Wieldy Finger and Hand Motion Detection for Human Computer Interaction

We have developed a gesture based interface for human computer interaction under the research field of computer vision.Earlier system have used the costlier system devices to make an effective interaction with systems, instead we have worked on the web cam based gesture input system.Our goal was to propound lesser cost, wieldy, object detection technique using blobs for detection of fingers.And to give number of count of the same.In addition, we have also implemented the hand gesture recognition

The Modulation of Apoptotic Pathways by Gammaherpesviruses

Apoptosis or programmed cell death is a tightly regulated process fundamental for cellular development and elimination of damaged or infected cells during the maintenance of cellular homeostasis. It is also an important cellular defense mechanism against viral invasion. In many instances, abnormal regulation of apoptosis has been associated with a number of diseases, including cancer development. Following infection of host cells, persistent and oncogenic viruses such as the members of the Gammaherpesvirus family employ a number of different mechanisms to avoid the host cell’s burglar alarm and to alter the extrinsic and intrinsic apoptotic pathways by either deregulating the expressions of cellular signaling genes or by encoding the viral homologues of cellular genes. In this review, we summarize the recent findings on how gammaherpesviruses inhibit cellular apoptosis via virus-encoded proteins by mediating modification of numerous signal transduction pathways. We also list the key viral anti-apoptotic proteins that could be exploited as effective targets for novel antiviral therapies in order to stimulate apoptosis in different types of cancer cells

KSHV Genome Replication and Maintenance

Kaposi’s sarcoma associated herpesvirus (KSHV) or human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8) is a major etiological agent for multiple severe malignancies in immunocompromised patients. KSHV establishes lifetime persistence in the infected individuals and displays two distinct life cycles, generally a prolonged passive latent, and a short productive or lytic cycle. During latent phase, the viral episome is tethered to the host chromosome and replicates once during every cell division. Latency-associated nuclear antigen (LANA) is a predominant multifunctional nuclear protein expressed during latency, which plays a central role in episome tethering, replication and perpetual segregation of the episomes during cell division. LANA binds cooperatively to LANA binding sites (LBS) within the terminal repeat (TR) region of the viral episome as well as to the cellular nucleosomal proteins to tether viral episome to the host chromosome. LANA has been shown to modulate multiple cellular signaling pathways and recruits various cellular proteins such as chromatin modifying enzymes, replication factors, transcription factors and cellular mitotic framework to maintain a successful latent infection. Although many other regions within the KSHV genome can initiate replication, KSHV TR is important for latent DNA replication and possible segregation of the replicated episomes. Binding of LANA to LBS favors the recruitment of various replication factors to initiate LANA dependent DNA replication. In this review, we discuss the molecular mechanisms relevant to KSHV genome replication, segregation, and maintenance of latency

Efficacy and safety of Tinospora cordifolia (Tc) as an add-on therapy in patients with type-2 diabetes

Background: Type 2 diabetes has become a global epidemic. Tinospora cordifolia is being used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes since ancient times. It is a common misconception that Ayurvedic medicines are always safe. In fact, they also pose serious health risks either in the form of adverse reactions or in the form of drug interactions. Hence this study was undertaken to study the efficacy and safety of Tc on human subjects.Methods: We recruited 40 type 2 diabetic patients who were on oral hypoglycaemic agents. These patients were then randomly divided into two groups, A and B. Patients in group A continued with their anti-diabetic medications while in group B Tc was given at a dose of 500 mg three times daily along with their conventional medications. The fasting and post prandial blood glucose levels, renal function tests and liver function tests were recorded at baseline, 3 months and 6 months.Results: During the course of study we observed a decrease in the fasting and post prandial blood glucose levels of the patients. No significant change was observed in the renal function tests and liver function tests and no other event of any adverse drug reactions were recorded.Conclusion: Tinospora cordifolia (Tc) is effective as an add-on therapy in patients with type-2 diabetes. There is no negative impact of Tc on the renal as well as liver function tests.

Passive micropump for microfluidics based devices

One of the essential elements of microfluidics is driving liquid flow in microchannels. Device discussed gives a way to pump liquid passively through a microchannel. The present work represents fiber and paper based passive micro-pumping of liquids through microfluidic devices. The porous structure and network of capillaries inside the paper and fiber materials support spontaneous liquid movement. Agarose gel coating is used with paper in order to achieve variations flow rates. The effect of gel concentration on liquid flow is studied. The concept can be used ubiquitously for microfluidics device application. For its low-cost and is feasible to integrate with devices for low resource settings

24 Hours chronomics of ambulatory blood pressure and its relation with circadian rhythm of 6-sulfatoxy melatonin in night shift health care workers

Background: Night shift workers have altered circadian pattern of blood pressure/heart rate and hormones like melatonin and cortisol. Due to this variation, night shift worker suffers from various cardiovascular disorders and hormonal disturbances.Methods: The Present study was aimed to investigate the effects of rotating night shift on 24 hours chronomics of BP/HR and its relation with 6-sulfatoxy melatonin levels. 62 healthy nursing professionals, aged 20-40 year, performing day and night shift duties were recruited. Each month scheduled to continuous 9 days night shift (12 hours in regular 9 nights, from 20:00 to 08:00); after 9 days night shift they perform remaining duties in day shift and 4 days off in each month.Results: Ambulatory BP and HR were recorded at every 30 min intervals in day time and each hour in night time synchronically with circadian pattern of 6 sulfatoxy melatonin during shift duties. Highly Significant difference was found in double amplitude (2DA) of blood pressure between night and day shift (p<0.001). In night shift, hyperbaric index (HBI) of mean systolic blood pressure was found to be increased at 00-03 am (midnight) while during day shift, peak was found at 06-09 am. Peak melatonin was to be found in early morning as compared to mid night in both the shift.Conclusions: The present study concluded that the desynchronization was appeared during night shift and entrainment of circadian rhythm in the day shift.

Dementia diagnosis in seven languages: the Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination-III in India

OBJECTIVE: With the rising burden of dementia globally, there is a need to harmonize dementia research across diverse populations. The Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination-III (ACE-III) is a well-established cognitive screening tool to diagnose dementia. But there have been few efforts to standardize the use of ACE-III across cohorts speaking different languages. The present study aimed to standardize and validate ACE-III across seven Indian languages and to assess the diagnostic accuracy of the test to detect dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in the context of language heterogeneity.  METHODS: The original ACE-III was adapted to Indian languages: Hindi, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Urdu, Tamil, and Indian English by a multidisciplinary expert group. The ACE-III was standardized for use across all seven languages. In total, 757 controls, 242 dementia, and 204 MCI patients were recruited across five cities in India for the validation study. Psychometric properties of adapted versions were examined and their sensitivity and specificity were established.  RESULTS: The sensitivity and specificity of ACE-III in identifying dementia ranged from 0.90 to 1, sensitivity for MCI ranged from 0.86 to 1, and specificity from 0.83 to 0.93. Education but not language was found to have an independent effect on ACE-III scores. Optimum cut-off scores were established separately for low education (≤10 years of education) and high education (>10 years of education) groups.  CONCLUSIONS: The adapted versions of ACE-III have been standardized and validated for use across seven Indian languages, with high diagnostic accuracy in identifying dementia and MCI in a linguistically diverse context

Giant fibroadenoma in postmenopausal female

Giant fibroadenoma, with an overall incidence of <4%, is an uncommon variant of fibroadenoma. It is common in adolescent age group but sporadic in the elderly. The important differential is phyllodes tumor of the breast which also presents as rapidly enlarging mass. We herein report a case of a middle-aged woman with an unusually large fibroadenoma in the right breast and vascular calcification in the left breast