Advances on fluorescence chemosensors for selective detection of water.

Water, although an important part of everyday life, is acts as one of the most significant contaminants in various applications such as biomedical monitoring, chemical production, petroleum-based fuel and food processing. In fact, the presence of water in other solvents is a huge concern. For the quantification of trace water content, different methods such as Karl-Fischer, electrochemical, nuclear magnetic resonance, chromatography, and thermogravimetric analysis have been used. Although every technique has its own benefit, each one suffers from several drawbacks that include high detection costs, lengthy procedures and specialized operations. Nowadays, the development of fluorescence-based chemical probes has become an exciting area of research for the quick and accurate estimation of water content in organic solvents. A variety of chemical processes such as hydrolysis reaction, metal ions promoted oxidation reaction, suppression of the -C═N isomerization, protonation and deprotonation reactions, and molecular aggregation have been well researched in the last few years for the fluorescent detection of trace water. These chemical processes eventually lead to different photophysical events such as aggregation-induced emission (AIE), aggregation-induced emission enhancement (AIEE), aggregation-caused quenching (ACQ), fluorescent resonance energy transfer (FRET), charge transfer, photo-induced electron transfer (PET), excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) that are responsible for the detection. This review presents a summary of the fluorescence-based chemosensors reported in recent years. The design of water sensors, sensing mechanisms and their potential applications are reviewed and discussed.

Collision Tumour Comprising Desmoplastic Ameloblastoma and Squamous Odontogenic Tumour in the Anterior Maxilla: A Case Report.

Collision tumours, characterized by the simultaneous occurrence of two distinct neoplasms within the same anatomical site, are exceedingly rare in oral pathology. This case report presents an uncommon collision tumour involving desmoplastic ameloblastoma and squamous odontogenic tumour in the anterior maxilla of a 52-year-old male from the Indian population. Desmoplastic ameloblastoma is a variant of ameloblastoma known for its unique histopathological features, while squamous odontogenic tumour is a benign epithelial odontogenic tumour with distinctive clinical behaviour. The rarity of this occurrence emphasizes the need for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment strategies. This report discusses the clinical presentation, radiographic findings, and histopathological characteristics of this collision tumour. Through the presentation of this case, we aim to contribute to the understanding of these rare entities and their management considerations.

Comparison of European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation (EuroSCORE) and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons(STS) score for risk prediction in Indian patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting.

BACKGROUND: For risk stratifying patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG), the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) risk score and the European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation (EuroSCORE) are currently used. However, the superiority of one over the other in the context of Indian patients has not been assessed. The aim of this study was to compare these 2 scoring systems in Indian patients undergoing CABG. METHODOLOGY: This was a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data between January 2015 and September 2020 of all patients undergoing CABG. Observed mortality in the cohort was compared with the predicted mortality using the STS and the EuroSCORE II. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated for both the scores. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed for both the STS and the EuroSCORE II and area under the ROC curve (AUC) was calculated. RESULTS: A total of 4895 patients were included in the study. The overall observed mortality in the entire cohort was 74 (1.5%). The EuroSCORE II-predicted mortality was 1.9 ± 2.5 whereas the STS score-predicted mortality was 1.2 ± 1.8. The observed to predicted mortality ratio for EuroSCORE was 0.79 and 1.25 for the STS score. The discriminative ability for operative mortality of the STS score was 0.72 (0.71 to 0.74) and 0.713 for the EuroSCORE, suggesting satisfactory discriminatory power. There was no difference between the STS score and the EuroSCORE in terms of discriminatory power (p = 0.58) and a difference in the AUC being 0.01. The discriminatory power of the EuroSCORE and the STS score was best in the high-risk category. CONCLUSIONS: Both the EuroSCORE and the STS scores had satisfactory and similar discriminatory power. However, in the Indian population, while the EuroSCORE II overestimated mortality, the STS score underestimated it to a similar degree of error.

Timing of coronary artery bypass grafting after acute myocardial infarction: does it influence outcomes?

INTRODUCTION: The optimal timing of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) operations in patients with recent acute myocardial infarction (AMI) remains unclear. AIM: To assess the influence of timing on post-operative outcomes in patients undergoing CABG following AMI. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this retrospective analysis 12,224 consecutive patients undergoing CABG were included. 2477 (20.5%) patients had a history of AMI. Based on timing, patients were divided into 3 groups: those operated within 7 days of AMI; those operated after 7 days but within 1 month; and a third group operated after 1 month but within 3 months. The 3 groups were compared in terms of baseline, intra-operative, and post-operative morbidity and mortality. Multivariate analysis was carried out to assess the independent influence of timing of CABG on outcomes. RESULTS: There was no difference in terms of previous neurological events (p = 0.554), presence of carotid artery disease (p = 0.555), prevalence of hypertension (p = 0.119), diabetes (p = 0.144), hypothyroidism (p = 0.53), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (p = 0.079), peripheral vascular disease (p = 0.771), and impaired left ventricular function (p = 0.072). On univariate analysis, mortality risk was highest between 1 week and 1 month (p = 0.003). Multivariate analysis showed that the closer the MI and CABG duration, the higher the mortality (co-efficient -0.517; p = 0.019; odds ratio = 0.596; 95% CI: 0.388-0.917). CONCLUSIONS: The duration between MI and CABG has a direct influence on outcomes after CABG. While it is clear that the longer the duration between MI and CABG, the lower the mortality risk, it is however difficult to decide on an exact cut-off time frame.

Discovering rare behaviours in stochastic differential equations using decision procedures: applications to a minimal cell cycle model.

Stochastic Differential Equation (SDE) models are used to describe the dynamics of complex systems with inherent randomness. The primary purpose of these models is to study rare but interesting or important behaviours, such as the formation of a tumour. Stochastic simulations are the most common means for estimating (or bounding) the probability of rare behaviours, but the cost of simulations increases with the rarity of events. To address this problem, we introduce a new algorithm specifically designed to quantify the likelihood of rare behaviours in SDE models. Our approach relies on temporal logics for specifying rare behaviours of interest, and on the ability of bit-vector decision procedures to reason exhaustively about fixed-precision arithmetic. We apply our algorithm to a minimal parameterised model of the cell cycle, and take Brownian noise into account while investigating the likelihood of irregularities in cell size and time between cell divisions.

UV photolysis of α-cyclohexanedione in the gas phase.

Ultraviolet absorption spectrum of α-cyclohexanedione (α-CHD) vapor in the wavelength range of 220-320 nm has been recorded in a 1 m long path gas cell at room temperature. With the aid of theoretical calculation, the band has been assigned to the S(2) ← S(0) transition of largely ππ* type. The absorption cross section at the band maximum (∼258 nm) is nearly 3 orders of magnitude larger compared to that for the S(2) ← S(0) transition of a linear α-diketo prototype, 2,3-pentanedione. The photolysis was performed by exciting the sample vapor near this band maximum, using the 253.7 nm line of a mercury vapor lamp, and the products were analyzed by mass spectrometry as well as by infrared spectroscopy. The identified products are cyclopentanone, carbon monoxide, ketene, ethylene, and 4-pentenal. Geometry optimization at the CIS/6-311++G** level predicts that the carbonyl group is pyramidally distorted in the excited S(1) and S(2) states, but the α-CHD ring does not show dissociative character. Potential energy curves with respect to a ring rupture coordinate (C-C bond between two carbonyl groups) for S(0), S(1), S(2), T(1), T(2), and T(3) states have been generated by partially optimizing the ground state geometry at DFT/B3LYP/6-311++G** level and calculating the vertical transition energies to the excited states by TDDFT method. Our analysis reveals that the reactions can take place at higher vibrational levels of S(0) as well as T(1) states.

Klippel-Trenauney-Weber syndrome associated with hemoptysis.

We report a case of Klippel-Trenaunay-Weber syndrome presenting with hemoptysis.

Intracoronary shunts reduce transient intraoperative myocardial dysfunction during off-pump coronary operations.

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the hemodynamic changes in patients undergoing multiple vessel beating heart coronary revascularization in the presence or absence of an intracoronary shunt. METHODS: Forty patients were randomized to off-pump with a shunt (n = 20) or with the proximal coronary artery occluded by a soft snare (n = 20). Hemodynamic measurements were recorded at base line, during construction, and after completion of each distal anastomosis. RESULTS: Grafting of the left anterior descending coronary artery anastomosis was associated with a significant decrease in stroke volume, cardiac index, and mean arterial pressure, and an increase in pulmonary capillary wedge pressure and systemic vascular resistance in the snare but not in the shunt group. During grafting of the posterior descending coronary artery there was a marked decrease in stroke volume and cardiac index, and an increase in central venous pressure in both groups, and an increase in heart rate, mean pulmonary arterial pressure, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, and systemic vascular resistance only in the snare group. The most extensive changes were observed during the circumflex coronary artery anastomosis with a reduction in stroke volume, cardiac index, and mean arterial pressure, and an increase in central venous pressure, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, pulmonary arterial pressure, and systemic vascular resistance in both groups. In all settings, these changes were transient and recovered after the heart was returned to its anatomical position in the shunt group, whereas stroke volume and cardiac index remained reduced, and systemic vascular resistance was elevated in all settings in the snare group. CONCLUSIONS: Stabilization of the left anterior descending coronary artery to perform the anastomosis resulted in temporary hemodynamic changes, which are prevented by the use of an intracoronary shunt. The hemodynamic deterioration during the construction of the posterior descending coronary artery and circumflex coronary artery anastomoses is transient in the shunt group, whereas the snaring technique is associated with an impairment of early functional recovery.

Accessory spleniculi in the right hemithorax.

Accessory spleniculi are present in the thoracic cavity without a history of trauma due to anomalies in the development of spleen. We report the case of a 62-year-old woman with hereditary spherocytosis and previous splenectomy with an incidental mass on a chest radiograph and an indeterminate diagnosis on needle biopsy. The probable sequence of embryological events that may explain the anatomic presence of splenic tissue in the thorax is discussed.