Abstract MS effective corrosion inhibition by SVLE has been investigated using electrochemical methods. Tafel polarization measurements suggested that the reaction at the anode occurred with MS dissolution, due to the strong medium aggressiveness, but SVLE addition led to a corrosion IE(%) of 93.6%, at 298 K. SVLE IE(%) still was 86% at an elevated T of 328 K, which was also confirmed by SEM observations that revealed a protective adsorbed film formed by the inhibitor onto the MS surface.

Aluminum alloy corrosion behavior (AA6063) in a 0.5 M hydrochloric acid (HCl) solution was studied. It has been observed that the ethanolic extract of Cordia dichotoma seeds (EECdS) acts as an excellent inhibitor for AA6063 corrosion in a 0.5 M HCl solution. In this study, conventional weight loss, Fourier transformed infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis techniques were used. It was found that the percentage inhibition efficiency increased with higher CdS concentrations. The thermodynamic and kinetic parameters, along with the equilibrium constant for the adsorption processes, showed that CdS performed well as an inhibitor. CdS adsorption on the alloy followed the Langmuir adsorption isotherm, at all the studied concentrations. FTIR, EIS and SEM investigations also indicated that CdS presence effectively lowered the dissolution currents.

The corrosion inhibition and adsorption of ethanol extracts of Psidium guajava seeds (EEPgS), for aluminum in 0.5 N HCl solutions, were investigated using conventional weight loss, FTIR spectroscopy and SEM analysis techniques. The results showed that EEPgS performed well as inhibitor for the corrosion of aluminum in hydrochloric acid media. FTIR results showed that the inhibition mechanism was by adsorption process, through the functional groups present in the extract. Inhibition efficiency increased with increasing concentration of the plant extract, but decreased with the temperature rise. The weight loss data were fitted into a number of isotherms, though Langmuir model was found to be the best fit. The SEM photographs confirmed the protection offered by the extract on the surface of the metal.

The present study involves the discovery of quality of soils associated with dump mines and native forest encompassing the Kakari mine, a coal mining site in Sonbhadra, to distinguish the effect of coal mining on associated soil ecosystem. Soil ecophysiological indicator of the site was analyzed in terms of floral diversity by method of quadrat analysis, which revealed that dumps were devoid of any floral community whereas the natural forest around the mines was enriched with a number of plant species. Importance value index (IVI) was calculated and with respect to their IVI index the tree species viz., Acacia mangium (23.17, 24.48 & 26.81) and Acacia catechu (20.34, 22.10 & 25.36) were found to be the most dominant species. Soil enzymatic and physico-chemical analysis were analyzed by standard method and the result emphasized that dump soils possess poor enzymatic activity and acidic pH due to the decomposition of waste material in dumps which eventually affects the microbial diversity of soil and its fertility. The plant growth promotion (PGP) and stress tolerance characteristics of bacterial isolates were further examined so that the potential isolates will be utilized further to reclaim and remediate soil property of degraded soils. The promising isolates were characterized by BIOLOG identification system and isolate NU36 and NU25 showed greatest similarity with Pseudomonas sp. and Acinetobacter sp. respectively. Based on the potential to produce plant growth promoting substances and withstand in stressed environment the most promising isolates will be used to remediate soil and reclaim soil characteristics.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to investigate the occurrence of keratinophilic fungi including dermatophytes on feathers of domestic and wild birds in the islands of St Kitts and Nevis. METHOD: During 2010-2011, samples of feathers from ninety-four birds were examined by hair-baiting technique in Petri-dishes containing sterilized soil. Fungal growths appearing on the feathers and the hair-baits were microscopically examined and the cultures obtained were identified on the basis of their microscopic and colonial morphology. RESULTS: Chrysosporium constituted the majority (86.9%) of the 72 isolates of keratinophilic fungi, represented by mainly C tropicum and C indicum. Sepedonium spp isolates were recovered from nine of the feather samples; two of these were identified as Sepedonium chrysospermum, and the other two as S ampullosporum. CONCLUSION: Recovery of four isolates of the dermatophyte, Microsporum gypseum complex (two each of M gyspeum and M fulvum) from feathers of birds is a finding of public health significance.

OBJETIVO: El objetivo del presente estudio fue investigar la presencia de hongos queratinofílicos, incluyendo dermatofitos, en las plumas de aves domésticas y silvestres en las islas de St Kitts y Nieves. MÉTODOS: Durante 2010-2011, se examinaron muestras de plumas de noventa y cuatro aves, utilizando la técnica de anzuelo queratínico (técnica de Vanbreuseghem) en placas de Petri con tierra esterilizada. Los crecimientos fúngicos que aparecieron sobre las plumas y los anzuelos de queratina de pelos (hair baits) fueron examinados bajo el microscopio, y los cultivos obtenidos fueron identificados sobre la base de su morfología microscópica y colonial. RESULTADOS: Chrysosporium constituyó la mayor parte (86.9%) de los 72 aislados de hongos queratinofílicos, representados principalmente por el C tropicum y el C indicum. Aislados de Sepedonium spp fueron obtenidos de nueve muestras de plumas. Dos de ellos fueron identificados como Sepedonium chrysospermum y los otros dos como S ampullosporum. CONCLUSIÓN: La recuperación de cuatro aislados del complejo M gypseum dermatofito (formado por dos M gyspeum y dos M fulvum respectivamente) de las plumas de aves, es un hallazgo de importancia para la salud pública.

El árido Rajastán occidental, en donde está inmerso el desierto de Thar en la India, está cubierto principalmente por dunas de arena, un paisaje común. La región ha enfrentado la fragilidad de los recursos naturales, las lluvias escasas, irregulares y mala distribución, y está cubierta con muchos arbustos resistentes perennes. Calligonum polygonoides, el arbusto perenne más común, se encuentra ampliamente en algunas localidades del desierto de Thar. En este estudio, se evaluó la diversidad presente entre 54 plantas silvestres de Calligonum polygonoides, de ocho localidades diferentes del desierto de Thar. Nuestros métodos incluyen características químicas/nutricionales y ADN polimórfico amplificado (RAPD) al azar. Ambos métodos químicos y moleculares producen un amplio rango de la diversidad, sin embargo, RAPD detectó comparativamente mayor diversidad. Un total de 163 posiciones de la banda fueron producidos por diez cebadores RAPD, de los cuales 147 se encontraron polimórficos con un 90.18% de polimorfismo. El coeficiente de RAPD basado en la similitud de Jaccard varió desde 0.43 hasta 0.89. El análisis de varios constituyentes químicos y minerales reveló que Calligonum polygonoides es una excelente fuente de calcio, potasio y fósforo mientras que es relativamente pobre en zinc. Entre los minerales, el contenido de potasio promedio se encontró como máximo (2 430mg/100g), con 0.14 CV. El zinc se observó comparativamente menor en cantidad, pero presentó la mayor variabilidad con CV 0.73. El valor del coefficente de disimilitud de Manhattan varió en un rango de 0.01 hasta 0.22 con un promedio de 0.12. La comparación de los grupos obtenidos según los parámetros químicos y minerales con las de los datos de RAPD mostró que los grupos formados en ambos casos mostraron patrones diferentes de relaciones entre las muestras. Una gama más amplia de la diversidad podría ser debido al comportamiento reproductivo C polygonoides e indica la buena adaptabilidad de las plantas en la región estudiada. Sin embargo, la baja diversidad observada en la provincia de Bikaner es alarmante, y sugiere que las actividades antropogénicas que conducen a disturbios excesivos en la población pueden afectar la composición genética de la especie de una manera considerable

The arid Western Rajasthan, where the Thar Desert of India is immersed, is mostly covered by sand dunes, a common landscape. The region has confronted with fragilities of natural resources, low, erratic and ill-distributed rainfall, and is covered up with many perennial hardy shrubs. Calligonum polygonoides, the most common perennial shrub, is widely present in some localities of this Thar Desert. In this study, we evaluated the diversity present among 54 wild Calligonum polygonoides plants, sampled from eight different locations within the Thar Desert. Our methods included chemical/nutritional characteristics and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD). Both chemical and molecular methods produced wider range of diversity, however, RAPD detected comparatively more diversity. A total of 163 band positions were produced by ten RAPD primers, of which 147 were found polymorphic with 90.18% polymorphism. RAPD-based Jaccard’s similarity coefficients ranged from 0.43-0.89. The analysis of various chemical and mineral constituents revealed that phog is an excellent source of calcium, potassium and phosphorous while relatively poor in zinc. Among minerals, average potassium content was found maximum (2 430mg/100g) with 0.14 CV. Zinc was observed comparably less in quantity while highest variable with CV 0.73. The chemical-based Manhattan dissimilarity coefficient values ranged from 0.01-0.22 with an average of 0.12. The comparison of the clusters obtained based on the chemical and mineral parameters with those of the RAPD data showed that the groups formed in both cases showed different patterns of relationships among the samples. Broader range of diversity might be due to the out breeding behavior of C. polygonoides and indicates the good adaptability of the plants in the region studied. However, low diversity observed in the Bikaner province is alarming and suggests that anthropogenic activities leading to heavy population disturbances can affect the genetic composition of the species in a considerable way.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae HAU-1, a time tested industrial yeast possesses most of the desirable fermentation characteristics like fast growth and fermentation rate, osmotolerance, high ethanol tolerance, ability to ferment molasses, and to ferment at elevated temperatures etc. However, this yeast was found to be sensitive against the killer strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In the present study, killer trait was introduced into Saccharomyces cerevisiae HAU-1 by protoplast fusion with Saccharomyces cerevisiae MTCC 475, a killer strain. The resultant fusants were characterized for desirable fermentation characteristics. All the technologically important characteristics of distillery yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae HAU-1 were retained in the fusants, and in addition the killer trait was also introduced into them. Further, the killer activity was found to be stably maintained during hostile conditions of ethanol fermentations in dextrose or molasses, and even during biomass recycling.

Experimental data on light nuclei close to dripline suggests that as the nucleon number asymmetry increases, the shell structure from stability line is not preserved. In contrast with spherical shell model, Elliott's SU(3) model, uses a deformed multi-nucleon basis to describe nuclear states. The SU(3) symmetry is a strong feature of 1p shell nuclei, where symmetry breaking spin-orbit force is rather weak. We have calculated the binding energies and low-lying energy spectra of Be isotopes (A=6 to A=14), within the framework of Elliott's SU(3) model, with special emphasis on effects due to the presence of intruder orbit 1S1/2 in the region. The model space includes SU(3) basis states that maximize the quadrupole-quadrupole interaction (-chiQ.Q). An extended model space includes, in addition, a set of 2p-2h excitations, with excited nucleons occupying lowest energy SU(3) states in harmonic oscillator shell N=2. Group theoretical methods have been used to classify the states and calculate the nuclear interaction matrix elements. Good angular momentum states are projected out from intrinsic deformed SU(3) states by using standard angular momentum projection techniques. The interaction used contains the monopole-monopole, quadrupole-quadrupole and isospin dependent terms. Interaction parameters are fixed so as to reproduce the binding of 4 nucleons in N=1 orbit for the N=Z isotope-8Be in ground state and first excited 2+ state, along with the known systematics of single neutron separation energies for Be isotopes. The calculated energy espectra are compared with available experimental data. The calculated excitation energies of intruder states in 8Be and 10Be, are discussed in the light of available experimental evidence and theoretical results from shell model as well as deformed oscillator model calculations of Fayache et al..