The Potential of Garden Cress (Lepidium sativum L.) Seeds for Development of Functional Foods

Garden cress (Lepidium sativum L.) belonging to Cruciferae family is widely grown in India, Europe, and United States. It has been used as an important medicinal plant since the Vedic era. Its seed, oil, and powder contain significant amount of protein, fat, minerals, fibers, and phytochemicals, which are incorporated in many functional beverages and foods. A number of clinical trials have been conducted on rats that also support the efficacy of garden cress seeds (GCSs). The seed of garden cress was used in the fortification of different food items but due to the lack of their physicochemical properties and medicinal value, the exploration of the potential of garden cress seed was limited. In the present review, we discuss the proximate chemical composition, physicochemical, medicinal properties, and the food product development with garden cress seed. The functional properties of garden cress seed stimulate us to review its different valuable properties and the fortified products developed by incorporating garden cress seeds

Comparative evaluation of management of intertrochanteric fracture femur with proximal femoral nailing versus dynamic hip screw

Background: Fractures involving trochanteric region of femur are one of the common fractures affecting elderly population. Presently surgical treatment is the treatment of choice with early mobilisation as primary goal. The two most common implants that are used are Dynamic hip screw (DHS) and Proximal femoral nail (PFN).Methods: This was a prospective study with 50 patients divided randomly into two groups of 25 each. One group operated by PFN and other with DHS. Patients were evaluated periodically and final comparison between two group was done at six months for analysing results on the basis of Harris hip score.Results: At final follow up in patients in PFN group 9 (36%), 7 (28%), 5 (20%), 4 (16%) patients had functional grade in excellent, good, fair and poor category respectively. In DHS group patients, 7 (28%), 10 (40%), 6 (24%), 2 (8%) patients had functional grade in excellent, good, fair and poor functional grade. Harris hip score was insignificantly (p>0.05) lower in patients of PFN (82.68±12.28) than DHS (84.60±10.39).Conclusion: At final follow up we found that pain, limp, use of support while walking and hospital stay was less in PFN group. However, range of motion and hip functions were better in patients treated with DHS. Complications like Varus malunion and infection were common in DHS group while hip joint stiffness was seen more commonly in PFN group. So, both PFN and DHS in are comparable in respect to most of functional criteria for treatment of intertrochanteric fracture femur

Operating Efficiency and Firm Valuation: Evidence from India

We examine the impact of operating efficiency on firm valuation. The study spans ninety firms spread over six major industrial sectors in India from 2005 through 2012. Six key ratios are considered for their possible impact on the enterprise value. Through panel data analysis, we find that gross profits, return on capital employed asset turnover and to some degree, sales have a significant impact on the enterprise value at the inter-industry level. In the collective sample, all six ratios pertaining to operating efficiency and profitability have a significant effect on enterprise value. We also note that with the infrastructure sector as the reference point, the role of banking sector is significantly positive in value creation. Further, value creation is more attendant to present performance rather than what might have happened in the past. Keywords: Operating efficiency, Panel Data Analysis, EV/EBITDA, Enterprise Value, Firm Value

Synthesis and in vitro evaluation of novel isatinincorporated thiadiazole hybrids as potential anti-breast cancer agents

Purpose: To synthesis and characterize some novel isatin-incorporated thiadiazoles and screen them for anti-breast cancer activity in human breast adenocarcinoma cells (MCF-7).Method: A series of isatin incorporated Schiff bases of thiadiazoles (3a-3l) was synthesized by reaction of substituted thiadiazoles (1a-1d) with isatin (2a) and N-alkyl substituted isatin (2b-2c) and characterized by elemental analysis, IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR and LCMS. The newly synthesized compounds were screened for their in-vitro cytotoxicity against MCF-7 cell lines by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) colorimetric and Sulforhodamine B (SRB) methods.Results: Compounds 3a, 3c, 3d, 3g and 3j showed anticancer activity in both MTT and SRB assay. Compound 3-(5-(4-chlorophenyl)-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-ylimino)-1-ethylindolin-2-one (3g) showed most potent cytotoxic activity against MCF-7 cell lines.Conclusion: The novel isatin incorporated thiadiazoles synthesized and characterized in this study possess anti-cancer activities in human breast adenocarcinoma cells (MCF-7). This can possibly lead to emergence of new anti-breast cancer agents.Keywords: Thiadiazoles, Isatin, In-vitro cytotoxicity, Human breast adenocarcinoma cells (MCF-7), SRB assa

Fly Ash-Fibre Reinforced Concrete (FAFC) Pavement-An Alternative to RCC/PCC Pavement

Techno–economic superiority of the cement concrete road is now well established. A considerable R and D effort has gone into several aspects of concrete pavements or roads and runways. This is particularly so in the areas of strengthening and repair, design and evaluation, improvement of concrete as a paving material by incorporation of innovative & cost effective material and techniques used for road construction in the country.  Nowadays a major use of cementetious materials such as fly ash,  silica fumes,  slag,  recycled aggregates in concrete resulted in significant decrease in the use of valuable natural resources and lowering of fuel consumption through reduced transport and production processes as well as to reduce co2 emissions. These alternative materials not only benefit the environment but also add value to, in the form of enhancement of performance characteristics by judicious selection, proportioning and use. However, in the context of International practice the Indian projects have not been cost effective. The pavement thickness is high. Concrete mix design practices are obsolete, leading to wasteful consumption of cement. Use of cement fly ash fiber reinforced concrete in place of plain cement concrete will, not only enable substantial savings in the consumption of cement, but also provide an economic and useful avenue for disposal of fly ash, which is now a recognized national problem, along with improved performance characteristics in terms of durability and low maintenance requirement It has been hereby suggested that by adopting proper mix proportioning methods of available methods, for the same design strength more economical mixes can be produced with cement-fly ash-fiber concrete as compared to plain cement concrete. Keywords: fly ash, fibre, mix proportioning, innovative material, cement-flyash-fibr

Development of 0.2C-CrMnMoV Ultra High Strength Steel

A study was carried out to develop a low alloy ultra high strength steel by induction melting and thermomechanical treatment (TMT) containing alloying elements like carbon, manganese, molybdenum, chromium and vanadium. A base alloy was prepared with 0.24%C, 1.16% Mn, 0.23% Si, 5.61% Cr, 0.42%V, 1.01% Mo, 0.026%S and 0.032%P. It showed tensile strength of 1467 MPa, yield strength of about 1180 MPa, impact strength of 6.3J and elongation of 5.9% in as-tempered condition. Other alloy was prepared by addition of 0.054% titanium with the base composition. It displayed tensile strength, yield strength, impact toughness and % elongation of 1615 MPa, 1240 MPa, 8.2J and 6.15%, respectively. The optical, SEM and TEM microstructures confirmed that the base alloy and the titanium alloy consisted with tempered lath martensites. The remaining part of the ingot was further processed by the thermomechanical treatment. The ingots were rolled in two passes, initially at 950 C and subsequently at 850 C followed by immediate cooling in oil. The TMT plates of the base alloy confirmed the tensile strength of 1755 MPa, yield strength in excess of 1460 MPa and impact strength of 9.1J. The titanium added TMT plate displayed tensile strength of 1860 MPa, yield strength of 1580 MPa and impact strength of 10.1J. Microstructures of titanium added alloy consisted finer lath martensite and precipitates of titanium carbides/carbonitrides. It was observed that the addition of titanium significantly improved the mechanical properties of 0.2C-Cr Mn Mo V alloys and the mechanical properties were also improved significantly by thermomechanical treatment

Effect of ondansetron on sensory level produced by intrathecal bupivacaine

Background: For spinal anesthesia there are drugs which can increase the level and quality of analgesia. Any drug which decreases sensory block level in spinal anesthesia is of great concern as it may need analgesic, sedative, supplement or even conversion to general anesthesia. Ondansetron is one such drug which has been reported to decrease the height of sensory block achieved after subarachnoid administration of bupivacaine. In this prospective observational study, we studied the effect of administration of ondansetron on the level of the sensory block achieved after subarachnoid blockade.Methods: In Group II, 4 mg ondansetron was given and 15 mins before giving spinal anesthesia Group II against control group receiving 2 ml saline intravenous (Group I). 15 mins before giving spinal anesthesia. Both groups received 3.5 ml of bupivacaine heavy was given intrathecally. Sensory and motor block was assessed 5, 15, and 30 mins. We analyzed both highest spinal block level achieved and time to regress to L1 level.Results: We found that in Group II both highest level of sensory block (T6 by median method) duration to regress to L1 level (1.43±0.22 hrs) was lesser as compared to group I and Group III T4 by median method and time to regress from T6 to L1 Group I 2.03±0.06 hrs Group III 1.84±0.27 hrs. Motor block did not differ between groups.Conclusions: We concluded that probably ondansetron was responsible for lower spinal block level and early recovery from spinal anesthesia after intrathecal bupivacaine and should not be given empirically for nausea and vomiting

Environmental Challenge due to Climate Change in Bihar, Developing State of India

As detailed in the Vulnerability Atlas of India, 27 districts in Bihar are fully affected by high-speed winds of 47 m/s intensity due to climatic change. The area of districts—Banka, Jahanabad, Arwal, and Nalanda is nearly 90 percent affected. Other districts of South Bihar except Nawada are partly affected by high-speed winds of 44 m/s. In all 86 percent of the total area of Bihar is prone to high-speed winds of 47 m/s intensity and only 14 percent of the area prone to high-speed winds of lesser intensity. The five major district, in all 21.1 % of Bihar fall under seismic zone-V. The Himalayan tectonic plate near the Bihar-Nepal Border is having six subsurface fault lines penetrating through its Gangetic planes in four directions, Bihar is vulnerable to the worst kind of disaster caused by earthquake. Available evidence shows that there is high probability of increase in the frequency and intensity of climate related natural hazards due to climate change and hence increase in potential threat due to climate change related natural disasters in India, and Bihar is no exception to this. It is highly vulnerable to hydro-meteorological natural disasters, with North Bihar in general being highly flood-prone, and South Bihar being highly drought prone due to the recent climatic change. Keywords: Climatic change, Natural Disaster, Earthquake, Flood, Drought, Cyclone