Synthesis and Characterization of Ultra Fine Al-cu Powder Particles and Subsequent Dispersion for Heat Transfer Applications

In recent years, fluids containing suspension of nanometer-sized particles (nano fluids) have been an active area of research due to their enhanced thermal conductivity over the base fluids. This makes them very attractive as heat transfer fluids in many applications such as coolants in the automobile and electronics industries, and manufacturing processes. Stable nano fluids are being investigated for numerous applications, including cooling, manufacturing, chemical and pharmaceutical processes, medical treatments, cosmetics, etc. In a better description, nano fluids are engineered colloidal suspensions of nano particles (<100 nm) in a base fluid. Common base fluids include de-ionized water and organic liquids. In this investigation, the two step method of synthesis of ultra fine Al-Cu alloy powder particles and stable dispersion in base fluid is done. Ultrafine powders were prepared by milling elemental Al and Cu powders for 50 hours in a planetary mill. Aiming at the dispersion of nano-Al-Cu is regarded as the guide of heat transfer enhancement, the stability of Al-Cu alloy particles in de-ionized water were studied under different pH values by using nano zeta meter. It is found from XRD that the crystallite size is around 7 nm and lattice strain value is around 1.4 % for Al-Cu. After 50 hours of milling, particles size has been reduced from 28 m to 300 nm. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) shows that each particles consists of large number of crystallites of size around 10-15 nm. The stability of nanofluids was also studied by nano zeta meter at different pH of nanofluids for constant ultrasonication time and magnetic stirring. It has been found from Nano zeta meter that the suspension is best stable at pH value of 9.5 corresponding to zeta potential value of -90.60 for Al-Cu alloy with the presence of surfactant

Phospholipase Cγ1 (PLCγ1) controls osteoclast numbers via colony-stimulating factor 1 (CSF-1)-dependent diacylglycerol/β-catenin/cyclinD1 pathway

Phospholipases Cγ (PLCγ) 1 and 2 are a class of highly homologous enzymes modulating a variety of cellular pathways through production of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and diacylglycerol (DAG). Our previous studies demonstrated the importance of PLCγ2 in osteoclast (OC) differentiation by modulating inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate-mediated calcium oscillations and the up-regulation of the transcription factor NFATc1. Surprisingly, despite being expressed throughout osteoclastogenesis, PLCγ1 did not compensate for PLCγ2 deficiency. Because both isoforms are activated during osteoclastogenesis, it is plausible that PLCγ1 modulates OC development independently of PLCγ2. Here, we utilized PLCγ1-specific shRNAs to delete PLCγ1 in OC precursors derived from wild type (WT) mice. Differently from PLCγ2, we found that PLCγ1 shRNA significantly suppresses OC differentiation by limiting colony-stimulating factor 1 (CSF-1)-dependent proliferation and β-catenin/cyclinD1 levels. Confirming the specificity toward CSF-1 signaling, PLCγ1 is recruited to the CSF-1 receptor following exposure to the cytokine. To understand how PLCγ1 controls cell proliferation, we turned to its downstream effector, DAG. By utilizing cells lacking the DAG kinase ζ, which have increased DAG levels, we demonstrate that DAG modulates CSF-1-dependent proliferation and β-catenin/cyclinD1 levels in OC precursors. Most importantly, the proliferation and osteoclastogenesis defects observed in the absence of PLCγ1 are normalized in PLCγ1/DAG kinase ζ double null cells. Taken together, our study shows that PLCγ1 controls OC numbers via a CSF-1-dependent DAG/β-catenin/cyclinD1 pathway

Accuracy of smartphone based electrocardiogram for the detection of rhythm abnormalities in limb lead: a cross sectional study, non-randomised, single blinded and single-center study

Background: For the identification of arrhythmia and abnormal instances, researchers are examining the reliability of the interpretation offered by smartphone-based portable ECG monitors. The indicator of an unclear alteration in the electrical activity of the heart is a cardiac abnormality. As a result, its early and accurate identification can avoid myocardial infarction and even sudden cardiac death. Objectives of this study were to evaluate and validate the Spandan 12 lead ECG interpretation for accuracy in detection of the cardiac arrhythmias in comparison to the cardiologist diagnosis, and to evaluate the accuracy of the arrhythmia detection of Spandan ECG in comparison to the 12 lead ECG machine. Methods: This cross-sectional study, non-randomised, single blinded and single-center study was carried out at Shri Mahant Indresh Hospital (SMIH), Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India from 1st August 2022 to 31st January 2023. All patients (n=312) visiting the electrocardiogram (ECG) room at the department of cardiology of the SMIH, Dehradun with the prescription of ECG screening during the study period were included in the study were included in the study. Results: In total, 1528 patients with or without a history of cardiovascular disease were enrolled from outpatient and emergency departments of cardiology. A final total of 312 participants considered for accuracy of interpretation of cardiac arrhythmias detected by the standard 12 lead ECG and smartphone ECG in comparison to cardiologists’ diagnosis. Mean age (SD) was 53.90±14.52 years. The male gender (68.78%) showed the maximum frequency than female gender. True Positive cases derived from confusion matrix for 12 lead standard ECG and smartphone ECG in comparison to cardiologist diagnosis was 264 as compared to 273 from 12 lead gold standard. Sensitivity of smartphone Spandan ECG (81.23%) was comparable to gold standard 12 Lead ECG (81.49%). And, specificity, PPV and NPV of smartphone Spandan ECG was recorded to be better than gold standard 12 Lead ECG. Arrhythmia was detected correctly in 403 (70.8%) cases and 431 (61.86%) cases by smartphone ECG and 12 lead gold standards, respectively. Conclusions: Spandan ECG device scored a high accuracy and sensitivity and high specificity. The overall accuracy of smartphone ECG in detecting the rhythm abnormalities increase by 9%, the significance rises in accuracy of computer interpretation when compared to the cardiologist’s diagnosis

Magnetic Resonance Imaging and GeneXpert: A Rapid and Accurate Diagnostic Tool for the Management of Tuberculosis of the Spine

Study DesignRetrospective study.PurposeThe aim of this study was to analyze various diagnostic tools, including GeneXpert, for the management of tuberculosis of the spine.Overview of LiteratureTraditional diagnostic methods of microscopy, histology, and culture have low sensitivity and specificity for the management of tuberculosis of the spine.MethodsOf the 262 treated cases of spinal tuberculosis, data on 1 year follow-up was available for 217 cases. Of these, only 145 cases with a confirmed diagnosis were selected for retrospective analysis.ResultsIn 145 of the 217 patients (66.80%), diagnosis was confirmed on the basis of a culture. Of the 145 patients with a confirmed diagnosis, 98 (66.20%) patients were diagnosed on the basis of clinical presentation, whereas 123 (84.8%) exhibited a typical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) picture. In 99 surgically treated patients, the diagnosis was confirmed on the basis of an intraoperative tissue biopsy. Among the 46 patients treated conservatively, 35 underwent a transpedicular biopsy, 4 patients underwent computed tomography-guided biopsy, 6 patients were diagnosed on the basis of material obtained from a cold abscess, and 1 patient underwent an open biopsy. The sensitivity of the culture for the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis was 66.80% (145/217) in our patients. Among the cases in which GeneXpert was used, the sensitivity for the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis was 93.4% (43/46). Moreover, the sensitivity of GeneXpert to detect rifampicin resistance was 100% (7/7) in our study.ConclusionsMajority of the patients with tuberculosis of the spine can be diagnosed on the basis of a typical radiological presentation via MRI. In our study, 84.8% cases exhibited typical MRI findings. For patients presenting with atypical MRI features, a rapid and accurate diagnosis is possible by combining GeneXpert with MRI. The combined use of MRI and GeneXpert is a rapid and highly sensitive tool to diagnose tuberculosis and rifampicin resistance in patients with tuberculosis of the spine. Furthermore, we achieved a 97.9% sensitivity for the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and 100% sensitivity for the detection of rifampicin resistance in our study

Feasibility of Sub-Axial Cervical Laminar Screws, Including C7, in the Indian Population: A Study on 50 Patients Using Computed Tomography-Based Morphometry Measurements

Study Design Observational study of computed tomography (CT) data. Purpose We performed a CT-based radiographic analysis of sub-axial cervical lamina in the Indian population to assess the feasibility of laminar screws. Overview of Literature Morphometric studies have been performed for populations of various ethnic groups, but none exist for Indian populations. Methods Cervical spine CT scans of 50 adults with a minimum slice thickness of <2 mm (0.5–2 mm) were obtained from the database of a single center in northern India. Measurements (e.g., length, thickness, and height) were taken in millimeters along the axial, coronal, and sagittal planes. Three measurements were made to assess laminar anatomy, namely, the translaminar/screw length, laminar thickness, and sagittal laminar height. Results The final sample comprised 500 laminae in 50 patients, resulting in 1,500 measurements. The mean translaminar lengths of the C3, C4, C5, C6, and C7 laminae were 19.48 mm, 19.60 mm, 19.61 mm, 20.49 mm, and 22.85 mm, respectively. The mean thick- , 19.60 , 19.60 mm, 19.61 mm, 20.49 mm, and 22.85 mm, respectively. The mean thick- mm, 19.61 mm, 20.49 mm, and 22.85 mm, respectively. The mean thick- , 19.61 , 19.61 mm, 20.49 mm, and 22.85 mm, respectively. The mean thick- mm, 20.49 mm, and 22.85 mm, respectively. The mean thick- , 20.49 , 20.49 mm, and 22.85 mm, respectively. The mean thick- mm, and 22.85 mm, respectively. The mean thick- , and 22.85 mm, respectively. The mean thick , and 22.85 mm, respectively. The mean thicknesses of these cervical laminae were 3.12 mm, 2.62 mm, 2.56 mm, 3.47 mm, and 5.20 mm, respectively. The mean sagittal heights of these laminae were 9.38 mm, 9.80 mm, 10.12 mm, 11.31 mm, and 13.84 mm, respectively. Except for the C7 vertebrae, all other levels had a success rate of <10% in the Indian population using the criteria of a laminar height of at least 9 mm and thickness of 4.5 mm. Limited success was achieved at the C5, C6, and C3 levels. Conclusions To the best of our knowledge, the present study is the only series on the feasibility of laminar screws in the sub-axial cervical spine in the Indian population. We found that Indian patients have smaller anatomical dimensions and thus, are not suitable for laminar screws in the sub-axial cervical spine, barring C7, which is contrary to findings for populations in western and south Asian countries

Dickkopf-related protein 1 (Dkk1) regulates the accumulation and function of myeloid derived suppressor cells in cancer

Tumor–stroma interactions contribute to tumorigenesis. Tumor cells can educate the stroma at primary and distant sites to facilitate the recruitment of heterogeneous populations of immature myeloid cells, known as myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). MDSCs suppress T cell responses and promote tumor proliferation. One outstanding question is how the local and distant stroma modulate MDSCs during tumor progression. Down-regulation of β-catenin is critical for MDSC accumulation and immune suppressive functions in mice and humans. Here, we demonstrate that stroma-derived Dickkopf-1 (Dkk1) targets β-catenin in MDSCs, thus exerting immune suppressive effects during tumor progression. Mice bearing extraskeletal tumors show significantly elevated levels of Dkk1 in bone microenvironment relative to tumor site. Strikingly, Dkk1 neutralization decreases tumor growth and MDSC numbers by rescuing β-catenin in these cells and restores T cell recruitment at the tumor site. Recombinant Dkk1 suppresses β-catenin target genes in MDSCs from mice and humans and anti-Dkk1 loses its antitumor effects in mice lacking β-catenin in myeloid cells or after depletion of MDSCs, demonstrating that Dkk1 directly targets MDSCs. Furthermore, we find a correlation between CD15(+) myeloid cells and Dkk1 in pancreatic cancer patients. We establish a novel immunomodulatory role for Dkk1 in regulating tumor-induced immune suppression via targeting β-catenin in MDSCs

Self-Powered Wearable Gas Sensors Based on l‑Ascorbate-Treated MXene Nanosheets and SnO₂ Nanofibers

Self-powered sensing devices have aroused the regime of flexible, portable, and wearable gas sensors due to their economic and environmentally friendly nature. Highly active two-dimensional MXene with high metallic conductivity, large surface area, and surface chemistry has shown great potential for sensing applications except for their oxidation degradation. The present work reports the development of a humidity tolerant self-powered gas sensor comprising nanocomposite of sodium l-ascorbate-treated MXene and SnO2 nanofiber-based gas sensor and piezoelectric pressure sensor (PPs). The interfacial engineering of MXene with SnO2 was significantly found to enhance both the pressure sensitivity and room-temperature NO2 gas sensing performance. The SnO2/MXene nanocomposite-based gas sensor exhibits ∼8- and 34-fold response toward NO2 gas as compared to SnO2 nanofibers and MXene sheets, respectively, along with a lower detection limit of 0.03 ppb NO2 and power consumption as low as 1.2 μW. Moreover, the SnO2/MXene nanocomposite-based PPs exhibits a high sensitivity of 2.088 kPa–1 under the pressure range of 1.63–6.23 kPa with a fast response time (265 ms) and recovery time (75.5 ms). In addition, the PPs can produce a power density of 21.80 mW m–2, sufficient enough to drive the gas sensor and demonstrate its potential application for self-powered wearable gas sensors

Self-Powered Wearable Gas Sensors Based on l‑Ascorbate-Treated MXene Nanosheets and SnO₂ Nanofibers

Self-powered sensing devices have aroused the regime of flexible, portable, and wearable gas sensors due to their economic and environmentally friendly nature. Highly active two-dimensional MXene with high metallic conductivity, large surface area, and surface chemistry has shown great potential for sensing applications except for their oxidation degradation. The present work reports the development of a humidity tolerant self-powered gas sensor comprising nanocomposite of sodium l-ascorbate-treated MXene and SnO2 nanofiber-based gas sensor and piezoelectric pressure sensor (PPs). The interfacial engineering of MXene with SnO2 was significantly found to enhance both the pressure sensitivity and room-temperature NO2 gas sensing performance. The SnO2/MXene nanocomposite-based gas sensor exhibits ∼8- and 34-fold response toward NO2 gas as compared to SnO2 nanofibers and MXene sheets, respectively, along with a lower detection limit of 0.03 ppb NO2 and power consumption as low as 1.2 μW. Moreover, the SnO2/MXene nanocomposite-based PPs exhibits a high sensitivity of 2.088 kPa–1 under the pressure range of 1.63–6.23 kPa with a fast response time (265 ms) and recovery time (75.5 ms). In addition, the PPs can produce a power density of 21.80 mW m–2, sufficient enough to drive the gas sensor and demonstrate its potential application for self-powered wearable gas sensors

Self-Powered Wearable Gas Sensors Based on l‑Ascorbate-Treated MXene Nanosheets and SnO₂ Nanofibers

Self-powered sensing devices have aroused the regime of flexible, portable, and wearable gas sensors due to their economic and environmentally friendly nature. Highly active two-dimensional MXene with high metallic conductivity, large surface area, and surface chemistry has shown great potential for sensing applications except for their oxidation degradation. The present work reports the development of a humidity tolerant self-powered gas sensor comprising nanocomposite of sodium l-ascorbate-treated MXene and SnO2 nanofiber-based gas sensor and piezoelectric pressure sensor (PPs). The interfacial engineering of MXene with SnO2 was significantly found to enhance both the pressure sensitivity and room-temperature NO2 gas sensing performance. The SnO2/MXene nanocomposite-based gas sensor exhibits ∼8- and 34-fold response toward NO2 gas as compared to SnO2 nanofibers and MXene sheets, respectively, along with a lower detection limit of 0.03 ppb NO2 and power consumption as low as 1.2 μW. Moreover, the SnO2/MXene nanocomposite-based PPs exhibits a high sensitivity of 2.088 kPa–1 under the pressure range of 1.63–6.23 kPa with a fast response time (265 ms) and recovery time (75.5 ms). In addition, the PPs can produce a power density of 21.80 mW m–2, sufficient enough to drive the gas sensor and demonstrate its potential application for self-powered wearable gas sensors