Effect of Mind Sound Resonance Technique (MSRT)-Yoga Based Relaxation Technique on Sleep Quality and Mental Health in it Professionals: A Pilot Study

Background: Significant number of IT professionals suffer from various health problems, including poor mental health and sleep quality, which affects their work efficacy and quality of life. Mind Sound Resonance Technique (MSRT) is a chanting based relaxation technique showed to be effective in improving the physical and mental health of individuals. Aim: Present study is intended to evaluate the effect of MSRT on anxiety, mood profile, and sleep quality in IT professionals. Methods: One hundred IT professionals (54 males) with age range 25-40 years (average 29 years.) received 45 minutes of MSRT intervention thrice a week for one month. Participants were excluded from the study if they had any kind of chronic disease, regular antipsychotic medication, auditory impairment, major depression, previous exposure to any kind of Yoga in past one year. The participants were assessed for state & trait anxiety, mood profile, and sleep quality at baseline and after one month using standard assessment measures. Data were analyzed in SPSS version 20 software. Results: There was a significant improvement in state anxiety (23% decrease), trait anxiety (19% decrease), mood disturbance (84% decrease), and sleep quality (56% improvement) after one month of MSRT practice compared to baseline. Conclusion: Present pilot study indicates the potential use of MSRT intervention in improving mental health and sleep quality in IT professionals. However, future studies should be conducted with a large sample size and robust research design.

A Spectral Correlation Based Nonlinear Ultrasonic Resonance Technique for Fatigue Crack Detection

This paper presents a spectral correlation based nonlinear ultrasonic resonance technique for fatigue crack detection. A reduced-order nonlinear oscillator model is initially constructed to illuminate the Contact Acoustic Nonlinearity (CAN) and nonlinear resonance phenomenon. The tailored analytical model considers the rough surface condition of the fatigue cracks, with a crack open-close transition range for the effective modeling of the variable-stiffness CAN. Multiple damage indices (DIs) associated with the degree of nonlinearity of the interrogated materials are then proposed by correlating the ultrasonic resonance spectra. The frequency sweeping signals serve as the excitation waveform to obtain the structural dynamic features. The nonlinear resonance procedure is numerically solved using the central difference method. Short time Fourier transform (STFT) is utilized to extract the resonance spectroscopy. In this study, pristine, linear wave damage interaction case (an open notch case), and nonlinear wave damage interaction case (a fatigue crack case) with various damage severities are considered. Subsequently, three case studies taking advantage of different nonlinear oscillation phenomena are conducted based on the spectral correlation algorithm to detect and monitor the fatigue crack growth: time-history dependence, amplitude dependence, and breakage of superposition. Each of these three nonlinear behaviors can either work individually or collaborate synthetically to detect the nucleation and growth of the fatigue cracks. The proposed nonlinear ultrasonic resonance technique possesses great application potential for fatigue crack detection and quantification. This paper finishes with summary, concluding remarks, and suggestions for future work.