ABSTRACT
In present investigation an attempt was made to assess variation in physico-chemical characteristics of river Varuna at Varanasi. The water samples were collected monthly from five sites during January to December 2009 and analyzed for physico-chemical properties. The investigation showed variation in temperature (18.5-32.5oC), transparency (13.5-77.0cm), pH (8.0-8.8), alkalinity (96-486 mgl-1), free CO2 (1.6-64 mg l-1), DO (0.12-8.4 mg l-1), BOD (3.6-116.5 mg l-1), COD (5.9-225.4 mg l-1), chloride (11-80mg l-1), nitrate (0.036-0.996 mgl-1) and phosphate (0.06-1.36 mg l-1). From the investigation it is clear that there was marked variation in different parameters at different sites during the different months of the year. The site-5 was found to be highly polluted (BOD 116.5 mg l-1) whereas the site-1 (BOD 3.6 mg l-1) was the least polluted.
ABSTRACT
In order to record the effects of heroin on plasma calcium (Ca) and inorganic phosphate (Pi) levels as well as parathyroid gland and C cells, two sub-lethal doses (0.50 LD50 and 0.75 LD50) of the drug were administered intramuscularly in Rattus norvegicus for 30 days. Plasma Ca level of control rats ranged between 9.53±0.32 - 9.88±0.22 mg 100 ml-1 while plasma Pi concentration fluctuated between 4.55±0.18 - 4.71±0.24 mg 100 ml-1. Sub-lethal heroin administration induced progressive increase in plasma Ca level during the first seven days (p <0.001), thereafter the level declined on day 15 and 30. However, plasma Pi level of the heroin-treated rats registered increase with the peak value (p <0.001) on day 30. The treatment elicited degenerative changes in parathyroid gland as evident by cytoplamic vacuolization, presence of more pycnotic nuclei and occurrence of patchy areas among the chief cells. Degenerative changes were also noticed in cristae of mitochondria, Golgi complex and endoplasmic reticulum. There was decrease in chromatin material in the nucleus and loss of hormone granules in the cytoplasm. Oxyphil cells of the heroin-treated rat depicted dilation of endoplasmic reticulum and damaged cristae. Sub-lethal heroin administration in the rat for 30 days induced dilation in endoplasmic reticulum and loss of secretory granules in C cells.
ABSTRACT
In order to record the effects of sublethal heroin administration on plasma mineral metabolism, the drug was administered intramuscularly (16.4 mg kg-1 body weight day-1; 0.75 LD50 dose) in Rattus norvegicus for 30 days. Plasma sodium and potassium levels of the control rats fluctuated between 153.14 ± 2.88-157.23 ± 2.16 meq l-1 and 5.04 ± 0.32-5.63 ± 0.41 meq l-1, respectively. Plasma sodium level of the treated rats registered a progressive decline (p<0.01) at 24 hr with the minimum value (126.53 ± 2.68 meq l-1) on day 30 whereas plasma potassium level registered a progressive increase during entire period of the treatment with peak (8.78 ± 0.23 meq l-1) on day 30. Though sublethal herion adminstration for 30 days elcited cytoplasmic vacuolation in all the three zones of adrenal cortex, much of cytological alterations were observed in zona glomerulosa and zona fasciculata cells. In zona glomerulosa cells, degenerative changes in the organelles were more pronounced as evident by the loss of typical cristae in the mitochondria and hormone granules were rarely seen in these cells. Though rough endoplasmic reticula were scanty, many lipid granules encountered in zona glomerulosa cells of the treated rats.