Showing papers by "Banaras Hindu University published in 2008"
TL;DR: The available information on various aspects of sewage sludge application on soil fertility and consequent effects on plant production are reviewed to explore the possibility of exploiting this byproduct for agronomy and horticulture.
955 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors have discussed the development of biodiesel and its latest aspects of development, including biodegradability, kinetics involved in the process, and its stability have been critically reviewed.
941 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the effectiveness of three aquatic macrophytes Pistia stratiotes L. (water lettuce), Spirodela polyrrhiza W. Koch (duckweed) and Eichhornia crassipes were tested for the removal of five heavy metals (Fe, Zn, Cu, Cr and Cd).
355 citations
TL;DR: The study concludes that atmospheric depositions can elevate the levels of heavy metals in vegetables during marketing having potential health hazards to consumers.
338 citations
TL;DR: For Au + Au collisions at 200 GeV, neutral pion production is measured with good statistics for transverse momentum, pT, and a fivefold suppression is found, which is essentially constant for 5 < pT < 20 GeV/c.
Abstract: For Au + Au collisions at 200 GeV, we measure neutral pion production with good statistics for transverse momentum, p(T), up to 20 GeV/c. A fivefold suppression is found, which is essentially constant for 5 in the parton quenching model. The spectral shape is similar for all collision classes, and the suppression does not saturate in Au + Au collisions.
302 citations
TL;DR: A newly recognized remnant of a Paleoproterozoic Large Igneous Province has been identified in the southern Bastar craton and nearby Cuddapah basin from the adjacent Dharwar craton, India as mentioned in this paper.
299 citations
TL;DR: An algorithm based on particle swarm optimization (PSO) which minimizes the deviations of rescheduled values of generator power outputs from scheduled levels and handles the binding constraints by a technique different from the traditional penalty function method is proposed.
Abstract: Power system congestion is a major problem that the system operator (SO) would face in the post-deregulated era. Therefore, investigation of techniques for congestion-free wheeling of power is of paramount interest. One of the most practiced and an obvious technique of congestion management is rescheduling the power outputs of generators in the system. However, all generators in the system need not take part in congestion management. Development of sound formulation and appropriate solution technique for this problem is aimed in this paper. Contributions made in the present paper are twofold. Firstly a technique for optimum selection of participating generators has been introduced using generator sensitivities to the power flow on congested lines. Secondly this paper proposes an algorithm based on particle swarm optimization (PSO) which minimizes the deviations of rescheduled values of generator power outputs from scheduled levels. The PSO algorithm, reported in this paper, handles the binding constraints by a technique different from the traditional penalty function method. The effectiveness of the proposed methodology has been analyzed on IEEE 30-bus and 118-bus systems and the 39 -bus New England system.
291 citations
TL;DR: These results provide the first unambiguous, atomic level evidence for magnetoelectric coupling of intrinsic multiferroic origin in a BiFeO3-based system.
Abstract: Magnetic, dielectric and calorimetric studies on $0.9{\mathrm{BiFeO}}_{3}--0.1{\mathrm{BaTiO}}_{3}$ indicate strong magnetoelectric coupling. XRD studies reveal a very remarkable change in the rhombohedral distortion angle and a significant shift in the atomic positions at the magnetic ${T}_{c}$ due to an isostructural phase transition. The calculated polarization using Rietveld refined atomic positions scales linearly with magnetization. Our results provide the first unambiguous, atomic level evidence for magnetoelectric coupling of intrinsic multiferroic origin in a ${\mathrm{BiFeO}}_{3}$-based system.
278 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors developed a biodiesel from karanja tree, mainly found in rural India, which was developed from oil expelled from the seeds of the tree and found the molecular weight of the oil was determined and found to be 892.7.
260 citations
TL;DR: The thyme essential oil is recommended for large scale application as a plant based preservative for stored food items because of its strong antifungal as well as antiaflatoxigenic efficacy.
Abstract: A total of 14 odoriferous angiospermic essential oils were tested against the toxigenic strain of Aspergillus flavus The essential oil of Thymus vulgaris L showed highest antifungal efficacy The thyme oil absolutely inhibited the mycelial growth of A flavus at 07 μl ml− 1 and exhibited a broad fungitoxic spectrum against eight different food contaminating fungi viz Fusarium oxysporum, Cladosporium herbarum, Curvularia lunata, Aspergillus terreus, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus fumigatus, Alternaria alternata and Botryodiploidia theobromae The oil also showed significant antiaflatoxigenic efficacy as it completely arrested the aflatoxin B1 production at 06 μl ml− 1 Thyme oil as fungitoxicant was also found superior over most of the prevalent synthetic fungicides The LC50 of thyme oil against mice was recorded as 714285 μl kg− 1 body weight indicating its non-mammalian toxicity and strengthening its safe exploitation as preservative for stored food commodities The findings recommend the thyme oil as potential botanical preservative in eco-friendly control of biodeterioration of food commodities during storage Industrial relevance The thyme essential oil may be recommended for large scale application as a plant based preservative for stored food items because of its strong antifungal as well as antiaflatoxigenic efficacy Because of broad antimicrobial spectrum, more efficacy over prevalent synthetic preservatives as well as non-mammalian toxicity, the thyme essential oil may be formulated as a safe and economical plant based preservative against post harvest fungal infestation and aflatoxin contamination of food commodities
260 citations
Journal Article•
TL;DR: By reducing the emission of the precursors of acid rain and to some extent by liming, the problem of acidification of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem has been reduced during last two decades.
Abstract: Acidification of rain-water is identified as one of the most serious environmental problems of transboundary nature. Acid rain is mainly a mixture of sulphuric and nitric acids depending upon the relative quantities of oxides of sulphur and nitrogen emissions. Due to the interaction of these acids with other constituents of the atmosphere, protons are released causing increase in the soil acidity Lowering of soil pH mobilizes and leaches away nutrient cations and increases availability of toxic heavy metals. Such changes in the soil chemical characteristics reduce the soil fertility which ultimately causes the negative impact on growth and productivity of forest trees and crop plants. Acidification of water bodies causes large scale negative impact on aquatic organisms including fishes. Acidification has some indirect effects on human health also. Acid rain affects each and every components of ecosystem. Acid rain also damages man-made materials and structures. By reducing the emission of the precursors of acid rain and to some extent by liming, the problem of acidification of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem has been reduced during last two decades.
TL;DR: Azimuthal angle (Delta phi) correlations are presented for a broad range of transverse momentum (0.4 < p(T) < 10 GeV/c) and centrality (0-92%) selections for charged hadrons from dijets in Au+Au collisions at root s(NN) = 200 GeV.
Abstract: Azimuthal angle (Delta phi) correlations are presented for a broad range of transverse momentum (0.4 < p(T) < 10 GeV/c) and centrality (0-92%) selections for charged hadrons from dijets in Au+Au collisions at root s(NN) = 200 GeV. With increasing p(T), the away-side Delta phi distribution evolves from a broad and relatively flat shape to a concave shape, then to a convex shape. Comparisons with p + p data suggest that the away-side distribution can be divided into a partially suppressed "head" region centered at Delta phi similar to pi, and an enhanced "shoulder" region centered at Delta phi similar to pi +/- 1.1. The p(T) spectrum for the associated hadrons in the head region softens toward central collisions. The spectral slope for the shoulder region is independent of centrality and trigger p(T). The properties of the near-side distributions are also modified relative to those in p + p collisions, reflected by the broadening of the jet shape in Delta phi and Delta eta, and an enhancement of the per-trigger yield. However, these modifications seem to be limited to p(T)less than or similar to 4 GeV/c, above which both the hadron pair shape and per-trigger yield become similar to p + p collisions. These observations suggest that both the away- and near-side distributions contain a jet fragmentation component which dominates for p(T) greater than or similar to 5 GeV/c and a medium-induced component which is important for p(T) less than or similar to 4 GeV/c. We also quantify the role of jets at intermediate and low p(T) through the yield of jet-induced pairs in comparison with binary scaled p + p pair yield. The yield of jet-induced pairs is suppressed at high pair proxy energy (sum of the p(T) magnitudes of the two hadrons) and is enhanced at low pair proxy energy. The former is consistent with jet quenching; the latter is consistent with the enhancement of soft hadron pairs due to transport of lost energy to lower p(T).
TL;DR: During screening of twenty six essential oils against Botrytis cinerea, the essential oils of the ten plants viz.
Abstract: During screening of twenty six essential oils against Botrytis cinerea, the essential oils of the ten plants viz. Chenopodium ambrosioides, Eucalyptus citriodora, Eupatorium cannabinum, Lawsonia inermis, Ocimum canum, O. gratissimum, O. sanctum, Prunus persica, Zingiber cassumunar and Z. officinale were found to exhibit absolute fungitoxic activity (100% growth inhibition). The essential oils of O. sanctum, P. persica and Z. officinale were selected for further investigation because these oils showed lower Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) as compared to the other fungitoxic oils. The selected oils were subsequently standardized through physico-chemical and fungitoxic properties. The MIC values of O. sanctum, P. persica and Z. officinale were found to be 200, 100 and 100 ppm (mg/l) respectively. The oils showed fungistatic nature at their respective MIC. The oils were thermostable, and exhibited a wide range of fungitoxicity against 15 other post-harvest fungal pathogens. The oils had the potency to withstand high inoculum density. The antifungal potency of oils was found to be greater in comparison to some prevalent synthetic fungicides. Practical applicability of the essential oils was observed in control of grey mould of grapes caused by B. cinerea during storage. The O. sanctum- and P. persica-oil-treated grapes showed enhancement of storage life up to 5 and 4 days respectively. The storage life of Z. officinale-oil-treated grapes was found to be enhanced up to 6 days. The oils did not exhibit any phytotoxic effect on the fruit peel. Therefore, the oils could be recommended as a potential source of ecofriendly botanical fungicide, after long term and wide ranging trials.
TL;DR: This review consists of an overview of grain-boundary-induced low field magnetotransport behavior and prospects for possible applications of CMR manganites.
Abstract: The perovskite manganites with generic formula RE1?xAExMnO3 (RE = rare earth, AE = Ca, Sr, Ba and Pb) have drawn considerable attention, especially following the discovery of colossal magnetoresistance (CMR). The most fundamental property of these materials is strong correlation between structure, transport and magnetic properties. They exhibit extraordinary large magnetoresistance named CMR in the vicinity of the insulator?metal/paramagnetic?ferromagnetic transition at relatively large applied magnetic fields. However, for applied aspects, occurrence of significant CMR at low applied magnetic fields would be required. This review consists of two sections: in the first section we have extensively reviewed the salient features, e.g.?structure, phase diagram, double-exchange mechanism, Jahn?Teller effect, different types of ordering and phase separation of CMR manganites. The second is devoted to an overview of experimental results on CMR and related magnetotransport characteristics at low magnetic fields for various doped manganites having natural grain boundaries such as polycrystalline, nanocrystalline bulk and films, manganite-based composites and intrinsically layered manganites, and artificial grain boundaries such as bicrystal, step-edge and laser-patterned junctions. Some other potential magnetoresistive materials, e.g.?pyrochlores, chalcogenides, ruthenates, diluted magnetic semiconductors, magnetic tunnel junctions, nanocontacts etc, are also briefly dealt with. The review concludes with an overview of grain-boundary-induced low field magnetotransport behavior and prospects for possible applications.
TL;DR: In cyanobacteria photoprotectants such as mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) and scytonemin strongly absorb in the UV-A and/or UV-B region of the spectrum, and thus play an important role in allowing these organisms to grow and survive in habitats exposed to strong irradiation.
TL;DR: The studies conducted show the process of Cr(VI) removal to be spontaneous at high temperature and endothermic in nature and can serve as baseline data for designing a treatment process using this low-cost adsorbent for the treatment of wastewater rich in Cr( VI.
TL;DR: Three aquatic plants Eichhornia crassipes, Lemna minor and Spirodela polyrhhiza were used in laboratory for the removal of heavy metals from the coal mining effluent and analysis results showed that plant roots have accumulated heavy metals approximately 10 times of its initial concentration.
TL;DR: Treatment with single-dose L-AmB followed by 7-14 days of miltefosine is active against Indian kala-azar, and this short-course, sequential regimen warrants additional testing in India and in those regions of endemicity where visceral leishmaniasis may be more difficult to treat.
Abstract: Background In Bihar, India, home to nearly one-half of the world's burden of visceral leishmaniasis, drug resistance has ended the usefulness of pentavalent antimony, which is the traditional first-line treatment. Although monotherapy with other agents is available, the use of 2 drugs with different modes of action might increase efficacy, shorten treatment duration, enhance compliance, and/or reduce the risk of parasite resistance. To test the feasibility of a new approach to combination therapy in visceral leishmaniasis (also known a kala-azar), we treated Indian patients with a single infusion of liposomal amphotericin B (L-AmB), followed 1 day later by short-course oral miltefosine. Methods We used a randomized, noncomparative, group-sequential, triangular design and assigned 181 subjects to treatment with 5 mg/kg of L-AmB alone (group A; 45 subjects), 5 mg/kg of L-AmB followed by miltefosine for 10 days (group B; 46 subjects) or 14 days (group C; 45 subjects), or 3.75 mg/kg of L-AmB followed by miltefosine for 14 days (group D; 45 subjects). When it became apparent that all regimens were effective, 45 additional, nonrandomized patients were assigned to receive 5 mg/kg of L-AmB followed by miltefosine for 7 days (group E). Results Each regimen was satisfactorily tolerated, and all 226 subjects showed initial apparent cure responses. Nine months after treatment, final cure rates were similar: group A, 91% (95% confidence interval [CI], 78%-97%]; group B, 98% (95% CI, 87%-100%); group C, 96% (95% CI, 84%-99%]; group D, 96% (95% CI, 84%-99%); and group E, 98% (95% CI, 87%-100%). Conclusions These results suggest that treatment with single-dose L-AmB followed by 7-14 days of miltefosine is active against Indian kala-azar. This short-course, sequential regimen warrants additional testing in India and in those regions of endemicity where visceral leishmaniasis may be more difficult to treat. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00370825 .
TL;DR: It is shown that a normal neuromuscular junction (NMJ) structure depends on SMN expression and that SMN concentrates in the post-synaptic NMJ regions, suggesting that increased BMP activity in SMA patients may help to alleviate symptoms of the disease.
Abstract: Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), a recessive hereditary neurodegenerative disease in humans, has been linked to mutations in the survival motor neuron (SMN) gene. SMA patients display early onset lethality coupled with motor neuron loss and skeletal muscle atrophy. We used Drosophila, which encodes a single SMN ortholog, survival motor neuron (Smn), to model SMA, since reduction of Smn function leads to defects that mimic the SMA pathology in humans. Here we show that a normal neuromuscular junction (NMJ) structure depends on SMN expression and that SMN concentrates in the post-synaptic NMJ regions. We conducted a screen for genetic modifiers of an Smn phenotype using the Exelixis collection of transposon-induced mutations, which affects approximately 50% of the Drosophila genome. This screen resulted in the recovery of 27 modifiers, thereby expanding the genetic circuitry of Smn to include several genes not previously known to be associated with this locus. Among the identified modifiers was wishful thinking (wit), a type II BMP receptor, which was shown to alter the Smn NMJ phenotype. Further characterization of two additional members of the BMP signaling pathway, Mothers against dpp (Mad) and Daughters against dpp (Dad), also modify the Smn NMJ phenotype. The NMJ defects caused by loss of Smn function can be ameliorated by increasing BMP signals, suggesting that increased BMP activity in SMA patients may help to alleviate symptoms of the disease. These results confirm that our genetic approach is likely to identify bona fide modulators of SMN activity, especially regarding its role at the neuromuscular junction, and as a consequence, may identify putative SMA therapeutic targets.
TL;DR: An attempt has been made to present an approach for soft tissue characterization utilizing texture-primitive features with ANN as segmentation and classifier tool, which combines second, third, and fourth steps into one algorithm.
Abstract: The objective of developing this software is to achieve auto-segmentation and tissue characterization. Therefore, the present algorithm has been designed and developed for analysis of medical images based on hybridization of syntactic and statistical approaches, using artificial neural network (ANN). This algorithm performs segmentation and classification as is done in human vision system, which recognizes objects; perceives depth; identifies different textures, curved surfaces, or a surface inclination by texture information and brightness. The analysis of medical image is directly based on four steps: 1) image filtering, 2) segmentation, 3) feature extraction, and 4) analysis of extracted features by pattern recognition system or classifier. In this paper, an attempt has been made to present an approach for soft tissue characterization utilizing texture-primitive features with ANN as segmentation and classifier tool. The present approach directly combines second, third, and fourth steps into one algorithm. This is a semisupervised approach in which supervision is involved only at the level of defining texture-primitive cell; afterwards, algorithm itself scans the whole image and performs the segmentation and classification in unsupervised mode. The algorithm was first tested on Markov textures, and the success rate achieved in classification was 100%; further, the algorithm was able to give results on the test images impregnated with distorted Markov texture cell. In addition to this, the output also indicated the level of distortion in distorted Markov texture cell as compared to standard Markov texture cell. Finally, algorithm was applied to selected medical images for segmentation and classification. Results were in agreement with those with manual segmentation and were clinically correlated.
TL;DR: Microwave assisted extraction (MAE) under the influence of dual heating mechanism showed better precision and dramatically higher yield with significant reduction in extraction time under optimum extraction conditions, when compared to conventional approaches.
Journal Article•
Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre1, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham2, University of Calicut3, Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences4, All India Institute of Medical Sciences5, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal6, Mysore Medical College & Research Institute7, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research8, Madras Medical College9, Christian Medical College & Hospital10, Maulana Azad Medical College11, Sawai ManSingh Medical College12, Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram13, Banaras Hindu University14, Medical Trust Hospital15, Lakeshore Hospital16, Holy Cross Hospital17, Apollo Hospitals18, Memorial Hospital of South Bend19
TL;DR: In this first nationwide prospective survey of chronic pancreatitis in India, idiopathic pancreatitis was the most common form, followed by alcoholic pancreatitis, and the classical form of tropical Chronic pancreatitis is becoming less common.
Abstract: Context Chronic pancreatitis is common in India. However, its risk factors are not clear. There is sparse data on the current prevalence of tropical pancreatitis in India. Objective To undertake a prospective nationwide study of the risk factors and clinical profile of chronic pancreatitis.
TL;DR: Effect of pH showed that maize bran was not only removing Cr(VI) from aqueous solution but also reducing toxic Cr( VI) into less Toxic Cr(III) through sorption kinetics.
Journal Article•
TL;DR: Chemical structure of various MAAs, their possible biochemical routes of synthesis and role as photoprotective compounds in various organisms are discussed.
Abstract: Continuous depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer has resulted in an increase in ultraviolet-B (UV-B; 280-315 nm) radiation on the earth’s surface which inhibits photochemical and photobiological processes. However, certain photosynthetic organisms have evolved mechanisms to counteract the toxicity of ultraviolet or high photosynthetically active radiation by synthesizing the UV-absorbing/screening compounds, such as mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) and scytonemin besides the repair of UV-induced damage of DNA and accumulation of carotenoids and detoxifying enzymes or radical quenchers and antioxidants. Chemical structure of various MAAs, their possible biochemical routes of synthesis and role as photoprotective compounds in various organisms are discussed.
TL;DR: A luminescence study establishes that the Eu(3+) environment in amorphous Y (OH)(3) is different from that in crystalline Y(2)O(3).
Abstract: Nanoparticles of Eu3+ doped Y2O3 (core) and Eu3+ doped Y2O3 covered with Y2O3 shell (core?shell) are prepared by urea hydrolysis for 3?h in ethylene glycol medium at a relatively low temperature of 140??C, followed by heating at 500 and 900??C. Particle sizes determined from x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopic studies are 11 and 18?nm for 500 and 900??C heated samples respectively. Based on the luminescence studies of 500 and 900??C heated samples, it is confirmed that there is no particle size effect on the peak positions of Eu3+ emission, and optimum luminescence intensity is observed from the nanoparticles with a Eu3+ concentration of 4?5?at.%. A luminescence study establishes that the Eu3+ environment in amorphous Y (OH)3 is different from that in crystalline Y2O3. For a fixed concentration of Eu3+ doping, there is a reduction in Eu3+ emission intensity for core?shell nanoparticles compared to that of core nanoparticles, and this has been attributed to the concentration dilution effect. Energy transfer from the host to Eu3+ increases with increase of crystallinity.
TL;DR: In this article, the use of functionalized self-doped conducting polymer to get higher solubility and corrosion efficiency for mild steel in acidic environment using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, Tafel polarization and weight loss methods.
TL;DR: The present study clearly points out the urban and industrial activities of a city have potential to elevate the levels of heavy metals in the atmospheric deposits, which may consequently contaminate the food chain and thus posing health risk to the local population.
Abstract: Rapid growth in urbanization and industrialization in developing countries may significantly contribute in heavy metal contamination of vegetables through atmospheric depositions. In the present study, an assessment was made to investigate the spatial and seasonal variations in deposition rates of heavy metals and its contribution to contamination of palak (Beta vulgaris). Samples of bulk atmospheric deposits and Beta vulgaris for analysis of Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb were collected from different sampling locations differing in traffic density and land use patterns. The results showed that the sampling locations situated in industrial or commercial areas with heavy traffic load showed significantly elevated levels of Cu, Zn and Cd deposition rate as compared to those situated in residential areas with low traffic load. The deposition rates of Cu, Zn and Cd were significantly higher in summer and winter as compared to rainy season, however, Pb deposition rate was significantly higher in rainy and summer seasons as compared to winter season. Atmospheric depositions have significantly elevated the levels of heavy metals in B. vulgaris collected during evening as compared to those collected in morning hours. The study further showed that local population has maximum exposure to Cd contamination through consumption of B. vulgaris. The present study clearly points out the urban and industrial activities of a city have potential to elevate the levels of heavy metals in the atmospheric deposits, which may consequently contaminate the food chain and thus posing health risk to the local population.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors evaluate the noise pollution problem in the Varanasi city and its effect on the exposed people, they found that traffic noise is the main cause of headache, high BP problem, dizziness and fatigue.
TL;DR: In this paper, the results of adsorption were fitted to the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models and coefficients indicated favorable adorption of Cu 2+ and Cr 3+ on the adsorbents.
TL;DR: Increased plasma levels of malondialdehyde and nitrates/nitrites are found to be associated with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, indicating the possible role of free radical injury in its causation.
Abstract: OBJECTIVES. The purpose of this work was to evaluate the extent of free radical injury in newborns with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy by measuring plasma levels of malondialdehyde and nitric oxide and to assess the blood-brain barrier permeability by measuring the cerebrospinal fluid albumin/plasma albumin ratio. METHODS. This prospective observational study was conducted over a period of 2 years at Sir Sundarlal Hospital, Banaras Hindu University. The study population consisted of 43 term neonates with perinatal asphyxia who subsequently developed hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy. Twenty normal gestational age- and gender-matched healthy infants without any perinatal asphyxia served as control subjects. Peripheral venous blood samples were analyzed for malondialdehyde, total plasma nitrates/nitrites, and albumin levels between 12 and 24 hours of life. To assess the blood-brain barrier permeability, the cerebrospinal fluid albumin/plasma albumin ratio was measured. Correlation among the levels of malondialdehyde, nitrates/nitrites, and blood-brain barrier permeability was calculated. Data were analyzed by using SPSS 10 software. RESULTS. Plasma malondialdehyde and nitrate/nitrite levels were significantly higher in infants with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy compared with control subjects. Although there was a progressive increment in plasma levels of malondialdehyde with increasing severity of hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, the differences were not statistically significant. Plasma nitrate/nitrite levels were almost similar in all stages of hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy. Plasma albumin levels were comparable in infants with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy and control subjects, whereas cerebrospinal fluid albumin levels and blood-brain barrier permeability were significantly higher in infants with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy. Significant correlation was observed between plasma malondialdehyde and nitrate/nitrite levels with blood-brain barrier permeability. CONCLUSIONS. Increased plasma levels of malondialdehyde and nitrates/nitrites are found to be associated with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, indicating the possible role of free radical injury in its causation. Increased blood-brain barrier permeability may be another contributory factor to the progression of the disease.