Development of cardiac prescreening device for rural population using ultralow-power embedded system

The invention is inspired by the desire to understand the opportunities and expectations of developing economies in terms of healthcare. The designed system is a point-of-care (POC) device that can deliver heart-care services to the rural population and bridge the rural-urban divide in healthcare delivery. The product design incorporates several innovations including the effective use of adaptive and multiresolution signal-processing techniques for acquisition, denoising, segmentation, and characterization of the heart sounds (HS) and murmurs using an ultralow-power embedded Mixed Signal Processor. The device is able to provide indicative diagnosis of cardiac conditions and classify a subject into either normal, abnormal, ischemic, or valvular abnormalities category. Preliminary results demonstrated by the prototype confirm the applicability of the device as a prescreening tool that can be used by paramedics in rural outreach programs. Feedback from medical professionals also shows that such a device is helpful in early detection of common congenital heart diseases. This letter aims to determine a framework for utilization of automated HS analysis system for community healthcare and healthcare inclusion.     

Enhanced near band edge luminescence of Ti/ZnO nanorod heterostructures due to the surface diffusion of Ti

Information on the mechanistic differences in the luminescence properties of Ti/ZnO nanorods (NRs) has been obtained through the preparation of heterostructures by (a) varying the thickness of Ti from 1 nm to 20 nm keeping the substrate temperature at 400 °C, (b) varying the substrate temperature from room temperature (RT) to 500 °C while keeping the metal thickness constant at 10 nm and (c) annealing the RT Ti sputtered NRs at temperatures of 400 °C and 500 °C. The photoluminescence (PL) spectra show that the near band edge luminescence of ZnO in the ultraviolet (UV) region is enhanced as the thickness of Ti increases up to 5 nm and, thereafter, it falls. Sputtering of Ti on ZnO NRs at RT does not cause any UV enhancement but when sputtered at and above 400 °C, the UV intensity is enhanced. Annealing of RT Ti sputtered NRs at and above 400 °C also results in the enhancement of the UV peak, although with a lesser magnitude. Analysis of the PL results, supported by X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, elemental mapping, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and electrical I-V measurement results, show a clear indication that the surface diffusion of Ti causes a reduction in the surface defects.     

Experimental and theoretical investigation on microwave melting of metals

Experiments were conducted for microwave heating and melting of lead, tin, aluminium and copper with the aid of susceptors and the detailed results were presented for various microwave power levels and sample loading. Aluminium and copper samples were heated in presence of inert gas to minimize oxidation. Compared to conventional melting, microwave melting was twice as fast and more energy efficient. Lumped parameter model of the heating process showed that the conversion of microwave to thermal energy was enhanced at higher temperatures, justifying this a favourable process for metal melting applications.     

Microleakage in class V cavities prepared using conventional method versus Er:YAG laser restored with glass ionomer cement or resin composite

This study evaluated the effect of tooth preparation method (diamond bur vs. Er:YAG laser) on the microleakage levels of glass ionomers and resin composite. Human permanent premolars (N = 80) were randomly divided into two groups (n = 40). Cavities on half of the teeth were prepared using diamond bur for enamel and carbide bur for dentin and the other half using Er:YAG laser. The teeth were randomly divided into four groups according to the restoration materials, namely (a) ChemFil Rock (CFR), (b) IonoluxAC (IAC), (c) EQUIA system (EQA) and one resin composite (d) AeliteLS (ALS) (n = 10 per group). Microleakage (μm) was assessed at the occlusal and gingival margins after dye penetration (0.5% basic fuchsine for 24 h). On the occlusal aspect, while the cavity preparation types significantly affected the microleakage for CFR (p = 0.015), IAC (p = 0.001) glass ionomer restorations, it did not show significant effect for glass ionomer EQA (p = 0.09) and resin composite ALS (p = 0.2). Er:YAG laser presented less microleakage compared to bur preparation in all groups except for EQA. On the gingival aspect, microleakage decreased significantly for CFR (p = 0.02), IAC (p = 0.001), except for EQA where significant increase was observed (p = 0.001) with the use of Er:YAG laser. Microleakage decrease was not significant at the gingival region between diamond bur and Er:YAG laser for ALS (p = 0.663). At the occlusal and gingival sites in all groups within each preparation method, microleakage level was not significant.     

Optimization of molecular hydrogen production by Rhodobacter sphaeroides O.U.001 in the annular photobioreactor using response surface methodology

Photofermentative H₂ production at higher rate is desired to make H₂ viable as cheap energy carrier. The process is influenced by C/N composition, pH levels, temperature, light intensity etc. In this study, Rhodobacter sphaeroides strain O.U 001 was used in the annular photobioreactor with working volume 1 L, initial pH of 6.7 ± 0.2, inoculum age 36 h, inoculum volume 10% (v/v), 250 rpm stirring and light intensity of 15 ± 1.1 W m⁻². The effect of parameters, i.e. variation in concentration of DL malic acid, L glutamic acid and temperature on the H₂ production was noted using three factor three level full factorial designs. Surface and contour plots of the regression models revealed optimum H₂ production rate of 7.97 mL H₂ L⁻¹ h⁻¹ at 32 °C with 2.012 g L⁻¹ DL malic acid and 0.297 g L⁻¹ L glutamic acid, which showed an excellent correlation (99.36%) with experimental H₂ production rate of 7.92 mL H₂ L⁻¹ h⁻¹.     

Fire retardant property of cotton fabric treated with herbal extract

Flame retardant functionality was imparted in cellulosic textile using spinach leaves juice (SJ), an eco-friendly natural product. The extracted juice was made alkaline and applied in fresh bleached and mercerized cotton fabrics. Flame retardant properties of the control and treated fabrics were analysed in terms of limiting oxygen index (LOI), horizontal and vertical flammability and radiant heat testing. The study showed that the treated fabrics had good flame retardant property compared to control fabrics. The LOI value was found to increase by 1.6 times after application of SJ. As a result of this, the fabric does not catch flame. In horizontal flammability, the treated fabric showed burning with afterglow (without presence of flame) with a propagation rate of 10 mm/min, which is almost nine times lower than the control fabric. The thermal degradation and pyrolysis was studied using thermogravimetric analysis. The chemical composition of the control and SJ-treated cellulosic fabric were analysed by FTIR, SEM and EDX. Durability of the flame retardant functionality to soap washing and weathering had also been studied. After application of SJ, cellulosic fabric sample produced natural green colour. There was no significant change in other physical properties.     

Role of ‘Bejan’s heatlines’ in heat flow visualization and optimal thermal mixing for differentially heated square enclosures

Heat flow patterns in the presence of natural convection have been analyzed with Bejan’s heatlines concept. Momentum and energy transfer are characterized by streamfunctions and heatfunctions, respectively such that streamfunctions and heatfunctions satisfy the dimensionless forms of momentum and energy balance equations, respectively. Finite element method has been used to solve the velocity and thermal fields and the method has also been found robust to obtain the streamfunction and heatfunction accurately. The unique solution of heatfunctions for situations in differential heating is a strong function of Dirichlet boundary condition which has been obtained from average Nusselt numbers for hot or cold regimes. The physical significance of heatlines have been demonstrated for a comprehensive understanding of energy distribution and optimal thermal management via analyzing three cases. Case 1 involves the uniform and non-uniform heating of bottom wall with cooled side walls. The studies illustrate that the heat flow primarily occurs from the central regime of the bottom wall to a very small regime of the top portion of side walls. A large portion of central regime of cold side walls do not receive significant amount of heat. In order to maximize the thermal energy distribution, the distributed heating at the middle portions of the bottom and side walls have been considered in case 2 and heatlines clearly depict the distributions of heat from the hot walls to the large regimes of the cold wall. Further case 3 illustrates the enhanced heat flows in presence of heated bottom and left side walls. Heatline is found as an effective numerical tool to visualize energy distribution in order to establish a suitable heating strategy.     

Bejan’s heatline analysis of natural convection in right-angled triangular enclosures: Effects of aspect-ratio and thermal boundary conditions

Natural convection in right-angled triangular enclosures with various top angles ($\phi$=15°, 30°, 45°) is studied in detail via heat flow analysis for various uniform isothermal and linear isothermal heating thermal boundary conditions. Detailed analysis on the effects of aspect-ratio and thermal boundary conditions on the fluid and heat flow inside the triangular enclosures have been carried out for a range of fluids (Pr = 7.2, 1000, 0.015) within Ra = 10³–10⁵. Interesting features of heat flow patterns under various thermal boundary conditions are ‘visualized’ by heatlines. The effect of increase in φ of triangular enclosures is such that the maximum heat flux at the top vertex decreases and the thermal mixing in cavity increases with the increase in $\phi$. It is found that, the fluid in the lower corners is adequately heated in presence of hot right wall compared to that in left wall heating cases. Further, the heat transfer characteristics, in terms of local and average Nusselt numbers, indicate that isothermal heating cases exhibit exponential decrease in Nu_l whereas linear heating cases interestingly show local intermediate maxima. Also, various qualitative and quantitative features of Nu and $\overline{Nu}$ are adequately explained based on heatlines. Finally, the correlations for $\overline{N{u}_l}$ and Ra are obtained for various fluid with all heating situations.