Image interpolation using Shearlet based iterative refinement

This paper proposes an image interpolation algorithm exploiting sparse representation for natural images. It involves three main steps: (a) obtaining an initial estimate of the high resolution image using linear methods like FIR filtering, (b) promoting sparsity in a selected dictionary through iterative thresholding, and (c) extracting high frequency information from the approximation to refine the initial estimate. For the sparse modeling, a shearlet dictionary is chosen to yield a multiscale directional representation. The proposed algorithm is compared to several state-of-the-art methods to assess its objective as well as subjective performance. Compared to the cubic spline interpolation method, an average PSNR gain of around 0.8 dB is observed over a dataset of 200 images

Fisheye Consistency: Keeping Data in Synch in a Georeplicated World

Over the last thirty years, numerous consistency conditions for replicated data have been proposed and implemented. Popular examples of such conditions include linearizability (or atomicity), sequential consistency, causal consistency, and eventual consistency. These consistency conditions are usually defined independently from the computing entities (nodes) that manipulate the replicated data; i.e., they do not take into account how computing entities might be linked to one another, or geographically distributed. To address this lack, as a first contribution, this paper introduces the notion of proximity graph between computing nodes. If two nodes are connected in this graph, their operations must satisfy a strong consistency condition, while the operations invoked by other nodes are allowed to satisfy a weaker condition. The second contribution is the use of such a graph to provide a generic approach to the hybridization of data consistency conditions into the same system. We illustrate this approach on sequential consistency and causal consistency, and present a model in which all data operations are causally consistent, while operations by neighboring processes in the proximity graph are sequentially consistent. The third contribution of the paper is the design and the proof of a distributed algorithm based on this proximity graph, which combines sequential consistency and causal consistency (the resulting condition is called fisheye consistency). In doing so the paper not only extends the domain of consistency conditions, but provides a generic provably correct solution of direct relevance to modern georeplicated systems

Food Safety Posters for Safe Handling of Leafy Greens

This article describes food safety educational tools depicting safe handling of leafy greens that are available as downloadable posters to Extension educators and practitioners (www.extension.iastate.edu). Nine visual-based minimal-text colored posters in English, Chinese, and Spanish were developed for use when formally or informally educating foodservice workers about safely handling leafy greens. A three-phase methodology included the use of expert knowledge, microbial sampling, and observational study in Iowa and Kansas foodservice operations. Use of the posters was shown to have positive impacts on both microbial levels and food safety behaviors, suggesting that the posters can be useful tools for Extension personnel

Fluconazole resistance in Candida albicans is induced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa quorum sensing

Microorganisms employ quorum sensing (QS) mechanisms to communicate with each other within microbial ecosystems. Emerging evidence suggests that intraspecies and interspecies QS plays an important role in antimicrobial resistance in microbial communities. However, the relationship between interkingdom QS and antimicrobial resistance is largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that interkingdom QS interactions between a bacterium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and a yeast, Candida albicans, induce the resistance of the latter to a widely used antifungal fluconazole. Phenotypic, transcriptomic, and proteomic analyses reveal that P. aeruginosa’s main QS molecule, N-(3-Oxododecanoyl)-L-homoserine lactone, induces candidal resistance to fluconazole by reversing the antifungal’s effect on the ergosterol biosynthesis pathway. Accessory resistance mechanisms including upregulation of C. albicans drug-efflux, regulation of oxidative stress response, and maintenance of cell membrane integrity, further confirm this phenomenon. These findings demonstrate that P. aeruginosa QS molecules may confer protection to neighboring yeasts against azoles, in turn strengthening their co-existence in hostile polymicrobial infection sites

FORMULATION OF SUSTAINABLE AGRO FORESTRY MODELS FOR NORTH CENTRAL DRY ZONE OF SRI LANKA

Increase of human population and clearing of forests for their requirements has been alocal as well as global environmental crisis. In Sri Lanka, forest cover has dwindled at analarming rate from 70% in 1990 to 22% as of present. Deforestation and degradation ofland due to many reasons including poverty related land management practices such asshifting cultivation and forest encroachments, conversion of forest estate to other moreeconomically profitable land uses are some of the reasons for the loss of forest. agroforestryhas been identified all over the world as an appropriate alternative which providessustainabilityAccording to the Forestry Sector master Plan (1995) the necessity of utilizing the sparsely·used scrub lands for agroforestry ventures to improve the tree cover and socio-economicstatus of the people has been identified. Forest Department too in its Participatory ForestryProject has ventured into establishment of farmers woodlots with the active participation ofcommunities and this programme is wide spread in many parts of the country especially inthe dry zone. However, the composition of these farmers woodlots still not complete toincorporate diversity and sustainability. Therefore, the objective of this present study is toformulate sustainable tree-crop models for a wide range of land classes in the north centraldry zone of Sri LankaIpalogama divisional Secretariat in Anuradhapura District was identified for the study.Field studies were done in handsomely selected 3 traditional tank based villages namelySangattewa, Puliyankulama and Dampeleassagama . Information was gathered through aquestionnaire survey, field visits and personnel interviews with villagers. Randomelyselected 44 households or 14.8% of the total households in the 3 villages were subjected tothe survey. The species composition and vertical and horizontal diversity, lightrequirements, multiple uses, financial returns/ha, prevalence of local/indigenous treespecies and farmer's choice were taken into consideration in the formulation of theagroforestry models for the various land classes sampled egoAlluvial plains, middle slopesand upper slopes etc.

Effects of tea extracts on the colonization behaviour of Candida species:attachment inhibition and biofilm enhancement

Purpose. We assessed the effects of four different types of tea extracts (green, oolong, black and pu-erh tea) on cellular surface properties (hydrophobicity and auto-aggregation) and the colonization attributes (attachment and biofilm formation) of four strains of Candida albicans and three strains of Candida krusei. Methodology. The cellular surface properties were determined using spectrophotometry. The colonization activities were quantified using colorimetric viability assays and visualized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). Results. The tea extracts, in general, reduced the hydrophobicity (by 8-66%) and auto-aggregation (by 20-65%), and inhibited the attachment of two C. krusei strains (by 41-88%). Tea extracts enhanced the biofilm formation of one C. albicans and two C. krusei strains (by 1.4-7.5-fold). The observed reduction in hydrophobicity strongly correlated with the reduction in attachment of the two C. krusei strains (

Building cloud applications for challenged networks

Cloud computing has seen vast advancements and uptake in many parts of the world. However, many of the design patterns and deployment models are not very suitable for locations with challenged networks such as countries with no nearby datacenters. This paper describes the problem and discusses the options available for such locations, focusing specifically on community clouds as a short-term solution. The paper highlights the impact of recent trends in the development of cloud applications and how changing these could better help deployment in challenged networks. The paper also outlines the consequent challenges in bridging different cloud deployments, also known as cross-cloud computing

Serum Concentrations of Myostatin and Myostatin-Interacting Proteins do not differ between young and Scarcopenic elderly men

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The impact of point mutations in the human androgen receptor : classification of mutations on the basis of transcriptional activity

Peer reviewedPublisher PD