iosr-JPBS   Volume-1 ~ Issue-1

Abstract: The objective of this study was to examine the antibacterial effect of crab shell extract on Klebsiella pneumoniae and Proteus mirabilis. K. pneumoniae and P. mirabilis were isolated from urine and wound specimen and characterized using standard laboratory methods. Antibacterial susceptibility testing using crab shell extract showed that only K. pneumoniae were sensitive while P. mirabilis were resistant. Isolates of K. pneumoniae had varied minimal inhibitory concentration, with isolates Kp1 and Kp3 having 12.5μg/ml while isolates Kp2 had 6.25μg/ml. At a concentration of 200μg/ml of crab shell extract, the highest zone of inhibition of K. pneumoniae was 12mm. This figure is however low when compared with commonly used antibiotics which gave larger zones of inhibition at lower concentration.
Keywords: K. pneumonia, P. mirabilis, chitin, Chitosan, cellulose.

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Abstract- lower incidence of cardiovascular diseases has been observed in areas with hard water. However, numerous debates and controversies prevailed over time. Some scientists had been trying to correlate cardio-protective factor of hard water while others were working on the toxic factor of soft water with this geo-selective predisposition to cardiovascular events. Now the factor unanimously agreed upon can be concluded as Magnesium. The proofs in favour of Magnesium(Mg) come from studies reporting (i) sudden deaths in areas with Mg deficient drinking water, (ii) low myocardial Mg content in sudden death cases, (iii) cardiac arrhythmias & coronary artery vasospasms being precipitated by Mg deficiency and (iv) intravenous Mg reducing the risks of Arrhythmias & deaths immediately after Acute Myocardial Infarction. Magnesium is a structural component of cardiac muscle and is required by as many as 1300 enzymes for different biochemical reactions. It is an important co-factor for ATPase; hence, is needed in every cell. Mg modulates cellular events involved in inflammation and is important for proteolytic enzymes, which counteract inflammation. The modern processed food, softened drinking water and over reliance on ready to eat food thus avoiding fruits & green leafy vegetables is an important cause of Mg deficiency. The deficiency of Mg has been reported to cause increase in inflammatory cytokines, endothelial damage and dyslipidemia; all of which are the centre stage for the development of Atherosclerosis, the thickening & hardening of arterial walls. Magnesium, which seems to be the wonder ion can be used for supplementation & fortification. This can prove to be an efficient, effective, replicable and cost effective model for preventing many diseases particularly cardiovascular diseases through public health interventions.
Keywords: atherogenesis; atherosclerosis;; cytokines; dyslipidemia; total dissolved solids (TDS); vascular cell adhesion molecules (VCAMs).

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ABSTRACTS: U.V.-induced bactericidal activity of Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) in suspension was investigated on Escherichia coli strains obtained from soil and sewage samples. The anti-microbial activity of TiO2 was observed for 2 hours, 4 hours and 6 hours UV irradiation. Different standards of TiO2was prepared and their activity was compared. A significant drop in % viability is observed for both the strains, which were illuminated with UV light. For all respective illuminations, the %viability is lower for E.coli strain from soil sample as compared to sewage sample
Key Words: Photocatalysis; Antimicrobial; E.coli; Titanium Dioxide; UV irradiation

[1] Antibacterial activity of thin-film photocatalysts based on metal-modified TiO2 and TiO2:In2O3 nanocomposite .E.V. Skorb a,*, L.I. Antonouskaya b, N.A. Belyasova b, D.G. Shchukin c, H. Mo¨hwald c, D.V. Sviridov.
[2] Studies on photokilling of bacteria on TiO2 thin film Kayano Sunada a,b, Toshiya Watanabe a,b, Kazuhito Hashimoto.
[3] Photocatalytic and antibacterial activity of TiO2 and Au/TiO2 nanosystems Lidia Armelao1, Davide Barreca1,4, Gregorio Bottaro1, Alberto Gasparotto2, Chiara Maccato2, Cinzia Maragno2, Eugenio Tondello2, Urška Lavrenčič Štangar3, Martina Bergant3 and Dunja Mahne3 [4] Photocatalytic Activity, Antibacterial Effect, and Photoinduced Hydrophilicity of TiO2 Films Coated on a Stainless Steel Substrate Jimmy C. Yu,*† Wingkei Ho,† Jun Lin,† Hoyin Yip,†‡ and Po Keung Wong‡
[5] Carbonaceous nanomaterial for the photocatalysis of TiO2 Rowan Leary, Aidan Westwood
[6] TiO2 photocatalysis and related surface phenomenon Surface Science Reports, Volume 63, Issue 12, 15 December 2008, Pages 515-582 Akira Fujishima, Xintong Zhang, Donald A. Tryk
[7] Photocatalytic oxidation for antimicrobial control in built environment . Building and Environment, Volume 45, Issue 8, August 2010, Pages1747-1754 Fengna Chen, Xudong Yang, Henry K.C. Mak, Daniel W.T.
[8] The advancements in the sol-gel method of doped TiO2 photocatlysts. Applied Catalysis A: General, Volume 375, Issue 1, 26 February2010, Pages1-11U.G. Akpan, B.H. Hameed
[9] Preparation and properties of fumed silica composite photocatalytic materials Original Research Article ProcediaEngineering, Volume27, 2012, Pages448-456Yan Yu, Jian Wang, J.F. Parr
[10] Inactivationofe.coliby photocatalytic oxidationChemosphere, Volume32,Issue, March1996, Pages959-965 MirayBekbölet,laudia V. Araz

ABSTRACT : Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are polyesters of hydroxyalkanoates synthesized by various bacteria as intracellular carbon and energy storage compounds and accumulated as granules in the cytoplasm of cells. In this work, we have screened the best micro organism among Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and also have screened the best cheap carbon sources among Rice bran, Paddy husk, pigeon pea waste, Sugarcane baggasse, and waste frying oil. The study of production of PHA is done in combination of the best screened substrate as well as the micro organism.
Keywords: Polyhydroxyalkanoates, biodegradable polymer, bioplastic.

1. Caesar Preeti and Tiwari Archana(2010),in "Integration of natural and Biological sources for the Production of Biopolymer: Actual and Potential Utilization of various Wastes", Caesar Preeti et al. / Journal of Pharmacy Research 2011,4(1),53-55
2. Ching-Yee Loo and Kumar Sudesh(2007), in "Polyhydroxyalkanoates: Bio-based microbial plastics and their properties", Malaysian Polymer Journal (MPJ), Vol 2, No. 2, p 31-57, 2007.
3. M.C. Santimano, Nimali N. Prabhu and S. Garg , in "PHA Production Using Low-Cost Agro-Industrial Wastes by Bacillus sp. Strain COL1/A6.
4. Sathesh Prabu, C. and Murugesan, A . G(2009), in "Effective Utilization and Management of Coir Industrial waste for the Production of poly- β- hydroxybutyrate (PHB) using the Bacterium Azotobacter Beijerinickii
5. Catalina VoaideS, Diana Groposila, Matilda Ciuca, Irina Lupescu, Aneta Pop, Calina Petruta Cornea(2010),in "PHAs accumulation in Pseudomonas putida P5 (wild type and mutants) in lipid containing media" , Romanian Biotechnological Letters, Vol. 15, No. 4, 2010.
6. S.Ramalingam,M.Vikaram,M P Vignesh babu and M Sivasankari(2011),in "Flux Balance analysis for maximising polyhydroxy alkanoate production Pseudomonas putida",Indian Journal of Biotechnology Vol 10, Jan 2011,pp 70-74.
7. Ogunjobi, A. A., Ogundele, A.O., and Fagade, O.E(2011),in "Production Of Polyhydroxyalkanoates By Pseudomonas Putrefaciens From Cheap And Renewable Carbon Substrates", EJEAFChe, 10(8), 2011 [2806-2815].
8. Hang Zang, Vincent Obias, Ken Goyer and Douglas Dennis(1994), in "Production of polyhydroxyalkanoates in sucrose-utilising recombinant Escherichia coli and Klebsiella strains", Applied and Environmental Microbiology Vol 60, Apr 1994, p.1198-1205.
9. Rob AJ Verlinden, David J Hill, Melvin A Kenward, Craig D Williams, Zofia Piotrowska-Seget and Iza K Radecka(2011), in "Production of polyhydroxyalkanoates from waste frying oil by Cupriavidus necator", AMB Express 2011, 1:11.
10. Yoshikazu Kawata and Seiichi Aiba (2011). Patent application title: Method for producing PHAs using Halobacterium. Patent app no. 20110104767.