Abstract The aim of this present study was to localize alveolar macrophages, Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), Smooth muscle actin (SMA), Vimentin and Vasculo-endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the tracheal epithelium and lung alveoli in three important breeds of goats namely, Pashmina, Bakerwali and non-descript goats by standard immunohistochemical methods. Large pulmonary macrophages were observed in the lung sections of all the three breeds of goat. Macrophages were observed in the alveolar septa and airway epithelium. The mean macrophage count for Pashmina, Bakerwali and non-descript goat were recorded as 23.4±1.47, 27.8±0.68 and 21.4±0.70, respectively. The PCNA activity was intense in the alveolar epithelial cells of lungs in Pashmina and Bakerwali goats and very high in the lung tissue of non-descript goat. The PCNA activity was intense in the bronchial epithelial cells of lungs in Bakerwali goat. Strong reaction of SMA was observed in the submucosa of bronchioles of Pashmina and Bakerwali goats. The submucosa of the tracheal tissue showed a strong reaction of SMA in the non-descript goat and moderate in the submucosa of trachea in the Bakerwali goat. A number of vimentin-positive cells were found in the lung parenchyma in both Pashmina and Bakerwali goats. Also, there was a strong reaction of vimentin mainly in submucosal area in non-descript goat. The VEGF activity was found to be intense in the lung alveoli of Bakerwali goat and strong in Pashmina and non-descript goats. The tracheal epithelium was moderately reactive to VGEF in all the three goats.

ABSTRACT The first ever long-term measurement of black carbon (BC) aerosols over an urban location at the central Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) is presented. Both short- and long-term variations in BC during the period 2009-2013 are discussed with specific emphasis on variation in BC sources, meteorology, trend and possible transport pathways across the IGP. High BC mass loading was noted with a 5-yr composite mean (± SD) of 11.8 (± 8.6) µg m-3, having strong and consistent seasonal variations (median: 8.8; range: 1.4-48.0 µg m-3). Winter (21.5 ± 9.9µ gm-3) and post-monsoon (17.4 ± 10.2 µg m-3) specific rises in BC mass were consistent with the increase in household emissions, and from agricultural residue burning. The BC mass concentration was mostly influenced by local sources, while sudden change in BC was consistent with the change in Delta-C, indicating emissions primarily from biomass burning. Beside sources, atmospheric boundary layer height was noted to considerably influence short-term variations in BC concentration. A statistically significant monotonic increasing trend in BC concentration (0.9 µg m-3 yr-1) was computed along with its 95% uncertainty bounds (0.38-1.52 µ gm-3 yr-1). Increase in BC concentration was consistent with a rise in BC sources across the IGP and over India. Furthermore, clear evidence of local and regional scale transport of BC aerosols was found using the particle Lagrangian model.

RESUMEN Se presentan las primeras mediciones a largo plazo de aerosoles de carbono negro (CN) en una ubicación urbana de la llanura indogangética media (IGP, por sus siglas en inglés). Tanto las variaciones a corto como a largo plazo en CN de 2009 a 2013 se analizan con énfasis específico en la variación de las fuentes de CN, la meteorología, la tendencia y el posible mecanismo de transporte a través de la IGP. Se observó una carga de CN excepcionalmente alta con una media (± DE) de 11.8 (± 8.6), con un patrón estacional fuerte y constante (mediana: 8.8; rango: 1.4-48.0 μg m-3). El aumento específico en el invierno (21.5 ± 9.9 μg m-3) y la temporada post monzón (17.4 ± 10.2 μg m-3) fue consistente con el aumento de las emisiones domésticas y la quema de residuos agrícolas. La masa de CN fue influenciada principalmente por fuentes locales, mientras que el cambio repentino en la concentración de CN fue consistente con el cambio en Delta-C, lo cual indica que las emisiones provienen principalmente de fuentes biogénicas de CN. Además de las fuentes, la altura de la capa límite atmosférica influyó considerablemente en la carga de CN. También se calculó una tendencia creciente monotónica estadísticamente significativa en la concentración de CN (0.9 μg m-3 yr-1) junto con sus correspondientes límites de incertidumbre de 95% (0.38-1.52 μg m-3 yr-1). Tal aumento gradual en CN fue consistente con el aumento potencial en sus fuentes. Además, se encontró evidencia clara del transporte local y regional de aerosoles de utilizando el modelo lagrangiano de partículas.

ABSTRACT Lectins are non-immunogenic carbohydrate-recognizing proteins that bind to glycoproteins, glycolipids, or polysaccharides with high affinity and exhibit remarkable ability to agglutinate erythrocytes and other cells. In the present study, ten Fusarium species previously not explored for lectins were screened for the presence of lectin activity. Mycelial extracts of F. fujikuroi, F. beomiformii, F. begoniae, F. nisikadoi, F. anthophilum, F. incarnatum, and F. tabacinum manifested agglutination of rabbit erythrocytes. Neuraminidase treatment of rabbit erythrocytes increased lectin titers of F. nisikadoi and F. tabacinum extracts, whereas the protease treatment resulted in a significant decline in agglutination by most of the lectins. Results of hapten inhibition studies demonstrated unique carbohydrate specificity of Fusarium lectins toward O-acetyl sialic acids. Activity of the majority of Fusarium lectins exhibited binding affinity to D-ribose, L-fucose, D-glucose, L-arabinose, D-mannitol, D-galactosamine hydrochloride, D-galacturonic acid, N-acetyl-d-galactosamine, N-acetyl-neuraminic acid, 2-deoxy-D-ribose, fetuin, asialofetuin, and bovine submaxillary mucin. Melibiose and N-glycolyl neuraminic acid did not inhibit the activity of any of the Fusarium lectins. Mycelial extracts of F. begoniae, F. nisikadoi, F. anthophilum, and F. incarnatum interacted with most of the carbohydrates tested. F. fujikuroi and F. anthophilum extracts displayed strong interaction with starch. The expression of lectin activity as a function of culture age was investigated. Most species displayed lectin activity on the 7th day of cultivation, and it varied with progressing of culture age.

Abstract The antagonistic potential of Trichoderma strains was assayed by studying the effect of their culture filtrate on the radial growth of Sclerotium rolfsii, the causal agent of chickpea collar rot. Trichoderma harzianum-1432 (42.2%) and Trichoderma atroviride (40.3%) were found to be strong antagonists. To enhance their antagonistic potential, mutagenesis of these two selected strains was performed. Two mutants, Th-m1 and T. atroviride m1, were found to be more effective than their parent strains. The enzymatic activities of the selected parent and mutant strains were assayed, and although both mutants were found to have enhanced enzymatic activities compared to their respective parent strains, Th-m1 possessed the maximum cellulase (5.69 U/mL) and β-1,3-glucanase activity (61.9 U/mL). Th-m1 also showed high competitive saprophytic ability (CSA) among all of the selected parent and mutant strains, and during field experiments, Th-m1 was found to successfully possess enhanced disease control (82.9%).

O efeito de doses sub-letais (40% e 80% de LC50/24h) de moluscicidas derivados de plantas com combinações unitárias, binárias (1:1) e terciárias (1:1:1) de Rutin, ácido Elágico, Betulin e taraxerol com látex da J. gossypifolia, folhas e extrato em pó de casca de caule e seus componentes ativos foram estudados na reprodução do caramujo de água fresca Lymnaea acuminata. Foi observado que o látex da J. gossypifolia, casca do caule, folhas individualmente e suas combinações com componentes moluscicidas ativos derivados de outras plantas causaram redução significante na fecundidade, incubação e sobrevivência dos caramujos jovens. Acredita-se que a exposição sub-letal destes moluscicidas sobre a reprodução dos caramujos é processo complexo envolvendo mais de um fator na redução da capacidade reprodutiva.

The effect of sub-lethal doses (40% and 80% of LC50/24h) of plant derived molluscicides of singly, binary (1:1) and tertiary (1:1:1) combinations of the Rutin, Ellagic acid, Betulin and taraxerol with J. gossypifolia latex, leaf and stem bark powder extracts and their active component on the reproduction of freshwater snail Lymnaea acuminata have been studied. It was observed that the J. gossypifolia latex, stem bark, individual leaf and their combinations with other plant derived active molluscicidal components caused a significant reduction in fecundity, hatchability and survival of young snails. It is believed that sub-lethal exposure of these molluscicides on snail reproduction is a complex process involving more than one factor in reducing the reproductive capacity.

Resistance gene analog (RGA)-anchored amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP-RGA) marker system was used in order to evaluate genetic relationships among 22 pigeon pea genotypes with varied responses to Fusarium wilt and sterility mosaic disease. Five AFLP-RGA primer combinations (E-CAG/wlrk-S, M-GTG/wlrk-S, M-GTG/wlrk-AS, E-CAT/S1-INV and E-CAG/wlrk-AS) produced 173 scorable fragments, of which 157 (90.7%) were polymorphic, with an average of 31.4 fragments per primer combination. The polymorphism rates obtained with the five primers were 83.3%, 92.0%, 92.3%, 93.0% and 93.1%, respectively. Mean polymorphic information content (PIC) values ranged from 0.24 (with E-CAT/S1-INV) to 0.30 (with E-CAG/wlrk-AS), whereas resolving power (RP) values varied from 11.06 (with M-GTG/wlrk-S) to 25.51 (with E-CAG/wlrk-AS) and marker index (MI) values ranged from 5.98 (with M-GTG/wlrk-S) to 12.30 (with E-CAG/wlrk-AS). We identified a positive correlation between MI and RP (r²=0.98, p<0.05), stronger that that observed for the comparison between PIC and RP (r²=0.88, p<0.05). That implies that either MI or RP is the best parameter for selecting more informative AFLP-RGA primer combinations. The Jaccard coefficient ranged from 0.07 to 0.72, suggesting a broad genetic base in the genotypes studied. A neighbor-joining tree, based on the unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean, distinguished cultivated species from wild species. The grouping of resistant genotypes in different clusters would help in the selection of suitable donors for resistance breeding in pigeon pea.

A case of extensive chromoblastomycosis of the right leg and thigh with verruciform to nodular lesions evolving rapidly over five years duration is reported. The diagnosis was confirmed by visualizing pathognomonic pigmented muriform bodies with unique septate hyphae and mycological culture yielding Fonsecaea pedrosoi.

Sacrum is formed by the fusion of five sacral vertebrae and forms the lower part of vertebral column. The opening present at the lower end of sacral canal is known as sacral hiatus. Anatomical variations in morphology and morphometry of sacral hiatus are important clinically as well as surgically. 159 dry clean human Sacra were taken from Department of Anatomy, Sri Guru Ram Das Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Vallah (Amritsar). Various shapes of sacral hiatus were observed which included inverted U (42.95%), inverted V (27.51%), irregular (16.10%), dumbbell (11.40%) and bifid (2.01%). The apex of sacral hiatus was commonly found at the level of 4th sacral vertebra in 56.36%. The mean length of sacral hiatus was 22.69 mm. The mean anteroposterior diameter of sacral canal at the apex of sacral hiatus was 6.49 mm. Narrowing of sacral canal at the apex of sacral hiatus (diameter less than 3 mm) was observed to be high (5.36%). The knowledge of anatomical variations of dimensions of sacral hiatus is important while doing caudal epidural block and it may help to improve its success rate.

El sacro está conformado por la fusión de las cinco vértebras sacras, y forma la parte inferior de la columna vertebral. La abertura presente en el extremo inferior del canal sacro se conoce como hiato sacro. Las variaciones anatómicas en la morfología y la morfometría del hiato sacro son importantes clínica y quirúrgicamente. Fueron utilizados 159 sacros humanos, limpios y secos, del Departamento de Anatomía, Sri Guru Ram Das Instituto de Ciencias Médicas e Investigación Vallah (Amritsar). Fueron observadas varias formas de hiato sacro: U invertida (42,95%), V invertida (27,51%), irregular (16,10%), de pesa (11,40%) y bífida (2,01%). El ápice del hiato sacro se encuentra comúnmente a nivel de la cuarta vértebra sacra en el 56,36%. La longitud media de hiato sacro fue 22,69 mm. El diámetro medio anteroposterior del canal sacro en el ápice del hiato sacro fue 6,49 mm. El estrechamiento del canal sacro en el ápice del hiato sacro (diámetro inferior a 3 mm) fue alto (5,36%). El conocimiento de las variaciones anatómicas de las dimensiones del hiato sacro es importante para el bloqueo epidural caudal y puede ayudar a mejorar su tasa de éxito.

Halophiles are excellent sources of enzymes that are not only salt stable but also can withstand and carry out reactions efficiently under extreme conditions. The aim of the study was to isolate and study the diversity among halophilic bacteria producing enzymes of industrial value. Screening of halophiles from various saline habitats of India led to isolation of 108 halophilic bacteria producing industrially important hydrolases (amylases, lipases and proteases). Characterization of 21 potential isolates by morphological, biochemical and 16S rRNA gene analysis found them related to Marinobacter, Virgibacillus, Halobacillus, Geomicrobium, Chromohalobacter, Oceanobacillus, Bacillus, Halomonas and Staphylococcus genera. They belonged to moderately halophilic group of bacteria exhibiting salt requirement in the range of 3-20%. There is significant diversity among halophiles from saline habitats of India. Preliminary characterization of crude hydrolases established them to be active and stable under more than one extreme condition of high salt, pH, temperature and presence of organic solvents. It is concluded that these halophilic isolates are not only diverse in phylogeny but also in their enzyme characteristics. Their enzymes may be potentially useful for catalysis under harsh operational conditions encountered in industrial processes. The solvent stability among halophilic enzymes seems a generic novel feature making them potentially useful in non-aqueous enzymology.

Antifungal properties of some essential oils have been well documented. Clove oil is reported to have strong antifungal activity against many fungal species. In this study we have evaluated antifungal potential of essential oil of Syzygium aromaticum (L.) against some common fungal pathogens of plants and animals namely, Fusarium moniliforme NCIM 1100, Fusarium oxysporum MTCC 284, Aspergillus sp., Mucor sp., Trichophyton rubrum and Microsporum gypseum. All fungal species were found to be inhibited by the oil when tested through agar well diffusion method. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined for all the species. Column chromatography was performed to separate the eugenol rich fraction from clove oil. Out of seven fractions maximum activity was obtained in column fraction II. TLC and HPLC data confirmed presence of considerable Eugenol in fraction II and clove oil. Microscopic study on effect of clove oil and column fraction II on spores of Mucor sp. and M. gypseum showed distortion and shrinkage while it was absent in other column fractions. So it can be concluded that the antifungal action of clove oil is due to its high eugenol content.

Os efeitos tóxicos das combinações binárias e terciárias do pó de látex da Euphorbia hirta Linn assim como outros compostos vegetais moluscicidas foram avaliados em sua ação sobre caramujos de água doce Lymnaea (Radix) acuminata e Indoplanorbis exustus em represas. Estas combinações mostraram significante efeito dose e tempo dependente contra ambos os caramujos. Estes compostos em doses altas foram também letais para peixes de água doce Channa punctatus (Bloch) (Channidae {Ophicephalidae}), que compartilham o ambiente com estes caramujos mas a dose LC90 (24h) para caramujos aparentemente não tem propriedade de matar as populações de peixes quando uma população mista de peixes e caramujos são tratadas.

The toxic effect of binary and tertiary combinations of Euphorbia hirta Linn latex powder with other plant molluscicidal compounds, were evaluated against the freshwater snails Lymnaea (Radix) acuminata and Indoplanorbis exustus in pond. These combinations showed significant time and dose dependent effect against both the snails. These compounds at higher doses were also lethal to freshwater fish Channa punctatus (Bloch) (Channidae {Ophicephalidae}), which shares the habitat with these snails, but the LC90 (24h) doses of snails have no apparent killing properties in fish populations when treated in mixed population of snails and fish.

Foi investigada a optimização de componentes criticos do meio de cultivo para a produção de exoinulinase por Kluyveromyces marxianus YS-1 em frascos agitados utilizando a metodologia de superficie de resposta (RSM), com base em um delineamento composto central rotativo. As variáveis independentes, com cinco niveis, foram as concentrações de inulina, de extrato de carne, de cloreto de cálcio e de dodecil sulfato de sódio, bem como o pH do meio de cultivo. Os valores ótimos, obtidos pela RSM, foram com 2% de inulina, 2.17% de extrato de carne, 0.65 mM de cloreto de cálcio, 0.10 mM de dodecil sulfato de sódio e pH 5.5. As estimativas de produção de exoinulinase e de rendimento em biomassa no meio otimizado foram de 63.61 UI/ml e de 9.65 (em termos de OD600/10), respectivamente. Os coeficientes de correlação múltipla R foram de 0.9976 e 0.9605 para produção de exoinulinase e biomassa, respectivamente, e, sendo próximos de um, indicam uma excelente correlação entre os valores estimados e experimentais. A máxima productividade de exoinulinase (64.05 UI/ml) obtida experimentalmente por RSM foi mais que o dobro em comparação com nossos resultados anteriores utilizando uma técnica de otimização clássica de uma variável por vez.

Optimization of critical medium components for exoinulinase production by Kluyveromyces marxianus YS-1 at shake-flask was investigated using response surface methodology (RSM) based on a central composite rotatable design (CCRD). A five-level with five factors CCRD was used to evaluate the influence of related factors including concentration of inulin, meat extract, calcium chloride, sodium dodecyl sulphate and medium pH. Optimum values obtained by RSM were 2% inulin, 2.17% meat extract, 0.65 mM calcium chloride, 0.10 mM sodium dodecyl sulphate and pH 5.5. Optimized medium projected a theoretical exoinulinase production of 63.61 IU/mL and biomass yield of 0.965 (OD600/10). Multiple correlation coefficient R was 0.9976 and 0.9605 for exoinulinase production and biomass yield, respectively, which being close to one, justified an excellent correlation between the predicted and experimental values. Maximum productivity of exoinulinase (64.05 IU/mL) obtained experimentally by RSM was more than double in comparison to earlier findings using classical one-variable-at-a-time technique.

Forty-four soybean genotypes with different photoperiod response were selected after screening of 1000 soybean accessions under artificial condition and were profiled using 40 SSR and 5 AFLP primer pairs. The average polymorphism information content (PIC) for SSR and AFLP marker systems was 0.507 and 0.120, respectively. Clustering of genotypes was done using UPGMA method for SSR and AFLP and correlation was 0.337 and 0.504, respectively. Mantel's correlation coefficients between Jaccard's similarity coefficient and the cophenetic values were fairly high in both the marker systems (SSR = 0.924; AFLP = 0.958) indicating very good fit for the clustering pattern. UPGMA based cluster analysis classified soybean genotypes into four major groups with fairly moderate bootstrap support. These major clusters corresponded with the photoperiod response and place of origin. The results indicate that the photoperiod insensitive genotypes, 11/2/1939 (EC 325097) and MACS 330 would be better choice for broadening the genetic base of soybean for this trait.

The synthesis of a series of novel 3-pyridyl-6-aryl-s-triazolo[3,4-b]-[1,3,4]-thiadiazoles is described. Fourteen new compounds were synthesized and characterized by spectral and elemental analyses. Some compounds were screened for antibacterial activity against S. aureus, E. coli, B. subtilis and P. aeruginosa. Compounds containing aryl substituents at position 6 and the 1,2,4-triazole moiety at position 1 or 2 showed reasonable antibacterial activity.