Comparison of propofol and thiopentone along with ketamine for paediatric MRI sedation

Background: Children are very much scared to undergo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain or any body part even along with their parents for about 15 to 25 minutes. We investigated the combination of Propofol Ketamine and Thiopentone Ketamine along with Glycopyrolate and Midazolam premedication to see safe and better sedation group for paediatric MRI.Methods: We investigated randomly 50 children of age three to five years prospectively. Children were pre-medicated with Glycopyrolate 0.01 mg/kg and Midazolam 0.05 mg/kg per body weight intravenously. Ketamine 1 mg/kg body weight was given just before shifting into the MRI machine. After body positioning either Propofol (PK group) or Thiopentone (TK group) 1 mg/kg body weight was given slowly. Children were monitored for electrocardiogram (ECG), arterial oxygen saturation (SpO2) and respiratory rate continuously. Oxygen supplementation was through the oxygen (O2) mask. Three parameters were studied 1) Repetition of drug 2) Respiratory distress during scan period and 3) Recovery time.Results: The pre-interventional characteristics including age, sex, weight, ASA grade, were comparable between two groups (p>0.050). Repetition in PK group was high compared to TK group (40% vs 8%; p=0.0081). Respiratory distress was comparable in both the groups (16% vs 24%; p=0.480) whereas recovery time was significantly shorter for PK group (4.62 ± 0.53 vs 9.86 vs 1.28; p<0.001).Conclusions: Thiopentone Ketamine combination results in lower repetition rate while Propofol Ketamine offers shorter recovery period. However, respiratory distress is almost similar

A Sierpinski Carpet Five Band Antenna for Wireless Applications

A compact Sierpinski Carpet square fractal multiband antenna operating at 3.9 (WiMAX) /6.6 (Satellite TV) /8.1/10.7/11.8 GHz (X-band) is presented. The proposed Microstrip Patch Antenna (MSPA) consists of a Sierpinski Carpet square fractal radiator in which square slots are etched out and a tapered microstrip feed line. The Sierpinski Carpet square fractal patch modifies the current resonant path thereby making the antenna to operate at five useful bands. Impedance matching at these bands are solely achieved by using Sierpinski square slot and tapered feedline, thus eliminating the need of any external matching circuit. The dimensions of the compact antenna is  and exhibits S11&lt;-10dB bandwidth of about 4.8% (4.01-3.82 GHz), 2.1% (6.62-6.48 GHz), 2.7% (8.24-8.02 GHz), 2.1% (10.77-10.54 GHz) and 21% (12.1-11.60 GHz) with the gain of 7.57/3.91/3.77/6.74/1.33 dB at the operating frequencies 3.9/6.6/8.1/10.7 and 11.8 GHz, respectively under simulation analysis carried out by using HFSS v.13.0

A Sierpinski Carpet Five Band Antenna for Wireless Applications

A compact Sierpinski Carpet square fractal multiband antenna operating at 3.9 (WiMAX) /6.6 (Satellite TV) /8.1/10.7/11.8 GHz (X-band) is presented. The proposed Microstrip Patch Antenna (MSPA) consists of a Sierpinski Carpet square fractal radiator in which square slots are etched out and a tapered microstrip feed line. The Sierpinski Carpet square fractal patch modifies the current resonant path thereby making the antenna to operate at five useful bands. Impedance matching at these bands are solely achieved by using Sierpinski square slot and tapered feedline, thus eliminating the need of any external matching circuit. The dimensions of the compact antenna is  and exhibits S11<-10dB bandwidth of about 4.8% (4.01-3.82 GHz), 2.1% (6.62-6.48 GHz), 2.7% (8.24-8.02 GHz), 2.1% (10.77-10.54 GHz) and 21% (12.1-11.60 GHz) with the gain of 7.57/3.91/3.77/6.74/1.33 dB at the operating frequencies 3.9/6.6/8.1/10.7 and 11.8 GHz, respectively under simulation analysis carried out by using HFSS v.13.0

Studies on heterotrophic bacteria and total coliforms in relation with environmental parameters of water in Gurupur Estuary, off Mangaluru, Karnataka, India

The physico-chemical and microbiological characteristics of water along Gurupur estuary Mangalore, Karnataka were studied for eight months from October 2014 to May 2015. Four stations selected in the estuary are near Kuluru Bridge (Station 1), the Konkan Seva samithi bridge where sewage discharge point is located (Station 2), the Sultan battery area which receives organic waste from few seafood processing industries (Station 3) and a confluence point of Netravati and Gurupur estuary near old port (Station 4). The minimum and maximum values of Total Heterotrophic Bacteria (CFU x 10 7 /mL) varied between 0.063 to 930, 0.39 to 440, 0.01 to 65 and 0.005 to 71 at Station 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively. Total Coliforms (MPN/100 mL) in water varied from 10 to 290, 9 to >1100, 10 to 460 and 10 to >1100 respectively at Station 1, 2, 3 and 4. The Faecal Coliforms in water (MPN/100 mL) ranged from 3 to 290, 4 to >1100, 3 to 240 and 10 to >1100 at Stations 1, 2, 3 and 4. Seasonally, THB, TC and FC counts were reduced from post-monsoon (October) to pre-monsoon (May) in all the stations. Both THB and TC exhibited positive significant correlation with dissolved oxygen. However, both THB and TC showed a negative correlation with pH, salinity and water temperature. The study on heterotrophic bacteria and total coliforms provides baseline information for decision makers and resource planners and would be a useful tool for further ecological monitoring and assessment of this estuary

Morphometry, length-weight relationship and relative condition factor of red-toothed trigger fish, Odonus niger

Aim: The study aimed to investigate the morphometric and meristic measurements, length-weight relationship and relative condition factor of Odonus niger landed along coastal Karnataka. Methodology: The morphometric and meristic measurements, length-weight relationship and relative condition factor (Kn) of O. niger was studied for a period of eight months from August 2019 to March 2020. The different morphometric characters were subjected to statistical analysis. The length-weight relationship was analyzed for both the sexes (female and male) and combined data. Monthly relative condition factor was analyzed for both the sexes and for different size group. Results: A comparison of different morphometric measurements exhibited good extent of correlation indicating good extent of interdependence of these characters. Four out of eight morphometric characters are environmentally controlled and suggested wide range of zoogeographical distribution of O. niger. The length-weight relationship is indicated as W = 0.046 L2.565, W = 0.044 L2.589 and W = 0.047 L2.561 with coefficient of determination (r2) of 0.910, 0.913 and 0.910 for male, female and combined sexes, respectively. The 'b' values of both the sexes (male and female) exhibited negative allometric growth (p<0.05) and appeared to be leaner. There was no significant (p<0.05) variation for relative condition factor (Kn) among the months and size groups. However, little higher values were observed during November and February. Interpretation: The study fills the knowledge gap and support for developing a suitable management system for this fish species

Competition between normal and intruder states inside the "Island of Inversion"

The beta decay of the exotic 30Ne (N=20) is reported. For the first time, the low-energy level structure of the N=19, 30Na (Tz = 4), is obtained from beta-delayed gamma spectroscopy using fragment-beta-gamma-gamma coincidences. The level structure clearly displays "inversion", i.e., intruder states with mainly 2p2h configurations displacing the normal states to higher excitation energies. The good agreement in excitation energies and the weak and electromagnetic decay patterns with Monte Carlo Shell Model calculations with the SDPF-M interaction in the sdpf valence space illustrates the small d3/2 - f7/2 shell gap. The relative position of the "normal dominant" and "intruder dominant" excited states provides valuable information to understand better the N=20 shell gap.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure

Is there a need to review the syndromic case management of vaginal discharge due to candida in the Indian scenario?

Background: Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) affects approximately 75% of women once in lifetime. National AIDS Control Organization has recommended Kit-2/Green (tablet secnidazole 2 gm OD stat and capsule fluconazole 150 mg OD stat) for syndromic case management (SCM) of patients with vaginal discharge since 2007. Patients are frequently revisiting the STI centre with recurrent VVC. The purpose of the study was to determine the effectiveness of fluconazole and other azoles in vulvovaginitis. Methods: Vaginal swabs from 188 patients attending regional STI centre, at Government Medical College, Nagpur between October 2020 to June 2022 were processed. A total of 128 conventionally confirmed isolates of Candida species were tested on RPMI 1640 medium for susceptibility to azoles by E test. An MIC of ≥8 μg/ml for fluconazole and ≥1 μg/ml for itraconazole, ketoconazole and voriconazole was interpreted as resistance as per CLSI M-60. Results: Candida species isolated were Candida albicans, C. glabrata, C. tropicalis, C. parapsilosis, C. dubliniensis and C. krusei. Candida species resistant to fluconazole, itraconazole, ketoconazole and voriconazole were 22 (17.18%), 53 (41.40%), 19 (14.84%), and 3 (2.34%) respectively. C. glabrata was most resistant while C. parapsilosis was least resistant. Voriconazole was most effective. Conclusions: Extensive use of fluconazole in syndromic case management of vaginal discharge could be the probable reason for 17.18% resistance to fluconazole. Withdrawal of fluconazole and replacement with another antifungal azole in SCM of vaginal discharge may prevent recurrent VVC and perhaps lead to emergence of fluconazole sensitive candida