Experiments with flowing gases in an open photoacoustic cell

A simple gas-microphone photoacoustic cell is described in which there is no sizable loss of signal on opening the cell to the atmosphere or even under conditions of gas flow. Results obtained under different rates of flow of gases and chopping frequencies are reported. Except for carbon black, the photoacoustic signal is found to be independent of flow-rate for all the solid substances studied

Empirical Analysis on Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (KAP): Puberty and Menstrual Hygiene

Puberty and menstruation bring major physical and mental changes in a girl’s life; they mark the beginning of procreation. In many countries lackof knowledge and poor hygienic practices during menstruation lead to serious illness ranging from genital tract infections and urinary tract infections to bad odor. This study on Knowledge Attitude and Practice (KAP) aims to understand the awareness level of menstrual health and hygiene among adolescent girls, and the study also focuses on identifying the average age of attaining menarche among early adolescent girls and the problems associated with menstruation. To meet the above objective, a sample of 187 responses was collected by using questionnaires. The various statistical tools that have been used are Reliability Test, Correlation, Chi-square, and Linear Regression analysis. According to the study, most early adolescent girls attain menarche at an early age, and so it is necessary to educate school children about health and hygiene practices during menstruation. Mothers and teachers should educate adolescent girls about hygienic practices and remove the social stigma surrounding menstruation. This paper also covers the feminist view on menstruation which affects women, girls, and non-binary and transgender people across the world. It is an issue that intersects with race, class, culture, and religion and therefore has the power to engage us in a global effort towards equality

In situ photoacoustic spectroscopic studies on heterogeneous catalysts under conditions of gas flow

An all-glass open photoacoustic cell through which gases can be passed without affecting the signal has been described. The cell has been characterized for various chopping frequencies and temperatures. Several heterogeneous catalytic reactions have been studied under conditions of gas flow at elevated temperatures and the potential application of this method in the field of heterogeneous catalysis has been pointed out

2, 4-Diamino-6- hydroxy pyrimidine inhibits NSAIDs induced nitrosyl-complex EPR signals and ulcer in rat jejunum

BACKGROUND: It has been suggested that one aspect of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs induced intestinal damage is due to either uncoupling of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation or inhibition of electron transport. We investigated the latter possibility using electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. RESULTS: Electron paramagnetic studies of NSAIDS on sub-mitochondrial particles revealed that indomethacin, but not with nabumetone, bound to a site near to Complex I and ubiquinone to generate a radical species. Normal rats exhibited prominent [3Fe-4S]ox signals (g ~ 2.01) at 20 K. One hour after indomethacin there was a prominent, intense and broad absorption pattern at (g ~2.07) suggesting, appearance of radical species overlapping [3Fe-4S]ox and was unaffected by pretreatment with 2,4 diamino -6-hydroxy pyrimidine. At 24 hrs, when macroscopic ulcers were seen, there was a new signal due to a nitric oxide radical (NO•). In contrast, nabumetone and 2,4 diamino-6-hydroxy pyrimidine pre-treated animals receiving indomethacin exhibited electron paramagnetic resonance spectra identical to those of controls at 24 hrs and neither was associated with small intestinal ulcers. Indomethacin and 2,4 diamino hydroxy pyrimidine pre-treated rats, but not nabumetone, had increased intestinal permeability. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that the in vivo effects of indomethacin modulate the mitochondrial respiratory chain directly at 1 h and 24 h through formation of nitric oxide. NO• appears to play an important role in the late pathogenic stages of NSAID enteropathy and may be the site for targeted treatment to reduce their toxicity

Padina boergessenii ameliorates carbon tetrachloride induced nephrotoxicity in Wistar rats

AbstractThis research investigates the ameliorative effect of brown alga Padina boergessenii against CCl4-induced nephrotoxicity in rats. Twenty-four Wistar albino rats were divided into four groups as follows: control group (saline), CCl4 group, CCl4+P. boergessenii extract group and P. boergessenii extract alone group. At the end of the experimental period, the animals are sacrificed and tissue samples (kidney) were collected. CCl4 at a dose of 2mL/kg, administered subcutaneously, produced significantly decreased activities of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT). Histopathological examinations showed massive centrilobular necrosis and fat accumulation in CCl4-induced animals. In the protective test, especially in animals pretreated with P. boergessenii (150mg/kg) extract, there was a significant increase in antioxidant enzyme levels although there was no sign of abnormality in the kidney of rats pretreated with extract as evidenced by histopathological sections against CCl4-induced decrease of lipid peroxidation (TBARS). The ameliorative effect may be due to the presence of various bioactive compounds in alga. These results suggest that an extract of P. boergessenii is able to significantly alleviate the nephrotoxicity induced by CCl4 in Wistar rats

Soil and Plant Analysis - A Strategic Tool to Diagnose Micronutrient Imbalance in Lime and Sapota Orchard in Tablelands of Chambal Ravine Region of India

Micronutrient imbalance in lime and sapota fruit crops result in unstable fruit yield, fruit shedding and degrade quality of the produce. A study was therefore conducted to evaluate micronutrient statusoflime and sapota orchard by analysing soil and plant samples. Soil samples were collected from surface (0-15cm) and sub-surface (15-30cm) depth representing whole orchard. At the same time, plant samples including 35-40 each for leaves and petiole samples each from lime and sapota field was also collected. Available micronutrients from soil samples were extracted using diethylenetriaminepenta acetic acid (DTPA) and it was in the order of manganese (Mn)> iron (Fe)> zinc (Zn)> copper (Cu) in both lime and sapota plantations. DTPA- extractable Zn and Cu showed low status, marginal status of Fe and sufficient level of Mn in soils of sapota plantations. In plant analysis, high concentration of Cu (869 mg kg-1) and Zn (411mg kg-1) was observed in lime leaves; however, in sapota crop Cu and Zn content was 8.25mg kg-1 and 16.7mg kg- 1 respectively. Similarly, Fe and Mn content of lime leaves was 197 and 43 mg kg-1 which was slightly higher than sapota leaves that recorded 128 and 49mg kg-1 of Fe and Zn respectively. In sapota plants, higher Mn and Cu concentration in leaf resulted in Zn deficiency symptoms such as shortened internodes or rosette disorders of sapota plants. Thus, correcting micronutrient deficiency is pre-requisite for qualitative and quantitative fruit production in tablelands of India

Short-course chemotherapy for tuberculosis of the spine : A comparison between ambulant treatment and radical surgery - a ten year report.

We perfomed a randomised, controlled clinical trial to compare ambulant short-course chemotherapy with anterior spinal fusion plus short-course chemotherapy for spinal tuberculosis without paraplegia. Patients with active disease of vertebral bodies were randomly allocated to one of three regimens: a) radical anterior resection with bone grafting plus six months of daily isoniazid plus rifampicin (Rad6); b) ambulant chemotherapy for six months with daily isoniazid plus rifampicin (Amb6); or c) similar to b) but with chemotherapy for nine months (Amb9). Ten years from the onset of treatment, 90% of 78 Rad6, 94% of 78 Amb6 and 99% of 79 Amb9 patients had a favourable status. Ambulant chemotherapy for a period of six months with daily isoniazid plus rifampicin (Amb6) was an effective treatment for spinal tuberculosis except in patients aged less than 15 years with an initial angle of kyphosis of more than 30° whose kyphosis increased substantially

Prevalence, incidence and resolution of abscesses and sinuses in patients with tuberculosis of spine: A 5-year results of patients treated with short course chemotherapy with or without surgery in Madras

A controlled clinical study comparing 6 or 9 months of ambulatory chemotherapy alone with radical surgery plus 6 months of chemotherapy was undertaken in patients with spinal tuberculosis in Madras. The prevalence of sinuses and/or clinically evident abscesses was 49(19%) of 253 patients, with significantly higher proportion in patients with lumbar or lumbo-sacral lesions. The incidence of lesions appearing after the start of chemotherapy was 32 (16%) of 204 patients. By five years, all had resolved. The resolution of the lesions was significantly faster and the incidences significantly lower in the radical surgery group than in the two ambulatory series. Mediastinal abscesses were observed on radiographs in 66 (66%) of 100 patients with thoracic or thoraco-lumbar lesions. By five years, the lesions had disappeared in all except two patients and the disappearance was significantly faster in the radical surgery group than in the two ambulatory series. There was no recurrence of these lesions during a period of five years

Feasibility of utilising address card system for obtaining accurate address of patients under programme conditions

An addresscard, one on which patient's home address is asked to be recorded by a person knowing for sure the patient's address, was investigated for acceptability and efficiency, in two Government hospitals located in semiurban areas and six Primary Health Centres located in rural areas in North Arcot district. In all 394 address-cards were given to the patients from the eight centres, of which 374 were returned with the address filled in, showing an acceptability rate of 95%. In all, 373 Type A letters were then posted to these addresscard addresses in respect of which acknowledgment cards were received back from 306 (82%) patients. For 140 patients, the recorded addresses were found to be the same as on the addresscard and the treatment card: In the remaining 233, there was some difference between the two addresses. Type B letters were then posted to the 233 patients at their treatment card address. No definite information was available regarding the receipt of one or both types of letters in respect of 80 patients; so, an attempt was made to visit these patients in their homes to find out the fate of these letters. Of these, no information could be collected in 9 patients. Out of 224 patients for whom information regarding the receipt of letter was available, 143 (64%) patients received both letters and 16 (7%) received neither Type A nor Type B letter. Twenty one (9%) had probably or definitely not received the Type A letter, but had received the Type B letter. Forty four (20%) had definitely or probably not received the Type B letter, but had received the Type A letter