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This research study highlights into the dynamics of vortex-induced vibrations (VIV) in a rigid cylinder, employing computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations validated against experimental data. The primary objective is to explore the potential of harnessing energy from fluid flow-induced vibrations, particularly at lower flow speeds, which are traditionally overlooked by conventional turbine technologies. The CFD simulations investigated the transverse vibrations of a rigid cylinder with elastic support across a wide range of Reynolds numbers. The numerical results were compared with experimental data obtained from the University of Michigan, demonstrating strong correlation, especially for a spring stiffness of 1200 N/m, zero damping, and a relative mass of 1.89. Under these conditions, the maximum relative amplitude of 1.75 was achieved at a Reynolds number of 90,000. The study revealed that increasing spring stiffness up to 1200 N/m enhances the oscillation amplitude. However, further increases in stiffness lead to a decrease in amplitude. Damping and relative mass also significantly influence the vibration behavior. Lower relative masses and damping ratios result in larger amplitude oscillations over a broader range of Reynolds numbers. These findings underscore the feasibility and potential of energy extraction from fluid flows that were previously considered unsuitable. The quantitative insights provided in this study offer valuable guidance for the design and optimization of VIV energy converters. Future research should focus on long-term simulations to further elucidate the impact of these parameters on the performance and durability of such systems.

Introduction: In North India, orthopedic trauma, which refers to injuries affecting the bones, joints, and soft tissues, occurs frequently in pediatric patients. The aim of this study is to investigate the epidemiology, etiology, mechanisms of injury, and outcomes of orthopedic trauma in pediatric patients who are admitted to a tertiary care trauma center located in North India. Materials and Methods: This prospective study was carried out over 1 year between January 2019 and December 2019, which included 479 pediatric orthopedic trauma patients between the age group of 0 and 18 years. The collected data were systematically classified and analyzed with respect to the mode of trauma, type of injury, and outcome across various age groups and genders. Results: Age of children ranged from 0 to 18 years, of which 298 (62.2%) were male and 181 (37.8%) were female. Most fractures occurred at aged 9–12 years (38.4%) and the trend decreased with age. Fall injuries were the most common mode of trauma (49.9%, n = 239) followed by road traffic accident (29.4%, n = 141). Among operated patients, most injuries were closed (47.2%, n = 138) followed by compound injuries (32.2%, n = 94) and crush injuries (20.6%, n = 60). Sixty-three percentage of patients recovered well with independent functional status, while 30% recovered with supported functional status/residual deformity. Conclusion: Orthopedic trauma in pediatric population is growing up and prehospital care is lagging which is more required than adult counterpart. An effective and aggressive management of accident prevention programme is required, which should also include changes in lifestyle and environment, overcoming obstacles such as ignorance, inadequate resources, and illiteracy.

The present research focuses on the effects of different processing routes on the physical and mechanical properties of nano Ti(CN)-based cermets with metallic binders. Tungsten carbide (WC) is added as a secondary carbide and Ni-Co is added as a metallic binder to nano Ti(CN)-based cermet processed via conventional and spark plasma sintering (SPS). A systematic comparison of the composition and sintering conditions for different cermets’ systems was carried out to design novel composition and sintering conditions. Nano TiCN powder was prepared by 30 h of ball milling. The highest density of >98.5% was achieved for the SPS-processed cermets sintered at 1200 °C and 1250 °C for 3 min at 60 MPa of pressure in comparison to the conventionally sintered cermets at 1400 °C for 1 h with a two-stage compaction process—uniaxially at 150 MPa and isostatically at 300 MPa of pressure. Comparative X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis of the milled powders at different time intervals was performed to understand the characteristics of the as-received and milled powders. Peak broadening was observed after 5 h of ball milling, and it increased to 30 hr. Also, peak broadening and a refined carbide size was observed in the XRD and scanning electron microscope (SEM) micrographs of the SPS-processed cermet. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) analysis of the milled powder showed that its internal structure had a regular periodic arrangement of planes. SEM base scattered electron (BSE) images of all the cermets primarily showed three major microstructural phases of the core–rim–binder with black, grey, and white contrast, respectively. With the present sintering conditions, a high hardness of ~16 GPa and a fracture toughness of ~9 MPa m1/2 were obtained for SPS-processed cermets sintered at higher temperatures.

The significant increase in the human population, energy consumption in daily living is increasing. One approach is to raise the amount of power produced to match the growth in human population, although this is typically practically unfeasible. By controlling demand, electricity consumption and associated expenses may be reduced. As a consequence, we employ Demand-side Management (DSM) to plan different gadgets on loads to reduce energy usage. Incorporating renewable energy sources and reducing energy costs are two significant roles that the smart grid plays. As a result, we suggest a hybrid swarm based Harris Hawks' optimization (S–HHO) algorithm to overcome the optimization difficulties. The suggested approach includes loads of home and business variety. The proposed technique was compared to binary particle swarm optimization (BPSO), multi-objective particle swarm optimization (MOPSO), wind driven optimization (WDO), and multi-objective genetic algorithms (MOGA). Results from simulations were produced using MATLAB software. The results show that the improved hybrid optimization S–HHO reduces the Peak-to-average ratio (PAR) and computational time better than other methods such as WDO, BPSO, MOPSO, and MOGA.

Aims and Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the functional results and clinicoradiological outcomes of extra-articular closed proximal third tibia fractures managed by suprapatellar nailing in semi-extended position with a minimum follow-up of 12 months. Materials and Methods: In our prospective study, 15 cases of extra-articular closed proximal third tibia fractures admitted between January 2019 to December 2020, treated with intramedullary nailing through suprapatellar approach, were included. The patients were followed up regularly at 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, and every 6 months thereafter. The clinical outcome was analyzed using the Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS) at 12 months’ follow-up visit. The radiological outcomes were analyzed by evaluating the radiographs for fracture union and alignment. Results: Fifteen patients having proximal third tibia fracture fulfilling the inclusion and exclusion criteria were included in the study. Patients had an average age of 34 years (24–55 years). The average follow-up period was 14 months (12–18 months) after the index procedure. The average time for radiological union was 6 months (range: 4–12 months). Two patients had procurvatum malalignment of >10°. We did not have significant rotational or varus/valgus malalignment or limb length discrepancy of >1 cm in our study. The average LEFS score at the 12 months’ follow-up was 88% (median: 90%; range: 80%–98%). Conclusion: We recommend the use of intramedullary suprapatellar nailing for fixation of proximal third tibial fractures. Suprapatellar nailing has inherent advantages of patient positioning for perfect nail entry and placement. When performed following the established surgical principles and techniques and proper patient and implant selection, it provides excellent clinicoradiological outcome with less complications as compared to other fixation methods for such fractures. There is also absence of anterior knee pain which is very common in the standard infrapatellar approach due to which its use could be extended for nailing of all types of tibia fractures.

Channel flow with baffles is a multifaceted phenomenon with wide-ranging applications. It plays a crucial role in enhancing mixing, heat transfer, and other fluid dynamics processes. The baffles' design and placement within the channel are crucial to achieving the desired heat transfer enhancement. Based on the specific application and fluid properties, such as baffle geometry, spacing, and orientation must be considered. This work aims to visualize, evaluate, and understand the effectiveness of baffles on heat transfer rates under various operating conditions and design parameters. Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) investigations were carried out to examine the performance of channels for various geometrical configurations including Broken V-shaped, Circular, and triangular at wide operating conditions, and baffle number densities. Computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulations were carried out for three different baffle shapes while the Reynolds number (Re) ranged from 1800 to 22000 and the no. of baffle sets(N), varied as N=15,20,30. At low Re conditions channel with 30 sets of Broken-V-shape baffles results in a higher Nusselt number due to effective turbulence enhancement and mixing in the channel. Although the thermal performance of a V-shaped baffles case is relatively good the friction factor is more for this case. Triangular baffles exhibited a lower friction factor. A maximum friction factor of 0.92 is observed for N=30 sets at Re= 1800 while the least of 0.76 is recorded for N=15.

Effective maintenance coordination has become essential to ensuring a reliable electricity supply in power systems primarily powered by renewable sources. On the other hand, the computational complexity of the operational security standards presents difficulties for the existing planning tools. To solve this problem, a research paper suggests applying the machine learning (ML) method known as lightning search optimised random forest (LSORF) to anticipate the results of contingency analyses rapidly and effectively. The entire regional transmission system of Belgium (BE), which includes voltage ranges of 200 kV to 50 kV, is the subject of the study. Results show that LSORF regularly outperforms other benchmarks. The results demonstrate that LSORF consistently outperforms other benchmark methods. Furthermore, the study highlights the impact of projected growth in renewable energy on maintenance feasibility. This strategy provides useful insights for improving maintenance planning in renewable energy systems.

Introduction: Thromboangiitis obliterans (TAO), also known as Buerger's disease, is a disease of unknown etiology affecting small- and medium-sized blood vessels, mainly seen in heavy smokers. The characteristic features of this disease are distal ischemia, with patients having claudication, rest pain, and toe ulcers. The proper management of TAO is still a challenging problem. Various medical and surgical treatments have been tried with a variable success. Since it is a disease characterized by chronic ischemia, achieving neoangiogenesis could have a beneficial effect. Ilizarov has shown that corticotomy and distraction of bony fragments can increase the blood supply to the entire limb. TAO can be managed using this principle of distraction osteogenesis to induce neoangiogenesis. We conducted this study to evaluate the clinical outcomes of longitudinal tibial corticotomy and horizontal distraction with Ilizarov's fixator in Buerger's disease of the lower limb. Materials and Methods: Ten patients with clinically and radiologically proven Buerger's disease admitted to our hospital between 2019 and 2021 who had failed the conservative pharmacological modalities of treatment were included. A lateral tibial corticotomy and distraction was performed by the use of olive wires and two-ring frame with horizontal distraction mechanism. Lateral distraction was started after 10 days at the rate of 0.25 mm 6 h for 25 days to achieve a distraction of 2.5 cm. The frame was removed after consolidation of regenerate. Results: Of the 10 cases, eight patients became pain free, while one had a partial relief of pain and one patient worsened on treatment and underwent below-knee amputation. Three patients had at least one episode of pin site infection which improved with oral antibiotics and dressings. One patient had delayed consolidation of regenerate. The claudication distance improved at each follow-up for all but one patient. Conclusion: Neoangiogenesis by corticotomy and distraction offers a relatively simple and cost-effective surgical option to salvage ischemic limbs from amputations and provide pain relief, ischemic ulcer healing, and improved claudication distance, thus improving the quality of life.

We measured COVID-19-related stigma and discrimination and its drivers using a concurrent mixed-methods design in Punjab. The simple random sampling was used to select blocks, subcenters, and urban primary healthcenters from each of the four selected districts. The systematic random sampling was used to select households. A sample of 423 adults was interviewed using a structured questionnaire and 10 in-depth interviews were conducted using an interview guide. Binary logistic regression was performed to find the predictors. Stigma prevalence was mild 18%, moderate 45%, and severe 37%. Logistic regression indicated that stigma was lower in the rural compared to the urban population (P < 0.01). Hospitalized patients faced discrimination more often compared to those who were treated/quarantined at home. People feared police (71%), testing (69%), and contracting the infection (65%). Fear of screening, disclosure of status, and transmission of the virus were the drivers of stigma and discrimination. Co-occurrence of labeling, stereotyping, and cognitive separation was observed.

Background: Depressive symptoms have been reported in admitted patients of musculoskeletal trauma. However, prevalence and associations of depression have not been reported after definitive management of injury. Aims and Objectives: The objectives of this study were to document the presence of depressive symptoms in adult musculoskeletal injury patients and identify factors associated with an abnormal score on the depression sub-scale of HADS at 4-weeks since admission. Materials and Methods: A longitudinal cohort study was undertaken on musculoskeletal injury patients admitted in the orthopedics department. Patients were enrolled on a randomly chosen day of the week. Subjects were excluded if they suffered from conditions known to preclude the assessment of the mental status. Age, sex, injury severity score, matrimonial status, insurance status, educational status, economic condition, support from family, alcohol abuse, and cannabis abuse were recorded at the time of admission. At 4-weeks after admission, enrolled subjects were screened for depression using the depression subscale of Hospital anxiety and depression scale score. Pain was recorded using visual analogue scale (VAS). Bivariate and multivariate analysis was used to identify predictors of an abnormal HADS score. Results: One-hundred ninety subjects were included. Average age of the subjects was 33.8 years. Thirty nine (21.53%) were females. At 4-weeks, 49 (25.79%) had an abnormal HADS score. A higher VAS score for pain, a younger age, living in a nuclear family and cannabis abuse were associated with an abnormal HADS score. Conclusion: Depressive symptoms are common in musculoskeletal injury patients at 4-weeks after admission.

The present investigation was conducted at the Breeder Seed Production Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Jabalpur, M.P., India during November to April, (Rabi season), 2021 to 2022 analyse grain yield and its attributing traits of wheat by correlation and path coefficient analysis. The twenty genotypes were in randomized complete block design with three replications. The results indicated that the biological yield per plant had highly significant correlation followed by harvest index with a moderate positive value and is significant with the grain yield per plant. Similarly the analysis of direct and indirect effects shows that the plant height, flag leaf length, flag leaf width, days to 50% flowering, grains per spike, biological yield per plant, and harvest index had positive direct effect on grain yield per plant. Hence it may be considered that traits namely, plant height, flag leaf length, flag leaf width, days to 50% flowering, grains per spike, biological yield per plant, and harvest index may be utilized for yield improvement breeding strategies in wheat. However, biological yield and harvest index will be given prime importance during selection of traits, due to their significant association and having a direct or indirect effect in crop yield improvement.

Background: The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic significantly affected management of cardiovascular disease around the world. The effect of the pandemic on volume of cardiovascular diagnostic procedures is not known. Objectives: This study sought to evaluate the effects of the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic on cardiovascular diagnostic procedures and safety practices in Asia. Methods: The International Atomic Energy Agency conducted a worldwide survey to assess changes in cardiovascular procedure volume and safety practices caused by COVID-19. Testing volumes were reported for March 2020 and April 2020 and were compared to those from March 2019. Data from 180 centers across 33 Asian countries were grouped into 4 subregions for comparison. Results: Procedure volumes decreased by 47% from March 2019 to March 2020, showing recovery from March 2020 to April 2020 in Eastern Asia, particularly in China. The majority of centers cancelled outpatient activities and increased time per study. Practice changes included implementing physical distancing and restricting visitors. Although COVID testing was not commonly performed, it was conducted in one-third of facilities in Eastern Asia. The most severe reductions in procedure volumes were observed in lower-income countries, where volumes decreased 81% from March 2019 to April 2020. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic in Asia caused significant reductions in cardiovascular diagnostic procedures, particularly in low-income countries. Further studies on effects of COVID-19 on cardiovascular outcomes and changes in care delivery are warranted.

Abstract The main aim of the present work is to see the performance of “Al–Beryl” composites processed via stir casting route with or without CeO2 on their mechanical, wear and corrosive properties for structural applications in heavy machinery and watercrafts. Hardness and ultimate tensile strength increased with 36% and 43%, respectively, with 9% Beryl addition. Further, effect of addition of constant 0.5 wt.% CeO2 in “Al–Beryl” composite was evaluated and remarkably improvement in corrosion resistance was observed. Tribological performance of the composites was investigated by conducting sliding wear tests against steel at different loads in dry and wet conditions. Characteristic features of adhesion, fracture and delamination were observed in SEM micrograph of the worn composite having low beryl content slid in air whereas abrasive wear predominates in water or oil. Addition of increased wt.% of beryl particles led in reduced wear of the composite at all loads. Increase in corrosion resistance by 45% decrease in weight loss with 0.5% CeO2 addition was observed. “Al6061–9% Beryl–0.5% CeO2” composite with high hardness, wear and corrosion resistance is found most promising for structural applications. Article Highlights (1) An increase of 36% in hardness and 43% in ultimate tensile strength was found in Al composites with 9% Beryl addition; (2) Coefficient of friction was found least for “Beryl–CeO2” added composites in wet sliding conditions; (3) A transition in wear mechanism occurred with adhesion, fracture and delamination of the worn composite with low beryl content slid in air; (4) Corrosion resistance increased by 45% with 0.5% CeO2 addition in Al composites.

Sunflower seeds collected from Alternaria leaf blight affected plants were tested to detect the pathogen and categorize seeds into apparently healthy, naturally infected (partially infected) and artificially infected (completely infected). All these three categories of infected seeds, naturally infected with A. helianthin and artificially inoculated showed 32.8 and 19.0 per cent reduction in germination respectively. The shoot and root length of seedlings were also reduced in both cases. The vigour index was very low (400) in naturally infected seeds, artificially inoculated seeds recorded a vigour index of 533.5 whereas in control it was 1799.8. With the increase in spore load of A. helianthi on seeds, there was an increase in the number of seedlings showing blight incidence. Seeds were tested to detect the pathogen from the seed coat, endosperm and embryo by a component plating method. In all these three categories of infected seeds, the infection of A. helianthi was more on seed coat than cotyledons and embryos. In cotyledons and embryos of the apparently healthy seeds, the fungal infection was not detected. In partially infected seeds, only cotyledons showed infection while the embryo was found to be free from the pathogen. Completely infected seeds showed the lowest rate of germination (60-64%) in blotter towel and pot culture experiments. Disease incidence was high in completely infected seeds (40%) in the blotter towel test. The fungus is both externally as well as internally seed-borne. The result indicated that the level of seed infection influences germination, seedling vigour and disease incidence in sunflowers.

Abstract In engineering applications, fracture toughness is an essential requirement that determines the life of a material. Epoxy polymers are widely used in fibre-reinforced composite materials. Due to their structural efficiency and durability, the use of adhesive and composite materials based on epoxy polymers is widespread in aerospace and automobile industries. In this paper fracture toughness of hybrid epoxy polymer composite with addition of nano/micro figures of silica, rubber and carbon nano tubes (CNTs) is evaluated. It is observed that silica addition promoted nano toughening effect with plastically deformation capability in epoxies. Rubber and multi walled CNTs increased the toughness with negligible reduction in stiffness in epoxies. Future research emphasis can be laid on crucial understanding of stress transfer mechanisms and interfacial bond strength between nano particles – epoxy system and on nanofillers modified epoxies as matrices or interleafs for carbon or glass fiber composites to increase the interlaminar delamination toughness.

Objective: To examine the natural history of acute alcoholic hepatitis (AH) and identify predictors of mortality for AH using data from a prospective multicenter observational study. Participants and Methods: We analyzed data from 164 patients with AH and 131 heavy-drinking controls with no liver disease. Participants underwent clinical/laboratory assessment at baseline and 6 and 12 months after enrollment. Multivariable analyses were conducted to identify variables associated with mortality and examine the association between coffee drinking and risk of AH. Results: Thirty-six patients with AH died during follow-up, with estimated 30-day, 90-day, 180-day, and 1-year survival of 0.91 (95% CI, 0.87-0.96), 0.85 (95% CI, 0.80-0.91), 0.80 (95% CI, 0.74-0.87), and 0.75 (95% CI, 0.68-0.83), respectively. In the multivariable analysis, higher serum bilirubin level (hazard ratio [HR]=1.059; 95% CI, 1.022-1.089), lower hemoglobin level (HR=1.263; 95% CI, 1.012-1.575), and lower platelet count (HR=1.006; 95% CI, 1.001-1.012) were independently associated with mortality in AH. Compared with controls, fewer patients with AH regularly consumed coffee (20% vs 44%; P

Enzymes have been identified as critical proteins since ages to carry out functions that spread across various industries. Enzymes are invaluable catalysts in comparison to their chemical counterparts as their reaction rates are much higher. Add to this enzymes produced from different microorganisms behave differently which adds dimension to their spectrum of activity. Nitrilase is one such enzyme which has a huge potential in biocatalysis of nitriles. Nitrilase(s) are a sub category of hydrolase(s) which carry out hydrolysis of carbon-nitrogen bonds other than the amide bonds. This ability nitrilase has been used in the past to generate chiral acids which otherwise are generated from a very harsh and tedious process. These chiral acids can be incorporated into various schemes of drug synthesis like for the production of chiral intermediates etc. Various ecological habitats have been explored in the past to screen microorganisms that can be potential producers of certain categories of enzymes. Soil is one such component of nature where these microorganisms sustain for longer periods. Selecting a soil sampling site is very critical as it can significantly affect final outcome of the research objectives. The present work deals with screening of nitrilase producing microorganisms from four soil sampling sites. Although this research work has provided many microbial colonies but none of these showed a positive nitrilase activity.

The antimicrobial activity of 1,3-disubstituted-1H-naphtho[1,2-e][1,3]oxazines was correlated with their physicochemical parameters using Hansch analysis for first time. The QSAR models were developed by both linear and multiple linear regression and the developed models were cross validated by the “leave one out” technique. The QSAR studies indicated that the antibacterial activity of synthesized compounds was governed by topological parameters, Balaban index (J), Kier's second order molecular index (κα2) and third order molecular connectivity index (3χ) and the antifungal activity was governed by valance first order molecular connectivity index (1χv). The practical applicability of developed models was explored by the design of new compounds based on the information derived from the developed equations.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to report a comparison between the zinc oxide eugenol dressing and plasma rich in growth factor (PRGF) with gelatin sponge in the treatment of dry socket. Materials and Methods: This study comprised of 45 patients of dry socket in the span of one year. The patients were randomly divided into three groups on the basis of treatments: Group A (PRGF with gelatin sponge), group B (zinc oxide eugenol group), and group C (irrigation with sterile saline only). The clinical progress was noted at 1 st , 2 nd , 3 rd , 7 th , and 15 th day after the treatment. Results: Patient′s healing was better in group A than in group B but symptomatic pain relief was faster in group B. Group C fared worst in both aspects. Conclusion: We conclude that PRGF with gelatin sponge might be a treatment of choice in the management of dry socket.

Introduction: A recent concept review in Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (JBJS) outlines evidence to control peri-operative infections in compound fractures. However, evidence for impact of adopting a protocol combining measures that have some evidence is lacking in literature. The present method of treatment at King George’s Medical University (KGMU) is representative of the conventional practice of managing compound fractures in India and is an appropriate control for trial against the Experimental Evidence Based Protocol (EBP). Aim: To study the additional impact of adopting Evidence Based Protocol on parameters defining infection rate and bone union. Materials and Methods: This randomized controlled study was conducted at the orthopaedics department of KGMU. Two hundred and twenty six patients of compound fractures of both bone leg, age > 12y were randomized to two groups. One group received standard treatment and the experimental group received treatment as per JBJS review. Statistical Analysis: Random allocation was tested by comparing baseline characteristics of the two groups. The two groups were compared for all the outcome variables in terms of time to a negative wound culture, time to wound healing, time to union at fracture site and time to achieve complete range of motion at knee joint. Results: Random allocation was successful. EBP group reported significantly lesser time to a negative culture report from wound (mean in conventional=4.619, experimental=1.9146, p=0.0006), lesser time to bony union (mean in conventional=23.8427 weeks, experimental=22.8125 weeks, p=0.0027), lesser time to wound healing (mean in conventional=14.4425 weeks experimental=10.4513 weeks, p=0.0032), and a lesser duration of hospital stay (mean in conventional=6.5982 days, experimental=4.5000 days, p=0.0343). Conclusion: EBP based on the guidelines suggested by Fletcher et al., significantly shorten the time taken for achieving a negative culture and hasten wound and fracture healing. Therefore EBP is recommended for use in settings like the KGMU trauma center.

Objective : To use the periosteum as a barrier in treatment of buccal Grade II furcation defects of lower molars. Materials and Methods : This technique was performed on 12 patients with bilateral buccal Grade II furcation defects of lower molars. On a random basis, one furcation defect of each pair was selected for the control group and other for the experimental group. Debridement was done in the defect area in both groups. In the control group, after debridement, mucoperiosteal flap was sutured back. In the experimental group, after reflection of the mucoperiosteal flap, a portion of the periosteum along with a layer of connective tissue (periosteal membrane) was incised and mobilized in the defect area for defect coverage as a barrier, and then the periosteal membrane and mucoperiosteal flap were fixed with suture, respectively. Horizontal dimension of the furcation defect was the primary outcome measure. Gingival index, probing attachment level (PAL), and vertical dimension of furcation defect were the secondary outcome measures. Clinical parameters were registered at baseline and at 6 months. Results : Every clinical parameter was improved by surgery. Significant gain in PAL as well as horizontal and vertical dimensions of the furcation defects was found. Conclusion: This periosteum displacement technique is effective for the treatment of buccal Grade II furcation defects of lower molars.

Of late, a consirable interest has grown in literature on early development of arsenicosis and untimely death in humans after exposure to iAs in drinking water in utero or during the childhood. The mechanism of this kind of intrauterine arsenic poisoning is not known; however it is often suggested to involve stem cells. We looked into this possibility by investigating in mice the influence of chronic in utero exposure to arsenical drinking water preliminarily on multipotent adult stem cell and progenitor cell counts at the beginning of neonatal age. We found that repeated intake of 42.5 or 85 ppm iAs in drinking water by pregnant BALB/c mice substantially changed the counts of EpASCs, the progenitor cells, and the differentiated cells in epidermis of their zero day old neonates. EpASCs counts decreased considerably and the differentiated/apoptosed cell counts increased extensively whereas the counts of progenitor cell displayed a biphasic effect. The observed trend of response was dose-dependent and statistically significant. These observations signified a disruption in stem cell homeostasis. The disorder was in parallel with changes in expression of biomarkers of stem cell and progenitor (TA) cell besides changes in expression of pro-inflammatory and antioxidant molecules namely Nrf2, NFkB, TNF-α, and GSH. The biological monitoring of exposure to iAs and the ensuing transplacental toxicity was verifiable correspondingly by the increase in iAs burden in hair, kidney, skin, liver of nulliparous female mice and the onset of chromosomal aberrations in neonate bone marrow cells. The combined intake of selenite and curcumin in utero was found to prevent the disruption of homeostasis and associated biochemical changes to a great extent. The mechanism of prevention seemed possibly to involve (a) curcumin and Keap-1 interaction, (b) consequent escalated de novo GSH biosynthesis, and (c) the resultant toxicant disposition. These observations are important with respect to the development of vulnerability to arsenicosis and other morbidities later in life after repeated in utero or postnatal exposure to iAs in drinking water that may occur speculatively through impairment of adult stem cell dependent innate tissue repair mechanism.

Unlike somatic cells, sperm have several-fold more available-thiols that are susceptible to redox-active agents. The present study explains the mechanism behind the instant sperm-immobilizing and trichomonacidal activities of pyrrolidinium pyrrolidine-1-carbodithioate (PPC), a novel thiol agent rationally created for prophylactic contraception by minor chemical modifications of some known thiol drugs. PPC, and its three derivatives (with potential active-site blocked by alkylation), were synthesized and evaluated against live human sperm and metronidazole-susceptible and resistant Trichomonas vaginalis, in vitro. Sperm hexokinase activity was evaluated by coupled enzyme assay. PPC irreversibly immobilized 100% human sperm in ∼30 seconds and totally eliminated Trichomonas vaginalis more efficiently than nonoxynol-9 and metronidazole. It significantly inhibited (P

Abstract  Cytokines play a key role in regulation of immunity and inflammation. The aim of the study was to detect serum levels of TGF-β, IL-10, and sTNFαRII in patients with type C chronic liver disease (CLD) and to correlate these with biochemical and histopathological parameters used to assess the severity of the disease. Blood samples were aseptically collected from 90 CLD patients. Cytokine levels were also followed up in 39 chronic hepatitis cases. Levels of the cytokines in 90 CLD patients were significantly higher than in controls. In the follow up patients, 12 were non-responders and the serum levels of cytokines were still elevated after therapy whereas in 27 responders cytokine levels were significantly reduced after therapy and correlated well with biochemical and histopathological parameters. It is inferred that cytokine levels reflect the level of inflammation in chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and can be used as indirect markers to assess the severity of liver disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]