Antimicrobial activity of potential essential oils to replace potassium sorbate in fruit preparations

Introduction: In recent years, the food industry has faced the challenge of producing high-quality products using natural preservative alternatives instead of synthetic ones. Essential oils (EO), naturally present in various plants, have potential as alternatives due to their antimicrobial activity and high food safety (Generally Recognized as Safe, GRAS). This study aimed to investigate the antimicrobial activity of EO against common spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms in fruit preparations, to use as a substitute for potassium sorbate (PS). Methodology: The antimicrobial activity of lemongrass and lemon EO was tested using the microdilution method in 96-well plates against Lactobacillus plantarum, Escherichia coli; Candida intermedia, Pichia fermentans, Aspergillus niger and Penicillium glabrum.EO were tested at concentrations ranging from 1.56 to 50% and PS at 0.03 to 4%. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were determined. Results: The MICs of lemongrass and lemon EO for E. coli were 3.12 and 12.5%, respectively, while for L. plantarum, they were 1,56 and 6.25% respectively. Regarding the yeasts, the MIC of lemongrass and lemon EO for C. intermedia were 1.56 and 3.12%, respectively, and for P. fermentans, they were 1.56 and 1.56%, respectively. Lemongrass EO showed the same MICs value of 6.25% against A. niger, and P. glabrum. Lemon EO also displayed the same MICs values of 25% for A. niger, and P. glabrum representing the highest MICs values observed. The MBCs values was similar the MICs values to all microorganisms except to L. plantarum that were 6.25 and 25% to lemongrass and lemon EO, respectively. PS showed MICs values of 1 and 2% for E. coli and L. plantarum, respectively, with MBCs values of 2% for both. For yeasts, the MIC was 0.06% for both with MBC values of 0.06% for E. coli and 0.5% for L. plantarum. The MIC and MBC values were the same of 0.06% for both fungi. Conclusion: The EO tested showed significant antimicrobial potential at low concentrations, particularly lemongrass EO. Future studies will incorporate this oil as substitutes for PS to verify their ability to maintain antimicrobial effectiveness over time when incorporated in fruit preparations.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Preparation and antimicrobial activity of 3-(p-(2', 5'-dibromobenzenesulphonamido)-phenyl)-5-aryl-l H/acetyl/phenyl-2-pyrazolines

630-63

Synthesis of some novel cyanopyridines and isoxazoles bearing sulphonamide moiety and their antimicrobial activity

822-82

Experience with NESTROFT for screening for thalassemia trait/ minor: evaluation against CBC and HPLC in a high prevalence region in Saurashtra, Gujarat, India

Background: Hemoglobinopathies pose a significant health burden in India. Prevention programmes can significantly reduce this burden. Although sophisticated methods of screening for β thalassemia trait are available, a cheap and simple method is beneficial for population screening. Although the Naked Eye Single Tube Red Cell Osmotic Fragility Test (NESTROFT) has been evaluated in many studies, sample sizes were small in some and many earlier studies have not done complete blood count (CBC) and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) in all the cases. We evaluate the suitability of NESTROFT for detection of β-thalassemia trait in a high prevalence region in Saurashtra, Gujarat.Methods: Here, 1000 unrelated individuals were studied. NESTROFT, CBC and estimation of HbA2 and HbF or other hemoglobin variants were done by HPLC.Results: Prevalence of β thalassemia trait was 7.8% in this population. NESTROFT showed an overall sensitivity and specificity of 94.87 and 85.38 respectively for the detection of β thalassaemia trait. Using red cell indices (MCH <27 pg and MCV <80 fl), One β thalassemia trait with normal indices would have been missed. Among twelve individuals with other hemoglobinopathies (HbS, HbD, HbE, δβ thalassemia trait or HPFH), seven had a positive NESTROFT while three had normal MCV & MCH values.Conclusions: NESTROFT is a cost-effective sensitive test which does not require any equipment and can be done in remote areas. It remains a useful first line screening test when large populations have to be screened.

Seasonality in feed availability and nutritional status of goats in heavy rainfall region of south Gujarat

The seasonality pattern in availability of grazing and browsing along with nutritional status of grazing goats in heavy rainfall region of south Gujarat were studied for a year by monitoring 360 goats from 8 villages. The nutritional status of experimental goats was judged by body condition scoring (BCS), FAMACHA (FAffa MAlan CHArt) and by analyzing packed cell volume (PCV). The availability of grazing and browsing resources was judged by participatory rural appraisal tools. The collected data wasfrequencised, tabulated and analyzed by various suitable techniques in IBM® SPSS® Statistics Version 20.0. The study revealed that a period from September to December was flush and May- August was lean period as far as availability of grazing or browsing resources. The grass is found in plenty in monsoon months; however, due to kharif crops most of the ways and roads are not accessible for goats. The BCS was highest (3.13±0.04) in winter and lowest in monsoon (2.74±0.03). The majority (57.5%) of goats was having low BCS in monsoon and good BCS in other seasons. The FAMACHA score was high in monsoon where as it was at par in winter and summer season. Frequency distribution of experimental goats based on FAMACHA score range shows that in monsoon, 40.8% and 15.8% goats were having either borderline or severe score. The PCV was significantly low (20.47±0.43) in monsoon. Overall 31.67% of goats were having low PCV indicating that they were more or less anaemic during whole year. The BCS were negatively correlated with FAMACHA and positively correlated with PCV. It can be concluded that the feed availability and nutritional status of grazing goats in south Gujarat is poor during monsoon months

An integrated modelling approach for R5-X4 mutation and HAART therapy assessment

We have modelled the within-patient evolutionary process during HIV infection using different methodologies. New viral strains arise during the course of HIV infection. These multiple strains of the virus are able to use different coreceptors, in particular the CCR5 and the CXCR4 (R5 and X4 phenotypes, respectively)influence the progression of the disease to the AIDS phase. We present a model of HIV early infection and CTLs response which describes the dynamics of R5 quasispecies, specifying the R5 to X4 switch and effects of immune response. We illustrate dynamics of HIV multiple strains in the presence of multidrug HAART therapy. The HAART combined with X4 strain blocker drugs might help to reduce infectivity and lead to slower progression of disease. On the methodology side, our model represents a paradigm of integrating formal methods and mathematical models as a general framework to study HIV multiple strains during disease progression, and will inch towards providing help in selecting among vaccines and drug therapies. The results presented here are one of the rare cases of methodological cross comparison (stochastic and deterministic) and a novel implementation of model checking in therapy validation

Influenza differentiation and evolution

The aim of the study is to do a very wide analysis of HA, NA and M influenza gene segments to find short nucleotide regions, which differentiate between strains (i.e. H1, H2, ⋯ etc.), hosts, geographic regions, time when sequence was found and combination of time and region using a simple methodology. Finding regions differentiating between strains has as its goal the construction of a Luminex microarray which will allow quick and efficient strain recognition. Discovery for the other splitting factors could shed light on structures significant for host specificity and on the history of influenza evolution. A large number of places in the HA, NA and M gene segments were found that can differentiate between hosts, regions, time and combination of time and region. Also very good differentiation between different Hx strains can be seen. We link one of our findings to a proposed stochastic model of creation of viral phylogenetic trees

Influenza differentiation and evolution

The aim of the study is to do a very wide analysis of HA, NA and M influenza gene segments to find short nucleotide regions, which differentiate between strains (i.e. H1, H2, ⋯ etc.), hosts, geographic regions, time when sequence was found and combination of time and region using a simple methodology. Finding regions differentiating between strains has as its goal the construction of a Luminex microarray which will allow quick and efficient strain recognition. Discovery for the other splitting factors could shed light on structures significant for host specificity and on the history of influenza evolution. A large number of places in the HA, NA and M gene segments were found that can differentiate between hosts, regions, time and combination of time and region. Also very good differentiation between different Hx strains can be seen. We link one of our findings to a proposed stochastic model of creation of viral phylogenetic trees

Effect of sugar beet tubers as a partial replacer to green fodder on production performance and economics of lactating Surti buffaloes in lean period

Aim: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of sugar beet tubers as a replacer to green fodder on production performance and economics of lactating Surti buffaloes. Materials and Methods: This trial was conducted at the Livestock Research Station, Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari. Twenty lactating Surti buffaloes in a changeover experimental design were selected to assess the effects of replacing green fodder with sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) tubers on production performance, economics of feeding sugar beet and blood biochemical profile. Half (50%) of the hybrid Napier was replaced with sliced sugar beet tubers in the ration of experimental animals. Results: Partial replacement of hybrid Napier with that of sugar beet tubers numerically improved dry matter intake, milk yield, 4% fat corrected milk and milk composition parameters such as fat, solid non-fat, protein and lactose, but not significantly. The blood parameters were in normal range and non-significant except that of glucose and triglycerides, which were increased in the sugar beet group. Replacing sugar beet tubers also proved to be cost-effective with improved net profit around Rs. 6.63/day. Conclusion: It can be concluded that 50% hybrid Napier fodder can be replaced with sugar beet tubers without any adverse effect on animal production performance, milk composition blood biochemical profile and economics of feeding