Banaras Hindu University

About: Banaras Hindu University is a education organization based out in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Catalysis. The organization has 11858 authors who have published 23917 publications receiving 464677 citations. The organization is also known as: Kashi Hindu Vishvavidyalay & Benares Hindu University.

Preparation and evaluation of buccal bioadhesive films containing clotrimazole.

Abstract: Buccal bioadhesive films, releasing topical drugs in the oral cavity at a slow and predetermined rate, provide distinct advantages over traditional dosage forms. The aim of present study was to prepare and evaluate buccal bioadhesive films of clotrimazole for oral candidiasis. The film was designed to release the drug at a concentration above the minimum inhibitory concentration for a prolonged period of time so as to reduce the frequency of administration of the available conventional dosage forms. The different proportions of sodium carboxymethylcellulose and carbopol 974P (CP 974P) were used for the preparation of films. Carbopol was used to incorporate the desired bioadhesiveness in the films. The films were prepared by solvent casting method and evaluated for bioadhesion, in vitro drug release and effectiveness against Candida albicans. In vitro drug release from the film was determined using a modified Franz diffusion cell while bioadhesiveness was evaluated with a modified two-arm balance using rabbit intestinal mucosa as a model tissue. Films containing 5% CP 974P of the total polymer were found to be the best with moderate swelling along with favorable bioadhesion force, residence time and in vitro drug release. The microbiological studies revealed that drug released from the film could inhibit the growth of C. albicans for 6 h. The drug release mechanism was found to follow non-Fickian diffusion.

Comparative Evaluation of Biochemical Changes in Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) Infected by Alternaria alternata and Its Toxic Metabolites (TeA, AOH, and AME).

Abstract: In the present study, we have evaluated the comparative biochemical defense response generated against Alternaria alternata and its purified toxins viz. alternariol (AOH), alternariol monomethyl ether (AME) and tenuazonic acid (TeA). The necrotic lesions developed due to treatment with toxins were almost similar as those produced by pathogen, indicating the crucial role of these toxins in plant pathogenesis. An oxidative burst reaction characterized by the rapid and transient production of a large amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS) occurs following the pathogen infection/toxin exposure. The maximum concentration of H2O2 produced was reported in pathogen infected samples (22.2-fold) at 24 h post inoculation followed by TeA (18.2-fold), AOH (15.9-fold), and AME (14.1-fold) in treated tissues. DAB staining predicted the possible sites of H2O2 accumulation while the extent of cell death were measured by Evans blue dye. The extent of lipid peroxidation and MDA content was higher (15.8-fold) at 48 h in the sample of inoculated leaves of pathogen, when compared to control. The cellular damages were observed as increased MDA content and reduced chlorophyll. The activities of antioxidative defense enzymes increased in both pathogen infected as well as toxin treated samples. SOD, activity was 5.9- fold higher at 72 h post inoculation in leaves followed by TeA (5.0-fold), AOH (4.1-fold) and AME (2.3-fold) treated leaves than control. Catalase activity was found to be increased upto 48 h post inoculation and maximum in pathogen challenged samples followed by other toxins. The native PAGE results showed the variations in the intensities of isozyme (SOD and CAT) bands in the pathogen infected and toxin treated samples. APx and GR activities followed the similar trend to scavenge the excess H2O2. The reduction in CAT activities after 48 h post inoculation demonstrate that the biochemical defense programming shown by the host against the pathogen is not well efficient resulting in the compatible host-pathogen interaction. The elicitor (toxins) induced biochemical changes depends on the potential toxic effects (extent of ROS accumulation, amount of H2O2 produced). Thus, a fine tuning occurs for the defense related antioxidative enzymes against detoxification of key ROS molecules and effectively regulated in tomato

Cross-cultural alexithymia : Development and validation of a Hindi translation of the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale

Abstract: The possibility that alexithymia may be a culture-bound construct was evaluated by developing a Hindi version of the Twenty-Item Toronto Alexithymia Scale and assessing its psychometric properties in a sample of 285 normal young adults in India. The Hindi version of the scale (TAS-20-H) showed excellent cross-language equivalence with the English version. In addition, the TAS-20-H demonstrated adequate internal consistency, good test-retest reliability, and a three-factor structure consistent with the three-factor model of the original scale.

Challenges to wheat production in South Asia

Abstract: Wheat is the second major staple crop, after rice, in India and Pakistan and is also gaining similar importance in Nepal and Bangladesh. Wheat production in South Asia has increased from 15 mt in 1960s to 95.5 mt during 2004–2005. It still needs to grow at the rate of 2–2.5% annually until the middle of 21st century. However, for India, recent estimations have shown a growth requirement of about 1.1%. Although the wheat improvement programs in these countries, with the active collaboration of national agricultural research centers (NARS) and CIMMYT, has made a significant progress, it is a matter of significant concern that wheat production has stagnated for last few years. Since there is little scope for increasing land area under wheat, the major challenge will be to break the yield barrier by pragmatic genetic and developmental approaches. The most serious constraints to wheat production in this region are a host of biotic and abiotic stresses. Although India has not faced any rust epidemic in the last decade, rusts continue to occupy the place of most dangerous pathogen for the region. Among the abiotic stresses, unusual warming trends during grain filling period are causing yield declines, especially in eastern and central India. There are other challenges that are specific to the highly productive rice–wheat cropping system predominant in the Indo-Gangetic plains. The total factor productivity of this system is declining due to depletion of soil organic carbon. Addition of organic matter to soil through green manuring and crop residue recycling, balanced fertilization, integrated nutrient management, diversification of rice-wheat system are some of the possible remedial measures to improve total factor productivity. The international linkages with CIMMYT needs to be strengthened more closely for developing more productive wheat genotypes and thus, achieving wheat targets in the South Asian region.

Enhanced photoluminescence in CaMoO4:Eu3+ by Gd3+ co-doping

Abstract: We have studied the luminescence property of CaMoO4:Eu3+. The emission peaks at 590 (5D0→7F1) and 613 nm (5D0→7F2) for Eu3+ are observed after excitation at 266 nm (i.e. Mo–O charge transfer band). The peak intensity of the latter dominates over the former indicating an asymmetric environment of Eu3+ in EuO8 polyhedron or parity mixing. Luminescence intensity increases significantly with co-doping of Gd3+. This is ascribed to energy transfer from Mo–O/Gd3+ to Eu3+. Luminescence intensity increases with annealing up to 900 °C due to the extent of decrease of non-radiative rates. Very high asymmetric values (A21) of 12–16 are found indicating a red emitter. As-prepared samples are dispersible in polar solvents like water, ethanol, methanol, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and ethylene glycol (EG); and among them, optimum luminescence is found in methanol. Polymer film shows red emission. The quantum yields of as-prepared 2 and 10 at% Gd3+ co-doped CaMoO4:Eu3+ under 277 nm (UV excitation) are 21 and 80%, respectively.