Prevalence and detection of cytomegalovirus by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and simple ELISA in pregnant women

A total of 327 women were screened, amongst them, 7 (2.14%) were cytomegalovirus (CMV) DNA positive by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Antibodies against toxoplasma were also detected in 106 (32.41%) women, while 54 (16.51%) were anti CMV positive. Eleven (3.36%) and thirteen (3.97%) women were anti HSV and anti Rubella virus positive, respectively. High prevalence was recorded in age group 21 to 30 years which was 2.53% (4/158), followed by the age group <20 years which was 2.27% (1/44), then in age group 31 to 40 years, 2.25% (2/89) CMV DNA were detected by PCR and 0% was recorded in age group of above 40 years. The overall prevalence of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection in 16 to 45 year-old was 2.14% by PCR and the number of abortion noted was 0 to 5 times. Active infection of HCMV was observed in women with number of abortion. Force of infection was significantly higher among age group 21 to 30 and 31 to 40 years. PCR was a more sensitive, reliable and accurate method for the detection of HCMV infection in pregnant women during this study.Key words: Cytomegalovirus, PCR, human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) and ELIS

The use of Arabidopsis thaliana model system for testing oil palm promoter: case study on oil palm MT3-A promote

A previous study on transient expression of oil palm tissues has shown that the oil palm metallothionein-like type 3 (MT3-A) gene promoter is specifically expressed in the mesocarp and not in other tissues. This study was conducted to determine whether or not Arabidopsis can be used as a model system to study oil palm promoter. Functional characterisation of the oil palm MT3-A promoter was performed using promoter::GUS fusion analysis in transgenic Arabidopsis. The localisation of β-glucuronidase (GUS) expression in several different tissues of transgenic Arabidopsis homozygous lines driven by the oil palm MT3-A promoter was determined. Histochemical GUS analysis in transgenic Arabidopsis revealed the highest expression in the cotyledon and hypocotyls as well as at the early stage of plant development and gradually decreased as the plant grew. Lower expression was detected in organs of mature plant and no expression was observed in reproductive tissues. This observation may suggest that MT3-A promoter might be involved during early stage of plant development. Since we use Arabidopsis which is neither a fruit nor mesocarp plant to check mesocarp-specific promoter it might not give a faithful pattern of expression but it may be suited to study oil palm specific promoter derived from other tissues

Effect of Zn+2 doping on structural, dielectric and electrical properties of cobalt ferrite prepared by auto combustion method

Zinc doped cobalt ferrite nanoparticles having the basic composition Co1-xZnxFe2O4(x=0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5) were prepared using auto combustion method. The structural, dielectric and a.c conductivity of these samples, which are sintered at 900°C were studied. XRD patterns were recorded using X-ray diffractometer. XRD patterns confirm the nanocrystalline nature for the sintered samples. The peaks observed in the XRD spectrum indicated single phase spinel cubic structure for the samples. Surface morphology of the samples has been investigated using Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM). The dielectric constant (ε') and dielectric loss tangent (tan δ) of nanocrystalline cobalt ferrites were investigated as a function of frequency and Zn+2 concentration at room temperature over the frequency range 100 Hz to 1 MHz using Hioki make LCR Hi-Tester 3250. The dependence of ε' and tan δ with the frequency of the alternating applied electric field is in accordance with the Maxwell-Wagner type interfacial polarization. The electrical conductivity (σac) deduced from the measured dielectric data has been thoroughly analyzed and found that the conduction mechanism in the present Co1-xZnxFe2O4 nanoferrites are in conformity with the electron hopping model

Array Antennas for mmWave Applications: A Comprehensive Review

The demand for wide bandwidth has driven us to focus on the higher spectrum, the millimeter wave (mmWave) spectrum. The mmWave offers several advantages, such as wide bandwidth, low latency, and higher data rate, but the signal at these frequencies significantly suffers high atmospheric attenuation and path loss. To overcome these issues, array antennas are used as it provides high gain, better directivity, and bandwidth. This paper presents a detailed review of array antennas based on feeding methods and discusses reconfigurable arrays. The series-fed array results in a narrow bandwidth, high return losses, and low gain that can be resolved with tapered structures, coplanar waveguide (CPW), and SIW technique. Similarly, transmission losses, coupling losses, and high side lobe-levels in parallel-fed arrays can be addressed with multilayer structures, coplanar strips with CPW, pill-box transmission, ridge gap waveguide (RGWG), graphene material, and magnetoelectric dipoles. The merits of series and parallel feed methods are availed with the hybrid feed method. These feeding methods with arrays are extended to reconfigurable array along with active RF switch with stubs, continuous or discrete phase shifter, butler matrix, and/or graphene nanoplates. The parameter performance metrics of these arrays are summarized and concluded with the future scope

A Low-Profile Circularly Polarized Millimeter-Wave Broadband Antenna Analyzed with a Link Budget for IoT Applications in an Indoor Scenario

Broadband antennas with a low-profile generating circular polarization are always in demand for handheld/ portable devices as CP antennas counter multipath and misalignment issues. Therefore, a compact millimeter-wave antenna is proposed in this article. The proposed antenna structure comprises two circular rings and a circular patch at the center. This structure is further embedded with four equilateral triangles at a 90° orientation. The current entering the radiator is divided into left and right circular directions. The equilateral triangles provide the return path for current at the differential phase of ±90°, generating circular polarization. Structural development and analysis were initially performed through the characteristic mode theory. It showed that Modes 1 to 4 generated good impedance matching from 20 to 30 GHz and Modes 1 to 5, from 30 to 40 GHz. It also demonstrated the summation of orthogonal modes leading to circular polarization. The antenna-measured reflection coefficient |S11| > 10 dB was 19 GHz (23–42 GHz), and the axial ratio at −3 dB was 4.2 GHz (36–40.2 GHz). The antenna gain ranged from 4 to 6.2 dBi. The proposed antenna was tested for link margin estimation for IoT indoor conditions with line-of-sight (LOS) and non-line-of-sight (NLOS) conditions. The communication reliability with co- and cross-polarization was also studied under these conditions, and the results proved to be satisfactory