MATLAB/Simulink based speed control model for converter controlled DC drives

The main objective of the presented research work is to develop a converter controlled accurate speed control model for DC drives. Controlling speed is one of the most significant aspects of DC motors. It can be easily controlled with the help of different types of DC-DC converters. The paper is a comprehension on the cascaded circuit of the DC motors and converters. The designed model is significantly developed using state space modeling of motors and converters on Simulink. It can be used in motor drive and traction applications. The paper provides a greater insight on the subject while closely understanding the purpose and effect of the various parameters

MATLAB/Simulink based speed control model for converter controlled DC drives

The main objective of the presented research work is to develop a converter controlled accurate speed control model for DC drives. Controlling speed is one of the most significant aspects of DC motors. It can be easily controlled with the help of different types of DC-DC converters. The paper is a comprehension on the cascaded circuit of the DC motors and converters. The designed model is significantly developed using state space modeling of motors and converters on Simulink. It can be used in motor drive and traction applications. The paper provides a greater insight on the subject while closely understanding the purpose and effect of the various parameters

Plaque removal efficacy of Colgate 360 toothbrush: A clinical study

Aim: The aim of this clinical study was to confirm the plaque removal efficacy of the Colgate 360 Whole Mouth Clean Toothbrush. Study Design: This was a single-center, monadic, case-controlled study with the 7 days duration. Materials and Methods: A total of eighty participants (56 male and 24 female) aged between 18 and 45 years with a minimum of 20 permanent teeth (excluding the third molars) without any prosthetic crowns and an initial plaque score of minimum 1.5 as determined by Modified Quigley-Hein Plaque Index (1970) participated in the study. There were two dropouts during the study duration, one male and one female. The participants were instructed to brush for 1 min, after which plaque index was recorded again. They were then instructed to brush their teeth twice a day for 1 min with the assigned toothbrush (Colgate 360 Whole Mouth Clean Toothbrush) and a commercially available fluoride toothpaste for the next 7 days. On the 7 th day, all the participants were recalled for follow-up and plaque examination. The plaque index scores (pre- and post-brushing) were recorded, tabulated, and analyzed statistically. Results: The mean plaque indices reduced after brushing both on day 1 and day 7. There was also a reduction in mean plaque indices from day 1 to day 7. All these reductions were statistically significant (P < 0.001). The reduction in plaque scores was independent of the gender of the participants however female participants showed lower scores as compared to male participants (P < 0.001). Conclusion: The present study demonstrated a significant reduction in plaque scores with the use of Colgate 360 Whole Mouth Clean Soft Toothbrush throughout the study period. Continued use resulted in a further significant reduction in plaque scores irrespective of the gender of participants

Oral subcutaneous midline leiomyomatous hamartoma presenting as congenital incisive papilla overgrowth in a toddler

Congenital soft-tissue tumors of oral cavity are mostly hyperplastic and benign in nature. This article presents an unusual case of congenital subcutaneous hamartoma of incisive papilla in a 2-year-old female child causing feeding and breathing difficulty. Total excisional biopsy was done under local anesthesia. Histopathology of tissue in reticulin-stained slide showed the presence of immature muscle fibers whereas Masson's trichrome stain revealed collagen fibers and smooth muscles confirming the diagnosis of oral midline subcutaneous smooth muscle (leiomyomatous) hamartoma of incisive papilla. It is important for dental professionals to be aware of this oral lesion present from birth mimicking overgrowth of incisive papilla, by its presentation, differential diagnosis, histopathology, and management

Salivary levels of Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sanguinis in early childhood caries: An in vivo study

Background: The oral microflora primarily involved in early childhood caries (ECC) is Streptococcus mutans while Streptococcus sanguinis is related to healthy caries-free mouth. The antagonism between the two at biological level is well recognized. Aim: This study aims to compare the pre- and posttreatment salivary levels of S. mutans and S. sanguinis in ECC. Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 40 eligible participants. Clinical examination was done, and decayed teeth were recorded. Pre- and Posttreatment saliva sample was taken, processed and bacterial counts were compared. Results: A statistically significant posttreatment reduction was found in S. mutans counts; however, a significant posttreatment elevation was seen in S. sanguinis counts (P < 0.001) using Wilcoxon signed-rank test. A significant weak positive correlation was found between S. mutans and decayed teeth in the mouth (r = 0.366 and P = 0.028) using Spearman's correlation. No significant gender association was found between pre- and posttreatment S. mutans and S. sanguinis counts (P = 0.908) and also between decayed teeth (P = 0.321) using Mann–Whitney U-test. Conclusion: Complete dental treatment procedure showed significant reduction and elevation in S. mutans and S. sanguinis counts, respectively. A positive association was observed between S. mutans and ECC while S. sanguinis were positively associated with posttreatment oral environment

Transmission of mutans streptococci in mother-child pairs

Background & objectives: Dental caries is an infectious, transmissible disease. Maternal transfer of mutans streptococci (MS) has been a subject of research. The aim of this study was to evaluate the transmission of MS from mother to children through genetic analysis. Methods: Thirty mother-child pairs were included and divided into three groups according to the age of the children. Saliva samples were collected and MS colonies from each mother-child pair were isolated. After inoculation and incubation, MS colonies were submitted to amplification technique by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for identification and arbitrarily primed PCRs (AP-PCRs) to determine various MS genotypes. Results: From birth to six months of age, 30 per cent of children exhibited MS colonization, and by the age of 30 months, 100 per cent harboured the bacteria (P < 0.001). Factors associated with MS colonization were eruption of teeth (P < 0.001), feeding habits with mean colony count being significantly lower in breast-fed as compared to bottle-fed children (P < 0.001) and a significant association between mean MS count of child and mother′s practice of sharing spoon with child (P < 0.001). The AP-PCR fingerprinting profile analysis showed 17 MS groups (clusters) containing identical or highly related isolates in mother-child pairs with a high level of similarity (77.27 %). Interpretation & conclusions: The presence of matching MS genotypes suggested vertical transmission from mothers to children. Feeding habits, gum cleaning and number of erupted teeth in children had significant effect on MS colonization. There is a need to develop strategies to present MS colonization in children

Burden of household food insecurity in urban slum settings.

This study examined the burden of food insecurity in India's un-notified slums, using an SDG framework to identify correlates of food insecurity. A convenience sampling approach was employed in selecting 38 slums from 675 un-notified slums across four geographic zones. Ten percent of the households in each slum site were selected from each zone, and one household member was interviewed, based on their availability and fulfilment of the eligibility criteria. Eligible individuals included those aged 18 years and above, who were resident in the selected slums and provided consent. Individuals with mental or physical challenges were excluded. A total sample of 907 study participants were included. Results showed that 43% (n = 393) of the participants were food insecure. More than half were females (73%, n = 285), who had not completed any schooling (51%, n = 202). One-third (n = 128) resided in the Northern Region of Delhi. SDG-related predictors of food insecurity included: household educational level (SDG 4 Quality education) (p = 0.03), coverage of health service needs (SDG 3 Good health and well-being) (p = 0.0002), electricity needs (SDG 7 affordable and clean energy) (p<0.0001), and employment needs (SDG 8 Decent and economic growth) (p = 0.003). Having healthcare needs that were partially or fully met was equally associated with higher food insecurity: this could be attributed to high healthcare costs and the lack of federal subsidies in un-notified slums, collectively contributing to high out-of-pocket health costs. Failure to fully meet employment needs was also significantly associated with higher food insecurity. However, met needs for electricity, finance, women's safety and satisfactory family relationships, were associated with lower food insecurity. Household predictors of food insecurity included: number of household members, and the presence of physically disabled household members. Necessary interventions should include connecting food insecure households to existing social services such as India's Public Distribution System, and multi-sector partnerships to address the existing challenges

Reader agreement and accuracy of ultrasound features for hepatic steatosis.

PurposeThe purpose of the study is to assess the reader agreement and accuracy of eight ultrasound imaging features for classifying hepatic steatosis in adults with known or suspected hepatic steatosis.MethodsThis was an IRB-approved, HIPAA-compliant prospective study of adult patients with known or suspected hepatic steatosis. All patients signed written informed consent. Ultrasound images (Siemens S3000, 6C1HD, and 4C1 transducers) were acquired by experienced sonographers following a standard protocol. Eight readers independently graded eight features and their overall impression of hepatic steatosis on ordinal scales using an electronic case report form. Duplicated images from the 6C1HD transducer were read twice to assess intra-reader agreement. Intra-reader, inter-transducer, and inter-reader agreement were assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). Features with the highest intra-reader agreement were selected as predictors for dichotomized histological steatosis using Classification and Regression Tree (CART) analysis, and the accuracy of the decision rule was compared to the accuracy of the radiologists' overall impression.Results45 patients (18 males, 27 females; mean age 56 ± 12 years) scanned from September 2015 to July 2016 were included. Mean intra-reader ICCs ranged from 0.430 to 0.777, inter-transducer ICCs ranged from 0.228 to 0.640, and inter-reader ICCs ranged from 0.014 to 0.561. The CART decision rule selected only large hepatic vein blurring and achieved similar accuracy to the overall impression (74% to 75% and 68% to 72%, respectively).ConclusionsLarge hepatic vein blurring, liver-kidney contrast, and overall impression provided the highest reader agreement. Large hepatic vein blurring may provide the highest classification accuracy for dichotomized grading of hepatic steatosis