Development of topical gel containing aceclofenac-crospovidone solid dispersion by “Quality by Design (QbD)” approach

This article describes the development, optimization, and evaluation of Carbopol 940 topical gel containing aceclofenac-crospovidone (1:4) solid dispersion using “Quality by Design (QbD)” approach based on 2³ factorial design. The effect of crospovidone, tri-ethanolamine, and ethyl alcohol amount on the drug permeation profile of the topical gel containing aceclofenac-crospovidone solid dispersion was optimized by 2³ factorial design. The optimized gel showed improved permeation profile with cumulative drug permeation of 26.262 ± 2.157%, and permeation flux of 0.059 ± 0.011 μg/cm²/h. These gels were characterized by pH, viscosity, gel strength and FTIR study. The in vivo anti-inflammatory activity of the optimized gel was evaluated in rats using carrageenan-induced rat-paw oedema model and found excellent anti-inflammatory comparable with a marketed gel without producing any skin irritation.     

Phytol Derivatives as Drug Resistance Reversal Agents

Phytol was chemically transformed into fifteen semi‐synthetic derivatives, which were evaluated for their antibacterial and drug resistance reversal potential in combination with nalidixic acid against E. coli strains CA8000 and DH5α. The pivaloyl ( 4 ), 3,4,5‐trimethoxybenzoyl ( 9 ), 2,3‐dichlorobenzoyl ( 10 ), cinnamoyl ( 11 ), and aldehyde ( 14 ) derivatives of phytol ((2E,7R,11R)‐3,7,11,15‐tetramethyl‐2‐hexadecen‐1‐ol) were evaluated by using another antibiotic, tetracycline, against the MDREC‐KG4 clinical isolate of E. coli. Derivative 4 decreased the maximal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the antibiotics by 16‐fold, while derivatives 9 , 10 , 11 , and 14 reduced MIC values of the antibiotics up to eightfold against the E. coli strains. Derivatives 4 , 9 , 10 , 11 , and 14 inhibited the ATP‐dependent efflux pump; this was also supported by their in silico binding affinity and down‐regulation of the efflux pump gene yojI, which encodes the multidrug ATP‐binding cassette transporter protein. This study supports the possible use of phytol derivatives in the development of cost‐effective antibacterial combinations.     

Electrophoretic Deposition of Zirconia Thin Film on Nonconducting Substrate for Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Application

Electrophoretic deposition (EPD) of 8 mol% yttria‐stabilized zirconia (YSZ) electrolyte thin film has been carried out onto nonconducting porous NiO‐YSZ cermet anode substrate using a fugitive and electrically conducting polymer interlayer for solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) application. Such polymer interlayer burnt out during the high‐temperature sintering process (1400°C for 6 h) leaving behind a well adhered, dense, and uniform ceramic YSZ electrolyte film on the top of the porous anode substrate. The EPD kinetics have been studied in depth. It is found that homogeneous and uniform film could be obtained onto the polymer‐coated substrate at an applied voltage of 15 V for 1 min. After the half‐cell (anode + electrolyte) is co‐fired at 1400°C, a suitable cathode composition (La_0.65Sr_0.3MnO₃) thick film paste is screen printed on the top of the sintered YSZ electrolyte. A second stage of sintering of such cathode thick film at 1100°C for 2 h finally yield a single cell SOFC. Such single cell produced a power output of 0.91 W/cm² at 0.7 V when measured at 800°C using hydrogen and oxygen as fuel and oxidant, respectively.     

Thermal analysis of randomly oriented carbon nanotube reinforced functionally graded timoshenko beam

The unique thermal properties of carbon nanotubes (CNT) are utilized to increase the use of functionally graded material (FGM) at higher temperatures which resulted in introduction of a new type of material called as functionally graded carbon nanotube-reinforced composites (FG-CNTRCs). To use the FG-CNTRCs at elevated temperatures, their thermal analysis is very important. In this context, this article presents the thermal analysis of a CNT based FG Timoshenko beam. Material properties distribution is assumed to vary along the thickness direction according to power law distribution and linear distributions. Finite difference method is implemented to find out the temperature distribution. Using first order shear deformation theory (FSDT), expressions for strains and stresses are obtained. The results are compared with temperature distribution according to power law. The effect of CNT distribution on strains and stresses is also observed. Based on these results important conclusions have been drawn.     

Low-temperature machining in a fully submerged cryogenic environment

The role of an immersive cryogenic environment in affecting material response in machining was explored using dynamometry, calorimetry, electron microscopy, and microindentation. Effects of tool rake angle on energy dissipation, stored energy of cold work, deformed microstructure, and hardening were evaluated for machining under a fully submerged cryogenic cutting environment and a dry cutting environment. Sustained immersion of the cutting zone in liquid nitrogen resulted in greater energy dissipation and hardening in the work and machined subsurface. This increased hardening at low temperature was directly linked to greater microstructure refinement and a lower fraction of dissipated energy stored in the form of added defects and grain boundaries. Various microstructure types with domain sizes from microscale to nanoscale were developed in the machined chips, depending on the rake angle and temperature used.     

Improvement of nonisothermal oxidation behavior of fe and fe-cr alloys by superficially applied reactive oxide coatings

The nonisothermal oxidation behavior of pure iron and a few iron-chromium alloys in dry air has been studied. The effects of a superficial coating of a reactive oxide, CeO₂, on the oxidation behavior were studied. Linear heating rates of 3 K/min and 6 K/min were maintained up to a final temperature ranging from 1273–1473 K. Coatings were applied either from a slurry or an aqueous bath. The CeO₂ coating has been found to be effective not only in decreasing the nonisothermal oxidation rate but also in improving the scale adherence. Moreover, the coated samples withstood a number of heating cycles without scale rupture. The mass gain of the samples as a function of temperature was recorded by means of a sensitive balance, and the scales have been characterized by SEM, EPMA, and x-ray diffraction analysis.     

Dynamics of a viscoelastic rotor shaft using augmenting thermodynamic fields—A finite element approach

Modelling viscoelastic materials is always difficult since such materials store energy as well as dissipate it to the thermal domain. Whereas modelling the elastic behaviour is easy, modelling the energy dissipation mechanism poses difficulty. This paper presents a theoretical study of the dynamics of a viscoelastic rotor-shaft system, where the internal material damping in the rotor-shaft introduces a rotary force well known to cause instability of the rotor-shaft system. An efficient modelling technique that assumes coupled (thermo-mechanical) augmenting thermodynamic field (ATF) to derive the constitutive relationships is found more suitable in comparison with the viscous and hysteric damping models, and is used to model the viscoelastic rotor material. Dynamic behaviour of an aluminium rotor is predicted through viscoelastic modelling of the continuum to take into account the effect of internal material damping. Stability limit speed (SLS) and unbalance response (UBR) amplitude are used as two indices to study the dynamics. It is observed that, the ATF approach predicts more reliable SLS and UBR amplitude in comparison with the viscous and hysteretic model of rotor-internal damping. Composite rotor-shaft assumed by reinforcing the aluminium matrix with carbon fibre is found to postpone the critical speeds and thus make available, higher speed of rotor operation and lower UBR amplitude in comparison with pure aluminium rotor-shaft. Finite element method is used for modelling and analysis.     

Approaches to improve the properties of wood fiber reinforced cementitious composites

In an attempt to improve the workability, stability, and physical and mechanical properties of wood fiber-reinforced cementitious composites (WFRCs), alkali-activated blended cements have been explored for their compatibility with various wood fibers such as hardwood fiber, recycled newspaper fiber and recycled kraft paper fiber. Methods including high shear mixing, modifying the cement matrix with silica fume, and molding pressure were evaluated as means for further strengthening the wood fiber-reinforced cement composites. Flexural strengths up to 40 MPa. along with enhanced toughness have been achieved.     

dc field-induced optical second harmonic generation from metal-electrolyte interfaces

Metal—electrolyte interfaces are associated with a strong ( 10⁸ V m⁻¹) electrostatic field. When such an interface is studied with second harmonic generation, this field can complicate the optical data by introducing a thrid-order electronic response of the metal. A theoretical framework is presented here for analyzing these dc field-affected second harmonic results for polycrystalline metal electrodes. The macroscopic features of the surface nonlinear polarization are analyzed. It is also shown explicitly that the dc field does not alter the characteristic polarization and angular dependencies of surface second harmonic generation.     

Preparation of glycol derivatives of partially hydrogenated soybean oil fatty acids and their potential as lubricants

Glycol diesters and mixtures of mono- and diesters have been prepared from methyl esters of partially hydrogenated soybean oil fatty acids and diethylene, dipropylene, neopentyl and triethylene glycols. The catalyst used in these reactions was a mixture of calcium acetate/barium acetate (3∶1, w/w). The reactions were carried out under nitrogen with 0.5% catalyst at temperatures in the range of 190–275°C. Borated esters of mixed mono- and diesters were prepared with 0.33 equivalent of boric acid per 1.0 equivalent hydroxyl group on the ester. Refractive indices, viscosities, and flash and fire points were determined for diesters, mixed mono- and diesters, and mixed diesters and borated esters. The viscosities, flash points and fire points indicate that these esters can be used as a component of lubricating oils. Wear-prevention characteristics of mixed diesters and borated esters indicated that they can be used as antifriction additives in lubricating oils. Lecture presented at the joint meeting of the International Society for Fat Research and the American Oil Chemists' Society in Toronto, May 10, 1992.