FEEDING PREFERENCE OF SILKWORM LARVAE DEPENDING ON BIOCHEMICAL ATTRIBUTES RELATED TO MULBERRY GENOTYPES

Objective: The silkworm rearing was influenced by different mulberry cultivars according to the biochemical properties of leaves. In this present study, a comparative analysis was made to investigate feeding preference of silkworm larvae depending on biochemical attributes of mulberry genotypes.Methods: For this purpose, seven different mulberry cultivars and one germ plasm namely Dudhiya was selected. F1 hybrid (Nistari × bivoltine) of silkworm larvae was reared under selected cultivars of mulberry leaves at different seasons. Biochemical assessment of all leaves was also done.Results: Among these, S1, V1 and S1635 mulberry cultivars showed higher amount of total protein, total sugar and chlorophyll, also exhibited better feeding response on economic attributes of silkworm. Maximum accumulation of ascorbic acid and glutathione was recorded during winter in Dudhiya leaves. The accumulation of H2O2, superoxide and lipid peroxidation was comparatively higher than other cultivars during stress period in Dudhiya. Statistical analysis revealed that larval growth and economical parameters depend on biochemical properties of leaves and inversely associated with excessive production of Reactive oxygen species (ROS).Conclusion: The scavenger and ROS ratio was properly maintained in S1, V1 and S1635 leaves which might help leaf metabolic homeostasis. Proper metabolic activities of leaves possibly will produce higher proteins and carbohydrates which were required for larval growth and silk production as established from the PCA plot analysis. Therefore S1, V1 and S1635 might be recommended for silkworm rearing or commercial cultivation purpose throughout all season.Keywords: Silkworm, Mulberry cultivars, Proline, Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), MDA, Single cocoon weight.Â

Prevalence and predictors of metabolic syndrome with comparison of myoinositol and metformin in PCOS women

Background: The objective is to determine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MBS) and the effects of insulin sensitizers to improve the clinical and hormonal milieu for better reproductive outcome in PCOS women.Methods: This prospective cross-sectional study was conducted on 50 PCOS women and 50 age matched control to determine the prevalence of the MBS in two tertiary hospitals over one year. Diagnosis of PCOS was based on at least two of ESHRE/ASRM criteria and diagnosis of MBS was based on at least three of NCEPATPIII criteria. Patients already diagnosed as PCOS were treated with insulin sensitizers myoionositol and metformin which were compared.Results: The study revealed that the prevalence of MBS was 40 % (20/50) nearly 4-fold higher than that of control groups. Among PCOS women, the most prevalent MBS factors were high BMI (52%) and low serum HDL-C (42%). The least prevalent factor was high fasting serum glucose level (16%). The resumption of spontaneous regular menstrual cycle and pregnancy rate in infertile groups of PCOS patients with myoionositol and metformin were 61% vs. 26% and 50% vs.91% respectively. The myoionositol group did not require any extra ovulating agents for pregnancy, while 7 out of 11 patients in metfromin group needed clomiphen citrate for ovulation induction to achieve pregnancy.  With myoinositol there is significant reduction of weight, BMI, LH/FSH ratio and fasting insulin level; whereas metformin shows decrement of weight and BMI only.Conclusions: The prevalence of MBS in PCOS is nearly 4 times in present study and there is significant improvement of symptom profile, weight, BMI and change of hormonal pattern in myoinositol group

IN-VITRO FREE-RADICAL SCAVENGING POTENTIAL OF OLIGOPEPTIDES DERIVED FROM WHEAT AND MUNG BEAN

Objective: Therapeutic potential of peptides were well established, but only few information were available on the in vitro antioxidant activities of peptides isolated from wheat and mung bean. Therefore, the aim of this present work is to evaluate the in vitro antioxidant potential of low and high molecular weight oligopeptides separately isolated from one-week old wheat [Triticum aestivum L.] and mung bean [Vigna radiata Wilczek.] seedlings.Methods: Peptides of different molecular weight range were isolated through cryo-crushing followed by solvent partitioning and ion-exchange column and were filtered through the Millipore ultrafiltration system. Purified peptides derived from both samples were assessed for their antioxidant activity.Results: Both ranges of peptides were found to possess significant antioxidant activity. But peptides of low molecular weight (LMW) range (0.5 to 3 kDa) seems to be comparatively more efficient in scavenging free radicals such as DPPH, ABTS+, nitric oxide as well as superoxide than peptides of high molecular weight (HMW), ranging between 3 to 10 kDa. Peptides of LMW from wheat highly responded to metal chelating in comparison to peptides of LMW isolated from mung bean.Conclusion: These peptides may constitute an important part of the antioxidant defense system and could be used for the formulation of Functional foods and Nutraceuticals.Â

Metabolomics using Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and antibacterial activity of nine Ocimum taxa of Dakshin Dinajpur district, West Bengal, India

Ocimum traditionally known as Holy Basil or Tulsi is an available herb plenty across the country. Traditionally, it is used against a number of human diseases. In this present study, the metabolites present in the ethanolic extracts of nine Ocimum taxa, O. tenuiflorum L. (Green and purple type) two morphotypes  of O. basilicum L., (Babu and Marua tulsi) two morphotypes  of O. gratissimum L. (Ram and Ajowan tulsi) and each one  from O. americanum L. (Bon tulsi), O. × africanum Lour. (Lebu tulsi), and O. kilimandscharicum Guerke.grown naturally in Dakshin Dinajpur district, West Bengal, India were identified using Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry  (GC-MS). Among the identified metabolites, carbohydrates, aliphatic alcohols, aliphatic acids, fused ring aromatic hydrocarbon, amino acids, phenolic compounds, quinone, steroids, terpenoids and vitamin E were the chief constituents. The occurrence of these metabolites describes the high biological activity of Ocimum species. Furthermore, in vitro antibacterial activities were also identified against four bacterial strains, Staphylococcus aureus (MTCC 96), Bacillus cereus (MTCC 1305), Proteus vulgaris (MTCC 1771) and Escherichia coli (MTCC 2939). Tested bacterial strains were taken from the Institute of Microbial Technology, Chandigarh, India The results indicated that the ethanolic extracts of all the nine Ocimum taxa have satisfactory minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values against the tested microorganisms. O. tenuiflorum has the highest (91.03 %) metabolic content whereas O. × africanum has the minimum. This would definitely serve as a scientific basis of the traditional use of basil against human ailments.

Giant Magnetoimpedance (GMI) Effect and Field Sensitivity of Ferrofluid Coated Co66Fe2Si13B15Cr4 Soft Magnetic Amorphous Microwire

AbstractCo66Fe2Si13B15Cr4 based amorphous microwire was developed at the laboratory using in-water quenching apparatus. The field sensitivity of the wire was enhanced when coated with ferrofluids. The presence of coating also decreased the frequency of the magnetising field 5MHz to 1MHz at which the maximum GMI ratio observed

Urea/thiourea derivatives and Zn(II)-DPA complex as receptors for anionic recognition - a brief account

This review covers few examples of anion complexation chemistry, with a special focus on urea/thiourea-based receptors and Zn(II)-dipicolyl amine-based receptors. This article specially focuses on structural aspects of the receptors and the anions for obtaining the desire specificity along with an efficient receptor-anion interaction. Two types of receptors have been described in this brief account; first one being the strong hydrogen bond donor urea/thiourea derivatives, which binds the anionic analytes through hydrogen bonded interactions; while, the second type of receptors are coordination complexes, where the coordination of the anion to the metal centre. In both the cases the anion binding modulate the energy gap between the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) and thereby the spectroscopic response. Appropriate choice of the signalling unit may allow probing the anion binding phenomena through visual detection

Repressor of temperate mycobacteriophage L1 harbors a stable C-terminal domain and binds to different asymmetric operator DNAs with variable affinity

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Lysogenic mode of life cycle of a temperate bacteriophage is generally maintained by a protein called 'repressor'. Repressor proteins of temperate lambdoid phages bind to a few symmetric operator DNAs in order to regulate their gene expression. In contrast, repressor molecules of temperate mycobacteriophages and some other phages bind to multiple asymmetric operator DNAs. Very little is known at present about the structure-function relationship of any mycobacteriophage repressor.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Using highly purified repressor (CI) of temperate mycobacteriophage L1, we have demonstrated here that L1 CI harbors an N-terminal domain (NTD) and a C-terminal domain (CTD) which are separated by a small hinge region. Interestingly, CTD is more compact than NTD at 25°C. Both CTD and CI contain significant amount of α-helix at 30°C but unfold partly at 42°C. At nearly 200 nM concentration, both proteins form appreciable amount of dimers in solution. Additional studies reveal that CI binds to <it>O</it>₆₄and <it>O</it>_{<it>L </it>}types of asymmetric operators of L1 with variable affinity at 25°C. Interestingly, repressor – operator interaction is affected drastically at 42°C. The conformational change of CI is most possibly responsible for its reduced operator binding affinity at 42°C.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Repressors encoded by mycobacteriophages differ significantly from the repressor proteins of λ and related phages at functional level but at structural level they are nearly similar.</p

Electrical Discharge Coating a Potential Surface Engineering Technique: A State of the Art

Electrical discharge coating (EDC) process is used to deposit material on workpiece surface from sacrificial or green compact tool electrode in an electrical discharge machine. The paper presents the mechanism of EDC using green compact electrode and powder mixed dielectric methods. The tool electrode material, electrode size, process parameters, and type of dielectrics can directly affect the surface integrity of workpiece. Here, a process map of EDC as a function of process parameters, its classification, advantages, and applications for a wide range of engineering materials offers a proper template for the evaluation of coating phenomena. This study shows that EDC is an economic process as compared to other costlier techniques. Additionally, the effect of various EDM and EDC parameters on surface integrity and tribological behavior of deposited coatings is studied with their pros and cons. Finally, the current research trends of EDC and its challenges are elaborated.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Study of surface integrity and effect of process parameters in wire electrical discharge turning of Ti-6Al-4V

Wire electrical discharge turning set-up has been developed by modifying the conventional five axes CNC WEDM machine. The main objective of this setup is to achieve cylindrical forms on hard to cut materials. This work focuses on the study of effect of input process parameters like pulse on-time, pulse off time, gap voltage, spindle rotational speed on output responses like surface roughness, material removal rate and wire wear ratio. A mathematical model of responses has been developed using response surface methodology and the optimal value of process parameters has been obtained by desirability function. Surface morphology studies of the machined surface and the worn-out wire has also been elaborated by FE-SEM images. The results show that with an increase in machining parameters value except pulse-on time, all the desired machining outcome decreases. Surface roughness, material removal rate and wire wear ratio have been found in the range of 1.99 μm – 1.37 μm, 7.55 – 13.66 mm3/min and 0.05–0.08, respectively. The formation of thick recast layer over the machined surface has also been discussed. The reduction in wire dimension has been calculated by optical microscopy and its morphology has been discussed by FE-SEM images