New Records of Thecacineta cothurnioides and Trematosoma rotunda (Ciliophora, Suctorea) as epibionts on nematodes from the Indian Ocean

This article deals with the report of two suctorian ciliates species viz. Thecacineta cothurnioides Collin, 1909 and Trematosoma rotunda (Allgén, 1952 ) as epibionts on Tricoma sp. and Pseudochromadora sp. (Nematoda) respectively from Ratnagiri, west coast of India, Arabian Sea (Indian Ocean). Redescription of two species with distribution and nomenclatural notes are given. Both species are recorded here first time from Indian coast and the Indian Ocean. Genus Tricoma Cobb, 1894 is also recorded here first time as a host of Th. cothurnioides

Hidden Markov model technique for dynamic spectrum access

Dynamic spectrum access is a paradigm used to access the spectrum dynamically. A hidden Markov model (HMM) is one in which you observe a sequence of emissions, but do not know the sequence of states the model went through to generate the emissions. Analysis of hidden Markov models seeks to recover the sequence of states from the observed data. In this paper, we estimate the occupancy state of channels using hidden Markov process. Using Viterbi algorithm, we generate the most likely states and compare it with the channel states. We generated two HMMs, one slowly changing and another more dynamic and compare their performance. Using the Baum-Welch algorithm and maximum likelihood algorithm we calculated the estimated transition and emission matrix, and then we compare the estimated states prediction performance of both the methods using stationary distribution of average estimated transition matrix calculated by both the methods

A Video Upgradation of Low Vision AVI Video by Individual Pixel Channel Intensity Measurement and Its Enhancement

From the past few decades, the researchers and scholars have done the quality work in video and image processing and a wide range of outcomes has been discover and invented including the resolutions and sensitivity. Apart from these work there are many aspects are still hidden such as record a high dynamic range images and videos in low-light conditions especially when light is very low. When the intensity of noise is greater than the signal then the traditional denoising techniques cannot done their work properly. For this problem, many approaches being designed and developed to enhance the low-light video but Low contrast and noise remains a barrier to visually pleasing videos in low light conditions. To capture the videos in social gatherings, concerts, parties, musical events, dark forest and in security monitoring situations are still unsolved problem. In such conditions the video enhancement of low light video is really a tedious and tough job. This paper is proposing a new approach of video enhancement. The work is further going on to find a technique for better visibility of video

Implementation of Vision Based Robot Navigation System in Dynamic Environment

In this paper the implementation of robot navigation in the dynamic environment using vision based approach is proposed. Vision based robot navigation has been a fundamental goal in both robotics and computer vision research. In the visual guidelines based navigation system, the motion instructions required to control the robot can be inferred directly from the acquired images. In this work, the algorithm is designed for an intelligent robot which is placed in an unknown environment. The robot detects the signs from a captured images using features based extraction and moves according to the signs. Also, it is able to tackle an encountered obstacle in its way. The robot successfully detects different signs like right, left and stop from an image. DOI: 10.17762/ijritcc2321-8169.15065

Quality Assessments of Various Digital Image Fusion Techniques

Image Fusion is a process of combining the relevant information from a set of images into a single image, where the resultant fused image will be more informative and complete than any of the input images. The goal of image fusion (IF) is to integrate complementary multisensory, multitemporal and/or multiview information into one new image containing information the quality of which cannot be achieved otherwise. It has been found that the standard fusion methods perform well spatially but usually introduce spectral distortion, Image fusion techniques can improve the quality and increase the application of these data. In this Project we use various image fusion techniques using discrete wavelet transform and discrete cosine transform and it is proposed to analyze the fused image, after that by using various quality assessment factors it is proposed to analyze subject images and draw a conclusion that from which transformation technique we can find the better results. In this project several applications and comparisons between different fusion schemes and rules are addressed

An Approach of Initiating Geriatric Screening OPD at the Rural Health Training Centre of SMVMCH, Pondicherry

Objectives: To study the common chronic health problems among the elderly patients attending in recently initiated geriatric screening OPD at the RHTC. Material and Methods: Since one year, screening OPD has been started at RHTC of SMVMCH, for old patients (>60 years), twice a week. A team of trained medical interns, a post-graduate, a faculty in Community Medicine and a counselor screen and counsel the elderly patients for common medical and mental health problems. The screening tool is structured and has been adopted for patients of geriatric OPD at RHTC. The screening tool consist of General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-5), Psychosis screening, Alzheimer’s disease (AD8) questionnaire and checklist of common medical conditions. Patients were screened for early detection of health problems followed by counseling them/their caregivers and referral to specialty OPD for further care. Results: Total 512 elderly patients were screened over 4 months period from the start of geriatric OPD. Out of them, 276 (54%) and 117 (23%) were between the age group of 60-65 years and 66-70 years respectively. Among them 387 (75%) were below poverty line and 68 (13.3%) were having some kind of health insurance. GHQ score indicates that 255 (50%) patients had a score more than one and it was significantly higher among females compared to males. About 76 (16.8%) elderly had a score of > 1 for psychosis, out of which only 12 (14%) were referred to the higher centre. AD8 score shows 204 (40%) patients attended the clinic having a score more than 1 and it is significantly higher among females compared to males. Counseling for caregivers was given only in 13 (6%) of the patients with high AD8 score. Common chronic conditions present among them were joint pains (310, 60%), visual disturbances (247, 48%), hearing difficulty (120, 23.4%) and hypertension (107, 21%). Conclusion: The proportion of people with AD8 score more than 1 is high and most common chronic condition seen is joint pain. The action component of the clinic such as referral of dementia patients, psychosis patients and counseling of their care-givers need to be strengthened

A Survey: Wireless Body Area Network for Health Monitoring

With an increasingly mobile society and the worldwide deployment of mobile and wireless networks, the wireless infrastructure can support many current and emerging health care applications. Citizens, being patients or non-patients, will not only be able to get medical advice from a distance but will also be able to send from any location full detailed and accurate vital signal measurements, as if they had been taken in medical centers. Towards this direction, the proposed system is highly customizable vital signal monitoring system based on Wireless Body Area Networks (WBAN). The proposed system allows the incorporation of diverse medical sensors via wireless connections and the live transmission of the measured vital signals over public wireless networks to healthcare providers. This paper discusses different scenarios where this wearable health monitoring system can be used and different types of sensors are used to measure the different parameters such as temperatures, glucose, heart beats, ECG, EEG, etc. Finally, through a case study, we demonstrate how the diabetic patient takes the advantage of this system

Social inequalities in heat-attributable mortality in the city of Turin, northwest of Italy: a time series analysis from 1982 to 2018

Background: Understanding context specific heat-health risks in urban areas is important, especially given anticipated severe increases in summer temperatures due to climate change effects. We investigate social inequalities in the association between daily temperatures and mortality in summer in the city of Turin for the period 1982–2018 among different social and demographic groups such as sex, age, educational level, marital status and household occupants. Methods: Mortality data are represented by individual all-cause mortality counts for the summer months between 1982 and 2018. Socioeconomic level and daily mean temperature were assigned to each deceased. A time series Poisson regression with distributed lag non-linear models was fitted to capture the complex nonlinear dependency between daily mortality and temperature in summer. The mortality risk due to heat is represented by the Relative Risk (RR) at the 99th percentile of daily summer temperatures for each population subgroup. Results: All-cause mortality risk is higher among women (1.88; 95% CI = 1.77, 2.00) and the elderly (2.13; 95% CI = 1.94, 2.33). With regard to education, the highest significant effects for men is observed among higher education levels (1.66; 95% CI = 1.38, 1.99), while risks for women is higher for the lower educational level (1.93; 95% CI = 1.79, 2.08). Results on marital status highlighted a stronger association for widower in men (1.66; 95% CI = 1.38, 2.00) and for separated and divorced in women (2.11; 95% CI = 1.51, 2.94). The risk ratio of household occupants reveals a stronger association for men who lived alone (1.61; 95% CI = 1.39, 1.86), while for women results are almost equivalent between alone and not alone groups. Conclusions: The associations between heat and mortality is unequal across different aspects of social vulnerability, and, inter alia, factors influencing the population vulnerability to temperatures can be related to demographic, social, and economic aspects. A number of issues are identified and recommendations for the prioritisation of further research are provided. A better knowledge of these effect modifiers is needed to identify the axes of social inequality across the most vulnerable population sub-groups

Ublažavajući učinak biljke Andrographis paniculata na promjene u brojlera uzrokovane bakterijom E. coli

The present investigation was carried out to evaluate the ameliorative effect of Andrographis paniculata during E. coli-induced pathology in broilers. Day-old broiler chicks (n = 100) were randomly divided into four equal groups. Group I served as a negative control and was fed with a commercial diet. On day 8, the birds from groups II and IV were challenged with a single oral dose of E. coli broth culture 0.2 mL (1×109 cfu/mL). Groups III and IV were fed with Andrographis paniculata 5 g/kg of feed from day old to the end of the experiment. The total duration of the experiment was 35 days. On the 7th, 21st and 28th day post infection (DPI) with E. coli, six birds from each group were randomly sacrificed and observed for gross and histopathogical observations. Group II birds showed ascites and thickened intestinal mucosa with cheesy material on the 28th and 35th DPI. Pathomorphological alterations, viz. congestion, hemorrhages, degenerations, necrosis, fibrinous exudates, edema, mononuclear cell and heterophil infiltration in the lung, liver, heart, kidneys and duodenum were observed in group II birds, along with depletion of the lymphoid cell population in the spleen. Pretreatment of Andrographis paniculata in the E. coli challenged group led to mild degenerative changes in all organs, indicating the putative protective effect of the plant during E. coli induced pathology in broilers. However, further, more elaborated study is required to calculate the dosage of Andrographis paniculata for use as an antibacterial agent in broiler feed.Istraživanje je provedeno kako bi se procijenio ublažavajući učinak biljke Kineski andrografis (Andrographis paniculata) na patološke procese u brojlera uzrokovane bakterijom E. coli. Jednodnevni pilići (n = 100) slučajnim su odabirom podijeljeni u četiri jednake skupine. Prva je skupina poslužila kao negativna kontrola i hranjena je komercijalnom hranom. Osmi dan pilićima iz druge i četvrte skupine peroralno je dana jednokratna doza E. coli bujona u količini od 0,2 mL (1×109 cfu/mL). Treća i četvrta skupina hranjene su biljkom Andrographis paniculata u količini od 5 g/kg hrane od početka do kraja pokusa. Istraživanje je trajalo 35 dana. Sedmi, 21. i 28. dan nakon zaražavanja bakterijom E. coli po šest pilića iz svake skupine nasumce je usmrćeno te su promatrane makroskopske i patohistološke promjene. U drugoj je skupini uočen ascites i zadebljanje crijevne sluznice sa sirastim naslagama 28. i 35. dan poslije zaražavanja. U toj su skupini promatrane patomorfološke promjene poput kongestije, krvarenja, degeneracije, nekroze, fibrinskog eksudata, edema, infiltracije pluća, jetre, srca, bubrega i dvanaesnika mononuklearnim i heterofilnim stanicama, uz depleciju limfoidnih stanica u slezeni. Dodavanje biljke Andrographis paniculata skupini zaraženoj bakterijom E. coli utjecalo je na pojavu blažih degenerativnih promjena u svim organima, što upućuje na zaštitni učinak biljke tijekom izlaganja brojlera bakteriji E. coli. Potrebna su daljnja istraživanja kako bi se izračunala doza biljke Andrographis paniculata kao antibakterijskog dodatka/lijeka u prehrani brojlera

Clinical challenges with excipients in insulin formulations and role of concentrated insulin

Most of the insulin formulations in clinical use contain phenol, meta-cresol or both as excipients. These excipients in insulin preparations provide stability and have antimicrobial properties. However, they are reported to be associated with undesirable side-effects especially localised allergic reactions. Amount of excipients injected per unit dose of insulin is a major determining factor in causation of these reactions. This review discusses the excipients in different insulin formulations available in India with potential of precipitating undesirable effects and the use of concentrated insulins to reduce these complications. To avoid the detrimental effects associated with excipients, removal of preservatives or use of insulin preparations devoid of excipients can be an option. Besides these approaches, one approach that can be considered is the use of concentrated insulin to reduce the volume of insulin dose and thereby the excipients. Concentrated insulins address the high insulin requirements of the growing population of patients with type 2 diabetes who require higher insulin doses. Concentrated insulins help in reduction of dose volume as well as amount of excipients injected per unit dose of insulin. U200 (concentrated r-DNA Human Insulin Premix 30/70-200 IU/ml) can be advantageous with better absorption from smaller quantity injected, lesser variability in absorption, lesser pain and discomfort due to smaller quantity, lesser chances of hypoglycaemia all of which can lead to better patient compliance. Thus, concentrated insulin U200 can be one of the alternatives to prevent/reduce clinical complications with excipients in insulins