Traditional use of organic additives (bamboo foliage, flax fibre and millet grains) in 16th century lime plaster of Solapur Fort, India

106-116This paper reports the characterization of organic and inorganic additives from the 16th century Western Indian Fort of Solapur. The analytical investigations were performed employing a petrographic thin section, granulometric analysis, XRF, XRD, FTIR, SEM-EDX, and DTA/TGA. The studies indicated the occurrence of the calcite polymorphs and inclusion of clay minerals i.e., illite and vermiculite in one sample of the plasters. Calcite rich air-lime showed the presence of essential minerals like quartz, feldspar, biotite and lime component. Observations under SEM, light microscopy and polarized microscopy revealed inclusions of bamboo foliage, millet grains enclosed in lemma and palea and Flax fibres as organic additives in the plaster as reinforcement. Although the use of bamboo culm in construction has adequately been reported, for the first instance bamboo foliage was evidenced in plasterworks of Solapur fort. The high silica content of bamboo foliage probably helped in providing strength to the plaster. The inclusion of millet grains has provided thermal, gelatinization and hydration properties to the plasters. The stronger, crisper and stiffer flax fibres gave thermal and elastic properties to the Solapur fort plasterworks

Traditional Use of Organic Additives (Bamboo Foliage, Flax Fibre and Millet Grains) in 16th Century Lime Plaster of Solapur Fort, India

This paper reports the characterization of organic and inorganic additives from the 16th century Western Indian Fort of Solapur. The analytical investigations were performed by means of petrographic thin section, granulometric analysis, XRF, XRD, FTIR, SEM-EDX, and DTA/TGA. The studies indicated the presence of the polymorphs of calcite and inclusion of clay minerals i.e. illite and vermiculite in one sample of the plasters. Calcite rich air-lime showed the presence of essential minerals likes quartz, feldspar, biotite and lime component. Observations under SEM, light microscopy and Polarized microscopy revealed inclusions of Bamboo foliage, Millet grains and Flax fibres as organic additives in the plaster as reinforcement. Although the use of Bamboo culm in construction has adequately been reported, for the first instance bamboo foliage was evidenced in plasterworks of Solapur fort. The high silica content of bamboo foliage probably helped in providing strength to the plaster. The inclusion of millet grains has provided thermal, gelatinization and hydration properties to the plasters. The stronger, crisper and stiffer flax fibres gave thermal and elastic properties to the Solapur plasterworks

Design and Synthesis of Vitamin Drug Conjugate for its Probable Potential Against SARS-COV-2 Infections

The novel corona virus infection had become a global epidemic due to its rapid spread. So, there is an urgent need to treat COVID-19 patients. The aim of this research was to hypothesize and examine vitamin drug con-jugate as targeted moiety. The present scaffold may have potential role to fight against COVID-19 infection due to its antimicrobial, antioxidants and immunomodulatory activities. Here, we've highlighted the term Vit-amin Drug Conjugate as possible therapy approach for SARS-COV-2 infection. As a result, we synthesize, characterized, and evaluated a Hydroxychloroquine — Folic Acid conjugate (HCQ-FA) by esterification mechanism to provide effective treatment against SARS-CoV-2 infection by enhancing therapeutic effect through synergistic mechanism, masking undesired side effects, and improving cellular internalization. By us-ing prodrug, the efficacy and bioavailability of existing antiviral drugs could be improved. The structure of the conjugate was determined by spectroscopic data like IR, NMR, and mass spectra, which indicates that HCQ-FA conjugate formed by esteric conjugation. Molecular docking studies revealed that HCQ-FA conju-gate shows good level of docking as well as binding interaction with main protease moiety. Molecular dy-namic stimulation revealed that this conjugate shows good stability at the binding site of SARS main protease moiety and exhibits inhibitory activity against COVID-19 infectio

Investigation of Supercapacitive Behaviour of Electrodeposited Cobalt Oxide Thin Film by Potentiostatic Mode

Cobalt oxide films were prepared potentiostatically on stainless steel substrates. The as-deposited Co3O4 films were annealed at 400 °C, 500 °C, 600 °C and were analyzed. The structural analysis of films was carried out by X-ray diffraction technique and wettability parameters by Contact angle measurements at different annealed temperatures. The electrochemical supercapacitive behaviour of Cobalt oxide thin film was studied through Electrochemical properties using cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge-discharge analysis which were carried out in 1 M aqueous KOH, 1 M aqueous NaOH and 1 M aqueous Na2SO4 electrolytes at a scan rate of 5 mV∙s – 1 with a three-electrode cell at different annealed temperatures. The film exhibited maximum specific capacitance of 284.4 Fg – 1 at a scan rate of 5 mV∙s – 1, specific energy 4.325 Whkg – 1, specific power 3 kWkg – 1 and coulomb efficiency 53.75 % in 1 M Na2SO4 electrolyte at optimized annealed temperature of 500 °C. In 1 M KOH electrolyte specific capacitance of Cobalt oxide electrode was 182.03 Fg – 1 at a scan rate 5 mV∙s – 1, specific energy 3.570 Whkg – 1, specific power 2.00 kWkg – 1 annealed at 500 °C. In 1 M NaOH electrolyte, annealed at 500 °C, the specific capacitance of Cobalt oxide electrode was 176.33 Fg – 1 at a scan rate 5 mVs – 1, specific energy 4.37 Whkg – 1, specific power 2.33 kWkg – 1

A Computational Model of the Ionic Currents, Ca2+ Dynamics and Action Potentials Underlying Contraction of Isolated Uterine Smooth Muscle

Uterine contractions during labor are discretely regulated by rhythmic action potentials (AP) of varying duration and form that serve to determine calcium-dependent force production. We have employed a computational biology approach to develop a fuller understanding of the complexity of excitation-contraction (E-C) coupling of uterine smooth muscle cells (USMC). Our overall aim is to establish a mathematical platform of sufficient biophysical detail to quantitatively describe known uterine E-C coupling parameters and thereby inform future empirical investigations of physiological and pathophysiological mechanisms governing normal and dysfunctional labors. From published and unpublished data we construct mathematical models for fourteen ionic currents of USMCs: currents (L- and T-type), current, an hyperpolarization-activated current, three voltage-gated currents, two -activated current, -activated current, non-specific cation current, - exchanger, - pump and background current. The magnitudes and kinetics of each current system in a spindle shaped single cell with a specified surface area∶volume ratio is described by differential equations, in terms of maximal conductances, electrochemical gradient, voltage-dependent activation/inactivation gating variables and temporal changes in intracellular computed from known fluxes. These quantifications are validated by the reconstruction of the individual experimental ionic currents obtained under voltage-clamp. Phasic contraction is modeled in relation to the time constant of changing . This integrated model is validated by its reconstruction of the different USMC AP configurations (spikes, plateau and bursts of spikes), the change from bursting to plateau type AP produced by estradiol and of simultaneous experimental recordings of spontaneous AP, and phasic force. In summary, our advanced mathematical model provides a powerful tool to investigate the physiological ionic mechanisms underlying the genesis of uterine electrical E-C coupling of labor and parturition. This will furnish the evolution of descriptive and predictive quantitative models of myometrial electrogenesis at the whole cell and tissue levels

Remarques sur un gisement d'aragonite du massif de l'Itasy (Madagascar)

Karche J.-P., Raholison Claire. Remarques sur un gisement d'aragonite du massif de l'Itasy (Madagascar). In: Bulletin de la Société française de Minéralogie et de Cristallographie, volume 91, 5, 1968. pp. 511-512