191 research outputs found
Comprehensive Review on Magnetic Drug Delivery Systems: A Novel Approach for Drug Targeting
Magnetic drug delivery systems have been emerged as a prominent technique for site-specific targeting of various pharmacological agents throughout the last few decades. With the support of a magnetic field, it avoids reticuloendothelial system and directs the drugs to reach the target precisely. Magnetic carriers like nanoparticles, microspheres, liposomes and emulsion have been found advantageous of the fact that they reduces the free drug concentration in the blood and to minimize the adverse effects provoked by these drugs. It has made the most crucial tumor targeting possible without damaging the healthy tissues. In this review, we will summarize the facts about magnetic drug delivery systems comprehensively
Trends of Income Inequality and Polarisation in Pakistan for the Period 1990-2008
Trends of income inequality and polarisation previously were
calculated by Arshad, et al. (2008) in Pakistan for the period of 04
years from 1992-93 to 2001-02, using Gini-coefficient and Bossert and
Schworm (2006) measures respectively. Empirical analysis of polarisation
has huge importance in the economic policy making. However, polarisation
has been less probed, rather un-explored phenomenon. So far only a
handful studies have been conducted on this topic and most of the
covered western countries with an exception of India. This research area
appears to be unexplored in Pakistan, except for a few studies which led
to the foundation for the present study
DYNAMIC CEREBRAL AUTOREGULATION IN ASYMPTOMATIC PATIENTS WITH UNILATERAL MIDDLE CEREBRAL ARTERY STENOSIS
In case it might be established no matter if cerebral blood flow might be preserved (auto managed) during transient falls in arterial blood pressure, we may manage to decide customers with carotid stenosis who happen to be in danger of stroke. But, main-stream types of identifying auto rules this kind of customers include intrusive and/or pricey.
We utilized the latest noninvasive technique to estimate vibrant cerebral autoregulation in 27 patients along with carotid stenosis and 21 age-matched typical controls. After having a step by step fall in arterial blood pressure, we identified the interest rate of a surge of middle cerebral artery circulation of blood velocity reviewed with this of arterial blood pressure. We contrasted the strategy through a method that is conventional of cerebral hemodynamics, CO2 reactivity.
Auto-regulatory index (ARI) was actually considerably lower in middle cerebral arteries ipsilateral to a stenosed/occluded carotid artery: mean±SD 3.3±2.2 compared to typical controls (6.3±1.1; P<.0001) and non-stenosed carotid arteries in patients (5.9±2.1; P<.002). Basically, patients' subgroup along with serious disability was determined. ARI came back in order to normal after carotid endarterectomy was done. As part of the number of instances, ARI had been diminished in the existence of CO2 responsiveness.
This particular simplified method enables recognition of reduced autoregulation in people with carotid artery condition. It might enable recognition of sufferers at risk from transient drops of blood pressure because might happen at the beginning of antihypertensive treatment as well as throughout operation. It might let the subgroup of patients among asymptomatic carotid stenosis that tends to be on the danger of hemodynamic stroke to be recognized.
Keywords: Dynamic Cerebral; Autoregulation; Cerebral Artery Stenosis
Comparison of GFRP and CFRP confinement of normal and high strength concrete
Provedeno je eksperimentalno i analitičko istraživanje kako bi se utvrdilo povećanje čvrstoće i duktilnosti betonskih uzoraka ovijenih GFRP-om i CFRP-om od betona normalne čvrstoće i betona visoke čvrstoće. Podaci ispitivanja uspoređeni su i s teorijskim predviđanjima iz triju sjevernoameričkih smjernica za izvedbu i europskih smjernica za FRP. Rezultati ispitivanja pokazuju kako je učinkovitost i GFRP-a i CFRP-a izraženija u betonu normalne čvrstoće u usporedbi s betonom visoke čvrstoće.An experimental and analytical study was conducted to quantify the increase in strength and ductility of GFRP and CFRP confined concrete cylinders made of normal strength concrete and high strength concrete. The test data are also compared with theoretical predictions from three North American and European FRP design guidelines. The test results show that the effectiveness of both GFRP and CFRP is more pronounced in normal strength concrete compared to high strength concrete
INHERITED GENETIC SUSCEPTIBILITY TO BREAST CANCER IN PAKISTAN
Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease. Several genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors are involved in the aetiology of this disease. Genetic risk factors include alterations (mutations) in genes conferring risks to develop breast cancer. Depending on the associated lifetime risks of this malignancy, these genes are categorised into high-, moderate- and low-risk genes. Women carrying mutations in these genes are at an increased risk to develop breast cancer, ovarian cancer and several other malignancies. Breast carcinoma is the most reported malignancy in Pakistani females. Pakistan is a developing country with most of its population living in rural areas; hence, optimal healthcare facilities are inadequate for the early diagnosis and prevention of this disease. Hence, identification of individuals carrying mutations is clinically relevant as different strategies are available for the early detection, risk reduction and better management of this malignancy. This review summarises the findings of the major studies conducted in Pakistan to investigate the contribution of breast cancer predisposing genes. Furthermore, implications of the current studies and future research potentials are discussed.Key words: Breast cancer gene 1/2, breast cancer, checkpoint kinase 2, genetic susceptibility, Pakistan, RAD51C, tumour Protein p53, Vitamin D recepto
Association between Raised Serum C-Reactive Protein and Arteriovenous Fistula Failure
Objectives: To study the association between serum Creactive protein (CRP) and arteriovenous fistula (AVF) failure rate. Patients and Methods: This case control study Department of Vascular Surgery Combined Military Hospital Lahore and Peshawar between January 2015 and March 2016. Total 126 consecutive patients who had serum CRP checked preoperatively and underwent AVF procedure were included. Patients were divided into Case (with raised CRP) and Control (Normal CRP) groups. Data regarding serum CRP level were recorded and analysed to evaluate the impact of preoperative CRP levels on AVF failure rates. Results: The AVF failure rate was significantly high (53.2%) in case group as compared to control group (14.5%). Age, gender, diabetes and hypertension did not show statistically significant difference between the two groups. Conclusion: Raised level of CRP is related to significantly higher AVF maturation failure rate. Therefore, it is recommended to check CRP levels preoperatively to identify those patients who can be at higher risk of fistula failure. 
Genetic transformation of sugarcane variety HSF-240 with marker gene GUS
In the current research an efficient transformation system for sugarcane was established. Shoot tip of variety HSF-240, excised from a six months old field grown plants were used as explant. For transformation, Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain EHA101 with vector pIG121 Hm, harboring GUS, HPTII and NPTII genes were used. HPTII is a hygromycin resistant while NPTII is a kanamycin resistant gene. Effects of Acetosyringone, duration of co-cultivation and pre-selection, concentration of cefotaxime and hygromycin in medium on transformation efficiency were studied. High transformation efficiency and 60% GUS expression was observed when 50 μM acetosyringone was added in the co-cultivation medium. Among different durations of co-cultivation, 48 h produced high (40%) transient GUS positives with an absolute control of bacterial growth. For pre-selection, seven days gave a high transformation efficiency of 10%. Cefotaxime concentration of 1000 mg/L proved optimal for pre-selection of the explants with efficient control of bacterial growth. A high regeneration (31%; P < 0.01) of the transformants was observed at 50 mg/L hygromycin. Presence of GUS gene was confirmed by PCR analysis and only the transgenic plants contained the 430 bp fragment of GUS gene. The new protocol developed in this study could be used for the efficient transformation of sugarcane with desired gene to produce insect/pest resistant, drought tolerant and high yielding sugarcane varieties in future
Composite zeolite beta catalysts for catalytic hydrocracking of plastic waste to liquid fuels
Abstract The conversion of model waste plastic mixture into high-value liquid product was studied in the presence of hydrogen and composites of zeolite beta catalysts. For the sake of comparison, the conversion of actual waste plastic mixture and high-density polyethylene was also carried out. The composite zeolite beta catalysts were synthesized using a range of silica-to-alumina ratios, alkali concentrations, and hydrothermal treatment times. SEM, EDX, XRD, N2-BET, FTIR, and py-FTIR were used for the characterization of the catalysts. The catalytic experiments were conducted in a 500 ml stirred batch reactor at 20 bar initial cold H2 pressure and the temperature of the reaction was varied between 360 and 400 °C. The two composite catalysts, BC27 and BC48, prepared without alkali pretreatment were found to be the most suitable catalysts. With BC27 and BC48 at 400 °C, 93.0 wt% conversion was obtained with actual plastic mixture and the liquid yield exceeded 68.0 wt%. Experiments with the regenerated catalysts showed their performance comparable to the fresh catalysts
Kinetics of methylcyclohexane dehydrogenation and reactor simulation for 'on-board' hydrogen storage
Today's transportation system is contributing to increasing air pollution and lack of future fuel for a growing number of vehicles. Over the years, many alternate solutions have been proposed to replace or to assist conventional fuels in order to alleviate the environmental damage and future fuel shortage. One such solution is to use hydrogen gas as fuel in an internal combustion engine or a fuel cell. Hydrogen being light, flammable and having very low critical temperature has associated problems of storage, transportation and utilisation. The methylcyclohexane-toluene-hydrogen (MTH)-system is a safe and economical way of storage and 'on-board' hydrogen generation. The dehydrogenation reaction of MCH is highly endothermic and suffers from equilibrium limitations. Therefore, success of the MTH-system for 'on-board' applications lies in the development of a highly active, selective and stable catalyst as well as a reactor supplying high rates of heat transfer to the catalytic bed. A review of the literature has shown that there is a huge disagreement in describing the kinetic mechanism of the dehydrogenation reaction of MCH. There is no consensus on the rate-determining step and the inhibition offered by the products. Moreover, there is no detailed kinetic investigation over a wide range of operating conditions including experiments without H2 in the feed and under integral conditions.The present study is designed to conduct a detailed kinetic investigation over a wide range of operating conditions including experiments without hydrogen in the feed for the most promising catalyst developed to date. The reaction kinetics are incorporated into a two-dimensional pseudo-homogeneous model to predict observed longitudinal temperature profiles. Alternative configurations and schemes for 'on-board' hydrogen generation based on the MTH-system are compared and a prototype reactor, suitable for 'on-board' hydrogen generation, is designed and simulated in detail, exchanging heat with the engine exhaust gas. Kinetic experiments were performed in a laboratory fixed bed tubular reactor under integral conditions. A 1.0 wt% Pt/Al2O3 catalyst was prepared and a wide range of experimental conditions were studied. A number of kinetic models were applied based on the power law, Langmuir-Hinshelwood-Hougen-Watson (LHHW) and Horiuti-Polanyi (HP) mechanisms. A kinetic model based on LHHW single-site mechanism with loss of the first H2 molecule the rate rate-controlling step was found to best fit the data. Analyses of the products show that the dehydrogenation of MCH is very selective towards toluene. As well as the main product toluene, a number of condensable by-products were also identified. Benzene, cyclohexane and ring-closed products (ethylcyclopentane and dimethylcyclopentanes) are the major by-products.Laboratory experimental data for the 12 experimental runs made under varying conditions of pressure, space velocity and feed composition were simulated and good agreement between predicted and observed centreline temperatures was found. A hybrid MTH-gasoline-system is a viable option. Using titanium aluminide as the material of construction, the dynamic (start up) time requirement for the prototype reactor may be halved over that required for a stainless steel construction.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceHigher Education of PaksitanGBUnited Kingdo
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