International Letters of Natural Sciences Vol. 32

Abstract: A major challenge for next decades is development of competitive renewable energy sources, highly needed to compensate fossil fuels reserves and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Among different possibilities, which are currently under investigation, there is the exploitation of unicellular algae for production of biofuels and biodiesel in particular. Microalgae have the ability of accumulating large amount of lipids within their cells which can be exploited as feedstock for the production of biodiesel. The lipid content of different species of microalgae can range from 30%-70% of their dry weight. In this project a microalgae with lipid content of 60.095% was used. This means that 26gms of oil was obtained from 42gms of microalgae sample from which 17.624gm of biodiesel (FAME) was found at the end of transesterification. Algae biofuels avoid some of the previous drawbacks associated with crop-based biofuels as the algae do not compete with food crops. The favorable growing conditions found in many developing countries has led to a great deal of speculation about their potentials for reducing oil imports, stimulating rural economies, and even tackling hunger and poverty. Strong research efforts are however still needed to fulfill this potential and optimize cultivation systems and biomass harvesting.

Abstract: The present investigation has been carried out on Tagetes erecta to search out the effect of sugar mill effluent on growth and yield. In-vivo conditions were set up for the experiment purpose. Pots were filled with soil and treated with different concentrations of sugar mill effluent i.e., 10, 25, 50, 75 and 100% on morphological parameters of test crop. Results of pot culture experiment showed that at 10 % concentrations of sugar mill effluent proved to better to the crops growth and thereafter the growth may reduce over control. In order to mitigate the effluent toxicity certain Biofertilizers inoculants were mixed to the soil along with the same effluent treatments. The study suggests that the Biofertilizers inoculants along with effluent irrigation proved to be better for plants growth.

Abstract: The present study was aimed to assess the antihyperlipidemic, antihypertensive and antioxidant effect of D-carvone, a monoterpene against N^ω-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester hydrochloride (L-NAME) induced hypertension. Hypertension was prompted in adult male albino rats of the Wistar strain by oral administration of the L-NAME (40 mg/kg body weight) in drinking water for 4 weeks. Rats were treated with D-carvone (5, 10 and 20 mg/kg body weight) for four weeks. L-NAME treated rats exhibited significant increase in water intake, heart rate, aortic lipids level such as triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), free fatty acids (FFA) and significant decrease in the level of phospholipids (PL), plasma nitric oxide (NO). The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were decreased in erythrocytes of L-NAME induced hypertensive rats. Treatment with D-carvone restored all the above parameters to near normal level. These results suggest that D-carvone acts as an antihyperlipidemic, antihypertensive and antioxidant agent against L-NAME induced hypertensive rats.

Abstract: One of the major problems of agricultural production has been to improve the sowing qualities of seeds to increase yields of various crops. In this regard, of particular interest is the control technology of vegetable organisms by "address the impact of" signals of the physical nature. Plasma treatment of seeds influences the growth and development of the amaranth. The effectiveness of treatment depends on the exposure time of the exposure. The largest positive treatment effect of the plasma on the growth, development and yield of amaranth has been observed when the exposure 60 seconds, leading to increased yields.

Abstract: The catchment of the River Kokemäenjoki covers ca. 27 100 square kilometers in western Finland, and the the length of the river is ca 120 km. The river discharges into the Bothnian Bay, the northern section of the Baltic Sea. The delta is changing and prograding towards the sea exceptionally rapidly. The pace of the growth of the deltaic formations,a s well as the major zones of the macrophytivc vegetation is nowadays some 30–40 meters a year. This makes the delta the most rapidly changing aquatic and littoral ecosystem in the Northern Europe. The Kokemäenjoki River delta is often characterized as a biological hotspot, and major sections of the estuary are included in several leading international nature conservation programmes, i.e. The Natura 2000 network of the European Union, the intergovernmental The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, as well as in the IBA, Important Bird Area programme established by the BildLife International organization. The diversities of both flora and fauna are very high – at least as regards of the northern location of the estuary. In the Kokemäenjoki River ca. 420 taxa of flowering plants (Spermatophyta) are permanently found (i.e. about a third of the ca. 1 200 flowering plants permanently growing in Finland). Of the pteridophytes (Pteridophyta), there are 17 out of the 57 species of the Finnish taxa growing at the delta. Of the stoneworts (Chrarophyta) the delta is home of 9 species of the 21 taxa found in Finland. The number of bird species breeding in the area is ca. 110, and the total number of bird taxa living and resting during the migration periods amounts to 220 species (i.e. nearly the whole range of the 248 bird species of the permanent Finnish bird taxa). Of the invertebrates, the species composition of dragonflies (Odonata) is best known. There are 25 species of the 55 dragonfly taxa found in Finland. Of the plant species occupying the delta, 5 species of flowering plants and one species of stoneworts are classified as endangered, fulfilling the red list criteria established by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Of the bird species of the estuary, 31 species are included in the Red List of endangered species. The present paper summarizes the data presented in various reports, mainly in Finnish, and majority of them in hardly accessible depositories.

Abstract: Activity pattern and food habits of Grizzled Giant Squirrel were investigated in Srivilliputhur Grizzled Giant Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary from December 2011 to March 2012. Focal animal sampling method was used to record the activity pattern and food habits. Sampling was done in three different habitats viz., Private land, Reserve forest and Temple land. Feeding was the dominant activity accounting for 35.4% of the activity period. Bimodal feeding pattern was observed in Squirrels, the observations were made from early morning hours to till (0600-1800) late evening hours. The Squirrels feed upon 23 plant species; among them 11 were trees species, 10 climbers and 2 shrubs. Seven types of plant parts were used by Squirrels. Leaf consumption was high (38%) followed by fruit (24%). The high consumption of leaves was due to easy availability of leaves and limited availability of other plant parts. Squirrel’s invasion into Private Land and Temple Land was observed which can be attributed to abundance and easy availability of food plants, canopy continuity and less predatory pressure.

Abstract: Antibiotic is one of the important commercially exploited secondary metabolites produced by bacteria and used in a wide range. Most of the antibiotics used today are isolated from the microbes. Bacteria are easy to culture, isolate, maintain and to improve their strain. Isolation of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from soil, yoghurt and cheese was carried out. LAB were cultivated on De Man Rogosa Sharpe (MRS) agar and were characterized based on colony morphology, cell shape and biochemical tests. Out of eight samples analyzed, 96 isolates were identified as LAB. The bacterial isolates were identified as Lactococcus Lactis, Lactobacillus Brevis, Lactobacillus casei, Pediococcus damnosus, Lactobaciilus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus Plantarum, Lactobacillus pentosus, Enterococcus feacalis, Staphylococcus Simulans.Using MRS broth, the isolated LAB were screened for production of bacteriocins. Further, 96 LAB screened for bacteriocin production, 12 LAB were identified as bacteriocin producers. Out of 12 LAB, Enterococcus faecium (CST-1) was identified as potential bacteriocin producer against Bacillus subtlis MTCC-10403 Pseudomonas aureginosa MTCC-4676 microorganisms used while Pediococcus damnosus had the least bacteriocin activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis.

Abstract: The konjikuppam village lies on the state highway linking panruti (5 km south) and Neyveli (10 km north). The sacred grove of konjikuppam is also situated on the main read and is proximate to the village. A large bond of about 3 ha. Size lies behind the temple complex and cannel bringing strong water from the neighboring shallow ferralitic terrain runs into it. An extensive floristic survey of carried out in the sacred groves at monthly intervals between December 2011 and October 2012. Specimen flowering plants were collected and identified taxonomically with the help of different floras. Nine plots were established in three different disturbance areas within the sacred groves and it is divided into three site I. Disturbances, II. Moderately disturbance III. Undisturbance. Present study revealed that a total number of 110 plants belonging to 96 genera and 45 families were recorded from three sites (I. Disturbed, II. Moderately Disturbed, III. Undisturbed) of konjikuppam sacred groves Cuddalore district. The present study revealed that more number of species found in undisturbed site III and least number and density in disturbed site I. a total of 24 plants used in herbal preparations. The local health traditions provide immediate and cheaper remedy or relief to the poor and down trodden inhabiting the villages. The devastation of species diversity in the study area there is an urgent need for regeneration of the species for conservation of species and biodiversity.