Low-Temperature Thermoelectric Performance and Optoelectronic Properties of Monolayer of WX2N4(X = Si, Ge)

We investigated the thermoelectric properties of the 2D monolayer of WX2N4 using Density Functional Theory combined with Boltzmann Transport Equation. We obtained an outstanding thermoelectric figure of merit of 0.91 at 400K for p-type WGe2N4, whether it showed a ZT value of 0.56 for n-type at the same temperature. On the other hand, the WSi2N4 showed significantly low ZT at room temperature.Comment: 16 pages, 9 figure

Live visualizations of single isolated tubulin protein self-assembly via tunneling current: effect of electromagnetic pumping during spontaneous growth of microtubule

As we bring tubulin protein molecules one by one into the vicinity, they self-assemble and entire event we capture live via quantum tunneling. We observe how these molecules form a linear chain and then chains self-assemble into 2D sheet, an essential for microtubule, —fundamental nano-tube in a cellular life form. Even without using GTP, or any chemical reaction, but applying particular ac signal using specially designed antenna around atomic sharp tip we could carry out the self-assembly, however, if there is no electromagnetic pumping, no self-assembly is observed. In order to verify this atomic scale observation, we have built an artificial cell-like environment with nano-scale engineering and repeated spontaneous growth of tubulin protein to its complex with and without electromagnetic signal. We used 64 combinations of plant, animal and fungi tubulins and several doping molecules used as drug, and repeatedly observed that the long reported common frequency region where protein folds mechanically and its structures vibrate electromagnetically. Under pumping, the growth process exhibits a unique organized behavior unprecedented otherwise. Thus, “common frequency point” is proposed as a tool to regulate protein complex related diseases in the future.Japan. Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.Asian Office of Aerospace Research and Development (AOARD) (FA2386-11-1-0001AOARD104173)Asian Office of Aerospace Research and Development (AOARD) (FA2386-10-1-4059 AOARD-10-4059

Bronchoprotective effect of Zingiber officinale roscoe (Ginger) in guinea pigs

Background: To evaluate the bronchoprotective effect of aqueous extract of Zingiber officinale (AZO) in guinea pigs and compare the same with that of standard drugs.Methods: Guinea pigs of either sex weighing between 350 to 450 Grams were randomly divided into 13 groups, each group containing 6 animals. Bronchospasm was induced by placing guinea pigs in histamine exposition chamber and exposing them to either 0.25% of histamine acid phosphate or 10% acetyl choline through a nebuliser under 40mm Hg pressure. The time for development of asphyxia was noted. After two and half hours, the animals were administered orally with vehicle / drugs as per the following: Gr I- Normal saline 1ml/100 Grams, Gr II- Salbutamol 1.6mg/kg, Gr III- Chlorpheniramine maleate 0.8mg/kg, Gr IV to Gr VI- AZO 200, 400, and 800mg/kg, Gr VII- AZO 200mg/kg and Salbutamol 0.8mg/kg. For acetylcholine-induced Bronchospasm Gr III animals received atropine 2mg/kg and Gr VII was not taken, rest others remaining the same. After 1 hour of treatment, the animals were again exposed to histamine or acetyl choline aerosol. The exposition time for each animal was again noted and mean increase or decrease in exposition time were noted. The data were subjected to stastical analysis by using paired ‘t’ test. Percentage of protection was also calculated.Results: AZO at all the doses studied (except 200mg/kg), showed highly significant increase in exposition time against histamine-induced bronchospasm. Combination of AZO (200mg/kg) with salbutamol (0.8mg/kg) also produced augmented effect. But against Acetylcholine induced bronchospasm, AZO did not produce any significant protective effect at any of the doses.Conclusions: AZO produced significant dose dependant bronchoprotection against histamine induced bronchospasm which might be due to antihistaminic action

Diagnostic yield of cartridge based nucleic acid amplification test in Mycobacterium tuberculosis in a tertiary care medical college and hospital of Southern Odisha, India

Background: Tuberculosis is the ninth leading cause of death worldwide. India contributes to about one fifth of global TB burden. It is very important to diagnose early and treat tuberculosis to cut down transmission of tuberculosis.Methods: Author conducted a retrospective study in Department of Pulmonary Medicine SLN Medical College, Koraput, Odisha to analyze the utility and yield of CBNAAT. Study period was from April 2018 to March 2019. Inclusion criteria was all patients whose samples were subjected to CBNAAT were included in our study.  Sputum samples from pulmonary tuberculosis patients, and extra pulmonary samples (pleural fluid, ascitic fluid, CSF, synovial fluid and gastric lavage etc. were included in our study population. Exclusion criteria was patients who were under anti tubercular therapy for pulmonary, extra pulmonary and MDR TB were excluded from this study. Data were collected from Pulmonary Medicine Department, ART center, DOTS center and CBNAAT center. Total number of samples tested for CBNAAT, different sample collection sites, age and sex distribution of patients, HIV status of all patients, result of smear microscopy for AFB and CBNAAT and Rifampicin resistance status were analyzed.The detail statistical analysis was done in tabulation form.Results: A total of 2621 samples were tested in CBNAAT during the study period. Mean age of the study population was 38.03 years. 1881 tested were negative and 740 samples were positive for CBNAAT. Of these 2621 samples, 2526 were pulmonary samples (sputum, pleural fluid samples) and 95 were extra pulmonary samples. Author found rifampicin resistance rate of 0.54% (4/740)) in pulmonary tuberculosis cases. There was no rifampicin resistance detected in extra pulmonary samples. CBNAAT could identify 536 cases (23.2%) that were smear negative. Author found TB- HIV co-infection rate of 6.22%.Conclusions: CBNAAT is an important diagnostic modality especially in sputum negative patients for early diagnosis and treatment. In our study it detected Mycobacterium tuberculosis in 23.2% of patients with negative smear for microscopy. Rifampicin resistance rate detected was very low compared to other studies

Atomic water channel controlling remarkable properties of a single brain microtubule: Correlating single protein to its supramolecular assembly

Microtubule nanotubesarefoundineverylivingeukaryoticcells;theseareformedbyreversible polymerizationofthetubulinprotein,andtheirhollow fibersare filledwithuniquelyarrangedwater molecules.Herewemeasuresingletubulinmoleculeandsinglebrain-neuronextractedmicrotubule nanowirewithandwithoutwaterchannelinsidetounraveltheiruniqueelectronicandopticalproperties for the firsttime.Wedemonstratethattheenergylevelsofasingletubulinproteinandsinglemicrotubule madeof40,000tubulindimersareidenticalunlikeconventionalmaterials.Moreover,thetransmittedac powerandthetransient fluorescencedecay(singlephotoncount)areindependentofthemicrotubule length.Evenmoreremarkableisthefactthatthemicrotubulenanowireismoreconductingthanasingle proteinmoleculethatconstitutesthenanowire.Microtubule's vibrationalpeakscondensetoasinglemode thatcontrolstheemergenceofsizeindependentelectronic/opticalproperties,andautomatednoise alleviation,whichdisappearwhentheatomicwatercoreisreleasedfromtheinnercylinder.Wehave carriedoutseveraltrickystate-of-the-artexperimentsandidentified theelectromagneticresonancepeaksof singlemicrotubulereliably.Theresonantvibrationsestablishedthatthecondensationofenergylevelsand periodicoscillationofuniqueenergyfringesonthemicrotubulesurface,emergeastheatomicwatercore resonantlyintegratesallproteinsarounditsuchthatthenanotubeirrespectiveofitssizefunctionslikea singleproteinmolecule.Thus,amonomolecularwaterchannelresidinginsidetheprotein-cylinderdisplays an unprecedentedcontrolingoverningthetantalizingelectronicandopticalpropertiesofmicrotubule

Internalization of Staphylococcus aureus in Lymphocytes Induces Oxidative Stress and DNA Fragmentation: Possible Ameliorative Role of Nanoconjugated Vancomycin

Staphylococcus aureus is the most frequently isolated pathogen causing bloodstream infections, skin and soft tissue infections and pneumonia. Lymphocyte is an important immune cell. The aim of the present paper was to test the ameliorative role of nanoconjugated vancomycin against Vancomycin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (VSSA) and vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA) infection-induced oxidative stress in lymphocytes. VSSA and VRSA infections were developed in Swiss mice by intraperitoneal injection of 5 × 106 CFU/mL bacterial solutions. Nanoconjugated vancomycin was adminstrated to VSSA- and VRSA-infected mice at its effective dose for 10 days. Vancomycin was adminstrated to VSSA- and VRSA-infected mice at a similar dose, respectively, for 10 days. Vancomycin and nanoconjugated vancomycin were adminstrated to normal mice at their effective doses for 10 days. The result of this study reveals that in vivo VSSA and VRSA infection significantly increases the level of lipid peroxidation, protein oxidation, oxidized glutathione level, nitrite generation, nitrite release, and DNA damage and decreases the level of reduced glutathione, antioxidant enzyme status, and glutathione-dependent enzymes as compared to control group, which were increased or decreased significantly near to normal in nanoconjugated vancomycin-treated group. These findings suggest the potential use and beneficial role of nanoconjugated vancomycin against VSSA and VRSA infection-induced oxidative stress in lymphocytes

Massively parallel computing on an organic molecular layer

Current computers operate at enormous speeds of ~10^13 bits/s, but their principle of sequential logic operation has remained unchanged since the 1950s. Though our brain is much slower on a per-neuron base (~10^3 firings/s), it is capable of remarkable decision-making based on the collective operations of millions of neurons at a time in ever-evolving neural circuitry. Here we use molecular switches to build an assembly where each molecule communicates-like neurons-with many neighbors simultaneously. The assembly's ability to reconfigure itself spontaneously for a new problem allows us to realize conventional computing constructs like logic gates and Voronoi decompositions, as well as to reproduce two natural phenomena: heat diffusion and the mutation of normal cells to cancer cells. This is a shift from the current static computing paradigm of serial bit-processing to a regime in which a large number of bits are processed in parallel in dynamically changing hardware.Comment: 25 pages, 6 figure