Development and storage characteristics of dehydrated salt mince from low priced fish

The study showed that less initial moisture with high salt content will be the best condition for enhanced storage life of dehydrated salt mince. Between sample I (10% salt per meat weight) and sample II (15% salt per meat weight) the latter was comparatively better in colour, odour and longer shelf-life. At room temperature the dehydrated salt mince has not showed any increase in total bacterial count. It is also found that the storage life of the salt mince can be enhanced to a significant extent by lowering the moisture content to below 10% and increasing the salt content to above 30%. Peroxide value, free fatty acid value, total volatile nitrogen and trimethylamine registered gradual increase during storage at room temperature for all the three samples. Among the three samples, the sample treated with 0.1% citric acid and 0.125% butylated hydroxy anisole was comparatively better in appearance and showed less rancidity as indicated by TBA values, up to a period of 15 weeks and thereafter all the three samples were almost similar in storage characteristics. Hence, the treatment with citric acid and B.H.A. has apparently not much significance in improving shelf-life and quality of salted dehydrated fish mince

Biochemical changes of fish fingers held at frozen storage

The frozen storage characteristics of fish fingers made out of two different species, differing in lipid content for a period of six months are outlined. The study reveals that the lipid content of the fish meat used for making fish fingers influences the storage pattern in terms of the chemical parameters like peroxide value, thiobarbituric acid value and free fatty acids. The introduction of monosodium glutamate has improved the flavour of the fish fingers. Further, the application of batter on the fish fingers imparted some protective effect in the case of semi-fatty fish

Studies on frozen characteristics of individually quick frozen and block frozen mackerel

Studies on mackerel (Rastrelliger kanagurta) of medium (4%) and high (11%) lipid contents quick frozen individually (IQF) and as blocks (BF) and stored at -23°C showed that block frozen mackerel had higher frozen storage shelf-life than individually quick frozen samples. IQF samples of medium and high lipid contents had shelf-lives of 17 and 20 weeks whereas BF samples of both series had 23 and 24 weeks respectively based on sensory evaluation

Studies on lantern fish (Benthosema pterotum) 1. Biochemical and microbiological investigation

Lantern-fish, an under-utilised fish is present in abundance, all the year round in tropical and sub-tropical waters. Biochemical and microbiological studies carried out on lantern fish, caught from the Gulfs of Oman and Aden are reported in this paper

Inhibition of prostate cancer cell line (PC-3) by anhydrodihydroartemisinin (ADHA) through caspase-dependent pathway

Cancer is a generic term for a large group of diseases characterized by the growth of abnormal cells, which is the second leading cause of death globally. To treat cancer, currently, a number of anticancer drugs belonging to various classes chemically are available. The discovery of artemisinin and its derivatives such as artesunate, arteether, and artemether became a milestone in the cure for malaria. Here, we report the anti-cancer property of anhydrodihydroartemisinin (ADHA) - a semisynthetic derivative of artemisinin against prostate cancer cell line PC-3. ADHA was found to be inhibiting growth of PC-3 cells. ADHA was also found to be inhibiting migration of PC-3 cells. At molecular level, ADHA was found to be inhibiting the expression of c-Jun, p-c-Jun, p-Akt and NF-κB and activated caspase 3 and 7. The results show that ADHA like few other artemisinin derivatives hold potential to be used as an anti-cancer agent against prostate cancer cells

Ex-Th17 Foxp3+ T cells - a novel subset of Foxp3+ T cells induced in cancer

Th17 and regulatory T (Treg) cells are integral in maintaining immune homeostasis and Th17-Treg misbalance associates with inflammation.\ud \ud We demonstrate that in addition to natural (n)Treg and induced (i)Treg cells developed from naïve precursors, Th17 cells are a novel source of Foxp3+ cells by converting into ex-Th17 Foxp3+ cells, and this helps to reconcile the contradictory information about the relevance in particularly of Th17 subset in immune surveillance.\ud \ud We identified IL-17A+Foxp3+ double-positive and ex-IL-17-producing IL-17A-Foxp3+ T cells to be the underlying mechanism of immune regulation in mesenchymal stem cell-mediated prolonged allograft survival. Further, we identified accumulation of IL17A+Foxp3+ and ex-Th17 Foxp3+ cells in tumor bearing mice, indicating progressive direct Th17-into-Treg cell conversion as a novel phenomenon in cancer.\ud \ud Moreover, we determined the importance of the Th17 cell plasticity for tumor induction and/or progression in ROR-g-/- mice. Our data indicate that RORgt is required not only for Th17 development, but also for effective Treg cell induction. TGF-b1 induced Foxp3 expression was reduced in ROR-g -/- cells. Further, tumor bearing ROR-g-/- mice showed significantly less Foxp3+ Treg cells, but higher IFNg+ Tcells compared to wild type animals.\ud \ud Increased infiltration of IL17+ and FoxP3+ CD4+ T cells in the human ovarian cancer ascites, with the presence of a distinct IL17+FoxP3+ subset, and a significant correlation between tumor-associated Th17 and Treg cells demonstrates the existence of Th17-Foxp3+ T cell inter-relationship in cancer patients.\ud \ud Yin-yang of IL17+ and Foxp3+ is important principle for improved clinical approaches targeting responses against self, allo and/or neo-self

19F labelled glycosaminoglycan probes for solution NMR and non-linear (CARS) microscopy

Studying polysaccharide-protein interactions under physiological conditions by conventional techniques is challenging. Ideally, macromolecules could be followed by both in vitro spectroscopy experiments as well as in tissues using microscopy, to enable a proper comparison of results over these different scales but, often, this is not feasible. The cell surface and extracellular matrix polysaccharides, glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) lack groups that can be detected selectively in the biological milieu. The introduction of 19F labels into GAG polysaccharides is explored and the interaction of a labelled GAG with the heparin-binding protein, antithrombin, employing 19F NMR spectroscopy is followed. Furthermore, the ability of 19F labelled GAGs to be imaged using CARS microscopy is demonstrated. 19F labelled GAGs enable both 19F NMR protein-GAG binding studies in solution at the molecular level and non-linear microscopy at a microscopic scale to be conducted on the same material, essentially free of background signals

Influence of calcination temperature on structural and magnetic properties of nanocomposites formed by Co-ferrite dispersed in sol-gel silica matrix using tetrakis(2-hydroxyethyl) orthosilicate as precursor

Effects of calcination temperatures varying from 400 to 1000°C on structural and magnetic properties of nanocomposites formed by Co-ferrite dispersed in the sol-gel silica matrix using tetrakis(2-hydroxyethyl) orthosilicate (THEOS) as water-soluble silica precursor have been investigated. Studies carried out using XRD, FT-IR, TEM, STA (TG-DTG-DTA) and VSM techniques. Results indicated that magnetic properties of samples such as superparamagnetism and ferromagnetism showed great dependence on the variation of the crystallinity and particle size caused by the calcination temperature. The crystallization, saturation magnetization Ms and remenant magnetization Mr increased as the calcination temperature increased. But the variation of coercivity Hc was not in accordance with that of Ms and Mr, indicating that Hc is not determined only by the crystallinity and size of CoFe2O4 nanoparticles. TEM images showed spherical nanoparticles dispersed in the silica network with sizes of 10-30 nm. Results showed that the well-established silica network provided nucleation locations for CoFe2O4 nanoparticles to confinement the coarsening and aggregation of nanoparticles. THEOS as silica matrix network provides an ideal nucleation environment to disperse CoFe2O4 nanoparticles and thus to confine them to aggregate and coarsen. By using THEOS as water-soluble silica precursor over the currently used TEOS and TMOS, the organic solvents are not needed owing to the complete solubility of THEOS in water. Synthesized nanocomposites with adjustable particle sizes and controllable magnetic properties make the applicability of Co-ferrite even more versatile