Bioactive potential of sea urchin Temnopleurus toreumaticus from Devanampattinam, Southeast coast of India

The present investigation elucidates the bioactive potential of aqueous extract of sea urchin Temnopleurus toreumaticus. In this investigation biochemical, heamolytic, cytotoxic and FT-IR analysis were followed by standard methods. In biochemical analysis, proteins content 2.70 mgmL-1, total carbohydrates content 2.15 mgmL-1 and total lipids content 0.03 mgmL-1 were showed in aqueous extract of sea urchin. In heamolytic assay, the goat and chicken erythrocytes showed the maximum 64 Hemolytic Unit (HU) and human blood group “A” shows 32 HU, blood group “B” shows 64 HU, blood group “AB” shows 32 HU and blood group “O” shows 128 HU. In cytotoxic study, aqueous extract of sea urchin showed LC50 value 0.12±0.09 mgmL-1 concentration was showed 50% mortality. In antimicrobial assay, maximum zone inhibition 12.26 ± 0.6 mm showed by K. oxytoca and 3.33 ± 0.9 mm showed by Mucor sp. against chloroform extract of sea urchin T. toreumaticus. Thin layer chromatogram showed the spots of Rf values of 0.38, 0.85 cm. The FT-IR study shows the presence of functional groups such as chloroalkanes, bromoalkanes, iodoalkanes, alcohols groups, acids or aromatic ethers, methyl alkyl groups, 1° amines groups and ammonium ions. These results indicate that, sea urchin has remarkable hemolytic and cytotoxic activities.Keywords: Antimicrobial Assay, Biochemical, FT-IR, Sea Urchin, Heamolyti

Sexually transmitted infections among men who have sex with men: a retrospective study in a tertiary care hospital

Background: Men who have sex with Men (MSM) have a higher prevalence of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STI) than the heterosexual men. In India, NACP recommendations to reduce HIV prevalence among MSM include early detection of HIV and other STI by screening and treatment. We conducted a study of STIs among MSM attending our OPD. The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of STIs in MSM attending our OPD.Methods: 1215 MSM among 9008 patients who attended our OPD between June 2015 and May 2016 were included in the study. Detailed history was taken and clinical examination carried out. Urethral discharge and urine samples were tested for Gonococcal infection. Smears from ulcers were tested for Syphilis, Chancroid, Herpes and Donovanosis. Serum samples were tested for HIV and other STIs like Syphilis and Herpes.Results: Among 1215 MSMs, 55 (4.5%) tested positive for VDRL and TPHA and 33 (2.7%) tested positive for HIV. 24 (2%) had urethritis (10 GU and 14 NGU), 15 (1.25%) had Balanophosthitis, 12 (1%) had genital herpes, 9 (0.75%) had genital scabies, 6 (0.5%) had Genital Wart and 2 (0.16%) had Molluscum contagiosum. Prevalence of these STIs were far higher in MSMs than in heterosexual men.Conclusions: This study highlights the higher prevalence of STIs among MSMs and the need for early intervention and treatment in this high-risk population

HALL EFFECT OF CHEMICAL BATH DEPOSITED CdS THIN FILMS

ABSTRACT Thin films of CdS of different thickness have been prepared on glass substrates in various temperatures by Chemical bath deposition. The thickness of the films has been determined by quartz crystal monitor method. The Hall Effect and the electrical resistivity have been and continue to be the key parameters used in the investigations of the basic electrical conduction processes in semiconductor materials

ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES OF CHEMICAL BATH DEPOSITED CdS THIN FILMS

ABSTRAC

Effect of Stalling after Mismatches on the Error Catastrophe in Nonenzymatic Nucleic Acid Replication

The frequency of errors during genome replication limits the amount of functionally important information that can be passed on from generation to generation. During the origin of life, mutation rates are thought to have been quite high, raising a classic chicken-and-egg paradox: could nonenzymatic replication propagate sequences accurately enough to allow for the emergence of heritable function? Here we show that the theoretical limit on genomic information content may increase substantially as a consequence of dramatically slowed polymerization after mismatches. As a result of postmismatch stalling, accurate copies of a template tend to be completed more rapidly than mutant copies and the accurate copies can therefore begin a second round of replication more quickly. To quantify this effect, we characterized an experimental model of nonenzymatic, template-directed nucleic acid polymerization. We found that most mismatches decrease the rate of primer extension by more than 2 orders of magnitude relative to a matched (Watson-Crick) control. A chemical replication system with this property would be able to propagate sequences long enough to have function. Our study suggests that the emergence of functional sequences during the origin of life would be possible even in the face of the high intrinsic error rates of chemical replication

ELECTRICAL AND PHOTOCONDUCTION STUDIES ON CHEMICAL BATH DEPOSITED CADMIUM SULPHIDE THINFILMS

Cadmium sulphide thin films have been deposited on glass substrate by a chemical bath deposition method. An aqueous alkaline bath consisting of cadmium chloride, thiourea, triethanolamine and ammonia. The preparative parameters like ion concentration, temperature, pH and stirring rate have been optimized for getting good quality thin films. The growth of film was found to be ion -by-ion method. Electrical resistivity of CdS thin films have been measured in the temperature range 303-423 K and voltage range from 2-12 volts. Photoconductivity measurements have been carried out at room temperature as a function of applied voltage and wavelength of light sources

ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES OF CHEMICAL BATH DEPOSITED CdS THIN FILMS

ABSTRAC

COMPOSITIONAL AND ELECTRICAL RESISTIVITY STUDIES ON THERMAL EVAPORATION LEAD SELENIDE THIN FILMS

Lead selenide films are prepared by the vacuum evaporation technique on clean glass substrates held at room temperature in a vacuum 10 -6 torr. The thickness of the film is measured by employing quartz crystal monitor technique. EDAX analysis confirms the composition of constituent in the PbSe thin films. The electrical resistivity measurements as a function of temperature in the range 303 K -483 K, mostly are performed using FourProbe method. At temperature above 423 K, a sudden increase in resistivity is observed. Thermal activation energy is also calculated by varying the thickness of the films and no systematic variation of activation energy is observed