Rhizosphere engineering: innovative improvement of root enviroment

Many studies show that the ability of roots to extract water and nutrients from soil depends on biophysical properties of the rhizosphere, which is strongly influenced by mucilage secretion. Here, we introduced that concept of rhizoligand as an additive that alters the biophysical properties of the rhizosphere. A rhizologand is defined as an additive that increases the wettability of the rhizosphere and that links the mucilage network maintaining it close to the root surface. Our hypothesis was that rhizoligands: i) facilitate the rewetting of the rhizosphere during repeated drying and wetting cycles; ii) enhance the formation of rhizosheath; and iii) increase biological activity in the rhizosphere. To this end, we tested whether a commercial surfactant act as rhizoligand. We present experimental evidence that upon treatment with rhizoligand the rhizosphere remained wet and mechanically better connected to the root surface (rhizosheath formation) and that the enzyme activity in the rhizosphere was higher. These modifications of the rhizosphere have the potential to increase water and nutrient availability to plants exposed to severe drying and improve plant tolerance to abiotic stresses

Ganoderma lucidum: A promising anti-inflammatory medicinal plant

Inflammation is a complex process and part of the host immune defense against invading micro-organism or trauma. Over production of some pro-inflammatory mediators can lead to chronic diseases of the inflammatory origin. Medicinal Plants which are used as anti-inflammatory agents, mainly act affecting various stages of the process of inflammation. In general they can inhibit formation of a wide of mediators such as cytokines by immune cells to prevent the inflammatory reaction cascade from starting. The use of most of the medicinal plants in treatment of chronic disease of the inflammatory origin is based on clinical and pharmacological trials. Meanwhile, the use of most of them is based on their longstanding traditional use in folk medicine. In this review, we report some of anti-inflammatory effects of G. lucidum as an ancient Chinese herbal medicine

Infrared spectra of C2H4 dimer and trimer

Spectra of ethylene dimers and trimers are studied in the nu11 and (for the dimer) nu9 fundamental band regions of C2H4 (~2990 and 3100 cm-1) using a tunable optical parametric oscillator source to probe a pulsed supersonic slit jet expansion. The deuterated trimer has been observed previously, but this represents the first rotationally resolved spectrum of (C2H4)3. The results support the previously determined cross-shaped (D2d) dimer and barrel-shaped (C3h or C3) trimer structures. However, the dimer spectrum in the nu9 fundamental region of C2H4 is apparently very perturbed and a previous rotational analysis is not well verified.Comment: 21 pages, 4 figure

Optimasi Kondisi Kristalisasi Pada Pembuatan Fraksi Kaya Tokotrienol Dari Distilat Asam Lemak Minyak Sawit

Distilat asam lemak minyak sawit (DALMS) merupakan hasil samping pemurnian minyak sawit secar fisik pada tahapan deodorisasi. Distilat asam lemak minyak sawit merupakan sumber vitamin E yang sangat baik karena terdiri dari 70 % tokotrienol dan 30 % tokoferol. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengoptimasi proses kristalisasi pelarut suhu untuk memperoleh fraksi kaya tokotrienol dari DALMS menggunakan metode permukaan respon. Faktor-faktor yang diujikan adalah nisbah fraksi tidak tersabunkan : pelarut (X1), suhu kristalisasi (X2), dan waktu kristalisasi (X3). Variabel respon (Y) tokotrienol total dalam fraksi kaya tokotrienol DALMS. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa DALMS mengandung 0,45 g/100 g atau 4500 ppm. Vitamin E terdiri dari α tokoferol 33,48 %, α tokotrienol 17,57 %, δ tokotrienol 29,06 %, dan γ tokotrienol 19,89 %. Dibandingkan dengan DALMS, fraksi tidak tersabunkan mengandunglebih rendah asam lemak bebas 95,75 % pada DALMS 7,99 % pada fraksi tidak tersabunkan. Rendemen fraksi tidak tersabunkan dari proses saponifikasi DALMS sebesar 3,75 %. Hubungan nisbah fraksi tidak tersabunkan : pelarut (X1), suhu kristalisasi (X2), dan waktu kristlisasi (X3) terhadap fraksi kaya tokotrienol (Y) mengikuti persamaan kuadratikY = 20,24746 X1 – 0,28627 X2 + 0,77099 X3 + 0,005575 X1X2 + 0,00545833 X1X3 – 0,00213333 X2 X3 -1,72362 X1 – 0,015438 X2 – 0,018297 X3 - 47,44392. Kondisi kristalisasi optimum dipperoleh pada nisbah fraksi tidak tersabunkan 5,89 : 1, suhu kristalisasi -9,7 oC, dan waktu kristalisasi 22,52 jam. Verifikasi pada kondisi optimum menunjukkan total tokotrienol pada fraksi tidak tersabunkan sebesar 21,813 g/100 g, aktivitas antioksidan 94,07 %, bilangan peroksida 0,86 mek/kg, dan asam lemak bebas 0,0913 %. Komposisi fraksi kaya tokotrienol adalah δ tokotrienol 45,84 %, γ tokotrienol 31,55 %, dan α tokotrienol 22,62 %. ABSTRAK Distilatasamlemakminyaksawit(DALMS)merupakanhasilsampingpemurnianminyaksawitsecarfisik pada tahapan deodorisasi. Distilat asam lemak minyak sawit merupakan sumber vitamin E yang sangat baik karena terdiri dari70%tokotrienoldan30%tokoferol.Penelitianinibertujuanuntukmengoptimasiproseskristalisasipelarut suhuuntukmemperolehfraksikayatokotrienoldariDALMSmenggunakanmetodepermukaanrespon.Faktor-faktor yangdiujikanadalahnisbahfraksitidaktersabunkan:pelarut(X),suhukristalisasi(X),danwaktukristalisasi(X). 3123Variabelrespon(Y)tokotrienoltotaldalamfraksikayatokotrienolDALMS.Hasilpenelitianmenunjukkanbahwa 1DALMSmengandung0,45g/100gatau4500ppm.VitaminEterdiridariαtokoferol33,48%,αtokotrienol17,57%,δ tokotrienol29,06%,danγtokotrienol19,89%.DibandingkandenganDALMS,fraksitidaktersabunkanmengandung lebih rendah asam lemak bebas 95,75 % pada DALMS 7,99 % pada fraksi tidak tersabunkan. Rendemen fraksi tidak tersabunkandariprosessaponifikasiDALMSsebesar3,75%.Hubungannisbahfraksitidaktersabunkan:pelarut(X), suhukristalisasi(X),danwaktukristlisasi(X)terhadapfraksikayatokotrienol(Y)mengikutipersamaankuadratik 1Y= 20,24746 X 2 23– 0,28627 X + 0,77099 X 3 11123+ 0,005575 XX + 0,00545833 XX – 0,00213333 XX -1,72362 X2– 0,015438X2 –0,018297X2-47,44392.Kondisikristalisasioptimumdipperolehpadanisbahfraksitidaktersabunkan235,89:1,suhukristalisasi-9,7oC,danwaktukristalisasi22,52jam.Verifikasipadakondisioptimummenunjukkantotaltokotrienolpadafraksitidaktersabunkansebesar21,813g/100g,aktivitasantioksidan94,07%,bilanganperoksida0,86 mek/kg, dan asam lemak bebas 0,0913 %. Komposisi fraksi kaya tokotrienol adalah δ tokotrienol 45,84 %, γ tokotrienol 31,55 %, dan α tokotrienol 22,62 %. Kata kunci: Distilat asam lemak minyak sawit, saponifikasi,fraksi tidak tersabunkan, tokotrienol, kristalisasi ABSTRACT 1Palmfattyaciddistilate(PFAD)isthebyproductofpalmoilprocessingthatproducedbydeodorization.PFADisone ofvitaminEsources.TheexcellenceofPFADasthesourceofvitaminEisthatthemostofvitamnEinthePFAD istocotrienol(70%)andtheremainingwastocopherol(30%). Todate,therearelimitedsourcesoftocotrienol, thereforeitisveryimportanttoexplorePFADasthesourceoftocotrienol.Thisresearchwasobjectedtooptimize low temperature solvent crystallization to obtain the highest tocotrienol content of PFAD fraction by using Response SurfaceMethodology.Thetestedfactorsweretheratioofsolventtounsaponifiablefraction(X ),crystallization temperature(X),andtime(X).Theoptimizedresponsewasthetotalcontentoftocotrienolintocotrienolenriched23fractionofPFAD.TheresultsshowedthatPFADcontainedvitaminEcontentof0.45g/100gor4500ppm.Itwas 1higherthan</d

Morphometric and meristic characteristics of Vimba vimba persa in Sefidrud River

During years 1999-2001, a series of sampling was carried out in Sefidrud River to study morphometric and meristic characteristics of Caspian Vimba. 149 specimens were collected and then necessary measurements were considered and following results were obtained: T.L= 171.2±31.6mm, W= 62.9±19.7g, age= 3.49±0.9 year, average number of scales on lateral line = 50.83±1.8, branched ray of dorsal and anal fins = 7.96±0.2 and 17.58±1.0 respectively. The mean morphometric measurements with respect to body standard length (%) were: head length 24.47±1.9, eye diameter 6.10±1.07, body maximum depth 26.17±1.4, dorsal fin height and length 20.22±1.5 and 10.96±0.8, anal fin height and length 12.66±0.8 and 18.17±1.5, pectoral fin length 18.17±1.2, ventral fin length 14.97±1.1, pecto-ventral fins distance 24.18±l.7 and ventral-anal distance 20.00±1.5 and pre-dorsal distance 52.21±1.7. Adults and juveniles showed difference in 2 meristic and 15 morphometric parameters. On the other hand, the adult males and females showed difference in 16 morphometric parameters (esp. body depth, lengths of dorsal, pectoral, pelvic and anal fins). Also, adult males have a series of fine epithelial tubercles on head and body and their color is darker with more reddish anal and ventral fins

Kajian Komunitas Mangrove Akibat Perubahan Fungsi Lahan dan Pencemaran Minyak di Desa Tambak Lekok Kabupaten Pasuruan

Penelitian bertujuan untuk mengungkap jenis-jenis tanaman Mangrove dan luas lahan yang berubah fungsi serta tingkat pencemaran (BTEX dan Logam berat) pada lingkungan tumbuh. Hasil penelitian terhadap identifikasi jenis tanaman Mangrove (Komponen utama, komponen tambahan dan assosiasi Mangrove) didapat 11 famili dengan 25 species. Parameter BTEX dari sampel tanah menunjukkan terjadi pencemaran berat Benzene pada Plot A (16,30 ppm), Plot B (81,30 ppm), Plot C (56,90 ppm), Plot D (36,90 ppm) sedangkan Plot E tidak terdeteksi. Toluen tercemar berat pada Plot B (824 ppm) dan Plot D (896 ppm). Parameter BTEX dari sampel air menunjukkan terjadi pencemaran berat Benzene pada Plot A (24,30 ppm), Plot B (8,13 ppm), Plot C (20,30 ppm), Plot D (8,13 ppm), Plot E (8,13 ppm) dan Toluen tercemar ringan. Ethylbenzene dan Xylene tidak terdeteksi oleh Kromatografi Gas. Media tanah tercemar berat terutama logam Pb pada Plot C (5,98 mg/kg), Plot D (7,24 mg/kg) dan Plot E (6,43 mg/kg), sedangkan Plot A dan Plot B hanya tercemar ringan. Logam Cu tercemar berat pada semua Plot, kecuali pada Plot A (6,22 mg/kg), sedangkan logam Zn, Cr tidak tercemar serta logam Cd dan Ag tidak terdeteksi. Media air menunjukkan tidak terjadi pencemaran logam Pb, Cd, Cr dan Zn, selanjutnya logam Ag dan Cu tidak terdeteksi