High order difference schemes for the system of two space second order nonlinear hyperbolic equations with variable coefficients

AbstractIn this paper, we develop implicit difference schemes of O(k4 + k2h2 + h4), where k > 0, h > 0 are grid sizes in time and space coordinates, respectively, for solving the system of two space dimensional second order nonlinear hyperbolic partial differential equations with variable coefficients having mixed derivatives subject to appropriate initial and boundary conditions. The proposed difference method for the scalar equation is applied for the solution of wave equation in polar coordinates to obtain three level conditionally stable ADI method of O(k4 + k2h2 + h4). Some physical nonlinear problems are provided to demonstrate the accuracy of the implementation

Effectiveness of cucumber juice upon blood pressure level in hypertensive clients

A Quasi Experimental Study to Assess the Effectiveness of Cucumber Juice Upon Blood Pressure Level in Hypertensive Clients at Selected Wards of Thiruverkadu Township, Chennai. OBJECTIVES: 1. To assess the level of blood pressure before and after administration of cucumber juice in control and experimental group of hypertensive clients. 2. To determine the effectiveness of cucumber juice by comparing the mean scores of blood pressure levels before and after administration of cucumber juice in control and experimental group of hypertensive clients. 3. To assess the level of satisfaction regarding cucumber juice administration upon blood pressure levels among experimental group of hypertensive clients. 4. To find out the association between selected demographic variables and blood pressure levels before and after administration of cucumber juice in control and experimental group of hypertensive clients. 5. To find out the association between selected clinical variables and blood pressure levels before and after administration of cucumber juice in control and experimental group of hypertensive clients. The conceptual frame work was based on Ernestine Weidenbach’s Helping Art of Clinical Nursing theory which was modified for the present study, and extensive review of literature and guidance by expert formed the foundation of development of the research tool. A quasi experimental design was adopted for this study. Purposive sampling technique was used to select 30 in control group from Thiruverkadu Township and 30 in experimental group from Keelayanambakkam. The blood pressure assessment charter and rating scale for level of satisfaction on administration of cucumber juice were the tools used to collect data, after establishing validity and reliability. The main data collection was done after determining the feasibility and practicability through pilot study. The hypertensive clients were identified by screening. The blood pressure level was checked for both control and experimental group before and after administration of cucumber juice. Cucumber juice was freshly prepared in a juicer. 125ml of this administered every day orally on empty stomach for four weeks and their level of satisfaction on cucumber juice was assessed. The data was tabulated and analyzed by using descriptive and inferential statistics. MAJOR FINDINGS OF THE STUDY: Majority of hypertensive clients were in age group of 51to70 (76.6%,80%), were females (66.7%,70%), belonging to Hindu religion (70%,76.6%), married (100%,100%) and a significant percentage of hypertensive clients had no formal education (43.3%,43.4%),occupational status as home makers (36.6%,40%), with monthly income of 10001-15000 (40%,33.3%), in control and experimental group respectively. • Majority of the hypertensive clients had been suffering from hypertension for a duration between 1 to 5 yrs (66.7%, 76.6%), had no family history of hypertension (63.3%, 46.6%), were on oral anti hypertensive agents (83.3%, 90%), had body weight between 51-60 kg (50%, 46.67%), with height 151 to 160 cm (43.3%, 67%), with BMI between 19 to 24 (80%, 83.33%), non vegetarians (46.6%, 56.67%), sedentary workers (66.75, 66.7%) absence of co morbidities (60%, 50%), not on other alternative or complementary therapy (100%, 100%), had no habit of smoking (80%, 73.3%) and had no habit of alcoholism (86.6%, 70%) in control and experimental group respectively. • Majority of the hypertensive clients in the control and experimental group had mild deviations of systolic blood pressure (50%, 70%), and most of them had mild deviations of diastolic blood pressure (50%, 43.4%) before cucumber juice administration. But after cucumber juice administration there was a significant difference in the experimental group, 87% of clients had normal level of systolic blood pressure and 93.4% of clients had normal level of diastolic blood pressure. Where as in the control group 46.7% clients had mild level of systolic blood pressure and 80% of clients had mild level of diastolic blood pressure. • In control group there was no significant difference in the mean and standard deviation of systolic blood pressure (M=157,152 & SD=13.58, 11.3) and diastolic blood pressure level (M=96, 90 & SD=7.06, 6.62) in pre test and post test assessment. Whereas experimental group showed a significant difference (p<0.001) in the mean and standard deviation of systolic blood pressure level (M=152, 123 & SD=13.3, 7.06) and diastolic blood pressure level (M=97, 77 & SD=7.26, 4.58) before and after administration of cucumber juice it can be attributed to the effectiveness of cucumber juice. Hence the null hypothesis Ho1 was rejected. • Majority of the hypertensive clients in the experimental group were highly satisfied with regard to researcher approach and nature of cucumber juice (83%), and most of the hypertensive clients were highly satisfied with regard to method of administration of cucumber juice (73%), and majority of the clients were highly satisfied with regard to the effectiveness of cucumber juice administration (100%) respectively. • There was a significant association between the selected demographic variables of gender (χ2=8.2, df=1), education (χ2=6.4, df=1), income (χ2=8.43, df=1) and systolic blood pressure levels of hypertensive clients in pretest, and occupational status (χ2=5.56, df=1) in post test at (p<0.05) in the control group, but there was no significant association with other demographic variables. Hence the null hypothesis Ho2 was rejected with regard to gender, education, income and occupational status. There was a significant association between demographical variable age (χ2=4.80, df=1) and systolic blood pressure level in pretest and post test at (p<0.05) in the experimental group. So the null hypothesis H02 was rejected with regard to age. There was a significant association between demographical variable education (χ2=6.26, df=1) and diastolic blood pressure level in pre test at (p<0.05). So the null hypothesis H02 was rejected with regard to education. • There was a significant association between the selected clinical variable weight (χ2=9.5, df=1) (p<0.01) and systolic blood pressure levels of hypertensive clients in pre test and post test in control group, but there was no significant association with other clinical variables. Hence the null hypothesis Ho3 was rejected with regard to weight. There was a significant association between the selected clinical variable BMI (χ2=5, df=1) (p<0.05) and diastolic blood pressure levels of hypertensive clients in pre test in control group, but there was no significant association with other clinical variables. Hence the null hypothesis Ho3 was rejected with regard to BMI. RECOMMENDATIONS: The researcher recommends the following studies in the field of nursing research: 1. The same study could be conducted on larger samples for better generalization. 2. The study could be replicated in different settings. 3. A study could be conducted to assess the level of knowledge among nurses regarding the administration of cucumber juice for the management of the clients with hypertension. 4. A similar study can be conducted with other traditional and herbal medicines

Nanoceria for ROS-Mediated Cancer Therapy: A Receptor-Targeted Theranostic Approach

Combining the multi-step processes of diagnosis and treatment of cancers is critical to the timely provision of treatments in order to improve survival rates. Theranostics exploits both diagnostic and therapeutic agents in a single system, thus initiating the treatment of cancer as soon as it is diagnosed. It also helps to guide the treatment and predict the therapeutic response of individual patients to drugs, thereby offering personalised and tailored treatment strategies. Nanoceria, which possesses intrinsic anti-cancer properties, is employed as the therapeutic component. Cerium can exist in two oxidation states, Ce3+ and Ce4+, and it can switch between these two states. The redox switching and associated anti-cancer activity of nanoceria is pH-dependent. Thus, it acts selectively as a pro-oxidant in the acidic pH of cancer cells, thereby elevating ROS production and killing the cancer cells, while it acts as an antioxidant in the basic pH of normal cells, thereby scavenging ROS and protecting the normal cells. A fluorophore-tagged ligand (FITC-EGF), which can bind specifically to the receptors that are overexpressed in cancers and so detecting these receptors/cells, was used as the diagnostic component. Since the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a biomarker in various cancers, then it was selected as the diagnostic target. This receptor-targeted strategy also enhances the bioavailability of nanoparticles at the tumour site through receptor-mediated endocytosis. Rod-shaped nanoceria (~50 nm L x ~12 nm Ø), which was fabricated by hydrothermal synthesis, characterised (TEM, XRD, Raman, XPS, FTIR, DLS), and functionalised with FITC-tagged EGF to form the final theranostic formulation. The theranostic performance of this system was evaluated using EGFR-positive cancer cell lines. The diagnostic and therapeutic efficiency was examined for several cancers, including fibrosarcoma (HT-1080), melanoma (A375-P, A375-MA1), breast cancer (MDA-MB-231), pancreatic cancer (PANC-1), and cervical cancer (HeLa). The performances of the system were studied using 2D (all types) and 3D models (melanoma only). The ROS-mediated cytotoxicity of nanoceria towards cancer cells was confirmed by cell viability, cytotoxicity, ROS measurements (DCFDA, MitoSOX), and live-dead imaging (calcein AM and EthD-1) studies. The specificity of the interaction between EGF-nanoceria and EGFR receptor was confirmed using western blotting and the intracellular uptake levels were determined both qualitatively (bioTEM) and quantitatively (ICP-MS). The diagnostic activity was confirmed by laser scanning confocal imaging. Nanoceria was observed to induce significant ROS-mediated cytotoxicity toward all the cancer models studied, which is attributed to EGFR overexpression in these cancers. Fluorescence imaging confirmed the diagnostic potential of the system. A significant increase in the oxidative stress levels was detected in the 3D models in comparison to the 2D models, suggesting the suitability of 3D models for research applications. Finally, the hemocompatibility studies (hemolysis assay) demonstrated the suitability of nanoceria-based theranostic formulations for in vivo use

‘Enlisting in the struggle to be free’: A feminist wrestle with gender and religion

This paper looks at the gendered underpinnings of religion using a feminist lens. It names the violence embedded in the gendered notions of religious ideology and praxis and shows how religion can be “injurious” to women’s growth because of the following factors: the hierarchical dualism that alienates them from the Spirit and identifies them with the body while marginalizing them through their positioning on the lower rungs of the hierarchical ladder; the exclusive male imagery of God and its mediation by an all male priestly class and the scriptural injunctions which are inscribed by patriarchal thought and deployed to keep women in defined roles and spaces. Catholic teachings and practices are taken as a case of analysis to unearth the political dynamics by which religion reinforces ‘gendering –women’s exclusion from theological knowledge making spaces and the gendered religious indoctrination which become hegemonic codes that shape women’s consciousness and keep them without grievance  in their  subjugated status.  It shows further how female body and sexuality are major sites of religious gender politics through the strict controls on women’s dress-codes  and the sexual servicing expected of them in marriage. Finally, the paper advocates critical thought as a tool for exploding the hardened rock of gendered religious foundations and shows how overcoming the contradictory consciousness and waking up to a critical consciousness becomes imperative for women  to be freed of the gender dictates of religion. Key words: gender, religion, theological knowledge-making, sexuality, critical consciusnes

Catalytic oxidation of cyclohexane over Cu-Zn-Cr ternary spinel systems

Spinel systems with the composition of Cu 1−x Zn x Cr 2 O 4 [x = 0 CCr, x = 0.25 CZCr-1, x = 0.5 CZCr-2, x = 0.75 CZCr-3 and x = 1 ZCr] were prepared by homogeneous co-precipitation method and were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and FT-IR spectroscopy. Elemental analysis was done by EDX, and surface area measurements by the BET method. The redox behavior of these catalysts in cyclohexane oxidation at 243 K using TBHP as oxidant was examined. Cyclohexanone was the major product over all catalysts with some cyclohexanol. 69.2% selectivity to cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone at 23% conversion of cyclohexane was realized over zinc chromite spinels in 10 h.Cochin University of Science and Technolog

The sustainability and impact of school sanitation, water and hygiene education in southern India

For at least 50 years 'hygiene education' or more currently 'hygiene promotion' campaigns in schools, along with 'school sanitation' have been an unquestioned 'essential element' of water and sanitation promotion. This study describes a set of findings and conclusions that call into question the 'obvious logic' of school hygiene and sanitation promotion as currently practised. The overwhelming majority of 'trained' pupils do not in fact wash their hands with soap after using the toilet and before eating (even though the importance of such practices is well established and has almost certainly been emphasized in hygiene classes) and open defecation still appears to be relatively widespread even in intervention schools. This research therefore presents important findings for water, sanitation and hygiene in general and in the schools sector. © 2009 Practical Action Publishing

Synthesis, characterization and structural studies of metal complexes based on dmit, dmt and tbs ligands. Crystal structure of [PPN][Au(dmit)(2)].CH3CN

Dichalcogenene complexes of the formula [cation](n)[M(dmit)(2)](n-), [cation](n)[M(dmt)(2)](n-) and [cation](n)[M(tbs)(2)])(n-) [M = Ni, Cu, Pd, Pt; Au, n = 0-2; dmit = 4,5-dimercapto-1,3-dithiole-2-thione, dmt = 4,5-dimercapto-1,2-dithiole-3-thione and tbs = thiobenezeneselenolate, cation = trimethyltelluronium, (CH3)(3)Te+, bis(triphenylphosphine)iminium, PPN+, tetrabutylammonium, Bu4N+, and trimethylammonium, Me3NH+] have been prepared. The spectroscopic and electrochemical behaviour have been studied and compared with the related complexes. Oxidation reactions of these complexes with iodine afforded partially oxidized derivatives which exhibit compressed electrical conductivites of > 10(-6) S cm(-1) at room temperature. The [PPN][Au(dmit)(2)] complex has been structurally characterized by X-ray crystallography and its structure is compared with the structure of previously reported complexes [(CH3)(3)Te][Au(dmit)(2)] and [PPN][Ni(dmit)(2)]

Synthesis, characterization and structural studies of metal complexes based on dmit, dmt and tbs ligands. Crystal structure of [PPN][Au(dmit)₂].CH₃CN

2344-2351Dichalcogenene complexes of the formula [cation]n[M(dmit)2]n-, [cation]n[M(dmt)2]n- and [cation]n[M(tbs)2]n- [M = Ni, Cu, Pd, Pt; Au, n = 0-2; dmit = 4,5-dimercapto-1,3-dithiole-2-thione, dmt = 4,5-dimercapto-1,2-dithiole-3-thione and tbs = thiobenezeneselenolate, cation = trimethyltelluronium, (CH3)3Te+, bis(triphenylphosphine)iminium, PPN+, tetrabutylammonium, BU4N+, and trimethylammonium, Me3NH+] have been prepared. The spectroscopic and electrochemical behaviour have been studied and compared with the related complexes. Oxidation reactions of these complexes with iodine afforded partially oxidized derivatives which exhibit compressed electrical conductivites of > 10-6 S cm-1 at room temperature. The [PPN][Au(drnit)2] complex has been structurally characterized by X-ray crystallography and its structure is compared with the structure of previously reported complexes [(CH3)3Te][Au(dmit)2] and [PPN][Ni(dmit)2]

Studies on Surface Properties and Catalytic Activity of Some Chromites and Related Spinels

The prime intension of the present work was a synthetic investigation of the preparation, surface properties and catalytic activity of some transition metal substituted copper chromite catalysts. Homogeneous co-precipitation method is employed for the preparation of catalysts. Since the knowledge about the structure and composition of the surface is critical in explaining the reactivity and selectivity of a solid catalyst. a systematic investigation of the physico-chemical properties of the prepared systems was carried out. The catalytic activity of these systems has also been measured in several oxidation reactions of industrial as well as environmental relevance. The thesis is dedicated to several aspects of chromite spinels giving emphasis to its preparation, characterization and catalytic performance towards oxidation reactions.Department of Applied Chemistry, Cochin University of Science and Technolog