A Novel Reliability Management Technique by Reduced Replication in Cloud Storage Applications

In the recent years, cloud computing has become popular among various fields like information technology and various business enterprises. The fundamental use of the cloud now a day is for storing information and sharing the resources. Cloud is another way to store the expensive measure of information. Cloud provides the storage space and offering to use this information to various clients. Additionally, it is a technique for pay according to we utilize. The two principle concerns in current cloud storage systems are providing the reliable data and storage cost. To ensure data reliability, current cloud systems uses multi-replica strategy (typically three replicas), which incurs a huge storage space, on the effect it leads to more storage cost for data-intensive applications in the cloud. To minimize the storage space, in this paper we proposed a cost effective data reliability mechanism called Proactive Replica Checking for Reliability (PRCR) by using a generalized data reliability model. PRCR guarantees the reliability with the reduced replication factor, which can likewise reduce the storage cost for replication based methodologies. Contrasting to the traditional three – replica strategy, PRCR can diminish the storage space utilization by one-third to two-thirds of the current storage space, thus fundamentally bringing down the storage cost

Depression and anxiety predict health-related quality of life in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: The causal association between depression, anxiety, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is unclear. We therefore conducted a systematic review of prospective cohort studies that measured depression, anxiety, and HRQoL in COPD. Methods: Electronic databases (Medline, Embase, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature [CINAHL], British Nursing Index and Archive, PsycINFO and Cochrane database) were searched from inception to June 18, 2013. Studies were eligible for inclusion if they: used a nonexperimental prospective cohort design; included patients with a diagnosis of COPD confirmed by spirometry; and used validated measures of depression, anxiety, and HRQoL. Data were extracted and pooled using random effects models. Results: Six studies were included in the systematic review; of these, three were included in the meta-analysis for depression and two were included for the meta-analysis for anxiety. Depression was significantly correlated with HRQoL at 1-year follow-up (pooled r=0.48, 95% confidence interval 0.37–0.57, P<0.001). Anxiety was also significantly correlated with HRQoL at 1-year follow-up (pooled r=0.36, 95% confidence interval 0.23–0.48, P<0.001). Conclusion: Anxiety and depression predict HRQoL in COPD. However, this longitudinal analysis does not show cause and effect relationships between depression and anxiety and future HRQoL. Future studies should identify psychological predictors of poor HRQoL in well designed prospective cohorts with a view to isolating the mediating role played by anxiety disorder and depressio

Setaria cervi: enzymes of glycolysis and PEP-succinate pathway

Setaria cervi, the filarial parasite inhabiting the Indian water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis Linn.) contained almost all the enzymes involved in glycogen degradation. Significant activities of glycogen phosphorylase, glucokinase, phosphoglucomutase, phosphoglucose isomerase, phosphofructokinase, FDP-aldolase, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, phosphopyruvate hydratase, pyruvate kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase were detected in cell-free extracts of whole worms. The presence of PEP-carboxykinase, malate dehydrogenase, fumarase and fumarate reductase revealed the functioning of the PEP-succinate pathway in addition to phosphorylating glycolysis and pentose phosphate pathway in the parasite. Excepting fumarate reductase all other enzymes were localized in the particulate-free cytosol fraction, although small amounts of glycogen phosphorylase, aldolase and lactate dehydrogenase were also detected in the mitochondrial fraction

Fixed-dose combination orally disintegrating tablets to treat cardiovascular disease:formulation, in vitro characterization and physiologically based pharmacokinetic modelling to assess bioavailability

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death among men and women worldwide. In CVD, hypertension and dyslipidemia commonly coexist and are managed through coadministration of amlodipine and atorvastatin, respectively. The case for fixed-dose combination (FDC) oral dosage forms and orally disintegrating tablet (ODT) technology to enhance outcomes and compliance is strong. This work follows the development and characterization of single and FDC ODTs containing amlodipine and atorvastatin, followed by bioequivalence comparison between these single and FDC formulations, using in vitro dissolution and Caco-2 apparent permeability (Papp) and in silico physiologically based pharmacokinetic modeling approaches. ODTs containing amlodipine (5 mg) and atorvastatin (10 mg) either alone or in combination rapidly disintegrated (<30 s) while displaying a radial crushing strength in excess of 100 N and friability ≤1%. In vitro dissolution test was performed in fasted and fed-state simulated intestinal fluid (FeSSIF) and analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography. Dissolution profiles for single and FDC ODTs were compared using US FDA recommended difference (f1) and similarity (f2) factor testing for bioequivalence. In all cases, there was no difference in active pharmaceutical ingredient dissolution between single or FDC ODTs, with the exception of amlodipine in FeSSIF. Pharmacokinetic clinical trial simulations were conducted using Simcyp (Version 14), incorporating Papp and dissolution data. Simulated clinical trials in healthy volunteers showed no difference in bioavailability based on pharmacokinetic parameters between single and combination doses with either active pharmaceutical ingredient. An increase in Cmax and AUC for atorvastatin in fed subjects was attributed to extended transit along the gut lumen and reduced atorvastatin metabolism due to lower CYP3A4 expression at more distal small intestine absorption sites. The results demonstrated bioequivalence of an FDC ODT for amlodipine and atorvastatin, while highlighting several limitations of f1 and f2 bioequivalence testing and strengths of mechanistic pharmacokinetic modeling for oral drug absorption

Three minimum tile paths from bacterial artificial chromosome libraries of the soybean (Glycine max cv. 'Forrest'): tools for structural and functional genomics

BACKGROUND: The creation of minimally redundant tile paths (hereafter MTP) from contiguous sets of overlapping clones (hereafter contigs) in physical maps is a critical step for structural and functional genomics. Build 4 of the physical map of soybean (Glycine max L. Merr. cv. 'Forrest') showed the 1 Gbp haploid genome was composed of 0.7 Gbp diploid, 0.1 Gbp tetraploid and 0.2 Gbp octoploid regions. Therefore, the size of the unique genome was about 0.8 Gbp. The aim here was to create MTP sub-libraries from the soybean cv. Forrest physical map builds 2 to 4. RESULTS: The first MTP, named MTP2, was 14,208 clones (of mean insert size 140 kbp) picked from the 5,597 contigs of build 2. MTP2 was constructed from three BAC libraries (BamHI (B), HindIII (H) and EcoRI (E) inserts). MTP2 encompassed the contigs of build 3 that derived from build 2 by a series of contig merges. MTP2 encompassed 2 Gbp compared to the soybean haploid genome of 1 Gbp and does not distinguish regions by ploidy. The second and third MTPs, called MTP4BH and MTP4E, were each based on build 4. Each was semi-automatically selected from 2,854 contigs. MTP4BH was 4,608 B and H insert clones of mean size 173 kbp in the large (27.6 kbp) T-DNA vector pCLD04541. MTP4BH was suitable for plant transformation and functional genomics. MTP4E was 4,608 BAC clones with large inserts (mean 175 kbp) in the small (7.5 kbp) pECBAC1 vector. MTP4E was suitable for DNA sequencing. MTP4BH and MTP4E clones each encompassed about 0.8 Gbp, the 0.7 Gbp diploid regions and 0.05 Gbp each from the tetraploid and octoploid regions. MTP2 and MTP4BH were used for BAC-end sequencing, EST integration, micro-satellite integration into the physical map and high information content fingerprinting. MTP4E will be used for genome sequence by pooled genomic clone index. CONCLUSION: Each MTP and associated BES will be useful to deconvolute and ultimately finish the whole genome shotgun sequence of soybean

A motivational intervention for patients with COPD in primary care: Qualitative evaluation of a new practitioner role.

Methods: Qualitative study using patient and practice staff informants. We audio-recorded interviews with 29 patients offered the intervention (three had declined it or withdrawn) and 13 practice staff (GPs, nurses and administrators). Analysis used a constant comparative approach. Background: Long-term conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are growing challenges for health services. Psychosocial co-morbidity is associated with poorer quality of life and greater use of health care in these patients but is often un-diagnosed or inadequately treated in primary care, where most care for these patients is provided. We developed a brief intervention, delivered by 'liaison health workers' (LHWs), to address psychosocial needs in the context of an integrated approach to physical and mental health. We report a qualitative study in which we characterize the intervention through the experience of the patients receiving it and examine how it was incorporated into primary care. Results: Most patients were enthusiastic about the LHWs, describing the intervention as mobilizing their motivation for self-management. By contrast with other practitioners, patients experienced the LHWs as addressing their needs holistically, being guided by patient needs rather than professional agendas, forming individual relationships with patients and investing in patients and their capacity to change. Practices accommodated and accepted the LHWs, but positioned them as peripheral to and separate from the priority of physical care. Conclusions: Despite being a short-term intervention, patients described it as having enduring motivational benefits. The elements of the intervention that patients described map onto the key features of motivating interventions described by Self-Determination Theory. We suggest that the LHWs motivated patients to self-management by: (i) respecting patients' competence to decide on needs and priorities; (ii) forming relationships with patients as individuals; and (iii) fostering patients' sense of autonomy. While truly integrated primary care for patients with long-term conditions such as COPD remains elusive, existing practice staff might adopt elements of the LHWs' approach to enhance motivational change in patients with long-term conditions such as COPD

Depression and anxiety predict health-related quality of life in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Published onlineJournal ArticleMeta-AnalysisResearch Support, Non-U.S. Gov'tReviewBACKGROUND: The causal association between depression, anxiety, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is unclear. We therefore conducted a systematic review of prospective cohort studies that measured depression, anxiety, and HRQoL in COPD. METHODS: Electronic databases (Medline, Embase, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature [CINAHL], British Nursing Index and Archive, PsycINFO and Cochrane database) were searched from inception to June 18, 2013. Studies were eligible for inclusion if they: used a nonexperimental prospective cohort design; included patients with a diagnosis of COPD confirmed by spirometry; and used validated measures of depression, anxiety, and HRQoL. Data were extracted and pooled using random effects models. RESULTS: Six studies were included in the systematic review; of these, three were included in the meta-analysis for depression and two were included for the meta-analysis for anxiety. Depression was significantly correlated with HRQoL at 1-year follow-up (pooled r=0.48, 95% confidence interval 0.37-0.57, P<0.001). Anxiety was also significantly correlated with HRQoL at 1-year follow-up (pooled r=0.36, 95% confidence interval 0.23-0.48, P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Anxiety and depression predict HRQoL in COPD. However, this longitudinal analysis does not show cause and effect relationships between depression and anxiety and future HRQoL. Future studies should identify psychological predictors of poor HRQoL in well designed prospective cohorts with a view to isolating the mediating role played by anxiety disorder and depression.NIHRUniversity of ManchesterCLAHR

Large-scale discovery of enhancers from human heart tissue.

Development and function of the human heart depend on the dynamic control of tissue-specific gene expression by distant-acting transcriptional enhancers. To generate an accurate genome-wide map of human heart enhancers, we used an epigenomic enhancer discovery approach and identified ∼6,200 candidate enhancer sequences directly from fetal and adult human heart tissue. Consistent with their predicted function, these elements were markedly enriched near genes implicated in heart development, function and disease. To further validate their in vivo enhancer activity, we tested 65 of these human sequences in a transgenic mouse enhancer assay and observed that 43 (66%) drove reproducible reporter gene expression in the heart. These results support the discovery of a genome-wide set of noncoding sequences highly enriched in human heart enhancers that is likely to facilitate downstream studies of the role of enhancers in development and pathological conditions of the heart

VAST 2014, Challenge One: Event Analysis Within Big Data

News articles and email conversation data could be very useful in the analysis of developing and ongoing events, such as preventing a potential threat or possibly even locating a missing person. There is currently no “one-size-fits-all” solution to visualizing diverse forms of datasets and their sheer sizes are far too great to efficiently analyze by brute force methods. However, using principles of Visual Analytics, it is possible to take this information overload and transform it into a useful tool to help increase the efficiency of event analysis. A visualization system was developed for email conversation networks using web technologies. An interactive force diagram was constructed, allowing for an easy analysis of communication links between people. This force diagram was able to be filtered down to specific people or emails and with color coded nodes based on positions held in a company. A dynamic list of email headers was created that allowed for filtering based on specifically chosen people or by user defined importance. Lastly, a slide-out menu was implemented to allow for a side by side comparison between two selected people by displaying their employee records. The system created was used on a data set from the VAST 2014 mini challenge 1 and it allowed for the successful analysis of a fictional companies email network. Although this specific system was designed around the VAST 2014 data set, it could easily be modified to work with diverse email conversation network data to aid in various forms of analysis