Optimization of microwave assisted extraction of pectin from orange peel

In this study, microwave-assisted extraction was applied for pectin extraction from the dried orange peel and Box-Behnken response surface design was used to study and optimize the effects of processing variables (microwave power, irradiation time, pH and solid-liquid ratio) on the yield of pectin. The amount of pectin extracted increased with increasing microwave power, while it reduces as the time, pH and solid-liquid ratio increased. From the results, second order polynomial model was developed and it adequately explained the data variation and significantly represented the actual relationship between independent variables and the response. An optimization study using Derringer's desired function methodology was performed and optimal conditions based on both individual and combinations of all independent variables (microwave power of 422W, irradiation time of 169 s, pH of 1.4 and solid-liquid ratio of 1:16.9 g/ml) were determined with maximum pectin yield of 19.24%, which was confirmed through validation experiments.

A Stability Algorithm for the General Milling Process: Contribution to Machine Tool Chatter Research—7

In this paper, a method of stability analysis for the general milling process is given. The milling operation is described by a linear differential-difference equation with periodic coefficients. An algorithm which can be used in conjunction with the digital computer is developed as a means of analytically determining the stability of this equation. This algorithm will permit the determination of the stability boundaries in the space of controllable parameters associated with a cutting operation and allows more realistic models for milling to be studied than have been attempted up to the present time. The technique is used to predict the stability in an example of a milling operation.

Sequential Estimation of States and Parameters in Noisy Nonlinear Dynamical Systems

The problem considered is the sequential estimation of states and parameters in noisy nonlinear systems. The class of systems considered is those in which the dynamical behavior is described by an ordinary differential equation. No statistical assumptions are required concerning the nature of the unknown inputs to the system or the measurement errors on the output. For estimation purposes, a least-squares criterion is used. The new feature of the approach presented is that a sequential least-squares estimator is obtained for the class of problems considered. This estimator could be implemented in real time. Experimental results from several examples indicate that the proposed estimation scheme is feasible.

In vivo spin trapping of free radicals generated in brain, spleen, and liver during gamma radiation of mice

Spin trapping techniques combined with electron spin resonance spectroscopy were used to capture and detect free radicals generated in vivo during exposure to ionizing radiation. Tissue extracts of mice given an intraperitoneal or intragastric dose of the spin trap, alpha-phenyl-t-butyl nitrone prior to exposure to gamma radiation (2 to 5 Gy), contained a radical adduct with hyperfine splitting constants characteristic of spin adducts of carbon-centered lipid radicals. Considerably more radicals were trapped in tissues when the trap was given 3 h before radiation as compared to 30 min before exposure. The radicals observed may either be secondary species resulting from an attack on cellular components by products of water radiolysis, or primary radicals resulting from direct interaction of the radiation with biological molecules. The results indicate that the spin trapping agent is able to penetrate well into animal tissues, and to capture radical species under conditions where the latter would be expected to occur.

Treatment of pulp and paper industry bleaching effluent by electrocoagulant process

The experiments were carried out in an electrocoagulation reactor with aluminum as sacrificial electrodes. The influence of electrolysis time, current density, pH, NaCl concentration, rotational speed of the stirrer and electrode distance on reduction of color, COD and BOD were studied in detail. From the experimental results, 15 mA/cm(2) current density, pH of 7, 1 g/l NaCl, 100 rpm, 28°C temperature and 3 cm electrode distance were found to be optimum for maximum reduction of color, COD and BOD. The reduction of color, COD and BOD under the optimum condition were found to be 94%, 90% and 87% respectively. The electrode energy consumption was calculated and found to be varied from 10.1 to 12.9 kWh/m(3) depending on the operating conditions. Under optimal operating condition such as 15 mA/cm(2) current density, pH of 7, 1 g/l NaCl, 100 rpm, 28°C temperature and 3 cm electrode distance, the operating cost was found to be 1.56 US $/m(3). The experimental results proved that the electrocoagulation is a suitable method for treating bleaching plant effluents for reuse.

A General Formulation of the Milling Process Equation: Contribution to Machine Tool Chatter Research—5

In the cutting process, forces are induced at each of the cutter teeth in contact with the workpiece, and these forces in turn excite the machine tool structure. Due to the inherent feedback which exists between the cutting forces and the structure deflection, there are conditions under which this system becomes unstable. When this occurs, a condition of self-excited chatter exists. In the theory of self-excited chatter for single point tools wherein the tool is continuously in contact with the workpiece, the system can be described by a time-invariant equation, and has been rather fully developed. However, the milling process cannot be described in this manner. It is characterized by a multitooth cutter, and the cutting process itself is interrupted. Also, the direction of the cutting forces generated by each tooth does not remain constant with respect to the machine tool structure as for turning operations, but changes direction as a function of cutter position. In this paper, more complete description of the milling process is formulated. The resulting equation is a general nth order vector-matrix linear equation with periodic coefficients and a transport lag. Or equally, it is a linear differential-difference equation with time-varying coefficients. This equation is then expressed as n-first order equations (state variable form), consistent with current literature and in a form compatible for digital computer analysis.

Protein kinases as therapeutic targets

Protein kinases and phosphatases are likely targets for the development of therapeutic drugs since they are involved in specific signaling pathways which regulate cell functions such as metabolism, cell cycle progression, cell adhesion, vascular function and angiogenesis. Protein phosphorylation and dephosphorylation serve as molecular switches for modulating these processes and the level and duration of each is a highly regulated process in normal cells. Several compounds that inhibit the activity of tyrosine kinases are being evaluated as cancer therapeutic agents in clinical trials. Diabetes and complications of diabetes also involve deregulated levels of protein kinases. New approaches for regulating kinase gene expression include specific antisense oligonucleotides for inhibiting post-transcriptional processing of the messenger RNA, naturally occurring products and their chemical derivatives to inhibit kinase activity, and monoclonal antibodies to inhibit receptor linked kinases. Inhibition of phosphatases also serves to alter the duration of phosphorylation by kinases. Considerations for development of effective inhibitors include non-specific actions of compounds, cellular uptake, multiple intracellular targets that can dilute the effective cellular concentration of an agent, and tissue specificity. Kinase inhibitors may allow other therapeutic agents additional time to become effective and they may act synergistically with current treatments.

Synthesis of β-Hydroxysulfides from Alkenes under Supramolecular Catalysis in the Presence of β-Cyclodextrin in Water

An environmentally benign and highly efficient procedure has been developed for the direct one-pot synthesis of beta-hydroxysulfides in good yields under neutral conditions from alkenes and thiophenols in the presence of aerial oxygen using beta-cyclodextrin in water. This protocol tolerates a wide variety of functional groups or substrates and does not require the use of either acid or base catalysts. beta-Cyclodextrin can be recovered and reused for a number of runs without any loss of activity.

Aminonaphthoquinones--a novel class of compounds with potent antimalarial activity against Plasmodium falciparum

Malaria is a major tropical disease, which kills two million people annually. The population at risk from this disease has increased because of the difficulties in eradicating the mosquito vector in the endemic regions and the emergence and spread of parasite resistance to all the commonly used antimalarials. Since antimalarials are the major arsenal for treatment of the disease, there is an urgent need for newer drugs with novel mechanisms of action, which will be effective against all strains of the parasite. As a part of our anti-infective drug discovery program, we have investigated 18 compounds including several synthetic and natural naphthoquinones as potential antimalarial agents. We have identified aminonaphthoquinones, as a class of antimalarial compounds with antimalarial activity against Plasmodium falciparum. Among these compounds, 2-amino-3-chloro-1,4-naphthoquinone is the most potent. It had an IC(50)of 0.18 micro M (37.3 ng ml(-1)) against the W2 clone, and is more potent than chloroquine, which had an IC(50)of 0.23 micro M (72 ng ml(-1)). It was also active against the D6 clone. In general, 2-amino-1,4-naphthoquinone analogs and the 4-amino-1,2-napthoquinone analog showed promising antimalarial activity in the bioassay. In contrast, a number of 2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinones and dimeric quinones were less active.

Cancer chemopreventive activity of synthetic colorants used in foods, pharmaceuticals and cosmetic preparations

In continuation with our studies to uncover cancer chemopreventive effects of non-toxic natural colorants and other products of biologic and synthetic origin, we tested several Food and Drug Administration-approved synthetic colorants for antitumor promoting potential by the in vitro Epstein-Barr virus early antigen activation in Raji cells in response to the tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). Among 29 such colorants used in foods, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics and evaluated in vitro, six of the 10 most effective had an azo group. Three structurally unrelated colorants tested in this assay were also studied in vivo for chemoprevention of 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)-induced TPA-promoted mouse skin carcinogenesis. The results indicate that tartrazine, indigo carmine and erythrosine are potent inhibitors of skin tumor promotion in mice treated with DMBA and TPA.

Pathogenicity profile of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in farmed Pacific white shrimp, Penaeus vannamei

A pathobiological study was conducted using Vibrio parahaemolyticus (V_P) strain isolated from vibriosis affected shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) farms in Kancheepuram and Thiruvallur districts of Tamil Nadu during August 2014 to February 2015. The isolate was identified based on the morphological, physiological, biochemical and molecular characters. LD₅₀ value with intramuscular injection was determined as 2.6 × 10⁴ cfu/shrimp and sequential pathology was studied giving 6.1 × 10³ cfu/shrimp (LD₂₅). Total plate count (TPC) and total Vibrio count (TVC) in water, pond sediment, haemolymph, muscle, HP and gut were found significantly (P < 0.01) higher in natural cases than the experimental set up. Clinical signs and lesions observed in the natural and experimental cases were anorexia, lethargy, cuticle softening, loose shells, abdominal muscle cramp, red discoloration, opaque and whitish abdominal and tail musculature, necrosis of exoskeleton or splinter burns, reddish pleural borders of antennae, uropods and telson, swollen tail fan, ulcers, moribund shrimp sinking to bottom, and mortalities with shrunken discoloured HP with empty gut. Total haemocyte count (THC), small nongranular haemocyte (SNGH), large nongranular haemocyte (LNGH), small granular haemocyte (SGH) and large granular haemocyte (LGH) counts lowered significantly (P < 0.01) at 3, 6, 12, 24, 48, 96 and 192 h post injection (p.i). No LGH were found after 96 h of challenge. The post injection qPCR analyses of haemocytes showed up-regulations of penaeidin-3a, lysozyme, prophenoloxidase I, prophenoloxidase II and serine protein at 3 and 6 h of infection. There was total down-regulation of crustin from 3 to 192 h p.i. There was a remarkable elevation in the level of proPO I with concomitant depletion of proPO II. The pattern of up- and down-regulations in proPO I and SP were similar. The post infection qPCR analyses showed that these immune related genes could be used as markers for assessing the immune status of P. vannamei. Major histopathological manifestations observed were haemocyte infiltration/nodule in the epidermis, skeletal and cardiac muscles, atrophy of the excretory organ, and disrupted HP tubules with diffuse interstitial edema and haemocytic infiltration. Further HP showed that there was thickening of intertubular space, karyomegaly with prominent nucleoli, rounding and sloughing of HP tubular epithelium, many mitotic figures with bacterial colonies and apoptotic bodies, separation of shrunken tubule epithelium from myoepithelial fibers, regeneration of tubules, cystic, dilated and vacuolated appearance of HP tubules, hypoplastic changes in the tubules with no B, R and F cells, granuloma formation, concretions in tubules, calcification, necrosis, and washed out appearance with complete loss of architecture. The progression of the degenerative changes in the HP tubular epithelial cells was from proximal to distal end. In haematopoietic organ, increased mitotic activities with focal to extensive depletion and degeneration were observed. Degeneration of the stromal matrix with spheroid formation in lymphoid organ was observed among the Vp infected natural and experimental animals. Degeneration of glandular structures in the prehensile appendages with bacterial colonies, melanization and loss of epithelial layer in oesophagus, swelling and loss of architecture with mucinous secretion in the stomach, degeneration of peritrophic membrane in the lumen of intestine were observed in field cases but not in the experimental studies. Further, this study established the pathobiology of the Vp isolate to P. vannamei.