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Suraj Singh Senjam,1 Yatan Pal Singh Balhara,2 Pameshwar Kumar,3 Neeraj Nischal,4 Souvik Manna,1 Karan Madan,5 Nishat Hussain Ahmed,1 Noopur Gupta,1 Praveen Vashist,1 Randeep Guleria5 1Dr Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India; 2Department of Psychiatry, National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India; 3Department of Hospital Administration, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India; 4Department of Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India; 5Department of Pulmonary Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, IndiaCorrespondence: Suraj Singh Senjam, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India, Tel +91-011-2659-3032 ; +91 9968856431, Email drsurajaiims@gmail.comPurpose: With millions of people being affected by COVID-19, people living with post COVID-19 clinical symptoms (PCS) are expected to rise further. The primary aim of the study was to comprehensively assess self-reported PCS and its associated risk factors among beneficiaries of Hospital Employee Scheme of a tertiary healthcare institution in Delhi.Patients and Methods: An online cross-sectional study was conducted using a semi-structured questionnaire developed by employing nominal group technique among individuals aged 18 years and above who were novel SARS-CoV-2 positive from January to April 2021. Participants were telephoned first, before sending the online survey link. Socio-demographic data, information on PCS along with potential risk factors, pre-existing morbidities, vaccination status, severity of acute illness and management were collected between June and July 2021. PCS was presented as relative frequency; Chi-Square test and odds ratio; adjusted values were used to rule out any association between PCS and predictors.Results: In total, 773 of 1801 eligible participants responded to the survey (completion rate 42.9%), with a median age of 34 years (IQR 27– 44). Males accounted for 56.4% and PCS was present in 33.2%. The most prevalent symptoms were fatigue (79.3%), arthralgia (33.4%), myalgia (29.9%), hair loss (28.0%), headache (27.2%), breathlessness (25.3%), and sleep disturbance (25.3%). The prevalence of PCS was reduced to 12.8% at 12 weeks. Female gender, older age, oxygen supplementation, severity of acute illness, and pre-existing co-morbidities were positively associated with PCS. Vaccination (second dose) reduced the odds of developing PCS by 39% compared to unvaccinated participants (aOR 0.61; 95% CI 0.40– 0.96).Conclusion: PCS affects almost all organ systems of the body, regardless of the severity of acute COVID-19 illness. Two doses of vaccine hel reduce the development of PCS.Keywords: COVID-19, post COVID-19 symptoms, long COVID-19, cross-sectional study, Northern India

Suraj Singh Senjam,1 Souvik Manna,1 Covadonga Bascaran2 1Department of Community Ophthalmology, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India; 2International Centre for Eye Health, Department of Clinical Research, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UKCorrespondence: Suraj Singh SenjamDepartment of Community Ophthalmology, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, IndiaEmail drsurajaiims@gmail.comAbstract: Smartphones are less likely to be considered as assistive technology for visual impairment among a large majority of health care providers, excluding vision rehabilitation professionals, and the general public who are not familiar with accessible features and apps. The present review aims to highlight accessible features and apps along with usages, including educational, and access to smartphones as assistive technology for visual impairment and blindness. It also includes advantages and challenges faced by users, and usability testing by app developers. There have been significant recent developments in mobile technology that incorporate computer technology relating to electronic information, communication, and touch-screen accessibility. Such advances in technology are transforming the use of smartphones from a traditional visual interface to a truly visual free interaction using alternative body senses, such as haptic, gesture, and so on. There are many built-in accessible features and third-party accessible applications that enable people with visual impairment to perform daily activities, independent functioning, movement, social inclusion and participation, education, etc. They are universally designed, so they are unlikely to induce social stigma or negative reactions from peers or public. Healthcare practitioners, not limiting to eye care, and caregivers, family members, teachers, or special educators should be informed about the potential uses and benefits of smartphones for visually impaired in developing nations. Evidence shows that most of the users train by themselves. Enhancing the awareness along with training for teachers and caregivers would be helpful to improve access and skills among users with visual disabilities. Developers are continuously producing more innovative applications for visual impairment, which indicates the need for having a training guideline on the use of smartphones.Keywords: assistive technology, smartphones, accessible applications, visual impairment, usage

Let A and B be nonempty subsets of a normed linear space X. A mapping T : A ∪ B → A ∪ B is said to be a noncyclic relatively nonexpansive mapping if T(A) ⊆ A, T(B) ⊆ B and ∥Tx − Ty∥ ≤ ∥x − y∥ for all (x, y) ∈ A × B. A best proximity pair for such a mapping T is a point (p, q) ∈ A × B such that p = Tp, q = Tq and d(p, q) = dist(A, B). In this work, we introduce a geometric notion of proximal Opiaľs condition on a nonempty, closed and convex pair of subsets of strictly convex Banach spaces. By using this geometric notion, we study the strong and weak convergence of the Ishikawa iterative scheme for noncyclic relatively nonexpansive mappings in uniformly convex Banach spaces. We also establish a best proximity pair theorem for noncyclic contraction type mappings in the setting of strictly convex Banach spaces.

Background: Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) secondary to infectious aetiology has become rare in the antibiotic era, but is still encountered in clinical practice occasionally. In this study, we describe the clinical profile, diagnosis, and management of patients with CVT secondary to an infectious aetiology. Methods: This retrospective study included all adult patients over 15 years (1 January 2002 to 1 January 2017). Adult patients with a diagnosis of infective CVT secondary to bacterial infections were included in the study. Results: Totally, 22 patients were identified with CVT complicating bacterial infections. The focus of infection in 12 (54.54%) patients was pyogenic meningitis, 9 (40.9%) patients had a parameningeal focus and one patient developed CVT secondary to bacterial sepsis from a remote focus. Fever was the most common symptom seen in 77.3% followed by headache and depressed sensorium in 72.7% and 63.6%, respectively. The most common organism in the meningitis group was Streptococcus species, and in the parameningeal group was Staphylococcus aureus. At presentation MRI identified CVT in all 7 patients as compared to CT brain with contrast in 2/3 (66.6%). Transverse sinus was the most commonly involved sinus in meningitis. All patients were treated with appropriate antibiotics and anticoagulation was used in 50% of the patients. The in hospital, mortaility was 9%. Conclusion: Septic CVT, though rare can be a complication of bacterial meningitis and facial infections. Clinical symptoms that suggest a co-existing CVT should be identified and diagnosed at the earliest. The mainstay of treatment is antibiotics; the role of anticoagulation is controversial.

The reaction 27Al(d,t) at 25 MeV was utilized to study the excited states of 26Al. The angular distributions of the observed excited states of 26Al were analyzed with zero range distorted wave Born approximation as well as by incorporating finite range correction parameters to extract spectroscopic factors. The two sets of extracted spectroscopic factors were compared with each other to see the effect of using finite range correction in the transfer form factor.

The excited states of 26Al have been produced and studied using 27Al(d,t) reaction with 25 MeV deuteron as projectile. Optical model potential parameters were extracted from the measured elastic scattering angular distribution. Zero range distorted wave Born approximation analysis for the ground and 0.223 MeV states of 26Al have been done. The spectroscopic factors calculated for these states are found to be in good agreement with the previously reported values.

Fragment emission mechanisms have been studied in 12C on 12C and 13C on 12C reactions at same excitation energy. The inclusive energy distributions of the complex fragments (3≤ Z ≤ 5) emitted from the composite system have been measured in the angular range 14° to 36°. The present experiments have been performed with the motivation to study the isotopic dependence of fragment yields in these two reactions. From the preliminary analysis, it has been observed that fragments are emitted from a completely equilibrated and long lived composite system for both 12C + 12C and 13C + 12C reactions. It has also been observed that the emission of neutron-rich fragments are more in 13C + 12C compared to 12C + 12C reaction.

Micro-spherical hard carbons (MSHCs) with distinct porosity features have been synthesized from an easy microwave-assisted solvothermal pre-treatment of sucrose, followed by carbonization, as anodes for sodium-ion batteries. The MSHC exhibits large interlayer spacing of turbostratic graphene nanosheets with more defective graphene planes, hierarchical pore structures, and closed pores. The MSHC anode delivered a high reversible capacity of 422 mA h g−1 at 0.1C rate with a low-potential battery-like plateau contribution of 57%, which is the best reported reversible sodium storage performance to date for an unmodified HC for SIBs. The MSHC shows 251 and 140 mA h g−1 high-rate capacities at 1C and 5C, respectively, with excellent capacity retention of 84% after 500 cycles at 1C. GITT and EPR measurements confirm the storage mechanism shift from intercalation to the quasi-metallic sodium clusters in the closed pores at low potentials. The full cell with the MSHC anode and a P2-Na0.67Ni0.33Mn0.67O2 (NNMO) cathode delivered a high energy density of 292 W h kg−1 at a working potential of 3.2 V. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Seyfert galaxy NGC 2639 was known to exhibit three episodes of active galactic nuclei (AGN) jet/lobe activity. We present here the upgraded Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (uGMRT) 735 MHz image of NGC 2639 showing a fourth episode as witnessed by the discovery of ∼9 kpc radio lobes misaligned with the previously known ∼1.5 kpc, ∼360 pc, and ∼3 pc jet features detected through the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) and the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA), respectively. Using the spectral ageing software brats , we derive the ages of the ∼9 kpc, ∼1.5 kpc, and ∼360 pc episodes to be, respectively, |$34^{+4}_{-6}$|⁠ , |$11.8^{+1.7}_{-1.4}$|⁠ , and |$2.8^{+0.7}_{-0.5}$| Myr, and conclude that minor mergers occurred 9−22 Myr apart. NGC 2639 shows a deficit of molecular gas in its central ∼6 kpc region. The GALEX NUV image also shows a deficiency of recent star formation in the same region, while the star formation rate surface density in NGC 2639 is lower by a factor of 5−18 compared to the global Schmidt law of star-forming galaxies. This makes NGC 2639 a rare case of a Seyfert galaxy showing episodic jet activity and possible signatures of jet-driven AGN feedback. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Cefazolin is an antibiotic used to prevent surgical site infections. During cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), its efficacy target could be underachieved. We aimed to develop a population pharmacokinetic model for cefazolin in children and optimize the prophylactic dosing regimen. Children under 25 kg undergoing cardiac surgery with CPB and receiving cefazolin at standard doses (50 mg/kg IV every 4–6 h) were included in this analysis. A population pharmacokinetic model and Monte Carlo simulations were used to evaluate the probability of target attainment (PTA) for efficacy and toxicity with the standard regimen and an alternative regimen of continuous infusion, where loading and maintenance doses were calculated from model‐derived individual parameters. Twenty‐two patients were included, with median (range) age, body weight, and eGFR of 19.5 (1–94) months, 8.7 (2–21) kg, and 116 (48–159) mL/min, respectively. Six patients received an additional dose in the CPB circuit. A two‐compartment disposition model with an additional compartment for the CPB was developed, including weight‐based allometric scaling and eGFR. For a 10 kg patient with eGFR of 120 mL/min/1.73 m2, clearance was estimated as 0.856 L/h. Simulations indicated that the standard dosing regimen fell short of achieving the efficacy target >40% of the time within a dosing duration and in patients with good renal function, PTA ranged from

ABSTRACTObjectives: In clinical practice, the majority of α-thalassaemia cases arise from deletions of the α-globin genes. However, a subset of cases is attributed to rare haemoglobin variants, which can manifest with borderline or normal screening results, potentially leading to missed diagnoses in clinical practice.Methods: Blood samples were collected from family members and underwent haematological, DNA and RNA analysis.Results: The five-month-old proband presented a haematological phenotype consistent with Hb H disease. The mother’s haematology profile was consistent with an α-thalassaemia carrier, while the father exhibited a borderline reduction in MCV and MCH. MALDI-TOF identified an abnormal α-chain in the proband. DNA analysis revealed a novel α-globin variant (HBA2:c.175C>A, α58His>Asn, Hb DG-Nancheng) affecting the distal histidine in the family. The father and the mother had α-genotype of --SEA/αα and αDG-Nanchengα/αα, respectively; while the proband inherited both mutant alleles (--SEA/αDG-Nanchengα). Sequencing of cDNA from HBA2 gene identified an equal ratio of normal and mutant alleles.Conclusion: This rare case highlighted the importance of identifying rare haemoglobin variant during prenatal screening. The clinical and genetic data provides useful information on the pathogenicity of this variant and further insight into the role of distal histidine residue of α-globin.

We synthesized Ni nanoparticles with an atmospheric-thermal chemical vapor deposition method and investigated their lattice distortions and defects using Bragg coherent diffractive imaging. Because the strain can alter the magnetic properties of ferromagnetic materials, it is important to study the lattice distortion and structural imperfection. As a result of the Bragg coherent diffractive imaging, we found that the Ni nanocubes have a deformation-free zone in the middle. In addition, the defects such as dislocation and twin domain defects were detected in other Ni nanoparticles based on the Bragg diffraction images and patterns. The imaging of nanoparticles can contribute to a better understanding of their growth mechanisms and improve the design and synthesis of nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Defect tuning in ceria to enhance its catalytic properties is a subject of great interest for the scientific community owing to the growing demand for catalytic materials in drug, automobile and chemical industries. Doping induced defect engineering was found to be one of the most sought out strategies particularly in oxides for achieving multifunctionality. Here, in this study, we have doped ceria with distinct sized trivalent rare-earth ions, namely, Y3+, Eu3+ and La3+, using combustion techniques. Positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS) suggested enhanced defect density with doping in general and higher concentration of oxygen vacancies in La3+ doped ceria compared to Y3+ and Eu3+ counterparts. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) suggested the existence of both Ce3+ and Ce4+, with the former having higher fraction in CeO2:La3+ compared to CeO2:Y3+. The electron transfer resistance (Rct) reduced in all the doped samples when compared to undoped ceria and they demonstrated improved catalytic activity towards the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The highest reduction in Rct was seen in the 5% La doped sample owing to the very high concentration of oxygen vacancies and Ce3+/Ce4+ ratio and CeO2:5.0% La3+ showed the best performance towards ORR electrocatalysis. The studies are expected to help in further tuning the catalysts in terms of dopant concentrations, and in future work, the strategy will be to control the Ce3+/Ce4+ ratio and see its implication in both catalytic and magnetic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vector-borne lumpy skin disease (LSD) virus is fast spreading in Asian countries, including India since 2019 causing substantial economic loss. There is no specific treatment available against the causative poxvirus. The present study presents a field trial of treating LSD-affected cattle with homeopathic sulfur preparation (Sulphur, potency 30). This therapeutic intervention not only reduced case fatality rate but also hastened recovery, without any adverse outcome, indicating its potential in the treatment of LSD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The well known problem of gradient percolation has been revisited to study the probability distribution of island sizes. It is observed that like the ordinary percolation, this distribution is also described by a power law decaying function but the associated critical exponents are found to be different. Because of the underlying gradient for the occupation probability, the average value of the island sizes also has a gradient. The variation of the average island size with the probability of occupation along the gradient has been studied together with its scaling analysis. Further, we have introduced and studied the gradient bond percolation and on studying the island size distribution statistics, we have obtained very similar results. We have also studied the characteristics of the diffusion profile of the particle system on a lattice which is initially half filled and half empty. Here also we observe the same value for the island size probability distribution exponent. Finally, the same study has been repeated for the nonlinear gradient percolation and the value of the island size distribution exponent is found to be a function of the strength of the nonlinear parameter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents an overview of the occupational radiation protection aspects of experimental sodium diuranate transferring and handling processes required for refining utilization. The health physics aspects and associated monitoring programs necessary to adequately measure and control radiological exposures to workers during the process is described here. A particle size distribution study was also carried out and estimated the activity median aerodynamic diameter (AMAD) for the process. The AMAD varied from 4.6 to 7.7 μm and geometric standard deviation ranged from 1.9 to 2.8. Obtained data serve the purpose of comparison for formulating a detailed radiological safety protocol during regular operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]