Association of Vegetable and Animal Flesh Intake with Inflammation in Pregnant Women from India

In pregnant women, studies are lacking on the relationship of vegetable and animal flesh (poultry, red meat and seafood) intake with inflammation, especially in low- and middle-income countries. We conducted a cohort study of pregnant women receiving antenatal care at BJ Medical College in Pune, India. The dietary intake of pregnant women was queried in the third trimester using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Twelve inflammatory markers were measured in plasma samples using immunoassays. Only 12% of the study population were vegetarians, although animal flesh intake levels were lower compared to Western populations. In multivariable models, higher intakes of total vegetables were associated with lower levels of the T-helper (Th) 17 cytokine interleukin (IL)-17a (p = 0.03) and the monocyte/macrophage activation marker soluble CD163 (sCD163) (p = 0.02). Additionally, higher intakes of poultry were negatively associated with intestinal fatty-acid binding protein (I-FABP) levels (p = 0.01), a marker of intestinal barrier dysfunction and Th2 cytokine IL-13 (p = 0.03), and higher seafood was associated with lower IL-13 (p = 0.005). Our data from pregnant women in India suggest that a higher quality diet emphasizing vegetables and with some animal flesh is associated with lower inflammation. Future studies should confirm these findings and test if modulating vegetables and animal flesh intake could impact specific aspects of immunity and perinatal health

Computational intelligence for cash flow planning

Computational Intelligence for Cash Flow Planning is a computational tool for decision making support for choosing financial investments using a famous evolutionary algorithm called genetic algorithm. Genetic algorithm (GA) is applied for selecting of high quality stocks with investment value. The Genetic Algorithm will identify stocks that have excess return and the potential to outperform the market using the fundamental financial and price information of stocks trading. The investors and analysts use different financial indicators to identify a good quality stock. In this project, the program accepts three important financial indicators as the input parameters namely “Return on Equity (ROE)”, “Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E)” and “Dividend Yield”. The initial population (chromosomes) of the genetic program is attained by encoding the input variables to 3-bits binary numbers. The chromosomes are then assessed by the fitness function which is the actual rank of the participating stocks based on the annual price return. The subsequent selection stage then chooses the fittest chromosomes by mean of roulette wheel. After going through one-point crossover and mutation processes, the resultant chromosomes are evaluated whether they fulfil the certain termination condition. If yes, the final population is achieved or else, the program will iterate. The output of the program is the optimized stocks ranking based on their quality.Bachelor of Engineering (Computer Engineering

Myanmar Words Sorting

Myanmar word sorting is very important in indexing of search engine to optimize in the searchingprocess of keywords. This paper proposed an efficient sorting algorithm for Myanmar words based on theweights of consonants, vowels, devowelizers, and consonant combination of each syllable of the wordssince Myanmar words are composed of one syllable or more than one syllable and finally the words aresorted based on Quick sort. The proposed algorithm is intended to design for Zawgyi_One font, which ismainly dominant in Myanmar Web pages

Myanmar Handwritten Recognition and Erratum Detection by using MICR

This paper contribute recognition and detectionerratum for Myanmar handwritten compound words.MICR (Myanmar Intelligent Character Recognition)is used for the character recognition. Because thismethod is interesting algorithm to recognizeMyanmar characters that has been developedrecently in Myanmar. It contains statistical, semanticand the final decision is made by the voting system.Erratum Detection, it is a new contribution ofdetecting compound word in string texts. Itdependent on the language set of string substitutionsreflects the surface form of errors that result fromcognitive, typographical mistakes, or mistyping. Arobust erratum detection technique is needed tocover above all situation. The system index pairpossible extended/medial code and then provides apair code for detect complete compound word. Indetection, it has three situations: twice the sameextended, extended/medials pair not matching errorand not compound word in real. The final output,Myanmar compound words will be produced editabletext with highlight in each error word

Website: Behind the Music: Culture Appropriation and reciprocity

This website analyzes the Womanist concepts of appropriation and reciprocity with a focus on various musical artists. Cultural appropriation in music in the United States is not an original topic; but by applying a Womanist lens, this website offers an educational evaluation of common instances of appropriation. In addition to defining Womanist terminology, this website explores five artists and their connection to appropriation, reciprocity, and Womanism as a whole

Bioaerosol Sampling for Respiratory Viruses in Singapore’s Mass Rapid Transit Network

Abstract As a leading global city with a high population density, Singapore is at risk for the introduction of novel biological threats. This risk has been recently reinforced by human epidemics in Singapore of SARS coronavirus, 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza A virus, and enterovirus 71. Other major threats to Singapore include MERS-coronavirus and various avian and swine influenza viruses. The ability to quickly identify and robustly track such threats to initiate an early emergency response remains a significant challenge. In an effort to enhance respiratory virus surveillance in Singapore, our team conducted a pilot study employing a noninvasive bioaerosol sampling method to detect respiratory viruses in Singapore’s Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) network. Over a period of 52 weeks, 89 aerosol samples were collected during peak MRT ridership hours. Nine (10%) tested positive for adenovirus, four (4.5%) tested positive for respiratory syncytial virus type A, and one (1%) tested positive for influenza A virus using real-time RT-PCR/PCR. To our knowledge, this is the first time molecular evidence for any infectious respiratory agent has been collected from Singapore’s MRT. Our pilot study data support the possibility of employing bioaerosol samplers in crowded public spaces to noninvasively monitor for respiratory viruses circulating in communities

Pandemic origins and a One Health approach to preparedness and prevention: Solutions based on SARS-CoV-2 and other RNA viruses

COVID-19 is the latest zoonotic RNA virus epidemic of concern. Learning how it began and spread will help to determine how to reduce the risk of future events. We review major RNA virus outbreaks since 1967 to identify common features and opportunities to prevent emergence, including ancestral viral origins in birds, bats, and other mammals; animal reservoirs and intermediate hosts; and pathways for zoonotic spillover and community spread, leading to local, regional, or international outbreaks. The increasing scientific evidence concerning the origins of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is most consistent with a zoonotic origin and a spillover pathway from wildlife to people via wildlife farming and the wildlife trade. We apply what we know about these outbreaks to identify relevant, feasible, and implementable interventions. We identify three primary targets for pandemic prevention and preparedness: first, smart surveillance coupled with epidemiological risk assessment across wildlife-livestock-human (One Health) spillover interfaces; second, research to enhance pandemic preparedness and expedite development of vaccines and therapeutics; and third, strategies to reduce underlying drivers of spillover risk and spread and reduce the influence of misinformation. For all three, continued efforts to improve and integrate biosafety and biosecurity with the implementation of a One Health approach are essential. We discuss new models to address the challenges of creating an inclusive and effective governance structure, with the necessary stable funding for cross-disciplinary collaborative research. Finally, we offer recommendations for feasible actions to close the knowledge gaps across the One Health continuum and improve preparedness and response in the future