Showing papers by "Sharda University published in 2014"

Effects of crop residue burning on aerosol properties, plume characteristics, and long-range transport over northern India

Abstract: Aerosol emissions from biomass burning are of specific interest over the globe due to their strong radiative impacts and climate implications. The present study examines the impact of paddy crop residue burning over northern India during the postmonsoon (October–November) season of 2012 on modification of aerosol properties, as well as the long-range transport of smoke plumes, altitude characteristics, and affected areas via the synergy of ground-based measurements and satellite observations. During this period, Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) images show a thick smoke/hazy aerosol layer below 2–2.5 km in the atmosphere covering nearly the whole Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP). The air mass trajectories originating from the biomass-burning source region over Punjab at 500 m reveal a potential aerosol transport pathway along the Ganges valley from west to east, resulting in a strong aerosol optical depth (AOD) gradient. Sometimes, depending upon the wind direction and meteorological conditions, the plumes also influence central India, the Arabian Sea, and the Bay of Bengal, thus contributing to Asian pollution outflow. The increased number of fire counts (Terra and Aqua MODIS data) is associated with severe aerosol-laden atmospheres (AOD500 nm > 1.0) over six IGP locations, high values of Angstrom exponent (>1.2), high particulate mass 2.5 (PM2.5) concentrations (>100–150 µgm−3), and enhanced Ozone Monitoring Instrument Aerosol Index gradient (~2.5) and NO2 concentrations (~6 × 1015 mol/cm2), indicating the dominance of smoke aerosols from agricultural crop residue burning. The aerosol size distribution is shifted toward the fine-mode fraction, also exhibiting an increase in the radius of fine aerosols due to coagulation processes in a highly turbid environment. The spectral variation of the single-scattering albedo reveals enhanced dominance of moderately absorbing aerosols, while the aerosol properties, modification, and mixing atmospheric processes differentiate along the IGP sites depending on the distance from the aerosol source, urban influence, and local characteristics.

Seasonal Variability of Atmospheric Aerosol Parameters over Greater Noida Using Ground Sunphotometer Observations

Abstract: Atmospheric aerosols over northern India are subject of significant temporal and spatial variability and many studies have been carried out to investigate their physico-chemical and optical properties. The present work emphasizes on examining the aerosol optical properties and types over Greater Noida, Delhi region, using ground-based sun photometer data during the period 2010–2012. The analysis reveals a relatively high mean aerosol optical depth at 500 nm (AOD500 = 0.82 ± 0.39), associated with a moderate Angstrom exponent α440–870 of 0.95 ± 0.37. Both parameters, exhibit significant daily, monthly and seasonal variability with higher values of AOD500 during post-monsoon (0.98 ± 0.50) and winter (0.87 ± 0.35) seasons associated with high α values (> 1.1) suggesting significant urban and biomass-burning contribution. On monthly basis, the highest AOD is found during July and November and the lowest one in the transition months of March and September. The aerosol-type discrimination via the relationship AOD vs. α shows a clear dominance of urban/industrial and biomass-burning aerosols during post-monsoon and winter in fractions of 74.5% and 72%, respectively, while aerosols of desert-dust characteristics were most frequent in pre-monsoon (41.7%) and monsoon (21%) seasons. In general, the analysis shows a rather well-mixed aerosol type under very turbid atmosphere, which is associated with the long range transport of pollutants through the westerly winds from the Thar desert and biomass burning in the western parts of India. Keyword: Atmospheric aerosols; Sunphotometer; Aerosol optical depth; Dust storm; AERONET; Dust; Biomass burning.

Antimicrobial Susceptibility Profile of Extended Spectrum β-Lactamase (ESBL) Producing Escherichia coli from Various Clinical Samples.

Abstract: Background: Extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) producing Escherichia coli has tremendously increased worldwide and it is one of the most ­common causes of morbidity and mortality associated with hospital-acquired infections. This could be attributed to association of multi drug resistance in ESBL ­producing isolates. The present study was aimed to determine the antimicrobial sensitivity profile of ESBL producing E. coli isolates from various clinical samples. Materials and Methods: Clinical samples, which consist of pus, urine, blood, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), stool, sputum, swabs, and different body fluids, are included in the study. Samples were processed and identified as per routine laboratory protocol. ESBL screening and confirmation along with antimicrobial susceptibility test was done according to the Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines. Results: Out of 180 third generation cephalosporins resistant E. coli, 100 (55.55%) isolates were ESBL producers showing a greater degree of resistance to antibiotics. Conclusion: The prevalence of ESBL is increasing day by day in nearly every center of different countries and necessary steps to prevent the spread and emergence of resistance should be taken.

Potential production of bioenergy from biomass in an Indian perspective

Abstract: Concerns over climate change, fossil fuel depletion, and increase in natural gas prices have sparked a great interest in various forms of renewable energy and its imposition, particularly in developing countries. Biomass is utilized as number one energy resource for developing countries, supplying energy to households for cooking purposes, and signifying about 70–80% of the global bioenergy contributions. India has vast biomass resources and wasteland to support cultivation of bioenergy crops, the potential of that can be harnessed to resolve energy crisis. Bioenergy can contribute to energy security whilst also decreasing the emissions of greenhouse gases from fossil fuels. The objective of this review is to give an overview of biomass energy potential and its utilization in India, state of the art of the technologies used for biomass conversion, and latest development in biomass conversion technologies.

Maxillofacial prosthetic materials- an inclination towards silicones.

Abstract: There have been constant searches and researches which are taking place in the field of dental materials to best suit the ideal selection criteria to satisfy the functionality, biocompatibility, aesthetics as well as the durability as a maxillofacial material Among all the different materials, Silicone is the most popularly used, but still studies are carried out to overcome their weaknesses and to come out with a material which can be labeled as the "ideal maxillofacial prosthetic material" This article comprises the materials which were and are in use and the reason for their unpopularity It also gives us a scope to understand the major fields where the materials lack and thus needs improvement to render an individual with the best maxillo-facial prosthesis

A new class of relativistic charged anisotropic super dense star models

Abstract: In the present article we have obtained a class of analytical solutions for an anisotropic charged fluid distribution. The neutral anisotropic fluid sphere has already been obtained by Maurya and Gupta (Phys. Scr. 86:025009, 2012). The solutions depend upon both the anisotropic and the charge parameter. The anisotropy parameter and the electric intensity is zero at the centre and monotonically increasing towards the pressure free interface. All the physical entities such as energy density, radial pressure, tangential pressure, and velocity of sound are monotonically decreasing towards the surface.

Floristic Diversity and Distribution Pattern of Plant Communities along Altitudinal Gradient in Sangla Valley, Northwest Himalaya

Abstract: Himalayas are globally important biodiversity hotspots and are facing rapid loss in floristic diversity and changing pattern of vegetation due to various biotic and abiotic factors. This has necessitated the qualitative and quantitative assessment of vegetation here. The present study was conducted in Sangla Valley of northwest Himalaya aiming to assess the structure of vegetation and its trend in the valley along the altitudinal gradient. In the forest and alpine zones of the valley, 15 communities were recorded. Study revealed 320 species belonging to 199 genera and 75 families. Asteraceae, Rosaceae, Apiaceae, and Ranunculaceae were dominant. Among genera, Artemisia followed by Polygonum, Saussurea, Berberis, and Thalictrum were dominant. Tree and shrub’s density ranged from 205 to 600 and from 105 to 1030 individual per hectare, respectively, whereas herbs ranged from 22.08 to 78.95 individual/m2. Nearly 182 species were native to the Himalaya. Maximum altitudinal distribution of few selected climate sensitive species was found to be highest in northeast and north aspects. This study gives an insight into the floristic diversity and community structure of the fragile Sangla Valley which was hitherto not available.

Electrochemical synthesis of graphene oxide and its application as counter electrode in dye sensitized solar cell

Abstract: Graphene oxide sheets were prepared by simple electrochemical method for its application as counter electrode in Dye Sensitized Solar Cell (DSSC). To develop counter electrode, graphene oxide sheet is coated on the Fluorine doped Tin Oxide (FTO) glass and is characterized using various techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and solid state C-13 NMR. The XRD pattern as well as C-13 NMR confirms the formation of grapheme oxide while FTIR confirms the oxidation of the graphite. SEM was used to study about surface morphology of grapheme oxide. The graphene oxide thus obtained is tested as counter electrode in DSSC. The DSSC using graphene oxide as a counter electrode and solid polymer electrolyte shows an overall efficiency of 0.27% with a fill factor of 0.66 at 1 sun condition. The present study shows that graphene oxide can be obtained using simple, economic, and eco-friendly method and further apply in DSSC application.

Detailed electrical measurements on sago starch biopolymer solid electrolyte

Abstract: The biopolymer solid electrolyte has been synthesized and characterized. Potassium iodide (KI) has been added in polymer matrix to develop solid polymer electrolyte. Relationships between electrical, ionic transport parameter and mechanism have been studied in detail. Impedance spectroscopy reveals the detailed electrical studies and ion transport mechanism. The ion dissociation factor is compared with a measured dielectric constant at a fixed frequency. The dielectric data are calculated which support the ionic conductivity data.

A study of academic performance evaluation using Fuzzy Logic techniques

Abstract: The paper presents a New Fuzzy Expert System (NFES) for student academic performance evaluation based on Fuzzy Logic techniques. It introduces the principles behind fuzzy logic and illustrates how these principles could be applied by educators to evaluating student academic performance. The aim of proposed NFES to adaptively adjust the training for each particular students on the basis of his/her own pace of learning. This means that the NFES will monitor the student's progress and have the ability to make decision about next step training. Several approaches using fuzzy logic techniques have been proposed to provide a practical method for evaluating student academic performance and compare the results (performance) with existing statistical method.

Age estimation using pulp/tooth area ratio in maxillary canines-A digital image analysis.

Abstract: Introduction: Determination of age of a subject is one of the most important aspects of medico-legal cases and anthropological research. Radiographs can be used to indirectly measure the rate of secondary dentine deposition which is depicted by reduction in the pulp area. Materials and Methods: In this study, 200 patients of Karnataka aged between 18-72 years were selected for the study. Panoramic radiographs were made and indirectly digitized. Radiographic images of maxillary canines (RIC) were processed using a computer-aided drafting program (ImageJ). The variables pulp/root length (p), pulp/tooth length (r), pulp/root width at enamel-cementum junction (ECJ) level (a), pulp/root width at mid-root level (c), pulp/root width at midpoint level between ECJ level and mid-root level (b) and pulp/tooth area ratio (AR) were recorded. All the morphological variables including gender were statistically analyzed to derive regression equation for estimation of age. Results: It was observed that 2 variables 'AR' and 'b' contributed significantly to the fit and were included in the regression model, yielding the formula: Age = 87.305−480.455(AR)+48.108(b). Statistical analysis indicated that the regression equation with selected variables explained 96% of total variance with the median of the residuals of 0.1614 years and standard error of estimate of 3.0186 years. Conclusion: There is significant correlation between age and morphological variables 'AR' and 'b' and the derived population specific regression equation can be potentially used for estimation of chronological age of individuals of Karnataka origin.

Recent advancement in audio steganography

Abstract: Communication of data in public requires data to be transmitted in robust and secure manner. Also, excessive use of digital data in various fields of life demands a secure system. Various techniques such as cryptography, steganography and watermarking have been established. Among these steganography provides better confidentiality as it is the practice of hiding data within data. In digital media steganography, text files, images, audio as well as video are used as carrier. We focus in this paper on digital audio as the carrier. In this paper, a survey on latest audio steganographic methods is carried out along with their strength and weakness. Also, comparison between various steganographic methods based on robustness is carried out. Another contribution of this paper is evaluation of performance of various reviewed steganography techniques.

Curing of natural fibre-reinforced thermoplastic composites using microwave energy

Abstract: Natural fibre-reinforced polymer composites are seen as a possible substitute to synthetic fibre-based composites to face the environmental issues related to non-biodegradable nature of synthetic fibres. Due to their high specific strength and modulus, natural fibre-reinforced polymer composites are receiving widespread attention. In the present research initiative, natural fibre-reinforced thermoplastic composites have been developed with microwave curing technique. Two types of natural fibres namely sisal and grewia optiva, and two types of thermoplastic polymers (polypropylene and ethylene vinyl acetate) were used for fabrication of composites. Microwave wattage and exposure time were optimized for successful curing of thermoplastic composites. Results of tensile, flexural and impact strength of developed composites showed improvement in the properties as compared to neat polymers. The results suggest that microwave energy provides a feasible, environmental friendly option for curing of natural fibre-b...

Influence of Mn doping on structural, electrical and magnetic properties of (0.90)BiFeO 3 –(0.10)BaTiO 3 composite

Abstract: Structural, electrical and magnetic properties of chemically synthesized polycrystalline Mn doped (0.90)BiFeO3–(0.10)BaTiO3 composites [(0.90)BiFe1−xMnxO3–(0.10)BaTiO3 (x = 0.0, 0.03, 0.05 and 0.10)] were studied. The dielectric constant was observed to decrease when frequency was increased from 20 Hz to 1 MHz and increased with the increase in temperature from 313 to 773 K. An interesting correlation between the antiferromagnetic Neel temperature (TN) of bismuth ferrite and temperature dependent dielectric constant was observed. The calculated values of activation energies were in the order of 0.25–0.74 eV (<1.0 eV) and decreases with an increase of Mn concentration. The variation of a.c. conductivity obeyed the Jonscher’s power law (σ ac ∝ ω s ). The observed value of exponent‘s’ were in the range 0.09 < ‘s’ < 0.78 (<1.0) for all the sample at temperature ranging from 473 to 598 K. There was a systematic increase in the value of spontaneous magnetization on increasing Mn concentration.

Effect of variation of average pore size and specific surface area of ZnO electrode (WE) on efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells

Abstract: Mesoporous ZnO nanoparticles have been synthesized with tremendous increase in specific surface area of up to 578 m2/g which was 5.54 m2/g in previous reports (J. Phys. Chem. C 113:14676-14680, 2009). Different mesoporous ZnO nanoparticles with average pore sizes ranging from 7.22 to 13.43 nm and specific surface area ranging from 50.41 to 578 m2/g were prepared through the sol-gel method via a simple evaporation-induced self-assembly process. The hydrolysis rate of zinc acetate was varied using different concentrations of sodium hydroxide. Morphology, crystallinity, porosity, and J-V characteristics of the materials have been studied using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), BET nitrogen adsorption/desorption, and Keithley instruments.

Titanium osteosynthesis hardware in maxillofacial trauma surgery: to remove or remain? A retrospective study.

Abstract: A 5-year retrospective study evaluated the incidence and causes for removal of titanium miniplates. The surgical records of 156 patients treated with rigid internal fixation after maxillofacial traumas were reviewed. Study variables included age, sex, site of fracture, site and number of plates, time of plate removal and reasons for plate removal. Of 384 plates used for fixation, 35 plates (9 %) in 21 patients (13.5 %) were removed due to hardware related complications. Statistical significance (p < 0.01) was observed in mandibular body and parasymphysis fractures with regards to both fracture site location and plate removal rates. Most plates were removed within the first year after placement (p < 0.01). The highest number of fractures were observed in the 20–30 years group (p < 0.01) while most cases of removal were in the 30–40 years group (p < 0.01). Secondary reconstruction/growth facilitation (11/156, 7 %) (p < 0.01) was the main cause of plate removal while infection/wound dehiscence (9/156, 6 %) (p < 0.01) was the main cause for complication related plate removal. A significantly greater number of plates placed via intraoral incisions (p < 0.01) needed removal. The low incidence of complication related plate removal (7 %) in the mid and upper face in this study suggests that routine removal of asymptomatic titanium miniplates after maxillofacial trauma at these sites may not be beneficial. The high rate of mandibular site complications (19 %) in this study suggests that routine removal of titanium hardware from mandibular sites may be indicated.

Inferior alveolar and mental nerve injuries associated with open reduction and internal fixation of mandibular fractures: a Seven Year retrospective study.

Abstract: Purpose To document adverse neurosensory changes in the inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) and mental nerve (MN) after surgical mandibular fracture treatment and to identify risk factors associated with these changes Materials and methods A retrospective study of patients surgically treated for mandibular fractures The primary study variable was the postoperative change in IAN/MN neurosensory examination after fracture fixation Risk factors were categorized as demographic, anatomic, experience of the operator, fracture displacement and number of miniplates placed at each fracture site Appropriate statistics were computed Results 209 patients with 293 fractures were analysed One hundred twenty fractures (41%) were located between the lingula and mental foramen, and 173 fractures (59%) were located distal to the mental foramen Two hundred seventeen (41%) were displaced by 5 mm or more In 38 fractures (13%), the IAN/MN neurosensory status worsened after treatment In a multivariate model, fracture displacement, operator inexperience and two plate fixation were associated with a statistically significant risk ( P ≤ 005) for postoperative deterioration of IAN/MN sensation Conclusion Fixation with two miniplates, fracture displacement of 5 mm or more and operator inexperience were associated with an increased risk for deterioration of the IAN/MN neurosensory status after treatment of mandibular fractures

Generalized Invariant Solutions for Spherical Symmetric Non-conformally Flat Fluid Distributions of Embedding Class One

Abstract: In the present article, using the Lie group of transformations technique all the invariant solutions of Einstein’s field equations for non-conformally flat perfect fluid spheres of embedding class one have been derived by considering a 5-flat space. The same problem for conformally flat case was tackled by Thakadiyil and Jasim (Int. J. Theor. Phys. 52:3960, 2013) using the same technique but with the lesser number of symmetries and hence could obtain only lesser number of solutions as compared to the number of solutions in this paper. All the solutions thus obtained have been subjected to reality conditions. As far as the authors are aware some of the solutions are new.

Poor periodontal health as a risk factor for development of pre-eclampsia in pregnant women

Abstract: Aims: Periodontal disease has been considered a systemic exposure implicated in a higher risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. The aim of the present study was to determine whether maternal oral health is associated with an increased risk of pre-eclampsia. Subjects and Methods: A case-control study was conducted which included 40 pregnant women patients admitted to the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, J.N. Medical College, A.M.U, Aligarh. Pre-eclampsia was defined as classic triad of hypertension, proteinuria and symptoms such as swelling/edema esp. in hands and face, headache, visual changes etc., A periodontal examination was done during 48 h after child delivery. Maternal oral status was evaluated using gingival index by Loe and Silness, oral hygiene index (simplified) by greene and vermillion and periodontal pockets and clinical attachment level (CAL). Statistical Analysis: Null hypothesis that no difference exist between the two groups (pre-eclamptic and non-pre-eclamptic Group) was calculated using paired t-test, Chi-square and Mann-Whitney U statistical tests using SPSS 11.5 (Statistical Package for Social sciences, Chicago). P < 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Results: The amount of gingival inflammation, oral hygiene levels, pocket depth and CALs as measured by their respective indices were higher in the pre-eclamptic group when compared to non-pre-eclamptic group. Furthermore CAL was significantly increased in the test group. This study showed that pre-eclamptic cases were more likely to develop periodontal disease (P < 0.05). 30% of the test group and 65% of the case group had periodontal disease (P < 0.05) which had shown that pre-eclamptic cases were 4.33 times more likely to have periodontal disease (odds ratio = 4.33). Conclusions: Maternal oral status was determined to be associated with an increased risk of pre-eclampsia.

Arthritis as a Disease of Aging and Changes in Antioxidant Status

Abstract: Aging, a characteristic systemic modification of biomolecules, causes the increased susceptibility of an organism to develop disease. Among various diseases, arthritis is one of the most prevalent diseases of the elderly. The mechanism by which aging of biomolecules perpetuates arthritis involves a variety of risk factors. Numerous kinds of evidence indicate that oxidative stress, characterized by free radicals, mediates biomolecular deterioration, viz. depolymerization of glycosaminoglycans, somatic mutation involving DNA oxidation, lipid peroxidation and protein cross-linking etc. Depletion of antioxidant reserves is involved in a wide array of pathophysiologic conditions and thus plays a crucial role in the etiopathogenesis of arthritis. However, the exact mechanism behind its involvement in such events is not yet fully elucidated and needs further investigation. Furthermore, in the past few decades, it has been emphasized that exogenous supplementation of antioxidants delays the age-mediated destructive events and ameliorates the modifiable indexes. This chapter gives an introductory overview covering the current concepts related to oxidative stress, the age-mediated alteration in antioxidant status, and the metabolic and pathophysiologic impact with special reference to arthritis.

A Multi Factorial Analysis of the epidemiology of Injuries from Falls from Heights.

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Fall from height is a common cause of morbidity and mortality in suburban population in India These cases are either domestic or workplace injuries with different causative factors We analyzed different aspects of these falls to identify their risk factors MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted prospective and retrospective epidemiological study to identify various causative, contributory factors, and resultant injuries in cases of fall from height The study group comprised of semiurban population and involved both domestic and workplace injuries presenting to a tertiary care hospital RESULTS: There were 208 cases of workplace (112) and domestic (96) fall from height In domestic cases absence of parapet on roof was the commonest cause, most of falls occurred during summer and rainy season Alcohol consumption prior to fall was commonest associated factor in adult males Children mostly fell while playing on roof and climbing trees Among workplace cases, civil construction site injuries were commonest and absence of any protective gear and long working and evening hours were commonest associated factors Mean injury severity score was 1086 in domestic cases and 1487 in workplace cases There were 17 mortalities with head injury being commonest associated cause Only difference in incidence of alcohol consumption and permanent disability was statistically significant between workplace and domestic falls CONCLUSION: Different factors are responsible for domestic and workplace cases of fall from height Most of these cases are potentially preventable Language: en

Effect of Annealing Temperature on the Physical Properties of Zn-ferrite Nanoparticles

Abstract: Thermally switched cationic exchange in magnetically ordered ZnFe2O4 (ZFO) nanoparticles synthesized via the coprecipitation route has been studied. The ZFO sample synthesized at 343 K and further annealed at 573 K is devoid of any X-ray diffraction (XRD) peak. However, the samples annealed at temperatures 673–973 K show clear XRD peaks indexed to a cubic spinel ferrite. The average crystallite sizes of the ZFO were calculated using Scherrer’s formula and found in the range of 10–16 nm. The lattice parameter of ZFO nanoparticles increased from 8.212 to 8.524 nm as the annealing temperature was raised from 673 to 973 K. Despite the fact that ZFO is antiferromagnetic in bulk, the ZFO nanoparticles annealed at temperatures ≥673 K show a magnetic hysteresis loop. The value of spontaneous magnetization has been decreased from 22 to 16 emu/gm with an increase in the annealing temperature. The electron spin resonance spectra show a single resonance peak with linewidth ranging from 147 to 243 Oe.

A class of well-behaved generalized charged analogues of Vaidya-Tikekar type fluid sphere in general relativity

Abstract: In this paper first ever we have developed a class of well behaved charged fluid spheres expressed by a space time with its hypersurfaces $t = \operatorname {const}$ . as spheroid for the case 0

Endodontic-periodontal microsurgery for combined endodontic-periodontal lesions: An overview.

Abstract: Endodontic and periodontal microsurgery has surpassed the success rates for traditional endodontic and periodontal surgical procedures. Excellent healing results are being attributed to both the techniques, when employed, for isolated endodontic or periodontal defects. Combined endodontic-periodontal lesions have been referred to as a true challenge, requiring not only endodontic microsurgical management but also concurrent bone grafting and membrane barriers techniques. The prevention of epithelial downgrowth and regeneration of periodontal cementum, fiber, and bone seals the fate of these cases. Achieving primary closure with submergence of grafts has a positive effect on GTR outcome. New techniques of periodontal microsurgery, such as minimally invasive papilla preserving flaps with passive internal mattress suturing, have managed to obtain 90% primary flap closure over grafted sites. Root surface treatment and conditioning has also shown to be beneficial for GTR. Endodontic microsurgery for the combined lesion has not integrated these advances yet. These advances, along with a recently suggested treatment strategy, are ushering in the level next in management of the combined lesions. This article offers an overview of the combined lesion, the disease, its classification, treatment strategy, regenerative tools, microsurgical recommendations, and outcome studies.

Experience of Percutaneous Trigger Finger Release under Local Anesthesia in the Medical College of Mullana, Ambala, Haryana.

Abstract: Background : Trigger finger is a common disorder of upper extremity. Majority of the patients can be treated conservatively but some resistant cases eventually need surgery. Aim : The aim of this study is to evaluate the results of percutaneous trigger finger release under local anesthesia. Subjects and Methods : This is a prospective study carried out from July 2005 to July 2010, 46 fingers in 46 patients (30 females and 16 males) were recruited from outpatient department having trigger finger for more than 6 months. All patients were operated under local anesthesia. All patients were followed for 6 months. The clinical results were evaluated in terms of pain, activity level and patient satisfaction. Statistical Analysis Used : Statistical analysis was limited to calculation of percentage of patients who had excellent, good and poor outcomes. Results : The results were excellent in 82.6% (38/46) patients, good in 13.0% (6/46) patients and poor in two 4.3% (2/46) patients respectively. Complete Pain relief was achieved in 82.6% (38/46) patients, partial pain relief in 13.0% (6/46) patients and no pain relief in 4.3% (2/46) patients just after surgery. There was no recurrence of triggering. Range of motion was preserved in all cases. There were no digital nerve or tendon injuries. On subjective evaluations, 82.6% (38/46) patients reported full satisfaction, 13.0% (6/46) patients partial satisfaction and 4.3% (2/46) patients dissatisfaction with the results of treatment respectively. Conclusions : Percutaneous trigger finger release under local anesthesia is a minimal invasive procedure that can be performed in an outpatient setting. This procedure is easy, quicker, less complications and economical with good results. Keywords : Local anesthesia, Minimal invasive procedure, Percutaneous, Trigger finger

Effectiveness of deep breathing exercise (dbe) on the heart rate variability, bp, anxiety & depression of patients with coronary artery disease

Abstract: Psychosocial risk factors significantly contribute to the morbidity and mortality of patients with cardiovascular disorders. The present study explored the anxiety and depression status of patients with coronary artery disease and evaluated the effect of deep breathing exercise on these psychosocial variables as well as physiological variables like heart rate variability and blood pressure. A randomized control design was adopted for the study. Out of 65 clients eligible for the study, 45 were selected based on inclusion criteria. Patient were trained in Deep breathing exercise (DBE)for 2-3 days, were instructed to practice the exercise twice a day for 10 min for a period of 2 weeks, further instructed to come for follow up to cardiac OPD after 2 weeks. The study findings revealed that majority of the cardiac patients were anxious 39 (86.66%), 23(57.5%) had mild depression and 3(7.5%) were with severe depression. Fischer's exact test revealed a significant association between depression and occupation (p=0.051), monthly income (p=0.031) and co morbid disease (p=0.006, p

The Government’s role in private partnerships for urban poor housing in India

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of the paper is to primarily understand the changing role of the government in Housing delivery and envisaged role through public-private-partnerships (PPPs) in Housing. An increased emphasis has been laid on the private sector and particularly on PPPs for delivery of Housing to the urban poor ever since the government changed its role from being a “provider” to “enabler” of housing supply. Design/methodology/approach – The paper analyses the various projects of Partnership models that have emerged in various parts of the country for Housing the poor and investigates the role of the Government that emerges within the same. Findings – The enablement and partnership approaches primarily aimed for increasing housing supply have so far seen the government play a backhand role rather than a forthcoming one, not keeping with the spirit of a PPP. The current models of PPPs backed with incentives, cross subsidies and waivers of charges are inadequate and not holistic in approach resulting in...