Toward the Proteome of the Human Peripheral Blood Eosinophil

Eosinophils (EOSs) are granular leukocytes that have significant roles in many inflammatory and immunoregulatory responses, especially asthma and allergic diseases. We have undertaken a fairly comprehensive proteomic analysis of purified peripheral blood EOSs from normal human donors primarily employing 2‐DE with protein spot identification by MALDI‐MS. Protein subfractionation methods employed included IEF (Zoom^® Fractionator) and subcellular fractionation using differential protein solubilization. We have identified 3141 proteins, which had Mascot expectation scores of 10^?3 or less. Of these 426 were unique and non‐redundant of which 231 were novel proteins not previously reported to occur in EOSs. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis showed that some 70% of the non‐redundant proteins could be subdivided into categories that are clearly related to currently known EOS biological activities. Cytoskeletal and associated proteins predominated among the proteins identified. Extensive protein posttranslational modifications were evident, many of which have not been previously reported that reflected the dynamic character of the EOS. This data set of eosinophilic proteins will prove valuable in comparative studies of disease versus normal states and for studies of gender differences and polymorphic variation among individuals.     

Natural rubber (Hevea Brasiliensis)-based quasi-solid electrolyte as a potential candidate for arresting recombination and improving performance in aqueous dye-sensitized solar cells

Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics - We successfully fabricated dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) employing a quasi-solid state electrolyte based on pristine insulator natural...     

Combining forecasts in short term load forecasting: Empirical analysis and identification of robust forecaster

We present an empirical analysis to show that combination of short term load forecasts leads to better accuracy. We also discuss other aspects of combination, i.e., distribution of weights, effect of variation in the historical window and distribution of forecast errors. The distribution of forecast errors is analyzed in order to get a robust forecast. We define a robust forecaster as one which has consistency in forecast accuracy, lesser shocks (outliers) and lower standard deviation in the distribution of forecast errors. We propose a composite ranking (CRank) scheme based on a composite score which considers three performance measures—standard deviation, kurtosis of distribution of forecast errors and accuracy of forecasts. The CRank helps in identification of a robust forecasts given a choice of individual and combined forecaster. The empirical analysis has been done with the real life data sets of two distribution companies in India.     

Tuning the Poisson's Ratio of Biomaterials for Investigating Cellular Response

Cells sense and respond to mechanical forces, regardless of whether the source is from a normal tissue matrix, an adjacent cell or a synthetic substrate. In recent years, cell response to surface rigidity has been extensively studied by modulating the elastic modulus of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)‐based hydrogels. In the context of biomaterials, Poisson's ratio, another fundamental material property parameter has not been explored, primarily because of challenges involved in tuning the Poisson's ratio in biological scaffolds. Two‐photon polymerization is used to fabricate suspended web structures that exhibit positive and negative Poisson's ratio (NPR), based on analytical models. NPR webs demonstrate biaxial expansion/compression behavior, as one or multiple cells apply local forces and move the structures. Unusual cell division on NPR structures is also demonstrated. This methodology can be used to tune the Poisson's ratio of several photocurable biomaterials and could have potential implications in the field of mechanobiology.     

Quantum-Chemical Studies on TATB Processes

Quantum chemical studies have gained paramount importance in screening of thermodynamically feasible chemical processes. The current investigation attempts to select an appropriate process for the synthesis of 1,3,5-triamino-2,4,6-trinitro benzene (TATB), a reasonably powerful insensitive high explosive (IHE) through density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Although, 1,3,5-trichlorobenzene (TCB) and 1,3,5-trihydroxybenzene (THB) routes for synthesis of TATB have been well established, this article demonstrates the predictive capability of thermochemical computations for the identification of a viable process. Thermochemical parameters of reaction species have been obtained from DFT B3LYP/6-31G? calculations and feasibility of the process has been worked out on the basis of free energies of reactions and equilibrium constant as derived from standard enthalpy and entropy of the reaction species. The detailed computational studies have revealed that the THB route is thermodynamically feasible and the same has been supported experimentally.     

Altered sensorium in neurological infections and the homeostasis of Mg,Zn, Cu and Ca

In a grave illness the homeostasis of some elements may be upset either by the disease process per se, or by the therapy adopted. Patients with pyogenic, viral and tubercular meningo-encephalitis were targets of interest. 108 subjects' serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) compartments were assayed for magnesium, calcium, zinc and copper, by atomic absorption spectrometry. Results showed that the serum pool was more intensely altered than the CSF pool in the case of magnesium and calcium but the reverse occurred for zinc and copper. No organism-dependent change was noted, but comatosed patients were the worst effected. These findings are discussed with respect to the relative brain and CSF content of each element and the patho-physiology which could alter the compartments studied.     

A randomized comparison of the efficacy and toxicity of epirubicin and doxorubicin in the treatment of patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

BACKGROUND: Combination chemotherapy consisting of methotrexate, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, prednisolone, and bleomycin (MACOP-B) has been frequently used for the treatment of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. This randomized study was undertaken to assess the efficacy and toxicity of this regimen when either doxorubicin or epirubicin was used as the anthracycline drug. METHODS: Between April 1989 and December 1993, 211 previously untreated patients with intermediate grade and high grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma were randomized to receive either doxorubicin (n=106) or epirubicin (n=105) with the MACOP-B regimen. These patients were followed through December 1996. Numerous clinical features predictive of response and survival were analyzed. Cardiac and noncardiac toxicity in the two treatment arms were compared. RESULTS: The median age of the patients was 48 years. Complete remission was experienced by 122 patients (58.3%); 62 patients (58.5%) achieved complete remission in the doxorubicin arm and 60 (58.1%) in the epirubicin arm. Response rates, time to treatment failure, relapse data, and overall survival were comparable between the two arms. Morbidity due to mucositis, vomiting, peripheral neuropathy, and cardiotoxicity were also comparable. The overall mortality was 10%. Mortality due to neutropenic sepsis was considerably higher among patients who received epirubicin (10 patients) than among those who received doxorubicin (5 patients). Cardiac evaluation revealed no difference in toxicity between the two arms. CONCLUSIONS: Epirubicin was as effective as doxorubicin in terms of patients' responses to therapy. There was no difference in cardiotoxicity between the two treatment arms. However, in this study, the mortality due to neutropenic sepsis was significantly higher among patients treated with epirubicin.     

Primary lymphoreticular tumors of the orbit

Primary orbital lymphomas are rare. We report nine such cases (4 with DWDL, 3 with DPDL, 1 with DHL and 1 unclassifiable lymphoma). All patients achieved clinical complete remission (CR). Of those who completed treatment more than a year ago, three continue to be in CR at 17, 24 & 25 months and two are lost to follow up.     

Identification of intracranial haemorrhage (ICH) using ResNet with data augmentation using CycleGAN and ICH segmentation using SegAN

Multimedia Tools and Applications - Intracranial Haemorrhage (ICH) occurring due to any injury to the brain is a fatal condition and its timely diagnosis is critically important. In this work, we...     

Correction to: Natural rubber (Hevea Brasiliensis)-based quasi-solid electrolyte as a potential candidate for arresting recombination and improving performance in aqueous dye-sensitized solar cells

Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics - A correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-021-06180-2