Study of accumulation behaviour of tungsten based composite using electron probe micro analyser for the application in bone tissue engineering

In this research, a proto-type study we have conducted, where we have synthesized tungsten based composite materials which are tungsten along with combined oxides of other elements like calcium, scandium, barium, and aluminium in the form of powder with bones powder of mice devised by high energy ball mill and later on fabricating high dense pellets by sintering by spark plasma. The particle sizes of the composite materials are found to be 1–2 µm, as evidenced by the electron microscope, suggesting synthesized materials are of micron size. The quantitative and qualitative analysis of sintered pellets are well confirmed by electron probe micro analyzer (EPMA) and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS) which illustrate the greater percentage of tungsten presents in the profound scan areas with other elements of the composite. The absence of pores across the 3D geometry suggesting dense sample, which is quite revealed by the X-ray tomography inspection. The prepared sintered pellets from the tungsten based composites are found to be ≈ 99.5% density with the observation of tungsten to be accumulated uniformly across the scan regions along with focussed hot spots as implied by EPMA. This study paves the way, to examine how the tungsten accumulation and the distribution with the other elements for future understanding in bone tissue engineering application and the in vivo specification of tungsten.     

Biotinylated oligonucleotide probes for the detection and the characterization of TEM-type extended broad spectrum β-lactamases in enterobacteriaceae

Point mutations in the nucleotide sequence of the structural genes for the TEM-type penicillinases can broaded their substrate spectrum towards all beta-lactams except cephamycins and imipenem. The presence of such variants on self-transferable plasmids accounts for the dissemination of this new type of resistance to numerous species of Enterobacteriaceae in various countries. We have synthetized biotinylated oligonucleotide probes for the detection and the discrimination of parental and mutated nucleotide sequences of TEM enzymes. Seven clinical isolates belonging to four species and harbouring TEM-1, TEM-3 or TEM-6 were studied. The results obtained indicate that detection of TEM-derived broad spectrum beta-lactamases in clinical isolates of Entero-bacteriaceae is possible with biotinylated oligonucleotide probes.     

The non-equivalence of binding sites of coenzyme quinone and rotenone in mitochondrial NADH-CoQ reductase

The fluorescent probe erythrosine 5′-iodoacetamide (ER) binds to mitochondrial NADH-CoQ reductase (Complex-I) accompanied by an enhancement of the fluorescence intensity. The binding of the CoQ analogue, 2,3-dimethoxy-5-methyl-6-decyl-1,4-benzoquinone (DB), decreased the fluorescence intensity of the ER:Complex-I system. The ‘site 1’ inhibitor rotenone did not decrease the fluorescence intensity showing the non-identical nature of the binding sites of DB and rotenone. Also, the reduced form of DB did not decrease the fluorescence intensity. The decrease of the fluorescence intensity by DB was shown to be due to the removal of bound ER by DB. The rapid kinetics of ER binding was studied by temperature-jump relaxation. While DB caused complete elimination of the relaxation process in the ER:Complex-I system, rotenone caused only a decrease in the relaxation rate, suggesting conformational change. The relaxation rate showed a pH dependence with a maximum around pH 7.5.     

Penetration of soil aggregates of finite size

Summary Maximum penetrometer pressure was measured on artificial soil aggregates of finite size (2–29 mm) using blunt probes (total cone angle 60°) driven at 3 mm min⁻¹. Maximum penetrometer pressure increased asymptotically with increase in dimensionless aggregate radius,b/a, wherea andb are the probe and aggregate radii, respectively. A theory was developed for penetration of blunt probes into soil aggregates of finite size. The theory assumed that plastic failure occurs out to a radius,R, and that beyond this only elastic straining occurs. This theory can be applied to estimate the radial and tangential stresses adjacent to a blunt probe. The estimated radial and tangential stresses increased with increase in dimensionless aggregate radius,b/a. The radius of the plastic front,R, around the probe is predicted to increase with increased aggregate size. The results also demonstrate the effect of soil shear cohesion and internal friction angle onR. The results are discussed with reference to root penetration.     

Optical fan for single‐cell screening

The single‐cell screening has attracted great attentions in advanced biomedicine and tissue biology, especially for the early disease diagnosis and treatment monitoring. In this work, by using a specific‐designed fiber probe with a flat facet, we propose an “optical fan” strategy to screen K562 cells at the single‐cell level from a populations of RBCs. After the 980‐nm laser beam injected into the fiber probe, the RBCs were blown away but holding target K562 cells in place. Further, multiple leukemic cells can be screened from hundreds of red blood cells, providing an efficient approach for the cell screening. The experimental results were interpreted by the numerical simulation, and the stiffness of optical fan was also discussed.     

Bladder tissue characterization using probe‐based Raman spectroscopy: Evaluation of tissue heterogeneity and influence on the model prediction

Existing approaches for early‐stage bladder tumor diagnosis largely depend on invasive and time‐consuming procedures, resulting in hospitalization, bleeding, bladder perforation, infection and other health risks for the patient. The reduction of current risk factors, while maintaining or even improving the diagnostic precision, is an underlying factor in clinical instrumentation research. For example, for clinic surveillance of patients with a history of noninvasive bladder tumors real‐time tumor diagnosis can enable immediate laser‐based removal of tumors using flexible cystoscopes in the outpatient clinic. Therefore, novel diagnostic modalities are required that can provide real‐time in vivo tumor diagnosis. Raman spectroscopy provides biochemical information of tissue samples ex vivo and in vivo and without the need for complicated sample preparation and staining procedures. For the past decade there has been a rise in applications to diagnose and characterize early cancer in different organs, such as in head and neck, colon and stomach, but also different pathologies, for example, inflammation and atherosclerotic plaques. Bladder pathology has also been studied but only with little attention to aspects that can influence the diagnosis, such as tissue heterogeneity, data preprocessing and model development. The present study presents a clinical investigative study on bladder biopsies to characterize the tumor grading ex vivo, using a compact fiber probe‐based imaging Raman system, as a crucial step towards in vivo Raman endoscopy. Furthermore, this study presents an evaluation of the tissue heterogeneity of highly fluorescent bladder tissues, and the multivariate statistical analysis for discrimination between nontumor tissue, and low‐ and high‐grade tumor.     

The plant cell pressure probe

The pressure probe is a micro manometer for the simultaneous direct recording and manipulation of plant cell hydrostatic pressure. It is used to map in space and time the turgor pressures of individual cells within tissues and organs of intact plants. This is used to study the hydraulic architecture of tissues, tissue movement and the responses of tissues to water stress. The approach can be augmented by simultaneous measurement of individual cell osmotic pressure. This permits the hydraulic driving forces across selectively permeable membranes and walls to be assessed fully. By manipulating manually the pressure, cell wall elasticity and its properties can also be mapped. Under some conditions this can be extended to plastic behaviour.     

Localization of electrical current flow across the chorionated unfertilized egg of the locust,Locusta migratoria.

Summary

Extracellular currents near the surface of the electrically excitable egg of Locusta migratoria have been studied through the combined use of the 2-dimensional vibrating probe and an intracellular microelectrode. Intracellular current injection increased extracellular current densities to levels readily detectable by the vibrating probe, and it has been possible to show that injected current traverses the egg in the posterior end containing the micropylar zone. Extracellular currents could not be detected during the rising, plateau or falling phases of the long duration (>100s) action potential in the egg. Increases in current density during the hyperpolarizing after potential which lasts for 6–10 min after termination of the action potential were also restricted to the posterior end of the egg. The results suggest that the primary region at which current traverses the chorionated egg is near or at the micropylar zone.