Graphene based T-shaped monopole antenna sensor for food quality evaluation.

BACKGROUND: Food adulteration has long been considered a major problem. It compromises the quality, safety, and nutritional value of food, posing significant risks to public health. Novel techniques are required to control it. RESULTS: A graphene-based T-shaped monopole antenna sensor was tested for its ability to detect adulteration in liquid foods. Mustard oil was the pure reference sample used for product quality analysis. Olive oil and rice bran oil were adulterants added to the pure sample. It was found that the sensor could be immersed easily in the liquid sample and provided precise results. CONCLUSION: The graphene-based T-shaped monopole antenna sensor can be used for the quality assessment of liquid food products and is suitable for real-time monitoring. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Augmented reality filters for iris positioning in orbital prosthesis: A clinical report.

Mid-facial defects involving the eye can result in severe emotional and psychological trauma for the affected individual, apart from the loss of vision. Prosthetic rehabilitation with an orbital prosthesis can camouflage such defects when surgical treatments are limited. The fabrication of an orbital prosthesis requires precise positioning of the iris for an optimal esthetic outcome. Different techniques for accurate iris positioning in orbital or ocular prostheses have been described, but they have been subjective or require elaborate equipment. This clinical report describes a novel and digital solution for iris positioning with the help of augmented reality filters using a smartphone and Instagram app.

Electrochemical behavior, antimicrobial activities, and effect of temperature on micellization of imidazolium monomeric surfactants.

In the present study, we herein report the conductance behavior, effect of temperature, and chain-length of two environmentally friendly imidazolium cationic capric and stearic surfactants. The conductance behavior has been carried out in aqueous solvent (H2O) at four different temperatures such as 24 °C, 29 °C, 34 °C, and 39 °C. The normal micelles were formed in an aqueous solvent and critical micelle concentration (CMC) can be estimated through conductivity parameters. The expected dependency of the CMC on the alkyl chain length of the 3-(2-(decanoyloxy)ethyl)-1-methyl-1H-imidazol-3-ium-bromide and 3-(2-(octadecanoyloxy)ethyl)-1-methyl-1H-imidazol-3-ium-bromide was demonstrated. It was observed that the graphs of molar conduct activity v/s square root were not linear, which specifies that the synthesized surfactants behave as weak electrolytes in the dilute solutions. The electrochemical characterization of capric and stearic surfactant modified SPCE was studied in 1mM K3FeCN6 solution. The CS/SPCE and SS/SPCE were shown elevated sensitivity, high stability, and excellent conductivity. Moreover, the antimicrobial behaviors of the synthesized imidazolium cationic surfactants versus various microbial strains were evaluated. Results showed that capric surfactant demonstrated high antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli (MIC > 31.5 µg/mL).

Conservative treatment of Head and Neck hemangiomas using Intralesional Bleomycin.

Background: Hemangiomas are vascular tumours and commonly occur in head and neck region. Complete treatment of these vascular swellings are often challenging. As surgical excision carries high risk of complications and poor cosmetic outcome, treatment is shifted more towards non-surgical modalities like steroid therapy, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and sclerotherapy. Objective: To study the efficacy of intralesional Bleomycin sclerotherapy for head and neck hemangiomas. Method: Seventeen patients ( 9 males and 8 females) with head and neck hemangiomas were treated with sclerotherapy using intralesional bleomycin injection ( 0.1-0.5 mg/kg/ dose) in a medical college of India. Details of the patients were recorded along with serial photographs of lesion. Post injection outcomes in form of reduction of lesion size, patient satisfaction and complications were also recorded. Results: 11 patients were completely cured, 3 had more than 50% reduction in size, one patient showed minimal reduction and two had no response. One patient had superficial ulceration, one case of slough and fever was reported. None of the patients developed severe toxic side effects and pulmonary fibrosis with follow up of 18 months. Conclusions: Bleomycin injection is safe, easy and well tolerated method for treatment of head and neck hemangiomas. We recommend surgery only if there is no response to other conservative treatment modalities.

A comprehensive review of genomic perspectives of canine diseases as a model to study human disorders.

The domestic dog has been given considerable attention as a system for investigating the genetics of human diseases. Population diversity and breed structure are unique features that make dogs particularly amenable to genetic studies. Dogs show distinguished features of breed-specific homogeneity, which is associated with striking interbreed heterogeneity. This review discusses the significance of studying the genetic maps, genome-wide association studies (GWAS), and usefulness of this species as an animal model. Most canine genetic disorders are similar to those of humans, including inherited, psychiatric, and genetic disorders. In addition to revealing new candidate genes, canine models allow access to experimental resources, such as cells, tissues, and even live animals, for research and intervention purposes.

Le chien domestique a reçu une attention considérable en tant que système d'investigation de la génétique des maladies humaines. La diversité de la population et la structure de la race sont des caractéristiques uniques qui rendent les chiens particulièrement propices aux études génétiques. Les chiens présentent des caractéristiques distinctes d'homogénéité spécifique à la race, qui est associée à une hétérogénéité interraciale frappante. Cette revue traite de l'importance de l'étude des cartes génétiques, des études d'association à l'échelle du génome (GWAS) et de l'utilité de cette espèce en tant que modèle animal. La plupart des troubles génétiques canins sont similaires à ceux des humains, y compris les troubles héréditaires, psychiatriques et génétiques. En plus de révéler de nouveaux gènes candidats, les modèles canins permettent d'accéder à des ressources expérimentales, telles que des cellules, des tissus et même des animaux vivants, à des fins de recherche et d'intervention.(Traduit par Docteur Serge Messier).

Knowledge, attitude and awareness among diabetic vs. non-diabetic patients about the association between diabetes and oral health.

Background: Global prevalence of diabetes is rapidly increasing with an estimate to affect 593 million worldwide by 2035. Current evidence clearly states an association between oral diseases and diabetes mellitus with manifestations like periodontitis, peri-implantitis, xerostomia, etc. Despite this obvious link, knowledge, awareness and attitude of general population towards this are not fully understood. Aims: To assess public knowledge and awareness on association between diabetes and oral health and assess their attitude towards oral hygiene care and maintenance. Methods and Materials: A three-part structured questionnaire was developed with multiple choice questions and circulated among patients visiting a private dental college. A total of 502 questionnaires were evaluated, and results were statistically analysed. Statistical Analysis Used: Student-t test and Chi-square test using SPSS software. Results: Majority of the participants were male and lived in urban area. 41.8% respondents had diabetes, out of which 86.7% had no awareness of the type. A significant number of non-diabetic individuals had awareness of excessive sugar intake as a cause of diabetes. Greater number of diabetic patients (96.7%) reported dry mouth, whereas only 53.3% had periodontal complications. 90% participants use tooth brush as oral hygiene aid. Only 10.6% participants follow regular dental visits. Majority of subjects (60.6%) listed their friends and family as major source of information. Conclusion: More people are aware of systemic complications of diabetes as compared to oral problems. A better interdisciplinary relationship is required among dentists and physicians to improve knowledge and awareness of general population.

Intranasal Exposure to Low-Dose Rotenone Induced Alpha-Synuclein Accumulation and Parkinson's Like Symptoms Without Loss of Dopaminergic Neurons.

Epidemiologically Parkinson's disease (PD) is associated with chronic ingestion or inhalation of environmental toxins leading to the development of motor symptoms. Though neurotoxin-based animal models played a major role in understanding diverse pathogenesis, they failed to identify the risk assessment due to uncommon route of toxin exposure. Towards this, the available neurotoxin-based intranasal (i.n.) PD models targeting olfactory bulb (OB) have demonstrated the dopaminergic (DAergic) neurodegeneration in both OB and substantia nigra (SN). Despite that, the studies detecting the alpha-synuclein (α-syn) accumulation in OB and its progression to other brain regions due to inhalation of environmental toxins are still lacking. Herein, we developed oil in water microemulsion of rotenone administered intranasally to the mice at a dose which is not detectable in blood, brain, and olfactory bulb by LCMS method. Our data reveals that 9 weeks of rotenone exposure did not induce olfactory and motor dysfunction. Conversely, after 16 weeks of washout period, rotenone treated mice showed both olfactory and motor impairment, along with α-syn accumulation in the OB and striatum without glial cell activation and loss of dopaminergic neurons. The results depict the progressive nature of the developed model and highlight the role of α-syn in PD like pathology or symptoms. Together, our findings suggest the adverse consequences of early exposure to the environmental toxins on the olfactory system for a shorter period with relevance to the development of synucleinopathy or Parkinson's disease in its later stage.

Novel monkey-wrench-shaped microstrip patch sensor for food evaluation and analysis.

BACKGROUND: Microwave sensor technology is considered to be a non-destructive and hygienic means for food evaluation and analysis. The rapid progress in microwave sensor technologies motivated us to present a novel monkey-wrench-shaped microstrip patch sensor for evaluating food quality. The proposed antenna is considered as a liquid sensor to detect adulteration in liquids by examining the relationship between concentration, shift in resonant frequency, and variation in reflection coefficient. RESULTS: The sensor has a compact size of 17 × 14 mm2 imprinted on an FR4 substrate of thickness 1.57 mm. This microwave system is proposed for monitoring overall milk quality using a microstrip sensor and has considerably good numerical sensitivity and accuracy (13.11% and 88.5% respectively), which makes the system attractive for detecting adulteration. Further, the Q-factor for the proposed sensor is 209 and has a standard deviation less than the difference between non-adulterated and adulterated values, giving resolution high enough to distinguish adulteration with an acceptable statistical accuracy. In this study, different milk categories (buffalo, goat, and cow milk) are considered as liquid samples to detect adulteration by demonstrating the variation in reflection coefficient due to change in dielectric properties for the following different cases: (i) adulteration of milk with water; (ii) adulteration of milk with synthetic milk powder; (iii) adulteration of milk with caustic soda; and (iv) adulteration of milk with vegetable oil. The referred variation in reflection coefficient and resonant frequency is due to a change in the dielectric properties of a liquid when a varying concentration of an adulterant/solute is added to the liquid sample. CONCLUSION: The simulation and measured results show good agreement that validates the proposed sensor for food adulteration detection with high sensitivity. In terms of performance, the proposed sensor shows accuracy with high spatial resolution and reduced penetration depth to detect the adulteration in various milk samples (i.e. buffalo, goat, and cow milk). © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Assessing methotrexate intolerance and its prevalence in rheumatoid arthritis: Development and validation of the MISA questionnaire.

OBJECTIVE: Methotrexate (MTX) intolerance refers to unpleasant symptoms that accompany use of MTX. Although a validated questionnaire on MTX intolerance exists for children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis, it is lacking for adult rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. METHODS: A 10-item questionnaire called Methotrexate Intolerance and Severity assessment in Adults (MISA) was developed to assess MTX intolerance. On receiver operating characteristic analysis, its predictive ability was compared to Methotrexate Intolerance Severity Score (MISS), a validated questionnaire for children. Subsequently, prevalence and associations of intolerance were assessed in 414 RA patients. After 1 year, discontinuation of MTX was compared between patients with and without MTX intolerance. RESULTS: MISA score had a good predictive ability (area under the curve [AUC] of 0.904), with sensitivity and specificity of 91.4% and 84.3% (cut-off ≥1) to correctly classify MTX intolerance and was better than MISS score (AUC of 0.823). Among 414 RA patients, 159 (38.4%) had MTX intolerance, with common symptoms being nausea, lethargy, irritability and loss of appetite. On multivariable analysis, age (odds ratio 0.972) and body mass index (odds ratio 1.061) were significant predictors of MTX intolerance. At 1 year, a higher proportion of patients with intolerance than without intolerance had discontinued MTX (odds ratio 2.4, P = 0.02). To classify severity of intolerance, another score, MISA-cross-product, was developed and validated, with an AUC of 0.899. CONCLUSIONS: The newly developed MISA questionnaire and score had good predictive ability to diagnose MTX intolerance. Intolerance to MTX was common, being found in one-third of RA patients. Patients with intolerance were twice more likely to discontinue MTX at 1 year.

IRC3 Regulates Mitochondrial Translation in Response to Metabolic Cues in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) enzymes have a dual genetic origin. Mechanisms regulating the expression of nucleus-encoded OXPHOS subunits in response to metabolic cues (glucose versus glycerol) are well understood, while the regulation of mitochondrially encoded OXPHOS subunits is poorly defined. Here, we show that IRC3, a DEAD/H box helicase gene, previously implicated in mitochondrial DNA maintenance, is central to integrating metabolic cues with mitochondrial translation. Irc3 associates with mitochondrial small ribosomal subunits in cells consistent with its role in regulating translation elongation based on the Arg8m reporter system. IRC3-deleted cells retained mitochondrial DNA despite a growth defect on glycerol plates. Glucose-grown Δirc3ρ+ and irc3 temperature-sensitive cells at 37°C have reduced translation rates from the majority of mRNAs. In contrast, when galactose was the carbon source, a reduction in mitochondrial translation was observed predominantly from Cox1 mRNA in Δirc3ρ+ cells but no defect was observed in irc3 temperature-sensitive cells, at 37°C. In support of a model whereby IRC3 responds to metabolic cues to regulate mitochondrial translation, Δirc3 suppressor strains isolated for restoration of growth on glycerol medium restore mitochondrial protein synthesis differentially in the presence of glucose versus glycerol.

Resistance of a novel denture identification system to various assault: An in-vitro study.

Aim: Denture marking has been advocated and recommended by many forensic organizations. The prosthodontists can play a significant role in the identification of geriatric population by adopting denture marking as a routine procedure. These stickers are easily readable and can be connected to smartphone devices without the need of specific equipment, store information in variety of ways, and cost-effective.The purpose of this study is to evaluate NFC stickers against physical insult; acid, base, and heat. Settings and Design: In-vitro evaluation study. Materials and Methods: Denture bases were fabricated, using chemical and heat-cured acrylic resin. NFC stickers were incorporated using postfabrication inclusion method for chemically cured resin base and prefabrication inclusion method for heat-cured acrylic resin base. These bases were subjected to acid, alkali, and thermal insults. Statistical Analysis Used: Descriptive statistics. Results: Both pre and postfabrication inclusion NFC stickers were capable of withstanding various chemical and thermal assaults. Conclusion: NFC stickers could be used as an adjunct to radio frequency identification (RFID) tags for denture identification. NFC stickers appear to be easy to use and more cost-effective than RFID tags.

Diagnosis of Traumatic Pneumothorax: A Comparison between Lung Ultrasound and Supine Chest Radiographs.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: Traumatic pneumothorax is an ominous condition necessitating urgent appropriate action. It is typically detected on chest X-rays; however, these may not be able to detect the presence of a subtle pneumothorax, especially in supine position. Lung ultrasound is emerging as a promising modality for detecting pneumothorax in trauma patients. The aim of our study was to compare ultrasound with supine chest radiography for the detection of pneumothorax in trauma patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a prospective, single-blinded study carried out on 212 adult thoracoabdominal trauma patients who underwent ultrasound FAST and supine (AP) chest radiography. During the FAST sonography, ultrasound thorax was done to rule out pneumothorax. Only those cases were considered (118) in which the presence or absence of pneumothorax could be confirmed on CT done subsequently or where pneumothorax was confirmed by air escape on chest tube placement, wherever indicated, and the results were compared with sonographic and chest X-ray findings. OBSERVATION/RESULTS: There were 48 true positives on CT/chest tube insertion. Among these, ultrasound was able to correctly detect pneumothorax in 43 patients, while supine chest X-rays correctly identified 33 cases. Sensitivity of ultrasound was 89.6 vs. 68.8% of supine chest radiography. Lung ultrasound also had a higher negative predictive value as compared to supine chest X-rays. CONCLUSIONS: Lung ultrasound is more sensitive in detecting traumatic pneumothorax than supine chest X-rays, in addition to having numerous other inherent advantages over chest radiography. It should be incorporated in the emergency assessment of thoracic trauma patients to rule out pneumothorax. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Lung sonography is more sensitive in detecting traumatic pneumothorax than supine chest X-rays. No added equipment is required, and the procedure can be carried out at the time of doing ultrasound FAST, thus saving precious time in trauma patients. HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE: Bhoil R, Kumar R, Kaur J, Attri PK, Thakur R. Diagnosis of Traumatic Pneumothorax: A Comparison between Lung Ultrasound and Supine Chest Radiographs. Indian J Crit Care Med 2021;25(2):176-180.

Evaluating Novel Markers for Specimen Validity Testing.

CONTEXT.­: Synthetic urine products are commercially marketed for the purpose of specimen substitution for urine drug screens. These products are widely popular because they yield negative drug screen results, meet criteria for specimen validity testing, and are easily accessible and affordable. Current specimen validity criteria are ineffective for detecting these synthetic products, and new markers of specimen validity are required. OBJECTIVE.­: To develop and evaluate a multicomponent liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) assay for urine specimen validity testing. DESIGN.­: A quantitative LC-MS/MS assay was developed for caffeine, cotinine, theobromine, and urobilin in urine. The assay was applied to known synthetic urine products (n = 10) as well as human specimens received for pre-employment testing (n = 500), for-cause workplace testing (n = 100), and medical pain management monitoring (n = 200). Specimens devoid of all 4 validity markers were subjected to follow-up testing that involved microscopic urinalysis and comprehensive gas chromatography mass spectrometry for drugs, pharmaceuticals, hormones, and lipids. RESULTS.­: Of the experimental groups, 10 of 10 synthetic urine products (100%), 12 of 500 pre-employment specimens (2.4%), and 4 of 200 pain management specimens (2.0%) failed the experimental LC-MS/MS assay. Follow-up testing indicated that each of the failed specimens was nonphysiologic in nature. CONCLUSIONS.­: Simultaneous application of the 4 experimental validity markers appeared to be a robust method for detecting nonphysiologic specimens. New markers of specimen validity must be developed in order to identify commercially available synthetic urine products.

Increased expression of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) is associated with depression and depressive phenotype in C57Bl/6J mice.

Plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1), which is elevated in numerous disease states, has been implicated as a stress-related protein involved in the pathogenesis of depression. We measured PAI-1 in the plasma of healthy and depressed individuals and assessed plasminogen activator (PA) expression and regulation by PAI-1 in cultured normal human astrocytes (NHA). Elevated plasma PAI-1 levels were found in depressed patients. Brain tissues from depressed individuals also showed stronger expression of hippocampal PAI-1 by confocal imaging in comparison to healthy individuals. Using a lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory model of depression in mice, we measured PAI-1 in murine plasma and brain, by ELISA and immunohistochemistry, respectively. Similar elevations were seen in plasma but not in brain homogenates of mice exposed to LPS. We further correlated the findings with depressive behavior. Ex vivo experiments with NHA treated with proinflammatory cytokines implicated in the pathogenesis of depression showed increased PAI-1 expression. Furthermore, these studies suggest that urokinase-type plasminogen activator may serve as an astrocyte PA reservoir, able to promote cleavage of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) during stress or inflammation. In summary, our findings confirm that derangements of PAI-1 variably occur in the brain in association with the depressive phenotype. These derangements may impede the availability of active, mature (m)BDNF and thereby promote a depressive phenotype.

Biliary Pseudocyst: A Rare Complication of Antenatal Perforation of Forme Fruste Choledochal Cyst.

Spontaneous perforation of choledochal cyst (CDC) is rare with an incidence of 1.8%-7%. Perforation with pseudocyst formation is even rarer, there being only two case reports. We report the first case of antenatal perforation of CDC with biliary pseudocyst formation in a newborn and its management.

Color Doppler ultrasound of spiral artery blood flow in mid first trimester (4-8 weeks) in cases of threatened abortion and in normal pregnancies.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of the study was to evaluate and compare the spiral artery flow in mid first trimester (4-8 weeks) in cases of threatened abortion and in normal pregnancies. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Spiral artery was sonographically evaluated in 50 patients comprising two groups of 25 women each. The first group included patients presenting with threatened miscarriage (vaginal bleeding/spotting with or without abdominal pain). The second group comprised of females who had no complications, but had no desire to continue the pregnancy. Spiral artery flow velocity measurements were performed using Color Doppler (Pulsatility Indices, Resistive Indices and Systolic/diastolic values) in mid first trimester (between 4-8 weeks of gestation), each measurement was performed twice. Statistical analysis was performed using Statistical package for social sciences software. Values were rounded off to two digits after decimal point. RESULTS: Significant differences were noted in the spiral artery Doppler values in the two groups. In particular, the Resistive Indices was higher in cases of women with threatened miscarriage. The difference in Pulsatility Indices was also statistically significant between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Doppler values of spiral artery may be used as a useful parameter in assessing the prognosis in cases presenting with threatened miscarriage.

A novel cry52Ca1 gene from an Indian Bacillus thuringiensis isolate is toxic to Helicoverpa armigera (cotton boll worm).

The novel cry52Ca1 gene from an Indian Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) isolate was cloned in an expression vector (pET301/CT-DEST, 6xHis). The gene expressed as a ∼77.2 kDa protein in E. coli BL21-CodonPlus (DE3)-RIPL cells upon induction with isopropyl-thio-galactoside (IPTG) for 18 h at 28 °C. Cry52Ca1 protein was toxic to Helicoverpa armigera (cotton bollworm) neonate larvae (LC50 36.66 µg per ml and MIC50 3.051 µg per ml) in diet-based laboratory assays. This gene has potential for deployment in insect-resistant transgenic crops.

Osteo-odonto keratoprosthesis: Innovative dental and ophthalmic blending.

Corneal diseases are among the major causes of global blindness, secondary to cataract. osteo-odonto keratoprosthesis (OOKP) is the ideal treatment for patients with end-stage inflammatory corneal diseases where a portion of tooth along with bone is used to support an optical cylinder to restore vision in such patients. OOKP surgery requires multidisciplinary approach involving dentists, ophthalmologists, and radiologists. Very less is known in dentistry about the role of the periodontium in the field of ophthalmology. This paper highlights OOKP indications, contraindications, surgical procedure, role of oral structures, advantages, and limitations.