A comparison of the efficacy and safety of daily inhaled budesonide/formoterol and as and when needed inhaled budesonide/formoterol combination in moderate persistent asthma

Background: To evaluate efficacy and safety of a fixed dose combination of budesonide/formoterol inhaler, when used as and when needed treatment approach in comparison with similar regimen daily.Methods: A prospective, open label, parallel group study design, in which, screened patients, having moderate persistent asthma, underwent a 2 week of run in period, underwent randomization in two treatment groups, in one group daily treatment with fixed dose combination of budesonide/formoterol inhaler and in another group as and when needed treatment with similar medication. The assessments after baseline were done at 2, 4 and 6 weeks. The primary outcomes were Asthma Control Questionnaire Score (ACQS), asthma free days, exacerbation frequency and severity. Other outcomes were, lung functions, need for rescue medication, Modified Borg dyspnea score and patient preference on VAS.Results: The mean age of 50 patients included in study was 40.24±2.38 years in group I, and 39.24±1.81 years in group II. Patients were followed up for 6 weeks after 2 weeks of run in period. Improvement of ACQS, exacerbation prevention and number of asthma free days were same with both the regimens. Though the drugs taken in as and when needed treatment group was almost half of daily regimen group. Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) were not found in any group. No association between adverse effects and dose was established.Conclusions: Both the treatment regimens improve the asthma control parameters, prevent exacerbations and prevent the decline in lung functions with the similar efficacy and safety. So as and when needed treatment approach can be an alternative to daily regimen for stable moderate persistent asthma patients

Fenugreek derived diosgenin as an emerging source for diabetic therapy

Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disease that endangers the entire body’s tissues and organs. Diabetes impairs glucose and insulin regulation in the human body by causing pancreatic cell damage. Diabetes modifies pathways such as serine/threonine protein kinase (Akt) and Protein kinase C (PKC)/- glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) glucose absorption, and inhibits α-amylase and α-glucosidase, Sodium/glucose cotransporter 1 (SGLT-1), and Na+-K+-ATPase activity. Diabetes may also be caused by a decrease in the expression of sterol regulatory element binding protein 1 (SREBP-1) and its target genes, fatty acid synthase (FAS), stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 (SCD-1), and acetyl-CoA carboxylase α (ACC), as well as a decrease in the levels of C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP), Caspase12, and Caspase3 proteins. Diabetes has long been linked to diseases of the cardiovascular, nervous, skeletal, reproductive, hepatic, ocular, and renal systems. Diosgenin, a steroidal compound derived from fenugreek, aids in the prevention of diabetes by altering cellular pathways in favor of healthy bodily functions. Diosgenin is a new nutraceutical on the market that claims to cure diabetes in particular. This article focuses on diosgenin extraction and purification, fenugreek bioactive compounds, pharmacological properties of diosgenin, mode of action of diosgenin to cure diabetes, and dosages

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A comparison of the efficacy and safety of daily inhaled budesonide/formoterol and as and when needed inhaled budesonide/formoterol combination in moderate persistent asthma

Background: To evaluate efficacy and safety of a fixed dose combination of budesonide/formoterol inhaler, when used as and when needed treatment approach in comparison with similar regimen daily.Methods: A prospective, open label, parallel group study design, in which, screened patients, having moderate persistent asthma, underwent a 2 week of run in period, underwent randomization in two treatment groups, in one group daily treatment with fixed dose combination of budesonide/formoterol inhaler and in another group as and when needed treatment with similar medication. The assessments after baseline were done at 2, 4 and 6 weeks. The primary outcomes were Asthma Control Questionnaire Score (ACQS), asthma free days, exacerbation frequency and severity. Other outcomes were, lung functions, need for rescue medication, Modified Borg dyspnea score and patient preference on VAS.Results: The mean age of 50 patients included in study was 40.24±2.38 years in group I, and 39.24±1.81 years in group II. Patients were followed up for 6 weeks after 2 weeks of run in period. Improvement of ACQS, exacerbation prevention and number of asthma free days were same with both the regimens. Though the drugs taken in as and when needed treatment group was almost half of daily regimen group. Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) were not found in any group. No association between adverse effects and dose was established.Conclusions: Both the treatment regimens improve the asthma control parameters, prevent exacerbations and prevent the decline in lung functions with the similar efficacy and safety. So as and when needed treatment approach can be an alternative to daily regimen for stable moderate persistent asthma patients

Microscopical evaluation of leaf of Maytenus emarginata

Microscopical investigation was carried out on leaves of Maytenus emarginata (Willd.) Ding Hou belongs to family celastraceae, is an evergreen tree that tolerates various types of stresses of the desert, locally known as “Kankero” in Hindi, “Thorny staff tree” in English. Literature survey revealed that not much work has been done on this plant, especially on leaves. So we have taken its detailed microscopical studies to prove its appropriate identification. Microscopical study provide information that the lamina is dorsiventaral and 380µm thick. The Lamina is amphistomatic, the stomata being distributed both on the adaxial and abaxial sides. Calcium oxalate crystals of druses are fairly abundant in the mesophyll tissue. The stomata are cyclocytic type. The venation is densely reticulate. The terminations are either simple or more commonly forked into deuse clusters. Powder Microscopy show that the sclereids are fiber like in shape and size. The sclereids are 500 µm long and 30 µm thick. Long or short, cylindrical mesophyll cells are common with powder. They have dense tannin contents. The cells have thin wall and the cells are up to 200 µm long and 60 µm wide. Calciumoxlate druses are quite abundant in the power. They are spherical bodies with spiny surface. The druses are 30 µm in diameters. The above studies provide useful information in regard to its correct identity, evaluation and help to differentiate from the closely related other species of Maytenus Emarginata (Willd.)Ding Hou

High Temperature Resistant Coatings for Strategic Aero space Applications

The aerospace components operating in hot sections of aero-engines and combustors experience extreme environments. Typically, the components are subjected to high service temperatures exceeding 1100°C and oxidizing conditions. Protective coatings are essential for preventing oxidation-induced dimensional degradation of the components and enhancing their high temperature capability as well as durability. Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory (DMRL) has developed a variety of metallic and ceramic thermal barrier coating (TBC) systems for Ni-base superalloys, and refractory Nb-alloys for strategic aerospace applications involving ultra-high temperatures and high flow velocities. These coatings have demonstrated significant effectiveness against thermal degradation at temperatures as high as 2000 °C during oxidation in static air as well as in dynamic conditions involving high flow velocities (Mach > 2). The present article provides an overview of the advanced oxidation resistant and thermal barrier coatings developed in DMRL. The effectiveness of the TBCs in preventing dimensional degradation of the metallic and composite substrate materials has been evaluated at the laboratory scale. The developed TBCs have the potential for use in aero-engines and propulsion systems of hypervelocity vehicles

Recycling of Crop Residues for Sustainable Soil Health Management: A Review

Burning of crop residues have become a challenging issue for scientist’s community as well as policy makers worldwide as it directly affects environment, soil health and the productivity of crops. Microbial mediated recycling of crop residues into an amorphous dark brown to black colloidal humus like substance under conditions of optimum temperature, moisture and aeration is need of the hour. Crop residue recycling increases sequestration of organic carbon in soil which ultimately leads to improve soil physical, chemical and biological health. Organic carbon acts as a reservoir for nutrients, needed in crop production. Crop residue management recycling is a cost-effective option for minimizing agriculture's input with maximizing output. Besides supplying nutrients to the current crop, their residual effects on succeeding crops in the system are also important. This review emphasizes on crop residue recycling by different techniques. This review paper maybe helpful to the policy makers and researchers

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Not AvailableCharacterization of soil water retention, e.g., water content at field capacity (FC) and permanent wilting point (PWP) over a landscape plays a key role in efficient utilization of available scarce water resources in dry land agriculture; however, direct measurement thereof for multiple locations in the field is not always feasible. Therefore, pedotransfer functions (PTFs) were developed to estimate soil water retention at FC and PWP for dryland soils of India. A soil database available for Arid Western India (N=370) was used to develop PTFs. The developed PTFs were tested in two independent datasets from arid regions of India (N=36) and an arid region of USA (N=1789). While testing these PTFs using independent data from India, root mean square error (RMSE) was found to be 2.65 and 1.08 for FC and PWP, respectively, whereas for most of the tested ‘established’ PTFs, the RMSE was >3.41 and >1.15, respectively. Performance of the developed PTFs from the independent dataset from USA was comparable with estimates derived from ‘established’ PTFs. For wide applicability of the developed PTFs, a user-friendly soil moisture calculator was developed. The PTFs developed in this study may be quite useful to farmers for scheduling irrigation water as per soil type.Not Availabl