309 research outputs found
Face Biometric Cloud Authentication Access Using Extreme Learning Class Specific Linear Discriminant Regression Classification Method
The Extreme Learning Class Specific Linear Discriminant Regression Classification used in this proposed system aims at improving the accuracy and recognition rate of the face biometric identification for secured cloud access. The accuracy is improved by maximizing and minimizing the reconstruction error. The between class reconstruction error (BCRE) and within-class reconstruction error (WCRE) are the two values simultaneously increased and decreased for every sample to provide improved accuracy. By selecting the suitable value of WCRE, the learned projection matrix for the discriminant subspace is identified. The class specific representation is implemented for the label created in feature vector to further improve the efficiency of identifying a face. Based on the classification results given by the proposed EL-CSLDRC method, an efficient access of secured data from the big data cloud system is promoted
Performance Improvement of Cloud Computing Data Centers Using Energy Efficient Task Scheduling Algorithms
Cloud computing is a technology that provides a platform for the sharing of resources such as software, infrastructure, application and other information. It brings a revolution in Information Technology industry by offering on-demand of resources. Clouds are basically virtualized datacenters and applications offered as services. Data center hosts hundreds or thousands of servers which comprised of software and hardware to respond the client request. A large amount of energy requires to perform the operation.. Cloud Computing is facing lot of challenges like Security of Data, Consumption of energy, Server Consolidation, etc. The research work focuses on the study of task scheduling management in a cloud environment.
The main goal is to improve the performance (resource utilization and redeem the consumption of energy) in data centers. Energy-efficient scheduling of workloads helps to redeem the consumption of energy in data centers, thus helps in better USAge of resource. This is further reducing operational costs and provides benefits to the clients and also to cloud service provider. In this abstract of paper, the task scheduling in data centers have been compared. Cloudsim a toolkit for modeling and simulation of cloud computing environment has been used to implement and demonstrate the experimental results. The results aimed at analyzing the energy consumed in data centers and shows that by having reduce the consumption of energy the cloud productivity can be improved
Efficacy of an Extract of Ocimum tenuiflorum (OciBest) in the Management of General Stress: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of OciBest, an extract of Ocimum tenuiflorum Linn. in symptomatic control of general stress. The participants received either placebo (n = 79) or OciBest (n = 71; 1200 mg of actives per day) for six weeks. The severity of stress-related symptoms was self-evaluated by patients at weeks 0, 2, 4 and 6 of the trial period using a symptom rating scale. After six weeks of intervention, scores of symptoms such as forgetfulness, sexual problems of recent origin, frequent feeling of exhaustion, and frequent sleep problems of recent origin decreased significantly (P ≤ 0.05) in OciBest group as compared with placebo group. Also, the total symptom scores of OciBest group revealed significant reduction
(P ≤ 0.05) as compared to placebo group. The overall improvement in OciBest group was found to be 1.6 times or 39% more in the control of general stress symptoms with respect to placebo. No adverse events were reported during the study. The findings revealed that OciBest was found to be effective and well tolerated by all the patients over the six weeks of study period
The association between exposure to aflatoxin, mutation in TP53, infection with hepatitis B virus, and occurrence of liver disease in a selected population in Hyderabad, India
Aflatoxin B1 is a carcinogen produced by Aspergillus flavus and a few related fungi that are often present in many food substances. It interacts synergistically with Hepatitis B or C virus (HBV, HBC) infection, thereby increasing the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The G to T transversion at the third position of codon 249 (AGG) of the TP53 gene, substituting arginine to serine, is the most common aflatoxin-induced mutation linked to HCC. This study examined mutations in TP53 by PCR-RFLP analysis and by measurement of an aflatoxin-albumin adduct as a biomarker for human exposure of aflatoxin B1 by indirect-competitive ELISA, in samples collected from healthy controls as well as patients with hepatitis in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India. A total of 238 blood samples were analyzed the presence of the G to T mutation. Eighteen of these samples were from HBV-positive subjects, 112 of these were from subjects who had HBV-induced liver cirrhosis, and 108 samples were taken from subjects without HBV infection or liver cirrhosis (control group). The G to T mutation was detected in 10 samples, 8 of which were from subjects positive to both HBV and aflatoxin-albumin adduct in blood (p = 0.07); whilst two were from individuals who were HBV-negative, but positive for the aflatoxin-albumin adduct (p = 0.14). The aflatoxin-albumin adduct was detected in 37 of 238 samples, 29 samples were from HBV-positive subjects and eight were from individuals who were positive for both HBV and the TP53 mutation (p = 0.07). The concentration of aflatoxin-albumin adduct ranged from 2.5 to 667 pg/mg albumin. Despite low incidence of the G to T mutation, its detection in subjects positive to aflatoxin-adducts is indicative of a strong association between the mutation and aflatoxin exposure in India
Efficacy of an Extract of Ocimum tenuiflorum (OciBest) in the Management of General Stress: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of OciBest, an extract of Ocimum tenuiflorum Linn. in symptomatic control of general stress. The participants received either placebo (n = 79) or OciBest (n = 71; 1200 mg of actives per day) for six weeks. The severity of stress-related symptoms was self-evaluated by patients at weeks 0, 2, 4 and 6 of the trial period using a symptom rating scale. After six weeks of intervention, scores of symptoms such as forgetfulness, sexual problems of recent origin, frequent feeling of exhaustion, and frequent sleep problems of recent origin decreased significantly (P ≤ 0.05) in OciBest group as compared with placebo group. Also, the total symptom scores of OciBest group revealed significant reduction (P ≤ 0.05) as compared to placebo group. The overall improvement in OciBest group was found to be 1.6 times or 39% more in the control of general stress symptoms with respect to placebo. No adverse events were reported during the study. The findings revealed that OciBest was found to be effective and well tolerated by all the patients over the six weeks of study period
Polymorphisms in MTHFR, MS and CBS Genes and Homocysteine Levels in a Pakistani Population
Background: Hyperhomocysteinemia (\u3e15 mol/L) is highly prevalent in South Asian populations including Pakistan. In order to investigate the genetic determinants of this condition, we studied 6 polymorphisms in genes of 3 enzymes--methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR, C677T, A1298C), methionine synthase (MS, A2756G), cystathionine-beta-synthase (CBS, T833C/844ins68, G919A) involved in homocysteine metabolism and investigated their interactions with nutritional and environmental factors in a Pakistani population. Methodology/Principal Findings: In a cross-sectional survey, 872 healthy adults (355 males and 517 females, age 18-60 years) were recruited from a low-income urban population in Karachi. Fasting venous blood was obtained and assessed for plasma/serum homocysteine, folate, vitamin B12, pyridoxal phosphate and blood lead. DNA was isolated and genotyping was performed by PCR-RFLP (restriction-fragment-length-polymorphism) based assays. The average changes in homocysteine levels for MTHFR 677CT and TT genotypes were positive [beta(SE beta), 2.01(0.63) and 16.19(1.8) mol/L, respectively]. Contrary to MTHFR C677T polymorphism, the average changes in plasma homocysteine levels for MS 2756AG and GG variants were negative [beta(SE beta), -0.56(0.58) and -0.83(0.99) mol/L, respectively]. The average change occurring for CBS 844ins68 heterozygous genotype (ancestral/insertion) was -1.88(0.81) mol/L. The combined effect of MTHFR C677T, MS A2756G and CBS 844ins68 genotypes for plasma homocysteine levels was additive (p valu
Single-cell paired-end genome sequencing reveals structural variation per cell cycle
The nature and pace of genome mutation is largely unknown. Because standard methods sequence DNA from populations of cells, the genetic composition of individual cells is lost, de novo mutations in cells are concealed within the bulk signal and per cell cycle mutation rates and mechanisms remain elusive. Although single-cell genome analyses could resolve these problems, such analyses are error-prone because of whole-genome amplification (WGA) artefacts and are limited in the types of DNA mutation that can be discerned. We developed methods for paired-end sequence analysis of single-cell WGA products that enable (i) detecting multiple classes of DNA mutation, (ii) distinguishing DNA copy number changes from allelic WGA-amplification artefacts by the discovery of matching aberrantly mapping read pairs among the surfeit of paired-end WGA and mapping artefacts and (iii) delineating the break points and architecture of structural variants. By applying the methods, we capture DNA copy number changes acquired over one cell cycle in breast cancer cells and in blastomeres derived from a human zygote after in vitro fertilization. Furthermore, we were able to discover and fine-map a heritable inter-chromosomal rearrangement t(1;16)(p36;p12) by sequencing a single blastomere. The methods will expedite applications in basic genome research and provide a stepping stone to novel approaches for clinical genetic diagnosis
Virulence Characteristics and Genetic Affinities of Multiple Drug Resistant Uropathogenic Escherichia coli from a Semi Urban Locality in India
Extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) are of significant health concern. The emergence of drug resistant E. coli with high virulence potential is alarming. Lack of sufficient data on transmission dynamics, virulence spectrum and antimicrobial resistance of certain pathogens such as the uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) from countries with high infection burden, such as India, hinders the infection control and management efforts. In this study, we extensively genotyped and phenotyped a collection of 150 UPEC obtained from patients belonging to a semi-urban, industrialized setting near Pune, India. The isolates representing different clinical categories were analyzed in comparison with 50 commensal E. coli isolates from India as well as 50 ExPEC strains from Germany. Virulent strains were identified based on hemolysis, haemagglutination, cell surface hydrophobicity, serum bactericidal activity as well as with the help of O serotyping. We generated antimicrobial resistance profiles for all the clinical isolates and carried out phylogenetic analysis based on repetitive extragenic palindromic (rep)-PCR. E. coli from urinary tract infection cases expressed higher percentages of type I (45%) and P fimbriae (40%) when compared to fecal isolates (25% and 8% respectively). Hemolytic group comprised of 60% of UPEC and only 2% of E. coli from feces. Additionally, we found that serum resistance and cell surface hydrophobicity were not significantly (p = 0.16/p = 0.51) associated with UPEC from clinical cases. Moreover, clinical isolates exhibited highest resistance against amoxicillin (67.3%) and least against nitrofurantoin (57.3%). We also observed that 31.3% of UPEC were extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producers belonging to serotype O25, of which four were also positive for O25b subgroup that is linked to B2-O25b-ST131-CTX-M-15 virulent/multiresistant type. Furthermore, isolates from India and Germany (as well as global sources) were found to be genetically distinct with no evidence to espouse expansion of E. coli from India to the west or vice-versa
Antimicrobial resistance among migrants in Europe: a systematic review and meta-analysis
BACKGROUND: Rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are rising globally and there is concern that increased migration is contributing to the burden of antibiotic resistance in Europe. However, the effect of migration on the burden of AMR in Europe has not yet been comprehensively examined. Therefore, we did a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify and synthesise data for AMR carriage or infection in migrants to Europe to examine differences in patterns of AMR across migrant groups and in different settings. METHODS: For this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, and Scopus with no language restrictions from Jan 1, 2000, to Jan 18, 2017, for primary data from observational studies reporting antibacterial resistance in common bacterial pathogens among migrants to 21 European Union-15 and European Economic Area countries. To be eligible for inclusion, studies had to report data on carriage or infection with laboratory-confirmed antibiotic-resistant organisms in migrant populations. We extracted data from eligible studies and assessed quality using piloted, standardised forms. We did not examine drug resistance in tuberculosis and excluded articles solely reporting on this parameter. We also excluded articles in which migrant status was determined by ethnicity, country of birth of participants' parents, or was not defined, and articles in which data were not disaggregated by migrant status. Outcomes were carriage of or infection with antibiotic-resistant organisms. We used random-effects models to calculate the pooled prevalence of each outcome. The study protocol is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42016043681. FINDINGS: We identified 2274 articles, of which 23 observational studies reporting on antibiotic resistance in 2319 migrants were included. The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or AMR infection in migrants was 25·4% (95% CI 19·1-31·8; I2 =98%), including meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (7·8%, 4·8-10·7; I2 =92%) and antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (27·2%, 17·6-36·8; I2 =94%). The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or infection was higher in refugees and asylum seekers (33·0%, 18·3-47·6; I2 =98%) than in other migrant groups (6·6%, 1·8-11·3; I2 =92%). The pooled prevalence of antibiotic-resistant organisms was slightly higher in high-migrant community settings (33·1%, 11·1-55·1; I2 =96%) than in migrants in hospitals (24·3%, 16·1-32·6; I2 =98%). We did not find evidence of high rates of transmission of AMR from migrant to host populations. INTERPRETATION: Migrants are exposed to conditions favouring the emergence of drug resistance during transit and in host countries in Europe. Increased antibiotic resistance among refugees and asylum seekers and in high-migrant community settings (such as refugee camps and detention facilities) highlights the need for improved living conditions, access to health care, and initiatives to facilitate detection of and appropriate high-quality treatment for antibiotic-resistant infections during transit and in host countries. Protocols for the prevention and control of infection and for antibiotic surveillance need to be integrated in all aspects of health care, which should be accessible for all migrant groups, and should target determinants of AMR before, during, and after migration. FUNDING: UK National Institute for Health Research Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, Imperial College Healthcare Charity, the Wellcome Trust, and UK National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare-associated Infections and Antimictobial Resistance at Imperial College London
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