Genetic diversity and antagonistic properties of Trichoderma strains from the crop rhizospheres in southern Rajasthan, India

There are fewer studies on Trichoderma diversity in agricultural fields. The rhizosphere of 16 crops was analyzed for Trichoderma species in 7 districts of Rajasthan state of India. Based on DNA sequence of translation elongation factor 1α (tef-1α), and morphological characteristics, 60 isolates were identified as 11 species: Trichoderma brevicompactum, species in Harzianum clade identified as T. afroharzianum, T. inhamatum, T. lentiforme, T. camerunense, T. asperellum, T. asperelloides, T. erinaceum, T. atroviride, T. ghanense, and T. longibrachiatum. T. brevicompactum is the most commonly occurring strain followed by T. afroharzianum. No new species were described in this study. T. lentiforme, showed its first occurrence outside the South American continent. The morphological and cultural characteristics of the major species were observed, described, and illustrated in detail. The isolates were tested for their antagonistic effect against three soilborne plant pathogens fungi: Sclerotium rolfsii, Rhizoctonia solani, and Fusarium verticillioides in plate culture assays. One of the most potent strains was T. afroharzianum BThr29 having a maximum in vitro inhibition of S. rolfsii (76.6%), R. solani (84.8%), and F. verticillioides (85.7%). The potential strain T. afroharzianum BThr29 was also found to be efficient antagonists against soil borne pathogens in in vivo experiment. Such information on crop selectivity, antagonistic properties, and geographic distribution of Trichoderma species will be beneficial for developing efficient Trichoderma-based biocontrol agents.

Synthesis, spectroscopic, chemical reactivity, topology analysis and molecular docking study of ethyl 5-hydroxy-2-thioxo-4-(p-tolyl)-6-(trifluoromethyl)hexahydropyrimidine-5-carboxylate

The organofluorine hexahydropyrimidine derivatives are used in the drug discovery due to its steric nature to hydrogen and its extreme electronegativity. The Ethyl 5-hydroxy-2-thioxo-4-(p-tolyl)-6-(trifluoromethyl)hexahydropyrimidine-5-carboxylate (ETP5C) compound was synthesized and characterized by NMR (13C and 1H), FT-IR and UV-Vis spectroscopic techniques for experimentally and theoretically and elemental analyses, mass spectra also investigated. The most stable structure of synthesized molecule was studied by PES analysis in gas and liquid medium. The structural parameters such as bond length and bond angle of the title molecule have been obtained by DFT/B3LYP/6-311++G (d,p) set and compared with the structurally related experimental data of the compounds. The π-to-π* transition of the ETP5C molecule is identified using UV-Vis absorption spectral analysis. In addition, the chemical stability and reactivity are investigated using HOMO-LUMO analysis. The minimal HOMO-LUMO energy gap (4.6255 eV) clearly explains that the ETP5C molecule is more reactive for receptors. The nucleophilic and electrophilic regions such as active sites have been shown by MEP, ELF, LOL and Fukui functions. The second order optical effect has been explained by NLO analysis. The docking was performed with antineoplastic proteins that exhibit against the development of tumor cells.

Fat mass: a novel digital biomarker for remote monitoring that may indicate risk for malnutrition and new complications in decompensated cirrhosis

BACKGROUND

Cirrhosis is associated with sarcopaenia and fat wasting, which drive decompensation and mortality. Currently, nutritional status, through body composition assessment, is not routinely monitored in outpatients. Given the deleterious outcomes associated with poor nutrition in decompensated cirrhosis, there is a need for remotely monitoring this to optimise community care.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was conducted on patients monitored remotely with digital sensors post hospital discharge, to assess outcomes and indicators of new cirrhosis complications. 15 patients had daily fat mass measurements as part of monitoring over a median 10 weeks, using a Withing's bioimpedance scale. The Clinical Frailty Score (CFS) was used to assess frailty and several liver disease severity scores were assessed.

RESULTS

73.3% (11/15) patients were male with a median age of 63 (52-68). There was a trend towards more severe liver disease based on CLIF-Consortium Acute Decompensation (CLIF-C AD) scores in frail patients vs. those not frail (53 vs 46, p = 0.072). When the cohort was split into patients who gained fat mass over 8 weeks vs. those that lost fat mass, the baseline CLIF-C AD scores and WBC were significantly higher in those that lost fat (58 vs 48, p = 0.048 and 11.2 × 109 vs 4.7 × 109, p = 0.031).

CONCLUSIONS

This proof-of-principle study shows feasibility for remote monitoring of fat mass and nutritional reserve in decompensated cirrhosis. Our results suggest fat mass is associated with greater severity of acute decompensation and may serve as an indicator of systemic inflammatory response. Further prospective studies are required to validate this digital biomarker.

Corrigendum to 'Point-of-care viscoelastic testing' [BJA Education 22 (2022) 416-423]

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.bjae.2022.07.003.].

Evaluation of prognostic risk models for postoperative pulmonary complications in adult patients undergoing major abdominal surgery: a systematic review and international external validation cohort study

BACKGROUND

Stratifying risk of postoperative pulmonary complications after major abdominal surgery allows clinicians to modify risk through targeted interventions and enhanced monitoring. In this study, we aimed to identify and validate prognostic models against a new consensus definition of postoperative pulmonary complications.

METHODS

We did a systematic review and international external validation cohort study. The systematic review was done in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. We searched MEDLINE and Embase on March 1, 2020, for articles published in English that reported on risk prediction models for postoperative pulmonary complications following abdominal surgery. External validation of existing models was done within a prospective international cohort study of adult patients (≥18 years) undergoing major abdominal surgery. Data were collected between Jan 1, 2019, and April 30, 2019, in the UK, Ireland, and Australia. Discriminative ability and prognostic accuracy summary statistics were compared between models for the 30-day postoperative pulmonary complication rate as defined by the Standardised Endpoints in Perioperative Medicine Core Outcome Measures in Perioperative and Anaesthetic Care (StEP-COMPAC). Model performance was compared using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROCC).

FINDINGS

In total, we identified 2903 records from our literature search; of which, 2514 (86·6%) unique records were screened, 121 (4·8%) of 2514 full texts were assessed for eligibility, and 29 unique prognostic models were identified. Nine (31·0%) of 29 models had score development reported only, 19 (65·5%) had undergone internal validation, and only four (13·8%) had been externally validated. Data to validate six eligible models were collected in the international external validation cohort study. Data from 11 591 patients were available, with an overall postoperative pulmonary complication rate of 7·8% (n=903). None of the six models showed good discrimination (defined as AUROCC ≥0·70) for identifying postoperative pulmonary complications, with the Assess Respiratory Risk in Surgical Patients in Catalonia score showing the best discrimination (AUROCC 0·700 [95% CI 0·683-0·717]).

INTERPRETATION

In the pre-COVID-19 pandemic data, variability in the risk of pulmonary complications (StEP-COMPAC definition) following major abdominal surgery was poorly described by existing prognostication tools. To improve surgical safety during the COVID-19 pandemic recovery and beyond, novel risk stratification tools are required.

FUNDING

British Journal of Surgery Society.

Quantitative Link Between Sedimentary Chlorin and Sea-Surface Chlorophyll-a

Primary productivity in the ocean plays a major role in the global carbon cycle. To estimate its changes through geological time, different sedimentary proxies are used. However, the relative weights of the various processes driving the sedimentary accumulation of organic matter are not fully constrained or represent the flux of specific algal classes. Here, we compare sea-surface chlorophyll-a (SSchla) abundance estimated from remote sensing data over the last 20 years with the sedimentary concentration of its derivatives (i.e., chlorin) on a suite of 140 core-top sediments from different biogeochemical regions. We estimate with field data that only 0.33% of SSchla in tropical and subtropical regions is transferred to surface sediments in the form of chlorin. Despite the small fraction of chlorin that arrive to the sea-floor, the sedimentary spatial distribution of chlorin is driven primarily by SSchla concentration in high and moderate productivity locations (SSchla > 0.20 mg·m^-3). Our calibration paves the way for the use of chlorin as quantitative proxies of primary productivity in paleoreconstructions and cautions on their use in low primary productivity settings.

Conceptual Origins, Technological Advancements, and Impacts of Using Virtual Reality Technology in Education

Educators of the 21st century have to be techno-friendly to cater to students' needs who embrace the latest technologies. Using visual-based methods like PowerPoint presentations, videos, animation, etc., has helped the students retain information compared to the traditional methods. One of the breath-taking advancements in visualizing technology is Virtual Reality (VR). This paper provides an overview of Virtual Reality (VR) technology and its applications in education. During this study, to better understand VR's contributions to education, a systematic review of the literature was conducted from Scopus, IEEE, and Google Scholar databases. The paper aims to highlight the core concepts, the origination of the technology, its impact, associated problems, and future directions of VR concerning education and the methods considered by notorious researchers. Identified gaps in the chosen literature works were also highlighted, and suggestions to overcome the identified gaps were summarized.

Light Weight Cryptography based Medical Data and Image Encryption Scheme

Many medical companies use cloud technology to collect, distribute and transmit medical records. Given the need for medical information, confidentiality is a key issue. In this study, we propose an encrypted scheme based on encrypted data for an electronic healthcare environment. We use hybrid Attribute based encryption and Triple DES encryption technique (ABETDES) scheme, including identity-based cryptography (IBC), to ensure data privacy through communication channels և to improve the reliability of cloud computing. There are also limited indicators of light processing and storage resources. This solves a serious maintenance problem and ensures that a private key is created where it is not blind. The introduction of a security option, a comprehensive security analysis to protect ciphertext, shows that our program is effective against many known attacks and compared to existing methods.

Structural, vibrational, electronic properties, hirshfeld surface analysis topological and molecular docking studies of N-[2-(diethylamino)ethyl]-2-methoxy-5-methylsulfonylbenzamide

The theoretical (Freebase, Cationic species) and experimental investigations on the molecular structural, spectroscopic characterization, and electronic properties of N2M5MB are reported. The most stable structure of the N2M5MB was analysed by employing Density Functional Theory (DFT) at different functional such as B3LYP, PBEPBE, TPSSTPSS and IEF-PCM (Freebase) and Cationic (B3LYP, IEF-PCM)/ 6-311++G (d,p) basis set level. The Potential Energy Scan (PES) analysis has been employed to investigate the conformational preference of the title molecule. The optimized molecular geometry, vibrational assignments (FT-IR, FT-Raman) of wavenumbers have been performed for freebase, cationic species (Gas, PCM) for the individual modes of vibration. The experimental UV-Vis absorption spectrum was obtained and compared with the simulated (Freebase, Cationic species) Time-Dependent (TD-DFT-M062X) method. The FMO's, electron-hole distributions, HOMA, FLU, Hirshfeld surface analysis, Electrostatic potential surface (ESP), Fukui functions, and topological parameters were discussed. Molecular docking studies were performed for the N2M5MB (ligand) into the active site of targeted proteins (1H22, 4DTL, 5OV9) which belong to AChE inhibitors with the minimum binding energy was detected.

Entrapped appendicitis in post TAPP mesh repair

Transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) repair is a common laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair technique performed worldwide. A rare long-term complication of TAPP is mesh-induced appendicitis, of which only four cases have been described in the literature to date. We report a case of appendicitis due to appendix entrapped in the TAPP mesh.

Hepatocellular carcinoma: A local registry on risk factors, imaging patterns, treatment strategies and overall survival

INTRODUCTION

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is among the common death-causing cancers worldwide. This liver malignancy is primarily diagnosed using radiological imaging techniques. Most of the patients in Malaysia present late and were diagnosed at an intermediate or advanced stage of Barcelona Clinic of Liver Cancer (BCLC). This causes a limitation on the treatment options for the patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We performed a retrospective crosssectional study of HCC cases within a five-year period in our center with data collected from Hospital Canselor Tunku Mukhriz (HCTM). This study examines the HCC risk factors, the pattern of diagnosis, treatment options and overall survival.

RESULTS

The findings from this study showed that viral hepatitis was the highest risk factor in which most of the patients were elderly males who presented with abdominal distension. In addition, given the high prevalence of metabolic diseases Malaysia, it is predicted that the number of non-alcoholic steatohepatosis (NASH)-related HCC cases might increase. Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) proved to have no significant role in the detection of the disease. The number of patients detected at early BCLC was minimal, resulting in limited options of treatment. Overall survival of our HCC patients was poor at 17 months.

CONCLUSION

We conclude that HCC patients in HCTM mostly presented at late stage to hospital, hence limiting the treatment options and resulted in poor survival rate. Disease awareness should be implemented at primary care level to detect HCC at its early stage. Subsequently, a multidisciplinary hospital team is required to manage the disease at its different stages of presentation.

Appraisal of sedimentary alkenones for the quantitative reconstruction of phytoplankton biomass

Marine primary productivity (PP) is the driving factor in the global marine carbon cycle. Its reconstruction in past climates relies on biogeochemical proxies that are not considered to provide an unequivocal signal. These are often based on the water column flux of biogenic components to sediments (organic carbon, biogenic opal, biomarkers), although other factors than productivity are posited to control the sedimentary contents of the components, and their flux is related to the fraction of export production buried in sediments. Moreover, most flux proxies have not been globally appraised. Here, we assess a proxy to quantify past phytoplankton biomass by correlating the concentration of C37 alkenones in a global suite of core-top sediments with sea surface chlorophyll-a (SSchla) estimates over the last 20 y. SSchla is the central metric to calculate phytoplankton biomass and is directly related to PP. We show that the global spatial distribution of sedimentary alkenones is primarily correlated to SSchla rather than diagenetic factors such as the oxygen concentration in bottom waters, which challenges previous assumptions on the role of preservation on driving concentrations of sedimentary organic compounds. Moreover, our results suggest that the rate of global carbon export to sediments is not regionally constrained, and that alkenones producers play a dominant role in the global export of carbon buried in the seafloor. This study shows the potential of using sedimentary alkenones to estimate past phytoplankton biomass, which in turn can be used to infer past PP in the global ocean.

Investigations on 2-(4-Cyanophenylamino) acetic acid by FT-IR,FT-Raman, NMR and UV-Vis spectroscopy, DFT (NBO, HOMO-LUMO, MEP and Fukui function) and molecular docking studies

Extensive quantum chemical calculation have been carried out to investigate the Fourier Transform Infrared(FT-IR), Fourier Transform Raman(FT-RAMAN) and Nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR), and Ultra Violet-Visible(UV-vis) spectra of 2-(4-Cyanophenylamino) acetic acid. The molecular structure, fundamental vibrational frequencies and intensities of the vibrational bands were interpreted with the aid of optimizations and normal coordinate force field calculations based on density functional theory (DFT) and ab initio HF methods with 6–311++G(d,p) basis set. The theoretical vibrational wavenumbers are compared with the experimental values. The calculated HOMO-LUMO energies were found to be-6.2056 eV and -1.2901 eV which indicates the charge transfer within the molecule. Natural bond orbital analysis has been carried out to explain the charge transfer (or) delocalization of charge due to the intra molecular interactions. Molecular Electrostatic Potential (MEP), First order hyperpolarizability, and Fukui functions calculation were also performed. The thermodynamic properties of the title compound were studied for different temperatures. Molecular docking studies were made on the title compound to study the hydrogen bond interactions and the minimum binding energy was calculated.

PES, molecular structure, spectroscopic (FT-IR, FT-Raman), electronic (UV-Vis, HOMO-LUMO), quantum chemical and biological (docking) studies on a potent membrane permeable inhibitor: dibenzoxepine derivative

The dibenzoxepines derivatives have found a broad application in biological and pharmaceutical fields as new prospective drugs. So, the molecule (3aS,12bS)-5-Chlor-2-methyl-2,3,3a,12b-tetrahydro-1H-dibenzo[2,3:6,7]oxepino[4,5-c]pyrrol has been characterized by DFT (Density Functional Theory) approach to predict the important properties of it. The minimum energy conformer has been found by PES (Potential Energy Surface) and then the structure is optimized. Further, the structure is characterized spectroscopically by FT-IR and FT-Raman techniques to know the functional group and chemically active atoms. The geometrical parameters, PED (Potential Energy Distribution) assignments have also been reported. The electronic properties of the title compound have been explained by UV-Vis and HOMO-LUMO analyses that describe the charge transfer between the atoms of the molecule. Molecular Electrostatic Potential (MEP), Electron Localization Function (ELF) and Localized Orbital Locator (LOL) have been depicted to know the chemically active regions. The electrophilic and nucleophilic regions have been shown by Fukui functions. The Non-Linear Optics (NLO) for non-linear optical effects and the Natural Bond Orbital (NBO) for charge delocalization were studied. To study the biological activity of the title compound, molecular docking has been performed which suggests that the title molecule may act as a membrane permeable inhibitor.

Evidence-based strategies to reduce contamination from aerosolised microbes in dental practice environment

Cohort selection The aim was to evaluate interventions to minimise microbial contamination from aerosol generating procedures in the dental office. Seven electronic databases were searched using key words such as 'aerosols', 'droplets', 'spatter', 'microbial loads' etc to identify relevant randomised controlled trials and prospective non-randomised clinical trials until 6 April 2020.Data sources PubMed; Scopus; Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials; Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews; Open Grey; ClinicalTrials.gov; National Research Register; and hand searches.Data analysis Eligible studies were analysed for effectiveness of various interventions on the microbial counts in the aerosols generated in the dental office using predefined criteria. Data were analysed for assessment of quality of evidence and confidence in the estimated effect, risk of bias and other analyses using Stata 15.1 software. PRISMA guidelines extension for network meta-analysis were followed for reporting.Results Initial search identified 266 studies, of which 35 were evaluated for full text. Finally, 29 studies fulfilled the eligibility criteria for qualitative synthesis. The majority of the included studies were published in the last decade, and 21 out of the 29 studies were randomised controlled trials. However, based on comparable procedural settings (study design, study populations, interventions and outcome measures), only 11 were eligible for contribution to the network meta-analysis. The setting of all interventions was ultrasonic scaling of adult patients in a clinical dental practice environment, and involved 16 direct and 29 indirect comparisons. A multivariate meta-analysis showed pre-procedural mouth rinse with tempered chlorhexidine 0.2% at 47°C was most effective in reducing post-procedural bacterial load compared to the control. A mean difference of -0.92 (95% CI -15.4 to -0.29) in log10 colony-forming units was observed in air samples within 90 cm of the dental unit.Conclusions Notwithstanding the limitations of this network meta-analysis, pre-procedural mouth rinse with tempered chlorhexidine appears to be most effective in reducing bacterial counts in aerosols generated during dental operative procedures. Further randomised controlled clinical trials based on robust designs are required to establish the effectiveness of antimicrobial agents in reducing aerosol-related microbial loads (bacteria and viruses) in clinical environments.

Perioperative intravenous contrast administration and the incidence of acute kidney injury after major gastrointestinal surgery: prospective, multicentre cohort study

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to determine the impact of preoperative exposure to intravenous contrast for CT and the risk of developing postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients undergoing major gastrointestinal surgery.

METHODS

This prospective, multicentre cohort study included adults undergoing gastrointestinal resection, stoma reversal or liver resection. Both elective and emergency procedures were included. Preoperative exposure to intravenous contrast was defined as exposure to contrast administered for the purposes of CT up to 7 days before surgery. The primary endpoint was the rate of AKI within 7 days. Propensity score-matched models were adjusted for patient, disease and operative variables. In a sensitivity analysis, a propensity score-matched model explored the association between preoperative exposure to contrast and AKI in the first 48 h after surgery.

RESULTS

A total of 5378 patients were included across 173 centres. Overall, 1249 patients (23·2 per cent) received intravenous contrast. The overall rate of AKI within 7 days of surgery was 13·4 per cent (718 of 5378). In the propensity score-matched model, preoperative exposure to contrast was not associated with AKI within 7 days (odds ratio (OR) 0·95, 95 per cent c.i. 0·73 to 1·21; P = 0·669). The sensitivity analysis showed no association between preoperative contrast administration and AKI within 48 h after operation (OR 1·09, 0·84 to 1·41; P = 0·498).

CONCLUSION

There was no association between preoperative intravenous contrast administered for CT up to 7 days before surgery and postoperative AKI. Risk of contrast-induced nephropathy should not be used as a reason to avoid contrast-enhanced CT.

Molecular structure interpretation, spectroscopic (FT-IR, FT-Raman), electronic solvation (UV-Vis, HOMO-LUMO and NLO) properties and biological evaluation of (2E)-3-(biphenyl-4-yl)-1-(4-bromophenyl)prop-2-en-1-one: Experimental and computational modeling approach

In this present work, a molecule (2E)-3-(biphenyl-4-yl)-1-(4-bromophenyl) prop-2-en-1-one (3BPO) was synthesized and the structure has been characterized by using spectroscopic techniques. The most stable conformational structure of title compound has been calculated using HF-6-31G(d,p) basis set. DFT method were used through B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) basis set to optimize the structure of the title compound. The geometrical parameters, vibrational wavenumbers and electronic properties have also been performed. The electronic properties for HOMO-LUMO, UV-Vis and MEP maps were contemplated by IEFPCM model with various solvation impacts which depends on TD-DFT ((M062X for UV and B3LYP for HOMO-LUMO, MEP)/6-311++G(d,p)) strategies. The NLO activity of title compound has been examined by solvation DFT/B3LYP technique with 6-311++G(d,p) premise set. Mean while, lone pair of donor-acceptor interactions and H bond donor/acceptor surface has been obtained by which a charge transfer mechanism can be explained. Molecular docking has been explored to comprehend the coupling transportation of the examined ligand with human folate receptor alpha in complex with folic corrosive protein (4LRH).

Y-shaped potential third-order nonlinear optical material – 3-(2-amino-2-oxoethyl)-5-methyl hexanoic acid: an analysis of structural, spectroscopic and docking studies

The merit of this work is that it has clearly established the structure and the nonlinear optical properties relationship of the title molecule and it could be helpful for developing new nonlinear optical materials.

Spectroscopic, chemical reactivity, molecular docking investigation and QSAR analyses of (2E)‑1‑(3‑bromo‑2‑thienyl)‑3‑(2,5‑dimethoxyphenyl)prop‑2‑en‑1‑one

Chalcone derivative of (2E)‑1‑(3‑bromo‑2‑thienyl)‑3‑(2,5‑dimethoxyphenyl) prop‑2‑en‑1‑one (BTD) molecule has been deliberated for spectroscopic properties experimentally and theoretically. The title compound was characterized by FT-IR, FT-Raman and UV-Vis analyses. The structural activity and vibrational wavenumbers were calculated by a DFT method. The Natural Bond Orbital (NBO) analysis which reveals the hyper conjugative interactions of the present molecule has been performed. Meanwhile, the Chemical reactivity of Condensed Fukui function, MEP and HOMO-LUMO energies of the molecule were also analyzed. Furthermore, Multiwfn 3.3.9 program has been utilized to study MEP and the electron excitation analysis. Docking studies which play a significant role in determining the endothelial nitric oxide synthase inhibition activity of the present compound have also been carried out to predict the binding energy and inhibition constant of the title compound. In addition, drug resemblance parameters have also considered by QSAR study in which the comparison of chemical parameters of chalcone drugs of title molecule has been done.

An electrochemical study of acrylate bone adhesive permeability and selectivity change during in vitro ageing: A model approach to the study of biomaterials and membrane barriers

This study assessed the solute permeability of a family of UV and moisture cured acrylates-based adhesives during in vitro ageing in pH 7.4 buffer. Acrylates have a potential role in bone fracture fixation, but their inability to allow microsolute exchange between the fractured bone surfaces may contribute to ineffective healing. Cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry were used to determine the diffusion coefficients for various electrochemically active probe molecules (O_2, H₂O₂, acetaminophen, catechol, uric acid and ascorbic acid) at proprietary acrylic, urethane – acrylate and cyanoacrylate adhesives. All adhesives proved to be impermeable for up to 9 days ageing, following which a near-exponential increase in permeability resulted for all solutes. At 18 days, the diffusion coefficients were in the range of 10⁻⁵ cm²s⁻¹ for O₂ and H₂O₂ and 10⁻⁶ cm²s⁻¹ for the organic solutes; no transport selectivity was seen between the latter. Adhesive joint strength showed a direct, inverse, correlation with permeability, with the more hydrophilic cyanoacrylates showing the greatest loss of strength. Adhesive permeabilisation does not appear to be compatible with the retention of bonding strength, but it serves as a new non-destructive predictor of adhesion strength change during ageing and practical use.

Synthesis and Characterization of Calcium Phosphate Ceramic/(Poly(vinyl alcohol)-Polycaprolactone) Bilayer Nanocomposites-A Bone Tissue Regeneration Scaffold

β Tricalcium phosphate ceramic was used to reinforce nanofibers in composite mats produced via electrospinning of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), polycaprolactone (PCL) and (PVA: PCL) bilayers. The role of TCP ceramic on morphology of nanocomposites, crystalline structure, functional groups and thermal behaviour of nanocomposites were characterized by SEM, EDAX, XRD, FTIR and DSC analysis. Ultrathin cross-sections of the obtained nanocomposites were morphologically investigated with SEM and all fabricated composites consisted of fibers with average fiber diameter (AFD) around 100 nm except PCL-TCP fibers having AFD in the range of 608 nm. XRD profile presented the main peaks of β-TCP (JCPDS 090169 and JCPDS 70-2065). The characteristic absorption bands of TCP were also identified by FTIR in all the composites. The thermal stability was enhanced after adding TCP filler particles in all the polymer composites. The porosity of PCL-TCP was found around 63% and (PVA-PCL: TCP) composite was found to be 58%. The biocompatibility of the (PVA-PCL: TCP) composite scaffold has also been investigated by culturing MG-63 osteoblast cells on it; primary results showed that the cells adhered and proliferated well on the composite scaffold.

Carbon Wrapping Effect on Sulfur/Polyacrylonitrile Composite Cathode Materials for Lithium Sulfur Batteries

A sulfur-Polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-acetylene black (AB) composite was synthesized via thermal treatment processes. The as-prepared ternary composite was characterized by expending transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) and electrochemical investigations. The improved electrochemical performance can be attributed to the formation of PAN layer, which can keep a tight contact between carbon and sulfur which leads to improve the conductivity. Moreover, the PAN can also act as a flexible cushion to accommodate volume changes of sulfur cathode as well as a barrier to trap soluble polysulfide intermediates during the charge-discharge process. The PAN-S-AB composite exhibits discharge capacity of 620 mAh/g even after 50 cycles with appreciable sustainability. Therefore, the resulting PAN/S/AB composite exhibited as a desirable cathode material for Li-S battery with great performance.

An electrochemical study of microporous track-etched membrane permeability and the effect of surface protein layers

Microporous track-etched membranes serve as important permeable growth surfaces for cell culture where diffusive solute transport is needed across two growth compartments. This study has established effective solute diffusion coefficients for four probe micro-solutes: hydrogen peroxide, pyrocatechol, acetaminophen and ascorbic acid across three track-etched membranes formulated, respectively, from polycarbonate and polyethylene terephthalate. Chronoamperometry and cyclic voltammetry were used for the diffusion measurements. These showed substantially reduced intra-pore diffusion in relation to available pore area. Diffusion coefficients ranging from 1.43×10^-10 to 3.17×10^-7cm²s^-1 were demonstrated. This strongly suggests that water organisation in micro-pores is not equivalent to that of bulk water. Superimposed protein layers of Type I and IV collagen, Type I collagen-fibronectin, Type I collagen-heparin, and Type I collagen-chondroitin sulphate increased diffusional resistance, but with disproportional retardation of ascorbate diffusion due to charge repulsion at collagen-heparin and collagen-chondroitin sulphate combinations. Diffusive resistance at natural tendon and cartilage was considerably smaller; diffusion coefficients ranged from 8.33×10^-6 to 1.09×10^-8cm²s^-1.

Molecular structure, vibrational spectra, NBO, Fukui function, HOMO-LUMO analysis and molecular docking study of 6-[(2-methylphenyl)sulfanyl]-5-propylpyrimidine-2,4(1H,3H)-dione

Theoretical and experimental FT-IR and FT-Raman vibrational spectral analysis of 6-[(2-methylphenyl)sulfanyl]-5-propylpyrimidine-2,4(1H,3H)-dione have been recorded in the region 4000-400 cm-1 and 4000-100 cm-1 insolid phase. The molecular geometrical parameters, bond length, bond angle and vibrational wave numbers, harmonic vibrational frequency were investigated using the density functional theory B3LYP method with the 6-311++G(d,p) basis set. The stability of the molecule has been investigated using the natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis. The electronic properties such as HOMO-LUMO energies were determined by the time-dependent DFT approach. The thermodynamical properties and the first order hyperpolarizability and molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) of the title compound were also studied. The electron density-based local reactivity descriptors such as the Fukui functions were calculated to explain the chemical selectivity or reactivity site in the molecule. The molecule orbital contributions were investigated using the total density of states (TDOS), the sum of 𝛼 and 𝛽 electron density of states (𝛼𝛽DOS). The molecular docking (ligand-protein) simulations have been performed using the SWISSDOCK server. The full fitness (FF) score and hydrogen bonding interaction and binding affinity values revealed that title compound can act as potential inhibitor against HIV-1 protease.

High performance multi-functional trilayer membranes as permselective separators for lithium–sulfur batteries

A trilayer membrane comprising MWCNTs and MgAl₂O₄ coated on either side of a Celgard separator as a permselective membrane for Li–S batteries.

Retrospective comparative analysis of cardiovascular implantable electronic device infections with and without the use of antibacterial envelopes

BACKGROUND

Cardiovascular implantable electronic device (CIED) infections are associated with morbidity and mortality. Peri-operative systemic intravenous antibiotic prophylaxis reduces the rate of CIED infections. AIGIS_Rx, a polymer envelope implanted with the CIED, releases minocycline and rifampin, and has been introduced to reduce infections.

METHODS

Retrospective review of 184 patients who underwent CIED implantation was conducted. Ninety-two patients were implanted with an AIGIS_Rx envelope (AIGIS_Rx group) and 92 patients were not implanted with an AIGIS_Rx envelope (control group). Data were collected on demographics and risk factors for CIED infections (i.e. congestive heart failure, renal insufficiency, chronic kidney disease, oral anticoagulant use, chronic steroid use, need for lead replacement or revision, temporary pacing, early re-intervention, and having more than two leads in place). Rates of implantation success, major infections and mortality were compared between the AIGIS_Rx group and the control group.

RESULTS

The AIGIS_Rx group had longer hospitalizations (6.8±10.7 days vs 3.1±5.2 days; P=0.001), higher chronic corticosteroid use, higher rates of replacement or revision (51.1% vs 8.7%; P=0.001), and a greater proportion of devices with more than two intracardiac leads (42.4% vs 29.3%; P=0.03) than the control group. Successful implantation occurred in 97% of patients in both groups. Major infection was seen in 5.4% of cases in the AIGIS_Rx group and 1.1% of cases in the control group (P=0.048). Device removal was conducted in 3.3% of cases in the AIGIS_Rx group compared with 1.1% of cases in the control group (P=0.16). There were two deaths in the AIGIS_Rx group. Organisms cultured were meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, meticillin-susceptible S. aureus and Enterococcus faecalis.

CONCLUSION

The AIGIS_Rx group had higher rates of major infection but also higher risk factors compared with the control group. The rate of device extraction and CIED-related mortality was higher in the AIGIS_Rx group than in the control group.

Characterization of WMoO3 Thin Films and its n-WMoO3/p-Si Junction Diodes Via JNS Pyrolysis Technique

The jet nebulizer sprayed tungsten doped molybdenum trioxide (WMoO3) thin films and its P-N junction diode parameters have been studied for different doping concentrations (0, 3, 6 and 9 wt.%) of tungsten (W). The prepared films were studied by XRD, SEM, EDX, UV and I-V. The structural analyses of XRD and SEM revealed that the WMoO3 films depicted the orthorhombic structure in polycrystalline nature and showed the sub-microsized plate and flake-like structures on the surface. The presence of the elements such as W, Mo and O in the WMoO3 films prepared by jet nebulizer spray (JNS) pyrolysis technique was confirmed by the EDX spectra. From UV-vis analysis, the absorbance decreases up to 3 wt.% of WMoO3 then increases. 3 wt.% WMoO3 film exhibited the minimum band gap energy. The electrical property from I-V represents that the maximum average conductivity obtained as 5.70169×10−12 S/cm for 3 wt.% WMoO3 film. From the I-V measurements in darkness and under the illumination, the different diode parameters of ideality factor (n), barrier height (Φb) and sheet resistance (Rs) of n-WMoO3/p-Si were examined using J-V, Cheung’s and Norde methods.