Correlation between surface tension, work of adhesion in liquid metals/ceramic systems, and acoustic parameters

In the paper, a correlation between acoustic velocities V, elastic moduli M, and densities ρ, with surface tension σm, and work of adhesion Wad of different liquid metals on a given ceramic is studied and demonstrated. Simulation program is developed and used for scanning acoustic microscopy (SAM) under operating conditions, which favour the generation of acoustic waves. As found, for the given systems, all investigated acoustic parameters exhibit good dependences with both σm and Wad. Analysis and quantification of the results lead to the determination of semi-empirical formulas.В статті вперше демонструється кореляція між акустичними швидкостями V, пружніми модулями M, густинами ρ та поверхневим натягом σm, а також роботою адгезії Wad різних рідких металів на фіксованій кераміці. Використовується обчислювальна програма для сканувального акустичного мікроскопу (САМ) за умов, що є сприятливими задля ґенерування акустичних хвиль. Виявлено, що для конкретних систем усі досліджені акустичні параметри демонструють хорошу залежність від поверхневого натягу та роботи адгезії. Аналіза та кількісне визначення результатів привели до встановлення напівемпіричних формул.В статье исследуется и впервые демонстрируется корреляция между акустическими скоростями V, упругими модулями M, плотностями ρ и поверхностным натяжением σm, а также работой адгезии Wad различных жидких металлов на фиксированной керамике. Используется вычислительная программа для сканирующего акустического микроскопа (САМ) в условиях, благоприятных для генерирования акустических волн. Обнаружено, что для конкретных систем все исследованные акустические параметры демонстрируют хорошую зависимость от поверхностного натяжения и работы адгезии. Анализ и количественное определение результатов привели к установлению полуэмпирических формул

Transcriptional analysis of Rhazya stricta in response to jasmonic acid

Background: Jasmonic acid (JA) is a signal transducer molecule that plays an important role in plant development and stress response; it can also efficiently stimulate secondary metabolism in plant cells. Results: RNA-Seq technology was applied to identify differentially expressed genes and study the time course of gene expression in Rhazya stricta in response to JA. Of more than 288 million total reads, approximately 27% were mapped to genes in the reference genome. Genes involved during the secondary metabolite pathways were up- or downregulated when treated with JA in R. stricta. Functional annotation and pathway analysis of all up- and downregulated genes identified many biological processes and molecular functions. Jasmonic acid biosynthetic, cell wall organization, and chlorophyll metabolic processes were upregulated at days 2, 6, and 12, respectively. Similarly, the molecular functions of calcium-transporting ATPase activity, ADP binding, and protein kinase activity were also upregulated at days 2, 6, and 12, respectively. Time-dependent transcriptional gene expression analysis showed that JA can induce signaling in the phenylpropanoid and aromatic acid pathways. These pathways are responsible for the production of secondary metabolites, which are essential for the development and environmental defense mechanism of R. stricta during stress conditions. Conclusions: Our results suggested that genes involved in flavonoid biosynthesis and aromatic acid synthesis pathways were upregulated during JA stress. However, monoterpenoid indole alkaloid (MIA) was unaffected by JA treatment. Hence, we can postulate that JA plays an important role in R. stricta during plant development and environmental stress conditions. How to cite: Hajrah, NH, Rabah SO, Alghamdi MK, et al. Transcriptional analysis of Rhazya stricta in response to jasmonic acid. Electron J Biotechnol 2021;50. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejbt.2021.01.00

Effectiveness of Training Program on Individualized Communication Protocol Regarding Communication with Comatose Patient on Knowledge and Practice of Nurses Working in Selected Intensive Care Unit at A Tertiary Care Hospital

Introduction: Effective communication is a keystone of the nurse patient relationship. Communicating with comatose patients is always challenging for healthcare professionals.  In order to provide quality nursing care, we need to communicate with   patients whether conscious or unconscious. This study was aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of training program on knowledge and practice of nurses working in ICUs regarding Individualized Communication Protocol with comatose patients. Methods: A quantitative pre-experimental research approach was used with one group Pre-Test- Post-Test-only Design. Total enumeration sampling technique was used to select 171 Staff Nurses from the selected ICUs. A structured questionnaire containing knowledge and skill items were used to assess knowledge and practice related to communication. Result revealed that there was significant improvement in knowledge post test score (20.09±3.21) after intervention as compared to pretest scores (13.23±2.96 with p-value of 0.0001. Data also represented significant improvement in practice posttest score (30.96±4.46) as compared to pretest score (6.75±1.57) with p-value of 0.0001. Discussion: Study revealed that teaching programme was effective in improving nurse's knowledge and practice regarding Individualized Communication Protocol. Results strongly recommend for regular training sessions for health care professionals which help them to improve communication by enabling them to enhance their practice

Вплив конфігурації переходу на продуктивність сонячних елементів In2S3/CZTS

У роботі представлено чисельне моделювання сонячних елементів на основі CZTS з використанням одновимірної програми моделювання сонячних елементів, яка називається симулятором ємності сонячного елементу (SCAPS). Було вивчено вплив товщини буферного шару In2S3 та густини природних дефектів на продуктивність та характеристики J-V сонячних елементів на основі CZTS. Результати моделювання показують, що оптимальна товщина буферного шару In2S3 становить 50 нм. Було виявлено, що густина дефектів ідеальна від 1015 до 1017 см – 3. Оптимальні фотоелектричні параметри були досягнуті з ефективністю 20,95 % при JSC = 26,85 мА/см2 та VOC = 0,78 В.This research work presents a numerical simulation of CZTS based solar cell by using one dimensional solar cell simulation program called solar cell capacitance simulator (SCAPS). In this work, the influence of In2S3 buffer layer thickness and natural defect density on the performance and the J-V characteristics of CZTS based solar cells has been studied. The simulation results illustrate that the optimal In2S3 buffer layer thickness is 50 nm. We observed that the defect density is perfect from1015 to 1017 cm – 3. The optimal photovoltaic parameters have been achieved with an efficiency of 20.95 % with JSC = 26.85 mA/cm2 and VOC = 0.78 V

Обчислювання фотоелектричних характеристик сонячних елементів CdS/Si: ефект антиблікових шарів

Фотоелектричне перетворення - це фотоелектронний процес, який передбачає взаємодію між фотоном та електроном1 Мета полягає в дослідженні фізичного принципу роботи фотоелектричного елемента на основі кремнію1 Зовнішніми параметрами, які ми визначили на основі фотоелектричної моделі, є струм короткого замикання, напруга холостого ходу і ефективність фотоелектричного перетворення1 Проведено моделювання фотоелектричних параметрів за допомогою програмного забезпечення симулятора ємності сонячних батарей SCAPS-1D, математична модель якого базується на розв’язуванні рівнянь Пуассона для електронів і дірок1 Для досліждень були використані ITO/CdS/Si та ZnO/Si/CdS1 У даній роботі вивчено вплив температури та концентрації легування на дві структури сонячного елемента з гетеропереходом1 Найвище значення ефективності для сонячної батареї з гетеропереходом ZnO/CdS/Si мало величину 41,9%, для структури ITO/CdS/Si - 41,7 % завдяки впливу поглинаючого шару ITO1.Photovoltaic conversion is a photo-electronic process that involves the interaction between a photo and an electron. The subject is to present a study on the physical principle of operation of a photovoltaic cell based on silicon. The external parameters that we have determined from a photovoltaic model are the short-circuit current (Jsc), the open-circuit voltage (Voc) and the photovoltaic conversion efficiency (ƞ), we simulate the photovoltaic parameters by the Solar Cell Capacitance Simulator structures (SCAPS-1D) software whose mathematical model is based on solving the equations of Poisson and continuity of electrons and holes. We used two structures to carry out this study, the first ITO/CdS/Si and the second ZnO/Si/CdS, after having noted their current-voltage characteristic (J-V). In this paper we studied the effect of the temperature and the doping concentration on the two structures of heterojunction solar cell. The highest performance value for the ZnO/CdS/Si heterojunction solar cell was simulated as 29.3 %. The performance value for the ITO/CdS/Si structure was increased to 29.7 % with the impact of the ITO antireflective layer

Fenretinide inhibits obesity and fatty liver disease but induces Smpd3 to increase serum ceramides and worsen atherosclerosis in LDLR-/- mice

Acknowledgements This study was supported by funds from the British Heart Foundation (PG16/90/32518) project grant to N. Mody and a PhD studentship to S.M. by the James Mearns Trust and School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen (UoA). No potential conflicts of interest relevant to this article are reported. N. Mody and D.T. conceived the study, designed the experiments and wrote the manuscript. D.T., S.M, N. Morrice, R.D., S.K.S, P.H. performed experiments. P.W. and M.D. performed the ceramide analysis, M.D. contributed to the study conception, discussions and reviewed the manuscript. N.Mody is the guarantor of this work and, as such, had full access to all the data in this study and takes responsibility for the integrity and accuracy of the data analysis. The authors thank the UoA animal research facility, qPCR core facility (Institute of Medical Sciences, UoA) and Linda Davidson (NHS Grampian) for their technical contributions regarding animal studies, qPCR and histology respectively and Alison Rutter at UHI for lipidomics support. We thank UoA Masters students Emma Forbes and Nawaf Alsulami for assisting in experiments on ApoE-/- mice. The authors also wish to thank Patrick W F Hadoke (University of Edinburgh) and Heather M Wilson (UoA) for invaluable discussions about mechanisms of atherosclerosis and review of the manuscript, Matteo Zanda, Sergio Dall’Angelo, Chiara Zanato and Ilaria Patruno (all UoA) for medicinal chemistry support.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Fenretinide inhibits obesity and fatty liver disease but induces Smpd3 to increase serum ceramides and worsen atherosclerosis in LDLR −/− mice

Fenretinide is a synthetic retinoid that can prevent obesity and improve insulin sensitivity in mice by directly altering retinol/retinoic acid homeostasis and inhibiting excess ceramide biosynthesis. We determined the effects of Fenretinide on LDLR−/− mice fed high-fat/high-cholesterol diet ± Fenretinide, a model of atherosclerosis and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Fenretinide prevented obesity, improved insulin sensitivity and completely inhibited hepatic triglyceride accumulation, ballooning and steatosis. Moreover, Fenretinide decreased the expression of hepatic genes driving NAFLD, inflammation and fibrosis e.g. Hsd17b13, Cd68 and Col1a1. The mechanisms of Fenretinide’s beneficial effects in association with decreased adiposity were mediated by inhibition of ceramide synthesis, via hepatic DES1 protein, leading to increased dihydroceramide precursors. However, Fenretinide treatment in LDLR−/− mice enhanced circulating triglycerides and worsened aortic plaque formation. Interestingly, Fenretinide led to a fourfold increase in hepatic sphingomyelinase Smpd3 expression, via a retinoic acid-mediated mechanism and a further increase in circulating ceramide levels, linking induction of ceramide generation via sphingomyelin hydrolysis to a novel mechanism of increased atherosclerosis. Thus, despite beneficial metabolic effects, Fenretinide treatment may under certain circumstances enhance the development of atherosclerosis. However, targeting both DES1 and Smpd3 may be a novel, more potent therapeutic approach for the treatment of metabolic syndrome

Expressed Sequence Tags for Bovine Muscle Satellite Cells, Myotube Formed-Cells and Adipocyte-Like Cells

<div><p>Background</p><p>Muscle satellite cells (MSCs) represent a devoted stem cell population that is responsible for postnatal muscle growth and skeletal muscle regeneration. An important characteristic of MSCs is that they encompass multi potential mesenchymal stem cell activity and are able to differentiate into myocytes and adipocytes. To achieve a global view of the genes differentially expressed in MSCs, myotube formed-cells (MFCs) and adipocyte-like cells (ALCs), we performed large-scale EST sequencing of normalized cDNA libraries developed from bovine MSCs.</p> <p>Results</p><p>A total of 24,192 clones were assembled into 3,333 clusters, 5,517 singletons and 3,842contigs. Functional annotation of these unigenes revealed that a large portion of the differentially expressed genes are involved in cellular and signaling processes. Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) functional analysis of three subsets of highly expressed gene lists (MSC233, MFC258, and ALC248) highlighted some common and unique biological processes among MSC, MFC and ALC. Additionally, genes that may be specific to MSC, MFC and ALC are reported here, and the role of <i>dimethylarginine</i><i>dimethylaminohydrolase2</i> (<i>DDAH2</i>) during myogenesis and <i>hemoglobin</i><i>subunit</i><i>alpha2</i> (<i>HBA2</i>) during transdifferentiation in C2C12 were assayed as a case study. <i>DDAH2</i> was up-regulated during myognesis and knockdown of <i>DDAH2</i> by siRNA significantly decreased myogenin (<i>MYOG</i>) expression corresponding with the slight change in cell morphology. In contrast, <i>HBA2</i> was up-regulated during ALC formation and resulted in decreased intracellular lipid accumulation and <i>CD36</i> mRNA expression upon knockdown assay.</p> <p>Conclusion</p><p>In this study, a large number of EST sequences were generated from the MSC, MFC and ALC. Overall, the collection of ESTs generated in this study provides a starting point for the identification of novel genes involved in MFC and ALC formation, which in turn offers a fundamental resource to enable better understanding of the mechanism of muscle differentiation and transdifferentiation.</p> </div

<i>DDAH2</i> knockdown in C2C12 cells during myogenesis.

<p>mRNA expression of <i>DDAH2</i> and <i>MYOG</i> after <i>DDAH2</i>_kd during differentiation in C2C12 at Day 2 (A). Representative cell picture showing morphological changes in <i>DDAH2</i>_kd cells (B). Mock represents control (mean ± S.D., n= 3). <i>p</i>-value indicates the statistical significance of the data and different letters show significant differences among groups.</p