Wood Density and Fiber Length of Eucalyptus Grandis Grown in Kerala, India

Wood density and fiber length of Eucalyptus grandis were studied in trees of four age groups (3, 5, 7, and 9 years). The average basic density was 495 kg m-3 at 3 years and there was no significant increase from 3 to 9 years, whereas 5-year-old trees had a significantly lower value. Fiber length increased consistently with age and fibers of 3-year-old trees (mean 0.81 mm) were about 29% shorter than those of 9-year-old trees (1.15 mm). Density did not differ significantly between the locations, but fibers were longer in one location where trees had faster growth. Density declined from stump level to 25% of tree height and then gradually increased towards the top in a curvilinear manner, whereas fiber length commonly showed the reverse trend. In 5-, 7- and 9-year-old trees, average tree density could be predicted with reasonable accuracy using breast height density, but stump level density was a better predictor of average tree density in 3-year-old trees

Effect of uranium on third phase formation in the Pu(IV)-HNO<SUB>3</SUB>-TBP-dodecane system

Third phase formation is an important phenomenon which must be taken into account while designing flowsheets for fast reactor fuel reprocessing, since this phenomenon limits the plutonium loadings in the Tri-n-Butyl Phosphate (TBP) phase. In an earlier paper, the limiting organic concentration (LOC) of Pu(IV) above which third phase formation occurs was reported for the Pu(IV)-HNO3-TBP system. In the present work, the effect of uranium on third phase formation in the Pu(IV)-HNO3-30 % TBP-n-dodecane system was studied in detail at different acidities at 303 K. The LOC decreased with organic loading of uranium at all acidities studied

The effect of diluent on third phase formation in thorium nitrate - TBP system: some novel empirical correlations

The limiting organic phase concentration (LOC) above which a third phase forms, in Thorium Nitrate - 30% TBP/Diluent system has been shown to have a good correlation with some parameters which characterise the diluent such as Connectivity Index, Wiener Number and Diluent Parameter. Aliphatic, alicyclic, aromatic and halocarbon type diluents have been used in this study. The LOC has also been found to be additive for mixtures of diluents. The results make it possible to predict third phase formation in systems where the diluent composition is known

Cytotoxic effects of oosporein isolated from endophytic fungus cochliobolus kusanoi

In the present study, oosporein, a fungal toxic secondary metabolite known to be a toxic agent causing chronic disorders in animals, was isolated from fungus Cochliobolus kusanoi of Nerium oleander L. Toxic effects of oosporein and the possible mechanisms of cytotoxicity as well as the role of oxidative stress in cytotoxicity to Madin-Darby canine kidney kidney cells and RAW 264.7 splene cells were evaluated in vitro. Also to know the possible in vivo toxic effects of oosporein on kidney and spleen, Balb/C mouse were treated with different concentrations of oosporein ranging from 20 to 200 mu M). After 24 h of exposure histopathological observations were made to know the effects of oosporein on target organs. Oosporein induced elevated levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and high levels of malondialdehyde, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, induced glutathione hydroxylase (GSH) production was observed in a dose depended manner. Effects oosporein on chromosomal DNA damage was assessed by Comet assay, and increase in DNA damage were observed in both the studied cell lines by increasing the oosporein concentration. Further, oosporein treatment to studied cell lines indicated significant suppression of oxidative stress related gene (Superoxide dismutasel and Catalase) expression, and increased levels of mRNA expression in apoptosis or oxidative stress inducing genes HSP70, Caspase3, Caspase6, and Caspase9 as measured by quantitative real time-PCR assay. Histopathological examination of oosporein treated mouse kidney and splenocytes further revealed that, oosporein treated target mouse tissues were significantly damaged with that of untreated sam control mice and these effects were in directly proportional to the the toxin dose. Results of the present study reveals that, ROS is the principle event prompting increased oosporein toxicity in studied in vivio and in vitro animal models. The high previlance of these fungi in temperate climates further warrants the need of safe food grain storage and processing practices to control the toxic effects of oosporein to humans and live stock