IN VITRO EVALUATION OF THE ANTIOXIDANT, ANTI-INFLAMMATORY AND ANTIPROLIFERATIVE ACTIVITIES OF THE LEAF EXTRACTS OF EXCOECARIA AGALLOCHA L.

Objective: To evaluate the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative activities of the leaf extracts of Excoecaria agallocha L.Methods: To estimate the antioxidant effect of the extract from Excoecaria agallocha, various assays were carried out. Estimation of total phenolics was done by Folin–Ciocalteu micro-method, total antioxidant capacity was determined by sulphuric acid-ammonium molybdate method, reducing power assay was carried out by FRAP (Ferric cyanide (Fe3+) Reducing Antioxidant Power) assay method and free radical-scavenging activity was estimated by DPPH (diphenyl-picrylhydrazine) and ABTS methods. Bovine serum denaturation inhibition assay was performed to test the in vitro anti-inflammatory activity of the extract, MTT assay was carried out to find out the antiproliferative effect of the extract against SKMEL 28 skin cancer cell lines The crude ethyl acetate fraction was finally analyzed by thin layer chromatography to reveal 8 bands indicating presence of various compounds that probably contributed to the various biological activities.Results: The total antioxidant activity, total phenolics content and reducing power assay tested with various solvent fractions of Excoecaria agallocha leaf extract showed that ethyl acetate fraction had the highest antioxidant activity, reducing power and phenolics content among other fractions. The scavenging effect of extracts and standards on ABTS•+decreased in the order: ethyl acetate>n Butanol>Water>petroleum ether>Gallic acid. The relative percentage of inhibition of BSA denaturation by the ethyl acetate extract was found to be 85.38% at a concentration of 100 µg/ml in comparison to the standard diclofenac sodium which brought about 13.65% of inhibition of BSA denaturation at the same concentration. The GI50 was found to be 19.02 µg/ml for DMSO and 39.2 µg/ml for ethyl acetate fraction against SKMEL 28 skin cancer cell lines.Conclusion: These results suggest that the extracts of Excoecaria agallocha possess significant antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative activities.Â

Construction delays causing risks on time and cost - a critical review

There is an increase in the number of construction projects experiencing extensive delays leading to exceeding initial time and cost budget.  This paper reviews 41 studies around the world which surveyed the delay factors and classified them into Groups.  The main purpose of this paper is to review literature, each of which have categorized the causes that are responsible for time delays and cost overrun in projects. The collected list has 113 causes for delays categorized in to 18 different groups.  Most of the researches have analysed the responses from the Questionnaire survey.    The collected data are used to rank the problem.  The data are further used to investigate and analyse Important Index, Frequency Index, Severity Index, Relative Important Index, Relative Importance Weight, Weighted Average, Mean, Standard Deviation and Variance.  The collective comparison has revealed that the ranking given by all the researchers is not the same.  Further each and every study has different rank ratings for the different group of the delays.  This review paper attempts to provide an updated compilation of the earlier studies on ranking of the delay causers, which are never similar and constant for universal projects.  It is concluded that a separate study is required for identifying the factors causing delay for projects operated in Sabah, East Malaysia

Effect of Curing Conditions and Freeze-Thaw Cycles on the Strength of an Expansive Soil Stabilized with a Combination of Lime, Jaggery, and Gallnut Powder

This investigation involved the utilization of the combination of lime, jaggery, and gallnut powder, adopted in South India traditionally. This combination of materials, used for the manufacture of lime-based mortars, was adopted in stabilization of an expansive soil. Three combinations of lime, jaggery, and gallnut powder (LJG) in the ratios of 8 : 2 : 2, 8 : 2 : 1, and 8 : 1 : 2 were put into use. The effect of subjecting the combinations to alternate cycles of freeze-thaw (up to 3 cycles) and three different curing conditions of air, moisture, and heat was also investigated. In addition, a mineralogical investigation for studying the reaction products was also carried out. The investigation proceeded with the determination of the unconfined compression strength (UCS) of stabilized specimens of dimensions 38 mm × 76 mm, cured for periods of 3, 7, 14, and 28 days. The results of the investigation revealed that the addition of LJG resulted in an increase in the strength of the stabilized soil. Freeze-thaw cycles resulted in a reduction in strength with LJG821 proving to be the most optimal combination developing the maximum strength and least strength loss due to freeze-thaw cycles. Thermal curing proved to be the most optimal curing condition out of all curing conditions evaluated

ANCILLARY SERVICE REQUIREMENT BASED AUTOMATIC GENERATION CONTROL ASSESSMENT IN A DEREGULATED POWER SYSTEM WITH HES AND IPFC UNITS

This paper intends the evaluation measures for obtaining the Ancillary ServicesRequirement (ASR) indices stand on Automatic Generation Control (AGC) in a deregulated power system.Ancillary services are vital to support the transmission of electric power from vendor to user with the responsibility of control areas and transmitting utilities within those control areas to maintain steadfast operations of the interconnected power system under deregulated environment. In this swot, Proportional Integral Derivative with derivative Filter (PIDF) is projected for the AGC loop of a two-area thermal power system with reheat bicycle mix condensation turbine. The control constraints of the PIDF controller are optimized using the Big Bang Big Crunch (BBBC) algorithm.ASR keys are computed stranded on the dynamic response of the control input deviations and the mechanical power generation deviations of each area for dissimilar nature of possible transactions. These indices designate the ancillary service requirements and are required to improve the competence of the physical operation of the power system with the augmented transmission capacity in the network. An advanced application of Hydrogen Energy Storage (HES), when coordinated with the Interline Power Flow Controller (IPFC) for the development of AGC loop of a two-area thermal power system is also painstaking. Simulation reveals that the proposed PIDF controller tuned with BBBC algorithm perk up the dynamic output response of the test system. Moreover, it can also be pragmatic that the ASR Indices are computed for a two-area thermal power system with HES and IPFC units indicates that the new advanced control for a better restoration of the power system output responses and ensure enhanced ASR indices in order to afford the superior margin of steadiness

OPTIMAL ALLOCATION OF TCSC DEVICES FOR THE ENHANCEMENT OF ATC IN DEREGULATED POWER SYSTEM USING FLOWER POLLINATION ALGORITHM

This paper proposes a best possible distribution of Thyristor Controlled Series Compensator (TCSC) to progress the Available Transfer Capability (ATC) of power transactions between sources and sink areas in the deregulated power system. The principle of TCSC device is to balance the inductive voltage drop in the line by an introduced capacitive voltage or in other words to alleviate the effective reactance of the transmission line to improve ATC in the network. The objective of the optimization is to find the preeminent location and parameters of TCSC devices by means of Flower Pollination Algorithm (FPA) for maximizing ATC and minimizing power losses and installation cost of TCSC device. The estimate of ATC using AC Power Transfer Distribution Factors (ACPTDF) based on the Newton Raphson power flow technique. The ACPTDFs are the consequent using sensitivity based approach for the system intact case and utilized to check the line flow limits during ATC fortitude. The efficacy of the proposed method is demonstrated using an IEEE-30 bus test system for the evaluation of ATC in normal and line outage contingencies conditions for the preferred bilateral, multilateral and area wise transactions. The simulation outcome illustrates that the introduction of TCSC devices in an accurate location could increase ATC, fall in total losses and advance the line congestion as compared to the system without TCSC devices

Band theory analysis of shock velocity-particle velocity relations for metals

The systematics of the shock constants in shock velocity-particle velocity relations for metals have been examined by energy band theory methods. The causes of non-linearity of this relation at high pressure are discussed in terms of s ⇌d electron transfer

Papaverine, a phosphodiesterase 10A inhibitor, ameliorates quinolinic acid-induced synaptotoxicity in human cortical neurons

Phosphodiesterase-10A (PDE10A) hydrolyse the secondary messengers cGMP and cAMP, two molecules playing important roles in neurodevelopment and brain functions. PDE10A is associated to progression of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's diseases, and a critical role in cognitive functions. The present study was undertaken to determine the possible neuroprotective effects and the associated mechanism of papaverine (PAP), a PDE10A isoenzyme inhibitor, against quinolinic acid (QUIN)-induced excitotoxicity using human primary cortical neurons. Cytotoxicity potential of PAP was analysed using MTS assay. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondrial membrane potential were measured by DCF-DA and JC10 staining, respectively. Caspase 3/7 and cAMP levels were measured using ELISA kits. Effect of PAP on the CREB, BNDF and synaptic proteins such as SAP-97, synaptophysin, synapsin-I, and PSD-95 expression was analysed by Western blot. Pre-treatment with PAP increased intracellular cAMP and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD(+)) levels, restored mitochondrial membrane potential (Delta psi m), and decreased ROS and caspase 3/7 content in QUIN exposed neurons. PAP up-regulated CREB and BDNF, and synaptic protein expression. In summary, these data indicate that PDE10A is involved in QUIN-mediated synaptotoxicity and its inhibition elicit neuroprotection by reducing the oxidative stress and protecting synaptic proteins via up-regulation of cAMP signalling cascade

On the nature of the dhcp to fcc transition under pressure in Pr and Pr-Th alloys

The results of electrical resistance (R), thermoelectric power (TEP) and X-ray diffraction measurements on praseodymium (Pr) and its alloys with thorium under pressure are reported. The maximum inR vsP curve exhibited by Pr persists only in the dhcp phase of PrTh alloy. X-ray measurements confirmed that in the alloys also the maximum inR vsP curve is due to the dhcp → fcc transition. Thus the behaviour of Pr and Pr-Th alloys is different from that of La and its alloys with Ce and Th where the maximum in theR vsP curve is electronic in origin and is exhibited by the dhcp, fcc and dist fcc phases

A rationale for continuing mass antibiotic distributions for trachoma

BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization recommends periodic mass antibiotic distributions to reduce the ocular strains of chlamydia that cause trachoma, the world's leading cause of infectious blindness. Their stated goal is to control infection, not to completely eliminate it. A single mass distribution can dramatically reduce the prevalence of infection. However, if infection is not eliminated in every individual in the community, it may gradually return back into the community, so often repeated treatments are necessary. Since public health groups are reluctant to distribute antibiotics indefinitely, we are still in need of a proven long-term rationale. Here we use mathematical models to demonstrate that repeated antibiotic distributions can eliminate infection in a reasonable time period. METHODS: We fit parameters of a stochastic epidemiological transmission model to data collected before and 6 months after a mass antibiotic distribution in a region of Ethiopia that is one of the most severely affected areas in the world. We validate the model by comparing our predicted results to Ethiopian data which was collected biannually for two years past the initial mass antibiotic distribution. We use the model to simulate the effect of different treatment programs in terms of local elimination of infection. RESULTS: Simulations show that the average prevalence of infection across all villages progressively decreases after each treatment, as long as the frequency and coverage of antibiotics are high enough. Infection can be eliminated in more villages with each round of treatment. However, in the communities where infection is not eliminated, it returns to the same average level, forming the same stationary distribution. This phenomenon is also seen in subsequent epidemiological data from Ethiopia. Simulations suggest that a biannual treatment plan implemented for 5 years will lead to elimination in 95% of all villages. CONCLUSION: Local elimination from a community is theoretically possible, even in the most severely infected communities. However, elimination from larger areas may require repeated biannual treatments and prevention of re-introduction from outside to treated areas