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This research paper article thoroughly investigates the tensile, tear, and abrasion properties of high-performance cotton denim fabrics incorporating para-aramid and ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibers. It compares these high-performance blended denim fabrics with traditional 100 % cotton fabric material. The findings indicate that fabrics containing UHMWPE and para-aramid fibers demonstrate notably greater strength and durability compared with pure cotton fabrics. Factors such as yarn thickness, twist, fabric weight, cover factor, and the blend proportion of high-performance fibers contribute to enhanced tensile strength and abrasion resistance. Among the tested samples, the blend with 30 % cotton and 70 % UHMWPE fibers, weighing 430 g/m² (S9), exhibits the most superior performance in terms of tensile strength. These fabrics also exhibit remarkable tear resistance, even under extreme conditions. Sample S9 excels in abrasion resistance, qualifying it for Zone 3 Level 1 protection. The study underscores the potential of these fabrics to offer outstanding protection against abrasion in diverse applications. Additionally, it has been observed that fabrics generally display higher tensile strength and abrasion resistance along the warp direction, owing to a higher yarn density. The analysis of variance and Tukey Honestly Significant Difference (HSD) tests confirm the significant influence of fiber composition on fabric properties based on the statistical analyses that have been conducted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The textile processing and finishing industry is the mainstay for the apparel segment. The textile processing and finishing industry consume an enormous amount of chemicals and release harmful substances to the environment. Therefore rethinking and refinement of the practice adopted and the techniques involved in processing and finishing are very much significant. The consciousness toward environmental protection, pollution control, and user-friendliness are the reasons for emerging trends with sustainable concepts where natural materials, plant ingredients, plant extracts can be used for textile finishing. This review paper discusses the exploratory qualitative study about the natural ingredients, extraction processes, finishing on textiles for various applications, its effects, and results. The applications of textile finishing processes covered in this article are fragrance finish, bio-polishing, bio-stone washing, insect repellent, and UV protection. This article also deals with the various methods of finishing textiles using natural products such as pad-dry-cure, microencapsulation, exhaust method, spraying technique, etc., and its implications. The finishing process using natural products has obtained satisfactory results with various tests for analyzing the properties of textiles after finishing. The critical analysis of this article has revealed that the textile finishing process using natural products seem to be economical, sustainable, have control over environmental and health hazard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Madhulai Manappagu – a well-known sastric and widely prescribed Siddha herbal syrup formulation indicated for treating Veluppu Noi (Anaemia especially Iron deficiency Anaemia) has been in day today practice in Tamil Nadu for a quite longer decades. The syrup is a herbal preparation which has a sweet pleasant odour and a palatable taste, contain the juice of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) as the main ingredient. Though the formulation is a fruit juice, the safety profile of the syrup is not established and is being marketed without toxicological evaluation. The study is aimed at ascertaining the acute and sub-acute toxicity assessment of Madhulai Manappagu in Wistar Albino rats. The acute and sub-acute (28day repeated oral) toxicity studies were performed as per the guidelines mentioned in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) 423 (adopted on December 2001) and TG 407 (adopted on October 2008) with slight modifications respectively. For acute toxicity study, three female rats were randomly selected as control; three female rats were randomly selected and were administered a single dose of 5,000 mg/kg body weight per oral route. For sub-acute (28day repeated oral) toxicity studies, three doses of test drug MM of 500 mg/kg/day (low dose), 750 mg/kg/day (intermittent dose) and 1,000 mg/kg/day (high dose) were selected for administration. Both sexes of Wistar Albino rats were randomized into four groups of 10 animals each (five males, five females). Group I was kept as control group. Group II, III and IV served as low, intermittent and high doses of MM respectively. Animals were observed for mortality, morbidity, body weight changes, feed and water intake. Haematology, clinical biochemistry, electrolytes, gross pathology, relative organ weight and histopathological examination were performed. In the acute toxicity study, rats showed no toxicological signs on behavior, gross pathology and body weight of rats when treated with a single dose of 5,000 mg/kg body weight per oral route. In the subacute (28 days repeated oral) toxicity study, rats have showed no significant changes on behavior, gross pathology, body weight, and hematological and biochemical parameters when treated with Madhulai Manappagu in three different doses. The toxicity studies which include both acute and 28 days repeated (subacute) oral toxicity studies, revealed no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) of Madhulai Manappagu in animals. Thus the safety of the drug in human usage was ensured. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitochondrial Ca2+ handling is accomplished by balancing Ca2+ uptake, primarily via the Ru360-sensitive mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU), Ca2+ buffering in the matrix and Ca2+ efflux mainly via Ca2+ ion exchangers, such as the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (NCLX) and the Ca2+/H+ exchanger (CHE). The mechanism of CHE in cardiac mitochondria is not well-understood and its contribution to matrix Ca2+ regulation is thought to be negligible, despite higher expression of the putative CHE protein, LETM1, compared to hepatic mitochondria. In this study, Ca2+ efflux via the CHE was investigated in isolated rat cardiac mitochondria and permeabilized H9c2 cells. Mitochondria were exposed to (a) increasing matrix Ca2+ load via repetitive application of a finite CaCl2 bolus to the external medium and (b) change in the pH gradient across the inner mitochondrial membrane (IMM). Ca2+ efflux at different matrix Ca2+ loads was revealed by inhibiting Ca2+ uptake or reuptake with Ru360 after increasing number of CaCl2 boluses. In Na+-free experimental buffer and with Ca2+ uptake inhibited, the rate of Ca2+ efflux and steady-state free matrix Ca2+ [mCa2+]ss increased as the number of administered CaCl2 boluses increased. ADP and cyclosporine A (CsA), which are known to increase Ca2+ buffering while maintaining a constant [mCa2+]ss, decreased the rate of Ca2+ efflux via the CHE, with a significantly greater decrease in the presence of ADP. ADP also increased Ca2+ buffering rate and decreased [mCa2+]ss. A change in the pH of the external medium to a more acidic value from 7.15 to 6.8∼6.9 caused a twofold increase in the Ca2+ efflux rate, while an alkaline change in pH from 7.15 to 7.4∼7.5 did not change the Ca2+ efflux rate. In addition, CHE activation was associated with membrane depolarization. Targeted transient knockdown of LETM1 in permeabilized H9c2 cells modulated Ca2+ efflux. The results indicate that Ca2+ efflux via the CHE in cardiac mitochondria is modulated by acidic buffer pH and by total matrix Ca2+. A mechanism is proposed whereby activation of CHE is sensitive to changes in both the matrix Ca2+ buffering system and the matrix free Ca2+ concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]