The impact of fluence dependent 120 MeV Ag swift heavy ion irradiation on the changes in structural, electronic, and optical properties of AgInSe2 nano-crystalline thin films for optoelectronic applications

Swift heavy ion (SHI) irradiation in thin films significantly modifies the structure and related properties in a controlled manner. In the present study, the 120 MeV Ag ion irradiation on AgInSe₂ nanoparticle thin films prepared by the thermal evaporation method and the induced modifications in the structure and other properties are being discussed. The ion irradiation led to the suppression of GIXRD and Raman peaks with increasing ion fluence, which indicated amorphization of the AgInSe₂ structure along the path of 120 MeV Ag ions. The Poisson's fitting of the ion fluence dependence of the normalized area under the GIXRD peak of AgInSe₂ gave the radius of the ion track as 5.8 nm. Microstructural analysis using FESEM revealed a broad bi-modal distribution of particles with mean particle sizes of 67.5 nm and 159 nm in the pristine film. The ion irradiation led to the development of uniform particles on the film surface with a mean size of 36 nm at high ion fluences. The composition of the film was checked by the energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) spectrometer. The UV-visible spectroscopy revealed the increase of the electronic bandgap of AgInSe₂ films with an increase in ion fluence due to quantum confinement. The Hall measurement and EDXRF studies showed that the unirradiated and irradiated AgInSe₂ films have n-type conductivity and vary with the ion fluence. The changes in the films were tuned with different ion fluence and are favorable for both optical and electronic applications.

Swift heavy ion (SHI) irradiation in thin films significantly modifies the structure and related properties in a controlled manner.

Child drowning mortality in the Sundarbans, India: Applying the Community Knowledge Approach

Background

The Sundarbans in India is a rural, forested region where children are exposed to a high risk of drowning due to its waterlogged geography. Current data collection systems capture few drowning deaths in this region due to its remoteness and poor coverage of health and police systems. Household methodology was found to be resource and time intensive, and so a Community Knowledge Approach was used and applied to calculate injury mortality for the first time.

Methods

A community-based survey was conducted in the Sundarbans to determine the drowning mortality rate for 1-4 and 5-9 year old children. A Community Knowledge Approach was applied. Meetings were held with law community residents and key informants to identify drowning deaths in the population. Identified deaths were verified by the child's household through a structured survey, inquiring on the circumstances around the drowning death.

Results

The drowning mortality rate for children aged 1-4 years old was 243.8 per 100,000 children and 38.8 per 100,000 children for 5-9-year olds. 58.0% of deaths were of 1-2-year-old children. Most children drowned in ponds within 50 metres of their homes. Children were usually unaccompanied with their primary caretaker engaged in household work. Only one third of deaths were reported to hospitals or civil registration systems. Of deaths listed by community members, 63.0% were identified by both residents and by at least one key informant, 25.6% by key informants only, and 11.4% (n = 79) by community residents only.

Conclusions

Drowning is a major cause of death among children in the Sundarbans, particularly those aged 1-4 years old. The results illustrate how routine data collection systems grossly underestimate drowning deaths, emphasising the importance of community-based in rural low-and middle-income country contexts.

Key messages

Drowning is likely the largest killer of 1-9 year old children in the Sundarbans region, emphasising the need to better understanding drowning epidemiology in similar rural LMICs contexts. The Community Knowledge Approach provides a low-resource, valid method for capturing injury mortality data.

Unusual Difference in the Reactivity of Seven-Coordinated Mo(II) and W(II) Carbonyl Complexes, [MI2(CO)3(NCCH3)2] with Derivatised-DPPM, Me3SiN=PPh2CH2PPh2

The reaction of [Mo(CO)3I2(NCCH3)2] with a stoichiometric amount of Me3SiN=PPh2CH2PPh2 gives an octahedral complex, [Mo3I(CO)(η2-N=PPh2CH2PPh2)] by the metathetical elimination of Me3SiI. Interestingly, similar reaction of the analogous tungsten complex gives a seven-coordinated complex, [WI2(CO)3(η2-Me3SiN=PPh2CH2PPh2)] which ultimately hydrolyses to give an amide complex, [W(CO)3I2(η2-HN=PPh2CH2PPh2)]. The complexes have been characterised by microanalysis, IR and NMR (1H and 31P) spectroscopic data.

Reduced small world brain connectivity in probands with a family history of epilepsy

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The role of inheritance in ascertaining susceptibility to epilepsy is well established, although the pathogenetic mechanisms are still not very clear. Interviewing for a positive family history is a popular epidemiological tool in the understanding of this susceptibility. Our aim was to visualize and localize network abnormalities that could be associated with a positive family history in a group of patients with hot water epilepsy (HWE) using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI).

METHODS

Graph theory analysis of rsfMRI (clustering coefficient γ; path length λ; small worldness σ) in probands with a positive family history of epilepsy (FHE+, 25) were compared with probands without FHE (FHE-, 33). Whether a closer biological relationship was associated with a higher likelihood of network abnormalities was also ascertained.

RESULTS

A positive family history of epilepsy had decreased γ, increased λ and decreased σ in bilateral temporofrontal regions compared to FHE- (false discovery rate corrected P ≤ 0.0062). These changes were more pronounced in probands having first degree relatives and siblings with epilepsy. Probands with multiple types of epilepsy in the family showed decreased σ in comparison to only HWE in the family.

CONCLUSION

Graph theory analysis of the rsfMRI can be used to understand the neurobiology of diseases like genetic susceptibility in HWE. Reduced small worldness, proportional to the degree of relationship, is consistent with the current understanding that disease severity is higher in closer biological relations.

Seizure Frequency Can Alter Brain Connectivity: Evidence from Resting-State fMRI

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The frequency of seizures is an important factor that can alter functional brain connectivity. Analysis of this factor in patients with epilepsy is complex because of disease- and medication-induced confounders. Because patients with hot-water epilepsy generally are not on long-term drug therapy, we used seed-based connectivity analysis in these patients to assess connectivity changes associated with seizure frequency without confounding from antiepileptic drugs.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Resting-state fMRI data from 36 patients with hot-water epilepsy (18 with frequent seizures [>2 per month] and 18 with infrequent seizures [≤2 per month]) and 18 healthy age- and sex-matched controls were analyzed for seed-to-voxel connectivity by using 106 seeds. Voxel wise paired t-test analysis (P < .005, corrected for false-discovery rate) was used to identify significant intergroup differences between these groups.

RESULTS

Connectivity analysis revealed significant differences between the 2 groups (P < .001). Patients in the frequent-seizure group had increased connectivity within the medial temporal structures and widespread areas of poor connectivity, even involving the default mode network, in comparison with those in the infrequent-seizure group. Patients in the infrequent-seizure group had focal abnormalities with increased default mode network connectivity and decreased left entorhinal cortex connectivity.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study suggest that seizure frequency can alter functional brain connectivity, which can be visualized by using resting-state fMRI. Imaging features such as diffuse network abnormalities, involvement of the default mode network, and recruitment of medial temporal lobe structures were seen only in patients with frequent seizures. Future studies in more common epilepsy groups, however, will be required to further establish this finding.

Impaired DNase1-mediated degradation of neutrophil extracellular traps is associated with acute thrombotic microangiopathies

BACKGROUND

Acute thrombotic microangiopathies (TMAs) are characterized by excessive microvascular thrombosis and are associated with markers of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) in plasma. NETs are composed of DNA fibers and promote thrombus formation through the activation of platelets and clotting factors.

OBJECTIVE

The efficient removal of NETs may be required to prevent excessive thrombosis such as in TMAs. To test this hypothesis, we investigated whether TMAs are associated with a defect in the degradation of NETs.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We show that NETs generated in vitro were efficiently degraded by plasma from healthy donors. However, NETs remained stable after exposure to plasma from TMA patients. The inability to degrade NETs was linked to a reduced DNase activity in TMA plasma. Plasma DNase1 was required for efficient NET degradation and TMA plasma showed decreased levels of this enzyme. Supplementation of TMA plasma with recombinant human DNase1 restored NET-degradation activity.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data indicate that DNase1-mediated degradation of NETs is impaired in patients with TMAs. The role of plasma DNases in thrombosis is, as of yet, poorly understood. Reduced plasma DNase1 activity may cause the persistence of pro-thrombotic NETs and thus promote microvascular thrombosis in TMA patients.

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation induced modulations of resting state motor connectivity in writer's cramp

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Writer's cramp (WC) is a focal task-specific dystonia of the hand which is increasingly being accepted as a network disorder. Non-invasive cortical stimulation using repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has produced therapeutic benefits in some of these patients. This study aimed to visualize the motor network abnormalities in WC and also its rTMS induced modulations using resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI).

METHODS

Nineteen patients with right-sided WC and 20 matched healthy controls (HCs) were prospectively evaluated. All patients underwent a single session of rTMS and rsfMRI was acquired before (R1) and after (R2) rTMS. Seed-based functional connectivity analysis of several regions in the motor network was performed for HCs, R1 and R2 using SPM8 software. Thresholded (P < 0.05, false discovery rate corrected) group level mean correlation maps were used to derive significantly connected region of interest pairs.

RESULTS

Writer's cramp showed a significant reduction in resting state functional connectivity in comparison with HCs involving the left cerebellum, thalamus, globus pallidus, putamen, bilateral supplementary motor area, right medial prefrontal lobe and right post central gyrus. After rTMS there was a significant increase in the contralateral resting state functional connectivity through the left thalamus-right globus pallidus-right thalamus-right prefrontal lobe network loop.

CONCLUSIONS

It is concluded that WC is a network disorder with widespread dysfunction much larger than clinically evident and changes induced by rTMS probably act through subcortical and trans-hemispheric unaffected connections. Longitudinal studies with therapeutic rTMS will be required to ascertain whether such information could be used to select patients prior to rTMS therapy.

Challenges in testing genetically modified crops for potential increases in endogenous allergen expression for safety

Premarket, genetically modified (GM) plants are assessed for potential risks of food allergy. The major risk would be transfer of a gene encoding an allergen or protein nearly identical to an allergen into a different food source, which can be assessed by specific serum testing. The potential that a newly expressed protein might become an allergen is evaluated based on resistance to digestion in pepsin and abundance in food fractions. If the modified plant is a common allergenic source (e.g. soybean), regulatory guidelines suggest testing for increases in the expression of endogenous allergens. Some regulators request evaluating endogenous allergens for rarely allergenic plants (e.g. maize and rice). Since allergic individuals must avoid foods containing their allergen (e.g. peanut, soybean, maize, or rice), the relevance of the tests is unclear. Furthermore, no acceptance criteria are established and little is known about the natural variation in allergen concentrations in these crops. Our results demonstrate a 15-fold difference in the major maize allergen, lipid transfer protein between nine varieties, and complex variation in IgE binding to various soybean varieties. We question the value of evaluating endogenous allergens in GM plants unless the intent of the modification was production of a hypoallergenic crop.

Processing of Novel Electroceramic Components by SFF Techniques

Novel piezoelectric ceramic and ceramic/polymer composite structures were fabricated by solid freeform fabrication (SFF) for sensor and actuator applications. SFF techniques including fused deposition of ceramics (FDC) and Sanders prototyping (SP) were utilized to fabricate a variety of complex structures directly from a computer aided design (CAD) file. Novel composite structures including volume fraction gradients (VFG) and staggered rods, as well as actuator designs such as tubes, spirals and telescopes were made using the flexibility provided by the above processes. VFG composites were made by SP technique with the ceramic content decreasing from the center towards the edges. This resulted in a reduction of side lobe intensity in the acoustic beam pattern. The FDC technique was used to manufacture high authority actuators utilizing novel designs for the amplification of strain under applied electric field. The design, fabrication and electromechanical properties of these composite and actuator structures are discussed in this paper.

New 10-membered inorganic heterocyclic diphosphanes, PhN(PX)(2)[(-OC(6)H(2)((T)Bu)(2))(mu-S)(((t)Bu)(2)C(6)H(2)O-)] (x = cl, f). Synthesis and transition metal complexes (molybdenum(0), ruthenium(II), palladium(II), and platinum(II)) of heterocyclic diphosphanes. crystal and molecular structures of the chloro derivative, PhN(PCl)(2)[(-OC(6)H(2)((t)Bu)(2))(mu-S)(((t)Bu)(2)C(6)H(2)O-)], and of a molybdenum(0) complex of the fluoro derivative, [Mo(CO)(3)[eta(3)-PhN(PF)(2)[(-OC(6)H(2)((t)Bu)(2))(mu-S)(((t)Bu)(2)C(6)H(2)O-)]-kappa P,kappa P,kappa S]]

Bis(dichlorophosphino)aniline, PhN(PCl(2))(2), reacts with stoichiometric amounts of 2,2'-thiobis(4,6-di-tert-butylphenol) to afford a 10-membered heterocycle, PhN(PCl)(2)[(-OC(6)H(2)((t)Bu)(2))(mu-S)(((t))Bu)(2)C(6)H(2)O-)] (1), in high yield. The structure of the heterocycle has been determined by a single-crystal X-ray analysis. The 10-membered heterocycle 1 reacts with SbF(3) to afford the corresponding fluoro derivative 2 in good yield. The compounds 1 and 2 act as tridentate ligands with molybdenum carbonyl derivatives, forming complexes of the type [Mo(CO)(3)[eta(3)-PhN(PX)(2)[(-OC(6)H(2)((t)Bu)(2))(mu-S)(((t)Bu)(2)C(6)H(2)O-)]-kappa P,kappa P,kappa S]] (3 X = Cl, 4 X = F). A crystal structure of the fluoro derivative 4 showed the facial tricarbonyl complex comprising a relatively strain-free tetracyclic structure with molybdenum in an octahedral environment; the two phosphorus and the sulfur centers were the donor atoms. Compound 2 readily reacts with Ru(II), Pd(II), and Pt(II) derivatives to form chelate complexes, demonstrating the eta(2) mode of coordination.

Knowledge, attitude and practice towards malaria in rural tribal communities of south Bastar district of Madhya Pradesh

A sample survey of 100 household heads was carried out in Bastar district to assess villagers knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) about malaria and their implications for malaria control. Results show that 64.4% of respondents were illiterate and only 20.6% of respondents know the factor for cause of malaria though 45% of household heads received some form of health education from various sources. Respondents who suffered from malaria in previous year constituted 35.8% while 46.8% respondents reported for treatment to nearby PHC, 59.1% respondents admitted the responsibility of male head-of-family to take decision to seek health care malaria. About 34.6% of respondents suspect malaria to any fever. A meagre respondents (8.2%) knew the drug for treatment of malaria, and majority of respondents (70.9%) had taken a complete course of malaria treatment. About 55% respondents did not take any measure to prevent mosquito bite, while 92.4% admitted that they had not taken any measures to prevent malaria. All most all respondents (99.7%) agreed to allow their houses to be sprayed and 99.1% thought that spraying was necessary. The study shows, for successful control of malaria in tribal areas, proper health education about the disease, awareness of personal protection and preventive measures against malaria should be carried out in such a way that should be need based, suitable for the area concern and acceptable, along with active involvement of the communities.

Acute sporadic viral hepatitis in urban population of a tribal district in Madhya Pradesh

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the incidence of acute sporadic viral hepatitis and describe its epidemiology in an urban population.

DESIGN

A retrospective community survey for jaundice cases.

SETTING

Headquarter town of a tribal district, Bastar, in Madhya Pradesh state, India.

METHOD

Trained paramedics surveyed about 51,643 population to detect cases of jaundice which occurred in the past one year. Cases were examined to collect clinical and epidemiological data. blood samples were drawn from all cases who had jaundice in the past 3 months for testing them for markers of viral hepatitis.

RESULTS

Study estimated the annual incidence of jaundice cases as 244 (95% CI 201-287) per 100,000 population. Almost 95% jaundice cases occurred in summer and monsoon months. People from all socio-economic strata were affected. The incidence of jaundice was found to be the highest in children below 15 years of age (3.7 per 1000) which declined significantly with the increase in age (p = 0.0000). The overall incidence in two sexes was not different statistically (p = 0.7). Of 57 cases who had jaundice in the past 3 months, 19 (33%) were confirmed as having viral hepatitis. Hepatitis A and E combined together contributed 68% (13/19) of acute sporadic cases of viral hepatitis, whereas hepatitis B, C and D accounted for the remaining 32% of the cases.

CONCLUSION

The study found the annual incidence of laboratory supported cases of viral hepatitis to be 81 (95 CI 57-106) per 100,000 population, which suggests that it is an important public health problem in India. Hepatitis A was much more prevalent than hepatitis E. Etiology of almost two-thirds of jaundice cases could not be established which require further community studies.

Extended field trial of deltamethrin WDP for control of malaria at Jagdalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India

The synthetic pyrethroid, deltamethrin 2.5% wdp, was evaluated at a dosage of 25 mg/sq m in a group of villages of tribal area around Jagdalpur, District Bastar (Madhya Pradesh). Study was carried out in three consecutive years from 1986 to 1988 with a total of five rounds of deltamethrin spray covering a population of approximately 10,000. The suspension of deltamethrin wdp was white in colour, odourless, non-irritant and the deposits were faintly visible on the surface of wall. A total of 3848 kg of 2.5% deltamethrin wdp was consumed during the trial. Insecticide was found effective in keeping the adult vector density An. culicifacies to a very low level for a period of 14-16 wks. Both anopheline and culicine mosquitoes were affected by the spray. The trial confirmed its long residual effectiveness from 15 to 16 wks on both mud and cement plastered surfaces. Deltamethrin spray shortened the average life span of vector mosquitoes. Observations indicated that insecticide although has an excito-repellent effect on mosquitoes, thus forcing exodus from treated area but with poor survival. Partial impact of deltamethrin spray was observed on the larval population confirm this. Deltamethrin spray did not exhibit any fumigant effect on mosquitoes. Significant decline in SPR from 17.93 to 4.26% was observed in areas sprayed with deltamethrin as compared to the comparison area. Similarly, SfR showed 81% reduction in experimental area while the control area showed increase by 42 per cent. No ill-effect of spray was noticed on the inhabitants, spray personnels, animal population and other non-target organisms of the area. The acceptability of the deltamethrin spray was found to be very high.

Effect of mode of application of papaverine on the contractile response of the internal mammary artery

A study was performed to investigate the duration of action of papaverine applied either intraluminally or in a combined intraluminal and extraluminal fashion in vitro, and how the reactivity of the internal mammary artery (IMA) to a range of vasoconstrictors is affected. Segments of IMA exposed to only intraluminal papaverine (10(-4) mol/l) for 15 min recovered their contractile response to 90 mmol/l potassium chloride to pretreatment levels within 2 h. In contrast, combined intraluminal and extraluminal administration of papaverine resulted in a significant depression of the contractile response to 90 mmol/l potassium chloride (P < 0.001), which persisted for at least 5 h. Responses to 5-hydroxytryptamine, noradrenaline, the thromboxane mimetic U46619, histamine and dopamine were not significantly different between control tissues and those that had received intraluminal papaverine. The duration of action of papaverine is affected by its route of delivery and there are no significant short-term effects on the contractile mechanisms in the arterial wall after intraluminal administration.

Allopurinol pretreatment improves postoperative recovery and reduces lipid peroxidation in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting

In this prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, the clinical, biochemical, and hemodynamic effects of xanthine oxidase inhibition in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting were assessed. Allopurinol pretreatment significantly reduced the use of inotropic support after the operation (5 of 25 patients versus 13 of 25 patients, p < 0.01) and increased the rate of peripheral warming (11.4 +/- 0.85 hours versus 14.4 +/- 1 hours, p < 0.02). Twenty patients (9 in the allopurinol group and 11 in the placebo group) underwent invasive hemodynamic monitoring and intraoperative coronary sinus cannulation. The cardiac indexes of both groups were similar before the operation and for the first postoperative hour; thereafter, the cardiac index increased significantly in only the active treatment group (F = 3.33 and df = 5.90, p < 0.004). Products of lipid peroxidation (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances) increased significantly in only the placebo group, with increases being evident both in the systemic circulation (9.5 +/- 3.2 nmol/gm albumin, p < 0.007, and 24 +/- 5 nmol/gm albumin, p < 0.001, at 30 seconds and 2 minutes of reperfusion, respectively) and the coronary sinus (19.4 +/- 5.8 nmol/gm albumin, p < 0.004, and 28 +/- 4 nmol/gm albumin, p < 0.001, at 2 and 5 minutes of reperfusion, respectively. No significant difference was evident between the groups with respect to cardiac enzyme or vitamin E release. It is proposed that xanthine oxidase inhibition exerts its beneficial effects by reducing the level of free radical activity associated with reperfusion during coronary artery bypass grafting.

Myocardial protection during cardiac operations. Decreased morbidity and lower cost with blood cardioplegia and coronary sinus perfusion

The efficacy of myocardial protection with a single aortic crossclamp and blood cardioplegia was evaluated in 819 consecutive patients stratified for preoperative condition by means of a new clinical risk scoring system. A protocol using either antegrade or antegrade/retrograde blood cardioplegia was compared with antegrade crystalloid cardioplegia in 2582 similar, consecutive, and concurrent patients. In the blood cardioplegia cohort, 97 (11.8%) patients had 129 complications compared with 407 (15.8%) patients and 675 complications in the crystalloid cardioplegia group (p = 0.006). In high-risk patients, combined antegrade/retrograde cardioplegia significantly reduced myocardial infarction, stroke, and respiratory and wound complications. Despite the significantly longer aortic crossclamp time required for blood cardioplegia, patients undergoing crystalloid cardioplegia were 1.7 (95% confidence interval 1.3, 2.1) times more likely to have a morbid event. Time in the intensive care unit, length of hospitalization, and length-of-stay outlier status were significantly decreased in the blood cardioplegia compared with the crystalloid cardioplegia group. The net savings in hospital cost amounted to $2196 per case. When compared separately with crystalloid cardioplegia, combined antegrade/retrograde blood cardioplegia accounted for most of the morbidity reduction by significantly reducing perioperative myocardial infarction, wound complications, and length of stay in patients having reoperations. Antegrade/retrograde blood cardioplegia did not influence 1-year survival or event-free survival, even when risk was considered.