Effect of Conventional and Microwave Tissue Processing Technique on DNA Integrity: A Comparative Molecular Analysis

BACKGROUND: Methods of diagnostic molecular biology are routinely applied on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues processed via conventional method. Recently, there has been a growing interest to use microwave technology in histopathology laboratories to overcome the deficiencies of the conventional processing method. Thefore, this study was aimed to compare and analyze the quality and quantity of DNA obtained from tissues processed by conventional and microwave tissue processing techniques and to further ascertain the applicability of the latter for PCR (polymerase chain reaction based research).METHODS: Thirty fresh tissues of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) were included, and each sample was cut into two equivalent halves. One tissue half was processed by conventional manual method whereas the other half was processed using a domestic microwave oven. DNA was obtained from all the tissues which were then subjected to Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to evaluate GAPDH (Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase) gene expression.RESULTS: The results revealed better DNA yield from microwave processed tissue while the quality of the DNA was alike from both the techniques.CONCLUSION: On the basis of the results obtained, it can be concluded that DNA produced by microwave processed tissues was similar to that obtained by conventional processing technique in terms of quantity and quality. Thus, microwave processed tissue samples can be successfully used for further molecular studies and researches

130 nm low power CMOS analog multiplier

Processing analog signal often involves analog multiplier and the multiplier is part of system on chip (SoC). Designing such system with a low power consumption is crucial nowadays. It is very important to increase the system battery lifetime. The design also must be smaller in size. In order to reduce the power consumption of the multiplier, an architecture that require smaller current must be designed and the approach is to use a design that is able to function at a low voltage supply. This project has designed the analog multiplier with a low power consumption using Silterra 130 nm Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) technology. A four quadrant technique is applied in the design. The scaling of transistor will help in reducing the size of the analog multiplier, and the proposed circuit architecture has produced a compact multiplier. Cadence electronic design automation (EDA) Tools is used to design the circuit. The schematic, layout, physical verification and parasitic extraction with post layout simulation are done to verify the multiplier circuit is functioning. The analog multiplier is operated with 1.2 V voltage supply and the power consumption is 98 μW. At 1 V, the power consumption is 32 μW. The total area for the design is 99 μm²

Intraperitoneal drain placement and outcomes after elective colorectal surgery: international matched, prospective, cohort study

Despite current guidelines, intraperitoneal drain placement after elective colorectal surgery remains widespread. Drains were not associated with earlier detection of intraperitoneal collections, but were associated with prolonged hospital stay and increased risk of surgical-site infections.Background Many surgeons routinely place intraperitoneal drains after elective colorectal surgery. However, enhanced recovery after surgery guidelines recommend against their routine use owing to a lack of clear clinical benefit. This study aimed to describe international variation in intraperitoneal drain placement and the safety of this practice. Methods COMPASS (COMPlicAted intra-abdominal collectionS after colorectal Surgery) was a prospective, international, cohort study which enrolled consecutive adults undergoing elective colorectal surgery (February to March 2020). The primary outcome was the rate of intraperitoneal drain placement. Secondary outcomes included: rate and time to diagnosis of postoperative intraperitoneal collections; rate of surgical site infections (SSIs); time to discharge; and 30-day major postoperative complications (Clavien-Dindo grade at least III). After propensity score matching, multivariable logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards regression were used to estimate the independent association of the secondary outcomes with drain placement. Results Overall, 1805 patients from 22 countries were included (798 women, 44.2 per cent; median age 67.0 years). The drain insertion rate was 51.9 per cent (937 patients). After matching, drains were not associated with reduced rates (odds ratio (OR) 1.33, 95 per cent c.i. 0.79 to 2.23; P = 0.287) or earlier detection (hazard ratio (HR) 0.87, 0.33 to 2.31; P = 0.780) of collections. Although not associated with worse major postoperative complications (OR 1.09, 0.68 to 1.75; P = 0.709), drains were associated with delayed hospital discharge (HR 0.58, 0.52 to 0.66; P < 0.001) and an increased risk of SSIs (OR 2.47, 1.50 to 4.05; P < 0.001). Conclusion Intraperitoneal drain placement after elective colorectal surgery is not associated with earlier detection of postoperative collections, but prolongs hospital stay and increases SSI risk

Prospective, multicentre study of screening, investigation and management of hyponatraemia after subarachnoid haemorrhage in the UK and Ireland

Background: Hyponatraemia often occurs after subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH). However, its clinical significance and optimal management are uncertain. We audited the screening, investigation and management of hyponatraemia after SAH. Methods: We prospectively identified consecutive patients with spontaneous SAH admitted to neurosurgical units in the United Kingdom or Ireland. We reviewed medical records daily from admission to discharge, 21 days or death and extracted all measurements of serum sodium to identify hyponatraemia (<135 mmol/L). Main outcomes were death/dependency at discharge or 21 days and admission duration >10 days. Associations of hyponatraemia with outcome were assessed using logistic regression with adjustment for predictors of outcome after SAH and admission duration. We assessed hyponatraemia-free survival using multivariable Cox regression. Results: 175/407 (43%) patients admitted to 24 neurosurgical units developed hyponatraemia. 5976 serum sodium measurements were made. Serum osmolality, urine osmolality and urine sodium were measured in 30/166 (18%) hyponatraemic patients with complete data. The most frequently target daily fluid intake was >3 L and this did not differ during hyponatraemic or non-hyponatraemic episodes. 26% (n/N=42/164) patients with hyponatraemia received sodium supplementation. 133 (35%) patients were dead or dependent within the study period and 240 (68%) patients had hospital admission for over 10 days. In the multivariable analyses, hyponatraemia was associated with less dependency (adjusted OR (aOR)=0.35 (95% CI 0.17 to 0.69)) but longer admissions (aOR=3.2 (1.8 to 5.7)). World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies grade I–III, modified Fisher 2–4 and posterior circulation aneurysms were associated with greater hazards of hyponatraemia. Conclusions: In this comprehensive multicentre prospective-adjusted analysis of patients with SAH, hyponatraemia was investigated inconsistently and, for most patients, was not associated with changes in management or clinical outcome. This work establishes a basis for the development of evidence-based SAH-specific guidance for targeted screening, investigation and management of high-risk patients to minimise the impact of hyponatraemia on admission duration and to improve consistency of patient care

PHOTOCATALYTIC HYDROGEN GENERATION BY ETHANOL ASSISTED WATER SPLITTING REACTION USING MIXED OXIDE OF Ba AND Mn

Visible light active BaMnOx type photocatalyst was synthesized by using sol-gel method. The photocatalyst was characterized by X- ray diffraction, BET-SA, and UV-visible diffused reflectance spectroscopy (UV-DRS). BaMnOx photocatalyst exhibited an optical band gap of 2.9 eV with the absorption predominantly in visible region of the light spectrum. The crystallite size of BaMnOx is 24.63 nm as calculated by the Debye Scherer equation. The BET surface area value for BaMnOx photocatalyst was found to be 16.2 m2/g. The photocatalytic hydrogen generation was carried out by using Pt as co-catalyst and ethanol as a sacrificial donor. Hydrogen generation was investigated by ethanol assisted water splitting reaction under visible light irradiation, using a compact glass reactor and tungsten lamp as a source of visible light. The rate of photocatalytic hydrogen evolution was observed to be 7463 μmol.g-1.h-1 of Pt-BaMnOx photocatalyst

Knowledge, attitude and practice regarding handling of extracted human teeth among students of a dental college in Bhopal

Introduction: Extracted human teeth have been used commonly in dental institutions to train students acquire the skills to perform on live patients. No disinfectant mentioned in the literature as 100% effective is completely safe. Although there are studies on the effectiveness of disinfectants, assessment of knowledge, attitude and practice regarding the handling of extracted teeth among dental students are rare. Aims: The aim was to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice regarding handling of extracted teeth among the students of a dental college in Bhopal. Materials and Methods: A self-designed, close-ended questionnaire containing 16 questions was distributed to 500 students including the undergraduates and postgraduate students of a dental college in Bhopal. The questionnaire comprised 5 questions on knowledge, 5 on attitude and 6 on the practice towards handling of extracted human teeth. The responses were coded and entered in Microsoft excel and analyzed using SPSS 14. Mann-Whitney U-test was used to compare the mean knowledge, attitude and practice scores across genders. Statistical significance of mean knowledge, attitude and practice scores across year of study was assessed using Kruskal-Wallis test. Results: Of the 500 questionnaires distributed, 412 were returned with a response rate of 82.4%. The total mean knowledge, attitude and practice scores were 1.25 ± 1.12, 5.00 ± 1.12 and 4.89 ± 0.96 respectively. Comparison of mean knowledge, attitude and practice scores between genders was not significant. The difference in mean attitude and practice scores across year of study were statistically significant. Conclusions: Instructions regarding handling of extracted teeth need to be given to students when they enter the BDS curriculum. It′s always safe to follow the guidelines issued by the Center for Disease Control while handling extracted teeth