Comparing wire-mesh sensor with neutron radiography for measurement of liquid fraction in foam

The liquid fraction of foam is an important quantity in engineering process control and essential to interpret foam rheology. Established measurement tools for the liquid fraction of foam, such as optical measurement or radiography techniques as well as weighing the foam, are mostly laboratory-based, whereas conductivity-based measurements are limited to the global measurement without detailed spatial information of liquid fraction. In this work, which combines both types of measurement techniques, the conductivity-based wire-mesh sensor is compared with neutron radiography. We found a linear dependency between the liquid fraction of the foam and the wire-mesh readings with a statistical deviation less than 15%. However, the wire-mesh sensor systematically overestimates the liquid fraction, which we attribute to liquid bridge formation between the wires.

Frequency and clinical course of hepatitis E in tertiary care hospitals

OBJECTIVE

To find out the frequency of hepatitis E virus as a cause of acute hepatitis and its clinical course in hospitalized patients.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional hospital-based study.

PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY

The study was conducted in two tertiary care teaching hospitals i.e., Khyber Teaching Hospital and PGMI Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar (Pakistan) from January to December 2002.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Amongst the total number of 1922 admitted patients, 148 had history of nausea, vomiting and jaundice and raised serum bilirubin with raised hepatic transaminases (ALT), were screened for HBV (hepatitis B virus), HCV (hepatitis C virus) and subsequently for HEV (hepatitis E virus). Acute hepatitis A, autoimmune hepatitis and Wilson's disease were excluded by doing appropriate test as and when required. The patients with hepatitis E were then monitored by checking their serial transaminases on day 1,4,8 and day 18 or until their transaminases dropped to normal. They were also clinically assessed and followed-up.

RESULTS

Amongst the total admission of 1922 patients during one year period, 148 had acute hepatitis and out of these, 21 patients (14.189%) suffered from hepatitis E. Seventeen patients were below the age of 40. There were increased number of cases during the late summer and early winter seasons. Majority of the hepatitis E patients recovered during the short follow-up period of two weeks. Two patients had fulminant hepatitis. A four months pregnant young female died of her illness despite intensive treatment.

CONCLUSION

Hepatitis E virus is fairly common cause of acute hepatitis in hospitalized patients. Most of the patients are having a benign self-limiting illness.

Studies on the immunomodulatory effects of Ashwagandha

The immunomodulatory activity of an Indian Ayurvedic medicinal preparation, Ashwagandna (Withania somnifera (L. Dunal)) was studied in mice with myelosuppression induced by one or more of the following three compounds: cyclophosphamide, azathioprin, or prednisolone. The assessment of immunomodulatory activity was carried out by hematological and serological tests. A significant modulation of immune reactivity was observed in all the three animal models used. Ashwagandha prevented myelosuppression in mice treated with all three immunosuppressive drugs tested. A significant increase in hemoglobin concentration (P < 0.01), red blood cell count (P < 0.01), white blood cell count (P < 0.05), platelet count (P < 0.01), and body weight (P < 0.05) was observed in Ashwagandha-treated mice as compared with untreated (control) mice. We also report an immunostimulatory activity: treatment with Ashwagandha was accompanied by significant increases in hemolytic antibody responses towards human erythrocytes.