Higuchi Fractal Dimension Analysis of EEG Signal Before and After OM Chanting to Observe Overall Effect on Brain

The OM chanting is one type of the meditation. In the present paper, the author tried to observe its effect on the brain. To obtain insight of the brain, the author recorded EEG signal before and after OM chanting for 10 subjects. Author used a technique of the complexity measure based on fractal analysis to compare the EEG signal before and after OM chanting. Time domain fractal dimension was calculated using Higuchi algorithm. (HFD).Paper present the results based on average HFD all over the electrodes for each subject before and after OM chanting.DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.11591/ijece.v4i4.580

Awareness and usage of emergency contraceptive pills among working women: a hospital based survey from north India

Background: In spite of the decline observed in total fertility rate (TFR) in India during the last few decades, the unintended pregnancy rates continue to remain the same. With increasing employment levels of women, there has been an increase in the contraceptive usage rates, but evidence among the working women regarding the emergency contraceptive pills is lacking. The Objectives of the study was to assess, among the working women regarding the emergency contraceptive pills (ECP).Methods: A cross sectional survey was conducted among the reproductive age group working women attending the obstetrics and gynecology outpatient department clinic of a private hospital in Delhi. Face to face interviews were conducted using a sem-structured questionnaire.Results: Out of the 206 participants studied, around one-third (35.0%) were not aware about ECPs. Amongst the aware, 81.3% and 44.8 % did not know about the correct indication and correct timing of ECP use respectively. Amongst those who were aware about ECPs, 91.8% had never used it.Conclusions: Even though the awareness about ECPs is not low, the correct knowledge about its indications and correct timing is poor. More emphasis on increasing the awareness about ECPs is required to increase its correct use thereby reducing TFR further

Image Enhancement in Foggy Images using Dark Channel Prior and Guided Filter

Haze is very apparent in images shot during periods of bad weather (fog). The image's clarity and readability are both diminished as a result. As part of this work, we suggest a method for improving the quality of the hazy image and for identifying any objects hidden inside it. To address this, we use the picture enhancement techniques of Dark Channel Prior and Guided Filter. The Saliency map is then used to segment the improved image and identify passing vehicles. Lastly, we describe our method for calculating the actual distance in units from a camera-equipped vehicle of an item (another vehicle).Our proposed solution can warn the driver based on the distance to help them prevent an accident. Our suggested technology improves images and accurately detects vehicles nearly 100% of the time

Numerical methods for calculating the response of a deterministic and stochastically excited Duffing oscillator

When compared to independent harmonic or stochastic excitation, there exist relatively few methods to model the response of non-linear systems to a combination of deterministic and stochastic vibration despite the likelihood of harmonic oscillations containing noise in realistic applications. This paper uses the Duffing oscillator to illustrate how the joint probability density function (JPDF) of the displacement and velocity responds to this form of excitation. Monte Carlo simulations were performed to generate the JPDF which was observed, in general, to spread around the trajectory that would be observed if only deterministic excitation was present. In the deterministic chaotic case, the JPDF is known to be a diffuse chaotic attractor when noise is present. This paper assesses the ability of a useful class of methods, global weighted residual methods, to produce the geometrically complex JPDF responses produced from harmonic and white noise excitation. A technique using a JPDF in the form of a Gram–Charlier type C series was found to produce accurate results, although the method fails due to ill-conditioning as the shape of the JPDF required by the dynamics becomes too complex. The authors would like to thank the EPSRC Doctoral Training Award for funding this research.This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from SAGE via http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/095440621560754

Comparison of spontaneous labour with induced labour in nulliparous women using modified WHO partograph

Background: Childbirth is the period from the onset of regular uterine contraction until expulsion of placenta. The process by which this normally occurs is called labour. Induction of labour is the artificial initiation of uterine contraction prior to their spontaneous onset, leading to progressive dilatation and effacement of the cervix and delivery of the baby. Labour induction is indicated where the benefits to either the mother or the fetus outweighs the benefit of continuing pregnancy. The aim and objectives of the study was to study the progress of labour in nulliparous women who are having spontaneous labour and in those with induced labour in terms of augmentation of labour, mode of delivery, neonatal outcome and maternal complication.Methods: This was a randomized comparative study. The study was conducted in department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at a tertiary care private centre during time period of May 2014 to May 2015 on 120 pregnant women divided into two groups i.e. A and B consisting of 60 women each. All women were nulliparous and ≥ 37 weeks of gestation age. Those women who had spontaneous onset of labour and reached ≥ 4cm cervical dilatation were included in group A and those who were induced with 25 mcg misoprostol vaginally and reached ≥ 4cm of cervical dilatation were included in group B. Progress of labour was monitored by Modified WHO partograph.Results: The mean duration of labour after 4cm of cervical dilation in spontaneous labour onset group was 5.43 hours and in the induced group was 5.41 hours with p value0.865, which was statistically not significant. In spontaneous labour onset group, 39.3% of patients required augmentation of labour with oxytocin compared to 69% of induced group (p value-0.001). More women had vaginal delivery in spontaneous onset labour group (73.3%) comparative to induced group (53.3%) with pvalue-0.023. There was less caesarean section among those in spontaneous labour than induced labour (20% versus 41.7%) (p=0.010).While most women of induced labour cases reached or crossed action line compared to spontaneous labour (35% versus 16.7%) p=0.022 ,there were more cases in spontaneous labour moving between alert and action line (23.3% versus 10%) p=0.049 .Neonatal outcome and maternal complications were similar in both the group .Conclusions: We conclude from this study that requirement of augmentation for progress of labour was more in induced group, rate of caesarean section was also high but it does not adversely affect the neonatal outcome and maternal complication if labour is monitored with Modified WHO partograph

The Value of Settlement Local Wisdom in Nagari Pariangan, West Sumatra Province

This research examines the concept and empirical basis of settlement and local wisdom. Settlements contain residential environments along with facilities and infrastructures to support functions. Local wisdom is local ideas that have good values or norms practiced and believed to be referenced in everyday life. This study observes the implementation of local wisdom in settlement management, which aims to assess the local wisdom contained in settlements Nagari Pariangan, Tanah Datar Regency, West Sumatra Province using a qualitative descriptive method. The novelty of this research reveals contextually the local wisdom of settlements in Nagari Pariangan, which has its characteristics, including Rumah Gadang and surau (prayer houses) owned by each suku (ethnic group), as well as tapian (banks) used for common purposes. Results of this study show that the values of local wisdom in settlements in Nagari Pariangan are manifested in the value of environmental conservation and social values, where these values are not fully maintained, and some have not been continued or implemented until now. To maintain the values of local wisdom can be continued it is necessary to provide learning to the younger generation and to activate the surau as a mean of learning and education

Role of CSF1/CSF1R signalling in avian macrophage biology

The mononuclear phagocyte system (MPS), which is a heterogenous family of functionally related cells, includes myeloid progenitors, blood monocytes, resident tissue macrophages, bone osteoclasts and conventional dendritic cells. In mammals, macrophage colony stimulating factor (M-CSF or CSF1) promote differentiation, proliferation and survival of myeloid progenitor cells into mononuclear phagocyte lineage cells by binding and signalling activity through a surface receptor (CSF1R). Interleukin-34 or IL34 is alternative growth factor which also signals via CSF1R. CSF1, IL34 and the shared receptor CSF1R was shown to be conserved in birds, but their functions have not been studied in detail. The primary aim of this project is to study the role of CSF1R signalling in avian macrophage biology using three different approaches. The first approach involved the identification of chicken CSF1R specific kinase inhibitors, from a set of candidate mammalian CSF1R. Candidate CSF1R inhibitors were screened based on cell viability assay using IL-3 dependent pro B cell line Ba/F3 ectopically expressing chicken CSF1R and chicken bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM). To support these studies, biologically active, endotoxin-free recombinant chicken CSF1 protein was produced and refolded from inclusion bodies using a bacterial system. Out of 10 potential CSF1R inhibitors screened, 6 inhibitors TIA086, TIA02-052, TIA02-054, TIA02-076, KUL01-123 and KUL02- 016 were potent and selective for chicken CSF1R, whilst having no effect on growth in IL-3. Two inhibitors TIA02-054 and TIA02-076 were specific for the chicken CSF1R kinase compared to their actions on human CSF1R expressed in the same cells. The chicken CSF1R kinase inhibitors also effectively blocked CSF1-induced survival of primary BMDMs. BMDM survival was reduced even in the absence of exogenous CSF1 indicating a growth factor independent, autocrine CSF1/CSF1R signalling function in chicken macrophages. The second approach to study CSF1 biology in the development of chicken MPS involved use of a novel neutralising monoclonal antibody to chicken CSF1 (ROS-AV183) that targets and blocks chicken CSF1R signalling activity. In order to test the activity of anti-ChCSF1 mAb on chicken macrophages both in vitro and in vivo, both anti-ChCSF1 mAb and Isotype control mAb reagents were purified from hybridoma culture by affinity chromatography and characterized further for purity, size by SDS PAGE and CSF1R signaling blocking activity by BaF3/ChCSF1R cell viability assay. Anti-ChCSF1 mAb completely inhibited survival of primary chicken macrophages, irrespective of the presence or absence of CSF1, supporting the earlier finding regarding the autocrine CSF1 signalling behaviour of chicken macrophages. To determine the impact of anti-ChCSF1 mAb on postnatal birds in vivo, transgenic CSF1R-eGFP reporter birds were injected with antibody for four consecutive days. Anti-ChCSF1 mAb had no effect on the average growth rate, the relative weight gain or the normal development of hatchling birds. Anti-ChCSF1 mAb had no detectable effect on circulating CSF1 levels on the day of hatch or a week after treatment. Anti-ChCSF1 mAb significantly reduced CSF1R-eGFP transgene positive macrophages in bursa of Fabricius and caecal tonsil tissue, but not in spleen tissue. In bursa of Fabricius tissue, follicle associated epithelium (FAE) cell’s proliferation and survival was altered post treatment. In caecal tonsil anti-ChCSF1 mAb substantially reduced B lymphocytes; this depletion was also evident in the circulation and spleen tissue. Tissue resident MHC-II+ macrophages in spleen were effectively depleted, validating CSF1 dependency of tissue resident macrophages. In liver tissue, anti-ChCSF1 mAb treatment completely ablated Kupffer cell population. In bones anti-ChCSF1 mAb treatment depleted osteoclasts number. MicroCT scan analysis of bone femur architecture revealed significant reduction in the % bone volume and trabecular number, with a corresponding increase in the trabecular separation post anti-ChCSF1 mAb treatment of hatchling birds. In overview, the analysis indicated that CSF1 is required for post-hatch development of the MPS in birds and suggest trophic roles for CSF1-dependent macrophages in B cell development. The third approach involved deletion of CSF1R in the chicken genome using CRISPR Cas9 editing in chicken primordial germ cells (PGCs). Out of the several guide RNAs (gRNAs) designed targeting different regions of CSF1R loci, gRNAs targeting exon 1 and 10 (encoding transmembrane domain of the receptor) were functionally validated for mutation. Guide RNAs targeting exon 1 and transmembrane domain region were effective in mutating receptor CSF1R in cultured PGCs with targeting efficiency of around 35% and 100% respectively. Transplantation of PGCs with biallelic deleted transmembrane domain region of CSF1R into germ cell deficient chicken embryos gave rise to one founder female G0 bird containing edited donor PGCs. Breeding of this chicken upon sexual maturation with transgenic CSF1R-eGFP male established 30 CSF1R heterozygous G1 birds containing CSF1R edited donor PGCs (39% germline efficiency). CSF1R heterozygous G1 birds had no obvious phenotypes compared to wild type hatch mates throughout the development of embryos and in adults. Furthermore, CSF1R homozygous mutant embryos (G2) were generated by breeding CSF1R heterozygous G1 chickens (26% germline efficiency). Analysis of 8-day old CSF1R homozygous mutant embryos revealed deficiency in the expression of CSF1R protein in mononuclear phagocyte population. Hence, there was successful transmission of CSF1R knockout allele in G1 and G2 progeny. Analysis of the phenotype of the homozygous CSF1R mutant birds is ongoing. The novel tools characterized in this project, anti-ChCSF1 antibody, chicken CSF1R kinase domain inhibitors and CSF1R-deficient transgenic chicken line will enable further detailed studies of the role of macrophages in chicken immunity and development