Chemiluminescence Technique Research Articles

Determination of 99th percentile upper reference limit of cardiac troponin I in healthy population of Rahim Yar Khan.

Objective: To determine the 99th percentile upper reference limit (URL) of cardiac troponin I (cTnI) in healthy population of Rahim Yar Khan. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Department of Chemical Pathology, Sheikh Zayed Hospital, Rahim Yar Khan. Period: February 2023 to November 2023. Methods: A total of 262 healthy individuals aged between 20-76 years without any known cardiac diseases were included and selection was performed on the basis of a designed questionnaire. Serum hs-cTnI was measured using a chemiluminescent technique on ACCESS II, Beckman Coulter. A non-parametric statistical technique was used to establish the 99th percentile upper reference limit (URL) of hs-cTnI in accordance with CLSI Document C28-A3c. Mann Whitney U test was applied between two subgroups taking p value <0.05 as significant. Results: In this study, 136 (51.9%) were males and 126 (48.1%) were females. Of the total 262 study subjects, 180(68.7%) had values greater than Limit of detection (LoD) 2.3 ng/L while 82(31.3%) had values less than LOD. Overall, Male and Female 99th percentile URL of hs-cTnI in population of Rahim Yar Khan was found to be 10.8, 13.1 and 8.3 ng/ml respectively before removing any outliers. After removing outliers by Dixon/Reed method, the 99th percentile URL found to be 8.4, 9.0 and 6.3 ng/L for overall, males and females respectively. The distribution troponin I with respect to age and gender was statistically significant with p value <0.05. Conclusion: On the basis of our study, it was concluded that the study population's overall high-sensitive cardiac troponin I 99th percentile URL was found to be significantly lower than both manufacturer-quoted values and results published in prior publications. High-sensitive troponin assay allows precise quantification of very low cardiac troponin concentration that helps in rapid exclusion of myocardial infarction.

Addressing NOX formation mechanisms of NH3/H2 dual-fuel flame under DBD plasma-assisted combustion resolved by intermediate radicals analysis

In order to attain carbon-neutrality, the implementation of zero-carbon fuel containing ammonia (NH3)/hydrogen (H2) has become more and more practically popular. This work focuses on addressing the combustion performance and nitrogen oxide (NOX) formation mechanisms of dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma-assisted NH3/H2 dual-fuel flames at varied plasma voltages (VAC) and hydrogen ratios (ZH2), which were resolved by PLIF and chemiluminescence techniques concurrently. The analytical results obtained show that VAC had positive effectiveness on contributing to NOX emissions with a threshold of VAC = 11 kV found for triggering NOX formation. With VAC increased from 11 kV to 12.5 kV constantly, NOX grew dramatically by 8.3%–12.3% (ZH2 elevated from 0.2 to 0.3). This phenomenon was mainly because of the growing propagation of OH radicals being faster than that of NH2 radicals. Besides, three NOX formation regions, including low-formation region, medium-formation region and high-formation region were determined, which essentially reflected that hydrogen ratio predominated over discharge voltage on forming NOx. Moreover, the inter-relationship between flame surface density (FSD, revealing combustion intensity) and NOX has been comprehensively explored. And high DBD-VAC (with low hydrogen blending ratio) was found to significantly promote the FSD resulting in better combustion intensity, but caused inappreciable NOX formation. In upcoming future application, high voltage of DBD plasma could be utilized for replacing high hydrogen blending ratio in ammonia/hydrogen combustion, to obtain promotional combustion intensity with effective NOX control.

Bioactive Hybrids Containing Artificial Cell Membranes and Phyto-Gold-Silver Chloride Bio-Nanoparticles.

This research targets the need for eco-friendly strategies in the synthesis of bioactive materials, addressing the importance of valorization of vegetal waste. This study focuses on developing biohybrids containing biomimetic lipid vesicles and phytosynthesized gold-silver chloride nanoparticles (AuAgCl NPs) derived from Achillea millefolium L. extract. By leveraging the natural antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of the plant, the research proposes a sustainable approach to creating materials with potential biomedical applications. The biomimetic membranes were loaded with chlorophyll a, a natural spectral marker. Three types of bioactive materials (biohybrids) were developed by varying the lipid vesicle/AuAgCl NP ratio. Optical (UV-Vis, fluorescence emission, FTIR), structural (XRD), elemental (EDX, XPS), and morphological (TEM) studies were performed to characterize the bio-developed materials. The hydrophobic/hydrophilic characteristics of the samples were investigated by measuring the water contact angle, and their size was estimated by DLS and TEM. Zeta potential measurements were used to evaluate the physical stability of phyto-developed particles. Antioxidant properties of phyto-particles were investigated through the chemiluminescence technique. The obtained biomaterials exhibited high antioxidant activity and antiproliferative activity against HT-29 and B-16 cancer cells. Therapeutic index values were calculated for each biohybrid. Additionally, the bio-prepared hybrids revealed biocidal action against Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis. The phyto-developed biomaterials are promising in biomedical applications, particularly as adjuvants in cancer therapy.

Hypertension and global DNA methylation: a population-based study in rural, Punjab, India

Hypertension is a significant public health concern and a modifiable risk factor for increased mortality worldwide. It is reported to be influenced by gene-environment interactions and micronutrient intake. This study aims to understand the relationship between global DNA methylation levels and hypertension, independently and in the context of micronutrient status, among rural population in Punjab, India. A total of 2300 individuals, aged 30–75 years, (54.9% females) were screened for blood pressure. Of 2300 screened individuals, 900 (age sex matched 450 cases and 450 controls of hypertension) individuals were selected to examine the relationship between hypertension, global DNA methylation (5mC), and biochemicals (Folate, Vitamin B12, and Homocysteine). Folate, vitamin B12, and homocysteine levels were estimated using chemiluminescence technique. The ELISA-based colorimetric technique was used for performing peripheral blood leucocyte (PBL) global DNA methylation (5mC). Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 22.0. Hypertensives were found to have significantly lower levels of global DNA methylation than normotensives (0.65 vs. 0.72 respectively; p-value = 0.01*). Individuals in the 1st quartile of 5mC were at significantly (OR: 1.671; 95% CI: 1.206–2.315; p-value = 0.01*) increased risk for hypertension in comparison to those in the 4th quartile (reference). Further hypertensives on medication with controlled blood pressure (BP) were significantly hypermethylated as compared to hypertensives on medication with uncontrolled BP (0.70 vs. 0.62 respectively; p-value = 0.04*). Folate appeared to mediate global DNA methylation among hypertensives on medication-controlled BP. Further hypertension driven hypomethylation hints towards accelerated biological aging among younger hypertensives. Hypertension may be associated with Global DNA hypomethylation in the studied rural population of Punjab, India. Folate sufficiency may prove to be an aid in improving the methylation levels among the cases of hypertension who were on medication and had controlled BP.

Fractional Exhaled Nitric Oxide (FeNO) in Biomass Smoke-Associated Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

To measure FeNO levels in patients with COPD-BS and to compare these with those of patients with stable COPD-TS and in healthy controls. Transversal, observational, descriptive, comparative, and analytical study. A total of 57 patients, including 23 with COPD-BS, 17 with COPD-TS, and 17 healthy control subjects. The measurement of FeNO was carried out on all of these by means of the on-line chemiluminescence technique; the values were expressed in parts per billion (ppb) for their analysis. It was observed that the FeNO values were similar between COPD-BS and COPD-TS and were significantly different between the healthy and stable COPD (both groups). No correlation was found between pulmonary function and symptoms with FeNO in any of the groups. The level of FeNO in stable COPD is found to be increased in a similar manner in COPD-BS and COPD-TS, with a significant difference on comparing it with that of the healthy subjects.

Modulation of pulsed electric field induced oxidative processes in protein solutions by pro- and antioxidants sensed by biochemiluminescence.

Technologies based on pulsed electric field (PEF) are increasingly pervasive in medical and industrial applications. However, the detailed understanding of how PEF acts on biosamples including proteins at the molecular level is missing. There are indications that PEF might act on biomolecules via electrogenerated reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, it is unclear how this action is modulated by the pro- and antioxidants, which are naturally present components of biosamples. This knowledge gap is often due to insufficient sensitivity of the conventionally utilized detection assays. To overcome this limitation, here we employed an endogenous (bio)chemiluminescence sensing platform, which enables sensitive detection of PEF-generated ROS and oxidative processes in proteins, to inspect effects of pro-and antioxidants. Taking bovine serum albumin (BSA) as a model protein, we found that the chemiluminescence signal arising from its solution is greatly enhanced in the presence of as a prooxidant, especially during PEF treatment. In contrast, the chemiluminescence signal decreases in the presence of antioxidant enzymes (catalase, superoxide dismutase), indicating the involvement of both and electrogenerated superoxide anion in oxidation-reporting chemiluminescence signal before, during, and after PEF treatment. We also performed additional biochemical and biophysical assays, which confirmed that BSA underwent structural changes after treatment, with PEF having only a minor effect. We proposed a scheme describing the reactions leading from interfacial charge transfer at the anode by which ROS are generated to the actual photon emission. Results of our work help to elucidate the mechanisms of action of PEF on proteins via electrogenerated reactive oxygen species and open up new avenues for the application of PEF technology. The developed chemiluminescence technique enables label-free, in-situ and non-destructive sensing of interactions between ROS and proteins. The technique may be applied to study oxidative damage of other classes of biomolecules such as lipids, nucleic acids or carbohydrates.

Comparison of American Thyroid Association and Conventional Criteria in Diagnosing Hypothyroidism among Pregnant Ladies Attending a Tertiary Care Hospital

ABSTRACT Background: There is continuing debate regarding universal screening, the use of a thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) cutoff value, and levothyroxine replacement in frequently encountered issues like subclinical hypothyroidism in pregnancy. The study was intended to compare the American Thyroid Association (ATA)-2011 defined trimester-specific TSH with conventional TSH values in the diagnosis of newly detected hypothyroidism in pregnancy, as there are no trimester-specific reference ranges of TSH in Bangladesh. Methods: This cross-sectional, observational study enrolled 175 pregnant women recruited by convenient sampling from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, BIRDEM General Hospital. As per the study protocol, investigations were advised. TSH, free thyroxine, and antithyroid antibodies were tested using the chemiluminescent technique. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 25. Nonparametric tests were chosen for statistical analysis. Results: The majority (53%) of the participants, were 30 years of age or younger. Using the ATA-2011 defined trimester-specific reference ranges of TSH, 32% had hypothyroidism. While using the conventional criteria (TSH – 0.4–4 mIU/L), hypothyroidism was diagnosed in 20.6% of cases. Conclusions: There is statistically significant discordance in diagnosing hypothyroidism in pregnancy between the two criteria.

SARS-COV-2 breakthrough infection and its covariates among healthcare providers of a hospital in Bangladesh during the omicron wave

IntroductionBreakthrough infection by SARS-COV-2 virus among vaccinated individuals has been reported from all over the world and it has created a substantial challenge in designing strategies to live with the virus in the post-pandemic era. Factors affecting the extent and nature of breakthrough infection are still not fully understood and those are known to vary depending on host and agent factors. Health Care Workers (HCWs), especially in hospital settings, are front-liners in combating the epidemic and, consequently, they are more vulnerable to breakthrough infection by SARS-COV-2. Like most of the countries of the world, Bangladesh went through several waves of COVID-19 and the last (3rd wave) was the widespread Omicron wave during the winter of 2022. HCWs in Bangladesh have been disproportionately affected by the virus. Under this context, the aim of the present study was to explore breakthrough infection (BTI) and its host-related covariates among HCWs of a COVID-dedicated city-based hospital during the Omicron wave in Bangladesh. Materials and methodsAn observational cross-sectional study was conducted on 267 HCWs of the Narayanganj Tertiary (300-bed) hospital during February–March 2022 which coincided with the terminal part of the 3rd wave. Data were collected by trained Field Assistants using Interviewer-administered Data Collection Forms with Questionnaires as instruments. Previous COVID-19 status (any time after the onset of the pandemic and within last 3 months) was explored by the history of specific symptoms as well as by the confirmatory rtPCR test reports from DGHS approved laboratories Anti-nucleocapsid antibody (Anti-N-Ab) in venous blood samples, assayed by a chemiluminescent ELISA technique, was used as a seroprevalence-based marker of breakthrough infection during the preceding few months. Data were analyzed by bivariate as well as multivariate statistics using the IBM-SPSS software. ResultsThe median age (range) of the HCWs was 38 (21–65) years; Body Mass Index (BMI, kg/m2) 25 (15–49); and Waist-Hip Ratio (WHR) was 0.92 (0.46–1.21). The male subjects had significantly higher median age (p = 0.01) and higher WHR (p = 0.001) as compared to the female subjects. As per the BMI category, subjects with overweight and obesity constituted 83.3 % of the male subjects as compared to 61.6 % of the female subjects (p = 0.001). The time lapse between receiving of 3rd dose and blood sampling was significantly higher among females compared to males (median days 60 vs 49, p < 0.02) indicating earlier vaccination with 1st booster dose among females. A proportion of 51.85 % male and 49.68 % female subjects showed Anti-N-Ab positivity; there was no significant difference between the gender groups. Also, there was no significant difference among male and female subjects regarding the Ab levels. On Spearman correlation analysis, a tendency of association of WHR with Ab level was observed among the male subjects; however, the association did not show statistical significance (p = 0.09). On binary logistic regression Ab positivity was found to be independently associated with WHR (p = 0.03), and prior SARS-COV-2 infection within the last 3 months (p = 0.02) among males. When all the subjects were considered together, COVID symptom positivity during the last 3 months (p = 0.067) and receiving the 1st booster dose (p = 0.07) showed a tendency of association with Ab positivity. On multiple regression analysis, Ab levels showed a negative association with WHR (p = 0.035) among males. ConclusionsMore than 50 % of the vaccinated hospital-based HCWs in Bangladesh suffered from BTI during the winter of 2022 when the Omicron wave (the 3rd wave) of COVID-19 was at its peak. The data also indicate that overweight and obesity are major host-related risk factors underlying BTI. Inadequate coverage by a booster dose seems to be another determinant of BTI and the level of immune response in this population.

Seroprevalence of Hepatitis B Infection Among Blood Donors in a Tribal-Preponderant State of India: A Seven-Year Retrospective Observational Study.

Background Blood transfusion is an essential and lifesaving procedure for many acute and chronic diseases. Though saving millions of lives, it carries the risk of transfusion of transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs), including hepatitis B. Detection of this infection prior to transfusion saves potentially vulnerable patients from an additional burden andprevents the further spread of disease. Aim and objectives Our present study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in blood donors at the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences(RIMS) in Jharkhand, a tribal-preponderant state of India. Materials and methods After obtaining approval from the institutional ethics committee, a retrospective observational study was conducted amongthe eligible blood donors visiting RIMS from April 2016 to March 2023. A total of 195,507 subjects were included in the study. All blood donation samples collected in ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) vials were tested for five TTIs: human immunodeficiency virus 1 and 2, HBV, hepatitis C virus (HCV),malaria and syphilis. HBV testing was conducted via chemiluminescence technique to check f or the presence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in plasma. Results Among the study sample of 195,507 donors, theprevalence of HBsAg positivity was 0.87%. Among all the TTIs, more than 50% (51.93%) were HBsAg positive. The positivity percentage was higher in male donors and HBsAg positivity rose with an increase in replacement donors. Conclusions HBV is a major health concern in developing countries such as India due to its high endemicity. Therefore, early detection of HBV carriers in the blood donor population helps in curbing the spread of further infection and it also helps policymakers to develop different health programs to reduce further incidence ofthe infection in the general population.

Evaluation and Limitations of the Novel Chemiluminescent Enzyme Immunoassay Technique for Measuring Total Tau Protein in the Cerebrospinal Fluid of Patients with Human Prion Disease: A 10-Year Prospective Study (2011-2020).

Recently, the investigation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers for diagnosing human prion diseases (HPD) has garnered significant attention. Reproducibility and accuracy are paramount in biomarker research, particularly in the measurement of total tau (T-tau) protein, which is a crucial diagnostic marker. Given the global impact of the coronavirus disease pandemic, the frequency of measuring this protein using one of the world's fully automated assays, chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay (CLEA), has increased. At present, the diagnosis and monitoring of neurological diseases mainly rely on traditional methods, but their accuracy and responsiveness are limited. There is limited knowledge of the accuracy of CLEA in tau measurements. We aimed to measure T-tau protein using CLEA and to elucidate its merits and limitations. We randomly selected 60 patients with rapidly progressive dementia, using ELISA and CLEA analysis of cerebrospinal fluid specimens. Additionally, we used Western blotting to detect the presence of 14-3-3 protein and employed real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) assays to analyze the same set of samples. Furthermore, we examined the correlation coefficient between ELISA and CLEA results in a subset of 60 samples. Moreover, using CLEA, we evaluated the diurnal reproducibility, storage stability, dilutability, and freeze-thaw effects in three selected samples. In 172 patients, 172 samples were extracted, with each patient providing only one sample, and a total of 88 (35 men and 53 women) tested positive for HPD in the RT-QuIC assay. In contrast, all CSF samples from the remaining 84 patients without HPD (50 men and 34 women) tested negative in the RT-QuIC assay. Both ELISA and CLEA showed perfect sensitivity and specificity (100%) in measuring T-tau protein levels. In addition, ELISA and CLEA are similar in terms of measurement sensitivity and marginal effect of detection extrema. CLEA analysis exhibited instability for certain samples with T-tau protein levels exceeding 2000 pg/mL, leading to low reproducibility during dilution analysis. Our findings indicate that CLEA outperforms ELISA in terms of diurnal reproducibility, storage stability, and freeze-thaw effects. However, ELISA demonstrated superior performance in the dilution assay. Therefore, it is imperative to develop innovative approaches for the dilution of biomarker samples for CLEA measurements during clinical trials.

Serum Erythropoietin and Ischemic-Modified Albumin Levels in Adolescents with Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder

Erythropoietin (EPO) has neuroprotective effects by increasing oxidative stress resistance and stabilizing redox balance. Ischemic-modified albumin (IMA) is a product of protein oxidation, and recent evidence suggests that IMA can be used as an indicator of oxidative damage. This study aimed to investigate serum EPO and IMA levels in obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) patients and to investigate the relationship between EPO and IMA levels and clinical variables such as disease duration and disease severity. A total of 68 adolescents (11–18 years old), including 35 OCD patients (18 males/17 females) and 33 healthy controls (14 males/19 females) without comorbid disorders matched for age, gender, and BMI, were included in the study. The enzyme-amplified chemiluminescence technique determined serum EPO levels, and serum IMA levels were determined by the spectrophotometric method. Serum EPO levels were lower in OCD patients compared to healthy controls (p = 0.002; Z = − 3.123), and serum IMA levels (ABSU) were significantly higher in the OCD group (p = 0.005). A significant positive correlation was found between IMA levels and the duration of OCD symptoms (p = 0.015, r = 0.409). The study’s findings contribute to the growing body of evidence implicating inflammatory and oxidative processes in the pathogenesis of OCD. The potential of EPO and IMA levels as diagnostic biomarkers for OCD aligns with the ongoing efforts to identify reliable biological markers for the disorder. The positive correlation of IMA levels with the duration of OCD shows the importance of early detection of oxidative damage.

Combustion instability characteristics via fuel nozzle modification in a hydrogen and natural gas Co-firing gas turbine combustor

In this study, three premixed swirl gas turbine nozzles with different fuel injection hole sizes were designed to optimize combustion characteristics influenced by changes in the hydrogen mixing ratio. Experiments involved increasing the hydrogen volume fraction of the fuel from 0 to 60%. The amount of fuel supplied through the pilot flow was increased to suppress combustion instability. The OH* chemiluminescence technique was introduced to analyze flame structure. To understand combustion instability, time delay and time-delay distribution were derived from flame structure analysis and applied to the 1D thermoacoustic model. The results indicated that the amount of fuel required for pilot injection with increasing hydrogen ratio varied with fuel hole size. It was also observed that changes in fuel hole size significantly affected flame characteristic length. Findings from the 1D thermoacoustic analysis confirmed that fuel hole size variation altered combustion instability characteristics by influencing time delay and time-delay distribution variation.

Seroprevalence of Hepatitis C Virus Among Blood Donors in a Tribal-Preponderant Region of India.

Hepatitis C isa global health burden with significant morbidity and mortality. It primarily affects the liver and causes acute hepatitis, chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Common modes of transmission of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are blood transfusion, needlestick injury, and mother-fetus transmission, among which transmission, blood transfusion is one of the most important causes. Blood transfusion is one of the pillars in the management of patients that saves lives and improves morbidity. Blood donation in India is done by voluntary and replacement blood donors of both sexes.The aim of this study is to determine the seroprevalence of HCV among blood donors in the Jharkhand state, a tribal-preponderant region of India, and to see the trend over the years. This is a nine-yearretrospective observational study from 2015 to 2023 that screened for anti-HCV antibodies (third-generation kit: Abbott Diagnostics) using the chemiluminescence technique. In this study, in total, 249,461 units of blood were collected, of which the majority of donations were by male and replacement donors (RDs) comprising230,757 (92.50%) and 188,047 (75.38%), respectively. The meannumber of blood donations by replacement and male donors (MDs) was more than for voluntary donors (VDs) and female donors (FDs) (20894.11 ± 3041.71 RDs vs. 6823.77 ± 2332.96 VDs, p < 0.0001 and 25639.66 ± 2810.08 MDs vs. 2078.22 ± 828.16 FD, p < 0.0001), respectively. The overall prevalence of HCV was 0.63%, and all seropositive donors were male. Replacement blood donation contributes to the major part of blood donation and is primarily done by males in this tribal population-dominant region of India. Seroprevalence of HCV is high in the population of this part of India, and there is a constant or slightly upward trend in hepatitis C infection among individuals.

Predictive value of thrombin-antithrombin III complex and tissue plasminogen activator-inhibitor complex biomarkers in assessing the severity of early-stage acute pancreatitis.

The development of acute pancreatitis (AP) is strongly linked to blood clotting and fibrinolysis issues. Modern clinical practices now utilize advanced blood markers like thrombin-antithrombin III complex (TAT), plasmin-α2-plasmin inhibitor complex, thrombomodulin (TM), and tissue plasminogen activator-inhibitor complex (t-PAIC) to assess thrombosis risk. Our study used a highly sensitive chemiluminescence technique to measure these markers in AP patients, aiming to determine their early predictive value for AP severity. There were 173 patients with AP, all of whom developed symptoms within 72h; 102 individuals had onset symptoms within 48h. The biomarkers were measured upon admission before determining the severity of AP. The levels of TAT, plasmin-α2-plasmin inhibitor complex, TM, and t-PAIC were significantly higher in the severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) group compared with the mild acute pancreatitis and moderate severe acute pancreatitis groups. For the patients within 72h of onset, TAT, TM, and t-PAIC predicted the occurrence of SAP. For the patients within 48h of onset, TAT and t-PAIC predicted the occurrence of SAP. The area under the curve (AUC) of prediction models is similar to Bedside Index for Severity in Acute Pancreatitis (BISAP) but significantly higher than C-reactive protein (P<0.05). Notably, t-PAIC had a larger AUC than TAT, BISAP, and C-reactive protein. In the initial 48h, plasma TAT and t-PAIC levels may predict the development of SAP. Within 72h, plasma levels of TAT, TM, and t-PAIC may predict the development of SAP, and the TAT+TM+t-PAIC prediction model achieved a maximum AUC of 0.915, comparable to BISAP.

In Vitro Biological and GC-MS Analysis of Whole Plant Calotropis procera

Calotropis procera is a medicinal, traditional, and therapeutic plant in Pakistan. In this research study, the biological activities, for instance, anticancer, antileishmanial, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and brine shrimp lethality assay and GC-MS are studied. MTT assay, antileishmanial bioassay, microplate Alamar Blue assay, agar tube dilution method, oxidative burst assay using chemiluminescence technique, B-hatching techniques, and triple quadrupole acquisition method MS parameters were the methods used for anticancer, antileishmanial, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, brine shrimp lethality assay, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Whole plant methanol extract of Calotropis procera (WMECP) inhibited 69.1% of the growth of HeLa cell line with an IC50 value of 3.1 ± 0.4 and whole plant n-hexane fraction of Calotropis procera (WHFCP) and whole plant and aqueous fraction of Calotropis procera (WAFCP) inhibited the growth by 70.2% and 65.2% with IC50 values of 5.0 ± 0.3 and 17.1 ± 1.0. Whole plant methanol extract of Calotropis procera (WMECP) inhibited 70.1% of the growth of the PC3 cell line with an IC50 value of 5.1 ± 0.3 and whole plant n-hexane fraction of Calotropis procera (WHFCP) and whole plant aqueous fraction of Calotropis procera (WAFCP) inhibited 61.6% and 59.7% with IC50 values of 3.7 ± 0.5 and 16.4 ± 1.0. None of the extract and fractions of Calotropis procera showed anticancer activities against the 3T3 cell line. None of the extract and fractions of Calotropis procera showed antileishmanial, antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory activities. Whole plant methanol extract of Calotropis procera (WMECP) exhibited lethality at the highest concentration while other fractions did not exhibit lethality. GC-MS studies revealed that the whole plant methanol extract of Calotropis procera (WMECP) consists of 11 compounds, whole plant n-hexane fraction of Calotropis procera (WHFCP) consists of 9 compounds, and whole plant aqueous fraction of Calotropis procera (WAFCP) consists of 7 compounds.

Rheological insights into the degradation behavior of PP/HDPE blends

The (re-)processing and degradation behavior of polypropylene (PP) blends with high-density polyethylene (HDPE) is a crucial topic in mechanical recycling due to the prevalence of PP/HDPE mixtures. In particular, small amounts of cross-contamination (below 10.0 wt.%) between these polyolefins are quite common. While much empirical data is available, systematic studies on such blends are scarce and rarely account for the polymers’ chain structure. This study employs time-resolved rheology, atomic force microscopy (AFM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and chemiluminescence techniques to study the degradation of different PP types containing 0.5 to 10.0 wt.% of HDPE. It is observed that the addition of small amounts of HDPE can result in a prominent change in the viscoelastic properties of PP during the thermo-oxidative degradation. The substantial evolution of elasticity in the blends is mainly related to the gelation of fine PE particles dispersed within the PP matrix. It is also shown that a smaller viscosity ratio between the blend components can lead to a more significant degradation through morphology alterations. Remarkably, time-resolved rheology studies revealed that even a small amount of HDPE (2.5 wt.%) can lead to a reduction in the thermo-oxidative stability of the PP/HDPE blend through excessive branching/crosslinking of the HDPE phase. This effect was particularly more pronounced when the PP contained an ethylene comonomer in its backbone. The finer morphology of PE particles in PP copolymer can exacerbate the thermo-oxidative stability of the blend. These insights are essential in designing new life cycles for recycled PP cross-contaminated with HDPE, typically found in the light fraction of municipal solid plastic waste.

Proportion of Newly Detected Hypothyroidism among the Diabetic and Nondiabetic Pregnant Ladies and Correlation of Different Parameters with Thyroid Stimulatory Hormone in Pregnancy Attending a Tertiary Care Hospital

ABSTRACT Background: Subclinical hypothyroidism and gestational diabetes are the two most common endocrinopathy encountered in daily clinical practice. Many literature showed a higher frequency of hypothyroidism in the persons with diabetes but others did not find it. Objectives: The study was intended to compare the proportion of newly detected hypothyroidism in persons with diabetes and without diabetes in pregnancy (DIP). Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional, observational study enrolled 175 pregnant women by convenient sampling from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, BIRDEM General Hospital, with or without diabetes after IRB clearance. According to the study protocol, Thyroid function test (TFT) and oral glucose tolerance test were done in the participants. Thyroid stimulatory hormone (TSH), free thyroxin, and antithyroid antibodies were tested using the chemiluminescent technique by the ADVIA centaur, Siemens. Plasma glucose was analyzed by Advia-1800, SIEMENS, USA by glucose oxidase method. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 25. Nonparametric tests were chosen for statistical analysis. Results: The median maternal age was 30 years, and half of the participants had a family history of diabetes mellitus (DM). Hundred patients had diabetes either gestational DM or DIP or preexisting diabetes. Among the persons with diabetes, 34% had hypothyroidism, and in euglycemic patients, 29.3% had hypothyroidism. There was no statistically significant (P = 0.785) difference in the median values of TSH across the glycemic status among the hypothyroid subjects. TSH had a positive correlation with thyroid peroxidase antibody (P = 0.174) within the hypothyroid patients. In the study subjects, TSH was inversely correlated with hemoglobin (P &lt; 0.001). Conclusions: There is no statistically significant concordance in diagnosing hypothyroidism in pregnancy between the persons with diabetes and without diabetes.

Quality systems for TTI testing by chemiluminescence technique in a blood centre

Quality systems for TTI testing by chemiluminescence technique in a blood centre

Biocomposite Materials Derived from Andropogon halepensis: Eco-Design and Biophysical Evaluation.

This research work presents a "green" strategy of weed valorization for developing silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with promising interesting applications. Two types of AgNPs were phyto-synthesized using an aqueous leaf extract of the weed Andropogon halepensis L. Phyto-manufacturing of AgNPs was achieved by two bio-reactions, in which the volume ratio of (phyto-extract)/(silver salt solution) was varied. The size and physical stability of Andropogon-AgNPs were evaluated by means of DLS and zeta potential measurements, respectively. The phyto-developed nanoparticles presented good free radicals-scavenging properties (investigated via a chemiluminescence technique) and also urease inhibitory activity (evaluated using the conductometric method). Andropogon-AgNPs could be promising candidates for various bio-applications, such as acting as an antioxidant coating for the development of multifunctional materials. Thus, the Andropogon-derived samples were used to treat spider silk from the spider Pholcus phalangioides, and then, the obtained "green" materials were characterized by spectral (UV-Vis absorption, FTIR ATR, and EDX) and morphological (SEM) analyses. These results could be exploited to design novel bioactive materials with applications in the biomedical field.

Global DNA Methylation Levels Viz-a-Viz Genetic and Biochemical Variations in One Carbon Metabolic Pathway: An Exploratory Study from North India.

Despite the importance of one carbon metabolic pathway (OCMP) in modulating the DNA methylation process, only a few population-based studies have explored their relationship among healthy individuals. This study aimed to understand the variations in global DNA methylation levels with respect to selected genetic (CBS 844ins68, MTRR A66G, MTR A2756G, and MTHFR C677T polymorphisms) and biochemical (folate, vitamin B12, and homocysteine) markers associated with OCMP among healthy North Indian adults. The study has been conducted among 1095 individuals of either sex (69.5% females), aged 30-75 years. A sample of 5 mL of blood was collected from each participant. Homocysteine, folate, and vitamin B12 levels were determined using the chemiluminescence technique. Restriction digestion was performed for genotyping MTRR A66G, MTR A2756G, and MTHFR C677T polymorphisms and allele-specific PCR amplification for CBS 844ins68 polymorphism. Global DNA methylation levels were analyzed using ELISA-based colorimetric technique. Of the selected genetic and biochemical markers, the mutant MTRR A66G allele was positively associated with global DNA methylation levels. Further, advanced age was inversely associated with methylation levels. MTRR 66GG genotype group was hypermethylated than other genotypes in folate replete and vitamin B12 deficient group (a condition prevalent among vegetarians), suggesting that the G allele may be more efficient than the wild-type allele in such conditions. Global DNA methylation levels appeared to be more influenced by genetic than biochemical factors. MTRR 66G allele may have a selective advantage in vitamin B12 deficient conditions. Further research should be undertaken to understand how genetics affects epigenetic processes.