Data center energy efficient resource scheduling

The information and communication technology (ICT) sector has grown exponentially in the recent years. An essential component of the ICT organizations is constituted by the data centers that are densely populated with redundant servers and communicational links to ensure the provision of 99.99 % availability of services; a fact responsible for the heavy energy consumption by data centers. For energy economy, the redundant elements can be powered off based on the current workload within the data center. We propose a Data Center-wide Energy-Efficient Resource Scheduling framework (DCEERS) that schedules data center resources according to the current workload of the data center. Minimum subset of resources to service the current workload are calculated by solving the Minimum Cost Multi Commodity Flow (MCMCF) using the Benders decomposition algorithm. The Benders decomposition algorithm is scalable: it solves the MCMCF problem in linear time for large data center environments. Our simulated results depict that DCEERS achieves better energy efficiency than the previous data center resource scheduling methodologies.     

Socio-Economic Disparities in Use of Family Planning Methods among Pakistani Women: Findings from Pakistan Demographic and Health Surveys

BackgroundSeveral developing countries like Pakistan step into Sustainable Development Goals period with crucial maternal and child health needs that need to be addressed for improving health outcomes among people. We aim to explore existent socio-economic disparities in use of family planning methods (FPM) among Pakistani women, and compare any such inequalities between the years 2006 and 2013.SettingPakistan Demographic and Health Surveys (PDHS) 2006–7 (n = 9177) and the most recent 2012–13(n = 13558) data were used to conduct secondary analysis. Participants were ever married women aged between 15 and 49 years. Socio-economic status was assessed by the education level and wealth index. Inequalities were measured through Odds Ratio (OR), Relative Index of inequality (RII), and Slope index of inequality (SII) on non-use of FPM.ResultsAlthough the prevalence of FPM use has increased over time (28% in 2006 versus 54% in 2013), the socio-economic inequalities persistently exist. Comparing results of PDHS 2006 with PDHS 2013, education related absolute inequalities among urban dwellers increased from -0.41 (95% CI -0.67, -0.13, p-value < 0.01) to -0.83 (95% CI -1.02, -0.63, p-value < 0.01); and increased from -0.93 (95% CI -1.21, -0.64, p-value < 0.01) to -0.98 (95% CI -1.20, -0.76, p-value < 0.01) among rural dwellers. Similarly wealth related absolute inequalities are also existent.ConclusionsAlthough the FPM use has increased over time, but it is important to note that socio-economic gap in use of FPM persists. Such differences have disadvantaged the poor and the illiterate. Family planning programs may target the disadvantaged subgroups for ensuring well-being of women and children in Pakistan.     

Characterization of aggregates produced by the potential mycoherbistat Plectosporium alismatis in submerged culture: germination,UV-radiation tolerance and infectivity

Plectosporium alismatis, a potential mycoherbistat of Alismatacae spp., has been previously shown to produce aggregates which contain chlamydospores in liquid culture. Weevaluated the impact of medium composition on the formation and composition of aggregates. In shake flasks cultures using 5.74 gL^?1 sodium nitrate, 8.8 gL^?1 malt extract or glucose and 0.1% Tween 80, P. alismatis formed small, uniform (diameter of 75% aggregates <720 µm), dense, melanised aggregates containing 10⁴ conidia and 10³ chlamydospores, these numbers remained unchanged during growth. All 7-day-old aggregates exposed to desiccation or/ and UV-radiation germinated. In bioassays using leaf discs of Alisma plantago-aquatica, P. alismatis aggregates caused necrosis, regardless of whether aggregates had been exposed to desiccation and/or UV-radiation prior to application on leaf discs, whereas other propagules (10³ propagules disc^?1) exposed to drying and UV-radiation stress were unable to cause necrosis. This preliminary research shows the potential of aggregates to be used as part of a formulation of biocontrol agents, provided adequate conditions for optimal aggregate yields are found.     

Impact of protein kinase CK2 on inhibitor of apoptosis proteins in prostate cancer cells

We have previously demonstrated that protein kinase CK2 is a potent suppressor of apoptosis in cells subjected to diverse mediators of apoptosis. The process of apoptosis involves a complex series of molecules localized in various cellular compartments. Among the various proteins that modulate apoptotic activity are inhibitors of apoptosis proteins (IAPs) which are elevated in cancers and have been proposed to block caspase activity. We have examined the impact of CK2 signal on these proteins in prostate cancer cells. Cellular IAPs demonstrate distinct localization and responsiveness to altered CK2 expression or activity in the cytoplasmic and nuclear matrix fractions. Modulation of cellular CK2 by various approaches impacts on cellular IAPs such that inhibition or downregulation of CK2 results in reduction in these proteins. Further, IAPs are also reduced when cells are treated with sub-optimal concentrations of chemical inhibitors of CK2 combined with low or sub-optimal levels of apoptosis-inducing agents (such as etoposide) suggesting that downregulation of CK2 sensitizes cells to induction of apoptosis which may be related to attenuation of IAPs. Decreased IAP protein levels in response to apoptotic agents such as TNFalpha or TRAIL were potently blocked upon forced overexpression of CK2 in cells. Together, our results suggest that one of the modes of CK2-mediated modulation of apoptotic activity is via its impact on cellular IAPs.     

Icariin: a Potential Compound for the Recovery of Tibial Dyschondroplasia Affected Chicken Via Up-Regulating BMP-2 Expression

Background

Tibial dyschondroplasia (TD) is a skeletal disease of fast growing chicken and other avian species. It is characterized by an avascular and non-mineralized growth plate, which leads to a deformed tibial bone and lameness. Unfortunately, this disease is not only responsible for causing huge economic losses but also raises animal welfare concerns. Icariin is a flavonoid, which is isolated from Epimedium pubescens herb, and it has been used to cure different diseases including bone fractures and osteoporosis.

Results

We designed this experiment to use icariin for the treatment of TD affect chickens; for this purpose, a total of 180 chicks were equally divided into three groups: control, TD and icariin. All the three groups were offered ad libitum same normal standard diet with an addition of thiram (50 mg/kg) from 3rd day to 7th day in TD and icariin group in order to induce TD in chickens. After the induction of TD, the chickens in icariin groups were fed standard diet with an addition of icariin at the rate of 10 mg/kg in drinking water to check the therapeutic effect of this flavonoid on TD. Our results showed that the icariin helped in restoring the TD lesion into a normal structure with significantly (P?<?0.05) up-regulating the bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) expression in the tibial growth plates (GP).

Conclusions

Icariin increased the vascular area in the growth plate and decreased the average TD score. In conclusion, this study shows that icariin is a potential compound for the recovery of TD affected chickens via up-regulating the BMP-2 expression without posing a threat of ingestion of toxic veterinary drug residues to human beings upon the consumption of treated chickens.

     

Stimulation of suicidal erythrocyte death by oridonin

Antivitamin K anticoagulants have been commonly used to control rodent pest all over the world for more than 50 years. These compounds target blood coagulation by inhibiting the vitamin K epoxide reductase (VKORC1), which catalyzes the reduction of vitamin K 2,3-epoxide to vitamin K. Resistance to anticoagulants has been reported in wild rat populations from different countries. From these populations, several mutations of the rVkorc1 gene have been reported. In this study, rat VKORC1 and its most frequent mutants L120Q-, L128Q-, Y139C-, Y139S- and Y139F-VKORC1 were expressed as membrane-bound proteins in Pichia pastoris and characterized by the determination of kinetic and inhibition parameters. The recombinant rVKORC1 showed similar properties than those of the native proteins expressed in the rat liver microsomes, validating the expression system as a good model to study the consequences of VKORC1 mutations. The determination of the inhibition parameters towards various antivitamin K anticoagulants demonstrated that mutations at Leu-120, Leu-128 and Tyr-139 confer the resistance to the first generation AVKs observed in wild rat populations.