Serampore College

Abstract Phytochemicals such as alkaloids, flavonoids, pigments, phenolics, terpenoids, steroids and essential oils are a large group of plant‐derived compounds commonly found in diets high in fruits, vegetables, beans and cereals. Plant remedies are closely linked to the maintenance of good health in the cultural heritage of many countries. Despite the potential benefits to health and performance as noted in various terrestrial animals, the use of phytochemicals in fish farming has rarely been investigated. Fish culture is under pressure to decrease the use of synthetic antibiotics and chemotherapeutics because of the risk caused to humans by chemical residues in food and by antibiotic resistance being passed on to human pathogens. Consequently, efforts are being made to exploit plants, plant extracts or natural plant compounds as potential alternatives to synthetic chemicals for the stimulation of immune responses and disease resistance in fish. The phytochemicals contained in herbs may enhance the innate immune system and possess antimicrobial capabilities that may be of immense use in fish culture without causing any environmental and/or hazardous problems. Most phytochemicals are redox active molecules that have anti‐oxidant characteristics that may improve the general physiological condition of fish. This review discusses the results emanating from different studies related to the in vivo application of plants and/or phytochemicals in fish in relation to immunostimulation, antipathogenic and antistress activities. Special emphasis is given to the use of Chinese and Indian herbs as immunostimulants in different finfish species during culture and as antibacterial agents against Aeromonas hydrophila .

Abstract There is a constant need to increase productivity in aquaculture, particularly to improve growth rate, feed utilization as well as stress resistance of fish. Because of consumer concerns and strict regulations in many countries, the use of synthetic chemicals, hormones and antibiotics is becoming unviable and natural compounds are more acceptable to the public. A wide variety of chemical compounds are found in plants, and many of them have been shown to have beneficial effects on appetite, growth and the immune status of fish acting through different mechanisms. Phytochemicals contained in herbs may enhance the innate immune system, possess antimicrobial capabilities, and are redox active molecules with antioxidant characteristics that may help to improve the general physiological condition of fish. Many studies have discussed the values of phytochemicals as feed additives. Another paramount concern related to phytochemicals is their endocrine modulator effect that can be applied both in aquaculture targeting the production of table fish and the growing sector of ornamental fish production. Different mechanisms such as the effects at the steroid receptor level, effects on steroid synthesis, distribution and excretion, actions on the hypothalamus–pituitary–gonad axis, as well as indirect mechanisms including thyroid and growth hormone disruption have been postulated for the reproductive endocrine disruption in fish populations by phytochemicals. This paper reviews the results of a great number of studies focusing on phytochemicals such as essential oils, saponins, flavonoids and phytosterols discussing their effects on productive traits and the putative mechanism of action.

Reports regarding the changes in sperm concentration in different counties of the world are inconsistent. Furthermore, the reports that sprung up from specific epidemiological and experimental examinations did not include data of prior studies or geographical variations. The current study, following a previous report of massive fall in semen volume over the past 33 years, attempts to delineate the trend of altering sperm concentrations and factors responsible for this by reviewing article published from 1980 to July 2015 with geographic differences. The current study identified an overall 57% diminution in mean sperm concentration over the past 35 years ( r = −.313, p = .0002), which, when analyzed for each geographical region, identified a significant decline in North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. An increasing trend of sperm concentration was identified only in Australia. The association of male age with such a trend ( R 2 = .979) is reported. The authors also correlated male fertility with sperm concentration. Thus, this comprehensive, evidence-based literature review aims to concisely and systematically present the available data on sperm concentration from 1980 to 2015, as well as to statistically analyze the same and correlate male health with the declining pattern of sperm count in a single scientific review to serve the scientific research zone related to reproductive health. It points to the threat of male infertility in times ahead.

In contrast to non-sustainable, non-renewable fossil-fuel-based conventional chemical processes, so-called green reactions are sustainable, highly-efficient (fewer steps, fewer resources, less waste) and stable under ambient conditions and much more eco-friendly (achieved by the use of non-hazardous solvents and less-hazardous, minimized waste). They are assessed by 12 principles established by Anastas and Warner [Green Chemistry: Theory and Practice, Oxford University Press, New York, 1998]. Recently steps have been taken to make textile materials and processing more environmentally friendly (or ‘greener’), including fibre production, dyes and auxiliaries, solvents, optimized and efficient processing with recycling of water and chemicals, bio-processing, the elimination of hazardous chemicals and the recycling of textile materials, and whilst it is acknowledged that mechanical aspects of textile processing also contribute to achievement of sustainability, this review focuses on the chemistry deployed.

This paper presents a comparative study of three modeling methodologies for predicting the breaking elongation of ring spun cotton yarns. Constituent cotton fiber properties and yarn count are used as inputs to these models. The predictive powers of the three different models—mathematical, statistical, and artificial neural network—are estimated and com pared. The relative importance of various cotton fiber properties measured by a high volume instrument is also investigated using the artificial neural network model.

In this fast-food era, people depend on ready-made foods and engage in minimal physical activities that ultimately change their food habits. Majorities of such foods have harmful effects on human health due to higher percentages of saturated fatty acids, trans-fatty acids, and hydrogenated fats in the form of high lipid diet (HLD). Moreover, food manufacturers add monosodium glutamate (MSG) to enhance the taste and palatability of the HLD. Both MSG and HLD induce the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and thereby alter the redox-homeostasis to cause systemic damage. However, MSG mixed HLD (MH) consumption leads to dyslipidemia, silently develops non-alcoholic fatty liver disease followed by metabolic alterations and systemic anomalies, even malignancies, via modulating different signaling pathways. This comprehensive review formulates health care strategies to create global awareness about the harmful impact of MH on the human body and recommends the daily consumption of more natural foods rich in antioxidants instead of toxic ingredients to counterbalance the MH-induced systemic anomalies.

From the low-temperature (down to 10K) dc-magnetization data of the La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 (LSM), La0.7Ca0.3MnO3 (LCM), and Pr0.7Ca0.3MnO3 (PCM) systems, we estimated the critical exponents β, γ, and hence δ from the analysis of the modified Arrot plots. The exponent β estimated for the LCM system is less than that predicted by Heisenberg model and resides within the zone predicted by Ising model while for the LSM sample, β is higher than that predicted from the Heisenberg model which is considered to be due to the presence of dipole-dipole interaction arising from the large spin moment in the LSM system. The magnetization data of the PCM system cannot be fitted to the modified Arrot plots, which suggest highly inhomogeneous ground state even under 5T magnetic field. Both LSM and LCM have almost equal values of γ. Seebeck coefficient data indicate a crossover from higher-temperature n-type to lower-temperature p-type conductivity behavior in both LSM and LCM systems, while the semiconducting PCM system shows p-type conductivity throughout the temperature range (300–80K). It is noticed that for LSM system TC (Curie temperature) and TMI (metal-insulator transition temperature) are almost equal (∼360K), whereas for the LCM system there exist a large difference between TC and TMI (TC∼245K and TMI∼265K), which may give some idea regarding the critical behavior of the respective samples.

This letter reports on the magnetocaloric properties of Sm0.52Sr0.48MnO3 single crystal. A magnetic field of only 1T yields a change in the magnetic entropy by 5.9J∕(kgK) at TC (=124K), which is higher than those observed in several other perovskite manganites and rare earth alloys of comparable TC. This change originates from a sharp magnetization jump, associated with a first-order metamagnetic transition. Such a large change in entropy at a low magnetic field makes this material useful for magnetic refrigeration.

The high ambient temperature beyond the range of comfort zone or thermoneutral zone causes environmental heat stress (HST). It causes serious physiological dysfunction that may result in heat-related diseases and even death. The underlying mechanism in the pathogenesis of hepatic dysfunction following hyperthermic challenge and the possible involvement of oxidative stress to induce oxidative deterioration of liver functions in adult rats are investigated in this study. Cellular damage was assessed in terms of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities and histology of liver. The effect of hyperthermia in altering the oxidative stress was evaluated on the basis of its influence on hepatic lipid peroxidation and antioxidant status-superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity. The current study demonstrated that HST is associated with a complex set of integrated alterations in liver, time-dependent rise in oxidative stress followed by distinct pattern of liver injury in animals. Heat-induced hepatotoxicity was assessed by increased lipid peroxidation, depletion of antioxidant enzyme activities such as SOD, CAT, GPx and tissue damages revealed by hepatic vacuolization, and widespread necrosis. The study also revealed that pretreatment with resveratrol resulted in normalizing these parameters appreciably, emphasizing the therapeutic potentials of this polyphenol. Taken together, the results suggest that an increase in free radical formation relative to loss of the antioxidant defense system during heat stress may render liver more susceptible to oxidative damage, leading to their functional inactivation. However, resveratrol supplementation can be an effective antidote in the treatment of HST-induced malfunction.

Five heteronuclear nickel(II)/lead(II) complexes with two compartmental reduced Schiff base ligands were prepared and characterized. Their structures were confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction analyses. In each complex, nickel(II) is placed in the inner N2O2 compartment and lead(II) in the outer O2O2′ compartment of reduced Schiff base ligands. Interesting molecular architectures were formed via supramolecular interactions in the solid state of the complexes. A density functional theory study is devoted to analyze unconventional tetrel bonding interactions established between the σ-hole at the hemicoordinated lead(II) and either the electron-rich thiocyanate or the π-system of the aromatic ligand. In addition, π-stacking assemblies between both the aromatic rings and five-membered Pb-chelate rings were described and studied both with regard to their energies and by using the noncovalent plot index.

We report on the magnetic field $(H)$ dependence of the order of the ferromagnetic (FM) to paramagnetic (PM) phase transition in ${\text{Sm}}_{0.52}{\text{Sr}}_{0.48}{\text{MnO}}_{3}$ single crystal. For $H<4\text{ }\text{T}$, magnetization and specific-heat data show a first-order phase transition, with sharp drop of magnetization along with hysteresis, and large, symmetric, and narrow specific-heat peak with finite amount of entropy change at ${T}_{C}$. By contrast, for $H\ensuremath{\ge}4\text{ }\text{T}$, the phase transition becomes essentially second-order with tricritical point exponents $\ensuremath{\beta}\ensuremath{\sim}0.32$ and $\ensuremath{\gamma}\ensuremath{\sim}1.31$. The tricritical point separates first-order $(H<4\text{ }\text{T})$ from second-order $(H\ensuremath{\ge}4\text{ }\text{T})$ transition.

BACKGROUND: Clean water and sanitation are global public health issues. Safe drinking water and sanitation are essential, especially for children, to prevent acute and chronic illness death and sustain a healthy life. The UN General Assembly announced the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 targets for the 2030 Agenda on 25 September 2015. SDG 6 is very important because it affects other SDG (1, 2,3,5,11,14 and 15). The present study deals with the national and state-wise analysis of the current status and to access deficiency of India's achievement towards SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation for all) for the 2030 agenda based on targets 6.1, 6.2,6.4,6.6 from 2012 to 2020. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data of different indicators of SDG 6 are collected from different secondary sources-NSS 69th (2012) and 76th (2018) round; CGWB annual report 2016-2017 and 2018-2019; NARSS (2019-2020); SBM-Grameen (2020). To understand overall achievement towards SDG 6 in the 2030 agenda, the goal score (arithmetic mean of normalised value) has been calculated. MAJOR FINDINGS: According to NSS data, 88.7% of Indian households had enough drinking water from primary drinking water sources throughout the year, while 79.8% of households had access to toilet facilities in 2018. As per the 2019-2021 goal score for States and UTs in rural India based on SDG 6 indicator, SDG 6 achiever States and UTs (100%) are Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands. CONCLUSION: Drinking water and sanitation for all ensure a healthy life. It is a matter of concern for the government, policymakers, and people to improve the condition where the goal score and indicator value of SDG 6 are low.

In the context of failure of treatment for non alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)-mediated systemic damages, recognition of novel and successful characteristic drug to combat these anomalous situations is earnestly required. The present study is aimed to evaluate protective value of ethanol extract of Coccinia grandis leaves (EECGL), naturally occurring medicinal plant, on NAFLD-mediated systemic damage induced by high lipid diet along with monosodium glutamate (HM)-fed rats. Our study uncovered that EECGL significantly ameliorates HM-induced hyperlipidemia, increased lipogenesis and metabolic disturbances (via up regulation of PPAR-α and PPAR-γ), oxidative stress (via reducing the generation of reactive oxygen species and regulating the redox-homeostasis) and inflammatory response (via regulating the pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory factors with concomitant down regulation of NF-kB, iNOS, TNF-α and up regulation of eNOS). Furthermore, EECGL significantly inhibited HM-induced increased population of cells in sub G0/G1 phase, decreased Bcl2 expression and thereby loss of mitochondrial membrane potential with over expression of Bax, p53, p21, activation of caspase 3 and 9 indicated the apoptosis and suppression of cell survival. It is perhaps the first comprehensive study with a mechanistic approach which provides a strong unique strategy for the management of HM-induced systemic damage with effective dose of EECGL.

Dyeing of cellulosic materials with reactive and direct dyes is commercially very popular, but is not eco-friendly On the other hand, pigment colors cannot be applied by conventional exhaust methods. These problems can be solved or minimized by increasing the affinity of cellulosic materials. Cationization of cellulosic fibers improves affinity towards anionic dyes like reactive dyes, direct dyes, and pigment colors dispersed with anionic dispersants. This review paper discusses various studies relating to cationization of cotton, linen, and ramie fibers using various chemicals (e.g., quaternary ammonium compounds, chitosan, CHPTAC, other epoxy compounds, and triazine) as well as non-reactive pretreatments with cationic polymers.

Coal mining adversely affects the eco-system as a whole. On the unstable earth, the unresting mankind constantly uses a variety of resources for daily lives. Coal is recognized to have been the main source of energy in India for many decades and contributes to nearly 27 % of the world's commercial energy requirement. Coal is mainly mined using two methods-surface or opencast' and underground mining. The geological condition determines the method of mining. Coal mining is usually associated with the degradation of natural resources and the destruction of habitat. This causes invasive species to occupy the area, thus posing a threat to biodiversity. Huge quantities of waste material are produced by several mining activities in the coal mining region. If proper care is not taken for waste disposal, mining will degrade the surrounding environment. The method of waste disposal affects land, water and air and in turns the quality of life of the people in the adjacent areas. This paper throws lights on the burning issues of coal mines and its impact on the environment.

A dinuclear and a novel bi-cyclic hetero trinuclear bis(μ-tetrazolato) bridged nickel(II) Schiff base complexes [Ni2(L(1))2(PTZ)2] (1) and [Ni2(L(2))2(PTZ)2Na(H2O)]ClO4·H2O (2) {where HL(1) = 2-((2-(dimethylamino)ethylimino)methyl)-6-methoxyphenol, HL(2) = 2-((2-(methylamino)ethylimino)methyl)-6-methoxyphenol and HPTZ = 5-(2-pyridyl)tetrazole} have been synthesized by in situ 1,3-dipolar cyclo-addition and characterized by spectral analysis, X-ray crystallography, and variable-temperature magnetic susceptibility measurements. Both the complexes crystallize in monoclinic space group P2(1)/c. Both the complexes feature double μ-NN'-tetrazolato bridged dinickel(II) structures, in which each nickel(II) is coordinated meridionally by a depronated terdentate Schiff base [(L(1))(-) for 1 and (L(2))(-) for 2] and two nitrogen atoms of the (PTZ)(-). A nitrogen atom from a symmetry related bridging (PTZ)(-) coordinates to complete the distorted octahedral geometry of nickel(II). The phenoxo and methoxo oxygen atoms from two [NiL(2)] units and a water molecule coordinate to a sodium(I) to form the unique bi-cyclic trinuclear nickel(II)-sodium(I)-nickel(II) core in complex 2. Very strong π···π stacking is observed in complex 2 to form a supramolecular chain. The variable-temperature (1.8-300 K) magnetic susceptibility measurements show the presence of anti-ferromagnetic coupling between two nickel(II) centers for both complexes with J = -2.14(1) cm(-1) (for 1) and J = -1.20(2) cm(-1) (for 2). To obtain a better understanding of the magnetic exchange mechanism, quantum mechanical (DFT) calculations have been performed. The calculated J values [J(theo) = -4.53 cm(-1) (for 1) and J(theo) = -2.48 cm(-1) (for 2)] are in agreement with the values obtained experimentally.

Since prehistoric times Coccinia grandis has been used as traditional medicine for various diseases including diabetes, dyslipidemia, metabolic and digestive disorders. Although the rationality of efficacy as natural antioxidants with different bioactive compounds in Coccinia grandis against monosodium glutamate (MSG) induced hepato-cardiac damage remains to be disclosed. Six different solvent extracts of the leaves of Coccinia grandis were chosen to evaluate in vitro antioxidant and free radical (FR)-scavenging activity. Due to high antioxidant content and FR-scavenging property of ethanol extract of Coccinia grandis leaves (EECGL) and presence of different bioactive compounds in EECGL was further tested to evaluate in vivo hepato-protective and cardio-protective efficacy against MSG-induced anomalies. MSG-induced dyslipidemia, increased cell toxicity markers altered functional status and histopathological peculiarities of target organs were blunted by EECGL. Additionally, MSG incited increase level of interleukin (IL)-6, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, IL-1β which activates nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-kB) guided inflammation via down regulation of IL-10; impaired redox-homeostasis subsequently promoted inflammation associated oxidative stress (OS) and increased vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) which provoked microvascular proliferation related cellular damage. On the contrary, increased lipid peroxidation and nitric oxide promotes reduced cell viability, deoxyribonucleic acid damage and apoptosis via activation of caspase 3. EECGL significantly reduced MSG-induced inflammation mediated OS and apoptosis via inhibition of pro-inflammatory factors and pro-apoptotic mediators to protect liver and heart. Therefore, it can be suggested that EECGL contributed competent scientific information to validate the demands for its use to treat MSG-induced hepato-cardiac OS mediated inflammation and apoptosis from natural origin.

People in the fast-food era rely on pre-packaged foods and engage in limited physical activity, which leads to a shift in eating patterns. Monosodium glutamate (MSG), a dietary ingredient used in this sort of cuisine, has been found to be hazardous to both experimental animals and humans. The objective of this study was to explore at the unnecessary changes caused by consuming MSG in secret and exceeding the recommended dosage. Hence, we decided to evaluate the impact of MSG by using three different doses (200, 400, and 600 mg/kg body weight orally) for 28 days in rats. We uncovered that all three MSG dosages result in a rise in body weight, dyslipidemia, inflammatory response, and hepato-cardiac marker enzymes, all of which imply hepatic and cardiac toxicity. Furthermore, changes in redox status suggest oxidative stress, which was higher in all three MSG dosages although not as much as in the MSG-600 group when compared to control. Such effects eventually manifested themselves in tissue architecture of the liver and heart, resulting in severe hepato-cardiac derangement, but the degree of tissue damage was greater in the MSG-600 group. As a result, it is possible that MSG has a negative influence on the liver and heart. However, the MSG-600 group showed a substantial effect, indicating that MSG should not be used in food preparation. Therefore, the findings of the study may aid in the formulation of health-care strategies and serve as a warning to the general public regarding the use of MSG in daily diet.

We report on the hydrostatic pressure dependence of the order of ferromagnetic (FM) to paramagnetic (PM) phase transition in a $({\mathrm{Sm}}_{0.7}{\mathrm{Nd}}_{0.3}{)}_{0.52}{\mathrm{Sr}}_{0.48}{\mathrm{MnO}}_{3}$ single crystal. At ambient pressure, the system undergoes a first-order FM-PM phase transition at 146 K. The application of pressure increases the ${T}_{C}$, suppresses the hysteresis width, and thus makes the transition second order. We have analyzed the critical behavior associated with the second-order FM-PM transition in the presence of an external pressure (12.1 kbar) and obtained the critical exponents $\ensuremath{\beta}=0.358$, $\ensuremath{\gamma}=1.297$, and $\ensuremath{\delta}=4.536$, which are close to those predicted for the three-dimensional Heisenberg system. Using these values of $\ensuremath{\beta}$, $\ensuremath{\gamma}$, and ${T}_{C}$ ($\ensuremath{\sim}176\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{K}$), one can scale the magnetization data below and above ${T}_{C}$ following a single equation of state.

The possibility of using differential pre-heating prior to supramolecular gelation to control the balance between hydrogen-bonding and aromatic stacking interactions in supramolecular gels and obtain consequent systematic regulation of structure and properties is demonstrated. Using a model aromatic peptide amphiphile, Fmoc-tyrosyl-leucine (Fmoc-YL) and a combination of fluorescence, infrared, circular dichroism and NMR spectroscopy, it is shown that the balance of these interactions can be adjusted by temporary exposure to elevated temperatures in the range 313-365 K, followed by supramolecular locking in the gel state by cooling to room temperature. Distinct regimes can be identified regarding the balance between H-bonding and aromatic stacking interactions, with a transition point at 333 K. Consequently, gels can be obtained with customizable properties, including supramolecular chirality and gel stiffness. The differential supramolecular structures also result in changes in proteolytic stability, highlighting the possibility of obtaining a range of supramolecular architectures from a single molecular structure by simply controlling the pre-assembly temperature.