Search results for: positive behavior recognition

Authors: Julio Vega

Abstract:

Expression recognition is a field of Artificial Intelligence whose main objectives are to recognize basic forms of affective expression that appear on people’s faces and contributing to behavioral studies. In this work, a ROS node has been developed that, based on Deep Learning techniques, is capable of detecting the facial expressions of the people that appear in the image. These algorithms were optimized so that they can be executed in real time on an embedded platform. The experiments were carried out in a PC with a USB camera and in a Raspberry Pi 4 with a PiCamera. The final results shows a plausible system, which is capable to work in real time even in an embedded platform.

Keywords: python, low-cost, raspberry pi, emotion detection, human-robot interaction, ROS node

Procedia PDF Downloads 121

Authors: Leonard Tiong, Sonit Singh, Kevin Ho Shon, Sarah Lewis

Abstract:

Investigation into the use of artificial intelligence in radiology continues to develop at a rapid rate. During the coronavirus pandemic, the combination of an exponential increase in chest x-rays and unpredictable staff shortages resulted in a huge strain on the department's workload. There is a World Health Organisation estimate that two-thirds of the global population does not have access to diagnostic radiology. Therefore, there could be demand for a program that could detect acute changes in imaging compatible with infection to assist with screening. We generated a conventional neural network and tested its efficacy in recognizing changes compatible with coronavirus infection. Following ethics approval, a deidentified set of 77 normal and 77 abnormal chest x-rays in patients with confirmed coronavirus infection were used to generate an algorithm that could train, validate and then test itself. DICOM and PNG image formats were selected due to their lossless file format. The model was trained with 100 images (50 positive, 50 negative), validated against 28 samples (14 positive, 14 negative), and tested against 26 samples (13 positive, 13 negative). The initial training of the model involved training a conventional neural network in what constituted a normal study and changes on the x-rays compatible with coronavirus infection. The weightings were then modified, and the model was executed again. The training samples were in batch sizes of 8 and underwent 25 epochs of training. The results trended towards an 85.71% true positive/true negative detection rate and an area under the curve trending towards 0.95, indicating approximately 95% accuracy in detecting changes on chest X-rays compatible with coronavirus infection. Study limitations include access to only a small dataset and no specificity in the diagnosis. Following a discussion with our programmer, there are areas where modifications in the weighting of the algorithm can be made in order to improve the detection rates. Given the high detection rate of the program, and the potential ease of implementation, this would be effective in assisting staff that is not trained in radiology in detecting otherwise subtle changes that might not be appreciated on imaging. Limitations include the lack of a differential diagnosis and application of the appropriate clinical history, although this may be less of a problem in day-to-day clinical practice. It is nonetheless our belief that implementing this program and widening its scope to detecting multiple pathologies such as lung masses will greatly assist both the radiology department and our colleagues in increasing workflow and detection rate.

Keywords: artificial intelligence, COVID, neural network, machine learning

Procedia PDF Downloads 80

Authors: V. De Sandi

Abstract:

In this paper, we characterize a class of rank-weighted social welfare orderings that we call ”Excessivist.” The Excessivist Social Welfare Ordering (eSWO) judges incomes above a fixed threshold θ as detrimental to society. To accomplish this, the identification of a richness or affluence line is necessary. We employ a fixed, exogenous line of excess. We define an eSWF in the form of a weighted sum of individual’s income. This requires introducing n+1 vectors of weights, one for all possible numbers of individuals below the threshold. To do this, the paper introduces a slight modification of the class of rank weighted class of social welfare function. Indeed, in our excessivist social welfare ordering, we allow the weights to be both positive (for individuals below the line) and negative (for individuals above). Then, we introduce ethical concerns through an axiomatic approach. The following axioms are required: continuity above and below the threshold (Ca, Cb), anonymity (A), absolute aversion to excessive richness (AER), pigou dalton positive weights preserving transfer (PDwpT), sign rank preserving full comparability (SwpFC) and strong pareto below the threshold (SPb). Ca, Cb requires that small changes in two income distributions above and below θ do not lead to changes in their ordering. AER suggests that if two distributions are identical in any respect but for one individual above the threshold, who is richer in the first, then the second should be preferred by society. This means that we do not care about the waste of resources above the threshold; the priority is the reduction of excessive income. According to PDwpT, a transfer from a better-off individual to a worse-off individual despite their relative position to the threshold, without reversing their ranks, leads to an improved distribution if the number of individuals below the threshold is the same after the transfer or the number of individuals below the threshold has increased. SPb holds only for individuals below the threshold. The weakening of strong pareto and our ethics need to be justified; we support them through the notion of comparative egalitarianism and income as a source of power. SwpFC is necessary to ensure that, following a positive affine transformation, an individual does not become excessively rich in only one distribution, thereby reversing the ordering of the distributions. Given the axioms above, we can characterize the class of the eSWO, getting the following result through a proof by contradiction and exhaustion: Theorem 1. A social welfare ordering satisfies the axioms of continuity above and below the threshold, anonymity, sign rank preserving full comparability, aversion to excessive richness, Pigou Dalton positive weight preserving transfer, and strong pareto below the threshold, if and only if it is an Excessivist-social welfare ordering. A discussion about the implementation of different threshold lines reviewing the primary contributions in this field follows. What the commonly implemented social welfare functions have been overlooking is the concern for extreme richness at the top. The characterization of Excessivist Social Welfare Ordering, given the axioms above, aims to fill this gap.

Keywords: comparative egalitarianism, excess income, inequality aversion, social welfare ordering

Procedia PDF Downloads 49

Authors: Aliya Ashraf, Mehreen Sirshar, Fatima Akhtar, Farwa Kazmi, Jawaria Wazir

Abstract:

Vision, the basis for performing navigational tasks, is absent or greatly reduced in visually impaired people due to which they face many hurdles. For increasing the navigational capabilities of visually impaired people a desktop application ODAPTA is presented in this paper. The application uses camera to capture video from surroundings, apply various image processing algorithms to get information about path and obstacles, tracks them and delivers that information to user through voice commands. Experimental results show that the application works effectively for straight paths in daylight.

Keywords: visually impaired, ODAPTA, Region of Interest (ROI), driver fatigue, face detection, expression recognition, CCD camera, artificial intelligence

Procedia PDF Downloads 536

Authors: Xi Vivien Wu, Emily Neo Kim Ang, Yi Jung Tung, Wenru Wang

Abstract:

Background and Objective: The increase in life expectancy and emphasis on self-reliance for the older adults are global phenomena. As such, lifelong learning in the community is considered a viable means of promoting successful and active aging. This systematic review aims to examine various lifelong learning programs for community-dwelling older adults and to synthesize the contents and outcomes of these lifelong learning programs. Methods: A systematic search was conducted in July to December 2016. Two reviewers were engaged in the process to ensure creditability of the selection process. Narrative description and analysis were applied with the support of a tabulation of key data including study design, interventions, and outcomes. Results: Eleven articles, which consisted of five randomized controlled trials and six quasi-experimental studies, were included in this review. Interventions included e-health literacy programs with the aid of computers and the Internet (n=4), computer and Internet training (n=3), physical fitness programs (n=2), music program (n=1), and intergenerational program (n=1). All studies used objective measurement tools to evaluate the outcomes of the study. Conclusion: The systematic review indicated lifelong learning programs resulted in positive outcomes in terms of physical health, mental health, social behavior, social support, self-efficacy and confidence in computer usage, and increased e-health literacy efficacy. However, the lifelong learning programs face challenges such as funding shortages, program cuts, and increasing costs. A comprehensive lifelong learning program could be developed to enhance the well-being of the older adults at a more holistic level. Empirical research can be done to explore the effectiveness of this comprehensive lifelong learning program.

Keywords: community-dwelling older adults, e-health literacy program, lifelong learning program, the wellbeing of the older adults

Procedia PDF Downloads 154

Authors: Gabriela Rivadeneyra-Romero, Claudia del C. Gutierrez Torres, Sergio A. Martinez-Delgadillo, Victor X. Mendoza-Escamilla, Alejandro Alonzo-Garcia

Abstract:

Ultrasonic degradation is currently being used in sonochemical reactors to degrade pollutant compounds from aqueous media, as emerging contaminants (e.g. pharmaceuticals, drugs and personal care products.) because they can produce possible ecological impacts on the environment. For this reason, it is important to develop appropriate water and wastewater treatments able to reduce pollution and increase reuse. Pollutants such as textile dyes, aromatic and phenolic compounds, cholorobenzene, bisphenol-A and carboxylic acid and other organic pollutants, can be removed from wastewaters by sonochemical oxidation. The effect on the removal of pollutants depends on the type of the ultrasonic frequency used; however, not much studies have been done related to the behavior of the fluid into the sonoreactors operated at different ultrasonic frequencies. Based on the above, it is necessary to study the hydrodynamic behavior of the liquid generated by the ultrasonic irradiation to design efficient sonoreactors to reduce treatment times and costs. In this work, it was studied the hydrodynamic behavior of the fluid in sonochemical reactors at different frequencies (250 kHz, 500 kHz and 1000 kHz). The performances of the sonoreactors at those frequencies were simulated using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Due to there is great sound speed gradient between piezoelectric and fluid, k-e models were used. Piezoelectric was defined as a vibration surface, to evaluate the different frequencies effect on the fluid into sonochemical reactor. Structured hexahedral cells were used to mesh the computational liquid domain, and fine triangular cells were used to mesh the piezoelectric transducers. Unsteady state conditions were used in the solver. Estimation of the dissipation rate, flow field velocities, Reynolds stress and turbulent quantities were evaluated by CFD and 2D-PIV measurements. Test results show that there is no necessary correlation between an increase of the ultrasonic frequency and the pollutant degradation, moreover, the reactor geometry and power density are important factors that should be considered in the sonochemical reactor design.

Keywords: CFD, reactor, ultrasound, wastewater

Procedia PDF Downloads 182

Authors: Yudi Zhao, Ziyun Zhou, Yueting Yao, Shuying Dai, Zhiling Yan, Longyu Yang, Chuanyin Li, Li Shi, Yufeng Yao

Abstract:

HPV16 E4 gene plays an important role in viral genome amplification and release. Therefore, a variation of the E4 gene nucleic acid sequence may affect the carcinogenicity of HPV16. In order to understand the relationship between the variation of HPV16 E4 gene and cervical cancer, this study was to amplify and sequence the DNA sequences of E4 genes in 118 HPV16-positive cervical cancer patients and 151 HPV16-positive asymptomatic individuals. After obtaining E4 gene sequences, the phylogenetic trees were constructed by the Neighbor-joining method for gene variation analysis. The results showed that: 1) The distribution of HPV16 variants between the case group and the control group differed greatly (P = 0.015)，and the Asian-American（AA）variant was likely to relate to the occurrence of cervical cancer. 2) DNA sequence analysis showed that there were significant differences in the distribution of 8 variants between the case group and the control group (P < 0.05). And 3) In European (EUR) variant, two variations, C3384T (L18L) and A3449G (P39P), were associated with the initiation and development of cervical cancer. The results suggested that the variation of HPV16 E4 gene may be a contributor affecting the occurrence as well as the development of cervical cancer, and different HPV16 variants may have different carcinogenic capability.

Keywords: cervical cancer, HPV16, E4 gene, variations

Procedia PDF Downloads 163

Authors: Liudmila Garzanova, Lidia Ananyeva, Olga Koneva, Olga Ovsyannikova, Oxana Desinova, Mayya Starovoytova, Rushana Shayahmetova

Abstract:

Objectives. Gastrointestinal involvement is one of the most common manifestations of systemic sclerosis (SSc). The aim of our study was to assess the frequency of gastrointestinal manifestations in SSc patients (pts) with interstitial lung disease (ILD) and their changes to rituximab (RTX) therapy. Methods. There were 103 pts with SSc in this study. The mean follow-up period was 12.6±10.7 months. The mean age was 47±12.9 years, females - 87 pts (84%), and the diffuse cutaneous subset of the disease 55 pts (53%). The mean disease duration was 6.2±5.5 years. All pts had ILD and were positive for ANA. 67% of them were positive for anti-topoisomerase-1. All patients received prednisolone at a dose of 11.3±4.5 mg/day, and immunosuppressants at inclusion received 47% of them. Pts received RTX due to the ineffectiveness of previous therapy for ILD. The cumulative mean dose of RTX was 1.7±0.6 grams. 90% of pts received omeprazole at a dose of 20-40 mg/day. Results. At inclusion, dysphagia was observed in 76 pts (74%), early satiety or vomiting in 32 pts (31%), and diarrhea in 20 pts (19%). We didn't observe any changes in gastrointestinal manifestation during RTX therapy. There was a decrease in the number of pts with dysphagia from 76 (74%) to 66 (64%), but it was insignificant. The number of pts with early satiety or vomiting and diarrhea didn't change. Conclusion. In our study, gastrointestinal involvement was observed in most of the pts with SSc-ILD. We didn't find any significant changes in gastrointestinal manifestations during RTX therapy. RXT does not worsen gastrointestinal manifestations in SSc-ILD.

Keywords: systemic sclerosis, dysphagia, rituximab, gastrointestinal manifestations

Procedia PDF Downloads 71

Authors: H. Nagendra, Vinod Kumar, S. Mukherjee

Abstract:

In this study, the potential benefits of playing action video game among congenitally deaf and dumb subjects is reported in terms of EEG ratio indices. The frontal and occipital lobes are associated with development of motor skills, cognition, and visual information processing and color recognition. The sixteen hours of First-Person shooter action video game play resulted in the increase of the ratios β/(α+θ) and β/θ in frontal and occipital lobes. This can be attributed to the enhancement of certain aspect of cognition among deaf and dumb subjects.

Keywords: cognitive enhancement, video games, EEG band powers, deaf and dumb subjects

Procedia PDF Downloads 422

Authors: Katharina Raab, Ralf Wagner

Abstract:

With the decrease of poverty, the focus on the solid waste challenge shifts away from affluent, mostly Westernized consumers to the base of the pyramid. The relevance of considering the disposal behavior of impoverished people arises from improved welfare, leading to an increase in consumption opportunities and, consequently, of waste production. In combination with the world’s growing population the relevance of the topic increases, because solid waste management has global impacts on consumers’ welfare. The current annual municipal solid waste generation is estimated to 1.9 billion tonnes, 30% remains uncollected. As for the collected 70% is landfilling and dumping, 19% is recycled or recovered, 11% is led to energy recovery facilities. Therefore, aim is to contribute by adding first insights about poor people's disposal behaviors, including the framing of their rationalities, emotions and cognitions. The study provides novel empirical results obtained from qualitative semi-structured in-depth interviews near Guatemala City. In the study’s framework consumers have to choose from three options when deciding what to do with their obsolete possessions: Keeping the product: The main reason for this is the respondent´s emotional attachment to a product. Further, there is a willingness to use the same product under a different scope when it loses its functionality–they recycle their belongings in a customized and sustainable way. Permanently disposing of the product: The study reveals two dominant disposal methods: burning in front of their homes and throwing away in the physical environment. Respondents clearly recognized the disadvantages of burning toxic durables, like electronics. Giving a product away as a gift supports the integration of individuals in their peer networks of family and friends. Temporarily disposing of the product: Was not mentioned–to be specific, rent or lend a product to someone else was out of question. Contrasting the background to which extend poor people are aware of the consequences of their disposal decisions and how they feel about and rationalize their actions were quite unexpected. Respondents reported that they are worried about future consequences with impacts they cannot anticipate now–they are aware that their behaviors harm their health and the environment. Additionally, they expressed concern about the impact this disposal behavior would have on others’ well-being and are therefore sensitive to the waste that surrounds them. Concluding, the BoP-framed life and Westernized consumption, both fit in a circular economy pattern, but the nature of how to recycle and dispose separates these two societal groups. Both systems own a solid waste management system, but people living in slum-type districts and rural areas of poor countries are less interested in connecting to the system–they are primarily afraid of the costs. Further, it can be said that a consumer’s perceived effectiveness is distinct from environmental concerns, but contributes to forecasting certain pro-ecological behaviors. Considering the rationales underlying disposal decisions, thoughtfulness is a well-established determinant of disposition behavior. The precipitating events, emotions and decisions associated with the act of disposing of products are important because these decisions can trigger different results for the disposal process.

Keywords: base of the pyramid, disposal behavior, poor consumers, solid waste

Procedia PDF Downloads 162

Authors: Stanley Yap, Mahadevan Supramaniam, Chong Wei Ying, Fatemeh Kimiyaghalam

Abstract:

Purpose: The paper shows the framework of financial planning in a different paradigm. It highlights the results from a focus group on retirement planning in the aspect of financial literacy and wealth accumulation in Malaysia. Design/methodology/approach: A focus group consisted of thirty individuals and divided into six different clusters amongst 25 to 55 years old. The selection of focus group members is pertaining to retirement planning behavior and saving profile from the different level of educations. Findings: Our results show, firstly, the focus group reflects individual capacity on saving attitude, financial literacy and awareness towards financial products. Secondly, availability, accessibility and affordability which are the significant factors that influence saving attitude, financial literacy and awareness on personal retirement planning behavior. Practical implications: The participants express the concerns of retirement planning during their golden years and the current financial products in the Malaysian financial market. Originality/value: This study is a different approach that recognizes the needs of the consumers in the context of retirement planning and wealth accumulation. Therefore, customers should obtain financial services and products from financial providers to achieve financial independence.

Keywords: retirement planning, wealth accumulation, financial literacy, focus group, saving attitude, availability, accessibility, affordability

Procedia PDF Downloads 347

Authors: Jingsi Li, Neil S. Ferguson

Abstract:

Time pressure could have an influence on the productivity, quality of decision making, and the efficiency of problem-solving. This has been mostly stemmed from cognitive research or psychological literature. However, a salient scarce discussion has been held for transport adjacent fields. It is conceivable that in many activity-travel contexts, time pressure is a potentially important factor since an excessive amount of decision time may incur the risk of late arrival to the next activity. The activity-travel rescheduling behavior is commonly explained by costs and benefits of factors such as activity engagements, personal intentions, social requirements, etc. This paper hypothesizes that an additional factor of perceived time pressure could affect travelers’ rescheduling behavior, thus leading to an impact on travel demand management. Time pressure may arise from different ways and is assumed here to be essentially incurred due to travelers planning their schedules without an expectation of unforeseen elements, e.g., transport disruption. In addition to a linear-additive utility-maximization model, the less computationally compensatory heuristic models are considered as an alternative to simulate travelers’ responses. The paper will contribute to travel behavior modeling research by investigating the following questions: how to measure the time pressure properly in an activity-travel day plan context? How do travelers reschedule their plans to cope with the time pressure? How would the importance of the activity affect travelers’ rescheduling behavior? What will the behavioral model be identified to describe the process of making activity-travel rescheduling decisions? How do these identified coping strategies affect the transport network? In this paper, a Mixed Heuristic Model (MHM) is employed to identify the presence of different choice heuristics through a latent class approach. The data about travelers’ activity-travel rescheduling behavior is collected via a web-based interactive survey where a fictitious scenario is created comprising multiple uncertain events on the activity or travel. The experiments are conducted in order to gain a real picture of activity-travel reschedule, considering the factor of time pressure. The identified behavioral models are then integrated into a multi-agent transport simulation model to investigate the effect of the rescheduling strategy on the transport network. The results show that an increased proportion of travelers use simpler, non-compensatory choice strategies instead of compensatory methods to cope with time pressure. Specifically, satisfying - one of the heuristic decision-making strategies - is adopted commonly since travelers tend to abandon the less important activities and keep the important ones. Furthermore, the importance of the activity is found to increase the weight of negative information when making trip-related decisions, especially route choices. When incorporating the identified non-compensatory decision-making heuristic models into the agent-based transport model, the simulation results imply that neglecting the effect of perceived time pressure may result in an inaccurate forecast of choice probability and overestimate the affectability to the policy changes.

Keywords: activity-travel rescheduling, decision making under uncertainty, mixed heuristic model, perceived time pressure, travel demand management

Procedia PDF Downloads 104

Authors: Alireza Karimi

Abstract:

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping various industries, and accounting is no exception. With the ability to process vast amounts of data quickly and accurately, AI is revolutionizing how financial professionals manage, analyze, and report financial information. In this article, we will explore the diverse applications of AI in accounting and its profound impact on the field. Automation of Repetitive Tasks: One of the most significant contributions of AI in accounting is automating repetitive tasks. AI-powered software can handle data entry, invoice processing, and reconciliation with minimal human intervention. This not only saves time but also reduces the risk of errors, leading to more accurate financial records. Pattern Recognition and Anomaly Detection: AI algorithms excel at pattern recognition. In accounting, this capability is leveraged to identify unusual patterns in financial data that might indicate fraud or errors. AI can swiftly detect discrepancies, enabling auditors and accountants to focus on resolving issues rather than hunting for them. Real-Time Financial Insights: AI-driven tools, using natural language processing and computer vision, can process documents faster than ever. This enables organizations to have real-time insights into their financial status, empowering decision-makers with up-to-date information for strategic planning. Fraud Detection and Prevention: AI is a powerful tool in the fight against financial fraud. It can analyze vast transaction datasets, flagging suspicious activities and reducing the likelihood of financial misconduct going unnoticed. This proactive approach safeguards a company's financial integrity. Enhanced Data Analysis and Forecasting: Machine learning, a subset of AI, is used for data analysis and forecasting. By examining historical financial data, AI models can provide forecasts and insights, aiding businesses in making informed financial decisions and optimizing their financial strategies. Artificial Intelligence is fundamentally transforming the accounting profession. From automating mundane tasks to enhancing data analysis and fraud detection, AI is making financial processes more efficient, accurate, and insightful. As AI continues to evolve, its role in accounting will only become more significant, offering accountants and finance professionals powerful tools to navigate the complexities of modern finance. Embracing AI in accounting is not just a trend; it's a necessity for staying competitive in the evolving financial landscape.

Keywords: artificial intelligence, accounting automation, financial analysis, fraud detection, machine learning in finance

Procedia PDF Downloads 52

Authors: Hila Levi

Abstract:

Respect for human rights is a fundamental element of the European Union's (EU) identity and law. Surprisingly, however, the protection of human rights has been significantly restricted in the austerity programs ordered by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the European Central Bank (ECB) and the European Commission (EC) (often labeled 'the Troika') in return for financial aid to the crisis-hit countries. This paper focuses on the role of the ECB in the crisis management. While other international financial institutions, such as the IMF or the World Bank, may opt to neglect human rights obligations, one might expect a greater respect of human rights from the ECB, which is bound by the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. However, this paper argues that ECB officials made no significant effort to protect human rights or strike an adequate balance between competing financial and human rights needs while coping with the crisis. ECB officials were preoccupied with the need to stabilize the economy and prevent a collapse of the Eurozone, and paid only marginal attention to human rights concerns in the design and implementation of Troikas' programs. This paper explores the role of Organizational Culture (OC) in explaining this marginalization. While International Relations (IR) research on Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs) behavior has traditionally focused on external interests of powerful member states, and on national and economic considerations, this study focuses on particular institutions' internal factors and independent processes. OC characteristics have been identified in OC literature as an important determinant of organizational behavior. This paper suggests that cultural characteristics are also vital for the examination of IGOs, and particularly for understanding the ECB's behavior during the crisis. In order to assess the OC of the ECB and the impact it had on its policies and decisions during the Eurozone crisis, the paper uses the results of numerous qualitative interviews conducted with high-ranking officials and staff members of the ECB involved in the crisis management. It further reviews primary sources of the ECB (such as ECB statutes, and the Memoranda of Understanding signed between the crisis countries and the Troika), and secondary sources (such as the report of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on Austerity measures and economic, social, and cultural rights). It thus analyzes the interaction between the ECBs culture and the almost complete absence of human rights considerations in the Eurozone crisis resolution scheme. This paper highlights the importance and influence of internal ideational factors on IGOs behavior. From a more practical perspective, this paper may contribute to understanding one of the obstacles in the process of human rights implementation in international organizations, and provide instruments for better protection of social and economic rights.

Keywords: European central bank, eurozone crisis, intergovernmental organizations, organizational culture

Procedia PDF Downloads 142

Authors: Maryam Vaezjalali, Koroush Rahimian, Maryam Asli, Tahmineh Kandelouei, Foad Davoodbeglou, Amir H. Kashi

Abstract:

Objectives: The present study was conducted to assess the HBV molecular profiles including genotypes, subgenotypes, subtypes & mutations in hepatitis B genes. Materials/Patients and Methods: This study was conducted on 229 intravenous drug users who referred to three Drop- in-Centers and a hospital in Tehran. HBV DNA was extracted from HBsAg positive serum samples and amplified by Nested PCR. HBV genotype, subgenotypes, subtype and genes mutation were determined by direct sequencing. Phylogenetic tree was constructed using neighbor- joining (NJ) method. Statistical analyses were carried out by SPSS 20. Results: HBV DNA was found in 3 HBsAg positive cases. Phylogenetic tree of derived HBV DNAs showed the existence of genotype D (subgenotype D1, subtype ayw2). Also immune escape mutations were determined in S gene. Conclusion: There were a few variations and genotypes and subtypes among infected intravenous drug users. This study showed the predominance of genotype D among intravenous drug users. Our study concurs with other reports from Iran, that all showing currently only genotype D is the only detectable genotype in Iran.

Keywords: drug users, genotype, HBV, phylogenetic tree

Procedia PDF Downloads 317

Authors: Sharad Singh, Ajay Kumar Sinha

Abstract:

Coupled dampers like viscoelastic-frictional dampers for supplemental damping are a newer technique. In this paper, innovative Visco-frictional damping models have been presented and investigated. This paper attempts to couple frictional and fluid viscous dampers into a single unit of supplemental dampers. Visco-frictional damping model is developed by series and parallel coupling of frictional and fluid viscous dampers using Maxwell and Kelvin-Voigat models. The time analysis has been performed using numerical simulation on an SDOF system with varying fundamental periods, subject to a set of 12 ground motions. The simulation was performed using the direct time integration method. MATLAB programming tool was used to carry out the numerical simulation. The response behavior has been analyzed for the varying time period and added damping. This paper compares the response reduction behavior of the two modes of coupling. This paper highlights the performance efficiency of the suggested damping models. It also presents a mathematical modeling approach to visco-frictional dampers and simultaneously suggests the suitable mode of coupling between the two sub-units.

Keywords: hysteretic damping, Kelvin model, Maxwell model, parallel coupling, series coupling, viscous damping

Procedia PDF Downloads 149

Authors: Abolaji Mayowa Akinyele

Abstract:

The purpose of this study was to investigate student’s awareness, Knowledge and understanding of environmental issues for sustainable development. Findings revealed that; despite the positive attitude shown by students towards environmental education, a relatively low level of understanding of environmental concept was recorded in school settings regardless of efforts by government and other environmental agencies at creating awareness about environmental related issues. This brought about the investigation of students environmental education knowledge in high school settings. About 205 Students were randomly selected for data collection using validated instruments titled student’s knowledge and attitude questionnaire as well as student’s response to questions (interview) concerning global warming. T-test statistics, chi-square and simple percentage were the major statistical tools employed in data analysis. This study revealed that environment based-education (school curriculum) as well as efforts by government/environmental agencies (mass media) plays a major role in promoting students understanding, of environmental concepts, awareness of major environmental issues and positive attitude towards natural environment.

Keywords: environmental issues, sustainable development, students attitude, students knowledge

Procedia PDF Downloads 442

Authors: Chanya Inprasit, Yi-Wen Lin

Abstract:

Motion sickness (MS) is an acute disorder that occurs in healthy persons without considering gender, age or ethnicity worldwide. All signs and symptoms of MS are the results of confliction and mismatch among neural signal inputs. It is known that no singular remedy works for everybody, and electroacupuncture (EA) is one of the popular alternative therapies used for MS. Our study utilized a mouse model in order to exclude any psychological factors of MS and EA. Mice lack an emetic reflex. Therefore pica behavior, which is a normal consumption of non-nutritive substances, was found to measure the response of MS in mice. In the laboratory, Kaolin was used as a non-nutrient food substance instead of natural substances lacking nutritional value such as wood, cloth, charcoal, soil or grass. It was hypothesized that EA treatment could reduce the symptoms of MS through the TRPV1 pathways. The results of pica behavior showed a significantly increased intake of kaolin in the MS group throughout the experiment period. Moreover, the Kaolin intake of the EA group decreased to the average baseline of the control group. There was no recorded difference in the food and water intake of each group. The results indicated an increase of the TRPV1, pERK, pJNK and pmTOR protein levels in the thalamus after MS stimulation, and a significant decrease in the EA group compared with that of the control group. These findings suggest that TRPV1 pathways are associated in MS mechanisms and can be reduced by EA.

Keywords: electroacupuncture, motion sickness, Thalamus, TRPV1

Procedia PDF Downloads 244

Authors: A. Latif Karimi, M. K. Shrimali

Abstract:

Seismic design is a critical stage in the process of design and construction of a building. It includes strategies for designing earthquake-resistant buildings to ensure health, safety, and security of the building occupants and assets. Hence, it becomes very important to understand the behavior of structural members precisely, for construction of buildings that can yield a better response to seismic forces. This paper investigates the behavior of a typical structure when subjected to ground motion. The corresponding mode shapes and modal frequencies are studied to interpret the response of an actual structure using different fabricated models and 3D visual models. In this study, three different structural configurations are subjected to horizontal ground motion, and the effect of “stiffness eccentricity” and placement of infill walls are checked to determine how each parameter contributes in a building’s response to dynamic forces. The deformation data from lab experiments and the analysis on SAP2000 software are reviewed to obtain the results. This study revealed that seismic response in a building can be improved by introducing higher deformation capacity in the building. Also, proper design of infill walls and maintaining a symmetrical configuration in a building are the key factors in building stability during the earthquake.

Keywords: eccentricity, seismic response, mode shape, building configuration, building dynamics

Procedia PDF Downloads 191

Authors: Zhaopeng Zhu, Xianzhi Song, Gensheng Li

Abstract:

Transports of solid particles through the drill pipe, drill string-hole annulus and hydraulically generated fractures are important dynamic processes encountered in oil and gas well drilling and completion operations. Different from particle transport in infinite space, the transports of cuttings, proppants and formation sand are hindered by a finite boundary. Therefore, an accurate description of the particle transport behavior under the bounded wall conditions encountered in drilling and hydraulic fracturing operations is needed to improve drilling safety and efficiency. In this study, the particle settling experiments were carried out to investigate the particle settling behavior in the pipe, annulus and between the parallel plates filled with power-law fluids. Experimental conditions simulated the particle Reynolds number ranges of 0.01-123.87, the dimensionless diameter ranges of 0.20-0.80 and the fluid flow behavior index ranges of 0.48-0.69. Firstly, the wall effect of the annulus is revealed by analyzing the settling process of the particles in the annular geometry with variable inner pipe diameter. Then, the geometric continuity among the pipe, annulus and parallel plates was determined by introducing the ratio of inner diameter to an outer diameter of the annulus. Further, a unified dimensionless diameter was defined to confirm the relationship between the three different geometry in terms of the wall effect. In addition, a dimensionless term independent from the settling velocity was introduced to establish a unified explicit settling velocity model applicable to pipes, annulus and fractures with a mean relative error of 8.71%. An example case study was provided to demonstrate the application of the unified model for predicting particle settling velocity. This paper is the first study of annulus wall effects based on the geometric continuity concept and the unified model presented here will provide theoretical guidance for improved hydraulic design of cuttings transport, proppant placement and sand management operations.

Keywords: wall effect, particle settling velocity, cuttings transport, proppant transport in fracture

Procedia PDF Downloads 154

Authors: Mikaela Kutrolli, Noah S. Pereira, Vanessa Scanlon, Mohamadmahdi Samandari, Ali Tamayol

Abstract:

Bone tissue engineering has drawn significant attention and various biomaterials have been tested. Polymers such as polycaprolactone (PCL) offer excellent biocompatibility, reasonable mechanical properties, and biodegradability. However, PCL scaffolds suffer a critical drawback: a lack of micro/mesoporosity, affecting cell attachment, tissue integration, and mineralization. It also results in a slow degradation rate. While 3D-printing has addressed the issue of macroporosity through CAD-guided fabrication, PCL scaffolds still exhibit poor smaller-scale porosity. To overcome this, we generated composites of PCL, hydroxyapatite (HA), and powdered sucrose (PS). The latter serves as a sacrificial material to generate porous particles after sucrose dissolution. Additionally, we have incorporated dexamethasone (DEX) to boost the PCL osteogenic properties. The resulting scaffolds maintain controlled macroporosity from the lattice print structure but also develop micro/mesoporosity within PCL fibers when exposed to aqueous environments. The study involved mixing PS into solvent-dissolved PCL in different weight ratios of PS to PCL (70:30, 50:50, and 30:70 wt%). The resulting composite was used for 3D printing of scaffolds at room temperature. Printability was optimized by adjusting pressure, speed, and layer height through filament collapse and fusion test. Enzymatic degradation, porogen leaching, and DEX release profiles were characterized. Physical properties were assessed using wettability, SEM, and micro-CT to quantify the porosity (percentage, pore size, and interconnectivity). Raman spectroscopy was used to verify the absence of sugar after leaching. Mechanical characteristics were evaluated via compression testing before and after porogen leaching. Bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) behavior in the printed scaffolds was studied by assessing viability, metabolic activity, osteo-differentiation, and mineralization. The scaffolds with a 70% sugar concentration exhibited superior printability and reached the highest porosity of 80%, but performed poorly during mechanical testing. A 50% PS concentration demonstrated a 70% porosity, with an average pore size of 25 µm, favoring cell attachment. No trace of sucrose was found in Raman after leaching the sugar for 8 hours. Water contact angle results show improved hydrophilicity as the sugar concentration increased, making the scaffolds more conductive to cell adhesion. The behavior of bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) showed positive viability and proliferation results with an increasing trend of mineralization and osteo-differentiation as the sucrose concentration increased. The addition of HA and DEX also promoted mineralization and osteo-differentiation in the cultures. The integration of PS as porogen at a concentration of 50%wt within PCL scaffolds presents a promising approach to address the poor cell attachment and tissue integration issues of PCL in bone tissue engineering. The method allows for the fabrication of scaffolds with tunable porosity and mechanical properties, suitable for various applications. The addition of HA and DEX further enhanced the scaffolds. Future studies will apply the scaffolds in an in-vivo model to thoroughly investigate their performance.

Keywords: bone, PCL, 3D printing, tissue engineering

Procedia PDF Downloads 41

Authors: A. M. Byrne, E. Bonfiglio, C. Rigby, N. Edelstyn

Abstract:

Introduction: Neuromarketing employs numerous methodologies when investigating products and advertisement effectiveness. Electroencephalography (EEG), a non-invasive measure of electrical activity from the brain, is commonly used in neuromarketing. EEG data can be considered using time-frequency (TF) analysis, where changes in the frequency of brainwaves are calculated to infer participant’s mental states, or event-related potential (ERP) analysis, where changes in amplitude are observed in direct response to a stimulus. This presentation discusses the findings of a systematic review of EEG measures in neuromarketing. A systematic review summarises evidence on a research question, using explicit measures to identify, select, and critically appraise relevant research papers. Thissystematic review identifies which EEG measures are the most robust predictor of customer preference and purchase intention. Methods: Search terms identified174 papers that used EEG in combination with marketing-related stimuli. Publications were excluded if they were written in a language other than English or were not published as journal articles (e.g., book chapters). The review investigated which TF effect (e.g., theta-band power) and ERP component (e.g., N400) most consistently reflected preference and purchase intention. Machine-learning prediction was also investigated, along with the use of EEG combined with physiological measures such as eye-tracking. Results: Frontal alpha asymmetry was the most reliable TF signal, where an increase in activity over the left side of the frontal lobe indexed a positive response to marketing stimuli, while an increase in activity over the right side indexed a negative response. The late positive potential, a positive amplitude increase around 600 ms after stimulus presentation, was the most reliable ERP component, reflecting the conscious emotional evaluation of marketing stimuli. However, each measure showed mixed results when related to preference and purchase behaviour. Predictive accuracy was greatly improved through machine-learning algorithms such as deep neural networks, especially when combined with eye-tracking or facial expression analyses. Discussion: This systematic review provides a novel catalogue of the most effective use of each EEG measure commonly used in neuromarketing. Exciting findings to emerge are the identification of the frontal alpha asymmetry and late positive potential as markers of preferential responses to marketing stimuli. Predictive accuracy using machine-learning algorithms achieved predictive accuracies as high as 97%, and future research should therefore focus on machine-learning prediction when using EEG measures in neuromarketing.

Keywords: EEG, ERP, neuromarketing, machine-learning, systematic review, time-frequency

Procedia PDF Downloads 103

Authors: Sergio V Davalos, Alison L. Watkins

Abstract:

User generated content (UGC) such as website post has data associated with it: time of the post, gender, location, type of device, and number of words. The text entered in user generated content (UGC) can provide a valuable dimension for analysis. In this research, each user post is treated as a collection of terms (words). In addition to the number of words per post, the frequency of each term is determined by post and by the sum of occurrences in all posts. This research focuses on one specific aspect of UGC: sentiment. Sentiment analysis (SA) was applied to the content (user posts) of two sets of political forums related to the US presidential elections for 2012 and 2016. Sentiment analysis results in deriving data from the text. This enables the subsequent application of data analytic methods. The SASA (SAIL/SAI Sentiment Analyzer) model was used for sentiment analysis. The application of SASA resulted with a sentiment score for each post. Based on the sentiment scores for the posts there are significant differences between the content and sentiment of the two sets for the 2012 and 2016 presidential election forums. In the 2012 forums, 38% of the forums started with positive sentiment and 16% with negative sentiment. In the 2016 forums, 29% started with positive sentiment and 15% with negative sentiment. There also were changes in sentiment over time. For both elections as the election got closer, the cumulative sentiment score became negative. The candidate who won each election was in the more posts than the losing candidates. In the case of Trump, there were more negative posts than Clinton’s highest number of posts which were positive. KNIME topic modeling was used to derive topics from the posts. There were also changes in topics and keyword emphasis over time. Initially, the political parties were the most referenced and as the election got closer the emphasis changed to the candidates. The performance of the SASA method proved to predict sentiment better than four other methods in Sentibench. The research resulted in deriving sentiment data from text. In combination with other data, the sentiment data provided insight and discovery about user sentiment in the US presidential elections for 2012 and 2016.

Keywords: sentiment analysis, text mining, user generated content, US presidential elections

Procedia PDF Downloads 178

Authors: Vandana Singh, Subash Singh

Abstract:

Introduction: Oral squamous cell carcinoma is the most common malignant tumor of the oral cavity. Normally the death of cell and the growth are active processes and depend not only on external factors but also on the expression of genes like Bcl-2, which activate and inhibit apoptosis. The term Bcl-2 is an acronym for B-cell lymphoma/ leukemia -2 genes. Objectives: An attempt was made to evaluate Bcl-2 oncoprotein expression in patients with oral precancer and cancer and to assess possible correlation between Bcl-2 oncoprotein expression and clinicopathological features of oral precancer and cancer. Material and Methods: This is a selective prospective clinical and immunohistochemical study. Clinicopathological examination is correlated with immunohistochemical findings. The immunolocalization of Bcl-2 protein is performed using the labeled streptavidin biotin (LSAB) method. To visualize the reaction, 3, 3-diaminobenzidine (DAB) is used. Results: Bcl-2 expression was positive in 11 [36.66 %, low Bcl-2 expression 3 (10.00 %), moderate Bcl-2 expression 7 (23.33 %), and high Bcl-2 expression 1 (3.33 %)] oral cancer cases and in 14 [87.50 %, low expression 8 (50 %), moderate expression 6 (37.50 %)] precancer cases. Conclusion: On the basis of the results of our study we conclude that positive Bcl-2 expression may be an indicator of poor prognosis in oral cancer and precancer. Relevance: It has been reported that there is deregulation of Bcl-2 expression during progression from oral epithelial dysplasia to squamous cell carcinoma. It can be used for revealing progression of epithelial dysplasia to malignancy and as a prognostic marker in oral precancer and cancer.

Keywords: BcL-2, immunohistochemistry, oral cancer, oral precancer

Procedia PDF Downloads 254

Authors: Sonia Sassi, Mostapha Tarfaoui, Hamza Benyahia

Abstract:

Composite materials are increasingly being used as a substitute for metallic materials in many technological applications like aeronautics, aerospace, marine and civil engineering applications. For composite materials, the thermomechanical response evolves with the strain rate. The energy balance equation for anisotropic, elastic materials includes heat source terms that govern the conversion of some of the kinetic work into heat. The remainder contributes to the stored energy creating the damage process in the composite material. In this paper, we investigate the bulk thermomechanical behavior of adhesively-bonded composite assemblies to quantitatively asses the temperature rise which accompanies adiabatic deformations. In particular, adhesively bonded joints in glass/vinylester composite material are subjected to in-plane dynamic loads under a range of strain rates. Dynamic thermomechanical behavior of this material is investigated using compression Split Hopkinson Pressure Bars (SHPB) coupled with a high speed infrared camera and a high speed camera to measure in real time the dynamic behavior, the damage kinetic and the temperature variation in the material. The interest of using high speed IR camera is in order to view in real time the evolution of heat dissipation in the material when damage occurs. But, this technique does not produce thermal values in correlation with the stress-strain curves of composite material because of its high time response in comparison with the dynamic test time. For this reason, the authors revisit the application of specific thermocouples placed on the surface of the material to ensure the real thermal measurements under dynamic loading using small thermocouples. Experiments with dynamically loaded material show that the thermocouples record temperatures values with a short typical rise time as a result of the conversion of kinetic work into heat during compression test. This results show that small thermocouples can be used to provide an important complement to other noncontact techniques such as the high speed infrared camera. Significant temperature rise was observed in in-plane compression tests especially under high strain rates. During the tests, it has been noticed that sudden temperature rise occur when macroscopic damage occur. This rise in temperature is linked to the rate of damage. The more serve the damage is, a higher localized temperature is detected. This shows the strong relationship between the occurrence of damage and induced heat dissipation. For the case of the in plane tests, the damage takes place more abruptly as the strain rate is increased. The difference observed in the obtained thermomechanical response in plane compression is explained only by the difference in the damage process being active during the compression tests. In this study, we highlighted the dependence of the thermomechanical response on the strain rate of bonded specimens. The effect of heat dissipation of this material cannot hence be ignored and should be taken into account when defining damage models during impact loading.

Keywords: adhesively-bonded composite joints, damage, dynamic compression tests, energy balance, heat dissipation, SHPB, thermomechanical behavior

Procedia PDF Downloads 205

Authors: Spencer Jay Knafelc

Abstract:

Some mental health practitioners and theorists have suggested that we approach remedying psychological problems by centering and intervening upon patients’ narrations. Such theorists and their corresponding therapeutic approaches see persons as narrators of their lives, where the stories they tell constitute and reflect their sense-making of the world. Psychological problems, according to these approaches to therapy, are often the result of problematic narratives. The solution is the construction of more salubrious narratives through therapy. There is trouble lurking within the history of these narrative approaches. These thinkers tend to denigrate the importance of truth, insisting that narratives are not to be thought of as aiming at truth, and thus the truth of our self-narratives is not important. There are multiple motivations for the tendency to eschew truth’s importance within the tradition of narrative approaches to therapy. The most plausible and interesting motivation comes from the observation that, in general, all dominant approaches to therapy are equally effective. The theoretical commitments of each approach are quite different and are often ostensibly incompatible (psychodynamic therapists see psychological problems as resulting from unconscious conflict and repressed desires, Cognitive-Behavioral approaches see them as resulting from distorted cognitions). This strongly suggests that there must be some cases in which therapeutic efficacy does not depend on truth and that insisting that patient’s therapeutic narratives be true in all instances is a mistake. Lewis’ solution is to suggest that narratives are metaphors. Lewis’ account appreciates that there are many ways to tell a story and that many different approaches to mental health treatment can be appropriate without committing us to any contradictions, providing us with an ostensibly coherent way to treat narratives as non-literal, instead of seeing them as tools that can be more or less apt. Here, it is argued that Lewis’ metaphor approach fails. Narratives do not have the right kind of structure to be metaphors. Still, another way to understand Lewis’ view might be that self-narratives, especially when articulated in the language of any specific approach, should not be taken literally. This is an idea at the core of the narrative theorists’ tendency to eschew the importance of the ordinary understanding of truth. This very tendency will be critiqued. The view defended in this paper more accurately captures the nature of self-narratives. The truth of one’s self-narrative is important. Not only do people care about having the right conception of their abilities, who they are, and the way the world is, but self-narratives are composed of beliefs, and the nature of belief is to aim at truth. This view also allows the recognition of the importance of developing accurate representations of oneself and reality for one’s psychological well-being. It is also argued that in many cases, truth factors in as a mechanism of change over the course of therapy. Therapeutic benefit can be achieved by coming to have a better understanding of the nature of oneself and the world. Finally, the view defended here allows for the recognition of the nature of the tension between values: truth and efficacy. It is better to recognize this tension and develop strategies to navigate it as opposed to insisting that it doesn’t exist.

Keywords: philosophy, narrative, psychotherapy, truth

Procedia PDF Downloads 92

Authors: Akhila Vasudev, Himanshu Kaushik, Tadikonda Venkata Bharat

Abstract:

A large number of mine tailings are produced every year as part of the extraction process of phosphates, gold, copper, and other materials. Mine tailings are high in water content and have very slow dewatering behavior. The efficient design of tailings dam and economical disposal of these slurries requires the knowledge of tailings consolidation behavior. The large-strain consolidation theory closely predicts the self-weight consolidation of these slurries as the theory considers the conservation of mass and momentum conservation and considers the hydraulic conductivity as a function of void ratio. Classical laboratory techniques, such as settling column test, seepage consolidation test, etc., are expensive and time-consuming for the estimation of hydraulic conductivity variation with void ratio. Inverse estimation of the constitutive relationships from the measured settlement versus time curves is explored. In this work, inverse analysis based on metaheuristics techniques will be explored for predicting the hydraulic conductivity parameters for mine tailings from the base excess pore water pressure dissipation curve and the initial conditions of the mine tailings. The proposed inverse model uses particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm, which is based on the social behavior of animals searching for food sources. The finite-difference numerical solution of the forward analytical model is integrated with the PSO algorithm to solve the inverse problem. The method is tested on synthetic data of base excess pore pressure dissipation curves generated using the finite difference method. The effectiveness of the method is verified using base excess pore pressure dissipation curve obtained from a settling column experiment and further ensured through comparison with available predicted hydraulic conductivity parameters.

Keywords: base excess pore pressure, hydraulic conductivity, large strain consolidation, mine tailings

Procedia PDF Downloads 125

Authors: Damanjit Kaur, Avani Bhatia

Abstract:

Color constancy is significant for human vision since color is a pictorial cue that helps in solving different visions tasks such as tracking, object recognition, or categorization. Therefore, several computational methods have tried to simulate human color constancy abilities to stabilize machine color representations. Two different kinds of methods have been used, i.e., normalization and constancy. While color normalization creates a new representation of the image by canceling illuminant effects, color constancy directly estimates the color of the illuminant in order to map the image colors to a canonical version. Color constancy is the capability to determine colors of objects independent of the color of the light source. This research work studies the most of the well-known color constancy algorithms like white point and gray world.

Keywords: color constancy, gray world, white patch, modified white patch

Procedia PDF Downloads 305

Authors: Sophia C. Alih, Mohammadreza Vafaei, Farnoud Rahimi Mansour, Nur Hajarul Falahi Abdul Halim

Abstract:

Built-up columns have been widely employed by practice engineers in the design and construction of buildings and bridges. However, failures have been observed in this type of columns in previous seismic events. This study analyses the performance of built-up columns with different configurations of battens when it is subjected to seismic loads. Four columns with different size of battens were simulated and subjected to three different intensities of axial load along with a lateral cyclic load. Results indicate that the size of battens influences significantly the seismic behavior of columns. Lower shear capacity of battens results in higher ultimate strength and ductility for built-up columns. It is observed that intensity of axial load has a significant effect on the ultimate strength of columns, but it is less influential on the yield strength. For a given drift value, the stress level in the centroid of smaller size battens is significantly more than that of larger size battens signifying damage concentration in battens rather than chords. It is concluded that design of battens for shear demand lower than code specified values only slightly reduces initial stiffness of columns; however, it improves seismic performance of battened columns.

Keywords: battened column, built-up column, cyclic behavior, seismic design, steel column

Procedia PDF Downloads 244

Authors: Kiran Fatima, Kashif Ali

Abstract:

Staphylococcus aureus is an opportunistic human as well as animal pathogen that causes a variety of diseases. A total of 70 staphylococci isolates were obtained from soil, water, yogurt, and clinical samples. The likely staphylococci clinical isolates were identified phenotypically by different biochemical tests. Molecular identification was done by PCR using species-specific 16S rRNA primer pairs, and finally, 50 isolates were found to be positive as Staphylococcus aureus, sciuri, xylous and cohnii. Screened isolates were further analyzed by several microbiological diagnostics tests, including gram staining, coagulase, capsule, hemolysis, fermentation of glucose, lactose, maltose, and sucrose tests enzymatic reactions. It was found that 78%, 81%, and 51% of isolates were positive for gelatin hydrolysis, protease, and lipase activities, respectively. Antibiogram analysis of isolated Staphylococcus aureus strains with respect to different antimicrobial agents revealed resistance patterns ranging from 57 to 96%. Our study also shows 70% of strains to be MRSA, 54.3% as VRSA, and 54.3% as both MRSA and VRSA. All the identified isolates were subjected to detection of mecA, nuc, and hlb genes, and 70%, 84%, and 40% were found to harbour mecA, nuc, and hlb genes, respectively. The current investigation is highly important and informative for the high-level multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections inclusive also of methicillin and vancomycin.

Keywords: MRSA, VRSA, mecA, MSSA

Procedia PDF Downloads 120