4-(3-Eth­oxy-4-hydroxy­styr­yl)-1-methyl­pyridinium tosyl­ate monohydrate

In the title compound, C16H18NO2 +·C7H7O3S−·H2O, the dihedral angle between the pyridyl and benzene rings of the pyridinium cation is 0.2 (1)°. The benzene ring of the tosyl­ate anion makes a dihedral angle of 4.8 (2)° with the best mean plane of the pyridinium cation. The pyridinium cation and the tosyl­ate anion are hydrogen bonded to the water mol­ecule, and the crystal packing is further stabilized by inter­molecular C—H⋯O and π–π inter­actions [centroid–centroid separations of 3.648 (3) and 3.594 (2) Å

Effect of Silver on the Sintering Characteristics of High T Ceramic Superconductors

A detailed investigation on the densification behaviour of Y-Ba-Cu-oxide (YBCO)-AgX and Bi-Pb-Sr-Ca-Cu-oxide (BPSCCO)-AgX composite powder synthesised by a chemical pyrophoric decomposition technique is made. It has been observed that Ag plays a significant role on the lowering of sintering temperatures and melting points of these superconductors. In YBCO-AgX, for 0< x<_0.6 the rate of densification increases and for 0.6<x<1.2 the rate of densification decreases. The densification behaviour is due to oxygen absorption at the interface of YBCO and Ag grains and a low temperature eutectic Ag,,OX formed which promotes liquid phase sintering. Studies on the sintering characteristics under inert atmosphere indicate increased densification with the silver addition. The removal of oxygen from Ag,OX to the inert sintering atmosphere enhances the densification rates . This is also confirmed from the weight loss of the pellets observed in the TG experiments. Sintering studies of BPSCCO-AgX composites show decrease of densification with the Ag content in the matrix. The degradation of superconducting properties is attributed to the change of chemical compositions of the composites. The evaporation loss of Bi, Pb, Sr and Cu during sintering is observed to be the cause of degradation. The evaporation losses are increased with x

Where does the energy go in high energy milling?

An attempt is made to analyze as to how the energy is dissipated, stored and distributed in the material during the process of high energy milling. The manifestation of the enhanced potential energy in different forms (point, line and volume defects, surfaces and interfaces, strain and structural disorder) is determined through direct energy measurements, calorimetry, surface area and surface energy measurements. Xray line broadening analysis employing the Hall-Williamson method is used to estimate the non-uniform elastic strain and grain size and the extent of structural disorder is evaluated from integral peak areas of XRD. A close packing of crystallites approximating a tetrakai-decahedron configuration is used to calculate the grain boundary area. The strain energy is calculated using the theory of elasticity. The energy of amorphisation is calculated from the enthalpy of fusion and specific heats of solid and liquid. Mechanical activation of zircon is chosen for the study of the energetics of the process. For the milling of zircon, the energy transferred to the material is found to be 13% of the specific energy input in 6 h of milling in a planetary mill. It is observed that a large part of the energy transferred to the material is lost during the breaking of the bonds and only a small fraction goes towards enhancing the potential energy mainly as elastic strain energy and structural disorder. The energy stored in point and line defects, additional surfaces and grain boundaries are comparatively lesser

Prospecting for scarabid specific Bacillus thuringiensis crystal toxin cry8 gene in sugarcane ecosystem of Tamil Nadu, India

In the present study, we report the occurrence of cry8 positive isolates of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) in selected white grub, Holotrichia serrata F. (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), endemic soils of sugarcane ecosystem and other places in Tamil Nadu. Out of the 66 soil samples collected and screened for white grub specific Bt, 74 isolates of the bacterium, all containing only spherical crystal toxin, were identified. PCR screening of these isolates with cry8 gene universal primer revealed six isolates to be positive. Further, the amplicon of a 370 bp band, amplified with another set of degenerate primer designed based on the conserved sequence of cry8 genes, was sequenced from four isolates. Multiple sequence alignment revealed the gene sequences to be the same for all the isolates. The present report of the availability of cry8 positive Bt isolates opens the avenue for controlling white grubs through transgenic research

Drug utilization pattern in an intensive care unit of a teaching hospital in South India

Background: Polypharmacy and inappropriate usage of antibiotics are common in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) which may increase morbidity, mortality, antimicrobial resistance and treatment cost. Hence, drug utilization research is crucial for measuring drug consumption using DDD/100 bed-days formula proposed by the WHO that would possibly be useful while formulating a comprehensive antibiotic policy for the institution and guide for future inter-hospital or institutional comparisons. Therefore, in this study, we proposed to evaluate the drug utilization patterns in the ICU.Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted for 3 months from June 2018 to August 2018, and the data were obtained from the ICU of a tertiary care hospital. The demographic data, disease data, the utilization of different classes of drugs (WHO-ATC classification) as well as individual drugs were recorded.Results:One hundred and twelve patient’s data were evaluated.  About 90% patients were prescribed with antiulcer medications during their ICU stay followed by antibiotics in more than 89% patients. Azithromycin, levofloxacin, metronidazole, ofloxacin, ceftriaxone and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid were maximally utilized antibiotics with 24, 16.43, 14.27, 13.89, 12.22 and 10.97 DDD/100 bed-days respectively. Conclusions: Antiulcer medications were most commonly prescribed followed by antibiotics during ICU stay.  Average numbers of drugs prescribed per patients were high. Regular prescription audit and modification of antibiotic policy is required to curtail the polypharmacy and inappropriate use of antibiotics.Background: Polypharmacy and inappropriate usage of antibiotics are common in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) which may increase morbidity, mortality, antimicrobial resistance and treatment cost. Hence, drug utilization research is crucial for measuring drug consumption using DDD/100 bed-days formula proposed by the WHO that would possibly be useful while formulating a comprehensive antibiotic policy for the institution and guide for future inter-hospital or institutional comparisons. Therefore, in this study, we proposed to evaluate the drug utilization patterns in the ICU.Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted for 3 months from June 2018 to August 2018, and the data were obtained from the ICU of a tertiary care hospital. The demographic data, disease data, the utilization of different classes of drugs (WHO-ATC classification) as well as individual drugs were recorded.Results:One hundred and twelve patient’s data were evaluated.  About 90% patients were prescribed with antiulcer medications during their ICU stay followed by antibiotics in more than 89% patients. Azithromycin, levofloxacin, metronidazole, ofloxacin, ceftriaxone and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid were maximally utilized antibiotics with 24, 16.43, 14.27, 13.89, 12.22 and 10.97 DDD/100 bed-days respectively.Conclusions: Antiulcer medications were most commonly prescribed followed by antibiotics during ICU stay.  Average numbers of drugs prescribed per patients were high. Regular prescription audit and modification of antibiotic policy is required to curtail the polypharmacy and inappropriate use of antibiotics. Keywords: Antibiotics, Daily defined doses, Drug utilization, Intensive care uni

Knowledge, attitude, practice of rational use of medicines among junior residents in a tertiary care hospital

Background: Irrational use of prescribing is on the rise due to many factors like false beliefs, following a prescribing pattern of senior doctors, inadequate knowledge, ignorance, promotional activities for the profit of professionals by pharmaceutical industry and lack of enforcement of regulations by regulatory authorities. Junior residents are exposed to variety of prescribing patterns in the first year and are the future physicians and specialists. There are very few studies among JRs, hence the present study was conducted to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of junior residents about rational use of medicines.Methods: This was a cross-sectional, questionnaire based study conducted among JRs at a tertiary care hospital in South India in June 2015. The participants were explained about the study and consent was taken. Permission was obtained from institutional ethics committee. Identity of the residents was kept confidential. A self-developed, pre-validated, semi-structured questionnaire consisting of both open-ended and closed-ended items was used. Questionnaire was designed to obtain information about the knowledge, attitude and practice of RUM. The data was recorded and analyzed using Microsoft Excel (2013 version) and the results are explained in frequency and percentage.Results: The knowledge related to essential medicines list (EML), P drugs and schedule H drugs was limited. Participants had limited knowledge about the revision of EML list, number of fixed dose combinations (FDCs)in EML, STEP criteria for choosing a P drug and advantages of choosing a P drug Most of the JRs frequently prescribed drugs from EML. Trade name and newer drugs were prescribed around 50%. The prescription of FDCs from EML was very low (6%). Around 50% of JRs prescribe medicines with both generic and brand name.Conclusions: Majority of JRs were aware about various issues concerned with RUM but the knowledge related to EML, P drugs, schedule H drugs and number of FDCs in EML was limited.  As junior residents are future prescribers, they need to be aware of all the aspects of RUM. Inadequate/improper knowledge in the above areas is a matter of concern and needs to be addressed

Pelletisation of reactant dosed laterite

The present paperdeals with process parameters for pelletisation of laterite mixed with gypsum and coal in various proportions with a view to produce pellets for reduction smelting studies. Results are presented for pelletisation of laterite alone with various binders viz. bentonite, starch and sodium silicate. Bentonite and starch are found to enhance the strength of the pellets. It was observed that higher quantities of gypsum (as stoichiometrically required forcon¬verting various metal oxides available in laterite to sulphides) det-rimentally affect the pelletising characteristics of the mix. Various mixing methods were investigated. Pellets could be prepared by alternate charging of laterite coal mix and gypsum giving rise to a concentric layered arrangement of constituents. Premoisteningfol¬lowed by attrition mixing was found suitable for producing pellets with good physical properties. Addition of 6% moisture with attri¬tion mixing in a rod mill for 10 nits produced pellets of smooth spherical morphology with drop nos. 6-171p and air dried strength of more than 4 kg/p