Effect of Chemical Refining on Citrullus Colocynthis and Pongamia Pinnata Seed Oil

Bio-diesel production from conventional vegetable oils (soybean, sunflower, safflower, palm and rapeseed) has progressively stressed food uses, price, production and availability of these oils. Consequently, this has ignited the search for additional/non-conventional, regional oil yielding raw materials to fulfill the increasing demand of oil for edible and bio-fuel production. Citrullus colocynthis and Pongamia pinnata (underutilized plants) oil was found to have good economical values. But crude oil obtained from natural resources contains a lot of impurities which should be removed before its use. Chemical refining involves degumming, alkali refining and bleaching are aimed to remove impurities like free fatty acids, phosphatides, metal ions, oxidation products and waxes. Oil from the both plant seeds was evaluated (both before and after refining) for different physico-chemical parameters like free fatty acids, iodine value, peroxide value, saponification value, unsaponifiable matter and fatty acid composition. Oil yield (30-35 %) in both plants was found average. After refining, per cent reduction of free fatty acid value by (62.79 and 63.9), iodine value (25.59 and 27.37), saponification value (13.46 and 13.43), peroxide value (65.76 and 59.64) was observed in C. colocynthis and P. pinnata oil, which is helpful in increasing the oxidative stability and susceptibility towards trans-esterification. Unsaponifiable matter in C. colocynthis and P. pinnata was reduced by 54.78 and 49.78 per cent which is helpful in decreasing the amount of secondary metabolites and increasing the purity of oils. Analysis of C. colocynthis and P. pinnata oil shows that it was composed mainly of palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic and linolenic esters. After refining, saturated fatty acids were found reduced from 23.56 to 19.17 and 18.75 to 15.78 per cent and total unsaturated fatty acids were found to increase from 74.68 to 78.39 and 71.56 to 78.77 in both oils. It makes oil favorable for edible purposes as it can reduce plasma triglycerides

Free radical-scavenging and antimutagenic potential of acetone, chloroform and methanol extracts of fruits of Argemone mexicana

The antioxidant potency of acetone, chloroform and methanol extracts of Argemone mexicana was investigated by employing in vitro systems like nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) and 1,1-Diphenyl-2- picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging assay whereas antimutagenic activity was determinedby Maron and Ames assay using Salmonella typhimurium TA100 tester strain against sodium azide. In this study, dried fruits of A. mexicana were extracted with different solvents by maceration method in order of increasing polarity. It was observed that, acetone extracts were comparatively more effective than the other extracts in both the assays. The maximum inhibitory activities noticed were 79.0 and 71.0% in NBT and DPPH assay, respectively, at the maximum concentration tested. The inhibitory potential was compared with standard antioxidant (L-ascorbic acid). The IC50 value of the acetone extract of the fruit of A. mexicana was more than that of L-ascorbic acid showing the maximum inhibitory effect. Among the different extracts, the antimutagenic effect of methanol extract was found to be more followed by acetone and chloroform extracts. The methanol extract showed maximum inhibition of 80.5% at doses of 1.00~1033 μg/ml in pre-incubation modes of the experiments, respectively. Chloroform extract showed maximum inhibition of 62.14 and 50.71% in co-incubation and pre-incubation mode of experiments at the highest concentration tested. Antimutagenicity of the acetone extract was more in co-incubation than pre-incubation mode of theexperimentation. These results indicate that, A. mexicana fruit extracts have antioxidant as well as antimutagenic properties. The antioxidant and antimutagenic activities were significantly correlated.Key words: Argemone mexicana, antioxidant, antimutagenic, sodium azide

Herbicide adoption pattern in rice and wheat among Haryana farmers

ABSTRACT A systematic study on herbicide adoption by farmers in rice and wheat growing areas of Haryana conducted during [2008][2009], revealed that in Sirsa and Fatehabad districts of state, 95% farmers applied herbicide to control weeds in transplanted rice whereas in north-eastern Haryana, all farmers applied herbicides in rice crop. In Sirsa and Fatehabad districts, EC formulation of butachlor was the choice of 45% farmers followed by anilofos (26%), pretilachlor (12%) and oxadiargyl (8%). In Karnal, Kurukshetra, Ambala and Kaithal districts, pretilachlor was the first choice of 42% farmers followed by butachlor (24%) None of the farmer used anilofos. Even 11% farmers used pyrazosulfuron not approved by CCS HAU, Hisar for effective weed control. Twenty tw

Cyclophospholipids Increase Protocellular Stability to Metal Ions

Model protocells have long been constructed with fatty acids, because these lipids are prebiotically plausible and can, at least theoretically, support a protocell life cycle. However, fatty acid protocells are stable only within a narrow range of pH and metal ion concentration. This instability is particularly problematic as the early Earth would have had a range of conditions, and life as we know it is completely reliant on metal ions for catalysis and the folding and activity of biological polymers. Here we show that prebiotically plausible monoacyl cyclophospholipids form robust vesicles that survive a broad range of pH and high concentrations of Mg2+, Ca2+, and Na+. Importantly, stability to Mg2+ and Ca2+ is improved by the presence of environmental concentrations of Na+. These results suggest that cyclophospholipids, or lipids with similar characteristics, may have played a central role during the emergence of Darwinian evolution.</p

Virus-Induced Type I Interferon Deteriorates Control of Systemic Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Infection

BACKGROUND: Type I interferon (IFN-I) predisposes to bacterial superinfections, an important problem during viral infection or treatment with interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha). IFN-I-induced neutropenia is one reason for the impaired bacterial control; however there is evidence that more frequent bacterial infections during IFN-alpha-treatment occur independently of neutropenia. METHODS: We analyzed in a mouse model, whether Pseudomonas aeruginosa control is influenced by co-infection with the lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV). Bacterial titers, numbers of neutrophils and the gene-expression of liver-lysozyme-2 were determined during a 24 hours systemic infection with P. aeruginosa in wild-type and Ifnar(-/-) mice under the influence of LCMV or poly(I:C). RESULTS: Virus-induced IFN-I impaired the control of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This was associated with neutropenia and loss of lysozyme-2-expression in the liver, which had captured P. aeruginosa. A lower release of IFN-I by poly(I:C)-injection also impaired the bacterial control in the liver and reduced the expression of liver-lysozyme-2. Low concentration of IFN-I after infection with a virulent strain of P. aeruginosa alone impaired the bacterial control and reduced lysozyme-2-expression in the liver as well. CONCLUSION: We found that during systemic infection with P. aeruginosa Kupffer cells quickly controlled the bacteria in cooperation with neutrophils. Upon LCMV-infection this cooperation was disturbed

Trust Perceptions of Online Travel Information by Different Content Creators: Some Social and Legal Implications

Consumers are increasingly turning to the online environment to provide information to assist them in making purchase decisions related to travel products. They often rely on travel recommendations from different sources, such as sellers, independent experts and, increasingly, other consumers. A new type of online content, usergenerated content (UGC), provides a number of legal and social challenges to providers and users of that content, especially in relation to areas such as defamation, misrepresentation and social embarrassment. This paper reports research that examined the level of trustworthiness of online travel information from these different sources. The study used a survey of Australian travel consumers (n= 12,000) and results support the notion that there are differences in the level of trust for online travel information from different sources. Respondents ‘tended to agree’ that they trusted information provided by travel agents, information from commercial operators and comments made by travellers on third party websites. However, the highest level of trust was afforded to information provided on State government tourism websites. These results suggest that greater trust is placed in online travel comments when they are on a specific travel website than when they are on a more generic social networking website. However, respondents were ‘not sure’ that they trusted comments made by travellers on weblogs and on social networking sites. Some 88% of respondents that had not visited UGC websites (or were unsure if they had) indicated that they thought that UGC would be useful in the future – suggesting that they feel that any concerns they may have in relation to legal and social problems resulting from its use will be resolved

Observations with the High Altitude GAmma-Ray (HAGAR) telescope array in the Indian Himalayas

The High Altitude GAmma-Ray (HAGAR) array is a wavefront sampling array of 7 telescopes, set-up at Hanle, at 4270 m amsl, in the Ladakh region of the Himalayas (Northern India). It constitutes the first phase of the HImalayan Gamma-Ray Observatory (HIGRO) project. HAGAR is the first array of atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes established at a so high altitude, and was designed to reach a relatively low threshold (currently around 200 GeV) with quite a low mirror area (31 m2). Regular source observations are running since September 2008. Estimation of the sensitivity of the experiment is undergoing using several hours of data from the direction of Crab nebula, the standard candle source of TeV gamma-ray astronomy, and from dark regions. Data were acquired using the On-source/Off-source tracking mode, and by comparing these sky regions the strength of the gamma-ray signal could be estimated. Gamma-ray events arrive close to telescope axis direction while the cosmic-ray background events arrive from the whole field of view. We discuss our analysis procedures for the estimate of arrival direction, estimate of gamma ray flux from Crab nebula, and the sensitivity of the HAGAR system, in this paper

Adjuvant Properties of Thermal Component of Hyperthermia Enhanced Transdermal Immunization: Effect on Dendritic Cells

Hyperthermia enhanced transdermal (HET) immunization is a novel needle free immunization strategy employing application of antigen along with mild local hyperthermia (42°C) to intact skin resulting in detectable antigen specific Ig in serum. In the present study, we investigated the adjuvant effect of thermal component of HET immunization in terms of maturation of dendritic cells and its implication on the quality of the immune outcome in terms of antibody production upon HET immunization with tetanus toxoid (TT). We have shown that in vitro hyperthermia exposure at 42°C for 30 minutes up regulates the surface expression of maturation markers on bone marrow derived DCs. This observation correlated in vivo with an increased and accelerated expression of maturation markers on DCs in the draining lymph node upon HET immunization in mice. This effect was found to be independent of the antigen delivered and depends only on the thermal component of HET immunization. In vitro hyperthermia also led to enhanced capacity to stimulate CD4+ T cells in allo MLR and promotes the secretion of IL-10 by BMDCs, suggesting a potential for Th2 skewing of T cell response. HET immunization also induced a systemic T cell response to TT, as suggested by proliferation of splenocytes from immunized animal upon in vitro stimulation by TT. Exposure to heat during primary immunization led to generation of mainly IgG class of antibodies upon boosting, similar to the use of conventional alum adjuvant, thus highlighting the adjuvant potential of heat during HET immunization. Lastly, we have shown that mice immunized by tetanus toxoid using HET route exhibited protection against challenge with a lethal dose of tetanus toxin. Thus, in addition to being a painless, needle free delivery system it also has an immune modulatory potential

The Neural Basis of Following Advice

Learning by following explicit advice is fundamental for human cultural evolution, yet the neurobiology of adaptive social learning is largely unknown. Here, we used simulations to analyze the adaptive value of social learning mechanisms, computational modeling of behavioral data to describe cognitive mechanisms involved in social learning, and model-based functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to identify the neurobiological basis of following advice. One-time advice received before learning had a sustained influence on people's learning processes. This was best explained by social learning mechanisms implementing a more positive evaluation of the outcomes from recommended options. Computer simulations showed that this “outcome-bonus” accumulates more rewards than an alternative mechanism implementing higher initial reward expectation for recommended options. fMRI results revealed a neural outcome-bonus signal in the septal area and the left caudate. This neural signal coded rewards in the absence of advice, and crucially, it signaled greater positive rewards for positive and negative feedback after recommended rather than after non-recommended choices. Hence, our results indicate that following advice is intrinsically rewarding. A positive correlation between the model's outcome-bonus parameter and amygdala activity after positive feedback directly relates the computational model to brain activity. These results advance the understanding of social learning by providing a neurobiological account for adaptive learning from advice

Why Are Outcomes Different for Registry Patients Enrolled Prospectively and Retrospectively? Insights from the Global Anticoagulant Registry in the FIELD-Atrial Fibrillation (GARFIELD-AF).

Background: Retrospective and prospective observational studies are designed to reflect real-world evidence on clinical practice, but can yield conflicting results. The GARFIELD-AF Registry includes both methods of enrolment and allows analysis of differences in patient characteristics and outcomes that may result. Methods and Results: Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and ≥1 risk factor for stroke at diagnosis of AF were recruited either retrospectively (n = 5069) or prospectively (n = 5501) from 19 countries and then followed prospectively. The retrospectively enrolled cohort comprised patients with established AF (for a least 6, and up to 24 months before enrolment), who were identified retrospectively (and baseline and partial follow-up data were collected from the emedical records) and then followed prospectively between 0-18 months (such that the total time of follow-up was 24 months; data collection Dec-2009 and Oct-2010). In the prospectively enrolled cohort, patients with newly diagnosed AF (≤6 weeks after diagnosis) were recruited between Mar-2010 and Oct-2011 and were followed for 24 months after enrolment. Differences between the cohorts were observed in clinical characteristics, including type of AF, stroke prevention strategies, and event rates. More patients in the retrospectively identified cohort received vitamin K antagonists (62.1% vs. 53.2%) and fewer received non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants (1.8% vs . 4.2%). All-cause mortality rates per 100 person-years during the prospective follow-up (starting the first study visit up to 1 year) were significantly lower in the retrospective than prospectively identified cohort (3.04 [95% CI 2.51 to 3.67] vs . 4.05 [95% CI 3.53 to 4.63]; p = 0.016). Conclusions: Interpretations of data from registries that aim to evaluate the characteristics and outcomes of patients with AF must take account of differences in registry design and the impact of recall bias and survivorship bias that is incurred with retrospective enrolment. Clinical Trial Registration: - URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov . Unique identifier for GARFIELD-AF (NCT01090362)