Informatics Publishing Limited

Prashanth Shetty ¹, Achyuthan Eswar ², Rajkumari Roshni ¹, Raj Lakshmi ¹, Balakrishna Shetty ¹, Nithin ¹, H. R. Nagendra ³, Suhas Vinchurkar ³

Affiliations
1 Sri Dharmasthala Manjunatheswara College of Naturopathy and Yogic Sciences, Ujire, Karnataka, IN
2 Sri Dharmasthala Manjunatheswara College of Naturopathy and Yogic Sciences, Ujire - 574 240, Karnataka, IN
3 Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana, Bengaluru, Karnataka, IN

Abstract

Naturopathic fasting (NF) therapy is the cornerstone of most naturopathic therapy protocols. It has been claimed to reduce the acidity of the body, but this has not been conclusively proven. The present study was designed to assess the effect of NF therapy on urine pH young healthy volunteers. Seventy participants with ages ranging from 19 to 21 years (group mean age±standard deviation; 20±0.8 years) were assigned to either a fasting group (n=35) or a vegetarian diet group (n=35). The two groups were matched for age, education and routines. Fasting was conducted for a period of 5 days under supervision by project coordinators. We executed a matched controlled design with urine pH assessed by testing first-void midstream urine using pH meter at baseline and every day subsequently until the period of fasting ended. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS 20. The data were checked for normality. The data was checked for normality, and then a paired samples t-test was performed to investigate statistically significant difference within-group in urine pH of fasting group and control group. Urine pH increased by 0.24±0.49 pH units (p<0.05) after 5 days' NF therapy. NF therapy significantly increases urine pH. This signifies that acidity of the plasma is reduced, which can be linked to many health benefits.

Keywords

Naturopathic Fasting Therapy, Urine pH, Acidity.

Full Text

     

Nithin ¹, Rathnamala Rao ², K. N. Bhat ¹

Affiliations
1 Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, IN
2 NITK Surathakal, Mangalore, IN

Abstract

In this paper the MEMS pressure sensor with sculptured diaphragm is designed, fabricated and tested for measuring low pressure range (0 - 600mbar). The classical flat diaphragm sensors give rise to linearity error and offset drift problem when it is used for wide range of temperature. If the offset drift and linearity error is high then compensation of the sensor with external electronics also becomes very tedious process and impossible in some cases. So, in this paper initially simulation study is discussed to optimize the sculptured diaphragm structure dimensions, to measure low pressure like 600mbar for the wide temperature range from -40°C to 80°C. COMSOL simulator tool is used to estimate the stress values on the diaphragm, and use these values to analytically determine the sensor output for different temperatures. With this simulation approach, the effect of temperature on the zero offset drift and linearity is studied. Based on the simulated structure, the diaphragm and resistor dimensions are decided and the optimized structure is fabricated using SOI wafer technology in clean room and tested for the same specifications. Finally, the simulated and practically obtained results are discussed and compared.

Keywords

MEMS Pressure Sensor, Sculptured Diaphragm, SOI Wafer.

Full Text

     

B. Pavithra ¹, C. Linet Thomas ¹, N. Veera Pandi ¹, K. Sankaran ¹, Nithin ¹, Smitha G. Prabhu ², K. N. Bhat ¹

Affiliations
1 Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, IN
2 NMIT, Bangalore, IN

Abstract

In this Paper, we present the effect of active (programmable) temperature compensation for 0-200Bar in house developed Aerospace quality MEMS gauge Pressure Transducers using ZMD based IC. Two numbers of 0-200 Bar Gauge Pressure MEMS Transducer’s raw output (in mV) was compared with temperature and span compensated amplified output values (in Volts). The drift values were calculated. The effect of Nonlinearity+Hysteresis, Full Scale Output (FSO) and Zero Offset for various input temperatures were tabulated and a graph was drawn. A Static hydraulic dead weight calibrator (Fluke Make P3125) was used and a linear relation between Pressure Vs Output was obtained. The raw output data in mV as well as temperature (-40ºC to +80ºC) compensated output (in Volts) was plotted with respect to input Pressure. The Non linearity +Hysteresis value after temperature compensation was found to be 0.3%FSO. Temperature drift values obtained were better than 2 x 10-4/FSO/ºC.

Keywords

MEMS Pressure Transducer, Temperature compensation, Nonlinearity+Hysteresis.

Full Text