FORMULATION AND EVALUATION OF GLICLAZIDE NANOSPONGES

Objective: The objective of the present study was to develop and characterize an optimal stable nanosponges of Gliclazide (GLZ) by using the emulsion solvent diffusion method and aimed to increase its bioavailability and release the drug in sustained and controlled manner. Methods: The GLZ nanosponge was prepared by emulsion solvent diffusion method using different drug-polymer ratios (1:1 to 1:5) Eudragit S100 is used as a polymer. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) estimated the compatibility of GLZ with polymer. All formulations evaluated for production yield, entrapment efficiency, in vitro drug release, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and stability studies. Results: The DSC and FTIR Studies revealed that no interaction between drug and polymer. The Production yield of all batches in the range of 73.8±0.30 to 85.6±0.32. Batch F3 showed the highest production yield, the entrapment efficiency of batch F3 70.6±0.77. The average particle size ranges from 303±2.36 to 680±2.50 nm. By the end of 10th hour F3 formulation shown highest drug release was found to be 94.40±1.12%. The release kinetics of the optimized formulation shows zero-order drug release. The stability study indicates no significant change in the in vitro dissolution profile of optimized formulation. Conclusion: The results of various evaluation parameters, revealed that GLZ nanosponges would be possible alternative delivery systems to conventional formulation to improve its bioavailability, the emulsion solvent diffusion method is best method for preparation of nanosponges and release the drug in sustained and controlled manner

Effect of Reinforcement of Oral Health Education Message through Short Messaging Service in Mobile Phones: A Quasi-Experimental Trial

Objective. This paper aims to assess the effectiveness of reinforcement of oral health education message through short messaging service (SMS) in mobile phones. Material and Methods. 400 subjects from two colleges (200 from each college) belonging to 18-20 years age group possessing mobile phones were randomly selected and baseline examination of oral hygiene and gingival status was carried out using Oral Hygiene Index (OHI) and Gingival Index (GI). Oral health education was provided to all the subjects. Oral health education message was reinforced through short messaging service (SMS) in mobile phones for the subjects belonging to the intervention group. There was no such reinforcement for the control group. Follow-up examinations were done at the end of 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 6th month. After the 3rd month, subjects of the intervention group did not receive oral health education message through short messaging service (SMS) and were followed up after next three months. Compiled data was analyzed using SPSS version 16 statistical software. Result. Mean OHI and GI scores in intervention group were significantly ( < 0.01) less than those of control group after the 2nd, 3rd, and 6th month. Conclusion. Reinforcement of oral health education message through short messaging service (SMS) is effective media to improve oral health

Characterization of ERK Docking Domain Inhibitors that Induce Apoptosis by Targeting Rsk-1 and Caspase-9

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The extracellular signal-regulated kinase-1 and 2 (ERK1/2) proteins play an important role in cancer cell proliferation and survival. ERK1/2 proteins also are important for normal cell functions. Thus, anti-cancer therapies that block all ERK1/2 signaling may result in undesirable toxicity to normal cells. As an alternative, we have used computational and biological approaches to identify low-molecular weight compounds that have the potential to interact with unique ERK1/2 docking sites and selectively inhibit interactions with substrates involved in promoting cell proliferation.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Colony formation and water soluble tetrazolium salt (WST) assays were used to determine the effects of test compounds on cell proliferation. Changes in phosphorylation and protein expression in response to test compound treatment were examined by immunoblotting and <it>in vitro </it>kinase assays. Apoptosis was determined with immunoblotting and caspase activity assays.</p> <p>Results</p> <p><it>In silico </it>modeling was used to identify compounds that were structurally similar to a previously identified parent compound, called <b>76</b>. From this screen, several compounds, termed <b>76.2</b>, <b>76.3</b>, and <b>76.4 </b>sharing a common thiazolidinedione core with an aminoethyl side group, inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis of HeLa cells. However, the active compounds were less effective in inhibiting proliferation or inducing apoptosis in non-transformed epithelial cells. Induction of HeLa cell apoptosis appeared to be through intrinsic mechanisms involving caspase-9 activation and decreased phosphorylation of the pro-apoptotic Bad protein. Cell-based and <it>in vitro </it>kinase assays indicated that compounds <b>76.3 </b>and <b>76.4 </b>directly inhibited ERK-mediated phosphorylation of caspase-9 and the p90Rsk-1 kinase, which phosphorylates and inhibits Bad, more effectively than the parent compound <b>76</b>. Further examination of the test compound's mechanism of action showed little effects on related MAP kinases or other cell survival proteins.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These findings support the identification of a class of ERK-targeted molecules that can induce apoptosis in transformed cells by inhibiting ERK-mediated phosphorylation and inactivation of pro-apoptotic proteins.</p

Robust estimation of bacterial cell count from optical density

Optical density (OD) is widely used to estimate the density of cells in liquid culture, but cannot be compared between instruments without a standardized calibration protocol and is challenging to relate to actual cell count. We address this with an interlaboratory study comparing three simple, low-cost, and highly accessible OD calibration protocols across 244 laboratories, applied to eight strains of constitutive GFP-expressing E. coli. Based on our results, we recommend calibrating OD to estimated cell count using serial dilution of silica microspheres, which produces highly precise calibration (95.5% of residuals &lt;1.2-fold), is easily assessed for quality control, also assesses instrument effective linear range, and can be combined with fluorescence calibration to obtain units of Molecules of Equivalent Fluorescein (MEFL) per cell, allowing direct comparison and data fusion with flow cytometry measurements: in our study, fluorescence per cell measurements showed only a 1.07-fold mean difference between plate reader and flow cytometry data

Performance of Polyaniline Nanofibers (PANI NFs) as PANI NFs-Silver (Ag) Nanocomposites (NCs) for Energy Storage and Antibacterial Applications

The conductive property of polyaniline nanofibers (PANI NFs) has attracted great attention due to their higher capacitance, high flexibility, low cost, and ease of synthesis. Herewith, it is demonstrated that at room temperature, the template-free synthesized PANI NFs show the properties of PANI NFs–silver nanocomposites (Ag NCs) without a silver precursor with a new physical insight into energy storage devices and antibacterial applications. The diffraction peak at 2θ = 19.1° using X-ray diffraction analysis indicates the silver nature. UV–vis absorption peaks at 408 and 369 nm indicate the silver absorption (HCl-doped). The spectroscopic studies by FTIR, Raman, and NMR indicate that the PANI NFs behave in a similar manner to PANI NFs-Ag NCs with 48.47 S cm–1 conductivity and 570 F g–1 capacitance. Morphological studies by FESEM (size: 50 nm) and HRTEM reveal that the growth of PANI NFs is one-dimensional and more preferable. It also shows higher bacterial inhibition at lower values of minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bacterial concentration

Comparative evaluation in the measurement of the radial height, radial inclination, and ulnar variance in fracture distal end radius treated conservatively by closed reduction and cast and closed reduction, Kirschner wire and cast

Background: Fractures of distal radius continue to be the most common skeletal injury treated by orthopedic surgeons. The treatment of distal end radius fracture has changed over period. The aim of treatment of distal radius fracture is to obtain a good anatomical reduction and fixation and finally a good functional outcome. Objective: To study comparative evaluation in the measurement of the radial height, radial inclination and ulnar variance in fracture distal end radius treated conservatively by closed reduction and cast and closed reduction, Kirschner wire and cast. Materials and Methods: In the present prospective study, we are reporting our experience in 30 cases where comparative evaluation in the measurement of the radial height, radial inclination, and ulnar variance was done in fractures distal end radius treated conservatively by closed reduction and cast and closed reduction, K- wire, and cast technique. Results: As measured by Mayo functional score, we had 14 satisfactory and 1 poor result in the Group 1 (closed reduction and cast) while 8 excellent results and 7 good results in the Group 2 (closed reduction, Kirschner wire and cast). As measured with the modified demerit point system of Saito, in the Group 1 (closed reduction and cast), 11 had average results and 4 had fair results; and in our Group 2 (closed reduction, Kirschner wire and cast), 9 had excellent results and 6 had good results

HEAT TRANSFER IN SPRAY QUENCHING

The focus of this experiment is to investigate the spray quenching characteristics and heat transfer rate of H-40 steel plate under a atmospheric conditions. Cooling of tool steel surfaces with flat nozzles was studied experimentally. The importance of coolant temperature on coefficient of heat transfer was investigated. Experiment test were performed with H-40 steel plate using two different method direct water deeping and air-water spray cooling(water and ethylene glycol). Experiments were conducted on an heated flat rotary steel plate of dimension 200 mm x 6 mm. The cooling rates were calculated from the time dependent temperature profiles were recorded during the experiment conducted