Emission Characteristics of Methyl Ester of Rice Bran Oil Blends with Ethanol in CI Engine

Increasing demand and rapid depletion of fossil fuels have together prompted the researchers of many countries to look for alternate renewable fuels. This study is an attempt to test the feasibility of rice bran oil as fuel in C. I. engine in its original and in its refined form. It is generally produced from rice bran which is a by-product produced during paddy processing. Its viscosity though relatively higher than diesel can be reduced by natural sedimentation process. In this attempt, the performance and emission characteristics of rice bran oil and its refined form were studied and compared with diesel by employing them as a fuel in a single cylinder, direct injection, 4.4 KW, air cooled diesel engine. The performance characteristics revealed that the brake thermal efficiency of the rice bran oil was higher than its refined form and were marginally lower than that of diesel. Emission measurements were carried out using MRU Delta 1600L gas analyzer and the soot concentration was measured with AVL smoke meter. It was found that though blends of rice bran oil with ethanolexhibited greater soot concentration characteristics than rice bran oil and diesel at all loads, it exhibited desirable characteristics for other emissions such as lower CO, HC, NOx emissions and lower exhaust gas temperatures with increasing load.

Combination of capsular tension ring and capsular tension segment for the management of lens coloboma >4 clock hours

Lens colobomas extending more than 4 clock hours and causing visual impairment require lens extraction along with capsular support devices with scleral fixation for adequate centration of the capsular bag and for prevention of capsular fornix aspiration with inadvertent extension of zonular dialysis intraoperatively. In this case series, we describe a technique for the management of isolated lens colobomas involving 4–5 clock hours by clear lens extraction and intraocular lens implantation using a combination of a capsular tension ring with a capsular tension segment (CTS) for the centration and stability of the capsular bag. Hoffman's corneoscleral pocket and half-bow sliding knot technique were used for scleral fixation of the CTS.

Alkaptonuria and intramedullary calcification.

Alkaptonuria is a rare disorder of metabolism caused by deficiency of homogentisic acid oxidase enzyme and characterized by triad of homogentisic aciduria (dark urine), relentlessly progressive arthritis and ochronosis. We have documented a case with typical features of alkaptonuria along with intramedullary calcification which has not been reported in the literature before.

Epidemiology of a new focus of localized cutaneous leishmaniasis in Himachal Pradesh.

A new focus of localised cutaneous leishmaniasis has emerged along the Satluj River valley in the mountainous region of north west Himachal Pradesh. The main endemic region extends from Pooh subdivision of Kinnaur district to Kumarsain subdivision of Shimla district with adjoining Nirmand subdivision of Kullu District comprising 86 villages. The climate of the affected areas varies from temperate to subtropical. A total of 285 cases were recorded from 1988 to January, 2005. The age of these patients varied from 10 months to 75 years, with 63 children (<12Years), and a male to female ratio of 1: 0.9. The duration of disease was 15 days to 48 months with majority (85%) presenting between 1-6 months. The number of lesions varied from 1-8, and were mostly seen on exposed parts of the body. Morphologically, lesions were asymptomatic, dry, nodular or crusted nodulo-ulcerative plaques. Tissue smear positivity for amastigotes was 43%. The characterization of 14 strains of these Leishmania revealed presence of both Leishmania tropica (n=3) and Leishmania donovani (n=11). Identification of the 42 sandflies collected from the peridomestic environment of the patients, revealed Phlebotomus longiductus - 29, P. major 8, P. kandelaki 2, while 2 remained unidentified. The patients were treated with intralesional sodium stibogluconate and majority showed excellent response.

Profile of glaucoma in a major eye hospital in north India.

PURPOSE: To study the clinical profile and distribution of various subtypes of glaucoma in a referral practice in North India. METHOD: A retrospective analysis was done of 2425 patients who attended the glaucoma clinic in a tertiary eye-care centre for five years from January 1995 to December 1999. A detailed history was obtained and a thorough examination was performed, including gonioscopy, disc assessment, applanation tonometry and automated perimetry. Diurnal variation of IOP and provocative tests for glaucoma were done where applicable. RESULT: Primary angle closure glaucoma (PACG) was the most common glaucoma subtype. The primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) to the PACG ratio was 37:63. Chronic angle closure glaucoma (CACG) was the most common PACG subtype. The majority of CACG cases were relatively asymptomatic. Male dominance was seen for POAG, juvenile open angle glaucoma (JOAG), CACG, normal tension glaucoma (NTG) and secondary glaucomas. Female dominance was seen for ocular hypertension (OHT), acute or intermittent ACG and developmental glaucomas. The mean age in years at presentation was POAG:60.54 years (males 61.54 years, females 59.01 years) and PACG: 55.13 years (males 57.25 years, females 53.60). The three common secondary glaucomas were: glaucoma secondary to adherent leucoma, aphakic and pseudophakic glaucomas and traumatic glaucomas. Advanced glaucoma was detected in 42 to 53% of patients and bilateral blindness in 8 to 14% of patients in various subtypes. CONCLUSION: Compared to Caucasians, glaucoma patients in North India seem to present nearly a decade earlier and the disease is more advanced at presentation. While PACG is the most commonly encountered glaucoma, NTG and exfoliative glaucoma are relatively rare.

Isolated posterior dislocation of the radial head in an adult.

Isolated posterior dislocation of the radial head was detected on X-ray in a patient following a vehicular accident. Such a dislocation without an associated fracture is extremely rare in adults. Immobilization of the elbow in full pronation and 90 degrees flexion for 4 weeks normalized the position of the head of the radius.

Role of ultrasonography in patients with normal oral cholecystogram.

The role of real-time ultrasonography was evaluated in 50 randomly selected cases with a strong clinical suspicion of gallbladder diseases and normal oral cholecystogram. Of these, 13(26%) cases showed abnormalities on ultrasonography.

A comparative study between hysterosalpingography and laparoscopy in case of infertility.

From the present study it can be concluded that both the procedures have their own importance and no one can substitute the other, in diagnosing all the diseases. HSG has been found to be more rewarding in cases of abnormalities of the lumen of uterus and fallopian tubes for their patency. On the other hand laparoscopy has been more rewarding for the abnormalities of the surface of uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries. It is suggested that in all the cases of infertility both the procedures should be done and the HSG should be done first followed by laparoscopy.