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Predicting olfactory perception with an electronic nose can aid in the design and evaluation of olfactory-based experiences. We investigate whether the human perception of odours can be predicted outside the bounds of perceived pleasantness and semantic descriptors. We tuned an electronic nose to predict an odour's colour in the CIELAB colour space using human judgements. This revealed that the crossmodal associations people have towards colours could be predicted. Our electronic nose system can predict an odour's colour with a 70 – 81% machine-human similarity rating. These findings suggest a systematic and predictable link exists between the chemical features of odours and the colour associated to them. These findings highlight the possibilities of predicting human olfactory perception using an electronic nose.

The importance of traditional or alternative medicines including Ayurvedic drugs are increasing day by day because of their necessary pharmacological actions and fewer side effects. Previous investigators showed hypolipidemic and cardioprotective effects of Amla which is the active ingredient of Amalaki Rasayan. It is an ayurvedic formulation that contains extracts of Phyllanthus emblica plant. Therefore, this study has been conducted to investigate the scientific evidence of its cardioprotective effects in rats by recording electrocardiographic tracings. Rats, of either sex, were treated with preparation containing extracts of Phyllanthus emblica in doses 800 μg/kg bodyweight, 1600 μg/kg body weight and 3200 μg/kg body weight through intraperitoneal route. Electrocardiogram along with heart rate and other parameters were measuredin rat model before and after administration of Amalaki Rasayan. It was evident that Amalaki Rasayan, at a dose of 800 μg/kg, was safe but 1600 μg/kg and 3200 μg/kg produced abnormal activities in the heart. It can be inferred from the study that, the ayurvedic preparation Amalaki Rasayan possesses significant cardioprotective effectBangladesh Pharmaceutical Journal 20(2): 157-164, 2017

Global ethanol production generates almost 100 billion liters per year of a high-strength liquid waste called vinasse. One sustainable method of treating vinasse using environmental biotechnology is anaerobic digestion, which generates biogas that can be used as a renewable energy resource. Although a number of models have been developed for predicting biogas generation rates, no previous study has modeled liquid organic removal rates for vinasse treatment. The goal of this research was thus to develop models for predicting liquid-phase organic removal rates for anaerobic treatment of vinasse. 6-L laboratory-scale batch reactors were filled with vinasse of six different compositions and operated at three different mesophilic temperatures (30, 35, 40 °C). Biochemical and chemical oxygen demand (BOD and COD) were measured over time using Standard Methods 5210B and 5220C. Based on data collected, multiple linear regression equations (R2 = 0.79 and 0.94) were developed to predict first-order rate constants kBOD and kCOD as functions of temperature and vinasse composition (initial values of nitrogen, potassium, phosphorous, and sulfur). The first-order models developed require a small number of readily available input parameters. They apply to treatment of vinasse from ethanol produced from corn and milo; future work can test their applicability to ethanol produced from other feedstocks. The models can be used for sizing/design of reactors for anaerobic treatment of vinasse.

Aluminium doped zinc oxide (AZO) thin films were prepared on glass substrate by spray pyrolysis technique and subsequently their structural, morphological and optical properties were investigated and analyzed as a function of annealing temperature. The films were deposited at 350 °C and were annealed at temperature 350, 400, 450 and 500 °C. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirms that both deposited and annealed films are polycrystalline in nature and have hexagonal wurtzite structure. The crystalline size as well as the crystalline quality of the film was found to increase with the increase of annealing temperature to a certain point. However, the dislocation density and the compressive stress induced in as-deposited AZO films reduce with annealing temperature. SEM image reveals that the deposited film has nanorope like morphology. The average diameter of the rope and the density of the morphology increases with the increase of annealing temperature. As the annealing temperature increases from 350 °C to 450 °C, the average transmittance of the films increases and the band gap value decreases from 3.25 eV to 3.17 eV. In addition, obtained results also show that urbach energy, extinction coefficient, refractive index, optical conductivity has changes noticeably with annealing temperature.

Ayurvedic system of medicine is a major component of indigenous systems of medicine in Bangladesh. We used an Ayurvedic drug ‘Mrityunjay’ which is traditionally used for high blood pressure, heart diseases and heartquake. We measured the electrocardiographical (ECG) parameters using an ECG machine (Vet 300, EDAN, China) in rat model before and after administration of the test drug. We observed that, Mrityunjay at high doses (800 ?g/Kg, 1600?g/kg, 3200?g/kg) produced heart blocks and other arrhythmias, but in normal dose (200?g/Kg) it has no serious untoward effects on cardiac muscle. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bpj.v16i1.14503 Bangladesh Pharmaceutical Journal 16(1): 99-105, 2013

Traditional or alternative medicines such as Ayurvedic drugs are getting importance and reputation day by day in the treatment of various diseases. This is because it has fewer side effects and gives necessary pharmacological action. But prolonged and excess usage may lead to harmful effects such as damage of the heart muscle leading to various types of arrhythmia and coronary artery diseases. “Khadirarista”, an Ayurvedic drug, was traditionally used for heart diseases along with jaundice, anemia, abdominal tumor and leprosy. The physicochemical properties such as pH, density, viscosity, conductivity, loss on drying (LOD), chromatographic and spectral study, and presence of metal ions the drug “Khadirarista” were studied. It was found that pH values were 4.53, 4.21 and 4.31 at 1%, 5% and 10% of test solution, respectively. It indicated that "Khadirarishta" was an acidic preparation. Density, average viscosity and residue (LOD) of the drug was 1.0076 g/mL, 25.22 pascal/second and 9.33 g/100 mL, respectively. The spectral study of the test sample was performed and peaks were obtained at the wavelengths of 275, 254, 274.80, 254.60, 275.60, 273.60, 211, 253.60 nm in UV spectrophotometer with 276.60 nm being the λmax. HPLC analysis of the sample was performed and retention time (Rt) of the possible active components were found to be 4.12, 4.22 and 4.83 min. Rt at 4.12 min was the most sharp peak. Applying TLC, the Rf values of the active compounds were found to be 0.6 and 0.7. The level of various metal ions in the sample was measured by Flame Photometry and Na, K, Ca levels were found to be 75 ppm, 5 ppm, 12 ppm, respectively.

The stem bark of Polyalthia simiarum has yielded a new bisnor-type clerodane diterpenoid, 2-oxo-14,15-bisnor-3,11 E-kolavadien-13-one (1), and three previously known clerodane derivatives, kolavenic acid (2), 16β-hydroxycleroda-3,13(14) Z-dien-15,16-olide (3), and 16-oxocleroda-3,13(14) E-dien-15-oic acid (4). The structures of these compounds were unambiguously determined by extensive NMR studies as well as by comparison with related compounds. Till now this is the second report of the occurrence of any unusual C-18 clerodane diterpenoid from nature. The crude light petroleum extract and the purified compound 3 demonstrated moderate free radical scavenging activity with IC50 values of 21.5 and 23.5 μg/mL, respectively.