Study on Precast Coconut Shell Concrete Beam-Column Junction Using M-Sand under Static Load

Coconut shell (CS) is one of the sustainable alternative aggregates and coconut shell concrete (CSC) was developed a decade earlier. Prefabricated conventional concrete (CC) and CSC using M-sand, and their research are very limited. Capacity and behavior of the joints are important in precast. Hence in this study, precast column-beam behavior of CSC elements was studied. Two different sizes 12 and 16 mm bolts and nuts connection were chosen and used to connect the precast elements. Also the same sectional details were used and specimens produced for combination with CC using M-sand (CCM). Specimen failure of both monolithic and prefabricated CSC using M-sand (CSCM) elements was typical structural failure and is comparable to that of CCM. Compared to CCM, high deflection was observed on CSCM element. No crack was developed on both CCM and CSCM prefabricated specimen. All elements were able to sustain their maximum potential for strain. Column-beam joint behavior of CSCM monolithic and prefabricated specimen behavior are comparable to that of CCM

A study on peripheral neuropathy in HIV infected patients: clinicoepidemiological and electrophysiological profile

Background: Peripheral neuropathy is one among the commonest HIV-associated neurologic complications. The spectrum and the frequency of this complication are changing due to the introduction of new antiretroviral drugs, aging of the HIV-infected people, etc. Hence there is need for a better understanding of these complications and their pathogenesis. This study was done with the aim of finding out the risk factors, clinical characteristics and various types and patterns of peripheral neuropathy in HIV infected patients of our region.Methods: This study was a cross sectional study conducted for about a period of one year. Patients attending the out patient department of anti retroviral therapy (ART) centre were taken for the study. Selected patients were analysed for the signs and symptoms of peripheral neuropathy and they underwent electrophysiological study.Results: Prevalence of peripheral neuropathy in HIV infected patients in our study population was 43.3%. Peripheral neuropathy was seen more in patients with advanced clinical stage and increasing age. Distal symmetric polyneuropathy was the commonest type. Common pathological pattern of neuropathy was mixed (both axonal and demyelination) neuropathy.Conclusions: As peripheral neuropathy is a common HIV-associated neurologic complication, large number of studies are needed to elucidate the mechanisms leading to peripheral neuropathy in HIV infected patients, which in turn will allow for the development of effective therapies that provide adequate symptomatic relief and halt or reverse the damage to the nerves

A case of elephantiasis neuromatosa

Elephantiasis neuromatosa (EN) is a rare and unique complication of plexiform neurofibroma, a type of neurofibromatosis type 1, and manifests as hypertrophy of an extremity (either lower limb or upper limb). EN can be seen in individuals of any age group including children and young adults where males and females are affected equally. Diagnosis is done primarily by magnetic resonance imaging of the affected region along with a history and clinical examination. EN may lead to severe functional impairment of the involved limb with cosmetic disfigurement. Treatment is mainly surgical with less satisfactory results. Here, we present a 6-year-old child with EN

DESIGN AND EVALUATION OF COLON SPECIFIC DRUG DELIVERY OF BUDENOSIDE

Objective: The objective of this research is to design and evaluate a colon specific drug delivery of budenoside using guar gum as enzyme dependent polymer.Methods: Matrix tablets of Budenoside were prepared by using wet granulation technique with different proportions of guar gum and evaluated for different evaluation tests and release profiles.Results: The formulations were studied for post compression parameters like hardness, friability, weight variation and drug content are in acceptable range of pharmacopoeial specifications. In vitro swelling and Invitro release studies was carried out at different pH ranges (1.2, 6.8 and 7.4). The release profile of budenoside from the matrix tablets is dependent upon the gelling property of guar gum and degradation of guar gum polysaccharide by colonic bacteria. High concentration of guar gum showed less drug release in the stomach as an enzyme dependent polymer. In vitro release data revealed that the presence of rat caecal content in dissolution medium showed the significant increase in drug release (97.12%), when compared to drug release study in absence of caecal content (76.86).Conclusion: The results were subjected to study the release kinetics. The values of correlation coefficient indicated that the drug release followed Zero order drug release kinetics with Peppas drug release mechanism. In vitro drug release studies shows that guar gum with high concentration (25%) has optimum release in a controlled manner for 24 hours.Â

Deep multimodal biometric recognition using contourlet derivative weighted rank fusion with human face, fingerprint and iris images

The goal of multimodal biometric recognition system is to make a decision by identifying their physiological behavioural traits. Nevertheless, the decision-making process by biometric recognition system can be extremely complex due to high dimension unimodal features in temporal domain. This paper explains a deep multimodal biometric system for human recognition using three traits, face, fingerprint and iris. With the objective of reducing the feature vector dimension in the temporal domain, first pre-processing is performed using Contourlet Transform Model. Next, Local Derivative Ternary Pattern model is applied to the pre-processed features where the feature discrimination power is improved by obtaining the coefficients that has maximum variation across pre-processed multimodality features, therefore improving recognition accuracy. Weighted Rank Level Fusion is applied to the extracted multimodal features, that efficiently combine the biometric matching scores from several modalities (i.e. face, fingerprint and iris). Finally, a deep learning framework is presented for improving the recognition rate of the multimodal biometric system in temporal domain. The results of the proposed multimodal biometric recognition framework were compared with other multimodal methods. Out of these comparisons, the multimodal face, fingerprint and iris fusion offers significant improvements in the recognition rate of the suggested multimodal biometric system

Investigation on The Factors Affecting Lifestyle of Professionals in The Construction Industries (Kerala and Tamil Nadu)

One of the vital assets of any industry is human resources. In general, the majority of works are carried out by humans in the construction industries. Study on the assessment of quality of civil engineering construction professionals’ lifestyle is very limited and hence the motto of this study is to understand the lifestyle of construction professionals and to assess the various factors affecting the lifestyle of them. To analyze the effects of societal behavior and to develop a model to study the impact of various factors in a construction professional’s lifestyle; a mixed approach had been adopted in this study. The instrument used in the study was a questionnaire survey conducted from 180 construction professionals working in different firms in Kerala and Tamil Nadu states of India and these were analyzed using structural equation modeling techniques. Factors affecting the construction professional’s lifestyle are: financial factors, organizational factors, quality, health and environmental factors, work-related factors, and social factors. Hence by foreseeing the factors and adopting favorable changes in a construction professional’s life, they may attain a better lifestyle. This study recommends the strategy to be considered for the improvements of lifestyle of the construction professional especially for “Civil Engineersâ€

A NEW STABILITY INDICATING UPLC METHOD DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION FOR THE SIMULTANEOUS ESTIMATION OF METOLAZONE AND SPIRONOLACTONE IN BULK AND IN ITS PHARMACEUTICAL FORMULATIONS

Objective: The objective of the work is to develop and validate a new, simple, highly sensitive RP-UPLC method for simultaneous estimation of Metolazone and Spironolactone in bulk and in its dosage forms. Methods: The method was developed on a reversed-phase Hypersil Gold C18 (2.1× 100 mm, 2.7 µm) column with isocratic elution. Detection was done by UV-Spectroscopy at a detection wavelength of 235 nm. The analytical procedure was validated by assessing the specificity, linearity, precision, accuracy, limit of detection, limit of quantification, robustness and ruggedness as per ICH guidelines. Results: The results were obtained as follows- the retention times were found to be around 2.888 min and 3.835 min, the percentage purity was observed to be 99 % w/v and 100 % w/v, the percentage recovery was found to be 99.90% and 99.9% respectively for Metolazone and Spironolactone. Calibration plots were linear (r2 > 0.999) over the concentration range of 12 to 28μg/ml for Metolazolone and 120 to 280μg/ml for Spironolactone. The LOD was 0.0002µg/ml for Metolazone and 0.01µg/ml for Spironolactone. The LOQ was found to be 0.0008µg/ml for Metolazone and 0.003µg/ml for Spironolactone. Conclusion: The developed analytical method for the simultaneous quantitation of Metolazone and Spironolactone was found to be specific, rapid, reliable, and reproducible. No interference from any component of pharmaceutical dosage form was observed. The method is amenable to the routine analysis of large numbers of samples with good precision and accuracy

A study of Peripheral Neuropathy in HIV infected patients

INTRODUCTION: The life expectancy of HIV-infected patients has increased as a result of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Consequently, patients and physicians are dealing with neurologic complications from the HIV disease, from concurrent diseases, and from drugs used to treat it. Peripheral neuropathy is the most common HIV-associated neurologic complication. The spectrum and the frequency of this complication are changing due to introduction of new antiretroviral drugs, an aging HIV-infected population, and the emergence of other long-term complications of HIV and/or its treatment. Several forms of neuropathy may occur, depending on the level of immunosuppression and the presence of risk factors. There is a great need for an improved understanding of these complications and their pathogenetic mechanisms, for the development of effective therapies that provide adequate symptomatic relief and halt or reverse the damage to the nerves. This work of dissertation has been done with an aim of estimating the prevalence and evaluating the risk factors associated with peripheral neuropathy in HIV infected patients of our region. AIMS OF THE STUDY: 1. To study the prevalence of peripheral neuropathy in HIV infected patients. 2. To study the risk factors associated with the development of peripheral neuropathy in HIV infected patients. 3. To study the clinical profile and various types and patterns of peripheral neuropathy in HIV infected patients. 39 MATERIALS AND METHODS: Study Design: This study is a cross sectional study. Study period This study was conducted during the period from January 2009 to December 2009, for 1 year. This Study was done in the Department of Neurology, Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital, Tirunelveli. Patient Selection: Patients attending the out patient department of Anti Retroviral Therapy (ART) Centre at Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital, Tirunelveli were taken for the study. Patients already diagnosed as HIV positive and on Highly Active Anti Retroviral Therapy (HAART) only were selected for the study. Both male and female patients were taken for the study. Study was done with the consent of the patients. Inclusion criteria: 1. Patients who were seropositive for HIV infection and registered with ART centre of Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital. 2. Patients on HAART. 3. Both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. 4. Patients were selected irrespective of stage of the disease, CD4 count and duration of the HIV illness. Exclusion criteria: 1. HIV seropositive patients who were not on HAART at the time of the study. 2. Patients with other systemic illness like diabetes mellitus, renal disease, thyroid disease, nutritional anaemia, Hansen’s disease. 3. History suggestive of collagen vascular diseases, recent Chikunkunya fever or any other viral illness or jaundice. 4. Patients who regularly consume alcohol of > 40 units/week. SUMMARY: 1. Prevalence of peripheral neuropathy in HIV infected patients in our study is 26/60 (43.3%). 2. In our study, peripheral neuropathy is seen more in patients with advanced clinical stage and increasing age. There is no increase in prevalence of peripheral neuropathy in patients with less CD4 count. But these observations, except the age of the patients, are not statistically significant. 3. Peripheral neuropathy less commonly seen in patients on HAART of longer duration. As duration of HAART increases, peripheral neuropathy is seen more in stavudine users, suggesting drug toxicity is the cause for peripheral neuropathy rather than HIV-related. But this needs to be confirmed with neuropathological studies. 4. Distal symmetrical polyneuropathy is the common type (20/26). Common pathological pattern of neuropathy is mixed (both axonal and demyelination) neuropathy (18/26). 5. All patients who had symptoms of peripheral neuropathy had electrophysiological evidence of peripheral neuropathy. Likewise all patients with signs of peripheral neuropathy had electrophysiological evidence of peripheral neuropathy. Hence detailed history and clinical examination for symptoms and signs of peripheral neuropathy is essential in all HIV infected patients as it can pick up more number of patients with peripheral neuropathy earlier and so they can be treated earlier. 6. Among the 5 patients (who didn’t have either symptoms or sings of peripheral neuropathy) who underwent nerve conduction study, 1 had electrophysiological evidence of peripheral neuropathy. So subclinical peripheral neuropathy present in 20% (1/5) of patients. But this needs to be evaluated with large number of patients. 7. Numbness and tingling were the common and burning pain and pins and needles sensations were the less common symptoms seen in our patients. Diminished or absent ankle jerks, impaired vibration, touch, pain and temperature were the common signs. 8. Symptoms and signs were more common in lower limbs than in upper limbs