Trapezius or facial muscles: Which one is more suitable for the measurement of stress using sEMG signals?

A number of techniques have been reported to detect mental stress. Surface Electromyography (sEMG) has also been used to measure stress by acquiring the signals from various sites of the human body, however, consensus need to be established to determine the best possible site to harvest stress related information. In this study, work related mental stress using sEMG signals acquired from trapezius muscle and facial muscles were compared. BIOPAC signal acquisition system was used to acquire sEMG signals simultaneously from both trapezius and facial muscles from forty five (45) healthy volunteers. Stress was induced using different standard methods in a controlled environment. Statistical significant difference was found between the stress and rest levels of sEMG signals. The statistical test also showed that the upper trapezius muscle was a better stress detection site as compared to facial muscles.Clinical Relevance- Optimized stress detection can help in the prevention of the possible stress related physical disorders.

Effect of Mukteswar and Komarov strains of newcastle disease vaccines on egg production.

Effect of live mesogenic strains of Mukteswar and Komarov ND vaccines was studied on the egg production of laying birds. The results showed that pullets vaccinated with Mukteswar ND vaccine produced more eggs than the Komarov vaccinated or non vaccinated birds. The peak egg production was noted at the age of 29 weeks in these birds and this latter decreased. When birds were re-vaccinated with the same vaccine and route, at the age of 32 weeks, the egg production again increased to 81%. Intra muscular vaccination with Komarov ND vaccine demonstrated 11% less egg production than the birds vaccinated with Mukteswar ND vaccine. In all the experiments, birds were found to be severely affected by the hot weather resulting in a drop of egg production.

Levels of liver glycogen during normal and radiation-induced metamorphosis in Rana cyanophlyctis.

This study shows that significant changes in the pattern of glycogen deposition are brought about by irradiation with 2,000 R gamma-rays. The sharp fall during the 1st week can be attributed to its emergent mobilization. However, glycogen stored in the liver during the 2nd and 3rd week prior to the resorptive process substantiates the fact that tadpoles complete metamorphic transformations in spite of sublethal irradiation.