Zinc a micronutrient is found in the earth’s crust naturally. But due to excessive use and exploitation by anthropogenic sources it has now become a major contaminant. The extent of zinc contamination due to various sources is very high as compared to any other heavy metal, posing a great risk to the environment. In the present investigation a detailed study on the effect of excess zinc on relative water content and proline in the leaves of Sorghum bicolor was carried out at different stages of plant growth. The seven day old plants were treated with five different concentrations of zinc solution viz: 1.5, 3.5, 5.5, 7.5 and 9.5mM of zinc taken as zinc sulphate. The plants were sampled at 15, 30 and 50 days of plant growth. Relative water content (RWC) in Sorghum bicolor plants decreased at all stages of plant growth however marked increase in proline content was observed with increase in externally applied soil zinc. The increase in proline could be a result of reduced RWC causing zinc induced water stress. Elevated levels of proline may perhaps be a measure helping in ameliorating oxidative damage under excess zinc.

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of chlorpyrifos on hepatic antioxidant system in the freshwater fish, Pseudetroplus maculatus. Fish was exposed at sublethal concentration (one-tenth of LC50-96 h; 0.661µg/L) of chlorpyrifos for 24, 48, 72 and 96h maintaining the control group. The weight of liver decreased significantly after 96 h of chlorpyrifos exposure. The activities of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase and catalase decreased significantly (P<0.05) while the levels of hydrogen peroxide generation and lipid peroxidation was increased significantly (P<0.05) in the treatment groups. Aspartate and alanine aminotransferase activities were found to be increased after 72 and 96 h of chlorpyrifos treatment and this could be due to the toxicant-induced stress. The present findings illustrates that acute exposure to chlorpyrifos altered antioxidant defense system in liver tissue thereby inducing oxidative stress.

Saraca asoca (Roxb) De. Wild is a small evergreen plant belongs to the family Ceasalpiniaceae commonly known as Ashoka. The plant has many pharmacogonestic activities such as anti-diabetes, uterine toxicity, anti-oxidant and heart disease. Traditionally it was used as medicine against uterine fibroids, leucorrhoea, dysentery and wound healing. The present study was conducted for the phytochemical screening of different extracts such as petroleum ether, chloroform, methanol, ethanol and distilled water of leaves of Saraca asoca. Shed dried leaves were grinded and used for the extraction by using soxhlet method. Results indicated the presence of Tri-terpenoids in petroleum ether, chloroform, methanol and ethanol extract. Phenols were present in only chloroform and methanol extract whereas tannins in petroleum ether and chloroform extract. Saponins were found to be present in chloroform and distilled water extract. Distilled water and methanol extract indicated the presence of flavonoids in it. Alkaloids and carbohydrates were present in only methanol and ethanol extract respectively. Steroids were present only in methanol extract. Amino acid and proteins were not found to be present in leaves of Saraca asoca. The leaves of this plant posses various potent phytochemicals and is recommended for further phytopharmaceutical importance.

Anthocephalus cadamba (Roxb.) is one of the important medicinal plant belongs to family Rubiaceae and contain vast number of phytochemicals which are naturally synthesized in all parts of the plant. The present study was carried out for phytochemical screening of its foliar extract. Shed dried leaves were grinded and used for the extraction by soxhlet method using various solvent i.e petroleum ether, chloroform, methanol, ethanol and distilled water. Phenols were present in chloroform, methanol and ethanol extract whereas tri- terpenoids in petroleum ether, chloroform, and ethanol extract. Saponins were present in chloroform, methanol and distilled water extract. Tannins were found to be present in chloroform and ethanol extract. Carbohydrates, flavanoids and steroids were present in only ethanol extract, distilled water and methanol extract respectively. It was also observed that all the extract does not contain amino acid, protein and alkaloids. Among the selected solvent chloroform extract (saponins, tannins, tri-terpenoids and phenol) and ethanol extract (carbohydrates, tannins, tri-terpenoids and phenol) revealed the presence of maximum number of phytochemicals. The leaves of Anthocephalus cadamba posses various potent phytochemicals and is recommended for further phytopharmaceutical importance.

Introduction: About 80-90% of HNSCC are associated with known risk factor e.g. smoking, tobacco chewing & alcohol abuse. The role of human papilloma virus (HPV) in the etiology of HNSCC has emerged in last few years. Many studies have proved HPV in oropharyngeal cancer but there are very few studies regarding role of HPV in oral cavity which constitutes the 90% of HNSCC. The purpose of this study was to look for the prevalence of HPV in HNSCC in India. 

Methods: This was a prospective observational study. 50 cases of suspected malignant ulcers of oral cavity were biopsied. Having confirmed the lesion as SCC, HPV 16 and 18 analyses was done on frozen samples by PCR. 

Results: The most common site of OSCC was oral tongue (50%). About 80% of the patients had some form of addiction. 36% of the patients had early stage disease whereas 64% had late stage disease with 76% cases of well differentiated SCC. Only 2 (4%) patients were found to be HPV positive. 

Conclusion: HPV is an important etiological agent in HNSCC in western patients but its role in OSCC has yet not been significant. In India, tobacco and alcohol are commonly identified etiological agents of HNSCC. The rarity of HPV might be due to the differences in the cultural and sexual behavior. Also, HPV vaccine is predicted to reduce the incidence of oral cancer due to HPV. However, further studies are required to label HPV as etiological factor for OSCC proper.

India is second most populated country in the world. Current population of India is 132 crores with growth rate 1.2%. Currently, there are about 51 births in India in a minute.

A bacterium was isolated from soil sediment contaminated with 4-chlorophenol (4-CP) by enrichment culture technique. The isolated bacterium was identified as Providencia CJ3 on the basis of rDNA gene analysis. Providencia CJ3 convincingly degraded 4-CP as evidenced by the IR spectra of organic extract of the spent medium. The IR absorption spectrum of organic extract showed absence of peaks at 3200-3600 cm-1 and 675-870 cm-1 region represents the degradation of an aromatic ring. The TLC analysis of organic extract showed the accumulation of a metabolite with an Rf value of 0.53 that corresponded to hydroquinone on co-chromatography. The cell free extract subjected to SDS-PAGE electrophoresis, revealed induction of several proteins during 4-CP biodegradation. The activity of chlorophenol-NADPH-Oxidoreductase was assayed and the specific activity was found to be 0.84μmoles/min/mg of protein.

Global change will definitely introduce changes in Agricultural ecosystems that will affect plant productivity. The UV-B radiation intensity is mostly affected by the thickness of the stratospheric ozone layer and exactly this type of radiation is most harmful to plants. UV-B radiation is an important stress factor for plants which may result in damage to the genetic system, cell membranes and several metabolic processes.  The main focus of the investigation is to monitor, plant growth and some biochemical changes in Vicia  faba  L. and Sorghum vulgare L. seedlings under UV-B radiation. When compared to control plants, there was a reduction in chlorophyll and protein content, sugar content when exposed to UV irradiation. It might be due to radiation in plant height or leaf greenness index. Generally the subsequent days of UV- B radiation, delayed plant growth and development.

Soil microbes and enzyme activities were assessed and derived the relationship with the yield and biochemical constituents of elephant foot yam (Amorphophallus paenifolius L.) – black gram (Vigna mungo L) cropping system as influenced by inorganic and organic amendments in an acid Alfisol. The microbial populations were relatively lower in these acid soils in which fungi are dominant over that of actinomycetes and bacteria. Highest dehydrogenase activity (1.268 µg TPF hr-1 g-1) and fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis assay (3.011 µg TPF hr-1 g-1) were observed due to application of super optimal doses of NPK fertilizers. However, highest acid and alkaline phosphatase activities (32.50 and 25.55 µg PNP g-1 h-1, respectively) were observed due to the conjoint use of lime + FYM + NPK + MgSO4. Significantly highest corm yield of elephant foot yam (9.25 t ha-1) as well as grain and haulm yields of black gram (7.84 and 14.10 q ha-1, respectively) were recorded due to integrated application of lime + FYM + NPK + ZnSO4. Dehydrogenase and acid phosphatase activities had significant relationship with bio-chemical constituents of elephant foot yam.

Background: This study compared the effect of denosumab in delaying or preventing the skeletal related events (SREs) versus zoledronic acid in patients with advanced cancer with bone metastases.  

Patients and methods: Patients classified into two groups, the first group (no=50 patients) received intravenous zoledronic acid 4mg every 4 weeks and the second group (no=50 patients) received subcutaneous denosumab 120mg every 4 weeks. The primary end point was time to first on-study SRE (defined as radiation to bone, surgery to bone, spinal cord compression, and pathologic fracture) and the second end point was time to first and subsequent on-study SRE (defined as an event occurred ≥21 days after the previous SRE) .  

Results: Denosumab resulted in delaying time to first on-study SRE compared to zoledronic acid (26% versus 36%, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.82 to 1.44; P<0.04). The median time to first on-study SRE was 21.9 month for denosumab versus 18.1 month for zoledronic acid (P<0.04). Denosumab reduced the subsequent on-study SREs (10% versus 16%, p<0.04). There is a significant difference between patients without SREs in both groups (64% versus 48%) at the end of study (P<0.04). Denosumab was found to be safer than zoledronic acid as regarding renal toxicity (2% versus 10%, P<0.04).

Conclusion: Denosumab was more efficacious in delaying and preventing the SREs in patients with advanced cancer with bone metastases compared to zoledronic acid. Therefore denosumab improved the quality of life (QOL) of patients.