Needlelike motion of prolate ellipsoids in the sea of spheres

Molecular dynamics simulations of translational motion of isolated prolate ellipsoids in the sea of spheres have been carried out for several different values of the aspect ratio (κ), obtained by changing either the length or the diameter of the ellipsoids, at several different solvent densities. The interaction among the spheres is given by the Lennard-Jones pair potential while that between spheres and ellipsoids is given by a modified Gay-Berne potential. Both the mean-square displacements of the center of mass of the ellipsoids and their orientational time correlation function have been calculated. It is found that at short to intermediate times, the motion of ellipsoids is anisotropic and primarily needlelike-the molecules prefer to move parallel to their long axis. The ratio of these two diffusion constants (D|| and D⊥) approaches κ, suggesting a decoupling of D|| from the length of the ellipsoid. The diffusion becomes isotropic in the long time with the total diffusion coefficient given by D||+2D⊥. The crossover from the anisotropic to the isotropic diffusion is surprisingly sharp and clear in most cases

Enhancement of Voltage Deviationin a Power Systemby Rectifying OPF Troubles

This paper presents an evolutionary based approach to solve the optimal power flow (OPF) problem. For optimal settings of OPF control variables, the proposed approach utilizes Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm. On standard IEEE 30-bus test system is observed and tested with various objective functions like voltage deviation enhancement and voltage profile improvement in this proposed approach. The outcome of IPSO-TVAC method has quality convergence attribute. Furthermore it shows the possible of the proposed approach and illustrates its usefulness and toughness to solve the OPF problem for the systems considered. The proposed approach simulation results are lesser than other optimization algorithms reported in the literature

Polypharmacy Treatment of Hypertensionin Public Health Centers

Background: Hypertension is one of the most prominent global diseases. Despite the availability of effective therapies, hypertension remains poorly controlled in Indonesia. In many cases, patient’s noncompliance may be attributable to the low patients’ knowledge, attitude, and life-style practices such as polypharmacy. Polypharmacy is defined as the administration of many drugs at in one prescription. Polypharmacy increases expenses, possible adverse reaction to a single agent, incidence of drug interactions, and decreases patient’s compliance This study aimed to identify the practice of polypharmacy in hypertension treatment in primary health centers.Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive observational study was carried out on 60 patients from two primary health centers in Jatinangor, West Java, Indonesia in October 2013. Sociodemographic profile, degree of hypertension, types of antihypertensive drugs, concomitant drugs given together with antihypertensive drugs, and treatment compliance data were collected and presented in tables and figures.Results: The incidence of hypertension was more common among male patients compared to female patients. Thirty-three patients (55%) have low compliance to their medication. Twenty-nine patients (48%) received single drug and 31 patients (52%) received more than one drugs.Conclusions: The percentage of polypharmacy practice in treating hypertension in primary health centers is 52%. The most frequently prescribed anti-hypertensive are angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and calcium-channel blockers (CCB). Most of hypertensive patients have low compliance to therapy. [AMJ.2016;3(4):633–9] DOI: 10.15850/amj.v3n4.95

Ethnobotany, Phytochemistry and Pharmacology of \u3cem\u3eMussaenda\u3c/em\u3e Species (Rubiaceae)

The genus Mussaenda is an important source of medicinal natural products, particularly iridoids, triterpenes and flavonoids. The purpose of this paper is to cover the more recent developments in the ethnobotany, pharmacology and phytochemistry of this genus. The species in which the largest number of compounds has been identified is Mussaenda pubescens. Pharmacological studies have also been made, however, of other species in this genus. These lesser known plants of the genus are described here according to their cytotoxicity, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antioxidant and antibacterial properties. The information given here is intended to serve as a reference tool for practitioners in the fields of ethnopharmacology and natural products chemistry

Estimation of Soil Moisture for Different Crops Using SAR Polarimetric Data

Soil moisture is an essential factor that influences agricultural productivity and hydrological processes. Soil moisture estimation using field detection methods takes time and is challenging. However, using Remote Sensing (RS) and Geographic Information System (GIS) technology, soil moisture parameters become easier to detect. In microwave remote sensing, synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data helps to retrieve soil moisture from more considerable depths because of its high penetration capability and the illumination power of its light source. This study aims to process the SAR Sentinel-1A data and estimate soil moisture using the Water Cloud Model (WCM). Many physical and empirical models have been developed to determine soil moisture from microwave remote sensing platforms. However, the Water Cloud Model gives more accurate results. In this study, the WCM model is used for mixed crop types. The experimental soil moisture was determined from in-situ soil samples collected from various agricultural areas. The soil backscattering values corresponding to the different soil sampling locations were derived from Sentinel SAR data. Using linear regression analysis, the laboratory's soil moisture results and soil backscattering values were correlated to arrive at a model. The model was validated using a secondary set of in-situ moisture content values taken during the same period. The R2 and RMSE of the model were observed to be 0.825 and 0.0274, respectively, proving a strong correlation between the experimental soil moisture and satellite-derived soil moisture for mixed crop field types. This paper explains the methodology for arriving at a model for soil moisture estimation. This model helps to recommend suitable crop types in large, complex areas based on predicted moisture content. Doi: 10.28991/CEJ-2023-09-06-08 Full Text: PD

Complete breakdown of the Debye model of rotational relaxation near the isotropic-nematic phase boundary: Effects of intermolecular correlations in orientational dynamics

The Debye-Stokes-Einstein (DSE) model of rotational diffusion predicts that the rotational correlation times $\tau_{l}$ vary as $[l(l+1)]^{-1}$, where $l$ is the rank of the orientational correlation function (given in terms of the Legendre polynomial of rank $l$). One often finds significant deviation from this prediction, in either direction. In supercooled molecular liquids where the ratio $\tau_{1}/\tau_{2}$ falls considerably below three (the Debye limit), one usually invokes a jump diffusion model to explain the approach of the ratio $\tau_{1}/\tau_{2}$ to unity. Here we show in a computer simulation study of a standard model system for thermotropic liquid crystals that this ratio becomes much less than unity as the isotropic-nematic phase boundary is approached from the isotropic side. Simultaneously, the ratio $\tau_2/\eta$ (where $\eta$ is the shear viscosity of the liquid) becomes {\it much larger} than hydrodynamic value near the I-N transition. We have also analyzed the break down of the Debye model of rotational diffusion in ratios of higher order rotational correlation times. We show that the break down of the DSE model is due to the growth of orientational pair correlation and provide a mode coupling theory analysis to explain the results.Comment: Submitted to Physical Review

Bilateral ovarian teratoma complicated with carcinosarcoma in a 68 year old woman: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Composing of less than 1% of all ovarian cancers, immature teratoma is a malignancy that mainly affects the young, and they present with advanced disease. The treatment of immature teratoma is conservative primary surgery usually involving unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy followed by combination chemotherapy.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>Here we present a case of a 68 year old woman with bilateral ovarian teratoma complicated with carcinosarcoma. The patient was diagnosed as FIGO stage IIIC. She underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy and interval cytoreduction followed by optimal cytoreduction. The post operative management strategies and gynaecological follow up studies revealed no evidence of regional or distant metastasis.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Thus the choice of initial treatment should be decided in a selective fashion depending on various prognostic factors in order to increase the survival of the patients.</p

Microfluidics as a Powerful Tool to Investigate Microvascular Dysfunction in Trauma Conditions:A Review of the State‐of‐the‐Art

Skeletal muscle trauma such as fracture or crush injury can result in a life‐threatening condition called acute compartment syndrome (ACS), which involves elevated compartmental pressure within a closed osteo‐fascial compartment, leading to collapse of the microvasculature and resulting in necrosis of the tissue due to ischemia. Diagnosis of ACS is complex and controversial due to the lack of standardized objective methods, which results in high rates of misdiagnosis/late diagnosis, leading to permanent neuro‐muscular damage. ACS pathophysiology is poorly understood at a cellular level due to the lack of physiologically relevant models. In this context, microfluidics organ‐on‐chip systems (OOCs) provide an exciting opportunity to investigate the cellular mechanisms of microvascular dysfunction that leads to ACS. In this article, the state‐of‐the‐art OOCs designs and strategies used to investigate microvasculature dysfunction mechanisms is reviewed. The differential effects of hemodynamic shear stress on endothelial cell characteristics such as morphology, permeability, and inflammation, all of which are altered during microvascular dysfunction is highlighted. The article then critically reviews the importance of microfluidics to investigate closely related microvascular pathologies that cause ACS. The article concludes by discussing potential biomarkers of ACS with a special emphasis on glycocalyx and providing a future perspective

Drug-tolerant persister cancer cells are vulnerable to GPX4 inhibition.

Acquired drug resistance prevents cancer therapies from achieving stable and complete responses. Emerging evidence implicates a key role for non-mutational drug resistance mechanisms underlying the survival of residual cancer 'persister' cells. The persister cell pool constitutes a reservoir from which drug-resistant tumours may emerge. Targeting persister cells therefore presents a therapeutic opportunity to impede tumour relapse. We previously found that cancer cells in a high mesenchymal therapy-resistant cell state are dependent on the lipid hydroperoxidase GPX4 for survival. Here we show that a similar therapy-resistant cell state underlies the behaviour of persister cells derived from a wide range of cancers and drug treatments. Consequently, we demonstrate that persister cells acquire a dependency on GPX4. Loss of GPX4 function results in selective persister cell ferroptotic death in vitro and prevents tumour relapse in mice. These findings suggest that targeting of GPX4 may represent a therapeutic strategy to prevent acquired drug resistance