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BackgroundChronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction (CIPO) is a type of intestinal dysfunction with symptoms of intestinal blockage but without the actual mechanical obstruction. Currently, there are no drugs available to treat this disease. Herein, we report the characterization of the PrP-SCA7-92Q transgenic (Tg) line as a valuable CIPO mouse model and investigated the tolerability and efficacy of the 5-hydroxytryptamine type-4 receptor (5HT4R) agonist velusetrag as a promising pharmacological treatment for CIPO.MethodsTo test the pharmacodynamics of velusetrag, 8-week-old SCA7 Tg mice, which express human mutated Ataxin-7 gene containing 92 CAG repeats under the mouse prion protein promoter, were treated for 5 weeks by oral route with velusetrag at 1 and 3 mg/kg doses or vehicle. Body weight was monitored throughout the treatment. After sacrifice, the small intestine and proximal colon were collected for whole-mount immunostaining. Untreated, age-matched, C57BL/6J mice were also used as controls in comparison with the other experimental groups.ResultsAnalysis of SCA7 Tg mice showed tissue damage and alterations, mucosal abnormalities, and ulcers in the distal small intestine and proximal colon. Morphological changes were associated with significant neuronal loss, as shown by decreased staining of pan-neuronal markers, and with accumulation of ataxin-7-positive inclusions in cholinergic neurons. Administration of velusetrag reversed intestinal abnormalities, by normalizing tissue damage and re-establishing the normal level of glia/neuron’s count in both the small and large intestines.ConclusionWe demonstrated that the PrP-SCA7-92Q Tg line, a model originally developed to mimic spinocerebellar ataxia, is suitable to study CIPO pathology and can be useful in establishing new therapeutic strategies, such as in the case of velusetrag. Our results suggest that velusetrag is a promising compound to treat patients affected by CIPO or intestinal dysmotility disease.

In this paper, a slotted is introduced at each of the radiating elements on the 1st iteration log periodic fractal Koch antenna (LPFKA). The antenna is designed to testify the appropriate performance at UHF Digital television which operates from 4.0 GHz to 1.0 GHz. The dimension of the conventional 0th iteration LPKFA is successfully reduced by 17% with the implementation of slotted. The results show a good agreement with a stable radiation pattern across the operating bandwidth, stable gain more than 5 dBi and reflection coefficient of below -10 dB over the desired frequency range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a simple method is proposed to diagnose the position of the damaged sensors. The position of the damaged sensors is diagnosed on the basis of the null depth level and the number of nulls for the degraded radiation pattern. The method is initiated with tabulation of the array radiation pattern with a single damaged sensor. The corresponding pattern is set as the reference to the radiation pattern of the failed sensors. The tabulated damaged array sensors are compared to a configuration of the assumed damaged sensor. The radiation pattern with deeper null depth level will be the location of the damaged sensor. Moreover, the symmetrical sensor damaged (SSD) technique diagnose the position of damaged sensor, in which on the basis of nulls one can detect the location of damaged sensors. The proposed method diagnoses the location of damaged sensors on the basis of pattern without complex computation as compared to available methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A triple band planar monopole antenna for MIMO application is presented in this paper. The antenna array consists of two triple band monopole antennas with three copper strips, which operate at three frequency bands (2.4, 3.5 and 5.8 GHz). The antenna has been simulated using CST software and the prototype has been fabricated using FR4 substrate. The antenna provides the -10dB bandwidths (BWs) of 308 MHz (from 2.2275 to 2.5354 GHz), 472 MHz (from 3.337 to 3.809 GHz) and 1.688 GHz (from 5.488 to 7.176 GHz) for 2.4, 3.5 and 5.8 GHz respectively. The antenna array achieve low mutual coupling of -22 dB at separation distance of 10 mm, which is approximately λ/12. There is good agreement between the measurement and simulation results in terms of return loss and radiation pattern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A tapered slot Vivaldi antenna with reconfigurable capability is proposed in this paper. The tapered slot length was implemented on ring slot pairs to generate narrowband multiples at 1.5, 3.24, 3.44, and 4.12 GHz. Studies on the assignment of tapered slot length to ring slot pairs on Vivaldi antennas are presented and discussed. The combination of a tapered slot Vivaldi antenna, tapered slot length, and ring slots pairs successfully produces a tunable tapered slot Vivaldi antenna that is able to operate in wideband and narrowband, allowing for wireless communication. The wideband of the proposed antenna is from 1.5 to 5 GHZ. The study is also extended to the filtering effect tapered slot length on the ring slot pair. The proposed antenna performs well in terms of radiation pattern, return loss, and gain. The measurement results of the antenna’s performance satisfactorily agree with the simulation ones. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: The collision, scattering and absorption differential cross-sections of double-photon Compton scattering are measured experimentally for 0.662MeV incident gamma photons. Two simultaneously emitted gamma quanta are investigated using a slow–fast coincidence technique having 25ns resolving time. The coincidence spectra for different energy windows of one of the two final photons are recorded using HPGe detector. The experimental data do not suffer from inherent energy resolution of gamma detector and provide more faithful reproduction of the distribution under the full energy peak of recorded coincidence spectra. The present results are in agreement with the currently acceptable theory of this higher order process. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Dewan Redaksi

Redaksi ELKHA

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The influence of nanotextured metallic back contacts on light trapping and plasmonic losses of amorphous silicon solar cells was investigated. The optical losses of the back contact are determined by the texture of the metallic back contact and the dielectric constant of the interlayer between the solar cell and the metal back contact. The investigations show that the optical losses are highest if nano features are present at the back contact, while the texture of the front contact which propagates through the layer stack exhibits only a minor effect on the optical losses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dewan Redaksi

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Checkpoint inhibition (CPI) therapies have been proven to be powerful clinical tools in treating cancers. FDA approvals and ongoing clinical development of checkpoint inhibitors for treatment of various cancers highlight the immense potential of checkpoint inhibitors as anti-cancer therapeutics. The occurrence of immune-related adverse events, however, is a major hindrance to the efficacy and use of checkpoint inhibitors as systemic therapies in a wide range of patients. Hence, methods of sustained and tumor-targeted delivery of checkpoint inhibitors are likely to improve efficacy while also decreasing toxic side effects. In this review, we summarize the findings of the studies that evaluated methods of tumor-targeted delivery of checkpoint inhibitors, review their strengths and weaknesses, and discuss the outlook for therapeutic use of these delivery methods.

Tapentadol is a novel, centrally acting analgesic with dual mechanism of action, combining mu-opioid receptor agonism with noradrenaline reuptake inhibition in the same molecule. It has an improved side effect profile when compared to opioids and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The dual mechanism of action makes Tapentadol a useful analgesic to treat acute, chronic, and neuropathic pain.

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Dewan Redaksi Jurnal Inovasi Pembelajaran