Assessment of trace metal bioaccumulation on the shells of edible gastropod Chicoreus ramosus and Hemifusus pugilinus.

The current study aimed to examine how some gastropods absorbed trace metals (Chicoreus ramosus and Hemifusus pugilinus). The existence of 17 elements, including aluminium, arsenic, boron, calcium, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, iron, potassium, lithium, manganese, sodium, nickel, phosphorus, lead, and zinc (Al, As, B, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Li, Mn, Na, Ni, P, Pb, and Zn), was confirmed by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS) analysis of trace metals. According to the ICP-MS results, C. ramosus (Al: 1.97 ± 0.2 µg/g, Fe: 1.93 ± 0.2 µg/g, and As: 1.52 ± 0.4 µg/g) and H. pugilinus (Al: 1.85 ± 0.7 µg/g, Fe: 1.68 ± 0.6 µg/g, and As: 1.37 ± 0.6 µg/g) both had significant amounts of aluminium, iron, and arsenic, respectively. Zinc concentrations of 0.58 to 0.7 µg/g (C. ramosus) and 0.67 to 0.2 µg/g were recorded (H. pugilinus). The elemental composition of the surface of the sample was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy-energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) micrographs, which also showed the degree of trace metal absorption in the chosen gastropod species.

Extraction, characterization and antimicrobial activity of chitosan from pen shell, Pinna bicolor.

Chitosan is a biopolymer discovered abundantly on earth specifically in the exoskeleton of shrimps, crabs and insects. In the present study, isolation and characterization of chitosan from the pen shell Pinna bicolor was carried out. In addition to this, the chitosan acquired from the pen shell was tested for its antibacterial activity against five bacterial strains. The FTIR analysis confirmed the presence of NH out of plane bending (872 cm-1) and C-O-C stretching (1016 cm-1) for chitosan with 59.76% degree of deacetylation. The Micro Raman showed peaks at 1658 cm-1, 1595 cm-1 and at 954 cm-1 corresponding to chitosan. The XRD was able to establish the crystallinity of the chitosan sample with a maximum peak at 29.3°. The elemental analysis of chitosan sample confirmed higher level of carbon (10.75%) when compared to other elements such as nitrogen, hydrogen and sulphur. The antimicrobial activity of extracted chitosan was evident with greater zone of inhibition against Salmonella typhi (20 mm) and least against Shigella dysenteriae. Thus, the present study unravels the properties of chitosan extracted from P. bicolor thereby paving way for its further use in the field of biomedical science and nanotechnology.

Role of Annealing Temperatures on Mechanical, Optical, Electrical and Magnetic Properties of Nanohydroxyapatite Biomaterial.

Nanosized hydroxyapatite [Ca10(Po4)6(OH)2 or HAp] was prepared by applying wet-chemical precipitation technique. Thermogravimetric and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (TG/DSC) analyses, showed that the prepared sample was stable up to 919.2 °C. X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern showed that as-prepared and annealed samples are in hexagonal structure. The average crystallite size is found to be 39, 46, 51 and 65 nm for the as-prepared, 700, 800 and 900 °C annealed HAp respectively. The dislocation density, strain and surface area were decreased with increase in annealing temperature. FT-IR and Raman spectra showed both as-prepared and annealed samples having characteristic bands of HAp. FE-SEM and TEM images which depicted and confirmed the hexagonal structure of HAp. The optical band gap calculated from the UV absorption behavior of as-prepared and annealed at 700, 800 and 900 °C HAp are 3.86, 3.84, 3.54, and 3.03 eV respectively. As the annealing temperature increases, the conductivity decreases whereas the impedance increases. The ac conductivity of as-prepared and annealed samples are in the order of 10-5 Sm-1. The VSM analysis confirmed that both as-prepared and annealed samples of HAp are in diamagnetic nature. The antibacterial activity of apatite samples depend on the types of bacterial strains and also their activity changed with the crystallite size.

Spread of Traditional Medicines in India: Results of National Sample Survey Organization's Perception Survey on Use of AYUSH.

For the first time, we have a comprehensive database on usage of AYUSH (acronym for Ayurveda, naturopathy and Yoga, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy) in India at the household level. This article aims at exploring the spread of the traditional medical systems in India and the perceptions of people on the access and effectiveness of these medical systems using this database. The article uses the unit level data purchased from the National Sample Survey Organization, New Delhi. Household is the basic unit of survey and the data are the collective opinion of the household. This survey shows that less than 30% of Indian households use the traditional medical systems. There is also a regional pattern in the usage of particular type of traditional medicine, reflecting the regional aspects of the development of such medical systems. The strong faith in AYUSH is the main reason for its usage; lack of need for AYUSH and lack of awareness about AYUSH are the main reasons for not using it. With regard to source of medicines in the traditional medical systems, home is the main source in the Indian medical system and private sector is the main source in Homeopathy. This shows that there is need for creating awareness and improving access to traditional medical systems in India. By and large, the users of AYUSH are also convinced about the effectiveness of these traditional medicines.

Molt cycle related changes and effect of short term starvation on the biochemical constituents of the blue swimmer crab Portunus pelagicus.

Synthesis and hardening of a new exoskeleton are essential to the arthropod molting process. The present study emphasizes the variations in the levels of hemolymph total free sugars, hepatopancreas glycogen and cuticular proteins during the molting stages of Portunus pelagicus. It also reports the effect of short-term starvation conditions on the biochemical constituents of the hemolymph. Intermolt crabs were subjected to 6 days of starvation and hemolymph samples were taken. Standard biochemical procedures were followed toward the quantification of total proteins, total free sugars and total lipids. The total free sugar level in the hemolymph of P. pelagicus was observed to increase during early premolt D0 (3.108 ± 0.032 g/ml) and a gradual decrease till late postmolt B stage (0.552 ± 0.124 g/ml), suggesting the need for total free sugars to provide energy for the apolysis process. Increase in the levels of hepatopancreas glycogen was observed from 1225 ± 0.04 µg/mg in early premolt D0 to 1700 ± 0.3 µg/mg in late premolt D2-3. This is in correlation with the decreased levels of free sugars during premolt stages, suggesting an increase in the storage of glycogen reserves in the hepatopancreas. Cuticular proteins increased during stage B (2.702 ± 0.093 g/ml) and stage C (3.065 ± 0.012 g/ml), indicating exoskeleton hardening and mineralization. Results of the starvation studies clearly showed a steady decline in the level of total free sugars till day 6 (0.099 ± 0.00 g/ml) when compared to the control (8.646 ± 0.08 g/ml). Gradual decrease of total lipids was also observed from the first day of the experiment (6.088 ± 2.44 g/ml) to the last day of the study (0.401 ± 0.20 g/ml) which was 85% lesser than the control (8.450 ± 0.49 g/ml)suggesting the efficient usage of total sugars to consolidate the loss of energy reserves during starvation. The knowledge of Molt-cycle events can be used as a tool for the evaluation of the developmental state providing a morphological reference system for physiological and biochemical studies related to crab aquaculture. Starvation studies enlightens that increasing carbohydrate levels in crab feed together with good protein content could alleviate the natural effects of starvation, improve farm productivity and reduce the deleterious impact of nitrogen pollution generated by rich-protein feeds used in crab farming.

Histological and immunocytochemical localization of serotonin-like immunoreactivity in the brain and optic ganglia of the Indian white shrimp, Fenneropenaeus indicus.

Serotonin is one of the important neurotransmitter and neuromodulator so far studied in crustacean models. With its secretory sites well-studied in higher crustaceans, its function in controlling the release of metabolic hormones from their storage and release sites has been well proved. The present study attempts to localize serotonin-like immunoreactivity in Fenneropenaeus indicus, a commercially important shrimp species and a natural inhabitant of the Indian oceans. Histological studies were employed to visualize the different types of neurosecretory cells and their regions of occurrence in brain and optic ganglia on the basis of their size, shape, and tinctorial properties. Immunocytochemical studies were performed in the brain and optic ganglia with specific antisera against serotonin in combination with peroxidase anti-peroxidase to map the serotonin-like immunoreactive cells. Variations in the immunoreactivity were observed on comparing the cells of brain and optic ganglia. Medulla terminalis region had intense serotonin immunoreactivity suggesting it to be the primary source of the neurotransmitter.

Ultrastructure of cyst shell and underlying membranes of three strains of the brine shrimp Artemia (Branchiopoda: Anostraca) from South India.

The cyst of Artemia has shell and membranous coverings over the embryo. The membranous coverings have special adaptive features to allow the physical changes accompanying repeated hydration and dehydration cycles that might occur and adversely influence postembryonic development. Whole and slices of cryptobiotic cysts were processed for electron microscopy to study the internal details and to compare the morphological architecture of three Artemia strains of South India. Surface topography of scanning electron microscopic (SEM) studies revealed distinct button shaped structures on the cyst of Puthalam strain. Transmission electron microscopic (TEM) studies of the cysts displayed the conventional pattern of anostracan crustaceans with outer cortex and alveolar layer, cuticular membranes, and the cytoplasmic inclusions namely nucleus, yolk droplets, lipoid bodies, and mitochondria. The prominent wavy outer cortex layer of Puthalam cysts corroborates the results of SEM studies.