Enhanced photocatalytic degradation of diethyl phthalate using Zn doped rutile TiO2

A simple, room temperature sol gel synthesis approach has been made to obtain undoped and Zn doped TiO2 samples using titanium tetraisopropoxide and zinc acetate as precursors. The synthesized samples are predominantly in rutile phase which are rarely reported at the calcination temperature of 450 °C. The samples are characterized using X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), UV-Vis diffuse reflectance (DRS), thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA) and Raman spectroscopy. The as prepared samples have been used for the photocatalytic degradation of diethyl phthalate. Phthalate esters are one of the persistent organic pollutants found in the environment. Diethyl phthalate has been taken as a model pollutant. Zn doped TiO2 sample shows better photocatalytic activity as compared to undoped TiO2. The kinetic studies reveal that the photocatalytic degradation reaction follows a pseudo first order equation. The diethyl phthalate is almost completely degraded in about 200 min using 0.2 mol % Zn doped rutile TiO2

The effect of amlodipine on blood glucose level and its interaction with oral hypoglycemic drugs in albino rabbits

Background:  Amlodipine used as many cardiac conditions esp in hypertension. Diabetes affects cardiovascular system adversely. So this study was done to see effect of amlodipine on blood glucose level and its interaction with commonly used oral hypoglycemic agents in diabetic & non diabetic albino rabbits. Methods: Rabbits were divided into nine groups of 6 rabbits in each group. I and II group were non-diabetic given normal saline and amlodipine respectively. Group III to IX were made diabetic by using alloxan monohydrate (150mg/kg i.p.) & given normal saline, glimepiride, metformin, pioglitazone, amlodipine + glimepiride, amlodipine + metformin and amlodipine + pioglitazone respectively. All drugs were given orally once daily for 7 day except group VII, VIII and IX in which glimepiride, metformin and pioglitazone were added on 7th day. After GTT blood glucose level were measured at 0, 1, 2 and 6 hours on 7th day in all groups by using spectrophotometer. Results: After 7 days of treatment the amlodipine produced significant hyperglycemia in normal rabbits. Amlodipine on combination, causes significant decreased in hypoglycemic effect of glimepiride, significant increased the hypoglycemic effect of metformin, while no significant changes in hypoglycemic effects of pioglitazone in diabetic rabbits. Conclusion: The present study shows that amlodipine causes hyperglycemia in normal rabbits. Amlodipine significantly altered hypoglycemic effect of glimepiride and metformin as compared to control group. If these finding are true to human beings then amlodipine should be use cautiously in diabetic patient on oral hypoglycemic drugs

Interventional study to find out effect of human chorionic gonadotropin and antioxidants on idiopathic male infertility

Background: Male contributes about 50% for cases with combined male and female infertility. When the cause is not known, it is term as idiopathic infertility. It affects 25% of men. Many advances have been made in reproductive medicine which provides great opportunities, couples which were considered untreatable now have got chance to have their own babies. Various ART procedures like ICSI have been proven as an efficient therapy in severe male factor infertility. However, the cost per cycle and complications such as multiple gestations cannot be ignored. Medical management of infertility can be specific or empirical depending on etiology. Specific medical management is use when certain etiology is identified. However, in absence of specific etiology use of empirical medical treatment can be attempted in order to improve treatment results. In this study our aim is to evaluate the effect of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and antioxidants on semen parameters in men with idiopathic male infertility.Methods: Thirty men with abnormal semen parameters were included in study. Patients were treated with injection hCG-2000 IU three times a week for three months along with the antioxidants. After 3 months of treatment repeat semen analysis were performed and results were compared with pre-treated seminal parameters.Results: Results showed significant increase in sperm count (p value ≤ 0.001), total motility (p value=<0.001), and progressive forward motility (p value = <0.001), while no significant difference is seen in rest of the parameters.Conclusions: Use of hCG and antioxidants in idiopathic male infertility can significantly improve seminal parameters in idiopathic male infertility

Mitigating the source-side channel vulnerability by characterization of photon statistics

Quantum key distribution (QKD) theoretically offers unconditional security. Unfortunately, the gap between theory and practice threatens side-channel attacks on practical QKD systems. Many well-known QKD protocols use weak coherent laser pulses to encode the quantum information. These sources differ from ideal single photon sources and follow Poisson statistics. Many protocols, such as decoy state and coincidence detection protocols, rely on monitoring the photon statistics to detect any information leakage. The accurate measurement and characterization of photon statistics enable the detection of adversarial attacks and the estimation of secure key rates, strengthening the overall security of the QKD system. We have rigorously characterized our source to estimate the mean photon number employing multiple detectors for comparison against measurements made with a single detector. Furthermore, we have also studied intensity fluctuations to help identify and mitigate any potential information leakage due to state preparation flaws. We aim to bridge the gap between theory and practice to achieve information-theoretic security.Comment: Comments and suggestions are welcome

Self-energy corrections in an antiferromagnet -- interplay of classical and quantum effects on quasiparticle dispersion

Self-energy corrections due to fermion-magnon interaction are studied in the antiferromagnetic state of the $t-t'-t''$ Hubbard model within the rainbow (noncrossing) approximation in the full $U$ range from weak to strong coupling. The role of classical (mean-field) features of fermion and magnon dispersion, associated with finite $U,t',t''$, are examined on quantum corrections to quasiparticle energy, weight, one-particle density of states etc. A finite-$U$ induced classical dispersion term, absent in the $t-J$ model, is found to play an important role in suppressing the quasiparticle weight for states near ${\bf k}=(0,0)$, as seen in cuprates. For intermediate $U$, the renormalized AF band gap is found to be nearly half of the classical value, and the weak coupling limit is quite non-trivial due to strongly suppressed magnon amplitude. For finite $t'$, the renormalized AF band gap is shown to vanish at a critical interaction strength $U_c$, yielding a spin fluctuation driven first-order AF insulator - PM metal transition. Quasiparticle dispersion evaluated with the same set of Hubbard model cuprate parameters, as obtained from a recent magnon spectrum fit, provides excellent agreement with ARPES data for $\rm Sr_2 Cu O_2 Cl_2$.Comment: 11 pages, 17 figure

Successful pregnancy outcome in a case of Swyer Syndrome with hypertension and morbid obesity

To report a case of Swyer syndrome with hypertension and morbid obesity with successful pregnancy and live birth after assisted reproductive technology. 27 year old morbidly obese female with essential hypertension who had been on HRT for 10 years with well-developed secondary sexual characters with primary infertility. After adequate development of the uterus and the endometrial preparation, Patients with Swyer syndrome conceive with oocyte donation and ICSI. Caesarean section rate is high due to multiple pregnancies and other obstetric complications. Early detection of these cases would help in timely development of their secondary sexual characters and restoration of menses and gonadectomy for prevention of malignancy as its propensity is high. Multidisciplinary approach is required including counseling and management of long term health problems. Pregnancy is feasible but caesarean rate is high

Knowing a cross-talk between embryo and endometrium can help to achieve successful pregnancy outcome in recurrent implantation failure

Recurrent implantation failure is most distressing condition to both couple as well as doctor in the field of reproductive medicine. Patients have already undergone various ART treatments with no favourable outcome and are drained emotionally as well as economically. To overcome this obstacle a comprehensive approach is needed. In this case report, we are addressing a couple who came to us with primary infertility of 15 yrs, with recurrent IVF failures (four cycles of IUI, seven cycles of ICSI both fresh and frozen and with ovum donation in last two cycle), with poor ovarian reserve and male factor infertility for surrogacy as a last option. After complete evaluation of couple, recurrent Implantation failure is thought to be due to poor endometrium and bad embryo quality, and we counselled couple to go for ovum donation and ICSI before considering surrogacy. To improve endometrial receptivity we performed local endometrial injury, oral estradiol therapy, intrauterine G-CSF instillation and IVIG etc. Simultaneously for better quality of embryo we decided to choose ovum donation due to poor ovarian reserve and advance age of the patient and ICSI was done with husband sperm after treatment of male factor infertility and ET was performed. Patient conceived in first cycle with single live intrauterine pregnancy, her antenatal course was uneventful and delivered a healthy baby at term without any complication

Eustachian tube dysfunction in OSMF- often present seldom discovered

Objectives: To evaluate the effect of OSMF on the eustachian tube function and to correlate it with various grades of the disease. Study Design: Twenty OSMF patients (40 ears) and 20 healthy controls (40 ears) were evaluated for eustachian tube function by eustachian tube function test, tympanometry and audiometry. Results: The audiometric and tympanometric analysis showed no significant differences in hearing abilities of OSMF patients and controls and between various grades of OSMF, indicating no hearing impairment. However, eustachian tube function test revealed a statistically significant difference in eustachian tube function in OSMF patients and controls. Further, there was a significant increase in severity of dysfunction with increase in severity of disease. Conclusions: From the present study it is evident that the subjective function of Eustachian tube may be affected by disease process. But, probably the amount of deviation found in function of the eustachian tube is non contributing to cause a conductive hearing loss

Fresh versus frozen embryo transfer: a retrospective cohort study

Background: Elective frozen embryo transfer (FET), has recently increased significantly with improvements in cryopreservation techniques. Observational studies and randomized controlled trials suggested that the endometrium in stimulated cycles is not optimally prepared for implantation; risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome reduced and pregnancy rates increased following FET and perinatal outcomes are less affected after FET. However, the evidence is not unequivocal and recent randomised control trials challenge the use of elective FET for the general IVF population. Pregnancy rates were analysed in a cohort of patients undergoing embryo transfers.Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of patients who underwent embryo transfers from April 2018 to March 2019 at study centre in Surat.175 cycles of embryo transfers (119 fresh and 56 frozen) were included in the study. Outcomes measured were positive pregnancy, clinical pregnancy and ongoing clinical pregnancy rates achieved in the IVF-ET cycles.Results: There were no statistically significant differences between positive pregnancy rate (54.6% versus 60.7%, Odds ratio (OR) 0.78; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 0.41-1.49), clinical pregnancy rate (48.73% versus 57.14%, OR 0.52; 95% CI 0.1- 2.64) and ongoing clinical pregnancy rate  (45.38% versus 51.78% OR 1.4; 95% CI 0.29 - 6.67) in fresh ET and FET cycles, respectively, p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant for all measures.Conclusions: Despite the observed higher rates of positive biochemical, clinical and ongoing clinical pregnancy per transfer in the FET cohort, these did not reach statistical significance. Thus, both transfer strategies are reasonable options, although there is a trend favouring the freeze-all strategy