Manufacturing and characterization of high-aspect-ratio diffusive micro-mixers

In the Ligase Detection Reaction (LDR) technique different chemical reagents of varying concentration are mixed with the by-products of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the detection of low abundant cancer diagnostic markers [1]. An effective micro-mixer which is cheap, durable over a relatively broad range of flows with easy manufacturing is required in this process. This work is aimed at manufacturing mixers according to the required specifications with metrology at every manufacturing process to estimate the limits and tolerances during manufacturing and analyzing their efficiency both numerically and experimentally. An optimum mixer design developed earlier by Maha et.al [2] is used for this study. Additional numerical simulations are performed using Fluent on this mixer design for varying flow ratios in mixing streams. Micro milled mold insert is used to fabricate micro-mixers using the hot embossing process. These hot-embossed polymer based mixers are used in a micro-fluidic module that was designed and developed to carry out the LDR [1]. Micro channels with an aspect ratio of 12 are achieved which are further used for mixing experiments involving a Rhodamine B fluorescent dye solution and deionized water. An inverted epi-flourescent microscope setup with a continuous flow mercury lamp is used to observe the fluorescence signal

CONSTRAINTS FACED BY FARMERS IN ADOPTION OF CLIMATE RESILIENT TECHNOLOGIES

National Innovations on Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) project was launched by ICAR in 2011 to develop climate-resilient agriculture technologies through strategic research. It demonstrates and reinforced to accept better practices and wide-ranging technologies for mitigating climate risk to make farming as a profitable business. The current study was carried out in the Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh, India. The sample consists of 60 farmers as beneficiaries from NICRA villages and 60 farmers as nonbeneficiaries from non-NICRA villages were selected randomly. The ex-post facto research design was used in the study. The constraints faced by the farmers for adoption of climate resilient technologies were lack of sufficient rainfall, lack of owned resources, lack of short duration and drought tolerant crop varieties, lack of knowledge about climate resilient practices, and inadequate financial support. The key suggestions given to the respondents for implementation of climate resilient technologies are the provision of technical guidance and information should be delivered on regular basis, training programs should be conducted about climate resilient practices, financial assistance should be rendered for water and soil conservation and need based technology demonstrations should be given

Estimate of CRP and TNF-alpha level before and after periodontal therapy in cardiovascular disease patients

Introduction: Epidemiological studies show that individuals with periodontitis have a radically amplified threat to develop cardiovascular disease. CRP& TNF-α, are acute phase proteins monitored as a marker of inflammatory status, which have been identified as a major risk factor for atherosclerotic complications. Elevated CRP & TNF-α level in periodontitis patients have been reported by several groups. The present study was performed to determine whether presence of periodontitis and periodontal therapy could influence the serum levels of CRP & TNF-α in cardiovascular disease patients. Methods: Forty cardiovascular disease subjects participated in the study. They were classified into two groups. Group A (Control) where no periodontal treatment was given, Group B (Test) where periodontal treatment (scaling & root planing) was performed. Periodontal clinical parameters like OHI-S, probing pocket depth, were evaluated together with serum CRP, TNF-α, at baseline and reassessed after 8 weeks for all the subjects in both the groups. Results: The CRP & TNF-α levels in both the groups decreased but the decrease in the Group A was minimal and was not statistically significant (P>0.05); whereas in Group B where periodontal therapy was performed, there was statistically significant decrease. Conclusion: It can be concluded from the study that there can be a possible causal relationship between pathogenesis of periodontal disease and CVD as inferred from the statistical significant outcome in the form of decreased inflammatory biomarkers after the periodontal treatment.Key words: CVD, CRP, TNF-alpha, lipopolysaccharide, periodontiti

Satellite-based positioning enhanced by quantum synchronization

This study focuses on the innovative field of quantum synchronization for satellite-based navigation systems including Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSSs) and the Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) component of future 6G networks integrating both communication and navigation services. By combining a four-qubit system with the theoretical approach of the Lindblad master equation, we transcend the inherent limits of standard synchronization techniques. This achievement represents a quantum leap in satellite-based positioning, highlighting the scalability and cost-effectiveness of our technique for smaller satellites. The study demonstrates the possibility of reducing synchronization errors to less than one meter, significantly improving the reliability and precision of satellite-based navigation systems. The results of this study may contribute to the future development of both user-centric localization systems (typically GNSS systems) and network-centric localization systems (typically through the NTN component of 6G networks), leading to better positioning performance, more flexible multi-functional systems with the potential to limit both cost and size of satellites

A case of primary varicella meningoencephalitis in the absence of cutaneous lesions in a 4-month-old infant

Primary varicella infection has typical cutaneous lesions which aid in clinical diagnosis. Infants with transplacental transfer of varicella antibody can have varied cutaneous lesions. We report a 4-month-old infant with primary varicella meningoencephalitis without cutaneous lesions whose mother had no history of varicella during antenatal or post-natal period. Diagnosis was made possible by CSF DNA PCR. Infants with encephalitis pose diagnostic challenge to clinicians in resource limited settings. Varicella encephalitis is one such aetiology for which definitive therapy with Acyclovir is available. CSF PCR is the definitive and cost-effective test for the diagnosis varicella encephalitis. In children with meningoencephalitis it is prudent to add Acyclovir empirically pending CSF viral PCR results. </jats:p

Cardiovascular interactions of ethanol and cocaine with diaspirin crosslinked hemoglobin (DCLHb).

Cardiovascular interactions of ethanol and cocaine with diaspirin crosslinked hemoglobin (DCLHb)

Clinical and Radiographic comparative evaluation of buccal and palatal corticotomy with buccal corticotomy in periodontally accelerated osteogenic orthodontics with surgical bur

Background: Periodontally accelerated osteogenic orthodontics is a clinical procedure that combines selective corticotomy, particulate grafting, and application of orthodontics. It reduces treatment time, increases stability of teeth, and prevents relapse of orthodontic tooth moment. The present study was aimed to explore the clinical and radiographic comparison of bone density changes, retraction time differences in buccal and palatal corticotomy with buccal corticotomy which was done by surgical bur. Materials and Methods: A split-mouth was designed in 16 patients and divided into right (buccal and palatal corticotomy) (Group I), left (buccal corticotomy) (Group II) sides. In both groups, decortication was done with surgical bur. Clinical parameters such as gingival bleeding index and probing pocket depth were recorded at baseline, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months. Bone density changes were measured by computed tomography at baseline and after 6 months after surgery and also used for evaluating differences in bone density changes between two groups. Retraction time differences were also measured in both groups. Results: In both groups, there was significant difference between bone density changes at baseline and 6 months after surgery. However, the difference between two groups was not significant. The difference in clinical parameters between two groups was not significant. The difference in retraction time differences was not significant. Conclusion: Within limits of the study, it may be concluded that there was difference between bone density changes before and 6 months after surgery. Difference in total treatment time found to be no significant between two groups

Compensation of temperature effects for in-situ soil moisture measurement by DPHP sensors

Dual probe heat pulse (DPHP) sensors are economical solutions for soil moisture measurements. However, in agriculture fields the temperature significantly changes from time to time during 24 h, which affects response of the soil moisture sensor. This paper, analyzes and models the error produced in the response of the DPHP sensors due to variation of the soil temperature. For this purpose, first effect of the soil temperature on the response of the sensor is studied using eight different soil samples. Accordingly, the existing soil moisture model, used for DPHP devices, is modified and used for the temperature compensation. A low power DPHP sensor comprising one heater probe and one temperature sensor probe, placed 0.003 m apart, is fabricated. A low power, automated system, dissipating average power of 30 mW, is also developed for the field measurements to validate the proposed model. The developed system is deployed in the field and soil moisture is measured for 38 h at every 1 h interval. Field measurements indicates that volumetric moisture content measured without temperature compensation leads to error of about 3% and with temperature compensation the error is reduced to 0.5%. (C) 2017 Elsevier,B.V. All rights reserved