Adaptive Real-Time Decoding of Brain Signals for Long-Term Control of a Neuro-Prosthetic Device

Changes in the statistical properties of neural signals recorded at the brain machine interface (BMI) pose significant challenges for accurate long-term control of prostheses interfaced directly with the brain by continuously altering the relationship between neural responses and desired action. In this thesis, we develop and test an adaptive decoding algorithm that can recover from changes in the statistical properties of neural signals within minutes. The adaptive decoding algorithm uses a Kalman filter as part of a dual-filter design to continuously optimize the relationship between the observed neural responses and the desired action of the prosthesis. Performance of the algorithm was evaluated by simulating the encoding of arm movement by neurons in the primary motor cortex under stationary conditions as well as nonstationary conditions depicting loss and/or replacement of neurons in the population. The time taken for the system to fully recover (3-12 minutes) was faster than other adaptive systems (Rotermund et al 2006) and resulted in errors that were well matched to the initial system performance. The algorithm adapts to the local properties of the stimulus and is able to decode movements with high accuracy outside the trained movement space. This implementation lends itself favorably toward a portable, robust long-term decoding approach at the brain machine interface capable of providing accurate real-time decoding of neural signals over periods of weeks to months without outside intervention

Incorporating indigenous knowledge into the school science curriculum.

Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2006.This case study explores a relatively new and stimulating method of incorporatin

Premenstrual syndrome and its association with menstrual profile among female students of colleges in Ujjain city, Madhya Pradesh, India

Background: Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) is a common psychosomatic disorder which affects 30%-50% of women in child bearing age. Symptoms’ have devastating effect which starts early in life. So, the study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and its association with menstrual profile among female students of colleges situated in Ujjain city.Methods: Observational follow-up study was conducted at 4 colleges selected by convenience sampling located in Ujjain city. PMS and menstrual profile related data from 250 girls (18-25years) who consented to participate were collected using a modified version of daily record of severity of problems for atleast 2 consecutive menstrual cycles. Diagnosis of PMS was made using ACOG criteria. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 16.0.Results: The prevalence of PMS was 39.6% and was found to be negatively associated with any history of mothers having menstrual problems.Conclusions: Frequency of PMS is relatively common in young girls and has negative association with any history of mothers having menstrual problems. Measures should be adopted so that mothers can condition their daughters about premenstrual symptoms which will influence the quality of life of young females

A study of self-medication practices among medical students

Background: Self-medication is widely prevalent in India, more so among medical students as they have easy access to information from drug indices, literature and physician samples. Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional type of study conducted among undergraduate students of a medical college in Maharashtra. Minimum sample size came out to be 259 by taking prevalence of self-medication as 78.6% from a previous study conducted on similar population. 75 students each were randomly selected from all four batches of MBBS. Data collection was done by using pretested questionnaire and it was analysed using SPSS version 22. Qualitative data was expressed in proportions and quantitative data was expressed in mean and standard deviation. Chi square test was used to check the association of various factors and self-medication practice. Results: The prevalence of self-medication was found to be 72.1%. The practice was significantly more common in females, those belonging to urban areas and those from senior batches of MBBS (p<0.05). Headache (34.2%), acidity (25.7%) and fever (24.3%) were most common indications and antipyretics (28.2%), antihistamincs (17.3%) and analgesics (11.4%) were commonly used drugs for self-medication. In spite of being aware about the side effects of self-medication and importance of completing antibiotic course, their practices were largely unfavourable. Previous prescriptions (45.5%), family members (23.8%), pharmacist (21.8%) and medical textbooks (18.3%) were sources of information about self-medication. Conclusions: Self-medication was highly prevalent among medical students with more prevalence among females, students from urban areas and senior students. The practices of students were also unfavourable

The effects of elite-mass gaps on political stability.

Dept. of History, Philosophy, and Political Science. Paper copy at Leddy Library: Theses & Major Papers - Basement, West Bldg. / Call Number: Thesis1972 .K24. Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 40-07, page: . Thesis (M.A.)--University of Windsor (Canada), 1972

Evaluation of osteoporotic trochanteric fractures treated with cement-augmented dynamic hip screw

Background: Dynamic hip screw (DHS) has been the standard treatment for stable trochanteric fracture patterns. However, primary stabilization with dynamic/sliding hip screw is not always successful, especially in osteoporotic fractures. Internal fixation in such a situation may achieve a satisfactory initial fracture site reduction, but late fracture collapse into varus during weight bearing, can lead to a high failure rate. Since 1975, polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) cement-augmented DHS have been used as a solution in unstable ITFs by adding an anchoring ability to the lag screw.Methods: A series of 33 osteoporotic intertrochanteric fractures were operated with cement augmented dynamic hip screw. One patient lost to follow up. All patients were then allowed partial weight bearing walker aided ambulation under the guidance of physiotherapist on the second or third postoperative day. The patients were followed radio logically and clinically at regular intervals (1st month, than at 3rd month and then at 6th month interval after surgery). Results were graded as excellent (score >31), good (score 24-31), fair (score 16-23), and poor (score <16). Clinical result was given according to Salvati and Wilson scoring.Results: Total 33 patients were taken for the study they were followed for minimum 6 months and at 6 months the clinical outcome was rated as per the Salvati and Wilson scoring system. One patient lost to follow-up. Final clinical results as evaluated by Salvati and Wilson scoring were; excellent in 24 cases (75%), good in 7 cases (21.88%), fair in 1 case (3.12%) and poor in 0 cases (0%). There were no non-union, AVN, implant failure and screw cut-out in our study.Conclusions: The surgical management of intertrochanteric fractures with PMMA augmented DHS provide a stable fixation with moderate pain free early mobilisation and better outcome in osteoporotic patients without the complications of superior screw cut-out, sliding collapse, and with the appropriate placement of bone cement along with proper amount (4-5 ml) of cement we can also reduce the cement related complications such as delayed healing, nonunion, heat necrosis and avascular necrosis

More than just meat: Carcass decomposition shapes trophic identities in a terrestrial vertebrate

Most food web models fail to account for the full complexity of interactions within a community, particularly where microbes are involved. Carcasses are microbe-rich resources and may represent a common nexus for the macrobiome and microbiome, effectively uniting autotrophs, consumers, predators and microbiota. We evaluated the role of carcasses as multitrophic resources and explored dietary partitioning for a sexually dimorphic obligate scavenger known for its hierarchical social system. This study was set in a well-studied community of camelids Vicugna, Lama guanicoe, pumas Puma concolor and Andean condors Vultur gryphus in the Andes. We hypothesized that condors, by feeding on trophically distinct dietary substrates within any given carcass, would have highly variable trophic position (TP) values. Furthermore, we expected that the microbial consumers within the carcass would inflate TP values in both, the carrion and the condors. Thus, we expected that the trophic heterogeneity within a carcass could facilitate sex-based dietary partitioning in condors. We used a multifaceted approach to assess the foraging of Andean condors, using regurgitated pellet and bulk isotopic analyses, and also quantified the TP of the entire community of graminoids, camelids, camelid carrion, pumas, and female and male condors employing compound-specific stable isotopes analysis of amino acids. Our analysis of condor pellets and bulk isotopes revealed non-trivial plant consumption, close to 10% of condor diet. Isotope analysis of amino acids revealed that condors had highly variable TPs (2.9 ± 0.3) compared to pumas (3.0 ± 0.0) and camelids (2.0 ± 0.1), likely representing ‘trophic omnivory’, wherein the condors consume plants (TP = 1.0 ± 0.1) and microbe-colonized carrion (2.3 ± 0.1). Female condors exhibited a TP (2.8 ± 0.2) lower than strict carnivory, suggesting that they consume more plant biomass in a carcass, while males (TP = 3.1 ± 0.3) are likely consuming more of the microbe-rich animal tissue. Our study highlights that carcasses represent a trophically heterogeneous resource and that vertebrate scavengers can feed across trophic groups within the carcass, from autotrophs to secondary consumers, and from both the macrobiome and microbiome. Thus, integration of microbes in macroecological contexts can help to resolve trophic identity, and better characterize the importance of microbes in detritivorous and omnivorous species. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.Fil: Barceló, Gonzalo. University of Wisconsin; Estados UnidosFil: Perrig, Paula Leticia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universidad Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; Argentina. University of Wisconsin; Estados UnidosFil: Dharampal, Prarthana. University of Wisconsin; Estados UnidosFil: Donadio, Emiliano. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universidad Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; Argentina. Fundación Rewilding Argentina; ArgentinaFil: Steffan, Shawn A.. United States Department of Agriculture. Agriculture Research Service; Estados Unidos. University of Wisconsin; Estados UnidosFil: Pauli, Jonathan Nicholas. University of Wisconsin; Estados Unido