Hypersonic flow study in a pneumatically operated academic shock tunnel

A hypersonic shock tunnel is a primary tool used for basic experimental research and may be used in engineering and university courses to study compressible flows involving shock waves. In the present study, a pneumatically operated shock tunnel is demonstrated for hypersonic flow studies. The high-pressure nitrogen gas is used to drive a pneumatic cylinder, which is used to burst the thin metal diaphragms. Tunnel-free stream conditions are quantified using the measured pressure values and by applying shock tube relations. The free-stream Mach number of 5.5-7.2 is achieved by varying the bursting pressure and test gas pressure from 2.1 to 4.5 bars and 0.2 to 0.5 bar, respectively. The simulation is performed and the shock standoff distance quantified, and the stagnation pressures measured. The results demonstrate that the pneumatically operated tunnel enhanced operation capacity compared to the manually operated tunnel and well suits the academic hypersonic research and developmental activities.

Hypoparathyroidism--a cause of reversible dilated cardiomyopathy

Hypoparathyroidism is associated with chronic hypocalcaemia which can have a variety of manifestations including cardiovascular changes. We describe here a case of primary hypoparathyroidism associated with systolic dysfunction of left ventricle presenting as a dilated cardiomyopathy in addition to other manifestations.

Acute thrombosis of the renal transplant artery after a single dose of OKT3

We present the case of an 18-year-old male who 8 months after a living-related donor, one-haplotype-matched renal transplantation developed acute thrombosis of the renal allograft artery, within 10 h of the first dose of OKT3. The antibody therapy had followed five daily doses of intravenous pulse methylprednisolone for a Banff class 1B acute tubulointerstitial rejection, on a ciclosporin-based immunosuppression protocol. We briefly review the literature on the incidence of vascular thrombosis after transplantation and the procoagulant effects of OKT3, pulse methylprednisolone, and ciclosporin therapy.

Anorexia following termination of pregnancy and laproscopic sterilization

Presentations of Anorexia Nervosa in India are usually atypical and anorexia is more commonly a symptom rather than a syndrome. This report highlights a case of anorexia following medical termination of pregnancy and laproscopic sterilisation, its association with conflicts regarding childbirth and motherhood in a 34 year old woman and the impact of anorexia on child rearing.