Compliant Metamaterials for Resonantly Enhanced Infrared Absorption Spectroscopy and Refractive Index Sensing

Metamaterials can be designed to operate at frequencies from the visible to the mid-IR, making these structures useful for both refractive index sensing and surface-enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopy. Here we investigate how the mechanical deformation of compliant metamaterials can be used to create new types of tunable sensing surfaces. For split ring resonator based metamaterials on polydimethylsiloxane we demonstrate refractive index sensing with figures of merit of up to 10.1. Given the tunability of the resonance of these structures through the infrared after fabrication, they are well suited for detection of the absorption signal of many typical vibrational modes. The results highlight the promise of postfabrication tunable sensors and the potential for integration

Highly Strained Compliant Optical Metamaterials with Large Frequency Tunability

Metamaterial designs are typically limited to operation over a narrow bandwidth dictated by the resonant line width. Here we report a compliant metamaterial with tunability of Δλ ~ 400 nm, greater than the resonant line width at optical frequencies, using high-strain mechanical deformation of an elastomeric substrate to controllably modify the distance between the resonant elements. Using this compliant platform, we demonstrate dynamic surface-enhanced infrared absorption by tuning the metamaterial resonant frequency through a CH stretch vibrational mode, enhancing the reflection signal by a factor of 180. Manipulation of resonator components is also used to tune and modulate the Fano resonance of a coupled system

The Influence Of Reconstitution Vehicles On The Stability Of Ampicillin Oral Powders

The effect of different reconstitution vehicles on the stability of ampicillin oral powders was studied. Distilled water, tap water and well water were used for powder reconstitution. The suspensions were stored at 350C that representing the average room temperature in Sudan. The stability of the  drug in suspension was tested daily over a period of seven days. The drug contents in the samples were determined using the cup- plate agar diffusion technique and chemical spectrophotometric method. The obtained results, represented the means of 10-20 determinations. The study revealed a higher degradation extent in the  ampicillin oral powders reconstituted with water obtained from wells, followed by tap water  when compared with the slower rate of degradation in the oral antibiotic that reconstituted with distilled water.  In an attempt to decrease the destabilizing effect of the reconstitution vehicles on the daily used oral antibiotic powders, the authors suggested to use such formulae in a single-dose sachet form to be used instantly after reconstitution

Effectiveness of positive pressure evaporative cooling on broilers production

   The main concept of this research depends on the experimental work being performed on broiler houses, using positive pressure evaporative cooling systems. The experiments were conducted at the farms of the People's Development Company for Animal Production, Wad Medani, Sudan, during the period of May-July 1998. The objective was maintaining better environmental conditions during summer months, i.e., temperature and relative humidity, for housed birds, in order to obtain the maximum rate of birds growth, and reduce the rate of mortality, thus increasing economic returns. To evaluate the performance of broilers production, the parameters studied were temperature and relative humidity for bird's houses, live body weight, feed intake, water intake and mortality rate. The results of the experiments showed that evaporative cooling reduced the temperature by 18.9% and 16.6% in the houses with bird density of 10 birds/m2 and 13 birds/m2, respectively. The live body weight increased by 26.5% and 21.9% in the houses with bird density of 10 birds/m2 and 13 birds/m2, respect- tively. The mortality rate in the same houses was reduced by 79% and 75.7%, respectively. The results indicated that evaporative cooling effect was highly •siY1ificantly and positively correlated with most of the measured triats

Supraclavicularis proprius muscle associated with supraclavicular nerve entrapment

Entrapment neuropathy of the supraclavicular nerve is rare and, when it occurs, is usually attributable to branching of the nerve into narrow bony clavicular canals. We describe another mechanism for entrapment of this nerve with the aberrant muscle; supraclavicularis being found during the routine dissection of an embalmed 82-year-old cadaver. Our report details a unique location for this rare muscular variation whereby the muscle fibres originated posteriorly on the medial aspect of the clavicle before forming a muscular arch over the supraclavicular nerve and passing laterally towards the trapezius and acromion. We recommend that in clinical instances of otherwise unexplained unilateral clavicular pain or tenderness, nerve compression from the supraclavicularis muscle must be borne in mind.

Preparation of Chlorodeoxycellulose from Shambat Cotton Lint Using Dimethyl Acetamide / Lithium Chloride Solvent System

Cotton cellulose has interesting properties which can be controlled to a large degree by chemical modification. This study was designed to prepare cellulose derivatives with different functional groups using novel homogenous solubilisation media. Raw cotton was modified (mercerized) in (15%) NaOH solution to weaken the aggregation of the bundles of cotton cellulose fibers and; subsequently, to facilitate the dissolution in N,N-dimethylacetamide/lithium chloride (DMA/LiCl) solvent system. Chlorodeoxycellulose was synthesized by treatment of the solubilised cotton cellulose with N-chlorosuccinimide in the presence of triphenylphosphine to convert the hydroxyl groups into the chlorodeoxy derivative of cellulose. The chemical structure of this derivative was investigated using infrared spectroscopy, elemental analysis and thermal analysis (TGA, DSC). Chlorordeoxycellulose  proved to be a flame retardant polymer; since  thermal analysis showed that it has less thermal stability compared to unmodified cellulose. Thermal analysis also showed different behaviour between modified and unmodified cotton cellulose. Solubility in some organic solvents was tested for the prepared derivative to explore possible new uses and applications. This research has shown the versatility of Shambat cotton cellulose as a raw material for novel and advanced cellulose-based materials; and to widen and simplify the existing synthetic methodologies for cellulose modification, to yield novel derivatives using homogenous reaction media

Preparation of Bromodeoxycellulose and Derivatives from Shambat Cotton Lint Using Dimethyl Acetamide / Lithium Bromide Solvent System

This study was designed to prepare cellulose derivatives  with different   functional  groups  from  Sudanese  Shambat  cotton lint using   a homogenous   solubilisation  medium. The raw cotton lint was   mercerized    in   (15%)   NaOH     solution   to   weaken   the aggregation   of    the   bundles   of   cellulose    fibers;    and    was subsequently      dissolved      in     N,N-dimethylacetamide/lithium bromide    (DMA/LiBr)    as    a homogenous      solvent     system. Bromodeoxycellulose   was    synthesized   by   treatment,   of   the     solubilised   cotton  cellulose with N-bromosuccinimide (NBS)  in the    presence   of   triphenylphosphine   (Ph3P)   to   convert   the hydroxyl  groups  into  the  bromodeoxy  derivative  of   cellulose. The  chemical   structure  this  derivative  was  investigated  using infrared  spectroscopy,  elemental  analysis  which  confirmed  the presence  of  C-Br   bonds.  Thermal   analysis   (TGA,  DSC)  has shown     that    unlike   chlorordeoxycellulose    and    unmodified mercerized  cotton, bromodeoxycellulose was relatively thermally stable.  Azido  and  amino  deoxycellulose  were   easily  prepared from   bromodeoxycellulose   since   bromide   is  a good  leaving. Solubility in some organic solvents was tested to explore possible new uses and applications

Analysis of Adipokines and some Steroid Hormones in Myocardial Infarction

الموت الشامل بسبب أمراض القلب والأوعية الدموية هو السبب السائد للوفاة، ومرض القلب الإقفاري هو السبب البارز. هناك ميل لزيادة حساسية الأساليب في المختبر المعاصر لتشخيص الأمراض القلبية الوعائية، وتقييم المفتاح كمؤشرات حيوية للأمراض القلبية الوعائية. المهمة العاجلة هي البحث عن مؤشرات مختلفة كأداة للكشف المبكر عن احتشاء عضلة القلب ومراقبته. ضمت هذه المحاولة ١١٧ متطوعًا، تم تسجيلهم من كلا الجنسين في الفئة العمرية من ٣٢ إلى ٦٤ عامًا. تم تصنيف المتطوعين إلى مجموعتين: ٦٧ مريضًا من احتشاء عضلة القلب، واحتضنت المجموعات الأخرى ٥٠ فردًا سليمًا. تم جمع عينات الدم وتوجيهها للتحليل الكيميائي الحيوي لتقييم مستويات هرمون الاستراديول والتستوستيرون والبروجسترون والأديبونكتين واللبتين والدهون في كل مجموعة. بناءً على التقييم الإحصائي لمعلمات المؤشر الحيوي، يمكن الإعلان عن الاستنتاج التالي من هذه الدراسة، وهو انخفاض كبير في مستويات هرمون التستوستيرون والبروتين  الدهني عالي الكثافة (P <0.001) في احتشاء عضلة القلب، ضمن P <0.061 المرتفعة بشكل ملحوظ من مستويات البروجسترون في عضلة القلب مرضى الاحتشاء بالمقارنة مع الأفراد الأصحاء. أشارت الاختبارات الكيميائية الحيوية المتبقية إلى مستويات مرتفعة بشكل ملحوظ في المرضى الذين يعانون من احتشاء عضلة القلب مثل استراديول (P <0.001) ، أديبونكتين (P <0.001)، ليبتين (P <0.001) ، الكلي الكوليسترولالكوليسترول (P <0.001) ، الدهون الثلاثية P) <0.001) ومستويات البروتين الدهني منخفض الكثافة ) P <0.001). تُظهر الأديبوكينات (أديبونكتين ، لبتين) وبعض هرمونات الستيرويد (استراديول ، هرمون التستوستيرون) أدوارًا حاسمة في تحسين أمراض التمثيل الغذائي والقلب والأوعية الدموية ويمكن استخدامها كمؤشر حيوي للتعرض لاحتشاء عضلة القلب، والسلوك الطبي والشدة. يقدم هذا الإقرار التشخيص المبكر للمرض وتطوره.The most common cause of death is cardiovascular disease (CVD), with ischemic heart disease being the most notable type.  There is a propensity to raise the sensitivity of methods in contemporary laboratory for diagnosing of CVD, and assessing key as CVD bio-indicators. The urgent task is to seek for different indicators as a hopeful tool for early detection and monitoring of myocardial infarction in blood samples only. This study comprised 117 Volunteers, recorded with both genders in the age range of 32-64 years old. The volunteers were categorized into two groups: 67patients of myocardial infarction, other group embraced 50 healthy individuals. The samples of blood were collected and directed for biochemical analysis to evaluate estradiol, testosterone, progesterone, adiponectin, leptin, and lipid profile [total cholesterol, triglycerides, high density lipoprotein (HDL), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL)] levels in each group. The following conclusion can be drawn from this study based on statistical assessment of bio-indicator parameters, significantly reduced of testosterone and HDL (P <0.001) levels in myocardial infarction, within non-significantly elevated P <0.061 of progesterone levels in myocardial infarction patients as compared with healthy individuals. The remaining biochemical tests indicated significantly elevated levels in patients with myocardial infarction such as estradiol (P <0.001), adiponectin (P <0.001), leptin (P <0.001), total cholesterol (P <0.001), triglycerides (P <0.001) and LDL (P <0.001) levels. Adipokines (adiponectin, leptin) and some steroid hormones (estradiol, testosterone) show crucial roles in the improvement of metabolic and cardiovascular diseases and may be utilized as bio-pointer for myocardial infarction exposure, medical conduct and severity. This acknowledgment offers early diagnosis of disease and progression.

Syntheses of 4-Substituted-3-Methyl-2-Phenylimidazoles

Reaction of the title compound I with aromatic aldehydes afforded a,b-unsaturated ketones II, which were allowed to react with cyanoacetamide, ethyl cyanoacetate, hydrazines. Treatment of I with hydrazines or amines gave V and VI