Superconducting Cavity-Based Sensing of Band Gaps in 2D Materials

The superconducting coplanar waveguide (SCPW) cavity plays an essential role in various areas like superconducting qubits, parametric amplifiers, radiation detectors, and studying magnon-photon and photon-phonon coupling. Despite its wide-ranging applications, the use of SCPW cavities to study various van der Waals 2D materials has been relatively unexplored. The resonant modes of the SCPW cavity exquisitely sense the dielectric environment. In this work, we measure the charge compressibility of bilayer graphene coupled to a half-wavelength SCPW cavity. Our approach provides a means to detect subtle changes in the capacitance of the bilayer graphene heterostructure, which depends on the compressibility of bilayer graphene, manifesting as shifts in the resonant frequency of the cavity. This method holds promise for exploring a wide class of van der Waals 2D materials, including transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) and their moiré, where DC transport measurement is challenging.

A review on accelerated development of skin-like MXene electrodes: from experimental to machine learning

Foreshadowing future needs has catapulted the progress of skin-like electronic devices for human-machine interactions. These devices possess human skin-like properties such as stretchability, self-healability, transparency, biocompatibility, and wearability. This review highlights the recent progress in a promising material, MXenes, to realize soft, deformable, skin-like electrodes. Various structural designs, fabrication strategies, and rational guidelines adopted to realize MXene-based skin-like electrodes are outlined. We explicitly discussed machine learning-based material informatics to understand and predict the properties of MXenes. Finally, an outlook on the existing challenges and the future roadmap to realize soft skin-like MXene electrodes to facilitate technological advances in the next-generation human-machine interactions has been described.

Morphometric Analysis of Anatomy of Anterior Cruciate Ligament of Knee and its Attachments - a Cadaveric Study in Indian Population

Introduction:

The Anterior Cruciate Ligament tends to stabilise the knee in various range of extension and flexion. Precise study of anatomy, attachments and position of bundles is important for successful ACL reconstruction. In our study, we attempt to assess general anatomy of ACL, determine and compare its morphometric data pertaining to length and width and its tibio-femoral foot prints in different gender and secondarily determine changes in the same during ACL dynamics witnessed during knee flexion changes.

Materials and methods:

A total of 19 knees from 10 cadavers were used in the research with mean age of 61±7 years. After dissecting the skin, muscles, patellar and articular capsule were removed and bundle attachments were studied. Thereafter the relative length, width and stiffness of ACL bundles at 0, 90, 140 (maximum) angles of knee flexion were measured along with maximum horizontal and vertical bundle footprints at tibio-femoral attachments were recorded.

Results:

Mean length and width of insertion of anteromedial (AM) bundle on the tibial surface was 8.8mm and 9.0mm in males and 8.1mm and 8.8mm in females. Furthermore, that of PL bundle was 9.1mm and 7.8mm in males and 8.9mm and 7.1mm in females.

Conclusion:

The anteromedial (AM) bundle and posterolateral (PL) bundle of ACL were found to be most relaxed at full extension and were most taut at maximum flexion of 140°. AM bundle underwent greater stretching and change of length in comparison to the PL bundle, indicating that it is comparatively a more dominant bundle.

Basal cell carcinoma arising over lesion of discoid lupus erythematosus: a rare occurrence

Although the association of discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE) with squamous cell carcinoma has been described in the literature, coexistence with a basal cell carcinoma is very rare. The indolent and non-pruritic nature of the lesion cause it often to be diagnosed at the late stage of the disease. Long-standing photosensitivity and chronic inflammation later lead to scarring and hypopigmentation, which are considered as the risk factors for the malignant changes over DLE. Incisional biopsy is often performed from the erythematosus lesion which does not respond to medical treatment. Here we have reported a rare case of basal cell carcinoma of the skin developing in the background of long-standing DLE, which was successfully managed with cold knife local excision.

A manifestation of cutaneous aspergillosis in immunocompetent host: A rare presentation as forearm mass lesion

The Aspergillus species is a ubiquitous fungus, which can cause pathogenic and opportunistic fungal infections in the immunocompromised. This is an atypical occurrence in the host with an otherwise normal immune status. We report a case of an immunocompetent 45-year-old patient who developed cutaneous aspergillosis with a very benign course presenting simply with a gradually enlarging mass and none of the classical signs and symptoms. All prior laboratory examinations failed to detect or reproduce the organism or establish a diagnosis. Surgery was both diagnostic and therapeutic, to remove the mass which causes the patient pain and limitation of activity. This was to our advantage because the fungal elements were very well encapsulated and the mass was a well-organized conglomeration of cystic abscesses that even prolonged chemotherapy alone might not succeed in eradicating the infection.

Bladder Rupture Following Surgical Mid-Trimester Abortion

Nepal Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology / Vol 7 / No. 1 / Issue 13 / Jan- June, 2012 / 64-65 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/njog.v7i1.8841

Extraction of Metal Ions Using Chemically Modified Silica Gel Covalently Bonded with 4,4'-Diaminodiphenylether and 4,4'-Diaminodiphenylsulfone-salicylaldehyde Schiff Bases

Two new chelating materials (Si-DDE-o-HB, and Si-DDS-o-HB) were synthesized by modifying the activated silica gel phase with Schiff bases of 4,4'-diaminodiphenylether (DDE)/4,4'-diaminodiphenylsulfone (DDS) and o-hydroxybenzaldehyde (o-HB). The synthesized materials were characterized by FTIR and BET surface area measurement techniques. The extraction of metal ions such as Zn2+, Mn2+ and Cr3+ by the chelating material Si-DDE-o-HB was found to be higher than that by Si-DDS-o-HB. The order of metal sorption was found to be Zn2+ > Mn2+ > Cr3+. The correlation coefficients for Freundlich and Langmuir adsorption isotherms were compared for the sorption of Zn2+ onto the chelating material. The loading and elution of the metal ion solution was examined at optimum pH 7.5 and 0.5 cm3 min-1 flow rate of the solution using a column technique. The preconcentration factor for the elution of Zn2+ using dilute HNO3 was found to be 66.2 with a breakthrough volume of 15 cm3. The data obtained for the preconcentration of Zn2+ by the column technique suggested that the material Si-DDE-o-HB can find industrial applications.

Complexation of Ferrocene Derivatives by the Cucurbit[7]uril Host: A Comparative Study of the Cucurbituril and Cyclodextrin Host Families

The formation of inclusion complexes between cucurbit[7]uril (CB[7]) and ferrocene and its derivatives has been investigated. The X-ray crystal structure of the 1:1 inclusion complex between ferrocene and CB[7] revealed that the guest molecule resides in the host cavity with two different orientations. Inclusion of a set of five water-soluble ferrocene derivatives in CB[7] was investigated by 1H NMR spectroscopy and calorimetric and voltammetric techniques. Our data indicate that all neutral and cationic guests form highly stable inclusion complexes with CB[7], with binding constants in the 10(9)-10(10) M(-)(1) and 10(12)-10(13) M(-1) ranges, respectively. However, the anionic ferrocenecarboxylate, the only negatively charged guest among those surveyed, was not bound by CB[7] at all. These results are in sharp contrast to the known binding behavior of the same guests to beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD), since all the guests form stable inclusion complexes with beta-CD, with binding constants in the range 10(3)-10(4) M(-1). The electrostatic surface potentials of CB[6], CB[7], and CB[8] and their size-equivalent CDs were calculated and compared. The CD portals and cavities exhibit low surface potential values, whereas the regions around the carbonyl oxygens in CBs are significantly negative, which explains the strong affinity of CBs for positively charged guests and also provides a rationalization for the rejection of anionic guests. Taken together, our data suggest that cucurbiturils may form very stable complexes. However, the host-guest interactions are very sensitive to some structural features, such as a negatively charged carboxylate group attached to the ferrocene residue, which may completely disrupt the stability of the complexes.

Cucurbituril homologues and derivatives: new opportunities in supramolecular chemistry

The supramolecular chemistry of cucurbituril, a synthetic receptor, is fascinating because of the remarkable guest binding behavior of the host. Studies in the field, however, have met with limitations, since the only species known was the hexameric macrocyclic compound, cucurbit[6]uril. Recently we synthesized its homologues, cucurbit[n]uril (n = 5, 7, 8), and derivatives. These new members of the cucurbituril family have expanded the scope further, and interest in them has grown enormously. This Account is a compilation of recent literature covering the syntheses of the homologues and derivatives, and their supramolecular chemistry.

Unexpected solute aggregation in water on dilution

Studies on cluster-cluster aggregation phenomena in aqueous solutions of fullerene-cyclodextrin conjugates, beta-cyclodextrin, sodium chloride, sodium guanosine monophosphate, and a DNA oligonucleotide revealed that there are larger aggregates existent in dilute aqueous solutions than in more concentrated solutions.

Menstrual disorders in genital tuberculosis

Study included 120 cases of genital tuberculosis proved by histopathology. Analysis of their menstrual history showed that the common menstrual disorder was oligohypomenorrhoea found in 54.0% cases, menorrhagia in 19.0% cases, and postmenopausal bleeding in 1.6% cases. History of amenorrhoea was present in 14.3% cases. There were 8 cases of secondary amenorrhoea and one case was of primary amenorrhoea. The pelvic examination showed cervical involvement in 43.1% of cases. Tubo-ovarian mass was present in 19.8% cases. Genital tract tuberculosis is a disease of varied symptomatology. A high degree of suspicion and efficient investigation are important for diagnosis.

Chronic myeloid leukaemia with massive lymphadenopathy

A 35 year old patient with chronic myeloid leukaemia presented with massive lymphadenopathy and unilateral limb oedema, when still in the chronic phase. Four weeks later, she passed into frank blast crisis, despite treatment with busulphan and palliative radiotherapy to the lymph nodes.

Nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequence of the nonstructural phosphoprotein, NS2, of bluetongue virus serotype 17: comparison to two isolates of serotype 10

The nucleotide sequence of bluetongue virus (BTV) serotype 17 segment 8 from North America (NA) coding for the nonstructural phosphoprotein, NS2, was determined. This segment contains 1125 base pairs and codes for a protein of 40,581 daltons containing 354 amino acids with a net charge of -8.5 at pH 7.0. The carboxyl terminal portion of the protein is very hydrophilic and has a high degree of potential alpha-helix. Serine is the major, if not the exclusive, phosphorylated amino acid residue and ten of the twenty serine residues present in NS2 are found in consensus phosphorylation sites. Comparison of the nucleotide sequence of BTV-17NA segment 8 with the sequence of BTV-10NA and BTV-10 South Africa (SA) revealed a greater degree of homology between different serotypes within the same geographical area, i.e., 17NA and 10NA, than between isolates of the same serotype located in different areas, i.e., 10NA and 10SA. The same homology relationship as above was found at the amino acid level.