Influence of land preparation on weed dynamics and growth of traditional rice landraces in the diverged location of Tamil Nadu

In recent years, traditional landraces are gaining importance due to its many health benefits. But the main drawback of the traditional rice variety is low productivity with increased water consumption. Therefore different rice establishment methods are to be evaluated. But weed infestation occurs in every establishment method. Hence the present study aimed to study the weed dynamics by evaluating the water-saving technologies compared with puddled transplanting using various landraces. The first field experiment was conducted during Samba (Aug-Sept) 2021 in the wetlands of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. The second field experiment was at the Research Station, Melalathur in Tamil Nadu during Navara (Nov-Jan) season 2021. The experiment was laid out in split plot design comprising four establishment methods as main plots viz. Aerobic rice (M1), Puddled transplanting (M2), Unpuddled transplanting (M3), Direct seeded rice (M4) with traditional landraces viz. Karuppu kavuni (V1), Mapillai samba (V2) and Seeraga samba (V3) in sub plots. In this study, weed dynamics like weed density and weed dry weight were recorded along with plant height, leaf area index and total chlorophyll content. Weed density and weed dry weight was 87.82 % and 74.63 % higher in aerobic rice cultivation than puddled transplanting method during all the observations in both experiments. On comparing the land establishment methods, Direct seeded rice performed well with 40.61% of higher plant height, 89.38 % of higher LAI, 38.48 % of increased total chlorophyll content than Aerobic rice cultivation. The landrace mapillai samba showed a significantly (p<0.05) higher plant height of 64.09±7.14 cm, Leaf area index of 2.05±0.992 and total chlorophyll content of 2.56±0.461 mg/g of fresh leaf. Hence this study provides evidence that in the initial stage of rice cultivation, direct seeded rice and the mapillai samba landrace performed well than the other establishment methods and the other two landraces. 

Cytotoxic Anti-Cancer Activity of Certain Thermotropic Liquid Crystalline Poly (Ester-Amides) Containing 2, 6-Bis (Benzylidene)Cyclohexanone Moiety in the Main Chain

Five thermotropic liquid crystalline poly(ester-amides) were synthesized by polycondensation method. The poly(ester-amides) were synthesized from varying dicarboxylic acids with a common diamine namely 4,4'-diaminobenzene and a common diol namely 2,6-bis(4-hydroxybenzylidene))cyclohexanone. For qualitative characterization, viscosity measurements and solubility data were used for these synthesized poly(ester-amides). The spectroscopic techniques such as FT-IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR were performed to investigate the microstructural features of these synthesized poly(ester-amides). The thermal phase transition behavior of these poly(ester-amides) were studied by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Hot-stage Optical Polarized Microscopy (HOPM). The degree of crystallinity was assessed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns. Scanning Electron Microscopic (SEM) technique was used to illustrate the morphology of these poly(ester-amides). The copolymer synthesized was subjected into in vitro anti-cancer activity studies against human breast cancer (MCF-7) cell line. Keywords: Bisbenzylidenecyclohexanone; poly(ester-amides); polycondensation; thermotropic liquid crystalline properties; cytotoxicity, anticancer

Dialysis-associated peritonitis in children

Peritonitis remains a frequent complication of peritoneal dialysis in children and is the most common reason for technique failure. The microbiology is characterized by a predominance of Gram-positive organisms, with fungi responsible for less than 5% of episodes. Data collected by the International Pediatric Peritonitis Registry have revealed a worldwide variation in the bacterial etiology of peritonitis, as well as in the rate of culture-negative peritonitis. Risk factors for infection include young age, the absence of prophylactic antibiotics at catheter placement, spiking of dialysis bags, and the presence of a catheter exit-site or tunnel infection. Clinical symptoms at presentation are somewhat organism specific and can be objectively assessed with a Disease Severity Score. Whereas recommendations for empiric antibiotic therapy in children have been published by the International Society of Peritoneal Dialysis, epidemiologic data and antibiotic susceptibility data suggest that it may be desirable to take the patient- and center-specific history of microorganisms and their sensitivity patterns into account when prescribing initial therapy. The vast majority of patients are treated successfully and continue peritoneal dialysis, with the poorest outcome noted in patients with peritonitis secondary to Gram-negative organisms or fungi and in those with a relapsing infection

Evaluation of spent coffee obtained from the most common coffeemakers as a source of hydrophilic bioactive compounds

The main hydrophilic antioxidant compounds (3-, 4-, and 5-monocaffeoylquinic and 3,4-, 3,5-, and 4,5-dicaffeoylquinic acids, caffeine, and browned compounds, including melanoidins) and the antioxidant capacity (Folin-Ciocalteu, ABTS, DPPH, Fremy's salt, and TEMPO) were evaluated in Arabica and Robusta spent coffee obtained from the preparation of coffee brews with the most common coffeemakers (filter, espresso, plunger, and mocha). All spent coffee grounds, with the exception of those from the mocha coffeemaker, had relevant amounts of total caffeoylquinic acids (6.22-13.24 mg/g of spent coffee), mainly dicaffeoylquinic acids (3.31-5.79 mg/g of spent coffee), which were 4-7-fold higher than in their respective coffee brews. Caffeine ranged from 3.59 to 8.09 mg/g of spent coffee. The antioxidant capacities of the aqueous spent coffee extracts were 46.0-102.3% (filter), 59.2-85.6% (espresso), and <42% (plunger) in comparison to their respective coffee brews. This study obtained spent coffee extracts with antioxidant properties that can be used as a good source of hydrophilic bioactive compounds

TOXICITY RISK ASSESSMENT OF SOME NOVEL QUINOXALINES

ABSTRACT Ten novel quinoxalines were synthesised and evaluated for antitubercular activities. They showed excellent antitubercular activities. In continuation of our research we then predicited the toxicity parameters like mutagenicity, tumerogenicity, skin irritancy, reproductive effects and teratogenicity. They were predicted using software programmes Osiris and insilicofirst. All the ten compounds were predicted as non toxic against these evaluated toxicities. So they are found to be safe. Some of the important physicochemical parameters like Clog P, Molecular weight, Drug likeness were also predicted

Synthesis and Anti-inflammatory Activity of Some Novel Pyrazole Derivatives of Gallic Acid

In the present study, a new series of [5-substituted-3-(phenylamino)-1H-pyrazol-1yl] (3,4,5-trihydroxyphenyl)-methanone (4a-j) have been synthesized. 3, 4, 5-Trihydroxy benzohydrazide (1) was synthesized from propyl gallate and hydrazine hydrate in presence of ethanol. Chalcones (2a-j) were synthesized from acetanilide and various aromatic aldehydes in presence of ethanol and sodium hydroxide solution. By refluxing the compound (1) and compounds (2a-j) in presence of ethanol yielded [5-substituted-3-(phenylamino)-4.5-dihydropyrazol-1yl] (3,4,5-trihydroxy phenyl)-methanone (3a-j). The final compounds [5-substituted-3-(phenylamino)-1H-pyrazol-1yl] (3,4,5-trihydroxyphenyl)-methanone (4a-j) were synthesized by treating compounds (3a-j) with bromine water. The synthesized compounds have been characterized by IR, 1HNMR and Mass spectral data. The compounds were evaluated for in vivo anti-inflammatory activity by carrageenan induced paw edema test. In general all compounds were found to exhibit good anti-inflammatory activity

Hybrid composite materials of anatase titania and conducting polyaniline: properties and chemical sensor application

237-244This paper reports the investigation on synthesis, properties and chemical sensor application of polyaniline (PANI) - anatase titania (TiO2) hybrid composite materials prepared in the presence and absence of the soft template poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA). FTIR spectroscopy reveals that PVA favors oxidation of large amount of aniline during PANI synthesis and causes production of more number of quinoid groups than benzenoid, but TiO2 maintains an equal level of quinoid and benzenoid. XRD study shows that PVA influences the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">d-space and crystallite size more in PANI-PVA and less in PANI-TiO2­-PVA composite. In morphology, PANI-TiO2 has submicron particles and shows less agglomeration while PANI-TiO2­-PVA has extensive agglomeration and surface smoothness. In chemical sensor application, PANI senses CH3OH vapor with a decrease of its conductivity and with an efficiency of 56%. However, with the inclusion of TiO2 or PVA, the sensor efficiency of PANI is shifted from CH3OH to CH2Cl2. Interestingly with both TiO2 and PVA inclusion, the material PANI-TiO2­-PVA turns back its maximum sensor efficiency towards CH3OH but with an increase of its conductivity. All these results suggest that TiO2, PVA and TiO2-PVA exert different tuning roles on PANI yielding characteristically different hybrid materials