Journal of Applied and Natural Science
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Assessment of genetic diversity in pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) using micro satellite markers
Get PDFAn effective way to use germplasm for genetic improvement is to be aware of the genetic variation among crop genotypes. The objective of the present study was to assess the genetic diversity and population structure of 30 genotypes of pigeonpea from populations that were collected from various sources. In order to show a new structure within the pigeonpea genetic pool and to give crucial information for pigeonpea breeding operations, the predetermined study\u27s goal was to define pigeonpea genotypes using a microsatellite marker technique. The genomic DNA of 30 pigeon pea genotypes were amplified with 20 SSR primers that produced 46 amplified bands, out of which 30 band were polymorphic (65.21%) and 16 bands were monomorphic (34.82%). Primer CcM 2977 generated a maximum number of amplified bands, of which 2 bands were polymorphic. Among 20 primers, only 8 primers showed the highest polymorphism (100%) and 5 primers were monomorphic in nature. Average of 2.30 bands per primer was amplified. The dendrogram constructed from the pooled data revealed six distinct clusters of which five were solitary. Cluster analysis of pigeon pea genotypes was based on Unweighted Pair Group Method with the Arithmetic average (UPGMA) method and the 30 pigeon pea genotypes were classified into six main groups. The present study indicated that the performance of SSR markers for the evaluation of genetic diversity could be beneficial for pigeon pea breeding. They could additionally be useful in genomic mapping research, developing pigeon pea cultivars with various genetics and reaping advanced crop productivity.
Cancer patients with Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene polymorphism and COVID-19 phenotypic expression predisposed to SARS-CoV-2 infection
Get PDFPathogenesis of COVID-19 has been linked to the Angiotensin system. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE2) has been recognized as the specific receptor of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, serves as a cellular receptor for SARS-CoV-2, suggesting that a person\u27s vulnerability to infection may be controlled by how much of the ACE2 gene is expressed. It is also possible that the severity of COVID-19 is related to the equilibrium between ACE1 and ACE2 activity, which has been linked to the etiology of respiratory disorders. This study aimed to investigate the association of ACE1 I/D polymorphism with the severity of Covid-19. The study looked at 113 people-(50 healthy controls, 63 people with Covid). Results for the ACE2 rs4240157 T > C polymorphism were obtained. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the distribution frequencies of variables across the study groups. The ACE1-CC*CT genotype (p = 0.049) and male gender (p0.001) were related to severe COVID-19. COVID-19 severity was found to be associated with the ACE2–CT genotype through multiple logistic regression under the co-dominant inheritance model: CC*CT Allele, 95% CI (0.0104 to 0.2954), Significance level, (0.0007) Odd Ratio (0.0556); CC*TT Allele, 95% CI (0.1854 to 6.1927), Significance level, (0.9386) Odd Ratio (1.0714); and CT*TT (19.2857). This was assuming the ACE2–CC*CT genotype was connected with covid-19 severity. However, the ACE2 polymorphism did not affect the development of illness. In conclusion, male gender, malignancy, and the ACE1 genotype were linked to a negative result of COVID-19. Our results indicated that ACE1-C/T might affect COVID-19 severity; however, this association was hypertensive status-specific. However, this finding needs to be confirmed in additional large samples
Interaction of silicon with cell wall components in plants: A review
Get PDFSilicon (Si) is the utmost element of the earth\u27s crust involved in various plant processes. Despite being a non-essential element of the plant, its role in plant tolerance is appreciable. The interaction of Si with the plant cell wall provides structural and mechanical strength to the plants. This review article discusses the different forms of silica (simple to complex), the nature of Si, and its interaction with plant cell wall components after being taken up by plants. Ligands of plant cell wall like hemicellulose, pectin, lignin, cellulose, callose, and mixed-linked glucans (MLG) are the possible linker, which helps the Si in crosslinking with the plant cell wall. This review also incorporates the interrelation of Si with different cell wall components, the role of Si-cell wall complexes in different stress alleviation, and enhancing stress resistance in plants. Accumulation of Si after crosslinking with the cell wall provides rigidity and stability to the plant wall and enhances mechanical strength. Many studies have been conducted on the Si role in different stress alleviation, but little knowledge is available on how plants react when Si is taken up, how Si interacts with the plant cells, how Si accumulation is enhanced by the plant itself, how the possible ligands help Si in bonding with the cell wall. This study helps to understand the relationship of cell wall components with Si and to think about the precise bonding patterns between them
Profile and antibiotic susceptibility of urinary pathogenic bacteria in children attending Raparen Hospital, Erbil, Iraq
Get PDFA urinary tract infection is a colonization of uropathogens anywhere in the urinary tract: kidney, ureter, bladder, and urethra. Most paediatric Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are caused by Gram-negative coliform bacteria arising from faecal flora colonising the perineum, which enter and ascend the urinary tract.The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of UTI among febrile children of different ages presented with specific or non-specific symptoms suggestive of UTI. The samples acquired from children were cultured on MacConkey agar and Blood agar by using disposable loops. The cultures were incubated for 24 hours at 37 °C. The positive cultures were recognized by the bacterial colony features. Gram staining technique was used to distinguish Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, while VITEK® 2 microbial ID/AST was conducted for the entire diagnosis. The study observed the respondents (48.5%) of the participants were 5 – 10 years old, more than one quarter (28.5%) of them were <5 years, the majority (83.8%) were female, and 16.2% of them were male. Regarding culture and sensitivity tests, 46.2% of children had bacteriuria. About 43.8% of infections were caused by Gram-negative bacteria, while only 2.3% were caused by Gram-positive bacteria. Escherichia coli was the most common cause of urinary tract infection (UTI), accounting for 32.3%, followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (3.1%) and only 1.5% of patients had Staphylococcus Aureus. The uropathogens were mostly resistant to the cephalosporin group. E. coli remained the most predominant uropathogen in children. The results showed that meropenem, imipenem, amikacin, and ciprofloxacin were drug of choice in UTI therapy
Isolation and identification of multi-drug resistance Acinetobacter baumannii isolated from clinical samples at Baghdad, Iraq
Get PDFAn opportunistic bacterium called Acinetobacter baumannii has significantly increased the frequency of infections in recent years. With only a limited number of “traditional” virulence factors, It is infections have spread rapidly through hospitals across the globe. The present study aimed to work out the relationship between the multi-drug resistance (MDR) of A. Baumannii and biofilm formation. A total of 150 samples were collected from various clinical sources from different age groups and gender patients in Ghazi AL Hariri Hospital and Baghdad Teaching laboratories in Medical City in Baghdad, Iraq from December 2021 to March 2022. Microscopical inspection and cultural features on various culture media, including culturing on selective medium CHROMagar, were used to identify bacterial isolates. The characteristics of the isolates were then established by some biochemical tests. Identification was confirmed using the Vitek-2 system with an accuracy of 99%, which revealed that only (50) isolates were given identical morphological characteristics and biochemical tests belonging to Acinetobacter baumannii isolates. 28 (56%) isolates were collected from burns. 10 isolates (20%) and 9 isolates (18% were collected from wound and sputum cultures of A. baumannii , respectively, while only 3 isolates (6%) were from urine culture. The susceptibility test for all the fifty clinical isolates of A. baumannii was performed against 10 different antibiotics. The results showed that A. baumannii isolates were Multidrug-resistant (MDR) (98%), while the other (2%) of the isolates were extensively drug-resistance (XDR) to themajority of antibiotics tested. All 50 isolates in the present study were subjected to the micro-titer plate (MTP) assay method (96 walls). The results indicated that strong biofilm was detected in 40 (80.0%) of the tested isolates. Thirty bacterial isolates were were found to be MDR and had strong biofilm production.
Antifungal synergic activity of essential olive oil and alcoholic turmeric extracts against isolates from the dried grapes raisins
Get PDFFungi are responsible for a wide variety of harm to humans, including food spoilage and infections. Using chemicals to restrict fungal development or infections has negative repercussions, such as human health dangers from the chemical applications and rising antifungal-drug resistance, so this study aimed to use medicinal plants and their extracts as an alternative method to restrict fungal growth. Ten isolates of the genus Aspergillus were identified from the fruits of dried grapes (raisins) of all kinds (Iraqi black raisins, Iranian yellow raisins, and brown raisins) at the species level using three – differential media: Czapek Yeast Extract Agar( CYA), Malt Extract Agar( MEA), and 25% Glycerol nitrate agar (G25N) incubated in 5, 25 and 37 ºC. Aspergillus niger was the most common isolated species. The number of A. niger isolates reached seven from all types of dried grapes, while A. flavus recorded three isolates from black raisins and brown raisins. Aspergillus Flavus Parasiticus Agar (AFPA) was used to detect the ability of A. flavus isolates to produce aflatoxin at 25-30 ºC for one week. Alcoholic extract of turmeric showed a significant inhibitory effect on the colony diameter of both A. flavus and A. niger isolated from the fruit of Iraqi black raisins with an inhibition rate of 86.6% and 68.8 %, respectively, at 4 mg/ ml concentration. The mixture of turmeric and essential olive oil gave a distinct inhibitory effect, reaching a 100% inhibition rate from the lowest to highest concentration for both A. niger and A. flavus
Palm oil formulation as 34 % mayonnaise and evaluation of its biological efficacy against citrus mealybug, Planococcus citri under laboratory and field conditions
Get PDFThe use of environmentally friendly pesticides using palm oil derivatives as palm oil methyl ester (PME) carrier solvents has been reported. PME-based glyphosate isopropylamine nanoemulsion in the water against weeds has been the subject of numerous studies as well as palm oil methyl ester molluscicidal against golden apple snails. This study\u27s major goal was to formulate palm oil in an appropriate formulation form and assess its insecticidal effectiveness against citrus mealybug, Planococcus citri. Palm oil was formulated as 34% oil in water emulsion (O/W) (mayonnaise). The new mayonnaise formulation successfully passed all physical and chemical testing requirements set out by pesticide organizations for (O/W) emulsions. Under laboratory conditions, it was biologically evaluated against nymphs and adults of the citrus mealybug, Planococcus citri, with serial concentrations. It had considerable insecticidal activity against all study stages, although the impact on nymphs was significantly greater than that on adults. This was evident from its LC50 values, which were 53.52 and 58.58 mg/ml for nymphs and adults, respectively. The citrus mealybug, Planococcus citri, in its adult, nymphs, and gravid stages, was tested using the new palm oil 34% mayonnaise formulation in the field. The highest mortality percentages were seen in the nymphs, followed by adults and then the gravid stage. After additional research, the newly developed palm oil formula might be employed to combat the citrus mealybug, Planococcus citri
An assessment of seasonal, monthly and diurnal variations of ambient air quality in the Gurugram city (Haryana)
Get PDFGurugram is emerging as one of India\u27s most advanced cities. The combined impact of industrial and vehicular emissions makes the environment toxic. Recently, Gurugram has experienced severe air quality. In the present work, an assessment of seasonal, monthly, and diurnal variations of ambient air quality was carried out in Gurugram during the period of March 2021 to 2022 February. Seasonal and monthly concentrations of key air pollutants like particulate matter (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO) and ozone (O3) were examined at Vikas sadan, Gwal Pahari and Teri Gram in Gurugram city to study the most polluted seasons and months. Significantly higher mean concentrations of Particulate matter PM2.5 (406.94 μgm−3) and NO2 (353.96ppb) were seen during the colder months and seasons. O3 showed a consistent trend with variations during the year, with the highest concentration in winter (106.35µg/m3). PM2.5 and NO2 concentrations during the night were greater for all seasons when compared to diurnal values. O3 concentrations displayed diurnal tendencies that were the opposite of those of NO2 concentrations. The highest concentrations of ambient PM2.5, NO2, and CO were observed at the Vikas Sadan Monitoring Station. While the NISE Gwal Pahari station showed greater O3 values. The findings highlight the necessity of efficient air pollution control in Gurugram. To prevent public exposure to air pollutants, preventive measures like green spaces, using public transport, etc. must be adopted. The study contributes to a better understanding of air pollution by seasonal, monthly and diurnal assessment in the city of Gurugram
Agricultural bio-waste recycling through efficient microbial consortia
Get PDFIn India and other countries, rice straw, a byproduct of rice production, is burned in enormous amounts, which contributes to environmental pollution and climate change by releasing greenhouse gases viz., CO2, N2O, CH4, into the atmosphere. This study aimed to accelerate the degradation of this enormous amount of agricultural biomass via microbial inoculants. Four treatments—rice straw (RS), rice straw plus water (RSW), rice straw plus water plus Pusa decomposer (RSWF), and rice straw plus water plus Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) biomineralizer (RSWB) were used in the current investigation. The study\u27s findings demonstrated that rice straw treated with microorganisms decomposed more quickly than RS and RSW treatments. According to EDAX spectra of elemental composition, the carbon content of rice straw in the RS, RSW, RSWF, and RSWB treatments was 33.66%, 29.75%, 13.33%, and 20.65% w/w, respectively. The RSWF treatment of rice straw was found to have the highest nitrogen concentration (0.64% w/w), followed by RSWB (0.61% w/w), RSW (0.45%) w/w, and RS (0.43% w/w). Treatments RSWF and RSWB had lower C/N ratios 20.83, and 33.85, respectively, than that RSW (66.11) and RS (78.28). The RSWF and RSWB treatments\u27 porous, distorted, and rough surface structures provided further evidence that both microbial consortia could decompose rice straw more quickly than the RSW and RS treatments. Therefore, the results of this study imply that rice straw could be added to the soil to improve soil fertility for sustainable crop production rather than being burned
Physicochemical evaluation of common purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.) accessions through correlation and regression
Get PDFIt is important to look at the physicochemical qualities of Portulaca, a weed species used as a vegetable and a herb for medical and therapeutic purposes. India has a wide range of variations in this species\u27 morphology and nutraceutical value. This study aimed to evaluate the physicochemical properties of various purslane accessions from different regions of Tamil Nadu. A total of 15 purslane accessions (PA 1, PA 2, PA 3, PA 4, PA 5, PA 6, PA 7, PA 8, PA 9, PA 10, PA 11, PA 12, PA 13, PA 14 and PA 15) were collected and evaluated. Physical traits like colour of the leaves and stems were quantified as hue angle and chroma value, which showed a degree of variation. Estimates suggested that phytochemical properties related the hue and chroma of leaf and stem to the pigments in plants. Among the accessions, PA 3 has recorded the highest phytochemical properties viz., leaf total chlorophyll content 1.43±0.16 mg g-1, leaf total carotenoid content 0.24±0.03 mg g-1, stem total chlorophyll content 0.49±0.05 mg g-1, stem total carotenoid content 0.12±0.01 mg g-1 and total anthocyanin content 19.25±1.54 µg g-1. The multiple regression model suggested that the values can predict the estimated values. The evaluation of physicochemical properties along with the regression model helps in the breeding programme to select the traits; phytochemical analysis proved the ample supply of chlorophylls, carotenoids and anthocyanins, so these wild species could be a cheap source to alleviate several diseases.