FT-IR study of the effect of zinc exposure on the biochemical contents of the muscle of Labeo rohita

Heavy metal pollution is a major environmental problem in the modern world due to increasing human activities. Zinc is an essential element involved in a wide variety of cellular processes. However, it becomes toxic when elevated concentrations are introduced into the environment. The goal of the present study is to investigate the effect of zinc exposure on the biochemical contents of the muscle tissues of freshwater species Labeo rohita using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Since the muscle constitutes the greatest mass of the fish that is consumed, the present study has paid particular attention to muscle component. The result reveals that the zinc exposure causes significant changes in the biochemical contents of the L. rohita muscle tissues. In addition, it causes an alteration in the protein secondary structures by decreasing the α-helix and increasing the β-sheet contents of muscle tissues. Further, it has been observed that the administration of chelating agent D-penicillamine improves the protein and lipid contents in the muscle tissues compared to zinc exposed tissues. This result shows that D-penicillamine is the effective chelator of zinc in reducing the body burden of L. rohita fingerlings.     

Synthesis of gold nanoparticles using herbal Acorus calamus rhizome extract and coating on cotton fabric for antibacterial and UV blocking applications

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have been synthesized by greener method using chloroauric acid as precursor and extract of Acorus calamus rhizome as reducing agent. Formation of AuNP was confirmed by the presence of Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) peak in UV–Visible spectral analysis. XRD and FT-IR spectral analyses were performed for characterization. SEM images show spherical morphology and HR-TEM images reveal nanosize of AuNPs. The AuNPs were then coated on cotton fabric by pad-dry-cure method and characterized by SEM with EDAX technique. The results reveal the deposition of AuNPs on the surface of cotton fabric. Uncoated cotton, neat extract coated cotton and extract containing AuNPs coated cotton fabrics were then tested for antibacterial activity against Gram positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram negative (Escherichia coli) bacterial strains by AATCC 100 test method. It showed that the extract containing AuNPs coated cotton fabric had higher antibacterial activity than other test samples against E. coli. UV-DRS analysis performed on extract containing AuNPs coated cotton fabric showed improved UV-blocking property than uncoated cotton fabric and neat extract coated cotton fabric.     

Picosecond acoustic transmission measurements. I. Transient grating generation and detection of acoustic responses in thin metal films

The technique of impulsive stimulated thermal scattering is extended to backside measurement of acoustic wave packets that have propagated through thin metal films following their generation by pulsed optical excitation, heating, and thermal expansion at the front side. The acoustic transmission measurement at the backside substantially isolates the acoustic responses from thermal and electronic responses of the metal film that often dominate acoustic reflection signals measured from the front side, and permits straightforward measurement of the acoustic response generated by optical excitation at a substrate-thin film interface. It can thus better distinguish among different factors that limit the bandwidth of the acoustic wave packet, an issue of concern in the measurement of high frequency responses. The paper that follows demonstrates the application of the backside measurement to a study of high frequency structural relaxation in the glass-forming liquid glycerol.     

Bayesian stratified random sampling using auxiliary information

Summary Smith (1976,J. R. Statist. Soc., A,139, 183–204) has argued that survey statisticians should attempt to model finite population structures in the same way that statisticians in other disciplines have to provide models of finite or infinite populations. Following this argument, we suggest in this paper that an obvious model for a stratified population when auxiliary information regarding variate values is available, is the one way analysis of covariance model with unequal variances and we consider the problem of estimating the finite population mean. Finally a possible extension of this result is discussed.     

Oxaphosphoranylation of Methyl α-d-Glucopyranoside with Diethoxytriphenylphosphorane: Highly Stereoselective Approach to Anhydropyranosides

Diethoxytriphenylphosphorane (DTPP) efficiently oxaphosphoranylates methyl α-d -glucopyranoside to afford two unstable isomeric 1,3,2λ⁵-dioxaphospholanes. Thermolysis (60–90°C) of these 1,3,2λ⁵-dioxaphospholanes affords only two of four possible isomeric anhydropyranosides. Two distinct intermediate betaines and their unique “pre-transition state” chair or twist-boat structures are used to rationalize the regiochemistry-attending cyclodehydration. The decomposition of these rapidly interconverting 1,3,2λ⁵-dioxaphospholanes is accelerated in the presence of lithium bromide (LiBr) to afford a single anhydropyranoside.     

Siderophore-Mediated Iron Uptake Promotes Yeast–Bacterial Symbiosis

In the present study, siderophore produced by the marine yeast Aureobasidium pullulans was characterized as hydroxamate by chemical and bioassays. The hydroxamate assignment was supported by the appearance of peaks at 1,647.21?C1,625.99?cm^?1 and at 1,435.04?cm^?1 in the infrared spectrum. The purified siderophore exhibited specific growth-promoting activity under iron-limited conditions for siderophore auxotrophic probiotic bacteria. Cross-utilization of siderophore indicates a symbiotic relationship between the yeast A. pullulans and the selected probiotic bacterial strains. Statistical optimization of medium components for improved siderophore production in A. pullulans was depicted by response surface methodology. The shift in UV?CVis spectroscopy indicates the photoreactive property and subsequent oxidative cleavage of purified siderophore on exposure to sunlight.     

The effect of titanium dioxide exposure on the thermal properties of Zebrafish (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Danio rerio</Emphasis>) bones

This article presents the changes in the thermal properties of the control and titanium dioxide (TiO₂), both nano and bulk exposed Zebrafish bones by using thermo analytical techniques. The result shows that the mass loss due to the thermal decomposition occurs in three distinct steps due to loss of water, organic and inorganic materials. The titanium dioxide exposed bones present a different thermal behaviour compared to the control bones. The residue masses are found to be increased due to titanium dioxide exposure. In particular, nano titanium dioxide exposure increases the residue mass level significantly (three fold) when compared to titanium dioxide bulk exposure. These thermal characteristics can be used as a qualitative method to check the metal oxide intoxication in biological samples.     

DNA vaccine containing the mycobacterial hsp65 gene prevented insulitis in MLD-STZ diabetes

Background  

Our group previously demonstrated that a DNA plasmid encoding the mycobacterial 65-kDa heat shock protein (DNA-HSP65) displayed prophylactic and therapeutic effect in a mice model for tuberculosis. This protection was attributed to induction of a strong cellular immunity against HSP65. As specific immunity to HSP60 family has been detected in arthritis, multiple sclerosis and diabetes, the vaccination procedure with DNA-HSP65 could induce a cross-reactive immune response that could trigger or worsen these autoimmune diseases.     

Experimental calibration and field investigation of the oxygen isotopic fractionation between biogenic aragonite and water

Marine molluscs have long been recognised as potential records of palaeoclimate change using the patterns and differences in the stable isotopic composition of the carbonate shells. The aim of this study is to improve the robustness of this approach for aragonitic molluscs by completing the first experimental calibration of the fractionation between water and biogenic aragonite. Fractionation factors were calibrated by growing specimens of the freshwater mollusc Lymnaea peregra under controlled conditions of water temperature and isotopic composition. Fifteen populations of L. peregra were maintained at constant temperature and isotopic conditions for five months (at five different temperatures and using three different water compositions). Water samples and temperature measurements were taken regularly throughout the experiment. The temperature dependence of the fractionation factor, between 8 and 24 degrees C, is given by: 1000 ln alpha=16.74x(1000T(-1))-26.39 (T in Kelvin) and the relationship between temperature (T), delta(18)O(carb) and delta(18)O(wat) is given by: T=21.36-4.83xdelta(+ degrees )O(carb)-delta(+ degrees )O(wat) (T is in degrees C, delta(18)O(carb) is with respect to Vienna Pee Dee Belemnite (PDB), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) replacement standard for PDB, and delta(18)O(wat) is with respect to Vienna standard mean ocean water (VSMOW)) The outcome of the controlled experiment is compared with previous studies on synthetic, and biogenic, calcite and aragonite from field and laboratory investigations. These comparisons suggest that although a vital offset exists between the fractionation of isotopes in synthetic and biogenic aragonite for molluscs in general, there is no vital effect that is specific either to freshwater, or to individual, genera. Therefore, the calibrated relationship may be used for any freshwater or marine mollusc to derive palaeotemperatures providing the isotopic composition of the environmental water can be reliably constrained. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

C-Spirooxyphosphoranyl (Pv) α-Anions. Alkylation and Olefination Chemistry

Abstract

The chemical features of C-spirooxyphosphoranyl α-anions are investigated toward alkylation and olefination reactions. Proposed mechanistic pathways are based on low temperature ³¹P-NMR data.