Mechanism by which T7 bacteriophage protein Gp1.2 inhibits Escherichia coli dGTPase.

Levels of the cellular dNTPs, the direct precursors for DNA synthesis, are important for DNA replication fidelity, cell cycle control, and resistance against viruses. Escherichia coli encodes a dGTPase (2'-deoxyguanosine-5'-triphosphate [dGTP] triphosphohydrolase [dGTPase]; dgt gene, Dgt) that establishes the normal dGTP level required for accurate DNA replication but also plays a role in protecting E. coli against bacteriophage T7 infection by limiting the dGTP required for viral DNA replication. T7 counteracts Dgt using an inhibitor, the gene 1.2 product (Gp1.2). This interaction is a useful model system for studying the ongoing evolutionary virus/host "arms race." We determined the structure of Gp1.2 by NMR spectroscopy and solved high-resolution cryo-electron microscopy structures of the Dgt-Gp1.2 complex also including either dGTP substrate or GTP coinhibitor bound in the active site. These structures reveal the mechanism by which Gp1.2 inhibits Dgt and indicate that Gp1.2 preferentially binds the GTP-bound form of Dgt. Biochemical assays reveal that the two inhibitors use different modes of inhibition and bind to Dgt in combination to yield enhanced inhibition. We thus propose an in vivo inhibition model wherein the Dgt-Gp1.2 complex equilibrates with GTP to fully inactivate Dgt, limiting dGTP hydrolysis and preserving the dGTP pool for viral DNA replication.

Zinc-Substituted Cobalt Phosphate [ZnCo2(PO4)2] as a Bifunctional Electrocatalyst.

Development of highly efficient, earth-abundant, and stable bifunctional electrocatalysts is pivotal for designing viable next-generation metal-air batteries. Cobalt-based phosphates provide a treasure house to design electrocatalysts, with a wide range of cation substitutions to further enhance their electrocatalytic activity. In particular, phosphates with distorted geometry show favorable binding efficiency toward water molecules with low overpotential. In the present work, zinc-substituted cobalt phosphate ZnCo2(PO4)2 was investigated. Its crystal structure was solved to a monoclinic framework built with CoO6 octahedra and distorted CoO5/ZnO5 trigonal bipyramid leading to efficient bifunctional electrocatalytic activity. It offers robust structural stability with onset potential values of 0.87 V (vs reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE)) and 1.50 V (vs RHE) for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) processes, respectively, comparable to the precious metal catalysts. The origin and stability of the bifunctional activity were probed by combining ex situ diffraction and electron microscopy corroborated by ab initio calculations. Overall, zinc-substituted cobalt phosphate [ZnCo2(PO4)2] forms a potential bifunctional electrocatalyst with tunable local cobalt coordination that can be harnessed for metal-air batteries.

Effect of ursodeoxycholic acid in facilitating early hepatic clearance of radiotracer among patients undergoing 99mTc-sestamibi myocardial perfusion scintigraphy: A randomized double blind placebo controlled parallel trial.

BACKGROUND: Infra-cardiac tracer activity due to persistent hepatic activity interferes in inferior and infero-septal wall assessment during 99mTc-MIBI SPECT/CT myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (MPS) in evaluation of patients with coronary artery disease. It affects image interpretation with increased study duration. Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) is known to enhance hepatic excretion of bilirubin and bile salts, though its role in enhancing the hepatic tracer clearance in facilitating cardiac imaging is not known. METHODS: This prospective, randomized double-blind, placebo controlled clinical trial of 120 patients, referred for adenosine stress or viability MPS studies were randomized 1:1 to receive either UDCA or placebo. Outcome was quantitative & qualitative improvement in imaging for better interpretation and to reduce the waiting time for scan. RESULTS: 118 participants (59 ± 11.9 years; 84 men) underwent adenosine stress MPS or viability MPS. Sixty participants had UDCA while 58 had placebo intervention. The study showed significant decrease in liver counts with improved myocardial to liver ratio at 30 and 60 minutes in adenosine stress MPS group, and marginally significant alteration in liver counts at 60 minutes in viability MPS group receiving UDCA, resulting in better images. CONCLUSION: UDCA intervention in MPS provides early and better image due to faster hepatic tracer clearance.

Personal radio use and cancer risks among 48,518 British police officers and staff from the Airwave Health Monitoring Study.

BACKGROUND: Radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) from mobile phones have been classified as potentially carcinogenic. No study has investigated use of Terrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA), a source of RF-EMF with wide occupational use, and cancer risks. METHODS: We investigated association of monthly personal radio use and risk of cancer using Cox proportional hazards regression among 48,518 police officers and staff of the Airwave Health Monitoring Study in Great Britain. RESULTS: During median follow-up of 5.9 years, 716 incident cancer cases were identified. Among users, the median of the average monthly duration of use in the year prior to enrolment was 30.5 min (inter-quartile range 8.1, 68.1). Overall, there was no association between personal radio use and risk of all cancers (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.98, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.93, 1.03). For head and neck cancers HR = 0.72 (95% CI: 0.30, 1.70) among personal radio users vs non-users, and among users it was 1.06 (95% CI: 0.91, 1.23) per doubling of minutes of personal radio use. CONCLUSIONS: With the limited follow-up to date, we found no evidence of association of personal radio use with cancer risk. Continued follow-up of the cohort is warranted.

Use of TETRA personal radios and sickness absence in the Airwave Health Monitoring Study of the British police forces.

BACKGROUND: Terrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA) is used for radiocommunications among the British police forces. OBJECTIVES: To investigate association of personal radio use and sickness absence among police officers and staff from the Airwave Health Monitoring Study. METHODS: Participant-level sickness absence records for 26 forces were linked with personal radio use for 32,102 participants. We used multivariable logistic regression to analyse TETRA usage in year prior to enrolment and sickness absence (lasting more than 7 or 28 consecutive days) in the following year and a zero-inflated negative binomial model for analyses of number of sickness absence episodes of any duration ('spells') over the same period. In secondary analyses, we looked at an extended period of observation among a sub-cohort with linked data over time, using Cox proportional hazards regression. RESULTS: Median personal radio use (year prior to enrolment) was 29.7 min per month (interquartile range 7.5, 64.7) among users. In the year following enrolment there were 25,655 sickness absence spells among 15,248 participants. There were similar risks of sickness absence lasting more than seven days among users and non-users, although among users risk was higher with greater use, odds ratio = 1.04 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.02 to 1.06) per doubling of radio use. There was no association for sickness absence of more than 28 days. For sickness absence spells, risk was lower among users than non-users (incidence rate ratio = 0.91; 95% CI 0.75 to 1.11), again with higher risk among users for greater radio use. There was no association between radio use and sickness absence in secondary analyses. DISCUSSION: There were similar or lower risks of sickness absence in TETRA radio users compared with non-users. Among users, the higher risk of sickness absence with greater radio use may reflect working pattern differences among police personnel rather than effects of radiofrequency exposure.

A cross-sectional investigation into the occupational and socio-demographic characteristics of British police force employees reporting a dietary pattern associated with cardiometabolic risk: findings from the Airwave Health Monitoring Study.

PURPOSE: The aims of this study were to (1) determine the association between diet quality using the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) score and cardiometabolic risk in a British working population and (2) identify employee characteristics associated with reporting a poorer quality dietary pattern. METHODS: British police employees enrolled (2007-2012) into the Airwave Health Monitoring Study (n = 5527) were included for sex-specific cross-sectional analyses. Dietary intakes were measured using 7-day food records. DASH score was calculated to determine diet quality. Logistic regression evaluated associations between (1) diet quality and increased cardiometabolic risk (defined as ≥ 3 risk markers: dyslipidaemia, elevated blood pressure, waist circumference, CRP or HbA1c), and (2) poor diet quality (lowest fifth of DASH score distribution) and employee characteristics. RESULTS: Employees recording a poor diet quality had greater odds (OR) of increased cardiometabolic risk independent of established risk factors (demographic, lifestyle and occupational) and BMI: men OR 1.50 (95% CI 1.12-2.00), women: OR 1.84 (95% CI 1.19-2.97) compared to the healthiest diet group. Characteristics associated with reporting a poor quality diet were employment in Scotland vs. England: men OR 1.88 (95% CI 1.53-2.32), women: OR 1.49 (95% CI 1.11-2.00), longer working hours (≥ 49 vs. ≤40 h) men: OR 1.53 (95% CI 1.21-1.92) women: OR 1.53 (95% CI 1.12-2.09). For men, job strain (high vs. low) was associated with reporting a poor diet quality OR 1.66 (95% CI 1.30-2.12). CONCLUSIONS: The general population disparities in diet quality between England and Scotland were reflected in British police employees. The association of longer working hours and job strain with diet quality supports the targeting of workplace nutritional interventions.

Estimation of TETRA radio use in the Airwave Health Monitoring Study of the British police forces.

BACKGROUND: The Airwave Health Monitoring Study aims to investigate the possible long-term health effects of Terrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA) use among the police forces in Great Britain. Here, we investigate whether objective data from the network operator could be used to correct for misreporting in self-reported data and expand the radio usage availability in our cohort. METHODS: We estimated average monthly usage of personal radio in the 12 months prior to enrolment from a missing value imputation model and evaluated its performance against objective and self-reported data. Factors associated with TETRA radio usage variables were investigated using Chi-square tests and analysis of variance. RESULTS: The imputed data were better correlated with objective than self-reported usage (Spearman correlation coefficient = 0.72 vs. 0. 52 and kappa 0.56 [95% confidence interval 0.55, 0.56] vs. 0.46 [0.45, 0.47]), although the imputation model tended to under-estimate use for higher users. Participants with higher personal radio usage were more likely to be younger, men vs. women and officer vs. staff. The median average monthly usage level for the entire cohort was estimated to be 29.3 min (95% CI: [7.2, 66.6]). CONCLUSION: The availability of objective personal radio records for a large proportion of users allowed us to develop a robust imputation model and hence obtain personal radio usage estimates for ~50,000 participants. This substantially reduced exposure misclassification compared to using self-reported data and will allow us to carry out analyses of TETRA usage for the entire cohort in future work.

An efficient route to fabricate fatigue-free P(VDF-TrFE) capacitors with enhanced piezoelectric and ferroelectric properties and excellent thermal stability for sensing and memory applications.

P(VDF-TrFE), the best known ferroelectric polymer, suffers from a rather low piezoelectric response as well as poor electrical fatigue life, hampering its application potential. Herein, we report the fabrication of fatigue free poly(vinylidenedifluoride-trifluoroethylene) P(VDF-TrFE)-based capacitors with record piezoelectric coefficients and excellent thermal stability. We proposed a cost-effective and simple solution-based process to fabricate P(VDF-TrFE)-based memory capacitors with large polarization (8.9 µC cm-2), low voltage operation (15 V), and excellent fatigue endurance with 100% polarization retention up to 108 electrical switching cycles. The thin film capacitors fabricated using methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as co-solvents also show a much higher piezoelectric coefficient (d33 = -60 pm V-1) than the previously reported capacitors and are also thermally stable up to 380 K, making them ideal candidates for ferro-, piezo-, and pyro-electric applications, even in devices operating above room temperature. The observed results are well supported by first principles calculations, FTIR, XPS, and evaluation of cohesion energy for crystallization by DSC.

Structure of Escherichia coli dGTP triphosphohydrolase: a hexameric enzyme with DNA effector molecules.

The Escherichia coli dgt gene encodes a dGTP triphosphohydrolase whose detailed role still remains to be determined. Deletion of dgt creates a mutator phenotype, indicating that the dGTPase has a fidelity role, possibly by affecting the cellular dNTP pool. In the present study, we have investigated the structure of the Dgt protein at 3.1-Šresolution. One of the obtained structures revealed a protein hexamer that contained two molecules of single-stranded DNA. The presence of DNA caused significant conformational changes in the enzyme, including in the catalytic site of the enzyme. Dgt preparations lacking DNA were able to bind single-stranded DNA with high affinity (Kd ∼ 50 nM). DNA binding positively affected the activity of the enzyme: dGTPase activity displayed sigmoidal (cooperative) behavior without DNA but hyperbolic (Michaelis-Menten) kinetics in its presence, consistent with a specific lowering of the apparent Km for dGTP. A mutant Dgt enzyme was also created containing residue changes in the DNA binding cleft. This mutant enzyme, whereas still active, was incapable of DNA binding and could no longer be stimulated by addition of DNA. We also created an E. coli strain containing the mutant dgt gene on the chromosome replacing the wild-type gene. The mutant also displayed a mutator phenotype. Our results provide insight into the allosteric regulation of the enzyme and support a physiologically important role of DNA binding.

A continuous spectrophotometric enzyme-coupled assay for deoxynucleoside triphosphate triphosphohydrolases.

We describe a continuous, spectrophotometric, enzyme-coupled assay useful to monitor reactions catalyzed by nucleoside triphosphohydrolases. In particular, using Escherichia coli deoxynucleoside triphosphohydrolase (Dgt), which hydrolyzes dGTP to deoxyguanosine and tripolyphosphate (PPPi) as the enzyme to be tested, we devised a procedure relying on purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNPase) and xanthine oxidase (XOD) as the auxiliary enzymes. The deoxyguanosine released by Dgt can indeed be conveniently subjected to phosphorolysis by PNPase, yielding deoxyribose-1-phosphate and guanine, which in turn can be oxidized to 8-oxoguanine by XOD. By this means, it was possible to continuously detect Dgt activity at 297 nm, at which wavelength the difference between the molar extinction coefficients of 8-oxoguanine (8000 M(-1) cm(-1)) and guanine (1090 M(-1) cm(-1)) is maximal. The initial velocities of Dgt-catalyzed reactions were then determined in parallel with the enzyme-coupled assay and with a discontinuous high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method able to selectively detect deoxyguanosine. Under appropriate conditions of excess auxiliary enzymes, the activities determined with our continuous enzyme-coupled assay were quantitatively comparable to those observed with the HPLC method. Moreover, the enzyme-coupled assay proved to be more sensitive than the chromatographic procedure, permitting reliable detection of Dgt activity at low dGTP substrate concentrations.

The combined effect of mechanical strain and electric field cycling on the ferroelectric performance of P(VDF-TrFE) thin films on flexible substrates and underlying mechanisms.

In this manuscript, we study the combined effect of mechanical strain and electric field cycling on the ferroelectric properties and polarization fatigue of P(VDF-TrFE) based flexible thin film capacitors from the perspective of flexible memory applications. The devices show nearly 80% retention of ferroelectric polarization after 30 000 bending cycles at mechanical strains of up to ca. 0.8%, mimicking a typical number of bending cycles a product is expected to go through. On the other hand, electric field cycling of the unstrained as well as mechanically strained devices results in over 50% drop in the ferroelectric polarization of the capacitors within 105 bipolar switching cycles. We find that 20% reduction in the polarization upon mechanical cycling is due to the formation of cracks in P(VDF-TrFE) thin films whilst ca. 50% polarization reduction during purely electrical or mechano-electrical fatigue is concomitant with the development of bubbles in the top electrode of the devices which eventually coalesce to give rise to bursting and eventual delamination of the electrode. A detailed investigation into the electrical fatigue mechanisms shows that the fatigue is primarily driven by the degradation of the P(VDF-TrFE) thin films due to HF elimination triggered by a high enough electric field, also manifested by reduced crystallinity and a reduced number of total dipoles of P(VDF-TrFE) films. The results clearly suggest that polarization reduction upon electric field cycling i.e. electrical fatigue is a greater bottleneck in the use of flexible memory devices than the mechanical cycling.

Validation of objective records and misreporting of personal radio use in a cohort of British Police forces (the Airwave Health Monitoring Study).

BACKGROUND: Terrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA) is a digital communication system progressively adopted by Police Forces in Great Britain since 2001. In 2000, the UK Independent Expert Group on Mobile Phones suggested that exposure to TETRA-like signal modulation might have adverse effects on health. The Airwave Health Monitoring Study was established to investigate possible long-term effects of TETRA use on health. This requires estimation of TETRA use among Police Force employees participating in the study. METHODS: We investigated TETRA usage among 42,112 Police officers and staff. An algorithm was created to link each personal radio user to his/her objective radio usage records for the 26,035 participants with available data. We linked 16,577 personal radio users to their objective radio usage records and compared self-reported usage with data from the TETRA operator for those individuals. RESULTS: For weekly usage, the correlation between self-reported and operator-derived personal radio usage was r=0.69 for number and r=0.59 for the duration of calls. Compared with objective data, participants under-reported the number of calls and over-reported the duration of calls by a factor of around 4 and 1.6 respectively. Correlations were lower and bias higher when looking at daily usage. CONCLUSION: Where both objective and self-reported information were available, our study showed substantial misreporting in self-reported TETRA usage. Successful linkage of large numbers of TETRA users to objective data on their personal radios will allow objective assessment of TETRA radio usage for these participants and development of algorithms to correct bias in self-reported data for the remainder.

The Airwave Health Monitoring Study of police officers and staff in Great Britain: rationale, design and methods.

BACKGROUND: The Airwave Health Monitoring Study was established to evaluate possible health risks associated with use of TETRA, a digital communication system used by police forces and other emergency services in Great Britain since 2001. The study has been broadened to investigate more generally the health of the work force. METHODS: From 2004, participants from each force who agreed to participate were enrolled either with an enrolment questionnaire or a comprehensive health screening performed locally. This includes questionnaire, 7-day food diaries, anthropometry, measurements of cardiovascular and cognitive function, blood chemistry, coagulation and haematology. Blood and urine samples are stored in vapour phase liquid nitrogen allowing long-term access for biochemical or genetic analysis. Access to the resource is via an access committee and a steering committee, including external scientific advisers as well as representatives of the police officers and staff. RESULTS: By the end of 2012, the study had recruited 42,112 participants, of whom 35,199 (83.6%) had attended the health screening. Almost two thirds of participants were men and 71% of them were a TETRA user. Being in lower ranks (constable/sergeant and staff) was associated with a worse cardio-metabolic risk profile compared to higher ranks (inspector or chief inspector, superintendent and above). CONCLUSION: The Airwave Health Monitoring Study is the only large-scale cohort study of police employees worldwide. The specificities of this sample, such as its well-defined job hierarchy, make it a particularly valuable occupational cohort. Participants have consented to the use of their data and samples for future, currently unspecified, research purposes.

Cystic meningiomas: A complex diagnostic challenge and clinicopathological insights from a unique case presentation.

Meningiomas present diverse clinical and radiological characteristics, with cystic formations constituting a lesser subset but posing significant diagnostic hurdles. We explore the complexities of cystic meningiomas through a distinctive case, highlighting the challenges in diagnosis and management due to their variable presentations. A 54-year-old female from Bengaluru, Karnataka, initially presented with transient memory disturbances. Brain MRI revealed a sizable left frontal cystic lesion exerting a mass effect and midline shift. However, rapid neurological decline led to an urgent surgical intervention via decompressive craniectomy unveiling unique intraoperative findings and with subsequent histopathological documentation of a Grade WHO 1 cystic meningioma. Cystic meningiomas present intricate diagnostic challenges resembling other intracranial lesions. Various classification systems attempt to categorize these tumors based on their imaging and histopathological characteristics. Despite this, atypical clinical manifestations often lead to misdiagnoses, necessitating a comprehensive approach to differential diagnosis. Further research is crucial to unravel the mechanisms underlying these tumors' cystic changes for improved diagnostic accuracy and tailored therapeutic interventions.

Clinical Significance of Hepatobiliary Localization of Tc-99m EC in Diuretic Renography.

Objective Technetium-99m ethylene dicysteine (Tc-99m EC) is a well-established, tubular tracer for diuretic renography. Few occasional cases have been reported in literature regarding visualization of liver, gallbladder (GB), or bowel due to increased hepatobiliary route of excretion of Tc-99m EC on diuretic renography. This study aimed to retrospectively review the incidence of visualization of liver, GB, or bowel and its clinical significance in Tc-99m EC diuretic renography. Materials and Methods Data of all patients who underwent diuretic renography in the department from January 24, 2022 to March 31, 2023 was included in the study. The data was analyzed to assess the incidence of visualization of GB or bowel loops, correlation of the hepatobiliary localization with factors like age of the patient, concentration of 99m TcO4 solution, quality control parameters, presence of renal stone disease, serum creatinine, relative renal function, and effective renal plasma flow. Effect of hepatobiliary localization on scan interpretation and reporting was assessed. Results The retrospective analysis of 437 diuretic renograms revealed the hepatobiliary localization of tracer in 34 patients. Out of these 34 patients, 14 patients had only faint visualization of tracer at 4 hours delayed image. Twenty scans had visualization of both GB and bowel. Out of these 20 scans, GB and bowel were visualized during dynamic imaging in one scan, after initial 20 minutes in two scans and in 2 to 4 hours delayed images in rest of the 17 scans. Two out of 20 patients had increased serum creatinine, 16 patients had either single kidney or relative renal function less than 26%, and 12 patients had renal stone disease. Out of the four patients in whom relative renal function was more than 25%, one patient had raised serum creatinine and three patients had renal stone disease. Interpretation of images was affected only in three patients, in which reporting of the scans required single-photon emission computed tomography imaging and correlation with other imaging modalities. Conclusion Hepatobiliary excretion of Tc-99m EC usually does not usually affect the scan interpretation and quantitative renogram analysis, but reader should be cognizant of the potential pitfalls during scan interpretation. In this study, we reviewed the possible causes of this hepatobiliary clearance and importance of additional views and correlation with other imaging modalities to clarify the suspicion arises for accurate reporting.

Tc-99m MDP Scan with Unusual and Isolated Skeletal Metastasis in Skull Bone in a Case of Testicular Seminoma.

Seminomas are common germ cell tumors (GCT) that may arise in the testes as well as in extra testicular locations such as mediastinum with/without testicular tumor. Testicular tumors are usually detected early due to their location and presentation as testicular mass. The overall prognosis of the seminomatous GCTs is good with surgery as the mainstay of treatment in localized disease. Bone metastases, especially when present in isolation are exceedingly rare in seminoma. Here, we present a rare case of skull bone metastasis in a case of testicular seminoma which was detected on technetium-99m labeled methylene diphosphonate bone scintigraphy with single-photon emission computed tomography with computed tomography.

The 'Eye Mask Sign' in Fibrous Dysplasia on 99mTc-MDP Skeletal Scintigraphy and SPECT/CT.

Fibrous dysplasia (FD) is a fibro-osseous disorder that manifests with distinct or overlapping clinical patterns. FD may be monostotic or polyostotic and commonly associated with syndromes such as McCune-Albright syndrome and Mazabraud syndrome. We report a case of polyostotic FD with bilateral involvement of craniofacial bones in a distinct pattern and propose this characteristic appearance as the 'eye mask sign' on 99mTc-Methylene Diphosphonate (MDP) skeletal scintigraphy and SPECT/CT. Other unusual skeletal scintigraphic features noted in this case are also described (Figs. 1, 2, and 3).

Minimally Invasive Plate Osteosynthesis (MIPO) Through the Posterior Approach for the Humerus: A Cadaveric Study.

Background Minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis (MIPO) has been effectively used in femur and tibia fractures. MIPO in the humerus is conducted by anterior (most commonly used), lateral, and posterior approaches. However, in the anterior approach, in distal humeral diaphyseal fractures, there is a lack of adequate room for screw placement in the distal fragment for good stability. In such cases, the posterior approach for MIPO may be a propitious treatment method. However, the literature on MIPO using the posterior approach for humeral diaphyseal fractures is limited. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of MIPO through the posterior approach and study the association of radial nerve injury with MIPO through the posterior approach for the humerus. Methodology This experimental study was conducted in the Department of Orthopedics, Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India, and 20 cadaveric arms (10 right and 10 left) of 11 embalmed (formalin) cadavers were included (seven males and four females). Cadavers were placed prone on the dissection table. The posterolateral tip of the acromion and lateral epicondyle of the humerus were used as bony landmarks that were marked under C-Arm (Ziehm Imaging, Orlando, FL, USA) using K wires (Kirschner wires, Surgical Holdings, Essex, UK). Two incisions on the posterior part of the arm were made, and the radial nerve was identified at the proximal incision. After creating a submuscular tunnel, a 3.5 mm extraarticular distal humeral locking compression plate (LCP) was introduced over the posterior surface of the humerus and fixed to the humerus distally with one screw and then adjusted proximally and fixed to the humerus with another screw in the proximal window, followed by placement of couple more screws under C-Arm. After plate fixation, the dissection was completed to meticulously explore the radial nerve. The radial nerve was examined thoroughly for any injury sustained after completion of dissection, from the triangular interval to the lateral intermuscular septum where the nerve enters the anterior chamber. The position of the radial nerve with respect to plate holes was noted. The distance from the posterolateral tip of the acromion to the lateral epicondyle was measured as humeral length. The medial and lateral points where radial nerve passed over the posterior surface of the humerus were measured from the posterolateral tip of the acromion and compared with the humeral length. Results In this study, the radial nerve was lying over the posterior surface of the humerus for a mean distance of 52.161 ± 5.16 mm. The mean distance at which the radial nerve crossed the medial and lateral borders of the posterior surface of the humerus, measured from the posterolateral tip of the acromion, was 118.34 ± 10.86 mm (40.07% of humeral length) and 170 ± 12.30 mm (57.57% of humeral length), respectively, and the mean humeral length in this study was 295.27 ± 17.94 mm. The radial nerve and its branches were found to be intact in all cases. The radial nerve was related to the fifth, sixth, and seventh holes, with the nerve lying most commonly over the sixth hole (3.5 mm extraarticular distal humerus locking plate). Conclusions The posterior approach of MIPO in humeral fractures is a safe and reliable treatment modality with minimal risk of radial nerve injury. The radial nerve can be safely identified at the spiral groove using the bony landmarks described in our study.

Iron-based fluorophosphate Na2FePO4F as a cathode for aqueous zinc-ion batteries.

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries form a key post-Li-ion batteries to cater the rising demand for grid storage. Fe-based compounds can be used as economical cathodes for zinc-ion batteries. Herein, we explored iron-based flourophosphate as a potential polyanionic cathode. Involving the Fe3+/2+ redox process, it can reversibly intercalate Zn2+ yielding a capacity of ∼80 mA h g-1, involving a solid-solution mechanism. Polyanionic Fe-based phosphate frameworks can be harnessed as potential low-cost cathodes for secondary zinc-ion batteries.

A study report on the effect of COVID-19 pandemic in providing in-and-out-patient psychiatric services in a level-3 COVID hospital.

Background: COVID-19 pandemic disrupted all routine and emergency hospital services, including our out-and-in-patient psychiatric services. Aim: To study the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown in providing in-and-out-patient psychiatric services and the experience of tele-consultation services in our level-3 COVID hospital. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational study using an administrative database at psychiatry in-and-out-patient department. All the cases that were reported to us, through emergency Out-Patient Department (OPD) and tele-consultation OPD, from April 2020 to October 2020, were included in the study. Data, thus obtained, were compared with the out-and-in-patient data during the same period on the previous year. Results: During the study period, there was a decline in out-patient registration of patients by 94.5%, and a reduction in admission rate was 75.5%, in comparison with the previous year. During 3 months of tele-consultation service provided, 23.5% of patients had the diagnosis of depression, 21.4% of them had various types of headaches, 15.9% of patients had psychosis, 15.3% had anxiety disorders, and 8.8% had a bipolar-affective disorder. Conclusion: Being a level-3 COVID hospital, our hospital suffered significantly in relation to psychiatric in-and-out-patients attendance and service recipients during the study period of COVID-19 pandemic.