921 research outputs found
Pseudoceros vishnui Dixit, Raghunathan & Chandra, 2017, sp. nov.
No full textPseudoceros vishnui sp. nov. Figures 6–8; Table. 1 Type material: Holotype: One specimen (20 x 15 mm) as serial sections of reproductive structures (7 Slides), remainder of animal in 70% ethanol. Collected 19.03.2015, subtidally from 10 m depth, Pongibalu (Lat: 11°30.573’N, Long: 92°39.123’E), South Andaman, India (ZSI/ANRC-16841). Paratypes: One specimen (15 x 10 mm) as serial sections of reproductive structures (5 Slides), remainder of animal in 70% ethanol. Same as holotype (ZSI/ANRC-16842). One specimen (11 x 8 mm) in 70% EtOh. Collected 0 8.09.2015, subtidally from 15 m depth, Pongibalu (Lat: 11°30.573’N, Long: 92°39.123’E), South Andaman, India (ZSI/ANRC-16843). One specimen (11 x 8 mm) in 70% EtOh. Collected 15.12.2016, subtidally from 9 m depth, Rutland Island (Lat: 11°30.119’N, Long: 92°37.112’E), South Andaman, India (ZSI/ANRC-16844). Distribution. Pongibalu, South Andaman, India. Additional photographic record from Burma (Newman & Cannon, 2005). Diagnosis. Body colour cream, solid purple to violet spots all over body. Margin made up of non-continuous dark blue spots of various sizes. Etymology. This species is named after Vishnu Kumar Dixit, father of the first author, in acknowledgment of his support throughout his research on marine flatworms. Synonyms. It is likely that it corresponds to Pseudoceros sp. 38, Newman & Cannon (2005), CD-ROM and to Pseudoceros sp., Kuiter & Debelius (2009), see taxonomic remarks below. Description. Live. Body oval and smooth, margin without any ruffles. Many purple to violet coloured spots, of variable sizes, more or less circular are present all over the body (Fig. 6A, B). Blue pseudotentacles, small, formed by simple folds of the anterior margin with scattered eyespots on each pseudotentacle on either side. Cerebral eyespot cluster with 40–43 eyes (Fig. 6 C). Ventral side cream in colour. Margin made up of small blue coloured discontinuous spots of various sizes. Preserved. Holotype 15 mm long and 12 mm wide at central portion. Translucent due to loss of colour on fixation but some faint purple spots visible in paratype specimen. Dorsal epidermis very rough and uneven with thickens 45 to 55 µm and is twice the thickness of ventral epidermis which is 18–22 µm and smooth. Nucleus present at the base while rhabdites near dorsal surface. A distinct basement membrane clearly separates epithelium from underlying muscles. Distance between pharyngeal mouth and sucker is 4.53 mm. Male and female gonopores 1.03 mm apart. Pharynx small and ruffled with 7 folds. Male pore 1.93 mm from pharyngeal mouth and is situated between last pair of pharyngeal folds. Sucker 1.3 mm from female pore. Reproductive characters. Measurements refer to length in a 15 mm long worm, the holotype. Seminal vesicle (Fig. 7 A) elongate and oval (490 x 421 µm), heavily muscularized, parallel to longitudinal body axis. Prostatic vesicle (Fig. 7 A) located anterior to seminal vesicle and just above male atrium. It is slightly tapering in shape downwards (180 x 168 µm) with thickness of inner wall varying from 30 to 50 µm. Male atrium deep with many folds and stylet 197 µm long. Female atrium 188 µm long while vagina is 384 µm long tube curved towards posterior end. Well defined cement pouches with numerous cement glands present (Fig. 7 B & 8). Taxonomic remarks. The presence of this species is recorded on many occasions from Andaman Islands (Sreeraj & Raghunathan 2013; Sreeraj et al. 2015); however, no attempt had been made in the past to make a formal description. To date, only 4 species under the genus Pseudoceros are described from India: Pseudoceros gamblei Laidlaw, 1902; P. tigrinus Laidlaw, 1902; P. galatheensis Dixit et al. 2017 and P. nigropunctatus Dixit et al. 2017. The general spotted pattern of newly described species P. vishnui sp. nov. resembles with P. nigropunctatus described from same geographical area but the difference in appearance and colour of the spots on dorsal surface and background colour distinguish them from one another. In addition, P. laingensis Newman & Cannon, 1998 described from Papua New Guinea is the most resembled species to P. vishnui sp. nov. in terms of margins, background colour and spots. Both species have purple spots on dorsum but the spots in P. laingensis are smaller and more in number in comparison to P. vishnui sp. nov. with bigger and few spots. Border of P. laingensis is made up of numerous purple spots (same colour as that of spots on dorsum) of different sizes (Bolanos et al. 2016) while the border of P. vishnui sp. nov. is characterised by numerous spots of blue colour and never of same colour as of spots on dorsum. Bolanos et al (2016) mentioned that the purple dots on the dorsal surface of P. laingensis were numerous in some individuals but scarce in others while the frequency of spots in P. vishnui sp. nov. remained almost similar in all the studied individuals. There are few more species under the genus Pseudoceros with presence of spots on their body namely Pseudoceros nipponicus Kato, 1944; P. lindae Newman & Cannon, 1994 and P. scintillatus Newman & Cannon, 1994. P. nipponicus have black spots on the dorsum and a russet brown sub marginal band with a black rim while P. lindae is characterised by golden yellow spots on dorsum. In P. scintillatus the spots are very big, differently coloured, clearly outlined and touching the margin. Newman & Cannon, 2005 reported this undescribed species as Pseudoceros sp. 38 from Burma and mentioned colour of spots as red and margins to be made up of purple spots. Kuiter & Debelius (2009) also reported this species as Pseudoceros sp. from Andaman Sea based on photographic record. But the overall appearance and pattern of the species agrees to the newly described species and existence of both in same geographical area led us to assume that both can be same species. Table. 1 is provided with detailed comparisons between newly described species and similarly coloured species. TABLE. 1. Comparison of Pseudoceros vishnui sp. nov. characters with similarly coloured and patterned species.Published as part of Dixit, Sudhanshu, Raghunathan, C. & Chandra, Kailash, 2017, Two new Pseudoceros (Polycladida: Pseudocerotidae) and a Prostheceraeus (Polycladida: Euryleptidae) from Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India, pp. 495-512 in Zootaxa 4269 (4) on pages 501-503, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4269.4.5, http://zenodo.org/record/58274
The interplay of co-infections in shaping COVID-19 severity: Expanding the scope beyond SARS-CoV-2
No full textHigh mortality has been reported in severe cases of COVID-19. Emerging reports suggested that the severity is not only due to SARS-CoV-2 infection, but also due to coinfections by other pathogens exhibiting symptoms like COVID-19. During the COVID-19 pandemic, simultaneous respiratory coinfections with various viral (Retroviridae, Flaviviridae, Orthomyxoviridae, and Picoviridae) and bacterial (Mycobacteriaceae, Mycoplasmataceae, Enterobacteriaceae and Helicobacteraceae) families have been observed. These pathogens intensify disease severity by potentially augmenting SARSCoV-2 replication, inflammation, and modulation of signaling pathways. Coinfection emerges as a critical determinant of COVID-19 severity, principally instigated by heightened pro-inflammatory cytokine levels, as cytokine storm. Thereby, in co-infection scenario, the severity is also driven by the modulation of inflammatory signaling pathways by both pathogens possibly associated with interleukin, interferon, and cell death exacerbating the severity. In the current review, we attempt to understand the role of co- infections by other pathogens and their involvement in the severity of COVID-19
Electrochemically impregnated aluminum-stabilized alpha-nickel hydroxide electrodes
No full textNickel-positive electrodes obtained by electrochemical impregnation of aluminum-substituted alpha-nickel hydroxide are found to deliver a reversible discharge capacity of ca. 450 mAh/g. This is much higher than the capacity of beta-nickel hydroxide electrodes [200 mAh/g: this work; 225 mAh/g: Dixit et al., J. Power Sources, 63, 167 (1996)] prepared under identical conditions and pasted electrodes comprising cobalt-doped nickel hydroxide [345 mAh/g: Faure et al., J. Power Sources, 36, 497 (1991)]. These observations suggest that the theoretical target-capacity for high-performance nickel-positive electrodes must be revised from the currently accepted value of 289 mAh/g (le exchange) to 491 mAh/g [1.7e exchange: Corrigan and Knight, J. Electrochem. Soc., 136, 613 (1989)]. (C) 1999 The Electrochemical Society. S1099-0062(98)08-044-4. All rights reserved
Electrochemically Impregnated Aluminum-Stabilized α-Nickel Hydroxide Electrodes
No full textNickel-positive electrodes obtained by electrochemical impregnation of aluminum-substituted α-nickel hydroxide are found to deliver a reversible discharge capacity of ca. 450 mAh/g. This is much higher than the capacity of β-nickel hydroxide electrodes 200 mAh/g: this work; 225 mAh/g: Dixit et al., J. Power Sources, 63, 167 (1996) prepared under identical conditions and pasted electrodes comprising cobalt-doped nickel hydroxide 345 mAh/g: Faure et al., J. Power Sources, 36, 497 (1991). These observations suggest that the theoretical target-capacity for high-performance nickel-positive electrodes must be revised from the currently accepted value of 289 mAh/g (1e exchange) to 491 mAh/g 1.7e exchange: Corrigan and Knight, J. Electrochem. Soc., 136, 613 (1989). © 1999 The Electrochemical Society. S1099-0062(98)08-044-4. All rights reserved
Understanding psychosocial and economic barriers to develop innovative people-centered models of tuberculosis care in Nepal
No full textBackgroundTuberculosis (TB) is the predominant cause of death from a single infectious disease in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), causing 1.3 million deaths in 2022. Poverty, undernutrition, and poor living conditions drive TB. The majority of TB disease occurs in people who are poor, with little or no savings and marginal income to defray costs. Nepal is an LMIC in South Asia with a high TB prevalence of 416 people per 100,000 population. TB is predominantly diagnosed using a passive case-finding strategy (PCF), where people who feel ill, visit the government health centers of their own volition, and health providers evaluate symptoms. Despite the routine TB diagnosis and treatment is free of charge, the economic burden relative to household income is high, and psychosocial consequences include depression and high levels of stigma towards people with TB and their households in Nepal. To overcome these barriers, Nepal’s National TB Program strategies, as well as global TB strategies such as the END TB strategy, acknowledge that ending TB requires a comprehensive set of proven interventions rather than just a single biomedical approach. This warrants the development of effective strategies to address complex factors contributing to the development of TB, improving access to healthcare and reducing the negative impact of having TB. To do so, there is a need for a context-specific comprehensive understanding of the determinants of TB, the psychosocial characteristics of people with TB, and the burden of impact due to having TB. In addition, geographical barriers to accessing health care are a significant challenge in Nepal. Exploring the potential of innovative technologies such as drones for improving healthcare delivery provides a promising avenue to overcome such barriers and enhance access to services in remote areas. However, the existing evidence on effective and innovative TB care models in Nepal is scarce.AimThe thesis aims to provide context-specific evidence of barriers and facilitators to access TB diagnosis and care in Nepal and increase knowledge of the psychosocial characteristics and consequences of TB in Nepal.MethodsThe data for the thesis was collected between July 2017 and December 2019 from five districts of Nepal (Chitwan, Makwanpur, Dhanusha, Mahottari, and Pyuthan). The thesis contains four studies (I-IV). Study I involved quantitative, prospective longitudinal cohort studies that interviewed 221 people with TB and 119 people without active TB disease (controls). The study used an adapted and validated WHO Patient Cost questionnaire with additional structured questions on TB stigma, depression, and quality of life. The study evaluated the psychosocial factors of TB among people with TB who were at 8-12 weeks (baseline) and 22-26 weeks (follow-up) of treatment and compared them with single interviews taken with controls. Study II also included the longitudinal cohort study design and the same questionnaire and used the data from 221 people with TB (111 ACF and 110 PCF) to characterize the psychosocial consequences of TB and evaluate the role of ACF in mitigating the impact. Studies III and IV were qualitative studies that used semi-structured focus group discussions (FGD) guides. Study III involved seven FGDs with 54 TB stakeholders to understand the barriers and facilitators of accessing and engaging with TB diagnosis and care. Study IV included five FGDs with 40 community stakeholders and healthcare providers in Pyuthan district which explored their perceptions on using cargo drones to support TB diagnosis.ResultsStudy I: The determinants of TB were poverty and lack of education. People in the two lowest tertiles poorer (adjusted odds ratio (aOR):2.31; 95% confidence interval (CI) [1.2 – 4.45]), poorest (aOR:2.84; 95%CI [1.39-5.79]) and without education (aOR: 2.92; 95%CI [1.28-6.67]) were associated with being a person with TB. People with TB were more likely to have depression in comparison to the controls when measured at baseline (25/221, 11% versus 0/119, 0%; pStudy II: Among people who had TB, at baseline, one in three had mild or major depression (68/221, 31%). Compared to baseline (25/221, 11%), the proportion of people reporting major depression reduced at follow-up (11/221, 5%). There was no difference in stigma score, depression, and quality of life among people with TB identified by ACF or PCF.Study III: National multisectoral stakeholders perceived broader impediments to accessing and adhering to TB care, which encompassed individual, community, and health system levels. Such barriers included a lack of TB knowledge, psychosocial problems such as stigma, anxiety and depression, poor nutrition, low social support, and geographical impediments. However, the stakeholders perceived that these barriers could be addressed through basic health and TB education, mutual support, enhanced allowance from the NTP, and decentralized, community-based diagnostic services.Study IV: Stakeholders in Pyuthan expressed trust in drones, viewing them as an advantageous tool for transporting sputum samples, reducing distance and time barriers for TB care, and fostering community development opportunities. Nevertheless, perceived challenges in operating drones for TB included financial sustainability and the technical capacity of local people to independently operate drones in Nepal.ConclusionsThe findings in this thesis underscore the multifaceted challenges that people with TB in Nepal face during TB treatment. Poverty and lack of education were key determinants of TB. The results show that ACF has no role in mitigating stigma, depression, or improving quality of life. TB has profound effects on people because of stigma and depression during their treatment. These factors severely limit their ability to access and complete TB care pathways. This highlights the urgent need to integrate screening for depression into routine TB care. The studies also emphasize the need to enhance health and TB education, provide locally appropriate social protection interventions, and strengthen the health system by investing in the use of innovations such as drones to develop people-centered TB diagnosis and care in Nepal. Addressing the social, economic, and psychological dimensions of TB, alongside innovative healthcare solutions, will be key to achieving the goal of ending TB in Nepal.List of scientific papersI. Kritika Dixit, Bhola Rai, Noemia Teixeira de Siqueira-Filha, Raghu Dhital, Tara Prasad Aryal, Manoj Kumar Sah, Ram Narayan Pandit, Puskar Raj Paudel, Jens W. Levy, Job van Rest, Suman Chandra Gurung, Gokul Mishra, Knut Lönnroth, Stephen Bertel Squire, Laura Bonnett, Kristi Sidney Annerstedt, Maxine Caws, Tom Wingfield Poverty, food insecurity, stigma, depression and quality of life among people with and without tuberculosis in Nepal: a prospective cohort study with nested cross-sectional comparator arm. Infectious Diseases of Poverty. [Manuscript]II. Kritika Dixit, Bhola Rai, Noemia Teixeira de Siqueira-Filha, Raghu Dhital, Tara Prasad Aryal, Manoj Kumar Sah, Ram Narayan Pandit,Puskar Raj Paudel, Jens W. Levy, Job van Rest, Suman Chandra Gurung, Gokul Mishra, Knut Lönnroth, Stephen Bertel Squire, Kristi Sidney Annerstedt, Laura Bonnett, Ahmad Fuady, Maxine Caws, Tom Wingfield. Stigma, depression, and quality of life among people with pulmonary tuberculosis diagnosed through active and passive case finding in Nepal: a prospective cohort study. BMC Global and Public Health. 2024; 2 (1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s44263-024-00049-2III. Kritika Dixit, Olivia Biermann, Bhola Rai, Tara Prasad Aryal, Gokul Mishra, Noemia Teixeira de Siqueira-Filha, Puskar Raj Paudel, Ram Narayan Pandit, Manoj Kumar Sah, Govinda Majhi, Jens W. Levy, Job van Rest, Suman Chandra Gurung, Raghu Dhital, Knut Lönnroth, Stephen Bertel Squire, Maxine Caws, Kristi Sidney Annerstedt, Tom Wingfield. Barriers and facilitators to accessing tuberculosis care in Nepal: a qualitative study to inform the design of a socioeconomic support intervention. BMJ Open; 11(10):e049900. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-049900IV. Kritika Dixit, Bhola Rai, Govind Majhi, Rajan Paudel, Raghu Dhital, Shraddha Acharya, Ganga Ram Budhathoki, Puskar Raj Paudel, Suman Chandra Gurung, Bishal Subedi, Pravin Lamsal, Uttam Pudasaini, Peter Small, Patrick Meier, Kristi Sidney Annerstedt, Maxine Caws. Healthcare providers' and community stakeholders’ perception of using drones for tuberculosis diagnosis in Nepal: An exploratory qualitative study. BMC Rural Health Services. [Manuscript]</p
Performance Analysis of 4-Leg IB APF for 3-Phase 4-Wire System with Renewable Energy Interface Fuzzy Control DC-Bus Capacitor
No full textThis paper proposes the 4-leg active power filter (APF), which consists of interleaved buck inverter interfaced with the photovoltaic (PV) renewable energy source. The photovoltaic renewable energy system along with the boost converter associated with the 4-leg interleaved buck active power filter (4L IB APF) is not only for harmonic compensation but can well handle the active power requirement during the load hike. The most perilous shoot-through phenomenon associated with the conventional 4-leg inverter is fully eliminated by this 4-leg interleaved buck inverter enhancing the reliability. The id-iq control strategy is used for the reference compensating current generation. Along with this, Mamdani-based fuzzy logic controller (MFLC) is implemented for the well control of inverter dc-bus capacitor voltage for having more sensitivity to harmonics, unbalancing and dynamic condition. The detail analysis of harmonic, neutral current, load unbalancing and active power compensation has depicted for nonlinear three-phase and single-phase unbalanced load for different voltage condition during steady and dynamic state. MATLAB/Simulation and OPAL real-time simulator results verify the efficacy and feasibility of the photovoltaic renewable energy-based 4L IB APF
Temperature dependence dielectric behavior of Ge-doped lead scandium tantalate single crystals
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