Study of Flexural Behaviour of Jeffcott Rotor

The simplest model to study the response of a rotor is a Jeffcott rotor. In this paper the equation of motion of the shaft centre was obtained by using Lagrange’s Equation and the path followed called the orbit was plotted using MATLAB. The amplitude of vibration and phase of an undamped rotor with free whirl, by considering eccentricity and by taking the effect of bow was also plotted separately. The response of the damped rotor was interpreted using Campbell diagram and the motion of shaft centre was plotted separately in a damped rotor. The amplitude and phase of vibration of the rotor geometrical centre was also plotted by considering free whirl, taking eccentricity into account and by taking the effect of bow separately

Synthesis and Characterization of BST Ceramics by Solution Combustion Technique

Barium Strontium Titanate (Ba0.6Sr0.4TiO3) has been prepared and characterized in this present study. Phase pure BST powder has been prepared following combustion synthesis technique. Citric acid, ethylene glycol and glycine have been used as a fuel in this combustion process. Different process parameters mainly additional NH4NO3, citric acid as fuel amount, additional chelating agent EDTA and pH of the precursor solution has been optimized with an aim to achieve phase pure BST at a low temperature. Effect of mixed fuel i.e. citric acid + ethylene glycol and citric acid + glycine, has also been studied as a function of powder morphology of BST powder. The optimum precursor combination Metal: Citric Acid: Ammonium Nitrate: EDTA are: 1:1.5:12:0.1 at pH of the precursor solution 7, has been found to yield phase pure BST powder at 800oC. The densification behavior and densification kinetics of the BST powder has also been studied. Powder morphology and microstructure of sintered BST samples was found to depend strongly on the fuel used for combustion. Dielectric behavior of BST samples has also been studied as a function of fuel used

Detection of Ascosphaera apis, causing chalkbrood disease in the colonies of European honey bee, Apis mellifera in West Bengal, India

The decline of honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) populations is of great concern around the world. Among the several key drivers, dissemination of pests and pathogens is potential one. Chalkbrood is very common fungal disease of honey bee, caused due to Ascosphaera apis. In the present study, survey was conducted regarding the prevalence of diseases in A. mellifera beekeeping in Gangetic plains of West Bengal, India. Results confirmed the occurrence of chalkbrood disease in different apiaries, where dead and mummified bee larvae with cotton like chalky white or greyish-black covering were found as physical symptoms of the disease. From three surveyed apiaries, a total of 16 hives out of 113 hives were found to be infected with the diseases; and 46 frames out of 132 frames from the infected 16 hives were found to be affected by the pathogen. Microscopic examination reflected that nearly 87% of the samples collected from the infected frame were found to be positive for the spore of Ascosphaera. The fungus associated with the disease was isolated on Potato Dextrose Agar medium, pure cultured and its genomic DNA was isolated to perform PCR and based on 18s rDNA sequencing by using specific primer pair of ITS-1 and ITS-4, the fungus was identified as Ascosphaera apis. Keywords: 18s rDNA, Bees, Necrotrophs, Phylogen

A prospective study of the functional outcome of 3 stitch technique in a compound humerus shaft fracture

Background: Intramedullary nailing of compound shaft humerus fractures has been an innovative and surgically friendly technique to deal with extensive soft tissue injury that impedes open reduction and internal fixation. The purpose of this article is to highlight the minimally invasive technique of intramedullary humerus nailing to prevent the perioperative and postoperative complications encountered. A 1 year follow up of all the patients have shown functionally excellent results and good surgical outcome. Methods: We have conducted this prospective study from Jan 2020 to Jan 2022 at DR. D.Y. Patil medical college and hospital. Informed consent from each patient was taken explaining the methods of study and probable complications.  By this 3-stitch technique we have treated 25 adult patients sustaining post traumatic compound humerus shaft fractures by Antegrade humerus nailing. We have included compound injury upto type 3A (Gustilo-Anderson classification). Results: Out of the 25 patients, 23 patients showed functionally excellent outcomes with good compliance to rehabilitation protocol but 2 patients had delayed wound healing of which 1 patient had undergone VAC therapy, which later healed well after a period of 2-3 weeks with sequential dry dressings. None have gone into nonunion. Conclusions: Our study suggests that the 3-stitch technique is a good alternative method compared to external fixators and other various surgical techniques and yields good results with lesser complications and better cosmetic outcomes in compound injuries

Novel ZnO hollow-nanocarriers containing paclitaxel targeting folate-receptors in a malignant pH-microenvironment for effective monitoring and promoting breast tumor regression

Low pH in the tumor micromilieu is a recognized pathological feature of cancer. This attribute of cancerous cells has been targeted herein for the controlled release of chemotherapeutics at the tumour site, while sparing healthy tissues. To this end, pH-sensitive, hollow ZnO-nanocarriers loaded with paclitaxel were synthesized and their efficacy studied in breast cancer in vitro and in vivo. The nanocarriers were surface functionalized with folate using click-chemistry to improve targeted uptake by the malignant cells that over-express folate-receptors. The nanocarriers released ~75% of the paclitaxel payload within six hours in acidic pH, which was accompanied by switching of fluorescence from blue to green and a 10-fold increase in the fluorescence intensity. The fluorescence-switching phenomenon is due to structural collapse of the nanocarriers in the endolysosome. Energy dispersion X-ray mapping and whole animal fluorescent imaging studies were carried out to show that combined pH and folate-receptor targeting reduces off-target accumulation of the nanocarriers. Further, a dual cell-specific and pH-sensitive nanocarrier greatly improved the efficacy of paclitaxel to regress subcutaneous tumors in vivo. These nanocarriers could improve chemotherapy tolerance and increase anti-tumor efficacy, while also providing a novel diagnostic read-out through fluorescent switching that is proportional to drug release in malignant tissues

Combination of convalescent plasma therapy and repurposed drugs to treat severe COVID-19 patient with multimorbidity.

Combination of convalescent plasma therapy and repurposed drugs such as dexamethasone and remdesivir could be beneficial for severe COVID-19 patients with obesity and chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension

Role of random biopsies in surveillance of dysplasia in ulcerative colitis patients with high risk of colorectal cancer

Background/AimsRecent data suggest that the incidence of ulcerative colitis (UC) related colorectal cancer (CRC) in India is similar to that of West. The optimum method for surveillance is still a debate. Surveillance with random biopsies has been the standard of care, but is a tedious process. We therefore undertook this study to assess the yield of random biopsy in dysplasia surveillance.MethodsBetween March 2014 and July 2015, patients of UC attending the Inflammatory Bowel Disease clinic at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences with high risk factors for CRC like duration of disease >15 years and pancolitis, family history of CRC, primary sclerosing cholangitis underwent surveillance colonoscopy for dysplasia. Four quadrant random biopsies at 10 cm intervals were taken (33 biopsies). Two pathologists examined specimens for dysplasia, and the yield of dysplasia was calculated.ResultsTwenty-eight patients were included. Twenty-six of these had pancolitis with a duration of disease greater than 15 years, and two patients had associated primary sclerosing cholangis. No patient had a family history of CRC. The mean age at onset of disease was 28.89±8.73 years and the duration of disease was 19.00±8.78 years. Eighteen patients (64.28%) were males. A total of 924 biopsies were taken. None of the biopsies revealed any evidence of dysplasia, and 7/924 (0.7%) were indefinite for dysplasia.ConclusionsRandom biopsy for surveillance in longstanding extensive colitis has a low yield for dysplasia and does not suffice for screening. Newer techniques such as chromoendoscopy-guided biopsies need greater adoption

Dynamics of Hot QCD Matter -- Current Status and Developments

The discovery and characterization of hot and dense QCD matter, known as Quark Gluon Plasma (QGP), remains the most international collaborative effort and synergy between theorists and experimentalists in modern nuclear physics to date. The experimentalists around the world not only collect an unprecedented amount of data in heavy-ion collisions, at Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC), at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) in New York, USA, and the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), at CERN in Geneva, Switzerland but also analyze these data to unravel the mystery of this new phase of matter that filled a few microseconds old universe, just after the Big Bang. In the meantime, advancements in theoretical works and computing capability extend our wisdom about the hot-dense QCD matter and its dynamics through mathematical equations. The exchange of ideas between experimentalists and theoreticians is crucial for the progress of our knowledge. The motivation of this first conference named "HOT QCD Matter 2022" is to bring the community together to have a discourse on this topic. In this article, there are 36 sections discussing various topics in the field of relativistic heavy-ion collisions and related phenomena that cover a snapshot of the current experimental observations and theoretical progress. This article begins with the theoretical overview of relativistic spin-hydrodynamics in the presence of the external magnetic field, followed by the Lattice QCD results on heavy quarks in QGP, and finally, it ends with an overview of experiment results.Comment: Compilation of the contributions (148 pages) as presented in the `Hot QCD Matter 2022 conference', held from May 12 to 14, 2022, jointly organized by IIT Goa & Goa University, Goa, Indi

Mapping child growth failure across low- and middle-income countries

Child growth failure (CGF), manifested as stunting, wasting, and underweight, is associated with high 5 mortality and increased risks of cognitive, physical, and metabolic impairments. Children in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) face the highest levels of CGF globally. Here we illustrate national and subnational variation of under-5 CGF indicators across LMICs, providing 2000–2017 annual estimates mapped at a high spatial resolution and aggregated to policy-relevant administrative units and national levels. Despite remarkable declines over the study period, many LMICs remain far from the World Health 10 Organization’s ambitious Global Nutrition Targets to reduce stunting by 40% and wasting to less than 5% by 2025. Large disparities in prevalence and rates of progress exist across regions, countries, and within countries; our maps identify areas where high prevalence persists even within nations otherwise succeeding in reducing overall CGF prevalence. By highlighting where subnational disparities exist and the highest-need populations reside, these geospatial estimates can support policy-makers in planning locally 15 tailored interventions and efficient directing of resources to accelerate progress in reducing CGF and its health implications