Development of force and electron microscopy for the quantification of nanoparticle number concentration measurements

The development of metrological and analytical methods for the detection and quantification of nanomaterials (NMs) has been identified as one of the most urgent and important research priorities to advance nanotechnology. Several nanometrics such as mass, number and surface area are currently under scrutiny by nanotechnologists in order to identify the most appropriate metrics to express the hazard of NMs and therefore to perform risk assessments. Currently, NM mass concentration is almost universally used as a metric because of challenges with analytical measurements, while the mass concentration is measured by a analytical technique called inductive coupled plasma mass spectroscopy. For example, the mass concentration doesn't facilitate to quantify the NM aggregation but can be quantified by particle number measurement. The particle number concentration is an important metric in nanotechnology. However tools/methods capable of providing fully quantitative assessment of the number size distribution and number particle concentration are lacking and are urgently needed

Surface Plasmon Resonance-Based Temperature Sensor with Outer Surface Metal Coating on Multi-core Photonic Crystal Fibre

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Study of maternal deaths with COVID-19 infection in a tertiary care centre

Background: COVID-19 has been a major speed braker not only for world economy and development but also for health sector. The susceptible population including elderly, co-morbid adults and pregnant females were likewise affected in both major COVID-19 waves in India. Association between COVID-19 cases and pregnancy has been studied throughout the world.COVID-19 is associated with substantial risk of morbidity and mortality in postpartum patients and their infants world-wide, compared with their not-infected pregnant counter-parts, especially if these individuals were symptomatic or have comorbidities.Methods: This single-centre prospective observational study, included all consecutive maternal mortalities with COVID-19 infection admitted to Lokmanya Tilak municipal medical college and general hospital (Mumbai, India), a tertiary referral hospital, from 1 April 2020, to June 2021.In this study, a total of 390 patients were included who were found COVID-19 positive during the study period and 17 patients who died during their admission in hospital. The relation of risk factors and demographics were studied for all the patients.Results: The COVID-19 related maternal mortality was more in women of age group 20-30 years (89%). Most women presented to our centre with complaints of fever, cough, cold or breathlessness (55.5%). Patients who succumbed to COVID-19 were mostly primiparous patients (52.9%) and died within 5 days of delivery (46%). 64% of patients died following 5 days of diagnosis of COVID-19.The co-morbidity present in most patients with COVID-19 associated maternal mortality was pre-eclampsia (31.5%). Most patients were referred with only 17% patients registered at our centre and the type of delay involved in management was mostly Type 1 and 2 (82.2%)Conclusions: Multi-centre retrospective analysis with larger population size is required in order for this to be statistically significant

A prospective study of maternal and fetal outcome in patients with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and COVID-19 infection in a tertiary care center

Background: During the current COVID-19 epidemic, managing pregnant patients is an issue. Pregnant women with coronavirus infection have an increased risk of miscarriage, preclampsia, caesarean delivery, and neonatal mortality. The additive effect of COVID-19 infection and preclampsia in pregnancy may affect the fetal and maternal outcome in a more complicated way. There have been only a few studies till now to observe the combined effect of both in pregnancy. Our study aims to observe and analyse the maternal and fetal outcomes in pregnancy complicated by preclampsia and COVID-19 infection.Methods: This is a prospective study at a tertiary referral facility. This research included women with hypertension who were hospitalized for delivery and screened for SARS-RTPCR using a nasopharyngeal swab from April 2020 to September 30, 2021. The maternal and neonatal outcomes were studied and analyzed.Results: In our study of 65 women with COVID-19 infection and hypertensive disorders in pregnancy, about 6 (9.2%) had eclampsia, 6 (9.2%) had abruptio placenta, 5 (7.6%) had DIC, 3 (4.6%) had HELLP, 2 (3.07%) had acute kidney injury, 2 (3.07%) had ARDS, and 1 (1.5%) had PRESS. 4 (6.1%) had chronic hypertension. Further, 12 (18.4%) of patients needed ICU admission with ventilatory support; about 5 (7.6%) was the rate of maternal deaths in our study. 43 (65%) of neonates were appropriate for gestational age, while 20 (32%) were low birth weight and 2 (3%) were extremely low birth weight. 45% of women with preclampsia develop complications.Conclusions: Our study concluded that complications from preclampsia are more common in women with COVID-19 infection, but a larger sample size is necessary for statistical significance

Study of maternal and foetal outcome in COVID-19 anaemic patients during COVID pandemic in a tertiary centre

Background: The haemoglobin concentration is one of the most critical indicators of the blood's oxygen-carrying ability. Due to the hypermetabolic condition produced by infection, anaemia in COVID-19 positive pregnant women might result in tissue hypoxia due to increased peripheral tissue oxygen demands. Complications such as multi-organ failure and acute respiratory distress syndrome can worsen the prognosis. Since hemoglobin is necessary for tissue oxygenation, anaemia may have a substantial impact on the prognosis of COVID-19 pneumonia, where tissue hypoxia develops as a result of disease pathogenesis. Aim of the current study was to study the effect of COVID-19 on pregnant women with anaemia in pregnancy, including symptoms and foetomaternal outcome in patients admitted to a tertiary care facility.Methods: Observational study done on pregnant females in labour and post-delivery patients who were diagnosed with COVID-19 infection using the SARS COV-2 nasopharyngeal reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) from 1st April 2020 to 30th June 2021. The required demographic, clinical details and haemoglobin levels were obtained, and selected participants were followed up until they were discharged.Results: In our study, out of 58 women, who had anaemia in pregnancy with COVID-19 infection delivering 59 neonates (1set of twins), 55.5% were in the age group of 25-35 years, 77% reached full term pregnancy and 67% were multigravida. 51.7 % patients were transferred from periphery hospitals. Delivery was by caesarean section in 61% and 39% delivered vaginally. 38.8% neonates delivered had birthweight of <2.5 kg out of which 20% had intrauterine growth restriction and 22.4 % were preterm. 3.4% stillbirth were reported. No maternal deaths were reported.Conclusions: From our study, maternal and neonatal outcome were unaffected by anaemia in COVID-19 pregnant women. Severely anaemic patients with comorbidities should be transferred to centres with appropriate neonatal intensive care facilities for delivery

An in vitro evaluation of the accuracy of two electronic apex locators to determine working length in the presence of various irrigants

Background: Cleaning and shaping of root canal system requires various irrigating solutions. The question is whether the presence of irrigation solution alters working length determination using apex locators. The purpose of this study was to compare the accuracy of Root ZX and i-Root apex locator for determining working length in the presence of different irrigating solution.Materials and method: Eighty extracted single rooted human teeth were used. The teeth were sectioned at Cemento Enamel Junction (CEJ) and actual canal length determined. Then, working length measurements were obtained using Root ZX and i-Root apex locator in the presence of irrigating solutions namely 0.9% saline, 3% of sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), 2% chlorhexidine digluconate(CHX) and 17% Ethylene Diamine Tetra Acetic acid (EDTA). The measurements obtained with Root ZX and i-Root apex locator were compared with actual canal length and subjected to statistical analysis using Post Hoc Test Tukey’s Method.Results: This study revealed that both the tested Electronic apex locators (EAL) were able to measure the canal length in the presence of tested irrigating solutions. The presence of irrigating solutions of saline, NaOCl, chlorhexidine and EDTA in the root canal marginally influenced the accuracy of the Root ZX or i-Root (P &lt; 0.36), but with no clinical significance.Conclusion: Root ZX and i-Root can be used safely to determine working length in the presence of various irrigants. The content of the root canal did not influence the accuracy while measuring working length using Electronic apex locators (EAL)Keywords: Chlorhexidine, Root ZX, i–Root Apex locator, sodium hypochlorite, salin

Synthesis of 4-{(E)-[(3-methyl-5-sulphanyl-4H-1,2,4-triazol-4-yl)imino]methyl} benzaldehyde and its complexes with Ag(I), Hg(II), Zn(II), Co(II), Ni(II) ions and its characterisation

A novel Schiff base 4-{(E)-[(3-methyl-5-sulphanyl-4H-1,2,4-triazol-4-yl)imino]methyl}benzaldehyde (MSTB) and its complexes with Ag(I), Hg(II), Cu(II), Ni(II) and Co(II) have been prepared. MSTB is prepared by the condensation reaction between triazole and terephthaldehyde. In complexes, MSTB molecules are found to link with the metal ion, through thiolsulphur after deprotonation and the nitrogen of the azomethine group. The composition of the complexes are found to be ML where M =Ag, ML2 where M=Zn, Hg and ML2(H2O)2 where M= Co, Ni. Linear polymeric structure is proposed for Ag(I) complex, tetrahedral structure is proposed for Zn(II) and Hg(II) complexes and octahedral structure is proposed for Co(II) and Ni(II) complexes.

Research Article A new Informatics Framework for Evaluating the Codon Usage Metrics, Evolutionary Models and Phylogeographic reconstruction of Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) in different regions of Asian countries

Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) is a major devastating viral disease, majorly affecting the tomato production globally. The disease is majorly transmitted by the Whitefly. The Begomovirus (TYLCV) having a six major protein coding genes, among them the C1/AC1 is evidently associated with viral replication. Owing to immense role of C1/AC1 gene, the present study is an initial effort to elucidate the factors shaping the codon usage bias and evolutionary pattern of TYLCV-C1/AC1 gene in five major Asian countries. Based on publically available nucleotide sequence data the Codon usage pattern, Evolutionary and Phylogeographic reconstruction was carried out. The study revealed the presence of significant variation between the codon bias indices in all the selected regions. Implying that the codon usage pattern indices (eNC, CAI, RCDI, GRAVY, Aromo) are seriously affected by selection and mutational pressure, taking a supremacy in shaping the codon usage bias of viral gene. Further, the tMRCA age was 1853, 1939, 1855, 1944, 1828 for China, India, Iran, Oman and South Korea, respectively for TYLCV-C1/AC1 gene. The integrated analysis of Codon usage bias, Evolutionary rate and Phylogeography analysis in viruses signifies the positive role of selection and mutational pressure among the selected regions for TYLCV (C1/AC1) gene