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The present manuscript deals with the identification of the spectral lines of the rare earth elements (REEs) in the LIBS spectra of the black sands collected from the Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) beach using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). LIBS spectra of the sand sample show the presence of spectral lines of Na, Mg, Mn, Al, and Cr. Along with these elements, the spectral lines of REEs such as Ce, Nd, Sm, Dy, Ho, Tm, etc., and the radioactive element Thorium (Th) are also present in the LIBS spectra of the black sand sample. The presence of REEs and radioactive elements makes the sand suitable for profitable extraction using various methods for different applications. The results of LIBS (presence of all REEs in sand) are also verified by photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS). The Plasma temperature has been calculated using the Boltzmann plot to explain the distribution of the atoms in various higher energy states/levels. An attempt is made to explain the various transitions involved in the spectral lines of the rare earth ions in the LIBS spectra of the black sand sample using a possible energy level diagram. The concentration of some REEs (Dy, Sm, and Nd) and LOD has been calculated by using the calibration curve method. To the best of our knowledge, the investigation of rare earth and radioactive elements in the black sand of the Kerala beach using LIBS is reported for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dense nutritional structure of meat predisposes it to microbial spoilage and oxidative changes. Thus, the present study evaluated the antimicrobial and antioxidant effect of the edible coating of nanoparticles of chitosan and oregano essential oil on the quality and shelf-life of chicken patties. Total four types of edible coatings were prepared, viz. T1:0.3% chitosan; T2:0.3% chitosan incorporated with 0.3% v/v oregano essential oil; T3:0.3% chitosan nanoparticles and T4: nanoparticles of 0.3% chitosan incorporated with 0.3% v/v oregano essential oil which were characterized by UV–visible spectrophotometry, particle size analysis and High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HR-TEM). The chicken patties were dipped in developed edible coatings and evaluated for quality parameters at five days interval during refrigeration storage (4 ± 1 °C). The results indicated significantly (P < 0.05) improved physicochemical, microbiological, Hunter colour and sensory parameters in treatments than in control. Among the treatments, quality parameters were significantly enhanced in T4 than in other treatments. The results revealed that T3 and T4 had an improved shelf life of about 25 days while T1 and T2 had a shelf life of 15 and 20 days, respectively, but control spoiled on the 10th day of refrigeration storage. Edible coating of nanoparticles of chitosan alone (T3) as well as chitosan incorporated with incorporated with oregano essential (T4) oil were prepared and characterized by HR-TEM and UV–Vis Spectrophotometry. UV–Vis Spectrophotometry revealed that T3 and T4 had the absorption maximum of 209 nm and 276 nm, respectively. HR-TEM revealed that (T4) had a spherical shape, with average size ranging from 100 to 200 nm while (T3) had a smaller size ranging from 80 to 100 nm, with a rough surface having a dense structure. Upon coating of chicken patties with edible coatings, a significant improvement was observed in the quality and shelf-life of chicken patties than control during refrigeration storage (4±1 °C). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air quality information is not captured adequately due to limited numbers of air quality monitoring stations across many cities worldwide. Limited studies apply advanced spatial mapping techniques to predict pollutant concentrations in highly polluted regions with high spatial variability. This paper demonstrates an advanced detrending spatial mapping technique to assess the variations of particulate matter concentrations across different land use categories in a highly polluted city—Delhi—and estimate population-weighted average concentrations in the city. The "Detrended Kriging" method uses the city's monitored datasets and land use information to predict pollutant concentrations. Concentrations are detrended based on high-resolution local land use characteristics and then interpolated using ordinary kriging before retrending again. The model estimates population-weighted concentrations (more important for health exposures) of PM2.5 (113 µg/m3) and PM10 (248 µg/m3) for Delhi and finds them to be 21–36% higher than the monitored values in the crucial winter season of 2018. The model demonstrates satisfactory performance on both spatial and temporal scales in Delhi and shows high index of agreement (d = 0.86 for PM10 and 0.81 for PM2.5), low RMSE (27.3 µg/m3 for PM10 and 11.8 µg/m3 for PM2.5), and low bias (− 1.6 µg/m3 for PM10 and − 0.5 µg/m3 for PM2.5) for the detrended kriging model, in comparison to ordinary kriging (PM2.5 (d = 0.54, RMSE = 13.81, bias = − 0.86) and PM10 (d = 0.33, RMSE = 41.73, bias = − 4.7)) and inverse distance weighting method (PM2.5 (d = 0.65, RMSE = 16.08, bias = 2.93) and PM10 (d = 0.55, RMSE = 46.10, bias = 7.8)). Statistical measure "d" varies between 0 (no agreement) and 1 (perfect match). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Present study was conducted with an objective to study the concentration of heavy metals, metal pollution index and daily intake of metal in eight selected vegetables viz. R. sativus (Raddish), B. oleracea (Cabbage), B. vulgaris ssp. Cicla (Beet-root), C. sativum (Coriander), S. oleracea (Spinach), B. vulgaris var. bengalensis (Spinach plain), B. compestis (Brassica) and T. foenum-graecum (Fenugreek) collected from three local markets of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India. The concentrations of heavy metals in different vegetables have ranged as—Fe: 36.18–121.80, Cu: 4.58–16.6, Cr: 0.04–0.24 and Cd: 0.05–2.55 µg g−1. The trend of the sum value of daily intake of metal for vegetables was found as: B. vulgaris var. bengalensis > S. oleracea > B. vulgaris ssp. cicla > C. sativum > B. oleracea > T. foenum-graecum > B. compestis > R. sativus. The metal pollution index in B. compestis, R. sativus, S. oleracea, B. vulgaris var. bengalensis, T. foenum-graecum, B. vulgaris ssp. cicla, C. sativum and B. oleracea was ranged from 6.10–10.28, 2.83–11.17, 2.68–5.63, 2.22–6.23, 4.38–8.35, 2.2–8.16, 1.62–6.95 to 1.75–8.85, respectively. Findings revealed that metal concentration in 32% of sampled vegetables was found to be higher than the permissible limits prescribed by FAO/WHO. Regular consumption of those vegetables may cause toxicity to the primary and secondary consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A practical correlation between selective reflectance of the semitransparent electrode and the color coordinates of light emitting from the organic light-emitting diode (OLED) has been presented in this paper. OLED technology has a great potential to substitute other technologies for lighting and display applications. For full-color displays, use of color filters is the most acceptable technique to convert a white light into primary colors (red, green, and blue). In a microcavity design, it is possible to control the emission color of an OLED by incorporating an active layer in between two metal mirrors. A careful design of a microcavity makes possible the realization of mixed colors in a single OLED structure. In this work, a metal microcavity has been designed with an organic stack, sandwiched between two metal mirrors, a fully reflective mirror-aluminum (Al) and semitransparent metal mirror-silver (Ag). The Commission International de l'Eclairage (CIE) color coordinates of a blue fluorescent (460 nm) OLED was tuned from (1.85, 1.54) to (2.36, 2.63) by selective reflectance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Gallbladder cancer is a highly mortal disease with poor prognosis because of late presentation of disease. Survivin and X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis (XIAP) are one of the two important members of inhibitors of apoptosis. Thus, this study aimed to look at the expression of Survivin and XIAP in gallbladder cancer patients.Methods: Survivin and XIAP expression were investigated in tissues of gallbladder cancer patients (40 cases) and compared with cholelithiasis as control (40 cases) by using immunohistochemistry. Their expression was correlated with clinicopathological parameters.Results: Significantly higher (p < 0.05), Survivin protein was expressed in gallbladder cancer (n = 67.5%) than control (n = 35%). But it did not show any significant association with any of the clinicopathological parameter while XIAP was not expressed in the GBC patients (p > 0.05).Conclusion: Overexpression of Survivin in gallbladder cancer suggests its possible role and association with poor prognosis. But XIAP has not been found to be associated with gallbladder carcinogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechanical forces in the respiratory system, including surface tension forces during airway reopening and high transmural pressures, can result in epithelial cell injury, barrier disruption and inflammation. In this study, we investigated if a clinically relevant pharmaceutical agent, Simvastatin, could mitigate mechanically induced injury and inflammation in respiratory epithelia. Pulmonary alveolar epithelial cells (A549) were exposed to either cyclic airway reopening forces or oscillatory transmural pressure in vitro and treated with a wide range of Simvastatin concentrations. Simvastatin induced reversible depolymerization of the actin cytoskeleton and a statistically significant reduction the cell's elastic modulus. However, Simvastatin treatment did not result in an appreciable change in the cell's viscoelastic properties. Simvastatin treated cells did exhibit a reduced height-to-width aspect ratio and these changes in cell morphology resulted in a significant decrease in epithelial cell injury during airway reopening. Interestingly, although very high concentrations (25-50 µM) of Simvastatin resulted in dramatically less IL-6 and IL-8 pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion, 2.5 µM Simvastatin did not reduce the total amount of pro-inflammatory cytokines secreted during mechanical stimulation. These results indicate that although Simvastatin treatment may be useful in reducing cell injury during airway reopening, elevated local concentrations of Simvastatin might be needed to reduce mechanically-induced injury and inflammation in respiratory epithelia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A hundred cases of enteric perforation, treated surgically by single- or double-layer closure, were studied prospectively. Mortality and morbidity rates were 10-18 and 37-42% and comparable in the two groups. The presence of preoperative shock was the single most important prognostic indicator observed in this study. Hence it is good closure of the perforation rather than single- or double-layer closure that determines the outcome in patients with enteric perforation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was carried out with an aim to assess the heavy metal (HM) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the air of a biodiversity as well as tourist-rich area of Western Ghats by applying a most frequent growing lichen Remototrachyna awasthii (Hale and Patw.) Divakar and A. Crespo, as biomonitor. Thalli of R. awasthii were collected from eight sites of Mahabaleshwar area located in Western Ghats. Samples were prepared for HM and PAHs quantification by ICP-MS and HPLC, respectively. Total metal concentration (HM) ranged from 644 to 2,277.5 μg g while PAHs concentration between 0.193 and 54.78 μg g. HM and PAHs concentrations were the highest at Bus Stand while control site (Lingmala Fall) exhibited the lowest concentration of HM as well as PAHs followed by samples from Wilson point (both these sites are having trekking route). It was also evident from this study that vehicular emission played a significant role in the release of HM and PAHs as pollutants in the environment. The effectiveness of R. awasthii as biomonitor could be further investigated by comparing this species with other biomonitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

FeCr-based nanostructured coatings were deposited on a 301S stainless steel substrate by the high-velocity arc spraying process in the current work. The oxidation behavior of the coatings exposed to elevated temperatures (700°C and 900°C) under laboratory conditions as well as in an actual industrial environment of a coal-fired boiler (at 700 ± 10°C) was investigated. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive analysis, and transmission electron microscopy techniques were used to characterize the coating as well as to analyze the corrosion products for elucidating the corrosion mechanisms. The microhardness of the coating was found to be 520-1100 HV. The (FeCr)-based nanostructured coating showed good adherence to the 310S substrate and excellent oxidation resistance during the exposures with no tendency for spallation of its oxide scales in both environments. The nanosized grain morphology of the coating facilitated the formation of protective scales, which is continuous, adherent, and nonporous due to the higher diffusivity of alloying elements in the coatings. It precludes high-temperature oxidation by acting as a diffusion barrier between the environment and the coating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chromium, copper, cadmium, lead, nickel, iron and zinc contents of a lichen species ( Pyxine subcinerea Stirton) and mango bark collected from 12 sites in Haridwar city (Uttarakhand) were compared with soil, sampled from beneath the tree from which lichens were collected. The metal contents in lichen, bark and soil ranged from 1,573 to 18,793, 256 to 590 and 684 to 801 μg g, respectively. This clearly indicates that lichens accumulated higher amounts of metal compared to bark or soil. Statistical analysis revealed that metal concentration in lichens did not show significant linear correlation with the bark or soil. Pearsons correlation coefficients revealed negative correlation of Pb ( r = −0.2245) and Ni ( r = −0.0480) content between lichen and soil, which indicate direct atmospheric input of metals from ambient environment. Quantification and comparison of elemental concentration in lichens, its substratum and soil can provide valuable information about air quality in the collection area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chromatin modifications at core histones including acetylation, methylation, phosphorylation and ubiquitination play an important role in diverse biological processes. Acetylation of specific lysine residues within the N terminus tails of core histones is arguably the most studied histone modification; however, its precise roles in different cellular processes and how it is disrupted in human diseases remain poorly understood. In the last decade, a number of histone acetyltransferases (HATs) enzymes responsible for histone acetylation, has been identified and functional studies have begun to unravel their biological functions. The activity of many HATs is dependent on HAT complexes, the multiprotein assemblies that contain one HAT catalytic subunit, adapter proteins, several other molecules of unknown function and a large protein called TRansformation/tRanscription domain-Associated Protein (TRRAP). As a common component of many HAT complexes, TRRAP appears to be responsible for the recruitment of these complexes to chromatin during transcription, replication and DNA repair. Recent studies have shed new light on the role of TRRAP in HAT complexes as well as mechanisms by which it mediates diverse cellular processes. Thus, TRRAP appears to be responsible for a concerted and context-dependent recruitment of HATs and coordination of distinct chromatin-based processes, suggesting that its deregulation may contribute to diseases. In this review, we summarize recent developments in our understanding of the function of TRRAP and TRRAP-containing HAT complexes in normal cellular processes and speculate on the mechanism underlying abnormal events that may lead to human diseases such as cancer.Oncogene (2007) 26, 5358–5372; doi:10.1038/sj.onc.1210605 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Local Anaesthesia is now being accepted universally as a safe alternative to general anaesthesia for thyroid surgery. Aim: This study was carried out to compare the outcomes of patients undergoing thyroid surgery under local and general anaesthesia. Material and Methods: Hundred patients who underwent thyroid surgery for benign and malignant diseases under local and general anaesthesia from January 1996 and September 2003 were analysed. Patient characteristics analysed were age, sex, pathology lesion size, operating time, length of stay, cost and post operative complications. Results: Mean lesion sizes were 5.26 cms. and 6.33 cms. in local and general anaesthesia group respectively. Mean operating time was 41.6 minutes and 74.5 minutes in local anaesthesia and general anaesthesia group respectively. Mean cost incurred was Rs.2189.32 in local anaesthesia and Rs.5520.00 in general anaesthesia group. Mean length of hospital stay was 39.26 hours and 71.06 hours in local anaesthesia and general anaesthesia group respectively. Conclusion: Local anaesthesia is a safe alternative to general anaesthesia for patients undergoing thyroid surgery. Use of local anaesthesia has resulted in a decreased length of stay, cost and mean operating time, hence useful in a setup with limited anaesthesia time and increased work load. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Incisional hernia is a frequent complication of abdominal surgery. Various types of repair are recommended for incisional hernia. Suture and mesh repair are compared in the present study.Method: One hundred seventy one patients with incisional hernia underwent Cardiff repair (far and near sutures with reinforcement sutures) which was used as an open suture repair while onlay polypropylene mesh was used in the mesh repair technique.Result: Cardiff repair was performed in 116 patients with no mortality with recurrence in two patients with mean follow up of 7.1 years. Both these patients with recurrence had a defect measuring more than 10 cm in width. Mesh repair was carried out in 55 patients with no recurrence in mean follow up of 37 months. Seroma formation was noted in 7 (12.72%) with mesh repair as compared to 4 (3.44%) patients with Cardiff repair.Conclusion: We recommend Cardiff repair for primary and small to medium size incisional hernias. Onlay polypropylene mesh is ideal for tension-free hernia repair, recurrent incisional hernia and hernia defects wider than 10 cm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past few years, the challenges of globalisation, consolidation and economical point of view have meant that manufacturers of epoxy formulations have to constantly improve their capability to meet the needs of customers. An active area for advancement is that of epoxy and polyamide resin with castor oil. Generally, people working in the coating industries are familiar with castor oil, but this paper provides information on the new use of castor oil in epoxy and polyamide resin. This novel product (castor oil-modified epoxy resin/castor oil-modified polyamide) provides a previously unattainable combination and improved flexibility and toughness to a variety of ambient cure applications. This communication will review the performance of these castor oil-modified epoxy and polyamide resin surface coatings and adhesives. Based on the results of this study, these systems offer some advantages without much affecting the traditional properties of epoxy and polyamide resin in a variety of applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Escherichia coli W3110 derivatives, strains SZ63 and SZ85, were previously engineered to produce optically pure d(-) and l(+)-lactate from hexose and pentose sugars. To expand the substrate range, a cluster of sucrose genes (cscR′ cscA cscKB) was cloned and characterized from E. coli KO11. The resulting plasmid was functionally expressed in SZ63 but was unstable in SZ85. Over 500 mm d(-)-lactate was produced from sucrose and from molasses by SZ63(pLOI3501). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary objective of this study was to determine the response rates of the gemcitabine and cisplatin combination in unresectable gall bladder cancer patients. The secondary objectives were to evaluate the toxicity, time to progressive disease, and overall survival. Chemonaïve patients with histologically proven, unresectable bidimensionally measurable gall bladder cancer were enrolled into this study. All patients were required to have a Zubrod's performance status ?2, no prior radiotherapy, and adequate major organ function. Patients received gemcitabine (1000?mg?m-2 intravenously over 30-60?min) on days 1 and 8, and cisplatin (70?mg?m-2 intravenously over 2?h) on day 1, every 21 days. Response assessment was done by a CT scan after every other cycle of chemotherapy. In all, 30 patients were eligible for efficacy and toxicity analysis. There were four (13.3%) complete responders, seven (23.3%) partial responders, and seven (23.3%) with stable disease, with four (13.2%) patients showing disease progression. The median time to progression was 18 weeks (95% confidence interval (CI) 14-24 weeks), and the median duration of response was 13.5 weeks (range 5.5-104 weeks). The median overall survival was 20 weeks (95% CI 14-31 weeks), with 1-year survival rate of 18.6%. WHO grade 3 or 4 anaemia was seen in seven (23.3%) and four (13.3%) patients, respectively. Five (16.6%) patients each experienced grade 3 or 4 neutropenia, and grade 3 or 4 thrombocytopenia was seen in three (10%) and two (6.6%) patients, respectively. The present study shows that gemcitabine/cisplatin combination is well tolerated and active in advanced unresectable gall bladder cancer.British Journal of Cancer (2004) 90, 1516-1520. doi:10.1038/sj.bjc.6601736 www.bjcancer.com Published online 16 March 2004 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the results of high resolution gamma-spectrometric measurements of 137Cs, 40K, 232Th and 238U in Indian soils collected from 24 different places from normal natural radiation background areas. The depth profile of 137Cs was studied at sampling sites. The paper also presents 137Cs levels in top soil at Mumbai during 1986 to 2000. The results in Mumbai soil indicate clearly the accumulation from fallout only on the top soil and seasonal peaking during the beginning of the monsoon season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the first description of the carcinoma of the gallbladder, about two centuries ago, this disease has evaded all attempts at early detection and a potential cure. There are only a few studies involving the Indian population, which has a high incidence of gallbladder cancer. Indians are ethnically and culturally different from their Western counterparts, for whom the incidence of this disease is comparatively low. The present study was conducted prospectively on 99 consecutive cases of carcinoma of the gallbladder of 736 patients with biliary diseases admitted to one surgical unit at the University Hospital. The staging, histological type, and grade were correlated with the clinical outcome. Abdominal pain (82.8%) and abdominal mass (73.7%) were the main presenting features. The diagnosis was obtained by ultrasonography (USG) in 93 of 99 cases and confirmed by fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) in 70 patients. Ultrasonography, however, was found to be inadequate for accurate staging of the disease. Based on the TNM classification, 3 (3.0%), 12 (12.1%), 14 (14.1%), 12 (12.1%), and 58 (58.6%) patients had stage 0, I, II, III, and IV disease, with a corresponding mean survival of 28.3, 13.8, 7.5, 5.2, and 3.7 months, respectively. Carcinoma of the gallbladder is difficult to diagnose early due to its vague symptomatology. A high index of suspicion and health education seem to be the only answers available for early detection and improvement of survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With a view toward developing the next generation of coatings using nanopowders, a cold gas dynamic spray (CGDS) technique has been investigated. In this method, a powder feeder is used to inject nanopowder agglomerates into a supersonic rectangular jet, with a design Mach number of 3.2. The powder particles gain speeds of up to 700 m/s through momentum transfer from the jet and bond to the substrate surface due to kinetic energy dissipation. Coatings of copper and nano-WC/10% Co on steel and aluminum substrates (3 to 5 µm in thickness) have been produced. The benefit of this process is that the material does not undergo any chemical changes during coating formation. To improve the quality of the coatings produced, the flapping motions produced by supersonic jet impingement were studied. Powder particle velocities and the jet impingement flow field were quantified using particle image velocimetry (PIV). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gallbladder diseases, including carcinoma, are common in the northern part of India and so are Salmonella typhi infection and typhoid carrier state. This study was aimed to find out the association of typhoid carrier state in patients with cholelithiasis, carcinoma of the gallbladder, and controls. The three groups are comparable in age and sex composition. This is the first study of its kind from an area of high endemicity for both typhoid infection and carcinoma of the gallbladder. A case-control study was carried out to detect typhoid carrier state among the patients with biliary diseases and healthy controls, using indirect haemagglutination assay measuring antibodies against highly purified S. typhi Vi polysaccharide antigen. A significantly high Vi positivity was observed in patients with gallbladder carcinoma (29.4%) compared to controls (5%) (chi2 = 6.325, P < 0.004, OR = 7.19) and patients with cholelithiasis (10.7%) (chi2 = 5.066, P < 0.01, OR = 3.86). There is 8.47 times more risk of developing carcinoma of the gallbladder in culture-positive typhoid carriers than the noncarriers. The present study suggests the typhoid carrier state to be one of the possible mechanisms of gallbladder carcinogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Zeitschrift für Ernäehrungswissenschaft is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Using Liapunov's direct method, in this paper, it has been shown that the general Lotka-Volterra food web is stable without and with diffusion under each case of homogeneous reservoir and flux boundary conditions. However, for a three species food web with Holling's functional response the above general result regarding stability is not necessarily true. In such a case, conditions and regions for non-linear stability, without and with diffusion, have been derived. It is shown that such an otherwise unstable system may become stable with diffusion at least in a subregion of the positive octant of the state space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bromination of crotonic acid by N-bromosuccinimide ( NBS) is first order with respect to crotonic acid and zero order with respect to NBS and the rate of the reaction changes linearly with hydrogen ion concentration. The thermodynamic parameters have also been calculated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By constructing appropriate Liapunov functionals, asymptotic behaviour of the solutions of various delay differential systems describing prey-predator, competition and symbiosis models has been studied. It has been shown that equilibrium states of these models are globally stable, provided certain conditions in terms of instantaneous and delay interaction coefficients are satisfied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The general multispecies prey-predator system with Gompertz's antisymmetric interactions is nonlinearly stable in the absence of dispersion and continues to remain stable with dispersion under both homogeneous reservoir and zero flux boundary conditions in a region containing the equilibrium state. It is proved that a general multispecies food-web model without antisymmetric interactions is stable in the absence of dispersion and remains stable with dispersion in the above-mentioned region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Microchimica Acta is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article presents a study that evaluates the effects of cadmium to the freshwater Channa punctatus, particularly on its oxygen uptake as well as the effects of ascorbic acid, zinc, and selenium on the toxicity of cadmium. The study in undertaken through collecting channa punctatus from a local fish pond and through the conduct of preliminary toxicity testing. The results of the study reveal that oxygen uptake of several tissues of the fish was decreased after 96 hours of cadmium exposure.

Copyright of Microchimica Acta is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis exists in a small but significant proportion of routine cholecystectomy specimens. A few recent reports have shown a possible association of this disease with carcinoma of the gallbladder. All cholecystectomized specimens were prospectively evaluated over a period of two and half years in a single surgical unit to examine the incidence of xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis and its association, if any, with carcinoma of the gallbladder in an area that is prone to gallbladder diseases. A total of 460 cholecystectomies were performed for various gallbladder diseases. Histological confirmation revealed chronic cholecystitis in 311 (67.6%) cases, carcinoma of the gallbladder in 62 (13.5%), acute cholecystitis in 29 (6.3%), xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis in 41 (8.9%), and xanthogranuloma and carcinoma of the gallbladder in one case (0.2%) only. Almost all cases were suspected to have chronic cholecystitis on clinical and ultrasonographic features. Two specimens on gross examination showed mass lesions, and hence were suspected to be carcinoma of the gallbladder. Subsequent frozen section and histopathology demonstrated xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis. Only one case of xanthogranuloma was found to be associated with carcinoma of the gallbladder but no firm association could be established between xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis and carcinoma of the gallbladder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nine patients, who had previously undergone pneumonectomy (3) or lobctomy (6), were treated for bronchopleural fistulae using a pedicled omental flap. After adequate evacuation of the pleural space and control of infection, the omentum was harvested with an intact gastroepiploic arch and through an upper midline laparotomy and then transferred to the affected hemithorax. Successful closure was achieved in all the cases. The empyema spaces got completely obliterated without any recurrences, leaving no cosmetic defect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Dissipation kinetics of two systemic fungicides, namely fluopicolide and propamocarb used as a combination formulation (Infinito 68.75 SC), were studied on tomato at four different locations by the All India Network Project on Pesticide Residues to recommend their pre-harvest interval (PHI) and to propose the maximum residue limits (MRL) for the two fungicides based on chronic hazard exposure assessment. The combination fungicide was sprayed thrice at the recommended dosage of 93.75 g a.i./ha fluopicolide and 937.50 g a.i./ha propamocarb as well as at double the recommended dosage of 187.50 g a.i./ha fluopicolide and 1875.0 g a.i./ha propamocarb on tomato crops and the residues were monitored periodically by GC-MS. The fungicides dissipated to below the limit of quantification (LOQ) within 10 to 15 days, with a half-life of 2-4 days for fluopicolide and 1-2 days for propamocarb. Taking into consideration the MRLs of codex and calculations made using the method of MRL fixation of the Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) as well as the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) calculator, MRL of 5 mg/kg is proposed for fluopicolide and 15 mg/kg for propamocarb, following critical exposure of the commodity considering PHI of 1 day. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]