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CENTER FOR ADVANCEMENT OF APPLIED SCIENCES

Official Organ: Applied Biological Research (Print ISSN: 0972-0979; Online ISSN: 0974-4517)

Applied Biological Research - June

Volume No. : 26 - Issue : 2 | Article No: 286-297
Author(s) : D. Devipriya and P.M. Radhamany
Plant-derived pharmaceuticals are gaining increased acceptance in treating various ailments, but ensuring their quality is crucial. Both conventional and modern techniques are employed to validate the quality. High performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) and Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR) analysis were conducted to analyse and identify the various phytoconstituents in serial root extract of Holostemma ada-kodien. The peaks observed in HPTLC fingerprint profile corresponding to different phytoconstituents served as markers for standardizing drug; while FTIR analysis aids in identifying the major functional groups present. Thirteen bands were noted for hexane extract of H. ada-kodien in short UV in track I, while chloroform and methanol extracts showed eight bands each. In track II, the hexane extract exhibited eight bands, while chloroform and methanol extracts showed eleven and eight bands, respectively, under similar conditions. The hexane extract in long UV showed a maximum area of 78.4 and 71.59%, in track 1 and 2, respectively, with respective spanning from Rf 0.61 to 0.75 and 0.51 to 0.73. The methanol extract in visible light in track I showed a maximum area of 46.87%, spanning from Rf 0.73 to 0.98, and in track II, it displayed a maximum area of 36.59%, spanning from Rf 0.75 to 0.96 with 10 µL applied. Methanolic root extract of H. ada-kodien showed clear banding patterns in HPTLC fingerprints which seemed to be a dependable technique to detect adulteration while FTIR technique revealed functional groups of methanol root extracts.

D. Devipriya and P.M. Radhamany

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Published online on : 01-Jun-2024

DOI Number - 10.48165/abr.2024.26.01.33

Volume No. : 26 - Issue : 2 | Article No: 277-285
Author(s) : Pallavi Majumder and Suprakas Hazra
Professional workers especially female employees frequently experience occupational stress. Such stress negatively impacts the health status indicators, particularly sleep quality. The present study was aimed to assess the degree of work stress, health issues, sleep patterns and nutritional anthropometric parameters like body fat percentage (BF%), waist circumference (WC), waist hip ratio (WHR) status. Female customer service associates (n = 103) working in Kolkata (India) were selected by simple random sampling method and their responses including socio-demographic, professional data were collected by using occupational stress index (OSI) scale, Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) and physical health questionnaire (PHQ). Bioelectric impedance based body composition analysis, and anthropometric measurements were also taken. The study revealed that a significant number of subjects have moderate work stress (mean OSI score 133.40 ± 19.41), sleep disturbances (mean PSQI global score 6.71 ± 3.31), including physical health problems like headache, and sleep disturbance. The subjects had significantly high body mass index of 25.0 ± 4.34 kg m-2 and body fat% value of 33.46 ± 7.91 and 37.83 ± 5.08 among 20-39 and 40-59 year-age groups, respectively, WC of 84.43 ± 10.83 cm and WHR of 1.05 ± 1.88 indicated abdominal obesity, metabolic complications, and poor nutritional condition. Subjects had significantly high mean for BMI. The study revealed the health concerns among working females in the context of occupa tional stress which can prove detrimental, if no proper measures are taken.

Pallavi Majumder and Suprakas Hazra

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Published online on : 27-May-2024

DOI Number - 10.48165/abr.2024.26.01.32

Volume No. : 26 - Issue : 2 | Article No: 270-276
Author(s) : Nishkala G. Appaji and B.P. Harini
Drosophila species (fruit flies) have long served as valuable model organisms in evolutionary research. Among the diverse traits exhibited by fruit flies, cold tolerance stands out as a critical factor influencing their ecological distribution and survival in varied environments. The majority of research on cold tolerance concentrates on subjecting flies to a single, stressful temperature without any modulation in the diet. The present study aimed to understand the impact of nutrient-specific modulation on cold tolerance of Drosophila ananassae and D. bipectinata across a broad range of lower temperatures. Adult flies were transferred to the media composition enriched with sucrose and tryptophan in three replicates and maintained at 22oC. Twenty flies of particular stages viz., adults, eggs, larvae and pupa were exposed to 18, 14, and 10oC for 5 days. The impact of cold stress on their growth and survival was noted for 5 following days. The impact of dietary modifications on cold stress tolerance and life history traits was positive and consistent across both species. In contrast, D. bipectinata had greater survival rates than D. ananassae across all temperatures and dietary regimes. Tryptophan (100 mg) diet performed best to improve life traits on cold stress treatment.

Nishkala G. Appaji and B.P. Harini

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Published online on : 23-May-2024

DOI Number - 48165/abr.2024.26.01.31

Volume No. : 26 - Issue : 2 | Article No: 263-269
Author(s) : Uma Thakur and Nitin Dongarwar
Eulophia nuda Lindl. corms are used to cure cancer and is overexploited by the traditional medicine practitioners and medicinal plant traders. The corms of Geodorum densiflorum look morphologically similar to the corms of Eulophia nuda, hence it is used as an adulterant to the corms of Eulophia nuda, consequetly, the population of G. densiflorum is also facing the exploitation pressure. In present study, asymbiotic seed germination of both the terrestrial orchids was achieved using six media like Vacin and Went (WV) medium, Malmgren modified (MM) terrestrial orchid medium, modified Kundson C medium, ½ MS medium, Lindemann medium (LM) and BM1 medium along with three photoperiods (0/24, 16/8, and 24/0 h L/D). Eulophia nuda showed highest asymbiotic seed germination on MM medium (80.55 %) and the best light treatment was 0/24 h L/D. The highest asymbiotic seed germination of G. densiflorum was on VW (84.07%), LM (83.29%) and BM 1(81.02%) and the best light treatment was 24/0 h L/D.

Uma Thakur and Nitin Dongarwar

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Published online on : 22-May-2024

DOI Number - 10.48165/abr.2024.26.01.30

Volume No. : 26 - Issue : 2 | Article No: 225-232
Author(s) : Richa Bhardwaj, Devyani Naruka and Smita Purohit
The present study was aimed to evaluate the antifungal and antioxidant properties of leaf and fruit extracts of guava (Psidium guajava Linn.). Antifungal assays were conducted to assess the efficacy of extracts against clinically relevant fungal strains, viz., Aspergillus niger MTCC-4325, Penicillium chrysogenum MTCC-2539, Candida albicans MTCC-7315, and Fusarium solani MTCC-3309. Besides, enzyme activity for catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD) were assayed to elucidate the antioxidant potential of extracts. The radical scavenging activities of extracts were determined using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays to quantify the overall antioxidant capacity. Results indicated pronounced inhibitory activity against F. solani in methanolic extracts of leaves (21.66 ± 2.05) and fruits (24.66 ± 1.25), with aqueous extracts exhibiting comparatively lesser inhibition across the tested fungal strains. Moreover, the enzyme activity assays revealed higher CAT and POD activities in fresh leaf extract as compared to the fruit extract. Notably, DPPH assay underscored the superior antioxidant potential of Psidium leaf extracts relative to fruit extracts, while FRAP assay showed higher radical scavenging capacity of methanolic extract as compared to the aqueous extract.

Richa Bhardwaj, Devyani Naruka and Smita Purohit

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Published online on : 20-May-2024

DOI Number - 10.48165/abr.2024.26.01.26

Volume No. : 26 - Issue : 2 | Article No: 253-262
Author(s) : Ami Shah and R. Gadhvi
The bioactivity of broccoli microgreens might be valuable for understanding the association between diet and cancer along with searching for healthy and functional food options. The present study was centred on broccoli microgreens as a functional food. The anticancer activity was measured in broccoli florets and microgreens. The cytotoxicity of microgreens extract was confirmed by flow cytometry assays. Significantly higher anticancer activity was observed in microgreens as compared to the florets. The IC50 value for Thp-1 cell line was 772.47 and 446.34 µg mL-1 for florets and microgreens, respectively. In cell cycle analysis, 69% cells were arrested at G0/G1 phase. The 8.58% of dead cells were detected in early apoptosis. As the cells were in early apoptosis, DNA damage was observed only in 3.53% cells. Thus, the increased consumption of broccoli microgreens could have significantly positive impact on human health.

Ami Shah and R. Gadhvi

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Published online on : 17-May-2024

DOI Number - 10.48165/abr.2024.26.01.29

Volume No. : 26 - Issue : 2 | Article No: 246-252
Author(s) : Ashim Chakravorty
Forty four landraces of lowland rice were assessed for genetic diversity using D2 statistics based on various grain yielding parameters. Significant variability was found among the traits studied. Eight diverse clusters were made to set them into groups. The pattern of distribution of genotypes from different eco geographic regions into various clusters was at random indicating that geographical diversity and genetic diversity were not related. The maximum inter-cluster distance was observed between cluster III and IV (1033.15), followed by clusters II and VIII (935.07). Maximum intra-cluster distance was observed in cluster IV (731.01). Divergence analysis revealed significant variation among the parental lines for all the agro-morphological traits. Cluster analysis showed that superior cultivars like ‘Kanakchur’ from cluster IV; cv. ‘FR13A’, ‘Jaladhi2’, ‘Matla’ and ‘Purni’ from cluster III; cv. ‘Latisail’, ‘Pimpu Dibasa’, ‘Jeeringa Samba’ and ‘Shib Chato’ from cluster II; and cv. ‘ARC11210’, ‘Kumar Gore’, ‘NC678’, ‘Sada Mota’ and ‘Kantaranga’ from cluster VI may be taken in hybridization program, based on the genetic distance, relative contribution of characters towards total divergence and yield potential of genotypes. The characters viz., days to 50% flowering, plant height, panicle weight and number of grains panicle-1 contributed maximum towards the divergence among genotypes taken for this study. So, allelic diversity among the genotypes and the concerned traits taken for this experiment should be taken into consideration while framing a rice breeding programme.

Ashim Chakravorty

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Published online on : 08-May-2024

DOI Number - 10.48165/abr.2024.26.01.28

Volume No. : 26 - Issue : 2 | Article No: 233-245
Author(s) : Mahidhar Prasad Tiwari and Poonam Tiwari
Rivers are important source of fresh water which is important for the sustenance and welfare of the society. The present study deals with the assessment of water quality parameters and with the population of phyto- and zoo-plankton of Himalayan Bhagirathi river in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand (India). The samples were collected from the study area during summer, monsoon, and winter seasons for water quality and phyto- and zoo-plankton analysis. The air temperature, depth temperature, pH, total alkalinity, total dissolved solids (TDS), dissolved oxygen (DO), turbidity, free CO2, electric conductivity (EC), biological oxygen demand (BOD) and total hardness were determined. The study revealed that DO was maximum in winter (12.35 ± 0.25 mg L-1) and minimum in June to September (9.75 ± 0.25 mg L-1). The Bhagirathi water contained maximum DO in colder month, followed by a gradual decrease to its lowest value during June to September. BOD, an important indicator of pollution status of a water body, was high during summer perhaps due to low discharge at river. BOD was high in monsoon (4.4 ± 0.14 mg L-1) and low in winter (1.5 ± 0.14 mg L-1). The study revealed low river flow during winter. Bacillariophyceae was maximum (442 units L-1) in February and minimum (18 units L-1) in July. Chlorophyceae was maximum (80 units L-1) in January and minimum (6 units L-1) in August, while Myxophyceaewas maximum (34 units L-1) in February and minimum in June and Xanthophyceae was not recorded at this site. The maximum number of zooplankton genera was observed during winter and minimum in rainy season. The study showed that there is an urgent need to have proper water management in rainy and summer seasons so as to restore the water quality of this river.

Mahidhar Prasad Tiwari and Poonam Tiwari

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Published online on : 07-May-2024

DOI Number - 48165/abr.2024.26.01.27

Volume No. : 26 - Issue : 2 | Article No: 152-169
Author(s) : Saber W. Hamad, Ateeq Ahmed Al-Zahrani, Hussain D. Almalki, Sarwan W. Bradosty, Hasan Nudin Nur Fatihah, Talar K. Anwar, Asaad Mohammed Mahmood, and Abdulrahman Mahmoud Dogara
Medicinal plants continue to be a crucial source of safe, less toxic, economical, available, and reliable natural medicine supplies all over the world. Balanites aegyptiaca Del. (Zygophyllaceae), commonly known as the "desert date", is a thorny shrub or tree found in arid parts of Africa and South Asia. It has traditionally been used to cure a variety of maladies such as wounds, haemorrhoids, jaundice, syphilis, intestinal worm infection, malaria, dysentery, constipation, diarrhoea, stomachaches, asthma, and fever. The fruits of B. aegyptiaca are highly effective as antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, antiparasitic, antidiabetic, and anticancer. However, the safety and effectiveness of B. aegyptiaca have not been completely studied in humans, so additional well-planned clinical trials are required to corroborate preclinical findings. The WHO has stressed on continued research on medical plants since products derived from plants will continue to be in demand. Searches were conducted on Google Scholar, Science Direct, Google.com, Wiley, PubMed, Hindawi, Springer, and other relevant databases for research publications on B. aegyptiaca. Duplicate publications including thesis papers, and reviews of B. aegyptiaca were excluded This review presents a thorough overview of current information on the therapeutic characteristics of B. aegyptiaca with a focus on its biological activities. It briefly examines its traditional usage, taxonomy, and biological evaluation.

Saber W. Hamad, Ateeq Ahmed Al-Zahrani, Hussain D. Almalki, Sarwan W. Bradosty, Hasan Nudin Nur Fatihah, Talar K. Anwar, Asaad Mohammed Mahmood, and Abdulrahman Mahmoud Dogara

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Published online on : 30-Apr-2024

DOI Number - 10.48165/abr.2024.26.01.19

Volume No. : 26 - Issue : 2 | Article No: 143-151
Author(s) : Shweta B. Kukreti* and Dipika Ayate
Ebony, a dense black/brown hardwood coming from several species of genus Diospyros, is facing a scarcity in market due to trade ban. This constraint in material availability has led to the adoption of ebonization techniques in other wood, wherein wood is treated to mimic the distinctive dark black colour of ebony. Ebonization process has become an important factor in industries looking for imitated wood products to meet the consumer preferences for aesthetic appeal of ebony-like wood. In this paper a concise insight into the current status of ebony (Diospyros ebenum) in India has been given with emphasis on the ebonization. The paper reviews the effectiveness of various ebonization methods, with focus on the reaction of wood surfaces with iron salt, particularly iron acetate, as the most promising approach and challenges in this process.

Shweta B. Kukreti* and Dipika Ayate

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Published online on : 29-Apr-2024

DOI Number - 10.48165/abr.2024.26.01.18

Volume No. : 26 - Issue : 2 | Article No: 219-224
Author(s) : Abdulrahman Mahmoud Dogara, Harmand A. Hama and Dogan Ozdemir
The medicinal properties of plants have been known for centuries, making them an invaluable resource for the people in need of treatment. Humans on every continent have long relied on the healing properties of plants, a practice that may be traced back to prehistoric times. Melaleuca citrina is a plant with substantial therapeutic potential. To the best of our knowledge, no published work has characterized the chemical composition of M. citrina in Nigeria. This study aimed to analyse the bioactive chemical constituents of essential oil extracted from the leaves of M. citrina in Nigeria. A Clevenger style apparatus was used to hydro-distillate the freshly chopped leaves of M. citrina for a duration of two to three hours. After the extraction process, the essential oils were separated and dried using anhydrous sodium sulphate. Then, the oil composition was examined using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Here are the main compounds: (-) Spothulenol 8.6%, Cryptomeridiol 5.5%, Selinene gamma 8%, Pinocarveol cis-> 15%, Cymene para 10%, Selinene delta 10%, and globulol 27.3%. Astringent, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antiseptic are just a few of the fascinating biological characteristics exhibited by globulol, the main component of essential oils. Essential oils extracted from the leaves of Melaleuca citrina possess strong natural qualities that can work as anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiseptic, and astringent agents.

Abdulrahman Mahmoud Dogara, Harmand A. Hama and Dogan Ozdemir

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Published online on : 25-Apr-2024

DOI Number - 10.48165/abr.2024.26.01.25

Volume No. : 26 - Issue : 2 | Article No: 210-218
Author(s) : Varna Sampath, M. Shivashankar, and R. Rangeshwaran
The insect gut is a complex system colonized by a consortium of microbes which share a symbiotic relation with the host and also contribute to its growth, development, immunity and defense against its enemies, reproduction and speciation, thereby play a crucial role in its survival. Hence understanding the role of these bacteria is a crucial step for using them in microbial control of pests. In present study, a 16S microbiome profiling of gut of Epilachna vigintioctopunctata was carried out. The study revealed 553 operational taxonomic units (OTUs). The majority of bacterial OTUs belonged to the phylum Proteobacteria, followed by Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes and Actinobacteria. The majority of bacterial OTUs belonged to the family Halomonadaceae which was the most abundant taxa in larval gut. The study provides a baseline information on gut inhabiting microbes of E. vigintiocto punctata up to the genus level for most phyla.

Varna Sampath, M. Shivashankar, and R. Rangeshwaran

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Published online on : 21-Apr-2024

DOI Number - 10.48165/abr.2024.26.01.24

Volume No. : 26 - Issue : 2 | Article No: 199-209
Author(s) : Vishwajeet Singh, Med Ram Verma and Subhash Kumar Yadav
Accurate prediction of sugarcane yield is essential for trade, economic planning, and sustainable agriculture in India. This study addressed the challenge of forecasting sugarcane yield by evaluating the effectiveness of time series modelling and machine learning algorithms. Leveraging data spanning from 2001 to 2020, the research focuses on predicting the sugarcane yield for the subsequent years. The problem statement revolves around the need for precise yield predictions to inform decision-making in the agricultural sector. Methods employed included the utilization of Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) for time series analysis and machine learning algorithms such as Random Forest (RF), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Gradient Boosting Machine (GBM). The analysis encompassed sugarcane yield data spanning multiple years, with predictions extending for a specified duration. Through analysis of temporal patterns and dependencies within the sugarcane yield time series data using Autocorrelation Function (ACF) and Partial Autocorrelation Function (PACF), the study optimized the predictive models. Results indicated that ARIMA outperformed machine learning algorithms, exhibiting superior performance with a root mean square error of 36700.68 and a minimum AIC value of 456.7. The study emphasizes the significance of accurate yield predictions for agricultural planning and decision-making, highlighting the implications for sustainable crop management and the fortification of Indian sugar industry. The study affirms the importance of informed decisions facilitated by accurate yield predictions in resilient agricultural sector. Overall, this study contributes to the advancement of sugarcane yield prediction, offers practical insights for stakeholders and policymakers in India's agricultural landscape.

Vishwajeet Singh, Med Ram Verma and Subhash Kumar Yadav

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Published online on : 14-Apr-2024

DOI Number - 10.48165/abr.2024.26.01.23

Volume No. : 26 - Issue : 2 | Article No: 186-198
Author(s) : Bhupendra Narayan Singh Yadav, Priyanka Sharma, Shristy Maurya, and Rajiv Kumar Yadav
The continuous release of heavy metal pollutants into soil through human activities poses threat to both macro- and micro-organisms within the ecosystem. Functional metatranscriptomics is a robust method for discovering novel genes associated with a particular biological process. In this study, functional meta transcriptomic approach was employed to isolate a gene from size-fractionated cDNA libraries of micro-eukaryotes. The cDNA libraries were raised using high-quality RNA from heavy metal-contaminated soil. The identified gene aligned with Nramp (Natural resistance associated macrophage protein) family. The gene, JMC-10, was submitted to GenBank under Accession No. OR882126, and it encodes a protein with high sequence similarity to other Nramp family members, including Smf1p, Smf2p, and Smf3p in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. To study the function of JMC-10 gene, a series of growth assays were conducted in yeast cells that either overexpressed JMC-10 or carried a deletion of gene. The study revealed the putative role of JMC-10 in the transportation of divalent metal ions, including iron, manganese, zinc and cadmium. Notably, the overexpression of JMC-10 was induced by exposure to toxic levels of cadmium, suggesting it’s potential role in metal detoxification. The study provides new intuitions into the roles of Nramp family in metal homeostasis and highlights the potentiality of functional metatranscriptomics for identifying new genes having crucial roles in complex biological processes. Further, it may serve as a biomarker for identifying metal pollution.

Bhupendra Narayan Singh Yadav, Priyanka Sharma, Shristy Maurya, and Rajiv Kumar Yadav

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Published online on : 09-Apr-2024

DOI Number - 10.48165/abr.2024.26.01.22

Volume No. : 26 - Issue : 2 | Article No: 180-185
Author(s) : Sanjeeda Khatoon and Amar Singh
Seed priming cause invigoration of seeds in this process the seed grains are allowed to soak moisture till a period before protrusion of radicle (safe limit). When soaking medium is water it is called hydropriming and when salt solutions is used it called halopriming. In priming, the seeds are dried back to original moisture content after soaking till safe limit. In present study, a comparative study on the effect of interaction of hydro- and halo-priming on two genotypes (WR-544 and DBW-187) of wheat were studied for impact on floral attributes and productivity. Distilled water was used for hydro-priming and 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5% of KCl, KH2PO4, Mg(NO3)2 and MgSO4 salt solutions were used for hydro priming. The study revealed that floral initiation took in just 43 days in ‘WR 544’ under 1.5% Mg(NO3)2 + 100% light treatment and 1.5% MgSO4 + 50% light treatment; whereas it took place in 60 days under 1.0% KH2PO4 + 50% light treatment. In genotype ‘DBW-187’, flowering took place in 56 days under hydro-priming + 100% light as well as 50% light interacted with hydro-priming or halo-priming with 0.5% KCl. In genotype ‘WR-544’ the viable grains in 1.5% Mg(NO3)2 + 100% light treatment were 377. In both genotypes halo-priming improved productivity. In genotype WR-544, 388 spikelets were produced under 100% light + 1.5% Mg(NO3)2 treatment. The genotype WR-544 appeared better performer than DBW-187 under both priming conditions.

Sanjeeda Khatoon and Amar Singh

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Published online on : 07-Apr-2024

DOI Number - 10.48165/abr.2024.26.01.21

Volume No. : 26 - Issue : 2 | Article No: 170-179
Author(s) : Jyoti M. Patki and Shruti Purohit
A marked increase in antimicrobial resistance among common bacterial pathogens has made the search for new therapeutic targets highly imperative. The present study was aimed to analyse the potential of bacterial chaperone high-temperature protein G (HtpG) as a therapeutic target by determining its role in virulence and antibiotic resistance. Two bacterial isolates obtained from the oral cavity of healthy human subjects were characterized and tentatively identified as Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus mutans. Survival assays of these isolates showed induction of thermotolerance with around 24% increase in survival at lethal temperature after preconditioning. Protein profile studies revealed prominent expression of proteins of 99, 77 and 40 kDa in thermo tolerance group as compared to the control. HtpG inhibition was achieved by using a pharmacological inhibitor of human Hsp90, geldanamycin (GA). In disc diffusion assays, there was no significant inhibitory impact of HtpG on antibiotic susceptibility to six antimicrobial compounds in both the isolates as compared to the control. An 18-19% reduction in biofilm-forming capacity was observed for both isolates after GA treatment. This study lays strong experimental evidence to the involvement of HtpG in the development of anti-microbial resistance through biofilm formation.

Jyoti M. Patki and Shruti Purohit

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Published online on : 02-Apr-2024

DOI Number - 10.48165/abr.2024.26.01.20