Examining the challenge of increasing consumer menstrual waste and exploring cloth pads as a viable alternative in the context of rural India.

The project seeks to address the wicked problem of menstrual waste, which is rapidly rising due to the use of disposable sanitary pads and the lack of proper waste management systems in India. The genesis of the idea behind this research is inspired by a foresight scenario in which every menstruating woman in India starts using single-use plastic sanitary pads. Through this exercise, a possible future that emerged, if no further interventions are made, the waste management system will be overwhelmed with the sheer amount of non-biodegradable waste. The research explores cloth pads as a viable alternative to non-biodegradable single-use sanitary pads. It includes analysis of existing sustainable menstrual hygiene products and barriers to broad adoption of cloth pads. Data was collected through interviews, surveys, and a participatory workshop, which helped to map the landscape of menstrual hygiene in India and to understand the role of different stakeholders within the system. Further, it explores how directed efforts can provide an impetus for the broad adoption of cloth pads as a sustainable menstrual hygiene product. The document incorporates strategies for developing a more holistic and sustainable approach towards menstrual health management, carefully addressing myths, beliefs, practices, systems, and environments in rural India

A Review of Factors Affecting Consumer Behavior towards Online Shopping

Online shopping is a form of electronic commerce which allows consumers to directly buy goods or services from a seller over the Internet using a web browser. Online shopping provides a good example of business revolution. E-commerce has made life Simple and innovative of individual and groups. Consumer behavior on online shopping is different from physical market where he/she has access to see the products online shopping sites are fast replacing traditional or physical shops. Over, the years the trust of the customers for online shopping sites has increased considerably. The increase in the number of these sites on one hand has led to a fierce competition which means better and cheaper products for customers. However, at the same time customers have their privacy concerns when it comes to shopping online. Internet is changing the way consumers shop and buy goods and services and has rapidly evolved into a global phenomenon. The technology oriented factors like guaranteed quality, cash on delivery discounts and promotions are the major specific factors influencing customer’s attitudes toward online shopping. This research paper attempts to analyze the consumer behavior towards online shopping and the various factors influencing trend of online shopping

Time course evaluation of provitamin A carotenoids stored under different storage regimens in maize

Yellow maize is natural source of provitamin A components. However, the provitamin A carotenoids are known to degrade fast as a result of oxidation and isomerization due to exposure to heat and oxygen during storage. Keeping this in view, here, we evaluated the provitamin A carotenoids in maize stored under different storage conditions. For this purpose, F2 grains of six hybrids consisting of two provitamin A rich, two QPM and two normal maize were stored in earthen pot, aluminium box, cotton cloth and jute bag for a period of 6 months under ambient temperature and carotenoid components were estimated at monthly interval. Provitamin A components are found to reduce significantly within two to six months under various storage conditions. However, the samples stored in aluminium box exhibited least degradation of β-carotene (73%) and β-cryptoxanthin (81%), whereas those stored in earthen pot exhibited highest degradation of β-carotene (86%) and β-cryptoxanthin (90%), after six months of storage. The provitamin A rich hybrids especially APH27 retained highest concentration of provitamin A carotenoids after six months of storage. The least losses observed in the samples stored in aluminium box may be attributed to reduced oxidation and least light penetration

Potential health impact of pollutants in potatoes, grown with wastewater, in a simulated human gut digestion model

Wastewater irrigation is undoubtedly an important strategy to cope with the global water scarcity crisis. Despite being an alternate source of water, it is also rich in pollutants, both organic (hormones and pharmaceuticals) and inorganic (heavy metals). These contaminants can make their way into the food chain via plant uptake and leading to biomagnification. Some of the heavy metals such as lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (Ar), mercury (Hg), etc. inside the human body, have no biological health promoting significance but can cause adverse effects. Their presence in biological organisms have been associated with disrupted immune system, oxidative stress, DNA damage, cardiovascular diseases, organ dysfunctionality, and carcinogenesis. Recent studies have found gut microbiota dysbiosis caused by heavy metal exposure. Considering the health risks associated with heavy metals, the present study was conducted on wastewater irrigated potatoes. Four different treatments had varying concentrations of heavy metals by virtue of the soil amendments applied and one treatment was freshwater irrigated to represent sample without contamination. The study consisted of fermentation of one daily serving of cooked potatoes in batch reactors using human fecal microbiota. The samples were taken from the fermenters at 0, 6, 12 and 24 h of incubation. The microbial processes were assessed by measuring short chain fatty acid (SCFA) concentrations, antioxidant capacity, and total phenolics. Lactobacilli plate count using MRS agar was also conducted to evaluate the effect on beneficial bacteria. The SCFA concentration trends were similar in all the treatments. The antioxidant capacities and total phenolics determined during the experiment/fermentation process were comparable to the pre-digestion values for all the treatments. The Lactobacilli population increased with time in all the reactors. It was concluded that the polyphenol antioxidants of potatoes could have neutralized the possible adverse effects of heavy metals on gut microbiota in the single meal exposure.Sans doute une importante stratégie pour s'adresser à l'important risque globale de pénurie d'eau, l'irrigation au moyen d'eaux usées représente une source alternative d'eau. Cependant ces eaux, sont riches en polluants, à la fois organiques (hormones et produits pharmaceutiques) et inorganiques (métaux lourds). Ces contaminants peuvent, par l'entremise de leur absorption par les plantes, entrer dans la chaîne alimentaire et s'y bio-amplifier. Certains métaux lourds, tel le Pb, Cd, Ar, Hg, etc. n'ont aucuns bienfaits pour la santé humaine, mais peuvent avoir des effets nocifs. L'on associe leur présence dans les organismes biologiques supérieurs à des perturbations du système immunitaire, au stress oxydatif, à l'endommagement de l'ADN, aux maladies cardio-vasculaires, à la défaillance d'organes, et à la carcinogenèse. De récentes études ont noté une dysbiose de la microflore intestinale liée à l'exposition aux métaux lourds. En vue des risques de santé associés aux métaux lourds, la présente étude entrepris une culture des pommes de terre avec une irrigation au moyen d'eaux usées. Quatre différents traitements expérimentaux, à savoir trois niveaux de contamination en métaux lourds obtenus par différents niveaux d'amendement du sol de culture, et un sol sans contamination ayant reçu de l'eau fraîche (témoin) servirent à cultiver des pommes de terre. Récoltés, ces pommes de terre furent cuites, puis une portion journalière provenant de chacun des traitements fut fermentée par un microbiote fécal humain dans des réacteurs en lots. Des échantillons furent prélevés à différents moments des 24 heures d'incubation. L'ampleur des processus microbiens fut évaluée en mesurant les teneurs en acides gras à chaîne courte (AGCC), le pouvoir antioxydant, et le contenu phénolique total. Un dénombrement de lactobacilles sur plaque d'agar MRS permit d'évaluer l'effet sur les bactéries bénéfiques. Les teneurs en AGCC indiquèrent une tendance semblable pour tous les traitements. De plus, le pouvoir antioxydant et le contenu phénolique total des pommes de terre digérés demeura semblable à ceux des pommes de terre avant la digestion. La population de lactobacilles augmenta avec le temps dans tous les réacteurs. En conclusion, suite à une exposition unique, les antioxydants phénoliques des pommes de terre ont peut-être neutralisé les effets néfastes des métaux lourds sur le microbiome intestinal

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Not AvailableWheat (Triticum aestivum L. AABBDD; Family Poaceae) is a prime dietary cultivated cereal that is consumed worldwide by nearly 20% of the world population. However, due to cosmopolitan distribution, there are a wide plethora of biological variables that seriously threaten wheat productivity around the world. Out of 31 major pathogens and pests reported, the fungal smut and bunt causing agents put serious threat and have drawn much wider attention in the last few decades. These seed-targeted diseases damage seed quality and quantity and are managed through improved agronomic approaches and resistant varieties. However, maintaining multiple resistances in particular single-wheat cultivars has to be a high priority especially during disease epidemics. Therefore, in order to shape the breeding efforts as well as more precise, sustainable, and effective disease management, the present chapter highlights the biology of smut and bunts, management strategies including physical, chemical, biological, cultural, integrated methods, and molecular diagnostics in a detailed manner.Not Availabl