Calotropis procera extract inhibits prostate cancer through regulation of autophagy.

Current treatment options available for prostate cancer (PCa) patients have many adverse side effects and hence, new alternative therapies need to be explored. Anticancer potential of various phytochemicals derived from Calotropis procera has been studied in many cancers but no study has investigated the effect of leaf extract of C. procera on PCa cells. Hence, we investigated the effect of C. procera leaf extract (CPE) on cellular properties of androgen-independent PC-3 and androgen-sensitive 22Rv1 cells. A hydroalcoholic extract of C. procera was prepared and MTT assay was performed to study the effect of CPE on viability of PCa cells. The effect of CPE on cell division ability, migration capability and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production was studied using colony formation assay, wound-healing assay and 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate assay, respectively. Caspase activity assay and LDH assay were performed to study the involvement of apoptosis and necrosis in CPE-mediated cell death. Protein levels of cell cycle, antioxidant, autophagy and apoptosis markers were measured by western blot. The composition of CPE was identified using untargeted LC-MS analysis. Results showed that CPE decreased the viability of both the PCa cells, PC-3 and 22Rv1, in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Also, CPE significantly inhibited the colony-forming ability, migration and endogenous ROS production in both the cell lines. Furthermore, CPE significantly decreased NF-κB protein levels and increased the protein levels of the cell cycle inhibitor p27. A significant increase in expression of autophagy markers was observed in CPE-treated PC-3 cells while autophagy markers were downregulated in 22Rv1 cells after CPE exposure. Hence, it can be concluded that CPE inhibits PCa cell viability possibly by regulating the autophagy pathway and/or altering the ROS levels. Thus, CPE can be explored as a possible alternative therapeutic agent for PCa.

Salvage of failed direct lateral sacroiliac joint fixation using a new percutaneous lateral-oblique transfixation technique with two variable-threaded screws: a multicenter case report of three cases.

Background: The direct lateral trans-gluteal muscle splitting transiliac approach was popularized to fixate the sacroiliac joint (SIJ) using three cannulated triangular titanium implants (TTIs) wedges. Publications support efficacy of the direct lateral approach but a paucity of literature to help surgeons revise these implants when they fail. Intuitively the implants can be removed but require an open incision and dissection through the gluteal muscles and scar tissue which can lead to muscle and neurovascular injuries. Our objective was to evaluate the clinical outcome, measured by patient-reported Visual Analog Score (VAS), of three patients who had failed direct lateral SIJ fusions each using three implants and describe a revision technique using a new percutaneous lateral-oblique transfixation technique with two variable-threaded screws while preserving the original implants. Case Description: Two separate orthopedic spine surgeons at different hospitals performed the technique using two SacroFuse® screws for SIJ revision fusion in three patients who had clinical symptoms and radiographic findings of SIJ pseudoarthrosis after direct lateral approach. One 61 years old male patient had a previous surgery with three lateral threaded screw implants. Two females with ages 47 and 40 years old had three TTI wedges. Follow-up from 10 to 26 months. Patients discharged home the same day. Mean procedure time of 20 minutes with blood loss less than five cc. Incision size was approximately 1 inch. Each patient had a 12 mm × 60 mm and a 12 mm × 50 mm screw filled with NanoFuse Biologics synthetic bioactive glass and demineralized bone matrix. Prior implants were left in place. There was an 89% decrease in mean VAS score of 9.5 to 1. Conclusions: This is a clinically valuable report because until now there was no reconstructive surgery to revise direct lateral implants other than removal with potential neurovascular risks. This is the first article to demonstrate a lateral-oblique transfixation technique with two variable-threaded screws for successful salvage of SIJ pseudoarthrosis after direct lateral fixation without implant removal. The Sacrix technique achieved immediate stability and long-term fusion documented on computed tomography (CT) scan as early as 6 months.

Posterior Oblique Approach for Sacroiliac Joint Fusion.

Introduction Sacroiliac joint (SIJ) pain is a common source of low back pain. Though this condition can be treated with conservative measures, there is a subset of patients who fail to respond to conservative treatment. For them, surgical treatment using minimally invasive techniques could be considered. There are currently a number of SIJ fixation methods described. However, there is no case series reported on posterior oblique approach. Therefore, in this paper, the authors report their experience with the Sacrix system via the posterior oblique approach. Method In this series, 19 patients aged 44-84 years, with a median of 58 years, underwent SIJ fusion using this technique. This is a posterior oblique approach in which two screws are inserted into the ilium through the posterior part of the iliac crest and then advanced into the sacrum through the SIJ. Results The follow-up is between 7 and 30 months, with a median of 12 months. Eighteen patients had excellent pain relief. There was no complication from the procedure, and the blood loss was minimal. All eight patients who had follow-up radiographs showed solid fusion. Conclusion Posterior oblique approach for SIJ fusion is a minimally invasive procedure that proved to be effective and safe in this series. It also resulted in solid radiographic fusion, decreased pain, and improved function.

Effect of isopropyl side chain branching and different anions on electronic structure, vibrational spectra, and hydrogen bonding of isopropyl-imidazolium-based ionic liquids: Experimental and theoretical investigations.

In the present work, four branched methylated, 1,2-dimethyl-3-isopropyl-imidazolium (i-[C3Dmim+]) and protonated,1-methyl-3-isopropyl-imidazolium (i-[C3mim+])-based ionic liquids (ILs) with varying anion (Br-, BF4-, PF6-, and NTf2-) were synthesized and investigated by NMR, infrared (IR) and Raman spectroscopy. Based on infrared and Raman spectroscopy, complete vibrational assignments have been performed. The IR and Raman analysis revealed that the vibrational spectra are virtually unaffected upon methylation, while significant frequency changes were observed by changing anion. Furthermore, to determine the electronic structure, energetic stability, and vibrational properties of these i-[C3Dmim]Y, i-[C3mim]Y (Y = Br, BF4, PF6, and NTf2) ion pairs, quantum chemical calculations including the dispersion correction method are performed both on single ions and on ionic couples. The calculated electron density was analyzed to expose non-covalent intra- and interionic interactions by the quantum theory of atoms in molecules (AIM) and interpreted in terms of both anion dependence and type of interaction. Computational results suggest that for all ionic couples the most energetically stable configuration is obtained with the anions located close to the C2 position of the imidazolium cation. However, in the case of i-[C3mim]NTf2 and i-[C3Dmim]BF4, similar energies were obtained in configurations 2 and 3 where the anion is located above the imidazolium ring. For i-[C3mim]Br a stronger hydrogen bond is predicted than for other studied ILs. Calculations indicate that a red shift of the CH stretching bands should occur due to hydrogen bonding; indeed, such displacement of bands is experimentally observed.

Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of 2-(Halophenyl)benzoxazole-5-Carboxylic Acids as Potential Anti-Inflammatory and Cytotoxic Agent with Molecular Docking Studies.

2-Halogenatedphenyl benzoxazole-5-carboxylic acids with mono-halogen (chloro, bromo and fluoro) substituted at ortho-, meta- and para-positions on the phenyl ring were designed and synthesized based on significance of presence of halogen in increasing number of marketed halogenated drugs and importance of benzoxazoles. These 2-alogenatedphenylbenzoxazole-5-carboxylic acids and their methyl esters were screened for anti-inflammatory activity, and cytotoxicity. 2-(3-Chlorophenyl)benzoxaole-5-carboxylic acid (6b) exhibited significant anti-inflammatory activity with IC50 values of 0.103 mM almost equivalent to the standard drug ibuprofen (0.101 mM). 2-(4-Chlorophenyl)benzoxaole-5-carboxylic acid (6c) showed excellent cytotoxic activity against 22Rv1 cells (human prostate carcinoma epithelial cell lines) with IC50 value of 1.54 µM better than that of standard drug doxorubicin having IC50 value of 2.32 µM. More importantly, the selectivity index of this potential molecule was found to be 57.74. Molecular docking analysis resulted in good binding interactions of these compounds with their respective biochemical targets viz. Cyclooxygenase-2 and aldo-keto reductase IC3.

Strong-field ionization of CH3Cl: proton migration and association.

Strong-field ionization of CH3Cl using femtosecond laser pulses, and the subsequent two-body dissociation of CH3Cl2+ along Hn+ (n = 1-3) and HCl+ forming pathways, have been experimentally studied in a home-built COLTRIMS (cold target recoil ion momentum spectrometer) setup. The single ionization rate of CH3Cl was obtained experimentally by varying the laser intensity from 1.6 × 1013 W cm-2 to 2.4 × 1014 W cm-2 and fitted with the rate obtained using the MO-ADK model. Additionally, the yield of Hn+ ions resulting from the dissociation of all charge states of CH3Cl was determined as a function of intensity and pulse duration (and chirp). Next, we identified four two-body breakup pathways of CH3Cl2+, which are H+ + CH2Cl+, H2+ + CHCl+, H3+ + CCl+, and CH2+ + HCl+, using photoion-photoion coincidence. The yields of the four pathways were found to decrease on increasing the intensity from I = 4.2 × 1013 W cm-2 to 2I = 8.5 × 1013 W cm-2, which was attributed to enhanced ionization of the dication before it can dissociate. As a function of pulse duration (and chirp), the Hn+ forming pathways were suppressed, while the HCl+ forming pathway was enhanced. To understand the excited state dynamics of the CH3Cl dication, which controls the outcome of dissociation, we obtained the total kinetic energy release distributions of the pathways and the two-dimensional coincidence momentum images and angular distributions of the fragments. We inferred that the Hn+ forming pathways originate from the dissociation of CH3Cl dications from weakly attractive metastable excited states having a long dissociation time, while for the HCl+ forming pathway, the dication dissociates from repulsive states and therefore, undergoes rapid dissociation. Finally, quantum chemical calculations have been performed to understand the intramolecular proton migration and dissociation of the CH3Cl dication along the pathways mentioned above. Our study explains the mechanism of Hn+ and HCl+ formation and confirms that intensity and pulse duration can serve as parameters to influence the excited state dynamics and hence, the outcome of the two-body dissociation of CH3Cl2+.

Epigenetic regulation of epithelial to mesenchymal transition: a trophoblast perspective.

Epigenetic changes alter the expression of genes at both pre- and post-transcriptional levels without changing their DNA sequence. Accumulating evidence suggests that such changes can modify cellular behavior and characteristics required during development and in response to various extracellular stimuli. Trophoblast cells develop from the outermost trophectoderm layer of the blastocyst and undergo many phenotypic changes as the placenta develops. One such phenotypic change is differentiation of the epithelial natured cytotrophoblasts into the mesenchymal natured extravillous trophoblasts. The extravillous trophoblasts are primarily responsible for invading into the maternal decidua and thus establishing connection with the maternal spiral arteries. Any dysregulation of this process can have adverse effects on the pregnancy outcome. Hence, tight regulation of this epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is critical for successful pregnancy. This review summarizes the recent research on the epigenetic regulation of the EMT occurring in the trophoblast cells during placental development. The functional significance of chemical modifications of DNA and histone, which regulate transcription, as well as non-coding RNAs, which control gene expression post-transcriptionally, is discussed in relation to trophoblast biology.

Stereotactic Ventriculostomy Guide.

Introduction Based on the anatomy of the frontal horn, a stereotactic ventriculostomy guidance system that does not need an elaborate setup and is suitable for ventricles of all sizes was developed. The objective of this paper is to describe this system and present the results of a cadaveric study in which this system was used. Method The system has a midline-based plate that is contoured to snugly fit the top of the head. It has two probe holders, one on each side at pre-set angles in coronal and sagittal planes, which enables the probe holders to point at the foramen of Monro. A cadaver study was done on eight donors. First, using the guidance system a 1.4 mm endoscope was inserted into the right frontal horn through a twist drill hole. Next, the scope was inserted into the right frontal horn on the same donors using the freehand method. Result With the guide, all eight ventricles were entered into on the first trial, and the foramen of Monro was visible end-on. With freehand technique: six ventricles were entered on the first try; however, the foramen of Monro was visible end-on only in one. In the other two, two to three attempts were needed. The guide facilitated 100% visibility for the end-on visibility of the foramen of Monro upon insertion and the results were statistically significant with t=7, df=7, p-value=0.000106. Conclusion This is a simple system, which is easy to use. The cadaveric study showed a high degree of accuracy to access the ventricles. The data shows significant improvement compared to the freehand technique.

DNA Methylation Biomarkers-Based Human Age Prediction Using Machine Learning.

PURPOSE: Age can be an important clue in uncovering the identity of persons that left biological evidence at crime scenes. With the availability of DNA methylation data, several age prediction models are developed by using statistical and machine learning methods. From epigenetic studies, it has been demonstrated that there is a close association between aging and DNA methylation. Most of the existing studies focused on healthy samples, whereas diseases may have a significant impact on human age. Therefore, in this article, an age prediction model is proposed using DNA methylation biomarkers for healthy and diseased samples. METHODS: The dataset contains 454 healthy samples and 400 diseased samples from publicly available sources with age (1-89 years old). Six CpG sites are identified from this data having a high correlation with age using Pearson's correlation coefficient. In this work, the age prediction model is developed using four different machine learning techniques, namely, Multiple Linear Regression, Support Vector Regression, Gradient Boosting Regression, and Random Forest Regression. Separate models are designed for healthy and diseased data. The data are split randomly into 80 : 20 ratios for training and testing, respectively. RESULTS: Among all the techniques, the model designed using Random Forest Regression shows the best performance, and Gradient Boosting Regression is the second best model. In the case of healthy samples, the model achieved a MAD of 2.51 years for training data and 4.85 for testing data. Also, for diseased samples, a MAD of 3.83 years is obtained for training and 9.53 years for testing. CONCLUSION: These results showed that the proposed model can predict age for healthy and diseased samples.

Energized Composites for Electric Vehicles: A Dual Function Energy-Storing Supercapacitor-Based Carbon Fiber Composite for the Body Panels.

The current electric vehicles (EVs) face many challenges like limited charge capacity, low miles/charge, and long charging times. Herein, these issues are addressed by developing a dual-function supercapacitor-based energy-storing carbon fiber reinforced polymer (e-CFRP) that can store electrical energy and function as the structural component for the EV's body shell. This is achieved by developing a unique design, vertically aligned graphene sheets attached to carbon fiber electrodes on which different metal oxides are deposited to obtain high-energy density electrodes. A high-strength multilayer e-CFRP assembly is fabricated using an alternate layer patterning configuration of epoxy and polyacrylamide gel electrolyte. The e-CFRP so developed delivers a high areal energy density of 0.31 mWh cm-2 at 0.3 mm thickness and a high tensile strength of 518 MPa, bending strength of 477 MPa, and impact strength of 2666 J m-1 . To show its application in EVs, a toy car's body panel is fabricated with e-CFRP and the toy car is able to operate using the energy stored in its frame. Moreover, when integrated with a solar cell, this composite powers an Internet of Things device, showing its feasibility in communication satellites.

A comprehensive multidisciplinary investigation on CO2 capture from diesel engine.

Climate change and global warming are the visible consequences of the increased amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. Among the various sources of anthropogenic CO2 emission, the diesel engine has a significant contribution. The development of a reliable system to efficiently minimize CO2 emissions from diesel engines to the safest level is lacking in the open literature. Therefore, a comprehensive multidisciplinary approach has been applied in this paper to investigate the efficacy of the post-combustion carbon capture (PCC) process for the diesel engine. The experiments have been performed on the exhaust of a direct injection diesel engine at five different brake powers with blends of aqueous ammonia (AQ_NH3), monoethanolamine (MEA), N,N-dimethylethanolamine (DMEA), and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (C2mim BF4) ionic liquid (IL) as an absorbent for CO2 capture. The reaction mechanism of these absorbent with CO2 are also studied by the geometrical, energetical, MESP, frontier molecular orbitals, and NBO analysis using the first-principles density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The maximum CO2 absorption efficiency of almost 97% was achieved for the blend consisting of 67% of AQ_NH3 and 33% of MEA. Moreover, AQ_MEA and blend of AQ_NH3, DMEA, and C2mim BF4 ionic liquid showed 96% and 94% CO2 absorption efficiency, respectively.

Transcriptome Analysis of Insulin Signaling-Associated Transcription Factors in C. elegans Reveal Their Genome-Wide Target Genes Specificity and Complexity.

Insulin/IGF-1-like signaling (IIS) plays a crucial, conserved role in development, growth, reproduction, stress tolerance, and longevity. In Caenorhabditis elegans, the enhanced longevity under reduced insulin signaling (rIIS) is primarily regulated by the transcription factors (TFs) DAF-16/FOXO, SKN-1/Nrf-1, and HSF1/HSF-1. The specific and coordinated regulation of gene expression by these TFs under rIIS has not been comprehensively elucidated. Here, using RNA-sequencing analysis, we report a systematic study of the complexity of TF-dependent target gene interactions during rIIS under analogous genetic and experimental conditions. We found that DAF-16 regulates only a fraction of the C. elegans transcriptome but controls a large set of genes under rIIS; SKN-1 and HSF-1 show the opposite trend. Both of the latter TFs function as activators and repressors to a similar extent, while DAF-16 is predominantly an activator. For expression of the genes commonly regulated by TFs under rIIS conditions, DAF-16 is the principal determining factor, dominating over the other two TFs, irrespective of whether they activate or repress these genes. The functional annotations and regulatory networks presented in this study provide novel insights into the complexity of the gene regulatory networks downstream of the IIS pathway that controls diverse phenotypes, including longevity.

Data-Driven Monitoring in Community Based Management of Children With Severely Acute Malnutrition (SAM) Using Psychometric Techniques: An Operational Framework.

Background The success of the Community Based Management of Severe Malnutrition (CSAM) programme largely depends on the knowledge and skills of Front-Line Workers (FLWs). A robust supportive supervision system in CSAM should be tailored to individualistic learning needs by distinguishing the FLWs as per their ability and simultaneously identifying the task domains to be emphasized more in supervisory visits. This paper details the ability assessment strategy developed and employed in the selected geographical locations in Madhya Pradesh (Central India) among the 197 Anganwadi workers (FLWs involved in CSAM implementation). Methodology A 25 items tool was developed based on an analytical construct for ability estimation through Rasch Analysis (RA). RA models the probability of right/wrong answers as a function of a person (participants) and item (questions) parameters and calculates the item difficulty in relation to personability on the same unidimensional linear scale. Suitable visualization like item characteristic curve (ICC), person item map (PIM) and quadratic allocation were plotted in RA. The data fitting to the Rasch model (Rasch diagnostic) was tested by numeric (Anderson LR and Wald test) and graphical methods. Results The item easiness parameter (ß) value related to Diarrhoeal assessment was lowest (-2.32, -2.91 to -1.73) and related to peer assessment meaningful action (2.009, 1.669- 2.348)) was highest (most difficult). Anderson LR test (LR=31.32, df=24, p=0.079) showed the absence of global outliers. Quadrant analysis using the permutations of ability score and adjusted burden of malnutrition further mapped 41/197 (20.8%) FLWs to low ability -high burden quadrant and 44/197(25%) as low ability low burden quadrant. Conclusion Rasch assessment may address the innate challenges to maintain homogeneity, discrimination capacity and linearity in a raw score-based measurement construct. The monitoring strategy developed on this thus may offer a judicious, pragmatic and thematic approach to supportive supervision in the CSAM program.

Effectiveness of a Fully Impregnated Hydroxyapatite Polyetheretherketone Cage on Fusion in Anterior Cervical Spine Surgery.

Introduction Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) is the gold standard for the treatment of cervical spondylosis. However, new techniques, technologies, and improved implants have aided surgeons in reducing operative time with enhanced patient outcomes. Impregnated hydroxyapatite polyetheretherketone (HA PEEK) cages (Arena-C HA®, LESspine Inc. Malden, MA) are one such option that has aimed to increase the fusion rate. The authors herein aimed to assess the use of HA PEEK interbody cages by looking at outcomes, complications, and radiographic fusion.  Methods The medical records of 41 consecutive patients undergoing single-level ACDF with impregnated HA PEEK cages (group 1) were compared to the control group of 47 patients who had single-level ACDF without impregnated HA PEEK cages (group 2). Outcomes assessed included Visual Analog Scale (VAS) neck, Neck Disability Index (NDI) scores, radiographic fusion, and complication rates.  Results Of the 41 patients in group 1 (HA PEEK), 48% were female population with a mean age of 58.5+/- 1.7 years and BMI 29.7+/-1.2 kg/m2. Of the 47 patients in group 2 (non-HA PEEK), 53% were female with a mean age of 54.3+/- 1.2 years and BMI 27.8+/-0.8 kg/m2. Using t-test, there was a statistically significant intergroup difference in two-year VAS neck and NDI scores, p=0.007, and p=0.001, respectively. Radiographic fusion occurred as early as three months in the HA PEEK group.  Conclusions This study has demonstrated the equivalence of impregnated HA PEEK cages in single-level ACDF. Significant improvements were seen in VAS and NDI scores in the HA PEEK group. There was no incidence of heterotopic bone formation or reaction to HA PEEK cages. Additionally, a trend toward fusion was seen in HA PEEK patients as early as three to five months compared to seven to eight months for the ACDF group. We conclude that HA PEEK cages can be safely placed with excellent outcomes. However, further studies are required to look at added benefits.

CT Scan and Clinical Outcomes of Novel Lateral-Oblique Percutaneous Sacroiliac Joint (SIJ) Fixation: Technique and Literature Review.

Purpose The sacroiliac joint (SIJ) is estimated to be a source of pain in 15%-30% of patients presenting for the evaluation of low back pain. The SIJ may develop symptoms in an estimated 43% of patients who have had previous lumbar fusion surgeries. With increased awareness of SIJ as a pain source and for those patients who have intractable pain and who fail nonoperative treatment, surgery to stabilize the SIJ is becoming more common. Thus multiple different technologies and techniques need to be evaluated. The purpose of this study is to report on the clinical and radiographic follow-up of percutaneous lateral-oblique sacroiliac joint fusion with a threaded compression screw performed in an outpatient ambulatory surgery center (ASC). Methods Three consecutive patients were chosen for this technique, and after completion, were followed for at least 24 months as part of a pilot study to see how they responded to the treatment. The medical charts of these patients were reviewed along with follow-up radiographs and computed tomography (CT) scans to assess for radiographic fusion designated as bridging bone across the SIJ with no signs of implant loosening such as haloes around the screws, change in position, or screw breakage. The SacroFuse (Sacrix LLC, Boston, MA) SIJ screws were 12 mm x 60 mm at S1 and 12 mm x 50 mm at S2 with threads for compressive fixation and cannulated for percutaneous placement over a guidewire. We evaluated patients' demographics, the pain visual analog scale (VAS) score, and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) preoperatively and postoperatively. Results Our first patient was a 51-year-old male body mass index (BMI) 33.3 kg/m2 with a previous lumbar fusion. He underwent a two-staged SIJ fusion. The first surgery was done as an open direct lateral surgery, and the second stage was performed three months later using a direct percutaneous lateral-oblique technique for three months. The second and third patients, respectively, were 22-year-old female status prior L5-S1 anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) plus right posterior unilateral pedicle screws. She had a BMI of 38.3 kg/m2. The third patient was a 41-year-old male with a BMI of 29.5 kg/m2 who underwent lateral-oblique bilateral percutaneous SIJ fixation. The latest CT imaging of each patient demonstrated increased bone density adjacent and within implants with intra-articular osseous bridging. There were no implant failures or complications. Conclusion This pilot study demonstrated the feasibility and effectiveness of a new percutaneous lateral-oblique SIJ fusion technique with a threaded compression screw done safely in an ASC. Patients demonstrated early pain relief and long-term fusion of their SIJ. We introduced the Sacrix line as a key fluoroscopic landmark for the success of this percutaneous technique.

Sequential and cellular detection of copper and lactic acid by disaggregation and reaggregation of the fluorescent panchromatic fibres of an acylthiourea based sensor.

We report, for the first time, the self-assembly of an acyl-thiourea based sensor, N-{(6-methoxy-pyridine-2-yl) carbamothioyl}benzamide (NG1), with panchromatic fluorescent fibres and its dual-sensing properties for the sequential detection of Cu2+ ions and lactic acid. The panchromatic fibres formed by NG1 were disrupted in the presence of Cu2+ ions and this was accompanied by a visible colour change in the solution from colourless to yellow. The addition of lactic acid to the NG1 + Cu2+ solution, on the other hand, induced re-aggregation to fibrillar structures and the colour of the solution again changed to colourless. Hence, it may be surmised that the disaggregation and re-aggregation impart unique dual-sensing properties to NG1 for the sequential detection of Cu2+ ions and lactic acid. The application of NG1 as a selective sensor for Cu2+ ions and lactic acid has been assessed in detail by UV-visible and fluorescence spectroscopy. Furthermore, two structural variants of NG1, namely, NG2 and NG3, were synthesized, which suggest the crucial role of pyridine in imparting panchromatic emission properties and of both pyridine and acyl-thiourea side chain in the binding of Cu2+ ions. The O-methoxy group plays an important part in making NG1 the most sensitive probe of its structural analogs. Finally, the utility of NG1 for the sequential and cellular detection of Cu2+ ions and lactic acid was studied in human RPE cells. The experimental results of the interaction of NG1 with Cu2+ ions and lactic acid have also been validated theoretically by using quantum chemical calculations based on density functional theory (DFT). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report wherein a dual sensor for Cu2+ ions and lactate ions is synthesized. More importantly, the aggregation properties of the sensor have been studied extensively and an interesting correlation of the photophysical properties of the probe with its self-assembling behavior has been elucidated.

Tunable fiber Fabry-Perot cavities with high passive stability.

We present three high finesse tunable monolithic fiber Fabry-Perot cavities (FFPCs) with high passive mechanical stability. The fiber mirrors are fixed inside slotted glass ferrules, which guarantee an inherent alignment of the resonators. An attached piezoelectric element enables fast tuning of the FFPC resonance frequency over the entire free-spectral range for two of the designs. Stable locking of the cavity resonance is achieved for sub-Hertz feedback bandwidths, demonstrating the high passive stability. At the other limit, locking bandwidths up to tens of kilohertz, close to the first mechanical resonance, can be obtained. The root-mean-square frequency fluctuations are suppressed down to ∼2% of the cavity linewidth. Over a wide frequency range, the frequency noise is dominated by the thermal noise limit of the system's mechanical resonances. The demonstrated small footprint devices can be used advantageously in a broad range of applications like cavity-based sensing techniques, optical filters or quantum light-matter interfaces.

Hybrid Structure of Ionic Liquid and TiO2 Nanoclusters for Efficient Hydrogen Evolution Reaction.

Hydrogen energy has received significant attention in the renewable energy sector due to its high energy density and environmentally friendly nature. For the efficient hydrogen generation from water, the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) has to be optimized, which requires a highly efficient electrocatalyst. In this work, a hybrid structure of the ionic liquid (IL) 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium trifluoromethanesulfonate (C2mim TfO) and (TiO2)n nanoclusters with n = 2-12 has been investigated in the pursuit of new catalyst materials for effective HER. We have employed state-of-the-art density functional theory (DFT) computations to depict the HER catalytic performance of IL/(TiO2)n hybrid systems through Gibbs free energy (ΔG) and an exchange-current-based "volcano" plot. We have explored the effect of the TiO2 nanoclusters on the structural and electronic characteristics of the IL, calculating the adsorption energy, the energies of the highest occupied (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals (LUMO), the HOMO-LUMO band gap Eg, and the work function ϕ. The variation in size of the TiO2 nanocluster in the IL/(TiO2)n hybrid system was found to have a significant influence on the electronic properties. The obtained results suggest that the ΔG of the hydrogen adsorption is remarkably close to the ideal value (0 eV) for the IL/(TiO2)5 system, which also reflects from the volcano plot, suggesting that this complex is the best HER catalyst among the studied systems; it might be even better than the traditional Pt-based catalyst. Thus, the present work suggests ways for the experimental realization of low-cost and multifunctional IL-based hybrid catalysts for clean and renewable hydrogen energy production.

Strong-field ionization of polyatomic molecules: ultrafast H atom migration and bond formation in the photodissociation of CH3OH.

Strong-field ionization induces various complex phenomena like bond breaking, intramolecular hydrogen migration, and bond association in polyatomic molecules. The H-atom migration and bond formation in CH3OH induced by intense femtosecond laser pulses are investigated using a Velocity Map Imaging (VMI) spectrometer. Various laser parameters like intensity (1.5 × 1013 W cm-2-12.5 × 1013 W cm-2), pulse duration (29 fs and 195 fs), wavelength (800 nm and 1300 nm), and polarization (linear and circular) can serve as a quantum control for hydrogen migration and the yield of Hn+ (n = 1-3) ions which have been observed in this study. Further, in order to understand the ejection mechanism of the hydrogen molecular ions H2+ and H3+ from singly-ionized CH3OH, quantum chemical calculations were employed. The dissociation processes of CH3OH+ occurring by four dissociative channels to form CHO+ + H3, H3+ + CHO, CH2+ + H2O, and H2O+ + CH2 are studied. Using the combined approach of experiments and theory, we have successfully explained the mechanism of intramolecular hydrogen migration and predicted the dissociative channels of singly-ionized CH3OH.

Inter Spinal Fixation and Stabilization Device for Lumbar Radiculopathy and Back Pain.

INTRODUCTION: Generally, interspinal distractor fixation devices are used for severe low back pain associated with neurogenic claudication, and radiculopathy with central or lateral recess stenosis and/or foraminal narrowing. In this paper, the authors result in cases of severe low back pain and lumbar radiculopathy in whom this device was used with excellent results. METHOD: This is a retrospective study. Patients were contacted via phone call and their pain score and other data were recorded at different timelines. The final data presented in this paper are the data collected at the final follow-up that ranges from 14 months to 24 months. Surgeries were performed in the outpatient setting and although no identifiable patient information is included in this paper, yet, patients were asked for their verbal consent. The patient data are only included if verbal consent was obtained. RESULTS: Over the past 24 months, 13 patients with disc protrusion and/or central and/or foraminal spinal stenosis were treated with this procedure. Follow-up ranges from 14 months to 24 months with a median of 19 months, male/female ratio of 6/7, and a median age of 68 years. There were no complications or reoperation. Statistical analysis showed significant improvement in the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) for back and radicular leg pain (p-value = 0.000552 for back pain and p-value = 0.000291 for radicular leg pain). CONCLUSION: The system reported in this paper is a solid fixation system that works both as a distractor and internal decompressor of the spinal canal. It is simple to use and safe. Though the number of patients is small, statistically significant improvement was reported at a median follow-up of 19 months.