Synthesis and Photodetection Properties of Sonochemically Exfoliated Cu0.2Sn0.8Se Nanoparticles

Transition metal chalcogenides (TMCs) with atomically minute structure have shown excessive potential for their optoelectronics field applications and their counterparts. TMCs unique layer dependent properties have pinched increasing consideration of scientists. Here, the high yield synthesis of atomically minute Cu0.2Sn0.8Se nanoparticles has been reported. The nanoparticles are synthesised by sonochemical exfoliation technique. The exfoliated Cu0.2Sn0.8Se nanoparticles have orthorhombic lattice structure which is confirmed from powder X-ray Diffraction with Pnma space group. The lateral morphology of the assynthesized nanoparticles examined under transmission electron microscopy showed them to be of uniform spherical shape. The selected area electron diffraction showed a spot pattern stating the particles to be single crystalline. Moreover, the photodetector based on Cu0.2Sn0.8Se nanoparticles thin film is fabricated. The periodic 670 nm laser illumination of power intensity 3 mW/cm2 is used to study the detector properties. The enhanced photo responsivity and specific detectivity is observed along with fast response. The outstanding detection properties are revealed from the responsivity, specific detectivity, and external quantum efficiency (EQE) of Cu0.2Sn0.8Se nanoparticles-based photodetector

Young children with Down syndrome show normal development of circadian rhythms, but poor sleep efficiency: a cross-sectional study across the first 60 months of life

Objectives: To evaluate sleep consolidation and circadian activity rhythms in infants and toddlers with Down syndrome (DS) under light and socially entrained conditions within a familiar setting. Given previous human and animal data suggesting intact circadian regulation of melatonin across the day and night, it was hypothesized that behavioral indices of circadian rhythmicity would likewise be intact in the sample with DS. Methods: A cross-sectional study of 66 infants and young children with DS, aged 5e67 months, and 43 typically developing age-matched controls. Sleep and measures of circadian robustness or timing were quantified using continuous in-home actigraphy recordings performed over seven days. Circadian robustness was quantified via time series analysis of rest-activity patterns. Phase markers of circadian timing were calculated alongside these values. Sleep efficiency was also estimated based on the actigraphy recordings. Results: This study provided further evidence that general sleep quality is poor in infants and toddlers with DS, a population that has sleep apnea prevalence as high as 50% during the preschool years. Despite poor sleep quality, circadian rhythm and phase were preserved in children with DS and displayed similar developmental trajectories in cross-sectional comparisons with a typically developing (TD) cohort. In line with past work, lower sleep efficiency scores were quantified in the group with DS relative to TD children. Infants born with DS exhibited the worst sleep fragmentation; however, in both groups, sleep efficiency and consolidation increased across age. Three circadian phase markers showed that 35% of the recruitment sample with DS was phase-advanced to an earlier morning schedule, suggesting significant within-group variability in the timing of their daily activity rhythms. Conclusions: Circadian rhythms of wake and sleep are robust in children born with DS. The present results suggest that sleep fragmentation and any resultant cognitive deficits are likely not confounded by corresponding deficits in circadian rhythms

Comparison of haemodynamic responses to intubation: Flexible fibreoptic bronchoscope versus bonfils rigid intubation endoscope

Background : The flexible fibreoptic bronchoscope and bonfils rigid intubation endoscope are being widely used for difficult intubations. Methods: The haemodynamic response to intubation under general anaesthesia was studied in 60 adult female patients who were intubated using either flexible fibreoptic bronchoscope or bonfils rigid intubation endoscope (30 in each group). Non-invasive blood pressure and heart rate (HR) was recorded before induction of anaesthesia, immediately after induction, at the time of intubation and, thereafter, every minute for the next 5 min. The product of HR and systolic blood pressure (rate pressure product) at every point of time was also calculated. Statistical Analyses: Graph pad prism, 5.0 statistical software, independent t test and repeated measure ANOVA test were used. Results: Both bonfils rigid intubation endoscope and flexible fibreoptic bronchoscope required a similar time (less than 1 min) for orotracheal intubation. After intubation, there was a significant increase in HR, blood pressure and rate pressure product (P<0.001) in both the groups compared with the baseline and post-induction values. There was no significant difference in HR, blood pressure and rate pressure product at any of the measuring points or in their maximum values during observation between the two groups. The time required for recovery of systolic blood pressure and HR to post-induction value (±10%) was not significantly different between the two groups (more than 2 min). Conclusion: In female adults under general anaesthesia, bonfils rigid intubation endoscope and flexible fibreoptic bronchoscope require a similar time for successful orotracheal intubation and cause a similar magnitude of haemodynamic response

Effect of electron beam irradiation induced grafting of sialic acid onto polycaprolactone – Feasibility study

This paper describes a preliminary study on the practical feasibility of covalent attachment or grafting of hydrophilic biological monosaccharide namely, sialic acid (SA) onto the backbone of hydrophobic biodegradable polycaprolactone (PCL) by electron beam (e-beam) irradiation induced free radical polymerization. In the first part of the study, generation of reactive sites/free radicals on PCL backbone, shelf life of these free radicals and a relationship between free radical concentration vs irradiation dose were investigated by electron spin resonance (ESR) study. Later, the grafting of monomer was carried out under different reaction conditions viz., dry method (method 1), wet state co-irradiation (method 2) and water based (method 3) and the same was qualitatively confirmed through Fourier Transfer Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) as well as elemental analysis. ESR results showed that the concentration of free radicals increased with an increase in radiation dose. Concentration of these free radicals is very high in initial 1 h with progressive decay and approaches zero concentration in 24 h. The extent of grafting was changed by changing the reaction conditions. The most satisfactory grafting of SA onto PCL was possible under solution state irradiation condition (i.e., in method 2). In FTIR studies, CC and CO stretching were seen at 1176 cm−1 and 1294 cm−1, representing amorphous and crystalline regions respectively. This shift in the crystalline to amorphous domain represents the occurrence of grafting of SA onto PCL and formation of grafted (SA-g-PCL) chains. These changes were observed only in method 2 carried out at lower doses (20, 40 kGy). Further, the presence of element nitrogen (0.178%) in samples obtained from method 2, presented a strong evidence of attachment of SA onto the PCL backbone. Our findings provide new information on the possible grafting of PCL, which could be exploited in future as promising polymeric material to make biocompatible and hydrophilic drug delivery carrier. Keywords: Radiation grafting, Sialic acid, Polycaprolactone, Electron beam, Biological monosaccharid

Screening of Different Genotypes of Niger (Guizotia abyssinica Cass) against Major Insect Pests

An experiment was conducted at Project Coordinating Unit Sesame and Niger, Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Jabalpur (M.P.) during Pre-Rabi season in the year 2020-21, encompassed of 21 promising genotypes of Niger which were screened for resistance/susceptibility against whiteflies, leafhoppers, and capsule fly. The genotypes JNS-28, JNS-9, JNC-6, NRS-1805, IGPN-15-02 and NRS-1513 were found promising against whitefly. The genotypes JNS-2017-8, IGPN-15-02, NRS-1513, NRS-1511 and JNS-2017-1 were found promising against the incidence of leafhopper. The genotypes DNS-19-24, JNS-2017-8, JNS-2016-1115, NRS-1513 and NRS-1807 were found promising against capsule fly. &nbsp

Hearing Loss Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment for Refugees and Asylees in an Urban Clinic, 2014-2017

Objectives First, to determine whether using a single-question subjective hearing screen vs gold standard audiometric evaluation is effective for hearing loss screening in refugees and asylees. Second, to understand the clinical pathways for hearing loss diagnosis and treatment. Study Design This is a case series with chart review from January 2014 to December 2017. Setting A large urban safety net primary care clinic in San Francisco, California. Methods Patients were included who had a medical record and completed single-question subjective hearing screening and audiometric evaluation during refugee health examinations. An overall 349 patients met all inclusion criteria. Results Out of 349 patients, 48% were male; the median age was 29.3 years (SD, 15.1). The majority came from Central or South America (n = 148, 42%) and China (n = 79, 23%). Among all patients, 10 (3%) failed the subjective hearing screen, and 18 (5%) failed audiometric evaluation. Of those who failed the subjective hearing screen, 4 (40%) passed audiometric evaluation. Of those who failed the audiometric evaluation, 12 (66%) passed subjective screening, and only 5 (28%) received a diagnostic audiogram, with 4 diagnosed with hearing loss and 1 receiving hearing aids. The sensitivity of the subjective screening question was 33% and the specificity 99% as compared with audiometric evaluation. Conclusion Audiometric evaluation is relatively inexpensive and easily administered, while a single subjective question is a poor screening tool. Hearing loss is undertreated in this population. Ensuring appropriate hearing loss screening, diagnosis, and treatment in this population is paramount to improving quality of life

Sparse computation data dependence simplification for efficient compiler-generated inspectors

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Global Emergency Medicine: A Review of the Literature from 2018

OBJECTIVES: The Global Emergency Medicine Literature Review (GEMLR) conducts a systematic annual search of peer-reviewed and gray literature relevant to global emergency medicine (EM) to identify, review, and disseminate the most rigorously conducted and widely relevant research in global EM. METHODS: An electronic search of PubMed, a comprehensive retrieval of articles from specific journals, and search of the gray literature were conducted. Title and abstracts retrieved by these searches were screened by a total of 22 reviewers based on their relevance to the field of global EM, across the domains of disaster and humanitarian response (DHR), emergency care in resource-limited settings (ECRLS), and emergency medicine development (EMD). All articles that were deemed relevant by at least one reviewer, their editor, and the managing editor underwent formal scoring of overall methodologic quality and importance to global EM. Two independent reviewers scored all articles; editors provided a third score in cases of widely discrepant scores. RESULTS: A total of 19,102 articles were identified by the searches and, after screening and removal of duplicates, a total of 517 articles underwent full review. Twenty-five percent were categorized as DHR, 61% as ECRLS, and 15% as EMD. Inter-rater reliability testing between the reviewers revealed a Cohen\u27s kappa score of 0.213 when considering the complete score or 0.426 when excluding the more subjective half of the score. A total of 25 articles scored higher than 17.5 of 20; these were selected for a full summary and critique. CONCLUSIONS: In 2018, the total number of articles relevant to global EM that were identified by our search continued to increase. Studies and reviews focusing on pediatric infections, several new and traditionally underrepresented topics, and landscape reviews that may help guide clinical care in new settings represented the majority of top-scoring articles. A shortage of articles related to the development of EM as a specialty was identified