Studies of beam injection with a compensated bump and uncompensated bump in a synchrotron

Synchrotron radiation sources Indus-1 and Indus-2 have a synchrotron as the common injector. A three kicker compensated bump injection scheme was employed for beam injection into this synchrotron. The stored beam current in the synchrotron is higher, when all the three kickers are operated at the same current than when kickers are operated at currents required to generate compensated bump. Beam dynamics studies have been done to understand why this happens. Theoretical studies indicate that higher stored current in the later case is attributed to smaller residual oscillations of injected beam. These studies also reveal that if the angle of the injected beam during beam injection is kept varying, the performance could be further improved. This is experimentally confirmed by injecting the beam on rising part of the injection septum magnet current pulse.

Design and evaluation of ocusert for controlled delivery of flurbiprofen sodium

PURPOSE

The basic objective of this study is to develop the Flurbiprofen sodium soluble ocusert to increase patient compliance by improving local delivery of the drug.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Three different polymers were used in combination to prepare the rate controlling membrane. The drug reservoir was prepared by using hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose. Ocuserts were evaluated for their physicochemical parameters. The optimized formulations were further evaluated for accelerated stability studies, eye irritancy tests, and for in vivo drug release studies.

RESULTS

Ocuserts were found stable at room temperature and showed a strong positive correlation between in vitro and in vivo drug release.

CONCLUSION

An appropriate combination of hydrophilic and hydrophobic polymers provides better control of drug delivery.

Therapeutic responses of Plasmodium vivax and P. falciparum to chloroquine, in an area of western India where P. vivax predominates

In 2003-2005, following an increase in the local incidence of human malaria, the therapeutic efficacy of chloroquine (CQ) in the treatment of Plasmodium vivax and P. falciparum malaria was evaluated in the Anand district of Gujarat state, in western India. After oral administration of CQ, clinical and parasitological responses were measured over a follow-up period of 28 days, following the standard protocol of the World Health Organization. Most of the recurrent infections were checked, by genotyping, to see whether they were the result of treatment failure or re-infection during the follow-up. At the primary health centre (PHC) in Deva, all 57 P. vivax cases included in the study responded to CQ within 3 days. At the Pansora PHC, however, only 59 [90.8%, with a 95% confidence interval (CI) of 83.7%-97.8%] of the 65 P. vivax cases appeared to respond completely, recurrent infections being observed in the other six cases (9.2%; CI=2.2%-16.3%). Of the four recurrent infections checked by genotyping, however, only two appeared to be the result of true treatment failure. Twenty-seven (81.8%; CI=67.2%-94.4%) of the 33 P. falciparum cases who were enrolled in the study, all from Pansora PHC also showed apparent treatment failure, with one early failure, 17 late clinical failures and nine late parasitological failures. All 23 P. falciparum cases that showed apparent treatment failure and were investigated by genotyping appeared to be true cases of failure, none showing any evidence of re-infection during follow-up. The mean parasite-clearance times for those infected with P. falciparum, both those considered CQ-sensitive and the treatment failures, exceeded 2 days. These results indicate the presence of CQ-resistant P. vivax and P. falciparum in Anand district. The high frequency of CQ failure against P. falciparum observed in this study led to a change in the drug policy at the Pansora PHC, with artemisinin-based combination therapy now being used for the first-line treatment of P. falciparum malaria. Chloroquine remains the recommended first-line treatment for P. vivax infections in the area but the treatment failure seen in at least two P. vivax cases indicates a need for further monitoring of the therapeutic efficacy of CQ against such infections, in central Gujarat and elsewhere.

Allelic polymorphism in the Plasmodium vivax dihydrofolate reductase gene among Indian field isolates

In total, 129 Plasmodium vivax isolates from different geographical areas in India were analysed for point mutations in the P. vivax dihydrofolate reductase gene that were associated with pyrimethamine resistance. A gradual increase in the frequency of mutant genotypes was observed from north to south (p <0.0001). In the northern region (Delhi, Panna and Nadiad), the wild-type genotype was most prevalent, while the mutant genotype predominated in the coastal regions of southern India (Navi Mumbai, Goa and Chennai). Isolates from the Car-Nicobar islands showed only mutant genotypes. The differential geographical pattern of mutations may be associated with the transmission pattern.

Size fractionated speciation of nitrate and sulfate aerosols in a sub-tropical industrial environment

Size fractionated chemical speciation of acidic aerosols were performed for ammonium sulfate, other sulfates, ammonium nitrate and other nitrates in a sub-tropical industrial area, Bina, India during December 2003 to November 2004. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed highly significant temporal variations (p > .001) in the concentrations of nitrate and sulfate aerosols in all the three size fractions (fine, mid-size and coarse). Winter demonstrated utmost concentrations of ammonium sulfate, which ranged from 3.2 to 26.4 microg m(-3) in fine particles and 0.20-0.34 microg m(-3) in coarse particles. Ammonium sulfate was chiefly in fine mode (43.77% of total particulate sulfate) as compared to coarse particles (28.60% of total particulate sulfate). The major fraction Ammonium sulfate existed in different forms in atmospheric aerosols, for example NH4Fe(SO4)2, (NH4)2SO4, (NH4)3H(SO4)2 in fine particles, and (NH4)4(NO3)SO4+ in coarse particles. Other sulfate concentrations were also higher during winter ranging from 1.89 to 14.3 microg m(-3) in fine particles and 0.12-0.65microg m(-3) in coarse particles. Ammonium nitrate constituted the major fraction of total particulate nitrate all through the year and was principally in fine particles (the highest concentration in January i.e. 14.2 microg m(-3)). Other nitrates were mainly distributed in the fine particles (highest concentration in January i.e. 11.2 microg m(-3)) All the sulfate and nitrate species were mainly distributed in fine mode and have significant impact on human health.