Biochemical Evaluation of Withania Somnifera Root Powder on Adjuvant-Induced Arthritis in Rats

The present investigation was carried out to evaluate the biochemical effect of Withania somnifera Linn. Solanaceae, commonly known as ashwagandha on adjuvant induced arthritic rats. Results were compared to Indomethacin, a non steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. Arthritis was induced by an intra dermal injection of Complete Freund’s Adjuvant (0.1 ml) into the right hind paw of Wistar albino rats. Withania somnifera root powder (1000 mg/kg/day) and Indomethacin (3 mg/kg/day) were orally administered for 8 days (from 11th to 18th day) after adjuvant injection. After the experimental period, all the animals were sacrificed and serum, liver and spleen samples were collected for further biochemical analysis. A significant increase in the activities of gluconeogenic enzymes, tissue marker enzymes, blood glucose level, WBC, platelet count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and acute phase proteins (hyaluronic acid, fibrinogen and ceruloplasmin) was observed in adjuvant-induced arthritic rats, whereas the activities of glycolytic enzymes, body weight, levels of hemoglobin, RBC count, and packed cell volume were found to be decreased. These biochemical alterations observed in arthritic animals were ameliorated significantly after the administration of Withania somnifera root powder (1000 mg/kg/b.wt) and Indomethacin (3 mg/kg/b.wt). Our results suggest that Withania somnifera root powder is capable of rectifying the above biochemical changes in adjuvant arthritis and it may prove to be useful in treating rheumatoid arthritis

In vitro activity of fosfomycin against uropathogen multi-drug resistant (MDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii

Urinary tract infections caused by multidrug resistant Gram negative bacilli constitute a major global healthcare problem. Fosfomycin is considered the best treatment option for such infections. Urine samples were collected and cultured in a tertiary care hospital (Urology). Identification of these uropathogens and their antibiotic sensitivity screening were performed according to CLSI guidelines. Urine samples (n=436) were selected in which Ps. aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii werefound to be the significant pathogens and treated-exposed to fosfomycin. Sixty six (15%) were identified as Acinetobacter baumannii, Ps. aeruginosa n=370(85%). Forty four percent of all Ps. aeruginosa were found to be multidrug resistant while 48.5% of the Acinetobacter baumannii strains were found multidrug resistant. Polymyxin B was found to be the most effective drug (100%) against all uropathogens and fosfomycin was found effective against 73% of the multidrug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii isolates and 70% of the multidrug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains. It may be concluded that  antimicrobial  activity (in vitro) of fosfomycin, especially against MDR uropathogens, is very effective.Keywords: Fosfomycin, Multidrug resistant Gram negative bacilli, Urinary tract infections, Ps.  aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii L’ACTIVITE IN VITRO DE LA FOSFOMYCINE CONTRE UROPATHOGEN MULTI-DRUG RESISTANT (MDR)PSEUDOMONAS AERUGINOSA ET ACINETOBACTER BAUMANNIILes infections des voies urinaires causées par les bacilles de multi résistants Gram négatifs, constituent un problème majeur de sante mondiale. Fosfomycine est considéré comme la meilleure option de traitement pour telles infections. Les échantillons d’urine ont été recueillis et cultives dans un hôpital de soins tertiaires. Identification de ces uropathogènes et programmation de leur sensibilité aux  antibiotiques ont été réalisés selon les directives (CLSI). Les échantillons d’urine (n = 436) ont été choisis dans laquelle Ps. aeruginosa et Acinetobacter baumannii se sont trouves être l’agent pathogène important et traités – exposés a Fosfomycine. Soixante – six (15%) ont été identifies comme  Acinetobacter baumannii, Ps. aeruginosa = 370 (85%). Quarante – quatre pourcent de tous les Ps. aeruginosa se sont trouvés être multi résistants et 48,5% des souches Acinetobacter baumannii sesont trouves multi résistants. Polymyxine B a été trouvé d’être le médicament le plus efficace (100%) contre tous les uropathogènes et Fosfomycine a été trouvé efficace contre 73% des isolats de multi résistants Acinetobacter baumannii et 70% des souches de multi résistants Pseudomonas aeruginosa. On peut conclure que l’activité antimicrobienne (in vitro) de Fosfomycine est très efficace, particulièrement contre les uropathogenes MDR.Mots – clés : Fosfomycine, les bacilles de Multi résistants Gram négatifs, les infections des voies urinaires, Ps. aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii.

Some views on the mapping of erosion of coated composites in tidal turbine simulated conditions

This article presents a study of the erosion resistance of coated and uncoated polymer matrix composites for tidal turbine conditions. It focuses on the development of comparative erosive wear mode and mechanism maps for such materials. In our earlier work, testing of glass-fiber-reinforced polymer composites for tribological applications in marine simulated conditions, several erosion-related issues were highlighted. The combined effects of the NaCl solution and sand dramatically enhanced the erosive wear of the uncoated specimens. In order to address those issues, an erosion-resistant polymeric coating was applied to the composite and tested in marine simulated conditions with an extended range of sand particle size. The test results of the uncoated and coated composite have been compared in this research by erosive wear mode and mechanism maps techniques. These maps reveal that the coating has enhanced the erosion resistance. These findings provide significant progress toward materials selection approaches to manufacture of tidal turbine blades

Direction finding in sensors model based automatic modulation classification

In this paper, the RSSI testing as well the Angle of Arrival (AoA) have been examined for position prediction also produce the front specified composition of the possibility distribution of the location of a sensor node. "Multiple Signal Classification" (MUSIC) defined as a popular "Eigen" construction approach with large declaration, which broadly utilized for predicting the total of waveforms, as well their corners of arrival. In this research an examination of the ability to development of part of key specifications of the "MUSIC" technique has been presented, which might improve the response of the prediction operation. The outcomes of the simulation of this approach point out that the position of the sensor node may be evaluated in a little time period values as well that the condition of the explanation is competitive beside last techniques

Tribology of tidal turbine blades : impact angle effects on erosion of polymeric coatings in sea water conditions

Tidal energy, of all marine renewables energies, possesses higher persistency and predictability over long time scales. Due to the aggressive marine environment, there are barriers in the development of tidal power generation technology. In particular, with regard to increased rotor diameter, the selection of material presents significant challenges to be addressed including the tribological environment, such as solid particle erosion, cavitation erosion, the effect of high thrust loading on the turbine blade tips, and the synergy between sea water conditions and such tribological phenomena. This research focuses on producing and testing a variety of advanced materials and surface coatings to investigate two main tribological issues in tidal environments: matrix cutting and reinforcement fracture. In our previous work, a G10 epoxy glass laminate was tested in this environment and the results revealed tribological issues. In this present work, G10 epoxy glass laminate base erosion resistant polymeric coatings have been tested for the range of sand particles size in our our previous work and in NaCl solution. The test results reveal that the coating has enhanced the quality of performance of the composite with respect to tribological behaviour, and has diminished the synergy between sea water and tribological phenomena. This indicates progress toward the selection of advanced materials to manufacture tidal turbine blades

Emergence of hexatic and long-range herringbone order in two-dimensional smectic liquid crystals : A Monte Carlo study

Using a high resolution Monte Carlo simulation technique based on multi-histogram method and cluster-algorithm, we have investigated critical properties of a coupled XY model, consists of a six-fold symmetric hexatic and a three-fold symmetric herringbone field, in two dimensions. The simulation results demonstrate a series of novel continues transitions, in which both long-range hexatic and herringbone orderings are established simultaneously. It is found that the specific-heat anomaly exponents for some regions in coupling constants space are in excellent agreement with the experimentally measured exponents extracted from heat-capacity data near the smecticA-hexaticB transition of two-layer free standing film

ISOLATION OF EGG DROP SYNDROME VIRUS AND ITS MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION USING SODIUM DODECYL SULPHATE POLYACRYLAMIDE GEL ELECTROPHORESIS

Six isolates of egg drop syndrome (EDS) virus were recovered from five different outbreaks of EDS in commercial laying hens in and around Faisalabad. The aberrant eggs were fed to the susceptible laying hens for experimental induction of infection. The samples from infected birds (egg washing, cloacal swabs, oviducts and spleens) were collected, processed and inoculated into 11-day old duck embryos. The presence of virus in harvested allanto-amniotic fluid was monitored by spot and microhaemagglutination tests and confirmed by haemagglutination inhibition and agar gel precipitation tests. The EDS virus grew well in duck embryos and agglutinated only avian but not mammalian red blood cells. These isolates were purified through velocity density gradient centrifugation. Protein concentration was determined through Lowry method and sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) was conducted by loading 300 µg protein concentration on 12.5% gel using discontinuous buffer system. All the six isolates showed 13 polypeptides, which were identical to those described in the referral EDS-76 virus (strain-127). The molecular weights of the polypeptides ranged from 6.5 KDa to 126 KDa

Mapping synergy of erosion mechanisms of tidal turbine composite materials in sea water conditions

Tidal energy, of all marine renewables energy, possesses higher persistency and predictability over long time scales. Moreover, the higher density of water than air also results in greater power output from a tidal turbine than a wind turbine with similar dimensions. Due to the aggressive marine environment, there are barriers in the development of tidal power generation technology. In particular, with regard to increased rotor diameter, the selection of material presents significant challenges to be addressed including the tribological environment, such as solid particle erosion, cavitation erosion, the effect of high thrust loading on the turbine blade tips, and the synergy between sea water conditions and such tribological phenomena. This research focuses on producing and testing a variety of composite materials with different fibres and reinforcement layouts to evaluate two main tribological issues in tidal environments: matrix cutting and reinforcement fracture. A slurry pot test rig was used to measures the effects of different impact angles and particles sizes at constant tip speeds

A Result and Discussion of the Dynamic Assessment Approach in Language Teaching: A Literature Review Study

Dynamic assessment is conceptually based on the sociocultural theory of Lev Vygotsky in the Zone Proximal Development. This paper aimed to discuss dynamic assessment in assessing students` reading comprehension. The limitation of this article will only discuss the definition of dynamic assessment, the historical framework of dynamic assessment, teacher roles in dynamic assessment, dynamic assessment in a foreign language, dynamic assessment of writing, dynamic assessment of reading comprehension, and the advantages and disadvantages of dynamic assessment. Based on literature studies, the dynamic assessment approach is effective in English teaching. It can conclude that this approach can be adopted and developed by English teachers to encourage students` motivation and participation in learning English.           &nbsp