Distribution of heterotrophic bacterioplankton in the Indian sector of Southern Ocean

Study was carried out on the distribution of bacterioplankton in the Indian sector of Southern Ocean. Total Heterotrophic Bacterial (THB) counts were maximum (107x104/CFU/ml) in water samples collected from 200 m depth and lowest (15.1x103/CFU/ml) at 3730 m. Of the 250 strains isolated from the water samples, 9.2% were gram positive and 4.8% gram negative. The important genera encountered were Pseudomonas, Aeromonas, Vibrio, Acinetobacter, Micrococcus, Staphylococcus, Corynebacterium, Flavobacterium, Chromobacterium, Moraxella, Bacillus and Planococcus. Most of the isolates (94%) were capable of lipase production followed by gelatinase (40%) and amylase (32%)

Typification of names in the genus Anaphyllum (Araceae)

The little-known and small genus Anaphyllum (Araceae), represented by only two species endemic to India, namely A. beddomei and A. wightii, has remained without correctly designated types. Their syntypes are recognized and the names are here typified. The correct bibliographic reference to the protologue of A. wightii is provided for the first time

Dynamics of Vibrio cholerae in a Typical Tropical Lake and Estuarine System: Potential of Remote Sensing for Risk Mapping

Vibrio cholerae, the bacterium responsible for the disease cholera, is a naturally-occurring bacterium, commonly found in many natural tropical water bodies. In the context of the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) targets on health (Goal 3), water quality (Goal 6), life under water (Goal 14), and clean water and sanitation (Goal 6), which aim to “ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all”, we investigated the environmental reservoirs of V. cholerae in Vembanad Lake, the largest lake in Kerala (India), where cholera is endemic. The response of environmental reservoirs of V. cholerae to variability in essential climate variables may play a pivotal role in determining the quality of natural water resources, and whether they might be safe for human consumption or not. The hydrodynamics of Vembanad Lake, and the man-made barrier that divides the lake, resulted in spatial and temporal variability in salinity (1–32 psu) and temperature (23 to 36 °C). The higher ends of this salinity and temperature ranges fall outside the preferred growth conditions for V. cholerae reported in the literature. The bacteria were associated with filtered water as well as with phyto- and zooplankton in the lake. Their association with benthic organisms and sediments was poor to nil. The prevalence of high laminarinase and chitinase enzyme expression (more than 50 µgmL−1 min−1) among V. cholerae could underlie their high association with phyto- and zooplankton. Furthermore, the diversity in the phytoplankton community in the lake, with dominance of genera such as Skeletonema sp., Microcystis sp., Aulacoseira sp., and Anabaena sp., which changed with location and season, and associated changes in the zooplankton community, could also have affected the dynamics of the bacteria in the lake. The probability of presence or absence of V. cholerae could be expressed as a function of chlorophyll concentration in the water, which suggests that risk maps for the entire lake can be generated using satellite-derived chlorophyll data. In situ observations and satellite-based extrapolations suggest that the risks from environmental V. cholerae in the lake can be quite high (with probability in the range of 0.5 to 1) everywhere in the lake, but higher values are encountered more frequently in the southern part of the lake. Remote sensing has an important role to play in meeting SDG goals related to health, water quality and life under water, as demonstrated in this example related to cholera

Impact of alternative solid state forms and specific surface area of high-dose, hydrophilic active pharmaceutical ingredients on tabletability

YesIn order to investigate the effect of using different solid state forms and specific surface area (TBET) of active pharmaceutical ingredients on tabletability and dissolution performance, the mono- and dihydrated crystalline forms of chlorothiazide sodium and chlorothiazide potassium (CTZK) salts were compared to alternative anhydrous and amorphous forms, as well as to amorphous microparticles of chlorothiazide sodium and potassium which were produced by spray drying and had a large specific surface area. The tablet hardness and tensile strength, porosity, and specific surface area of single-component, convex tablets prepared at different compression pressures were characterized. Results confirmed the complexity of the compressibility mechanisms. In general it may be concluded that factors such as solid-state form (crystalline vs amorphous), type of hydration (presence of interstitial molecules of water, dehydrates), or specific surface area of the material have a direct impact on the tabletability of the powder. It was observed that, for powders of the same solid state form, those with a larger specific surface area compacted well, and better than powders of a lower surface area, even at relatively low compression pressures. Compacts prepared at lower compression pressures from high surface area porous microparticles presented the shortest times to dissolve, when compared with compacts made of equivalent materials, which had to be compressed at higher compression pressures in order to obtain satisfactory compacts. Therefore, materials composed of nanoparticulate microparticles (NPMPs) may be considered as suitable for direct compaction and possibly for inclusion in tablet formulations as bulking agents, APIs, carriers, or binders due to their good compactibility performanceSolid State Pharmaceutical Cluster (SSPC), supported by Science Foundation Ireland under Grant No. 07/SRC/B1158

Improved process for preparation of chromium dioxide.

An improved process for the preparation of chromium dioxide (CrO2) comprises placing a quartz or stainless steel container closed at the end and containing chromium trioxide, water, and a modifier, e.g., Sb2O3, into an autoclave, feeding oxygen gas into the autoclave to generate an initial pressure of 8-12 MPa, heating the autoclave to 300-450xB0;C, maintaining the autoclave at the maximum temperature for 1-6 hours, cooling to room temperature, and removing CrO2 formed, followed by washing and drying in air at 100xB0; C

An improved process for preparation of chromium dioxide.

The process comprises charging a container containing chromium trioxide, water, alkali metal salts or ammonium salts, and a modifier into an autoclave at 500xB0;C, passing oxygen gas into the autoclave to generate an initial pressure of 8-12 MPa, heating the autoclave to 300-450xB0; C and 500-800 bars, maintaining the autoclave at maximum temperature for 1-4 hours, cooling to room temperature, removing CrO2 formed, washing, drying, and grinding into a free flowing powder. The modifier used is antimany trioxide and 1.3 wt% of CrO3

SHELTER-BUILDING BEHAVIOR OF Erionota torus Evans (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae) CATERPILLARS FEEDING ON BANANA LEAVES

Shelter construction by different larval instars of Erionota torus Evans (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae) is most crucial for ensuring proper nutrition, improving microclimatic conditions needed for the normal larval development, and for avoiding the attack of predators and parasitoids. The present study focus on detailed description of the life cycle and shelter building mechanism of different larval instars of banana skipper Erionota torus, a rapidly invading foliophagus insect pest in the banana plantations of Malabar region of Kerala. With detailed observations carried out both in the field and on the laboratory populations of Erionota larvae, we illustrate the types of shelters constructed during the larval ontogeny and also all the activities performed during the process of shelter-building. Further the paper evaluates the factors as well as threats that influence the shelter making behavior .The location of shelters on the host plant and various aspects of larval feeding behavior are also descried. First and second instar larvae of E. torus build and inhabit in their own shelters by successively abandoning the shelters and constructing new ones. The fourth and fifth instars larvae use the shelter made by the third instars. However the leaf area used to construct the shelter of successive instars increases as the larva increases in size. The larvae of E. torus produce shelters in two distinct styles which change as the larvae grow. These changes in the style of shelter building are likely to be correlated with larval size, needs, biotic and abiotic factors. The average area of leaf used to construct the shelters of first, second, third, fourth and fifth instar larvae were 3.62 ± 0.78 cm2, 17.3 ± 0.61 cm2, 102 ± 0.81cm2, 162.8 ± 1.34 cm2, 275 ±1.41 cm2 respectively .Average area of leaf consumed by first, second, third, fourth and fifth instars were 0.67 ± 0.07 cm2, 5.78 ± 0.15 cm2, 27.93 ± 1.37 cm2, 104 ± 0.51 cm2 and 114.2 ± 0.081 cm2 respectively.Averge length of the leaf shelter of first, second, third, fourth and fifth instars were 1 ± 0.22 cm, 4.64 ± 0.61cm ,13 ± 075 cm, 15 ± 1 cm, 15 ± 3 cm respectively

TOXICOLOGICAL PROFILING OF METHANOLIC AND AQUEOUS EXTRACTS OF AMORPHOPHALLUS COMMUTATUS VAR. WAYANADENSIS - ENDANGERED MEDICINAL PLANT IN RODENT MODELS

Objective: Amorphophallus commutatus var. wayanadensis (ACW) is exclusive endemic of Wayanad has been used among the traditional medicinal healers of tribal communities of Wayanad for the treatment of various ailments. Our aim of the study is to evaluate the toxicity profile of ACW is by acute and sub-acute in rodents.  Methods: In acute toxicity studies, mice were orally administered of single doses of 1000 and 2000mg/kg of methanolic and aqueous extract and sub-acute toxicity studies were performed by administration of 200 and 400mg/kg orally for 28 days. Results: In acute toxicity studies, administration of methanolic and aqueous extract didn't observe any signs of mortality or toxicity upto 2000mg/kg body weight. No significant change in the physical, biochemical, hematological and histopathology analysis were observed for methanolic and aqueous extracts by sub-acute toxicity studies. Conclusion: The methanolic and aqueous extract of Amorphophallus commutatus var. wayanadensis is relatively safe for long term oral administration fulfilling the basic priority for its use in traditional medicinal therapies

Not Available

Not AvailableStudy was carried out on the distribution of bacterioplankton in the Indian sector of Southern Ocean. Total Heterotrophic Bacterial (THB) counts were maximum (107x104/CFU/ml) in water samples collected from 200 m depth and lowest (15.1x103/CFU/ml) at 3730 m. Of the 250 strains isolated from the water samples, 9.2% were gram positive and 4.8% gram negative. The important genera encountered were Pseudomonas, Aeromonas, Vibrio, Acinetobacter, Micrococcus, Staphylococcus, Corynebacterium, Flavobacterium, Chromobacterium, Moraxella, Bacillus and Planococcus. Most of the isolates (94%) were capable of lipase production followed by gelatinase (40%) and amylase (32%).Not Availabl

Benthic polychaetes off Edward VIII Plateau in the continental shelf of East Antarctica

921-925Samples of marine benthos were collected from three stations (200-300 m depth) off the Edward VIII Plateau (Enderby Land, East Antarctica) during the Third Indian Expedition to the Southern Ocean (2009). Dominant taxonomic groups collected were the polychaetes (165 individuals), nematodes (71) and crustaceans (83), along with echinoderms (19), bivalve molluscs (18), mast pycnogonids (4) and bryozoans. Among the polychaetes, 53 species could be identified. Syllids were represented by the most number of individuals (18.5%), followed by the paraonids (13.1%), spionids (12.5%) and cirratulids (11.9%). Most abundant species collected were Brania sp. (Syllidae) and Laonice weddellia (Spionidae). The polychaete species represented in the samples are listed