Effect of methanolic extract of Achyranthes aspera on allergy induced by potassium dichromate

Potassium dichromate and other Cr (vi) forms are found as potent allergen in metal industries, cement industries where constant contact and inhalation or ingestion occurs which tend cause severe allergy. Several medicinal plants have potent anti allergic effects and drugs from natural products are free from side effects. The present study was aimed to evaluate the utility of Achyranthes.aspera in treating allergies caused due to heavy metals, particularly dichromate in albino mice. The allergy was induced in mice by giving oral administration of K2Cr2O7 at a concentration of 200mg/kg body weight for the period of 10 days. The diagnosis of allergy was done by serum analysis of IgM and IgG antibodies, total Lymphocytic count and total WBC count. The methanolic extract of A.aspera (400mg/kg, 600mg/kg body wt) showed greater efficiency in reducing the effects of dichromate allergy induction

Potential Antibacterial and Antifungal Activity of Achyranthes aspera L.

Petroleum ether, Chloroform and Methanol extract of dried leaves of Achyranthes aspera Family: Amaranthaceae were obtained by infusion and maceration were screened for their antibacterial and antifungal activities. The extracts were tested against 5 different species of human pathogenic bacteria and 17 fungal strains by the agar-solid diffusion method. Most of the extracts were devoid of antifungal and antibacterial activities, except the methanolic ectracts of leaves of Achyranthes aspera obtained by infusion, which has showed a strong inhibitory activity against the Gram-positive bacteria Staphlyococcus aureus with a minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 5000 µl ml-1. The minimal inhibitory concentration values to dermatophyte strains were 2500 µl ml-1 against Trichophyton rubrum (LM-09, LM-13) and Microsporum canis. In conclusion, it appears that Achyranthes aspera has non-specific antimicrobial activity

Livelihood gains and ecological costs of NTFP dependence: assessing the roles of dependence, ecological knowledge and market structure in three contrasting human and ecological settings in south India

Non-timber forest products (NTFPs) constitute the single largest determinant of livelihoods for scores of forest fringe communities and poor people in the tropics. In India over 50 million people are believed to be directly dependent upon NTFPs for their subsistence. However, such human dependence on NTFPs for livelihood gains (win) has most frequently been at a certain ecological cost (lose). If livelihoods are to be maintained, the existing ‘win-lose’ settings have to be steered to a ‘win-win’ mode, otherwise, there could be severe erosion of the biological resources and loss of livelihoods (‘lose-lose’). Examining the dependence of forest fringe communities on NTFPs at three sites in south India with contrasting human and ecological settings, three key factors (extent of dependence on NTFPs, indigenous ecological knowledge and market organization) are likely to constrain reaching the win-win situation. How these factors shape the ecological cost of harvesting NTFPs at the three sites is examined. Within the parameter space of these factors, it is possible to predict outcomes and associations that will conform to win-win or win-lose situations. Empirical data derived from the three study sites demonstrate the causality of the observed associations. The key for long-term livelihood gains lies in reducing the ecological cost. Certain interventions and recommendations that could optimize the balance between livelihood gains and ecological cost are proposed

The Cassava Genome: Current Progress, Future Directions

The starchy swollen roots of cassava provide an essential food source for nearly a billion people, as well as possibilities for bioenergy, yet improvements to nutritional content and resistance to threatening diseases are currently impeded. A 454-based whole genome shotgun sequence has been assembled, which covers 69% of the predicted genome size and 96% of protein-coding gene space, with genome finishing underway. The predicted 30,666 genes and 3,485 alternate splice forms are supported by 1.4 M expressed sequence tags (ESTs). Maps based on simple sequence repeat (SSR)-, and EST-derived single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) already exist. Thanks to the genome sequence, a high-density linkage map is currently being developed from a cross between two diverse cassava cultivars: one susceptible to cassava brown streak disease; the other resistant. An efficient genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) approach is being developed to catalog SNPs both within the mapping population and among diverse African farmer-preferred varieties of cassava. These resources will accelerate marker-assisted breeding programs, allowing improvements in disease-resistance and nutrition, and will help us understand the genetic basis for disease resistance

Identification of Surgeon Burnout via a Single-Item Measure

BackgroundBurnout is endemic in surgeons in the UK and linked with poor patient safety and quality of care, mental health problems, and workforce sustainability. Mechanisms are required to facilitate the efficient identification of burnout in this population. Multi-item measures of burnout may be unsuitable for this purpose owing to assessment burden, expertise required for analysis, and cost.AimsTo determine whether surgeons in the UK reporting burnout on the 22-item Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) can be reliably identified by a single-item measure of burnout.MethodsConsultant (n = 333) and trainee (n = 217) surgeons completed the MBI and a single-item measure of burnout. We applied tests of discriminatory power to assess whether a report of high burnout on the single-item measure correctly classified MBI cases and non-cases.ResultsThe single-item measure demonstrated high discriminatory power on the emotional exhaustion burnout domain: the area under the curve was excellent for consultants and trainees (0.86 and 0.80), indicating high sensitivity and specificity. On the depersonalisation domain, discrimination was acceptable for consultants (0.76) and poor for trainees (0.69). In contrast, discrimination was acceptable for trainees (0.71) and poor for consultants (0.62) on the personal accomplishment domain.ConclusionsA single-item measure of burnout is suitable for the efficient assessment of emotional exhaustion in consultant and trainee surgeons in the UK. Administered regularly, such a measure would facilitate the early identification of at-risk surgeons and swift intervention, as well as the monitoring of group-level temporal trends to inform resource allocation to coincide with peak periods

Burnout Among Surgeons in the UK During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cohort Study

BackgroundSurgeon burnout has implications for patient safety and workforce sustainability. The aim of this study was to establish the prevalence of burnout among surgeons in the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsThis cross-sectional online survey was set in the UK National Health Service and involved 601 surgeons across the UK of all specialities and grades. Participants completed the Maslach Burnout Inventory and a bespoke questionnaire. Outcome measures included emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation and low personal accomplishment, as measured by the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS).ResultsA total of 142 surgeons reported having contracted COVID-19. Burnout prevalence was particularly high in the emotional exhaustion (57%) and depersonalisation (50%) domains, while lower on the low personal accomplishment domain (15%). Burnout prevalence was unrelated to COVID-19 status; however, the greater the perceived impact of COVID-19 on work, the higher the prevalence of emotional exhaustion and depersonalisation. Degree of worry about contracting COVID-19 oneself and degree of worry about family and friends contacting COVID-19 was positively associated with prevalence on all three burnout domains. Across all three domains, burnout prevalence was exceptionally high in the Core Trainee 1–2 and Specialty Trainee 1–2 grades.ConclusionsThese findings highlight potential undesirable implications for patient safety arising from surgeon burnout. Moreover, there is a need for ongoing monitoring in addition to an enhanced focus on mental health self-care in surgeon training and the provision of accessible and confidential support for practising surgeons

Recreationists Willingness to Pay for Conservation of a Forest ecosystem: An Economic study of Basavana Betta State Forest, Karnataka state, India

An economic study on willingness to pay by general recreationists’ who visited Basavana Betta State Forest, Karnataka, India, for water recreation revealed that average WTP for conservation of the forest ecosystem, based on the double bounded dichotomous contingent valuation method, was Rs. 846 ($17.63) per visitor as onetime payment. On the contrary WTP of recreationists of a well developed recreation spot (resort) was higher at Rs. 2367 (US$ 49.31) per visitor. There was a negative relationship between the bid amount and WTP and a positive relationship between income and WTP in both the cases

The court and the constitution- 1950-1996: Peaks and depths

Inspired as they were by ideologies from different historical sources, the makers of the Indian Constitution produced a document owing allegiance to different social philosophies. They sought to fashion a constitution on the bourgeoisie understanding of the ideals of Liberty and Equality, but the revolutionaries that they were and pressed as they were by the force of progress, they were alive to. the march of history and the significance of the Russian socialist revolution and so they accommodated in some measure some principles of socialism. The result was the dichotomy of the Indian Constitution which projected certain individual freedoms and rights as basic, and incorporated them in the Constitution as \u27Fundamental Rights\u27 while relegating other significant rights which incorporated socialist or humanist principles to the position of \u27Directive Principles of State Policy\u27. With the lifting of the Emergency and the ending of the eclipse of democracy, the style of functioning of the Supreme Court also visibly changed. The Court appeared to show greater concern for the problems of the ordinary people and became more concerned with real practical justice than abstract legal justice. It was ready to evolve new jurisprudential rules and invent new techniques. Foremost is the concept of Public Interest Litigation, the foundation for which was laid down by the genius Justice Krishna Iyer in the Rat/am Municipality case