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Performing gas separation at high efficiency with minimum energy input and reduced carbon footprint is a major challenge. While several separation methods exist at various technology readiness levels, porous membrane-based separation is considered as a disruptive technology. To attain sustainability and required efficiency, different approaches of membrane design have been explored. However, the selectivity-permeation trade-off and membrane aging have restricted further advancement. In this regard, a new generation composite made of organic polymers and metal–organic framework (MOF) fillers shows substantial promise. Organic polymer matrix allows easy processibility, but it has poor permselectivity for gas molecules. Metal–organic frameworks are excellent sieving materials; however, they suffer from poor processibility issues. A combination of these two components makes an ideal sieving membrane, which can potentially outnumber the existing energy intensive distillation strategies. In this perspective, we have discussed key indices that regulate gas permselectivity by a careful selection of the existing literature. While the target gas flux and selectivity values have been a part of many previous reviews and articles, we have presented a concise discussion on the interface design of the MOF-polymer membrane, morphology, and orientation control of MOF fillers in the matrix. Following this, a future roadmap to overcome challenges related to MOF-polymer interfacial defects is outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Drug resistant tuberculosis is a major public health threat that hinders progress in tuberculosis control worldwide. In 2019, India contributed highest cases of TB (27%) Worldwide. In 2019, 3.3% of new TB cases and 18% of previously treated cases had MDR/RRTB worldwide and India (27%) had the largest share of the global burden. This study was done to find out the sociodemographic and clinical profile of drug resistant TB patients. Methodology: It is an observational descriptive study with cross-sectional design, conducted at the drug resistant tuberculosis centre of R. G. Kar Medical College of Kolkata, West Bengal. Study Population consisted of the patients who were registered for the DR-TB regimen. Study duration was July 2016-March 2017. Pre-tested, semi-structured schedule was designed to capture their sociodemographic profile, treatment history, clinical findings and available medical records. Data were compiled in MS Excel and analyzed in IBM SPSS 23.0. Results: Out of 159 cases, 27% patients were between 21-30 years. Males were predominant (68.6%). Most patients (56.6%) were underweight (BMI<18.5kg/m2). HIV seropositivity was found in 4 (2.5%) cases. Among all cases, 81.1% had history of taking ATD and 34.4% was cured in previous episode of treatment. The commonest associated comorbidity was DM (15.7%). Rifampicin resistance (93.1%) was most common followed by Isoniazid (8.2%). Pallor was found among 94.3% patients. Most patients had bilateral (62.3%) and moderately extensive (57.2%) lesions in chest x-ray. Conclusion: DR-TB control should focus adequately on younger age group as numbers of resistance is increasing among them. Relapse in previously cured cases was found to be major contributor of DR-TB suspect cases. Though, Rifampicin resistance was so common but prevalence of resistance to 2nd line drugs is still low. Focus should be given on early detection of drug resistance in all TB cases and improvement of nutritional status of the TB patient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: There has been a new challenge to the already existing threat of tuberculosis (TB) and that is drug resistance TB (DR-TB). The causal relationships between mental disorders and TB are complicated and relatively unexplored. For this reason a qualitative study was done on DR-TB patients attending R G Kar Medical College. Materials and Methods: The study population consisted of the patients who are registered for the DR-TB regimen are followed up four times with General Health Questionnaire (GHQ). Those scoring poorly were sent for expert evaluation by psychologist, who counselled them, and followed them up after in-depth interviews. These records of in-depth interview were analysed as qualitative research inputs. Results: In our study out of 165 patients, (4.8%) needed interventions. The domains emerging from the study are worried about future and as well as family, disbelief about the diagnosis, embarrassment regarding the diagnosis, fear of death, blaming fate for the disease, stigma, suicidal ideation. Conclusion: This study finds out the important domains of psychogical problems among the patients and also advocates a psychologist to remain at DR-TB centres. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a method of chaotification of universal motor drive by selecting appropriate topology of the power circuit and suitably choosing values of circuit components for mixing application. The purpose of chaotification is to improve homogeneity in the mixture and to reduce consumption of time, cost and energy. In particular, the dynamic behaviour of a pulse‐width modulation controlled chopper fed universal motor drive with diode bridge rectifier at the source side has been explored for the occurrence of chaos in the mixer motor. Performance of the drive has been investigated with two different topologies of the filter circuit. The first topology uses a capacitor filter after diode rectifier and the other includes an LC filter at the motor terminals along with source‐side capacitor filter. A systematic methodology for selecting appropriate values of the filter circuit components has been proposed for imparting chaotic motion to the motor load system. A comparative study showing a range of load torque and speed for which sub‐harmonic or chaotic speed oscillation occurs in the motor for both the topologies of filter circuit has also been presented. Computer simulations and results of laboratory experiment performed on a 0.5 hp, 1800‐rpm universal motor validate the proposed design method of the motor drive for the better mixing process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Indium tin oxide powders containing different amount of tin were prepared using a facile water based sol-gel procedure. The structural and microstructural properties have been analysed with X-ray diffractometer, FTIR-spectroscopy, XPS, TEM and EDX analysis. The nanocrystalline powders were used to fabricate Taguchi design based thick film sensors and their low concentration ammonia sensing (30 ppm) performance were evaluated in the operating temperature range of 200–400 °C. Indium tin oxide sensor having 20 wt% tin oxide showed the optimum response, ∼61% for 30 ppm ammonia at operating temperature of 300 °C. Pd incorporation led to a significant enhancement in sensing response (∼82%) at the same condition. A good sensing response (∼43%) was also observed even at very low ∼ 3 ppm of ammonia concentration. The interference of other gases was almost insignificant. The sensor was stable as reflected from the observation of negligible decrease in the sensing performance of sample up to 90 days period. The sensing mechanism for enhancement has also been explained. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • Different compositions of indium tin oxide were prepared using a unique procedure. • I 80 T 20 O sensor reveals optimum sensing response, ∼61% towards 30 ppm NH 3 at 300 °C. • 1 wt% Pd incorporation enhanced the sensitivity by ∼20%. • The sensor can detect very low concentration of NH 3 with reproducible performance. • It is also very stable and selective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An inorganic-organic hybrid of SnO 2 -reduced graphene oxide (rGO)-polyaniline (SGP) nanocomposite has been successfully synthesized from surfactant-free precursor by a low temperature solution process. The SGP nanocomposite is found to form from in situ synthesized SnO 2 -rGO (SG) and polyaniline (PANI), generated via polymerization of aniline monomer at 5–10 °C. The structural properties of SGP have been analyzed by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron and atomic force microscopes. The chemical interaction existed in the nanocomposite has been examined by X-ray photoelectron, Fourier transform infrared and Raman spectroscopies. Compare to pristine SnO 2 and SG, the SGP sample shows an enhanced ammonia gas sensing at room temperature. At an optimum content of PANI, high sensitivity, fast response and good selectivity of the gas sensing are observed in the nanocomposite. This enhanced sensing performance can be attributed to well-defined p-n hetero junction formation in the hybridized polyaniline and rGO with nano SnO 2 in SGP as confirmed from structural characterization of the sample. It is also seen that the presence of PANI layers in SGP, enhances the chemical stability as reflected from the observation of negligible decrease in the sensing performance of sample up to 30 days period. This facile process can create an avenue for development of various metal oxide semiconductor-graphene-polyaniline nanocomposites for improving room temperature stable ammonia gas sensor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Non-Invasive Ventilation (NIV) is getting popularity in management of acute exacerbation of COPD with hypercapnic respiratory failure because of its effectiveness. However, there is still a dilemma regarding the site of initiation of NIV. There are several publications comparing outcome of NIV in highly sophisticated Intensive Care Units (ICU) and general ward in western literature, there is paucity of data from this part of the world. Considering unavailability of beds in highly monitored ward, the studies related to feasibility and acceptability of using NIV in general ward might be helpful in reducing suffering of distressed COPD patients. Aim: To assess the outcome and relative feasibility of NIV use in general ward and High Dependency Unit (HDU) in hypercapnic respiratory failure due to Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (AECOPD) in a tertiary care hospital. Materials and Methods: It was a prospective observational study. Patients admitted with AECOPD in HDU and general ward, satisfying all inclusion and exclusion criteria, over a period of six months were recruited as study population. All the patients received NIV along with other conventional treatment protocol. The outcome of NIV was noted in terms of frequency of complications, duration of hospital stay and need for mechanical ventilation. The statistical analysis was done using SPSS Minitab software version 15.1.0. Results: A total of 70 patients, age ranging from 45-89 years, were included. A 32 patients were put on NIV in general ward while 38 in HDU, depending on availability of bed. There were no significant differences in the clinical parameters at the time of initiation of NIV between the two subsets except the total leukocyte count and the frequency of occurrence of exacerbation in last one year. The outcome of NIV use as analysed found no significant difference in average duration in hours 'on NIV' (p=0.088) among patients who were successfully treated with NIV. Similarly the complication profile and overall failure rate comparable was (p=0.515) between the two subsets. Conclusion: The NIV is as effective in management of AECOPD with hypercapnic failure in HDUs and less monitored general medical ward in face of non-availability of ICU beds, particularly in a resource constrained setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1 wt% Pd impregnated gallia: tin oxide nanocomposite sensors were investigated for high temperature carbon monoxide detection. Initially the mixed oxide nanopowder, containing 25 wt% gallia, was synthesised using a facile cost effective sol-gel procedure. 0.25 wt% antimony doping was done to facilitate lower resistance of the corresponding sensor in terms of electronic perspective. The structural and microstructural characterizations of the nanocomposites were carried out with X-ray diffractometer, BET surface area, XPS, TEM and EDX analyses. Taguchi design based thick film sensors were fabricated and CO sensing performance was evaluated in the operating temperature range of 300–500 °C. Nanocomposite sensor showed ∼ 48% optimum response for 30 ppm CO at temperature of 425 °C with stable low resistance. Pd incorporation led to a significant improvement in sensing response (∼65%) at the same condition along with decrease in response and recovery times. Possible sensing mechanism of enhancement has been explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accumulation of plastic materials in terrestrial systems threatens to contaminate food chains. The aim of the current study is to determine the impact of microplastics synthesized from PET plastics (control, 50, 250, 500, 750, 1000 mg/L) with respect to morphological, biochemical impact on Cicer arietinum using standardized 72 h assay and cytotoxicity study on Allium cepa root tips. The synthesized microplastics were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) studies. Germination studies clearly revealed that there is a sharp decrease in germination with increasing the concentration of microplastics. Both pigment and carbohydrate levels increased up to 500 mg/L concentration, although protein levels increased with increase of microplastic dose. Catalase activity also increased with increasing microplastic concentration. Finally, cytotoxicity studies revealed significant chromosomal aberration at higher dose of microplastics. Therefore, it may be concluded that the microplastics have significant biological and structural adverse effects on plant metabolism. [Display omitted] • Synthesis of microplastics from PET plastics and characterization by SEM and FTIR. • Microplastics interfere in germination of Cicer arietinum. • Level of reactive oxygen species increased with increasing microplastic load. • Cytotoxicity study revealed significant chromosomal aberration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal oxide nanocomposite sensors based on γ-Fe 2 O 3 and WO 3 were investigated in acetone vapor of various concentrations (1–100 ppm) at operating temperatures between 250 and 350 °C. The composites were prepared by simple solid state mixing and porous thick-film gas sensors were fabricated on alumina substrates. The γ-Fe 2 O 3 :WO 3 (50:50) nanocomposite showed a marked enhancement in sensing response down to 1 ppm acetone vapor detection at 300 °C. The response was ~2-fold better compared to pure WO 3 or pure γ-Fe 2 O 3 with a very fast response (1 s) and very short recovery time (3 s). No appreciable sensitivity was observed towards alcohol vapor (an interfacing agent for diabetics) and in moisture (present in breath). The enhanced performance was due to n–n heterojunction effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ayoung female patient presenting with recurrent hemoptysis, neckswelling, and mediastinal mass mimicking lymphadenopathy was admitted to the Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research and SSKM hospital, Kolkata, India. Clinical features, radiological studies, fibre optic bronchoscopy, and fine needle aspiration cytology from the neck swelling created a diagnostic dilemma until surgical resection and immunohistochemistry reports confirmed the diagnosis of multifocal epithelioid hemangioendothelioma, a rare vascular tumor with intermediate malignancy potential. Because it is a slow-progressing disease and due to the non-availability of standard chemotherapy, the patient, and her legal guardian, opted for palliative care only. She was asymptomatic for four years but again presented with hemoptysis, reappearance of the neck swelling on the same side, and a mediastinal mass compressing the superior vena cava and right pulmonary artery. This report describes the diagnostic problems and therapeutic challenges in the management of this rare tumor over a four-year follow-up period. The clinical course emphasizes the highly unpredictable nature of this tumor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A ternary nanocomposite containing 3 wt% rGO decorated ZnO-SnO 2 was prepared using a facile sol-gel procedure. • Pristine ZnO-SnO 2 nanocomposite sensor exhibited ~ 60% response towards 10 ppm acetone at operating temperature of 300°C. • ~3wt% rGO addition enhanced the response upto ~ 91% for 10 ppm acetone as well as operating temperature reduced to 150°C. • rGO decorated sensor was capable to detect very low concentration (~1 ppm) of VOCs with fast response and recovery time. • The sensor shows reproducible performance over time with negligible sensing response in other reducing gases. [Display omitted] A ternary p-n-n heterojunction has been prepared by introducing reduced graphene oxide (rGO) in ZnO-SnO 2 nanocomposite and its ppm level volatile organic compounds (VOCs) sensing properties have been exploited. Using a simple, facile sol-gel process, initially, ZnO-SnO 2 nanocomposites containing different concentrations of ZnO and SnO 2 were prepared and subsequently this was followed by rGO incorporation. The as-synthesized powders were well characterized through XRD, FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, FESEM, TEM, and XPS analyses. The sensing study revealed that, the ternary nanocomposite sensor delineated ~91% n-type sensing response towards ~10 ppm acetone gas at an optimum working temperature of 150 °C. Even it could sense ~1 ppm acetone with appreciable sensing response of ~71%. Additionally, the sensor displayed fast response (~10 s) and recovery time (~100 s) suitable for detection of multiple pulses in short time duration. It also exhibited a considerable ~65% sensing response towards ~10 ppm ethanol at 150 °C. These superior sensing performances of rGO decorated ZnO-SnO 2 nanocomposite illustrated with band structure modification. Our results indicated that, the fabricated rGO decorated ZnO-SnO 2 sensor, with remarkable high sensing response, minimum interference from other toxic, inflammable gases and profound long term stability, could be considered as a prolific candidate for real time detection of low concentration VOCs in versatile commercial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Sol–gel based nanostructured Cr(III)-doped indium tin oxide (ITO) films (In:Sn:Cr=84.6:9.4:6.0) deposited on silica glass were cured at 350°C, 450°C, 600°C, 700°C and 900°C. EDX, absorption spectra and TEM images confirmed formation of Cr(III)-doped ITO nanoclusters close to Bohr radius of ITO. Excitonic and phonon interactions were studied by absorption, photoluminescence (PL) and Raman spectra. The photon energy between the satellite peaks of PL spectra predicted phonon vibrations. Strong hybridization between s–p-states of host and d-states of Cr(III) resulted in stable exciton–phonon coupling as revealed from excitonic and lattice phonon vibrations. Soft room temperature ferromagnetism was observed in the films. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We observe remarkably strong room temperature ferromagnetism [∼1.5μB/Mn(II)] in optically transparent Mn(II)-doped indium tin oxide (ITO) films. The nanocrystalline films with average grain size 10–22nm and thickness 150–350nm are prepared by sol–gel coating technique on soda lime silica glass substrate. The ferromagnetic property is, of course, weak for films deposited on pure silica glass substrate. The structural parameters of the films appear to be governing the magnetic property strongly which vary appreciably depending on the substrate. The observation of room temperature ferromagnetism in transparent conducting ITO films may find a plethora of applications in the area of magneto-optics. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

An 18 years female was admitted with right-sided chest pain, dry cough, and low-grade fever and weight loss for last 1 month. On examination, patient had features of superior vena cava (SVC) syndrome with right-sided pleural effusion. Chest X-ray showed mediastinal widening with nonhomogenous opacity mainly in the periphery of right upper and mid zone with right-sided pleural effusion. Ultrasonography thorax confirmed mild pleural effusion. Pleural fluid analysis showed lymphocytic, exudative, low adenosine deaminase with negative for Pap smear. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) thorax revealed large extensive nodular soft tissue lesion along right mediastinum as well as costal pleura, with enlarged pretracheal lymphadenopathy and SVC obstruction. CT guided Tru-cut biopsy report came as malignant epithelial tumor with polygonal shape, abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm and nuclei with prominent nucleoli suggestive of mesothelioma of epithelioid type. The tumor cell expressed calretinin, WT-1, and immunonegative for thyroid transcription factor-1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Nanostructured indium tin oxide (ITO) films were deposited on silica glass by sol–gel dipping method from salt derived PVA based aqueous precursor. The films were cured at 250°C, 350°C, 450°C, 600°C, 700°C and 900°C and characterized by XRD, SEM, AFM techniques to observe heating effect on nanostructured feature. Nanocluster sizes were determined by TEM study. Different crystal phases of ITO were existed in the temperature range 250–900°C. Quantum confinement behavior of the nanoclusters was observed for their size being near Bohr radius. Absorption, band gap and photoluminescence behavior of the nanstructured ITO films supported excitonic transitions due to the formation of electron hole pair generated by interaction of electromagnetic radiation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Sol–gel based dip coated Mn(II) doped indium tin oxide (ITO) films were prepared on pure silica glass at 350°C and 450°C using the aqueous solutions of In(III), Sn(IV) and Mn(II) salts having atomic ratio of In:Sn:Mn as 84.6:9.4:6.0. Thin films were characterized by XRD, EDX, SEM, AFM, TEM and photoluminescence (PL) studies. Oxygen deficiency in ITO films decreased due to Mn(II) doping. Quantum confinement of electron–hole pairs occurred in nanocrystals of Mn(II) doped ITO of average size range from 4.7nm to 6.4nm. Excitonic transitions and PL behaviours have been illustrated to focus quantum confinement and exciton–phonon interaction. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Sol–gel dip coated indium tin oxide film of In:Sn=90:10 was prepared on glass at 350°C from aqueous precursor. Nanostructured feature and cubic phase of the film were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction studies, respectively. Average cluster of 4.7nm diameter was measured by the transmission electron microscopy and it is near to Bohr radius of In2O3. The evaluated bandgap of the nanocluster (E g =4.0eV) is consistent with the absorption band appearing for quantum confinement. The confinement phenomenon resulted in photoluminescence (PL) when excited at different photoluminescence excitation wavelengths. The PL bands have been identified as the emissions of bound and free excitons. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The incorporation of Cu2+ in zirconyl chloride octahydrate sol or solution was used as a precursor for dip coating. This resulted in the in-situ formation of nanostructured Cu20 quantum particles in the zirconia matrix. The size-dependent properties of the Cu20 quantum particles were observed when the films were annealed in the range of 200-600 °C. A red shift of the UV band, ascribed to the transition from the copper d-shells to higher sublevels of the conduction band, was observed in the range of 260-315 nm due to an increase in the nanocrystallite size with increasing annealing temperature. Three types of emissions, blue, green, and yellow, were observed in films of relatively high thickness (around 120-130 nm) due to Wannier-bke excitonic transitions. For films of relatively low thickness (50-70 rim) only green emission was observed. From lifetime measurements of samples annealed at 450°C it may be concluded that the short decay time is bi-exponential in character from ns to ps with the chi-square value of 1.005, which is due to the confinement of Cu2O quantum panicles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Uterine sarcomas are rare and represent approximately 3.2% of all invasive uterine cancers. The annual incidence rate is less than two per 100,000 women. The median age at which uterine sarcoma diagnosed is 56 years. The most common histologic pattern is leiomyosarcoma (LMS) which originates from the myometrium or myometrial vessels. Uterine LMSs are aggressive tumors with high rates of recurrence. The most common mode of spread is hematogenous, with lymphatic spread being rare. Recurrences of up to 70% are reported in stage I and II disease with the site of recurrence being distal, most commonly the lungs or the upper abdomen. But the intra bronchial spread is extremely rare. Here we are reporting a case of uterine LMS with endobronchial metastasis causing whole lung collapse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper reports on a unique eco-friendly bio-synthesis process of tin oxide using water extract of soaked kabuli chickpea seeds as natural binder. The structural, microstructural and CO sensing properties of the newly synthesized tin oxide were compared with those of conventional sol–gel and sonochemical processes. XRD results of the bio-synthesized material revealed the formation of single tetragonal phase of SnO 2 similar to sol–gel and sonochemical processes. The bio approach led to the formation of finer nanoparticales with a higher specific surface area ∼ 60 m2 /gm compared to the others. The average sizes of tin oxide nanoparticles as observed from TEM images were about 35 nm, 15 and 6 nm for the sonochemical, sol-gel and biosynthesis respectively. These tin oxide powders were used to fabricate Taguchi based sensors and their CO sensing performance were evaluated. The biosynthesized tin oxide sensor showed ∼53% sensing performance for 30 ppm CO which was better than sol-gel (∼44%) or sonochemical (∼42%) tin oxides operating at similar condition. The reported results suggest that the biosynthesis is a promising cost effective method to prepare nanocrystalline SnO 2 for sensing application. Image 1 • Pure tin oxide powder of average particle size ∼6 nm was prepared using water extract of kabuli chickpea seeds. • The structural and morphological properties of this were compared with sol-gel and sonochemical processes. • The sensor fabricated from biosynthesized tin oxide revealed the best sensing performance, ∼53% on exposure of 30 ppm CO. • This sensor was stable and able to detect very low concentration (∼3 ppm) of CO with reproducible performance. • The mechanism for the formation of nanoparticles and better sensitivity has been illustrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, reduced graphene oxide (rGO) decorated NiO-SnO 2 nanocomposites were synthesized by using a facile sol-gel process and their structural (XRD, FTIR, Raman), morphological (BET, FESEM, TEM), and optical (UV-Vis, PL) characterizations were carried out. The as-synthesized NiO-SnO 2 nanocomposite exhibited an enhancement of surface area after the incorporation of rGO and this substantial increment was expected to be beneficial for gas sensing at room temperature. Therefore, Taguchi-type sensors were fabricated and deployed for the detection of VOCs. The optimized sensor containing ∼ 3 wt% rGO in NiO-SnO 2 nanocomposite demonstrated an excellent sensing response (R g /R a ∼ 7.8) towards ∼ 10 ppm acetone at room temperature (30 ± 5 °C) with response and recovery time of ∼ 10 s and ∼ 30 s respectively. It also exhibited good reproducibility and stability over ∼ 3 months. Additionally, this sensor selectively detected trace concentration (< 1 ppm) of acetone in exhaled human breath (ethanol present in a healthy person's exhaled breath is insignificant), which is a non-invasive biomarker of diabetes. The sensing performance was analyzed from an electronic transportation point-of-view and consequent band structure modulation. The electrical property of the sensing material was illustrated using impedance spectroscopy to support the sensing mechanism. [Display omitted] • rGO decorated NiO-SnO 2 nanocomposites were prepared using sol-gel process. • Optimized Taguchi type sensor showed ∼ 7.8 response in ∼10 ppm acetone at ∼ 30 °C. • Sensor showed reproducible sensing performance and cross sensitivity was negligible. • Optimized sensor used to detect acetone (biomarker of diabetes) in exhaled breath. • The electrical properties of sensors were elucidated by impedance spectroscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a clinical quiz regarding the diagnosis on the case of a 42-year-old male nonsmoker with recurrent hemoptysis experienced for 12 years requiring hospitalizations and blood transfusion. Examination results on the lower respiratory system and laboratory results including images are also provided.

Chemiresistive MOS-based acetone sensing device is a futuristic pathway for non-invasive diagnosis of diabetes. Although their potential deployment is restricted till now due to lack of selective, low temperature operated ppm-level sensors. In this work, we demonstrated synthesis of iron doped reduced graphene oxide (rGO) decorated WO 3 nanocomposites in a facile, environment friendly wet chemical sol-gel process. The as-synthesized nanocomposites were comprehensively characterized by using different characterization techniques. A maximum ~78% sensing response was obtained for the optimized composition of ~10 wt% Fe doped 3 wt% rGO decorated WO 3 based thin film (thickness ~700 nm) sensor towards ~10 ppm acetone gas. This sensing performance was observed at comparatively low working temperature of ~130 °C with fast response (~20 s) and recovery (~75 s) time. The efficacy of the fabricated sensors was established by their capabilities to sense a very low concentration of ~1 ppm acetone under similar working environment. Further illustration of versatility of the sensors revealed that, the sensors could be able to manifest a repeatable and reproducible sensing performance with prolong stability and superior selectivity for acetone over other interfering gases. The acetone sensing mechanism was illustrated with the help of electron depletion model and impedance spectroscopy study. Impedance spectroscopy quantifies different electrical properties and enlightens the smooth electronic transition mechanism between analyte and sensing material. [Display omitted] • Novel Fe doped reduced graphene oxide (rGO) decorated WO 3 nanocomposite was prepared using a facile sol-gel procedure. • Fabricated Taguchi type thin film sensor exhibited ~ 78 % sensing response towards ~10 ppm acetone at 130°C. • The sensor was also capable to detect very low concentration (~1 ppm) of acetone with fast response and recovery time. • The sensor revealed reproducible performance over time with minimum interference from other interfering gases. • Impedance spectroscopy was used to analyze the sensing mechanism with comprehensive illustration of electrical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Pneumothorax continues to be a major cause of morbidity and mortality among respiratory patients, but there is a paucity of data regarding etiology, clinical profile, management, and outcome of spontaneous pneumothorax (SP), from this part of the world. Aims: To assess the patients of spontaneous pneumothorax in adults with special reference to the etiology, clinical presentation, management, and outcome of SP. Settings and Design: Prospective, observational study conducted in a tertiary care institution over a period of one year. Materials and Methods: All adult patients of SP attending the department of pulmonary medicine in a tertiary hospital were studied and detailed clinical, radiological, and management data were recorded and analyzed. Results: Sixty consecutive patients, who satisfied the inclusion criteria were included in the study. Among them 10 had primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) and 50 had secondary spontaneous pneumothorax (SSP). The overall male to female ratio was 4:1. The mean age of the PSP patients was 26.3 ± 2.19 years, whereas, that of the SSP patients was 53.42 ± 2.07 years (P < 0.0001). Seventy percent of the patients were smokers. The most common clinical manifestation of PSP was chest pain (80%) in contrast to dyspnea in SSP (96%). The most common cause of SSP (42%) was found to be chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) followed by pulmonary tuberculosis (30%). The cases were managed with intercostal tube drainage (85%), simple aspiration (8.33%), and observation (6.67%). Full expansion of the lung was noted in 91.67% of the cases. Conclusion: Spontaneous pneumothorax was more common in men. SSP was far more common in this study, and the predominant underlying cause of SSP was COPD, which surpassed tuberculosis as the leading cause of SSP. This is in contrast to the results from previous studies done in our country. Intercostal tube drainage was the mainstay of treatment and the response was good. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, subharmonic and chaotic behavior in current controlled DC drive has been investigated. The effects of variation of some chosen parameters on the qualitative behavior of the system have been studied. To avoid occurrence of chaos we present a method for controlling chaos applicable to DC drives. The results of numerical investigation are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Room temperature ppm level acetone sensing by Pt/Sb 2 O 3 impregnated Fe 2 O 3 thin film. • ~6 µm films were drop casted on planar alumina substrates with platinum electrodes. • Enhanced sensing response ~2.4 with ~95 s recovery time observed for 1 ppm acetone. • Even at 0.25 ppm acetone vapour, the response observed ~1.4. • Real time breath acetone measurement was also carried out. • The sensor revealed reproducible performance over a period of about two months. In the present report, an enhanced sub-ppm level acetone sensing performance of a novel Pt and Sb 2 O 3 impregnated nanocrystalline Fe 2 O 3 thin film operating at room temperature has been explored. Starting from organic precursor sols, thin films of thickness ~ 6 µm were drop-casted on planar alumina substrates pre-attached with the platinum electrodes and cured at ~ 350°C. The characterizations of the materials have been carried out using X-ray Diffraction, FTIR, Raman Spectroscopy, micro structural study through FESEM and TEM as well as XPS analyses. The sensing characteristics including sensing response, lowest detection limit, recovery time etc. of these chemiresistive thin films were studied on exposing them to various concentrations (0.25 to 1 ppm) of acetone at room temperature. The sensing response of ~2.4 with ~ 95 s recovery time was observed on exposure to 1 ppm acetone for 10 s. Even at 0.25 ppm acetone, the response observed ~ 1.4. Selectivity study on different alcohols and other interfering gases of breath has also been tested. Additionally, a real time breath acetone measurement was carried out and acetone sensing mechanism has been elucidated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the management and treatment of patients suffering from spontaneous pneumothorax (SP). Topics discussed include pleurodesis for secondary spontaneous pneumothorax (SSP) patients; management of SSP by oxygen flow; high recurrence rate of SP due to agent installation using chest tube; removal chest tube to prevent recurrence, and chest radiography to cross check the recurrence.

• An improved rGO incorporated WO 3 based electrochromic film was developed using a facile sol-gel dip-coating procedure. • 5wt% rGO composition demonstrated the maximum electrochemical performance along with 50% transmittance modulation. • ∼ 45% enhancement in the switching response time and a significant improvement in coloration efficiency were also obtained. • The observed better electrochemical cyclic stability of rGO-WO 3 film was analyzed using ex-situ XRD analysis. • The EIS study of pristine and rGO decorated films revealed enhanced charge transfer on incorporation of rGO. In the present work, an improved electrochromic thin film has been developed with faster color switching time on incorporation of rGO in WO 3 film. Here, pristine WO 3 and rGO-WO 3 (rGO concentration varying from 1–7wt%) based nanocomposite electrochromic films were fabricated on ITO coated glass substrate, by utilizing a facile sol-gel dip-coating technique. Detailed structural and morphological analyses of the films were carried out using XRD, FESEM, TEM and Raman Spectroscopy. Assimilating the electrochromic properties of all the films showed that, 5wt% rGO incorporated WO 3 film gave a maximized electrochemical performance with minimum degradation in optical transmittance. The film also exhibited an optical modulation of ∼ 50% and a better switching response having coloration time (t c) ~ 5.3 s and bleaching time (t b) ~ 6.2 s as compared to the pristine film (t c ~ 9.6 s, t b ~ 10.4 s). Incorporation of rGO also resulted in an enhancement of coloration efficiency from ∼ 81 to ∼ 386 cm2/C. The Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) analysis of pristine and rGO loaded film clearly revealed better charge transfer on incorporation of rGO. The cyclic stability study exhibited ∼ 25% deterioration in optical transparency of the bare WO 3 film which was < 10% for the rGO impregnated film. An ex-situ XRD analysis demonstrated that a crystal dislocation occurring in pristine WO 3 sample was responsible for the same. [Display omitted]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Familial spontaneous pneumothorax is one of the phenotypes of Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome (BHDS), an autosomal dominant condition associated with folliculin ( FLCN). We investigated clinical and genetic data of an Indian family having two patients suffering from spontaneous pneumothorax in the absence of skin lesions or renal tumors. HRCT scan of patient's lung revealed paracardiac cysts, and DNA sequencing of all 14 exons of FLCN from patients showed the presence of heterozygous ' C allele' deletion in the poly-cytosine (poly- C) tract of exon 11 leading to truncated folliculin. This mutation was also observed in four asymptomatic members of the family. Our results confirmed the presence of deletion mutation in poly- C tract of FLCN in members of BHDS family. This is the first report of genetic insight in a BHDS family from India but in-depth studies with a larger sample set are necessary to understand mechanism of familial pneumothorax. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Spirometry measurements are interpreted by comparing with reference values for healthy individuals that have been derived from multiple regression equations from earlier studies. There are only two such studies from Eastern India, both by Chatterjee et al., one each for males and females. These are however single center and approximately two decades old studies. Aims: (1) to formulate a new regression equation for predicting FEV1 and FVC for eastern India and (2) to compare the results to the previous two studies by Chatterjee et al. Materials and Methods: Healthy nonsmokers were recruited through health camps under the initiative of four large hospitals of Kolkata. Predicted equations were derived for FEV1, FVC and FEV1/FVC in males and females separately using multiple linear regression, which were then compared with the older equations using Bland-Altman method. Results: The Bland-Altman analyses show that the mean bias for females for FVC was 0.39 L (95% limits of agreement 1.32 to -0.54 L) and for FEV1 was 0.334 L (95% limits of agreement of 1.08 to -0.41 L). For males the mean bias for FEV1 was -0.141 L, (95% limits of agreement 0.88 to -1.16 L) while that for FVC was -0.112 L (95% limits of agreement 0.80 to -1.08 L). Conclusion: New updated regression equations are needed for predicting reference values for spirometry interpretation. The regression equations proposed in this study may be considered appropriate for use in current practice for eastern India until further studies are available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rotation curve (RC) of our Galaxy, the Milky Way, is constructed starting from its very inner regions (few hundred parsecs) out to a large galactocentric distance of ∼200 kpc using kinematical data on a variety of tracer objects moving in the gravitational potential of the Galaxy, without assuming any theoretical models of the visible and dark matter (DM) components of the Galaxy. We study the effect on the RC due to the uncertainties in the values of the Galactic constants (GCs) R0 and V0 (these being the Sun's distance from and circular rotation speed around the Galactic center, respectively) and the velocity anisotropy parameter β of the halo tracer objects used for deriving the RC at large galactocentric distances. The resulting RC in the disk region is found to depend significantly on the choice of the GCs, while the dominant uncertainty in the RC at large distances beyond the stellar disk comes from the uncertainty in the value of β. In general we find that the mean RC steadily declines at distances beyond ∼60 kpc, independently of the value of β. Also, at a given radius, the circular speed is lower for larger values of β (i.e., for more radially biased velocity anisotropy). Considering that the largest possible value of β is unity, which corresponds to stellar orbits being purely radial, our results for the case of β = 1 give a lower limit to the total mass of the Galaxy within ∼200 kpc, M(200 kpc) ≳ (6.8 ± 4.1) × 1011M☼, independently of any model of the DM halo of the Galaxy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Using a unique gel calcination procedure 4 at% La loaded ITO nanopowder prepared. • Its sensing response was ~65% in 10 ppm ethanol but base resistance quite high. • 1wt% Pd & 0.5 wt% Sb loading enhanced response ~20% with acceptable resistance. • Stable and able to detect ~1 ppm of ethanol with fast response and recovery time. • Reproducible sensing performance with minimum interference. The present work reports on a novel resistive ppm level ethanol sensor, prepared from nanocrystalline lanthanum loaded indium tin oxide (ITO) impregnated with palladium and antimony additives. A simple unique gel calcination process was adapted to synthesize the nanocomposite powders from their water based precursor salts. This was followed by detailed material characterizations through X-ray diffractometer, FESEM, TEM, EDX and XPS analyses. Fabricated Taguchi type sensor with an optimum concentration of Pd exhibited an excellent sensing performance towards a wide concentration range of (1–100 ppm) ethanol vapour. The sensor showed ~87% sensing response for 10 ppm ethanol vapour at an operating temperature of 300 °C. Even at 1 ppm concentration, ~53% response was observed with fast response and recovery time. The sensing action has been elucidated as the catalytic oxidation of ethanol to carbon di oxide over the La loaded ITO surface layer that resulted in electron transfer to the indium tin oxide site. In addition, synergistic effect of palladium and antimony enhanced the sensing performance as well as reduced the base resistance of the sensor by chemical/electronic sensitization and increasing carrier ion concentration respectively. Comparatively low resistance, negligible cross sensitivity, quick response/recovery time and good long term stability makes the sensor suitable for deployment in practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]