Physicochemical evaluation of common purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.) accessions through correlation and regression

It is important to look at the physicochemical qualities of Portulaca, a weed species used as a vegetable and a herb for medical and therapeutic purposes. India has a wide range of variations in this species' morphology and nutraceutical value. This study aimed to evaluate the physicochemical properties of various purslane accessions from different regions of Tamil Nadu. A total of 15 purslane accessions (PA 1, PA 2, PA 3, PA 4, PA 5, PA 6, PA 7, PA 8, PA 9, PA 10, PA 11, PA 12, PA 13, PA 14 and PA 15) were collected and evaluated. Physical traits like colour of the leaves and stems were quantified as hue angle and chroma value, which showed a degree of variation. Estimates suggested that phytochemical properties related the hue and chroma of leaf and stem to the pigments in plants. Among the accessions, PA 3 has recorded the highest phytochemical properties viz., leaf total chlorophyll content 1.43±0.16 mg g-1, leaf total carotenoid content 0.24±0.03 mg g-1, stem total chlorophyll content 0.49±0.05 mg g-1, stem total carotenoid content 0.12±0.01 mg g-1 and total anthocyanin content 19.25±1.54 µg g-1. The multiple regression model suggested that the values can predict the estimated values. The evaluation of physicochemical properties along with the regression model helps in the breeding programme to select the traits; phytochemical analysis proved the ample supply of chlorophylls, carotenoids and anthocyanins, so these wild species could be a cheap source to alleviate several diseases.     

Hazardous Processes and Their Risk Mitigation Techniques in Iron and Steel Industry Emission in CFB Boiler- A Review

Steel manufacturing industries are one of the major industries in the world where number of hazards are being involved in Daily work practices. While working in such steel industries safe operating/work procedures are too much significant as employees are exposed to various threats due to nature of job and work operations. For any industry labour is considered as a great asset which follows the work as trades. As per the New Occupational Safety and Health CODE – Hazardous Process is mentioned in two ways (i) consequence in toxic waste of universal atmosphere or (ii) reason material injury to health of a worker occupied [1]. The working environment in steel industry is too much noisy with excessive heat. In today’s world most of the steel industries are using new technologies where control systems are used in various steel manufacturing industries to control number of incidents and accidents and have precise control over steel composition addition which reflects the quality. As the safety is being considered paramount in today’s working environment, so regardless the hazardous process of various steel manufacturing industries achieving an accident free environment is achievable. Several Risk Assessment Techniques like Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (HIRA) Techniques/Job Safety Analysis are used to reduce the work place injuries i.e. Frequency rate, severity rate and incident rate statistically and statistics of several years has been studied on the various mentioned process and injuries resulting in ill-health is mitigated [2]

Report on a stranded sea cow, Dugong dugon in the Gulf of Mannar coast

On 31 March 2019, an adult dead female sea cow (Dugong dugon) measuring more than three meters of total length got stranded along the Gulf of Mannar coast at Gandhi Nagar, Mandapam, Ramanathapuram district, Tamil Nadu (09º 27' 6658'' N; 79º 15' 0459'' E). The morphometric details of the female whale that was weighing approximately 350 kg is given in Table 1. The specimen had relatively robust body with loss of almost one third of the ventral skin along with blubber from the thoracic and abdominal region of the body. There were significant cut wounds present on the dorsal as well as lateral sides of the body. The internal organs did not reveal any significant abnormalities for the cause of death. Based on the body condition and external injuries it can be concluded that the cause of death might be due to attempted hunting. Dugongs fall in schedule 1 of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act whose hunting is banned and poachers are liable for punishment

Fishers livelihood improvement through seaweed farming - A success story

The Mandapam Regional Centre of ICAR-CMFRI selected Puthukudi village, Thondi in Ramanathapuram district of Tamil Nadu for implementation of Scheduled Caste Sub- Plan (SCSP) a programme fully funded by Government of India. This village has 97 per cent of SC families in the total village population and majority of them are involved in fishing. Moreover, this village is located near to the sea shore and mariculture activities like cage farming, marine ornamental fish seed rearing and seaweed farming can be easily adopted by them

Exploring the genetic variability, heritability, gene action for yield related traits and ToLCNDV resistance on F3 and F4 generations in cucumber [Cucumis sativus L.]

Cucumber is traditionally cultivated in India and is recognized as a primary centre of origin, belonging to the gourd family, Cucurbitaceae. The study focused on assessing genetic variability in F3 and F4 cucumber populations and examining correlations among various characters including ToLCNDV resistance. In both F3 and F4 generations, per cent disease index, fruit weight and vine length exhibited high heritability and genetic advance as per cent of mean. In F4 generation, yield per plant, fruit girth, fruit length, number of branches and number of fruits per plant also showed high heritability and genetic advance as per cent of mean. Yield related traits viz., sex ratio, number of fruits per vine, yield per plant and vine length exhibited complementary gene action. Days to first harvest and crop duration demonstrated negatively skewed distribution suggesting duplicate gene action and rapid genetic gain under selection. Leptokurtic distribution in yield per plant and associated traits implied the involvement of few genes for genetic inheritance of the above traits. Significant positive associations were found between yield per plant and number of fruits per plant, fruit weight and number of branches per plant suggesting potential early selection for these characters to enhance overall yield

Characterization of Salivary Glutathione reductase in Normal Individuals and its Implications on Smokers

Abstract: The assay of saliva is an increasing area of research with implications for basic and clinical purposes. Although this biological fluid is easy to manipulate and collect, careful attention must be directed to limit variation in specimen integrity. In this study, glutathione reductase (GR) activity of saliva obtained from smokers and non smokers of both the sex of various age groups were assessed. The investigation of salivary GR from non smokers revealed a pH optimum of 6.8, temperature optimum as 37ºC and a low K m of 0.058 mM for the substrate (Oxidized glutathione, GSSG). A significant reduction in the salivary GR activity has been observed from smokers of both acute and chronic than the non smokers. A drastic decrease in the GR activity was noticed in chronic smokers than the acute smokers, proving the possibility of utilizing the enzyme as a diagnostic biomarker for detecting the oral, throat and neck cancers. This optimized developed protocol was also found to be simple and cost effective

Ophiorrhiza, a promising herbaceous source of the anticancer compound camptothecin

Camptothecin is an important source for the synthesis of some of the major anti-cancer agents such as irinotecan and topotecan. Traditional source of camptothecin are prominently woody plants such as Camptotheca acuminata Decne. and Nothopodytes nimmoniana (Graham) Mabb., and the increasing demand for camptothecin leads to the level of threatening their existence. Ophiorrhiza species composed of herbaceous plants with quick growth characteristics which are reported as alternative source of camptothecin. The present review focus on taxonomical status, traditional uses, biological activities and phytochemical constituents with a special attention in bioproduction of camptothecin from Ophiorrhiza species and its future prospects

Superficial preparation of biocompatible carbon quantum dots for antimicrobial applications

UGC-NFHE; GC-RGNF; New Delhi, India; Government of India

Prospects of Seaweed farming in India

Prospects of Seaweed farming in Indi

Stock enhancement of shrimp resources through sea ranching

Sea ranching is referred as method of stock enhancement. It involves mass release of juveniles of the selected species into the marine environment where, they can feed on natural prey and grows. The sea ranched stocks become recaptured and add biomass to the commercial fishery. Sea ranching was carried out mainly for stock improvement or enhancing the production or conservation of natural resources. The sea ranching programme was originated in USA as early as 1870’s and sea ranching of red and Pacific salmon was carried out since 1964. In Japan, Sea ranching was started during 1975, for Kuruma Shrimp, Penaeus japanicus and also for other 45 species to supplement the natural stock. In India, ICAR-CMFRI, Mandapam was carried out sea ranching of green tiger shrimp Penaeus semisulcatus seeds PL 15-20 size 7.0 lakhs numbers per annum in the Pillaimadam lagoons of Palk Bay during 1985-92