Journal of Applied and Natural Science
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Bacillus cereus-mediated biofermentation of Sardine offal waste: A novel approach to enhance nutritional value by Response Surface Methodology optimization
Get PDFThe rising protein demand in the aquaculture sector has significantly impacted fishmeal supply and pricing. Excessive use of fishmeal can lead to environmental issues and negatively impact marine biodiversity and human food security. Consequently, finding alternative fishmeal in aquaculture is crucial for economic and environmental sustainability. The present study aimed to determine how Bacillus cereus (MT355408) could enhance nutritional value of Sardine fish waste, which could replace fish meal in the market. Solid-state fermentation (SSF) represents a biotechnological method that utilizes microbes to convert discarded fish byproducts into valuable products. The bacterial ability to produce enzymes was studied and optimised for its maximum production to be used as an inoculum for the SSF technique. Different prebiotic sources were also studied for better upliftment of bacteria in the solid-state surface. A single-factor analysis was conducted to investigate the influence of varying prebiotic concentrations, inoculum quantity, and fermentation duration on protein breakdown. After studying the single-factor tests, a further response surface model was employed for better yield. The results indicated that the highest protein yield could be achieved with a fermentation time of 132.893 hours, a prebiotic quantity of 25%, and an inoculum quantity of 5.3%. The study\u27s findings also affirmed that the model was vital in enhancing the crude protein content during fermentation. In conclusion, the model\u27s results contribute valuable insights into fermentation processes, offering practical implications for enhancing protein content and digestibility in similar contexts.
Anti-cancer activity of crude Slrp protein conjugated mesoporous silica nanoparticles in HeLa Cell Lines: An in vitro approach
Get PDFMicrobial based therapeutics for cancer have gained a significant interest in recent decades. The present study relies on the synthesis, analysis, and conjugation of Salmonella Leucine-rich Proteins (SlrP) with mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNN) to evaluate their potential anticancer activity. The SlrP proteins were effectively produced and isolated from Salmonella enterica using Tryptic Soy Broth (TSB), and the subsequent SDS-PAGE analysis verified the presence of a band at around 72 KDa. The MSN synthesis yielded particles with an average diameter of 68.05±0.87 nm and a pore diameter of 7.1 nm. In addition, we synthesized MSNMPA and then conjugated them with SlrP. Characterization studies confirmed the effective conjugation. The cytotoxicity evaluation conducted on HeLa cells revealed no substantial modification in cell viability upon treatment with MSN alone. Nevertheless, when MSNMPA/SlrP was done, it demonstrated significant cytotoxic properties, as evidenced by an IC50 value of 10 µg/mL. The results indicate that SlrP-conjugated MSN (MSNMPA/SlrP) could be utilized as promising nanocarriers for delivering anticancer proteins.
Effect of quercetin on some biochemical parameters in adult rats treated with sodium nitrite
Get PDFSodium nitrite and quercetin are frequently employed as protective agents on glucose levels, levels of thyroid hormones, and lipid profile. The present study aimed to see the quercetin effect on some biochemical parameters in adult rats treated with sodium nitrite. A total of twenty-one laboratory animals (Wistar albino rats) were used in this experiment, separated into three groups of seven animals each. During the trial, Group I was given water only to drink and Group II received sodium nitrite directly by oral feeding needle. The study used 80 mg.kg-1/body weight (BW) of sodium nitrite, while Group IIIreceived drinking water containing sodium nitrite orally in doses of up to 80 mg.kg-1 BW and quercetin with a (50 mg/kg ). After blood was drawn and serum extracted, the parameters determined were thyroid hormones, lipids, Homeostasis Model Evaluation for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) and glucose level. The study observed that compared to the controls, the insulin (HOMA-IR) and sugar levels and lipid profile of the sodium-nitrite treated group were much higher. The sodium nitrite-treated group also had a substantial drop in thyroid hormone concentrations and a rise in Thyroid Stimulated Hormone (TSH), whereas the quercetin alleviated the harmful effects of sodium nitrate by lowering blood sugar, insulin, HOMA-IR,and improved the lipid profile. There was an improvement in glucose, insulin resistance, lipidemia, and TSH hormone levels, which increased as a result of exposure to nitrite. Thus, the present study demonstrated how quercetin protected against sodium nitrite-induced toxicity by improving several biochemical parameters in adult rats.
Use of Azolla in organic farming on availability and uptake of N, P, K of rice paddy (Oryza Sativa, L.)
Get PDFOrganic fertilization is very important to maintain sustainable land and environmental productivity. Organic fertilizer from Azolla has the advantage of increasing soil fertility by increasing nutrient availability. This study aimed to determine the effect of Azolla application on the availability and uptake of N, P, and K of Inpari 32 variety rice plants. This research used 9 treatments: (T0= control, T1= 90 kg/h NPK, T2= 45 kg/h NPK, T3= 10 t/h Manure, T4= 2 t/h Manure + 90 kg/h NPK, T5= 10 t/h Rice straw compost, T6= 2 t/h Rice straw compost + 90 kg/h NPK, T7= 10 t/h Azolla, T8= 2 t/h Azolla + 90 kg/h NPK) with as control and 3 replications, so there were 27 experimental plots. This research was located in the paddy field of Madiun Regency, East Java. The results showed that Azolla, manure, and straw compost at a dose of 10 t/ha increased soil C-organic, soil Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC), and soil pH, which was still in the neutral range. Azolla fertilizer increased the highest soil total N compared to cow manure and straw compost and increased the efficiency of NPK fertilizer use. Azolla (T7) increased soil available P (27.02 ppm) and exchangeable K (17.63 me/100g soil). Azolla had the highest available P effect. Azolla (T7) and manure (T4) were affected by increasing K-exchange. Azolla fertilizer, manure, and rice straw compost increased vegetative plant growth (plant height, number of tillers, shoot and root biomass). Among the three, Azolla fertilizer had the highest effect. Organic fertilization affected N, P, and K uptake, which was highest in Azola fertilizer (T7). For manure, varied NPK fertilizer (T4) just showed an increase in P uptake, and compost fertilizer varied NPK fertilizer (T6) showed a rise in K uptake. A positive relationship existed between the availability and uptake of nutrients N, P, and K.
Environmental and economic returns for the development and management of innovations in modern irrigation systems in Egypt
Get PDFThe pottery irrigation system is an ancient method to transport water drops slowly during porous pottery pitches, and it is filled manually. It is used in many countries and called with many names such as pitches, olla, clay, pours and ceramic irrigation systems. The present study aimed to analyze environmental and economic returns for developing and managing innovations in modern irrigation systems during the winter seasons (2020 and 2021) in AlSharqia, Egypt. Garlic was planted in one hectare under two irrigation systems, 1) The drippers were belt-in, the flow was 4 liter per second, with a operating pressure of 1 bar and two drippers in one meter on the hose, dripper known in Egypt as (Gr), used in the experiment as a surface drip (SD) and subsurface drip (SSD) irrigation system, 2) The Innovative Follicular Drippers (IFD) had ultra-low flow (0.1 l/h and 0.2 low-head operating pressure), three IFD in one meter on the hose. The plant row had three hoses located under the soil surface by 20 cm. The soil texture was sandy loam and water salinity was 400 ppm. Soil, water, and yield measurements were conducted using more than applied energy analysis and economic feasibility. The results showed that water savings by using IFD were 45%. The highest yields were 21.6, 15.8, and 11.7 tons/ha for IFD, SD, and SSD, respectively. The highest water productivity was 8.4, 3.4 and 2.5 kg.m-3 for IFD, SD and SSD, respectively. Green house gases (GHG) of IFD system were lower than SD and SSD by 67%. Where the novelty and utility of IFD is the collecting of the feature of irrigation net and pottery media in one system, where the IFD irrigation is controlled like common drip irrigation and pottery media did not required to refill by water manuuly follow-stop.
Development of a parametric-based Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) utilizing Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for wheat land suitability evaluation
Get PDFWheat is considered one of the most essential crops for Egypt. Nevertheless, it is also one of its largest imports. Therefore, it is important to develop an accurate wheat suitability model to define the most suitable areas for its production. This study aimed to develop a parametric-based Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for land suitability evaluation of wheat in a selected area in El-Beheira governorate, Egypt. The climatic and land parameters influencing wheat production in the studied area were selected and rated according to the parametric method. These parameters included slope, texture, calcium carbonate, sum of basic cations, pH, organic matter, salinity, exchangeable sodium percentage and mean temp. of the growing cycle. The rated parameters were processed according to the AHP. The results were compared with Storie and the Square root methods and field observations. When validated using field observations, the developed method had a higher accuracy suitability evaluation for wheat cultivation in the studied area than the other two methods. According to the developed method, almost all of the studied areas could be classified as very suitable (S1) for wheat cultivation. On the other hand, the wheat suitability evaluation according to the other two methods indicated that most of the studied area could be classified as moderately suitable (S2) and marginally suitable (S3), which contradicted the field survey.
Efficient isolation and long-term storage of genomic Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) from the leaves of some tropical trees
Get PDFAnalysis of the genetic diversity of tropical trees can contribute to forming active approaches for their conservation and future use. High-quality Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is required for many molecular applications used in the analysis of genetic diversity. The present study standardized efficient DNA isolation and long-term storage protocol using the 268 leaf samples from 8 tropical tree species such as Cullenia exarillata (Malvaceae), Dalbergia latifolia, Dalbergia sissoides, Kingiodendron pinnatum (Fabaceae), Dysoxylum malabaricum (Meliaceae), Mesua ferrea (Calophyllaceae), Myristica malabarica (Myristicaceae) and Tectona grandis (Lamiaceae). The high DNA quality resulted in the present method as Mean A260/280 = 1.90 ± 0.05. The amount of extracted DNA ranged from 23.4 ng/µL (in the mature leaf of Myristica malabarica) to 1922.7 ng/µL (in the young leaf of Dalbergia sissoides), while the yield ranged from 4.7 to 384.5 µg per 100 mg leaf sample. The extracted DNA samples of 8 species stored with 70% ethanol in the pellet form showed less DNA degradation and a maximium storage life of up to one year than those stored with TE buffer and sterile water. The integrity of one year of DNA stored in 70% ethanol was suitable for PCR amplification with RAPD and ISSR markers. The present method also facilitated efficient molecular characterization and validation of tropical tree species.
Diversity analysis of moringa (Moringa oleifera Lam.) mutant populations revealing extensive genetic variability for the morphological traits
Get PDFMoringa is renowned as the miracle tree for its versatile applications in food, medicine, plant growth stimulation, animal feed, and its nutritional, pharmacological, and biotechnological potential. Initially, the mutation was induced by treating the seeds with gamma rays (100 Gy, 200Gy and 300 Gy) and Ethyl methane sulphonate (EMS) at 0.15%, 0.20% and 0.25%. Based on continuous evaluation of mutants from M1 to M3 generation, four selected mutant families: 15-1-09, 35-1-62, 35-1-63 and 35-1-68, with 15 mutants from each family were studied to identify high-performing mutants alongside PKM 1 Moringa. Principal component analysis (PCA) of 12 morphological traits for each mutant family revealed five principal components with eigenvalues exceeding one, collectively explaining 78.19, 74.88, 79.85 and 83.80% of the total variability from the mutant families 15-1-09, 35-1-63, 35-1-62, and 35-1-68 respectively. The analysis highlighted that foliage density, apex shape of the first leaf blade, leaf shape, and plant growth habit exhibited the highest variation, while the remaining traits showed lower variability. Through Agglomerative Hierarchical Clustering (AHC) and Principal Component Analysis (PCA), the genotypes 15-1-09-39, 35-1-62-72, 35-1-62-73, 35-1-68-79, and 35-1-63-06 emerged as the most diverse genotypes based on seedling hypocotyls colour, young shoot colour and petiole: anthocyanin colouration of the axis and branches. Hence, through this study, the identified diverse genotypes for specific traits of interest can be included in the moringa breeding programs for crop improvement.
Acceptability of Kamias (Averrhoa bilimbi L.) fruit extract as an additive for dishwashing liquid
Get PDFRecently, there has been a growing interest in utilizing natural additives in household cleaning products to promote sustainability and reduce chemical usage. Kamias (Averrhoa bilimbi) fruit, known for its acidic properties and potential antimicrobial effects, presents a viable alternative for enhancing the quality and safety of dishwashing liquids. The present study was conducted to utilize Kamias (A. bilimbi) fruit extract as an additive in the production of dishwashing liquid. Physical and microbial tests were performed to ensure the dishwashing liquid\u27s quality, consistency and microbial safety. These tests measured pH, specific gravity, total plate count, Staphylococcus aureus , and Escherichia coli detection. A 4-point Hedonic scale using a modified sensory evaluation tool was used to describe the acceptability of the dishwashing liquid in terms of appearance, fragrance, texture (hand-feel), longevity of suds, degreasing power, and overall quality. The study showed that the appearance ( 3.50), degreasing power ( 3.57), and overall quality ( 3.63) of Kamias fruit extract dishwashing liquid were liked very much. The texture (hand-feel) was interpreted as liked moderately, with a mean value of 3.47. In terms of fragrance ( 3.40) and longevity of suds ( 3.20), the Kamias dishwashing liquid was liked moderately. Data also showed that Kamias dishwashing liquid has a pH (7.00 @ 22.20C) in the neutral range and a specific gravity of 1.0290, which indicates its density relative to water. Furthermore, the detected microbial count demonstrated a significantly low microbial load (<10 Est.) as determined by the total plate count data. The absence of S. aureus and E. coli indicated a hygienic state, increasing the sample\u27s safety quotient across various applications.
Dissecting the biochemical and hormonal changes of thidiazuron on defoliation of cotton CO17 (Gossypium hirsutum) to enhance mechanical harvest efficiency
Get PDFUsing chemical defoliants to remove cotton leaves represents a groundbreaking shift in cotton cultivation. The mechanization of cotton harvest is increasing, but a substantial amount of foliage that remains on the plant even at maturity is the major barrier for mechanical harvest. Properly completing mechanical and manual harvests requires artificial leaf detachment through defoliants. Still there is no proper defoliant concentration, application times and mechanism of action available. Therefore, the present study aimed to find an effective defoliant and application time to enhance mechanical harvest efficiency, along with a clear description of the mechanism of actions in cotton CO17 (Gossypium hirsutum). The field experiment was conducted during the year 2019-20 and used five concentrations of Thidiazuron defoliant (100, 150, 200, 250 and 300ppm) and [email protected]% (T2) in cotton variety CO17 to study the physiological, biochemical and hormonal responses at 120, 127 and 134 days after sowing. As a result, the concentrations of plant growth hormones, indole-3 acetic acid (4.9 fold), zeatin (32.7%) and gibberellic acid (7 fold) reduced. In contrast, abscisic acid (48.6%), jasmonic acid (34.9%), salicylic acid (2.15 fold) increased in the T7- Thidiazuron + Diuron (300 ppm) treatment followed by T5-Thidiazuron + Diuron (200 ppm). Additionally, the antioxidant enzymes ascorbate peroxidase, peroxidase, catalase, superoxide dismutase, cellulase in leaves, petiole and bolls were decreased due to defoliant T5- Thidiazuron + Diuron (200 ppm) followed by T7-Thidiazuron + Diuron (300 ppm), indicating that the hormone concentration, antioxidative and hydrolytic enzymes are ruled out and forces the defoliation process.