Physical Activity Related Risk Factor Assessment for Altered Drug Pharmacokinetics in Human Population

The study examined the intensity of an individual’s physical activity by using self administered International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form 7 (IPAQ-SF7) as a measuring tool and assessed its impact on the various body physiological functions likely to alter drug pharmacokinetic processes. The study was conducted in normal, subjects inhabited at different regions in India, with the translated versions of IPAQ-SF7 in Hindi and Tamil languages found the high intensities of vigorous, moderate activities and walking and showed excellent reproducibility as similar as it has been studied in different population worldwide. The resting state systolic and diastolic blood pressures, heart rate and respiratory rate were significantly higher in the subjects. The diaphragmatic breathing pattern was found used by majority of the subjects. The energy utilization of the subjects on their physical activity was obtained in high Metabolic Equivalence of Task (METs) minutes per week. Thus significance in the physiological parameters was strong enough to alter the pharmacokinetics of drugs whose metabolism and elimination are primarily dependent on renal function. This results which will be helpful in optimizing and selecting the drug doses for the people under extreme physical activity with less oxygen consumption in muscles, low level of respiratory rates and high energy utilization in their body

FABRICATION AND ELECTROCHEMICAL EVALUATION OF THE LITHIUM BATTERY, Li0.5La0.5TiO3/LiFePO4-C INTERFACE

The Li0.5La0.5TiO3 and LiFePO4/C has been prepared using sol-gel method for its interface analysis towards its application for all solid state assembly. The LiFePO4cathode material and Li0.5La0.5TiO3 solid electrolyte has been individually tested for its electrochemical reversibility. The thin film battery assembly shows severe capacity fading, which results in electrochemically non active with the chosen anode materials. In order to verify the electrochemical activity and interaction of Li0.5La0.5TiO3-LiFePO4/C interface the mixture has been tested for its electrochemical reversibility. The Li0.5La0.5TiO3-LiFePO4/C interface exhibits well resolved oxidation-reduction hype which verifies its suitability towards all solid state assemblies

Amenability of low- grade uranium towards column bioleaching by acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans

ABSTRACT : R & D studies were carried out at NML using Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans (Ac.TJ in column for the bio-recovery of uranium from the low-grade uranium ore containing 0.024% U308 of Turamdih Mines, Singhbhum. A recovery of 55 .48% uranium was obtained in bio-leaching as against -- 44.0% in sterile control in 30 days at 1.7pH in a column containing 2 . 5kg ore of particle size mainly in the ra,., 5-1mm . In the large scale column , leaching with 80kg ore of particle size -0.5cm, uranium biorecovery was found to be 69.8% in comparison to a recovery of 55% in control set at 1.7 pH in 50 days. The uranium recoveries followed indirect leaching mechanism

Bioleaching - an alternate uranium ore processing technology for India

Meeting the feed supply of uranium fuel in the present and planned nuclear reactors calls for huge demand of uranium, which at the current rate of production, shows a mismatch. The processing methods at UCIL (DAE) needs to be modified/ changed or re-looked into because of its very suitability in near future for low-index raw materials which are either unmined or stacked around if mined. There is practically no way to process tailings with still some values. Efforts were made to utilize such resources (low-index ore of Turamdih mines, containing 0.03% U3O8) by NML in association with UCIL as a national endeavor. In this area, the R&D work showed the successful development of a bioleaching process from bench scale to lab scale columns and then finally to the India’s first ever large scale column, from the view point of harnessing such a processing technology as an alternative for the uranium industry and nuclear sector in the country. The efforts culminated into the successful operation of large scale trials at the 2ton level column uranium bioleaching that was carried out at the site of UCIL, Jaduguda yielding a maximum recovery of 69% in 60 days. This achievement is expected to pave the way for scaling up the activity to a 100T or even more heap bioleaching trials for realization of this technology, which needs to be carried out with the support of the nuclear sector in the country keeping in mind the national interest

ASSESSMENT OF PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESSORS OF DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY USING DEPRESSION ANXIETY STRESS SCALE-21 IN SOUTH INDIAN HEALTHY VOLUNTEERS

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of the components of psychological stresses like depression, anxiety as a measure of the perception of the stress response (SR) and its influences on physiological functions in healthy human volunteers under various occupational stresses by using depression anxiety stress scale-21 (DASS-21). Methods: A total of 128 healthy subjects from various sites of Ooty were enrolled in this study, according to the inclusion-exclusion criteria in the study protocol. DASS-21 was administered to the subjects, by ‘Questerview' method. The intensity of psychological stresses of depression, anxiety and other mental stress was measured.Results: The incidence of depression, anxiety and their components such as hopelessness, dysphoria, anhedonia, low self-esteem, autonomic arousal, musculoskeletal symptoms, etc. were found high in both men and women participants. In men blood pressures were 136.16±6.6; 84.34±6.4 and in women 130.5±3.9; 86.48±3.4 as systolic, diastolic respectively. The body temperatures and heart rate were not altered, but the respiratory rate was found significantly elevated. The abdominal breathing was 45.21% in men and 52.77% in women indicated poor adaptation response towards the perception of stress. Conclusion: The results are concluding high prevalence of moderate to high-level depression and anxiety indicated stress response triggers a cascade producing a series of changes in human vital physiological functions such as blood pressure, respiratory rate, heart rate were significantly higher. We suggest future researchers are potential for the cumulative health benefits of patients in secondary or tertiary level treatment.Keywords: Psychological stressors, Stress response (SR), Depression anxiety stress scale-21 (DASS-21), Depression, Anxiety, Autonomic ArousalÂ

Assessment of provisional ecosystem services in Vypin Island, Cochin Backwater and payment for coastal ecosystem services

Assessment of provisional ecosystem services in Vypin Island, Cochin Backwater and payment for coastal ecosystem service

Role of Clams in Regulating Biogeochemical Processes of Ashtamudi Lake

Role of Clams in Regulating Biogeochemical Processes of Ashtamudi Lak

Assessment of biogeochemical processes of Ashtamudi Lake ecosystem in relation to clam fishery

The Ashtamudi Lake ecosystem in Kerala (southwest coast of India) is well known for its clam resources. This estuarine system contributes approximately 80% of the total clam export trade of India besides providing livelihoods for at least 3,000 local people. Among bivalves, clams are an important source of meat for human consumption while its shells are used in the cement industry

Effects of residual stresses on interlaminar radial strength of Glass-Epoxy L-bend composite laminates

The built-in heterogeneity of the composite laminates has been exploited to tailor the stiffness and strength requirements of modern structures to meet the specific functional demands. However, the non-homogeneity in these composites is the root cause for most of their failures. One of the undesirable consequences of the inherited heterogeneity is the development of cure-induced stresses during composite manufacturing. This work aims to investigate the influence of process-induced stresses on interlaminar radial strength in curved composite laminates. Glass-Epoxy (GE) laminates of two different thicknesses were prepared by hand lamination technique using V-shaped tooling and cured under room temperature. The state of residual stresses in GE laminates is varied by post-curing these laminates at different temperatures. Curved bending strength (CBS) and corresponding interlaminar radial stress for delamination of L-bend laminates were evaluated experimentally using four points bending test. The residual stress profile in each GE laminate is experimentally characterized by employing the Slitting method. The results indicate that the residual stresses have a negligible effect on the critical stress for initial delamination in GE laminates. But, the critical stress for delamination was found to be independent of the laminate thickness and increased with higher curing temperatures. The delaminated surfaces of L-bend laminates were studied using a scanning electronic microscope (SEM). The enhancement in the critical stress due to post-curing can be attributed to the improved fiber-matrix interfacial bonding with higher curing temperature

Comparison of Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) suited and unsuited isolated joint strength measurements

In this study the strength of subjects suited in extravehicular mobility units (EMU's) - or Space Shuttle suits - was compared to the strength of unsuited subjects. The authors devised a systematic and complete data set that characterizes isolated joint torques for all major joints of EMU-suited subjects. Six joint motions were included in the data set. The joint conditions of six subjects were compared to increase our understanding of the strength capabilities of suited subjects. Data were gathered on suited and unsuited subjects. Suited subjects wore Class 3 or Class 1 suits, with and without thermal micrometeoroid garments (TMG's). Suited and unsuited conditions for each joint motion were compared. From this the authors found, for example, that shoulder abduction suited conditions differ from each other and from the unsuited condition. A second-order polynomial regression model was also provided. This model, which allows the prediction of suited strength when given unsuited strength information, relates the torques of unsuited conditions to the torques of all suited conditions. Data obtained will enable computer modeling of EMU strength, conversion from unsuited to suited data, and isolated joint strength comparisons between suited and unsuited conditions at any measured angle. From these data mission planners and human factors engineers may gain a better understanding of crew posture, and mobility and strength capabilities. This study also may help suit designers optimize suit strength, and provide a foundation for EMU strength modeling systems