Journal of Applied and Natural Science
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Biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles by using Fusarium oxysporum and their therapeutic applications
Get PDFBiological method has evolved to become an important field of nano-biotechnology due to its harmless nature, to be fast and cost-effective. Silver nanoparticles (SNPs) have been the research topic for their unique properties such as diagnosing, treating, and preventing various diseases in all aspects of human life. This work aimed to establish an extracellular and intracellular synthesis of SNPs from Fusarium oxysporum, focusing on evaluating their technological potential. The SNPs thus synthesized were visually characterized by the change of colour then confirmed by Ultra-violet (UV) Visible spectroscopy. The evaluation of the antimicrobial activity against Proteus mirabilis; Streptococcus bovis; Staphylococcus epidermidis; S. aureus; Salmonella typhi; Escherichia. coli and Candida albicans showed a very effective inhibitory with 18±0.66mm as a highest value. The antioxidant activity was tested using the DPPH method, and the synthesized nanoparticles recorded a remarkable percentage of free radical scavenges at 82,12 ± 0,42%, 70,46 ± 1,53% and 72,65 ± 1,33% for aqueous fungal extract, cell filtrate and biomass, respectively. The ability of the SNPs to detect hydrogen peroxide was illustrated by discoloration of the synthetic mixture, then confirmed by decreasing towards the disappearance of the characteristic peak. Finally, the photocatalytic performance was studied by the degradation of methylene blue. This activity showed a very interesting decrease in the peak intensity characteristic of this dye. In conclusion, synthesizing SNPs using F. oxysporium has proved their important technological property for the biological activities investigated
Smartphone assisting convolutional neural networks for soil texture classification in dry and wet humid conditions in West Guwahati, Assam
Get PDFSoil texture using a hydrometer or pipette method requires expertise, although these are accurate. A soil expert may help the farmer to detect the soil texture by analyzing the visual texture of the soil, which is not always accurate. This paper presents the smartphone image-based sand and clay soil classification in wet and dry humid conditions using Self Convolution Neural Network (SCNN) and finetuned MobileNet.A soil dataset of 576 soil images was prepared using a low-cost smartphone under natural light conditions. Different augmentation techniques such as shift, range, rotation, and zoom were applied to the soil dataset to increase the number of images in the soil dataset. The best performance of the MobileNet was reported at epoch 15 with a testing and training loss of 0.0091 and 0.0194, respectively. Though the SCNN model performed best at epoch 10 with a testing accuracy of 99.85%, the MobileNet reported less computation time (167.8s) than the SCNN (273.2s). The precision and recall of the models were 99.62 (MobileNet) and 99.84 (SCNN). The accuracy of the SCNN reported itself as the best model, whereas the computing time of the MobileNet reported itself as the best model in different humid conditions. The model can be used to replicate the traditional soil texture analysis method and the farmers can use it for better productivity
Effect of extraction solvents on antioxidant and skin-whitening potentials of defatted Camellia seed cakes
Get PDFDefatted Camellia japonica L. seed cake is an important byproduct during the manufacture of Camellia seed oil. The present study evaluated the influence of two extraction solvents on the total contents of phenol and flavonoid, antioxidant activity and skin-whitening effect capable of inhibiting the biosynthesis of melanin of defatted Camellia seed cakes, a byproduct from Camellia oil production. The antioxidant capacities of 100% methanol and 70% ethanol extracts were analysed using radical scavenging (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl, O2-, H2O2 and NO), SOD-like, ferrous ion chelating and reducing power assays. The total phenolic and flavonoid contents were further determined by the Folin-Ciocalteu method. Moreover, intracellular antityrosinase activity and melanin contents were evaluated in human malignant melanoma cells (SK mel-100). Ethanol extracts of defatted Camellia seed cake extracts exhibited higher phenolic (4097 mg gallic acid equivalents/100 g) and flavonoid (2899 mg rutin equivalents/100 g) contents with higher superoxide (IC50 = 1.9 mg/mL), nitric oxide (IC50 =1.6 mg/mL) radical scavenging, ferrous ion chelating (IC50 = 2.9 mg/mL) and reducing power (IC50 = 1.8 mg/mL) activities than those of methanol. These ethanol extracts also evidenced more effective inhibitory activities of tyrosinase and melanin synthesis than methanol extracts. Therefore, the present results demonstrated that defatted Camellia seed cakes could be a valuable source of antioxidative and whitening ingredients, and ethanol was more efficient in extracting antioxidants and bioactive compounds than methanol
Molecular detection of mexXY-oprM, mexPQ-opmE Efflux pumps in multi-drug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates in patients referred to teaching hospitals in Babylon province, Iraq
Get PDFOne of the global health issues is antibiotic resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a causative agent of bacterial infections due to multidrug resistance (MDR), which may be mediated by efflux pumps\u27 overexpression.The present study investigated the prevalence of mexXY-oprM, mexPQ-opmE genes as encoding agents of efflux pumps and the determination of antibiotic resistance rate in clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa.Different clinical specimens of infectious patients, such as wounds, urine, blood, discharge, and abscesses except for stool, were examined. Identification of the isolates was performed using Pseudomonas chromogenic agar. A selective medium for the isolation of P. aeruginosa, used to screen 79 isolates. The results were validated by Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) utilizing particular primer pairs for the 16S rDNA gene of Pseudomonas spp. for identification of the isolates after incubation at 37°C for 24 hours. According to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) (2021) recommendations, a microbial susceptibility test was performed using the Kirby–Bauer disk diffusion method. P. aeruginosa was extremely resistant to ceftazidime (93.6%) and cefepime (77.2 %). In contrast, imipenem (77.2%) and meropenem (67%) showed high sensitivity. Finally, mexXY-oprM, mexPQ-opmE genes were investigated by PCR technique. Molecular investigation revealed mexX 43%, mexY 51.89%, oprM 48.1%, mexP 36.70% mexQ 46.83% and opmE 51.89%. The present study concluded that mexXY-oprM and mexPQ-opmE may have a role in P. aeruginosa resistance to various antibiotics. Identifying resistant isolates and antibiotic monitoring programs is essential to prevent the spread of MDR isolates
Catalytic effect of acetate (C2H3O2) on coulombic efficiency and bio-electricity generation from wastewater sample prepared from domestic kitchen waste using dual chamber microbial fuel cell technology
Get PDFIn recent times, the use of energy resources, particularly non-renewable resources, have increased manifolds due to the ever-increasing global demands. This has led to an increase in depletion of the resources and environmental pollution. Microbial Fuel Cells (MFC) are a new concept that has proved to be the solution to the problem as a green energy resource. The paper focuses on generating electricity from wastewater prepared from kitchen wet waste kept for about 168 hours in an attempt to address the energy crisis while also treating it. A comparative analysis of the sample as prepared and with acetate has been studied and power generation, coulombic efficiency and change in chemical oxygen demand (COD) for wastewater were calculated and also the catalytic effect of acetate was analyzed. It was observed that there was a substantial increase in coulombic efficiency and COD content . A coulombic Efficiency efficiency of 25.29% was obtained for the sample with acetate, whereas, without acetate it was calculated as 9.71%. The maximum power density was obtained from the polarization curves. It was observed that the maximum power density of pure kitchen wastewater was found to be 0.017 mW/m2; however, for kitchen wastewater with acetate, the power density increased considerably to 0.546 mW/m2 at an external resistance of 1Kῼ. Further, the maximum current densities observed were 2.239 mA/m2 and 8.771 mA/m2, respectively. The internal resistance of the constructed prototypes was also determined using the maximum power transfer theorem. In this study, a prototype was constructed and it was found that kitchen waste can be used as a source of electricity generation and leads to a green energy initiative.
Evaluation of the antagonistic potential of bacterial strains isolated from Algerian soils for the biological control of phytopathogenic fungi
Get PDFAntagonistic bacteria contribute to the management of plant diseases by stimulating the natural defenses in the host and/or by ensuring direct biocontrol of the aggressors. The objective of this work was to isolate, identify and evaluate (in vitro) various Bacillus spp. for their potential to control phyopathogenic fungi. Selection of the 40 strains of Bacillus previously isolated from the soil in various areas of western Algeria was carried out by direct confrontation on the mycelial growth of four phytopathogens (Fusariumoxysporumf.splycopersici, Alternaria tenuis , Phytophthorainfestans, Ascochytapisi). This strategy involved using the antagonistic potential of microorganisms found in the plant environment in Algeria. The second part of this work consisted of the characterization and identification of tested strainsThe identification of the selected strains was carried out by biochemical tests. The results obtained showed that at the end of the fifth day, the most promising isolates showed antifungal activity and reached an inhibition rate of the mycelial growth of phytopathogenic fungi, respectively, F. oxysporumf. splycopersici 75%, A. tenuis 80%, P. infestans 83.30%, Ascochytapisi 67%. The potential antagonist of Bacillus tested in vitro by direct confrontation against 04 phytopathogenic fungi showed that all strains of Bacillus decreased fungal mycelial growth. Two strains of Bacillus B30 and B41 were found to have the most efficacy against Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici, Alternaria tenius, Phytophtora infestans et Ascochyta pisi, with an inhibition rate of 65.25 and 72.25% respectively These results demonstrate that Bacillus sp. presenteds a potential for biological control. However, it is important to understand the mechanisms implemented by these bacteria to develop effective protection strategies
Effect of Gallium-68 isotope injection on hemoglobin derivatives concentrations after instant injection and its recovery in male rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus)
Get PDFOxidizing effects of ionizing radiation are well established and almost understood. However, exposure to low doses of widely used isotopes may result in minor and hidden oxidative stress in some forms of hemoglobin. This formation alteration regarding the legends of hemoglobin\u27s stereochemical function may play a role in hemoglobin dysfunction. There are limited studies related to the effect of gallium isotope injections. The study intends to find the effect of gallium-68 isotope injection on male rabbits. It was conducted on thirty-two male rabbits (Orycytolagus cuniculus) divided into Group I: control and Group II: animals exposed to gallium-68 isotope at a similar dose commonly used in diagnostic protocols for humans. Blood samples were collected twice: the first was after two hours of injection with isotopes and the second was after twelve hours of injection. A linear, four-mathematical-equations matrix based on the Lamber-Beer law was used to measure the concentration of different hemoglobin derivatives. Results revealed a significant elevation (P<0.05) of methemoglobin, the oxidized form of hemoglobin, two hours after injection (Total hemoglobin = 4.463 ± 0.83), but this effect was completely reversed after twelve hours. This concluded that even low doses of isotopes result in oxidation of hemoglobin that recovers shortly. Furthermore, the outcome of the study supports the healthcare centres to understand the effect of gallium-68 injections on animals.
Estimation of land surface temperature for Coimbatore District using Landsat imagery
Get PDFThe impact of climate change is visually witnessed in the present environment by various natural disasters. This phenomenon of land surface temperature is one of the significant aspects to be estimated for the study of climate change. The increase in Land Surface Temperature (LST) may be due to ongoing developments in the field of urbanization and globalization. The objective of the study was to estimate the increase in the LST in relation to the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and assess the spatial variation in the LST due to land use/land cover change. The study utilized Landsat 8 data to assess the land-use changes and their relation with LST in one of the main urbanized cities, i.e. Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu, using Landsat imagery due to the availability of various land cover types by using the mathematical expressions in ARCMAP software. This study compares the LST between 2015 and 2020 to observe the change in the NDVI and LST over a period of 5 years in the Coimbatore district. There was an increase of 1°C in 5 years and the area of high LST had been increased comparatively. The maximum LST was found to be 73°C in 2015, which increased to 74°C in the year 2020 ;and the minimum LST was found to be 15°C in 2015, which increased to 19°C in the year 2020 depicting the ongoing change in the land use of the district. The study findings will help promulgate sustainable urban land-use policies and can be used for mitigating climate change
Impact of nontariff measures on the exports of the beverage sector in India
Get PDFIn the recent past, agricultural exports, especially plantation crops, which are the backbone of India, have been subjected to many nontariff measures. Since the liberalisation of trade has led to the integration of global commodity markets, developing countries are significantly affected by these trade barriers, which indirectly hurt millions of plantation community. Traditionally, India is well known for its exports of beverages and stringent maximum residual limits, traceability issues, and food safety standards are complex issues surmounting trade in the plantation sector around the world. Hence, the present research study attempts to find the shock of nontariff measures on the prices of both export and domestic beverages and the hammering in returns to the Indian beverage industry by the partial equilibrium method. This model directly measures the simulation effect of nontariff measures by imposing NTM on tea and coffee sector. It is obvious that as the NTM percent increases from 10 percent to 25 percent on tea sector, the loss in export quantity was more from 22.24 million kg to 55.61 million kg and loss of revenue was from Rs. 2997 million to Rs. 7492 million for the corresponding NTMs. Likewise the loss in export quantity (62.85 million kg) and loss in revenue (Rs. 9412 million) were high in 25 per cent of NTM. The present study shows how to allow for market imperfections and trade facilitating effects of nontariff measures in the beverage sector.
In vitro evaluation of antimicrobial and anticancer potential of Artemisia absinthium growing in Kashmir Himalayas
Get PDFHerbal medicines are an important and growing part of International pharmacopeia. Research and testing enhance our understanding of their medical properties, making them a safer alternative or preferable option to allopathic medication. Plant-derived pharmaceuticals are gaining popularity due to the belief that "green medicine" is safer and more trustworthy than expensive synthetic drugs. This study aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial and anticancer potential of the methanolic leaf extract of Artemisia absinthium against human lung cancer A549 cell line by well diffusion method and MTT assay, respectively. The A. absinthium leaf extract showed the highest activity against Enterococcus faecalis (20 ± 0.7 mm), and Escherichia coli (18 ± 0.8 mm), followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (16 ± 0.6 mm), Candida albicans (14 ± 0.9 mm) and Staphylococcus aureus (13 ± 0.8 mm), with MIC values 128, 128, 128, 256 and 256 µg/mL respectively. The methanolic extract of A. absinthium showed significant (p ≤ 0.05) cytotoxicity against the A549 cancer cell line with an IC50 value of 36.8 µg/mL. The present study\u27s findings give strong evidence for using the methanolic leaf extract of A. absinthium as an effective ethnomedicinal agent and a possible candidate for treating various human diseases and a potent bioactive agent in anticancer medications