By: Prapanna Lahiri

To the layman the word Yoga means a regimen of slow, gentle stretching and breathing exercises. But Yoga, the ancient Hindu ascetic discipline that was first written about in the Rig-Veda encompasses much more than just physical exercise. The word ‘yoga’ originated in the ancient Sanskrit root word ‘yuj’ which means ‘to unite’. It is the process of consciously unifying the body, mind, emotions, and spirit making them work together in harmony aiming at living an enlightened life in higher consciousness. The ultimate goal of the Yogi (yoga practitioner), in Hindu philosophy, is eternal liberation from ‘Samsara’, the perpetual cycle of death and rebirth to achieve ‘Moksha’, a state of complete union with God. The union here means a commonality of purpose and identification of the Atman’s (soul) spiritual nature with Paramatman’s (God).

In the profound Hindu text Bhagavad Gita, Yogeshwara Krishna, the Supreme Lord of Yoga, speaks of four types of yoga – Bhakti-yoga – (devotional service), Jnana-yoga – spiritual knowledge, Raja (astanga) yoga – meditation, karma-yoga – selfless action.

1. Bhakti-yoga: Bhakti means ‘devotion’ (self surrender): This path consists of various practices to unite the bhakta (devotee) with the Divine (Brahman). Bhakti Yoga is considered the easiest and the most direct method to experience the unity of mind, body and spirit. It is considered the simplest path because it does not ask to do anything but give up all control.
2. Jnana-yoga: Jnana meanswisdom, or discernment. It is the path of acquiring sublime spiritual knowledge withdrawing all thoughts and feelings from the world and say “neti, neti,” “not this, not this.” It is the most difficult path, requiring tremendous strength of will and intellect because the pursuit of wisdom and realisation is not merely an academic exercise and much emphasis is placed on attaining freedom from sensual desires that delude the soul. The realisation finally manifests by experiencing unity with God by dissolving veils of ignorance which makes one perceive the delusion that the space inside and outside of a glass are different.
3. Raja(Astanga) yoga: Raja means ‘royal or kingly.’ It is the path of meditation. The effort is to balance the will, the mind and the emotions. It focuses on controlling the mind and bringing it into stillness, directing the life force towards an object generally at the ‘Ajna’ centre, lying behind the centre of the forehead.
4. Karma-yoga: Karma means ‘to do.’ It is the path of surrendering all one’s actions, thoughts, words and feelings to God, considering oneself as an instrument of God’s will. There is the unique concept of “Action in Inaction and Inaction in Action. An action performed without attachment to the fruits of action, always content, is ‘Inaction in Action.’ An action performed in transcendental service of the Supreme (God), giving up all other actions in material pursuits, is ‘Action in Inaction.’

Many thinkers believe that all paths are equally valid and effective and that the choice depends on individual inclination as Yoga is an individual journey requiring lifelong dedication and devotion to God.

By: Aamarpali Puri

Does it matter if a robot looks a male or a female? You might not think so, but are we perpetuating stereotypes if we create a robot that looks “feminine” to help the elderly.Act like a girl and be a man [1]. Making of a real robot requires a proper knowledge of all the factors including content of communication, appearance and non verbal behavior of human being. The robot in a house will be like a family member and not a machine. In our lives gender is a fundamental part of how people understand and respond to one another. Implication of gender of robots is needed as a part of our social systems.

A number of social robots have been made who closely resemble humans. Like humans they have face,arms,legs, wheels, joints, hands and fingers for gripping.  They have cameras and they can sense ultrasounds. It just needs to tilt its head to answer queries. Robots are working for transportation of ore in underground mines, navigation under Deep Ocean, cleaning up of nuclear waste and all those areas which are difficult for humans to access.At home without human help robots cane be used for vacuum cleaning, lawn mowing, laundry etc.Robots can also help in criminal investigations. Earlier robots were designed to be gender neutral, but that’s not how most people perceived it. Robots tend to default to male.

In some cases non humanoid robots are well suited like driving robots would need to operate the steering wheel and brakes or surgical robots capable of doing precise brain operations.

For some services like domestic help people prefer assistance robots that look like human. A humanoid robot influence human behavior: trust, credibility and engagement. It is found that people prefer female voices. The gender of robot is determined not by the types of sexual organs but by the use of a pre recorded masculine or feminine voice. By changing certain properties of the robot, such as gender [2], to suit a particular patient might be the difference between acceptance and rejection.Another study found that people preferred security guard [3] robots with male identities.

Gender is sometimes referred to as the sex of the brain. In some circumstances, an individual’s sex and gender do not align, and result is sometimes a transgender person. Future may lead to development of such robots.

We are creating a new generation of machines to interact as frequently, and as intimately, as we do our co-workers and friends, we should not cage Robots in the same unimaginative and restrictive gender expectations that we human are still struggling to free ourselves from today                                 — Laura Dattaro

REFERENCES

1. http://www.thepsychfiles.com
2. Siegel, M., C. Breazeal, and M.I.Norton. “ Persuasive Robotics: The Influence of Robot gender on human behavior.” Intelligent Robots and Systems, 2009. IROS 2009. IEEEE/RSJ International Conference on 2009. 2563-2568.
3. http://gizmodo.com/would-you-rather-own-a-boy-robot-or-a-girl-robot-1654656508.

By Prapanna Lahiri

Civil disobedience has been variously defined as —

• A public act of wilfully disobeying the law and/or the commands of an authority or of an occupying international power because they are considered to bemorally wrong or detrimental.
• Civil disobedience is an act of refusal to obey a law as a result of moral objections, especially through passive resistance.

The objective of such action is to convey a political message to the authorities that people are willing to openly disobey laws that they consider unjust. Civil disobedience normally is a form of collective protest and is ideally a non-violent resistance.

Henry David Thoreau, the American author, poet and philosopher practiced an act of solitary civil disobedience as an individual, in his own life, when he spent a night in jail for his refusal to pay taxes in protest of the Mexican War to oppose American imperialism and against the practice of slavery in some territories. This single night spent in jail prompted Thoreau to later publish his essay ‘Resistance to Civil Government’ in 1849. His essay exerted such powerful force over time that influenced political giants as Mohandas Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr to lead civil disobedience movements in their times.

Mahatma Gandhi succeeded in clearly formulating the concept of civil disobedience on a large scale by his philosophy of ‘Satyagraha’, a non violent non cooperation movement, started originally in Transvaal province of South Africa in 1906, later shifted to India to become a means to achieve independence. Gandhi’s boldest act of civil disobedience was the ‘Salt Satyagraha’, in 1930, also known as ‘Dandi March’ when he led a defiant march to the sea to protest the British Monopoly on salt. He defied the British Salt Acts which prohibited Indians from collecting or selling salt, forcing them to import salt from Britain.

‘Boston Tea Party’ was one famous act of civil disobedience in American history. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, James Bevel, Rosa Parks and other activists in the American Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s also used civil disobedience techniques. The movement against apartheid In South Africa started by Nelson Mandela along with Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Steve Biko advocated civil disobedience. The Purple Rain Protest of 1989 and the Cape Town Peace March were notable instances of defiance of apartheid laws. The pro-democracy protests known as Velvet Revolution ended 41 years of authoritarian Communist rule in Czechoslovakia in 1989. The non violent ‘Singing Revolution,’ in the Baltic States of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania helped these republics achieve independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. The fall of the Berlin wall in Germany and the Orange Revolution in Ukraine were examples of successful disobedience movements.

While civil disobedience has proved itself as an effective tool to fight “unjust” laws, the advocates of such movements must strike a balance between obeying these supposedly unjust laws and fighting for their beliefs, without creating a society of anarchy. It should be practiced when no other recourse is available.

By: Prapanna Lahiri

NEGOTIATING is the process of holding discussions with a view to reach a mutually satisfactory agreement. CONVINCING is the art of persuading someone to take appropriate action. Persuasion is a specialised skill. It is one essential element of all human interactions, from politics to marketing to everyday dealings with friends, family and colleagues. Negotiation involves the following:

1. Listening to the needs of the other party.
2. Arriving at an agreement acceptable to both sides.
3. Knowing when to compromise i.e. making concessions for clinching the agreement.
4. Establishing trust.
5. Arriving at a win-win situation for both.

Convincing involves:

1. Developing a line of reasoned argument.
2. Using positive language to back up points with logic.
3. Highlighting the positive aspects of the arguments put forth.
4. Getting the points across in a calm yet assertive manner.
5. Challenging the contrary views expressed by others with utmost tact.
6. Trying to find common ground by skilfully handling objections to the arguments from the other side.

As already stated above, convincing needs persuading skills the following are the key illustrations to explain the process of exercising that skill:

1. Focussing on the needs of the other party: To earn the trust and respect of the other party the first step would be to carefully listen to their needs to make them perceive that their interests and expectations are of paramount importance in the negotiation process.
2. Avoiding tentative or hesitant language: Expressions like “you know,” “I mean,” etc. do not make one’s arguments sound convincing enough.
3. Using positive rather than negative language:  Even when the other persons do not sound cogent in their points of view they should not be trivialised. It is better to appreciate them as alternative viewpoints while putting across one’s own proposals. This makes a negotiation positive.
4. Shaking the existing belief: In the art of convincing others it is important to sound assertive and confident using a strong and composed tone backed by equally assured gestures and body language, aiming to make them start doubting their existing beliefs. Once there are signs of these doubts beginning to surface, the presentation should work further to shake off their beliefs completely.
5. Undermining their Knowledge Base: It is essential for the negotiator to do some good homework, making available some well documented solid facts. With the help of such concise and focused evidence and examples, the negotiator should plant in the other person’s subconscious mind the belief that the former has authority on the subject and should be listened to. The endeavour should be to subtly undermine the other persons’ knowledge-base and bring them around to the negotiator’s point of view.
6. Providing proofs to convince the Sceptic: Even sceptics can be convinced to believe in a different point of view with several lines of credible evidence, providing sound and focussed logic in support of a contrarian idea.
7. Programming their Subconscious Mind: Sometimes, one needs to make several repetitions of one’s arguments to shake and existing belief of the other person. A belief created originally in the subconscious mind of a person is reinforced by repetitions. So it will require many more repetitions of the other idea often enough, so that the person actually starts believing in it. This will work provided the conscious mind is not in control and the person, trying to convince, is trusted by the listener as a source of a new idea.
8. Fully believing and being convinced about one’s own Ideas and arguments: Unless one strongly believes in an idea it will not show in self-consciousness and body language of the person, good enough to convince others to believe in it, as well. The more one firmly believes in an idea the more convincing and confident the arguments will sound.
9. Showcasing social acceptance:  People are naturally inclined to go with the crowd and to follow the current popular view. In the process of convincing someone, it is worthwhile to point out how many other people have already agreed to the point of view, now sought to be propounded, and have, accordingly, made their commitments to the new idea.

• Being a likeable personality: It is common sense that people prefer to agree with arguments or requests of someone they like, admire and trust. Communications from a genuinely affable personality, always eager to help and care, are more likely to be listened to. Such persons are always able to convince better.   

1. Agreeing with them first and then flipping: One great way to dismiss the other person’s thoughts is to first agree with them and then tactfully overturn them suggesting that the other opinion presented could be even better and more practicable.
2. Trying to enter their world; Imitating is the greatest form of flattery for many. If someone speaks clearly, slowly and precisely, the negotiator should also try to do something similar in a subtle manner. This is often referred to as mirroring. People will be more comfortable and at ease with those who mirror or emulate them in some way.
3. Establishing one’s superior authority: People tend listen and agree with those who have authority and can clearly demonstrate it. While trying to convince others it is always more effective citing one’s own previous experience, expertise and knowledge about supporting information and statistics, available on the subject.

Everyone can talk. But more often than not, not all such talk appears convincing. Rhetorical skills are indeed important in all types of dialogues. Fulfilment of a dialogue lies in clinching an agreement between the participants. When it comes to convincing a customer or a client and persuading a colleague or a friend, one needs to bring into command all such attributes like intelligence, knowledge, confidence, wit, tact, humour, modesty, experience or a combination of all these. Persuasion is an art to change the minds of those opposed your line of thinking with a view to finally make them listen to you, cooperate with you and finally agree with you.

By : Anamitra Roy

Creativity is the source of knowledge. It is that attribute that helps us to create new concepts, new thoughts, ideas and philosophies.

In today’s world organizations consider “creativity” amongst employees and managers as a desirable and important factor because of the following reasons:

1)        Creativity can be a problem solving technique: Creative people often come out with solutions to complicated problems. Such people can imagine and think of newer options of solving problems, which may not take birth in the minds of non-creative people.

Here we can cite the example of Henry Ford. Most entrepreneurs usually go to an enterprising person for getting their problems solved. Henry Ford, being a very creative entrepreneur thought differently. He used to go to lazy people for getting his problems solved. He found that lazy people cannot stay with problems longer. So they always manage to find a simple solution to a complicated problem and that also very quickly. Henry Ford could generate this idea because of his creative nature.

2)        Innovations: In today’s world, management systems depend hugely on innovation for acquisition of business. Creativity is the source of innovations. Creative people are imaginary people who act as the source of innovative ideas in the systems.

3)        Inventions: Creativity gives rise to inventions. All great inventors in the world are considered creative. They think, visualize and materialize newer ways of looking at life. In the management profession also, creative people act as the source of inventions.

Leonardo da Vinci, who is considered one of the greatest inventors of all time, was a very creative person. It was because of his creative nature that he discovered the parachute and the glider.

4)        Reduce Stress: Exercising of creative skills helps to express oneself. It is while exercising the creative skills that a person forgets the expectations of the world around him/ her and thinks of creating something new without any fear. The joy that is generated while using the creative skills helps to reduce stress. That’s why; in organizations around the world the HR department today is making an effort to produce a platform in front of their employees where they can exercise creativity. This is being done by conducting workshops on music, literature etc.

What measures can organizations take to increase creativity?

Handling creativity and helping employees to increase it, is one of the biggest challenges for the management of any organization.

This can be done by the following ways:

1)        A democratic environment: A creative mind always needs an environment where there is no fear. The management of any organization should try to create a fearless and democratic environment in order to help its employees improve their creativity.

2)        A peaceful environment: A creative mind also needs a peaceful environment. Organizations should help their employees to maintain the peace within their minds by securing their future. This can be done best by insuring the employees, paying them salaries at the right time etc.

3)        Workshops: Arrangement of workshops on music, films, literature, paintings etc. can help to increase creativity.

4)        Incentives: Creative minds should be motivated to carry on being creative and generate new ideas.

Here, we can cite the example of Union Carbide. In the late 80’s the personnel department of Union Carbide use to reward the employees who produced the best suggestions for improving the management system. This is how the management was trying to improve the level of creativity amongst employees.

5)        Appreciation through use of new ideas: When a creative employee comes with a new idea, that idea if found applicable should be applied by the management. This will encourage other creative minds in the system to exercise their creativity. This is so that the other creative minds in the system will try to get appreciated by exercising their creativity.

A discussion on the relationship between creativity and problem solving:

Creativity (meaning as per the Oxford dictionary: “being inventive, imaginative and having the ability to create something new”) is the expression of ones thoughts and ideas without the fear of a failure. It can be called the ability to create something … fearlessly.

Creativity gives rise to thinking. To be specific it helps/ catalyzes free thinking. It improves the thinking capacity of a man. So a creative man can think more than a non-creative man. Creativity also helps to think and generate new ideas, new ways of looking at life. A creative mind looks at the world with optimism. To a creative mind problems are not problems. They are means of finding out new ideas to solve them.

There is relation between creativity and problem solving.

A creative mind is a thinking mind.

A thinking mind can generate new ideas.

These ideas can be used to solve problems.

In reality it is seen that organizations which encourage creativity and successfully can create a democratic environment are organizations where a problem gets solved easily. This is because in such organizations, the human resources can think and implement their thinking fearlessly.

It is thinking that helps to solve problems easily and it is creativity that helps to think. This is the greatest point of connection between problem solving and creativity.

Thomas Alva Edison was a creative person. So he could think. This thinking ability helped him to discover electric bulb which solved a problem. This is a great example of creativity and problem solving.

This idea is applicable in any sphere of life. Creativity and problem solving go side by side … it is a natural law.

By: Prapanna Lahiri

A library can be called a store–house of knowledge. In dictionaries the word “library” has been defined as “a building or room containing a collection of books”. A library plays a very important role in promoting the progress of knowledge. Many people love reading but not all can afford to buy books which are priced very high.

Normally, a library has two sections, a lending section and a reference section. Someone, becoming a member of a library, can borrow, from the lending section, valuable books and sometimes even more than two books at a time for a stipulated period. Non-members too can use the reference section sitting down at the reading room and study.

One may ponder about the relevance of libraries in today’s digital world where loads of information is available from the Internet with just a click of the mouse.  But it is worthwhile to appreciate that a person visits a library not only to find information from books but also to sit and study there. The peaceful and scholarly ambience of a library helps the reader to concentrate better on a subject matter of study. Thus, libraries will never be irrelevant in a well-read and educated society. Moreover, in this digital age libraries have transformed being technologically equipped with computers giving access to information stored in digital format like DVDs and e-books. Thus public libraries, in a way, have become critical technology hubs for communities, ensuring that all people are able to benefit from the advancing changes. But more than just books and computers, libraries are still places where individuals gather to explore, interact and imagine. The usefulness of a library can be summarised as given below:

Libraries support literacy of the underprivileged:

A public library could well be a place for the literacy development of the children of the underprivileged parents. Libraries as institutions often support literacy events.

Libraries add value to neighbourhoods as a gathering place:

While choosing a residence, many citizens would often perceive library access as part of an enhanced quality of life. Libraries could be a unique forum for social networking giving people a “living room” experience by way of holding meetings, conferences in a friendly environment.

Library services allow for personal and professional development:

Unlike their more affluent counterparts, many lower income individuals and families do not have the option of purchasing books, subscribing to periodicals and conducting research online. Community libraries come in handy for such citizenry.

Public libraries are fountainhead of information for various categories of people in the society:

A library is the place for looking up information directly related to work of paid employees, students pursuing serious projects and retired people trying to keep in touch with goings on around them.

The library is a safe, important and central public space:

A central or community library attracts people of all ages, linguistic groups and educated clientele. All its users, women, children, and men alike, are attached to it as a safe and appropriate destination in a stressful world.

In conclusion, it may be pointed out that the history of libraries go as beyond as the Indus Valley Civilization. Its been since time immemorial that libraries have been treated as store house of knowledge.

By Aamarpali Puri

Aleya Lights or Ghost lights are witnesses in the swamps and marshes of West Bengal. Local fisher men often report these mysterious ghost lights. It is said that when the local fisherman see these lights they are confused and they lose their bearing. From time to time several dead bodies are found by the locals in these areas. They attribute it to Aleya Lights. If someone tries to follow these strange lights moving over the marshes, he may be led to drowning in the deep waters. It is also said that whoever sees and follows these lights become insane and never recover. It is said that these lights represent the ghosts of fisher man who died while fishing.

These lights are not really limited to West Bengal or Bangladesh but have been spotted at various places in India like Himachal, Gujarat and abroad like Nepal, UK, Finland, Australia, North America and South America. The other name of the similar lights are will-o’-the-wisp, Jack-o’-lantern, hinkypunk etc. In countries like Estonia and Finland these light mark locations of hidden treasures. In America these light are considered to be the ghosts of railroad tracks and roadside workers who were killed on duty because of an accident. Some says these are the lights of the spirits of stillborn and un baptized children who constantly travel between hell and heaven.

Scientifically[2] it was found that these are caused by burning of Marsh Gas or Methane Gas. Methane gases on oxidation produce such lights. Also some of these flames are fed by underground sources of natural gas. These flames were for obvious reasons, seen as miracles and sign of the divine by ancient people. The normal decomposition of organic matter in open air is called “aerobic decomposition.” Like all organic matter, plants and animals are largely made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. When decaying in the presence of oxygen, the by-products of the decomposition are water, carbon dioxide, and energy, or heat.  In swampy or marshy areas, aerobic decomposition is often unable to take place. Instead, the dead matter is buried beneath water and saturated soil where it continues to decompose in the absence of air. The matter is broken down by anaerobic bacteria, the by-products of which are methane, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, phosphines and other chemicals.

It is believed that, as the gases rise from the soil and water and escape into the atmosphere, the methane mixes with the phosphines and creates the blue lights seen hovering over the swamps. Phosphines are flammable, toxic gasses that can burst into spontaneous flame in the presence of air. As it burns, it produces a dense white cloud, which could give the flame more substance.

Seafarers [3] used to witness a mysterious phenomenon back in the days when sailing ships were the only means of sea travel. After encountering tempests and violent thunderstorms, they sometimes saw a pale fire burning at the tip of the mast. Thinking it was a sign of God’s blessing, they named the phenomenon Saint Elmo’s fire after the patron saint of sailors. It can also be seen on church steeples, mountaintops, the tips of antenna and other such places. We now know that Saint Elmo’s Fire is caused by electric potential differences in the atmosphere.

Similar flames [1] are worshipped in Himachal in India at Jwala ji Kangra. Jwala Ji Shrine is located in the lower Himalayas in Jwalamukhi town of the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, India. These are the natural caves where eternal flames (Fiery tongue of Goddesses) continue to burn. In the temple four cornered, with a small dome on the top and a square central pit hollowed stone inside where the main flame burns endlessly. These flames represent divine nine sisters or nine Durgas. Scientifically it is a set of flames burning off natural gas, from the fissures this gas seeps by itself.  Similar type of eternal flame is present in Muktinath at Mustang district of Nepal. There is a small amount of natural gas present in the Himalayan spring that emerges near this shrine which gives appearance of the fire burning on the water itself.

Bibiliography

1. https://www.google.co.in/#q=jwala+ji
2. http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2013/04/what-causes-will-o-the-wisps/
3. http://www.canon.com/technology/s_labo/light/001/07.html

By: Aamarpali Puri

Human being suffering from infections and diseases are treated with the help of biotechnology. Biotechnology has been used both for diagnosis and therapy.

Different Instruments used for determining disease or disorder is as follows:

1. Electrocardiograph (ECG): it records Myo-electrical changes during cardiac cycle and helps in understanding any abnormality in heart function (myocardial damage, angina, valvular defect or sino arterial blockage etc.
2. Electro-encephalograph (EEG) is an electricity operated instrument having electron tube, transistors, microprocessors, microcomputers and digital that is used in recording frequency, amplitude and morphology of electric potential originating from different parts of brain in the form of waves. It can diagnose epilepsy, brain tumors, abscesses, subdural hematoma, and brain injury, sleep disorders, metabolic and drug effects on brain.
3. Auto analyser: It is fully automatic, computerized instrument which can analyze qualitatively and quantitatively various bio chemicals present in body fluids like urea, uric acid, ketones, cholesterol, glucose, proteins enzymes etc.
4. CT (Computerized Tomographic) Scanning is employed to obtain images of internal body part. X-ray imaging is carried out to detect diseases of lung, heart, fractures, joints and kidney through the formulations having barium and Iodine. It uses very low level radiations which are not harmful for human body. It can help study various parts inside skull and location of any pathological condition. CT scanning was developed by Godfrey Hansfield in 1972 (Nobel prize 1979)
5. NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Imaging) and MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging): It helps in mapping internal tissues, highlight pathological changes and study tissue metabolism. It uses a strong magnetic field created by super conductive magnets using liquid helium.
6. Ultrasound Imaging (Sonography): It is useful in studying the health of internal organs and diagnosing disorders like kidney stones, gall bladder stones, fallopian tubes and uterus etc.
7. Pace Maker is an electric device first developed by Chardack (1960) which is connected to heart for covering up any deficiency of myogenic functioning so as to make it beat normally (72-80/min) for 30-40 minutes.
8. LASER (Light amplified by stimulated emission of radiation) can selectively burn out cancerous cells or break stones into fine powdery mass. It helps in treatment of opacity of eye lens, gall bladder stones, tumours, kidney stones etc.
9. Implants are devices fitted in various body parts to overcome disorders, heart valves, joints, vascular grafts and cosmetic surgery.
10. Oxygenator is disposable device and artificial lung for oxygenating blood. It is a liquid with high concentration of oxygen and low carbon dioxide can function as oxygenator.
11. Artificial kidney In case of renal (kidney) failure (excessive concentration of urea or wastes in blood) an artificial kidney is employed at intervals.
12. External Prosthesis is a device which can be attached to body for overcoming a defect artificial hand/arm, leg or denture etc.
13. Cryopreservation of Organs: It helps in keeping intact living organs for long periods at low temperature. They are revived prior to use in reconstructive surgery.
14. Skin Transplant: Skin can be Auto transplanted for quick re growth of skin. Allograft is skin transplant from other individual of same species. Heterograft is skin transplant from other individual of different species.

Approximately, twenty five different organs and tissues like kidney, heart, lung, liver, pancreas, bone, cartilage, bone marrow, skin and cornea can be transplanted [1]. Cardiologists have begun implanting tiny state-of-the-art microchip sensors in patients with advanced heart failure to better monitor symptoms and reduce chances of returning to the hospitals [2]. A biocompatible polymer selectively targets and lights up cancer tumors for a noninvasive imaging system, investigators report. Generating photo acoustic signals requires an ultrafast laser pulse to irradiate a small area of tissue. By ‘listening’ to the pressure differences created by the acoustic waves, researchers can reconstruct and visualize the inner structures of complex objects such as the brain and cardiovascular systems. Diagnosing cancer with photo acoustic imaging requires contrast agents that deeply penetrate tissue and selectively bind to malignant cells [3].

 BIBILIOGRAPHY:

• http://www.hindujahospital.com/communityportal/…/articles-download.aspx.

• http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/06/150611114204.htm.

• http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/05/150514132817.htm.