Preparation and Characterization of Alumina Nanoparticles by Direct Injection Flame Synthesis

The article reports the synthesis of nano alumina particles by instant and continuous one step Direct Injection Flame Synthesis (DIFS) method. The synthesized nanoparticles were highly crystalline with orthorhombic crystal structure belonging to the space group of P222. The nano alumina particles have a crystallite size of 36 nm and the particle radius is calculated to be 24 nm. The synthesized nano alumina particle exhibits a spherical morphology with different radius. The particles were subjected to controlled aging process and the formation of encapsulation layer is reported. The thickness of the encapsulation layer is found to be ~ 4.5 nm

Biology, Population and Exploitation of the Indian Deep-Sea Spiny Lobster, Puerulus sewelli Ramadan

The occurrence of the deep-sea spiny lobster or the whip lobster Puerulus sewelli Ramadan off Kerala coast and in the Gulf of Manner was reported as early as the turn of this centur

Biodiversity of Medicinal Plants in Thudaripettai Village, Nagapattinam District, Tamil Nadu, India

The medicinal plants have received more attention among researchers to treat various diseases and disorders. This study was aimed to record the various medicinal plants present in Thudaripettai Village situated in Tharangambadi Taluk, Nagapattinam district of Tamil Nadu. A total of 60 plant species belonging to 35 families were reported with their medicinal values. These results will provide information about medicinal plants and methods of utilization of these plants to cure various diseases of mankind. Survey of the information of medicinal plants used by the villagers were collected and arranged alphabetically followed by common name, vernacular name, family name, parts of use, methods of uses, medicinal uses and their habit. The information is very much useful for further research which will lead to the discovery of new bioactive compounds from the above medicinal plants

Evaluation of Sentinel Lymph Node Assisted Neck Dissection Using Methylene Blue Dye in Oral Cavity Cancers

INTRODUCTION : Carcinoma of the oral cavity is the second most common cancer in India and fourth most common in Madras Metropolitan Tumor Registry. Cervical nodes form the first echelon of metastases in cancers of the oral cavity. The frequency of cervical nodal metastases varies depending on the subsite, tumour size, depth of invasion, tumour grade, etc. The treatment of cervical nodal metastases from oral cancers depends on the number, size, and level of nodal spread; it can be surgery, radiation, chemotherapy or their combinations. Clinically node negative (N0) patients form a specific subset among oral cancers for whom the treatment of neck is not well standardised. Treatment options include observation, elective neck dissection or elective neck irradiation and depends on various factors like risk category, patient preference, treatment availability, treatment for the primary, physician preference etc. The chance of occult metastases in clinically N0 disease can be up to 30 percent. Elective treatment of neck is recommended in high risk groups defined as those patients with risk of lymph node metastasis risk more than 20 percent (3). If the neck is not addressed while adequately treating the primary, there is a high chance of nodal recurrence in those patients who harbor metastases. AIM : Primary Aim : The primary aim of this study is to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of sentinel lymph node using methylene blue dye in clinically node negative early stage oral cavity cancers in avoiding morbidity of neck dissection. Secondary Aims: (1) To identify most common site of sentinel lymph node for oral cancers. (2) Usefulness of USG imaging in assessing neck metastasis not apparent clinically. (3) Correlation of sentinel node with non-sentinel node metastases (4) Assessing possibility of level IIB, IV and V sparing neck dissections in oral cancers N0 neck MATERIAL AND METHODS : This prospective pilot study was carried out in Department of Surgical oncology with collaboration of Department of pathology and Radiology, Government Royepettah Hospital, Chennai. Patients of oral cancer with clinically negative neck are included in the study, after obtaining informed consent. Thirty two patients with oral cancers with stages T1-T3, N0 were included in the study. Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Oral Cancers CONCLUSION : Sentinel Lymphnode Biopsy (SLNB) addresses some of the complex issues of the management of clinically neck node negative oral cavity cancers. SLNB is still in early stages of development for head and neck cancers. This pilot study has shown that using blue dye alone to identify SLNB, does not meet recommended standard due to the lower sentinel lymphnode identification rate and mean node harvest. This study has also shown other important results: 1. The sensitivity, specificity and negative predictive value of sentinel node biopsy improved when enhanced pathological review or IHC incorporated in the protocol. Hence two staged sentinel procedure including both may be considered for further studies. 2. Level IIA, IB is the most common site of sentinel nodes from oral cancers. 3. USG imaging is not useful in assessment of occult neck metastases as it is observer dependent. 4. SLNB using methylene blue alone has high Negative Predictive Value. 5. Absence of sentinel node metastasis has good correlation with negative nonsentinel nodes. 6. No incidence of nodal metastases in Level IIB, IV and V in clinically N0 oral cancers. Routine dissections of these levels may be reconsidered among N0 patients to reduce morbidity. We anticipate a broader role for SLNB in future for staging and management of clinically node negative head and neck cancers. Radiocolloid localisation, IHC, Intraoperative RT-PCR and other molecular techniques may improve accurate identification of SLNB and detection of micro metastases

Preliminary experiments on monoculture of Chanos chanos (Forskal) and its polyculture with Penaeus monodon Fabricius

Preliminary experiments on monoculture of milk fish, Chanos chanos and its polyculture with tiger prawn, Penaeus monodon were carried out in the grow-out pond system at Mariculture farm, Muttukadu near Madras. During the six-month rearing, C. chanos attained an average size of 234.6 mm (76.9 g) in the monoculture trial and 159.8 to 231.8 mm (39.0 to 90.9 g) in the polyculture experiments. In the case of tiger prawn, the growth was poor and the sizes recorded at harvest were 119.4 to 135.1 mm (12.8 to 17.8 g). The rate of recovery ranged from 8.4 to 87.0% for fish and 20.6 to 35.3 % for prawn. The reasons for poor growth and survival of fish and prawn in relation to environmental and other factors are discussed

On the breeding of a penaeid prawn, Metapenaeus dobsoni in the brackish water medium

Laboratory spawning of a mature female Metapenaeus dobsoni obtained from the Cochin Backwater and kept in the brackish water medium (salinity 30.22%o, temperature IT.S'C) is reported. The eggs reared in the brackish water medium hatched out into nauplii, but none of them developed further. On transferring a few nauplii to the sea water (salinity 34.02%o) after two days, they transformed into abnormally developed protozoeae. The importance of this - observation in the context of breeding of Indian penaeid prawns and from the point of view of their culture in the coastal estuaries is pointed out

OPTIMUM POWER MANAGEMENT IN MOBILE AD-HOC NETWORKS

Mobile Ad hoc Network is an interconnection of mobile nodes, with no fixed infrastructure. Optimum management of power is very important in MANET as all its nodes are battery operated. If a node fails to forward the data packets from other nodes and just utilize the network to send its own data, the network will definitely face connectivity issues. The nodes which behave in such a selfish manner are termed as selfish nodes. Many research works have found ways for eliminating the selfish nodes. But elimination of nodes will reduce the connectivity and lifetime of the network. In this paper instead of eliminating, the selfish nodes we have tried to eliminate the selfish behaviour by maintaining the sanctity of every node involved in the MANET formation. This will help in improving the connectivity and lifetime by reducing selfish behaviour in individual nodes

An instance of mass mortality in the Muttukadu farm near Madras during April 1983

An unusual mortality of fishes and other organisms was observed in the open site surrounding the farm at Mariculture Centre of CMFRI, Muttukadu.at 1983. During this season the prevailing high temperature and salinity and the enclosed nature of the water body, all resulted in an intense bloom of dinophytes. This led to oxygen depletion of the waters and then, very likely, of the mud. The regular operation of drag nets and gill nets has stirred up the mud and created large scale disturbance which, combined with the oxygen depletion, must have precipitated the crisis and led to the mortality of prawns and fishes