4276 research outputs found
Sort by
A Unified Quantitative Model of Vision and Audition
No full textWe have put forwards a unified quantitative framework of vision and audition, based on existing data and theories. According to this model, the retina is a feedforward network self-adaptive to inputs in a specific period. After fully grown, cells become specialized detectors based on statistics of stimulus history. This model has provided explanations for perception mechanisms of colour, shape, depth and motion. Moreover, based on this ground we have put forwards a bold conjecture that single ear can detect sound’s direction. This is complementary to existing theories and has provided better explanations for sound localization
Motor Learning Mechanism on the Neuron Scale
No full textBased on existing data, we wish to put forward a biological model of motor system on the neuron scale. Then we indicate its implications in statistics and learning. Specifically, neuron’s firing frequency and synaptic strength are probability estimates in essence. And the lateral inhibition also has statistical implications. From the standpoint of learning, dendritic competition through retrograde messengers is the foundation of conditional reflex and “grandmother cell” coding. And they are the kernel mechanisms of motor learning and sensory-motor integration respectively. Finally, we compare motor system with sensory system. In short, we would like to bridge the gap between molecule evidences and computational models
Strategy to Support Improvement of Healthcare Quality.
No full textOne of the latest market-based solutions to the rising costs and quality gaps in health care is pay for performance. Pay for performance is the use of financial incentives to promote the delivery of designated standards of care. It is an emerging movement in health insurance (initially in Britain and United States). Providers under this arrangement are rewarded for meeting pre-established targets for delivery of healthcare services. This is a fundamental change from fee for service payment.Also known as "P4P" or “value-based purchasing,” this payment model rewards physicians, hospitals, medical groups, and other healthcare providers for meeting certain performance measures for quality and efficiency. Disincentives, such as eliminating payments for negative consequences of care (medical errors) or increased costs, have also been proposed. In the developed nations, the rapidly aging population and rising health care costs have recently brought P4P to the forefront of health policy discussions. Pilot studies underway in several large healthcare systems have shown modest improvements in specific outcomes and increased efficiency, but no cost savings due to added administrative requirements. Statements by professional medical societies generally support incentive programs to increase the quality of health care, but express concern with the validity of quality indicators, patient and physician autonomy and privacy, and increased administrative burdens. This article serves as an introduction to pay for performance. We discuss the goals and structure of pay for performance plans and their limitations and potential consequences in the health care area
Supplementary Role of Health Metrics for Reducing Total Fertility Rate in a North-Indian State.
No full textReducing Total Fertility Rate (TFR) amongst rural Indian couples from the current level is a significant challenge to the population control policies relying solely on the Government efforts. REACH strategy, based on health metrics, succeeded in lowering the TFR below replacement levels in a rural population of more than 300,000 in Rajasthan. The REACH strategy was first developed and demonstrated success in decreasing TFR in a pilot project by SHARE India in Medchal region of Andhra Pradesh utilizing designated workers, and was replicated in Rajgarh District of Rajasthan in cooperation with Bhoruka Charitable Trust (supervisor of ICDS and NRHM health workers in Rajgarh) using Government health workers. The success of the REACH strategy in both Rajasthan and previously in Andhra Pradesh holds promise as a tool to reduce TFR in other areas of rural India
Improving the quality of Gujarati-Hindi Machine Translation through part-of-speech tagging and stemmer-assisted transliteration
No full textMachine Translation for Indian languages is an emerging research area. Transliteration is one such module that we design while designing a translation system. Transliteration means mapping of source language text into the target language. Simple mapping decreases the efficiency of overall translation system. We propose the use of stemming and part-of-speech tagging for transliteration. The effectiveness of translation can be improved if we use part-of-speech tagging and stemming assisted transliteration.We have shown that much of the content in Gujarati gets transliterated while being processed for translation to Hindi language
Gaze and informativeness during category learning:\ud Evidence for an inverse relation
No full textIn what follows, we explore the general relationship between eye gaze during a category learning task and the information conveyed by each member of the learned category. To understand the nature of this relationship empirically, we used eye tracking during a novel object classification paradigm. Results suggest that the average fixation time per object during learning is inversely proportional to the amount of information that object conveys about its category. This inverse relationship may seem counterintuitive; however, objects that have a high information value are inherently more representative of their category. Therefore, their generality captures the essence of the category structure relative to less representative objects. As such, it takes relatively less time to process these objects than their less informative companions. We use a general information measure referred to as representational information theory (Vigo, 2011a, 2013a) to articulate and interpret the results from our experiment and compare its predictions to those of three models of prototypicality
Sacral Chordoma and Single Stage Combined Anteroposterior High Sacrectomy
No full textChordomas are locally aggressive tumors, most commonly seen in sacrum. We present a case of sacral chordoma who presented with urinary retention and treated with single stage combined anteroposterior high sacrectom
Study of Profile, Knowledge and Problems of Anganwadi Workers in ICDS Blocks: A Cross Sectional Study
No full textObjectives: To study the profile of Anganwadi Workers (AWWs). To assess knowledge of AWWs & problems faced by them while working. Study Design: Cross sectional study. Methods: Anganwadi centres were selected by stratified sampling technique. From each block 10% AWWs were enrolled into study. The functioning of AWWs was assessed by interviewing Anganwadi workers for their literacy status, years of experience, their knowledge about the services rendered by them and problems faced by them. Result: Most of AWWs were from the age group of between 41-50 years; more than half of them were matriculate and 34(69.38%) workers had an experience of more than 10 years. Majority (81.63 %) of AWWs had a knowledge assessment score of above 50%. They had best knowledge about nutrition and health education (70%). Of the workers 87.7% complained of inadequate honorarium, 28.5% complained of lack of help from community and other problems reported were infrastructure related supply, excessive work overload and record maintenance. Conclusions: Majority of AWWs were beyond 40 years of age, matriculate, experienced, having more than 50% of knowledge related to their job. Complaints mentioned by them were chiefly honorarium related and excessive workload
A Clinical Study of Blunt Ocular Trauma in a Tertiary Care Centre.
No full textPurpose: To analyze blunt eye injuries with respect to mode of injury, sites involved and outcome. Method: This was a retrospective study of 32 patients with blunt ocular trauma from 2010 to 2012 in a tertiary care centre. Patient data, mode and extent of injury, management and outcome was noted and analyzed. Result: The commonest age of presentation was 10-20 years (28.125%) and the commonest mode of injury was road traffic accident (28.125%). The most commonly involved structure was conjunctiva (84.375%), followed by lid and adnexa (62.5%). Anterior segment involvement included corneal epithelial defect (7 cases), hyphaema (4 cases), iritis (3 cases) and anterior dislocation of lens (1 case). Posterior segment involvement included vitreous haemorrhage (1 case) and commotio retinae (2 cases). Conclusion: This study reinforces that blunt trauma can cause any extent of damage to ocular structures and the final visual outcome is dependent on the structures injured
Acephalic Acardiac Fetus
No full textAcardia (Twin Reversed Arterial Perfusion Sequence) is a rare and one of the most bizarre congenital malformations occurring in multiple pregnancies. It affects 1 in 35,000 pregnancies. Usually one twin shows absence of heart and other is structurally normal. The acardiac twin presents with many bizarre anomalies such as lack of head, thorax and upper extremities. We report a case of autopsy study of acardiac twin with severe malformations. The case has been presented for its rarity