7 research outputs found
An automatic and efficient foreground object extraction scheme
This paper presents a method to differentiate the foreground objects from the
background of a color image. Firstly a color image of any size is input for
processing. The algorithm converts it to a grayscale image. Next we apply canny
edge detector to find the boundary of the foreground object. We concentrate to
find the maximum distance between each boundary pixel column wise and row wise
and we fill the region that is bound by the edges. Thus we are able to extract
the grayscale values of pixels that are in the bounded region and convert the
grayscale image back to original color image containing only the foreground
object
TLR4 and NKT Cell Synergy in Immunotherapy against Visceral Leishmaniasis
NKT cells play an important role in autoimmune diseases, tumor surveillance, and infectious diseases, providing in most cases protection against infection. NKT cells are reactive to CD1d presented glycolipid antigens. They can modulate immune responses by promoting the secretion of type 1, type 2, or immune regulatory cytokines. Pathogen-derived signals to dendritic cells mediated via Toll like Receptors (TLR) can be modulated by activated invariant Natural Killer T (iNKT) cells. The terminal β-(1–4)-galactose residues of glycans can modulate host responsiveness in a T helper type-1 direction via IFN-γ and TLRs. We have attempted to develop a defined immunotherapeutic, based on the cooperative action of a TLR ligand and iNKT cell using a mouse model of visceral leishmaniasis. We evaluated the anti-Leishmania immune responses and the protective efficacy of the β-(1–4)-galactose terminal NKT cell ligand glycosphingophospholipid (GSPL) antigen of L. donovani parasites. Our results suggest that TLR4 can function as an upstream sensor for GSPL and provoke intracellular inflammatory signaling necessary for parasite killing. Treatment with GSPL was able to induce a strong effective T cell response that contributed to effective control of acute parasite burden and led to undetectable parasite persistence in the infected animals. These studies for the first time demonstrate the interactions between a TLR ligand and iNKT cell activation in visceral leishmaniasis immunotherapeutic
Multi-objective green mixed vehicle routing problem under rough environment
This paper proposes a multi-objective Green Vehicle Routing Problem (G-VRP) considering two types of vehicles likely company-owned vehicle and third-party logistics in the imprecise environment. Focusing only on one objective, especially the distance in the VRP is not always right in the sustainability point of view. Here we present a bi-objective model for the G-VRP that can address the issue of the emission of GreenHouse Gases (GHGs). We also consider the demand as a rough variable. This paper uses the Non-Dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (NSGA-II) to solve the proposed model. Finally, it uses Multicriteria Optimization and Compromise Solution (abbreviation in Serbian – VIKOR) method to determine the best alternative from the Pareto front.
First published online 25 February 202
Noontime satellite observations to evaluate clear sky latent heat flux (lE) estimates over diverse agricultural landscapes
Not AvailableA simplified evaporative fraction (L) based single-source energy balance scheme was tested with
moderate resolution ( 1 km) noontime satellite observations to evaluate clear sky latent heat flux (lE)
estimates over diverse agricultural landscapes. This approach uses two-dimensional (2D) scatter
between land surface temperature (LST) and albedo to determine L. The operational utility of this
scheme was demonstrated for estimating regional evapotranspiration and consumptive water use
during rabi (November to April) crop growing season to predict pre-harvest wheat yield (error within
15.9% of reported mean) using time series data. The existence of triangular relations between L and LAI
(leaf area index) or NDVI (normalized difference vegetation index) was found with basal line
(hypotenuse) linearly coupled with LAI or NDVI at low level of surface soil wetness. The analysis of
diurnal course of in situ L proved the validity of constant-L hypothesis over pure, uniform,
homogeneous crop canopies but showed irregular and wave-like patterns over heterogeneous, mixed
crop canopies. The root mean square error (RMSE) of noontime and daytime average lE estimates with
respect to in situ lE measurements were also smaller over homogeneous agricultural canopies (41 and
23Wm 2) with correlation coefficients (r) 0.94 and 0.96, respectively, from 135 clear sky datasets as
compared to RMSE over heterogeneous ones (59 and 28Wm 2 with r = 0.66 and 0.82, respectively from
22 datasets). The intercomparison with another L based approach (LST–NDVI 2D scatter) showed the
supremacy of L determined from LST–albedo 2D scatter. The efficiency of LST–NDVI scatter was better
during the dry down or water limited phases of crop growth only. The uncertainties of lE estimates were
attributed to errors in core radiation budget inputs, relative loss of conservativeness of L due to canopy
heterogeneity, and the inherent limitations of the single-source approach. There is further scope to
reduce present lE uncertainties by combining the new findings on L (LST–albedo scatter)–NDVI
triangular relations, diurnal L and two-source radiation budgetNot Availabl
Asiaticoside Induces Tumour-Necrosis-Factor-a-Mediated Nitric Oxide Production to Cure Experimental Visceral Leishmaniasis caused by Antimony-Susceptible and -Resistant Leishmania Donovani Strains
The aim of this study was to investigate and characterize the efficacy of asiaticoside in an experimental
model of visceral leishmaniasis caused by antimony-susceptible (AG83) and -resistant (GE1F8R and
K39) Leishmania donovani.
The effect of asiaticoside was evaluated by microscopic counting of intracellular amastigotes in
cultured macrophages stained with Giemsa. The antileishmanial effect of the compounds was assessed in
infected BALB/c mice by estimation of splenic and liver parasite burdens in Leishman Donovan units. Cytokines
were measured by real-time PCR and ELISA. Intracellular tumour necrosis factor-a (TNF-a) was measured by
fluorescence-activated cell sorting. Nitric oxide was measured by the Griess reaction.
Besides effectively inhibiting in vitro replication of the parasite within macrophages, asiaticoside treatment
resulted in almost complete clearance of the liver and splenic parasite burden when administered at a
dose of 5 mg/kgĂ—10 starting on day +30 of challenge with antimony-susceptible (AG83) and -resistant
(GE1F8R and K39) L. donovani. Asiaticoside treatment was associated with a switch in the host from a Th2-
to a Th1-type immune response accompanied by the induction of TNF-a-mediated nitric oxide production,
all of which are important elements for macrophage function in antileishmanial defence mechanisms.
These results suggest that oral therapy with asiaticoside shows promising antileishmanial efficacy
in animals infected by antimony-susceptible (AG83) and -resistant (GE1F8R and K39) L. donovani
Abstracts of 1st International Conference on Machine Intelligence and System Sciences
This book contains the abstracts of the papers presented at the International Conference on Machine Intelligence and System Sciences (MISS-2021) Organized by the Techno College of Engineering, Agartala, Tripura, India & Tongmyong University, Busan, South Korea, held on 1–2 November 2021. This conference was intended to enable researchers to build connections between different digital technologies based on Machine Intelligence, Image Processing, and the Internet of Things (IoT).
Conference Title: 1st International Conference on Machine Intelligence and System SciencesConference Acronym: MISS-2021Conference Date: 1–2 November 2021Conference Location: Techno College of Engineering Agartala, Tripura(w), IndiaConference Organizer: Techno College of Engineering, Agartala, Tripura, India & Tongmyong University, Busan, South Korea