Optical Characterization of Rare Earth Doped Glasses

Optical amplifiers are highly sought-after in optical communications to power boost light signals carrying information. Rare Earth doped glasses have been the medium of choice for optical amplification. It is, therefore, essential to understand the interaction of light with potential host glasses for rare-earths before they could be proposed as suitable candidates. In this research, we have optically characterized three different rare earth doped bulk glasses. The glass samples investigated were Neodymium doped Gallium Lanthanum Sulfide (GLS:Nd), Erbium doped Germanium Gallium Sulfide (GeGaS:Er) and Erbium doped Fluorochlorozirconate (FCZ:Er). The transmission spectra, T(λ), was used in identifying the absorption transitions of rare earth ions from the ground level to the various excited levels and in obtaining the optical absorption coefficient, α(λ). This in turn was used in determining the Judd-Ofelt parameters, which were then used in obtaining radiative lifetimes of the energy levels of interest. Photoluminescence emission bands were also identified and their shapes were investigated. Finally, a comparison of the Judd-Ofelt lifetime with the experimental decay time was also done. From which, the major decay mechanism of the rare earth ions from the energy level under investigation was concluded

HETEROSIS FOR YIELD AND YIELD ATTRIBUTED TRAITS IN RICE (Oryza sativa L.)

Rice is the foremost food crop among cereals and it is staple food crop providing high calories for the people of South East Asia. The Objectives of the study was the extent of heterosis components of grain yield in F1 hybrids. The Materials for this study considered of parents and thirty F1 hybrids derived from crossing of three cross lines viz., IR58025A, IR62829A and PUSA3A and ten testers. Pollen and spikelet fertility revealed the identification of ten testers. For heterosis studies majority of the crosses showed positive heterosis for the characters viz., productive tillers, filled grains per panicle, spikelet fertility, thousand grain weight, grain yield per plant, grain length, grain breadth, grain L/B ratio, kernel L/B ratio, milling recovery, head rice recovery, and amylose content. Negative heterosis were recorded for the characters namely days to first flowering, plant height, panicle length, kernel length, kernel breadth and alkali digestion value. Hybrids IR58025A ´ ASD19, IR62829A ´ ASD16, PUSA3A ´ IR42 were found to record high per se performance, higher percentage of standard heterosis for majority of the traits

Analytical study of Acute Intestinal Obstruction – Large Intestine Vs Small Intestine

INTRODUCTION: Acute intestinal obstruction continued to be a emergency presentation till date. It is one of the gravest emergencies presenting to the surgeon in all aspects. It was said by Berkeley Moynihans in 1926 “when called upon to deal with a case of acute intestinal obstruction the surgeon is confronted with of the gravest and most disastrous emergencies. The patient may be, and often is, a man or woman in the prime of life, in full enjoyment of vigorous health, who, without, warning, is suddenly seized with the most intolerable pain in the abdomen…..” Physical signs and their interpretation reach very much of importance in the diagnosis. It is one of the emergencies where as quickly as possible we act, the result will be remarkable. This fact was indicated by Sir Heneage Ogilvie that “in the acute abdominal emergencies the difference between the best and worst surgery is infinitely less than that between early and late surgery, and greatest sacrifice of all is the sacrifice of time” more apt in the present context. AIM OF THE STUDY: 1. To evaluate the common causes of acute intestinal obstruction in this region. 2. To identify the aetiopathogenesis. 3. To evaluate the various modes of presentation. 4. To study the various modalities of treatment in this centre. 5. To evaluate the morbidity and mortality of acute intestinal obstruction. 6. Causes may vary in acute intestional obstruction in different cases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 90 cases of acute intestinal obstruction admitted in all surgical wards, Thanjavur Medical College Hospital, Thanjavur, over a span of 1 year form October 2014 – October 2015. Both men and women more than 15 years of age totaling 60 cases with features of acute intestinal obstruction were chosen. The paediatric patients were not included in this study. The Age, Sex detailed History relevant to the etiology were noted. The characteristic clinical features of acute intestinal obstruction were abdominal pain, vomiting, constipation/obstipation, Abdominal distension and clinical signs including Fever (>37.2C). Tachycardia (>100/mt), Palpable abdominal mass if any were noted. All the patients were subjected to investigation while resuscitative measures were on progress: 1. Urine – albumin, sugar, 2. Hb%, 3. Blood Grouping with typing, 4. WBC count 5. Blood – urea, sugar, 6. Serum Creatinine, Electrolytes – in cases with severe dehydration. 7. X – ray chest PA view, 8. ECG, 9. Plain X-ray abdomen erect and supine position and results were recorded. After adequate preoperative preparation, all patients were subjected to surgical procedures appropriate to the condition and preoperative pathology were noted. The etiological incidence, Sex incidence, Age incidence, incidence of strangulation, value of plain X-ray Abdomen in diagnosis of acute intestinal obstruction, importance of early treatment were studied. CONCLUSION: 1. Among the causes of Acute Intestinal obstruction, 78.16% is contributed by Small bowel obstruction and 21.84% by Large bowel obstruction. 2. The major cause of acute intestinal obstruction is still External hernia (48.03%) here. Among this, inguinal hernia alone accounts for 81.82% in total. 3. Even though the inguinal hernia causing obstruction is highly prevalent, the Strangulation rate comes down dramatically to 13.33% (12) cases. 4. Adhesive obstruction accounts for 18.78% in total, of which the Postsurgical adhesion is the major cause. 5. Sigmoid volvulus ranks fourth in etiology of acute intestinal obstruction contributing 9.61%, next only to large bowel neoplasms contributing 10.48%. 6. Sigmoid volvulus contributes to large bowel obstruction accounting for 44 % and Neoplasm contributes to 48 % only. 7. Clinical parameters fail to differentiate between simple and strangulated obstruction exactly. 8. Plain X-ray abdomen is a valuable in the diagnosis of the acute obstruction (73%) and hence it is considered as minimal investigation before surgery. 9. Early surgical intervention and antibiotics has reduced the mortality of the simple bowel obstruction. 10. In Strangulated obstruction, the mortality rate is still significantly more, due to age, associated diseases and late arrival to hospital. 11. Mortality associated with large bowel obstruction is 14% compared to 7.26% with small bowel obstruction. 12. Early diagnosis and early surgical intervention is the key to reduce the mortality

Effects of Laryngeal Restriction on Pharyngeal Peristalsis and Biomechanics: Clinical Implications

To date, rehabilitative exercises aimed at strengthening the pharyngeal muscles have not been developed due to the inability to successfully overload and fatigue these muscles during their contraction, a necessary requirement for strength training. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that applying resistance against anterosuperior movement of the hyolaryngeal complex will overload the pharyngeal muscles and by repetitive swallowing will result in their fatigue manifested by a reduction in pharyngeal peristaltic amplitude. Studies were done in two groups. In group 1 studies 15 healthy subjects (age: 42 ± 14 yr, 11 females) were studied to determine whether imposing resistance to swallowing using a handmade device can affect the swallow-induced hyolaryngeal excursion and related upper esophageal sphincter (UES) opening. In group 2, an additional 15 healthy subjects (age 56 ± 25 yr, 7 females) were studied to determine whether imposing resistance to the anterosuperior excursion of the hyolaryngeal complex induces fatigue manifested as reduction in pharyngeal contractile pressure during repeated swallowing. Analysis of the video recordings showed significant decrease in maximum deglutitive superior laryngeal excursion and UES opening diameter (P \u3c 0.01) due to resistive load. Consecutive swallows against the resistive load showed significant decrease in pharyngeal contractile integral (PhCI) values (P \u3c 0.01). Correlation analysis showed a significant negative correlation between PhCI and successive swallows, suggesting “fatigue” (P \u3c 0.001). In conclusion, repeated swallows against a resistive load induced by restricting the anterosuperior excursion of the larynx safely induces fatigue in pharyngeal peristalsis and thus has the potential to strengthen the pharyngeal contractile function

Study on permanent tubal sterilisation in a semi-urban based medical college hospital

Background: Tubal sterilisation is a permanent method of contraception in use for many years. Main objective of our study is to find the acceptance of permanent method of tubal sterilisation in women delivering in a semi-urban based medical college hospital.Methods: Retrospective analysis was carried to find the number of women undergoing tubal sterilisation in our hospital for period of one year from April 2015 to March 2016.Results: Total women delivered over a period of one year were 10959 out of them 2619 women underwent tubal sterilisation. Analysis showed acceptance was high when combined with lower segment cesarian section (LSCS) and more among women in the age of 20-29 years.Conclusions: The present study showed the acceptance of tubal sterilisation following vaginal delivery to undergo mini lap is still low compared to concurrent sterilisation with LSCS. High order births are still prevalent in semi-urban based hospitals. Not only motivation, also regular review of registers that update the eligible couples, identification of complications and timely referral to higher centers will help in achieving the goal of bringing down the number of high order birth which in turn will reducing the maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity

Acceptance of postplacental intrauterine contraceptive device: recent increase in trend

Background: IUCD is a temporary method of contraception in use for many years. Our main objective is to find the acceptance of (postplacental intrauterine contraceptive device) PPIUCD in recent years.Methods: Retrospective Analysis was carried out to collect information regarding IUCD insertion in all women delivered at semi urban based medical college in Tamil Nadu from April 2014 to March 2016.Results: Total women delivered in our hospital were 20949 over a period of two years. Two year comparative study revealed significant increase in acceptance of PPIUCD insertion among primipara from 39.1% TO 68.9%. Acceptance of PPIUCD in primipara was 51.6% in first year (April 2014 to March 2015) to 87.8% in second year (April 2015 to March 2016).Most of the women were in the age group of 20 to 29 years (81.5%).Conclusions: The present study being retrospective analysis showed sudden increase in coverage rate of PPIUCD from 2014-2015 to 2015-2016. Though the patients were motivated in the same way throughout the period, training and motivation given to the staff nurses and duty doctors in the labour ward for PPIUCD insertion and daily review instead of weekly had brought the significant increase in the coverage. This clearly shows the role of service provider in the success of a national program though acceptor is always ready in most of the times

Association of Small Dense LDL with Coronary Artery Disease and Diabetes in Urban Asian Indians - The Chennai Urban Rural Epidemiology Study (CURES-8)

Objective: Earlier studies in Europeans have identified small dense LDL to be associated with coronary artery disease and diabetes. In this study we assessed the association of small dense LDL with diabetes and CAD in Asian Indians. Methods: Study subjects were selected from the Chennai Urban Rural Epidemiology Study (CURES), a population based study on representative sample of Chennai city in southern India. Group 1:non-diabetic subjects (n=30); Group 2: diabetic subjects without CAD (n=30); Group 3:diabetic subjects with CAD (n=30). LDL subfractions were estimated using LipoPrint LDL system. LDL subfractions 3 and above, defined as small dense LDL was summed up to determine the overall small LDL. 75th percentile of the overall small dense LDL in non-diabetic subjects was used as a cut-off for defining elevated levels of small dense LDL. Results: The mean age of the study subjects was not significantly different among groups. Overall small dense LDL was significantly higher in diabetic subjects with CAD (16.7 ± 11.1 mg/dl, p<0.05) and without CAD (11.1 ± 8.0 mg/dl, p<0.05) compared to non-diabetic subjects without CAD (7.2 ± 6.8 mg/dl). Small dense LDL showed a positive correlation with fasting plasma glucose (r=0.252, p=0.023), HbA1c (r=0.281, p=0.012), total cholesterol (r=0.443, p<0.001), triglycerides(r=0.685, p<0.001), LDL(r=0.342, p=0.002), total cholesterol/HDL ratio (r=0.660, p=<0.001) and triglycerides/HDL ratio(r=0.728, p<0.001) and a negative correlation with HDL cholesterol (r= -0.341, p=0.002) and QUICKI values (r= -0.260, p=0.019). ROC curves constructed to predict elevated small dense LDL ((9.0 mg/dl) revealed that triglycerides/HDL ratio and total cholesterol/HDL ratio had higher AUC values compared to other parameters. A triglycerides/HDL ratio of 3.0 had the optimum sensitivity (80.0%) and specificity (78.0%) for detecting elevated small dense LDL. Conclusion: This data suggests that in Asian Indians, small dense LDL is associated with both diabetes and CAD and that a triglycerides/HDL ratio (3.0 could serve a surrogate marker of small dense LDL

MACHINE LEARNING OF TWITTER FEEDS AND WOMEN SAFETY IN INDIAN CITIES

Aim: The paper focuses on the role of Twitter feeds in finding safety aspects of women and girls in Indian cities using machine learning algorithms. Results: The data set obtained through Twitter about women and girls' safety status in Indian cities is analyzed using machine learning tools. Conclusion: Machine learning algorithms help organize and analyze Twitter data, including millions of daily tweets and messages. The same can be extended to other social media platforms. HIGHLIGHTS: A simple machine learning algorithm will help analyze tweet feeds concerning girls' safety

Clinical and Radiological Profile of Patients with Brain Granuloma

SUMMARY: · Brain Granuloma Must be ruled out in all cases presenting with new onset seizures among young individuals. · Neurocysticercosis was the most common cause of brain granuloma. · Tuberculoma was prevalent among Older people whereas Neurocysticerrcosis was prevalent among Young individuals. · Most common presentation among Brain granuloma patients was Generalized tonic clonic seizures. · Electroencephalogram had No correlation with the Type of Brain Granuloma