http://nopr.niscair.res.in/handle/123456789/35 Search the Channel search http://nopr.niscair.res.in/simple-search http://nopr.niscair.res.in/handle/123456789/236 Title: Effect of UV-B and high visual radiation on photosynthesis in freshwater (Nostoc spongiaeforme) and marine (Phormidium corium) cyanobacteria <br/> <br/>Authors: Bhandari, Rupali; Sharma, Prabhat Kumar <br/> <br/>Abstract: Human activity is causing depletion of ozone in stratosphere, resulting in increased UV-B radiation and global warming. However, impact of these climatic changes on the aquatic organism (especially marine) is not fully understood. Here, we have studied the effect of excess UV-B and visible radiation on photosynthetic pigments, fatty acids content, lipid peroxidation, nitrogen content, nitrogen reductase activity and membrane proteins, induction of mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) and antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) in freshwater (Nostoc spongiaeform) and marine (Phormidium corium) cyanobacteria. UV-B treatment resulted in an increase in photosynthetic pigments in Nostoc and decrease in Phormidium, but high light treatment caused photobleaching of most of the pigments in both the species. Unsaturation level of fatty acids of both total and glycolipids remained unchanged in both the cyanobacteria, as a result of UV-B and high light treatments. Saturated fatty acids of total and glycolipids declined slightly in Nostoc by both the treatments, but remained unchanged in Phormidium. No changes in the unsaturated lipid content in our study probably suggested adaptation of the organism to the treatments. However, both treatments resulted in peroxidation of membrane lipids, indicating oxidative damage to lipids without any change in the level of unsaturation of fatty acid in the cell membrane. Qualitative and quantitative changes were observed in membrane protein profile due to the treatments. Cyanobacteria were able to synthesize MAAs in response to the UV-B treatment. Both treatments also increased the activities of SOD and APX. In conclusion, the study demonstrated induction of antioxidants such as SOD and APX under visible light treatment and screening pigment (MAAs) under UV-B treatment, which might protect the cyanobacteria from oxidative damage caused by high light and UV-B radiation <br/> <br/>Page(s): 231-239 http://nopr.niscair.res.in/handle/123456789/151 Title: Antiphospholipid antibodies in young myocardial infarction patients <br/> <br/>Authors: Mishra, Mahendra N; Kalra, Ravi; Gupta, Mahendra K <br/> <br/>Abstract: Myocardial infarction (MI) is a multi-factorial disease which claims many young lives. There are very few Indian studies that have investigated antiphospholipid antibodies (APLs) in MI patients. APLs have been implicated in arterial thrombosis including premature coronary artery and cerebrovascular thrombosis. In the present study, the prevalence of two clinically significant APLs — anticardiolipin antibody (ACA) and lupus anticoagulants (LA) in young MI patients was studied and compared with age- and sex-matched controls. Fifty healthy blood donors and 40 young MI patients (less than 45 yrs) diagnosed according to the American Heart Association guidelines were recruited for the study. The criteria for diagnosis were presence of atleast two of three classical findings including: clinical symptoms, diagnostic ECG, and presence of one or more cardiac biomarkers out of raised CK-MB isoform and T-troponin on serial measurement. LA and ACA were tested by lupus-sensitive activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) and ELISA respectively. Elevation of ACA was observed in 9 patients, while 6 were positive for LA. ACA of IgG isotype was detected in 8 patients. One patient had LA and raised ACA of IgG and IgM isotypes. Antiphospholipid antibodies were found to be significantly associated with MI in young patients, when considered together (p<0.05) and in coronary thrombosis, mild elevation of ACA may be considered significant. <br/> <br/>Page(s): 481-484 http://nopr.niscair.res.in/handle/123456789/150 Title: Modulatory effect of Gynandropsis gynandra L. on glucose metabolizing enzymes in aflatoxin B₁-induced hepatocellular carcinoma in rats <br/> <br/>Authors: Sivanesan, D; Begum, V Hazeena <br/> <br/>Abstract: The modulation of glucose-metabolizing enzymes activities play a vital role in the depletion of energy metabolism and leads to inhibition of cancer growth. In the present study, the effect of Gynandropsis gynandra L. extract on aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁)-induced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was studied on glucose-metabolizing enzymes in rats. A significant increase (p<0.001) in the activities of the key glycolytic enzymes viz., hexokinase and phosphoglucoisomerase, with a significant decrease (p<0.001) in the gluconeogenic enzymes glucose-6-phosphatase and fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase were observed in HCC-bearing rats, when compared with the control. Administration of G. gynandra extract caused a significant decrease in the activities of glycolytic enzymes and an increase in the gluconeogenic enzymes activities to near normal values. Thus, findings suggest the G. gynandra extract has a definite modulating role on the key enzymes of glucose metabolism in HCC. The modulatory effect may be due to the phytoactive constituents present in the extract of G. gynandra. <br/> <br/>Page(s): 477-480 http://nopr.niscair.res.in/handle/123456789/149 Title: Quantitative structure-activity relationship of some pesticides <br/> <br/>Authors: Praba, G Om; Velmurugan, D <br/> <br/>Abstract: Herbicides (benzodiazepinediones), insecticides (dioxatricyclododecenes) and larvicides (N-oxalyl derivatives of tebufenozide) have been quantitatively investigated to explore the relationship between the molecular structure and their biological activity using molecular operating environment (MOE) software. The study provides good predictive models, cross-validated by leave-out-one method (Loo). The positive contribution of the descriptor n-O (count of oxygen atom) suggests the additional oxygen atom substitution at R₁ position, in addition to benzodiazepine moiety is favorable for herbicidal activity, whereas the negative contribution of y component of dipole moment (Dipy) indicates that electronic interactions are also crucial for the activity. The negative correlation of VSA² and globularity (Glo) descriptors clearly indicates that the volume, shape, and rigidity of tebufenozide derivatives determine their larvicidal activity. The biparametric model for insecticides shows that the indicator variable ICH-CH₃ and RPC⁻ (negative partial charge) are detrimental for its activity. Most of the active compounds in the series have shown less value for these descriptors. The derived QSAR models also provide valuable insights to optimize their toxicity, which remains a major concern for environment safety. <br/> <br/>Page(s): 470-476