Alpha casozepine and L-theanine in ameliorating stress levels in infertile couples: a review

Globally, the fertility rate has decreased significantly in the last two decades. Infertility can lead to psychological and emotional stress, particularly for couples who have been married for a long period. According to the literature, stress can alter the metabolic environment and reduce the likelihood of pregnancy. The fertility treatments involving assisted reproductive technology put additional physical, mental, and financial strain on patients, especially women who are frequently subjected to invasive procedures as part of the process. Stress affects the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, the concentration of reproductive hormones (FSH, GnRH, and LH), and other biological processes through a variety of mechanisms. Alteration of glucocorticoid hormone levels in the blood was observed because of stress in infertile couples. Moreover, the males also get affected by stress as per the semen parameters and quality analysis. Available evidence strongly suggests that stress reduction should be the first step in a fertility therapy regimen. Further, managing stress can boost ovarian function and semen parameters. The current review focuses on the state-of-the-art research on stress-induced reproductive dysfunction as well as the positive effects of alpha-casozepine, an anxiolytic-like bioactive decapeptide and L-theanine, an amino acid found primarily in green tea on reducing stress levels and improving treatment outcomes in infertile couples

Uraria picta: A comprehensive review on evidences of utilization and strategies of conservation

Uraria picta (Jacq.) DC. (Prishnaparni) is one of the most important medicinal plants used in different traditional systems of medicines including the Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese medicine. The major use of this plant was found in the most popular Ayurvedic formulation “Dashmula” and in several many other important Ayurvedic formulations. IUCN placed this woody herb in the least concern category as per version 3.1. It has extensive therapeutic uses and pharmacological activities. Though this plant is a source of many phytochemicals, the uses are uncertain because the raw plant parts or crude extracts are being used in all formulations. Therefore, extensive investigations are necessary to focus on the identification of these phytochemicals. It is an urgent need to give special attention to collecting various aspects and more efforts are required in all areas for utilization and conservation of this valuable medicinal herb. Herein, a compilation of all information with various aspects has been presented, including the authors published work on Uraria picta. This review pursues attention towards biological activity, phytochemical profile, utilization, propagation and conservation of Uraria picta

Outcomes of resection for rectal cancer in India: The impact of the double stapling technique

BACKGROUND: The introduction of circular staplers into colorectal surgery has revolutionized anastomotic techniques stretching the limits of sphincter preservation. Data on the double-stapling technique (DST) has been widely published in the West where the incidence of colorectal cancer is high. However studies using this technique and their results, in the Indian scenario, as well as the rest of Asia, have been few and far between. AIM: To evaluate the feasibility of the DST in Indian patients with low rectal cancers and assess its impact on anastomotic leak rates, covering colostomy rates, level of resection and morbidity in patients undergoing low anterior resection (LAR). METHODS: A comparative analysis was performed between retrospectively acquired data on 78 patients (mean age 53.2 ± 13.5 years) undergoing LAR with the single-stapling technique (SST) (between January 1999 and December 2001) and prospective data acquired on 138 LARs (mean age 50.3 ± 13.9 years) performed using the DST (between January 2003 – December 2005). RESULTS: A total of 77 out of 78 patients in the SST group had Astler Coller B and C disease while the number was 132/138 in the DST group. The mean distance of the tumor from anal verge was 7.6 cm (2.5–15 cm) and 8.0 cm (4–15 cm) in the DST and SST groups, respectively. In the DST group, there were 5 (3.6%) anastomotic failures and 62 (45%) covering stomas compared to 7 (8.9%) anastomotic failures and 51 (65.4%) covering stomas in the SST group. The anastomotic leak rate, though objectively lower in the DST group, did not attain statistical significance (p = 0.12). Covering stoma rates were significantly lower in DST group (p = 0.006). There was 1 death in the DST group due to cardiac causes (unrelated to the anastomosis) and no mortality in the SST group. The LAR and abdominoperineal resection (APR) rates were 40% and 60%, respectively, during 1999–2001. In 2005, these rates were 55% and 45%, respectively. CONCLUSION: This study, perhaps the first from India, demonstrates the feasibility of the DST in a country where the incidence of colorectal cancer is increasing. Since the age at presentation is at least a decade younger than the Western world, consideration of sphincter preservation assumes greater significance. The observed improvement of surgical outcomes with DST needs further studies to significantly prove these findings in a population where the tumors at presentation are predominantly Astler Coller Stage B and C

Obesity-induced cognitive impairment in older adults: a microvascular perspective

Over two-thirds of individuals aged 65 and older are obese or overweight in the United States. Epidemiological data show an association between the degree of adiposity and cognitive dysfunction in the elderly. In this review, the pathophysiological roles of microvascular mechanisms, including impaired endothelial function and neurovascular coupling responses, microvascular rarefaction, and blood-brain barrier disruption in the genesis of cognitive impairment in geriatric obesity are considered. The potential contribution of adipose-derived factors and fundamental cellular and molecular mechanisms of senescence to exacerbated obesity-induced cerebromicrovascular impairment and cognitive decline in aging are discussed

Soymilk bio-enrichment by indigenously isolated riboflavin-producing strains of Lactobacillus plantarum

CITATION: Bhushan, B. et al. 2020. Soymilk bio-enrichment by indigenously isolated riboflavin-producing strains of Lactobacillus plantarum. LWT, 119. doi:10.1016/j.lwt.2019.108871The original publication is available at https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/lwtLactobacilli (n = 68) isolated from human feces and fermented milk products were screened for the production of riboflavin (vitamin B2) by culturing into riboflavin assay medium (RAM). Cell-free culture supernatants from positive isolates (BBC32A, BBC32B, BBC33 and BIF43) were transferred onto RAM agar pre-seeded with Enterococcus faecalis MTCC2729 (a riboflavin auxotroph). The enhanced growth of B2-auxotroph confirmed the bioavailability of produced vitamin. Isolate BBC32B produced the highest riboflavin (319 ± 36 μg/l), followed by BBC33 (304 ± 91 μg/l), BBC32A (276 ± 8 μg/l) and BIF43 (257 ± 91 μg/l). All four isolates contained riboflavin genes ribG, ribB, ribA and ribH. Sequencing of DNA fragments amplified from the 16S–23S rRNA intergenic spacer region and areas flanking the 23S rRNA gene grouped these isolates within the species Lactobacillus plantarum. Identifications were confirmed by sequencing 1300-bp of amplified 16S rDNA fragments. Fermentation of soymilk by single cultures of L. plantarum BBC32B, BBC33 and BIF43 yielded 49.05%, 38.97% and 35.94% riboflavin enrichment respectively, which is more than 18.75% recorded in literature for Lactobacillus fermentum MTCC8711. Maximum levels of riboflavin were obtained within 12 h of fermentation in soymilk. Lactobacillus plantarum BBC32B may be used as starter culture for developing of riboflavin-enriched soymilk.https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0023643819312137?via%3DihubPublishers versio

Quantification of three macrolide antibiotics in pharmaceutical lots by HPLC: Development, validation and application to a simultaneous separation

A new validated high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method with rapid analysis time and high efficiency, for the analysis of erythromycin, azithromycin and spiramycin, under isocratic conditions with ODB RP18 as a stationary phase is described. Using an eluent composed of acetonitrile –2-methyl-2-propanol –hydrogenphosphate buffer, pH 6.5, with 1.5% triethylamine (33:7: up to 100, v/v/v), delivered at a flow-rate of 1.0 mL min-1. Ultra Violet (UV) detection is performed at 210 nm. The selectivity is satisfactory enough and no problematic interfering peaks are observed. The procedure is quantitatively characterized and repeatability, linearity, detection and quantification limits are very satisfactory. The method is applied successfully for the assay of the studied drugs in pharmaceutical dosage forms as tablets and powder for oral suspension. Recovery experiments revealed recovery of 97.13–100.28%

Probiotic supplementation influences the diversity of the intestinal microbiota during early stages of farmed Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis, Kaup, 1858)

Ingestion of bacteria at early stages results in establishment of a primary intestinal microbiota which likely undergoes several stages along fish life. The role of this intestinal microbiota regulating body functions is crucial for larval development. Probiotics have been proved to modulate this microbiota and exert antagonistic effects against fish pathogens. In the present study, we aimed to determine bacterial diversity along different developmental stages of farmed Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis) after feeding probiotic (Shewanella putrefaciens Pdp11) supplemented diet for a short period (10–30 days after hatching, DAH). Intestinal lumen contents of sole larvae fed control and probiotic diets were collected at 23, 56, 87, and 119 DAH and DNA was amplified using 16S rDNA bacterial domain-specific primers. Amplicons obtained were separated by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), cloned, and resulting sequences compared to sequences in GenBank. Results suggest that Shewanella putrefaciens Pdp11 induces a modulation of the dominant bacterial taxa of the intestinal microbiota from 23 DAH. DGGE patterns of larvae fed the probiotic diet showed a core of bands related to Lactobacillus helveticus, Pseudomonas acephalitica, Vibrio parahaemolyticus,and Shewanella genus, together with increased Vibri o genus presence. In addition, decreased number of clones related to Photobacterium damselae subsp piscicida at 23 and 56 DAH was observed in probiotic-fed larvae. A band corresponding to Shewanella putrefaciens Pdp11 was sequenced as predominant from 23 to 119 DAH samples, confirming the colonization by the probiotics. Microbiota modulation obtained via probiotics addition emerges as an effective tool to improve Solea senegalensis larviculture.En prens