[en] Spent sulfite liquor (SSL) was obtained from a paper mill based on grassy pulp material (bagasse, kaigrass and wheat straws). Lignosulfonate (LS) was isolated from SSL by polymerization reaction, initiated with concentrated hydrochloric acid. Different adhesives were prepared by gradual replacement of phenol by LS in phenol-formaldehyde (PF) resole resin. The strength of these resins was evaluated by glue block shear test in two wood species, in both dry and wet states. Maximum shear strength and wood failure was obtained by 20% addition of lignosulfonate to PF resin. No significant difference was observed in shear strength and wood failure of the two wood species in dry and wet states indicating that the resin obtained is waterproof. The results obtained from this study were compared with different commercial glues. Our results were found better than these glues event at a ratio 50: 50 of PF to lignosulfonate. (author)

[en] In the study of effect of physical treatments, such as washing and heating, on the AFB contaminated wheat varieties, it was observed that the reduction of AFB was directly proportional to washing time was reduced more by heating than washing. The level of AFB in all the varieties. The concentration of AFB in dried wheat decreased to more than 50% and 90% by heating in oven at 150 and 200 deg. C, respectively. However, the reduction of AFB in wet wheat in which water (10%) was intentionally added was higher on heating at 100 deg. C for 30 min than that in the dried wheat. (author)

[en] Streptococcus pneumoniae, a gram-positive cocci shaped bacteria, is the major human pathogen, causing diseases like septic meningitis, otitis media, sinusitis, pneumonia and septicemia. The objective of present study is to gain more knowledge about the function of important domain of the toxin pneumolysin. This study aims to analyze the structural and functional features of pneumolysin and to investigate the residues involved in its pathogenicity.The major virulence factor of this bacterium is a protein, pneumolysin, which is the member of thiol-activated cytolysins. From the three dimensional homology model of the present study, it was found that pneumolysin has four domains, out of which domain 4 is of great importance. It was observed that Cys 428 and Trp 433 of pneumolysin are of great importance and any mutation in this region highly reduces its cytotoxicity. Cys 428 forms hydrophobic contact with Ala 373 and Trp 436 of the conserved region, while Trp 433 is bonded with Trp 436 and Arg 426 through hydrogen interactions .The particular cysteine residue is present at position 428 and is also sandwiched between beta-sheet and Trp 436. In pneumolysin, the undecapeptide or the Trp-rich loop spans the region (amino acid 427 to 437) and several single amino acid substitutions within this region reduce the cytolytic activity of pneumolysin by up to 99.9% as reported previously. The primary structure of pneumolysin has a total eight tryptophan residues and one cysteine. The undecapeptide region has three tryptophan and one cysteine residue containing 11 amino acid sequence i.e ECTGLAWEWWR. Cysteine 428 of pneumolysin present in trp-rich motif is responsible to act on cholestrol. Pairwise alignment reveals that pneumolysin do not have the N-terminus signal peptide sequence which is present in the template i.e. perfringolysin. This shows that pneumolysin is an intracellular protein and released only upon cell lysis. (author)

[en] Background: To eliminate Iodine Deficiency Disorders, (IDD) universal salt iodization is the widely practiced intervention. District Swat (a hilly area of NWFP, highly endemic for IDDs is selected as a first model district of the province for salt iodization program. Objectives: To find out the proportion of the families using iodized salt, iodine contents of the salts used by the families, urinary iodine levels in school children and the effect on goiter prevalence in Swat selected as a model district in 1998. Subject and Methods: The study was conducted in 960 children of both sexes, age 8-10 years in primary schools of district Swat in the year 2000. A replicate model used for base line study in 1998 was adopted. The students were clinically examined for goiter using palpation method. 960 edible salt samples for its iodine content and 240 urine samples for iodine level were analysed. Results: The overall goiter prevalence was found to be 52 and 45% in boys and girls respectively. 23% salt samples were found un-iodized, while in 25.6% the iodine content was less than 7ppm. The results revealed 18% decrease in total goiter rate and 35% increase in the use of iodized salt from the base line survey conducted in 1998, in school children of district Swat. Conclusions: The study revealed that since the area of Swat is still highly endemic for Iodine Deficiency Disorders, sustained efforts are required to ensure 100% salt iodization. (author)

[en] In the study of effect of physical treatments, such as washing and heating, on the AFB1 contaminated wheat varieties, it was observed that the reduction of AFB1 was directly proportional to washing time in all the varieties. The concentration of AFB1 was reduced more by heating than washing. The level of AFB1 in dried wheat decreased to more than 50% and 90% by heating in oven at 150 and 200 degree C, respectively. However, the reduction of AFB1 in wet wheat in which water (10%) was intentionally added was higher on heating at 100 degree C for 30 min than that in the dried wheat. (author)

[en] The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of different salinity levels on various physiological and biochemical aspects of potato cv. Cardinal. The different salinity levels used were control, 50 milli molar (mM) and 100mM NaCl concentrations. The Murashige and Skoog's (MS) medium with little modification for callus induction and plantlet propagation was used as a basic medium with 3% sucrose and 0.9 % Agar. The conditions of growth were 16 hours photo periods at 25 plus minus 3 deg. C. Calli and in vitro plantlets were multiplied on fresh media to obtain a stock of calli and plantlets. Salt tolerance was assessed by measurement of growth, determination of proline and inorganic ions (Na/sup +/ and K/sup +/) concentration. Relative growth rate (RGR) and water content of calli progressively reduced in response to increasing NaCl concentration in the medium. However, in plantlet cultures, average number of roots, shoots and leaves per plantlet and shoot height decreased significantly (P>0.001) with increase in salinity levels. Whereas, levels of proline, Na/sup +/ and K/sup +/ ions increased with the increase of medium salinity in both calli and plantlets. Potato cultivar Cardinal is speculated as a suitable crop for studying the underlying salinity tolerance mechanism(s) at both the cellular and whole plant levels. (author)

[en] The probiotic (Protexin) increases the growth rate in broilers. It must interfere with the intestinal cell morphology and absorption. The intestinal epithelium is one of the most rapidly renewed tissues in the body and is renewed by a process of continuous cell division. This study was carried out with an aim to establish a link between the use of probiotic doses, growth rate, and intestinal cell proliferation by measuring the length and weight of the intestine and intestinal crypt cell proliferation (CCP) of broiler chicks. The results revealed significant increase in intestinal CCP but no effect was observed on the intestinal weight and length. The increase in CCP has also no significant influence towards growth factor. The increased weight gain in this study is associated with more feed consumption which is observed with Protexin dose 1.0 g / 10 kg of feed. Furthermore, feed consumption reduced beyond this dose may lead to reduced weight gain. (author)