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Deterioration of Palm Leaf Manuscripts by Fungal Activity and its Prevention - A Study

2014-02-26T16:36:16Z

Title: Deterioration of Palm Leaf Manuscripts by Fungal Activity and its Prevention - A Study Authors: Dhawan, Shashi Abstract: Being organic in nature, plam leaf manuscripts arc prone to attack by fungi, particularly in South and South-East Asia, where most of the time climate is hot and humid. The paper describes the various types of fungi deteriorating plam leaf manuscripts and the experimentation for their prevention by using different essential and fatty oils in vitro and in situ. It has been observed that among the tested essential oils, betel-vine, camphor and eucalyptus are very effective compared to fatty oils, in preventing fungal activity and changing of colour of the palm leaf. Therefore, these essential oils may be used for the preservation of palm leaf manuscripts. Page(s): 31-34

Isolation of Cholesterol Binding Proteins from Cultured Spodoptera frugiparda (Sf-9) Cells

2014-02-27T16:35:11Z

Title: Isolation of Cholesterol Binding Proteins from Cultured Spodoptera frugiparda (Sf-9) Cells Authors: Upadhyay, Ravikant; Upadhyay, Urvashi; Aggarwal, Hari Charan Abstract: Extraction of cholesterol binding proteins from cultured insect cells is described. These proteins are found in buffer soluble cell homogenates. The determination of cholesterol binding sites at cell surface is described by two methods: by centrifugation and by gel filtration. From the first method 1.27 ± 0.15 ×10^-8 mole/L binding sites are determined and from the second, 4.48 ± 0.84 × 10^-8 mole/L binding sites arc reported . By centrifugation method, soluble portion of cell culture homogenate is separated. From this soluble portion, two low molecular weight proteins of 14 kD and 18 kD are isolated on a gel filtration column (Sepharose CI-6B-200). Page(s): 26-30

Effect of Artificial Long-day Treatment on Extending the Blooming Period of Garden Chrysanthemunl (Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat.)

2014-02-27T16:34:35Z

Title: Effect of Artificial Long-day Treatment on Extending the Blooming Period of Garden Chrysanthemunl (Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat.) Authors: Gupta, V.N.; Datta, S.K.; Banerji, B.K. Abstract: The effect of artificial long-day treatment on extending the blooming period of Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat is reported. Twenty five cultivars were tested for their response to photoperiod by subjected them to artificially created long-day (lighting from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.) conditions. The plant exposed to extended day length for 30 days showed maximum delay up to 26 days in cv. 'Basant Bahar'. It has been concluded that flowering in Chrysanthemum can be easily stretched from Decemher 10 January by interrupting the length of continuous dark period every day by using artificial light (from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.) for 30 days under Lucknow conditions. Page(s): 22-25

Kinetics and Mechanism of Oxidation of Ascorbic Acid by 12-Molybdophosphoric Acid

2014-02-26T16:34:31Z

Title: Kinetics and Mechanism of Oxidation of Ascorbic Acid by 12-Molybdophosphoric Acid Authors: Vibha; Prakash, Aditya Abstract: The oxidation of ascorbic acid (AA) by dodeca-molybdophosphoric acid (H₃PA), in inert atmosphere of N₂, HCIO₄ medium (0.02 to 0.20 mol dm^-3) and ionic strength (NaCIO₄; 0.5 mol dm^-3) is a first order reaction and the stoichiometry of the reaction is 2: 1. The rate of reaction decreases with increase in [H⁺], and increases with increase in ionic strength; the slope according to Davies equation is less than one (0.80). On the basis of these experimental results H₂A, HA^- and H₂PA^-are considered as reactive species and rate law proposed is

2k₁₂=k₁+k₂ K_a[H⁺]^-

The values or k₁ and k₂ at 25°C are 1.5 × 10^-2 and 3.15×10² dm^-3 mol^-1 s^-1, respectively. In this reaction, Mo(VI) atom of MoO₆ octahedra, in Keggin framework of heteropoly acid, H₃PA, is reduced and central P(V) remains unaffected. This mechanism is different from the oxidation of AA by [Co(III)W₁₂O₄₀]^5- , in which central metal ion Co(III) is reduced. The values of enthalpy, entropy and free energy changes for k₁ and k2 are ΔHk₁ = 101 and 6 ΔHk₂ = 17 kJ mol^-1; ΔSk₁ = 60 and ΔSk₂ = -140 J mol^-1 K^-1 and ΔGk₁ = 83 and ΔGk₂ = 59 k J mol^-1, respectively. Negative Δ S^#and relatively small value of ΔH^# for k₂ path support the higher reactivity of HA^-. Page(s): 14-21