Showing papers by "Jawaharlal Nehru University published in 1981"
TL;DR: The results indicate that unlike Zn2+ or Pb2+, Ni2+ induces alterations in the chloroplast photosynthetic apparatus resulting in an irreversible loss of electron-transport activity.
87 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the validity of Indian feudalism is questioned and the authors compare the processes of agricultural production in medieval Europe and medieval India in terms of the respective ecologies and social structures and suggest a basic dissimilarity between them such as would make any comparison futile.
Abstract: The notion of an ‘Indian feudalism’ has predominated in the recent historiography of pre‐colonial India. This notion, in its different interpretations, has West European feudalism as the model for reference. At times the close resemblance of Indian feudalism to this model has been emphasised, while on other occasions its divergence from it has been given prominence. The manorial regime and the role of trade provide the points of departure for comparison in all such arguments. In this article the validity of ‘Indian feudalism’, whichever way it is defined, is questioned. The author compares the processes of agricultural production in medieval Europe and medieval India in terms of the respective ecologies and social structures and suggests a basic dissimilarity between them such as would make any comparison futile. He argues that unlike the structured dependence of the entire peasantry upon the lords in medieval Europe, pre‐colonial Indian society was characterised by self‐dependent or free peasant production.
53 citations
TL;DR: The issue in formulating an alternative health care system for India is essentially that of rectifying the distortions which have been brought about by various forces and the basic premise for such an alternative will be to start with the people.
45 citations
TL;DR: The inhibitory effect of Asparagus racemosuson DMBA‐induced mammary tumorigenesis in rats of Holtzman strain is reported, where virgin female rats, normal or primed with 17‐β‐estradiol treatment, are put on diets containing 0.25%, 0.5%, 1% or 2% Asparagine root extract powder prior to their exposure to DMBA.
Abstract: The present paper reports the inhibitory effect of Asparagus racemosuson DMBA-induced mammary tumorigenesis in rats of Holtzman strain. When virgin female rats, normal or primed with 17-β-estradiol treatment, are put on diets containing 0.25%, 0.5%, 1% or 2% Asparagus root extract powder prior to their exposure to DMBA, mammary tumor incidence shows a sharp decline.
35 citations
TL;DR: The process of pollen tube growth was found to be more sensitive than that of pollen germination, and the sensitivity of moist pollen grains to sulphur dioxide was higher than those of dry pollen grains.
34 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the photoreversibility of red and far-red light was investigated in the excised etiolated leaves of maize and showed that five minutes of red light illumination led to a 130% increase in the enzyme activity which was reversed by far-Red light.
Abstract: Nitrite reductase in the excised etiolated leaves of maize showed the photoreversibility by red and far-red light. Five minutes of red light illumination lead to a 130% increase in the enzyme activity which was reversed by far-red light. The kinetics of nitrite reductase activity under continuous far-red light showed a lag phase of 1 hr.
30 citations
TL;DR: Piezoelectricity in in vivo bone has been demonstrated by exciting the bone with a coupled transducer made of modified lead zirconate titanate material and the electrical signal in the excited bone is detected with the help of implanted stainless stell electrodes.
27 citations
26 citations
TL;DR: The yield of mesophyll and bundle sheath cells obtained by enzymic digestion of the leaf tissues from Zn deficient plants is lower than the identical tissues from normal plants which suggests that Zn deficiency brings about some structural changes in the leaf cell.
Abstract: The effect of Zn deficiency on rate of photosynthesis of leaf discs, isolated mesophyll and bundle sheath cells and chloroplasts of maize (Zea mays. L) was studied. The yield of mesophyll and bundle sheath cells obtained by enzymic digestion of the leaf tissues from Zn deficient plants is lower than the identical tissues from normal plants which suggests that Zn deficiency brings about some structural changes in the leaf cell. Photosynthetic oxygen evolution measured in the leaf discs is low due to Zn deficiency. Photosystem‐II dependent Hill reaction and non cyclic photophosphorylation of chloroplasts were also affected by Zn deficiency. Rate of photosynthetic carbon dioxide fixation by both bundle sheath and mesophyll cells obtained from Zn deficient leaf‐tissue waslower than the cells free from Zn deficiency. Addition of various metabolites like NADPH, ATP and PEP to Zn deficient mesophyll cells whowed marked enhancement in 14‐CO2 fixation. However, addition of NADPH, ATP and RuBP to Zn defici...
20 citations
TL;DR: Preheating intact cells of the green alga Chlorella pyrenoidosa, blue-green alga.
18 citations
TL;DR: Etiolated Sorghum bicolor seedlings manifested a significant morphological response to short term irradiations by red and far- red light and to a continuous far - red light.
Abstract: Etiolated Sorghum bicolor seedlings manifested a significant morphological response to short term irradiations by red and far - red light and to a continuous far - red light. Accumulation of chlorophylls in white light and carotenoids in darkness is under red/far-red reversible control as well as along with the effectiveness of 'High Irradiance Reaction'. Phytochrome is also found to eliminate the lag phase during the accumulation of chlorophylls and carotenoids in white light.
TL;DR: In this article, the effect of heavy metal ions on the electron transport system of chloroplasts was investigated and it was shown that glutaraldehyde fixation does not provide protection against Zn2+ and Pb2+ -induced damage of chloroplast function.
Journal Article•
TL;DR: The amphibolites in the Kolar schist belt include four textural types, schistoic, granular, massive and fibrous and occur in abundance in that order.
Abstract: The amphibolites in the Kolar schist belt include four textural types, schistoic, granular, massive and fibrous and occur in abundance in that order. The fibrous variety consists of two coexisting calcic amphiboles (A1 rich hornblende and A1 poor actinolite). The other three varieties contain hornblende and plagioclase (An 40 to An 85 ). The texture, mineralogy and mineral chemistry suggest metamorphism in the middle to upper amphibolite facies. Major and Rare earth elements (REE) data indicate that (a) the fibrous amphibolite is somewhat similar to high-Mg basalts of Archean greenstone belts but with a strongly, heavy REE depleted pattern, (b) the other three varieties are similar to low-K oceanic tholeiites with slightly light REE depleted patterns and with strong positive Eu anomalies, and (c) the two groups do not represent primary melt compositions generated by the partial melting of a pyrolite mantle. It is concluded that the Kolar amphibolites must have been evolved from at least two separate parent magmas generated from different temperature and pressure (depth) conditions.
TL;DR: Some electrical parameters such as biopotentials, impedance, charge, power availability, loss factor and corresponding Q values have been measured in unstressedin vivo bone in adult rabbits to establish some quantitative relationship between the bone electrical behaviour and the electret phenomena.
Abstract: Some electrical parameters such as biopotentials, impedance, charge, power availability, loss factor and corresponding Q values have been measured in unstressedin vivo bone in adult rabbits. Measurements were performed with stainless steel electrodes implanted in the bones (tibia and femur). By placing a variable resistance across any two electrodes, the power available from the source was also obtained. Intact bone was subjected to d.c. stimulation by passing a constant current between the extreme electrodes and the potential profile and the charge retention were measured all along the affected medium. It is hoped that these data obtained will establish some quantitative relationship between the bone electrical behaviour and the electret phenomena.
TL;DR: The influence of pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) on the induction of ovarian tumors by carcinogen (DMBA) and/or mutagens (EMS and BMS) has been studied in Swiss albino mice and augmentation of DMBA‐induced tumors in PMSG‐primed ovaries could be due to increased uptake ofDMBA and increased depletion of oocytes.
Abstract: The influence of pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PSGM) on the induction of ovarian tumors by carcinogen(DMBA) and/or mutagens (EMS and BMS) has been studied in Swiss albino mice. Priming of the ovaries of 6-week-old mice with PMSG (50 IU/mouse) 24 h before intragastric intubation of DMBA (5 mg/mouse) resulted in a significant increase in ovarian tumors when harvested 6 months after the treatment. A similar experiment done on 8-week-old mice yielded confirmatory results. Mutagens (EMS and BMS) failed, at given dose levels (200 mg/kg and 300 mg/kg body weight), to induce tumors in normal as well as PMSG-primed ovaries. Pretreatment of animals with PMSG-enhanced DMBA-induced oocyte depletion and also increased the DMBA-3H activity in the ovaries. The augmentation of DMBA-induced tumors in PMSG-primed ovaries could be due to increased uptake of DMBA and increased depletion of oocytes. It is also possible that PMSG-primed ovaries provided more proliferating granulosa cells (and macromolecules) for the interaction of DMBA (or its metabolites) and thereby increased the chances of cell transformation in the ovaries.
TL;DR: Ammonium nitrate-induced nitrate reductase activity was more than potassium nitrate induced activity in excised shoot tips of wheat as mentioned in this paper, which was more pronounced in the dark than in light.
TL;DR: A mechanism for prebiotic translation is proposed in which primeval transfer-RNA (adaptors) are assumed to be permanently associated with messenger nucleic acid molecules, and residues are found to be present within the base sequences of contemporary tRNAs, suggesting the existence of inter-primal-tRNA interactions necessary for the mechanism.
Abstract: A mechanism for prebiotic translation is proposed in which primeval transfer-RNA (adaptors) are assumed to be permanently associated with messenger nucleic acid molecules. Residual ‘fossil’ evidences are found to be present within the base sequences of contemporary tRNAs, suggesting the existence of inter-primal-tRNA interactions necessary for the mechanism. The structure of proposed primal-tRNA is such that it can not only choose its own amino acid in the absence of aminoacyl synthetase, but can also associate nonspecifically with adjacent primal-tRNA molecules attached to the neighbouring codons. Such associations can give rise, through cooperative binding between message and adaptors to the ‘static template surfaces’ which can direct translation of nucleotide sequences into those of amino acids. The origins of ribosomes and contemporary genetic code are suggested by this hypothesis. Proposed structures and processes are thermodynamically compatible. The approximate date of occurence of the proposed system is calculated, which is consistent with the period of occurence of the earliest organisms with ribosomes.
TL;DR: The role of water structure around model membrane systems (e.g., liposomes) on phase transition of the lipid dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine was investigated in this article.
Abstract: The role of water structure around model membrane systems (e.g., liposomes) on phase transition of the lipid dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine was investigated. Water structure was altered by changing pH and by addition of solutes which are known breakers and makers of water structure. The structure makers broadened the zone of transition and changed the overall phase transition profile, while the main effect of structure breakers was to cause a shift in the transition temperature. The observed variation of Chapman transition temperature and broadening of zone of transition with varying pH is discussed in terms of altered water structure around the membrane–aqueous interface. Binding studies with the dye 1-anilino-8-napthalene sulfonate showed that structure makers or breakers did not bind to the liposome surface directly. Thus the structure makers and breakers act on the membranes perhaps by altering the water structure differentially. Possible associated mechanisms of action are discussed.
TL;DR: For many decades now it has been maintained that Indian civilization has shown an adsence of dissent and protest as discussed by the authors, and this has become so axiomatic on the Indian past that those who have occasionally questioned it have been labelled as anti-Indian.
Abstract: For many decades now it has been maintained that Indian civilization has shown an adsence of dissent and protest. This has become so axiomatic on the Indian past that those who have occasionally questioned it have been labelled as anti-Indian. Such a view stems from a nationalistic over-simplification of Indian society as a vision of harmonious social relations in a land of plenty. Superimposed on this were the preconceptions of idealist philosophy that dissent required materialistic underpinnings, and philosophical themes of materialism in Indian thought have generally received short shrift from contemporary commentators. It is only in recent years that some attempts are being made to suggest that neither materialist philosophy nor dissent were wholly marginal to Indian society.' It still remains fashionable in some circles to deny the opposition between forms of orthodoxy and heterodoxy in the ideological traditions of the past, arguing that Indian religions were not based on dogma? Yet the history
TL;DR: Thermo electret, electro electret and magneto electret phenomena have been examined for bone, collagen and apatite and it is found that they acquired a saturation charge of about 10(-6) C/cm2--10(-8) C /cm2 when subjected to moderate temperature, electric and high magnetic field treatments.
Journal Article•
TL;DR: In this article, the results of geochemical investigations of rock-water interaction in the Rajgir-Monghyr hot-spring belt were presented, and it was concluded that the springs represent recycled groundwater which descends to a shallow hot zone and is flushed out after rains.
TL;DR: The in vivo effects of ketamine hydrochloride on the activity of glutamic acid decarboxylase, 4-aminobutyrate-2-oxoglutarate aminotransferase and succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase were studied to indicate that ketamine has different effects on different brain regions.
TL;DR: The results suggest that ANS binds mainly to the surface of the chloroplast membrane and the fluorescence changes of ANS by acidification mainly reflect the changes in the associated proteins.
Abstract: The fluorescence intensity of the extrinsic chromophore 1-anilino-naphthalene-8-sulfonate (ANS) bound to pea chloroplast fragments shows a sigmoidal rise as the pH of the suspending medium is decreased by the addition of HC1. The abrupt increase occurs at pH – 4.5. A 70% decrease in the maximal fluorescence intensity (pH range 3.5-4.5) of bound ANS was observed when soluble chloroplast proteins were removed by washing with water. Extraction of chloroplast membranes with 6 M guanidine-HC1 abolishes the acid–induced enhancement of ANS fluorescence. However, the subsequent removal of lipids (by 80% acetone extraction) from the guanidine-HC1-extracted naked membranes restores the acid-induced fluorescence increase. These results suggest that ANS binds mainly to the surface of the chloroplast membrane and the fluorescence changes of ANS by acidification mainly reflect the changes in the associated proteins. The lack of enhancement of the fluorescence of ANS by acidification of the guanidine-HCl treated membranes and the recovery of the acid-induced fluorescence rise after extraction of the lipids from the guanidine-HCl treated membranes suggest that the boundary lipids somehow prevent the entry of the ANS molecules into the hydrophobic interior of the naked membrane. The lipid-depleted, guanidine-HCl extracted naked membrane fragments do not show any shift in the position of the peak of emission of ANS (λ= 470 nm) upon acidification as the lipid-depleted preparations without guanidine-HCl treatment do (shift from 460 to 470 nm). Divalent cations (Mn2+, Ca2+, Mg2+) also increased ANS fluorescence intensities when added to both types of lipid-depleted chloroplast preparations. A comparative analysis of ANS fluorescence bound to the lipid-depleted and guanidine-HCl treated chloroplast fragments with that of just lipid-depleted fragments shows that the acidification of the latter brings about a greater change in the value of the relative binding sites (n) and the dissociation constant kd of ANS than the protonation of the former. The role of chloroplast protein and lipid components in the structural changes of the thylakoid membrane imposed by external perturbations is discussed.
TL;DR: Bengali-, English and Hindi-speaking children aged 5 to 9 years were asked to place an object "in front of or behind" a fronted or non-fronted object as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: Bengali-, English and Hindi-speaking children aged 5 to 9 years were asked to place an object 'in front of or 'behind' a frontedor nonfronted-object. All children responded on the basis of an inherent object cue when the fronted-object was used. When a nonfronted-object was used all children treated it as if it was a fronted-object facing towards themselves. These results were compared with those of Hausa-speakers who also use the inherent object cue for fronted-objects but treat nonfronted-objects as if they are facing away from themselves.
TL;DR: It is suggested that mucopolysaccharides play an important role in controlling junction characteristics and there is found to be generation of photocurrent in response to infrared light; while ultra-violet light produces a permanent change in its behaviour.
TL;DR: It is reported here, that during treatment of E. coli cells with CoCl2, both messenger RNA and stable RNA synthesis is slowed down and the rate of degradation of mRNA also decreases and both chemical and functional half-life of mRNA increases about 2.5 folds.
Abstract: It has been observed that growth ofEscherichia coli cells are inhibited when treated with cobalt chloride (300 μM). It has also been shown that CoCl2 preferentially inhibits translation without inhibiting the process of transcription (1, 2, 8). We report here, that during treatment ofE. coli cells with CoCl2, both messenger RNA and stable RNA synthesis is slowed down about 2.5 folds. The rate of degradation of mRNA also decreases and both chemical and functional half-life of mRNA increases about 2.5 folds in Co-treated cells. This clearly shows that the process of transcription is also affected while translation is preferentially inhibited during CoCl2 treatment.
TL;DR: It was observed that the effect produced by noradrenaline is more pronounced than that by adrenaline, and the change produced in the latter case is much less than that produced by drugs, thus showing a clear difference between the two effects.
Abstract: The impedance of rabbit skin has been measured in the frequency range 1–60 kHz using a simple a.c. bridge method and stainless steel electrodes. The effect of four important drugs, namely, adrenaline, noradrenaline, atropine and histamine, has been examined. It was found that all these drugs produced a decrease in the skin impedance in varying degrees, suggesting a penetration of the ions through the underlying layers of the skin. For the purpose of analysis, all these data are compared with their own controls. The order of applying the two drugs adrenaline and noradrenaline at the same site on the skin of an animal does not produce a change in the nature of the relative impedance variation. It was observed that the effect produced by noradrenaline is more pronounced than that by adrenaline. The effect produced by these drugs was compared with that produced by pure hydration of the skin. It was found that the change produced in the latter case is much less than that produced by drugs, thus showing a clear difference between the two effects.
TL;DR: Some new results for three-step prey-predator food chains, which appear in the exactly solvable Gompertz model, are shown to follow in the Lotka-Volterra model also.