EFFECTS OF CRANIOCERVICAL FLEXION EXERCISES AND SCAPULAR STABILIZATION EXERCISES IN NECK PAIN AND FORWARD HEAD POSTURE AMONG FEMALES WEARING HEADSCARVES

Background: In neck related problems, limited cervical ranges are considered a major contributor leading to forward head posture and increased disability. Methodology: The study design was a randomized clinical trial. Total of 50 subjects were recruited that fulfilled the selection criteria. Subjects were divided into two groups. Craniocervical flexion exercises group A (n=25) and Scapular stabilization exercises group B (n=25). Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) and Neck Disability Index (ND1) were subjective while the goniometer and plumb line were used as objective modes of assessment. Baseline and after 4 weeks of treatment values were assessed by using SPSS 21. Results: Both groups showed improvement in plumb line values, forward head posture and cervical spine mobility. NPRS, and NDI score values after the 4-week exercise program showed significant results (p-value<0.05). Outcomes except for plumb line value and NDI score indicated statistically significant improvement in the Craniocervical flexion exercise group than the scapular stabilization exercise group (p-value<0.05). However, in NPRS no statistical difference (p-value>0.05) was found between the two groups. Conclusion: Only females were recruited. Further studies can correlate with spatiotemporal features. The idea and conceptual framework were original.

Optimization of Split-Ring and Split-Ball Resonators for Effective Permittivity and Volume Fraction Extraction

Material specifications are required in variety of fields like pharmaceutical, chemical, biological, metallurgical, petro-chemical, food processing/grading, forestry, mining, aerospace, equipment manufacture and quality control applications. When a composite/liquid mixture is prepared by mixing two or more ingredients/liquids, effective permittivity is a function of volume fraction and individual permittivity of constituents. Numerous techniques and methods are in practice for finding effective permittivity and other properties of composite/solution. For obtaining accurate results for low loss materials, resonant perturbation technique is given preference to others. Improved accuracy can be expected by increasing sensitivity of resonant structures. Split-ring resonator for compositional analysis (detection of small changes in volume fraction) of mixture comprising of ethanol and methanol was initially studied. A novel concept of split-ball resonator for such analysis with enhanced sensitivity has been proposed. Proposed empirical formulas for output parameters of split-ball resonator structure have been worked out. Optimization algorithm has been developed to further enhance sensitivity of the two structures by utilizing statistical tools. Large deviations in output parameters and hence sensitivity obtained for optimized resonators. Regression equations obtained for relating output parameters with resonators’ geometry. Sensitivity and comparative analysis with other similar works pertaining to volume fraction and effective permittivity has been performed. Due to optimization, these analyses for moderate/medium as well as high loss material were demonstrated. Bivariate cubic expressions for volume fraction and permittivity of mixture as a function of output parameters have been obtained.