CONSTRUCTION OF LOW COST SPIN AND DIP COATERS FOR THIN FILM DEPOSITION USING OPEN SOURCE TECHNOLOGY

A novel low cost method was developed for the construction of a spincoater and a dip coater device incorporating inexpensive mechanicalcomponents and open-source software. Both devices are utilized fordepositing thin films, and can be built with interdisciplinaryknowledge of physics, mechanics, and electronics at the undergraduate level. The spin coater permits a wide speed range (from 500 to 10,000 rpm), and the velocity range of the dip coater stretches (from 0.6 cm/h to 30 cm/min). The operational parameters of these instruments compare favorably with commercial models.Se ha desarrollado un nuevo método para la construcción dedispositivos de spin coater y dip coater incorporando componentesmecánicos económicos y con software de plataforma abierto. Ambosdispositivos se utilizan para la deposición de películas delgadas, yse pueden construir con el conocimiento interdisciplinario de lafísica, la mecánica y la electrónica a nivel de pregrado. El spincoater permite un amplio rango de velocidad (de 500 a 10.000 rpm) y el rango de velocidad del dip coater es (de 0.6 cm/h a 30 cm/min).Estos parámetros operacionales se comparan favorablemente con losmodelos comerciales

Tailoring Organic-Organic Poly(vinylpyrrolidone) Microparticles and Fibers with Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes for Reinforced Composites

Polymeric-based microparticles and fibers are tailorable for a wide range of common industrial and biomedical applications, while multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) are among the most useful macromolecules based on their outstanding electronic, mechanical, and optical properties at the nanoscale. If one combines these nanostructures with various polymeric precursors, their range of potential applications becomes even greater. One of the simplest and most affordable methods for fabricating micro- and nanostructures is electrospinning. Herein we demonstrate how MWCNTs may be used to produce tailor-made organic-organic poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) microparticles and fibers via electrospinning by studying their structural, vibrational, rheological, and mechanical properties' dependence on their solvent (ethanol (EtOH) or dimethylformamide (DMF)) and resulting morphology. Specifically, we find clear differences in morphologies from perfectly spherical and isolated microparticles to fibers mats, or a combination of fibers with entangled beads, with solvent type and concentration. On the basis of our findings, we propose that the mechanism governing the shape and size of the particles is a competition between the solvent's surface tension, dielectric constant, and viscoelastic properties. We show, based on both our experimental results and density functional theory (DFT) calculations, that OH functionalization of the MWCNTs is essential for achieving high PVP coverages and promoting the stability of the resulting PVP/MWCNT nanocomposite. Finally, by fabricating PVP/MWCNT fiber mats, we demonstrate that low concentrations (0.01-0.1 wt %) of MWCNTs led to a qualitative improvement (â250%) in the resulting mechanical properties, i.e., a reinforced composite. These results show how by controlling the solvent's dielectric constant, surface tension, and polymer concentration, one may produce tailor-made polymeric nanomaterials in combination with other organic/inorganic nanoparticles, i.e., silver, gold, or carbon allotropes, for next-generation applications

DISTRIBUCIÓN ESPACIAL Y FLUCTUACIÓN POBLACIONAL DE PHYLLOCOPTRUTA OLEIVORA (ASHMEAD) (ACARI: ERIOPHYIDAE) EN CÍTRICOS DE GÜEMEZ, TAMAULIPAS

The present investigation was accomplished in the county of Güemez, Tamaulipas, Mexico during the period june of 1998 to October of 1999. The objectives were to evaluate the spatial distribution and the population fluctuation of the citrus rust mite Phyllocoptruta oleivora (Ashmead). This investigation was conducted on 10 orange trees of the variety Valencia selected at random in an area of a hectarea. Each tree was divided into 7 sampling areas. Samples were taken every 14 days, using the leaf as the sample unit and counting the number of mites present on both sides of the leaves. A total of 10 leaves were observed in each of 7 sections, making a total of 70 leaves for each tree and 700 for each sampling date. Using the mean densities and the variance obtained in each sampling, a statistical analysis was conducted to determine the spatial distribution of the mite in the area study. Eight indexes were used to determine the spatial distribution. The index values of Lexis , Charlier, David & Moore, Green and the dispersion parameter (K) of negative binomial indicated a clumped distribution for this mite over all 16 sampling dates. However the values of Morisita, Iwao, and Taylor´s power law showed random distribution in two, two, and three sampling dates, respectively. In all samples, the highest mite densities were found in the middle tree stratum (with higher aggregation toward last section of tree) followed by bottom and top strata, respectively. Population peaks were found during march 27 th and september 25 th. The dependent variable used to estimate the populate on fluctuation was the mean density of the mites in each sampling date. The independent variables were: temperature, relative humidity and precipitation. A detected positive correlation between the mean density of the mites and temperatures was observed.El presente trabajo de investigación se realizó en el municipio de Güemez, México, en el periodo de Junio de 1998 a Octubre de 1999. Se determinó la distribución espacial y fluctuación poblacional del arador de los cítricos Phyllocoptruta oleivora (Ashmead). Esta investigación se realizó en 10 árboles de naranjo de la variedad Valencia, seleccionados al azar en una superficie de una hectárea. Cada árbol se dividió en 7 áreas de muestreo y se realizaron muestreos cada 14 días, tomando como unidad de muestra las hojas. En total se registró la población en 700 hojas por fecha de muestreo. De los datos obtenidos se realizaron análisis para determinar la distribución espacial que presenta el ácaro en la zona de estudio, utilizando para ello 8 índices de muestro. Se registró la fluctuación poblacional y posibles factores climáticos que pudieran limitar la densidad poblacional. Los índices de Lexis, Charlier, David y Moore, Green y el parámetro K de la binomial negativa indicaron una distribución agregada en todas las fechas de muestreo donde se detectó la presencia de ácaros. Los valores de Morisita, Iwao y la ley de poder de Taylor mostraron disposición aleatoria en dos, dos y tres de las fechas de muestro respectivamente, en las demás se presentó disposición agregada. En todos los muestreos se encontró mayor cantidad de ácaros en el estrato medio seguido del estrato inferior y superior respectivamente. Se detectaron tres picos poblacionales; el 27 de marzo, el 21 de agosto y el 25 de septiembre con promedios de 3.8, 2.9, y 4.5 ácaros por hoja respectivamente. De los factores climáticos evaluados, la temperatura fue el que presentó el coeficiente de correlación mas alto (r=0.69916)

Nanoblades allow high-level genome editing in murine and human organoids

Genome engineering has become more accessible thanks to the CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing system. However, using this technology in synthetic organs called “organoids” is still very inefficient. This is due to the delivery methods for the CRISPR-Cas9 machinery, which include electroporation of CRISPR-Cas9 DNA, mRNA, or ribonucleoproteins containing the Cas9-gRNA complex. However, these procedures are quite toxic for the organoids. Here, we describe the use of the “nanoblade (NB)” technology, which outperformed by far gene-editing levels achieved to date for murine- and human tissue-derived organoids. We reached up to 75% of reporter gene knockout in organoids after treatment with NBs. Indeed, high-level NB-mediated knockout for the androgen receptor encoding gene and the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator gene was achieved with single gRNA or dual gRNA containing NBs in murine prostate and colon organoids. Likewise, NBs achieved 20%–50% gene editing in human organoids. Most importantly, in contrast to other gene-editing methods, this was obtained without toxicity for the organoids. Only 4 weeks are required to obtain stable gene knockout in organoids and NBs simplify and allow rapid genome editing in organoids with little to no side effects including unwanted insertion/deletions in off-target sites thanks to transient Cas9/RNP expression

Canagliflozin and Cardiovascular and Renal Outcomes in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Chronic Kidney Disease in Primary and Secondary Cardiovascular Prevention Groups

Background: Canagliflozin reduces the risk of kidney failure in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and chronic kidney disease, but effects on specific cardiovascular outcomes are uncertain, as are effects in people without previous cardiovascular disease (primary prevention). Methods: In CREDENCE (Canagliflozin and Renal Events in Diabetes With Established Nephropathy Clinical Evaluation), 4401 participants with type 2 diabetes mellitus and chronic kidney disease were randomly assigned to canagliflozin or placebo on a background of optimized standard of care. Results: Primary prevention participants (n=2181, 49.6%) were younger (61 versus 65 years), were more often female (37% versus 31%), and had shorter duration of diabetes mellitus (15 years versus 16 years) compared with secondary prevention participants (n=2220, 50.4%). Canagliflozin reduced the risk of major cardiovascular events overall (hazard ratio [HR], 0.80 [95% CI, 0.67-0.95]; P=0.01), with consistent reductions in both the primary (HR, 0.68 [95% CI, 0.49-0.94]) and secondary (HR, 0.85 [95% CI, 0.69-1.06]) prevention groups (P for interaction=0.25). Effects were also similar for the components of the composite including cardiovascular death (HR, 0.78 [95% CI, 0.61-1.00]), nonfatal myocardial infarction (HR, 0.81 [95% CI, 0.59-1.10]), and nonfatal stroke (HR, 0.80 [95% CI, 0.56-1.15]). The risk of the primary composite renal outcome and the composite of cardiovascular death or hospitalization for heart failure were also consistently reduced in both the primary and secondary prevention groups (P for interaction >0.5 for each outcome). Conclusions: Canagliflozin significantly reduced major cardiovascular events and kidney failure in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and chronic kidney disease, including in participants who did not have previous cardiovascular disease

Cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, and diabetes mortality burden of cardiometabolic risk factors from 1980 to 2010: A comparative risk assessment

Background: High blood pressure, blood glucose, serum cholesterol, and BMI are risk factors for cardiovascular diseases and some of these factors also increase the risk of chronic kidney disease and diabetes. We estimated mortality from cardiovascular diseases, chronic kidney disease, and diabetes that was attributable to these four cardiometabolic risk factors for all countries and regions from 1980 to 2010. Methods: We used data for exposure to risk factors by country, age group, and sex from pooled analyses of population-based health surveys. We obtained relative risks for the effects of risk factors on cause-specific mortality from meta-analyses of large prospective studies. We calculated the population attributable fractions for each risk factor alone, and for the combination of all risk factors, accounting for multicausality and for mediation of the effects of BMI by the other three risks. We calculated attributable deaths by multiplying the cause-specific population attributable fractions by the number of disease-specific deaths. We obtained cause-specific mortality from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors 2010 Study. We propagated the uncertainties of all the inputs to the final estimates. Findings: In 2010, high blood pressure was the leading risk factor for deaths due to cardiovascular diseases, chronic kidney disease, and diabetes in every region, causing more than 40% of worldwide deaths from these diseases; high BMI and glucose were each responsible for about 15% of deaths, and high cholesterol for more than 10%. After accounting for multicausality, 63% (10·8 million deaths, 95% CI 10·1-11·5) of deaths from these diseases in 2010 were attributable to the combined effect of these four metabolic risk factors, compared with 67% (7·1 million deaths, 6·6-7·6) in 1980. The mortality burden of high BMI and glucose nearly doubled from 1980 to 2010. At the country level, age-standardised death rates from these diseases attributable to the combined effects of these four risk factors surpassed 925 deaths per 100 000 for men in Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Mongolia, but were less than 130 deaths per 100 000 for women and less than 200 for men in some high-income countries including Australia, Canada, France, Japan, the Netherlands, Singapore, South Korea, and Spain. Interpretation: The salient features of the cardiometabolic disease and risk factor epidemic at the beginning of the 21st century are high blood pressure and an increasing effect of obesity and diabetes. The mortality burden of cardiometabolic risk factors has shifted from high-income to low-income and middle-income countries. Lowering cardiometabolic risks through dietary, behavioural, and pharmacological interventions should be a part of the global response to non-communicable diseases. Funding: UK Medical Research Council, US National Institutes of Health. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd

Large expert-curated database for benchmarking document similarity detection in biomedical literature search

Document recommendation systems for locating relevant literature have mostly relied on methods developed a decade ago. This is largely due to the lack of a large offline gold-standard benchmark of relevant documents that cover a variety of research fields such that newly developed literature search techniques can be compared, improved and translated into practice. To overcome this bottleneck, we have established the RElevant LIterature SearcH consortium consisting of more than 1500 scientists from 84 countries, who have collectively annotated the relevance of over 180 000 PubMed-listed articles with regard to their respective seed (input) article/s. The majority of annotations were contributed by highly experienced, original authors of the seed articles. The collected data cover 76% of all unique PubMed Medical Subject Headings descriptors. No systematic biases were observed across different experience levels, research fields or time spent on annotations. More importantly, annotations of the same document pairs contributed by different scientists were highly concordant. We further show that the three representative baseline methods used to generate recommended articles for evaluation (Okapi Best Matching 25, Term Frequency-Inverse Document Frequency and PubMed Related Articles) had similar overall performances. Additionally, we found that these methods each tend to produce distinct collections of recommended articles, suggesting that a hybrid method may be required to completely capture all relevant articles. The established database server located at https://relishdb.ict.griffith.edu.au is freely available for the downloading of annotation data and the blind testing of new methods. We expect that this benchmark will be useful for stimulating the development of new powerful techniques for title and title/abstract-based search engines for relevant articles in biomedical research.Peer reviewe