Search

Objectives: Blood pressure recording from the peripheral artery is subject to variations. While blood pressure is said to a modifiable risk factor for many cardiovascular and neurological diseases, the diagnosis of hypertension using Sphygmomanometry must be complemented with other tests to find central blood pressures. A newer, non-invasive method to indirectly record the aortic pressures is required. Aim of the study is to record surface aortic pressure waves (SAP) from aortic area of auscultation during breath holding and to compare the wave characteristics in hypertensive and normotensive women at rest and after mild exercise. Materials and Methods: 128 women were recruited in the study. Piezoelectric sensor placed in the aortic area was used for getting the SAP waves during breath holding for 30 seconds. ECG was taken to show temporal association of these waves to R waves. Mean arterial pressures from arm (map-a) and from SAP waves (map-s) were calculated. Powerlab 8/35 and Labchart Pro software by AD Instruments were used in the study. Results: R waves were followed by the SAP waves by about 31±2.2 ms at rest and 11±2.4 ms after mild exercise in all subjects. In hypertensive women, the map-s values were significantly (p < 0.05) lower in magnitude than in normotensive women both at rest and after exercise. There was no significant correlation between the map-a and map-s in any of the groups at rest or after exercise. Conclusion: This new method, with some refinement could prove as a better alternative to blood pressure recording.

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of oral health education (OHE), incorporating a novel pre-validated visual performance reinforcement (VPR) technique and sign language, on gingival health, plaque control, and oral hygiene knowledge and practices in 12 to 15-year-old hearing- and speech-impaired adolescents. A double-blinded randomized controlled trial was conducted in a government school for deaf children in Belagavi, Karnataka, India. A total of 80 adolescents, aged 12–15 years, were randomly assigned, using a computer-generated table of random numbers, into two groups: Group A receiving the VPR technique (n = 40), and Group B receiving sign language (n = 40). A specially designed pre-validated closed-ended questionnaire was administered to both groups, followed by clinical examination to obtain the gingival and plaque index, before intervention and at a 16-week follow-up period. Group A showed a significant increase in the knowledge gained when compared to Group B. Similarly, a significant improvement in oral hygiene practices was also observed in Group A. However, at the 16-week follow-up, there were no statistically significant differences in gingival and plaque scores between the groups. OHE using the VPR technique can be as effective and satisfactory as sign language in the reduction of gingival and plaque scores and in the improvement of knowledge and its application in oral hygiene maintenance among hearing- and speech-impaired adolescents.

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of a novel interactive game-based visual performance technique (IGVP) and conventional oral health educational (OHE) talk on plaque control, gingival health, and oral hygiene knowledge and practices in 12–15-year-old schoolchildren. A single-blinded randomized controlled trial was undertaken in a private primary school in Belagavi, Karnataka, India. A total of 100 children aged 12–15 years were randomly assigned to either a conventional OHE talk (control group, n = 50) or the IGVP technique (test group, n = 50), using a computer-generated table of random numbers. A self-designed, pre-validated closed-ended questionnaire was collected from both groups, followed by clinical examination carried out using gingival and plaque index, pre- and post-intervention, at three months follow-up. There was a significant reduction in the mean gingival score and plaque score in the test group after intervention, indicating a 58.7% and 63.4% reduction, when compared to the control group, which had a 2.8% and 0.7% reduction, respectively (p < 0.001). The test group showed a significant increase in the percentage of knowledge gained (22.4%), compared to control group (7.8%). The IGVP technique proved to be more effective than a conventional OHE talk in the reduction of the plaque score, gingival score, and in the improvement of the knowledge of oral hygiene maintenance and its application.

Data de-duplication is a significant source of security technique in the cloud environment. It accomplishes identical reproductions of the redundant records to save cloud storage. The de-duplication has been used to preserve bandwidth and confidentiality of the user. As de-duplication has many advantages, safety and protection of data is the primary concern as the data of the clients are susceptible to various types of attacks.

To ensure dams remain in working and safe condition, maintenance of the dam is needed. In most of the times, dam failure could be prevented if the structures of the dams had been properly maintained. Maintenance is needed to continue to realize local benefits and to keep the dams safe. Regardless of the type of dam, all dams must be properly inspected and maintained. Good maintenance of the dam will protect against deterioration and will extend the life. Our preventive maintenance system consists of different sensors are used to inspect different components of the dam. With that, check for cracking of walls, pipe deterioration, high levels of turbidity in the water downstream of the dam, which could be an indication of internal erosion within the dam and corrosion on gate dams and measured information from the related sensors and send it into the server. The collected data can be used for android application and further decision making. This system basically works on the Internet of Things (IoT), so that data sharing can be possible.

The predicted width of the upper main sequence in stellar evolution models depends on the empirical calibration of the convective overshooting parameter. Despite decades of discussions, its precise value is still unknown and further observational constraints are required to gauge it. Based on a photometric and preliminary asteroseismic analysis, we show that the mid B-type giant 18 Peg is one of the most evolved members of the rare class of slowly pulsating B-stars and, thus, bears tremendous potential to derive a tight lower limit for the width of the upper main sequence. In addition, 18 Peg turns out to be part of a single-lined spectroscopic binary system with an eccentric orbit that is greater than 6 years. Further spectroscopic and photometric monitoring and a sophisticated asteroseismic investigation are required to exploit the full potential of this star as a benchmark object for stellar evolution theory., 14 pages, 12 figures, Astronomy and Astrophysics, accepted