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A Clinical Prognostic Framework for Classifying Severe Liver Disorders (SLDs) and Lungs’ Vulnerability to Virus
Get PDFMost severe liver diseases (SLDs) are attributed to increased risk for cancer, and cirrhosis, through which the manifestation of fibrotic tissues and scars tends to affect liver function The role of liver is indispensable, as inner organ performing services that ranges from metabolism, immune guide, energy producer and digestive aid, just to mention a few. Prevalence of classification problem and the need for automated prognosis is the continual drive to apply data mining techniques and/or machine learning algorithms in medical diagnosis and clinical support systems. Computational scientists and researchers in the field of artificial intelligence have recorded notable efforts with existing methods/models for diagnosis or prognosis, yet their effectiveness and functional performance is not without drawback due to ambiguity of medical information and selected features in patients’ data to tell the future course. In this paper, a novel hybridized machine learning model was provided (Fuzzy c-BC) for clinical classification of Severe Liver Disorders (SLDs) and to determine Lungs Vulnerability (LV) to virus; by incorporating individual strength of fuzzy cluster means (FCM) and naive Bayes classifier (NBC) for projecting future course of every categorized liver disease (LD) and its implication to aggravate lungs infection if preventive measures are not taken in timely manner
Assessing the Macronutrient Status of Some Selected Soils in Bayelsa State, South-South Nigeria
No full textFertility status of soils within the south-south region of Nigeria varies both inter and intra states. Therefore, the study investigated the macronutrient status of some selected soils in Bayelsa State. Two farm sites in Opume (OPF) and Amassoma (AMF) with records of long term cultivation were randomly selected and soil samples randomly collected from each locality for physico-chemical analyses. Data collected were subjected to statistical analysis of means and a post hoc regression analysis to determine relationships between soils and analyzed parameters. Results revealed that soils were loam to sandy clay loam and acidic with low pH levels. Exchangeable bases (Ca2+, Mg2+, K+) were low in AMF soils compared to OPF soils except for Na+. Organic carbon and organic matter were moderately low in both soils, however, AMF had lower contents. Total N were found to be critically low (0.03%) in both soils. OPF had higher available phosphorus (5.09 mg/kg) while AMF had higher available sulphur (6.55 mg/kg). Base saturation was high moderate in OPF (50.44 %), however, not significantly different (p<0.05) from AMF. Similarly, Effective Cation Exchange Capacity (ECEC) was low in soils of both localities. Regression analysis showed that pH had significant positive relationships with sand, Org C, Org M, available P, TN, % B.S and the basic cations (r=0.534*, 0.841***, 0.837***, 0.855***, 0.736***, 0.856**) with a negative relationship with Exchangeable acidity and SO42- (r=-0.799** and 0.844***). Org C, Org M and TN had significant negative relationships with silt at both localities (r=-0.592**, -0.592** and -0.491*) respectively. These results indicate clearly that the nutrient status of soils in the study areas are mostly controlled by pH and the textural distribution. It also indicates that improved soil management practices can improve the macronutrient status for increased crop production
A Genetic Perspective of 2019-nCoV in Relation to Cross Species Transmission
Get PDFCoronaviruses have caused two large scale pandemics severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) in last two decades. It was thought that SARS-related coronaviruses (SARSr-CoV) is mainly found in bats. Previous studies have shown that some bat SARSr-CoVs have the potential to infect humans. The current outbreak of viral pneumonia in the city of Wuhan, China, was caused by a novel coronavirus designated 2019-nCoV by the World Health Organization, as determined by sequencing the viral RNA genome. Many initial patients were exposed to wildlife animals at the Huanan seafood wholesale market, where poultry, snake, bats, and other farm animals were also sold. Here we have taken an attempt to understand the genetic structure of 2019-nCoV and subsequent sequence analysis of multiple regions of its genome to identify unique motifs, receptor binding domain, hypervariable region which may direct some insight to future research for developing effective treatment against this novel coronavirus. We have identified unique motif in spike protein, multiple hypervariable regions, amino acids polymorphism in ORF8 and N protein. These may affect the conformation of the peptide and shed some light to cross species transmission, and subsequent host adaptation
Doxycycline and Minocycline Drugs as a Treatment Proposal for Inhibition of ARDS and Inflammatory Cytokine Mediators Caused by COVID19
Get PDFThe novel coronavirus 2 (COVID 19) is a highly transmittable viral disease aroused in Wuhan, China at the end of 2019 and spreads around the world. The International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) named it on February 11, 2020, as severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). SARS-CoV-2 can infect humans as well likewise as animals and transmit from person to person. The World Health Organization declared that the novel coronavirus 2 pneumonia epidemic and was classified as a public health emergency of international attention on January 30, 2020. When COVID-19 infects the upper and lower respiratory tract it can give rise to mild or acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) with resultant release of cytokines like IL-1B, IL6, IL37, TNF alpha, and CCL2. we evaluated the effectiveness of doxycycline and minocycline as a tetracycline derivative to modulate serum levels of cytokines and we stand out their anti- inflammatory effect that can inhibit inflammation and pro-inflammation response that was caused by COVID-19, providing pertinent strategy
Epidemic of Fear: Cause and Effect
Get PDFThis review attempts to focus on the Epidemic of fear and its causes and effects on the people during the pandemic situation. Primarily the aim was to understand the psychological concept of the origination of fear due to epidemic or pandemic situations. Several theories and researches helped in explaining the underlying roots of the epidemics of fear and the behavioral changes in a person due to this. Through previous researches, a better understanding of the ways to prevent the fear of spreading among us is presented in this paper. Several types of researches and articles were studied that acted as the pillars of this paper reflect on the causes of the epidemic of fear
Histone Glutamine Modification by Neurotransmitters: Paradigm Shift in the Epigenetics of Neuronal Gene Activation and Dopaminergic VTA Reward Pathway: Q-Epigenetics and Neurotransmitters
No full textNormal brain function means fine-tuned neuronal circuitry with optimum neurotransmitter signaling. The classical views and experimental demonstrations established neurotransmitters release-uptake through synaptic vesicles. Current research highlighted that neurotransmitters not merely influence electrical impulses; however, contribute to gene expression, now we know, by posttranslational modifications of chromatinised histones. Epigenetic modifications of chromatin, like DNA methylation, histone methylation, acetylation, ubiquitilation etc., influence gene expression during neuronal development, differentiation and functions. Protein glutamine (Q) modification by tissue transglutaminase (TGM2) controls a wide array of metabolic and signaling activities, including neuronal functions. Dopamine neurons are central element in the brain reward system that controls the learning of numerous behaviours. The ventral tegmental area (VTA) consists of dopamine, GABA, or glutamate neurons. The VTA and adjacent substantia nigra are the two major dopaminergic areas in the brain. In view of this, and to focus insight into the neuronal functions caused by TGM2 mediated histone modifications at the Q residues, either serotonylation (for example, H3K4me3Q5 to H3K4me3Q5ser) in the context of cellular differentiation and signaling, or dopaminylation (for example, H3Q5 to H3Q5dop) in the dopaminergic VTA reward pathway and the precise role of cocaine withdrawal in this scenario are summarized and discussed in this contribution
The Bitter the Taste, The Better is the Medicine: Is Caffeine the Answer to COVID-19?
Get PDFCoronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by a newly discovered coronavirus. The virus is mainly transmitted through droplets generated when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or exhales. The firsthand reason for COVID 19 is upper respiratory dysfunction which allows the entry of viruses in the respiratory system and leads to severe problems in the human body. Thus, Bitter taste receptor, TAS2Rs on human airway smooth muscle (ASM) found in the respiratory system can play a big role in providing immunity against COVID-19. Activation of TAS2Rs by bitter agonists activates host defense pathways through calcium signaling. Cytokines storms is the another reason for COVID -19 that can be prevented by TAS2Rs because it can regulate natural killer cell-mediated cytotoxicity, chemokine signaling pathways, T cell receptor signaling pathways, TNF signaling pathways, and others. Since, we propose to utilize caffeine, the bitter agonists to stimulate the TAS2Rs, activating host defense mechanisms and also suppressing the cytokine storms due to its anti-inflammatory action, altogether leading to an ameliorated effects of COVID-19
A modified minimally invasive osteotomy for hallux valgus enables reduction of malpositioned sesamoid bones
Get PDFBackground: Current minimally invasive distal metatarsal osteotomy for hallux valgus (HV) is V-shaped, which prevents correcting the rotational metatarsal head deformity and reduction of sesamoid bones. We aimed to determine the optimal method for sesamoid bone reduction in HV surgery.
Methods: We reviewed the records of 53 patients who underwent HV surgery by a single surgeon from 2017 to 2019 according to one of three techniques: open chevron osteotomy (n=19), minimally invasive V-shaped osteotomy (n=18) and a modified, straight minimally invasive osteotomy (n=16). Sesamoid position was graded using the Hardy and Clapham method based on standing radiographs.
Results: Postoperative sesamoid position scores were significantly lower (better) following the modified osteotomy than following open chevron osteotomy and V-shaped osteotomy (1.44±0.81, 3.74±1.48 and 4.61±1.09, respectively, P<0.001); and the mean change in score was greater (P<0.001).
Conclusion: Modified minimally invasive osteotomy was superior to the two other techniques, in the correction of HV deformity in all planes, including sesamoid reduction
Validation and Optimization of Thermophysical Properties of Thermal Conductivity and Viscosity of Nanofluid Engine Oil using Neural Network
No full textIn this study, the thermophysical properties of thermal conductivity and viscosity of a motor oil nanofluid were investigated using experimental data and artificial neural network. NSGA II optimization algorithm was used to maximize thermal conductivity and minimum viscosity with changes in temperature and volume fraction of nanofluids. Also, to obtain the viscosity and thermal conductivity values in terms of nanofluid temperature and volume fraction with 174 experimental data, neural network modeling was performed. Input data include temperature and volume fraction, and output is viscosity and thermal conductivity. Various indices such as R squared and Mean Square Error (MSE) have been used to evaluate the accuracy of modeling in the prediction of viscosity and thermal conductivity of nanofluids. The coefficient of determination R squared is 0.9989 indicating acceptable agreement with the experimental data. In order to optimize and finally results as an objective function, the optimization algorithm is presented and the Parto front and its corresponding optimum points are presented where the maximum optimization results of thermal conductivity and viscosity occur at 1% volume fraction
Conversion of Agro-Wastes into Bio-Fertilizer by Anaerobic Digestion for Soil Fertility Enhancement
No full textThere is a continuous demand for bio-fertilizer to improve the soil fertility and increase food production. Wastes were collected from eateries, food canteens, domestic houses and agricultural outlets. Five experimental set-ups were made using different combinations of digested wastes as follows: pig waste (Pw), cassava wastes (Cw), food wastes (Fw); pig waste + cassava waste (Pw+Cw), pig waste + Food wastes (Pw+Fw). The slurry of each category of bio-product were prepared by addition of appropriate volume of water, incubated for 70days with intermittent agitation at regular intervals in the digester. The principal bacteria which took the most active role in the bioconversion process were identified to be P. aeruginosa and Bacillus spp. Comparative evaluation of each of the digested category of slurry combinations showed variations in their nitrogen content as follows: Pw (1.70± 0.03 mg/100g), Cw (0.61±0.02mg/100g), Fw (1.96±0.03mg/100g), Pw+Cw (1.20±0.01mg/100g), Pw+Fw (2.10± 0.02mg/100g). Pw+Fw showed highest K, P and Mg concentrations as 66.72± 2.36 mg/100g, 143.36± 2.36 mg/100g and 53.34±2.36 mg/100g respectively.The elemental composition in the increasing order in each of the slurry waste as follows: Cw<Fw< Pw <Pw+Cw<Pw+Fw There were shifts in the pH which could be due to metabolic activities and microbial interaction between the soil, other its component and added digested waste. The best performance in mineral content and plant growth noticed in Pw+Fw could be due to the nearness to neutrality of its pH