Comparative Evaluation of High Protein against Normal Protein Diet in Combination with Carbamates against Organophosphorus Intoxication in Rats

The relative efficacy of an isocaloric high (HPD) containing 59 per cent protein, in comparison to a conventional diet containing 21 per cent protein as applied in the alleviation of toxicity of diisopropyl phosphorofluoridate (DFP) and methyl isopropyl phosphonofluoridate (sarin), has been reported. In combination with well-known prophylactics like carbamates and cholinolytics like atropine against nerve gas toxicity, HPD appears to be superior to the conventional diet as studied by survival time measurements. Apart from carbamates, atropine and mecamylamine, HPD may be treated as an additional prophylactic agent to guard against the toxicity of DFP and sarin, which are being used as war chemicals

Inflammatory Serine Proteases Play a Critical Role in the Early Pathogenesis of Diabetic Cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) is characterized by structural and functional alterations that can lead to heart failure. Several mechanisms are known to be involved in the pathogenesis of DCM, however, the molecular mechanism that links inflammation to DCM is incompletely understood. To learn about this mechanism, we investigated the role of inflammatory serine proteases (ISPs) during the development of DCM. METHODS: Eight weeks old mice with deletion of dipeptidyl peptidase I (DPPI), an enzyme involved in the maturation of major ISPs, and wild type (WT) mice controls were injected with streptozotocin (50 mg/kg for 5 days intraperitoneally) and studied after 4, 8, 16, and 20 week after induction of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). Induction of diabetes was followed by echocardiographic measurements, glycemic and hemoglobulin A1c profiling, immunoblot, qPCR, enzyme activity assays, and immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis of DPPI, ISPs, and inflammatory markers. Fibrosis was determined from left ventricular heart by Serius Red staining and qPCR. Apoptosis was determined by TUNEL assay and immunoblot analysis. RESULTS: In the diabetic WT mice, DPPI expression increased along with ISP activation, and DPPI accumulated abundantly in the left ventricle mainly from infiltrating neutrophils. In diabetic DPPI-knockout (DPPI-KO) mice, significantly decreased activation of ISPs, myocyte apoptosis, fibrosis, and cardiac function was improved compared to diabetic WT mice. In addition, DPPI-KO mice showed a decrease in overall inflammatory status mediated by diabetes induction which was manifested by decreased production of pro-inflammatory cytokines like TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6. CONCLUSION: This study elucidates a novel role of ISPs in potentiating the immunological responses that lead to the pathogenesis of DCM in T1DM. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to report that DPPI expression and activation promotes the inflammation that enhances myocyte apoptosis and contributes to the adverse cardiac remodeling that subsequently leads to DCM

Hexanitrohexaazaisowurtzitane or CL-20 in India: Synthesis and Characterisation

Hexanitrohexaazaisowurtzitane (HNIW) more commonly called CL-20, the highest density and the most powerful real world explosive, has been made with very high yield and a high product purity. CL-20 is thoroughly characterised by spectral data (IR, NMR and mass) along with electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA) and X-ray diffractogram. Furthermore, small-scale sensitivity tests have also been carried out

Process Standardization for the Manufacture of Shrikhand Spread

Purpose: Shrikhand Spread, a unique sweetened fermented Indian milk product is made by separation of whey from dahi, the Indian counterpart of Western yoghurt, followed by addition of sugar. Production of dahi employing traditional method involved undefined mixed starter cultures, uncontrolled fermentation and longer production time resulting in wide variation in its chemical and microbiological qualities. In order to cater to a product with desirable properties like lower post-acidification, higher flavour profile, firm body and lower syneresis coupled with shorter production time, conjugated application of yoghurt cultures and dahi cultures were tried. Since the shelf-life of dahi is limited, conversion into shrikhand spread may be used as a tool to extend the shelf-life and therefore the market reach towards commercialization into the global market as a potential functional food.Design/Methodology/Approach: Different batches of dahi were made from homogenized (Stage I - 2500 psi, Stage II - 500 psi) and pasteurized (74-78 °C/16-19 Sec) milk, pre-adjusted to 3.15-3.20% fat and 11.40% snf with diverse starter combinations selected upon the extent of post acidification, volatile acid production, syneresis and rheological characteristics. Homogenized, pasteurized and regulated milk was further subjected to a heat-treatment (90°C/10 min) and seeded with selected starter combinations to obtain firm curd intended for shrikhand spread manufacture. Shelf-life of shrikhand spread was evaluated in terms of chemical and microbiological criteria upto 7 days of storage at 8±1°C.Findings: Starter combination of eXactDahi 2+YoFlex Express 1.0 at an incubation temperature-time combination of 45°C/5h was found most suitable for producing dahi with smooth body, higher volatile acidity and low syneresis. Utilization of dahi obtained employing the above starter combination for the manufacture shrikhand spread was suggested and the product was found to retain its goodness when stored for 7 days at 8±1°C. Originality/Value: Conjugated use of yoghurt cultures with dahi cultures was suggested to overcome the drawbacks of traditional process of dahi manufacture suitable for conversion into shrikhand spread. This dahi was found capable of enhancing its dietetic value in addition

Longitudinal borehole functionality in 15 rural Ghanaian towns from three groundwater quality clusters

OBJECTIVE: In sub-Saharan Africa, 45% of the rural population uses boreholes (BHs). Despite recent gains in improved water access and coverage, parallel use of unimproved sources persists. Periodic infrastructure disrepair contributes to non-exclusive use of BHs. Our study describes functionality of BHs in 2014, 2015, and 2016 in 15 rural towns in the Eastern Region of Ghana sourced from three groundwater quality clusters (high iron, high salinity, and control). We also assess factors affecting cross-sectional and longitudinal functionality using logistic regression. RESULTS: BH functionality rates ranged between 81 and 87% and were similar across groundwater quality clusters. Of 51 BHs assessed in all three years, 34 (67%) were consistently functional and only 3 (6%) were consistently broken. There was a shift toward proactive payment for water over the course of the study in the control and high-salinity clusters. Payment mechanism, population served, presence of nearby alternative water sources, and groundwater quality cluster were not significant predictors of cross-sectional or longitudinal BH functionality. However, even in the high iron cluster, where water quality is poor and no structured payment mechanism for water exists, BHs are maintained, showing that they are important community resources

Evaluation of pharmacological and toxicological studies of an ayurvedic medicine Rasaraj Ras on biological system of the male Sprague-Dawley rats

Background: In this study, the pharmacological and toxicological effects along with possible side effects of the classical ayurvedic formulation Rasaraj Ras (RR) which is used as a traditional medicine in the treatment of hemiplegia in the rural population were evaluated.Methods: During this study, various experiments on body growth rate, organ-body weight ratio and tissue hydration indices were performed to evaluate its efficacy and toxicity. To find out the toxicological characteristic of RR, it was administered chronically to the male Sprague-Dawley rats at a dose of 40 mg/kg. After 28 days chronic administration of the RR preparation the following toxicological changes were noted.Results: All throughout the experimental period the RR treated animals were always maintaining negligible changes in body weight, but all throughout the experimental period no statistically significant increase or decrease was noted. There is a statistically significant decrease in the relative percent weight of the male rat heart. There is a statistically highly significant decrease in the absolute weight of the male rat liver. There is a statistically highly significant decrease in the relative percent weight of the male rat liver. There is a statistically significant decrease in the relative percent weight of the male rat kidney. In the tissue hydration index determination, no significant changes were noted in case of any organ.Conclusions: As RR decreases abnormally weight of several organs in body of treated rats, so it should not be administered chronically at a higher dose

Recent trends in advanced polymer materials in agriculture related applications

Over the past few decades, advanced polymeric materials have gained popularity in the development of sustainable agricultural applications. Smart polymeric systems have extensively contributed to the agricultural industry by increasing the efficiency of pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers by facilitating controlled release systems and, therefore, enabling lower doses to be used. Superabsorbent polymeric materials have been used as soil conditioners to control the impact of drought, whereas polycationic polymers have been utilized for plant bioengineering. These functions in the environment are complemented by applications within plants as part of the developing range of tools for genetically transforming plants in order to increase productivity and disease resistance. This Review will summarize and discuss the recent developments in the design and application of advanced polymeric systems for precision agriculture related applications. The design criteria of the polymers employed to date, such as polymer structure, as well as the properties of polymer nanoparticles including shape and size will be discussed, and the key findings in the related area will be highlighted. Finally, we will identify future directions for the exploration of functional polymers with the ultimate aim of advancing sustainable agriculture