What Triggers the Dynamic Self-Assembly of Molecules and Materials?

Dynamic self-assembly has emerged as one of the reliable approaches to create complex materials with more life-like functions. In a typical dynamic self-assembly process, the external triggers activate the building blocks to initiate the assembly step to form transiently stable higher-order structures. These external triggers provide a constant supply of energy to maintain the transiently stable self-assembled states.

Halved contrast medium dose in lower limb dual-energy computed tomography angiography-a randomized controlled trial.

Objectives: To compare vascular attenuation (VA) of an experimental half iodine-load dual-layer spectral detector CT (SDCT) lower limb computed tomography angiography (CTA) with control (standard iodine-load conventional 120-kilovolt peak (kVp) CTA).

Methods: Ethical approval and consent were obtained. In this parallel RCT, CTA examinations were randomized into experimental or control.

Decision support system for sustainable groundwater management in crystalline hard rocks: implications for sugarcane agriculture, Southern India.

India is the second largest sugarcane-producing nation with water footprints ~ 104 BCM/year of which 80% met from groundwater of deep wells. The large-scale groundwater management practices were found mostly untenable affecting the sugarcane agrarian and associated sectors. We developed a cell-level (2 km × 2 km) decision support system employing the integrated hydro-geophysical investigations in sugarcane agro-watershed (399 km) beset over granitic aquifer systems of Tattihalla River watershed, Southern India.

Nanoparticle Self-Assembly: From Design Principles to Complex Matter to Functional Materials.

The creation of matter with varying degrees of complexities and desired functions is one of the ultimate targets of self-assembly. The ability to regulate the complex interactions between the individual components is essential in achieving this target. In this direction, the initial success of controlling the pathways and final thermodynamic states of a self-assembly process is promising.

Indirect CT venography of the lower extremities: impact of scan delay and patient factors on contrast enhancement and examination quality.

Objectives: Indirect computed tomography venography (CTV) is often the next imaging modality for deep vein thrombosis (DVT) when sonography is inconclusive. Our aim was to investigate the impact of scan delay and patient factors on contrast enhancement (CE) and examination quality in CTV.

Methods: Patients with clinical suspicion or clinical mimics of DVT in one large hospital were enrolled.

Electrostatically Directed Long-Range Self-Assembly of Nucleotides with Cationic Nanoparticles To Form Multifunctional Bioplasmonic Networks.

Precise control over interparticle interactions is essential to retain the functions of individual components in a self-assembled superstructure. Here, we report the design of a multifunctional bioplasmonic network via an electrostatically directed self-assembly process involving adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP). The present study unveils the ability of ATP to undergo a long-range self-assembly in the presence of cations and gold nanoparticles (AuNP).

Realization of a Novel Free-Piston Engine Generator for Hybrid-Electric Vehicle Applications.

Free-piston engine generators (FPEGs) have huge potential to be the principal energy conversion device for generating electricity from fuel as part of a hybrid-electric vehicle (EV) powertrain system. The principal advantages lay in the fact that they are theoretically more efficient, more compact, and more lightweight compared to other competing EV hybrid and range-extender solutions (internal combustion engines, rotary engines, fuel cells, etc.).

Rapid determination and optimisation of berberine from Himalayan by soxhlet apparatus using CCD-RSM and its quality control as a potential candidate for COVID-19.

SARS-CoV-2 (or COVID-19) has become a global risk and scientists are attempting to investigate antiviral vaccine. are important plants due to the presence of bioactive phytochemicals, especially berberine from the protoberberine group of benzylisoquinoline and recent studies have shown its potential in treating COVID-19. Royle growing in subtropical regions of Asia had wide applications in Indian system of medicine.

Preclinical development of gastro-protective botanical candidate from Woodfordia fruticosa (Linn.) Kurz: Chemical standardization, efficacy, pharmacokinetics and safety pharmacology.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Woodfordia fruticosa is traditionally used in the Ayurvedic system of medicine for the treatment of diarrhoea, poisoning, menstrual disorders, ulcers and fertility. In the present study, we report a standardized extract preparation through modern scientific approach for anti-ulcer activity.

Materials And Methods: The hydro-alcoholic extract of flowers of W.

Rhodamine scaffolds as real time chemosensors for selective detection of bisulfite in aqueous medium.

Rhodamine and its derivatives have been widely used in designing fluorescent 'turn on' cation sensors, while very few rhodamine based fluorescent probes have been reported to date for the detection of anions in water. In this article, a new rhodamine based facile and convenient 'turn on' fluorescent chemosensor 2-(2-(1-hydroxynaphthyllideneamino)ethyl)-3',6'-bis(diethylamino)spiro [isoindoline-1,9'-xanthen]-3-one (RAHN) has been developed by Schiff base condensation and characterized by standard techniques for selective detection of bisulfite anions in water. A faintly yellow colour solution of RAHN turns pink upon addition of bisulfite.

Transcarotid Endovascular Thrombectomy for Acute Ischemic Stroke.

Endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) via a transfemoral approach can be extremely time-consuming or even impossible. This brief review presents 7 transcarotid EVT procedures in which reperfusion graded as 2b or 3 on the Thrombolysis In Cerebral Infarction scale was achieved. Neck hematoma in need of treatment occurred in 1 patient.

Comparison of auditory comprehension skills in children with cochlear implant and typically developing children.

Objective: The main goal of this study was to obtain auditory comprehension skills of native Hindi speaking children with cochlear implant and typically developing children across the age of 3-7 years and compare the scores between two groups.

Methodology: A total of sixty Hindi speaking participants were selected for the study. They were divided into two groups- Group-A consisted of thirty children with normal hearing and Group-B thirty children using cochlear implants.

Application of a novel 2D cadmium(II)-MOF in the formation of a photo-switch with a substantial on-off ratio.

A novel thiocyanate bridged 2D MOF, [CdL(μ-1,3-SCN)2]n, [HL = 2-(2-(ethylamino)ethyliminomethyl)-6-ethoxyphenol] has been synthesized and characterized by X-ray crystallography. The band gap of the synthesized material in the solid state has been determined by experimental measurements and compared with the theoretical value obtained from DFT calculations. For the first time, the single crystal X-ray crystallography of a MOF has been reported along with its applicability in photosensitive devices.

Role of 3D Ultrasound and Doppler in Differentiating Clinically Suspected Cases of Leiomyoma and Adenomyosis of Uterus.

Introduction: Adenomyosis and Leiomyoma are common disorders affecting females in their reproductive age. They mimic each other in clinical presentation. Due to similarities in clinical symptoms and signs, missing one diagnosis in favour of the other is not very uncommon.

Percutaneous closure of catheter enterotomy: feasibility determination in vivo.

Aim: To determine whether a catheter enterotomy can be percutaneously sealed with a commercially available vascular closure implant.

Material And Methods: The study was performed using a porcine model of small intestinal obstruction. Preliminary experiments were performed to allow an informed choice between two of the most promising commercially available alternatives: A multipronged metal clip (StarClose®) and a resorbable anchored polymer plate (FemoSeal®).

Cutaneous angiosarcoma of the head, neck, and face of the elderly in type 5 skin.

Cutaneous angiosarcoma is a rare, highly malignant vascular tumor with three clinical types. It is predominantly seen in the white-skinned people and rarely dealt with among the colored races. Cutaneous angiosarcoma of head and neck of the elderly is a great mimicker with many clinical presentations.

Neurointerventional treatment in acute stroke. Whom to treat? (Endovascular treatment for acute stroke: utility of THRIVE score and HIAT score for patient selection).

Purpose: Intra-arterial therapy (IAT) is used increasingly as a treatment option for acute stroke caused by central large vessel occlusions. Despite high rates of recanalization, the clinical outcome is highly variable. The authors evaluated the Houston IAT (HIAT) and the totaled health risks in vascular events (THRIVE) score, two predicting scores designed to identify patients likely to benefit from IAT.

Focal hydrothermal ablation: preliminary investigation of a new concept.

Purpose: To determine whether focal tissue ablation is possible with interstitial instillation of steam.

Methods: Fresh swine livers were used. Through a 20 gauge needle, steam was instilled every 5 s, 3 (n = 5), 6 (n = 5), 9 (n = 5), or 12 (n = 5 + 5) times in a liver lobe.

Role of therapeutic thoracentesis in tuberculous pleural effusion.

Context: Prevalence of tuberculous pleural effusion is very high in the Asian subcontinent but very few studies have come up from this part of the world about the course of recovery of pulmonary functions after institution of anti-tubercular therapy (ATT) and thoracentesis.

Aims: To study initial lung function impairment, changes over time after institution of ATT and thoracentesis and residual abnormalities left at the end of six months of treatment.

Settings And Design: Randomized open level interventional study over two years in 52 patients at a tertiary level teaching hospital.

Endovascular acute stroke treatment performed by vascular interventional radiologists: is it safe and efficacious?

Purpose: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of neurointerventional procedures in acute stroke patients performed by a team of vascular interventional radiologists in close cooperation with diagnostic neuroradiologists and stroke neurologists and to compare the results with those of previous reports from centres with specialised interventional neuroradiologists.

Material And Methods: A total of 39 patients with acute ischemic stroke due to large-vessel occlusion not responding to or not eligible for intravenous thrombolysis were treated with either intra-arterial thrombolysis or mechanical thrombectomy (Penumbra System or solitaire FR thrombectomy system, respectively) and included in our prospective study. Outcomes were measured using the modified Rankin scale after 90 days, and recanalization was assessed by thrombolysis using the myocardial infarction score.

An information theoretical analysis of kinase activated phosphorylation dephosphorylation cycle.

Signal transduction, the information processing mechanism in biological cells, is carried out by a network of biochemical reactions. The dynamics of driven biochemical reactions can be studied in terms of nonequilibrium statistical physics. Such systems may also be studied in terms of Shannon's information theory.

Polymorphisms of CYP1A1, GSTM1 and GSTT1 Loci as the Genetic Predispositions of Oral Cancers and Other Oral Pathologies: Tobacco and Alcohol as Risk Modifiers.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons of tobacco require activation by phase I enzymes, such as cytochrome-P4501A1 (CYP1A1) to become an ultimate carcinogen, which are subjected to detoxification by phase II enzymes, especially glutathione S-transferases (GSTs). A study was designed to find whether genetic predisposition are risk modifiers of oral pathologies. The study included 102 cases with Oral Cancers (OCs), 68 cases with nonmalignant pathologies, 100 cases as control group.

Intra-operative MRI facilitates tumour resection during trans-sphenoidal surgery for pituitary adenomas.

Background: During trans-sphenoidal microsurgical resection of pituitary adenomas, the extent of resection may be difficult to assess, especially when extensive suprasellar and parasellar growth has occurred. In this prospective study, we investigated whether intra-operative magnetic resonance imaging (iMRI) can facilitate tumour resection.

Methods: Twenty patients with macroadenomas, (16 non-functioning, three growth-hormone secreting and one pharmaco-resistant prolactinoma) were selected for surgery in the iMRI.