Light Sleep Detection based on Surface Electromyography Signals for Nap Monitoring

This paper proposes the development of automatic sleep stage detection by using physiological signals. We aim to develop an application to assist drivers after drowsiness or fatigue detection by a commercial driver vigilance system. The proposed method used a low-cost surface electromyography (EMG) device for sleep stage detection. We investigate skeletal muscle location and EMG features from sleep stage 2 to provide an EMG-based nap monitoring system. The results showed that using only one channel of a bipolar EMG signal from an upper trapezius muscle with median power frequency can achieve 84% accuracy. We implement a MyoWare muscle sensor into the proposed nap monitoring device. The results showed that the proposed system is feasible for detecting sleep stages and waking up the napper. A combination of EMG and electroencephalogram (EEG) signals might be yield a high system performance for nap monitoring and alarm system. We will prototype a portable device to connect the application to a smartphone and test with a target group, such as truck drivers and physicians.

Data Analysis for microRNA and Related Diagnoses

MicroRNAs are non-coding molecules that play a significant role in the development of the disease. MicroRNAs can act as biomarkers or independently lead to the development of a disease. Due to the large numbers of microRNAs, most of the current works focus on the creation of a new way of microRNA clustering or grouping. Today, there are a huge number of different databases that distribute open microRNAs into groups. The problem is that there is no way to evaluate such databases and created clusters. In this work, we propose a new method for assessing the distribution of microRNAs in a cluster, which in the future can be used to predict new sequential ones capable of causing disease. The proposed method can also be used for a better understanding of the mechanisms of various diseases. Since cardiovascular diseases rank first in terms of the number of deaths, they were chosen as the analyzed ones. The Human microRNA Disease Database was used as an analyzed database in this work. The obtained results show that the proposed method can analyze the created databases and can be used in further practice. The proposed model makes it possible to predict new microRNAs for given diagnoses.

Gel Textural Characteristics of Hair Gel with Cocoa Shell Extract by Using Mixture D-optimal Method

This study was used a mixture design to optimize the spreadability and viscosity of topical hair gel incorporates cocoa shell extract. The factor of the hair gel ingredient was thickener (0.2 – 0.8%), styling polymer A (2-5%), styling polymer B (2-6%), and solvent (84.63-91.63%) were studied on two responses selected spreadability and viscosity. The data collected were fitted to the model with high coefficient determination (R2= 0.994 for the spreadability and 0.9937 for the viscosity). The model can be predicted by showing the good lack of fit test result not significant with the p-value bigger than 0.05. From the ramp function simulation, the optimized formulation was selected and established at thickener (0.55%), styling polymer A (3.61%), styling polymer B (3.72%), and solvent (88.55%) with the spreadability and viscosity at 353.77 g.s and 39.91 pa.s respectively. The benefit of using mixture design in this experiment, it can help a formulator to understand the complex interaction between factors and can easily modify the formulation through ramp function simulation to obtain the desired result. The predicted validation test shows that both values were comparable. Under this condition showed that the model development could be used to predict future observations within the design range thickener (0.2 – 0.8%), styling polymer A (2-5%), styling polymer B (2-6%), and solvent (84.63-91.63%).

A Functional Electrical Stimulator to Enable Grasping Through Wrist Flexion

Functional electrical stimulation is an assistive technique that utilizes electrical discharges to produce functional movements in patients suffering from neurological impairments. In this work, a biphasic, programmable current- controlled functional electrical stimulator system is designed to enable hand grasping facilitated by wrist flexion. The developed system utilizes an operational amplifier based current source and is supported by a user interface to adjust stimulation parameters. The device is integrated with an accelerometer to measure the degree of stimulated movement. The system is validated, firstly, on two passive electrical loads and subsequently on four healthy volunteers. The device is designed to deliver currents between 0-30mA, and the error between the measured current and simulated current for two loads were -0.967±0.676mA and -0.995±0.97mA. The angular data from the accelerometer provided information regarding variations in movement between the subjects. The architecture of the proposed system is such that it can, in principle, automatically adjust the parameters of simulation to induce the desired movement optimally by measuring a stimulated movement artifact (e.g., angular position) in real time.

Study of Hematological Characteristics and Mineral Metabolism of Moscow Black Chickens in the Process of Acclimatization in the Astrakhan Region

The study of indicators characterizing the processes associated with the acclimatization of birds in new biogeochemical conditions is of interest in connection with the prospects of the poultry industry in the Astrakhan Region, where the lack of important trace elements in soils and plant feeds: Se, I, Co, is observed. In the presented study, the main hematological and biochemical parameters of blood and mineral metabolism were determined in 2 groups of chickens of the Moscow black breed: imported to the Astrakhan Region from Moscow and kept in the Moscow Region. The analyses revealed strong differences (P<0.01) in indicators of two groups. The acclimatized birds were characterized by low levels of red blood cells and hemoglobin in the blood, as well as a higher content of white blood cells than in the second group. The chickens had impaired lipid and protein metabolism. A 71.3% increase in the level of total sugar most likely indicated a stress state of birds. Compared with the chickens in the Moscow Region, the level of calcium in their blood was 32.4% lower, phosphorus – 12.9%. To a large extent, a decrease in the levels of iodine and selenium – by 5.3 and 5.2 times, respectively, was observed. Thus, in the absence of external changes, acclimatized chickens are subject to a latent form of combined I- and Se-hypomicroelementosis. At the same time, a drop in egg productivity by 19% is the recorded fact. The necessity to adapt to the new climatic conditions of the Lower Volga region for birds, combined with a lack of important trace elements, can cause increased oxidative stress in acclimatized birds. Based on the results of the study, the use of feed additives that make up for the deficiency of necessary trace elements is recommended.

Machine Learning Methods to Investigate Drug Delivery in Infusion Pump

In the current scenario, usage of the smart medical pump is predominant in the medical field. The precise drug dosage, flow accuracy should be maintained to increase the performance of an infusion pump. In this work, an attempt has been made to predict and control the speed of the infusion pump for suitable infusion flowrate using machine learning technique and Linear Quadratic Gaussian (LQG) controller. The data for this study is considered from the publicly available online database, electronic Medicines Compendium (eMC). The speed of the infusion pump has been calculated using the drug dosage and flow rate for two different drugs. The prediction of infusion pump speed is achieved using Linear regression with Principal Component analysis (PCR) and Support Vector Machine Regression (SVR). The performance of the prediction schemes is evaluated using standard metrics. To validate the optimal control of the predicted speed, two different medical graded motors are considered. Further, the optimal control of the pump speed is investigated using Proportional–Integral–Derivative (PID), Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR), and LQG controllers for its stability criteria. The prediction of the pump speed using regression models PCR, SVR has been verified and then the transient response analysis with rise time, settling time for both the motors have been examined. Results demonstrate that the LQG optimal control strategy achieves fast rise time, settling time of motor1 with 0.653s, 1.15s, and 0.22, 0.392s for motor2 respectively.

Functional Reaction of the Cardiovascular System to Irritation of Vestibular Receptors in Students Engaged in Different Types of Martial Arts

Regular dosed physical activity in all cases has a tonic and healing effect on a person. Feasible muscle activity helps to improve the function of the heart, lungs, blood vessels and the nervous system. In martial arts, the reactivity of the vestibular apparatus is of great importance, providing the flow of information about the current position of the body in space, the success of movement in it and maintaining the stability of the posture due to the effective redistribution of muscle tone. Purpose of the work: to find out the dependence of the reaction of the cardiovascular system to the arising vestibular irritation in different types of martial arts. Martial arts classes help to increase the degree of vestibular stability. The statokinetic stability is very pronounced and increases in the course of hand-to-hand combat, which has a lot of moments with different severity of angular accelerations. The peculiarities of motor activity in any kind of martial arts inevitably affect the peculiarities of the reaction to the test with a change in the position of the head.

Effectiveness of Cordyceps sp. and Beauveria Bassiana Against Large Cabbage-heart Caterpillar, Crocidolomia Pavonana Fabricius (Lepidoptera: Crambidae)

Crocidolomia pavonana Fabr. (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) is a major pest on various cabbage crops in Indonesia. Various insecticides have been used to control this insect pest including several entomopathogenic fungi, and this cabbage caterpillar has become resistant to various insecticides. In order to develop insecticides from entomopathogenic fungi, species or varieties from natural area such as forest are needed. A bioassays of Cordyceps sp. and Beauveria bassiana has been carried out in the laboratory. Inoculum of Cordyceps sp. obtained from the Dipterocarpaceae forest in South Kalimantan, Indonesia recovered from dead ants by the mycelium of Cordyceps sp. Four concentration of Cordyceps sp. and Beauveria bassiana inoculum and tween80 as a control were tested against 3rd instar larvae of C. pavonana with five replications. Field efficacy trial was carried out in a screen house (8 x 12 M2) using Chinese cabbage plants (Brassica juncea) aged 28 days after sowing, with a spacing of 0.4 M between rows. Three formulation of Cordyceps sp. and tween80 as a control were used with 6 replications. The result of the bioassays in the laboratory showed that Cordyceps sp. with concentration of 1 x 107 conidia mL-1 was able to give 100% mortality od C. pavonana larvae, while B. bassiana with the same concentration caused morality of C. pavonana larvae of 98.33%, although statistically not significantly different. The results of probit analysis also showed that LC90 Cordyceps sp. against cabbage caterpillar larvae was 1.57 x 106 conidia mL-1, while B. bassiana required a concentration of 2.6 x 106 conidia mL-1 to reach the LC90 value. The results of filed trial showed that the formulation of Cordyceps sp. 1 x 107 conidia mL-1 using palm oil cooking oil was able to give an average mortality of 86.7%, and significantly higher (P<0.05) than the other treatment. The results of this study indicate that the inoculum of Cordyceps sp. from Dipterocarpaceae forest is very promising to be developed as an insecticide to control C. pavonana in cabbage

Physical Activity and Blood Sugar Levels in People with Diabetes Mellitus: Evidence from Indonesia

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a slowly deadly disease. Indonesia has the 4th highest number of diabetes mellitus after China, India and the United States. People with diabetes have grown from 8.4 million in 2000 and will become 21.3 million in 2030. This study aims to determine the relationship between body movement and blood sugar levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. This type of research is quantitative, with a design analytical research and cross-sectional approach. The sample of this study was 131 people with the criteria for suffering from type 2 diabetes mellitus. Data collection used the Global Body Movement Questionnaire (GPAQ) questionnaire, and the statistical test used was the Chi-Square statistical test. The results showed that there was a relationship between physical activity and blood sugar levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, so it is recommended that DM patients should routinely carry out body movements and control blood sugar levels in health care facilities and take advantage of health services such as health workers if they experience problems in performing body movements and follow a diabetic diet according to the advice of a nutritionist. In-depth conclusions and implications are discussed.

Distribution of Polymorphic Markers of Genes Encoding the Renin-angiotensin System (ACE, AGT, AGTR1), ITGB3, PPARG, Pparg in Patients With Essential Hypertension Depending on the Age

Essential hypertension (EH) is a multifactorial disease with a hereditary predisposition. Genes encoding the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) play a leading role in the stabilization of elevated BP in the course of EH, which determines the relevance of our clinical and genetic study. The study was based on the determination of the frequencies of polymorphic markers of the AGT, AGTR1, ACE, ITGB3, PPARG genes in 2 groups, depending on the age of patients (up to 60 years - group1, n=18, and after 60 years - group2, n=31), for the intergroup frequencies comparison and comparison of group frequencies with population data. Genotyping by gene polymorphisms was performed by real-time polymerase chain reaction. 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM) and Holter HR monitoring were conducted. Phenotypic features of the course of EH were accompanied by changes in the frequency characteristics of the studied genotypes. In patients of group 1, an increase in the frequency of protective genotypes of the ACE(II) and ITGB3(TT) genes was observed (p=0.004;0.015), which confirms the hypothesis of a possible favorable course of EH in patients under 60 years.