Effectiveness of Interoceptive Programs to Improve Academic Self-Regulation and Reduce Behavioral Problems Among Children With Learning Disabilities.

Background Learning disabilities occur in very young children, yet they are usually not noticed until the child reaches school age. These issues can affect the child's ability to perform activities of daily living and their ability to learn including academic activities. Occupational therapy can assist with improving their ability to learn which will also help their performance at school. Aims and objectives The present study was designed to investigate the impact of interoceptive programs on improving academic self-regulation and reducing behavioral problems among children with learning disabilities. The objectives of the study were to determine a learning disability through the use of the Learning Disability Checklist. The Academic Self-Regulation Questionnaire for Learning Disability (SRQ-A LD) was used to assess the degree of academic self-regulation, while the Behavior Rating Inventory for Executive Functioning-2 (BRIEF-2) was used to assess the degree of behavioral problems. The primary objective was to evaluate the efficacy of interoceptive programs to enhance academic self-regulation and lessen behavioral issues in the experimental group, as well as to find out the impact of conventional occupational therapy for children with learning disabilities in the control group. Methodology This was a quasi-experimental design with convenience sampling and selected samples (n=50), which were then split into two groups, an experimental group (n=25) and a control group (n=25), based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The experimental group received intervention based on interoception activities, while the control group received conventional occupational therapy. A pre-test and post-test were conducted to measure the changes. The study assessed 50 children in the range of 7 to 11 years, using an initial Madras Dyslexia Association Checklist. Academic self-regulation was assessed using SRQ-A LD. Behaviors were assessed using BRIEF-2. The duration of the study was six months, three sessions per week, lasting 45 minutes to an hour each. The statistical analysis was done with significance at a 1% alpha level using IBM SPSS version 29.0 (Armonk, NY: IBM Corp). Results The pre-test and post-test data were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test and the Mann-Whitney test. The study found that the interoceptive program had an impact on academic self-regulation and behavioral problems among children with learning disabilities. The p-value of academic self-regulation was <0.001, and the p-value of the behavior rating inventory was <0.001, the alternate hypothesis was accepted. Thus, the results showed significant improvement in academic self-regulation and behavioral problems in the experimental group compared to the control group. Conclusion The results of the study showed that the Interoceptive program helped children with learning disabilities improve their academic self-regulation and have fewer behavioral issues. Interoception can positively regulate their behavior. For this reason, the primary therapeutic approach for children with learning disabilities can be the implementation of Interoceptive activities.

Effect of Video Modeling With Simulation on Improving Menstrual Hygiene Skills for Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Background Menstruation is a biological process experienced by women every month. This project intends to improve menstrual hygiene skills using video modeling with simulation. Educating adolescent girls with autism spectrum disorder to engage in personal care during their menstrual cycle, particularly sanitation and hygiene, is essential. It is important to develop the knowledge and skills necessary for effective self-care during menstruation to prevent sexual health problems. Additionally, the project aims to provide a safe environment for adolescents to practice their menstrual hygiene routines and relieve the stress from their caregivers. Aim and objective The study aims to evaluate the effect of video modeling with simulation to improve menstrual hygiene skills in adolescents with autism. The ultimate objective of the study is to determine whether video modeling with simulation in the experimental group enhances the practice of menstrual hygiene among adolescent girls with autism, as well as the impact of traditional occupational therapy intervention on improving menstrual hygiene in this population. Methodology This is a quasi-experimental design with convenience sampling and selected samples (n=50), who were then split into two groups: an experimental group (n=25) and a control group (n=25) based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The experimental group received video modeling and simulation, while the control group did not receive any specific intervention except parent education and pictorial representations. Pre- and post-tests were conducted to measure the changes. Indian Scale for Assessment of Autism was the screening tool used and the Menstrual Practice Needs Scale (MNPS) was administered. The duration of the study was six months, three sessions per week, lasting 45 minutes to an hour each. The statistical analysis was done with significance at a 1% alpha level using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 26 (Released 2019; IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). Results The pre-test and post-test data were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test and the Mann-Whitney test. The results demonstrated the comparison of the pre-test and post-test mean scores of the MNPS scores were highly statistically significant (p-value of 0.000) when compared to the control group. Following the implementation of video modeling with simulation, the experimental group's post-test scores were significantly higher than the control group's (p-value of 0.000). Thus, the study showed that video modeling with simulation improved menstrual hygiene in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. Conclusion The clinical significance of this study was that the adolescents were excited to watch the videos and perform the activities; furthermore, after video modeling with simulation was implemented, there was a significant improvement in the experimental group when compared to the control group. This enhances the practice of the menstrual hygiene skills independently by the adolescents. Video modeling with simulation has paved the way for improving menstrual hygiene in adolescents with autism. Although the findings from the study are positive, more clinical trials are needed to prove that video modeling with simulation can be used as a therapeutic modality.

Effectiveness of Advanced Platelet-Rich Fibrin on Postoperative Sequelae for Impacted Mandibular Third Molar Surgery: A Prospective Study.

Introduction Impacted third molar extraction is frequently removed surgically by maxillofacial surgeons, which is mostly associated with postoperative sequelae like pain and swelling. It is essential to minimize the complications and enhance wound healing in the extracted socket of the third molar. Hence, this study aimed to assess the efficiency of advanced platelet-rich fibrin (A-PRF) in wound healing and reducing pain after surgical extraction of the impacted mandibular third molar (IMTM). Materials and methods Thirty healthy patients who have been diagnosed with Pell and Gregory class II IMTM were included in this study. In the study group, which comprises 15 patients, extraction sockets were filled with A-PRF extract. In the control group, no material was placed in the extraction sockets. The pain was assessed preoperative and on the third and seventh postoperative days using a visual analog scale (VAS). Wound healing was assessed on the third and seventh postoperative days using a modified laundry scale. SPSS for Windows was used for data analysis. Categorical data was compared between the groups using the Chi-square test. P-value less than 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results The study population's mean age was 25.67 ± 2.4 years. Nineteen patients were male, and 11 patients were female. Differences in mean pain scores between the groups were not statistically significant both on the third postoperative day (p=0.59) and the seventh postoperative day (p=0.33). During the seventh day postoperative day, the study group exhibited better wound healing compared to the control group and the results were statistically significant (p=0.01). Conclusion A-PRF is a simple and effective method of reducing postoperative sequela by promoting wound healing after surgical extraction of IMTM. It has the advantage of less chance of allergic and anaphylactic reactions, unlike their predecessor platelet concentrates.

Efficacy of Eutectic Mixture of Local Anesthetics (EMLA) Versus Ice as Topical Anesthetics Prior to Long Buccal Nerve Blocks: A Prospective Comparative Study.

Background Dental extraction is one of the common procedures in the field of dentistry. However, fear and anxiety about local anesthetic injections are unavoidable for most patients. Topical anesthetics, distraction techniques, acupuncture, and the application of heat or cold have been used in practice to alleviate injection-related pain. The specific aim of this study was to compare the pain-relieving efficacy of eutectic mixture of local anesthetics (EMLA) vs. ice during the administration of a long buccal nerve block (LBNB) before dental extraction. Materials and Methods In total, 20 healthy adult patients who required bilateral mandibular posterior teeth extraction under local anesthesia were enrolled. The study was conducted in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Chennai, from January 2023 to May 2023. It was a prospective split-mouth study in which each participant was divided into two groups according to the operative site: Group 1, which received a 5% EMLA cream, and Group 2, which received an application of ice before administration of LBNB. There was a one-week interval between the two interventions. The levels of pain and satisfaction were assessed using the visual analogue scale (VAS) and pain perception was evaluated by the sound, eye, motor (SEM) scale. Mann-Whitney U test was applied for the statistical analysis. Results The study included a total of 20 participants, with 14 being male and six being female. The mean age of the study population was 42 ± 15 years. When analyzing the pain scores using the VAS, it was found that Group 1 had a mean score of 2.4 ± 0.44, while Group 2 had a mean score of 3.0 ± 0.44. This difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P = 0.001). It was also found that the mean patient satisfaction score for Group 1 was 9.8 ± 0.22 and for Group 2 was 9.2 ± 0.40 which was statistically significant (p = 0.003). Similarly, Group 1 had a mean SEM score of 1.1 ± 0.1, while Group 2 had a mean SEM score of 1.30 ± 0.46 which was also statistically significant (P =0.016). Conclusion The study results revealed that EMLA has a significant advantage over ice in terms of lower levels of pain, more patient satisfaction, and higher comfort levels. EMLA can be considered the first choice of topical anesthetics, however, ice is recommended in resource-constrained dental set-ups as it is cost-effective.

Implications of equivalent black carbon heterogeneity in south Indian high-altitude eco-sensitive region.

Large-scale representative source apportionment studies are uncommon, undermining source contribution studies in India, particularly in high-altitude locations. Kodaikanal is a high-altitude region in India's Western Ghats, with spatial heterogeneity of sources altering chemical complexity; thus, the associated implications are unknown. We conducted the campaign study REBER (Research on Equivalent Black Carbon Monitoring in an Eco-sensitive Region) at three Kodaikanal sites to understand local point sources, characteristics, and distribution of eBC during the winter-to-summer monsoon transition. For two main reasons: to understand the seasonal change of BC since the transition period has the lowest wind speeds and the highest particulate concentrations and is prone to high pollution events most often during seasonal transition months, and to study local pollution since the meridional monsoon and zonal winds in study region weaken whereby the transport of pollutants from ocean to land and vice versa is minimal. The results showed that the eBC mass concentration was 85% higher than in the previous study conducted by Bhaskar et al. (2018) during the monsoon transition period. To determine the ratio of fossil fuel and wood-burning sources, a real-time apportionment model of atmospheric eBC is used. The percentage of wood burning in the background location ranges from 21.12 to 88.98%. Wood burning leads in residential sites with 57.5 ± 7.3%, whereas fossil fuel contribution dominates traffic sites with 69.84 ± 10.2%. Fossil fuel contributions are significant in different characteristics of environments, ranging from 42.5 to 69.84%. The results of the conditional bivariate probability function (CBPF) analysis pointed out a competition between anthropogenic and natural sources to contribute as local sources to the monitoring stations. A scanning electron microscope (SEM) paired with an energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis found that the particle size was 93% relatively large compared to other hill stations in India. The variation in the chemical constituents indicates that the particles originated from various sources.

Advanced Driver Assistance System Based on IoT V2V and V2I for Vision Enabled Lane Changing with Futuristic Drivability.

In conventional modern vehicles, the Internet of Things-based automotive embedded systems are used to collect various data from real-time sensors and store it in the cloud platform to perform visualization and analytics. The proposed work is to implement computer vision-aided vehicle intercommunication V2V (vehicle-to-vehicle) implemented using the Internet of Things for an autonomous vehicle. Computer vision-based driver assistance supports the vehicle to perform efficiently in critical transitions such as lane change or collision avoidance during the autonomous driving mode. In addition to this, the main work emphasizes observing multiple parameters of the In-Vehicle system such as speed, distance covered, idle time, and fuel economy by the electronic control unit are evaluated in this process. Electronic control unit through brake control module, powertrain control module, transmission control module, suspension control module, and battery management system helps to predict the nature of drive-in different terrains and also can suggest effective custom driving modes for advanced driver assistance systems. These features are implemented with the help of the vehicle-to-infrastructure protocol, which collects data through gateway nodes that can be visualized in the IoT data frame. The proposed work involves the process of analyzing and visualizing the driver-influencing factors of a modern vehicle that is in connection with the IoT cloud platform. The custom drive mode suggestion and improvisation had been completed with help of computational analytics that leads to the deployment of an over-the-air update to the vehicle embedded system upgradation for betterment in drivability. These operations are progressed through a cloud server which is the prime factor proposed in this work.

Integrated drought monitoring and assessment using multi-sensor and multi-temporal earth observation datasets: a case study of two agriculture-dominated states of India.

In the current scenario of climate change, there has been a substantial increase in the frequency and severity of drought events. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate spatio-temporal characteristics of different drought events to plan for water resource utilization. The present study aims to assess and quantify the impact of meteorological, hydrological, and agricultural drought events from 2001 to 2017 over two large states of India (i.e., Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh) using multi-temporal earth observation data at a finer resolution of 1 km. Drought indices including Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), Standardized Water level Index (SWI), and Vegetation Health Index (VHI) were derived from precipitation, groundwater level, vegetation indices, and land surface temperature data respectively to map the spatial extent and severity of meteorological, hydrological, and agricultural drought. Assessment of individual drought indices was carried out to understand the effect of these drought events separately on the study area. Area vulnerable with multiple droughts in the region was identified by integrating multiple drought indices to derive a composite drought map. This included the locations that are hotspots in terms of the occurrence of drought events of different types. The spatial pattern captured in the composite drought map indicates that most of the study areas are prone to drought events varying from mild to extreme severity. Madhya Pradesh is more prone to meteorological and agricultural drought events compared to hydrological drought. Maharashtra state is prone to three types of drought with agricultural drought being the dominant one. This study provides an opportunity to investigate and understand the drought phenomenon in a comprehensive manner at comparatively finer spatial resolution.

Classification of ECG signal using FFT based improved Alexnet classifier.

Electrocardiograms (ECG) are extensively used for the diagnosis of cardiac arrhythmias. This paper investigates the use of machine learning classification algorithms for ECG analysis and arrhythmia detection. This is a crucial component of a conventional electronic health system, and it frequently necessitates ECG signal reduction for long-term data storage and remote transmission. Signal processing methods must be used to extract the function of the morphological properties of the ECG signal changing with time, which is difficult to discern in the typical visual depiction of the ECG signal. In biomedical research, signal processing and data analysis are commonly employed methodologies. This work proposes the use of an ECG arrhythmia classification method based on Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) for feature extraction and an improved AlexNet classifier to distinguish the difference between four types of arrhythmia conditions that were collected from records. The Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) algorithm's results are compared to those of other algorithms, and the simulation results prove that the proposed technique is more effective for various parameters. The final results of the proposed system show that its ability to find deviations is 20% better than that of traditional systems.

Drug Therapy in Cognitive Disorders and Its Effects on Oral Health.

Dementia and Alzheimer's disease are the two most characteristic cognitive disorders presenting numerous cognitive dysfunctions such as memory loss, functional impairment, speech impairment, and orientation problems. In India, there is an increased risk in the elderly population leading to the prevalence of Alzheimer's and dementia-related diseases. Therefore, it is not only general health care practitioners but also oral health care providers also play a major role in rehabilitating and treating this type of patient. So, it is necessary for oral health care providers to understand the pharmacologic agents used for the management of Alzheimer's and dementia-related diseases. This article gives an insight into the management of dementia and Alzheimer's disease and also an update on the drug therapies for AD and outlines their implications on oral health.

Rescue Measure in Giant Intracranial Meningioma Resection by Tranexamic Acid.

Neurosurgeons may find themselves in a precarious situation, while unable to secure haemostasis following tumour resection. We report intraoperative use of tranexamic acid to secure complete haemostasis as rescue measure in intracranial meningioma resection in uncontrollable bleeding.

Stress as a Cause of Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis and Its Correlation with Salivary Stress Markers.

Stress causes an increase in cortisol and amylase. Recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) results due to a multitude of causes, amongst which stress is one of the most important. Aim of the study was to estimate the level of stress, serum cortisol, salivary cortisol, amylase and electrolytes in subjects with RAS. 34 subjects with RAS (cases) were compared with 34 controls. Stress was measured using state trait anxiety inventory (STAI). Serum cortisol (Radioimmunoassay), Salivary cortisol, amylase (ELISA) and electrolytes (Flame photometry) were measured. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS 18.0 version software. The mean STAI scores were 48.71 ± 4.6 in cases and 46.74 ± 6.4 in controls (P = 0.13). The mean salivary cortisol concentration was 3.35 ± 1.8 ng/dl in cases and 3.65 ± 2.5 ng/dl in controls (P = 0.78). The mean salivary amylase was 155.09 ± 116.1 U/ml in cases and 128.74 ± 86.3 U/ml in controls (P = 0.49). The salivary sodium (0.24 ± 0.4 in both groups) and potassium (0.65 ± 0.5 in cases and 0.82 ± 0.4 in controls; P = 0.07) was not different in the two groups (electrolytes in mEq/dl). No correlation was seen between the salivary stress markers and STAI scores. Though stress was higher in RAS group none of the measured parameters were different from the control group. Stress may cause RAS but, in this study, there was no change in the salivary homeostasis.

Catalytic conversion of sugarcane bagasse to cellulosic ethanol: TiO2 coupled nanocellulose as an effective hydrolysis enhancer.

The present study deals with the production of cellulosic ethanol from bagasse using the synthesized TiO2 coupled nanocellulose (NC-TiO2) as catalyst. Aspergillus nidulans AJSU04 cellulase was used for the hydrolysis of bagasse. NC-TiO2 at various concentrations was added to bagasse in order to enhance the yield of reducing sugars. Complex interaction between cellulase, bagasse, NC-TiO2 and the reaction environment is thoroughly studied. A mathematical model was developed to describe the hydrolysis reaction. Ethanol production from enzymatically hydrolyzed sugarcane bagasse catalyzed with NC-TiO2 was carried out using Saccharomyces cerevisiae ATCC 20602. The glucose release rates and ethanol concentrations were determined. Ethanol produced was found to be strongly dependent on pretreatment given, hydrolysis and fermentation conditions. The study confirmed the promising accessibility of NC-TiO2, for enhanced glucose production rates and improved ethanol yield.

Decrease in left atrium volume after successful balloon mitral valvuloplasty: an echocardiographic and hemodynamic study.

BACKGROUND: Left atrium (LA) remodeling has a crucial adverse impact on outcome and prognosis in mitral stenosis. Few studies have reported the effect of balloon mitral valvuloplasty (BMV) on LA volume. The aim of this study was to assess the evolution of LA volume immediately and 1 month after successful BMV in patients in sinus rhythm. METHODS: Thirty-three consecutive patients (70% women; age 31 ± 8 years; range 19-45) with moderate to severe mitral stenosis (mitral valve area ≤1.5 cm(2) ) who underwent successful BMV were included prospectively. Using two-dimensional echocardiography, and according to the prolate ellipse method, LA volume and LA volume indexed to body surface area were determined before BMV, and 24 hours and 1 month after BMV. Tricuspid and pulmonary regurgitation jets were recorded systematically using continuous-wave Doppler. Pulmonary artery-right ventricular (PA-RV) gradients, reflecting pulmonary pressures, and pulmonary vascular resistance were measured. RESULTS: Mitral valve area increased from 0.88 ± 0.16 to 1.55 ± 0.26 cm(2) (P < 0.0001). Mean mitral valve gradient (MVG) decreased from 16 ± 6 to 6 ± 2 mmHg (P < 0.0001) immediately after BMV. Indexed LA volume fell from 56 ± 14 to 48 ± 12 mL/m(2) (P = 0.0002) immediately after BMV and to 45 ± 13 mL/m(2) at 1 month (P < 0.0001). Only patients with a median LA volume ≥55 mL/m(2) before BMV had a significant reduction in LA volume (P = 0.0001). Decrease in LA volume was correlated with decreases in PA-RV peak diastolic gradient (r = 0.45, P = 0.008) and MVG (r = 0.35, P = 0.04). CONCLUSION: In patients with mitral stenosis in sinus rhythm, successful BMV results in an immediate decrease in LA volume. This reduction, maximal immediately after BMV, correlates with decreases in MVG and PA-RV peak diastolic gradient, and is significant only when LA volume before BMV is severely enlarged.