Performance Study of Flexible Pavements: A Sample Study

Pavements are major assets of highway infrastructure. In India, mostly the flexible pavements deteriorate faster than expected design life. Hence,there is a great need for pavement performance study. In this thesis, an attempt is made to study performance on pavements on sample basis. Performance indicators considered are International Roughness Index, Structural Number, traffic in terms of Equivalent single axle loads, Pavement Condition Index, and Characteristic deflection from Benkelman Beam test. In total, four sections are chosen to study the pavement performances. At first, merlin equations are calibrated and validated with respect to auto-level for calculating IRI, and then structural number is obtained with respect to layer coefficients and corresponding thicknesses of pavement layers. Rebound deflection is calculated from Benkelman. Traffic is calculated for three days and based on this; ESAL is obtained at all sections. Visual observations with simple measurements have been done to study pavement surface conditions to assess Pavement Condition Indices of corresponding sections at a particular point of time. Finally simple modelling has been done to relate functional performance with structural performance of sample pavement sections considered

Green turtle Chelonia mydas (Linnaeus, 1758) washed ashore at Visakhapatnam

A green turtle, Chelonia mydas (Linnaeus, 1758), the largest of the sea turtles, was found dead on the sandy shores of Visakhapatnam on 3rd August 2012. It is probable that it was hit by a boat propeller and washed ashore. It is a matter of concern since green turtles are endangered and are protected as per various international agreements

A Step towards Solving Olfactory Stimulus-Percept Problem

Odours are highly complex, relying on hundreds of receptors, and people are known to disagree in their linguistic descriptions of smells. It is partly due to these facts that, it is very hard to map the domain of odour molecules or their structure to that of perceptual representations, a problem that has been referred to as the Structure-Odour-Relationship. We collected a number of diverse open domain databases of odour molecules having unorganised perceptual descriptors, and developed a graphical method to find the similarity between perceptual descriptors; which is intuitive and can be used to identify perceptual classes. We then separately projected the physico-chemical and perceptual features of these molecules in a non-linear dimension and clustered the similar molecules. We found a significant overlap between the spatial positioning of the clustered molecules in the physico-chemical and perceptual spaces. We also developed a statistical method of predicting the perceptual qualities of a novel molecule using its physico-chemical properties with high receiver operating characteristics(ROC)

Estudios efectivos de potencial para algunas nuevas moléculas híbridas para su actividad contra el cáncer de próstata

Objective: The present work aimed at developing novel hybrid molecules for targeting the prostate cancer. It is observed that two human shock proteins Hsp70 and Hsp90 are over-expressed in prostate cancer making them one of the important drug targets. We have designed and developed twelve new hybrid molecules 6a-j for targeting these proteins. Methods: The designed molecules were prepared following a four step reaction protocol and characterized on the basis of proton NMR and Mass spectrometry. These were subjected to in vitro studies by means of Oncotest and CCK-8 assays with two cell lines DU145 and 22Rv1. The selected molecules 6b and 6i were subjected to molecular docking and then for SPR based affinity assay. Results: Compounds 6b and 6i were found to be highly active anticancer compounds comparable to standard drug enzalutamide. They have significant IC50 and high dock score for the Hsp70 and Hsp90. These compounds are selective and have good binding affinity for the Hsp70 due to high Kd. Conclusion: Compound 6b and 6i can serve as lead molecules for the development of antiprostate cancer drugs with Hsp70 as target.Objetivo: El presente trabajo tuvo como objetivo desarrollar nuevas moléculas híbridas para atacar el cáncer de próstata. Se observa que dos proteínas de choque humano, Hsp70 y Hsp90, se sobreexpresan en el cáncer de próstata, lo que las convierte en uno de los objetivos farmacológicos importantes. Hemos diseñado y desarrollado doce nuevas moléculas híbridas 6a-j para dirigir estas proteínas. Métodos: Las moléculas diseñadas se prepararon siguiendo un protocolo de reacción de cuatro etapas y se caracterizaron sobre la base de RMN de protón y espectrometría de masas. Estos se sometieron a estudios in vitro por medio de ensayos Oncotest y CCK-8 con dos líneas celulares DU145 y 22Rv1. Las moléculas seleccionadas 6b y 6i se sometieron a acoplamiento molecular y luego a ensayo de afinidad basado en SPR. Resultados: Se descubrió que los Compuestos 6b y 6i son compuestos anticancerígenos muy activos comparables al fármaco estándar enzalutamida. Tienen un IC50 significativo y una puntuación alta para el muelle de Hsp70 y Hsp90. Estos compuestos son selectivos y tienen una buena afinidad de unión por la Hsp70 debido a la alta Kd. Conclusión: Los compuestos 6b y 6i pueden servir como moléculas principales para el desarrollo de fármacos antiprostáticos contra el cáncer con Hsp70 como objetivo

Extended release delivery system of metoprolol succinate using hot-melt extrusion: effect of release modifier on methacrylic acid copolymer

The current study reports on the manufacturing of extended release dosage forms of metoprolol succinate via hot-melt extrusion (HME) technology. Either Eudragit®S100 and Eudragit®L100 alone or in combination with release modifying agent Polyox™ WSR 303 and Eudragit®L100-55 were processed to obtain complete and faster release. Metoprolol succinate with similar solubility parameters to polymer was dispersed in polymer matrix and was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Stability of drug after extrusion was confirmed by thermogravimetric analysis and high-performance liquid chromatography. Physical characterization method exhibited that the drug was homogeneously dispersed in non-crystalline state in Eudragit®L100-55-based formulations whereas in semi-crystalline state in Polyox™ WSR 303. The drug release percentage was below 3 and 40% in 0.1 N HCL with Eudragit®L100-55- and Polyox™ WSR 303-containing formulations, respectively, and exhibited pH-dependent dissolution properties. The drug-release mechanism was anomalous with Polyox™ WSR 303 formulations whereas diffusion through pore formation was obtained with Eudragit®L100-55. Both Eudragit®L100-55 and Polyox™ WSR 303 changed the release mechanism and kinetics of drug release from thermally processed dosage forms. The optimized stable formulation is similar to the marketed formulation with F2 value of 72.36. Thus, it can be concluded that HME was exploited as an effective process for the preparation of controlled release matrix system based on pH-dependent polymer matrices Eudragit®S100 and Eudragit®L100

Estudios efectivos de potencial para algunas nuevas moléculas híbridas para su actividad contra el cáncer de próstata

Objective: The present work aimed at developing novel hybrid molecules for targeting the prostate cancer. It is observed that two human shock proteins Hsp70 and Hsp90 are over-expressed in prostate cancer making them one of the important drug targets. We have designed and developed twelve new hybrid molecules 6a-j for targeting these proteins. Methods: The designed molecules were prepared following a four step reaction protocol and characterized on the basis of proton NMR and Mass spectrometry. These were subjected to in vitro studies by means of Oncotest and CCK-8 assays with two cell lines DU145 and 22Rv1. The selected molecules 6b and 6i were subjected to molecular docking and then for SPR based affinity assay. Results: Compounds 6b and 6i were found to be highly active anticancer compounds comparable to standard drug enzalutamide. They have significant IC50 and high dock score for the Hsp70 and Hsp90. These compounds are selective and have good binding affinity for the Hsp70 due to high Kd. Conclusion: Compound 6b and 6i can serve as lead molecules for the development of antiprostate cancer drugs with Hsp70 as target.Objetivo: El presente trabajo tuvo como objetivo desarrollar nuevas moléculas híbridas para atacar el cáncer de próstata. Se observa que dos proteínas de choque humano, Hsp70 y Hsp90, se sobreexpresan en el cáncer de próstata, lo que las convierte en uno de los objetivos farmacológicos importantes. Hemos diseñado y desarrollado doce nuevas moléculas híbridas 6a-j para dirigir estas proteínas. Métodos: Las moléculas diseñadas se prepararon siguiendo un protocolo de reacción de cuatro etapas y se caracterizaron sobre la base de RMN de protón y espectrometría de masas. Estos se sometieron a estudios in vitro por medio de ensayos Oncotest y CCK-8 con dos líneas celulares DU145 y 22Rv1. Las moléculas seleccionadas 6b y 6i se sometieron a acoplamiento molecular y luego a ensayo de afinidad basado en SPR. Resultados: Se descubrió que los Compuestos 6b y 6i son compuestos anticancerígenos muy activos comparables al fármaco estándar enzalutamida. Tienen un IC50 significativo y una puntuación alta para el muelle de Hsp70 y Hsp90. Estos compuestos son selectivos y tienen una buena afinidad de unión por la Hsp70 debido a la alta Kd. Conclusión: Los compuestos 6b y 6i pueden servir como moléculas principales para el desarrollo de fármacos antiprostáticos contra el cáncer con Hsp70 como objetivo

Nanotechnology and diabetes

Nanotechnology offers sensing technologies that provide more accurate and timely medical information for diagnosing disease, and miniature devices that can administer treatment automatically if required. Some tests such as diabetes blood sugar levels require patients to administer the test themselves to avoid the risk of their blood glucose falling to dangerous levels. Certain users such as children and the elderly may not be able to perform the test properly, timely or without considerable pain. Nanotechnology can now offers new implantable and/or wearable sensing technologies that provide continuous and extremely accurate medical information. In the long run, nanotechnology will clearly open up many routes to treatments and cures for diabetes, as it will for many of the diseases and conditions that currently plague mankind. Nanotechnology offers some new solutions in treating diabetes mellitus. Boxes with nanopores that protect transplanted beta cells from the immune system attack, artificial pancreas and artificial beta cell instead of pancreas transplantation, nanospheres as biodegradable polymeric carriers for oral delivery of insulin are just some of them. The abilities of nanomedicine are huge, and nanotechnology could give medicine an entirely new outlook. Whilst some of these technologies are quite far-fetched, there is evidence that we will see significant advances in the treatment and management of diabetes quite soon. The purpose of this review is to throw more light on the recent advances and impact of nanotechnology on biomedical sciences to cure diabetes