2,259 research outputs found

    Dichromacy: Color Vision Impairment and Consanguinity in Heterogenous Population of Pakistan

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    Background and Objectives: Dichromacy, an X-linked recessive disorder is identified worldwide, more in males than females. In European Caucasians, its incidence is 8% in males and 0.5% in females. In India, it is 8.73% in males and 1.69% in females, and in Iran, it is 8.18% in males and 0.43% in females. Population based epidemiological data about dichromacy in different ethnic groups in Pakistan is not available. The aim of this study was to find out the population prevalence of inherited red-green dichromacy in a heterogenous population of the district of Chiniot, Punjab, Pakistan, and to determine the impact of consanguinity and ethnicity. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, boys and girls of the higher secondary schools were examined in the three tehsils of district Chiniot. Pseudoisochromatic Ishihara Test has been employed for detection of dichromacy in the study population. The sample size was calculated statistically as 260, which was expanded to 705 and divided by population density of the three tehsils. Results: Screening of 359 males and 346 females revealed 19 (5.29%) dichromat males and only 2 (0.58%) females. The study population belonged to 23 castes / isonym groups. The consanguinity found in the district of Chiniot is 84.82% and in the dichromat families, it is 85.71%, of which 52.37% are first cousin. Interpretation & Conclusion: The study has shown that the incidence of dichromacy could be reduced through genetic counselin

    The changing UV and X-ray properties of the Of?p star CPD -28 2561

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    The Of?p star CPD -28 2561 was monitored at high energies with XMM-Newton and HST. In X-rays, this magnetic oblique rotator displays bright and hard emission that varies by ~55% with rotational phase. These changes occur in phase with optical variations, as expected for magnetically confined winds; there are two maxima and two minima in X-rays during the 73d rotational period of CPD -28 2561. However, contrary to previously studied cases, no significant hardness variation is detected between minima and maxima, with the exception of the second minimum which is slightly distinct from the first one. In the UV domain, broad-band fluxes remain stable while line profiles display large variations. Stronger absorptions at low velocities are observed when the magnetic equator is seen edge-on, which can be reproduced by a detailed 3D model. However, a difference in absorption at high velocities in the CIV and NV lines is also detected for the two phases where the confined wind is seen nearly pole-on. This suggests the presence of strong asymmetries about the magnetic equator, mostly in the free-flowing wind (rather than in the confined dynamical magnetosphere).Comment: 14 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication by MNRA

    Frequency of Clinical Symptoms of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease in Asthmatic Patients

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    Background: Gastroesophageal reflex is known as an acid reflex, is long term condition where stomach contents back into the oesophagus resulting in either symptoms or complications. GERD disease is caused by weakness or failure of the lower oesophageal sphincter. Symptoms include the acidic taste behind the mouth, heart burn, chest pain, difficult breathing and vomiting. Complication includes esophagitis, oesophageal strictures and barrettes oesophagus. Objective: The aim of this research was to introduce the symptoms of GERD disease in asthmatic patients and how these symptoms worsen the symptoms of asthma disease and what clinical pictures present with the asthmatic disease. Methodology: A designed performa was used to collect the data and after filling the performa, results were drawn and conclusion through the facts and the information given by patients. Results: In the present study among all 164 asthmatic patients, 70 (42.7%) patients showed dyspepsia, 58 (35.4%) were with chest burning, 23 (14%) were asking about chest pain, with acidic mouth taste were 39 (23.8%), 22 (13.4%) were feeling sore throat and 44 (26.8%) showed regurgitation reflex. Among these 164 patients 16 (9.8%) were smokers and 148 (90.2 %) were non-smokers. 47 (28.7%) were males and 117 (71.3%) were females. Conclusion: It is concluded that gastroesophageal reflux disease in asthmatic patients present symptoms of acidic mouth taste, chest burning, chest pain, dyspepsia, regurgitation reflex and sore throat

    Centrifugal Breakout of Magnetically Confined Line-Driven Stellar Winds

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    We present 2D MHD simulations of the radiatively driven outflow from a rotating hot star with a dipole magnetic field aligned with the star's rotation axis. We focus primarily on a model with moderately rapid rotation (half the critical value), and also a large magnetic confinement parameter, ηB2R2/M˙V=600\eta_{\ast} \equiv B_{\ast}^2 R_{\ast}^{2} / \dot{M} V_{\infty} = 600. The magnetic field channels and torques the wind outflow into an equatorial, rigidly rotating disk extending from near the Kepler corotation radius outwards. Even with fine-tuning at lower magnetic confinement, none of the MHD models produce a stable Keplerian disk. Instead, material below the Kepler radius falls back on to the stellar surface, while the strong centrifugal force on material beyond the corotation escape radius stretches the magnetic loops outwards, leading to episodic breakout of mass when the field reconnects. The associated dissipation of magnetic energy heats material to temperatures of nearly 10810^{8}K, high enough to emit hard (several keV) X-rays. Such \emph{centrifugal mass ejection} represents a novel mechanism for driving magnetic reconnection, and seems a very promising basis for modeling X-ray flares recently observed in rotating magnetic Bp stars like σ\sigma Ori E.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, accepted by ApJ

    Enhanced Version of Multi-algorithm Genetically Adaptive for Multiobjective optimization

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    Abstract: Multi-objective EAs (MOEAs) are well established population-based techniques for solving various search and optimization problems. MOEAs employ different evolutionary operators to evolve populations of solutions for approximating the set of optimal solutions of the problem at hand in a single simulation run. Different evolutionary operators suite different problems. The use of multiple operators with a self-adaptive capability can further improve the performance of existing MOEAs. This paper suggests an enhanced version of a genetically adaptive multi-algorithm for multi-objective (AMAL-GAM) optimisation which includes differential evolution (DE), particle swarm optimization (PSO), simulated binary crossover (SBX), Pareto archive evolution strategy (PAES) and simplex crossover (SPX) for population evolution during the course of optimization. We examine the performance of this enhanced version of AMALGAM experimentally over two different test suites, the ZDT test problems and the test instances designed recently for the special session on MOEA?s competition at the Congress of Evolutionary Computing of 2009 (CEC?09). The suggested algorithm has found better approximate solutions on most test problems in terms of inverted generational distance (IGD) as the metric indicator. - See more at: http://thesai.org/Publications/ViewPaper?Volume=6&Issue=12&Code=ijacsa&SerialNo=37#sthash.lxkuyzEf.dpu

    Border Alert System for Fishermen Using GPS System

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    The livelihood of fishermen is such that he crosses the country border unknowingly and poses threats to them by being killed or captured. The sea borders between countries are not easily identifiable which is the main reason behind this problem. ldquoBorder alert system for fisherman using GPSrdquo describes about a system which helps the fishermen by notifying the country border. Global Positioning System (GPS) and Global system for mobile communication (GSM) are used for this purpose. Here GPS receiver is used to find the current location of the fishing boat. Using GPS, present latitude and longitude values are sent to microcontroller unit. Later the controller unit identifies the current location by comparing the present latitude and longitudinal values with the predefined value. After the comparison, border alert system aware the fishermen that they are about to reach the nautical border. The region is divided into normal zone and warning zone. When the boat is in normal area, the LCD displays normal zone. Thus they can make it clear that the boat is in normal area. In case if it moves further and reaches the warning zone, the LCD displays warning zone

    Exploring the impact of social media on anxiety among university students in the United Kingdom: qualitative study

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    Background: The rapid surge in social media platforms has significant implications for users’ mental health, particularly anxiety. In the case of social media, the impact on mental well-being has been highlighted by multiple stakeholders as a cause for concern. However, there has been limited research into how the association between social media and anxiety arises, specifically among university students—the generation that has seen the introduction and evolution of social media, and currently lives through the medium. Extant systematic literature reviews within this area of research have not yet focused on university students or anxiety, rather predominantly investigating adolescents or generalized mental health symptoms and disorders. Furthermore, there is little to no qualitative data exploring the association between social media and anxiety among university students. Objective: The purpose of this study is to conduct a systematic literature review of the existing literature and a qualitative study that aims to develop foundational knowledge around the association of social media and anxiety among university students and enhance extant knowledge and theory. Methods: A total of 29 semistructured interviews were conducted, comprising 19 male students (65.5%) and 10 female students (34.5%) with a mean age of 21.5 years. All students were undergraduates from 6 universities across the United Kingdom, with most students studying in London (89.7%). Participants were enrolled through a homogenous purposive sampling technique via social media channels, word of mouth, and university faculties. Recruitment was suspended at the point of data saturation. Participants were eligible for the study if they were university students in the United Kingdom and users of social media. Results: Thematic analysis resulted in 8 second-order themes: 3 mediating factors that decrease anxiety levels and 5 factors that increase anxiety levels. Social media decreased anxiety through positive experiences, social connectivity, and escapism. Social media increased anxiety through stress, comparison, fear of missing out, negative experiences, and procrastination. Conclusions: This qualitative study sheds critical light on how university students perceive how social media affects their anxiety levels. Students revealed that social media did impact their anxiety levels and considered it an important factor in their mental health. Thus, it is essential to educate stakeholders, including students, university counselors, and health care professionals, about the potential impact of social media on students’ anxiety levels. Since anxiety is a multifactorial condition, pinpointing the main stressors in a person’s life, such as social media use, may help manage these patients more effectively. The current research highlights that there are also many benefits to social media, and uncovering these may help in producing more holistic management plans for anxiety, reflective of the students’ social media usage
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