Recent Developments on Electroactive Organic Electrolytes for Non-Aqueous Redox Flow Batteries: Current Status, Challenges, and Prospects.

The ever-increasing threat of climate change and the depletion of fossil fuel resources necessitate the use of solar- and wind-based renewable energy sources. Large-scale energy storage technologies, such as redox flow batteries (RFBs), offer a continuous supply of energy. Depending on the nature of the electrolytes used, RFBs are broadly categorized into aqueous redox flow batteries (ARFBs) and non-aqueous redox flow batteries (NARFBs). ARFBs suffer from various problems, including low conductivity of electrolytes, inferior charge/discharge current densities, high-capacity fading, and lower energy densities. NARFBs offer a wider potential window and range of operating temperatures, faster electron transfer kinetics, and higher energy densities. In this review article, a critical analysis is provided on the design of organic electroactive molecules, their physiochemical/electrochemical properties, and various organic solvents used in NARFBs. Furthermore, various redox-active organic materials, such as metal-based coordination complexes, quinones, radicals, polymers, and miscellaneous electroactive species, explored for NARFBs during 2012-2023 are discussed. Finally, the current challenges and prospects of NARFBs are summarized.

High Performance and Long-cycle Life Rechargeable Aluminum Ion Battery: Recent Progress, Perspectives and Challenges.

The rising energy crisis and environmental concerns caused by fossil fuels have accelerated the deployment of renewable and sustainable energy sources and storage systems. As a result of immense progress in the field, cost-effective, high-performance, and long-life rechargeable batteries are imperative to meet the current and future demands for sustainable energy sources. Currently, lithium-ion batteries are widely used, but limited lithium (Li) resources have caused price spikes, threatening progress toward cleaner energy sources. Therefore, post-Li, batteries that utilize highly abundant materials leading to cost-effective energy storage solutions while offering desirable performance characteristics are urgently needed. Aluminum-ion battery (AIB) is an attractive concept that uses highly abundant aluminum while offering a high theoretical gravimetric and volumetric capacity of 2980 mAh g-1 and 8046 mAh cm-3 , respectively. As a result, intensified efforts have been made in recent years to utilize numerous electrolytes, anodes, and cathode materials to improve the electrochemical performance of AIBs, and potentially create high-performance, low-cost, and safe energy storage devices. Herein, recent progress in the electrolyte, anode, and cathode active materials and their utilization in AIBs and their related characteristics are summarized. Finally, the main challenges facing AIBs along with future directions are highlighted.

Three-Dimensional Multi-Target Tracking Using Dual-Orthogonal Baseline Interferometric Radar.

Multi-target tracking (MTT) generally needs either a Doppler radar network with spatially separated receivers or a single radar equipped with costly phased array antennas. However, Doppler radar networks have high computational complexity, attributed to the multiple receivers in the network. Moreover, array signal processing techniques for phased array radar also increase the computational burden on the processing unit. To resolve this issue, this paper investigates the problem of the detection and tracking of multiple targets in a three-dimensional (3D) Cartesian space based on range and 3D velocity measurements extracted from dual-orthogonal baseline interferometric radar. The contribution of this paper is twofold. First, a nonlinear 3D velocity measurement function, defining the relationship between the state of the target and 3D velocity measurements, is derived. Based on this measurement function, the design of the proposed algorithm includes the global nearest neighbor (GNN) technique for data association, an interacting multiple model estimator with a square-root cubature Kalman filter (IMM-SCKF) for state estimation, and a rule-based M/N logic for track management. Second, Monte Carlo simulation results for different multi-target scenarios are presented to demonstrate the performance of the algorithm in terms of track accuracy, computational complexity, and IMM mean model probabilities.

Implementation of a Distributed Framework for Permissioned Blockchain-Based Secure Automotive Supply Chain Management.

An automotive supply chain includes a range of activities from the concept of the product to its final transfer to a customer and subsequent vehicle maintenance. The three distinct stages of this chain are production, sales, and maintenance. In many countries, automobile records are not available to the public and anyone who has access to the central database or government systems can tamper with these records. In addition, used vehicle maintenance and transfer histories remain unavailable or inaccessible. These issues can be overcome by incorporating state-of-the-art blockchain technology into automotive supply chain management. Blockchain technology uses a chain of blocks for distributed transfer and storage of information, creating a decentralized data register that makes records of any digital asset tamper-proof and transparent. In this paper, we implement a permissioned blockchain-based framework for secure and efficient supply chain management of the automobile industry. We employed Hyperledger Fabric; an enterprise-grade distributed ledger platform for developing solutions. In our solution, the blockchain is customized and private in order to ensure system security. We evaluated our system in terms of memory cost, monetary cost, and speed of execution. Our results demonstrate that only 346 MB of extra memory space is required for storing the automotive data of 1 million users, thus rendering the memory cost negligible. The monetary cost is insignificant as all open source blockchain resources are employed, and the speed of record update is also fast. Our results also show that the decentralization of the automotive supply chain using blockchain can implement system security with minor modifications in the established configuration of the web application database.

Nanostructure Sn/C Composite High-Performance Negative Electrode for Lithium Storage.

Tin-based nanocomposite materials embedded in carbon frameworks can be used as effective negative electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), owing to their high theoretical capacities with stable cycle performance. In this work, a low-cost and productive facile hydrothermal method was employed for the preparation of a Sn/C nanocomposite, in which Sn particles (sized in nanometers) were uniformly dispersed in the conductive carbon matrix. The as-prepared Sn/C nanocomposite displayed a considerable reversible capacity of 877 mAhg-1 at 0.1 Ag-1 with a high first cycle charge/discharge coulombic efficiency of about 77%, and showed 668 mAh/g even at a relatively high current density of 0.5 Ag-1 after 100 cycles. Furthermore, excellent rate capability performance was achieved for 806, 697, 630, 516, and 354 mAhg-1 at current densities 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1 Ag-1, respectively. This outstanding and significantly improved electrochemical performance is attributed to the good distribution of Sn nanoparticles in the carbon framework, which helped to produce Sn/C nanocomposite next-generation negative electrodes for lithium-ion storage.

A Comparative Study Between Uncemented and Hybrid Total Hip Arthroplasty in Octogenarians.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this prospective cohort study is to evaluate the outcome of octogenarian patients undergoing uncemented total hip arthroplasty (THA) with a control group of similarly aged patients undergoing hybrid THA with a minimum 5-year follow-up. METHODS: Clinical outcomes including intraoperative and postoperative complications, blood transfusion, revision rate, and mortality were recorded. Radiological analysis of preoperative and postoperative radiographs assessed bone quality, implant fixation, and any subsequent loosening. RESULTS: One hundred forty-three patients (mean age 86.2 years) were enrolled in the study. Seventy-six patients underwent uncemented THA and 67 underwent hybrid THA. The uncemented cohort had a significantly lower intraoperative complication rate (P = .017) and also a lower transfusion rate (P = .002). Mean hospital stay (P = .27) was comparable between the 2 groups. Two patients underwent revision surgery in each cohort. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrates that uncemented THA is safe for the octogenarian patient and we recommend that age should not be a barrier to the choice of implant. However, intraoperative assessment of bone quality should guide surgeons to the optimum decision regarding uncemented and hybrid implants. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3.

Health risk assessment of heavy metals and bacterial contamination in drinking water sources: a case study of Malakand Agency, Pakistan.

Human beings are frequently exposed to pathogens and heavy metals through ingestion of contaminated drinking water throughout the world particularly in developing countries. The present study aimed to assess the quality of water used for drinking purposes in Malakand Agency, Pakistan. Water samples were collected from different sources (dug wells, bore wells, tube wells, springs, and hand pumps) and analyzed for different physico-chemical parameters and bacterial pathogens (fecal coliform bacteria) using standard methods, while heavy metals were analyzed using atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS-PEA-700). In the study area, 70 % of water sources were contaminated with F. coliform representing high bacterial contamination. The heavy metals, such as Cd (29 and 8 %), Ni (16 and 78 %), and Cr (7 %), exceeded their respective safe limits of WHO (2006) and Pak-EPA (2008), respectively, in water sources, while Pb (9 %) only exceeded from WHO safe limit. The risk assessment tools such as daily intake of metals (DIMs) and health risk indexes (HRIs) were used for health risk estimation and were observed in the order of Ni > Cr > Mn > Pb > Cd and Cd > Ni > Pb > Mn > Cr, respectively. The HRI values of heavy metals for both children and adults were <1, showing lack of potential health risk to the local inhabitants of the study area.

Amino acids and glycine derivatives differently affect refolding of mesophilic and thermophilic like α-amylases: implications in protein refolding and aggregation.

α-amylases are industrially important enzymes which are used in different starch-based industries. They are adapted to different environmental conditions like extremes of temperature, pH and salinity. Herein, α-amylases from Bacillus amyloliquifaciens (BAA) and Bacillus licheniformis (BLA), representing mesophilic and thermophilic-like proteins, respectively, have been used to investigate the effect of naturally occurring osmolytes like arginine, proline, glycine and its methyl derivatives, sarcosine and betaine on their refolding. In this study, we have shown that among amino acids and glycine derivatives, betaine is the most promising osmolyte, while arginine and glycine exhibit moderately positive effect at their lower concentrations on the refolding of BAA only. Except betaine, all other osmolytes above 0.25 M showed inhibitory effect on the native enzyme activity of BLA and BAA. However, aggregation kinetics monitored by static light scattering indicates suppression of aggregation by all of these osmolytes. Further investigation by tryptophan and ANS fluorescence spectroscopy indicates the formation of compact hydrophobic core in the presence of the osmolytes. The morphology of protein aggregates having different sizes was visualized by atomic force microscopy ,and it was observed that amorphous aggregates of variable heights were formed. Our study highlights the importance of differential effects of arginine, proline, glycine, sarcosine and betaine on the native state as well as on refolding of BLA and BAA which may be helpful in devising strategies for developing effective protein formulation and prevention of aggregation of industrially and therapeutically important proteins.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Reaction Atmosphere-Controlled Thermal Conversion of Ferrocene to Hematite and Cementite Nanomaterials-Structural and Spectroscopic Investigations.

Recently, we have reported the influence of various reaction atmospheres on the solid-state reaction kinetics of ferrocene, where oxalic acid dihydrate was used as a coprecursor. In this light, present study discusses on the nature of decomposed materials of the solid-state reactions of ferrocene in O2, air, and N2 atmospheres. The ambient and oxidative atmospheres caused the decomposition to yield pure hematite nanomaterials, whereas cementite nanomaterials along with α-Fe were obtained in N2 atmosphere. The obtained materials were mostly agglomerated. Elemental composition of each material was estimated. Using the absorbance data, the energy band gap values were estimated and the related electronic transitions from the observed absorption spectra were explored. Urbach energy was calculated for hematite, which described the role of defects in the decomposed materials. The nanostructures exhibited photoluminescence due to self-trapped states linked to their optical characteristics. Raman spectroscopy of hematite detected seven Raman modes, confirming the rhombohedral structure, whereas the D and G bands were visible in the Raman spectra for cementite. Thus, the reaction atmosphere significantly influenced the thermal decomposition of ferrocene and controls the type of nanomaterials obtained. Plausible reactions of the undergoing solid-state decomposition have been proposed.

Efficacy and safety of quinolones as potential first line therapy in pulmonary tuberculosis: a meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Tuberculosis is an infectious disease that continues to plague the world today, causing concerns due to its high mortality rate. The therapy regimens used for the treatment of tuberculosis today have demonstrated high efficacy and safety, potentially reducing the disease's burden, but the use of some standardized medications has caused many resistances to emerge. Over the last decade, researchers have been looking for suitable alternatives, with quinolones emerging as the most promising candidate due to their efficacy, safety, and availability. However, their efficacy as a first-line treatment remains debatable.

Experimental and numerical analysis of the thermal performance of pebble solar thermal collector.

In this work, pebbles of higher specific heat than the conventional absorber materials like aluminium or copper are proposed as a absorber in the solar flat plate collector. The proposed collector are integrated into the building design and constructed with masonry. Tests were conducted by varying the operating parameters which influence its performance, like the flow rate of the heat-absorbing medium, and the tilt of the collector using both coated and uncoated pebbles. The maximum temperature difference that could be measured for a conventional absorber was approximately 8 °C for a flow rate of 0.6 L/min. While for a coated and uncoated absorber, it was 7 °C and 5.5 °C respectively. This difference decreased with an increase in flow rates from 0.6 L/min to 1.2 L/min. For all the flow rates, it was observed that the average difference in efficiency between the coated and the conventional absorber collector is 5.82 %, while the difference between the coated and uncoated absorber collector is 15.68 %. Thus, it is very much evident that by replacing the conventional absorber with the proposed coated pebble absorber, the overall loss in efficiency is just 5.82 %, but the advantages are enormous. Along with the experimental study, numerical analysis was also carried out with CFD modeling. The numerical results agreed well with experimental results with the least error. Therefore, CFD simulation can be further used to optimize the design of the collector.

Effect of flavonoids on the destabilization of α-synuclein fibrils and their conversion to amorphous aggregate: A molecular dynamics simulation and experimental study.

The second most prevalent neurodegenerative disease, Parkinson's disease (PD), is caused by the accumulation and deposition of fibrillar aggregates of the α-Syn into the Lewy bodies. To create a potent pharmacological candidate to destabilize the preformed α-Syn fibril, it is important to understand the precise molecular mechanism underlying the destabilization of the α-Syn fibril. Through molecular dynamics simulations and experiments, we have examined the molecular mechanisms causing the destabilization and suppression of a newly discovered α-Syn fibril with a Greek-key-like shape and an aggregation prone state (APS) of α-Syn in the presence and absence of various Flvs. According to MD simulation and experimental evidence, morin, quercetin, and myricetin are the Flvs, most capable of destabilizing the fibrils and converting them into amorphous aggregates. Compared to galangin and kaempferol, they have more hydroxyl groups and form more hydrogen bonds with fibrils.The processes by which morin and myricetin prevent new fibril production from APS and destabilize the fibrils are different. According to linear interaction energy analysis, van der Waals interaction predominates with morin, and electrostatic interaction dominates with myricetin. Our MD simulation and experimental findings provide mechanistic insights into how Flvs destabilize α-Syn fibrils and change their morphology, opening the door to developing structure-based drugs for treating Parkinson's disease.

Improved PVC/ZnO Nanocomposite Insulation for High Voltage and High Temperature Applications.

Nanosized inorganic oxides have the trends to improve many characteristics of solid polymer insulation. In this work, the characteristics of improved poly (vinyl chloride) (PVC)/ZnO are evaluated using 0, 2, 4 and 6 phr of ZnO nanoparticles dispersed in polymer matrix using internal mixer and finally compressed into circular disk with 80 mm diameter using compression molding technique. Dispersion properties are studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), and optical microscopy (OM). The effect of filler on the electrical, optical, thermal, and dielectric properties of the PVC are also analyzed. Hydrophobicity of nano-composites is evaluated by measuring contact angle and recording hydrophobicity class using Swedish transmission research institute (STRI) classification method. Hydrophobic behavior decreases with the increase in filler content; contact angle increases up to 86°, and STRI class of HC3 for PZ4 is observed. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) are employed to evaluate the thermal properties of the samples. Also, continuous decrease of optical band gap energy from 4.04 eV for PZ0 to 2.57 eV for PZ6 is observed. In the meantime, an enhancement in the melting temperature, Tm, is observed from 172 to 215 °C. To check the stability of materials against hydrothermal stresses, all the fabricated materials are then subjected to a hydrothermal aging process for 1000 h and their structural stability is analyzed using optical microscopy and FTIR analyses.

Effect of Lipase and Lysolecithin Supplementation with Low Energy Diet on Growth Performance, Biochemical Attributes and Fatty Acid Profile of Breast Muscle of Broiler Chickens.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of dietary lysolecithin (LYSO) and lipase supplementation on productive performance, nutrient retention, and meat quality of broiler chicken fed a low energy diet. For this purpose, a total of 360 chicks were randomly alienated into six treatments, having six replicates (no = 10) birds each replicate. The dietary treatments were followed as control (CON fed as normal energy diet), LE (CON-100 kcal/kg from BD. basal diet), LIP 0.04 (LE + 0.04% lipase), LYSO 0.04 (LE + 0.04% lysolecithin), LIP + LYSO 0.04 (LE + 0.04% lipase and lysolecithin), and LIP + LYSO 0.08 (LE. + 0.08% lipase and lysolecithin). The birds fed with LIP + LYSO 0.04 exhibited higher weight gain than LYSO 0.08 and CON (p < 0.05), and higher feed intake (F.I.) was also observed in LIP + LYSO 0.04 than CON. However, lipase and emulsifier dietary effects were non-significant on FCR. (p > 0.05). Effects of experimental diets on dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), and fat digestibility were also non-significant (p > 0.05). Similarly, the blood biochemical profile (total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, HDL) of the broiler showed no significant difference (p > 0.05) by dietary treatments. Similarly, liver enzymes, AST and A.L.T., were also not statistically significant (p > 0.05) among all dietary treatments. Similarly, supplementation of LIP and LYSO had a non-significant (p > 0.05) effect on breast meat fatty acids composition. Conclusively, adding LIP + LYSO 0.08 to a low energy diet could demonstrate better growth performance and reduce the negative impact of a low-energy diet.

The utilization of microbes for sustainable food production.

As the global human population continues to grow, the demand for food rises accordingly. Unfortunately, anthropogenic activities, climate change, and the release of gases from the utilization of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides are causing detrimental effects on sustainable food production and agroecosystems. Despite these challenges, there remain underutilized opportunities for sustainable food production. This review discusses the advantages and benefits of utilizing microbes in food production. Microbes can be used as alternative food sources to directly supply nutrients for both humans and livestock. Additionally, microbes offer higher flexibility and diversity in facilitating crop productivity and agri-food production. Microbes function as natural nitrogen fixators, mineral solubilizers, nano-mineral synthesizers, and plant growth regulator inducers, all of which promote plant growth. They are also active organisms in degrading organic materials and remediating heavy metals and pollution in soils, as well as soil-water binders. In addition, microbes that occupy the plant rhizosphere release biochemicals that have nontoxic effects on the host and the environment. These biochemicals could act as biocides in controlling agricultural pests, pathogens, and diseases. Therefore, it is important to consider the use of microbes for sustainable food production.

Feasibility, usability and acceptability of a novel digital hybrid-system for reporting of routine maternal health information in Southern Tanzania: A mixed-methods study.

Health information systems are important for health planning and progress monitoring. Still, data from health facilities are often of limited quality in Low-and-Middle-Income Countries. Quality deficits are partially rooted in the fact that paper-based documentation is still the norm at facility level, leading to mistakes in summarizing and manual copying. Digitization of data at facility level would allow automatization of these procedural steps. Here we aimed to evaluate the feasibility, usability and acceptability of a scanning innovation called Smart Paper Technology for digital data processing. We used a mixed-methods design to understand users' engagement with Smart Paper Technology and identify potential positive and negative effects of this innovation in three health facilities in Southern Tanzania. Eight focus group discussions and 11 in-depth interviews with users were conducted. We quantified time used by health care providers for documentation and patient care using time-motion methods. Thematic analysis was used to analyze qualitative data. Descriptive statistics and multivariable linear models were generated to compare the difference before and after introduction and adjust for confounders. Health care providers and health care managers appreciated the forms' simple design features and perceived Smart Paper Technology as time-saving and easy to use. The time-motion study with 273.3 and 224.0 hours of observations before and after introduction of Smart Paper Technology, respectively, confirmed that working time spent on documentation did not increase (27.0% at baseline and 26.4% post-introduction; adjusted p = 0.763). Time spent on patient care was not negatively impacted (26.9% at baseline and 37.1% at post-intervention; adjusted p = 0.001). Health care providers described positive effects on their accountability for data and service provision relating to the fact that individually signed forms were filled. Health care providers perceived Smart Paper Technology as feasible, easy to integrate and acceptable in their setting, particularly as it did not add time to documentation.

Preparation and Characterization of Physically Activated Carbon and Its Energetic Application for All-Solid-State Supercapacitors: A Case Study.

Biomass-derived activated carbons have gained significant attention as electrode materials for supercapacitors (SCs) due to their renewability, low-cost, and ready availability. In this work, we have derived physically activated carbon from date seed biomass as symmetric electrodes and PVA/KOH has been used as a gel polymer electrolyte for all-solid-state SCs. Initially, the date seed biomass was carbonized at 600 °C (C-600) and then it was used to obtain physically activated carbon through CO2 activation at 850 °C (C-850). The SEM and TEM images of C-850 displayed its porous, flaky, and multilayer type morphologies. The fabricated electrodes from C-850 with PVA/KOH electrolytes showed the best electrochemical performances in SCs (Lu et al. Energy Environ. Sci., 2014, 7, 2160) application. Cyclic voltammetry was performed from 5 to 100 mV s-1, illustrating an electric double layer behavior. The C-850 electrode delivered a specific capacitance of 138.12 F g-1 at 5 mV s-1, whereas it retained 16 F g-1 capacitance at 100 mV s-1. Our assembled all-solid-state SCs exhibit an energy density of 9.6 Wh kg-1 with a power density of 87.86 W kg-1. The internal and charge transfer resistances of the assembled SCs were 0.54 and 17.86 Ω, respectively. These innovative findings provide a universal and KOH-free activation process for the synthesis of physically activated carbon for all solid-state SCs applications.

25-hydroxyvitamin D level is associated with greater grip strength across adult life span: a population-based cohort study.

Objective: Maintaining muscle function throughout life is critical for healthy ageing. Although in vitro studies consistently indicate beneficial effects of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) on muscle function, findings from population-based studies remain inconclusive. We therefore aimed to examine the association between 25-OHD concentration and handgrip strength across a wide age range and assess potential modifying effects of age, sex and season. Methods: We analysed cross-sectional baseline data of 2576 eligible participants out of the first 3000 participants (recruited from March 2016 to March 2019) of the Rhineland Study, a community-based cohort study in Bonn, Germany. Multivariate linear regression models were used to assess the relation between 25-OHD levels and grip strength while adjusting for age, sex, education, smoking, season, body mass index, physical activity levels, osteoporosis and vitamin D supplementation. Results: Compared to participants with deficient 25-OHD levels (<30 nmol/L), grip strength was higher in those with inadequate (30 to <50 nmol/L) and adequate (≥50 to ≤125 nmol/L) levels (ßinadequate = 1.222, 95% CI: 0.377; 2.067, P = 0.005; ßadequate = 1.228, 95% CI: 0.437; 2.019, P = 0.002). Modelling on a continuous scale revealed grip strength to increase with higher 25-OHD levels up to ~100 nmol/L, after which the direction reversed (ßlinear = 0.505, 95% CI: 0.179; 0.830, P = 0.002; ßquadratic = -0.153, 95% CI: -0.269; -0.038, P = 0.009). Older adults showed weaker effects of 25-OHD levels on grip strength than younger adults (ß25OHDxAge = -0.309, 95% CI: -0.594; -0.024, P = 0.033). Conclusions: Our findings highlight the importance of sufficient 25-OHD levels for optimal muscle function across the adult life span. However, vitamin D supplementation should be closely monitored to avoid detrimental effects.

Adaptive fuzzy-based stability control and series impedance correction for the grid-tied inverter.

The regenerative braking in the tram allows the energy to be returned to the power grid through a power inverter. Since the inverter location between the tram and the power grid is not fixed, resulting in a wide variety of impedance networks at grid coupling points, posing a severe threat to the stable operation of the grid-tied inverter (GTI). By independently changing the loop characteristics of the GTI, the adaptive fuzzy PI controller (AFPIC) can adjust according to different impedance network parameters. It is challenging to fulfill the stability margin requirements of GTI under high network impedance since the PI controller has phase lag characteristics. A correction method of series virtual impedance is proposed, which connects the inductive link in a series configuration with the inverter output impedance, correcting the inverter equivalent output impedance from resistance-capacitance to resistance-inductance and improving the system stability margin. Feedforward control is adopted to improve the system's gain in the low-frequency band. Finally, the specific series impedance parameters are obtained by determining the maximum network impedance and setting the minimum phase margin of 45°. The realization of virtual impedance is simulated by conversion to an equivalent control block diagram, and the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed method are verified by simulation and a 1 kW experimental prototype.

Efficacy of telmisartan and atenolol in management of essential hypertension.

BACKGROUND: Telmisartan and atenolol are widely used in the management of essential hypertension. This study was conducted to compare the efficacy of these two drugs in management of patients of essential hypertension. METHODS: Diagnosed patients of essential hypertension were selected. Therapeutic option (telmisartan/atenolol) was allocated to the patients by lottery method and they were divided into two groups. The patients were followed on subsequent visits (4 in total) and their sitting systolic and diastolic blood pressures were recorded. RESULTS: Total number of 180 patients were divided into two treatment groups (i.e., telmisaran and atenolol). Forty percent were male and 60% were female. Majority of the patients were of age group 56-75 years. Telmisartan reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure significantly compared to atenolol at the end of 8 weeks of treatment (p = 0.000 and 0.016 respectively). CONCLUSION: Telmisartan 80 mg once daily is more effective than atenolol 50 mg once daily in lowering systolic and diastolic blood pressure at the end of 8 weeks of treatment.