Role of Higher Education Institutions in Environmental Conservation and Sustainable Development: A case study of Shivaji University, Maharashtra, India.

The ever increasing population and changing lifestyles are making the environmental problems more critical. Higher educational institutions can be the best solution to solve this situation. Higher education can play a crucial role in sustainable development of any nation. As environmental sustainability is becoming an increasingly important issue for the world, the role of higher educational institutions in relation to environmental sustainability is more prevalent. Universities are the apex bodies in higher education system and can provide environmental education through its curricular design, research and collaborative efforts with NGO’s working in those areas. They can provide trained manpower and knowledgeable expertise to solve critical environmental problems. They can also act as a good networking system and data collector. Shivaji University is one of the significant higher education institution located in heart of Western Ghats working with the same goal of environmental sustainability through various activities. The paper examines the efforts taken by higher education in environmental development in the areas of creating healthy environment and conservation of resources. Key words: Role of Higher education, Environmental protection, Universities, sustainable developmen

Isolation, Screening and Characterization of Exopolysaccharide Producing Pseudomonas Sp. from The Soil Sample

  Exopolysaccharides (EPS) are vital metabolites that specific environmental microorganisms produce and expel. The goal of the current investigation is to identify bacteria that produce exopolysaccharides in soil samples from the Buttenath Dam region, At. Chanai, Tq. Ambajogai, Dist. Beed situated in the Marathwada region of Maharashtra, India. Two methods, such as gravimetric analysis of exopolysaccharide dry weight and quantification as, instance, for total carbohydrate content using phenol sulphuric acid technique, were used to screen the EPS-producing capacities of the chosen isolates. Post preliminary screening by selecting thick, ropy-like colony formers on agar medium, the results showed that thirteen (13) distinct colonies were marked to manufacture EPS. Tentative identification of these isolates was done based on morphological and biochemical tests. Three (03) isolates, VJ001, VJ003 and VJ010, were identified through secondary screening as the most effective EPS producers (producing precipitates over 1.46 mg/L of total dry weight and 8). This was in comparison to other bacterial colonies that were also isolated. Out of these screened isolates, VJ003 was the isolate with the highest exopolysaccharide produced and this isolated bacterium was identified using 16S rRNA gene sequence and phylogeny study as Pseudomonas aeruginosa VJ003 with NCBI GeneBank accession no. OR196093. The Pseudomonas aeruginosa VJ003 strain can be used in biotechnological sectors because of the ability it has to create significant levels of exopolysaccharides, according to the results of the current study

Study of the efficacy of Pathadi Ghanavati with Lajamanda in the management of Aamatisara

Acute Diarrhoea is an important public health problem worldwide. The World Health Organization estimates that there are more than 1000 million cases of Acute Diarrhoea. Loose motion less than 2 weeks that labelled as Acute Diarrhoea. Diarrhoea is described in Ayurvedic classics with the name of ‘Atisara’. It means passing of excessive flow of watery stool through anus. Most important factor in the pathogenesis of Aamatisara is Mandagni. In present study 50 patients of Aamatisara were selected from OPD and IPD of Kayachikitsa department. For the clinical study Pathadi Ghanavati and Lajamanda was selected as the trial drug which was given for the duration of 7 days in the dose of 1gm twice a day. It was observed that 32% patients were from the age group 51-60 years, 70% were females, 62% were from lower-middle socio economic class. Sama Jivha was found in all the patients. Among results loose motion showed 98.75% relief, 97.82% showed improvement in Udarashoola, 97.43% improvement in Agnimandya and Daurbalya each, 100% relief was seen in Aruchi. All the symptoms showed highly significant results. Hence it can be concluded that Pathadi Ghanavati and Lajamanda is very effective remedy in the patients of Aamatisara

Lower cost automotive piston from 2124/SiC/25p metal-matrix composite

Engineered materials have made a breakthrough in a quest for materials with a combination of custom-made properties to suit particular applications. One of such materials is 2124/SiC/25p, a high-quality aerospace grade aluminium alloy reinforced with ultrafine particles of silicon carbide, manufactured by a powder metallurgy route. This aluminium matrix composite offers a combination of greater fatigue strength at elevated temperatures, lower thermal expansion and greater wear resistance in comparison with conventionally used piston materials. The microscale particulate reinforcement also offers good formability and machinability. Despite the benefits, the higher manufacturing cost often limits their usage in high-volume industries such as automotive where such materials could significantly improve the engine performance. This paper presents mechanical and forging data for a lower cost processing route for metal matrix composites. Finite element modelling and analysis were used to examine forging of an automotive piston and die wear. This showed that selection of the forging route is important to maximise die life. Mechanical testing of the forged material showed a minimal reduction in fatigue properties at the piston operating temperature

Synthesis of active electrocatalysts using glycine–nitrate chemistry

Due to sluggish oxygen reduction reactions, development in the solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) field is stagnant. Two solutions, increasing the active surface or use of precious materials, can stimulate the oxygen reduction kinetics on electrodes. Thus, to gain both these benefits, the present article addressed the synthesis of high surface-area mixed oxide ionic–electronic conductor La0.6Sr0.4Co0.8Fe0.2O3-δ (LSCF) using chemistry of the propellant glycine–nitrate reaction. In this study, different fuel to oxidant ratios (ψ), 2.0, 2.6, and 3.0 were used to control the exothermicity of reaction and powder properties. The maximum reaction temperature of 1337 K at ψ = 3.0 resulted in coarsened powder. In contrast, comparatively less exothermicity of reaction at ψ = 2.0 resulted in powder with substantial Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area of 10.97 m2 g−1, with maximum powder compaction achieved at sintering of 1273 K. With optimal direct current in-plane electrical conductivity of 341 S cm−1, H2-temperature-programmed reduction showed excellent catalytic activity for the sample obtained at ψ = 2.0. The electrochemical performance comparisons of electrodes in two different cell geometries – with and without a gold catalytic current collecting layer (Au–CCCL) – revealed the least polarization and cell resistance in the cell with Au–CCCL. The electrode area specific resistance and cell conductivity using Au–CCCL were 0.097 Ω cm−2 and 0.15 S cm−1, respectively.publishe

Antioxidant and antihyperglycemic potential of methanolic extract of bark of mimusops elengi l. In mice

Ayurveda refers Mimusops elengi L. for the treatment of the diabetes. Considering the traditional claim of M. elengi in management of diabetes and the possible involvement of oxidative stress in pathogenesis of diabetes, the present study was aimed to evaluate the in vitro antioxidant and in vivo antihyperglycemic property of methanolic extract of bark of M. elengi (MEMeOH). In vitro antioxidant activity of MEMeOH was evaluated using reducing power assay, DPPH and hydroxyl radical scavenging assay. MEMeOH offered significant in vitro reducing power capacity and radical scavenging activity. In acute study in alloxan induced diabetes, MEMeOH exhibited significant (p< 0.001) antihyperglycemic effect. The onset of antihyperglycemic effect was observed at 2nd hr; peak activity was demonstrated at 6th hr. The antihyperglycemic effect of MEMeOH 400mg/kg, p.o. was persistent up to 24th hr after drug administration. MEMeOH produced significant (p < 0.01) reduction in elevated glucose levels in glucose loaded non diabetic animals. The onset of action in non diabetic oral glucose tolerance test was found to be at 60th min and peak activity was observed at 120th min after oral glucose load. MEMeOH demonstrated significant (p < 0.01) reduction in elevated glucose levels 2hr before glucose administration and 6 hr after glucose load in oral glucose tolerance test in diabetic animals. MEMeOH has demonstrated antihyperglycemic activity in diabetic as well as non diabetic glucose loaded mice. MEMeOH should be further explored against diabetes and related complications.Keywords: Mimusops elengi; antihyperglycemic, antioxidant, DPPH, diabetic OGT

DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT AND CHARACTERIZATION OF MUCOADHESIVE GASTRO SPHERES OF CARVEDILOL

Objective: The purpose of this study was to design mucoadhesive gastro spheres of carvedilol targeting to upper GIT, and optimize it in terms of its entrapment efficiency and drug release. A 32 full factorial design was employed to study the effect of independent variables like sodium alginate and sodium carboxyl methyl cellulose on entrapment efficiency and in vitro drug release. Methods: Mucoadhesive gastro spheres were prepared by Orifice-Ionic gelation method, in which drug is uniformly distributed in the polymer solution so drug can be loaded easily in the polymer.32 full factorial designs were used to study the effect of process variables on formulation characteristics by applying statistical analysis. Results: FTIR, XRD and DSC analyses apparently did not indicate any interaction of the drug with the polymers. However, the drug content, drug entrapment efficiency and morphology of the gastro spheres were found to be influenced by the method of preparation, composition of gastro spheres as well as exposure to the cross linking agent. In vitro drug release study showed that drug release can be modified by varying drug to polymer ratio. The release rate was found to be decreased in accordance with the increase in the ratio of polymer used. Conclusion: From the study, we successfully developed carvedilol gastro spheres by using mucoadhesive polymer like SCMC and rate retardant sodium alginate polymer

STABILITY INDICATING HPLC METHOD FOR SIMULTANEOUS DETERMINATION OF OFLOXACIN AND FLAVOXATE HYDROCHLORIDE

Objective: The objective of this study was to develop and validate a stability indicating reverse-phase HPLC method for simultaneous estimation of Ofloxacin and Flavoxate hydrochloride from their combination product.Methods: The proposed RP-HPLC method was developed using inertsil C18, 5 µm, 250 mm × 4.6 mm column. The mobile phase used was a mixture of methanol and water in the proportion of 50:50 (v/v) with apparent pH adjusted to 4.9, and UV detection at 274 nm using a PDA detector and Empower-2 software. The flow rate was 1.0 ml/min. Ofloxacin, Flavoxate hydrochloride and their combination drug product were exposed to thermal, photolytic, hydrolytic, and oxidative stress conditions, and the stressed samples were analysed by the proposed method.Results: With the optimized method, retention times of Ofloxacin and Flavoxate hydrochloride were found to be 4.3 and 2.98 respectively. Peak homogeneity data of Ofloxacin and Flavoxate hydrochloride peaks obtained using PDA detector, in the stressed sample chromatograms demonstrated the specificity of the method for their estimation in the presence of degradants. The described method was linear over a range of 10-60 µg/ml with regression coefficient of 0.9996 and 0.9998. The mean recoveries were 99.57% and 99.99% for Ofloxacin and Flavoxate hydrochloride, respectively.Conclusion: Stress testing, which covered acid, alkali, peroxide, photolytic and thermal degradation was performed to prove the specificity of the proposed method and degradation, was achieved. The developed method was validated according to ICH guidelines and was found to be simple, precise and accurate with the prescribed values.Â

Sphenoidal emissary foramen and its clinical consideration

Background:Sphenoidal emissary foramen is a small, variable and an inconstant foramen in middle cranial fossa which is located antero-medial to the foramen ovale. Emissary vein passing through it connects the pterygoid venous plexus with the cavernous sinus which has clinical significance because through an extra-cranial infection may reach to cavernous sinus. Aim of present study was to investigate the incidence and shape of sphenoidal emissary foramen, the number of present on one side and the presence of bony septum in it.Methods: Two hundred and fifty (right 250; left-250) dry Indian adult skulls of unknown age and sex were used for this study. Middle cranial fossa of each skull was macroscopically observed for the presence, absence of sphenoidal emissary foramen. Patency was confirmed by inserting a bristle through each probable foramen and only patent foramen were calculated.Results: We observed that sphenoidal emissary foramen was present in 72 (28.8%) skulls. Unilaterally it was present in 17.6% and bilaterally in 11.2% skulls.Conclusions: Incidence of this foramen is variable and therefore recognition of this anatomical structure is important. Knowledge of their variations will be helpful for neurosurgeons and radiologist.