METHODS FOR PREDICTING THE REMAINING LIFE OF ELECTRONIC ASSEMBLIES WITH CARBON NANOTUBES AND AN OPTICAL TRANSDUCTION TECHNIQUE

ABSTRACT Life consumption monitoring is a method of quantifying the degradation of a system by monitoring the life cycle environment. With current research demonstrating the value of nanotubes as sensors, they may prove to be an inexpensive, compact, and reliable means to monitor not only system environments, but also physical signs of degradation. Life consumption monitoring of electronic assemblies can be cost-effectively done using optical strain measurement techniques. In this study, current output from an optical sensor can be used to interpret combined temperature and vibration histories. This may be accomplished by passing monofrequency light through optical fibers in a peripheral arrangement on a dummy chip. Any deviation from the null condition results in misalignment of the fibers, and hence reduction in intensity and current output. With appropriate failure data at different stress levels, it is possible to determine damage and estimate the remaining life. The key challenges are to determine whether such an optical health monitoring scheme can be sufficiently accurate and robust, and whether the results can be applied to a variety of packages at any location on a circuit assembly

An estimation of thermophilic Campylobacter population in ready-to-eat roast beef and chicken sold and hygiene practices of sellers in beer bars in Arusha, Tanzania.

Background: In Tanzania, ‘nyama-choma’ (roast beef) and ‘kuku-choma’ (roast chicken) are popular ready-to-eat foods served in beer bars. A separate risk assessment for thermophilic Campylobacter in Arusha showed that the incidence rate was 6.4 people (90% CI: 3.4-10.4) per 1000 peopleper day but the concentration of Campylobacter in beef, which was not studied, was the factor influencing the results of the assessment the most. The present study was thus conducted to understand the concentration of thermophilic Campylobacter on roast beef and chicken surfaces as well as that on raw beef using the most probable number (MPN) approach. Methods: A survey was conducted in Arusha, Tanzania in September and October 2010 and 30 samples of beef sold at butchers and 30 samples of roast beef and 10 samples of roast chicken sold at nyama-choma beer bars were collected and these butchers and bar owners were interviewed for the sales and hygiene information. Fifty grams of samples were rinsed with 25 ml of Phosphate Buffered Saline (PBS) and one ml of each three replicates of this solution and 10 and 100 times diluted solutions were inoculated to Preston broth and incubated at 42°C for 24 hours in a CO2 jar. The solutions were then cultured on CCDA agar at 42°C for 48 hours and the isolates were sub-cultured on blood agar and the DNA was extracted. The extracted DNA was tested for thermophilic Campylobacter using PCR and positive DNA was tested for both C. jejuni and C. coli. The MPN of the isolates was obtained from the MPN table. Results: Out of 70 samples, thermophilic Campylobacter isolates were detected from one sample of roast chicken and identified as C. coli. The prevalence was therefore 0% (0/30) for beef at butchers, 0% (0/30) for roast beef and 10% (1/10) for roast chicken. The MPN of the C. coli was 0.37/g of meat (95% CI: 0.07 – 1.0). A low recovery rate and the small value of MPN might be due to dry and hot selling environment in butchers and heat of roasted meats. According to the interviews with 30 butchers, 7 respondents (23%) had a refrigerator and 16 (53%) had received hygiene training. Similarly, out of 40 nyama-choma beer bar owners where 30 roast beef and 10 roast chicken were sampled, 8 (20%) had a refrigerator and 21 (53%) had been trained. All the respondents used tap water in their operation. The fact that C. coli was recovered from roast chicken suggested possible post-roast contamination and although the owner of the bar which C. coli was detected did not use same utensils for both raw and roasted meat, 38% (15/40) of nyama-choma bar operators reported using. The proportions of pubs using the same utensils for both raw and roast meat were not significantly different between those trained for hygiene (7/21, 33%) and not trained (8/19, 42%, x2=0.06, df=1, p=0.81), suggesting ineffectiveness of hygiene training provided by the health authorities. Future research should focus on updating the risk assessment and incentives of compliance to hygiene regulation

Formulation and pharmacodynamic evaluation of meloxicam liquisolid compacts

The purpose of this study was to improve the meloxicam dissolution rate through its formulation into liquisolid compacts and then to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo performance of the prepared liquisolid compacts. Dissolution efficiency, mean dissolution time and relative dissolution rate of liquisolid compacts were calculated and compared to marketed formulation. The degree of interaction between the ME and excipients was studied by differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction were used and results revealed that, there was a loss of meloxicam crystallanity upon liquisolid formulation and almost molecularly dispersed state, which contributed to the enhanced drug dissolution properties. The optimized liquisolid compact showed higher dissolution rates and dissolution efficiency compared to commercial product. The analgesic and anti inflammatory response of optimized liquisolid compact in Swiss albino mice and Wistar rats was found to be superior compared to the marketed formulation.Colegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire

Effects of extraction methods on the fuel characteristics and diesel engine performances of jatropha curcas biodiesel

The development of high-quality biodiesel fuel has become more relevant due to the limited reserve and environmental effects of fossil fuel. In this study, oils derived from Jatropha curcas seeds through two extraction methods (soxhlet and cold-press) were compared. The fuel characteristics investigation suggested that methyl ester derived from oil extracted with the soxhlet method has lower viscosity, higher calculated cetane index, and slightly higher sulphur content. Comparison on the fuel characteristics with biodiesel standards showed that the methyl esters still had substantial amount of methanol and water due to low temperature during transesterification. The oils were also compared for their engine performances in a diesel engine under engine rotation of 1800 to 3000 RPM by blending derived methyl ester with pure petro-diesel to create B20 biodiesel. On average, B20 from soxhlet extraction has 3.86% higher power output, 3.55% higher torque, 3.4% higher BMEP, and 5.89% lower BSFC compared to cold-press. The extraction method affects the fuel characteristics of the methyl ester and the engine performances of the B20 biodiesel

GNE Myopathy: Genotype – Phenotype Correlation and Disease Progression in an Indian Cohort

\ua9 2024 – The authors. Published by IOS Press.Introduction: GNE myopathy is a rare slowly progressive adult-onset distal myopathy with autosomal recessive inheritance. It has distinctive features of quadriceps sparing with preferential anterior tibial involvement. Most patients eventually become wheelchair bound by 10–20 years after onset. This study analyzes the phenotype-genotype characteristics and disease progression in a large cohort of GNEM patients from India. Materials and methods: Retrospective observational study on GNEM from a quaternary neurology referral hospital in southern India. Data was collected from clinical phenotyping, serum creatine kinase levels, muscle biopsy histopathology, genetic analysis and functional assessment scales – IBMFRS and MDFRS. Results: 157 patients were included with mean age at onset and diagnosis: 26.5 \ub1 6.2 years and 32.8 \ub1 7.8 years, respectively. M:F ratio was 25: 13. Most common presenting symptom: foot drop (46.5%) and limb girdle weakness (19.1%). Wasting and weakness of small muscles of hand and finger flexors seen in 66.2% and as an initial symptoms in 5.2%. Though tibialis anterior involvement was most common (89.2%), early quadriceps weakness was noted in 3.2% and Beevor’s sign in 59.2%. Rimmed vacuoles were present in 75% of patients with muscle biopsy. Most common variant was the Indian Founder variant identified in 129 patients (c.2179 G>A, p.Val727Met - 82.2%) and most common zygosity being compound heterozygous state (n = 115, 87.5%). Biallelic kinase domain variations predisposed to a more severe phenotype. Wheelchair bound state noted in 8.9% with a mean age and duration of 32.0 \ub1 7.1 and 6.3 \ub1 4.9 years respectively, earlier than previous studies on other ethnic groups. Conclusion: This is the largest GNEM cohort reported from South Asia. The p.Val727Met variant in compound heterozygous state is noted in majority (82.2%) of the cases. Observed relationships between genotype and clinical parameters shows that severity of the disease might be attributable to specific GNE genotype and thus could aid in predicting the disease progression

Canine models of Duchenne muscular dystrophy and their use in therapeutic strategies

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an X-linked recessive disorder in which the loss of dystrophin causes progressive degeneration of skeletal and cardiac muscle. Potential therapies that carry substantial risk, such as gene and cell-based approaches, must first be tested in animal models, notably the mdx mouse and several dystrophin-deficient breeds of dogs, including golden retriever muscular dystrophy (GRMD). Affected dogs have a more severe phenotype, in keeping with that of DMD, so may better predict disease pathogenesis and treatment efficacy. We and others have developed various phenotypic tests to characterize disease progression in the GRMD model. These biomarkers range from measures of strength and joint contractures to magnetic resonance imaging. Some of these tests are routinely used in clinical veterinary practice, while others require specialized equipment and expertise. By comparing serial measurements from treated and untreated groups, one can document improvement or delayed progression of disease. Potential treatments for DMD may be broadly categorized as molecular, cellular, or pharmacologic. The GRMD model has increasingly been used to assess efficacy of a range of these therapies. While some of these studies have largely provided general proof-of-concept for the treatment under study, others have demonstrated efficacy using the biomarkers discussed. Importantly, just as symptoms in DMD vary among patients, GRMD dogs display remarkable phenotypic variation. While confounding statistical analysis in preclinical trials, this variation offers insight regarding the role that modifier genes play in disease pathogenesis. By correlating functional and mRNA profiling results, gene targets for therapy development can be identified

Electrodiagnostic subtyping in Guillain–Barr\ue9 syndrome patients in the International Guillain–Barr\ue9 Outcome Study

\ua9 2024 The Authors. European Journal of Neurology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Academy of Neurology.Background and purpose: Various electrodiagnostic criteria have been developed in Guillain–Barr\ue9 syndrome (GBS). Their performance in a broad representation of GBS patients has not been evaluated. Motor conduction data from the International GBS Outcome Study (IGOS) cohort were used to compare two widely used criterion sets and relate these to diagnostic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis criteria. Methods: From the first 1500 patients in IGOS, nerve conduction studies from 1137 (75.8%) were available for the current study. These patients were classified according to nerve conduction studies criteria proposed by Hadden and Rajabally. Results: Of the 1137 studies, 68.3% (N = 777) were classified identically according to criteria by Hadden and Rajabally: 111 (9.8%) axonal, 366 (32.2%) demyelinating, 195 (17.2%) equivocal, 35 (3.1%) inexcitable and 70 (6.2%) normal. Thus, 360 studies (31.7%) were classified differently. The areas of differences were as follows: 155 studies (13.6%) classified as demyelinating by Hadden and axonal by Rajabally; 122 studies (10.7%) classified as demyelinating by Hadden and equivocal by Rajabally; and 75 studies (6.6%) classified as equivocal by Hadden and axonal by Rajabally. Due to more strictly defined cutoffs fewer patients fulfilled demyelinating criteria by Rajabally than by Hadden, making more patients eligible for axonal or equivocal classification by Rajabally. In 234 (68.6%) axonal studies by Rajabally the revised El Escorial (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) criteria were fulfilled; in axonal cases by Hadden this was 1.8%. Conclusions and discussion: This study shows that electrodiagnosis in GBS is dependent on the criterion set utilized, both of which are based on expert opinion. Reappraisal of electrodiagnostic subtyping in GBS is warranted