Extraction and characterization of natural lignocellulosic fibres from Typha angustata grass.

In recent years, efforts have been made to reduce deforestation to conserve the ecosystem. In the current scenario, agro-cultivated products are used instead of wood for engineering applications. Thus, natural lignocellulosic fibres are used as a reinforcing material and have been extremely attractive to industries and the scientific community during the past few decades. This study aimed to examine the use of natural fibres extracted from Typha angustata grass as reinforcement in polymer matrix composites. The density of the fibres was 1.015 g/cc. Chemical analysis confirmed that T. angustata fibres (TAFs) have a cellulose content of 73.54 wt%, a hemicellulose content of 10.11 wt%, a lignin content of 6.23 wt% and a wax content of 0.23 wt%. The crystallinity index (65.16 %) and crystalline size (6.40 nm) were identified by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The presence of functional groups in the TAFs was examined by employing Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The presence of cellulose at peak intensities of C2, C3 and C5 in the TAFs was confirmed using 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The single fibre tensile test revealed that the tensile strength was 665 ± 7 MPa and Young's modulus was 27.45 ± 3.46 GPa. The thermal stability of the TAFs was examined by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and the prominent peak was observed at 298.48 °C, with a kinetic activation energy of 67.99 kJ/mol. The surface roughness of the fibres was analysed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) with an accuracy of 1 nm. The above-mentioned outcomes indicated that the TAFs have desirable properties that are comparable to existing natural fibres and suggested to be utilised as the possible reinforcement to fabricate the fibre-reinforced polymer matrix composites.

Characterization of natural cellulosic fibers from Nendran Banana Peduncle plants.

The objective of this work is to explore the natural cellulosic fibers extracted from Nendran Banana Peduncle plants. This is the first time, the tests are carried out in the Nendran Banana Peduncle Fiber (NBPF) to measure the properties of the chemical, physical, mechanical, thermal (TGA/DTG), X-ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis, Fourier-transform Infrared spectroscopy(FT-IR), Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) analysis and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) furnished in this work. The Weibull distribution analysis was adopted for the analysis of diameter, tensile strength and Young's modulus of the fiber. The XRD analysis for the NBPF shows that the crystallinity index of 53.3%and crystallinity size of 4.72 nm. Thermogravimetric analysis depicted that NBPF can withstand thermally up to 356 °C. FT-IR results proved the existence of different chemical compositions and their corresponding functional groups. AFM analysis revealed the surface of the fiber found as rough. From the results, it is concluded that NBPF utilized as a polymer matrix composite for manufacturing light load automotive components and construction equipment.

UNCERTAINTY EVALUATION IN DOSE ASSESSMENT DUE TO SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION OF NORM IN BEACH SANDS OF SOUTHEAST COAST OF INDIA: A PROBABILISTIC APPROACH.

A study on radionuclide distribution along coastal stretch in high background areas is constantly attracted to many researchers around the world. In the present study, the concentration of radionuclides in beach sands along the southeast coastal region of India has been studied in detail. Concentration of radionuclides is measured using gamma spectrometry at 148 pre-determined locations. It is found that 238U and 232Th concentrations are varying in the range from 3 (BDL) to 298.9 and 1150.2 Bq kg-1, respectively. Concentration of 40K in beach sand varied from 11 to 1743.4 Bq kg-1. The measured activity levels of radionuclides were compared with earlier studies carried out by various researchers in the same region under study. The related radiological parameters of interest were also determined and compared with the internationally recommended values. With an increase in emphasis on quality in dose assessment methods, dose to human population living in the vicinity requires uncertainty evaluation, which is carried out by taking into account variation in the activity values. This study would serve as a baseline radiological mapping for the southeast coast region of India for environmental impact assessment prior to plan of nuclear facility in the future.

A REVIEW ON 210Po AND 210Pb IN INDIAN SEAFOOD AND DOSE TO CONSUMERS.

India is the second largest seafood producer in the world marketing more than 7000 edible species. In this regard, commendable studies have been conducted since the 1970s by different research groups and more data are reported. In this work, all the studies on 210Po and 210Pb measurements in abiotic and biotic components of India have been combined and reviewed. The concentrations of 210Po and 210Pb are estimated by radiochemical separation followed by alpha counting. Grain size, season, Tsunami waves and place of sampling have a decisive bearing on 210Po and 210Pb concentration in abiotic components. Plankton shows a higher Kd factor (104) compared to seaweeds and sea grass (103). Pond ecosystems recorded the highest Kd factor (4·3 × 104) compared to other freshwater and marine ecosystems. Bioaccumulation of 210Po and 210Pb varies with respect to variety of seafood. The committed effective dose (CED) calculated for shellfish species maintained a higher range of 2.5 × 10-2 mSv/y to 9.8 × 10-1 mSv/y and for fish species fluctuated from 3.8 × 10-4 mSv/y to 2.0 × 10-1 mSv/y. The studies conducted so far are scattered, and need to be gathered for future reference and planning (i.e. There is not much information available for Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra, West Bengal and Odessa coast). Therefore, it is strongly recommended that further and more complete research is undertaken to study the bioaccumulation of 210Po and 210Pb from seafood. Overall, the present review concludes that Indian seafood is radiologically safe.

Efficacy of levofloxacin loaded non-ionic surfactant vesicles (niosomes) in a Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection model in Sprague Dawley rats

Objective: To determine the efficacy of levofloxacin loaded niosomes in treating Sprague Dawley rats infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27853). Design and Methodology: Three groups of six (6) animals were infected with a known dose of the pathogen i.e. Pseudomonas aeruginosa via the intraperitoneal (ip) route. At six (6) hours post infection the infected animals were treated with drug free niosomes (control), free levofloxacin (conventional) and levofloxacin trapped in niosomes (ip). Blood was collected via tail snips at days 0,1,3,5,7 and 10 for complete blood counts and viable bacterial counts by colony forming units (CFU/µl). At day 10 the animals were sacrificed and samples from the kidney, liver and spleen were examined for bacterial counts. Results: All animals in the control group succumbed to the infection; one animal from the conventional group died. All niosome treated animals survived. The mean lymphocyte count (X109) was lower for the niosome (7.258±1.773) versus conventional (17.684±10.008) (p<0.03) treated groups at day ten (10). Neutrophil counts (X109) were lower for the niosome (2.563±1.609) versus conventional (6.2±6.548) p<0.02) treated groups. The CFUs in the bloodstream were similar for both treatment groups; the niosome treated group showed greater reduction in liver, kidney and spleen CFUs versus the conventional group (1.33±2.074) vs (5.8± 3.74) (p< 0.043), (1.5±2.35) vs (9.6±8.65) (p< 0.038) and (3.8 4.71) vs (25.6 14.66) (p<0.007) respectively. Conclusions: Further work is recommended on niosomes as a drug delivery system to treat intracellular infections.

DISTRIBUTION AND BIOACCUMULATION OF 210Po AND 210Pb IN ABIOTIC AND BIOTIC COMPONENTS OF THE BAY OF BENGAL.

Marine environment is enriched source of heavy minerals associated with radionuclides which are largely responsible for human exposure to radiation. Bay of Bengal is one among the important marine ecosystems in the world because of its high biodiversity. The aim of this work was to generate a comprehensive data on distribution and bioaccumulation of 210Po and 210Pb in marine environment of the Bay of Bengal. For this water and sand samples (10 stations), shellfishes (21 species) and fishes (43 species) were collected and the concentrations of 210Po and 210Pb were measured by radiochemical separation followed by alpha counting method using ZnS(Ag) detector. 210Pb concentration in the marine water (mean: 7.6 ± 3.31 mBq l-1) is always higher than 210Po (mean: 4.1 ± 1.97 mBq l-1). The mean 210Po and 210Pb concentration in sand was 5.2 ± 1.87 and 3.1 ± 1.20 Bq kg-1, respectively; indicating that 210Po concentrations in the sand sample is always higher than that of 210Pb. The concentration of both 210Po and 210Pb depends on grain size of the sand. Surface samples of depth 0-10 cm recorded maximum 210Po (6.37 Bq kg-1) and 210Pb (4.07 Bq kg-1) concentration. The concentrations of 210Po and 210Pb in biota are following decreasing order: Oyster > Clam > Squid > Crab > Prawn > Fish. The committed effective dose rate calculated for shellfish species maintained a higher range of 81.0-281.2 µSv y-1. However, dose transfer rate from fish species fluctuated from 14.4 to 165.6 µSv y-1and this indicated that fish is radiologically safe as compared to shellfish.

A REVIEW ON VARIATION OF NATURAL RADIOACTIVITY ALONG THE SOUTHEAST COAST OF TAMIL NADU FOR THE PAST 4 DECADES (1974-2016).

This review deals with natural radioactivity variation along the southeast coast of Tamil Nadu for the past four decades (1974-2016). About 40 research works have been conducted along the coast since 1974 in various environmental matrices using a variety of experimental methods. For these measurements researchers are adopted different experimental methods. The measured gamma dose rate ranged from 30 to 8700 nGy/h. The mean specific activity of 238U, 232Th and 40K was found to be 58.8 ± 28.7, 465.2 ± 147.3 and 311.2 ± 27.8 Bq/kg, respectively. The calculated annual exposure rate ranged from 0.29 to 12.8 mSv/y with the mean value of 3.7 mSv/y which is above the global average of 2.4 mSv/y as reported by United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) (Report to General Assembly, Annex B Exposures of the public and workers from various sources of radiation. United Nations, New York (2008)). Plant food items recorded low 210Po activities as compared to seafood organisms. Grain size, season and place of sampling have a decisive bearing on coastal radioactivity. Therefore, it is concluded from the review data that there is an appreciable elevation in background radiation level in the coastal region. This review suggests that new radiological surveys using improved methodology that cover the entire coastal stretch are needed.

Building Capability for Clinical Pharmacology Research in Sub-Saharan Africa.

A strong scientific rationale exists for conducting clinical pharmacology studies in target populations because local factors such as genetics, environment, comorbidities, and diet can affect variability in drug responses. However, clinical pharmacology studies are not widely conducted in sub-Saharan Africa, in part due to limitations in technical expertise and infrastructure. Since 2012, a novel public-private partnership model involving research institutions and a pharmaceutical company has been applied to developing increased capability for clinical pharmacology research in multiple African countries.

Mechanism-Based QSAR Modeling of Skin Sensitization.

Many chemicals can induce skin sensitization, and there is a pressing need for non-animal methods to give a quantitative indication of potency. Using two large published data sets of skin sensitizers, we have allocated each sensitizing chemical to one of 10 mechanistic categories and then developed good QSAR models for the seven categories that have a sufficient number of chemicals to allow modeling. Both internal and external validation checks showed that each model had good predictivity.

Bilateral pregnancy luteoma: a case report.

Pregnancy luteoma is a non-neoplastic lesion of the ovary occurring during pregnancy and is usually discovered incidentally at the time of a cesarean section or during postpartum tubal ligation. An accurate diagnosis is important for the mother and the fetus as it can be confused with ovarian malignancy leading to unnecessary surgery. We report a case of a pregnant female who was discovered to have bilateral enlarged ovaries at the time of emergency cesarean section.

Cytological diagnosis of collagenous spherulosis of breast.

Collagenous spherulosis is a rare entity usually seen in association with benign breast lesions. It is often picked up incidentally with a reported incidence of about 0.2% in cytological material. There are very few reports describing cytomorphological features of collagenous spherulosis. To the best of our knowledge this is the only case reported from the middle-east region. The presence of hyaline spherules surrounded by a single layer of benign myoepithelial cells is the hallmark of collagenous spherulosis on FNA. However, due to close cytological resemblance, it can be misdiagnosed as adenoid cystic carcinoma of the breast. A 40-year-old woman presented with a history of a painless lump in the infraareolar region of left breast for a year. Fine needle aspiration was performed. The smears showed scanty cellularity comprising of cohesive clusters and a few branching fragments of benign ductal epithelial cells closely intermingled with many spherical, acellular homogenous hyaline globules. Few bare bipolar nuclei were noted in the background. A diagnosis of collagenous spherulosis associated with benign proliferative breast disease was made. Cytopathologists need to be aware of this entity in order to differentiate it from adenoid cystic carcinoma of the breast which requires radical treatment.

Pharmacometrics: opportunity for reducing disease burden in the developing world: the case of Africa.

Pharmacometricians are virtually nonexistent in Africa and the developing world. The unrelenting burden of infectious diseases, which are often treated using medicines with narrow effectiveness and safety dose ranges, and the growing prevalence and recognition of non-communicable diseases represent significant threats for the patients, although affording an opportunity for advancing science. This article outlines the case for pharmacometricians to redirect their expertise to focus on the disease burden affecting the developing world.CPT: Pharmacometrics & Systems Pharmacology (2013) 2, e69; doi:10.1038/psp.2013.45; published online 28 August 2013.

The Churg-Strauss syndrome: An unusual presentation.

The Churg-strauss syndrome (CSS), also referred to as allergic angiitis and granulomatosis is characterized by asthma, peripheral and tissue eosinophilia, extravascular granuloma formation, and vasculitis of multiple organ systems. It is an uncommon disease with an estimated annual incidence of 1-3 per million. Here, we report a case of CSS with glomerulocentric granulomatous reaction with interstitial eosinophils and involvement of retinal vessels.

Longitudinal model-based meta-analysis in rheumatoid arthritis: an application toward model-based drug development.

Summary-level longitudinal data on the clinical efficacy of drugs for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are available in the literature. This information can be used to optimize the clinical development of new drugs for RA. The aim of this study was twofold: first, to quantify the time course of the ACR20 score across approved drugs and patient populations, and second, to apply this knowledge in the decision-making process for a specific compound, canakinumab. The integrated analysis included data from 37 phase II-III studies describing 13,474 patients. It showed that, with the tested doses/regimens of canakinumab, there was only a low probability that this drug would be better than the most effective current treatments. This finding supported the decision not to continue with clinical development of canakinumab in RA. This paper presents the first longitudinal model-based meta-analysis of ACR20. The framework can be applied to any other compound targeting RA, thereby supporting internal and external decision making at all clinical development stages.

Pharmacokinetic similarity of biologics: analysis using nonlinear mixed-effects modeling.

Our objective was to show, using two examples, that a pharmacokinetic (PK) similarity analysis can be performed using nonlinear mixed-effects models (NLMEM). We used two studies that compared different biosimilars: a three-way crossover trial with somatropin and a parallel-group trial with epoetin-α. For both data sets, the results of NLMEM-based analysis were compared with those of noncompartmental analysis (NCA). For the latter analysis, we performed an NLMEM-based equivalence Wald test on secondary parameters of the model: the area under the curve and the maximal concentration. Somatropin PK was described by a one-compartment model and epoetin-α PK by a two-compartment model with linear and Michaelis-Menten elimination. For both studies, similarity of PK was demonstrated by means of both NCA and NLMEM, and both methods led to similar results. Therefore, for establishing similarity, PK data can be analyzed by either of the methods. NCA is an easier approach because it does not require data modeling; however, NLMEM leads to a better understanding of the underlying biological system.

Large Brunner's Gland Hamartoma: A Case Report.

Brunner's gland hamartoma is an extremely uncommon benign tumor of the duodenum. Most of the lesions are small, asymptomatic and are detected incidentally. It may rarely attain a large size and produces a variety of clinical manifestations. Imaging modalities and endoscopy may locate the lesion, but definitive diagnosis requires histopathological examination. We report a case of a 58-year-old Omani female who presented with obstruction due to a large Brunner's gland hamartoma.

Utilization pattern and cost of sedation, analgesia and neuromuscular blockade in a multidisciplinary intensive care unit / Patrón de utilización y costo de la sedación, analgesia y bloqueo neuromuscular en una unidad multidisciplinaria de cuidados intensivos

OBJECTIVES: To study the utilization pattern and the cost of sedatives, analgesics and neuromuscular blocking agents in a multidisciplinary intensive care unit (ICU) METHODS: A prospective observational study was conducted in the ICU of the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Trinidad and Tobago, for a period of twelve weeks. All patients admitted to the ICU were enrolled. No interventions were done. Data collected included demographics, diagnoses on admission, length of stay in the ICU, status of mechanical ventilation, patient outcome, quantity of sedatives, analgesics and neuromuscular blocking agents used in every patient and their cost. RESULTS: There were 333 patient-days encountered from 34 patients studied. Midazolam, fentanyl and cisatracurium were the most commonly used sedative, opioid and neuromuscular blocking agents respectively. The total cost of drugs used for sedation, analgesia and neuromuscular blockade was approximately US$ 19 600 per annum. Cost for this treatment alone accounted for more than 50% of the total ICU drug costs. The costs were significantly higher in patients who stayed more than two weeks in the ICU when compared to those who stayed less than two weeks (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The study highlights the utilization pattern and financial burden of sedation, analgesia and neuromuscular blockade in the delivery of critical care.

OBJETIVOS: Estudiar el patrón de utilización y costo de los sedantes, analgésicos, y agentes de bloqueo neuromuscular en una Unidad Multidisciplinaria de Cuidados Intensivos (UCI). MÉTODOS: Se llevó a cabo un estudio prospectivo en la UCI del Complejo de Ciencias Médicas Eric Williams, en Trinidad y Tobago, por un período de doce semanas. Todos los pacientes ingresados a la UCI fueron enrolados. No se realizaron intervenciones. Los datos recogidos incluyeron demografías, diagnósticos de ingreso, longitud de la estadía en la UCI, estatus de ventilación mecánica, evolución del paciente, así como la cantidad y el costo de los sedantes, analgésicos y agentes de bloqueo neuromuscular usados en cada paciente. RESULTADOS: Se encontraron 333 días-pacientes a partir de 34 pacientes estudiados. La midazolama, el fentanil y el cisatracurio fueron los agentes sedativos, opioides y de bloqueo neuromuscular más comúnmente usados. El costo total de los medicamentos usados para la sedación, la analgesia y el bloqueo neuromuscular fue de aproximadamente $19 600 USD por año. El costo sólo para este tratamiento representó más del 50% del total de los costos de medicamentos de la UCI. Los costos fueron significativamente más altos en pacientes que permanecieron más de dos semanas en la UCI, en comparación con aquellos que permanecieron menos de dos semanas (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONES: El estudio pone de relieve el patrón de utilización de la carga financiera de la sedación, analgesia y bloqueo muscular a la hora de ofrecer atención crítica.

Improving the management of hypertension in Kazakhstan: implications for improving clinical practice, patient behaviours and health outcomes.

This paper presents findings from the assessment of a strategy aimed at improving case-finding and management of hypertension patients. Study findings suggest that providers' orientation to clinical guidelines, public information on hypertension risks, promotion of yearly blood pressure screening, and universal access to an outpatient drug benefit package, improve case-finding and management. In addition, training of providers at pilot sites resulted in a substantial and significant difference in patient care and health outcomes. Provider training and tools, especially focused on effective patient counselling, made a significant contribution to increased case-finding, patient adherence to prescribed drugs, reducing salt, and increasing regular exercise. However, further refinements are required to achieve the expected adherence of patients to medication and lifestyle advice. In the pilot area, we compared two samples of patients before and after the initiation of the intervention. We found an increase in the proportion of patients with blood pressure <140/90 mmHg, and a significant decrease in the proportion of patients with blood pressure > or =160/100 mmHg. The strategy involved the joint efforts of the Research Institute of Cardiology and Internal Diseases, Karaganda Drug Information Centre, Karaganda Oblast Health Department, Kazakhstan Association of Family Physicians, Almaty Postgraduate Institute for Physicians, and USAID ZdravPlus Project in Central Asia.

Utilization pattern and cost of sedation, analgesia and neuromuscular blockade in a multidisciplinary intensive care unit.

OBJECTIVES: To study the utilization pattern and the cost of sedatives, analgesics and neuromuscular blocking agents in a multidisciplinary intensive care unit (ICU). METHODS: A prospective observational study was conducted in the ICU of the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Trinidad and Tobago, for a period of twelve weeks. All patients admitted to the ICU were enrolled. No interventions were done. Data collected included demographics, diagnoses on admission, length of stay in the ICU, status of mechanical ventilation, patient outcome, quantity of sedatives, analgesics and neuromuscular blocking agents used in every patient and their cost. RESULTS: There were 333 patient-days encountered from 34 patients studied. Midazolam, fentanyl and cisatracurium were the most commonly used sedative, opioid and neuromuscular blocking agents respectively. The total cost of drugs used for sedation, analgesia and neuromuscular blockade was approximately US$ 19,600 per annum. Cost for this treatment alone accounted for more than 50% of the total ICU drug costs. The costs were significantly higher in patients who stayed more than two weeks in the ICU when compared to those who stayed less than two weeks (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The study highlights the utilization pattern and financial burden of sedation, analgesia and neuromuscular blockade in the delivery of critical care.

Chondroid lipoma: a case report.

Chondroid lipoma is a unique, uncommon benign lipomatous tumour. Due to distinct morphological simily, it is important to distinguish it from extraskeletal chondrosarcoma and myxoid/round cell liposarcoma (MRCLS). We report such a neoplasm with brief a review of literature.