Redundancy in Face Image Recognition

Many researchers paid attention to formulate different algorithms to faces and its classes for accurate classification but, did not paid attention to the fact that redundancy may exists even though faces with different classes are effectively classified. Researchers working on SVD and its extended algorithm versions which were based on face matrix decomposition for face recognition concluded that they are the best algorithms for classification of occluded faces. The problem with these designed algorithms is that there is every likely hood of having more than one value of amplification factor along with classified faces. It is pointed out by researchers that every face will be having one and only one amplification factor and its classified face. This factor will definitely add to the already existing facial recognition problems and challenges. Here is a paper which shows the redundancy in recognition which will be treated as an added problem and challenge for facial recognition

Keyword Specific Cloud Computing

It is now a known fact that Internet of things (Iot) and Cloud computing will be the way ahead. Store and transmit of massive amounts of data is on the cards in the coming years which will profoundly affect other areas of everyday life in the next generation. Cloud and Iot are merged together is seen as an enabler of a large number of application scenarios. As an example at the start of 2016 automakers are building a driverless taxi service. Keeping this in mind a novel idea of keyword based Cloud Computing is brought about in this paper which gives out entire data to the user if the user types the keyword of the required entity

Rising incidence of hip fractures in Sindhudurg west coast of Maharashtra, South India (2000 to 2011)

Background: The incidence of hip fractures in Sindhudurg, west coast of Maharashtra has been reported in relation to age and gender.Methods: Using the medical records and X-ray registers from May 2000 to October 2011, all patients of proximal femoral fractures were recorded and included in this study. The data was cross checked doubly with details of indoor case papers against ward admission and operation theatre registers, were found to be congruent after verifying the names of patients.Results: The total male incidence was bimodal with moderate peaks at 31 to 50 years and very high at 51 to 70 years. The female incidence with peaks at 41 to 60 years with regular steady increase up to 80 years. Males of 31 to 70 years 2.5 times more likely to sustain a fracture (95% CI 2.3 to 2.8) than females. Females between 40 to 60 years 2.8 times more likely to sustain fracture than males (95% CI 2.5 to 3.0). The trend was stable from year to year. This high increase in hip fractures in men of 51 to 70 years incidence documented osteoporotic fractures in contrast with too much emphasis on the importance of menopause in hip fractures.Conclusions: Despite wide variations in age specific hip fracture rates over a decade, reasons for differences are not clear. From 2000 to 2011, the hip fractures in district hospital increased by a factor of 6.6%, 14.34% in both the genders above the age of 41 years in parallel with hospital admissions.

Propellant Grade Hydrazine in Mono/Bi-propellant Thrusters: Preparation and Performance Evaluation

Propellant grade hydrazine was prepared with 64 per cent yield and 95.5 per cent purity. Purity of the propellant grade hydrazine was determined using wet chemical, gas chromatographic (GC) and eudiometric methods. It was observed that the compositions containing blends of hydrazine-methyl alcohol-ammonium nitrate and hydrazine-methyl alcohol-ammonium perchlorate were not found to be frozen even after cooling to -65 °C for 30 minutes. Mono and bi-propellant thrusters were designed and developed to demonstrate the performance of prepared propellant grade hydrazine as a promising rocket fuel. Five static tests with 22 N thruster and one static test with 1 N thruster were performed successfully in mono-propellant mode. The hurdles of chamber pressure oscillations were overcome by compact packing of the catalyst. The desired decomposition and chamber pressure were achieved. One static test was performed successfully with 60 N bi-propellant thruster. The desired chamber pressure and thrust were achieved. The combustion was smooth and C* achieved was higher than that of UH-25, N2O4 combination. The performance of prepared propellant grade hydrazine shows it as a promising rocket fuels.Defence Science Journal, Vol. 65, No. 1, January 2015, pp.31-38, DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.14429/dsj.65.798

12-Lipoxygenase governs the innate immune pathogenesis of islet inflammation and autoimmune diabetes

Macrophages and related myeloid cells are innate immune cells that participate in the early islet inflammation of type 1 diabetes (T1D). The enzyme 12-lipoxygenase (12-LOX) catalyzes the formation of proinflammatory eicosanoids, but its role and mechanisms in myeloid cells in the pathogenesis of islet inflammation have not been elucidated. Leveraging a model of islet inflammation in zebrafish, we show here that macrophages contribute significantly to the loss of β cells and the subsequent development of hyperglycemia. The depletion or inhibition of 12-LOX in this model resulted in reduced macrophage infiltration into islets and the preservation of β cell mass. In NOD mice, the deletion of the gene encoding 12-LOX in the myeloid lineage resulted in reduced insulitis with reductions in proinflammatory macrophages, a suppressed T cell response, preserved β cell mass, and almost complete protection from the development of T1D. 12-LOX depletion caused a defect in myeloid cell migration, a function required for immune surveillance and tissue injury responses. This effect on migration resulted from the loss of the chemokine receptor CXCR3. Transgenic expression of the gene encoding CXCR3 rescued the migratory defect in zebrafish 12-LOX morphants. Taken together, our results reveal a formative role for innate immune cells in the early pathogenesis of T1D and identify 12-LOX as an enzyme required to promote their prodiabetogenic phenotype in the context of autoimmunity

Tissue Microenvironments Define and Get Reinforced by Macrophage Phenotypes in Homeostasis or during Inflammation, Repair and Fibrosis

Current macrophage phenotype classifications are based on distinct in vitro culture conditions that do not adequately mirror complex tissue environments. In vivo monocyte progenitors populate all tissues for immune surveillance which supports the maintenance of homeostasis as well as regaining homeostasis after injury. Here we propose to classify macrophage phenotypes according to prototypical tissue environments, e.g. as they occur during homeostasis as well as during the different phases of (dermal) wound healing. In tissue necrosis and/or infection, damage- and/or pathogen-associated molecular patterns induce proinflammatory macrophages by Toll-like receptors or inflammasomes. Such classically activated macrophages contribute to further tissue inflammation and damage. Apoptotic cells and antiinflammatory cytokines dominate in postinflammatory tissues which induce macrophages to produce more antiinflammatory mediators. Similarly, tumor-associated macrophages also confer immunosuppression in tumor stroma. Insufficient parenchymal healing despite abundant growth factors pushes macrophages to gain a profibrotic phenotype and promote fibrocyte recruitment which both enforce tissue scarring. Ischemic scars are largely devoid of cytokines and growth factors so that fibrolytic macrophages that predominantly secrete proteases digest the excess extracellular matrix. Together, macrophages stabilize their surrounding tissue microenvironments by adapting different phenotypes as feed-forward mechanisms to maintain tissue homeostasis or regain it following injury. Furthermore, macrophage heterogeneity in healthy or injured tissues mirrors spatial and temporal differences in microenvironments during the various stages of tissue injury and repair. Copyright (C) 2012 S. Karger AG, Base

Comprehensive Proteomics Analysis of Stressed Human Islets Identifies GDF15 as a Target for Type 1 Diabetes Intervention

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) results from the progressive loss of β cells, a process propagated by pro-inflammatory cytokine signaling that disrupts the balance between pro- and anti-apoptotic proteins. To identify proteins involved in this process, we performed comprehensive proteomics of human pancreatic islets treated with interleukin-1β and interferon-γ, leading to the identification of 11,324 proteins, of which 387 were significantly regulated by treatment. We then tested the function of growth/differentiation factor 15 (GDF15), which was repressed by the treatment. We found that GDF15 translation was blocked during inflammation, and it was depleted in islets from individuals with T1D. The addition of exogenous GDF15 inhibited interleukin-1β+interferon-γ-induced apoptosis of human islets. Administration of GDF15 reduced by 53% the incidence of diabetes in NOD mice. Our approach provides a unique resource for the identification of the human islet proteins regulated by cytokines and was effective in discovering a potential target for T1D therapy

The dominant Anopheles vectors of human malaria in the Asia-Pacific region: occurrence data, distribution maps and bionomic précis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The final article in a series of three publications examining the global distribution of 41 dominant vector species (DVS) of malaria is presented here. The first publication examined the DVS from the Americas, with the second covering those species present in Africa, Europe and the Middle East. Here we discuss the 19 DVS of the Asian-Pacific region. This region experiences a high diversity of vector species, many occurring sympatrically, which, combined with the occurrence of a high number of species complexes and suspected species complexes, and behavioural plasticity of many of these major vectors, adds a level of entomological complexity not comparable elsewhere globally. To try and untangle the intricacy of the vectors of this region and to increase the effectiveness of vector control interventions, an understanding of the contemporary distribution of each species, combined with a synthesis of the current knowledge of their behaviour and ecology is needed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Expert opinion (EO) range maps, created with the most up-to-date expert knowledge of each DVS distribution, were combined with a contemporary database of occurrence data and a suite of open access, environmental and climatic variables. Using the Boosted Regression Tree (BRT) modelling method, distribution maps of each DVS were produced. The occurrence data were abstracted from the formal, published literature, plus other relevant sources, resulting in the collation of DVS occurrence at 10116 locations across 31 countries, of which 8853 were successfully geo-referenced and 7430 were resolved to spatial areas that could be included in the BRT model. A detailed summary of the information on the bionomics of each species and species complex is also presented.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This article concludes a project aimed to establish the contemporary global distribution of the DVS of malaria. The three articles produced are intended as a detailed reference for scientists continuing research into the aspects of taxonomy, biology and ecology relevant to species-specific vector control. This research is particularly relevant to help unravel the complicated taxonomic status, ecology and epidemiology of the vectors of the Asia-Pacific region. All the occurrence data, predictive maps and EO-shape files generated during the production of these publications will be made available in the public domain. We hope that this will encourage data sharing to improve future iterations of the distribution maps.</p

Sex differences in the blood biochemical parameters of the fresh water fish, Notopterus notopterus (Pallas, 1789)

Before blood constituents data can be applied as a diagnostic tool, general patterns related to sex, season and collection of fish and location need to be well documented and understood. The sex of the fish may also influence the blood parameters. In turn, the values of the different blood biochemical parameters significantly influence the physiological factors and sex of the fish. Hence, there is a need to assess before reporting the biochemical indices of the fish species. The present study was undertaken to know the difference between male and female blood biochemical parameters of the fish, Notopterus notopterus. The blood biochemical measurements included glucose, protein, total cholesterol, HDL and LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, creatinine, enzymes-SGPT, SGOT and alkaline phosphatase. Furthermore, the electrolytes - sodium, potassium, calcium and phosphorous were compared with regard to sex. Moreover, the effect of sex on quantitative changes in fish blood was studied. The blood parameters between the sexes indicated that male fishes consistently had higher level of all biochemical parameters than did the female fishes, and this study may be a proposal as means of sexing fish. This indicates that the male fish is biochemically and nutritionally richer than the female; in female fish this effect may come about because much of the metabolites and nutrients are continuously being exhausted in the development of gonads (ovary). The results of this study could be used for monitoring the health and the physiological condition of the fish, Notopterus notopterus in a particular aquatic body

Role of centrally administered melatonin and inhibitors of COX and NOS in LPS-induced hyperthermia and adipsia

In the present study we have examined the effect of centrally administered Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDS), Nitric Oxide Synthase (NOS) inhibitor and melatonin on Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced hyperthermia and its anti-dipsogenic effect. Intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) administration of LPS (100–200 ng/rat) induces a dose dependent elevation in body temperature and decreases water consumption in 24 h water deprived rats. Coadministration of NSAIDS (indomethacin and nimesulide: 10 nM/rat each) with LPS (100 ng) reversed, whereas NOS inhibitor N^G-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME: 10–20 &#956;g/rat) enhanced LPS-induced hyperthermia. In contrast L-NAME reversed the LPS-induced anti-dipsogenic effect in a dose dependent manner, whereas NSAIDS showed no change in the effect of LPS. Further, centrally administered prostaglandin E₂(PGE₂, 0.5–1 &#956;g/rat) produced hyperthermia without affecting the drinking behavior, suggesting that two independent mechanisms operate in LPS-induced hyperthermia and in the anti-dipsogenic effect. The pineal hormone melatonin is known to inhibit cellular damage caused by LPS, produced dose dependent (5–10 nM.i.c.v.) inhibition of LPS-induced hyperthermia and adipsia, but failed to reverse the PGE₂-induced hyperthermia, shows reversal of LPS-induced hyperthermia by melatonin is due to inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis rather than antagonism of prostaglandin action. The overall study reveals that inhibition of both NO and prostaglandin production by melatonin might be responsible for its reversal of LPS-induced hyperthermia and adipsia