Association of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in some angiospermic plants of Maharashtra, India

The result showed that all the seven angiospermic  plants viz. Morinda citrifolia L., Carica papaya L., Lowsonia inermis L, Mimosa pudica L., Tamarandus indica L., Bauhinia recemosa Lamk and  Indigofera duthiei Drum. had AM fungal association in the roots and spore population in the rhizosphere soil. However, maximum percent root colonization of AM fungi was observed in Carica papaya (80 %) followed by others, while minimum in Lowsonia inermis (20%). Mimosa pudica (305) showed more spore density whereas less in Morinda citrifolia (59). Total four AMF was identified up to species level in which Glomus spp were found dominate followed by Acaulospora spp., Sclerocystis spp and Entrophosphora spp were found poorly distributed

Synthesis and Physicochemical Characterization of Banana Starch Tartrate and its Application as Disintegrant in Telmisartan Tablets

The present investigation was aimed to isolate banana starch (BS), synthesis of banana starch tartrate (BST), characterization, and application as a novel disintegrant in telmisartan tablets. Starch tartrate was synthesized by the esterification process by the treatment of tartaric acid on the backbone of the BS. Synthesized BST was found to be fine, slightly free-flowing and crystalline powder. The synthesized BST was subjected to Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and micrometric evaluation. Flow properties of BS and BST were determined as an angle of repose, bulk density, tapped density, Carr’s index, Hausner’s ratio, etc. BST exhibited good swelling properties and showed no gelling at 100°C but it was transformed into a clear solution. Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR) did not show the presence of any significant interaction between BST and Telmisartan(T). The direct compression technique was employed in formulating telmisartan tablets using BST sodium starch glycolate and crospovidone as a disintegrant.  Tablets were comparatively evaluated for weight variation, thickness, hardness, friability, and disintegration. The tablets formulated using BS and BST passed prescribed evaluation tests for weight variation, friability, hardness, and thickness. The tablets formulated using BST as disintegrant gave optimum disintegration compared to those tablets containing sodium starch glycolate and crospovidone sodium super disintegrants. Evaluations indicated that synthesized BST shows qualitatively and quantitatively good disintegration characteristics in comparison to super disintegrants in telmisartan tablet formulation. These results suggest that the synthesized BST could be used as a novel semi-synthetic disintegrant in dispersible tablet formulations. Keywords: Banana Starch, Banana Starch tartrate, Telmisartan, Superdisintegran

Characterization Of Dielectric Barrier Discharge (DBD) Produced In Air At Atmospheric Pressure And Its Application In Surface Modification Of High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE)

The low surface energy of HDPE limits its industrial uses as it is not suitable for printing and adhesion. The main aim of this work is to improve the wetting properties of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) using air dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) operating at the line frequency (50 Hz). The estimation of electron temperature and electron density has been done by electrical and optical methods. The surface roughness of the control and plasma treated polymer film is analysed by contact angle (CA) measurement, surface energy measurement and scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis. The contact angle was found to be suppressed from 93.180±2.00 to 63.750±0.880 after 10s of plasma treatment which implied that the surface property had changed to a hydrophilic state caused by an increase in the surface roughness

The meaning of caring for patients with cancer among traditional medicine practitioners in Uganda: A grounded theory approach

Traditional medicine practitioners (TMPs) are a critical part of healthcare systems in many sub-Saharan African countries and play vital roles in caring for patients with cancer. Despite some progress in describing TMPs’ caring experiences in abstract terms, literature about practice models in Africa remains limited. This study aimed to develop a substantive theory to clarify the care provided by TMPs to patients with cancer in Uganda. This study adhered to the principal features of the modified Straussian grounded theory design. Participants were 18 TMPs caring for patients with cancer from 10 districts in Uganda, selected by purposive and theoretical sampling methods. Researcher-administered in-depth interviews were conducted, along with three focus group discussions. Data were analyzed using constant comparative analysis. The core category that represented TMPs’ meaning of caring for patients with cancer was “Restoring patients’ hope in life through individualizing care.” TMPs restored patients’ hope through five main processes: 1) ensuring continuity in the predecessors’ role; 2) having full knowledge of a patient’s cancer disease; 3) restoring hope in life; 4) customizing or individualizing care, and 5) improving the patient’s condition/health. Despite practice challenges, the substantive theory suggests that TMPs restore hope for patients with cancer in a culturally sensitive manner, which may partly explain why patients with cancer continue to seek their services. The findings of this study may guide research, education, and public health policy to advance traditional medicine in sub-Saharan Africa

Bioremediation of Hydrocarbon-Contaminated Environments: Harnessing the Potential of Biosurfactants – A review

Hydrocarbon contamination from industries like petrochemicals threatens the environment and public health. Benzene, toluene, xylene, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in petroleum products are highly toxic. Conventional cleanup methods are costly and risk secondary pollution. This review highlights biosurfactants, microbially produced compounds that enhance hydrocarbon degradation by lowering surface tension and increasing bioavailability. Biosurfactants are biodegradable and eco-friendly, making them a sustainable alternative to synthetic surfactants. The review intends to cover the biosurfactant sources, types, mechanisms, and their applications in hydrocarbon-contaminated environments. Recent bioremediation advancements, including microbial-enhanced oil recovery, soil and water cleanup, and heavy metal removal, are discussed. Optimizing biosurfactant production is also explored, offering a green and effective solution to combat hydrocarbon contamination and promote environmental restoration

Evolution of Baryon-Free Matter Produced in Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collisions

A 3-fluid hydrodynamic model is introduced for simulating heavy-ion collisions at incident energies between few and about 200 AGeV. In addition to the two baryon-rich fluids of 2-fluid models, the new model incorporates a third, baryon-free (i.e. with zero net baryonic charge) fluid which is created in the mid-rapidity region. Its evolution is delayed due to a formation time $\tau$, during which the baryon-free fluid neither thermalizes nor interacts with the baryon-rich fluids. After formation it thermalizes and starts to interact with the baryon-rich fluids. It is found that for $\tau$=0 the interaction strongly affects the baryon-free fluid. However, at reasonable finite formation time, $\tau$=1 fm/c, the effect of this interaction turns out to be substantially reduced although still noticeable. Baryonic observables are only slightly affected by the interaction with the baryon-free fluid.Comment: 17 pages, 3 figures, submitted to the issue of Phys. of Atomic Nuclei dedicated to S.T. Belyaev on the occasion of his 80th birthday, typos correcte

Prevalence of the Use of Herbal Medicines among Patients with Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Although herbal medicines are used by patients with cancer in multiple oncology care settings, the magnitude of herbal medicine use in this context remains unclear. )e purpose of this review was to establish the prevalence of herbal medicine use among patients with cancer, across various geographical settings and patient characteristics (age and gender categories). Methods: Electronic databases that were searched for data published, from January 2000 to January 2020, were Medline (PubMed), Google Scholar, Embase, and African Index Medicus. Eligible studies reporting prevalence estimates of herbal medicine use amongst cancer patients were pooled using random-effects meta-analyses. Studies were grouped by World Bank region and income groups. Subgroup and meta regression analyses were performed to explore source of heterogeneity. Results: In total, 155 studies with data for 809,065 participants (53.95% female) met the inclusion criteria. Overall, the pooled prevalence of the use of herbal medicine among patients with cancer was 22% (95% confidence interval (CI): 18%–25%), with the highest prevalence estimates for Africa (40%, 95% CI: 23%–58%) and Asia (28%, 95% CI: 21%–35%). )e pooled prevalence estimate was higher across low- and middle-income countries (32%, 95% CI: 23%–42%) and lower across high-income countries (17%, 95% CI: 14%–21%). Higher pooled prevalence estimates were found for adult patients with cancer (22%, 95% CI: 19%–26%) compared with children with cancer (18%, 95% CI: 11%–27%) and for female patients (27%, 95% CI: 19%–35%) compared with males (17%, 95% CI: 1%–47%). Conclusion: Herbal medicine is used by a large percentage of patients with cancer use. The findings of this review highlight the need for herbal medicine to be integrated in cancer care

On the Temperature Dependence of the Shear Viscosity and Holography

We examine the structure of the shear viscosity to entropy density ratio eta/s in holographic theories of gravity coupled to a scalar field, in the presence of higher derivative corrections. Thanks to a non-trivial scalar field profile, eta/s in this setup generically runs as a function of temperature. In particular, its temperature behavior is dictated by the shape of the scalar potential and of the scalar couplings to the higher derivative terms. We consider a number of dilatonic setups, but focus mostly on phenomenological models that are QCD-like. We determine the geometric conditions needed to identify local and global minima for eta/s as a function of temperature, which translate to restrictions on the signs and ranges of the higher derivative couplings. Finally, such restrictions lead to an holographic argument for the existence of a global minimum for eta/s in these models, at or above the deconfinement transition.Comment: references adde

Clinical biological and genetic heterogeneity of the inborn errors of pulmonary surfactant metabolism

Pulmonary surfactant is a multimolecular complex located at the air-water interface within the alveolus to which a range of physical (surface-active properties) and immune functions has been assigned. This complex consists of a surface-active lipid layer (consisting mainly of phospholipids), and of an aqueous subphase. From discrete surfactant sub-fractions one can isolate strongly hydrophobic surf acta nt proteins B (SP-B) and C (SP-C) as well as collectins SP-A and SP-D, which were shown to have specific structural, metabolic, or immune properties. Inborn or acquired abnormalities of the surfactant, qualitative or quantitative in nature, account for a number of human diseases. Beside hyaline membrane disease of the preterm neonate, a cluster of hereditary or acquired lung diseases has been characterized by periodic acid-Schiff-positive material filling the alveoli. From this heterogeneous nosologic group, at least two discrete entities presently emerge. The first is the SP-B deficiency, in which an essentially proteinaceous material is stored within the alveoli, and which represents an autosomal recessive Mendelian entity linked to the SFTPB gene (MIM 1786640). The disease usually generally entails neonatal respiratory distress with rapid fatal outcome, although partial or transient deficiencies have also been observed. The second is alveolar proteinosis, characterized by the storage of a mixed protein and lipid material, which constitutes a relatively heterogeneous clinical and biological syndrome, especially with regard to age at onset (from the neonate through to adulthood) as well as the severity of associated signs. Murine models, with a targeted mutation of the gene encoding granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) (Csfgm) or the beta subunit of its receptor (II3rb1) support the hypothesis of an abnormality of surfactant turnover in which the alveolar macrophage is a key player. Apart from SP-B deficiency, in which a near-consensus diagnostic chart can be designed, the ascertainment of other abnormalities of surfactant metabolism is not straightforward. The disentanglement of this disease cluster is however essential to propose specific therapeutic procedures: repeated broncho-alveolar ravages, GM-CSF replacement, bone marrow grafting or lung transplantation