A Study on the Protective Effect of Cynodon dactylon Leaves Extract in Diabetic Rats

Objective To investigate the antidiabetic, antioxidant and hypolipidemic efficacy of Cynodon dactylon in diabetic rats. Methods The experimental rats were randomly divided into three groups： Group I： control; Group II： Alloxan diabetic, untreated; and Group III： Alloxan diabetic treated with ethanolic extract of C. dactylon leaves （450 mg/kg bw）. Experimental diabetes was induced by alloxan in a single dose of 150 mg/kg bw. Results A Significant diminution of fasting blood sugar level was observed and also significant increase in HDL and decrease （P0.05） in cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL and VLDL were observed after 15 days of treatment. The investigation also revealed, the activities of AST, ALT, ALP, AP, LDH, and CPK （P0.05） were decreased in the extract‐supplemented group. The significant decrease in protein content and SOD, CAT, GPx, and GSH （P0.05） activity and increase in LPO in plasma were found to be ameliorated after treatment. Conclusion Our result supports the fact that administration of extract of C. dactylon leave is able to reduce hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia risk and also reduced the oxidative stress in diabetic rats.

Purification,characterization and production optimization of a vibriocin produced by mangrove associated vibrio parahaemolyticus

Objective:To identify a potential bacterium which produces antimicrobial peptide(vibriocin),and its purification,characterization and production optimization.The bacteria subjected in the study were isolated from a highly competitive ecological niche of mangrove ecosystem.Methods:The bacterium was characterized by phenotype besides 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis.The antibacterial activity was recognised by using agar well diffusion method.The vibriocin was purified using ammonium sulphate precipitation,butanol extraction,gel filtration chromatography,ion-exchange chromatography and subsequently,by HPLC.Molecular weight of the substance identified in SDS-PAGE.Production optimization performed according to Taguchi's mathematical model using 6 different nutritional parameters as variables.Results:The objective bacterium was identified as Vibrio parahaemolyticm.The vibriocin showed 18 KDa of molecular mass with mono peptide in nature and highest activity against pathogenic Vibrio harveyi.The peptide act stable in a wide range of pH,temperature.UV radiation,solvents and chemicals utilized.An overall^20%of vibriocin production was improved,and was noticed that NaCl and agitation speed played a vital role in secretion of vibriocin.Conclusion:The vibriocin identified here would he an effective alternative for chemically synthesized drugs for the management of Vibrio infections in mariculture industry.

Potential antioxidant and cytoprotective effects of essential oil extracted from Cymbopogon citratus on OxLDL and H_(2)O_(2) LDL induced Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells(PBMC)

Cymbopogon citratus(lemon grass)is commonly used in traditional folk medicine.The essential oil extracted from C.citratus has been reported as a potential anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory agent.This study has been designed to explore the protective effect of C.citratus(lemon grass)against modified LDL(OxLDL and H2O2 LDL)induced cytotoxicity in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells(PBMC).The essential oil extracted from C.citratus(EOC)was subjected to FT-IR spectroscopic analysis for the identification of functional groups.In vitro antioxidant assays were carried out to assess the electron donating capability of EOC as compared with a known standard L-ascorbic acid.The cytoprotective effects of EOC were determined in PBMC induced with modified LDL.Spectra obtained from FT-IR analysis showed the presence of functional groups in EOC such as H-bonded,O-H stretching,N-H stretching,aldehyde-C-H stretching,aldehyde/ketone-C=O stretching,-C=C-stretching,-CH_(3) bending,-C-H in plane bending.EOC has greater antioxidant property when compared with the standard L-ascorbic acid.EOC at all test concentrations demonstrated free radical scavenging activity and cytoprotective effect when challenged against modified LDL in PBMC.The above results show EOC as a promising antioxidant and cytoprotective agent.

Industrial and Small-Scale Biomass Dryers:An Overview

The quality of the drying process depends mainly on the efficient use of thermal energy.Sustainable systems based on solar energy takes a leading role in the drying of agro-products because of low operating cost.However,they are limited in use during off–sun periods.Biomass dryer is one of the simplest ways of drying because of its potential to dry products regardless of time and climate conditions.The other benefit is that crop residues could be used as fuel in these systems.However,the major limitation of the dryer is unequal drying because of poor airflow distribution in the drying medium,which can be improved by integrating some design changes in the dryer.This review analyses the two types of biomass dryers:industrial biomass dryers and small biomass dryers for food product,along with their efficiency.Further,studies on technical,sustainability and economic aspects are expected to provide a greater understanding of biomass drying.

Design and Performance Analysis of an Innovative Single Basin Solar NanoStill

The provision of fresh water is becoming an increasingly important issue in many areas of the world. Clean water is a basic human necessity, and without water life will be impossible. The rapid international developments, the industrial growth, agriculture and population explosion all over the world have resulted in a large escalation of demand for fresh water. The solar still is the most economical way to accomplish this objective. The sun’s energy heats water to the point of evaporation. When water evaporates, water vapour rises leaving the impurities like salts, heavy metals and condensate on the underside of the glass cover. Solar distillation has low yield, but safe and pure supplies of water in remote areas. The attempts are made to increase the productivity of solar still by using nanofluids and also by black paint coat- ing inside the still basin. Heat transfer enhancement in solar still is one of the key issues of energy saving and compact designs. The essential initiative is to seek the solid particles having thermal conductivity of several hundred times higher than those of conventional fluids. Recently, as an innovative material, nanosized particles have been used in sus- pension in conventional solar still water. The fluids with nanosized solid particles suspended in them are called “nanofluids”. The suspended metallic or nonmetallic nanoparticles change the transport properties, heat transfer characteristics and evaporative properties of the base fluid, The aim of this paper is to analyze and compare the enhanced performance of a single basin solar still using nanofluids with the conventional water. They greatly improve the rate of evaporation and hence the increase in efficiency.

Design and Experimentation of FPGA-Based Soft-Switched Interleaved Boost Converter for Telecommunication System

This paper proposes the design and experimentation of digital control of soft-switched interleaved boost converter using FPGA for Telecommunication System. The switching devices in the proposed converter are turned on and off with Zero Voltage Switching (ZVS) and Zero Current Switching (ZCS) respectively. The circuit is operated in Continuous Conduction Mode (CCM) with various load ranges having duty cycle of more than 50%. The proposed converter is studied by developing the simulation module in MATLAB/SIMULINK. A PI controller is designed and implemented in FPGA to obtain a regulated DC output for line and load variations. Simulation and experimentation results are verified with a prototype development of the proposed converter. The results indicate that the converter performance is enhanced with closed loop control.

Chemical constituents and anti-tuberculosis activity of ink extracts of cuttlefish, Sepiella inermis

Objective:To study the chemical constituents and the anti-tuberculosis activity of methanol and chloroform ink extracts of Sepiella inermis.Methods:Pulverized ink powder was extracted separately with chloroform and methanol.Chemical analysis was carried out by UV-VIS spectrophotometer,FT-IR and GC-MS.Crude extracts were tested in vitro for their activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis using Lowenstein Jensen(L-J)medium.Activity in L-J medium was assessed by mean reduction in number of colonies on extract containing bottles as compared to extract free controls.Results:GC-MS of methanol extract revealed four compounds viz.hexadecanoic acid,9,12-octadecadienoic acid,9-octadecenoic acid and octadecanoic acid.The chloroform extract containing fourteen compounds.The methanol extract exhibited anti-tuberculosis activity in L-J medium at 64μg/mL with the observed inhibition of 14 CFU.Chloroform extract displayed a weak activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis.Conclusions:This investigation showed the methanol extract exhibited significant activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis than chloroform extract.Since ink of sepia is available abundantly as a waste material,further studies aimed at isolation and efficacy of active substances pave the way for new anti-tuberculosis drugs.