Higher Total Activity Research Articles

FUNCTIONAL POTENTIAL OF UNCONVENTIONAL PLANT SOURCES

Objective: Plant phenols are extensively studied, thanks to their many prophylactic (anti-tumoural, ulcer, inflammatory) and therapeutic effects. Their many antioxidants may protect against diabetes, cancer, autoimmune diseases. Our objective was to evaluate antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of our samples: Cocos nucifera (shell), Punica granatum (peel), Citrus limonum (rind), and Ocimum sanctum (stem); in conjugation with phytochemical analysis.
 Methods: The hydro-methanolic extracts of the selected plant parts were assessed for polyphenols. Antioxidant (ferric reducing power assay) and antibacterial (Kirby Bauer disc diffusion) assays were run for varying concentrations against-Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Salmonella typhi. 
 Results: The results showed that the samples all contained polyphenols with high total phenolic activity in pomegranate and high antibacterial activity in coconut. A more comprehensive study could lead to their emphatic incorporation into mainstream medicine and pharmaceuticals–furnishing natural alternatives to their chemical counterparts.
 Conclusion: The present study concludes that hydro-methanolic extracts of the samples contain phytochemicals in high concentrations, conferring upon them promising antioxidant and antimicrobial activity.

Hydrogen Evolution Reaction: Coupling of Ru and O‐Vacancy on 2D Mo‐Based Electrocatalyst Via a Solid‐Phase Interface Reaction Strategy for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction (Adv. Energy Mater. 26/2021)

In article number 2100141, Jie Ding, Baojun Li, Yushan Liu and co-workers, inspired by the glazing of the elegant secret Celadon, design a solid-phase interfacial reaction strategy to prepare hydrogen evolution reaction catalysts. Highly active Ru metal nanoparticles are localized onto the MoO2-VO plane. This report provides a versatile platform for the preparation of multi-component catalysts with high total activity.

Cardioprotective effects of resistance training add to those of total activity in Americans

BackgroundResistance training is cardioprotective independent of total activity in experimental research and is prescribed to clinical populations, but is often largely neglected at population scale. Here we determine whether these benefits are relevant to general practice. MethodsA total of 6947 Americans over 20 years old (51% male) from NHANES 2003–2006 reported resistance training and objectively tracked 1-week total activity. Activity measures were modeled as five-level predictors of objectively measured binary heart-disease risks (hypertension, dyslipidemia, overweight, and diabetes) corrected for age, ethnicity, gender, and smoking. Significance was defined as Pfor trend less than .10 that the lowest activity category differed from the average of all others. If both activity measures predicted the same risk, mutually corrected models were run. ResultsAverage total activity was 20 minutes/day (SD 24). About 30% of subjects had resistance trained in the past month, reporting up to 7 sessions/day. Prevalences of hypertension, dyslipidemia, overweight, and diabetes were 32%, 46%, 68%, and 7.2%, respectively. All significant associations for resistance training (but not total activity) exhibited a threshold in dose–response curve, with comparable benefits from any dose above “none.” Resistance trainers had significantly lower odds of hypertension (ORs, 0.55–0.85), overweight (ORs, 0.55–0.74), and diabetes (ORs, 0.51–0.80), but not dyslipidemia (ORs, 0.55–0.74). For total activity there was no significant trend in risk of either hypertension or dyslipidemia, but there were for overweight (ORs for each quintile above the lowest 1.04, 0.89, 0.78, and 0.49) and diabetes (ORs, 0.83, 0.68, 0.50, and 0.23; all Pfor trend <.01). Associations of resistance training with diabetes and obesity attenuated only slightly after correction for total activity, and vice versa. ConclusionsCardioprotective associations of resistance training were comparable to those of total activity and clinically relevant at low doses. Largest benefits accrued to those who combined any dose of resistance training with high total activity.

Coupling of Ru and O‐Vacancy on 2D Mo‐Based Electrocatalyst Via a Solid‐Phase Interface Reaction Strategy for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

AbstractFor most Mo‐based electrocatalysts, the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity depends on their own active structural defects or extrinsic transition metal centers. In this work, in order to combine the advantages of these two different active centers, a solid‐phase interface reaction (SPIR) strategy is proposed, which simultaneously introduces oxygen vacancies (VO) and metal centers (Ru) into the 2D Mo‐based catalyst. Briefly, this SPIR occurs at the interface between MoS2 and RuO2 nanoparticles of the RuO2/MoS2 precursor when overcoming the kinetic barriers at a suitable temperature under an Ar atmosphere. Since the adjacent parts of RuO2 and MoS2 are converted to Ru and MoO2 in situ, a composite system MiSC‐1 containing a large amount of active Ru and VO on MoO2 plane is obtained. Furthermore, theoretical calculations confirm the proposed mechanism of SPIR. MiSC‐1 shows excellent stability and catalytic performance in the HER, with an overpotential value of 12 mV at 10 mA cm−2 in 1.0 M KOH. Additionally, MiSC‐1 exhibits excellent performance in the hydrolysis of ammonia borane. This report will provide a versatile platform for the preparation of a multi‐component catalyst with high total activity as well as the identification of the structural details of the catalysts.

An Analysis of the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem of Malawi: The Global Entrepreneurship Index (GEI) Approach

The research paper provides an in-depth analysis of the entrepreneurial ecosystem of Malawi. Employing the Global Entrepreneurship Index (GEI) methodology, the findings reveal a weak entrepreneurial ecosystem with a GEI score of 12.2 out of a possible 100. The relationship between the GDP per capita and the three entrepreneurship sub-indices, thus, attitude, ability, and aspiration are very weak and fall well below global average trends. Unfortunately, despite the high total entrepreneurship activities (TEA) in Malawi, this leads to little contribution to the country's GDP per-capita – a common phenomenon in many developing countries. At the pillar level, Malawi’s performance is a mixed bag, however, with most pillars performing not only poorly but below world averages. Despite the general positive perception of entrepreneurship by citizens, the country’s weak entrepreneurial ecosystem has failed to harness the propensity to develop new products and adopt new technologies for innovation and high growth entrepreneurship. From a policy intervention perspective, Malawi needs to focus most of its efforts and investments in five areas that include start-up skills, risk acceptance, high growth, risk capital, and human capital to improve the country's GEI score by 0.02.

Dietary supplementations of methionine improve growth performances, innate immunity, digestive enzymes, and antioxidant activities of rohu (Labeo rohita).

The dietary composition of fish constitutes numerous immune and growth-promoting substance; during the current study, methionine was amended in the diet of Labeo rohita (L. rohita), in order to appraise the diverse modulatory effects of methionine supplementation. Fish were grouped into three on the basis of methionine as methionine supplemented group 1 (MSG1), methionine supplemented group 2 (MSG2), and CTRL (control group). We assessed the effects of methionine at the end. Captivating results were obtained from the methionine supplementing groups. The results depict significantly high (p < 0.05) innate immunity parameters, including myeloperoxidase, IgG concentrations, lysozyme, respiratory burst, and total bacteriolytic activity of complement in MSG2. Furthermore, ameliorate growth performances were also noticed such as high weight gain, FCE%, and body length in MSG2, respectively. We also measuredhigh level of antioxidant digestive enzymes, gut length, and survival rate in MSG2 compared to the rest of the groups. The results were further validated by measuring the stress parameters, such as aspartate aminotransferase (AST), glucose, and hematocrit (HCT%), and the concentration remains low in MSG2. Lastly, after 90 days, fish were challenged with Aeromonas hydrophila, the highest survival was observed in the MSG2 and MSG1 compared to CTRL. These results ultimately give the baseline to the credible effects of methionine on L. rohita.

Independent and Combined Associations of Physical Activity, Sedentary Time, and Activity Intensities With Perceived Stress Among University Students: Internet-Based Cross-Sectional Study.

BackgroundMental health is an emerging topic on university campuses, with students reporting higher levels of psychological distress than the general population of the same age. Increasing physical activity and reducing sedentary time have been proved promising measures to promote mental health in the general population. However, to derive and implement effective measures to promote mental health among university students, further exploration of the associations between physical activity, sedentary time, and perceived stress in this specific setting is needed.ObjectiveThis study aims to identify associations between physical activity, sedentary time, and perceived stress after controlling for sociodemographic and behavioral variables among university students in Germany. We hypothesize that perceived stress is inversely related to physical activity and positively associated with sedentary time. Furthermore, we hypothesize that combined associations of concurrently high physical activity and low sedentary time on perceived stress are stronger compared with either alone and that the association between physical activity and perceived stress depends on activity intensity.MethodsWe conducted cross-sectional analyses from a large-scale internet-based student health survey (n=4189; response rate=10.0%). Physical activity, sedentary time, and engaging in moderate and vigorous activity intensities were assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form with categorization into low, intermediate, and high levels. We measured perceived stress using the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (range 0-40).ResultsThe results indicate that higher physical activity and lower sedentary time are associated with reduced levels of perceived stress. Following adjustment for gender, BMI, income, fruit and vegetable intake, alcohol consumption, and sleep quality, perceived stress scores were lower for students reporting high physical activity levels and low sedentary time compared with the least active and highly sedentary students (Perceived Stress Scale –2.2, 95% CI –2.9 to –1.5, P<.001 for physical activity and –1.1, CI 95% –1.7 to –0.5, P<.001 for sedentary time). Combined associations with perceived stress revealed that students concurrently reporting high total physical activity and low sedentary time reported the lowest perceived stress scores of all possible combinations following adjustment for confounders (Perceived Stress Scale –3.5, CI 95% –4.6 to –2.5, P<.001 compared with students reporting low physical activity levels and concurrently high sedentary time). Associations between vigorous physical activities and perceived stress were not stronger compared with moderate activity intensities.ConclusionsSelf-reported physical activity and low sedentary time are favorably associated with perceived stress, while the intensity of physical activities seems to be of minor importance. These results help to effectively implement health-promoting measures on campus among university students through increasing physical activity and reducing sedentary time.

THE INFLUENCE OF MILK-CLOTTING ENZYMES ON THE FUNCTIONAL PROPERTIES OF PIZZA-CHEESES

The effect of the type and dose of milk-clotting enzymes (Chy-max® M based on recombinant camel chymosin, Fromase® TL based on Rhizomucor miehei protease) on the physicochemical, functional properties and shelf life of pizza-cheeses was studied. When using a low dose of milk-clotting enzymes (MCE) for milk coagulation (250–1100 IMCU per 100 kg of milk), cheeses were obtained with an increased moisture content (55–57%), excessive acidity (pH 4.8–4.9) and texture defects (incoherent, crumbly, with separation of free moisture). This is due to the formation of a weak curd, which releases moisture poorly during processing. The use of an increased dose of MCE makes it possible to obtain a denser curd, better releasing moisture. Cheese produced with a high dose of milk-clotting enzymes (2000–2800 IMCU per 100 kg of milk) had a lower moisture content (52–53%) and lower acidity (pH 5.0–5.1). The protein matrix is more hydrated in these cheeses, which ensures its better water holding capacity and a more homogeneous and cohesive texture. The use of an increased dose of MCE with a high total proteolytic activity (Fromase) gives undesirable consequences in the form of accelerated proteolysis of cheese mass proteins, rapid loss of functional properties of the cheese, and a decrease in the shelf life of cheese (less than 60 days). Cheese production using an increased dose of MCE with a low level of total proteolytic activity (Chy-max M) allows achieving a low level of proteolysis during cheese ripening and increasing its shelf life.

Association of physical activity with risk of hepatobiliary diseases in China: a prospective cohort study of 0.5 million people

ObjectiveThere is limited prospective evidence on the association of physical activity with hepatobiliary cancer subtypes and other major hepatobiliary diseases, especially in China. We aimed to quantify the associations with...

Effect of Cameraria ohridella on accumulation of proteins, peroxidase activity and composition in Aesculus hippocastanum leaves

This study analyzed the dynamics of leaf damage, the content of easily soluble proteins, benzidine-peroxidase activity and the composition of acid enzyme isoforms in the leaves of Aesculus hippocastanum L. under the influence of the chestnut miner Cameraria ohridella Deschka et Dimić (Lepidoptera, Gracillariidae) in plantations in one of the Ukraine’s largest industrial cities Dnipro, located in the steppe zone of Ukraine. During July-August, the destruction of leaves by the pest in relatively stable horse chestnut trees increased to 13.3%, while in unstable trees it increased to 97.5%. The maximum amount of protein was found in horse chestnut leaves in July, which decreased significantly in August and correlated with the level of leaf damage by the pest. The horse chestnut leaves were characterized by a more than twofold increase in cytoplasmic peroxidase activity in cases of high level of damage to the leaves by the phytophage. These observations indicate that consumption of the leaves by C. ohridella causes oxidative stress, which leads to the activation of enzyme. The horse chestnut trees have been shown to respond specifically to the attack of C. ohridella due to changes in the activity of individual peroxidase isozymes, the expression of which varies across the spectrum. In the leaves of the horse chestnut trees with a high level of damage by miner, the expression of enzyme isoforms in the pH range of 4.08–4.15 is significantly activated, which can be considered as a reliable biochemical marker of plant sensitivity of Ae. hippocastanum to phytophagous attack by C. ohridella. However, increase in the degree of phytophage invasion does not change the activity of isoperoxidase 4.21, and isoperoxidase with pI 4.25, 4.42 and 4.58 correspond to a decrease in activity compared with relatively resistant Ae. hippocastanum plants. We noted that the high total activity of peroxidase, as well as active adjustments in the spectrum of the peroxidase system, obviously, contribute to maintaining the functional integrity of the photosynthetic system of leaves of Ae. hippocastanum under the influence of the chestnut miner C. ohridella by neutralizing reactive oxygen species.

Green leafy mustard: A healthy alternative

Peppery, crispy mustard greens are indeed one of the most nutritious green leafy vegetable available during the winter season. The mustard greens similar to spinach and fenugreek are the storehouse of the number of phytonutrients and have health promotional and disease prevention properties. Five selections from germplasm lines from Uttarakhand hills were evaluated for leaf traits, micronutrient profile and anti-oxidative properties. These lines were very tall, late maturing and slow-growing. The maximum leaf area was found in EEC-1 (590.42 cm2) by virtue of its broadleaf (21.89cm) with high protein (26.68%) and zinc content (2.73mg). EEC-5 showed the highest fresh leaf weight (66.53g) and maximum content of iron (20.23mg). With maximum leaf length (40.72cm), EEC-4 was identified as an excellent source of â-carotene (6480µg) which is precursor of vitamin A. Leafy mustard selection EEC-3 possessed the highest amount of micronutrients like phosphorous (720mg), calcium (240mg) and manganese (6.49mg). Fresh mustard greens were found to be an excellent source of antioxidant like flavonoids (EEC-4, 4.88mg) and also show very high total antioxidative activity (EEC-5, 20.09mg). Therefore, from the above investigation, it was found that green mustard leaves can serve as a healthy alternative to most of the winter season leafy vegetables with their high nutraceutical and disease defensive role.

PEMURNIAN PARSIAL DAN KRISTALISASI PAPAIN DARI GETAH Carica papaya

AbstractThis research has done partial purification by fractionation and optimization crystallization of papain from Carica papaya latex with the addition of ammonium sulphate. The enhancement of purification factor was determined by its specific activity. The fractionation results show that papain fraction of Carica papaya can be obtained by adding 40-80% saturated ammonium sulphate, with the highest specific activity, i.e. 2,0819 U/µg and the factor purification increase of 6,27 fold than papain extract. Meanwhile, the highest total activity, i.e. 10,7780 U of papain crystals can be obtained by presipitant agent addition of ammonium sulphate in the level / concentration 80% saturated at 15 °C. Microscopycally papain crystals profile in this condition have cube and tetragonal shape.Key words: crystallization, fractionation, ammonium sulphate, papain

Evaluation of lactic acid bacteria isolated from fermented mustards in lowering hypercholesterol by using bile salt hydrolase (BSH) activity and bile salt de-conjugation

This work evaluates lactic acid bacteria (LAB) obtained from fermented mustards for lowering cholesterol. The LAB strains’ ability to reduce cholesterol in vitro was determined using activity of bile salt hydrolase (BSH) and deconjugation of bile salt in vitro. The LAB strains were examined for their ability to resist acid and bile salt. Strains that can reduce cholesterol adhere to Caco-2 cells and they were identified. 9 LAB isolates had higher total BSH activity (1.07 to 1.92 U/mL) than the reference strains. BSH specific activity range from 1.33 to 3.13 U/mg. Due to different protein contents in the cell extracts, there was no good correlation between the exact BSH activity and total BSH activity by most of the isolates. All of the isolates deconjugated sodium glycocholate, freeing cholic acid, from 1.02 to 2.64 mM. The tested isolates deconjugated sodium glycocholate at different levels. All tested strains exhibited acid tolerance and bile tolerance; they can survive well at pH 3.0 for 3 h and bile tolerance for 24 h. Adhesion of the tested strains to the Caco-2 cell lines, strain B0007 and B0008 strongly adhere in comparison to the control strains and other isolated strains. These results demonstrated positive effect of isolates on BSH activity, deconjugation and thereby leading to the probiotic potential of lowering cholesterol. Key words: Lactic acid bacteria, acid- and bile-tolerant, bile salt hydrolase activity, deconjugation, adhesion activity.

Pharmacological evaluation of hydro-ethanol and hot water leaf extracts of Bauhinia galpinii (Fabaceae): A South African ethnomedicinal plant

Bauhinia galpinii is one of several plant species native to South Africa that has been reported to be used traditionally to manage ailments including gastrointestinal disorders, infectious diseases and inflammation. This study was designed to evaluate the in vitro antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, cytotoxicity and anti-inflammatory activities of the hydro-ethanol (70% ethanol) and hot water extracts of Bauhinia galpinii leaves. The antibacterial and antifungal activities of the extracts were determined using the serial microplate dilution technique. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of seven bacterial strains (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium), Salmonella enterica Serotype Dublin (S. Dublin), Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae) and three clinical fungal isolates (Aspergillus fumigatus, Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans) were determined. The extraction yield and MIC values were used to determine the total activity (TA) of the extracts. Radical scavenging potential of the extracts was determined using the 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay while the lipoxygenase (LOX) enzyme inhibitory assay was used to ascertain the anti-inflammatory activity. The safety of the extracts was determined using the colorimetric mitochondrial viability assay against Vero, Caco-2 and C3A cells. UPLC-MS analysis was also conducted to detect and identify the compounds present in the plant. Results from the study showed that the extracts had inhibitory activities against the growth of all tested pathogens with MIC values ranging from 0.04 to 1.25 mg/ml. Both extracts were most active against S. Typhimurium with MIC = 0.16 mg/ml, while the hot water extract was very active at 48 h incubation against Candida albicans with MIC = 0.04 mg/ml. The hydro-ethanol and hot water extracts had high total antibacterial activity (TAA) of 1000 and 937 ml/g against Salmonella Typhimurium respectively. The highest total antifungal activity of 3750 ml/g was recorded against Candida albicans by the hot water extract. The extracts showed strong DPPH radical scavenging activity with the hydro-ethanol extract displaying higher scavenging activity (IC50 = 3.72 mg/ml) than the hot water extract (IC50 = 10.82 mg/ml). Both extracts had moderate lipoxygenase inhibitory activity. The extracts had relatively low cytotoxic to non-cytotoxic effects with LC50 values of 0.094 to ˃1.000 mg/ml and selectivity index values of 0.075 to 22.698. Three compounds with known biological activity (2′'-O-rhamnosylvitexin, myricetin 3-O-galactopyranoside and quercetin 3-O-galactopyranoside) were tentatively identified from UPLC-MS analysis. Therefore, this study supports the folkloric use of the plant in treating gastrointestinal disorders, inflammation and infectious diseases.

Vertical Silver@Silver Chloride Core–Shell Nanowire Array for Carbon Dioxide Electroreduction

Core–shell nanowires with conductive metal cores and active catalyst shells hold great promise for making a catalyst electrode with high total activity. Indeed, core–shell nanowire arrays have been...

Isolation of Cellulose Degrading Fungi from Decaying Banana Pseudostem and Strelitzia alba.

Cellulases are a group of hydrolytic enzymes that break down cellulose to glucose units. These enzymes are used in the food, beverage, textile, pulp, and paper and the biofuel industries. The aim of this study was to isolate fungi from natural compost and produce cellulases in submerged fermentation (SmF). Initial selection was based on the ability of the fungi to grow on agar containing Avicel followed by cellulase activity determination in the form of endoglucanase and total cellulase activity. Ten fungal isolates obtained from the screening process showed good endoglucanase activity on carboxymethyl cellulose-Congo Red agar plates. Six of the fungal isolates were selected based on high total cellulase activity and identified as belonging to the genera Trichoderma and Aspergillus. In SmF of synthetic media with an initial pH of 6.5 at 30°C Trichoderma longibrachiatum LMLSAUL 14-1 produced total cellulase activity of 8 FPU/mL and endoglucanase activity of 23 U/mL whilst Trichoderma harzianum LMLBP07 13-5 produced 6 FPU/mL and endoglucanase activity of 16 U/mL. The produced levels of both cellulases and endoglucanase by Trichoderma species were higher than the levels for the Aspergillus fumigatus strains. Aspergillus fumigatus LMLPS 13-4 produced higher β-glucosidase 38 U/mL activity than Trichoderma species.

Ghrelin-mediated improvements in the metabolic phenotype in the R6/2 mouse model of Huntington's disease.

Huntington's disease (HD) is a heritable neurodegenerative disorder, characterisedby metabolic disturbances, along with cognitive and psychiatric impairments.Targeting metabolic HD dysfunction via the maintenance of body weight and fat mass and restoration of peripheral energy metabolism can improve the progression of neurological symptoms. In this respect, we focused on the therapeutic potential of the orexigenic peptide hormone ghrelin, which plays an important role in promoting a positive energy balance. In the present study, we found a significant disruption of circadian metabolic regulation in a R6/2 mouse HD model in the late stage of disease. Daily circadian rhythms of activity, energy expenditure, respiratory exchange ratio and feeding were strongly attenuated in R6/2 mice. During the rest phase, R6/2 mice had a higher total activity, elevated energy expenditure and excessive water consumption compared to control mice. We also found that, in the late stage of disease, R6/2 mice had ghrelin axis deficiency as a result of low circulating ghrelin levels, in addition to down-regulation of the ghrelin receptor and several key signalling molecules in the hypothalamus, as well as a reduced responsiveness to exogenous peripheral ghrelin. We demonstrated that, in pre-symptomatic mice, responsiveness to ghrelin is preserved. Chronic ghrelin treatment efficiently increased lean body mass and decreased the energy expenditure and fat utilisation of R6/2 mice in the early stage of disease. In addition, ghrelin treatment was also effective in the normalisation of drinking behaviour and the rest activity of these mice. Ghrelin treatment could provide a novel therapeutic possibility for delaying disease progression; however, deficiency in ghrelin receptor expression could limit its therapeutic potential in the late stage of disease.

In-Vitro Studies on Antitumour and Antimicrobial Activities of Methanolic Kernel Extract of Mangifera Indica L. Cultivar Banganapalli

Mangifera indica L. belongs to the family Anacardiaceae and is considered as “King of all Fruits”. Mango kernels are discarded as waste after the industrial processing and it has several proven medicinal benefits. Attempts were made to study its antitumour and antimicrobial activities. In the current research work, 15 local cultivars of Mangifera indica L. were collected with a motto to screen the best cultivar having high total phenolic content, flavonoid content, antitumour property and antimicrobial activity. Banganapalli cultivar of mango showed high total phenolic content and total flavonoid content i.e. 63.5±1.1 mg GAE/g and 16.7±0.5 mg quercetin/g followed by Royal special cultivar (TPC-58.7±0.6 mg GAE/g TFC-16.2±0.6 mg quercetin/g). Mangifera indica L. cultivar Banganapalli which showed highest total phenolic content and total flavonoid content was screened for its antitumour and antimicrobial properties. Antitumour property was tested by using potato disc assay which recorded 40.12% tumour inhibition percentage. Antimicrobial activity was assessed by agar diffusion method by taking 3 test microorganisms viz. Bacillus subtilis subsp. subtilis DSM 10, Staphylococcus aureus MTCC 737 and Escherichia coli MTCC 46. The measured area of inhibition is around Staphylococcus aureus MTCC 737 in 8.5±0.3 mm followed by E.coli MTCC 46 (8.2±0.3 mm) and Bacillus subtilis sub subtilis (6.6±0.5 mm). The present study showed that the mango kernels which were generally discarded as waste has antitumour and antibacterial properties and further studies need to be carried out.

Effect of zerumbone on scopolamine-induced memory impairment and anxiety-like behaviours in rats

IntroductionWe investigated the effects of zerumbone (1 and 10 mg/kg) against hyperactivity, anxiety and memory impairment in scopolamine-induced dementia in Sprague-Dawley rats. MethodsOpen field tests, elevated plus maze and Morris water maze were performed to assess general locomotor activity, anxiety-like behaviours and learning and memory processes respectively in rats pretreated with scopolamine. ResultsScopolamine-treated rats showed high total activity, stereotype, and total distance travelled in the open field arena, reduced number of entries to open arms, decreased the percentage of time spent in open arms and higher escape latency time in the Morris water maze test. Interestingly, single administration of zerumbone (1 and 10 mg/kg) reversed the hyperactivity, anxiety-like behaviours, and learning impairment effects of scopolamine in the three experimental model studied respectively. DiscussionOur findings demonstrated that the scopolamine-induced impairment of learning and memory was reversed by the administration of zerumbone. As a conclusion, our findings presented the positive effects of zerumbone on dementia-like behaviours in the animal model used and could possibly contribute for future research to manage hyperactivity, anxiety, and learning disabilities.

Production of Short-Lived Radioisotopes for Nuclear Medicine in Electron Accelerators

Research on the use of photonuclear reactions in the production of isotopes for nuclear medicine is reviewed. The review includes the analysis of distinctive features of isotope production in electron accelerators and assessment of the possibility of such production. The review also presents the results of experimental studies on the production of short-lived 18F, 47Sc, and 67Cu radioisotopes with significantly high total activities in a split microtron with the electron energy of ~55MeV and the separation of 18F and 67Cu with high specific activities from the targets.