Improve Relevancy of Object Oriented Class Cohesion Metrics with Inheritance

Cohesion is a very important quality attribute in software. As we know that there are number of cohesion metrics are proposed in the literature to measure the cohesion of software systems. These metrics gives undefined values for a large number of classes which comes under special cases. Because of this reason, these metrics became non-applicable for these classes as they are unable to give cohesion values for these classes. In this paper, a value assignment criterion would be used to make cohesion metrics applicable and the concept of inheritance would be included for these special cases. Study the effect of including or excluding the inherited elements i.e., methods and attributes

Analysis Of E-Governance Status and Future Of E-Governance In Punjab

The e-Governance (digital government or online government) refers to government2019;s use of information technology to exchange information and services with citizens, businesses, and other arms of government. E-Governance is a process of reform in the way Governments work, share information, engage citizens and deliver services to external and internal clients for the benefit of both government and the clients that they serve. This paper studies the current status of e-governance and future of e-governance in Punjab

Pharmacological neuroprotection of rat spinal locomotor networks against experimental spinal cord injury in vitro

Background: Mammalian locomotor behaviour called fictive locomotion can be elicited in an isolated spinal cord in the absence of higher brain center or sensory input. This relatively simple behaviour is produced by the motoneuronal rhythmic activity which is under the control of spinal neuronal networks called central pattern generators (CPGs). Disturbance of this rhythmic motor output can occur following spinal cord injury (SCI). This elementary isolated spinal cord model gives us an opportunity to study the basic physiology of locomotion during control conditions, the pathological processes following lesion (which can be induced chemically), and eventually the application of therapeutic approaches curbing injury. Objectives: Multiple aspects of spinal functions can be demonstrated by stimulating or/and blocking specific inputs and measuring the outputs using electrophysiological, immunohistochemical and calcium imaging tools. Using isolated neonatal rat spinal cords and organotypic spinal slices as SCI models, the basic mechanisms (such as dysmetabolic state or excitotoxicity) which can develop during the early phase of the lesion were addressed and studied. The injury was evoked chemically by applying either pathological medium (to mimic dysmetabolic/hypoxic conditions) or kainate (to produce excitotoxicity that completely abolishes fictive locomotion and network synaptic transmission) for 1 h. Fictive locomotion was examined stimulating the lumbar dorsal root and recording from the ipsilateral and ipsi-segmental ventral roots. Other network parameters were also studied such as synaptic transmission and rhythmicity. Various therapeutic drugs such as methylprednisolone sodium succinate (MPSS), propofol, nicotine and celastrol were used during or after the injury (to produce neuroprotection) and network properties were characterized during the treatment and after 24 h as well. Subsequently, the structural properties were monitored using different biomarkers (isolated spinal cord sectioned slices) and calcium imaging (here organotypic spinal slices were used). Results and conclusions: We found that dose-dependent application of MPSS produced modest recovery of white matter damage evoked by pathological medium resulting in the emergence of sluggish chemically induced fictive locomotor patterns. However, it could not prevent damage (to gray matter) evoked by the excitotoxic agent kainate. Therefore, to provide better neuroprotection to gray matter, we tested the widely used intravenous anaesthetic propofol. This drug has shown comparatively good protection to spinal neurons and motoneurons in the gray matter. As it is an anesthetic it acted by depressing the functional network characteristics by lowering the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and potentiating the \u3b3 aminobutyric acid (GABAA) mediated receptor responses. The next issue we addressed was to study the neuroprotective roles of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) by using the receptor agonist nicotine. Recent studies have shown that nicotine could provide good neuroprotection to the rat brainstem. To further investigate its effect on the spinal cord, we applied nicotine at the same concentration used in previous studies in the brainstem: such a concentration was toxic to spinal ventral motoneurons. Therefore the correct dose of nicotine was optimized and was found to be ten times lower. Thus, satisfactory protective effects to spinal neurons and motoneurons and the fictive locomotor patterns were observed. These neuroprotective effects were replicated with calcium imaging by using organotypic spinal slice cultures. The mechanism of protection predominantly involved \u3b14\u3b22 and less \u3b17 nAChRs. In addition, the subsequent goal of our study was to explore whether the motoneuron survival after excitotoxicity relies on cell expression of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) or some other mechanisms. To test this hypothesis we used a bioactive drug, celastrol which induces the expression of HSP70. Prior application of the drug followed by kainate preserved network polysynaptic transmission and fictive locomotion, however, it could not reverse the depression of monosynaptic reflex responses. In vivo studies are necessary in the future to further investigate the long-term neuroprotective role of these drugs

Being Stuck : Understanding the health-related and everyday lived experiences of young mothers in Rexdale, Ontario through a social determinants framework

The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of the ways the health-related and everyday lived experiences of young mothers are shaped by various social determinants, and in the context of their neighbourhood. Using a critical qualitative methodology, five mothers between the ages of 17 to 19 were interviewed from Rexdale, a neighbourhood in the City of Toronto characterized by a number of social risk factors(e.g. high rates of visible minorities, unemployment, and teen mothers). In-depth thematic analysis led to the emergence of four themes: 1) Living in Rexdale: Representations and realities; 2) Leaving Rexdale and wanting something better; 3) Being stuck: Between desire and constraint and; 4) Isolation and support. The results demonstrate the complex ways in which determinants such as gender, class, violence and stigmatizing representations of teen mothers intersect to shape the health-related and everyday lived experiences of young mothers in Rexdale

Layout and Analysis of different Current Mirror using 45nm Technology

This paper proposes new current mirror layout strategies of the circuits which are designed by 45nm technology in Pspice using Tanner Eda tool. Layout strategies help to reduce the matching sensitivity to the linear parameter gradients. The performance of circuit is also analyzed with the help of waveforms generated in W-edit window by varying the input voltage and current values or by changing the arrangement of Mosfet. Simulation results show a significant improvement in matching characteristics of the proposed structures over what is achievable with existing layout techniques in demanding applications.[21

Role of chemerin, a novel adipochemokine, in the human microvascular endothelial cell (HMEC)-1 line

Chemerin is a newly identified adipokine and exerts its functional effects by binding to its natural GPCR, known as CMKLR1. Chemerin is highly expressed in the adipose tissue and in lower levels in other body tissues; and is known to play an important role in adipocyte differentiation and metabolism. Chemerin circulates at the normal physiological concentrations of approximately 3-4nM in humans, and circulating chemerin levels positively correlate with various facets of metabolic abnormalities; such as insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, high triglycerides, hypertension, and associated risks of development of diseases of cardiovascular system. Endothelial Cells (ECs) line the vasculature of the entire circulatory system and form a direct contact with the bloodstream. In this project, the role of chemerin in EC biology was proposed, and was studied in terms of activation of important signalling Mitogen-activated Protein Kinases (MAPKs) including Extracellular signal-regulated Kinase (ERK) 1/2, ERK5, p38, Stress-activated Protein Kinase/c- Jun NH2-terminal Kinase (SAPK/JNK); and Akt/Protein Kinase B (PKB) and Adenosine Monophosphate Protein Kinase (AMPK)-α in a time- and concentrationdependent manners. These signalling kinases regulate the activity of different transcription factors which then regulate the expression of different genes. Chemerin increased the expression of Hypoxia-inducible Factor (HIF)-1α, a hypoxia-inducible transcription factor which is known to regulate the Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) gene expression. Interestingly, VEGF165, the most potent angiogenic isoform of VEGF protein expression was down-regulated by chemerin in a concentration-dependent manner; whereas, chemerin upregulated the protein expression of VEGF165b, an opposite anti-angiogenic counterpart of VEGF165. Chemerin mediated EC proliferation, migration and capillary tube formation; which are the key processes implicated in the process of normal and pathological angiogenesis. Chemerin altered the protein expression levels of Cell Adhesion Molecules (CAMs) including E-selectin, ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 – increased the activity of Nuclear Factor (NF)–kappa (κ) B pathway – and encouraged Endothelial- Monocyte cell adhesion in a concentration-dependent manner. Nitric Oxide (NO), not only keeps the vascular health in check by downregulating the expression levels of adhesion molecules, but also acts as a potent vasodilator. Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase (eNOS), an enzyme constitutively expressed in the endothelial cells regulates the production of NO in the endothelium. Chemerin increased eNOS activity by causing eNOS phosphorylation at Ser1177, and dephosphorylating at Thr495 phosphorylation sites. Chemerin increased the protein expression of nonconstitutively expressed enzyme, inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase (iNOS), which is mainly induced during injury or inflammation and is known to produce 100- to 1000-times more NO compared to that of eNOS. However, interestingly, chemerin failed to show any significant changes in the amounts of combined nitrite and nitrate (NOx) levels in HMEC-1 cells; whereas, nitrite (NO2–) levels were decreased in a concentration-dependent manner

Base rates of failure and classification accuracy of various performance validity tests administered in a medical-legal setting

In neuropsychological assessment, performance validity tests (PVTs) are used to assess whether patients’ performances on cognitive testing represent their true ability levels. Higher base rates of PVT failure (BRFail) have been consistently found in the context of external incentives to appear impaired (e.g., medical-legal settings) as compared to settings without such incentives (e.g., clinical referrals). Despite the exponential growth of interest and empirical research on PVTs within the past decades, most studies have had relatively limited sample sizes and focused on a small number of instruments and clinical populations. To address this void in large-scale research, this dissertation aimed to characterize performance on 14 PVTs of interest (3 free-standing PVTs and 11 embedded validity indicators) in a large sample of adults assessed in a predominantly medical-legal setting (N = 4,721). Specifically, BRFail were reported as a function of several patient characteristics (i.e., diagnosis, age, education, gender, and English language status) in the overall sample (Study 1) and in a subsample demonstrating valid performance on an external criterion PVT (the Word Memory Test [WMT], Study 2). Classification accuracies for various cutoffs on each PVT of interest were also investigated against the WMT (Study 3). In Studies 1 and 2, free-standing PVTs tended to be more robust to the effects of patient characteristics than embedded validity indicators. In Study 3, the majority of previously published cutoffs for PVTs of interest achieved acceptable specificity, with three isolated exceptions. Free-standing PVTs demonstrated better classification accuracy than embedded validity indicators, although no PVT achieved perfect classification accuracy. Taken together, the results of this dissertation highlight the importance of using multiple PVTs and interpreting individual PVT scores in the context of patient characteristics rather than by rigidly adhering to omnibus cutoffs

Development of integrated pest management for sugarcane borer, Diatraea saccharalis in rice

Rice is grown over an area of approximately 500,000 acres in Louisiana. The lepidopteran stem borer complex attacking rice in the southern U.S includes stalk borer Chilo plejadellus Zincken, sugarcane borer (SCB) Diatraea saccharalis (F.) and Mexican rice borer, Eoreuma loftini Dyar. With the increasing impact of stem borers in Louisiana, an urgent need exists to develop strategies for management. Currently, no IPM program is in place for stem borers in Louisiana rice and research has been initiated to develop an IPM program for these pests. The first objective of this research was focused on host plant resistance. For this objective, oviposition preference and larval performance of sugarcane borer on commonly grown rice cultivars in Louisiana were investigated. Results from the oviposition preference study revealed significant differences among cultivars. Overall females of D. saccharalis preferred ovipositing on the upper sides of the leaves of rice plants. In the performance study, three different measures of performance were used. Results from these studies revealed significant differences among varieties for these measures of performance. Results also revealed a strong correlation between different measures of performance as well as between performance and preference. Results from the compensation study revealed differences in compensatory response of same eight cultivars. In the silicon soil amendment study, a significant increase in silicon content of rice plants supplemented with calcium silicate was observed compared to the control plants. Soil Si amendment led to lower relative growth rates and reduced boring success of sugarcane borer larvae on. Studies were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of Dermacor seed treatment against sugarcane borer. Dermacor seed treatment was the most effective among different insecticides used in a field study and significantly increased larval mortality in lab and greenhouse experiments. These studies will help facilitate scouting for sugarcane borer in the field and improvement in insecticide timing. Potential exists for current use of these (moderately resistant) cultivars in IPM programs and as sources of resistance in breeding programs for stem borer resistance. Soil Si amendment and Dermacor seed treatments has the potential to fit into the IPM program