142 research outputs found
Comparative analysis of quantitative dermatoglyphic markers in schizophrenia patients and controls attending a superspeciality hospital in West Bengal
Background: Schizophrenia is a psychiatric disorder encompassing multiple etiological variables. Association of dermatoglyphic traits with schizophrenia has been observed and reported. This study was undertaken to evaluate epidermal ridge patterns in patients of schizophrenia as compared to healthy controls attending a superspeciality hospital in West Bengal. Establishing dermatoglyphic parameters as biomarkers for early diagnosis will ensure prompt intervention and a greater scope of recovery in schizophrenia and thus promote a better quality of life for the individual as well as lower the burden of disease for the society.Methods: Quantitative dermatoglyphic parameters namely, total finger ridge count (TFRC), total A-B ridge count (TABRC) and ATD angle of 50 schizophrenia patients were compared to 50 age and gender matched healthy controls.Results: TFRC and TABRC were found to be decreased in schizophrenia, while ATD angle was increased in schizophrenia as compared to the control group.Conclusions: This study found a significant association between dermatoglyphic pattern anomalies and the development of schizophrenia. This may offer a scope of primordial prevention of schizophrenia in future, utilising dermatoglyphics as an investigative tool
Three-year review of a capacity building pilot for a sustainable regional network on food, nutrition and health systems education in India.
BACKGROUND: In Kolkata (India), there are high rates of malnourished children (45.9%) under the age of three, impacting growth, organ development, function, and cognition. Mothers have a major role to play during this crucial development stage, with research showing nutrition knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of mothers are important determinants of childhood malnutrition. AIMS: To document 3 years of capacity building towards a sustainable nutrition education network in Kolkata, India, while assessing the ability to perform data collection in the form of needs assessments, impact assessments and capacity reviews. METHODS: Descriptive review and analysis of engagement and impact from 3 years of work by the NNEdPro Global Centre for Nutrition and Health, initiating locally led nutrition education interventions. Mapping to the Indian National Nutrition Strategy was also performed to review adherence to nationwide priorities surrounding nutrition and determine the wider application potential of the network. RESULTS: Two simultaneous projects were taken forward by a team of local healthcare professionals and student champions. Project 1-medical college workshops for medical student nutrition education with added focus on underserved populations, Project 2-preparation for a 'Mobile Teaching Kitchen' (MTK) in marginalised communities to empower local women as nutrition educators.Data collection methods used for analysing markers of impact and sustainability were semi-structured interviews of the community members, and KAP questionnaires to assess response to educational sessions. CONCLUSION: With local support it is possible to create and sustain fieldwork for an extended period with meaningful outputs and impact. This initiative demonstrates that it is possible to use healthcare professionals, students and volunteers with low-intensity training and a low-cost approach to produce action research with considerable impact and results in rapid, reliable and robust manner
Control Scheme of a Designed Step Climbing Wheeled Robot
This following article presents a control scheme of a step climbing wheeled robot which can traverse through uneven terrain. The main thrust of this article is on developing the control idea of a simple step climbing wheeled robot with simple micro-switch, which is used as sensor. The controller of the designed robot is programmed with microcontroller
Design and Development of a Step Climbing Wheeled Robot
This paper presents a design of Step Climbing Robot that can move in uneven environment and traverse a slope or staircase. The condition imposed on this new system of robot is that it will move only in linear fashion, which will reduce the demands on the physical complexity of the robot unit. A summary of the current state of research in the field of mobile robots as it relates to robot stair climbing and moving in uneven surfaces. The architecture of the robot is developed and compared with the previous design
Dynamic Modeling of Step Climbing Wheeled Robot
This following article presents the dynamic modeling of the developed step-climbing robot. The main idea is to develop the mathematical representation of the developed model. In this article the inverse arm model of a Newton-Euler analysis of free body motion is shown. The purpose of this model is to allow to compute the motor voltage required to produce given accelerations when the current is known and state of the arm and all of its parameters
<span style="mso-bidi-language:HI">Rhizobial lipopolysaccharide as the receptor in lectin<i>-Rhizobium </i>interaction </span>
89-95Rhizobial specificity was examined on the basis of
interaction between legume lectins (peanut, pea and soybean) and different
rhizobial species (various bradyrhizobia specific for peanut, P 14-93 and SB16).
Legume lectins showed higher affinity towards host-specific Rhizobium and
lipopolysaccharides (LPS) isolated from those particular rhizobia. Two LPS mutants
of peanut-specific Bradyrhizobium sp. (Arachis) strain GN17
were isolated by Tn5 mutagenesis. These mutants (GN17MI and GNI7M2) were
characterized by their higher hydrophobicity with respect to the parent cells.
The hexose content in exopolysaccharides. (EPS) and LPS of the mutants was
found reduced significantly, whereas 2-keto-3-deoxyoctulosonic acid (Kdo) and
uronic acid in LPS were less by 20-times and thrice, respectively in the
mutants. Glucose was the major sugar in LPS from all the strains. However,
glucosamine appeared only in the mutants. Spectrofluorimetric analysis showed
that LPS from GN17Ml mutant interacted most significantly with peanut root
agglutinin or lectin (PRA II). The results indicate that LPS on the surface of
rhizobial cells is the possible receptor for lectin.
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Variations in Sleep Architecture among Different Subtypes of Schizophrenia: A Cross-sectional Study
Introduction: Schizophrenia is a severe mental disorder
characterised by positive symptoms such as delusions
and hallucinations, as well as negative symptoms including
anhedonia, asociality, avolition, and affective blunting. It may
also be associated with cognitive deficits. Sleep disturbances
are commonly encountered in schizophrenia, and there may be
variations in sleep patterns among its different subtypes. These
differences in sleep patterns could have prognostic implications
for the various subtypes of schizophrenia. Effective management
of sleep disturbances could contribute to the recovery and wellbeing of individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia.
Aim: To compare the differences in sleep architecture between
the various subtypes of schizophrenia and to compare them
with socio-demographically matched healthy volunteers.
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was
conducted at the Institute of Psychiatry-Centre of Excellence,
Kolkata, West Bengal, India over a duration of one year (May
2016 to June 2017). The study included 60 medication-naïve
patients diagnosed with schizophrenia according to International
Classification of Diseases (ICD)-10 criteria, and a control group
of 30 demographically matched healthy volunteers. All study
participants were aged between 18 and 60 years and free from
any co-morbid illnesses. Patients with schizophrenia were
further classified into four groups based on the ICD-10 subtypes:
paranoid, hebephrenic, catatonic, and undifferentiated.
Overnight polysomnography was performed to assess sleep
parameters, including total record time, total sleep time, sleep
onset latency, Rapid Eye Movement (REM), sleep latency, sleep
efficiency, durations of Total Non Rapid Eye Movement (NREM)
Sleep, Total REM sleep, and the different phases of NREM sleep.
Statistical analysis was performed using Statistical Package for
the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0. Analysis of Variance
(ANOVA), Chi-square, and t-test were used as applicable, with a
p-value <0.05 considered statistically significant.
Results: The results showed a decrease in sleep efficiency,
total sleep time, and shorter duration of mean N1, N2, and N3
sleep in schizophrenia patients compared to the control group.
There was a significant difference in N3 sleep duration, reduced
duration of total NREM and REM sleep, reduced REM latency,
increased sleep onset latency, and the number of awakenings
during sleep in schizophrenia patients. Statistically significant
differences (p-values <0.05) were also noted in some sleep
parameters among the various subtypes of schizophrenia.
The paranoid subtype had the shortest REM latency, while the
catatonic subtype had the longest. The hebephrenic subtype
had the lowest percentage of REM sleep and sleep efficiency,
while the catatonic subtype had the highest. The duration of
Slow Wave Sleep (SWS) was lowest in the undifferentiated
subtype and highest in the catatonic subtype.
Conclusion: This study reveals significant differences in sleep
patterns between patients with schizophrenia and the control
group, as well as among the various subtypes of schizophrenia.
These distinctions provide insight into the relationship between
schizophrenia subtypes, sleep irregularities, and clinical
consequences. Further investigation is necessary to explore
differences in sleep architecture among the various subtypes of
schizophrenia and yield clinically meaningful results
Detection of Reactive Oxygen Species by a Carbon-Dot–Ascorbic Acid Hydrogel
Detection of reactive oxygen species
(ROS) is important in varied
biological processes, disease diagnostics, and chemotherapeutic drug
screening. We constructed a ROS sensor comprising an ascorbic-acid-based
hydrogel encapsulating luminescent amphiphilic carbon-dots (C-dots).
The sensing mechanism is based upon ROS-induced oxidation of the ascorbic
acid units within the hydrogel scaffold; as a consequence, the hydrogel
framework collapses resulting in aggregation of the C-dots and quenching
of their luminescence. The C-dot–hydrogel platform exhibits
high sensitivity and detected ROS generated chemically in solution
and in actual cell environments. We demonstrate application of the
C-dot–hydrogel for evaluating the efficacy of a chemotherapeutic
substance, underscoring the potential of the system for drug screening
applications
Bis(nitrate)diaquauranyl(VI) synthon to generate [1 x 2+1 x 1] and [1 x 1+1 x 1] co-crystalized 3d center dot center dot center dot 5f self-assemblies
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