Master of Science

thesisCerebral blood vessels are critical to maintaining the health of the brain. The function of these vessels gets disrupted during traumatic brain injury (TBI). Even when cerebral vessels donot bleed or rupture during TBI, they may be subjected to excessive deformation beyond their physiological or in-vivo (IV) length. This alters their mechanical properties. The earlier investigation by Bell reported softening of the cerebral blood vessels, when stretched beyond their IV length, beginning at an overstretch level of 1.2. The recent investigation in our lab using Collagen Hybridizing Peptide (CHP) to detect collagen damage reported that collagen fibers begin to rupture when the vessels are stretched axially to approximately 1.3 times their IV length. It can thus be predicted that rearrangements in the microstructure of the vessels might be responsible for softening below this threshold, rather than ruptures or breaking of the fibers. The earlier investigation using CHP also found that the fibers oriented in the direction of loading tend to get damaged with overstretch. Given that collagen plays a significant role in the mechanical properties of blood vessels at large deformations, we hypothesized that changes in collagen orientation were the microstructural mechanism responsible for the sub-rupture softening observed. Based on the previous work, we expected to see axial fibers in the adventitia become less uniform in their orientation following axial overstretch. Medial fibers are not expected to have a significant change in their orientation since they are circumferentially oriented. We investigated these questions using sheep middle cerebral arteries (MCAs). We tested three MCAs from three different ewes, using a horizontal tester previously developed in our lab. Collagen fibers were imaged using nonlinear optical microscopy (NLOM). The captured data were then processed using Orientation J, Fibril Tool, and Line Tool and was finally analyzed statistically to test the hypothesis. It was found that collagen retains its mean orientation post-overstretch. Based on image processing tools used here, it was found that axially oriented, adventitial fibers did not become more disorganized, as hypothesized, post-overstretch. We need advanced methods of data acquisition and image processing to determine if there is any subtle change in collagen orientation, which could not be detected in this investigation. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study investigating the effect of mild axial overstretch on collagen orientation in cerebral arteries

Object Detection and Tracking using Modified Diamond Search Block Matching Motion Estimation Algorithm

Object tracking is one of the main fields within computer vision. Amongst various methods/ approaches for object detection and tracking, the background subtraction approach makes the detection of object easier. To the detected object, apply the proposed block matching algorithm for generating the motion vectors. The existing diamond search (DS) and cross diamond search algorithms (CDS) are studied and experiments are carried out on various standard video data sets and user defined data sets. Based on the study and analysis of these two existing algorithms a modified diamond search pattern (MDS) algorithm is proposed using small diamond shape search pattern in initial step and large diamond shape (LDS) in further steps for motion estimation. The initial search pattern consists of five points in small diamond shape pattern and gradually grows into a large diamond shape pattern, based on the point with minimum cost function. The algorithm ends with the small shape pattern at last. The proposed MDS algorithm finds the smaller motion vectors and fewer searching points than the existing DS and CDS algorithms. Further, object detection is carried out by using background subtraction approach and finally, MDS motion estimation algorithm is used for tracking the object in color video sequences. The experiments are carried out by using different video data sets containing a single object. The results are evaluated and compared by using the evaluation parameters like average searching points per frame and average computational time per frame. The experimental results show that the MDS performs better than DS and CDS on average search point and average computation time

Study of physico-chemical parameters of orange (Citrus reticulate Blanco) for the development of orange wine

Physico-chemical properties are an essential factor during processing and preservation of food. The retention and changes in physico-chemical properties depends upon the processing technique. In this work, physicochemical parameters of orange like vitamin C (ascorbic acid), pH, total soluble solids (TSS), % acidity, temperature and color were studied with all the optimized conditions of fermentations for the development of orange wine. The fermentation of the fruit juice was completed within 7 days period at temperature 27oC, pH 4.5 and total soluble solids of 24oBrix with an inoculum level of 10% (v/v). Thus, orange wine with ethanol content of 8.5% (v/v) was prepared from the orange variety ‘Nagpur Santra’ (Citrus Reticulata Blanco) in controlled physico-chemical parameters

Comparative study to evaluate the awareness about anemia and its complications, among undergraduate and postgraduate medical students- a cross sectional survey study

Background: Anemia is a condition in which numbers of red blood cells or their oxygen carrying capacity is insufficient to meet the physiologic needs which vary by age, sex, altitude, smoking and pregnancy status. Iron deficiency anemia is the most common type of anemia in the world. Aim of the study was to compare and evaluate awareness about anemia and its complications among the undergraduate and postgraduate medical students.Methods: A prospective, cross sectional, questionnaire based, survey study was carried out at S.B.K.S. Medical institute and RC, Vadodara. The well-defined, structured questionnaire was prepared, distributed and collected when it was duly filled by undergraduate and postgraduate students. The questionnaire was mainly based upon basic knowledge of anemia, its investigations, treatment, and complications. The answers were evaluated in a structured format and further depending on the scores the participants were grouped as poor (70%). Later, it was subjected to Chi-square test and p value <0.05 were considered to be significant.Results: This study shows that the basic knowledge of anaemia and knowledge pertaining to treatment of anaemia is lacking in undergraduate students as compared to postgraduate students. However it was observed in both the study groups that knowledge about various aspects of anaemia is not optimal.Conclusions: It is a need of hour to impart knowledge of common disorders including anemia to both undergraduate and postgraduate students for the larger benefit of society

Effect of nutrition on copper and zinc concentrations in human milk

Background: The gross composition of human milk is remarkably constant among women of varying nutritional status. Reliable information is now available on the content, and the principal factor affecting it, of most of the trace elements on human milk. However, for some of the trace elements, there is still a wide variation in reported values in the literature, which is due at least in part, to analytical difficulties. Hence this study was taken up to find out if maternal nutritional status influences the copper and zinc concentrations in colostrum of mother.Methods: Total of 100 mothers were enrolled in the study after obtaining prior informed consent. They were divided into 2 groups - group I had 50 malnourished mothers and group II had 50 well-nourished mothers. Sample digestion was attempted with different quantities of various acids. Analysis of digested colostrum was carried out for copper and zinc.Results: The mean levels of copper and zinc were slightly more among well-nourished than malnourished women. Values of copper were significantly higher in the colostrum of well-nourished as compared to that of the malnourished mothers.Conclusions: The parameters of weight, height weight/height ratio and hemoglobin varied significantly between the well-nourished and malnourished mothers. The difference in milk content of malnourished and well-nourished mothers is not significant for zinc. However, copper levels were significantly higher in well-nourished mothers

Eat or be eaten? An observation of Podarcis erhardii consuming Scolopendra cingulata from Andros Island, Cyclades, Greece

Podarcis wall lizards mainly feed on coleopterans, orthopterans, arachnids, and other small invertebrates. However, Aegean wall lizards, Podarcis erhardii, are widely distributed across Aegean islands and are increasingly observed eating non-traditional food items ranging from plant material to conspecific eggs and body parts. Here, we report the first documented case of P. erhardii consuming a large centipede, Scolopendra cingulata. The predator-prey relationship between these species has appeared to go both ways and may intensify on islands

Pharmaceutical Analysis of Guduchi-Bhadramustadi Ghanvati: An Ayurvedic Formulation for Dyslipidemia

Ayurveda a science life which deals the maintenance of health and treatment for the diseases manifested in the human body. In Ayurveda many herbal and herbo-mineral formulations have been explained for disease treatment. Guduchi-Bhadramustadi yoga is herbal formulation explained in classical which consists of five herbal medicines and it has been converted in to Ghanavati form by following the sop in GMP certified pharmacy. It is a classical preparation used in the management of Kapha Dosha Vikaras by practitioners. Material &amp; Methods: The present study was aimed to recognize the constituents of Guduchi-Badraustadi Ghanavati by using physico-chemical parameters, Qualitative analysis and Chromatography (HPTLC). Conclusion: This study will be useful for standardization of Guduchi-Badramustadi Ghanavati and for the preparation of the monography of this formulation for the Ayurvedic Formulary of India (AFI).&nbsp