A versatile beamline for soft x-ray reflectivity, absorption, and fluorescence measurements at Indus-2 synchrotron source.

A versatile beamline for performing reflectivity, fluorescence, and absorption experiments in the soft x-ray region of 100-1500 eV is commissioned on a bending magnet port of the Indus-2 synchrotron source. A high vacuum 2-axis reflectometer with x, y, and z sample scanning stages is installed. This reflectometer is used to measure the reflectivity of large samples up to 300 mm in length and 5 kg in weight. This feature is useful for characterizing x-ray optical elements, such as mirrors, gratings, and multilayers. A flange mounted silicon drift detector is installed in the downstream of the reflectometer for soft x-ray fluorescence measurements. The soft x-ray absorption measurements are carried out in the total electron yield and partial fluorescence yield modes. Integration of three different experimental techniques in the experimental station makes the beamline versatile for materials science applications as it provides structural, chemical, and electronic state information by performing the required experiments in an identical environment. The beamline uses a varied line spacing plane grating monochromator and gives a high flux (∼109 to 1011 photon/s) with a moderate resolution (λ/Δλ ~1000-5000). A three-mirror-based higher harmonic setup is incorporated to get rid of harmonics and to get a high spectral purity monochromatic beam with less than 0.1% harmonic content. In the present article, the beamline optical scheme, mechanical configuration, and details of the experimental setups are presented, along with a few representative results of each experimental mode.

Stillbirths: how should its rate be reported, its disability-adjusted-life-years (DALY), and stillbirths adjusted life expectancy.

BACKGROUND: A 2016 study standardized the definition of stillbirths. It estimated the rate as a proportion of total births. A 2015 paper addressed the problem of disability-adjusted life-years (DALY) for stillbirths. There has been no adjustment of life expectancy at birth to account for stillbirths. METHODS AND RESULTS: We follow mathematical and computational methods, use algebra to derive relationships, and large databases. We express the rate as a proportion of live births and use this rate to adjust life expectancy at birth for stillbirths. We then use the difference between the traditional life expectancy and stillbirths adjusted life expectancy (SALE) to obtain DALY for stillbirths for 194 countries, the Millennium Development Goal regions, and income groups. We show defining stillbirths' rate as a proportion of live births enhances stillbirths' importance, especially in poorer countries; negates some of its under-statement vis-a-vis neonatal mortality rate, accentuates its decrease; and permits inference about relative magnitudes of stillbirths and neonatal mortality from the two rates. Using it, we derive stillbirths adjusted life expectancy, and suggest it reflects a more complete and accurate measure of comparative life expectancies of different countries. Its difference from the traditional life expectancy is used to measure DALY for stillbirths that totals 165.3 million years worldwide. CONCLUSION: Stillbirths almost equals neonatal mortality yet have not received almost equal attention. We hope highlighting them and adjusting life expectancy for it will spur health interventions so that grand convergence of health outcomes in different countries can be more rapidly achieved. We also believe SALE is a more complete and accurate measure of comparative life expectancies.

Growth, differentiation, and migration of osteoblasts on transparent Ni doped TiO2 thin films deposited on borosilicate glass.

A simple and cost effective dip coating method was used to deposit thin films of amorphous (AM) or anatase (AN) titanium dioxide (TiO(2)) on borosilicate glass substrates, either with or without prior doping of TiO(2) with nickel (Ni) cations by a specially designed sol gel technique. The objective of the study was to compare the physicochemical and biological properties of these films and assess their use in orthopedic implants or for in vitro cell biological studies. Analytical techniques such as XRD and XPS, in combination with ATR-FTIR and SEM revealed that only AN films, prepared by controlled heating up to 450°C, irrespective of prior doping with Ni, contained significant crystalline structures of variable morphologies. This observation could be linked to the carbon and oxygen contents and the availability of functional groups in the films. Cell biological studies revealed that Ni doping of TiO(2) in both AM and AN films improved the adhesion, spreading, proliferation, differentiation, and migration of MC3T3 cells. Our studies provide a new approach to prepare optically transparent metal surfaces, with tunable physicochemical properties, which could be suitable for eliciting optimal osteoinductive cell responses and permit the detailed in vitro cell biological studies of osteoblasts.