BIIGA: Bioinformatics inspired image grouping approach

Multimedia Tools and Applications - Initial work on image phylogeny used different approaches like the minimum spanning tree etc. The less investigated attempt is a bioinformatics-inspired approach...     

Synthesis,Characterization and Biological Evaluation of Transition Metal Complexes Derived from N,S Bidentate Ligands

Two bidentate NS ligands were synthesized by the condensation reaction of S-2-methylbenzyldithiocarbazate (S2MBDTC) with 2-methoxybenzaldehyde (2MB) and 3-methoxybenzaldehyde (3MB). The ligands were reacted separately with acetates of Cu(II), Ni(II) and Zn(II) yielding 1:2 (metal:ligand) complexes. The metal complexes formed were expected to have a general formula of [M(NS)₂] where M = Cu²⁺, Ni²⁺, and Zn²⁺. These compounds were characterized by elemental analysis, molar conductivity, magnetic susceptibility and various spectroscopic techniques. The magnetic susceptibility measurements and spectral results supported the predicted coordination geometry in which the Schiff bases behaved as bidentate NS donor ligands coordinating via the azomethine nitrogen and thiolate sulfur. The molecular structures of the isomeric S2M2MBH (1) and S2M3MBH (2) were established by X-ray crystallography to have very similar l-shaped structures. The Schiff bases and their metal complexes were evaluated for their biological activities against estrogen receptor-positive (MCF-7) and estrogen receptor-negative (MDA-MB-231) breast cancer cell lines. Only the Cu(II) complexes showed marked cytotoxicity against the cancer cell lines. Both Schiff bases and other metal complexes were found to be inactive. In concordance with the cytotoxicity studies, the DNA binding studies indicated that Cu(II) complexes have a strong DNA binding affinity.     

Computer Modeling for the Complex Response Analysis of Nonstandard Structural Dynamics Problems

Over the past several decades, two intriguing classes of problems, having a wide range of applications in engineering, have been of interest to many researchers: (1) coupled dynamics of a distributed parameter system traversed by one or more moving oscillators; and (2) transient dynamic analysis of axially moving media (and associated phenomena of parametric resonances). Bridge vehicle interaction falls into the first class of problems, and the analysis of flexible appendages deployed from a satellite or a spacecraft is typical of the second class. Mathematically, these two problems are dual to each other, and they often are highly nonlinear in nature and typically involve large overall motion in space with complex effects of convective inertia terms in their governing equations of dynamic equilibrium. The “nonstandard” analytical nature of these problems stems from the fact that we are dealing with one or more of the following peculiarities: (1) variable problem domain; (2) varying spatial distribution of forces over the time duration of the analysis; and/or (3) changing location and type of constraints. Many researchers are trying to formulate the response of these problems, each having a different approach, but applicable only to certain specific details. Moreover, few researchers have concluded that these problems are beyond the scope of the present commercial finite-element (FE) software packages. However, we believe that if the nature and details of these problems are studied properly and carefully, it is immediately possible to simulate these problems in available commercial FE programs. An added advantage would also be the avoidance of many unrealistic simplifying assumptions that are often introduced to reduce the mathematical complexity; e.g., neglecting possible separation (after periods of prior contacts) in beam-moving vehicle problems, assuming linear behavior of suspension systems, and restriction to beam configuration only, among many others. For demonstration, we use ABAQUS in a large number of test cases to be presented. The results are compared with those presented in literatures.     

A new method to realize nonrational driving-point functions

This paper presents a new synthesis procedure for nonrational driving-point functions by defining and using the operator. The operator is defined, and its properties are explored. Applying the Stieltjes transform on the operator, the Padé approximant or the continued fraction form of the nonrational network function can be achieved with reduced computational complexity. Thus, the classical Foster and Cauer form or other techniques may be applied to synthesize network functions. The application of this work is demonstrated by considering certain functions such as the square root, inverse tangent, logarithm, and Lambert's W function. A set of conditions called synthesis criteria is proposed, which should be satisfied by a nonrational function to be realizable.     

Rationally engineered polymeric cisplatin nanoparticles for improved antitumor efficacy

The use of cisplatin, a first line chemotherapy for most cancers, is dose-limited due to nephrotoxicity. While this toxicity can be addressed through nanotechnology, previous attempts at engineering cisplatin nanoparticles have been limited by the impact on the potency of cisplatin. Here we report the rational engineering of a novel cisplatin nanoparticle by harnessing a novel polyethylene glycol-functionalized poly-isobutylene-maleic acid (PEG-PIMA) copolymer, which can complex with cis-platinum (II) through a monocarboxylato and a coordinate bond. We show that this complex self-assembles into a nanoparticle, and exhibits an IC(50) = 0.77 ± 0.11 μM comparable to that of free cisplatin (IC(50) = 0.44 ± 0.09 μM). The nanoparticles are internalized into the endolysosomal compartment of cancer cells, and release cisplatin in a pH-dependent manner. Furthermore, the nanoparticles exhibit significantly improved antitumor efficacy in a 4T1 breast cancer model in vivo, with limited nephrotoxicity, which can be explained by preferential biodistribution in the tumor with reduced kidney concentrations. Our results suggest that the PEG-PIMA-cisplatin nanoparticle can emerge as an attractive solution to the challenges in cisplatin chemotherapy.     

Random permutation principal component analysis for cancelable biometric recognition

Although biometrics is being increasingly used across the world, it also raises concerns over privacy and security of the enrolled identities. This is due to the fact that biometrics are not cancelable and if compromised may give access to the intruder. To address these problems, in this paper, we suggest two simple and powerful techniques called (i) Random Permutation Principal Component Analysis (RP-PCA) and (ii) Random Permutation Two Dimensional Principal Component Analysis (RP-2DPCA). The proposed techniques are based on the idea of cancelable biometric which can be reissued if compromised. The proposed techniques work in a cryptic manner by accepting the cancelable biometric template and a key (called PIN) issued to a user. The identity of a person is recognized only if the combination of template and PIN is valid, otherwise the identity is rejected. The superiority of the proposed techniques is demonstrated on three freely available face (ORL), iris (UBIRIS) and ear (IITD) datasets against state-of-the-art methods. The key advantages of the proposed techniques are (i) classification accuracy remains unaffected due to cancelable biometric templates generated using random permutation (ii) robustness across different biometrics. In addition, no image registration is required for performing recognition.     

On the Issues in Implementing the Peer Model in Integrated Optical Networks

This paper contributes to a much-needed understanding of the operation, design, implementation, and evaluation of the peer model in integrated optical networks. The overlay and peer models of operation form the two fundamental architectural alternatives for interworking the control planes of optical TDM/WDM networks with those of packet or cell-based networks. Of these, the overlay model is well understood, having a precedence in IP-over-ATM networks deployed in the mid 1990s. It follows a proven approach to managing multi-area, multi-domain networks. The peer model, on the other hand, has not been implemented yet, and has also not been analyzed adequately in the literature. To enable service providers to implement either model, based on the respective merits of each, it is fundamentally important to develop a working solution for the peer model. The focus of this paper is to provide such a solution, perform a complexity analysis of the solution, and discuss its impact on the design of the protocols and the packet and transport layer devices that must interwork to realize this model.     

Detection of Glioma‐Derived Exosomes with the Biotinylated Antibody‐Functionalized Titanium Nitride Plasmonic Biosensor

Titanium nitride (TiN), as an excellent alternative plasmonic supporting material compared to gold and silver, exhibits tunable plasmonic properties in the visible and near‐infrared spectra. However, label‐free surface plasmon resonance biosensing with TiN is seldom reported due to lack of proper surface functionalization protocols. Herein, this study reports biotinylated antibody‐functionalized TiN (BAF‐TiN) for high‐performance label‐free biosensing applications. The BAF‐TiN biosensor can quantitatively detect exosomes of 30–200 nm extracellular vesicles, isolated from a human glioma cell line. The limit of detection for an exosomal membrane protein with the BAF‐TiN biosensor is found to be 4.29 × 10^?3µg mL^?1 for CD63, an exosome marker, and 2.75 × 10^?3µg mL^?1 for epidermal growth factor receptor variant‐III, a glioma specific mutant protein, respectively. In conclusion, combining the biocompatibility, high stability, and excellent label‐free sensing performance of TiN, the BAF‐TiN biosensor could have great potential for the detection of cancer biomarkers, including exosomal surface proteins.     

A secure multi-stage one-round bit-plane permutation operation based chaotic image encryption

Currently, data security is a challenging task in any open source data transmission network. Basically, in most of the networks, images are used, hence security of images is a major challenging task. This paper proposes a combined hyper-chaos and chaos based encryption technique to secure images. In the method, one-round of diffusion and multi-stage bit-plane permutation operations are performed to obtain the better encryption results. The advantages of this scheme are that in one-round encryption operation, the proposed scheme can be realized easily and also confused largely. Apart from that the algorithm is simple as it uses simpler mathematical computations while attaining higher security such as higher key space, higher number of pixel changing rate, higher unified average changing intensity, and better correlation coefficient results. Moreover, hash based keys are used to resist the algorithm against chosen-plaintext and known-plaintext attacks. The security analysis and computer simulations show the good encryption results of the proposed scheme and strong resistivity to the widely used common attacks.

     

Controlled Synthesis and Optical Properties of Pure Gold Nanoparticles

Abstract

Gold nanoparticles were synthesized by laser ablation of a gold metallic disc at wavelengths of 532 nm and 355 nm with 7 ns pulse duration in the pure water. The colloidal gold nanoparticles were characterized by ultraviolet-visible absorption spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and fluorescence spectrometry. The presence of a surface plasmon resonance peak around ～ 524 nm indicates the formation of gold nanoparticles. The formation efficiencies of gold nanoparticles in colloids were found to increase when ablating the gold metallic disc with a laser having a longer wavelength. The size distributions of the gold nanoparticles thus produced were measured by transmission electron microscopy. A reduction in mean diameter of the particles was observed with a decrease in the laser wavelength under the irradiation at a high fluence of 25 mJ/pulse. The fluorescence spectroscopy demonstrated that these gold nanoparticles are fluorescent, showing a strong blue emission intensity at 458 nm.