Applying Soft Computing Techniques in Information Retrieval

There is plethora of information available over the internet on daily basis and to retrieve meaningful effective information using usual IR methods is becoming a cumbersome task. Hence this paper summarizes the different soft computing techniques available that can be applied to information retrieval systems to improve its efficiency in acquiring knowledge related to a user's query

Analyzing Role of Big Data and IoT in Smart Cities

Big data and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies have evolved and expanded tremendously and hence play a major role in building feasible initiatives for smart city development. IoT and big data form a perfect blend in bringing an interesting and novel challenge to attain futuristic smart cities. These new challenges mainly focus on business and technology related issues that help smart cities to formulate their principles, vision, requirements of smart city applications. In this paper, the role of big data and IoT technologies with respect to smart cities is analyzed. The benefits that smart cities will have from big data and IoT are also discussed. Various challenges faced by smart cities in general related to big data and IoT have also been described here. Moreover, the future statistics of IoT and big data with respect to smart cities is also deliberated

Tuberculosis Notification: Issues and Challenges.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a major public health problem. An emerging menace in India is drug resistant forms of TB. In order to ensure proper TB diagnosis and case management, reduce TB transmission and address the problems of emergence of spread of Drug Resistant-TB, it is essential to have complete information of all TB cases. Therefore, Govt. of India declared Tuberculosis a notifiable disease on 7th May 2012. This paper highlights the fact that notification of TB in the absence of regulation of diagnostic practices, rational use of anti-TB medicines and availability of diagnostic and treatment facilities for drug-resistant TB will pose more problems rather than provide solutions to this problem

Rocket Locations for Minimum Time Interception

Interception of target rocket moving along a trajectory in a gravitational field by an interceptor rocket has been analysed to achieve interception in minimum time duration. Numerical values of the parameters of the intercepting trajectory and locations of the target rocket for launch and target orbits in Earth's gravitational field have been calculated for different impulsive velocity changes applied to the interceptor rocket

A computational framework for identifying design guidelines to increase the penetration of targeted nanoparticles into tumors

Targeted nanoparticles are increasingly being engineered for the treatment of cancer. By design, they can passively accumulate in tumors, selectively bind to targets in their environment, and deliver localized treatments. However, the penetration of targeted nanoparticles deep into tissue can be hindered by their slow diffusion and a high binding affinity. As a result, they often localize to areas around the vessels from which they extravasate, never reaching the deep-seeded tumor cells, thereby limiting their efficacy. To increase tissue penetration and cellular accumulation, we propose generalizable guidelines for nanoparticle design and validate them using two different computer models that capture the potency, motion, binding kinetics, and cellular internalization of targeted nanoparticles in a section of tumor tissue. One strategy that emerged from the models was delaying nanoparticle binding until after the nanoparticles have had time to diffuse deep into the tissue. Results show that nanoparticles that are designed according to these guidelines do not require fine-tuning of their kinetics or size and can be administered in lower doses than classical targeted nanoparticles for a desired tissue penetration in a large variety of tumor scenarios. In the future, similar models could serve as a testbed to explore engineered tissue-distributions that arise when large numbers of nanoparticles interact in a tumor environment.Human Frontier Science Program (Strasbourg, France)David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT (Marie D. and Pierre Casimir-Lambert Fund)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant U54 CA151884)National Cancer Institute (U.S.) (Koch Institute Support (Core) Grant P30-CA14051

Effects of Gamma Radiation on the concentration of 5 Hydroxy L Tryptophan and 5 Hydroxytryptamine in presence of Radioprotector in Sprague Dawley Rats

The result of variation of 5-hydroxy-L-tryptophan (HT) and S-hydroxytryptamine (S-HT) in different tissues of control and gamma-irradiated Sprague Dawley rats with and without a radioprotector Beeta-amino-ethylisothiuronium bromide hydrobromide (AET) combination e.g. (HT + AET) have been studied. The retention of HT, in the tissues studied, decreased after lethal dose (10.5 Gy) but for 5-HT, no such trend was observed after incorporation of HT + AET. A slight tendency of both metabolites to come back to control level was also observed for Sprague Dawley rats. In urine, concentration of HT was less compared to 5-HT with a lethal dose (10.5 Gy). After incorporation of HT + AET the turnover rate of HT and 5-HT were found to be maximum when it was injected through intraperitoneal route

Probabilistic Modeling of High-Temperature Material Properties of a 5-Harness 0/90 Sylramic Fiber/ CVI-SiC/ MI-SiC Woven Composite

An integrated probabilistic approach has been developed to assess composites for high temperature applications. This approach was used to determine thermal and mechanical properties and their probabilistic distributions of a 5-harness 0/90 Sylramic fiber/CVI-SiC/Mi-SiC woven Ceramic Matrix Composite (CMC) at high temperatures. The purpose of developing this approach was to generate quantitative probabilistic information on this CMC to help complete the evaluation for its potential application for HSCT combustor liner. This approach quantified the influences of uncertainties inherent in constituent properties called primitive variables on selected key response variables of the CMC at 2200 F. The quantitative information is presented in the form of Cumulative Density Functions (CDFs). Probability Density Functions (PDFS) and primitive variable sensitivities on response. Results indicate that the scatters in response variables were reduced by 30-50% when the uncertainties in the primitive variables, which showed the most influence, were reduced by 50%

Essential role of MED1 in the transcriptional regulation of ER-dependent oncogenic miRNAs in breast cancer

Mediator complex has been extensively shown to regulate the levels of several protein-coding genes; however, its role in the regulation of miRNAs in humans remains unstudied so far. Here we show that MED1, a Mediator subunit in the Middle module of Mediator complex, is overexpressed in breast cancer and is a negative prognostic factor. The levels of several miRNAs (miR-100-5p, -191-5p, -193b-3p, -205-5p, -326, -422a and -425-5p) were found to be regulated by MED1. MED1 induces miR-191/425 cluster in an estrogen receptor-alpha (ER-\u3b1) dependent manner. Occupancy of MED1 on estrogen response elements (EREs) upstream of miR-191/425 cluster is estrogen and ER-\u3b1-dependent and ER-\u3b1-induced expression of these miRNAs is MED1-dependent. MED1 mediates induction of cell proliferation and migration and the genes associated with it (JUN, FOS, EGFR, VEGF, MMP1, and ERBB4) in breast cancer, which is abrogated when used together with miR-191-inhibition. Additionally, we show that MED1 also regulates the levels of direct miR-191 target genes such as SATB1, CDK6 and BDNF. Overall, the results show that MED1/ER-\u3b1/miR-191 axis promotes breast cancer cell proliferation and migration and may serve as a novel target for therapy

A Single-Institution Retrospective Series of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Adult Glioma Patients

A subset of cancer patients is particularly vulnerable to SARS-CoV-2 infection; however, real-world outcomes-based data on primary central nervous system tumor patients is sparse. This retrospective series describes a cohort of adult glioma patients seen at Stanford Cancer Center between January 1, 2020, and June 30, 2022 who contracted SARS-CoV-2, which, to our knowledge, currently represents the largest single-institution comprehensive analysis of this patient population. We performed a retrospective search of patients seen in the Stanford Neuro-Oncology clinic, identifying 29 cases of COVID-19 amongst glioma patients and extracted clinical data via individual chart review. At the time of COVID-19 diagnosis, 15 patients had been vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2, 8 patients were taking dexamethasone, and 8 were undergoing cancer-specific treatment. Obesity, prior tobacco use, and diabetes were the most common comorbidities. Cough, sore throat, and congestion were the most common symptoms. Five patients were admitted to the hospital and two received COVID-19-specific treatment. None died from COVID-related causes or complications. Our data suggest that glioma patients seen at Stanford Cancer Center do not experience an exceptionally high COVID-19 infectivity, hospitalization, or mortality rate, especially when compared to other vulnerable populations such as lung cancer patients. High vaccination rates, adherence to COVID-19 guidelines, and low prevalence of comorbidities may have contributed to these results

Probabilistic structural analysis methods for space transportation propulsion systems

Information on probabilistic structural analysis methods for space propulsion systems is given in viewgraph form. Information is given on deterministic certification methods, probability of failure, component response analysis, stress responses for 2nd stage turbine blades, Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) structural durability, and program plans.