RECENT APPROACHES INVOLVED IN COLONIC DRUG TARGETING FOR THE TREATMENT OF INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE: A REVIEW

The objective of the review is to present the contemporary approaches involved in colonic drug targeting for the therapy of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The adverse reactions and side-effects of the conventional drug delivery systems are largely on account of the systemic absorption of the drugs from the small intestine. Moreover, in current drug delivery systems, the drug has to be frequently administered and also in larger doses which greatly reduces patient compliance. Various approaches which are being described here mainly target the colonic region specifically for improved therapy of IBD, by increasing localization and accessibility of the drug to the target site. Also, these approaches will result in the reduction of dose and minimization of adverse effects combined with the use of conventional drug delivery systems

Study of Electron Transport in Fullerene (C60) Quantum Confined Channel Layer Based Field Effect Transistor

In this work, we modelled a simple n-channel Si Metal-Quantum confined layer-Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor (MQSFET), which resembles exactly as the conventional Si Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor (MOSFET) where SiO2 dielectric layer is replaced with a wide band gap C60 quantum confined layer of thickness 3nm and gold (Ψ=5.1eV) as metal contact. The capacitance and voltage characteristics at different temperatures from 100 K to 500 K and energy band gap are studied using Multi-dielectric Energy Band Diagram Program (MEBDP) simulation software, performed current-voltage transistor characteristics and analyzed the mobility of the charge carrier in the MQS sandwiched device structure using the Caughey-Thomas high saturation mobility model and the Lombardi surface mobility model. In these studies, we inferred a very low threshold voltage, when the donor concentration in the p-Si substrate is tuned between 1E16 to 1E17 cm-3 and a saturated flow of nanoamperes range of charge carrier at a low gate potential is even possible

Binary Metal Oxides Thin Films Prepared from Pulsed Laser Deposition

The semiconductor industry flourished from a simple Si-based metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor to an era of MOSFET-based smart materials. In recent decades, researchers have been replacing all the materials required for the MOSFET device. They replaced the substrate with durable materials, lightweight materials, translucent materials and so on. They have came up with the possibility of replacing dielectric silicon dioxide material with high-grade dielectric materials. Even then the channel shift in the MOSFET was the new trend in MOSFET science. From the bulk to the atomic level, transistors have been curiously researched across the globe for the use of electronic devices. This research was also inspired by the different semiconductor materials relevant to the replacement of the dielectric channel/gate. Study focuses on diverse materials such as zinc oxides (ZnO), electrochromic oxides such as molybdenum oxides (including MoO3 and MoO2) and other binary oxides using ZnO and MoO3. The primary objective of this research is to study pulsed laser deposited thin films such as ZnO, MoO3, binary oxides such as binary ZnO /MoO3, ZnO /TiO2 and ZnO/V2O5 and to analyse their IV properties for FET applications. To achieve the goal, the following working elements have been set: investigation of pulsed laser deposited thin film of metal oxides and thin film of binary metal oxide nanostructures with effects of laser repetition and deposition temperatures

Copper Oxide Microspheres for Pseudocapacitor Applications and its Cytotoxicity Studies

The preparation of copper oxide (CuO) microspheres was done via hydrothermal route with the amphiphilic polymer pluronic (P123) as the capping agent. The XRD studies confirmed the monoclinic structure of the compound. The formation of microspheres were confirmed through SEM and TEM studies. The pseudo-capacitance properties were inferred with three electrode system. The cyclic voltammetry studies were done for the scan rates of 5 to 100 mV/Sec. The charge-discharge analysis was done for different current density values of 1 to 20 A/g. The specific capacitance of the material for a current density value of 1 A/g was found to be 245 F/g. The cytotoxicity study of the CuO microspheres studied using MTT assay shows the material to be non-toxic in nature.

Copper Oxide Microspheres for Pseudocapacitor Applications and its Cytotoxicity Studies

490-495The preparation of copper oxide (CuO) microspheres was done via hydrothermal route with the amphiphilic polymer pluronic (P123) as the capping agent. The XRD studies confirmed the monoclinic structure of the compound. The formation of microspheres were confirmed through SEM and TEM studies. The pseudo-capacitance properties were inferred with three electrode system. The cyclic voltammetry studies were done for the scan rates of 5 to 100 mV/Sec. The charge-discharge analysis was done for different current density values of 1 to 20 A/g. The specific capacitance of the material for a current density value of 1 A/g was found to be 245 F/g. The cytotoxicity study of the CuO microspheres studied using MTT assay shows the material to be non-toxic in nature

Multimodal Sentiment Sensing and Emotion Recognition Based on Cognitive Computing Using Hidden Markov Model with Extreme Learning Machine

In today's competitive business environment, exponential increase of multimodal content results in a massive amount of shapeless data. Big data that is unstructured has no specific format or organisation and can take any form, including text, audio, photos, and video. Many assumptions and algorithms are generally required to recognize different emotions as per literature survey, and the main focus for emotion recognition is based on single modality, such as voice, facial expression and bio signals. This paper proposed the novel technique in multimodal sentiment sensing with emotion recognition using artificial intelligence technique. Here the audio and visual data has been collected based on social media review and classified using hidden Markov model based extreme learning machine (HMM_ExLM). The features are trained using this method. Simultaneously, these speech emotional traits are suitably maximised. The strategy of splitting areas is employed in the research for expression photographs and various weights are provided to each area to extract information. Speech as well as facial expression data are then merged using decision level fusion and speech properties of each expression in region of face are utilized to categorize. Findings of experiments show that combining features of speech and expression boosts effect greatly when compared to using either speech or expression alone. In terms of accuracy, recall, precision, and optimization level, a parametric comparison was made

Modifying the Substrate Specificity of Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda Serine Protease Inhibitor Domain 1 to Target Thrombin

Protease inhibitors play a decisive role in maintaining homeostasis and eliciting antimicrobial activities. Invertebrates like the horseshoe crab have developed unique modalities with serine protease inhibitors to detect and respond to microbial and host proteases. Two isoforms of an immunomodulatory two-domain Kazal-like serine protease inhibitor, CrSPI-1 and CrSPI-2, have been recently identified in the hepatopancreas of the horseshoe crab, Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda. Full length and domain 2 of CrSPI-1 display powerful inhibitory activities against subtilisin. However, the structure and function of CrSPI-1 domain-1 (D1) remain unknown. Here, we report the crystal structure of CrSPI-1-D1 refined up to 2.0 Å resolution. Despite the close structural homology of CrSPI-1-D1 to rhodniin-D1 (a known thrombin inhibitor), the CrSPI-1-D1 does not inhibit thrombin. This prompted us to modify the selectivity of CrSPI-1-D1 specifically towards thrombin. We illustrate the use of structural information of CrSPI-1-D1 to modify this domain into a potent thrombin inhibitor with IC50 of 26.3 nM. In addition, these studies demonstrate that, besides the rigid conformation of the reactive site loop of the inhibitor, the sequence is the most important determinant of the specificity of the inhibitor. This study will lead to the significant application to modify a multi-domain inhibitor protein to target several proteases

Stent Thrombogenicity Early in High Risk Interventional Settings is Driven by Stent Design and Deployment, and Protected by Polymer-Drug Coatings

Author Manuscript: 2012 April 5Background—Stent thrombosis is a lethal complication of endovascular intervention. Concern has been raised about the inherent risk associated with specific stent designs and drug-eluting coatings, yet clinical and animal support is equivocal. Methods and Results—We examined whether drug-eluting coatings are inherently thrombogenic and if the response to these materials was determined to a greater degree by stent design and deployment with custom-built stents. Drug/polymer coatings uniformly reduce rather than increase thrombogenicity relative to matched bare metal counterparts (0.65-fold; P=0.011). Thick-strutted (162 μm) stents were 1.5-fold more thrombogenic than otherwise identical thin-strutted (81 μm) devices in ex vivo flow loops (P<0.001), commensurate with 1.6-fold greater thrombus coverage 3 days after implantation in porcine coronary arteries (P=0.004). When bare metal stents were deployed in malapposed or overlapping configurations, thrombogenicity increased compared with apposed, length-matched controls (1.58-fold, P=0.001; and 2.32-fold, P<0.001). The thrombogenicity of polymer-coated stents with thin struts was lowest in all configurations and remained insensitive to incomplete deployment. Computational modeling–based predictions of stent-induced flow derangements correlated with spatial distribution of formed clots. Conclusions—Contrary to popular perception, drug/polymer coatings do not inherently increase acute stent clotting; they reduce thrombosis. However, strut dimensions and positioning relative to the vessel wall are critical factors in modulating stent thrombogenicity. Optimal stent geometries and surfaces, as demonstrated with thin stent struts, help reduce the potential for thrombosis despite complex stent configurations and variability in deployment

Nonsystem Reasons for Delay in Door-to-Balloon Time and Associated In-Hospital Mortality A Report From the National Cardiovascular Data Registry

ObjectivesThe goal of this study was to characterize nonsystem reasons for delay in door-to-balloon time (D2BT) and the impact on in-hospital mortality.BackgroundStudies have evaluated predictors of delay in D2BT, highlighting system-related issues and patient demographic characteristics. Limited data exist, however, for nonsystem reasons for delay in D2BT.MethodsWe analyzed nonsystem reasons for delay in D2BT among 82,678 ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction patients who underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention within 24 h of symptom onset in the CathPCI Registry from January 1, 2009, to June 30, 2011.ResultsNonsystem delays occurred in 14.7% of patients (n = 12,146). Patients with nonsystem delays were more likely to be older, female, African American, and have greater comorbidities. The in-hospital mortality for patients treated without delay was 2.5% versus 15.1% for those with delay (p < 0.01). Nonsystem delay reasons included delays in providing consent (4.4%), difficult vascular access (8.4%), difficulty crossing the lesion (18.8%), “other” (31%), and cardiac arrest/intubation (37.4%). Cardiac arrest/intubation delays had the highest in-hospital mortality (29.9%) despite the shortest time delay (median D2BT: 84 min; 25th to 75th percentile: 64 to 108 min); delays in providing consent had a relatively lower in-hospital mortality rate (9.4%) despite the longest time delay (median D2BT: 100 min; 25th to 75th percentile: 80 to 131 min). Mortality for delays due to difficult vascular access, difficulty crossing a lesion, and other was also higher (8.0%, 5.6%, and 5.9%, respectively) compared with nondelayed patients (p < 0.0001). After adjustment for baseline characteristics, in-hospital mortality remained higher for patients with nonsystem delays.ConclusionsNonsystem reasons for delay in D2BT in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction patients presenting for primary percutaneous coronary intervention are common and associated with high in-hospital mortality

Lack of association between plasma levels of non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors & virological outcomes during rifampicin co-administration in HIV-infected TB patients.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES Among patients with HIV-associated tuberculosis (TB), reduced plasma non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTI) concentrations during rifampicin (RMP) co-administration could lead to HIV treatment failure. This study was undertaken to examine the association between plasma nevirapine (NVP) and efavirenz (EFV) concentrations and virological outcomes in patients infected with HIV-1 and TB. METHODS This was a nested study undertaken in a clinical trial of patients with HIV-1 and TB, randomized to two different once-daily antiretroviral treatment (ART) regimens along with anti-TB treatment (ATT). Trough concentrations of plasma NVP and EFV were estimated at months 1 (during ATT and ART) and 6 months (ART only) by HPLC. Plasma HIV-1 RNA level >400 copies/ml or death within 6 months of ART were considered as unfavourable outcomes. Genotyping of CYP2B6 516G>T polymorphism was performed. RESULTS Twenty nine per cent of patients in NVP arm had an unfavourable outcome at 6 months compared to 9 per cent in EFV arm (PT polymorphism significantly associated with virologic outcome in patients receiving EFV-based regimen. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSIONS Trough plasma concentrations of NVP and EFV did not show any association with response to ART in patients on ATT and once-daily ART. CYP2B6 516G>T polymorphism was associated with virologic outcome among patients on EFV