Antenatal sonographic assessment of cross sectional area of umbilical cord components and its reference value in normal pregnancy

Background: Measuring the cross-sectional area of umbilical components in normal pregnant women helps in assessing the fetal abnormalities. Very few literatures were available on evaluation of reference values of cross sectional areas of umbilical cord components. The present study was conducted with the aim to determine the normal reference values of cross sectional areas of umbilical arteries, umbilical vein and Wharton’s jelly and to correlate them with the gestational age of the fetus.Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted on 300 normal pregnant women at the Department of Radiodiagnosis, Sri Siddhartha Medical College, Tumakuru, Karnataka to assess the reference range of cross sectional areas of umbilical cord arteries, umbilical vein and Wharton’s jelly at different gestational age of the fetus to analyze their growth.Results: A statistically significant correlation was observed between cross sectional areas of umbilical artery and vein and gestational age before and after 34 weeks (p=0.005 and 0.006 respectively) but no significant correlation was noticed with the cross-sectional area of Wharton’s jelly (p=0.088).Conclusions: Cross sectional area measurements of umbilical cord components can be considered as important tools for estimation of fetal growth

Small fishes as a resource in rural Bangladesh

Inland fisheries, Food fish, Rural poor, Freshwater fish, Length-weight relationships, Bangladesh,

Elastic and electrical properties of graphite and talc filler reinforced polypropylene (PP) composites

Graphite filler reinforced polypropylene (PP) composites and talc filler reinforced (PP) composites were prepared by compression molding at 160 ºC. Mechanical and electrical properties were studied. The tensile strength of the composites decreases with the increase of filler addition and also with the increase of wt.% of filler. But, a slight improvement of the Young's modulus of the filaments reinforced with different wt.% of filler is observed. It was found that the Bulk density of test materials increased with the fillers content. Capacitance decreases with the increase of both frequency and voltage which suggest good electrical properties of PP-graphite composites and PP-talc composites. All of these results indicated that PP-graphite composites are better than the PP-talc composites

Variations in the anatomical and branching pattern of the left coronary artery: a cadaveric study

Background: Coronary arteries are the branch of ascending aorta and it is the main arterial supply of the myocardium of the heart. Left coronary artery (LCA) usually arises from left posterior aortic sinus. The site of manifestation of myocardial infarction depends on the occlusion of an artery or its branches involved in atherosclerosis. To know the site of lesion and occlusion of the particular artery, detailed anatomy of its course, branches and variations to be studied in detail.Methods: Study was conducted on 55 heart specimens in Department of Anatomy at Sri Siddhartha Medical College (SSMC), Sri Siddhartha Academy of Higher Education (SSAHE). The left coronary artery was dissected carefully, and it was traced from its origin. Any variation in the course and branching pattern was recorded and photographed.Results: No variation was found in the origin of LCA. In the present study, the most frequent division pattern of the left coronary artery was observed as the bifurcation in 30 specimens (54.54%) followed by trifurcation in 23 specimens (41.82%). Tetrafurcation and pentafurcation of LCA were observed in one specimen each (1.82%).Conclusions: Our study tries to focus on branching pattern of LCA for the better knowledge of accurate diagnosis and therapeutic intervention in the management of coronary artery diseases

Analysis on Preparation, Application, and Recycling of Activated Carbon to Aid in COVID-19 Protection

Activated carbon (AC) is an extremely porous carbonaceous adsorptive substance which has a rigid carbon matrix with high surface area and broad functional groups. The structure is connected by chemical bonds; arranged irregularly, generating a highly porous arrangement of corners, crevices, claps, and cracks between the carbon layers. Activated carbons are produced high-temperature and chemical activation of waste biomass. The pores in the lattice network of activated carbon permit the removal of impurities from gaseous and liquid medium through adsorption. At present, the COVID-19 disease is the prime concern around the whole world because of its exponential infections and death rate. There is no medicine for this virus, and protection is the only remedy to survive from this contagious disease. Using a face mask is one of the best methods to get rid of COVID-19. The mask combined with activated carbon can be beneficial for adsorbing and disinfecting the virus as it is the versatile adsorbent for the elimination of the organic, inorganic, and pathogenic contaminants

Closure of Alveolar Cleft by Iliac Bone Grafting: a Case Report

Introduction: Orofacial clefts are the most common craniofacial birth defects, affecting a significant number of individuals worldwide. The alveolar cleft is a developmental defect that affects the alveolar process of the maxilla and is often associated with cleft lip and palate. Methods: In this case report, we present the case of a 20-year-old female patient with alveolar cleft who underwent secondary alveolar cleft reconstruction using autologous iliac bone grafting. The aim of the procedure was to restore the function and form of the maxillary arch, facilitate ridge augmentation for further prosthetic rehabilitation, repair the nasal floor, and facilitate orthodontic treatment. Results: The procedure was successful in achieving the desired outcomes, and the patient's occlusal relationship was improved. Additionally, the alar base symmetry was enhanced, and speech was improved. Conclusion: Alveolar cleft reconstruction using autologous iliac bone grafting is a successful approach to treating alveolar clefts. The procedure can restore the form and function of the maxillary arch and facilitate further prosthetic rehabilitation and orthodontic treatment. The effectiveness of the procedure should be monitored closely to ensure optimal outcomes. Update Dent. Coll. j: 2023; 13(1): 35-3

GC–MS analysis and pharmacological evaluations of Phoenix sylvestris (Roxb.) seeds provide new insights into the management of oxidative stress and hyperglycemia

Phoenix sylvestris Roxb. (Arecaceae) seeds are used in the treatment of diabetes in the traditional system of medicine. The present study evaluated antihyperglycemic and antioxidant activities as well as the total phenolic and flavonoid content of the methanol extract of P. sylvestris seeds (MEPS). The constituents of the extract were identified by GC–MS analysis. MEPS demonstrated strong antioxidant activity against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) (IC50 = 162.70 ± 14.99 μg) and nitric oxide (NO) (IC50 = 101.56 ± 9.46 μg/ml) free radicals. It also possesses a substantial amount of phenolics and flavonoids. It significantly (p < .05) reduced blood glucose levels in glucose-loaded and alloxan-induced diabetic mice at the doses of 150 and 300 mg/kg b.w., respectively. A total of 46 compounds were detected and identified by gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy (GC–MS) analysis, among which 8-methylisoquinoline N-oxide (32.82%) was predominant. The phytochemical study by GC–MS revealed that the MEPS possesses compounds which could be related to its antidiabetic and antioxidant activities. To recapitulate, P. sylvestris seeds can be a very good option for antidiabetic and antioxidant activity though further studies are still recommended to figure out the responsible phytochemicals and establish their exact mechanism of action

Improved mechanical strength, proton conductivity and power density in an ‘all-protonic’ ceramic fuel cell at intermediate temperature

The authors AA and NR would like to thank Universiti Brunei Darussalam for providing a UGS scholarship to perform this research. This work was supported by the UBD CRG project: UBD/OVACRI/CRGWG(006)/161201.Protonic ceramic fuel cells (PCFCs) have become the most efficient, clean and cost-effective electrochemical energy conversion devices in recent years. While significant progress has been made in developing proton conducting electrolyte materials, mechanical strength and durability still need to be improved for efficient applications. We report that adding 5 mol% Zn to the Y-doped barium cerate-zirconate perovskite electrolyte material can significantly improve the sintering properties, mechanical strength, durability and performance. Using same proton conducting material in anodes, electrolytes and cathodes to make a strong structural backbone shows clear advantages in mechanical strength over other arrangements with different materials. Rietveld analysis of the X-ray and neutron diffraction data of BaCe0.7Zr0.1Y0.15Zn0.05O3−δ (BCZYZn05) revealed a pure orthorhombic structure belonging to the Pbnm space group. Structural and electrochemical analyses indicate highly dense and high proton conductivity at intermediate temperature (400–700 °C). The anode-supported single cell, NiO-BCZYZn05|BCZYZn05|BSCF-BCZYZn05, demonstrates a peak power density of 872 mW cm−2 at 700 °C which is one of the highest power density in an all-protonic solid oxide fuel cell. This observation represents an important step towards commercially viable SOFC technology.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe