A sodium ion conducting gel polymer electrolyte with counterbalance between 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate and tetra ethylene glycol dimethyl ether for electrochemical applications.

For sodium batteries, the development of gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs) with remarkable electrochemical properties is in its early stage and persists to be a challenge. In this report we have synthesized a series of GPEs containing a poly(vinyllidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVdF-HFP) and poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) as blend polymer, sodium perchlorate (NaClO4) as ion-conducting salt and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (EMIM-BF4) and tetra ethylene glycol dimethyl ether (TEGDME) as molecular solvents. The counter balance between EMIM-BF4 and TEGDME is maintained by the electrolyte, which is formed through the optimal weight ratio of 2 : 1. GPEs have an advantageous set of properties, including stability window of 5 V, Na+ transference number of 0.20, and a room-temperature ionic conductivity of 5.8 × 10-3 S cm-1. According to enthalpy and entropy calculations, optimized GPE yields the highest amount of disorder or amorphicity and contributes to greatest conductivity. XRD analysis supports this argument. Thermal investigations show that optimized GPE may preserve gel phase up to 125 °C. The prototype sodium cell fabricated with optimize GPE has a specific capacity of 281 mA h g-1 and open circuit voltage of 2.5 V. The optimized GPE exhibits potential for future electrochemical applications.

Thumb reconstruction by pedicled transfer of the second toe.

Microsurgery and free tissue transfer play a vital role in the modern practice of reconstructive surgery. Prior to the advent of microsurgical free tissue transfer pedicle flaps were the workhorse of a reconstructive surgeon. We report a case of thumb reconstruction by pedicled transfer of the second toe with functional and aesthetic outcome. This case was performed in Pakistan where microsurgical facilities were not available.

Disease pattern and fatality among patients treated at DHQ Hospital, Faisalabad.

A pilot study was undertaken to assess the pattern of diseases, fatality and some other ratios among the patients treated at District Headquarters Hospital, Faisalabad during 1984. Out of 4,506 in-patients, maximum admissions 1,196 (26.54%) were of gastrointestinal diseases followed by 795 (17.64%) cases of injuries. Overall fatality was found to be 6.35%. The highest case fatality was found in the infectious diseases group, while maximum of the total deaths (20.98%) occurred due to injuries. Consistency in provisional and final diagnosis was found in 86.20% of total cases. The annual turnover was 41 patients per bed per year.