Extraction of metal ions using chemically modified silica gel covalently bonded with 4,4'-diaminodiphenylether and 4,4'-diaminodiphenylsulfone-salicylaldehyde Schiff bases.

Two new chelating materials (Si-DDE-o-HB, and Si-DDS-o-HB) were synthesized by modifying the activated silica gel phase with Schiff bases of 4,4'-diaminodiphenylether (DDE)/4,4'-diaminodiphenylsulfone (DDS) and o-hydroxybenzaldehyde (o-HB). The synthesized materials were characterized by FTIR and BET surface area measurement techniques. The extraction of metal ions such as Zn2+, Mn2+ and Cr3+ by the chelating material Si-DDE-o-HB was found to be higher than that by Si-DDS-o-HB. The order of metal sorption was found to be Zn2+ > Mn2+ > Cr3+. The correlation coefficients for Freundlich and Langmuir adsorption isotherms were compared for the sorption of Zn2+ onto the chelating material. The loading and elution of the metal ion solution was examined at optimum pH 7.5 and 0.5 cm3 min-1 flow rate of the solution using a column technique. The preconcentration factor for the elution of Zn2+ using dilute HNO3 was found to be 66.2 with a breakthrough volume of 15 cm3. The data obtained for the preconcentration of Zn2+ by the column technique suggested that the material Si-DDE-o-HB can find industrial applications.

Primary amyloidosis presenting with predominant lymphnodal masses.

A 50 year young farmer presented with clinical features of bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and generalized lymphadenopathy including paratracheal and retroperitoneal lymphodes. The histological diagnosis confirmed primary amyloidosis of lymphnodes. Presentation of primary amyloidosis as lymphnodal mass with deposition of amyloid in carpal tunnel is extremely rare and can only be diagnosed by histochemistry. The clinical response to drugs is variable and needs surgical intervention for decompressive therapy which can improve the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.

Germ cell mutagenicity of phthalic acid in mice.

Mutagenicity of phthalic acid was evaluated by employing dominant lethal mutation and sperm head abnormality assays in male Swiss albino mice. For the dominant lethal mutation assay, adult male mice received a single intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of either 40 mg or 80 mg/kg b.w. of phthalic acid for 5 consecutive days. For the sperm head abnormality assay, the mice were treated with 50, 100, 150, 200 and 300 mg/kg b.w. as a single i.p. injection. Treatment of adult male mice with phthalic acid resulted in induction of dominant lethal mutations and abnormal sperm heads. The results obtained indicate that phthalic acid is a germ cell mutagen.

Clastogenicity of lanthanides: induction of chromosomal aberration in bone marrow cells of mice in vivo.

Clastogenic properties of two lanthanide elements praseodymium (Pr) and neodymium (Nd) were evaluated by employing mouse in vivo chromosomal aberrations (CAs) assay. Praseodymium oxide (Pr6O11) and neodymium oxide (Nd2O3) administered intraperitoneally to Swiss albino mice in vivo induced significant increase in the frequency of CAs in bone marrow cells, when compared to negative control. The number of CAs/cell and percent aberrant cells increased with an increase in the concentration and period of treatment. The effect was maximum when the cells were analysed 12 h after treatment, as compared to 6 and 24 h. This is the first report on the clastogenicity of these elements in mouse in vivo.

Clastogenicity of lanthanides--induction of micronuclei in root tips of Vicia faba.

The clastogenic property of two lanthanides, Praseodymium and Neodymium, was evaluated by scoring the frequencies of micronucleated cells in the interphase and chromosome/chromatid aberrations at ana-telophases in root tips of Vicia faba L. The significant increase in the frequency of micronucleated cells coupled with the increase in the frequency of chromosome/chromatid bridges and lagging chromosomes/chromatids suggest that these two are clastogenic for Vicia faba root cells.

Role of women in prevention and control of AIDS.

PIP: Women in India and AIDS prevention and control are discussed in terms of vulnerability, victimization, required knowledge, reproductive impact, care and prevention after birth, and the demands of the prevailing situation. A WHO world estimate is that 3 million women of childbearing age are infected with HIV out of 8-10 million. Indian women are vulnerable because of their reduced status and lack of power in private and marital life. Also, pregnant women receive blood transfusions, which may be inadequately screened, for anemia. The use of oral contraceptives with estrogen reduces immunity. The use of IUDs may cause inflammation or injury which provides a point of entry for HIV into the bloodstream. Prostitution is an outlet for lack of money, education, and skills, and places women at risk. The transmission from men to women is higher than the reverse. Every women should know their risks and modes of transmission. Women need to know that the risk of fetal infection from an HIV-positive mother is 20-40%, and that the risk is highest if HIV infection occurs or AIDS symptoms occur during pregnancy. Infant mortality from HIV may occur within the 1st several years. The following needs to be understood about reproduction and HIV: the risk of infection is very high when impregnated by an HIV male partner, and if children are desired, artificial insemination should be the preferred method. The reverse holds true, because penetrative sex without a condom allows transmission of the virus. The best option is for avoidance of childbearing if a partner has HIV. Abortion should be provided. Women need to develop the skills in language and confidence to negotiate safer sex, should be particular about choosing a loyal partner, and protect themselves by urging male condom use. The mode of transmission to babies is not from cuddling or handling. Breast feeding carries a meager risk of transmission, and should be continued if HIV infection occurs; the baby should be immunized. All health workers should receive training in order to provide support and care to mother and child in a private and confidential manner. Traditional healers have a role in providing advice on AIDS and condoms, spiritual support, and in changing behavior. Peer counseling is an important strategy for teenagers. There is a great need from society,husbands, and family to change the views of women and sex and to support women. Testing and screening of pregnant women in whom HIV infection is suspected is recommended.^ieng

The power of the optimal asymptotic tests of composite statistical hypotheses.

The easily computable asymptotic power of the locally asymptotically optimal test of a composite hypothesis, known as the optimal C(alpha) test, is obtained through a "double" passage to the limit: the number n of observations is indefinitely increased while the conventional measure xi of the error in the hypothesis tested tends to zero so that xi(n)n((1/2)) --> tau not equal 0. Contrary to this, practical problems require information on power, say beta(xi,n), for a fixed xi and for a fixed n. The present paper gives the upper and the lower bounds for beta(xi,n). These bounds can be used to estimate the rate of convergence of beta(xi,n) to unity as n --> infinity. The results obtained can be extended to test criteria other than those labeled C(alpha). The study revealed a difference between situations in which the C(alpha) test criterion is used to test a simple or a composite hypothesis. This difference affects the rate of convergence of the actual probability of type I error to the preassigned level alpha. In the case of a simple hypothesis, the rate is of the order of n(-(1/2)). In the case of a composite hypothesis, the best that it was possible to show is that the rate of convergence cannot be slower than that of the order of n(-(1/2)) ln n.