Efficacy of a musical tooth brushing drill in maintenance of oral hygiene among children at a correctional institute in Bengaluru city

Introduction: Tooth brushing plays a vital role in effective plaque control, which depends on the method and the ease with which it is adopted. It is known that one of the major factors that lead to the occurrence of dental caries is the action of microorganisms. These micro-organisms harbor themselves onto tooth structure in form of bio-film, thus leading to the formation of dental plaque. Material and Methods: A total of 130 children in the correctional home were screened and divided into control and intervention groups with 30 subjects each. The children will be assessed for baseline plaque scores using the using Turesky–Gilmore– Glickman modification of the Quigley–Hein plaque index. The plaque was assessed on the labial, buccal, and lingual surfaces of all the teeth after using a disclosing agent. The scores are given: 0: No plaque; 1: Separate flecks of plaque at the cervical margin of the tooth; 2: A thin continuous band of plaque (up to 1 mm) at the cervical margin; 3: A band of plaque wider than 1 mm but covering less than one-third of the crown of the tooth; 4: Plaque covering at least onethird but less than two-thirds of the crown; 5: Plaque covering two-thirds or more of the crown. The participants were subjected to a music and action routine for tooth brushing. Repetitive exercise for two weeks was done to condition the participants. Plaque scores were assessed using a two-tone disclosing agent at baseline, at the end of a two-week training drill, and four-week follow-up where the participants were asked to brush by themselves without any supervision. Results: The difference in the mean dental plaque scores from baseline to the 30th day was found to be statistically significant among the intervention group. (p= <0.001). On intragroup comparison, the differences in the reduction of these plaque scores over time from baseline to the 15th day were statistically significant (p=<0.001). The intergroup comparison was statistically significant at baseline (p=0.044). There was a significant difference on the 15th day (p=0.041) and on the 30th day (p=0.040). Conclusion: The present study proves that there was a significant reduction in plaque scores (p=<0.001) for a month with the use of a tooth brushing drill for two weeks under supervision. This shows behavior modification and healthy habit formation among the children. This also shows that children can be motivated and trained using music and simple drills

Impact force identification by using modal transformation method for automobile test Rig

In the automobile industry, impact force is the main cause for material fatigue in lightweight vehicles. Bump-excited impact force is the most common case, which causes damage to vehicles and reduces the quality of the ride. Force identification is important to reflect the structure's health so that action such as structure modification can be taken before material fatigue. However, direct measurement by using force transducer is not practical due to difficulty in force sensor configuration. A methodology utilizing Operating Deflection Shape (ODS) analysis, Frequency Response Function (FRF) measurement and Modal Transformation Method (MTM) to evaluate the dynamic force is proposed here. This method is called indirect force measurement by using inverse technique. The performance of this approach was demonstrated via experiment. From the measured responses and measured dynamic characteristics of an automobile test rig, a real time mathematical manipulation can generate the system's input force. The force location is known in priori for impact excitation and therefore the inverse problem is well-posed. This method was tested using different force location with unique input force. It shows that high quality of curve fitting to extract the modal parameters such as damped natural frequency, modal damping and residue mode shape is essential to obtain a high accuracy force determination © (2014) Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland

Rigorous analysis of numerical methods: a comparative study

For any photonic device simulation, the accuracy of the numerical solution not only depends on the methods being used but also on the discretization parameters used in that numerical method. In this work, Finite Element Method and Finite Difference Time Domain Method based on Maxwell’s equations were used to simulate optical waveguides and directional couplers. As the solution accuracy may also depend on the index contrast used in such photonic devices, the characteristics of low-index contrast Germanium doped Silica and high-index contrast Silicon Nanowire Waveguides were analyzed, evaluated and benchmarked. Numerical results to benchmark Directional Couplers are also reported in this paper

Political Communications Of The Indonesian Democracy Party Struggling (Pdip) In Getting The Most Vote In Deli Serdang In The 2019 Election

Using qualitative research methods, this study aims to discover how the PDIP party in Deli Serdang conducts political communication and communication/campaign strategies, the factors that influence the success and failure of Legislative candidates, and the candidates' attitudes toward the results of the 2019 presidential election. This study's subjects included several party cadres who ran campaigns as well as the general public. Interviews were used to collect data, which was then analyzed using data triangulation techniques. The findings revealed that the campaign strategies used by party cadres to win their successful and unsuccessful parties were generally the same, namely: campaigner determination, use of campaign media, preparation of distinct messages, and the same target audience

Critical Factors Affecting BIM Implementation in India: Multivariate Analysis

There is an increasing trend in Building Information Modelling (BIM) implementation worldwide. However, its implementation in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry in India is low. This paper aims to identify the critical factors to BIM implementation and their underlying relationships. First, 19 potential factors to BIM implementation were identified using literature review and verified by interviews with AEC professionals. Then, a questionnaire survey was sent to AEC practitioners in India to rate the importance of these factors. The mean score, standard deviation, and the normalized value method were employed to identify the critical factors. ANOVA test was performed to reveal any significant difference in the factors’ criticality. Factor analysis was then used to reveal the underlying relationships between the factors. The results indicate that 13 factors are critical to BIM implementation in India. Also, there are consistent views among the respondents towards the critical factors to BIM implementation. In addition, 17 out of 19 factors to BIM implementation can be grouped into two major components: (a) environment, legal, and resources; and (b) organizational. Therefore, stakeholders should address these two components and commit resources to increase the BIM implementation rate in India

Simulating eddy current sensor outputs for blade tip timing

Blade tip timing is a contactless method used to monitor the vibration of blades in rotating machinery. Blade vibration and clearance are important diagnostic features for condition monitoring, including the detection of blade cracks. Eddy current sensors are a practical choice for blade tip timing and have been used extensively. As the data requirements from the timing measurement become more stringent and the systems become more complicated, including the use of multiple sensors, the ability to fully understand and optimize the measurement system becomes more important. This requires detailed modeling of eddy current sensors in the blade tip timing application; the current approaches often rely on experimental trials. Existing simulations for eddy current sensors have not considered the particular case of a blade rotating past the sensor. Hence, the novel aspect of this article is the development of a detailed quasi-static finite element model of the electro-magnetic field to simulate the integrated measured output of the sensor. This model is demonstrated by simulating the effect of tip clearance, blade geometry, and blade velocity on the output of the eddy current sensor. This allows an understanding of the sources of error in the blade time of arrival estimate and hence insight into the accuracy of the blade vibration measurement

Effectiveness of counseling for anxiety and depression in mothers of children ages 0-30 months by community workers in Karachi, Pakistan: a quasi experimental study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The prevalence of anxiety/depression is quite high during the perinatal period but unfortunately its detection and treatment have been less than satisfactory. Moreover, many women are reluctant to take pharmacotherapy for fear of excretion of drugs into their breast milk. This study assesses the effectiveness of counseling from minimally trained community health workers in reducing anxiety/depression, the rate of recurrence and the interval preceding recurrence in women during first two and a half years after childbirth.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In a quasi-experimental study, community women from two under-privileged communities were trained in data gathering, teaching healthy child-rearing practices, basic counseling skills, and screening for anxiety/depression by using an indigenously developed questionnaire, the Aga Khan University Anxiety and Depression Scale (AKUADS). The diagnosis was further confirmed by a clinical psychologist using DSM IV criteria. After obtaining consent, 420 women were screened and 102 were identified as having anxiety/depression. Screening was carried out after 1, 2, 6, 12, 18, 24 and 30 months of a live birth. Only 62 out of 102 agreed to be counseled and received eight weekly sessions. AKUADS was re-administered at 4 weeks and 8 weeks after the beginning of counseling; this was followed by the clinical psychologist's interview for confirmation of response. After recovery, screening was continued every 3 months for detection of recurrence throughout the study period. Out of the women who had declined counseling 12 agreed to retake AKUADS after 4 and 8 weeks of diagnosis. Independent samples t-test, chi-square test, Repeated Measures ANOVA and Kaplan Meier technique were used for the analysis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A significant decline in level of anxiety/depression was found in both the counseled and the non-counseled groups at 4 and 8 weeks (p-value < 0.001) but the counseled group fared better than the non-counseled for recovery, reduction in the rate of recurrence and increase in the duration before relapse.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>As our results cannot be generalized; further studies need to be carried out, to assess the benefit of incorporating minimal counseling skills in the training of community health workers.</p

Superiority of Dynamic Weights against Fixed Weights in Merging Multi-Satellite Precipitation Datasets over Pakistan

Data Availability Statement: The data utilized in this study were acquired through purchase from the Pakistan Meteorology Department (PMD) and the Water and Power Development Authority. Information about the data is available at https://www.pmd.gov.pk/en/ (accessed on 1 January 2023) and http://www.wapda.gov.pk/ (accessed on 1 January 2023), respectively.Satellite precipitation products (SPPs) are undeniably subject to uncertainty due to retrieval algorithms and sampling issues. Many research efforts have concentrated on merging SPPs to create high-quality merged precipitation datasets (MPDs) in order to reduce these uncertainties. This study investigates the efficacy of dynamically weighted MPDs in contrast to those using static weights. The analysis focuses on comparing MPDs generated using the “dynamic clustered Bayesian averaging (DCBA)” approach with those utilizing the “regional principal component analysis (RPCA)” under fixed-weight conditions. These MPDs were merged from SPPs and reanalysis precipitation data, including TRMM (Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission) Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA) 3B42V7, PERSIANN-CDR, CMORPH, and the ERA-Interim reanalysis precipitation data. The performance of these datasets was evaluated in Pakistan’s diverse climatic zones—glacial, humid, arid, and hyper-arid—employing data from 102 rain gauge stations. The effectiveness of the DCBA model was quantified using Theil’s U statistic, demonstrating its superiority over the RPCA model and other individual merging methods in the study area The comparative performances of DCBA and RPCA in these regions, as measured by Theil’s U, are 0.49 to 0.53, 0.38 to 0.45, 0.37 to 0.42, and 0.36 to 0.43 in glacial, humid, arid, and hyper-arid zones, respectively. The evaluation of DCBA and RPCA compared with SPPs at different elevations showed poorer performance at high altitudes (>4000 m). The comparison of MPDs with the best performance of SPP (i.e., TMPA) showed significant improvement of DCBA even at altitudes above 4000 m. The improvements are reported as 49.83% for mean absolute error (MAE), 42.31% for root-mean-square error (RMSE), 27.94% for correlation coefficient (CC), 40.15% for standard deviation (SD), and 13.21% for Theil’s U. Relatively smaller improvements are observed for RPCA at 13.04%, 1.56%, 10.91%, 1.67%, and 5.66% in the above indices, respectively. Overall, this study demonstrated the superiority of DCBA over RPCA with static weight. Therefore, it is strongly recommended to use dynamic variation of weights in the development of MPDs.National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant numbers 51839006 and 52250410336)