In vitro effectiveness of different endodontic irrigants on the reduction of Enterococcus faecalis in root canals

Objective: To compare the reduction of E. faecalis counts in root canals produced by irrigation with distilled water, hydrogen peroxide, sodium hypochlorite, chlorhexidine, and combinations of solutions, in vitro. Study Design: Study sample included sixty mandibular premolar teeth mounted in dental stone. Root canals were prepared using crown down technique under distilled water irrigation. Specimens were sterilized overnight by ethylene oxide gas. Each canal was completely filled up with the E. faecalis suspension and incubated at 37ºC for 24 hours. Root canals were irrigated with the test solutions. A volume of 5 ml of the tested irrigant was used for each sample with an exposure period of 5 minutes. 10 ml of distilled water was used as final irrigant in all the samples. Canals were sampled before and after irrigation. After serial dilutions, samples were plated onto Mitis salivarius agar, and the colony forming units were counted. Results were analyzed by Chi-square test, Fisher’s exact test, and one-way ANOVA followed by multiple range Tukey HSD test with the level of significance set at P < 0.05. Results and Conclusions: Reduction of colony counts in distilled water group was significantly lower than the mean reduction in all the other groups. However, no other contrasts are statistically significant. Combination of sodium hypochlorite and chlorhexidine showed the most effective antimicrobial activity followed by sodium hypochlorite and hydrogen peroxide together. Hydrogen peroxide was the least effective irrigant when used alon

PHOTOCATALYTIC DEGRADATION OF PHARMACEUTICAL DRUG ZIDOVUDINE BY UNDOPED AND 5 % BARIUM DOPED ZINC OXIDE NANOPARTICLES DURING WATER TREATMENT: SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERISATION

Objective: To study the photocatalytic degradation of pharmaceutical drug zidovudine (ZDV) by synthesized undoped zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZONPs) and 5% (mole ratio) barium doped zinc oxide nanoparticles (BZONPs) during water treatment.Methods: Kinetics studies were carried out with the help of UV-Visible Spectrophotometer. High-Resolution Mass Spectrophotometry (HR-MS) was used to identify products. A photo-reactor with mercury lamp was used as an external source of light energy. Optical power meter was used for the measurement of light intensity. The particle size of the synthesized photocatalysts was identified with the help of siemens x-ray diffractometer (XRD). The surface topography of photocatalysts was done by scanning electron microscope (SEM). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used for the studies of particle size and morphology.Results: Five degraded products of ZDV are identified by HR-MS. A suitable electron-hole pair mechanism is projected. XRD patterns show that the intensity of peak is slightly stronger in ZONPs. There is an increase in the rate of photocatalytic degradation of ZDV by adding different quantities of photocatalyst from 0.05 g l-1 to 0.1 g l-1. The kinetic data reveals that there is an initial increase in the values of rate constants with the increase in the concentration of ZDV. The kinetic data indicate that the values of rate constants are higher at pH = 9. There is an increase in the rate constant values with an increase in the light intensities of UV lamp.Conclusion: The rates of photocatalytic degradation of ZDV were found to be higher using 5 % (mole ratio) BZONPs as a photocatalyst.Â

Seasonal Variation of Phytoplankton Diversity in Anchepalya Lake, Bengaluru Urban, India

Seasonal dynamics of Phytoplankton populations were studied in Anchepalya Lake for a period of one year from March 2013 to February 2014 covering three seasons. Phytoplankton sampling, collection, quantitative and qualitative population was performed using APHA (2005) Standard methods. The counting of plankton was done by using Sedgwick Rafter counting cell and phytoplankton were identified by using the identification manual on limnology by Adoni (1985). A total of 88 genera of phytoplanktons were recorded. The diversity of Phytoplankton number is of increase as in the order of Chlorophyceae >Bacillariophyceae > Cyanophyceae > Eugleanophyceae. The present study revealed that the lake water is polluted with the direct entry of sewage and effluent discharge

When sales and marketing align: impact on performance

Without sales and marketing working to produce revenue, the firm ceases to exist. Yet, given the magnitude of what’s at stake, these two functions are often at odds with one another to the detriment of performance. This article reviews previous studies that investigate conflict, collaboration, and integration between the sales and marketing functions. Next, hypotheses are developed relating alignment between the sales and marketing functions and key organizational performance objectives. Results of an empirical study encompassing 821 respondents demonstrate strong support for improved performance on eight key outcomes for firms where sales and marketing were aligned. The findings connote a potential high return on investment for organizations devoting time and resources to improving the relationship between the sales and marketing functions

Probing lens-induced gravitational-wave birefringence as a test of general relativity

Theories beyond general relativity (GR) modify the propagation ofgravitational waves (GWs). In some, inhomogeneities (aka. gravitational lenses)allow interactions between the metric and additional fields to causelens-induced birefringence (LIB): a different speed of the two linear GWpolarisations ($+$ and $\times$). Inhomogeneities then act as non-isotropiccrystals, splitting the GW signal into two components whose relative time delaydepends on the theory and lens parameters. Here we study the observationalprospects for GW scrambling, i.e when the time delay between both GWpolarisations is smaller than the signal's duration and the waveform recordedby a detector is distorted. We analyze the latest LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA catalog,GWTC-3, and find no conclusive evidence for LIB. The highest log Bayes factorthat we find in favour of LIB is $3.21$ for GW$190521$, a particularly loud butshort event. However, when accounting for false alarms due to (Gaussian) noisefluctuations, this evidence is below 1-$\sigma$. The tightest constraint on thetime delay is $non-observation of GW scrambling, we constrain the optical depth for LIB,accounting for the chance of randomly distributed lenses (eg. galaxies) alongthe line of sight. Our LIB constraints on a (quartic) scalar-tensor Horndeskitheory are more stringent than solar system tests for a wide parameter rangeand comparable to GW170817 in some limits. Interpreting GW190521 as an AGNbinary (i.e. taking an AGN flare as a counterpart) allows even more stringentconstraints. Our results demonstrate the potential and high sensitivityachievable by tests of GR, based on GW lensing.<br

Genetic differentiation of growth parameters in Brassica species

Fourteen collections from the Brassica species, B.Juncea, B. nap us, B. carinata and B. campestris showed substantial variability for growth parameters including vegetative (VPD) and reproductive phase (RPD) duration. In general, seed yield in all maturity groups was associated with growth parameters, particularly, VPD, RPD and flowering phase duration, for example, high yielders in the early maturity group and 60-75 days of VPD and 38-40 days of RPD. In contrast, those in the late maturity group had more than 100 days of VPD and relatively short, but varying RPD of 25-50 days. In the medium maturity group, high yields were often found to be associated with relatively long RPD. The yields of B. napus and B. carinata could be improved by shortening total crop duration and increasing RPD. Selection for optimal vegetative phase durations in the progeny of inter-specific hybrids could further improve the yields In Brassica

Orif of lateral Hoffa's fracture with irreducible patella dislocation and incarcerated patella in lateral Hoffa's fragment: rare injury presentation

Majority of lateral Hoffa fracture are associated with knee injury. Presenting a case of 30-years-old gentleman who presented with pain, swelling, deformity in knee of right side after road traffic accident.  On local examination there was marked swelling with inability to palpate patella, inability to flex knee. On clinical examination, there was patella dislocation as it was not in place and unable to reduce. Radiological investigation showed a lateral Hoffa's fracture with dislocation of patella and patella being incarcerated in Hoffa fragment. Operative and follow up: Patient was operated by open reduction of patella dislocation and CC screw fixation for lateral Hoffa fracture. On six weeks follow up normal ROM achieved. Patient was surgically treated to relocate locked patella fragment in Hoffa's fragment and fix Hoffa's fragment and achieved good range of motion