Journal of Applied and Natural Science
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Impact of photoperiod on circadian trehalose and trehalase rhythms in the digestive system of silkworm, Bombyx mori
Get PDFCircadian trehalose and trehalase rhythms were studied in the digestive system of Bombyx mori under 12 hr light-dark cycle (LD), continuous light (LL) and continuous dark (DD). The rhythmic changes were interpreted as synthetic cycles in gut wall and release cycles in gut lumen. The trehalose rhythm of gut wall comprised 8 trehalose synthetic cycles (TS cycles) under LD and LL and 7 under DD. The 24 hr trehalose rhythm of LD and LL was clock shifted to 27.2 hr under DD. The trehalose rhythm included 4 TR cycles under LD, 5 under LL and DD in the gut lumen and the 24 hr rhythm of LD was clock shifted to 19.2 hr under LL and DD. In the gut wall trehalase rhythm maintained 8 trehalase enzyme synthetic cycles (TES cycles) under LD, 10 LL and 7 under DD and the 24 hr rhythm of LD was clock shifted to 19.2 hr under LL and 27.2 hr under DD. In the gut lumen it included 4 TER cycles under LD and DD, 5 under LL and its 24-hr rhythm was advanced to 19.2 hr. Further analysis of data showed that LD favours trehalose synthesis, while LL and DD favour trehalase synthesis
Effects of geometric particle sizes of wood flour on strength and dimensional properties of wood plastic composites
Get PDFThe effect of different wood flour sizes on strength and dimensional properties of wood-plastic composites were examined. Wood flour of different particle sizes viz; 1.00mm, 2.00mm and >2.00mm were compounded with recycled low-density polyethylene (LDPE) at different wood/plastic ratio of 1: 1, 2: 3 and 3: 2. The results obtained showed that wood flour size > 2.00mm has the highest MOR and MOE values of 1.206N mm-2 and 2484.72Nmm-2 while wood flour size of 1.00mm had the lowest MOR and MOE values of 0.505Nmm-2 and 2195.89Nmm-2 respectively. Also the results of the physical properties showed that wood flour size of 1.00mm had the lowest thickness swelling percentage with mean values of 0.28% and 2.08% while water absorption percentage has mean values of 0.91% and 10.58% after 2 hours and 24 hours of water immersion respectively. It was observed that wood flour size of 2.00mm and particle size >2.00mm had the highest thickness swelling and water absorption percentages. This showed that strength properties of wood plastic composites increased with increased particle sizes whereas its dimensional properties increased with decreased particle sizes. The results of analysis of variance carried out on mechanical and physical properties showed that particle sizes and wood/plastic ratio had a significant effect on the mechanical and physical properties of wood plastic composites (p 0.05)
Occurrence of phthirapteran ectoparasite parasitizing on domestic dogs, Canis familiaris (Linne) in Jaunpur district (U.P.)
Get PDFOnly two species of biting louse, Heterodoxus spiniger (Enderlein) (43.27%) and Trichodectes canis (De Geer) (13.47%) have been recorded from 245 dogs examined in twelve different localities in Jaunpur district during 2009 to 2011. Female dogs were found most prevalent in comparison to the male in both the cases. Different parameters like host sex, hair colour, hygienic condition, health and age group have been taken into the consideration during the survey. Older age groups, unhealthy and unhygienic condition of dogs were found more prone for the lice. In case of relative intensity of lice 38% were found moderately infested with H. spiniger while 23% and 16% were very light and light infested. Only 12% could be recorded heavy infested dog while 8% remained very heavy infested. Similar trends were recorded for T. canis where moderate infestation followed by very light, light, heavy and very heavy infestation respectively. Besides these two lice, some other ectoparasites (ticks, mites and fleas) (5.31%) were also recorded casually but not used the data for prevalence
Impact of dietary glutathione on hematological indices in rats poisoned with hexavalent chromium
Get PDFThe effects of dietary glutathione against chromium induced hematological indices were studied in rats, Rattus rattus albino. Supplementation of glutahione to the diet of chromium fed rats, elevated significantly percent hemoglobin (40.4%), number of red blood corpuscles (48.7%), plasma corpuscular volume (43.4%) and mean corpuscular volume (37.1%) which were inhibited in chromium poisoned rats. However, no marked elevation was noticed in number of white blood corpuscles and total proteins. Intake of glutahione checked the accumulation of glucose, cholesterol, tryglcerides, phospholipids and bilirubin in chromium treated rats. Chromium intoxication significantly increased the activities of transaminases (p<0.001) and dehydrogenases (p<0.01/p<0.001) which declined by supplementation of gltathione which also restored the chromium inhibited activity of alkaline and acid phosphatase. Specific reasons for these pharmacoticological aspects of glutathione have also been discussed
An overview of integrated power supply system: Solution to Nigeria’s electricity problem
Get PDFThis work traces the causes of electricity problem in Nigeria to inadequate power generation. Though other militating factors such as faulty transmission and distribution systems were highlighted, the study insists that the major contributing factor to the epileptic electric power supply in the country is due to the inadequate power generation system currently in place. The study further proposes an integrated powers supply system whereby several sources of primary energy are harnessed and combined to give a robust generation system, as the solutionto the epileptic power supply in the country. The study further recommends that the reactivation and repairs of the country’s power transmission and distribution networks, is germane to the attainment of this goal
Studies on pollinator fauna and their relative abundance of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) at Pantnagar, Uttarakhand, India
Get PDFPollinators provide key services to both natural and agricultural ecosystems. Agricultural productivity depends, in part on pollinator populations from adjacent semi natural habitats.The diversity and abundance of different insect visitors on sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) were studied at Pantnagar. A total of 12 insect visitors belonging to order Hymenoptera (9), Diptera (1), Lepidoptera (1), and Coleoptera (1) were observed visiting the blossom of sunflower. The abundance (percentage of insect/m2/2min.) of Hymenopterans were maximum (86.09%) followed by the Dipterans (22.80 %) and others (3.87%). In Hymenopterans, the honeybees (Apis bees) were observed maximum (65.22 %) followed by non Apis bees (20.39 %) and the scolid wasp (1.69 %)
Antipseudomonal property of honey and aminoglycosides
Get PDFPseudomonas aeruginosa has an ability to rapidly develop resistance to most antimicrobial compounds, and to check this ability. The isolates were collected from different pathological human sources and tested for their sensitivity to aminoglycoside antibiotic and to honey, a natural product that is generating renewed interest for its therapeutic application using Kirby Bauer disc diffusion technique. Aminoglycoside antibiotic which is normally active against gram-negative bacteria was used alongside honey. The 29 isolates of P. aeruginosa showed 100%sensitivity to honey tested in their undiluted form. This was not the case with gentamicin (10?g) and amikacin (30 ?g), both of which varied in their antipseudomonal activity, like even 1:2 aqueous dilution of honey appreciably inhibited pseudomonal isolates than either of the two aminoglycoside antibiotic. Honey is therefore suggested as an effective natural product in overcoming the widespread antibiotic resistance of P. aeruginosa
Allelopathy effect of aqueous extract of Clerodendrum viscosum, Ageratum conyzoides and Parthenium hysterophorus on the seed germination and seedling vigour of Chickpea seeds (Cicer arietinum L.) in vitro
Get PDFIn present study the allelopathic effect of aqueous leaf extracts of Clerodendrum viscosum, Ageratum conyzoides and Parthenium hysterophorus was observed on the seed germination of Chickpea in vitro (Cicer arietinum.L.).Seed germination was found to be inhibited in all the leaf extract concentrations used i.e. 2%,4%,6%,8% and 10%. However higher inhibition was observed in the 10% leaf extract of the test plants (i.e. Cl. viscosum, Ag. conyzoides and P. hysterophorus). In compare to all allelopathic plants extracts more inhibition was found in P. hysterophorus leaf extract followed by Cl. viscosum and Ag. conyzoides. Higher inhibition of radical and plumule growth of the Chickpea seeds was found with the increase in concentration of the leaf extracts used. Percentage of germination of Chickpea seeds was found to be low in 10% concentration whereas in untreated seeds it was found to be more
Culture and physiological variability in Rhizoctonia solani, responsible for foliar and lesions on aerial part of soybean
Get PDFFoliar blight of soybean is one of the major fungal diseases. Rhizoctonia solani isolated from soybean growing in tarai regions of Uttarakhand. Six isolates of R. solani has been characterized on the basis of cultural and physiological nature such as colony diameter, growth, colour and sclerotia formation were recorded. Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) was found best for growth and development. Two isolates (Lakhimpur and Pantnagar) covered the whole plates (90 mm) in 48 hrs. However, maximum number of sclerotia and weight was recorded on Czapek Dox agar medium. Overall radial growth supporting is recorded Corn Meal Agar Medium. Varied range of temperatures i.e. 10, 15, 25, 30, 35 and 400C was tested and found better growth of different isolates of R. solani at 10 - 400C, with an optimum growth temperature at 300C. Isolates were grown on five broth media (Asthana & Hawkers, Potato Dextrose Agar, Czapek’s Dox Agar, Corn Meal Agar and Richards Agar) for fresh, dry weight and oat meal broth culture filtrates of all isolates was used in phytotoxic effects. It recorded that maximum fresh and dry weight was observed on corn meal agar medium. The maximum reduction in radical and plumule length of germinating seeds were recorded in Haldichaur isolate
Genome fingerprinting of two populations of Aedes (Stegomyia) albopictus Skuse (Asian Tiger) using random primers (Diptera: Culicidae)
Get PDFThe present paper deals with RAPD-PCR based genomic characterization of two allopatric populations of Aedes (Stegomyia) albopictus Skuse which is a major vector of dengue fever and a source of many other pathogenic infections in man. For the present purpose one population was collected from village Dhunater, Distt. Hamirpur in Himachal Pradesh (pop.A) while the other was procured from Panjab University campus (pop.B). The genomic DNA from the legs of individual specimens was amplified by using three random primers viz: Primer I-5’TTTGCCCGGA-3’, Primer II- 5’-GTCCCGACGA-3’ and Primer III- 5’-CAGGCCCTTC-3’. The amplification of the DNA of pop.A with primer I, produced a total of 7 bands ranging from 230-880 bp while 3 bands ranging from 450-820 bp were produced from pop. B. Similarly, with primer II a total of 8 bands were produced from pop. A, which ranged from 220-800 bp while 9 were produced from the DNA of the individuals of pop. B, which ranged from 200-900 bp. With primer III, a total of 15 bands were produced from pop. A, with a base pair composition varying from 210-1031 bp while 5 were produced from pop. B with a range of 210-370 bp. From the hierarichial cluster sharing analysis of bands, primers I and II were found to ideal for the differentiation of the individuals at the population level studies of this species of considerable epidemiological significance