The Discovery of Soft X-ray Loud Broad Absorption Line Quasars

It is been known for more than a decade that BALQSOs (broad absorption line quasars) are highly attenuated in the X-ray regime compared to other quasars, especially in the soft band ($<$ 1 keV). Using X-ray selection techniques we have found "soft X-ray loud" BALQSOs that, by definition, have soft X-ray (0.3 keV) to UV ($3000 \AA$) flux density ratios that are higher than typical nonBAL radio quiet quasars. Our sample of 3 sources includes one LoBALQSO (low ionization BALQSO) which are generally considered to be the most highly attenuated in the X-rays. The three QSOs are the only known BALQSOs that have X-ray observations that are consistent with no intrinsic soft X-ray absorption. The existence of a large X-ray luminosity and the hard ionizing continuum that it presents to potential UV absorption gas is in conflict with the ionization states that are conducive to line driving forces within BAL winds (especially for the LoBALs).Comment: To appear in ApJ Letter

Clean Technology : Limit and Limitation

The limiting of pollutant emissions from COREX and Romelt processes, non-recovery coke ovens and coke less cupola have been calculated using equilibrium analysis. The results show that main pollutants present after full utilization of the exit gases from all the processes are sulfur dioxide and nitric oxide. The former is dependent on the volatile sulfur present in the fuel and later depends on temperature of combustion and amount of air used for combustion. Lowering of combustion temperature and closer control of combustion can reduce NO load signi-cantly

Nutraceutical products from seaweeds - wonder herbs of the oceans

Seaweeds encompassing several species are common in the coastal areas of Indian subcontinent, and can be termed as the wonder herbs of the ocean due to their potential pharmaceutical properties. Marine-based resources are drawing the attention of nutraceutical industries due to their protective function against various chronic diseases and the growing demand for new compounds of ‘marine natural’ origin. Considering this, ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute developed research program to systematically search identified seaweed species for the development of promising bioactive molecules. The nutraceutical products CadalminTM Green Algal extract and CadalminTM Antidiabetic extract as green alternatives to synthetic drugs to combat rheumatic arthritic pains and type-2 diabetes, respectively were developed. Following this, CadalminTM Antihypercholesterolemic extract and CadalminTM Antihypothyroidism extract to combat dyslipidemia and hypothyroid disorder, respectively were also developed. The lead molecules with action against angiotensin converting enzyme-I, from seaweeds were also isolated, and added to a nutraceutical product CadalminTM Antihypertensive extract that is being out-licensed

Formulation of Furosemide Oral Disintegrating Tablets Using Natural and Synthetic Superdisintegrants by SeDeM Expert Design System

SeDeM design expert technique used to evaluate the risks of poor flow of pharmaceutical powders under preformulation studies which reveals direct compression suitability and prepare robust composition of active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and excipient in tablets formulation. The purpose of this study was to develop oral disintegrating tablets of Furosemide using different concentration of natural and synthetic superdisintegrants by means of SeDeM design technique. Oral disintegrating tablets (ODT) of Furosemide were prepared by direct compression technique using isolated banana powder and croscarmellose sodium (Ac-di-sol) together with microcrystalline cellulose as superdisintegrants. SeDeM design was performed to check suitability and deficient of excipients and drug for optimized composition derived based on IPP value. These tablets were evaluated for hardness, friability, drug content, weight variation, wetting time and in-vitro dissolution. All the formulations showed low weight variation with dispersion time less than 173.5±0.70 seconds and rapid in-vitro dissolution. The drug content of all the formulations was within the acceptable limits. Lubricated blend composition of F4 found average radius value 5.24, 0.66 and 5.509 for IGC, IP and IPP respectively, compressed tablet shown good physical properties. The optimized formulation F4 showed good release profile with 99.25 percentage drug release compared to other trial batches. It was concluded that natural superdisintegrant (banana powder) showed better disintegrating property than synthetic super disintegrant (Ac-di-sol) in the formulations of ODTs. Keywords: Furosemide, Oral disintegrating tablets, SeDeM expert system, Superdisintegrant

Discovery of a 3.6-hr Eclipsing Luminous X-Ray Binary in the Galaxy NGC 4214

We report the discovery of an eclipsing X-ray binary with a 3.62-hr period within 24" of the center of the dwarf starburst galaxy NGC 4214. The orbital period places interesting constraints on the nature of the binary, and allows for a few very different interpretations. The most likely possibility is that the source lies within NGC 4214 and has an X-ray luminosity of up to 7 e38 ergs/s. In this case the binary may well be comprised of a naked He-burning donor star with a neutron-star accretor, though a stellar-mass black-hole accretor cannot be completely excluded. There is no obvious evidence for a strong stellar wind in the X-ray orbital light curve that would be expected from a massive He star; thus, the mass of the He star should be <3-4 solar masses. If correct, this would represent a new class of very luminous X-ray binary -- perhaps related to Cyg X-3. Other less likely possibilities include a conventional low-mass X-ray binary that somehow manages to produce such a high X-ray luminosity and is apparently persistent over an interval of years; or a foreground AM Her binary of much lower luminosity that fortuitously lies in the direction of NGC 4214. Any model for this system must accommodate the lack of an optical counterpart down to a limiting magnitude of 22.6 in the visible.Comment: 7 pages, ApJ accepted versio

Communicating About Sexual Violence on Campus: A University Case Study

South African universities are in the midst of highly visible struggles around decolonisation. Over the past two years, these struggles have&nbsp; foregrounded racialised, classed, gendered and other forms of exclusion. These are being challenged both by black academic staff as well as by black students. Most visibly and deeply connected, have been the challenges to the ways in which universities, as particular types of institutions, have dealt with sexual violence and harassment of its womxn1 students. In this context we ask how the University of Cape Town, as one particular case study formally communicates about sexual violence on its campus. In an archival analysis of the university’s public communications on sexual violence during 2015 and 2016, we ask what kinds of messages it conveys about violence, victims and perpetrators. We are interested in the ways in which the university positions itself in relation to the issue of sexual violence. The paper finds that the university’s institutional discourse on sexual violence produces and reproduces some of the same discourses on sexual violence in both the public and media more broadly