Optimization of Ozonation Process for the Reduction of Excess Sludge Production from Activated Sludge Process of Sago Industry Wastewater Using Central Composite Design

Sago industries effluent containing large amounts of organic content produced excess sludge which is a serious problem in wastewater treatment. In this study ozonation has been employed for the reduction of excess sludge production in activated sludge process. Central composite design is used to study the effect of ozone treatment for the reduction of excess sludge production in sago effluent and to optimise the variables such as pH, ozonation time, and retention time. ANOVA showed that the coefficient determination value (R2) of VSS and COD reduction were 0.9689 and 0.8838, respectively. VSS reduction (81%) was achieved at acidic pH 6.9, 12 minutes ozonation, and retention time of 10 days. COD reduction (87%) was achieved at acidic pH 6.7, 8 minutes of ozonation time, and retention time of 6 days. Low ozonation time and high retention time influence maximum sludge reduction, whereas low ozonation time with low retention time was effective for COD reduction

An Investigation of the Impact of Occupational Stress on Mental health of remote working women IT Professionals in Urban Bangalore, India

The COVID-19 pandemic has influenced various aspects of our lives and triggered many long-term consequences. The actual well-being of women IT employees is in danger due to the prolonged period of work from home as the pandemic has influenced individuals differently across the world. Physical distancing, dread, vulnerability, and a continued period of remote working has prompted an enormous number of women in the IT sector to experience challenges to emotional well-being. Work-related pressure is one of the major sources of stress in the modern working environment. Stress and unfavorable working conditions have been connected to low efficiency, truancy, and increasing rates of mishaps in and out of work. This is largely due to ailments, substance abuse, and family issues experienced by a large number of work-from-home women software company employees. Extended period of work from home can disturb women and their mental health as they try to strike a work-life balance. The purpose of this research is to examine the impact of occupational stress factors on the mental health of the women software professionals working remotely in urban Bangalore during the COVID-19 pandemic. The exploratory factor analysis identifies that Workload, Job Insecurity, Poor Work Environment, Personal Problems, and Lack of Structure as the main five factors of occupational stress while working from home for women IT employees in urban Bangalore. Multiple regression analysis undertaken in the study indicates that the relationship between the five factors of Occupational Stress and Mental Health is negatively significant with an inverse relationship

Translating medical evidence into practice: Working with communities and providers to promote active management of the third stage of labour

Although postpartum hemorrhage is a leading cause of death in India, and despite the fact that active management of the third stage of labor (AMTSL) has been established as a best practice, efforts to promote it have been limited. This paper documents the experiences of a project that aimed to enable the translation of available evidence regarding AMTSL into practice through two strategies, at community and provider levels respectively. Community-level activities included efforts to build awareness regarding safe delivery practices, sensitize individuals regarding the rights perspective and their entitlement to safe services, and facilitate the translation of this awareness into a demand for AMTSL. Provider-level activities included working with both public and private sector providers to build their knowledge and skills about AMTSL and to translate this awareness and these skills into practice. The report presents several lessons that emerge from the experience of the project in translating evidence-based practices into reality at the ground level

Graft Uptake and Hearing Outcomes in Myringoplasty by Conventional Temporalis Fascia Underlay Technique with and without Addition of Platelet Rich Fibrin (Prf): A Prospective, Randomised Double Blind Study

Myringoplasty is a crucial surgical technique employed to repair tympanic membrane perforations, safeguarding the middle ear cavity from external exposure and associated risks. While traditional graft materials such as temporalis fascia, cartilage, and vein grafts have shown graft uptake success rates ranging from 64% to 96%, challenges like graft failure persist. To address this, innovative methods such as the application of platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) have gained attention. PRF, a second-generation platelet concentrate, is rich in growth factors, cytokines, and glycoproteins, promoting accelerated wound healing, cellular proliferation, and matrix remodelling. As an autologous material, PRF offers significant advantages, including safety, cost-effectiveness, and ease of preparation. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of PRF in enhancing graft uptake and hearing outcomes among patients undergoing myringoplasty. By exploring its potential, this research seeks to establish PRF as an ideal adjunct in surgical management, addressing current limitations and optimizing patient care outcomes

The global cardiovascular magnetic resonance registry (GCMR) of the society for cardiovascular magnetic resonance (SCMR): its goals, rationale, data infrastructure, and current developments

BACKGROUND: With multifaceted imaging capabilities, cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) is playing a progressively increasing role in the management of various cardiac conditions. A global registry that harmonizes data from international centers, with participation policies that aim to be open and inclusive of all CMR programs, can support future evidence-based growth in CMR. METHODS: The Global CMR Registry (GCMR) was established in 2013 under the auspices of the Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (SCMR). The GCMR team has developed a web-based data infrastructure, data use policy and participation agreement, data-harmonizing methods, and site-training tools based on results from an international survey of CMR programs. RESULTS: At present, 17 CMR programs have established a legal agreement to participate in GCMR, amongst them 10 have contributed CMR data, totaling 62,456 studies. There is currently a predominance of CMR centers with more than 10 years of experience (65%), and the majority are located in the United States (63%). The most common clinical indications for CMR have included assessment of cardiomyopathy (21%), myocardial viability (16%), stress CMR perfusion for chest pain syndromes (16%), and evaluation of etiology of arrhythmias or planning of electrophysiological studies (15%) with assessment of cardiomyopathy representing the most rapidly growing indication in the past decade. Most CMR studies involved the use of gadolinium-based contrast media (95%). CONCLUSION: We present the goals, mission and vision, infrastructure, preliminary results, and challenges of the GCMR. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Identification number on ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02806193. Registered 17 June 2016

SODIUM ALGINATE/GELATIN MICROBEADS-INTERCALATED WITH KAOLIN NANOCLAY FOR EMERGING DRUG DELIVERY IN WILSON’S DISEASE

Objective: The aim of the present study was to fabricate and evaluate the drug release studies using Sodium Alginate (SA) and Gelatin (GE) microbeads intercalated with Kaolin (KA) nanoclay for sustained release of D-Penicillamine (D-PA). Methods: Sodium alginate/gelatin/Kaolin blend microbeads were prepared by an extrusion method by using glutaraldehyde (GA) as a crosslinker. The obtained microbeads were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X–ray diffraction (XRD). Drug release kinetics of the microbeads was investigated in simulated intestinal fluid (pH 7.4) at 37 °C. Results: Microbeads formation was confirmed by FTIR spectroscopy. X-RD reveals that the KA should be intercalated with the drug and also it confirms the molecular level dispersion of D-Penicillamine into microbeads. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) studies reveal that the beads were in spherical shape with some wrinkled depressions on the surface. The in vitro release study indicates the D-Penicillamine released in a controlled manner. The in vitro release kinetics was assessed by Korsmeyer-Peppas equation and the ‘n’ value lies in between 0.557-0.693 indicates Non-Fickian diffusion process. Conclusion: The results suggest that the developed KA intercalated microbeads are good potential drug carrier for the controlled release of D-PA

Consensus-based care recommendations for adults with myotonic dystrophy type 1

Purpose of review Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is a severe, progressive genetic disease that affects between 1 in 3,000 and 8,000 individuals globally. No evidence-based guideline exists to inform the care of these patients, and most do not have access to multidisciplinary care centers staffed by experienced professionals, creating a clinical care deficit. Recent findings The Myotonic Dystrophy Foundation (MDF) recruited 66 international clinicians experienced in DM1 patient care to develop consensus-based care recommendations. MDF created a 2-step methodology for the project using elements of the Single Text Procedure and the Nominal Group Technique. The process generated a 4-page Quick Reference Guide and a comprehensive, 55-page document that provides clinical care recommendations for 19 discrete body systems and/or care considerations. Summary The resulting recommendations are intended to help standardize and elevate care for this patient population and reduce variability in clinical trial and study environments. Described as “one of the more variable diseases found in medicine,” myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is an autosomal dominant, triplet-repeat expansion disorder that affects somewhere between 1:3,000 and 1:8,000 individuals worldwide.1 There is a modest association between increased repeat expansion and disease severity, as evidenced by the average age of onset and overall morbidity of the condition. An expansion of over 35 repeats typically indicates an unstable and expanding mutation. An expansion of 50 repeats or higher is consistent with a diagnosis of DM1. DM1 is a multisystem and heterogeneous disease characterized by distal weakness, atrophy, and myotonia, as well as symptoms in the heart, brain, gastrointestinal tract, endocrine, and respiratory systems. Symptoms may occur at any age. The severity of the condition varies widely among affected individuals, even among members of the same family. Comprehensive evidence-based guidelines do not currently exist to guide the treatment of DM1 patients. As a result, the international patient community reports varied levels of care and care quality, and difficulty accessing care adequate to manage their symptoms, unless they have access to multidisciplinary neuromuscular clinics. Consensus-based care recommendations can help standardize and improve the quality of care received by DM1 patients and assist clinicians who may not be familiar with the significant variability, range of symptoms, and severity of the disease. Care recommendations can also improve the landscape for clinical trial success by eliminating some of the inconsistencies in patient care to allow more accurate understanding of the benefit of potential therapies

Synthesis, Characterization and Drug delivery of Verapamil Hydrochloride loaded Montmorillonite Nanocomposite Beads

In the present research programme, Verapamil Hydrochloride loaded Sodium Alginate/Polyethylene oxide/Montmorillonite nanocomposite beads were prepared by using gelation method.   Sodium alginate (SA) and  Poly ethylene oxide (PEO) with different ratios were blended with different weight ratios of MMT solution. The nanocomposite beads were characterized Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (X-RD). FTIR was used to understand the hydrogen bonding between SA, PEO, MMT and drug. The X-RD studies were performed to understand the crystalline nature of drug after encapsulation into the beads. SEM was used to study the surface morphology of nanocomposite beads. In vitro studies were carried out in buffer media by using UV-vis spectroscopy(λmax-263nm) at pH 7.4. The Controlled drug release studies were observed upto 12hrs. Keywords: Sodium Alginate (SA), Poly ethylene oxide (PEO), Montmorillonite (MMT), Verapamil Hydrochloride (VPHCl), Nanocomposite beads  and Drug Deliver

Object Detection using Vertex AI AutoML

In recent years, object detection has become a crucial element in modern AI systems due to its broad applicability in fields such as autonomous driving, security, medical imaging, retail, and agriculture. Traditional object detection approaches, while powerful, demand a strong background in deep learning, computational resources, and significant time investment for model tuning and deployment. Google Cloud's Vertex AI AutoML offers a solution by automating the process of model training and evaluation, allowing users to build custom object detection models without writing code or understanding the complexities of neural networks. This paper explores the capabilities of Vertex AI AutoML for object detection, providing a comprehensive overview of its workflow from dataset preparation and labeling to model training, evaluation, and deployment. Through a detailed case study and comparison with traditional methods, we demonstrate that Vertex AI AutoML can deliver accurate and scalable object detection models suitable for real-time and production-grade environments. Furthermore, we discuss its limitations and potential for future development, emphasizing its role in democratizing AI and enabling rapid innovation for developers and businesses alik