Low-Cost Inorganic Strontium Ferrite a Novel Hole Transporting Material for Efficient Perovskite Solar Cells.

Perovskite solar cells attract significant interest due to their high-power conversion efficiencies. The replacement of charge-transporting layers using inorganic materials is an effective approach for improving stability and performance, as these materials are low-cost, highly durable, and environmentally friendly. This work focuses on the inorganic hole and electron transport layers (HTL and ETL), strontium ferrite (SrFe2O4), and zinc oxide (ZnO), respectively, to enhance the efficiency of perovskite solar cells. Favorable band alignment and high charge-collection capability make these materials promising. Experimental and computational studies revealed that the power conversion efficiency of the fabricated device is 7.80% and 8.83%, respectively. Investigating electronic properties and interface charge transfer through density functional theory calculations further corroborated that SrFe2O4 is a good HTL candidate. Our numerical device modeling reveals the importance of optimizing the thickness (100 nm and 300 nm) of the HTL and perovskite layers and defect density (1016 cm-3) of the absorber to achieve better solar cell performance.

Independent impact of plasma homocysteine levels on neurological outcome following head injury.

Homocysteine (tHcy) has been hardly studied among patients with head injury. This study was to evaluate whether there is any independent impact of tHcy levels on neurological outcome following head injury in a multivariate model. Patients admitted within 24 h of injury were included in the study, along with 20 age- and gender-matched controls. Plasma levels of tHcy were measured at admission using direct immunoassay. All the variables were analyzed with respect to tHcy levels and outcome according to Glasgow Outcome Score (GOS) at 3 months. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed using SPSS 21. There were a total of 72 patients in the study. tHcy levels were significantly higher after head injury (mean 24.03[SD ± 16.0] µmol/L), compared to matched controls (mean 16.62 [SD ± 10.4] µmol/L) (p = 0.05). Patients with severe head injury, acute SDH, or diffuse higher radiological grades had greater levels of tHcy compared to others. There was a significant relationship between tHcy level and neurological outcome. tHcy levels were significantly higher in patients who had unfavorable GOS (mean 36.22[±25.3] µmol/L), compared to those with favorable GOS (mean 22.71[±14.3] µmol/L) (P = 0.03). In multivariate analysis, tHcy level (adj. odds ratio [OR] 1.17, P = 0.05) and Glasgow Coma Scale (adj. OR 5.17, P = 0.01) had significant association with neurological outcome at 3 months independent of age, dietary habit, radiological grading and of each other. tHcy level has significant independent impact on neurological outcome and may be useful as a prognostic marker following head injury.

Atypical Trigeminal Neuralgia: A Rare Neurological Manifestation of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

BACKGROUND Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multisystem autoimmune disorder of unknown etiology which can present at any age with symptoms of mucocutaneous, musculoskeletal, renal, central nervous system, and nonspecific clinical pictures making the disease a "master of mimicry". CASE REPORT A 53-year-old female, who was recently diagnosed with SLE, presented with right-sided sharp and electric shock-like facial pain starting at the side of her right nostril and traveling down the naso-labial fold and then back to the angle of the jaw, mostly in the region of V2-V3 distribution with no radiation beyond trigeminal distribution. Her pain had been going for the last 2 years and was regarded as "pretrigeminal neuralgia"; however, it progressed in frequency over the last 2 weeks, with no clear identifying triggering factors. Her laboratory test results showed positive anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA) with raised titer, anti-double-stranded DNA, anti-ribonucleoprotein, anti-Sjögren's syndrome-related antigen A, anti-Sjögren's syndrome-related antigen B, and anti-smooth muscle antibodies. Other possibilities of migraine, postherpetic neuralgia, Bell's palsy, and brain tumor were ruled out. A diagnosis of SLE with trigeminal neuralgia (TN) was made and carbamazepine 100 mg 2 times a day was prescribed. CONCLUSIONS TN is seldom mentioned as a neurological manifestation of SLE; hence, we recommend further studies to investigate the SLE-mediated injury to trigeminal fibers to make a timely diagnosis of TN and to prevent progressive autoimmune process-related vasculitic and demyelinating changes.

Paliperidone Inducing Concomitantly Syndrome of Inappropriate Antidiuretic Hormone, Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome, and Rhabdomyolysis.

Paliperidone, an active metabolite of risperidone, is a new atypical antipsychotic agent. Syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone (SIADH), neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS), and rhabdomyolysis are the uncommon side effects of psychotropic drugs. We report a case of 35-year-old male with schizoaffective disorder who was admitted for acute-on-chronic exacerbation of his psychotic disorder for which intramuscular paliperidone 234 mg injection was given. Two days later, the patient developed hyponatremic seizures secondary to SIADH which was treated with hypertonic saline. On the third day, he developed high grade fever and severe muscle rigidity with raised creatine phosphokinase (CPK) and liver enzymes levels. He was treated with dantrolene 100 mg, bromocriptine 2.5 mg, and lorazepam 2 mg. Our patient required management of the three rare conditions following treatment with paliperidone. This case highlights the need for health care providers to be aware of the rare, potentially life threatening but preventable hyponatremia, NMS, and rhabdomyolysis as a possible adverse effect of paliperidone.

A comprehensive review on metabolic syndrome.

Metabolic syndrome is defined by a constellation of interconnected physiological, biochemical, clinical, and metabolic factors that directly increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and all cause mortality. Insulin resistance, visceral adiposity, atherogenic dyslipidemia, endothelial dysfunction, genetic susceptibility, elevated blood pressure, hypercoagulable state, and chronic stress are the several factors which constitute the syndrome. Chronic inflammation is known to be associated with visceral obesity and insulin resistance which is characterized by production of abnormal adipocytokines such as tumor necrosis factor α , interleukin-1 (IL-1), IL-6, leptin, and adiponectin. The interaction between components of the clinical phenotype of the syndrome with its biological phenotype (insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, etc.) contributes to the development of a proinflammatory state and further a chronic, subclinical vascular inflammation which modulates and results in atherosclerotic processes. Lifestyle modification remains the initial intervention of choice for such population. Modern lifestyle modification therapy combines specific recommendations on diet and exercise with behavioural strategies. Pharmacological treatment should be considered for those whose risk factors are not adequately reduced with lifestyle changes. This review provides summary of literature related to the syndrome's definition, epidemiology, underlying pathogenesis, and treatment approaches of each of the risk factors comprising metabolic syndrome.

Effect of monosodium glutamate on various lipid fractions and certain antioxidant enzymes in arterial tissue of chronic alcoholic adult male mice.

Oral ingestion of monosodium glutamate (MSG) to chronic alcoholic adult male mice at dose levels of 4 and 8 mg/g body weight for seven consecutive days caused a significant increase in lipid fractions, lipid peroxidation, xanthine oxidase, whereas the levels of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione, and its metabolizing enzymes like glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase were significantly decreased in the arterial tissue. These observations suggested that ingestion of MSG to chronic alcoholic animals had no beneficial effect and thereby, could act as an additional factor for the initiation of atherosclerosis.