International Letters of Natural Sciences Vol. 49

Abstract: Evaluation of biopotentials in the region of the amygdala of rats in the combined influence of alcohol and drugs, causing an imbalance of nitric oxide is described in this paper. Chronic alcoholism leads to structural morphological changes in the liver. A study of the amplitude of electrical activity showed that the electrical potential in the amygdala after 8 weeks chronic alcoholism was lower compared with normal rats. The frequency spectrum analysis showed decreased in the 2 times or more absolute spectral powers of all components. The relative spectral powers of its components: δ: θ: α: β was as a 2: 2: 2: 4. The use of sodium nitroprusside (donator of NO) together with the chronic consumption of ethanol reduces the effect of ethanol on low and high-frequence portion the performance of the bioelectrical activities spectrum in the amygdala. The use of non-selective blocker of NO-synthase – nitroarginine aggravated by the braking action of alcohol. The important role of nitric oxide in the development of adaptive-compensatory reactions of the damaged body is described. Our results may be useful to assess the contribution of NO in operation amygdala, conditions of chronic pathologies, and treatment of neuropsychiatric conditions, including diseases caused by alcohol abuse.

Abstract: Still very much terra incognita, grain shape has the potential to evaluate sedimentary transport, provenance, and depositional environments. There are several standard measures of grain shape. The results revealed that, the soil is non-uniformly graded with tortuous pore geometry due to overlaying layers, even though the grain size varied from granular grained size to medium grained. Therefore the soil under study is not easily moved by transporting medium. Also, there is significant effect of redox potential (ORP) on the electron availability of nitrate and the tested heavy metals (Cd, Ni, Pb, and Cu) were below detection limit of analytical equipment. The least reduced conditions occurred in stations; 2 (control), 3, 6, 15, 18 and 19 with minimum values of 99 to 110 mv. The absence of significant fungi populations in the soil indicates that the soils have no potential to biodegrade hydrocarbons when they are released into the environment.

Abstract: The changes in some blood biochemical parameters were studied in the freshwater fish N. notopterus under saline exposure for a longer period of 30 days. The blood biochemical parameters are glucose, protein, triglycerides and cholesterol. All these parameters exhibited increased level except of blood glucose which remained unchanged as observed after the termination of saline exposure. Thus it indicates that although fish survives and able to tolerate extreme saline condition as there was no mortality during the exposure period. The increase of blood biochemical parameters can be considered as a kind of saline stress response particularly on lipid derivatives.

Abstract: The milk along with xanthan at levels 0, 1.9, 3.9, 5.9, 7.9, 9.9 and 0.1 and 0.2 % (No 1 (control) to 11 respectively) as egg replacement were used for preparation of mayonnaise. Creaming index, heat stability, physical stability and rheological properties of samples over a were investigated. Also flow behavior of samples were fitted to Power law, Herschel-Bulkley and Casson models. It was found that addition milk along with xanthan to mayonnaise protected from phase separation in comparison to control sample. All the samples had stability higher than 99% except samples 1, 4, 5 and 6. The highest stability was recorded for sample No 11 (99.98%) and the lowest for 5 (74.95%) that compared with control sample had significant differences (p> 0.05). All the samples except No 1 and 5 showed heat stability higher than 99 % and the highest stability recorded for No 11 ( 99.72%) and the lowest for No 5 (67.42 %) and in comparison with control were significantly different (p> 0.05). Apparent viscosity decreased with increase the egg replacement from 40% to 80%, as the highest and lowest viscosity observed in samples contain 100% and 80% replacement respectively. All samples showed shear-thinning behavior and the high coefficients of determination for Power law and Herschel-Bulkley models (0.99) revealed the adequacy of these rheological models to describe flow behavior of mayonnaise.

Abstract: The study is based on the avian community observed in the region. In total, 524 individuals, 27 genera and 35 species of birds belonging to 21 families have been recorded. Among them, the family Charadriidae with 15.08% incidence is the most frequent; immediately followed by the family Scolopacidae (11.26% of occurence). The highest observed species richness has been observed in case of the family Ardeidae. Little Ringed Plover (Charadrius dubius) is the most abundant avian species observed. The community consists of 40% Resident; 40% Resident-migrant and 20% Migrant bird species. It was observed that the concerned community shows a considerable diversity and a corresponding low value of dominance. In the feeding guild analysis, the Insectivore and the Aquatic invertebrate-feeder guilds have the most number of recorded avian species. The feeding guild affiliations also points out that the overall community is fairly rich in its composition as it houses bird species belonging to various feeding guilds.

Abstract: This study aims at making a sensorial analysis of red wines from the Șarba wine region, Odobești Vineyard. In order to determine wines from a sensory point of view, we first studied the influence of geomorphology on the sensory character. In the analysis of red wines sensorial quality we used several wines from 2012 (i.e. Pinot noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Black Fetească and Merlot), as 2012 was a beneficial year from the point of view of red grapes ripening, and the oenoclimatic index was favourable to obtaining savoury and flavoured wines. The vegetal flavour does not affect the wines’ harmony too much.

Abstract: The Present research studies the acute sub lethal toxicity of potassium cyanide (KCN) in the fresh water, Clarias gariepinus and the effects on its behaviour and the Na⁺ - K⁺ ATPase enzyme activity. Acute toxicity of potassium cyanide (free cyanide) to the freshwater fish was studied using static bioassay method over a period of 96 h. Different concentrations of the toxicant (KCN) were used and LC₅₀ value was found to be 361μg/L. Behavioural changes when exposed to lethal concentration of KCN showed increased feed intake, cannibalism, irregular swimming activity, rapid jerk movement, aggressiveness, loss of balance, opercula movement, surface behaviour, loss of equilibrium, change in body colour and convulsion. The effect of potassium on the Na⁺ - K⁺ ATPase of various physiological tissues which includes the gill, liver, muscles and intestinal over duration 0f 12 h-35 days were also studied. Cyanide intoxication resulted in marked changes in ATPase, shown by significant decrease in the enzyme activities. The result shows that ATPase enzyme together could be employed as a sensitive and useful biomarkers for cyanide pollution while the behavioural changes could be an early signal of toxicity.

Abstract: New species representing a new genus of Bostrichidae Trogoxylyctus australiensis gen. nov., sp. nov. is desribed from Australia. In the general outlook it resembles the African genus Lycthoplites Lesne of the tribe Lyctini, but morphological similarity is in this case evidently a result of convergence. A key to the identification of know Australian representatives of Trogloxylini is given.

Abstract: Nigerian rice production is mainly rain-fed and naturally prone to vagaries of rainfall variability. The objective of this study was to determine the probable effect of rainfall variability on average yield of rice in Nigeria during a 22-year period (1992-2013). The mean annual rainfall data from major rice producing states and national average rice yields were analyzed using descriptive statistics and regression models. Results of the analysis revealed a significant variation in mean annual rainfall across vegetation grouping in a descending order from swamp forest to Sudan savanna. Mean rainfall was adequate for rice production in all vegetation grouping except Sudan savanna where rainfall was less than the prescribed minimum quantity for rice production. Rainfall was positively related to yield of rice in all vegetation grouping except Sudan savanna but relationship was not statistically significant at 5% level. It was concluded that annual rainfall variability had statistically negligible effect on national average rice yield. It was recommended that the cultivation of rice should go along with farming practices that aimed at mitigating adverse effects of rainfall variability on the yield of rice especially in the Sudan savanna.

Abstract: Increase in productivity is directly related with increase pesticide consumption. So there is a strong desire to use “greener” chemistry to produce more toxicologically and environmentally benign pesticides and natural products. In this present study, a comparison was made to evaluate the phytotoxicity potential of first cleanup fractions obtained from sequentially extracted solvent (ethyl-acetate, methanol) extracts of Parthenium hysterophorus L. (aerial parts) in vitro through bench-top seed germination assay (Vigna radiata L.). One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Duncan’s multiple range test (DMRT) were done for statistical analysis of the data. The study reveals that germination, growth and vigour was significantly (P<0.05) reduced by ethyl-acetate and methanol fractions. A significant changes in soluble and insoluble sugar content, protein, amino acid content and cellular metabolic activity was aslo observed by 1F3, 1F4, 1F6, and 1F9 fractions. The present study concluded that phytotoxicity of four fractions (1F3, 1F4, 1F6, and 1F9) from ethylacetate and methanolic crude extracts of Parthenium hysterophorus could be exploited as potential bioherbicide for future weed management programme and the development of bioherbicide for commercial use.