In vitro regeneration of plantlets from nodal explants of Aristolochia saccata and Aristolochia cathcartii

In vitro propagation of Aristolochia saccata and A. cathcartii were carried out using nodal explant. In both the plants, nodal explants showed direct somatic embryogenesis when cultured on MS medium using various concentrations of BAP (1.0-4.0) and 2iP (1.0-4.0) separately or in combination with low concentration (0.5 and 1.0 mg l-1) of auxin (NAA). It was observed that BAP in combination with NAA was more effective for shoot induction than the hormones used separately. Among different combinations of NAA and BAP, 3.0 mg/l BAP + 1.0 mg/l NAA showed better response in case of A. saccata of about 96%, whereas, in A. cathcartii, the best response was achieved in 4.0 mg/l BAP + 0.5 mg/l NAA after 28 day of culture and 88.3% explants showed proliferation in this combination. The auxins NAA and IBA were used singly to induce rooting from in vitro raised shoot lets. A range of concentration was tested (0.1, 0.5, 0.8 and 1.0 mg/l) for rooting. In the present study 1/2 strength MS basal medium and the two different auxins (NAA and IBA) were tried, the maximum results on rooting were obtained on half strength with IBA (0.5 mg/l) then NAA. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.82574

Indications, outcomes and complications of therapeutic endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography procedures in a tertiary care centre in North East India

Background: Therapeutic endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is one of the most complex endoscopic procedures in the management of several pancreatobiliary diseases. There is no comprehensive data available till date about ERCP procedures from North East India. The aim of this study was to review the indications, outcomes and complications of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) procedures in a tertiary care centre of North East India.Methods: We retrospectively analysed the clinical records of all patients undergoing ERCP between July 2011 and November 2019. ERCP was performed under sedation (Midazolam + Pentazocine). Patient’s demographic characters, ERCP indications, outcome and post-ERCP complications were reviewed. Potential important patient and procedure related risk factors for overall post-ERCP complications were investigated.Results: A total 1038 patients were included in the study. Cannulation of the desired duct was successful in 89.2% of ERCPs. Among them male patients were 392 and females were 646. Mean age was 45 years and the age range were 7 to 92 years. Commonest indication was choledocholithiasis followed by malignancy. Overall Success rate was 82.66% with 84.64% in CBD stone and 75.65% in stenting of malignancy. Post ERCP complications developed in 96 patients (9.2%) and pancreatitis was the most common post-ERCP complication. Sedation related complications occurred only in few cases.Conclusions: Despite its associated morbidity and risk of mortality, ERCP is an important method for managing the pancreatic-biliary diseases. Indications, outcomes, and complications of therapeutic ERCPs in our centre are comparable to those reported from other centres

Magnetic properties of microwave-plasma (thermal) chemical vapour deposited Co-filled (Fe-filled) multiwall carbon nanotubes: comparative study for magnetic device applications

'Co-filled' and 'Fe-filled' multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were grown using microwave-plasma chemical vapour deposition (MPCVD) and thermal chemical vapour deposition (TCVD) methods respectively, and their structural and magnetic properties were studied for magnetic device applications. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images show the average tube length approximate to 80-500 mu with outer (inner) diameter approximate to 20-50 (approximate to 10-20) nm for MWCNTs prepared by both methods. The diffraction peaks of both x-ray diffraction patterns show the interlayer distance, d(002) approximate to 3.36 , which is comparable to the graphite structure (d(002) = 3.35 ). The graphitic crystallite sizes (L-a) of MPCVD (TCVD) synthesized MWCNTs are approximate to 24.78 nm (approximate to 22.13 nm) as obtained from the intensity ratio of (I-D/I-G) D-peak, the disordered structure of graphite and G-peak, the C-C bond in graphitic structure of Raman spectra. The magnetization of 'Fe-filled' TCVD grown MWCNTs is much higher than 'Co-filled' MPCVD grown MWCNTs due to the formation of higher content of Fe-C and/or Fe-oxides in the MWCNT structures. The higher magnetic coercivity approximate to 2900 Oe and formation of isolated single-domain Fenanoparticles in 'Fe-filled' TCVD grown MWCNTs, as found from SEM / TEM micrographs, makes the ferromagnetic MWCNTs a promising material for the high-density magnetic recording media

Potential use of the Asteraceae family as a cure for diabetes: A review of ethnopharmacology to modern day drug and nutraceuticals developments

The diabetes-associated mortality rate is increasing annually, along with the severity of its accompanying disorders that impair human health. Worldwide, several medicinal plants are frequently urged for the management of diabetes. Reports are available on the use of medicinal plants by traditional healers for their blood-sugar-lowering effects, along with scientific evidence to support such claims. The Asteraceae family is one of the most diverse flowering plants, with about 1,690 genera and 32,000 species. Since ancient times, people have consumed various herbs of the Asteraceae family as food and employed them as medicine. Despite the wide variety of members within the family, most of them are rich in naturally occurring polysaccharides that possess potent prebiotic effects, which trigger their use as potential nutraceuticals. This review provides detailed information on the reported Asteraceae plants traditionally used as antidiabetic agents, with a major focus on the plants of this family that are known to exert antioxidant, hepatoprotective, vasodilation, and wound healing effects, which further action for the prevention of major diseases like cardiovascular disease (CVD), liver cirrhosis, and diabetes mellitus (DM). Moreover, this review highlights the potential of Asteraceae plants to counteract diabetic conditions when used as food and nutraceuticals. The information documented in this review article can serve as a pioneer for developing research initiatives directed at the exploration of Asteraceae and, at the forefront, the development of a botanical drug for the treatment of DM

In vitro regeneration of plantlets from nodal explants of Aristolochia saccata and Aristolochia cathcartii

In vitro propagation of Aristolochia saccata and A. cathcartii were carried out using nodal explant. In both the plants, nodal explants showed direct somatic embryogenesis when cultured on MS medium using various concentrations of BAP (1.0-4.0) and 2iP (1.0-4.0) separately or in combination with low concentration (0.5 and 1.0 mg l-1) of auxin (NAA). It was observed that BAP in combination with NAA was more effective for shoot induction than the hormones used separately. Among different combinations of NAA and BAP, 3.0 mg/l BAP + 1.0 mg/l NAA showed better response in case of A. saccata of about 96%, whereas, in A. cathcartii, the best response was achieved in 4.0 mg/l BAP + 0.5 mg/l NAA after 28 day of culture and 88.3% explants showed proliferation in this combination. The auxins NAA and IBA were used singly to induce rooting from in vitro raised shoot lets. A range of concentration was tested (0.1, 0.5, 0.8 and 1.0 mg/l) for rooting. In the present study 1/2 strength MS basal medium and the two different auxins (NAA and IBA) were tried, the maximum results on rooting were obtained on half strength with IBA (0.5 mg/l) then NAA. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.82574

Pertraction of copper(II) in the presence of cobalt(II), nickel(II), manganese(II) and iron(II) using supported liquid membrane

379-382Pertraction of Cu(II) in the presence of several bivalent cations such as Co(II), Ni(II), Mn(II) and Fe(II) using D2EHPA(di-2-ethyl hexyl phosphoric acid)-kerosene supported liquid membrane is reported. The standard parameters used for the study are [Cu(II)] in feed 7.869 mol m-3 [D2EHPA] in membrane phase 400 mol m-3, [H2SO4] in strip solution 1800 mol m-1, pH 4.5 and temperature 303 K. The rate constants k1; membrane diffusion coefficient , aqueous film diffusion coefficient kw have been estimated from different approximated limiting conditions. Membrane diffusion coefficient for copper-D2EHPA complex has been determined by dialysis experiment as 1.2 x 10-12  m2 s-1. Co(II), Ni(II) and Fe(II) copermeate along with Cu(II) to a small extent while Mn(II) copermeates significantly and it has been found that JMN is more than JCu Separation factors are calculated and reported

Interannual variability of precipitable water vapour—ENSO/LNSO signal

50-55Knowledge of the quantity of precipitable water vapour content (PWVC) in space and time over a region is of fundamental importance in hydro-meteorological studies. In the present investigation using the radiosonde data for a 17-year period from 1984 to 2000, the mean monthly precipitable water for Visakhapatnam (lat. 17°43'N, long. 83° 14'E) is evaluated for the layers surface to be 500 mbar. The inter-annual and intra-seasonal variation of precipitable water vapour and its relation to the mean monthly rainfall have been discussed. Seasonal cycles of precipitable water during ENSO (El Nino Southern Oscillation) and LNSO (La Nina Southern Oscillation) periods along with normal are reported. The paper also deals with cycling rates of moisture flux and percentage occurrence of rainfall from the corresponding amount of precipitable water vapour content