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The automotive and aerospace industries are replacing monolithic conventional materials with composite materials for making variety of components. The aluminum metal matrix composites (AMCs) are a lightweight high perforce materials. The aluminum matrix composites (AMCs) have high strength to weight ratio as well as high corrosion resistance properties. Many automobile and aerospace components are made of AMCs. The stir casting fabrication technique is mostly used by researchers for the fabrication of aluminum matrix composites. In this research, Al 6063 matrix composites were fabricated by reinforcing varying percentages of TiB2 through the stir casting process. The wt% of TiB2 varied from 1 to 3% in Al 6063. The mechanical behavior of developed composites was analyzed. The result showed that tensile strength, hardness, and impact strength of composites were enhanced by 55.51%, 63.98%, and 28.13% respectively in comparison with the matrix material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work investigates the competitive adsorption of ofloxacin (OXC) and doxycycline (DCL) form OXC-DCL binary solution on to MCM-41, not reported earlier. Experiments were conducted at 288–318 K temperatures, and equilibrium adsorption isotherm data were analysed to study the competitive effect of the presence and absence of DCL on OXC adsorption and vice-versa in OXC-DCL binary solution. On this basis, the competitive interaction, Synergistic, Antagonistic and No interaction effects, for OXC and DCL adsorption was evaluated. Furthermore, the experimental equilibrium adsorption data were used for isotherm modelling using various multi-component competitive isotherm models such as extended Langmuir, extended Freundlich and Sheindorf–Rebuhn–Sheintuch (SRS) isotherms. It was found that single component adsorption for OXC, and OXC adsorption in the presence of DCL and vice-versa followed Freundlich and extended Freundlich isotherm model, respectively. The competitive adsorption interaction between OXC and DCL from their binary solution was found to be antagonistic at all temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, antibiotic-resistant microbes have become a serious concern which needs proper attention either to solve the problem or to find out the solution to treat it. In this study, antibiotic resistant strains of Pseudomonas, Enterococcus, and Escherichia coli (E. coli) were used to assess the antimicrobial potential of Kigelia pinnata fruit extract. Further, antimutagenic potential of Kigelia pinnata fruit extract was also assessed by Ames assay using Salmonella typhimurium strain TA 98 and TA 100. In antimicrobial assay, only chloroform, ethanol and hexane extract was found to produce clear zone diameter between 1.08±0.1 to 2.1±0.2 mm. Results of minimum inhibitory concentration revealed the effectiveness of chloroform extract on Pseudomonas, Enterococcus and E.coli at 1.8 mg/mL concentration. However, better antimicrobial activity was found with ethanol extracts at 2.1x10-2 mg/mL concentration revealing the effectiveness of the low dose of ethanol in killing the antimicrobial resistant strains. In the time-kill test method, chloroform extract of K. pinnata was found to be most effective in reducing 98-99% test microbial population at both dilutions in 30 min. Antimutagenicity test showed the equal potential of chloroform and ethanol extracted Kigelia fruit sample in reducing the number of revertants. Kigelia fruit extract (1000 µL) dose can reduce the mutagens at 5 µg/plate level but not at 10 µg/plate dose level. Further research will open the new scope in the field of development of herbal antimicrobials and antimutagenic compound for treating antibiotic-resistant microbes and cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Acacia catechu (Mimosa family) stem bark extracts have been used traditionally as a dietary supplement as well as a folk medicine given its reported anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, hepatoprotective, antioxidant, anti-microbial and anti-tumor activities. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the anti-HIV-1 activity of the extracts from stem bark of A. catechu. Methods The aqueous and 50% ethanolic extracts of A. catechu stem bark were prepared and 50% ethanolic extract was further fractioned by successively partitioning with petroleum ether, chloroform and n-butanol. All the extracts and fractions were evaluated for cytotoxicity and anti-HIV-1 activity using different in vitro assays. The active n-butanol fraction was evaluated for its inhibition against HIV-1 reverse transcriptase, integrase, protease, pro-viral genome integration and viral Tat protein mediated transactivation. The effect of n-butanol fraction on the induction of pro-inflammatory cytokines secretion in Vk2/E6E7 cells and transepithelial resistance in Caco-2 and HEC-1A cells was investigated. Results The aqueous and 50% ethanolic extracts of A. catechu showed IC50 values of 1.8 ± 0.18 μg/ml and 3.6 ± 0.31 μg/ml, respectively in cell-free virus based assay using TZM-bl cells and HIV-1NL4.3 (X-4 tropic). In the above assay, n-butanol fraction exhibited anti-HIV-1 activity with an IC50 of 1.7 ± 0.12 μg/ml. The n-butanol fraction showed a dose-dependent inhibition against HIV-1NL4.3 infection of the peripheral blood lymphocytes and against HIV- 1BaL(R-5-tropic) as well as two different primary viral isolates of HIV-1 infection of TZM-bl cells. The n-butanol fraction demonstrate a potent inhibitory activity against the viral protease (IC50 = 12.9 μg/ml), but not reverse transcriptase or integrase. Further, in Alu-PCR no effect on viral integration was observed. The n-butanol fraction interfered with the Tat-mediated Long Terminal Repeat transactivation in TZM-bl cells, mRNA quantitation (qRT-PCR) and electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). The n-butanol fraction did not cause an enhanced secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines in Vk2/E6E7 cells. Additionally, no adverse effects were observed to the monolayer formed by the Caco-2 and HEC-1A epithelial cells. Conclusions The results presented here show a potential anti-HIV-1 activity of A. catechu mediated by the inhibition of the functions of the viral protein and Tat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies (e.g. lakes, rivers, oceans, aquifers and groundwater). In almost all cases the effect is damaging not only to individual species and populations, but also to the natural biological communities. All people live downstream of water supplies. Hence, the quality of water depends on the maintenance of water supply network. During the lateral travel of water it may contaminated by various microorganisms. This polluted and contaminated water affects the consumer's health and cause various water borne diseases. Therefore, in present study, the level of faecal coliform in water distribution network of Jaipur is evaluated in 12 different areas of Jaipur city. Residual chlorine and faecal coliform bacteria was analyzed. Interestingly, it was found that residual chlorine was present in permissible limit in all areas, however, showing the presence of microbes and coliforms. Out of 12 sites selected, 8 sites were found to have coliform bacteria showing the possibility of contamination of water supply by sewage discharges which come in contact with supplied water due to leakage in pipes. In 4 areas, however microbial contamination by Gram positive bacteria was observed instead of coliforms. In these four areas water may be polluted during its flow off from polluted soil and area. It is possible that microbes may enter through damaged pipes. To provide good quality water to consumer, it should be protected from microbial contamination by maintaining the water supply network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Handmade paper and cardboard industries are involved in processing of cellulosic and ligno-cellulosic substances for making paper by hand or simple machinery. In the present study solid sludge and effluent of both cardboard and handmade paper industries was collected for developing a mushroom cultivation technique to achieve zero waste discharges. Findings of present research work reveals that when 50% paper industries waste is used by mixing with 50% (w/w) wheat straw, significant increase (96.38%) in biological efficiency over control of wheat straw was observed. Further, cultivated basidiocarps showed normal morphology of stipe and pileus. Cross section of lamellae did not show any abnormality in the attachment of basidiospores, hymenal trama and basidium. No toxicity was found when fruiting bodies were tested chemically.