Open Medical Gesture: An Open-Source Experiment in Naturalistic Physical Interactions for Mixed and Virtual Reality Simulations

Mixed Reality (MR) and Virtual Reality (VR) simulations are hampered by requirements for hand controllers or attempts to perseverate in use of two-dimensional computer interface paradigms from the 1980s. From our efforts to produce more naturalistic interactions for combat medic training for the military, USC has developed an open-source toolkit that enables direct hand controlled responsive interactions that is sensor independent and can function with depth sensing cameras, webcams or sensory gloves. Natural approaches we have examined include the ability to manipulate virtual smart objects in a similar manner to how they are used in the real world. From this research and review of current literature, we have discerned several best approaches for hand-based human computer interactions which provide intuitive, responsive, useful, and low frustration experiences for VR users.Comment: AHFE 202

Radioecological Researches in Technogenic Areas of Issyk-Kul Region

The results of radioecological studies of the assessment of the territory of the Kaji-Sai uranium tailings in the Issyk-Kul region are presented. It is established that the growth of plants in conditions of an increased radiation background leads to a morphological variability of vegetative and generative organs, an increase in the level of chromosomal aberrations. Keywords: radiation background, tailings, plants, chromosomal aberration

Implementasi Metode Smart Pada Pemilihan Kegiatan Ekstrakurikeler Untuk Siswa SD (Studi Kasus: SDIT Cordova 2)

Dalam pendidikan, pendekatan non-akademik melibatkan pengajaran keterampilan sesuai dengan minat dan bakat siswa untuk mempersiapkan mereka di masa depan. Pendidikan formal saja tidak mencukupi, sehingga pendidikan non-formal atau kegiatan ekstrakurikuler juga penting. Ekstrakurikuler adalah kegiatan di luar jam pelajaran yang diawasi oleh sekolah untuk mengembangkan minat, bakat, kepribadian, dan kemampuan siswa secara lebih luas. Pemilihan kegiatan ekstrakurikuler umumnya dilakukan melalui pengisian formulir yang diberikan oleh bagian kesiswaan. Namun, metode ini dianggap kurang efektif karena hanya memberikan pilihan kegiatan tanpa informasi yang terperinci, sehingga siswa bisa memilih kegiatan yang tidak sesuai dengan minat dan bakat mereka sendiri. Sistem ini dirancang menggunakan metode Simple Multi Attribute Rating Technique (SMART) dengan menggunakan model penjumlahan linier, metode SMART dapat memprediksi nilai dari setiap alternatif, dan keputusan dapat diambil dengan fleksibel dalam pengambilan keputusan, setiap alternatif memiliki nilai kriteria yang dapat berupa data kuantitatif atau data kualitatif. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk membangun sebuah Sistem Pendukung Keputusan Pemilihan Ekstrakurikuler dengan metode Simple Multi Attribute Rating Technique (SMART) untuk membantu menyelesaikan permasalahan bagi pengguna yaitu memudahkan para siswa untuk memilih kegiatan ekstrakurikuler. Hasil yang dicapai sistem memiliki 5 alternatif rekomendasi ekstrakurikuler yang disarankan dan 1 alternatif terbaik yang akan menjadi pertimbangan dalam menentukan esktrakurikuler yang sesuai dengan minat dan bakat siswa

Examining the Effect of a High Quality Dietary Intervention on Cognitive Function in Early Adolescence

Introduction: Excessive consumption of high fat, high sugar foods may precipitate cognitive decline. This effect may be more pronounced during cognitive development. The present single-blind randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted to examine the effect of a moderate fat, low added sugar (MF/LS) dietary intervention on cognitive function in 8-11 yr old preadolescents with a pre-established high fat, high sugar (HF/HS) dietary pattern. Participants included 17 non-obese (BMI Percentile: 25.4 - 91.3) low to middle income preadolescents randomized to 2 weeks of their usual HF/HS diet (control) or a MF/LS intervention diet. Method: The MF/LS intervention diet was restricted to 25% of calories/day from total fat and 40% of calories/day from total fat and >15.9% of calories from added sugar. All food served was measured to the tenth of a gram. Any uneaten portion of food was weighed to obtain accurate measures of actual intake. NDSR dietary analysis software was used to assess macronutrient, micronutrient and added sugar intakes. Participants were weighed weekly to ensure they remained in energy balance throughout the duration of the study. Pre-post cognitive assessment served as the primary outcome measure. A battery of age appropriate tests from the Penn Computerized Neurocognitive Battery (CNB) as well as the widely used and a previously validated Trail Making task were selected to assess executive function, speed of processing, working memory, attention and spatial ability. Results: Both ANCOVA and a repeated measures approach were used to evaluate the mean difference of post-intervention scores between conditions, controlling for pre-intervention scores and other covariates including age, gender, sleep and mood. For each statistical approach, 10 tests were run, encompassing each of the cognitive assessments given and, for some, their delayed counterpart. Based on the ANCOVA analysis, participants randomized to the MF/LS intervention had a faster median response time (RT) for correct responses on 2 of the 10 tests analyzed, including the initial facial recognition task and its delayed counterpart. Compared to controls, the intervention group displayed 1) a faster total correct RT while controlling for gender (p = 0.02), 2) a faster true negative RT when controlling for gender and age (p = 0.012), and 3) a faster delayed task median total correct RT when controlling for gender and age (p = 0.005). No significant differences between groups were detected for the other assessments. Based on a repeated measures approach, none of the 10 tests analyzed reached statistical significance. Multiple regression analyses revealed a dose response effect on face recognition RT based on % intake of daily calories from total sugar, added sugar, total fat and saturated fat such that a 10% increase in % calories from total sugar, added sugar and saturated fat decreased processing speed for total correct responses on the initial facial recognition task by 0.58 seconds whereas a 10% increase in % total fat decreased processing speed on the same task by 0.44 seconds. The multivariate regression analyses controlled for gender and pretest scores. Conclusions: A 2-week MF/LS dietary intervention may improve delayed face recognition in low to middle income preadolescents with a pre-established HF/HS dietary pattern. Although the intervention appeared to demonstrate a positive effect on 2 measures of cognitive function (initial and delayed facial recognition), after Bonferroni correction, these results only remained significant for the delayed task median total correct RT when controlling for gender and age (p = 0.005). Thus, study results must be interpreted with caution as they may simply be an artifact of chance finding in the ANCOVA statistical analysis. Further investigation of benefits proffered by decreasing % total sugar, % added sugar, % total fat and % saturated fat intake to preadolescent cognition is warranted. Future work should focus on replicating the present study in a larger sample, using hippocampal-dependent specific tasks

Evaluation of exercise hypertension in healthy young adults: an observational study

Background: The prevalence of hypertension is increasing globally as well as in Indian subcontinent. Exercise leads to an increase in the blood pressure especially systolic blood pressure. However, an increase in the diastolic blood pressure after exercise remarks for a risk of cardio-vascular disease. This study was undertaken to evaluate the exercise hypertension among the healthy young adults.Methods: This prospective study was undertaken in a tertiary health care facility. A total of 150 healthy students were finally included in this study for analysis. The study subjects were belonging to 18-22 years old of both genders. The blood pressure was measured by sphygmomanometer. Author used two stair equipment for exercise in which students are allowed to step-up and step down for 5 minutes without any rest. The statistical analyses were carried out by using Graph-Pad Instate. Results: The mean age of the students was 19.8±1.3 years and 92(61.33%) being males. The mean systolic blood pressure was 117.1±7.74 mmHg in resting condition which was significantly increased to 140.0±13.9 mm Hg after exercise (p<0.0001). In contrast, the diastolic blood pressure in resting condition was 78.3±7.89 mm Hg which was significantly reduced to 71.85±7.96 mm Hg after exercise (p<0.0001). The decrease in the diastolic blood pressure was inconsistence and 9 students had increased value after exercise which was found to be normal.Conclusions: Both systolic and diastolic blood pressure measured during resting condition and after exercise was significantly differs. These differences were found to be normal which remarks for a better cardio-logical status in healthy young students.

A comparative analysis of total haemoglobin level and red blood cells count in ABO blood groups of healthy adults

Background: The haemoglobin content and red blood cells counts in four different ABO blood groups in healthy adults remain conflicting with different results. The present study was undertaken to analyse the possible differences in the haemoglobin content and red blood cell counts in health adults in four ABO blood groups.Methods: This prospective study was undertaken in a tertiary health care facility. A total of 227 healthy students were finally included in this study for analysis. The study subjects were belonging to 18-22 years old of both genders. The haemoglobin content was measured by Sahli’s method and ABO blood group typing along with Rh D typing was carried out in all the students. The statistical analyses were carried out by using Graph-Pad Instat.Results: The mean age of the students was 19.91 years with 59.9% being males. Both haemoglobin level and red blood cells counts were significantly high in males compared to females. Blood groups A, B, AB and O was reported in 41(18.06%), 63(27.75%), 15(6.60%) and 108(47.58%) healthy students respectively.conclusion: There was no significant difference was observed in the mean haemoglobin level and red blood cells counts among the four ABO blood groups

Analysis and Design of Protocols for Clustering in Mobile Ad Hoc Networks

Communication in mobile ad hoc networks (MANET) without having any fixed infrastructure has drawn much attention for research. The infrastructure based cellular architecture sets up base stations to support the node mobility. Thus, mapping the concepts of base stations into MANET could meet its challenges like limited battery power, scalability, available band width etc..This leads to the design of logical clusters, where the cluster heads in every cluster play the role of base station. The cluster heads also form the virtual back bone for routing the packets in the network. In this thesis, simulation based survey has been made to study the strengths and weaknesses of existing algorithms that motivated for the design of energy efficient clustering in MANET. Neighbour Detection Protocol (NDP) has been designed to help the nodes to probe their immediate neighbours. In this protocol, every node broadcasts its own information to the network, so that it is received by a node that lies within its transmission range. The receiver senses its neighbours and updates its neighbour table from time to time. This protocol is validated through simulation by using Colour Petri Nets (CPN) prior to its implementation. Topology Adaptive Clustering Algorithm (TACA) has been proposed, that uses the node mobility and its available battery power for calculating the node weights. A node having the highest weight among its immediate neighbours declares itself as the volunteeer cluster head. As the current head consumes its battery power beyond a threshold, non-volunteer cluster heads are selected locally. The algorithm aims to utilise the battery power in a fairly distributed manner so that the total network life time is enhanced with reduced cluster maintenance overhead. During the process of clustering, some isolated heads without having any members are formed. This increases the delay in communication as the number of hops in the routing back bone is increased. A ransmissiion Range Adjustment Protocol (TRAP) has been proposed, that allows the isolated nodes to adjust their ranges to remain connected with existing cluster heads. The results show that, TRAP reduces the delay in communication by reducing the number of cluster heads in the network. Validation for the base protocol NDP and algorithm TACA are made through simulation by using the CPN tools. Each of the proposed work is evaluated separately to analyse their performances and compared with the competent results

MORPHOMETRIC STUDY OF PROXIMAL FEMUR AND ITS CORRELATION WITH BONE MINERAL DENSITY. A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Objective: Proximal femoral morphometries such as hip axis length (HAL), femoral neck (FN) axis length (FNAL), and FN shaft angle (FNSA) are important parameters for prediction of fracture risk. These parameters are affected by factors such as body habitus, age, sex, race, bone mineral density (BMD), and body mass index. Hence, the present study was designed to evaluate the relationship between proximal femoral morphometry and BMD.Methods: We conducted an observational cross-sectional study in 168 patients. The measurements of radiological parameters such as HAL, FNAL, and FNSA were taken using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scan. FN-BMD was measured using LUNAR XR scanner and expressed as gm/cm². The correlation between proximal femoral morphometry and FN-BMD has been studied using Karl Pearson correlation coefficient (r).Results: The mean age, height, weight, HAL, FNAL, FNSA, and FN-BMD of the study population were found to be 58.72 years, 160.15 cm, 64.38 kg, 104.14 mm, 103.51 mm, 128.51°, and 0.761 g/cm², respectively. FN-BMD had a negative correlation with HAL (r=−0.791), FNAL (r=−0.734), and FNSA (r=−0.713) where p=0.000.Conclusion: There is a significant correlation between FN-BMD and proximal femoral morphometry. This observation will be helpful in exploration of its clinical significance in proximal femoral fracture