PHARMACEUTICAL STANDARDIZATION OF GANDHAKAKALPA

Rasa Shastra is the pharmaceutical branch of Ayurveda which deals with the processing of metals and minerals having therapeutic importance. Rasa Oushadhies are the potent Ayurvedic preparations mainly containing metals and minerals.These Oushadhies possess wide range of therapeutic efficacy and are considered superior because of their qualities like small dose, quick action, palatability and longer shelf life. Gandhakakalpa is a Rasoushadhi mentioned in Basavarajeeyam 18th chapter 20th sloka indicated for Sthoulya. Gandhaka (Sulphur) and Madhuka thaila are the main ingredients of Gandhaka kalpa. Shodhana (purification), Murchchana, Mardana (trituration) are the important steps involved in preparation of Gandhaka kalpa. Shuddha Gandhaka & Murchchita Madhuka thaila were taken. After obtaining homogenous mixture, it was made into 500mg tablets. Till now,no research work has been carried out to standardize this formulation. Therefore, the present study has been planned to standardize the method of preparation of Gandhaka kalpa according to the method explained in the classical literature

Transient behavior of M[x]/G/1 Retrial Queueing Model with Non Persistent Customers, Random break down, Delaying Repair and Bernoulli Vacation

In this paper we consider a single server batch arrival non-Markovian retrial queueing model with non persistent customers. In accordance with Poisson process, customers arrive in batches with arrival rate  and are served one by one with first come first served basis. The server is being considered as unreliable that it may encounter break down at any time. In order to resume its service the server has to be sent for repair, but the repair does not start immediately so that there is a waiting time before the repair process. The customer, who finds the server busy upon arrival, can either join the orbit with probability p or he/she can leave the system with probability 1-p. More details can be found in the full paper. Key words: Batch size, break down, delay time, transient solution, steady solution,  reliability indices

Major Ion Chemistry and Groundwater Quality Evaluation for Irrigation

Hydrogeochemical characteristics of Groundwater analyzed in the study area of Coimbatore district by collecting 60 samples from agricultural belt. Groundwater quality for irrigation is determined by several key factors like pH, Electrical conductivity (EC), Total suspended solids (TDS). The cations such as Sodium (Na+), Potassium (K+), Calcium (Ca2+), Magnesium (Mg2+ ) and anions are Hydrocarbon (HCO3), Carbonate (CO3 -), Chlorides (Cl-)and Sulphates (SO4 2-) are tested. The irrigation water quality parameters such as Residual Sodium Carbonate (RSC), Sodium Absorption Ratio (SAR), Chloro Alkali Indices (CA I & CAII), Kelley’s Ratio (KR), Magnesium Hazard (MH), Percent sodium (%Na) and Permeability Index (PI), Soluble sodium Percent (SSP) are computed from the key factors, anions and cations. From the USSL Diagram the samples fall in C2S1, C3S1, C4S1 range. Salinity hazard is too elevated in the study area, all the samples are categorized under high to very high with the values greater than 750 μS/cm. Total dissolved solid in the study area indicated that only 2 locations are unfit for irrigation. SAR and % Na shows that there is no hazard related to irrigation watering. Magnesium hazard in the groundwater is high and indicates 51 sample out of 60 is unsuitable for irrigation. From the study it indicates the groundwater is contaminated with salt content and in most of the area it can be used for irrigation. Keywords: Groundwater, Irrigation water quality, Salinity hazard, Kelley’s ratio, Magnesium hazar

Studies on strength characteristics of black cotton soil by using novel SiO2 combination as a stabilizing agent

The rapid growth in industrialization and population leads to generation of large quantity of wastes, some materials were containing high silica contents is damped as a waste. In this study such damped silica wastes from various industries is collected and subjected to studies as a stabilizing material for black cotton soils, such assorted materials are Fly ash, GGBS, Rice husk ash, Precipitated silica and Calcium chloride. By effective nanoparticle studies like SEM, EDAX, presence of silica, aluminum and magnesium proportion in each industrial waste is formulated. From the result of nanoparticle analysis novel silica combination prepared by composition of all those materials based on cementanious action mineral presence. In before studies one or two combinations only used as stabilizer but in this paper a new group bearing binder combination is designed and their behavior with chosen geo material and its respective engineering, strength and hydraulic properties is studied by Constantine combination proportion to 20% to weight of soil. Properties such as California bearing ratio (CBR), and North Dakota of the soils were determined with the addition of stabilizers. From the results engineering properties of the poor engineering graded soil were improved is clearly visualized. For the normal soil and effective result binder proportion, a comparison in finite element analysis using PLAXIS is carried out for footing study. Finally, the study showed that exact cementanious mineral combination from industrial waste could improve the geotechnical properties of highly inorganic soil

Estrogen and progesterone receptors have distinct roles in the establishment of the hyperplastic phenotype in PR-A transgenic mice

Introduction: Expression of the A and B forms of progesterone receptor (PR) in an appropriate ratio is critical for mammary development. Mammary glands of PR-A transgenic mice, carrying an additional A form of PR as a transgene, exhibit morphological features associated with the development of mammary tumors. Our objective was to determine the roles of estrogen (E) and progesterone (P) in the genesis of mammary hyperplasias/preneoplasias in PR-A transgenics.Methods: We subjected PR-A mice to hormonal treatments and analyzed mammary glands for the presence of hyperplasias and used BrdU incorporation to measure proliferation. Quantitative image analysis was carried out to compare levels of latency-associated peptide and transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGFβ1) between PR-A and PR-B transgenics. Basement membrane disruption was examined by immunofluorescence and proteolytic activity by zymography.Results: The hyperplastic phenotype of PR-A transgenics is inhibited by ovariectomy, and is reversed by treatment with E + P. Studies using the antiestrogen ICI 182,780 or antiprogestins RU486 or ZK 98,299 show that the increase in proliferation requires signaling through E/estrogen receptor alpha but is not sufficient to give rise to hyperplasias, whereas signaling through P/PR has little impact on proliferation but is essential for the manifestation of hyperplasias. Increased proliferation is correlated with decreased TGFβ1 activation in the PR-A transgenics. Analysis of basement membrane integrity showed loss of laminin-5, collagen III and collagen IV in mammary glands of PR-A mice, which is restored by ovariectomy. Examination of matrix metalloproteases (MMPs) showed that total levels of MMP-2 correlate with the steady-state levels of PR, and that areas of laminin-5 loss coincide with those of activation of MMP-2 in PR-A transgenics. Activation of MMP-2 is dependent on treatment with E and P in ovariectomized wild-type mice, but is achieved only by treatment with P in PR-A mice.Conclusions: These data establish a link between hormonal response, proliferation, modulation of MMP activity and maintenance of basement membrane integrity that depend on a balance in the expression levels of PR-A and PR-B isoforms. Notably, concomitant increased proliferation, due to inhibition of TGFβ1 activation, and loss of basement membrane integrity, via increased MMP-2 activity, appear to be prerequisites for the PR-A hyperplastic phenotype.Fil: Simian, Marina. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; Estados Unidos. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Oncología "Ángel H. Roffo"; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay; ArgentinaFil: Bissell, Mina J.. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; Estados UnidosFil: Barcellos Hoff, Mary H.. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; Estados Unidos. NYU Langone Medical Center; Estados UnidosFil: Shyamala, Gopalan. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; Estados Unido

Assessment of groundwater quality using spatial variation technique

Groundwater management is a potential solution to the global water crisis. We assessed the groundwater quality at Mettupalayam, Tamil Nadu, India, in order to determine its suitability for drinking. Groundwater samples were collected and their physicochemical characteristics such as pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total hardness (TH), total dissolved solids (TDS), Ca2+, Mg2+, SO42- and Cl- were determined and benchmarked with standard drinking water requirements. The variations of these parameters were presented spatially. The groundwater is generally brackish and hard; and of low alkalinity and high salinity. Consequently, the groundwater in most parts of the study area is unsuitable for drinking without treatment. It is recommended that point and nonpoint sources of groundwater pollution at Mettupalayam should be identified, monitored and managed in order to protect the groundwater

Free thaw resistance of stabilized and fiber-reinforced soil vulnerable to landslides

The research is undertaken to study the combined reinforcing and stabilizing effect of Eco sand, Metakaolin added with Polypropylene fibers in silty soil obtained from Nilgris district. In this work, an effort is made to obtain the impact of adding polypropylene fibers in fixed ratios (eco sand10%_metakaolin 5%) tandem with two novel stabilizing agents in various proportions (polypropylene fiber 0.1% & 0.2%) is the effects of non-traditional additives on the geotechnical properties of soils have been the focus of much investigation in recent years. It has been well established that the plasticity index and also the size, shape, and arrangement of soil particles will affect the treatment process of natural soils with additives. Stabilization of soils that are subjected to a regular variation in the temperature requires the most probable selection of suitable stabilizers and admixtures to improve the strength of the soil. This study investigates the resistance of the Nilgiris soil over the freeze–thaw reaction. The soil is stabilized with Eco Sand, Metakaolin, and polypropylene fiber (synthetic fiber). The index and engineering properties of the soil were determined in the laboratory. The soil is stabilized with two variants of an equal proportion of EcoSand-10%, Metakaolin-5%, and varying the polypropylene fiber in a proportion of 0.1% and 0.2% with the weight of the soil. UCS test was conducted for the virgin sample as well as the sample after four freeze–thaw cycles. The soil sample is kept at 0° for 24 h and later at 28° for 24 h to complete a cycle. It is determined that the admixtures added has increased the resistance of the soil over the freeze–thaw reaction after the cycles. The polypropylene fiber has increased the bonding of soil, and hence it stabilizes the soil during a large periodical variation in the temperature of the soil

Sonographic assessment of fetal head deflexion using occiput: spine angle measured during first stage of labour and its role in predicting the mode of delivery among nulliparous women

Background: The attitude of the fetal head during labour significantly influences the progress and outcome of delivery and is mainly diagnosed by vaginal examination during labour. The aim of the study was to quantify the extent of deflexion of the fetal head by measuring the fetal occiput spine angle (OSA) through transabdominal ultrasonography in the first stage of labour and to determine whether the fetal OSA can predict the mode of delivery.Methods: We conducted a prospective observational study on 145 nulliparous uncomplicated singleton pregnant women without occiput-posterior position of the fetus during active labour. The OSA was measured as the angle between the two tangential lines to the occipital bone and the vertebral body of the first cervical spine, during active labour and monitored until delivery. Intra- and interobserver reproducibility of the OSA measurement and the correlation between the OSA and mode of delivery were also evaluated.Results: For the study population, the mean value of the OSA measured in the active phase of the first stage was 124.2±11.5⁰. The OSA measurement showed excellent intraobserver agreement (r = 0.82; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 0.70-0.80) and fair-to-good interobserver agreement (r = 0.62; 95% CI 0.51-0.71).  The mean OSA was significantly less for the group of patients who required conversion to cesarean section due to labour arrest (n=32) as compared to those who had vaginal delivery (n=113) (116.25±9.2⁰ versus 126.53±11.1⁰, P<0.01). An OSA of ≥121° was associated with vaginal delivery in 80.5% (91/113) of women, whereas 87.5% (28/32) of the women who delivered by cesarean section had an OSA <121⁰.Conclusions: Measurement of the OSA, by sonography is feasible, reproducible and an objective tool to assess the degree of fetal head deflexion during labour and to predict the mode of delivery

Isolation and identification of Micrococcus roseus and Planococcus sp. from schirmacher oasis, Antarctica

Five cultures isolated from soil samples collected in Schirmacher oasis, Antarctica, have been identified as members of the family Micrococcaceae, with 3 belonging to the genusMicrococcus and two toPlanococcus. The 3 Micrococcus isolates (37R, 45R and 49R) were red-pigmented and h a d ~ 75 mol% G + C in their DNA; they were identified as Micrococcus roseus. The twoPlanococcus isolates (30Y and Lz3OR) were yellow and orange in colour, and had 43·5 and 40·9 mol % G + C in their DNA respectively; they were identified as Planococcus sp