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Tungsten Trioxide (WO3) thin films were grown by thermal evaporation method to study the effect of film's thickness on its electrochromic (EC) properties. The WO3 thin films of different thicknesses were grown on Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) coated glass and soda lime (bare) glass substrate held at room temperature. The surface composition of the thin films was investigated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurement, which showed the oxygen to tungsten atomic composition ratio to be nearly 2.97. The EC properties of the thin films were examined using electrochemical techniques. Cyclic-voltammetery shows the diffusion coefficient (D) of the intercalated H+ ion in the WO3 thin film increases with the film's thickness. It turns out that the ‘thicker' film exhibits better coloration efficiency (CE) as compared to the ‘thi n- ner' film. The coloration time was found to be independent of film thickness; however, the bleaching time increases as the film thickness increases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & objectives: Accessory muscle slips may arise from coronoid process of ulna or medial epicondyle of humerus and it joins to flexor pollicis longus muscle. This accessory muscle slip is known as accessory head of flexor pollicis longus or Gantzer's muscle. It runs downward and obliquely to join the flexor pollicis longus. While coursing it may compress median, ulnar and anterior interosseous nerves and produce neurological conditions. Aim of our study was to observe incidence of accessory head of flexor pollicis longus in adult. Method: We studied 60 upper limbs (rt: 30; lt: 30) of adult male Indian cadavers. Each forearm was dissected carefully to see the presence of accessory heads of the flexor pollicis longus and its relations with nearby structures. Results: Accessory head of flexor pollicis longus was observed in 35 upper limbs out of 60 (58.33%). It was present in 31.66 % (19) in right side and 26.66% (16) in left side upper limbs. We observed that, the median nerve ran over the accessory head of flexor pollicis longus while the anterior interosseous nerve ran posteriorly. Conclusions: Incidence of accessory head of flexor pollicis longus was high and its relation to the median nerve, anterior interosseous nerve and ulnar artery is important. Therefore, precise knowledge about this muscle is essential which will help the clinician, surgeon and radiologist to determine the exact cause of entrapment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was planned to investigate pharmacokinetics of ceftizoxime, a third generation of cephalosporin antimicrobial drug, in goats (n = 6) at the dose rate of 10 mg/kg body weight by single dose intramuscular (IM) administration. Drug concentration in plasma was determined using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) with UV detector. The values of Cmax,AUCand MRT were 25.54 ± 0.330 μg.ml-1, 98.73 ± 3.295 μg.h.ml-1 and 13.00 ± 0.405 h, respectively. The longer elimination half-life (15.71 ± 0.897 h) along with smaller ClB (0.105 ± 0.005 L.h-1.kg-1) showed slower excretion of the drug from animal body. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copper Indium Gallium Diselenide (CIGS) is a compound semiconductor material from the group of IIII- VI. The material is a solid solution of copper, indium and selenium (CIS) and copper, gallium and selenium with an empirical formula of CuIn(1 - x)GaxSe2, where 0 x 1. CIGS has an exceptionally high absorption coefficient of more than 105 cm -1 for 1.5 eV. Solar cells prepared from absorber layers of CIGS materials have shown an efficiency higher than 20 %. CuIn(1 - x)GaxSe2 (x 0.3) nanocrystalline compound was mechanochemically synthesized by high-energy milling in a planetary ball mill. The phase identification and crystallite size of milled powders at different time intervals were carried out by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The XRD analysis indicates chalcopyrite structure and the crystallite size of about 10 nm of highenergy milled CIGS powder after two and half hours of milling. An attempt for preparing the thin film from CIGS nanocrystalline powder was carried out using the flash evaporation technique. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) reveals uniform distribution of CIGS particles in thin film. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indium sesquitelluride (In2Te3) thin films were grown on glass substrates using a flash evaporation technique. The nature of contact phenomena of Ag, Sn, In, Zn, Al-(p) In2Te3 junctions had been investigated. Ag, Sn, In and Zn metals were found to provide ohmic contact for In2Te3 thin films. The variation of DC-electrical resistivity of In2Te3 thin films with temperature was studied at different substrate temperatures. The optical measurements revealed that the flash evaporated In2Te3 thin films possessing direct energy band-gap. The variation of optical energy gap with substrate temperature was investigated. Film thickness, substrate temperature, composition and crystallinity were found to determine the optimization of electrical and optical properties of In2Te3 thin film. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the neuronal sodium-channel alpha 1-subunit (SCN1A) mutations in generalized epilepsy with febrile seizures plus (GEFS+). Isolation and sequencing of SCN1A genomic clones; Single-stranded conformation analyses and sequencing; Sequence variants of SCN1A detected in GEF+ samples and normal samples; Results and discussion.

Chloride channels belonging to the ClC family are ubiquitous and participate in a wide variety of physiological and pathophysiological processes. To define sequence segments in ClC channels that contribute to the formation of their ion conduction pathway, we employed a combination of site-directed mutagenesis, heterologous expression, patch clamp recordings, and chemical modification of the human muscle ClC isoform, hClC-1. We demonstrate that a highly conserved 8-amino acid motif (P3) located in the linker between transmembrane domains D2 and D3 contributes to the formation of a wide pore vestibule facing the cell interior. Similar to a previously defined pore region (P1 region), this segment functionally interacts with the corresponding segment of the contralateral subunit. The use of cysteine-specific reagents of different size revealed marked differences in the diameter of pore-forming regions implying that ClC channels exhibit a pore architecture quite similar to that of certain cation channels, in which a narrow constriction containing major structural determinants of ion selectivity is neighbored by wide vestibules on both sides of the membrane.

Ion channels allow ions to pass through cell membranes by forming aqueous permeation pathways (pores). In contrast to most known ion channels, which have single pores, a chloride channel belonging to the CIC family (Torpedo CIC-0) has functional features that suggest that it has a unique 'double-barrelled' architecture in which each of two subunits forms an independent pore. This model is based on single-channel recordings of CIC-0 that has two equally spaced and independently gated conductance states. Other CIC isoforms do not behave in this way, raising doubts about the applicability of the model to all CIC channels. Here we determine the pore stoichiometry of another CIC isoform, human CIC-1, by chemically modifying cysteines that have been substituted for other amino acids located within the CIC ion-selectivity filter. The CIC-1 channel can be rendered completely susceptible to block by methanethiosulphonate reagents when only one of the two subunits contains substituted cysteines. Thiol side chains placed at corresponding positions in both subunits can form intersubunit disulphide bridges and coordinate Cd2+, indicating that the pore-forming regions from each subunit line the same conduction pathway. We conclude that human CIC-1 has a single functional pore.