Study of the association of the known prognostic variables with EGFR expression in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas.

Context: : Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) are the sixth most frequent malignancy in the world. Epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFRs) are members of Erb B family of receptors. EGFR is known to act as a driver of tumorigenesis in various carcinomas. Over expression of EGFR in HNSCC is associated with poor prognosis and resistance to radiotherapy. It is a useful prognostic marker, marker for response to therapy, and also a therapeutic target. Aim: To study the association of the known prognostic variables with EGFR expression in HNSCCs and to correlate it with the clinical outcome. Settings and Design: Cross-sectional observational study. Materials and Methods: A total of 170 patients of HNSCC were evaluated for EGFR expression and followed up for at least two years, with correlation of EGFR expression with various histopathological factors and their clinical outcome. Statistical Analysis Used: : Chi-square test. Results: The expression of EGFR in HNSCC in this study population was 88.82%. Statistical significance was noted between EGFR reactivity and age of the patient, its histological grade and perineural invasion. Statistical significance was also noted between EGFR reactivity and recurrence of malignancy as well as the site of recurrence. Conclusion: EGFR expression in patients with HNSCC is a poor prognostic biomarker and has a comparatively lower survival outcome as compared to non-EGFR expressing HNSCC cases. Hence, it will be helpful for all those patients diagnosed with HNSCC to ideally undergo an additional EGFR immunohistochemical evaluation, which, in turn, will help the oncologists in management of the tumor with anti-EGFR therapy combined with radiotherapy, to obtain a better response and a survival outcome.

To study the effect of 'Covishield' vaccination on pre-donation platelet counts of plateletpheresis donors

ABSTRACT Introduction: Approximately 55.52% of the Indian population had been fully vaccinated by Jan. 2022, since its first roll out on January 16, 2021. A few concerns were raised concerning the Covishield vaccination related to thrombotic thrombocytopenia. Apheresis-derived platelet concentrates are frequently required in a plethora of clinical situations and post-vaccination decrement of platelet counts might lead to increased deferral of the plateletpheresis donors. Objectives. The aim of the study was to discover the effect of the Covishield vaccination on deferral rates of plateletpheresis donors. Methods: Blood samples were collected from the potential platelet donors for the completion of the standard questionnaire for the complete blood count. The data collected were tabulated in the MS Excel spreadsheet and the biostatistical analysis was performed with the SPSS v23. A p-value of < 0.05 was taken as significant. We compared this data with age-and sex-matched controls. Results: The mean age of cases and controls was 29.69 ± 8.57 and 30.15 ± 7.11, respectively. There was a significant difference in platelet counts of cases (188496.35 ± 72065.66/cumm) and controls (269524.50 ± 53981.60/cumm). Furthermore, donors who received one dose had higher platelet counts of 248676.47 ± 80075.24/cumm than those who received both doses of vaccine (179970.83 ± 66773.73/cumm). The difference in deferral rates between the two groups was remarkable (34.7% vs. 0.9%, with the p-value < 0.001). Conclusion: Vaccination certainly increased the deferral rates of plateletpheresis donors due to low platelet counts. Average platelet counts were low in fully vaccinated individuals, however, the platelets returned to normal counts as the post-vaccination days progressed.

Efficiency Enhancement of Wide Bandgap Lead Perovskite Solar Cells with PTAA Surface-Passivated with Monomolecular Layer from the Viewpoint of PTAA Band Bending.

This report is on the efficiency enhancement of wide bandgap lead halide perovskite solar cells (WBG Pb-PVK PSCs) consisting of FA0.8Cs0.2PbI1.8Br1.2 as the light-harvesting layer. WGB Pb-PVK PSCs have attracted attention as the top layer of all perovskite-tandem solar cells. Poly[bis(4-phenyl) (2,4,6-trimethylphenyl) amine] (PTAA), a conductive polymer, is always used as the hole transporting layer (HTL) for Pb-PVK PSCs. Nevertheless, the hydrophobic surface of the PTAA sometimes destroys the growth of the FA0.8Cs0.2PbI1.8Br1.2 film. On the other hand, the Fermi level of PTAA is not well matched with that of perovskite film. Thus, the PCE of the WBG Pb-based PSCs with PTAA as the HTL was not very high. In this report, the efficiency of the FA0.8Cs0.2PbI1.8Br1.2 is improved by passivating the surface of the PTAA with a monomolecular layer, where the surface becomes hydrophilic, and the band bending of the PTAA layer is improved to cause swift hole collection. Finally, WBG Pb-PVK PSCs (1.77 eV) with 16.52% efficiency are reported.

14.31 % Power Conversion Efficiency of Sn-Based Perovskite Solar Cells via Efficient Reduction of Sn4.

The photoelectric properties of nontoxic Sn-based perovskite make it a promising alternative to toxic Pb-based perovskite. It has superior photovoltaic performance in comparison to other Pb-free counterparts. The facile oxidation of Sn2+ to Sn4+ presents a notable obstacle in the advancement of perovskite solar cells that utilize Sn, as it adversely affects their stability and performance. The study revealed the presence of a Sn4+ concentration on both the upper and lower surfaces of the perovskite layer. This discovery led to the adoption of a bi-interface optimization approach. A thin layer of Sn metal was inserted at the two surfaces of the perovskite layer. The implementation of this intervention yielded a significant decrease in the levels of Sn4+ and trap densities. The power conversion efficiency of the device was achieved at 14.31 % through the optimization of carrier transportation. The device exhibited operational and long-term stability.

Comparative study of quality of leukoreduced packed red blood cell units as assessed by nageotte hemocytometry and flow cytometry.

PURPOSE: Assessment of residual white blood cell (rWBC) count is vital to ascertain the quality of leukodepleted (LD) blood components. Automated cell analyzers lack the sensitivity for the assessment of very few leukocytes as found in LD blood components. Flow Cytometry (FC) based methods and Nageotte hemocytometer are the most commonly used techniques for this purpose. The objective of this study was to compare the use of Nageotte hemocytometer and FC for quality control of LD red blood cell units. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective, observational study was conducted in the Department of Immunohematology and Blood Transfusion of a tertiary care center from September 2018 to September 2020. About 303 LD-packed red blood cell units were tested by FC and Nageotte hemocytometer for rWBCs. RESULTS: The number of rWBC (mean) detected by flow cytometer and Nageotte's hemocytometer was 1.06 ± 0.43 white blood cell (WBC)/µL and 0.67 ± 0.39 WBC/µL, respectively. Coefficient of variation was 58.37% by Nageotte hemocytometer method and 40.46% by FC. Linear regression analysis did not show any correlation (R2= 0.098, P = 0.001) whereas Pearson's correlation coefficient showed a weak relation (r = 0.31) between the two methods. CONCLUSION: Flow cytometric technique provides a more precise and accurate objective tool compared to Nageotte hemocytometer which is labor intensive, time consuming, and prone to errors arising out of subjectivity along with reported underestimation bias. In the absence of adequate infrastructure, resources, and trained workforce, Nageotte hemocytometer method is a reliable alternative. Nageotte's chamber could be best used in the resource-constrained setup as it offers a relatively inexpensive, simple, and viable means to enumerate rWBCs.

To study the effect of 'Covishield' vaccination on pre-donation platelet counts of plateletpheresis donors.

INTRODUCTION: Approximately 55.52% of the Indian population had been fully vaccinated by Jan. 2022, since its first roll out on January 16, 2021. A few concerns were raised concerning the Covishield vaccination related to thrombotic thrombocytopenia. Apheresis-derived platelet concentrates are frequently required in a plethora of clinical situations and post-vaccination decrement of platelet counts might lead to increased deferral of the platelet-pheresis donors. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to discover the effect of the Covishield vaccination on deferral rates of plateletpheresis donors. METHODS: Blood samples were collected from the potential platelet donors for the completion of the standard questionnaire for the complete blood count. The data collected were tabulated in the MS Excel spreadsheet and the biostatistical analysis was performed with the SPSS v23. A p-value of < 0.05 was taken as significant. We compared this data with age- and sex-matched controls. RESULTS: The mean age of cases and controls was 29.69 ± 8.57 and 30.15 ± 7.11, respectively. There was a significant difference in platelet counts of cases (188496.35 ± 72065.66/cumm) and controls (269524.50 ± 53981.60/cumm). Furthermore, donors who received one dose had higher platelet counts of 248676.47 ± 80075.24/cumm than those who received both doses of vaccine (179970.83 ± 66773.73/cumm) . The difference in deferral rates between the two groups was remarkable (34.7% vs. 0.9%, with the p-value < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Vaccination certainly increased the deferral rates of plateletpheresis donors due to low platelet counts. Average platelet counts were low in fully vaccinated individuals, however, the platelets returned to normal counts as the post-vaccination days progressed.

A retrospective study to assess the impact of ABO incompatibility on outcomes of allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplants at a tertiary care hospital in Western Maharashtra.

BACKGROUND: Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) has emerged as a curative measure for life-threatening hematological disorders. It can be autologous or allogeneic depending on the disease characteristics. Providing transfusion support to the transplant patients can be challenging, especially in AB-mismatched allogeneic HSCT. In this study, we investigated the impact of ABO incompatibility in patients undergoing allogeneic HSCT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted in 76 patients with hematological diseases who underwent allogeneic HSCT. Transfusion requirements, engraftment profile, incidence of graft versus host disease (GvHD), and mortality for a period of 1 year were analyzed. RESULTS: ABO incompatibility between donor and the patient did not significantly affect the neutrophil and platelet (PLT) engraftment time (P = 0.389, 0.349, respectively), packed red blood cells transfusion requirement, and duration of initial hospital stay. However, patients of ABO-incompatible HSCT received more PLT transfusions posttransplant which was statistically significant. 29.1% of ABO compatible and 16.7% incompatible HSCT patients developed GVHD. Mortality rates in the two groups were 16.7% and 8.3%, respectively. However, differences in both the parameters were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Our study showed that ABO incompatibility does not significantly affect the outcome and should not be a limiting factor for selection of donor. Donor availability and human leukocyte antigen (HLA) matching remain the critical selection criteria.

Recent Advancements in Tin Halide Perovskite-Based Solar Cells and Thermoelectric Devices.

The excellent optoelectronic properties of tin halide perovskites (Sn-PVKs) have made them a promising candidate for replacing toxic Pb counterparts. Concurrently, their enormous potential in photon harvesting and thermoelectricity applications has attracted increasing attention. The optoelectronic properties of Sn-PVKs are governed by the flexible nature of SnI6 octahedra, and they exhibit extremely low thermal conductivity. Due to these diverse applications, this review first analyzes the structural properties, optoelectronic properties, defect physics, and thermoelectric properties of Sn-PVKs. Then, recent techniques developed to solve limitations with Sn-PVK-based devices to improve their photoelectric and thermoelectric performance are discussed in detail. Finally, the challenges and prospects for further development of Sn-PVK-based devices are discussed.

Sequential Passivation for Lead-Free Tin Perovskite Solar Cells with High Efficiency.

Lead-free tin perovskite solar cells (PKSCs) have attracted tremendous interest as a replacement for toxic lead-based PKSCs. Nevertheless, the efficiency is significantly low due to the rough surface morphology and high number of defects, which are caused by the fast crystallization and easy oxidization. In this study, a facile and universal posttreatment strategy of sequential passivation with acetylacetone (ACAC) and ethylenediamine (EDA) is proposed. The results show that ACAC can reduce the trap density and enlarge the grain size (short-circuit current (Jsc ) enhancement), while EDA can bond the undercoordinated tin and regulate the energy level (open-circuit voltage (Voc ) enhancement). A promising 13 % efficiency is achieved with better stability. In addition, other combinations of diketones or amines are selected, with similar effects. This study provides a universal strategy to enhance the crystallinity and passivate defects while fabricating stable PKSCs with high efficiency.

Indent-Free Vapor-Assisted Surface Passivation Strategy toward Tin Halide Perovskite Solar Cells.

Sn halide perovskite solar cells (PKSCs) are the most promising competitors to conventional lead PKSCs. Nevertheless, defects at the surfaces and grain boundaries hinder the improvement of the PKSCs' performance. Liquid surface passivation on the perovskite layer is commonly used to decrease these defects. In the case of tin perovskite solar cells, the liquid passivation improved the open-circuit voltage (Voc). However, this decreased the short-circuit current density (Jsc). We found that this Jsc loss is brought about by the thickness loss after the liquid passivation because tin perovskite layers are partially soluble in common solvents, and the calculated impact pressure was up to 155.4 kPa. Here, we introduce new vapor passivation including solvent and passivation molecules and report efficiency enhancement without decreasing Jsc. The vapor-passivated film showed longer time-resolved photoluminescence decay, smoother morphology, and lower defect densities. Most importantly, the vapor passivation method significantly enhanced the efficiency from 9.41 to 11.29% with Jsc increasing from 22.82 to 24.05 mA·cm-2. On the contrary, the corresponding liquid passivation method gave an efficiency of 10.90% with a decreased Jsc from 22.82 to 22.38 mA·cm-2. A commonly used and simple indent-free surface passivation strategy is proposed to enhance the efficiency and stability of PKSCs.

Enhancing the Electronic Properties and Stability of High-Efficiency Tin-Lead Mixed Halide Perovskite Solar Cells via Doping Engineering.

Overcoming Voc loss to increase the efficiency of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) has been aggressively studied. In this work, we introduce and compare rubidium iodide (RbI) and potassium iodide (KI) alkali metal halides (AMHs) as dopants in a tin-lead (SnPb)-based perovskite system to improve the performance of PSCs by enhancing their Voc. Improvement in terms of surface morphology, crystallinity, charge transfer, and carrier transport in the SnPb perovskites was observed with the addition of AMH dopants. Significant power conversion efficiency improvement has been achieved with the incorporation of either dopant, and the highest efficiency was 21.04% in SnPb mixed halide PSCs when the RbI dopant was employed. In conclusion, we can outline the enhancement strategy that yields a remarkable efficiency of >20% with a smaller Voc loss and improved storage, light, and thermal stability in SnPb PSCs via doping engineering.

A study to analyze the pattern of synovial lesions from synovial biopsies in a tertiary care centre.

INTRODUCTION: Synovium has been documented as a primary site of inflammation and a major effector organ in a variety of joint diseases. Study of simple technique like synovial biopsy can help in early diagnosis and treatment of diseases significantly improving outcome of patient in cases of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, etc., Only limited data exist on utility of synovial biopsies. AIM AND OBJECTIVES: To analyze the pattern of synovial lesions to differentiate between different kinds of arthritis. Also, to identify early stages of arthritis so as to prevent unnecessary invasive surgical procedure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: It's a retrospective study to analyze 103 cases of synovial lesions diagnosed in last five years at a tertiary care orthopedic center. All synovial biopsies obtained mainly by open method and few by arthroscopic method, that came to the Dept of Pathology were included. Lesions were classified into four categories that is, inflammatory joint diseases, degenerative joint diseases, tumor-like conditions and tumors. RESULTS: Age group most affected was between 61 and 70 years, with male predominance. Osteoarthritis (OA) was the most common histopathological diagnosis. Early OA tissues showed greater lining layer thickness, vessel proliferation, and inflammation, while surface fibrin deposition along with fibrosis was noted in later stages. CONCLUSION: The histo-morphological observations made in this study may have important therapeutic implications for some patients during the early evolution of arthritis and could prevent unnecessary operative intervention of later stages.

Impact of C1q fixing donor-specific antibodies on renal transplant outcome.

Not all anti-HLA donor-specific antibodies (HLA-DSAs) are detrimental to renal allograft. In this context, the C1q complement activating ability of antibodies appears to be an important parameter to distinguish clinically inert versus detrimental DSAs. We evaluated sera of 206 consecutive primary live donor renal transplant recipients before transplant and at post-operative day 7, 30, 90, 180 and at the time of graft dysfunction for quantifying HLA-DSAs using single antigen bead assay on a Luminex platform. Patients positive for these antibodies with an MFI >500 were further screened for C1q fixing nature of DSA. Fourteen of the 18 antibody-positive patients had C1q fixing DSA with MFI value >5000. Only 4 antibody-positive patients did not have C1q fixing DSA. The MFI values of DSA detected by C1q assay were generally higher at least by 25% than those detected by the conventional IgG-SAB assay. Twelve of the 14 patients (85.71%) with C1q+ DSA developed antibody-mediated rejection during the mean follow-up period of 21.43 ± 8.03 months as compared to none of the four C1q-negative DSA (85.71% vs 0%; P = .001). These results suggest deleterious effect of C1q+ DSA vis-à-vis C1q-negative DSA on renal allograft.

MHC Class I Related Chain A (MICA) Antibodies - A Potential Cause of Renal Allograft Rejection.

MHC class I related chain A (MICA) antibodies, especially those directed against the donor in absence of donor-specific anti-HLA antibodies have been reported to be possibly associated with renal allograft rejection in sensitized recipients. We are the first ones to present a case series of five patients who underwent primary live related donor renal transplantation in non-sensitized recipients either in the presence of donor-specific MICA antibodies (MICA-DSA) or developed de novo. Four of them presented characteristics of either accelerated, acute or chronic antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) attributable to the presence of MICA DSA. This case series emphasizes that AMR due to MICA-DSA is amenable to treatment with conventional regimens for treatment of AMR and there is a need for screening of MICA antibodies especially those directed against the donor on case to case basis.

Clinical relevance of major histocompatibility complex class I chain-related molecule A (MICA) antibodies in live donor renal transplantation - Indian Experience.

Antibody-mediated rejections (AMR) in the absence of circulating anti-HLA-DSA have highlighted the role of non-HLA antibodies, particularly those directed against endothelial cells. Of these, MICA (major histocompatibility complex class I chain-related molecule A) antibodies are the most notable and important because of their potential in promoting graft rejections. Limited studies have focused on the impact of MICA donor-specific antibodies (DSA) on graft outcome as compared to those that are not donor-specific (NDSA). We evaluated pre- and post-transplant sera at POD 7, 30, 90, 180 and the time of biopsy from 206 consecutive primary live donor renal transplant recipients for anti-MICA and anti-HLA antibodies using single antigen bead assay on a Luminex platform. Recipients who developed MICA antibodies and their donors were phenotyped for MICA alleles. For the purpose of antibody analysis, patients were categorized into three major groups: biopsy-proven AMR, acute cellular rejection (ACR) and those with no rejection episodes (NRE). During the mean follow-up period of 17.37 ± 6.88 months, 16 of the 206 recipients developed AMR, while ACR was observed in only 13 cases. A quarter (25%) of the AMR cases had anti-MICA antibodies as compared to 7.7% of those experiencing ACR and 6.2% of the NRE group. Allelic typing revealed that all MICA Ab +ve AMR cases were due to the presence of donor-specific antibodies. MICA-DSA even in the absence of HLA-DSA was significantly associated with AMR but not with ACR when compared with the NRE group (P = <.01).

Lead-free perovskite solar cells using Sb and Bi-based A3B2X9 and A3BX6 crystals with normal and inverse cell structures.

Research of CH3NH3PbI3 perovskite solar cells had significant attention as the candidate of new future energy. Due to the toxicity, however, lead (Pb) free photon harvesting layer should be discovered to replace the present CH3NH3PbI3 perovskite. In place of lead, we have tried antimony (Sb) and bismuth (Bi) with organic and metal monovalent cations (CH3NH3+, Ag+ and Cu+). Therefore, in this work, lead-free photo-absorber layers of (CH3NH3)3Bi2I9, (CH3NH3)3Sb2I9, (CH3NH3)3SbBiI9, Ag3BiI6, Ag3BiI3(SCN)3 and Cu3BiI6 were processed by solution deposition way to be solar cells. About the structure of solar cells, we have compared the normal (n-i-p: TiO2-perovskite-spiro OMeTAD) and inverted (p-i-n: NiO-perovskite-PCBM) structures. The normal (n-i-p)-structured solar cells performed better conversion efficiencies, basically. But, these environmental friendly photon absorber layers showed the uneven surface morphology with a particular grow pattern depend on the substrate (TiO2 or NiO). We have considered that the unevenness of surface morphology can deteriorate the photovoltaic performance and can hinder future prospect of these lead-free photon harvesting layers. However, we found new interesting finding about the progress of devices by the interface of NiO/Sb3+ and TiO2/Cu3BiI6, which should be addressed in the future study.

Comparative analysis of Luminex-based donor-specific antibody mean fluorescence intensity values with complement-dependent cytotoxicity & flow crossmatch results in live donor renal transplantation.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Antibodies specific to donor human leucocyte antigen (HLA) play a critical role in graft rejection and graft loss. In recent years, techniques for their detection have evolved significantly providing an ever-increasing degree of sensitivity and specificity, from the conventional cell-based assays to the advanced solid-phase system based on the Luminex platform. Consensus is still evolving on the routine employment of all these methods, either stand alone or in combination. The objective of this study was to explore the near-accurate mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) cut-off values detected on Luminex platform predicting the strength of cell-based crossmatch results. METHODS: Serum samples from 116 primary renal transplant recipients awaiting transplantation were tested for the presence of antidonor antibodies by the complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) and flow crossmatch (FCXM) methods with their corresponding donors as well as for HLA-donor-specific antibodies (DSA) detection using a sensitive single antigen bead (SAB) assay. RESULTS: None of the patients having HLA Class I DSA with MFI values <1000 showed positivity for T-cell FCXM or CDC crossmatch, while in the group having MFI values between 1000 and 3000, 54 per cent showed positivity for the FCXM but none by the CDC method. However, in the group having MFI values >3000, 95 per cent of cases were positive for FCXM. Further, those groups with MFI values between 3000 and 5000, only 36 per cent were positive for CDC crossmatch, while 90 per cent showed positivity in the group with MFI >7000. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSIONS: A cut-off MFI value of 3000 for Luminex SAB-based assay was found to significantly correlate with the FCXM positivity while a MFI value of 7000 and above predicted a positive CDC crossmatch. MFI cut-off value obtained as a surrogate marker for CDC and FCXM tests will help in resolving the limitations of different cell-based techniques.

Major Histocompatibility Complex Class I Chain-Related A (MICA) Molecules: Relevance in Solid Organ Transplantation.

An ever growing number of reports on graft rejection and/or failure even with good HLA matches have highlighted an important role of non-HLA antigens in influencing allograft immunity. The list of non-HLA antigens that have been implicated in graft rejection in different types of organ transplantation has already grown long. Of these, the Major Histocompatibility Complex class I chain-related molecule A (MICA) is one of the most polymorphic and extensively studied non-HLA antigenic targets especially in the kidney transplantation. Humoral response to MICA antigens has repeatedly been associated with lower graft survival and an increased risk of acute and chronic rejection following kidney and liver transplantation with few studies showing conflicting results. Although there are clear indications of MICA antibodies being associated with adverse graft outcome, a definitive consensus on this relationship has not been arrived yet. Furthermore, only a few studies have dealt with the impact of MICA donor-specific antibodies as compared to those that are not donor specific on graft outcome. In addition to the membrane bound form, a soluble isoform of MICA (sMICA), which has the potential to engage the natural killer cell-activating receptor NKG2D resulting in endocytosis and degradation of receptor-ligand interaction complex leading to suppression of NKG2D-mediated host innate immunity, has been a subject of intense discussion. Most studies on sMICA have been directed toward understanding their influence on tumor growth, with limited literature focusing its role in transplant biology. Furthermore, a unique dimorphism (methionine to valine) at position 129 in the α2 domain categorizes MICA alleles into strong (MICA-129 met) and weak (MICA-129 val) binders of NKG2D receptor depending on whether they have methionine or valine at this position. Although the implications of MICA 129 dimorphism have been highlighted in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, its role in solid organ transplantation is yet to be explored. This review summarizes the currently available information on MICA antibodies, soluble MICA, and MICA-129 dimorphism in a setting of solid organ transplantation.