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An infrared‐assisted hot air dryer was designed and developed for turmeric slices. The dryer has been developed using an infrared heating source, heating coils, and blower. The total power required for the infrared drying and hot air drying was 2.25 kW and 36.35 kWh, respectively, with a blower capacity of 6.06 m3/min. An infrared drying (IRD), hot air drying (HAD), and infrared‐assisted hot air drying (IRHAD) were used to dry turmeric slices (5 mm thickness) at different drying temperatures 50°C, 60°C, and 70°C with constant air velocity 2 m/s and bed thickness 25 mm. The maximum drying efficiency of 25.22% and the minimum specific energy consumption of 1.24 kWh/kg were observed in the IRHAD method at 70°C and considered as the best drying method for drying turmeric slices. The drying rates values were double in IRHAD than IRD and HAD. Seven drying models, namely, Newton, Page, Modified page, Diffusion approximation, Two‐term exponential, Henderson–Pabis, and Logarithmic, were used to validate the experimental data obtained during drying. Based on the maximum R2 value and lowest error values, the Page model was found to be the best fit for characterizing the drying kinetics of turmeric slices. At 60°C drying temperature, the logarithmic model and two‐term exponential model were found best fit for HAD and IRHAD, respectively. Practical Applications: Recently, turmeric gaining a lot of economic importance due to its antiviral properties and health benefits. Turmeric has many applications in the food industry, including natural coloring agents, flavor enhancers, and preservatives. Washing, boiling, drying, polishing, and size reduction are the unit operations involved during the processing of turmeric. The commercial value of turmeric can be decided based on the percentage of volatile compounds present. Many studies observed that the reduction in volatile compounds due to improper drying. The farmers following the sun drying techniques, which consume more time, non‐homogenous drying, and lesser drying rate. Hence, an efficient alternate drying technique should be identified to overcome the problems faced by the farmers and turmeric processing industries. In this context, the present study was undertaken to design an infrared‐assisted dryer for efficient, quick, and uniform heating of turmeric slices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zirconium oxide (ZrO2) nanoparticles were synthesized and used as additives to prepare silicone oil-based nanofluids. The stability issues associated with the nanofluid are overcome by using oleic acid (OA) as a dispersant. Thermal conductivity and viscosity measurements were carried out at temperature range (25–45 °C). Thermal conductivity of ZrO2/silicone oil nanofluid shows nonlinear behaviour with increasing concentration of ZrO2 nanoparticles. Viscosity measurements showed 31.1% enhancement for 0.1 volume fraction of ZrO2 in OA incorporated ZrO2 nanofluid. The thermal conductivity and viscosity increment of OA incorporated ZrO2/silicone oil nanofluid predict it for cutting fluid applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The twenty-first century has been witnessing much development in the technological aspect, particularly in optoelectronic device. In this continuation, we have prepared V2O5@WO3 nanocomposites for dielectric application. The proposed titled composites were prepared by a simple and cost-effective microwave-assisted wet chemical method. Subsequently, as-prepared composites were investigated by various characterization techniques. The structural and morphological analysis showed aggregated grain and rapid grain growth. The presence of functional group and elemental analysis were studied. The thermal analysis showed the thermal stability of as-prepared material. The dielectric studies demonstrated excellent dielectric behaviour with respect to temperature and frequency which would meet the required quality for optoelectronics application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Early-stage glottic cancer has a high cure rate with definitive radiotherapy. Historical reports show excellent local control. The present study evaluated the outcomes of early glottic cancer patients treated with a hypofractionated radiotherapy schedule of 60Gy in 20 fractions.Material and Methods: This is a retrospective study of patients with stage I glottic cancer who received radical intent LINAC-based hypo-fractionated 3D conformal radiotherapy with a dose 60Gy in 20 fractions. The primary objective was to assess the locoregional control (LRC), and secondary objectives were to determine disease-free survival (DFS), overall survival (OS), and toxicity.Results: The analysis included 105 patients from the age range of 35-88 years. About 69% of patients were over 60 years of age. The median overall treatment time (OTT) was 26 days (24 – 30 days). The mean follow-up was 74 months, ranging from 9 to 135 months. Seven patients had locoregional recurrence after an initial complete clinical response. Six had local, and one had a regional nodal recurrence. DFS at five years and ten years were 83% and 69%, and OS at five years and ten years were 87% and 80%, respectively. Most patients reported grade I skin reactions and tolerated the treatment well. We did not observe any late adverse events such as persistent laryngeal edema or radiation necrosis.Conclusion: The radiotherapy schedule of 60Gy in 20 fractions over four weeks offers comparable local disease control with reasonable long-term side effects in T1 glottic cancer.

Abstract Objectives The incidence of young‐onset oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is growing, even among non‐smokers/drinkers. The effects of adverse histopathological features on long‐term oncologic outcomes between the young and old are controversial and confounded by significant heterogeneity. Few studies have evaluated the socio‐economic impact of premature mortality from OSCC. Our study seeks to quantify these differences and their economic impact on society. Materials and Methods Four hundred and seventy‐eight young (

Dry eye can initially cause mild symptoms of irritation and may rapidly progress to corneal scarring and blindness. Tear substitutes can only help for mild cases. With the advancement in microsurgical techniques, an option of transferring vascularized salivary glands has shown positive results. We present a case of a 5-year-old boy with congenital alacrimia with ocular surface damage. Vascularized autologous submandibular gland transfer was considered as a viable option for this patient. We performed the gland transfer in two separate stages for the two eyes (1 year 5 months apart). The patient was evaluated for up to 2 years for the right eye and for 7 months for the left eye. Dry eye workup showed drastic improvement (right > left). Biochemical analysis showed gradual transition to resemble that of natural tears. This procedure can result in significant symptomatic improvement and can be a promising treatment option for cases of severe dry eye.