Alkanethiol-protected silver clusters of average diameter 4.0 ( 0.5 nm form single-phase superlattice solids, and their X-ray powder diffractograms have been fully indexed to single cubic unit cells. Whereas alkanethiols with five or more carbon atoms form superlattices, the corresponding cluster with four carbons yield only separated clusters. The superlattice solids can be recrystallized from nonpolar solvents. No such superlattices are seen for the corresponding gold clusters. The superlattice collapses upon heating, but the solid retains the structure even at 398 K, much above the melting point of crystalline alkanes and the corresponding self-assembled monolayer. In situ variable-temperature X-ray diffraction investigations did not show any solid-state phase transitions in the superlattice. Temperature-dependent infrared spectroscopy reveals the melting of the alkyl chain, and it is seen that the chain as a whole achieves rotational freedom prior to the collapse of the superlattice. Calorimetric investigations show distinct monolayer and superlattice melting transitions. The chemical nature of the cluster-molecule interaction is similar to that of the previously investigated gold and silver systems, as revealed by NMR, mass, infrared, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopies and thermogravimetry analyses. Conductivity measurements clearly manifest the superlattice melting transition. Diffusion constants in solution measured by NMR show that the relative decrease in the diffusion constant with increasing monolayer chain length is smaller for silver than for gold, suggested to be a signature of intercluster interaction even in solution. Corroborative evidence is provided by the variable-temperature UV/vis investigations of the clusters.

Growth mechanism from nano-ordered clusters to nanocrystals in a deeply undercooled melt of Zr-Ni-Ti metallic glass Dependence of Al layer growth mode on Cr underlayer thickness in molecular-beam epitaxy of (001) Al/Cr superlattices J.Melting of crystalline solids ͑superlattices͒ of octadecanethiol and octanethiol protected silver clusters has been studied with x-ray powder diffraction ͑XRD͒, differential scanning calorimetry ͑DSC͒, and infrared ͑IR͒ spectroscopy. These solids have been compared with the silver thiolate layered compounds in view of their similarity in alkyl chain packing and x-ray diffraction patterns. Superlattice melting is manifested in XRD around 400 K as the complete disappearance of all the low angle reflections; only bulk silver reflections due to the cluster cores are seen at 423 K. The superlattice structure is regained upon cooling from a temperature close to its melting point. However, cooling from a higher temperature of 473 K does not regain the superlattice order, whereas thiolate melting is repeatedly reversible even at these temperatures. Transmission electron microscopy suggests aggregation of clusters during heating/cooling cycles. DSC shows two distinct transitions, first corresponding to alkyl chain melting and the second corresponding to superlattice melting. Only alkyl chain melting is observed in variable temperature IR and increased order is manifested upon repeated heating/cooling cycles. Alkyl chain assembly shows strong interchain coupling leading to factor group splitting in cluster superlattices upon annealing. In thiolates only one melting feature is seen in DSC and it produces gauche defects, whereas significant increase in defect structures is not seen in superlattices. Repeated heating/cooling cycles increase interchain interactions within a cluster and the superlattice order collapses.

A new organic solvent-tolerant strain Bacillus megaterium AU02 which secretes an organic solvent-tolerant protease was isolated from milk industry waste. Statistical methods were employed to achieve optimum protease production of 43.6 U/ml in shake flask cultures. The productivity of the protease was increased to 53 U/ml when cultivated under controlled conditions in a 7-L fermentor. The protease was purified to homogeneity by a three-step process with 24 % yield and specific activity of 5,375 U/mg. The molecular mass of the protease was found to be 59 kDa. The enzyme was active over a wide range of pH (6.0–9.0), with an optimum activity at pH 7.0 and temperature from 40 to 70 °C having an optimum activity at 50 °C. The thermal stability of the enzyme increased significantly in the presence of CaCl2, and it retained 90 % activity at 50 °C for 3 h. The Km and Vmax values were determined as 0.722 mg/ml and 0.018 U/mg respectively. The metalloprotease exhibited significant stability in the presence of organic solvents with log P values more than 2.5, nonionic detergents and oxidising agent. An attempt was made to test the synthesis of aspartame precursor (Cbz-Asp-Phe-NH2) which was catalysed by AU02 protease in the presence of 50 % DMSO. These properties of AU02 protease make it an ideal choice for enzymatic peptide synthesis in organic media.

BACKGROUNDFor decades, there has been discussion whether thyroid disorders could cause gallstone disease. Gallstone formation is a complex process involving various mechanisms affecting the flow of bile and bile content. Hypothyroid patients are found to have biliary stasis because of slowed emptying of bile from the biliary tract into the duodenum. This is attributed to the decreased pro-relaxing action of thyroxine on sphincter of Oddi in hypothyroid individuals. The hallmark laboratory investigation to detect hypothyroidism and also a sensitive indicator for diagnosing early thyroid dysfunction is serum TSH level. Serum TSH level is the most accurate indicator of thyroid function. This study attempts to know the prevalence of hypothyroidism in cholelithiasis. MATERIALS AND METHODSA cross-sectional study was done between April 2014 to September 2014. 50 patients diagnosed as cholelithiasis in Department of General Surgery, Government Royapettah Hospital, were included in the study. Full history, clinical examination, ultrasound abdomen and laboratory blood test for free T3, free T4 and TSH were done for every patient. Data was analysed statistically using SPSS version 19.0. RESULTSOut of 50 patients of cholelithiasis, 29 (58%) were females and 21 (42%) were males. Thyroid disorder in form of hypothyroidism was found in 19 (38%) patients. In that, 11 (22%) patients presented with subclinical hypothyroidism and 8 (16%) patients with clinical hypothyroidism. CONCLUSIONThere is an increase in prevalence of hypothyroidism in cholelithiasis in this study. The prevalence was more among >40 years age group. This increase in prevalence could have an effect on the diagnostic and therapeutic workup of cholelithiasis patients.

A bacterial strain producing both a protease and an esterase was isolated from the seed of Tamarindus indica. The isolate was identified as Lysinibacillus fusiformis AU01 by phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rDNA sequence. The isolate produced an extracellular protease and an intracellular esterase simultaneously under the same culture conditions. Statistical methods, i.e., Plackett-Burman followed by response surface methodology (RSM), were applied to optimize media components and culture conditions in 50 mL shake flask cultures. Culturing in shake flasks with the optimized medium resulted in a 6-fold and a 3.5-fold increase in protease and esterase production, respectively, when compared to nutrient medium. The productivity of the protease and esterase was increased to 75 U/mL and 370 U/mL when cultivated under controlled conditions in a 3-L bioreactor. The extracellular protease was purified to 34.6 fold with 38.8 % recovery and the molecular mass of the enzyme was found to be 48 kDa. The partial amino acid sequence of the protease was determined by MALDI-TOF-MS analysis. The optimum temperature and pH for protease activity were found to be pH 9.0 and 40 °C. The inhibition of purified protease by EDTA and PMSF confirmed that the enzyme belonged to the family of serine metalloproteases. The enzyme was found to be stable in the presence of some hydrophobic and hydrophilic solvents. The ability of AU01 protease to dissociate monolayer cells for subculturing adherent cell lines was also investigated.

Activity staining or zymography is a technique to detect enzymes based on their function/activity toward a specific substrate. Multiple enzyme-producing microbes secrete enzymes along with other proteins at varying time points during fermentation. The technique of zymography can be used to detect functionality of enzymes in complex protein/other enzyme mixtures. The protein bands corresponding to specific enzyme among other enzymes/proteins can be located by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) followed by zymogram analysis. This can be employed to locate the secretion pattern of protein/enzyme from intracellular region to extracellular medium. Here we describe simple method for detection and cellular localization of esterases and protease secreted by single microbial strain in one PAGE gel.

Organophosphorus compounds are extensively used as pesticides for soft bodied insects in agriculture. They have been imported in India since 1951, but very few knew the nature of these compounds as a virulent poison till the food poisoning tragedy in 1958 which claimed above 100 lives. This was due to inadvertent stocking of food packages in the same hold as folidol containers. In countries such as India and Nicaragua, organophosphates are easily accessible and, therefore, a source of both intentional and unintentional poisonings. The incidence of international organophosphate-related human exposures appears to be underestimated. (1) Over time organophosphorus compounds have become the no.1 poison of choice for the purpose of suicide in India and remain so till date. Hence this study was conducted to shed some light on the scenario of deaths due to organophosphorus compound poisoning.

Agriculture is the backbone of our country. Agriculture is the science of cultivating the soil, harvesting crops, and raising livestock which is considered as one of the economic activities in Asian countries.  In India, sector of agriculture is destroying now-a-days .The main goal of this project is to increase the productivity and profit. There are several automated systems available in literature, which are developed for irrigation control and environmental monitoring in the field. However, it is essential to monitor the plant growth stage by stage and take decisions accordingly. In addition to monitoring the environmental parameters such as pH, moisture content and temperature, it is inevitable to identify the onset of plant diseases too. To prevent the losses occur in agriculture production. Plant disease identification by continuous visual monitoring is very difficult task to farmers and at the same time, it is less accurate and can be done in limited areas. Hence, this project aims to develop an image processing algorithm to detect the diseases in the rice plant. Rice blast disease occurs in rice plant due to magnaporthe grisea and this disease also occurs in wheat, rye, barley, and millet. Due to rice blast disease, around 60 million people were affected in 85 countries worldwide. Image processing technique is adopted as it is more accurate. Early disease detection can increase the crop production by inducing proper pesticide usage. Hardware prototype of the proposed system will be developed using the Arduino Processor.