GLOBAL RESEARCH TRENDS IN ENTOMOLOGY DURING 2012 – 2016: AN ANALYTICAL STUDY

The present study explores the quantum of productivity in the field of Entomology. For this study, the data were downloaded from the ‘Web of Science Core Collection’ database and there were 1671 records contributed globally level over a period of five years i.e. 2012-2016. The study contributes to the different aspects of Entomology research, such as year wise distribution, country wise, authorship pattern, the degree of collaboration, and most prolific authors etc. The highest number of records was published in the year 2016, while lowest numbers of records was published in 2012. The doubling time for publications at the decreased level has been computed during 2013 - 2016. The frequency occurrence of words among the publications revealed that the word ‘Diptera’ is found more with 276 (16.5%). Lotka\u27s law with regard to author productivity of Entomology research output was applied. It could be seen that the proportion of all output based on single contribution is important. The total numbers of publications in entomology with collaboration among the top 10 countries are presented. Largest contribution of USA was 307 (18.4%), followed by South Korea with 264 (15.8%)

Optimization and Comparison of Manual and Semi-Automated Material Handling in a Cross-Dock Using Discrete-Event Simulation

A Cross-Dock (CD) is a synchronized unit of a supply chain network, used to sort the goods received from inbound trucks (from a warehouse or factory), and load those products to outbound trucks (for delivery of the goods to retail stores in the supply chain network). Most cross-docks use forklifts, and other manual material handling equipment (MHE) to process the goods on pallets received from inbound trucks. Those pallets are sorted and loaded onto outbound trucks. With the advancements in robotics, it could be bene cial to employ semi-automated material handling techniques in a CD, rather than solely relying on manual material handling. In this thesis, the scope of self-driving vehicles (SDVs) in one such semi-automated cross-dock facility is studied. We compare the cases of purely manual and semi-automated material handling in a cross-dock. Using simulation, we modelled two cross-dock facilities, one with forklifts only and with a mixture of forklifts and SDVs. Simulation was thus employed to mimic the CD's material handling process, to compare the two MHE con gurations. Then the built cross-dock simulation models were optimized using the response surface methodology and mixed integer non-linear programming (MINLP), to achieve the optimal MHE con guration for those facilities operating with the desired levels of performance metrics. Thereby the manual and semi-automated cross-dock with similar performance (and optimal MHE con gurations) are compared and the scope of SDVs in a cross-dock is evaluated. Conclusions are given, and opportunities for further research are presented

Research Productivity in Human Genetics during 2014 – 2018: A Scientometric Approach

An attempt is made for bringing out the growth of literature on human genetics. Web of Science database has been used to retrieve the data of five years (2014-2018) by searching a keyword “Human Genetics in the combined topics, abstract and keywords fields. The scientometric tools and techniques such as document type, year wise distributions, language, and country wise distribution are used for measuring the outputs. Findings of the study indicate that more than 1966 (20.51%) research articles were published in the year 2016. English was the dominant language with 9393 (97.9%) followed by German with 71(0.7%). For the contributing top ten most productive countries, USA topped the list with 46.8%, followed by UK (12.9%), and China (10.1%). The frequency occurrence of words among the publications revealed that the word ‘Human’ is largely found with 1545 (16.1%) and followed by a word ‘genetics’ which occurred in 1389 (14.5%) publications. The results of Straight-line Equation and Time Series Analysis predict future trend of growth of research outputs in human genetics to reach 6374 research papers in the year 2034

A Reduced Switch Asymmetric Multilevel Inverter Topology Using Unipolar Pulse Width Modulation Strategies for Photovoltaic Application

A new design of multilevel inverter configuration is proposed for reducing the component count and improving the quality of waveform in a photovoltaic system. The proposed configuration operates at the binary asymmetric condition for generating the large amount output voltage level with small amount harmonic distortion. Unipolar trapezoidal reference with triangular carriers is used for generating the desired switching pulses to generate the required output voltage level. The proposed configuration requires eight unipolar switches for generating the 31-level output voltage level with total harmonic distortion of 3.18% without using any filters. The value of %total harmonic distortion (THD) satisfies the IEEE 519 harmonic standard. Separate DC sources of proposed configuration are replaced by the array of photovoltaic panels for testing the configuration with the renewable energy source. The proposed configuration is tested with an experimental setup for proving the operation of it. Selected simulation and experimental results are shown for the verification of proposed configuration ability

Impact of obesity with impaired glucose tolerance on retinal degeneration in a rat model of metabolic syndrome.

PurposeMetabolic syndrome (MetS) is associated with several degenerative diseases, including retinal degeneration. Previously, we reported on progressive retinal degeneration in a spontaneous obese rat (WNIN/Ob) model. In this study, we investigated the additional effect of impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), an essential component of MetS, on retinal degeneration using the WNIN/GR-Ob rat model.MethodsThe retinal morphology and ultrastructure of WNIN/GR-Ob and age-matched littermate lean rats were studied by microscopy and immunohistochemistry. The retinal transcriptome of WNIN/GR-Ob was compared with the respective lean controls and with the WNIN/Ob model using microarray analysis. Expression of selected retinal marker genes was studied via real-time PCR.ResultsProgressive loss of photoreceptor cells was observed in WNIN/GR-Ob rats with an onset as early as 3 months. Similarly, thinning of the inner nuclear layer was observed from 6 months in these rats. Immunohistochemical analysis showed decreased levels of rhodopsin and postsynaptic density protein-95 (PSD-95) proteins and increased levels of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and calretinin in WNIN/GR-Ob rats compared with the age-matched lean controls, further supporting cellular stress/damage and retinal degeneration. The retinal transcriptome analysis indicated altered expression profiles in both the WNIN/GR-Ob and WNIN/Ob rat models compared to their respective lean controls; these pathways are associated with activation of pathways like cellular oxidative stress response, inflammation, apoptosis, and phototransduction, although the changes were more prominent in WNIN/GR-Ob than in WNIN/Ob animals.ConclusionsWNIN/GR-Ob rats with added glucose intolerance developed retinal degeneration similar to the parent line WNIN/Ob. The severity of retinal degeneration was greater in WNIN/GR-Ob rats compared to WNIN/Ob, suggesting a possible role for IGT in this model. Hence, the WNIN/GR-Ob model could be a valuable tool for investigating the impact of MetS on retinal degeneration pathology

Datasets comprising the quality validations of simulated protein-ligand complexes and SYBYL docking scores of bioactive natural compounds as inhibitors of protein-targets.

Docking scores and simulation parameters to study the potency of natural compounds against protein targets in (M) were retrieved through molecular docking and structural investigation. The molecular docking datasets comprised 15 natural compounds, seven conventional anti-tuberculosis (anti-TB) drugs and their seven corresponding M target proteins. M protein targets were actively involved in translation mechanism, nucleic acid metabolism and membrane integrity. Standard structural screening and stereochemical optimizations were adopted to generate the 3D protein structures and their corresponding ligands prior to molecular docking. Force-field integration and energy minimization were further employed to obtain the proteins in their ideal geometry. Surflex-dock algorithm using Hammerhead scoring functions were used to finally produce the docking scores between each protein and the corresponding ligand(s). The best-docked complexes selected for simulation studies were subjected to topology adjustments, charge neutralizations, solvation and equilibrations (temperature, volume and pressure). The protein-ligand complexes and molecular dynamics parameter files have been provided. The trajectories of the simulated parameters such as density, pressure and temperature were generated with integrated tools of the simulation suite. The datasets can be useful to computational and molecular medicine researchers to find therapeutic leads relevant to the chemical behaviours of a specific class of compounds against biological systems. Structural parameters and energy functions provided a set of standard values that can be utilised to design simulation experiments regarding similar macromolecular interactions

Host lipidome and tuberculosis treatment failure

INTRODUCTION: Host lipids play important roles in tuberculosis (TB) pathogenesis. Whether host lipids at TB treatment initiation (baseline) affect subsequent treatment outcomes has not been well characterised. We used unbiased lipidomics to study the prospective association of host lipids with TB treatment failure. METHODS: A case–control study (n=192), nested within a prospective cohort study, was used to investigate the association of baseline plasma lipids with TB treatment failure among adults with pulmonary TB. Cases (n=46) were defined as TB treatment failure, while controls (n=146) were those without failure. Complex lipids and inflammatory lipid mediators were measured using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry techniques. Adjusted least-square regression was used to assess differences in groups. In addition, machine learning identified lipids with highest area under the curve (AUC) to classify cases and controls. RESULTS: Baseline levels of 32 lipids differed between controls and those with treatment failure after false discovery rate adjustment. Treatment failure was associated with lower baseline levels of cholesteryl esters and oxylipin, and higher baseline levels of ceramides and triglycerides compared to controls. Two cholesteryl ester lipids combined in a unique classifier model provided an AUC of 0.79 (95% CI 0.65–0.93) in the test dataset for prediction of TB treatment failure. CONCLUSIONS: We identified lipids, some with known roles in TB pathogenesis, associated with TB treatment failure. In addition, a lipid signature with prognostic accuracy for TB treatment failure was identified. These lipids could be potential targets for risk-stratification, adjunct therapy and treatment monitoring

Global, regional, and national age-sex-specific mortality for 282 causes of death in 195 countries and territories, 1980-2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017.

BACKGROUND: Global development goals increasingly rely on country-specific estimates for benchmarking a nation's progress. To meet this need, the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2016 estimated global, regional, national, and, for selected locations, subnational cause-specific mortality beginning in the year 1980. Here we report an update to that study, making use of newly available data and improved methods. GBD 2017 provides a comprehensive assessment of cause-specific mortality for 282 causes in 195 countries and territories from 1980 to 2017. METHODS: The causes of death database is composed of vital registration (VR), verbal autopsy (VA), registry, survey, police, and surveillance data. GBD 2017 added ten VA studies, 127 country-years of VR data, 502 cancer-registry country-years, and an additional surveillance country-year. Expansions of the GBD cause of death hierarchy resulted in 18 additional causes estimated for GBD 2017. Newly available data led to subnational estimates for five additional countries-Ethiopia, Iran, New Zealand, Norway, and Russia. Deaths assigned International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes for non-specific, implausible, or intermediate causes of death were reassigned to underlying causes by redistribution algorithms that were incorporated into uncertainty estimation. We used statistical modelling tools developed for GBD, including the Cause of Death Ensemble model (CODEm), to generate cause fractions and cause-specific death rates for each location, year, age, and sex. Instead of using UN estimates as in previous versions, GBD 2017 independently estimated population size and fertility rate for all locations. Years of life lost (YLLs) were then calculated as the sum of each death multiplied by the standard life expectancy at each age. All rates reported here are age-standardised