Conjunction Weighted Average Method with Fuzzy Expert System for Weather Event Forecasting – A Monthly Outlook

Fuzzy logic as a limiting case of approximate reasoning is viewed in exact reasoning, consider everything in a matter of degree. A collection of elastic or equivalently interpreted to knowledge, a collection of variables in fuzzy constraint. Inference is process as a propagation of elastic constraints. Every logical system is fuzzified in fuzzy logic. Fuzzy logic is fascinating area of research, it trading off between significance and precision. It is convenient way to map space of input to a space of output. Fuzzy logic as so far as the laws of Mathematics refers to reality, they are not certain and so far, as they are certain as complexity rises, precise statements lose meaning and meaningful statements lose precision. Most meteorological infrastructure is surprisingly versatile. For example, the same radar system that can detect oncoming storms will also be useful for gathering general rainfall data for the farming sector. Being able to predict and forecast the weather also allows for data to be gathered to build up a more detailed picture of a nation’s climate, and trends within i

EVALUATION OF THE PROPHYLACTIC ROLE OF INDIAN SHRIMP IN ALUMINUM CHLORIDE-INDUCED ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE ON EXPERIMENTAL RATS

Objective: This work was aimed to investigate the prophylactic and therapeutic role of Indian shrimp in aluminum chloride-induced Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in rats. Methods: The male Wistar rats were selected and divided into six groups. Group I received distilled water, Group II received AlCl3 ( 100 mg/kg, p.o.), Group III received rivastigmine (1 mg/kg, p.o.), Group IV received AlCl3 + shrimp powder (200 mg/kg, p.o), and Group V received AlCl3 + shrimp powder (400 mg/kg, p.o) for 60 days. At the end of the study, various parameters such as behavioral and biochemical investigations were assessed. Results: The result of the study shows that the shrimp (400 mg/kg) has better effect on the treatment of aluminum chloride-induced AD in rats. It showed a remarkable improvement in the behavioral and biochemical parameters, and the result of histopathology study shows that the hippocampus region of brain tissue recovered as compared with control. Conclusion: From this study, it is evident that dietary intake of shrimp can help to inhibit oxidative stress produced due to the accumulation of AlCl3 in the brain and used as a prophylactic for AD

Objective structured practical examination (OSPE) as a tool in formative assessment of II MBBS students, in pathology

Background: Assessment drives the student learning. Regular periodical assessment not only improves learning habits, but also enhances the competence in all levels of medical education. Traditional practical examination is more subjective. It depends on examiners subjectivity, varying difficulty level of various experiments, and also internal marks variation etc. These flaws can be overcome by newer methods like OSPE. The aim of the study was to implement OSPE as a tool of internal assessment for practical skills in the II MBBS. To compare this with traditional practical examination (TPE). To obtain the students and faculty feedback regarding OSPE as a tool of assessment.Methods: A cross sectional study was carried out for 158 students in II internal pathology practical examination for six days in the second week of September 2016 at Department of Pathology, Dr. Pinnamaneni Siddhartha institute of medical sciences & Research Foundation, Chinnaoutpalli. Faculty and students were sensitized; blueprint were used to arrange twenty OSPE stations for the exercises conducted as per TPE and for the same 25 marks as per TPE. Simultaneously, all the students were subjected to both TPE and OSPE at the same time and venue. TPE was assessed by two professors and OSPE by separate eight faculty members independently without interaction with the students. The procedural stations were evaluated by using checklist and the response stations which consisted of short answers and MCQs, facilitated correction. Feedback was given to the student on their performance and feedback was obtained from the students and faculty regarding OSPE by questionnaire with Yes/No answers.Results: Performance score of students in OPSE (13.73 ±2.49) was higher as compared to TPE (9.27±1.86) which was statistically significant. Based on the response to the questionnaire, students perception towards OSPE was analyzed. Majority strongly agree OSPE to be fairer, more transparent and objective in comparison to TPE. In contrast, all the faculty members unanimously opined that OSPE was difficult to arrange, time taken and faculty versus students ratio was high for evaluation. Though, the faculty (91%) overall opined that OSPE should be included as a method of assessment.Conclusions: Present study revealed that OSPE was acceptable, feasible and reliable to the students as well as for faculty for the internal assessment in pathology. Opinions of both students and faculties strongly agreed that OPSE is more effective objective assessment tool

Present status of Halophila beccarii seagrass bed in Kadalundi Community Reserve

The occurrence of Halophila beccarii seagrass bed in the Kadalundi community reserve area was estimated to be covering an area of more than 2 hectares with a clayey substratum. The seagrass was growing predominantly with seaweed Enteromorpha linza and found exposed during the low tide period. The density of the seagrass H. beccarii ranged from almost nil during July 2012 to 420 g wet weight/m2 (260 plants/ m2) during December 2012. During April 2013 the distribution of Halophila plants was represented only by sparse occurrence of underground parts comprising rhizomes and roots (80 g/ m2). Shoots could not be seen above the sediment substratum

Screening, Assessment and Identification Tools for Dyslexia

The special education process relies heavily on assessment to ascertain a student’s disability. In order to target the areas of need that call for differentiated or specialized education, teachers can target students’ strengths through an ongoing process of data collection and analysis. In order to properly diagnose Specific Learning Disability (SLD) or Dyslexia, the student’s planning and placement team (PPT), consisting of the parents of the child and trained professionals, must conduct a thorough evaluation process. People who have dyslexia are frequently misdiagnosed or completely overlooked. The assessment of dyslexia presents with difficulties, such as the use of a variety of terms, the inadequacy of current assessment models, and the dependence on phonological awareness as the only linguistic risk factor. This chapter’s goal is to address the difficulties associated with diagnosing and screening for dyslexia in children, including the use of a variety of terms, the use of phonological awareness as the single linguistic risk factor for dyslexia. In an effort to give parents, educators, and researchers a consolidated and comprehensive source of information, the chapter examines the accessibility and usefulness of screening and assessment instruments for the diagnosis and identification of dyslexia in children of various age groups

Breastfeeding Practices and Infant Development Outcomes

The biochemistry of human milk contains a vast amount of knowledge and information that was previously un-recognised and unknown. The neonate and infant receive both nutritive and non-nutritive signals from milk, according to evidence. There is strong evidence that early, continuous breast feeding for 23 months significantly lowers neonatal and child mortality on a global scale. Breast feeding is the gold standard for an infant’s survival, health, and development, according to scientific research. Due to its nutritional, immunological, and psychological advantages, it is thought to be the best start for infant life. To achieve the best possible growth, development, and health, the World Health Organisation advises mothers to exclusively breastfeed their infants for the first six months of their lives, then continue to do so while supplementing with the right foods until they are two years old or older. Infant developmental milestones and outcomes like cognitive development, socio- emotional development, psychomotor development, and language development have been linked to both the components of breast milk and the act of breast feeding

Location and content of counselling and acceptance of postpartum IUD in Sri Lanka

Background: The immediate postpartum IUD (PPIUD) is a long-acting, reversible method of contraception that can be used safely and effectively following a birth. To appropriately facilitate the immediate postpartum insertion of IUDs, women must be informed of the method’s availability and must be counselled on its benefits and risks prior to entering the delivery room. We examine the relationship between the location and quality of antenatal counselling and women’s acceptance of immediate postpartum IUD (PPIUD) in four hospitals in Sri Lanka. Methods: Data were collected between January 2015 and May 2015. Modified Poisson regressions with robust standard errors are used to assess the relationships between place of counselling, indicators of counselling quality, and PPIUD uptake following delivery. Results: We find that women who were counselled in hospital antenatal clinics and admission wards were much more likely to have a PPIUD inserted than women who were counselled in field clinics or during home visits. Hospital-based counselling had higher quality indicators for providing information on PPIUD, and women were more likely to receive PPIUD information leaflets in hospital locations than in lower-tiered clinics or during home visits. Women who were counselled at hospital locations also reported a higher level of satisfaction with the counselling that they received. Receipt of hospital-based counselling was also linked to higher PPIUD uptake, in spite of the fact that women were more likely to be given information about the risks and alternatives to PPIUD in hospitals. The information about the risks of and alternatives to PPIUD, whether provided in hospital or in non-hospital settings, tended to lower the likelihood of acceptance to have a PPIUD insertion. Counselling in hospital admission wards was focused on women who had not been counselled at field clinics. Conclusions: The study findings call for efforts that improve the training of midwives who provide PPIUD counselling at field clinics and during the home visits. We also recommend that routine PPIUD counselling be conducted in hospitals, even if women have already been counselled elsewhere

Enhanced anticorrosion properties of nitrogen ions modified polyvinyl alcohol/Mg-Ag ions co-incorporated calcium phosphate coatings

Nitrogen ions (70 keV) were implanted on composite coatings containing polymer/Mg (magnesium)–Ag (silver) ions co-incorporated hydroxyapatite which is developed by microwave irradiation. Average crystallite size of modified coatings is reduced to 80% compared to pristine. The variation of bond strength of modified coatings is realized. The electrical resistance (77%), microhardness (4.3%), roughness (4.5 times) and pore size are enhanced on the modified coatings. Superhydrophilic surface is tuned to hydrophobic on implantation. At higher fluence (1×1017 ions/cm2) depicted an enhanced corrosion potential compared to the other coatings. Thus, the new insight of modified coatings is realized by correlating phase-structure, surface and anticorrosion

Child with Deletion 9p Syndrome Presenting with Craniofacial Dysmorphism, Developmental Delay, and Multiple Congenital Malformations

A 4-month-old Sri Lankan male child case with a de novo terminal deletion in the p22 → pter region of chromosome 9 is described. The child presented with craniofacial dysmorphism, developmental delay, and congenital malformations in agreement with the consensus phenotype. A distinctive feature observed in this child was complete collapse of the left lung due to malformation of lung tissue. Cytogenetic studies confirmed terminal deletion of the short arm of chromosome 9 distal to band p22 [46,XY,del(9)(p22 → pter)]. This is the first reported case of a de novo deletion 9p syndrome associated with pulmonary hypoplasia. This finding contributes to the widening of the spectrum of phenotypic features associated with deletion 9p syndrome