Nernst Sign Reversal in the Hexatic Vortex Phase of Weakly Disordered a-MoGe Thin Films.

The hexatic phase is an intermediate stage in the melting process of a 2D crystal due to topological defects. Recently, this exotic phase was experimentally identified in the vortex lattice of 2D weakly disordered superconducting MoGe by scanning tunneling microscopic measurements. Here, we study this vortex state by the Nernst effect, which is an effective and sensitive tool to detect vortex motion, especially in the superconducting fluctuation regime. We find a surprising Nernst sign reversal at the melting transition of the hexatic phase. We propose that they are a consequence of vortex dislocations in the hexatic state which diffuse preferably from the cold to hot.

Evaporation induced acoustic emissions in microfluidic vessels.

Fluid flow processes such as drainage and evaporation in porous media are crucial in geological and biological systems. The motion of the displacement front of a moving fluid through multi-phase interfaces is often associated with abrupt mechanical energy release, detectable as acoustic emissions (AEs). The exact origin of these pulses and their damping mechanisms are still subjects of debate. Here, we study the characteristics of such AEs during evaporation of water from artificial microfluidic vessels, inspired by the physiology of vascular water-transport in plants. From the extracted settling times of the recorded AEs, we identify three pulse types and attribute their origins to bubble formation, snap-off events and rapid pore invasion. We also show that the resonance frequencies between 10 and 70 kHz present in specific pulse types decrease with increasing vessel radius (ranging from 0.25 to 1.0 mm) and length (ranging from 2.5 to 10.0 mm). Our findings provide insight into evaporation-induced AEs from microfluidic systems, and their potential use in non-invasive inspection or vascular health monitoring.

Multi-fidelity modelling of shark skin denticle flows: insights into drag generation mechanisms.

We investigate the flow over smooth (non-ribletted) shark skin denticles in an open-channel flow using direct numerical simulation (DNS) and two Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) closures. Large peaks in pressure and viscous drag are observed at the denticle crown edges, where they are exposed to high-speed fluid which penetrates between individual denticles, increasing shear and turbulence. Strong lift forces lead to a positive spanwise torque acting on individual denticles, potentially encouraging bristling if the denticles were not fixed. However, DNS predicts that denticles ultimately increase drag by 58% compared to a flat plate. Good predictions of drag distributions are obtained by RANS models, although an underestimation of turbulent kinetic energy production leads to an underprediction of drag. Nevertheless, RANS methods correctly predict trends in the drag data and the regions contributing most to viscous and pressure drag. Subsequently, RANS models are used to investigate the dependence of drag on the flow blockage ratio (boundary layer to roughness height ratio), finding that the drag increase due to denticles is halved when the blockage ratio δ/h is increased from 14 to 45. Our results provide an integrated understanding of the drag over non-ribletted denticles, enabling existing diverse drag data to be explained.

Psychosocial quality-of-life correlates in functional gastrointestinal disorders.

INTRODUCTION AND AIM: Functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) are complex illnesses characterized by gastrointestinal symptoms, with no underlying organic pathology. They are common, chronic, recurrent, and disabling disorders that significantly impair quality of life (QoL). The aim of the present cross-sectional analytical study was to assess QoL and its correlates in adult patients with FGIDs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional, observational, hospital-based study was conducted at the gastroenterology outpatient department of a tertiary care teaching hospital. The ROME IV diagnostic criteria were used to identify the FGIDs. Anxiety, depression, coping strategies, social support, and QoL were assessed by the hospital anxiety and depression scale, the coping strategies inventory, the multidimensional scale of perceived social support, and the functional digestive disorders quality-of-life questionnaire, respectively. RESULTS: Of the 52 consecutive patients diagnosed with FGIDs, functional dyspepsia (51.92%) and irritable bowel syndrome (40.38%) were the most common. There were no significant associations between sociodemographic variables (age, sex, marital status, socioeconomic status, educational level, employment, occupation, dietary pattern) and QoL scores (all p values >0.05). Duration and social support were not significantly associated with QoL (all p values >0.05). In contrast, psychological variables, such as disengagement coping (r=-0.344, p=0.012), depression (r=-0.600, p=0.000), and anxiety (r=-0.590, p=0.000), were significantly correlated with QoL. CONCLUSIONS: Despite advances in neurogastroenterology, patients continue to be disabled by FGIDs. Psychological factors, especially depression, significantly contribute to poor QoL in those patients and should be addressed in a holistic, multidisciplinary way. The biopsychosocial framework, as it applies to FGIDs, should lead to the inclusion of psychosocial assessments in the clinical management and research of those disorders.

A process-based recovery indicator for anthropogenically disturbed river system.

The present paper utilizes entropy theory and Google earth engine cloud computing technique to investigate system state and river recovery potential in two large sub-basins of the Mahanadi River, India. The cross-sectional intensity entropy (CIE) is computed for the post-monsoon season (October-March) along the selected reaches. Further, a normalized river recovery indicator (NRRI) is formulated to assess the temporal changes in river health. Finally, NRRI is related to a process-based variable-LFE (low flow exceedance) to comprehend the dominating system dynamics and evolutionary adjustments. The results highlight the existence of both threshold-modulated and filter-dominated systems based on CIE and NRRI variabilities. In addition, the gradual decline in CIE and subsequent stabilization of vegetated landforms can develop an 'event-driven' state, where floods exceeding the low-flow channel possess a direct impact on the river recovery trajectory. Finally, this study emphasizes the presence of instream vegetation as an additional degree of freedom, which further controls the hierarchy of energy dissipation and morphological continuum in the macrochannel settings.

Rapid detection of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae targeting the apxIVA gene for diagnosis of contagious porcine pleuropneumonia in pigs by polymerase spiral reaction.

Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae is the primary aetiological agent of contagious porcine pleuropneumonia associated with serious economic impact on pig husbandry worldwide. Diagnosis of the disease by existing techniques including isolation and identification of bacteria followed by serotyping, serological techniques, conventional PCR, real-time PCR and LAMP assays are cumbersome, time-consuming, costly and not suitable for rapid field application. A novel isothermal polymerase chain reaction (PSR) technique is standardized for all the reagents, incubation time and incubation temperature against A. pleuropneumoniae. The sensitivity of the assay was determined against various dilutions of purified DNA and total bacterial count. The specificity of the assay was determined against 11 closely related bacterial isolates. The relative sensitivity and specificity were compared with bacterial isolation, conventional PCR and real-time PCR assays. The PSR assay for specific detection was standardized at 64°C for 30 min of incubation in a water bath. The result was visible by the naked eye after centrifugation of the reaction mixture or after incorporation of SYBR Green dye as yellowish-green fluorescence. The technique was found to be 100% specific and equally sensitive with real-time PCR and 10 times more sensitive than conventional PCR. The PSR assay could be applicable in the detection of the organisms in porcine nasal swabs spiked with A. pleuropneumoniae. This is the first-ever report on the development of PSR for specific detection of A. pleuropneumoniae and can be applied for early diagnosis at the field level.

A rare case of an iatrogenic superior mesenteric arteriovenous fistula following surgery for a midgut volvulus.

Superior mesenteric arteriovenous fistula is an extremely rare vascular malformation with most cases occurring following abdominal trauma or surgery. They are often asymptomatic or present with various abdominal symptoms with or without features of portal hypertension. A 30-year-old man developed fistulising of the superior mesenteric artery into the superior mesenteric vein following bowel resection surgery for an acquired midgut volvulus. Although endovascular management remains the treatment of choice in such cases due to increased morbidity of a repeat abdominal surgery, definite risks remain, such as coil migration, which happened in this case. The open surgical approach remains the only option in such instances.

COVID-19, oxidative stress, and male reproductive dysfunctions: is vitamin C a potential remedy?

Few peculiarities have been observed in the etiology of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), one such being its greater prevalence in men than women partly due to the higher expressions of angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2) in the male reproductive tissues. Recent scientific reports are in line with some of the evidence-based hypotheses in the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, regarding the involvement of oxidative stress (OS) and oxidant-sensitive pathways in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection-mediated male reproductive disruptions. The seminal dissemination of SARS-CoV-2 or its components, testicular disruptions due to viral infection and oxidative damage in the testis have all been evidenced recently. High-dose of antioxidants, such as vitamin C, have been shown to be a useful treatment for COVID-19 patients, to alleviate systemic inflammation and OS. In addition, vitamin C is a major testicular antioxidant that neutralizes excess reactive oxygen species (ROS), prevents sperm agglutination, prevents lipid peroxidation, recycles vitamin E, and protects against DNA damage. Thus, the present review aims to discuss the mechanism of COVID-19-mediated male reproductive dysfunctions, based on the evidence available so far, and explore the possibility of using vitamin C in alleviating testicular OS and associated damage caused by COVID-19.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of efficacy and safety of Romosozumab in postmenopausal osteoporosis.

The study was conducted to illustrate the effect of Romosozumab in postmenopausal osteoporosis patients. Romosozumab decreased the incidence of vertebral, nonvertebral, and clinical fractures significantly. In addition, decreased incidence of falls and increased bone mineral density at lumbar spine, total hip, and femoral neck was observed. Romosozumab is a monoclonal antibody that acts against the sclerostin pathway leading to enhanced bone formation and reduced bone resorption in patients with osteoporosis. Electronic search was performed on Medline (via PubMed), The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and clinicaltrials.gov, till May 2020, for RCTs evaluating the effectiveness of Romosozumab in postmenopausal osteoporosis. RCTs evaluating the effect of Romosozumab on fractures and bone mineral density in postmenopausal osteoporosis patients. Meta-analysis was performed by Cochrane review manager 5 (RevMan) version 5.3. Cochrane risk of bias 2.0 tool and GRADE pro-GDT were applied for methodological quality and overall evidence quality, respectively. One hundred seventy-nine studies were screened, and 10 eligible studies were included in the analysis, with a total of 6137 patients in romosozumab group and 5732 patients in control group. Romosozumab significantly reduced the incidence of vertebral fractures [OR = 0.43 (95%CI = 0.35-0.52), High-quality evidence], nonvertebral fractures [OR = 0.78 (95%CI = 0.66-0.92), High quality], and clinical fractures [OR = 0.70 (95%CI = 0.60-0.82), High quality] at 24 months. Significant reduction in incidence risk of falls [OR = 0.87 (95%CI = 0.78-0.96), High quality] was observed with romosozumab. Bone mineral density was significantly increased in the romosozumab treated groups at lumbar spine [MD = 12.66 (95%CI = 12.66-12.67), High quality], total hip [MD = 5.69 (95%CI = 5.68 - 5.69), Moderate quality], and femoral neck [MD = 5.18 (95%CI = 5.18-5.19), Moderate quality] at 12 months. The total adverse events [RR = 0.98(95%CI = 0.96-1.01), Moderate quality] and serious adverse events [RR = 0.98(95%CI = 0.88-1.08), Moderate quality] with romosozumab were comparable to the control group. The current analysis with evidence on efficacy and safety of Romosozumab, authors opine to recommend the use of Romosozumab treatment for post-menopausal osteoporosis.Systematic review registration: PROSPERO registration number: CRD42019112196.

A rare case of an iatrogenic superior mesenteric arteriovenous fistula following surgery for a midgut volvulus.

Superior mesenteric arteriovenous fistula is an extremely rare vascular malformation with most cases occurring following abdominal trauma or surgery. They are often asymptomatic or present with various abdominal symptoms with or without features of portal hypertension. A 30-year-old man developed fistulising of the superior mesenteric artery into the superior mesenteric vein following bowel resection surgery for an acquired midgut volvulus. Although endovascular management remains the treatment of choice in such cases due to increased morbidity of a repeat abdominal surgery, definite risks remain, such as coil migration, which happened in this case. The open surgical approach remains the only option in such instances.

Total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH) with endosuturing compared with conventional technique using energy sources.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to demonstrate the technique of total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH) with intra-corporeal endosuturing using simple sutures and basic surgical instruments and compare with TLH using electric coagulation equipment i.e. energy sources with regard to operative time, blood loss, postoperative stay and pain scores. METHODS: A retrospective study was undertaken, in Max Super Specialty Hospital Saket, from June 2015 to May 2018, which included 586 cases of TLH (for benign gynecological conditions), of which 287 were performed using intra-corporeal endosuturing (Group 1) and 299 were performed using energy sources (Group 2). To avoid bias, baseline matching was done for body mass index (BMI), indications for surgery, size of uterus, previous abdominal surgeries and comorbidities like diabetes and hypertension after which there were 172 patients in each group. RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 48.24 ± 6.76 years. All operative outcomes including operative time (104.1 ± 22.6 vs 107.6 ± 32.6 mins, p=0.25), blood loss (78.9 ± 101.6 vs 99.7 ± 177.6 ml, p=0.19), pain score (2.5 ± 1.3 vs 2.7 ± 1.2, p=0.13) and post-operative stay (2.05 ± 0.2 vs 2.07 ± 0.3 days, p=0.36) were similar between the two groups. Uterine size was the major determinant of operative time and operative blood loss. CONCLUSION: TLH with intracorporeal endosuturing can be performed safely and gives results comparable with TLH performed using energy sources. Advancement in suturing devices can decrease operative time further and potentially make it easier and more acceptable.

Influence of anthropogenic activities on the spatial distribution of heterotrophic, indicator and pathogenic bacteria around Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

To examine the influence of anthropogenic activities on the marine ecosystem around the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a study was conducted to investigate the abundance of heterotrophic, indicator and pathogenic bacteria during the monsoon season. We noticed the higher abundance of heterotrophic, indicator (Escherichia coli and Enterococcus faecalis) and pathogenic bacterial counts (Aeromonas hydrophila, Enterobacter aerogens, Escherichia coli strain O157:H7, Shigella dysenteriae and Vibrio parahaemolyticus) near the 10o channel, which is the principal route to reach Andaman mainland. Most of the stations are offshore (chosen to cover shipping tracks) at a distance ranging from 41 to 266 km from the coast. The nearest station to the coast was at 21 km away. Apart from those mentioned above, several other pathogenic bacteria were also detected such as Klebsiella pneumoniae, Salmonella paratyphi, Vibrio cholera and Vibrio vulnificus but they are sparsely detected at few stations only.

AC measurement of the Nernst effect of thin films at low temperatures.

We describe an alternating current method to measure the Nernst effect in superconducting thin films at low temperatures. The Nernst effect is an important tool in the understanding of superconducting fluctuations and, in particular, vortex motion near critical points. However, in most materials, the Nernst signal in a typical experimental setup rarely exceeds a few µV, in some cases being as low as a few nV. DC measurements of such small signals require extensive signal processing and protection against stray pickups and offsets, limiting the sensitivity of such measurements to >1 nV. Here, we describe a method utilizing a one-heater-two-thermometer setup with the heating element and thermometers fabricated on-chip with the sample, which helped to reduce the thermal load and temperature lag between the substrate and the thermometer. Using AC heating power and 2ω measurement, we are able to achieve sub-nanovolt sensitivity in 20 nm-30 nm thin superconducting films on a glass substrate, compared to a sensitivity of ∼10 nV using DC techniques on the same setup.

Prevalence and antimicrobial profile of Shigella isolates in a tertiary care hospital of North Karnataka: A 12-year study.

Context: Shigella is a common cause of bacillary dysentery. Although it is reported worldwide, the majority of the infections are seen in developing countries with Shigella flexneri being the most common isolate. Prevalence of Shigella species and their antibiotic susceptibility profiles vary according to geographic area and season. Aims: In the present study, the epidemiology and antimicrobial profile of Shigella from stool samples received at our hospital for a period of 12 years (January 2006 to December 2017) was evaluated. Subjects and Methods: A total of 4578 stool samples were collected from the cases of acute gastroenteritis and diarrhoea. Samples were processed for culture and sensitivity according to standard microbiological techniques. The presumptive identification of Shigella species was done using standard conventional biochemical tests and confirmed using antisera. Results: A total of 189 (4.2%) samples yielded Shigella spp. Isolation of Shigella spp. were more frequent from males (58.2%). S. flexneri was the commonest species isolated (47.6%) followed by Shigella sonnei(11.6%), Shigella dysenteriae (4.2%) and Shigella boydii (2.1%). Non-typeable Shigella was commonly recovered. The isolates showed high resistance to ampicillin (76.7%) and co-trimoxazole (75%) while highest susceptibility was observed to ceftriaxone (79.2%). Conclusions: S. flexneri was the most prevalent species isolated at this centre. Shigella isolates from the study showed alarming resistance to recommended antibiotics. Non-typeable Shigella accounted for 34.4% isolates. Molecular discrimination between Shigella and Escherichia coli is essential.

Clinical outcomes in men of diverse ethnic backgrounds with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.

BACKGROUND: We have shown previously in multivariable analysis that black men had 19% lower risk of death than white men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) treated with a docetaxel and prednisone (DP)-based regimen. The primary goal of this analysis was to compare progression-free survival (PFS), biochemical PFS, ≥50% decline in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) from baseline and objective response rate (ORR) in white, black and Asian men with mCRPC treated with a DP-based regimen. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Individual patient data from 8820 mCRPC men randomized on nine phase III trials to a DP-containing regimen were combined. Race used in the analysis was based on self-report. End points were PFS, biochemical PSA, ≥50% decline in PSA from baseline and ORR. The proportional hazards and the logistic regression models were employed to assess the prognostic importance of race in predicting outcomes adjusting for established prognostic factors. RESULTS: Of 8820 patients, 7528 (85%) were white, 500 (6%) were black, 424 were Asian (5%) and 368 (4%) had race unspecified. Median PFS were 8.3 [95% confidence interval (CI) 8.2-8.5], 8.2 (95% CI 7.4-8.8) and 8.3 (95% CI 7.6-8.8) months in white, black and Asian men, respectively. Median PSA PFS were 9.9 (95% CI 9.7-10.4), 8.5 (95% CI 8.0-10.3) and 11.1 (95% CI 9.9-12.5) months in white, black and Asian men, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: We observed no differences in clinical outcomes by race and ethnic groups in men with mCRPC enrolled on these phase III clinical trials with DP.

Harmonia sedecimnotata (F.): Predatory potential, biology, life table, molecular characterization, and field evaluation against Aphis gossypii Glover.

The ladybird beetle, Harmonia sedecimnotata (F.) was studied in biology, life table, consumption rates, molecular characterization, and field evaluation. The net reproductive rate (R0), based on the age-stage and two-sex life table, was 43.2 eggs/individual. The female adults lived longer (68.1 d) than the male adults (62.9 d). The rate of consumption increased with progress in each stage of development. Compared to the other larval stages of the predator, the fourth stadium consumed most quantities of Aphis gossypii Glover nymphs (Hemiptera: Aphididae) (200.4). Both female (2214.6) and male (1792.4) consumed more prey (nymphs) than larvae. The net rate of consumption was 1458.92 nymphs of melon aphids. There was no variation in the sequences of the two nucleotides out of 583 bp, H sedecimnotata China (EU392410) and India (MG720024). Our investigations demonstrated that inoculative release of 30 or 40 or 50 adults per 100 m2 attained high reduction of aphids (>90%). Thus, it may be recommended the release rate of 40 adults per 100 m2 to suppress the eggplant aphid population. H. sedecimnotata is therefore one of the most promising biological control agents for cotton aphids that can be achieved for instant control through an inoculative release of adults.