Interaction of Aqueous Extract of Pleurotus pulmonarius (Fr.) Quel-Champ. with Glyburide in Alloxan Induced Diabetic Mice

Mushrooms are low calorie food with very little fat and are highly suitable for obese persons. With no starch and very low sugars, they are the ‘delight of the diabetics’. Combination of herbal drugs (or isolated phytochemicals) is found to be beneficial in certain diseases when given along with conventional drugs. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of aqueous extract of Pleurotus pulmonarius (Lentinaceae) (called as PP-aqu) and its interaction with glyburide in alloxan induced diabetic mice. The diabetic mice treated were with PP-aqu (500 mg/kg, p.o.) alone or combination with glyburide (10 mg/kg, p.o.) for 28 days. Blood samples were collected by orbital sinus puncture using heparinized capillary glass tubes and were analyzed for serum glucose on 0, 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th days. Body weights and mortality were noted during the study period. In oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), glucose (2.5 g/kg, p.o.) was administered with either vehicle, PP-aqu alone or in combination with glyburide and serum glucose level analyzed at 0, 30, 60 and 120 min after drug administration. Administration of PP-aqu (500 mg/kg) and its combination with glyburide (10 mg/kg) significantly (P < 0.001) decreased serum glucose level in diabetic mice. In OGTT, glyburide or PP-aqu treatment alone or their combination produced significant (P < 0.001) increase in glucose threshold. Thus we suggest that P. pulmonarius showed potent and synergistic antihyperglycemic effect in combination with glyburide

Efficient Performance of Electrostatic Spray-Deposited TiO2 Blocking Layers in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells after Swift Heavy Ion Beam Irradiation

A compact TiO2 layer (~1.1 μm) prepared by electrostatic spray deposition (ESD) and swift heavy ion beam (SHI) irradiation using oxygen ions onto a fluorinated tin oxide (FTO) conducting substrate showed enhancement of photovoltaic performance in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The short circuit current density (Jsc = 12.2 mA cm-2) of DSSCs was found to increase significantly when an ESD technique was applied for fabrication of the TiO2 blocking layer, compared to a conventional spin-coated layer (Jsc = 8.9 mA cm-2). When SHI irradiation of oxygen ions of fluence 1 × 1013 ions/cm2 was carried out on the ESD TiO2, it was found that the energy conversion efficiency improved mainly due to the increase in open circuit voltage of DSSCs. This increased energy conversion efficiency seems to be associated with improved electronic energy transfer by increasing the densification of the blocking layer and improving the adhesion between the blocking layer and the FTO substrate. The adhesion results from instantaneous local melting of the TiO2 particles. An increase in the electron transport from the blocking layer may also retard the electron recombination process due to the oxidized species present in the electrolyte. These findings from novel treatments using ESD and SHI irradiation techniques may provide a new tool to improve the photovoltaic performance of DSSCs

Green Computing using Hadoop : An Energy Efficient Technique

Cloud computing is an emerging model for distributed computing. Hadoop is the popular framework for handling large amount of data. It has two main components i.e. Hadoop Distributed File System and MapReduce method. The purpose of this paper is to implement this technology in the eco-friendly environment using green energy. This will reduce the electricity consumption and improve the performance of data processing. In this way, we can save our environment or we will reduce the effect on environment by using Hadoop framework and Green renewable energy like wind and solar. This helps in protecting environment, reducing e-waste and increase in performance of data computing

Green Computing using Hadoop : An Energy Efficient Technique

Cloud computing is an emerging model for distributed computing. Hadoop is the popular framework for handling large amount of data. It has two main components i.e. Hadoop Distributed File System and MapReduce method. The purpose of this paper is to implement this technology in the eco-friendly environment using green energy. This will reduce the electricity consumption and improve the performance of data processing. In this way, we can save our environment or we will reduce the effect on environment by using Hadoop framework and Green renewable energy like wind and solar. This helps in protecting environment, reducing e-waste and increase in performance of data computing

Synthesis and characterization of Y(3+)-doped TiO(2) nanocomposites for photocatalytic applications

The TiO(2)center dot[Y(2)O(3)](x) (x = 0.1-0.4) nanocomposites (NCs) with an average particle size of 74 nm were prepared by the method of chemical co-precipitation followed by hydrolysis (CPH). Their visible light photocatalytic activity was investigated for the degradation of congo red (CR) dye. All NCs showed improved degradation as compared to the polycrystalline samples of similar compositions prepared by the solid-state reaction (SSR) route (average particle size of a few micrometers), as well as to the pure TiO(2). The better photocatalytic activity of the NCs was attributed to their smaller particle size. Another comparison of the results with those obtained with Zn(2+)/Fe(3+) ions co-doped TiO(2) NCs, under similar experimental conditions, revealed that in the Y(3+)-doped NCs, particle size might not be the only factor responsible for the improved photocatalytic properties. It was concluded that the Y(3+) ion-mediated suppression of the unwanted e(-)/h(+) recombination could be the possible factor leading to additional enhancement

Synthesis of nanodimensional TiO2 thin films

Nanodimensional TiO2 has wide application in the field of photocatalysis, photovoltaic and photochromic devices. In present investigation TiO2 thin films deposited by pulsed laser deposition method are irradiated by 100 MeV Ag ion beam to achieve growth of nanophases. The nanostructure evolution is characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The phases of TiO2 formed after irradiation are identified by glancing angle X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. The particle radius estimated by AFM varies from 10-13 nm. Anatase phase of TiO2 is formed after irradiation. The blue shift observed in UV-VIS absorption spectra indicates the nanostructure formation. The shape and size of nanoparticles formed due to high electronic excitation depend upon thickness of the film