Darrang College

The process of water treatment is aimed at reducing or removing contaminants either chemical or biological in water for its utilization in safe drinking or any other essential purposes. Polymer nanocomposites that show responsiveness to external stimulants play a vital role in this process and purify water by actuating stimuli and by reviving the polymers successively. In response to environmental changes, these polymer nanocomposites can firmly undergo physical as well as chemical characteristic changes like shrinkage, and expansion, or show alterations in optical and electrical features on the basis of the induced stimulants. So far, numerous polymeric compounds that are sensitive to light, heat, CO2, etc. including prefabricated nano polymers, nanoparticles, etc. have been employed in water treatment. This book chapter emphasizes the efficacy of different smart polymeric nanocomposites in removing harmful pollutants including toxic ions, water-soluble ions, and harmful organic colorants in the water treatment process.

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Persicaria hydropiper is a medicinal herb that also holds significant culinary value in Southeast Asia. Among the Mishing tribe of Assam, the roots of this plant are traditionally used for female contraception. Aim of the study: The present study aimed to evaluate the potential toxicological effects of the methanolic root extract of P. hydropiper, which was administered to female mice to prevent conception. Materials and Methods: The assessment included acute toxicity tests, behavioural studies, biochemical analyses (SGOT and SGPT levels), histological examinations of the liver and kidney and genotoxicity tests using micronucleus assays. Results: No notable signs of acute or behavioural toxicity were observed in extract-treated mice. In fact, treated groups exhibited central nervous system stimulating and anxiolytic effects at a dose of 1000 mg/kg body weight. A significant increase in locomotor activity was recorded on Day 1, Day 5, Day 6 and in ovariectomized (OVX) mice (81.7±0.40, 80.8±0.72, 82.0±0.26 and 80.3±0.15 cases/5 min, respectively), along with higher head-dip counts on Day 1, Day 4, Day 5 and Day 6 (34.5±0.43, 35.1±0.28, 35.0±0.26 and 33.6±1.45, respectively). Histological sections of liver and kidney tissues revealed nearly normal structures. Genotoxicity evaluations showed no significant variation in micronucleus frequency. However, a marked increase in SGOT was detected in ovariectomized females (123.65±2.86 IU/l), while SGPT levels rose in the Day 1, 2, 3 and 6 treated groups (52.52±1.81, 52.01±1.95, 54.84±2.00 and 49.37±1.78, respectively), suggesting mild hepatotoxic effects. Conclusion: Studies on the toxicological aspects of any traditional medicine are necessary for the proper formulation of a drug. Most of the parameters selected for toxicity detection showed no significant alteration between the control and treated mice groups. Only mild hepatotoxicity was observed in the extract-treated group of female albino mice. Moreover, some improvements in terms of exploratory behaviour could be observed in the treated groups. Thus, the extract may be considered low or non-toxic at this present dose. Further studies are necessary to investigate toxicological impacts on other tissues and to identify the potentially toxic compounds within the extract, which could aid in the development of antifertility agents derived from this plant.

A Pd(II)-catalyzed cascade annulation of 4-hydroxy-3-maleimidecoumarin with alkynes has been demonstrated. This unique strategy highlights an interesting process for the cascade formation of three rings (three-, five-, and six-membered) of carbocycles and heterocycles through spiro-annulation followed by cyclization. This strategy offers an attractive platform for synthesizing various coumarin-fused complex structures in good yields. Additionally, six synthesized compounds have been unambiguously confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis.

We investigate the consequences of annealing on the structure, microstructure, magnetic, and electrical transport of Mn2Ni1.6Sn0.4 ribbons. The 40-60 mu m thick ribbons were formed by melt spinning of the bulk ingot synthesized by RF induction melting. Ribbons were annealed at 600 degrees C for 12 hrs and the other at 800 degrees C for 2 hrs in vacuum. All ribbons crystallize into a cubic symmetry (space group F (4) over bar 3m). The orthorhombic phase appears as the secondary one. In ribbons annealed at 600 degrees C, the crystallite size decreases from similar to 47 nm to similar to 29 nm, and annealing at 800 degrees C doubles the crystallite size to similar to 96 nm. The least amount of microstrains (17x10(-4)) in the as-synthesized ribbon is consistent with the occurrence of the superlattice peaks (111) and (200). Lower intensities of the superlattice peaks in 600 degrees C and 800 degrees C ribbons are consistent with higher microstrains (25x10(-4) and 24x10(-4)). Hence, a higher degree of Ni-Mn ordering improves magnetic properties in annealed samples. The as-synthesized ribbon has an austenite-phase Curie temperature of T-C(A)similar to 303K, which enhances to T-C(A)similar to 320K and T-C(A)similar to 310K after annealing at 600 degrees C and 800 degrees C. The ribbon annealed at 600 degrees C has the highest saturation moment. All the ribbons show the exchange-bias (EB) effect, and the most pronounced effect is seen in the 800 degrees C annealed ribbon. Microstructure uniformization and relative strengths of the Ni-Mn and Mn-Mn interactions improve the magnetics. Near T-C, MT=(M0TC-T)(beta) is satisfied (beta = 0.31, 0.36, and 0.37, for as-synthesized, 600 degrees C and 800 degrees C annealed ribbons). The low-temperature spontaneous magnetization obeys the Bloch law M(T) = M(0) (1-AT(3/2)), with a deviation in 600 degrees C annealed ribbon due to spin freezing. The rho-T has been fitted in the different temperature ranges using the various combinations in rho T=rho(0)+A(ph)T+BsdT alpha. At T < 85 K, the resistivity of the as-synthesized ribbon follows rho T=rho(0)+BsdT alpha, with alpha approximate to 1.47, while for the 600 degrees C annealed ribbon, alpha approximate to 1.49. The exponent alpha similar to 1.5 supports the existence of the spin glass state in the lower temperature region of as-synthesized and 600 degrees C annealed ribbons. In the high-temperature range, the linear rho-T behavior is described by rho T=rho(0)+A(ph)T and consistent with the electron-phonon scattering.

Aquaculture is a rapidly expanding sector that contributes significantly to the global food supply, with Asia accounting for 90% of production and India being the second largest aquaculture fish producer. Probiotics are used in aquaculture techniques because of the need for aquatic organism development, higher disease resistance, and feed efficiency. Several potential probiotics have been shown to produce antimicrobial substances that inhibit the growth of harmful microbes and preserve intestinal microecological equilibrium by allowing them to stick to stomach surfaces, thus impairing pathogenic growth. Aquaculture has benefited various industries, pharmaceuticals, and global food security in recent decades. Nevertheless, the stress conditions that aquatic creatures experience in aquaculture cause fish to become less resilient to illness and weaken their immune systems. Therefore, impacts local people's socioeconomic conditions and economic progress in many nations. Several approaches, including conventional practices, artificial chemicals, and antibiotics, have been used to control disease in the aquaculture sector. Hence, alternative techniques are far more important to keep the microbial ecosystem in aquaculture systems healthy. This review pre- sents the current understanding of probiotic use in aquaculture as a healthy alternative for fish and biological control agents in aquaculture and to find out its future direction for research.