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"Epilepsy" is a common neurological brain disorder that may affect the human being at any stage of life. Electroencephalogram (EEG) signal is the most important tool for the early detection of epileptic seizures in several applications of epilepsy diagnosis. Recent research has carried out various possibilities of predicting and analyzing epileptic seizures by using conventional methods which employed EEG signal processing for feature extraction and further classified by either one of deep learning/ machine learning-based methods. So, there is a requirement to find a suitable and more reliable method to detect and classify EEG signals as epileptic and non epileptic. This paper proposes a non-conventional method in which EEG time series signals are transformed into multiple recurrence plots. Transfer learning methods are used to extract features from these recurrence plots and relevant features are selected by using principal component analysis thereby reducing the computational complexity. These features are fed into various machine learning classifiers which include Decision Tree, K-Nearest Neighbor, Gaussian, Random Forest, Bagging, and Support Vector Machine. Among these classifiers, SVM gives the best performance with 98.15% sensitivity, 99.61% precision, and 98.21% accuracy. This proves to be a novel approach as it evaluates the performance of different machine learning classifiers in two ways. First, with the extracted features only and second by using feature selection on extracted features. The outcomes confirm that employing feature selection enhances the performance of each classifier, thereby validating the effectiveness of feature extraction using deep learning. The proposed work has the potential to classify the epileptic and non-epileptic EEG signal more efficiently in terms of tradeoffs between sensitivity and accuracy. This is an added advantage as it uses the non-conventional and hybrid approach to classify the raw EEG signal and thus opening the possibility of intervention required to prevent the possibility of upcoming seizure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To compare baseline biometry measurements in eyes with pediatric cataract versus age-matched controls Methods: This is a cross-sectional study conducted at a tertiary care hospital that included two arms—prospective arm to collect data from normal eyes and retrospective arm for eyes with pediatric cataract. In the prospective arm, biometry measurements were obtained in healthy children aged 0 to 10 years. Children under the age of four had measurements under anesthesia for an unrelated procedure, while older children had in-office measurements using optical biometry. For comparison, biometric data was collected in children with pediatric cataract through record review. One eye of each patient was randomly selected. Axial length (AL) and keratometry (K) were compared by age and laterality. The medians were compared using Wilcoxon rank-sum tests and variances using Levene's test. Results: There were 100 eyes in each arm, 10 eyes in each age bin of 1-year interval. There was more variability in baseline biometry in eyes with pediatric cataract and a trend for longer AL and steeper K in cataract eyes than aged-matched controls. The difference in AL means was significant in age group 2–4 years, and variances were significant across all age groups (p=0.018). Unilateral cataracts (n=49) showed a trend toward greater variability in biometry than bilateral cataracts, but this did not reach statistical significance. Conclusion: Baseline biometry measures are more variable in eyes with pediatric cataract compared to age-matched controls with a trend toward longer AL and steeper K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An elevated threshold for neuroplasticity limits visual gains with treatment of residual amblyopia in older children and adults. Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AChEI) can enable visual neuroplasticity and promote recovery from amblyopia in adult mice. Motivated by these promising findings, we sought to determine whether donepezil, a commercially available AChEI, can enable recovery in older children and adults with residual amblyopia. In this open-label pilot efficacy study, 16 participants (mean age 16 years; range 9–37 years) with residual anisometropic and/or strabismic amblyopia were treated with daily oral donepezil for 12 weeks. Donepezil dosage was started at 2.5 or 5.0 mg based on age and increased by 2.5 mg if the amblyopic eye visual acuity did not improve by 1 line from the visit 4 weeks prior for a maximum dosage of 7.5 or 10 mg. Participants < 18 years of age further patched the dominant eye. The primary outcome was visual acuity in the amblyopic eye at 22 weeks, 10 weeks after treatment was discontinued. Mean amblyopic eye visual acuity improved 1.2 lines (range 0.0–3.0), and 4/16 (25%) improved by ≥ 2 lines after 12 weeks of treatment. Gains were maintained 10 weeks after cessation of donepezil and were similar for children and adults. Adverse events were mild and self-limited. Residual amblyopia improves in older children and adults treated with donepezil, supporting the concept that the critical window of visual cortical plasticity can be pharmacologically manipulated to treat amblyopia. Placebo-controlled studies are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Evaluation for systemic diagnosis is an important part of pediatric cataract management. While there are reports on associated systemic and ocular associations in children with infantile cataracts, reports specifying associations in large cohorts of children undergoing cataract surgery are lacking. Methods: Retrospective chart review of consecutive patients undergoing cataract surgery at a pediatric tertiary referral center during 30-year period was performed. Associated systemic and ocular associations were recorded. The etiologies were analyzed depending on laterality, age, and gender. Results: Seven-hundred twenty-seven patients (1135 eyes) were included for analysis: 408 (56%) with bilateral and 319 (44%) with unilateral cataract. An identifiable cause for cataract was identified in 66% (270/408) bilateral and 55% (176/319) unilateral cataract patients. Hereditary cataract accounted for 22% of bilateral cataracts. An underlying syndrome or genetic diagnosis was found in 24% bilateral (97/408, 86 genetic/syndromic, 11 metabolic) but only in 2% of unilateral cases (5/319). Cataracts were the result of treatment for cancer, or other systemic conditions requiring steroids, in 60/408 bilateral (15%) and 15/319 (5%) unilateral cataract patients. In contrast, unilateral cataracts had higher ocular associations (49%, 156/319) than bilateral cataracts (6%, 23/408) primarily ocular trauma (20%, 64/319) and persistent fetal vasculature (20%, 62/319). Conclusion: Clinicians should be aware of potential systemic and ocular associations among children with visually significant cataracts. Those with no family history of juvenile cataract should be evaluated for systemic associations, and referral to genetics may be warranted in select cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil erosion is a progressive process in which particles of the soil are detached and removed by the influence of water and wind which leads the soil to degenerate. Land degradation as a result of soil erosion is one of the world's most serious environmental problems. Soil erosion from cultivated fields is a global problem that affects water quality, the fertility of the soil, and the capacity of reservoirs. Resulting from improper agricultural management activities, Africa is notably prone to soil erosion by water, posing a danger to agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability. Agricultural management practices are crucial to prevent and minimize erosion and sedimentation in watersheds. In this study, scenarios of agricultural management practices were identified and their potential effects in reducing soil erosion and sediment yield were assessed and quantified with the Soil and Water Assessment Tool in Rib watershed, Ethiopia. The effectiveness of soil/stone bund and grass filter strips with two scenarios on each practice (total of four scenarios) on soil erosion and sediment yield in the agricultural fields were analyzed. Results showed that grass filter strips of 1 m and 5 m width reduced sediment loss by 30% and 48.7%, respectively. Sediment yield declined between 76.7 and 77.9% by employing soil/stone bunds in the watershed. A high reduction in sediment yield was observed with soil/stone bund practices compared to grass strips. Thus, the results provide meaningful information for management practice experts to target the most effective agricultural management practices in the watershed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to report long-term outcomes of secondary intraocular lens (IOL) implantation after early cataract surgery in children. Methods: This is a retrospective case series that included children undergoing secondary IOL implantation. The patients had either in-the-bag (ITB) or sulcus implantation; alternative methods of IOL fixation were excluded. Single-piece acrylic IOL was used for ITB and 3-piece acrylic or PMMA IOL for sulcus implantation. The visual acuity outcomes and rate of complications at the last follow-up visit were evaluated. Results: One hundred six eyes (70 patients) were analyzed. The mean follow-up was 5.5 ± 3.8 years. Sixty-two eyes (58.5%) had ITB; 44 eyes (41.5%) had sulcus IOL. All but 3 eyes (97.2%) showed stable or improvement in visual acuity. Early inflammation > grade 2 + was noted with sulcus IOL (84% vs 34%, p = 0.01); late inflammation requiring vitrectomy occurred in one eye with sulcus IOL. Mild decentration was seen in 2 eyes with sulcus IOL; one additional subluxed sulcus IOL was exchanged. Sixteen out of 106 eyes (16%) had glaucoma. Eyes that developed glaucoma had early primary surgery (mean, 0.2 years, p < 0.001, significant); there was no difference in glaucoma rates based on implantation site. Conclusion: Early postoperative inflammation is higher in eyes with sulcus implantation, but good visual acuity outcomes are noted after secondary IOL implantation in children. Glaucoma is the main complication that requires close monitoring and is associated with early age at primary surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We assessed the conservation status of Quercus leucotrichophora (banj oak) forests and identified priority areas for its conservation in Uttarakhand state, India. The methods include mapping by using satellite remote sensing, and phytosociological analysis of dense, open and degraded banj oak forests in different elevational zones in the state. Mapping of banj oak forests was done using IRS P6 AWiFS satellite data in conjunction with altitude information and field knowledge. Canopy density information was generated based on Normalised Vegetation Difference Index (NDVI). Structure, composition and species diversity were quantified within 510 stratified random sample plots distributed in various elevation gradients. The study revealed that banj oak forests constitute 5.24% (1284 km²) of total forest cover in the state (45.80%). Of this, 775 km² area falls within reserve forests while 509 km² falls in village and private forests. Middle elevation range (1800 - 2200 m asl) represented maximum area (951.7 km²) under banj oak. Area under dense, open and degraded banj oak forests was estimated at 560.3, 510.62 and 213.68 km², respectively. The greatest banj oak tree density was found in dense forests (479 ± 22.35 individual ha-1) between 1500 - 1800 m asl and lowest in degraded banj oak forests (46 ± 19.86 individual ha-1) above 2200 m asl. Mean sapling (585 ± 51 individual ha-1) and seedling (368 ± 37 individual ha-1) density across various forests showed that regeneration is adequate with respect to the mean tree density (337±13.6 individual ha-1) in western Himalaya. Most of the intact banj oak forests in the state occurred between 1800 - 2200 m elevations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing concern for biodiversity conservation at species level resulted in the development of cost effective tools for getting information at larger scale. Modeling distribution of species using remote sensing and geographic information has already proved its potentials to get such information with less effort. Pittosporum eriocarpum Royle is an endemic and threatened tree species of Uttarakhand, yet till now its regional distribution is poorly known. This study using geospatial modelling tools indentified several localities of potential occurrence of this species in the Mussoorie hills and Doon valley, and also provides information on its habitat specificity. The main objective of the study is to predict the suitable habitats for endangered plant species in Himalayan region using logistic regression model where availability of sufficient data on species presenceabsence is a major limitation for larger areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a case study regarding the concentration level of chlorinated pesticides among exposed workers in mango orchards at Malihabad in India. It states that blood and urine samples were gathered from workers to analyze the concentration of chlorinated pesticides. Results indicate that the human body has a capability to obtain pesticide.

Thirty subjects engaged in maintenance and repair of moulds used for producing watermarks on paper were studied, along with 27 control subjects from the same paper mill. The workers were simultaneously exposed to copper, chromium, zinc, xylol, and fumes of sulphuric acid in the course of their work. The study subjects were investigated for clinical, occupational, radiological haematological and psychological details. The aforementioned combined exposure was found to be responsible for a high prevalence of symptoms pertaining to the respiratory system and higher nervous functions. Breathlessness (26.7%), expectoration (10.0%) and emphysema (10.0%) were significantly higher among the exposed subjects. The exposed subjects also showed lowered visuomotor coordination and delayed reaction to light and sound stimuli. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]