Effect of Occupational Stress on Executives' Leadership Styles

In the present investigation an attempt was made to explore the influencing effect of occupational stress on the executive's leadership style. The occupational stress index developed by Shrivastava and Singh (1981) and Managerial Styles developed by McBer & Co. (1980) were administered on a sample of 388 Executives of Neyveli Lignite Corporation Ltd., Neyveli. The inferential statistical techniques, Chi-Square Test and Pearson's Product Moment Correlation Coefficient were applied for determining the effect of occupational stress as an influencer of leadership styles. The correlation analysis suggests that presence of the occupational stressors influences positively the coercieve and authoritative leadership styles and influences negatively the affiliative, democratic, pace-setting and coaching styles. The Chi-Square Test also confirms the presence of association between stressors and leadership styles

ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF LEAF EXTRACTS OF HEMIDESMUS INDICUS (L.) R.BR. (ASCLEPIADACEAE).

Objective: A number of Indian medicinal plants have been used for thousands of years in a traditional system of medicine. Hemidesmus indicus is an important member of the Asclepiadaceae family. It is an endemic to the southern Western Ghats, India. The aim of the study was to investigate the free radical scavenging activity of H. indicus. Methods: The aqueous and methanol leaf extracts of H. indicus were assayed for radical scavenging activity, using the stable free radical 2,2-diphenyl- 1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate and 2,2'-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid). Results: The results revealed that the IC50 values of aqueous extract of H. indicus were found to be higher than that of the other solvent extracts. The free radical scavenging activity of the plant extracts may be due to the presence of phytoconstituents. Conclusion: In all the methods, the aqueous extract has exhibited the good scavenging activity and this arises that the plant has a potential antioxidant agent

Plant Products as Biopesticides: Building On Traditional Knowledge of Vrkshayurveda: Traditional Indian Plant Science

Today there is a global search for alternatives to chemical pesticides and as part of this process there are various efforts to test the use and efficacy of natural products for pest control and crop protection. Our Centre has been involved in exploring the traditional knowledge regarding the use of natural products for pest control and crop protection. As part of this effort, we have looked at the traditional folk practices prevalent among farmers as well as information from classical literature on the subject drawn from Vrkshayurveda (traditional Indian plant science). Following this, we have carried out experiments for standardizing and field testing promising natural products by determining the precise range and kind of pests controlled by them, determining the optimum concentration where they can be effective against pests without being harmful to useful organisms and predators as well as studying their mode of action. Subsequently, we have also developed storage forms of various of these products by using methods based on Ayurveda. Studies on the stability and shelf life of these products are also being carried out through an insect rearing laboratory. Finally, we have also set up village based biopesticides units where a range of these products are being prepared thus providing valuable inputs to sustainable agriculture and a means of livelihood to rural women and farmers

Therapeutic Efficacy of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Nutraceuticals: Interventional treatment for Induced Ulcers in Animals and in Clinical studies

The outcomes of this study advise that PUFAs are effective in various forms of gastric ulcers induced by different techniques. Amongst the techniques used were the ethanol induced, pyloric ligation, NSAID induced and Dimaprit and reserpine induced ulcer models. Standard parameters like the Ulcer index, total and free acidity levels and gastric pH were evaluated. The purpose of using several techniques was to study the effects synonymous to the H.Pylori induced ulcers, anatomical alteration, stress and drug induced ulcers in humans. Our study suggests that PUFAs (n-3 and n-6) are effective in reducing gastric erosion and inflammation and levels of acidity. This study also suggests that PUFAs may be acting at multiple biochemical levels and modulating and attenuating the effects of key mediators in the inflammation of the gastric mucosa like the PGE2, Il-1 β and H+K, ATPase, iNOS etc. To compare the effects of the PUFAs some conventional anti ulcer drugs like the Ranitidine and Omeprazole were used in these studies. It is now known that Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs), generally eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), have been recognized as essential longchain fatty acids imposing either optimal health promotion or the rescuing from chronic inflammatory diseases such as atherosclerosis, fatty liver, and various inflammatory gastrointestinal diseases. Omega-3 (n-3) [n-3 PUFAs, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA 20:5n-3), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA 22:6n-3) are the long-chain PUFAs, which are essential fatty acids as they can be synthesized by mammals from other dietary precursors containing n-3 PUFAs. They are sufficiently found in fish oil. Fatty acids are key nutrients affecting early growth and development and preventing chronic disease in later life. A number of animal and human studies have provided convincing evidence for the anti-inflammatory effects of n-3 PUFAs. n-3 PUFAs are beneficial as a dietary supplement in chronic inflammatory conditions like the rheumatoid arthritis by reducing the level of AAderived eicosanoids and inflammatory cytokines, which include interleukin-1, interleukin-2, interleukin-6, and interleukin-8, as well as TNF-α and LTB4, promoting anti-inflammatory activities. PUFAs are known to restrain the growth of Helicobacter Pylori has been shown to increase the levels of endogenous PUFA metabolism like the n-6 in the gastric mucosa thus suggesting that PUFAs contribute to gastroprotective effect. Nutraceutical based therapy may be cost effective, with lesser side effects and equieffective in such inflammatory conditions like the gastric ulcers. Moreover these are also endogenously present and it is important that newer drugs can also be designed to affect their levels and reduce the intensity of the disease states. There is need to study the epigenetics of the role of PUFAs and its contribution to physiological processes. This study also highlights the importance of using the naturally occurring PUFAs in conjunction with conventional anti-ulcer drugs. The impact of this study is to highlight the importance of nutraceutical based therapy for curing gastric ulcers and to examine the role of endogenous fatty acids and the epigenetic factors leading to the disease state. Structure activity relationship studies can be carried out to develop PUFA based agents for therapeutic purpose. CONCLUSION: Gastric or duodenal ulcers develop when stomach lining is exposed to the acids produced in the digestive juices. Furthermore, the vital cause of ulceration is imbalance between gastric offensive factors (pepsin, lipid Peroxidation, nitric oxide) and defensive factors (mucin secretion, glycoprotein and glutathione). Normally there is a balance between HCl and bicarbonate, mucus secretion. Imbalance can result in hyperacidity and ulceration.Numerous factors are implicated that play a fundamental role in the pathogenesis of ulcerations like, sedentary alcohol intake, life style, drugs, spicy food and various bacterial infections like Helicobacter pylori. It has been documented that during ulceration various mediators like nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), reactive oxygen species (ROS), oxidative stress are implicated in the pathogenesis of ulceration. During gastric and duodenal ulceration there is increased expression of inducible Nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). This study conducted in different animal’s models of ulcers provides evidence that PUFA containing oils like the fish oil and Arasco oils are effective as anti-ulcer agents and reduce the ulcer index and free acidity levels apart from their salutary effects on various biochemical mediators of ulcer formation as described in this thesis. It is discretionary to use nutraceutical based therapy and the PUFA oils in the palliative care of chronic gastrointestinal tract mucosal ulcers

Cardiovascular and biochemical studies on the effects of thrombin and dabigatran and the interaction with vasopressor molecules

Background: The effect of serine protease thrombin and its directly acting inhibitor dabigatran were evaluated on the heart rate, blood pressure, and phospholipase C (PLC) enzyme activity and the intracellular calcium levels in the platelets.Methods: Heart rate and blood pressure were estimated using electrophysiology equipment.Results: While thrombin was unable to significantly affect the heart rate and blood pressure, the inhibitor dabigatran was able to reduce the heart rate appreciably but its effects on the blood pressure were minimal. The thrombin induced increase in PLC enzyme activity, and intracellular calcium levels were attenuated by dabigatran in the platelets. The posterior pituitary hormone, vasopressin, and the adrenergic agonist noradrenaline were used to stimulate the PLC and calcium levels in platelets.Conclusion: The thrombin inhibitor, dabigatran reduces vascular oxidative stress and inflammation, improves endothelial function, and decreases atherosclerosis in rodents

An efficient protocol devised for rapid callus induction from leaf explants of Stephania wightii (Arn.) Dunn. - an endemic medicinal plant

Callus culture of Stephania wightii (Arn.) Dunn. was established from leaf explants.Different growth regulators greatly influenced the growth of callus cultures. Leaf derivedcallus grown on Murashige and Skooge (MS) medium fortified with different concentrations(0.1-2.5 mg/L) of Thiodiazuran (TDZ), 6-Benzyladenine (BA), 2, 4- DichlorophenoxyaceticAcid (2, 4-D) and α-Naphthalene Acetic Acid (NAA). Maximum callus growth was achievedin medium supplemented with TDZ + NAA (1.5+0.02 mg/L) was found to be more suitablethan other growth regulators used

In vitro cytotoxic activity of methanolic extract of Cardiospermum canescens Wall. (Sapindaceae)

The present study was designed to evaluate the in vitro cytotoxicity activity of methanolic extract of Cardiospermum canescens. In this study the extract was tested using human cancer cell lines, Human ductal breast cancer cell line and Colon cancer cell line for their effects on cell viability, growth inhibition and cell morphology. Cell viability and inhibition were determined by MTT [(3,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide)] assay by using DAPI (4- 6-diamidino- 2- phenylindole) staining technique. The significant decrease in cell viability was observed for 100µg/ml in human ductal breast cancer cell line and 150µg/ml in colon cancer cell line. The IC50 value is 31.25µg/ml and 250µg/ml in ductal breast and colon cancer cell lines respectively. The results indicated that methanolic extract of Cardiospermum canescens has a potential cytotoxicity activity on Human ductal breast cancer cell line than the colon cancer cell lines