Effect of Sodium Lauryl Sulphate and TweenR80 on the Therapeutic Efficacy of Glibenclamide Tablet Formulations in Terms of BSL Lowering in Rabbits and Diabetic Human Volunteers

Glibenclamide has limited gastrointestinal absorption. Therefore, different concentrations of sodium lauryl sulphate and tween^R80 were included into the tablet formulations to increase the absorption of the drug and hence, to enhance the BSL lowering in rabbits and human volunteers suffering from maturity onset diabetes mellitus. It was found that the surfactants had enhanced both the rate and extent of BSL lowering in rabbits as well as in diabetic patients in higher concentrations present in the tablet formulations.     

Effect of Calcium Lactate, 4-Hexyl Resorcinol and Vacuum Packing on Physico-chemical, Sensory and Microbiological Qualities of Minimally Processed Litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.)

Litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) fruits are very susceptible to pericarp browning which adversely affects consumer acceptability even though the aril portion remains in excellent condition. Litchi arils (litchis) were treated with a solution containing 0–2% (w/v) calcium lactate (CL), 0–0.02% (w/v) 4‐hexyl resorcinol (4‐HR) and 1% potassium sorbate. The pH of solution was adjusted to 4.0 with citric acid. Treated litchis were packed in polystyrene trays, over‐wrapped with polypropylene film, vacuum‐packed (0, 47409.3, 94831.9 Pa) and stored at 4 ± 2 °C. Drip losses, pH, total soluble solids (TSS), sensory attributes and microbiological quality of stored samples were estimated. A four‐factor, three‐level experimental design (D₆ Hokes design) with 19 experiments was chosen. Mathematical models were developed to analyse and predict the effect of CL, 4‐HR, in‐package vacuum and storage time on the responses. TSS, pH and sensory scores decreased significantly (P 0.01), whereas drip losses and microbial count increased significantly (P 0.01) with time. Drip loss was significantly (P 0.1) reduced by addition of CL. 4‐HR prevented browning and changes in colour score during storage were significantly less. Vacuum in packages exerted significant (P 0.01) effect over pH, TSS, sensory and microbiological qualities of minimally processed litchis.     

Thermogravimetry and wide angle X-ray diffraction study on the structure of irradiated and thermally treated kodar film

The degradation behaviour of Kodar [poly(1,4-cyclohexylene dimethyl-eneterephthalate)] was investigated in air using thermogravimetry, differential thermal analysis and wide angle X-ray diffraction studies. The rates of crystallization and degradation were influenced by thermal exposure and polychromatic irradiation (Λ > 290 nm) for different time intervals. The crystallinity changes (X_c%) and activation energies (ΔE) for the systems have been determined.     

Preparation,structural elucidation,molecular weight determination,and molecular recognition of first‐ and second‐tier dendrimer molecules

1,3,5‐Triglyceratetriazine [first tier (G₁)] and tri(1,3,5‐triglycerate) triazine [second tier (G₂)] dendrimers were prepared with 1,3,5‐trichlorotriazine and sodium glycerate in a 1 : 3 mass ratio in an ethanolic medium.G₁ and G₂ were amorphous, white, solid substances. Their structures were elucidated with IR, ¹H‐NMR, and ¹³C‐NMR, and their thermal stability was studied with thermogravimetric analysis. The activation energy was calculated with the Freeman–Carroll model. Densities, viscosities, and surface tensions for 0.01–0.08 mol/kg aqueous solutions increased at 0.01 mol/kg for sodium glycerate, 1,3,5‐trichlorotriazine, 1,3,5‐triazine triglycerate chloride, G₁, and G₂. These values were measured at 298.15 K. The apparent molal volume, reduced viscosity, and inherent viscosity were calculated from the densities and viscosities, respectively. The data were regressed for the limiting densities, limiting apparent molal volumes, intrinsic viscosities, limiting inherent viscosities, and limiting surface tensions for solute–solvent interactions. The positive limiting apparent molal volume values were noted in the order of G₂ > 1,3,5‐triazine triglycerate chloride > G₁ > 1,3,5‐trichlorotriazine > sodium glycerate, with weaker hydrophilic intermolecular interactions of G₂. The higher intrinsic viscosity and limiting inherent viscosity values for G₂ implied stronger G₂–H₂O hydrophilic interactions, and the higher limiting apparent molal volume of G₂ indicated slightly higher dynamic conformational changes in comparison with G₁, with stronger structural activities. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008     

Instrumental characterization of clay by XRF,XRD and FTIR

Instrumental characterizations of the clay were performed by different techniques such as XRF, XRD and FTIR. XRF shows the chemical compositions of the clay where Al-oxide and silica oxide are present in major quantity whereas XRD confirms the presence of these minerals in clay. FTIR studies show the presence of quartz, alumina, haematite and different mineral matters.     

Metallurgical Investigation of a Prematurely Failed Concentric Reducer Tube Used in a Hot-Rolling Mill

A concentric reducer tube, which was a part of the top exit roughing hydraulic descaler in a hot strip mill failed prematurely under working pressure. A detailed metallurgical investigation comprising physical examination, optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and electron probe microanalysis was carried out to find out the genesis of the failure. Physical examination revealed cracks located symmetrically around the circumference of the tube that ran along its full length, up to the weld beads at both ends. Optical microscopy of etched samples revealed a banded ferrite-pearlite structure and the existence of forging folds near the change-in-section(160° fillets). Cracks were found to initiate from these forging folds. No structural abnormalities were found in the weld beads and heat-affected zones.     

Thermal Analysis of CNT-Based Nano-Composites by Element Free Galerkin Method

This paper deals with the thermal analysis of carbon nanotube (CNT) based composites by meshless element free Galerkin method. Cylindrical representative volume element (cylindrical RVE) has been chosen to evaluate the thermal properties of nano-composites using multi-domain and simplified approaches. The values of temperature have been calculated at different points and plotted against RVE length and RVE radius. A sensitivity analysis of RVE as well as CNT dimensions has been carried out in detail. The present computations show that the equivalent thermal conductivity is a function of CNT length, CNT radius, RVE length and RVE radius. Based on present numerical simulations, an approximate formula is proposed to calculate the equivalent thermal conductivity of nano-composites. The results obtained by simplified approach have been found in good agreement with those obtained by multi-domain approach.     

Recommendations for the prevention of coronary artery disease in Asians: a scientific statement of the International College of Nutrition

PURPOSE: Two types of glass wool were used to remove leukocytes in semen for evaluation of reactive oxygen species production by spermatozoa in oligozoospermic patients with leukocytospermia. METHODS: Semen samples were prepared using fine-structure glass wool (SpermFertil) and coarse-structure glass wool. In each treatment group, native semen was evaluated for sperm concentration, percentage motility, viability, leukocyte concentration, and production of reactive oxygen species. RESULTS: Electron microscopically, SpermFertil showed a higher number of leukocytes attached to the fibers compared to coarse-structure glass wool. Leukocytes in native semen and after glass wool filtration as determined by peroxidase cytochemistry confirmed this observation. Reactive oxygen species decreased from 45.303 counts/10(7) viable cells in native semen to 15.806 counts/10(7) cells in coarse structure wool and 7.465 counts/10(7) cells in Spermfertil, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Removal of leukocytes from semen of oligozoospermic patients by means of glass wool filtration is a useful method to distinguish production of reactive oxygen species by leukocytes versus sperm cells.     

Enumeration of minimal cutsets from matrix representation of directed/undirected networks

This paper describes an algorithm for finding the minimal cutsets between a specified source and terminal nodes of directed/undirected networks. Adjacent nodes of a source node/merged node are determined by the collection of node numbers of columns corresponding to non-zero elements of the first row of the adjacency matrix to form the reduced adjacency matrix (RAM) corresponding to merged nodes. Connectivity of RAM has been checked to obtain the minimal cutsets.