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Reading habit is one if emulated judiciously is bound to reap rich benefits in the future. From being the most effective way in utilizing leisure time to the development of better cognitive ability, reading has an inevitable role. In this study an attempt has been made to enumerate the prevalence of reading habits among the school (6-12) and the college students. Survey is conducted in a hybrid mode, employing direct data collection pertinent to the school students and online survey for college students. Random sampling technique is employed and the data collected is analysed and interpreted in various ways. The comparison of the results of the school and the college students along with the overall trend has been deciphered. The results paint a grim picture of the plummeting reading tendency among the students and the utmost priority with which it should be addressed. An attempt has also been made to address the suitable alternatives in the near future to foster and inculcate reading among the young minds of the nation.

Metallic silver, particularly in the form of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), has gained renewed attention as a powerful antimicrobial solution. In the present investigation, AgNP was synthesized using pigments produced by Talaromyces atroroseus, and Curcumin was loaded onto these AgNP to evaluate their potent antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anticancer activities. The maximal biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNP) was achieved at an optimized precursor concentration of 6 mM silver nitrate (AgNO₃) and a reducing agent concentration of 0.5 g/L fungal pigment. The incorporation efficiency of curcumin onto AgNP was determined to be 11 %. Comprehensive characterization of both curcumin-loaded and unloaded AgNPs was performed using EDS, SEM, FTIR and XRD. Antibacterial assays revealed that both formulations exhibited antimicrobial properties, with the curcumin-loaded AgNPs displaying significantly enhanced inhibitory effects, particularly against Staphylococcus aureus, showing an inhibition zone of 16 ± 0.33 mm. Furthermore, curcumin-loaded AgNPs demonstrated moderate antioxidant activity, with a 36.32 % free radical scavenging rate and an IC50 of 71.9 µg mL−1. The nanoparticles also exhibited potent anti-inflammatory properties, achieving 84.05 % inhibition of inflammation and an IC50 of 96.69 µg mL−1. Notably, curcumin-loaded AgNPs demonstrated cytotoxicity in 100 µg mL−1 of the concentration tested on lung cancer cell line (A549) at 96 hrs. These results suggest that the extended incubation hours or increasing the concentrations of the AgNPs could be lethal concentrations that could completely inhibit the proliferation of lung cancer cells. However, further validation in in-vivo models for toxicity and clearance of AgNPs from the system has to be studied. The observed synergistic effects of biosynthesized curcumin-loaded AgNPs suggest a promising alternative to conventional antibiotic therapies.

Introduction: Nosocomial infections are infections; patients acquire while admitted to a health-care facility and generally develop 48 h or later after admission. These infections can lead to serious problems such as sepsis and even death. Materials and Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted for 6 months to estimate the incidence of nosocomial infections acquired in the medical intensive care unit (MICU), their risk factors, the causative pathogens, and the outcome. The patients admitted for more than 48 h to the MICU and willing to give consent were included in the study. Of 496 patients in MICU, 216 patients stayed 48 h and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) score during the first 24 h of admission to the MICU. Results: The incidence of nosocomial infections in MICU was 14.9% (32 out of 216). Age, APACHE II score >13, MICU stay >7 days, and comorbidities such as peripheral venous line, central venous catheter, duration of urinary catheterization, duration of endotracheal intubation, nasogastric tube, and mechanical ventilator of >7 days were found to be independent risk factors of acquiring nosocomial infections (P < 0.05). Important causative organisms for nosocomial infections were Pseudomonas aeruginosa in 18 patients (32.72%), Escherichia coli in 11 (20.0%), Acinetobacter species in 8 (14.54%), and Klebsiella pneumoniae in seven patients (12.72%). Mortality among patients with nosocomial infections was 25% (8/32) and among those without nosocomial infections was 6.5% (12/184), P = 0.002. The length of ICU stay was higher in patients with nosocomial infections (15.42 ± 6.93 days) than in those without nosocomial infections (6.7 ± 5.14 days), P < 0.001. Conclusion: Nosocomial infections are common in ICU settings and contribute to significant mortality and morbidity. Infection control strategies are necessary to reduce nosocomial infection rates as well as ICU mortality and morbidity.

Ductal papilloma is a type of rare salivary gland tumor of minor salivary glands and commonly seen in the lower lip and buccal vestibule. Ductal papilloma usually presents in the form of three histopathological variants, namely sialedenoma papilliferum, intraductal papilloma, and inverted ductal papilloma. The etiopathogenesis of a ductal papilloma remains unclear, but some authors suggest the association with human papilloma virus. Diagnosis of intraoral ductal papilloma predominantly depends on the histopathological features; however, clinical differential may include benign lesions such as mucocele, lipoma, and fibroma. Considering the benign and nonaggressive nature of such tumors, histopathology alone is suitable for the diagnosis. However, immunohistochemistry may be used in cases of aggressive growth or in malignant counterpart. In this case report, we report the rare case of intraoral ductal papilloma of the lower lip mimicking a mucocele in a 6-year-old female patient.

Addressing the escalating necessity for proficient and dependable autonomous vehicle systems, this research proposes an advanced object detection approach harnessing the YOLOv8 algorithm. Object detection plays a pivotal role in the functionality of autonomous driving systems, enabling vehicles to perceive and react to their surroundings promptly. YOLOv8, an upgraded iteration of the YOLO algorithm, is acclaimed for its rapidity and precision in object detection endeavors. Our proposed model, distinguished by enhancements in network architecture and training methodologies, surpasses existing models in terms of detection precision and computational efficacy. Through an exhaustive examination, we delve into the network architecture, training regimen, and assessment metrics of the YOLOv8-based model. Experimental findings showcase the model's commendable performance in both quantitative and qualitative assessments, highlighting its resilience in identifying pedestrians, vehicles, traffic signs, and other pertinent objects across varied driving scenarios. The model's predicted outputs attest to its adeptness in precisely localizing and categorizing objects of interest, thereby augmenting the safety and efficiency of autonomous driving systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oral cavity is a moist environment with constant temperature (34 to 36°C) and a pH close to neutrality in most areas and thus supports the growth of a wide variety of microorganisms. Fixed partial Dentures provide a protected habitat, especially beneath the fitting surface, which results in colonization and growth by a range of bacteria . This paves for many other complications of oral cavity. To assess the microbial growth and salivary ph in patients wearing fixed partial denture. 20 partially edentulous patients desiring replacement with fixed partial denture were enrolled in the study after obtaining informed consent . A swab was used to collect the microbial samples and were cultured. The salivary ph was estimated using ph indicator strips. Patients were given FPD and oral hygiene instructions. Microbial samples were obtained after 2 weeks of denture wearing and same salivary ph and microbial parameters were estimated and compared.The microbial growth was expressed in colony forming units. The results were then analysed statistically. A dependent sample ‘t’ test was used to estimate statistically significant differences . Results inferred a statistical significance difference between the klebsiella ,streptococcal and lactobacillus and spirochete species before and after fpd cementation with marked statistical significance in PH. Microbial colonization increased after wearing denture with drastic change in PH . Hence proper oral hygiene measures are to be followed to maintain a healthy oral cavity in denture wearers.

Study objective: Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a common multifaceted disorder found among females of the reproductive age presenting major clinical conditions of hirsutism, oligomenorrhea and infertility. Socioeconomic studies from India have observed PCOS as a lifestyle disorder highly prevalent among middle and high income urban population as compared to rural population. A large ethnographic study that identifies the prevalence of PCOS among different socioeconomic groups would be greatly helpful to reiterate women about lifestyle modifications. Design: Cross – sectional survey study. Setting: Random from the general population. Materials and methods: A survey was taken up by 502 young women (between 18 and 24 years) from Chennai and collectively 566 girls from Thiruvallur and Dindugal districts to represent urban and rural population respectively. The responses were entered into an excel workbook and were analyzed statistically for correlation of influencing parameters and manifestation of the disorder. Main outcome measures: From our survey, we have identified a PCOS prevalence rate of 6% in south India, according to the Rotterdam criteria. We have observed that the odds of urban women prone to acquiring PCOS are 0.1 times higher than women in rural India. Major conclusions: Family history was found to have a strong association in incidence and manifestation of the disorder. Stress was found to set off the symptoms pertaining to PCOS. We also noticed that the awareness, among the rural population especially, was very minimum and thus they were not oblivious of diagnosis.

The concept of flying multiple Satellites to execute the work of a single colossal Satellite is known as the formation flying of satellites. This research intends to develop a model to represent the relative dynamics for satellites in circular and elliptical orbits and establish the relative motion of satellites based on the orbital elements. In the research, we consider the interspace between the chief and the deputy satellites negligible. The linear time-varying approach has adopted for our study. The equation of motions was derived and solved for satellites in circular and elliptical orbits. The solution is procured in terms of statutory parameters. Numerical simulations were carried out to generate the relative trajectory of satellite in all the three planes and scrutinized the reliability of the developed model by comparing the developed model with Hill-Clohessy Wiltshire (HCW) and standard two-body models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]