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Fruit preservation and packaging have been practiced since ages to maintain the constant supply of seasonal fruits over lengthened periods round the year. However, health and safety issues have attracted attention in recent decades. The safety and quality assurance of packaged fruits/fruit products are vital concerns in present day world-wide-integrated food supply chains. The growing demand of minimally or unprocessed packaged fruits has further aggravated the safety concerns which fuelled in extensive research with objectives to develop novel techniques of food processing, preservation, and packaging as well as for rapid, accurate, and early detection of contaminant products/microbes. Nevertheless, fruits and fruit-based products have yet to observe a panoramic introduction. Tropics and subtropics are the stellar producers of a variety of fruits; majority if not all is perishable and prone to postharvest decay. This evoked the opportunity to critically review the global scenario of emerging and novel techniques for fruit preservation and packaging, hence providing insight for their future implementation. This review would survey key nanotechnology innovations applied in preservation, packaging, safety, and storage of fruits and fruit-based products. The challenges and pros and cons of wider application of these innovative techniques, their commercial potential, and consumer acceptability have also been discussed.

The purpose of this review is to share with developing countries how a dedicated agricultural university helped enhance food production and thwart Malthusian scenario. The Indian adequacy on the food-front has largely been attributed to the development of improved seeds of different crops, in particular wheat and rice, efficient system of agro-technology generation and its transfer to farmers, and useful coordination between state development departments and suitable government policies. We have discussed the revolutionary role of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) in transforming a food-deficient India into a food self-sufficient nation. This dramatic transformation is dubbed the Green Revolution. Fueled by scientific research, PAU has, since its inception in 1962, released more than 580 improved varieties/hybrids of field crops, vegetables, fruits, fodder, and ornamentals. Now, almost the entire cropped area of the Punjab state is under improved varieties. This is because PAU has one of the best seed-...

The aim of this study was to recommend locality-specific rodent pest management techniques for sugarcane using acute and anticoagulant rodenticides during the months when maximum damage is inflicted on the crop in Punjab, India. Sugarcane crops were found to be infested with four rodent species namely: Bandicota bengalensis (Gray and Hardwicke); Mus booduga (Gray); Millardia meltada (Gray) and Golunda ellioti (Gray), with B. bengalensis being the most prevalent species (accounting for 69.45–83.36% of the total catch). Surveys in 11 villages of three districts of Punjab (India) revealed 19.12 ± 12.22% rodent damage to the sugarcane crop during the months of December–January. Rodenticide treatments were conducted in farmer's fields in two districts of Punjab from December 2003 to January 2007. The results revealed that, to protect the sugarcane crop from rodent damage during the months of December–January, the rodenticide treatment may be applied either: (1) by double-baiting with 2% zinc phosphide followed...

This study examined the pathological complete response (pCR) rate and safety of sequential gemcitabine-based combinations in breast cancer. We also examined gene expression profiles from tumour biopsies to identify biomarkers predictive of response. Indian women with large or locally advanced breast cancer received 4 cycles of gemcitabine 1200 mg m(-2) plus doxorubicin 60 mg m(-2) (Gem+Dox), then 4 cycles of gemcitabine 1000 mg m(-2) plus cisplatin 70 mg m(-2) (Gem+Cis), and surgery. Three alternate dosing sequences were used during cycle 1 to examine dynamic changes in molecular profiles. Of 65 women treated, 13 (24.5% of 53 patients with surgery) had a pCR and 22 (33.8%) had a complete clinical response. Patients administered Gem d1, 8 and Dox d2 in cycle 1 (20 of 65) reported more toxicities, with G3/4 neutropenic infection/febrile neutropenia (7 of 20) as the most common cycle-1 event. Four drug-related deaths occurred. In 46 of 65 patients, 10-fold cross validated supervised analyses identified gene expression patterns that predicted withor=73% accuracy (1) clinical complete response after eight cycles, (2) overall clinical complete response, and (3) pCR. This regimen shows strong activity. Patients receiving Gem d1, 8 and Dox d2 experienced unacceptable toxicity, whereas patients on other sequences had manageable safety profiles. Gene expression patterns may predict benefit from gemcitabine-containing neoadjuvant therapy.

We monitored the prevalence of endoparasitic infections of rodents in Punjab State, India, between January 2004 and December 2005. Three species of wild rodents, namely the house rat, Rattus rattus (n= 42), the lesser bandicoot rat, Bandicota bengalensis (n= 34) and the Indian gerbil, Tatera indica (n= 15), were live-captured from houses and crop fields. Examination of various organs revealed that the highest rates of endoparasitic infection occurred in R. rattus (40.5%), followed by B. bengalensis (35.3 %) and then T. indica (20.0%), with an overall infection rate of 35.2%. All three rodent species were found naturally infected with one or more species of helminths. Metacestodes (1-6) of Cysticercus fasciolaris (larvae of Taenia taeniaeformis) were found in all three rodent species (in the liver). In one male T. indica, numerous robust T. taeniaeformis metacestodes were found in oval sacs attached to the mesentery and the abdominal wall, an unusual site. The cauda epididymal fluid of the same gerbil was also found to be infected with a very rare species of strongylid nematode, which could not be identified to genus or species level. It is possible that this nematode is transmitted sexually and thus may affect the reproductive potential of gerbils. This appears to be the first report of this phenomenon. In one B. bengalensis individual, the intestine was found to be obstructed with an acanthocephalan, Moniliformis moniliformis, with concurrent infection with C. fasciolaris in the form of multiple cysts in the liver. Although no natural protozoan infection was found in these field rodents, experimental Trypanosoma evansi infection has been established in all three species with high pathogenicity, and the possibility of sexual transmission was supported by the presence of T. evansi in the cauda epididymal fluid of male rats.

Large number of second-stage juveniles of root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita was prepared for scanning electron microscopy over a millipore filter (pore size 0.45 µm). The J2 juveniles were quickly immobilized and killed before fixation using the cryo-fixation technique followed by the primary fixation in 2.5% glutaraldehyde pre-cooled at 4-8°C and then secondary vapor fixation in 1% osmium tetraoxide and drying with the series of ethanol without subsequent critical point drying. The specimens were vacuum dried in a desiccator for a period of 24-48 h. Cryo-fixation emphasizes the need to quickly stop cellular activity and thus prevent any surface artifacts that occur due to conventional fixation techniques. Keywords: Scanning electron microscopy, cryo-fixation, root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita, surface morphology African Journal of Biotechnology , Vol 13(31) 3689-3691

Transducers using strain gauges have been described which can measure drip rate, flow, respiration rate and minute body displacements of the order of 2 microns or more. The output of the trans

Comparative Evaluation of Three Second Generation Single dose Anticoagulant Rodenticides in Short Feeding Trials against Three Rodent Species

Intraperitoneal administration of 500 mg/kg and 625 mg/kg doses of the germ cell mutagen, ethyl methanesulphonate (EMS) in 5 consecutive days to the house rat,Rattus rattuscaused a dose-dependent reduction in its body weight, cauda epididymides weight, concentration, motility and percentage of live spermatozoa with simultaneous increase in the percentage of their abnormal forms. Compared to 0·65% spermatozoa with abnormal heads in the cauda epididymidis of untreated control rats, 24·86% and 65·72% such spermatozoa were observed in rats on day 14 post treatment with 500 mg/kg and 625 mg/kg doses of EMS respectively. On day 28 post treatment corresponding values for abnormal spermatozoa were 16·21% and 14·32%. Similarly, spermatozoa with abnormal flagella increased from 0.78% in control rats to 9·25% and 5·75% on day 14 post treatment of 500 and 625 mg/kg doses of EMS respectively and declined to 2·91% and 2·40% on day 28 post treatment. Abnormality in the sperm head was mainly due to acrosomelessness and in the flagellum due to bending at proximal region. However, the main effect of EMS was the development of spermatozoa without or deformed acrosomes which may impair the fertility of rats. Analysis of various stages of differentiation of spermatozoa inthe testis revealed that population of preleptotene and pachytene spermatocytes and of round spermatids showed a gradual decline which became significantly less than controls on day 28 of EMS treatment. Occurrence of abnormal heads of testicular spermatids indicated that the sperm head abnormalities originated in the testis during late spermiogenesis.

Microbial diversity is microbial species richness and evenness in a given niche at particular time. Microbes represent richest diversity including members which may be cultured or cannot be cultured on defined media. Accurate identification and characterization of both culturable and unculturable microbes require employing diverse phenetic, molecular, and system biology tools. However, certain advanced molecular approaches not only unravel microbial diversity but also the microbial community structure and functions performed by specific group or genera of microbes. Molecular toolbox is instrumental in deciphering unculturable microbial diversity paving toward discovery of new genera or species. Molecular microbial ecology has increased our understanding of the role and phylogeny of several bacterial populations, their interdependencies, and functional networks with other genera/species. These include nucleic acid hybridization methods evolving to high throughput, automated, and versatile gene amplification and marker-assisted selection methods like RFLP, r-DNA profiling, nif H gene profiling, and FISH that aim to investigate community diversity using specific signature gene sequences. Today, brigade of novel techniques like single cell microecophysiology are available which can be useful for directly observing as well as quantifying the metabolic activities of microbes in their natural environment. These techniques would further enhance our understanding of relative contribution of various microbial groups to specific microbially catalyzed processes such as biogeochemical cycling (nitrogen fixation).

Ingestion of 2 ppm and 4 ppm selenium in the diet by the house rat, Rattus rattus , for 5 weeks caused a dose-dependent reduction in its body weight, testicular and cauda epididymidis weights, concentration, motility and percentage of live spermatozoa with a simultaneous increase in the percentage of their abnormal forms. Compared to 1.39% abnormal spermatozoa in cauda epididymidis in untreated control rats, 3.89% and 24.6% and 24.64% abnormal spermatozoa were observed in rats with 2 ppm and 4 ppm dietary selenium respectively. Ingestion of 4 ppm selenium had no significnat effect on abnormalities of the head and neck regions but anormalities of the midpiece region and multiple abnormalities increased significantly. Analysis of the various stages of differentiation of spermatids in the testis has revealed that with 4 ppm dietary selenium, the abnormalities are induced mainly in the midpiece region of the flagellum which is a site of energy production.

Intergeneric protoplast fusion between 2,5-diketo-gluconic acid producing Gluconobacter oxydans (ATCC 9937) and a mutant strain of Corynebacterium species (ATCC 31090), capable of reducing 2,5-diketo-gluconic acid to 2-keto- l -gulonic acid, a penultimate step in vitamin C production) resulted in viable recombinants. Some of the fusion products exhibited the capacity to convert d -glucose to 2-keto- l -gulonic acid, but the conversion rate is low.

The mode of electron transport associated with the dehydrogenase enzymes located on the cytoplasmic membrane inGluconobacter oxydans (ATCC 9937) has been postulated. High turnover of dehydrogenases under oxygen enrichment conditions is explained on the basis of a simplistic electron transport chain comprising cytochrome c553 (MW 23000) as a subunit of dehydrogenase and a cytochrome b562. The electron transport chain under low dissolved oxygen tension (DOT) is shown to comprise a number of cytochrome c species with very low midpoint potential difference.

Nano-science coupled with nano-technology has emerged as possible cost-cutting measure to prodigal farming and environmental clean-up operations. It has ushered as a new interdisciplinary field by converging various science disciplines, and is highly relevant to agricultural and food systems. Environmental Protection Agency of USA defined nanotechnology as the understanding and control of matter at dimensions of roughly 1-100 nm, where unique physical properties make novel applications possible. By this definition all soil-clays, many chemicals derived from soil organic matter (SOM), several soil microorganisms fall into this category. Apart from native soil-materials, many new nanotech products are entering into soil system, some of which are used for agricultural production and some others for many other purposes.Nano-science (also nanotechnology) has found applications in controlling release of nitrogen, characterization of soil minerals, studies of weathering of soil minerals and soil development, micro-morphology of soils, nature of soil rhizosphere, nutrient ion transport in soil-plant system, emission of dusts and aerosols from agricultural soil and their nature, zeoponics, and precision water farming. In its stride, nanotechnology converges soil mineralogy with imaging techniques, artificial intelligence, and encompass bio molecules and polymers with microscopic atoms and molecules, and macroscopic properties (thermodynamics) with microscopic properties (kinetics, wave theory, uncertainty principles, etc.), to name a few. Some of the examples include clinoloptolite and other zeolite based substrates, and Fe-, Mn-, and Cu- substituted synthetic hydroxyapatites that have made it possible to grow crops in space stations and at Antarctica. This has eliminated costs of repeated launching of space crafts. A disturbing fact is that the fertilizer use efficiency is 20-50 percent for nitrogen, and 10-25 percent for phosphorus (

Working mainly on quartz crystals it has been found that crystal defects present inherently or generated deliberately on the surface and in the bulk give rise to surface voltage (called by us self-voltage) due to charged electron and hole traps produced by the defects, the self-voltage thus forming monitor of presenceof crystal defects. The self-voltage could be measured by FET instrumentation. Based on the above the crystal defects (and hence self-voltage) were reduced or practically eleminated by combination of processes of etching and annealing of the quartz, allthis reseulting in improvements of electronic characteristics of quartz crystals such as resistivity and frequency stability.

Histamine receptor antagonists have been shown to induce tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in colonic cancers and improve survival. The role of histamine receptor anatagonists in breast cancer is unclarified.To evaluate the role of histamine receptor antagonists in inducing (TILs) in breast cancer.Forty-five patients with operable breast cancers (25 cases who received preoperative famotidine and 20 controls) were studied for the effect of famotidine in inducing TILs and survival in breast cancer.Significant TILs were seen in 75% (18/24) of cases as opposed to 35% (7/20) controls. In logistic regression analysis the only variable found to be predictive of TILs was famotidine, odds ratio 7.324 (1.693-31.686) P=0.008. In Cox's regression presence of TILs was favorably associated with improved disease free survival at a median follow up of 35.56 months. The hazard ratio for disease relapse was 3.327 (1.174-9.426) P=0.024 in TIL negative as compared to TIL positive patients. Famotidine use alone was not significant in the original model, however, on incorporation of quadrant of involvement in addition to other established prognostic factors in the above multivariate model, it assumed borderline significance with a hazard ratio for disease free survival 3.404 (1.005-11.531, P=0.049).Preoperative short course famotidine induces TILs in breast cancer. Patients with TILs demonstrable in tumor specimens had an improved disease free survival. Famotidine may improve disease free survival in breast cancer and these findings need validation in larger population subsets.

Surgery is the treatment of choice for localized esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Despite curative surgical resection, the majority of patients develop local and systemic recurrence with poor 5-year survival.To study the role of low dose continuous infusion (CI) 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and cisplatin as neoadjuvant chemotherapy in ESCC.A non-randomized prospective study conducted over a period of two years (1996-1998) in the Department of Surgery, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, India.Twenty-two patients with ESCC were included in the study. Chemotherapy consisted of a continuous 30-day infusion of 5-FU (350 mg/m2/day) and cisplatin (7.5 mg/m2/day), 5 days/week for 4 weeks. All patients had surgery following chemotherapy.A full course of chemotherapy was completed in 18 patients (82%). Chemotherapy was not completed due to non-compliance (n=2), thrombophlebitis (n=1), and vomiting (n=1). Grade-1 haematological and hepato-toxicity was observed in four patients. Thirteen patients developed thrombophlebitis. After chemotherapy, improvement in dysphagia was observed in 13 of 22 (59%) patients. Radiological partial response was observed in 8 patients (36.4%). 19 patients underwent surgical resection (86.4%) with zero mortality. Post-operative morbidity was observed in six patients (27%). Complete and partial pathological response was observed in two (11%) and one patient (5.5%) respectively. The overall median survival was 18 months and 4-year survival was 42%.Low dose CI 5-FU and cisplatin is well tolerated with minimal toxicity. Histopathological response rates and survival figures are comparable with the more toxic neoadjuvant chemotherapeutic regimens.

The probe technique of I. Koga and H. Fukuyo (1953) has been used to explore the nature of surface vibrations on unelectroded parts of AT-cut (natural) lapped and etched quartz crystals of dimensions 38*28*0.8 mm/sup 3/, the length of the crystals having electrodes of two shapes (rectangular and circular) and dimensions (13*10 mm/sup 2/ and 1.2 cm diameter respectively). The effectiveness of the energy trapping apparently place in such crystals (vibrating in the fundamental mode) has been investigated, and the existence of an asymmetrically located dormant line on the quartz crystal resulting from change of phase of vibrations has been detected. >

In multi‐choice feeding experiments in which freshly prepared loose grain bait (FB) in a mixture of wheat, sugar and peanut oil (WSP, 96:2:2) containing 0.005% of an anticoagulant rodenticide Flocoumafen and its ready‐to‐use wax cake formulation (RUC) were offered in choice with plain bait in an experimental pen, the lesser bandicoot rat, Bandicota bengalensis after initial sampling, rejected and displaced the RUC, whereas the Indian gerbil, Tatera indica nibbled it into small pieces at its original location. Previous feeding experience of rats on WSP or plain millet and the availability of these foods as alternatives to toxic baits during their treatment had no effect on the preference of B. bengalensis for FB over RUC, which happened in the case of T. indica. Mean daily consumption (g/100g body weight) of FB by B. bengalensis and T. indica was 2.31 ± 0.33 and 1.75 ± 0.29 respectively and the corresponding values for RUC were 0.23±0.08 and 1.12 + 0.13 in the experiment in which the previous and ...

Physical details about a mechanism of charge decay of electrets introduced by the authors at the 5th International Symposium on Electrets (1985) are given. The suggested mechanism and the technique for charge reactivation are reviewed. The decay is due to compensating charges coming to the electret surfaces from the atmosphere and/or by electrical loading of the electret. The electret can be revived by repeatedly contacting the electret surfaces, one at a time, to a metal plate. At each contact some part of the compensating charge leaves the electret for the plate. In general, four to six such contact reversals are enough to fully reactivate the electret. >

An ester hydrolase (ABL) has been isolated from a strain of Arthrobacter species (RRLJ-1/95) maintained in the culture collection of this laboratory. The purified enzyme has a specific activity of 1700 U/mg protein and is found to be composed of a single subunit (Mr 32,000), exhibiting both lipase and esterase activities shown by hydrolysis of triglycerides and p-nitrophenyl acetate respectively. Potential application of the enzyme concerns the asymmetrisation of prochiral 2-benzyl-1,3-propanediol esters besides enantioselective hydrolysis of alkyl esters of unsubstituted and substituted 1-phenyl ethanols.

A differential source-follower FET instrument is described for making static mechanical strain measurements by the use of quartz crystals and other piezo-electric sensors at open input. The instabilities due to gate film leakage causing a varying potential of the input is overcome by adjustment of the input capacitance at the dummy FET input, to equalise the rate of rise of voltages at the two inputs. The instability due to pick-up of atmospheric charges is countered by appropriate screening.

We report our experience with the use of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery [VATS] in the diagnosis of intrathoracic disease of unknown origin. In the last two years, 32 patients (18 males) underwent this procedure for diagnostic purposes. Of them, 18 patients had lung pathology, eight mediastinal and six pleural disease. All attempts at achieving a tissue diagnosis were unrewarding. In all of them, diagnostic thoracotomy was being contemplated to procure tissue for histopathological diagnosis. Diagnostic thoracoscopy was successful in providing tissue diagnosis in all the patients with lung disease; seven of the eight patients with mediastinal pathology and five of the six patients with pleural lesions. Diagnostic thoracoscopy was associated with minimal morbidity, short hospital stay, better cosmetic result and quicker return to work as compared to conventional thoracotomy. We conclude that video-assisted thoracoscopy is an excellent diagnostic tool to confirm tissue diagnosis in patients with undiagnosed chest diseases.

The present study was performed to determine whether plant polyphenols can protect human cells against radiation-induced DNA damage manifested as chromatid breaks. Since each chromatid contains a single continuous molecule of double stranded DNA, chromatid breaks represent unrepaired DNA strand breaks. The addition of green or black tea extracts, their polyphenols or curcumin to cultures of human skin fibroblasts or PHA-stimulated blood lymphocytes significantly reduced the frequencies of radiation-induced chromatid breaks. An exception to this general finding was that the green tea polyphenol, (-)epigallocatechin gallate, had no effect. The protective action of these plant polyphenols seems to result from their known antioxidant properties, particularly the scavaging of hydroxyl free radicals. Frequencies of chromatid breaks in cells arrested immediately after irradiation or 0.5 to 1.5 hours post-irradiation in the presence or absence of a DNA repair inhibitor, provide a measure of DNA damage. The results of the present study show that tea and other plant polyphenols can protect human cells against radiation-induced DNA damage.

Current evidence suggests that there is no role of adjuvant chemotherapy in stage I colon cancer. Patients with stage II colon cancer also do well without any adjuvant therapy with 5 year survivals of upto 80% with surgery alone. However, the role of adjuvant therapy in high risk stage II colon cancer (T4b) needs further evaluation. In stage III colon cancer adjuvant chemotherapy leads to definite survival advantage and is therefore strongly recommended. 5 FU and levamisole given for one year is the standard of care. 5 FU with leucovorin given for six months has shown good results and may become the standard of care in future. In rectal cancer, adjuvant treatment is not recommended for stage I tumours. In patients with stage IIIII rectal tumours, a combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy has given best results.

Carcinoma of the colon is a serious complication of chronic ulcerative colitis (CUC), a disease of unknown etiology. Peripheral blood lymphocytes from nine patients with CUC showed deficient repair of radiation-induced DNA damage compared with a group of healthy controls. DNA repair was measured indirectly by quantifying chromatid breaks after irradiation of cells with X-rays or ultraviolet during G2 phase of the cell cycle. Such breaks represent unrepaired DNA strand breaks that may arise directly from the damaging agent or indirectly during repair processes. Two types of deficiency were revealed. One was an abnormally high frequency of chromatid breaks after G2-phase X-irradiation. These may reflect deficient strand-break repair. The second deficiency was manifest as a low frequency of breaks not increased by addition of the DNA repair inhibitor araC. This low frequency apparently results from negligible incision activity. Deficient DNA repair in CUC may thus be a requisite predisposing factor for genomic instability and the potential development of colon carcinoma.

A 45-year-old man was admitted with pyrexia and intermittently palpable lump in the left lumbar region. Laparotomy revealed a primary omental tumor which on histological examination showed alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma of the omentum. Following surgery the fever subsided. Presentation of omental rhabdomyosarcoma with fever has not been reported earlier.

e11035 Background: EGFR signaling pathway has shown to have a significant impact on the growth, proliferation, migration and survival of cancer cells. This study was performed on Indian patients to investigate the expression and significance of EGFR in breast cancer. Methods: The expression of EGFR, C-erb B-2, ER in 210 breast cancer patients was detected by immunohistochemistry. The correlation of EGFR expression to C-erb B-2, ER and prognosis was analyzed. Results: EGFR expression was positive in 41.4 % of breast cancer. ER was positive in 66.2% and 28.6% were C-erb B-2 positive. 19% of patients were triple negative, of these 47.5% were EGFR positive. EGFR was positively correlated to C-erb B-2 (p=0.000). Patients which over-expressed both EGFR and C-erb B-2 fared worse in terms of OS (p=0.001)and DFS(p=0.002) due to additive effect of the prognostic power. Study showed positive correlation of EGFR with Visceral metastasis (p=0.000), showing recurrences to Liver (10.3%), Lung(14.9%), Brain(5.7%) and EGF...

Noncancerous skin fibroblasts from six family members with Li-Fraumeni syndrome, five with cancer of diverse tissue origin and one with a premalignant neoplasm, showed a high frequency of chromatid aberrations, 94 to 119 breaks and 58 to 95 gaps per 100 metaphase cells arrested with colcemid 0.5 to 1.5 h after X irradiation (1.75 x 10(-2) C/kg). This response results from deficient repair of the radiation-induced DNA damage. In contrast, skin fibroblasts from two unrelated normal controls and a spouse showed 19 breaks and 17 to 19 gaps per 100 cells. Whereas all six members of the cancer-prone family had a radioresistant phenotype, only four had an inherited p53 mutation. Fibroblasts from a radioresistant family member showed the same extent of chromatid damage directly (0 to 0.5 h) after G2-phase X irradiation as those from the radiosensitive control spouse. We conclude, therefore, that radiosensitivity, as determined by cell killing in asynchronous populations of skin fibroblasts, is unrelated to chromosomal sensitivity to G2-phase X irradiation. However, the persistence of a high frequency of chromatid breaks and gaps at 0.5 to 1.5 h after G2-phase X irradiation, a manifestation of deficient DNA repair, is associated with proneness to cancer in this family.

The nutritional status of 24 patients of carcinoma oesophagus was assessed before and after central hyperalimentation with a liquid blenderized diet containing 3000-3500 cal and 100-120 g protein. The overall prevalence of malnutrition was found to be 70.8 per cent before the initiation of therapy. Of the various parameters used for assessment of nutritional status weight loss was the most common finding (91.6%) followed by alteration in midarm circumference, haemoglobin, triceps skin fold thickness, midarm muscle circumference and serum albumin. Enteral hyperalimentation for 10 days improved nutritional status by inducing significant gain in body weight (74.1%), triceps skin fold thickness (50%), midarm circumference (58%), midarm muscle circumference (62.5%) and serum albumin levels (91.6%). There was no significant change in haemoglobin levels.

The following three factors appear to be necessary for the malignant neoplastic transformation of normal cells in culture or in vivo: 1) DNA damage, 2) deficient DNA repair during G2 phase of the cell cycle and 3) a continued proliferative stimulus from activation of protooncogenes or loss of suppressor genes. Continued cell proliferation alone leads to hyperplasia and benign growths. Deficient repair of DNA damage provides the genomic instability that can result in production of new genetic variants characterizing malignant neoplasia.

22173 Background: The over expression of two members of the erbB oncogene family-the epidermal growth factor receptor protein (EGFR) and the Her-2 neu protein and estrogen receptor in breast cancer...

A number of genetic disorders manifesting widely different clinical symptoms predispose the affected individual to a high risk of cancer. These include, among others, ataxia telangiectasia, Bloom’s syndrome, familial polyposis, Fanconi’s anemia, Gardner’s syndrome, and xeroderma pigmentosum (Setlow 1978). We have shown that skin fibroblasts from affected individuals or individuals with a family history of cancer, compared to cells from clinically normal controls, with few exceptions, show a significantly higher frequency of chromatid breaks and gaps following X-irradiation during the G2 cell cycle phase (Parshad et al. 1983, 1985a; Sanford et al. 1989). Furthermore, it appears that this enhanced chromatid damage results from deficient DNA repair during G2 phase (Parshad et al. 1983, 1985b; Gantt et al. 1986, 1989), that it has a genetic basis (Sanford et al. 1986), and that it is associated with genetic susceptibility to cancer (Gantt et al. 1989; Sanford et al. 1989).

SummaryA morphological and histochemical study has been made of atresia in oocytes in the ovarian balls of an acanthocephalan (Centrorhynchus corvi). Growing oocytes and mature oocytes have been observed to undergo atresia. With the start of atresia, the nuclear and cytoplasmic components are observed to be greatly altered. The atretic oocytes develop abnormal aggregations of cell components, which contain proteins, phospholipids and lipoproteins. It is suggested that the cellular products of degenerating oocytes are gradually absorbed by the supporting syncytium. The atresia of growing oocytes is greater in uninseminated than in inseminated females, which indicates that in the absence of a mating stimulus atresia occurs more frequently.

This paper reviews the attempts at frequency stabilization and measurement of a He-Ne laser and discusses its possibility of becoming a possible frequency standard of the future.Various attempts made for stabilizing laser frequency are discussed e.g. first the laser frequency was stabilized by use of servotechniques and electro-and magnetostrictive supports for its reflecting mirrors, later apart from other methods, resonance absorption of the laser frequency in an external cell of neon was made use of.Recent use of saturated absorption of He-Ne laser in methane vapour, contained in an external cell, forming a part of the overall laser cavity has been discussed for being utilized for frequency stabilization. The methane saturated He-Ne lasers have been stabilized within 100 KHz. Techniques for measurement of He-Ne laser frequency have been discussed. It may be expected that when the frequency stabilization and measurement methods have been developed into engineering techniques, the He-Ne laser wou...

Regional blood distribution was studied in rats, which were divided into four groups viz., (i) control, (ii) exposed to acute hypobaric hypoxia, (iii) exposed to acute hypobaric hypoxia after oral treatment with 25mg acetazolamide, and (iv) exposed to acute hypobaric hypoxia after oral treatment with 6mg spironolactone. The regional blood distribution was measured using radio-iodinated serum albumin (R131ISA). The acute hypoxic exposure results in major readjustment in the blood flow to the various organs mainly from the renal and splanchic vascular beds to the heart and brain. Treatment with acetazolamide and spironolactone results only in a slight decrease in blood contents of the heart, brain and lung as compared to thehypoxia alone exposed group.

The course of development of measuring time from early days to the present has been described. Different time scales like the astronomical universal time UT1 UTa and Ephemeris have been explained. The use of atomic frequency standard and the associated atomic time scale have been discussed particularly with regard to their relationship with astronomical time-scale.

The comparison of the histochemical features of the follicular wall in normal and atretic follicles of corresponding stages in the ovaries of Indian gerbilTatera indica revealed conspicuous changes in amount of lipids and activities of NADH- and NADPH tetrazolium reductases, δ5-3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and 17α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and succinate- and lactate dehydrogenases in the granulosa layers during follicular growth and atresia. The thecal layers showed a progressive increase in their amounts during follicular growth and these enzymes are not affected significantly by atresia. Atresia resulted in increased amounts of lipids in the granulosa cells and decreased activities of succinate- and lactate dehydrogenases and NADH- and NADPH tetrazolium reductases during latter stages of degeneration.

Histological studies of the trematode Paramphistomum cervi collected throughout the year from the rumen of sheep, revealed the occurence of gravid worms from April to August and immature worms from September to March. The maturation of the gonads and the accessory sex glands i.e., the prostate-, Mehli's- and vitelline-gland began during the period March–April and showed functional peaks during the period July–August, which coincided with the availability of the intermediate host, Indoplanorbis exustus in nature. Maturation as well as the incidence of infection of P. cervi have also been discussed in relation to various ecological factors, i.e., rainfall and temperature.

Qualitative and quantitative studies have been made of lipids along the length of the female reproductive system of the poultry nematode,Ascaridia galli. Adult specimens were collected in 0·9% saline from the intestines of naturally infected fowls. The quantitative studies have revealed significant (P=0·05) differences of total lipids, phospholipids, sterols, free fatty acids and glycerides and significantly (P

The prevalence and pathological changes in the liver and biliary system of field rodents due to Hepatojarakus bandicoti Sood et Parshad, 1973 have been worked out. Higher infection rates occurred in Tatera indica and Bandicota bengalensis than in other field rats and mice. In heavy infections, the liver became grossly enlarged, hard and pale, and showed the presence of white scars on its surface and in the parenchyma. White nodules are commonly seen on the bile ducts due to heavy infections. Histologically the liver showed a changed lobular structure, cellular infiltrations, pycnotic nuclei of the hepatic cells with deposition of haemosidirin granules. Hypermorphosis of the biliary epithelium with its denudation, resulting from the creeping action of the worm seemed to be a common tissue response.

SUMMARYThe anticoagulant rodenticide flocoumafen was evaluated against Rattus rattus and Bandicota bengalensis, In no-choice 24 h feeding tests 100% mortality occurred at 0·00125% concentration of the poison in the bait in the case of B. bengalensis and at 0·00375% in R. rattus. Feeding of 0·0025% poison bait in 1-day, no-choice and 2-day choice tests resulted in 60% and 75% mortality of R. rattus, respectively, and 100% of B. bengalensis. The differences between the consumption of plain food in the pretreatment period and of poison bait in no-choice tests were non-significant, except in one case. The rodents consumed significantly more (P < 0·01) poison bait than the plain alternative in the choice trials. Median period of survival and its 95% confidence limits of R. rattus and B. bengalensis, at the 100% mortality dose levels of the poison, were 6·3 (5·04–7·88) and 6·2 (4·92–7·81) days respectively.