Optimization of cholesterol removal, growth and fermentation patterns of Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC 4962 in the presence of mannitol, fructo-oligosaccharide and inulin: a response surface methodology approach

Aims: To optimize cholesterol removal by Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC 4962 in the presence of prebiotics, and study the growth and fermentation patterns of the prebiotics. Methods and Results: Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC 4962 was screened in the presence of six prebiotics, namely sorbitol, mannitol, maltodextrin, hi-amylose maize, fructo-oligosaccharide (FOS) and inulin in order to determine the best combination for highest level of cholesterol removal. The first-order model showed that the combination of inoculum size, mannitol, FOS and inulin was best for removal of cholesterol. The second-order polynomial regression model estimated the optimum condition of the factors for cholesterol removal by L. acidophilus ATCC 4962 to be 2.64% w/v inoculum size, 4.13% w/v mannitol, 3.29% w/v FOS and 5.81% w/v inulin. Analyses of growth, mean doubling time and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production using quadratic models indicated that cholesterol removal and the production of SCFA were growth associated. Conclusions: Optimum cholesterol removal was obtained from the fermentation of L. acidophilus ATCC 4962 in the presence of mannitol, FOS and inulin. Cholesterol removal and the production of SCFA appeared to be growth associated and highly influenced by the prebiotics. Significance and Impact of the Study: Response surface methodology proved reliable in developing the model, optimizing factors and analysing interaction effects. The results provide better understanding on the interactions between probiotic and prebiotics for the removal of cholesterol

Use of Dry Whey and Lactose Hydrolysis in Yogurt Bases

Yogurt is one of the oldest and most traditional fermented dairy products. Since early times it has been an important food item of the people in the Middle East. Except for its refreshing taste and wholesomeness as a food, no special virtues were claimed for it until early in the 20th century when the bacteriologist, Elie Metchnikoff, who shared a Nobel Prize in 1908, concluded from his studies on the effect of lactic acid bacteria of the digestive tract, that yogurt arrests putrefaction in the intestinal tract and thus might be beneficial to health (55). Attempts to popularize yogurt in the United States (US) and Canada were first successful in the 1940\u27s. In 1955, the total production of yogurt in the US was only 17,000,000 lb, whereas by l980 the production increased -to 589,000,000 lb. On a per capita basis, consumption rose from .2 lb in 1960 to 2.67 lb in 1980 (64). The future looks bright for the yogurt industry, particularly in view of the fact that per-capita consumption in the US is still far below that of most European countries; annual yogurt consumption per person in 1977 was 1.2 kg in the US compared to 14.9 kg in the Netherlands, 14.2 kg in Denmark, 12.2 kg in Switzerland, and 8.0 kg in France (103). Whey is plentiful. According to Delaney (19), approximately 16,000,000 tons of whey are produced in the US yearly. About 80% of the whey is from whole milk cheese and 20% from cottage cheese manufacture. It is estimated that just over one-half of this whey is used and the remainder is disposed as waste (6). In the middle ages, whey was utilized as a pharmaceutical drug, as a skin balm, and in cattle feed; but rarely was it used as a food for humans. As the cheese industry grew, production of an increasing volume of byproduct fluid whey, for which there was little demand, accompanied it. Strong new regulations prohibit dumping of whey into streams, rivers, and even into municipal sewerage systems because of its high biological oxidation demand (53). The dairy industry is always interested in use of new and different ingredients that are lower in cost and do not affect quality of product. A great deal of research has been aimed toward promoting proper utilization of whey; but it has not been nearly enough, arid utilization of whey remains perhaps the most serious problem facing the dairy -industry worldwide. One must therefore admire the many efforts in research and manufacturing aimed at making something consumable and marketable, if not profitable, from whey. The use of whey in yogurt and other dairy products has been limited heretofore, because of its effect on the quality of the finished product. However, in the current decade research has been done on the feasibility of replacing nonfat dry milk with dry whey in yogurt and frozen desserts. Use of lactase (e-D-galactosidase or E. C. 3. 2. 1. 23 β-D-galactoside galactohydrolase) to hydrolyze lactose, the major carbohydrate of milk, into its constituent monosaccharides glucose and galactose prior to product manufacture has received considerable attention during the past decade. Applications for the food industry are readily apparent; one application is preparation of low lactose dairy products intended for use by lactose sensitive individuals. The objectives of this research were: 1) to determine the acceptability of yogurts made with reconstituted nonfat dry milk bases, having 50 or 75% hydrolysis of the total lactose available in the mixes along with replacement of 25 or 50% of the nonfat dry milk content with sweet dry whey; 2) to ascertain economy achieved by use of dry whey, which costs less than nonfat dry milk, and use of less sugar in hydrolyzed batches since the products of lactose hydrolysis are sweeter than lactose per se; and 3) to ascertain whether enzymatic hydrolysis of lactose to its component simple sugars would make possible the use of greater percentages of dry whey in yogurt formulas without adverse effects on flavor and/or other properties of the yogurt

Properties of large scale plasma flow during the early stage of the plasmaspheric refilling

The objective is to better characterize the macroscopic properties of the interhemisphere plasma flow by solving a more complete set of hydrodynamic equations than that solved previously. Specifically, the ion continuity, momentum and energy equations were solved for the plasma flow along the closed magnetic field lines. During the initial stage of the supersonic outflow in the equatorial region, the ions cool substantially. Using the hydrodynamic model for the large-scale plasma flow, the dynamics of shocks was examined which form in the geomagnetic flux tubes during the early stages of refilling. These shocks are more like those forming in neutral gases than the electrostatic shocks driven by microinstabilities involving ion-ion interaction. Therefore, the shocks seen in the hydrodynamic model are termed as hydrodynamic shocks. Such shocks are generally unsteady and therefore the usual shock jump conditions given by Rankine-Hugoniot relations are not strictly applicable to them. The density, flow velocity and temperature structures associated with the shocks are examined for both asymmetrical and symmetrical flows. In the asymmetrical flow the outflow from one of two conjugate ionospheres is dominant. On the other hand, in the symmetrical case outflows from the two ionospheric sources are identical. Both cases are treated by a two-stream model. In the late type of flow, the early-time refilling shows a relaxation type of oscillation, which is driven by the large-scale interactions between the two identical streams. After this early stage, the resulting temperature structure shows some interesting features. In the equatorial region the streams are isothermal, but in the off-equatorial regions the streams have quite different temperatures, and also densities and flow velocities. The dense and slow stream is found to be warmer than the low-density fast stream. In the late stage of refilling, the temperature is found to steadily increase from the conjugate ionospheres towards the equator; the equatorial temperature is found to be as high as about 8000 K compared to the ionospheric temperature of 3600 K

Prevalence and patterns of hazardous and harmful alcohol consumption assessed using the AUDIT among Bhutanese refugees in Nepal.

AIMS: This study sought to ascertain the prevalence of hazardous and harmful alcohol consumption among Bhutanese refugees in Nepal and to identify predictors of elevated risk in order to better understand intervention need. METHODS: Hazardous and harmful alcohol consumption was assessed using the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) administered in a face-to-face interview in a census of two camps comprising ∼8000 refugees. RESULTS: Approximately 1/5 men and 1/14 women drank alcohol and prevalence of hazardous drinking among current drinkers was high and comparable to that seen in Western countries with longstanding alcohol cultures. Harmful drinking was particularly associated with the use of other substances including tobacco. CONCLUSIONS: Assessment of the alcohol-related needs of Bhutanese refugees has permitted the design of interventions. This study adds to the small international literature on substance use in forced migration populations, about which there is growing concern

Collaborative forest management in Nepal: Tenure, governance and contestations

Collaborative forest management (CFM) is a ‘community-based’ forest tenure regime that works in partnership between the central government, local government and local forest user groups in Nepal’s Terai, particularly in the management of large, contiguous forests. It has been in practice since the early 2000s in the form of ‘pilot initiatives’ and is gradually receiving greater legal attention. Through our own experiences, available literature and policy reviews, we document the evolutionary history of Terai forest and CFM’s current issues. We found that the management aspects of the Terai forests have been weak throughout its history. We also found a number of issues and challenges in the implementation of CFM. Some of the prominent issues include ambiguity in tenure rights and security, lack of appropriate and uncontested policy provisions for cost and bene t sharing among collaborators, limited decision-making space for forest-managing communities and local governments, and limited capacity of collaborators for the productive management of forests. We suggest tenure reform in terms of legal, institutional, technical and financial arrangements, so as to make CFM effective forest management in the Terai

Identifying Road Accidents Severity Problems Using Data Mining Approaches

Roadway traffic safety is a major concern for transportation governing agencies as well as ordinarycitizens. In order to give safe driving suggestions, carefulanalysis of roadway traffic data is critical to find outvariables that are closely related to fatal accidents. Inthis paper we apply statistics analysis and data miningalgorithms on the FARS Fatal Accident dataset as an attempt to address this problem. The relationship betweenfatal rate and other attributes including collision manner,weather, surface condition, light condition, and drunkdriver were investigated. Association rules were discoveredby Apriori algorithm, classification model was built byNaive Bayes classifier, and clusters were formed by simple K-means clustering algorithm. Here we are also using one more classification technique for comparing with Naïve bayes classifier. Certain safety driving suggestions were made based on statistics, association rules, classification model, and clusters obtained

Existence of Vitamin C Fruit Sources in the Kani Tribal Settlements of South TamilNadu

Kani tribes are one of the important tribals of the Western Ghats of south India. They are well versed in traditional medicines to treat various ailments. Their food materials are rich in all vital compounds necessary for the day to day life. Their main occupation is agriculture. They cultivated many fruits including citrus plants. A field study was conducted in the Kani trible settlement of Kanyakumari district of TamilNadu and borders of kerala. From them we were able to collect 15 different kinds of plant species cultivated by the Kani tribes which belong to 8 different families contain vitamin C in the fruits. The vitamin C content for the 15 fruits were estimated and among the 15 plants sources, the Bambilimas has the maximum vitamin C content

Improving detection of mental health problems in community settings in Nepal: development and pilot testing of the community informant detection tool

Background Despite increasing efforts to expand availability of mental health services throughout the world, there continues to be limited utilization of these services by persons with mental illness and their families. Community-based detection that facilitates identification and referral of people with mental health problems has been advocated as an effective strategy to increase help-seeking and service utilization. The Community Informant Detection Tool (CIDT) was developed for the community informants to identify people with depression, psychosis, alcohol use problems, epilepsy, and child behavioral problems in community settings. The CIDT has been validated in Nepal and found to be effective in promoting treatment initiation. To facilitate replication in other settings, this paper describes the development process of CIDT and the steps to achieve comprehensibility, utility and feasibility. Methods The CIDT was developed in four steps. First, case vignettes and illustrations were created incorporating local idioms of distress for symptoms of each disorder with an expert panel of 25 Nepali mental health professionals. Second, the utility of a draft tool was assessed through focus group discussions (n = 19) and in-depth interviews (n = 6). Third, a practice run was conducted assessing applicability of the tool through IDI among purposively selected community informants (n = 8). Finally, surveys were administered to 105 community informants to assess feasibility. Results The first through third steps led to modifications in the format and presentation of the CIDT. The pilot test found CIDT to be comprehensible and feasible for detection and referral of all conditions except child behavioral problems. Female community health volunteers were recommended as the most appropriate persons to utilize the CIDT. Conclusion Community-based detection using the CIDT for persons in need of mental health care is perceived to be useful and feasible by key community stakeholders who would integrate the tool into their daily activities

ECOLOGICAL FEATURES AND CONSERVATION OF ARNEBIA EUCHROMA. A CRITICALLY ENDANGERED MEDICINAL PLANT IN WESTERN HIMALAYA

Arnebia euchroma (Royle ex Benth.) Johnston, commonly known as ‘Ratanjot’ is an important medicinal plant species and is found distributed in the western Himalaya at elevations ranging between 3200 - 4500 m above sea level. Considering its potent medicinal properties, cultural significance, declining population density and critically endangered status of this taxon, the present investigation was carried out for the assessment of its availability in the natural alpine landscapes of the Spiti cold desert of western Himalaya in Himachal Pradesh (India). We focused our study on its ecological features, population dynamics and performance in natural habitats, so as to formulate conservation plans. In order to achieve the objectives of the present study, a total of 620 areas were set by using a random sampling technique at six different locations where A. euchroma was found distributed naturally. The highest population density was recorded in undulating meadows (5.30 individuals/m2) with a maximum circumference (4.18±1.80cm) at an elevation of 4240 m above sea level, with maximum frequency of occurrence (100%). Ecological surveys revealed that distribution was restricted in specific habitats rich in soil nutrients with high pH (8.025 - 8.37). The significance of the role of various ecological variables is explained in detail in the present paper. Habitat specificity, low population, and anthropogenic pressure justify the rarity status of this taxon in the Spiti valley. The authors discussed different implications to develop appropriate strategies for a long-term monitoring and sustainability of A. euchroma in the Spiti cold desert of western Himalaya

A clinical study of trends of ectopic pregnancy and its management in a tertiary care hospital

Background: Ectopic gestation is a gynaecological emergency which culminates in pregnancy loss and causes significant maternal morbidity, mortality besides jeopardizing future conception. The study discusses the incidence, risk factors, symptomatology and management of ectopic pregnancy in a tertiary care teaching hospital.Methods: This was a prospective study of 45 cases of ectopic pregnancies at a tertiary care teaching hospital from January 2012 to December 2013. Information was collected in a structured proforma, tabulated and descriptive analysis was carried out.Results: The incidence of ectopic pregnancy was 1.17%. Majority of the patients (80%) belonged to 20-30 yrs age group. Second gravidas predominated (42.2%). Fallopian tube was the most common site (95.5%). Rudimentary horn ectopic accounted for 4.65%. Previous abdominopelvic surgery (31.1%), IUCD usage (22.2%), PID (20%), abortions (20%), tubectomy (15.5%) were the principal risk factors. 42% of the patients had no risk factor. The triad of amenorrhea, bleeding per vaginum and abdominal pain was seen in 51.1% of cases. Ultrasound, UPT, β-hCG estimation were the diagnostic tools. Ruptured ectopic pregnancy accounted for 64.4%. Nearly 95.5% of patients underwent surgery; salpingectomy (76%). Methotrexate was successful in 4.44%. There was no maternal mortality.Conclusions: Mostly diagnosis, prompt surgical or medical management is cornerstone of treatment. Primary prevention such as improved access to family planning services, sex education, treatment of STI, PID, surgical asepsis  and haemostasis, implementing legislation for dispensing MTP drugs ameliorate risk factors and hence reduce ectopic pregnancy