Application of Pairs Trading Model to Exchange Traded Coffee Futures

In this paper, we use the trading model as described by Kanamura, Rachev, & Fabozzi (2010) based on the pairs trading strategies using the Stochastic Spread Method and apply that to the exchange traded coffee futures (Generic ‘KC’ commodity’). We also explain the first-time hitting density, (Linetsky 2004) for mean reverting process and apply this mathematical model to our data in order to find the results. In our empirical evidence, we test the real-time data obtained from Bloomberg in an Excel model based on co-integration approach to spread trading. We also show that the profits are consistent using the theoretical and empirical models andthat profits depend on the mean reversion and volatility of the spread during the period under consideration

On the Real Time Object Detection and Tracking

Object detection and tracking is widely used for detecting motions of objects present in images and video.Since last so many decades, numerous real time object detection and tracking methods have been proposed byresearchers. The proposed methods for objects to be tracked till date require some preceding informationassociated with moving objects. In real time object detection and tracking approach segmentation is the initialtask followed by background modeling for the extraction of predefined information including shape of the objects,position in the starting frame, texture, geometry and so on for further processing of the cluster pixels and videosequence of these objects. The object detection and tracking can be applied in the fields like computerized videosurveillance, traffic monitoring, robotic vision, gesture identification, human-computer interaction, militarysurveillance system, vehicle navigation, medical imaging, biomedical image analysis and many more. In thispaper we focus detailed technical review of different methods proposed for detection and tracking of objects. Thecomparison of various techniques of detection and tracking is the purpose of this work

Effects of Strength Based Supportive Therapy on Family Functioning and Coping among Persons with Alcohol Dependence Syndrome

Background: Alcohol dependence is a complex behaviour with far-reaching harmful effects on the family, work, society, as well as on the physical and mental health of the individual. Epidemiological studies conducted in India showed that 20-30% of our population is using alcohol at a harmful level. Mental health professionals provide support and understanding of the illness for the affected individual and family members. They work together on planning treatment; provide mutual support and understanding of the disorder. Aim: To study the effects of strength based supportive therapy on family functioning and coping of persons with alcohol dependence syndrome. Methodology: This was a hospital based intervention study. It had adopted the quasi-experimental before and after with control group research design. Participants were randomly allocated to the experimental and control groups. 10 persons with alcohol dependence syndrome were selected for the study  five each person with alcohol dependence syndrome and their family members were assigned in the control group (treatment as usual group; TAU) and five persons with alcohol dependence syndrome and their family members were assigned in the experimental group (treatment as usual positive family intervention group). Family functioning was assessed through McMaster family assessment device Patients were assessed through brief cope. Result: The study results indicated a significant improvement in various domains of family functioning in experimental group participants compared to the treatment as usual group. It has also noted improvement in coping among patients. Conclusion: strength based supportive intervention useful for the caregivers as well as it also helps in improving coping among person with alcohol dependence syndrome. Keywords: Strength based supportive therapy, alcohol dependence, caregiver

Molecular Detection of Carbapenem Resistance in Clinical Isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae in Tertiary Care Hospital

Antibiotic resistance has become a serious global threat, mainly due to misuse, overuse of antibiotics and non-compliance with infection control protocol. Superbugs are multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extended drug-resistant (XDR) bacteria, mainly Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli from the Enterobacteriaceae family, which cause opportunistic infections and raise death rates and hospital expenditures. The present study was conducted at a tertiary care teaching hospital to study the epidemiology and molecular detection of carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae isolated from various clinical specimens. 240 K. pneumoniae isolates were collected from January 2020 to December 2021 at the Bacteriology laboratory, Index Medical College and Hospital, Indore. All isolates were analyzed for carbapenem resistance by the conventional disc diffusion method. All carbapenem-resistant isolates were tested for carbapenemase production using the phenotypic double-disk synergy test (DDST) and modified Hodge test (MHT) as per 2020 CLSI guidelines. All isolates were negative by phenotypic methods, further confirmed by conventional PCR to detect the gene responsible for carbapenemase production. 240 isolates of K. pneumoniae were included during the study periods. Out of 240 isolates, 102 isolates were found resistant to carbapenem drugs. All 102 isolates were confirmed carbapenemase and MBL producers by MHT and DDST tests. Among 102, 60 isolates were found to be MBL producers negative by MHT and DDST tests. Sixty phenotypic negative carbapenem-resistant isolates were tested by conventional PCR. One or more carbapenemase genes were detected in 61.0% of isolates. The blaKPC was detected in 13/60 (21%) isolates, followed by blaNDM 10/60 (16%) isolates, followed by blaVIM in 6/60(10%), blaOXA-48 in 5/60 (8%) and blaIMP in 3/60(5%) isolates. K. pneumoniae produces carbapenemase, which enhances resistance to the carbapenem class of antibiotics. The simultaneous detection of these resistance genes expressed by Klebsiella pneumoniae might be managed by early detection and adhering to antibiotic policies that limit the use of antibiotics

Molecular Interpretation of ACTH-β-Endorphin Coaggregation: Relevance to Secretory Granule Biogenesis

Peptide/protein hormones could be stored as non-toxic amyloid-like structures in pituitary secretory granules. ACTH and β-endorphin are two of the important peptide hormones that get co-stored in the pituitary secretory granules. Here, we study molecular interactions between ACTH and β-endorphin and their colocalization in the form of amyloid aggregates. Although ACTH is known to be a part of ACTH-β-endorphin aggregate, ACTH alone cannot aggregate into amyloid under various plausible conditions. Using all atom molecular dynamics simulation we investigate the early molecular interaction events in the ACTH-β-endorphin system, β-endorphin-only system and ACTH-only system. We find that β-endorphin and ACTH formed an interacting unit, whereas negligible interactions were observed between ACTH molecules in ACTH-only system. Our data suggest that ACTH is not only involved in interaction with β-endorphin but also enhances the stability of mixed oligomers of the entire system

Multi-Objective Optimization of the Process Parameters in Electric Discharge Machining of 316L Porous Stainless Steel Using Metaheuristic Techniques

Electric discharge machining is an essential modern manufacturing process employed to machine porous sintered metals. The sintered 316L porous stainless steel (PSS) components are widely used in diverse engineering domains, as interconnected pores are present. The PSS material has excellent lightweight and damping properties and superior mechanical and metallurgical properties. However, conventional machining techniques are not suitable for porous metals machining. Such techniques tend to block the micro-pores, resulting in a decrease in porous materials’ breathability. Thus, the EDM process is an effective technique for porous metal machining. The input process parameters selected in this study are peak current (Ip), pulse on time (Ton), voltage (V), flushing pressure (fp), and porosity. The response parameters selected are material removal rate (MRR) and tool wear rate (TWR). The present work aims to obtain optimum machining process parameters in the EDM of porous sintered SS316L using two meta-heuristic optimization techniques, i.e., Teaching Learning-Based Optimization (TLBO) and Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithms, to maximize the MRR and minimize the TWR values. In the case of PSS having a 12.60% porosity value, PSO and TLBO algorithms give same optimum machining parameters. However, for PSS having an 18.85% porosity value, the PSO algorithm improves by about 5.25% in MRR and by 5.63% in TWR over the TLBO. In the case of PSS having a 31.11% porosity value, the PSO algorithm improves about 3.73% in MRR and 6.46% in TWR over the TLBO. The PSO algorithm is found to be consistent and to converge more quickly, taking minimal computational time and effort compared to the TLBO algorithm. The present study’s findings contribute valuable information in regulating the EDM performance in machining porous SS316L

Meropenem Incorporated ZnO Nanoflakes as Nano Antibiotics: Efficient Antimicrobial Activity against Metallo β-lactamase Producing Clinical Isolates

The number of fatalities caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria is over 700,000 annually due to widespread antibiotic usage. So, there is a need of new antibiotics, materials that work like antibiotics, or combinations of antibiotics with nanomaterials that could help in treating the infections which is caused by MDR bacteria. The present study describes the synthesis of ZnO nanoflakes using a co-precipitation method. The ZnO nanoflakes and ZnO nanoflakes combinations with carbapenem antibiotics were tested against carbapenem-resistant (CR) clinical isolates. The SEM analysis showed surface morphology of the synthesized nanoflakes-like structure of ZnO. All 67 CR isolates were tested and showed inhibitory action at varying concentrations of ZnO nanoflakes. ZnO nanoflakes were found to have an inhibitory effect against Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae at lowest concentration of 1.25 mg.ml-1 of ZnO NPs with average zone size (mean ±SD) 1.91±2.94 mm and 2.00±4.14 mm and the average zone size of ZnO nanoflakes against Acinetobacter baumanni and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was 9.89±0.76 mm and 10.17±0.39 mm at 2.5 mg.ml-1 concentration. The combined action of ZnO nanoflakes with Meropenem 10 mcg demonstrated synergetic activity against CR pathogens, with an average zone of inhibition measuring 15.2 mm in diameter. ZnO nanoflakes illustrated considerable antibacterial activity against MBL-producing gram-negative clinical isolates at the lowest concentration. Chemically synthesized ZnO nanoflakes may offer a superior future expectation as a nano-antibiotic to treat the infection caused by CRE bacteria.The number of fatalities caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria is over 700,000 annually due to widespread antibiotic usage. So, there is a need of new antibiotics, materials that work like antibiotics, or combinations of antibiotics with nanomaterials that could help in treating the infections which is caused by MDR bacteria. The present study describes the synthesis of ZnO nanoflakes using a co-precipitation method. The ZnO nanoflakes and ZnO nanoflakes combinations with carbapenem antibiotics were tested against carbapenem-resistant (CR) clinical isolates. The SEM analysis showed surface morphology of the synthesized nanoflakes-like structure of ZnO. All 67 CR isolates were tested and showed inhibitory action at varying concentrations of ZnO nanoflakes. ZnO nanoflakes were found to have an inhibitory effect against Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae at lowest concentration of 1.25 mg.ml-1 of ZnO NPs with average zone size (mean ±SD) 1.91±2.94 mm and 2.00±4.14 mm and the average zone size of ZnO nanoflakes against Acinetobacter baumanni and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was 9.89±0.76 mm and 10.17±0.39 mm at 2.5 mg.ml-1 concentration. The combined action of ZnO nanoflakes with Meropenem 10 mcg demonstrated synergetic activity against CR pathogens, with an average zone of inhibition measuring 15.2 mm in diameter. ZnO nanoflakes illustrated considerable antibacterial activity against MBL-producing gram-negative clinical isolates at the lowest concentration. Chemically synthesized ZnO nanoflakes may offer a superior future expectation as a nano-antibiotic to treat the infection caused by CRE bacteria