Guaranteeing Envy-Freeness under Generalized Assignment Constraints

We study fair division of goods under the broad class of generalized assignment constraints. In this constraint framework, the sizes and values of the goods are agent-specific, and one needs to allocate the goods among the agents fairly while further ensuring that each agent receives a bundle of total size at most the corresponding budget of the agent. Since, in such a constraint setting, it may not always be feasible to partition all the goods among the agents, we conform -- as in recent works -- to the construct of charity to designate the set of unassigned goods. For this allocation framework, we obtain existential and computational guarantees for envy-free (appropriately defined) allocation of divisible and indivisible goods, respectively, among agents with individual, additive valuations for the goods. We deem allocations to be fair by evaluating envy only with respect to feasible subsets. In particular, an allocation is said to be feasibly envy-free (FEF) iff each agent prefers its bundle over every (budget) feasible subset within any other agent's bundle (and within the charity). The current work establishes that, for divisible goods, FEF allocations are guaranteed to exist and can be computed efficiently under generalized assignment constraints. In the context of indivisible goods, FEF allocations do not necessarily exist, and hence, we consider the fairness notion of feasible envy-freeness up to any good (FEFx). We show that, under generalized assignment constraints, an FEFx allocation of indivisible goods always exists. In fact, our FEFx result resolves open problems posed in prior works. Further, for indivisible goods and under generalized assignment constraints, we provide a pseudo-polynomial time algorithm for computing FEFx allocations, and a fully polynomial-time approximation scheme (FPTAS) for computing approximate FEFx allocations.Comment: 29 page

Genetic and functional evaluation of the role of CXCR1 and CXCR2 in susceptibility to visceral leishmaniasis in north-east India.

BACKGROUND: IL8RA and IL8RB, encoded by CXCR1 and CXCR2, are receptors for interleukin (IL)-8 and other CXC chemokines involved in chemotaxis and activation of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN). Variants at CXCR1 and CXCR2 have been associated with susceptibility to cutaneous and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis in Brazil. Here we investigate the role of CXCR1/CXCR2 in visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in India. METHODS: Three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs4674259, rs2234671, rs3138060) that tag linkage disequilibrium blocks across CXCR1/CXCR2 were genotyped in primary family-based (313 cases; 176 nuclear families; 836 individuals) and replication (941 cases; 992 controls) samples. Family- and population-based analyses were performed to look for association between CXCR1/CXCR2 variants and VL. Quantitative RT/PCR was used to compare CXCR1/CXCR2 expression in mRNA from paired splenic aspirates taken before and after treatment from 19 VL patients. RESULTS: Family-based analysis using FBAT showed association between VL and SNPs CXCR1_rs2234671 (Z-score = 2.935, P = 0.003) and CXCR1_rs3138060 (Z-score = 2.22, P = 0.026), but not with CXCR2_rs4674259. Logistic regression analysis of the case-control data under an additive model of inheritance showed association between VL and SNPs CXCR2_rs4674259 (OR = 1.15, 95%CI = 1.01-1.31, P = 0.027) and CXCR1_rs3138060 (OR = 1.25, 95%CI = 1.02-1.53, P = 0.028), but not with CXCR1_rs2234671. The 3-locus haplotype T_G_C across these SNPs was shown to be the risk haplotype in both family- (TRANSMIT; P = 0.014) and population- (OR = 1.16, P = 0.028) samples (combined P = 0.002). CXCR2, but not CXCR1, expression was down regulated in pre-treatment compared to post-treatment splenic aspirates (P = 0.021). CONCLUSIONS: This well-powered primary and replication genetic study, together with functional analysis of gene expression, implicate CXCR2 in determining outcome of VL in India.RIGHTS : This article is licensed under the BioMed Central licence at http://www.biomedcentral.com/about/license which is similar to the 'Creative Commons Attribution Licence'. In brief you may : copy, distribute, and display the work; make derivative works; or make commercial use of the work - under the following conditions: the original author must be given credit; for any reuse or distribution, it must be made clear to others what the license terms of this work are

Particle induced X-ray emission study of blood samples of Indian Kala-azar patients

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) or Kala-azar (KA) is a neglected tropical disease caused by protozoan parasite, Leishmania sp. and is fatal, if left untreated. In this study, we measured trace elements (K, Fe, Cu, Zn, Br, Cl, S, Ca, Mn, Cr, Ni, As, Se, Rb and Sr) in the blood of Indian VL patients (32) by particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) study. Blood was collected from 36 subjects including healthy controls from Rambagh Kala-azar Hospital, Muzaffarpur, Bihar, India. PIXE experiment was carried out at the Institute of Physics, Bhubaneswar, India and data were analyzed by GUPIXWIN software. We observed first time the association of bromine with the disease. The results showed 48.47 % decrease in Br, 35.16 % decrease in Zn and 29.05 % decrease in Fe in untreated state of the KA patients. In the same group, Cu has been increased by 16.73 %. Cu/Zn ratio has been altered in diseased state. The association of bromine with the disease is reported for the first time and altered levels of trace elements (Br, Cu, Fe and Zn) may come back to normal after completion of the treatment regimen with Amphotericin B

Particle induced X-ray emission study of blood samples of Indian Kala-azar patients

Ivermectina é antiparasitário que pertence ao grupo das avermectinas, muito utilizado mundialmente e de elevada eficácia, porém, rotineiramente usado de forma inadequada na clínica de pequenos animais. Os felinos podem sofrer intoxicação pela via oral, parenteral e também pela aplicação tópica. O prognóstico depende da dose utilizada, idade do gato e sensibilidade individual. Este trabalho buscou realizar revisão bibliográfica sobre a ivermectina focando em suas propriedades e nas implicações clinicas da intoxicação por ivermectina. Adicionou-se a esta revisão, relato de caso clínico de gato intoxicado por via cutânea. Um felino de um ano e dois meses de idade recebeu uma aplicação tópica de ivermectina de uso injetável diretamente no coxim palmar. Os principais sinais clínicos observados foram alterações neurológicas, como ataxia, midríase e tremores. O paciente recebeu tratamento sintomático e de suporte, recuperando-se completamente e não ocorrendo sequelas identificáveis. É de fundamental importância reconhecer os sinais clínicos deste tipo de intoxicação e seus possíveis diagnósticos diferenciais para correta conduta terapêutica. Não existe antídoto, mas adequado tratamento sintomático, de suporte, e cuidados de enfermagem iniciados precocemente, possibilitam aumento das chances de sucesso terapêutico e a plena recuperação do paciente.Ivermectin is an antiparasitic agent belonging to the group of avermectins widely used with high efficacy, but routinely used inappropriately in small animals clinic. The cats are susceptible to poisoning by oral, parenteral and topical application. Prognosis depends on the dose, age and individual sensitivity. This study attempts to make a review on ivermectin focusing on its properties and clinical implications of ivermectin poisoning. A case report of an intoxicated cat by topical administration was added to this review. A 1.2 years old cat, received a topical application of ivermectin injectable use directly on the palm cushion. The main clinical signs were neurological disorders such as ataxia, mydriasis and tremors. The patient had symptomatic and supportive treatment, fully recovered with no identifiable sequels. It is vital to recognize the main clinical signs and possible differential diagnosis of this type of poisoning for a correct therapeutic approach. There is no antidote, but appropriate symptomatic and support treatment, with early nursing care allow increased chances of successful treatment and patient full recovery

Peripheral dose measurements with diode and thermoluminescence dosimeters for intensity modulated radiotherapy delivered with conventional and un-conventional linear accelerator

The objective of this paper was to measure the peripheral dose (PD) with diode and thermoluminescence dosimeter (TLD) for intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) with linear accelerator (conventional LINAC), and tomotherapy (novel LINAC). Ten patients each were selected from Trilogy dual-energy and from Hi-Art II tomotherapy. Two diodes were kept at 20 and 25 cm from treatment field edge. TLDs (LiF:MgTi) were also kept at same distance. TLDs were also kept at 5, 10, and 15 cm from field edge. The TLDs were read with REXON reader. The readings at the respective distance were recorded for both diode and TLD. The PD was estimated by taking the ratio of measured dose at the particular distance to the prescription dose. PD was then compared with diode and TLD for LINAC and tomotherapy. Mean PD for LINAC with TLD and diode was 2.52 cGy (SD 0.69), 2.07 cGy (SD 0.88) at 20 cm, respectively, while at 25 cm, it was 1.94 cGy (SD 0.58) and 1.5 cGy (SD 0.75), respectively. Mean PD for tomotherapy with TLD and diode was 1.681 cGy SD 0.53) and 1.58 (SD 0.44) at 20 cm, respectively. The PD was 1.24 cGy (SD 0.42) and 1.088 cGy (SD 0.35) at 25 cm, respectively, for tomotherapy. Overall, PD from tomotherapy was found lower than LINAC by the factor of 1.2-1.5. PD measurement is essential to find out the potential of secondary cancer. PD for both (conventional LINAC) and novel LINACs (tomotherapy) were measured and compared with each other. The comparison of the values for PD presented in this work and those published in the literature is difficult because of the different experimental conditions. The diode and TLD readings were reproducible and both the detector readings were comparable