Antioxidants are helpful in preventing oxidative stress and damage in humans. Oxidative damage is caused due to injurious free oxygen radicals which cause perturbations in normal physiologic processes, leading to major diseases and oxidative stress to cells. Since oxidative stress is one of the factors for human diseases, the use of antioxidants are important for therapeutics and prevention. Living systems have multiple types of antioxidants which are complex and include glutathione, vitamin C, vitamin E, catalase, superoxide dismutase and peroxidases. The role of antioxidants is vital since inhibition of the antioxidant enzymes causes extensive oxidative stress and may kill the cells. There are new insights stating that diets rich in healthy natural antioxidant compounds called flavonoids and phenolic acids prevent aging and reduce the risk of several diseases.

In this context, the first paper, "Comparative Evaluation of Nelumbo nucifera (Gaertn.) Flowers and Vitamin C in In Vitro Antioxidant Activity", by K Gayathri, R Dhevi, K L Niraimathi, M Mohamed Shabi, U Subashini, G Victor Rajamanickam and G P Dubhey, studied the antioxidant activity of Nelumbo nucifera (Gaertn.) (NN) flowers. The study highlights the therapeutic value of the flowers. Plants are source of a wide variety of natural antioxidants. Health science is committed to achieve worldwide health promotion and disease prevention. Identifying natural sources of antioxidant holds substantial potential in therapeutics. The emerging concept is that dietary and endogenous antioxidants, endowed with antioxidant activity, work synergistically contributing to the overall protective effect of plant antioxidants.

The second paper, "Sex Determination from an Evolutionary Perspective: The Mammalian Regulatory Model", by Roxani Angelopoulou, Giagkos Lavranos and Panagiota Manolakou, gives useful information on the evolution of sex determination and focuses on the basic principles of sex determination in mammals. The potential implications of the genetic regulation of sex determination are significant for human reproductive health and disease prevention.

In the third paper, "Study on Microbial Diversity of Wild Ass Sanctuary, Little Rann of Kutch, Gujarat, India", the authors Koyani Rina, Patel Hiral, Patel Payal, Dharaiya N and Patel R K have studied the microbial diversity in the Wild Ass Sanctuary, Little Rann of Kutch, which has a unique ecological system. Microorganisms like halophiles, haloalkalophiles and extremophiles were isolated and characterized. The paper suggests possible biotechnological implication in utilizing such biodiversity.

In the fourth paper, "The Tube-Dwelling Polychaete Dioptra cuprea : Habitat Preference and Bioturbation Styles in Coastal Environments of North East India", by Asok Kumar Bhattacharya and Santosh Kumar Sarkar, the carnivorous macrobenthic polychaetes Dioptara cuprea has been studied. The soft-bottom polychaetes Dioptara cuprea are profuse bioturbators and affect both the superficial and internal structure of intertidal flats. The morphology of the dwelling tubes, and the preference for the muddy and sandy substrates, formed under a contrasting wave and tidal energy conditions, are the basis of the study. The specialized aspects with the mechanisms used by this species may be used for future research.

The fifth paper, "Isolation and Hemolytic Activity of Active-Polypeptides from Captive Sea Anemone", by M Arumugam, T T Ajithkumar and T Balasubramanian, describes the presence of bioactive compounds in sea anemones and their significance in the biomedical arena. Sea anemones have potent biomolecules on their tentacles. The isolation and characterization of biologically active compounds from the four different species of sea anemones has been well summarized in the paper. Analytical information of the product using FT-IR spectral analysis and biological assays done with hemolytic activity make it a well documented study.

The sixth paper, "Optimization of Microwave Assisted Extraction of Annona squamosa Seeds", by Vijay Kothari, Amruta Punjabi and Shivani Gupta, deals with the optimization of various parameters for microwave assisted extraction of Annona squamosa seeds. The paper gives a complete idea of the extraction methodology to achieve maximum efficiency. This study is useful for the evaluation of extraction parameters and methodologies of compounds.

The seventh paper, "Seasonal Incidence and Influence of Weather Factors on the Incidence of Spodoptera litura (Fab.) on Groundnut", by B Vinoth Kumar, T N Balasubramanian and R Jagannathan, gives information on the seasonal incidence and influence of weather factors on the incidence of the pest Spodoptera litura on groundnut. It describes the result of the study on the pest infestation on groundnut at the regional research station Vriddhachalam in India. Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea Linn.) is one of the important oil seed crops grown in India but the yield is often low. One of the major causes for the low yield is the damage caused by insect pests. The studies on seasonal incidence of the pest and its relationship with weather factors would provide an opportunity to minimize the yield loss. There is an urgent need to integrate the biological, physical and chemical control measures for pests to improve quality and yield of groundnut oil.

-- S B Mukherjee
Consulting Editor