Study of transition metal acetylacetonate doped PVC films

PVC is one of the widely used polymers for various applications throughout the world. Various additives are added to modify its properties according to the requirement of a particular product. Doping of the polymer is known to affect its electrochemical properties. In the present work five transition metal acetylacetonate complexes, Tris(acetylacetonato) chromium, Tris(acetylacetonato) cobalt. Bis(acetylacetonato) copper, Bis(acetylacetonato) nickel and Tris(acetylacetonato) iron, were prepared and crystallized. These metal complexes were analysed with IR spectroscopy, and their purity was checked with TLC. PVC was than dopes with 5% of these complexes, and casted into films, by slow heating. The film thickness was measured with micrometer. All the films were transparent and had different colours. The structural changes in doped PVC matrix were studied by IR Spectrophotometer. our experimental investigations show significant changes in the matrix of the doped PVC films. The interpretation of the IR spectra in comparison to the undoped PVC film shows the formation of polyene and alcohol group sequences in doped polymer matix. Formation of alcoholic group was not observed in the PVC film doped with  that the Bis(acetylacetonato) copper. No correlation could be observed between the structural changes in the doped PVC matrix and the periodic position of the metal ions

Synthesis and spectroscopic studies of N, O containing Schiff base ligands and their metal complexes with Zn

In the present work seven Schiff bases have been synthesized by the reaction of anilines and substituted anilines with benzil via condensation reaction. The selected substituted anilines were ortho and meta substituted chloro anilines, ortho and meta substituted methyl anilines and ortho and meta substituted carboxlyic aniline. The substituted anilines were selected to observe the affect of these electron donating and withdrawing group on the Schiff base formation and consequently on the coordination behavior of these ligands with the zinc ion. These Schiff base ligands were complexed with the zinc metal ion. It was observed that all the ligands and complexes formed readily. The resulting Schiff base ligands and their coordination complexes with zinc ion were recrystallized by CH2Cl2/n-hexane (1:10) mixture. All the ligands and zn coordination complexes were characterized by the IR spectroscopy.  The stability of these coordination complexes were observed by UV/Visible spectroscopy. Thermal stability of these complexes was observed by subjecting them to thermogravimetric analysis. Our method of preparation of the Schiff bases and the corresponding metal complexes can be used to prepare similar compounds

Vertical Versus Transverse Incision for the Release of the First Dorsal Compartment of the Wrist for De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis

OBJECTIVES The study aimed to compare the clinical outcome of transverse versus longitudinal incision for surgical release of the first dorsal compartment of the wrist to treat de Quervain’s disease. METHODOLOGY In this quasi-experimental study, all the patients with resistant de Quervain’s tenosynovitis who had the surgical release of the first dorsal compartment between January 2008 and  December 2020 were included. The surgeries were performed under local anaesthesia. The first dorsal compartment of the wrist was approached through either a longitudinal or transverse incision, and the tendons of the abductor pollicis longus and extensor pollicis brevis were released. Patients were followed for a minimum of three months, and the primary outcome measure was the Visual analogue score (VAS) for relief of pain and secondary outcome measures were any immediate or delayed complications. RESULTS98 patients were included in the study with a female-to-male ratio of 7:1. The cohort’s mean age was 44 years (Range 25-75). Most patients were housewives exposed to manual work with the involvement of the dominant hand. There were no major complications besides wound issues and transient paresthesia in few patients. The longitudinal incision was associated with less transient nerve palsies, less duration of surgery and easier identification of structure and anomalies. The only advantage of transverse incision was less scar formation. The clinical outcome was similar in both groups: 94% of patients had complete pain relief (VAS 0). CONCLUSION There was no difference in the outcome of de Quervain tenosynovitis when released with a transverse or longitudinal incision. The longitudinal incision had fewer complications as compared to the transverse incision

Preparation, Characterization and Application of Vitamin-E fortified Nanocoatings on Fresh-cut Apples

Fresh-cut apples have a very low shelf life due to high vulnerability to oxidation in open air. The aim of the present work was to prepare enriched nanocoatings to increase not only the shelf life of the fruit, but to add to it nutritive values as well. Hence, four different edible coatings were prepared containing vitamin-E nanoemulsion. Vitamin-E nanoemulsion was successfully prepared by EPI (Emulsion Phase Inversion) method and the particles size distribution was checked by DLS (Dynamic Light Scattering) method. Potassium Sorbate and Calcium Chloride were added, respectively, as antimicrobial and antioxidant agents. In one coating, fresh lemon juice was used in place of ascorbic acid for comparison. To reduce respiration and water vapor permeability, methyl cellulose and stearic acid were added in different ratios to all the four coatings. Prepared coatings were then applied on freshly-cut apple pieces using dip method. Various characterization parameters were performed to analyze the quality of vitamin-E fortified edible nanocoatings such as weight loss, titrateable acidity, total soluble solids, and total phenolics for two weeks. In addition, antimicrobial activity of the prepared edible coatings was done using LBA (Luria Bertani Agar) culture media. All the coatings showed good results but the coating containing fresh lemon juice gave comparatively better results

Nanophotonics: Fundamentals, Challenges, Future Prospects and Applied Applications

Nanophotonics encompasses a wide range of nontrivial physical effects including light-matter interactions that are well beyond diffraction limits, and have opened up new avenues for a variety of applications in light harvesting, sensing, luminescence, optical switching, and media transmitting technologies. Recently, growing expertise of fusing nanotechnology and photonics has become fundamental, arising outskirts, challenging basic experimentation and opportunities for new technologies in our daily lives, and played a central role in many optical systems. It entails the theoretical study of photon’s interactions with matter at incredibly small scales, known as nanostructures, in order to prepare nanometer scale devices and accessories for processing, development, slowing down, influencing, and/or regulating photons through comprehending their behavior while interacting with or otherwise traveling via matter. This multidisciplinary field has also made an impact on industry, allowing researchers to explore new horizons in design, applied science, physical science, chemistry, materials science, and biomedical technologies. The foundations, nano-confinements, quantum manifestations, nanoscale interactions, numerical methods, and peculiarities of nonlinear optical phenomena in nano-photonics as well as projected nano-photonics consumption’s in our cutting-edge world, will be covered in this chapter

Advanced Carbon Materials: Base of 21st Century Scientific Innovations in Chemical, Polymer, Sensing and Energy Engineering

Advance carbon material that includes graphene, fullerenes, hierarchical carbon, and CNTs are referred to as strength of revolution and advancement in the era of material science and technology. In general, 20th century corresponds to plastic meanwhile 21st century will be named as “Century of Graphene” owing to its exceptional physical properties. Graphene is now well-known and prominent 2D carbon allotrope that is considered as multipurpose material in comparison with any material discovered on earth. One of the interesting properties of graphene is strongest and lightest material that enables it to conduct electricity and heat as compared to any other material. Such features permit it to utilize in numerous applications including biosensors, electronic industry, environmental remediation, drug delivery, energy storage, and production as well. Owing to these capabilities, it can be stated that graphene can be utilized to improve effectiveness and performance of existing substances and materials. In the future, conjugation of graphene with other 2D material will be devolved to produce further remarkable compounds that make it appropriate for an extensive variety of applications. This chapter grants the utilization and applications of advanced carbons materials in chemical, polymer, sensing and energy enegineering

Advanced Carbon Functional Materials for Superior Energy Storage

In the developing world, energy crisis is the main reason for less progress and development. Renewable and sustainable energy may be of bright future for scientific lagging and low-income countries; further, sustainability through smart materials got a huge potential; so, hereby keeping in view the energy crisis which the developing world is facing for many decades, we are proposing to write a chapter project for obtaining energy through cheap, sustainable, and functional advanced carbon materials. Carbon materials are the future of energy storage devices because of their ability to store energy in great capacity. The graphene is a material with amazing properties like no band gap, which turns graphene a wonderful candidate for use in the photovoltaic. Shortly, this chapter will discuss how superior energy storage may be obtained through various routes like using pyrrolic (N5) and pyridinic (N6) doping in advanced carbon functional materials, or superior energy by KOH activation in carbon materials, or through carbonization in organic matter, respectively. Further, for the advanced carbon functional materials, the superior energy storage using pyrrolic (N5) and pyridinic (N6) doping, or KOH activation, or through carbonization will be discussed one by one for lithium ion batteries, supercapacitors, and relevant energy devices, respectively

Global, regional, and national incidence and mortality for HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria during 1990–2013: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013

BACKGROUND: The Millennium Declaration in 2000 brought special global attention to HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria through the formulation of Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 6. The Global Burden of Disease 2013 study provides a consistent and comprehensive approach to disease estimation for between 1990 and 2013, and an opportunity to assess whether accelerated progress has occured since the Millennium Declaration. METHODS: To estimate incidence and mortality for HIV, we used the UNAIDS Spectrum model appropriately modified based on a systematic review of available studies of mortality with and without antiretroviral therapy (ART). For concentrated epidemics, we calibrated Spectrum models to fit vital registration data corrected for misclassification of HIV deaths. In generalised epidemics, we minimised a loss function to select epidemic curves most consistent with prevalence data and demographic data for all-cause mortality. We analysed counterfactual scenarios for HIV to assess years of life saved through prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) and ART. For tuberculosis, we analysed vital registration and verbal autopsy data to estimate mortality using cause of death ensemble modelling. We analysed data for corrected case-notifications, expert opinions on the case-detection rate, prevalence surveys, and estimated cause-specific mortality using Bayesian meta-regression to generate consistent trends in all parameters. We analysed malaria mortality and incidence using an updated cause of death database, a systematic analysis of verbal autopsy validation studies for malaria, and recent studies (2010-13) of incidence, drug resistance, and coverage of insecticide-treated bednets. FINDINGS: Globally in 2013, there were 1·8 million new HIV infections (95% uncertainty interval 1·7 million to 2·1 million), 29·2 million prevalent HIV cases (28·1 to 31·7), and 1·3 million HIV deaths (1·3 to 1·5). At the peak of the epidemic in 2005, HIV caused 1·7 million deaths (1·6 million to 1·9 million). Concentrated epidemics in Latin America and eastern Europe are substantially smaller than previously estimated. Through interventions including PMTCT and ART, 19·1 million life-years (16·6 million to 21·5 million) have been saved, 70·3% (65·4 to 76·1) in developing countries. From 2000 to 2011, the ratio of development assistance for health for HIV to years of life saved through intervention was US$4498 in developing countries. Including in HIV-positive individuals, all-form tuberculosis incidence was 7·5 million (7·4 million to 7·7 million), prevalence was 11·9 million (11·6 million to 12·2 million), and number of deaths was 1·4 million (1·3 million to 1·5 million) in 2013. In the same year and in only individuals who were HIV-negative, all-form tuberculosis incidence was 7·1 million (6·9 million to 7·3 million), prevalence was 11·2 million (10·8 million to 11·6 million), and number of deaths was 1·3 million (1·2 million to 1·4 million). Annualised rates of change (ARC) for incidence, prevalence, and death became negative after 2000. Tuberculosis in HIV-negative individuals disproportionately occurs in men and boys (versus women and girls); 64·0% of cases (63·6 to 64·3) and 64·7% of deaths (60·8 to 70·3). Globally, malaria cases and deaths grew rapidly from 1990 reaching a peak of 232 million cases (143 million to 387 million) in 2003 and 1·2 million deaths (1·1 million to 1·4 million) in 2004. Since 2004, child deaths from malaria in sub-Saharan Africa have decreased by 31·5% (15·7 to 44·1). Outside of Africa, malaria mortality has been steadily decreasing since 1990. INTERPRETATION: Our estimates of the number of people living with HIV are 18·7% smaller than UNAIDS's estimates in 2012. The number of people living with malaria is larger than estimated by WHO. The number of people living with HIV, tuberculosis, or malaria have all decreased since 2000. At the global level, upward trends for malaria and HIV deaths have been reversed and declines in tuberculosis deaths have accelerated. 101 countries (74 of which are developing) still have increasing HIV incidence. Substantial progress since the Millennium Declaration is an encouraging sign of the effect of global action. FUNDING: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries