software package and computational times are required. Experimental work is very costly, time consuming and labor intensive. The present work aims to simulate a three-dimensional orthogonal cutting operations using FEM software (deform-3D) to study the effects of rake angle on the cutting force, effective stress, strain and temperature on the edge of carbide cutting tool. There were seven runs of simulations. All simulations were performed for various rake angles of -15 deg, -10 deg, -5 deg, 0 deg, +5 deg, +10 deg, and +15 deg. The cutting speed, feed rate and depth of cut (DOC) were kept constant at 100 m/min, 0.35 mm/rev and 0.3 mm respectively. The work piece used was ductile cast iron FCD500 grade and the cutting tool was DNMA432 series (tungsten, uncoated carbide tool, SCEA = 0; and radius angle 55 deg). The analysis of results show that, the increase in the rake angle from negative to positive angle, causing the decrease in cutting force, effective stress and total Von Misses strain. The minimum of the cutting force, effective stress and total Von Misses strain were obtained at rake angle of +15 deg. Increasing the rake caused higher temperature generated on the edge of carbide cutting tool and resulted in bigger contact area between the clearance face and the workpiece, consequently caused more friction and wear. The biggest deformation was occurred in the primary deformation zone, followed by the secondary deformation zone. The highest stress was also occurred in the primary deformation zone. But the highest temperature on the chip usually occurs in secondary deformation zone, especially in the sliding region, because the heat that was generated in the sticking region increased as the workpiece was adhered by the tool and later it was sheared in high frictional force