Comparison of Demirjian and Cameriere methods and development of modified Cameriere and Demirjian formula more efficient for North Indian population.

Introduction: Accurate age estimation is of utmost importance in several branches of life, be it disaster victim identification (DVI), sports, fashion, education, and many more. Several studies/formulas have been proposed over the years from various parts of the world and amongst them, Cameriere's method of age estimation is now being accepted globally, and the related work is still one of the most thought about. Aim: The aim of this study was to access the relationship between dental age (DA) and chronological age using Cameriere and Demirjian age estimation method in the north Indian population and develop a population-specific regression formula and validate it in the north Indian population. Materials and Methods: Orthopantomograms (OPG) of 762 children of north India with age groups between 7 and 16 years were collected. Seven left permanent mandibular teeth were analyzed using both Cameriere and Demirjian's age estimation method. The resultant data were subjected to statistical analysis. Results: The mean differences between CAge and DAge with age were 1.21 (males), 0.14 (males) and 1.72 (females), 0.28 (females) respectively, which shows significant disparity, wherein Demirjian follows overestimation and Cameriere follows the underestimation trend. Therefore, we modified these methods using the linear regression model. Conclusion: The modified Demirjian and Cameriere formula after validation shows a better fit in the north Indian state of the Uttar Pradesh population.

Reflected near-infrared photography: Digging deeper into post-mortem examination.

AIM: This research aims to investigate the utility of the Near Infra-Red (NIR) photographic technique in visualizing forensic evidence in a post-mortem examination. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of twenty-six deceased (male: n = 15; female: n = 11) were brought to the Mortuary of King George's Medical University, Chowk, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India (226003), and were used to investigate the applicability of the human visible spectrum (HVS) & near-infrared photography. In the investigation, a modified Nikon D5300 crop-framed digital single-lens reflex camera was used for NIR Photography in combination with a Micro-Nikkor 105 mm, f/2.8, (Nikon Inc., Melville, NY, USA), Hoya R72 (760nm-860nm) infrared filter and a Nikon D5600 crop-framed digital single-lens reflex camera in combination with Nikkor 50mm lens for Human Visible Spectrum (HVS) Photography. RESULTS: The finding of the study reported that the application of the NIR photography would be the best of the investigative techniques for visualization and photo-documentation of forensically relevant post-mortem findings, such as - trace evidences (e.g., blood spots & soil particles on dark clothing), in external findings (e.g., contusion on victim's body) also for internal findings in a road traffic accident (RTA), gunshot, and drowning victim (e.g., mud particles in the trachea of drowning victim & localizing contusion of the scalp in road traffic accident cases). CONCLUSION: Human visible spectrum (HVS) photographs taken with Nikon D5600 provides substantial evidence for documentation purpose, the best results for trace evidence & contusion visualization in Post-mortem examination of the deceased were achieved with the NIR Photography in combination with indirect sunlight & room light as an infrared light source. (At a wavelength of 760nm-860nm).

Treatment of textile industry wastewater by using high-performance forward osmosis membrane tailored with alpha-manganese dioxide nanoparticles for fertigation.

Forward osmosis (FO) technology has been acknowledged as an energy-efficient cutting-edge water treatment innovation; however, the inefficient performance of polymer-based membranes remains a tailback in the practical utilization of FO. A significant issue in FO is membrane fouling, which negatively influences the flux efficiency, working expenses and membrane life expectancy. Membranes having high water flux and minimum reverse solute flux at low operating pressures are the ideal membranes for this process. This study reports a thin-film nanocomposite (TFNC) membrane for the treatment of textile industry wastewater utilizing fertilizer as draw solution fabricated via the phase inversion process. The chemical structure and morphology of the synthesized manganese oxide (MnO2) incorporated membrane were studied by various characterization techniques like X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy-energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, contact angle and gravimetry. The outcomes demonstrated that the nanoparticles were bonded to cellulose acetate polymer via covalent bonds and showed very hydrophilic membrane surface, along with an increased osmotic water flux of 52.5 L.m2.h-1 and reverse salt flux of 10.9 g.m2.h-1, when deionized wastewater and potassium chloride were used as the feed solution and the draw solution, respectively. In this manner, incorporating manganese oxide into the FO membrane may introduce its extraordinary possible application for the production of diluted fertilizer solution with balanced nutrients.

Fabrication and characterization of high-performance forward-osmosis membrane by introducing manganese oxide incited graphene quantum dots.

Forward osmosis (FO) is the futuristic membrane desalination technology as it transcends the disadvantages of other pressure-driven techniques. But, there still remain critical challenges like fabrication of highly permeable membrane with ideal structures maintaining high rejection rates that need to be addressed for implementation as a practical technology. In this work, novel thin-film composite (TFC) membranes were fabricated by means of incorporating manganese oxide (MnO2) incited graphene quantum dots (GQDs) nanocomposite into a cellulose acetate (CA) suspension followed by phase inversion (PI) for enhanced FO performance. The surface morphology and chemical structure of fabricated membranes were studied using various characterization techniques like XRD, FT-IR, SEM-EDS, Mapping, AFM, and TGA. The structural parameters, water flux, reverse salt flux and salt rejection was estimated on the basis of data obtained from four varying initial draw solution concentrations. At high nanocomposites stacking, the hydrophilicity of the casting blend increase, and subsequently, the PI exchange rate additionally increases, which brings about noticeable difference in the surface morphology. The membrane with 0.5 wt% nanocomposite exhibited superior FO separation performance with osmotic water flux of 18.89, 34.49, 41.76 and 42.34 in L.m-2.h-1 with variable concentrations of NaCl salt solution (0.25M, 0.5M, 1M, and 2M), respectively. Also, the porosity of the membrane was increased to 47.23% with 96.87% salt rejection. The results indicate that the hydrophilicity of the nanocomposite drives them to the interface among CA and water during PI process leading to solid hydrogen bonding to achieve high water permeability.

Metals toxicity and its correlation with the gene expression in Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease is a common neurodegenerative disease in the elderly population and a leading cause of dementia. Genetics and environmental risk factors were considered to play a major role in the onset of the disease. This study aimed to examine the correlation between different metals levels and the gene expression in Alzheimer's patients with age-matched control subjects. Non- essential metals were measured in the whole blood due to its higher concentration in red blood corpuscles (RBCs) and essential biometals in the serum samples of Alzheimer's disease (AD) by using Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) that allows the analysis and detection of the different elements at low levels. Gene expression level was performed by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). In this study, the levels of Lead and Arsenic metals were not detected in the AD patient samples. Cadmium, Mercury, and Aluminum were found higher in cases as compared to controls with 0.009240 ± 0.0007707 (P = < 0.0001), 0.02332 ± 0.001041 (P = < 0.0001), and 0.09222 ± 0.02804 (P = 0.0087) respectively. Essential biometal like copper was higher 0.1274 ± 0.02453 (P = 0.0254) in cases, while iron 0.1117 ± 0.009599 (P = 0.0304) and zinc 0.03800 ± 0.003462 mg/L were found significantly lower as compared to controls. All targeted genes such as APP, PSEN1, PSEN2, and APOE4 were found up-regulated in AD patients. We concluded that there was no significant correlation between metals dyshomeostasis and gene expressions in this study.

Sialic acid associated with oxidative stress and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) expression level as a predictive indicator in moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease.

BACKGROUND: Several studies have shown many risk factors associated with disease onset, but the sialic acid association with oxidative stress biomarkers may a key factor in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). We aim to find out the most specific biomarker from the peripheral blood samples in moderate to severe Alzheimer's patients. METHODS: This study examined the level of sialic acid associated with oxidative stress biomarkers and total antioxidant capacity level (TAC) in the plasma samples. Different parameters of Oxidative stress and Total antioxidant capacity by the immunoassay method have been examined in AD patients as compared to controls. The Catalase (CAT), Superoxide dismutase (SOD), Lipid peroxidation (LPO), Glutathione peroxidase (GPx), Total Glutathione (GSH), and Protein carbonyl group levels were estimated in this study. RESULTS: Increased level of sialic acid is found associated with a higher level of reactive oxygen species parameters in the patients. The antioxidant parameter levels have been found significantly lower in AD, while Protein carbonyl group and lipid peroxidation were increased in cases as compared to controls with the area under the curve (AUC) 0.816, p < 0.0001 and 0.754, p < 0.0001. The Protein carbonyl group, Total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and Sigma-Aldrich TAC levels were higher in females as compared to males in AD patients. CONCLUSION: During AD pathology, sialic acid, protein carbonyl, and lipid peroxidation were found as the more sensitive marker that may be used as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker.

Modeling and optimization of fixed mode dual effect (photocatalysis and photo-Fenton) assisted Metronidazole degradation using ANN coupled with genetic algorithm.

The study presents the novel concept of application of fixed bed-batch mode in-situ dual effect of degradation of photo-Fenton and photocatalysis using composite material composed of fuller's earth and foundry sand for the removal of antibiotic Metronidazole. The composite material was involved in the subsequent leaching of iron prompting to in-situ photo-Fenton reactions while TiO2 layer immobilized upon the support involved in photocatalysis. Dual process facilitated the significant reduction in treatment time as 80% of the compound degraded with 30 min of the reaction. Both the processes almost took 180 min for 50% degradation, when applied individually. No doubt, there was an astonishing increase in the rate constant. An artificial neural network model coupled with the genetic algorithm was employed for the optimization of various parameters like H2O2 dose, treatment time, number of beads, pH, etc. Various characterizations have been performed to confirm the novelty of the process. Extended recyclability up to 70 recycles of these composite beads really confirmed the feasibility of this technology for field-scale applications.

A study of unnatural female death profile in Lucknow, India.

Epidemiological and medicolegal, including forensic pathological, aspects of 456 cases of unnatural deaths of females aged 16 to 30 years were studied in Lucknow during the period of 1 year (May 2, 2011 to May 1, 2012). These constituted 62.5% of the total unnatural deaths autopsied from all ages in females. Most of the victims were young Hindu housewives killed or who died within 7 years of marriage. The most common cause was vehicular accidents followed by poisons and burns. The homicidal, suicidal, and accidental deaths were 87, 129, and 240, respectively. The common motives and circumstances were mental stress due to various reasons, family quarrel, maladjustment in married life, and cruelty by the in-laws. Level of education, joint family structure, unemployment, dependence of the woman on the in-laws, infidelity, large families, and failure in love in unmarried girls were other contributing factors affecting the incidence. The study suggests different measures to check unnatural female deaths to improve the situation.