Neural Web Based Human Recognition

Face detection is one of the challenging problems in the image processing. A novel face detection system is presented in this paper. The approach relies on skin-based color features xtracted from two dimensional Discrete Cosine Transfer (DCT) and neural networks, which can be used to detect faces by using skin color from DCT coefficient of Cb and Cr feature vectors. This system contains the skin color which is the main feature of faces for detection, and then the skin face candidate is examined by using the neural networks, which learn from the feature of faces to classify whether the original image includes a face or not. The processing is based on normalization and Discrete Cosin Transfer. Finally the classification based on neural networks approach. The experiment results on upright frontal color face images from the internet show an excellent detection rate

Long-term enzyme replacement therapy is associated with reduced proteinuria and preserved proximal tubular function in women with Fabry disease

Background Fabry disease is an X-linked lysosomal storage disorder caused by mutations in the GLA gene. Deficiency of α-galactosidase A (α-Gal A) causes intracellular accumulations of globotriaosylceramide (GL-3) and related glycosphingolipids in all organs, including the kidney, often leading to end-stage renal failure. In women with Fabry disease, accumulation of GL-3 in the glomerular podocytes and other renal cells induces progressive, proteinuric nephropathy, but not as severe as in men. Enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) with recombinant α-Gal A reduces cellular GL-3 deposits in podocytes and tubular epithelial cells. We have previously shown that α-Gal A is delivered to these cells by different pathways involving different receptors. This study investigated the long-term changes in albuminuria, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and urinary markers of both glomerular and tubular dysfunction in women with Fabry disease treated with ERT. Methods A retrospective, single centre, cohort study evaluated the long-term association between ERT, albuminuria and eGFR in 13 women with Fabry disease and mild renal involvement. In particular, we analysed the changes in the proteinuric profile, including the glomerular marker IgG, the tubular markers α1-microglobulin and retinol-binding protein (RBP), and the shared tubular and glomerular markers albumin and transferrin. Results ERT was associated with a significant reduction in albuminuria and a relatively stable eGFR. The decrease in albuminuria was paralleled by a decrease in both glomerular and tubular urine protein markers. Conclusions The data indicate that long-term ERT is associated with a reduction in albuminuria and glomerular and tubular urinary protein markers in women with Fabry disease and mild renal manifestation

Food in Sangam literature

Food is essential for all higher and non-human beings. Non-carnivores are herbivores and carnivores. The people of the Sangam Age grew food according to the five types of land and climate and ate the food eaten by human beings. Food plays a huge role in their physical development. They have been cooked and used in various ways. Some of the findings have been highlighted in this study

Epidemiology of Plasmodium knowlesi malaria in north-east Sabah, Malaysia: family clusters and wide age distribution

BackgroundThe simian parasite Plasmodium knowlesi is a common cause of human malaria in Malaysian Borneo, with a particularly high incidence in Kudat, Sabah. Little is known however about the epidemiology in this substantially deforested region. MethodsMalaria microscopy records at Kudat District Hospital were retrospectively reviewed from January 2009-November 2011. Demographics, and PCR results if available, were recorded for each positive result. Medical records were reviewed for patients suspected of representing family clusters, and families contacted for further information. Rainfall data were obtained from the Malaysian Meteorological Department. Results“Plasmodium malariae” mixed or mono-infection was diagnosed by microscopy in 517/653 (79%) patients. Of these, PCR was performed in 445 (86%) and was positive for P. knowlesi mono-infection in 339 (76%). Patients with knowlesi malaria demonstrated a wide age distribution (median 33, IQR 20–50, range 0.7-89 years) with P. knowlesi predominating in all age groups except those <5 years old, where numbers approximated those of Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax. Two contemporaneous family clusters were identified: a father with two children (aged 10–11 years); and three brothers (aged one-11 years), all with PCR-confirmed knowlesi malaria. Cases of P. knowlesi demonstrated significant seasonal variation, and correlated with rainfall in the preceding three to five months. ConclusionsPlasmodium knowlesi is the most common cause of malaria admissions to Kudat District Hospital. The wide age distribution and presence of family clusters suggest that transmission may be occurring close to or inside people’s homes, in contrast to previous reports from densely forested areas of Sarawak. These findings have significant implications for malaria control. Prospective studies of risk factors, vectors and transmission dynamics of P. knowlesi in Sabah, including potential for human-to-human transmission, are needed

A study protocol for a randomised open-label clinical trial of artesunate-mefloquine versus chloroquine in patients with non-severe Plasmodium knowlesi malaria in Sabah, Malaysia (ACT KNOW trial)

Introduction Malaria due to Plasmodium knowlesi is reported throughout South-East Asia, and is the commonest cause of it in Malaysia. P. knowlesi replicates every 24 h and can cause severe disease and death. Current 2010 WHO Malaria Treatment Guidelines have no recommendations for the optimal treatment of non-severe knowlesi malaria. Artemisinin-combination therapies (ACT) and chloroquine have each been successfully used to treat knowlesi malaria; however, the rapidity of parasite clearance has not been prospectively compared. Malaysia\u27s national policy for malaria pre-elimination involves mandatory hospital admission for confirmed malaria cases with discharge only after two negative blood films; use of a more rapidly acting antimalarial agent would have health cost benefits. P. knowlesi is commonly microscopically misreported as P. malariae, P. falciparum or P. vivax, with a high proportion of the latter two species being chloroquine-resistant in Malaysia. A unified ACT-treatment protocol would provide effective blood stage malaria treatment for all Plasmodium species.Methods and analysis ACT KNOW, the first randomised controlled trial ever performed in knowlesi malaria, is a two-arm open-label trial with enrolments over a 2-year period at three district sites in Sabah, powered to show a difference in proportion of patients negative for malaria by microscopy at 24 h between treatment arms (clinicaltrials.gov #NCT01708876). Enrolments started in December 2012, with completion expected by September 2014. A total sample size of 228 is required to give 90% power (α 0.05) to determine the primary end point using intention-to-treat analysis. Secondary end points include parasite clearance time, rates of recurrent infection/treatment failure to day 42, gametocyte carriage throughout follow-up and rates of anaemia at day 28, as determined by survival analysis.Ethics and dissemination This study has been approved by relevant institutional ethics committees in Malaysia and Australia. Results will be disseminated to inform knowlesi malaria treatment policy in this region through peer-reviewed publications and academic presentations.Trial registration number NCT01708876

Effect of Endosulfan on the Biodegradation and Bioaccumulation of Pesticides

In  present  investigation  the  persistent  use  of  chemicals,  pesticides  and  insecticides  caused drastic and lethal effects on the non-targeted animals and environment. The pesticides which are considered to be recalcitrant endosulfan and chloropyrifos which are used extensively in paddy field can be degraded by microorganisms. In the study, the isomers of endosulfan are alpha, beta and sulfate are thoroughly studied. Besides the indicator animal used in the present study was Cyprinus carpio. The fish exposed to the pesticides was treated with micro-organisms to degrade and to  assess  the presence of pesticides  in  muscles,  tissues  and  gills.  The micro- organisms employed for the degradation study was isolated from paddy field soil, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which  has  highly  degrading  ability.  The other pesticides  used  was  carbaryl commonly called sevin. The study further extended to assess the protein content in different treatments. It was found out that bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa degraded effectively leading to enhanced protein content rather compared to control treated experiments. The present study recorded that the Pseudomonas aeruginosa degrade upto 30.94% of endosulfan in 30 days

Web Crippling of Cold Formed Steel Members

A new design expression for web crippling of cold formed steel members has been developed. An extensive statistical analysis was performed using published test data from Canada, the United States, Sweden and France to develop new expressions for the web crippling strength of cold formed steel members under four different loading cases, i.e. (1) end one-flange loading (EOF), (2) interior one-flange loading (lOF), (3) end two-flange loading (ETF) and (4) interior two-flange loading (lTF). I-sections made of two channels connected back-to-back, Z-sections, channels and multiple web sections (decks) were considered. Comparisons were made with the web crippling expressions presented in the Canadian Standard for the design of cold formed steel structural members, CAN/CSA-S136-M89 (from here on referred to as S136) and with the 1991 LRFD edition of the American Iron and Steel Institute Specification (from here on referred to as AlSI). The web crippling strength depends primarily on the web thickness (t), the yield strength (Fy), the inside bend radius (r), the bearing length of the load (n), the flat dimension of the web measured in the plane of the web (h) and the angle between the plane of web and the plane of the bearing surface (θ). The definition of web depth, h, in both current design standards in Canada (SI36) and the United States (AlSI) was incorporated in the development of the new expressions. The new developed expression is nondimensional, therefore any consistent units of measurement can be used such as imperial or SI. Certain unnecessary complexities which now exist in both design standards have been removed to simplify the web crippling expressions. Eight simplified new expressions have been \u27developed and one particular expression is recommended for design, which has already been adopted by the 1994 edition of S136

Cutaneous manifestations in renal transplant recipients

INTRODUCTION: Renal transplantation is the treatment of choice for better quality of life in end stage renal disease patients. The long term success of renal transplantation depends largely on the prevention of allograft rejection. In renal transplant patients, a state of generalized non-specific immunosuppression has been induced to prevent the rejection of graft by using various drugs (such as corticosteroids, cyclosporine, tacrolimus, azathioprine and mycophenolate mofetil). The immunosuppress ion induced by drugs to prevent the graft rejection renders the renal transplant recipients more susceptible to bacterial, viral and fungal infections and predisposes to the various dermatosis, premalignant and malignant skin conditions which may cause significant morbidity and mortality. The consequence of immunosuppress ion differs markedly with geographic allocation, racial group and skin type. The present study is undertaken to find the prevalence and to identify spectrum of skin diseases in renal transplant recipients in our centre. AIM OF THE STUDY: 1. To study the prevalence of cutaneous diseases in Renal Transplant Recipients. 2. To study the various dermatosis in Renal Transplant Recipients. 3. To study the incidence and types of cutaneous infections in Renal Transplant Recipients. 4. To study the cutaneous side effects of immunosuppressive drugs in Renal Transplant Recipients. 5. To correlate the duration of the immunosuppressive therapy that predisposed to various dermatosis in Renal Transplant Reipients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study spanned a course of one year from December 2012 to November 2012. During this period, 80 renal transplant recipients on systemic immunosuppressive therapy attending the Department of Nephrology and Dermatology were screened. The detailed history of each patient was noted with reference to age and sex, symptomatology and duration of skin manifestations, dose and duration of immunosuppressive agents, date of transplantation and family history of similar lesions. The patients were examined thoroughly for all cutaneous manifestations. The duration of the cutaneous lesions, the size and extent of involvement were noted. In patients with dermatophytosis the morphology of lesion with reference to presence of inflammation, well defined or ill defined margin and central clearance were recorded. Those patients in whom the infection lasted for more than one year in spite of adequate treatment were classified as cases of chronic dermatophytosis. All the patients were subjected to routine hematologic investigations like complete haemogram, standard biochemical 40 investigations like blood sugar, blood urea, serum creatinine, serum electrolytes, calcium and phosphate levels. Detailed urine examination was carried out in all of them. Screening for HIV was also done in all the renal transplant recipients. Mycological investigations in cases of fungal infections included microscopic examination of skin scales, mucosal scraping, pus and touch smear from skin biopsy were done after adding 10% Potassium hydroxide (KOH) solution. Nail scraping material was examined under light microscopy after adding 40% KOH in suspected cases of onchyomycosis. Gram stain and Ziehl Nielson stain were done in all suspected cases of cutaneous infection. Tzanck smear was done in vesiculobullous skin lesions. In willing patients, skin biopsy was done and the specimens were stained with haemotoxylin and eosin (H&E) and in required cases special stains like Periodic-ac id Schiff (PAS) Gomori’s methenamine silver (GMS) were used to confirm the diagnosis. Appropriate treatment was given for all the renal transplant patients presented with cutaneous lesions. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of skin lesions in renal transplant recipients was found to be high. Among the screened patients, most common manifestation were fungal infections, followed by drug induced cutaneous changes, viral infections and bacterial infections. The superficial fungal infections like pityriasis versicolor, dermatophytosis and candidiasis were commonly encountered, of which pityriasis versicolor was the commonest, followed by dermatophytosis. The renal transplant recipients could be considered as a high risk group for the infection with malessezia and dermatophyte. Candidiasis was less frequently seen in kidney transplant patients. There is an increased incidence of phaeohypomycosis in renal transplant patients on prolonged immunosuppression. Herpes zoster and verruca vulgaris were the commonest viral infections seen in renal transplant patients. Among the bacterial infections, the commonest was furunculosis followed by impetigo. In drug induced cutaneous changes, cushingoid facies were commonly seen, followed by striae and acneiform eruptions. Gum9hyperplasia and hypertrichosis were commonly seen in cyclosporine containing drug regimen. The drug induced cutaneous changes w ere less common after one year of post transplantation. In the initial 6 months of post transplant period commonly observed cutaneous manifestations were candidiasis, herpeslabialis, chickenpox, furunculosis and acneiform eruptions. Pityriasis versicolor lesions w ere frequently seen during the 7 to 12 months of post transplant period. The dermatophytosis, herpes zoster and verruca vulgaris were commonly manifested between 7 to 24 months of post transplant period. The anticipation of certain cutaneous lesions in the particular phase of post transplant interval and early diagnosis and treatment will improve the quality of life in renal transplant recipients

Effects of antiplatelet therapy on stroke risk by brain imaging features of intracerebral haemorrhage and cerebral small vessel diseases: subgroup analyses of the RESTART randomised, open-label trial

Background Findings from the RESTART trial suggest that starting antiplatelet therapy might reduce the risk of recurrent symptomatic intracerebral haemorrhage compared with avoiding antiplatelet therapy. Brain imaging features of intracerebral haemorrhage and cerebral small vessel diseases (such as cerebral microbleeds) are associated with greater risks of recurrent intracerebral haemorrhage. We did subgroup analyses of the RESTART trial to explore whether these brain imaging features modify the effects of antiplatelet therapy

Methyl 2-methyl-2H-1,2,3-triazole-4-carboxyl­ate

In the title compound, C5H7N3O2, all non-H atoms lie in a common plane, with a maximum deviation of 0.061 (2)° for the ester methyl C atom. The structure is stabilized by inter­molecular C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds