Biosciences

Seeds of Vigna aconitifolia Jacq. (mataki seeds) pre-soaked in cell free culture filtrate of post-harvest sapota fungi viz. Geotrichum candidum, Aspergillus niger and Rhizoctonia solani. In order to study the effect of incubation period on toxin production, the fungi were grown for different period ranging from 5-25 days. It is clear from the result that with the increase in incubation period, toxicity also increased. All the fungal filtrates showed decrease in percentage of seed germination with increase in filtrate age i.e. soaking time in all the fungal filtrates.

The present study was conducted in southern Western Ghats of Tamilnadu, India. It is one of the global biodiversity hotspots that includes Nilgiri biosphere and Kodaikanal Wildlife Sanctuary (proposed). We studied the Diversity, Dominance and Evenness of butterflies in three different habitats (forest area, river bank, and crop area) during the period January 2011 to December 2011. A total of 92 species, from 65 genera and 5 families were recorded. Species diversity and abundance were maximum in the months of March-May and dropped to the minimum in the months of December-January. Forest area habitat had greater species diversity, while river bank habitat had greater number of individuals; crop area had the least diversity and abundance among the studied habitats. We have also recorded the endemism and flight period of some butterflies and their distribution within the habitats with their nectar source plants. Analyses were done to emphasize the importance of butterflies and the need for their conservation.

This present study was aimed determining the potency of methanol extract of leaves of Annona senegalensis. on tumor-bearing Swiss albino mice (20 in number )and to evaluate the safety of the leaves in ethnomedicinal prescription. The animals were divided into 5 groups of 4 animals each. Mean survival time (MST) and percentage increase in life span were highest in group IV with values 3.0 ± 0 .03 and 5±0.05 respectively at 1000 mg / kg body weight (b.w). Packed cell volume (PCV) showed progressive decrease as the dosage increased from 100 mg/kg to 1000 mg/kg in all the groups when compared with doxorubicin control groups with value 34.5. Viable tumor cell counts were 22.2 (group III 100 mg/kg), 20.1 (group IV 1000 mg/kg) and 18.0 group V (doxorubicin 10 mg / kg standard drug) and values are statistically different from the MEAS control (group II ) with value 28.2. Non-viable tumors cell counts were on the increase as the doses increased; 5.10 (group III 100 mg/kg), 6.47(group IV 1000 mg/kg) and 7.24 (group V 0.8 mg/kg doxorubicin standard drug) while the MEAS control (group II) was 5.00 and values were compared. All hematological parameters showed increase at the doses (intraperitoneal) investigated except total WBC white blood cells with slight decrease in values among the groups. Toxicity studies (LD50) showed that the leaf methanol extract was safe even at 5000 mg/kg b.w. The study therefore showed that leaves methanol extract of A. senegalensis Pers. had anti-tumor properties on the experimental animals and can therefore serve as a medication for tumor problems.

Nanotechnology is rapidly growing science of producing and utilizing nano-sized particles that measure in nanometers. Now-a-day we are using nanoproducts in various field. Of these silver nanoparticles are playing a major role in the field of nanotechnology and nanomedicine. But it has toxic effect in biological systems, because of active oxygen production. They can also easily pass the cell membranes, blood-brain barrier as well as blood- testis barrier. In this study we try to investigate the effect of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) on the sperms quality in rats. In this study 75 male rats (body weight 150±20 gram, 4week year old) were used which were divided into 5 groups (1 control group and 4 experimental groups), with 15 rats in each group. Different dosages of Ag NPs (25, 50, 100, 200 mg/kg) were administered to the experimental rats in a period of spermatogenesis (35 days). After this time interval they were killed by spinal cord severing method, their epididymides were separated and in order to analyze the mobility of the sperms, a homogenous solution was prepared in the ham's medium. Moreover in order to study the morphology of sperms we used the Giemsa stained samples. Finally statistical data was analyzed by T-Test and SPSS software. Results showed by (p<0/05) administration of silver nanoparticle has a significant effect on the reduction of sperm mobility and its natural morphology (p<0/05). The results showed that Ag NPs decreased sperm mobility and worse natural morphology, so can affect fertility potential of lab animals.

In this paper we present a relation for continuous slowing down approximation (CSDA) ranges for electrons of biomedical materials such as bones, muscles, fat, water and air in terms of energy from 20 keV to 50000 keV and have been fitted by least square approximation with two parameters. These parameters depend upon the total energy and atomic number of the absorber. It has been found that this method gives better agreement with the available experimental data.

Karandamalai is one of the floristically rich hill ranges in Eastern Ghats harbors many rare, endemic and endangered plants. During 2006-2007, the present author has made extensive botanical explorations in this hill range which resulted in the collection of several interesting plants. A total of 23 species belonging to 21 genera under 14 families were discussed in the present communication. This includes one new species Tylophora thiyagarajariae R. Kottaimuthu and four new records for Eastern Ghats. A new name Caralluma ravikumariae R. Kottaimuthu, is proposed for Caralluma adscendens var. gracilis.

Nanoparticles of ~10 nm in diameter made with chitosan or lactic acid-graftedchitosan were developed for high drug loading and prolonged drug release. A drug encapsulation efficiency of 94.4% and a release rate of 28% from chitosan nanoparticles after 24 hours were demonstrated with bovine serum protein. A drug encapsulation efficiency of 97% and a release rate of 38% from chitosan nanoparticles after 24 hours were demonstrated with aceclofenac. To further increase drug encapsulation, prolongdrug release, and increase chitosan solubility in solution of neutral pH, chitosan was modifiedwith lactic acid by grafting D,L-lactic acid onto amino groups in chitosan without using a catalyst. The lactic acid-grafted chitosan nanoparticles demonstrated a drug encapsulation efficiency of96% and a protein release rate of 15% after 24 hours. And in case of diclofenac, drug encapsulation efficiency of 98% and a aceclofenac release rate of 25% after 24 hours. Unlike chitosan, whichis generally soluble only in acid solution, the chitosan modified with lactic acid can be preparedfrom solutions of neutral pH, offering an additional advantage of allowing proteins or drugs tobe uniformly incorporated in the matrix structure with minimal or no denaturization.

From the investigations carried out on the Noctuidae during 2009-2011 in the Nilgiri Biosphere of Tamilnadu, six species of the genus Hypocala were studied. Among them, H. violacea Guenee was reported for the first time from the Nilgiri. Photographic illustrations of the male and female genitalia of all the known species of this moth are presented.

Polyphenol oxidase (EC 1.14.18.1) is ubiquitous plant enzyme that catalyze the O-dependent oxidation of mono- and o-diphenols to o-quinones. These quinones are reactive species that are able to covalently modify and cross-link a wide variety of cellular nucleophiles via a 1,4 addition mechanism, leading to the formation of polymeric brown or black pigments, which are responsible for significant postharvest losses of fruits andvegetables. Browning of damaged tissues in fresh fruits and vegetables results mainly from the oxidation of phenolic compounds to quinones by PPO. The activation of PPO by sodium dodesyl sulphat investigated, but reports on the effect of some detergents and chaotropic agents on activity of PPO are scarce. Here the effect of detergents and chaotropic agent on activity of enzyme in soluble and in partial purified fraction of PPO of Wild pear was investigated. Sarkosyl acts as a activator of PPO for oxidation of catechol and pyrogallol, although has inhibitory effect in concentrations over 1 mM. Other ionic, Nonionic detergents and Chaotropic agents acted as inhibitors of PPO in soluble and in partial purified fraction. Inhibitory effect of Urea, GnHcl, NP-40 and Sodium cholate in presence of catechol is more than these effect in presence of pyrogallol, but this inhibitory for Triton X-100 in presence of pyrogallol is more than catechol. The same effects were obtained on the partially purified enzyme. Results identified and confirmed the differences in structure and conformation of enzyme in soluble and in partial purified fraction for oxidation of different substrates.

One hundred (100) mature black-skinned ectotype of giant African land snails (Archachatina marginata) were managed intensively in wooden cages to generate eggs used to investigate the developmental stages of eggs. The eggs laid by the black-skinned ectotype of snails were partial cracked by the side and a small portion of the shell using pin opened up for microscopic examination at two days interval. The microscopic examination and photographs of the internal structures of the eggs revealed that embryo and shell formation took place between the eighth and fourteenth days. From days eighteen to twenty, the snails were found to be completely formed. The baby snail or hatchling crawled out of the egg’s shell on the twenty-four day, marking the incubation period for the eggs of black-skinned ectotype of A. marginata to be 24 days.