Environmentally friendly protocol for the determination of sitagliptin phosphate in pharmaceutical preparations and biological fluids using l-tyrosine as a fluorescence probe

A responsive spectrofluorometric method was developed for the determination of sitagliptin phosphate using l -tyrosine as a fluorescence probe. The fluorescence intensity of l -tyrosine was quenched with sitagliptin phosphate. The fluorescence intensity was recorded at 307 nm using a 272 nm excitation wavelength. The calibration plot between fluorescence intensity and the concentration of drug was linear in the range of 0.1 to 2.0 mM with a good correlation value of 0.997. The limit of detection and quantification were established to be 3.7 × 10⁻⁴ and 1.23 × 10⁻³ mM, respectively. Commonly used excipients did not interfere with sitagliptin phosphate measurement. The proposed method was used to measure the sitagliptin phosphate in its standard type, dosage form, and biological samples. The percent recovery ranged from 97.41–103.36%. The static quenching was shown to be responsible for quenching as indicated by the Stern–Volmer plot. The method was validated using ICH guidelines and profitably applied for the content uniformity test, resulting in a high percent recovery and small relative standard deviation. The proposed approach is effortless, susceptible, selective, economic, and provides a high precision and accuracy, and can be used to determine sitagliptin phosphate in the pharmaceutical industry.     

Fecal pellet measurements of manipur brow-antlered deer with respect to sex and age classes

Measurements were made of fecal pellets for captive brow-antlered deer (Cervus eldi eldi) from different age and sex classes. Pellet measurements increased linearly with increases in age, except for length and width measurements in males. Differences in dimensions were statistically significant between sexes and among some age classes. This procedure may be useful in differentiating between the sexes, and to some extent between ages, of wild-living individuals. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Exploring the Therapeutic Properties of Alga-Based Silver Nanoparticles: Anticancer,Antibacterial, and Free Radical Scavenging Capabilities

The current study was designed to evaluate the antioxidant, anticancer and antimicrobial activities of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) biosynthesized by Spirulina platensis extract. The biosynthesized silver nanoparticles were characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The antioxidant activity of the biosynthesized AgNPs were determined via DPPH radical scavenging assay while its anticancer activity was determined using the MTT assay. The antimicrobial activity of the biosynthesized AgNPs were analyzed by disc diffusion method. Spirulina platensis acts as a reducing and capping agent. The efficacy of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in inhibiting the growth of Gram-negative bacteria, specifically Acetobacter, Klebsiella, Proteus vulgaris, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, was assessed by the utilisation of the diffusion method. The study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of biosynthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) against many strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria. The findings of the study revealed that when administered in doses of 50 μl, 75 μl, and 100 μl, the largest observed zone of inhibition corresponded to measurements of 10.5 mm, 14 mm, and 16 mm, respectively. A zone of inhibition with dimensions of 8 mm, 10.5 mm, and 12 mm was detected during testing against Acetobacter at concentrations of 50 μl, 75 μl, and 100 μl, respectively. The findings also indicate that there is a positive correlation between the concentration of AgNP and the DPPH scavenging ability of silver nanoparticles. The percentage of inhibition observed at concentrations of 500 μg/ml, 400 μg/ml, 300 μg/ml, 200 μg/ml, and 100 μg/ml were recorded as 80±1.98, 61±1.98, 52±1.5, 42±1.99, and 36±1.97, respectively. In addition, it was observed that the silver nanoparticles exhibited the greatest antioxidant activity at a concentration of 500 g/ml, with a measured value of 80.89±1.99. The IC-50 values, representing the inhibitory concentration required to achieve 50 % inhibition, were found to be 8.16, 19.15, 30.14, 41.13, and 63.11 at inhibition levels of 36±1.97, 42±1.99, 52±1.5, 61±1.98, and 80±1.98, respectively.     

Isolation of Two Plasticizers,Bis(2-ethylhexyl) Terephthalate and Bis(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate,from Capparis spinosa L. Leaves

Many plants have been known to be contaminated and accumulate plasticizers from the environment, including water sources, soil, and atmosphere. Plasticizers are used to confer elasticity and flexibility to various fiber and plastic products. Consumption of plasticizers can lead to many adverse effects on human health, including reproductive and developmental toxicity, endocrine disruption, and cancer. Herein, we report for the first time that two plasticizers, bis(2-ethylhexyl) terephthalate (DEHT) and bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), have been isolated from the leaves of Capparis spinosa L. (the caper bush), a plant that is widely used in food seasonings and traditional medicine. 297 mg/kg of DEHT and 48 mg/kg of DEHP were isolated from dried and grounded C. spinosa L. leaves using column chromatography and semi-preparative high-performance liquid chromatography. Our study adds to the increase in the detection of plasticizers in our food and medicinal plants and to the alarming concern about their potential adverse effects on human health.     

First fossil evidence of samaras of Ventilago Gaertn. (Rhamnaceae) from India and its implications

The Ventilago Gaertn. (Rhamnaceae) is widely distributed in pantropical areas of Africa, Asia, and Australia. However, fossil records of this taxon are sparse, which limits understanding of the evolution and biogeographic history of the genus. In the present study, we report and describe two new fossil species of Ventilago, V. siwalika sp. nov. from the Miocene sediments of Himachal Pradesh, western Himalaya, and V. pliocenica sp. nov. from the Pliocene sediments of Jharkhand, eastern India based on single-winged samaras. Ventilago pliocenica is characterized by a prominent midvein, obtuse to sub-round apex with mucronate tip, longitudinal secondary veins extending the full length of the fruit, and reticulate nature of higher-order veins, the presence of equatorial rim, the hypanthium, and short pedicel. On the other hand, V. siwalika is characterized by a prominent midvein, obtuse to sub-round apex with mucronate tip, longitudinal secondary veins extending the full length of the fruit, and reticulate nature of higher-order veins. Our discovery represents the first unambiguous fossil record of single-winged samara of Ventilago from India and provides valuable insights into the evolution of this genus. In this paper, we also review its biogeographic history and add new information to understand its hypothetical migration route. Present and earlier records of Ventilago also suggest that this genus was a common forest element during Neogene (Miocene time) in Asia.     

Toxicity of Alpholate to Cattle

Although Apholate is used as a sexual sterilant of both sexes of houseflies (Musca domestica L.) it can not be used for ;systemic' chemosterilization of the prehypodermic larvae of the warble flies Hypoderma bovis (L.) and H. lineatum (De Vill.) because of its high toxicity to 4- to 5-month-old calves. An intramuscular dose of 2.5 mg./Kg. killed the calves in 5 to 7 days. The pathognomonic clinical signs were impaction of the rumen, anorexia, depression, and general weakness. The hematopoietic system was affected. There was marked leukocytopenia characterized by lymphocytopenia within 24 hours of Apholate injections.     

Dietary valine requirement of Indian major carp, Labeo rohita (Hamilton) fry

Dietary valine requirement of Indian major carp, Labeo rohita Hamilton, fry (3.0 ± 0.02 cm, 0.16 ± 0.03 g) was determined using dose‐response method. Fishes were fed six isonitrogenous [40% crude protein (CP)] and isocaloric (4.28 kcal g^?1, Gross Energy (GE)) amino acid test diets containing casein, gelatin, and l ‐crystalline amino acids with graded levels of valine (0.75, 1.00, 1.25, 1.50, 1.75, and 2.00% dry diet) at 5% body weight for 6 weeks in triplicate groups twice a day at 07.00 and 17.30 hours. Live weight gain (158.52%), feed conversion ratio (FCR, 1.70), specific growth rate (SGR, 2.25), and protein efficiency ratio (PER, 1.46) were significantly (P < 0.05) higher in fish fed a diet containing 1.5% of the dietary valine (diet IV). Second‐degree polynomial regression analysis of the live weight gain and FCR data indicated the dietary valine requirement at 1.63 and 1.5% of the dry diet, corresponding to 4.0 and 3.75% of dietary protein. Maximum carcass protein, minimum moisture, and fat were recorded at 1.5% of the dietary valine level, except carcass ash, which remained constant throughout the treatments. No mortality was observed during the entire length of the feeding trial. On the basis of FCR and protein deposition data, it is recommended that dietary valine inclusion at 1.5% of dry diet, corresponding to 3.75% of dietary protein, is optimal for the growth of L. rohita fry.     

Structural and functional analysis of the single-strand origin of replication from the lactococcal plasmid pWV01

The single-strand origin (SSO) of the rolling-circle (RC), broad-host-range lactococcal plasmid pWVO1 was functionally characterized. The activity of this SSO in the conversion of single-stranded DNA to double-stranded DNA was tested both in vivo and in vitro. In addition, the effect of this SSO on plasmid maintenance was determined. The functional pWVO1 SSO comprises a 250 by region, containing two inverted repeats (IRs). The activity of each IR was tested, separately and in combination, in a plasmid derivative that was otherwise completely devoid of structures that might function as SSO. One of the IRs (IR 1) showed some homology with other previously described SSOs of the SSO_A type, as well as with the conversion signal of the Escherichia coli phage X174. This IR was shown to have a partial, RNA polymerise-independent activity in complementary strand synthesis, both in vivo and in vitro. The second IR, which had no activity of its own, was required for full SSO activity, both in vivo and in vitro. The conversion of single-stranded DNA to the double-stranded form by the complete SSO was only partly sensitive to inhibition by rifampicin, indicating the existence of an RNA polymerase-independent pathway for this event. The results suggest that the pWVO1 SSO can be activated by two different routes: an RNA polymerise-dependent one (requiring the entire SSO), and an RNA polymerase-independent one (requiring only IR I).     

Sequence requirements for the termination of rolling-circle replication of plasmid pT181

Most small multicopy plasmids of Gram-positive bacteria and many in Gram-negative bacteria replicate by a rolling-circle (RC) mechanism. The replication initiator proteins encoded by the RC plasmids and single-stranded bacteriophages of Escherichia coli have origin-specific nicking-closing activities that are required for the initiation and termination of RC replication. We have investigated the sequence requirements for termination of RC replication of plasmid pT181. The initiator nick site is located in the loop of a hairpin region (IRII) within the pT181 origin of replication. By mutational analysis, we have found that several nucleotides within the stem of IRII which are critical for the initiation activity are dispensable for termination of replication. We also demonstrate that nucleotides in the right arm of IRII, but not the left arm, are absolutely required for termination of RC replication. We have also identified specific nucleotides in IRII that are critical for its termination activity. The sequence of the right arm of the hairpin must be located downstream of the initiator nick site for termination, suggesting that termination requires a specific orientation of the initiator protein at the origin.