Integration of Expectation Maximization using Gaussian Mixture Models and Naïve Bayes for Intrusion Detection

Intrusion detection is the investigation process of information about the system activities or its data to detect any malicious behavior or unauthorized activity. Most of the IDS implement K-means clustering technique due to its linear complexity and fast computing ability. Nonetheless, it is Naïve use of the mean data value for the cluster core that presents a major drawback. The chances of two circular clusters having different radius and centering at the same mean will occur. This condition cannot be addressed by the K-means algorithm because the mean value of the various clusters is very similar together. However, if the clusters are not spherical, it fails. To overcome this issue, a new integrated hybrid model by integrating expectation maximizing (EM) clustering using a Gaussian mixture model (GMM) and naïve Bays classifier have been proposed. In this model, GMM give more flexibility than K-Means in terms of cluster covariance. Also, they use probabilities function and soft clustering, that’s why they can have multiple cluster for a single data. In GMM, we can define the cluster form in GMM by two parameters: the mean and the standard deviation. This means that by using these two parameters, the cluster can take any kind of elliptical shape. EM-GMM will be used to cluster data based on data activity into the corresponding category

Assesment of electricity excess in an isolated hybrid energy system: A case study of a Dangiwada village in rural Nepal

The increasing demand of power can be fulfilled through different architectures and electricity supply models by utilizing the available local resources. But most of the isolated energy system suffers from high energy cost and unreliable energy supply. This study identifies different electricity supply models to fulfill the dynamic demand of power in a remote area, which is analyzed in terms of cost of energy and causes for the high cost of energy. Among different factors, the presence of unusable energy (Electricity Excess) produced by the energy system during fulfillment of the demand is found to be major one cause for the high cost of energy. Further, the importance of energy storage system in isolated energy system is discussed. In this case, up to 83.4 % of electricity excess is observed, which can be utilized in different manners to reduce the total energy cost. Electricity excess profile for different energy model, their impacts and possible techniques of the solution with open views are discussed

Testing of models to scale up low cost agriculture practices and tools in hills of Nepal

This work was carried out with the aid of a grant from Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC), and with financial support from the Government of Canada, provided through Global Affairs Canada (GAC)The poster depicts how affordable appropriate technology interventions are being adopted and scaled up for terrace farmers in Nepal. A business model has been designed to scale up tools and materials through established private sector agencies like Agrovet or through organizations such as farmer cooperatives. For instance, the hand held corn sheller and composite vegetable kits are two top products. Agrovets are able to sell more vegetable composite kits (Sustainable Agricultural Kits), whereas a higher number of corn shellers are being supplied to the community by farmer cooperatives. Extension services are provided mainly through NGO and government agencies

Optimizing biological nitrogen fixation inexpensively as part of a sustainable agriculture kit (SAK) strategy to assist subsistence farmers

PowerPoint presentationThis work was carried out with the aid of a grant from Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC), and with financial support from the Government of Canada, provided through Global Affairs Canada (GAC)This PowerPoint presentation shows how Symbiotic Nitrogen Fixation (SNF) works in plants and soils, and how it can be improved to help smallholder farmers through identification practices. A newly developed biosensor “GlnLux biosensor” measures SNF output in non-transgenic ureide- and amide-exporting legumes. This process can efficiently measure nitrogen fixation capabilities of legume crop varieties. Also part of the presentation are low cost tools and methods of planting, provided as visual instructions for smallholder participants in field trials, as well as Sustainable Agriculture Kit (SAK) tests and demonstrations

Symbiotic nitrogen fixation, growth and yield response of common bean and cowpea for Rhizobia inoculation and micronutrients (B and Mo) application in mid-hill regions of Nepal

This is a CIFSIRF funded project.Challenges associated with legume production in Nepal include: lack of high yielding varieties and crop specific management (e.g., disease/pest management) practices, loss of soil fertility including micronutrients, poor access to agricultural inputs and services, shortage of irrigation water, lack of mechanization, and labour shortages which led to poor yields and low economic returns to farmers (Chapagain and Gurung, 2010; Chapagain and Raizada, 2017). Farmers mostly used untreated seeds from previous season harvest to cultivate these crops and very little attention has been given to study the effects of bacterial inoculation on the crop performance and soil health through systemic on-farm trials. Symbiotic nitrogen fixation of 3 legumes can be improved by introducing efficient rhizobia strains for N fixation (Thilakarathna and Raizada, 2017), and also through application of soil deficient micronutrients which are important for different stages of SNF (Weisany et al., 2013). This research explores the opportunities to use different rhizobia strains (native as well as exotic) along with micronutrients (Boron and Molybdenum) on two legume crops (e.g., cowpea and common bean) to enhance SNF, crop yields (grain and plant biomass), plant and grain N content, and offers the most productive combination(s) for each crop

Seasonal and year-round intercropping systems for smallholder farmers : results from on-farm intercropping trials on terraces in Nepal on maize, millet, mustard, wheat and ginger

We would like to thank the Canadian International Food Security Research Fund (CIFSRF), jointly sponsored by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC, Ottawa) and Global Affairs Canada (GAC) for funding.Low yield and total land productivity are major challenges associated with smallholder terrace agriculture in developing countries. Crop intensification and diversification by introducing legumes as intercrop could help alleviate these challenges. We compared 10 intercrop combinations with sole cropping system for two rotation cycles (2015-17) to identify the most productive and economic intercrop combinations for smallholder terrace agriculture. In the spring-summer season (March/April-July/August), cowpea (var. Makaibodi and Suryabodi) and bean were intercropped with maize in rows of 1:1 whereas soybean, blackgram and horsegram were broadcasted with millet (30:70 ratios) during summer-rainy season (July/August-November/December). Pea and lentil were used as winter intercrop (November/December-March/April) in wheat (30:70 ratios) while mustard was planted with pea. Ginger was planted with maize in 1:1 rows during spring-summer season in which the maize rows were replaced by soybean and lentil during summer-rainy and winter season, respectively

SARS-CoV-2 Mac1 is an essential virulence factor

Several coronavirus (CoV) encoded proteins are being evaluated as targets for antiviral therapies for COVID-19. Included in this set of proteins is the conserved macrodomain, or Mac1, an ADP-ribosylhydrolase and ADP-ribose binding protein. Utilizing point mutant recombinant viruses, Mac1 was shown to be critical for both murine hepatitis virus (MHV) and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-CoV virulence. However, as a potential drug target, it is imperative to understand how a complete Mac1 deletion impacts the replication and pathogenesis of different CoVs. To this end, we created recombinant bacterial artificial chromosomes (BACs) containing complete Mac1 deletions (ΔMac1) in MHV, MERS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2. While we were unable to recover infectious virus from MHV or MERS-CoV ΔMac1 BACs, SARS-CoV-2 ΔMac1 was readily recovered from BAC transfection, indicating a stark difference in the requirement for Mac1 between different CoVs. Furthermore, SARS-CoV-2 ΔMac1 replicated at or near wild-type levels in multiple cell lines susceptible to infection. However, in a mouse model of severe infection, ΔMac1 was quickly cleared causing minimal pathology without any morbidity. ΔMac1 SARS-CoV-2 induced increased levels of interferon (IFN) and interferon-stimulated gene (ISG) expression in cell culture and mice, indicating that Mac1 blocks IFN responses which may contribute to its attenuation. ΔMac1 infection also led to a stark reduction in inflammatory monocytes and neutrophils. These results demonstrate that Mac1 only minimally impacts SARS-CoV-2 replication, unlike MHV and MERS-CoV, but is required for SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis and is a unique antiviral drug target.National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant P20GM103648 (RC) National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant 2P01AI060699 (LE) National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant P20GM113117 (ARF) National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant K22AI134993 (ARF) National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant R35GM138029 (ARF) National Science Foundation (NSF) grant 2135167 (RLU) University of Kansas General Research Fund (GRF) and Start-up funds (ARF) NIH Graduate Training at the Biology-Chemistry Interface grant T32GM132061 (CMK) University of Kansas College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Graduate Research Fellowship (CMK) Government of Spain (PID2019-107001RB-I00 AEI/FEDER, UE) LE European Commission (H2020-SC1-2019, ISOLDA Project nº 848166-2) LEN

Routine Measurement of Serum Amylase in Acute Abdomen

Introduction: Acute abdominal pain is a common condition presenting to both the emergency department and surgical admission unit. Increase in serum amylase levels are found in much gastrointestinal pathology. Serum amylase level is consistently high in acute pancreatitis though high values are not pathognomonic of pancreatitis .The aim of this study to assess the level of serum amylase in various diseases presenting with acute abdominal pain and to evaluate the role of routine measurement of serum amylase in the screening of patient with acute abdominal pain for the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis in a prospective series. Methods: A prospective observational study was performed from 15th May 2014 – 15th Nov 2014 (6 months) at Department of Surgery of Kathmandu medical College Teaching Hospital; Kathmandu. All consecutive patients presented at emergency department and required admissions in surgical ward were included. A multivariate analysis was performed to assess the level of serum amylase in various diseases presenting with acute abdominal pain including acute pancreatitis. Results: Overall, 318 patients were included during a period of 6 months among them 48 patients were excluded. 34 cases (12.6 %) were diagnosed of acute pancreatitis. three cases (1.1%) of non pancreatic pathology with raised serum amylase level (> 1000 U\L). Conclusions: Routine assessment of serum amylase is helpful in excluding differential diagnosis of patient presenting with acute abdomen and this study identified serum amylase as a good screening tool if done in cases with clinical suspicion.  Keywords: acute abdominal pain; acute pancreatitis; serum amylase

Yam on terrace walls valuing underutilised crops, Annex 16

Local Initiatives for Biodiversity, Research and Development (LI-BIRD) in partnership with scholars from University of Guelph, and Canadian Mennonite University and funded by International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and Global Affairs Canada (GAC), Canada is trying to promote the use of barren and steep walls of the terraces and other areas which are least used for food production.This publication received funding from the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and Global Affairs Canada (GAC), Canada.A report of Nepal Chepang Association (NCA) suggests that 71% of the children are malnourished. Non-toxic wild yam of Nepal is recognized as ‘Health/ Functional food’ with high nutritional values. Rich in starch, yam is principal source of food and carbohydrate during food insufficiency periods for such communities. Some of the species of yam reported to have 5 times more protein than potatoes and sweet potatoes. Yam also supplements many dietary minerals. Yam can be mixed with different kinds of food like noodles and breads, which further enhances the nutritional value and palatability ultimately aiding to overcome malnutrition in children