6,922 research outputs found

    Review of Malaria Situation in Assam with Special Reference to Security Forces

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    Assam, alone, with 2.6% of the country’s population, contributes > 5% of the total malaria cases in the country. Keeping in view the importance of malaria in the North East and its special significance to the Armed Forces the present study was undertaken to review the malaria situation in Assam.Data on commonly used parameters of malaria surveillance including drug resistance from 2000 to 2008 were collected. Subsequently the extensive data was compiled in the form of Malaria Atlas Of Assam with choroplath maps at district and PHC level. The number of hospital admissions due to malaria in various service hospitals post 2009 have been taken as an index to measure the success of focused interventions.District wise mean API of Assam is depicted in Table 1 whereas District wise pattern of reported chloroquine resistance is presented in Figure 1 [4] Total number of admissions due to malaria (both P Vivax and P falciparum species) in service hospitals in the state of Assam for the period 2000 to 2008 is depicted in Table 2. Month wise distribution of cases of malaria in a particular Army field formation (where the revised focused intervention strategy was first implemented) for the year 2009 along with type of infection is given in Table 3.The service personnel deployed in NE region are especially vulnerable as they share the same anthropoecosystem as that of local population but at the same time lack the partial immunity to malaria enjoyed by local population[1].The data collated by us has shown that the patterns of malaria incidence are not uniform across the state and varies considerably even within the same District. Having API based choroplath maps upto PHC level is of great value for malaria risk assessment for the security forces

    Objective Ultrasonic Characterization of Welding Defects Using Physically Based Pattern Recognition Techniques

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    Computer-based methods for analysing ultrasonic data to distinguish between different defect types have been based on a variety of techniques such as adaptive learning [1], artificial intelligence [2] and statistical pattern recognition [3]. The uncertain classification reliability of these techniques when applied to a range of realistic defect types has, however, often been a significant practical limitation to their use

    Seroprevalence of HIV in pregnant women in North India: a tertiary care hospital based study

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    Abstract Background Estimating the seroprevalence of HIV in a low risk population such as pregnant women provides essential information for an effective implementation of AIDS control programmes, and also for the monitoring of HIV spread within a country. Very few studies are available from north India showing the current trend in HIV prevalence in the antenatal population;which led us to carry outthis study at a tertiary care hospital in north India Methods Blood samples from pregnant women attending antenatal clinics at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi were collected after informed consent and pre-test counseling. The samples were tested for HIV antibodies as per the WHO guidelines, over a period of four years from January 2003 to December 2006. Results Of the 3529 pregnant women tested in four years, 0.88% (CI 0.5 – 1.24) women were found to be HIV seroreactive. Majority of the seroreactive pregnant women (41.9%) were in the age group of 20–24 years followed by the 30–34 yrs (25.8%) and 25–29 years (22.6%) age group. The mean age of the HIV positive women was 24.9 years (SD ± 1.49 yrs). The HIV seroprevalence rates showed an increasing trend from 0.7% (CI 0.14 – 2.04) in 2003–2004 to 0.9% (CI 0.49 – 1.5) in 2005–2006. This prevalence rate indicates concern, as Delhi and its adjoining states are otherwise considered as 'low prevalence states'. Conclusion Seroprevalence of HIV infection was found to be increasing in the last four years amongst pregnant women of North India. These findings are in contrast to the national projections.</p

    Bianchi Type-II String Cosmological Models in Normal Gauge for Lyra's Manifold with Constant Deceleration Parameter

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    The present study deals with a spatially homogeneous and anisotropic Bianchi-II cosmological models representing massive strings in normal gauge for Lyra's manifold by applying the variation law for generalized Hubble's parameter that yields a constant value of deceleration parameter. The variation law for Hubble's parameter generates two types of solutions for the average scale factor, one is of power-law type and other is of the exponential form. Using these two forms, Einstein's modified field equations are solved separately that correspond to expanding singular and non-singular models of the universe respectively. The energy-momentum tensor for such string as formulated by Letelier (1983) is used to construct massive string cosmological models for which we assume that the expansion (θ\theta) in the model is proportional to the component σ 11\sigma^{1}_{~1} of the shear tensor σij\sigma^{j}_{i}. This condition leads to A=(BC)mA = (BC)^{m}, where A, B and C are the metric coefficients and m is proportionality constant. Our models are in accelerating phase which is consistent to the recent observations. It has been found that the displacement vector β\beta behaves like cosmological term Λ\Lambda in the normal gauge treatment and the solutions are consistent with recent observations of SNe Ia. It has been found that massive strings dominate in the decelerating universe whereas strings dominate in the accelerating universe. Some physical and geometric behaviour of these models are also discussed.Comment: 24 pages, 10 figure

    Monitoring ArchiMate Models for DataBio Project

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    The Data-Driven Bio-economy project (DataBio) is a large scale project that aims to develop a platform that offers access to big data technologies in the domains of agriculture, fishery and forestry. This project applies the standard Enterprise Architecture language: “ArchiMate 3.0” for modelling the pilot studies and for modelling the software components in order to facilitate comprehension and communication between partners. The models are created with the modelling tool “Modelio” which allows contributors to collaborate on a shared version of the ArchiMate models. These models are monitored continuously by the monitoring tool “Measure Platform” and the model querying tool “Hawk”. This paper describes the monitoring approach and specifies the metrics defined to evaluate the quality level of the models

    Plasmodium knowlesi Genome Sequences from Clinical Isolates Reveal Extensive Genomic Dimorphism.

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    Plasmodium knowlesi is a newly described zoonosis that causes malaria in the human population that can be severe and fatal. The study of P. knowlesi parasites from human clinical isolates is relatively new and, in order to obtain maximum information from patient sample collections, we explored the possibility of generating P. knowlesi genome sequences from archived clinical isolates. Our patient sample collection consisted of frozen whole blood samples that contained excessive human DNA contamination and, in that form, were not suitable for parasite genome sequencing. We developed a method to reduce the amount of human DNA in the thawed blood samples in preparation for high throughput parasite genome sequencing using Illumina HiSeq and MiSeq sequencing platforms. Seven of fifteen samples processed had sufficiently pure P. knowlesi DNA for whole genome sequencing. The reads were mapped to the P. knowlesi H strain reference genome and an average mapping of 90% was obtained. Genes with low coverage were removed leaving 4623 genes for subsequent analyses. Previously we identified a DNA sequence dimorphism on a small fragment of the P. knowlesi normocyte binding protein xa gene on chromosome 14. We used the genome data to assemble full-length Pknbpxa sequences and discovered that the dimorphism extended along the gene. An in-house algorithm was developed to detect SNP sites co-associating with the dimorphism. More than half of the P. knowlesi genome was dimorphic, involving genes on all chromosomes and suggesting that two distinct types of P. knowlesi infect the human population in Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo. We use P. knowlesi clinical samples to demonstrate that Plasmodium DNA from archived patient samples can produce high quality genome data. We show that analyses, of even small numbers of difficult clinical malaria isolates, can generate comprehensive genomic information that will improve our understanding of malaria parasite diversity and pathobiology

    An inflamed necrotic appendix epiploicum with immediate contact to a non-inflamed appendix vermiformis: a case report

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    <p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Epiploic appendagitis is a rare cause of focal abdominal pain which, depending on its localisation, can mimic a variety of abdominal diseases. We describe a patient with an inflamed necrotic appendix epiploicum with immediate contact to a non-inflamed appendix vermiformis mimicking acute appendicitis. Considering the rare localization, this is the first report of this kind in the literature.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>We present the case of a 50-year-old Caucasian man who presented with classic signs of acute appendicitis. On clinical exam, McBurney and Blumberg signs were positive. Additionally he had fever, leucocytosis (12/nl) and a slight increase in C-reactive protein (1 mg/dl). Based on the clinical presentation, the patient was taken to the operating room to perform an appendicectomy. Surprisingly, we found an inflamed necrotic appendix epiploicum, located immediately on a non-inflamed appendix vermiformis, which was ligated and excised.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This case report demonstrates that epiploic appendagitis can mimic acute appendicitis on clinical exam and should be considered in the broad spectrum of abdominal disease presenting with right lower quadrant pain.</p

    Isotope effect on the transition temperature TcT_c in Fe-based superconductors: the current status

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    The results of the Fe isotope effect (Fe-IE) on the transition temperature TcT_c obtained up to date in various Fe-based high temperature superconductors are summarized and reanalyzed by following the approach developed in [Phys. Rev. B 82, 212505 (2010)]. It is demonstrated that the very controversial results for Fe-IE on TcT_c are caused by small structural changes occurring simultaneously with the Fe isotope exchange. The Fe-IE exponent on TcT_c [αFe=(ΔTc/Tc)/(ΔM/M)\alpha_{\rm Fe}=-(\Delta T_c/T_c)/(\Delta M/M), MM is the isotope mass] needs to be decomposed into two components with the one related to the structural changes (αFestr\alpha_{\rm Fe}^{\rm str}) and the genuine (intrinsic) one (αFeint\alpha_{\rm Fe}^{\rm int}). The validity of such decomposition is further confirmed by the fact that αFeint\alpha_{\rm Fe}^{\rm int} coincides with the Fe-IE exponent on the characteristic phonon frequencies αFeph\alpha_{\rm Fe}^{\rm ph} as is reported in recent EXAFS and Raman experiments.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures. The paper is partially based on the results published in [New J. Phys. 12, 073024 (2010) = arXiv:1002.2510] and [Phys. Rev. B 82, 212505 (2010) = arXiv:1008.4540

    The genome and transcriptome of Trichormus sp NMC-1: insights into adaptation to extreme environments on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

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    The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) has the highest biodiversity for an extreme environment worldwide, and provides an ideal natural laboratory to study adaptive evolution. In this study, we generated a draft genome sequence of cyanobacteria Trichormus sp. NMC-1 in the QTP and performed whole transcriptome sequencing under low temperature to investigate the genetic mechanism by which T. sp. NMC-1 adapted to the specific environment. Its genome sequence was 5.9 Mb with a G+C content of 39.2% and encompassed a total of 5362 CDS. A phylogenomic tree indicated that this strain belongs to the Trichormus and Anabaena cluster. Genome comparison between T. sp. NMC-1 and six relatives showed that functionally unknown genes occupied a much higher proportion (28.12%) of the T. sp. NMC-1 genome. In addition, functions of specific, significant positively selected, expanded orthogroups, and differentially expressed genes involved in signal transduction, cell wall/membrane biogenesis, secondary metabolite biosynthesis, and energy production and conversion were analyzed to elucidate specific adaptation traits. Further analyses showed that the CheY-like genes, extracellular polysaccharide and mycosporine-like amino acids might play major roles in adaptation to harsh environments. Our findings indicate that sophisticated genetic mechanisms are involved in cyanobacterial adaptation to the extreme environment of the QTP
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