Synthesis, Characterization, Antimicrobial Studies of Certain Triazole Containing S-Triazine Derived Compound

Some new substituted 1,3,5 triazine with 1,2,4 triazole and substituted urea/thiourea were synthesized and evaluated for their in vitro antimicrobial activity against Gram positive and Gram negative strains using a microdilution procedure. Synthesized compounds 1a to 1i prove to be effective with MIC (mg ml-1), among them 1c, 1e, 1g showed excellent activity against a panel of microorganisms. The newly synthesized compounds were characterized using IR, 1H-NMR and elemental analysis. Keywords: 1,2,4 Triazole, Substituted urea/thiourea, Cyanuric chloride and Antimicrobial activity

A comparative study on intraoperative mitomycin-c augmented external dacryocystorhinostomy with conventional dacryocystorhinostomy

Background: Dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) is a commonly done surgery performed for management of epiphora due to nasolacrimal duct obstruction. Goal of the procedure is to bypass the obstructed nasolacrimal duct allowing tear drainage into the nasal cavity directly from lacrimal sac by creating an anastomosis between the lacrimal sac and the nasal mucosa via a bony ostium. Common cause of DCR failure are attributed as an end effect of fibrous tissue growth, scarring and granulation tissue formation which obstructs the new drainage channel. Mitomycin c is an antiproliferative agent and may enhance the result of DCR by inhibiting fibrous tissue proliferation. Here we aim to evaluate the results of intraoperative mitomycin C application in dacryocystorhinostomy surgery compared with the result of conventional DCR. Methods: A prospective randomized comparative study of one year duration was done in the Department of Ophthalmology, Assam Medical College and Hospital, Dibrugarh, Assam, India. A total of 60 patients of acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction were enrolled and divided randomly into two groups, 30 nos of patients in each group. One group had undergone conventional external DCR operation and other group was treated with DCR surgery with intraoperative mitomycin C application at the anastomotic flap and osteotomy site. Patients were reviewed after 1week, 1month, 3month and 6months postoperatively. The results of DCR surgeries were evaluated by observation of different parameters such as height of tear meniscus and patency of the nasolacrimal passage.Results: In our study we have observed that majority of cases were in 21-30 years age group with female preponderance (male vs female; 35% vs 75%). Chronic dacryocystitis was seen in majority of cases (70%) followed by mucocele (26.67%) and lacrimal fistula (3.33%). Major difficulties encountered during surgery and postoperatively were almost identical in both the groups. There was no case of abnormal mucosal bleeding, mucosal necrosis, delayed wound healing in patients which underwent DCR with mitomycin C use. Post-operative care and follow up were done identically in both the groups. It was seen that a total success rate of 80% was achieved in conventional group where as 96.67% success was achieved in MMC group at the end of 6 months. In case of scar prone conditions like lacrimal fistula mitomycin C use has shown to be efficacious in maintaining patency of the system after surgery. Conclusions: Distinctly higher success rate have been achieved in patients undergoing DCR with intra-operative MMC as compared to patients undergoing conventional DCR. Use of intraoperative mitomycin C can be considered safe and simple but very effective modification of conventional external DCR

Research Notes : India : Effect of dates of planting on five soybean varieties

Assam is one of the seven states comprising the North Eastern region of India. The plains of the Brahmaputra Valley lie between 24° to 28° N Latitude, 90° to 96° East Longitude and its elevation (above M.S.L.) ranges from 35 m (Dhubri) to 106 m (Dibrugarh). Soybean was introduced in Assam in 1975 through the Soy~ean Research Project sponsored by the Indian Council of Agriculture Research, New Delhi

Micro-scale flow cytometry-based and biochemical analysis of lipid signaling in primary B cell subpopulations

B cell subpopulations in the spleen have been extensively characterized phenotypically; however, biochemical properties of these cell populations following B cell antigen receptor engagement have not been fully determined due to technical difficulties and limiting cell numbers. We therefore employed mini-scale protocols to assess lipid signaling, particularly that of diacylglycerol and inositol trisphosphate, with as few as 0.5x106 purified early (T1) and late (T2) transitional B cells. Additionally, utilizing flow cytometric techniques, we determined levels of phosphatidylinositol bisphosphate and calcium mobilization in T1 and T2 cells, as well as mature follicular and marginal zone B cells using less than 1x106 primary B cells. Thus, these biochemical and flow cytometric methodologies can be used to analyse signal-induced changes in phosphatidylinositol bisphosphate levels, diacylglycerol and inositol triphosphate production and calcium in each B cell population

Design of a 16-cell densely-packed receiver for high concentrating photovoltaic applications

PublishedConference Proceeding4th International Conference on Advances in Energy Research (ICAER 2013)A novel densely packed receiver for concentrating photovoltaics has been designed to fit a 125× primary and a 4× secondary reflective optics. It can allocate 16 1cm2-sized high concentrating solar cells and is expected to work at about 300 Wp, with a short-circuit current of 6.6 A and an open circuit voltage of 50.72 V. In the light of a preliminary thermal simulation, an aluminum-based insulated metal substrate has been use as baseplate. The original outline of the conductive copper layer has been developed to minimize the Joule losses, by reducing the number of interconnections between the cells in series. Slightly oversized Schottky diodes have been applied for bypassing purposes and the whole design fits the IPC-2221 requirements. A fullscale thermal simulation has been implemented to prove the reliability of an insulated metal substrate in CPV application, even if compared to the widely-used direct bonded copper board. The Joule heating phenomenon has been analytically calculated first, to understand the effect on the electrical power output, and then simulate, to predict the consequences on the thermal management of the board. The outcomes of the present research will be used to optimize the design of a novel actively cooled 144-cell receiver for high concentrating photovoltaic applications. © 2014 The Authors.The financial support provided by the EPSRC-DST through the BioCPV project is duly acknowledged

Non-linear charge reduction effect in strongly-coupled plasmas

The charge reduction effect, produced by the nonlinear Debye screening of high-Z charges occuring in strongly-coupled plasmas, is investigated. An analytic asymptotic expression is obtained for the charge reduction factor which determines the Debye-Hueckel potential generated by a charged test particle. Its relevant parametric dependencies are analyzed and shown to predict a strong charge reduction effect in strongly-coupled plasmas.Comment: 4 figure

Embryonic ethanol exposure alters expression of sox2 and other early transcripts in zebrafish, producing gastrulation defects

Ethanol exposure during prenatal development causes fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), the most frequent preventable birth defect and neurodevelopmental disability syndrome. The molecular targets of ethanol toxicity during development are poorly understood. Developmental stages surrounding gastrulation are very sensitive to ethanol exposure. To understand the effects of ethanol on early transcripts during embryogenesis, we treated zebrafish embryos with ethanol during pre-gastrulation period and examined the transcripts by Affymetrix GeneChip microarray before gastrulation. We identified 521 significantly dysregulated genes, including 61 transcription factors in ethanol-exposed embryos. Sox2, the key regulator of pluripotency and early development was significantly reduced. Functional annotation analysis showed enrichment in transcription regulation, embryonic axes patterning, and signaling pathways, including Wnt, Notch and retinoic acid. We identified all potential genomic targets of 25 dysregulated transcription factors and compared their interactions with the ethanol-dysregulated genes. This analysis predicted that Sox2 targeted a large number of ethanol-dysregulated genes. A gene regulatory network analysis showed that many of the dysregulated genes are targeted by multiple transcription factors. Injection of sox2 mRNA partially rescued ethanol-induced gene expression, epiboly and gastrulation defects. Additional studies of this ethanol dysregulated network may identify therapeutic targets that coordinately regulate early development