Microbial Production of Amylase from Cassava Waste

Bacterium mura was isolated from cassava waste, (Tamil Nadu, India) for the production of extracellular amylase. On screening for amylase producing bacteria, 5 isolates showed positive results, of which Bacterium mura showed best amylase activity. The optimal conditions for the amylase activity were found at pH 6.0 (39 U/ml) and at temperature 37°C. Amylase activity was found to be higher when lactose (31 U/ml), casein, barley (42 U/ml) and SDS (32 U/ml) were used as the carbon source, nitrogen source, agro waste source and as additives respectively. The enzyme was partially purified by dialysis and the molecular mass was found to be 65kDa by SDS-PAGE. The partially purified and crude amylase was confirmed by zymogram. The partially purified amylase was used in bread making, which improved the softening of the bread and was used as a de-sizing agent

Effect of Bio-Availability of Magnetized Water on Different Biological Systems

Water is the most important part of life. It is one of the things that make our planet suitable for existence of life. Water exhibits special properties that make it unique from other substances. The property of water changes when treated with magnet. The aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of magnetically treated water on Vigna radiata germination, pH and osmosis. The results obtained with respect to magnetically treated water were compared with the results of Aquaguard RO and Bore well water. The results revealed that, the magnetically treated water had positive impact on seed germination. With reference to the ratio calculation, it was evident that the number of seeds germinated from treated water was more than the number of seeds germinated from RO and tap water. Similarly, the osmotic ratio was found to be higher when compared with the non-treated water. It was also noted that the weight of the seed increased from 2.04 gm to 4.26 gm in the case of magnet treated water. However, the pH value of the treated water did not show significant increase. On the basis of obtained results, further research was carried out by changing the pole of the magnet. The water was made to pass through North Pole and South Pole

Evaluation of In vitro Anticancer Activity (Ovarian Cancer Cells-pa1) and Zebrafish Embryo Toxicity of Parmelia perlata Ethanolic Extract

The Phytochemical composition and bioactivity of an ethanolic extract of Parmelia perlata were analyzed in this study using established procedures. The extract revealed a rich array of phytochemicals, showcasing its diverse composition, and notably exhibited strong antioxidant activity according to the 1, 1-diphenyl-2- picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) test. Furthermore, the research explored the extract’s potential in preventing Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) denaturation, comparing it with the well-known medication Diclofenac. The concentration-dependent inhibition of BSA denaturation by P. perlata ethanolic extract was comparable to the effects observed with diclofenac on BSA. The ethanolic extract demonstrated concentration-dependent antibacterial activity against gram-negative and gram-positive bacterial isolates. While gentamicin served as a positive control with larger zones of inhibition, P. perlata extract displayed significant antibacterial efficacy against all six tested organisms. Moreover, in vitro testing against human ovarian (PA-1) cell lines demonstrated the extract’s anticancer potential. A concentration-dependent reduction in cell viability, culminating in the lowest percentage at 1000 µg/ml, was observed. The IC50 value of 31.2 µg/mL showed that the P. perlata extract strongly inhibited the PA-1 cell line. This was confirmed by the observed changes in the cellular morphology when exposed to higher concentrations of the extract. Further, the ethanolic extract of P. perlata was subjected to various concentrations to evaluate its embryotoxicity on zebrafish embryos. The concentration of extract was determined to have a safety limit of less than 50 µg/L. In summary, P. perlata ethanolic extract has emerged as a promising natural resource, exhibiting a spectrum of bioactivities, including potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, anticancer properties, and embryonic toxicology study. These findings suggest that its potential utility in pharmaceutical applications is warranted, and further exploration and development are being suggested

A Taxonomic Checklist of Insect Biodiversity in Loyola College Campus, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

Biodiversity, which refers to the entire array of life forms, genes, and ecosystems, was born as a result of the outcome of billions and billions of years of evolutionary development. In contrast to that, increasing the number of people and economy will impact biodiversity in the global level as it will not only destroy the ecosystems but also make them vulnerable to disruption. Preservation of biodiversity is undoubtedly one of the fundamental aspects that is necessary to keep species and genetic variations along with ecosystems. There is a large variety of insect species (more than half of all known life) and they are crucial for ecosystem functioning via pollination, nutrient recycling, and food web maintenance; However, they also act as vectors of diseases and pests. This research is focused on the insect diversity in Loyola College located in Chennai which was done through the Area Search Survey Method. Using a smartphone camera, the insects were imaged and then identified via iNaturalist. The reported data confirm the occurrence of various beetle classes, among which Lepidoptera is noted as the top order. The discussion delves into the ecological significance as well as economic influence of different insect groups which include services that they provide by way of pollination, pest control and so on. Awareness of insect biodiversity is important because of its role in ecosystem balance, agricultural stability, and human wellness

A Review on Plant Mediated Silver Nanoparticle Synthesis and its Antibacterial Applications

Nanotechnology is a developing field with numerous approaches for its synthesis, one of which is, the green synthesis of nanoparticles is gaining popularity due to its advantageous properties and unique applications in a wide range of fields. This environmentally friendly process of using plants has proven to be effective and quick in the synthesis of silver nanoparticles. In this study, current advances in the field of environmentally friendly synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) utilizing a variety of plant extracts are summarized and discussed, along with the potential antibacterial uses of these materials. We discuss the impact of optimizing various parameters such as pH, temperature, time, and concentration on the synthesis process. Also covered is the mechanism of actively synthesized silver nanoparticles on infectious pathogens, with a focus on the recently used different plants for the synthesis of highly efficient antimicrobial green AgNPs

Sunlight-driven photocatalytic and anticancer properties of biogenic synthesized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) employing Polygala elongata

The current study uses an economical and eco friendly method to produce gold (Au) nanoparticles (NPs) using Polygala elongata leaf (PEL) extract as a reducing and stabilizing agent. The synthesized materials were characterized using a range of methods, including as BET analysis, TEM-SAED, FT-IR, UV–Vis, and XRD. Biogenic AuNPs' spherical form was shown by SEM and TEM investigations, which also showed that the particles' size range was 10–20 nm, their distribution was homogeneous, and there observed minimal aggregation. The production of biogenic AuNPs was confirmed by the observation of a surface plasmon resonance peak in the absorption spectra, which was detected at 540 nm. Additionally, studies were conducted on the catalytic, cytotoxic, antioxidant, and anticancer characteristics of biogenic AuNPs. The biogenic AuNPs exhibited adaptable applications as a heterogeneous catalyst, achieving percentage degradations of 73 % and 88 % under UV light irradiation, particularly in catalyzing the reduction of Methylene Blue (MeB). Furthermore, the antioxidant properties were evaluated using DPPH free radical scavenging assay in regarding rutin, a widely used antioxidant. With a cytotoxicity value of 500 µg/ml, the produced AuNPs had a strong dose-dependent inhibitory effect on the development of the lung cancer cell line (A549). Therefore, biogenic AuNPs hold potential applications across various research domains, spanning biological and industrial sectors, as well as in the removal of harmful contaminants in water purification