Biosynthesis of Graphene and Investigation of Antibacterial Activity of Graphene-parthenium hysterophorous Nanocomposite

Abstract There is a great interest to use carbon-based material like graphene and graphene oxide in biomedical applications due to its flexibility to be functionalized with bio-active molecules. Herein, graphene and graphene-based nanocomposites were biosynthesized by liquid-phase exfoliation of graphite using aqueous extract of Parthenium hysterophorous (P-H) as a surfactant. A set of five thin film samples of graphene was prepared from graphene suspension by vacuum filtration method. Samples were characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, SEM, and XRD, which revealed successful synthesis of graphene. Graphene/P-H(G/P-H) nanocomposites comprising varied ratios of graphene and P-H were prepared and their antibacterial activity was investigated by agar well diffusion method. The experimental results indicated that G/P-H nanocomposite have higher antibacterial activity than graphene alone, and bioactivity of G/P-H nanocomposite was found to be controlled by the fraction of graphene in the composite.

Gene ontology based characterization of Expressed Sequence Tags (ESTs) of Brassica rapa cv. Osome.

Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa) is widely recognized for its economic importance and contribution to human nutrition but abiotic and biotic stresses are main obstacle for its quality, nutritional status and production. In this study, 3,429 Express Sequence Tag (EST) sequences were generated from B. rapa cv. Osome cDNA library and the unique transcripts were classified functionally using a gene ontology (GO) hierarchy, Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG). KEGG orthology and the structural domain data were obtained from the biological database for stress related genes (SRG). EST datasets provided a wide outlook of functional characterization of B. rapa cv. Osome. In silico analysis revealed % 83 of ESTs to be well annotated towards reeds one dimensional concept. Clustering of ESTs returned 333 contigs and 2,446 singlets, giving a total of 3,284 putative unigene sequences. This dataset contained 1,017 EST sequences functionally annotated to stress responses and from which expression of randomly selected SRGs were analyzed against cold, salt, drought, ABA, water and PEG stresses. Most of the SRGs showed differentially expression against these stresses. Thus, the EST dataset is very important for discovering the potential genes related to stress resistance in chinese cabbage, and can be of useful resources for genetic engineering of Brassica sp.

Sonotubometry findings in patients with combined airway disease with and without associated eosinophilic otitis media

Active opening of the eustachian tube is accomplished by contraction of the paratubal muscles. Disturbance of any of the ET functions may contribute to the development of otitis media [OM] with effusion and other middle ear diseases. Sonotubometry seems to be the most [physiologic] method for assessment of ET function and has the advantage that it can be performed on ears with an intact tympanic membrane and without the use of a pressure chamber. The aim of this study was to compare the Eustachian tube function using Sonotubometry in patients with combined airway disease associated with Eosinophilic otitis media with that having combined airway disease without otitis media. This study was applied on 45 patients divided into 3 groups each of 15. 1[st] group is the control group, 2[nd] group patients with combined airway disease without Eosinophilic otitis media, 3[rd] group patients with combined airway disease associated with Eosinophilic otitis media. Our results explains that the tubal opening durations were significantly longer in patients of EOM group than in patients with combined airway disease without EOM group and also the normal control group. Sonotubometry can be performed in patients with or, without an intact tympanic membrane and under physiological conditions. Sonotubometry is also inexpensive, painless, and easy to perform in both adults and children. Therefore, it has great potential value as a diagnostic tool for individuals with suspected ET disease

Is varicocelectomy in non-obstructive azoospermic patients has an effective role?

Objective: Evaluation of the role of varicocelectomy in azoospermic patients

Patients and Methods: From Oct. 1998 to April 2007 188 nonobstructive azoospermic patients have undergone varicocelectomy; all patients were examined clinically and generally especially for the presence of varicocele, clinical or subclinical and classified in grades, testicular volume was estimated and routine investigations, including complete hormonal assay were done semen analysis for at least 3 times and U/S scrotum with Doppler for all cases. All patients were with history of primary infertility except 6 cases of secondary infertility, prevaricocelectomy and 3 to 6ms post-varicocelectomy semen parameters were compared and analyzed

Results: Postoperative semen analysis revealed overall sperm detection in 36 patients 18.8% of cases and 19 patients 10.6% of cases have shown spermatid and many spermatogenic cells in subsequent semen analysis. It was shown that 14, 8 patients [40%, 31%] respectively of huge or large preoperative varicocele were improved in detection of sperms in the ejaculate,9 patients 13% of grade II or moderate varicocele have been improved but grade I and subclinical varicocele showed little improvement. Regarding the relation with testicular volume there was significant improvement in 8,10 patients [49%, 45.6%], in cases presented with accepted or within normal testicular volume

Conclusions: Our study revealed that varicocelectomy in azoospermic patient can play an effective role in the management of male infertility and can result in pregnancy in some patients with accepted testicular volume or in the presence of preoperative large or evident varicocele, also there was considerable improvements in spermatogenesis in the other patients which could improve the assisted reproductive techniques results