Developmental Studies on Metallised UDMH and Kerosene Gels

The influence of particulate and hydrocolloid gellants and different surfactants on gellation of metallised stable gels of unsymmetrical dimethyl hydrazine (UDMH) and kerosene containing 30 per cent 15 micron Aluminium was studied. Metallised UDMH and kerosene gels were characterised with respect to pseudoplasticity, thixotropy, consistency and yield stress using Contrave's rheometer. The effect of shear rate and temperature on the viscosity of these gels was determined. Thermal stability, hypergolicity tests and flow rate studies were also conducted. Metallised UDMH and kerosene gels are found to be stable, thixotropic and pseudoplastic and easily flowing like a liquid under shear force

लक्षद्वीप के चुने गए द्वीपों में समुद्री शैवालों की विविधता

समुद्री शैवाल माक्रोस्कोपिक, बहुकोशिकीय स्‍थूल शैवाल को संदर्भित करता है। समुद्र, मुहानों और पश् चजलों के उथले पानी में इन् हें पाया जाता है। भारतीय समुद्र से पाए जाने वाले अधिकांश समुद्री वाल मुख् यत: चार ग्रुपों में विभाजित कि या जाता है, जो कि क्‍लोरोफाइसिए, फियोफाइसिए, रोडोफाइसिए और सयनो फाइसिए। एगार, एगरोस, कैरागीनन और एल्जिनेट जैसे फाटो केमि कल्स के उत्‍पा दन के लिए समुद्री शैवालों का उपयोग किया जाता है

ജെല്ലി സേഫ് കിറ്റ് : കടൽച്ചൊറി ദംശനത്തിന് പ്രഥമ ശുശ്രൂഷ

ജെല്ലി സേഫ് കിറ്റ് : കടൽച്ചൊറി ദംശനത്തിന് പ്രഥമ ശുശ്രൂ

Zooplankton abundance in Amini and Kadmat islands of Lakshadweep

Studies on zooplankters collected from the lagoons of Amini and Kadmat islands of Lakshadweep Archipelago were carried out based on a survey conducted during January - February, 2014. The displacement volume ofzooplankton in Amini and Kadmat were 58.35 and 15ml per 100 m3 respectively. The density was also higher in Amini than in Kadmat which is estimated as 64480 and 47726 numbers per 100 m3 respectively. A total of twentyone groups of zooplankters viz., copepods,ostracods, chaetognaths, Lucifer sp., medusae, doliolids,mysids, tintinnids, euphausiids, appendicularians,siphonophores, cladocera, amphipods, isopods,polychaete larvae, prawn larvae, crab larvae, squilla larvae, molluscan larvae, fish eggs and fish larvae were recorded from these two ecosystems. Groupwise studies indicated the dominance of copepods in Amini forming 40% while in Kadmat, the maximum was contributed by crab larvae (50%). The dominance of crab larvae in Kadmat was due to a swarm of zoea stage of crab at station 2 in the western side of the island.Among the copepods, calanoid copepods contributed the maximum with 71% in Amini and 81% in Kadmat.Followed by the dominance of copepods in Amini,ostracods (33%) and crab larvae (14%) formed major components. In Kadmat, copepods formed the second dominant group which contributed 20% followed by prawn larvae (11%), ostracods (6%) and the share by other groups were less than 5%. Comparative studies on the occurrence of different groups of zooplankters in these two island ecosystems showed that copepods and ostracods were very much higher in Amini than in Kadmat while, crab larvae contributed more in Kadmat which was due to the swarming of zoea stage of crab. Both qualitative and quantitative abundance of zooplankters in these two ecosystems are presentedand discussed

Preparation of β-Cyclodextrin Conjugated, Gelatin Stabilized SBA 15-CuInS2/ZnS Quantum Dot Nanocomposites for Camptothecin Release

Camptothecin (CPT) is a potential anticancer drug. However, it faces challenges due to its poor water solubility and the need for an efficient drug release system. Herein, we developed a novel system composed of gelatin stabilized, mesoporous silica SBA15 encapsulated CuInS2/ ZnS (CIS/ZnS) quantum dots (QDs) conjugated with β-cyclodextrin (β-CDs) for its potential use in the release of CPT. In this multifunctional system, β-CDs served as the drug carrier, SBA15 encapsulated QDs is capable of imaging and the gelatin was used to enhance the carrier-drug interaction. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis confirmed the successful conjugation of β-CDs to the Gel-SBA15 CIS/ZnS QDs, while optical analyses revealed excellent emission properties and high photostability. The β-CD-conjugated Gel-SBA15-CIS/ZnS QD nanocomposite was used to obtain the soluble derivate of CPT which further demonstrated a drug release profile following the triphasic model. Overall, the improved photostability and acceptable drug release profile of the β-CD conjugated Gel-SBA15-CIS/ZnS QD nanocomposite hold great promise for both imaging and therapeutic applications

The Prehistoric Indian Ayurvedic Rice Shashtika Is an Extant Early Domesticate With a Distinct Selection History

Fully domesticated rice is considered to have emerged in India at approximately 2000 B.C., although its origin in India remains a contentious issue. The fast-growing 60-days rice strain described in the Vedic literature (1900–500 B.C.) and termed Shashtika (Sanskrit) or Njavara (Dravidian etymology) in Ayurveda texts including the seminal texts Charaka Samhita and Sushruta Samhita (circa 660–1000 B.C.) is a reliable extant strain among the numerous strains described in the Ayurveda literature. We here report the results of the phylogenetic analysis of Njavara accessions in relation to the cultivars belonging to the known ancestral sub-groups indica, japonica, aromatic, and aus in rice gene pool and the populations of the progenitor species Oryza rufipogon using genetic and gene genealogical methods. Based on neutral microsatellite markers, Njavara produced a major clade, which comprised of minor clades corresponding to the genotypic classes reported in Njavara germplasm, and was distinct from that were produced by the ancestral sub-groups. Further we performed a phylogenetic analysis using the combined sequence of 19 unlinked EST-based sequence tagged site (STS) loci with proven potential in inferring rice phylogeny. In the phylogenetic tree also the Njavara genotypic classes were clearly separated from the ancestral sub-groups. For most loci the genealogical analysis produced a high frequency central haplotype shared among most of the rice samples analyzed in the study including Njavara and a set of O. rufipogon accessions. The haplotypes sharing pattern with the progenitor O. rufipogon suggests a Central India–Southeast Asia origin for Njavara. Results signify that Njavara is genetically distinct in relation to the known ancestral sub-groups in rice. Further, from the phylogenetic features together with the reported morphological characteristics, it is likely that Njavara is an extant early domesticate in Indian rice gene pool, preserved in pure form over millennia by the traditional prudence in on-farm selection using 60-days maturity, because of its medicinal applications

Hard Coral Diversity of Kalpeni Islands, Lakshadweep

Hard Coral Diversity of Kalpeni Islands, Lakshadwee

Sponge fauna of the Lakshadweep Islands of Indian Ocean

The present study deals with four new records of sponges found at Lakshadweep area and a checklist of sponges reported off. The new records are Agelas oroides, Callyspongia (Cladochalina) aculeata, Raspailia (Clathriodendron) arbuscula and Stylissa massa. Details about the species diversity of common sponges, massive sponges, boring sponges of the area are discussed and presented

Impact of safety-related dose reductions or discontinuations on sustained virologic response in HCV-infected patients: Results from the GUARD-C Cohort

BACKGROUND: Despite the introduction of direct-acting antiviral agents for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, peginterferon alfa/ribavirin remains relevant in many resource-constrained settings. The non-randomized GUARD-C cohort investigated baseline predictors of safety-related dose reductions or discontinuations (sr-RD) and their impact on sustained virologic response (SVR) in patients receiving peginterferon alfa/ribavirin in routine practice. METHODS: A total of 3181 HCV-mono-infected treatment-naive patients were assigned to 24 or 48 weeks of peginterferon alfa/ribavirin by their physician. Patients were categorized by time-to-first sr-RD (Week 4/12). Detailed analyses of the impact of sr-RD on SVR24 (HCV RNA <50 IU/mL) were conducted in 951 Caucasian, noncirrhotic genotype (G)1 patients assigned to peginterferon alfa-2a/ribavirin for 48 weeks. The probability of SVR24 was identified by a baseline scoring system (range: 0-9 points) on which scores of 5 to 9 and <5 represent high and low probability of SVR24, respectively. RESULTS: SVR24 rates were 46.1% (754/1634), 77.1% (279/362), 68.0% (514/756), and 51.3% (203/396), respectively, in G1, 2, 3, and 4 patients. Overall, 16.9% and 21.8% patients experienced 651 sr-RD for peginterferon alfa and ribavirin, respectively. Among Caucasian noncirrhotic G1 patients: female sex, lower body mass index, pre-existing cardiovascular/pulmonary disease, and low hematological indices were prognostic factors of sr-RD; SVR24 was lower in patients with 651 vs. no sr-RD by Week 4 (37.9% vs. 54.4%; P = 0.0046) and Week 12 (41.7% vs. 55.3%; P = 0.0016); sr-RD by Week 4/12 significantly reduced SVR24 in patients with scores <5 but not 655. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, sr-RD to peginterferon alfa-2a/ribavirin significantly impacts on SVR24 rates in treatment-naive G1 noncirrhotic Caucasian patients. Baseline characteristics can help select patients with a high probability of SVR24 and a low probability of sr-RD with peginterferon alfa-2a/ribavirin