DEGRADATION OF 1,2-DICHLOROETHANE WITH NANO-SCALE ZERO VALENT IRON PARTICLES

The application of nanoscale zero-valent iron particles (nZVI) for abiotic remediation of chlorinated compounds is proving among the most viable technologies for environmental remediation. However, although most polychlorinated C2 compounds are easily dechlorinated by nZVI, 1,2-dichloroethane (1,2-DCA), has shown resistance to dechlorination by this nanomaterial. The present contribution shows how a combination of a catalyst and nZVI together with the addition of a hydrogen donor can be used to; achieve dechlorination of 1,2-DCA under aqueous conditions similar to those found in the field. The best results for dechlorination were observed using formic acid as a H2 donor and Pd as catalyst doped onto CMC stabilized nanoscale zero-valent iron particles at a temperature of 45°C. This leads to significant degradation (close to 18%) of 1,2-DCA at the end of seven days. As degradation products, evolution of ethane and propane were observed from the very first day of reaction

Identification, Quantification and Removal of Pharmaceuticals and Endocrine Disrupting Compounds from Water Using Customized PDMS Membrane

This study concentrates on the identification and quantification of three pharmaceutical compounds (ibuprofen, naproxen and diclofenac) and an endocrine disrupting compound (17α-ethinylestradiol) in wastewater effluents collected from Adelaide Wastewater Treatment Plant and Greenway Pollution Control Plant, London, ON, Canada. For sample preparation, both solid-phase extraction and liquid-liquid extraction techniques were followed and GC-FID and LC-MS were used for sample analysis. Although the target pharmaceuticals were present in the wastewater samples at concentrations in a range of 0.29-8.98 µ/L, 17α-ethinylestradiol was not detected. For eradicating or removing the above-mentioned organic compounds from water, organic solvent nanofiltration (OSNF) membrane was used in this study. Different types of OSNF membranes were prepared where commercially available PTFE ultrafiltration membrane as well as laboratory-made polysulfone ultrafiltration membranes served as the base supports, and poly (dimethylsiloxane) as the thin active layer. A thin film composite membrane was also prepared using a base support made of a mixture of polysulfone and multi-walled carbon nanotubes and a thin active layer top constituted from interfacial polymerization between m-phenylenediamine and trymesoyl chloride. For membrane characterization, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Atomic Force Microscoopy (AFM) were performed. The performance of the membranes was studied by monitoring permeability along with the removal capacity using a dead-end filtration system, under a pressure range of 5~30 bars. A commercially available polyimide membrane, DuraMem, was exploited to compare the membrane performance. The 2.5% PTFE/PDMS (RTV 615) membrane showed the highest performance by removing 95~97% 17α- ethinylestradiol, 70% ibuprofen, 65% naproxen and 65% diclofenac. Hansen’s Solubility Parameter theory was adopted to explain the removal mechanism of pharmaceutical compounds, while size exclusion theory explained the removal of the synthetic estrogen by OSNF

Three Essays on Immigration and Institutions

Chapter 1 shows how an elite can turn an institution from being inclusive to extractive, in the context of the European Union’s free movement of persons (FMP). In an international labour market, integrated by FMP across a number of member countries, we consider expansion of the market through the addition of new members. Each member government can control only immigration from non-members. The main result is that if new members are decreasing in total factor productivity, then expansion at first benefits but later hurts workers, while first hurting but later benefiting an economic elite, and benefiting a political elite throughout. Chapter 2 shows how a government sets immigration policy in the presence of entrepreneurs who undertake investment. The government and the entrepreneurs negotiate to determine the quota of immigration and the amount of contribution to be paid to the government. We also show how a government may be willing to tie its hands to an institution that constrains the immigration policy it can set. We identify conditions such that by tying its hands to such an institution, the government can increase investment in the economy. Chapter 3 analyses the effect of public good provision on the location choice of immigrants in the UK. In particular, we investigate the impact of a change in the number of schools on the location choice of immigrants by exploiting an exogenous shock provided by the Academies Act of 2010. We first employ a difference-in-difference strategy to analyse the effect of the Academies Act on immigration levels by comparing North West England and Wales, since the act was only applicable to England. In a separate analysis, we estimate a discrete choice model to examine the location choice of immigrants using a panel data of London boroughs. This model reports that a 1% increase in the number of schools in a London borough increases the number of immigrants by 1.4%, on average

Hubungan Regulasi Diri dengan Penyesuaian Diri Siswa di Sekolah

Penelitian ini dilatarbelakangi oleh fenomena di lapangan yaitu masih ditemukannya siswa yang memiliki permasalahan terkait penyesuaian diri. Salah satu faktor yang mempengaruhi penyesuaian diri yaitu regulasi diri. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendeskripsikan regulasi diri siswa di sekolah, mendeskripsikan penyesuaian diri siswa di sekolah, dan menguji apakah terdapat hubungan yang signifikan antara regulasi diri dengan penyesuaian diri siswa di sekolah. Jenis penelitian ini adalah kuantitatif deskriptif. Populasi dalam penelitian ini terdiri dari 314 siswa dengan sampel 173 siswa. Instrumen yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah angket regulasi diri dan angket penyesuaian diri dengan metode skala Likert. Data yang diolah menggunakan teknik analisis persentase dan untuk menguji hubungan kedua variabel menggunakan rumus pearson correlation product moment. Hasil penelitian mengungkapkan bahwa: (1) regulasi diri siswa secara keseluruhan berada pada kategori tinggi dengan persentase 80,60%, (2) penyesuaian diri siswa berada pada kategori tinggi dengan persentase 76,07%, dan (3) terdapat hubungan yang positif signifikan antara regulasi diri dengan penyesuaian diri dengan nilai korelasi sebesar 0,771 pada taraf signifikansi sebesar 0,000

A study of vitamin D levels and associated deficiency in pregnancy and its effect on maternal and fetal outcome

Background: From conception the embryo is dependent on the mother for all nutritional requirements until birth. Vitamin D deficiencies have adverse effect on pregnancy outcome result in poor growth, prematurity, NTD, even congenital anomalies. The aim and objectives of the study was to assess the prevalence of deficiencies among pregnant woman attending M.Y. Hospital and assess the correlation with the pregnancy complications.Methods: Total 110 patients were studied for vitamin d levels and associated obstetrical complications and risk factors over a period of six months. 53 pregnant women were found to be deficient with vitamin D.Results: 53 pregnant women out of total of 110 were deficient in vitamin D levels. Maximum patients belonged to group (21-30yr) of age. Vitamin D deficiency was more in housewives (65.3%) and in urban(86.8%). Low birth weight<2.5kg were born 50(45.5%) and 2 IUD. 2 were diagnosed NTD in USG reports. 80% low birth weight babies were born in vitamin D deficient women.Conclusions: Our study fails to show a causal relation between low vitamin D level and adverse maternal and fetal outcome in terms of preeclampsia, cesarean delivery, oligo and diabetes. There was a relation between vitamin D deficiency and low birth weight babies

MR imaging evaluation for the assessment of pelvic organ prolapse: a newer technique

Background: MRI is the newest technique used to evaluate patients with pelvic floor disorders. It allows relatively non-invasive, dynamic evaluation of all pelvic organs in multiple planes and can directly visualize the muscular and ligamentous pelvic floor support structures. Using MRI to evaluate pelvic floor disorders may be most helpful in patients with multicompartment findings or symptoms, posterior compartment abnormalities, severe prolapse, or recurrent pelvic floor symptoms after prior surgical repair. MRI is often able to reveal more extensive organ prolapse than physical examination alone.Methods: The present study was carried out in the Department of Radiodiagnosis and Obstetrics and Gynecology of Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College and M.Y. Hospital, Indore, Madhya Pradesh from November 2014 to October 2015. A total of 43 patients who had symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction like uterine prolapse, urinary or rectal dysfunction were evaluated by high resolution USG. Patients with low lying uterus on USG were subjected to MRI. Before MRI, these patients were assessed by a Gynecologist, and a clinical diagnosis in form of the organ/organs prolapsed and the grade of individual prolapse was assigned and tabled in the prefixed format.Results: Prolapse is more common in patients with greater than 50 years age (63% patients). MRI picked up more lesions compared to clinical examination, 90% as compared to 82.5% on clinical examination. MRI has good correlation with surgery in diagnosing prolapse. Concomitant prolapse of the Anterior and Middle compartment is the most common clinical entity diagnosed on 52.5% patients in our set up. MRI has poor sensitivity in identifying posterior compartment prolapse. There is good agreement between the clinical grading and MRI grading (81.8% correlation).Conclusions: T MRI offers a novel approach of simultaneous imaging of all compartments of the female pelvis at a single setting. With lesser intraobserver variation and better visualization of the pelvic anatomy MRI would help in accurate staging and hence better outcomes in patients in terms of symptom relief

Role of uterine artery Doppler in prediction of FGR in high risk pregnancies in 20-24 weeks

Background: Accurate prediction of fetal growth retardation (FGR) is a long-sought goal of perinatology as it contributes significantly to perinatal mortality and morbidity. It generally manifest later in pregnancy, their underlying pathophysiology is largely established early in pregnancy. Early detection will help in decreasing the associated morbidity.Methods: The study was carried out on 100 pregnant women of 20-24 weeks gestation in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, MGM Medical College and MY Hospital, Indore from March 2015 to February 2016.Presence of diastolic notch in uterine artery waveform was taken as screen positive.Results: Total Diastolic notch positive cases 20/100 out of which 60% developed FGR and 80/100 Diastolic notch negative cases out of which only 4 cases (5%) will developed FGR. The sensitivity of the test was 75% while the specificity was 90.47%. The positive predictive value was 60% while the negative predictive value was 89.74%. 50% of screen positive belonged to 30-39 year age group and 68.75% FGR was seen in primiparous.Conclusions: Study of uterine artery flow velocity waveform seems to be a modern technique which can be used for ruling out the probability of FGR. Presences of diastolic notch in uterine vessels in 2nd trimester are of prognostic value for maternal complications and fetal jeopardy and therefore need of further critical assessment and management

Intrauterine fetal demise-a tragic event: a study of its epidemiology, causes and methods of induction

Background: Fetal death is a tragedy that causes severe distress to parents and caregivers. Most babies are born healthy, but sometimes, something goes wrong and a baby dies in utero. Present study was conducted to understand the incidence, epidemiological and etiological factors of intrauterine fetal death. Also to study the efficacy of misoprostol and dinoprostone as inducing agents in these cases.Methods: Present study was conducted in the Department of Obstetrics &Gynaecology, M.G.M. Medical College and Associated M.Y. Group of Hospitals, Indore (MP). Pregnancies diagnosed with IUFD were studied from March 2014 to February 2015. A total of 200 cases were studied. Ante partum events leading to fetal demise were recorded, socio-demographic and clinical characters were noted. Induction delivery interval of inducing agents was compared.Results: Incidence of IUFD at our centre was found to be 50 per 1000 deliveries. There was a high incidence in low socioeconomic strata, unbooked cases, primigravidas, preterm with abruption were the leading causes. Misoprostol was found to be more effective in termination of pregnancy in these cases .The induction delivery interval with Misoprostol was 9.64 hrs and that of dinoprostone was 12.63 hrs.Conclusions: Socio- demographic factors like poor socioeconomic class, teenage pregnancy, poor nutrition, lack of health education need to be considered as predisposing factor for prenatal deaths, many of the causes of intrauterine deaths are preventable like abruption hypertensive disorders which can be avoided by proper antenatal care. Misoprostol is cheaper and has a less induction delivery interval; it can be safely used in cases of IUFD

Effects of Marijuana Use in Patients Undergoing Abdominal Free Flap Breast Reconstruction

PURPOSE: Marijuana use is associated with incidence of vascular inflammation and clotting, resulting in endothelial damage and arteritis. As marijuana use rises, few studies have evaluated its impact on surgical outcomes, wound healing, and vascular anastomoses in free flap breast reconstruction. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing abdominal free flap breast reconstruction between 2016 and 2022 at a large metropolitan healthcare system was performed. Patient demographics, comorbidities, procedural details, and complications were analyzed. Minor complications were defined as skin necrosis, any wound requiring management in the clinic, hematoma, seroma, or fat necrosis that did not require intervention. Major complications were defined as re-operation, flap loss, thromboembolic events, or hospital readmission. Active marijuana users were those with marijuana use within 12 weeks of surgery. Those who utilized nicotine within 12 weeks of surgery were excluded from analysis. RESULTS: 149 patients underwent 241 deep inferior epigastric artery-based flaps for breast reconstruction. There were 17 active marijuana users. There were no significant differences in patient age, race, BMI, cancer treatment, cancer stage, or operative details. However, there were significantly higher rates of anxiety/depression, tobacco and narcotic use, and hypertension in the marijuana use group (P CONCLUSION: Marijuana use appears to not impact surgical outcomes in breast free flap reconstruction. Advising marijuana abstinence pre-operatively may not alter patient outcomes. This study may be limited by power and further evaluation will be needed