A Survey on Centrality Metrics and Their Implications in Network Resilience

Centrality metrics have been used in various networks, such as communication, social, biological, geographic, or contact networks. In particular, they have been used in order to study and analyze targeted attack behaviors and investigated their effect on network resilience. Although a rich volume of centrality metrics has been developed for decades, a limited set of centrality metrics have been commonly in use. This paper aims to introduce various existing centrality metrics and discuss their applicabilities and performance based on the results obtained from extensive simulation experiments to encourage their use in solving various computing and engineering problems in networks.Comment: Main paper: 36 pages, 2 figures. Appendix 23 pages,45 figure

Tasty Spices as Nutraceuticals

Spices, food additives, which are the main sources of taste, colour, and perfume in foods and beverages, are becoming more and more important due to their wide range of applications. Spices are consumed as food additives to improve the sensory quality of foods. Traditional systems of medicine have employed spices for centuries since they have been known to have physiological effects that are good for human health. In the past few decades, pioneering experimental research involving both animal studies and human trials has been carried out which proved thatspices have therapeutic effects. The benefits of spices’ like nutritional, antioxidant, anti-microbial, and therapeutic characteristics are many. These potentials activities of spices also adds up with their far reaching nutraceutical values. The primary health challenges facing humanity today are diabetes, cardio-vascular illnesses, arthritis, and cancer. Thus the anti-diabetic, anti-hypercholesterolemic, anti-carcinogenic, digestive stimulant action, antilithogenic property, anti-inflammatory property, antimutagenic, and anticarcinogenicand anti-inflammatory actions of spices are of utmost importance in the current situation. The present chapter deals with review of the nutraceutical and health benefits of various spices used in daily diet

An immunohistochemical analysis for evaluating the diagnostic role of myofibroblasts in oral squamous cell carcinoma using α-smooth muscle actin antibody

Background: One of the most common types of malignancies affecting the head and neck region is oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Little less is known about the role of myofibroblasts in the pathogenetic process of OSCC. Hence, we assessed the involvement of myofibroblasts in the invasive process of OSCC using α-SMA (α-smooth muscle actin) antibody. Materials and Methods: Four study groups in total were organized as follows: 40 cases each of well-differentiated OSCC (WDOSCC), moderately differentiated OSCC (MDOSCC), poorly differentiated OSCC (PDOSCC), and controls make up Group 1, Group 2, Group 3, and Group 4, respectively. The percentage of α-SMA immunopositive cells and staining intensity (A) multiplied together to determine the final staining score (B). The final staining index was produced by multiplying staining intensity (A) by the proportion of immunopositive cells that were stained with α-SMA (B) (FSI). Score Zero was graded as Index Zero by FSI while scores One and Two received an Index Low rating, scores Three and Four an Index Moderate rating, and scores Six and Nine an Index High rating. Results: Significantly higher expression of myofibroblast was observed in OSCC group in comparison with the control group. However; no significant difference in myofibroblast expression was observed while comparing different grades of OSCC. Conclusion: We recommend using myofibroblasts as a stromal marker to track the severity and development of OSCC

Association Mining for Super Market Sales using UP Growth and Top-K Algorithm

Frequent itemsets(HUIs) mining is an evolving field in data mining, that centers around finding itemsets having a utility that meets a user-specified minimum utility by finding all the itemsets. A problem arises in setting up minimum utility exactly which causes difficulties for users. By setting minimum utility underneath average, too many incessant itemsets will be generated, which in turn will make the mining process quite inefficient. No frequent itemsets will be found if the minimum utility is set too huge. The research focuses on generating frequent itemsets by using the transaction weighted utility of each product. While using UP growth methodology for discovering high utility items from large datasets it takes more time and consumes more memory due to which it is less efficient. So to overcome these drawbacks of UP growth we use the Top-K algorithm which makes it more scalable and efficient. Therefore, we use the Top-K algorithm which does not require a minimum threshold

Prevalence and predictors of ventriculo-atrial conduction in structurally normal hearts

Background: The prevalence of ventriculo-atrial (VA) conduction varies from 20% to 90%, depending on the population studied (Militianu et al., 1997; Inoue et al., 1985; Kazmierczak et al., 1993; Ciemniewski et al., 1990; Hayes and Furman, 1983; Westveer et al., 1984). This wide range is mostly based on studies done in patients with implanted devices or impaired atrioventricular conduction. However, the prevalence of VA conduction in structurally normal heart has not been well documented till date. Objective: To study the prevalence and identify predictors of retrograde conduction via the His-Purkinje system and AV node in structurally normal hearts. Methods: We included 54 consecutive adults without structural heart disease who underwent electrophysiological (EP) study for various tachycardias. The basic parameters including PR, AH and HV intervals, atrioventricular Wenckebach point (AVWP) and anterograde effective refractory period (ERP) of atrioventricular node (AVNERP), were measured after ablation. The VA conduction was assessed basally and if absent, after isoprenaline. The VA Wenckebach point (VAWP) and retrograde ERP(VAERP) were recorded in patients showing VA conduction. Results: The mean age was 37.1 ± 12.6years. Twenty five (46%) of the patients were men. VA conduction was present in 30 (55%) patients at baseline. Of the remaining 24 patients, 18 (34%) showed VA conduction after isoprenaline. Only 6 (11%) patients failed to reveal VA conduction even after adequate response to isoprenaline. Amongst all clinical and EP variables analysed, only the HV interval was shorter (p < 0.01) in patients with VA conduction. Conclusion: In structurally normal hearts, VA conduction was present at baseline in 55% of patients. Isoprenaline unmasked VA conduction in an additional 34% of the subjects. The HV interval was longer in patients without VA conduction

Absent right bundle branch block: Is it a clue of pre-excitation in Ebstein's anomaly?

A 14-year-old male with a history of symptomatic tachycardia was referred for ablation. Sinus rhythm electrocardiogram was not showing any pre-excitation. Tachycardia episode was showing antidromic tachycardia with left bundle branch block morphology. Echocardiographic examination was showing Ebstein's anomaly with septal tricuspid leaflet displaced 24 mm apically. The right bundle branch block (RBBB) was concealed during sinus rhythm. The RBBB was revealed with ablation of right posterior atriofascicular accessory pathway

Is accelerated idioventricular rhythm a good marker for reperfusion after streptokinase?

Background: Accelerated idioventricular rhythm (AIVR) is a common arrhythmia observed in patients with ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (MI). It is not clear how much value AIVR has in predicting successful reperfusion, since there have been conflicting data regarding this in the past. Streptokinase (STK) even today is the commonest thrombolytic agent used in the public health care set-up in India.1 Most data for the use of STK are from the 1990s, which had showed that at best it is effective in only 50% of patients in restoring adequate flow.2 It is probable that with the current dual-antiplatelet loading dose regimen and other newer medications, this figure could be higher. Also, rescue angioplasty for failed thrombolysis is the standard of care now, unlike before. Hence, we need reliable non-invasive markers to judge successful reperfusion in the present era. While ST segment resolution is the standard marker for reperfusion used in thrombolytic trials, in several instances it is not definitive. An additional marker would thus be very useful, especially in such cases. Methods: This was a prospective observational study carried out at a public teaching hospital. 200 consecutive patients with a diagnosis of acute MI who were given STK within 12 h of index pain were included. The STK dose was 1.5 million units, infused over 30 min; the ECG was again recorded after 90 min of completion of the infusion. Continuous ECG monitoring for the first 24 h of ICCU stay was performed and AIVRs during this period were documented. Early AIVR was defined as that occurring within 2 h of completing the STK infusion. Echocardiography was performed 24 h after presentation. The time course of AIVR was studied vis-a-vis the outcome of thrombolysis. Results: AIVR was seen in 41% of the patients. Though AIVR was found to have low sensitivity (45%) and specificity (64%) as a predictor of successful thrombolysis, early AIVR was a reliable sign of successful thrombolysis (p < 0.05). The sensitivity (45%) of early AIVR was low; however, the specificity (94%) and positive predictive value (94%) were very good. Conclusion: AIVR is a common arrhythmia in the setting of STEMI receiving thrombolytic therapy. Early AIVR is more common with successful thrombolysis, with an excellent positive predictive value. Thus, early AIVR can be used as an additive criterion to ST segment resolution as a non-invasive marker of successful thrombolysis with STK