Synthesis of surfactant free stable nanofluids based on barium hexaferrite by pulsed laser ablation in liquid

Barium hexaferrite nanofluids based on five different solvents have been prepared by employing Pulsed Laser Ablation in Liquid (PLAL) at two different wavelengths of 532 nm and 1064 nm. They were then characterized using Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), UV-Vis spectroscopy, and Vibrating Sample Magnetometry (VSM). The chemical states of the ablated nanoparticles were identified from XPS analysis and found to be matching with that of the target. The crystallinity of the nanoparticles were confirmed from high resolution TEM (HRTEM) images and SAED patterns. It is found that different liquid environments lead to the formation of barium ferrite nanoparticles with different particle diameters. The plausible mechanism involved in this process is discussed. This study can pave way for the synthesis of stable magnetic nanofluids of permanent magnets. Further, this technique could be utilized for tailoring the morphology of nanoparticles with a judicious choice of the solvents and other ablation parameter

千葉大学泌尿器科第1回同門会発表

BackgroundWhile programmed death 1 (PD-1) and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) checkpoint inhibitors have activity in a proportion of patients with advanced bladder cancer, strongly predictive and prognostic biomarkers are still lacking. In this study, we evaluated PD-L1 protein expression on circulating tumor cells (CTCs) isolated from patients with muscle invasive (MIBC) and metastatic (mBCa) bladder cancer and explore the prognostic value of CTC PD-L1 expression on clinical outcomes.MethodsBlood samples from 25 patients with MIBC or mBCa were collected at UCSF and shipped to Epic Sciences. All nucleated cells were subjected to immunofluorescent (IF) staining and CTC identification by fluorescent scanners using algorithmic analysis. Cytokeratin expressing (CK)+ and (CK)-CTCs (CD45-, intact nuclei, morphologically distinct from WBCs) were enumerated. A subset of patient samples underwent genetic characterization by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and copy number variation (CNV) analysis.ResultsCTCs were detected in 20/25 (80 %) patients, inclusive of CK+ CTCs (13/25, 52 %), CK-CTCs (14/25, 56 %), CK+ CTC Clusters (6/25, 24 %), and apoptotic CTCs (13/25, 52 %). Seven of 25 (28 %) patients had PD-L1+ CTCs; 4 of these patients had exclusively CK-/CD45-/PD-L1+ CTCs. A subset of CTCs were secondarily confirmed as bladder cancer via FISH and CNV analysis, which revealed marked genomic instability. Although this study was not powered to evaluate survival, exploratory analyses demonstrated that patients with high PD-L1+/CD45-CTC burden and low burden of apoptotic CTCs had worse overall survival.ConclusionsCTCs are detectable in both MIBC and mBCa patients. PD-L1 expression is demonstrated in both CK+ and CK-CTCs in patients with mBCa, and genomic analysis of these cells supports their tumor origin. Here we demonstrate the ability to identify CTCs in patients with advanced bladder cancer through a minimally invasive process. This may have the potential to guide checkpoint inhibitor immune therapies that have been established to have activity, often with durable responses, in a proportion of these patients

Studies on removal of phenol using ionic liquid immobilized polymeric micro-capsules

Phenol and phenolic compounds are pollutants of high priority concerns because of their toxicity and contribution to health problems. (Lohumi et al., 2004) The most suitable industrial process for the removal of phenol from aqueous streams is liquid–liquid extraction, which has its own limitations. In order to avoid possible drawbacks, such as persistent emulsification and leaching of extractant in conventional extraction operations, room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL) encapsulated in microcapsules (MC) is used as extractant. The present study deals with the preparation of RTIL encapsulated microspheres by surfactant free emulsion polymerization under controlled conditions and the microspheres thus synthesized are characterized to ensure the desired particle size, morphology and surface area by using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), FTIR and BET apparatus, respectively. The effects of process variables such as agitation speed, agitation time, temperature, and shell material and the effect of dispersant were studied to determine the yield and size of microcapsules. This was followed by equilibrium distribution studies. The extractant loading capacity in the microcapsules was also analyzed by solvent extraction using hexane as solvent. Batch Sorption studies were conducted to optimize the process variables in the removal of phenol and the data were validated using various isotherms and kinetic models. Thermodynamic parameters were also established. Regeneration studies were also attempted to ensure the stability and reusability of microcapsules

Antagonistic Regulation of β-Globin Gene Expression by Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins USF and TFII-I

The human β-globin genes are expressed in a developmental stage-specific manner in erythroid cells. Gene-proximal cis-regulatory DNA elements and interacting proteins restrict the expression of the genes to the embryonic, fetal, or adult stage of erythropoiesis. In addition, the relative order of the genes with respect to the locus control region contributes to the temporal regulation of the genes. We have previously shown that transcription factors TFII-I and USF interact with the β-globin promoter in erythroid cells. Herein we demonstrate that reducing the activity of USF decreased β-globin gene expression, while diminishing TFII-I activity increased β-globin gene expression in erythroid cell lines. Furthermore, a reduction of USF activity resulted in a significant decrease in acetylated H3, RNA polymerase II, and cofactor recruitment to the locus control region and to the adult β-globin gene. The data suggest that TFII-I and USF regulate chromatin structure accessibility and recruitment of transcription complexes in the β-globin gene locus and play important roles in restricting β-globin gene expression to the adult stage of erythropoiesis

On the microwave absorption of magnetic nanofluids based on barium hexaferrite in the S and X bands prepared by pulsed laser ablation in liquid

Magnetic nanofluids can be prepared by dispersing surfacted nanoparticles in an appropriate carrier medium. The microwave absorbing properties of a magnetic nanofluid based on barium hexaferrite (BAF) is promising since BAF is a good microwave absorber. Surfacted BAF particles prepared by Pulsed Laser Ablation in Liquid (PLAL) overcome agglomeration and are stable under normal conditions. The evaluation of parameters namely ε′, ε″, μ′ and μ″ (real and imaginary parts of permittivity and permeability) will aid in the determination of the microwave absorbing properties since these parameters can be employed to model the optimum thickness of the absorber for maximum absorption using surface impedance equations. Moreover, the fluid can be coated with the required thicknesses on a surface once these parameters are evaluated and modelled. A magnetic nanofluid based on BAF is synthesized using PLAL and its microwave absorbing properties are evaluated and presented here. It is found that they serve as good absorbers in the S and X bands