Search

Using a hand lay-up approach, both orange peel and coconut coir fibres are used in particulate form with an epoxy matrix to create partly green biodegradable composites. The findings indicate great opportunities for employing these natural fibres. The thermal conductivity of orange peel and coconut-coir epoxy composites was measured experimentally for various volume fractions of particulate fibres. The experimental findings show that as fibre concentration increases, thermal conductivity decreases. Experimental data are compared to theoretical models to determine the change in thermal conductivity with fibre amount fraction.There was a clear correlation between the hypotheses and the actual results. Regression analysis using Python programming is also done for the prediction of the thermal properties of particulate orange peel and coconut-coir fibre composites. It is observed that coir fibre composites outperformed the orange peel, indicating that the coir fibre composite is a proper thermal insulator that can be used in many industries, like the automotive industry, buildings, and steam pipes, to reduce heat transfer and thereby save a lot of energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

: INTRODUCTION: Data on HIV treatment outcomes in people who inject drugs (PWID) in the Asia‐Pacific are sparse despite the high burden of drug use. We assessed immunological and virological responses, AIDS‐defining events and mortality among PWID receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART). METHODS: We investigated HIV treatment outcomes among people who acquired HIV via injecting drug use in the TREAT Asia HIV Observational Database (TAHOD) between January 2003 and March 2019. Trends in CD4 count and viral suppression (VS, HIV viral load RESULTS: Of 622 PWID from 12 countries in the Asia‐Pacific, 93% were male and the median age at ART initiation was 31 years (IQR, 28 to 34). The median pre‐ART CD4 count was 71 cells/µL. CD4 counts increased over time, with a mean difference of 401 (95% CI, 372 to 457) cells/µL at year‐10 (n = 78). Higher follow‐up HIV viral load and pre‐ART CD4 counts were associated with smaller increases in CD4 counts. Among 361 PWID with ≥1 viral load after six months on ART, proportions with VS were 82%, 88% and 93% at 2‐, 5‐ and 10‐years following ART initiation. There were 52 new AIDS‐defining events and 50 deaths during 3347 person‐years of follow‐up (PYS) (incidence 3.05/100 PYS, 95% CI, 2.51 to 3.70). Previous AIDS or TB diagnosis, lower current CD4 count and adherence CONCLUSIONS: Despite improved outcomes over time, our findings highlight the need for rapid ART initiation and adherence support among PWID within Asian settings., INTRODUCTION Globally, injecting drug use is a major public health concern leading to substantial health burden and transmission risk of blood‐borne infections from injecting equipment sharing behaviours. In a multi‐stage [...]

An effective route towards improving the electrocatalytic performance of materials is the synthesis of nanocrystalline, porous, and layer-structured materials. Herein, porous nickel tungstate (NiWO4) film electrode was prepared on stainless steel (SS) substrate by inexpensive successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method. This method provides a binder-free, porous, and nanocrystalline thin layer on a SS substrate. The electrocatalytic performance of the nanocrystalline NiWO4 electrocatalyst was evaluated for enzymeless glucose measurement and water-splitting application. This electrocatalyst exhibited excellent sensitivity of 9731 μA mM−1 cm−2 within the linear range of 25–325 μM. Further, the glucose concentrations present in human blood samples were measured using the proposed nanocrystalline NiWO4 electrocatalyst. Also, hydrogen evolution reaction, the electrocatalyst exhibited 171 mV of overpotential at 10 mA cm−2 with a Tafel slope of 70 mV dec−1. Further, chronopotentiometry study was carried out at 100 mA cm−2 and it showed 94% retention after 24 h. These findings greatly promote the outstanding electrocatalytic performance of nanocrystalline and porous NiWO4 electrocatalysts that outline their applicability for electrochemical catalysis purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regional anaesthesia is challenging in surgical patients with anatomical abnormalities. Patients who have undergone total laryngectomy have a permanent tracheostomy, and these individuals are termed as neck breathers. These patients have distorted anatomy due to radiation and chemotherapy. We are report the successful management of a neck breather with distorted neck anatomy for surgery of the arm with an ultrasound guided interscalene block.

: Introduction: Cotrimoxazole (CTX) is recommended as prophylaxis against Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia, malaria and other serious bacterial infections in HIV‐infected patients. Despite its in vitro activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the effects of CTX preventive therapy on tuberculosis (TB) remain unclear. Methods: Adults living with HIV enrolled in a regional observational cohort in Asia who had initiated combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) were included in the analysis. Factors associated with new TB diagnoses after cohort entry and survival after cART initiation were analysed using Cox regression, stratified by site. Results: A total of 7355 patients from 12 countries enrolled into the cohort between 2003 and 2016 were included in the study. There were 368 reported cases of TB after cohort entry with an incidence rate of 0.99 per 100 person‐years (/100 pys). Multivariate analyses adjusted for viral load (VL), CD4 count, body mass index (BMI) and cART duration showed that CTX reduced the hazard for new TB infection by 28% (HR 0.72, 95% CI l 0.56, 0.93). Mortality after cART initiation was 0.85/100 pys, with a median follow‐up time of 4.63 years. Predictors of survival included age, female sex, hepatitis C co‐infection, TB diagnosis, HIV VL, CD4 count and BMI. Conclusions: CTX was associated with a reduction in the hazard for new TB infection but did not impact survival in our Asian cohort. The potential preventive effect of CTX against TB during periods of severe immunosuppression should be further explored., Introduction Cotrimoxazole (CTX) has been recommended as prophylaxis against Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia (PJP), toxoplasmosis, malaria and other serious bacterial infections in adults with severe or advanced HIV clinical disease, with [...]

Prader-Willi syndrome is a rare congenital disorder characterized by obesity, hypotonia, hypogonadism and developmental delay. The genetic disorder is caused by microdeletion on chromosome 15 on the paternal chromosome. The syndrome is a 2-stage disorder with hypotonic early infantile phase and an obese childhood phase. These individuals have abnormal physiologic response to hypoxia and hypercapnia, narrow oropharyngeal space, thick secretions and exaggerated response to sedatives posing increased anaesthetic risk. We describe the anaesthetic management of a patient with PraderWilli syndrome where in laparoscopic orchidopexy was performed successfully under general anaesthesia.

Background: Data on viral hepatitis (VH) diagnosis, treatment and cure rates among PLHIV from the Asia-Pacific region are limited. With targets set to eliminate VH as a global epidemic by [...]

Extraovarian granulosa cell tumors (GCTs) are rare neoplasms. They arise from the ectopic gonadal tissue along the embryonal route of genital ridge. We present a case of an extraovarian tumor in an elderly female who presented with lump in the abdomen occupying the pelvic region. She was operated and the mass was excised with intact capsule. Histopathology revealed the mass to be an adult granulosa cell tumor. Extraovarian granulosa cell tumors are very rare with only 13 such cases reported in literature to date. The present case is the largest primary retroperitoneal adult granulosa cell tumor reported till date. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of heart transplants performed each year is steadily increasing around the world. Anesthesia and perioperative management are different in these cases. For an optimal perioperative management and improved postoperative outcome, a full understanding of the physiology of the denervated heart, post-transplant morbidities, and immunosuppressant pharmacology is required. We hereby discuss the perioperative management of a patient who had undergone orthotopic heart transplant and presented to our setup for left ureteroscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]