Red cell distribution width in relation to stroke

INTRODUCTION: Stroke has now become the second leading cause of death worldwide. Stroke is an important cause for prolonged disability. Given this immense burden that stroke exerts, there becomes the need to develop more precise estimates of a stroke survivors prognosis and it remains an very important goal. And also identification of predictors of mortality is very vital so that we can institute many prompt therapeutic measures to improve outcome. RDW play an important role to assess the mortality and morbidity in acute CVA. So, high RDW has been studied in relation to stroke. AIMS AND OBJECTIVE: 1. To study the Red Cell Distribution Width in relation to stroke in Medicine department in RGGGH, Chennai – 03 2. To study the importance of determining Red Cell distribution width to assess the severity of ischemic stroke. METHODS: The study was conducted at the Institute of Internal Medicine, Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH), Madras Medical College, Chennai in 50 patients who were admitted in medical ward. RESULTS: According to this study p value of comparison of RDW for NIHSS Classification COMPARISON OF RDW according to MRS is < 0.001 which is significant. A higher values of RDW is a predictor of poor prognosis for stroke. CONCLUSION: A higher values of Red cell Distribution Width (RDW) is a predictor of severity of ischemic stroke. A higher values of Red cell Distribution Width (RDW) on admission is a predictor of poor prognosis for stroke

Vigilant Salp Swarm Algorithm for Feature Selection

Feature selection (FS) averts the consideration of unwanted features which may tend the classification algorithm to classify wrongly. Choosing an optimal feature subset from the given set of features is challenging due to the complex associations present within the features. In non-convex conditions, the gradient-based algorithms suffer due to local optima or saddle points with respect to initial conditions where swarm intelligence algorithms pose a higher chance to converge over the global optima. The Salp Swarm Algorithm (SSA) proposed by Mirjalili et al. is based on the chaining behaviour of sea salps but the algorithm lacks diversity in the exploration stage. Rectifying the exploratory behaviour and testing the algorithm against the FS problem is the motivation behind this work. Three variants of the algorithm are proposed, of which the Vigilant Salp Swarm Algorithm (VSSA) inherits the vigilant mechanism in Grey Wolf Optimizer (GWO), the second variant and the third variant replace a simple crossover operator and shuffle crossover operator instead of the follower's position update mechanism used in the VSSA to form Vanilla Crossover VSSA (VCVSSA) and Shuffle Crossover VSSA (SCVSSA)

Efficient Mobility in Next Generation Heterogeneous Wireless Networks Based on Enhanced Vertical Handoff Approach

The progression of mobile technologies from first generation (1G) to fifth generation (5G) networks has brought about noteworthy advancement. The present network environment is characterized by the coexistence of various mobile networks and technologies, leading to overlapping or non-overlapping coverage areas, creating a next-generation heterogeneous landscape. Handoffs within the same network (i.e., GSM to GSM or vice versa) are known as horizontal or homogeneous handoffs. Conversely, when handoffs entail a transition to a different network type, such as moving from GSM to CDMA or vice versa, they are categorized as vertical or heterogeneous handoffs. Multiple link triggers, such as link down (LD), link going down (LGD), link detected, and link up, are employed to initiate and execute vertical handoff (VHO) when needed. We have determined the thresholds for vehicular speed and link triggers through extensive simulations, explicitly focusing on high-demand traffic types like video. This paper proposed an enhanced VHO approach based on IEEE 802.21, commonly called media independent handover (MIH), to improve Quality of Service (QoS) parameters, specifically mitigating packet loss (PL), and handoff delay and enhancing the user experience

Efficacy of Hot Fomentation with Epsom Salt on Reduction of Knee Pain and Inability Among Geriatrics with Osteoarthritis

Quasi-experimental pretest posttest control group research design was adopted to investigate the efficacy of hot fomentation with Epsom salt on reduction of knee pain and inability among 60 geriatrics with osteoarthritis in the Geriatric Clinic at Urban Primary Health Centre (UPHC), Madhuravoyal. The pretest inability and pain level was assessed using WOMAC Osteoarthritis Index , followed by that, hot fomentation with Epsom salt was applied over knee joint for the duration of 20 minutes twice a day for a period of 2 weeks and the posttest was reassessed using same WOMAC Osteoarthritis Index . The pretest and posttest mean score of knee joint pain in the interventional group was 76.07±6.89 ,41.70±11.94 with mean difference 34.37. The calculated paired ‘t’ test value of t = 13.788 was found to be statistically significant at p&lt;0.001 level which clearly infers that there was reduction in the level of knee joint pain after the administration of Hot fomentation with Epsom Salt among geriatrics with osteoarthritis in the interventional group. The pretest and posttest mean score of knee joint pain in the placebo group was 75.07±7.68 75.03±6.99 with mean difference score 0.04. The calculated paired ‘t’ test value of t = 0.103 was not found to be statistically significant which clearly infers that there was no significant reduction in the level of knee joint pain in the placebo group. The calculated students independent ‘t’ test value of t = 0.103 in the pretest between the interventional and placebo group was not found to be statistically significant. The calculated students independent ‘t’ test value of t = 13.189 with mean difference score of 33.33 in the post test between the interventional and placebo group was found to be statistically significant at p&lt;0.001 level. This clearly infers that Hot fomentation with Epsom Salt administered among the geriatrics with osteoarthritis in the interventional group was found to be effective in reduction in the knee joint pain than the elderly people with osteoarthritis

Knowledge and Attitude Level of Antenatal Mothers on Colostrum Feeding - An Community Based Exploratory Study

Background: Mothers during their postpartum period do not feed the newborns after child birth as soon as possible. They derelict colostrum feeding due to cultural beliefs and practices leading to lactation failure and immune deficits among newborn. Purpose: The main purpose of the current study was to evaluate the existing level of knowledge, attitude regarding colostrum feeding and to determine the co-relation between existing level of knowledge and attitude regarding colostrum feeding among third trimester antenatal mothers. Materials and methods: A descriptive correlative research design was adopted for the current study to find out the relationship between knowledge and attitude of third trimester antenatal mothers regarding colostrum feeding. The study was conducted in Maduramangalam Village after obtaining a formal permission from the village health officer. A total of 100 antenatal mothers were recruited as study participants through convenience sampling technique based on the inclusion criteria and a self- structured questionnaire was used to collect both the demographic data as well as for assessing the existing level of knowledge and attitude on colostrum feeding among third trimester antenatal mothers. Results: The study results concluded that, majority of our third trimester antenatal mothers who participated in the are moderately knowledgeable and has unfavorable attitude towards colostrum feeding. The mean score of knowledge on colostrum feeding was 6.05±1.76 and the mean score of attitude was 12.65±4.56 among third trimester antenatal mothers. The calculated Karl Pearson’s Correlation value of r = 0.635 identified a moderate positive correlation between knowledge and attitude which infers that, when knowledge on colostrum feeding among third trimester antenatal mothers increases then ultimately their attitude towards it also increases

Analysis, design and investigation on a new single-phase switched quasi Z-source inverter for photovoltaic application

Abstract: This paper addresses the approach to improve the efficiency of the quasi Z-source inverter. In order to increase the efficiency the reduction of conduction losses is one way to approach. Sequentially to decrease the conduction losses in the quasi z-source inverter the replacement of diode is replacing with switches is proposed which is also called as synchronous rectification. The paper represents basics of the approach, analysis and comparison of the power losses of the traditional and proposed designs of the grid connected PV-system with quasi z-source inverter system. The proposed approach validated on the computer simulations in the MATLAB environment

Changes in leisure-time physical activity among Brazilian pregnant women: comparison between two birth cohort studies (2004 – 2015)

Abstract Background Low levels of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) during pregnancy have been shown in studies conducted worldwide. Surveillance is extremely important to monitor the progress of physical activity patterns over time and set goals for effective interventions to decrease inactivity among pregnant women. The aim of this study was to evaluate time changes in LTPA among Brazilian pregnant women in an 11-year period (2004–2015) by comparing data from two birth cohort studies. Methods Two population-based birth cohort studies were carried out in the city of Pelotas, southern Brazil, in 2004 and 2015. A total of 4244 and 4271 mothers were interviewed after delivery. Weekly frequency and duration of each session of LTPA in a typical week were reported for the pre-pregnancy period and for each trimester of pregnancy. Trends in both recommended LTPA (≥150 min/week) and any LTPA (regardless of weekly amount) were analysed overtime. Changes were also calculated separately for subgroups of maternal age, schooling, family income, parity, pre-pregnancy body mass index and pre-pregnancy LTPA. Results The proportion of women engaged in recommended levels of LTPA pre-pregnancy increased from 11.2% (95%CI 10.0–12.2) in 2004 to 15.8% (95%CI 14.6–16.9) in 2015. During pregnancy, no changes were observed over the period for the first (10.6 to 10.9%) and second (8.7 to 7.9%) trimesters, whereas there was a decrease from 3.4% (95%CI 2.9–4.0) to 2.4% (95%CI 1.9–2.8) in the last trimester. Major decreases in LTPA in the last trimester were observed among women who were younger, with intermediate to high income, high schooling, primiparous, pre-pregnancy obese and, engaged in LTPA before pregnancy. Changes in any LTPA practice followed the same patterns described for recommended LTPA. Conclusions Despite the increase in the proportion of women engaged in LTPA before pregnancy between 2004–2015, LTPA levels remained stable during the first and second trimesters of pregnancy and declined during the third gestational trimester over the period. Interventions to encourage the maintenance of LTPA practice throughout pregnancy are urgently needed