Indian Journal of Biology

 The present study was under taken to analyze the qualitative analysis of the comparative study of eletrophoretic patterns of proteins in the parotoid gland secretion and its extract in terrestrial toad Bufo melanostictus (Schneider). The protein patterns indicated that the secretion has less number of protein bands compared to the gland extract. The patterns of protein bands were observed in the parotoid gland extraction of B. melanostictus through Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate and Poly Acrylamide Gel Eletrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) indicated a distinct of four protein bands and some additional bands with poor resolution and was compared with Urea SDS-PAGE. The protein bands indicated a distinct of six protein bands with some other additional bands in Urea SDS gels. In the parotoid gland secretion two protein bands in SDS-PAGE, where as four protein bands were observed in the parotoid gland secretion of B. melanostictus through Urea-SDS PAGE. The protein subunit patterns were identified by using standard marker protein and Rm values were calculated accordingly. The eletrophoretogram both the SDS-PAGE & Urea SDSPAGE patterns of parotoid gland secretion and its extract showed homology in protein bands with minor variations. 

 The present paper focuses on diversity of serpentofauna in Sanghagara forest ecosystem on the basis of observational method. This forest is located in between 2101’-22010’ N latitude and 85011’-86022’ E longitude. Sanghagara, one of the most significant and alluring natural scenic spots of Odisha, deserves its weightage, validity and importance because of assemblage of both floral and faunal diversity. The field study was undertaken twice a month and 27 herpetofaunal species were recorded during the survey. Among these, 5 families, 11 genera and 9 species of lizards; 5 families, 14 genera and 16 species of snakes are reported. Recorded lizard diversity is dominated by members of family Geckonidae, Lacertidae followed by Scincidae. Recorded serpentofaunal diversity is dominated by members of the family Elapidae, Colubridae followed by Viperidae. Among these, Ptyas mucosa (Indian rat snake) and Amphiesma stolatum (Buff striped keelback) were most frequently observed followed by Bungarus caerulus (krait) and Bungarus fasciatus (Banded krait). Findings include both poisonous and non-poisonous species of snakes. The body of snakes is different in different habitats. The diversity of herpetofauna has been observed to be decreased with increase in altitude of the forest area.  

 Biodiversity of a river depends on the variation of nutrients, physico-chemical parameters and different biologically significant ion concentrations of the river water. Seasonal variation of nine biologically significant ion concentrations of Jalangi river water are reported in this article, month-wise, from April 2014 to March 2015. These ions, namely sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, carbonate, bicarbonate, nitrate, phosphate and chloride play vital role on the growth of aquatic flora and fauna present in the river. The average concentrations of arsenic(III), sulphate ion, fluoride ion, ferric ion and lead ions are also reported in this paper though are they are less significant. These data clearly helps to understand the background scenario of the river’s ecosystem.

 The present study was conducted to know about the effect of different concentrations of synthetic androgen 17- Methyl testosterone (MT) on histological changes in gonads of male Dwarf Gourami, Trichogaster laliaus (Hamilton, 1822). Fishes were fed with homogenous mixture of the hormone in ethyl alcohol in its feed for 90 days. On the basis of histological study, the hormonal actions on the testicular changes were distinguished on the basis of the spermatocytes present i.e. primary spermatocytes, secondary spermatocytes and spermatozoa. In lower doses (5 mg/Kg & 10 mg/Kg of feed), the concentrations of the gonadal materials were so closely placed that the identification of different stages was found very difficult up to 45 days. In the higher dose (15 mg/Kg of feed), the gonadal materials were found less concentrated which leads a negative impact on the gonads after 60 days of treatment.

 The river Jalangi was selected for the present studies not only to evaluate the increasing rate of pollution but also its effects on aquatic micro flora, because people incognito often use aquatic plants as vegetables, which are in turn the habitat of those microbes that may in turn cause severe human diseases. The river water contamination with hazardous waste and wastewater is becoming a common phenomenon. The water quality and human health are closely related. The domestic waste from each building along with the effluent of small scale industries is disposed off into the open drains and gutters which ultimately enter into the river. Thus, all these factors might have an effect on the soil composition and nutrient dynamics of phytoplankton. In our present study we tried our level best to sort out this fact by selecting the dominant phytoplankton of river Jalangi and their nutrient dynamics.

 The vehemence of industrial pollution has been studied along a stretch of effluent discharged canal, the Tamla Rivulet in the industry-intensive town of Durgapur, West Bengal, India. The present study monitors the surface water quality and relates it to the land use / land cover maps using Remote Sensing and Geographical Information System (GIS) techniques. Middle stretch (industry-rich) and lower stretch of Tamla (confluence area) manifested considerable pollution effects in surface water, ground water quality and agriculture, respectively compared to the upper stretch. The maximally affected lower Tamla region recorded high concentrations of phenolic compounds in ground water and concentrations of fluoride, lead, cadmium and chromium in the drinking water. The calculated industrial hazard index revealed that outfalls of industries in the middle and lower Tamla region exhibited very poor and poor water quality, respectively affecting the overall eco-biological health of the entire zone.  

 The present investigation attempts to study the diurnal radiation over wheat as an understory crop below 8 year old Dalbergia sissoo planted in a Nelder wheel design planted in fifteen spokes of trees numbered serially starting from north direction as 00 . Wheat cv. PBW-226 was sown on 21st November, 1996 as an under story crop. Tree spokes were pruned 0%, 30%, 45% and 75% starting from north direction respectively. Studies have been made on the diurnal variation of net radiation attributable to orientation of tree rows of the trees at four important phonological stage of the crop i.e. tillering, flag leaf emergence, flowering and maturing stage of the crop and compared with the control (sole crop) viz T1 (312O-72O), T2 (72O-192O) and T3 (192O-312O) in the Nelder wheel. Regression equations between net radiation in control and different treatments below trees were also developed.

 Rodents are considered as one of the major pests of agricultural crops and stored food grains. Rodents are highly adaptable and it is difficult to check their population effectively. Natural products are an excellent alternative to synthetic pesticides as a means to reduce negative impacts to human health and the environment. There are several medicinal plants associated with reducing the male fertility potential in indigenous Indian medicine system. Aegle marmelos (L) Corr. commonly known as Bael, in Bengali, has various medicinal properties in the Ayurvedic system of medicine. Various parts of this plant (mainly the leaves, fruits, stem and roots) have been used in ethnomedicine for several medicinal properties. The present experiment is aimed at investigating the potential of bark extracts of Aegle marmelos (L) Corr. as an anti-fertility agent on male Bandicota bengalensis (Gray, 1835). Three various concentrations of aqueous extracts of barks were used for each group of male Bandicota bengalensis (Gray, 1835). The dose of 200mg/ 100ml, 400mg/100ml and 600mg/100ml barks aqueous was administered orally for 60 days through food to male Bandicota. It was found that the extracts had a considerable effect on reducing male fertility and there is positive correlation between dose increase and anti-fertility. Significant decrease in the weight of testis, decrease in number of offspring were observed. Histo-pathological studies of testis revealed elongated spermatids, degeneration of Sertoli cells. Prominent spaces were detected within the germinal epithelium signifying testicular cytotoxicity and necrosis. Many tubules showed lumen with reduced spermatozoa and Leydig cell. Our studies suggest that Aegle marmelos (L) Corr. bark aqueous extract may be used as potential rodenticide for controlling Bandicota bengalensis (Gray, 1835) population.  

 Plantation of trees in Nelder wheel design provides varied microclimatic conditions especially in terms of solar radiation penetration for understory crop in agroforestry system. The present investigation attempts to study the diurnal radiation over wheat as an understory crop below 8 year old Eucaluptus tereticornis planted in a Nelder wheel design planted in fifteen spokes of trees numbered serially starting from north direction as 00 . Wheat cv. PBW-226 was sown on 21st November, 1996 as an under story crop. Studies have been made on the diurnal variation of net radiation attributable to orientation of tree rows of the trees at four important phonological stage of the crop i.e. tillering, flag leaf emergence, flowering and maturing stage of the crop and compared with the control (sole crop) viz T1 (312O-72O), T2 (72O-192O) and T3 (192O- 12O) in the Nelder wheel. Regression equations between net radiation in control and different treatments below trees were also developed. 

 In the present experiment effects of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on various heamatological parameters and total protein content of some selected tissues (i.e., muscle, liver, kidney and gill) of an Indian fresh water fish, Channa punctatus was evaluated. Two different concentrations of biologically synthesized AgNPs (100% and 50%) were intra-muscularly injected to the experimental fish is respect of distilled water treated control at different fixation intervals (viz., 6 hr, 24 hr, 72 hr, 96 hr, 7 day and 15 day). Treatment of AgNPs (100% and 50%) to the experimental fishes showed a significant decrease in number of the red blood cells and increase in number of white blood cells particularly at the longer fixation intervals (7 and 15 days) in respect of distilled water treated control. Total protein content of liver and kidney showed significant increase during 15 and 30 days of exposure compared to the control. In the contrary, total protein content of gill and muscle showed a significant decrease after exposure to AgNPs in respect of the control.  

 Oxidative stress plays a major role of free radicals generation disproportionately in diabetes mellitus by glucose oxidation, nonenzymatic glycation of proteins, and the subsequent oxidative degradation of glycated proteins. Abnormally high levels of free radicals and the simultaneous decline of antioxidant defense mechanisms can lead to damage of cellular organelles and enzymes, increased lipid peroxidation, nitric oxide level and development of insulin resistance. These consequences of oxidative stress can promote the development of complications of diabetes mellitus. Changes in oxidative stress biomarkers, including catalase, glutathione peroxidase, lipid peroxidation, nitrite concentration and their consequences, are discussed in this research article. Biochemical studies were carried out in 10 diabetes patient whose age range from 45-55 years. For control data, 10 individuals in the same group (45-55 years), socio-economic status and who were not suffering diabetes mellitus as a control groups. 

 The Black Bengal bucks of Indian sub-continent generally show a noted seasonal variation during in reproductive activity. India has a good number of Black Bengal goat populations, which has an important role in the lives of the goat rearers. The objective of thepresent study is to comprehendthe influence of seasonal variation on the testosterone hormone of Black Bengal bucks(Capra aegagrus hircus) in two different agro-climatic zones in India. The highest mean value oftemperature (42.6 ± 1.5 ºC) has been reported during the month of April or May in the season of pre-monsoon in Purulia. However, the lowest value of temperature (8.6 ± 0.9 ºC) has been reported during the month ofDecember or January in the season of post-monsoon again in Purulia.Serum testosterone was analyzed in blood samples collected once a week. It has been observed that, from January to April for both of the regions of Purulia and Nadia and the month May has the lowest serum testosterone level in Purulia (1.22 ± 0.18 ng/ml) and the serum testosterone levels stayed approximately the same from January to March in Purulia and more or less similar in Nadia.However, the serum testosterone level reached to its peak level in November in both the region Nadia (8.79 ± 1.3 ng/ml) and Purulia (6.59 ± 0.41ng/ml) respectively. It can also be presume thatthe early periods of the post-monsoon season can be taken as an alternate breeding seasons for Black Bengal breeds. 

 Bacterial populations from organs (viz., liver, spleen, kidney and gill) of Labeo rohita of the sewage fed fish farm at Kalajharia, Asansol, West Bengal, India, were enumerated, followed by determination of resistance for antibiotics and heavy metals. The total viable counts of bacteria in these organs, observed, were 5.62 x 104, 4.12 x 104, 2.30 x 104 and 1.76 x 104 colony-forming units/mL, respectively. The random bacterial isolates from these fish organs showed resistance in decreasing order for ampicillin (95%), tetracylin (75%), amoxycillin (70%), amikacin (65%), chloramphenicol (50%), sparfloxacin (40%), gentamycin (30%), levofloxacin (25%), streptomycin (10%), and ciprofloxacin (05%). Most of the isolates exhibited an increasing order of tolerance for the metals (μg/mL) copper (200), cadmium (200), iron (400) and chromium (400), with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ranging from <50 to 1600 μg/mL. A total of 40 bacteria have been successfully isolated from internal organs of Labeo rohita (8 isolates of Aeromonas spp., 21 of Edwardsiella spp., 6 of Flavobacterium spp. and 5 of Vibrio spp.). In terms of antibiotic susceptibility testing, each isolate was tested against 21 antibiotics, resulting in 482 (57.3%) cases of sensitivity and 61 (7.3%) cases of partial sensitivity. Meanwhile, 297 (35.4%) bacterial isolates were registered as resistant. The multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) index of each bacterial species indicated that bacteria from raised bullfrogs have been exposed to tested antibiotics with results ranging from 0.27 to 0.39. These observations indicate that the significant occurrence of bacterial population in organs of fish with high incidence of resistance for antibiotics and heavy metals may pose risk to fish fauna and public health.