DNA repair gene polymorphisms at XRCC1, XRCC3, XPD, and OGG1 loci in Maharashtrian population of central India

Reduction in DNA repair capacity is associated with increased rates of birth defects, cancer, and accelerated ageing. Genetic polymorphisms in DNA repair genes might influence the repair activities of the enzymes predisposing individuals to cancer risk. Owing to the presence of these genetic variants, inter-individual and ethnic differences in DNA repair capacity have been observed in various populations. India harbors enormous genetic, cultural and linguistic diversity. The present study was undertaken to determine the allele and genotype frequencies of four non-synonymous SNPs, XRCC1 Arg399Gln (C > T, rs25487), XRCC3 Thr241Met (G > A, rs861539), XPD Lys751Gln (T > G, rs13181), and OGG1 Ser326Cys (C > G, rs1052133) in the Maharashtrian population, residing in the Vidarbha region of central India and to compare them with HapMap and other Indian populations. The variant alleles of these polymorphisms have been found to be positively associated with different forms of cancer in several genetic epidemiological studies. The basic prevalence of these polymorphisms in the general population must be known to evaluate their significance in risk assessment in cancer and other phenotypes. About 215 healthy and unrelated individuals from the Maharashtrian population were genotyped for each of these four polymorphisms using PCR-RFLP. The allele and genotype frequency distribution at the four DNA repair gene loci among Maharashtrians revealed a characteristic pattern. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of these DNA repair gene polymorphisms in a central Indian population.     

Effects of paint particles inhalation on superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities in industrial painters

The aim of this study was to examine effects of lead (Pb)-based paints on malondialdehyde (MDA) levels as an indicator for lipid peroxidation; and on activities of serum antioxidant enzymes activities such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in industrial painters. A total of 67 male painters and 50 age-matched and gender-matched controls were included in this cross-sectional study. There were 19 smokers and 48 non-smokers in the paint-exposed group and 20 smokers and 30 non-smokers in the control group. Hemoglobin concentrations were lower in painters’ blood compared to controls. The blood Pb concentrations were higher in painters compared to controls. SOD and GPx activities were significantly lower in painters compared to controls. MDA concentration was found to be significantly elevated. Smoking was found to be a major confounder. Data suggest that Pb-based paints affect oxidant parameters in occupationally exposed workers.     

Phytoconstituents evaluation and antihyperglycemic and antihyperlipidemic effects of Mahonia leschenaultia Takeda in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

Hyperlipidemia is an associated complication of diabetes mellitus. Many spices and herbs are known to be hypoglycemic. Mahonia leschenaultia Takeda (Berberidaceae) (MLT) is a traditional medicinal plant that is commonly used against diseases in India and other Asian countries. The aim of this study is to identify the phytoconstituents by gas chromatography–mass spectrography (GC–MS) and evaluate the antihyperglycemic and antihyperlipidemic effects of the ethanol extract of MLT on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Phytoconstituents like oleicacid, 9,12-octadecadienoic acid (Z, Z)-n-hexadecanoic acid were identified as high % peak when compared with other compounds by GC–MS. STZ-induced diabetic animals were fed with plant extracts at different doses (250 or 500 mg kg^?1 body wt) of ethanol extract of MLT. The results of the study revealed a significant increase in total hemoglobin and glycosylated hemoglobin along with the reduction in hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia effects in MLT-treated STZ-induced diabetic rats compared to diabetic only rats. Further, ethanol extracts of MLT-treated animals at 500 mg kg^?1 showed that shrinkage of β cells of islets of Langerhans was restored as evidenced by histological studies of pancreas of diabetic animals. Thus the ethanol extract of MLT might serve as a reliable adjuvant for antihyperglycemic and antihyperlipidemic effects of STZ, and may be promising for development of phytomedicines for diabetes mellitus.     

Simultaneous quantitative monitoring of four indicator contaminants of emerging concern (CEC) in different water sources of Central India using SPE/LC-(ESI)MS-MS

Environmental occurrence of CECs poses a great threat to both aquatic life and human health. The aim of this study was to optimize and validate SPE/LC-(ESI)MS-MS method for simultaneous quantitative monitoring of two sub-classes of CECs (pharmaceuticals and hormones) and to estimate the concentrations of select CECs in environmental water samples. For all the tested analytes, recoveries in laboratory reagent water were greater than 81%. Average percent (relative standard deviation) RSD of the analytes in recovery, repeatability, and reproducibility experiments were ≤?10%. Determination coefficients (r²) of primidone, diclofenac, testosterone, and progesterone were estimated to be 0.9979, 0.9972, 0.9968, and 0.9962, respectively. Limits of detection (LOD) for primidone, diclofenac, testosterone, and progesterone were 4.63 ng/L, 5.36 ng/L, 0.55 ng/L, and 0.88 ng/L, respectively. Limits of quantification (LOQ) for primidone, diclofenac, testosterone, and progesterone were 14.72 ng/L, 17.06 ng/L, 1.766 ng/L, and 2.813 ng/L, respectively. Average recoveries in environmental water and wastewater samples were greater than 74% and RSD were ≤?7%. Trace levels (68.33–125.70 ng/L) of primidone were detected in four environmental water samples, whereas diclofenac was not detected in any of the tested sample. Trace levels of progesterone were observed in two environmental samples (16.64 –203.73 ng/L), whereas testosterone was detected in STP inlet sample (178.16 ng/L).     

Residual behavior and risk assessment of flubendiamide on tomato at different agro-climatic conditions in India

Supervised field trials were conducted at four different agro-climatic zones in India to evaluate the dissipation pattern and risk assessment of flubendiamide on tomato. Flubendiamide 480 SC was sprayed on tomato at 48 and 96 g active ingredient (a.i.) ha^?1. Samples of tomato fruits were drawn at 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, 15, and 20 days after treatment. Quantification of residues was done on a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) device with a photo diode array detector. The limit of quantification (LOQ) of this method was found to be 0.01 mg kg^?1 while limit of detection (LOD) being 0.003 mg kg^?1. Residues of flubendiamide were found below the determination limit of 0.01 mg kg^?1 in 20 days at both the dosages in all the locations. The half-life of flubendiamide at an application rate of 48 g a.i.?ha^?1 varied from 0.33 to 3.28 days and at 48-g a.i. ranged from 1.21 to 3.00 days. On the basis of data generated under the All India Network Project on Pesticide Residues, a preharvest interval (PHI) of 1 day has been recommended, and the flubendiamide 480 SC has been registered for its use on tomato by the Central Insecticide Board and Registration Committee, Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India. The maximum residue limit (MRL) of flubendiamide on tomato has been fixed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India under Food Safety Standard Authority of India, as 0.07 μg g^?1 after its risk assessment.     

Photocatalytic degradation of the herbicide pendimethalin using nanoparticles of BaTiO3/TiO2 prepared by gel to crystalline conversion method: a kinetic approach

Photocatalytic degradation of the herbicide, pendimethalin (PM) was investigated with BaTiO3/TiO2 UV light system in the presence of peroxide and persulphate species in aqueous medium. The nanoparticles of BaTiO3 and TiO2 were obtained by gel to crystallite conversion method. These photo catalysts are characterized by energy dispersive x-ray analysis (EDX), scanning electron microscope (SEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) adsorption isotherm and reflectance spectral studies. The quantum yields for TiO2 and BaTiO3 for the degradation reactions are 3.166 Einstein m(-2) s(-1) and 2.729 Einstein m(-2) s(-1) and catalytic efficiencies are 6.0444 x 10(-7) mg(-2)h(-1)L2 and 5.403 x 10(-7) mg(-2)h(-1)L2, respectively as calculated from experimental results. BaTiO3 exhibited comparable photocatalytic efficiency in the degradation of pendimethalin as the most widely used TiO2 photocatalyst. The persulphate played an important role in enhancing the rate of degradation of pendimethalin when compared to hydrogen peroxide. The degradation process of pendimethalin followed the first-order kinetics and it is in agreement with Langmuir-Hinshelwood model of surface mechanism. The reason for high stability of pendimethalin for UV-degradation even in the presence of catalyst and oxidizing agents were explored. The higher rate of degradation was observed in alkaline medium at pH 11. The degradation process was monitored by spectroscopic techniques such as ultra violet-visible (UV-Vis), infrared (IR) and gas chromatography mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). The major intermediate products identified were: N-propyl-2-nitro-6-amino-3, 4-xylidine, (2, 3-dimethyl-5-nitro-6-hydroxy amine) phenol and N-Propyl-3, 4-dimethyl-2, 6-dinitroaniline by GC-MS analysis and the probable reaction mechanism has been proposed based on these products.     

Enrichment and isolation of endosulfan degrading and detoxifying bacteria

In the present study, degradation of endosulfan by a mixed culture isolated from a pesticide-contaminated soil was studied in batch experiments. After two weeks of incubation, the mixed culture was able to degrade 73% and 81% of alpha and beta endosulfan respectively. Endodiol was identified by GC/MS as degradation intermediate. The toxicity studies of endosulfan before and after degradation were carried out using micronucleus assay on human polymorphonuclear cells. The findings suggested that the metabolism of endosulfan isomers by the mixed culture was accompanied by significant reduction in the toxicity. Studies were also carried out to quantify the degradation potential of the individual species in the mixed bacterial culture. Two cultures identified by 16S rRNA as Stenotrophomonas maltophilia and Rhodococcus erythropolis were found to be responsible for majority of the degradation by the mixed culture. S. maltophilia showed better degradation efficiency compared to that by R. erythropolis. This is the first report of endosulfan degradation using the above-mentioned organisms.     

Distribution of detoxifying genes polymorphism in Maharastrian population of central India

The present study is aimed at evaluating the genotype frequency of detoxifying genes such as GSTM1, GSTT1 and NQO1 in Maharastrian population of central India. The study revealed about 64.6% of GSTM1-positive and 35.4% GSTM1-null population. GSTT1-positive genotype was found to be 87.5% and GSTT1-null showed 12.5%. The NQO1 genotype of Maharastrian population showed 52.3% of C/C, 42.48% C/T and 5.18% T/T. The NQO1 of this population does not deviate from the expected Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The genotype frequencies GSTM1 and GSTT1 of the population when compared with other ethnic groups of Asia and Caucasians show distinct nature of Maharastrian population from other Asian and Caucasian population.     

Optimal power flow model incorporating wind,solar, and bundled solar-thermal power in the restructured Indian power system

A new optimal power flow model for wind, solar, and solar-thermal bundled power scheduling and dispatch is proposed, incorporating the deviation incentive/penalty charges for renewable energy introduced in India. The multiobjective function is solved using the flower pollination algorithm; the scheme is successfully tested on the IEEE 30-bus and Indian utility 30-bus systems. The forecasting error constraints introduced in renewable energy scheduling and dispatch are demonstrated to be beneficial in several aspects. Solar-thermal bundling is shown to create win-win situations for thermal and solar generators. The effectiveness of the flower pollination algorithm in solving optimal power flow models is proved.     

Effect of pendimethalin and quizalofop on N<Subscript>2</Subscript>-fixing bacteria in relation to availability of nitrogen in a <Emphasis Type="Italic">Typic Haplustept</Emphasis> soil of West Bengal,India

An experiment was conducted under laboratory conditions to investigate the effect of two systemic herbicides viz., pendimethalin and quizalofop, at their recommended field rates (1.0 kg and 50 g active ingredient ha^− 1, respectively) on the growth and activities of non-symbiotic N₂-fixing bacteria in relation to mineralization and availability of nitrogen in a Typic Haplustept soil. Both the herbicides, either singly or in a combination, stimulated the growth and activities of N₂-fixing bacteria resulting in higher mineralization and availability of nitrogen in soil. The single application of quizalofop increased the proliferation of aerobic non-symbiotic N₂-fixing bacteria to the highest extent while that of pendimethalin exerted maximum stimulation to their N₂-fixing capacity in soil. Both the herbicides, either alone or in a combination, did not have any significant difference in the stimulation of total nitrogen content and availability of exchangeable NH₄ ⁺ while the solubility of NO₃ ⁻ was highly manifested when the herbicides were applied separately in soil.