Synthesis of Au, Ag, Curcumin Au/Ag, and Au-Ag Nanoparticles and Their Nonlinear Refractive Index Properties

Nanoparticles of gold and silver were prepared by a reduction method and by employing green chemistry principles such as using curcumin as a reducing and a stabilizing agent. The formation of nanoparticles was confirmed by UV-Vis absorption spectra and TEM. Mie theory was used to determine the particle sizes. The nonlinear refraction and absorption properties of the particles were measured using the z-scan technique. A large value of third-order nonlinearities was obtained using the nanoparticles produced

Comparison between base metals and platinum group metals in nitrogen, M codoped TiO 2 (M= Fe, Cu, Pd, Os) for photocatalytic removal of an organic dye in water

The photocatalytic performance of a number of nonmetal and metal codoped TiO2 for the degradation of eosin yellow under simulated solar radiation was investigated. The synthesised materials were characterised by FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, XRD, DRUV-Vis, SEM, and TEM.The N, metal codoped TiO2 containing 0.5 wt.% of the metal consisted mainly of the anatase phase, with a particle size range of 15–28 nm. The particles were largely spherical and shifted the absorption edge well into the visible region. Band gap reduction was more pronounced for the N, PGM codoped TiO2 compared to N, base metal codoped samples. Codoping led to an enhancement in the photocatalytic activity of the materials for the degradation of eosin yellow. N, Pd codoped TiO2 was the most effective photocatalyst (99.9% dye removal) while N, Cu codoped TiO2 showed the least activity (25.5% removal). The mechanism for the photocatalytic enhancement was proposed on the basis of formation of an electron deficient Schottky barrier at the semiconductor-metal interface, which acts as an electron sink and thus retards electron-hole recombination. It was shown that the ability of the photocatalyst to degrade the dye depends on the nature and type of the metal dopant in the codoped TiO2 system

Synthesis of Au, Ag, Curcumin Au/Ag, and Au-Ag Nanoparticles and Their Nonlinear Refractive Index Properties

Nanoparticles of gold and silver were prepared by a reduction method and by employing green chemistry principles such as using curcumin as a reducing and a stabilizing agent. The formation of nanoparticles was confirmed by UV-Vis absorption spectra and TEM. Mie theory was used to determine the particle sizes. The nonlinear refraction and absorption properties of the particles were measured using the z-scan technique. A large value of third-order nonlinearities was obtained using the nanoparticles produced

Therapeutic interventions for osteoarthritis of the wrist: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: In order to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions for osteoarthritis of the wrist in adults we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: The MEDLINE and EMBASE via OVID, CINAHL and SPORTDiscus via EBSCO databases were searched from inception to 25th April 2018.All randomised controlled clinical trials (RCTs) and any prospective studies of adults with wrist osteoarthritis investigating any intervention with a comparator were included. Data were extracted and checked for accuracy and completeness by pairs of reviewers. Primary outcomes were pain and function. Comparative treatment effects were analysed by random effects at all time points. Results: Three RCTs were identified for inclusion after screening and all had a high risk of bias. Two compared proximal row carpectomy (PRC) with four corner fusion (4CF) for post-traumatic osteoarthritis, while the other compared leather with commercial wrist splints in patients with chronic wrist pain, of which a small group had wrist osteoarthritis. Conclusion: There is no prospective study comparing operative to non-operative treatment for wrist osteoarthritis, while there is a paucity of prospective studies assessing the effectiveness of both non-operative and operative interventions. Further research is necessary in order to better define which patients benefit from which specific interventions. Registration: The review protocol was registered with PROSPERO under the registration number CRD42018094799

Therapeutic interventions for osteoarthritis of the wrist: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: In order to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions for osteoarthritis of the wrist in adults we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: The MEDLINE and EMBASE via OVID, CINAHL and SPORTDiscus via EBSCO databases were searched from inception to 25th April 2018.All randomised controlled clinical trials (RCTs) and any prospective studies of adults with wrist osteoarthritis investigating any intervention with a comparator were included. Data were extracted and checked for accuracy and completeness by pairs of reviewers. Primary outcomes were pain and function. Comparative treatment effects were analysed by random effects at all time points. Results: Three RCTs were identified for inclusion after screening and all had a high risk of bias. Two compared proximal row carpectomy (PRC) with four corner fusion (4CF) for post-traumatic osteoarthritis, while the other compared leather with commercial wrist splints in patients with chronic wrist pain, of which a small group had wrist osteoarthritis. Conclusion: There is no prospective study comparing operative to non-operative treatment for wrist osteoarthritis, while there is a paucity of prospective studies assessing the effectiveness of both non-operative and operative interventions. Further research is necessary in order to better define which patients benefit from which specific interventions. Registration: The review protocol was registered with PROSPERO under the registration number CRD42018094799

Visible and near-infrared absorption properties of blood from sickle cell patients and normal individuals.

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a genetic blood disorder characterised by red blood cells that assume an abnormal and rigid shape. A point mutation in the beta globin chain of haemoglobin results in glutamic acid to be replaced with valine at the sixth position. The abnormal haemoglobin (HbS) leads to the distortion of red blood cells in certain conditions, such as low oxygen tension, and leads to sickling. Sickling decreases the flexibility of red blood cells and causes microvascular occlusion, which may manifest as stroke, acute chest syndrome, pulmonary hypertension or organ damage. SCD occurs primarily among people of sub-Saharan African, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and Indian descent. Of note, sickle cell anaemia refers to people who are homozygous for the mutation causing HbS, while sickle cell trait refers to heterozygotes who have one normal haemoglobin gene and one sickle cell gene. Approximately 250,000 children worldwide are born each year with sickle cell anaemia. According to the Gulf Genetic Center (GGC), abnormal haemoglobin was detected in 44.35% of neonatal samples in Bahrain. Of those, 18.1% had sickle cell trait and 2.1% had SCD. Additionally, the GGC reported that in the non-neonatal cases, the overall frequency of SCD was found to be 10.44%. Several techniques are used to screen for sickle cell trait or SCD, such as high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), haemoglobin electrophoresis and DNA sequencing. HPLC uses ultraviolet rays to detect the difference in shape and surface area between the normal blood cells and the sickle cells. Haemoglobin electrophoresis differentiates between the haemoglobin forms based on charge, while DNA sequencing of the haemoglobin gene can detect the presence of the single amino acid substitution implicated in SCD. First reported in 1942, five different formsof haemoglobin (oxyhaemoglobin, carbomyl haemoglobin, methaemoglobin, reduced haemoglobin and metcyanhaemoglobin) were detected based on marked differences in the absorption spectra in the visible (380nm-760nm) and near-infrared (760nm-2,500nm) region of the electromagnetic spectrum. No such investigation comparing the absorption spectra of normal adult haemoglobin (HbA) and sickle cell haemoglobin (HbS) has been conducted in the visible and near-infrared region. Such is the aim of this brief study.</p