The Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis Heart Shunt Part I: The French Paradox, Heart Disease and the Microbiota

It has been well established that a vegetarian and polyphenol-rich diet, including fruits, vegetables, teas, juices, wine, indigestible fiber and whole grains, provide health-promoting phytochemicals and phytonutrients that are beneficial for the heart and brain. What is not well-characterized is the affect these foods have when co-metabolized within our dynamic gut and its colonizing flora. The concept of a heart shunt within the microbiota-gut-brain axis underscores the close association between brain and heart health and the so-called French paradox offers clues for understanding neurodegenerative and cerebrovascular diseases. Moreover, oxidation-redox reactions and redox properties of so-called brain and heart-protective foods are underappreciated as to their enhanced or deleterious mechanisms of action. Focusing on prodromal stages, and common mechanisms underlying heart, cerebrovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, we may unmask and understanding the means to better treat these related diseases

The first example of direct oxidation of sulfides to sulfones by an osmate molecular oxygen system

Osmate-exchanged Mg-Al layered double hydroxides catalysed the delivery of two oxygen atoms simultaneously via a 3 + 1 cycloaddition to sulfide to form sulfone directly for the first time, reminiscent of 3 + 2 cycloaddition in asymmetric dihydroxylation reactions

Synthesis of phenylacetates using aluminium-exchanged montmorillonite clay catalyst

Liquid phase esterification of phenylacetic acid with phenol and substituted phenols has been investigated over montmorillonite clay exchanged with H + - Al 3+ - and aluminium polyhydroxy oligomer cations. Among the catalysts studied, Al 3+ - montmorillonite dried at 100°C showed 67 conversion, while the same catalyst dried at 200deg;C showed reduced conversion of 36. Al 3+ - montmorillonite dried at 400°C and montmorillonite exchanged with aluminium polyhydroxy oligomer cations dried at 100°C and calcined at 500°C failed to bring about the reaction. Effects of mole ratio of reactants, reaction period and catalyst amount on yield of the ester and catalyst regeneration are also investigated. Esterification of phenylacetic acid with phenol, cresols, nitrophenols and resorcinol has been carried out in the presence of montmorillonite clay exchanged with H +-ions, Al 3+-ions and polyhydroxy oligomer cations of Al. Na +-montmorillonite (raw clay) was inactive, H +- and Al 3+-montmorillonites, dried at 100°C, showed 52 and 67 conversions to ester, respectively, upon refluxing the phenylacetic acid (20 mmol) and p-cresol (40 mmol) for 6 h. While Al 3+- montmorillonite dried at 200°C showed a conversion of 36 the same catalyst when dried at 400°C showed no conversion. Montmorillonite exchanged with aluminium polyhydroxy oligomers dried at 100°C and calcined at 500°C to get pillared clay (d 0 0 1=17.5 à ) failed to bring about the esterification. Effect of concentration of reactants, amount of catalyst and the reaction time on the yield of p-cresyl phenylacetate has been investigated. The esterification of phenylacetic acid with phenol and substituted phenols like m-cresol, o-cresol, p-nitro phenol and o-nitro phenol showed reduced yield due to steric factors. The activity of the clay catalyst after regeneration has also been studied. © 2004 Published by Elsevier B.V

Evaluation of Annual Statice (Limonium sinuatum L.) Cultivars

A field study was conducted during rabi season of 2003-2004 to evaluate the potential of statice cultivars as cut flower crop in the field of Department of Floriculture and Landscape Gardening, K.R.C. College of Horticulture, Arabhavi. The experiment was laid out as a Randomised Block Design with four replications. The panicles of each variety were harvested when calycys of individual flower have mostly opened and showing colour. The cultivar Turbo White recorded maximum plant height (21.78 cm), panicle length (80.94 cm), stem diameter (0.61 cm), no. of leaves (186.60), maximum fresh weight of panicles (530.09 g/plant), plant spread 62.15 cm2 and remained superior over others. The results are in agreement with the findings of Angadi (2000) in China aster. Maximum panicle production per plant (25.64) was recorded in cv. Turbo White, which was on par with the cultivar Turbo Carmine (22.54). The results were in line with the findings of Kumar et al. (1998) in annual statice Turbo White. The cultivar Turbo White was good in quality parameters by recording maximum panicle length, girth and number of branches per panicle. It was also vigorous in vegetative growth. Therefore, the cultivar could produce better quality panicles and found to be suitable for semi arid regions

Preparation of Fluconazole β-Cyclodextrin Complex Ocuserts: In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluation

The main purpose of the present study was to develop ocuserts of Fluconazole β-CD (beta-cyclodextrin) complex and to evaluate both in vitro and in vivo. Fluconazole was made complex with β-CD, and the release rate was controlled by HPMC K4M and ethyl cellulose polymers using dibutyl Phthalate as permeability enhancer. Drug-polymer interactions were studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic studies. The formulated ocuserts were tested for physicochemical parameters of in vitro release and in vivo permeation in rabbits. The optimized formulations (F-5 and F-8) were subjected to stability studies. The formulated ocuserts were found to have good physical characters, thickness, diameter, uniformity in weight, folding endurance, less moisture absorption, and controlled release of drug both in vitro and in vivo. The optimized formulations retained their characteristics even after stability studies. The study clearly showed that this technique was an effective way of formulating ocuserts for retaining the drug concentration at the intended site of action for a sufficient period of time and to elicit the desired pharmacological response

Ondansetron versus palonosetron: a comparative study on efficacy and safety in prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting

Background: Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is a major complication in patients who undergo surgery under general anaesthesia. Various drug regimens and antiemetic interventions have been tried from time-to-time for prevention of PONV but with a variable success rate. This study compares the safety and efficacy of ondansetron and palonosetron in preventing PONV in such patients.Methods: A prospective study was conducted in 60 ASA grades - I and II patients of either sex, aged between 20 to 50 years, scheduled for elective surgery under general anaesthesia, 30 of who received 4 mg ondansetron and the remaining 30 received 0.05 mg palonosetron intravenously 5 minutes before induction of anaesthesia. Postoperatively they were observed for 24 hours for complete response, any episodes of nausea and vomiting, their severity, need for rescue antiemetic and side effects. After the study, results were compiled and the data was analysed using Student’s T test. P value 0.5). Complete antiemetic response was 60% in ondansetron group and 83% in palonosetron group. There was no significant statistical difference between both the groups in causing headache (p >0.5) and dizziness (p >0.05).Conclusions: Our study concludes that the antiemetic efficacy is comparable for both ondansetron and palonosetron in the given doses in preventing PONV and none is superior. Both the study drugs had almost the same adverse effect profile

First Order Kaon Condensation in Neutron Stars: Finite Size Effects in the Mixed Phase

We study the role of Coulomb and surface effects on the phase transition from dense nuclear matter to a mixed phase of nuclear and kaon-condensed matter. We calculate corrections to the bulk calculation of the equation of state (EOS) and the critical density for the transition by solving explicitly for spherical, cylindrical, and planar structures. The importance of Debye screening in the determination of the charged particle profiles is studied in some detail. We find that the surface and Coulomb contributions to the energy density are small, but that they play an important role in the determination of the critical pressure for the transition, as well as affecting the size and geometry of favored structures. This changes the EOS over a wide range of pressure and consequently increases the maximum mass by about 0.1 solar masses. Implications for transport properties of the mixed phase are also discussed.Comment: 18 pages, 6 figure

Neutrino Opacities in Neutron Stars with Kaon Condensates

The neutrino mean free paths in hot neutron-star matter are obtained in the presence of kaon condensates. The kaon-induced neutrino absorption process, which is allowed only in the presence of kaon condensates, is considered for both nondegenerate and degenerate neutrinos. The neutrino mean free path due to this process is compared with that for the neutrino-nucleon scattering. While the mean free path for the kaon-induced neutrino absorption process is shown to be shorter than the ordinary two-nucleon absorption process by several orders of magnitude when temperature is not very high, the neutrino-nucleon scattering process has still a dominant contribution to the neutrino opacity. Thus, the kaon-induced neutrino absorption process has a minor effect on the thermal and dynamical evolution of protoneutron stars.Comment: 35 pages, 4 figure

Effect of supplementing encapsulated microbial enzymes to corn-soybean meal based pelleted diets on performance and carcass variables in coloured broiler chicken

The experiment was conducted to determine the dietary supplementation of encapsulated (EC) or UEC enzymes on performance of colour broilers. The dietary supplementation of EC polysaccharide hydrolyzing enzymes and protease improved the performance compared to other groups. Feeding the birds with low nutrient-density diets did not affect the performance of the coloured broilers. The supplementation of EC enzymes resulted in a decrease in abdominal fat and increase in ready to cook yield compared to those diets with UEC or without enzymes

Neutrino Interactions in Hot and Dense Matter

We study the charged and neutral current weak interaction rates relevant for the determination of neutrino opacities in dense matter found in supernovae and neutron stars. We establish an efficient formalism for calculating differential cross sections and mean free paths for interacting, asymmetric nuclear matter at arbitrary degeneracy. The formalism is valid for both charged and neutral current reactions. Strong interaction corrections are incorporated through the in-medium single particle energies at the relevant density and temperature. The effects of strong interactions on the weak interaction rates are investigated using both potential and effective field-theoretical models of matter. We investigate the relative importance of charged and neutral currents for different astrophysical situations, and also examine the influence of strangeness-bearing hyperons. Our findings show that the mean free paths are significantly altered by the effects of strong interactions and the multi-component nature of dense matter. The opacities are then discussed in the context of the evolution of the core of a protoneutron star.Comment: 41 pages, 25 figure