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An efficient and economical synthesis of some new fluorine substituted phthalides was accomplished from two γ-keto acids, 2-(4-fluorobenzoyl)benzoic acid and 2-(3,5-dinitro-4-flurobenzoyl)benzoic acid. Each acid was reacted with various phenolic compounds in presence of catalytic quantity of concentrated sulphuric acid to get the phthalides. The structures of the synthesized compounds were established on the basis of their elemental analysis, spectral data and chemical reactions. Some of the synthesized phthalides exhibited antibacterial and antifungal activity on antimicrobial screening against human pathogenic bacteria and fungi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we suggest a new set of basis functions that are based on Zernike polynomials for the behavioral modeling of radio frequency power amplifiers (PAs). The modeling of highly nonlinear PAs exhibits numerical instability that degrades the accuracy of the model parameters and predistorter modeling efficiency. Simulation results show that the proposed polynomial model is more suitable to resolve the numerical instability problem and proves to have greater accuracy with reduced complexity. A Doherty PA driven by a multicarrier wideband code division multiple access signal was used for validation; and, the obtained results show that the new model exhibits superior numerical stability as the nonlinearity order and memory depth of the model increase. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J RF and Microwave CAE, 2012. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing the drugs as amphiphilic lipid complexes is a potential approach for improving therapeutic efficacy of the drugs by increasing solubility, reducing drug crystallinity, modifying dissolution behavior (sustained or controlled release), and improving bioavailability. Emodin (1,3,8-trihydroxy-6-methylanthraquinone), an anthranoid derivative, shows several biological effects like antimicrobial, antidiuretic, anti-cancerous, and potent antioxidant but due to poor solubility, the dissolution restrains its valuable importance. To overcome this limitation, the emodin-phospholipid complex was developed and investigated by thermal analysis (differential scanning calorimetry), crystallographic (X-ray diffractography), surface morphology (scanning electron microscopy), spectroscopic methods (FT-IR, H-NMR), solubility, and the dissolution (in vitro drug release) study. The phospholipid complex of emodin was found, fluffy and porous with rough surface morphology in the SEM. FT-IR, H-NMR, DSC, and X-RPD data confirmed the formation of the complex. The water and n-octanol solubility of emodin was improved from 2.25 to 9.97 and 53.45 to 77.62 μg/ml, respectively, in the prepared complex. The improved dissolution was shown by the phospholipid complex. Based on the results of the study, it can be concluded that the phospholipid complex may be considered as promising drug delivery system for improving the overall absorption and bioavailability of the emodin molecule. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study on water-in-oil-in-water (w/o/w) haemmorhagic septicemia (HS) vaccine incorporated with Pasteurella multocida. It notes that HS is a significant problem for the dairy industry worldwide, citing Asian serotype B:2 and African serotype E:2 as the only organisms as causative agents of Asian and African HS in cattle and buffaloes. The association of commensal serotypes in creating a complex situation of pasteurellosis is explored.

Saponins are widely distributed in plant kingdom. In view of their wide range of biological activities and occurrence as complex mixtures, saponins have been purified and separated by high-performance liquid chromatography using reverse-phase columns at lower wavelength. Mostly, saponins are not detected by ultraviolet detector due to lack of chromophores. Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, diode array detector, evaporative light scattering detection, and charged aerosols have been used for overcoming the detection problem of saponins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pharmacosomes are amphiphilic lipid vesicular systems containing phospholipid complexes with a potential to improve bioavailability of poorly water soluble as well as poorly lipophilic drugs. To improve the water solubility, bioavailability and minimize the gastrointestinal toxicity of aceclofenac, its pharmacosomes were prepared. Aceclofenac was complexed with phosphatidylcholine (80%) in two different ratios (1:1 and 2:1) using conventional solvent evaporation technique. Pharmacosomes thus prepared were subjected to solubility and drug content evaluation, scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, X ray powder diffraction and in vitro dissolution study. Pharmacosomes of aceclofenac were found to be disc shaped with rough surface in scanning electron microscopy. Drug content was found to be 91.88% (w/w) for aceclofenac phospholipid complex (1:1) and 89.03% (w/w) aceclofenac-phospholipid complex (2:1). Differential scanning calorimetric thermograms and X ray powder diffraction datas confirmed the formation of phospholipid complex. Solubility and dissolution profile of the prepared complex was found to be much better than aceclofenac. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asparagus species (family Liliaceae) are medicinal plants of temperate Himalayas. They possess a variety of biological properties, such as being antioxidants, immunostimulants, anti-inflammatory, antihepatotoxic, antibacterial, antioxytocic, and reproductive agents. The article briefly reviews the isolated chemical constituents and the biological activities of the plant species. The structural formula of isolated compounds and their distribution in the species studied are also given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Benzoyl chloride was added to the solution of anthranilic acid in pyridine to afford crude 2-phenyl-benzo[d][1, 3] oxazin-4-one (1). To the solution of compound 1 in dry toluene, various substituted anilines were added and the mixture refluxed for 8 h to afford 2-phenyl-3-(substituted phenyl)-3H-quinazolin-4-ones (2a-2f). All the compounds were obtained in solid state in yields varying between 40 to 70%. Spectral characterization included FTIR, ¹H NMR and Electrospray MS. The synthesized compounds were screened for 5-HT2 antagonist activity. Some of the title compounds have been found to show significant 5-HT2 antagonist activity. The compound 2b, 3-(2-chlorophenyl)-2-phenyl-3H-quinazolin-4-one was the most potent derivative in the series of compound synthesized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study on the antibacterial capacity of neem oil fractions and neem seed aqueous extract on endometritic cows' cervico-vaginal mucus (CVM). Twelve cows were involved in the experiment during 40-50 days after giving birth and were isolated. Two ways of fractionation was done namely by solvent extraction and by column chromatography with the use of silica gel column. The study found that neem oil has excellent antibacterial activity on a methanolic fraction with a sensitivity pattern of 95%.

The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the in vitro and in vivo transdermal potential of bioadhesive gels of ketoprofen by using gelling polymers like sodium carboxymethylcellulose, xanthan gum, poloxamer 407 and carbopol 934P as bioadhesive polymer with and without penetration enhancer (oleic acid). The effect of oleic acid as a penetration enhancer was examined when it was added to the bioadhesive formulations. Gels were evaluated for bioadhesive force and viscosity. To study the in vitro potential of these formulations, permeation studies were performed with Franz diffusion cell using excised rat abdominal skin. Carrageenan induced rat paw edema model was used to investigate their in vivo performance. The commercial formulation of ketoprofen was used as a reference formulation. The in vitro permeation studies indicate that ketoprofen bioadhesive gel of poloxamer 407 with penetration enhancer was superior to gels of sodium carboxymethylcellulose and xanthan gum with penetration enhancer (oleic acid). The permeation rate of ketoprofen from poloxamer 407 based bioadhesive gel with 15% v/w penetration enhancer was higher (rat abdominal skin flux = 0.421 ± 0.032 mg/cm2/h) than the permeation rate of sodium carboxymethylcellulose and xanthan gum based bioadhesive gel with 15% v/w penetration enhancer. In the paw edema test poloxamer 407 based bioadhesive gel with 15% v/w penetration enhancer showed the best permeation and effectiveness. The in vitro and in vivo studies showed that bioadhesive gels of ketoprofen could be used for effective therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies were conducted on seeds of three bamboo species, viz., Dendrocalamus membranaceus , D. strictus and Bambusa nutans, to determine a combination of conditions ensuring the most regular, rapid and complete germination under laboratory conditions. The seeds were sown at different combinations of incubation temperatures (20, 25, 30, 35, 40°C and 20–30°C) and sowing media (top of paper, between paper and sand). Seeds were also sown in the presence and absence of light at 30°C on top of paper. The ideal conditions for testing seeds of all the three species were found to be 30°C, top of paper and preferably presence of light. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rheumatic chorea is the sole neurologic manifestation of rheumatic fever. It is a debilitating illness lasting for weeks to months. Drugs like diazepam, haloperidol, chlorpromazine take four to six weeks for functional improvement and can cause serious side effects. The authors investigated the role of Vitamin E in reducing rheumatic chorea. A case series of patients of rheumatic chorea were administered Vitamin E in the dose 50 IU daily for fifteen days. The various clinical signs of rheumatic chorea were scored with MAIMS score (Modified Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale score) which is used for tardive dyskinesia. No other drug for abnormal movements was used. In all the 4 patients who received vitamin E, there was remarkable change by 7th day and almost complete functional improvement by 14th day. Vitamin E is safer than the conventional drugs used for chorea in children. It was found effective in this case series. Its role needs further evaluation by a double-blind randomized controlled trial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seeds of kail collected from 10 localities in the western Himalaya were germinated at 4 temperatures viz 20°, 28°, 34° and 40°C after storage in dry cold conditions in freezer. The seed lots representing different localities differed in the capacity and rate of germination. At lower temperature of incubation (20°C) most of the seed lots exhibited varying degree of dormancy. This dormancy could be revoked by chilling imbibed seeds for 2 weeks at 3-5°C. At higher temperatures of incubation the seed lots did not exhibit dormancy, although the optimum conditions for germination were provided by a combination of prechilling and higher temperatures of incubation (28° and 34°C). Treatments such as prolonging the stratification period up to 38 days, soaking in GA 100 mg/litre, with or without prechilling, and in 1% HO, did not have any significant effect on germination. The study revealed seed source variation in the degree of dormancy at low temperature of incubation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents many new complex combined dark-bright soliton solutions obtained with the help of the accurate sine-Gordon expansion method to the B-type Kadomtsev-Petviashvili-Boussinesq equation with binary power order nonlinearity. With the use of some computational programs, we plot many new surfaces of the results obtained in this paper. In addition, we present the interactions between complex travelling wave patterns and their solitons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endometriosis is the presence of ectopic endometrial tissue outside the uterus. Presence of endometrial glands and/or stroma may interfere with the normal physiological process by their infiltrative nature or by forming adhesions. Endometriosis occurs in 15-20% of women of child bearing age and commonly involves the ovaries, utero-sacral ligaments, fallopian tubes, rectum, scar sites and cervico-vaginal regions. Incidence of urinary tract involvement is estimated to be 1%. We report a case of a 38 year female presenting with low back pain, single episode of haematuria and burning during micturition. Urine culture was negative. There was no past history of pelvic surgery. On cystoscopy, a growth was visualised in the posterior urinary bladder wall suspicious of neoplastic origin. Tansurethral resection of bladder nodule was done and sent for histopathology, on which it was diagnosed as endometriosis. The case merits interest due to its atypical clinical presentation and the rarity of the lesion at this site.

Abstract Background The therapeutic effects of zinc and copper in reducing diarrheal morbidity have important cost implications. This health services research study evaluated the cost of treating a child with acute diarrhea in the hospital, the impact of micronutrient supplementation on the mean predicted costs and its cost-effectiveness as compared to using only standard oral rehydration solution (ORS), from the patient's and government's (providers) perspective. Methods Children aged 6 months to 59 months with acute diarrhea were randomly assigned to receive either the intervention or control. The intervention was a daily dose of 40 mg of zinc sulfate and 5 mg of copper sulfate powder dissolved in a liter of standard ORS (n = 102). The control was 50 mg of standard ORS powder dissolved in a liter of standard ORS (n = 98). The cost measures were the total mean cost of treating acute diarrhea, which included the direct medical, the direct non-medical and the indirect costs. The effectiveness measures were the probability of diarrhea lasting ≤ 4 days, the disability adjusted life years (DALYs) and mortality. Results The mean total cost of treating a child with acute diarrhea was US $14 of which the government incurred an expenditure of 66%. The factors that increased the total were the number of stools before admission (p = 0.01), fever (p = 0.01), increasing grade of dehydration (p = 0.00), use of antibiotics (p = 0.00), use of intra-venous fluids (p = 0.00), hours taken to rehydrate a child (p = 0.00), the amount of oral rehydration fluid used (p = 0.00), presence of any complications (p = 0.00) and the hospital stay (p = 0.00). The supplemented group had a 8% lower cost of treating acute diarrhea, their cost per unit health (diarrhea lasting ≤ 4 days) was 24% less and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio indicated cost savings (in Rupees) with the intervention [-452; 95%CI (-11306, 3410)]. However these differences failed to reach conventional levels of significance. Conclusion An emphasis on the costs and economic benefits of an alternative therapy is an important aspect of health services research. The cost savings and the attractive cost-effectiveness indicates the need to further assess the role of micronutrients such as zinc and copper in the treatment of acute diarrhea in a larger and more varied population.

The article discusses the study conducted by researchers from the University of Calgary in Alberta which demonstrates the development of distortions from dual-band modulator imperfections and concurrent operation in a transmitter. It mentions that the researchers proposed a scheme on neural network based digital pre-distortion (DPD) to mitigate the distortions' effect and to improve performance of digital signal processing.