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Additive manufacturing is becoming more and more significant for the production of engineering products. The global community of designers and manufacturers will undoubtedly benefit from identifying the process factors that could lead to superior mechanical behaviour. The incorporation of fibres and nanoparticles in polymer matrix is one of the most significant advancements in polymer fabrication. This study intends to investigate how the flexural behaviour of dissimilar polymer composites viz carbon fibre reinforced poly lactic acid (CF-PLA), carbon fibre reinforced poly ethylene terephthalate glycol (CF-PETG) and multi walled carbon nano tubes reinforced PLA (MWCNTs-PLA) are affected by process parameters viz nozzle diameter (0.2 mm, 0.4 mm, 0.6 mm), and infill pattern (triangular, honeycomb, rectilinear) through fused filament fabrication (FFF). Flexural testing was carried out on the fabricated specimens, and post to the testing, fractography has been carried out and statistical analysis of the observations is performed utilizing analysis of variance and Taguchi method. According to the observations, flexural strength of the polymer composite specimen increases with increase in nozzle diameter (ND). The flexural behaviour is also directly impacted with the variation of infill pattern (IP). Process parameter variations affect target factors differently depending on the fabricating material. For flexural behaviour, IP contributes 68.27% to CF-PLA, while ND contributes 88.96% to CF-PETG and 77.59% to MWCNTs-PLA. Overall, the highest flexural strength, 70.372 MPa, is exhibited by the specimen with ND 0.6 mm and rectilinear IP for MWCNTs-PLA as fabricating filament material. This study will aid researchers and designers in developing FFF-fabricated electrochemical energy storage devices with improved flexural behaviour of functional parts for a wide range of applications.

In this paper, the characterizations of the L μ p -spectra of pseudo-differential operators associated with the Bessel operator are investigated by exploiting the theory of the Hankel transform for 1 ≤ p ∞ . Some applications related to the essential spectrum of pseudo-differential operators involving the Hankel transform in the Sobolev space, and in the heat equation are given.

Backround: ABO and Rhesus (Rh) blood group antigens are hereditary characters and are useful in population genetic studies, in resolving medico-legal issues and more importantly for the immunologic safety of blood during transfusion. Aims: This study is aimed to determine the distribution pattern of the ABO and Rh blood groups among blood donors in Kumaon region of Uttarakhand and compare it with other data from similar studies within the India and all over the world. Design: It is a retrospective study carried out at blood bank of Shushila Tewari Hospital of Government Medical College, Haldwani from January 2012 to December 2013. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted on 12,701 blood donors. ABO and Rh typing was done using slide agglutination method with antisera ABO and Rh (Tulip diagnostics ltd). Doubtful cases were confirmed by tube agglutination method and reverse grouping using known pooled A and B cells. The age group and sex of donors, frequency of ABO and Rh blood groups were reported in simple percentages. Results: The predominant donors belonged to age group between 18-35years (84.28%). Male donors were more than female donors, ratio being 352:1. Replacement donors (99.71%) were much more than voluntary donors (0.91%). The most common blood group was B (32.07%) and least common being AB (10.53%). Blood group ‘O’ and ‘A’ had same frequency. The prevalence of Rhesus positive and negative distribution in the studied population was 94.49% and 5.51% respectively. Blood group frequency with respect to ABO and Rhesus positive was found to be shown by formula B> O>A >AB. The frequency for ABO and Rhesus negative was given by the formula B>A>O>AB. Conclusion: Knowledge of frequencies of the different blood groups is very important for blood banks and transfusion service policies that could contribute significantly to the National Health System.

Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) constitute a multigene family of multifunctional phase II metabolic enzymes. GSTT1, an important member of this group has a wide range of substrates including carcinogens. Total homozygous deletion or null genotype resulting in total lack of enzyme activity exists in populations for this enzyme. Since the null genotype may contribute to lower detoxification of carcinogens, this genotype is expected to increase cancer risk. The frequency of the GSTT1 null genotype is known to vary significantly among populations. However, little is known about its distribution in the hilly Kumaun region of northern India. Therefore, in this study, we determined the prevalence of the GSTT1 null polymorphism in the Kumaun popilation by conducting duplex PCR in 365 voluntary healthy individuals. The GSTT1 null genotype was detected in 18.4% of the individuals. Since GSTs play significant role in xenobiotic metabolism, the present data on GSTT1 genotype distribution should contribute in understanding genetic association with cancer risk in this understudied population.

Haemoglobin-S has been reported in several studies on remote populations from various parts of India eg Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, West Bengal, Rajasthan and Malaysian Indians. Uttaranchal also has got scattered areas with people living in remote-pockets due to its geophysical nature. There has been no previous report from this state about prevalence of Hb-S. In the present study on 38 individual eight were found to have Hb-S positivity by sickling test. In one of these electrophoretic confirmation was positive with demonstration of associated Beta thalassaemia. The group was a family of muslims in village Baghori near Haldwani. Due to technical, geographical and social restrictions further study could not be done. However, this study does establish the presence of Hb-S-Beta thalassaemia in Uttaranchal State for the first time. Follow up study in the affected area and elsewhere in the state might discover more of Hb-S positivity, other haemoglobinopathies and thalassaemias.

TORCH infections in the mother are transmissible to fetus in the womb or during the birth process and cause a cluster of symptomatic birth defects. In mother they are inapparent or asymptomatic and hence difficult to diagnose clinically. Over a nine months period 20 pregnant women with bad obstetric history were-studied. Seropositivity of Toxoplasma, rubella, CMV, and HSV infections (TORCH) were demonstrated by the presence of IgM and IgG antibodies by ELISA method. It was found that, IgM antibodies were positive in 4 cases (20%) for Toxoplasma, 4 cases (28.6%) for rubella and 4 cases (26.7%) for CMV and HSV each. IgG antibodies were positive in 11cases (55%) for Toxoplasma, 10 cases (66.6%) for rubella, 14 cases (93%) for CMV and 11 (73%) for HSV. Therefore all antenatal cases with BOH should be routinely screened for TORCH as early diagnosis and appropriate intervention will help in proper management and fetal outcome.