Continuous detection of trace level concentration of oil droplets in water using microfluidic AC electroosmosis (ACEO)

A novel design for high throughput detection of oil micro-droplets in water which is important to environmental oil spill monitoring agencies.

Composition-structure–physical property relationship and nonlinear optical properties of multiferroic hexagonal ErMn1−xCrxO3 nanoparticles

Nanocrystalline multiferroic ErMn_1−xCr_xO₃ exhibits canted antiferromagnetism with a spin-glass transition and strong nonlinear optical absorption.

Exclusive J/ψ photoproduction off protons in ultraperipheral p-Pb collisions at √(s(NN))=5.02 TeV

We present the first measurement at the LHC of exclusive J/ψ photoproduction off protons, in ultraperipheral proton-lead collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02  TeV. Events are selected with a dimuon pair produced either in the rapidity interval, in the laboratory frame, 2.5<y<4 (p-Pb) or -3.6<y<-2.6 (Pb-p), and no other particles observed in the ALICE acceptance. The measured cross sections σ(γ+p→J/ψ+p) are 33.2±2.2(stat)±3.2(syst)±0.7(theor)  nb in p-Pb and 284±36(stat)_{-32}^{+27}(syst)±26(theor)  nb in Pb-p collisions. We measure this process up to about 700 GeV in the γp center of mass, which is a factor of two larger than the highest energy studied at HERA. The data are consistent with a power law dependence of the J/ψ photoproduction cross section in γp energies from about 20 to 700 GeV, or equivalently, from Bjorken x scaling variable between ∼2×10^{-2} and ∼2×10^{-5}, thus indicating no significant change in the gluon density behavior of the proton between HERA and LHC energies.

Measurement of prompt D-meson production in p-Pb collisions at √(s(NN))=5.02 TeV

The p_{T}-differential production cross sections of the prompt charmed mesons D^{0}, D^{+}, D^{*+}, and D_{s}^{+} and their charge conjugate in the rapidity interval -0.96<y_{cms}<0.04 were measured in p-Pb collisions at a center-of-mass energy sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02  TeV with the ALICE detector at the LHC. The nuclear modification factor R_{pPb}, quantifying the D-meson yield in p-Pb collisions relative to the yield in pp collisions scaled by the number of binary nucleon-nucleon collisions, is compatible within the 15%-20% uncertainties with unity in the transverse momentum interval 1<p_{T}<24  GeV/c. No significant difference among the R_{pPb} of the four D-meson species is observed. The results are described within uncertainties by theoretical calculations that include initial-state effects. The measurement adds experimental evidence that the modification of the momentum spectrum of D mesons observed in Pb-Pb collisions with respect to pp collisions is due to strong final-state effects induced by hot partonic matter.

Changes of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium content during storage of vermicomposts prepared from different substrates

The study was conducted to determine the optimum storage time for vermicompost without significant loss of nutrients; nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P), and potassium (K). Cattle manure, paddy straw, municipal solid wastes, and fly ash were used for vermicompost preparations. The dynamics of N, P, and K in the vermicomposts were studied during 180 days of incubation at 28-32 °C. In general, N concentration increased in the first 90-105 days of incubation and then gradually decreased until the 180th day while P and K concentrations steadily decreased over the length of the study, with the rate of loss leveling off after 150 days. The rate of nutrient loss was directly related to the initial level, decreasing the fastest for the nutrients with the highest initial concentrations. Optimum storage times were substrate and N dependent.

Decontamination of sputum for longer time in sodium hydroxide for isolation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Decontamination by modified Petroff's method is being practiced in many laboratories carrying out Mycobacterium tuberculosis culture and drug susceptibility testing. The method exposes mycobacteria to 4% sodium hydroxide for 30min. However, laboratories in developing countries with limited resources might be using a type of centrifuge that does not open during power failures and exposes the mycobacteria to alkali for longer periods. Out of 28 smear-positive specimens processed, 85.7%, 85.7% and 60.7% of specimens showed a positive culture after exposure to alkali for 0.5, 1.0 and 72h. Laboratories compelled to expose the mycobacteria for a longer duration of time can still attempt isolation for culture as only a small amount of bacteria are needed for culture positivity.

Measurement of quarkonium production at forward rapidity in [Formula: see text] collisions at [Formula: see text]TeV

The inclusive production cross sections at forward rapidity of [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text](1S) and [Formula: see text](2S) are measured in [Formula: see text] collisions at [Formula: see text] with the ALICE detector at the LHC. The analysis is based on a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.35 pb[Formula: see text]. Quarkonia are reconstructed in the dimuon-decay channel and the signal yields are evaluated by fitting the [Formula: see text] invariant mass distributions. The differential production cross sections are measured as a function of the transverse momentum [Formula: see text] and rapidity [Formula: see text], over the ranges [Formula: see text] GeV/c for [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] GeV/c for all other resonances and for [Formula: see text]. The measured cross sections integrated over [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], and assuming unpolarized quarkonia, are: [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text]b, [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text]b, [Formula: see text] nb and [Formula: see text] nb, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second one is systematic. The results are compared to measurements performed by other LHC experiments and to theoretical models.

Anaphylatoxin C5a modulates hepatic stellate cell migration

BACKGROUND

C5a and its cognate receptor, C5a receptor (C5aR), key elements of complement, are critical modulators of liver immunity and fibrosis. However, the molecular mechanism for the cross talk between complement and liver fibrosis is not well understood. C5a is a potent chemokine regulating migration of cells in the innate immune system. Since activation and migration of hepatic stellate cells (HSC) are hallmarks of liver fibrosis, we hypothesized that C5a contributes to fibrosis by regulating HSC activation and/or migration.

RESULTS

Primary cultures of mouse HSC increased expression of alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and collagen 1A (Col1A1) mRNA in response to activation on plastic. Expression of mRNA for C5aR, but not C5L2, a second C5a receptor that acts as a negative regulator, increased in parallel with markers of HSC activation in culture. Increased expression of C5aR on activated HSC was confirmed by immunocytochemistry. Cell surface expression of C5aR was also detected by flow cytometry on activated HSC isolated from mice expressing GFP under the control of the collagen promoter after exposure to chronic carbon tetrachloride. To understand the functional significance of C5aR expression in HSC, we next investigated whether C5a influenced HSC activation and/or migration. Challenge of HSC with C5a during culture had no effect on expression of α-SMA and Col1A1, suggesting that C5a did not influence HSC activation. Another important characteristic of HSC is their migratory capacity; migration of HSC in response to platelet derived growth factor (PDGF) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) has been well characterized. Challenge of HSC with C5a enhanced HSC migration almost as efficiently as PDGF in a two-dimensional wound healing and Boyden chamber migration assays. C5a also stimulated expression of MCP-1. C5a-induced cell migration was slowed, but not completely inhibited, in presence of 227016, a MCP-1 receptor antagonist, suggesting C5a-induced migration occurs via both MCP-1-dependent and -independent mechanisms.

CONCLUSIONS

These data reveal that C5a regulates migration of HSC and suggest a novel mechanism by which complement contributes to hepatic fibrosis. C5a and its receptors are therefore potential therapeutic targets for the prevention and/or treatment of liver fibrosis.

Successful repair of iatrogenic inferior vena cava injury during cardiac surgery

Iatrogenic injury to the supra-diaphragmatic inferior vena cava (IVC) is uncommon, but can lead to a potentially complicated situation. Injury to the IVC is encountered usually during re-operative and congenital surgery, but can occur during the course of routine cardiac surgery as well. Depending on the mechanism, injury may involve the anterior or posterior wall of the IVC. A short adherent IVC, redo surgery and female sex are incremental risk factors for injury. Control of bleeding, adequate exposure and prevention of extension of the tear are the important considerations at the time of repair. While a number of management techniques have been reported, we describe a very simple maneuver that allows swift control of bleeding, adequate exposure and minimizes the risk of further extension and a satisfactory repair.

Spot or early morning sample for mycobacterial culture: which?

Drug resistance studies ideally require two sputum specimens, one spot and one early morning, for culture in Löwenstein-Jensen medium. Although the type of specimen plays a major role in the detection of acid-fast bacilli using microscopy, this type of specimen collection puts unnecessary pressure on patients. Two sputum samples, one on the spot and another in the early morning, collected from 179 TB patients in cetylpyridinium chloride and processed for culture, yielded respectively 89.9% and 87.7% culture positivity, while culture positivity increased to 93.3% when both specimens were tested.

The effect of weight loss on health-related quality of life: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of weight loss on health-related quality of life (HRQL) in randomized controlled intervention trials (RCTs). MEDLINE, HealthStar and PsycINFO were searched. RCTs of any weight loss intervention and 20 HRQL instruments were examined. Contingency tables were constructed to examine the association between statistically significant weight loss and statistically significant HRQL improvement within five HRQL categories. In addition, Short Form-36 (SF-36) outcomes were pooled using random-effects models. Fifty-three trials were included. Seventeen studies reported statistically significant weight loss and HRQL improvement. No statistically significant associations between weight loss and HRQL improvement were found in any contingency table. Because of suboptimal endpoint reporting, quantitative data pooling could only be performed using 25% of SF-36 trials in any one model. Significant improvements in physical health were found: mean difference 2.83 points, 95% CI 0.55-5.1, for the physical component score, and mean difference 6.81 points, 95% CI 2.99-10.63, for the physical functioning domain score. Conversely, no significant improvements in mental health were found. No significant association was found between weight loss and overall HRQL improvement. Weight loss may be associated with modest improvements in physical, but not mental, health.