Bio Technology

Plant extracts of various parts viz., seeds, leaves, bark, roots and seeds have been used for water puri?cation for many centuries. According to UNICEF about 15 % population of the world is facing safe drinking water problem and 5 million people died once a year (WHO, 2006). Different plant parts of Strychnos potatorum, Tamerindous indica, Cyamopsis psoraloides, Hibisicus sabdariffa, Trigonella foenum, and Lens esculenta have been conducted using raw water with turbidity that ranged from 50 to 7500 NTU (Nephelometric Turbidity Units). The activity of Lantana leaves were tested by two experiments. In experiment 1 colony count and turbidity methods was followed whereas in experiment 2 only colony count method was followed. The increasing concentration from 1-10 reduced the bacterial growth and turbidity also decreased with increase the concentration.

The objective of this work was to investigate the possible formation of the heterocycyclic N-nitrosomorpholine upon administration of nitrite and morpholine and also the significance of high fat diet on the metabolism of the nitrosamine, using spectrophotometric, cell fractionation, centrifugation, thin layer chromatographic, ultraviolet irradiation and in vitro and in vivo methods. The possible endogenous formation of NMOR was detected in urine collected 24hours after a combined oral administration of 20mg nitrite and 40mg of morpholine/kg through the process of thin layer chromatography. The retention factor (Rf) 0.664 and the purple chromatogram observed in the test urine using a detector NEDSA spray correlated with that of the standard thereby indicating the in vivo formation of nitrosamine. Also an in vitro study confirmed the formation of nitrosomorpholine at pH 7.4 in an appropriate phosphate buffer. The increase nitrite level after incubation of the liver microsomal fraction for 30minutes, arising from exposure to ultra violet light irradiation, confirmed the formation of nitrosomorpholine. The histopathology result of rat liver treated with concurrent administration of morpholine and NaNO2 revealed heavy hemorrhage, inflammatory cells, fat deposition and general cytolysis which confirm the toxicity of nitrosomorpholine on the liver. It is concluded that the combined administration of nitrite and morpholine produced a nitrosamine whose metabolism to toxic species in the liver tissue is attributed to the biochemical and histopathologic lesions enhanced by a high fat diet.

Lignin is a major component of wood, which is recalcitrant in nature and is not easily degraded. Its recycling is essential for the carbon cycle. Waste products from paper, pulp and wood industries impair with soil and water bodies leading to accumulation of lignin. In this review various effective physical, chemical, physico- chemical, thermo- chemicals and electrical method are discussed for lignin removal along with biological deterioration of lignin with the help of organisms (insects, fungus and bacteria). Use of microbes and insect for lignin deterioration is termed as lignin biodegradation. Lignin degradation with the help of fungi is well studied but much less studied in bacteria and insects. The present review deals with the biodegradation of lignin with the help of microbes.

The quality management in the health sector is a key issue ; he advocates a participatory approach. The latter is based on e highlighting of art features and complexity of health facilities and their management. A Benchmarking study has been conducted with the objective of highlighting quality measurement instruments for the evaluation of professional practices, as well as the value of certification and the cost of non-quality. 

Technical efficiency is a prerequisite for allocative or economic efficiency. Economic efficiency is achieved if the highest possible level of satisfaction is obtained from given resources. The level of technical efficiency of a particular firm is characterised by the relationship between observed production and some ideal or potential production. The moringa plant (Moringa oleifera) is known worldwide for its nutritional and medicinal benefits and industrial uses. Almost every part of the moringa plant has nutritional value. Specifically, the study estimated the profitability of moringa production in the study area, the productivity of the factors involved in moringa production as well as the technical efficiency (TE) of moringa production in the state. The area covered by this study is Isokan Local Government Area of Osun state from which six villages were randomly selected. The town and villages are Olugbin, Aiyepe, Faaru, Alapomu, Sunkade, Maun Kongo. The descriptive analysis and stochastic frontier analysis were used. Farmers can increase their efficiency level if they can source their inputs and information needed in farming directly from Osun State Agricultural Development project and if an entrepreneurial class of people are also well motivated and trained to employ an appropriate inputs use combination pattern in order to achieve the highest possible level of production from given resources which will lead to high level of efficiency.

In this study, Piper longum (long pepper), Piper nigram (black pepper) and Zingiber officinale (dried zinger) were incorporated with artificial feeds formulated to understand their effects on survival, growth, activities of digestive enzymes and biochemical constituents in Macrobrachium rosenbergii post larvae (PL). These herbs were independently incorporated with basal ingredients at a concentration of 5% each, and fed to M. rosenbergii PL (1.56±0.08 cm; 0.074± 0.02 g) for a period of 60 days under laboratory condition with triplicates. A significant improvement (P<0.05) in survival and growth performance (weight gain, specific growth rate, food conversion ratio), elevation in activities of digestive enzymes (protease, amylase and lipase), increased concentrations of total protein, non-enzymatic antioxidants (vitamins C and E), and mineral salts (sodium and potassium) were recorded in P. longum incorporated feed fed PL followed by P. nigram and Z. officinale when compared with control. Polypeptide bands of molecular weight between 116-14 kDa were resolved in the muscle of PL fed with control as well as herbs incorporated feeds. Generally, there were eleven Coomassie blue stained protein bands (116, 58, 51, 45, 38, 33, 25, 18, 17, 16 and 14kDa) were calculated in herbal incorporated test samples. The general comparison between control and experimental groups revealed that there was more number of bands resolved in herbals incorporated feeds fed PL. Therefore, it is suggested that these medicinal herbs have their own influence in protein synthesis. In this study, the overall results indicated the fact that these herbs have acted as appetizers and hence, enhanced the secretion of digestive enzymes, which facilitated efficient digestion, absorption of nutrients and favoured for general health, which in turn ultimately produced better survival and growth of M. rosenbergii PL. Therefore, these herbs can be taken as feed additives in sustainable development of freshwater prawn culture.

This research was conducted to evaluation of plant remains effects and different doses of nitrogen on the yield and some yield components of sesame. Design of this experiment was Split plot in a randomized complete block with three replications. The main plot included plant remains of wheat and subplot included four levels of nitrogen (0, 30, 60, 90 kg per ha).According to the results, plant remains improved seed yield of sesame and 256 g/m2 was obtained by plant remains treatment. Some features of sesame increased with increasing levels of nitrogen so that the 90 kg per hectare of fertilizer showed highest yield (339 g/m2) of sesame. Thus the applications of 90 kg nitrogen and plant remains (malch) are recommended to achieve maximum yield of sesame in Mohr region.

Lead is poisonous heavy metal which is widely used is industries because of its properties. Lead poisoning is one of the rising problems caused by industrialization. Lead can cause neurological disease, gastrointestinal diseases, and infertility in men and even death in high exposure. Lead and lead compounds are widely used in inks paints and other surface coating agents as colouring agents and adhesive agents. In India use of lead and lead compounds in ink, paint and other surface coating agents are regulated by Bureau of Indian Standards. Permissible level of lead in ink is 1000 ppm (0.1%) according to BIS and 600ppm (0.06%) according to US regulations. In this study widely used offset printing inks of 6 manufactures are collected and analysed for lead content (4 colours of each company, CMYK). It was found that international companies have much lower amount of lead compare to Indian manufacturers. Indian companies have very high level of lead in it and they did not meet the specification given by BIS. As extension of study BLL of printing press workers were examined, it was found that workers who handle these Indian company inks have very high level of lead compare to workers who handle international company inks.

The quantification of primary metabolites and antimicrobial activities of medicinal plant Butea monosperma (Lam.) kuntze against clinical isolates was evaluated. The present study was aimed to determine the antibacterial and antifungal activities of the chloroform and ethanolic extract of leaf, flower, root and seed of the Butea monosperma (Lam.) kuntze. Antimicrobial activity was determined by using agar well diffusion method. Ethanolic extracts of leaves and flowers possessed highest antibacterial activity against E.coli and highest antifungal activity against Trichoderma ressi and Fusarium oxysporum. Chloroform extracts of seeds have the highest antibacterial activity against Bacillus subtilis and highest antifungal activity was observed in chloroform extracts against Fusarium oxysporum . The present results showed potential of this medicinal plant which can be used as herbal drug as therapeutic ventures in future aspects.

Application of biological mechanisms or employment of microorganisms is in practise for many years in the treatment of sewage. In the present study selected microorganisms (Pseudomonas sp., Klebsiella sp., E.coli, Lactobacillus sp., and Candida sp., were employed to treat the sewage of a local hospital. This sewage is found to contain considerable quantity of alcohol and phenol. The efficiency of the above cultures either separately or in different combinations was studied. The original levels of BOD (285 mg O2/l) and COD (680 mg O2/l) of the sewage were reduced to 16.4 O2/l and 260 O2/l respectively in 72 h when sterile sewage was incorporated with Pseudomonas sp. at a level of 26 X 10 5 CFU/ml. The corresponding BOD and COD in the control was 79 mg O2/l and 655 mg O2/l. The Candida sp., at an incorporation level of 35 X 105 CFU/ml reduced the BOD and COD of the sewage to 18.3 mg O2/l and 240 mg O2/l respectively. E.coli, Lactobacillus sp., Klebsiella sp., at an incorporation level of 28 X 10 5, 27 X 10 5 CFU/ml reduced BOD to 23.6, 19.9, 26.5 mg O2/l respectively. From the original value of 160 mg/l, nitrate reduced to 8.9, 46.8, 4.3, 49.2 and 6.8 mg/l respectively when Pseudomonas sp., Klebsiella sp., E.coli, Lactobacillus sp., and Candida sp., were incorporated separately in the sewage. The value in control was 135 mg/l mg/l at 72 /h of incubation. The phosphate was reduced to 4.7, 3.9, 2.8, 5.3 and 2.9 mg/l respectively. The value in the control was 10.8 mg/l. The above said cultures (Pseudomonas sp., Klebsiella sp., E.coli, Lactobacillus sp., and Candida sp.,) were mixed at a ratio of 26:23:28:27:35 and incorporated in the sewage at a mixed population of 120 X 10 5 CFU/ml which reduced the BOD to 14.2 mg O2/l and COD to 138 mg O2/l in 48 h of incorporation. Thus it was found that the efficiency of mixed cultures found to be higher than the individual cultures.