Formulation and validation of a mathematical model for a naturally ventilated greenhouse with shading nets in warm and humid climate of India

A thermal model is developed to investigate the suitability of a simple, inexpensive and naturally ventilated greenhouse with shading nets in warm and humid climatic condition for off-season cultivation of vegetables like okra, cucumber, etc. during winter. These vegetables are generally grown during summer and the rainy season. The study was conducted from November 2011 to February 2012 in OUAT, Bhubaneswar, and Odisha where warm and humid climate usually prevails. Air temperatures inside the greenhouse with shading net were only 1–2°C higher during peak sunny hours and considerably 3–5°C more during night hours compared with ambient air temperatures. Lowering of air temperature during peak sunny hours and increasing during the night due to use of shading nets would become favourable for growing off-season vegetables in naturally ventilated greenhouse. Predicted values of air and plant temperatures were found to be in close agreement with experimental values.     

Effect of Polysaccharides on the Properties of the Mucoadhesive Poly(Vinyl Alcohol) Multicore–Shell Microparticles

This study discusses about the effect of polysaccharides (agar, gum tragacanth, and guar gum) on the properties of the core (organogel)–shell [poly(vinyl alcohol)] microparticles. The size, swelling, and mucoadhesive properties of the poly(vinyl alcohol) microparticles were altered in the presence of the polysaccharides. Thermal analysis confirmed the presence of organogels within the microparticles. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed the presence of the polysaccharides within the microparticles. The microparticles were biocompatible in nature. Drug release indicated that an alteration in the shell composition can be used for altering drug release. Ciprofloxacin-loaded microparticles showed sufficient antimicrobial efficiency.     

Sandwich type organic-inorganic hybrid of 3d–4f heterometallic containing germanotungstates [{Cu2(1,10-phen)2(μ-CH3COO)2}Ln(α-GeW11O39)2]11 −: Syntheses,crystal structures,magnetic and photoluminescence properties

Alkali salts of organic-inorganic hybrid 3d-4f heterometallic containing derivatives of sandwich type germanotungstates: [{Cu₂(1,10-phen)₂(μ-CH₃COO)₂}Ln(α-GeW₁₁O₃₉)₂]^11 − [Ln = Pr^III (1a), Nd^III (2a), Sm^III (3a), Eu^III (4a), Gd^III (5a); 1,10-phen = 1.10-phenanthroline] have been prepared in the aqueous potassium acetate buffer (pH 4.7) solution. All these compounds were synthesized following by one pot reaction procedure under mild reaction conditions. All compounds were isolated as mixed alkali sodium/potassium salts from the solution and used for further structural characterization by single crystal XRD, powder-XRD, FT-IR, liquid UV/vis, solid state photoluminescence spectroscopy and thermo-gravimetric analysis. FT-IR spectra and powder-XRD pattern suggest that all compounds (1a–5a) are isomorphous. Further single crystal XRD analysis shows that all these compounds exhibit sandwich-type [Ln(α-GeW₁₁O₃₉)₂]^13 − structural feature in the polyoxoanions as the fundamental building block units, and the copper complexes coordinated with 1,10-phen and acetate ligands are coordinated to the terminal oxygen of the polyanion. The compounds 1a, 3a and 4a show good photoluminescence properties at room temperature. The compound 5a shows weak ferromagnetic behavior.     

Gelatin‐carbohydrate phase‐separated hydrogels as bioactive carriers in vaginal delivery: Preparation and physical characterizations

The current study focuses on the alteration of properties of the gelatin hydrogels using polysaccharides (e.g., maltodextrin, dextran, and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose) for probable use in vaginal delivery of antimicrobials. The hydrogels were prepared by varying the proportions of gelatin and polysaccharides and were characterized by microscopy, mechanical testing, and impedance spectroscopy. Metronidazole (MZ), drug of choice for the treatment of bacterial vaginosis, was incorporated within the hydrogels. In vitro release studies of MZ from the hydrogels was studied in‐depth using modified Franz's diffusion cell. Antimicrobial efficiency of the MZ‐loaded hydrogels was tested against E. coli and B. subtilis. The results suggested that the incorporation of polysaccharides resulted in the phase‐separated hydrogels. The properties of the hydrogels was found be suitable for vaginal delivery. The drug release and antimicrobial efficiency from the hydrogels suggested that the developed hydrogels may be used for the delivery of antimicrobials in the vaginal lumen. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014 , 131, 40445.     

Palm oil‐based organogels and microemulsions for delivery of antimicrobial drugs

This study has been designed to develop palm oil (PO) based organogels using span 80/tween 80 mixture (OG) as a gelator system by fluid‐filled structure mechanism. The results suggested formation of organogels, emulsions, and microemulsions as the proportions of PO, OG and water were varied. The emulsions were found to be thermodynamically unstable as compared to the organogels and the microemulsions. Accelerated thermal stability test suggested that all the microemulsions and the organogels of only eight compositions were stable. The organogels showed viscoelastic property while the microemulsions showed viscous flow behavior. Both the organogels and the microemulsions were found to be highly hemocompatible and nonirritant. The antimicrobial efficiency of the ciprofloxacin HCl‐loaded formulations showed equivalent efficiency as compared to marketed formulations. The rates of drug release from the organogels were found to be relatively slower as compared to the microemulsions. The preliminary studies suggested that the developed organogel and microemulsion‐based formulations may be tried for topical delivery of antimicrobials. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2014 , 131, 39979.     

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.     

Low temperature oxidation of coals—a calorimetric study

The rates of heat liberation and oxygen consumption due to coal oxidation were measured in the temperature range 20–170 °C using coals ranging from subbituminous to anthracite. It was found that the Elovitch equation fit the results for the heat generation rate excellently when it was modified slightly to include a corrective term representing the heat generation rate at the steady state. The oxygen consumption rate at a given temperature was found to be proportional to the product of the internal surface area and oxygen content of the coals, indicating that the oxygen containing surface groups are acting as reactive sites. Using these results, the heat evolved per mole of oxygen at steady state was calculated to be 75–90 kcal/mol.     

Evidence for a crystal-amorphous interphase in PVDF and PVDF/PMMA blends

Dielectric relaxation studies and absolute small-angle X-ray investigations give evidence that amorphous interlamellar regions in partially crystalline PVDF/PMMA blends consist of two phases: a pure amorphous PVDF phase and a homogeneously mixed PVDF/PMMA phase. The local phase separation which occurs, despite favourable interactions between PMMA and PVDF, is attributed to a PVDF crystal-amorphous interphase which rejects PMMA segments. The thickness of this interphase is found to be of the order of 2.5 nm.