Journal of Applied and Natural Science
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Influence of blanching and guar gum pretreatments on total phenolic content and antioxidant activity of cabinet-dried white bitter gourd Momordica charantia L.
Get PDFCurrently, the global food industry is experiencing a shift in consumer preference towards natural sources of antioxidants derived from edible fruits and vegetables. In view of this, white skinned bitter gourd with bioactive properties has great potential. Additionally, guar gum has the characteristic ability to form strong hydrogen bonds with water molecules, thereby reducing shrinkage during dehydration. Thus, the present investigation was carried out to study the influence of blanching and guar gum pretreatment on the retention of the total phenolic content (TPC) stability and antioxidant activity (AA) of white Momordica charantia L. when cabinet dried at 60±5 °C. The results are indicative of a significant (P values of < 0.05) impact of using guar gum along with blanching before dehydration of white Momordica charantia. The findings obtained clearly show the positive impact of guar gum on the stability and retention of TPC (Folin Ciocalteau) and AA (percentage of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl DPPH scavenging activity) in the dried product in comparison to the untreated control. Water Blanching + 1% Guar gum (T5) and 2%Salt Blanching + 0.2% Potassium meta bisulphite + 1%Sodium carbonate + 1% Guar gum (T16) showed higher AA [20.29% (T5) and 40.13% (T16)] and TPC [30.8 (T5) and 39.5 (T16) GAE per 100 g of dried weight (DW)]. Therefore, the application of guar gum as a pretreatment with blanching turns out to be beneficial for higher retention of TPC and AA, thereby maintaining product quality as a whole
Effects of early spontaneous abortions (ESA) and latent toxoplasmosis on Interleukine-23 in women
Get PDFCytokines play an important role in intercellular communications, cell growth, differentiation, and immune system modulations. Some of these functions have crucial roles in pregnancy gaining or losing, especially those correlated with T helper 1, T helper 2, and T helper 17 cells. Several studies showed significant variations in Interleukine-23 (IL-23) with Toxoplasma infection. However, little is known about the regulations of this interleukin in the case of early spontaneous abortion (ESA) patients. The present study aimed to evaluate IL-23 to explain the effect of this cytokine on pregnancy gaining or losing with and without toxoplasma infections. Eighty-nine subjects were registered in the current study,16 Toxoplasma infected ESA women, 41 unknown ESA aborted women, 16 healthy pregnant women, and 16 healthy non-pregnant women served as control negative. Detections of anti-Toxoplasma IgG and IL-23 by immunoenzymatic assay (IFA and ELISA, respectively). A significant difference (P = > 0.05) was found in all subjected groups except between Toxoplasmosis ESA and unknown EAS women. The data showed a substantial increase in sera IL-23 in unknown ESA with mean and standard deviation (SD) (13.679±2.461) and Toxoplasma infected women with mean and SD (14.279±4.757) as compared with non-Pregnant women having mean and SD (5.824±1.040) and healthy pregnant women with mean and SD (17.273±6.418). Therefore, this considerable evidence may indicate a role of IL-23 in the development of pregnancy gaining or losing, especially those ESA women.
Sensory attributes, bioactive compounds, antioxidant activity and color values of jam and candy developed from Beetroot (Beta vulgaris L.)
Get PDFBeetroot is a root vegetable with abundant bioactive compounds like phenols, flavonoids and betalains that give the beetroot a characteristic colour. The present study was conducted to develop preserved functional foods from fresh beetroot and analyze sensory attributes, physico-chemical properties, nutritional parameters, bioactive compounds, antioxidant activity and color values. Total soluble solids and acidity contents of raw beetroot, beetroot jam and candy was found to be 10.72° Brix and 0.06 %, 69.03 °Brix and 0.72 % and 69.43° Brix and 0.12 %, respectively. The TSS content of jam and candy was found to be 55.77±0.09 and 66.50±0.19, respectively. Total phenols, flavonoids, betalains and antioxidant activity of jam and candy were found to be 82.58 and 98.94 mg GAE/100g, 47.85 and 45.51 mg QE/100 g, 267.73 and 357 mg/100g and 35.43 and 42.13 %, respectively. The L* value indicating the lightness of a product decreased for beetroot jam as opposed to L* value of beetroot candy, which increased compared to raw beetroot. The a* value revealing the redness of jam increased whereas redness of candy decreased compared to raw beetroot. The present study indicated that; beetroot could be used for the preparation of jam and candy with good sensorial quality, which has a high market potential
Autochthonous antimicrobial microorganisms: application in wastewater treatment
Get PDFIn the previous two decades, people\u27s lifestyles have changed as a result of industrialization, urbanization, and modernity, resulting in a rise in pollutants in daily sewage wastewater output. Less than half of the sewage generated is processed in a sewage treatment facility, while the remaining gets discharged into rivers untreated, deviating physio-chemical parameters of river water from the standards and thus causing harm to aquatic ecosystems. Sewage water contains autochthonous bacteria such as Pseudomonas fluorescens, Bacillus sp., Acinetobacter sp. and Rhodococcus sp that are effective in decontaminating wastewater. They employ a variety of mechanisms to consume pollutants, including biosorption, bioaccumulation and enzyme-mediated bioremediation, and thus can be used in bioremediation schemes. Bacteria possessing antimicrobial activity as well as protease production can be isolated from the wastewater and employed in the sewage treatment plant. The bacterial consortium has also been shown to be successful in wastewater treatment due to the synergistic degradation capabilities of the co- cultivated bacterial strains, which enhance the uptake rate of pollutants as nutrients. Environmental factors such as temperature, pH, oxygen, and nutrition availability at the site all affect the process outcome. The major focus of this review is to emphasize the bacterial capacity to clean wastewater as a single bacterial culture or as part of a bacterial consortium and the factor affecting the degradation process to achieve the requirement of a safer environment
Barriers and adaptation strategies to climate change among farming households in Guinea Savanna
Get PDFIdentifying appropriate climate policy interventions that improve the resilience of Guinea Savanna farming systems to extreme weather conditions is crucial to reducing food insecurity and poverty. This study explored rural farming households’ encountered adaptation barriers and strategies used toward climate change. Participatory research tools and methods were used to collect data, including household surveys, focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and field observations. A multistage sampling procedure was employed in selecting 1,500 respondents in nine livelihood zones prone to drought and floods. Problem confrontation index (PCI) and relative importance index (RII) estimations were used to rank small-scale farmers’ climate adaptation barriers and strategies. Results showed that key barriers to successful climate change adaptation practices included limited access to farm inputs (PCI = 3203), poor access to agricultural machinery (PCI = 3161), and shortage of farm labour and its high cost (PCI = 3026), while the most prioritized adaptation strategies were crop diversification (RII = 0.59), planting early maturing crop varieties (RII = 0.47), and changing the timing of planting (RII = 0.42). This study provides decision-makers insights into farmers’ most adaptation barriers and prioritized strategies toward climate change to design effective and context-specific policies that aim to improve farming resilience to the adverse effects of changing climate
Antibiotic resistance profile and virulence factor genes of Aeromonas sobria isolated from AL-Hillah River in Babel (Iraq)
Get PDFAlthough Aeromonas are common in aquatic habitats and have been marked as an arising risk to human health, some information dealing with antibiotic resistance profiles and virulence factor genes involved in pathogenicity are understood. The objective of this study was to evaluate the resistance profile for aquatic A. sobria and to identify the virulence factor genes. Aeromonas sobria isolates were collected from AL-Hillah River in Babel near the hospital swage water from January until May 2021. VITEK 2 system was used to diagnose isolates of the anaerobic G-ve A. Sobria bacteria, which were then confirmed by PCR for 16S RNA. Eight different groups of antibiotics were examined in A. sobria isolates using the disk diffusion method on a Mueller-Hinton agar. Genes encoding for virulence factor genes (act, ast, ela, alt, lip, asa, hly, and aer) were detected using conventional PCR. The isolates showed resistance to β-lactam drugs, while they were susceptible to ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, tetracycline, clindamycin and presented susceptibility to the gentamycin at rate 57%. Gel electrophoresis results of PCR products variably displayed clear bands for virulence factor genes (act, ast, ela, alt, lip, and asa), previously reported to be associated with some diseases. This is the first study in provinces of middle Iraqi dealing with aquatic A. sobria that evaluated the antibiotic sensitivity and investigated the virulence factor genes, including cytotoxic enterotoxins and enzymes. Virulence factor genes detection and 16S RNA gene for species identification were achieved by designing specific primers in the present study.
Exploring the functionality of ethnic fermented sour beverages and their standardization with improved shelf stability for industrial use
Get PDFThe nutritional and functional characteristics of cereal and millets have been enhanced by fermentation technology and have proven to be a viable option for the cereal industry. The fermentation technique aids in increasing the nutrient content, viz., minerals, vitamins, proteins, phenolics and antinutritional compounds, as phytic acid degrades. The study aimed to investigate the appropriate fermentation technique for developing ethnic fermented sour beverages and standardize the product with improved shelf stability for industrial use. Neeragarams (an indigenous fermented rice product from the southern part of India) were prepared using Mapillai samba, and a notable and nutritious traditional rice variety of Tamil Nadu was taken (T1 - raw - unpolished, T2 - raw - polished, T3 - parboiled - unpolished and T4 - parboiled - polished) with added species such as onions, green chillies and curry leaves. The study observed that among four different treatments of neeragaram, T1 (raw rice - unpolished) was highly acceptable based on consumer acceptability with the sensory value of 9.0 higher nutritional characteristics viz., energy 68.29 Kcal, carbohydrates 11.15 %, protein 4.21 %, fiber 2.59 %, fat 0.93 %, iron 4.21 mg, potassium 181.7 mg, sodium 61.23 mg and zinc 2.32 mg per 100 ml of neeragaram. The developed product will be highly suitable for commercialization with improved shelf stability. Among the four treatments, raw (unpolished) neeragaram was highly acceptable with maximum retention of nutritional characteristics. The developed fermented sour beverages do not involve a high cost of production and earn good returns to entrepreneurs. The development of these fermented sour beverages using rice will increase the suitability for consumers and, in turn, improve persons with nutritional and functional status
Cytotoxicity and acute toxicity evaluation of hydrogen-rich Gynostemma pentaphyllum Makino distillate
Get PDFHydrogen-rich Gynostemma pentaphyllum Makino distillate (HRGD) consists of Gynostemma pentaphyllum Makino steam distillate with hydrogen gas. Although both G. pentaphyllum Makino and hydrogen-rich water are well known for their biological and medical benefits, there is a lack of information on their safety and toxicity in vivo acute oral toxicity test and in vitro cytotoxicity method. The current study aimed to assess the cytotoxicity and acute oral toxicity of HRGD as a part of a safety evaluation using rat and human cell models. HRGD was administered orally once by gavage to male and female Sprague-Dawley rats at doses of 0, 2500, and 5000 mg/kg. Cytotoxicity assay was conducted in vitro at various concentrations in 10 different human normal and cancer cell lines; TK6 (human normal lymphomablastoid cells), Chang (human hepatic cells), 16HBE14o- (human bronchial epithelial cells), URotsa (human urothelium cells), MCF (human breast cancer cells), Hela (human cervical cancer cells), A375 (human malignant melanoma cells), HCT116 (human colon cancer cells), HepG2 (human liver cancer cells) and A549 (human non-small cell lung adenocarcinoma cells). From a 14-day study in rats, we observed no compound-related changes in mortality, clinical signs, body weight, food/water consumption, organ weight and gross pathology in all dose group. The result of in vivo acute toxicity shows that no observed adverse effect level of HRGD was below 5000 mg/kg for both sexes of rats, and the minimal lethal dose was considered to be more than 5000 mg/kg. HRGD also had no in vitro cytotoxicity against all tested cells. The present study data indicated that HRGD may contain bioactive compounds of potential therapeutic significance that are relatively safe from toxic effects
Kinetics of nitrogen in sodic soil of Kumulur village, Trichy District, Tamil Nadu under different organic and inorganic amendments
Get PDFCurrently more than 20 per cent of the world’s irrigated land is salt affected. Of that about 60 per cent are sodic soils, warranting greater attention for efficient and eco-friendly environmentally amelioration techniques. Transformation and availability of several plant nutrient elements are affected by soil sodicity. Alkali/sodic soils are to be reclaimed so as tomake nutrients available to plants optimally. A laboratory incubation study was examined to analyse the impact of various amendments, either alone or in combination with nitrogen (N) @75 kg/ha, on the physico-chemical characteristics and nitrogen dynamics in sodic soil of Kumulur village Trichy District, Tamil Nadu (pH-10.4, EC-0.40 dS, m-1, ESP-31.8). The investigation was conducted at ADAC&RI in Trichy with three replications and eight treatments in a completely randomized design. The treatments used for sodic soil reclamation utilizing a standardized procedure were Gypsum (GYP) + Green manure (GM) @ 6.5 t ha-1 (T2), Distillery spent wash (DSW) @ 5 lakhs liter-1(T4), and Green leaf manure (GLM) @ 12.5 t ha-1(T3). Soil samples were taken at 15-day intervals from the 15th to the 60th day and tested for NH4-N, NO3-N, and accessible nitrogen. Using DSW, GYP + GM, and GLM, the pH of the water was decreased from 10.2 to 8.37, 8.42, and 9.21, respectively. The soil pH dropped the most in the DSW-controlled treatments. The application of nitrogen alone without any amendments (T5) recorded a higher value (135 kg ha-1) during an initial period (15 days) only and thereafter declined sharply due to various losses, i.e., volatilization, denitrification or fixation. When nitrogen was applied along with amendments, a significant (CD-0.05%) buildup in available N contents was observed over the application of N alone. Available nitrogen (325 kg ha-1), nitrate nitrogen (102 kg ha-1) and ammonical nitrogen (205 kg ha-1) were significantly increased due to the addition of amendments. However, the decline in available N with incubation period was only marginal when nitrogen was applied along with amendments. An increase in NH4-N at 30 DAI might be due to the release of nutrients. A slight increase in the nitrate-N content of the soil was observed at the end of the incubation period due to microbial oxidation of NH4-N to NO3-N. The application of amendments could save a quantity of N dose besides reclaiming the sodicity
Unravelling the carbon pools and carbon stocks under different land uses of Conoor region in Western Ghats of India
Get PDFLand uses are pivotal in global carbon cycles. The native forest lands possess a greater potential to sequester higher carbon, which can directly address soil quality and climate change problems. Unfortunately, the rapid conversion of forests to other land use over the past few decades has significantly declined the concentration of carbon in the soils. Therefore, in order to estimate the impact of land-use change (LUC) on soil carbon status, this present study was attempted under major ecosystems (Forest (FOR), cropland (CRP), tea plantation (TEA)) of Conoor. Results from findings revealed that total organic carbon (TOC) concentration and carbon pools were significantly (p<0.05) higher in FOR than in CRP and TEA. TOC (0-45 cm) recorded in FOR, CRP and TEA was 32.88, 11.87 and 18.84 g kg-1 and it decreased along the depth increment. Carbon stock (t ha-1) in FOR, CRP and TEA (0-45cm) was 68.10, 26.04, 42.42. Microbial biomass carbon (MBC) was higher in FOR (283.08 mg kg-1) followed by TEA (94.64 mg kg-1) and CRP (76.22 mg kg-1). The microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN) followed; FOR > TEA > CRP. These results clearly indicate that the LUC has inflicted a greater impact on soil carbon status and its extent was quantified using the land degradation index (LDI). The LDI (0-45 cm) recorded in CRP (-38.65) and TEA (-61.75) signals the need for immediate implementation of carbon management strategies in the CRP and TEA ecosystem to keep the soils of Conoor alive and prevent land degradation