Minimized Group Delay FIR Low Pass Filter Design Using Modified Differential Search Algorithm, Journal of Telecommunications and Information Technology, 2023, nr 3

Designing a finite impulse response (FIR) filter with minimal group delay has proven to be a difficult task. Many research studies have focused on reducing pass band and stop band ripples in FIR filter design, often overlooking the optimization of group delay. While some works have considered group delay reduction, their approaches were not optimal. Consequently, the achievement of an optimal design for a filter with a low group delay value still remains a challenge. In this work, a modified differential search optimization algorithm has been used for the purpose of designing a minimal group delay FIR filter. The results obtained have been compared with the classical techniques and they turned out to be promising

The Botany, Chemistry, Pharmacological and Therapeutic Application of Psoralea corylifolia L. – A Review

Psoralea corylifolia Linn. is an endangered and medicinally important plant indigenous to tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Its medicinal usage is reported in Indian pharmaceutical codex, the Chinese, British and the American pharmacopoeias and in different traditional system of medicines such as Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha. The review reveals that wide ranges of phytochemical constituents have been isolated from the plant and it possesses important activities like antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antitumer. Various other activities like hepatoprotective, antioxidants and antithelminitic have also been reported. These repots are very encouraging and indicate that herb should be studied more expensively for its therapeutic benefits.This article briefly reviews the botany, pharmacology, biochemistry and therapeutic application of the plant. This is an attempt to compile and document information on different aspects of Psoralea corylifolia and highlight the need for research and development.Keywords: - Psoralen, Isopsoralen, Pharmacological activities, Psoralea corylifolia Linn

Neurodevelopmental disorders in children aged 2-9 years: Population-based burden estimates across five regions in India.

BACKGROUND: Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) compromise the development and attainment of full social and economic potential at individual, family, community, and country levels. Paucity of data on NDDs slows down policy and programmatic action in most developing countries despite perceived high burden. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We assessed 3,964 children (with almost equal number of boys and girls distributed in 2-<6 and 6-9 year age categories) identified from five geographically diverse populations in India using cluster sampling technique (probability proportionate to population size). These were from the North-Central, i.e., Palwal (N = 998; all rural, 16.4% non-Hindu, 25.3% from scheduled caste/tribe [SC-ST] [these are considered underserved communities who are eligible for affirmative action]); North, i.e., Kangra (N = 997; 91.6% rural, 3.7% non-Hindu, 25.3% SC-ST); East, i.e., Dhenkanal (N = 981; 89.8% rural, 1.2% non-Hindu, 38.0% SC-ST); South, i.e., Hyderabad (N = 495; all urban, 25.7% non-Hindu, 27.3% SC-ST) and West, i.e., North Goa (N = 493; 68.0% rural, 11.4% non-Hindu, 18.5% SC-ST). All children were assessed for vision impairment (VI), epilepsy (Epi), neuromotor impairments including cerebral palsy (NMI-CP), hearing impairment (HI), speech and language disorders, autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), and intellectual disability (ID). Furthermore, 6-9-year-old children were also assessed for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and learning disorders (LDs). We standardized sample characteristics as per Census of India 2011 to arrive at district level and all-sites-pooled estimates. Site-specific prevalence of any of seven NDDs in 2-<6 year olds ranged from 2.9% (95% CI 1.6-5.5) to 18.7% (95% CI 14.7-23.6), and for any of nine NDDs in the 6-9-year-old children, from 6.5% (95% CI 4.6-9.1) to 18.5% (95% CI 15.3-22.3). Two or more NDDs were present in 0.4% (95% CI 0.1-1.7) to 4.3% (95% CI 2.2-8.2) in the younger age category and 0.7% (95% CI 0.2-2.0) to 5.3% (95% CI 3.3-8.2) in the older age category. All-site-pooled estimates for NDDs were 9.2% (95% CI 7.5-11.2) and 13.6% (95% CI 11.3-16.2) in children of 2-<6 and 6-9 year age categories, respectively, without significant difference according to gender, rural/urban residence, or religion; almost one-fifth of these children had more than one NDD. The pooled estimates for prevalence increased by up to three percentage points when these were adjusted for national rates of stunting or low birth weight (LBW). HI, ID, speech and language disorders, Epi, and LDs were the common NDDs across sites. Upon risk modelling, noninstitutional delivery, history of perinatal asphyxia, neonatal illness, postnatal neurological/brain infections, stunting, LBW/prematurity, and older age category (6-9 year) were significantly associated with NDDs. The study sample was underrepresentative of stunting and LBW and had a 15.6% refusal. These factors could be contributing to underestimation of the true NDD burden in our population. CONCLUSIONS: The study identifies NDDs in children aged 2-9 years as a significant public health burden for India. HI was higher than and ASD prevalence comparable to the published global literature. Most risk factors of NDDs were modifiable and amenable to public health interventions

Impact of COVID-19 on cardiovascular testing in the United States versus the rest of the world

Objectives: This study sought to quantify and compare the decline in volumes of cardiovascular procedures between the United States and non-US institutions during the early phase of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the care of many non-COVID-19 illnesses. Reductions in diagnostic cardiovascular testing around the world have led to concerns over the implications of reduced testing for cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality. Methods: Data were submitted to the INCAPS-COVID (International Atomic Energy Agency Non-Invasive Cardiology Protocols Study of COVID-19), a multinational registry comprising 909 institutions in 108 countries (including 155 facilities in 40 U.S. states), assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on volumes of diagnostic cardiovascular procedures. Data were obtained for April 2020 and compared with volumes of baseline procedures from March 2019. We compared laboratory characteristics, practices, and procedure volumes between U.S. and non-U.S. facilities and between U.S. geographic regions and identified factors associated with volume reduction in the United States. Results: Reductions in the volumes of procedures in the United States were similar to those in non-U.S. facilities (68% vs. 63%, respectively; p = 0.237), although U.S. facilities reported greater reductions in invasive coronary angiography (69% vs. 53%, respectively; p < 0.001). Significantly more U.S. facilities reported increased use of telehealth and patient screening measures than non-U.S. facilities, such as temperature checks, symptom screenings, and COVID-19 testing. Reductions in volumes of procedures differed between U.S. regions, with larger declines observed in the Northeast (76%) and Midwest (74%) than in the South (62%) and West (44%). Prevalence of COVID-19, staff redeployments, outpatient centers, and urban centers were associated with greater reductions in volume in U.S. facilities in a multivariable analysis. Conclusions: We observed marked reductions in U.S. cardiovascular testing in the early phase of the pandemic and significant variability between U.S. regions. The association between reductions of volumes and COVID-19 prevalence in the United States highlighted the need for proactive efforts to maintain access to cardiovascular testing in areas most affected by outbreaks of COVID-19 infection

Minimized Group Delay FIR Low Pass Filter Design Using Modified Differential Search Algorithm

Designing a finite impulse response (FIR) filter with minimal group delay has proven to be a difficult task. Many research studies have focused on reducing pass band and stop band ripples in FIR filter design, often overlooking the optimization of group delay. While some works have considered group delay reduction, their approaches were not optimal. Consequently, the achievement of an optimal design for a filter with a low group delay value still remains a challenge. In this work, a modified differential search optimization algorithm has been used for the purpose of designing a minimal group delay FIR filter. The results obtained have been compared with the classical techniques and they turned out to be promising

Purpuric macules in a linear distribution on the left forearm and arm in a 14 year old boy

Angioma serpiginosum is a rare, benign vascular nevoid disorder due to ectatic dilatation of capillaries in the papillary dermis. It usually occurs in early childhood, affects females more than males, and is distributed predominantly over lower limbs. We report a case of a 14-year-old boy, who presented with multiple asymptomatic reddish, macules in a linear pattern on the inner aspect of the left upper limb for a total duration of 2 years with dermoscopic and histopathological features suggestive of angioma serpiginosum

Antioxidant Potential of Raw Meat from Broiler Chicken Fed with Dietary Plant Supplements

In Nepal, medicinal herbs have traditionally been used to feed animals for growth during illness. This study was conducted to evaluate the antioxidant property of thigh and breast meats obtained from chickens fed with medicinal plants incorporated feeds. Two hundred broiler chickens were randomly assigned to 5 groups. The treatment groups were fed with medicinal herbs supplemented feeds, while the control group was fed with a commercial diet. The aqueous fractions of thigh and breast meats showed significantly higher total phenolic content than control (P=0.05). Among thigh meats, Melochia corchorifolia supplemented feed resulted the highest total phenolic content (109 +-4.5 mg CE/g), followed by Moringa oleifera supplemented one (104 =-5.8 mg CE/g). On carrying our DPPH scavenging activity, thigh meat from chicken fed with Leucaena leucocephala supplemented feed had 45.8% inhibition compared to control (34.7% inhibition). The lipophilic fractions had significantly lower total phenolic content and DPPH scavenging activity. Sensory analyses revealed that meats from chickens fed with Melochia corchorifolia and Alpinia zerumbet hebs had superio flavor, whereash chicken fed with Moringa oleifera had objectionable taste. Poultry feed supplemented with Melochia corchorifolia and Alpinia zerumbet could significantly improve the antioxidant activity and flavor of chicken meat

Potential Anti-Mycobacterium tuberculosis Activity of Plant Secondary Metabolites: Insight with Molecular Docking Interactions.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a recurrent and progressive disease, with high mortality rates worldwide. The drug-resistance phenomenon of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a major obstruction of allelopathy treatment. An adverse side effect of allelopathic treatment is that it causes serious health complications. The search for suitable alternatives of conventional regimens is needed, i.e., by considering medicinal plant secondary metabolites to explore anti-TB drugs, targeting the action site of M. tuberculosis. Nowadays, plant-derived secondary metabolites are widely known for their beneficial uses, i.e., as antioxidants, antimicrobial agents, and in the treatment of a wide range of chronic human diseases (e.g., tuberculosis), and are known to thwart disease virulence. In this regard, in silico studies can reveal the inhibitory potential of plant-derived secondary metabolites against Mycobacterium at the very early stage of infection. Computational approaches based on different algorithms could play a significant role in screening plant metabolites against disease virulence of tuberculosis for drug designing

Potential Anti-Mycobacterium tuberculosis Activity of Plant Secondary Metabolites: Insight with Molecular Docking Interactions

Tuberculosis (TB) is a recurrent and progressive disease, with high mortality rates worldwide. The drug-resistance phenomenon of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a major obstruction of allelopathy treatment. An adverse side effect of allelopathic treatment is that it causes serious health complications. The search for suitable alternatives of conventional regimens is needed, i.e., by considering medicinal plant secondary metabolites to explore anti-TB drugs, targeting the action site of M. tuberculosis. Nowadays, plant-derived secondary metabolites are widely known for their beneficial uses, i.e., as antioxidants, antimicrobial agents, and in the treatment of a wide range of chronic human diseases (e.g., tuberculosis), and are known to &ldquo;thwart&rdquo; disease virulence. In this regard, in silico studies can reveal the inhibitory potential of plant-derived secondary metabolites against Mycobacterium at the very early stage of infection. Computational approaches based on different algorithms could play a significant role in screening plant metabolites against disease virulence of tuberculosis for drug designing

Impact and cost-effectiveness evaluation of nutritional supplementation and complementary interventions for tuberculosis treatment outcomes under mukti pay-for-performance model in Madhya Pradesh, India: A study protocol

Background: A “pay-for-performance” (P4P) intervention model for improved tuberculosis (TB) outcomes, called “Mukti,” has been implemented in an underdeveloped tribal area of central India. The target of this project is to improve nutritional status, quality of life (QoL), and treatment outcomes of 1000 TB patients through four interventions: food baskets, personal counseling, peer-to-peer learning and facilitation for linkage to government schemes. The current study aims to assess the success of this model by evaluating its impact and cost-effectiveness using a quasi-experimental approach. Methods: Data for impact assessment have been collected from 1000 intervention and control patients. Study outcomes such as treatment completion, sputum negativity, weight gain, and health-related QoL will be compared between matched samples. Micro costing approach will be used for assessing the cost of routine TB services provision under the national program and the incremental cost of implementing our interventions. A decision and Markov hybrid model will estimate long-term costs and health outcomes associated with the use of study interventions. Measures of health outcomes will be mortality, morbidity, and disability. Cost-effectiveness will be assessed in terms of incremental cost per quality-adjusted life-years gained and cost per unit increase in patient weight in intervention versus control groups. Results: The evidence generated from the present study in terms of impact and cost-effectiveness estimates will thus help to identify not only the effectiveness of these interventions but also the optimal mode of financing such measures. Our estimates on scale-up costs for these interventions will also help the state and the national government to consider scale-up of such interventions in the entire state or country. Discussion: The study will generate important evidence on the impact of nutritional supplementation and other complementary interventions for TB treatment outcomes delivered through P4P financing models and on the cost of scaling up these to the state and national level in India