Computer based modelling and simulation

Most systems involve parameters and variables, which are random variables due to uncertainties. Probabilistic methods are powerful in modelling such systems. In this second part, we describe probabilistic models and Monte Carlo simulation along with ‘classical’ matrix methods and differential equations as most real situations are complex (with several variables) and involve uncertainties.     

Dr Smith goes to Los Alamos

Long before the complex pressure-temperature phase diagram of plutonium (shown below) was determined, Cyril Stanley Smith’s suggestion that adding small amounts of some impurity atoms to liquid plutonium might retard its undesirable transformation to the brittle alpha phase enabled the fabrication of the world’s first nuclear device tested successfully in New Mexico on July 16, 1945.     

CFTR Gene Mutations and Asthma in Indian Children: A Case–Control Study

Cystic Fibrosis Trans membrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene is an asthma susceptibility gene. In the present study we investigated the possible association of CFTR gene mutations in Indian asthmatic children as compared to controls. The study included 250 asthmatics and 250 age and sex matched controls. Case to control ratio for sample size was 1:1. Genotyping was performed for 24 CFTR gene mutations by ARMS-PCR and PCR–RFLP method. Among 24 CFTR gene mutations, heterozygous allele of R553X mutation was found in 4 (1.6 %) asthmatic cases and 2 (0.8 %) controls. Value of FVC and FEV1/FVC ratio were significantly lower in heterozygous individuals (p value <0.05). No significant difference was observed in the genotype and allele frequency of R553X mutation (OR = 1.339, 95 % CI = 0.755–2.374, p value = 0.685). Furthermore, all wild type homozygous alleles were observed in remaining 23 CFTR gene mutations. Our data concludes that R553X mutation was not significantly associated in Indian asthmatic children.     

Bohrium — A new element in the periodic table

Conclusions As can be seen from the above, due to the marginally higher half-life of Bh, some experiments could be carried out to find out about the chemical nature of the element. Since the elements are produced in extremely small quantities (a few atoms in many cases), it is difficult to confirm the stability of most of these elements. If the half-lives are as long as predicted (region of stability), and there are sufficient yields, there are exciting possibilities for chemical studies of the super-heavy elements. It is likely that the heavy elements may also have multiple oxidation states. In this context, 10–100 atoms of the super-heavy species are needed depending on the half-life. If, on the other hand, we are limited to a few atoms of these super-heavy species, it is likely that any further use of them would be very restricted. However, the Holy Grail of super-heavy elements has been one in which one began by creating a handful of atoms and perhaps, one day we may learn to produce them in sufficient quantity for real chemical investigations.     

Electrical Conductivity as a Tool to Detect Salt in Clinical Proteomics Samples

Clinical proteomics encompasses the study of the proteins in the human body at different settings to understand the various physiological and pathological pathways. The processing of the samples for electrophoresis based proteomics is a challenge to any researcher. Salt in particular can have an array of effects during the electrophoretic separation of proteins. There is a definite need to determine the concentration of salts in the samples and the effectiveness of salt removing protocols on small volume samples. A simple-cost effective technique to know the salt concentration in the clinical proteomics samples has been highlighted in the report. The application will be of value in a developing country such as India.     

Hierarchical Text Categorization Using Neural Networks

This paper presents the design and evaluation of a text categorization method based on the Hierarchical Mixture of Experts model. This model uses a divide and conquer principle to define smaller categorization problems based on a predefined hierarchical structure. The final classifier is a hierarchical array of neural networks. The method is evaluated using the UMLS Metathesaurus as the underlying hierarchical structure, and the OHSUMED test set of MEDLINE records. Comparisons with an optimized version of the traditional Rocchio's algorithm adapted for text categorization, as well as flat neural network classifiers are provided. The results show that the use of the hierarchical structure improves text categorization performance with respect to an equivalent flat model. The optimized Rocchio algorithm achieves a performance comparable with that of the hierarchical neural networks.     

Glycosylated hemoglobin A1 in a random group of adult onset diabetics of indian subpopulation

Glycosylated Hemoglobin (GHb) was estimated using cation exchange resin binding method in 50 non diabetic healthy controls and 500 maturity onset diabetics. Percentage of glycosylated hemoglobin levels in controls was 7.27±0.456 (range 6.0–8.04) and 9.47±0.98 (range 8.2–13.63) in diabetic group. Glycosylated hemoglobin levels remain unaffected inspite of transient rise of serum glucose levels during an oral glucose tolerance test. Significantly elevated GHb A₁. Furthermore significant elevation of GHb A₁ was noticed in diabetics with all secondary complications suggesting poor glycemic control in these patients. The diabetics having retinopathy, nephropathy or diabetic foot had relatively higher GHb levels compared to patients having coronary artery disease or hypertension.     

Rethinking Digital Cultures and Divides: The Case for Reflective Media

Research exploring the means by which new media technologies can shape development within marginalized communities worldwide has began to move away from discussion limited to technical and infrastructural, to consider the interactions, beliefs, and values of local communities. Yet most projects continue to focus on enabling communities to access external information, rather than on the possibility of using media to catalyze community reflection and thereby developmental activity from within. This article shows how this promise can be actualized by providing an overview of an experimental project that made available a set of video cameras to a carefully selected group of community members in a ritualized, largely nonliterate village in Andhra Pradesh, India. It concludes that policymakers, researchers, and practitioners would benefit from considering the possibilities that reflective media hold to generate collective action and consensus building, and that these possibilities can synergize with the need to develop scalable projects.