Potential Role of Soluble Toll-like Receptors 2 and 4 as Therapeutic Agents in Stroke and Brain Hemorrhage

Hemolysis is a physiological condition in which red blood cells (RBCs) lyse, releasing their contents into the extracellular environment. Hemolysis can be a manifestation of several diseases and conditions, such as sickle cell disease, hemorrhagic stroke, and trauma. Heme and hemoglobin are among the unique contents of RBCs that are released into the environment. Although these contents can cause oxidative stress, especially when oxidized in the extracellular environment, they can also initiate a proinflammatory response because they bind to receptors such as the Toll-like receptor (TLR) family. This review seeks to clarify the mechanism by which TLRs initiate a proinflammatory response to heme, hemoglobin, and their oxidized derivatives, as well as the possibility of using soluble TLRs (sTLRs) as therapeutic agents. Furthermore, this review explores the possibility of using sTLRs in hemorrhagic disorders in which mitigating inflammation is essential for clinical outcomes, including hemorrhagic stroke and its subtypes, intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), and subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH).     

Red enhanced YAG:Ce,Pr nanophosphor for white LEDs

Rare earth ion Pr³⁺ was co doped in yellow emitting YAG:Ce nanophosphor to introduce red emission for improving colour rendering property of white LED. Nanocrystalline YAG:Ce, YAG:Ce, Pr was synthesised by a single step auto combustion process. Photoluminescence (PL) emission spectra of YAG:Ce, Pr nanophosphor, when excited by 460?nm blue light, exhibited sharp red emission peaks at 610?nm from Pr³⁺ ions in addition to broad yellow emission from Ce³⁺ peaking at 540?nm due to charge transfer from excited Ce³⁺ 5d band to ³P _J /¹D₂ level of Pr³⁺. Ce³⁺ (yellow) and Pr³⁺ (red) emission decays in tens of nanoseconds and microseconds, respectively. Electroluminescence spectra of blue LED with developed phosphor layer shows colour coordinates (0.30, 0.39) close to ideal white light.     

Dopant Distributions in PbTe-Based Thermoelectric Materials

Atom-probe tomography (APT) is utilized to characterize the dopant distribution in two thermoelectric materials systems: (1) PbTe-2?mol.%SrTe-1?mol.%Na₂Te, and (2) codoped PbTe-1.25?mol.%K-1.4?mol.%Na. We observe the presence of Na-rich precipitates of a few nanometers in diameter in both systems. Both concentration frequency distribution analyses and partial radial distribution functions are employed to analyze the tendency for dopant clustering detected by APT. In the codoped sample, K accumulates significantly in Na-rich precipitates, while in the Sr-containing sample, Sr is homogeneously distributed. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy also reveals the presence of precipitates having platelet morphology, which are oriented parallel to the {001} planes.     

Silicon Migration from High‐barrier Coated Multilayer Polymeric Films to Selected Food Simulants after Microwave Processing Treatments

The use of microwave (MW) technology for in‐package food sterilization and pasteurization has the potential for widespread use in the food industry. Because the use of MW technology requires that food be processed inside its packaging, the interaction between food and its packaging during processing must be studied to ensure package integrity as well as consumer safety. In this study, two commercially available multilayer films developed for retort sterilization were evaluated for their suitability to MW processing. Film A was composed of oriented nylon//coated polyethylene terephthalate//cast polypropylene (CPP); film B consisted of oriented nylon//coated nylon//CPP with overall oxygen transmission rates <0.2 cc/m². day. Silicon (Si) was a major component in the coated polyethylene terephthalate layer and food‐contact CPP layer. This study evaluated the influence of MW processing on Si migration from films into selected food‐simulating liquids (FSLs; water and 3% acetic acid) using inductively coupled plasma‐mass spectroscopy, as compared with conventional thermal processing. This study also assessed migration of Si into FSL in terms of process temperature (70–123 °C) and time (18–34 min). A Fourier transform infrared spectrometer was used to evaluate the stability of the silicon–oxygen (Si–O) bonds in the metal‐oxide coated and food‐contact layer of the packaging film. Overall, there were no significant differences (p > 0.05) between the level of Si migration from films to FSL and the stability of Si–O–Si bonds during MW processing as compared with the conventional thermal processing. However, we found that the final processing temperature and time had a significant (p < 0.05) impact on Si migration into the FSL. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Migration of Chemical Compounds from Packaging Polymers during Microwave,Conventional Heat Treatment,and Storage

Polymeric packaging protects food during storage and transportation, and withstands mechanical and thermal stresses from high‐temperature conventional retort or microwave‐assisted food processing treatments. Chemical compounds that are incorporated within polymeric packaging materials to improve functionality, may interact with food components during processing or storage and migrate into the food. Once these compounds reach a specified limit, food quality and safety may be jeopardized. Possible chemical migrants include plasticizers, antioxidants, thermal stabilizers, slip compounds, and monomers. Chemical migration from food packaging is affected by a number of parameters including the nature and complexity of food, the contact time and temperature of the system, the type of packaging contact layer, and the properties of the migrants. Researchers study the migration of food‐packaging compounds by exposing food or food‐simulating liquids to conventional and microwave heating and storage conditions, primarily through chromatographic or spectroscopic methods; from these data, they develop kinetic and risk assessment models. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the migration of chemical compounds into food or food simulants exposed to various heat treatments and storage conditions, as well as a discussion of regulatory issues.     

Linking morphology changes to barrier properties of polymeric packaging for microwave‐assisted thermal sterilized food

It is a priority to develop polymeric packaging that can withstand microwave‐assisted thermal sterilization (MATS) and maintain the quality of low‐acid foods during long‐term storage. In this study, we explored changes in the morphology of pouch films with two multi‐layer structures. The films are based on barrier layers of metal oxide‐coated poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) (film A) and ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH) (film B). A 8‐oz model food in pouches was processed with MATS (F₀ = 9.0 min) and stored at 23, 35 and 45 °C for up to 12 months. Findings reveal that the oxygen barrier of film A was influenced by the coating and crystallinity of PET. The oxygen barrier of film B was primarily affected by the moisture content of the EVOH polymer. Results also show that changes in barrier properties depended on storage temperature. Recrystallization in polymer might be an important morphological change that occurs during storages. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017 , 134, 45481.     

Enhanced Resource Blocks Management in D2D based Communication for 5G Networks

D2D based communication holds a promising future for 5G networks as they are efficient and can yield high data rates, good signal to noise interference ratio, improved resource-block uploading time, minimized delay from one end to the other and conserved power for transmission. The traditional system of cellular type contains cell edge clients who need a larger resource blocks count as well as time to upload data. Hence the quality of service will be reduced. The relay scheme in the proposal for cooperative type D2D networks is pivoted on the value of channel gain as well as transmission link distance. For bringing down the resource blocks’ count as well as uploading time, the paper is proposing a capable scheme of selection of relays that employs communication of D2D in the situations of uplinking. To begin with, in a cell modeling is done. It contains D2D pairs of multiple types as well as cellular clients. Next, the analysis related to issues of allocating resources as well as control of power is done. In order to lessen the resource blocks as well as their uploading time, the paper in proposal suggests a better blocks management mechanism that uses D2D based communication. Simulated output infers that the method in the proposal is superior to the present methods as far as time to upload contents; resource blocks, SINR, throughput as well as rates of data and Energy Consumption are concerned. Added to that, the stated method conserves 43% of the Energy Consumption of the network clients and while doing that the time to upload the contents is not affected.

     

Synthesis and characterization of nanocrystals of the oxide metals, RuO2, IrO2, and ReO3

Nanoparticles of transition metal oxides with metallic properties, RuO2, IrO2, and ReO3 in the ranges 6.5-19 nm, 6-14 nm, and 8.5-32.5 nm, respectively have been prepared by soft chemical routes. The nanoparticles have been characterized by X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy, optical spectroscopy, and scanning probe microscopy. All the nanoparticles show conducting behaviour, as confirmed by tunneling conductance measurements. Magnetic properties of the nanoparticles depend on temperature as well as the particle size. In the case of ReO3, a plasmon band is observed around 520 nm, just as in copper. The band gets blue-shifted with decrease in size.     

Growth kinetics of gold nanocrystals: a combined small-angle X-ray scattering and calorimetric study

The growth of gold nanocrystals prepared by the reduction of tetrachloroauric acid by tetrakis(hydroxymethyl)phosphonium chloride, which allows slow reduction, is investigated by small-angle X-ray scattering and isothermal titration calorimetry in combination with transmission electron microscopy. The growth of the nanocrystals does not follow the diffusion-limited Ostwald ripening but instead follows a sigmoidal rate curve. The activation energy obtained from the temperature-dependent growth study is very small. The heat change associated with the growth is determined for the first time as approximately 10 kcal mol(-1) per 1 nm increase in the nanocrystals' diameter.