Study of fragmentation and momentum correlations in heavy-ion collisions

The role of momentum correlations is studied in the production of light and medium mass fragments by imposing momentum cut in clusterization the phase space. Our detailed investigation shows that momentum cut has major role to play in the emission of fragments.Comment: 16 pages, 7 figure

An intercomparison of maternal and neonatal outcomes between COVID-19 infected and non-infected antenatal patients

Background: Our study aimed to evaluate the severity of COVID-19 infection and pregnancy complications in pregnant women with and without COVID-19, and its impact on maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality at a tertiary care hospital in India. Methods: The research is a prospective, comparative, and observational study on antenatal patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection status. Results: Results showed preterm labour was the most common maternal complication among COVID-19 infected pregnant women, leading to various complications and long-term developmental delays. Maternal mortality was significantly higher among COVID-19 positive patients compared to non-infected patients. Although neonatal mortality rates were not significantly impacted, morbidity in terms of preterm birth increased among neonates born to COVID-19 positive mothers, resulting in complications like respiratory distress syndrome, intraventricular haemorrhage, and sepsis. Conclusions: our study found increased overall mortality in antenatal patients infected with COVID-19 compared to non-infected patients, consistent with previous studies. The increased mortality rates may be attributed to severe respiratory complications and co-morbidities associated with COVID-19 infection in pregnant women

A Novel System for Growth of Single Crystals from the Melt with an Innovative New Pulling Mechanism

665-670This paper describes a crystal growth system employing novel concepts in fabrication of a high temperature furnace, thermocouples and a novel crystal pulling mechanism. This has reduced the costs substantially, without compromising the quality of grown crystals. The core of the furnace, a wooden cylindrical dummy had been prepared with equi-spaced helical groves with widths equaling the diameter of the heating wire on its outer surface machined by a lathe machine. The Kanthal heating wire was wound in the groves. It was covered with a thick layer of natural clay available locally. After the clay had dried up, an electric current was passed through the heating wire and the wooden frame was burnt out. A thick layer of the clay was applied on the inner and the outer surfaces. The furnace can operate at temperatures up to about 1000 °C. The temperature was measured with a chromel-alumel thermocouple prepared by an ingenious spot-welding technique established in the laboratory. The seed holder was hanged above the melt kept in the crucible with help of a float kept in a water container, which has a small tap at the bottom. When the tap is opened the float goes down and the seed assembly goes up. In this manner a quality pulling system, without any motor has been developed and reported here. It has been possible to grow good quality crystals of potassium chloride with excellent diameter control

A Novel System for Growth of Single Crystals from the Melt with an Innovative New Pulling Mechanism

This paper describes a crystal growth system employing novel concepts in fabrication of a high temperature furnace, thermocouples and a novel crystal pulling mechanism. This has reduced the costs substantially, without compromising the quality of grown crystals. The core of the furnace, a wooden cylindrical dummy had been prepared with equi-spaced helicalgroves with widths equaling the diameter of the heating wire on its outer surface machined by a lathe machine. The Kanthal heating wire was wound in the groves. It was covered with a thick layer of natural clay available locally. After the clay had dried up, an electric current was passed through the heating wire and the wooden frame was burnt out. A thick layer of theclay was applied on the inner and the outer surfaces. The furnace can operate at temperatures up to about 1000 °C. The temperature was measured with a chromel-alumel thermocouple prepared by an ingenious spot-welding technique established in the laboratory. The seed holder was hanged above the melt kept in the crucible with help of a float kept in awater container, which has a small tap at the bottom. When the tap is opened the float goes down and the seed assembly goes up. In this manner a quality pulling system, without any motor has been developed and reported here. It has been possible to grow good quality crystals of potassium chloride with excellent diameter control

Serological response and breakthrough infection after COVID-19 vaccination in patients with cirrhosis and post-liver transplant

BACKGROUND: Vaccine hesitancy and lack of access remain major issues in disseminating COVID-19 vaccination to liver patients globally. Factors predicting poor response to vaccination and risk of breakthrough infection are important data to target booster vaccine programs. The primary aim of the current study was to measure humoral responses to 2 doses of COVID-19 vaccine. Secondary aims included the determination of factors predicting breakthrough infection. METHODS: COVID-19 vaccination and Biomarkers in cirrhosis And post-Liver Transplantation is a prospective, multicenter, observational case-control study. Participants were recruited at 4-10 weeks following first and second vaccine doses in cirrhosis [n = 325; 94% messenger RNA (mRNA) and 6% viral vaccine], autoimmune liver disease (AILD) (n = 120; 77% mRNA and 23% viral vaccine), post-liver transplant (LT) (n = 146; 96% mRNA and 3% viral vaccine), and healthy controls (n = 51; 72% mRNA, 24% viral and 4% heterologous combination). Serological end points were measured, and data regarding breakthrough SARS-CoV-2 infection were collected. RESULTS: After adjusting by age, sex, and time of sample collection, anti-Spike IgG levels were the lowest in post-LT patients compared to cirrhosis (p < 0.0001), AILD (p < 0.0001), and control (p = 0.002). Factors predicting reduced responses included older age, Child-Turcotte-Pugh B/C, and elevated IL-6 in cirrhosis; non-mRNA vaccine in AILD; and coronary artery disease, use of mycophenolate and dysregulated B-call activating factor, and lymphotoxin-α levels in LT. Incident infection occurred in 6.6%, 10.6%, 7.4%, and 15.6% of cirrhosis, AILD, post-LT, and control, respectively. The only independent factor predicting infection in cirrhosis was low albumin level. CONCLUSIONS: LT patients present the lowest response to the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. In cirrhosis, the reduced response is associated with older age, stage of liver disease and systemic inflammation, and breakthrough infection with low albumin level

Antibacterial and phytochemical analysis of Cassia occidentalis L. seeds against respiratory tract pathogens

Medicinal properties of plants make them potent to prevent or cure diseases. In present study, antibacterial activity of various extracts ofCassia occidentalis L. seeds was evaluated against three respiratory tract pathogens i.e. Staphylococcus aureus MTCC 1144, Streptococcus pneumoniae MTCC 655 and Streptococcus pyogenes MTCC 442. The shade dried seeds of C. occidentalis were crushed and extracted in petroleum ether (PET), acetone (ACE), methanol (MeOH) and aqueous (H2O) by using Soxhlet apparatus. The antibacterial activity was examined by agar well diffusion method. Chromatographic separation was carried out on the active extract and efficacy of the resulting fractions was tested against the selected microorganisms. Amoxicillin was used as positive control to determine the sensitivity of the strains. The results showed that MeOH extract was more active than other extracts in its antibacterial activity. The zone of inhibition exhibited by MeOH extract against tested microorganisms ranged between 20.9±0.21 to 23.1±0.15 mm, respectively. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of flavonoids, phenols, tannins, amino acids, saponins, glycosides, terpenoids and steroids. The investigation corroborates the traditional uses of C. occidentalis in the treatment of respiratory tract diseases

Antibacterial and phytochemical analysis of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Cassia occidentalis</i> L. seeds against respiratory tract pathogens

52-55Medicinal properties of plants make them potent to prevent or cure diseases. In present study, antibacterial activity of various extracts of Cassia occidentalis L. seeds was evaluated against three respiratory tract pathogens i.e. Staphylococcus aureus MTCC 1144, Streptococcus pneumoniae MTCC 655 and Streptococcus pyogenes MTCC 442. The shade dried seeds of C. occidentalis were crushed and extracted in petroleum ether (PET), acetone (ACE), methanol (MeOH) and aqueous (H2O) by using Soxhlet apparatus. The antibacterial activity was examined by agar well diffusion method. Chromatographic separation was carried out on the active extract and efficacy of the resulting fractions was tested against the selected microorganisms. Amoxicillin was used as positive control to determine the sensitivity of the strains. The results showed that MeOH extract was more active than other extracts in its antibacterial activity. The zone of inhibition exhibited by MeOH extract against tested microorganisms ranged between 20.9±0.21 to 23.1±0.15 mm, respectively. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of flavonoids, phenols, tannins, amino acids, saponins, glycosides, terpenoids and steroids. The investigation corroborates the traditional uses of C. occidentalis in the treatment of respiratory tract diseases. </span

Novel synthesis and biological activity study of pyrimido[2,1-<i>b</i>] benzothiazoles

853-857A convenient and apparently simple procedure has been developed to prepare a series of substituted pyrimido [2,1-b]benzothiazoles by the conjugate addition of the imino nitrogen of 2-aminobenzothiazoles to alkyne -carbon atom of acetylenic acid followed by ring closure. They are screened for antimicrobial activity and found to exhibit significant activities

Comparative study of different doses of clonidine as an adjuvant with isobaric levobupivacaine for spinal anaesthesia in patients undergoing caesarean section

Background: Various techniques of central neuraxial blockade have been tried and successfully used for caesarean section surgeries. Nowadays it is must and essential to know the possible effective dose of clonidine to overcome its known side effect like bradycardia, hypotension and sedation for better outcome of mother as well as foetus in lower segment caesarean section. We have conducted such study to compare different doses of clonidine as an adjuvant to intrathecal isobaric levobupivacaine. The plain levobupivacaine has been shown to truly isobaric with respect to CSF of pregnant women and this property got advantage over hyperbaric bupivacaine in its predictable spread. Materials and Methods: There were about 90 cases of emergency caesarean section of more than 37 weeks gestation with ASA physical status class 2 under spinal anaesthesia were randomly divided into three groups of 30 patients each. In all groups we assessed onset, two segment regression and requirement of analgesic in post-operative period, level of motor block by modified bromage scale [Table 1] and sedation by Campbell sedation score [Table 2]. Maternal and foetal hemodynamic was monitored as well. Group A (n = 30) 10 mg of 0.5% (2 ml) isobaric levobupivacaine + 15 mcg clonidine (0.5 ml). Group B (n = 30) 10 mg of 0.5% (2 ml) isobaric levobupivacaine + 30 mcg clonidine (0.5 ml). Group C (n = 30) 10 mg of 0.5% (2 ml) isobaric levobupivacaine + 45 mcg clonidine (0.5 ml). Normal saline was used to make volume of clonidine upto 0.5 ml. Result: Onset of sensory block was highest in group A with significant difference (P value <0.0001) in all three groups. Two segment regression time (in minutes) was highest in group C with significant difference (P value <0.0001) in all three groups. There was fall in systolic blood pressure (SBP) <80% of baseline was found in 0 (0.00%), 10 (33.33%) and 22 (73.33%) patients in group A, B and C respectively while fall in HR <80% of baseline was found in 0 (0.00%), 1 (3.33%) and 19 (63.33%) patients. Sedation score was 1 in 30 (100%) patients in group A, it was 1 in 10 (33.33%), 2 in 20 (66.67%) in group B while it was 1 in 5 (16.77%), 2 in 10 (33.33%) and 3 in 15 (50%) patients in group C. Conclusion: Spinal anaesthesia performed with isobaric 0.5% levobupivacaine with 30 mcg clonidine (Group B) provides better haemodynamic stability, early onset of sensory and motor blockade, decreased requirement of post-operative analgesia