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This paper addresses the challenge of modeling relaxation dynamics in quantum many-body systems, specifically focusing on electrons in graphene nanoflakes. While quantum many-body techniques effectively describe dynamics up to a few particles, these approaches become computationally intractable for large systems. Larger systems may be tackled with a single-particle approach that, however, struggles to incorporate relaxation effects. Existing relaxation models encounter issues such as an inability to capture system complexity and violation of the Pauli principle. In this paper, we propose a single-particle model that accounts for various relaxation effects at the crossroads of quantum optics and solid-state photonics, that overcomes the limitations of previous models. Our approach is rooted in the quantum-optical Lindblad model, where relaxation rates are deactivated once the target levels saturate due to the Pauli principle. This approach is referred to as the saturated-Lindblad model. To validate the predictions of the saturated-Lindblad model, we confront them against phenomenological and many-body physics models in low-dimensional systems, including atomic chains and graphene nanoflakes. Remarkably, the saturated-Lindblad model exhibits excellent agreement with few-body calculations, distinguishing itself from other existing approaches. Moreover, by assigning different relaxation rates to different transitions, we successfully reproduce cascade deexcitation dynamics and predict emission spectra. The saturated-Lindblad model offers the ability to describe dynamics in systems of practical sizes, encompassing a wide range of structures that can be effectively captured within the single-particle description.

Efficient thermoelectric (TE) conversion of waste heat to usable energy is a holy grail promising to address major societal issues related to energy crisis and global heat management. For these to be economical, synthesis of a solid-state material with a high figure-of-merit (ZT) values is the key, with characterization methods quantifying TE and heat transport properties being indispensable for guiding the development of such materials. In the present study, a large enhancement of the TE power factor in Sb 2Te 3/MoS 2 multilayer structures is reported. A new approach is used to simultaneously experimentally determine the values of in-plane (k xy) and out-of-pane (k z) thermal conductivities for multilayer samples with characteristic layer thickness of few nanometres, essential for the quantification of the ZT, the key parameter for the TE material. Combining simultaneous enhancement in the value of in-plane power factor (to (4.9 ± 0.4) × mWm −1 K −2) and reduction of the in-plane value of the thermal conductivity (to 0.7 ± 0.1 Wm −1 K −1) for Sb 2Te 3/MoS 2 multilayer sample led to high values of ZT of 2.08 ± 0.37 at room temperature. The present study, therefore, sets the foundation for a new methodology of exploiting the properties of 2D/3D interfaces for the development of novel fully viable thermoelectric materials.

Thermal conductivity is a crucial parameter defining the thermal transport as well as thermophysical properties of materials in thermoelectric, manufacturing and processing applications of materials where heat transport plays a major role. To address a current challenge of measuring these properties locally, in the areas of few tens or hundreds nanometres, we used a novel approach of cross-sectional scanning thermal microrcopy, or SThM, (xSThM). In this method, we first create a fine low angle wedge of the studied material via precision Ar ion cross-sectional polishing [1] and then measure a thermal conductance via SThM with each measurement point providing thermal conductance of the material with different thickness. Furthermore, an analytical model is then used to extract not only anisotropic values of thermal conductivity but also determines the effect of interfacial thermal resistance between the substrate and complex structured materials (heterostructure and composite structures). This technique thus facilitates a direct measurement of thermal conductance as a function of thickness in 2D-3D based heterostructures (Sb2Te3/MoS2) and composites structures (Sb2Te3/AgSbTe2). The thickness and number of layers of MoS2 was optimized to achieve extremely lower values of thermal conductivity (0.7  0.1 Wm-1K-1) along with higher values of power factor ((4.97 0.39) ×10-3 Wm-1K-2) leading to high values of ZT of 2.08  0.37 at room temperature. Similarly, the concentration of Ag in Sb2Te3/AgSbTe2 is optimized for highest values of ZT. A major enhancement in the value of TE performance was observed due to the effective majority carriers filtering and phonon scattering at the potential barrier present due to multiple interfaces. The current methodology provides an efficient tool for quantifying the thermal transport in thin films and 2D materials, and hence is useful in establishing the thermal transport in such complex structures. References: [1] Jean Spièce, Charalambos

Thermal conductivity is a crucial parameter defining the thermal transport as well as thermophysical properties of materials in thermoelectric, manufacturing and processing applications of materials where heat transport plays a major role. To address a current challenge of measuring these properties locally, in the areas of few tens or hundreds nanometres, we used a novel approach of cross-sectional scanning thermal microrcopy, or SThM, (xSThM). In this method, we first create a fine low angle wedge of the studied material via precision Ar ion cross-sectional polishing [1] and then measure a thermal conductance via SThM with each measurement point providing thermal conductance of the material with different thickness. Furthermore, an analytical model is then used to extract not only anisotropic values of thermal conductivity but also determines the effect of interfacial thermal resistance between the substrate and complex structured materials (heterostructure and composite structures). This technique thus facilitates a direct measurement of thermal conductance as a function of thickness in 2D-3D based heterostructures (Sb2Te3/MoS2) and composites structures (Sb2Te3/AgSbTe2). The thickness and number of layers of MoS2 was optimized to achieve extremely lower values of thermal conductivity (0.7  0.1 Wm-1K-1) along with higher values of power factor ((4.97 0.39) ×10-3 Wm-1K-2) leading to high values of ZT of 2.08  0.37 at room temperature. Similarly, the concentration of Ag in Sb2Te3/AgSbTe2 is optimized for highest values of ZT. A major enhancement in the value of TE performance was observed due to the effective majority carriers filtering and phonon scattering at the potential barrier present due to multiple interfaces. The current methodology provides an efficient tool for quantifying the thermal transport in thin films and 2D materials, and hence is useful in establishing the thermal transport in such complex structures. References: [1] Jean Spièce, Charalambos

The inflation of hyperelastic thin shells is an important and highly nonlinear problem that arises in multiple engineering applications involving severe kinematic and constitutive nonlinearities in addition to various instabilities. We present an isogeometric approach to compute the inflation of hyperelastic thin shells, following the Kirchhoff-Love hypothesis and associated large deformation. Both the geometry and the deformation field are discretized using Catmull-Clark subdivision bases which provide the C1-continuous finite element framework required for the Kirchhoff-Love shell formulation. To follow the complex nonlinear response of hyperelastic thin shells, the inflation is simulated incrementally, and each incremental step is solved via the Newton-Raphson method enriched with arc-length control. Eigenvalue analysis of the linear system after each incremental step allows for inducing bifurcation to a lower energy mode in case stability of the equilibrium is lost. The proposed method is first validated using benchmarks, and then applied to engineering applications, where we demonstrate the ability to simulate large deformation and associated complex instabilities., Comment: 25 pages, 12 figures

Abhishek Ghosh,1 Anirban Ray,2 Aniruddha Basu1 1Drug De-addiction and Treatment Centre, Department of Psychiatry, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, 2Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research, Kolkata, India Abstract: Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) is diagnosed broadly on the basis of frequent and persistent angry or irritable mood, argumentativeness/defiance, and vindictiveness. Since its inception in the third Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, epidemiological and longitudinal studies have strongly suggested a distinct existence of ODD that is different from other closely related externalizing disorders, with different course and outcome and possibly discrete subtypes. However, several issues, such as symptom threshold, dimensional versus categorical conceptualization, and sex-specific symptoms, are yet to be addressed. Although ODD was found to be highly heritable, no genetic polymorphism has been identified with confidence. There has been a definite genetic overlap with other externalizing disorders. Studies have begun to explore its epigenetics and gene–environment interaction. Neuroimaging findings converge to implicate various parts of the prefrontal cortex, amygdala, and insula. Alteration in cortisol levels has also been demonstrated consistently. Although a range of environmental factors, both familial and extrafamilial, have been studied in the past, current research has combined these with other biological parameters. Psychosocial treatment continues to be time-tested and effective. These include parental management training, school-based training, functional family therapy/brief strategic family therapy, and cognitive behavior therapy. Management of severe aggression and treatment of co-morbid disorders are indications for pharmacotherapy. In line with previous conceptualization of chronic irritability as a bi

With an ever-widening signal spectrum and incorporation of multiple standards that share the available spectrum at the same time, research towards building wideband analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) has gained significant momentum. Furthermore, with an aim to improve spectral efficiency, increasingly complex modulation schemes are being invoked having high peak-to-average ratios, the latter translating to high dynamic ranges for the received signals. Consequently, the ADCs deployed in these receivers need to be of quite high precision as well. With these two primary goals for ADCs (high bandwidth, high resolution) in mind, this thesis presents a few different techniques for achieving them.In the first part of this thesis, we shall explore the art of dithering to linearize an A/D converter system. In particular, a digital-signal conditioning technique (using subtractive dither) is developed as a stepping-stone for a high resolution system. The effects of filtering the dither signal to shape its spectral content outside the signal band while maintaining its benefits are studied in detail. Design strategies for finite impulse response (FIR) filters that accomplish spectral shaping as well as allay quantizer non-linearity are derived theoretically.In the second part of this thesis, the proposed dithering technique is used for linearizing an ADC system that is intrinsically non-linear, namely a VCO-based ADC. Ring voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO)-based ADCs have surfaced as elegant alternatives to the traditional $\Delta-\Sigma$ modulators primarily due to their mostly digital nature. They offer low power, low area and simplicity of design benefits. However, they are known to be notoriously non-linear that can be attributed to the non-linear nature of the frequency-voltage tuning curve of the VCO. In the proposed scheme, the ring VCO-based ADC is preceded by a coarse flash ADC. The former processes the quantization error (residue), a signal with much smaller dynamic

With an ever-widening signal spectrum and incorporation of multiple standards that share the available spectrum at the same time, research towards building wideband analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) has gained significant momentum. Furthermore, with an aim to improve spectral efficiency, increasingly complex modulation schemes are being invoked having high peak-to-average ratios, the latter translating to high dynamic ranges for the received signals. Consequently, the ADCs deployed in these receivers need to be of quite high precision as well. With these two primary goals for ADCs (high bandwidth, high resolution) in mind, this thesis presents a few different techniques for achieving them.In the first part of this thesis, we shall explore the art of dithering to linearize an A/D converter system. In particular, a digital-signal conditioning technique (using subtractive dither) is developed as a stepping-stone for a high resolution system. The effects of filtering the dither signal to shape its spectral content outside the signal band while maintaining its benefits are studied in detail. Design strategies for finite impulse response (FIR) filters that accomplish spectral shaping as well as allay quantizer non-linearity are derived theoretically.In the second part of this thesis, the proposed dithering technique is used for linearizing an ADC system that is intrinsically non-linear, namely a VCO-based ADC. Ring voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO)-based ADCs have surfaced as elegant alternatives to the traditional $\Delta-\Sigma$ modulators primarily due to their mostly digital nature. They offer low power, low area and simplicity of design benefits. However, they are known to be notoriously non-linear that can be attributed to the non-linear nature of the frequency-voltage tuning curve of the VCO. In the proposed scheme, the ring VCO-based ADC is preceded by a coarse flash ADC. The former processes the quantization error (residue), a signal with much smaller dynamic

Objective: Antimicrobials are among the most commonly prescribed drugs. Irrational prescribing leads to antimicrobial resistance and treatment failure. The purpose of drug use evaluation is to ensure that drugs are used appropriately, safely, and effectively. Use of antimicrobials in different wards is likely to be different due to difference in causative organism and age. This study aims to evaluate antimicrobials prescription pattern in indoor patients of departments of general medicine and pediatric medicine of a tertiary care teaching hospital in Eastern India. Design : This is a cross sectional observational unicentric study. 200 prescriptions from departments of General Medicine and Pediatric Medicine were collected from the record section of College of Medicine and JNM Hospital, Kalyani, Nadia. Prescriptions were selected by simple random sampling. After selection of prescriptions of 2 departments, following data were entered from each bed head tickets- number of antimicrobials prescribed, their name and class, indication of use, duration of use, route of administration and whether generic name was used. Patients’ identity remained confidential. Results: Beta lactam antibiotic was the most commonly prescribed group in pediatric medicine ward, whereas in medicine ward, beta lactam with beta lactamase inhibitor (BLBLI) group was most commonly used. Among BLBLI group. Piperacillin-tazobactam was mostly prescribed.Overall, ceftriaxone was the most commonly prescribed antimicrobial agent. Conclusions: Use of antimicrobials varies in different wards due to different causative organisms. Intravenous route was used in much higher number of patients than oral route. Generic name use was not satisfactory.

Introduction: Pregnancy induced hypertension(PIH) is one of the most common complications of pregnancy worldwide.It is associated with both maternal mortality and morbidity as well as perinatal mortality. Though a number of drugs are available to treat PIH, differences in benefit-risk ratio of these drugs stresses the need for surveying the use of these drugs. Methods: The present study is a retrospective observational study performed on the basis of case record sheets of patients admitted with PIH. Results: Out of the total prescriptions studied the most commonly prescribed antihypertensive was Methyldopa, followed by Labetalol. Nifedipine, Amlodipine, and Magnesium sulphate were the other drugs prescribed. Majority drugs prescribed were from category B and C. Single drug therapy was prescribed in 79.87 % patients. Conclusion: Methyldopa was the commonly prescribed antihypertensive. None of the prescribed drugs were from teratogenic category D and X. Keywords: Pregnancy induced hypertension, Drug utilization study, Antihypertensive

Objective- To evaluate the knowledge of HIV/AIDS among medical students in a tertiary care teaching hospital in Eastern India. Materials and Methods- Open level, cross sectional, observational and unicentric clinical trial was done among medical students of College of Medicine & JNM Hospital, Kalyani, Nadia, West Bengal, India. All the students (201) who were attending their scheduled lecture classes were given the questionnaire form, and all queries about the trial/questions were explained thoroughly. The form was filled up by each student separately, references like books, internet etc were not allowed. Forms submission box was placed in the table of lecture theatre. After 15 minutes, and students were asked to submit their forms in that box individually. Filled up forms were collected from the all attending students of all semester batch in the same day. Statiscal analysis was done in Department of Pharmacology. Â Result & Analysis-100% students have heard the terms HIV, AIDS, STD. Female students know better than male students about the differences between HIV and AIDS, sign and symptoms of HIV. Although there is no difference about knowledge of mode of transmission of HIV, but female students are more awarded the vertical transmission from mother to child (p-0.006).Female students know better than male students about precaution to protect health worker dealing with an AIDS patient (p-0.0001). Â Conclusion- Although, majority of students have the basic knowledge of HIV/AIDS, but periodical academic activities (Seminars, CME etc) are required to upgrade the informations about HIV/AIDS.

Introduction: Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) includes unstable angina, non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction, and ST segment elevation myocardial infarction. Joint guidelines by American College of Cardiology (ACC) and American Heart Association (AHA) in 2007 suggest secondary drug prevention measures to be used in patients with ACS with aspirin, clopidogrel/prasugrel, ACE inhibitors/ ARBs, Statins, Beta blockers. This study is aimed to find out impact of drug use in quality of life of ACS patients during follow up period. Materials and methods: It was a prospective unicentric study done at the OPD of cardiology,R.G.Kar Medical college, Kolkata. All prescriptions issued to study subjects attending the cardiology clinic during 18 months period were intercepted after consultation. Pattern of drug use was noted. Patients were asked 21 questions of “Minnesota living with heart disease questionnaire” and scores were calculated in 3 visits of each patient. Impact of drug use was calculated. Results: 525 patients were included in study. aspirin was given in 100%, clopidogrel/prasugrel in 98.29%, ACEI/ARB in 87.43%, statins in 100%, beta blockers in 86.86%. Total 408 patients were given drugs from all 5 groups. There was overall significant satisfactory improvement with drug therapy. Prescription of all 5 drug groups had significant better outcome in quality of life score than prescription of less than 5 drug groups. Conclusion: Drugs from all these 5 groups should be given to all follow up patients of ACS, unless contraindicated as they significantly improve quality of life of the patients. *- ACE- angiotensin converting enzyme, ARB- angiotensin receptor blocker. Â

Objective- To evaluate the knowledge of HIV/AIDS among medical students in a tertiary care teaching hospital in Eastern India. Materials and Methods- Open level, cross sectional, observational and unicentric clinical trial was done among medical students of College of Medicine & JNM Hospital, Kalyani, Nadia, West Bengal, India. All the students (201) who were attending their scheduled lecture classes were given the questionnaire form, and all queries about the trial/questions were explained thoroughly. The form was filled up by each student separately, references like books, internet etc were not allowed. Forms submission box was placed in the table of lecture theatre. After 15 minutes, and students were asked to submit their forms in that box individually. Filled up forms were collected from the all attending students of all semester batch in the same day. Statiscal analysis was done in Department of Pharmacology. Â Result & Analysis-100% students have heard the terms HIV, AIDS, STD. Female students know better than male students about the differences between HIV and AIDS, sign and symptoms of HIV. Although there is no difference about knowledge of mode of transmission of HIV, but female students are more awarded the vertical transmission from mother to child (p-0.006).Female students know better than male students about precaution to protect health worker dealing with an AIDS patient (p-0.0001). Â Conclusion- Although, majority of students have the basic knowledge of HIV/AIDS, but periodical academic activities (Seminars, CME etc) are required to upgrade the informations about HIV/AIDS.

Introduction: Pregnancy induced hypertension(PIH) is one of the most common complications of pregnancy worldwide.It is associated with both maternal mortality and morbidity as well as perinatal mortality. Though a number of drugs are available to treat PIH, differences in benefit-risk ratio of these drugs stresses the need for surveying the use of these drugs. Methods: The present study is a retrospective observational study performed on the basis of case record sheets of patients admitted with PIH. Results: Out of the total prescriptions studied the most commonly prescribed antihypertensive was Methyldopa, followed by Labetalol. Nifedipine, Amlodipine, and Magnesium sulphate were the other drugs prescribed. Majority drugs prescribed were from category B and C. Single drug therapy was prescribed in 79.87 % patients. Conclusion: Methyldopa was the commonly prescribed antihypertensive. None of the prescribed drugs were from teratogenic category D and X. Keywords: Pregnancy induced hypertension, Drug utilization study, Antihypertensive

Objective: Antimicrobials are among the most commonly prescribed drugs. Irrational prescribing leads to antimicrobial resistance and treatment failure. The purpose of drug use evaluation is to ensure that drugs are used appropriately, safely, and effectively. Use of antimicrobials in different wards is likely to be different due to difference in causative organism and age. This study aims to evaluate antimicrobials prescription pattern in indoor patients of departments of general medicine and pediatric medicine of a tertiary care teaching hospital in Eastern India. Design : This is a cross sectional observational unicentric study. 200 prescriptions from departments of General Medicine and Pediatric Medicine were collected from the record section of College of Medicine and JNM Hospital, Kalyani, Nadia. Prescriptions were selected by simple random sampling. After selection of prescriptions of 2 departments, following data were entered from each bed head tickets- number of antimicrobials prescribed, their name and class, indication of use, duration of use, route of administration and whether generic name was used. Patients’ identity remained confidential. Results: Beta lactam antibiotic was the most commonly prescribed group in pediatric medicine ward, whereas in medicine ward, beta lactam with beta lactamase inhibitor (BLBLI) group was most commonly used. Among BLBLI group. Piperacillin-tazobactam was mostly prescribed.Overall, ceftriaxone was the most commonly prescribed antimicrobial agent. Conclusions: Use of antimicrobials varies in different wards due to different causative organisms. Intravenous route was used in much higher number of patients than oral route. Generic name use was not satisfactory.

Introduction: Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) includes unstable angina, non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction, and ST segment elevation myocardial infarction. Joint guidelines by American College of Cardiology (ACC) and American Heart Association (AHA) in 2007 suggest secondary drug prevention measures to be used in patients with ACS with aspirin, clopidogrel/prasugrel, ACE inhibitors/ ARBs, Statins, Beta blockers. This study is aimed to find out impact of drug use in quality of life of ACS patients during follow up period. Materials and methods: It was a prospective unicentric study done at the OPD of cardiology,R.G.Kar Medical college, Kolkata. All prescriptions issued to study subjects attending the cardiology clinic during 18 months period were intercepted after consultation. Pattern of drug use was noted. Patients were asked 21 questions of “Minnesota living with heart disease questionnaire” and scores were calculated in 3 visits of each patient. Impact of drug use was calculated. Results: 525 patients were included in study. aspirin was given in 100%, clopidogrel/prasugrel in 98.29%, ACEI/ARB in 87.43%, statins in 100%, beta blockers in 86.86%. Total 408 patients were given drugs from all 5 groups. There was overall significant satisfactory improvement with drug therapy. Prescription of all 5 drug groups had significant better outcome in quality of life score than prescription of less than 5 drug groups. Conclusion: Drugs from all these 5 groups should be given to all follow up patients of ACS, unless contraindicated as they significantly improve quality of life of the patients. *- ACE- angiotensin converting enzyme, ARB- angiotensin receptor blocker. Â

A vibrant example of living literature, The Bhagavata Purana is a versatile Hindu sacred text containing more than 14,000 Sanskrit verses. Finding its present form around the tenth century C.E., the work inspired several major north Indian devotional (bhakti) traditions as well as schools of dance and drama, and continues to permeate popular Hindu art and ritual in both India and the diaspora. Introducing The Bhagavata Purana's key themes while also examining its extensive influence on Hindu thought and practice, this collection conducts the first multidimensional reading of the text's entire twelve volumes. The Bhagavata Purana is a hard-to-classify embodiment of classical Indian cultural, religious, and philosophical thought. Its language and poetic expression are on par with the best of Sanskrit poetry ( kavya), while its narrative structure holds together tightly as a literary work. Its theological message centers on devotion to Krishna and Vishnu, while its philosophical content is grounded solidly in the classical traditions of Vedanta and Samkhya. Each essay in this volume focuses on a key theme of The Bhagavata Purana and its subsequent presence in Hindu dance, music, ritual recitation, and commentary. The authors consider the relationship between the sacred text and the divine image, the text's metaphysical and cosmological underpinnings, its shaping of Indian culture, and its ongoing relevance to contemporary Indian concerns. A glossary aids in the understanding of the work. Featuring original, expert scholarship, this volume is an essential companion for courses and research on India, Hinduism, and related topics.

Objective: Oral sildenafil, a phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitor,is now accepted mode of therapy for symptomatic Pulmonary arterial hypertension(PAH).As the pathobiologic mechanisms are different in primary and secondary PAH, we undertook this study to find out any significant difference in efficacy of oral sildenafil therapy in primary versus secondary PAH. Methods: It was an unicentric parallel group longitudinal study. After selection and baseline investigations,all the patients of primary and secondary PAH were given sildenafil in fixed doses (50 mg thrice daily). Study parameters: 1. Distance covered in 6 minute walk test (6MWT), 2.Pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) by trans-thoracic Doppler echocardiography, 3.quality of life (QOL) score assessed by Minnesota living with heart disease questionnaire. At the end of 6 weeks, 6 MWT, PAP, QOL were compared to the baseline value. Results: 42 subjects completed the study.20 subjects had primary PAH and 22 had secondary PAH. Sildenafil therapy was effective in both groups in reducing PAP, increase in distance covered in 6 minute walk and reducing QOL score. Reduction of PAP is significantly more in primary PAH than secondary PAH but no such difference was found in 6 MWT and QOL score. Conclusion: Though lowering of pulmonary arterial pressure in primary PAH is significantly lower than secondary PAH, this is not translated in better symptomatic relief. Key words: primary pulmonary hypertension, secondary pulmonary hypertension, sildenafil, pulmonary arterial pressure, 6 minute walk test.

Objective: Oral sildenafil, a phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitor,is now accepted mode of therapy for symptomatic Pulmonary arterial hypertension(PAH).As the pathobiologic mechanisms are different in primary and secondary PAH, we undertook this study to find out any significant difference in efficacy of oral sildenafil therapy in primary versus secondary PAH. Methods: It was an unicentric parallel group longitudinal study. After selection and baseline investigations,all the patients of primary and secondary PAH were given sildenafil in fixed doses (50 mg thrice daily). Study parameters: 1. Distance covered in 6 minute walk test (6MWT), 2.Pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) by trans-thoracic Doppler echocardiography, 3.quality of life (QOL) score assessed by Minnesota living with heart disease questionnaire. At the end of 6 weeks, 6 MWT, PAP, QOL were compared to the baseline value. Results: 42 subjects completed the study.20 subjects had primary PAH and 22 had secondary PAH. Sildenafil therapy was effective in both groups in reducing PAP, increase in distance covered in 6 minute walk and reducing QOL score. Reduction of PAP is significantly more in primary PAH than secondary PAH but no such difference was found in 6 MWT and QOL score. Conclusion: Though lowering of pulmonary arterial pressure in primary PAH is significantly lower than secondary PAH, this is not translated in better symptomatic relief. Key words: primary pulmonary hypertension, secondary pulmonary hypertension, sildenafil, pulmonary arterial pressure, 6 minute walk test.

Subtractive dithered quantizers are examined to minimize the signal-band dither power. The design of finite impulse response(FIR) filters that shape most of the dither-power out of the signal band while maintaining the benefits of dithering are dealt with in detail. Simulation results for low-medium resolution quantizers are presented to highlight the overall design consideration.

Novel techniques based on signal-conditioning are presented to mitigate timing errors in time-interleaved ADCs. A theoretical bound on the achievable spurious signal content, on applying the techniques, is also derived. Behavioral simulations corroborating the same are presented., Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, submitted to Mid-West Symposium on Circuits and Systems, 2012

This paper presents a classification of Cellular Automata rules based on its properties at the nth iteration. Elaborate computer program has been designed to get the nth iteration for arbitrary 1-D or 2-D CA rules. Studies indicate that the figures at some particular iteration might be helpful for some specific application. The hardware circuit implementation can be done using opto-electronic components [1-7]., Comment: Releted to Cellular Automata!

peer-reviewed, Background: Media portrayal of mental illness may influence public stigma and service utilization. Aim: This study aims to explore the overall tone and content of the news articles on mental illnesses in India. Materials and Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on online English and Hindi news portals for articles which made reference to mental illness, published by local and national media sources between September 2019 and August 2020. The search was performed using location and news‑only filters in the “Google” search engine; we used predefined search queries and selection criteria. A previously published checklist was used for the content analysis; it was done by two independent investigators. Results: A total of 273 news reports met inclusion criteria (Hindi n = 164, English n = 109). Results showed that more than half (54.9%) had a positive tone. Nearly a third (30.8%) of these articles were stigmatizing in tone. Persons with mental illness were portrayed as violent, unreliable, and unpredictable. Uses of blanket terms (33.3%) such as mentally ill, mentally unstable, mentally retarded, and stigmatizing photographs (36.9%) were also common. Overall, Hindi media had a significantly better quality of reporting than the English language media. National media reports had a less negative and stigmatizing tone than local articles. Conclusion: There is a need for a concerted attempt to improve the quality of media reporting of mental illness in India.