Comparison of choroidal thickness measurements between spectral-domain OCT and swept-source OCT in normal and diseased eyes

Purpose: Sub-foveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) is affected in many ocular diseases. The aim of this study was to compare SFCT measurements between Topcon 3D 2000 spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and Topcon swept-source OCT (SS-OCT), with different laser wavelengths, in normal and diseased populations.MATERIALS AND Methods: This was a prospective, cross-sectional, noninterventional study including 27 normal volunteers and 27 participants with retinal disease. OCT scans were performed sequentially and under standardized conditions using both SD-OCT and SS-OCT. The OCT scans were evaluated by two independent graders. Paired t-tests and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were used to assess the statistically significant difference between SFCT measurements as measured by the two devices.Results: Mean SFCT measurements for all 54 participants were 264.9±103.1 mum using SD-OCT (range: 47-470 mum) and 278.5±110.5 mum using SS-OCT (range: 56-502 mum), with an inter-device ICC of 0.850. Greater variability was noted in the diseased eyes. Inter-device ICCs were 0.870 (95% CI; 0.760-0.924) and 0.840 (95% CI; 0.654-0.930) for normal and diseased eyes, respectively. However, the difference was not statistically significant (P=0.132).CONCLUSION: Both machines reliably measure SFCT. Larger studies are needed to confirm these findings

Molecular estimation of alteration in intestinal microbial composition in Hashimoto's thyroiditis patients

The gut microbiota has a crucial effect on human health and physiology. Hypothyroid Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) is an autoimmune disorder manifested with environmental and genetic factors. However, it is hypothesized that intestinal microbes might play a vital role in the pathogenesis of HT. The aim of current was to investigate and characterize the gut microbial composition of HT patients both quantitatively and qualitatively. The fecal samples from 29 HT patients and 12 healthy individuals were collected. The PCR-DGGE targeted V3 site of 16S rRNA gene and real time PCR for Bifidobacterium Lactobacillus, Bacteroides vulgatus and Clostridium leptum were performed. Pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA gene with V4 location was performed on 20 randomly selected samples. The comparative analysis of diversity and richness indices revealed diversification of gut microbiota in HT as compared to control. The statistical data elucidate the alterations in phyla of HT patients which was also affirmed at the family level. We observed the declined abundance of Prevotella_9 and Dialister, while elevated genera of the diseased group included Escherichia-Shigella and Parasutterella. The alteration in gut microbial configuration was also monitored at the species level, which showed an increased abundance of E. coli in HT. Therefore, the current study is in agreement with the hypothesis that HT patients have intestinal microbial dysbiosis. The taxa statistics at species-level along with each gut microbial community were modified in HT. Thus, the current study may offer the new insights into the treatment of HT patients, disease pathway, and mechanism

An efficient system for in vitro multiplication of Ocimum basilicum through node culture

An efficient in vitro micropropagation system was developed for direct shoot growth of Ocimum basilicum, an important medicinal plant, using nodal explants. The excised nodes were cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium containing two plant growth regulators (6-benzyladenine and 2- isopentanyl adenine) with various combinations and concentrations for the study of shoot induction. Addition of L-glutamine was essential to induce sprouting of axillary buds. The best condition for shoot growth was with 6-benzyladenine (BA) 10.0 μM + L-glutamine 30 mg/L in MS medium. The optimum shoot formation frequency was 100% and about 13.4 ± 1.80 shoots were obtained from each explant after 8 weeks of culture. Shoots (more than 4 cm) were rooted most effectively in 5.0 μM indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) supplemented with half-strength MS medium. The plantlets thus obtained hardened off and were transferred to natural soil, where they grew well and attained sexual maturity.Key words: Axillary shoot sprouting, L-glutamine, medicinal plant, micropropagation, Ocimum basilicum

Changing certain dietary cationic and anionic minerals: Impact on blood chemistry, milk fever and udder edema in buffaloes during winter

This study was conducted to examine the influence of varying dietary cation anion difference (DCAD) on acid base status, mineral dynamics, occurrence of milk fever and udder edema in Nili Ravi buffaloes in a randomized complete block design. Four iso-nitrogenous and iso-caloric diets having -22, -11, +11 and +22 meq/100 g DM DCAD were formulated and designated as high anionic (HA), low anionic (LA), low cationic (LC) and high cationic (HC), respectively. These diets were randomly allotted to 20 Nili Ravi buffaloes which were in their last two months of pregnancy. A linear increase in nutrient intake was recorded with increase in the DCAD level. Buffaloes fed with HA diet had higher nutrient digestibility than those fed with HC diet. Increased blood pH and serum HCO3 were noticed in buffaloes fed with LC and HC diets. Serum (Na+ + K+) – (Cl- + S--) was higher in buffaloes fed with LC and HC diets than those fed with LA and HA diets. Serum calcium and chloride increased with decreased DCAD level while serum magnesium, phosphorus and sulphur remained unchanged. Urine pH was also higher in buffaloes fed with LC and HC diets than those fed with LA and HA diets. Sodium, K, Mg and P balance increased with increased DCAD while its reverse was true for Ca and Cl balance. The concentration of progesterone tended to decrease while estrogen increased before and after parturition. However, their concentrations were more pronounced in buffaloes fed with LA and HA diets than those fed with LC and HC diets. One buffalo from each group fed withLC and HC diets had milk fever. Not a single case of milk fever was observed in buffaloes fed with LA and HA diets. Udder edema and mastitis were either absent or less severe in buffaloes fed with LA or HA diets while the problem was sever in buffaloes fed with LC and MC diets. This study revealed that feeding HA and LA diets prepartum can be a useful nutritional tool to minimize or prevent the incidence of milk fever and controlling udder edema.Key words: Cationic anionic diets, acid base status, hypocalcemia

Investigating the role of environmental taxes and regulations for renewable energy consumption: evidence from developed economies

The current study aims to explore the role of environmental taxes and regulations for the renewable energy consumption, focusing on reporting policy suggestions to overcome climate change issues and achieve environmental sustainability. The main objective of this paper is to examine the relation between renewable energy, environmental taxes, environmental technologies, and environmental regulations in 29 OECD countries during 1996–2018. More precisely, we inspect the impact of the environmental regulations and environmental technologies on the renewable energy consumption. The authors employ CIPS and CADF unit root tests, panel Westerlund co-integration test, FMOLS, and Quantile regression methods for the econometric analysis. The econometric analysis suggests that the environmental regulations impede the renewable energy consumption in OECD economies. The study suggests that environmental policy initiatives should focus on implementing environmental strategies to inspire cohesiveness between environmental regulations and the development of environmental technologies in order to promote the renewables industry in the developed countries

Economic analysis and optimization of a renewable energy based power supply system with different energy storages for a remote island

This study investigates and compares the various combinations of renewable energies (solar, wind) and storage technologies (battery, pumped hydro storage, hybrid storage) for an off-grid power supply system. Four configurations (i.e., single RE source system, double RE source system, single storage, and double storage system) based on two scenarios (self-discharge equal to 0% and 1%) are considered, and their operational performance is compared and analyzed. The energy management strategy created for the hybrid pumped battery storage (HPBS) considers that batteries cover low energy surplus/shortages while pumped hydro storage (PHS) is the primary energy storage device for serving high-energy generations/deficits. The developed mathematical model is optimized using Particle Swarm Optimization and the performance and results of the optimizer are discussed in particular detail. The results evidence that self-discharge has a significant impact on the cost of energy (13%–50%) for all configurations due to the substantial increase in renewable energy (RE) generators size compared to the energy storage capacity. Even though solar-wind-PHS is the cost-optimal arrangement, it exhibits lower reliability when compared to solar-wind-HPBS. The study reveals the significance of HPBS in the off-grid RE environment, allowing more flexible energy management, enabling to guarantee a 100% power supply with minimum cost and reducing energy curtailment. Additionally, this study presents and discuss the results of a sensitivity analysis conducted by varying load demand and energy balance of all considered configurations is performed, which reveals the effectiveness of the supplementary functionality of both storages in hybrid mode. Overall, the role of energy storage in hybrid mode improved, and the total energy covered by hybrid storage increased (48%), which reduced the direct dependency on variable RE generation

Effect of Permeation Enhancers on the Release Behavior and Permeation Kinetics of Novel Tramadol Lotions

Purpose: The aim of this research work was to formulate, characterize and evaluate the in vitro permeation behavior of tramadol lotion containing propylene glycol (PG) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) as permeation enhancers.Methods: The permeation experiments were conducted in vitro using full thickness rabbit skin in Franz diffusion cells. The donor compartment was filled with PBS (phosphate buffered saline) at pH 7.4 ± 0.1. The receptor phase was continuously stirred PBS (pH 7.4) at 37 °C ± 0.5. The amount of tramadol permeated into the receptor phase was determined spectrophotometrically at 271 nm. Various permeation parameters such as permeation coefficient (Kp), diffusion coefficient (D), flux (J), input rate,and enhancement ratio were obtained using Fick’s diffusion laws.Results: Permeation increased with increase in the concentrations of both enhancers tested. Maximum cumulative amount permeated for control lotion (Lc) was 357 ìg/cm2/min with input rate 0.574 ìg/min and lag time (tlag) of 34.93 min, while for the optimum test lotion (L4, containing 8 % PG/PEG in ratio of 1:1 v/v), it was 926 ìg/cm2/min, 1.482 ìg/min and 58.36 min, respectively. The significantly (p < 0.05) higher permeability shown by the test lotion L4 can be attributed, in part, to the interaction of PG withintercellular lipids leading to the disruption of their organization and increasing their fluidity, and also partly as a result of solubilization of lipid bilayers by PEG.Conclusion: A binary system of PG and PEG in lotion can be successfully utilized for the permeation enhancement of tramadol.Keyword: Tramadol, Transdermal delivery, Permeation, Propylene glycol, Polyethylene glycol, Rabbit skin