Bioremediation of Nitro-aromatics: An Overview

Since last two three decades due to industrialization, globalization there is tremendous change in human life that means to fulfil the need various industries are flourishing. We are facing the problem of environmental pollution and also facing hazards to biodiversity. So it becomes our duties to remediate the environment by using scientific tool like bioremediation. This is emerging as an effective innovative technology for treatment of a wide variety of contaminants. Bioremediation involves various approaches like phytoremediation (plants) and rhizoremediation (plant and microbe interaction). Bioremediation is most effective technology for treatment of soil and water which are mostly contaminated by human activities. It is an economical process that means operation cost is less. In current review contamination of water and soil by nitro-aromatic compounds and the role of bacteria and fungi and their enzyme activity to enhance bioremediation process is studied by literature review. Nitro-aromatic compounds are used worldwide as explosives, pesticides and as a feedstock for the manufacture of many products, including dyes, pharmaceuticals, fungicides and plastics. On the contrary, nitro-aromatic compounds are released into the biosphere exclusively from the anthropogenic sources. Nitro-aromatic compounds do not only come from manmade sources; they also are formed by some natural processes, such as photochemical reactions in the atmosphere. Extensive production and indiscriminate application of nitro-aromatic has led to environmental pollution. Hence, nitro-aromatic compounds are recognized as Hazardous Rating-3

Sensitivity of the tropical nonlinear stationary Kelvin and Rossby waves to the vertical structure of heating

Idealized experiments using linear (LM) and nonlinear (NM) multilevel global spectral models have been carried out to investigate and understand the impact of nonlinearities on the stationary wave response in the tropical atmosphere and its sensitivity to the vertical profile of heating. It is found that nonlinearities exert a dominant influence on the low-latitude stationary Kelvin and Rossby waves particularly in the vicinity of the forcing region. Our study shows that nonlinear effects on the upper tropospheric response produce prominent eastward displacement of the anticyclonic vorticity and horizontal shifts of the maximum equilibrium divergence relative to the prescribed heating. These changes due to nonlinear terms are found to be quite sensitive to the vertical structure of diabatic heating. The strongest nonlinear effects are found to occur when the vertical level under consideration is strongly forced from below. Detailed vorticity budget calculations indicate that stronger nonlinear contributions from stretching and horizontal advection of relative vorticity favour the generation of upper tropospheric anticyclonic circulation and its eastward displacement. Larger vertical advection and twisting terms appear to oppose the generation of upper tropospheric anticyclonic vorticity. It is found that the nonlinear terms which affect the vorticity generation in the upper levels are crucially controlled by the vertical profile of heating. The mid-tropospheric response due to deep convective heating in the NM is characterized by anomalous equatorial westerlies in the low-latitude Rossby regime and exhibits prominent ageostrophic motions. Such nonlinear effects appear probably because of a vertical shift of the low level circulation anomalies in the NM. In the case of shallow convective heating the occurrence of anomalous zonal flows and ageostrophic motions in the low latitude regions of the NM takes place near the level of the maximum heating. Our study shows that large heating amplitudes and small vertical gradient of heating at a given vertical level together favour generation of anomalous zonal flows and ageostrophic motions in the near equatorial regions. These anomalous basic flows in the low-latitudes have implications on the propagation of transients from the tropics to midlatitudes. Non-linear effects on the lower tropospheric stationary waves are prominently seen in the case of strong low level heating which produces a large strengthening of the lower tropospheric cyclonic anomalies that exhibit distinct eastward shifts in the NM relative to the LM

The standardized Withania somnifera Dunal root extract alters basal and morphine-induced opioid receptor gene expression changes in neuroblastoma cells.

BACKGROUND: Behavioral studies demonstrated that the administration of Withania somnifera Dunal roots extract (WSE), prolongs morphine-elicited analgesia and reduces the development of tolerance to the morphine's analgesic effect; however, little is known about the underpinning molecular mechanism(s). In order to shed light on this issue in the present paper we explored whether WSE promotes alterations of \u3bc (MOP) and nociceptin (NOP) opioid receptors gene expression in neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. METHODS: A range of WSE concentrations was preliminarily tested to evaluate their effects on cell viability. Subsequently, the effects of 5 h exposure to WSE (0.25, 0.50 and 1.00 mg/ml), applied alone and in combination with morphine or naloxone, on MOP and NOP mRNA levels were investigated. RESULTS: Data analysis revealed that morphine decreased MOP and NOP receptor gene expression, whereas naloxone elicited their up-regulation. In addition, pre-treatment with naloxone prevented the morphine-elicited gene expression alterations. Interestingly, WSE was able to: a) alter MOP but not NOP gene expression; b) counteract, at its highest concentration, morphine-induced MOP down-regulation, and c) hamper naloxone-induced MOP and NOP up-regulation. CONCLUSION: Present in-vitro data disclose novel evidence about the ability of WSE to influence MOP and NOP opioid receptors gene expression in SH-SY5Y cells. Moreover, our findings suggest that the in-vivo modulation of morphine-mediated analgesia by WSE could be related to the hindering of morphine-elicited opioid receptors down-regulation here observed following WSE pre-treatment at its highest concentration

THE PHARMACEUTICAL AND ANALYTICAL STUDY OF PALASH KSHARA

Background: Kshara is an important dosage form mentioned in Ayurveda which is derived from plant ash. The Kshara have some similar properties like alkaline nature, water solubility, whitish color etc. Kshara are given advantage over all surgical and parasurgical measures as it can be used in thin, weak and patients who fears for surgery. Different herbs like Apamarga, Snuhi, Kadalipalasha are used to prepare Kshara either single or collectively in classical texts. Therapeutic use of Kshara of different herbs differs from each other hence analytical study of each Kshara is necessary. Aims & Objectives: In the present study preparation of Palash (Butea monosperma) kshara and analytical study is done to understand the characteristics of Palashkshara. Material & methods: The preparation of Kshara is a multistep procedure. In the present study preparation of Palasha Kshara is done according general method of preparation of Kshara mentioned in Sharangadhara Sanhita. Prepared Kshara is subjected to various Physico chemical analyses and results are concluded. Results: The Palash Kshara shows physical properties like whitish in color, pungent odor and soft in touch. Chemically it shows combination of Potassium, Phosphate and Sulphate along with other elements in traces. The present study gives the details of methodology and results of the pharmaceutical and analytical study of Palash Kshara

Stress degradation of Lisinopril as per ICH Guidelines & Characterisation

Lisinopril an antihypertensive drug was subjected to stress degradation, since the drug is photosensitive undergo hydrolysis and oxidized in presence of oxygen. Hence the objective of the study was to stress degrade Lisinopril and to find out the pathway for stress degradation of Lisinopril. Stress testing methods are screening methods to be used to understand the degradation chemistry of a drug. Lisinopril was subjected to stress degradation under different conditions recommended by International Conference on Harmonization (ICH). The chromatographic separation of Lisinopril and its degradation products was done on C18 column and mobile phase was mixture of Methanol and Water in ratio 80:20, pH 3.5 adjusted with orthophosphoric acid at a flow rate of 1ml/min using UV detector with ?max 220nm. The quantification and characterizations of degraded products were carried out by UV, IR spectroscopy and HPLC. The mechanism of degradation was confirmed by GC-MS fragmentation pattern

Evaluation of anxiolytic potential of Linum usitatissimum oil in wistar rats

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the anxiolytic potential of the Linum usitatissimum (Flax seed) oil (5ml and 2.5ml/kg) in wistar rats by using Elevated plus maze (EPM) model and 5ml and 10 ml/kg in Lithium induced head twitches model. Experiments were carried out on white inbred Wistar rats (180-200 g). The efficacy of the oil at both the animal models was compared with the standard anxiolytic drugs Diazepam (0.5 mg/kg). The result showed that the oil significantly increased the number of entries and time spent in the open arm in the elevated plus maze. Similarly in Lithium induced head twitches model administration of oil decreases the no. of head twitches. Present study confirms that the extract showed significant anxiolytic activity at both dose levels which is comparable with standard anxiolytic Diazepam

Plasmonic crystals for ultrafast nanophotonics: Optical switching of surface plasmon polaritons

We demonstrate that the dispersion of surface plasmon polaritons in a periodically perforated gold film can be efficiently manipulated by femtosecond laser pulses with the wavelengths far from the intrinsic resonances of gold. Using a time- and frequency- resolved pump-probe technique we observe shifting of the plasmon polariton resonances with response times from 200 to 800 fs depending on the probe photon energy, through which we obtain comprehensive insight into the electron dynamics in gold. We show that Wood anomalies in the optical spectra provide pronounced resonances in differential transmission and reflection with magnitudes up to 3% for moderate pump fluences of 0.5 mJ/cm^2.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Evaluation of antibacterial potential of Trikatu churna and its ingredients: An in vitro study

Herbal medicines are being used increasingly as dietary supplements to fight or prevent common disease. The dried fruits of Piper nigrum L. (Piperaceae), Piper longum L. (Piperaceae) and rhizome of Zingiber officinale Roscoe. (Zingiberaceae) were powdered and mixed together in equiproportions to get a polyherbal formulation, Trikatu churna. The aqueous, ethanol, methanol and acetone extracts of these plant’s fruits and Trikatu churna were prepared and antibacterial activities were tested by disc diffusion method against enteric bacterial pathogens such as Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus vulgaris, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Salmonella typhi, Salmonella typhimurium and Enterobacter aerogenes. The extracts of Piper longum, Piper nigrum and Zingiber officinale were found antibacterial to all bacterial pathogen tested. Trikatu churna exhibited potent antibacterial activity; this might be due to the multifunctional effect of all the three plant ingredients of Trikatu churna. Antibacterial activity of Trikatu churna and its ingredients was carried out in attempt to support the use of Trikatu churna for the treatment of enteric bacterial infections.Keywords: Antibacterial activity, Trikatu churna, bacterial pathogens