Effect of vitamin E and mannitol on renal calcium oxalate retention in experimental nephrolithiasis

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of laser laparoscopic photocoagulation of endometriomas (2-18 cm) in patients with pain, infertility, or a combination of the two. DESIGN: Retrospective review of all patients with endometriomas from June 1, 1983, to December 31, 1993. SETTING: Department of gynecology and obstetrics at a district general hospital and national training center in minimal access surgery. PATIENTS: One hundred sixty-five women with large endometriomas present at the time of laser laparoscopy. INTERVENTIONS: Carbon dioxide laser or potassium-titanyl-phosphate laser laparoscopic surgery. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Ninety (74%) of 122 patients reported improvement or resolution of pain; and 30 of 66 achieved a pregnancy, for a cumulative conception rate of 45%. CONCLUSION: Laser laparoscopy is a practical, safe, and effective technique for the management of large ovarian endometriomas.     

Monte Carlo simulation of hydrogen absorption in palladium and palladium–silver alloys

A modified Monte Carlo (MC) simulation was performed to investigate the hydrogen absorption behavior in Pd and Pd–Ag alloys of the composition Pd_xAg_1−x (x=0.7–0.8) under H₂ pressure (0.1 MPa) at different temperatures. The present method employed can consider the dissociative adsorption of hydrogen molecule and the subsequent absorption of hydrogen atom by formalizing the relationship between the pressure of hydrogen molecule and hydrogen atom. The potential parameters were determined to reproduce the solution enthalpy of hydrogen in pure metals. The results are in good agreement with experimental findings as well as previous theoretical studies. We confirmed that our method is useful to simulate the absorption of hydrogen in metals and alloys.     

Synthesis, Characterization and Catalytic Properties of Mesoporous Cobalt Aluminophosphate Molecular Sieves

Isomorphously substituted cobalt(II) hexagonal mesoporous aluminophosphate (CoHMA) molecular sieves were synthesized hydrothermally and characterized by various analytical and spectroscopic techniques. It was deduced that cobalt ions exhibit a divalent oxidation state in tetrahedral coordination in mesoporous aluminophosphates. Further, unlike cobalt-containing microporous aluminophosphate molecular sieves, Co(II) ions remain in a tetrahedral geometry even after calcination. The catalytic activity of CoHMA was tested for the cyclohexane oxidation reaction under mild conditions. Remarkable substrate conversion and product (cyclohexanol) selectivity were obtained compared to several previously reported heterogeneous catalysts.     

Influence ofβ-cyclodextrin as an encapsule and as an inclusion complex dopant on conducting polyaniline

An investigation on the effect ofβ-cyclodextrin (CD) in both free and inclusion-complexed forms with a guest anionic metal complex, dioxalatodiaquochromate(III) (DDC), on the characteristics of conducting polyaniline (PANI) is carried out. Four materials, PANI (i.e. PANI-SO ₄ ²⁻ ), PANI-DDC, PANI-CD and PANI-CD + DDC were prepared byin situ chemical oxidative polymerization in aqueous H ₂SO₄ at pH 1 and subjected to electrical conductivity and spectral (IR and UV-vis bd measurements. DDC and CD when separately incorporated, reduce the conductivity of PANI by about half whilst their inclusion complex CD + DDC enhances it. Spectral characterization reveals that DDC as a dopant and CD as an encapsule exhibit their effects through adverse interaction with imine-amine N centres and benzenoid moiety of PANI. The inclusion complex CD + DDC, on the contrary, functions as a dopant by lying in between the chains and seems to promote the extended conformation of PANI chain and hence theπ -electron delocalization. Exposure of the material to methanol vapour causes a decrease in conductivity in PANI and PANI-CD while an increase in PANI-CD + DDC. This study makes explicit the distinct role of CD as an encapsule and CD + DDC inclusion complex as a dopant in altering the electrical property of PANI.     

Antifungal activity of five different essential oils in vapour phase for the control of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and Lasiodiplodia theobromae in vitro and on mango

Mango fruit has high commercial value; however, major postharvest losses are encountered throughout the supply chain due to postharvest diseases. These results lead to the search for natural fungicide for postharvest diseases control. The antifungal effects of five essential oils (thyme, clove, cinnamon, anise and vitex) were assessed by disc volatilisation method. Thyme oil vapours at 5 μL per Petriplate, and clove and cinnamon oil at 8 μL per Petriplate showed 100% growth inhibition of mango pathogens in vitro. GC/MS analysis of essential oil showed thymol (23.88), o‐cymol (23.88) and terpinolene (23.88) as the major constituents of thyme oil. Clove and cinnamon oils contain 3‐allyl‐2‐methoxyphenol (37.42%) and benzofuran 3‐methyl (17.97%), respectively. Thyme oil as a fumigant at 66.7 μL L^?1 showed a significant (P < 0.05) inhibition on postharvest pathogens of mango fruits stored at 25 °C for 6 days. Results of our study suggest the possibility of using thyme oil as an alternate natural fungicide to manage postharvest diseases in mango.     

Hydrogen permeation during zinc-manganese alloy plating

Electrodeposition of metals from solution is usually accompanied by the simultaneous discharge of hydrogen ions or water molecules. When hydrogen is liberated at an iron/steel surface during electrodeposition, a portion of the hydrogen is absorbed by the metal surface and then diffuses into the interior. The diffused hydrogen produces some detrimental effects, such as reduction in ductility and loss in mechanical strength, leading to hydrogen embrittlement. The present paper reports investigations on hydrogen permeation measurements in zinc-manganese alloy deposition using a modified electrode clamp for easy removal and fixing of the electrode. Hydrogen permeation studies indicate that the porosity of the deposit increases in the following order:Zn-Mn(14.3%), Zn-Mn(2.4%), Zn-Mn(24.8%) and Zn-Mn(37.5%).This is in agreement with the corrosion data obtained which indicates that Zn-Mn alloy deposits with low manganese content show better performance than pure zinc deposits.     

The entrapment of UO2 in mesoporous MCM-41 and MCM-48 molecular sieves

A method based on direct template-ion-exchange was employed for the entrapment of UO₂²⁺ ions in MCM-41 and MCM-48 molecular sieves via swapping of cetyltrimethylammonium cations present in the mesoporous channels by the UO₂²⁺ ions in an aqueous solution. The samples were characterized by XRD, FT-IR, and ICP-AES techniques. The entrapment of UO₂²⁺ ions is facilitated by the large pore size vis-a-vis the high surfactant content in the as-synthesized host materials. A higher loading of UO₂²⁺ ions was achieved in MCM-48 as compared to MCM-41, which could be attributed to its three-dimensional pore system and higher surfactant-to-silica ratio. FT-IR results provide an evidence of a strong binding of UO₂²⁺ groups with the defect silica sites of mesoporous molecular sieves.     

Influence of chain length of diol on the swelling behavior of citric acid based pH sensitive polymeric hydrogels: A green approach

Synthesis of pH‐sensitive hydrogels of citric acid with varying diol units viz., 1,2 Ethane diol, 1,4 butane diol, and 1,6 hexane diol along with methacrylic acid towards the solventless green approach. The formations of the hydrogels were identified using FTIR spectroscopy. Thermal characterization (thermo gravimetric analysis, differential thermal analysis (DTA), and differential scanning calorimetry) and morphology of the synthesized hydrogels have been investigated. Swelling studies of hydrogels in various pH ranging from 4.0 to 10.0 have been investigated. The results of the swelling studies implied that percentage of swelling comparatively higher at neutral pH (7.4) than at acidic and alkaline pH. The inverse relationship was noticed, where ascending the diol units of hydrogel in swelling equilibrium. The hydrogels with the increasing chain length show a noticeable pH sensitivity and which could be considered as smart hydrogel. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 41403.