PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING AND ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF BLUMEA MOLLIS (D.DON) MERRILL

Objective: The objective of this research was to carry out the preliminary phytochemical screening and to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of the methanolic extract of the Blumea mollis. Methods: In the present work, the phytochemicals of the whole plant were extracted using petroleum ether, chloroform, methanol, ethanol, and distilled water. These were then screened for triterpenes/steroids, alkaloids, anthraquinones, coumarins, flavonoids, saponins, tannins, and phenolic acids using standard methods. Further, the antimicrobial activity of the methanolic extract was determined using Gram-positive and negative bacteria. Agar well diffusion method was employed for antimicrobial activity study, and the zone of inhibition was found out. Results: The intensity of the color produced or the precipitate formed was used as the analytical response to these tests. Flavonoids, tannins, and phenolic acids showed positive results for phytochemical screening. The concentration of total phenols and flavonoids of the decoction was 45.5±0.2000 μg/ml gallic acid equivalent and 42.3±0.3606 μg/ml quercetin equivalent, respectively. Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Candida albicans were inhibited by the methanolic extract of B. mollis in agar well diffusion test. Conclusion: The results of the present study showed that the methanolic extract of B. mollis contains glycosides, phenolics, tannins, and flavonoids. Plant possesses significant antibacterial and antifungal property; the potent antimicrobial activity of the plant could be attributed to the presence of flavonoids and phenolic compounds in it

Analytical method for parameterizing the random profile components of nanosurfaces imaged by atomic force microscopy

The functional properties of many technological surfaces in biotechnology, electronics, and mechanical engineering depend to a large degree on the individual features of their nanoscale surface texture, which in turn are a function of the surface manufacturing process. Among these features, the surface irregularities and self-similarity structures at different spatial scales, especially in the range of 1 to 100 nm, are of high importance because they greatly affect the surface interaction forces acting at a nanoscale distance. An analytical method for parameterizing the surface irregularities and their correlations in nanosurfaces imaged by atomic force microscopy (AFM) is proposed. In this method, flicker noise spectroscopy - a statistical physics approach - is used to develop six nanometrological parameters characterizing the high-frequency contributions of jump- and spike-like irregularities into the surface texture. These contributions reflect the stochastic processes of anomalous diffusion and inertial effects, respectively, in the process of surface manufacturing. The AFM images of the texture of corrosion-resistant magnetite coatings formed on low-carbon steel in hot nitrate solutions with coating growth promoters at different temperatures are analyzed. It is shown that the parameters characterizing surface spikiness are able to quantify the effect of process temperature on the corrosion resistance of the coatings. It is suggested that these parameters can be used for predicting and characterizing the corrosion-resistant properties of magnetite coatings.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures, 2 tables; to be published in Analys

Virtual Touch (TM) Quantification to Diagnose and Monitor Liver Fibrosis in Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C: A NICE Medical Technology Guidance

King’s Technology Evaluation Centre is funded by NICE to act as an External Assessment Centre for the Medical Technologies Evaluation Programme. The NHS has a financial interest in the guidance issued by NICE as a result of this work and two authors are NHS employees (Prof. Keevil and Dr. Lewis

Withania somnifera Root Extract Enhances Chemotherapy through ‘Priming’

Withania somnifera extracts are known for their anti-cancerous, anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties. One of their mechanisms of actions is to modulate mitochondrial function through increasing oxidative stress. Recently ‘priming’ has been suggested as a potential mechanism for enhancing cancer cell death. In this study we demonstrate that ‘priming’, in HT-29 colon cells, with W. somnifera root extract increased the potency of the chemotherapeutic agent cisplatin. We have also showed the W. somnifera root extract enhanced mitochondrial dysfunction and that the underlying mechanism of ‘priming’ was selectively through increased ROS. Moreover, we showed that this effect was not seen in non-cancerous cells

Variation in the provision and practice of implant-based breast reconstruction in the UK: Results from the iBRA national practice questionnaire

Introduction The introduction of biological and synthetic meshes has revolutionised the practice of implant-based breast reconstruction (IBBR) but evidence for effectiveness is lacking. The iBRA (implant Breast Reconstruction evAluation) study is a national trainee-led project that aims to explore the practice and outcomes of IBBR to inform the design of a future trial. We report the results of the iBRA National Practice Questionnaire (NPQ) which aimed to comprehensively describe the provision and practice of IBBR across the UK. Methods A questionnaire investigating local practice and service provision of IBBR developed by the iBRA Steering Group was completed by trainee and consultant leads at breast and plastic surgical units across the UK. Summary data for each survey item were calculated and variation between centres and overall provision of care examined. Results 81 units within 79 NHS-hospitals completed the questionnaire. Units offered a range of reconstructive techniques, with IBBR accounting for 70% (IQR:50–80%) of participating units' immediate procedures. Units on average were staffed by 2.5 breast surgeons (IQR:2.0–3.0) and 2.0 plastic surgeons (IQR:1.0–3.0) performing 35 IBBR cases per year (IQR:20-50). Variation was demonstrated in the provision of novel different techniques for IBBR especially the use of biological (n = 62) and synthetic (n = 25) meshes and in patient selection for these procedures. Conclusions The iBRA-NPQ has demonstrated marked variation in the provision and practice of IBBR in the UK. The prospective audit phase of the iBRA study will determine the safety and effectiveness of different approaches to IBBR and allow evidence-based best practice to be explored

Selective Cholinergic Depletion in Medial Septum Leads to Impaired Long Term Potentiation and Glutamatergic Synaptic Currents in the Hippocampus

Cholinergic depletion in the medial septum (MS) is associated with impaired hippocampal-dependent learning and memory. Here we investigated whether long term potentiation (LTP) and synaptic currents, mediated by alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-isoxazole-4-propionate (AMPA) and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors in the CA1 hippocampal region, are affected following cholinergic lesions of the MS. Stereotaxic intra-medioseptal infusions of a selective immunotoxin, 192-saporin, against cholinergic neurons or sterile saline were made in adult rats. Four days after infusions, hippocampal slices were made and LTP, whole cell, and single channel (AMPA or NMDA receptor) currents were recorded. Results demonstrated impairment in the induction and expression of LTP in lesioned rats. Lesioned rats also showed decreases in synaptic currents from CA1 pyramidal cells and synaptosomal single channels of AMPA and NMDA receptors. Our results suggest that MS cholinergic afferents modulate LTP and glutamatergic currents in the CA1 region of the hippocampus, providing a potential synaptic mechanism for the learning and memory deficits observed in the rodent model of selective MS cholinergic lesioning

On Gas Dynamics of Exhaust Valves

With increasing effects of global warming, efforts are made to make transportation in general more fuel efficient. When it comes to internal combustion engines, the most common way to improve fuel efficiency is through ‘downsizing’. Downsizing means that a smaller engine (with lower losses and less weight) performs the task of a larger engine. This is accomplished by fitting the smaller engine with a turbocharger, to recover some of the energy in the hot exhaust gases. Such engine systems need careful optimization and when designing an engine system it is common to use simplified flow models of the complex geometries involved. The exhaust valves and ports are usually modelled as straight pipe flows with a corresponding discharge or loss coefficient, typically determined through steady-flow experiments with a fixed valve and at low pressure ratios across the valve. This means that the flow is assumed to be independent of pressure ratio and quasi-steady. In the present work these two assumptions have been experimentally tested by comparing measurements of discharge coefficient under steady and dynamic conditions. The steady flow experiments were performed in a flow bench, with a maximum mass flow of 0.5 kg/s at pressures up to 500 kPa. The dynamic measurements were performed on a pressurized, 2 litre, fixed volume cylinder with one or two moving valves. Since the volume of the cylinder is fixed, the experiments were only concerned with the blowdown phase, i.e. the initial part of the exhaustion process. Initially in the experiments the valve was closed and the cylinder was pressurized. Once the desired initial pressure (typically in the range 300-500 kPa) was reached, the valve was opened using an electromagnetic linear motor, with a lift profile corresponding to different equivalent engine speeds (in the range 800-1350 rpm). The results of this investigation show that neither the quasi-steady assumption nor the assumption of pressure-ratio independence holds. This means that if simulations of the exhaustion process is made, the discharge coefficient needs to be determined using dynamic experiments with realistic pressure ratios. Also a measure of the quasi-steadiness has been defined, relating the change in upstream conditions to the valve motion, i.e. the change in flow restriction, and this measure has been used to explain why the process cannot be regarded as quasi-steady.QC 20170306</p

Foreword to Tributes

Seldom does an institution experience the jolt of four revered and beloved members of the faculty choosing to retire at the same time. When it does occur, as it has this year at the University of Virginia, the sense of loss can be overwhelming. John Hetheringon, John McCoid, Dan Meador and Cal Woodard have been members of this Law Faculty for a combined period of 123 years.T hey embody a collective source of talent, energy, wisdom, and skill as teachers and scholars that is, quite literally, irreplaceable

Experimental Study of the Instability of the Viscous Flow Past a Flexible Surface

The viscous instability in the flow past a soft material is experimentally studied. The experiment is carried out using the parallel plate geometry of a rheometer, and a sheet of polyacrylamide gel of thickness about 4.5 mm is placed on the bottom plate. The fluid, silicone oil, is placed on the surface of the gel and the top plate is lowered till a preset gap of thickness between 300 and 1000$\mu$m is attained. The rheometer is operated in the stress controlled mode, where the stress is increased at a constant rate, and the strain rate and apparent viscosity (assuming the flow in the gap is laminar) are recorded. Care is taken to ensure the Reynolds number is less than 1, so that inertial effects are negligible. The experimental results show that there is an anomalous increase in the apparent viscosity, determined assuming the flow is laminar, at a certain strain rate. This indicates that the flow becomes unstable and undergoes a transition from a laminar flow to a more complicated flow profile. This transition is repeatable if the experiment is stopped before there is irreversible damage to the gel surface. The experimental results are compared with theoretical predictions, and quantitative agreement is found with no adjustable parameters for a range of gap thicknesses and gel moduli