Showing papers by "Bharathiar University published in 2008"
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors evaluated the antioxidant potential of Ficus bengalensis L. and Ficus racemosa L. extracts by employing different in vitro assays such as reducing power assay, DPPH, ABTS + and OH radical scavenging capacities, peroxidation inhibiting activity through linoleic acid emulsion system, antihemolytic assay by hydrogen peroxide induced method and metal ion chelating ability.
291 citations
TL;DR: Coconut coir pith, an agricultural solid waste was used as biosorbent for the removal of chromium(VI) after modification with a cationic surfactant, hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide, andKinetic studies showed that the adsorption obeyed second order and Elovich model.
278 citations
TL;DR: From the present study, it is obvious that there might be some chances of structural modification of components in tea due to enzymes liberated by bacteria and yeast during kombucha fermentation which results in better scavenging performance on nitrogen and superoxide radicals, and poor scavengingperformance on hydroxyl radicals.
223 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a polymer electrolyte based on PVA doped with different concentrations of NH 4 Br has been prepared by solution casting technique and the complexation of the prepared polymer electrolytes has been studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infra red (FTIR) spectroscopy.
Abstract: Polymer electrolyte based on PVA doped with different concentrations of NH 4 Br has been prepared by solution casting technique. The complexation of the prepared polymer electrolytes has been studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infra red (FTIR) spectroscopy. The maximum ionic conductivity (5.7×10 −4 S cm −1 ) has been obtained for 25 mol% NH 4 Br-doped PVA polymer electrolyte. The temperature dependence of ionic conductivity of the prepared polymer electrolytes obeys Arrhenius law. The ionic transference number of mobile ions has been estimated by dc polarization method and the results reveal that the conducting species are predominantly ions. The dielectric behavior of the polymer electrolytes has been analyzed using dielectric permittivity and electric modulus spectra.
218 citations
TL;DR: A new strain of Trichoderma harzianum WL1 was isolated from the Western Ghats region of Tamilnadu, India and assayed for laccase activity by ABTS oxidation, suggesting the presence of types I and III Cu centers.
183 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the adhesive properties of polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film surfaces have been investigated by using contact angle measurements.
181 citations
TL;DR: In this article, ammonium thiocyanate (NH4SCN) based polymer films with different compositions have been prepared by solution casting technique and the amorphous nature of the polymer electrolytes has been confirmed by XRD analysis.
Abstract: Poly (N-vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) and ammonium thiocyanate (NH4SCN) based polymer films with different compositions have been prepared by solution casting technique. The amorphous nature of the polymer electrolytes has been confirmed by XRD analysis. The FTIR analysis confirms the complex formation of the polymer with the salt. The conductivity analysis shows that the 20 mol% ammonium thiocyanate doped polymer electrolyte has high ionic conductivity and it has been found to be 1.7 × 10−4 S cm−1, at room temperature. From the admittance plot, the activation energy has been found to be low for 20 mol% salt doped polymer electrolyte. The dielectric behavior has been analyzed using dielectric permittivity (e∗), dissipation factor (tan δ) and electric modulus (M∗) of the samples.
179 citations
TL;DR: This study supports claims that the Malasars possess a rich TAK of medicinal plants and that many aboriginals and mainstream people (pilgrims) utilize medicinal plants of the Velliangiri holy hills and suggests that TAK such as that of theMalasars may serve toward a global lifestyle of health and environmental sustainability.
Abstract: There are many vanishing cultures that possess a wealth of knowledge on the medicinal utility of plants. The Malasars of Dravidian Tamils are an indigenous society occupying the forests of the Western Ghats, South India. They are known to be exceptional healers and keepers of traditional aboriginal knowledge (TAK) of the flora in the Velliangiri holy hills. In fact, their expertise is well known throughout India as evidenced by the thousands of pilgrims that go to the Velliangiri holy hills for healing every year. Our research is the first detailed study of medicinal plants in India that considers variation in TAK among informants using a quantitative consensus analysis. A total of 95 species belonging to 50 families were identified for medicinal and general health purposes. For each species the botanical name, family, local name, parts used, summary of mode of preparation, administration and curing are provided. The consensus analysis revealed a high level of agreement among the informants usage of a particular plant at a local scale. The average consensus index value of an informant was FIC > 0.71, and over 0.80 for some ailments such as respiratory and jaundice. Some of the more common problems faced by the Malasars were gastrointestinal disorders, respiratory illness, dermatological problems and simple illness such as fever, cough, cold, wounds and bites from poisonous animals. We also discovered several new ethnotaxa that have considerable medicinal utility. This study supports claims that the Malasars possess a rich TAK of medicinal plants and that many aboriginals and mainstream people (pilgrims) utilize medicinal plants of the Velliangiri holy hills. Unfortunately, the younger generation of Malasars are not embracing TAK as they tend to migrate towards lucrative jobs in more developed urban areas. Our research sheds some light on a traditional culture that believes that a healthy lifestyle is founded on a healthy environment and we suggest that TAK such as that of the Malasars may serve toward a global lifestyle of health and environmental sustainability.
159 citations
TL;DR: The surface of coir pith, an agricultural solid waste, was modified using a cationic surfactant hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide as mentioned in this paper.
154 citations
TL;DR: Studies on pH effect and desorption show that chemisorption seems to play a major role in the adsorption process and Utilization of autoclaved biomass is much safer as it does not pose any threat to environment.
126 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, ZnCl2 activated coir pith carbon was used for the removal of sulfate and other anions from water, and the effect of foreign ions on the adsorption process was investigated.
Journal Article•
TL;DR: Findings indicate the significant increase in lipid peroxidation as evidenced by the level of TBARS and antioxidant status such as elevated SOD, CAT, GPx, GSH and GST in samples from breast cancer patients compared to controls.
Abstract: Introduction: The present study was undertaken to evaluate the status of lipid peroxidation and antioxidants as biomarkers in human plasma. Methods: The extent of lipid peroxidation as evidenced by the formation of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and conjugated dienes (CD) as well as the status of the antioxidants superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) in serum samples of 40 breast cancer patients in and around Coimbatore, India, were studied. Controls consisted of members of the public with no previous history of breast cancer or other cancer-related diseases. Results: The plasma samples of the breast cancer patients showed enhanced level of lipid peroxidation when compared to the corresponding controls. This was accompanied by a significant elevation in both enzymic and non-enzymic antioxidants. Conclusion: These findings indicate the significant increase in lipid peroxidation as evidenced by the level of TBARS and antioxidant status such as elevated SOD, CAT, GPx, GSH and GST in samples from breast cancer patients compared to controls.
TL;DR: In this article, surface composition and morphology of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) films were analyzed by XPS and AFM and the surface roughness and crystallinity of the PET films were studied by XRD analysis.
Abstract: In the present work, Poly (ethylene terephthalate) films have been exposed to glow discharge air plasma to improve their surface properties for technical applications. Surface energy values have been estimated using contact angle value for different exposure times and different test liquids. Surface composition and morphology of the films were analyzed by XPS and AFM. Crystallinity of the plasma treated samples were studied by XRD analysis. The improvement in adhesive strength was studied by measuring T-peel strength and lap shear strength tests. It was found that the plasma treatment modified the surfaces both in chemical composition and morphology. Change of chemical composition made the polymer surfaces to be highly hydrophilic, which mainly depends on the increase in oxygen-containing groups. The AFM and XRD observation showed that the surface roughness and crystallinity of the PET film increased due to plasma treatment.
TL;DR: In this article, single crystals of α and γ polymorphs of glycine were grown from aqueous solutions at ambient conditions, and the form of crystallization was confirmed by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD).
TL;DR: In this article, the hydrophilic improvement of grey cotton fabric by low pressure dc glow discharge air plasma is investigated by measuring contact angle and dynamic wicking rate, and the surface energy values have been estimated using contact angle measurements and effective mean pore radius of the plasma-treated fabrics were estimated by modified Washburn equation via dynamic Wicking technique.
TL;DR: From this study, it was found out that the activity of the complex 2 almost reaches the effectiveness of the conventional bacteriocide Streptomycin.
TL;DR: In this paper, structural, optical and electrical properties of CdSe polycrystalline thin films were analyzed by chemical bath deposition at 70°C and the results indicated that the prepared CdSE thin films are non-stoichiometric in composition (Cd1.3Se0.7).
TL;DR: In this article, the as-prepared nanostructured seed layer was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) for its structure and surface morphology.
TL;DR: The result indicates that the Zingiberaceae genus Afromonum, Alpinia, Globba, Curcuma and Zediber shows polyphylogeny.
Abstract: MaturaseK gene (MatK) of chloroplast is highly conserved in plant systematics which is involved in Group II intron splicing. The size of the gene is 1500 bp in length, located with in the intron of trnK. In the present study, matK gene from Zingiberaceae was taken for the analysis of variants, parsimony site, patterns, transition/tranversion rates and phylogeny. The family of Zingiberaceae comprises 47 genera with medicinal values. The matK gene sequence have been obtained from genbank and used for the analysis. The sequence alignments were performed by Clustal X, transition/transversion rates were predicted by MEGA and phylogenetic analyses were carried out by PHYLIP package. The result indicates that the Zingiberaceae genus Afromonum, Alpinia, Globba, Curcuma and Zingiber shows polyphylogeny. The overall variants between the species are 24% and transition/transversion rate is 1.54. Phylogenetic tree was designed to identify the ideal regions that could be used for defining the inter and intera-generic relationships. From this study it could be concluded that the matK gene is a good candidate for DNA barcoding of plant family Zingiberaceae.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigated the magnetoconvection of an electrically conducting fluid in a square cavity with partially thermally active vertical walls, and the results were obtained for Grashof numbers between 104 and 106, Hartmann numbers between 0 and 100 and Prandtl numbers 0.054-2.05.
TL;DR: In this article, the adsorption of acid brilliant blue onto thermally activated coir pith carbon in aqueous solution was studied in a batch system with respect to contact time, pH, and temperature.
TL;DR: It was concluded that heat treatment was not a suitable method for kombucha tea preservation and a decrease in free radical scavenging properties was also found during the storage period.
Abstract: Kombucha tea is sugared black tea fermented with a consortium of acetic acid bacteria and yeasts (tea fungus) for 14 days. The tea tastes slightly sweet and acidic. The formation of tea fungal biofilms during storage is a big problem when kombucha tea is being stored and commercialized. Various thermal treatments have been tried for long-term storage of kombucha tea. The present study revealed the influence of heat on the biochemical constituents and the free radical scavenging properties of kombucha tea. Heat treatment at 60, 65, and 68 degrees C for 1 min controlled biofilm formation in kombucha tea without changing its clarity, taste, and flavor. However, tea polyphenols and black tea quality parameters showed varying stability during the storage period. A decrease in free radical scavenging properties was also found during the storage period. Because the biological activities of kombucha tea depended on the biochemical constituents, it was concluded that heat treatment was not a suitable method for kombucha tea preservation.
TL;DR: The haematological (Hb, RBC, WBC) and biochemical (protein and glucose) profiles of a freshwater fish Catla catla were studied under sub-lethal toxicity of cadmium chloride for 25 days and altered parameters were discussed as non-specific biomarkers against metal toxicity in aquatic organisms.
Abstract: The haematological (Hb, RBC, WBC) and biochemical (protein and glucose) profiles of a freshwater fish Catla catla were studied under sub-lethal toxicity of cadmium chloride for 25 days (Treatment I). In addition, the influence of zinc on cadmium toxicity was investigated for haematological and biochemical parameters (Treatment II). In both the experiments, blood haemoglobin and plasma protein level decreased in the treated fish. However, WBC, RBC and plasma glucose levels were increased in Treatment I, while Treatment II showed mixed results. In Treatment II the alterations of both haematological and biological parameters were minimal compared with Treatment I. The alterations of these parameters are discussed as non-specific biomarkers against metal toxicity in aquatic organisms.
TL;DR: The bivalve molluscs Meretrix casta have been identified to accumulate higher concentration of 210Po suggesting that they could serve as bio-indicator of radionuclides like 210Po in the Point Calimere ecosystem.
TL;DR: The higher effluent concentrations (above 60%) were found to affect plant growth, but diluted effluent (up to 60%) favored seedling growth.
Abstract: The physico-chemical characteristics of sugar industry effluent were measured and some were found to be above those limits permissible in the Indian irrigation water standard. A pot study was initially conducted to study the effects of different concentrations (20%, 40%, 60%, 80% and 100%) of sugar factory effluent on seed germination, seedling growth and biochemical characteristics of green gram and maize. A similar study was also carried out using the aquatic plants, water hyacinth and water lettuce. The higher effluent concentrations (above 60%) were found to affect plant growth, but diluted effluent (up to 60%) favored seedling growth.
TL;DR: The results showed a rapid and efficient process of nitrate removal from synthetic wastewater supplemented with starch (1%), inoculated by bacterial consortium (Pseudomonas sp. KW1 and Bacillus sp. YW4) at incubation temperature of 30 degrees C at pH 7.4, leading to the conclusion that the bacterial consortium was responsible for nitrate Removal from synthetic nitrate-rich wastewater.
TL;DR: It is clear that ethanolic extract of A. paniculata Nees can affect the oviposition cycle of Anopheles stephensi Liston, thereby suppressing the vector population and adversely influencing transmission of the disease pathogen.
Abstract: Oviposition is an important phenomenon of mosquitoes and has recently become the focus in the concept of integrated vector control management. In the present study, we evaluated oviposition deterrent, ovicidal and mortality effects of ethanolic extract of Andrographis paniculata Nees against gravid and oviposited females of Anopheles stephensi Liston. Water treated with the ethanolic extract had a high deterrent activity in ovipositing females: oviposition activity index values for the test species were -0.28, -0.45, -0.49 and -0.59 for extract concentrations of 29, 35, 41 and 46 p.p.m., respectively. High degrees of mortality were observed with various concentrations of extract: 1.12 (control) to 11.70 for gravid females, and 0.65 (control) to 10.25 for oviposited females. The highest mortality in both gravid and oviposited females was observed soon after they came in contact with oviposition medium treated with the extract, and this was found to be significant at doses higher than 35 p.p.m., suggesting possible contact toxicity of the extract. The extract caused moderate ovicidal activity against various age groups of A. stephensi, but it inflicted delayed effects such as high larval, pupal and adult mortality. The age of the eggs and the duration of the extract treatment influenced the ovicidal activity observed. It is clear that ethanolic extract of A. paniculata Nees can affect the oviposition cycle of A. stephensi Liston, thereby suppressing the vector population and adversely influencing transmission of the disease pathogen.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors studied buoyancy driven convection in a square cavity induced by two mutually orthogonal and arbitrarily located baffles and found that buoyancy force plays a key role and overall heat transfer in the cavity is enhanced for higher values of both baffle-cavity ratios.
01 Nov 2008
TL;DR: Three different approaches for feature selection, Chi square, Information Gain and ReliefF which is based on filter approach are considered and a comparative study of the three approaches is done using decision tree as classifier.
Abstract: Security of computers and the networks that connect them is increasingly becoming of great significance. Machine learning techniques such as Decision trees have been applied to the field of intrusion detection. Machine learning techniques can learn normal and anomalous patterns from training data and generate classifiers that are used to detect attacks on computer system. In general the input to classifiers is in a high dimension feature space, but not all features are relevant to the classes to be classified. Feature selection is a very important step in classification since the inclusion of irrelevant and redundant features often degrade the performance of classification algorithms both in speed and accuracy. In this paper, we have considered three different approaches for feature selection, Chi square, Information Gain and ReliefF which is based on filter approach. A comparative study of the three approaches is done using decision tree as classifier. The KDDcup 99 data set is used to train and test the decision tree classifiers.
TL;DR: In this article, a series of carbonyl compounds were selected to condense with thiosemicarbazide in ethanol in order to get the respective thio-micarazone ligand as the first step.