Supply chain production model with preservation technology under fuzzy environment

In this paper, an attempt is made to characterize the preservation technology for deteriorating items to reduce the deterioration rate. This model assumes a single producer and single supplier and formulates a production model with a time varying rate of deterioration rate. Here production and demand are treated as a fuzzy variables and total cost is minimized for both the crisp and fuzzy model. Shortage is allowed on the supplier’s part, which is partially backlogged. A solution procedure is presented to determine an optimal replenishment cycle and total cost per unit time, which is a convex function of preservation technology cost. Results have been validated with relevant example. In a way, the proposed model provides a unique theory to reduce the deterioration rate for the production model

Immunosuppressive activity of terpenoids from Mesua ferrea, Ficus benghalensis and Butea frondosa on human whole blood

Background and aims: Terpenoids are one of the largest groups of natural compounds and is generally used for the treatment of human diseases e.g. taxol (anticancer drug) and artimesinin (antimalarial drug). Thus, these agents (terpenoids) derived from medicinal plant products that are effective against intracellular or extracellular infections and these are urgently required. Therefore, this research was directed to assess its immunosuppressive activity of crude terpenoids on hepatitis B vaccine containing surface antigen (HBsAg) on human whole blood. Methods: In this study, crude terpenoids (6.25-25 mg/ml; 50 µl) extricate from the leaves of these medicinal plants and evaluated its immunosuppressive activity on HBsAg (20 µg/ml) using human whole blood in order to determine the analysis of blood counts (flow cytometry), cytotoxicity assay (MTT (3-4,5-dimethylthiazol–2-yl-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) and nitric oxide (NO) production from cell culture supernatant. Results: The results showed that these terpenoids showed drastic decrease in monocytes and granulocytes count but increased in lymphocytes count and inhibited NO production at higher doses (25 mg/ml; 50 µl). Conclusion: These terpenoids exhibited immunosuppressive activity and could be a promising source of medicinally important natural compound

Potential immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory activity of aqueous extract of Mangifera indica

Background: There is a worldwide interest in searching for potential and effective medicinal plant candidates against various diseases or disorders. Till now, there are number of anti-inflammatory drugs like NSAIDs are available which showed various adverse effects in our body. To reduce these adverse effects, some of medicinal plants have been experimentally validated. Aim: The aim of our immunopharmacological study is to investigate the immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory activity of aqueous leaves extract of Mangifera indica in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) extracellular against hepatitis B vaccine antigen (HBsAg) Methods: In this study, aqueous leaves extract were collected from Mangifera indica and determined its effect on total blood counts (using forward and side scatter) and monocyte CD14 FITC surface markers using flow cytometry. In addition, the effect of aqueous leaves extract on nitric oxide (NO) production from PBMC cell culture supernatant and also estimate its proliferation assay using Concanavalin A (Con A, 0.5 mg/ml, 50 µl). Data analysis was performed using BD cell Quest Pro software for flow cytometric analysis and one way ANOVA test (Boniferroni multiple comparison test). Results: The results displayed that aqueous leaves extract of Mangifera indica showed dose dependent decline in blood counts (increased in side scatter and slightly decreased in forward scatter), monocyte CD14 FITC surface marker; Con A proliferation and nitric oxide production from cell culture supernatant in human PBMC. Conclusion: Overall, the results claimed that aqueous leaves extract of Mangifera indica at higher doses showed immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory activity

A Comparative Study and Kinetics for the Removal of Hexavalent Chromium from Aqueous Solution by Agricultural, Timber and Fruit Wastes

The removal of hexavalent chromium from aqueous solutions using low cost agricultural, timber and fruits wastes is studied. The adsorbents selected were rice husk in ash and dried form, sawdust, orange peels and sugarcane bagasse. Batch mode experiments were conducted at room temperature to study the effect of pH, agitation time, initial metal ion concentration, and adsorbent dose. Equilibrium adsorption isotherms and kinetics were investigated. The adsorption isotherm data were fitted to Langmuir isotherm and the monolayer adsorption capacity has been observed to follow the order dried rice husk (16.94 mg/g) > orange peels (12.65 mg/g) > rice husk ash (11.11 mg/g) > sugarcane bagasse (5.12 mg/g) > sawdust (4.56 mg/g) at room temperature. It was found that the maximum amount absorbed metal (qmax) value is significantly influenced by liquid/solid ratio and by the pH values of the metal solutions. The kinetic data obtained at different concentrations have been analyzed using a pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second order and intraparticle diffusion equation. The experimental data fitted very well the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. On the basis of present studies, it can be concluded that dried rice husk, has a higher chromium adsorption capacities compared to other adsorbents. Keywords: Adsorption, Hexavalent chromium, Cr (VI), non-conventional adsorbent, isotherms, heavy metal, kinetics, adsorption isotherm

Aqueous extract of Calamus rotang as a novel immunoadjuvant enhances both humoral and cell mediated immune response

Introduction: Search for new adjuvants for human vaccines has become an expanding field of research in the last thirty years for generating stronger vaccines, capable of inducing protective and long lasting immunity in humans. The objective of this study was to investigate the immunoadjuvant activity of aqueous extract from the leaves of Calamus rotang using phosphate buffered saline (PBS, pH 7.2) against hepatitis B vaccine containing surface antigen (HBsAg; 20 &mu;g/mL).Methods: In this research qualitative study was evaluated in order to determine the presence of secondary metabolites and further confirmation of these metabolites through high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) and identification by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS). In addition, indirect Elisa was performed using HBsAg as coating antigen and this aqueous extract showed anti-HBsAg titre at higher doses as compared to standard and control. In continuation of these studies, Swiss mice were immunized subcutaneously on day 0 with HBsAg (20 &mu;g/mL, 100 &mu;L) and collect splenocytes on day 4 for splenocyte proliferation assay (ex vivo studies; again exposed with HBsAg) and estimation of Th1 (IFN-gamma and tumor necrosis factor TNF-&alpha;) cytokines from cell culture supernatant.Results: The aqueous leaves extract of C. rotang showed dose dependent enhancement in antibody titre and proliferation at higher doses (P &lt; 0.01) with respect to HBsAg. In addition, this aqueous extract also showed improvement in Th1 (IFN-gamma and TNF alpha) cytokines at higher doses (P &lt; 0.01) from cell culture supernatant as compared to standard HBsAg.Conclusion: Calamus rotang has additive adjuvant activity against hepatitis B vaccine antigen containing alum and may help to raise antibodies against HBsAg under challenging administration regimen and might be a potent vaccine adjuvant.</p

On Some Inequalities Involving Harmonic Mean and Moments

We derive bounds on the second order moment of a random variable in terms of its arithmetic and harmonic means. Both discrete and continuous cases are considered and it is shown that the present bounds provide refinements of the bounds which exist in literature. As an application we obtain a lower bound for the spread of a positive definite matrix A in terms of traces of A, A-1 and A2. Our results compare favourably with those obtained by Wolkowicz and Styan (Bounds for eigenvalues using traces, Lin. Alg. Appl. 29, 471-506, 1980)

How good is the quenched approximation of QCD?

The quenched approximation for QCD is, at present and in the foreseeable future, unavoidable in lattice calculations with realistic choices of the lattice spacing, volume and quark masses. In this talk, I review an analytic study of the effects of quenching based on chiral perturbation theory. Quenched chiral perturbation theory leads to quantitative insight on the difference between quenched and unquenched QCD, and reveals clearly some of the diseases which are expected to plague quenched QCD. Uses jnl.tex and epsf.tex for figure 3. Figures 1 and 2 not included, sorry. Available as hardcopy on request.Comment: 22 pages, Wash. U. HEP/94-62 (Forgotten set of macros now included, sorry.