COMPARATIVE STUDY OF ALCOHOLIC AND AQUEOUS EXTRACTS OF SYZYGIUM CUMINI ON CARBON TETRACHLORIDE-INDUCED HEPATOTOXICITY IN WISTAR RATS

ABSTRACTObjective: In this investigation, the comparative hepatoprotective effect of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Syzygium cumini (AESC and EESC,respectively) was studied on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced hepatic injury in rats. These findings were also compared with the standardhepatoprotective drug silymarin.Methods: Hepatotoxicity was induced by a single dose of CCl4 to healthy Wistar rats. Standard drug (100 mg/kg) and test extracts (500 mg/kg forboth) were given orally for 10 days; the effects were observed using different biochemical and histological methods.Results: In most of the studied parameters test extracts exhibited significant hepatoprotection, these were comparative to standard. Histologicalanalysis also revealed the protective nature of both the extracts.Conclusion: These results suggest that the SC extracts can ameliorate CCl4 induced hepatic injury. However, its ethanolic extract was found to berelatively less effective than aqueous extract. Indicated, some hydrophilic active compound of SC might work here.Keywords: Hepatoprotective, Carbon tetrachloride, Silymarin, Syzygium cumini, Alkaline phosphatase, Total bilirubin

Making and breaking of water in crude oil emulsions

An understanding of the processes involved in oil spills, and how they interact to alter the composition and behavior of the oil with respect to time is essential to determine an effective oil spill response. The review of past research has shown more focus on the laboratory methods and computerized modeling schemes to estimate the formation and breaking of emulsions after an oil spill. However, relatively less effort has gone into the study of emulsions corresponding to actual field conditions. This research aims to simulate an oil spill at sea by developing a new technique to make water in oil emulsions, without disturbing the marine wildlife. Further, this research also attempts to analyze the viscosities of water in oil emulsions and determine appropriate emulsion breakers for different crude oil emulsions. The overall test design for the study includes a test apparatus for spreading and evaporation, three different crude oils, a mixing chamber to form the emulsion, and emulsion breakers. Experiments in this research attempt to gain a better understanding of the processes that occur after oil spills at sea. In particular, the rate of evaporation of different crude oils and the formation of crude oil emulsions on the sea surface have been investigated. It was observed that different crude oils behave differently when subjected to the same weathering procedure. Results indicate that the behavior of the crude oil on the sea surface, subjected to spreading, evaporation, and emulsification, can be predicted by using the new technique developed in this research. This technique can also assist the development of effective recovery equipments and materials

Accumulation of class-III type of boiling stable Peroxidases in response to plant growth hormone ABA in Triticum aestivum cultivars

oai:ojs.horizonepublishing.com:article/6Abscisic acid (ABA) is a key plant growth and stress hormone involved in many biological processes. It has been shown to be involved in Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) generation. Class-III Peroxidases (PODs) are known to maintain oxidative stress induced-ROS at sub-lethal levels in plants under abiotic stress conditions, but, studies documenting how ABA regulates boiling stable class-III PODs are still a matter of conjuncture. In this study, the ABA-induced changes on ROS and ROS scavenging class III boiling stable POD were studied in the embryos of different cultivars of wheat. Simultaneous analysis of ROS contents, activities of ROS-scavenging class- III boiling stable POD enzymes gave an integrative view of physiological state and detoxifying potential under conditions of sensitivity and tolerance. Indices of oxidative stress viz., superoxide radical and H2O2 content increased under ABA treatment in a genotype dependent manner. It was observed that cultivars :PBW 550, HD 2967 and PBW 621 have more efficient mechanism to scavenge ROS species as shown by increase in BsPOD activity accompanied by enhanced expression of boiling stable POD isoenzymes. Based on results it can be inferred that embryos of cvs. PBW 550, HD 2967 and PBW 621 have more capacity to perform biological antioxidative reactions to combat ABA-induced oxidative stress

Impact of an International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium multidimensional approach on central line-associated bloodstream infection rates in adult intensive care units in eight cities in India

SummaryObjectiveTo evaluate the impact of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) multidimensional infection control approach on central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) rates in eight cities of India.MethodsThis was a prospective, before-and-after cohort study of 35650 patients hospitalized in 16 adult intensive care units of 11 hospitals. During the baseline period, outcome surveillance of CLABSI was performed, applying the definitions of the CDC/NHSN (US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/National Healthcare Safety Network). During the intervention, the INICC approach was implemented, which included a bundle of interventions, education, outcome surveillance, process surveillance, feedback on CLABSI rates and consequences, and performance feedback. Random effects Poisson regression was used for clustering of CLABSI rates across time periods.ResultsDuring the baseline period, 9472 central line (CL)-days and 61 CLABSIs were recorded; during the intervention period, 80898 CL-days and 404 CLABSIs were recorded. The baseline rate was 6.4 CLABSIs per 1000 CL-days, which was reduced to 3.9 CLABSIs per 1000 CL-days in the second year and maintained for 36 months of follow-up, accounting for a 53% CLABSI rate reduction (incidence rate ratio 0.47, 95% confidence interval 0.31–0.70; p=0.0001).ConclusionsImplementing the six components of the INICC approach simultaneously was associated with a significant reduction in the CLABSI rate in India, which remained stable during 36 months of follow-up

From molecular adsorption to decomposition of methanol on various ZnO facets: A Periodic DFT study.

Methanol is an interesting and important molecule to study becauseof its potential to replace existing fuels. It is also a prominent hydrogen source which can be used to generate hydrogen in-situ. ZnO is widely used as catalyst in synthesis of methanol from CO2 at industrial scale. In this work, we demonstrate that the same catalyst could be used for MeOH decomposition. We have carried out a systematic study of interaction of methanol with various flat and stepped facets of ZnO by employing Density Functional Theory (DFT). Two flat [(1010)and (1120)] and two stepped [(1013) and (1122)] facets are investigated in detail for methanol adsorption. Chemisorption of MeOH with varying strength is common to all four facets. Most importantly spontaneous dissociation of O-H bond of methanol is observed on all facets except (1120). Our DFT calculations reveal that molecular adsorption is favored on flat facets, while dissociation is favored on step facets. Also, (1010) facet undergoes substantial reconstruction upon MeOH adsorption. Activation of C-H bond along with strengthening of C-O bond on ZnO facets suggest partial oxidation of methanol. With our DFT investigations, we dig deeper into the underlying electronic structure of various facets of ZnO and provide rationale for the observed facet dependent interaction of ZnO with MeOH

Docking Adenosine Receptor Ligands to SARS-CoV2 mRNA Cap 2’-O-Methyltransferase

This is a computational study using a high resolution crystallographic structure for the SARS-CoV2 mRNA cap 2\u27-O-methyltransferase (nsp16) and ligands obtained from the ZINC database. Using iGEMDOCK for docking and Desmond/Schrodinger for energy minimization, we identify adenosine receptor binders that potentially bind a previously identified adenosine binding site in SARS-CoV2 nsp16 better than adenosine does, some of which may induce conformational changes in nsp16

Electricity security in a hydro-based electric power system : the particular case of Iceland

Thesis: S.M. in Technology and Policy, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, School of Engineering, Institute for Data, Systems, and Society, Technology and Policy Program, 2016.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.Includes bibliographical references (pages 76-79).Introduction: A secure energy system can be defined as one that is "evolving over time with an adequate capacity to absorb adverse uncertain events, so that it is able to continue satisfying the energy service needs of its intended users with 'acceptable' changes in their amount and prices" (Lombardi & Toniolo, 2015). Access to a secure electricity supply is essential for a good standard of living in a modern society. Electricity outages can have severe impact on business, schools, homes, financial loss, telecommunications, as well as lead to public safety incidences. For example, the two day-long power outage starting on August 14, 2003 across several northeastern states in the United States of America (US) and parts of Ontario, Canada led to around 50 million US residents losing power as well as an estimated economic loss of around 6.4 billion (Anderson & Geckil, 2003). This number includes lost earnings for investors and worker wages, losses due to spoiled goods or wastage for consumers and industry, and the additional cost to government agencies and tax payers for emergency services and additional police staff (Anderson & Geckil, 2003). Similarly, a substation failure on January 2, 2001 led to the collapse of the entire northern grid in India and blackouts for over 12 hours. Around 250 million people were affected and losses to businesses were estimated at around 107.1 million (Hreinsson, 2016a). Another major blackout on July 30-31, 2012 in northern India due to weak infrastructure and overloading of transmission lines led to 600 million people temporarily having no electricity supply, and resulted in major disruptions in the transportation system, healthcare system, businesses, and even stranded coal miners (BRIEF, 2012). The International Energy Agency (IEA) and European Union (EU) estimate that EU countries need to invest Euro 1 trillion from 2012 to 2020 and an additional Euro 3 trillion till 2050 to ensure adequate electrical capacity (IEA, 2007). In the case of Iceland, the country has very unique characteristics. Almost 100% of its electricity comes from renewable energy sources (primarily hydro and geothermal), and it has no nuclear, coal, or gas infrastructure. It is an isolated system with an independent transmission network that is disconnected from the rest of the world and hence cannot partake in electricity trade. In addition, Iceland has an ageing transmission network that frequently reaches its tolerance limits along with increasing load demands, especially from the ever growing energy-intensive industry. Finally, it is subject to severe weather conditions such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Due to all these reasons, the country is concerned about how to ensure security of electricity supply in the long-term while maintaining its environmental goals (Hilmarsdottir, 2015).by Shweta MehtaS.M. in Technology and Polic