Photothermal Conversion Characteristics of Silver Nanoparticle Dispersions

This paper was presented at the 4th Micro and Nano Flows Conference (MNF2014), which was held at University College, London, UK. The conference was organised by Brunel University and supported by the Italian Union of Thermofluiddynamics, IPEM, the Process Intensification Network, the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, the Heat Transfer Society, HEXAG - the Heat Exchange Action Group, and the Energy Institute, ASME Press, LCN London Centre for Nanotechnology, UCL University College London, UCL Engineering, the International NanoScience Community, www.nanopaprika.eu.Nanoparticle-based direct absorption system is a recent development, which employs nanoparticles to absorb and convert solar energy directly into thermal energy within the fluid volume. This work reports for the first time the use of plasomic nanoparticles (PNPs) to improve the direct photo-thermal conversion efficiency. Rod-shaped silver nanoparticles are synthesized and used as an example to illustrate the photo-thermal conversion characteristics of PNPs and the effect of particle shape. The result reveals a significant role of particle morphology on the photo-thermal conversion efficiency (PTE). For spherical silver particles, constant specific absorption rate (SAR), ~0.14 kW/g, is observed and the PTE increases nearly linearly with the particle concentration. For rod-shaped silver nanoparticles, much higher SARs (2~5 kW/g) are obtained, and the PTE increases from 43% (pure DI water) to 61% at a low concentration of 0.0028%. It is suggested that the increased specific surface area and the absorption spectrum variation are the two main reasons for the strong heating effect of rod-shaped silver nanoparticles

Appropriateness in the Utilization of Emergency Department Services In Hospital Kota Sharu and Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia

The prime concern in the inappropriate utilization of emergency departments (FD) is compromised management of patients requiring emergency treatment. Kesan utama penyalahgunaan jabatan kecemasan adalah gangguan terhadap perjalanan perkhidmatan ini kepada pesakit yang benar-benar didalam kecemasan atau tenat. Kajian menunjukkan penggunaan jabatan kecemasan bagi kes-kes bukan kecemasan adalah signifikan dibeberapa negara

Calcium isotope fractionation during microbially induced carbonate mineral precipitation

We report the calcium isotope fractionation during the microbially-induced precipitation of calcium carbonate minerals in pure cultures of the marine sulfate-reducing bacterium Desulfovibrio bizertensis. These data are used to explore how the calcium isotope fractionation factor during microbially-induced carbonate mineral precipitation differs from the better-constrained calcium isotope fractionation factors during biogenic or abiotic carbonate mineral precipitation. Bacterial growth was then modulated with antibiotics, and the evolution of δ44Ca in solution was monitored under different microbial growth rates. The faster the microbial growth rate, the larger the calcium isotope fractionation during carbonate mineral precipitation, ranging from Δ44Ca(s-f) between -1.07‰ and -0.48‰. The reported calcium isotope fractionation can help us understand the link between calcium isotope fractionation and microbial metabolism in carbonate minerals precipitated during sedimentary diagenesis.The work was supported by ERC 307582 StG (CARBONSINK) to AVT and NERC 700 NE/R013519/1 to HJ

Research on Artificial Intelligence Ethics Based on the Evolution of Population Knowledge Base

The unclear development direction of human society is a deep reason for that it is difficult to form a uniform ethical standard for human society and artificial intelligence. Since the 21st century, the latest advances in the Internet, brain science and artificial intelligence have brought new inspiration to the research on the development direction of human society. Through the study of the Internet brain model, AI IQ evaluation, and the evolution of the brain, this paper proposes that the evolution of population knowledge base is the key for judging the development direction of human society, thereby discussing the standards and norms for the construction of artificial intelligence ethics.Comment: 12 pages, 6 figures,1 tabl

Assessment of sensory neuropathy in patients with diabetic foot problems

Our aim of this study was to compare the accuracy of three different modalities for testing sensory neuropathy in diabetic patients with and without diabetic foot problems. The three devices used included the pin-prick testing using the Neurotip® (PPT), the Semmes–Weinstein 5.07/10 g monofilament testing (SWMT), and the rapid-current perception threshold (R-CPT) measurements using the Neurometer® testing. Our study population consisted of 54 patients (108 feet) with diabetic foot problems treated at the National University Hospital in Singapore by our multi-disciplinary diabetic foot care team. Our results showed no difference in sensory neuropathy detected by PPT and 5.07/10 g SWMT in both the pathological and normal foot. In the pathological foot, there was significant increase in sensory neuropathy detected by the Neurometer® device at both the big toe and ankle sites as compared to PPT and 5.07/10 g SWMT. In the normal foot, there was a significant increase in sensory neuropathy detected by the Neurometer® device at the big toe site only as compared to PPT and 5.07/10 g SWMT. Finally, the Neurometer® measurements detected a statistically higher proportion of feet with sensory neuropathy as compared to detection by the PPT or 5.07/10 g SWMT

Application of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA sequence polymorphisms to the study of HBV transmission

Short sequences in hypervariable regions of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) genome can be used to identify different strains, providing a novel approach to the study of HBV transmission. The nucleotide sequence in positions 2551-2650 (1: EcoRI site) was determined for serum HBV DNA from 96 Chinese children living in Hong Kong and from 38 of their parents. HBV DNA was extracted and sequenced after amplification with the polymerase chain reaction, using as primers oligonucleotides corresponding to two conserved sequences. Among 82 unrelated children, 32 HBV DNA variants were present. One sequence was present in 33 children and 31 variants were found among the other 49. Siblings within each of nine families had the same variant; in three families siblings had different variants. Six of the eight fathers and 28 of the 30 mothers had HBV DNA sequences identical to those of their offspring. A total of 34 variants were found among the 134 individuals. The hypothesis of random assortment of sequences in parents and children was rejected (P < .00005). Thus, this new approach proves the occurrence of intrafamilial transmission of HBV among Chinese.published_or_final_versio

Topoisomer Differentiation of Molecular Knots by FTICR MS: Lessons from Class II Lasso Peptides

Lasso peptides constitute a class of bioactive peptides sharing a knotted structure where the C-terminal tail of the peptide is threaded through and trapped within an N-terminalmacrolactamring. The structural characterization of lasso structures and differentiation from their unthreaded topoisomers is not trivial and generally requires the use of complementary biochemical and spectroscopic methods. Here we investigated two antimicrobial peptides belonging to the class II lasso peptide family and their corresponding unthreaded topoisomers: microcin J25 (MccJ25), which is known to yield two-peptide product ions specific of the lasso structure under collisioninduced dissociation (CID), and capistruin, for which CID does not permit to unambiguously assign the lasso structure. The two pairs of topoisomers were analyzed by electrospray ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (ESI-FTICR MS) upon CID, infrared multiple photon dissociation (IRMPD), and electron capture dissociation (ECD). CID and ECDspectra clearly permitted to differentiate MccJ25 from its non-lasso topoisomer MccJ25-Icm, while for capistruin, only ECD was informative and showed different extent of hydrogen migration (formation of c\bullet/z from c/z\bullet) for the threaded and unthreaded topoisomers. The ECD spectra of the triply-charged MccJ25 and MccJ25-lcm showed a series of radical b-type product ions {\eth}b0In{\TH}. We proposed that these ions are specific of cyclic-branched peptides and result from a dual c/z\bullet and y/b dissociation, in the ring and in the tail, respectively. This work shows the potentiality of ECD for structural characterization of peptide topoisomers, as well as the effect of conformation on hydrogen migration subsequent to electron capture

Association of the Lumican Gene Functional 3 '-UTR Polymorphism with High Myopia

[[abstract]]PURPOSE. The lumican gene (LUM) encodes a major extracellular component of the fibrous mammalian sclera. Alteration in the expression levels of extracellular matrix components may influence scleral shape, which in turn could affect visual acuity. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the LUM gene were determined in an investigation of whether LUM gene polymorphisms correlate with high myopia. METHODS. Sequences spanning all three exons, intron-exon boundaries, and promoter regions were determined in 50 normal individuals. Five SNPs were identified, one of which was found to be a newly identified polymorphism. Genomic DNA was prepared from peripheral blood obtained from 201 patients with high myopia and 86 control subjects. Genotypes of the SNPs -1554 T/C (rs3759223), -628 A/-(rs17018757), -59 CC/-(rs3832846), c. 601 T/C (rs17853500), and the novel SNP c. 1567 C>T were determined by polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS. Of the five SNPs, one showed a significant difference between patients and control subjects (c. 1567 C>T, P = 0.0016). Haplotype analysis revealed a significantly higher presence of polymorphisms in patients with myopia (P < 0.0001). Moreover, the c. 1567 T polymorphism was determined to have lower reporter gene activity than that of c. 1567 C. CONCLUSIONS. These observations suggest that LUM gene polymorphisms contribute to the development of high myopia. (Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2010; 51: 96-102) DOI: 10.1167/iovs.09-361

Sclera-related gene polymorphisms in high myopia

[[abstract]]Purpose: Transforming growth factor-beta 2 (TGF-beta 2), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), and fibromodulin (FMOD) are important extracellular matrix components of the sclera and have been shown to be associated with the development of high myopia. Our aim was to examine the association between myopia and the polymorphisms within TGF-beta 2, bFGF, and FMOD. Methods: The study group comprised of patients (n=195; age range: 17-24 years) with a spherical equivalent of -6.5 diopters (D) or a more negative refractive error. The control group comprised of individuals (n=94; age range: 17-25 years) with a spherical equivalent ranging from -0.5 D to +1.0 D. The subjects with astigmatism over -0.75 D were excluded from the study. High resolution melting (HRM) genotyping and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) genotyping were used to detect single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). The polymorphisms detected were TGF-beta 2 (rs7550232 and rs991967), bFGF (rs308395 and rs41348645), and FMOD (rs7543418). Moreover, a stepwise logistic regression procedure was used to detect which of the significant SNPs contributed to the main effects of myopia development. Results: There were significant differences in the frequency of the A allele and A/A genotype in TGF-beta 2 ( rs7550232; p=0.0178 and 0.03, respectively). Moreover, the haplotype distribution of haplotype 2 (Ht2; A/A) of TGF-beta 2 differed significantly between the two groups (p=0.014). The results of the stepwise logistic regression procedure revealed that TGF-beta 2 (rs7550232) contributed significantly to the development of high myopia. Conclusions: TGF-beta 2 is an important structure of sclera and might contribute to the formation of myopia. TGF-beta 2 (rs7550232) polymorphisms, A allele and A/A genotype, had a protective role against the development of high myopia

Muscarinic acetylcholine receptor 1 gene polymorphisms associated with high myopia

[[abstract]]Purpose: Numerous studies, including those using animal models of myopia development and human clinical trials, have shown that the non-selective muscarinic antagonist atropine is effective in preventing the axial elongation that leads to myopia development. Among all of the muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs), mAChR 1 (M1) was the most effective in preventing myopic eye change. Our specific aim in this study was to examine the association between high myopia and polymorphisms within the muscarinic acetylcholine receptors 1 gene (CHRM1). Methods: The participants comprised of a high myopia group (n=194; age range, 17-24 years) having a myopic spherical equivalent greater than 6.5 diopters (D) and a control group (n=109; age range, 17-25 years) having a myopic spherical equivalent less than 0.5 D. Genotyping was performed using an assay-on-demand allelic discrimination assay. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed using 96 well plates on a thermal cycler. The polymorphisms detected were S1 (CHRM1 rs11823728), S2 (CHRM1 rs544978), S3 (CHRM1 rs2186410), and S4 (CHRM1 rs542269). Results: There was a significant difference in the distribution of S2 and S4 between the high myopia and control groups (p=2.40 x 10(-6) and 2.38 x 10(-8), respectively). The odds ratios of AA genotype of S2 and GG genotype of S4 were both 0.08 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.02-0.29 and 0.02-0.36, respectively). Logistic regression test revealed S1, S2, and S4 CHRM1 as all being significant in the development of high myopia. Moreover, the distributions of haplotype 4 (Ht4; C/A/A/A) differed significantly between the two groups (p=3.4 x 10(-5), odds ratio: 0.1, 95% CI: 0.03-0.34). Conclusions: Our results suggest that the S2 and S4 polymorphisms of CHRM1 are associated with susceptibility for developing high myopia. S1, S2, and S4 CHRM1 had a co-operative association with high myopia