Management of Eulophid Seed Borer, Anselmella kerrichi (Narayanan et al.) (Hymenoptera : Chalcidoidea : Eulophidae) on Jamun

A field experiment was conducted at ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru during 2019 to evaluate certain insecticides and botanicals against jamun seed borer, Anselmella keriichi (Naryananet al.). The results revealed that the seed borer infestation was significantly low in –λ cyhalothrin (4.20%) and cypermethrin (5.77%) treatments followed by spinosad (6.36%), deltamethrin (6.40%) and imidacloprid (6.71%) (F=7.9; df=11; P<0.0001). Among the organic insecticides viz., spinosad @ 0.2 mL/L showed significant reduction in jamun seed borer infestation

An impact of age, birth order and qualification on women in sports participation levels in Tamilnadu and Pondicherry

The position, a child had by the order of birth significantly affected the child’s growth and personality.  Research in the late twentieth century and early twenty-first century shows even greater influence, contributing to intelligence, career choice, and to a certain degree, success in adulthood. Until the independence of India, The present research is to examine whether the age, order of birth and qualification of women have any impact on women's participation in sports among Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry at different levels. Sixty women players were randomly selected from 4 Colleges of two different states. First half from Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu state and second half from Karaikal, Pondicherry state. The selected subjects were with a brief questionnaire, to find out their level of sports participation, age, order of birth and qualification. Data obtained were subjected to find out statistical significance among the means using 3 (levels - district, state and national participations) x 2 (states -Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry) Factorial analysis. The results proved that there were significant differences in age and qualifications of the different level of women players. There was no significant difference among the states, Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry in age, order of birth and qualifications of the women players. It was concluded that age and qualification play vital role in the participation level of women players

An evaluvation of the self-esteem of women sports participant in various games

The present study was conducted in Tamil Nadu state, India with the objective of studying self-esteem of women sports participant in different games.  Exploratory research design was adopted for the study.  The total sample comprised of 90 playing women in which 30 were Kho - Kho / Kabaddi players, 30 were Badminton / Ball Badminton / Volley Ball players and 30 were Squash Rackets / Table Tennis / Fencing / Tennis players.  Self esteem scale developed by Verma and Kapadia was used to collect the data.  The investigators personally met the respondents by going to their place and administered the tests and collected the data.  Among all the three categories of women sports participants, the Squash Rackets / Table Tennis / Fencing / Tennis were having high level of self esteem followed by Badminton / Ball Badminton and Kho - Kho / Kabaddi players.  Collectively as one group, most of them were having high and medium level of self esteem reflecting that sports performance of women promotes esteem of women.  Through correlation it was found that education and playing experience were significantly and positively related to self esteem of women sports participants.  Hence women with higher education and higher playing experience had higher self esteem

Tip Withering Bug, Anoplocnemis phasiana (Fab.), Halts Grape Shoots: Friend or Foe, Arrival Time Explains

Pruning is a regular practice followed in grapevine, Vitis vinefera L., to keep the vine manageable and productive. However, immediately after pruning, the plants put out a new flush of leaves which attract several leaf-feeding insects, leading to defoliation and crinkling. Incidence of tip withering bug, Anoplocnemis phasiana (Fab.), usually coinciding with the period of halting practice, results in die-back of shoot tip and prevents extension of the shoot, thus halting shoot growth. Intricacies involved in incidence of this coreid bug on grapevine are discussed here

Cloning and expression of human immunoglobulin G4 (hIgG4) hinge region cDNA from blood sample

Human immunoglobulin G4 (hIgG4) is increasingly being used for the detection of various infectious diseases and in allergy-related immunoassays, thus, anti-hIgG4 antibody is of interest in the development of diagnostic tests. The present study was conducted to produce a recombinant peptide antigen that can be used to generate monoclonal antibodies specific to hIgG4. The cDNA coding for the hinge region of hIgG4 was derived from mRNA from a human blood sample using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The cDNA was verified by sequencing and cloned into pQE-2 expression vector to construct pQE-2-IgG4. The latter was transformed Escherichia coli M15 cells, recombinant protein expression induced by IPTG and the expression was confirmed by SDS-PAGE and western blot analysis.Key words: Human IgG4, hinge region, cDNA, peptide, expression

BIOSYNTHESIS OF TITANIUM DIOXIDE NANOPARTICLES USING VIGNA RADIATA

ABSTRACTObjectives: Nanotechnology holds an important area in recent research due of its immense use in the different field of sciences. The small size, largesurface area, orientation, and physical properties make them appropriate to be used in medical sciences, physics, and chemistry. Physical and chemicalprocesses of synthesizing nanoparticles are continued for ages. The biological approaches to preparing nanoparticles have drawn the attention ofresearchers due to eco-friendly nature, low cost, and easier steps for synthesis. To synthesize titanium nanoparticles, Vigna radiata legumes werepowdered and used, and the effectiveness of biologically synthesized titanium nanoparticles against clinical pathogens and anticancer activity werechecked.Methods: Green synthesis of titanium dioxide nanoparticles is carried out in simple steps. The extract of V. radiata legumes was used for the biologicalsynthesis of the titanium dioxide nanoparticles which was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy.Antibacterial activity of the titanium dioxide nanoparticles was checked against nine clinical pathogens. 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrateassay was performed to determine the antioxidant activity of the nanoparticles. Cytotoxic activity against osteosarcoma cell lines was performed by3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay.Results: Oval shaped titanium nanoparticles were biologically synthesized. The particles showed effectiveness against both Gram-positive and Gramnegativebacteria.The particlesexhibitedantioxidantnature.Cytotoxicityassayrevealedthe nanoparticles werecapable ofinhibitingproliferationofosteosarcomacell lines.Conclusions: V. radiata has been confirmed to be a good source for biosynthesis of titanium nanoparticles. The cytotoxicity effect of the nanoparticleshints that it can be further used for treatment and medicine purposes.Keywords: Green synthesis, Titanium dioxide, Vigna radiata, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Scanning electron microscopy, 2,2-diphenyl-1picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate,3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazoliumbromide

A comparative study of probiotic, prokinetic based triple therapy with USFDA regimen in the eradication of Helicobacter pylori in a tertiary care hospital

Background: Helicobacter pylori infection has been associated with peptic ulcer disease, gastric carcinoma and gastric mucosa associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma. Its eradication is important and current regimens are associated with antibiotic resistance, side effects and poor patient compliance. Probiotics supplementation can overcome the above problem and additions of prokinetics improve dyspepsia symptoms and thereby improve patient compliance. So the aim of the study was to compare efficacy and safety of standard United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) regimen with probiotic, prokinetic based novel regimen.Methods: 100 patients diagnosed with H. pylori infection were randomly assigned into two eradication regimen groups viz., group A and group B. Group A received standard USFDA regimen, amoxicillin 1 gm, lansoprazole 30 mg and clarithromycin 500 mg twice a day for 2 weeks and group B received a probiotic and prokinetic itopride 50 mg thrice daily, pantoprazole 40 mg, amoxicillin 1 gm and clarithromycin 500 mg twice daily for 2 weeks. Patients with Rapid Urease Test (RUT) and histopathology reports negative for H. pylori were considered as eradicated and then the percentage of eradication rate in both groups was compared.Results: H. pylori eradication rates were more in group B compared to group A (84% vs 70%, p =0.096 at 95% CI). The occurrence of side effects was less in group B compared to group A (30% vs 46%, p= 0.099). Diarrhoea was statistically less in group B compared to group A (p< 0.05).Conclusions: Probiotics supplementation increases eradication rates of anti H. pylori therapy and improves tolerability by reducing side effects especially diarrhoea. Prokinetics and probiotic based novel regimen improved dyspepsia symptoms and patient compliance

Collagen Content in Skin and Internal Organs of the Tight Skin Mouse: An Animal Model of Scleroderma.

The Tight Skin mouse is a genetically induced animal model of tissue fibrosis caused by a large in-frame mutation in the gene encoding fibrillin-1 (Fbn-1). We examined the influence of gender on the collagen content of tissues in C57BL/6J wild type (+/+) and mutant Tight Skin (Tsk/+) mice employing hydroxyproline assays. Tissue sections were stained with Masson\u27s trichrome to identify collagen in situ. Adult Tsk/+ mice skin contains ~15% more collagen, on average, than skin from +/+ mice of the same gender. The heart of Tsk/+ males had significantly more collagen than that of +/+ males. No significant gender differences were found in lungs and kidney collagen content. Overall, the collagen content of Tsk/+ males and +/+ males was higher than that of their Tsk/+ and +/+ female counterparts, respectively. Our data confirm increased deposition of collagen in skin and hearts of Tsk/+ mice; however, the effects of the Tsk mutation on collagen content are both tissue specific and gender specific. These results indicate that comparative studies of collagen content between normal and Tsk/+ mice skin and internal organs must take into account gender differences caused by expression of the androgen receptor

A tandem duplication within the fibrillin 1 gene is associated with the mouse tight skin mutation.

Mice carrying the Tight skin (Tsk) mutation have thickened skin and visceral fibrosis resulting from an accumulation of extracellular matrix molecules. These and other connective tissue abnormalities have made Tskl + mice models for scleroderma, hereditary emphysema, and myocardial hypertrophy. Previously we localized Tsk to mouse chromosome 2 in a region syntenic with human chromosome 15. The microfibrillar glycoprotein gene, fibrillin 1 (FBN1), on human chromosome 15q, provided a candidate for the Tsk mutation. We now demonstrate that the Tsk chromosome harbors a 30- to 40-kb genomic duplication within the Fbn1 gene that results in a larger than normal in-frame Fbn1 transcript. These findings provide hypotheses to explain some of the phenotypic characteristics of Tskl + mice and the lethality of Tsk/Tsk embryos