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This article, published in the Arab Journal of Interventional Radiology, presents an interim analysis of microwave ablation (MWA) as a treatment for T1a/T1b Renal cell carcinoma. The study analyzed the safety, technical results, and clinical outcomes of MWA in a group of 30 patients who underwent the procedure at a tertiary care cancer center in India. The results showed a primary efficacy rate of 90% at 1 month post-ablation, with low incidence of major complications. The authors conclude that percutaneous MWA is a safe and effective treatment for malignant renal tumors. [Extracted from the article]

Purpose Groshong valved catheters require retrograde tunneling and a port chamber needs to be attached to the catheter after trimming. During this process, working space constraints are generally faced by operators. We describe a novel technique to improve the comfort of the operator while working in a constrained space. Materials and Methods The port catheter with the distal valve is retrogradely tunneled and trimmed. Thread from absorbable surgical suture is used to anchor the catheter lock. Anchored catheter lock is comfortably pushed over the catheter into the subcutaneous tunnel without it being migrated proximally. Once the port chamber is attached to the catheter, the catheter lock is retrieved back and moved to the locking position. We retrospectively analyzed implantable ports for smoothness of curves and outcomes in terms of catheter days. Results Technical success was achieved in all patients. There were no periprocedural complications. Clinical success was achieved in 27/29 cases. Early port removal was done due to infection in one patient and for nonhealing of the wound in one patient. Conclusion The catheter lock anchor is a safe and useful technique for the placement of valved ports. A satisfactory catheter-nut angle can be achieved with this technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wireless sensor network found immense uses in the daily life. Also, the random deployment of nodes is a preferable option in many applications such as earthquake observation, military applications, and forest fire detection. It is expected that deployed nodes should be able to monitor the field of interest (FoI) with the optimum capacity. In order to maximize the coverage of area, each node should be repositioned to an optimal position inside the FoI. A modified particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm has been proposed to achieve optimize coverage while keeping the number of nodes minimum. It introduces the concept of negative velocity in order to avoid premature convergence of the algorithm. This paper describes a way to tackle the two dimensional obstacles present inside the FoI. The simulated results show a significant improvement in the performance with compared to the standard PSO in presence of obstacles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Image-guided lung biopsy plays a very important role in the diagnosis and management of lung lesions. As a diagnostic tool, it demands a high diagnostic yield and a low complication rate. It is imperative to balance the diagnostic yield and patient safety during lung biopsies. The aim of this article is to review the standard practice guidelines of lung biopsy, to describe the techniques used to minimize the complications associated with lung biopsy, and to describe the management of complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) have been considered as one of the fine research areas in recent years because of vital role in numerous applications. To process the extracted data and transmit it to the various location, a large number of nodes must be deployed in a proper way because deployment is one of the major issues in WSNs. Hence, the minimum number of node deployment to attain full coverage is of enormous significance for research. The prime agenda of the presented paper is to categorize various coverage techniques into four major parts: computational geometry-based techniques, force-based techniques, grid-based techniques, and metaheuristic-based techniques. Additionally, several comparisons amid these schemes are provided in view of their benefits and drawbacks. Our discussion weighs on the classification of coverage, practical challenges in the deployment of WSNs, sensing models, and research issues in WSNs. Moreover, a detailed analysis of performance metrics and comparison among various WSNs simulators is listed. In conclusion, standing research issues along with potential work guidelines are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the wireless sensor network, coverage area may be enhanced after an initial deployment of sensors. Though, some research works propose how to decrease the coverage hole by increasing sensing range or movement assisted sensor deployment, these are not suitable for energy constraint wireless sensor network, as longer mobility distance or higher power level consume more energy. In this paper, we address the increasing coverage area through smaller mobility of nodes. We find out the coverage hole in the monitoring region, which is not covering by any sensing disk of sensor. Then, we address the new position of mobility nodes to increase the coverage area. The simulation result shows the mobile nodes can recover the coverage hole perfectly. The coverage holes is recovered by mobility on the existing recovery area, which cannot be lost. Moreover, hole detection time in our proposed protocol is better than existing algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The effect of heat in endoscopic instruments used for laparoscopy and hysteroscopy has been well-studied. Reports of thermal injury from nasal endoscopes have also been reported. However, there are no experimental studies, which have objectively documented and provided recommendations for safe use of endoscopes in neurosurgery. Objectives: To study the heat generated at the tip of the endoscope and the subsequent thermal damage caused to a cotton drape placed in proximity, by varying the intensity of light delivered through different optical cables, ambient (operating room) temperatures and working distances. Materials and Methods: The study was carried out in the operation theater using a 300 watt xenon light source connected to the endoscope with 3.5 mm and 4.8 mm optical cables. A digital thermometer was used to record the heat generated at the tip of the endoscope. Results: The heat generated at the tip of the endoscope reached its peak in the first 6 min and attained a plateau at 15 min after turning on a light source of 60% intensity. Thermal injury to the cotton drape took a longer time with a 3.8 mm cable compared with 4.8 mm cable. The heat generated at the tip of the endoscope, and thereby the thermal injury caused was found to be lower when the ambient temperature was close to 20°C. Conclusions: Complications related to thermal injuries caused by heat generated at the tip of an endoscope can be reduced by using a smaller diameter cable, light intensity of 60%, increasing the working distance (as permissible), reducing the time spent for dissection while keeping the endoscope very close to the target and lowering the ambient temperature to 20°C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, performance of a Swastika slot-ultra-wideband (SS-UWB) patch antenna for an on-body application is investigated. This antenna is intended for the use in UWB wireless body area network (WBAN) applications, between 3.1 and 10.6 GHz. The proposed antenna is a SS-UWB patch antenna of dimension 27 mm × 27 mm × 1.6 mm. It is fabricated and tested in free space scenario instead in anechoic chamber to obtain more realistic on-body measurement results. This SS-UWB patch antenna covers the ultra-wide frequency spectrum in the range 4.25–12.5 GHz [8.25 GHz] with a quasi-omni directional gain from 1.77 to 5.6 dB. This antenna's efficiency is from 81.3% to 90.67% (−1.8 to −0.85 dB) over free space. The antenna is characterized in free space as well as on body model with and without antenna body gap. Measured results obtained from the antenna like S 11 , radiation pattern, antenna efficiency, and gain are matched with the simulated results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Telemedicine helps to deliver health services electronically to patients with the advancement of communication systems and health informatics. Chronic wound (CW) detection and its healing rate assessment at remote distance is very much difficult due to unavailability of expert doctors. This problem generally affects older ageing people. So there is a need of better assessment facility to the remote people in telemedicine framework. Here we have proposed a CW tissue prediction and diagnosis under telemedicine framework to classify the tissue types using linear discriminant analysis (LDA). The proposed telemedicine based wound tissue prediction (TWTP) model is able to identify wound tissue and correctly predict the wound status with a good degree of accuracy. The overall performance of the proposed wound tissue prediction methodology has been measured based on ground truth images. The proposed methodology will assist the clinicians to take better decision towards diagnosis of CW in terms of quantitative information of three types of tissue composition at low-resource set-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Periodontitis can be defined as a local inflammatory process which mediates destruction of periodontal tissues & is triggered by bacterial insult. In periodontal infections, the levels of C reactive proteins are elevated as compared to the levels in a periodontally healthy individual. The study was done to determine the relative levels of serum CRP in aggressive, chronic and periodontally healthy subjects and to evaluate the effect of surgical periodontal therapy on serum C-reactive protein levels. Materials and Methods: Serum samples were collected from 150 participants (50 healthy control patients (non-periodontitis), 50 patients with chronic periodontitis and aggressive periodontitis. Serum C- reactive protein levels were assessed by means of immunoturbidimetric assay at baseline for subjects in all the 3 groups and 3 months after completion of surgical therapy. Results: The mean baseline C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations in the Groups I, II and III were 1.65±0.57 mg/L, 3.03±2.14 mg/L and 3.09±2.27 mg/L respectively. After treatment, the mean C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in Groups II and III reduced from 3.03±1.67 mg/L to 1.46±1.67 mg/L and from 3.09±1.21 to 1.43±1.21 mg/L respectively. Similar results were found for probing depth and all indexes in Group II and III after treatment. Also, the mean attachment loss in Groups II and III reduced, so the results were highly significant. Conclusion: Successful periodontal treatment results in significant decrease in serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in otherwise healthy subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Periodontal disease is a multi-factorial condition that has been predominantly seen in areas where dental health care facilities are limited. Rural areas in Maharashtra are currently deprived of adequate dental care facilities. Aim: The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence of periodontal disease in the rural population of Raigad district of Maharashtra state in India. Materials and Method: 400 subjects from Raigad district were randomly examined for prevalence of periodontal disease. Subjects were divided into following groups: 15-24 years, 25-44 years, 45-64 and 65-74 years. CPI score for the selected individuals were recorded and the data was analyzed. Results: It was observed that as the age increased, the CPI score also increased. While CPI score 2 (calculus) was most predominant in age groups 15-24 years, CPI score 3 (pathological pocket of 4-5 mm) was more common in the age groups 25-44 years &45-64 years. CPI score 4 (pathological pocket of >6 mm) was the highest in age groups 65-74 years. Conclusion: There is a high prevalence of periodontitis in the selected population. The severity of periodontitis was seen to increase with increase in age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In general, agricultural soil surfaces being hydrophilic in nature get easily wetted by water. The water beneath the soil moves through capillary effect and comes to the surface of the soil and thereafter evaporates into the surrounding air due to atmospheric conditions such as sunlight, wind current, temperature and relative humidity. To lower the water loss from soil, an experiment was designed in which a layer of hydrophobic soil was laid on the surface of ordinary hydrophilic soil. This technique strikingly decreased loss of water from the soil. The results indicated that the evaporation rate significantly decreased and 90% of water was retained in the soil in 83 h by the hydrophobic layer of 2 cm thickness. A theoretical calculation based on diffusion of water vapour (gas phase) through hydrophobic capillaries provide a meaningful explanation of experimental results. A greater retention of water in the soil by this approach can promote the growth of plants, which was confirmed by growing chick pea ( Cicer arietinum ) plants and it was found that the length of roots, height of shoot, number of branches, number of leaves, number of secondary roots, biomass etc. were significantly increased upon covering the surface with hydrophobic soil in comparison to uncovered ordinary hydrophilic soil of identical depth. Such approach can also decrease the water consumption by the plants particularly grown indoors in residential premises, green houses and poly-houses etc. and also can be very useful to prevent water loss and enhance growth of vegetation in semi-arid regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III), 1988-1994, first time reported a significant, positive association in iron storage and heart disease risk. Thereafter several researchers have found an association between iron overload, serum ferritin (SF) and MI. No such Indian study was available in the literature and so we decided to find out the relation of lipid profile and Serum Ferritin with myocardial infarction (MI). Materials and Methods: Fifty indian patients of AMI (study group) and fifty indian healthy volunteers (control group) were included for the present study. Lipid profile including TC, HDL-c, LDL-c, VLDL-c & TG and SF levels were estimated in all subjects. Observations and Results: Mean ± SD of TC level was 250.64 ± 25.61, of HDL-c was 36.52 ± 2.86, of LDL-c was 165.69 ± 26.80, of VLDL-c was 42.35 ± 8.53 and of TG was 211.83 ± 42.65 in study group while these values were 174.46±47.68, 43.2±12.52, 98.37±41.13, 32.88±21.45 and 164.42±107.29 respectively in control group. All the parameters were found not only raised in patients of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) but were also statistically significant when compared with control group (p=<0.01). Mean ± SD of SF levels was 268.43±30.17 ng/ml in study group and 110.96±56.5 ng/ml in control group; this level was found not only raised in patients of AMI but were also statistically significant when compared with control group (p=<0.01). Conclusion: TC, LDL-c, VLDL-c, TG and SF levels were raised in patients of AMI and found to be statistically significant; while HDL-c levels were reduced in such patients and is also statistically significant. It can be concluded that there exists an association in lipid profile and SF with AMI therefore dyslipidemia and raised SF levels are the features of AMI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pre-eclampsia affects approximately 3% of all pregnancies worldwide, with onset of symptoms in the late second or third trimester, commonly after 32nd week. It is common in nulliparous women. To avoid complications it is necessary to diagnose it in advance, but the available tools are unable to clinch the diagnosis of preeclampsia effectively in majority. Aim: To find out an association of lipid profile and uric acid with pre-eclampsia in nullipara pregnant women in third trimester. Materials and Methods: One hundred nulliparous pregnant women in their third trimester of 18-35 years were divided into; 50 pre-eclamptics of study group and 50 non pre-eclamptic in control group; further subdivided according to age, 18-26 and 27-35 yrs. Diagnosis was confirmed as per the standard criteria. Lipid profile and uric acid levels were estimated by Vitros 250 dry chemistry analyser. Data was analysed statistically by student t-test at p<0.01 level of significance. Results: TC, LDL-c and VLDL-c levels in the study group as a whole and in the patients between 18-26 years were significant; HDL-c levels in the patients between 27-35 years were significant while TG and uric acid levels in all the three study groups were significant. Conclusion: Total cholesterol, LDL-c, VLDL-c, triglycerides and uric acid levels were raised in preeclampsia and statistically significant; while HDL-c levels were raised in these patients but statistically non-significant, it can be concluded that there exists an association in lipid profile and uric acid with pre-eclampsia therefore dyslipidemia and raised uric acid levels are the features of pre-eclampsia in nullipara pregnant women in their third trimester. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: In this article, we describe the important aspects like major characteristics, research issues, and challenges with body area sensor networks in telemedicine systems for patient monitoring in different scenarios. Present and emerging developments in communications integrated with the developments in microelectronics and embedded system technologies will have a dramatic impact on future patient monitoring and health information delivery systems. The important challenges are bandwidth limitations, power consumption, and skin or tissue protection. Materials and Methods: This article presents a detailed survey on wireless body area networks (WBANs). Results and Conclusions: We have designed the framework for integrating body area networks on telemedicine systems. Recent trends, overall WBAN-telemedicine framework, and future research scope have also been addressed in this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Injuries to the third fourth, sixth and seventh cranial nerves are common after head injury and may be missed during the initial assessment. Bilateral palsies of the third fourth and sixth nerves are also rare. We report a case of a 16-year-old male having bilateral third (partial), bilateral fourth, bilateral sixth and right lower motor neuron (LMN) facial nerve palsy after severe head injury. The only ocular movement patient was able to perform was adduction of the left eye. His CT scan revealed pneumocephalus (frontal and around the brain stem) and a midbrain contusion. He was managed conservatively. These palsies gradually improved over two years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Injuries to the third fourth, sixth and seventh cranial nerves are common after head injury and may be missed during the initial assessment. Bilateral palsies of the third fourth and sixth nerves are also rare. We report a case of a 16-year-old male having bilateral third (partial), bilateral fourth, bilateral sixth and right lower motor neuron (LMN) facial nerve palsy after severe head injury. The only ocular movement patient was able to perform was adduction of the left eye. His CT scan revealed pneumocephalus (frontal and around the brain stem) and a midbrain contusion. He was managed conservatively. These palsies gradually improved over two years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To study the efficacy of anti Cryptococcal treatment by cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) fungal negativity after two weeks of treatment with amphotericin B alone or combined with fluconazole in treatment of HIV associated Cryptococcal meningitis (CM). Materials and Methods: A total of 84 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) associated CM patients confirmed by CSF culture positivity were recruited for the study. Patients were randomly divided into two groups. Group A was given amphotericin B alone whereas Amphotericin B in combination with fluconazole was given in group B for the treatment of CM. Patients were followed for 14 days. Results: Maximum number of patients was in the age group 21-49 y. All the 84 patients had <100 CD4 counts/μl. After 14 days of the treatment in group A and B, there was no significant difference in terms of fever, headache and neck stiffness as a clinical outcome. But in group B there was improved in altered sensorium and focal neurological deficit as compared to group A. After 14 days of the treatment CSF culture negativity was more in group B as compared to group A. Conclusion: Amphotericin B in combination with fluconazole is recommended for the treatment of HIV associated CM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• BrassicaSOC1 homeologs (LF, MF1, MF2) display differential expression profiles. • Functional TFBSs in A. thaliana are partitioned in Brassica SOC1 promoter homeologs. • Differential expression and divergent TFBS profiles suggest regulatory divergence. • Brassica MF1_SOC1 was transcriptionally least active, owing to promoter disablement. • GUS expression of BjuSOC1 promoter homeologs confirms regulatory diversification. Evolution of Brassica genome post-polyploidization reveals asymmetrical genome fractionation and copy number variation. Herein, we describe the impact of promoter divergence among SUPPRESSOR OF OVEREXPRESSION OF CONSTANS1 (SOC1) homeologs on expression and function in Brassica spp. SOC1 , a regulated floral pathway integrator, is conserved as 3 redundant homeologs in diploid Brassicas. Even with high sequence identity within coding regions (92.8–100%), the spatio-temporal expression patterns of 9 SOC1 homologs in B. juncea and B. nigra indicates regulatory divergence. While LF and MF2 SOC1 homeologs are upregulated during floral transition, MF1 is barely expressed. Also, MF2 homeolog levels do not decline post-flowering, unlike LF. To investigate the underlying source of divergence, we analyzed the sequence and phylogeny of all reported (22) and isolated (21) upstream regions of Brassica SOC1. Full length upstream regions (4712–19189 bp) reveal 5 ubiquitously conserved ancestral Blocks, harboring binding sites of 18 TFs (TFBSs) characterized in Arabidopsis thaliana. The orthologs of these TFBSs are differentially conserved among Brassica SOC1 homeologs, imparting expression divergence. No crucial TFBSs are exclusively lost from LF_SOC1 promoter, while MF1_SOC1 has lost NF-Y binding site crucial for SOC1 activation by CONSTANS. MF2_SOC1 homeologs have lost important TFBSs (SEP3, AP1 and SMZ), responsible for SOC1 repression post-flowering. BjuAALF_SOC1 promoter (proximal 2 kb) shows ubiquitous reporter expression in B. juncea cv. Varuna transgenics, while BjuAAMF1_SOC1 promoter shows absence of reporter expression, validating the impact of TFBS divergence. Conservation of the original primary protein sequence is discovered in B. rapa homeologs (46) of 18 TFs. Co-regulation pattern of these TFs appeared similar for B. rapa LF and MF2 SOC1 homeologs; MF1 shows significant variation. Strong regulatory association is recorded for AP1, AP2, SEP3, FLC and CONSTANS/NF-Y, highlighting their importance in homeolog-specific SOC1 regulation. Correlation of B. juncea AP1 , AP2 and FLC expression with SOC1 homeologs also complies with the TFBS differences. We thus conclude that redundant SOC1 loci contribute differentially to cumulative expression of SOC1 due to divergent selection of ancestral TFBSs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Remote monitoring with alerting systems becomes unavoidable in the field of remote healthcare. The efficiency of such a system depends on accuracy, easy-to-use, versatility, and cost-effectiveness. In this study, a remote cardiac health monitoring along with the alert raising facility is presented. Special design techniques have been adopted to craft the photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor to overcome the congenital limitations like pressure disturbance, the influence of ambient light and motion artifacts. Three key components like pulse rate (PR), blood pressure (BP) and heart rate variability (HRV) are considered to monitor the cardiac health status. A novel algorithm has been developed to detect the cardiac health status of any subject from the above-mentioned physiological parameters. Also, the variation of human skin tone across demography is considered to minimize the impact of skin structure variability in PPG-based cardiac parameter measurement. Decentralized remote monitoring architecture is implemented using the virtual network computing (VNC) platform. We conducted a trial where the training dataset consisted of data from 70 volunteers and the trial dataset considered 20 new volunteers. The overall accuracy of cardiac health monitoring achieved is 98.5%. The experimental results demonstrate the good promise of reliable and efficient system architecture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:The effectiveness of any remote healthcare monitoring system depends on how much accurate, patient-friendly, versatile, and cost-effective measurement it is delivering. There has always been a huge demand for such a long-term noninvasive remote blood pressure (BP) measurement system, which could be used worldwide in the remote healthcare industry. Thus, noninvasive continuous BP measurement and remote monitoring have become an emerging area in the remote healthcare industry. Introduction:Photoplethysmography-based (PPG) BP measurement is a continuous, unobtrusive, patient-friendly, and cost-effective solution. However, BP measurements through PPG sensors are not much reliable and accurate due to some major limitations like pressure disturbance, motion artifacts, and variations in human skin tone. Materials and Methods:A novel reflective PPG sensor has been developed to eliminate the abovementioned pressure disturbance and motion artifacts during the BP measurement. Considering the variations of the human skin tone across demography, a novel algorithm has been developed to make the BP measurement accurate and reliable. The training dataset captured 186 subjects' data and the trial dataset captured another new 102 subjects' data. Results and Discussion:The overall accuracy achieved by using the proposed method is nearly 98%. Thus, demonstrating the efficacy of the proposed method. Conclusions:The developed BP monitoring system is quite accurate, reliable, cost-effective, handy, and user friendly. It is also expected that this system would be quite useful to monitor the BP of infants, elderly people, patients having wounds, burn injury, or in the intensive care unit environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The myofunctional trainer T4 KTM and twin block were compared for dentoalveolar effects in children with class II division I malocclusion. Thirty healthy 9-12-year-olds with Angle's class II division I malocclusion due to mandibular retrusion participated in a two-arm randomized comparative clinical experiment. Group 1: T4k, Group 2: twin block. 9 months of 4-weekly follow-up. For measurements and comparison, postoperative cephalometric X-rays, study casts, and pictures were acquired. The twin block revealed a statistically significant decrease in the overjet (p < 0.0001), a substantial reduction in the (p = 0.02), and a significant rise in the LAP. Twin block outperformed T4K appliance in dentoalveolar improvements towards class I occlusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fibroblastic Osteosarcoma is a rare histopathological entity with unpredictable prognosis. Osteosarcoma(OS) of jaw bones have some distinct features such as older age at presentation, longer median survival, rare metastases but local recurrences.The pathogenesis is unknown and the treatment still remains controversial. Depending on predominant type of matrix, the osteoid, chondroid or collagen fibers produced by the tumor cells the osteosarcoma are subclassified into osteoblastic, chondroblastic, and fibroblastic types. The diagnoses is mainly done on the basis of clinical, radiological, histological and immunohistochemical features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precision medicine is becoming increasingly common in oncology, with treatments tailored to individual patients and cancer. By integrating these underlying concepts of health care, chemotherapy and radiotherapy can be tailored to improve safety and efficacy. On the other hand, oncology treatment regimens may result in local and systemic changes and complications depending on the type of treatment. For the proper and prompt management of cancer patients, it is essential to interpret this posttreatment imaging correctly. This article aims at guiding treating physicians to be able to distinguish complications from expected posttreatment changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional von Neumann architecture-based processors become inefficient in terms of energy and throughput as they involved separate processing and memory units, also known as memory walls. The memory wall problem is further exacerbated when massive parallelism and frequent data movement are required between processing and memory units for real-time implementation of artificial neural networks (ANNs) that enable many intelligent applications. One of the most promising approach to address this problem is to perform computations inside the memory core that enhances the memory bandwidth and energy efficiency. This paper presents an in-memory computing architecture for ANN enabling artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) applications. The proposed architecture utilizes a standard six-transistor (6T) static random access memory (SRAM) core for the implementation of a multilayered perceptron. Our novel on-chip training and inference in-memory architecture reduces energy cost and enhances throughput by simultaneously accessing the multiple rows of SRAM array per pre-charge cycle by eliminating frequent data access. The proposed architecture was trained and tested on the IRIS dataset and was observed to consume ≈ 22.46 × less energy/decision compared to earlier DIMA-based classifiers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Noninvasive continuous blood pressure (BP) measurement has become an evolving topic in the field of remote healthcare. The classical noninvasive BP measurement techniques provide spontaneous values of systolic and diastolic BP. On the other hand, intrusive type BP measurement techniques provide continuous values of systolic and diastolic BP. However, these techniques are very painful, cannot be used for long-term monitoring, and are obtainable only in an intensive care unit environment. With the advancement of the remote healthcare industry, there is a growing demand for noninvasive continuous BP monitoring. Objective: The objective of this research was to present a compact literature review on the various prospective approaches of noninvasive continuous BP measurement techniques. Materials & Methods: The most contemporary and advanced technologies on noninvasive continuous BP measurement are Tactile Sensing, Vascular Unloading Technique, Pulse Transit Time, Photoplethysmography, Ultrasound-based BP measurement, BP measurement from image processing, etc. The literature search based on these technologies was conducted in EMBASE, Web of Science, IEEE, PubMed, and Ovid MEDLINE databases. In this study, each selected approach was evaluated and characterized using the following criteria: (1) accuracy; (2) cost; (3) portability; (4) comfort and convenience of use; (5) clinical health and safety; and (6) ability to integrate with the remote healthcare system. Results: A detailed technical analysis was done to determine the advantages and limitations of each technique in the context of the abovementioned parameters. It was observed that BP measurement, using photoplethysmography (using camera or sensor or both), perhaps was the most promising technique among all. Conclusion: The study emphasized the fact that the noninvasive, continuous BP measurement technique needs to evolve further to make it reliable, accurate, and user-friendly. Lastly, a possible direction toward a more reliable and comfortable noninvasive continuous BP measurement technique has been discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Major hepatobiliary cancers include hepatocellular carcinoma, gallbladder carcinoma, and cholangiocarcinoma. There are multiple guidelines and recommendations for the imaging evaluation of these cancers. This article reviews and summarizes principles and recommendations of imaging in hepatobiliary cancers. The cross-sectional imaging protocol is similar among these lesions and is discussed at first followed by the separate discussion of each cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gastric cancer is the second most common cause of cancer-related death in Indian men and women aged between 15 and 44 years. Most patients present at an advanced stage of disease. Surgically resectable disease usually requires a standard gastric resection and D2 lymphadenectomy. Imaging, especially with computed tomography scan of abdomen as well as thorax, is necessary for localization, nodal mapping, and metastatic workup of gastric cancer. In this review, we discuss current imaging recommendations for gastric carcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Previous studies have shown that Hydroxyapatite (HA) has shown good results in the treatment of intra-osseous periodontal defects. A newer variety of HA has been designed over a period of research which has nano-sized particles and is availed in a paste consistency called Nanocrystalline Hydroxyapatite paste (NHA paste). This variation in size and surface area of NHA paste can provide better results when used in intra-bony defects. Aim: The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical and radiographic outcomes obtained with usage of NHA paste to those obtained with Demineralized Bone Matrix (DBM) in the treatment of periodontal intra-bony defects. Material and Methods: A clinical trial was carried out for a period of 12 months. A total of 26 intra-bony defects in 10 patients were divided into experimental and control sites. The experimental sites were debrided and grafted with NHA paste. The control sites were debrided and grafted with DBM-Xenograft. Probing Depth, Clinical Attachment Level (DCAL) and Gingival Margin (GM) position were recorded at baseline 3, 6, 9 and 12 months. Standardized radiographs were also documented at these recalls. The results were averaged (mean± standard deviation) for each parameter and Student t-test was used to determine intra-group statistical difference and One way analyses of variance (ANOVA) to test the difference between groups using Excel and SPSS (SPSS Inc, Chicago) software packages. Results: On completion of 12 months, the mean percentage of PD reduction achieved in the experimental and control sites was 67.45% and 69.03% respectively (p<0.05). The mean percentage of gain achieved in CAL was 63.58% and 61.42% in the experimental and control sites respectively (p<0.05). Gingival recession was seen to be non-significant in the experimental and control sites. The mean percentage of bone fill in the control group obtained was 48.16% where as the percentage of bone fill obtained in the experimental group was 48.64% (p<0.05). Conclusion: Overall, both therapies led to significant improvements of the investigated parameters. The NHA paste was as effective in terms of improving clinical and radiographic parameters as DBM-Xenograft, which is an already established bone graft. There is a need for further long term controlled studies evaluating the adjunctive benefits of usage of NHA paste in the treatment of periodontal intra-bony defects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Abnormal uterine bleeding was defined as 'uterine bleeding that is abnormal in volume, regularity and/or timing that has been present for the majority of the last 3 months. Abnormal uterine bleeding has significant morbidity and interferes with personal life, family life, social life, and sexual life. Abnormal uterine bleeding could be due to a wide range of conditions like fibroids, endometrial hyperplasia, ectopic pregnancy, polyps, adenomyosis, and infection of the uterus or cervix. Material & Methods: The present prospective study was conducted at department of radiodiagnosis and pathology and department of obstetrics and gynecology of our tertiary care hospital. The study duration was of one year from January 2019 to December 2019. 100 Patients patients presented with abnormal uterine bleeding such as heavy menstrual bleeding, intermenstrual bleeding, or breakthrough bleeding for more than 3 months. Clearance from Institutional Ethics Committee was taken before the start of the study. RESULTs: In the present study, based on histopathological findings of the endometrium, it was found that normal cyclical endometrium was found to be the commonest pattern among study participants on the histopathological examination. Out of the total cases, proliferative endometrium was seen in 48% cases which is followed by secretory endometrium in 33% cases. This was followed by disordered proliferative endometrium in 10% of cases which is followed by simple endometrial hyperplasia without atypia in 8% cases and atrophic endometrium was found in 1 case. Histopathological examination was found to be very helpful in differentiating the different types of endometrial patterns among cases of abnormal uterine bleeding. Conclusion: Histopathological examination of endometrial biopsy is a specific diagnostic tool for the evaluation of abnormal uterine bleeding. It helps the physician to plan a successful treatment of abnormal uterine bleeding. However, transvaginal sonography can detect endometrial intracavitary abnormalities but its accuracy can enhance in correlation with tissue diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Non-ulcer dyspepsia (NUD) is a major health problem and one of the most common causes of morbidity and economic loss. The aim of the study was to determine the pattern of gastric mucosal histopathologic alterations and frequency of Helicobacter pylori in patients with NUD. Materials and Methods: Patients presenting to Gastroenterology Out Patient Department over a period of one year with symptoms of dyspepsia but without any endoscopic lesion were taken up for the study and evaluated by obtaining two gastric mucosal biopsy specimens each from antrum and body mucosa. The specimens were processed and examined histologically using the updated Sydney system. Results: Gastric biopsies from 102 patients (63 females and 39 males) with NUD were studied. Histological examination of gastric mucosal biopsies showed that 82.3% of NUD patients had histopathological features of gastritis. Chronic inflammation was present in 84 (82.3%), activity was seen in 63 (61.7%), glandular atrophy was seen in 10 (9.8%) and intestinal metaplasia was seen in 4 (3.9%) patients with NUD on gastric biopsy. Maximum number of patients with NUD had Sydney score of less than 5 (68.6%).H pylori were identified on gastric mucosal biopsies in 49 (48.0%) patients with NUD based on H & E and Geimsa stained sections. Conclusion: NUD is a clinical problem which occurs in both sexes in all age groups; prevalence being low below 20 years of age. Patients with this condition have a high frequency of gastric mucosal inflammation and H pylori infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aim: Oral Submucous Fibrosis (OSMF) is potentially pre-malignant condition of the oral cavity with a high malignant transformation rate. The condition not only affects the oral function of the patients but has a huge impact on their social and psychological wellbeing affecting the overall quality of life. To evaluate the effectivity of the treatment assessing the quality of the life of these patients before and after treatment is of utmost importance but till now has not been an integral part of the management strategy. This study was carried to assess the change in quality of life before and after treatment with curcumin in patients with OSMF. Methods: Quality of life was assessed before and after 3 months of treatment with topical curcumin in 50 patients with OSMF using European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life head and neck Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ35). Results: At the end of 3 months there was significant (p < 0.05) change in the quality of life of patients with OSMF as suggested by assessment of the multi-item and single item scale used in the questionnaire. Conclusion: The study emphasizes the use of assessing Quality of life as an integral part of treatment strategy for OSMF and suggests curcumin as a promising treatment modality for patients with OSMF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neck pain accounts for 15% of all soft tissue problems seen in general practice and are a common reason for referral to physiotherapy treatment. The prevalence of neck pain in dentists is 74.3%. Musculoskeletal symptoms in dentists are caused due to many reasons for e.g., prolonged static posture, repetitive movements, suboptimal lighting, and genetic predisposition. Since deep cervical muscle activity is required in synergy with superficial muscle activity to stabilize the cervical segments, a study is needed, to compare the effectiveness of deep cervical flexor (DCF) training and posture correction training on neck pain and neck disability index and forward head posture. Aim: To determine and compare the effect of DCF training on forward head posture, neck pain and neck disability index in dentists suffering from chronic non severe neck pain. Material and Methods: Total of 30 subjects were selected, based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, who were further divided into Experimental and Control groups. Baseline information of dependent variables was taken at the beginning of study on day one, for Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Neck disability Index (NDI). Forward head posture was measured on day one using digital photograph technique. Then, Experimental group was given DCF training and Control group was given conventional isometrics training (CIT) for 4 weeks under supervision of examiner. All measurements were repeated at end of 4th week, on completion of study. Results: It was observed that pain and disability had reduced in both groups on group analysis. But the forward head posture had improved significantly in experimental group only. Conclusion: DCF training is more effective than CIT in improving forward head posture, decreasing pain and disability in dentists suffering from chronic neck pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the shortage of fossil fuels, alternative energy has been thrust into the national spotlight as a major necessity in order to keep up with the increasing energy demands of the world. Wind energy has been proven one of the most viable sources of renewable energy. A wind turbine is a rotary device that extracts energy from the wind. Rotor blade is a key element in a wind turbine generator system to convert wind energy into mechanical energy. In this paper rotor blade is made up of single airfoil NACA 0018. The CFD analysis of NACA 0018 airfoil is carried out at various blade angles at 32 m/s wind speed. The analysis showed that blade angle 10° gives optimum power. The pressure and velocity distributions are plotted. These results are compared with wind tunnel experiment values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electroencephalogram (EEG) signals, generated during the neuron firing, are an effective way of predicting such seizure and it is used widely in recent days for classifying and predicting seizure activity. But EEG signals generated during an epileptic seizure are highly nonstationary and dynamic in nature and contain very crucial information about the state of the brain. Due to this randomness, the accuracy of analysis of EEG data by conventional and visual methods is reduced drastically. This paper aims at enhancing epilepsy seizure detection using deep learning models with an FPGA implementation of the short-time Fourier transform block. Detection of seizure has been achieved in the following stages: (1) time–frequency analysis of EEG segments using STFT; (2) extraction of frequency bands and features of interest; and (3) seizure detection using convolutional neural network (CNN) and bidirectional long short-term memory (Bi-LSTM). For this work, the Bonn EEG dataset has been used. The maximum error of ~ 0.13% was encountered while the comparison of STFT output generated via proposed hardware architecture vs the output generated via simulation was done. The average classification accuracy of 93.9% and 97.2% was achieved by CNN and Bi-LSTM models, respectively, considering all frequency bands for epileptic and non-epileptic patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to examine the online behavior of young adults of India. A total of 115 Internet users from 18 to 25 years of age were surveyed from the National Capital Region of Delhi, India. Results showed that young adults of India are mainly online surfers and not online shoppers. These people have a lack of knowledge and experience with online shopping. Therefore, a very small percentage of these young adults shop online and they purchase only low-cost items. They do not trust online shopping and feel that lack of touch and feel discourage their online, shopping. Based on research findings, we have suggested ways to encourage online shopping by young adults. The recommendations in this article may be of value to management students, academics, and online marketers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the performance of non-erectile MRI in staging and preoperative evaluation of penile carcinomas, compared to postoperative histopathology. Methods: In this retrospective study, MRI scans of patients who had undergone surgery for penile carcinoma (n = 54) between January 2012 and April 2018 were read by two radiologists; and disagreement was solved in the presence of a third experienced radiologist. Data necessary for preoperative evaluation and staging were collected and compared with final postoperative histology and the type of surgery performed. All MRI had been performed without intracavernosal injection of prostaglandin E1 and with IV Gadolinium, as per local protocol. Results: 54 patients were included in the study (mean age 57.52 ± 12.78). The number of patients with T1, T2, and T3 staging in histopathology were 32, 14, and 8. Moderate interobserver agreement was found for staging, disease-free penile length, and all subsites except urethra, which had weak agreement. Strong agreement of consensus MRI with final histopathological staging was found (49/54, weighted κ = 0.85), with high sensitivity and specificity. Sensitivity and specificity for involvement of corpus spongiosum, corpora cavernosa, and urethra were 95.5% and 93.8%, 87.5% and 97.8%, and 90.9% and 86.1%, respectively. Sensitivity (89.6%) and specificity (100%) of MRI for predicting adequate disease-free penile length were high. Conclusion: There were acceptable interobserver agreement and good diagnostic performance of MRI for staging and preoperative assessment without intracavernosal injection, especially for higher stages and higher degrees of invasion which require more extensive surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smoking is a major risk factor for increasing the prevalence and severity of periodontal destruction. Multiple cross-sectional and longitudinal studies have demonstrated that pocket depth, attachment loss, and alveolar bone loss are more prevalent and severe in patients who smoke as compared with nonsmokers. Smoking exerts a major effect on the protective elements of the immune response, resulting in an increase in the extent and severity of periodontal destruction. Several tobacco intervention approaches can be useful in helping the patient deal with the nicotine withdrawal symptoms and psychological factors associated with smoking cessation. In addition, pharmacotherapeutic treatments such as nicotine replacement therapy and sustained bupropion administration have proved effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the time of writing this article, more than 18 million people worldwide have been infected by the severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus-2 and about 700,000 people have died from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In India, about 190,000 people have been infected and nearly 39,000 people have succumbed to this infection. Infection among health-care workers has emerged as one of the key problems in facing this pandemic. The purpose of this article is to describe the measures taken by the department of oncoradiology at our institution to control the infection and minimize staff exposure during the current lockdown period with reduced patient load and in the post-lockdown period with increased demand for radiology services. The key focus of this article is the continued delivery of cancer imaging services with practical precautions and optimized resources. We have also discussed algorithms and protocols unique to the practice of oncoradiology in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes the use of the sub epithelial connective tissue graft (SCTG) as a donor source for root coverage. The success of these grafts has been attributed to the double-blood supply at the recipient site from the underlying connective tissue base and the overlying recipient flap. The application of connective tissue grafts has become a widely accepted therapeutic option in aesthetically oriented periodontal plastic surgery. Connective tissue grafts are a versatile treatment method in periodontal plastic surgery and periimplant soft tissue plastic surgery. Their strengths are ease of handling and good prospects of success. Harvesting techniques that are minimally traumatic but aimed at maximizing tissue volume ensure multipurpose usability of connective tissue grafts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the growth of cosmetic dental procedures, the practise of dentistry has become increasingly centred on fulfilling patient desires. Porcelain veneers are increasing in popularity among today’s patients and dental practitioners for conservative restoration of unaesthetic anterior teeth. The ability to place restorations without significant removal of structure is becoming more critical than ever. Besides being painless and conservative, it is a durable material and doesn’t stain like composite making it attractive for a much longer period of time thus making contemporary dentistry, increasingly oriented toward elective and cosmetic procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To evaluate and compare the knowledge, attitude and practice among post-graduate staff and post-graduate students of dental colleges in Navi Mumbai for diagnosis, monitoring and management of patients with impaired glucose tolerance through a set of 18-item multiple- choice closed ended objective questions. Materials & Method: The cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted among post-graduate staff and post-graduate students of various dental specialties in dental colleges of Navi Mumbai during March - April 2015. The validated questionnaire consisted of 18-item closed ended questions based on recent literature and updated American Diabetic Association Guidelines (ADA) in 2014. Total of 605 individuals participated in the survey out of which 240 were post-graduate staff and 365 were postgraduate students. Results: After the questionnaire was collected out of 605 participants, 509 participants (84.13% response rate), met the inclusion criteria out of which 202 (39.69%) were PG Staff and 307 (60.31%) were PG Students. The results showed that PG Staff members were very much aware about the diagnosis, monitoring and management of patients with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) as compared to PG students. The knowledge of PG staff was considerably higher, probably due to their clinical exposure. Conclusion: The study emphasizes the need for better instillation of diagnosis, monitoring and management protocols for impaired Glucose tolerance (IGT) and guidelines as standardized by ADA amongst both the post-graduate staff members and post-graduate students of dental colleges in Navi Mumbai in order to achieve prevention and better control of diabetes mellitus and its complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Silicate ceramics were synthesised with the aid of solution combustion technique. • The bandgap values of the different silicate ceramics fall in the range of 2.8 eV. • Ca 2 SiO 4 > Sr 2 SiO 4 > Mg 2 SiO 4 was discovered to be the sequence of rhodamine B dye degradation at a time period of 120 mins. The current study focuses on the photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) dye using Larnite, Forsterite, and Strontium orthosilicate ceramics under UV light irradiation. Using glycine as a fuel, an energy-efficient solution combustion method was used to obtain the respective silicate materials. Powder XRD, FT-IR, SEM, TEM, and BET were employed to investigate the obtained materials' phase identification, surface morphology, and surface area. The bandgap measurements of the silicate ceramics were analyzed using a DRS spectrometer, and the results are in the range of 2.7–2.8 eV. The DRS spectra results revealed that silicate ceramics can decompose the Rhodamine B dye when exposed to UV light. The photocatalytic degradation tests show that larnite is a more efficient photocatalyst for the degradation of rhodamine B than the other tested silicate ceramics, with degradation efficiencies of approximately 87% (larnite), 82% (strontium orthosilicate), and 79% (strontium orthosilicate) (forsterite). As a result, silicate ceramics can be thought of as a potential material for enhanced environmentally harmful textile dye degradation applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: The purpose of the present study was to determine the microbial atmospheric contamination during initial periodontal treatment using a modern piezoelectric scaler and to evaluate the efficacy of two commercially available mouth rinses (0.2% Chlorhexidine mouth rinse and Listerine) in reducing bacterial contamination when used as a pre-procedural rinse, with and without high volume evacuation (Aerosol reduction device). Materials and Methods: Subjects for the study were selected from the outpatient Department of Periodontics, Sri Siddhartha Dental College and Hospital, Tumkur, India. Total 60 patients were taken for the study and on the basis of inclusion and exclusion criteria’s they were divided into three groups. The sampling was carried out in two stages before and after implementing a set protocol. Total duration of study was four months. Microbiological Evaluation: The samples (blood agar plates) were transported immediately to the Department of Microbiology, Sri Siddhartha Medical College, Tumkur for: • Identification of microorganisms as per standard procedures (Gram stain, Biochemical Test, Species Identification). • Counting the number of colonies formed on blood agar plates using colony counter unit. Results: Out of all the three pre-procedural rinses 0.2% w/v Chlorhexidine is the best in reducing aerobic bacteria (CFU) followed by Listerine and then Water. Conclusion: The following conclusion was drawn that the use of pre-procedural rinses along with the use of high volume suction apparatus significantly reduced the aerosol contamination and hence chances of cross-infection in the dental units. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Prolactin secretion is controlled by prolactin inhibitor factor that is secreted from hypothalamus; factors like vasoactive inhibitory peptide (VIP) and thyroid releasing hormone (TRH) lead to increase in prolactin secretion. Hyperprolactinemia is a common condition that can result from a number of causes including hypothyroidism. Objective of the study was to determine correlation between serum levels of prolactin and thyroid hormones in euthyroid, subclinical and overt hypothyroid cases. Materials and Methods: Consecutive patients presenting for various thyroid related problems were segregated into two groups subclinical and overt hypothyroidism according to their diagnosis based on history and clinical examination, laboratory reports, inclusion and exclusion criteria. Newly diagnosed 75 patients in each group were finally enrolled. Similar number of age and sex matched controls were selected. All subjects filled a predesigned questionnaire for the evaluation of hypothyroid symptoms. Thyroid profile for T3, T4 (total and free), TSH and prolactin were determined in all the subjects and analyzed. Results: Prolactin elevation was found in 16 patients (21.33 %) with overt hypothyroidism, and in six patients (8%) with subclinical hypothyroidism. The control group and subclinical hypothyroid patients exhibited no significant difference in terms of total and free T3, total and free T4. For TSH and prolactin on the other hand, a statistically significant elevation was found in patients with overt hypothyroidism when compared with subclinical hypothyroidism; and in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism when compared to the controls. A significant statistical difference was observed between the two groups of hypothyroid patients for all hypothyroid symptoms except alopecia and hirsuitism. Conclusion: The incidence of hyperprolactinemia in hypothyroidism was found to be higher when compared with normal controls. Serum prolactin assessment should be performed on all patients with hypothyroidism (overt and subclinical) before performing further tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]