Abstract: Zinc is a non-ferrous metal with potential application in orthopaedic implant materials. However, its poor mechanical properties were major challenge to its application. Therefore, this paper studies the mechanical properties of biodegradable Zn-based alloy for biomedical application. Pure zinc powder with varying (0, 1, 2, 3 & 6) wt% of magnesium powders were ball milled using ball-to-powder ratio (B:P) of 10:1 at 350 rpm for 4 hours. The resulting milled powders were compacted and sintered at 300 MPa and 350 °C respectively. Microstructural, phase and mechanical properties analyses were performed following American standard of testing and measurement. The results show that magnesium has influence on the mechanical properties of zinc. The compressive strength, hardness and elastic modulus of 210 ± 8.878 MPa, 76 ± 5.707 HV and 45 ± 11.616 GPa respectively as obtained in Zn-2Mg alloy were optimum and meet the minimum requirement of biodegradable metal for orthopaedics application. These results indicate an increase of 111, 93 and 93% in compressive strength, hardness and elastic modulus respectively as compared to pure zinc. The increase in mechanical properties was adduced to effectiveness of compaction pressure and intermetallic phase formation within the matrix resulting in high dislocation density for improving strength. The study concluded that, Zn-2Mg alloy with optimum mechanical properties can therefore be considered a potential candidate for orthopaedic application.
Abstract: Comparative research has been conducted to allow us to determine the content of macro and microelements in the vegetative and reproductive organs of grass pea and the quality of grass pea seeds, as well as to identify the possibility of grass pea growth on soils contaminated by heavy metals. The experiment was conducted on an agricultural field subjected to contamination from the Non-Ferrous-Metal Works (MFMW) near Plovdiv, Bulgaria. The experimental plots were situated at different distances of 0.5 km and 8 km, respectively, from the source of pollution. On reaching commercial ripeness the grass pea plants were gathered. The composition of the macro and microelements in plant materials (roots, stems, leaves, seeds), and the dry matter content, sugars, proteins, fats and ash contained in the grass pea seeds were determined. Translocation factors (TF) and bioaccumulation factor (BCF) were also determined. The quantitative measurements were carried out through inductively-coupled plasma (ICP). The grass pea plant can successfully be grown on soils contaminated by heavy metals. Soil pollution with heavy metals does not affect the quality of the grass pea seeds. The seeds of the grass pea contain significant amounts of nutrients (K, P, Cu, Fe Mn, Zn) and protein (23.18-29.54%). The distribution of heavy metals in the organs of the grass pea has a selective character, which reduces in the following order: leaves > roots > stems > seeds. BCF and TF values were greater than one suggesting efficient accumulation in the above ground parts of grass pea plant. Grass pea is a plant that is tolerant to heavy metals and can be referred to the accumulator plants. The results provide valuable information about the chemical and nutritional composition of the seeds of the grass pea grown on contaminated soils in Bulgaria. The high content of macro and microelements and the low concentrations of toxic elements in the grass pea grown in contaminated soil make it possible to use the seeds of the grass pea as animal feed.
Abstract: Titanium and its alloys have become more significant implant materials due to their mechanical properties, excellent biocompatibility and high corrosion resistance. Biomaterials can be produce by using the powder metallurgy (PM) methods and required properties can tailored by varying the processing parameters, such as ball milling time, space holder particles, and sintering temperature. The desired properties such as, structural and mechanical properties can be obtained by powder metallurgy method. In the present study, deals with fabrication of solid and porous Ti-20Nb-5Ag alloy using high energy ball milling for different times (5 and 20 h). The resultant powder particles were used to fabricate solid and porous Ti-20Nb-5Ag alloy by adding space holder particles (NH4HCO3). The resultant powder particles, fabricated solid and porous samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The compressive strength, elastic modulus and microhardness properties were investigated. Solid and porous Ti-20Nb-5Ag alloy samples showed good mechanical properties for 20 h ball milling time as compare to 5 h ball milling.
Abstract: This paper defined the association between the
indigenous knowledge, cultural practices and the ecosystem its
implication to the environmental education to the farmers. Farmers
recognize the need for sustainability of the ecosystem they inhabit.
The cultural practices of farmers on use of indigenous pest control,
use of insect-repellant plants, soil management practices that suppress
diseases and harmful pests and conserve soil moisture are deemed
to be ecologically-friendly. Indigenous plant materials that were
more drought- and pest-resistant were grown. Crop rotation was
implemented with various crop seeds to increase their disease
resistance. Multi-cropping, planting of perennial crops, categorization
of soil and planting of appropriate crops, planting of appropriate
and leguminous crops, alloting land as watershed, and preserving
traditional palay seed varieties were found to be beneficial in
preserving the environment. The study also found that indigenous
knowledge about crops are still relevant and useful to the current
generation. This ensured the sustainability of our environment and
incumbent on policy makers and educators to support and preserve
for generations yet to come.
Abstract: Comparative research has been conducted to allow us to determine the accumulation of heavy metals (Pb, Zn and Cd) in the vegetative and reproductive organs of safflower, and to identify the possibility of its growth on soils contaminated by heavy metals and efficacy for phytoremediation. The experiment was performed on an agricultural field contaminated by the Non-Ferrous-Metal Works (MFMW) near Plovdiv, Bulgaria. The experimental plots were situated at different distances (0.1, 0.5, 2.0, and 15 km) from the source of pollution. The contents of heavy metals in plant materials (roots, stems, leaves, seeds) were determined. The quality of safflower oils (heavy metals and fatty acid composition) was also determined. The quantitative measurements were carried out with inductively-coupled plasma (ICP). Safflower is a plant that is tolerant to heavy metals and can be referred to the hyperaccumulators of lead and cadmium and the accumulators of zinc. The plant can be successfully used in the phytoremediation of heavy metal contaminated soils. The processing of safflower seeds into oil and the use of the obtained oil will greatly reduce the cost of phytoremediation.
Abstract: Currently, biological control programs in greenhouse
crops involve the use, at the same time, several natural enemies
during the crop cycle. Also, large number of plant species grown in
greenhouses, among them, the used cultivars are also wide. However,
the cultivar effects on entomophagous species efficacy (predators and
parasitoids) have been scarcely studied. A new method had been
developed, using the factitious prey or host Ephestia kuehniella. It
allow us to evaluate, under greenhouse or controlled conditions
(semi-field), the cultivar effects on the entomophagous species
effectiveness. The work was carried out in greenhouse tomato crop. It
has been found the biological and ecological activities of predatory
species (Nesidiocoris tenuis) and egg-parasitoid (Trichogramma
achaeae) can be well represented with the use of the factitious prey
or host; being better in the former than the latter. The data found in
the trial are shown and discussed. The developed method could be
applied to evaluate new plant materials before making available to
farmers as commercial varieties, at low costs and easy use.
Abstract: Natural dye extracted from Caesalpinia sappan Linn. was applied to a cotton fabric and silk yarn by dyeing process. The dyestuff component of Caesalpinia sappan Linn. was extracted using water and ethanol. Analytical studies such as UV–VIS spectrophotometry and gravimetric analysis were performed on the extracts. Brazilein, the major dyestuff component of Caesalpinia sappan Linn. was confirmed in both aqueous and ethanolic extracts by UV–VIS spectrum. The color of each dyed material was investigated in terms of the CIELAB (L*, a* and b*) and K/S values. Cotton fabric dyed without mordant had a shade of reddish-brown, while those post-mordanted with aluminum potassium sulfate, ferrous sulfate and copper sulfate produced a variety of wine red to dark purple color shades. Cotton fabric and silk yarn dyeing was studied using aluminum potassium sulfate as a mordant. The observed color strength was enhanced with increase in mordant concentration.
Abstract: There is a growing interest in the food industry and in preventive health care for the development and evaluation of natural antioxidants from medicinal plant materials. In the present work, extracts of three medicinal plants (Tilia argentea, Crataegi folium leaves and Polygonum bistorta roots) used in Turkish phytotheraphy were screened for their phenolic profiles and antioxidant properties. Crude extracts were obtained from different parts of plants, by solidliquid extraction with pure water, 70% acetone and 70% methanol aqueous solvents. The antioxidant activity of the extracts was determined by ABTS.+ radical cation scavenging activity. The Folin Ciocalteu procedure was used to assess the total phenolic concentrations of the extracts as gallic acid equivalents. A modified liquid chromatography-electro spray ionization-mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS) was used to obtain chromatographic profiles of the phenolic compounds in the medicinal plants. The predominant phenolic compounds detected in different extracts of the plants were catechin, protocatechuic and chlorogenic acids. The highest phenolic contents were obtained by using 70% acetone as aqueous solvent, whereas the lowest phenolic contents were obtained by water extraction due to Folin Ciocalteu results. The results indicate that acetone extracts of Tilia argentea had the highest antioxidant capacity as free ABTS radical scavengers. The lowest phenolic contents and antioxidant capacities were obtained from Polygonum bistorta root extracts.
Abstract: Gamboge disorder (GD) or fruit damage by the yellow sap is a major problem in mangosteen. Mangosteen plants varied in the level of GD, from very low or non GD to low, moderate and high GD. However it was difficult to differentiate between GD and non GD plants because evaluation of the disorder is strongly influenced by environment. In this study we investigated the usefulness of primer designed from bioinformatics related to cell wall strength, termed as MCWS, to predict GD. Plant materials used were 28 mangosteen plants selected based on percentage of GD categorized as high, moderate, low and very low or non GD. The result showed that the specific DNA fragments were absent in the high GD accessions. The MCWS marker suggests as a novel polymorphic marker for GD in mangosteen as well as a marker for detect variability in mangosteen as apomictic plant.
Abstract: The efficacy of the separate mixing of four tropical spicy and medicinal plant products: Dennettia tripetala Baker (pepper fruit), Eugenia aromatica Hook (clove), Piper guineense (Schum and Thonn) (black pepper) and Monodora myristica (Dunal) (African nut-meg) with a household vegetable oil was evaluated under tropical storage conditions for the control and reproductive performance of Dermestes maculatus (De Geer) (hide beetle) and Necroba rufipes (De Geer) (copra beetle) on African catfish, Clarias gariepinus (Burchell). Each of the plant materials was pulverized into powder and applied as a mix of 1ml of oil and plant powder at 2.5, 5.0, 7.5 and 10.0g per 100g of dried fish, and allowed to dry for 6h. Each of the four oil-mixed powder treatments evoked significant (P < 05) mortalities of the two insects compared with the control (oil only) at 1, 3 and 7 days post treatment. The oil-powder mixture dosages did not prevent insect egg hatchability but while the emergent larvae on the treated samples died, the emergent larvae in the control survived into adults. The application of oil-mixed powders effectively suppressed the emergence of the larvae of the beetles. Similarly, each of the oil-powder mixtures significantly reduced weight loss in smoked fish that were exposed to D. maculatus and N. rufipes when compared to the control (P < 05). The results of this study suggest that the plant powders rather than the domestic oil demonstrated protective ability against the fish beetles and confirm the efficacy of the plant products as pest control agents.
Abstract: An experiment was conducted under controlled
conditions to study the effect of water extract of leaves, shoots and
roots of either Sisymbrium irio L. =SISIR and/or Descurainia
sophia (L.) Schur =DESSO on the germination and primary growth
of wheat. A split-split plot experiment in CRD with three
replications was used. The main plots were the type of weed: i.e.
SISIR and DESSO and the sub-plots were type of organ: i.e. leaf,
stem and root and, the sub-sub plots were concentration of the
water extract of each organ of the weeds: i.e. 0, 2, 4 and 8 % w/v.
The plant materials were cut in 2-3 cm pieces and then were
ground in a blender. The crushed materials were weighed
according to experimental protocol and the final volume was
reached to 100 ml in distilled water in dark bottles. All bottles were
put on a shaker for 24 hours. The solutions were filtered by muslin
cloth. Whatman paper, 9 cm in diameter, were put in petri dishes
and twenty seeds of wheat were put on it and 5 ml distilled water
or water extract of weeds were added to each petri dish. All petri
dishes were put in constant temperature of 15 0C incubator.
The results showed that the SISIR water extract had a greater
inhibitory effects on germination and primary growth of wheat
than those of DESSO water extract. The water extracts of the
leaves of both weeds had the greatest inhibitory effects on
germination and primary growth of wheat, compared to those of
stems and roots. Increasing the concentration of water extract of
leaves, stems and roots of both weeds up to 8 % caused the greatest
inhibitory effects to wheat and reduced the germination rate and
primary growth of it linearly.
Abstract: Low temperature (LT) is one of the most abiotic
stresses causing loss of yield in wheat (T. aestivum). Four major
genes in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) with the dominant alleles
designated Vrn–A1,Vrn–B1,Vrn–D1 and Vrn4, are known to have
large effects on the vernalization response, but the effects on cold
hardiness are ambiguous. Poor cold tolerance has restricted winter
wheat production in regions of high winter stress [9]. It was known
that nearly all wheat chromosomes [5] or at least 10 chromosomes of
21 chromosome pairs are important in winter hardiness [15]. The
objective of present study was to clarify the role of each chromosome
in cold tolerance. With this purpose we used 20 isogenic lines of
wheat. In each one of these isogenic lines only a chromosome from
‘Bezostaya’ variety (a winter habit cultivar) was substituted to
‘Capple desprez’ variety. The plant materials were planted in
controlled conditions with 20º C and 16 h day length in moderately
cold areas of Iran at Karaj Agricultural Research Station in 2006-07
and the acclimation period was completed for about 4 weeks in a
cold room with 4º C. The cold hardiness of these isogenic lines was
measured by LT50 (the temperature in which 50% of the plants are
killed by freezing stress).The experimental design was completely
randomized block design (RCBD)with three replicates. The results
showed that chromosome 5A had a major effect on freezing
tolerance, and then chromosomes 1A and 4A had less effect on this
trait. Further studies are essential to understanding the importance of
each chromosome in controlling cold hardiness in wheat.