Simarpreet Singh

Measurement, Analysis, and Comparison of the Parcel Shipping Shock and Drop Environment of the United States Postal Service with Commercial Carriers

The past decade has shown a great increase in the number of direct to consumer shipments of products and packages. As a result, parcel delivery companies like DHL, FedEx, UPS, and the USPS have strengthened their presence in air transport to deliver products faster and through larger distances. Using cargo planes, they route packages from various destinations to large airport hubs, where they sort millions of packages and ship them to their destinations. There is a continuous need to quantify what happens to these packages as they are handled both manually during collection and delivery and on large high-speed conveying and sortation equipment at hubs. The dynamic events during these moves can cause damage. The information collected in this study helps packaging engineers design protective packaging. This study measured and compared shock and drop events for these carriers during next-day and two-day shipping service between Michigan and California. Data are presented in terms of drop heights associated with the 90, 95, and 99th percentile of occurrence for DHL, FedEx, UPS, and USPS. Impact orientation is also discussed. The data from this study are beneficial to new test methods being developed for drop testing of single parcel shipments by ASTM.

Vaccine against Dental Caries- An Urgent Need

Dental caries, the disease that causes tooth decay, is infectious, and the mutans streptococci bacteria have long been identified as the primary disease-causing agents. Most treatments are now aimed at either elimination of this bacterium or suppression of its virulence. Thanks to numerous scientific advances, tooth decay is not as rampant as it once was, but it is still five times more common in children than asthma and seven times more common than hay fever. And about 25% of the population (in the United States) carries about 80% of the disease burden. So it is still a serious problem, especially for those populations who are very young, very old, economically disadvantaged, chronically ill, or institutionalized. Contemporary research is aimed at evolving a potent and effective caries vaccine to prevent dental caries. Various experimental trials have been conducted utilizing rat and primate models with protein antigens derived from S. mutans or S. sobrinus to prevent oral colonization by S. mutans and subsequent dental caries. Numerous strategies have been developed to induce high levels of salivary antibodies that can persist for prolonged periods and to establish immune memory by through different routes of administration. Therefore elimination of caries is the main objective of the health professionals. Still more clinical trials are needed to evaluate the safety of these vaccines so that potential risks are eliminated.

Noise levels in a dental teaching institute - A matter of concern!

Objective: To measure and assess the noise levels produced by various dental equipments in different areas of a dental institution and to recommend improvements if noise levels are not within permissible limits. Material and Methods: Sound levels were measured at three different areas of a dental institution where learning and teaching activities are organized. The sound level was measured using a sound level meter known as ‘decibulolmeter’. In each area the noise level was assessed at two positions-one, at 6 inches from the operators ear and second, at the chairside instrument trolley. Noise levels were also assessed from a central location of the clinic area when multiple equipments were in operation simultaneously. Results: Dental laboratory machine, dental hand-piece, ultrasonic scalers, amalgamators, high speed evacuation, and other items produce noise at different sound levels which is appreciable. The noise levels generated varied between 72.6 dB in pre-clinics and 87.2 dB in prosthesis laboratory. The results are comparable to the results of other studies which are conducted elsewhere. Although the risk to the dentists is lesser, but damage to the hearing is possible over prolonged periods. Conclusion: Higher noise levels are potentially hazardous to the persons working in such environments especially in the laboratory areas where noise levels are exceeding the permissible limits. Key words:Noise level, equipment, hearing loss, risk, working areas.

Test Method to Evaluate Bruising During Impacts to Apples and Compare Cushioning Materials

Developing simplified and accurate test methods to quantify and compare performance of impact levels to sensitive produce is a challenge. Despite a variety of packaging options available today, bruising damage is commonplace for post-harvest apples throughout the supply chain. The major sources of bruising are compression, impact, or vibration forces. Understanding where these forces occur can help reduce this type of mechanical damage to apples. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact characteristics of foam net and corrugated board when applied as wrapping for individual apples. Two grades (count numbers 80 and 100) of “Fuji” cultivar apples imported to Thailand from China were studied. A simple ballistic pendulum test device was developed to measure bruise volume to impact energy relationship. A linear relationship for both types of apples was observed. Bruise volume occurrence probability and impact energy relationship fitted by linear regression were created for cushioned and bare apples. Absorbed energy of various cushioning materials was also calculated under compressive forces.

Knowledge and awareness of the Consumer Protection Act among dental professionals in India: A systematic review.

Background: The medical profession has been included in the Consumer Protection Act (CPA), to protect the interests of the patients in case of any unethical treatment rendered by the doctor. The present systematic review was conducted to assess the knowledge and awareness of CPA among dental professionals in India. Materials and Methods: A systematic review of relevant cross-sectional observational studies was conducted regarding the level of knowledge and awareness of CPA among dental professionals in India. Five studies out of 44 were finally included in the present review, after conducting both an electronic and manual search of scientific databases. The potential biases were reported and appropriate data was extracted by the concerned investigators. Results: More than 90% of the study subjects in one of the studies were aware of the CPA, as compared to other studies. In two studies, when queried about the correct time period during which a patient can sue a doctor, very few subjects (18 and 23.2%) answered correctly. Almost 90% of the subjects were taking some form of consent in one of the studies. Private practitioners had more awareness as compared to academicians and combined practitioners. Conclusion: The results of the present review showed that a majority of the subjects were aware of the existence of CPA, but knowledge about the basic rules and regulations was lacking in a few studies. Therefore, dental professionals need to keep themselves updated on the various rules and latest amendments to save themselves from any litigation.

Oral health: How much do you know? - A study on knowledge, attitude and practices of patients visiting a North Indian dental school

Objective: This study was carried out to assess the knowledge, attitude and behavior among patients visiting the out-patient department (OPD) of Gian Sagar Dental College and Hospital, Rajpura. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 642 subjects who visited the OPD of Gian Sagar Dental College and Hospital. A self-constructed questionnaire was given to each of the participant. Responses from the subjects were calculated in terms of numbers and percentages. Result: Three hundred six (48%) of the subjects had never visited a dentist before. 304 (47%) of the subjects still prefer other cleaning aids over toothbrush. 207 (32%) subjects were of the view that dental health has no effect on general health, whereas 219 (34%) subjects were of the opinion that tooth loss is a natural sequel of the aging process. Conclusion: There is a dearth of knowledge and careless attitude among people in regard to dental health. People need to be motivated and their concepts regarding the importance of dental health should be made clear through various campaigns and personal counseling.

Predicting Collapse Times for Corrugated Boxes Under Constant Top Load Using Short-Term Creep Tests

The ability of a corrugated box to withstand the weight of other packages on top of it is determined by its compression strength. The compression strength of a box is measured by squeezing it in a compression test machine following the standard procedure, ASTM D 642. The loss of strength over time is substantial and can be estimated by applying empirical strength retention factors. But most published factors came from long-term stacking tests done decades ago, when corrugated board was made from paper that had virtually no recycled content. The use of recycled paper has increased significantly since then, making the accuracy of these data questionable. The accuracy of published strength retention factors was checked by placing weights on top of test boxes and measuring the time it took for the boxes to collapse. The results show that these published factors greatly overestimated failure times. A new method for predicting failure times using creep tests is presented here. Using the compression test machine, a constant load equal to a fraction of the ASTM D 642 compression strength was placed on a test box and the deflection was recorded over a 12 h time period. The failure time in long-term storage under the same load was estimated from a simple extrapolation of the creep data. The results show a marked improvement in predictability using this method.

Knowledge, awareness and practice regarding needle stick injuries in dental profession in India: A systematic review

Background: Hundreds of thousands of healthcare workers remain susceptible to deadly viruses throughout the year, including blood-borne pathogens. Needle stick injuries (NSI) constitute one of the most common occupational health hazards in healthcare profession. Dental professionals are at more risk of acquiring NSI due to their limited and restricted working area. The present systematic review was carried out to determine knowledge, awareness and practice regarding NSI in dental professionals and students in India. Materials and Methods: A systematic review of cross-sectional studies available in the literature on the knowledge, attitude and practice among dental professionals and students in India was carried out. We identified relevant articles through electronic and manual search such as Pubmed and MEDLINE. Two investigators independently identified studies that were included in the review. Results: Four articles were finally selected for inclusion in the review. All the studies were done involving dental students; 89.23% of the students had correct knowledge about NSI and 91.55% of the students had adequate level of awareness regarding its management in one of the studies. Also, 89% of students in one of the studies were aware of taking post-exposure prophylaxis after accidental NSI. In another study, 44% of the students destroyed the needles using a needle destroyer and 15% destroyed them in puncture-resistant containers. Conclusion: The knowledge and awareness of the dental students is adequate, although there is considerable variation in practice and management of NSI among different studies. There is a need for more studies involving dental professionals.

Awareness, Attitude and Vaccination Status Regarding Hepatitis B amongStaff Nurses of a Teaching Hospital in North India

Background: Hepatitis B is a well-documented occupational hazard for health care workers, including both doctor and paramedical personals. Vaccination is the best way by which one can arm oneself against Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. The present study was conducted to assess awareness, attitude and vaccination status of staff nurses of a teaching hospital in north India. Materials and Method: All the staff nurses (170) who gave consent to participate in the study were enrolled in the study. A self-structured close ended questionnaire comprising of three parts was used to collect information. First part comprised of questions on demography, second part assessed subjects’ awareness regarding HBV infection and third part comprised of questions on immunization status. Chi-square test and multiple linear regression analysis were used for statistical analysis. Results: The mean age of the study subjects was 24.9 ± 6.8 years. Awareness regarding HBV infection was present among 94.7% (161) of subjects. Universal Precautions were followed by 81.8% (139) of subjects. Only 18.8% (32) subjects were following correct method of disposal of Biomedical Waste (BMW). The odds of getting immunized were 4.46 times greater in subjects who had awareness of Hepatitis B infection than those who did not. Conclusion: Awareness regarding HBV injection and its coverage was high among the subjects. Very few subjects were aware regarding correct route of transmission emphasizing the need for effective intervention programmes designed to increase knowledge about HBV infection.

Weed control in clusterbean through post-emergence herbicides

Field experiment was conducted at Bikaner for two consecutive years during Kharif seasons of 2012 and 2013 to test the efficacy of different weed control measures against weeds in clusterbean Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (L.) Taub. The experiment consisting of seven treatments, viz. imazethapyr 40 g/ha, quizalofop-ethyl 37.5 g/ha, fenoxaprop-p-ethyl 50 g/ha, imazethapyr + imazamox 40 g/ha, pendimethalin 0.75 kg/ha as pre-emergence (PE), hand weeding twice at 20 and 40 DAS and weedy check. Among herbicids, post-emergence application of imazethapyr + imazamox (ready mix) 40 g/ha applied at 3–4 leaf stage (around 20 DAS) recorded lowest weed density and dry weight of both grassy and broad-leaved weeds with maximum weed control efficiency (88.1%). Application of imazethapyr alone at 40 g/ha applied at 3–4 leaf stage (around 20 DAS) significantly reduced the density and dry weight of broadleaved weeds but not effective significantly against grassy weeds. Yield attributes i.e pods/plant, seed and straw yields, net return and B: C ratio were also superior with imazethapyr + imazamox 40 g/ha applied at 3–4 leaf stage (around 20DAS).