Showing papers by "Gandhi Institute of Technology and Management published in 2017"

Cross-Linked Hydrogel for Pharmaceutical Applications: A Review

Abstract: Hydrogels are promising biomaterials because of their important qualities such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, hydrophilicity and non-toxicity. These qualities make hydrogels suitable for application in medical and pharmaceutical field. Recently, a tremendous growth of hydrogel application is seen, especially as gel and patch form, in transdermal drug delivery. This review mainly focuses on the types of hydrogels based on cross-linking and; secondly to describe the possible synthesis methods to design hydrogels for different pharmaceutical applications. The synthesis and chemistry of these hydrogels are discussed using specific pharmaceutical examples. The structure and water content in a typical hydrogel have also been discussed.

Neuroinflammation in Alzheimer's Disease: The Preventive and Therapeutic Potential of Polyphenolic Nutraceuticals.

Abstract: Brain inflammation, characterized by increased microglia and astrocyte activation, increases during aging and is a key feature of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). In AD, neuronal death and synaptic impairment, induced by amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide, are at least in part mediated by microglia and astrocyte activation. Glial activation results in the sustained production of proinflammatory cytokines and reactive oxygen species, giving rise to a chronic inflammatory process. Astrocytes are the most abundant glial cells in the central nervous system and are involved in the neuroinflammation. Astrocytes can be activated by numerous factors, including free saturated fatty acids, pathogens, lipopolysaccharide, and oxidative stress. Activation of astrocytes produces inflammatory cytokines and the enzyme cyclooxygenase-2, enhancing the production of Aβ. Furthermore, the role of the receptor for advanced glycation end products/nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) axis in neuroinflammation is in line with the nonenzymatic glycosylation theory of aging, suggesting a central role of the advanced glycation end products in the age-related cognitive and a possible role of nutraceuticals in the prevention of neuroinflammation and AD. However, modulation of P-glycoprotein, rather than antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, could be the major mechanism of polyphenolic compounds, including flavonoids. Curcumin, resvertrol, piperine, and other polyphenols have been explored as novel therapeutic and preventive agents for AD. The aim of this review is to critically analyze and discuss the mechanisms involved in neuroinflammation and the possible role of nutraceuticals in the prevention and therapy of AD by targeting neuroinflammation.

HAART in HIV/AIDS Treatments: Future Trends.

Abstract: AIDS (acquired immune deficient syndrome) is a deadly human viral infectious disease caused by HIV (human immune-deficient virus) infection. Almost every AIDS patient losses his/her life before mid 1990s. AIDS was once the 1st disease killer in US (1993). After one decade hard work, antiviral drug cocktails-high active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART) have been invented for almost all HIV infection treatments. Due to the invention of HAART, 80-90% HIV/AIDS patients still effectively response to HAART for deadly AIDS episode controls and life saving. Yet, this type of HIV therapeutics is incurable. HIV/AIDS patients need to take HAART medications regularly and even life-long. To counteract this therapeutic drawback, more revolutionary efforts (different angles of therapeutic modes/attempts) are urgently needed. In this article, the major progresses and drawbacks of HIV/AIDS chemotherapy (HAART) to HIV/AIDS patients have been discussed. Future trends (updating pathogenesis study, next generations of drug developments, new drug target discovery, different scientific disciplinary and so on) are highlighted.

Analysis and optimization of coagulation and flocculation process

Abstract: Natural coagulants have been the focus of research of many investigators through the last decade owing to the problems caused by the chemical coagulants. Optimization of process parameters is vital for the effectiveness of coagulation process. In the present study optimization of parameters like pH, dose of coagulant and mixing speed were studied using natural coagulants sago and chitin in comparison with alum. Jar test apparatus was used to perform the coagulation. The results showed that the removal of turbidity was up to 99 % by both alum and chitin at lower doses of coagulant, i.e., 0.1–0.3 g/L, whereas sago has shown a reduction of 70–100 % at doses of 0.1 and 0.2 g/L. The optimum conditions observed for sago were 6 and 7 whereas chitin was stable at all pH ranges, lower coagulant doses, i.e., 0.1–0.3 g/L and mixing speed—rapid mixing at 100 rpm for 10 min and slow mixing 20 rpm for 20 min. Hence, it can be concluded that sago and chitin can be used for treating water even with large seasonal variation in turbidity.

Application of cutting fluids in machining of titanium alloys—a review

Abstract: Titanium alloys are widely used in aerospace, biomedical, and other engineering areas due to their superior properties. However, machining of titanium alloys has always been a challenge due to the high temperatures and tool wear rates. Dry machining has a limited range of permissible cutting conditions and is hence not suitable for industrial production. As a solution, flood cooling using cutting fluids is conventionally used to reduce the cutting temperatures. However, it is often discouraged in light of the associated environmental and health hazards. In order to achieve sustainable machining, different strategies for applying the cutting fluids are developed. Some of the prominent methods include minimum quantity lubrication (MQL), minimum quantity cooled lubrication (MQCL), and cryogenic cooling. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the available recent literature on such studies. Each of these techniques and results obtained in the studies has been discussed with emphasis on the advantages and limitations of each method. Major conclusions drawn are that coated carbides are better and machinability is greatly affected by the microstructure of the material. MQL certainly improved compared to other methods while cryogenic or super cooled cutting fluid application (MQCL) has been found to be better for specific situations. Use of nanofluids for titanium is not very popular among the researchers.

Digital manufacturing: Applications past, current, and future trends

Abstract: Increasingly the convergence of natural environment (land, water, air and life), built environment (housing, buildings, transportation and infrastructure) and digital environment (computing power, the internet, big data, and technology) is shaping the economies and societies Smart living is taking root Mass customization of products and services is preferred over mass production Businesses wish to serve an individual customer at a competitive cost comparable to the mass production cost, with shortest possible development time and production time This requires manufacturing to change from a more labour intensive processes to information technology enabled mechanical processes Digital manufacturing is a broader concept of manufacturing innovation in which the digital and material advancements enable the company to conceive products in a desired style and quantity in time scales shorter than the conventional methods while efficiently managing the entire product lifecycle It is about defining manufacturing processes and managing manufacturing process information via full digital product definition It encompasses visualization, manufacturing simulation, ergonomic and human factor analyses, holistic view of product and process design, and product design sensitive to the process constraints and capabilities This article emphasizes the need and driving forces for adopting digital manufacturing, transformation of manufacturing to smart manufacturing, present applications and future scope of digital manufacturing

Evaluation of Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Isoorientin Isolated from Tubers of Pueraria tuberosa

Abstract: Inflammation is the major causative factor of different diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and cancer. Anti-inflammatory drugs are often the first step of treatment in many of these diseases. The present study is aimed at evaluating the anti-inflammatory properties of isoorientin, a selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor isolated from the tubers of Pueraria tuberosa, in vitro on mouse macrophage cell line (RAW 264.7) and in vivo on mouse paw edema and air pouch models of inflammation. Isoorientin reduced inflammation in RAW 264.7 cell line in vitro and carrageenan induced inflammatory animal model systems in vivo. Cellular infiltration into pouch tissue was reduced in isoorientin treated mice compared to carrageenan treated mice. Isoorientin treated RAW 264.7 cells and animals showed reduced expression of inflammatory proteins like COX-2, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX), and interleukin 1-β (IL-1-β) both in vitro and in vivo. The antioxidant enzyme levels of catalase and GST were markedly increased in isoorientin treated mice compared to carrageenan treated mice. These results suggest that isoorientin, a selective inhibitor of COX-2, not only exerts anti-inflammatory effects in LPS induced RAW cells and carrageenan induced inflammatory model systems but also exhibits potent antioxidant properties.

Gliomas: New Perspectives in Diagnosis, Treatment and Prognosis

Abstract: Gliomas are central nervous system tumors originated from glial cells, whose incidence and mortality is expected to rise in coming years, especially in developing countries. Diagnosis and classification of gliomas have largely relied on tumor histopathologic features that provide limited information regarding response to therapy or prognosis. Current treatment of gliomas is surgery combined with chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. However, many tumors show a high resistance to these interventions, and recurrences are frequent since conventional therapies do not take into account the unique molecular features of different subtypes of glioma. Molecular genetics provide new insights in classifying gliomas and predicting response to therapy that can range from conventional treatments to new revolutionary therapeutic approaches. This article offers a review of the intracellular signaling pathways involved in carcinogenesis of gliomas, as well as a description of new tools for their diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment with a target-oriented approach.

Multi-targeting Andrographolide and its Natural Analogs as Potential Therapeutic Agents.

Abstract: Andrographis paniculata (A. paniculata) is a medicinal plant used in the Indian and Chinese traditional medicinal systems for its various beneficial properties of therapeutics. This is due to the presence of a diterpene lactone called ‘andrographolide’. Several biological activities like antiinflammatory, antitumour, anti-hyperglycaemic, anti-fertility, antiviral, cardio protective and hepatoprotective properties are attributed to andrographolide and its natural analogs. The studies have shown that not only this diterpene lactone (andrographolide), but also other related terpenoid analogs from A. paniculata could be exploited for disease prevention due to their structural similarity with diverse pharmacological activities. Several scientific groups are trying to unveil the underlying mechanisms involved in these biological actions brough aout by andrographolide and its analogs. This review aims at giving an overview on the therapeutical and/or pharmacological activities of andrographolide and its derivatives and also exemplify the underlying mechanisms involved.

Numerical study of the onset of chemical reaction and heat source on dissipative MHD stagnation point flow of Casson nanofluid over a nonlinear stretching sheet with velocity slip and convective boundary conditions

Abstract: The magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) stagnation point flow of Casson nanofluid over a nonlinear stretching sheet in the presence of velocity slip and convective boundary condition is examined. In this analysis, various effects such as velocity ratio, viscous dissipation, heat generation/absorption and chemical reaction are accentuated. Possessions of Brownian motion and thermophoresis are also depicted in this study. A uniform magnetic field as well as suction is taken into account. Suitable similarity transformations are availed to convert the governing nonlinear partial differential equations to a system of nonlinear ordinary differential equations and then series solutions are secured using a homotopy analysis method (HAM). Notable accuracy of the present results has been obtained with the earlier results. Impact of distinct parameters on velocity, temperature, concentration, skin friction coefficient,Nusselt number and Sherwood number is canvassed through graphs and tabular forms.

Preventive and Therapeutic Potentials of Anthocyanins in Diabetes and Associated Complications

Abstract: Diet is an essential factor affecting the development of and risk for diabetes mellitus. In search of preventative and therapeutic strategies, the potential role of certain foods and their bioactive compounds to prevent the pathogenesis associated with metabolic diseases is to be considered. Human consumption of anthocyanins is among the highest of all flavonoids. Epidemiological studies have suggested that the consumption of anthocyanins lowers the risk of diabetes and diabetic complications. Anthocyanins are important natural bioactive pigments responsible for red to blue colour of fruits, leaves, seeds, stems and flowers, which are present in a variety of plant species particularly in berries and cherries. A large number of bioactive anthocyanins, such as cyanidin, malvidin, delphinidin, pelargonidin, peonidin, petunidin and their metabolites have shown multiple biological activities with apparent effects on glucose absorption, glucose uptake, insulin secretion and sensitivity, on the enzymes involved in glucose metabolism, gene expressions, inflammatory mediators, glucose transporters in progression of diabetes and associated complications, such as diabetic retinopathy, nephropathy, neuropathy and diabetic vascular diseases. The versatility of the anthocyanins provides a promising approach for diabetes management than synthetic drugs. Here we summarize the effect of several anthocyanins on many in vitro, in vivo and clinical studies and also reveal the mechanisms which could prevent or reverse the underlying mechanisms of diabetic pathologies including promotion of antioxidant, antihyperlipidemic, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic activities.

An easily accessible optical chemosensor for Cu2+ based on novel imidazoazine framework, its performance characteristics and potential applications

Abstract: Despite the fact that a large number of chemical sensors for Cu 2+ have been proposed by different groups in recent past, most of them fall into very few classes of molecular framework with similar utilities and limitations. In order to broaden the scope and to overcome the limitation of present day chemical sensors, design, synthesis and testing of molecular systems based on novel fluoro/chromophore is a research goal of significant interest. In the present report, two novel furan-2-yl substituted imidazoazine based optic chemosensors ( IA-1 and IA-2 ) for Cu 2+ have been disclosed for the first time. Proposed sensors were found to have high association constants (10 4 M −1 ), acceptable detection limits (10 −7 M), high selectivity and reversibility/reusability. Different aspects of this sensing phenomenon were studied using fluorescence spectroscopy and NMR based titrations. Designed probe have shown potential applications in the area of sample monitoring, photo-printing and membrane sensing.

Structural and Magnetic Studies of Nano-crystalline Ferrites MFe2O4 (M = Zn, Ni, Cu, and Co) Synthesized Via Citrate Gel Autocombustion Method

Abstract: Nano-crystalline ferrites with the chemical formula MFe2O4 (M = Zn, Ni, Cu, and Co) were synthesized via autocombustion route with citric acid as fuel The ratio of citric acid to metal nitrate was taken as 1:1 The synthesized samples were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction and far-IR spectroscopy The measured lattice constants and observed characteristic IR absorption bands of all samples were in good agreement with the reported values and showed the formation of a cubic spinel structure The crystallite sizes of all samples were determined using high-intensity peaks and a W-H plot The crystallite sizes of all samples were observed to be in the range of 16–26 nm with the least crystallite size of 168 nm for copper ferrite All structural parameters were calculated using an experimental lattice constant and an oxygen positional parameter and correlated with far-IR results Zinc and copper owing to their large cation radii showed the expansion of the lattice in view of the oxygen positional parameter Magnetic measurements were carried out using a vibrating sample magnetometer at room temperature, and parameters such as saturation magnetization, coercivity, remanence, squareness ratio, and Bohr magnetons were calculated Among all synthesized nano-ferrites, cobalt nano-ferrite showed the highest saturation magnetization of 41 emu/g, whereas zinc ferrite displayed a low saturation magnetization value of 1287 emu/g

Isoxazole – a potent pharmacophore

Abstract: Isoxazole is an azole with an oxygen atom next to the nitrogen. Isoxazole rings are found in some natural products, such as ibotenic acid and also found in a number of drugs, including COX-2 inhibitor valdecoxib. Furoxan, a nitric oxide donor is containing isoxazolyl group & found in many β-lactamase resistant antibiotics, such as cloxacillin, dicloxacillin and flucloxacillin. The synthetic androgenic steroid danazol also has an isoxazole ring. The substituted isoxazoles are well developed in literature to posses significant biological activities. The disubstituted and trisubstituted isoxazoles have been reported to exhibit broad range of biological activities such as antimicrobial activity, analgesic activity, antiinflammatory activity, antioxidant activity, anticancer activity, CNS activity, antitubercular activity and miscellaneous activities like GABA agonistic activity, inhibitory activity, antihypertensive activity, and glutamate transporter activity. The present review summarizes up to date information of various biological activities of isoxazole analogs.

Ecophysiological evaluation of tree species for biomonitoring of air quality and identification of air pollution-tolerant species.

Abstract: Identification of tree species that can biologically monitor air pollution and can endure air pollution is very much important for a sustainable green belt development around any polluted place. To ascertain the species, ten tree species were selected on the basis of some previous study from the campus of the University of Burdwan and were studied in the pre-monsoon and post-monsoon seasons. The study has been designed to investigate biochemical and physiological activities of selected tree species as the campus is presently exposed to primary air pollutants and their impacts on plant community were observed through the changes in several physical and biochemical constituents of plant leaves. As the plant species continuously exchange different gaseous pollutants in and out of the foliar system and are very sensitive to gaseous pollutants, they serve as bioindicators. Due to air pollution, foliar surface undergoes different structural and functional changes. In the selected plant species, it was observed that the concentration of primary air pollutants, proline content, pH, relative water holding capacity, photosynthetic rate, and respiration rate were higher in the pre-monsoon than the post-monsoon season, whereas the total chlorophyll, ascorbic acid, sugar, and conductivity were higher in the post-monsoon season. From the entire study, it was observed that the concentration of sulfur oxide (SO x ), nitrogen oxide (NO x ), and suspended particulate matter (SPM) all are reduced in the post-monsoon season than the pre-monsoon season. In the pre-monsoon season, SO x , NO x , and SPM do not have any significant correlation with biochemical as well as physiological parameters. SPM shows a negative relationship with chlorophyll ‘a’ (r = −0.288), chlorophyll ‘b’ (r = −0.267), and total chlorophyll (r = −0.238). Similarly, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and the total chlorophyll show negative relations with SO x and NO x (p < 0.005) during the post-monsoon season. Proline shows a positive relationship with SO x in the pre-monsoon season whereas in the post-monsoon season proline content shows a positive relationship with both SO x and NO x . The present study facilitates to screen eight sensitive and two moderately tolerant tree species according to their air pollution tolerance index (APTI) values.

Molecular hybrid design, synthesis and biological evaluation of N-phenyl sulfonamide linked N-acyl hydrazone derivatives functioning as COX-2 inhibitors: new anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and anti-bacterial agents

Abstract: Herein, we report the design, synthesis and biological evaluation of the anti-inflammatory activities of N-phenyl sulfonamide linked N-acylhydrazones (NPS–NAH), using the molecular hybridization approach. Hybrid compounds were further validated by theoretical studies. Compound 1f from series-1 and compound 2a from series-2 exhibited strong selective COX-2 enzyme inhibition at IC50 = 8.9 μM and 8.4 μM respectively. Effective in vivo anti-inflammatory profiling of potent and selective COX-2 inhibitors, including compound 1f and 2a was carried out and compared with known COX-2 inhibitors. Subsequently, these compounds were tested for antioxidant activity, and 1h (IC50 = 28.62 μM) from series-1 and compound 2d (IC50 = 25.34 μM) from series-2 were found to be potent anti-oxidants. Additionally, these compounds were screened for antibacterial activity, and compound 1l and 2b exhibited better Gram +ve and −ve anti-bacterial activity than the reference standards, Ciprofloxacin and Norfloxacin. These results validated the idea of exploiting the hybridization strategy for the identification of new N-phenyl sulfonamide–NAH derivatives for optimizing anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-bacterial activities.