Search results for: aqueous extract of ginger root (AEGR)
2694 Digestibility in Yankasa Rams Fed Brachiaria ruziziensis – Centrosema pascuorum Hay Mixtures with Concentrate
Authors: Ibrahim Sani, J. T. Amodu, M. R. Hassan, R. J. Tanko, N. Adamu
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This study investigated the digestibility of Brachiaria ruziziensis and Centrosema pascuorum hay mixtures at varying proportions in Yankasa rams. Twelve Yankasa rams with average initial weight 10.25 ± 0.1 kg were assigned to three dietary treatments of B. ruziziensis and C. pascuorum hay at different mixtures (75BR:25CP, 50BR:50CP and 25BR:75CP, respectively) in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) for a period of 14 days. Concentrate diet was given to the experimental animals as supplement at fixed proportion, while the forage mixture (basal diet) was fed at 3% body weight. Animals on 50BR:50CP had better nutrient digestibility (crude protein, acid and neutral detergent fibre, ether extract and nitrogen free extract) than other treatment diets, except in dry matter digestibility (87.35%) which compared with 87.54% obtained in 25BR:75CP treatment diet and also organic matter digestibility. All parameters taken on nitrogen balance with the exception of nitrogen retained were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in animals fed 25BR:75CP diet, but were statistically similar with values obtained for animals on 50BR:50CP diet. From results obtained in this study, it is concluded that mixture of 25%BR75%CP gave the best nutrient digestibility and nitrogen balance in Yankasa rams. It is therefore recommended that B. ruziziensis and C. pascuorum should be fed at 50:50 mixture ratio for enhanced animal growth and performance in Nigeria.Keywords: B. ruziziensis, C. pascuorum, digestibilty, rams, Yankasa
Procedia PDF Downloads 1252693 Real-Time Pedestrian Detection Method Based on Improved YOLOv3
Authors: Jingting Luo, Yong Wang, Ying Wang
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Pedestrian detection in image or video data is a very important and challenging task in security surveillance. The difficulty of this task is to locate and detect pedestrians of different scales in complex scenes accurately. To solve these problems, a deep neural network (RT-YOLOv3) is proposed to realize real-time pedestrian detection at different scales in security monitoring. RT-YOLOv3 improves the traditional YOLOv3 algorithm. Firstly, the deep residual network is added to extract vehicle features. Then six convolutional neural networks with different scales are designed and fused with the corresponding scale feature maps in the residual network to form the final feature pyramid to perform pedestrian detection tasks. This method can better characterize pedestrians. In order to further improve the accuracy and generalization ability of the model, a hybrid pedestrian data set training method is used to extract pedestrian data from the VOC data set and train with the INRIA pedestrian data set. Experiments show that the proposed RT-YOLOv3 method achieves 93.57% accuracy of mAP (mean average precision) and 46.52f/s (number of frames per second). In terms of accuracy, RT-YOLOv3 performs better than Fast R-CNN, Faster R-CNN, YOLO, SSD, YOLOv2, and YOLOv3. This method reduces the missed detection rate and false detection rate, improves the positioning accuracy, and meets the requirements of real-time detection of pedestrian objects.Keywords: pedestrian detection, feature detection, convolutional neural network, real-time detection, YOLOv3
Procedia PDF Downloads 1412692 Dyeing of Wool and Silk with Soxhlet Water Extracted Natural Dye from Dacryodes macrophylla Fruits and Study of Antimicrobial Properties of Extract
Authors: Alvine Sandrine Ndinchout, D. P. Chattopadhyay, Moundipa Fewou Paul, Nyegue Maximilienne Ascension, Varinder Kaur, Sukhraj Kaur, B. H. Patel
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Dacryodes macrophylla is a species of the Burseraceae family that is widespread in Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon. The only part of D. macrophylla known to use is the pulp contained in the fruit. This very juicy pulp is consumed directly and used in making juices. During consumption, these fruit leaves a dark blackish colour on fingers and garment. This observation means that D. macrophylla fruits must be a good source of natural dye with probably good fastness properties on textile materials. But D. macrophylla has not yet been investigated with reference as a potential source of natural dye to our best knowledge. Natural dye has been extracted using water as solvent by soxhlet extraction method. The extracted color was characterized by spectroscopic studies like UV/Visible and further tested for antimicrobial activity against gram-negative (Vibrio cholerae, Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi, Shigella flexneri) and gram-positive (Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus) bacteria. It was observed that the water extract of D. macrophylla showed antimicrobial activities against S. enterica. The results of fastness properties of the dyed fabrics were fair to good. Taken together, these results indicate that D. macrophylla can be used as natural dye not only in textile but also in other domains like food coloring.Keywords: antimicrobial activity, natural dye, silk, wash fastness, wool
Procedia PDF Downloads 1742691 Phenotypic Characterization of Dental Pulp Stem Cells Isolated from Irreversible Pulpitis with Dental Pulp Stem Cells from Impacted Teeth
Authors: Soumya S., Manju Nidagodu Jayakumar, Vellore Kannan Gopinath
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Dental pulp inflammation resulting from dental caries often leads to a pathologic condition known as irreversible pulpitis and the currently managed by root canal treatment. Extirpation of the entire pulp tissue is done during this procedure, and the canal space is filled with synthetic materials. Recent studies in the stem cell biology state that some portion of the irreversibly inflamed pulp tissue could be viable with progenitor cells, having the properties similar to that of Mesenchymal stem cells. Hence, we aim to isolate Dental Pulp Stem Cells (DPSCs) from patients diagnosed with severe irreversible pulpitis and characterize the cells for the MSC specific markers. The pulp tissue was collected from the dental clinic and subjected to collagenase/dispase digestion. The isolated cells were expanded in culture, and the phenotypic characterization was done using flow cytometry. MSC specific markers such as CD-90, CD-73, and CD-105 were analysed along with negative markers such as CD-14 and CD-45. The isolated cells expressed positive expression for CD markers with CD90 and CD105 ( > 95%) and CD73 (19%). The cells did not express the negative markers CD-14 and CD-45. The commercially available DPSCs from vital extracted teeth, preferably molar/wisdom teeth with large pulp cavity or incomplete root growth in young patients (aged 15-30 years) showed more than 90% expression for all the CD markers such as CD-90, 73 and 105, whereas negative for CD-14 and CD-45. The DPSCs isolated from inflamed pulp tissue showed a less expression for CD-73 compared to the commercially available DPSCs whereas, as the other two markers were found to show similar percentage of positive expression. This could be attributed to the fact that the pulp population is very heterogeneous and we used the pooled tissue from different patients. Hence the phenotypic characterization and comparison with the commercially available DPSCs proved that the inflamed pulp tissue is a good source of MSC like cells which can be utilized further for regenerative application.Keywords: collagenase/dispase, dental pulp stem cells, flow cytometry, irreversible pulpitis
Procedia PDF Downloads 2492690 Antioxidant Potential of Sunflower Seed Cake Extract in Stabilization of Soybean Oil
Authors: Ivanor Zardo, Fernanda Walper Da Cunha, Júlia Sarkis, Ligia Damasceno Ferreira Marczak
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Lipid oxidation is one of the most important deteriorating processes in oil industry, resulting in the losses of nutritional value of oils as well as changes in color, flavor and other physiological properties. Autoxidation of lipids occurs naturally between molecular oxygen and the unsaturation of fatty acids, forming fat-free radicals, peroxide free radicals and hydroperoxides. In order to avoid the lipid oxidation in vegetable oils, synthetic antioxidants such as butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and tertiary butyl hydro-quinone (TBHQ) are commonly used. However, the use of synthetic antioxidants has been associated with several health side effects and toxicity. The use of natural antioxidants as stabilizers of vegetable oils is being suggested as a sustainable alternative to synthetic antioxidants. The alternative that has been studied is the use of natural extracts obtained mainly from fruits, vegetables and seeds, which have a well-known antioxidant activity related mainly to the presence of phenolic compounds. The sunflower seed cake is rich in phenolic compounds (1 4% of the total mass), being the chlorogenic acid the major constituent. The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro application of the phenolic extract obtained from the sunflower seed cake as a retarder of the lipid oxidation reaction in soybean oil and to compare the results with a synthetic antioxidant. For this, the soybean oil, provided from the industry without any addition of antioxidants, was subjected to an accelerated storage test for 17 days at 65 °C. Six samples with different treatments were submitted to the test: control sample, without any addition of antioxidants; 100 ppm of synthetic antioxidant BHT; mixture of 50 ppm of BHT and 50 ppm of phenolic compounds; and 100, 500 and 1200 ppm of phenolic compounds. The phenolic compounds concentration in the extract was expressed in gallic acid equivalents. To evaluate the oxidative changes of the samples, aliquots were collected after 0, 3, 6, 10 and 17 days and analyzed for the peroxide, diene and triene conjugate values. The soybean oil sample initially had a peroxide content of 2.01 ± 0.27 meq of oxygen/kg of oil. On the third day of the treatment, only the samples treated with 100, 500 and 1200 ppm of phenolic compounds showed a considerable oxidation retard compared to the control sample. On the sixth day of the treatment, the samples presented a considerable increase in the peroxide value (higher than 13.57 meq/kg), and the higher the concentration of phenolic compounds, the lower the peroxide value verified. From the tenth day on, the samples had a very high peroxide value (higher than 55.39 meq/kg), where only the sample containing 1200 ppm of phenolic compounds presented significant oxidation retard. The samples containing the phenolic extract were more efficient to avoid the formation of the primary oxidation products, indicating effectiveness to retard the reaction. Similar results were observed for dienes and trienes. Based on the results, phenolic compounds, especially chlorogenic acid (the major phenolic compound of sunflower seed cake), can be considered as a potential partial or even total substitute for synthetic antioxidants.Keywords: chlorogenic acid, natural antioxidant, vegetables oil deterioration, waste valorization
Procedia PDF Downloads 2612689 Optimization of Manufacturing Process Parameters: An Empirical Study from Taiwan's Tech Companies
Authors: Chao-Ton Su, Li-Fei Chen
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The parameter design is crucial to improving the uniformity of a product or process. In the product design stage, parameter design aims to determine the optimal settings for the parameters of each element in the system, thereby minimizing the functional deviations of the product. In the process design stage, parameter design aims to determine the operating settings of the manufacturing processes so that non-uniformity in manufacturing processes can be minimized. The parameter design, trying to minimize the influence of noise on the manufacturing system, plays an important role in the high-tech companies. Taiwan has many well-known high-tech companies, which show key roles in the global economy. Quality remains the most important factor that enables these companies to sustain their competitive advantage. In Taiwan however, many high-tech companies face various quality problems. A common challenge is related to root causes and defect patterns. In the R&D stage, root causes are often unknown, and defect patterns are difficult to classify. Additionally, data collection is not easy. Even when high-volume data can be collected, data interpretation is difficult. To overcome these challenges, high-tech companies in Taiwan use more advanced quality improvement tools. In addition to traditional statistical methods and quality tools, the new trend is the application of powerful tools, such as neural network, fuzzy theory, data mining, industrial engineering, operations research, and innovation skills. In this study, several examples of optimizing the parameter settings for the manufacturing process in Taiwan’s tech companies will be presented to illustrate proposed approach’s effectiveness. Finally, a discussion of using traditional experimental design versus the proposed approach for process optimization will be made.Keywords: quality engineering, parameter design, neural network, genetic algorithm, experimental design
Procedia PDF Downloads 1452688 In Vitro Antibacterial Effect of Hydroalcoholic Extract of Lawsonia Inermis, Malva Sylvestris and Boswellia Serrata on Aggregatibacter Actinomycetemcomitans
Authors: Surena V.
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Background and Aim: Periodontal diseases are among the most common infectious diseases all around the world, even in developed countries. Considering the increased rate of microbial resistance to antibiotics and the chemical side effects of antibiotics and antiseptics used for the treatment of periodontal disease, there is a need for an alternative antimicrobial agent with fewer complications. Medicinal herbs have recently become popular as antimicrobial and preventive agents. This study aimed to assess the antibacterial effects of hydroalcoholic extracts of Lawsonia inermis, Malva sylvestris and Boswellia serrata on Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (A. actinomycetemcomitans). Materials and Methods: Hydroalcoholic extracts of the three medicinal plants were obtained by the maceration technique and A. actinomycetemcomitans was cultured. The antimicrobial efficacy of the three medicinal plants was compared with that of 0.2% chlorhexidine (CHX) according to the CLSI protocol using agar disc diffusion and broth microdilution techniques. All tests were repeated three times. Results: Hydroalcoholic extracts of all three plants had antimicrobial activity against A. actinomycetemcomitans. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of Lawsonia inermis, Malva sylvestris, and Boswellia serrata was 78.1, 156.2, and 1666 µg/mL with no significant difference between them. The MIC of CHX was 3.33 µg/mL, which was significantly higher than that of Boswellia serrata extract. Conclusion: Given that, further in vivo studies confirm other properties of these extracts and their safety in terms of cytotoxicity and mutagenicity, hydroalcoholic extracts of Lawsonia inermis and Malva sylvestris may be used in mouthwashes or local delivery systems to affect periodontal biofilm.Keywords: actinobacilus actinomycetem commitans, lawsonia inermis, malva sylvestris, boswellia serrata
Procedia PDF Downloads 552687 Development and Characterization of Soya Phosphatidylcholine Complex of Coumestans from Eclipta alba for the Management of Hepatotoxicity
Authors: Abhishek Kumar Jain, Anki Jain, Yuvraj Singh Dangi, Brajesh Kumar Tiwari
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The plant Eclipta alba Hassk. (Family: Compositae) contains coumestans (wedelolactone and demethyl wedelolactone) used in liver disorders. The objective of the present investigation was to develop a formulation of these coumestans in combination with the soya phosphatidylcholine (PC), in order to overcome the limitation of absorption and to investigate the protective effect of coumestans–phosphatidylcholine complex (C-PC) on carbon tetrachloride induced acute liver damage in rats. Methanolic extract (ME) of the whole plant of Eclipta alba was fractionated with water and then with ehylacetate. Coumestans were characterized in the ethylacetate fraction of methanolic extract (EFME). The C-PC was prepared by dissolving EFME and PC in 1:1 ratio in dichloromethane and heating at 60°C for 2 h. The C-PC was characterized by DSC and FTIR spectroscopy. In vitro drug release from EFME and C-PC through egg membrane was measured using UV-Visible spectrophotometer. The hepatoprotective activity of C-PC (equivalent to 5.35 and 10.7 mg/kg body weight of EFME), ME 250 mg/kg and EFME 5.35 mg/kg was evaluated by measuring various enzymes level. C-PC significantly provided better protection to the liver by restoring the enzyme levels of SGPT, SGOT, ALP and total billirubin with respect to carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) treated group (P < 0.001). Histopathological studies were also performed. The C-PC provided better protection to rat liver than ME and EFME at similar doses as well as shown significant regeneration of hepatocytes, central vein, intact cytoplasm, and nucleus.Keywords: hepatotoxicity, wedelolactone, soya phosphatidylcholine, eclipta alba
Procedia PDF Downloads 4032686 Crafting a Livelihood: A Story of the Kotpad Dyers and Weavers
Authors: Anahita Suri
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Craft -an integral part of the conduit to create something beautiful- is a visual representation of the human imagination given life through the hand. The Mirgan tribe in the Naxalite infested forests of Koraput, Odisha are not exempt from this craving for beauty. These skilled craftsmen dye and weave the simple yet sophisticated Kotpad textiles. The women undertake the time-consuming task of dyeing the cotton and silk yarns with the root of the aul tree. The men then weave these yarns into beautiful sarees and dupattas. The root of the aul tree lends the textile its maroon to brown color, which is offset against the unbleached cotton to create a minimalist and distinctive look. The motifs, incorporated through the extra weft technique, reflect the rich tribal heritage of the community. This is an eco-friendly, non-toxic textile. Kotpad fabrics were on the verge of extinction due to various factors like poor infrastructure, no innovation in traditional designs/products, customer ignorance leading to low demand. With livelihood opportunities through craft slowly dwindling, artisans were moving to alternative sources of income generation, like agriculture and daily wage labor. There was an urgent need for intervention to revive the craft, spread awareness about them in urban spaces, and strengthen the artisan’s ability to innovate and create. Recent efforts by government bodies and local designers have given Kotpad handloom a contemporary look without diluting its essence. This research explores the possibilities to leverage Kotpad handloom to find a place in the dynamic culture of the world by its promotion among different target groups and incorporating self-sustaining practices for the artisans. This could further encourage a space for handmade and handcrafted art, rich with stories about India, with a contemporary visual sensibility. This will strengthen environmental and ethical sustainability.Keywords: craft, contemporary, handloom, natural dye, tribal
Procedia PDF Downloads 1442685 Effects of Selected Plant-Derived Nutraceuticals on the Quality and Shelf-Life Stability of Frankfurter Type Sausages during Storage
Authors: Kazem Alirezalu, Javad Hesari, Zabihollah Nemati, Boukaga Farmani
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The application of natural plant extracts which are rich in promising antioxidants and antimicrobial ingredients in the production of frankfurter-type sausages addresses consumer demands for healthier, more functional meat products. The effects of olive leaves, green tea and Urtica dioica L. extracts on physicochemical, microbiological and sensory characteristic of frankfurter-type sausage were investigated during 45 days of storage at 4 °C. The results revealed that pH and phenolic compounds decreased significantly (P < 0.05) in all samples during storage. Sausages containing 500 ppm green tea extract (1.78 mg/kg) showed the lowest TBARS values compared to olive leaves (2.01 mg/kg), Urtica dioica L. (2.26 mg/kg) extracts and control (2.74 mg/kg). Plant extracts significantly (P < 0.05) reduced the count of total mesophilic bacteria, yeast and mold by at least 2 log cycles (CFU/g) than those of control samples. Sensory characteristics of texture showed no difference (P > 0.05) between sausage samples, but sausage containing Urtica dioica L. extract had the highest score regarding flavor, freshness odor, and overall acceptability. Based on the results, sausage containing plant extracts could have a significant impact on antimicrobial activity, antioxidant capacity, sensory score, and shelf life stability of frankfurter-type sausage.Keywords: antimicrobial, antioxidant, frankfurter-type sausage, green tea, olive oil, shelf life, Urtica dioica L.
Procedia PDF Downloads 1892684 Femtochemistry of Iron(III) Carboxylates in Aqueous Solutions
Authors: Ivan P. Pozdnyakov, Alexey A. Melnikov, Nikolai V. Tkachenko
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Photochemical reactions with participation of iron (III) carboxylates are important for environmental photochemistry and have a great potential of application in water purification (Advanced Oxidation Processes, photo-Fenton and Fenton-like processes). In spite of this information about excited states and primary intermediates in photochemistry of Fe(III) complexes with carboxylic acids is scarce. This talk presents and discusses the results of several recent authors' publications in a field of ultra fast spectroscopy of natural Fe(III) carboxylates.Keywords: carboxylates, iron complexes, photochemistry, radical complexes, ultrafast processes
Procedia PDF Downloads 4542683 Formulation and Evaluation of Antioxidant Cream Containing Nepalese Medicinal Plants
Authors: Ajaya Acharya, Prem Narayan Paudel, Rajendra Gyawali
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Due to strong tyrosinase inhibition and antioxidant effects, green tea and Licorice are valuable in cosmetics for the skin. However, data on the addition of essential oils to green tea and Licorice in cream formulation to examine antioxidant activities are limited. The purpose of this study was to develop and assess a phytocosmetic cream’s antioxidant and tyrosinase inhibitory characteristics using crude aqueous extracts of green tea, Licorice, and loaded with essential oils. To load the best concentration on cream formulations, plant aqueous extracts were designed, evaluated, and correlated in terms of total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoids content (TFC), and 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activity. Moreover, o. tenuiflorum and o. basilicum essential oils were extracted and added to a cream formulation. The spreadability profile, water washability, centrifugation test, and organoleptic characteristics of formulated oil in water cream were all satisfactory. The cream exhibited a non-Newtonian rheological profile and pH range of 6.353 ± 0.065 to 6.467±0.050 over successive 0, 1, 2, and 3 months at normal room temperature. The 50% inhibition concentrations shown by herbal cream were 13.764 ± 0.153 µg/ml, 301.445 ± 1.709 µg/ml and 8.082 ± 0.055 respectively for 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activity, ferric (Fe³⁺) reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and 2, 2’-azinobis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) radical scavenging activity, and that of standard ascorbic acid were 6.716 ± 0.077 µg/ml, 171.604 ± 1.551µg/ml and 5.645±0.034µg/ml which showed formulated cream had strong antioxidant characteristics. The formulated herbal cream with a 50% tyrosinase inhibition concentration of 22.254 ± 0.369µg/ml compared to standard Kojic acid 12.535 ± 0.098µg/ml demonstrated a satisfactory tyrosinase inhibition profile for skin whitening property. Herbal cream was reportedly stable in physical and chemical parameters for successive 0, 1, 2, and 3 months at both real and accelerated time study zones, according to obtained stability study results.Keywords: crude extracts, antioxidant, tyrosinase inhibition, green tea polyphenols
Procedia PDF Downloads 202682 Obtaining Triploid Plants of Sprekelia formosissima by Artificial Hybridization
Authors: Jose Manuel Rodriguez-Dominguez, Rodrigo Barba-Gonzalez, Ernesto Tapia-Campos
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Sprekelia formosissima (L.) Herbert is a bulbous ornamental species of the monocotyledonous Amaryllidaceae family, and it is a perennial, herbaceous monotypic plant commonly known as ‘Aztec Lily’ or ‘Jacobean Lily’; it is distributed through Mexico and Guatemala. Its scarlet flowers with curved petals have made it an exceptional ornamental pot plant. Cytogenetic studies in this species have shown differences in chromosome number (2n=60, 120, 150, 180) with a basic number x=30. Different reports have shown a variable ploidy level (diploid, tetraploid, pentaploid and hexaploid); however, triploid plants have not been reported. In this work, triploid plants of S. formosissima were obtained by crossing tetraploid (2n=4x=120) with diploid (2n=2x=60) genotypes of this species; the seeds obtained from the crosses were placed in pots with a moist substrate made of Peat Moss: Vermiculite (7:3) for germination. Root tips were collected, and metaphasic chromosome preparations were performed. For chromosome counting, the best five metaphases obtained were photographed with a Leica DMRA2 microscope (Leica Microsystems, Germany) microscopy coupled to an Evolution QEI camera under phase contrast (Media-Cybernetics). Chromosomes counting in root-tip cells showed that 100% of the plants were triploid (2n=3x=90). Although tetraploid or pentaploid plants of S. formosissima are highly appreciated, they usually have lower growth rates than related diploid ones. For this reason, it is important to obtain triploid plants, which have advantages such as higher growth rates than tetraploid and pentaploid, larger flowers than those of the diploid plants and they are expected to not be able to produce seeds because their gametes are aneuploids. Furthermore, triploids may become very important for genomic research in the future, creating opportunities for discovering and monitoring genomic and transcriptomic changes in unbalanced genomes, hence the importance of this work.Keywords: Amaryllidaceae, cytogenetics, ornamental, ploidy level
Procedia PDF Downloads 1932681 Sustainable Cities: Viability of a Hybrid Aeroponic/Nutrient Film Technique System for Cultivation of Tomatoes
Authors: D. Dannehl, Z. Taylor, J. Suhl, L. Miranda, R., Ulrichs, C., Salazar, E. Fitz-Rodriguez, I. Lopez-Cruz, A. Rojano-Aguilar, G. Navas-Gomez, U. Schmidt
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Growing environmental and sustainability concerns have driven continual modernization of horticultural practices, especially for urban farming. Controlled environment and soilless production methods are increasing in popularity because of their efficient resource use and intensive cropping capabilities. However, some popular substrates used for hydroponic cultivation, particularly rock wool, represent a large environmental burden in regard to their manufacture and disposal. Substrate-less hydroponic systems are effective in producing short cropping cycle plants such as lettuce or herbs, but less information is available for the production of plants with larger root-systems and longer cropping times. Here, we investigated the viability of a hybrid aeroponic/nutrient film technique (AP/NFT) system for the cultivation of greenhouse tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum ‘Panovy’). The plants grown in the AP/NFT system had a more compact phenotype, accumulated more Na+ and less P and S than the rock wool grown counterparts. Due to forced irrigation interruptions, we propose that the differences observed were cofounded by the differing severity of water-stress for plants with and without substrate. They may also be caused by a higher root zone temperature predominant in plants exposed to AP/NFT. However, leaf area, stem diameter, and number of trusses did not differ significantly. The same was found for leaf pigments and plant photosynthetic efficiency. Overall, the AP/NFT system appears to be viable for the production of greenhouse tomato, enabling the environment to be relieved by way of lessening rock wool usage.Keywords: closed aeroponic systems, fruit quality, nutrient dynamics, substrate waste reduction, urban farming systems, water savings
Procedia PDF Downloads 2652680 A Method for Solid-Liquid Separation of Cs+ from Radioactive Waste by Using Ionic Liquids and Extractants
Authors: J. W. Choi, S. Y. Cho, H. J. Lee, W. Z. Oh, S. J. Choi
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Ionic liquids (ILs), which is alternative to conventional organic solvent, were used for extraction of Cs ions. ILs, as useful environment friendly green solvents, have been recently applied as replacement for traditional volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in liquid/liquid extraction of heavy metal ions as well as organic and inorganic species and pollutants. Thus, Ionic liquids were used for extraction of Cs ions from the liquid radioactive waste. In most cases, Cs ions present in radioactive wastes in very low concentration, approximately less than 1ppm. Therefore, unlike established extraction system the required amount of ILs as extractant is comparatively very small. This extraction method involves cation exchange mechanism in which Cs ion transfers to the organic phase and binds to one crown ether by chelation in exchange of single ILs cation, IL_cation+, transfer to the aqueous phase. In this extraction system showed solid-liquid separation in which the Ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonly)imide (C2mimTf2N) and the crown ether Dicyclohexano-18-crown-6 (DCH18C6) both were used here in very little amount as solvent and as extractant, respectively. 30 mM of CsNO3 was used as simulated waste solution cesium ions. Generally, in liquid-liquid extraction, the molar ratio of CE:Cs+:ILs was 1:5~10:>100, while our applied molar ratio of CE:Cs+:ILs was 1:2:1~10. The quantity of CE and Cs ions were fixed to 0.6 and 1.2 mmol, respectively. The phenomenon of precipitation showed two kinds of separation: solid-liquid separation in the ratio of 1:2:1 and 1:2:2; solid-liquid-liquid separation (3 phase) in the ratio of 1:2:5 and 1:2:10. In the last system, 3 phases were precipitate-ionic liquids-aqueous. The precipitate was verified to consist of Cs+, DCH18C6, Tf2N- based on the cation exchange mechanism. We analyzed precipitate using scanning electron microscopy with X-ray microanalysis (SEM-EDS), an elemental analyser, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The experimental results showed an easy extraction method and confirmed the composition of solid precipitate. We also obtained information that complex formation ratio of Cs+ to DCH18C6 is 0.88:1 regardless of C2mimTf2N quantities.Keywords: extraction, precipitation, solid-liquid seperation, ionic liquid, precipitate
Procedia PDF Downloads 4192679 Distribution of Phospholipids, Cholesterol and Carotenoids in Two-Solvent System during Egg Yolk Oil Solvent Extraction
Authors: Aleksandrs Kovalcuks, Mara Duma
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Egg yolk oil is a concentrated source of egg bioactive compounds, such as fat-soluble vitamins, phospholipids, cholesterol, carotenoids and others. To extract lipids and other fat-soluble nutrients from liquid egg yolk, a two-step extraction process involving polar (ethanol) and non-polar (hexane) solvents were used. This extraction technique was based on egg yolk bioactive compounds polarities, where non-polar compound was extracted into non-polar hexane, but polar in to polar alcohol/water phase. But many egg yolk bioactive compounds are not strongly polar or non-polar. Egg yolk phospholipids, cholesterol and pigments are amphipatic (have both polar and non-polar regions) and their behavior in ethanol/hexane solvent system is not clear. The aim of this study was to clarify the behavior of phospholipids, cholesterol and carotenoids during extraction of egg yolk oil with ethanol and hexane and determine the loss of these compounds in egg yolk oil. Egg yolks and egg yolk oil were analyzed for phospholipids (phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE)), cholesterol and carotenoids (lutein, zeaxanthin, canthaxanthin and β-carotene) content using GC-FID and HPLC methods. PC and PE are polar lipids and were extracted into polar ethanol phase. Concentration of PC in ethanol was 97.89% and PE 99.81% from total egg yolk phospholipids. Due to cholesterol’s partial extraction into ethanol, cholesterol content in egg yolk oil was reduced in comparison to its total content presented in egg yolk lipids. The highest amount of lutein and zeaxanthin was concentrated in ethanol extract. The opposite situation was observed with canthaxanthin and β-carotene, which became the main pigments of egg yolk oil.Keywords: cholesterol, egg yolk oil, lutein, phospholipids, solvent extraction
Procedia PDF Downloads 5072678 Synthesis of Magnetic Plastic Waste-Reduced Graphene Oxide Composite and Its Application in Dye Adsorption from Aqueous Solution
Authors: Pamphile Ndagijimana, Xuejiao Liu, Zhiwei Li, Yin Wang
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The valorization of plastic wastes, as a mitigation strategy, is attracting the researchers’ attention since these wastes have raised serious environmental concerns. Plastic wastes have been reported to adsorb the organic pollutants in the water environment and to be the main vector of those pollutants in the aquatic environment, especially dyes, as a serious water pollution concern. Recycling technologies of plastic wastes such as landfills, incineration, and energy recovery have been adopted to manage those wastes before getting exposed to the environment. However, they are far from being widely accepted due to their related environmental pollution, lack of space for the landfill as well as high cost. Therefore, modification is necessary for green plastic adsorbent in water applications. Current routes for plastic modification into adsorbents are based on the combustion method, but they have weaknesses of air pollution as well as high cost. Thus, the green strategy for plastic modification into adsorbents is highly required. Furthermore, recent researchers recommended that if plastic wastes are combined with other solid carbon materials, they could promote their application in water treatment. Herein, we present new insight into using plastic waste-based materials as future green adsorbents. Magnetic plastic-reduced graphene oxide (MPrGO) composite was synthesized by cross-linking method and applied in removing methylene blue (MB) from an aqueous solution. Furthermore, the following advantages have been achieved: (i) The density of plastic and reduced graphene oxide were enhanced, (ii) no second pollution of black color in solution, (iii) small amount of graphene oxide (1%) was linked on 10g of plastic waste, and the composite presented the high removal efficiency, (iv) easy recovery of adsorbent from water. The low concentration of MB (10-30mg/L) was all removed by 0.3g of MPrGO. Different characterization techniques such as XRD, SEM, FTIR, BET, XPS, and Raman spectroscopy were performed, and the results confirmed a conjugation between plastic waste and graphene oxide. This MPrGO composite presented a good prospect for the valorization of plastic waste, and it is a promising composite material in water treatment.Keywords: plastic waste, graphene oxide, dye, adsorption
Procedia PDF Downloads 872677 Coconut Based Sustainable Agri-Silvicultural System: Success Story from Sri Lanka
Authors: Thavananthan Sivananthawerl
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Coconut palm is existing for more than 2000 years in Sri Lanka. However, cultivation on a large scale (plantation) began only in the 19th century. Due to different light perceptions during the growth stages of palm, there is a huge potential to grow crops in-between rows of coconut plants which are grown with wider, fixed spacing. Intercropping under coconut will have multiple benefits such as increasing soil fertility, increasing sunlight utilization, increasing total crop productivity, increasing income & profit, maximum use of resources, reducing the risk, and increasing food security. Growing potential annual, agricultural intercrops could be classified as ‘agri-silvicultural’ system. This is the best agri-silvicultural system that can be named under any perennial crop system in Sri Lanka. In the late 1970’s cassava, pepper and cacao are the major intercrops under the coconut plantations. At the early ages of the palm (<5 years) light-loving crops such as pineapple, passion, papaya, and cassava are recommended and preferred by the cultivators. In between 5-20 years of age, the availability of light is very low, and therefore shade tolerant/loving crops (pasture, yam, ginger) could be used as the intercrops. However, after 20 years of age (>20 years) canopy is getting small, and the light availability on the ground increases. So, light demanding crops such as pepper, banana, pineapple, betel, cassava, and seasonal crops could be grown successfully. Even though this is a sustainable system in several aspects, there are potential challenges ahead to the system. The major ones are land fragmentation and infrastructure development. The other factors are drought, lack of financial support, price instability of the intercrops, availability of improved planting materials, and development of dwarf varieties which reduces the light.Keywords: coconut cultivation, agri-silviculture, intercrop, sunlight, annuals, sustainability
Procedia PDF Downloads 1222676 Adsorptive Removal of Methylene Blue Dye from Aqueous Solutions by Leaf and Stem Biochar Derived from Lantana camara: Adsorption Kinetics, Equilibrium, Thermodynamics and Possible Mechanism
Authors: Deepa Kundu, Prabhakar Sharma, Sayan Bhattacharya, Jianying Shang
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The discharge of dye-containing effluents in the water bodies has raised concern due to the potential hazards related to their toxicity in the environment. There are various treatment technologies available for the removal of dyes from wastewaters. The use of biosorbent to remove dyes from wastewater is one of the effective and inexpensive techniques. In the study, the adsorption of phenothiazine dye methylene blue onto biosorbent prepared from Lantana camara L. has been studied in aqueous solutions. The batch adsorption experiments were conducted and the effects of various parameters such as pH (3-12), contact time, adsorbent dose (100-400 mg/L), initial dye concentration (5-20 mg/L), and temperature (303, 313 and 323 K) were investigated. The prepared leaf (BCL600) and shoot (BCS600) biochar of Lantana were characterized using FTIR, SEM, elemental analysis, and zeta potential (pH~7). A comparison between the adsorption potential of both the biosorbent was also evaluated. The results indicated that the amount of methylene blue dye (mg/g) adsorbed onto the surface of biochar was highly dependent on the pH of the dye solutions as it increased with an increase in pH from 3 to 12. It was observed that the dye treated with BCS600 and BCL600 attained an equilibrium within 60 and 100 minutes, respectively. The rate of the adsorption process was determined by performing the Lagergren pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order kinetics. It was found that dye treated with both BCS600 and BCL600 followed pseudo-second-order kinetics implying the multi-step nature of the adsorption process involving external adsorption and diffusion of dye molecules into the interior of the adsorbents. The data obtained from batch experiments were fitted well with Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms (R² > 0.98) to indicate the multilayer adsorption of dye over the biochar surfaces. The thermodynamic studies revealed that the adsorption process is favourable, spontaneous, and endothermic in nature. Based on the results, the inexpensive and easily available Lantana camara biomass can be used to remove methylene blue dye from wastewater. It can also help in managing the growth of the notorious weed in the environment.Keywords: adsorption kinetics, biochar, Lantana camara, methylene blue dye, possible mechanism, thermodynamics
Procedia PDF Downloads 1342675 Hibiscus Sabdariffa Extracts: A Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Resource for Multifunctional Cellulosic Fibers
Authors: Mohamed Rehan, Gamil E. Ibrahim, Mohamed S. Abdel-Aziz, Shaimaa R. Ibrahim, Tawfik A. Khattab
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The utilization of natural products in finishing textiles toward multifunctional applications without side effects is an extremely motivating goal. Hibiscus sabdariffa usually has been used for many traditional medicine applications. To develop an additional use for Hibiscus sabdariffa, an extraction of bioactive compounds from Hibiscus sabdariffa followed by finishing on cellulosic fibers was designed to cleaner production of the value-added textiles fibers with multifunctional applications. The objective of this study is to explore, identify, and evaluate the bioactive compound extracted from Hibiscus sabdariffa by different solvent via ultrasonic technique as a potential eco-friendly agent for multifunctional cellulosic fabrics via two approaches. In the first approach, Hibiscus sabdariffa extract was used as a source of sustainable eco-friendly for simultaneous coloration and multi-finishing of cotton fabrics via in situ incorporations of nanoparticles (silver and metal oxide). In the second approach, the micro-capsulation of Hibiscus sabdariffa extracts was followed by coating onto cotton gauze to introduce multifunctional healthcare applications. The effect of the solvent type was accelerated by ultrasonic on the phytochemical, antioxidant, and volatile compounds of Hibiscus sabdariffa. The surface morphology and elemental content of the treated fabrics were explored using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The multifunctional properties of treated fabrics, including coloration, sensor properties and protective properties against pathogenic microorganisms and UV radiation as well as wound healing property were evaluated. The results showed that the water, as well as ethanol/water, was selected as a solvent for the extraction of natural compounds from Hibiscus Sabdariffa with high in extract yield, total phenolic contents, flavonoid contents, and antioxidant activity. These natural compounds were utilized to enhance cellulosic fibers functionalization by imparting faint/dark red color, antimicrobial against different organisms, and antioxidants as well as UV protection properties. The encapsulation of Hibiscus Sabdariffa extracts, as well as wound healing, is under consideration and evaluation. As a result, the current study presents a sustainable and eco-friendly approach to design cellulosic fabrics for multifunctional medical and healthcare applications.Keywords: cellulosic fibers, Hibiscus sabdariffa extract, multifunctional application, nanoparticles
Procedia PDF Downloads 1452674 Cissampelos capensis Rhizome Extract Induces Intracellular ROS Production, Capacitation, and DNA Fragmentation in Human Spermatozoa
Authors: S. Shalaweh, P. Bouic, F. Weitz, R. Henkel
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More than 3000 plants of notable phyto-therapeutic value grow in South Africa; these include Cissampelos capensis, commonly known in Afrikaans as dawidjie or dawidjiewortel. C. capensis is the most significant and popular medicinal plant used by the Khoisan as well as other rural groups in the Western region of South Africa. Its rhizomes are traditionally used to treat male fertility problems. Yet, no studies have investigated the effects of this plant or its extracts on human spermatozoa. Therefore, this study aimed at investigating the effects of C. capensis rhizome extract (CRE) fractions on ejaculated human spermatozoa in vitro. Spermatozoa from a total of 77 semen samples were washed with human tubular fluid medium supplemented with bovine serum albumin (HTF-BSA) and incubated for 2 hourswith 20 µg/ml progesterone (P4) followed by incubation with different concentrations (0, 0.05, 0.5, 5, 50, 200 µg/ml) of fractionated CRE (F1=0% MeOH, F2=30% MeOH, F3=60% MeOH and F4=100% MeOH) for 1.5 hours at 37°C. A sample without addition of CRE fractions served as control. Samples were analyzed for sperm motility, reactive oxygen species (ROS), DNA-fragmentation, acrosome reaction and capacitation. Results showed that F1 resulted in significantly higher values for ROS, capacitation and hyper-activation compared to F2, F3, and F4 with P4-stimulated samples generally having higher values. No significant effect was found for the other parameters. In conclusion, alkaloids present in F1 of CRE appear to have triggered sperm intrinsic ROS production leading to sperm capacitation and acrosome reaction induced by P4.Keywords: capacitaion, acrosome reaction, DNA fragmentation, ROS
Procedia PDF Downloads 3072673 Evaluation of Antioxidants in Medicinal plant Limoniastrum guyonianum
Authors: Assia Belfar, Mohamed Hadjadj, Messaouda Dakmouche, Zineb Ghiaba
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Introduction: This study aims to phytochemical screening; Extracting the active compounds and estimate the effectiveness of antioxidant in Medicinal plants desert Limoniastrum guyonianum (Zeïta) from South Algeria. Methods: Total phenolic content and total flavonoid content using Folin-Ciocalteu and aluminum chloride colorimetric methods, respectively. The total antioxidant capacity was estimated by the following methods: DPPH (1.1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical) and reducing power assay. Results: Phytochemical screening of the plant part reveals the presence of phenols, saponins, flavonoids and tannins. While alkaloids and Terpenoids were absent. The acetonic extract of L. guyonianum was extracted successively with ethyl acetate and butanol. Extraction of yield varied widely in the L. guyonianum ranging from (0.9425 %to 11.131%). The total phenolic content ranged from 53.33 mg GAE/g DW to 672.79 mg GAE/g DW. The total flavonoid concentrations varied from 5.45 to 21.71 mg/100g. IC50 values ranged from 0.02 ± 0.0004 to 0.13 ± 0.002 mg/ml. All extracts showed very good activity of ferric reducing power, the higher power was in butanol fraction (23.91 mM) more effective than BHA, BHT and VC. Conclusions: Demonstrated this study that the acetonic extract of L. guyonianum contain a considerable quantity of phenolic compounds and possess a good antioxidant activity. Can be used as an easily accessible source of Natural Antioxidants and as a possible food supplement and in the pharmaceutical industry.Keywords: limoniastrum guyonianum, phenolics compounds, flavonoid compound, antioxidant activity
Procedia PDF Downloads 3442672 Biosorption Kinetics, Isotherms, and Thermodynamic Studies of Copper (II) on Spirogyra sp.
Authors: Diwan Singh
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The ability of non-living Spirogyra sp. biomass for biosorption of copper(II) ions from aqueous solutions was explored. The effect of contact time, pH, initial copper ion concentration, biosorbent dosage and temperature were investigated in batch experiments. Both the Freundlich and Langmuir Isotherms were found applicable on the experimental data (R2>0.98). Qmax obtained from the Langmuir Isotherms was found to be 28.7 mg/g of biomass. The values of Gibbs free energy (ΔGº) and enthalpy change (ΔHº) suggest that the sorption is spontaneous and endothermic at 20ºC-40ºC.Keywords: biosorption, Spirogyra sp., contact time, pH, dose
Procedia PDF Downloads 4232671 Effect of Crown Gall and Phylloxera Resistant Rootstocks on Grafted Vitis Vinifera CV. Sultana Grapevine
Authors: Hassan Mahmoudzadeh
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The bacterium of Agrobacterium vitis causes crown and root gall disease, an important disease of grapevine, Vitis vinifera L. Also, Phylloxera is one of the most important pests in viticulture. Grapevine rootstocks were developed to provide increased resistance to soil-borne pests and diseases, but rootstock effects on some traits remain unclear. The interaction between rootstock, scion and environment can induce different responses to the grapevine physiology. 'Sultsna' (Vitis vinifera L.) is one of the most valuable raisin grape cultivars in Iran. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine the rootstock effect on the growth characteristics and yield components and quality of 'Sultana' grapevine grown in the Urmia viticulture region. The experimental design was completely randomized blocks, with four treatments, four replicates and 10 vines per plot. The results show that all variables evaluated were significantly affected by the rootstock. The Sultana/110R and Sultana/Nazmieh were among other combinations influenced by the year and had a higher significant yield/vine (13.25 and 12.14, respectively). Indeed, they were higher than that of Sultana/5BB (10.56 kg/vine) and Sultana/Spota (10.25 kg/vine). The number of clusters per burst bud and per vine and the weight of clusters were affected by the rootstock as well. Pruning weight/vine, yield/pruning weight, leaf area/vine and leaf area index are variables related to the physiology of grapevine, which was also affected by the rootstocks. In general, rootstocks had adapted well to the environment where the experiment was carried out, giving vigor and high yield to Sultana grapevine, which means that they may be used by grape growers in this region. In sum, the study found the best rootstocks for 'Sultana' to be Nazmieh and 110R in terms of root and shoot growth. However, the choice of the right rootstock depends on various aspects, such as those related to soil characteristics, climate conditions, grape varieties, and even clones, and production purposes.Keywords: grafting, vineyards, grapevine, succeptability
Procedia PDF Downloads 1232670 In vitro Antioxidant Activity and Total Phenolic Content of Dillenia indica and Garcinia penducalata, Commonly Used Fruits in Assamese Cuisine
Authors: M. Das, B. P. Sarma, G. Ahmed
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Human diet can be a major source of antioxidants. Poly¬phenols, which are organic compounds present in the regular human diet, have good antioxidant property. Most of the diseases are detected too late and that cause irre¬versible damage to the body. Therefore food that forms the natural source of antioxidants can prevent free radi¬cals from damaging our body tissues. Dillenia indica and Garcinia penducalata are two major fruits, easily available in Assam, North eastern Indian state. In the present study, the in vitro antioxi¬dant properties of the fruits of these plants are compared as the decoction of these fruits form a major part of Assamese cuisine. DPPH free radical scavenging activity of the methanol, petroleum ether and water extracts of G. penducalata and D. indica fruits were carried out by the methods of Cotelle A et al. (1996). Different concentrations ranging from 10–110 ug/ml of the extracts were added to 100 uM of DPPH (2,2, Diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl) and the absor¬bance was read at 517 nm after incubation. Ascorbic acid was used as the standard. Different concentrations of the methanol, petroleum ether and water extracts of G. penducalata and D. indica fruits were mixed with sodium nitroprusside and incubated. Griess reagent was added to the mixtures and their optical density was read at 546 nm following the method of Marcocci et al. (1994). Ascorbic acid was used as the standard. In order to find the scavenging activity of the extracts against hydroxyl radicals, the method of Kunchandy & Ohkawa (1990) was followed.The superoxide scavenging activity of the methanol, petroleum ether and water extracts of the fruits was deter¬mined by the method of Robak & Gryglewski (1998).Six replicates were maintained in each of the experiments and their SEM was evaluated based on which, non linear regres¬sion (curve fit), exponential growth were derived to calculate the IC50 values of the SAWE and standard compounds. All the statistical analyses were done by using paired t test. The hydroxyl radical scavenging activity of the various extracts of D. indica exhibited IC50 values < 110 ug/ml concentration, the scavenging activity of the extracts of G. penducalata was surprisingly>110 ug/ml.Similarly the oxygen free radical scavenging activity of the different extracts of D. indica exhibited an IC50 value of <110 ug/ml but the methanolic extract of the same exhib¬ited a better free radical scavenging activity compared to that of vitamin C. The methanolic extract of D. indica exhibited an IC50 value better than that of vitamin C. The DPPH scavenging activities of the various extracts of D. indica and G. penducalata were <110 ug/ml but the methanolic extract of D. indica exhibited an IC50 value bet¬ter than that of vitaminc C.The higher amounts of phenolic content in the methanolic extract of D. indica might be one of the major causes for its enhanced in vitro antioxidant activity.The present study concludes that Dillenia indica and Garcinia penducalata both possesses anti oxidant activi¬ties. The anti oxidant activity of Dillenia indica is superior to that of Garcinia penducalata due to its higher phenolic contentKeywords: antioxidants, free radicals, phenolic, scavenging
Procedia PDF Downloads 5922669 Mapping Vulnerabilities: A Social and Political Study of Disasters in Eastern Himalayas, Region of Darjeeling
Authors: Shailendra M. Pradhan, Upendra M. Pradhan
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Disasters are perennial features of human civilization. The recurring earthquakes, floods, cyclones, among others, that result in massive loss of lives and devastation, is a grim reminder of the fact that, despite all our success stories of development, and progress in science and technology, human society is perennially at risk to disasters. The apparent threat of climate change and global warming only severe our disaster risks. Darjeeling hills, situated along Eastern Himalayan region of India, and famous for its three Ts – tea, tourism and toy-train – is also equally notorious for its disasters. The recurring landslides and earthquakes, the cyclone Aila, and the Ambootia landslides, considered as the largest landslide in Asia, are strong evidence of the vulnerability of Darjeeling hills to natural disasters. Given its geographical location along the Hindu-Kush Himalayas, the region is marked by rugged topography, geo-physically unstable structure, high-seismicity, and fragile landscape, making it prone to disasters of different kinds and magnitudes. Most of the studies on disasters in Darjeeling hills are, however, scientific and geographical in orientation that focuses on the underlying geological and physical processes to the neglect of social and political conditions. This has created a tendency among the researchers and policy-makers to endorse and promote a particular type of discourse that does not consider the social and political aspects of disasters in Darjeeling hills. Disaster, this paper argues, is a complex phenomenon, and a result of diverse factors, both physical and human. The hazards caused by the physical and geological agents, and the vulnerabilities produced and rooted in political, economic, social and cultural structures of a society, together result in disasters. In this sense, disasters are as much a result of political and economic conditions as it is of physical environment. The human aspect of disasters, therefore, compels us to address intricating social and political challenges that ultimately determine our resilience and vulnerability to disasters. Set within the above milieu, the aims of the paper are twofold: a) to provide a political and sociological account of disasters in Darjeeling hills; and, b) to identify and address the root causes of its vulnerabilities to disasters. In situating disasters in Darjeeling Hills, the paper adopts the Pressure and Release Model (PAR) that provides a theoretical insight into the study of social and political aspects of disasters, and to examine myriads of other related issues therein. The PAR model conceptualises risk as a complex combination of vulnerabilities, on the one hand, and hazards, on the other. Disasters, within the PAR framework, occur when hazards interact with vulnerabilities. The root causes of vulnerability, in turn, could be traced to social and political structures such as legal definitions of rights, gender relations, and other ideological structures and processes. In this way, the PAR model helps the present study to identify and unpack the root causes of vulnerabilities and disasters in Darjeeling hills that have largely remained neglected in dominant discourses, thereby providing a more nuanced and sociologically sensitive understanding of disasters.Keywords: Darjeeling, disasters, PAR, vulnerabilities
Procedia PDF Downloads 2702668 Assessment of the Performance of the Sonoreactors Operated at Different Ultrasound Frequencies, to Remove Pollutants from Aqueous Media
Authors: Gabriela Rivadeneyra-Romero, Claudia del C. Gutierrez Torres, Sergio A. Martinez-Delgadillo, Victor X. Mendoza-Escamilla, Alejandro Alonzo-Garcia
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Ultrasonic degradation is currently being used in sonochemical reactors to degrade pollutant compounds from aqueous media, as emerging contaminants (e.g. pharmaceuticals, drugs and personal care products.) because they can produce possible ecological impacts on the environment. For this reason, it is important to develop appropriate water and wastewater treatments able to reduce pollution and increase reuse. Pollutants such as textile dyes, aromatic and phenolic compounds, cholorobenzene, bisphenol-A and carboxylic acid and other organic pollutants, can be removed from wastewaters by sonochemical oxidation. The effect on the removal of pollutants depends on the type of the ultrasonic frequency used; however, not much studies have been done related to the behavior of the fluid into the sonoreactors operated at different ultrasonic frequencies. Based on the above, it is necessary to study the hydrodynamic behavior of the liquid generated by the ultrasonic irradiation to design efficient sonoreactors to reduce treatment times and costs. In this work, it was studied the hydrodynamic behavior of the fluid in sonochemical reactors at different frequencies (250 kHz, 500 kHz and 1000 kHz). The performances of the sonoreactors at those frequencies were simulated using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Due to there is great sound speed gradient between piezoelectric and fluid, k-e models were used. Piezoelectric was defined as a vibration surface, to evaluate the different frequencies effect on the fluid into sonochemical reactor. Structured hexahedral cells were used to mesh the computational liquid domain, and fine triangular cells were used to mesh the piezoelectric transducers. Unsteady state conditions were used in the solver. Estimation of the dissipation rate, flow field velocities, Reynolds stress and turbulent quantities were evaluated by CFD and 2D-PIV measurements. Test results show that there is no necessary correlation between an increase of the ultrasonic frequency and the pollutant degradation, moreover, the reactor geometry and power density are important factors that should be considered in the sonochemical reactor design.Keywords: CFD, reactor, ultrasound, wastewater
Procedia PDF Downloads 1892667 Phytochemical Screening, Anticancer, Antibacterial and Antioxidant Activities of the Leaf Extracts of Mabolo (Diospyros philippinensis A. DC.)
Authors: Jarel Elgin Tolentino, Arby Denise Nera, Mary Rose Roco, Angela Vianca Aspa, Nikko Beltran, Else Dapat
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Drug resistance by cells has been the problem in the medical field for decades now. The use of medicinal plants as a source of creating powerful drugs has been nowadays recognized worldwide to treat such resistant diseases. In the present study, the potential for Diospyros philippinensis A. DC. to inhibit growth of both bacteria and cancer cell line was conducted. The leaf crude extracts were screened for the presence of phytochemicals and examined for potential bioactivities by employing several assays like Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method, DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate) assay and MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) tetrazolium assay for the antibacterial, antioxidant and cytotoxic activities of the extract, respectively. Phytochemical test results of the extracts revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, phenols, quinones, cardiac glycosides, phlobatannins, carbohydrate, cardenolides and proteins. The leaf extracts were found to exhibit antibacterial activity against gram-positive bacteria, high antioxidant activity (99.22% ± 0.005) but did not show any sign of cytotoxicity towards HCT116 (ATCC CCL-247). The study therefore concludes that D. philippinensis A. DC. leaf extract can be a source of antibacterial and chemopreventive agents. This claim may be used as basis for future investigation.Keywords: bioassay, medicinal plants, plant crude extracts, phytochemical screening
Procedia PDF Downloads 2782666 Non-Invasive Techniques for Management of Carious Primary Dentition Using Silver Diamine Fluoride and Moringa Extract as a Modification of the Hall Technique
Authors: Rasha F. Sharaf
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Treatment of dental caries in young children is considered a great challenge for all dentists, especially with uncooperative children. Recently non-invasive techniques have been highlighted as they alleviate the need for local anesthesia and other painful procedures during management of carious teeth and, at the same time, increase the success rate of the treatment done. Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF) is one of the most effective cariostatic materials that arrest the progression of carious lesions and aid in remineralizing the demineralized tooth structure. Both fluoride and silver ions proved to have an antibacterial action and aid in the precipitation of an insoluble layer that prevents further decay. At the same time, Moringa proved to have an effective antibacterial action against different types of bacteria, therefore, it can be used as a non-invasive technique for the management of caries in children. One of the important theories for the control of caries is by depriving the cariogenic bacteria from nutrients causing their starvation and death, which can be achieved by applying stainless steel crown on primary molars with carious lesions which are not involving the pulp, and this technique is known as Hall technique. The success rate of the Hall technique can be increased by arresting the carious lesion using either SDF or Moringa and gaining the benefit of their antibacterial action. Multiple clinical cases with 1 year follow up will be presented, comparing different treatment options, and using various materials and techniques for non-invasive and non-painful management of carious primary teeth.Keywords: SDF, hall technique, carious primary teeth, moringa extract
Procedia PDF Downloads 952665 Development of Kenaf Cellulose CNT Paper for Electrical Conductive Paper
Authors: A. W. Fareezal, R. Rosazley, M. A. Izzati, M. Z. Shazana, I. Rushdan
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Kenaf cellulose CNT paper production was for lightweight, high strength and excellent flexibility electrical purposes. Aqueous dispersions of kenaf cellulose and varied weight percentage of CNT were combined with the assistance of PEI solution by using ultrasonic probe. The solution was dried using vacuum filter continued with air drying in condition room for 2 days. Circle shape conductive paper was characterized with Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR) spectra, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and therma gravimetric analysis (TGA).Keywords: cellulose, CNT paper, PEI solution, electrical conductive paper
Procedia PDF Downloads 236