Facile fabrication of suspended as-grown carbon nanotube devices

A simple scalable scheme is reported for fabricating suspended carbon nanotube field effect transistors (CNT-FETs) without exposing pristine as-grown carbon nanotubes to subsequent chemical processing. Versatility and ease of the technique is demonstrated by controlling the density of suspended nanotubes and reproducing devices multiple times on the same electrode set. Suspending the carbon nanotubes results in ambipolar transport behavior with negligible hysteresis. The Hooges constant of the suspended CNT-FETs (2.6 x 10-3) is about 20 times lower than for control CNT-FETs on SiO2 (5.6 x 10-2).Comment: 15 pages, 4 figure

To study the outcome of previous one cesarean pregnancies in a rural tertiary center of Haryana, India

Background: Rising rates of caesarean section is a matter of great concern and TOLAC is an attractive alternative. Analysing outcome of previous one caesarean pregnancies will provide an insight for reducing the caesarean rates and formulating protocols and policies for TOLAC.Methods: A retrospective study of patients of previous one caesarean pregnancy was done from February 2015 to January 2016 and 3 groups were made, ERCS group, failed TOLAC group and successful TOLAC group. The rates of elective repeat caesarean, failed TOLAC, successful TOLAC, maternal complications, neonatal morbidity and mortality in all three groups were studied.Results: There were 5177 total deliveries with 488 (9.43%) previous one caesarean pregnancies. Out of 488 patients 161 (33%) underwent elective repeat caesarean and 327 (67%) underwent trial of labour. Out of 327 patients 234 (71.56%) had a successful TOLAC and 93 (28.44%) had failed TOLAC. Breech (23%) followed by foetal distress (20%) were the most common indications of previous caesarean. Commonest indication of elective repeat caesarean was short interval (33%) and that of failed TOLAC was foetal distress (38.7%) followed by failed induction (23.6%). There were 4 morbidly adherent placentas (0.82%), 1 scar rupture, 3 scar dehiscence, no maternal mortality and 10 neonatal deaths.Conclusions: Previous one caesarean section is not only a risk factor for repeat caesareans and complications like morbidly adherent placenta, uterine rupture but also a financial burden on health facilities. Encouraging the patients for trial of labour and emphasizing the usage of contraception is the need of the hour

Outcome of pterygium surgery: analysis over 14 years

Aim: To report the outcome of pterygium surgery performed at a tertiary eye care centre in South India. Methods: Retrospective analysis of medical records of 920 patients (989 eyes) with primary and recurrent pterygia operated between January 1988 and December 2001. The demographic variables, surgical technique (bare sclera, primary closure, amniotic membrane transplantation (AMT), conjunctival autograft (CAG), conjunctival-limbal autograft (CLAG), or surgical adjuvants), recurrences and postoperative complications were analysed. Results: A total of 496 (53.9%) were male and 69 (7.5%) had bilateral pterygia. Bare sclera technique was performed in 267 (27.0%) eyes, primary conjunctival closure in 32 (3.2%), AMG in 123 (12.4%), CAG in 429 (43.4%), and CLAG in 70 (7.1%). Adjuvant mitomycin C was used in 44 (4.4%) cases. The mean duration of follow-up was 8.917.0 and 5.98.8 months for unilateral primary and recurrent pterygia, respectively. The overall recurrence rate was 178 (18.0%). Following primary and recurrent unilateral pterygium excision respectively, recurrences were noted in 46 (19.4%) and 1 (33.3%) eyes after bare sclera technique, five (16.7%) and 0 after primary closure, 28 (26.7%) and 0 with AMG, 42 (12.2%) and five (31.3%) with CAG, and nine (17.3%) and two (40%) with CLAG. Recurrences were significantly more in males with primary (23.3 vs10.7%, P<0.0001) and recurrent (26.7 vs0%, P=0.034) pterygia, and in those below 40 years (25.2 vs14.8%, P=0.003). Conclusion: CAG appears to be an effective modality for primary and recurrent pterygia. Males and patients below 40 years face greater risk of recurrence. Bare sclera technique has an unacceptably high recurrence. Prospective studies comparing CAG, CLAG, and AMG for primary and recurrent pterygia are needed

Economic, clinical and social impact of simple limbal epithelial transplantation for limbal stem cell deficiency

Aims To report the global uptake of simple limbal epithelial transplantation (SLET) and compare the economic, clinical and social outcomes of SLET with those of cultured limbal epithelial transplantation (CLET). Methods A comprehensive literature review and an online survey of eye surgeons were conducted to understand the efficacy and current uptake of SLET surgery. A de novo economic model was developed to estimate the cost savings with SLET compared with CLET. Our economic analysis is conducted from an Indian perspective, as this is where the technique originated. A scenario analysis using the UK cost data and a user-friendly Excel model is included to allow users to input the costs from their setting to estimate the cost savings with using SLET compared with using CLET Results The anatomical success with SLET in adults (72.6% (range 62%–80%)) was the same as CLET (70.4% (range 68%–80.9%)). For children, the outcome for SLET (77.8% (range 73%–83%)) was better than with CLET (44.5% (range 43%–45%)). In response to our informal questionnaire, 99 surgeons reported to have performed SLET on 1174 patients in total. They appreciated that SLET negates the requirement for costly tissue engineering facilities. Results of economic analysis suggested that SLET provided an estimated cost-savings of US$6470.88 for adults and US$6673.10 for children. In broad terms, the cost of SLET is approximately 10% of the cost of CLET for adults and 8% for children. Conclusion SLET offers a more accessible and financially attractive alternative to CLET to treat limbal stem cell deficiency

Bak Compensated for Bax in p53-null Cells to Release Cytochrome c for the Initiation of Mitochondrial Signaling during Withanolide D-Induced Apoptosis

The goal of cancer chemotherapy to induce multi-directional apoptosis as targeting a single pathway is unable to decrease all the downstream effect arises from crosstalk. Present study reports that Withanolide D (WithaD), a steroidal lactone isolated from Withania somnifera, induced cellular apoptosis in which mitochondria and p53 were intricately involved. In MOLT-3 and HCT116p53+/+ cells, WithaD induced crosstalk between intrinsic and extrinsic signaling through Bid, whereas in K562 and HCT116p53−/− cells, only intrinsic pathway was activated where Bid remain unaltered. WithaD showed pronounced activation of p53 in cancer cells. Moreover, lowered apoptogenic effect of HCT116p53−/− over HCT116p53+/+ established a strong correlation between WithaD-mediated apoptosis and p53. WithaD induced Bax and Bak upregulation in HCT116p53+/+, whereas increase only Bak expression in HCT116p53−/− cells, which was coordinated with augmented p53 expression. p53 inhibition substantially reduced Bax level and failed to inhibit Bak upregulation in HCT116p53+/+ cells confirming p53-dependent Bax and p53-independent Bak activation. Additionally, in HCT116p53+/+ cells, combined loss of Bax and Bak (HCT116Bax−Bak−) reduced WithaD-induced apoptosis and completely blocked cytochrome c release whereas single loss of Bax or Bak (HCT116Bax−Bak+/HCT116Bax+Bak−) was only marginally effective after WithaD treatment. In HCT116p53−/− cells, though Bax translocation to mitochondria was abrogated, Bak oligomerization helped the cells to release cytochrome c even before the disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential. WithaD also showed in vitro growth-inhibitory activity against an array of p53 wild type and null cancer cells and K562 xenograft in vivo. Taken together, WithaD elicited apoptosis in malignant cells through Bax/Bak dependent pathway in p53-wild type cells, whereas Bak compensated against loss of Bax in p53-null cells

Grain and seed protein functionality

Editado por Jiménez-López, José Carlos (CSIC

Effects of orange juice formulation on prebiotic functionality using an in vitro colonic model sytem

A three-stage continuous fermentative colonic model system was used to monitor in vitro the effect of different orange juice formulations on prebiotic activity. Three different juices with and without Bimuno, a GOS mixture containing galactooligosaccharides (B-GOS) were assessed in terms of their ability to induce a bifidogenic microbiota. The recipe development was based on incorporating 2.75g B-GOS into a 250 ml serving of juice (65°Brix of concentrate juice). Alongside the production of B-GOS juice, a control juice - orange juice without any additional Bimuno and a positive control juice, containing all the components of Bimuno (glucose, galactose and lactose) in the same relative proportions with the exception of B-GOS were developed. Ion Exchange Chromotography analysis was used to test the maintenance of bimuno components after the production process. Data showed that sterilisation had no significant effect on concentration of B-GOS and simple sugars. The three juice formulations were digested under conditions resembling the gastric and small intestinal environments. Main bacterial groups of the faecal microbiota were evaluated throughout the colonic model study using 16S rRNA-based fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Potential effects of supplementation of the juices on microbial metabolism were studied measuring short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) using gas chromatography. Furthermore, B-GOS juices showed positive modulations of the microbiota composition and metabolic activity. In particular, numbers of faecal bifidobacteria and lactobacilli were significantly higher when B-GOS juice was fermented compared to controls. Furthermore, fermentation of B-GOS juice resulted in an increase in Roseburia subcluster and concomitantly increased butyrate production, which is of potential benefit to the host. In conclusion, this study has shown B-GOS within orange juice can have a beneficial effect on the fecal microbiota

Engineering grain boundaries at the 2D limit for the hydrogen evolution reaction

Atom-thin transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have emerged as fascinating materials and key structures for electrocatalysis. So far, their edges, dopant heteroatoms and defects have been intensively explored as active sites for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) to split water. However, grain boundaries (GBs), a key type of defects in TMDs, have been overlooked due to their low density and large structural variations. Here, we demonstrate the synthesis of wafer-size atom-thin TMD films with an ultra-high-density of GBs, up to ~1012 cm−2. We propose a climb and drive 0D/2D interaction to explain the underlying growth mechanism. The electrocatalytic activity of the nanograin film is comprehensively examined by micro-electrochemical measurements, showing an excellent hydrogen-evolution performance (onset potential: −25 mV and Tafel slope: 54 mV dec−1), thus indicating an intrinsically high activation of the TMD GBs