AI/ML Algorithms and Applications in VLSI Design and Technology

An evident challenge ahead for the integrated circuit (IC) industry in the nanometer regime is the investigation and development of methods that can reduce the design complexity ensuing from growing process variations and curtail the turnaround time of chip manufacturing. Conventional methodologies employed for such tasks are largely manual; thus, time-consuming and resource-intensive. In contrast, the unique learning strategies of artificial intelligence (AI) provide numerous exciting automated approaches for handling complex and data-intensive tasks in very-large-scale integration (VLSI) design and testing. Employing AI and machine learning (ML) algorithms in VLSI design and manufacturing reduces the time and effort for understanding and processing the data within and across different abstraction levels via automated learning algorithms. It, in turn, improves the IC yield and reduces the manufacturing turnaround time. This paper thoroughly reviews the AI/ML automated approaches introduced in the past towards VLSI design and manufacturing. Moreover, we discuss the scope of AI/ML applications in the future at various abstraction levels to revolutionize the field of VLSI design, aiming for high-speed, highly intelligent, and efficient implementations

An activating NLRC4 inflammasome mutation causes autoinflammation with recurrent macrophage activation syndrome

Inflammasomes are innate immune sensors that respond to pathogen and damage-associated signals with caspase-1 activation, IL-1β and IL-18 secretion, and macrophage pyroptosis. The discovery that dominant gain-of-function mutations in NLRP3 cause the Cryopyrin Associated Periodic Syndromes (CAPS) and trigger spontaneous inflammasome activation and IL-1β oversecretion, led to successful treatment with IL-1 blocking agents1. Herein, we report a de novo missense mutation, c.1009A>T, p.Thr337Ser, in the nucleotide-binding domain of inflammasome component NLRC4 (IPAF/CARD12) that causes early-onset recurrent fever flares and Macrophage Activation Syndrome (MAS). Functional analyses demonstrated spontaneous inflammasome formation and production of the inflammasome-dependent cytokines IL-1β and IL-18, the latter exceeding levels in CAPS. The NLRC4 mutation caused constitutive caspase-1 cleavage in transduced cells and increased production of IL-18 by both patient and NLRC4 mutant macrophages. Thus, we describe a novel monoallelic inflammasome defect that expands the monogenic autoinflammatory disease spectrum to include MAS and suggests novel targets for therapy

Impact of opioid-free analgesia on pain severity and patient satisfaction after discharge from surgery: multispecialty, prospective cohort study in 25 countries

Background: Balancing opioid stewardship and the need for adequate analgesia following discharge after surgery is challenging. This study aimed to compare the outcomes for patients discharged with opioid versus opioid-free analgesia after common surgical procedures.Methods: This international, multicentre, prospective cohort study collected data from patients undergoing common acute and elective general surgical, urological, gynaecological, and orthopaedic procedures. The primary outcomes were patient-reported time in severe pain measured on a numerical analogue scale from 0 to 100% and patient-reported satisfaction with pain relief during the first week following discharge. Data were collected by in-hospital chart review and patient telephone interview 1 week after discharge.Results: The study recruited 4273 patients from 144 centres in 25 countries; 1311 patients (30.7%) were prescribed opioid analgesia at discharge. Patients reported being in severe pain for 10 (i.q.r. 1-30)% of the first week after discharge and rated satisfaction with analgesia as 90 (i.q.r. 80-100) of 100. After adjustment for confounders, opioid analgesia on discharge was independently associated with increased pain severity (risk ratio 1.52, 95% c.i. 1.31 to 1.76; P < 0.001) and re-presentation to healthcare providers owing to side-effects of medication (OR 2.38, 95% c.i. 1.36 to 4.17; P = 0.004), but not with satisfaction with analgesia (beta coefficient 0.92, 95% c.i. -1.52 to 3.36; P = 0.468) compared with opioid-free analgesia. Although opioid prescribing varied greatly between high-income and low- and middle-income countries, patient-reported outcomes did not.Conclusion: Opioid analgesia prescription on surgical discharge is associated with a higher risk of re-presentation owing to side-effects of medication and increased patient-reported pain, but not with changes in patient-reported satisfaction. Opioid-free discharge analgesia should be adopted routinely

Antioxidant and antimicrobial activities in the four species of marine microalgae isolated from Arabian Sea of Karnataka Coast

69-75<span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height: 115%;font-family:" times="" new="" roman";mso-fareast-font-family:"times="" roman";="" mso-bidi-font-family:"times="" roman";mso-ansi-language:en-us;mso-fareast-language:="" en-us;mso-bidi-language:ar-sa"="" lang="EN-US">In the present study, four marine microalgae namely, Chaetoceros calcitrans, Skeletonema costatum, Chroococcus turgidus and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Nannochloropsis oceanica were evaluated for their antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. Among the four microalgae, planktonic green alga, Nannochloropsis oceanica showed higher antioxidant potential (340.13 µmol AAE/g DW), radical scavenging activity (13.3 µmol GAE/g DW) and reducing power capacity (86.21 µmol GAE/g DW). Microalgae namely, Skeletonema costatum and Chroococcus turgidus showed chelating ability, whereas Nannochloropsis oceanica and Chaetoceros calcitrans did not. Total phenolic content of microalgae was highly correlated with the antioxidant activity. Methanol, ethanol and hexane extracts were screened for their antimicrobial activities against selective human pathogens. Extracts showed effective inhibitory activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes and Bacillus subtilis. Hexane extract of Chroococcus turgidus showed significant inhibition (pEscherichia coli followed by ethanol extract of Skeletonema costatum against Streptococcus pyogenes. Antifungal activity was found only in Skeletonema costatum and Chroococcus turgidus. Findings have indicated promising antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of microalgae and they could be used to derive biologically active compounds of nutraceutical potential.  </span

In vitro antimicrobial activity of Spinacia Oleracea against Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus acidophilus

Introduction: The use of traditional medicine is well known in India. The high number of bacterial resistance to antibiotics drives much of the current interest in natural antimicrobial molecules. Spinacia oleracea (spinach) possesses medicinal properties. Dental caries is prevalent in about 89% of the Indian population. Streptococcus mutans is the primary causative organism for dental caries and Lactobacillus for further development of caries. Aim: The aim of this study is to determine minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of spinach against S. mutans and Lactobacillus. Materials and Methods: About 10 g of freshly harvested spinach was extracted with 95% ethanol and distilled water. The extract was converted into dried powder in desiccator and was dissolved to get 20 mg/ml concentration. The MIC was determined by nine dilutions of each aqueous and ethanolic extracts made with brain–heart infusion. To determine the MBC, the MIC dilution tubes, with no visible growth, and the control tube were subcultured onto the broth media and incubated for 24 h anaerobically and the colonies were counted on the next day. Results: The ethanolic extract exhibited MIC at 12.5 μg/ml against S. mutans and at 25 μg/ml against Lactobacillus. In MBC, the ethanolic extract showed greater bacteriostatic activity against S. mutans compared to Lactobacillus acidophilus. Conclusion: There is preliminary evidence for the antimicrobial activity of spinach extracts against S. mutans and this raises the possibility that spinach may have preventive effect on dental caries

Genetics and oral health

There is a lack of knowledge regarding genetic diseases and its prevention among general population an important premise is that a better understanding of the genetic etiology of the diseases can facilitate early detection in high risk subjects. It also helps in designing more effective intervention strategies. Exciting new technology based on the foundation of genetic research has the potential to further enhance the quality of life. Progress in the field will require training of a new generation of the scientists with requisite skills, as well as greater collaboration and interdisciplinary work. The traditional epidemiologic approach has proved useful for generating hypotheses and unraveling disease etiologies. But now it is possible to go beyond these methods and look inside the "black box" of the disease process which would be able to change the definition of the risk factors or clarify their location in the casual model

In vitro evaluation of soft drinks containing calcium lactate

Introduction: Over the past 2 years, the soft drink industry has seen a value growth of 11%. In total, 1.3 billion people in India drink nearly 5.9 billion liters of soft drinks per year making it one of the highest soft drink-consuming countries in the world. Hence, products such as calcium lactate which efficiently reduce the erosive action of drinks should be better incorporated in soft drinks to limit its adverse effects. Aim: The objective of this study was to assess the degree of dental erosion due to soft drinks with and without the presence of 5% calcium lactate. Materials and Methods: Three soft drinks (MaazaCoca-Cola, AppyFizParleAgro, and PepsiPepsiCo) and normal water were taken. A total of 40 dental blocks were randomly allocated into four groups. Surface loss (SL) was assessed using Digital Surfometry. Surfometry readings were taken before and after adding calcium lactate in the above soft drinks for definite time intervals. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 22. ANOVA was used to assess separately degree of erosion of tooth blocks in all the soft drinks samples with and without 5% calcium lactate. The paired t-test was used to determine the degree of SL within each group before and after adding 5% calcium lactate. Results: In the present study, PepsiPepsiCo had the highest acidic pH (2.7) and showed the highest degree of erosion with a mean value of 1.55 μ ± 0.07. After adding calcium lactate, the highest acidic pH was shown by AppyFizParle Agro (4.45); however, the degree of erosion was still the highest for Pepsi with a mean value of 1.36 μ ± 0.09. Later, each group was compared for SL among themselves with and without the presence of calcium lactate. AppyFizParleAgro showed the highest degree of erosion with a mean value of 0.22 μ ± 0.08. P ≤ 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Conclusion: The erosive action of soft drinks varies widely. The results demonstrate that the addition of 5% calcium lactate to soft drinks significantly decreased dental erosion