Till Date Research Articles

TAVR with self- expandable valves: what challenges in bicuspid aortic valve disease?

Background: The bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) represents a complex anatomic entity for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) because of its unique technical challenges. All the randomized clinical trials comparing outcomes of TAVI with surgery till date, have excluded patients with bicuspid aortic valve. The only data in literature come from empirical observations, with large variability in implantation techniques across different centers and operators. Objective: These case reports describe the results of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in bicuspid aortic valve stenosis (BAV) using self-expandable valves with their clinical, imaging, procedural, and follow-up settings. Case reports: We report 3 cases of TAVR with BAV. The patients were at high risk of surgery. Baseline cardiac computed tomography (CT) was analyzed by interventional cardiologists. We used self-expandable valves in all the procedures. There were no cases of valve embolization or need for a second valve, no post-dilatation, no cases of moderate or severe aortic regurgitation, and none of the cases required a permanent pacemaker implantation. Conclusion: With the available observational data, it seems that TAVI is indeed technically feasible in selected BAV patients with acceptable results. Self-expandable valves can be safe and effective devices for these procedures. Most of the current data studies highlight the importance of preprocedural imaging determining the outcome of TAVI in BAV patients. Advancements device iterations and procedural refinements will continue to improve the outcomes of these patients treated by TAVR.

Nasopharyngeal cyst of branchiogenic origin: a rare case report

Nasopharyngeal branchial cysts present laterally as well as ascend from the fossa of Rosenmuller and trace superiorly inside the bony immures of the pharyngotympanic tube. Other commonly related disease conditions with respect to nasopharyngeal cyst include the Rathke’s pouch cyst, Thornwaldt cyst from the pharyngeal bursa along with the branchial cleft cyst. Here in our study, we report a case of a 25-year-old male presented with symptoms of snoring for the past 2 years. On zero-degree endoscopic examination, a nasopharyngeal mass was seen arising from the lateral wall of the nasopharynx extending to the oropharynx. Further based on his radiological investigations, a localized non-enhancing nasopharyngeal cystic mass was seen extending from the left lateral wall of nasopharynx to oropharynx and was diagnosed as nasopharyngeal cyst. Thus, the surgical removal of the nasopharyngeal cyst has been performed through a transoral endoscopic technique with no remnants at the surgical site. The histopathological findings revealed stratified squamous epithelium with subepithelial infiltration of lymphoid follicles, thus confirming the diagnosis as branchial cleft cyst. The patient was discharged with no complications and have been periodically advised for a follow-up. Conclusively, the cyst of 2nd branchiogenic origin in the nasopharynx is extremely sporadic and till date, only a small number of cases have been reported.

Tailored green synthesized silymarin-selenium nanoparticles: Topical nanocarrier of promising antileishmanial activity

Poor drug penetration, emerging drug resistance, and systemic toxicity are among the major obstacles challenging the current treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis. Hence, developing advanced strategies for effective and targeted delivery of antileishmanial agents is crucial. Several drug delivery carriers have been developed till current date for dermal/transdermal delivery, especially those which are fabricated using eco-friendly synthesis approaches, since they protect the environment from the harmful effects of chemical waste disposal. This work describes the preparation of selenium nanoparticles loaded with silymarin via one-pot green reduction technique, for treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis. The selected silymarin loaded selenium nanoparticles (SSNs4-0.1) displayed good loading efficiency of 58.22 ± 0.56 %, zeta potential of −30.63 ± 0.40 mV, hydrodynamic diameter of 245.77 ± 11.12 nm, and polydispersity index of 0.19 ± 0.01. It exhibited good physical stability, as well as high ex vivo deposition % in the epidermis (46.98 ± 1.51 %) and dermis (35.23 ± 1.72 %), which was further proven using confocal laser microscopy. It also exhibited significant cytocompatibility and noticeable cellular internalization of 90.02 ± 3.81 % in human fibroblasts, as well as high trypanothione reductase inhibitory effect (97.10 ± 0.30 %). Results of this study confirmed the successful green synthesis of silymarin-loaded selenium nanoparticles; delineating them as one of the promising antileishmanial topical delivery systems.

The combination of natural and synthetic polymers for effective wound healing in tissue engineering

Burns range in severity depending on the amount of area they cover on the body and how deeply they penetrate the skin and tissue beneath. Wound healing is an intricate and orchestrated process involving the interactions of various cell components to establish a provisional tissue and then remodel this while forming the mature replacement. Many types of polymers have been used for wound healing till date, which had benefits and disadvantages associated with it. The work here concerns towards effective wound healing process by employing the use of Musa paradisiaca Linn. commonly known as Banana, which had been used traditionally in India for dressings of wound and ulcers. The appropriate combination of the M. paradisiaca leaves and stem, along with the synthetic polymer, Polyethylene glycol was used, since it possess the properties of being biocompatible, in addition to being a good antimicrobial agent along with antioxidant properties. Characterization of the materials using FTIR provides the congruence of the presence of components that assist in effective wound healing.

#2559 “Remote software technology to assist clinical decision in vascular access surveillance: single UK centre experience”

Abstract Background and Aims Optimal arteriovenous access monitoring and surveillance aims for early detection of dysfunctional access, enabling pre-emptive referral for angioplasty or surgery to prevent access loss or thrombosis. Here we compared the addition of remote software surveillance to standard clinical care in our units. Method From January–December 2023 we conducted a 12-month prospective study of maintenance hemodialysis (HD) patients. We used Vasc-Alert software technology to assist clinical decision making for vascular access (VA) surveillance in 2 out of 5 HD units. In these units, vascular access risk score was calculated using Vasc-Alert software platform from routinely collected data from the dialysis procedure as previously described [1]. Patients with high Vasc-Alert access risk score (≥7) underwent clinical assessment and were referred for fistulogram if they met the relevant KDOQI criteria [2]. The following variables were collected from all 5 HD units: baseline permanent VA prevalence, subsequent VA events (stenosis or thrombosis), access abandonment (i.e. unsalvageable access loss), complication free days (CFD)-extended over one year (defined as days without serious vascular access events, radiological or surgical intervention, VA infection, hospitalisation or use of central venous catheter). Data was collected on patients who were pre-emptively referred for diagnostic fistulogram ± angioplasty but thrombosed while awaiting intervention. Median time interval from the date of fistulogram request till the date of confirmed thrombosed access was calculated. Comparison between HD units with Vasc-Alert use (Group 1) or without (Group 2) was performed using appropriate statistical tests depending on the type and distribution of the data. Survival analysis of post-intervention primary patency rate was conducted at 3 and 6 months defined as the time from the index procedure until the next access thrombosis or reintervention [3]. Results There were 81 (53.6%) patients with permanent VA in group 1and 201 (59.3%) patients in group 2at the start of the study. We recorded 23 (28.4%) episodes of stenosis and 6 (7.4%) episodes of thrombosis in Group 1 and 40 (19.9%) episodes of stenosis and 21 (10.4%) episodes of thrombosis in Group 2 (p value 0.121 and 0.432, respectively). In Group 2, 11 patients (5.5%) developed repeated stenosis and 2 patients (1%) repeated thrombosis. In Group 1, 5 /6 (83%) cases preemptively referred for diagnostic fistulogram ± angioplasty developed thrombosis whilst awaiting elective intervention, compared with 4/21 (19%) in group 2 (p value = 0.008) (Fig. 1). The median time interval from the date of fistulogram request till date of thrombosed VA was 26 days with Interquartile range (IQR 25-75%) of 21-34 days. Group 1 had better post-intervention primary patency rate of VA (Fig. 2) and longer CFD-extended compared to group 2 (p values < 0.001 and 0.002 respectively) (Table 1). Conclusion Our study shows that integrating Vasc-Alert technology into the VA surveillance program was associated with improved early detection of high-risk access, higher primary patency rates and CFD-extended. Additionally, our data emphasizes the need to enhance interventional radiology capacity for timely access intervention, to realise the true potential of Vasc-Alert technology in prevent access thrombosis.

Evolution of papilla preservation procedures - A Review

This review provides insights into the etiology and classification of the interdental papilla loss, along with treatment modalities for interdental papillary loss, emphasizing the significance of preserving papillary integrity for optimal smile aesthetics and patient satisfaction. This review article is intended to revisit the techniques that have been employed, till date, to preserve the interdental papilla while performing periodontal surgeries. Various surgical techniques have been introduced over the years for papilla preservation, including minimally invasive approaches. Recent meta-analysis suggests papilla preservation techniques prevent the post-surgery loss, with choice based on defect area and patient esthetics. Incision type is crucial for the healing process. Key Words: Esthetics, Gingiva, Interdental papilla, Papilla preservation, Periodontics, Soft tissue surgery

Unique among high passes: Phylogenetic inferences from DNA barcoding of the butterfly fauna of Ladakh Trans-Himalaya, India.

The butterfly assemblage of Ladakh Trans-Himalaya demands a thorough analysis of their population genetic structure owing to their typical biogeographic affinity and their adaptability to extreme cold-desert climates. No such effort has been taken till date, and in this backdrop, we created a barcode reference library of 60 specimens representing 23 species. Barcodes were generated from freshly collected leg samples using the Sanger sequencing method, followed by phylogenetic clade analyses and divergence calculation. Our data represents 22% of Ladakh's Rhopaloceran fauna with the novel barcode submission for six species, including one Schedule II species, Paralasa mani. Contrary to the 3% threshold rule, the interspecific divergence between two species pairs of typical mountain genus Hyponephele and Karanasa was found to be 2.3% and 2.2%, respectively. The addition of conspecific global barcodes revealed that most species showed little increase in divergence value, while a two-fold increase was noted in a few species. Bayesian clade clustering outcomes largely aligned with current morphological classifications, forming monophyletic clades of conspecific barcodes, with only minor exceptions observed for the taxonomically complicated genus Polyommatus and misidentified records of Aulocera in the database. We also observed variations within the same phylogenetic clades forming nested lineages, which may be attributed to the taxonomic intricacies present at the subspecies level globally, mostly among Eurasian species. Overall, our effort not only substantiated the effectiveness of DNA Barcoding for the identification and conservation of this climatically vulnerable assemblage but also highlighted the significance of deciphering the unique genetic composition among this geographically isolated population of Ladakh butterflies.

Entrained air and freeze-thaw durability of concrete incorporating nano-fibrillated cellulose (NFC)

NanoFibrillated Cellulose (NFC) has consistently proven effective at improving some key properties of cement-based materials. However, till date, the effects of the NFC on the freeze-thaw (F-T) durability of concrete has received little attention. This study aims to fill this gap by first evaluating the fresh, entrained air content of 0.65 and 0.40 water-cement ratio, Plain and Plain +0.1 % NFC concrete mixtures prepared with and without an Air Entrainment Admixture (AEA). Micro computed tomography scan (CT-Scan) was also utilized in investigating the effects of the NFC on the entrained air characteristics of hardened concrete specimens. Thereafter, water-saturation process, F-T durability via, changes in specimen mass, Relative Dynamic Modulus of Elasticity (RDME) were investigated, and strain accumulation was monitored until specimens failed or 300 F-T cycles were attained. Relative to Plain concrete mixtures, test results showed that entrained air content values of Plain +0.1 % NFC mixtures were lower, causing the effective void spacing to significantly increase. However, RDME and strain measurements indicated that F-T internal damage progression in NFC-modified concrete mixtures prepared without an AEA was considerably slower compared to corresponding Plain concrete mixtures. Moreover, the overall F-T performances of air-entrained, Plain and Plain +0.1 % NFC concrete specimens were comparable despite that the latter set of specimens had lower entrained air content, with wider entrained air void spacing. Besides impeding the saturation process of specimen, the NFC enhanced the strain capacity of concrete, and the significant contraction of specimen on exposure to cooling-temperatures was helpful in mitigating expansive F-T damage process. Therefore, for applications where strength reductions associated with air-entrained plain mixtures are undesirable, the NFC will be very beneficial for the production of high-strength and F-T durable concrete.

An Analysis on Link of Maternal Lipid Profile and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Case Control Study of 120 Women

BACKGROUND: Gestational diabetes mellitus GDM is a clinical condition, or disease, wherein, a marked reduction in the sensitivity of insulin, during pregnancy, is attributed to the metabolic disturbance that occurs widespread. Although, information on the association among dyslipidaemia and GDM remains uncertain till date. The main objective of the present investigation is to detect any correlation between lipid profile of GDM subjects and healthy control women,using biochemical indicators. METHODS: A careful clinical case study was performed, involving a total of 120 subjects, comprising two distinct groups. Group I includes 60 pregnant women, those were recently detected as GDM cases. Group ll covers healthy control subjects collected from Open Patients unit and Registry of Diabetic Unit of Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan Institute Medical science and Hospital, Perambalur, Tamil Nadu. Both groups' subjects were bifurcated, based on their age groups, and found to be 25 to 45 years. Estimation of glycemic condition, in prior and post fasting was performed, using an analyzer appropriately. Similarly, maternal lipid profile for both groups was also determined. Moreover, HbAl c, an important biochemical indicator was also detected for both groups of subjects with respect to their age, using HPLC technique. Received data were pooled and a statistical analysis was performed, using Student t test to identify the significance difference or association between GDM group and healthy subjects, in specific, on the maternal lipid profile. FINDING: Analysis showed that there is a significant difference observed in the maternal lipid profile of GDM group, when compared with healthy subjects. The P value of Very Low Lipid protein VLDL, low density lipoprotein LDL, High density lipoprotein HDL was found to be 0.01, 0.028, and 0.038 respectively. Whereas, p value for HbAl c was recorded as 0.02, and found significant difference at 0.01 percent level. Interestingly, no difference was observed in the limit of FG, and Triglycerides limit, and were reported as p _0.28, and p- 0.316 respectively. A marked difference was also detected among the 30 to 35 yrs age group. INTERPRETATION: Present investigation elucidated that there is a strong correlation between GDM subjects and dyslipidemia. Further, this study strengthened and promised that elevated maternal lipid profile is highly linked with GDM condition.

Godfatherism and Democratic Reconstruction in Nigeria: A Review of Nigeria’s Fourth Republic

Much of the contemporary discourse on Nigeria's democracy and politics from 1999 till date has at its centre, the phenomenon of 'godfatherism' in the leadership of political parties, and in running the affairs of our multi-nation-state. As a result of the corruption of the electoral and political processes, governmental structures, electoral politics and state power are skewed towards satisfying the self- regarding interests of the dominant political mentors otherwise known as 'political godfathers'. Relying on their wealth and their political machines, they secure party nomination for candidates of their choice by any means, sponsor their election, including manipulating the electoral process. This paper is intended to examine critically the crisis of political godfatherism in Nigeria and its implications for the future of the nation's democracy. It suggests ways the gods of Nigerian democracy and politics can be checked and confronted if the country is to deepen democracy and strengthen democratic institutions.

Crosstalk between human immunodeficiency virus infection and salivary bacterial function in men who have sex with men.

Engaging in anal sexual intercourse markedly increases the risk of developing HIV among men who have sex with men (MSM); oral sexual activities tend to uniquely introduce gut-derived microbes to salivary microbiota, which, combined with an individual's positive HIV status, may greatly perturb oral microecology. However, till date, only a few published studies have addressed this aspect. Based on 16S rRNA sequencing data of bacterial taxa, MicroPITA picks representative samples for metagenomic analysis, effectively revealing how the development and progression of the HIV disease influences oral microbiota in MSM. Therefore, we collected samples from 11 HIV-negative and 44 HIV-positive MSM subjects (stage 0 was defined by HIV RNA positivity, but negative or indeterminate antibody status; stages 1, 2, and 3 were defined by CD4+ T lymphocyte counts ≥ 500, 200-499, and ≤ 200 or opportunistic infection) and selected 25 representative saliva samples (5 cases/stage) using MicroPITA. Metagenomic sequencing analysis were performed to explore whether positive HIV status changes salivary bacterial KEGG function and metabolic pathway in MSM. The core functions of oral microbiota were maintained across each of the five groups, including metabolism, genetic and environmental information processing. All HIV-positive groups displayed KEGG functions of abnormal proliferation, most prominently at stage 0, and others related to metabolism. Clustering relationship analysis tentatively identified functional relationships between groups, with bacterial function being more similar between stage 0-control groups and stage 1-2 groups, whereas the stage 3 group exhibited large functional changes. Although we identified most metabolic pathways as being common to all five groups, several unique pathways formed clusters for certain groups; the stage 0 group had several, while the stage 2 and 3 groups had few, such clusters. The abundance of K03046 was positively correlated with CD4 counts. As HIV progresses, salivary bacterial function and metabolic pathways in MSM progressively changes, which may be related to HIV promoting abnormal energy metabolism and exacerbate pathogen virulence. Further, infection and drug resistance of acute stage and immune cell destruction of AIDS stage were abnormally increased, predicting an increased risk for MSM individuals to develop systemic and oral diseases.

Computational design, docking, and molecular dynamics simulation study of RNA helicase inhibitors of dengue virus.

RNA viruses are complex pathogens in terms of their genetic makeup, mutation frequency, and transmission modes. They contain the RNA helicase enzyme, which plays a crucial role in the viral genome replication process. This work aims to develop and screen a potential molecule that could function as a dengue virus (DENV) RNA helicase inhibitor. The present study was performed by taking 26 potential derivatives of gedunin phytochemicals from the PubChem database as ligands. The binding study of the compounds were analyzed by in silico docking method considering DENV RNA helicase enzyme as the receptor. After a thorough analysis of the docking scores, toxicity, and physicochemical properties, compound tetrahydrogedunin was obtained as the best. Based on tetrahydrogedunin molecular structure, 100 drug-like molecules were designed using the Data Warrior tool. After the screening process for drug-likeness and ADMET properties, the derivative number 42 was considered as the promising. Further comparative docking of derivative 42 and a standard inhibitor molecule ST-610 with DENV RNA helicase enzyme showed binding affinity as -10.0 kcal/mol and -9.6 kcal/mol, respectively. The favorable interaction between DENV RNA helicase and derivative 42 was further validated by 50 nanoseconds molecular dynamics simulation and MM-GBSA analysis. Since the antiviral activity of derivative 42 has not been reported till date, the compound was predicted as a novel therapeutic molecule that can act against the dengue virus (DENV) RNA helicase enzyme.

Understanding life cycle of parasitic weed Phelipanche ramosa infesting Brassica juncea in India: new host species and seed coat structure

ABSTRACT Broomrape (Phelipanche ramosa) is an obligate root parasitic plant that is known to infest many important crops. It is emerging as a serious biotic threat for Brassica juncea cultivation in India. There is very limited information available about broomrape species and its infestation in B. juncea. Hence, the present study encompassed a comprehensive five-year field survey spanning from 2018 to 2023 of 47 different B. juncea fields in the states of Rajasthan and Haryana in India. The level of broomrape infestation varied from season to season and field to field. In the B. juncea fields, broomrape with blue/violet color corolla, along with occasionally white color type were also noticed. The hairy anther, corolla shape and use of mitochondrial DNA-specific molecular markers revealed that both these broomrape types belong to Phelipanche ramosa. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis showed that P. ramosa seeds have varying shapes and seed coat have fibrillar periclinal cell wall. In addition to all the known host species for P. ramosa till date, we also identified a new host, a wild Brassicaceae weed species; Lepidium didymum in Haryana. The presence of an alternative weed host may help P. ramosa survive even in the absence of major crop host species. Overall, the present study revealed some insights into the P. ramosa-B. juncea host-parasite complex and its effect on B. juncea which could be further investigated in more detail.

Management of Ahiputana (Diaper Rash) though Triphala Khadir Yog (TKY) Avachoornan

Ayurveda is an ancient medical system that addresses both the state of Swasthya, or optimal human health, and a broad range of illnesses and associated therapies. One of the most frequent issues in pediatric OPD is diaper rash. According to Ashang Hridaya, Maloplep (contained faeces) and Sweda (sweat/perspiration) both causes Kandu (irritability), Daha (burning sensation) and Tamra Varna (redness), Strava (discharge), Vrana (wound formation around the perianal region), Pidika (papulovesicular lesion) around the Guda area (napkin area). In Ahiputana there is Pitta, Kapha and Rakta Dosha Prakop (increase). In present case report, a 11-month-old female baby patient presented in Balrog OPD 13 of Sane Guruji Rugnalaya, Hadapsar, Pune, with complaints of loose motion episodes, itching and redness associated with discharge and burning sensation for 3 days and was treated with external application of Triphala Khadir Yoga. After complete treatment of 10 days, there was complete remission in the symptoms and there is no recurrence till date. From the current case report, it can be inferred that Ahiputana (diaper rash) can be successfully treated with the appropriate Ayurveda medications.

Crystal structure of human Cep57 C-terminal domain reveals the presence of leucine zipper and the potential microtubule binding region.

Cep57, a vital centrosome-associated protein, recruits essential regulatory enzymes for centriole duplication. Its dysfunction leads to anomalies, including reduced centrioles and mosaic-variegated aneuploidy syndrome. Despite functional investigations, understanding structural aspects and their correlation with functions is partial till date. We present the structure of human Cep57 C-terminal microtubule binding (MT-BD) domain, revealing conserved motifs ensuring functional preservation across evolution. A leucine zipper, with an adjacent possible microtubule-binding region, potentially forms a stabilizing scaffold for microtubule nucleation-accommodating pulling and tension from growing microtubules. This study highlights conserved structural features of Cep57 protein, compares them with other analogous proteins, and explores how protein function is maintained across diverse organisms.

THE NEW TRENDS OF DIGITAL MARKETING AND ITS ROLE IN CHANGING CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR AND MARKET EXPANSION

Marketing trends are shifting regularly, especially with the rising number of competitors, buying capacity, regular innovation, increasing platforms and growing needs of the consumers. The online platform has built a strong foundation in India since the accessibility to internet graphed up till date. India is the second largest country after China to have the largest number of internet users till date and the access has expanded ever after the introduction of 4G network concept in India. Such a wide customer base provides robust place for an online market to set up the entire business operations and professionally provide services of handling the online market for several companies who seek to market their offerings online. The research on the topic was necessary to outline the recent trends that are affecting the market behavior on part of consumers and is also leading to the market expansion. The research will also help to identify the base reasons of the traffic of the internet and its conversion from a visitor to a consumer. Digital marketing has changed the face of traditional marketing involving bigger scale of competition in offering the marketing services to the business companies by giving tough competition in terms of design, promotion, providing reliable cardinals of change in market, building strong PR and rapport and creating hard hitting promotional strategies. The early access to internet was meant for military and government specific activities, but in the modern world the general activities only occupy a majority area of a pie chart which depict the usability index of daily internet usage of any random person.

Thoracic Epidural Chronic Inflammatory Lesion: A Case Report and Review of Literature

Chronic inflammatory lesions (CIL) in the body are rare and inflammatory pseudotumor (IPT) is a subtype of CIL. Spine is an uncommon location of CIL, with most cases reported in the thoracic spine. Our objective was to review the current literature on IPT. To the best of our knowledge only about 13 cases are reported till date. A retrospective review of 13 existing cases was done. The etiopathogenesis of CIL is uncertain and total surgical excision remains the mainstay. It’s a diagnosis of exclusion after ruling out commonly found lesions, both clinically and radiologically. Only histopathology can confirm the diagnosis. Total surgical resection remains the mainstay of treatment with adjuvant treatment only if there is a residue or a recurrence. CILs are rare lesions in the body with IPT being the commonest. Surgical excision remains the mainstay of treatment and a long-term follow up is warranted.

Parameter sensitivity analysis of peak impact force for an actual flow-like landslide against a single rigid barrier

Strength parameters are key factors that influence the sliding process of landslides and further affect the impact force on structures. Many scholars have previously studied the influence of strength parameters on slope stability; however, the influence of strength parameters on the impact force of flow-like landslides has not been analyzed till date. Therefore, in this study, the smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method was used to simulate the flow process of landslides and estimate the impact force on the rigid barrier by adjusting the strength parameters of landslides. The proposed SPH model was validated by a model test of dry sand impacting rigid barriers. The Gaoloucun landslide was selected as the study case and simulated to study the influence of parameters on the impact force. Finally, a multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to explore the sensitivity of impact force to input parameters and obtain the standardized regression coefficient, which was compared to find the dominant strength parameter. According to the results, among two strength parameters, the internal friction angle has more influence on the peak impact force than the cohesion.

A review on machinability and optimization of machining parameters of metal matrix composites

The advancement in the state-of-the-art materials that are harder and difficult to cut till date have led to the upgradation towards cutting-edge technologies for machining them. In recent times, utilization of advanced materials in various domains such as aerospace, automobile industries etc. is significantly increases due to the requirement in the aspect of lighter in weight and hardness. At present study, investigations by many researchers on various machining processes and optimization techniques used so far in several metal matrix composites are mentioned. This includes conventional and unconventional machining methods and the user-friendly optimization techniques such as response surface methodology, artificial neural network, fuzzy logic, and Taguchi approach. In addition to these, this study emphasizes on the modelling of the machining processes in MMCs. Finally, open issues and conclusions drawn on the machinability and optimization of tailor-made composites are illustrated with reference to surface finish.

Neon pulsating heat pipe with innovative flexible evaporator to facilitate cryocooling of superconducting devices

Cryogenic pulsating heat pipes (PHP), also termed oscillating heat pipes, are passive thermal links that transfer heat by oscillatory motion of two-phase cryogen confined in serpentine-shaped capillary tubes. It is composed of three sections, namely, the condenser (cold sink), the evaporator (heat source) and the adiabatic part that can range from several centimetres to few metres. In spite of longer lengths, PHPs hold an advantage that their weight does not radically increase in comparison to counterparts like metallic thermal straps. The aim is to present cryogenic PHPs as one of the potential thermal links aiding in distant cooling of superconducting devices from active cryocoolers. A 0.4 m long neon PHP with 1 mm capillary tube diameter has been recently developed characterized by one of the highest thermal conductance reported till date both in vertical and horizontal orientation. An innovative modification in the construction of PHP evaporator is showcased in this article. This would considerably enhance the flexibility of PHPs in terms of their employment geometrically within the targeted application. Pilot experimental results for neon PHP coupled with the altered evaporator is presented for heat load up to 18 W.