Composition, degradation and utilization of endosperm during germination in the oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.)

The insoluble carbohydrate and lipid fractions, and α-D-galactosidase, β-D-mannosidase and isocitrate lyase activities were studied in the various tissues of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) kernels prior to and during germination. In ungerminated kernels insoluble carbohydrate and lipid constituted 36 and 47% of endosperm dry weight respectively. During germination the thick endosperm cell walls became markedly thinner, concurrent with a significant decrease in the percentage of insoluble carbohydrate and an increase in α-galactosidase and β-mannosidase activity in both degraded and residual endosperm. The proportion of lipid in degraded endosperm also increased significantly. The insoluble carbohydrate appears to be a galactomannan located in the secondary walls of the endosperm. No galactomannan was detected in oil palm embryos or haustoria. Isocitrate lyase was present in, and confined to, tissues of the haustorium of germinating kernels. The enzyme was not active in endosperm at any stage of germination, nor was it active in embryos before or at the end of imbibition. The results suggest that galactomannan is the second largest component of oil palm endosperm and that it is utilized more rapidly than lipid during the early stages of germination. The fact that isocitrate lyase activity is confined to the haustorium suggests that in Elaeis gluconeogenesis, the conversion of triglyceride to carbohydrate, takes place entirely within the cotyledon of the seed

Synthesis, Characterization, and Biological Evaluation of certain 6-methyl-2(3H)-benzo-1, 3-thiazolyl-1’-ethylidene-2-(o, p- Substituted Acetophenones) Hydrazine Analogs

In the present study, five new derivatives (GG4 to GG8) of benzothiazoles were synthesized and evaluated against Staphylococcus aureus (MTCC 737), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MTCC 424), Escherichia coli (MTCC 1687), and yeast-like fungi Candida tropicalis. p-Toluidine on treatment with ammonium thiocynate formed 2-benzothiazolamines (II), which on reaction with hydrazine hydrate formed a hydrazino derivative (III). Compounds GG4 to GG8 were synthesized by reacting the hydrazine derivative with different acetophenones. All the synthesized compounds were identified by IR and 1H-NMR, and antimicrobial activity was performed on the synthesized compounds. Presence of NO2, Br, OCH3, and Cl groups to the substituted benzothiazole enhanced the antibacterial and antifungal activities

Photocatalytic Nanolithography of Self-Assembled Monolayers and Proteins

Self-assembled monolayers of alkylthiolates on gold and alkylsilanes on silicon dioxide have been patterned photocatalytically on sub-100 nm length-scales using both apertured near-field and apertureless methods. Apertured lithography was carried out by means of an argon ion laser (364 nm) coupled to cantilever-type near-field probes with a thin film of titania deposited over the aperture. Apertureless lithography was carried out with a helium–cadmium laser (325 nm) to excite titanium-coated, contact-mode atomic force microscope (AFM) probes. This latter approach is readily implementable on any commercial AFM system. Photodegradation occurred in both cases through the localized photocatalytic degradation of the monolayer. For alkanethiols, degradation of one thiol exposed the bare substrate, enabling refunctionalization of the bare gold by a second, contrasting thiol. For alkylsilanes, degradation of the adsorbate molecule provided a facile means for protein patterning. Lines were written in a protein-resistant film formed by the adsorption of oligo(ethylene glycol)-functionalized trichlorosilanes on glass, leading to the formation of sub-100 nm adhesive, aldehyde-functionalized regions. These were derivatized with aminobutylnitrilotriacetic acid, and complexed with Ni2+, enabling the binding of histidine-labeled green fluorescent protein, which yielded bright fluorescence from 70-nm-wide lines that could be imaged clearly in a confocal microscope

Facile formation of highly mobile supported lipid bilayers on surface-quaternized pH-responsive polymer brushes

Poly(2-dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (PDMA) brushes are grown from planar substrates via surface atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). Quaternization of these brushes is conducted using 1-iodooctadecane in n-hexane, which is a non-solvent for PDMA. Ellipsometry, AFM, and water contact angle measurements show that surface-confined quaternization occurs under these conditions, producing pH-responsive brushes that have a hydrophobic upper surface. Systematic variation of the 1-iodooctadecane concentration and reaction time enables the mean degree of surface quaternization to be optimized. Relatively low degrees of surface quaternization (ca. 10 mol % as judged by XPS) produce brushes that enable the formation of supported lipid bilayers, with the hydrophobic pendent octadecyl groups promoting in situ rupture of lipid vesicles. Control experiments confirm that quaternized PDMA brushes prepared in a good brush solvent (THF) produce non-pH-responsive brushes, presumably because the pendent octadecyl groups form micelle-like physical cross-links throughout the brush layer. Supported lipid bilayers (SLBs) can also be formed on the non-quaternized PDMA precursor brushes, but such structures proved to be unstable to small changes in pH. Thus, surface quaternization of PDMA brushes using 1-iodooctadecane in n-hexane provides the best protocol for the formation of robust SLBs. Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) studies of such SLBs indicate diffusion coefficients (2.8 ± 0.3 μm s–1) and mobile fractions (98 ± 2%) that are comparable to the literature data reported for SLBs prepared directly on planar glass substrates

Five-year Ground-based Observation Trend of PM2.5 and PM10, and Comparison with MERRA-2 Data over India

Abstract A comprehensive analysis of pollutant’s trend and their measurement techniques are crucial for evaluating the air quality, and thereby helpful in formulating better control policies. In this report, we summarise ground based PM2.5 and PM10 data report in India (2015–2019). The important points discussed here are: (i) review of the ground-based data of PM2.5 and PM10 and the techniques used, (ii) mapping of the data over India with spatial and temporal distribution so that better understanding on PM pollution level can be made, (iii) identifying the technological gaps in measurement of PM concentration in India, and (iv) evaluation of MERRA-2’s (Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications, Version 2) simulation of PM2.5 against surface measurements in India to better understand biases for spatial and seasonal distribution, and then (v) suggestions for better PM measurement protocols, policies and metrological aspects for both measurement and control policies. It is observed that the amount of ground data on ambient monitoring of fine PM is insufficient and has several inconsistencies which require adequate attention. In India, not much work has been done on developing certified reference materials, traceable standards and calibration facility for particulate matter measurement which is a crucial step to ensure quality checks. Further, the comparison of MERRA-2 and ground PM2.5 concentrations revealed huge discrepancies with underestimating PM2.5 measurements in highly polluted regions like the Indo-Gangetic plain, especially during winter when pollution load was high. Better PM2.5 agreement was found in summer and monsoon season, based on performance statistics explained in this paper. Inconsistencies between MERRA-2 and ground PM2.5 are partly due to few limitations in MERRA-2 reanalysis method which are discussed in this paper, apart from several issues in ground-based observation. The aim of this review and comparison is to highlight such issues and give more attention to the importance of data quality assurance for effective air quality management. The present study may be helpful for the researchers in evaluating and choosing appropriate reanalysis products for their future studies