Reanalysis of a Vacuum Distillation Unit Foundation

This paper deals with the reanalysis of the foundation of an already existing Vaccum Distillation Unit in an oil refinery. The reanalysis is required to suggest if the existing foundation of the unit would be capable enough to withstand an additional pressure intensity to which it would be subjected due to proposed expansion of the unit. The paper therefore discusses the geotechnical investigation program undertaken for evaluating the relevant design parameters and the methodology adopted to compute the sustainable pressure of the foundation

Studies on a 4.0m High Reinforced Earth Wall

In this paper studies carried out on an instrumented 4. 0 m high reinforced earth wall have been described. The shape of potential failure surface was found bi-linear. Stability analysis based on computation using classical Renkine\u27s theory was found applicable

FORMULATION AND EVALUATION OF AN ANTIMICROBIAL MUCOADHESIVE DENTAL GEL OF AZADIRACHTA INDICA AND GLYCYRRHIZA GLABRA

Objective: Objective of this study was to formulate and evaluate an antimicrobial mucoadhesive dental gel of herbal drugs for the prevention and treatment of dental plaque, dental caries, and periodontitis. Methods: Azadirachta indica leaves extract was prepared with ethanol: water (80:20 v/v) and Glycyrrhiza glabra roots extract was prepared with ethanol: water (30:70 v/v). Both the extracts were evaluated for organoleptic properties, pH, phytochemical screening and total phenolic content. Thin layer chromatography (TLC) and Reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) studies were performed. Antibacterial activity of the extract was done on Mueller Hinton agar media against Streptococcus mutans using the disc diffusion method. A mucoadhesive gel was prepared using carbopol 934, polyethylene glycol (PEG) 400 as a bioadhesive polymer and penetration enhancer, respectively. Three gel formulations were prepared at various concentrations of carbopol 934. Dental gel formulations were evaluated for different parameters such as appearance, pH, viscosity, spreadabilty, syringeability. Optimised batch was used for further studies viz. stability study, drug content, diffusion study to determine percent cumulative release of drug from gel formulation and in vitro mucoadhesion study. Results: Rf value of nimbin and glycyrrhizin in TLC study, were found to be 0.08 and 0.56, respectively. RP-HPLC method was developed for estimation of active constituents present in both extracts using mobile phase acetonitrile: water [containing 0.1 % v/v glacial Acetic acid (GAA)]: methanol in the ratio of 30:60:10 at the flow rate of 0.8 ml/min. Rt of active constituents from both drug extracts was found to be 3.119 and 4.15 min, respectively. 2.5 % w/v of Azadirachta indica leaves extract showed a good zone of inhibition (10.66±0.577 mm) near to chlorhexidine (11.33±0.5773 mm). 1 % of Glycyrrhiza glabra roots extract exhibit antibacterial activity (9±1 mm) and masks the bitter taste of formulation. Batch (F2) was selected on the basis of viscosity, spreadabilty and syringeability. The optimised batch was found to be stable and has 83 % and 80.3 % of drug content. Percent cumulative releases of the drug from gel formulation during the diffusion study were found to be 87.52 % and 85.43 %. Adhesive force and adhesiveness were found to be 11.90 g and 0.92 millijoule, respectively during mucoadhesion study. Conclusion: The evaluation parameters of optimized batch indicate the prepared dental gel is mucoadhesive, stable, good delivery drug system containing antimicrobial agents for prevention of plaque formation, dental caries and periodontitis

Girl in the cellar: a repeated cross-sectional investigation of belief in conspiracy theories about the kidnapping of Natascha Kampusch

The present study utilized a repeated cross-sectional survey design to examine belief in conspiracy theories about the abduction of Natascha Kampusch. At two time points (October 2009 and October 2011), participants drawn from independent cross-sections of the Austrian population (Time Point 1, N = 281; Time Point 2, N = 277) completed a novel measure of belief in conspiracy theories concerning the abduction of Kampusch, as well as measures of general conspiracist ideation, self-esteem, paranormal and superstitious beliefs, cognitive ability, and media exposure to the Kampusch case. Results indicated that although belief in the Kampusch conspiracy theory declined between testing periods, the effect size of the difference was small. In addition, belief in the Kampusch conspiracy theory was significantly predicted by general conspiracist ideation at both time points. The need to conduct further longitudinal tests of conspiracist ideation is emphasized in conclusion

“Mirror, mirror…” A preliminary investigation of skin tone dissatisfaction and its impact among British adults

This study examined skin tone dissatisfaction, measured using a skin tone chart, among a multiethnic sample of British adults. A total of 648 British White individuals, 292 British South Asians, and 260 British African Caribbean participants completed a visual task in which they were asked to indicate their actual and ideal skin tones. They also completed measures of body appreciation, self-esteem, and ethnic identity attachment. Results showed that Asians had a lighter skin tone ideal than White and African Caribbean participants. Conversely, White participants had higher skin tone dissatisfaction (preferring a darker skin tone) than Asian and African Caribbean participants, who preferred a lighter skin tone. Results also showed that skin tone dissatisfaction predicted body appreciation once the effects of participant ethnicity, age, ethnic identity attachment, and self-esteem had been accounted for. Implications of our findings and suggestions for future research are discussed

Comparative Toxicity of Bis-pyridinium Acetamide Derivatives in Human Cell Lines and their Acute Toxicity in Swiss Albino Mice

Having established the antidotal efficacy of 2-(hydroxyimino)-N-(pyridin-3-yl)acetamide (HNK oximes) against Diisopropylphosphorofluoridate (DFP) and sarin poisoning. Toxicity of HNK series and 2-PAM oximes on Human cell lines and Swiss male mice i.e. in vitro and in vivo to reported. Toxicity of the oximes was investigated in Hela, Hep G2 and HEK 293 cell lines and compared with most commonly used 2-PAM. Median lethal doses (LD50) of the oximes (2-PAM, HNK-102, HNK-106, and HNK-111) were also determined following intramuscular, intraperitoneal, intravenous and oral routes of administration. All tested oximes showed no cytotoxic effect on all three cell lines in concentrations up to 0.05 mg/mL. At higher dose (0.5 mg/mL), HNK-102 found to be less toxic thus safer than 2-PAM and other oximes in all the three cell lines. In corroboration with in vitro finding, HNK-102 was found to be least toxic compared to other oximes via intra-peritoneal and intravenous routes of administration. Also, HNK-102 was found to be unequivocally safer compared to that of 2-PAM through i.m. and i.p. routes. For all tested oximes, toxicity following oral route, was found to be lower compared to injections, signifying that these are safer and convenient compounds for administration. These finding also suggested that HNK-102 is safer and better lead as an antidote compared to 2-PAM, against OP intoxicants

Single-cell microfluidic impedance cytometry: From raw signals to cell phenotypes using data analytics

The biophysical analysis of single-cells by microfluidic impedance cytometry is emerging as a label-free and high-throughput means to stratify the heterogeneity of cellular systems based on their electrophysiology. Emerging applications range from fundamental life-science and drug assessment research to point-of-care diagnostics and precision medicine. Recently, novel chip designs and data analytic strategies are laying the foundation for multiparametric cell characterization and subpopulation distinction, which are essential to understand biological function, follow disease progression and monitor cell behaviour in microsystems. In this tutorial review, we present a comparative survey of the approaches to elucidate cellular and subcellular features from impedance cytometry data, covering the related subjects of device design, data analytics (i.e., signal processing, dielectric modelling, population clustering), and phenotyping applications. We give special emphasis to the exciting recent developments of the technique (timeframe 2017-2020) and provide our perspective on future challenges and directions. Its synergistic application with microfluidic separation, sensor science and machine learning can form an essential tool-kit for label-free quantification and isolation of subpopulations to stratify heterogeneous biosystems

Post Reform Period Trends in Deposits and Credit Deployments of Regional Rural Banks in Karnataka

This study analyse the trends in deposits and credit deployments of Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) in the State of Karnataka during the post reform period (March 1992- March 2008). Basic data for this study were collected from the various issues of Basic Statistical Returns of Scheduled Commercial Banks in India published by Reserve Bank of India. Deposits, advances (outstanding) and credit-deposit ratios were three important parameters used to assess the performance of RRBs. Kendall’s coefficient of concordance (W) was computed to study whether there were any changes in the pattern of the flow of sectoral credit lending by the RRBs over the study period. In the area of deposit mobilisation and credit disbursements, the RRBs had made a notable progress during the post reform period. C-D ratios of RRBs were fluctuating throughout the study period. It was found that RRBs continued to focus on agriculture credit disbursements in the Sate of Karnataka. At the same time, RRBs had favored credit to personal loans in place of rural artisan industries credit and “other small scale industries” credit.Regional Rural Banks,trends, deposits and credit deployments, Karnataka, India

Resource security impacts men’s female breast size preferences

It has been suggested human female breast size may act as signal of fat reserves, which in turn indicates access to resources. Based on this perspective, two studies were conducted to test the hypothesis that men experiencing relative resource insecurity should perceive larger breast size as more physically attractive than men experiencing resource security. In Study 1, 266 men from three sites in Malaysia varying in relative socioeconomic status (high to low) rated a series of animated figures varying in breast size for physical attractiveness. Results showed that men from the low socioeconomic context rated larger breasts as more attractive than did men from the medium socioeconomic context, who in turn perceived larger breasts as attractive than men from a high socioeconomic context. Study 2 compared the breast size judgements of 66 hungry versus 58 satiated men within the same environmental context in Britain. Results showed that hungry men rated larger breasts as significantly more attractive than satiated men. Taken together, these studies provide evidence that resource security impacts upon men’s attractiveness ratings based on women’s breast size