Impairment of male reproduction in adult rats exposed to hydroxyprogesterone caproate in utero

Hydroxyprogesterone caproate is one of the most effective and widely used drugs for the treatment of uterine bleeding and threatened miscarriage in women. Hydroxyprogesterone caproate was administered to pregnant rats in order to assess the effect of intraperitoneal exposure to supranormal levels of hydroxyprogesterone caproate on the male reproductive potential in the first generation. The cauda epididymal sperm count and motility decreased significantly in rats exposed to hydroxyprogesterone caproate during embryonic development, when compared with control rats. The levels of serum testosterone decreased with an increase in follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone in adult rats exposed to hydroxyprogesterone caproate during the embryonic stage. It was suggested that the impairment of male reproductive performance could be mediated through the inhibition of testosterone production.     

Sisal/Carbon Fibre Reinforced Hybrid Composites: Tensile, Flexural and Chemical Resistance Properties

The variation of mechanical properties such as tensile and flexural properties of randomly oriented unsaturated polyester based sisal/carbon fibre reinforced hybrid composites with different fibre weight ratios have been studied. The chemical resistance test of these hybrid composites to various solvents, acids and alkalies were studied. The effect of NaOH treatment of sisal fibres on the tensile, flexural and chemical resistance properties of these sisal/carbon hybrid composites has also been studied. The hybrid composites showed an increase in tensile and flexural properties with increase in the carbon fibre loading. The tensile properties and flexural properties of these hybrid composites have been found to be higher than that of the matrix. Significant improvement in tensile properties and flexural properties of the sisal/carbon hybrid composites has been observed by alkali treatment. The chemical resistance test results showed that these untreated and alkali treated hybrid composites are résistance to all chemicals except carbon tetra chloride. Hand lay-up technique was used for making the composites and tests are carried out by using ASTM methods.     

Biodegradable Water Soluble Copolymer for Antimicrobial Applications

Synthesis and characterization of novel biodegradable, water soluble and optically active DL-malic acid (DMA) and citric acid (CA) copolymers were studied for possible use as antibacterial agents. The copolymers were synthesized by direct bulk melt condensation in the absence of a catalyst above 150 °C. Characterization of obtained copolymers was carried out with the help of infrared absorption spectra, differential scanning calorimetry and thermo gravimetric analysis. The antibacterial activity of copolymers against bacteria was investigated. The results obtained shows the above copolymers possess a broad wound dressing activity against different types of bacteria and may be useful as antibacterial agents.     

Effect of prenatal exposure to hydroxyprogesterone on steroidogenic enzymes in male rats

Pregnant Wistar strain albino rats were administered hydroxyprogesterone and the steroidogenic potential of the testis was analysed in the next generation adult male rats. In utero exposure to supranormal levels (10 mg/kg body weight or 25 mg/kg body weight) of hydroxyprogesterone decreased the activity levels of marker steroidogenic enzymes (3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase) of adult (mature) rat testis. Hydroxyprogesterone mediation in the suppression of rat testicular steroidogenesis is suggested, which can be correlated to the observed decrease in male reproductive potential in mammals exposed to female hormones during embryonic development.     

Tensile,Flexural and Chemical Resistance Properties of Sisal Fibre Reinforced Polymer Composites: Effect of Fibre Surface Treatment

In this study, effect of fibre surface treatment on tensile, flexural and chemical resistance properties were studied for sisal fibre reinforced composites. Natural ligno cellulosic sisal fibre reinforced composites were prepared by different surface treatments by hand lay-up method. Fibre surface treatments were carried out to produce good interface between the fibre and the matrix to improve the mechanical properties. Fibre surface treatments were done by boiled the sisal fibres in different % of NaOH and treated the fibres in different % of NaOH, treated in acetic acid and methanol. Unsaturated polyester resin was used as the matrix for preparing the composites. For comparison, these properties for untreated sisal fibre reinforced composites were also studied. From the results it was observed that 18% aqueous NaOH boiled sisal fibre reinforced composites have higher tensile, flexural properties than other composites. Untreated sisal fibre composites show lower properties than treated composites. Chemical resistance properties indicate that all sisal fibre reinforced composites are resistance to all chemicals except carbon tetra chloride. The tests are carried out as per the ASTM standards.     

Assessment of spatiotemporal variability and trend analysis of reference crop evapotranspiration for the southern region of Peninsular India

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Accurate estimation of reference evapotranspiration (ET0) is an essential requirement for water resource management and scheduling agricultural...     

Emissions from India's transport sector: Statewise synthesis

A decentralized emission inventories are prepared for road transport sector of India in order to design and implement suitable technologies and policies for appropriate mitigation measures. Globalization and liberalization policies of the government in 90's have increased the number of road vehicles nearly 92.6% from 1980–1981 to 2003–2004. These vehicles mainly consume non-renewable fossil fuels, and are a major contributor of green house gases, particularly CO₂ emission. This paper focuses on the statewise road transport emissions (CO₂, CH₄, CO, NO_x, N₂O, SO₂, PM and HC), using region specific mass emission factors for each type of vehicles. The country level emissions (CO₂, CH₄, CO, NO_x, N₂O, SO₂ and NMVOC) are calculated for railways, shipping and airway, based on fuel types. In India, transport sector emits an estimated 258.10 Tg of CO₂, of which 94.5% was contributed by road transport (2003–2004). Among all the states and Union Territories, Maharashtra's contribution is the largest, 28.85 Tg (11.8%) of CO₂, followed by Tamil Nadu 26.41 Tg (10.8%), Gujarat 23.31 Tg (9.6%), Uttar Pradesh 17.42 Tg (7.1%), Rajasthan 15.17 Tg (6.22%) and, Karnataka 15.09 Tg (6.19%). These six states account for 51.8% of the CO₂ emissions from road transport.     

Urban CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> emissions in Xi’an and Bangalore by commuters: implications for controlling urban transportation carbon dioxide emissions in developing countries

China and India together have more than one third of the world population and are two emerging economic giants of the developing world now experiencing rapid economic growth, urbanization, and motorization. The urban transportation sector is a major source of carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions in China and India. The goal of this study is to analyze the characteristics and factors of CO₂ emissions produced by commuters in Chinese and Indian cities and thus to identify strategies for reducing transportation CO₂ emissions and mitigating global climate change. Xi’an in China and Bangalore in India were chosen as two case study cities for their representativeness of major cities in China and India. The trends of CO₂ emissions produced by major traffic modes (electric motors, buses, and cars) in major cities of China and India were predicted and analyzed. The spatial distributions of CO₂ emissions produced by commuters in both cities were assessed using spatial analysis module in ArcGIS (Geographic Information System) software. Tobit models were then developed to investigate the impact factors of the emissions. The study has several findings. Firstly, in both cities, the increase of vehicle occupancy could reduce commuting CO₂ emissions by 20 to 50 % or conversely, if vehicle occupancy reduces, an increase by 33.33 to 66.67 %. It is estimated that, with the current increasing speed of CO₂ emissions in Xi’an, the total CO₂ emissions from electric motors, buses, and cars in major cities of China and India will be increased from 135?×?10⁶ t in 2012 to 961?×?10⁶ t in 2030, accounting for 0.37 to 2.67 % of the total global CO₂ emissions of 2013, which is significant for global climate change. Secondly, households and individuals in the outer areas of both cities produce higher emissions than those in the inner areas. Thirdly, the lower emissions in Xi’an are due to the higher density and more compact urban pattern, shorter commuting distances, higher transit shares, and more clean energy vehicles. The more dispersed and extensive urban sprawl and the prevalence of two-wheeler motorbikes (two-wheeler motorbike is abbreviated as “two-wheeler” in the following sections) fueled by gasoline cause higher emissions in Bangalore. Fourthly, car availability, higher household income, living outside the 2nd or Outer Ring Road, distance from the bus stop, and working in the foreign companies in Bangalore are significant and positive factors of commuting CO₂ emissions. Fifthly, “70-20” and “50-20” (this means that generally, 20 % of commuters and households produce 70 % of total emissions in Xi’an and 20 % of commuters and households produce 50 % of total emissions in Bangalore) emission patterns exist in Xi’an and Bangalore, respectively. Several strategies have been proposed to reduce urban CO₂ emissions produced by commuters and further to mitigate global climate change. Firstly, in the early stage of fast urbanization, enough monetary and land investment should be ensured to develop rail transit or rapid bus routes from outer areas to inner areas in the cities to avoid high dependency on cars, thus to implement the transit-oriented development (TOD), which is the key for Chinese and Indian cities to mitigate the impact on global climate change caused by CO₂ emissions. Secondly, in Bangalore, it is necessary to improve public transit service and increase the bus stop coverage combined with car demand controls along the ring roads, in the outer areas, and in the industry areas where Indian foreign companies and the governments are located. Thirdly, Indian should put more efforts to provide alternative cleaner transport modes while China should put more efforts to reduce CO₂ emissions from high emitters.     

Micro-scale anaerobic digestion of point source components of organic fraction of municipal solid waste

The fermentation characteristics of six specific types of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) were examined, with an emphasis on properties that are needed when designing plug-flow type anaerobic bioreactors. More specifically, the decomposition patterns of a vegetable (cabbage), fruits (banana and citrus peels), fresh leaf litter of bamboo and teak leaves, and paper (newsprint) waste streams as feedstocks were studied. Individual OFMSW components were placed into nylon mesh bags and subjected to various fermentation periods (solids retention time, SRT) within the inlet of a functioning plug-flow biogas fermentor. These were removed at periodic intervals, and their composition was analyzed to monitor decomposition rates and changes in chemical composition. Components like cabbage waste, banana peels, and orange peels fermented rapidly both in a plug-flow biogas reactor (PFBR) as well as under a biological methane potential (BMP) assay, while other OFMSW components (leaf litter from bamboo and teak leaves and newsprint) fermented slowly with poor process stability and moderate biodegradation. For fruit and vegetable wastes (FVW), a rapid and efficient removal of pectins is the main cause of rapid disintegration of these feedstocks, which left behind very little compost forming residues (2–5%). Teak and bamboo leaves and newsprint decomposed only to 25–50% in 30 d. These results confirm the potential for volatile fatty acids accumulation in a PFBR’s inlet and suggest a modification of the inlet zone or operation of a PFBR with the above feedstocks.