Sugar Mill Effluent Induced Histological Changes in Heart of Channa Punctatus

Sugar mill effluents are not so toxic like pesticides, but they contain many organic and inorganic reactive compounds which can affect the life of the organisms. These reactive compounds accumulate and retard physiological activities in human beings also. Histological biomarkers can be indicators of the effects on organisms of various anthropogenic pollutants on organisms and are a reflection of the overall health of the entire population of that ecosystem. The alterations in cells and tissues of fish are recurrently used biomarkers in many studies as such changes occur in all the invertebrates and vertebrates inhabiting aquatic basins. Histological biomarkers embody tissue lesions arising as a result of previous or current exposure of the organism to one or more toxins. In other words, it can be stated that these compounds act as a slow poison. Keeping these points in view, the effect of sugar mill effluent is observed on histology of heart of freshwater fish Channa punctatus

Biomimetic hydrogel-CNT network induced enhancement of fluid-structure interactions for ultrasensitive nanosensors

Flexible, self-powered, miniaturized, ultrasensitive flow sensors are in high demand for human motion detection, myoelectric prosthesis, biomedical robots, and health-monitoring devices. This paper reports a biomimetic nanoelectromechanical system (NEMS) flow sensor featuring a PVDF nanofiber sensing membrane with a hydrogel infused, vertically aligned carbon nanotube (VACNT) bundle that mechanically interacts with the flow. The hydrogel-VACNT structure mimics the cupula structure in biological flow sensors and gives the NEMS flow sensor ultrahigh sensitivity via a material-induced drag force enhancement mechanism. Through hydrodynamic experimental flow characterization, this work investigates the contributions of the mechanical and structural properties of the hydrogel in offering a sensing performance superior to that of conventional sensors. The ultrahigh sensitivity of the developed sensor enabled the detection of minute flows generated during human motion and micro-droplet propagation. The novel fabrication strategies and combination of materials used in the biomimetic NEMS sensor fabrication may guide the development of several wearable, flexible, and self-powered nanosensors in the future.Singapore. Prime Minister’s Offic

Pharmacognostic Investigation of Clerodendrum Phlomidis Linn. F. Root

The present study was aimed to perform the pharmacognostic evaluation of Clerodendrum phlomidis Linn. f. root in terms of organoleptic, macro-microscopy, fluorescence analysis and physicochemical parameters. The characteristic macroscopic features showed that the root consists of 7-15 cm long, 0.2 -3.0 cm thick pieces which are cylindrical, tough and yellowish-brown externally, with hard fracture and slightly astringent taste. The main microscopic characters of the root shows exfoliating cork, having 10-15 rows of tangentially elongated, thick-walled cells. Cortex consists of round to oval parenchymatous cells, a few containing rhomboidal shaped calcium oxalate crystals. Endodermis consists of 3-4 layers of non-lignified, thick-walled rounded parenchymatous cells followed by a single pericyclic layer. Phloem consists of isodiametric, thin-walled, parenchymatous cells whereas xylem contains lignified pitted vessels. Medullary rays consisting of biseriate layer of lignified and radially elongated parenchymatous cells, is narrower in the xylem region while wider in the phloem region. Further, physicochemical analysis of the root power reports total ash, water soluble ash, sulphated ash as 7.8, 0.9 and 10.3 % w/w respectively. Successive extraction of the root powder with petroleum ether, chloroform, alcohol, water yielded 2.2, 2.4, 12.4 and 9.6 % w/w extracts respectively. Fluorescence study imparted characteristic colours to the root powder when observed under visible, short and long wavelength light. Various pharmacognostic parameters evaluated in this study helps in botanical identification and standardization of Clerodendrum phlomidis L. root part in crude form and provide the authentic data for the researchers and scientists involved in carrying out further research on this plant part

Development and Pathology of the Mammalian Pylorus.

The pylorus is the junction between the stomach and the small intestine. It regulates food movement between the two organs and prevents the regurgitation of duodenal contents into the stomach. An evolutionarily conserved network of gene expression has been documented at the pylorus: Nkx2-5, Sox9, and Grem1 show pyloric-specific expression domains and are functionally involved in pyloric development. However, the expression domains of these genes had not been determined on a cellular basis. Nkx2-5 was of particular interest since human genomic studies indicate that polymorphisms near this locus are associated with the pyloric pathology Infantile Hypertrophic Pyloric Stenosis. Work in this thesis shows that these three genes are expressed in the pyloric musculature with Nkx2-5 and Grem1 expressed in both the inner circular (ICM) and outer longitudinal (OLM) layers of muscle. In contrast, Sox9 expression is largely limited to the OLM. Gata3, another transcription factor that we identified as a pyloric specific gene in earlier studies, is also OLM specific. Using genetic mouse models, we demonstrate that Nkx2-5 and Gata3 are independently required for the formation of a specific fascicle of OLM at the pylorus, while loss of Grem1 appears to have no effect on pyloric development. After loss of either Nkx2-5 or Gata3, smooth muscle cell differentiation is compromised and apoptosis is increased. Sox9 is downstream of both Gata3 and Nkx2-5, but the latter two factors appear to act independently. Together, these data lead us to posit that some cases of IHPS might be caused by activating mutations in Nxk2-5 (or Gata3 or Sox9). Three dimensional reconstruction of the expression domains of Gata3, Nkx2-5 and the smooth muscle marker, aSMA, reveal that the pyloric OLM fascicle is continuous with cord-like structures on the ventral surface of the stomach, previously called gastric ligaments. These structures are composed of smooth muscle and, like the OLM, are dependent upon Gata3 and Nkx2-5 for proper maturation. Since these ligaments may be necessary for maintenance of the proper pyloro-duodenal angle, we have re-named them as the pyloric ligaments.PHDCellular and Molecular BiologyUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/111521/1/ajpr_1.pd

Timing Offset Calibration of CZTI instrument aboard ASTROSAT

The radio as well as the high energy emission mechanism in pulsars is yet not understood properly. A multi-wavelength study is likely to help in better understanding of such processes. The first Indian space-based observatory, ASTROSAT, has five instruments aboard, which cover the electromagnetic spectrum from infra-red (1300 $\AA$) to hard X-ray (380 KeV). Cadmium Zinc Telluride Imager (CZTI), one of the five instruments is a hard X-ray telescope functional over an energy range of 20-380 KeV. We aim to estimate the timing offset introduced in the data acquisition pipeline of the instrument, which will help in time alignment of high energy time series with those from two other ground-based observatories, viz. the Giant Meterwave Radio Telescope (GMRT) and the Ooty Radio Telescope (ORT). PSR B0531+21 is a well-studied pulsar with nearly aligned radio and hard X-ray pulse profiles. We use simultaneous observations of this pulsar with the ASTROSAT, the ORT and the GMRT. The pulsar was especially observed using the ORT with almost daily cadence to obtain good timing solutions. We also supplement the ORT data with archival FERMI data for estimation of timing noise. The timing offset of ASTROSAT instruments was estimated from fits to arrival time data at the ASTROSAT and the radio observatories. We estimate the offset between the GMRT and the ASTROSAT-CZTI to be -4716 $\pm$ 50 $\mu s$. The corresponding offset with the ORT was -29639 $\pm$ 50 $\mu s$. The offsets between the GMRT and Fermi-LAT -5368 $\pm$ 56 $\mu s$. (Abridged)Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures, 2 tables, Revised and Updated, accepted for publication in A&