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Meningioma is the primary type tumors which spreads in different regions of human brain and can be screened using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) modality method. This paper proposes an efficient framework for the detection and diagnosis of tumor regions in Meningioma brain MRI images. The proposed work is structured into two phases as tumor detection phase and tumor diagnosis phase. The tumor detection phase consists of UNet-Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) architecture, which performs both classification and tumor region segmentation process. The features are computed from the tumor region segmented image and the computed features are used for the diagnosis of segmented tumor regions into either Early or Severe. The proposed Meningioma tumor detection methods are tested and validated on two different brain image datasets NU and Kaggle in this paper. The segmented tumor regions in meningioma brain images are transferred to the remote unit through the Wireless Multimedia Sensor Networks (WMSN). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solution Focused Therapy (SFT) is a paradigm shift from the traditional psychotherapy which is practised more by counsellors and social workers. Formal training of this therapy is observed across countries. The objective of the study was to assess SFT knowledge and its practice among mental health professionals in India post their educational degree. A descriptive cross-sectional design was used. Convenience sampling was used with an online survey mailed to 100 known professionals from July to September, 2018. The sample comprised of practicing Clinical Psychologists and Psychiatric Social Workers who held a minimum qualification of the superspecialty degree MPhil (Master of Philosophy) in their respective fields. Analysis was done both qualitatively and quantitatively. Descriptive statistics found that only 5.55% of Clinical Psychologists and 22.22% of Psychiatric Social Workers used it as a sole therapy. About 72.2% of the mental health professionals felt that Solution Focused Therapy should be incorporated in the traditional specialized training program. The two themes obtained from thematic content analysis were the understanding and the efficacy of this form of therapy. The awareness and practice of Solution Focused Therapy among mental health professional appears low. Despite awareness of SFTs' principles and techniques, it was not the first choice of therapy for mental health professionals [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Endospore‐forming bacteria make up an important and numerically significant component of microbial communities in a range of settings including soils, industry, hospitals and marine sediments extending into the deep subsurface. Bacterial endospores are non‐reproductive structures that protect DNA and improve cell survival during periods unfavourable for bacterial growth. An important determinant of endospores withstanding extreme environmental conditions is 2,6‐pyridine dicarboxylic acid (i.e. dipicolinic acid, or DPA), which contributes heat resistance. This study presents an improved HPLC‐fluorescence method for DPA quantification using a single 10‐min run with pre‐column Tb3+ chelation. Relative to existing DPA quantification methods, specific improvements pertain to sensitivity, detection limit and range, as well as the development of new free DPA and spore‐specific DPA proxies. The method distinguishes DPA from intact and recently germinated spores, enabling responses to germinants in natural samples or experiments to be assessed in a new way. DPA‐based endospore quantification depends on accurate spore‐specific DPA contents, in particular, thermophilic spores are shown to have a higher DPA content, meaning that marine sediments with plentiful thermophilic spores may require spore number estimates to be revisited. This method has a wide range of potential applications for more accurately quantifying bacterial endospores in diverse environmental samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gaming and gambling have been studied in terms of similarity of its manifestations. There is a dearth of empirical-based evidence for the exploration of pathways to understand the shift from gaming to gambling. A 23-year-old male from a nuclear family was assessed using clinical interview for the pathways for shifting from gaming to gambling. The pathways were personality predispositions, maladaptive coping, interpersonal distress, peer pressure, variable reward anticipation, addiction characteristics in the form of craving, loss of control and use despite having consequences. These findings suggest that there is a need to create awareness among young adults about these potential causes related to transition from gaming to gambling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Interannual variability of the seasonal surface air-temperature over the Indian subcontinent is investigated using observations for the period of 1900-2005. Our results demonstrate that air-temperature over India is remotely influenced by the El Niño-Southern Oscillation and locally through Indian Ocean sea surface temperature ( SST) anomalies. The leading mode of variability ( EOF-1, empirical orthogonal function) in the observed air-temperature displays a country-wide warming in all four seasons. The spatial pattern of EOF-1 is similar to that of composite air-temperature anomalies of warm/cold years. Above-normal air-temperature in India (country-wide warming) is positively correlated to a simultaneous El Niño conditions in the eastern Pacific during boreal summer. El Niño induced strong subsidence, weaker low-level winds, less moisture availability and enhanced incoming shortwave radiation over the north Indian Ocean and Indian subcontinent are responsible for air-temperature warming in summer. It is observed that during fall, air-temperature pattern of EOF-1 over India is highly correlated with SST over the tropical oceans. SST correlation is maximum in central Pacific and north Indian Ocean, indicating the importance of both remote and local forcing. During boreal spring and winter, air-temperature warming ( EOF-1) is mainly influenced by Indian Ocean SST anomalies. Low moisture and negative sea level pressure anomalies over India indicate the existence of heat low with strong dry winds convergence, which are favourable for air-temperature warming in spring. Although El Niño peaks during winter, its impact on the air-temperature over the Indian subcontinent is weak during this season. The second EOF mode shows dipole-like air-temperature pattern with warming over the south-east and cooling in the north-western India during summer and winter, whereas spring shows opposite polarity. In case of boreal fall, EOF-2 of air-temperature displays a south-west and north-east orientation. Mechanisms responsible for these variabilities are studied in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]