NEUROTOXIC EFFECT OF TITANIUM DIOXIDE NANOPARTICLES: BIOCHEMICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL APPROACH IN MALE WISTAR RATS

Objective: Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) are widely used in pharmaceutical, cosmeceutical, biomedical and industrial applications. The adverse effects of TiO2 NPs are also increasing alarmingly. The purpose of this study is to investigate the toxicity of TiO2 NPs on biochemical and histological changes in different regions of brain in adult male Wistar rats.Methods: Two different doses of TiO2 NPs (50 mg/kg b. w and 100 mg/kg b. w) administered orally for 14 d along with one control group, each group consisting of six animals. Standard biochemical methods were adopted for the estimation of enzymes alkaline phosphatase, 5' nucleotidase, ATPases and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase. Trace elements calcium, sodium, potassium and magnesium as well as metals like iron, zinc and copper were also estimated.Results: When compared with the control group, the enzymes ATPases, ALP, 5'-NT and GGT activities were significantly decreased in both the TiO2 NPs treated groups. Ca, Na, Fe, Cu and TiO2 contents were significantly increased in both the experimental groups, while the K, Mg and Zn contents decreased. However, the changes in the parameters studied were more in 100 mg treated group (p<0.001) when compared to the 50 mg treated group (p<0.05and p<0.01). Moreover, it is also evident that different regions responded differently due to TiO2 NPs exposure. The changes were maximum in the cerebral hemisphere (p<0.001) followed by medulla oblongata (p<0.001) and cerebrum (p<0.05).Conclusion: The results clearly imply that TiO2 NPs could impair the electrochemical gradient, ionic homeostasis and membrane stability in different regions of the rat brain

Numerical and experimental investigation of FBG strain response at cryogenic temperatures

Strain response of FBG sensors are investigated at various temperatures from 298 K to 4.2 K. Numerical modelling is carried out for acrylate coated, substrate-free fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors at room temperature of 298 K and cryogenic temperatures of 77 K, 10 K and 4.2 K. A 1550 nm Bragg wavelength (λB) FBG sensor is modelled and simulated for applied strain (ε) ranging from 0 to 800 µm/m. The Bragg wavelength shifts (ΔλB) thus obtained are compared with the experimentally investigated values obtained by subjecting the FBG sensor to axial strain, with its sensing part not being bonded to any surface. The MTS25 tensile machine with a cryostat under vacuum conditions (10-4 mbar pressure) is used for the experiments and the required temperatures are maintained using liquid Nitrogen (LN2) and compressed Helium gas (He). The Bragg wavelength shift (ΔλB) versus induced strain (ε) is regressed with a linear polynomial function and the strain sensitivity obtained in both the cases are discussed

Charge storage characteristics of ultra-small Pt nanoparticle embedded GaAs based non-volatile memory

Charge storage characteristics of ultra-small Pt nanoparticle embedded devices were characterized by capacitance-voltage measurements. A unique tilt target sputtering configuration was employed to produce highly homogenous nanoparticle arrays. Pt nanoparticle devices with sizes ranging from ∼0.7 to 1.34 nm and particle densities of ∼3.3–5.9 × 1012 cm−2 were embedded between atomic layer deposited and e-beam evaporated tunneling and blocking Al2O3 layers. These GaAs-based non-volatile memory devices demonstrate maximum memory windows equivalent to 6.5 V. Retention characteristics show that over 80% charged electrons were retained after 105 s, which is promising for device applications

Marine fish calendar. V. Kakinada

The current article provides the marine fish landing data of various gears at Kakinada landing centre, Andhrapradesh. Data of the period I98l-'85 from the trawlers and 1980-'82 from indigenous gear and published information on different species from Kakinada are used for the present fish calendar

A Gis-Based Decision Support System for Integrated Management of Agricultural Watersheds

Source: ICHE Conference Archive - https://mdi-de.baw.de/icheArchiv

The Impact of Eco-Farmed Vegetables in Curing Attention Spectral Disorders - A Reprot on the New Trend

The Impact of Eco-Farmed Vegetables in Curing Attention Spectral  Disorders - A Reprot on the New Tren

Biometric Based Intrusion Detection System using Dempster-Shafer Theory for Mobile Ad hoc Network Security

In wireless mobile ad hoc network, mainly, two approaches are followed to protect the security such as prevention-based approaches and detection-based approaches. A Mobile Ad hoc Network (MANET) is a collection of autonomous wireless mobile nodes forming temporary network to interchange data (data packets) without using any fixed topology or centralized administration. In this dynamic network, each node changes its geographical position and acts as a router for forwarding packets to the other node. Current MANETs are basically vulnerable to different types of attacks. The multimodal biometric technology gives possible resolves for continuous user authentication and vulnerability in high security mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs). Dempster’s rule for combination gives a numerical method for combining multiple pieces of data from unreliable observers. This paper studies biometric authentication and intrusion detection system with data fusion using Dempster–Shafer theory in such MANETs. Multimodal biometric technologies are arrayed to work with intrusion detection to improve the limitations of unimodal biometric technique

Lipid profile alterations and fasting blood glucose levels in primary hypothyroidism

Background: Hypothyroidism has become a highly prevalent condition worldwide as well as in India. Females are affected more than men and dyslipidemia has been associated with hypothyroidism. This study was conducted to study the prevalence and pattern of dyslipidemia in hypothyroid patients and to justify the screening of lipid profile in hypothyroid patients.Methods: This was a case control study which included 50 newly diagnosed and untreated hypothyroid patients and 50 healthy individuals in the age group of 20-40years. Free Triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4), Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) were estimated by chemiluminiscence immunoassay.Serum total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), blood glucose were done in all the subjects by enzymatic colorimetric method. Low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) was calculated using Friedwalds formula. Very Low density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C) was calculated from the triglyceride value.Results: Lipid profile alterations were seen in hypothyroid patients. The mean (standard deviation)values of Total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), Low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), Very Low density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C), triglycerides (TG), Fasting blood glucose were 183.7 (32.9), 38.12 (7.59), 104.4 (29.42), 31.66 (13.09), 158.44 (65.61), 95.9(9.9) mg/dl respectively. The statistical analysis showed that the difference in the above values between cases and controls was significant and all the mean values except HDL-C were increased in cases.Conclusions: Hypothyroid patients demonstrate significant increase in serum lipids as compared to healthy individuals. More females are diagnosed with hypothyroidism and dyslipidemia is associated with primary hypothyroidism.

Present status of seaweed exploitation and seaweed industry in India

The survey of marine algal resources conducted by CMFRI along Tamil Nadu coast during 1971-76. The standing crop from the total area of 17,125 ha was estimated at 22,044 tonnes (wet wt.), consisting of 1,709 tonnes of agarophytes, 10,266 tonnes of alginophytes and 10,069 tonnes of other seaweeds. The resources of the commercially important species are 74 tonnes of Gelidiella acerosa, 914 tonnes of Gracilaria spp., 798 tonnes of Hypnea spp., 9,381 tonnes of Sargassum spp. and 714 tonnes of Turbinaria spp. The year to year fluctuation in the quantity of alginophytes landed was due to the variation in the demand of the major algin producing industries based on their supply orders for sodium alginate