Ideal Illumination for Smartphone-based Trabeculectomy Bleb Photography

Purpose: Ophthalmology has seen numerous novel uses for smartphones over the years including fundus photography, telemedicine, and operative videography. However, anterior segment photography for assessing and documenting trabeculectomy bleb morphology using a smartphone has not been explored in detail. With the current study, we aim to characterize ideal illumination for the anterior segment smartphone photography in trabeculectomy patients. Methods: Thirty status post-trabeculectomy patients were enrolled in this study. Native camera application and FiLMiC pro camera application were used on iPhone X to compare bleb images using yellow and white pen-torches as illumination source. Measured bleb area was compared using ImageJ software from the two apps in different illumination settings by charting boxplots and using one-way ANOVA test using R software to establish consistency. Bland-Altman interoperability for repeatability of blebarea measurements was analyzed by plotting Bland-Altman plots. Signal-to-noise ratio was calculated using ImageJ for native camera images using slit-lamp camera images as reference. Subjective rating of these images was then performed by two experienced ophthalmologists and kappa coefficient was calculated for inter-operator repeatability. Statistical analysis was performed. Results: The measured bleb area from images taken from both apps showed no significant difference, thereby establishing consistency, and Bland-Altman analysis indicated good repeatability and reproducibility. It was noted that SNR was lower for images shot in close illumination as compared to the ones shot in intermediate and distant illumination. Cohen’s kappa coefficient was 0.7 for images with distant illumination using white light and 0.65 for images clicked with illumination at an intermediate distance using yellow light, suggesting substantial agreement between the observers. Conclusion: Smartphone photography is a reliable tool for morphological assessment trabeculectomy blebs. Optimal illumination helps achieve results free from digital noise and better delineation of specific morphological features. Intermediate illumination and distant illumination provides much better results in terms of high SNR while avoiding overexposure and clipping of highlight information in the images

Periodontally accelerated osteogenic orthodontics (PAOO) - a review

With an increasing number of adult patients coming to the orthodontic clinic, the orthodontic professional is constantly looking for ways to accelerate tooth movement. Surgical intervention to affect the alveolar housing and tooth movement has been described in various forms for over a hundred years. However, it is the spirit of interdisciplinary collaboration in orthodontics has expanded the realm of traditional orthodontic tooth movement protocols. Periodontal accelerated osteogenic orthodontics (PAOO) is a clinical procedure that combines selective alveolar corticotomy, particulate bone grafting, and the application of orthodontic forces. This procedure is theoretically based on the bone healing pattern known as the regional acceleratory phenomenon (RAP). PAOO results in an increase in alveolar bone width, shorter treatment time, increased post treatment stability, and decreased amount of apical root resorption. Tooth movement can be enhanced and cases completed with increased alveolar volume providing for a more intact periodontium, decreased need for extractions, degree of facial remodeling and increased bone support for teeth and overlying soft tissues, thereby augmenting gingival and facial esthetics.The purpose of this article is to describe the history, biology, clinical surgical procedures, indications, contraindications and possible complications of the PAOO procedure

Cord bilirubin levels as a predictive marker for neonatal hyperbilirubinemia: A prospective study

Background: Hyperbilirubinemia is the most common medical problem in newborn infants. Early discharge is recommended but hospital readmission is a cause of concern among clinicians. This in turn carries a risk of delayed recognition of significant hyperbilirubinemia. Objective: A cross-sectional analytical study was done to evaluate the predictive value of cord bilirubin level for identifying term and near-term neonates for subsequent hyperbilirubinemia. Materials and Methods: Cord bilirubin levels at birth and subsequently serum bilirubin levels at 72 h were assessed in 100 neonates. The cutoff value was estimated beyond which there was significant hyperbilirubinemia. Results: The cutoff value of cord bilirubin >2.02 mg/dl had sensitivity and specificity of 87.5-70.8%, respectively, with positive predictive value of 0.39 and negative predictive value of 0.965 for subsequent hyperbilirubinemia. Conclusion: The cutoff value of cord bilirubin level estimated is 2.02 mg/dl can be used to predict significant neonatal hyperbilirubinemia

Free energy analysis of enzyme-inhibitor binding: The carboxypeptidase A-inhibitor complexes

262-273Developing free energy estimates of biological molecules starting from a molecular description of the solute, solvent and the salt, is currently in the domain of computationally intractable problems. However, structure based drug design efforts involving for instance, designing a suitable inhibitor molecule with desired binding attributes targeted to an active site on an enzyme necessitates free energy estimates. We present here a computationally expedient and rigorous methodology to develop and analyse the thermodynamics of enzyme-inhibitor binding starting from crystal structures. The complexes of carboxypeptidase A with five inhibitors with known structural and binding constant data have been adopted for this study as illustrative cases. The standard free energy of complexation is considered in terms of a thermodynamic cycle of six distinct steps decomposed into a total of 18 well -defined components. The model we employ involves explicit all atom accounts of the energetics of electrostatic interactions, solvent screening effects, van der Waals components and cavitation effects of solvation combined with a Debye- Huckel treatment of salt effects. Estimates of entropy loss due to decreased translational and rotational degrees of freedom in the complex relative to the unbound species based on classical statistical mechanics are included, as well as corresponding changes in the vibrational and configurational entropy. The magnitudes and signs of the various components are estimated using the AMBER parm94 force field, generalized Born theory and solvent accessibility measures. The calculated standard free energies of formation agree with experiment in these systems to within 5-12 kcal/mol. This generates considerable optimism in the potential viability of the methodology for drug design. Fine tuning of the computational protocols, inclusion of structural adaptation effects and a careful examination and minimization of possible errors are some areas for further research. The net binding free energies are a resultant of several competing contributions with 7 out of the 18 terms favouring complexation. A component-wise analysis of the binding free energy for the five carboxypeptidase A-inhibitor complexes studied here indicates that the nonelectrostatic contributions, i.e. the net vander Waals interactions and the differential cavitation effects are favourable to binding. Electrostatic contributions averaged over the five systems turn out to be favourable despite the desolvation expense incurred during binding. Analyses on these lines yield pointers to structural modifications to be attempted to accomplish optimal binding besides presenting a molecular energetic perspective of induced-fit mechanisms

A molecular dynamics study based <i>post facto </i>free energy analysis of the binding of bovine angiogenin with UMP and CMP ligands

27-33Angiogenin is a protein belonging to the superfamily of RNase A. The RNase activity of this protein is essential for its angiogenic activity. Although members of the RNase A family carry out RNase activity, they differ markedly in their strength and specificity. In this paper, we address the problem of higher specificity of angiogenin towards cytosine against uracil in the first base binding position. We have carried out extensive nano-second level molecular dynamics(MD) computer simulations on the native bovine angiogenin and on the CMP and UMP complexes of this protein in aqueous medium with explicit molecular solvent. The structures thus generated were subjected to a rigorous free energy component analysis to arrive at a plausible molecular thermodynamic explanation for the substrate specificity of angiogenin

Proceedings of International Conference on Women Researchers in Electronics and Computing

This proceeding contains articles on the various research ideas of the academic community and practitioners presented at the international conference, “Women Researchers in Electronics and Computing” (WREC’2021). WREC'21 was organized in online mode by Dr. B R Ambedkar National Institute of Technology, Jalandhar (Punjab), INDIA during 22 – 24 April 2021. This conference was conceptualized with an objective to encourage and motivate women engineers and scientists to excel in science and technology and to be the role models for young girls to follow in their footsteps. With a view to inspire women engineers, pioneer and successful women achievers in the domains of VLSI design, wireless sensor networks, communication, image/ signal processing, machine learning, and emerging technologies were identified from across the globe and invited to present their work and address the participants in this women oriented conference. Conference Title: International Conference on Women Researchers in Electronics and ComputingConference Acronym: WREC'21Conference Date: 22–24 April 2021Conference Location: Online (Virtual Mode)Conference Organizers: Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar National Institute of Technology, Jalandhar, Punjab, INDI