Indian Institute of Technology Palakkad&nbsp;(IIT Palakkad or IIT PKD) is a public autonomous&nbsp;engineering&nbsp;and&nbsp;research&nbsp;institute located in&nbsp;Palakkad,&nbsp;Kerala. It was&nbsp;one of the five new&nbsp;IITs&nbsp;proposed in the&nbsp;2014 Union budget of India. The campus was inaugurated on 3 August 2015. The institute has 94 faculty, 978 students, and 63 non-teaching staffs.

IT Palakkad currently offers four-year Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) and two years MS programmes in 8 different engineering disciplines including&nbsp;Computer Science, Electrical, Mechanical, Civil among others.

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IIT Palakkad

In this study, a simple TAMRA (tetramethyl-6-carboxyrhodamine) quenching-based aptasensing platform was designed for the detection of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1). Here, we compared the analytical performance of two aptamer sequences: seqA and seqB. The AFB1 detection was based on the interactions of FAM (carboxyfluorescein)-labeled aptamer with TAMRA-labeled DNA complementary strand in the presence and absence of target analyte. Under optimized experimental conditions, TAMRA-labeled strand quenched the fluorescence response of FAM-labeled aptamer due to the noncovalent interaction between the two DNA strands. The binding of AFB1 induced the complex formation and weakened the interaction between FAM-labeled aptamer and TAMRA-labeled complementary strand, resulting in the fluorescence recovery. By using this principle concept, an assay was constructed for the detection of AFB1. The method exhibited good sensitivity, good selectivity with a limit of detection of 0.2 ng ml−1, and a wide linear range from 0.25 to 32 ng ml−1. For real sample application, the aptasensors were tested in beer and wine samples, with good recovery rates obtained for AFB1 detection. © 2016 Elsevier Inc.

Department of Chemistry

World University root node

Analytical Biochemistry

Tetramethyl-6-carboxyrhodamine quenching-based aptasensing platform for aflatoxin B1: Analytical performance comparison of two aptamers

Trinuclear complexes of group 6, 8 and 9 transition metals with a (μ3-BH) ligand [(μ3-BH)(Cp*Rh)2(μ-CO)M′(CO)5], 3 and 4 (3: M′=Mo; 4: M′=W) and 5–8, [(Cp*Ru)3(μ3-CO)2(μ3-BH)(μ3-E)(μ-H){M′(CO)3}] (5: M′=Cr, E=CO; 6: M′=Mo, E=CO; 7: M′=Mo, E=BH; 8: M′=W, E=CO), have been synthesized from the reaction between nido-[(Cp*M)2B3H7] (nido-1: M=Rh; nido-2: M=RuH, Cp*=η5-C5Me5) and [M′(CO)5⋅thf] (M′=Mo and W). Compounds 3 and 4 are isoelectronic and isostructural with [(μ3-BH)(Cp*Co)2(μ-CO)M′(CO)5], (M′=Cr, Mo and W) and [(μ3-BH)(Cp*Co)2(μ-CO)(μ-H)2M′′H(CO)3], (M′′=Mn and Re). All compounds are composed of a bridging borylene ligand (B−H) that is effectively stabilized by a trinuclear framework. In contrast, the reaction of nido-1 with [Cr(CO)5⋅thf] gave [(Cp*Rh)2Cr(CO)3(μ-CO)(μ3-BH)(B2H4)] (9). The geometry of 9 can be viewed as a condensed polyhedron composed of [Rh2Cr(μ3-BH)] and [Rh2CrB2], a tetrahedral and a square pyramidal geometry, respectively. The bonding of 9 can be considered by using the polyhedral fusion formalism of Mingos. All compounds have been characterized by using different spectroscopic studies and the molecular structures were determined by using single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim

Chemistry–A European Journal

New trinuclear complexes of group 6, 8 and 9 metals with a triply bridging borylene ligand

Objectives. Laryngeal mask airway (LMA) is an important alternative to endotracheal intubation for all professional voice users undergoing surgery. However, dysphonia is a known complication of LMA Proseal (PLMA) use. The i-gel airway (IGA) provides adequate airway seal without the need for an inflatable cuff. Hence, it helps to minimize the risk of tissue compression. This study compares effect of PLMA and IGA on voice at 24th hour after anesthesia. Design. This is a double-blind randomized clinical trial. Methods. Ninety anesthesiologists class 1 adults scheduled for surgeries lasting up to 60-120 minutes were included in the study. Participants were randomly allocated to group PLMA (n = 43) and group IGA (n = 43). Cuff pressure was monitored and maintained at just seal pressure in group PLMA. Voice was evaluated using perceptive and acoustic analysis (jitter, shimmer, and harmonics-to-noise ratio {[}HNR]) preoperatively and at 24th hour after anesthesia. Voice of patients with pharyngolaryngeal complaints was categorized into rough, breathy, asthenic, strain, or normal pattern. Results. Acoustic parameters jitter, shimmer, and HNR deteriorated significantly in both group PLMA and IGA albeit the change being comparable. Incidence of pharyngolaryngeal complaints was similar in both the groups. A total of 10\% patients in group PLMA and 12.5\% in group IGA developed breathy voice significant deterioration in all acoustic variables at 24th postoperative hour, but differences were not significant between group PLMA and group IGA. Conclusions. PLMA and IGA both produce comparable and significant deterioration in acoustic variables at 24th hour after short duration general anesthesia.

JOURNAL OF VOICE

Supraglottic Airway Devices and Effect on Voice-Comparison of LMA Proseal and i-gel: Double-Blind Randomized Clinical Trial

Great strides have been made in new strategies to treat cancer by derepressing effector T cells. Repressing exuberant immunity to treat autoimmune disease has not had the same level of success in the clinic. A recent study of mouse models shows a potential strategy.

Biological Sciences and Engineering

Fulltext

New England Journal of Medicine

Repressing immunity in autoimmune disease

The homophilic potential emerges as an important biological principle to boost the potency of immunoglobulins. Since homophilic antibodies in human and mouse sera exist prior environmental exposure, they are part of the natural antibody repertoire. Nevertheless, hemophilic properties are also identified in induced antibody repertoire. The use of homophilicity of antibodies in the adaptive immunity signifies an archetypic antibody structure. The unique feature of homophilicity in the antibody repertoire also highlights an important mechanism to boost the antibody potency to protect against infection and atherosclerosis as well to treat cancer patients. © 2016 Kohler, Bayry and Kaveri.

Frontiers in Immunology

The homophilic domain - An immunological archetype

Extracts of Viscum album (VA); a semi-parasitic plant, are frequently used in the complementary therapy of cancer and other immunological disorders. Various reports show that VA modulates immune system and exerts immune-adjuvant activities that might influence tumor regression. Currently, several therapeutic preparations of VA are available and hence an insight into the mechanisms of action of different VA preparations is necessary. In the present study, we performed a comparative study of five different preparations of VA on maturation and activation of human dendritic cells (DCs) and ensuing CD4+ T cell responses. Monocyte-derived human DCs were treated with VA Qu Spez, VA Qu Frf, VA M Spez, VA P and VA A. Among the five VA preparations tested VA Qu Spez, a fermented extract with a high level of lectins, significantly induced DC maturation markers CD83, CD40, HLA-DR and CD86, and secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6, IL-8, IL-12 and TNF-α. Furthermore, analysis of T cell cytokines in DC-T cell co-culture revealed that VA Qu Spez significantly stimulated IFN-γ secretion without modulating regulatory T cells and other CD4+ T cytokines IL-4, IL-13 and IL-17A. Our study thus delineates differential effects of VA preparations on DC maturation; function and T cell responses. © 2016 by the authors; licensee MDPI.

Molecules

Differential effects of Viscum album preparations on the maturation and activation of human dendritic cells and CD4+ T cell responses

CD4 + CD25 + FoxP3 + regulatory T cells (Tregs) are exploited by mycobacteria to subvert the protective host immune responses. The Treg expansion in the periphery requires signaling by professional antigen presenting cells and in particularly dendritic cells (DC). However, precise molecular mechanisms by which mycobacteria instruct Treg expansion via DCs are not established. Here we demonstrate that mycobacteria-responsive sonic hedgehog (SHH) signaling in human DCs leads to programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) expression and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2-catalyzed prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2) that orchestrate mycobacterial infection-induced expansion of Tregs. While SHH-responsive transcription factor GLI1 directly arbitrated COX-2 transcription, specific microRNAs, miR-324-5p and miR-338-5p, which target PD-L1 were downregulated by SHH signaling. Further, counter-regulatory roles of SHH and NOTCH1 signaling during mycobacterial-infection of human DCs was also evident. Together, our results establish that Mycobacterium directs a fine-balance of host signaling pathways and molecular regulators in human DCs to expand Tregs that favour immune evasion of the pathogen.

Scientific Reports

Mycobacteria-responsive sonic hedgehog signaling mediates programmed death-ligand 1-and prostaglandin e 2-induced regulatory T cell expansion

Design of new multifunctional nanocatalysts is a hot area of research that aims to introduce multiple types of active sites on a single nanocatalyst. Multifunctional nanocatalysts are useful to carry out a multi-step reaction requiring same or different active sites in a single pot. Such catalysts must possess the active sites at spatially distinct locations to avoid neutralization but yet remain active independently or through cooperative actions. The necessity of nanostructuring the active sites have emerged as the key point in a successful design of the catalysts. The review covers the progress in this area of research done in the last five years. It includes the classification of catalysts based on active sites and structure of active sites at the nanoscale. The review covers exhaustively with 250+ references and ample examples to present the concept succinctly. The review covers the evolution of multifunctional catalysts from the perspective of materials chemistry. © 2015 Elsevier B.V.

Applied Catalysis A: General

Multifunctional nanocatalysts for tandem reactions: A leap toward sustainability

In this paper, a new inverter topology is proposed for generating a multilevel dodecagonal voltage space vector structure for open-end winding induction motor (IM) using a single dc source. Dodecagonal voltage space vector structure eliminates fifth- and seventh-order harmonic voltages from phase voltage output and hence eliminates the fifth- and seventh-order harmonic currents through the motor leading to removal of the dominant sixth-order torque ripple generation in the motor over the entire modulation range. Multilevel space vector structure generates output voltage with better THD and low dv/dt. In the proposed topology, two three-level inverters drive an open-end winding IM, one inverter from each side. DC-link of primary inverter is from a dc source which delivers the entire active power, whereas the secondary inverter dc-link is maintained by a capacitor, which is self balanced during the inverter operation. The PWM scheme implemented ensures low switching frequency for primary inverter. Secondary inverter operates at a small dc-link voltage. Hence, switching losses are small for both primary and secondary inverters. Experimental results show the elimination of fifth- and seventh-order harmonic voltages over the entire modulation range, validating effectiveness of the proposed multilevel inverter scheme.

Department of Electrical Engineering

IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics

Multilevel Dodecagonal Voltage Space Vector Structure Generation for Open-End Winding im Using a Single DC Source

A fifth and seventh order harmonic elimination scheme for IM drive with a multilevel dodecagonal voltage space vector structure using a single DC source is proposed in this work. Single DC source requirement makes four quadrant operation of the drive system simpler compared to the multilevel do-decagonal structures presented in literatures before. The space vector structure consists of six concentric dodecagons, combining the advantages of multilevel operation as well as dodecagonal structure. The topology consists of a three-level flying capacitor (FC) inverter cascaded with a capacitor fed H-bridge (CHB) inverter. The FC inverter operating at high voltage switches in a quasi-square wave mode whereas the CHB inverter operating at a lower voltage switches at high frequency to remove the harmonics generated by the FC inverter. Switching losses are low, both in the FC and CHB inverters. Experiment results for open-loop V/f operation are included in this paper showing the effectiveness of the drive scheme.

2016 18th European Conference on Power Electronics and Applications, EPE 2016 ECCE Europe

A multilevel inverter fed im drive with dodecagonal voltage space vector structure using a single DC source with linear modulation range near to base speed