Evaluating the growth potential of Vigna radiata (green gram) using Albizia amara (AA) and Leucaena leucocephala (LL) as a phytoremediator for textile dye (Navy blue dye) simulated soil

 Soil pollution due to textile dye affects the soil fertility, is a cause for demand crop production in agriculture. The present investigation was to evaluate the growth level of Vigna radiata (green gram) before and after simulation of dye in soil. Germination, biometric evaluation (root length, leaf area, shoot length and plant height) and biochemical activity (Total protein, amino acids, DNA, total carbohydrate and amylase activity) were analyzed. All the process carried out with 1% concentration of dye to assess remediating capacity of plant biomass Albizia amara (AA) and Leucaena leucocephala (LL). Use of these adsorbents as phytoremediator could enhance the binding capacity of blue dye to a great extent shows the phytotoxicity of dye upto 1% in soil

Evaluation of anti-tumor activity of ethanolic extract of Glycyrrhiza glabra against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma in swiss albino mice

Background: Cancer is one of the most life threatening diseases which is in need of newer drug development. The use of plant products with potent antioxidant and cytotoxic activity is upcoming Studies reveal that herbal product have increased efficacy as well as decreased side effects, with this in mind the present study was undertaken to assess the antitumor activity of extracts of Glycyrrhiza glabra (GG) against ehrlich ascites carcinoma in swiss albino mice.Methods: The extracts of roots of GG was collected and acute toxicity study was done following which the antitumor effect of extracts of GG was assessed by change in the body weight, mean survival time (MST), and percentage increased life span (% ILS). MST of each group containing six mice was monitored by recording the mortality daily for 6 weeks and % ILS was calculated. The hematological parameters and biochemical assays were also measured.Results: Extracts of GG showed a significant reduction in % increase in tumor induced body weight of the mice. The % increase in life span was also significant in the higher dose of GG (500 mg/kg). The combination of GG with standard drug cisplatin had better efficacy in terms of % ILS, hematological and biochemical parameters. The results obtained were statistically significant.Conclusions: The antitumor activity studies measuring the viability of cancer cells when exposed to the ethanolic extract of Glycyrrhiza glabra showed a potent cell-killing effect, indicating the presence of anti-cancer principles in the preparation

Study of the oral hypoglycemic activity of Moringaoleifera leaves alone and in combination with Glibenclamide in streptozotocin induced diabetic albino rats

Background: Oringaoleifera is a widely used plant with high medicinal value, well known for its pharmacological actions and is used in various conditions. It has been reported to have many biological properties like anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antispasmodic, antitumour including antidiabetic activity.Methods: The study was carried out in Wistar albino rats with body weight 150-250gms. Diabetes was induced by injecting Streptozotocin intraperitoneally- dose 55 mg/kg BW. Animals were divided into 5 groups with 6 animals in each group. First group (Control) was given 2% gum acacia. Other 4 groups were induced diabetes by giving Streptozotocin. Diabetic control group received gum acacia (0.5 ml), Standard group received Glibenclamide (0.5mg/kg BW), Test group received Moringaoleifera extract (300mg/kg) and Test+ Standard group receiving combination of Moringaoleifera and glibenclamide at half the above doses. All drugs were given orally for 28 days and blood glucose levels analyzed using Glucometer on Day 0 before drug and on D1, D3, D7, D14, D21, and D28. Data were statistically analyzed by ANOVA and Tukey‘s Post Hoc test.Results: Hypoglycemia produced by Moringaoleifera extract was significant (p<0.001) when compared to diabetic control group from day 7 to day 28. The percent reduction of blood glucose level was 52.9% as compared to Glibenclamide group 61.3%. The combination group also showed significant hypoglycemic activity the percentage reduction being 56.44%.Conclusions: Thus, Moringaoleifera decreased blood glucose level efficaciously as compared to diabetic control group and similar to standard group at p<0.001

Resistance in groundnut to Sclerotium rolfsii‐caused stem and pod rot†

A total of 859 groundnut germplasm accessions and breeding lines was screened in field trials for resistance to stem and pod rot caused by S. [Corticium] rolfsii during the 1985-88 post-rainy seasons at the ICRISAT Asia Center, Patancheru, India. Lines that showed low susceptibility to stem and pod rot (<10%) were further evaluated at the Marathwada Agricultural University farm, Parbhani, India, during 1987-91 in the rainy and summer seasons. Of the 20 selected genotypes, 7 interspecific hybrid derivatives (326, 988, 1019, 1024, 1065, 1267 and 1364) consistently exhibited stable resistance to both stem and pod rot. Nine breeding lines (ICGV 86034, 86124, 86252, 86388, 86590, 86606, 86635, 87160 and 87359) showed low susceptibility to stem and/or pod rot. Effective screening for stem and pod rot resistance was possible in the post-rainy and summer seasons. Several lines with low susceptibility to C. rolfsii also possess resistance to rust (Puccinia arachidis) and moderate resistance/tolerance to late leaf spot (Phaeoisariopsis personata [Mycosphaerella berkeleyi]). Useful features of these lines are discusse

Field screening of groundnuts for resistance to seed infection by Aspergillus flavus

1107 genotypes d'arachide, au total, ont ete cribles pour l'infestation naturelle des graines par Aspergillus flavus dans des essais avec repetitions au champ au centre ICRISAT, a Patancheru, Inde, de 1984 a 1989. Par la suite, les plus interessants ont ete evalues pour leur resistance a l'infestation des graines au champ par A. flavus dans des essais de criblage plus pousses au centre ICRISAT et au Senegal pendant la saison des pluies et la saison seche de 1985 a 1990. Vingt-cinq genotypes se sont averes resistants a l'infestation des graines par A. flavus, dont 9 testes au Senegal ont egalement montre leur resistance dans des situations differentes. La resistance a l'infestation des graines au champ par A. flavus est restee stable dans toutes les situations. Une secheresse severe en fin de culture, surtout pendant la maturation des gousses, a joue un role important pour un bon criblage de la resistance. Certains genotypes sensibles a la colonisation in vitro des graines par A. flavus (Exotie 6, U4-7-5 et VRR 245) ont presente une resistance a l'infestation des graines au champ. Le rendement en gousse et la qualite commerciale de certains genotypes resistants au champ (55-437, J11, U4-7-5 et VRR 245) sont satisfaisants. L'interet d'une telle resistance est consider

Childhood Absence Epilepsy with Tonic-Clonic Seizures and Electroencephalogram 3–4-Hz Spike and Multispike–Slow Wave Complexes: Linkage to Chromosome 8q24

SummaryChildhood absence epilepsy (CAE), a common form of idiopathic generalized epilepsy, accounts for 5%–15% of childhood epilepsies. To map the chromosomal locus of persisting CAE, we studied the clinical and electroencephalographic traits of 78 members of a five-generation family from Bombay, India. The model-free affected–pedigree member method was used during initial screening with chromosome 6p, 8q, and 1p microsatellites, and only individuals with absence seizures and/or electroencephalogram 3–4-Hz spike– and multispike–slow wave complexes were considered to be affected. Significant P values of .00000–.02 for several markers on 8q were obtained. Two-point linkage analysis, assuming autosomal dominant inheritance with 50% penetrance, yielded a maximum LOD score (Zmax) of 3.6 for D8S502. No other locus in the genome achieved a significant Zmax. For five smaller multiplex families, summed Zmax was 2.4 for D8S537 and 1.7 for D8S1761. Haplotypes composed of the same 8q24 microsatellites segregated with affected members of the large family from India and with all five smaller families. Recombinations positioned the CAE gene in a 3.2-cM interval

Dirac electrons in graphene-based quantum wires and quantum dots

In this paper we analyse the electronic properties of Dirac electrons in finite-size ribbons and in circular and hexagonal quantum dots made of graphene.Comment: Contribution for J. Phys.: Cond. Mat. special issue on graphene physic

Utilisation of an operative difficulty grading scale for laparoscopic cholecystectomy

Background A reliable system for grading operative difficulty of laparoscopic cholecystectomy would standardise description of findings and reporting of outcomes. The aim of this study was to validate a difficulty grading system (Nassar scale), testing its applicability and consistency in two large prospective datasets. Methods Patient and disease-related variables and 30-day outcomes were identified in two prospective cholecystectomy databases: the multi-centre prospective cohort of 8820 patients from the recent CholeS Study and the single-surgeon series containing 4089 patients. Operative data and patient outcomes were correlated with Nassar operative difficultly scale, using Kendall’s tau for dichotomous variables, or Jonckheere–Terpstra tests for continuous variables. A ROC curve analysis was performed, to quantify the predictive accuracy of the scale for each outcome, with continuous outcomes dichotomised, prior to analysis. Results A higher operative difficulty grade was consistently associated with worse outcomes for the patients in both the reference and CholeS cohorts. The median length of stay increased from 0 to 4 days, and the 30-day complication rate from 7.6 to 24.4% as the difficulty grade increased from 1 to 4/5 (both p < 0.001). In the CholeS cohort, a higher difficulty grade was found to be most strongly associated with conversion to open and 30-day mortality (AUROC = 0.903, 0.822, respectively). On multivariable analysis, the Nassar operative difficultly scale was found to be a significant independent predictor of operative duration, conversion to open surgery, 30-day complications and 30-day reintervention (all p < 0.001). Conclusion We have shown that an operative difficulty scale can standardise the description of operative findings by multiple grades of surgeons to facilitate audit, training assessment and research. It provides a tool for reporting operative findings, disease severity and technical difficulty and can be utilised in future research to reliably compare outcomes according to case mix and intra-operative difficulty

Transgene Excision Has No Impact on In Vivo Integration of Human iPS Derived Neural Precursors

The derivation of induced human pluripotent stem cells (hiPS) has generated significant enthusiasm particularly for the prospects of cell-based therapy. But there are concerns about the suitability of iPS cells for in vivo applications due in part to the introduction of potentially oncogenic transcription factors via viral vectors. Recently developed lentiviral vectors allow the excision of viral reprogramming factors and the development of transgene-free iPS lines. However it is unclear if reprogramming strategy has an impact on the differentiation potential and the in vivo behavior of hiPS progeny. Here we subject viral factor-free, c-myc-free and conventionally reprogrammed four-factor human iPS lines to a further challenge, by analyzing their differentiation potential along the 3 neural lineages and over extended periods of time in vitro, as well as by interrogating their ability to respond to local environmental cues by grafting into the striatum. We demonstrate similar and efficient differentiation into neurons, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes among all hiPS and human ES line controls. Upon intracranial grafting in the normal rat (Sprague Dawley), precursors derived from all hiPS lines exhibited good survival and response to environmental cues by integrating into the subventricular zone, acquiring phenotypes typical of type A, B or C cells and migrating along the rostral migratory stream into the olfactory bulb. There was no teratoma or other tumor formation 12 weeks after grafting in any of the 26 animals used in the study. Thus neither factor excision nor persistence of c-myc impact the behavior of hiPS lines in vivo.United States. National Institutes of HealthNew York State Stem Cell ScienceNational Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (U.S.)Starr Foundation (Tri-Institutional Starr Stem Cell Scholars Fellowship