OPTIMIZATION STUDY ON EXTRACTION & PURIFICATION OF PHYCOERYTHRIN FROM RED ALGAE KAPPAPHYCUS ALVAREZII

Objective: The current study focuses on R-Phycoerythrin pigment production from Seaweed using different chemical and physical conditions. Methods: In the present study Seaweed was collected from Rameshwaram and identified by CS-MCRI Institute, Mandapam. The collected seaweed was then washed using distilled water for further processing. Using a sterile knife the seaweed was cut into small pieces. The chopped seaweeds were then weighed and subjected to different optimization procedures for pigment production. These equally weighed seaweeds were treated with three varying Buffers at different pH, the buffer showing better O.D value was subjected to different Cell disruption techniques and finally freeze thawed at different temperature stress.Results: The seaweeds were subjected to different chemical and physical stress conditions for R-phycoerythrin production. On optimizing the different buffer solutions for pigment production Sodium phosphate buffer showed maximum O.D of 0.215 when compared to other buffers whereas on providing different pH conditions the O.D value obtained was high at pH 7.2. Different cell disruption techniques were followed for pigment production using the sodium phosphate buffer at pH 7.2 and freeze thaw method was found suitable for the highest pigment production with O.D value of 0.441. Hence after optimization of different extraction procedures, cell disruption followed by freeze & thaw method (−20°C and 25°C) showed maximum R-phycoerythrin content. Conclusion: From the findings, it was also observed that the primary metabolites produced by these organisms may serve as potential bioactive compounds of interest in the Food industries as natural colourant and in cosmetic industries.Keywords: Seaweeds, Extraction, Phycoerythrin, Optimization, Cell disruption, Sonication

Z-track technique reduces pain at the injection site, drug leakage, post-injection gluteal inflammation in Pritchard regimen for severe pre-eclamptic patients: findings from a randomized controlled trial

Background: This study was conducted to compare the effect of Z track versus standard technique of intramuscular (IM) administration of magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) on level of pain at the injection site, drug leakage, post-injection gluteal inflammation in Pritchard regimen.Methods: 60 antenatal patients with pre-eclampsia (PE) admitted in the labour room were randomized for IM administration of MgSO4 by Z track technique (received all injections by Z track method) and standard technique group (received all injections by standard method). The primary outcomes were level of pain assessed by numerical rating scale, drug leakage measured by sterilized blotting paper technique and gluteal inflammation assessed by transparent grid sheet.Results: The level of pain at the injection site and drug leakage after each injection significantly increased from the 1st injection (p<0.05) to the 8th injection in both groups. Z track group experienced significantly less pain (3rd and 5th injection, p<0.05), drug leakage (p<0.05) and inflammation (both buttocks, p<0.05) compared to the standard group.Conclusions: A significant decrease in drug leakage and gluteal inflammation was observed in the Z track group. Though there was no statistically significant difference in the level of pain in both groups, the pain experienced by the Z track group was comparatively less

An IoT Based Cloud Deployment Framework for Effective Classification of Machine Conditions

Cloud services are proposed for real-time data acquisition, data classification, data processing and decision making, which are highly interconnected services for effective condition monitoring of electrical machines. The proposed Software as a Service, Storage as a Service and Platform as a Service layers address the challenges of data storage and scalability while making analysis on the cluster of machines in an Industrial Environment. An experimental setup consisting of two DC motors coupled to AC Generator operating at different locations is considered to evolve the proposed model for effective integrated monitoring and decision making. This cloud-based vibration monitoring model provides services for data acquisition from the IoT devices mounted on the shafts of the DC motors, data storage to store the enormous amount of acquired signal data from multiple sensors, data classification of vibration signals for effective statistical analysis to estimate adaptive cluster of thresholds and appropriate decision-making services on demand over the Internet to utilize the reliable service of the machines in a persistent way. The computational engine will do inherent statistical analysis of the vibration signals to estimate the cluster of thresholds adaptive to various operating conditions. The services have been deployed without any limitation in a cloud environment and the industrial applications can share information using the deployed services from anywhere on demand basis. The deployed cloud service for the enhanced statistical classification algorithm eliminates the false identification of failures, which not only increase the availability of machines for intended operations but also reduce the maintenance cost. The resulting threshold values are compared with that of the vibration analysis carried out on the machine beds locally using myRIO for data acquisition in LabVIEW and the proposed model ensures the integrity in appropriate decision making with assured scalability

Investigation on Effect of Material Hardness in High Speed CNC End Milling Process

This research paper analyzes the effects of material properties on surface roughness, material removal rate, and tool wear on high speed CNC end milling process with various ferrous and nonferrous materials. The challenge of material specific decision on the process parameters of spindle speed, feed rate, depth of cut, coolant flow rate, cutting tool material, and type of coating for the cutting tool for required quality and quantity of production is addressed. Generally, decision made by the operator on floor is based on suggested values of the tool manufacturer or by trial and error method. This paper describes effect of various parameters on the surface roughness characteristics of the precision machining part. The prediction method suggested is based on various experimental analysis of parameters in different compositions of input conditions which would benefit the industry on standardization of high speed CNC end milling processes. The results show a basis for selection of parameters to get better results of surface roughness values as predicted by the case study results

Evaluation of soluble ST2 as a novel cardiovascular biomarker in patients with acute myocardial infarction

Background: Soluble ST-2 has considerable prognostic value and is used as an aid for risk stratification in identifying patients who are at high risk of cardiovascular disease. The main objective of the study was to analyze the level of soluble ST-2 biomarker in patients with acute myocardial infarction and chronic stable angina patients and secondly to evaluate the cardiovascular outcomes after 30 days.Methods: A total of 71 patients were enrolled into the study, patients were divided into two groups of which 50 patients were in test group (AMI patients) and the remaining 21 patients were in the control group (chronic stable angina). Then, 5ml of blood was collected from the patients and plasma soluble ST-2 was estimated from the sample using ELISA technique. Patients were then followed up to 30 days to ascertain the development of major adverse cardiovascular outcomes.Results: The median concentration of soluble ST-2 in test group was found to be 213.46pg/ml and in control group was found to be 124.53 pg/ml. Soluble ST-2 correlated significantly with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) between the two groups (P value=0.01). Measurement of soluble ST-2 early after MI assists in the prediction of adverse cardiovascular events. In this study, soluble ST-2 was found to be higher in patients with acute myocardial infarction and also in patients with poor ejection fraction.Conclusions: Soluble ST-2 is a novel cardiovascular biomarker that is elevated in patients with acute myocardial infarction

Morphing Schnyder drawings of planar triangulations

We consider the problem of morphing between two planar drawings of the same triangulated graph, maintaining straight-line planarity. A paper in SODA 2013 gave a morph that consists of $O(n^2)$ steps where each step is a linear morph that moves each of the $n$ vertices in a straight line at uniform speed. However, their method imitates edge contractions so the grid size of the intermediate drawings is not bounded and the morphs are not good for visualization purposes. Using Schnyder embeddings, we are able to morph in $O(n^2)$ linear morphing steps and improve the grid size to $O(n)\times O(n)$ for a significant class of drawings of triangulations, namely the class of weighted Schnyder drawings. The morphs are visually attractive. Our method involves implementing the basic "flip" operations of Schnyder woods as linear morphs.Comment: 23 pages, 8 figure

Clinical and cost-effectiveness of an adapted intervention for preschoolers with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities displaying behaviours that challenge: the EPICC-ID RCT

Background: Stepping Stones Triple P is an adapted intervention for parents of young children with developmental disabilities who display behaviours that challenge, aiming at teaching positive parenting techniques and promoting a positive parent-child relationship. Objective: To evaluate the clinical and cost-effectiveness of level 4 Stepping Stones Triple P in reducing behaviours that challenge in children with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities. Design, setting, participants: A parallel two-arm pragmatic multisite single-blind randomised controlled trial recruited a total of 261 dyads (parent and child). The children were aged 30-59 months and had moderate to severe intellectual disabilities. Participants were randomised, using a 3 : 2 allocation ratio, into the intervention arm (Stepping Stones Triple P; n = 155) or treatment as usual arm (n = 106). Participants were recruited from four study sites in Blackpool, North and South London and Newcastle. Intervention: Level 4 Stepping Stones Triple P consists of six group sessions and three individual phone or face-to-face contacts over 9 weeks. These were changed to remote sessions after 16 March 2020 due to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Main outcome measure: The primary outcome measure was the parent-reported Child Behaviour Checklist, which assesses the severity of behaviours that challenge. Results: We found a small non-significant difference in the mean Child Behaviour Checklist scores (-4.23, 95% CI -9.98 to 1.52, p = 0.146) in the intervention arm compared to treatment as usual at 12 months. Per protocol and complier average causal effect sensitivity analyses, which took into consideration the number of sessions attended, showed the Child Behaviour Checklist mean score difference at 12 months was lower in the intervention arm by -10.77 (95% CI -19.12 to -2.42, p = 0.014) and -11.53 (95% CI -26.97 to 3.91, p = 0.143), respectively. The Child Behaviour Checklist mean score difference between participants who were recruited before and after the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic was estimated as -7.12 (95% CI -13.44 to -0.81) and 7.61 (95% CI -5.43 to 20.64), respectively (p = 0.046), suggesting that any effect pre-pandemic may have reversed during the pandemic. There were no differences in all secondary measures. Stepping Stones Triple P is probably value for money to deliver (-\ua31057.88; 95% CI -\ua33218.6 to -\ua346.67), but decisions to roll this out as an alternative to existing parenting interventions or treatment as usual may be dependent on policymaker willingness to invest in early interventions to reduce behaviours that challenge. Parents reported the intervention boosted their confidence and skills, and the group format enabled them to learn from others and benefit from peer support. There were 20 serious adverse events reported during the study, but none were associated with the intervention. Limitations: There were low attendance rates in the Stepping Stones Triple P arm, as well as the coronavirus disease 2019-related challenges with recruitment and delivery of the intervention. Conclusions: Level 4 Stepping Stones Triple P did not reduce early onset behaviours that challenge in very young children with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities. However, there was an effect on child behaviours for those who received a sufficient dose of the intervention. There is a high probability of Stepping Stones Triple P being at least cost neutral and therefore worth considering as an early therapeutic option given the long-term consequences of behaviours that challenge on people and their social networks. Future work: Further research should investigate the implementation of parenting groups for behaviours that challenge in this population, as well as the optimal mode of delivery to maximise engagement and subsequent outcomes. Study registration: This study is registered as NCT03086876 (https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03086876?term=Hassiotis\ub1Angela&amp;draw=1&amp;rank=1). Funding: This award was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme (NIHR award ref: HTA 15/162/02) and is published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 28, No. 6. See the NIHR Funding and Awards website for further award information.Research shows that in children without learning disabilities, parenting groups which support parents to develop skills to manage behaviours that challenge in their child can be helpful. The National Institute of Health and Care Excellence recommended that more research was needed to strengthen the evidence for such interventions for children with moderate to severe learning disability who are more likely to display behaviours that challenge in England. In this study, we tested in real-world conditions a programme called level 4 Stepping Stones Triple P, which has shown positive results in trials outside of the United Kingdom. Trained therapists delivered six groups and three individual sessions over 9 weeks to parents of children aged 30–59 months with moderate to severe learning disabilities. Two hundred and sixty-one parents were allocated to one of two arms by chance (randomisation): one received Stepping Stones Triple P and treatment as usual and the other treatment as usual only. Treatment as usual included support and advice by general practitioners or community child development teams. Our primary outcome was parent-reported child behaviour at 12 months after randomisation. We also collected data on other outcomes and carried out interviews with parents, service managers and therapists to find out their views about Stepping Stones Triple P. We did not find that Stepping Stones Triple P reduces behaviours that challenge in the child more than treatment as usual at 12 months. However, when we looked at people who received more than half of the sessions, there was a larger reduction in behaviours which suggests that Stepping Stones Triple P works for families if they attend the full programme. Stepping Stones Triple P seems to be good value for money, as we found that at 12 months (covering 10 months of costs), the Stepping Stones Triple P cost \ua31058 less than treatment as usual from a health and social care perspective. As such, Stepping Stones Triple P is fairly cheap to deliver and a suitable early intervention for behaviours that challenge especially because of positive feedback from parents. Throughout the trial, we included a Parent Advisory Group that oversaw study materials, interview topic guides and promotion of the study

Balanced Schnyder woods for planar triangulations: an experimental study with applications to graph drawing and graph separators

In this work we consider balanced Schnyder woods for planar graphs, which are Schnyder woods where the number of incoming edges of each color at each vertex is balanced as much as possible. We provide a simple linear-time heuristic leading to obtain well balanced Schnyder woods in practice. As test applications we consider two important algorithmic problems: the computation of Schnyder drawings and of small cycle separators. While not being able to provide theoretical guarantees, our experimental results (on a wide collection of planar graphs) suggest that the use of balanced Schnyder woods leads to an improvement of the quality of the layout of Schnyder drawings, and provides an efficient tool for computing short and balanced cycle separators.Comment: Appears in the Proceedings of the 27th International Symposium on Graph Drawing and Network Visualization (GD 2019