Performance of CBNAAT on Pleural Biopsies Obtained by Semirigid Thoracoscopy for Diagnosis of Unexplained Pleural Effusion: A Prospective Study from North India.

Background: Exudative pleural effusions are commonly encountered in clinical practice, but in about one-fourth of cases, etiology remains elusive after initial evaluation. Medical thoracoscopy with semirigid thoracoscope is a minimally invasive procedure with high diagnostic yield for diagnosing pleural diseases, especially these undiagnosed exudative pleural effusions. In tubercular endemic areas, often, these effusions turn out to be tubercular, but the diagnosis of tubercular pleural effusion is quite challenging due to the paucibacillary nature of the disease.

Solvothermal synthesis of TiOnanospheres for non-volatile memory and synaptic learning applications.

In this study, we used the one-pot solvothermal method to synthesize the TiOnanospheres (NSs) and used them for non-volatile memory and neuromorphic computing applications. Several analytical tools were used to understand the structural, optical, morphological, and compositional characteristics of synthesized TiONSs. The tetragonal crystal structure of anatase TiOwas formed, according to the Rietveld refined x-ray diffraction results.

Cancer in Kashmir Valley: Current trends, burden and pattern.

Background: There is an overall surge of malignancies in most of the developing countries including India. Dearth of data from Kashmir prompted us to embark upon a study on burden and pattern of cancer in Kashmir over previous 5 years.

Methods: Data acquisition from January 2016 to December 2020 was accomplished from the departmental archives of a large tertiary care institute of Kashmir valley.

Eco-friendly MABiIperovskite thin films based ammonia sensor.

Organic-inorganic perovskite halides (OIPH) have emerged as a wonder material with growing interest in sensors detecting various toxic gases. However, lead toxicity represents a potential obstacle, and therefore finding lead-free cost-effective compatible materials for gas sensing applications is essential. In this work, methylammonium bismuth iodide i.

Articular Fluorodeoxyglucose Uptake Is Associated With Clinically Assessed Swollen Joint Count in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Objective: Examination and conventional radiography of joints are unable to precisely evaluate and measure disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We quantified joint inflammation using F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) in people with RA to determine if PET-derived uptake variables were correlated with RA disease activity measures.

Methods: We cross-sectionally studied 34 patients with RA in a substudy of the Rheumatoid Arthritis Study of the Myocardium (RHYTHM).

Predictors of Prolonged Hospital Stay in Patients with Acute Pulmonary Thromboembolism- A Hospital Based Cohort Study.

Aims And Objectives: Patients with pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) are commonly admitted to hospital and generally have a prolonged hospital stay in this part of the world. We aimed to determine different clinical and laboratory parameters that are associated with prolonged hospital stay in our set-up and to analyse effectiveness of Pulmonary Embolism Severity Index (PESI) score as a predictor of prolonged hospital stay in patients with PTE.

Materials And Methods: It was a hospital based observational prospective study.

Using Structure-guided Fragment-Based Drug Discovery to Target Infections in Cystic Fibrosis.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is progressive genetic disease that predisposes lungs and other organs to multiple long-lasting microbial infections. is the most prevalent and deadly pathogen among these microbes. Lung function of CF patients worsens following chronic infections with and is associated with increased mortality and morbidity.

Clinical experience of tocilizumab treatment among a cohort of patients with COVID-19 infection from Western India.

Background: Initiation of tocilizumab (TCZ) treatment in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) during the early phases of cytokine storm is crucial. This study evaluated the clinical experience of TCZ use in the treatment of patients with COVID-19.

Methods: This retrospective observational study included patients (>18 years) with confirmed COVID19 treated with TCZ alone/in combination with other drugs.

COSMIC Cancer Gene Census 3D database: understanding the impacts of mutations on cancer targets.

Mutations in hallmark genes are believed to be the main drivers of cancer progression. These mutations are reported in the Catalogue of Somatic Mutations in Cancer (COSMIC). Structural appreciation of where these mutations appear, in protein-protein interfaces, active sites or deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) interfaces, and predicting the impacts of these mutations using a variety of computational tools are crucial for successful drug discovery and development.

Phase I trial of docetaxel plus lutetium-177-labeled anti-prostate-specific membrane antigen monoclonal antibody J591 (Lu-J591) for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.

Background: Docetaxel remains a standard of care for metatsatic castration resistant porstate cancer (mCRPC) and has radiosensitizing properties. The dose limiting toxicity (DLT) of radioimmunotherapy is myelosuppression; dose fractionation of Lu-J591 allows similar administered doses with less toxicity. This study (NCT00916123) was designed to determine the safety, DLT, and maximum tolerated dose of fractionated Lu-J591 administered concurrently with standard docetaxel.

Pilot Study of [F] Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography (FDG-PET)/Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) for Staging of Muscle-invasive Bladder Cancer (MIBC).

Introduction: Computed tomography (CT) has limited diagnostic accuracy for staging of muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). [F] Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET)/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a novel imaging modality incorporating functional imaging with improved soft tissue characterization. This pilot study evaluated the use of preoperative FDG-PET/MRI for staging of MIBC.

Donor glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency decreases blood quality for transfusion.

BACKGROUNDGlucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency decreases the ability of red blood cells (RBCs) to withstand oxidative stress. Refrigerated storage of RBCs induces oxidative stress. We hypothesized that G6PD-deficient donor RBCs would have inferior storage quality for transfusion as compared with G6PD-normal RBCs.

InO nanocapsules for rapid photodegradation of crystal violet dye under sunlight.

We report, a shape controlled novel synthesis of Indium oxide (InO) nanocapsule using biogenic reflux method. The InO samples were obtained through optimization of the concentration of sodium citrate, which played a significant role to tune the size of nanocapsules. All synthesized InO samples were characterized by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and selected area electron diffraction (SAED).

Update on Serum Glucose and Metabolic Management of Clinical Nuclear Medicine Studies: Current Status and Proposed Future Directions.

Management of a patient's blood glucose or metabolism in nuclear medicine studies has become an integral aspect of daily work primarily due to the increasing use of F-18 flurodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET). Newer tracers such as F-18 Fluciclovine and C-11 Choline, are in theory subject to metabolic shifts and changes based on patients' insulin levels, and also require attention to achieving optimum patient preparation. Metabolic derangements can also affect other studies, such as gastric emptying (GE), the results of which are dependent upon the patient's blood glucose level during the time of imaging.

Overcoming the Ambient Manufacturability-Scalability-Performance Bottleneck in Colloidal Quantum Dot Photovoltaics.

Colloidal quantum dot (CQD) solar cells have risen rapidly in performance; however, their low-cost fabrication under realistic ambient conditions remains elusive. This study uncovers that humid environments curtail the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of solar cells by preventing the needed oxygen doping of the hole transporter during ambient fabrication. A simple oxygen-doping step enabling ambient manufacturing irrespective of seasonal humidity variations is devised.

Effects of High Temperature and Thermal Cycling on the Performance of Perovskite Solar Cells: Acceleration of Charge Recombination and Deterioration of Charge Extraction.

In this work, we investigated the effects of high operating temperature and thermal cycling on the photovoltaic (PV) performance of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) with a typical mesostructured (m)-TiO-CHNHPbICl-spiro-OMeTAD architecture. After temperature-dependent grazing-incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering, in situ X-ray diffraction, and optical absorption experiments were carried out, the thermal durability of PSCs was tested by subjecting the devices to repetitive heating to 70 °C and cooling to room temperature (20 °C). An unexpected regenerative effect was observed after the first thermal cycle; the average power conversion efficiency (PCE) increased by approximately 10% in reference to the as-prepared device.

Hybrid tandem quantum dot/organic photovoltaic cells with complementary near infrared absorption.

Monolithically integrated hybrid tandem solar cells that effectively combine solution-processed colloidal quantum dot (CQD) and organic bulk heterojunction subcells to achieve tandem performance that surpasses the individual subcell efficiencies have not been demonstrated to date. In this work, we demonstrate hybrid tandem cells with a low bandgap PbS CQD subcell harvesting the visible and near-infrared photons and a polymer:fullerene-poly (diketopyrrolopyrrole-terthiophene) (PDPP3T):[6,6]-phenyl-C-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM)-top cell absorbing effectively the red and near-infrared photons of the solar spectrum in a complementary fashion. The two subcells are connected in series via an interconnecting layer (ICL) composed of a metal oxide layer, a conjugated polyelectrolyte, and an ultrathin layer of Au.

Zika Virus-Associated Cognitive Impairment in Adolescent, 2016.

Incidence of neurologic manifestations associated with Zika virus infection has been increasing. In 2016, neuropsychological and cognitive changes developed in an adolescent after travel to a Zika virus-endemic area. Single-photon emission computed tomography and neuropsychological testing raised the possibility that Zika virus infection may lead to neuropsychiatric and cognitive symptoms.

Utility of Deep Inspiration Breath Hold for Left-Sided Breast Radiation Therapy in Preventing Early Cardiac Perfusion Defects: A Prospective Study.

Purpose: To evaluate early cardiac single photon computed tomography (SPECT) findings after left breast/chest wall postoperative radiation therapy (RT) in the setting of deep inspiration breath hold (DIBH).

Methods And Materials: We performed a prospective single-institution single-arm study of patients who were planned for tangential RT with DIBH to the left breast/chest wall (± internal mammary nodes). The DIBH was done by use of a controlled surface monitoring technique (AlignRT, Vision RT Ltd, London, UK).

Nuclear Molecular and Theranostic Imaging for Differentiated Thyroid Cancer.

Traditional nuclear medicine is rapidly being transformed by the evolving concepts in molecular imaging and theranostics. The utility of new approaches in differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) diagnostics and therapy has not been fully appreciated. The clinical information, relevant to disease management and patient care, obtained by scintigraphy is still being underestimated.

Hybrid Perovskite Thin-Film Photovoltaics: In Situ Diagnostics and Importance of the Precursor Solvate Phases.

Solution-processed hybrid perovskite semiconductors attract a great deal of attention, but little is known about their formation process. The one-step spin-coating process of perovskites is investigated in situ, revealing that thin-film formation is mediated by solid-state precursor solvates and their nature. The stability of these intermediate phases directly impacts the quality and reproducibility of thermally converted perovskite films and their photovoltaic performance.

Technetium Tc 99m sulfur colloid phenotypic probe for the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of PEGylated liposomal doxorubicin in women with ovarian cancer.

Purpose: Significant variability in the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of PEGylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD) exists. PLD undergoes clearance via the mononuclear phagocyte system (MPS). Technetium Tc 99m sulfur colloid (TSC) is approved for imaging MPS cells.

CH3NH3PbCl3 Single Crystals: Inverse Temperature Crystallization and Visible-Blind UV-Photodetector.

Single crystals of hybrid perovskites have shown remarkably improved physical properties compared to their polycrystalline film counterparts, underscoring their importance in the further development of advanced semiconductor devices. Here we present a new method of growing sizable CH3NH3PbCl3 single crystals based on the retrograde solubility behavior of hybrid perovskites. We show, for the first time, the energy band structure, charge recombination, and transport properties of CH3NH3PbCl3 single crystals.

Fast Crystallization and Improved Stability of Perovskite Solar Cells with Zn2SnO4 Electron Transporting Layer: Interface Matters.

Here we report that mesoporous ternary oxide Zn2SnO4 can significantly promotes the crystallization of hybrid perovskite layers and serves as an efficient electron transporting material in perovskite solar cells. Such devices exhibit an energy conversion efficiency of 13.34%, which is even higher than that achieved with the commonly used TiO2 in the similar experimental conditions (9.