CXC Chemokine Signaling in Progression of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer: Theranostic Perspectives

Patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) are often diagnosed at an advanced stage due to nonspecific symptoms and ineffective screening approaches. Although chemotherapy has been available and widely used for the treatment of advanced EOC, the overall prognosis remains dismal. As part of the intrinsic defense mechanisms against cancer development and progression, immune cells are recruited into the tumor microenvironment (TME), and this process is directed by the interactions between different chemokines and their receptors. In this review, the functional significance of CXC chemokine ligands/chemokine receptors (CXCL/CXCR) and their roles in modulating EOC progression are summarized. The status and prospects of CXCR/CXCL-based theranostic strategies in EOC management are also discussed.     

Production of Starch Saccharifying Enzyme (Glucoamylase) in Solid Cultures

A laboratory process was established for the production of glucoamylase (amyloglucosidase) enzyme by Aspergillus niger (RRL isolate), using wheat bran of mixed particle size as main carbon source in solid cultures. The experimental studies were carried out in 500 ml conical flasks and subsequently in tray fermenters in static conditions. Experiments were conducted to monitor the impact of initial moisture content of the substrate as well as the steam cooking of the substrate on different atmospheric pressure on the productivity of the enzyme. An initial moisture level of 50–55% was found optimum for glucoamylase production when fermentation was carried out for 96h. Cooking of substrate at 1056 kg/cm² under steam for 30 min gave most desirable qualities in substrate.     

Thermo-rheological analysis of various chain extended recycled poly(ethylene terephthalate)

Three chain extenders, pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA), ethylene carbonate (EC), and a polymeric-epoxide, were investigated for improving recycled p(ethylene terephthalate) (r-PET) properties with melt extrusion. The amount of additives and processing temperatures were also varied to check for melt degradation. Small amplitude oscillatory shear experiments were performed to probe rheological changes with different chain extenders. Capillary rheometry with haul-off was also performed to measure extensional viscosity and melt strength. Higher loadings of the chain extenders were found to improve properties of r-PET. These chain extenders definitely increased melt viscosities when incorporated at the higher level of the ranges examined, matching that of virgin PET. EC addition resulted in high shear thinning of the polymer. Epoxy and PMDA added to r-PET produced products with the same extensional viscosity as v-PET. Haul-off experiments demonstrate superior performance by epoxy-modified r-PET compared to v-PET.     

Sensitivity Optimization of MEMS Based Piezoresistive Pressure Sensor for Harsh Environment

Silicon - Silicon carbide piezoresistive pressure sensor is more suitable for harsh environment due to its wide bandgap, corrosion tolerance, excellent chemical inertness, high Young’s...     

Studies of dielectric relaxation and a.c. conductivity in [(100−<Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis>)PEO + <Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis>NH<Subscript>4</Subscript>SCN]: Al-Zn ferrite nano composite polymer electrolyte

Present work deals with findings on dielectric behaviour and a.c. conduction in a ferrite doped polymer nano composite electrolyte system, namely [(100−x) PEO + xNH₄SCN]: ferrite. The formation of nano composite and structural behavior of electrolyte was studied by XRD and SEM images. The effect of salt and ferrite on conductivity behaviour of PEO based nano composite polymer electrolyte has been investigated by the impedance spectroscopy at room temperature. The variation of dielectric permittivity and dielectric loss with frequency was carried out at ambient temperature. The a.c. conductivity seems to follow the universal power law.     

Carbon dioxide emission and its regulation at land–water interface downstream of a point source at Ganga River (India)

The streams and rivers are considered hotspots of CO₂ exchange; and representative direct CO₂ emission measurements are essential for a correct regional estimate. We measured CO₂ emission flux at 15 sites at land–water interface downstream of a point source during low flow for three consecutive months for the year 2017. The general range of CO₂ efflux observed here was close to the results of regional studies, although values near the point source were disproportionately high (>350 mg/m²/h). CO₂ emission flux showed strong dependence on total organic carbon (TOC; R² = 0.96; P < 0.001), (R² = 0.88; P < 0.001), soluble reactive‐P (SRP; R² = 0.91; P < 0.001) and microbial activity measured in terms of fluorescein diacetate activity (FDAase; R² = 0.92; P < 0.001) and substrate induced respiration (SIR; R² = 0.96; P < 0.001). Because point source‐associated interfaces provide heterogeneous habitats, our study suggests the need for large scale monitoring of CO₂ emission at land–water interface of major rivers for more correctly presenting the regional scale CO₂ budget.     

Polymer interface changes in electrophoretic deposition

A Monte Carlo computer simulation model for the electrophoretic deposition of polymer chains on a discrete lattice is used to study the polymer density profile, interface growth, and its dependence on field, temperature, and molecular weight. The interface width (W) decreases WE^−1/2 on increasing the field (E). Width (W) depends non-monotonically on the temperature (T): a power-law decay is followed by a power-law increase on raising the temperature. Monotonic decay of the interface width with the molecular weight is possibly a stretched exponential. Conformation and dynamics of a tracer chain is used to probe its characteristics in interface to bulk region. The root mean square (rms) displacement of the center of mass of the tracer chain shows an ultra-slow motion, Rt^ν (ν0.1–0.01 at E=0.1–1.0) as the driven chain moves deeper from interface to bulk. Longitudinal compression of the radius of gyration (R_g) of the chain increases with the field; transverse components (R_gx, R_gy) are larger than the longitudinal component (R_gz). The transverse component (R_gx(y)) becomes oscillatory due to periodic squeezing at high fields as the field competes with the polymer barriers.     

Microwave Preparation of SiO2-B2O3-Na2O-K2O-CaO-Fe2O3-TiO2 Glass System

This study reports preparation of glass composition （54.50 wt.%） SiO2, （10.80 wt.%） B2O3, （14.20 wt.%） Na2O, （1.20 wt.%） K2O, （6.00 wt.%） CaO, （4.00 wt.%） Fe2O3 and （9.30 wt.%） TiO2 by melt quenching method using direct microwave heating and conventional resistive heating. Study of dielectric loss factor of the glass as function of temperature illustrated increasing loss factor above 370 ℃, 550 ℃, 650 ℃ and 900 ℃, indicating enhanced microwave absorption by the glass at above these temperatures. Chemical analysis results of both the glasses depicted more volatilization loss of volatile ingredients in conventional heating. The study of chemical durability was performed from leachate analysis describing less leaching of Na2O, K2O and other constituents from glass melted in microwave furnace. Glass transition temperatures （Tg） were found to be 576.3 ℃ and 569.5 ℃ for glass melted in conventional and microwave heating route, respectively. Laboratory experiment of glass melting utilizing microwave energy as an alternate heating source demonstrated 70%-75% electrical power saving.     

Effect of Colloidal Silver on Optical Transmittance Characteristics of Bulk Cadmium Zinc Telluride Crystals

Colloidal silver is observed to affect the transmittance of p-type Cd_1−y Zn _y Te (CZT) single-crystal substrate material at room temperature. The optical transmittance spectra have been analyzed in the near-infrared (NIR) and mid-infrared (MIR) regions. The transmittance characteristics of CZT showed significant reduction in absorption due to split-off valance band transitions in the NIR region and intervalence band absorption in the MIR region upon coating CZT substrates with silver paste. This reduction in absorption has been explained to be due to the compensation of the acceptor defects (native and foreign). Silver atoms incorporated from the silver coating help in compensation of these defects. A similar effect on transmittance characteristics of mercury cadmium telluride (MCT) epilayers grown on CZT substrates after coating silver paste on the CZT substrate side was also observed. An improvement in the transmittance of CZT substrates after the application of silver paste was observed. A similar improvement in transmittance is usually achieved by annealing the substrates in a Cd/Zn atmosphere. The results are explained by considering the formation of neutral complexes of acceptors (cadmium vacancies) and the interstitial silver. This study also points to the important conclusion that silver paste on CZT should be applied with caution for measurement purposes since it diffuses even at room temperature and modifies the optical characteristics.     

Prelaunch calibrations of the Clouds and the Earth's Radiant EnergySystem (CERES) Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission and Earth ObservingSystem morning (EOS-AM1) spacecraft thermistor bolometer sensors

The Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) spacecraft scanning thermistor bolometer sensors measure Earth radiances in the broadband shortwave solar (0.3-5.0 μm) and total (0.3->100 μm) spectral bands as well as in the 8-12-μm water vapor window spectral band. On November 27, 1997, the launch of the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) spacecraft placed the first set of CERES sensors into orbit, and 30 days later, the sensors initiated operational measurements of the Earth radiance fields. In 1998, the Earth Observing System morning (EOS-AM1) spacecraft will place the second and third sensor sets into orbit. The prelaunch CERES sensors' count conversion coefficients (gains and zero-radiance offsets) were determined in vacuum ground facilities. The gains were tied radiometrically to the International Temperature Scale of 1990 (ITS-90). The gain determinations included the spectral properties (reflectance, transmittance, emittance, etc.) of both the sources and sensors as well as the in-field-of-view (FOV) and out-of-FOV sensor responses. The resulting prelaunch coefficients for the TRMM and EOS-AM1 sensors are presented. Inflight calibration systems and on-orbit calibration approaches are described, which are being used to determine the temporal stabilities of the sensors' gains and offsets from prelaunch calibrations through on-orbit measurements. Analyses of the TRMM prelaunch and on-orbit calibration results indicate that the sensors have retained their ties to ITS-90 at accuracy levels better than ±0.3% between the 1995 prelaunch and 1997 on-orbit calibrations