Incremental shuttle walk test: Reference values and predictive equation for healthy Indian adults

Purpose: Physical inactivity in Indians is leading to an increase in noncommunicable disorders at an early age in life. Early identification and quantification of the lack of physical activity using simple and reliable exercise testing is the need of the hour. The incremental shuttle walk test (ISWT) is an externally paced walk test widely used for the evaluation of exercise capacity. Currently the normative values available for clinical reference are generated from Western populations. Hence, the study was conducted to find normative values for the ISWT in healthy Indian adults (17-75 years). Materials and Methods: A convenience sample of 862 subjects was recruited after ethical approval was obtained. All subjects were divided into groups as per age and gender. For age, the grouping was as follows: Group 1: Young adulthood (17-40 years), group 2: Middle adulthood (40-65 years), and group 3: Old adulthood (>65 years). The ISWT was performed as per standard protocol by Sally Singh. Results: The average distance walked were 709.2m,556.4m and 441.3m in females and 807.9 m, 639.6 m and 478.2 m in males in the three respective age groups. Stepwise regression analysis revealed age and gender as key variables correlating with incremental shuttle walk distance (ISWD). The derived predictive equations for males and females may be given as follows: 740.351 - (5.676 × age) + (99.007 × gender). Conclusion: Reference values were generated for healthy Indian adults. Physiological response to the ISWT was shown to be affected by gender and increasing age. Easily measurable variables explained 68% of the variance seen in the test, making the reference equation a relevant part of the evaluation of the ISWT

Isolation of halotolerant and halophilic bacteria and screening of their poly enzyme potential

129-136A water sample was collected from a high tide influenced zone of water logged area near a coastal region of Bhavnagar. Total twenty eight different isolates were obtained. Except four isolates, all were able to grow on Zobell marine agar medium with 5% NaCl. Dominance of orange pigment was found at > 20% salt concentration and yellow pigment at 10% NaCl. Among the isolates, bacilli were found dominant. Isolates were checked for the production of amylase, protease, cellulase, lipase and chitinase in the presence of 5% salt concentration. Cellulase producing isolates were more compared to amylase and protease producers and only one isolate produced chitinase. Isolate 27 was the only isolate found to have polyenzyme production potential and was growing up to 15% NaCl concentration. This isolate showed 98% similarity with Bacillus licheniformis strain ESR26 and was identified as Bacillus licheniformis LRK1 (GenBank accession number KF534782) on the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis

Chemical and microbial leaching of base metals from obsolete cell-phone printed circuit boards

Bioleaching process is recommended for the recovery of metals from electronic waste (E-waste) due to its environment-friendly nature and a rich source of metals present in the E-waste. Each gram of cell phone printed circuit boards (PCBs) powder used in the study contained 275.5, 17.85 and 19.55 mg copper, zinc and nickel as major metal constituents respectively. The chemical leaching by mixture of ferric sulphate and ferrous sulphate (70:30) at 100 g L−1 pulp density was best for copper leaching among the studied systems in which after 4 d of reaction time, 2740 mg copper was solubilized from cell phone PCB powder, while ferric sulphate alone was best for zinc and nickel solubilisation, in which 88 mg zinc and 135 mg nickel were solubilised after 4 d and 7 d of reaction time, respectively.Bioleaching study showed that with acidophilic iron oxidizers, pH 1.8 and initial ferrous concentration 9 g L−1 were optimum for Cu–Zn–Ni extraction from discarded cell phone PCB powder. Cu–Zn–Ni extractions from 10 g L−1 cell phone PCB powder pulp density by the metabolites of iron-oxidizing consortium were 275, 5 and 11 mg, while at 50 and 100 g L−1 pulp density, extractions were 1350, 18 and 53 mg, and 2640, 25 and 100 mg, respectively. The process can be further scaled-up for higher pulp density. Keywords: Bioleaching, Iron-oxidizers, Discarded cell phone PCBs powder, Cu–Zn–Ni metals, Ferric iro

Development of consensus recommendations on the management of vitiligo and the role of decapeptide in vitiligo by the delphi method

Background: Treatment of vitiligo is still a challenge in dermatology. Literature is sparse on the definitive clinical role of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in vitiligo patients. Aims: We decided to generate a consensus in an attempt to answer some critical questions related to the management of vitiligo and the role of bFGF. Materials and Methods: A Delphi method among 21 experts across India was conducted. A consensus (agreement was 75% or greater) was taken on 27 statements on the prevalence, epidemiology, and treatment of vitiligo and the role of bFGF in the management of vitiligo. The consensus process was completed after two rounds. Results: Topical corticosteroid therapy is the first-line therapy for vitiligo; however, its adverse effects are widely known, especially in sensitive areas. Topical calcineurin inhibitors are preferred in stable vitiligo of the face, neck, genitals, or intertriginous regions as an alternative to topical corticosteroids. Topical bFGF is a relatively newer therapy with a promising role in stable vitiligo. bFGF is safe and effective in inducing repigmentation of vitiligo lesions. Combination therapy of bFGF with other topical therapies, phototherapy, and surgical procedures can be beneficial in patients of vitiligo. Conclusion: This consensus would complement the currently available literature on bFGF and help the practitioner to recognize the unmet need in the treatment of vitiligo