The effects of expansion of private wells on rural livelihood in tank intensive watersheds: a case study in upper Gundar River Basin, Tamil Nadu

This article aims to investigate the effects of the expansion of private wells on rural livelihood (income) in a tank-intensive watershed in the upper Gundar River Basin in southern Tamil Nadu, India, based on data obtained by recent field surveys, government statistics and meteorological records. For the entire upper river basin, we show spatial differences at the village (gram panchayat) level and track the changes over the last two decades. The major finding is that although traditional crop production, mainly composed of paddy, millets and pulses, was dominant at least until the mid-1990s, the expansion of private wells enabled farmers to introduce cash crops, especially in the upper part of the basin. By contrast, fallow land increased sharply in the lower part of the basin due mainly to the disappointing performance of the wells. The different performance of wells finally resulted in a significant income gap between the upper and the lower river basin

Late adolescent primary nocturnal enuresis: a case report

Primary nocturnal enuresis is a rare condition. Literature review revealed that 1% of boys still bed wet at 17 years of age. There is a paucity of literature on the incidence and prevalence of bed wetting in patients above 17 years of age. We therefore present a case of 18-year-old boy having bed wetting since childhood

Prevalence and Factors Associated with Psychiatric Morbidity among Homeless Females in Chennai

BACKGROUND: Homelessness is a term used for various concepts like rooflessness, living in an insecure place. As a consequence, they become increasingly vulnerable to mental, social and physical ill health. The present study attempts to understand the socio demographic profile of homeless women, problems faced by them with focus on psychosocial aspects and mental health. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To estimate the prevalence and factors associated with psychiatric morbidity among homeless females in suburbs of Chennai and to compare the prevalence and factors pertaining to psychiatric morbidity between homeless females in streets and homeless females in night shelters. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cross sectional community based descriptive study conducted in Chennai. Sample size is 200.Females aged more than 18 years of age and those who gave informed consent were taken. Study proforma contains socio demographic details, Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I),International classification of diseases (ICD-10), Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D), Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) scales were used. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS 22.0 version. RESULTS: In the sample population of 100 street dwellers, 30 percent were between 31 to 40 years of age, 30 percent were illiterates, 24 percent of street dwelling females and 39 percent of shelter home dwellers were unemployed. 10 percent live alone in streets, 27 percent had poor social support. 23 percent females were living in road side pavements, 55 percent were living in streets for more than 50 years. 24 percent street dwellers and 20 percent of shelter home dwellers were exposed to physical abuse.14% street dwellers had sexual abuse. In the present study, prevalence of depression was 41.5%, prevalence of anxiety disorder was 27%, Psychotic disorder was 2%, Alcohol dependence was 2% and Dementia was 2.5%. CONCLUSION: Homelessness has been associated with increased prevalence of psychiatric morbidity in the study population

Decolorization of textile dyes and their effluents using white rot fungi

Reactive dyes are important chemical pollutants from textile industries .The two species of white rot fungi were evaluated for their ability to decolorize Blue CA, Black B133, Corazol Violet SR. Trametes hirsutaand Pleurotus florida displayed the greatest extent of decolorization. Laccase is the ligneolytic enzyme from these fungi. The laccase activity was measured using both solid and aqueous state assays. The dyeabsorption ability of the mycelium was studied using appropriate medium containing dyes at the concentration of 75 mg/l. The effective decolorization of Blue CA and Corazol Violet SR dyes by bothmicroorganisms were observed in the fifth day of incubation. Further decolorization activity was verified using various concentrations of dyes such as 25, 50 and 75 mg/l. Maximum decolorization was observedin Blue CA and Corazol Violet SR dyes. The effluent from the dye house was treated using both organisms with different concentration of glucose (1 and 2%). Effective decolourization was found to be more by the Pleurotus florida in 2% glucose

Mangiferin from Salacia chinensis prevents oxidative stress and protects pancreatic β-cells in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

Oxidative stress in diabetic tissues is a consequence of free radical accumulation with concurrently impaired natural antioxidants status and results in oxidative tissue damage. The present study investigated the protective effects of mangiferin against pancreatic β-cell damage and on the antioxidant defense systems in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Diabetes was experimentally induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of STZ. Oxidative stress biomarkers such as tissue malondialdehyde, hydroperoxides, reduced glutathione (GSH) content, and nonenzymatic antioxidants were measured. Biochemical observations were further substantiated with histological examination and ultrastructural studies in the pancreas of diabetic, glibenclamide and mangiferin-treated diabetic rats (dosage of 40 mg/kg body weight daily for 30 days). Oral administration of mangiferin and glibenclamide to diabetic rats significantly decreased the level of blood glucose and increased levels of insulin. Additionally, mangiferin treatment significantly modulated the pancreatic nonenzymatic antioxidants status (vitamin C, vitamin E, ceruloplasmin, and reduced GSH content) and other oxidative stress biomarkers. The histoarchitecture of diabetic rats showed degenerated pancreas with lower β-cell counts, but mangiferin treatment effectively regenerated insulin secreting islet cells. The electron microscopic study revealed damaged nuclear envelope and mitochondria and fewer secretory granules in pancreas of diabetic rats; however, mangiferin treatment nearly normalized pancreatic architecture. The present findings suggest that mangiferin treatment exerts a therapeutic protective nature in diabetes by decreasing oxidative stress and protecting against pancreatic β-cell damage, which may be attributable to its antioxidative properties

ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF SELECTED MEDICINAL PLANTS AGAINST HUMAN ORAL PATHOGENS

Objective: The aim of the study was focused on determining the phytochemicals, antibacterial, antiadherence, antifungal and antioxidant activities of Glycyrrhiza glabra, Matricaria chamomilla and Eclipta alba and also their mechanism of action towards human oral pathogens.Methods: Qualitative analysis and quantitative estimation of phenols and flavonoids were performed in methanolic extracts. Antibacterial, anti adherence, antifungal assays were performed by plate assays. Antioxidant assays were done by ABTS and DPPH methods. SEM, TEM and flow cytometry analysis were executed to find out the mechanism of action of plant extract.Results:  The total phenol contents were 0.85, 1.24, 0.64 GAE/g and the total flavonoid contents were 356, 231.34 and 88 µg QE/mg for G. glabra, M. chamomilla and E. alba respectively.Matricaria chamomilla possesses highest antioxidant activity (DPPH and ABTS assays) among the all extracts tested. E. alba showed a highest zone of inhibition against S. aureus (21.6 mm) whereas G. glabra and M. chamomilla revealed the better result of 21 mm and 19.8 mm respectively against S. mutans. Glycyrrhiza glabra showed antifungal activity against Candida parapsilosis whereas Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida krusei, Candida tropicalis and Candida albicans showed resistance towards all the extracts tested. The MIC, MBC and antiadherence tests were also performed. Sorbitol assay confirmed that G. glabra has no impact on the fungal cell wall. To confirm the mode of action SEM, TEM and flow cytometric analysis were performed which showed the cell elongation and damage in cytoplasmic membrane resulting in oozing of cellular constituents. Conclusion: This work concluded that all the plant extracts showed potent activities among the various tests. Oral care product can be developed if the active constituents responsible for the activities were analysed.Â

ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF POTENTIAL PROBIOTICS FROM FERMENTED RAGI (ELEUSINE CORACANA)

Objective: The aim of this study was to isolate, characterize and identify the potential lactic acid bacteria from fermented ragi millet (Eleusine coracana).Methods: A total of 177 isolates were isolated from the fermented ragi porridge. All the isolates were subjected to preliminary screening (Gram staining and catalase test). The physiological features of the probiotic isolates such as tolerance to pH (2.0, 4.0), phenol (0.3%, 0.5%) and bile salt (0.3%) were carried out. Antibiotic susceptibility test was performed using disc diffusion method. Free radical scavenging assay was conducted by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method. The isolates were further characterized for their cholesterol-lowering property. Based on their survival ability and biochemical tests, the selected potent isolates were identified by 16S rRNA gene sequence by PCR and phylogenetic analysis. The 16S rRNA gene sequencing confirmed that isolates were Lactococcus lactis RS01, Lactobacillus plantarum RS09, Lactobacillus plantarum RS16 and Lactobacillus plantarum RS23.Results: Twenty five isolates were screened from the 177 total isolates based on their morphological and biochemical characteristics (Gram staining and catalase test). All the isolates showed tolerance against acid, phenol and bile salts. However, RS09 and RS23 exhibited maximum viable count and demonstrated good tolerance at the end of 3 h. Highest antioxidant activity was recorded in RS09 ranging from 32-85%. Among the tested strains, the degradation rate of supernatants, RS09 (61.9%), RS23 (60%) and RS01 (58.97%) and RS16 (56.2%) showed the highest cholesterol assimilation rate. In addition, they also found to be resistant and sensitive to few antibiotics.Conclusion: Based on the obtained results, these isolates are ideal in vitro probiotic strains and can be used further for in vivo evaluation

Protective nature of mangiferin on oxidative stress and antioxidant status in tissues of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

Oxidative stress plays an important role in the progression of diabetes complications. The aim of the present study was to investigate the beneficial effect of oral administration of mangiferin in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats by measuring the oxidative indicators in liver and kidney as well as the ameliorative properties. Administration of mangiferin to diabetic rats significantly decreased blood glucose and increased plasma insulin levels. The activities of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and level of reduced glutathione (GSH) were significantly (P < 0.05) decreased while increases in the levels of lipidperoxidation (LPO) markers were observed in liver and kidney tissues of diabetic control rats as compared to normal control rats. Oral treatment with mangiferin (40 mg/kg b.wt/day) for a period of 30 days showed significant ameliorative effects on all the biochemical and oxidative parameters studied. Diabetic rats treated with mangiferin restored almost normal architecture of liver and kidney tissues, which was confirmed by histopathological examination. These results indicated that mangiferin has potential ameliorative effects in addition to its antidiabetic effect in experimentally induced diabetic rats

Antimutagenicity of mangiferin purified from Salacia chinensis Linn.

Mangiferin is a xanthone glucoside and an active phytochemical present in common principal constituent of Salacia species. Mangiferin was purified from methanolic root extract of Salacia chinensis. Mangiferin is recommended to treat immuno-deficiency diseases such as diabetes, hepatitis, arthritis, cardiac and mental disorders. Mangiferin was evaluated for antimutagenicity studies in order to confirm the safety of its usage. Mangiferin showed no mutagenicity up to 5 mg/plate when tested with Salmonella typhimurium TA97a, TA98, TA100, TA102 and TA1535 strains with or without metabolic activation. On the other hand mangiferin showed a significant protective effect against mutagenicity induced by mutagen in S. typhimurium TA98 and TA100 strain with or without metabolic activation. The results of these studies indicate that mangiferin is non-mutagenic in Ames test, exhibit protection against the mutagenicity induced by 4-nitroquinolene-1-oxide, sodium azide and 2-aminoflourene in TA98 and TA100 strain

Comparison of the Contents of Bioactive Compounds and Quality Parameters in Selected Mango Cultivars

Mango cultivars Tommy Atkins, Zill, Peach, Sabre, Rosa and Phiva were analyzed for their quality parameters (fruit weight, flesh color chroma, L, h0, total soluble solid [TSS]/titratable acidity [TA], firmness), bioactive compounds (total phenols, carotenoids, ascorbic acid, antioxidant activity) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity. Cv. Sabre showed highest total phenolic content (76.43 mg gallic acid/100 g FW), carotenoids (9.90 mg/100 g of FW), ascorbic acid content (69.71 mg/100 g of FW) and antioxidant activity (1.2 mg of gallic acid/g of FW), whereas cv. Peach mango contained lower bioactive compounds. Multivariate principal component analysis analysis showed higher concentration of bioactive compounds in cv. Sabre mango, whereas cv. Tommy Atkins was firm and heavier. Cv. Rosa and Phiva were moderately rich in bioactive compounds and lower in fruit weight and firmness, whereas cv. Peach was higher in TSS/ TA. The PPO activity was higher in cvs. Rosa and Zill.Instituto de Tecnología de AlimentosFil: Sellamuthu, Periyar Selvam. Tshwane University of Technology. Department of Crop Science. Postharvest Technology Group; SudáfricaFil: Denoya, Gabriela Inés. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Tecnología de Alimento. Laboratorio de Compuestos Proteicos; ArgentinaFil: Sivakumar, Dharini. Tshwane University of Technology. Department of Crop Science. Postharvest Technology Group; SudáfricaFil: Polenta, Gustavo Alberto. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Tecnología de Alimento. Laboratorio de Compuestos Proteicos; ArgentinaFil: Soundy, Puffy. Tshwane University of Technology. Department of Crop Science. Postharvest Technology Group; Sudáfric