Conversion of fructose into 5-hydroxy methyl furfural over Mesoporous-ZrO2-phosphomolybdic acid nanocomposite catalysts

A series of phosphomolybdic acid (MPA) with varying ts contant incorporated into the mesoporous zirconia (ZMPA) catalysts were prepared by surfactant-assisted sol-gel copolymerization technique. These catalysts were evaluated for selective dehydration of fructose to 5-hydroxymethyl furfural (HMF). The catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction, nitrogen physisorption, Fourer-Transform infrared, temperature programmed disorption, pyridine adsorbed FT-infrared and transmssion electron microscopy. The characterization results suggest that these catalysts possess ordered mesoporous structure with Keggin heteropoly molybdate. More over the incorporation of phosphomolybdic acid into mesoporous zirconia resulted in generaton of more number of strong acidic sites. These catalysts exhibited about 80 % HMF yield with in 30 min of reaction time. The existence of relatively strong interaction between the MPA keggin units with ZrO2 mesoporous structure played crucial role in fabricating the stable heterogeneous catalyst. This catalyst is reusable with constant activity

Computer-Vision-Assisted Palm Rehabilitation With Supervised Learning

Physical rehabilitation supported by the computer- assisted-interface is gaining popularity among health-care fraternity. In this paper, we have proposed a computer-vision-assisted contactless methodology to facilitate palm and finger rehabilitation. Leap motion controller has been interfaced with a computing device to record parameters describing 3-D movements of the palm of a user undergoing rehabilitation. We have proposed an interface using Unity3D development platform. Our interface is capable of analyzing intermediate steps of rehabilitation without the help of an expert, and it can provide online feedback to the user. Isolated gestures are classified using linear discriminant analysis (DA) and support vector machines (SVM). Finally, a set of discrete hidden Markov models (HMM) have been used to classify gesture sequence performed during rehabilitation. Experimental validation using a large number of samples collected from healthy volunteers reveals that DA and SVM perform similarly while applied on isolated gesture recognition. We have compared the results of HMM-based sequence classification with CRF-based techniques. Our results confirm that both HMM and CRF perform quite similarly when tested on gesture sequences. The proposed system can be used for home-based palm or finger rehabilitation in the absence of experts

Utility of Colour Doppler Sonography in Patients with Graves’ Disease

ABSTRACT Objective: Assessment of thyroid blood flow gives valuable information about underlying functional status. Colour Flow Doppler Sonography (CFDS) is a powerful tool which displays tissue blood flow and vascularity. Colour Flow Doppler Sonography of the thyroid gland in different subsets of patients with Graves’ disease was studied to define its role in initial diagnosis and management. Methods: Eighty consecutive patients with Graves’ disease (both treated and untreated) presented to hospital between August 2007 and February 2008. All patients were evaluated with CFDS of the thyroid for size, vascularity and peak systolic velocity (PSV) of the Inferior Thyroid Artery (ITA). Pertechnate scan and thyroidal autoantibody levels were done in selected cases. The patients were divided into Untreated Graves’ disease (n = 31), Graves’ disease on treatment but hyperthyroid (n = 26) and euthyroid Graves’ disease on therapy (n = 23). Mann-Whitney U-test was used for statistical analysis and a p-value of less than 0.05 was considered significant. Results: Thyroid blood flow, as assessed by PSV of ITA, was significantly higher in untreated Graves’ disease than in Graves disease on treatment but hyperthyroid and euthyroid Graves respectively (61.5 ± 19.5 versus 42.9 ± 24.7 versus 32.2 ± 12.9 cm/s, p < 0.05). Parenchymal vascularity of the thyroid gland was higher in hyperthyroid patients than in euthyroid patients irrespective of therapy. In both groups on therapy, the dose of carbimazole correlated with the vascularity of the gland (r = 0.492 versus 0.564, p < 0.05). Colour Flow Doppler Sonography parameters correlated significantly with pertechnate scan results giving comparable sensitivity and specificity. Conclusion: Assessment of thyroid blood flow by CFDS is an effective marker in the initial diagnosis of Graves’ disease. Vascularity of the gland can predict long term disease course while on medical therapy. "Utilidad de la Sonografía Doppler en Color en Pacientes con la Enfermedad de Graves" RESUMEN Objetivo: La evaluación del flujo sanguíneo tiroideo ofrece una valiosa información acerca del estatus funcional subyacente. La sonografía del flujo con Doppler a color(CFDS) es un poderoso instrumento que muestra el flujo del tejido sanguíneo y la vascularidad. La sonografía con Doppler a color, de la glándula tiroides en diferentes subconjuntos de pacientes con la enfermedad de Graves, fue estudiada para definir su papel en el diagnóstico inicial y el tratamiento. Métodos: Ochenta pacientes consecutivos con la enfermedad de Graves (con y sin tratamiento) acudieron al hospital entre agosto de 2007 y febrero de 2008. Mediante CFDS, a todos los pacientes les fueron evaluados el tamaño del tiroides, la vascularidad y la velocidad del pico sistólico (PSV) de la arteria tiroidea inferior (ATI). En casos seleccionados, se realizaron gammagrafías con pertecnetato y estudios de los niveles de anticuerpos tiroideos. Los pacientes fueron clasificados tomando como criterios: la enfermedad de Graves sin tratamiento (n = 31), la enfermedad de Graves con tratamiento pero hipertiroideos (n = 26), y la enfermedad de Graves eutiroidea bajo terapia (n = 23). La prueba U de Mann-Whitney fue utilizada para el análisis estadístico, y un valor p menor de 0.05 fue considerado significativo. Resultados: El flujo sanguíneo tiroideo tal cual fue evaluado mediante PSV de ATI, fue significativamente más alto en la enfermedad de Graves sin tratamiento que en otros grupos (61.5 ± 19.5 versus 42.9 ± 24.7 versus 32.2 ± 12.9 cm/s, p < 0.05). La vascularidad parenquimal de la glándula tiroides fue mayor en los pacientes hipertiroideos, independientemente de la terapia. En los dos grupos bajo terapia, las dosis de carbimazol estaban en correlación con la vascularidad de la glándula (r = 0.492 versus 0.564, p < 0.05). Los parámetros de la sonografía del flujo con Doppler a color guardaban una correlación significativa con los resultados de la gammagrafía de pertecnetato, arrojando sensibilidad y especificidad comparables. Conclusión: La evaluación del flujo sanguíneo del tiroides mediante CFDS es un marcador efectivo en el diagnóstico inicial de la enfermedad de Graves. La vascularidad de la glándula puede predecir el curso de la enfermedad a largo plazo, bajo terapia médica

Conversion of fructose into 5-hydroxymethylfurfural over mesoporous-ZrO₂-phosphomolybdic acid nanocomposite catalysts

313-320A series of phosphomolybdic acid (MPA) with varying content, incorporated into the mesoporous zirconia (ZMPA) catalysts have been prepared by surfactant-assisted sol-gel copolymerization technique. These catalysts have been evaluated for selective dehydration of fructose to 5-hydroxymethyl furfural (HMF). The catalysts have been characterized by X-ray diffraction, nitrogen physisorption, Fourer-transform infrared spectroscopy, temperature programmed disorption, pyridine adsorbed FT-infrared spectroscopy and transmssion electron microscopy. The characterization results suggest that these catalysts possess ordered mesoporous structure with Keggin heteropoly molybdate. Moreover the incorporation of phosphomolybdic acid into mesoporous zirconia resulted in the generaton of more number of strong acidic sites. These catalysts exhibited about 80% HMF yield within 30 min of reaction time. The existence of relatively strong interactions between the MPA Keggin units with ZrO2 mesoporous structure played a crucial role in fabricating the stable heterogeneous catalyst. This catalyst has been found to be reusable with constant activity

Mast cell stabilizing and anti-anaphylactic activity of aqueous extract of green tea (Camellia sinensis)

Green tea (Camellia sinensis) is one of the most popular and widely consumed beverages in the world. In the current study, aqueous extract of green tea (C. sinensis) was evaluated for mast cell stabilizing and anti-anaphylactic activities. Green tea extract (11, 13, 15 mg/ml) significantly (P < 0.05) inhibited compound 48/80-induced rat mesentric mast cell degranulation in a dose dependent manner. Anti-anaphylactic activity of green tea extract was performed in female mice. At a dose of 400, 500, 600 mg/kg BW, green tea extract showed significant reduction in the mortality of mice subjected to anaphylactic shock by compound C48/80. Ketotifen was used for comparison. In addition, IR and UV–Visible spectroscopy analysis of green tea extract revealed the presence of functional groups of bioactive compounds. These results suggest that green tea could be useful in the treatment of asthma and allergic rhinitis

In vitro anticholinergic and antihistaminic activities of acorus calamus linn. Leaves extracts

The present investigation was aimed at determining the effects of hexane, acetone, methanol and aqueous extracts of Acorus calamus leaves (ACHE, ACAE, ACME and ACAQE) on cholinergic and histaminic system using isolated frog rectus abdominis muscle and guinea pig ileum. A dose dependent potentiation of Ach response (anticholinesterase like effect) was found with ACAE and ACME at 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1 mg/ml, but at higher dose of ACAE, ACME, ACAQE and ACHE (5, 20 mg/ml) inhibit the Ach response (antinicotinic effect). These results revealed biphasic effect of Acorus calamus leaves extracts on acetylcholine induced contractile response in isolated frog rectus abdominis muscle preparation (i.e. potentiation effect at lower dose and inhibitory effect at higher dose). Studies on isolated guinea pig ileum demonstrated antihistaminic effect in a dose dependent manner (100-1000 mu g/ml) with ACAE, ACME and ACAQE. In addition, the dose dependent inhibition of Ach response (antimuscarinic effect) was observed with ACAE and ACME. In conclusion, Acorus calamus leaves extracts exerts antinicotinic, anticholinesterase like activities in isolated frog rectus abdominis muscle and antihistaminic, antimuscarinic effect in guinea pig ileum. It has been suggested that these observed activities can be further studied for therapeutic potential of Acorus calamus leaves in the treatment of cognitive disorders and asthma

Discovery of simplified N2-substituted pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine derivatives as novel adenosine receptor antagonists: Efficient synthetic approaches, biological evaluations and molecular docking studies

10.1016/j.bmc.2014.01.018Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry2251751-1765BMEC