Intraluminal Deposits Found in Glaucoma Tube Shunts Via Anterior Segment Ocular Coherence Tomography

PURPOSE: To describe and characterize a novel observation of intraluminal deposits of glaucoma tube shunts (TS) using spectral domain (SD) ocular coherence topography (OCT). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fifteen TS in 11 patients diagnosed with primary open-angle, neovascular, aphakic, and uveitic glaucomas. Both Ahmed (n=11) and Baerveldt (n=4) TS were examined with 5-line raster anterior segment SD-OCT imaging. RESULTS: The exposed tubes of 2 patients had highly reflective intraluminal deposits in the corresponding exposed areas. Seven tubes without exposure had a thin rim of highly reflective material. Six tubes were clear of luminal deposits. The most common diagnosis in the study was uveitic glaucoma which occurred in 5 of the 15 eyes (33%). The next most common diagnosis was primary open-angle glaucoma which occurred in 4 of the 15 eyes (25%). There were 2 nonvalved Baerveldt tubes in each group. The mean duration of TS implantation was 15.0 months in the deposit group and 33.7 months in the group without luminal deposits. The majority of patients in each group were using eye drops at presentation (88.9% deposit, 83.3% clear), and the average intraocular pressure was 20.2 mm Hg in the deposit group and 19.0 mm Hg in the clear group. CONCLUSIONS: Anterior segment OCT imaging may be used to evaluate TS integrity. Intraluminal deposits in TS may occur as a natural response to implanted drainage device, possibly as an inflammatory response

Analysis of Modified Rule Extraction Algorithm and Internal Representation of Neural Network

Classification and Rule extraction is an important application of Artificial Neural Network. To extract fewer rules from multilayer feed forward neural network has been a research area. The internal representation of the network is augmented by a distance term to extract fewer rules from the feedforward neural network and experimented on five datasets. Understanding affect of different factors of the dataset and network on extraction of a number of rules from the network can reveal important pieces of information which may help researchers to enhance the rule extraction process. This work investigates the internal behavior of neural network in rule extraction process on five different dataset.Keywords: Rule extraction, Feed Forward Neural Network, Hidden units, Activation value, Hidden neurons

Influence of Promotional Tools and Physicians’ Demographics A Study in Indian Pharmaceutical Industry

This paper attempts to study the association between physicians’ demographics and promotional tools influence on prescription behaviour. This paper is part of a larger study. Primary data for the study from physicians was collected through a survey using a structured questionnaire. One thousand physicians were identified through systematic random sampling. The questionnaire was administered face to face through personal visits in physicians’ chambers in the hospitals. A significant association is found between practicing years and educational programs, medical representative and samples influence on prescription behaviour. Qualification of respondents’ was found to be related with medical representative’s influence on prescription behaviour. Physicians with the qualification of Master of Surgery have the highest mean influence on prescription behaviour. A significant association was found between specialty of physicians’ and mean influence score of medical representative, gifts and samples. Orthopaedics specialty scored highest  for the mean influence score of medical representative. Numbers of prescriptions were found to be associated with educational programs influence on prescription behaviour. Physicians writing 21 to 50 prescriptions in a week were found to be most influenced by educational programs.

Influence of Promotional Tools on Pharmaceutical Retailers’ Decision to Place Orders

The study examines the perceptions of pharmaceutical retailers on the association between retail store demographics and influence of promotional tools on the decision to place orders. Promotional tools studied in the article are: medical representatives, schemes, gifts, promotional literature and online promotion. A total of 400 respondents (pharmaceutical retailers) were contacted by personally visiting them and 252 completed usable questionnaires were obtained. Respondents were also enquired about the reasons for which medical representatives visit them and promotional measures the pharmaceutical firms should take which will help retailers. A positive association has been found between the number of employees in the store and the influence of gifts on decision to place orders. Data reveals that the medical representatives influence the decision to book orders in smaller stores more as compared to stores with larger size. A significant relationship was found between number of years store has been in business and influence of medical representatives, schemes, and gifts on decision to book orders

Analysis of Modified Rule Extraction Algorithm and Internal Representation of Neural Network

Classification and Rule extraction is an important application of Artificial Neural Network. To extract fewer rules from multilayer feed forward neural network has been a research area. The internal representation of the network is augmented by a distance term to extract fewer rules from the feedforward neural network and experimented on five datasets. Understanding affect of different factors of the dataset and network on extraction of a number of rules from the network can reveal important pieces of information which may help researchers to enhance the rule extraction process. This work investigates the internal behavior of neural network in rule extraction process on five different dataset.Keywords: Rule extraction, Feed Forward Neural Network, Hidden units, Activation value, Hidden neurons

On the geometric means of an entire function of several complex variables represented by multiple Dirichlet series

Let $f(s_1, s_2)$ be an entire function of two complex variables represented by double Dirichlet series. In the present paper, we have studied certain growth properties of the geometric means of $\vert f(s_1, s_2)\vert$ and obtained some inequalities which are the best possible

Potential of hydroethanolic leaf extract of Ocimum sanctum in ameliorating redox status and lung injury in COPD: an in vivo and in silico study

Abstract Oxidative stress and inflammation are hypothesised as the main contributor for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Cigarette smoke (CS), a major cause of COPD leads to inflammation resulting in recruitment of neutrophils and macrophages which are rich sources of oxidants. Activation of these cells produces excess oxidants and depletes antioxidants resulting in stress. Presently, effective drug for COPD is limited; therefore, novel compounds from natural sources, including plants are under exploration. The present study aims to investigate the protective effect of Ocimum sanctum leaf extract (OLE) in CS − induced model of COPD. Exposure to CS was performed thrice a week for 8 weeks and OLE (200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg) was administered an hour before CS exposure. Control group (negative control) were exposed to ambient air while COPD group was exposed to CS (positive control). Administration of OLE doses reduced inflammation, decreased oxidant concentration and increased antioxidant concentration (p < 0.01). Molecular docking studies between the major phytocompounds of OLE (Eugenol, Cyclohexane and Caryophyllene) and antioxidant enzymes Superoxide dismutase (SOD), Catalase, Glutathione peroxidase (GPx), Glutathione reductase (GR) and Glutathione S Transferase (GST) showed strong binding interaction in terms of binding energy. In vivo and in silico findings for the first time indicates that OLE extract significantly alleviates oxidative stress by its potent free radical scavenging property and strong interaction with antioxidant enzymes. OLE extract may prove to be a therapeutic option for COPD prevention and treatment