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ABSTRACT Introduction Mucilaginous polysaccharide extracted from Dalbergia sissoo Roxb. leaves has a number of medicinal applications. Molecular weight studies and correlation analysis of the structure of polysaccharide with oligosaccharides can be helpful for further utilisation, modification and structure-activity relationship for biological applications. Objective To determine molecular weight of medicinally important polysaccharide. To establish an unequivocal correlation of the polysaccharide monosugars with constituting oligosaccharides and glucuronic acid content based on gas-liquid chromatography (GLC) with the spectrophotometric method. Methodology Complete and partial hydrolytic studies of pure polysaccharide yielded constituting monosugars and oligosaccharides. The ratio of sugars in polysaccharide and oligosaccharides was studied by preparation of alditol acetates and analysed using GLC. The uronic acid content was studied by GLC analysis and spectrophotometry. Molecular weight of the polysaccharide was determined using the viscometric method. Results Dalbergia sissoo leaves yielded 14.0% pure polysaccharide, containing 15.7% of glucuronic acid. Complete hydrolysis and GLC analysis of alditol acetate derivatives of reduced and unreduced monosugars indicated the presence of l-rhamnose, d-glucuronic acid, d-galactose and d-glucose in 1.00:1.00:2.00:2.33 molar ratios. Partial hydrolysis followed by monosugar analysis of oligosaccharides established the monosugar ratio in complete agreement with polysaccharide, thereby corroborating the sugar ratio. Similar uronic acid content was obtained by GLC and spectrophotometry. The polysaccharide had an average molecular weight of 1.5 × 105 Da. Conclusion The study has established an obvious correlation of the structure of polysaccharide with oligosaccharides, leading to unambiguous identification of monosaccharides, which normally is not studied conclusively while reporting the polysaccharide structure. The molecular weight of the polysaccharide was determined. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which investigates the effect of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) concentration on percent hydroxypropoxyl (% HP) secluded from bamboo (dendrocalamus strictus). The study examines the graft copolymerization of methyl methacrylate and acrylonitrile against pineapple leaf and jute leaf fibers. Results show that the % HP improved to 57.37% on PO concentration, which is equal to 17.4 moles per anhydroglucose (mol/AGU).

The relationships between leaf structure, nitrogen concentration and CO2 assimilation rate (A) were studied for 14 grass species grown in the laboratory under non-limiting nutrient conditions. Structural features included leaf thickness and density, and the proportion of leaf volume occupied by different types of tissue (mesophyll, epidermis, vessels and sclerenchyma). Relationships were assessed for data expressed per unit leaf area and fresh mass. The latter was found to be closely related to leaf volume, which allowed us to use A per unit leaf fresh mass (Afm) as a surrogate of A per unit leaf volume. Assimilation rate per unit leaf area (Afm) was positively correlated with leaf thickness and with the amount of mesophyll per unit leaf area; the relationship with leaf nitrogen content per unit area was only marginally significant. Afm was negatively correlated with leaf thickness and positively with fresh mass-based leaf organic nitrogen concentration. A multiple regression involving these two variables explained 81% of the variance in Afm. The value of Afm was also significantly related to the proportion of mesholphyll in the leaf volume, but surprisingly the correlation was negative. This was because thin leaves with high Afm and nitrogen concentration had proportionally more mechanically supportive tissues than thick ones; as a consequence, they also had a lower on CO2assimilation rate for the grass species studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents correspondence concerning skin diseases. Development of polyarticular juvenile chronic arthritis following lichen nitidus; Case of tuberous sclerosis associated with congenital lymphedema; Characteristics aplasia cutis congenita.

Electron microscopy reveals that the multicellular hairs, in the Anabaena-containing leaf cavities of Azolla, produce labyrinthine wall ingrowths, and have dense cytoplasm with numerous mitochondria and abundant endoplasmic reticulum. Development of transfer cell morphology, in this location, might be an adaptation facilitating interchange of metabolites between Azolla and its algal partner. Equally prominent wall ingrowths are also found in the absence of Anabaena. It is suggested that they may be either a constitutive feature of Azolla or may be induced as a response to the presence of combined nitrogen sources in the axenic culture medium. The occurrence of plasmalemmasomes, in the developing hair-cells of Azolla, is compared with their presence in lichens, mycorrhiza and at host-parasite interfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]