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Richa Baronia,1 Manjri Singh,1 Rajat B Gupta,1 Stalin Karuppiah,1 Rajiv Kumar,2 Jodi Belz,2 Rishi Shanker,3 Srinivas Sridhar,2 Surinder P Singh1 1CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, Dr KS Krishnan Marg, New Delhi, India; 2Nanomedicine Science and Technology Center, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA; 3Institute of Life Sciences, Ahmedabad University, Ahmedabad, India Abstract: Gold nanoparticles, because of their high radiation absorption coefficient and efficient generation of secondary photoelectrons, have been predicted to enhance therapeutic efficacy in radiation therapy. However, high dose for effective treatment limits their use. We have synthesized multifunctional gold nanoclusters (GNCs) that can be used for imaging and radiation therapy. The designed GNCs have been characterized for their physicochemical properties, biocompatibility, and their radiation dose enhancement potential on PC3 cell lines. Keywords: gold nanoclusters, radiation therapy

We have determined the beta(S) haplotypes in 709 patients with sickle cell anemia, 30 with SC disease, 91 with S-beta-thalassemia, and in 322 Hb S heterozygotes from different countries. The methodology concerned the detection of mutations in the promoter sequences of the (G)gamma- and (A)gamma-globin genes through dot blot analysis of amplified DNA with P-32-labeled probes, and an analysis of isolated Hb F by reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography to detect the presence of the (A)gamma(T) chain [(A)gamma-75 (E19) Ile –> Thr] that is characteristic for haplotype 17 (Cameroon). The results support previously published data obtained with conventional methodology that indicates that the beta(S) gene arose separately in different locations. The present methodology has the advantage of being relatively inexpensive and fast, allowing the collection of a vast body of data in a short period of time. It also offers the opportunity of identifying unusual beta(S) haplotypes that may be associated with a milder expression of the disease. The numerous blood samples obtained from many SS patients living in different countries made it possible to compare their hematological data. Such information is included (as average values) for 395 SS patients with haplotype 19/19, for 2 with haplotype 17/17, for 50 with haplotype 20/20, for 2 with haplotype 3/3, and for 37 with haplotype 31/31. Some information on haplotype characteristics of normal beta(A) chromosomes is also presented.

28 countries with different characteristics have been selected in order to observe the amount of time it takes for these different countries to reach stable age distributions. The individual populations by sex and age were projected for 150 years in 5-year intervals with the present constant mortality and fertility schedules by component method. Observations have been made by considering the following characteristics of population when it has acquired stability: age distribution; the rate of growth, birthrate, and mortality rate; the population change; the intrinsic rate of growth, birthrate and mortality rate; and approximate time taken to stabilize the population. The initial age distribution has a significant part in the amount of time it takes for a population to acquire stability, and its intrinsic rate of growth is mostly dependent upon the existing age distribution of that population. The time taken for a country's population to become stable depends upon the age distribution, fertility and mortality schedules at the beginning. It has been observed that countries having a higher intrinsic rate of growth take comparatively less time in acquiring stability than the countries having a lower intrinsic rate of growth. The mortality and fertility schedules of a country is another important phenomenon. The populations of the different countries at the point of stability were growing according to their rates of growth. No specific trend of population growth could be found among the groups of countries. Time taken for stabilizing the population is completely based upon age distributions, fertility and mortality schedules a particular country was having at the beginning. The range of time taken for different countries to acquire stability generally ranged from 100 to 135 years. Among the different countries the relationship for the time it takes to acquire stability has not been established. This is a hypothetical approach in order to obtain some idea as to how a population with different characteristics acts in the long run when some of its characteristics are assumed to be constant.