Design, Development and Implementation Framework for a Postgraduate Non-Surgical Aesthetics Curriculum

Non-surgical aesthetics (NSA) procedures are primarily performed in private clinics away from traditional teaching hospital settings, establishing structured training and education in these procedures during residency training has been challenging. The objective of this study was to design and develop an evidence-based postgraduate curriculum in non-surgical aesthetics. It necessitated determining the current state of training and education for NSA procedures in postgraduate clinical education. Following a design-based research approach, a subsequent systematic literature review and a cross-sectional global-needs assessment study established the need for such a curriculum. Subsequent literature reviews and series of global Delphi studies have informed and guided the design and development of the conceptual framework, core curriculum content and finally, the implementation framework to facilitate the smooth delivery of the programme. The research also incorporated pilot studies for teaching methodology, assessment strategies like “objective structured practical examination (OSPE) and objective structured clinical examination (OSCE)”, which has shown to be very effective. The conceptual framework for curriculum design and development in NSA emerged from the global Delphi study. The conceptual framework is anchored on critical thinking and uses enquiry-based learning to develop information mastery, skills, and values and attitude. Moreover, relevant threshold concepts guided the construction of learning outcomes mapped against the core curriculum. The finding of this study is a crucial first step in bringing an evidence-based structure to training and education in NSA. This thesis will act as a ‘blueprint’ for the policymakers and program directors while curating a postgraduate programme in NSA

Valorization of Secondary Agriculture Residues

Secondary agriculture residues have the potential to be major contributors as resources for energy and sustainably sourced materials production. Separating secondary agricultural residues, which have already been transported to processing centers, into individual biomass components could convert these wastes into bioproducts. Many types of pretreatments to achieve this separation involve chemicals that are hazardous for the environment. Several deep eutectic solvents (DES) that are biocompatible have been investigated for their ability to deconstruct rice hulls and sugarcane bagasse. Mass yield, enzymatic hydrolysis of the pretreated biomass, fiber analysis, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy have confirmed that the DES formic acid:choline chloride, lactic acid:choline chloride, and acetic acid:choline chloride are effective in removing lignin, thus concentrating cellulose in the pretreated biomass. Addition of water precipitated lignin from the spent DES, as confirmed by the above analyses. However, the DES lactic acid:betaine and lactic acid:proline had little effect on rice hulls or sugarcane bagasse. Formic acid:choline chloride was the most effective of the DES tested in preparing the biomass for enzymatic saccharification. Rice hulls, a widely-available secondary agricultural residue, was pretreated with formic acid and choline chloride in a 2:1 mole ratio (FA:CC) using conductive heating and microwave heating. Enzymatic hydrolysis data indicated that pretreated biomass using either heating technique gave higher glucose yield compared to raw rice hulls. FTIR analysis showed similar findings for both heating techniques. For biomass pretreatment using DES, microwave heating required less than half of the energy compared to conductive heating. Conductive heating required a higher residence time for the biomass in the pretreatment process. Thus, this work shows the potential benefits of a microwave heating technique for deconstruction of biomass using DESs. Using waste agriculture and power plant byproducts to replace materials that are energy-intensive to produce can make these materials more green. Improved compressive strength can be obtained when rice husk ash (RHA) partially replaces ordinary Portland cement, a substance potentially hazardous and energy-intensive to make. When RHA is combined with other nano-particles to replace ordinary Portland cement (OPC), strength can be further enhanced. The microstructure of cement binders with replacement of OPC by combinations of coal fly ash, silica fume, RHA, nano-silica, and metakaolin were investigated using X-ray diffraction, back scattered electron imaging with energy dispersive spectrum analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and nitrogen sorptiometry. A combination of sustainable, renewable RHA and the waste product coal fly ash was found to synergistically improve cement binder strength. Analyses suggested the enhanced strength was due to RHA increasing amorphous reactive silica and coal fly ash contributing alumina to form Calcium-Silicate-Hydrate (C-S-H) gel along with calcium-aluminum-silicate-hydrate (C-A-S-H). Thus, this work shows the potential benefits of merging residual wastes from the agricultural sector with wastes from coal in combustion-based power plants. Food product preparation generates large quantities of wastes that are concentrated in central processing facilities, meaning that the wastes do not require energy-intensive transporting from the fields. If these waste biomass are landfilled, they pollute the environment both physically and in transportation to the landfill. A chemically simple process, hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) requires only biomass and water to generate a solid fuel and a sugar-laden liquid. HTC processing of coffee silverskins increased the energy density of the solid product, with higher temperatures increasing energy density more. The concentrations of glucose, galactose, and arabinose in the liquid HTC product decreased with higher HTC temperatures. HTC processing temperature could thus be chosen to optimize either the solid or the liquid product. If monomeric sugars are desired, a lower HTC temperature should be employed

Atomistic Approaches for the Analysis, Design, and Simulation of Nanosensors and Nanocatalysts

Using ideas of materials genome initiative, it is possible to create new materials with tailored properties for applications in nanoelectronics, sensing, and catalysis among other fields. The contamination of groundwater due to accidental leakage of radioactive wastes poses a grave danger to the environment and human life and hence trace characterization of these radioactive materials is of paramount importance in nuclear forensics and reprocessing. The presence of uranium and plutonium complexes in contaminated soil and water around nuclear processing facilities especially after a nuclear accident would provide us with critical information to guide a proper and timely response. We examine the applicability of graphene-based nanosensor for detection of these radionuclides based on ab initio density functional theory and Green’s function theory. Changes in the molecular electrostatic potential due to presence of a foreign moiety near graphene can be transduced and amplified into current-voltage characteristics at nanoscale. By comparing the change in current due to presence of U or Pu complexes near a graphene-based sensor, we should be able to detect trace amounts of these radionuclides. The DNA origami has emerged as a new and promising method to create nanostructures with precise atomistic tailored geometries. In addition, these origamis can be functionalized or impregnated with specialized single stranded DNA/RNA chains (known as aptamers) in order to convert them into biosensors. Thrombin is an enzyme directly involved in formation of blood clot which is a major cause of heart attack. We perform molecular dynamics simulations to determine the relative energetics associated with the capture of thrombin by a novel biosensor assembly consisting of two aptamers attached to a rectangular DNA origami. In addition to developing nanosensors, we also apply multi-scale computational approach to develop nanocatalysts and describe catalytic reactions happening at the surface to design more efficient catalysts. Molybdenum disulfide, (MoS2) being a very versatile material for several applications, is an industrial catalyst for hydrotreating processes in petroleum refineries. We perform MD simulations on a typical middle distillate fraction of crude oil containing thiophene and dibenzothiophene molecules in order to determine their relative positions with respect to the catalytic surface previous to possible reactions that are then studied with DFT. Furthermore, we analyze MoS2- graphene and MoS2-boron nitride clusters as possible hydrodesulfurization catalysts

China's Long Range Bombers a Strategic Challenge to the Region

The Long-Range Strike Bomber (LRSB) fleet is a legacy left behind by the Cold War era when trans-regional and inter-continental range bombers were part of the nuclear triad. The United States (US) and the Soviet Union maintained LRSBs primarily to support nuclear missions but during the height of the Cold War, these bombers were also kept ready for conventional missions. China has been working for a long to develop LRSBs to put in place a credible nuclear triad. China has redefined its strategic boundaries and is asserting to break the myth of the ‘first and second island chains' to project power beyond these geographical bottlenecks through maritime and air power. The strategic bombers give China flexibility to gain access to the Western Pacific and north-south movement along the Asian seaboard to complement its Anti-Access/Area Denial (AA/AD) strategy

Fermion Number Fractionization

Solitons emerge as non-perturbative solutions of non-linear wave equations in classical and quantum theories. These are non-dispersive and localised packets of energy-remarkable properties for solutions of non-linear differential equations. In presence of such objects, the solutions of Dirac equation lead to the curious phenomenon of "fractional fermion number", a number which under normal conditions takes strictly integral values. In this article, we describe this accidental discovery and its manifestation in polyacetylene chains, which has lead to the development of organic conductors.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figure

Diffuse Cerebral Atrophy, Central Sinus Venous Thrombosis, Hypoplastic Carpus Callosum, Adhd and Vsd in A Child; Anaesthestic Implications

We report a 2.5 year old female child posted for squint surgery of both eyes under general anaesthesia. Child had microcephaly, subtle dysmorphic features, tracheostomy scar, global developmental delay and ADHD. Child also had diffuse cerebral atrophy, hypoplastic carpus callosum, acute on chronic central venous sinus thrombosis partially recanalised , subdural hygroma in left frontoparietal region and ventricular septal defect. ENT opinion was sought to rule out any bands within the trachea because of tracheostomy. Mother was accompanied with the patient in the operation theatre before induction to reduce the anxiety. Inhalational Induction was done in distraction technique with sevoflurane in an incremental manner quickly upto 8vol% via facemask. Direct laryngoscopy was done and trachea was incubated successfully in a second attempt. Anaesthesia was maintained with oxygen, nitrous oxide and sevoflurane. Procedure took three and half hours. Patient tolerated anaesthesia well. Child was extubated after the child was completely awake. Propofol one mg/kg was given ten minutes before extubation to avoid emergence delirium. Inravenous methylprednisolone 10 mg was given intravenously to reduce the edema of the muscles( especially both medial rectus) which might reducethe incidence of bradycardia in postoperative period. Ondasetron 0.1 mg was given slowly i/v in the peri and postoperatively to reduce PONV ( Both ADHD and squint surgery has increased risk of emesis). Child was monitored for seizures, bradycardia and other hemodynamic parameters in quiet intensive care environment