Removal of Fatty Acids from Palm Oil Effluent by Combined Electro-Fenton and Biological Oxidation Process

The objective of this paper is to design a pilot plant electrochemical reactor and to prove the operational concept of the electrochemical production of ferrate in situ and its online application for sewage treatment. To that end, the first part of this paper focuses on the analysis of the main engineering aspects of the reactor and the electrochemical process that affect the ferrate production, using laboratory scale experiments such as the interelectrode gap, the space-time yield, the area/volume (A/V) ratio, the current efficiency, and the energy consumption. The second part focuses on the production of ferrate using a pilot plant scale to prove the operational concept of the electrochemical generation of ferrate in situ and its online application as a step towards its full scale application for water and wastewater treatment.     

Solid substrate for production of Alternaria alternata conidia: a potential mycoherbicide for the control of Eichhornia crassipes (water hyacinth)

Eichhornia crassipes (water hyacinth), a major aquatic weed in India, is one of the targets in a biological weed control research programme in India. A fungal pathogen, Alternaria alternata, is being evaluated as a biological control agent for this weed. The feasibility of solid substrate for the mass production of A. alternata has been examined. Conidia production and virulence of A. alternata were affected by temperature, light and incubation period. The highest number of conidia were produced on rice seed followed by wheat, sorghum, maize seeds and cornmeal at 20°C when exposed to near‐ultraviolet than on the other substrates, while the least conidia were observed on these substrates under light conditions. At 20°C, large numbers of virulent conidia were produced on rice seeds after 4 weeks of incubation under constant dark conditions. Henceforth, the use of rice seeds as a solid substrate for production of A. alternata could be a feasible method to produce conidia in a village co‐operative scenario in India.     

Immunostimulating influence of herbal biomedicines on nonspecific immunity in Grouper Epinephelus tauvina juvenile against Vibrio harveyi infection

Herbals such as Cynodon dactylon, Piper longum, Phyllanthus niruri, Tridax procumbens, and Zingiber officinalis were extracted with acetone, benzene, butanol, and petroleum ether and screened against the pathogen Vibrio harveyi isolated from the infected Grouper Epinephalus tauvina. Among the different solvent extractions screening to V. harveyi, petroleum ether extracts were suppressed significantly (P < 0.05). Equal proportions of the all-plant extracts were mixed with the artificial feeds at concentrations of 100, 200, 400, and 800 mg kg⁻¹ of diet and fed to grouper juveniles of 20 ± 2 g average weight for a period of 60 days. Every 20 days, fish juveniles were challenged with V. harveyi and the immune response was studied. The herbal diets significantly (P < 0.05) increased the survival, growth, and immune responses compared to the control group. The herbal diets were significantly improved (P < 0.01) in immune parameters such as phagocytic activity and albumin–globulin (A–G) ratio. Among the different concentrations of the herbals in the diet, the 400 mg kg⁻¹ diet was the most effective in the experiment.     

Molecular characterization,tissue distribution of Follicle‐Stimulating Hormone (FSH) beta subunit and effect of kisspeptin‐10 on reproductive hormonal profile of Catla catla (Hamilton, 1822)

Gonadotropin (GTH) hormones are glycoprotein which stimulates gonadal maturation in vertebrates. Follicle stimulating hormone is involved in initiation of gametogenesis and regulation of gonadal growth. FSHβ has been cloned and characterized from the brain of Catla catla. The FSHβ full‐length of cDNA sequence of 523 bp comprised 3, 394 and 128 bp of 5′‐UTR, open reading frame (ORF) 3′‐UTR respectively. The coding region of C. catla FSHβ encoded a peptide of 130 amino acids. Phylogenetic analysis of C. catla FSHβ deduced amino acid sequence showed high similarity with Gobiocypris rarus followed by goldfish, Carassius auratus. The qPCR result shows that FSHβ mRNA is mainly expressed in pituitary while moderate and low expression was observed in testis and ovary respectively. Chitosan‐nanoconjugated kisspeptin‐10 (CK‐10) of particle size 125 nm, polydispersity index of 0.335 to 0.65 and zeta potential of ?34.95 mV were synthesized and evaluated at against naked kisspeptin‐10 for their reproductive hormonal profile. Treatment of fish with CK‐10 showed controlled and sustained surge of the reproductive hormones (FSH & LH) with peak at 12 h. The hormone levels of naked kisspeptin‐10 treated fish decline after 6 h. The sustained release of this CK‐10 will help in reducing maturation age, synchronization of ovulation and spawning in fish. This is the first report on use of chitosan‐nanoconjugated kisspeptin‐10 (CK‐10) for reproduction in fish.     

罗氏沼虾谷氨酰胺合成酶基因的克隆与表达

谷氨酰胺合成酶(glutamine synthetase, GS)是一种广泛分布在动植物体内的酶,并参与细胞多种代谢调控。在甲壳动物中,GS在能量代谢和渗透压调节过程中起着重要作用。实验克隆了罗氏沼虾GS基因。GS基因cDNA全长1 965 bp,开放读码框(ORF)为1 086 bp,编码361个氨基酸(aa),分子量大小为40.75 ku,等电点为5.81。进化树分析发现,罗氏沼虾GS基因与凡纳滨对虾、斑节对虾和中国明对虾GS聚为一支,氨基酸相似性达到95%。氨基酸多序列比对分析结果显示,罗氏沼虾GS属于无脊椎动物分支的GSⅡ群,有5个保守区域。实验对罗氏沼虾GS蛋白进行表达并制备了多克隆抗体。采用荧光定量PCR技术(qRT-PCR)和免疫印迹(Western blot)对罗氏沼虾蜕壳前后的不同组织GS表达进行检测。qRT-PCR结果显示,GS基因在所检测的8个组织中均有表达;蜕壳前,其相对表达量顺序为:肝胰脏肌肉胃肠鳃心脏脑血淋巴。蜕壳后和蜕壳前GS基因在组织中的差异表达比较结果显示,除了在肝胰脏表达下调外,其他7个组织都表达升高,其相对表达量的差异顺序为:脑鳃胃肠肌肉心脏血淋巴。Westernblot结果显示,蜕壳后GS蛋白在鳃和肌肉组织表达量上调,与其mRNA表达一致。此外,罗氏沼虾蜕壳后肝胰脏GS酶的活性和谷氨酰胺的含量下调,而其在鳃、肌肉和血淋巴中上调,结果与其基因表达一致。研究表明,GS基因在不同组织中表达的差异可能和罗氏沼虾的能量代谢、渗透压调节有关。     

Development of chitosan conjugated DNA vaccine against nodavirus in Macrobrachium rosenbergii (De Man, 1879)

The protective efficacy of a DNA construct containing extra small virus antisense (XSVAS) gene of nodavirus encapsulated with chitosan nanoparticles (NPs) was investigated in giant freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii (De Man, 1879). The delivery was carried out using oral and immersion methods. A plasmid concentration of 100 ng μL^?1 when conjugated with chitosan NPs was found to be more effective in increasing the survivability of the infected prawn. The particle mean size, zeta potential and loading efficiency percentage were 297 nm, 27 mV and 85%, respectively. The ability of the chitosan to form a complex with the plasmid was studied by agarose gel electrophoresis. The NPs were characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Persistence study showed the presence of the DNA construct up to 30th day post‐treatment. The oral treatment was found to be better than the immersion treatment for delivery of the chitosan‐conjugated DNA construct. This is probably the first report on the delivery of nanoconjugated DNA construct in M. rosenbergii, against nodavirus.     

DDT and HCH Residues in Basmati Rice (Oryza sativa) Cultivated in Dehradun (India)

Organochlorine pesticides were used earlier for agricultureproduction. Their residues may still be present in soil and mayaccumulate in food crops, posing potential health problems to consumers. DDT, HCH, their isomers and metabolites were analyzedin samples of soil and rice plants collected from ten differentvillages of a well-known Basmati rice growing area in Dehradun.Residues of both pesticides were found in all samples ofsoil and different parts of rice plants except for a few grainsamples. Maximum residue was observed in husk and minimum ingrains. The average concentration of DDT in soil ranged from0.013 to 0.238 ppm. p,p′-DDE was the major metabolite (>63%). Theaverage concentration of DDT in rice grain varied from 0.002 to 0.040 ppm. o,p′-DDT was the main isomer (>93%). Theaverage concentration of HCH in soil ranged from 0.122 to 0.638 ppm. β-HCH was the predominant (43%) isomerfollowed by α-HCH (21%). The average HCH concentrationin rice grain ranged between 0.013 and 0.113 ppm. All four isomers were present in grains. The levels of DDT and CHCin grains were similar in magnitude as those from differentIndian states, but well below the maximum residue limit of 0.1 ppm for DDT and 0.05 ppm for HCH prescribed by the Government ofIndia and WHO/FAO. As such, the pesticide residue levels in thisexport commodity are not of hazardous nature.     

Prevalence of Multi-Drug-Resistant Salmonella in Equids Maintained by Low Income Individuals and on Designated Equine Farms in India

We examined 872 equids (445 maintained by low-income individuals and 427 maintained on nine designated equine farms) and, using previously described methods for bacteria, isolated Salmonella from fecal samples of 59 (6.77%) animals. Of the 646 horses, 183 donkeys, and 43 mules that had feces cultured for Salmonella, 42 (6.5%), 7 (3.8%), and 10 (23.3%), respectively, were excreting Salmonella strains in feces. Six horse mares were excreting Salmonella enterica of two different serovars simultaneously. A total of 65 Salmonella enterica isolates belonged to 13 serovars, namely S. paratyphi B var Java (14), S. I. 4, 5, 12, 27: r, i: 1, 5 (11), S. Drogana (8), S. Newport (7), S. Saintpaul (5), S. Lagos (4), S. Typhimurium (5), S. Kottbus (3), S. Bovismorbificans (3), S. Dumfries (2), S. Tshiongwe (1) S. Weltevreden (monophasic) (1), and S. enterica ssp salamae (1). With Salmonella-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using hisJ gene primers, 107 (12.3) fecal samples yielded a specific amplicon of 496 bp. On using PCR, prevalence of Salmonella in donkeys, horses, and mules was 4.9%, 10.8%, and 65.1%, respectively. With both methods of Salmonella detection in feces, prevalence was significantly higher in female than in male donkeys and horses. Salmonella shedding in feces was significantly higher in equids maintained by low-income people than those at designated equine farms. Almost all Salmonella isolates (63 of 65) had multiple-drug-resistance (MDR, resistance to three or more drugs). Salmonella isolates were commonly resistant to sulfamethoxazole (90.8%), tetracycline (70.8%), doxycycline (67.7%), furazolidone (66.2%), and colistin (55.4%). A few isolates had resistance to trimethoprim (3.1%), ciprofloxacin (3.1%), ceftriaxone (3.1%), ceftazidime (3.1%), cefoperazone (3.1%), chloramphenicol (4.6%), cefotaxime (6.2%), gentamicin (9.2%), ampicillin + cloxacillin (9.2%), cotrimoxazole (13.8%), kanamycin (13.8%), amoxicillin + clavulanic acid (16.9%), imipenem (16.9%), ampicillin (18.5%), amikacin (23.1%), neomycin (27.7%), nalidixic acid (33.8%), and streptomycin (36.9%). With the exception of 13 Salmonella isolates of S. Drogana (4), S. Newport (4), S. I. 4, 5, 12, 27: r, i: 1, 5 (4) and S. Kottbus (1) serovars, all had one or more than one plasmid. Molecular weight of plasmids ranged between 3 kDa and >87 kDa. One heavy plasmid (≥87 kda) was present in all the 52 plasmid-positive strains. Presence of plasmid could not be correlated with MDR in Salmonella isolates from equids.     

Epoxysesquithujene, a novel sesquiterpenoid from Valeriana hardwickii var. hardwickii

Epoxysesquithujene, a new sesquiterpene epoxide has been characterized in the essential oil of Valeriana hardwickii var. hardwickii on the basis of chemical reactions and extensive NMR data. Fourteen other terpenoids have also been identified on the basis of GC-MS.     

In vitro and in vivo pathogenicity studies of Pasteurella multocida strains harbouring different ompA

Pasteurella multocida is a pathogenic, Gram-negative bacterium that is commonly found as normal flora in nasopharynx of variety of wild and domestic animals. Numerous virulence factors have been described for P. multocida isolates which include adherence and colonization factors, iron-regulated and acquisition proteins, extracellular enzymes such as neuraminidase, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), capsule and a variety of outer membrane proteins (Omp). OmpA has a significant role in stabilizing the cell envelope structure by providing physical linkage between the outer membrane & peptidoglycan. It has been shown to mediate P. multocida -host cells interaction via heparin and/or fibronectin binding and therefore act as an important invasive molecule which could determine the final outcome of initial infection. Comparative nucleotide sequence analysis of ompA gene of P. multocida has revealed that despite extensive genetic diversity in ompA of P. multocida, most sequences could be classified into two major allele classes namely ompA allele (I) and allele (II). The P. multocida recovered from nasal cavity of bovine and belonging to two ompA classes were tested for their differential virulence. In vitro pathogenicity studies on Madin Darby Bovine Kidney (MDBK) cell line employing adhesion and invasion assays indicated that P. multocida strain with ompA (I) is more invasive than P. multocida strain with ompA (II). In vivo studies in mice further reiterated that the isolates harbouring ompA(I) were comparatively more virulent to isolates harbouring ompA (II).