Life Sciences

Rice yields are low during rabi season when compared to kharif due to cold effect at seedling stage. In the present study, 4 lines and 4 testers were crossed with 4 testers in L X T mating design. The resultant 16 F1s were used to determine the heterosis. IR-64, Ujala Depama and MALIDA are identified as good general combiners. IR64 X Ujala Depama, IR64 X Malida and MTU-1010 X Ujala Depama are good specific combinations . IR64 X Ujala Depama, IR64 X Malida and Krishna Hamsa X Parwa Panki are the best heterotic lines for the character under study.

Formulation of a diatom index called Peninsular Diatom Index (PDI) based on nine environmental variables was developed to assess the water quality for Kabini River of Southern Karnataka. The selection of the variables was based on the Principal Component Analysis. Nineteen species of diatoms were identified from 144 samples using standard procedures. Sensitivity(s) and tolerance (v) values were calculated for each of the parameters and each of the species identified.PDI was calculated using the computational metric suggested by Blanco et al.

Urinary tract infection is one of the most commonly occurring infections among the patients with diabetes mellitus. The present study was focused on the antibiotic susceptibility of the UTI pathogens isolated from the diabetic patients. About 936 UTI organisms were isolated from 900 culture positive urine samples collected from the diabetic patients attending the government hospital. The incidence of UTI was recorded to 82% among the diabetic patients for the study period of two years from March, 2011 to February, 2013. Escherichia coli was found to be the major cause of UTI.

The GAD extracted from salt stress sensitive sugarcane variety CoC 671 showed increased activity with increased concentrations of NaCl treatment.  The natural GAD activity was found 141% more in salt tolerant variety Co 86032, compared to sensitive variety.  The GOT activities displayed specific induction at higher salt concentrations in CoC 671 variety.   The GOT activity was 840% more in tolerant variety than in sensitive variety and the same activity was observed at initial concentrations of salt treatment.  The activity staining of GOT and GPT did not show any difference in the banding

GABA occupies a significant component of cytosolic free amino acid pool.  GABA-Transaminase (GABA-T, EC 2.6.1.19), the second enzyme of GABA shunt, converts GABA to Succinic semialdehyde (SSA). GABA pyruvate- (GPT) and 2-oxoglutarate- (GOT) dependent gamma-aminobutyrate transaminase (GABA-T) activities were noted in crude leaf extract of sugarcane var. Co 86032.  The enzyme was partially purified by DEAE-Cellulose and Sephadex G-100 columns. Non-denaturing PAGE analysis of ~90 folds purified GABA-T showed 65, 60 and 55 kD proteins, which were further confirmed by activity staining.

The use of traditional medicines holds a great promise as an easily available source as effective medicinal agents to cure a wide range of ailments among the people particularly in tropical developing countries like India. The present study investigates the phytochemical analysis of the major bioactive constituents of A. marmelos leaf extracts. The extractive values of aqueous, acetone and chloroform extracts were found to be 7.5 %, 5.3 % and 6.4 % respectively.

The effect of sublethal exposure of cadmium (51.82 mg/kg) for 96 hours on various antioxidant enzymes was carried out in the freshwater fish Labeo rohita. The activity of antioxidant enzymes, such as glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were decreased was increased. This observation clearly indicates the defensive nature and the adaptive mechanism of cells against free radical induced toxicity, Denolex elata in plant extracts may afford protection from pesticide toxicity.

In recent times the enormous usage of pesticides has led to a huge deterioration of soil and consequently the aquatic ecosystem and its inhabitants. Fishes are commonly the target animals due to pesticide contamination in water bodies at large. It is being understood that the fishes create a stress response towards the entry of toxic chemicals by means of synthesizing a group of novel proteins called stress proteins which play a major role in the stress- resistance.

The present investigation was carried out to study the probable role of caffeine (1, 3, 7-Trimethylxanthine) on mercury induced alterations on the experimental freshwater bivalve, Lamellidens corrianus (Lea). The effect on bivalve was studied under five groups. A group bivalve were kept as control, B group bivalves were exposed to acute dose (LC50/2) of mercury (0.6 ppm equivalent to 0.444 ppm Hg++), C group bivalves were exposed to acute dose (LC50/2) of mercuric chloride with caffeine (5 mg/L.). After 4 days bivalves from group B were divided into two groups D and E.

The purpose of this research was to study the higher secondary students’ participation in environmental activities in relation to environmental awareness. This study correlates certain demographic variables in respect of environmental awareness and participation in environmental activities. Environmental Awareness Scale constructed and validated  by  Dr. S.