Defence Life Science Journal
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Medicinal Plant Growing under Sub-optimal Conditions in trans-Himalaya Region at High Altitude
Get PDFSupporting people’s culture, income and healthcare, medicinal plants are of a great importance in Himalayas. Trading these herbal formulations worldwide is earning billions. But since the demand of such splendid plant and plant products has tremendously hiked in past two decades, and because of the unstable environmental changes due to global warming and industrialisation, these significant species are in threat of extinction. To preserve these treasures, several technical steps have been adopted by the government. A successful establishment of plants sector will raise rural empowerment, boost international commerce and contribute to health of millions worldwide. Alongside highlighting the major medicinal plant species and their uses, this review also foregrounds traditional medicinal practitioners, regions of trans-Himalayas rich in medicinal plants, major threats to these plants, significant biomolecules and detection techniques, threats to these plants, and government bodies and their responsibilities for their conservation
Personality Assessment of Officer Cadre of Indian Armed Forces: A De Novo Approach
Get PDFThe present selection system of the officer cadre of the Armed Forces has stood the test of time. However, owing to the transformations and developments in the society, a need was felt to upgrade this system. After a number of interactions and deliberations, a new programme called ‘De Novo system for the Selection of Personnel in the Armed forces’ was initiated. To identify the domains that need to be assessed through this system, job analysis was carried out. Data were collected from the presently employed officers of the Armed Forces, and the officers were asked to fill out survey performa, critical incidents record, task inventory and attribute questionnaire. Job analysis identified 5 domains of assessment, namely, cognition, affect, behaviour, psychomotor, and values. 16 Attributes of military leaders under these 5 domains were also identified. Tests were developed under the three techniques (psychological, group testing, and interview) to assess these 16 attributes and the 5 domains. The prototype of the tests was developed following an assessment centre approach and the trials for the same are due in the coming months
Effect of Psoralea corylifolia extract on physically induced depression in mice.
Get PDFThe mouse forced swimming test (FST) and tail suspension test (TST) are widely used to predict anti-depressant efficacy indicated by immobility time to be reduced by several different classes of anti-depressant drugs. PCE feeding at the dose of 75,150 and 300 mg/kg reduced the immobility duration at 14-days and 21-days, however the decrease was significant in mice treated with PCE for 21-days also, extract had no effect on spontaneous motor activity in mice, indicating that extract had no excitatory or inhibitory action on central nervous system in effective dose range, which eliminated the probability of false-positive results in forced swimming test and tail suspension test. Interestingly, the dose-response effect of PCE on reduction of serum CRF levels was concomitance with that on increase of brain 5-HT contents, as well as on swimming increase, indicating that the serotonergic system and the HPA axis responds with the production of 5-HT and CRF profiles that is characteristic for PCE applied in the mouse FST. Our results demonstrate that the oral administration of PCE possesses an anti-depressant-like activity, as evidenced by behavioural studies. Detailed investigations are needed to fully elucidate the mechanism of action at cellular level for the bioactive constituents present in the extract.
Quality Aspects and Storage Evaluation of Freeze Dried Probiotic Pineapple Lassi Powder
Get PDFFreeze dried probiotic pineapple lassi powder was developed using Bifidobacterium bifidum (NCDC 235). Quality aspects were determined in terms of physico-chemical parameters, vitamin composition and probiotic viability. Storage changes were monitored at 25±20C and -18±20C for 1 year. The reconstituted lassi has carbohydrate content of 22.2%, thiamin 2mg which meets 2/3rd of suggested micronutrient intake goal for those working either in cold or at high altitudes. The niacin content in the product is 2.27mg, riboflavin 0.375 mg and pyridoxine 67.5mg. An increasing trend in ΔE values 0 to 6.06 was observed at 25±2°C while no significant difference (p<0.05) was observed at -18±20C. pH decreased from 4.71 to 4.1 at 25±2°C and to 4.3 at -18°C±2°C after 12 months. Browning in terms of absorbance increased significantly (p<0.05) from 0.015 to 0.061 at 25±2°C. Bifidobacterium bifidum count decreased from 9.55 log10 cfu.ml-1 to 8.87 log10 cfu.ml-1 and 8.95 log10 cfu.ml-1 after 12 months at 25±2°C and -18°C±2°C respectively. Probiotic viability did not change significantly throughout the storage period at both the temperatures. This instant powder can also be utilised as a health drink mix with reduced bulk suitable for combat conditions and in high altitudes to overcome logistic problems.
Extraction and Purification of Organophosphorus hydrolase Enzyme from Soil Microorganism Pseudomonas diminuta
Get PDFSynthetic organophosphorus compounds are highly toxic hence, widely used as pesticides, insecticides and chemical warfare agents. Organophosphorus hydrolase (OPH) is an organophosphotriester hydrolyzing enzyme; effectively hydrolyze a range of organophosphate esters. The objective of the present study was extraction and purification of OPH enzyme from Pseudomonas diminuta bacteria (soil microorganism) and to study kinetic properties of the purified enzyme. Enzyme was extracted and purified from bacteria by ammonium sulphate precipitation and ion exchange chromatography. Purity of an enzyme was determined by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacryamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Purified OPH enzyme specific activity was found to be 27.7 fold of 32.8U/mg protein, molecular weight of 72 Kda and it is a homodimer since it has shown a single band in SDS-PAGE separation. Maximum activity of the free OPH enzyme was found at Optimum pH 7.5 and temperature 35oC with the incubation time of 10 min. Michaelis constant (Km) and maximum velocity (Vmax) values of free OPH enzyme for methyl parathion as substrate was found to be 286.2μM and 2.5 μM/min respectively
Mechanical Failure Analysis of Needles, for Micro-needle Array Dry-electrodes
Get PDF Dry electrodes, which have an array of vertically aligned conducting micro-needles over a conducting substrate/base are most suitable for long-term continuous monitoring of EEG-signal, and overcomesthe disadvantages of conventional wet electrodes. A crucial design requirement for thesemicro-needlearrays, is the choice of the needle material with suitable mechanical strength to penetrate the skin without mechanical failure. This paper gives, the results of mechanical failure analysis of different needle materials that have been typically used/proposed for invasive use. A conical needle with 150μ width at the base and 10μ width at the tip, and length in the range 10μ - 200μ was taken up for calculation. The Critical load for failure, falls in the following descending order for the selected materials: viz., Carbon Nanofibre (CNF), Titanium-alloy (Ti 6-4), Single Crystal Silicon, Nickel, Tungsten, Platinum-Iridium (Pt90 percent-Ir10 percent), Stainless Steel (SS304),Poly Methyl Methacrylate (PMMA), Polyimide, Polycarbonate, Gold, Silver, Photoresist-SU8, Polyurethane and Poly DiMethylSiloxane (PDMS).Taking the most accepted value of 0.1N as the penetration force required for needle penetration into skin, it is seen that for a needle length of 100μ, the following materials, Carbon Nanofibre (CNF), Titanium-alloy (Ti 6-4), Single Crystal Silicon, Nickel, Tungsten, Platinum -Iridium (Pt90 percent-Ir10 percent) andStainless Steel (SS304), can penetrate the skin without mechanical failure
Phytosynthesis and Characterisation of Silver Nanoparticles Synthesised from Flower Extract of Roheda (Tecomella undulata G. Don)
Get PDFGreen synthesis of silver nanoparticles was carried out using Tecomella undulat flower extract with 0.1mM silver nitrate solution. Within a few minutes colour change and variation of pH value could be observed. Synthesised nanoparticles were characterised through UV-Vis spectra, particle size analysis, zeta potential measurement, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis and Atomic force microscopy (AFM). The UV-Vis absorption spectrum shows an absorption band near 450 nm, which is characteristic absorption peak of silver nanoparticle. The particle size distribution result showed two peaks at 5.23 nm (20.3 per cent) and 77.82 nm (79.7 per cent). XRD characterisation showed that these are highly crystalline silver nanoparticles having average size 12.5 nm. FTIR spectrum was recorded to identify the biomolecules involved in the synthesis process, which showed absorption band stretches at 2939.52 cm-1, 2877.79 cm-1, 2362.80 cm-1, 1228.66 cm-1, 1157.29 cm-1, 1014.56 cm-1, 831.32 cm-1and 785.03 cm-1. SEM image showed that particles were spherical in nature. The presence of Ag was confirmed by major peak of Ag in EDX spectrum. 2D and 3D images of silver nanoparticles were obtained by AFM and biogenic nanoparticles were measured in the size range between 20 nm - 70 nm. Various types of spectroscopic and microscopic characterisation indicated that these are stable silver nanoparticles synthesised from flower extract of Tecomella undulata
Assessment of Muscular Fatigue with Electromyography on Lower Back and Leg Muscles during Continuous Uphill and Downhill Load Carriage Task
Get PDFSoldiers of Indian Army need to carry moderate to heavy load in complex terrain conditions as their routine activity, which may prove to be highly tiring for leg and back muscles. Soldiers’ regular movement at hilly area was simulated in a study consisting of a continuous uphill (UH) and downhill (DH) load carriage task to monitor state of fatigue at back and lower limb muscles. Twelve Indian soldiers walked at a fixed speed on five UH and five DH gradients with three loads (0, 10.7 kg and 21.4 kg). Electromyographic (EMG) recording was carried out throughout the experimentation on four groups of muscles- left and right Erector spinae (ESR and ESL), Vastus medialis (VMR and VML), Gastrocnemius medialis (GMR and GML), and Soleus (SOR and SOL) muscles. Median frequency (MDF) responses of tested muscles were derived from raw (EMG) data. Higher level of muscle fatigue was observed at highest UH inclination as the MDF response in GMR, GML and VMR was lowest at this point. The MDF response were found to be lower at DH gradients as the physical demand of that stage is less than the UH gradients
Prognosis of Disease that may Occur with Growing Age using Confabulation Based Algorithm
Get PDFThe enduring diagnosis of patient’s medical records might be useful to determine the causes that are responsible for a particular disease. So that, one can take early preventive measures to curtail the risk of diseases that may occur with the growing age. Consequently, this can enhance the life expectancy probability. Here, a new algorithm CMARM is proposed for analysis of symptoms in order to find out the disease that may occur frequently and rarely with growing age. It uses map reduce paradigm inspired by cognitive learning. It is concerned with acquisition of problem-solving skills, intelligence and conscious thought and uses prevailing knowledge to generate new rules. It has been evaluated over synthetic data sets collected from the health data repository. Since, CMARM requires one-time file access therefore, it is consistently faster and also consuming less memory space than the FP tree based algorithm
Effect of packaging materials and storage on quality attributes of freeze dried pineapple lassi powder for defence applications
Get PDFThe study evaluates the effect of two different packaging materials on storage stabililty of and instant fruit-dairy functional beverage mix. Freeze dried Pineapple lassi (PL) powder was packaged in Aluminium Laminated Polyethylene (ALP) and Metallised Polyester (MP). Quality changes at elevated temperature conditions (38±1°C, 33 % relative humidity) were evaluated. Shelf life was calculated to be 44 and 62 days in MP and ALP pouches, respectively. Moisture, water activity, Vitamin C, Lactococci, TBA, colour change and Browning Index were studied in both packaging materials. ALP was found to be better than MP as samples kept in ALP preserved most of the antioxidant properties. The kinetics of Vitamin C degradation was of first order (K=-0.017 , R2= 0.99). Moisture content increased and lactococci count decreased during storag