Automating the eye examination using optical coherence tomography

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) devices are becoming ubiquitous in eye clinics worldwide to aid the diagnosis and monitoring of eye disease. Much of this uptake relates to the ability to non-invasively capture micron-resolution images, enabling objective and quantitative data to be obtained from ocular structures. Although safe and reasonably quick to perform, the costs involved with operating OCT devices are not trivial, and the requirement for OCT and other imaging in addition to other clinical measures is placing increasing demand on ophthalmology clinics, contributing to fragmented patient pathways and often extended waiting times. In this thesis, a novel “binocular optical coherence tomography” system that seeks to overcome some of the limitations of current commercial OCT systems, is clinically evaluated. This device incorporates many aspects of the eye examination into a single patient-operated instrument, and aims to improve the efficiency and quality of eye care while reducing the overall labour and equipment costs. A progressive framework of testing is followed that includes human factors and usability testing, followed by early stage diagnostic studies to assess the agreement, repeatability, and reproducibility of individual diagnostic features. Health economics analysis of the retinal therapy clinic is used to model cost effectiveness of current practice and with binocular OCT implementation. The binocular OCT and development of other low-cost OCT systems may improve accessibility, however there remains a relative shortage of experts to interpret the images. Artificial intelligence (AI) is likely to play a role in rapid and automated image classification. This thesis explores the application of AI within retinal therapy clinics to predict the onset of exudative age-related macular degeneration in fellow eyes of patients undergoing treatment in their first eye. Together with automated and simultaneous imaging of both eyes with binocular OCT and the potential for low-cost patient-facing systems, AI is likely to have a role in personalising management plans, especially in a future where preventive treatments are available

Inter- District Disparity in Health Care Facility and Education: A Case of Uttar Pradesh

Economic and Human development in any society are prerequisites for a better quality of human life. The present paper attempts to measure inter-district disparity in education and health attainment in UP at two time periods 1990-91 and 2007-08. It uses Maher’s methodology (subsequently used by a number of others) to standardise 8 indicators for the health attainment and 13 for educational attainment and then applies principal component analysis to compute the composite indices. The results show that apart from existence of wide disparity there are sufficient proof to say that there are regions/districts that have done well in educational attainment but are poorly placed in terms of health attainment and vice-versa. The paper offers some suggestions to reduce the glaring disparity.   Keywords: Disparity, health and education, Composite Indices, district-level,

Effect of Bit Error Rate in LDPC Based OFDM System over AWGN, Raician And Raileigh Fading Channels

Modern communication systems are adopting new Morden technologies like OFDM (Ortogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) and LDPC (Low Density Parity Check) for achieving high performance, low Bit Error Rate (BER) and high capacity. The OFDM communication is inspired effectively from the frequencies of channel over the network. In this type of network some kind of distortion occurs over the channel called Inter Carrier Interference (ICI). The OFDM technique can be implemented using Low Density Parity Check (LDPC) Codes because of their ability to reaching near Shannon limit performance. In this paper we are presenting the effect of Bit Error Rate (BER) with Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) in OFDM system which is based on LDPC over Additive White Gaussian Noise (AWGN), Rician and Rayliegh Fading Channel using MATLAB. The results are then compared with Conventional based OFDM system. DOI: 10.17762/ijritcc2321-8169.15037

A Study of Social and Professional Competence of Management Students In Relation To Their Gender and Residential Background

Reena Kumari, Research Scholar (Ph. D.) Himachal Pradesh University, Shiml

Prevalence of thyroid dysfunction and its effects on fetomaternal outcome in pregnant women of Eastern Uttar Pradesh, India

Background: The aim of the study is to determine the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in pregnancy and its impact on obstetrical outcome in Eastern Uttar Pradesh.Methods: This was a prospective observational study undertaken at antenatal clinics and indoor of BRD Medical College, Gorakhpur. Total 720 antenatal women, ≤20 weeks of gestation were recruited for the study. In all patients’ routine obstetrical investigations and thyroid function tests were done. All patients were followed up to delivery. Maternal and perinatal outcome were ascertained.Results: Prevalence of thyroid dysfunction among pregnant was found to be 21.1% and subclinical hypothyroidism (15.9%) was the commonest thyroid disorder. Most common complication observed in subclinical and overt hypothyroidism was preeclampsia (9.56 % versus 20%) followed by preterm labour (7.82% versus 10%). Major fetal complications in hypothyroid mothers included intrauterine growth restriction, low birth weight and stillbirth.Conclusions: Prevalence of hypothyroidism was found to be high in our study and was associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes; hence, thyroid screening should be included in routine antenatal investigations

Genetically modified Cotton species detection by LISS-III satellite data

It is possible to infer the genetically modified species by using remotely sensed data. Using ERDAS software the algorithm of BT (Bacillus thuringiensis) Cotton in Punjab, India was developed successfully. GPS enabled space technology has the potential to identify the exact location of Bt Cotton by generating Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) for the calculation of total area covered by this species. It was possible to develop a correlation in between genetically modified Cotton crop and NDVI value. In parts of Bhatinda district of Punjab the yield of Bt Cotton and NDVI showing R2 value of more than 4.5 in regression analysis. A correlation matrix was also generated which shows that NDVI values of BT cotton has reasonably acceptable correlation with Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) of soil and water also

Phrenic Nerve Impingement and Effect of Superficial Neck Flexors Stretching in Improving Diaphragmatic Function among Patient with Chronic Neck Pain

Background: The phrenic nerve is formed on the lateral border of scalenus anterior. It runs vertically downward on the anterior surface of the scalenus anterior. The muscle is oblique and nerve cross it obliquely from its lateral to medial border. In this part the nerve is related anteriorly sternocleidomastoid. The decline in the diaphragm function can occur due to phrenic nerve block but to the best of our search, there is dearth of literature pertaining to involvement of phrenic nerve in patient with chronic neck pain secondary to superficial neck flexors tightness. So, evaluation of these muscle for tightness may be considered which may affect the maximum inspiratory pressure (MIP). Objective: To find the change in diaphragmatic function secondary to phrenic nerve impingement measured through maximum inspiratory pressure (MIP) following stretching of superficial neck flexors in patient with chronic neck pain Methods: An experimental (pre-post design) study involving 40 subjects with mean (±SD) age 22.4 ± 2.8 years was performed. Using purposive sampling 40 subjects (77.5% female and 22.5% male) were used to check phrenic nerve impingement by looking at the effect of superficial neck flexors stretching (sternocleidomastoid and anterior scalene) in improving diaphragmatic function in patient with chronic neck pain. The included subject’s diaphragmatic function was measured through maximum inspiratory pressure using a device capsule sensing pressure gauge followed by stretching of superficial neck flexors on both sides. After two minutes of stretching diaphragmatic function was again measured. Results: There was increase in diaphragmatic function following stretching of superficial neck flexors by 13.2cm H2O which was found to be highly significant statistically with p value < 0.01 Conclusion: The result of present study concluded that superficial neck flexors stretching was effective in treating the impingement of phrenic nerve as measured through maximum inspiratory pressure in patients with chronic neck pain