Esterase Activity from the Germinated Jatropha curcas Seeds in Different Extraction buffers.

The buffer solution plays a major role in protein stability and activity, thereby making the selection of a buffer to achievemaximum activity for a protein will be a formidable challenge. The present work constitutes an extension of this investigation to esterases from germinated Jatrophacurcas seeds. The 0.1 M NaCl solution, 0.1 M phosphate buffer pH7.0, 0.1 M citrate buffer pH 5.0 and 0.1 M Tris-HCl buffer pH 8.5, 0.1 M NaOH and distill water were used to extract protein from germinated Jatrophacurcas seeds. The esterase activity and specific activity for NaCl solution, phosphatebuffer, citrate buffer, Tris-HCl buffer, NaOH and Distilled water was 9.07, 8.6, 8.2, 6.46, 0.07 and 4.98 μmoles/min/gm and 0.09258, 0.0905, 0.088, 0.0715 0.0003 and 0.081 IU/mg, respectively.The Native-PAGE analysis showed the esterase enzyme activity in different extraction buffer.Among 13 esterase bands, 8 esterolytic bands were major bands (band no 1,3, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12 and 13)and remaining were minor bands.The amount of proteins and esterase activity were found to bethe highest when extracted with 0.1 M NaCl solution

Catch trend of the commercial trawl fisheries of Rameswaram

The present report summarises the catch details of some of the commercially important fishes landed by the trawlers operating from Rameswaram during the years 1980 and 1981. The silverbellies, formed the major group, indicating the availability of silverbellies in large quantities throughout the year, followed by Elasmobranchs and Penaeid prawns in the landings. Quarterrwise landings of trawlnets and monthwise landings of prawns and other groups were portrayed

Graph-Search and Differential Equations for Time-Optimal Vessel Route Planning in Dynamic Ocean Waves

Time-optimal paths are evaluated by VISIR (\u201cdis- coVerIng Safe and effIcient Routes\u201d), a graph-search ship routing model, with respect to the solution of the fundamental differential equations governing optimal paths in a dynamic wind-wave environment. The evaluation exercise makes use of identical setups: topological constraints, dynamic wave environmental conditions, and vessel-ocean parametrizations, while advection by external currents is not considered. The emphasis is on predicting the time-optimal ship headings and Speeds Through Water constrained by dynamic ocean wave fields. VISIR upgrades regarding angular resolution, time-interpolation, and static nav- igational safety constraints are introduced. The deviations of the graph-search results relative to the solution of the exact differential equations in both the path duration and length are assessed. They are found to be of the order of the discretization errors, with VISIR\u2019s solution converging to that of the differential equation for sufficient resolution

Marine fisheries of the north-east coast of India during 2008

The north-east region of India comprises of the states of West Bengal and Orissa. There are about 100 landing centres distributed in these two coastal states, of which most of them record seasonal fishing. The estimated marine fish landings in this region was 4.83 lakh t in 2008, which formed about 15% of the total ‘all India landings’

Seroprevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection among tuberculosis patients in Tamil Nadu

Background & objectives: The dual epidemic of HIV and tuberculosis is a cause for concern in those countries where these two infections are prevalent in epidemic proportions. We undertook a survey at two sites in North Arcot district of Tamil Nadu in 1992-1993, to know the seroprevalence of HIV infection among tuberculosis patients. The objective of this study was to re-examine the prevalence of HIV infection among tuberculosis patients in a repeat survey. Methods: The study was undertaken in four centres: District Tuberculosis Centre (DTC), Vellore, Tuberculosis Sanatorium, Pennathur (Vellore), District TB Centre (DTC), Kancheepuram and the Government Thiruvotteswarar Tuberculosis Hospital (GTTH), Chennai in the northern part of Tamil Nadu during 1997-1998. A total of 2361 newly diagnosed TB patients were registered in this study. HIV serology after pre-test counseling was done along with sputum examination for acid-fast bacillus by smear and culture for mycobacteria for all patients. Results: The overall HIV seroprevalence among TB patients was 4.7 per cent. The highest HIV seropositivity rate was found among patients aged 30-39 yr (10.6%). HIV seroprevalence showed a wide variation among the different centres ranging from 0.6. per cent in DTC, Kancheepuram to 9.4 per cent in Pennathur Sanatorium, Vellore. Sputum smear positivity was 88 per cent among the HIV-negative and 83 per cent among HIV-positive tuberculosis patients. Interpretation & conclusion: HIV infection is on the rise among TB patients in Tamil Nadu. Acid-fast smear microscopy is adequate for the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis, and drug resistance among HIV positive patients is not a major problem at this point of time; hence antituberculosis regimens recommended by the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Program (RNTCP) can be used to treat HIV positive patients with tuberculosis

AMCIS 2022 Awards Luncheon

This is a video recording and PDF document with the AMCIS 2022 Awards Ceremony

Nano–bio interaction between human immunoglobulin G and nontoxic, near-infrared emitting water-borne silicon quantum dot micelles

In recent years, the field of nanomaterials has exponentially expanded with versatile biological applications. However, one of the roadblocks to their clinical translation is the critical knowledge gap about how the nanomaterials interact with the biological microenvironment (nano–bio interactions). When nanomaterials are used as drug carriers or contrast agents for biological imaging, the nano–bio interaction-mediated protein conformational changes and misfolding could lead to disease-related molecular alterations and/or cell death. Here, we studied the conformation changes of human immunoglobulin G (IgG) upon interaction with silicon quantum dots functionalized with 1-decene, Pluronic-F127 (SiQD-De/F127 micelles) using UV-visible, fluorescence steady state and excited state kinetics, circular dichroism, and molecular modeling. Decene monolayer terminated SiQDs are accumulated inside the Pluronic F127 shells to form SiQD-De/F127 micelles and were shown to bind strongly with IgG. In addition, biological evaluation studies in cell lines (HeLa, Fibroblast) and medaka fish (eggs and larvae) showed enhanced uptake and minimal cytotoxicity. Our results substantiate that engineered QDs obviating the protein conformational changes could have adept bioefficacy

Estimation of burden of tuberculosis in India for the year 2000

Background & objectives: Data on the burden of tuberculosis (TB) in India are vital for programme planners to plan the resource requirements and for monitoring the nation-wide TB control programme. There was a need to revise the earlier estimate on the burden of TB in India based on the increase in population and current epidemiological data. This study estimates the burden of disease for the year 2000 based on recent prevalence of TB and annual risk of tuberculosis infection (ARTI) estimates. Methods: Data on prevalence generated among adults by the Tuberculosis Research Centre (TRC), Chennai, among children by National Tuberculosis Institute (NTI), Bangalore, and the ARTI estimates from the nation-wide sample survey by NTI and TRC were used for the estimation. The prevalence of disease corresponding to 1 per cent ARTI was extrapolated to different parts of the country using the estimates of ARTI and the population in those areas and added together to get the total cases. Abacillary cases that required treatment were estimated from X-ray abnormals. The estimates of bacillary, abacillary and extrapulmonary cases were then combined to get the national burden. Results: The estimated number of bacillary cases was 3.8 million (95% CI: 2.8 - 4.7). The number of abacillary cases was estimated to be 3.9 million and that for extrapulmonary cases was 0.8 million giving a total burden of 8.5 million (95% CI: 6.3-10.4) for 2000. Interpretation & conclusion: The present estimate differs from the earlier estimates because we have included the disease burden of X-ray cases that are likely to breakdown to bacillary cases in a one year period, and extrapulmonary TB cases. The current estimates provided baseline information for advocacy and planning resource allocation for TB control activities. Also, these estimates can be compared with that in future years to measure the long term impact of TB control activities in India

Variations in the esterase activity during the germination period of Jatropha curcas seeds

Germination brings out the synthesis or activation of enzymes responsible for the degradation of seeds reserves. Among these enzymes, esterases are involved in the metabolic processes of germination and maturation of plants. They are constitutively expressed in seeds during germination to release the reserve materials for the growing embryo. In the present study, total protein content and esterase activity was monitored in germinating Jatropha curcas seeds. The esterase activity and specific activity observed were 9.07 µmoles/min/gm and 0.09258 IU/mg, respectively. Electophoretic analysis for esterase activity showed thirteen bands of esterases, among these 8 esterolytic bands were major and remaining were minor bands. The protein content and esterase activity decreased on 2nd, 4th, 5th and 8th day of seed germination and activity increased on 3rd, 6th, 7th day of germination. Similarly esterase activity increased on 7th day and decreased on 8, 9 and 10th day in the shoot tissue. ÂÂ

Association of conversion & cure with initial smear grading among new smear positive pulmonary tuberculosis patients treated with Category I regimen

Background & objective: Early diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) is important for initiating treatment to gain cure. The present investigation was undertaken to study the association of conversion and cure with initial smear grading among pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) patients registered in a directly observed treatment – short course (DOTS) programme in Tiruvallur district, south India. Methods: All new smear positive cases registered from May, 1999 to December, 2002 were analysed for conversion and cure related to initial smear grading. Results: Of the 1463 patients, 1206(82.4%) were converted at the end of the intensive phase and 1109 (75.8%) were declared ‘cured’ after the completion of treatment. The cure rate decreased as the initial smear grading increased and the decrease in trend was statistically significant (P=0.01). Similarly, a significant decrease in conversion rate was also observed with increase in initial smear grading (P<0.001). In multivariate analysis, lower cure rate was significantly associated with patient’s age (AOR=1.5, 95% CI=1.1-2.1), alcoholism (AOR=1.7, 95% CI 1.2- 2.4) and conversion at the end of intensive phase (AOR=3.5, 95% CI= 2.6-4.8). Interpretation & conclusion: Cure and conversion rates were linearly associated with initial smear grading. High default and death rates were responsible for low cure and conversion. The proportion of patients who required extension of treatment and those who had an unfavourable treatment outcome were significantly higher among patients with a 3+ initial smear grading. This reiterates the need to pay more attention in motivating these patients to return to regular treatment and sustained commitment in the control of tuberculosis. There is a need to extend the treatment for one more month in the intensive phase of treatment