16S rRNA-Based Identification of a Glucan-Hyperproducing Weissella confusa

A gram-positive, nonmotile, irregular, short, rod-shaped new strain of Weissella confusa bacterium was isolated from fermented cabbage. The isolate was physiologically and biochemically characterised. The 16S rDNA was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The isolate was identified as Weissella confusa (GenBank accession number: GU138518.1) based on nucleotide homology and phylogenetic analysis. The isolate produces glucansucrase when grown in sucrose-supplemented culture medium which catalyses glucan formation. This novel isolate possesses high capacity of industrial use due to its high productivity of glucan (34 mg/mL) as compared to other strains reported. The optimum temperature for glucansucrase production was 25°C. The shaking condition gave an enzyme activity of 6.1 U/mL which was 1.5 times higher than that given by static condition (4.1 U/mL). The temperature 35°C, pH 5.4, and ionic strength 10–20 mM were optimum for enzyme assay. This investigation unraveled the abundance of industrially valuable microflora of the north east India

A comparative study of morbidity pattern among rural and urban postmenopausal women of Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India

Background: Menopause is an inevitable reproductive phase during midlife when various physical and mental changes may impair the quality of life of women. Middle-aged women may experience a wide range of physical and psychological symptoms. Decrease in the production of estrogen leads to the premenopausal symptoms of hot flushes, insomnia and mood changes, as well as post-menopausal osteoporosis and vaginal atrophy, leading to decrease in quality of life.Methods: Community based cross-sectional study. Door to door survey was conducted among women who had attained menopause for more than 1 year, in rural and urban area of Allahabad. Multistage random sampling was done. 400 postmenopausal women, 200 each from rural and urban area were selected. A pre-tested structured questionnaire was used for data collection.Results: Majority were in the age group of 50-60 years followed by 60-70 years. Majority of women were having a parity of 3. Vasomotor symptoms were experienced by 34.5% and 39.5% rural and urban women respectively. Out of total post-menopausal women who reported genitourinary complaints, the most commonly reported complaint was stress incontinence i.e. 10.5% and 8.5% respectively in rural and urban communities followed by increased urinary frequency i.e. 9% and 7.5% respectively in rural and urban areas. Vaginal dryness was reported by 2.5% of rural women and 6% of urban women. Vaginal discharge was reported by 7% of rural and 4% of urban women. Uterine Prolapse was reported by 6% of rural women and 3.5% of urban women.Conclusions: The study shows that postmenopausal women in India suffer from various vasomotor, physical as well as psychiatric problems related to menopausal hormonal changes with varied frequencies. There is a need to address their problem and establish health care centers for them. Postmenopausal women should be sensitized for availing the health facilities for their health problems by information education and communication (IEC) and behaviour change communication (BCC). Family support should be ensured by creating awareness in community. Awareness regarding menopause and problems among women related to it need to be improved. Health workers, ASHA, Aanganwadi workers can help women to understand about the menopausal symptoms, if they are given adequate training

Određivanje strukture netopljivog dekstrana proizvedenog s pomoću bakterije Leuconostoc mesenteroides NRRL B-1149 u prisutnosti maltoze

Leuconostoc mesenteroides NRRL B-1149 is known to produce dextran with 52 % α-(1→6) and 40 % α-(1→3) linkages. Low solubility of dextran in water is associated with the presence of high percentage of α-(1→3) linkages. Leuconostoc mesenteroides NRRL B-1149 produces two types of enzymes, dextransucrase and fructansucrase, which are active with sucrose and raffinose, respectively, as confirmed by the activity staining. The insoluble dextran was synthesized using partially purified dextransucrase in the presence of maltose. A water-soluble dextran was also produced by dextransucrase from Leuconostoc mesenteroides NRRL B-1149. The produced insoluble dextran was purified by alcohol precipitation, and then structurally characterized using FTIR, 1H NMR, and 13C NMR spectroscopic techniques. From the spectral analysis, it was confirmed that the insoluble dextran produced by Leuconostoc mesenteroides NRRL B-1149 contained dextran with α-(1→6) linkages and α-(1→3) branched linkages. The surface morphology of dried and powdered dextran studied using scanning electron microscopy revealed its fibrous structure.Leuconostoc mesenteroides NRRL B-1149 proizvodi dekstran s 52 % α-(1→6) i 40 % α-(1→3) veza. Mala topljivost dekstrana u vodi u svezi je s velikim udjelom α-(1→3) veza. Leuconostoc mesenteroides NRRL B-1149 proizvodi dva tipa enzima, dekstran saharazu, koja se aktivira u prisutnosti saharoze, i fruktan saharazu, koja djeluje u prisutnosti rafinoze, što je potvrđeno bojenjem s Coomasie brilijant plavom bojom. Netopljivi je dekstran sintetiziran pomoću djelomično pročišćene dekstran saharaze u prisutnosti maltoze. Pomoću istog je enzima proizveden i dekstran topljiv u vodi. Netopljivi je dekstran pročišćen taloženjem alkoholom i zatim okarakteriziran FTIR, 1H NMR i 13C NMR spektroskopijom. Spektralnim je analizama potvrđeno da je netopljivi dekstran, proizveden s pomoću Leuconostoc mesenteroides NRRL B-1149, povezan α-(1→6) i α-(1→3) vezama. Pomoću skenirajućeg elektronskog mikroskopa (SEM) utvrđeno je da osušeni i mljeveni dekstran ima vlaknastu strukturu

Optimization of Fermentation Medium for Enhanced Glucansucrase and Glucan Production from Weissella confusa

A glucan producing Weissella confusa isolated from fermented cabbage, as identified earlier, was used for optimization of its fermentation medium. The effects of various macronutrients such as sucrose, glucose as cosubstrate, yeast extract, beef extract, peptone, sodium acetate, K2HPO4 and Tween 80 were studied on glucansucrase and glucan production from Weissella confusa. The medium used as control gave 6.0 U/ml enzyme activity and 34 mg/ml glucan concentration. Sucrose (5%), glucose as cosubstrate (5% for glucansucrase and 3% for glucan production), Tween 80 (0.1%), yeast extract (1.5%), Peptone (2.0%) and K2HPO4 (1.5%) were effective nutrients displaying higher glucansucrase and glucan production giving 18.2, 18.0, 7.0, 6.4, 6.2 and 6.4 U/ml enzyme activity and 103, 100, 46, 41, 39 and 37 mg/ml glucan concentration, respectively. Sodium acetate and beef extract were not effective for enzyme and glucan production. The new strain Weissella confusa can be used for commercial production of glucansucrase and glucan using optimized medium

<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;mso-fareast-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language: HI" lang="EN-GB">Effect of flavonoid rich fraction of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Tephrosia purpurea</i> (Linn.) Pers. on complications associated with streptozotocin-induced type I diabetes mellitus</span>

457-466<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family: " times="" new="" roman";mso-fareast-font-family:"times="" roman";mso-bidi-font-family:="" mangal;mso-ansi-language:en-gb;mso-fareast-language:en-us;mso-bidi-language:="" hi"="" lang="EN-GB">Globally, diabetes is a serious health issue affecting one in 11 adults and consumes 12% of global health expenditure. Prevalence of dyslipidemia in diabetes is not uncommon since decades. Further, patients with type II diabetes have 2-4 folds more risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Plants with antioxidant potential are known to have beneficial effects in diabetes and its complications. Natural compounds, flavonoids particularly, ameliorate hyperglycemia as well as CVD. Here, we evaluated common wasteland weed Tephrosia purpurea, used traditionally as folk medicine to treat many disorders including diabetes. We studied the effect of 8-wk treatment of flavonoid-rich fraction of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">T. purpurea (FFTp) (40 mg/kg/day/p.o.) on various biochemical, cardiovascular and lenticular parameters on streptozotocin (STZ) (45 mg/kg, i.v.) induced type I diabetic rats. STZ administration produced significant hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, and altered cardiac biomarkers like lactate dehydrogenase, creatinine kinase and reduced antioxidants in lenticular tissues of rats. Treatment with FFTp significantly prevented STZ-induced hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia as well as cardiovascular markers. We observed decreased rate of pressure development (+dp/dt) and decay (-dp/dt) in STZ diabetic hearts which was prevented by FFTp. Further, the soluble protein levels and the antioxidants were also elevated in the diabetic rats by the treatment. In conclusion, our data suggest that FFTp produces beneficial effects on diabetes induced cardiovascular complications and cataract. Such beneficial actions may be attributed to the antioxidant property of flavonoids, quercetin or rutin, present in T. purpurea. </span

β Receptors: role in cardiometabolic disorders

Pharmacological and molecular approaches have shown that an atypical β-adrenoceptor (AR), called β 3 -AR, that is distinct from β 1 -ARs and β 2 -ARs, exists in some tissues in heterogeneous populations such as β 3a -ARs and β 3b -ARs. β 3 -ARs belong to a superfamily of receptors linked to guanine nucleotide binding proteins (G proteins). The β 3 -AR gene contains two introns whereas the β 1 -AR and β 2 -AR genes are intronless, leading to splice variants. β 3 -ARs can couple to G i and G s and they are reported to be present in brown adipose tissue, vasculature, the heart, among other tissues. β 3 -ARs cause vasodilation of microvessels in the islets of Langerhans and may participate in the pathogenesis of cardiac failure, during which modification of β 1 -AR and β 2 -AR expression occurs. The development of β 3 -AR agonists has led to the elaboration of promising new drugs, including antiobesity and antidiabetic drugs. This article reviews the various pharmacological actions of β 3 -ARs and their clinical implications for diabetes and cardiovascular diseases

Određivanje strukture netopljivog dekstrana proizvedenog s pomoću bakterije Leuconostoc mesenteroides NRRL B-1149 u prisutnosti maltoze

Leuconostoc mesenteroides NRRL B-1149 is known to produce dextran with 52 % α-(1→6) and 40 % α-(1→3) linkages. Low solubility of dextran in water is associated with the presence of high percentage of α-(1→3) linkages. Leuconostoc mesenteroides NRRL B-1149 produces two types of enzymes, dextransucrase and fructansucrase, which are active with sucrose and raffinose, respectively, as confirmed by the activity staining. The insoluble dextran was synthesized using partially purified dextransucrase in the presence of maltose. A water-soluble dextran was also produced by dextransucrase from Leuconostoc mesenteroides NRRL B-1149. The produced insoluble dextran was purified by alcohol precipitation, and then structurally characterized using FTIR, 1H NMR, and 13C NMR spectroscopic techniques. From the spectral analysis, it was confirmed that the insoluble dextran produced by Leuconostoc mesenteroides NRRL B-1149 contained dextran with α-(1→6) linkages and α-(1→3) branched linkages. The surface morphology of dried and powdered dextran studied using scanning electron microscopy revealed its fibrous structure.Leuconostoc mesenteroides NRRL B-1149 proizvodi dekstran s 52 % α-(1→6) i 40 % α-(1→3) veza. Mala topljivost dekstrana u vodi u svezi je s velikim udjelom α-(1→3) veza. Leuconostoc mesenteroides NRRL B-1149 proizvodi dva tipa enzima, dekstran saharazu, koja se aktivira u prisutnosti saharoze, i fruktan saharazu, koja djeluje u prisutnosti rafinoze, što je potvrđeno bojenjem s Coomasie brilijant plavom bojom. Netopljivi je dekstran sintetiziran pomoću djelomično pročišćene dekstran saharaze u prisutnosti maltoze. Pomoću istog je enzima proizveden i dekstran topljiv u vodi. Netopljivi je dekstran pročišćen taloženjem alkoholom i zatim okarakteriziran FTIR, 1H NMR i 13C NMR spektroskopijom. Spektralnim je analizama potvrđeno da je netopljivi dekstran, proizveden s pomoću Leuconostoc mesenteroides NRRL B-1149, povezan α-(1→6) i α-(1→3) vezama. Pomoću skenirajućeg elektronskog mikroskopa (SEM) utvrđeno je da osušeni i mljeveni dekstran ima vlaknastu strukturu

Structural Characterization of Insoluble Dextran Produced by Leuconostoc mesenteroides NRRL B-1149 in the Presence of Maltose

Leuconostoc mesenteroides NRRL B-1149 is known to produce dextran with 52 % α-(1→6) and 40 % α-(1→3) linkages. Low solubility of dextran in water is associated with the presence of high percentage of α-(1→3) linkages. Leuconostoc mesenteroides NRRL B-1149 produces two types of enzymes, dextransucrase and fructansucrase, which are active with sucrose and raffinose, respectively, as confirmed by the activity staining. The insoluble dextran was synthesized using partially purified dextransucrase in the presence of maltose. A water-soluble dextran was also produced by dextransucrase from Leuconostoc mesenteroides NRRL B-1149. The produced insoluble dextran was purified by alcohol precipitation, and then structurally characterized using FTIR, 1H NMR, and 13C NMR spectroscopic techniques. From the spectral analysis, it was confirmed that the insoluble dextran produced by Leuconostoc mesenteroides NRRL B-1149 contained dextran with α-(1→6) linkages and α-(1→3) branched linkages. The surface morphology of dried and powdered dextran studied using scanning electron microscopy revealed its fibrous structure