Development of spiced squash (appetizer) from wild prickly pear (Opuntia dillenii Haw.) and its quality evaluation during storage

Wild prickly pear (Opuntia dillenii Haw.) is one of the wild fruit with great importance because of its high antioxidants, colour pigments and other quality parameters besides its medicinal properties. In India, there are only a limited number of reports pertaining to utilization of this fruit which further lack the development of value added novel products. So, the present studies were carried out for the development of spiced squash or appetizer from wild prickly pear fruit and its quality evaluation during storage. Different combinations of fruit juice (25, 30, 35 and 40 %) and sugar syrup (40 and 45 °B) were tried to standardize a proper combination for appetizer. The appetizer prepared by using the best recipe with 35 % juice, 45 °B TSS (Total soluble solids) and 1.20 % acidity was packed in two packaging materials viz. glass and PET (Polyethylene terephthalate) bottles which were further stored for six months under ambient and refrigerated temperature conditions. Appetizer packed in glass as well as in PET packaging material can be stored successfully for a period of six months under both the temperature conditions. However, various quality parameters of appetizer were retained higher in glass bottles stored under refrigerated storage conditions

Rooftop Solar Photovoltaic for CSIR-NPL at New Delhi: A Case Study

Solar energy is an abundant and renewable energy source and the annual solar energy incident at the ground in India is about 20,000 times the current electrical energy consumption. The use of solar energy in India has been very limited. The average daily solar energy incident in India is 5 kWh/m2 days, which can be utilize in electricity generation. There are many solar installations are already operational in India, however, due to the inefficient solar panels and their geometry limited the efficiency in terms of conversion of sunlight in to high unit power generation. In the current work, reduced the need of land to install the solar panel in the small area rather than existing larger area and increase solar panel efficiency in term of unit generation. A case study has been carried out by taking various kinds of panels (static and rotation/tracking) and 15 to 18% efficiency for static panel and 40 to 45% for tracking panel. This enhancement in efficiency was mainly due to the design and developed tracking solar panel with Light Dependent Resistors

Comparison of quality of anardana (dried arils) prepared in mechanical cabinet and solar tunnel drier from wild pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) fruits procured from different locations of Himachal Pradesh, India

The dried arils (anardana) prepared from wild pomegranate fruits (Punica granatum L.) are widely used as an acidulant in culinary purposes and in formulations of various ayurvedic medicines which are helpful in curing a number of ailments. As there is a wide variation among the quality of fruits which is due to geographic conditions, climatic factors and genetic variability so anardana was prepared from the fruits of different locations under different drying modes. The prepared product was further compared for its physico-chemical, antioxidant and sensory characteristics. Anardana prepared under mechanical cabinet drier and solar tunnel drier was comparable in terms of its various quality characteristics. While comparing the locations for the procurement of raw material, best quality anardana in terms of various quality attributes like colour, TSS [(total soluble solids) (40.35 oB)], total sugars (26.15 %), anthocyanins (37.97 mg/100 g), total phenols (176.46 mg GAE/100 g), flavonoids (39.45 mg QuE/100 g), antioxidant activity (59.53 %), starch (2.87 %) and sensory characteristics was prepared from the fruits of Karsog location (1265 meters above mean sea level) of Himachal Pradesh, India

Clinical and surgical outcomes of 3 cycles versus 6 cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in advanced ovarian carcinoma

Background: Epithelial cancers are the most common ovarian malignancy accounting for 90% of all type of ovarian cancer. Objective of this study was to evaluate the surgical morbidity and to study clinical outcomes of 3 cycles versus 6 cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy.Methods: A total 30 women with diagnosis of advanced epithelial ovarian cancer were randomly divided equally to receive either 3 cycles (Group 1) or 6 cycles (Group 2) of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. End points noted were duration of surgery, extent of surgery, perioperative complications and length of stay.Results: Both groups had comparable demographic profile. Surgery was more difficult in early IDS group with lesser percentage of patients achieving minimum intended surgery in early IDS (61.53% versus 80. 47%) peri-operative complications were seen more commonly in early IDS group compared to late IDS group (26.66% versus 69.2%). However mean duration of surgery was similar in both groups. Mean duration of stay in hospital was 5.4 days in late IDS group and 7.6 days in early IDS group. The mean follow-up period in late IDS was 7 months and in early IDS was 5 months. Survival in both groups when patients were followed up till the end of study period (12 months) was similar (p=0.186).Conclusions: Authors conclude that late IDS may be used as a treatment option in the high-risk group of patients. Though there was no significant difference at 6 months follow up, higher percent of women were disease free in late IDS

Effect of Varroa destructor Anderson and Trueman infestation on Apis mellifera L. adults

Maximum incidence of Varrosis on adults of Apis mellifera L. (8%) was recorded in second fortnight of May 2008 corresponds to the peak in V. destructor population. Percent deformity was calculated by observing 100 adult bees. Deformity in adult bees was low which ranged between 0.0 to 3.0 per cent with an average of 0.52 per cent. Significant positive correlation (r = 0.77) was calculated between per cent mite infestation and per cent bee deformity which revealed that with increase in mite infestation, there was a corresponding increase in deformity of bees

MICROFLUIDIC DEVICES AS A TOOL FOR DRUG DELIVERY AND DIAGNOSIS: A REVIEW

Microfluidic devices are a good example of the collaboration of chemical, biological, and engineering sciences. Microfluidic devices emerge as an in fluent technology which provides an alternative to conventional laboratory methods. These devices are employed for the precise handling and transport precise quantities of drugs without toxicity. This system is emerging as a promising platform for designing advanced drug delivery systems and analysis of biological phenomena on miniature devices for easy diagnosis. Microfluidics enables the fabrication of drug carriers with controlled geometry and specific target sites. Microfluidic devices are also used for the diagnosis of cancer circulating tumor cells. In the current review, different microfluidic drug delivery systems and diagnostic devices have described

Comparative maternal outcomes of oral nifedipine and intravenous labetalol for severe hypertension during pregnancy: an open label randomized controlled trial

Background: Hypertensive diseases are commonly seen during pregnancy and remain one of the leading causes of maternal morbidity and mortality. Mostly commonly preferred drugs by health care providers for treatment of severe hypertension during pregnancy are labetalol and hydralazine. However, they require proper storage, intravenous access, and adequately trained staff for usage. Oral nifedipine in contrast is easier to use and widely available.  Objective of this study was to report the efficacy and safety of oral nifedipine as compared to intravenous labetalol for treatment of severe hypertension during pregnancy.Methods: It was an open label randomized controlled trial in which 100 women with severe hypertension during pregnancy were enrolled. They were randomized to receive either incremental doses of intravenous labetalol every 20 minutes (total 300 mg) or 10 mg oral nifedipine every 20 minutes (up to 50 mg) to lower the blood pressure to safer levels.Results: Women receiving oral nifedipine took significantly less time to achieve target blood pressure [(37.6±23.3) minutes (SD) as compared to those receiving intravenous labetalol (52.0 minutes±27.95 (SD)]. Women receiving nifedipine for treatment also required significantly lesser doses to control the blood pressure [mean dose 1.8±1.1 (SD) versus 2.6±1.2 (SD) p=0.006]. There were two failures in labetalol group and one failure in nifedipine group. No serious adverse events were reported in either group.Conclusions: Oral nifedipine is equally efficacious to I.V. labetalol for treatment of severe hypertension during pregnancy and is easier to use in low resource settings

Leukemic transformation in myelodysplastic syndrome: A case report with review of risk factors

Myelodysplastic syndromes are a group of clonal disorders affecting the hemopoietic stem cells and characterized by peripheral cytopenias with normocellular to hypercellular bone marrow and various morphological abnormalities in one or more hemopoietic cell lines. MDS carries a high risk of progression to acute myeloid leukemia especially in subtypes with increased myeloblasts. Here, we present the case of leukemic transformation in MDSin a 41-year-old male who presented with complaints of generalized weakness, loss of appetite for 2 months and fever on and off for 1 week. The patient was diagnosed as MDS-multilineage dysplasia after blood examination and bone marrow biopsy but the patient refused for further treatment

ENHANCEMENT of VANET ROUTING by OPTIMIZE CENTRALITY WITH ANT COLONY APPROACH

Abstract-Vehicular Ad Hoc Network (VANET) is an appearing new technology integrating ad hoc network and improve road traffic safety. The main challenges in VANET is searching, maintaining an effective route for transporting data information. Today some kind of routing protocols used in VANET Hence, an analysis on routing protocols based on number of parameters of VANET i.e. a required issue in communication. AODV routing protocol is also used in VANET. AODV protocol suffers worst performance when it is directly applied in VANET. In this paper, a metaheuristic (Shapely Value) approach is used to reduce the delay information, packet dropped and increasing the throughput

Green chemistry approaches towards the design and synthesis of anti-infective fluoroquinolone derivatives

Fluoroquinolones are of pivotal interest for scientists because of their excellent pharmacological and pharmacokinetic profiles. They have a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity and show several promising features such as, greater bioavailability, admirable tissue penetration and comparatively lower incidence of antagonistic and lethal effects. These have made the compounds highly desirable to combat several infectious diseases. Various synthetic conventions have been established to hasten the fluoroquinolone's amination rate and to improve yield. Such methods have significant disadvantages including, costly reagents, usage of vast quantities of harmful solvents, excessive heat and sideways reactions. These drawbacks aren't appropriate in current pharmaceutical market. Hence, it is highly desirable to develop a newer green and more efficient process for fluoroquinolones synthesis. Green chemistry methodology endeavours to achieve sustainability at the molecular level. The field of green chemistry has shown how chemists can design next-generation products and processes to make them more cost-effective while being virtuous for human health and the environment. This graphical review demonstrates the current developments in the synthesis of fluoroquinolones employing the principles of green chemistry by using the novel, recyclable and environmental-friendly catalysts and solvents.</p