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The socio-economic development of a nation depends on the health of the citizens, who contribute towards it. Sleep-health is an essential indicator of the well-being of a person. There are many ailments related to heart and brain reported that are caused by problems of lack of sleep, interrupted sleep, and unhygienic sleep conditions. Several sleep-related disorders are affecting people of various age groups, which reduce the quality of life as well as the physical and mental health of the affected person drastically. Awareness about the problem among medical experts and the general public is poor in countries of lower economy, like India. The Polysomnography (PSG), a gold-standard and a popular test is used to detect sleep-related disorders. PSG requires a sophisticated Sleep-Lab facility and proves costly and hence not affordable by lower sections of society. Under the proposed work, the focus is on the need for creating awareness on the up-keeping of sleep-health and developing a convenient screening tool for sleep apnea. The development issues of an intelligent and cost-efficient screening tool as an alternative to PSG and the feasibility of using the tool at smaller clinical setups are discussed.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopment abnormality that affects the behavior and communication of an individual. In present- day Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is gaining its momentum faster than ever, which limits the social and cognitive skills whereas its symptoms may vary from person to person. Though much research have been carried out on ASD using different techniques, these studies didn’t provide sufficient improvement in accuracy and performance. Also, detecting autism traits through screening tests is expensive and time-consuming. The main aim is to propose an effective prediction model by adopting an advanced machine learning techniques. The evaluation results show that the proposed prediction model provides better results in terms of accuracy, performance, and compared with the existing models using a real dataset that is collected from people. Further, if the disorder is detected, domain specialized doctors are suggested from the specified cities.

The driver assistance systems are gaining lots of importance in automotives in recent years. Determination of driver’s alertness being one among them and has a very important role to play as it is associated with the human life. Preventing accidents caused due to driver’s lack of vigilance, drowsiness, tiredness or inability in perception, and recognition is one of the major applications in advanced driver assistance systems of automotives. Even though drivers’ consciousness detection is one of the very essential features in today’s automotives, most of the existing systems are based on image processing techniques used to determine eye blink or facial expressions. These methods being an indirect measure of consciousness lack in accurate determination of consciousness level. The presented research work discusses the direct measurement of driver’s status of alertness by estimating the physiological signals like electroencephalogram (EEG) which reflects the brain activity. The alpha band of EEG signals ranging between 8 and 14 Hz is an indication of non-alert status of driver. The bio potentials like EEG are even though the direct indication of brain activity but are usually mixed with other signals like muscle movement and eye movement. Another important issue in the measurement of EEG is that the whole process needs to be carried out in moving vehicle and as such the vehicle vibration also gets mixed with EEG information. The extraction of EEG is a primary task, and which has been done by using independent component analysis (ICA) technique. ICA is used for extraction of EEG signals and also for overall reduction in data size. Further, the EEG analysis is carried out with power spectra analysis, and further support vector machine is used to train the system to classify between alert and drowsy conditions. This research work mainly focuses on EEG extraction and EEG analysis applied to non-alert state of driver. Alpha waves are a type of brain waves detected by EEG and reduce with open eyes, drowsiness, and sleep. Thus, in this project, the alpha band power frequencies and the attention values are used to analyze the consciousness level of the driver. The attention values and the alpha band power frequencies are plotted against time through which the system can visualize the consciousness level of driver’s mind, which may reduce the number of accidents reported worldwide.

Superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) are macromolecules with the ability to absorb water and release it slowly to the surroundings. SAP hydrogels can be used as soil moisture conditioners which act as water reservoirs and release water depending upon the need of plant roots. In the present study, a cassava starch based superabsorbent hydrogel was evaluated as a soil conditioner and its effect on physical, chemical, and biological properties of the soil as well as on plant growth parameters was studied. Amendment of the soil with the starch based SAP hydrogel significantly altered the physical and chemical properties of the soil. Bulk density of the soil was decreased, whereas water holding capacity and porosity were increased on SAP treatment. There was an improvement in the soil status of major, secondary and micronutrients and organic carbon in the SAP amended soil. An increase in bacteria (16%) and fungi counts (18%) as well as superior plant growth were observed for the treatment with SAP and irrigated at an interval of 3 days, compared to those of control without SAP. Soil amendment with starch based SAP hydrogel was found to be beneficial for maintaining the physicochemical and biological soil properties as well as plant growth.

A "multi-module" project involves more than onesubcomponent, with possible dependencies between components. An automotive electronics, a core course taught for the studentsof circuit branches is mainly application oriented involvingsystem level concepts. The course was introduced to cater to theneeds of automotive industries. The concepts of entire course canbe divided into five main domains, power train, safety systems, body, driver assistance and infotainment systems. Accordingly tocomplement the learning it was decided to introduce an extendedactivity in the form of course projects wherein the theme was todevelop electronic control units (ECUs) for every domain. AnECU of an automotive has multiple functionalities, eachrepresenting a sub-module of a bigger system. The integration ofsub-modules to realize a specific ECU was major objective of theactivity. The sub-module development involves modeling, hardware/software development and communication protocolimplantation. To impart the industry like working cultureamongst students, every sub-module belonging to specific ECUwas assigned to the students of different department. Submodules were developed independently by specialized dedicatedteam of a particular department and were integrated todemonstrate a final ECU by different department teams. ThePrototype models with an option of testing on a test vehicle werethe results of this activity. The student learning was measured interms of their ability to work in a team, project managementskills and their technical competencies to develop sub-modulesand integration of sub modules.

Superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) are hydrophilic polymeric networks that can absorb, swell and retain large quantity of water and other physiological fluids. In this paper, the water sorption pattern and kinetics of cassava starch based SAP hydrogels were studied under different conditions of swelling such as soaking duration, pH, presence of salts, and particle size of the hydrogel. The kinetics was studied using Voigt-based viscoelastic model to determine the rate parameter and the swelling rate (SR). It was noted that under all conditions, the water sorption followed a second order kinetics. The absorbency was directly proportional to the rate of swelling. But when the sample was allowed to swell in aqueous solutions of CaCl2 and AlCl3, the absorbency as well as the SR was irregular. The particle size also had significant effect on water absorption by the SAP and the polymer with smaller particles showed more absorption than those with larger particle size. The solvent induced phase transition of the superabsorbent hydrogel was also studied.

Superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) were prepared from cassava starch by graft copolymerization of acrylamide on to starch using ceric ammonium nitrate (CAN) as free radical initiator, followed by alkali saponification. The reaction parameters such as concentration of acrylamide, concentration of CAN, temperature, and duration of polymerization reaction were optimized for maximum water absorbency using a 4-factor 3-level Box-Behnken design. The highest values of percentage grafting and absorbency obtained were 174.8% and 425.2 g/g, respectively. The polymers were characterized by determination of grafting efficiency, N-content, acrylamide content, FTIR analysis, SEM and XRD analyses. Thermogravimetric analysis (TG) showed that the SAP has higher thermal stability. The rate of water absorbency and the swelling behaviour of the SAP under different conditions of pH, and different salts were determined. The de-swelling pattern of the hydrogels over different time durations was also determined.

Graft copolymerization of poly(acrylonitrile) onto cassava starch was carried out with potassium persulphate (PPS) as the free radical initiator using a response surface Box–Behnken design. Different levels of monomer concentration, initiator concentration, and temperature were used, and regression models were generated in terms of these factors, which can be used to predict the grafting level and efficiency at a given level of the factors. The grafted starches were characterized by FTIR, XRD, and SEM analyses and determination of %grafting (%G), N-content, thermal properties, water and saline solution retention, and rheological properties. Under the conditions used, %G was found to depend only on the temperature used for the reaction. The maximum %G of 120.1 was obtained for the sample synthesized under the following conditions: weight of AN = 0.753 mol/10 g starch, weight of PPS = 0.284 g and temperature = 55°C, and the grafting efficiency was 30.03%. The absorption bands at 2243 cm−1 for the nitrile group (CN) in the FTIR spectra of the products confirmed the grafting reaction. There was a decrease in crystallinity and disappearance of the granular structure after grafting of the starch. The melting temperatures of the graft copolymers determined by differential scanning calorimetry analysis were higher than that of the native starch. The grafted starches exhibited very high thermal stability as observed from the thermogravimetric analysis. The superabsorbent polymer prepared from the grafted starch by alkali saponification exhibited a maximum water absorbency of 636 g/g. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011

Purpose: This study was conducted to understand the in vivo and in vitro immune responses and to find whether there exists any difference in the systemic and localized immune responses in tuberculous pleuritis. Methods: The in vivo levels of IFN-γ and IL-4 were compared in plasma (BL) and pleural fluid (PF) of 47 tuberculous (TB) and 31 nontuberculous pleuritis (Non-TB) patients. In vitro cytokine response to various mycobacterial antigens was studied in 19 TB patients by ELISA . Both ex vivo and in vitro cytokine responses were further ascertained by intracellular cytokine staining on purified CD4+ T cells from pleural fluid mononuclear cells (PFMC) of 10 TB patients. Results: The ex vivo results showed a significant increase in IFN-γ levels and higher IFN-γ + T cells in PF. On the other hand, in vitro results showed simultaneous increase in both IFN-γ and IL-4 levels in the supernatants of antigen stimulated PFMC. Similarly antigen specific increase was observed in both IFN-γ + and IL-4+ T cells in all cultured conditions. However, the percentile increase was more in IL-4 secreting T cells, significant for PPD stimulation ( P < 0.05), indicating that in vitro cellular response was dominated by Th2 type. Conclusions: These results showed a differential T-helper response in TB pleuritis suggestive of predominant Th1 in vivo and mixed response (Th1 and Th2) under in vitro conditions.

Cassava starch-graft-poly(acrylamide) superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) with varying absorbencies were synthesized. Weight average molecular weight (Mw) of the hydrolyzed starch-graft-copolymers ranged from 1.6 × 106 to 2.8 × 106 g/mol, the largest being shown by the sample with highest percentage grafting. The storage (G′) and loss modulus (G″) of hydrogels were determined as a function of frequency. G″ was larger than G′ for the hydrogels with higher absorbencies and exhibited a liquid-like behavior. However, hydrogels with lower absorbencies showed a reverse viscoelastic behavior. The viscosity of hydrogels determined using a Brookfield viscometer at different shear rates was found to be larger for the hydrogels with higher absorbencies. The melting temperature (Tm) and enthalpy change of fusion (ΔHf) of the SAPs ranged from 149.7 to 177.7°C and 65 to 494.9 J/g, respectively and showed a positive correlation with grafting parameters and Mw. Heavy metal ion removal capacity of hydrogel followed the order Cu2+ > Pb2+ > Zn2+. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014, 131, 40368.

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Bronchopleural fistula (BPF) produced by endotracheal suction catheter is a known cause of persistent pneumothorax in preterm infants in intensive care nurseries. This report describes the pulmonary pathology of a neonate who had sustained this injury. The observation suggests that the abnormal airflow results in severe damage of the involved lobe and an unusually mild bronchopulmonary dysplasia in the rest of the lung. This is in agreement with the fact that BPF acts as the path of least resistance for the oxygen-rich air from the ventilator.

We evaluated prolonged use of total parenteral nutrition (TPN) and the effects of perinatal factors in infants who developed neonatal cholestasis (CH). Only infants 2 weeks, had no GI disease and received TPN ⩾14 days were studied; 40 infants met these criteria. 19 infants developed CH (direct bilirubin > = 1.5 mg/dl >1 week) and 21 did not. Infants who developed CH received TPN longer than those without CH (P