Life Sciences

Cultural, morphological and molecular characteristics of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceri, eight isolates indicated a great variability amongst them. However, the isolate FOC-2 (Jalna) exhibited maximum mycelial growth of 90.00 mm. The isolates viz., Jalna (FOC-2) and Beed (FOC-3) produced partially submerged (FOC-2) to submerged (FOC-3) white sparse dense growth with smooth margin and bright white substrate pigmentation. Maximum micro-conidial, macro-conidial and chlamydospore size (17.20 µm, 30.50 x 7.00 µm and 21.80 x 19.60 µm) was recorded in isolate Jalna (FOC-2).

The study sought to analyse the effect of load shedding on the dairy cold chain and milk quality in the dairy value chain. Thirty large scale dairy farmers in Mashonaland East were randomly selected for the survey. Farmers were grouped into two clusters according to their method of milk delivery (can and bulk milk collection). Key informants and experts were interviewed in case studies to get in depth knowledge. The study revealed that the province was experiencing massive unscheduled load shedding, averaging three times per week and ranging between 4-15 hours per day in duration.

Azoxymethane rat model is a well-established, well-appreciated, and widely used model of experimental colon carcinogenesis. Anti-tumor activity of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) strains AF2240 and V4-UPM was evaluated in-vivo to investigate the effect of different doses of NDV on the development of aberrant crypt foci (ACF) in Sprague–Dawley rats initiated with the colon carcinogen azoxymethane (AOM).

A field trial was conducted in a three replicated Randomized Complete Block Design during 2016 at Sindh Agriculture University to examine the production of spinach under varying levels of organic and inorganic fertilizers. The treatments included: T1=Control, T2=50 kg N ha-1, T3=50 kg N + 4 tons FYM ha-1, T4=50 kg N + 6 tons FYM ha-1, T5=75 kg N ha-1, T6=75 kg N + 4 tons FYM ha-1 and T7=75 kg N + 6 tons FYM ha-1 (FYM = Farm yard menure).

This study was undertaken to assess the effects of protein-energy restriction on nutritional indicators of growing rats. For this purpose, two experiments of 15 days and 30 days were carried out. For each one, 36 Wistar strain rats were divided into 6 groups of 6 rats each. Three groups of rats were fed ad libitum, and three other were subjected to the same diets with reduced daily feed intake. In addition, each experiment had one lot of rats subjected to a protein deprived diet.

The present study was carried out for Antibacterial Activity and GC-MS analysis of Excoecaria agallocha L. leaf extracts of Chloroform and Ethanol. Antibacterial assay was carried out against five bacteria viz. Staphylococcus aureus MTCC3381, Bacillus cereus MTCC430, Escherichia coli MTCC739, Pseudomonas aeruginosa MTCC 424, Klebsiella pneumoniae MTCC432 using agar well diffusion method. Chloroform extract of E.agallocha was highly effective on Bacillus cereus strain. There was no effect on E.coli and K.pneumoniae. It was moderately effective in 2000µg concentration only.

Combination therapies of chemotherapeutic agents in nanoparticelsare promising strategy in releasing the drugs selectively into the targeted tissues and cells. 5-Flurouracil (5-FU) and Gemcitabine (GEM) are antimetabolites used as anticancer drugs. In this study, the antitumor activity of the combination of GEM and 5- FU encapsulated in a micro emulsion (ME) was in vitro evaluated in HCT- 116 colon cancer cells. The inhibition of cell growth was examined by the 3-(4,5­dimethyl) ethiazole (MTT) assay.

Gender mapping and analysis helps in identifying the regions and districts for priority intervention. The geography of gender has emerged as an important dimension in the gender studies. In the present study, three gender indices namely, female literacy, gender gap in literacy and sex ratio were mapped district wise for all the 30 districts in Odisha. Further, seven female literacy grades (in percentages) between 30 and 100 percent female literacy rates were identified and the gender indices were compared under each female literacy grade.

The present study on pharmacognostic activities of fruit of Wrightia tinctoria R.Br such as fluorescence analysis of powder crude drug and their chemical behavior, consistency, color and pharmacognostic analysis of fruit extracts of W. tinctoria R.Br were studied by using methanol, petroleum ether and ethyl acetate solvents. The result reveals that, the crude drug of fruit of W. tinctoria R.Br was found sticky mass in nature in petroleum ether and ethyl acetate extracts. While, semi solid mass was found in methanolic extracts.

An experiment was conducted on correlation and path coefficient analysis for fibre characters, yield and yield contributing characters in upland cotton with 11genotypes for ten characters at college farm, college of Agriculture, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad during Kharif 2007-08 to 2008-09. Correlation studies revealed significant desired association with yield for boll weight and bundle strength. Bundle strength made highly significant contribution to yield. Path matrix revealed that boll number, boll weight and 2.5% span length had maximum direct positive effect on yield.