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Resumen Objetivo: Describir el comportamiento espacial de la contaminación por cenizas volcánicas y el efecto sobre la incidencia de enfermedades respiratorias agudas y crónicas, en las comunidades expuestas a la ceniza producida por la actividad del Volcán Turrialba, durante el año 2016. Materiales y métodos: Se realizó un estudio ecológico, observacional retrospectivo, transversal y correlacional, en donde se categorizaron 36 cantones a 50 km a la redonda del volcán Turrialba, según su nivel de contaminación. Resultados: Se constata un comportamiento diferenciado en el espacio geográfico de afectación de la pluma de ceniza volcánica, todos los territorios incluidos en el estudio resultaron con algún nivel de contaminación, sin embargo, se distinguen tres zonas, alta, media y baja contaminación. Un 46.6% de los eventos epidemiológicos estudiados poseen un mayor riesgo de presentarse en cantones con alta contaminación, sobre los cantones con media y baja contaminación. Conclusiones: Es posible que la afectación por contaminación debido a la ceniza volcánica haya incrementado el riesgo de exacerbación de enfermedades respiratorias crónicas, en la zona bajo la influencia directa de la pluma de cenizas volcánicas.
Abstract Objective: Describe the spatial behavior of contamination by volcanic ash and the effect on the incidence of acute and chronic respiratory diseases in communities exposed to the ash produced by the activity of the Turrialba Volcano during the year 2016. Materials and methods: An ecological, observational, retrospective, cross-sectional and correlational study was carried out, where 36 cantons within 50 km of the Turrialba volcano were categorized, according to their level of contamination. Results: A differentiated behavior is verified in the geographical space affected by the volcanic ash plume, all the territories included in the study resulted in some level of contamination, however three zones are distinguished, high, medium and low contamination. 46.6% of the epidemiological events studied have a higher risk of occurring in cantons with high contamination, over cantons with medium and low contamination. Conclusions: It is possible that the contamination due to volcanic ash has increased the risk of exacerbation of chronic respiratory diseases in the area under the direct influence of the volcanic ash plume.
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To understand the current quality status and rearing situation of Bombyx Batryticatus, the authors collected 102 batches of Bombyx Batryticatus from different main producing areas and five major Chinese medicine markets from 2016 to 2018, and measured the properties and quality of the silk gland, to clarify the quality status of Bombyx Batryticatus from different producing areas and markets. In addition, 35 batches of Bombyx Batryticatus from 2019 to 2022 were used to verify the silk gland after revision. Moreover, Beauveria Bassiana was inoculated in the silkworm of 4-5 instars, and standardized rearing was carried out until they die. The death rate and the quality of Bombyx Batryticatus were measured to determine the differences in Bombyx Batryticatus of different instars, and explore the rationality of the infection age of Bombyx Batryticatus in Chinese Pharmacopoeia(2020). The results revealed that in the 102 batches of Bombyx Batryticatus, the qualification rate of silk gland was low; the content of total ash far exceeded the standard; the content of beauvericin varied greatly. The qualification rate of the silk gland of the 35 batches of Bombyx Batryticatus was only 47.49%, which could be increased to 73.00% if the number of silk gland was 2 to 4. The death rate of Bombyx Batryticatus at different infection ages was quite different, with uneven quality. Generally, the yield of Bombyx Batryticatus inoculated on the first day of the fifth instar was high with good quality. Therefore, in combination with the quality and actual production of Bombyx Batryticatus, the following suggestions were proposed for revision of Bombyx Batryticatus in Chinese Pharmacopoeia(2025): The number of silk gland should be revised as 2-4 bright brown or bright black silk glands, after which, the quality of Bombyx Batryticatus could be guaranteed, and the "quality identification based on character" could also be reflected scientifically; the content determination index that the content of beauvericin shall not be less than 0.017% should be added to better control the quality of Bombyx Batryticatus; the infection age should be revised as the first day of the fifth instar to narrow the age span, which could better fit the actual production and ensure the quality of Bombyx Batryticatus.
Subject(s)
Animals , Bombyx , Medicine, East Asian Traditional , Silk , LarvaABSTRACT
Aim: The study was aimed at evaluating some pharmacognostic parameters and investigates the anti-diabetic activity of ethanol extract of Triumfetta cordifolia leaf Methods: The pharmacognostic profiling of Triumfetta cordifolia leaves was carried out using some standard pharmacognostic tools for crude drug standardization such as qualitative and quantitative microscopy, analytical evaluation and phytochemical screening. The plant material was extracted using cold maceration method in ethanol and fractionation was carried out using n-hexane, ethylacetate and butanol. The acute toxicity study was done following standard method. Diabetes in albino wistar rats was intraperitoneally induced using 120 mg/kg body weight of alloxan monohydrate. The diabetic rats where treated with 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight of the crude extract and 400mg/kg of each of the fractions. Glibenclamide was used as the standard drug (5 mg/kg) and diabetic rats without treatment as negative control. The procedure was also similarly performed using the non-diabetic rats. The administration of all treatments was done orally, once daily for 21 days and blood sera of the blood samples from rats across the groups were collected at the end of the treatment period and the concentrations of Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were evaluated. Results: The results of the qualitative microscopic evaluation of Triumfetta cordifolia leaf revealed paracytic stomata, unicellular trichomes, wavy wall epidermal cells and prismatic calcium oxalate. Quantitative microscopic study gave 23.67 ± 0.58 stomata number, 0.023 ± 0.00058 stomata index, 18.33 ± 1.53 Palisade ratio and 10.67 ± 0.58 vein-islet number while the analytical standard revealed 9.3 total ash, 3.5 water soluble ash and 1.34 acid insoluble ash. The phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of alkaloids, glycosides, Tannins, flavonoids steroids and terpenoids in the Triumfetta cordifolia leaves ethanol extract (TCEE). A significant reduction (P?0.05) in fasted blood sugar level of diabetic rats was observed during treatment with Triumfetta cordifolia leaves extract and the blood sugar level lowering potential was comparable to the glibenclamide’s group. There was improvement of body weight in TCEE treated groups and ethylacetate fraction group. The Leaf extract of Triumfetta cordifolia showed a high significant (P?0.05) ameliorating potential on liver’s degenerating hepatocytes evidenced by the comparable reduction in AST, ALT and ALP levels with the glibenclamide’s and diabetic’s groups. Conclusion: The overall results showed that Triumfetta cordifolia leaf possesses blood sugar lowering and liver hepatocytes regenerating potentials while the pharmacognostic profiling of the plant can serve as a reference and guide for future researchers.
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To investigate the role of Ash2l (absent, small, or homeotic 2-like, Ash2l) on the proliferation ability and cell cycle of mouse cerebral cortical neural progenitor cells (NPCs), We examined the number and distribution of NPCs, using the radial glial cell marker PAX6 and intermediate progenitor cell marker TBR2. E16. 5 mice were labeled with EdU for 30 min to detect the proliferation ability of NPCs. Conditional knockout of Ash2l resulted in a dramatic reduction in the number of NPCs and a disordered distribution. The 30 min EdU insertion experiment showed that EdU could hardly be inserted into NPCs, indicating that the proliferation ability of NPCs was severely affected. Using the mitotic cell cycle marker pH3, the distribution of dividing NPCs was observed. We then detected the expressed level of Cyclin A by Western blotting. The distribution of cell nuclei of M-phase is disordered and the expression of G
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ABSTRACT Huge amounts of fly ash - a substance that does not conform to the ASTM C618 classification due to its chemical properties - have been abandoned in landfills around the world, despite their self-cementing property. It has not been used in concrete making applications due to its large amounts of free lime and sulfate contents. The fly ash in these plants is dumped in landfills, causing serious environmental hazards. Fly ash is disposed to the landfills by belt conveyors after being humidified with water. Therefore, the fly ashes humidified in the landfill areas are hydrated in nature. This hydration is further intensified in landfills by rain and snow. Thus, the free lime content of fly ash decreases due to its long hydration process. In this work, the lightweight masonry blocks were produced by mixing normal and hydrated fly ashes or normal, hydrated fly ash and lime without Portland cement. The compressive strength, water absorption, sorptivity, density, porosity, and thermal conductivity values of the samples produced were determined. The results obtained from these tests showed that lightweight masonry blocks could be produced by using these waste materials in building applications.
RESUMO Enormes quantidades de cinzas volantes - uma substância que não está de acordo com a classificação ASTM C618 devido às suas propriedades químicas - foram abandonadas em aterros sanitários ao redor do mundo, apesar de sua propriedade de autocimentação. Essas substâncias não têm sido usadas em aplicações de fabricação de concreto devido às suas grandes quantidades de cal livre e teores de sulfato. A cinza volante dessas usinas é despejada em aterros sanitários, causando sérios riscos ambientais. Essas cinzas são descartadas em aterros por correias transportadoras após serem umedecidas com água. Portanto, as cinzas volantes umedecidas nas áreas do aterro são hidratadas na natureza. Essa hidratação é ainda mais intensificada em aterros, pela chuva e pela neve. Assim, o teor de cal livre nas cinzas volantes diminui devido ao longo processo de hidratação. Neste trabalho, blocos de alvenaria leves foram produzidos pela mistura de cinzas volantes normais e hidratadas, ou cinza volante normal hidratada e cal sem cimento Portland. Foram determinados os valores de resistência à compressão, absorção de água, sensibilidade, densidade, porosidade e condutividade térmica das amostras produzidas. Os resultados obtidos nesses testes mostraram que blocos de alvenaria leves podem ser produzidos usando esses materiais residuais em aplicações de construção.
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OBJECTIVE：To provide reference f or the qualit y sta ndard establishment of Amaranthus retroflexus. METHODS ： Taking 7 batches of A. retroflexus medicinal materials as the research object ，the appearance properties of the medicinal materials were investigated ，and the microscopic characteristics of the medicinal powders were observed. TLC method was adopted to qualitatively identify rutin ，valine and leucine in A. retroflexus medicinal materials. According to the relevant methods of the 2015 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia （part Ⅳ），water content ，total ash content ，acid-insoluble ash content and water-soluble extract content were determined. HPLC method was used to determine the content of rutin in the medicinal material of A. retroflexus . The determination was performed on Agilent 5 TC-C18（2）column with mobile phase consisted of methanol- 0.3％ phosphoric acid solution（40∶60，V/V），at the flow rate of 1.0 mL/min. The detection wavelength was set at 358 nm，and the column temperature was 30 ℃. The sample size was 10 μL. RESULTS：The appearance and microstructure characteristics of the medicinal materials were consistent with the existing description. The identification results of TLC meth od showed that 7 batches of medicinal materials and each reference substance （rutin，valine，leucine）showed spots of the same color at the same position. The moisture content of 7 batches of A. retroflexus medicinal materials was 7.43％-8.72％，the total ash content was 11.82％-13.78％，the acid-insoluble ash content was 0.15％-0.55％，and the water-soluble extract content was 17.27％-24.74％. The linear range of rutin was 10-200 μg/mL（R 2＝1.000 0）. RSDs of precision test ，stability test （24 h）and repeatability test were all less than 2.0％ （n＝6）. The average recovery rates of rutin were 99.14％，97.98％ and 98.80％ in low ，medium and high concentration of samples，and RSDs were 0.97％，0.95％，0.96％（n＝3）. The contents of rutin in 7 batches of A. retrophylla were 0.314-1.102 mg/g. CONCLUSIONS：In this study ，character observation ，microscopic identification ，moisture content ，total ash content ，acid- insoluble ash content and water-soluble extract content of A. retroflexus are investigated ；TLC method was established for qualitative identification of leucine ，valine and rutin in A. retroflexus ，and the HPLC method was established for content determination of rutin. It provides reference for the quality standard establishment of A. retroflexus .
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ABSTRACT This study aimed to verify if coal ash, a residue from thermal power plants, could act as a granulation nucleus, cations source, and abrasive element to favor granules formation and stability in aerobic granular sludge (AGS) systems. Two simultaneous fill/draw sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) (R1 and R2) were operated with 6-h cycles, i.e., the filling and drawing phases occurred simultaneously, followed by the reaction and settling phases. R1 was maintained as control, while R2 was supplemented with coal ash (1 g·L-1) on the first day of operation. Granulation was achieved in both reactors, and no significant differences were observed in terms of settleability, biomass retention, morphology, resistance to shear, and composition of the EPS matrix. However, the ash addition did not change the settleability, biomass retention, granule morphology, shear resistance, and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) content significantly. COD removal was high (≥ 90%), while nitrogen (~50%) and phosphorus (~40%) removals were low, possibly due to the presence of nitrate during the anaerobic phase. With granulation, microbial population profile was altered, mainly at the genus level. In general, the operational conditions had a more considerable influence over granulation than the ash addition. The possible reasons are because the ash supplementation was performed in a single step, the low sedimentation rate of this particular residue, and the weak interaction between the ash and the EPS formed in the granular sludge. These factors appear to have decreased or prevented the action of the ash as granulation nucleus, source of cations, and abrasive element.
RESUMO O objetivo deste estudo foi verificar se a cinza de carvão mineral, um resíduo de usinas termelétricas, poderia atuar como núcleo de granulação, fonte de cátions e elemento abrasivo em sistemas de lodo granular aeróbio (LGA) para favorecer a formação e estabilidade dos grânulos. Dois reatores em batelada sequencial (RBS) (R1 e R2) foram operados em regime de alimentação/descarte simultâneos com ciclos de 6 h, ou seja, as fases de alimentação e descarte do efluente ocorreram simultaneamente, seguidas das fases de reação e de decantação. O R1 foi mantido como controle, enquanto o R2 foi suplementado com as cinzas (1 g·L-1) no primeiro dia de operação. A granulação foi alcançada em ambos os reatores, não havendo diferenças marcantes em termos de sedimentabilidade, retenção de biomassa, morfologia do grânulo, resistência ao cisalhamento e conteúdo de substâncias poliméricas extracelulares (SPE). A remoção de DQO foi alta (≥ 90%), enquanto as remoções de nitrogênio (~50%) e fósforo (~40%) foram baixas, possivelmente pela presença de nitrato na fase anaeróbia. Após a granulação, o perfil da comunidade microbiana mudou, especialmente em termos de gênero. Globalmente, as condições operacionais tiveram maior influência sobre a granulação do que a adição das cinzas, possivelmente porque elas só foram adicionadas uma vez e possuem baixa velocidade de sedimentação, bem como devido a uma fraca interação das cinzas com a matriz de SPE formada no lodo aeróbio. Esses fatores podem ter diminuído, ou mesmo impedido, a ação das cinzas como núcleo de grânulo, fonte de cátions ou elemento abrasivo.
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ABSTRACT The global COVID-19 pandemic initiated in Ecuador with the patient zero in February 2020 and since more than 40,000 persons have been tested positive to the virus, leaving some 3,500 deceased, while approximately about 10,500 persons above annual average numbers died within March to May. A strict lockdown was applied by mid-March, which resulted to a severe economic crisis in the country. Although during the lockdown occurred a notable decrease in the number of new cases, the spread of the infection was already massive, untechnical, political and economic decisions will certainly lead to continuous wave of infections for months. Objective Our study postulates, that persons who are most likely to be infected during such secondary wave will be people who have already health issues to which we count besides the known ones, especially those who are already suffer by the distribution of volcanic ashes, as such pyroclastic material is known to affect lunges and thyroids. Methods A descriptive ecological study of information related to COVID-19 infection at a national level using official data from the Minister of Public Health and volcanic ash fall by geographical area in Ecuador. Results The mortality rate per canton indicated that those with lower attack rates are the ones with highest mortality rate. For instance, Portovelo (21.3/100,000), Playas (18.4/100,000), Santa Rosa (15.8/100,000), Suscal (15.3/100,000) and Penipe (14.3/100,000) reported the highest mortality rate per 100,000 people. The main distribution of such volcanic material is within the central to northern area of the Highlands and Inter-Andean Valley of Ecuador, due to the analysis of some 7394 satellite images of the last 21 years. Conclusions We conclude that areas with high vulnerabilities are also most susceptible to develop COVID-19. Such areas with their respective populations will be affected above average and shall be protected in particular within the presently starting during possible second wave of infection.(AU)
RESUMEN La pandemia de COVID-19 inició en Ecuador en febrero de 2020. Desde el inicio más de 40 000 personas han sido oficialmente diagnosticadas con el virus, que ha dejado al menos 3 500 fallecidas, mientras que aproximadamente unas 10 500 personas por encima del promedio anual murieron entre marzo y mayo de 2020. A mediados de marzo se aplicó el confinamiento absoluto en el país, lo que provocó una grave crisis económica y social en Ecuador. Aunque el bloqueo produjo una reducción en el número de casos, la infección estaba propagada ya entre la comunidad y los diagnósticos aumentaron notable debido a decisiones políticas y económicas, que, sin lugar a duda, conducirán a oleadas posteriores de infección por incluso meses. Objetivo Nuestro estudio postula que las personas que tienen más probabilidades de infectarse durante dicha ola secundaria serán las personas que ya tengan problemas de salud. A la vez, proponemos que aquellos pobladores que ya están sufriendo por la caída de cenizas volcánicas y flujos piroclásticos pueden tener más riesgo tal como lo describimos en casos relacionados con cáncer de tiroides y ceniza. Métodos Es un estudio ecológico descriptivo de la información relacionada con la infección por COVID-19 a nivel nacional, utilizando datos oficiales de contagio del Ministerio de Salud Pública y caída de cenizas volcánicas por área geográfica en Ecuador. Resultados La tasa de mortalidad por cantón indicó que aquellos con tasas de ataque más bajas son los que tienen la tasa de mortalidad más alta. Por ejemplo, Portovelo (21,3 / 100.000), Playas (18,4 / 100.000), Santa Rosa (15,8 / 100 000), Suscal (15,3 / 100 000) y Penipe (14,3 / 100 000) registraron la tasa de mortalidad más alta por cada 100 000 personas. La principal distribución de dicho material volcánico se encuentra dentro de la zona centro-norte de la Sierra y Valle Interandino del Ecuador, debido al análisis de unas 7 394 imágenes satelitales de los últimos 21 años. Conclusiones Concluimos que las áreas con alta vulnerabilidad también son más susceptibles a desarrollar COVID-19. Tales áreas con sus respectivas poblaciones se verán afectadas por encima de la media y estarán protegidas, en particular, dentro del inicio actual durante una posible segunda ola de infección.(AU)
Subject(s)
Humans , Pneumonia, Viral/epidemiology , Coronavirus Infections/epidemiology , Volcanic Eruptions/adverse effects , Vulnerable Populations , Epidemiology, Descriptive , Ecuador/epidemiology , Ecological StudiesABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE：To provide reference for improving the quality standard of Rhizoma Bego niae from Guizhou . METHODS：Five batches of Rhizoma Begoniae from Guizhou were collected ，and the microscopic characteri stics of the Rhizoma Begoniae powder were observed. According to the corresponding methods in 2015 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia （part Ⅳ）， potent adenosine 50-triphosphate competitive phosphati - dylinositol-3-kinase/mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors：discovery of compound 26（PKI-587），a highly effi cacious dual inhibitor Morpholine as a privileged structure ：a review on the me - dicinal chemistry and pharmacological activity of morpho - line containing bioactive molecules[J]. Med Res Rev ， qq.com 2019. DOI ：10.1002/med.21634. qualitative identification of Rhizoma Begoniae was conducted by TLC ，and the contents of moisture ，total ash and water-soluble extract in Rhizoma Begoniae were determined. The contents of rutin were determined by HPLC. RESULTS ：The powder of Rhizoma Begoniae medicinal materials was brown ，stone cells were square ，polygonal-like or irregular. There were many starch grains and few complex grains. The conduit ，calcium oxalate square crystal/cluster crystal were visible. The same fluorescence spots were found in the same location of TLC atlas of Rhizoma Begoniae control herb. The moisture ，total ash ，water-soluble extract contents were 10.15％-11.41％，8.70％-12.59％ and 16.91％-19.58％，respectively. The linear range of rutin were 18.47-147.8 μg/mL （r＝0.999 8）；RSDs of reproducibility ，intermediate precision and stability tests （8 h）were all lower than 3.0％；the average recoveries were 99.39％-100.29％（RSDs were 0.23％-2.59％，n＝3）；the contents of rutin in 5 batches of Rhizoma Begoniae were 0.102％-0.198％. CONCLUSIONS ：The contents of moisture and total ash shall not exceed 13.0％ and 14.0％ respectively， and the contents of water-soluble extract and rutin shall not be less than 15.0％ and 0.080％. The quality standard established in this study can be used for the quality control of Rhizoma Begoniae from Guizhou.
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Globally, air pollution is the leading environmental cause of human disease and death, and it is a major contributor to cardiovascular disease. Air pollution damages the cardiovascular system by oxidative stress, inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, and pro-thrombotic changes. Ultrafine particulate matter from the combustion of fossil fuels delivers the most potent and harmful elements of air pollution. Coal fly ash is a rich source of nano-sized metal, iron oxide, and carbonaceous particles. Previous findings revealed that coal fly ash is widely utilized in undisclosed tropospheric aerosol geoengineering. Proper iron balance is central to human health and disease, and the harmful effects of iron are normallyprevented by tightly controlled processes of systemic and cellular iron homeostasis. Altered iron balance is linked to the traditional risk factors for cardiovascular disease. The iron-heart hypothesis is supported by epidemiological, clinical, and experimental studies. Biogenic magnetite (Fe3O4) serves essential life functions, but iron oxide nanoparticles from anthropogenic sources cause disease. The recent finding of countless combustion-type magnetic nanoparticles in damaged hearts of persons from highly polluted areas is definitive evidence of the connection between the iron oxide fraction of air pollution and cardiovascular disease. Spherical magnetic iron oxide particles found in coal fly ash and certain vehicle emissions match the exogenous iron pollution particles found in the human heart. Iron oxide nanoparticles cross the placenta and may act as seed material for future cardiovascular disease. The pandemic of non-communicable diseases like cardiovascular disease and also rapid global warming can be alleviated by drastically reducing nanoparticulate air pollution. It is crucial to halt tropospheric aerosol geoengineering, and to curb fine particulate emissions from industrial and traffic sources to avoid further gross contamination of the human race by iron oxide-type nanoparticles
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All the plants are having medicinal values and thus are used traditionally in many diseasesfrom ancient times. One of such useful plant is Aerva lanata commonly known as “Bhui” which is awoody, prostate or succulent, perennial herb from the Amaranthaceae family, found in open forest onmountains, slopes, disturbed ground and deserted areas(1). The plant has been screened for diuretic,antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective activity (2) (3). According to the literature referredthe pharmacognostical studies of this plant have not been reported yet, therefore the presentinvestigation is planned to study the pharmacognostical and phytochemical aspects of Aerva lanata. Inthe present research article the pharmacognostical study i.e. morphological, microscopical, chemical &chromatographic analysis of plant Aerva lanata was carried out. This study provides the standardizationparameters important for the characterization & identification of the plant. The information will beuseful for the traditional medicine practitioners & establishing literature regarding the plant.Microscopic studies shows upper epidermis is straight walled, single layered containing trichomesbelow the epidermis collenchyma cellular layers are present which can be characterized by thickcellulosic deposition. Cells contain calcium oxalate crystals (in small amount) and starch. Vascularbundles present in spongy tissues. Physiochemical analysis shows Total ash, Acid insoluble ash, Watersoluble ash, Sulphated ash values as 10.01%, 2.01%, 4.92% and 4.82% respectively. Other parameterslike Alcohol soluble extractive value, Water soluble extractive value, Loss on drying and swelling indexare found to be 20%, 24%, 8% and 6.42%. Fluorescence study and preliminary phytochemical tests arealso performed. Thin layer chromatographic studies showing presence of carbohydrates, steroids,flavonoids and tannins at Rf values of 0.88, 0.86, 0.92 and 0.86 respectively.
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History: People exposed to volcanic ash show increased respiratory symptoms. The duration of exposure, the characteristics and ash concentration are determinants of the impact on respiratory health. Objectives: To describe the prevalence of wheezing over the past year within the adult population exposed to volcanic ash spilling in two cities with different levels of exposure. Secondarily, to describe the prevalence of ocular and respiratory symptoms in those populations. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted five days after the eruption of the Calbuco volcano in two Patagonian cities with different levels of exposure (high and low levels of exposure). The prevalence of wheezing and respiratory and ocular symptoms was evaluated by means of telephone surveys conducted through an interactive voice response system. Results: The prevalence of wheezing was similar both in cities with low and with high levels of exposure (30.2% vs. 31.0%; p: 0.82). The respiratory and ocular symptoms were 32% and 57%, respectively (p: NS). Conclusion: After the eruption of the Calbuco volcano, a high proportion of the exposed population showed wheezing and respiratory and ocular symptoms. No differences were shown between the analyzed cities. The prevalence of wheezing in these cities was higher than that reported on the national level. The respiratory symptoms and the prevalence of wheezing in adults were higher than those reported on the national level.
Subject(s)
Respiratory Tract Diseases , Respiratory Tract Infections , Asthma , Volcanic EruptionsABSTRACT
Aim: The current study explores the proximate and elemental contents of three different medicinal plants, namely Cuscuta reflexa (whole plant), Cassia tora (stem) and Cassia fistula (seed pot) that have been grown in Bangladesh. Methodology: Macro (Na, K, Ca, Mg), micro (Fe, Cu, Mn, Zn, Ni, Cr) and heavy metal (Pb, Cd, As) elements, present in C. reflexa (Whole plant), C. tora (stem), and C. fistula (seed pod) were analyzed quantitatively by flame photometer and atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). Results: The minerals of the plants were found in substantial amounts (Na: 13763.75-16419.42 ppm, K: 6053.49-25864.92 ppm, Ca: 18912.16-2298.77 ppm, Mg: 1570.25-4602.23 ppm, Fe: 58.99-222.43 ppm, Cu: 3.16-11.61 ppm, Mn: 15.89-54.53 pm, Zn: 0.0367-50.2665 ppm, Ni: 0.9878-4.7186 ppm, Cr: 0.3279-0.8281 ppm, Pb: 0.3590-1.5030 ppm, Cd: 0.0016-0.0068 ppm and As: 0.0148-0.0675 ppm). Conclusion: It is evident that the investigated medicinal plants are enriched in some macro and micro nutrient, such as Na, K, Ca, Mg, Fe etc which are important for biological metabolism and human health. On the other hand the heavy metals are present in trace amount which indicate the plants are safe for medicinal uses.
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For the discussion of the source, preparation and quality problems of Indigo Naturalis, the historical tradition and reality were summarized by literature survey and producing area investigation. Besides some quality problems, potential safety hazards were found out in some samples from market tested. Because lime could not be dislodged enough from Indigo Naturalis in the process of purification, the samples of Indigo Naturalis contained too much lime and showed strong alkalinity. It was suggested that the quality standard of Indigo Naturalis should be revised and revised and some detection projects and methods should be added into the standard. In addition, we suggested that the production access of Indigo Naturalis should be further defined.
Subject(s)
Drugs, Chinese Herbal , Reference Standards , Indigofera , Chemistry , Plants, Medicinal , ChemistryABSTRACT
Objective: To explore the effects of different drying methods on the quality of medicinal materials, and screen out the optimal drying process of Centella asiatica. Methods: The whole fresh grass of C. asiatica were dried by hot air, drying in the sun, drying in the sun and hot air combined, drying in the shade, microwave and vacuum respectively. Meanwhile, the drying time and rate were determined. The characters, identification, inspection, and leachable content of C. asiatica were analyzed by the method of pharmacopoeia. The content of asiaticoside, madecassoside, asiatic acid, madecassic acid, kaempferol-3-O-tutinoside, kaempferol, and quercetin were detected by HPLC analysis; The weighted scoring method was used to sort the comprehensive evaluation of multiple indexes. Results: Different drying methods consume different time, among which drying in the sun, shade and drying at 50 ℃ for more than 100 h, and the average drying rate was 24.83%. The effects of different drying methods on the properties of medicinal materials are mainly reflected in color and odor, among which 50-70 ℃ hot air drying had a better color, which was light green, and the odor of hot air drying and microwave drying at 80 ℃ and 85 ℃ also changed significantly. Although there were some differences in moisture and ash content, both of them met the pharmacopoeia standards. The drying method also had certain effects on the leachable, the maximum was 45.70%, and the minimum content of dry extract was 29.67%. The highest content of the total active ingredient was determined by HPLC using the method of drying in the shade, which was 83.032 mg/g, and the lowest was is 75 ℃ hot air drying, which was 40.982 mg/g. The highest total content of madecassoside and asiaticoside was 80 ℃ hot air drying, and the lowest was 75 ℃ hot air drying. Weighted score in the top three of line was 70 ℃, dried at 50 ℃ after drying in the sun, hot air drying at 50 ℃, and 85 ℃ hot air drying ranked the bottom. Conclusion: In summary, the suitable drying method for the production area of C. asiatica was 70 ℃ hot air drying.
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Objective: The effects of different drying methods (drying-in-the-shade, sun-drying, freeze-drying and hot air drying) on the appearance traits, internal structure and quality of the main roots of Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma (NRR) were revealed, which provided a theoretical basis for screening the drying methods suitable for the primary processing of NRR. Methods: In this study, the effect of four different drying methods on drying rate, rehydration rate, appearance traits, alcohol extracts and internal components (dencichine, saponin component notoginsenoside R1 and ginsenoside Rg1, Rb1, Rd, Re, and reducing sugar, total sugar) of NRR were compared. Results: Fresh NRR was dried by drying-in-the-shade method, and the drying rate was slow, which took about 473 h. However, the appearance quality of the medicinal materials was excellent with firm texture, slow rehydration rate, and high content of total saponins and dencichine. The drying rate of materials under sun drying method was also slow, and due to the long drying cycle, the starch and sugar of the medicinal materials were more decomposed, resulting in the whitening part of the medicinal materials of NRR. When fresh NRR was dried by hot air, the drying rate was faster and the time was shortened. When the temperature was 40 ℃, the appearance of the medicine was not much different from that of the drying-in-the-shade method. After drying, the material was firmer, except for the content of dencichine, the content of saponin had no difference between that of drying-in-the-shade; Due to the high drying temperature at 50 ℃ and 60 ℃, the excessive dehydration rate led to the hollowness of the NRR, and medicinal material was not solid; The rehydration rate was fast, and the content of NRR spilled out, resulting in sugar coking, and the color of the cross section of the medicinal material changed into deeper with the increase of the drying temperature, which resulted in the decomposition of starch, and the significant increase of total sugar and reducing sugar content. The lyophilized medicinal material had a very fast rehydration rate, and the internal texture was loose and porous, and the texture became light, but the saponin component and dencichine were the highest active ingredients. Conclusion: Considering the aspects of appearance, medicinal ingredients and cost, fresh NRR dried by drying-in-the-shade method obtained solid material, compacted internal structure, good appearance and high content of medicinal ingredients. The primary processing method of NRR should be drying-in-the-shade. If the processing volume of the medicinal material is large, it needs to shorten the drying time, and the primary processing method of NRR should be hot air drying process at about 40 ℃. If the high-content medicinal ingredients are the purpose, it is recommended to use freeze-drying.
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RESUMO A cinza volante é o principal resíduo industrial do uso de carvão mineral na geração de vapor e energia. No Brasil, são produzidas 1,4 milhão toneladas ao ano. Essas cinzas podem ser convertidas em produtos zeolíticos por tratamento hidrotérmico alcalino. Este trabalho teve como objetivo principal realizar essa conversão hidrotérmica, a fim de obter unicamente fases cristalinas zeolíticas para a adsorção de íon amônio. Realizaram-se diversas sínteses alterando o método utilizado (clássico ou de duas fases), o tempo de reação (24 ou 30 h) e a massa de NaOH. A caracterização dos produtos e da cinza (in natura e calcinada) foi realizada por difratometria de raios X, microscopia eletrônica de varredura e, em alguns casos, análises térmica diferencial e gravimétrica (ATD-TG). Os resultados demonstraram que é possível sintetizar as zeólitas hidroxissodalita e cancrinita a partir da cinza estudada. O produto obtido pelo método de duas etapas foi utilizado na adsorção de íon amônio em solução, sendo, neste processo, o modelo isotérmico de Sips o mais adequado; alcançando um valor de capacidade máxima de adsorção de 2,71 mg.g-1.
ABSTRACT Fly ash is the main industrial waste generated by coal in steam and power plans. In Brazil, 1,4 million tons are produced every year. These ashes can be converted into zeolite products by alkaline hydrothermal treatment. The main objective of this paper was to induce this reaction which produces only zeolitic crystalline phases for ammonium ion absorption. So, some syntheses were done by different hydrothermal method (classical or two stages), work time (24 or 30 h) and many NaOH bulks. The characterization of ash (in natura and calcined) and products was performed by X-ray diffraction method, scanning electron microscopy and, in some cases, differential thermal and thermogravimetric analysis The product by two stages method was used in ammonium ion absorption in solution at Sips Mathematic Model: the highest capacity of 2,71 mg.g-1.
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In present study plant of Arjuna has been taken for physical and chemical analysis in terms of microtome of bark, powder study, loss on drying, ash values, extractive values, bulk density, Acid insoluble ash, Water-soluble Ash, Water-soluble extractive value, Alcohol-soluble extractive, pH range, TLC, Tapped density, Compressibility index, Hauser ratio, Angle of repose, Ultra violet fluorescence analysis of drug, etc. Physical and chemical analysis an important place in standardization of Ayurvedic drugs in order to make its global acceptability. The plant of Arjuna botanically named as Terminalia arjuna linn.; family Combretaceae, has traditionally been used to treat many diseases especially heart disease for centuries, that’s why it is called as “Guardian of the heartâ€. Transverse sections of Arjuna bark shows the calcium oxalate crystal, starch grains and lignified cells respectively shows that Xylem Vessels, Sclerenchymatous Fibers, Cork Cells, Tracheids, Sclereids, LOD value of the sample of Arjuna is 5.63%. According to result the Arjuna has three Rf vaule0.70, 0.42, 0.28 table1.4. Angle of repose of powder sample shows the flow of powder. The extractive value of Arjuna have different solvent like water, ethanol, isopropanol, acetone, chloroform, benzene, toluene, petroleum ether, hexsene are respectively 50.80, 41.07,30.37, 8.95, 0.96, 0.67, 0.52, 0.51, 0.46.
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Objective To investigate the effects of different processing methods on the appearance, quality components and processing efficiency of Lonicera macranthoides that produced in Guizhou Province, in order to provide basis for the optimization of processing methods. Methods Eleven processing methods were used such as the traditional method group (sun drying, sun drying after steaming, drying in shade, and drying in shade after steaming), constant temperature drying group (50, 60, 70, and 80 ℃) and variable temperature drying group (50→60 ℃, 50→70 ℃, 50→80 ℃). Then the indicators such as color, aroma, moisture, total ash, acid insoluble ash, chlorogenic acid, total saponins, processing time, and drying rate were measured. Results According to all the indicators, the comprehensive correlation degree of the 50 ℃ and the variable temperature drying method was between 0.94 and 0.96, which was much higher than other methods, and the comprehensive correlation degree of 50→60 ℃ degrees was the highest, reaching 0.959 8. Conclusion In conclusion variable temperature drying method is a better processing method for L. macranthoides. This method can be used as an important technical means for large-scale processing.
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Objective: To study the effect of applying diammonium phosphate on the yield and quality of Corydalis yanhusuo. Methods: By designing different gradient diammonium phosphate amount, the main growth indicators at different fertilizer amount were observed and recorded under the same planting condition. The contents of total ash, alcohol soluble extract, and tetrahydropalmatine were measured and analyzed after harvest according to the requirement of 2015 edition Pharmacopeia. Results: The tubers growth of C. yanhusuo was the most flourishing with the highest drying rate of 33.7% at diammonium phosphate application amount of 375 kg/hm2. Tuber diameter was the largest (2.57 cm), the fresh yield was the highest (5 482.2 kg/hm2), and the yield was increased to 38.2% than that without fertilizer cultivation. The content of total ash (3.0%) was the lowest. The contents of alcohol soluble extract and tetrahydropalmatine were 24.8% and 0.128%, respectively. Conclusion: Applying diammonium phosphate could increase the yield and quality of C. yanhusuo.