Development of honey hydrogel dressing for enhanced wound healing

Radiation at 25 and 50 kGy showed no effect on the acidic pH of the local honey, Gelam, and its antimicrobial property against Staphylococcus aureus but significantly reduced the viscosity. Honey stored up to 2 years at room temperature retained all the properties studied. Radiation sterilized Gelam honey significantly stimulated the rate of burn wound healing in Sprague-Dawley rats as demonstrated by the increased rate of wound contraction and gross appearance. Gelam honey attenuates wound inflammation; and re-epithelialization was well advanced compared to the treatment using silver sulphadiazine (SSD) cream. To enhance further the use of honey in wound treatment and for easy handling, Gelam honey was incorporated into our hydrogel dressing formulation, which was then cross-linked and sterilized using electron beam at 25 kGy. Hydrogel with 6% of honey was selected based on the physical appearance.     

Determination of Br,Rb, Cs,Sc and Na in various plant leaves located in an urban park by neutron activation analysis

In order to determine the effect of airborne emission of trace elements, e.g. Br, Rb Cs, Sc and Na on roadside ecosystem, concentrations were determined in different species of plants from an urban park at Lahore. For monitoring purpose attention was paid to the leaves ofSapindus mukorossis, Alstonia scholaris andDiospyros embryopteris. Different varieties of tissues were found to have different concentration of trace elements when compared among themselves. The concentration of trace element deposition was compared with the values reported in literature. Significant pollution was observed.     

Reactions of [(Cp)2Ti(NCS)2] as a potential metalloligand; synthesis and physico-chemical investigations of novel heterobimetallic complexes

Summary Bis(cyclopentadienyl)titanium(IV) diisothiocyanate [(Cp)₂-Ti(NCS)₂] reacts with MCl₂ (M = Cu, Pd or Pt), [CuCl(PPh₃)₃], [RuCl₂(PPh₃)₃] and [RuCl₂(DMSO)₄] (DMSO = dimethylsulphoxide) giving solid compounds of stochiometry [(Cp)₂Ti(-NCS)₂MCl₂] (M = Cu, Pd or Pt), [(Cp)₂Ti(-NCS)₂CuCl(PPh₃)], [(Cp)₂Ti(-NCS)₂-RuCl(PPh₃)₂]Cl and [(Cp)₂Ti(-NCS)₂RuCl₂(DMSO)2]. These products have been characterized by physicochemical and spectroscopic methods.     

Synthesis of natural pulvinic acids based on a ‘[3+2] cyclization-Suzuki cross-coupling’ strategy

A number of pulvinic acid natural products were prepared based on Suzuki cross coupling reactions of α-hydroxy-γ-alkylidenebutenolides which are readily available by cyclization of 1,3-bis-silyl enol ethers with oxalyl chloride. The formal total synthesis of pulvinic acid, atromentic acid, gomphidic acid and of 4-hydroxypulvinic acid, 4′-hydroxypulvinic acid and iso-gomphidic acid are reported. In addition, total syntheses of pinastric acid, xerocomic acid and variegatic acid were accomplished.     

Synthesis and pharmacological activity of 4-(4'-(chlorophenyl)-4-hydroxypiperidine) derivatives

A new series of 4-(4'-chlorophenyl)-4-hydroxypiperidine derivatives (2-5), substituted at nitrogen, were synthesized and tested as potential analgesic compounds as well as evaluated for their effect on hypotensive activity. Results showed that all the derivatives exhibit significant analgesic activity in male Wistar rats at a dose of 50 mg/kg of body weight after intramuscular injection, when tested by thermal stimuli (tail flick test). Pethidine was used as reference drug. Compounds 2, 3 and 5 produced reduction in blood pressure in normotensive rat.     

Development,In-Vitro Characterization and Preclinical Evaluation of Esomeprazole-Encapsulated Proniosomal Formulation for the Enhancement of Anti-Ulcer Activity

Objective: The present study aimed to develop and optimize esomeprazole loaded proniosomes (EZL-PNs) to improve bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy. Method: EZL-PNs formulation was developed by slurry method and optimized by 33 box-Bhekhen statistical design software. Span 60 (surfactant), cholesterol, EZL concentration were taken as independent variables and their effects were evaluated on vesicle size (nm), entrapment efficiency (%, EE) and drug release (%, DR). Furthermore, optimized EZL-PNs (EZL-PNs-opt) formulation was evaluated for ex vivo permeation, pharmacokinetic and ulcer protection activity. Result: The EZL-PNs-opt formulation showed 616 ± 13.21 nm of vesicle size, and 81.21 ± 2.35% of EE. EZL-PNs-opt exhibited negative zeta potential and spherical confirmed scanning electron microscopy. EZL-PNs-opt showed sustained release of EZL (95.07 ± 2.10% in 12 h) than pure EZL dispersion. The ex-vivo gut permeation result exhibited a significantly (p < 0.05) enhanced flux than pure EZL. The in vivo results revealed 4.02-fold enhancement in bioavailability and 61.65% protection in ulcer than pure EZL dispersion (43.82%). Conclusion: Our findings revealed that EZL-PNs formulation could be an alternative delivery system of EZL to enhance oral bioavailability and antiulcer activity.     

Exact Solution of a(2+1)-Dimensional Anisotropic Star in Finch and Skea Spacetime

We provide a new class of interior solution of a(2+1)-dimensional anisotropic star in Finch and Skea spacetime corresponding to the BTZ black hole. We develop the model by considering the MIT bag model EOS and a particular ansatz for the metric function grrproposed by Finch and Skea [M.R. Finch and J.E.F. Skea, Class. Quantum.Grav. 6(1989) 467]. Our model is free from central singularity and satisfies all the physical requirements for the acceptability of the model.     

Effect of transmission fiber and amplifier noise on optical chaos synchronization

Optical chaos propagation has few constraints peculiar to itself which do not become as significant in conventional nonchaotic optical communication. We have investigated the effects of transmission fiber nonlinearities, dispersion and noise of erbium doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) on chaotic signal synchronization in lumped and distributed configuration. It is found that the effects of fiber dispersion can be easily compensated; however, the effects of fiber nonlinearity on chaos cannot be overdone and must be avoided. Three distinct configurations with different combinations of standard telecommunication fiber, dispersion compensation fiber and lumped and distributed EDF for amplification are analysed. The results are compared in terms of sync diagrams and noise figure. The chaos after propagation through distributed amplification performs better as compared to lumped amplification. Also, a new quantitative measure for the calculation of deviation in sync diagram of chaos is introduced.