Prioritized Service Scheme with QoS Provisioning in a Cloud Computing System

A priority scheme is proposed in which the prioritized customers get guaranteed Quality of Service (QoS) by the cloud computing system in terms of lesser response time. The concept of selection probability is introduced according to which the cloud metascheduler chooses the next query for execution. The prioritized customers are categorized into different priority queues which are modeled as M/M/1/K/K queues and an analytical model is developed for the calculation of selection probabilities. Two algorithms are proposed for explaining the processing at the users’ end and at the cloud computing server’s end. The results obtained are validated using the numerical simulations

Adaptive batching scheme for multicast near video-on-demand (nvod) system

Video-on-Demand is becoming most sought after multimedia applications. It is difficult to attain a true video-on-demand (TVOD) system, so near video-on-demand (NVOD) is catching the attention of people. In NVOD, requests are multicast in different streams. Important issue in this system is the choice of batching time. Traditionally the batching time is fixed depending on the number of requests. In this paper we have suggested an adaptive batching scheme (ABS) where batching time is adjusted according to the current arrival rate, which follows the hyper-exponential distribution pattern. A comparison is made between the fixed and adaptive batching schemes. Numerical illustrations are provided to show that adaptive batching policy is better than fixed batching policy for optimizing bandwidth requirements

Illuminating dark matter: Light microscopy and Raman spectroscopy through transparent porous media for applications in soil and sediment microbial ecology

Soils offer habitats to an unparalleled abundance and diversity of microorganisms, whose activities are critical to agriculture, ecosystem health, and biogeochemical cycling. A major barrier to understanding soil microbes within their habitats is the opacity of natural soils. Despite a long history of endeavors to visualize life in the soil, and promising advancements in this field, non-destructive approaches that allow dynamic insights into microbial life in soils are particularly lacking. Chapter 1 reviews this field and outlines the history and potential of optically transparent porous media as model soil systems amenable to non-destructive imaging of soil microorganisms within three-dimensional soil-like matrices. In Chapter 2, I introduce the utility of single-cell Raman spectroscopy (SCRS) for non-destructive stable isotope probing over time, particularly for monitoring the uptake of 13C by bacteria from complex natural polysaccharides. This spatially resolved and non-destructive approach allows us to ask the question, “Do bacterial biofilms allow bacteria to stick together in numbers large enough to initiate cooperative decomposition of necromass?’ In Chapter 3, I assess the polymer Nafion and the crystal cryolite as substrates for optically transparent model soil systems called “transparent soil” (TS) microcosms. I find that both substrates are compatible with optical microscopy and enable growth, maintenance, and visualization of micron-sized bacteria in three-dimensional porous matrices over time. Both substrates are also compatible with SCRS, and enable stable isotope probing (SIP) using deuterium (D2O) as a non-destructive marker of microbial activity in situ, while cryolite-based microcosms also enable measurement of 13C label uptake in bacteria. I use D2O label tracing to show that bacterial cells attached to dead fungal hyphae within a Nafion matrix show more metabolic activity after a dry-wet cycle than cells far away from the fungal hyphae, corroborating the important role of fungi in facilitating survival of bacteria in the fluctuating conditions found in soils. In Chapter 4, I present a method for rapid and inexpensive manufacture of microfluidics devices that were used to construct TS microcosms at the lab bench. Chapter 5 summarizes the dissertation overall and offers suggestions for future research.Doctor of Philosoph

Sex Determination by Evaluating Inter-Canine Distance and Mesio-Distal Width of Mandibular Canine

INTRODUCTION: Establishing one’s identity is necessary for legal as well as humanitarian purpose. Sex determining is considered to be one of the major factors employed to assist for the identification of a person. Individual identification heavily relies on the quality of the dental records in the office.AIM: The purpose of this study was to assess the usefulness of the Mandibular Canine Index(MCI) as an aid in sexual dimorphism in Kanpur population using mesiodistal with intercanine distance of mandibular canines.MATERIALS AND METHOD: This was an experimental study involving the preparation of plaster casts of 200 males and females each residing in Kanpur, UP, India. Both the genders were in the age group of 17-30 years. The casts for study were prepared and measurements of mandibular canine along with intercanine distance were taken. The MCI calculations were done using standard equations. Statistical analysis used students’t-test. All values were considered statistically significant for value of p<0.05.RESULTS: The present study demonstrated that left MCI predictability for males is more whereas in case of females, right MCI predictability is more, with no significant variation in the intercanine distance.CONCLUSION: It was found out that mandibular canines exhibit maximum sexual dimorphism, hence, they can be considered as the key teeth for one’s identification

THE MULTIFACTORIAL ETIOLOGY OF EATING DISORDERS OUTLINED IN A CASE OF ANOREXIA NERVOSA AND COMPLICATED BY PSYCHIATRIC CO-MORBIDITIES

This article outlines a case of anorexia nervosa within the context of its multifactorial etiology and complex neurobiology. Additionally, it also highlights that in this case there were several co-morbid personality traits and other psychiatric co-morbidites such as OCD and bipolar disorder

THE MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH TO MOOD DISORDERS

This article outlines the use of the multidisciplinary approach to mood disorders in the Short Stay Psychiatric Unit (SSPU) in Mater Dei Hospital, Msida, Malta. An audit was carried out on all patients whose first admission to SSPU was in 2008 and who were diagnosed with having a mood disorder. The aim was to see whether the use of a multidisciplinary approach is in actual fact affecting patient outcome or not. The latter was measured by recording whether the patients needed any further admission and if this was the case, the length in days leading to their 2nd admission

Aspects of secondary bonding intramolecular interaction in organomercury and organochalcogen derivatives

Recent trends in the area of intramolecularly coordinated organomercury and organochalcogens derivatives are reviewed. Intramolecular coordination in organomercury derivatives facilitates the formation of mercurametallamacrocycle and leads to novel metal-metal interaction with closed shell ions. It also plays a key role in stabilizing telluroxanes as well as in the activation of chalcogen-carbon bonds

The multidisciplinary approach to mood disorders

This article outlines the use of the multidisciplinary approach to mood disorders in the Short Stay Psychiatric Unit (SSPU) in Mater Dei Hospital, Msida, Malta. An audit was carried out on all patients whose first admission to SSPU was in 2008 and who were diagnosed with having a mood disorder. The aim was to see whether the use of a multidisciplinary approach is in actual fact affecting patient outcome or not. The latter was measured by recording whether the patients needed any further admission and if this was the case, the length in days leading to their 2nd admission.peer-reviewe

Efficacy of chlorhexidine, hydrogen peroxide and tulsi extract mouthwash in reducing halitosis using spectrophotometric analysis : a randomized controlled trial

To evaluate the efficacy of tulsi extract mouthrinse in reducing halitosis as compared to chlorhexidine and hydrogen peroxide mouthrinses using spectrophotometric analysis. It was a parallel, single center, double blinded randomized controlled trial of 15 days duration. A total of 300 participants were screened, out of which 45 subjects those fulfilled inclusion criteria of age range 17-35 years were included in the trial. The participants were randomly provided with tulsi, hydrogen peroxide or chlorhexidine mouthwashes (control group) to use 10 ml twice daily for 15 days. Clinical measurements were taken at baseline and 15 days using arbitrary 0-5 scale for organoleptic odor assessments, spectrophotometric analysis for Volatile Sulphide Compounds (VSCs) from saliva samples, Löe & Silness gingival index and Silness & Löe plaque index. After intervention, organoleptic, VSCs, gingival and plaque scores showed statistically significant decrease in all the three study groups. The mean percentage reduction in VSC and organoleptic scores was significantly greater in chlorhexidine and hydrogen peroxide groups than in the tulsi group and the mean percentage reduction in plaque and gingival scores was significantly greater in chlorhexidine group than in hydrogen peroxide and tulsi group. Tulsi may not have the efficacy of chlorhexidine and hydrogen peroxide mouthrinses. But, Tulsi is effective in reducing halitosis, plaque and gingivitis and with its lack of side effects & cost effectiveness, can be an effective & economic tool to deal with halitosis. The spectrophotometric technique appears to be a promising method for evaluation of oral malodor

Transparent soil microcosms for live-cell imaging and non-destructive stable isotope probing of soil microorganisms

Microscale processes are critically important to soil ecology and biogeochemistry yet are difficult to study due to soil\u27s opacity and complexity. To advance the study of soil processes, we constructed transparent soil microcosms that enable the visualization of microbes via fluorescence microscopy and the non-destructive measurement of microbial activity and carbon uptake in situ via Raman microspectroscopy. We assessed the polymer Nafion and the crystal cryolite as optically transparent soil substrates. We demonstrated that both substrates enable the growth, maintenance, and visualization of microbial cells in three dimensions over time, and are compatible with stable isotope probing using Raman. We applied this system to ascertain that after a dry-down/rewetting cycle, bacteria on and near dead fungal hyphae were more metabolically active than those far from hyphae. These data underscore the impact fungi have facilitating bacterial survival in fluctuating conditions and how these microcosms can yield insights into microscale microbial activities