Neurophysiological correlates of holistic face processing in adolescents with and without autism spectrum disorder

Background: Face processing has been found to be impaired in autism spectrum disorders (ASD). One hypothesis is that individuals with ASD engage in piecemeal compared to holistic face processing strategies. To investigate the role of possible impairments in holistic face processing in individuals with autism, the current study investigated behavioral and electroencephalography (EEG) correlates of face processing (P1/N170 and gamma-band activity) in adolescents with ASD and sex-, age-, and IQ-matched neurotypical controls. Methods: Participants were presented with upright and inverted Mooney stimuli; black and white low information faces that are only perceived as faces when processed holistically. Participants indicated behaviorally the detection of a face. EEG was collected time-locked to the presentation of the stimuli. Results: Adolescents with ASD perceived Mooney stimuli as faces suggesting ability to use holistic processing but displayed a lower face detection rate and slower response times. ERP components suggest slowed temporal processing of Mooney stimuli in the ASD compared to control group for P1 latency but no differences between groups for P1 amplitude and at the N170. Increases in gamma-band activity was similar during the perception of the Mooney images by group, but the ASD group showed prolonged temporal elevation in activity. Conclusion: Overall, our results suggest that adolescents with ASD were able to utilize holistic processing to perceive a face within the Mooney stimuli. Delays in early processing, marked by the P1, and elongated elevation in gamma activity indicate that the neural systems supporting holistic processing are slightly altered suggesting a less automatic and less efficient facial processing system

Resting state EEG in youth with ASD: age, sex, and relation to phenotype

Background Identification of ASD biomarkers is a key priority for understanding etiology, facilitating early diagnosis, monitoring developmental trajectories, and targeting treatment efforts. Efforts have included exploration of resting state encephalography (EEG), which has a variety of relevant neurodevelopmental correlates and can be collected with minimal burden. However, EEG biomarkers may not be equally valid across the autism spectrum, as ASD is strikingly heterogeneous and individual differences may moderate EEG-behavior associations. Biological sex is a particularly important potential moderator, as females with ASD appear to differ from males with ASD in important ways that may influence biomarker accuracy. Methods We examined effects of biological sex, age, and ASD diagnosis on resting state EEG among a large, sex-balanced sample of youth with (N = 142, 43% female) and without (N = 138, 49% female) ASD collected across four research sites. Absolute power was extracted across five frequency bands and nine brain regions, and effects of sex, age, and diagnosis were analyzed using mixed-effects linear regression models. Exploratory partial correlations were computed to examine EEG-behavior associations in ASD, with emphasis on possible sex differences in associations. Results Decreased EEG power across multiple frequencies was associated with female sex and older age. Youth with ASD displayed decreased alpha power relative to peers without ASD, suggesting increased neural activation during rest. Associations between EEG and behavior varied by sex. Whereas power across various frequencies correlated with social skills, nonverbal IQ, and repetitive behavior for males with ASD, no such associations were observed for females with ASD. Conclusions Research using EEG as a possible ASD biomarker must consider individual differences among participants, as these features influence baseline EEG measures and moderate associations between EEG and important behavioral outcomes. Failure to consider factors such as biological sex in such research risks defining biomarkers that misrepresent females with ASD, hindering understanding of the neurobiology, development, and intervention response of this important population

Facilitators and barriers to the uptake of COVID-19 vaccine precaution dose among adult population: qualitative analysis across six different states of India

IntroductionIndia launched the COVID-19 vaccination drive on 16th January 2021 by vaccinating the adult population above 18 years of age. This was followed by the introduction of an additional precaution dose. As on 18th October 2022, 1,02,66,96,808 (1.02 Billion) first dose and 94, 95, 39,516 (949 Million) second doses of COVID-19 vaccine were administered. However, when compared to the uptake of the primary doses, the precaution dose uptake lagged behind with only 21,75, 12,721 (217 million) doses administered. Even though, the uptake of the primary doses remained optimal, irrespective of different interventions by the Government of India, the uptake of the precaution dose remained poor. In this context, the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare wanted to understand the facilitators and Barriers for precaution dose uptake among adults so that future immunization campaigns could address these issues.MethodsAn exploratory qualitative study was conducted to assess the facilitators and barriers for COVID-19 precaution dose uptake at community level across 6 different states in India. From each of the states, two districts with the highest and lowest rates of COVID-19 vaccine precaution dose uptake were selected. In each of these districts, 2 block Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs), one with high and one with low uptake were identified. Within these block PHCs, a PHC field area with high and low precaution dose uptakes was identified. From the identified sites a minimum of four IDIs, four FGDs were conducted among the community members. KIIs of the State Immunization Officers, District Immunisation Officers, PHC Medical Officers, healthcare workers like Accredited Social Health Activist/Auxiliary Nurse Midwife were also conducted. The data was audio recorded and it was transcribed, translated and analysed using framework approach.ResultsIt was observed that rise in COVID-19 cases prompted the community to take the precaution dose, this along with the cost of hospitalization and the number of productive days being lost as a result of being infected resulted in vaccine uptake. The fear of non-availability of COVID-19 vaccines latter on also prompted people for vaccine uptake. While the barriers were, poor accessibility to vaccination centers, long hours of travel, poor road connectivity and lack of transportation facilities. However, the most prominent barriers observed across all study sites was that a sense of pandemic fatigue and complacency had developed both among the providers as well as the beneficiaries. Other barriers include differences in vaccination schedules and longer duration between the primary doses of some vaccines. Media was identified to be both a barrier and facilitator for Covid-19 Precaution dose uptake. Even though media played an important role in disseminating information in the beginning of the campaign, it was soon followed by the circulation of both misinformation and disinformation.DiscussionThe study identified that dissemination of accurate information and community involvement at each stage of planning and implementation are crucial for the success of any campaign. Efforts should be constantly made to address and re-invent strategies that will be most suitable for the needs of the community. Therefore, in order to ensure successful vaccination campaigns, it is crucial that along with political will it is also important to have a decentralized approach with inter-sectoral coordination with different stakeholders such as healthcare workers, community members and the different departments such as the local self-governments, education department, law & order department etc. These lessons learnt from COVID-19 vaccination campaigns must not be forgotten and must be applied in future vaccination campaigns and while framing public health policies

Comparative evaluation of plasma fibrinogen degradation product and salivary fibrin precipitating factor in oral submucous fibrosis patients and betel quid chewers

Aim and Objectives: Estimation and correlation of plasma fibrinogen degradation product (FDP) and salivary fibrin precipitating factor (FPF) in oral sub mucous fibrosis (OSMF) patients, betel quid chewers without OSMF and healthy individuals. The study aims to evaluate whether FDP and FPF can be used as a marker for development and progression of OSMF and whether there is any correlation between the two. Methodology: The study included 163 subjects grouped into three categories, Group 1, which included 54 control patients, Group 2, which included 55 betel quid chewers, and Group 3, which included 54 clinically confirmed OSMF patients. All of them were subjected to the estimation of plasma FDP and salivary FPF. Results: FDP was present in 52 (96.3%) patients in Group 3, 2 (3.6%) patients in Group 2, and 1 patient in Group 1 (1.9%). FPF was positive in eight patients. The correlation of FDP and FPF was done by Fisher's exact test and was found to be statistically nonsignificant. Conclusion: In the present study, FDP was positive in 52 (96.3%) OSMF patients; hence, FDP may be used as an early indicator of OSMF. FDP was found to be positive in two patients with a habit of chewing betel quid without OSMF. It may be hypothesized that these patients are more likely to develop OSMF. Hence, the estimation of FDP may be used as a diagnostic test to predict an impending OSMF before it could manifest itself clinically. FPF was negative in some OSMF patients, may be because it is below the detectable range

Analysis of microplastics in the estuary lying along the coastal belt of the Arabian Sea

The significant impact of microplastics in the marine environment has sparked global concern. These tiny plastic particles travel from land to the estuary through rivers, where they become intricately distributed within the estuarine dynamics. The spatial distribution of plastic debris and sedimentation in the estuary is mainly influenced by the dynamics of the estuary, posing a scientific challenge that demands immediate attention. The main objective of this study is to analyse the microplastic contamination in the water samples collected from the Azhikkal estuary in Kannur, India, subsequent to the establishment of a seaport in the region, using a home assembled micro-Raman spectrometer. This research sheds light on the extensive prevalence of microplastics detected in the vicinity of the estuary’s entrance, with a specific focus on the consequences of seaport construction in the surrounding region. Within the surveyed region, a considerable quantity of 1260 microplastic particles and 1480 anthropogenic particles were identified. The predominant plastic varieties observed in this particular area consist of polystyrene (38 %), polysulfone (5 %), polypropylene (1 %), and polyethylene terephthalate (1 %). The predominant microplastics discovered in this region consisted mainly of fragments (82 %) and fibers (15 %), varying in sizes from 10 to 100 μm (36 %), resulting in a higher surface area to volume ratio. The existence of red and blue pigments, such as copper phthalocyanine and indigo blue, in plastic pollution discovered in this vicinity is causing alarm over the potential harmful consequences on marine organisms that rely on these ecosystems. The identification of these pigments in the estuarine region and aquatic environments across the entire nation has not been adequately pursued. Additionally, this research delves into the spread of microplastics in the murky estuarine setting, considering the significant impact of sea surface wind and alterations in buoyancy following the formation of a biofilm on their surface. This leads to the microplastics acquiring hydrophilic characteristics within the turbid estuarine environment

Next-generation sequencing analysis reveals high bacterial diversity in wild venomous and non-venomous snakes from India.

Abstract Background The oral cavities of snakes are replete with various types of bacterial flora. Culture-dependent studies suggest that some of the bacterial species are responsible for secondary bacterial infection associated with snakebite. A complete profile of the ophidian oral bacterial community has been unreported until now. Therefore, in the present study, we determined the complete bacterial compositions in the oral cavity of some snakes from India. Methods Total DNA was isolated from oral swabs collected from three wild snake species (Indian Cobra, King Cobra and Indian Python). Next, the DNA was subjected to PCR amplification of microbial 16S rRNA gene using V3-region-specific primers. The amplicons were used for preparation of DNA libraries that were sequenced on an Illumina MiSeq platform. Results The cluster-based taxonomy analysis revealed that Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria were the most predominant phyla present in the oral cavities of snakes. This result indicates that snakes show more similarities to birds than mammals as to their oral bacterial communities. Furthermore, our study reports all the unique and common bacterial species (total: 147) found among the oral microbes of snakes studied, while the majority of commonly abundant species were pathogens or opportunistic pathogens to humans. A wide difference in ophidian oral bacterial flora suggests variation by individual, species and geographical region. Conclusion The present study would provide a foundation for further research on snakes to recognize the potential drugs/antibiotics for the different infectious diseases

Extended genotypic evaluation and comparison of twenty-two cases of lethal EEHV1 hemorrhagic disease in wild and captive Asian elephants in India.

Thirteen new lethal cases of acute hemorrhagic disease (HD) with typical histopathogical features were identified in young Asian elephants (Elephas maximus indicus) in India between 2013 and 2017. Eight occurred amongst free-ranging wild herds, with three more in camp-raised orphans and two in captive-born calves. All were confirmed to have high levels of Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpesvirus type 1A (EEHV1A) DNA detected within gross pathological lesions from necropsy tissue by multi-locus PCR DNA sequencing. The strains involved were all significantly different from one another and from nine previously described cases from Southern India (which included one example of EEHV1B). Overall, eight selected dispersed PCR loci totaling up to 6.1-kb in size were analyzed for most of the 22 cases, with extensive subtype clustering data being obtained at four hypervariable gene loci. In addition to the previously identified U48(gH-TK) and U51(vGPCR1) gene loci, these included two newly identified E5(vGPCR5) and E54(vOX2-1) loci mapping far outside of the classic EEHV1A versus EEHV1B subtype chimeric domains and towards the novel end segments of the genome that had not been evaluated previously. The high levels of genetic divergence and mosaic scrambling observed between adjacent loci match closely to the overall range of divergence found within 45 analyzed North American and European cases, but include some common relatively unique polymorphic features and preferred subtypes that appear to distinguish most but not all Indian strains from both those in Thailand and those outside range countries. Furthermore, more than half of the Indian cases studied here involved calves living within wild herds, whereas nearly all other cases identified in Asia so far represent rescued camp orphans or captive-born calves

The relationship between gamma-band neural oscillations and language skills in youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder and their first-degree relatives

Abstract Background Most children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have co-occurring language impairments and some of these autism-specific language difficulties are also present in their non-autistic first-degree relatives. One of the possible neural mechanisms associated with variability in language functioning is alterations in cortical gamma-band oscillations, hypothesized to be related to neural excitation and inhibition balance. Methods We used a high-density 128-channel electroencephalography (EEG) to register brain response to speech stimuli in a large sex-balanced sample of participants: 125 youth with ASD, 121 typically developing (TD) youth, and 40 unaffected siblings (US) of youth with ASD. Language skills were assessed with Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals. Results First, during speech processing, we identified significantly elevated gamma power in ASD participants compared to TD controls. Second, across all youth, higher gamma power was associated with lower language skills. Finally, the US group demonstrated an intermediate profile in both language and gamma power, with nonverbal IQ mediating the relationship between gamma power and language skills. Limitations We only focused on one of the possible neural contributors to variability in language functioning. Also, the US group consisted of a smaller number of participants in comparison to the ASD or TD groups. Finally, due to the timing issue in EEG system we have provided only non-phase-locked analysis. Conclusions Autistic youth showed elevated gamma power, suggesting higher excitation in the brain in response to speech stimuli and elevated gamma power was related to lower language skills. The US group showed an intermediate pattern of gamma activity, suggesting that the broader autism phenotype extends to neural profiles

TEQIP - III Sponsored First International Conference on Innovations and Challenges in Computing, Analytics and Security

This book contains abstracts of the various research papers of the academic & research community presented at the International Conference on Innovations and Challenges in Computing, Analytics and Security (ICICCAS-2020). ICICCAS-2020 has served as a platform for researchers, professionals to meet and exchange ideas on computing, data analytics, and security. The conference has invited papers in seven main tracks of Data Science, Networking Technologies, Sequential, Parallel, Distributed and Cloud Computing, Advances in Software Engineering, Multimedia, Image Processing, and Embedded Systems, Security and Privacy, Special Track (IoT, Smart Technologies and Green Engineering). The Technical and Advisory Committee Members were from various countries that have rich Research and Academic experience. Conference Title: TEQIP - III Sponsored First International Conference on Innovations and Challenges in Computing, Analytics and SecurityConference Acronym: ICICCAS-2020Conference Date: 29-30 July 2020Conference Location: Pondicherry Engineering College, Puducherry – 605014, India (Virtual Mode)Conference Organizer: Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Pondicherry Engineering College, Puducherry, India.Conference Sponsor: TEQIP-III NPIU (A Unit of the Ministry of Human Resource Development, India)

Proceedings of International Web Conference in Civil Engineering for a Sustainable Planet

This proceeding contains articles of the various research ideas of the academic community and practitioners accepted at the "International Web Conference in Civil Engineering for a Sustainable Planet (ICCESP 2021)". ICCESP 2021 is being Organized by the Habilete Learning Solutions, Kollam in Collaboration with American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), TKM College of Engineering, Kollam, and Baselios Mathews II College of Engineering, Kollam, Kerala, India. Conference Title: International Web Conference in Civil Engineering for a Sustainable PlanetConference Acronym: ICCESP 2021Conference Date: 05–06 March 2021Conference Location: Online (Virtual Mode)Conference Organizer: Habilete Learning Solutions, Kollam, Kerala, IndiaCollaborators: American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), TKM College of Engineering, Kollam, and Baselios Mathews II College of Engineering, Kollam, Kerala, India