Radiant heat protective performance of clothing assemblies with flexible aerogel-Nomex nonwoven composite as thermal insulation

396-403In order to achieve a superior level of heat protection, aerogel-Nomex nonwoven composite felts have been prepared and used as middle layer in 3-layered fabric. To study the effect of precursor concentration on the radiant heat protection, methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS) precursor to methanol molar ratios are varied for making the flexible aerogel-Nomex nonwoven felt. The heat protective performance of three-layered clothing assemblies, with aerogel-Nomex nonwoven felt as the thermal insulating middle layer [outer layer Nomex IIIA woven and inner layer modacrylic-cotton (60:40) woven fabric] has been determined by exposing the clothing combinations to pure radiant heat fluxes by using Stoll’s criterion. The use of aerogel-Nomex nonwoven fabric shows more than 100% increase in the heat protection time as compared to the conventional multilayered heat protective clothing assembly. The aerogel-Nomex nonwoven fabric samples produced using MTMS precursor are found to be soft and flexible as compared to the conventionally produced pure silica aerogels, by using tetra-alkoxysilanes, which are normally fragile in nature

Synthesis of low density and high temperature resistant Y2O3 doped silica aerogels

Commercialization of aerogels has been slow down due to high cost and manufacturability issues [1]. Therefore, in the present paper, we manufactured silica aerogels at low cost and low risk. In this paper, we report the experimental results on the synthesis of low density and high temperature resistant Y2O3 doped silica aerogels. Silica sols were prepared by keeping the molar ratio of TEOS: ethanol (EtOH): water ( 0.01 M HCl as acid catalyst): Ammonium Flu-oride (0.5 M NH4F as base catalyst) was kept constant at 1:15:7:0.6 respectively, while the weight percent of Y2O3 powder was varied from 0.1 to 4%. The aerogels have been produced by two-stage sol-gel process followed by supercritical CO2 drying. The best quality silica aer-ogel in terms of low high-temperature thermal conductivity (0.097 W.mK-1 at 1000 °C), low density (26 mg/cc) and high optical transmission (about 87% in the red region) have been obtained with molar ratio of 1TEOS: 15EtOH:7water:0.6 NH4F and 3% of Y2O3 powder. The best quality Y2O3 doped silica aerogel is as shown in figure (Fig 1). The Y2O3 doped aerogels have been characterized by SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy), FTIR (Fourier Transform Infra-Red Spectroscopy), Optical transmittance, TG/DTA (Thermogra-vimetry/Differential Thermal Analysis, Thermal conductivity and BET (Brunauer-Emmett-Teller) analysis. The experimental results on the physical and thermal properties of Y2O3 doped silica aerogels under normal and high temperature have been discussed by taking into account the chemistry and porosity of aerogels

STUDY OF FIXED DOSE COMBINATIONS IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

ABSTRACTObjective: To study and analyze the pattern of fixed dose combinations (FDCs) in medicine outpatient clinic.Methods: The study is prospective cross-sectional study was conducted for 2 months in medicine outpatient clinic in tertiary care hospital. Aftertaking approval from Institutional Ethics Committee, the data were collected on every working day of the hospital. Prescriptions from the patientscoming to medicine outpatient clinic outpatient department were taken and required information is filled in data record form.Results: A total of 83 prescriptions were included in the study. Out of 287 drugs, 111, i.e., 39.92% were fixed dose formulations. As per drug categoryanalysis, nutritional supplements were used (47.74%). While 27.02% and 9.03% of FDCs were given for cardiovascular complains and respiratorycomplains, respectively. FDCs used for other conditions were 16.21%. About 29.72% of total FDCs are included in approved list of FDCs by DrugsController General of India (DCGI), November 2014.Conclusion: 39.92% drugs are FDCs out of total prescribed drugs. Nutritional supplements are prescribed in higher concentrations. Out of total FDCsonly 29.72% were included in DCGI approved list of FDCs and only four FDCs are found in the WHO list of essential drugs.Keywords: Fixed dose combinations, Prescriptions, Approved, Drugs Controller General of India

EMERGING TRENDS IN PATIENT COUNSELLING: CURRENT SCENARIO

Objective: To evaluate the impact of patient counselling in terms of knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) outcomes among retail and hospital pharmacist in Satara and Sanagli district.Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted on knowledge, attitudes and practices of patient counselling adopted by retail and hospital pharmacists from different areas of Satara and Sangali district. A specially designed questionnaire was used for data collection. Total 190 respondents were analyzed for the study.Results: The highlighting result of the survey based project revealed that almost all retail as well as hospital pharmacists were practicing patient counselling without any charges and there is necessity of separate patient counselling cabinet. Pharmacist was lacking in adopting modern techniques, aids for counselling and 20% only attended patient counselling course (PCC) by Maharashtra State Pharmacy Council (MSPC).Conclusion: KAP study revealed the positive attitude, knowledge and existence of patient counselling practices but not done in an appropriate manner. Step should be taken by authorities, pharmacist and the patient to make counselling more effective.Â

Vacuum foam dried sugar-phosphate amorphous mixtures for stabilization of doxorubicin hydrochloride

The objective of the present study was to stabilize doxorubicin hydrochloride in sugar-phosphate amorphous mixtures at ambient temperature by drying it with vacuum foam drying. Finished products were evaluated for foam characteristic, residual moisture content, reconstitution time, percent drug recovery and drug-excipient interactions. FTIR studies revealed existence of physical interaction of drug with sugar. Light microscopy showed formation of amorphous glass which was supported by the observations of XRPD analyses. The optimized composition in vacuum foam drying was processed by lyophilization and their stability was compared. Storage at ambient temperature for 6 months showed that stability of vacuum foam dried product was better than lyophilized products. The amount of residual moisture affected the stability of drug. The detailed study revealed lactose and sodium dihydrogen phosphate is best suited for stabilization of doxorubicin hydrochloride at room temperature.Colegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire

Parasitic dermoid cyst managed laparoscopically in a 29-year-old woman: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Dermoid cysts are one of the most frequently occurring ovarian cysts; parasitic dermoid cysts, however, are extremely rare.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>We report a case of a 29-year-old Japanese woman with an incidental finding of an adnexal mass on bimanual examination. Sonographic imaging reported an 8 cm mass in the Pouch of Douglas. This was found to be a parasitic dermoid cyst and was removed at laparoscopy.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We believe laparoscopy to be a safe and effective means of managing parasitic ovarian dermoid cysts.</p

Solvent and catalyst free efficient chemoselective synthesis of 1,1-diacetate under visible light irradiation

One of the synthetic intermediates is used in many organic transformations. A method for highly efficient synthesis of 1,1-diacetate (3a-j) from mixture of various substituted benzaldehydes and acetic anhydride under solvent- and catalyst free using visible light irradiation (150 W tungsten lamp)has been developed. The main advantages of this protocol includes shorter reaction time, eco-friendly, mild reaction condition, easy work-up procedures, high yields of products, are the attractive features of the present methodology. All synthesized 3a-j compounds were characterized by IR, 1H NMR and mass spectral analysis

X-ray and ion emission studies from subnanosecond laser-irradiated SiO2 aerogel foam targets

In this experiment, a comparative study of ion and X-ray emission from both a SiO2 aerogel foam and a quartz target is performed. The experiment is performed using Nd:glass laser system operated at laser energy up to 15 J with a pulse duration of 500 ps with focusable intensity of 1013–1014 W/cm2 on target. X-ray fluxes in different spectral ranges (soft and hard) are measured by using X-ray diodes covered with Al filters of thickness 5 µm (0.9–1.56 keV) and 20 µm (3.4–16 keV). A 2.5 times enhancement in soft X-ray flux (0.9–1.56 keV) and a decrease of 1.8 times in hard X rays (3.4–16 keV) for 50 mg/cc SiO2 aerogel foam is observed compared with the solid quartz. A decrease in the flux of the K-shell line emission spectrum of soft X rays is noticed in the case of the foam targets. The high-resolution K-shell spectra (He-like) of Si ions in both the cases are analyzed for the determination of plasma parameters by comparing with FLYCHK simulations. The estimated plasma temperature and density are T c = 180 eV, n e = 7 × 1020 cm−3 and T c = 190 eV, n e = 4 × 1020 cm−3 for quartz and SiO2 aerogel foam, respectively. To measure the evolution of the plasma moving away from the targets, four identical ion collectors are placed at different angles (22.5, 30, 45, and 67.5°) from target normal. The angular distribution of the thermal ions are scaled as cosnθ with respect to target normal, where n = 3.8 and 4.8 for the foam and quartz, respectively. The experimental plasma volume measured from the ion collectors and shadowgraphy images are verified by a two-dimensional Eulerian radiative–hydrodynamic simulation (POLLUX code