Brain Behavior in Learning and Memory Recall Process: A High-Resolution EEG Analysis

Learning is a cognitive process, which leads to create new memory. Today, multimedia contents are common-ly used in classroom for learning. This study investigated brain physiological behavior during learning and memory process using multimedia contents and Electroencephalogram (EEG) method. Fifteen healthy subjects voluntarily participated and performed three experimental tasks: i) Intelligence task, ii) learning task, and iii) recall task. EEG was recorded duration learning and memory recall task using 128 channels Hydro Cel Geodesic Net system (EGI Inc., USA) with recommended specifications. EEG source localization showed that deep brain medial temporal region was highly activated during learning task. EEG theta band in frontal and parietal regions and gamma band at left posterior temporal and frontal regions differentiated successful memory recall. This study provides additional understanding of successful memory recall that complements earlier brain mapping studies

THE EFFICACY OF BIFOCAL RIGHT VENTRICULAR PACING IN CARDIAC RESYNCHRONIZATION THERAPY FOR THE TREATMENT OF HEART FAILURE

Background: It has been reported that bifocal pacing (BiFP) in the right ventricle (RV) may be an alternative to unsuccessful left ventricular (LV) lead implantation.Aim: This study seeks to assess the improvement in the clinical and hemodynamic parameters after long term BiFP in patients eligible for cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), in whom conventional biventricular (BiV) implantation was not feasible or failed.Methods: The three leads (right atrial appendage, RV apex and RV outflow tract) of a BiFP were implanted in 46 patients, among whom16 lost follow up within one month of BiFP implantation, so 30 patients (19 male/11 female) were enrolled in the study with the mean follow up period of 8.7 (± 6.7) months. All patients had heart failure refractory to medical therapy, New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class of II, III and IV, ejection fraction (EF) ≤ 35 %, left bundle branch block (LBBB) with QRS duration ≥ 130 milliseconds and functional mitral regurgitation. The parameters (QRS duration, NYHA class, EF, and cardiomegaly) were evaluated before and 1, 3, 6, 12 and 24 months after BiFP implantation. A six minute walk test (6MWT) was performed on 7 patients, before and after implantation.Results: The results showed significant improvement in whole parameters, after both acute and long term BiFP. The improvement increased during subsequent follow up.Conclusions: The study concluded that BiFP is a feasible type of CRT in patients with refractory HF and can be used as an alternative to biventricular pacing when LV lead implantation is infeasible

Politics of Social Reformation in NWFP (KPK)- An Estimate of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan(1890-1988)’s Educational Philosophy

In the history of North-West Frontier Province (NWFP; renamed as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa through 18th Amendment on 15 April 2010), many renowned personalities played their role for the awakening of the masses. Among them, Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan (alias Bacha Khan) occupies a prominent place. The history of KPK would remain incomplete without the notion of services rendered by Bacha Khan. He played his role in a dignified manner in politics, social and educational field. It is a matter of fact that continuous invasions over Pakhtuns region greatly reduced the literacy rate among Pakhtuns which resulted in backwardness of the province. Consequently intermingling of evil customs into Pakhtun society in the name of Islam became the fate of the society. They were having a little knowledge of the religion. Mullahs, the religious leaders, also did nothing for the revival of Islam and Pakhtun society. Pakhtuns were living miserably and none was ready to come forward for the revival of this society. At the same time there came Bacha Khan on the scene and he accepted the challenge of the revival of Pakhtun society. This article highlights the facts that how Bacha Khan used education as a weapon for the revival of Pakhtun society of KPK. He not only made steps to flourish education among Pakhtuns but also tried his best to refrain the Pakhtuns from believing the evil customs and their practices. This article also mentions the institutions which were established by Bacha Khan to achieve his motives

Religio-political Discourse and Jam’iyyat Ulema-i-Pakistan (JUP): A Careful Study of Different Narratives (1970-2003)

Barelvi Ulema, being active participants of the Pakistan Movement (1940-1947), very soon reached to the point that their objectives associated with the struggle for Pakistan could only be achieved through a constitutional and political struggle; and as per the need of the parliamentary system prevailed in the country, they must converge and consolidate their energies on a political platform. Hence, on 28th March 1948, in a 3-day meeting of Barelvi ulema at Madrasah-i-Islamiah Arabiah Anwar al ulum, Multan, the Markazi (Central) Jam’iyyatal-Ulema-i-Pakistan (MJUP) was formally established. A glance over the party objectives set at this meeting gives a clear picture of JUP’s Rightism sui generis. It was aspired that Pakistan would be a true Islamic state established through the promulgation of the Islamic constitution in the country and all the social and moral evils would be emulated as the founding father of the country had aspired in the inaugural session of the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan (CAP). Moreover, it was also hoped to propagate Islamic teachings among the Muslims by initiating the spirit of religious cum political awakening and the spirit of Jihad among them and direct their attention from western culture and civilization towards Islamic culture and civilization. Hence, the establishment of an Islamic state in the country was the destiny of JUP. In order to remind the higher authorities and other stakeholders responsible for the formation of the constitution, JUP held meetings and processions throughout the country. It pressed demands for the enforcement of Islamic jurisprudence through Islamic constitution. This religio-political as well as constitutional strife can be found in a number of indigenous narratives and beyond. The article presents a careful and curious study of different available narratives in this connection

A Secure and Efficient Cluster-Based Authentication Scheme for Internet of Things (IoTs)

IPv6 over Low Power Wireless Personal Area Network 6LoWPAN) provides IP connectivity to the highly constrained nodes in the Internet of Things (IoTs). 6LoWPAN allows nodes with limited battery power and storage capacity to carry IPv6 datagrams over the lossy and error-prone radio links offered by the IEEE 802.15.4 standard, thus acting as an adoption layer between the IPv6 protocol and IEEE 802.15.4 network. The data link layer of IEEE 802.15.4 in 6LoWPAN is based on AES (Advanced Encryption Standard), but the 6LoWPAN standard lacks and has omitted the security and privacy requirements at higher layers. The sensor nodes in 6LoWPAN can join the network without requiring the authentication procedure. Therefore, from security perspectives, 6LoWPAN is vulnerable to many attacks such as replay attack, Man-in-the-Middle attack, Impersonation attack, and Modification attack. This paper proposes a secure and efficient cluster-based authentication scheme (CBAS) for highly constrained sensor nodes in 6LoWPAN. In this approach, sensor nodes are organized into a cluster and communicate with the central network through a dedicated sensor node. The main objective of CBAS is to provide efficient and authentic communication among the 6LoWPAN nodes. To ensure the low signalling overhead during the registration, authentication, and handover procedures, we also introduce lightweight and efficient registration, de-registration, initial authentication, and handover procedures, when a sensor node or group of sensor nodes join or leave a cluster. Our security analysis shows that the proposed CBAS approach protects against various security attacks, including Identity Confidentiality attack, Modification attack, Replay attack, Man-in-the-middle attack, and Impersonation attack. Our simulation experiments show that CBAS has reduced the registration delay by 11%, handoff authentication delay by 32%, and signalling coby 37% compared to the SGMS (Secure Group Mobility Scheme) and LAMS (Light-Wight Authentication & Mobility Scheme)

GABA involvement in naloxone induced reversal of respiratory paralysis produced by thiopental

No agent is yet available to reverse respiratory paralysis produced by CNS depressants, such as general anesthetics. In this study naloxone reversed respiratory paralysis induced by thiopental in rats. 25 mg/kg, i.v. thiopental produced anesthesia without altering respiratory rate, increased GABA, decreased glutamate, and had no effect on aspartate or glycine levels compared to controls in rat cortex and brain stem. Pretreatment of rats with thiosemicarbazide for 30 minutes abolished the anesthetic action as well as the respiratory depressant action of thiopental. 50 mg/kg, i.v. thiopental produced respiratory arrest with further increase in GABA and decrease in glutamate again in cortex and brain stem without affecting any of the amino acids studied in four regions of rat brain. Naloxone (2.5 mg/kg, i.v.) reversed respiratory paralysis, glutamate and GABA levels to control values in brain stem and cortex with no changes in caudate or cerebellum. These data suggest naloxone reverses respiratory paralysis produced by thiopental and involves GABA in its action

A step towards a sustainable environment in top Asian countries: the role of higher education and technology innovation

AbstractThe present study aims to examine a step toward a sustainable environment in top Asian Countries by incorporating the role of higher education and technology innovation. The sample data were collected from (1995 to 2019). However, the most-suited methodological approach i.e., the CS-ARDL technique is used to assess the long-run and short impact of these variables on each other; in addition, the modern theory of the EKC model is applied in the study to enhance the credibility of the results. As per the short-run estimation, determinants of higher education, GDP2, and technology innovation are negatively associated with the environment (CO2 emission). Although the long-run results of CS-ARDL signify that technology innovation (GIN) represents a −0.312∗∗∗ coefficient value which indicates a negative and significant relationship with the environment, whereas, HE & GDP shows a positive association with the environment (CO2 emission) having the coefficient values of 0.249∗∗∗ and 0.437∗∗∗, respectively. While the factor of GDP2 is negative in the long-run and positive in the short run, thus the EKC model is supported under this theoretical framework. Based on these explorations, the relevant implications are prescribed by the authors to get a sustainable environment in these top Asian countries

Intimate partner violence through the lens of gender, finance, and ethics

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a pervasive public health concern affecting women around the globe. It refers to the detrimental actions that cause harm physically or psychosexually to the partner predominantly women, in an intimate relationship. Regardless of any age, sexual orientation, or ethnicity, women make the most vulnerable group to IPV by virtue of their customary social and demographic characteristics. The traditional and preset societal roles have a direct influence on the development of intimate partner relationships. The predetermined gender roles tend to uphold male privileges and degrade women for subordination. However, a patriarchal society based on male dominance is produced by the socioeconomic and political systems. Financial impediments among women along with the societal subservience further limit their freedom and autonomy, ultimately forcing them to submit to the vices of their male partners. IPV is a serious medico-legal offense which has various ethical implications. Various ethical frameworks establish the connections between IPV and medical ethics and guide the ways to address them. A collaborative and multidisciplinary approach is essential to effectively address the issue of intimate partner violence (IPV), which is prevalent in both developing and developed countries. The chapter explains IPV in association to the gender roles, power disparities, financial insecurities, and biomedical ethics and outlines the key recommendations for mitigation