Structure and Physical Properties of 59B2O3–10Na2O–(30 − x)CdO–xZnO–1CuO (0 ≤ x ≤ 30) Glass System

A series of stable and transparent glasses with the composition 59B2O3–10Na2O–(30 − x)CdO–xZnO–1CuO (0 ≤ x ≤ 30) (where x = 0, 7.5, 15, 22.5, and 30 mol%) were prepared by conventional melt-quenching technique. These glasses were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopes, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), optical absorption, and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). XRD and DSC analysis confirmed the glassy nature of the prepared samples. The physical properties such as density (ρ), molar volume (Vm), oxygen packing density (OPD), and the molar volume of oxygen (Vo) were calculated and discussed. FTIR and Raman studies showed that the glass network consists of BO3 and BO4 units in various borate groups. From DSC, it was found that the glass transition temperature (Tg) varies nonlinearly with the addition of ZnO content in place of CdO. Both EPR and optical absorption results have confirmed that the Cu2+ ions are in octahedral coordination with a strong tetrahedral distortion. The changes in various spectroscopic properties of Cu2+ ions in the glasses such as spin-Hamiltonian parameters ( ) and bonding coefficients (α2, β12, and β2) were understood with the help of FTIR and Raman studies

A study of the cardio-depressant actions of harman alkaloids isolated from the seeds of Peganum harmala

Introduction: The plant Peganum harmala is a shrub native to the arid parts of the world including India. It’s therapeutic value is attributed to the presence of alkaloids harmala and harmine in the dried ripe seeds. In traditional medicine these seeds are considered to have anti-spasmodic, hypnotic, anodyne, emetic, emmenogogue, stimulant, aphrodisiac, lactogogue and antihelminthic actions. Objectives: The present study was undertaken to find out the effects of the active principle extracted from the seeds of Peganum harmala on isolated cardiac muscle and skeletal muscle preparations and the probable mechanism of action Materials & Methods: The harman alkaloid isolated from Peganum harmala seeds was used for experiments on isolated preparations of frog heart and frog rectus abdominis muscles and the responses were recorded on a rotating smoked drum on a kymograph. Results: The Harman alkaloids were shown to inhibit the normal contractions and also the inotropic actions of Adrenaline, 5HT and calcium on isolated frog heart. These have not shown any effect on the frog rectus abdominus muscle either on their own or on the contractions induced by Acetylcholine. Conclusion: Harman alkaloids have cardio-depressant activity, it is unlikely that these alkaloids have a specific receptor antagonistic activity. Also these have found to inhibit the cardiac muscle contractions but not the skeletal muscle contractions. The cardio-depressant action may be due to calcium channel blockad

A study of the smooth muscle relaxant actions of harman alkaloids isolated from the seeds of peganum harmala

Introduction: The plant Peganum harmala is a shrub native to the arid parts of the world including India. It’s therapeutic value is attributed to the presence of alkaloids harmala and harmine in the dried ripe seeds. In traditional medicine these seeds are considered to have anti-spasmodic, hypnotic, anodyne, emetic, emmenogogue, stimulant, aphrodisiac, lactogogue and antihelminthic actions. Objectives: The present study was undertaken to find out the effects of the active principle extracted from the seeds of Peganum harmala on isolated smooth muscle and skeletal muscle preparations and the probable mechanism of action Materials & Methods: The harman alkaloid isolated from Peganum harmala seeds was used for experiments on isolated preparations of rat uterus, guinea pig ileum, rabbit jejunum and frog rectus abdominis muscles and the responses were recorded on a rotating smoked drum on a kymograph. Results: The active principle in Peganum harmala seeds was shown to inhibit spontaneous movements of isolated rat uterus, guinea pig ileum and rabbit jejunum. Also shown to inhibit contractions of oestranised rat uterus induced by oxytocin, contractions of guinea pig ileum induced by histamine and acetyl choline. Have not shown any effect on contractions of frog rectus abdominus muscle. Conclusion: Harman alkaloids have anti-spasmodic, tocolytic, anti-cholinergic and anti-histaminic activities, it is unlikely that these alkaloids have a specific receptor antagonistic activity. Also these have found to inhibit the smooth muscle contractions but not the skeletal muscle contractions. The smooth muscle relaxant action may be due to calcium channel blockad

E- Farming: an Innovative Approach for an Indian Farmer

In most of krishi pradhan countries peoples are having insufficient knowledge about revolution of ICT in agricultural quarter. Agriculture plays an important role in Gross Domestic Product (GDP). In previous system farmers get mandi rates, crop information through internet. But they can't get the desired information related to farming. In proposed system interaction between ICT and farmers made through icons. In this system, there will be web panel for government notification also weather forecasting panel and one loan panel which views complete loan description

Progress in gene editing tools, implications and success in plants: a review

Genetic modifications are made through diverse mutagenesis techniques for crop improvement programs. Among these mutagenesis tools, the traditional methods involve chemical and radiation-induced mutagenesis, resulting in off-target and unintended mutations in the genome. However, recent advances have introduced site-directed nucleases (SDNs) for gene editing, significantly reducing off-target changes in the genome compared to induced mutagenesis and naturally occurring mutations in breeding populations. SDNs have revolutionized genetic engineering, enabling precise gene editing in recent decades. One widely used method, homology-directed repair (HDR), has been effective for accurate base substitution and gene alterations in some plant species. However, its application has been limited due to the inefficiency of HDR in plant cells and the prevalence of the error-prone repair pathway known as non-homologous end joining (NHEJ). The discovery of CRISPR-Cas has been a game-changer in this field. This system induces mutations by creating double-strand breaks (DSBs) in the genome and repairing them through associated repair pathways like NHEJ. As a result, the CRISPR-Cas system has been extensively used to transform plants for gene function analysis and to enhance desirable traits. Researchers have made significant progress in genetic engineering in recent years, particularly in understanding the CRISPR-Cas mechanism. This has led to various CRISPR-Cas variants, including CRISPR-Cas13, CRISPR interference, CRISPR activation, base editors, primes editors, and CRASPASE, a new CRISPR-Cas system for genetic engineering that cleaves proteins. Moreover, gene editing technologies like the prime editor and base editor approaches offer excellent opportunities for plant genome engineering. These cutting-edge tools have opened up new avenues for rapidly manipulating plant genomes. This review article provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of plant genetic engineering, focusing on recently developed tools for gene alteration and their potential applications in plant research

Table_1_Revisiting the role of cyanobacteria-derived metabolites as antimicrobial agent: A 21st century perspective.DOCX

Cyanobacterial species are ancient photodiazotrophs prevalent in freshwater bodies and a natural reservoir of many metabolites (low to high molecular weight) such as non-ribosomal peptides, polyketides, ribosomal peptides, alkaloids, cyanotoxins, and isoprenoids with a well-established bioactivity potential. These metabolites enable cyanobacterial survival in extreme environments such as high salinity, heavy metals, cold, UV-B, etc. Recently, these metabolites are gaining the attention of researchers across the globe because of their tremendous applications as antimicrobial agents. Many reports claim the antimicrobial nature of these metabolites; unfortunately, the mode of action of such metabolites is not well understood and/or known limited. Henceforth, this review focuses on the properties and potential application, also critically highlighting the possible mechanism of action of these metabolites to offer further translational research. The review also aims to provide a comprehensive insight into current gaps in research on cyanobacterial biology as antimicrobials and hopes to shed light on the importance of continuing research on cyanobacteria metabolites in the search for novel antimicrobials.</p