A protective study of curcumin associated with Cr6+ induced oxidative stress, genetic damage, transcription of genes related to apoptosis and histopathology of fish, Channa punctatus (Bloch, 1793).

Ameliorative potential of curcumin against Cr6+-induced eco-toxicological manifestations was assessed in liver of exposed Channa punctatus (Actinopterygii) in six groups for 45 d; Group I as control. Group II with 3 mg/L of curcumin; group III with 7.89 mg/L of Cr6+. Groups IV, V and VI were simultaneously co-exposed with 7.89 mg/L of Cr6+ and three different curcumin concentrations, 1, 2, and 3 mg/L, respectively. In group III, SOD-CAT, GR significantly (p < 0.05) increased; decreased GSH level; elevated MN and AC frequencies; and a significant (p < 0.05) up-regulation of cat (2.72-fold), p53 (1.73-fold), bax (1.33-fold) and apaf-1 (2.13-fold) together with a significant (p < 0.05) down-regulation of bcl-2 (0.51-fold). Co-exposure significantly (p < 0.05) brought down activities of SOD-CAT, GR, raised GSH, decreased micronuclei and apoptotic frequencies along with recovery of histopathological anomalies in liver. This study establishes the protective role of curcumin against Cr6+-induced hepatotoxicity in fish.

Distillery effluent induced alterations in the haematological profile of fingerlings of Colisa fasciatus.

Present study deals with the impact of Gorakhpur distillery effluent at various concentration levels (5, 10 and 20%) on the blood profile of fingerling of, Colisa fosciotus after 30 days of exposure. Observations revealed that 5% of effluent concentration produced no significant alterations in various haematological parameters except for clotting time and immature erythrocytes. However, 10% of effluent concentration brought significant alterations in hematocrit as well as clotting time and 20% of effluent concentration produced highly significant (P<0.001) alteration in most of the haematological parameters except for hemoglobin percentage.

Ultrasonic and IR study of intermolecular association through hydrogen bonding in ternary liquid mixtures.

Complex formation in ternary liquid mixtures of dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) with phenol and o-cresol in carbontetrachloride has been studied by measuring ultrasonic velocity at 2 MHz, in the concentration range of 0.019-0.162 (in mole fraction of DMSO) at varying temperatures of 20, 30 and 40 degrees C. Using measured values of ultrasonic velocity, other parameters such as adiabatic compressibility, intermolecular free length, molar sound velocity, molar compressibility, specific acoustic impedance and molar volume have been evaluated. These parameters have been utilized to study the solute-solute interactions in these systems. The ultrasonic velocity shows a maxima and adiabatic compressibility a corresponding minima as a function of concentration for these mixtures. The results indicate the occurrence of complex formation between unlike molecules through intermolecular hydrogen bonding between oxygen atom of DMSO molecule and hydrogen atom of phenol and o-cresol molecules. The excess values of adiabatic compressibility and intermolecular free length have also been evaluated. The variation of both these parameters with concentration also indicates the possibility of the complex formation in these systems. Further, to investigate the presence of O-HO bond complexes and the strength of molecular association with concentrations, the infrared spectra of both the systems, DMSO-phenol and DMSO-o-cresol, have been recorded for various concentrations at room temperature (20 degrees C). The results obtained using infrared spectroscopy for both the systems also support the occurrence of complex formation through intermolecular hydrogen bonding in these ternary liquid mixtures.

Solvent extraction of uranium(VI) into toluene by dicyclohexano-18-crown-6 from mixed aqueous-organic solutions.

Extraction behaviour of uranium(VI) from mixed organo-aqueous solutions containing water-miscible protic aliphatic alcohols and several aprotic solvents was investigated by using dicyclohexano-18-crown-6(DC18C6) as an extractant. The organic phase was a binary solution of DC18C6 and toluene while the polar phase was a three component solution of uranyl nitrate, polar additive and aqueous nitric acid. Methanol, ethanol, isobutanol, dioxane, acetone, propylene carbonate and acetonitrile were used as the organic components of the mixed (polar) phase. Propylene carbonate, acetone, acetonitrile and dioxane increased the extractability of U(VI), whereas alcoholic additives showed only an antagonistic effect. The relative increase in extraction was found to be more at lower nitric acid concentrations. Possible reasons for such behaviour are briefly discussed. Recovery of U(VI) from loaded organic phase was easily accomplished using dilute perchloric acid and sulphuric acid. A sample method was standardized for the separation of plutonium(IV) from uranium(VI) based on its reductive stripping.

Impaired spermatogenesis in arsenic treated freshwater fish, Colisa fasciatus (Bl. and Sch.).

The testicular architecture of Colisa fasciatus was studied after 15 and 30 days of exposure to 14.0 or 2.0 mg/l arsenic(III) oxide. Marked alterations occurred at 14.0 mg/l after 30 days of treatment, while 2.0 mg/l (the concentration in Lake Chilwa) produced little change. In addition to the degenerative changes in the lobules, the interstitial Leydig cells (steroid-secreting cells) underwent significant reduction (P less than 0.01) in diameter. Varying degrees of necrosis and pyknosis suggested reduced secretory levels. Such changes may be correlated with the corresponding altered spermatogenesis.

Impaired ovarian functions in arsenic-treated freshwater fish, Colisa fasciatus (bl. and sch.).

Arsenic(III) oxide (2.0 mg/l) after 15 and 30 days exposure, and 14.0 mg/l concentration after 15 days exposure, produced no marked histological alteration in the ovary of Colisa fasciatus during its mature phase, whereas 14.0 mg/l arsenic(III) oxide concentration after 30 days exposure decreased the development of oocyte (II and III stage), reduced the number and diameter of nucleoli and increased the number of atretic follicles. The possible mechanism for these alterations is discussed.

Population growth can be checked.

PIP: Since independence, India's population size has doubled. The rate of growth was 2.5% during 1971-81, an increase from the rate of 2.15% observed during the 1951-61 period. The increase indicated that efforts to decrease population growth have not succeeded. The implications with respect to food, housing, clothing, education, and health facilities, which are fundamental to improving the physical quality of life, are severe. This demographic trend is a serious impediment to progress. The population growth is due to a constant birthrate and a sharp decline in mortality. Reducing the birthrate is necessary to reduce the rate of growth. An attitudinal change adopting the norm of family limitation should be encouraged through propaganda, socioeconomic programs, and religious and cultural organizations. Other measures to bring about a decline in the birthrate include: increasing the marriage age, and expanding educational and employment opportunities for women and girls. These measures will require substantial effort and time. Incentives may show more immediate effects. Monetary incentives are not desired because of the possibility of misuse. However the government could assume responsibility for the education and guarantee employment of children of couples who have only one child, and provide free education to children of couples with only 2 children. These incentives are not likely to be misused, can be available to all segments of the population, and involve no immediate large financial burden on the government. In addition, scholarships to the Harijan students should be limited to 2 per family. If these measures are accepted, they could quickly reduce the birth rate.^ieng

Stability constants of some bivalent metal complexes of N-phenyl-o-tolylbenzohydroxamic acid.

The stability constants of the Cu(2+), Zn(2+), Ni(2+) and Mu(2+) complexes of N-phenyl-o-methoxybenzohydroxamic acid at 30 degrees in 50% v/v aqueous dioxan are: log K(1) 10.45, 8.16, 7.52, 6.33; log K(2) 8.90, 6.70, 6.01, 5.59 (for the ions in the order given).

Stability constants of complexes of N-arylhydroxamic acids with some bivalent metal ions.

Thermodynamic stability constants of complexes of Mn(II), Ni(II), Zn(II) and Cu(II) with five closely related N-arylhydroxamic acids have been determined at 25 +/- 0.1 degrees in 50% v v aqueous dioxan medium. The stabilities of the complexes mostly follow the order of the basicity of the ligands and the electron affinities of the metal ions as measured by their second ionization potential.