BIOACTIVE CONSTITUENTS AND ANTIOXIDANT EFFICACY OF AURICULARIA POLYTRICHA

Objective: Auricularia polytricha is a most popular edible and medicinal fungus in China and other Asian countries because of its high nutritionalvalue and good taste. The objective of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant potency, total phenol, and flavonoid content in the hot water extractof A. polytricha fruiting bodies.Methods: The antioxidant property was investigated using various in vitro chemical and biological models such as 2, 2'-azino-bis [3-ethylbenzothiazoline6-sulfonicacid],dimethyl-4-phenylenediamineradicalscavengingassay,cupric reducingantioxidantcapacityassay,phosphomolybdenumreducingantioxidantpowerassay,β-carotenebleaching and lipid peroxidationinhibition assays.Results: A. polytricha exhibited antioxidant activity in a dose-dependent manner with lower ECvalues in all scavenging assays. A considerableamount of secondary metabolites such as phenol and flavonoids were observed in the extract.50 Conclusion: The results demonstrated that A. polytricha has a potential significance for seeking new natural antioxidant agents against oxidativestress.Keywords: β-carotene bleaching, Free radicals scavenging, Lipid peroxidation, Total phenols, Total flavonoids, Wood ear mushrooms

TOTAL PHENOL, FLAVONOID AND ANTIOXIDANT PROPERTIES OF AURICULARIA AURICULA-JUDAE

Objective: From ancient times, Auricularia auricula has been used as food and also as herbal medicine in China. The hot water extract of Auricularia auricula fruiting bodies were evaluated for free radical scavenging potency, total phenol and flavonoid content.Methods: The antioxidant property was investigated using different in vitro assays such as, ABTS (2,2'-azino-bis[3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonicacid]), DMPD (Dimethyl-4-phenylenediamine) radical scavenging assay, reducing power, phenanthroline assay, lipid peroxidation and erythrocyte hemolysis inhibition assays and also subjected to analyse total phenol, flavonoid levels and total antioxidant capacity by phospho- molybdenum assay.Results: The levels of total phenol and flavonoid were found to be 8.94 mg CE/g, 3.49 mg RE/g respectively. The EC50 values are<10 mg/ml in all the assays which indicate its strong scavenging activities. The antioxidant activity was found to be concentration-dependent. A significant difference (P<0.05) was observed between the concentrations tested.Conclusion: These results suggest that Auricularia auricula mushrooms are good scavengers of ABTS, DMPD radicals, reducer of ferric ions, and inhibitor of lipid peroxidation and erythrocyte hemolysis. Thus, it could potentially be used as a source of bioactive compounds.Â

Smallholder Participation in Agricultural Value Chains: Comparative Evidence from Three Continents

Supermarkets, specialized wholesalers, and processors and agro-exporters’ agricultural value chains have begun to transform the marketing channels into which smallholder farmers sell produce in low-income economies. We develop a conceptual framework through which to study contracting between smallholders and a commodity-processing firm. We then conduct an empirical meta-analysis of agricultural value chains in five countries across three continents (Ghana, India, Madagascar, Mozambique, and Nicaragua). We document patterns of participation, the welfare gains associated with participation, reasons for non-participation, the significant extent of contract non-compliance, and the considerable dynamism of these value chains, as farmers and firms enter and exit frequently.

Design of Static Segment Adder for Approximating Computing Applications

The digital VLSI design needs to attain high performance with desired reliability range. The high performance involves low power, area efficiency and high speed. This paper proposes a design of High speed energy efficient static segment adder (SSA) to enhance the overall performance based on approximation technique. Static segmentation includes both accurate and inaccurate part. The normal full adder performs accurate part and the carry select adder is used for inaccurate part. By using static segmentation the approximate computation is done. Approximate computing is a computation which generates “good enough” result rather than totally accurate result. Image processing is accomplished using SSA design. In this process 99.4% whole computational accuracy for 16 bit addition and also for 8 bit addition can be achieved

Growth, nutrient uptake and yield of ginger as impacted by potting media, foliar nutrition and microbial inoculants

Experiments were conducted during 2017-19 at the Integrated Farming System Research Station, Karamana, Kerala Agricultural University for assessing the impact of quantity of potting media, foliar application of multinutrient mixture IISR Power Mix G and microbial inoculants Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) and Trichoderma on the growth, nutrient uptake and yield of ginger variety Karthika grown as pot culture. The study revealed that 12 and 15 kg of potting media filled grow bags could produce comparable yields of ginger significantly higher than that obtained with 9 kg of potting media. Application of IISR Power Mix G @ 0.5% at 2 and 3 months of planting enhanced the yield of ginger to the tune of 11 per cent in comparison to control. Microbial inoculants AMF (5 g plant-1) and Trichoderma (1 kg mixed with 90 kg FYM and 10 kg neem cake and 250 g of the mixture used) applied at planting time followed by Trichoderma at 1 month after planting resulted in higher fresh ginger yield of 596.67 g bag-1 and was comparable to 550 g of fresh ginger obtained with application of AMF and Trichoderma at planting

Smallholder Participation in Agricultural Value Chains: Comparative Evidence from Three Continents

Supermarkets, specialized wholesalers, and processors and agro-exporters’ agricultural value chains have begun to transform the marketing channels into which smallholder farmers sell produce in low-income economies. We develop a conceptual framework through which to study contracting between smallholders and a commodity-processing firm. We then conduct an empirical meta-analysis of agricultural value chains in five countries across three continents (Ghana, India, Madagascar, Mozambique, and Nicaragua). We document patterns of participation, the welfare gains associated with participation, reasons for non-participation, the significant extent of contract non-compliance, and the considerable dynamism of these value chains, as farmers and firms enter and exit frequently.Agricultural Value Chains, Contract Farming, Africa, Asia, Latin America

Retrospective study of 53 cases of caesarean myomectomy regarding its safety and feasibility

Background: In recent era, many studies have come up stating the safety and feasibility of caesarean myomectomy. With the advances in surgical techniques, the risk is very minimum. Our primary objective is to evaluate the safety of caesarean myomectomy and to analyse the blood loss according to the size, site of fibroids and with various methods used to prevent blood loss and postoperative morbidity.Methods: Retrospective studies of 53 women were included in our study who underwent caesarean myomectomy in the period of June 2006 to June 2015. Site, Size and number of myomas removed were noted down. Hemoglobin difference between pre and postoperative levels also noted down.Results: There is no significant blood loss difference according to the type, number and methods used to prevent blood loss. But as the size increases, there is significant blood loss difference- P value 0.006.Conclusions: Caesaren myomectomy can be safely undertaken by experienced surgeons. Single or multiple, smaller subserosal and intramural myomas can be safely removed .Though larger fibroids have increased blood loss intraoperative, with the prophylactic measures, we can safely remove them too. Submucosal, cornual myomas have to be dealt with caution

Role of leutenising hormone LH and insulin resistance in polycystic ovarian syndrome

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most frequent endocrine disorder seen in pre-menopausal women, affecting 5-10% of this population. It is characterized by menstrual irregularities and clinical hyperandrogenism such as hirsutism, seborrhoea and acne. PCOS women have insulin resistance, which results in compensatory hyperinsulinemia. A number of findings suggest that hyperinsulinemia may play a central role in the development of hyperandrogenism. This study is under taken to measure insulin resistance and leutenising hormone (LH) in PCOS patients and to see the relationship of insulin resistance with leutenising hormone (LH).Methods: Case control study was done taking 60 women PCOS and 60 age matched healthy women as controls. In all the subjects, concentrations of fasting plasma glucose estimated using enzymatic methods in semiautoanalyser. Fasting serum insulin and leutenising hormone (LH) measured by CLIA using Lumax-CLIA microplate reader. HOMA IR was calculated from estimated parameters.Results: The concentration of fasting serum insulin,fasting plasma glucose,HOMA –IR and leutenising hormone(LH) in controls are 9.33±3.08 µIU/ml,94.38±10.36mg/dl,12.16±0.67and 4.67±1.94 mIU/ml respectively; in PCOS cases they are 24.50±10.03µIU/ml,114.20±30.38 mg/dl,7.29±4.08 and 15.75±7.51 mIU/ml respectively. The mean concentrations of all the parameters were significantly (p value<0.05) increased in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome when compared with healthy women.Conclusions: This study shows that 75% of pcos women were insulin resistant and HOMA IR shows a positive correlation (r value 0.48, p<0.05) with serum leutenising hormone(LH)