Evaluation of Antimicrobial Properties of Morus alba Grown on Silkworm Litter

Antibiotics provide the main basis for treating infectious diseases. Hence, there is an increase in the investigations on plants as a source of human disease management. Morus alba belonging to family Moraceae has been reported to possess several medicinal properties. In the present study the antimicrobial properties of mulberry plant grown in different conditions have been analysed. The main aim of the study was to compare the differences in the antimicrobial properties of mulberry grown on different organic manures such as farmyard manure and silkworm litter. The antimicrobial properties of aqueous, ethanolic and methanolic leaf extracts were tested against pathogenic bacteria such as E.coli and Pseudomonas and fungi such as Aspergillus niger and Penicillium notatum . Significant zone of inhibition were obtained for both bacterial pathogens when treated with extracts of mulberry grown on silkworm litter. Whereas with respect to fungi, FYM treated plant leaf extracts showed significant antifungal properties

Evaluation of Matured Larval Weight and Larval Duration of New Breeding Lines of Bombyx mori L

We planned to conduct this study with the main aim to develop bivoltine breeds for our tropical climatic conditions by using silkworm breeds with known genetic backgrounds (KA, NB18 and PM) in various hybrid combinations and incorporating them over generations, followed by backcrossing and adequate selection of different generations with the objective of profitability and productivity. The isolated Bivoltin lines (R1 and R2) were reared with their parental races at different times of the year to evaluate their stability in the expression of commercial traits. For the present breeding program, the purebred Bivoltine Kalimpong-A (KA), which spin white oval cocoons, New Bivoltine18 (NB18) white cocoons with rotating dumbbells and Multivoltine Pure Mysore (PM), the yellow pointed cocoons of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori L., Selected. One-way and three-way crosses were made using the above three breeds. The first single cross comprised KA females and PM males. The second unique cross comprised NB18 females and PM males. Selection was performed at the egg, larva, pupal, and cocoon stages over the course to determine the desired traits. The offspring of F from the respective crosses were backcrossed with their respective bivoltine males to improve commercial traits. Heterosis in the F1 generations of crosses, including NB18 and PM, was determined by the mean score of the parents (MPV) and the best score of the parents (BPV). A significant test for heterosis was performed using a standard ANOVA table. Based on the results of our study, it was found that the performance of the characters, viz. The weight of mature larvae and the duration of the larvae over generations do not simply increase or decrease regularly, but fluctuate irregularly. The reason for this variation may be due to random genetic drift, sampling errors in estimating generational means, selection pressures, and environmental factors. Therefore, inbreeding variations due to random drift and sampling errors could be reduced by increasing the number sampled and selected. View Article DOI: 10.47856/ijaast.2021.v08i10.00

SCREENING OF PHYTO-CHEMICALS, TLC PROFILING, TOTAL FLAVONOID AND PHENOLICS CONTENT, ANTI-OXIDANT ACTIVITY AND ANTI-MICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF FICUS BENGHALENSIS LINN AND FICUS RELIGIOSA LINN LATEX

Objective: Screening for the presence of phyto-chemicals present in the plant extracts by qualitative assay along with Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) investigation followed by determining the total flavonoids and phenolics content, anti-oxidant and anti-microbial effect.Methods: Qualitative phyto-chemical analysis of the active plant extracts, TLC profiling, evaluating the total flavonoids and phenolics content along with in-vitro antioxidant activities like free radical scavenging effect, reducing power and phospho-molybdenum assay by standard protocols and evaluation of anti-microbial effectiveness against five different bacteria and a fungi by agar-well diffusion method. The micro-broth dilution method was used to assess minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC).Results: The solvent fractions of both the plants were examined for qualitative phytochemical analysis had shown the presence proteins, alkaloids, flavonoids, steroids, glycosides, phenolics compounds, tannins, and terpenoids, confirmed by TLC profiling. The antioxidant activity was high in methanol extract (lower Inhibitory Concentration, IC50 values) of both plants which were in accordance with the total phenolics and total flavonoids content showing that they were responsible for antioxidant activity. Microbial strains used in the study were exposed to various concentrations of four solvent plant extracts. The largest zone of inhibition was obtained with ethanol extract against E. coli (19 mm) when compared with standard antibiotic streptomycin (10 µg/ml) for bacteria and nystatin (10 µg/ml) for fungi and Dimethyl Sulfoxide-DMSO (negative control). The MIC and MBC values done in triplicates were in accordance with antimicrobial activity. The antimicrobial effect was in accordance with the presence of flavonoids which is responsible for inhibition of growth of pathogenic micro organisms.Conclusion: The results suggested that the extract can be used as an effective and safe antioxidant source, as ethno-medicine on the commercial basis of drug development for the well being of human kind.Â

Pharmacokinetics of isoniazid and rifampicin in patients with renal failure undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) Running Head : Pharmacokinetic of INH & RMP in renal failure (CAPD)

The pharmacokinetics of isoniazid (INH) and rifampicin (RMP) was determined in 22 renal failure patients, 11 each with low and high membrane permeabilities (LMP and HMP) undergoing Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis (CAPD). Blood samples were collected at different time points following oral administration of INH and RMP. Estimations of INH and RMP in blood were carried out by standard procedures and certain pharmacokinetic variables were calculated based on their concentrations in blood. The INH inactivation status was determined based on salivary levels of INH. The pharmacokinetic variables of INH and RMP did not differ significantly between LMP and HMP groups. The study results suggest that renal failure patients on CAPD may not require reduction in the dosage of RMP or INH in rapid acetylators. Slow acetylators might require dose reduction of INH. Determination of INH inactivation status is important when patients with renal failure and tuberculosis are treated with INH-containing regimens

Herbimycins D-F, Ansamycin Analogues from \u3cem\u3eStreptomyces\u3c/em\u3e sp. RM-7-15

Bacterial strains belonging to the class actinomycetes were isolated from the soil near a thermal vent of the Ruth Mullins coal fire (Appalachian mountains of Eastern Kentucky). High resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HR-ESI-MS) and ultraviolet (UV) absorption profiles of metabolites from one of the isolates (Streptomyces sp. RM-7-15) revealed the presence of a unique set of metabolites ultimately determined to be herbimycins D-F (1–3). In addition, herbimycin A (4), dihydroherbimycin A (TAN 420E) (7), and the structurally distinct antibiotic bicycylomycin were isolated from the crude extract of Streptomyces sp. RM-7-15. Herbimycins A, D-F (1–3) displayed comparable binding affinities to the Hsp90α. While the new analogues were found to be inactive in cancer cell cytotoxicity and antimicrobial assays, they may offer new insights in the context of non-toxic ansamycin-based Hsp90 inhibitors for the treatment of neurodegenerative disease

ASELL : the advancing science by enhancing learning in the laboratory project

Most science educators and researchers will agree that the laboratory experience ranks as a major factor that influences students’ attitudes to their science courses. Consequently, good laboratory programs should play a major role in influencing student learning and performance. The laboratory program can be pivotal in defining a student\u27s experience in the sciences, and if done poorly, can be a major contributing factor in causing disengagement from the subject area. The challenge remains to provide students with laboratory activities that are relevant, engaging and offer effective learning opportunities

The Native Production of the Sesquiterpene Isopterocarpolone by \u3cem\u3eStreptomyces\u3c/em\u3e sp. RM-14-6

We report the production, isolation and structure elucidation of the sesquiterpene isopterocarpolone from an Appalachian isolate Streptomyces species RM-14-6. While isopterocarpolone was previously put forth as a putative plant metabolite, this study highlights the first native bacterial production of isopterocarpolone and the first full characterisation of isopterocarpolone using 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy and HR-ESI mass spectrometry. Considering the biosynthesis of closely related metabolites (geosmin or 5-epiaristolochene), the structure of isopterocarpolone also suggests the potential participation of one or more unique enzymatic transformations. In this context, this work also sets the stage for the elucidation of potentially novel bacterial biosynthetic machinery

Awareness and knowledge of diabetes in Chennai--the Chennai Urban Rural Epidemiology Study [CURES-9]

BACKGROUND AND AIM: There are virtually no epidemiological studies from India assessing the level of awareness of diabetes in a whole population. The aim of the present study was to assess the awareness of diabetes in an urban south Indian population in Chennai. METHODS: The Chennai Urban Rural Epidemiology Study (CURES) is an ongoing population based study conducted using a systematic sampling method on a representative population (aged > or = 20 years - 26001 individuals) of Chennai [formerly Madras], the largest city in Southern India. A structured questionnaire was used to obtain information related to demography, education and medical history. The questionnaire included five questions on diabetes awareness. RESULTS: Of the total 26,001 individuals, only 75.5% (19642/26001) of the whole population reported that they knew about a condition called diabetes or conversely nearly 25% of the Chennai population was unaware of a condition called diabetes. 60.2% (15656/26001) of all participants and 76.7% (1173/1529) of the self reported diabetic subjects knew that the prevalence of diabetes was increasing in India. Only 22.2% (5764/ 26001) of the whole population and 41.0% (627/1529) of the known diabetic subjects were aware that diabetes could be prevented. Knowledge of the role of obesity and physical inactivity in producing diabetes was very low, with only 11.9% (3083/26001) of study subjects reporting these as risk factors for diabetes. Only 19.0% (4951/26001) of whole population knew that diabetes could cause complications. Even among the self reported diabetic subjects, only 40.6% (621/1529) were aware that diabetes could produce some complications. CONCLUSION: Awareness and knowledge regarding diabetes is still grossly inadequate in India. Massive diabetes education programmes are urgently needed both in urban and rural India