DETERMINATION OF BIOACTIVE COMPONENTS OF BARLERIA COURTALLICA NEES (ACANTHACEAE) BY GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY–MASS SPECTROMETRY ANALYSIS

Objective: The present investigation was carried out to determine the possible bioactive components of stem, root, and leaf of Barleria courtallica Nees using a gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS).Methods: The phytocomponents of the ethanol extracts of stem, root, and leaf of B. courtallica were investigated using PerkinElmer GC-MS, while the mass spectra of the compounds found in the extracts were matched with the National Institute of Standards and Technology version II library. Results: 25, 23, and 28 compounds were identified in the ethanol extracts of stem, root, and leaf of B. courtallica, respectively. The prevailing compounds of stem were β-sitosterol (20.27%), stigmasterol (17.07%), eicosane, 7-hexyl- (6.64%), 3,7,11,15-tetramethyl-2-hexadecan-1-ol (5.97%), and tetracosane, 11-decyl- (5.91%). The major constituents recorded from root extract of B. courtallica were β-sitosterol (22.94%), stigmasterol (20.17%), urs-12-en-28-oic acid, 3-hydroxy-, methyl ester, (3β)- (18.42%), and eiosane, 7-hexyl- (7.06%). The prevailing compounds of leaf were 3,7,11,15- tetramethyl-2-hexadecan-1-ol (34.42%), phytol (14.18%), β-sitosterol (12.71%), squalene (11.25%), stigmasterol (8.15%), phytol acetate (6.53%). Conclusions: From the results, it is evident that B. courtallica contains various bioactive compounds and is recommended as a plant of phytopharmaceutical importance

Agreement Study Between the ParvoMedics TrueOne 2400 and Vacu-Med Vista MINI-CPX Metabolic Measurement System

Aerobic capacity (VO2 MAX) predicts both athletic performance and health status. Many tools are available to assess VO2 MAX ranging in both cost and accuracy. Understanding limitations of less expensive tools, likely found in settings such as health clinics or sports performance facilities, will help practitioners in developing accurate exercise prescriptions for their respective populations. To evaluate agreement lower cost VO2 MAX assessment tool (Vacu-Med Vista MINI-CPX) to the industry “gold standard” (ParvoMedics TrueOne 2400). Thirty-one participants (22.5 ± 3.5 years; BMI 24.9 ± 2.3; 51% female) completed two sessions of maximal VO2 MAX assessment using the Bruce Protocol graded treadmill exercise test. The first session of assessment utilized the “gold-standard” unit (TrueOne 2400, ParvoMedics, Inc., Murray, UT). 24-48 hours later the second unit (Vista Mini-CPX, Vacu-Med, Inc., Ventura, CA) was used to assess VO2 MAX again. A Bland-Altman analyses was used to evaluate both potential bias and agreement for between the two assessment tools. The CPX unit sig­nificantly overestimated VO2 MAX compared to the TrueOne (Bias = 10.67 ± 5.87 ml/kg/min, LoA = -0.83, 22.18; t = 1.96, p \u3c .001). However, the CPX unit demonstrates good reliability as 93.5% (29/31 participants) of values fell within the 95% LoA. Further, values above 46.5 ml/kg/min tend to be greater than the mean bias while those below tend to be lower than the mean bias (r = .605, F = 16.80, p \u3c .001). The CPX unit demon­strates good reliability yet a significant overestimation of aerobic capacity

Wearable activity technology and action-planning (WATAAP) to promote physical activity in cancer survivors: Randomised controlled trial protocol

Background/Objective: Colorectal and gynecologic cancer survivors are at cardiovascular risk due to comorbidities and sedentary behaviour, warranting a feasible intervention to increase physical activity. The Health Action Process Approach (HAPA) is a promising theoretical frame-work for health behaviour change, and wearable physical activity trackers offer a novel means of self-monitoring physical activity for cancer survivors. Method: Sixty-eight survivors of colorectal and gynecologic cancer will be randomised into 12- week intervention and control groups. Intervention group participants will receive: a Fitbit AltaTM to monitor physical activity, HAPA-based group sessions, booklet, and support phone-call. Participants in the control group will only receive the HAPA-based booklet. Physical activity (using accelerometers), blood pressure, BMI, and HAPA constructs will be assessed at baseline, 12-weeks (post-intervention) and 24-weeks (follow-up). Data analysis will use the Group x Time interaction from a General Linear Mixed Model analysis. Conclusions: Physical activity interventions that are acceptable and have robust theoretical underpinnings show promise for improving the health of cancer survivors

Radio continuum imaging of FIR luminous QSOs at z>6

We present sensitive imaging at 1.4 GHz of the two highest redshift far-infrared (FIR) luminous QSOs SDSS J114816.65+525150.2 (z=6.42) and SDSS J104845.05+463718.3 (z=6.2). Radio continuum emission is detected from J1148+5251 with S_{1.4} = 55 \pm 12 uJy, while J1048+4637 is marginally detected with S_{1.4} = 26 \pm 12 uJy. Comparison of the radio and FIR luminosities shows that both sources follow the radio-FIR correlation for star forming galaxies, with implied (massive) star formation rates \sim 10^3 M_sun year^{-1}, although we cannot rule-out as much as 50% of the FIR luminosity being powered by the AGN. Five bright (> 22 mJy) radio sources are detected within 8' of J1148+5251. This is a factor 30 more than expected for a random field. Two sources have SDSS redshifts, including a z = 1.633 radio loud quasar and a z = 0.05 radio galaxy. However, we do not find evidence for a galaxy cluster in the SDSS data, at least out to z = 0.2. Considering the faint SDSS magnitudes of the remaining radio sources, we conclude that the over-density of radio sources could either be a statistical fluke, or a very large scale structure (> 8 Mpc comoving) at z > 1. We also consider the possibility of gravitational lensing by the closest (in angle) bright galaxy in the SDSS data at z = 0.05, and conclude that the galaxy provides negligible magnification.Comment: aastex, 5 figures, 2 tables. to appear in the Astronomical Journa

Predicting Corrosion Damage in the Human Body Using Artificial Intelligence: In Vitro Progress and Future Applications Applications

Artificial intelligence (AI) is used in the clinic to improve patient care. While the successes illustrate the impact AI can have, few studies have led to improved clinical outcomes. A gap in translational studies, beginning at the basic science level, exists. In this review, we focus on how AI models implemented in non-orthopedic fields of corrosion science may apply to the study of orthopedic alloys. We first define and introduce fundamental AI concepts and models, as well as physiologically relevant corrosion damage modes. We then systematically review the corrosion/AI literature. Finally, we identify several AI models that may be Preprint implemented to study fretting, crevice, and pitting corrosion of titanium and cobalt chrome alloys

Associations of cereal grains intake with cardiovascular disease and mortality across 21 countries in prospective urban and rural epidemiology study: Prospective cohort study

Objective: To evaluate the association between intakes of refined grains, whole grains, and white rice with cardiovascular disease, total mortality, blood lipids, and blood pressure in the Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study.Design: Prospective cohort study.Setting: PURE study in 21 countries.Participants: 148 858 participants with median follow-up of 9.5 years.Exposures: Country specific validated food frequency questionnaires were used to assess intakes of refined grains, whole grains, and white rice.Main outcome measure: Composite of mortality or major cardiovascular events (defined as death from cardiovascular causes, non-fatal myocardial infarction, stroke, or heart failure). Hazard ratios were estimated for associations of grain intakes with mortality, major cardiovascular events, and their composite by using multivariable Cox frailty models with random intercepts to account for clustering by centre.Results: Analyses were based on 137 130 participants after exclusion of those with baseline cardiovascular disease. During follow-up, 9.2% (n=12 668) of these participants had a composite outcome event. The highest category of intake of refined grains (≥350 g/day or about 7 servings/day) was associated with higher risk of total mortality (hazard ratio 1.27, 95% confidence interval 1.11 to 1.46; P for trend=0.004), major cardiovascular disease events (1.33, 1.16 to 1.52; P for trend\u3c0.001), and their composite (1.28, 1.15 to 1.42; P for trend\u3c0.001) compared with the lowest category of intake (\u3c50 g/day). Higher intakes of refined grains were associated with higher systolic blood pressure. No significant associations were found between intakes of whole grains or white rice and health outcomes.Conclusion: High intake of refined grains was associated with higher risk of mortality and major cardiovascular disease events. Globally, lower consumption of refined grains should be considered

NKTR-102 Efficacy versus irinotecan in a mouse model of brain metastases of breast cancer

Background: Brain metastases are an increasing problem in women with invasive breast cancer. Strategies designed to treat brain metastases of breast cancer, particularly chemotherapeutics such as irinotecan, demonstrate limited efficacy. Conventional irinotecan distributes poorly to brain metastases; therefore, NKTR-102, a PEGylated irinotecan conjugate should enhance irinotecan and its active metabolite SN38 exposure in brain metastases leading to brain tumor cytotoxicity. Methods: Female nude mice were intracranially or intracardially implanted with human brain seeking breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231Br) and dosed with irinotecan or NKTR-102 to determine plasma and tumor pharmacokinetics of irinotecan and SN38. Tumor burden and survival were evaluated in mice treated with vehicle, irinotecan (50 mg/kg), or NKTR-102 low and high doses (10 mg/kg, 50 mg/kg respectively). Results: NKTR-102 penetrates the blood-tumor barrier and distributes to brain metastases. NKTR-102 increased and prolonged SN38 exposure (\u3e20 ng/g for 168 h) versus conventional irinotecan (\u3e1 ng/g for 4 h). Treatment with NKTR-102 extended survival time (from 35 days to 74 days) and increased overall survival for NKTR-102 low dose (30 % mice) and NKTR-102 high dose (50 % mice). Tumor burden decreased (37 % with 10 mg/kg NKTR-102 and 96 % with 50 mg/kg) and lesion sizes decreased (33 % with 10 mg/kg NKTR-102 and 83 % with 50 mg/kg NKTR-102) compared to conventional irinotecan treated animals. Conclusions: Elevated and prolonged tumor SN38 exposure after NKTR-102 administration appears responsible for increased survival in this model of breast cancer brain metastasis. Further, SN38 concentrations observed in this study are clinically achieved with 145 mg/m2 NKTR-102, such as those used in the BEACON trial, underlining translational relevance of these results

Microwave irradiation synthesis and characterization of reduced-(graphene oxide-(polystyrene-polymethyl methacrylate))/silver nanoparticle nanocomposites and their anti-microbial activity.

Herein, we report a facile process for the preparation of styrene and methyl-methacrylate copolymer nanocomposites containing reduced graphene oxide and silver nanoparticles ((R-(GO-(PS-PMMA))/AgNPs)) by using (i) microwave irradiation (MWI) to obtain R-(GO-(PSPMMA))/AgNPs and (ii) the in situ bulk polymerization technique to produce RGO/AgNPs-(PSPMMA). Various characterization techniques, including FT-IR, XPS, Raman spectroscopy, XRD, SEM, HR-TEM, DSC, and TGA analysis, were used to characterize the prepared nanocomposites. The Berkovich nanoindentation method was employed to determine the hardness and elastic modulus of the nanocomposites. The results showed that the MWI-produced nanocomposites were found to have enhanced morphological, structural, and thermal properties compared with those of the nanocomposites prepared by the in situ method. In addition, the antibacterial activity of the prepared nanocomposites against the E. coli HB 101 K-12 was investigated, whereby an inhibition zone of 3 mm (RGO/AgNPs-(PS-PMMA) and 27 mm (R-(GO-(PS-PMMA))/AgNPs) was achieved. This indicates that the MWI-prepared nanocomposite has stronger antibacterial activity than the in situ-prepared nanocomposite

Discrete Dimers of Redox-Active and Fluorescent Perylene Diimide-Based Rigid Isosceles Triangles in the Solid State

The development of rigid covalent chiroptical organic materials, with multiple, readily available redox states, which exhibit high photoluminescence, is of particular importance in relation to both organic electronics and photonics. The chemically stable, thermally robust, and redox-active perylene diimide (PDI) fluorophores have received ever-increasing attention owing to their excellent fluorescence quantum yields in solution. Planar PDI derivatives, however, generally suffer from aggregation-caused emission quenching in the solid state. Herein, we report on the design and synthesis of two chiral isosceles triangles, wherein one PDI fluorophore and two pyromellitic diimide (PMDI) or naphthalene diimide (NDI) units are arranged in a rigid cyclic triangular geometry. The optical, electronic, and magnetic properties of the rigid isosceles triangles are fully characterized by a combination of optical spectroscopies, X-ray diffraction (XRD), cyclic voltammetry, and computational modeling techniques. Single-crystal XRD analysis shows that both isosceles triangles form discrete, nearly cofacial PDI–PDI π-dimers in the solid state. While the triangles exhibit fluorescence quantum yields of almost unity in solution, the dimers in the solid state exhibit very weak—yet at least an order of magnitude higher—excimer fluorescence yield in comparison with the almost completely quenched fluorescence of a reference PDI. The triangle containing both NDI and PDI subunits shows superior intramolecular energy transfer from the lowest excited singlet state of the NDI to that of the PDI subunit. Cyclic voltammetry suggests that both isosceles triangles exhibit multiple, easily accessible, and reversible redox states. Applications beckon in arenas related to molecular optoelectronic devices

Effect of anatomic motion on proton therapy dose distributions in prostate cancer treatment

Purpose: To determine the dosimetric impact of interfraction anatomic movements in prostate cancer patients receiving proton therapy. Methods and Materials: For each of the 10 patients studied, 8 computed tomography (CT) scans were selected from sets of daily setup CT images that were acquired from a cohort of prostate cancer patients. The images were acquired in the treatment room using the CT-on-rails system. First, standard proton therapy and intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) plans were designed for each patient using standard modality-specific methods. The images, the proton plan, and the IMRT plan were then aligned to the eight CT images based on skin marks. The doses were recalculated on these eight CT images using beam from the standard plans. Second, the plans were redesigned and evaluated assuming a smaller clinical target volume to planning target volume margin (3 mm). The images and the corresponding plans were then realigned based on the center of volume of the prostate. Dose distributions were evaluated using isodose displays, dose-volume histograms, and target coverage. Results: For the skin-marker alignment method, 4 of the 10 IMRT plans were deficient, whereas 3 of 10 proton plans were compromised. For the alignment method based on the center of volume of the prostate, only the proton plan for 1 patient was deficient, whereas 3 of the 10 IMRT plans were suboptimal. Conclusion: A comparison of passively scattered proton therapy and highly conformal IMRT plans for prostate cancer revealed that the dosimetric impact of interfractional anatomic motions was similar for both modalities. © 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved