Cross linked Core-shell Silica Nanoparticles Mechanical, Structural & Viscoelastic Behavior

Shell cross-linked core-shell nanoparticles (SCCSNs) were prepared via miniemulsion polymerization of styrene in the presence of silane modified inorganic silica. The polystyrene (PS) shell of 69.8% in weight fraction was cross-linked using divinylbenzene. SCCSNs were spherical with a diameter distribution from 37 to 96 nm determined by dynamic light scattering. Dynamic rheology of SCCSNs suspended in PS/toluene solution was compared with that of suspensions of naked silica. The critical strain for onset of rheological nonlinearity was independent of SCCSN concentration above a concentration threshold, which differs from the silica suspensions. Linear dynamic rheological investigation revealed that SCCSN suspensions with a PS volume fraction of 25% were fluid-like at low particle concentrations while suspensions containing 4.5 vol% SCCSNs formed a gel-like structure. On the contrary, the silica suspensions with 20.0 vol% PS underwent a fluid-to-solid-like transition with increasing silica concentration. Reasons for the different rheological behaviors of the naked silica and SCCSN suspensions are discussed

Efficacy of fungicides against grain spot disease in rice (Oryza sativa)

A field study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of the five selected fungicides viz., ipordione (rovral), tebuconazole (folicur), and hexaconazole (Hayconazole, Orazole and Titan) against grain spot disease in rice. The experiment was conducted at the Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI), Gazipur and two regional stations at Barisal and Satkhira in Bangladesh. A high yielding cultivar BRRIdhan28 was selected for the study as test crop. Percentage of unfilled grain at different experimental sites showed a large variation from 4.4 to 14.1% in control. The lowest unfilled grain found in Titan treated plot at Barisal (13.6%) and Satkhira (3.8%), while the lowest unfilled grain (7.0%) found in orazole treated plot at Gazipur. Application of rovral (12.4%) and folicur (15.8%) reduced the percentage of spotted grain as compared with control (23.6%) in Satkhira site. The average 100 grain weight considerably varied among the sites and was comparatively higher in Satkhira. Seed health test revealed low rate of seed infection with Bipolaris oryzae, Curvularia lunata, Alternaria tenuis and Trichoconis padwickii irrespective of the sites. Seed infection with B. oryzae at Barisal, Gazipur and Satkhira in different treatments ranged from 2.88-4.34%, 3.50-5.67% and 1.10-2.55%, respectively. In all the sites, the highest incidence of C. lunata was observed in control treatment but the differences with fungicide application were non-significant, which indicated a minimal effect of tested fungicides against C. lunata. Tested fungicides were found ineffective in controlling A. tenuis and T. padwickii. The results showed that incidence of all the above mentioned pathogens in seed were comparatively higher at Gazipur site

Impact of opioid-free analgesia on pain severity and patient satisfaction after discharge from surgery: multispecialty, prospective cohort study in 25 countries

Background: Balancing opioid stewardship and the need for adequate analgesia following discharge after surgery is challenging. This study aimed to compare the outcomes for patients discharged with opioid versus opioid-free analgesia after common surgical procedures.Methods: This international, multicentre, prospective cohort study collected data from patients undergoing common acute and elective general surgical, urological, gynaecological, and orthopaedic procedures. The primary outcomes were patient-reported time in severe pain measured on a numerical analogue scale from 0 to 100% and patient-reported satisfaction with pain relief during the first week following discharge. Data were collected by in-hospital chart review and patient telephone interview 1 week after discharge.Results: The study recruited 4273 patients from 144 centres in 25 countries; 1311 patients (30.7%) were prescribed opioid analgesia at discharge. Patients reported being in severe pain for 10 (i.q.r. 1-30)% of the first week after discharge and rated satisfaction with analgesia as 90 (i.q.r. 80-100) of 100. After adjustment for confounders, opioid analgesia on discharge was independently associated with increased pain severity (risk ratio 1.52, 95% c.i. 1.31 to 1.76; P < 0.001) and re-presentation to healthcare providers owing to side-effects of medication (OR 2.38, 95% c.i. 1.36 to 4.17; P = 0.004), but not with satisfaction with analgesia (beta coefficient 0.92, 95% c.i. -1.52 to 3.36; P = 0.468) compared with opioid-free analgesia. Although opioid prescribing varied greatly between high-income and low- and middle-income countries, patient-reported outcomes did not.Conclusion: Opioid analgesia prescription on surgical discharge is associated with a higher risk of re-presentation owing to side-effects of medication and increased patient-reported pain, but not with changes in patient-reported satisfaction. Opioid-free discharge analgesia should be adopted routinely