Moisture profiles of wheat noodles containing hydroxypropylated tapioca starch

Wheat noodles were prepared using flour to which hydroxypropylated tapioca starch was added, and the effect of this addition on the moisture distribution within the noodles during cooking was examined using a digital image processing technique. The addition of the modified starch slightly increased the moisture content and narrowed the flat distribution near the noodle surface. The distribution features reflected the changes in the water absorption behaviour caused by the properties of the modified starch and the reduction in the gluten content. Addition of the modified starch lowered Young's modulus and the energy for 99% strain of the noodles in the texture analysis to, at maximum 35% and 65%, and decreased the breakability of the noodles. These changes in the moisture distribution and textural properties have been ascribed to changes in both the state of the starch granules near the surface and the structure of the gluten network.     

Dose-dependent effect in the inhibition of oxidative stress and anticlastogenic potential of ginger in STZ induced diabetic rats

Ginger is an important medicinal herb has numerous bioactive components and is used in the management, control and/or treatment of diseases including diabetes mellitus. The present study was undertaken to see the dose–response effect of ginger and evaluate the possible protective effects of dietary ginger on oxidative stress and genotoxicity induced by streptozotocin (STZ) diabetic rats. Inbred male Wistar/NIN rats of 8–9 weeks old were treated with 30 mg/kg of STZ. Rats were divided into different groups of control, diabetic non-treated, and diabetic treated with ginger powder at 0.5%, 1% and 5% respectively. After feeding for a month, blood and tissues were collected to see the effect of ginger on antioxidant status, DNA damage and bone marrow genotoxicity. In this study ginger exerted a protective effect against STZ-induced diabetes by modulating antioxidant enzymes and glutathione and down regulating lipid and protein oxidation and inhibition in genotoxicity in a dose–response manner.     

Identification and characterization of metabolic properties of bacterial populations recovered from arsenic contaminated ground water of North East India (Assam)

Diversity of culturable bacterial populations within the Arsenic (As) contaminated groundwater of North Eastern state (Assam) of India is studied. From nine As contaminated samples 89 bacterial strains are isolated. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis reveals predominance of Brevundimonas (35%) and Acidovorax (23%) along with Acinetobacter (10%), Pseudomonas (9%) and relatively less abundant (<5%) Undibacterium, Herbaspirillum, Rhodococcus, Staphylococcus, Bosea, Bacillus, Ralstonia, Caulobacter and Rhizobiales members. High As(III) resistance (MTC 10–50 mM) is observed for the isolates obtained from As(III) enrichment, particularly for 3 isolates of genus Brevundimonas   (MTC 50 mM). In contrast, high resistance to As(V) (MTC as high as 550 mM) is present as a ubiquitous property, irrespective of isolates' enrichment condition. Bacterial genera affiliated to other groups showed relatively lower degree of As resistance [MTCs of 15–20 mM As(III) and 250–350 mM As(V)]. As(V) reductase activity is detected in strains with high As(V) as well as As(III) resistance. A strong correlation could be established among isolates capable of reductase activity and siderophore production as well as As(III) tolerance. A large number of isolates (nearly 50%) is capable of anaerobic respiration using alternate inorganic electron acceptors [As(V), Se(VI), Fe(III), ₃NO²⁻${{\text{NO}}_3}^{2\mathrm{-}}$, ₄SO²⁻${{\text{SO}}_4}^{2\mathrm{-}}$, S₂O₃²⁻${{\text{S}}_2{\text{O}}_3}^{2\mathrm{-}}$]. Ability to utilize different carbon sources ranging from C2–C6 compounds along with some complex sugars is also observed. Particularly, a number of strains is found to possess ability to grow chemolithotrophically using As(III) as the electron donor. The study reports for the first time the identity and metabolic abilities of bacteria in As contaminated ground water of North East India, useful to elucidate the microbial role in influencing mobilization of As in the region.     

Low-Temperature Processing of PZT Thick Film by Seeding and High-Energy Ball Milling and Studies on Electrical Properties

Lead zirconate titanate thick film with molecular formula PbZr_0.52Ti_0.42O₃ (PZT) was prepared by a modified conventional sol–gel method through seeding and high-energy ball milling, resulting in perovskite phase formation at lower temperatures. The ball-milling time was optimized by keeping the seed particle loading (5 wt.%) constant in the sol–gel solution. This methodology helped in reduction of the crystalline phase formation temperature to 300°C, which is much lower than that reported in the literature (450°C). The well-established perovskite phase was confirmed by x-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of PZT films revealed uniform and crystalline microstructure. Film prepared by this methodology showed higher spontaneous polarization (2.22 μC/cm²), higher capacitance (1.17 nF), and low leakage current density (18 μA/cm²). The results obtained from ferroelectric characterization showed a strong correlation with the XRD and SEM results.     

Efficacy of early plasmapheresis in Bickerstaff's encephalitis

Double filtration plasmapheresis (DFPP) was performed in a patient with Bickerstaff's brainstem encephalitis (BBE) in its early phase. He was a 27-year-old male patient suffering from diplopia, facial palsy and drowsiness following upper respiratory tract infection, and had high titers of immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies against ganglioside NeuAc(alpha)2-8NeuAc(alpha)2-3Gal(beta)1-3GalNAc(beta)1-4(NeuAc(al pha)2-8NeuAc(alpha)2-3)Gal(beta)1-4Glc(beta)1-1'Cer (GQ1b) in the serum. DFPP effected immediate improvement of his drowsiness, supporting the diagnosis of BBE. Our observations suggest that DFPP during the early phase of BBE efficiently prevents the progression of consciousness disturbances.     

The regulation of drugs and medicines in horse racing in the United States. The Association of Racing Commissioners International Uniform Classification of Foreign Substances Guidelines

It is proposed that both polar and radical reactions should be considered when discussing radical ion reactivity. The fact that only the polar reactivity has dominated previous discussions is pointed out. It is argued that if the configuration mixing model is applicable for the estimation of radical cation-nucleophile (or cation-nucleophile) combination reaction barriers, the theory should also explain the reactivity of the proton toward anionic nucleophiles. The model severely overestimates reaction barriers for the latter reactions. The discussion is centered around the following hypothesis: In the absence of severe steric effects, the reactivity of radical ions, especially evident in the reactions with radicals (for example very few radical cations react with dioxygen at measurable rates), is dominated by the degree of coupling between charge and radical centers. Evidence from the literature supporting the hypothesis is presented for a number of different classes of radical ion reactions. Further work to test the validity of the hypothesis is proposed for many of the reaction types. Triarylmethyl radicals and carbenium ions are suggested as models to which the radical and polar reactivities of 9,10-diarylanthracene radical cations may be compared. It is concluded that the radical cation/carbenium ion comparison (for the reaction with acetate ion) would show similar reactivities while the radical cation/free radical comparison (for the reaction with dioxygen) would fail, since no reaction at all would be observed with the radical cation while the free radical reacts rapidly.     

Effects of albumin and/or furosemide therapy on pulmonary edema induced by hydrochloric acid aspiration in rabbits

Aspiration of hydrochloric acid in rabbits resulted in an increased P(A-a)O2 together with increases in both lung water volume and lung extravascular albumin. This finding suggests lung damage following acid aspiration is related to changes in capillary permeability, with pulmonary edema resulting from the movement of albumin and water into the interstitial space. Therapy with albumin and furosemide together reduced the lung water and albumin accumulation and decreased P(A-a)O2. Treatment with albumin or furosemide alone was ineffective. Caution should be exercised in administering albumin alone for therapy of pulmonary edema when plasma protein is not clearly decreased, or when increased pulmonary capillary permeability is suspected.     

Automated detection of ocular alignment with binocular retinal birefringence scanning

We previously developed a retinal birefingence scanning (RBS) device to detect eye fixation. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a new binocular RBS (BRBS) instrument can detect simultaneous fixation of both eyes. Control (nonmyopic and myopic) and strabismic subjects were studied by use of BRBS at a fixation distance of 45 cm. Binocularity (the percentage of measurements with bilateral fixation) was determined from the BRBS output. All nonstrabismic subjects with good quality signals had binocularity >75%. Binocularity averaged 5% in four subjects with strabismus (range of 0-20%). BRBS may potentially be used to screen individuals for abnormal eye alignment.