https://repository.auw.edu.bd/handle/123456789/836 2026-06-09T23:33:28Z https://repository.auw.edu.bd/handle/123456789/1038 ANTIMICROBIAL AND DECONTAMINATION EFFICACY OF NEEM, ALOE VERA AND NEEM+ ALOE VERA IN GUTTA PERCHA (GP) CONES USING ESCHERICHIA COLI AND STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS AS CONTAMINANTS MOLLAH, AKM MONIRUZZAMAN GP cones (Gutta Percha Cones) are materials used in the third phase of endodontic treatment by dentists worldwide. They are usually sterilized by chemical decontaminants including 70% ethanol, sodium hypochlorite, hydrogen peroxide and chlorohexidine which have adverse side effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of natural elements like Neem, Aloe Vera and Neem+ Aloe Vera to disinfect GP cones. Antimicrobial activity of these natural extracts was checked against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus (common contaminants of GP cones) using agar well diffusion. In order to measure decontamination competency, GP cones were first immersed in test organisms for ten minutes, followed by submersion in extracts for 1 minute and turbidity was checked in nutrient broth after 24 hours at 37o C. In terms of antimicrobial efficacy, Neem showed highest zone of inhibition followed by Neem+ Aloe Vera and Aloe vera respectively for E. coli. In S. aureus, Neem and Aloe Vera showed highest zone followed by Neem + Aloe Vera. Decontamination efficacy of Aloe Vera was highest against E. coli contaminated GP cones followed by Neem and Neem + Aloe Vera. Similarly, Aloe Vera was much effective against S. aureus contaminated GP cones followed by Neem and Neem + Aloe Vera. 2015-01-01T00:00:00Z https://repository.auw.edu.bd/handle/123456789/1037 Comparative Assessment of Cow Manure Vermicompost and NPK Fertilizers and on the Growth and Production of Zinnia (Zinnia elegans) Flower Mollah, Abul Kalam Mohammad Moniruzzaman A pot experiment was conducted to investigate the comparative effect of cow manure vermicom- post and NPK fertilizers on the growth and flower production of Zinnia (Zinnia elegans). An air dried sandy loam soil was mixed with four rates of NPK fertilizer equivalent to 0 (control), 0.5 dose (N-P-K = 69-16-35 kg∙ha−1), 1 dose (recommended) (N-P-K = 137-32-70 kg∙ha−1), 2 doses (N-P-K = 274-64-140 kg∙ha–1) and 4 doses (N-P-K = 548-128-280 kg∙ha−1) and three rates of ver- micompost equivalent to 5%, 10%, 20% by oven dry weight. Two plants were grown in each pot. After blooming of flowers, the plants were harvested at 50 days of growth and leaves and stems were separated. The growth parameters (shoot height, root length, leaf number, total number of flower, flower diameter, fresh and dry weight of flower) of Zinnia plant increased by the applica- tion of vermicompost and the effect of NPK fertilizer was not found effective. The growth perfor- mance was similar between 10% and 20% and hence 10% vermicompost should be taken into consideration when ornamental plants are grown in potting media. 2015-01-01T00:00:00Z