Surface-Enhanced Coherent Raman scattering (SE-CRS) with Noble Metal Nanoparticles

Early cancer detection remains challenging due to numerous complex tempo-spatial metabolic changes in cell physiology. Based on their ability to recognise molecular structures and pathological changes at molecular levels, spectroscopic have recently emerged as promising non-invasive, non-ionising, and cost-efficient tools to help detect cancer, and other human pathologies. Raman spectroscopy is a valuable technique that provides information regarding the chemical properties of materials. Nevertheless, it has limitations due to the limited amount of Raman light scattered. Strategies for cancer diagnostics and therapies are based on the hypothesis that nanoparticles (NPs) can be precisely tailored to target cancer cells. However, the tools required to image NPs at cellular levels remain scarce in the literature. The work outlined in this thesis, for the first time, utilises noble metal NPs and Raman reporters, with the mechanisms of surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS), in cancer cells and tumour spheroids to address the demerits of low spatial resolution, signal-to-noise ratio, and chemical specificity. SERS and CARS have broadly been explored in this regard. To increase the effectiveness of Raman scattering, a variety of techniques have been devised to boost its intensity. Primarily, I studied four techniques to increase Raman scattering intensity with the ultimate objective of improving sensitivity and assessing limits of various Raman methods: SERS, surface-enhanced coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (SE-CARS), surface-enhanced stimulated Raman scattering (SE-SRS), and broadband coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (BCARS). Coherent Raman scattering (CRS) is utilised to enhance weak Raman bands. The signal is enhanced by nonlinear interaction of the excitation lasers within the sample. Despite the advantages offered over Raman, CRS has been relatively unexploited for image Raman tagged NPs. This challenge has recently been addressed using surface plasmon enhancement, which gives significantly enhanced inelastic scattering signals as well as reduced signal-to-noise ratio. Surface-enhanced coherent Raman scattering (SE-CRS) has been characterised by using a variety of techniques such as SERS, CARS, and SE-CARS. This work provides a step forward to develop plasmon enhanced SRS and CARS in addressing critical biological questions using nonlinear bio-photonics. In the first part of this thesis, I developed a reproducible substrate that mimics gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and allows forward detection which is critical for CRS. I investigated the effects of annealing on gold films deposited on glass substrates with thicknesses from 3 nm to 15 nm as described in depth in chapter 5. In addition to this, it provides an explanation of the work that was performed to explore the interaction between Raman tags BPT (biphenyl-4-thiol), BPE trans-1,2-bis(4-pyridyl) ethylene, and IR 820 (new indocyanine green) on gold films substrates using 785 nm laser excitation. In the second part of this thesis, I investigated the interactions between Raman tags of BPT on gold films substrates using CRS and broadband CARS techniques. These experiments also offer the SE-CRS enhancement signal. The research done to examine gold thin film substrates and to offer SE-SRS and SE-CARS enhancement signals in the fingerprint region as described in chapter 6. Using CRS microscopy, the investigations in this chapter study these interactions. In the third part of this thesis, I developed a novel imaging methodology for the visualisation of AuNPs inside cellular structures and spheroids, with the intention of acquiring distinct spectroscopic fingerprints. Consequently, I undertook the task of devising protocols for visualising AuNPs and Raman reporter molecules within cancer cell models, spheroids, and animal tissues as described in chapter 7. The aim was to attain distinctive spectroscopic profiles by employing the SE-CRS technique, achieved by illuminating AuNPs along with Raman reporter molecules (BPT, BPE, IR 820) using low intensity infrared light, with both the pump and Stokes beams operating at intensities below 0.2 mW. In summary, this thesis sheds light on the development of surface plasmon resonance phenomena based on metallic nanostructures for use in nonlinear inelastic scattering systems, including surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), coherent Raman scattering (CRS), and surface-enhanced coherent Raman scattering (SE- CRS). The primary focus is to use this system for disease diagnostics, rooted in SERS, reflects a commitment to advancing cancer diagnostics, based on SERS thereby enhancing the precision and discrimination of molecular signals, making a significant stride towards more effective and nuanced cancer diagnostics

Effectiveness of an Educational Workshop on Dental Hygiene Students’ Competence and Comfort in Treating Transgender Patients

Background: Transgender individuals face barriers to health care, such as harassment, violence, and the refusal of care. Current literature shows a lack of instruction about caring for sexual minority patients in dental and allied dental education programs, which contributes to the barriers to care for this population. Objective: The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to determine the effectiveness of an educational workshop on dental hygiene student competence and comfort levels in treating transgender patients. Methodology Dental hygiene students’ competence and comfort levels in treating transgender individuals were evaluated using an adapted version of the Assessing Medical Attitudes Toward Transgender Care survey. The researcher collected primary data from a convenience sample of 45 dental hygiene students who attended an educational workshop about caring for transgender individuals. Data were collected at Week 1 (baseline) and Week 6 (post-workshop). Results: The researcher used the Wilcoxon signed-rank test to analyze the data. The results showed a statistically significant increase from pretest to posttest in competence (1.6667 - 3.0000; z = 5.373) and comfort (3.0000 - 3.8000; z = 4.799) scores after attending the educational workshop, p\u3c.05. Conclusions: The findings of this study provide evidence that suggests education about transgender health care increases competence and comfort levels among dental hygiene students. Educators should consider including this content in dental and allied dental education curricula. When creating and revising dental hygiene curricula, educators and policymakers should ensure this content is included in suffcient scope and depth to prepare graduates to care for this population.https://jdc.jefferson.edu/sexandgenderhealth/1006/thumbnail.jp

The Influence of Professional Identity Formation on the Attitudes of HealthCare Professional Students toward Interprofessionalism

The objective of this study was to quantify first-year health professional students’ attitudes toward their own and other professions following an interprofessional education (IPE) course. Additionally, this study sought to investigate the relationship between strength of professional identity and attitudes toward other professions. Professional identity, along with the stereotypes that students hold of other professions, are key factors influencing IPE. Expectations are that attitudes towards other professions will improve following participation in an introductory IPE experience. However, theory surrounding professional identity formation suggests this expectation may be premature. In the Fall of 2011, using a pre/post-test design, researchers administered the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale and the Interdisciplinary Education Perception Scale to 864 first year healthcare students enrolled in an introductory IPE course at the University of Minnesota. The findings showed a decline in student attitudes toward their own and other professions and a positive correlation between a weakened professional identity and readiness for IPE. The findings of this study revealed a first-year IPE course did not positively affect student attitudes toward other professions. Additionally, the results suggest strength of professional identity is associated with readiness for interprofessional learning. Analysis of the findings supports the stages of professional identity formation postulated by Bebeau and Monson in an adaptation of Kegan’s Constructive-Developmental Theory of Self. The findings of this study support Kegan’s theory of identity development as a framework for understanding the phenomenon of declining attitudes of first-year healthcare professional students toward other professions following an introductory IPE course. Kegan’s theory may provide a constructivist-developmental framework for IPE by providing transitional periods of professional identity development for students. This study may also help to inform faculty of the stage of professional identity of their students and to set realistic expectations for introductory IPE. Learning objectives: 1 Explain the developmental stages of professional identity formation. 2 Discuss the application of Robert Kegan’s theory as a framework to construct progressing phases of interprofessional education. 3 Discuss the suggestion that unchanging or declining attitudes toward IPE may be a reflection of natural professional identity development in health care professions students

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Lumber Corset Wearing in Low Back Ache: A Rehabilitation Center Based Cross-sectional Study

Patients are most commonly advised by medical practitioners even after remaining wide range of controversy regarding wearing of lumber corset in low backache (LBA). Therefore, this study aimed to determine the potential evidence of using lumber orthosis in LBA. The study adopted 50 participants (21 male and 29 female) ages ranging between 20 to 60 years as sample selecting randomly from September to December 2015. Outcome evaluated by calculating and presenting descriptive statistics at 0.05 p-value and x2 test with confidence intervals (95%), Odd Ratio (OR), and Relative Risk (RR). Age and sex were not statistically significant determinants (x2 1.172, p 0.279 and x2 0.593, p 0.441, respectively). Wearing orthosis and reduce pain in a journey found as protective (RR 0.79 and RR 0.94) also poor relationship discovered in considering OR (OR 0.242, 95% CI 0.021-2.780 and OR 0.857, 95% CI 0.164-4.467). Our data were unable to provide adequate proof that wearing lumber corset bring any clinical or therapeutic benefit in managing LBA to the patients

Insight into the Sustainable Integration of Bio- and Petroleum Refineries for the Production of Fuels and Chemicals.

A petroleum refinery heavily depends on crude oil as its main feedstock to produce liquid fuels and chemicals. In the long term, this unyielding dependency is threatened by the depletion of the crude oil reserve. However, in the short term, its price highly fluctuates due to various factors, such as regional and global security instability causing additional complexity on refinery production planning. The petroleum refining industries are also drawing criticism and pressure due to their direct and indirect impacts on the environment. The exhaust gas emission of automobiles apart from the industrial and power plant emission has been viewed as the cause of global warming. In this sense, there is a need for a feasible, sustainable, and environmentally friendly generation process of fuels and chemicals. The attention turns to the utilization of biomass as a potential feedstock to produce substitutes for petroleum-derived fuels and building blocks for biochemicals. Biomass is abundant and currently is still low in utilization. The biorefinery, a facility to convert biomass into biofuels and biochemicals, is still lacking in competitiveness to a petroleum refinery. An attractive solution that addresses both is by the integration of bio- and petroleum refineries. In this context, the right decision making in the process selection and technologies can lower the investment and operational costs and assure optimum yield. Process optimization based on mathematical programming has been extensively used to conduct techno-economic and sustainability analysis for bio-, petroleum, and the integration of both refineries. This paper provides insights into the context of crude oil and biomass as potential refinery feedstocks. The current optimization status of either bio- or petroleum refineries and their integration is reviewed with the focus on the methods to solve the multi-objective optimization problems. Internal and external uncertain parameters are important aspects in process optimization. The nature of these uncertain parameters and their representation methods in process optimization are also discussed

Intimate Partner Violence and Pregnancy Termination in Armenia: Evidence from Nationally-Representative Survey Data

Intimate partner violence has been associated with numerous consequences for women, including pregnancy termination. This study examined the association between predictive capacity of intimate partner violence and pregnancy termination among women in Armenia. The study analyzed the 2015–16 Armenia Demographic and Health Survey (ADHS) data on women aged 15–49 (Mean: 31.49; Standard Deviation, SD: 9.51). Marital control exercised by husbands, ever experienced physical violence, sexual violence, and emotional violence by husbands were the four indicators of intimate partner violence used in this study. To assess the association between intimate partner violence and pregnancy termination, a binary logistic regression model was fitted. After controlling for confounders, we found that women whose husbands exercised marital control were 26% more likely to experience pregnancy termination, compared to women whose husbands did not exercise marital control (adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 1.26, 95% Confidence interval (CI): 1.03–1.53). Women who ever experienced sexual violence were about 10 times likely to experience pregnancy termination than women who did not experience sexual violence (aOR: 9.76, 95% CI: 1.91–49.96). Both ever experienced physical violence and emotional violence did not have any significant associations with pregnancy termination. Forms of intimate partner violence are associated with pregnancy termination. The findings of this study provide evidence for government and policymakers to formulate, modify, and implement policies and program that target both men and women regarding the prevailing intimate partner violence and its consequences. Strengthening the policy implementation will ensure that women are empowered to make decisions about their reproductive health. Making husbands and their family members aware of the basics and consequences of intimate partner violence and focusing on child cognitive development which can be hampered due to the prevalence violence in families are recommended

A novel live-attenuated vaccine candidate for mayaro Fever.

Mayaro virus (MAYV) is an emerging, mosquito-borne alphavirus that causes a dengue-like illness in many regions of South America, and which has the potential to urbanize. Because no specific treatment or vaccine is available for MAYV infection, we capitalized on an IRES-based approach to develop a live-attenuated MAYV vaccine candidate. Testing in infant, immunocompetent as well as interferon receptor-deficient mice demonstrated a high degree of attenuation, strong induction of neutralizing antibodies, and efficacy against lethal challenge. This vaccine strain was also unable to infect mosquito cells, a major safety feature for a live vaccine derived from a mosquito-borne virus. Further preclinical development of this vaccine candidate is warranted to protect against this important emerging disease

Sustainability assessment of xylitol production from empty fruit bunch

Empty fruit bunch (EFB), one of the wastes from palm oil production, can be utilized into fuels and chemicals. The aim of this paper is to find the optimum capacity to produce xylitol from EFB. The optimum capacity was found by simultaneously considering its profitability, hazard potential and environmental performances. The process was developed and simulated using Aspen Plus to analyze its technical challenges and economic performances, covering net present values, internal rate of returns and payback period. On the other hand, hazard identification and ranking (HIRA) was used to evaluate its safety performances, while Simapro V.8.5.2 was used to assess the environmental impact via a life cycle assessment (LCA). The results show that the high consumption of steam in chemical hydrogenation causes the main contribution of Global warming potential (GWP) by 62%. This acid pre-treatment is also considered the most toxic part of the process while the hydrogenation of xylitol is the most hazardous part based on fire and explosion perspectives. Then, multi-objective optimization using Genetic Algorithm (GA) was performed in Matlab to find the optimum capacity. The methodology and result of this work lay the foundation of future works in utilizing

Enhanced photocatalytic degradation of acetaminophen from wastewater using WO3/TiO2/SiO2 composite under UV–VIS irradiation

peer-reviewedThe full text of this article will not be available in ULIR until the embargo expires on the 26/8/2019This study investigates the photocatalytic degradation of acetaminophen (Ace) from synthetic wastewater by individual TiO2, TiO2/SiO2 and/or WO3/TiO2/SiO2 composite under UV-VIS illumination. To characterize changes in their morphology and crystal structures before and after treatment, Χ-ray diffraction (ΧRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) , DRS UV-VIS absorption spectra, Brunaer-Emmer-Teller (BET) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques were used. The effects of varying loading ratios of the WO3 on the TiO2/SiO2 composite for Ace degradation were studied. Operating parameters such as initial concentration, reaction time, dose of photocatalyst and pH were tested. Degradation by-products were also presented. It is found that the photodegradation performance of the WO3/TiO2/SiO2 composite as a photocatalyst in this study could be enhanced by optimizing the loading ratio of the WO3. About 3% (w/w) of WO3/TiO2/SiO2 was found to improve the degradation of Ace from 33% to 95% at the same initial concentration of 5 mg/L. The resulting oxidation by-products included hydroquinone and 1,4-benzoquinone. Under the same conditions, the result of photocatalytic degradation by the 3% (w/w) of WO3/TiO2/SiO2 composite was significantly higher (95%) than that by the individual TiO2/SiO2 (42%) and/or by the TiO2 alone (33%). Under optimized conditions (1.5 g/L; 3% (w/w) of WO3/TiO2/SiO2 composite; pH 9; 4 h of reaction time), 95% of Ace removal with an initial concentration of 5 mg/L could be attained. However, the treated effluents still could not meet the discharge standard of less than 0.2 mg/L set by China’s and US legislation. This indicates that further subsequent treatment like biological processes is still necessary for completing the removal of target pollutant from the wastewater samples