Preclinical study comparing the antidotal effect of clonidine with atropine for the treatment of acute malathion poisoning in the albino rats

Background: In developing countries 2–3 million people are acutely poisoned by organophosphorus (OP) pesticides every year. There is a pressing need for new affordable antidotes and in this context clonidine which has central effect (α2 agonist) has been evaluated in the albino rats presenting with signs or symptoms of acute malathion poisoning. And compared with atropine for the acte malathion poisoning in albino rats.Methods: This was a preclinical study conducted on albino rats of either sex weighing 100-150 grams were randomly divided into 4 groups (6/group). Malathion was given at the lethal dose of 54 mg/kg body weight (BW) by gavage to each group. Group 1: normal saline intraperioneal (i.p). Group 2: Post treated with atropine 1.5 mg/kg BW (i.p). Group 3: Pre treated with clonidine 1mg/ kg BW (i.p), 10 minutes priore malathion. Group 4: Pre treated with clonidine and post treated with atropine. The above groups were observed for straub tail, muscle fasciculation, piloerection, lacrimation, defecation/ urination; salivation, tremors, gasping and convulsion and were recorded at time 0, 15, 30, 45 and 60 minutes after poisoning. The latency of onset of tremors, loss of righting reflex and tremors were recorded. Results were presented as percentage occurrence and Mean ± SEM. Repeated measure one way ANOVA and Fisher’s Least Significant Difference post hoc test for comparison between groups. P-value of 0.05 or less was considered for statistical significance.Results: The central effects namely straubs tail and whole body tremors are significantly improved compared to control and atropine with clonidine group (p<0.05). However convulsion shows improve in atropine alone and atropine with clonidine groups. The overall survival time has significantly increased compared to control and atropine and atropine with clonidine (P<0.05).Clonidine has not shown any effect on survival time.Conclusions: Clonidine has some central protective effect in malathion poisoning. And it has not shown any effect on survival time. This issue needs further controlled studies

Magnetic and Low Temperature Conductivity Studies in Oxidized Nano Ni Films

A set of single layered nanostructured Ni films of thickness, t = 25 nm, 50 nm, 75 nm and 100 nm have been deposited using electron beam gun evaporation technique at 473 K under high vacuum condition. From the grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD) studies, NiO phase formation has been noted. Grain sizes of the films were determined. The microstructure was examined by scanning electron microscope (SEM) studies. Average surface roughness was determined by atomic force microscope (AFM). The room temperature magnetization has been measured using the vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The coercive field was observed to be increasing with increasing t and became maximum for t = 75 nm and decreases for further increase in t. The behavior of coercive field with t indicated softness of the films. Low temperature electrical conductivity in the range from 5 K to 300 K has been measured. Temperature dependence of electrical conductivity showed semiconducting behavior. At temperatures above θD/2 (θD is the Debye temperature), the conductivity behavior has been understood in the light of Mott’s small polaron hopping model and activation energies were determined. An attempt has been made to understand conductivity variation below θD/2 using variable range hopping models due to Mott and Greaves. When you are citing the document, use the following link http://essuir.sumdu.edu.ua/handle/123456789/2371

Design and Analysis of a Single-Stage Simultaneous Charging Converter Using a SiC-Based Quasi-Z-Source Resonant Converter for a Wide Output Voltage Range

Simultaneous charging with the individual voltage-fed LLC resonant converters has the drawback of two-stage conversion losses and increased cost, volume, and control complexity. This work presents an isolated Quasi-Z-Source Inverter (QZSI) combined with an LLC resonant converter for a simultaneous charging system in a single-stage conversion at different voltage levels to overcome these issues. The dual tank resonant circuit (DTRC) design structure and required magnetizing inductance are detailed to achieve simultaneous charging. Moreover, the influence of the equivalent magnetizing inductance-to-inductance ratio on power sharing and efficiencies is analyzed. This analysis uses SiC MOSFETs with double-leg shoot-through PWM (DLST PWM) at the constant switching frequency. Simulations and experimental results are evaluated for the proposed converter with a prototype of $200 {W}$ on each HFT in the upper and lower circuits in the laboratory using the dSPACE1104 platform. This work has analyzed simultaneous charging at equal and unequal voltage levels. It offers a novel, efficient topology with simple control and a smaller size

Cross-neutralization between three mumps viruses & mapping of haemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) epitopes

Background & objectives: The reports from the countries where mumps vaccine is given as routine immunization suggest differences in mumps virus neutralizing antibody titres when tested with vaccine and wild type viruses. Such reports are unavailable from countries like India where mumps vaccine is not included in routine immunization. We, therefore, undertook this study to understand the cross-neutralization activity of Indian mumps viruses. Methods: By using commercial mumps IgG enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and a rapid focus reduction neutralization test (FRNT), a panel of serum samples was tested. The panel consisted of 14 acute and 14 convalescent serum samples collected during a mumps outbreak and 18 archived serum samples. Two wild types (genotypes C and G) and Leningrad-Zagreb vaccine strain (genotype N) were used for the challenge experiments and FRNT titres were determined and further compared. The HN protein sequence of three mumps viruses was analyzed for the presence of key epitopes. Results: All serum samples effectively neutralized mumps virus wild types and a vaccine strain. However, significantly lower FRNT titres were noted to wild types than to vaccine strain (P<0.05). The comparison between EIA and FRNT results revealed 95.6 per cent agreement. No amino acid changes were seen in the epitopes in the Indian wild type strains. All potential N-linked glycosylation sites were observed in Indian strains. Interpretation & conclusions:Good cross-neutralization activity was observed for three mumps virus strains, however, higher level of FRNT titres was detected for mumps virus vaccine strain compared to Indian wild type isolates

Carbon Nanocomposite Membrane Electrolytes for Direct Methanol Fuel Cells—A Concise Review

A membrane electrolyte that restricts the methanol cross-over while retaining proton conductivity is essential for better electrochemical selectivity in direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). Extensive research carried out to explore numerous blends and composites for application as polymer electrolyte membranes (PEMs) revealed promising electrochemical selectivity in DMFCs of carbon nanomaterial-based polymer composites. The present review covers important literature on different carbon nanomaterial-based PEMs reported during the last decade. The review emphasises the proton conductivity and methanol permeability of nanocomposite membranes with carbon nanotubes, graphene oxide and fullerene as additives, assessing critically the impact of each type of filler on those properties

Incidence of neurological complications in patients with native-valve infective endocarditis and cerebral microembolism: an open cohort study

The objective of this open cohort study was to assess the association between neurological complications in patients with definite native-valve infective endocarditis (IE) and cerebral microembolism (MES). MES detection was performed with 1-h, bilateral middle cerebral arteries (MCA) insonation using a transcranial Doppler ultrasound (TCD) machine. Thirty patients with definite native-valve IE were stratified into 2 groups based upon the presence of MES. The most striking difference between the 2 groups of patients was the incidence of clinically evident neurological complications. Neurological complications of IE occurred in 10 (83.3%) patients with positive MES and in 6 (33.3%) MES-negative patients (p=0.021). Ischaemic stroke was the most common complication, occurring in 11 of 16 patients, followed by meningitis in 4 patients and cerebritis in 1 patient. There was a trend towards greater in-hospital mortality in patients with recorded MES than in the MES-negative, although this was not statistically significant (33.3% vs 16.6%; p=0.392). Our results reveal a significant association between MES and neurological complications in patients with native-valve IE. TCD is a promising tool in predicting individual patient risk for neurological complications of IE

Reliability modeling and assessment of a community microgrid with electric vehicle charging station as a critical load

Microgrids are constituted of interconnected loads and dispersed energy resources. They increase the reliability of the power supply, decrease the cost of the per unit energy and support the green environment concept. Microgrids have gained importance due to their ability to deliver reliable energy and operate in both grid-connected and off-grid/island modes. Renewable energy sources such as photovoltaic (PV) and wind can be connected to the microgrid system to generate green energy. An electric vehicle charging station (EVCS) can be deployed in microgrids powered by renewable energy sources. An effective way to handle the rapidly rising load demand of electric vehicles (EVs) is to integrate EV recharge stations into microgrids. Due to the intermittent nature of solar PV and EV load's reliability, an evaluation of microgrids becomes challenging. Assessment of the components’ failure and their impact on the system reliability is proposed using different methods. Reliability Block Diagram (RBD), Markov Reliability Modeling (MRM) and Fault Tree Analysis (FTA) - Monte Carlo simulation are used for the Reliability Modeling of a community microgrid considering EVCS as a critical load. The mean time to failure (MTTF) is computed for the entire microgrid which includes PV, wind and fuel cell systems integrated into the grid with associated power electronic devices, transmission lines, transformers and point of common coupling (PCC). MATLAB software was used to program and study the reliability aspects of the microgrid. Using the FTA MCS technique and grid functions for 45 years with 20 % reliability, significant results were obtained in terms of a MTTF rate of 26.16 years

In silico docking studies of α‑amylase inhibitors from the anti‑diabetic plant Leucas ciliata Benth. and an endophyte, Streptomyces longisporofavus

In this investigation, potential inhibitors of α-amylase, one of the key regulatory enzymes in diabetes were characterized from the methanolic extract of Leucas ciliata Benth. (Lamiaceae), a traditional medicinal plant of the Western Ghats, southern India and the ethyl acetate extract of Streptomyces longisporoflavus (JX965948), an endophytic actinomycete isolated from the stem fragments of L. ciliata, by Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectroscopy (GC–MS) technique followed by molecular docking studies. Forty-four compounds were detected in the solvent extracts of the host plant and the endophyte, respectively. These compounds were selected as ligands for the receptor α-amylase in the molecular docking studies using PyRx software (0.8 V) for the inhibition of α-amylase activity. The ligands were ranked based on the binding energies ranging between − 3.1 and − 10.1 kcal/mol. Three ligands from the host plant extract, viz., Topotecan (PNo_7), Cathine (PNo_17) and 2,5-dimethoxy-4-(methylsulfonyl)amphetamine (PNo_18), depicted good binding energies of − 5.2 to − 7.8, respectively, whereas seven compounds from the endophyte extract showed binding energies in the range of − 4.7 to − 10.1, respectively. The standard α-amylase inhibitor Acarbose™ depicted binding energy of − 9.2 kcal/mol. All ligands were subjected to lead-likeliness property using Lipinski’s rule of five. On the basis of the hydrogen bonding interactions with the receptor, and chemoinformatics analysis for drug-likeliness, one ligand, Topotecan (PNo_7) from the host plant was identified as the potential α-amylase inhibitor. This is the first attempt to identify alkaloid and flavonoid compounds as the α-amylase inhibitors from the host plant and its endophyte simultaneously. The molecular docking analyses presented in this study could lead to the development of potent α-amylase inhibitors helpful in the treatment of diabetes. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version of this article (10.1007/s13205-020-02547-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users