Defence Life Science Journal
Not a member yet
454 research outputs found
Sort by
Seaweeds A Potential Source for Functional Foods
Get PDFSeaweeds are microalgae growing in coastal regions and resistant to salinity. Seaweeds are rich resources of natural nutrients some of which cannot be obtained from terrestrial plants. Bioactive compounds of seaweeds such as sulphated polysaccharides, peptides, minerals, phlorotannins, carotenoids and sulfolipids have proven health benefits against various diseases. Traditionally, seaweeds are used as folk medicine for treating diseases like goiter, wounds, burns, rashes, inflammation, diabetes and also gaining attention of pharmaceutical industries due to their anti-cancer, anti-aging, anti-angiogenesis, anti-bacterial, anti-viral and antioxidant properties. Seaweeds polysaccharides have wide applications in foods as well as in pharmaceutical industry due to their bio-chemical properties such as stabilizer, emulsifier and gelling property. In food industry, seaweed polysaccharides are used as a functional ingredient in many products such as frozen foods, ice-cream, jam, jelly, beverages etc. Several commercial food preparations from seaweeds are also available in the market such as sea salt, nori snack wasabi, pink rock salt, seaweed thins toasted coconuts, crunchy seaweed chips, raw unroasted seaweed under different brand names. The present review is a compilation of nutritional, pharmacological and food properties of seaweeds along with its potential towards development of functional foods
Personality as a Predictor of Occupational Stress General Health and Job Satisfaction among IT Professionals
Get PDFThe study aims to highlight Personality as a Predictor of Occupational Stress, General Health, and Job Satisfaction among IT Professionals (government and private). Four hundred fifty respondents of IT professional (Government and private sector in India) (Male=298, Female=152), having at least 3 years of experience in IT sector from Delhi-NCR, Bangalore, and Pune. The age ranged from 22 - 49 year (Mean Age 25). Stratified random sampling was used. A total six hundred respondents were collected out of which 150 were not appropriate for the study (unfulfilled data). The psychometrically standardized questionnaires were used i.e. Occupational Stress Indicator – OSI, General Health Questionnaire 12, NEO Five-Factor Inventory and Minnesota Job Satisfaction Questionnaire. The result revealed that there was no significant difference between males and females on job satisfaction and general health. Further, there was a significant difference between the private and government sectors of IT professional’s on job satisfaction and occupational stress. The coefficient of correlation indicated a significantly positive correlation between occupational stress and personality. Regression analysis revealed that the level of job satisfaction depends upon negative affectivity. These findings indicated that negative affectivity has emerged as one of the important contributing factors to general health and job satisfaction on IT professionals. Preventive measures are suggested based on findings on how to reduce occupational stress of IT employees which would contribute to maintain a satisfied and contented staff
Motion Sickness Manifestations and Prevention
Get PDFMotion sickness is an ancient problem associated with transportation (ships and other vehicles), which is affecting humans since ages. Motion sickness is characteristically occurring during abnormal movements induced by the motion and when there is a conflict between various senses such as visual, vestibular and motor system. Depending on the type of motion, various kinds of sicknesses, such as air sickness, car sickness, train sickness, seasickness, etc. may occur. A very less per cent of individuals are highly susceptible to motion sickness and very less per cent of individuals are highly insusceptible for motion sickness. However, most of the population comes in between. The primary symptoms of motion sickness include nausea, vomiting, wanes, and cold sweating. Varieties of drugs are available to reduce susceptibility to motion sickness. However, nausea, pallor, sweating, headache, dizziness, malaise, increased salivation, apathy, drowsiness, belching, hyperventilation and stomach awareness are the other symptoms of motion sickness. Anti-cholinergics and anti-histamines are the most effective motion sickness prophylactics with apparent side effects such as dry mouth, drowsiness, and depression. There are theories and mechanisms which include intra-vestibular (Canal-Otolith) mismatch theory, sensory conflict theory, visual-vestibular mismatch theory, the poison theory, the postural instability theory, and the movement program theory. Benzodiazepines, anticholinergics, anti-histamines and monoamine antagonists have commonly used treatment regimes. The traditional way of tackling the problem is the consumption of ginger, peppermint, lemon, fennel, marjoram, rosemary, basil. This review summarizes prediction and evaluation, behavioural strategies to prevent or minimize symptoms of motion sickness and available countermeasures of motion sickness
Variation in Amino Acids Composition through Pre column Derivatisation using Phenylisothiocyanate by HPLC in Some Economically Important Less Explored Wild Allium Species of Western Himalayas
Get PDFLess explored Allium species are being used as green vegetables and as a condiment by the local inhabitant of high-altitude areas of Uttarakhand. In the present study, four economically important less explored wild Allium species viz. A. auriculatum, A. ampeloprasum, A. ascalonicum and A. rubellum have screened for their amino acid contents by High-performance liquid chromatography. The hydrochloric acid hydrolysate of these four species, the Allium amino acids were derivatised with phenylisothiocyanate resulting phenylthiocarbamyl derivatives and separated on a reverse-phase column by gradient elution with aqueous buffer and acetonitrile-water (60:40 v/v) and detected in UV region at 254 nm. The Pico-tag (3.9 × 300 mm) C18 column equilibrated with the solvents. The elution of all amino acid derivatives was achieved in 12 min using gradient elution by increasing concentration of aqueous buffer and acetonitrile-water. Total seventeen amino acids were present in these Allium species. The ratio of essential amino acids to total amino acids found 1:2.14 in Allium auriculatum, 1:2.35 in Allium ampeloprasum, 1:1.38 in A. ascalonicum and 1:3.44 in Allium rubellum. These less explored Allium species contained substantial amount of essential and non-essential amino acids. Among these Allium species, Allium auriculatum and Allium rubellum found most promising as far as essential and non-essential amino acids composition concerned
Role of Rhizobacteria Associated with Diseased Tomato Plants towards their Response with Ralstonia sp The Bacterial Wilt Agent
Get PDFIn this study, we have aimed to determine the antagonistic effects of various rhizobacteria against representatives of bacterial wilt disease; Ralstonia pseudosolanacearum with a comparison from control sterile distilled water (SDW) aliquots. During in-vitro study, bacterial wilt agent was clearly inhibited in their growth by significant percentage by 32 different strains through perforated agar plate method. Results showed 10 potential strains among those 32 strains viz. DIB76/BCS-8, DIB76/BCS-9, DIB76/BCS-10, DIB76/BCS-12, DIB76/BCS-19, DIB76/BCS-20, DIB76/BCS-21, DIB76/BCS-24, DIB76/BCS-26 and DIB76/BCS-27 had the highest growth suppression for 9 different strains of R. pseudosolanacearum as compared to other bacterial strains. Trials with tomato crop at polyhouse had no incidence of bacterial wilt than those for control. Study, thus identifies 10 rhizobacterial strains from rhizosphere soil of diseased tomato plant possessing potential antagonistic activity against the wilt pathogen and has prospects as good biocontrol agents
Distribution, Host Range and Bionomics of Rhopalosiphum nymphaeae (Linnaeus, 1761) a Polyphagous Aphid in Aquatic Vegetables
Get PDFThe present study records the occurrence of water lily aphid, Rhopalosiphum nymphaeae (Linn, 1971) on different aquatic plants from Varanasi and adjoining regions, Uttar Pradesh, India for the fi rst time. Both nymphs and adults prefer to feed on petiole, leaf lamina and buds towards terminal portion of different aquatic plants. They suck the cell sap resulting in curling of leaves, stunted plant growth with lower number of fruits in water chestnut. Further, the honey dew deposited on the leaves favours the development of black sooty-mould and hinders the normal photosynthetic activity of the plants. Infestation of aphid started in the region on water chestnut during last week of October (1.35 aphids leaf-1) coinciding with the initiation of winter in the region and gradually increased with highest peak (21.95 aphids leaf-1) during fourth week of January. Amongst the different aquatic host plants under study in the region, olfactometer study showed significantly highest number of R. nymphaeae (28%) attraction towards lotus followed by of water chestnut (21.3%) and water lily (20%) and the least was with water hyacinth (4%). Amongst the biopesticides tested, L. lecanii @ 5 g lit-1was found most promising with lowest median lethal time (31.09 h) followed by neem oil (1%) (41.59 h) and M. anisopliae (43.95 h)
Protein Profile of Human Lung Epithelial Cells (A549) Revealing Deviation in Cytoskeleton Proteins in Response to Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Exposure
Get PDFZinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) are widely used in biomedicine and scientific research because of their high dissolution property and bioavailability. On the contrary, this property also increases the intracellular reactivity, accessibility and cytotoxicity. These nano-bio interactions could induce undesirable changes in the proteome of the interacting cells, especially in the lung cells as these are the primary contact site. However, the potential effects of ZnO NPs exposure on proteome remain unclear. Proteomics data will substantiate the detailed mechanism of cellular interactions and modulatory effects of ZnO NPs on cells. Quantitative proteomic profiling was done using MALDI-TOF/TOF and MS/MS to identify differential protein expression on exposure to NPs among non exposed and exposed cells. Twenty-two proteins, with approximately 1.5 fold differential expression in cells exposed to ZnO NPs as compared to control cells were identified. Differentially expressed proteins were further classified using PANTHER software on the basis of functional gene ontology term: molecular function, biological process and cellular component. ToppGene suite was used to study protein-protein interaction and network was enriched with STRING. This study is a systematic analysis of protein modulation of the A549 cells exposed to ZnO NPs indicating alterations in the cytoskeleton
Nutritional and Anti Oxidant Potential of Commonly Growing Plant Foods from Southern India
Get PDFCertain varieties of plants are abundantly available with rich in nutrients, but the complete sets of nutritional composition studies have not been carried out. Among them, the matured leaves of Murrya keonigii; seeds and leaves of Moringa oleifera, and fruit pulp of Aegle marmelos were chosen. The proximate analysed for above samples showed that the moisture varies from 2.4% -8.2%, crude proteins from 18.75%- 34.57 %, fat content from 5.6% -19.6%, ash content from 3.87%-15.6% and carbohydrate from 28.65% - 41.23%, respectively. Estimation of mineral contents revealed that the leaves and seeds of moringa had higher concentrations than others. Determination of total antioxidant (total flavonoid) was higher (63.550 μg (RU)/ml of samples) in matured curry leaves than others. Determination of in vitro antioxidant activity with FRAP revealed highest activity in curry leaves (174.5μg) to a least activity with seeds of moringa (45.725 μg), whereas the DPPH revealed highest activity for fruit pulp of bael (1680.6μg ascorbic acid) to the least in leaves of moringa (263.15 μg ascorbic acid equivalent/mg). The ABTS showed IC50 value of 210.52 ±0.5774 for curry leaf, 487.8 ±0.3347 and 205.36 moringa seeds and leaves and 513.24 IC50 μg for pulp of bael fruit. Quantitative analysis of water soluble vitamins such as thiamine (B1) varied from 2.172 -5.558 mg; riboflavin (B2) from 2.201 -11.354 mg; pyridoxine (B6) from 4.608 -194.001 mg; biotin (B7) from 36.864 -153.027 mg, respectively. Further, the vitamin C (ascorbic acid) varied from 6.733 -23.142 mg /100g of oven dried samples, respectively. Therefore, the above foods are well intended to be included in routine diet regime and may also be willing to utilise for food supplementation with other suitable diets to manage the conditions such as malnutrition and nutrient deficiencies
Effect of Altitude on the Phenology and Fruit Quality Attributes of Apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) Fruits
Get PDFConsumer concern about poor taste of fresh apricots is increasing and knowledge about the more suitable production requirement is essential. Genetic component influencing apricots quality is well known. However, there is limited information on environmental effect on fruit quality. This study aims to evaluate influence of altitude on phenological and fruit quality characters of apricot genotypes. Fruits from 162 genotype were collected from nine locations from 3006-3346 m asl in trans-Himalaya. The altitude had a marked influence on date of flowering, fruit weight, moisture and TSS content. For every 100 m increase in altitude, flowering and fruit ripening delayed by 3.3 and 7.1 day, respectively. Inverse relationship between altitude and fruit weight (R2=0.310) was observed. For every 100 m increase in altitude the fruit weight decrease by 0.5 g. Fruit moisture content decreased significantly with increase in elevation (R2=0.585). Decrease in moisture content was 1.9% for every 100 m increase in elevation. Altitude showed linear relationship with fruit TSS content (R2=0.726). For every 100 m increase in altitude, the fruit TSS increased by 1.2ºBrix. Knowledge from the present study on the impact of altitude on fruit quality characters provides a useful guide for selecting orchard location towards improving fruit qualit
Effect of Compatible and Incompatible Endophytic Bacteria on Growth of Chickpea Plant
Get PDFChickpea is one of the important pulse crops among legumes due to its high protein content. During the last few decades chickpea production has declined because of various biotic and abiotic factors. To increase its production farmers are relying on the traditional methods (using chemical fertilizers) that pollute the environment. An alternative to chemical fertilizers is the eco-friendly process of endophytic inoculation. Compatible endophytic coinoculations improve plant growth as compared to single inoculation due to the synergistic performance of the constituent bacteria. In the current study, the compatibility of six bacterial inoculants (BM5 (rhizobial), BP2 and P36 (phosphate solubiliser), RE2, HE8, and ME9 (other endophytes) was tested. Among these bacterial inoculants, endophyte ME9 was found to be compatible with phosphate solubilising bacteria (P36) and rhizobial culture BM5. However, the endophytic bacteria RE2 and HE8 were found to be incompatible with phosphate solubilising bacteria and rhizobial bacteria. Further, individual inoculation, combined compatible and combined incompatible inoculants were applied to chickpea seeds in the pot house experiment. The results revealed that among all the inoculations, compatible bacterial consortia (ME9, P36 and BM5) produced highest increase in shoot (225%) and root dry weight (600 %) and grain weight (250 % ) compared to the control group. The incompatible inoculations were ineffective in improving the root dry weight, shoot dry weight, and grain weight in comparison to the respective individual inoculations