Evaluation of Phytochemical and Antibacterial properties of leaf extract of Cinnamomum tamala oil

Cinnamomum tamala, commonly known as tej patta is widely used as a spice in Indian cuisine for its aroma and flavoring property as the leaves contain essential oil. The essential oil is extracted with the help of the Clevenger apparatus using dry leaves. This oil is mainly used as medicine for releasing gas as well as a carminative agent and diuretic agent.  It also improves the digestive system and helps in increasing appetite. This study aimed to determine the phytochemical properties and antibacterial potential of different extracts (aqueous, methanol, and acetone) and oil of C. tamala leaves. The phytochemical evaluation shows the presence and absence of alkaloids, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, steroids, tannins, glycosides, terpenoids, saponins, proteins, and carbohydrates in the aqueous, methanol, and acetone extracts. The efficacy of antibacterial properties of prepared extracts was examined against E. coli and Salmonella typhi (gram-negative bacteria) and Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis (gram-positive bacteria). These bacterial cultures were obtained from IMTech Chandigarh. From the results of the antibacterial study it has become evident that among three extracts, the maximum zone of inhibition was obtained in the aqueous extract which was followed by methanolic and acetone extract. With the help of a Clevenger apparatus, Bay leaf oil was extracted to establish antibacterial properties. Henceforth, to analyze the antibacterial potential of the oil sample, the test was performed against the mentioned bacterial species (E. coli, Salmonella typhi, Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus subtilis) and reported significant antibacterial activities. From the outcome of this study, it has become clear that Bay leaf oil has potent antibacterial properties against selected bacterial species

Formal Insertion of Alkenes Into C(sp3)−F Bonds Mediated by Fluorine-Hydrogen Bonding

C−F Insertion reactions represent an attractive approach to prepare valuable fluorinated compounds. The high strength of C−F bonds and the low reactivity of the fluoride released upon C−F bond cleavage, however, mean that examples of such processes are extremely scarce in the literature. Here we report a reaction system that overcomes these challenges using hydrogen bond donors that both activate C−F bonds and allow for downstream reactions with fluoride. In the presence of hexafluoroisopropanol, benzyl and propargyl fluorides undergo efficient formal C−F bond insertion across α-fluorinated styrenes. This process, which does not require any additional fluorinating reagent, occurs under mild conditions and delivers products featuring the gem-difluoro motif, which is attracting increasing interest in medicinal chemistry. Moreover, readily available organic bromides can be engaged directly in a one-pot process that avoids the isolation of organic fluorides

Surface-Initiated Grafting of Dendritic Polyglycerol from Mussel-Inspired Adhesion-Layers for the Creation of Cell-Repelling Coatings

Biofouling is a major challenge in the application of textiles, biosensors, and biomedical implants. In the current work, a straightforward method for the solvent-free polymerization of antifouling dendritic polyglycerol (dPG) from mussel-inspired dendritic polyglycerol (MI-dPG) coatings on hydrophilic titanium dioxide (TiO2) and hydrophobic polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is reported. Surface characterization is performed by static water contact angle (CA) measurements, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Significant lower CA values are obtained after dPG grafting from MI-dPG-coated TiO2 and MI-dPG coated PDMS. Furthermore, XPS shows a time-dependent increase of the C-O bond content upon dPG grafting from MI-dPG-coated TiO2 and MI-dPG-coated PDMS. Analysis of the surface morphology by SEM shows a clear time-dependent increase in the surface roughness upon dPG grafting from MI-dPG-coated TiO2 and MI-dPG-coated PDMS. When the viability of two adhesive cell types is studied via LIVE/DEAD staining, a strong reduction in the cell density is observed after the dPG grafting from MI-dPG-coated TiO2 and MI-dPG-coated PDMS (a decrease of >95% in all cases). The combined results show that biocompatible but highly cell-repelling surfaces are efficiently constructed via the grafting of dPG from MI-dPG-coated TiO2 and MI-dPG-coated PDMS

Clinical Study of Granulomatous Mastitis- A Rare Entity

Introduction: Granulomatous Mastitis (GM), a rare and benign disorder, has two forms- Idiopathic Granulomatous Mastitis (IGM) and Specific Granulomatous Mastitis (SGM). IGM is caused without any particular discernable and attributable cause while SGM is caused secondary to tuberculosis, other infectious causes like syphilis, fungal, parasitic infections, corynebacterial; Wegener’s granulomatosis, sarcoidosis, reaction to a foreign body, vasculitis etc. Aim: To identify clinical presentations and to formulate a treatment protocol for patients with granulomatous mastitis. Materials and Methods: This study was a prospective descriptive observational study conducted at Government Wenlock Hospital and Kasturba Medical College Hospital, Attavar, Mangalore, Karnataka, India, from October 2015 to March 2018 on 32 patients admitted to the Department of General Surgery in the study centre, who had a histopathological diagnosis of granulomatous mastitis. All the relevant data of the patients: demographic data and clinical findings, any medical co-morbidities was collected by telephonic interview and case sheets, operative notes were studied thoroughly and the patients were followed up for regression of their signs and symptoms at one month, two months and six months of their hospital visits. Results of microbial cultures or stains, imaging (mammography, ultrasound if done) and biopsy results were collected. All the collected data was analysed by Chi-square test and Fisher’s exact test and the p-values <0.05 was considered significant. Results: Total of 32 female patients (13 patients were in the age group of 31-40 years) were analysed in the present study. A total of 27 (84.4%) had last child birth <5 years back. The patients who presented with a left laterality lesion were 25 (78%) with statistically significant difference. A total of 18 (56%) of the patients had a lesion in the upper outer while 11 (34%) in lower outer quadrant of breast. A total of 29 (90.6 %) of patients, the disease was extending upto the areola region. All the patients had a firm lump and out of these, 25 (78.1%) of the patient presented with a painful lump. Inflammatory skin changes were seen in 20 (62%) of the patients. Retraction of nipple was presented in 26 (81%) of the patients. A total of 19 (59.4%) patients underwent an excision biopsy of the lump and 22 (69%) patients were initiated with Antitubercular Therapy (ATT). Conclusion: Granulomatous mastitis is a highly unpredictable disease with frequent flares and periods of inactivity which may falsely be considered as successful treatment. Due to rare nature of this disease, randomisation of all treatment modalities are availabl

Phase Stability of Hexagonal/cubic Boron Nitride Nanocomposites

Boron nitride (BN) is an exceptional material and among its polymorphs, two-dimensional (2D) hexagonal and three-dimensional (3D) cubic BN (h-BN and c-BN) phases are most common. The phase stability regimes of these BN phases are still under debate and phase transformations of h-BN/c-BN remain a topic of interest. Here, we investigate the phase stability of 2D/3D h-BN/c-BN nanocomposites and show that the co-existence of two phases can lead to strong non-linear optical properties and low thermal conductivity at room temperature. Furthermore, spark-plasma sintering of the nanocomposite shows complete phase transformation to 2D h-BN with improved crystalline quality, where 3D c-BN grain sizes governs the nucleation and growth kinetics. Our demonstration might be insightful in phase engineering of BN polymorphs based nanocomposites with desirable properties for optoelectronics and thermal energy management applications.Comment: 29 pages, 5 figure

A Dynamic Theory of Prosecutorial Roles in Adversarial Trials

Prosecutors in adversarial systems are simultaneously expected to be impartial ministers of justice and partisan advocates. Leaving this tension unaddressed can result in poor quality prosecutorial decision-making. This article develops a novel “dynamic” framework for prosecutors to navigate between and prioritise these competing considerations, which can be used to understand, evaluate, and improve prosecutorial performance. Under this framework, the prioritisation should depend on which function the prosecutor is exercising at any given time. The article then deploys primary data collected in Delhi, through court observation and interviews with judges, lawyers, victims, and victim support-persons, to exemplify and justify the framework.I am not sure this is relevant. The fieldwork for the article was conducted as part of my DPhil at Oxford and was supported by a range of scholarships and student grants including the Rhodes, Mann Senior Scholarship (Hertford college, Oxford), bursary from Magdalen college, and small travel grants from the Law Faculty, Oxford Pro Bono Publico and Rhodes Trust. To my knowledge, none of these place any publication requirements or restrictions

Navigating Through \u27Age\u27 and \u27Agency\u27 in Eera v. State

This paper provides a critical analysis of the Supreme Court judgment in Eera v. State. It then uses this assessment to initiate a broader discussion on the inaccessibility of the criminal justice system to disabled rape victims. It is found that to some extent, this inaccessibility remains embedded within the legal framework. In other respects, it is a consequence of the failure to implement progressive legislation. Drawing from intersectionality theory and the social model of disability, this paper argues that institutional failures to cater to the needs of disabled persons render the legal system discriminatory. Addressing these failures is, therefore, not merely a concession to be made to ‘vulnerable’ populations, but a matter of safeguarding the rights of disabled persons. It thus urges the adoption of a rights-based framework in determining the systemic changes that remain to be made to the legal system

Thomas Macaulay, The Indian Penal Code (1837)

The Indian Penal Code 1837 (IPC) was draft criminal legislation designed primarily by Thomas Macaulay for implementation in India and, following adaptation, across the British Empire. It was enacted in India in 1860, following which it was transplanted into a range of former colonies including the Straits Settlements (roughly Malaysia and Singapore), Ceylon (Sri Lanka), Burma (Myanmar) and the East Africa Protectorate (roughly Kenya), among several others. In many of these jurisdictions amended versions of the IPC continue to be in force or influence the development of criminal law. Given its longevity and geographical reach, the IPC’s relative absence in global criminal legal scholarship is as remarkable as it is regrettable. Accordingly, this chapter introduces the IPC to the reader, including its substantive scope, structure and rationale. The chapter analyses the political context in which the IPC was drafted and enacted and the role it played in entrenching British colonial rule in India and elsewhere. Using India as a case study, this chapter unpacks the IPC’s legacy as a legislative instrument and as a pedagogic text. It then uses this analysis to raise broader questions about what it means to indigenise and decolonise colonial legislation like the IPC

Amniotic membrane in ophthalmology: A versatile wonder

Amniotic membrane is a unique biological product that has been in use for a myriad of bodily conditions, both ophthalmic and non-ophthalmic. However, the ophthalmic use are still increasing day by day. Its unique properties like anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antifibrotic, antiangiogenic and source of growth factors make it into a biological bandage which can be life-saving to the eye. Harvested from the human placenta, it has found extensive use in ocular surface reconstruction, chemical injury to the eye, corneal perforation, persistent epithelial defects, ocular surface neoplasia, pterygium surgery, trabeculectomy, glaucoma bleb repair and lid surgeries, to name a few. This article outlines in detail the properties and utility of amniotic membrane