Self-stabilizing sorting algorithms

A distributed system consists of a set of machines which do not share a global memory. Depending on the connectivity of the network, each machine gets a partial view of the global state. Transient failures in one area of the network may go unnoticed in other areas and may cause the system to go to an illegal global state. However, if the system were self-stabilizing, it would be guaranteed that regardless of the current state, the system would recover to a legal configuration in a finite number of moves; The traditional way of creating reliable systems is to make redundant components. Self-stabilization allows systems to be fault tolerant through software as well. This is an evolving paradigm in the design of robust distributed systems. The ability to recover spontaneously from an arbitrary state makes self-stabilizing systems immune to transient failures or perturbations in the system state such as changes in network topology; This thesis presents an O(nh) fault-tolerant distributed sorting algorithm for a tree network, where n is the number of nodes in the system, and h is the height of the tree. Fault-tolerance is achieved using Dijkstra\u27s paradigm of self-stabilization which is a method of non-masking fault-tolerance embedding the fault-tolerance within the algorithm. Varghese\u27s counter flushing method is used in order to achieve synchronization among processes in the system. In the distributed sorting problem each node is given a value and an id which are non-corruptible. The idea is to have each node take a specific value based on its id. The algorithm handles transient faults by weeding out false information in the system. Nodes can start with completely false information concerning the values and ids of the system yet the intended behavior is still achieved. Also, nodes are allowed to crash and re-enter the system later as well as allowing new nodes to enter the system

Management of Hypertension and Diabetes in Obesity: Non-Pharmacological Measures

Obesity has become a global epidemic over the past few decades because of unhealthy dietary habits and reduced physical activity. Hypertension and diabetes are quite common among obese individuals and there is a linear relationship between the degree of obesity and these diseases. Lifestyle interventions like dietary modifications and regular exercise are still important and safe first-line measures for treatment. Recently, bariatric surgery has emerged as an important and very effective treatment option for obese individuals especially in those with comorbidities like hypertension and diabetes. Though there are few effective drugs for the management of obesity, their efficacy is only modest, and they should always be combined with lifestyle interventions for optimal benefit. In this paper we aim to outline the non-pharmacological measures for the management of hypertension and diabetes in obesity

Structural Basis for the Secretion of EvpC: A Key Type VI Secretion System Protein from Edwardsiella tarda

The recently identified type VI secretion system (T6SS) is implicated in the virulence of many Gram-negative bacteria. Edwardsiella tarda is an important cause of hemorrhagic septicemia in fish and also gastro- and extra-intestinal infections in humans. The E. tarda virulent protein (EVP) gene cluster encodes a conserved T6SS which contains 16 open reading frames. EvpC is one of the three major EVP secreted proteins and shares high sequence similarity with Hcp1, a key T6SS virulence factor from Pseudomonas aeruginosa. EvpC contributes to the virulence of E. tarda by playing an essential role in functional T6SS. Here, we report the crystal structure of EvpC from E. tarda PPD130/91 at a 2.8 Å resolution, along with functional studies of the protein. EvpC has a β-barrel domain with extended loops. The β-barrel consists of 11 anti-parallel β-strands with an α-helix located on one side. In solution, EvpC exists as a dimer at low concentration and as a hexamer at higher concentration. In the crystal, the symmetry related EvpC molecules form hexameric rings which stack together to form a tube similar to Hcp1. Structure based mutagenesis revealed that N-terminal negatively charged residues, Asp4, Glu15 and Glu26, and C-terminal positively charged residues, Lys161, Lys162 and Lys163, played crucial roles in the secretion of EvpC. Moreover, the localization study indicates the presence of wild type EvpC in cytoplasm, periplasm and secreted fractions, whereas the N-terminal and C-terminal mutants were found mostly in the periplasmic region and was completely absent in the secreted fraction. Results reported here provide insight into the structure, assembly and function of EvpC. Further, these findings can be extended to other EvpC homologs for understanding the mechanism of T6SS and targeting T6SS mediated virulence in Gram-negative pathogens

Case report: Blotchy skin in a puffy neonate: is there a new association?

IntroductionPurpura fulminans in the neonatal population is a rare but potentially life-threatening condition complicated by thrombosis, resultant vital organ necrosis, and gangrene of the extremities. Considering the rapid evolution of the pathogenetic mechanism, an index of suspicion, early identification, and prompt intervention are imperative for improved outcomes. The majority of purpura fulminans cases have an infectious etiology, but it is essential to consider other congenital and acquired causes.Case descriptionWe present a clinical case of a female neonate to emphasize the correlation between purpura fulminans, congenital chylothorax, involvement of the PAK2 gene, and the occurrence of retinal detachment in both eyes. After draining the congenital chylothorax, the neonate developed purpura fulminans due to a loss of protein C, S, and antithrombin factors, previously not reported in the literature. The purpuric lesions resolved after the administration of fresh frozen plasma. Subsequently, no recurring purpura fulminans lesions were noted following the normalization of the antithrombotic factor levels in the serum. Subsequently, the child also developed retinal detachment in both eyes

Parameter Space of General Gauge Mediation

We study a subspace of General Gauge Mediation (GGM) models which generalize models of gauge mediation. We find superpartner spectra that are markedly different from those of typical gauge and gaugino mediation scenarios. While typical gauge mediation predictions of either a neutralino or stau next-to-lightest supersymmetric particle (NLSP) are easily reproducible with the GGM parameters, chargino and sneutrino NLSPs are generic for many reasonable choices of GGM parameters.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures; v2: version to appear in Phys. Lett.

Assessment of anticancer properties of cumin seed (Cuminum cyminum) against bone cancer

IntroductionEarly-life osteosarcoma is associated with severe morbidity and mortality, particularly affecting young children and adults. The present cancer treatment regimen is exceedingly costly, and medications like ifosfamide, doxorubicin, and cisplatin have unneeded negative effects on the body. With the introduction of hyphenated technology to create medications based on plant molecules, the application of ayurvedic medicine as a new dimension (formulation, active ingredients, and nanoparticles) in the modern period is rapidly growing. The primary source of lead compounds for the development of medications for avariety of ailments is plants and their products. Traditionally, Cuminum cyminum (cumin) has been used as medication to treat a variety of illnesses and conditions.MethodsThe cumin seed was successfully extracted with solvents Hexane, Chloroform, Methanol, Ethanol and Acetone. Following the solvent extraction, the extract residue was assayed in MG63 cells for their anti-proliferative properties. ResultsFirst, we used the [3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-Diphenyltetrazolium Bromide] (MTT) assay to test the extracted residue’s cytotoxicity. The results show that hexane extract Half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50 86 µG/mL) effciently inhibits cells by causing programmed cell death. Furthermore, using the Acridine orange/ethidium bromide (AO/EB) staining method, the lactate dehydrogenase assay, and the reactive oxygen species assay using the Dichloro-dihydro-fluorescein diacetate (DCHFDA) staining method, we have demonstrated that the hexane extract causes apoptosis in MG63 cells. Furthermore, flow cytometry research revealed that the hexane extract stops the cell cycle in the S phase. In addition, the hexane extract limits colony formation and the migration potential as shown by the scratch wound healing assay. Furthermore, the extract from cumin seeds exhibits remarkable bactericidal properties against infections that are resistant to drugs. Gas chromatography analysis was used to quantitatively determine the hexane and methanolic extract based on the experimental data. The primary chemical components of the extract are revealed by the study, and these help the malignant cells heal. The present study finds that there is scientific validity in using cumin seeds as a novel method of anticancer therapy after undergoing both intrinsic and extrinsic research

Vertical variance analysis of geomagnetic disturbance during solar cycle 23

The geomagnetic field consists of temporal variations induced primarily by the variations in the solar wind and embedded interplanetary magnetic field. 34 stations across the Earth have been categorized in this paper on the basis of their geomagnetic disturbance during solar cycle 23 (1997-2008). The Vertical Variance (VV) disturbance quantifier has been used to develop such profile. The latitude profile of geomagnetic disturbance has been found to exhibit a typical 'Knee' behaviour, with the fluctuation content seen to rise sharply beyond this critical latitude determined near 52° latitude. The increasing trend in geomagnetic fluctuation content however is seen to end around the auroral oval beyond where abrupt variations has been observed indicating the transition from closed to open magnetic field lines. The physical mechanism behind this trend has also been explored. The VV analysis of geomagnetic disturbance has revealed prominent features of solar wind – magnetosphere coupling

Vertical variance analysis of geomagnetic disturbance during solar cycle 23

300-309The geomagnetic field consists of temporal variations induced primarily by the variations in the solar wind and embedded interplanetary magnetic field. 34 stations across the Earth have been categorized in this paper on the basis of their geomagnetic disturbance during solar cycle 23 (1997-2008). The Vertical Variance (VV) disturbance quantifier has been used to develop such profile. The latitude profile of geomagnetic disturbance has been found to exhibit a typical ‘Knee’ behaviour, with the fluctuation content seen to rise sharply beyond this critical latitude determined near 52° latitude. The increasing trend in geomagnetic fluctuation content however is seen to end around the auroral oval beyond where abrupt variations has been observed indicating the transition from closed to open magnetic field lines. The physical mechanism behind this trend has also been explored. The VV analysis of geomagnetic disturbance has revealed prominent features of solar wind – magnetosphere coupling

Investigation of Cellular and Molecular Responses to Pulsed Focused Ultrasound in a Mouse Model

Continuous focused ultrasound (cFUS) has been widely used for thermal ablation of tissues, relying on continuous exposures to generate temperatures necessary to induce coagulative necrosis. Pulsed FUS (pFUS) employs non-continuous exposures that lower the rate of energy deposition and allow cooling to occur between pulses, thereby minimizing thermal effects and emphasizing effects created by non-thermal mechanisms of FUS (i.e., acoustic radiation forces and acoustic cavitation). pFUS has shown promise for a variety of applications including drug and nanoparticle delivery; however, little is understood about the effects these exposures have on tissue, especially with regard to cellular pro-homing factors (growth factors, cytokines, and cell adhesion molecules). We examined changes in murine hamstring muscle following pFUS or cFUS and demonstrate that pFUS, unlike cFUS, has little effect on the histological integrity of muscle and does not induce cell death. Infiltration of macrophages was observed 3 and 8 days following pFUS or cFUS exposures. pFUS increased expression of several cytokines (e.g., IL-1α, IL-1β, TNFα, INFγ, MIP-1α, MCP-1, and GMCSF) creating a local cytokine gradient on days 0 and 1 post-pFUS that returns to baseline levels by day 3 post-pFUS. pFUS exposures induced upregulation of other signaling molecules (e.g., VEGF, FGF, PlGF, HGF, and SDF-1α) and cell adhesion molecules (e.g., ICAM-1 and VCAM-1) on muscle vasculature. The observed molecular changes in muscle following pFUS may be utilized to target cellular therapies by increasing homing to areas of pathology