Comparative Study of Artificial Neural Network based Classification for Liver Patient

The extensive accessibility of new computational methods and tools for data analysis and predictive modeling requires medical informatics researchers and practitioners to steadily select the most appropriate strategy to cope with clinical prediction problems. Data mining offers methodological and technical solutions to deal with the analysis of medical data and construction of prediction models. Patients with Liver disease have been continuously increasing because of excessive consumption of alcohol, inhale of harmful gases, intake of contaminated food, pickles and drugs. Therefore, in this study, Liver patient data is considered and evaluated by univariate analysis and a feature selection method for predicator attributes determination. Further comparative study of artificial neural network based predictive models such as BP, RBF, SOM, SVM are provided. Keywords: Medical Informatics, Classification, Liver Data, Artificial Neural Networ

Evaluation of pulse-oximetry oxygen saturation taken through skin protective covering

BACKGROUND: The hard edges of adult finger clip probes of the pulse oximetry oxygen saturation (POOS) monitor can cause skin damage if used for prolonged periods in a neonate. Covering the skin under the probe with Micropore surgical tape or a gauze piece might prevent such injury. The study was done to see if the protective covering would affect the accuracy of the readings. METHODS: POOS was studied in 50 full-term neonates in the first week of life. After obtaining consent from their parents the neonates had POOS readings taken directly (standard technique) and through the protective covering. Bland-Altman plots were used to compare the new method with the standard technique. A test of repeatability for each method was also performed. RESULTS: The Bland-Altman plots suggest that there is no significant loss of accuracy when readings are taken through the protective covering. The mean difference was 0.06 (SD of 1.39) and 0.04 (SD 1.3) with Micropore and gauze respectively compared to the standard method. The mean difference was 0.22 (SD 0.23) on testing repeatability with the standard method. CONCLUSION: Interposing Micropore or gauze does not significantly affect the accuracy of the POOS reading. The difference between the standard method and the new method was less than the difference seen on testing repeatability of the standard method

Impact of Janani Suraksha Yojana on Institutional Delivery Rate and Maternal Morbidity and Mortality: An Observational Study in India

The Government of India initiated a cash incentive scheme\u2014Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY)\u2014to promote institutional deliveries with an aim to reduce maternal mortality ratio (MMR). An observational study was conducted in a tertiary-care hospital of Madhya Pradesh, India, before and after implementation of JSY, with a sample of women presenting for institutional delivery. The objectives of this study were to: (i) determine the total number of institutional deliveries before and after implementation of JSY, (ii) determine the MMR, and (iii) compare factors associated with maternal mortality and morbidity. The data were analyzed for two years before implementation of JSY (2003-2005) and compared with two years following implementation of JSY (2005-2007). Overall, institutional deliveries increased by 42.6% after implementation, including those among rural, illiterate and primary-literate persons of lower socioeconomic strata. The main causes of maternal mortality were eclampsia, pre-eclampsia and severe anaemia both before and after implementation of JSY. Anaemia was the most common morbidity factor observed in this study. Among those who had institutional deliveries, there were significant increases in cases of eclampsia, pre-eclampsia, polyhydramnios, oligohydramnios, antepartum haemorrhage (APH), postpartum haemorrhage (PPH), and malaria after implementation of JSY. The scheme appeared to increase institutional delivery by at-risk mothers, which has the potential to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality, improve child survival, and ensure equity in maternal healthcare in India. The lessons from this study and other available sources should be utilized to improve the performance and implementation of JSY scheme in India

Documentation of Ethnoveterinary remedies of camel diseases in Rajasthan, India

447-453The present paper highlights the indigenous knowledge of camel owners or the local healers on the ethnoveterinary remedies of camel disease in Rajasthan. The information concerning the ethnoveterinary practices adopted for the treatment of diseases prevailing in the area, viz. surra, pneumonia, camel pox, diarrhea, constipation, internal and external parasites, wounds, food poisoning, inflammation, infertility, arthritis, anaemia, snakebite, sunstroke and ingestion of sand was collected using interview schedule in Bikaner and Udaipur districts of the state. <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">The camel owners/healers were found familiar with the sand ball test or hair stick test for diagnosis of trypanosomiasis or surra and people use burnt diesel oil or kerosene along with camel urine on the infected parts of the camel. The results revealed that there is great agreement among the informants for the usages of jaggery, Curcuma longa L., Dalbergia sisoo Roxb. , Cucumis callosus, Azadirachta indica, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Brassica juncea oil, tobacco leaves, alum, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Allium sativum L., Zingiber officinale Rosc., Trigonella foenum, buttermilk, vegetable oil, etc. The findings of the study would help the extension workers, policy makers and Scientists to have insight into the evolution of appropriate technology and for the discovery of new medicinal compounds. </span

In vitro -in vivo correlation and biopharmaceutical classification system

In vitro dissolution has been extensively used as a quality control tool for solid oral dosage forms. In several cases, however, it is not known whether one can predict the in vivo performance of these products from in vitro dissolution data. In an effort to minimize unnecessary human testing, investigations of in vitro-in vivo correlations (IVIVC) between in vitro dissolution and in vivo bioavailability are increasingly becoming an integral part of extended release drug product development. Development, rapidity in drug development can be achieved by researchers on finding a mathematical link between bioavailability and dissolution testing, which leads to the concept of IVIVC. IVIVC is a mathematical model that can be used to estimate in vivo behavior from its in vitro performance. Among all the five levels of correlation, Level A correlation is widely accepted by the regulatory agencies. Biopharmaceutical classification system explains the suitability of IVIVC. Dissolution method design plays a pivotal role in the estimation of correlations. Applications of IVIVC ranges from drug and product development, their scale up and postapproval changes. Hence, IVIVC should be considered as an important tool in drug development

Defending Against Modern Threats in Web Applications

Web applications have become critical part of business. They hold a treasure trove of data behind their front ends. Now-adays attackers are well aware of the valuable information accessible through web applications, so website security has become a major problem today. The number of vulnerabilities have multiplied in recent years. Vulnerabilities like cross site scripting(XSS),sql injection and cross site request forgery(CSRF) has emerged as a major threat to web applications. So, in order to protect web applications from these modern threats, at first vulnerability assessment should be carried out from time to time and also some preventive techniques should be followed to prevent these threats. The motivation of this paper is to promote the use of automated tools for vulnerability assessment and to follow preventive techniques in order to make web applications secure

Excretion of SARS-CoV-2 in breast milk: a single-centre observational study

Background Breast feeding by SARS-CoV-2-infected mothers has been a concern because of the possibility of excretion of virus in breast milk.Objective To detect SARS-CoV-2 in expressed breast milk (EBM) of mothers infected with SARS-CoV-2 and clinical outcome of neonates delivered and breast fed by them.Design A single-centre, prospective observational study involving 50 SARS-CoV-2-infected mothers and their 51 neonates.Setting A tertiary care hospital in Eastern India.Participants SARS-CoV-2-infected mothers and neonates delivered by them.Main outcome measures We investigated the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in the breast milk of mothers, who tested positive for this virus in their nasopharyngeal swab (NPS). Clinical outcome was assessed in neonates breast fed by these mothers after 1 month of the postnatal period.Results 50 SARS-CoV-2-positive expectant mothers were enrolled for the study. One out of 51 neonates, who delivered through lower segment caesarean section at term gestation and tested SARS-CoV-2 negative, died due to severe birth asphyxia. One sample of EBM was collected from each of the 49 mothers within 4 days of delivery. All EBM samples tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 through real-time reverse transcriptase-PCR (RT-PCR). All the newborns were screened twice for presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in their NPS, by RT-PCR. 2 of 51 neonates had COVID-19 infection after 24 hours of life. Caregivers of 37 of 50 alive neonates responded to follow-up via telephone. Except for minor feed intolerance in one (1 of 37) neonate, all neonates were reported well after 1 month of their age.Conclusion All the samples of breast milk were negative for SARS-CoV-2. Most of the neonates remained asymptomatic on breast feeding, whose mothers had SARS-CoV-2 infection before delivery