Phytochemical Screening of Certain Medicinal Plants of Mizoram, India and their Folklore Use

The inhabitants of Mizoram (Mizos) use several plants for their healthcare and our main interest was to investigate the scientific basis of the medicinal use of these plants.

Therefore, the root-stock of Alocasia indica, mature leaves of certain plants including Biden pillosa, Blumeopsis flava, Chromolaena odorata, Cissus discolor, Croton caudatus, Elaeagnus caudata, Leucaena leucocephala, Passiflora edulis and Spilanthes acmella, the latex of Carica papaya and rhizomes of Curcuma caesia were dried and powdered.

The chloroform, ethanolic and aqueous extracts of each plant was prepared and subjected to phytochemical analysis and thin layer chromatography (TLC).

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Maternal Smoking during Pregnancy and Its Impact on Postnatal Neurodevelopment

In the last decades, in industrialized countries, nicotine from active smoking or from environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) has become the most prevalent substance of abuse during pregnancy.

In 2012, The European Perinatal Health Report stated that the prevalence of maternal smoking during pregnancy could be above 10% in many countries.

According to Ribot et al., 30% to 43% of pregnant women smoke actively at the beginning of pregnancy in Spain.

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Sorting-Composting of Biodegradable Waste in the Municipality of Chief (Algeria): The Key Steps

In developing countries, sorting-composting of the urban solid residues (USR) requires the use of tools adaptable to the local conditions.

To determine these optimal conditions of the process of sorting-composting of the biodegradable materials, an experiment was thrown at the level of the municipality of Chlef in Algeria. The parameters of follow-ups of the process of the fermentation were studied.

The produced compost contain of the rates in N, P, K, % in Carbon (%C), % in Organic matter (%OM) and reports in C/N acceptable by the standard NFU 44 051 (the french standard of the organic amendments).

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Seasonal Variability of Flow and Nitrate Flux in Gilgel Gibe River, South West, Ethiopia

Nitrate is a limiting nutrient for plant growth and vital for crop production to increase agricultural productivity. However, its excessive presence in aquatic environment poses risk turning in to major aquatic ecosystem perturbation.

Dissolved nitrate from lands to waterways is mainly exported via runoff and leaching. The transport of nitrate in a river is a function of the streamflow rate and its concentration, which render to the seasonal variation.

Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the seasonal variation of flow and nitrate flux. Streamflow data of the Gilgel Gibe River for the period of two years (2013-2014) were used.

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Tree Carbon Stock Assessment from the Tropical Forests of Bodamalai Hills Located In India

The main objective of this study was to assess the carbon stock of tree vegetation from the tropical forests of Bodamalai hills located in India. The tree carbon stock determined by non-destructive method was 10.94 ± 3.57 tC/ha, and it ranged from 3.53 tC/ha to 38.92 tC/ha for the ten 0.5 ha transects sampled.

The tree species Albizia amara shared maximum carbon stock followed by Ficus benghalensis, Euphorbia antiquorum, Tamarindus indica and Strychnos potatorum.

Statistical analysis revealed that the carbon stock (tC/ha) varied significantly (ANOVA: F=22.601, p<0.001) among the three forest types recognized, and the mixed-deciduous forest had high carbon stock 30.81 tC/ha.

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Geochemistry and Quality Characterization of Effon Psammite Ridge Spring Water, Southwestern Nigeria

This study evaluates the geochemistry and quality characterization in the Effon Psammite Spring, Southwestern Nigeria.

Fifteen (15) water samples were collected from the study area at regular intervals and samples were analyzed in order to determine their quality characteristics.

Except for pH values that is mildly acidic to slightly alkaline in some locations, the physico-chemical properties are below the WHO recommended standards for drinking water.

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Viability of Ulpotha Micro-cascade Rehabilitation with its Indigenous Irrigation Systems-Sri Lanka

The main purpose of this article is to study the viability of Ulpotha micro-cascade rehabilitation with its traditional irrigation system. Rehabilitation of Ulpotha with its natural resources was started on pilot basis in 2005 and completed in the year 2010. 

This is the high time to study the impacts of Ulpotha rehabilitation with its traditional irrigation system. Extensive studies on traditional irrigation practices were commenced in 2013 and more positive impacts of the Ulpotha rehabilitation and the use of traditional irrigation were noted. The traditional irrigation system is more appropriate for this location as paddy is the main cultivation in Yala and Maha. Traditional flood irrigation also supports environment, ecology, biodiversity, agriculture in addition to socio-cultural and religious / spiritual values.

Carbon Stock Estimation in Standing Tree of Chir Pine and Banj Oak Pure Forest in Two Van Panchayats Forest of Garhwal Himalaya

A study was conducted to measure carbon stock in two Van Panchayat forest of Garhwal Himalaya. For comparative study, we selected the degraded and non-degraded site in Pine and Oak Forest and estimated total carbon stock (above and below ground).

Van Panchayat are managing the forest in Uttarakhand from British Period. The aim of the research was to estimate the tree density, tree diversity,biomass and carbon stocks in degraded and non-degraded sites in both forests for forest management through Van Panchayat.

From this research, we found that non-degraded site contains maximum (Density, total biomass and carbon stock) as compared to degraded sites. This paper recommends the importance of forest management committee in Uttarakhand and the world.

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Investigation of Maghra Al Hadida Formation as Coarse Aggregate, Gabel Shabrawet, Northeastern Desert, Egypt

The Egyptian government and the private sectors have moved toward the new area by establishing lots of new road networks, different types of projects (industrial zones, new urbanization areas e.g. (New Cairo, 6th October) cities and agricultural activities).

This will increase the ability of the country to advance and develop. However, these areas were the main source of the aggregate materials that represent a backbone for the infrastructures in the area (road construction and concrete industry).

Accordingly, a decrease in the aggregate production could be a serious problem if there is no other source for these important materials have been detected and located.

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Biodegradation of Feather by Microsporum fulvum Singly or in Combination with Other Fungi

Keratin is the cornified part of the epidermis of vertebrates and is characterized by having higher resistance to attack by proteolytic enzymes.

Keratin is a major component of feathers It is an insoluble structural protein in epithelial cells of vertebrates. Keratin is also very rich in amino acids like Leucine and Serine.

These cornified appendages include feathers, hairs, horns, hooves nails, claws and scales. Keratin is divided into two types. α- Keratin (It is present in wool, hair, and horn. It is in the form of folder chain).

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Borehole Water Quality Assessment in Bekwarra, Nigeria

This study briefly discussed water hygiene condition in Rural Bekwarra Community.

Based on the 5 selected parameters for the experiments, results showed that average permeate Fluoride was 1.6 mg/L, pH of 7.8, average Iron (Fe+3) of 0.7 mg/L, Lead (Pb) of 0.02 mg/L, and Total Dissolved Solids of 578 mg/L.

From the results, it showed that only pH had average value within the standard requirement for drinkable water in Nigeria. Thus, there is a considerable need for the treatment and recycling of borehole water in the community before use.

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Examining Water Governance: A New Institutional Approach

The institutional arrangements governing water resources have been under the spotlight in many countries around the world in recent years.

This interest follows heightened emphasis on water governance as a crucial ingredient to sustainable development. It has now become essential to address water governance in a dynamic fashion, approaching it from a social, economic, political and environmental point of view.

As the economic dimension focuses on the efficient use of water resources and the role of water in overall economic growth, the social dimension points to equitable uses of water resources.

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The Factors for the Extinction of Jaguars and Cougars in El Salvador

The jaguar (Panthera onca, Linnaeus 1758) and cougar (Puma concolor, Linnaeus 1771) are the largest cats in the Americas and are listed as uniquely extinct in El Salvador, Central America. The contributory factors for this event are little understood and/or ignored. This omission hampers conservation planning for declining big cat populations in other countries. A thorough review and analysis of the literature reveals important gaps that impede assessment of the factors for big cat extinction, and also possible meliorative efforts. The evidence questions the commonly blamed civil war and deforestation, and critically assesses a wider set of factors mostly not linked to big cat extinction; dense human population, small national territory, border porosity, cat adaptability to modified land cover and the actual importance of connecting forested corridors. 

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Oral Surgery

This study studies the adaptation of farmers to demeaning environmental situations likely to be caused or exacerbated under global climate change.

It examines four central components: The rate of self-reported acceptance of adaptive instruments (coping plans) consequently of changes in climate; Ranking the potential coping plans based on their apparent importance to agricultural initiatives.

Documentation the socio-economic factors related with adoption of coping plans, and Ranking potential limitations to adoption of coping plans based on farmers’ reporting on the grade to which they face these restraints.

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Kinetic Study for Compost Production by Isolated Fungal Strains

Organic wastes, food wastes and trimming yard (FW and YT) were composted using selected fungal strains (Phanerochaete chrysosporium (PC), Lentinus tigrinus (LT), Aspergilus niger (ASP) and Penicillium Spp (PEN)) in a solid state bioconversion process.

Results obtained at P ≤ 0.05 after ten harvests indicated the minimum value of germination index (GI) in the open system was 43 ± 105% while in the closed system it was 46 ± 132% respectively.

The simplest zero and first order kinetic   models described the microbial mineralization of carbon to nitrogen (C/N) relatively (R2 range of  0.87-0.99), but the second order model explained the observed kinetics of the solid state bioconversion (SSB) better with R2 range of 0.87–0.98 and a positive decay coefficient

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Rainfall Interception in Two Contrasting Forest Types in the Mount Gongga Area of Eastern Tibet, China

An important component of the water cycle in ecological systems, rainfall interception by virgin forests was here calculated from gross precipitation minus through fall and stem flow.

The through fall measurement system was designed on the basis of a 3 m long trough mounted beneath the canopy and able to operate successfully under a range of rainfall conditions.

Stem flow was measured using spiral collars consisting of a split plastic hose attached to sampled trees, with gross precipitation measured in an open area via a tipping-bucket rain gauge.

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Dipole Correlation Method for Determination of Magnetization Direction under the Influence of Remanent Magnetization

Processing and interpretation of magnetic data usually require information of total magnetization direction. However, under the effects of remanant magnetization, total magnetization direction is different from induced magnetization direction, which makes data processing and interpretation complexity.

 In this paper, we present a new method by cross-correlation of magnetic dipole source for determination of magnetization direction from relatively isolated and approximate equiaxial magnetic total field anomaly.

This method calculates cross-correlation coefficient between observed magnetic total field anomaly and theoretical magnetic total field anomaly caused by a magnetic dipole source, by using a set of varying parameters of positions and total magnetization direction of dipole source for trial and error.

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Seasonal Variations in Physico-Chemical Parameters of the Topcamp Stream and Heavy Metals Accumulation in Freshwater Crustacean

Physico-chemical data may be collected systematically as basis for planning and wherever possible, for determining priorities of intervention with suitable control measures and to assess the efficacy of measurement put into operation.

Heavy metals data and other parameters were studied in a natural stream, Topcamp stream. Samples were collected from point source and zones of dilution in two different seasons.

Fresh water crustacean as bioindicator of pollution were used for identification of major contaminants. Results of the present survey indicate that the water temperature and pH were thoroughly mixed from Associated Match Industry with the clear waters of the upper Topcamp stream.

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Period is Going to be Faster When the Earth-Moon Distance Increased According to IERS Actual Data

If a small body of mass (m) orbits a large body of mass (M) then, the sidereal rotation period of the large body (M) may be calculated by the rotational equation.

The earth rotation period is going to be faster when the earth-moon distance increased according to IERS actual data. Earthquakes of the upper range are distinctly related to rotational parameters of the Earth lunar declination.

The earthquakes increased when the lunar declination is moving toward the earth equator (when the earth rotation is going to be faster).

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A Societal duty for Geoscientists of our Times: Communicating Experience and Innovation towards Improving Society's Resilience to Natural Hazards

The open access Journal of Geology & Geosciences (JGG), which is published by OMICS Publishing Group (OPG), declares, among others, that it “provides an open forum to share on the titled sciences around the globe with a mission to influence, encourage and assist scientists that enables the dissemination of research articles to the international community”.

Since I strongly believe that scientific knowledge should be shared among all interested members of global human society and it has to be a freely distributed public good, I have been personally touched by the above statement (I came across to it through the Internet) which comprises, as I noticed, a part of a broader, written and open access declaration made by OPG.

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Bioremediation of a Crude Oil Polluted Soil with Pleurotus Pulmonarius and Glomus Mosseae Using Amaranthus Hybridus as a Test Plant

Fallouts from crude oil pollution of soils are known to have undesirable effects on plant growth.

This research attempts to study the growth of Amaranthus hybridus grown on a crude oil polluted soil bioremediated with Pleurotus pulmonarius (a white rot fungus) and Glomus mosseae (a mycorrhizal fungus).

Nine different treatment factors were used while three replicates were used for each treatment in randomized Complete Block Design at the same age of the seedlings.

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