Windowing effects and adaptive change point detection of dynamic functional connectivity in the brain

Evidence of networks in the resting-brain reflecting the spontaneous brain activity is perhaps the most significant discovery to understand intrinsic brain functionality. Moreover, subsequent detection of dynamics in these networks can be milestone in differentiating the normal and disordered brain functions. However, capturing the correct dynamics is a challenging task since no ground truths' are present for comparison of the results. The change points of these networks can be different for different subjects even during normal brain functions. Even for the same subject and session, dynamics can be different at the start and end of the session based on the fatigue level of the subject scanned. Despite the absence of ground truths, studies have analyzed these dynamics using the existing methods and some of them have developed new algorithms too. One of the most commonly used method for this purpose is sliding window correlation. However, the result of the sliding window correlation is dependent on many parameters and without the ground truth there is no way of validating the results. In addition, most of the new algorithms are complicated, computationally expensive, and/or focus on just one aspect on these dynamics. This study applies the algorithms and concepts from signal processing, image processing, video processing, information theory, and machine learning to analyze the results of the sliding window correlation and develops a novel algorithm to detect change points of these networks adaptively. The findings in this study are divided into three parts: 1) Analyzing the extent of variability in well-defined networks of rodents and humans with sliding window correlation applying concepts from information theory and machine learning domains. 2) Analyzing the performance of sliding window correlation using simulated networks as ground truths for best parameters’ selection, and exploring its dependence on multiple frequency components of the correlating signals by processing the signals in time and Fourier domains. 3) Development of a novel algorithm based on image similarity measures from image and video processing that maybe employed to identify change points of these networks adaptively.Ph.D

Sentiments analysis of fMRI using automatically generated stimuli labels under naturalistic paradigm

Abstract Our emotions and sentiments are influenced by naturalistic stimuli such as the movies we watch and the songs we listen to, accompanied by changes in our brain activation. Comprehension of these brain-activation dynamics can assist in identification of any associated neurological condition such as stress and depression, leading towards making informed decision about suitable stimuli. A large number of open-access functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) datasets collected under naturalistic conditions can be used for classification/prediction studies. However, these datasets do not provide emotion/sentiment labels, which limits their use in supervised learning studies. Manual labeling by subjects can generate these labels, however, this method is subjective and biased. In this study, we are proposing another approach of generating automatic labels from the naturalistic stimulus itself. We are using sentiment analyzers (VADER, TextBlob, and Flair) from natural language processing to generate labels using movie subtitles. Subtitles generated labels are used as the class labels for positive, negative, and neutral sentiments for classification of brain fMRI images. Support vector machine, random forest, decision tree, and deep neural network classifiers are used. We are getting reasonably good classification accuracy (42–84%) for imbalanced data, which is increased (55–99%) for balanced data

Monoclonal Behavior of Molecularly Imprinted Polymer Nanoparticles in Capillary Electrochromatography.

A new approach based on miniemulsion polymerization is demonstrated for synthesis of molecularly imprinted nanoparticles (MIP-NP; 30-150 nm) with "monoclonal" binding behavior. The performance of the MIP nanoparticles is characterized with partial filling capillary electrochromatography, for the analysis of rac-propranolol, where (S)-propranolol is used as a template. In contrast to previous HPLC and CEC methods based on the use of MIPs, there is no apparent tailing for the enantiomer peaks, and baseline separation with 25 000-60 000 plate number is achieved. These effects are attributed to reduction of the MIP site heterogeneity by means of peripheral location of the core cross-linked NP and to MIP-binding sites with the same ordered radial orientation. This new MIP approach is based on the substitution of the functional monomers with a surfactant monomer, sodium N-undecenoyl glycinate (SUG) for improved inclusion in the MIP-NP structure and to the use of a miniemulsion in the MIP-NP synthesis. The feasibility of working primarily with aqueous electrolytes (10 mM phosphate with a 20% acetonitrile at pH 7) is attributable to the micellar character of the MIP-NPs, provided by the inclusion of the SUG monomers in the structure. To our knowledge this is the first example of "monoclonal" MIP-NPs incorporated in CEC separations of drug enantiomers

Synthesis of 4-(dimethylamino)pyridine propylthioacetate coated gold nanoparticles and their antibacterial and photophysical activity

BackgroundGold nanoparticles are useful candidate for drug delivery applications and are associated with enhancement in the bioavailability of coated drugs and/or therapeutic agent. Since, heterocyclic compounds are known to exhibit antimicrobial potential against variety of pathogens, we designed this study to evaluate the antibacterial effects of gold nanoparticles conjugation with new synthesized cationic ligand; 4-Dimethyl aminopyridinium propylthioacetate (DMAP-PTA) in comparison with pure compound and antibiotic drug Pefloxacin. Antibacterial activity of DMAP-PTA coated gold nanoparticles was investigated against a fecal strain of E. coli (ATCC 8739).ResultsA new dimethyl aminopyridine based stabilizing agent named as DMAP-PTA was synthesized and used for stabilization of gold nanoparticles. Gold nanoparticles coated with DMAP-PTA abbreviated as DMAP-PTA-AuNPs were thoroughly characterized by UV–visible, FT-IR spectroscopic methods and transmission electron microscope before biological assay. DMAP-PTA, DMAP-PTA-AuNPs and Pefloxacin were examined for their antibacterial potential against E. coli, and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined to be 300, 200 and 50 µg/mL respectively. Gold nanoparticles conjugation was found to significantly enhance the antibacterial activity of DMAP-PTA as compared to pure compound. Moreover, effects of DMAP-PTA-AuNPs on the antibacterial potential of Pefloxacin was also evaluated by combination therapy of 1:1 mixture of DMAP-PTA-AuNPs and Pefloxacin against E. coli in a wide range of concentrations from 5 to 300 µg/mL. The MIC of Pefloxacin + DMAP-PTA-AuNPs mixture was found to be 25 µg/mL as compared to Pefloxacin alone (50 µg/mL), which clearly indicates that DMAP-PTA-AuNPs increased the potency of Pefloxacin. AFM analysis was also carried out to show morphological changes occur in bacteria before and after treatment of test samples. Furthermore, DMAP-PTA-AuNPs showed high selectivity towards Pefloxacin in spectrophotometric drug recognition studies which offers tremendous potential for analytical applications.ConclusionsGold nanoparticles conjugation was shown to enhance the antibacterial efficacy of DMAP-PTA ligand, while DMAP-PTA-AuNPs also induced synergistic effects on the potency of Pefloxacin against E. coli. DMAP-PTA-AuNPs were also developed as Pefloxacin probes in recognizing the drug in blood and water samples in the presence of other drugs

Synthesis of 4-(dimethylamino)pyridine propylthioacetate coated gold nanoparticles and their antibacterial and photophysical activity

BackgroundGold nanoparticles are useful candidate for drug delivery applications and are associated with enhancement in the bioavailability of coated drugs and/or therapeutic agent. Since, heterocyclic compounds are known to exhibit antimicrobial potential against variety of pathogens, we designed this study to evaluate the antibacterial effects of gold nanoparticles conjugation with new synthesized cationic ligand; 4-Dimethyl aminopyridinium propylthioacetate (DMAP-PTA) in comparison with pure compound and antibiotic drug Pefloxacin. Antibacterial activity of DMAP-PTA coated gold nanoparticles was investigated against a fecal strain of E. coli (ATCC 8739).ResultsA new dimethyl aminopyridine based stabilizing agent named as DMAP-PTA was synthesized and used for stabilization of gold nanoparticles. Gold nanoparticles coated with DMAP-PTA abbreviated as DMAP-PTA-AuNPs were thoroughly characterized by UV–visible, FT-IR spectroscopic methods and transmission electron microscope before biological assay. DMAP-PTA, DMAP-PTA-AuNPs and Pefloxacin were examined for their antibacterial potential against E. coli, and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined to be 300, 200 and 50 µg/mL respectively. Gold nanoparticles conjugation was found to significantly enhance the antibacterial activity of DMAP-PTA as compared to pure compound. Moreover, effects of DMAP-PTA-AuNPs on the antibacterial potential of Pefloxacin was also evaluated by combination therapy of 1:1 mixture of DMAP-PTA-AuNPs and Pefloxacin against E. coli in a wide range of concentrations from 5 to 300 µg/mL. The MIC of Pefloxacin + DMAP-PTA-AuNPs mixture was found to be 25 µg/mL as compared to Pefloxacin alone (50 µg/mL), which clearly indicates that DMAP-PTA-AuNPs increased the potency of Pefloxacin. AFM analysis was also carried out to show morphological changes occur in bacteria before and after treatment of test samples. Furthermore, DMAP-PTA-AuNPs showed high selectivity towards Pefloxacin in spectrophotometric drug recognition studies which offers tremendous potential for analytical applications.ConclusionsGold nanoparticles conjugation was shown to enhance the antibacterial efficacy of DMAP-PTA ligand, while DMAP-PTA-AuNPs also induced synergistic effects on the potency of Pefloxacin against E. coli. DMAP-PTA-AuNPs were also developed as Pefloxacin probes in recognizing the drug in blood and water samples in the presence of other drugs

Assessment during Covid-19: Quality assurance of an online open book formative examination for undergraduate medical students

Background: The spread of COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020 compelled all the educational activities, including medical education to be shifted from face-to-face interaction to a virtual platform. This shift provided opportunities for exploring online assessment modalities. One such assessment method is an online open book exam which is a unique concept in medical education of Pakistan. Limited information is available in literature regarding open book exam for the basic science subjects. Hence, the objective of the study was to determine the quality of the open book exam administered as a pilot project to the first-year medical students.Methods: It was a cross-sectional analytical study that included 99 students of first year MBBS. The students were administered an online unrestricted type of open book exam as a formative assessment. The exam consisted of 30 open-ended, short answer type questions. The scores of the exam were analyzed for psychometric quality.Results: The mean score was 47.24 ± 15.30 SD %. The reliability of the exam was 0.79. The majority (66.6%) of items were found to be moderately difficult with their difficulty index ranging from 31 to 80%. The majority (86.6%) items were in the range of moderate to high discrimination. There were no questions with negative discrimination.Conclusions: The exam was found to be reliable and can be implemented with training of faculty and students. Online open book exam provides a good format for remote and formative assessment of students with minimum proctoring during times of constraints such as COVID-19 pandemic

Brain Injury and Dementia in Pakistan:Current Perspectives

Alzheimer\u27s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia, accounting for 50-75% of all cases, with a greater proportion of individuals affected at older age range. A single moderate or severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with accelerated aging and increased risk for dementia. The fastest growth in the elderly population is taking place in China, Pakistan, and their south Asian neighbors. Current clinical assessments are based on data collected from Caucasian populations from wealthy backgrounds giving rise to a diversity crisis in brain research. Pakistan is a lower-middle income country (LMIC) with an estimated one million people living with dementia. Pakistan also has an amalgamation of risk factors that lead to brain injuries such as lack of road legislations, terrorism, political instability, and domestic and sexual violence. Here, we provide an initial and current assessment of the incidence and management of dementia and TBI in Pakistan. Our review demonstrates the lack of resources in terms of speciality trained clinician staff, medical equipment, research capabilities, educational endeavors, and general awareness in the fields of dementia and TBI. Pakistan also lacks state-of-the-art assessment of dementia and its risk factors, such as neuroimaging of brain injury and aging. We provide recommendations for improvement in this arena that include the recent creation of Pakistan Brain Injury Consortium (PBIC). This consortium will enhance international collaborative efforts leading to capacity building for innovative research, clinician and research training and developing databases to bring Pakistan into the international platform for dementia and TBI research

MOESM1 of Synthesis of 4-(dimethylamino)pyridine propylthioacetate coated gold nanoparticles and their antibacterial and photophysical activity

Additional file 1: Figure S1. (a) Effect of temperature on the stability of DMAP-PTA-AuNPs (Blue curve: Spectrum recorded at 25 °C, Red curve: Spectrum recorded at 100 °C) (b) Salt aggregation study of DMAP-PTA-AuNPs. Figure S2. FT-IR spectrum of (a) ligand DMAP-PTA (b) DMAP-PTA-AuNPs (c) DMAP-PTA-AuNPs + Pefloxacin complex. Figure S3. Effect of competing drugs on Pefloxacin response of DMAP-PTA-AuNPs

Assessment of the association between health problems and cooking fuel type, and barriers towards clean cooking among rural household people in Bangladesh

Abstract Background In low- and middle-income countries, households mainly use solid fuels like wood, charcoal, dung, agricultural residues, and coal for cooking. This poses significant public health concerns due to the emission of harmful particles and gases. To address these issues and support Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), adopting cleaner cooking fuels like electricity and gas are acknowledged as a viable solution. However, access to these cleaner fuels is limited, especially in rural areas. Methods This study conducted a face-to-face survey with 1240 individuals in rural Bangladesh to explore the link between health issues and cooking fuel type, as well as barriers to transitioning to clean cooking. Using a convenient sampling technique across four divisions/regions, the survey gathered socio-demographic and health data, along with information on clean cooking barriers through a semi-structured questionnaire. Binary and multivariable logistic regression analyses were then employed to identify significant associations between cooking fuel type and health problems. Results The study revealed that a majority of participants (73.3%) relied on solid fuel for cooking. The use of solid fuel was significantly correlated with factors such as lower education levels, reduced family income, location of residence, and the experience of health issues such as cough, chest pressure while breathing, eye discomfort, diabetes, asthma, and allergies. Economic challenges emerged as the foremost obstacle to the adoption of clean cooking, accompanied by other contributing factors. Conclusion The use of solid fuel in rural Bangladeshi households poses substantial health risks, correlating with respiratory, eye, cardiovascular, and metabolic issues. Lower education and income levels, along with specific residential locations, were associated with higher solid fuel usage. Economic challenges emerged as the primary obstacle to adopting clean cooking practices. These findings emphasize the need for implementing strategies to promote clean cooking, address barriers, and contribute to achieving Sustainable Development Goal targets for health and sustainable energy access in Bangladesh

Additional file 1 of Assessment during Covid-19: quality assurance of an online open book formative examination for undergraduate medical students

Additional file 1. Shows few items that were used in online formative OBE