Crafts and gear used for marine fishing along the Andhra Pradesh coast

Until the middle of nineteen sixties fishing for marine finfishes and shellfishes along the Andhra Pradesh coast used to be carried out employing indigenous non-mechanised crafts. Subsequently trawlers and later mechanised vessels operating gillnets came into use which resulted in the increased fish production. Use of outboard engine on indigenous crafts for reaching fishing grounds is a recent feature of near the coast fishing. The different kinds of non-mechanised and mechanised crafts and gear employed in the region are dealt with in this article

Molecular docking analysis on 16 therapeutic ligands of Ocimum tenuiflorum L. (Tulasi) and their prospects in drug design for COVID-19

The PyRx software and Discovery studio were used in the present molecular docking studies of the 16 ligands of Ocimum tenuiflorum L., selected based on their high therapeutic potentials, viz., (E)-6-hydroxy-4,6-dimethylhept-3-en-2-one, Apigenin, Bieugenol, Cirsilineol, Cirsimaritin, β-Caryophyllene epoxide, Dehydrodieugenol B, Eugenol, Ferulaldehyde, Isothymonin, Isothymusin, Linalool, Luteolin, Ocimarin, Rosmarinic acid, and Thymol. Saquinavir was used as a positive control. The binding affinities of the 16 ligands to the main proteases of COVID-19 6LU7 and 6Y2E (critical for viral replication) and their ability to arrest the virus replication were recorded. The binding affinities of the ligands to 6LU7 and 6Y2E ranged from -4.3 and -4.7 kcal/mol (for (E)-6-hydroxy-4,6-dimethylhept-3-en-2-one) to -7.6 (for Rosmarinic acid to both target proteins). While the corresponding values for the control drug Saquinavir were -7.8 and -7.6 respectively. The Rosmarinic acid, in binding with both the proteases (-7.6 and -7.6 kcal/mol) showed six conventional hydrogen bonds, one carbon hydrogen bond (ASP 153 had one conventional hydrogen bond and one carbon hydrogen bond), one Pi-alkyl bond, one Pi-Pi stacked bond, eight van der waals bonds for 6LU7 protease; it formed three conventional hydrogen bonds, two Pi-alkyl bonds, one unfavourable donor – donor bond and 14 van der waals bonds with 6Y2E protease. The control drug – Saquinavir in binding with 6LU7 protease showed 12 van der waals, one alkyl, one Pi-alkyl, one Pi-cation, one Pi-stacked and four conventional hydrogen bonds, which indicates that it has less affinity when compared with Rosmarinic acid. Similarly, the control drug on binding with 6Y2E protease exhibited ten van der waals, four Pi-alkyl, one cation and three hydrogen bonds. The results are in conformity to similar other studies, and herald a promising scope for Rosmarinic acid as lead molecule in the drug discovery for COVID-19

In vitro evaluation of antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities of Naringi crenulata

Abstract This study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant activity of Naringi crenulata leaf extracts. Antioxidant potentials of the leaf extract in methanol were studied in in vitro. The methanolic extract of the leaves (LME) were subjected to assess their antioxidant potential activities using systems such as Ferric thiocyanate (FTC) and Thiobarbutric acid (TBA) test. Ferric thiocyanate (FTC) exhibit high resistance of lipid or lipid emulsions to oxidation in the presence of antioxidant being tested, were determined in the absorbance of red colour were measured at 500 nm. Thiobarbituric acid (TBA) has been used to screen the relative radical scavenging abilities of flavonoids and phenols present in the leaves of Naringi crenulata were .measured at 532 nm showing, the peroxides are decomposed at lower molecular weight. Results of the study suggest that the leaves of Naringi crenulata possess significant antioxidant activity. Owing to these properties, this plant has the potential as natural source of antioxidants, capable of protecting against free radical mediated damage and may have applications in preventing and curing various diseases

Antioxidant and anti-proliferative potential of Cardiospermum halicacabum stem extracts against human breast cancer (MCF-7) cells

Cancer is the most important health care problem worldwide. An estimated 10 million new cases worldwide are recorded annually, of which 46% are in developed countries. Breast cancer is one of the second most common malignant tumors in the world. All forms of cancer treatment, including surgical treatment, chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy are often poor and often toxic to the normal cell. Therefore, there is still an urgent need for new cancer treatment options. More research is now being done to determine which compounds occur naturally. The current study aims to extract Cardiospermum halicacabum L. for the prevention and treatment of cancer. A few methods may account for the perceived therapeutic effects, most importantly direct cytotoxicity. These herbal medicines when combined with regular antioxidant and anticancer drugs may be helpful in combining the antioxidant and anticancer effects and reducing the side effects associated with common drugs

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Not AvailableUntil the middle of nineteen sixties fishing for marine finfishes and shellfishes along the Andhra Pradesh coast used to be carried out employing indigenous non-mechanised crafts. Subsequently trawlers and later mechanised vessels operating gillnets came into use which resulted in the increased fish production. Use of outboard engine on indigenous crafts for reaching fishing grounds is a recent feature of near the coast fishing. The different kinds of non-mechanised and mechanised crafts and gear employed in the region are dealt with in this article.Not Availabl

The extant ethnomedicines of six different hills of Eastern Ghats, South India

The extant ethnomedicines of the Eastern Ghats of south India were inventoried. The ethnobotanical survey conducted during the months of June to August 2018 in the six different hills of Eastern Ghats divulged a total of 54 (76%) medicinal plants belonging to 34 families being currently used by the herbal practitioners. The comprehensive details on the vernacular name, binomial, family, and plant part(s) used, and type of drug preparation of the ethnomedicines used for the various disease(s) are tabulated. The plant family Fabaceae (with five ethnomedicines) followed by Euphorbiaceae and Solanaceae (four each) were the dominant contributor in the Eastern Ghats. Interestingly, the same families were found contributing in similar pattern (nine and four each) in the literature pertaining to the Eastern Ghats, indicating their heritage and significance. Further, the ethnobotanical survey revealed that the leaves (25%) and paste form (46%) are the predominant plant part and drug type used respectively in the hills. The analysis also revealed the prevalent use of single drug (70%) and their overall depletion (24%) underlining the urgency to conserve them

Pan genome of the phytoplankton Emiliania underpins its global distribution

Coccolithophores have influenced the global climate for over 200 million years1. These marine phytoplankton can account for 20 per cent of total carbon fixation in some systems2. They form blooms that can occupy hundreds of thousands of square kilometres and are distinguished by their elegantly sculpted calcium carbonate exoskeletons (coccoliths), rendering themvisible fromspace3.Although coccolithophores export carbon in the form of organic matter and calcite to the sea floor, they also release CO2 in the calcification process. Hence, they have a complex influence on the carbon cycle, driving either CO2 production or uptake, sequestration and export to the deep ocean4. Here we report the first haptophyte reference genome, from the coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi strain CCMP1516, and sequences from 13 additional isolates. Our analyses reveal a pan genome (core genes plus genes distributed variably between strains) probably supported by an atypical complement of repetitive sequence in the genome. Comparisons across strains demonstrate thatE. huxleyi, which has long been considered a single species, harbours extensive genome variability reflected in different metabolic repertoires. Genome variability within this species complex seems to underpin its capacity both to thrive in habitats ranging from the equator to the subarctic and to form large-scale episodic blooms under a wide variety of environmental conditions

Changes in structural attributes of plant communities along disturbance gradients in a dry deciduous forest of Western Ghats, India

Changes in tree and understory plant diversity and community composition in two sites at different disturbance levels were studied on the Anaikatty hills, Western Ghats. Systematic sampling using small scale permanent quadrates (50 x 20 m for trees, 5 x 5 m for shrubs/saplings, 1 x 1 m for herbs/seedlings) enumerated 3,376 individuals of trees (106 species), 8,599 of individuals shrubs (122 species) and 16,659 individuals of herbs (145 species). Among the two sites, species richness and diversity were highest for low disturbed stand (98 and 3.9, respectively) compared to high disturbed site (45 and 2.71, respectively). Result of cluster analysis showed that two distinct clusters were formed on the basis of disturbance of the area in concordance with our field observation. A total of 37 species were common to both sites, sixty one species exclusively found in low disturbed site and eight species were pertained to highly disturbed site. Mann-Whitney test based on Monte Carlo approximation at 95% confidence levels indicated that both populations were not entirely different. The clear difference was only observed for average basal area of trees, density of seedlings, number of species, density and diversity for shrubs and number of species and diversity for herb. The species composition were different in two stand i.e., Nothopegia racemosa-Albizia amara-Maba neilghrrensis in low disturbed stand and Albizia amara-Pleiospermium alatum-Bauhinia racemosa in high disturbed stand. The major disturbance factors identification using spearman rank correlation indicated that the disturbance in low disturbed habitats were mostly from past logging followed by cutting and illicit felling and grazing, while in high disturbed habitats, it was human presence, past logging and lopping and fuel wood collection