Multiple Sclerosis

Archit B Baskaran,Elena Grebenciucova,Thomas Shoemaker,Edith L Graham 대한신경과학회 2023 Journal of Clinical Neurology Vol.19 No.3

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an immune-driven disease that affects the central nervous system and is characterized by acute-on-chronic demyelination attacks. It is a major cause of global neurological disability, and its prevalence has increased in the United States. Conceptual understandings of MS have evolved over time, including the identification of B cells as key factors in its pathophysiology. The foundation of MS management involves preventing flares so as to avoid long-term functional decline. Treatments may be categorized into low-, middle-, and high-efficacy medications based on their efficacy in relapse prevention. With 24 FDAapproved treatments for MS, individual therapy is chosen based on distinct mechanisms and potential side effects. This review provides a detailed update on the epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment advances, and major ongoing research investigations in MS.

Detection of High-Risk Human Papillomaviruses in the Prevention of Cervical Cancer in India

Baskaran, Krishnan,Kumar, P Kranthi,Karunanithi, Santha,Sethupathy, Subramanian,Thamaraiselvi, B,Swaruparani, S Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2015 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.16 No.18

Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are small, non-enveloped, double-stranded DNA viruses that infect epithelial tissues. Specific genotypes of human papillomavirus are the single most common etiological agents of cervical intraepithelial lesions and cervical cancer. Cervical cancer usually arises at squamous metaplastic epithelium of transformation zone (TZ) of the cervix featuring infection with one or more oncogenic or high-risk HPV (HR-HPV) types. A hospital-based study in a rural set up was carried out to understand the association of HR-HPV with squamous intraepithelial lesions (SILs) and cervical cancer. In the present study, HR-HPV was detected in 65.7% of low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSILs), 84.6% of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSILs) and 94% of cervical cancer as compared to 10.7% of controls. The association of HPV infection with SIL and cervical cancer was analyzed with Chi square test (p<0.001). The significant association found confirmed that detection of HR-HPV is a suitable candidate for early identification of cervical precancerous lesions and in the prevention of cervical cancer in India.

Generalized load cycles for dynamic wind uplift evaluation of rigid membrane roofing systems

Baskaran, A.,Murty, B.,Tanaka, H. Techno-Press 2011 Wind and Structures, An International Journal (WAS Vol.14 No.5

Roof is an integral part of building envelope. It protects occupants from environmental forces such as wind, rain, snow and others. Among those environmental forces, wind is a major factor that can cause structural roof damages. Roof due to wind actions can exhibit either flexible or rigid system responses. At present, a dynamic test procedure available is CSA A123.21-04 for the wind uplift resistance evaluation of flexible membrane-roofing systems and there is no dynamic test procedure available in North America for wind uplift resistance evaluation of rigid membrane-roofing system. In order to incorporate rigid membrane-roofing systems into the CSA A123.21-04 testing procedure, this paper presents the development of a load cycle. For this process, the present study compared the wind performance of rigid systems with the flexible systems. Analysis of the pressure time histories data using probability distribution function and power spectral density verified that these two roofs types exhibit different system responses under wind forces. Rain flow counting method was applied on the wind tunnel time histories data. Calculated wind load cycles were compared with the existing load cycle of CSA A123.21-04. With the input from the roof manufacturers and roofing associations, the developed load cycles had been generalized and extended to evaluate the ultimate wind uplift resistance capacity of rigid roofs. This new knowledge is integrated into the new edition of CSA A123.21-10 so that the standard can be used to evaluate wind uplift resistance capacity of membrane roofing systems.

A Study on Behavioral Traits of Library and Information Science Students in South India

Baskaran, S.,Babu, B. Ramesha,Gopalakrishnan, S. Korea Institute of Science and Technology Informat 2013 Journal of Information Science Theory and Practice Vol.1 No.1

Human behaviour normally depends on the environment of the incident and the time of its occurrence. The behaviour of people depends on many factors and these behaviour traits are an important aspect in the Library and Information Science (LIS) field. Hence in this paper an attempt has been made to examine the behaviour traits of LIS students in South India. Out of 400 questionnaires distributed 367 have responded and the response rate is 91.75%. In this survey three aspects comprising student behaviour have been analysed such as Work Environment, Natural Environment, and Social Environment. In the case of Work Environment the respondents were grouped as Workaholic, Impatience, Achievement oriented, Rash nature, and Punctuality. Further, in respect to Natural environment, the respondents are grouped as Complacent, Patience, Easygoing, and Relaxed. Last, the respondents were grouped in the Social Environment as Balancing nature, Magnanimity, Naturalistic, Assertive nature, Dependency, Lucrative, Lonely nature, and Time Based personality. Finally the authors conclude that LIS students need to possess these qualities and behaviours to work in different environments.

Binarized Spiking Neural Networks Optimized with Color Harmony Algorithm for Liver Cancer Classification

Pushpa Balakrishnan,B. Baskaran,S. Vivekanan,P. Gokul 대한전자공학회 2023 IEIE Transactions on Smart Processing & Computing Vol.12 No.6

Binarized spiking neural networks optimized with a color harmony algorithm for liver cancer classification (BSNN-CHA-LCC) are proposed to classify liver cancer as normal and abnormal. Initially, fusion of an MRI dataset and CT-scan datasets of a liver cancer dataset were taken, and the input images were given to CWF-based preprocessing for removing noise and increasing the quality of input computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The preprocessed images of CT and MRI are given to improve the non-sub sampled Shearlet transform (INSST) method-based feature extraction for extracting features. The extracted features were given BSNN to classify liver cancer as normal and abnormal. The proposed method was implemented, and the efficiency of the proposed BSNN-CHA-LCC method was evaluated under performance metrics, such as precision, sensitivity, F-scores, specificity, accuracy, error rate, and computational time. The proposed technique achieved23.03%, 11.56%, and 21.22% higher accuracy and 36.12%, 15.23%, and 27.11% lower error rates than the existing models, such as hybrid-feature analysis depending on machine-learning for liver cancer categorization utilizing fused images (MLP-LCC), Deep learning-based classification of liver cancer histopathology images utilizing only global labels (mask-RCNN-LCC), and deep learning based liver cancer identification utilizing watershed transform and Gaussian mixture method (DNN-GMM-LCC), respectively.

Large scale patternable 3-dimensional carbon nanotube-graphene structure for flexible Li-ion battery

Kang, C.,Baskaran, R.,Hwang, J.,Ku, B.C.,Choi, W. Pergamon Press ; Elsevier Science Ltd 2014 Carbon Vol.68 No.-

There has been strong interest in flexible, lightweight and reliable rechargeable batteries to meet the requirements of today's portable devices. To build such flexible rechargeable batteries with high efficiency, new architectures for current collectors need to be developed. The porous 3-dimensional (3D) electrode architecture has been proposed to increase the efficiency of a Li-ion battery by using its higher surface area, shorter diffusion path and higher volumetric capacity than those of 2D electrodes. Herein we fabricated an array structure of 3D multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs)-graphene on transparent and flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film through a simple lamination process. The transferred 3D column structure of MWCNTs onto graphene-PET film showed structural integrity and low contact resistance at high angle bending. The new flexible 3D MWCNTs-graphene-PET electrode yielded excellent C-rate capability and specific capacity with high Coulombic efficiency of over 99%. The novel 3D MWCNTs-graphene nanostructure fabricated on flexible film could provide a wide range of applications in next-generation flexible and light weight batteries and energy storages.

In vitro release and skin permeation of tacrolimus from monoolein-based liquid crystalline nanoparticles

( R K Thapa ),( R Baskaran ),( T Madheswaran ),( J O Kim ),( C S Yong ),( B K Yoo ) 영남대학교 약품개발연구소 2013 영남대학교 약품개발연구소 연구업적집 Vol.23 No.0

The objective of the present study was to determine the effect of different ratios of monoolein and oleic aciad on in vitro release and ski permeation of tacrolimus from monoolein-based liquid crystalline nanoparticles. The nanoparticles were prepared by sonicating a mixture of melted monoolein, poloxamer 407, oleic acid and tacrolimus to which distilled water was added. Formation of cubosomes and hexosomes was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy and optical microscopy, and average particle size of the formulations was about 150-200 nm. The encapsulation effeciency for tacrolims in all the formulations was > 99%. In vitro retro release of the drug was proportionally reduced by the amount of monoolein used. Addition of oleic acid further reduced the tacrolimus release. The skin permeation was also in agreement with the vitro release. This study provides a strategy to control the release and skin permeation of tacrolimus from nanoparticles, thus expanding the area of tacrolimus usage.

Effect of saturated fatty acids on tacrolimus-loaded liquid crystalline nanoparticles

( R K Thapa ),( R Baskaran ),( T Madheswaran ),( J Y Rhyu ),( J O Kim ),( C S Yong ),( B K Yoo ) 영남대학교 약품개발연구소 2013 영남대학교 약품개발연구소 연구업적집 Vol.23 No.0

Liquid crystalline nanoparticles are unique structures that can be used in the delivery of a wide range of pharmaceutical actives. Herein, we studied the effect of saturated fatty acids on tacrolimus-loaded monoolein liquid crystalline nanoparticles stabilized with poloxamer 407, Char-acterization of nanoparticles included optical and transmission electron microscopy, particle size, and entrapment efficiency analysis. Microscope data suggested the formation of cubosomes for monoolein dispersions, and of hexosomes for monoolein-fatty caid systems. Entrapment efficiency of tacrolimus was as high as 99% or above. In vitro release study revealed that amount of monoolein and carbon chain lengths of the fatty acid were the factors that affected drug release from the liquid crystalline nanoparticles. Notably, monoolein-fatty acid systems prepared with short chain length, such as lauric and myristic acid, showed markedly sustained release profile of the drug. Hence, appropriate selection of fatty acid can be exploited to achieve desired release profile from monooloein liquid crystalline nanoparticles.

Feasibility and performance study of turpentine fueled DI diesel engine operated under HCCI combustion mode

M. Kannan,R. Karthikeyan,B. Deepanraj,R. Baskaran 대한기계학회 2014 JOURNAL OF MECHANICAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Vol.28 No.2

In the present investigation a volatile fraction of Pinus resin called Turpentine has been experimented in a direct injection diesel engineunder HCCI combustion mode. The engine chosen to experiment is a single cylinder DI diesel engine and modified in such a way toignite Turpentine in a diesel engine under HCCI mode. As the Turpentine has a higher self ignition temperature the ignition of Turpentinein regular diesel engines with auto-ignition is not possible. Hence, suitable modification is made in the engine to ignite Turpentine ina diesel engine like diesel fuel. The modified engine has ECM controlled fuel spray and an air preheater in the suction side of the engine. The combined effort of adiabatic compression and supply of preheated air ignites turpentine by auto-ignition and its timing of ignition isprecisely controlled by changing intake air temperature. This investigation revealed that the engine operated with turpentine performedwell with little loss of brake thermal efficiency. And, emitted comparatively lower emissions such as NOx and smoke and proved that theturpentine is a best suited fuel for HCCI operation.

Sialic Acid Engineering : Characterization of the metabolic flux and apoptotic effects of N-acetylmannosamime (ManNAc) analogs

Eun Jeong Kim(김은정),Srinivasa-Gopalan Sampathkumar,Mark B. Jones,Jun Kyu Rhee,Gautam Baskaran,Kevin J, Yarema 한국생물공학회 2004 한국생물공학회 학술대회 Vol.2004 No.4