This work investigates the swelling and mineralogical characteristics of alkali-transformed (partially and completely transformed) kaolinitic clays to bring out the subsequent effect of alkali ...contamination. One-dimensional free swell tests were conducted to determine the degree of swelling on alkali-transformed kaolinitic clays inundated with water and 4 N NaOH. Swelling increased in transformed clays with an increase in degree of transformation when inundated with water. An opposite trend was observed in the swelling patterns of alkali-transformed clays upon inundation with 4 N NaOH when compared with water i.e., swelling decreased with increase in degree of transformation upon inundation with 4 N NaOH. This was mainly attributed to mineralogical changes, which occurred in transformed clays. This was confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. To further re-confirm the changes observed, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Thermogravimetric-Differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA) techniques were carried out. Complete kaolinite mineral dissolution and neogenic formations (mainly sodalites) were the key factors for differences in swelling tendencies when inundated with water or 4 N NaOH.
•Kaolinitic clays were transformed at different solid:liquid ratio using 4 N NaOH.•Dissolution of kaolinite and formation of sodalites are clearly observed after the transformation phase.•Swelling characteristics of transformed kaolinitic clays is studied.•Swelling with water increased with increase in degree of transformation of clays.•Swelling with 4 N NaOH decreased with increase in degree of transformation of clays.
To detect seasonal changes in photosynthetic rate in the field, a set of 18,000 photosynthetic measurements made between April and October on three shoots of Scots pine growing near the northern ...timberline was studied. The measurements were analyzed in the framework of an optimal stomatal control model of photosynthesis, in which irradiance (photosynthetically active radiation, I), air humidity and ambient temperature are driving variables. All driving variables were monitored concomitantly with gas exchange measurements throughout the growing season. The model has nine parameters, of which six were assumed to be constant over the growing season and were fixed based on previous information. The three variable parameters were the initial slope (alpha) and saturation value (gamma) of the light-response curve of carboxylation efficiency in the intercellular cavity, and the cost of transpiration (lambda), in carbon units, regulating the degree of stomatal opening. These parameters could not be estimated independently, nor could their values be satisfactorily found by standard nonlinear regression techniques. A Monte Carlo based simulation procedure was devised to analyze the best-fit parameters and their mutual correlations near the minimum of the residual sum of squares. This was accomplished by replacing the saturation value of the light-response curve with a linearity parameter that determined the shape of the curve. In the best fit solutions, only alpha and lambda varied from day to day, whereas the shape of the curve was constant (i.e., gamma was proportional to alpha). Both alpha and lambda showed consistent patterns from spring to autumn, but the seasonal variation was considerably greater for alpha than for lambda. The optimal stomatal control model with the seven fixed and two daily parameter values gave a good overall fit for photosynthetic rate over the season (PEV > 95%).
CARTITUDE-1 (NCT03548207) is a phase 1b/2 study of ciltacabtagene autoleucel (cilta-cel; JNJ-68284528), a chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapy with two B-cell maturation antigen ...(BCMA)–targeting single-domain antibodies, in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM). Updated results from a median 18-month follow-up are reported here.
Eligible patients had MM, received ≥3 prior regimens or were double refractory to a proteasome inhibitor (PI) and immunomodulatory drug (IMiD), and had received a PI, IMiD, and anti-CD38 antibody. After apheresis, bridging therapy was allowed. Patients received a single cilta-cel infusion (target dose: 0.75×106 CAR+ viable T cells/kg; range 0.5-1.0×106) 5–7 days (d) after lymphodepletion (300 mg/m2 cyclophosphamide, 30 mg/m2 fludarabine daily for 3 d). Primary objectives were to characterize cilta-cel safety, confirm the recommended phase 2 dose (phase 1b), and evaluate efficacy (phase 2). Cytokine release syndrome (CRS) was graded by Lee et al (Blood 2014) and neurotoxicity by CTCAE, v5.0 in phase 1b. CRS and immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) were graded by American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy (ASTCT) criteria in phase 2. Lee et al and CTCAE v5.0 were mapped to ASTCT for CRS and ICANS, respectively.
As of February 11, 2021, 97 patients (median of 6 prior lines) received cilta-cel. Overall response rate per independent review committee (primary endpoint) was 97.9% (95% CI, 92.7–99.7); 80.4% achieved stringent complete response (sCR) and 94.8% achieved very good partial response or better. Median time to first response was 1 month (mo) (range, 0.9–10.7), and median time to ≥CR was 2.6 mo (range, 0.9–15.2). Median duration of response was 21.8 mo (95% CI, 21.8–NE). Of 61 minimal residual disease (MRD)-evaluable patients, 91.8% were MRD negative at 10−5. The 18-month progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival rates (95% CI) were 66% (54.9–75.0) and 80.9% (71.4–87.6), respectively; median PFS was 22.8 mo (95% CI, 22.8–NE) for all patients, and not reached for patients with sCR. Grade 3/4 hematologic AEs ≥20% included neutropenia (95%), anemia (68%), leukopenia (61%), thrombocytopenia (60%), and lymphopenia (50%). CRS occurred in 95% of patients (4% grade 3/4); median time to onset was 7 d (range, 1–12) and median duration was 4 d (range, 1–14, excluding 1 patient with 97-d duration). CRS resolved in all but one with grade 5 CRS/hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis. 21% of patients had CAR-T neurotoxicity (grade ≥3, 10%). Twenty-one deaths occurred during the study: none ≤30 days; 2 ≤100 days; and 19 >100 days after infusion, among which, 10 were due to disease progression, 6 were treatment-related as assessed by the investigator, and 5 were due to AEs unrelated to treatment.
Cilta-cel is under further investigation in other MM populations in earlier lines of therapy and in outpatient settings.
At a longer median follow-up of 18 mo, a single cilta-cel infusion yielded early, deep, and durable responses with a manageable safety, in heavily pretreated patients with MM.
The antidiabetic activity of an extract from the leaves of
Lagerstroemia speciosa standardized to 1% corosolic acid (Glucosol™) has been demonstrated in a randomized clinical trial involving Type II ...diabetics (non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, NIDDM). Subjects received a daily oral dose of Glucosol™ and blood glucose levels were measured. Glucosol™ at daily dosages of 32 and 48
mg for 2 weeks showed a significant reduction in the blood glucose levels. Glucosol™ in a soft gel capsule formulation showed a 30% decrease in blood glucose levels compared to a 20% drop seen with dry-powder filled hard gelatin capsule formulation (
P<0.001), suggesting that the soft gel formulation has a better bioavailability than a dry-powder formulation.
A combination of beam-surface-scattering, quartz-crystal-microbalance, and surface-recession experiments was conducted to study the effects of various combinations of O atoms in the O(3P) ground ...state, Ar atoms, and vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) light on fluorinated ethylene−propylene copolymer (FEP) Teflon and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). A laser-breakdown source was used to create hyperthermal beams containing O and O2 or Ar. A D2 lamp provided a source of VUV light. O atoms with 4 eV of translational energy or less did not react with a pristine FEP Teflon surface. Volatile O-containing reaction products were observed when the O-atom energy was higher than 4.5 eV, and the signal increased with the O-atom energy. Significant erosion of FEP Teflon (∼20% of Kapton H) was observed when it was exposed to the hyperthermal O/O2 beam with an average O-atom energy of 5.4 eV. FEP Teflon and PMMA that were exposed to VUV light alone exhibited much less mass loss. Collision-induced dissociation by hyperthermal Ar atoms also caused mass loss, similar in magnitude to that caused by VUV light. There were no observed synergistic effects when VUV light or Ar bombardment was combined with O/O2 exposure. For both FEP Teflon and PMMA, the erosion yields caused by simultaneous exposure to O/O2 and either VUV light or Ar atoms could be approximately predicted by adding the erosion yield caused by O/O2, acting individually, to the erosion yield caused by the individual action of either VUV light or Ar atoms.
A series of new biologically active phenyl N,N
′
-phenyl phosphorodiamidates were synthesized by reacting phenyl phenylphosphoramidochoridate with various amines. All the newly synthesized compounds ...3a-j were tested for their antioxidant activity by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), hydrogen peroxide (H
2
O
2
) and nitric oxide (NO) methods. In all the three methods the compounds 3c (phenyl N-(6-methoxy-1,3-benzothiazol-2-yl)-N′-phenyl-phosphorodiamidate) and 3e (phenyl N-(5-ethyl-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl)-N′-phenylphosphorodiamidate) showed good radical scavenging activity.
The aim of this study was comparative analysis of sediment-induced erosion on optimized design and traditional design of Francis runner blade. The analysis was conducted through laboratory ...experiments in a test rig called Rotating Disc Apparatus. The results showed that the extent of erosion was significantly less in the optimized design when compared based on the material loss. It was observed that the optimized design could reduce sediment erosion by about 14.4% if it was used in place of the reference design for entire duration of the experiment. Based on the observations and results obtained, it has been concluded that the optimization of hydraulic design of blade profile of Francis runner can significantly reduce the effect of sediment-induced erosion. KCI Citation Count: 0
Beam-surface scattering experiments were used to probe products that scattered from FEP Teflon surfaces during bombardment by various combinations of atomic and molecular oxygen, Ar atoms, and vacuum ...ultraviolet (VUV) light. A laser-breakdown source was used to create hyperthermal (translational energies in the range 4−13 eV) beams of argon and atomic/molecular oxygen. The average incidence energy of these beams was tunable and was controlled precisely with a synchronized chopper wheel. A filtered deuterium lamp provided a source of VUV light in a narrow-wavelength range centered at 161 nm. Volatile products that exited the surfaces were monitored with a rotatable mass spectrometer detector. Hyperthermal O atoms with average translational energies above ∼4 eV may react directly with a pristine FEP Teflon surface, and the reactivity appears to increase with the translational energy of the incident O atoms. VUV light or highly energetic collisions of O2 or Ar may break chemical bonds and lead to the ejection of volatile products; the ejection of volatile products is enhanced when the surface is subjected to VUV light and energetic collisions simultaneously. Exposure to VUV light or to hyperthermal O2 or Ar may increase the reactivity of an FEP Teflon surface to O atoms.
Introduction: The β-thalassaemia is one of the haemoglobinopathies related to genetic disorders. It occurs due to mutation in β-gene of autosome 11. In India, it affects 1-7% of couples annually. ...Reports are available in few states of India about β-thalassaemia affected families. But much data is not reported in families of various states of India. Further, the incidence of case index and mutations in parents and siblings of these families are limited. Aim: To analyse patient case index and mutation analysis of parents and siblings {Children and Chorionic villus sampling/ Amniotic fluid (CVS/AF) cases} of 30 families of India and to develop preventive measures. Materials and Methods: A total of 101 referral cases of 30 families filled consent forms and then blood was drawn in a sterilised tube from each case (71) for the study. The AF/ CVS (30) were also included. The red cell markers like Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV), Red Cell Distribution Width (RDW) etc., biochemical, case types and molecular analysis were done using respective techniques for red cell indices, Haemoglobin (Hb) types and mutation analysis. Results: We report a number of 30 referral families (101 cases) having parents (60), children (11) and CVS/AF samples (30) for their β-thalassaemia, as these traits also cause β-gene mutations. Out of these 101 cases, 88 (87%) cases were positive for this disease. Only 74 (73%) were detected carriers. The case analysis in present cohort indicated parents (56.5%), CVS/AF (19.8%) and proband (children) (10.9%) were found affected. All children moreover, were affected and did, not have CVS/AF samples. The mutations analysis, indicated c.92+G>C (50/94; 53.19%) was maximum and parents contributed 62% followed by siblings (38%) with CVS/AF (22%) and proband (16%) in present cohort. Thus, in the present study, mutation analysis further pointed out that parents transmit these to the offsprings in the subsequent generation who would be the targets of thalassaemia disease. Conclusion: The present study, points out that mutations transfer from parents to offspring follows the laws of inheritance. Case index study showed parents constituted high percent of cases followed by CVS/AF and children/probands, comparable to mutation analysis in present cohort. Hence, carrier parents must undergo counseling and genetic testing to confirm their genetic disorder to limit the burden of the disease.
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