Poly(e-caprolactone)/poly(e-caprolactoneco-lactide) (PCL/PLCL) blend filaments with various ratios of PCL and PLCL were prepared by melt spinning. The effect of PLCL content on the physical properties of the blended filament was investigated. The melt spinning of the blend was carried out and the as spun filament was subsequently subjected to drawing and heat setting process. The addition of PLCL caused significant changes in the mechanical properties of the filaments. Crystallinity of blend decreased with the addition of PLCL as observed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed that the fracture surface becomes rougher at higher PLCL content. It may be proposed that PCL and PLCL show limited interaction within the blend matrix.

Background: Skin aging is a complex natural process caused by both intrinsic or genetically programmed aging and extrinsic aging caused by environmental factors, such as free radical. The use of antioxidant and anti-collagenase to prevent the aging proses has been known. Natural compounds from plants are one of the sources of antioxidant and anti-collagenase that has ability to prevent aging. Genistein and Epicatechin are the major phenolic compound found in G. max. Objectives: This research was to evaluate the antiaging potential of genistein and epicatechin through antioxidant activity assay (ABTS-reducing activity assay) and collagenase inhibitory activity assay. Methods: Antioxidant analysis of Genistein and Epicatechin was performed by 2,2'-azinobis-3-ethylbenzo-thiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) reducing activity Assay. Antiaging assay was conducted through inhibitory of collagenase, one of important enzyme in aging process. Results: ABTS-reducing activity assay showed that both compounds had great ABTS-reducing activity in which epicatechin had better activity than genistein. Epicatechin had low value of IC 50 ABTS-reducing activity around 14.39 µg/ml better than genistein with IC 50 about 43.17 µg/ml. In terms of collagenase inhibitory activity assay, epicatechin had lower value of IC 50 (9.08+-3.46 ug/ml), better than genistein (98.74+-4.25 ug/ml). Conclusion: Epicatechin had higher antioxidant and anti-collagenase activity compared to Genistein.

No abstract

No abstract

Intima-media thickness B-mode ultrasonographyCoronary artery disease a b s t r a c t Introduction: IMT of carotid artery, can be assessed by B-mode ultrasound in a simple way, because of its superficial location, runs parallel to the surface of the neck, serve it as a suitable diagnosing method for coronary atherosclerosis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the predictive value of IMT of CCA, ICA, carotid bifurcation and femoral artery for CAD and relation of IMT with age and gender of patients. Methods: Two hundred patients (age from 30 ye80 y) who were subjected to coronary angiography in Haldiram Moolchand Cardiology Hospital, Bikaner (Rajasthan), also subjected for B-mode ultrasound scan of carotid and femoral arteries. The mean value of six measurements of IMT of far wall of the CCA, ICA, carotid bifurcation and femoral artery was calculated in each patient. Result: R 2 value by regression analysis was significantly (p-0.000) higher for collectively all four arterial segments in significant CAD. R 2 value for club model (CCA, ICA, Carotid bifurcation and femoral artery) was found 0.549 whereas for individual segment it was 0.422. Mean IMT of arteries significantly increasing with age and greater for men (0.686 ± 0.261) as comparison to women (0.594 ± 0.253). Conclusion: present study that the IMT of the various muscular arteries which were taken in this study as different parameters were significantly correlated not only to CAD but also its severity. An increase in IMT of CCA and other arterial segments were found associated with age and gender of the patients.

No abstract

SummaryThe extensive use of chemical pesticides has greatly increased the mutational load on the genome of living organisms. The problems of genetic toxicology have generated more concern than any other problem because the residual inclusion of pesticides in the environment leads to a number of direct and indirect effects on the genetic material. Induced chromosomal mutations provide a reliable index of the mutagenic potential of a chemical or a physical agent. Experience has shown that the mutagenic effect of the semilethal doses of chemicals induce a of variety of structural changes in the polytene chromosomes out of which ectopic pairings are the most frequent types of aberrations. As a consequence of these points of genetic interest, the present paper deals with the incidence of ectopic pairing of the intercalary heterochromatic bands in the polytene chromosomes of those larvae of Anopheles subpictus, which were treated with LC 20 of 4 organophosphate pesticides viz. chlorpyrifos, monocrotophos, acephate and dimethoate. When compared with the data of nontreated controls the treated larvae had an elevated incidence of intercalary heterchromatic linkages in the X-chromosome and the right and left arms of autosomes 2 and 3 (2R, 2L, 3R, 3L). The results are discussed in relevance to the fact that ectopic associations are established between those heterochromatic bands which are homologous in their chemical and genetic properties. These properties are attributed to the presence of identical A : T rich nucleotide sequences resulting from gene duplications which are induced by the cellular environments altered by the pesticides.

Background: Association of several morphological traits such as trichome length and trichome density on the pod surface have been found to influence host plant resistance to insect pests. Genetic diversity analysis is used to identify the divergent genotypes and to utilize these genotypes to exploit heterosis. Further, morphological characters are stable across environments owing to oligogeneic nature, they serve as morphological markers in breeding which can be used in varietal or genotypic identification, varietal purification and even in seed production. Hence, the current study aimed to investigate on host plant resistance using portable paper microscope ‘foldscope’, genetic diversity and morphological characters.Methods: A total of 154 germplasm lines with three checks were evaluated in Augmented Block Design (ABD) at Zonal Agricultural Research Station (ZARS), Kalaburagi, during kharif, 2018 to study their genetic diversity. Trichome length and trichome density were recorded using ‘foldscope’ 75 randomly selected genotypes, then correlated with shrivelled seed yield per plot due to pod fly incidence. Morphological characterization of 14 qualitative traits were recorded.Result: Grouping of 157 germplasm lines into twelve clusters indicated a wider genetic diversity for the traits studied, of which 7 clusters were solitary with one entry each. The genotypes with more trichome density and length had less damage by the pod fly. Large variations for morphological characters was observed among the genotypes for qualitative traits such as pod colour, stem colour, flower colour, seed morphology and pod trichomes.