Initial performance of ten oil palm cross combinations under three agro-climatic conditions in India

High yielding hybrids can play an important role in increasing the productivity of oil in the oil palm. With a view to evaluate high yielding new oil palm cross combinations, a field experiment was conducted in different agro-climatic regions of India viz., Zone No-10 Southern Plateau and Hills (Gangavathi, Karnataka), Zone No-12 Western Coastal Plains and Ghats (Mulde, Maharashtra) and Zone No-11 Eastern Coastal Plains and Hills (Vijayarai, Andhra Pradesh) involving ten cross combinations of tenera oil palm (NRCOP 1-10). The data from three locations over two years indicated that, significantly higher annual rate of leaf production per palm was recorded in NRCOP-6 (21.7) compared to NRCOP-3 and it was on par with other hybrid combinations. Significantly higher sex ratio was recorded with NRCOP-4 (63.1%) compared to NRCOP-1 (54.6%) and NRCOP-6 (54.8%) and was on par with other hybrid combinations.The hybrid cross combination, NRCOP-4 recorded significantly higher fresh fruit bunches (FFBs) yield 12.5 t ha-1 compared to NRCOP-1, NRCOP-3, NRCOP-7 and NRCOP-9 and it was on par with remaining hybrids and a similar result in bunch weight and number of bunches per palm was recorded. Pooled data on FFB yield for 2013-15 indicated that the hybrid combination NRCOP-4 which recorded higher FFB yield (12.6 t ha-1) at Gangavathi and at Vijayarai (22.6 t ha-1) have better prospects for adaptation under Tungabhadra command area and coastal region of Andhra Pradesh. For Konkan region of Maharashtra, the hybrid NRCOP-8 recorded the highest FFB yield

REVERSED PHASE-HIGH PERFORMANCE LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY METHOD DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF ATORVASTATIN IN BULK DRUG AND FORMULATION

Objective: To develop and validate a simple, selective, rapid, precise, and accurate high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method fordetermination of atorvastatin in bulk and its pharmaceutical formulation product.Method: Reversed phase-HPLC (RP-HPLC) method was performed by a mobile phase consisting mixture of methanol and ammonium acetate buffer(pH 4.5) in the proportion 60:40 v/v. A ZORBAX Eclipse plus C(4.6 mm × 100 mm, 3.5 μ) column was used as a stationary phase. HPLC analysis ofatorvastatin was carried out at a wavelength of 241 nm with a flow rate of 1 ml/minute.18 Results: The linear regression analysis data for the calibration curve showed a good linear relationship with a correlation coefficient 0.9984. Thelinear regression equation was y=3726540.2x+27390388.1. This was found to give a sharp peak of atorvastatin at a retention time of 2.77 minutes.Validation parameters were evaluated for the method according to the ICH (Q2R1) guidelines. The limit of detection and limit of quantification for themethod were 0.6721 μg/mL and 1.9989 μg/mL, respectively. The % relative standard deviation values for intra-day precision and inter-day precisionwere found to be 0.31% and 0.30%, respectively. An accuracy of the method was determined through recovery studies which were found to be within97.57-102.22%.Conclusion: The method was validated for system suitability, accuracy, precision, robustness, and ruggedness. The precision, accuracy, sensitivityshort retention time and composition of the mobile phase indicated that this method is better than the earlier methods developed for the quantificationof atorvastatin.Keywords: Atorvastatin, Reversed phase-high performance liquid chromatographic method development, Validation

ANTI-INFLAMMATORY AND ANALGESIC ACTIVITY OF ARENGA WIGHTII GRIFF.-AN ENDEMIC PALM OF WESTERN GHATS

Objective: The present study aims to scientifically validate the anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities of Arenga wightii.Methods: The stem pith was excised from mature palm, sliced into small pieces, shade dried and powdered. The powder was extracted with ethanol, concentrated under reduced pressure and the crude extract was referred to as AW. The anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity of AW was analyzed in Wistar rats and Swiss albino mice.Results: The results revealed that the ethanolic extract of the stem pith of A. wightii showed a dose dependent anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity, which was comparable to the standards, indomethacin and acetyl salicylic acid respectively.Conclusion: The results of the current study reveal that A. wightii possesses significant anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity.Â

Sesquiterpene Lactones Isolated from Elephantopus scaber L. Inhibits Human Lymphocyte Proliferation and the Growth of Tumour Cell Lines and Induces Apoptosis In Vitro

This study was designed to isolate the compounds responsible for the cytotoxic properties of South Indian Elephantopus scaber L. and further investigate their effects on quiescent and proliferating cells. Bioassay-guided isolation of the whole plant of chloroform extract of South Indian Elephantopus scaber afforded the known sesquiterpene lactone, deoxyelephantopin, and isodeoxyelephantopin whose structures were determined by spectroscopic methods. These compounds caused a dose dependent reduction in the viability of L-929 tumour cells in 72 h culture (IC50 value of 2.7 μg/mL and 3.3 μg/mL) by the cell viability assay. Both the compounds act selectively on quiescent and PHA-stimulated proliferating human lymphocytes and inhibited tritiated thymidine incorporation into cellular DNA of DLA tumour cells. The compound deoxyelephantopin at a concentration of 3 μg/mL caused maximum apoptotic cells. It also exhibited significant in vivo antitumour efficacy against DLA tumour cells. The results, therefore, indicate that the antiproliferative property of deoxyelephantopin and isodeoxyelephantopin could be used in regimens for treating tumors with extensive proliferative potencies

County-Level Hispanic Ethnic Density and Cardiovascular Disease Mortality.

Background Hispanics are the fastest growing ethnic group in the United States, and little is known about how Hispanic ethnic population density impacts cardiovascular disease ( CVD ) mortality. Methods and Results We examined county-level deaths for Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites from 2003 to 2012 using data from the National Center for Health Statistics' Multiple Cause of Death mortality files. Counties with more than 20 Hispanic deaths (n=715) were included in the analyses. CVD deaths were identified using International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10), I00 to I78, and population estimates were calculated using linear interpolation from 2000 and 2010 census data. Multivariate linear regression was used to examine the association of Hispanic ethnic density with Hispanic and non-Hispanic white age-adjusted CVD mortality rates. County-level age-adjusted CVD mortality rates were adjusted for county-level demographic, socioeconomic, and healthcare factors. There were a total of 4 769 040 deaths among Hispanics (n=382 416) and non-Hispanic whites (n=4 386 624). Overall, cardiovascular age-adjusted mortality rates were higher among non-Hispanic whites compared with Hispanics (244.8 versus 189.0 per 100 000). Hispanic density ranged from 1% to 96% in each county. Counties in the highest compared with lowest category of Hispanic density had 60% higher Hispanic mortality (215.3 versus 134.2 per 100 000 population). In linear regression models, after adjusting for county-level demographic, socioeconomic, and healthcare factors, increasing Hispanic ethnic density remained strongly associated with mortality for Hispanics but not for non-Hispanic whites. Conclusions CVD mortality is higher in counties with higher Hispanic ethnic density. County-level characteristics do not fully explain the higher CVD mortality among Hispanics in ethnically concentrated counties

CHRONIC ORAL TOXICITY STUDIES OF CRUDE ETHANOLIC EXTRACT AND ETHANOLIC FRACTION OF PELLIONIA HEYNEANA WEDD. LEAF IN WISTAR RATS

Objective: Pellionia heyneana Wedd. leaf has been used by the Cholanaikan tribe as a traditional medicine to enhance immunity and also to treat various liver ailments. However, no scientific reports are available regarding its long term toxicity studies. The objective of the present study was to investigate the chronic oral toxicity study of P. heyneana leaf.Methods: In the present study, scientific evaluation of oral toxicity of P. heyneana crude ethanolic leaf extract (PHLE) and leaf ethanolic fraction (PHEF) were carried out in Wistar rats. Animals were fed with three varying concentrations (500 mg/kg, 1000 mg/kg and 1500 mg/kg) of PHLE and PHEF for 90 d. During the study period, all the animals were closely observed for any morbidity or mortality, food and water intake, body weight etc. The effect of PHLE and PHEF on animal behaviour, metabolism, liver function, kidney function, blood glucose level, in vivo antioxidant status, haematological parameters, histopathology of internal organs etc. were evaluated after 90 d chronic toxicity study.Results: All the animals administered with PHLE/PHEF up to 1500 mg/kg dose did not show any deleterious changes in normal metabolism, histopathology of internal organs, haematological and biochemical indices.Conclusion: All these results revealed that PHLE and PHEF of P. heyneana are non toxic in long term oral administration in Wistar rats.Â

Treatment of wastewater from synthetic textile industry by electrocoagulation and electrooxidation

Treatment of wastewater from a textile industry that produces synthetic polyester cloths was studied employing electrochemical techniques. The sample was initially subjected to electrocoagulation to remove suspended solids. Mild steel and aluminum electrodes were tried as anodes; and aluminum was found to be effective for the removal of suspended solids. Using aluminum as anode, the chemical oxygen demand (COD) concentration of the effluent which was initially at the level of 1316 mg L−1 could be reduced to 429 mg L−1 by electrocoagulation. After electrocoagulation, the effluent was further subjected to electrooxidation using graphite and RuO2/IrO2/TaO2 coated titanium as anodes. During the electrooxidation tests, both COD and chloride ion were simultaneously estimated; and the effect of Cl− ion is discussed. The measurements have revealed the depletion of Cl− ion concentration implying the generation of free chlorine during electrooxidation. The depletion of Cl− ion concentration and the COD removal were observed to be comparatively high in the presence of graphite electrode. The effects of electrode materials and current density on COD removal are discussed. The instantaneous current efficiency (ICE), mass transfer coefficient and energy consumption were estimated