Record of the Bivalve Gastropod Berthelinia limax (Kawaguti and Saba 1959) from the Indian Ocean

A living bivalve gastropod of the order Sacoglossa found in Japan by Kawaguti and Baba in J959, was described as a new genus and species Tamanovalva limax

The Complications Involved in Processing Graphite Ore from Tapaskonda area, East Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh

Graphite is one of the most versatile non-metallic minerals because of its diverse properties. To make the graphite suitable to any group of industry need special type of treatment or processing of the ore. Efforts are made to study the feasibility of economic processing to get a commercial grade of graphite to suit the specific industrial uses and at the same time recovering the tungsten values from the identified sources are in progress . The various complications and implications are discussed. Burugubanda graphite deposit (SW) zone does not pose any difficulty, but Tapaskonda graphite (NE) zone posses complications during grinding to coarse medium and fine sizes and recovery of tungsten values at various stages by suitable processes like jigging , tabling, hydrocyclones. The gravity recovery is maximum in fine sizes -200 mesh giving a grade more than 90% F C and 88-90% of recovery. During comminution process and size sepe-ration the complications are explained . After crossing all the complications we could achieve a final grade of graphite assaying 90 % F C. with 85% of recovery. After obtaining preconcentrates of WO3 we could finally achieve the 60% WO3 marketable grade is 65% WO,. Further studies are in progress to have a detailed mineralogical, parti- culate and geochemical studies of tungsten and graphite and other associated minerals so that we can suggest a suitable method to have a better grade of tungsten conce- ntrate considering the large promising potentialities of the are in Andhra Pradesh

Moridella brockii Bergh 1888, redescribed with notes on anatomy and early development

The opisthobranchiate gastropod Moridella brockii Bergh 1888, has been aescribed%y its author based on a single specimen collected by Dr. J. Brock in 1884-85 from flie Sunda Sea. Ever since that time many later authors(Thiele, 1931 ; Macnae,1954 ; Marcus, 1958 ; Risso-Dominguez, 1962 ; Edmunds, 1964 ; Risso-Dominguez, 1964) have referred to this species in their taxonomic work, but no material hasactually been collected by any. During the course of an intensive collection for the littoral nudibranchs in the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Bay near Mandafam, theauthor came across a large number of specimens of this species in a good size range from the Gulf of Mannar. Since this species has now been collected after seventy six years of its first description and also as it is little known to science, a detailed study of this monotypic genus was felt desirable. In the present communication besides a redescription of Sie species, some detailed observations made by the author on its anatomy, early development and ecology, which are the first of its kind are presented

New genus and some new species of Opisthobranchiate gastropods of the family Eubranchidae from the Gulf of Mannar

A new genus Annulorhina based on the type species A.mandapamensis and three new species namely Eubranchus mannaremis, Capellinia fuscanmdata, and Eubranchopsis indicus of the family Eubranchidae are described from the Indian Ocean. The present record of the genera Capellinia end Eubianihopsis extend distribution to the Indian Ocean

Stiliger nigrovittatus sp. nov., a sacoglossan mollusc from the Gulf of Mannar

The species under the genus Stiliger Ehrenberg 1831 known hitherto from the coastal waters or backwaters and estuaries of India are very few. S. pica Annandale and Prashad (Sewell & Annandale, 1922) from Chilka Lake and S. gopalai Rao (1937) from Madras backwaters are the only species on record. Stiliger viridis (Kelaart) as described by Eliot (1906a) from the Ceylon coast of Gulf of Mannar and S. tentaculatus Eliot (1916) from Siam are two other species known from regions very close to Indian coasts. S. nigrovittatus described here is one of the few species collected by the present writers from the Palk Bay and the Gulf of Mannar in the vicinity of Mandapam. It has been experienced that a careful search among the members of filamentous algae like Chaetamorpha revealed one or the other species of the sacoglossan Opisthobranchs which feed on those algae. A few individuals of S. nigrovittatus were obtained from the Gulf of Mannar close to the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Mandapam Camp, on November 29, 1962, for the first time. Subsequently they were collected from the same locality and also from Kundagal Point near Pamban in all months upto March 1963. They were observed on algal growths of Cladophoropsis zoolingeri (Kuetz.) Boergs., covering the rocks in the intertidal region. In captivity they were found feeding on this alga as also on Chaetomorpha sp

Prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism in children and adolescents of northern Andhra Pradesh population and its association with hyperlipidemia

Background: The thyroid dysfunction particularly, subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) is quite a common clinical condition in paediatric population but there is limited data available regarding its prevalence in children and adolescents in our population. The present study was aimed to know the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction particularly SCH in children and adolescents of northern Andhra Pradesh population and its association with hyperlipidemia.Methods: A retrospective study of 600 subjects (Children=272, Adolescents=328) between 6-19 years of age were included and the following parameters were examined: age, sex, total triiodothyronine (tT3), total tetraiodothyronine (tT4), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), total cholesterol, triglycerides (TGL), LDL and HDL cholesterol. The subjects were divided into group I and group II on the basis of age (in years), subjects between 6- ≤12 years age were grouped as group I and 12-≤19 years were as group II.Results: Out of 272 children and 328 adolescents studied, the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction was found to be 9.9% and 10.4 % respectively. The prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism in children was 7.7% where as 4.9% in adolescents. In both the groups, females were predominantly affected with thyroid dysfunction as compared to males. Significantly elevated serum levels of total cholesterol, TSH and TGL were observed in SCH subjects when compared to euthyroid subjects (p<0.05). Statistically significant lower levels of HDL cholesterol were found in SCH as compared to euthyroids (p<0.05). However, no difference was noticed in the levels of total T3, total T4 and LDL cholesterol between SCH and euthyroids.Conclusions: The prevalence of thyroid dysfunction was found to be 10.2% in study population. SCH was observed in 7.7 % and 4.9% respectively in children and adolescent groups. Subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) was the most predominant thyroid dysfunction found in our studied population with a prevalence of 6.2% (both children and adolescents). Correction of thyroid dysfunction particularly SCH in early childhood is highly essential to prevent the impairment of psychomotor and cognitive development

Prevalence of thyroid dysfunction and its association with controlled and uncontrolled type 2 diabetes mellitus in northern Andhra Pradesh population: a retrospective study

Background: The two important endocrinopathies, diabetes mellitus and thyroid dysfunction are interrelated to each other where the correlation is poorly understood. The thyroid dysfunction is more frequent in diabetics than general population. The present study was aimed to know the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and its association with controlled and uncontrolled T2DM.Methods: A retrospective study of 600 T2DM patients between 13-60 years of age with known thyroid status were included and the following parameters were examined: age, sex, body mass index (BMI), fasting blood sugar (FBS), HbA1C, free triiodothyronine (fT3), free tetraiodothyronine (fT4) and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH).Results: The prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in T2DM patients was found to be 26.5% whereas 9% in healthy controls. Significantly elevated levels of FBS, HbA1C and TSH were observed whereas the levels of fT3, fT4 were found to be low in patients when compared to controls. Subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) in diabetics (both controlled and uncontrolled) was more prevalent (15%) than it was found in healthy controls (5%). Similarly, overt hypothyroidism was also found to be high in diabetic patients (6%) as compared to healthy controls (2%). Significant difference (p <0.05) in the levels of TSH was found between group I (Controlled T2DM) and II (uncontrolled T2DM patients), also between groups II and III (Controls). Group II patients were found to have significant low levels of fT3 as compared to other two groups (Group I and III) (p<0.005).Conclusions: As SCH is more frequent in T2DM diabetes mellitus and untreated SCH patients have higher rate of complications, periodical screening is advised for thyroid dysfunction to prevent micro vascular and cardiovascular complications

Nuclear oxidation in flavones and related compounds. Part XXXIV. Para- oxidation in the side-phenyl nucleus: Preparation of 6'- hydroxy-myricetin

This article does not have an abstract

Esters of petroselinic acid containing Trachyspermum copticum seed oil: Potential industrial lubricant base stocks

126-134Trachyspermum copticum seed oil contains volatile oil rich in thymol, which is distilled out and used for medicinal and aromatic formulations. The seed powder after removal of the volatiles loses its importance. However, the fixed oil being rich in unsaturation with petroselinic acid (18:1, Δ6; 68.3%) and linoleic acid (18:2; 25.3%) is used for preparing biolubricant base stocks. Methyl, isopropyl and 2-ethyl hexyl esters of the oil have been converted to epoxides, followed by in situ hydroxylation and acylation using hexanoic and butyric anhydrides. The acylated products have been evaluated for lubricant properties, and are found to exhibit density (0.91-0.97 g/cc); viscosity of 23.5-27.3 cSt at 40°C and 4.85-5.33 cSt at 100°C. The values are comparable to jatropha acylated products. The products exhibited good copper corrosion resistance value of ‘1a’ and high flash points of 230-242°C. The acylated esters with good weld load behavior, and lower wear and pour point values and viscosity indices, 128.84-138.94, can be potential base stocks belonging to group III category lubricants with ISO VG Grade about 22. These products can be further explored for the preparation of hydraulic, metal working and other industrial fluid formulations

Studies on development of instant pumpkin soup tablets and evaluation of storage stability

486-491A study was carried out to develop pumpkin soup tablet with enriched β-carotene which can be instantly reconstituted in hot water. Ingredients of pumpkin soup tablet namely pumpkin flour (32.5%), corn flour (19.4%), milk powder (14.5%), onion powder (3.2%), pepper powder (3.2%), coriander (1.3%), garlic (1.3%), saturated fat (6.5%) and salt (13.9%) were optimised. Maltodextrin and xanthan gum were used as emulsifier to prepare two variants of the soup cube formulations. Proximate composition, β-carotene, textural attributes and microbiological quality of the developed product were determined during storage at room temperature. Sensory acceptability of the product was evaluated by reconstituting the soup cube in hot water. The study revealed that the product was acceptable and could be reconstituted instantly in hot water. Soup tablets prepared with xanthan gum as emulsifier were superior in colour, texture and retention of β-carotene. The incorporation of pumpkin flour in soup cube enhanced its nutritional value to an extent of 50% of RDI for β-carotene. The product could be a convenient alternative for preparing an organoleptically acceptable soup instantly and thereby saving packaging cost and space