Microbial production of polyhydroxy alkanotes (PHA) from Alcaligens spp. and Pseudomonas oleovorans using different carbon sources

Plastics have resistance to biological breakdown that result in its accumulation in the environment. This emphasizes the need to search for biodegradable polymer, which is easily disposable and degradable. Bacteria synthesize and accumulate polyhydroxy alkanote (PHA) as carbon source under limiting conditions of nutrients. The effect of different nutrient conditions on production of PHA by Alcaligens eutrophus, Alcaligens latus and Pseudomonas oleovorans was screened and characterized in this study. The influence of different carbon sources on PHA production showed that, medium with glucose as carbon source produced the maximum PHA content of 4.14 g/l from A. eutrophus. P.oleovorans produced 2.06 g/l from n-octane as carbon source. The functional groups of the extracted PHA granules were identified as C=O group by fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy analysis.Biodegrability studies showed that, the PHA produced is degradable by a number of soil microbes making it an ideal environmentally friendly material for regular human use

Induced maturation of penaeid prawns for hatchery operations

For successful hatchery production of penaeid prawn seed a steady supply of spawners of desired species of prawns is a necessary prerequisite. As the collection of spawners from the sea is a costly and uncertain operation, efforts have been made to induce the captive broodstock to mature under controlled conditions

ഏകവർഗ്ഗ മത്സ്യകൃഷി (Monoculture of finfish) Malayalam

ഏകവർഗ്ഗ മത്സ്യകൃഷ

The Role of Color in Influencing Trust The Role of Color in Influencing Trust in e-Commerce Web Site

MWAIS 2007 Proceedings1

Modeling Virus Transport and Removal during Storage and Recovery in Heterogeneous Aquifers

A quantitative understanding of virus removal during aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) in physically and geochemically heterogeneous aquifers is needed to accurately assess human health risks from viral infections. A two-dimensional axisymmetric numerical model incorporating processes of virus attachment, detachment, and inactivation in aqueous and solid phases was developed to systematically evaluate the virus removal performance of ASR schemes. Physical heterogeneity was considered as either layered or randomly distributed hydraulic conductivities (with selected variance and horizontal correlation length). Geochemical heterogeneity in the aquifer was accounted for using Colloid Filtration Theory to predict the spatial distribution of attachment rate coefficient. Simulation results demonstrate that the combined effects of aquifer physical heterogeneity and spatial variability of attachment rate resulted in higher virus concentrations in the recovered water at the ASR well (i.e. reduced virus removal). While the sticking efficiency of viruses to aquifer sediments was found to significantly influence virus concentration in the recovered water, the solid phase inactivation under realistic field conditions combined with the duration of storage phase had a predominant influence on the overall virus removal. The relative importance of physical heterogeneity increased under physicochemical conditions that reduced virus removal (e.g. lower value of sticking efficiency or solid phase inactivation rate). This study provides valuable insight on site selection of ASR projects and an approach to optimize ASR operational parameters (e.g. storage time) for virus removal and to minimize costs associated with post-recovery treatment

Herbal Remedies for Combating Irradiation: a Green Antiirradiation Approach

Plants play important roles in human life not only as suppliers of oxygen but also as a fundamental resource to sustain the human race on this earthly plane. Plants also play a major role in our nutrition by converting energy from the sun during photosynthesis. In addition, plants have been used extensively in traditional medicine since time immemorial. Information in the biomedical literature has indicated that many natural herbs have been investigated for their efficacy against lethal irradiation. Pharmacological studies by various groups of investigators have shown that natural herbs possess significant radioprotective activity. In view of the immense medicinal importance of natural product based radioprotective agents, this review aims at compiling all currently available information on radioprotective agents from medicinal plants and herbs, especially the evaluation methods and mechanisms of action. In this review we particularly emphasize on ethnomedicinal uses, botany, phytochemistry, mechanisms of action and toxicology. We also describe modern techniques for evaluating herbal samples as radioprotective agents. The usage of herbal remedies for combating lethal irradiation is a green antiirradiation approach for the betterment of human beings without high cost, side effects and toxicity

Benign struma ovarii-a rare monodermal ovarian teratoma-a case report

Struma ovarii is a rare ovarian tumour, first described in 1889 by Boettlin. It is defined by the presence of thyroid tissue comprising of >50% of overall mass. It comprises 1% of all ovarian tumours and 2-5% of all ovarian teratomas. Preoperative diagnosis of struma ovarii is difficult because symptoms, clinical presentation and ultrasound are often similar to that of ovarian carcinoma. Hence most of the patients are diagnosed post operatively. Most cases of strum aovarii are benign and can be treated by excision of the ovary or by unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. In a small number of cases, there are complications, the most important being the development of malignancy or ascites associated with pleural effusion producing a pseudo-Meigs' syndrome. This is a case of struma ovary presented with features of pseudo-Meig’s syndrome. A 68 year old post-menopausal woman presented with acute abdomen and respiratory distress with an ultrasound diagnosis of ovarian torsion, ascites and pleural effusion and found to have atrial thrombus on evaluation. She had undergone staging laparotomy, TAH+ BSO, omental biopsy and peritoneal fluid cytology. Histopathology revealed predominantly benign and mature colloid filled thyroid follicles of varying sizes lined by cuboidal epithelium surrounded by lymphocytic infiltrate and congested blood vessels, which was suggestive of struma ovary.