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Physical and Chemical Mutation for Enhanced Alpha-Amylase Production by Aspergillus fumigatus NTCC1222 under Solid State Fermentation Conditions Using Agri-Residue Waste
Get PDFThe search for better microbial sources of enzymes has long been an area of active research owing to the clear and distinct importance in todays’ world where exploration and application of environment friendly products has become a necessity. Though the natural, wild microbial strains, are continuously be searched and explored for their potential for amylase production yet, simultaneous attempts for improved enzyme production are necessary too. In the present study, a comparison between the influence of different mutational treatments (UV treatment and EMS-EtBr treatment) on amylase production was studied. Aspergillus fumigatus NTCC1222, an indigenously isolated amylase producer, which has shown an amylase activity of 341.7 U/mL under optimized conditions of SSF in our previous study, was subjected to UV- and EMS-EtBr- treatment for possible improved amylase production under optimized solid state fermentation conditions. The UV mutated strains yielded an amylase production of 614.2 U/mL while the chemically (EMS-EtBr) mutated strain produced 814.1 U/mL of amylase activity thereby indicating the successful enhancement in amylase activity for the test fungal strain
Metformin Reduces Oxidative Stress Status and Improves Plasma Insulin Level in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats
Get PDFBackground: Oxidative stress induced by hyperglycaemia plays a crucial role in the development of diabetic complications and metformin is commonly used in treating diabetes mellitus (DM). The aim of this study was to investigate whether metformin at the dose of 100 mg/kg/day could ameliorate oxidative stress and improve plasma insulin level in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.Methods: Twenty one rats (8-10 week old; weighing 190-220 g) were assigned into three groups (n=7 rats per group) i.e. non-DM, DM and DM+metformin (100 mg/kg/day metformin) groups. DM was induced using streptozotocin (60 mg/kg) intraperitoneally and treatments were given daily by oral gavage for four weeks. The levels of plasma biomarkers such as fasting blood glucose, oxidant-antioxidant markers and insulin levels were analysed.Results: Fasting blood glucose, malonyldehyde and protein carbonyls levels were significantly higher while insulin, total antioxidant capacity, catalase and glutathione peroxidase levels were significantly lower in DM group compared to non-DM group. The levels of fasting blood glucose, malonyldehyde and protein carbonyls were significantly lower while levels of total antioxidant capacity, catalase and insulin were significantly higher in DM+metformin group compared to DM group.Conclusion: This study may suggest that metformin at the dose of 100 mg/kg/day for 4 weeks reduces oxidative stress status and improves plasma insulin level in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats possibly through its antihyperglycaemic action
Biomedical Application of Carbon Nanotubes for Proteins Extraction and Seperation
Get PDFMeasurement science and technology continue to play vital roles in biomedical research and in routine healthcare. Over recent decades there has been a steady evolution of sensors for biomedical measurement aimed at clinical care in hospitals, fundamental biomedical research in the laboratory, or even self-care in the home. The measurements of interest are diverse, ranging from pressure, force, flow and displacement to electrical field/charge, magnetic flux, and molecular species, such as gases, ions, proteins, bacteria, viruses, and DNA. In this review, we have studied several biomedical applications of nanotubes and nanowires for proteins measurements in cells. Also, These materials have a wide application as protein carriers and transporters. The wide applications of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) on the serious concerns about their safety on human health and environment have been studied
To Determng the Serostatus and Frequency of HIV Exposed Infants in Ishaka Adventist Hospital
Get PDFBackground: Acquired Immune deficiency syndrome was first reported in the United States in 1981 and has since become a major worldwide epidemic. An estimated 34 million people are living with HIV, according to UNAIDS estimates released early December 2011. This study determined the serostatus and frequency of ill health of HIV exposed infants in Ishaka Adventist hospital.Method: Study Design: The study design was descriptive cross sectional study to determine the serostatus and frequency of ill health among HIV exposed infants and the feeding options chosen by mothers.Study Population: The study focused on HIV exposed infants brought in the EID clinic from Bushenyi, Mitooma, Rubirizi, Sheema and Buhweju districts. According to the incharge EID clinic, the clinic gets about 10 patients per day and runs from Monday to Friday. The prevalence rate of HIV among mothers attending antenatal care in Bushenyi district is 7.2%. “Incharge EID clinic said” This gives a reflection of HIV exposed infants. The majority of people in Bushenyi district are small scale subsistence farmers, earning less than 1 dollar per day. The main cash crop is coffee and food crop is matooke. Other food crops include; Millet, cassava, potatoes, beans, groundnuts and peas. The animals kept mainly are; cows, goats, sheep and hens (District records 2014).Sampling Procedure: To determine the prevalence of HIV, a systematic random sampling method using EID numbers was used. To determine the feeding options and frequency of ill health, a ballot paper was used to determine the participants among the clients who attend to the clinic.Results: A total of 100 respondents were used. Majority of the mothers 51(51%) said PMTCT offers services like HIV counseling and Testing especially pregnant mothers for safe delivery after knowing your serostatus, 20 (20%) said it involves health education to pregnant mothers on safe motherhood, while minority 2(2%) said it involves breastfeeding, most of the mothers 80 (80%) had an idea about breast feeding options among mothers who are HIV positive, 4 (4%) were confused and16 (16%) did not know about any option. Majority of the mothers 55 (55%) said that ARV’s should be taken for PMTCT to be possible, 12(12%) said attending ANC and delivering in hospital, 17 (17 %) said feeding well, 2 (2%) said abstaining, and 2(2%) didn’t know
Lectin-Like Binding of Four Animal Lactobacilli Considered for their Use in Probiotical Preparations
Get PDFFour gut lactobacilli (Lactobacillus plantarum L5, Lactobacillus paracasei L81, Lactobacillus fermentum L 670 and Lactobacillus casei subsp. pseudoplantarum L.c.) were examined by particle agglutination assay (PAA) for their lectin-like binding activity after their cultivation on Rogosa agar and in MRS broth. Seven ECM (extracellular matrix) molecules (bovine mucin, porcine mucin, bovine fibronectin, porcine fibronectin, fetuin, bovine lactoferrin and heparin) were selected for this assay. Moreover, haemagglutination tests with pig, cattle, sheep, and hen erythrocytes were performed. However, none of the four Lactobacillus strains examined did react with any of the erythrocytes tested. The differences between individual strains were observed in their binding to immobilised ECM molecules. The best adherent were the Lactobacillus plantarum L5 and Lactobacillus paracasei L81, however, the other two strains showed also good ECM binding of some ECM proteins. With regard to an influence of cultivation medium on lectin-like binding activity, binding of all ECM molecules was expressed in Lactobacillus paracasei L81 to significantly higher degree after cultivation on Rogosa agar than in MRS broth. Similarly, strains Lactobacillus fermentum L670 and Lactobacillus casei subsp. pseudoplantarum L.c. displayed significantly higher binding of fibronectin and mucin after growth on Rogosa agar in comparison with MRS broth cultivation. The influence of cultivation medium on fetuin binding by Lactobacillus fermentum L670 was also not significant while Lactobacillus casei subsp. pseudoplantarumL.c. bound fetuin significantly better after growth on Rogosa agar.Heparin pretreatment increased the binding of the ECM molecules by the Lactobacillus fermentum L 670 strain significantly with the exception of porcine fibronectin when the strain was cultivated in MRS broth. Similar positive effect of heparin was observed also in the other three lactobacilli. This result is important especially in the connection with the observations that heparin decreased ECM binding of enteropathogens as staphylococci or clinical enterococcal isolates. Following up on some earlier strain characteristics, these results confirm that the selected lactobacilli are suitable for probiotic purposes
Evaluation of Suitable Substrate for Seedling Tuber Production by True Potato Seed through Nursery Raising
Get PDFTo determine the suitable substrate, five growth substrates viz. Soil + Sand, Soil + FYM, Soil + Sand + FYM, Soil + PM (Poultry manure) and Soil + Sand + PM were used to grow the three true potato seed (TPS) genotypes viz. TPS-9802, TPS-9804 and TPS-9805. Results of the interactive effect of genotypes x substrates on plant and tuber traits concluded that maximum germination (90.5 %), plant height (46.3 cm), micro tubers (212.7), small tubers (45.7), medium tubers (28.2), large tubers (10.2) and total tubers (296.8), maximum weight of micro (1491 g), small tubers (757.6 g), medium tubers (828.9 g), large tubers (483.7 g) and total tuber weight (3561) per unit area (1m-2) and total tuber yield (35.6 t ha-1) were found in TPS-9804 grown in the substrate of soil+sand+FYM. However TPS-9805 yielded (32.5 t ha-1) and ranked 2nd with same substrate. Hence, it is recommended for raising TPS nursery
Gain Study of an Edge Emitting Laser for Optical Fiber Communication System
Get PDFIn this work, an optical gain around 1 dB of an edge emitting laser (EEL) has been obtained applying threshold current of 22 mA. The conventional device lased at around 1.3 µm with 0.3 nm stripe width at room temperature. The device was also characterised through output light-voltage-current using current-temperature (I-T) controllers and optical spectrum analyser (OSA). ConventionalEEL isactually a form of semiconductor lasers that propagates the light in a direction along the wafer surface of laser chip and their emitted light is reflected at a cleaved edge. The cleaved facets of the device acts as mirrors, reflecting photons back into the resonator and the stimulated emission occurs within cavity region forgain achievement.
Impacts Evaluation of Chashma Right Bank Canal on the Water-Table of District Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan
Get PDFThis paper analyses the impact evaluation of Chashma Right Bank Canal (CRBC) on the water-table of district D.I. Khan, Pakistan. The study area falls in the arid agro-ecological zone of Pakistan. In order to achieve objectives of the study, data were gathered from both primary and secondary sources. Primary data were obtained through a detailed field survey, where five sample villages were also selected by random means for micro-level analysis. Out of which four from CRBC command areas and one village from outside the command area. Data were also collected during focused group discussion with the farmers and elderly people to grasp the ex post impact of CRBC on water-table. In addition to this, pre-CRBC data were obtained from WAPDA. The analysis reveals that in the study area water-table varies from area to area. A large tract of saline groundwater is available in the western section, whereas the eastern section has good quality of freshwater aquifers. After the construction of CRBC, there has been a gradual rise in water-table due to intensive irrigation, introduction of water loving crops, high cropping intensity and unlined irrigation network. The analysis further reveals that in certain areas, the rise in water-table is very alarming. Such threatening situation may encourage waterlogging, soil salinization that may halt agricultural productivity
Influence of Deuterium Depleted Water on Rat Physiology: Reproductive Function, Forming and Posterity Development
Get PDFReproductive function and postnatal progeny development of rats in four generations treated with deuterium depleted water (40 ppm) were investigated. The targeted generations were parent (F0), first (F1), second (F2) and third (F3). Replacement of tap water to deuterium depleted water did not influence on fertility index as well as on survival and postnatal offspring development. Reproductive function, physical parameters and reflexes development in rats and pups consumed DDW was similar or more intensive in comparison with control group. Therefore, DDW consumption did not possess any toxic effects and may enhance general postnatal development
Cordyceps militaris (L.) Link: Chemical Bioactive Compounds and Pharmacological Activities
Get PDFCordyceps militaris (L.) Link is an important medicinal mushroom used in traditional medicine for treatment of many diseases and improving human health. C. militaris are now widely used in many modern pharmaceutical dosages. It contains many bioactive compounds such as cordycepin, adenosine, sterols, polysaccharides, etc. These compounds provided many beneficial biological activities such as anticancer, antiproliferative, pro-sexual, antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, immunomodulatory, antiinflammatory and others for C. militaris. The present review highlights the chemical bioactive compounds and pharmacological activities of this medicinal mushroom C. militaris