Nanoencapsulation of Pesticides: Sustainable Perspective in Agriculture

The concern towards the increasing challenges of sustainable agriculture made the researchers towards significant technological development and innovations in recent years. In particular, Nanotechnology offers potential solutions to improve agricultural production assuring sustainability. The incorporation of nanotechnology as a means of nano pesticides delivers the pesticides appropriately i.e., targeted delivery of pesticides by lowering the indiscriminate use of conventional pesticides. The assets of a nanoencapsulated pesticide formulation are controlled releasing properties with enhanced solubility, specificity, permeability and stability. They provide in-built switches to control the release and subsequent availability of pesticides to be used effectively over a given period of time and their design enables them to resist the severe environmental processes such as leaching, evaporation, photolytic hydrolytic and microbial degradation over conventional pesticides. This review provides fundamental information to critically assess the significant role of nanotechnology for the encapsulation of pesticides. © 2020 Author(s)

Effectiveness of Resistance Training on the Strength of Scapulo-humeral Muscles and Abdominals in Male Volley Ball Players

Background: Volleyball is a sportive modality that requires strength in the upper and lower extremities along with the trunk musculature. The improvement of muscular strength is very important along with agility and flexibility for a volleyball player. Aim of the study to find the effectiveness of resistance training on the strength of scapulo-humeral muscles and abdominals in male volley ball players. Objectives of this study is find out the effect of resistance training on the strength of the scapulo-humeral muscles by measuring peak torque by using an isokinetic dynamometer and to find out the effect of resistance training on strength of abdominals through 1RM test. Methods: A group of 30 male volleyball players who have fulfilled the inclusion criteria were assigned into two groups control and experimental groups each consisting of 15 subjects. The subjects of the experimental group underwent resistance training under my supervision and the subjects of the control group done the same protocol unsupervised for 6 weeks. Results: There was significant improvement in the strength of scapula-humeral muscles and abdominals in the experimental group when compared to the control group when the pre and post intervention values were measured (p=0.05). Conclusion: Resistance training under supervision of the therapist resulted in significant improvement in strength of the scapulo-humeral muscles and abdominals in the male volleyball players

Nanoencapsulation of pesticides: Sustainable perspective in agriculture

The concern towards the increasing challenges of sustainable agriculture made the researchers towards significant technological development and innovations in recent years. In particular, Nanotechnology offers potential solutions to improve agricultural production assuring sustainability. The incorporation of nanotechnology as a means of nano pesticides delivers the pesticides appropriately i.e., targeted delivery of pesticides by lowering the indiscriminate use of conventional pesticides. The assets of a nanoencapsulated pesticide formulation are controlled releasing properties with enhanced solubility, specificity, permeability and stability. They provide in-built switches to control the release and subsequent availability of pesticides to be used effectively over a given period of time and their design enables them to resist the severe environmental processes such as leaching, evaporation, photolytic hydrolytic and microbial degradation over conventional pesticides. This review provides fundamental information to critically assess the significant role of nanotechnology for the encapsulation of pesticides. © 2020 Author(s)

EVALUATION OF ANTIPYRETIC ACTIVITY OF ETHANOLIC EXTRACT OF WEDELIA TRILOBATA

The aim of present study was to investigate antipyretic activity of ethanolic extract of leaves of Wedelia trilobata in yeast induced pyrexia in wistar albino rats. In which pyrexia was induced by an intraperitonial injection of 20% brewer’s yeast (10 ml/kg b.wt.). The body temperature of rats were measured before the injection of yeast and injected ethanolic extract of leaves of Wedelia trilobata (100 mg/kg b.wt.) and (200 mg/kg b.wt.) and followed by treatment with paracetamol (150 mg/kg b.wt.). The body temperature of experimental animals were recorded in the time interval of 0 hr, 1 hr, 2 hr and 3 hr with help of digital clinical thermometer which is placed in rectum in the depth of 2 cm and recorded body temperature values shown that the leaves extract of of Wedelia trilobata possess antipyretic activity

Effects of Chemical Reaction and Radiation Absorption on MHD Flow of Dusty Viscoelastic Fluid

This investigation is undertaken to study the effects of heat source and radiation absorption on unsteady hydro-magnetic heat and mass transfer flow of a dusty viscous incompressible, electrically conducting fluid between two vertical heated, porous, parallel plates in the presence of chemical reaction under the influence of a transverse applied magnetic field. Initially, the channel walls as well as the dusty fluid are assumed to be at the same temperature and the mass is assumed to be present at low level concentration so that it is constant everywhere. It is also assumed that the dusty particles are non-conducting, solid, spherical and equal in sizes, these are uniformly and symmetrically distributed in the flow field. The governing equations are solved analytically using the perturbation technique. Non-dimensional velocity, temperature, concentration and skin-friction are discussed through graphs for various physical parameters entering into the problem. It is found that velocity of the dusty particles is less than that of the dusty fluid and the skin-friction of the dusty particles is greater than that of the dusty fluid. It is observed that the temperature is minimal at the centre of the channel and decreases towards the plates whereas the concentration is minimal at the center of the channel but increases towards the plates

Association of genetic polymorphisms in XRCC4, XRCC5, XRCC6 and XRCC7 in cervical cancer susceptibility from rural population: a hospital based case-control study

Background: Cervical cancer is a major concern of health risk, moreover the leading cause of cancer causing deaths in women of rural India. This study was aimed to assess the risk of cervical cancer development in association with polymorphisms in XRCC4, XRCC5, XRCC6 and XRCC7 genes in rural population of south-western Maharashtra.Methods: This study included 350 cervical cancer proven cases and 400 age and sex matched controls. We used polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) to analyze the association XRCC4, XRCC6 and XRCC7 gene polymorphisms with cervical cancer development in women of Western Maharashtra.Results: The result from our study showed that allele frequencies of selected genes were not statistically different between the groups for XRCC4, XRCC5 and XRCC6. 6721 >T allele of XRCC7 (6721G>T) (OR= 2.34; 95% CI= (2.34 (1.60-3.43); p= <0.0001) significantly increased the risk of cervical cancer.Conclusions: This study indicates that XRCC7 gene polymorphisms play a role in modifying genetic susceptibility of individuals towards cervical cancer among women from rural Maharashtra. This case-control study also revealed negative association of XRCC6 gene in cervical carcinogenesis in the rural Indian population

Assessment of role of genetic polymorphisms in XRCC1, XRCC2 and XRCC3 genes in cervical cancer susceptibility from a rural population: a hospital based case-control study from Maharashtra, India

Background: Cervical cancer is a major concern of health risk, moreover the leading cause of cancer causing deaths in women of rural parts of India. This study was aimed to assess the risk of cervical cancer development in association with polymorphisms in X-Ray Cross Complementing Group (XRCC1, XRCC2 and XRCC3) genes in the rural population of south-western Maharashtra. We focused to determine the frequency of polymorphisms in DNA repair genes including XRCC1 at codon (cd) 194, cd 280, cd 399, XRCC2 at cd 188 and XRCC3 at cd 241 and their plausible role in cervical cancer risk from rural parts of India.Methods: This study included 350 proven cases with cervical cancer and 400 age and sex matched controls. We used polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) to analyze the association XRCC1, XRCC2 and XRCC3 gene polymorphisms with cervical cancer development in women of South-Western Maharashtra.Results: The result from our study showed that allele frequencies of selected genes were not statistically different between the groups for XRCC1 Trp194, XRCC2 His188 and XRCC3 Met241. XRCC1 His280 (OR= 4.36; 95% CI= (3.20-5.95); p= <0.0001) and XRCC1 Gln399 (OR= 2.99; 95% CI= (1.60-5.56); p= <0.0001) genotypes significantly increased the risk of cervical cancer.Conclusions: This study indicates that polymorphisms in cd 280 of exon 9 and cd 399 of exon 10 of XRCC1 gene could play a role in modifying genetic susceptibility of individuals towards cervical cancer among women from rural Maharashtra. This case-control study suggest that selected DNA repair genes represent genetic determinants in cervical carcinogenesis along with other risk factors in the rural Indian population

Multienzymatic immobilization of laccases on polymeric microspheres:A strategy to expand the maximum catalytic efficiency

Laccase enzymes of were covalently coimmobilized on poly(glycidyl methacrylate) microspheres. The objective of this work was to create a biocatalyst that works efficiently in a wide range of pH. The coimmobilization was performed using two different strategies to compare the most efficient. The results showed that by correctly selecting the enzymes and concentrations involved in the commobilization, it is possible to obtain a biocatalyst that works efficiently at a wide pH range (2.0-7.0). The maximum activity values reached per gram of support for the obtained biocatalyst were 41.90 U (pH 3.0), 40.89 U (pH 4.0), and 39.54 U (pH 6.0). Moreover, the thermal, storage, and mechanical stabilities were improved compared to the free and single-immobilized laccases. It was concluded that enzymatic coimmobilization is an excellent alternative to obtain a robust biocatalyst that works in a wide pH range, with potential environmental and industrial applications

MutLα heterodimers modify the molecular phenotype of Friedreich ataxia

This article has been made available through the Brunel Open Access Publishing Fund.Background: Friedreich ataxia (FRDA), the most common autosomal recessive ataxia disorder, is caused by a dynamic GAA repeat expansion mutation within intron 1 of FXN gene, resulting in down-regulation of frataxin expression. Studies of cell and mouse models have revealed a role for the mismatch repair (MMR) MutS-heterodimer complexes and the PMS2 component of the MutLα complex in the dynamics of intergenerational and somatic GAA repeat expansions: MSH2, MSH3 and MSH6 promote GAA repeat expansions, while PMS2 inhibits GAA repeat expansions. Methodology/Principal Findings: To determine the potential role of the other component of the MutLα complex, MLH1, in GAA repeat instability in FRDA, we have analyzed intergenerational and somatic GAA repeat expansions from FXN transgenic mice that have been crossed with Mlh1 deficient mice. We find that loss of Mlh1 activity reduces both intergenerational and somatic GAA repeat expansions. However, we also find that loss of either Mlh1 or Pms2 reduces FXN transcription, suggesting different mechanisms of action for Mlh1 and Pms2 on GAA repeat expansion dynamics and regulation of FXN transcription. Conclusions/Significance: Both MutLα components, PMS2 and MLH1, have now been shown to modify the molecular phenotype of FRDA. We propose that upregulation of MLH1 or PMS2 could be potential FRDA therapeutic approaches to increase FXN transcription. © 2014 Ezzatizadeh et al.This article has been made available through the Brunel Open Access Publishing Fund