A comparative study to assess the effectiveness of constraint induced movement therapy and conventional physiotherapy in improving hand and wrist function in the hemiparetic stroke patients.

INTRODUCTION : Constraint Induced Movement Therapy of the upper extremity affected by hemiparesis has been credited with hastening the cortical map reorganization process in humans. In other methods of stroke treatment, patients learned to use the unaffected extremity for ADL. Such approaches of treatment may faster learned nonuse of the affected extremity. Learned nonuse is proposed to be a phenomenon in which an individual effectively forgets to use the affected extremity because of the extreme difficulty of movement experienced immediately after the onset of stroke. Constraint Induced Movement Therapy is thought to offset learned nonuse, as it was developed to improve purposeful movement of the affected extremity by restricting the use of the unaffected upper extremity after stroke. In fact, the main therapeutic factor in Constraint Induced Movement Therapy is the intensive use of the paretic limb. OBJECTIVES : 1. To improve the hand and wrist function by Constraint induced movement therapy. 2. To improve the hand and wrist function by Conventional physiotherapy. 3. To know the difference between the constraint induced movement therapy and conventional physiotherapy in improving hand and wrist function in the hemi paretic stroke patients. MATERIALS AND METHOD : Study Design - Two group pre – post test experimental design. Study Setting - This study was conducted at Outpatient department, RVS Hospital, Sulur. Study Duration - The study was conducted for a period of 2 weeks. Subjects : 20 subjects who fulfilled inclusion and exclusion criteria were selected by random sampling method, out of them 10 were allotted in Group A for constrained induced movement therapy and 10 in Group B for conventional physiotherapy. Data Analysis : The data collected from 20 patients were evaluated statistically. Descriptive analytical study was done by using paired‘t’ test and unpaired‘t’ test. RESULTS : The number of subjects for the study was 20(n=20).The subjects were divided into two groups , Group ‘A’ and Group ‘B’, each group consists of 10 persons. Treatment program was given for a period of (14 days) 2 weeks as 6 hours of training per week day of affected extremity. Before starting the treatment group-A was involved for pretest assessment by Fugl-meyer scale. The measurements were repeated after the treatment. Hence we accept Alternate hypothesis HA2 and reject null hypothesis Ho2. CONCLUSION : An experimental study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of constraint induced movement therapy and conventional physiotherapy in improving hand and wrist function in the hemi paretic stroke patients. 20 patients with hemi paretic stroke were included in this study and randomly divided into two groups A and B each group consist of 10 subjects. Group A was treated with Constraint induced movement therapy. Group B was treated with Conventional physiotherapy. Wrist and hand functions were assessed before and after intervention by Fugl-meyer scale. The statistical result shows that there is improvement in both the groups. But when comparing both it was found that Constraint induced movement therapy is more effective than conventional physiotherapy

VARIATIONS IN ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF SYZYGIUM CUMINI OF DIFFERENT GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATIONS

The emergence of antibiotic resistance and the evolution of new strains of disease causing agents, are of highly concern to the global health community. Plants are potential source of antimicrobial agents. They have been used traditionally for prevention of infections caused by micro-organisms. Description of Krimighana herbs enumerated in Ayurveda classics is suggestive towards the importance of this group of medicine. Jambu (Syzygium cumini (L.) Skeels) is a member of Myrtaceae family. In Raja Nighantu it is mentioned that plant Jambu is having Kriminashaka property. It has been widely used medicine in the prevention of various ailments like cough, Dysentary, Diabetes, inflammation and ringworm. It is well established fact that geographical variations effects the potential and activity of medicinal herbs. Hence, the present study was undertaken to investigate Syzygium cumini procured from different geographical locations including Delhi, Rajasthan and Maharashtra for their potential activity against human infections caused by pathogens. Method The aqueous extract of Syzygium cumini of all the three areas was prepared. The activity of the plant extract was evaluated against nine bacterial pathogens and one fungal strain, which include Staphyllococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi, Klebsiella pneumonia and Candida albicans. The activity was carried out using Disk diffusion method. Result and Conclusion: All samples of Syzygium cumini showed potential antimicrobial activity against four pathogens including Staphyllococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans. MIC was also evaluated against the tested pathogenic strains. The sample from Maharashtra showed MIC i.e. 80µg, 40µg, 80µg against Staphyllococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes and Candida albicans respectively which is less as compare to sample from Rajasthan and Delhi. Region wise sample from Maharashtra showed good ZOI and MIC

Swept Source Optical Coherence Tomography Findings of Pachychoroid Spectrum of Diseases in patients with Unilateral Acute Central Serous Chorioretinopathy

INTRODUCTION: Central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR) is the fourth most common retinopathy after age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and branch retinal vein occlusion. CSCR occurs in males in the age group of 20 to 50 years. There is no underlying proven pathophysiologic mechanism for CSCR. It is thought to occur due to hyper permeable choroidal capillaries in association with retinal pigment epithelium causing serous detachment of neurosensory retina. Recurrence rate of CSCR is about 33% and some texts show the recurrence rate of about 50%. In 1866, the disease was first recognized by Albrecht Von Grafe and named as central recurrent retinitis. It has been reported under a variety of names such as idiopathic flat detachment of the macula by Walsh et al, central angiospastic retinopathy by Gifford et al, and central serous retinopathy by Straatsma et al. Gas et al, named the condition as Idiopathic central serous chorioretinopathy in 1967. AIM AND OBJECTIVE: To describe retinal and choroidal findings in both eyes of patients with unilateral acute central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR) with a focus on pachychoroid spectrum of disorders using swept source optical coherence tomography (SS OCT). METHODOLOGY: Prospective observational study on patients with unilateral acute CSCR using SS OCT presenting to Retina department, Aravind Eye Hospital, Madurai during the period of December 2017 to November 2018. All 127 patients underwent visual acuity testing, IOP, anterior & posterior segment examination and SS OCT. SS OCT findings of thinning of choriocapillaries, pachyvessels and choroidal thickness in both eyes were noted. RESULTS: Among 127 patients, choroidal thickness of ≥300μm was seen in 98.4% of affected eyes. The mean choroidal thickness in CSCR eyes were 431.6μm and normal eyes were 387.51μm showing significant difference in choroidal thickness between affected and normal eyes. Dilated vessels were seen in 25.2% of CSCR eyes and 6.3% in normal eyes.Thinning of choroidal capillaries were seen in 24.4% CSCR eyes compared to normal eyes which is 7.1%.This showed that there is an association of pachyvessel and thinning of choriocapillaries with CSCR. CONCLUSION: In this study, we observed an increase in choroidal thickness of > 300μm, dilated vessels in choroid and thinning of choriocapillaris in both eyes of patients with unilateral acute CSCR. This suggests most often CSCR is found to be a part of pachychoroid spectrum of disorders

Narratives from Rajendranagar: A Critical Ethnographic Study of Food Insecurity in an Indian Slum

This dissertation is an ethnographic inquiry into women’s experiences of food insecurity in Rajendranagar, a slum in Bangalore, India. As a critical ethnographer, I undertook this study with a goal of addressing the problem of malnourishment that plagues India. The number of slums in the developing world is rapidly increasing. With increased migration to urban areas, the poor will live mainly in the slums of the city. However, relatively little is known about how slum residents struggle and cope with food insecurity. The dissertation contributes to the existing body of literature by arguing that responsibilities associated with food simultaneously empowers and disempowers women in cultural contexts. The findings of the dissertation will facilitate the process of female empowerment by understanding the communication processes and meanings that create the conditions which make women vulnerable to food insecurity. I used the Culturally Sensitive Model of Health Communication to design the study and analyze the data. I employed a variety of qualitative methods such as participant observations, textual analysis, interviews, and photographs to understand the experiences of food insecurity. My exploration resulted in three analytic chapters. I begin this dissertation by sharing the structural support and constraints that affected the food security of women. There were four types of structural support: infrastructure, healthcare, government food programs, and NGO programs. I then discuss the cultural constraints and support that affect women’s experiences of food insecurity. There were four cultural constraints that disempowered women: preference for boys, gender-based violence, forced child marriages, and the lack of education. Rajendranagar culture was also rich in social capital. To this end, women benefitted from material, informational, and emotional social support through their networks. These types of support empowered women to cope with food insecurity. I also share how an infrastructural development intervention in Rajendranagar affected women’s community relationships and food security. Together, these findings illuminate the experiences of hunger among women in an Indian slum. Additionally, I provide insight into how marginalized women in a resource-limited setting enacted their agency to cope with food insecurity

Second Trimester Antenatal Umbilical Coiling Index and Its Doppler Flow Characteristics and Perinatal Outcome: A Prospective study

OBJECTIVE: To study correlation between antenatal Umbilical Cord Coiling Index (UCI) and umbilical vein blood flow and perinatal outcome. METHODS: UCI and umbilical vein blood flow were determined in 200 antenatal women with by ultrasonography and colour doppler between 20 to 28 weeks gestation. Results were correlated with following factors: gestational age of delivery, mode of delivery, meconium stained liquor, abnormal heart rate, birth weight, APGAR score and statistically analysed by Chi-square test. RESULTS: Hypocoiling was associated with preterm deliveries, LBW, low APGAR, abnormal heart rate and NICU admissions. Hypercoiling was associated with SGA, caesarean sections, meconium staining of liquor, low APGAR and NICU admissions. Increased umbilical vein blood flow was associated with SGA, meconium stained liquor and abnormal foetal heart rate. Decreased umbilical vein blood flow was associated with preterm deliveries, low birth weight, low APGAR. Positive correlation was observed between UCI and umbilical vein blood flow. UCI and umbilical vein blood flow also had positive correlation with birth weight and low APGAR. CONCLUSION: Abnormal coiling and abnormal umbilical vein blood flow can be used as a predictor of birth weight and low APGAR

IMPLEMENTATION OF MODEL PREDICTIVE CONTROL AND AUTO TUNING BASED PID FOR EFFECTIVE TEMPERATURE CONTROL IN CSTR

Continuous Stirrer Tank Reactor (CSTR) is an important topic in process control and offering a diverse range of researches in the area of chemical and control engineering. A simulation on mathematical model has several advantages over the experiment on a real model or system, which is used for steady state analysis and dynamic state analysis. The main objective is to control the temperature of CSTR in the presence of disturbance. Various control approaches have been applied on CSTR to control its parameters through PID control and MODEL PREDICTIVE CONTROL (MPC). Model design and simulation are done in MATLAB SIMULINK

Consumer Motivation On Internet Shopping An Exploratory Study on Consumer Motivation of Online Shopping in Thailand

The growth of B2C shopping has soared massively over the last few years in Thailand. Although B2C has created an immense amount of new opportunities for Thai companies and businesses, questions still arise about why consumers are motivated to use the Internet as a medium to shop over conventional shopping. Due to the rapid increase in online stores, competition has also risen remarkably. Therefore it is imperative for all online businesses in Thailand to have an understanding of consumer motivation in order to survive in this competitive era. The purpose of this study is to investigate consumer motivations of online shopping in Thailand both in goal-orientated and experiential perspectives. Therefore, this paper proposes a conceptual framework to increase web-developers and online business companies understanding on consumer motivation of online shopping in Thailand. The conceptual framework integrates both goal-orientated and experiential motives and also contains exogenous factors. The goal-orientated motivations in the framework comprises of availability of information, selection, convenience and control of sociality. On the other hand, the experiential motivations include factors such as ambiance, auctions, bargains, adventure and various other factors. Moreover, this study uses a qualitative approach by conducting semi-structured indepth interviews to gather rich insightful data of Thai online consumers. Overall, twenty in-depth interviews were taken by means of the snowballing sampling technique. The study found that Thai consumers are more goal-orientated than experiential especially male consumers. Furthermore, the study found that the most popular utilitarian motivational factors were convenience, selection and availability of information. As for experiential motivations among the Thai respondents, auctions and bargains were yet the most popular between both male and female interviewees. Finally, the study found that exogenous factors such as gender and marital status have an impact towards consumer motivation of online shopping

IMPLEMENTATION OF MODEL PREDICTIVE CONTROL AND AUTO TUNING BASED PID FOR EFFECTIVE TEMPERATURE CONTROL IN CSTR

Continuous Stirrer Tank Reactor (CSTR) is an important topic in process control and offering a diverse range of researches in the area of chemical and control engineering. A simulation on mathematical model has several advantages over the experiment on a real model or system, which is used for steady state analysis and dynamic state analysis. The main objective is to control the temperature of CSTR in the presence of disturbance. Various control approaches have been applied on CSTR to control its parameters through PID control and MODEL PREDICTIVE CONTROL (MPC). Model design and simulation are done in MATLAB SIMULIN