Preparation and Characterization of Vanadium Pentoxide Using Spray Pyrolysis Technique

A chemical spray pyrolysis technique was used to deposit a vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) thin films on glass substrate with a deposition temperature ranged from 300°C to 500°C in step of 50°C. From ammonium meta vanadate aqua precursor solution molarity of (0.1 M) was used as a source of vanadium. The effect of deposition temperature on structure, morphological, electrical conductivity and optical properties wasanalyzedat constant preparation time, solution molarity and the distance between spray nozzle and substrate.X-ray diffraction patterns shown that an orthorhombic cubic structure withgrowth along (001) plane. With increasing the substrate temperature, the electrical conductivity was increased, and the scanning electron microscopy clarified that the crystallinity of V2O5 thin films was effectively modified. The optical results revealed that energy band gap of V2O5 films deposited at 400oC, 450oC and 500oC is 2.38 eV for direct allowed transition. Based on the observed results the V2O5 phase can be well controlled by altering the substrate temperature. All prepared thin films up to 400oC show transparency in both visible and near IR region

Video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy: which patients require postoperative physiotherapy?

Objectives: Following major thoracic surgery physiotherapy is recommended to improve reduced lung volume, aid secretion clearance, and improve mobility, however, in many centres physiotherapy provision is variable following minimally invasive video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). The objective of this study was to observe frequency of problems potentially amenable to physiotherapy following VATS lobectomy, and to identify associated baseline factors of patients in whom physiotherapy may be beneficial. Methods: A prospective observational study was performed including all consecutive cancer patients undergoing VATS lobectomy in a regional centre over 4 years (2012–2016). Standard postoperative care included early mobilisation by nursing staff from postoperative day one (POD1). Physiotherapy assessment of all patients on POD1 determined presence of issues potentially amenable to physiotherapy intervention, and treatment was commenced. Outcome measures included postoperative pulmonary complication (PPC) development, hospital and high dependency unit (HDU) length of stay (LOS). Results: Of 285 patients, 209 (73%) received physiotherapy to assist/improve reduced mobility, of these 23 (8%) also received sputum clearance therapies and 65 (23%) specific therapy for lung volume loss. The remaining 76 (27%) patients had significantly lower hospital/HDU LOS (P < 0.001) reflecting uncomplicated recovery. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), body mass index (BMI), preoperative mobility and age were independently associated with issues potentially amenable to physiotherapy (P = 0.013). Conclusion: Following VATS lobectomy a large proportion of patients demonstrated issues potentially amenable to physiotherapy. The authors recommend that patients receive routine physiotherapy assessment following this type of surgery to ensure that all issues are identified early. Screening of COPD, BMI, preoperative mobility and age will allow early identification of patients who may benefit most from postoperative physiotherapy and preoperative optimisation, however, these factors cannot predict the need for physiotherapy

Increased Expression of Cannabinoid CB1 Receptors in Achilles Tendinosis

BACKGROUND: The endogenous cannabinoid system is involved in the control of pain. However, little is known as to the integrity of the cannabinoid system in human pain syndromes. Here we investigate the expression of the cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB₁) in human Achilles tendons from healthy volunteers and from patients with Achilles tendinosis. METHODOLOGY: Cannabinoid CB₁ receptor immunoreactivity (CB₁IR) was evaluated in formalin-fixed biopsies from individuals suffering from painful Achilles tendinosis in comparison with healthy human Achilles tendons. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: CB₁IR was seen as a granular pattern in the tenocytes. CB₁IR was also observed in the blood vessel wall and in the perineurium of the nerve. Quantification of the immunoreactivity in tenocytes showed an increase of CB₁ receptor expression in tendinosis tissue compared to control tissue. CONCLUSION: Expression of cannabinoid receptor 1 is increased in human Achilles tendinosis suggesting that the cannabinoid system may be dysregulated in this disorder

Site-Specific and Time-Dependent Activation of the Endocannabinoid System after Transection of Long-Range Projections

Background: After focal neuronal injury the endocannabinioid system becomes activated and protects or harms neurons depending on cannabinoid derivates and receptor subtypes. Endocannabinoids (eCBs) play a central role in controlling local responses and influencing neural plasticity and survival. However, little is known about the functional relevance of eCBs in long-range projection damage as observed in stroke or spinal cord injury (SCI). Methods: In rat organotypic entorhino-hippocampal slice cultures (OHSC) as a relevant and suitable model for investigating projection fibers in the CNS we performed perforant pathway transection (PPT) and subsequently analyzed the spatial and temporal dynamics of eCB levels. This approach allows proper distinction of responses in originating neurons (entorhinal cortex), areas of deafferentiation/anterograde axonal degeneration (dentate gyrus) and putative changes in more distant but synaptically connected subfields (cornu ammonis (CA) 1 region). Results: Using LC-MS/MS, we measured a strong increase in arachidonoylethanolamide (AEA), oleoylethanolamide (OEA) and palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) levels in the denervation zone (dentate gyrus) 24 hours post lesion (hpl), whereas entorhinal cortex and CA1 region exhibited little if any changes. NAPE-PLD, responsible for biosynthesis of eCBs, was increased early, whereas FAAH, a catabolizing enzyme, was up-regulated 48hpl. Conclusion: Neuronal damage as assessed by transection of long-range projections apparently provides a strong time-dependent and area-confined signal for de novo synthesis of eCB, presumably to restrict neuronal damage. The present data underlines the importance of activation of the eCB system in CNS pathologies and identifies a novel site-specific intrinsic regulation of eCBs after long-range projection damage

R-Flurbiprofen Reduces Neuropathic Pain in Rodents by Restoring Endogenous Cannabinoids

Background: R-flurbiprofen, one of the enantiomers of flurbiprofen racemate, is inactive with respect to cyclooxygenase inhibition, but shows analgesic properties without relevant toxicity. Its mode of action is still unclear. Methodology/Principal Findings: We show that R-flurbiprofen reduces glutamate release in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord evoked by sciatic nerve injury and thereby alleviates pain in sciatic nerve injury models of neuropathic pain in rats and mice. This is mediated by restoring the balance of endocannabinoids (eCB), which is disturbed following peripheral nerve injury in the DRGs, spinal cord and forebrain. The imbalance results from transcriptional adaptations of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) and NAPE-phospholipase D, i.e. the major enzymes involved in anandamide metabolism and synthesis, respectively. R-flurbiprofen inhibits FAAH activity and normalizes NAPE-PLD expression. As a consequence, R-Flurbiprofen improves endogenous cannabinoid mediated effects, indicated by the reduction of glutamate release, increased activity of the anti-inflammatory transcription factor PPAR gamma and attenuation of microglia activation. Antinociceptive effects are lost by combined inhibition of CB1 and CB2 receptors and partially abolished in CB1 receptor deficient mice. R-flurbiprofen does however not cause changes of core body temperature which is a typical indicator of central effects of cannabinoid-1 receptor agonists. Conclusion: Our results suggest that R-flurbiprofen improves the endogenous mechanisms to regain stability after axonal injury and to fend off chronic neuropathic pain by modulating the endocannabinoid system and thus constitutes an attractive, novel therapeutic agent in the treatment of chronic, intractable pain

Vertical polarization dependence of transient signals above a dielectric layer

22-25The duct model given by Kahan and Eckart [Ann Phys (France), 5 (1950) 641] has been used for the vertical polarization treatment of the signals. A vertical electric dipole, above the surface layer, is taken as the source of electromagnetic field. The polarization of the primary source, whose moment varies arbitrarily in time, is chosen in such a way that it allows the exact determination of the electric field strength at some fixed point above the duct layer. Two integral transforms, a Laplace transform in time a two-dimensional Fourier transform in the horizontal coordinates in space are applied to the wave equation for the Hertz vector. This leads to an integral representation of the solution of the wave equation in transform space