Effect of physiotherapy on single breath count and breath holding time in COVID-19 patients

Background: The novel Coronavirus is known to primarily affect the respiratory system and physiotherapy treatment is integral to combat this infection. However, the assessment of pulmonary function poses a difficult challenge considering the risk of spread of infection and sanitisation of the devices used. Single breath count (SBC) and breath holding time (BHT) can be thus adopted as bedside assessment tests for pulmonary function following physiotherapy treatment.Method: In this a retrospective observational study of 51 COVID-19 patients, mean age 51.7±14.56 years, on room air, admitted in the step-down units of a tertiary care hospital. Patients received standard physiotherapy treatment, within safe hemodynamic limits. Pre and post treatment session SBC was recorded in 32 patients and BHT in 19 patients. Three reading were noted and the best of three readings were used for analysis.Results: The paired t test was used to analyse SBC and BHT. Mean pre and post SBC was 18.25±8.96 and 23.31±9.96 respectively with a mean difference of 5.06 and p<0.0001. Mean pre and post BHT were 19.37 and 23.05 seconds respectively with a mean difference of 3.68 and p<0.0001.  Statistically significant difference in the pre and post treatment session SBC and BHT was observed, indicating a positive effect of physiotherapy treatment on pulmonary function.Conclusion: Physiotherapy treatment shows significant improvement in the pulmonary function in COVID-19 patients. SBC and BHT tests can be used as assessment and prognostic tools for pulmonary function in COVID-19 patients

Preliminary estimates of nanoparticle number emissions from road vehicles in megacity Delhi and associated health impacts

Abstract. Rapid urbanisation in developing megacities like Delhi has resulted in an increased number of road vehicles and hence total particle number (ToN) emissions. For the first time, this study presents preliminary estimates of ToN emissions from road vehicles, roadside and ambient ToN concentrations, and exposure related excess deaths in Delhi in current and two future scenarios; business as usual

Molecular and Cytogenitic characterization of fish cell lines and its application in aquatic research

Fish cell line has emerged as an important tool in fishery biotechnology. In recent years, various fish cell lines have been developed by different researchers across the country. National Repository on Fish cell lines, established with the aim to preserve fish cell lines for training and education to stakeholders, has started functioning at National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources, Lucknow. This repository is supposed to characterize and preserve the fish lines developed across the country and serve as a national referral centre for Indian and exotic fish cell lines. Currently, the repository is maintaining 50 fish cell lines deposited by various research institutes in India, including the cell lines developed at cell culture facility of National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources. The cell lines have been successfully cryopreserved after verifying its authenticity by sequence analysis of two mitochondrial genes, viz.16S rRNA and cytochrome c oxidase sub-unit I. Chromosomal analysis, transfection efficiency and immunocytochemistry are also being used to characterize the cell lines. The facility is serviceable for the collection, deposition and distribution of fish cell lines. This paper discusses the status as well as the methodology adopted for fish cell lines development, characterization and storage at NRFC

Cytogenetic characterization of two marine ornamental fishes, Chaetodon collare and Stegastes insularis

The results of the Cytogenetic studies carried out in two marine ornamental fishes, Chaetodon rollare and Stegastes insularis, occurring in the south-eastem Arabian Sea, by Giemsa staining and nuckolar organizer regions (Ag-NOR) staining are reported. The diploid chromosome number (2n) in C. collare and S. insularis was found to be 48. Based on the karyomorphology, the karyotype formula was derived as 48t (FN=48) and 14m + 24 sm + 6st + 4 t (FN=86), respectively for these two species. Silver staining revealed presence of one pair of NORs in both the species. This is the first description of karyotypes in these species using conventional staining and chromosome banding techniques

Cytogenetic studies of fish species Horabagrus nigricollaris, Puntius denisonii and Puntius sarana subnasutus endemic to the Western Ghats

Cytogenetic studies of fish species Horabagrus nigricollaris, Puntius denisonii and Puntius sarana subnasutus endemic to the Western Ghat

Novel catalytically active pd/Ru bimetallic nanoparticles synthesized by Bacillus benzeovorans

This work was supported by a UK Commonwealth scholarship to JBO. BK was supported by the Petroleum Technology Development Funds (PTDF) of Nigeria. The project was funded by NERC grant NE/L014076/1 to LEM. The Science City Photoemission Facility used in this research was funded through the Science Cities Advanced Materials Project 1: Creating and Characterizing Next Generation of Advanced Materials with support from AWM and ERDF funds. The microscopy work was conducted in the “Laboratorio de Microscopias Avanzadas” at “Instituto de Nanociencia de Aragon - Universidad de Zaragoza” Spain. The authors acknowledge the LMA-INA for offering access to their instruments and expertise.Bacillus benzeovorans assisted and supported growth of ruthenium (bio-Ru) and palladium/ruthenium (bio-Pd@Ru) core@shell nanoparticles (NPs) as bio-derived catalysts. Characterization of the bio-NPs using various electron microscopy techniques and high-angle annular dark field (HAADF) analysis confirmed two NP populations (1–2 nm and 5–8 nm), with core@shells in the latter. The Pd/Ru NP lattice fringes, 0.231 nm, corresponded to the (110) plane of RuO2. While surface characterization using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) showed the presence of Pd(0), Pd(II), Ru(III) and Ru(VI), X-ray absorption (XAS) studies of the bulk material confirmed the Pd speciation (Pd(0) and Pd(II)- corresponding to PdO), and identified Ru as Ru(III) and Ru(IV). The absence of Ru–Ru or Ru–Pd peaks indicated Ru only exists in oxide forms (RuO2 and RuOH), which are surface-localized. X ray diffraction (XRD) patterns did not identify Pd-Ru alloying. Preliminary catalytic studies explored the conversion of 5-hydroxymethyl furfural (5-HMF) to the fuel precursor 2,5-dimethyl furan (2,5-DMF). Both high-loading (9.7 wt.% Pd, 6 wt.% Ru) and low-loading (2.4 wt.% Pd, 2 wt.% Ru) bio-derived catalysts demonstrated high conversion efficiencies (~95%) and selectivity of ~63% (~20% better than bio-Ru NPs) and 58%, respectively. These materials show promising future scope as efficient low-cost biofuel catalysts.Funded by NERC grant NE/L014076/