Physicochemical and Rheological Properties of Succinoglycan Overproduced by Sinorhizobium meliloti 1021 Mutant

Commercial bacterial exopolysaccharide (EPS) applications have been gaining interest; therefore, strains that provide higher yields are required for industrial-scale processes. Succinoglycan (SG) is a type of bacterial anionic exopolysaccharide produced by Rhizobium, Agrobacterium, and other soil bacterial species. SG has been widely used as a pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food additive based on its properties as a thickener, texture enhancer, emulsifier, stabilizer, and gelling agent. An SG-overproducing mutant strain (SMC1) was developed from Sinorhizobium meliloti 1021 through N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (NTG) mutation, and the physicochemical and rheological properties of SMC1-SG were analyzed. SMC1 produced (22.3 g/L) 3.65-fold more SG than did the wild type. Succinoglycan (SMC1-SG) overproduced by SMC1 was structurally characterized by FT-IR and 1H NMR spectroscopy. The molecular weights of SG and SMC1-SG were 4.20 × 105 and 4.80 × 105 Da, respectively, as determined by GPC. Based on DSC and TGA, SMC1-SG exhibited a higher endothermic peak (90.9 °C) than that of SG (77.2 °C). Storage modulus (G') and loss modulus (G″) measurements during heating and cooling showed that SMC1-SG had improved thermal behavior compared to that of SG, with intersections at 74.9 °C and 72.0 °C, respectively. The SMC1-SG's viscosity reduction pattern was maintained even at high temperatures (65 °C). Gelation by metal cations was observed in Fe3+ and Cr3+ solutions for both SG and SMC1-SG. Antibacterial activities of SG and SMC1-SG against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were also observed. Therefore, like SG, SMC1-SG may be a potential biomaterial for pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food industries.

Chemical and physical properties of winter squash and their correlation with liking of their sensory attributes

Cucurbita moschata, commonly known as squash or pumpkin, is a member of the Cucurbitaceae family originating from Central America. This species is regarded as heat tolerant and disease resistant and is commonly used in breeding programs. Calabaza (wintersquash) is an emerging market type of C. moschata with increasing popularity in the United States; however, limited research has been conducted to understand how sensory qualities influence consumers' acceptability and willingness to pay (price). This study compared the sensory perception of C. moschata accessions grown in the continental southeastern United States with their physical and chemical properties using squash prepared from fresh and frozen states. The eight accessions investigated included five hybrids of calabaza from the University of Florida (University of Florida Tropical Pumpkin #), two commercial cultivars of calabaza (La Estrella and Soler), and one butternut squash cultivar (Waltham). The evaluation of fresh calabaza revealed significant differences in consumer preference among cultivars in addition to correlations with sensory attributes. UFTP8 and UFTP24 received the highest ratings, whereas UFTP38 and 'La Estrella' were rated lowest. Interestingly, the evaluation of frozen calabaza revealed UFTP8 and 'Waltham' Butternut squash as the highest in ranking, while UFTP38 and 'La Estrella' retained the lowest ranking. Consumer ratings of fresh samples revealed positive correlations between overall liking, sweetness liking, and texture liking with willingness to pay and soluble solids content (SSC). For calabaza intended for the frozen market, the color, hardness, and SSC were identified as the most significant parameters impacting willingness to pay. These results show how quality attributes can play a crucial role in consumers perception of quality and significantly influence their reported willingness to pay. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Producers and breeders can use positively correlated attributes as indicators of overall liking and to determine pricing for C. moschata products.

Combination of sensory evaluation with conventional physiochemical analyses to evaluate quality changes during long-term storage and estimate the shelf life of chicken eggs

1. This study developed a comprehensive sensory evaluation system that consisted of descriptions corresponding to United States Department of Agriculture photos to evaluate overall acceptability, albumen and yolk appearances and odours. It determined physiochemical parameters of eggs stored at 7°C (7W12 and 7U12 for washed and unwashed, respectively) for 12 weeks and stored at 25°C (25W4 and 25U4 for washed and unwashed, respectively) for four weeks.2. Throughout storage, there was a general downward trend in Haugh units (HU) and yolk index and an upward trend in air cell size, weight loss and S-ovalbumin content were observed (P < 0.05). The 25W4 and 25U4 egg quality rapidly deteriorated from grade AA (HU 81.7) to grade B after two weeks (HU 46.5 and 49.6), whereas 7W12 and 7U12 eggs remained grade A after 12 weeks (HU 67.3 and 66.9). High correlations were observed between the sensory and physiochemical parameters (i.e., R2 = 0.93, 0.93, 0.88 and 0.94 for albumen appearance, yolk appearance, sensorial odour and overall acceptability, respectively, with HU in 25W4 eggs).3. Eggs stored at 25°C and classified into 'premium', 'class I', and 'class II' on the basis of their HU had estimated shelf life of 0.5, 1.5 and 2.5 weeks, while shelf lives of 4, 9 and 15 weeks were estimated for 7°C-stored premium, class I and II eggs, respectively.4. In conclusion, distinct HU requirements for eggs of different quality classes under two storage temperatures need to be established. Incorporating sensory evaluation with conventional physiochemical analyses is promising to assess and estimate egg quality changes. Further research work about the influences of different storage temperatures and possible temperature fluctuations during storage on egg quality changes is needed.

Recent Advances for Dynamic-Based Therapy of Atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory disease, which may lead to high morbidity and mortality. Currently, the clinical treatment strategy for AS is administering drugs and performing surgery. However, advanced therapy strategies are urgently required because of the deficient therapeutic effects of current managements. Increased number of energy conversion-based organic or inorganic materials has been used in cancer and other major disease treatments, bringing hope to patients with the development of nanomedicine and materials. These treatment strategies employ specific nanomaterials with specific own physiochemical properties (external stimuli: light or ultrasound) to promote foam cell apoptosis and cholesterol efflux. Based on the pathological characteristics of vulnerable plaques, energy conversion-based nano-therapy has attracted increasing attention in the field of anti-atherosclerosis. Therefore, this review focuses on recent advances in energy conversion-based treatments. In addition to summarizing the therapeutic effects of various techniques, the regulated pathological processes are highlighted. Finally, the challenges and prospects for further development of dynamic treatment for AS are discussed.

Effect of storage on physicochemical attributes of ice cream enriched with microencapsulated anthocyanins from black carrot

The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of storage on quality attributes of microencapsulated black carrot anthocyanins-enriched ice cream. Purposely, black carrot anthocyanins were obtained using ethanolic extraction. Later on, extracts were acidified and microencapsulated with gum arabic and maltodextrin (1:1). Results showed that anthocyanin contents for T₃ (9% microencapsulated anthocyanins powder-enriched ice cream) had highest anthocyanin contents in the range of 143.21 ± 1.14 mg/100 g. However, during the storage, it was revealed that there was a slight decline in constituents concentration reasoned to oxygen exposure and interaction with other food ingredients. Similarly, for total phenolic content, the highest amount was found in T₃ as 545.38 ± 4.34 mg GAE/100 g. The quality attributes of prepared ice cream treatments were also found acceptable till the end of the study (60 days). Conclusively, the addition of microencapsulated anthocyanins powder in ice cream proved to stabilize black carrot anthocyanins and contributed positively to the sensory characteristics of ice cream.

Storability and Linear Regression Models of Pericarp Browning and Decay in Fifty Litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) Cultivars at Room Temperature Storage

The primary cause for the limited shelf life of litchi fruit is rapid pericarp browning and decay. This study aims to evaluate the storability of 50 litchi varieties and establish a linear regression model for pericarp browning and decay based on 11 postharvest physical and chemical indices after 9 days of storage at room temperature. The results indicated that the average value of the browning index and decay rate significantly increased to 3.29% and 63.84% of 50 litchi varieties at day 9, respectively. Different litchi varieties showed different variations in appearance indicators, quality indicators, and physiological indicators. Furthermore, principal component analysis and cluster analysis revealed that Liu Li 2 Hao exhibited the highest resistance to storage, whereas Dong Long Mi Li, Jiao Pan Li, E Dan Li 2 Hao, and Ren Shan Li were not resistant. Stepwise multiple regression analysis further demonstrated that the factors were highly correlated with the decay index, with a partial correlation coefficient of 0.437 between the effective index and the decay index. Therefore, pericarp thickness, relative conductivity, pericarp laccase activity, and total soluble solids were significant indicators for the comprehensive evaluation of litchi browning and decay, and relative conductivity was the significant determinant causing fruit browning. These findings provide a new perspective on the sustainable development of the litchi industry.

Evaluation of Drinking Water Quality From Water Coolers in Makkah, Saudi Arabia

The quality of drinking water is an important health issue in crowded cities, so that an adequate drinking water with good quality must be provided, hence over hundreds of water coolers are distributed in Makkah city to cope with the increasing demand for drinking water. The present study aimed to determine the chemical and microbial quality of drinking water from coolers in Makkah city. Sixty-three samples from randomly selected water coolers were tested for chemical and bacteriological quality. For all samples, the mean value of physiochemical tests of pH (7.12), TDS (152.7 ppm), turbidity (2.56 NTU), free chlorine (0.312 ppm), fluoride (0.112 ppm), chloride (25.7 ppm), bromide (0.123 ppm), nitrate (0.616 ppm), sulfate (8.36 ppm), lithium (0.134 ppm), sodium (17.6 ppm), potassium (1.42 ppm), magnesium (1.95 ppm), calcium (19.2 ppm), chromium (0.025 ppm), cadmium (0.0026 ppm), and lead (0.0244 ppm) did not exceed the reference values of the drinking water regulations. The total coliform count was detected in 3.2% of the water samples. For total coliform count, the MPN in the majority of water samples (96.8%) was excellent while for E. coli count, the MPN in all water samples (100%) was excellent. Bacteriological quality has shown that no Pseudomonas, Salmonellae, or Legionellae species contamination detected. It was concluded that, the drinking waters in coolers in Makkah city were complied with international standards and within the acceptable limit. It is worth to continue periodic inspection and maintenance for the drinking water coolers during mass gatherings.

Effects of microbial interspecies relationships and physicochemical parameters on volatile flavors in sorghum-based fermented grains during the fermentation of Shanxi light-flavored liquor

In this study, high-throughput technology was used to reveal the core microbial community in sorghum-based fermented grains during different fermentation periods and to quantify the impacts of physicochemical parameters and microbial interspecies relationships on the volatile flavors. Headspace solid-phase microextraction, coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, was used to select 14 major volatile products with relative content greater than 1% in at least one sample, including three alcohols, one acid, eight esters, and two alkanes. The relative content of alkanes was only high on the first day and continued to decrease during the later fermentation stage. As fermentation progressed, the relative content of ethanol, ethyl acetate (aroma), and isoamyl alcohol (pungent, spicy) first increased and then decreased. In addition, the relative content of other ethyl esters continued to increase. In the early stage of fermentation (1-7 days), the temperature, moisture, and alcohol content showed an upward trend, while the content of reducing sugar decreased. As the temperature decreased in the middle and later stages (7-28 days), the physicochemical parameters tended to stabilize. In community composition, the dominant bacterial genera were Lactobacillus, Streptomyces, and Acetobacter, and the fungal genera were mainly Issatchenkia, Torulaspora, and Pichia. Network analysis identified a total of 10 core microbiota as the main contributors of esters and alkane metabolites. Moreover, total acidity and reducing sugar played important roles in promoting the formation of core microbiota and succession of dominant taxa.

Influence of Water on Gel Electrolytes for Zinc-Ion Batteries

Gel electrolytes are being intensively explored for aqueous rechargeable zinc-ion batteries, especially towards high performance and multi-functionalities. Water plays a central role on the fundamental properties, interface reaction/interaction, and performance of the gel-type zinc electrolyte. In this review, the influence of water on the physiochemical properties of gel electrolytes is focused on. The correlation between water activity and the fundamental properties of zinc electrolytes is presented. Current approaches and challenges in manipulating water activity and the consequent influence on the electrochemical stability, transport, and interface kinetics of gel electrolytes are summarized. An outlook on approaches to tuning and investigating water activity is provided to shed light on the design of advanced gel electrolytes.

Utility of physiologically based pharmacokinetic modeling to predict inter-antibody variability in monoclonal antibody pharmacokinetics in mice

In this investigation, we tested the hypothesis that a physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model incorporating measured in vitro metrics of off-target binding can largely explain the inter-antibody variability in monoclonal antibody (mAb) pharmacokinetics (PK). A diverse panel of 83 mAbs was evaluated for PK in wild-type mice and subjected to 10 in vitro assays to measure major physiochemical attributes. After excluding for target-mediated elimination and immunogenicity, 56 of the remaining mAbs with an eight-fold variability in the area under the curve (A U C 0 - 672 h : 1.74 × 106 -1.38 × 107 ng∙h/mL) and 10-fold difference in clearance (2.55-26.4 mL/day/kg) formed the training set for this investigation. Using a PBPK framework, mAb-dependent coefficients F1 and F2 modulating pinocytosis rate and convective transport, respectively, were estimated for each mAb with mostly good precision (coefficient of variation (CV%) <30%). F1 was estimated to be the mean and standard deviation of 0.961 ± 0.593, and F2 was estimated to be 2.13 ± 2.62. Using principal component analysis to correlate the regressed values of F1/F2 versus the multidimensional dataset composed of our panel of in vitro assays, we found that heparin chromatography retention time emerged as the predictive covariate to the mAb-specific F1, whereas F2 variability cannot be well explained by these assays. A sigmoidal relationship between F1 and the identified covariate was incorporated within the PBPK framework. A sensitivity analysis suggested plasma concentrations to be most sensitive to F1 when F1 > 1. The predictive utility of the developed PBPK model was evaluated against a separate panel of 14 mAbs biased toward high clearance, among which area under the curve of PK data of 12 mAbs was predicted within 2.5-fold error, and the positive and negative predictive values for clearance prediction were 85% and 100%, respectively. MAb heparin chromatography assay output allowed a priori identification of mAb candidates with unfavorable PK.

Development of Carrot Nutraceutical Products as an Alternative Supplement for the Prevention of Nutritional Diseases

Nutraceuticals can serve as an alternative supplement to overcome nutritional deficiency for a healthy lifestyle. They can also play a key role in disease management. To develop carrot nutraceutical products, 64 genotypes from four different continents were evaluated for a range of morpho-nutrition variables. Genetic variability, heritability, strength and direction of association among variables, and direct and indirect relationships among physiochemical and nutritional traits with β-carotene content were evaluated. Core diameter, foliage weight, root weight and shoulder weight showed significant association with β-carotene accumulation. Principal component analysis for physiochemical and nutritional assessment divided these genotypes into two distinctive groups, Eastern carrots and Western carrots. Caloric and moisture content had high positive associations with β-carotene content while carbohydrate content was negatively associated. Five genotypes (T-29, PI 634658, PI 288765, PI 164798, and Ames 25043) with the highest β-carotene contents were selected for making three nutraceutical supplements (carrot-orange juice, carrot jam and carrot candies). These nutraceutical supplements retained high β-carotene content coupled with antioxidant properties. Carrot jam (6.5 mg/100 g) and carrot candies (4.8 mg/100 g) had greater concentrations of β-carotene than carrot-orange juice (1.017 mg/100 g). Carrot jam presented high antioxidant activity with the highest values in T-29 (39% inhibition of oxidation) followed by PI 634658 (37%), PI 164798 (36.5%), Ames 25043 (36%) and PI 288765 (35.5%). These nutraceutical products, with 4–6.5 mg/100 g β-carotene content, had higher values than the USDA recommended dietary intake of 3–6 mg β-carotene/day can be recommended for daily use to lower the risk of chronic disease.

Inoculation of Lactobacillus sakei on Quality Traits of Dry Fermented Sausages

In this study, fermented sausage prepared by inoculating different strains of Lactobacillus sakei was assessed for their physiochemical, microbiological, and textural characteristics during fermentation and ripening. Five treatments were prepared: Control (commercial starter culture, C), L. sakei Korean Collection for Type Cultures (KCTC)-3802 (S1), L. sakei KCTC-3598 (S2), L. sakei KCTC-5053 (S3), and L. sakei KCTC-3603 (S4). The different strains of L. sakei did not show substantial differences (P>0.05) in pH values for dry fermented sausages at the end of the ripening period. Water activity (aw) values for all treatments were below 0.85 (P<0.05). Total viable count at the end of the study decreased in all L. sakei starter culture inoculated fermented sausages as S3> S2> S1> S4. High values of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) count and hardness were observed in the S2 batch as compared to other L. sakei inoculated treatments at the end of ripening (21st day). S3 inoculated with L. sakei strain exhibited significantly (P<0.05) higher value of a* (redness). A significant difference (P<0.05) in thiobarbituric acid reactive substances was exhibited in the following order: S4> S2> S1> S3> C. This study suggests that inoculation of S3 (L. sakei KCTC-5053) strain can improve the red color and reduce lipid oxidation while S2 enhances better microbiological quality as LAB. Incorporation of S3 and S2 strains accordingly can be helpful to enhance the quality of dry fermented sausages.

Microbial Diversity and Characteristics of Kombucha as Revealed by Metagenomic and Physicochemical Analysis

Kombucha is a fermented tea made from a Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast (SCOBY) with a long history of use as a health tonic. It is likely that most health benefits come from the tea and fermentation metabolites from specific microbial communities. Despite its growing importance as a functional health drink, the microbial ecosystem present in kombucha has not been fully documented. To characterize the microbial composition and biochemical properties of 'The Good Brew' original base kombucha, we used metagenomics amplicon (16S rRNA and ITS) sequencing to identify the microbial communities at the taxonomic level. We identified 34 genera with 200 microbial species yet described in kombucha. The dominance of organic acid producing microorganisms Acetobacter, Komagataeibacter and Starmerella are healthy for the human gut and their glucose metabolising activities have a putative role in preventing conditions such as diabetes and obesity. Kombucha contains high protein (3.31 µg/mL), high phenolic content (290.4 mg/100 mL) and low sugars (glucose: 1.87 g/L; sucrose 1.11 g/L; fructose: 0.05 g/L) as compared to green tea. The broad microbial diversity with proven health benefits for the human gut suggests kombucha is a powerful probiotic. These findings are important to improve the commercial value of kombucha and uncover the immense prospects for health benefits.

Sensory and Physical Characteristics of M. biceps femoris from Older Cows Using Ginger Powder (Zingibain) and Sous Vide Cooking

This study aimed to evaluate the sensory and physical characteristics of zingibain-injected meat combined with sous vide cooking. M. biceps femoris (BF; n = 12) acquired from 6-7 year old Angus cows were cooked using the sous vide method at 65 °C, for 8 h or 12 h, either with ginger powder (GP) injected in a 2 g/L solution in water (treatment) or un-injected (control). The sensory attributes included flavour, juiciness, tenderness, and physicochemical characteristics were Warner-Bratzler shear (WBSF), hardness, total water content (TWC), cooking loss (CL) and collagen content. A significant improvement in tenderness with injection treatment and cooking time was observed, as evaluated through trained sensory panellists, and reduced WBSF and hardness (p < 0.05 for all). The flavour of the meat was not affected by injection treatment or cooking time (p > 0.05), but juiciness and TWC were reduced with longer cooking times (p < 0.01 for both). Soluble collagen increased with injection treatment and cooking time (both p < 0.05). Moderate to high correlations were found between sensory and physical measurements for tenderness and juiciness. The longer cooking time (12 h) with GP injection treatment caused over tenderization of the meat. The soft texture associated with over-tenderization may be suitable for some specialised consumer markets, for instance, the elderly population with chewing difficulties. Improving the eating quality of low-quality meat from old animals through sous vide cooking and the use of ginger proteases may increase the acceptability of lower value beef, potentially enhancing the commercial value of carcasses typically produced in the beef industry.

African black soap: Physiochemical, phytochemical properties, and uses

The African black soap is popular for its cleansing and medicinal properties particularly amongst those of African descent. The "traditional" African black soap" refers to soaps made from the ash-derived alkali from agricultural waste and oil extracted from vegetable matter without the addition of cosmetic enhancing products. Production of black soap has been traced to west Africa especially Nigeria and Ghana. The raw materials are readily available in the region making the soap available and affordable for most in sub-Saharan Africa. It has been described as gentle, super fatted and hypoallergenic. It is advertised as antimicrobial, anti-acne, exfoliating, skin toning, scar fading, and having medicinal properties. It is popular for its management of skin diseases, although some of the claims remain anecdotal. Generations of Africans abroad continue to use modified versions of the soap and claim they are satisfied with the results obtained. However, in the management of patients with skin disorders, especially eczema, in sub-Saharan Africa, prescribing an ideal skin cleanser can be challenging as many cannot afford the imported nonsoap cleansers with skin friendly pH. Studies have shown that the traditional black soap does have antimicrobial properties against Staphylococcal and some Streptococcal organisms, which are commonly seen in the tropical climate. The recent ban of some antiseptics in popular antibacterial soaps in this environment, emphasizes the need for production of safer antimicrobials. The antimicrobial, physiochemical, and phytochemical properties of the African black soap suggest it may have beneficial effects on the overall skin health.

Alzheimer's Disease Targeted Nano-Based Drug Delivery Systems

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disease, and is part of a massive and growing health care burden that is destroying the cognitive function of more than 50 million individuals worldwide. Today, therapeutic options are limited to approaches with mild symptomatic benefits. The failure in developing effective drugs is attributed to, but not limited to the highly heterogeneous nature of AD with multiple underlying hypotheses and multifactorial pathology. In addition, targeted drug delivery to the central nervous system (CNS), for the diagnosis and therapy of neurological diseases like AD, is restricted by the challenges posed by blood-brain interfaces surrounding the CNS, limiting the bioavailability of therapeutics. Research done over the last decade has focused on developing new strategies to overcome these limitations and successfully deliver drugs to the CNS. Nanoparticles, that are capable of encapsulating drugs with sustained drug release profiles and adjustable physiochemical properties, can cross the protective barriers surrounding the CNS. Thus, nanotechnology offers new hope for AD treatment as a strong alternative to conventional drug delivery mechanisms. In this review, the potential application of nanoparticle based approaches in Alzheimer's disease and their implications in therapy is discussed.

Microbial Fabrication of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles and Evaluation of Their Antimicrobial and Photocatalytic Properties

Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles have attracted significant interest in a number of applications ranging from electronics to biomedical sciences due to their large exaction binding energy (60 meV) and wide bandgap of 3.37 eV. In the present study, we report the low-cost bacterium based “eco-friendly” efficient synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles by using the zinc-tolerant bacteria Serratia nematodiphila. The physicochemical characterization of ZnO nanoparticles was performed by employing UV-vis spectroscopy, XRD, TEM, DLS, Zeta potential, and Raman spectroscopy. The antimicrobial and antifungal studies were investigated at different concentrations using the agar well-diffusion method, whereby the microbial growth rate decreases with the increase in nanoparticle concentration. Further, photocatalytic performance studies were conducted by taking methyl orange (MO) as a reference dye.

Insights into Putative Health Implications of Gelam (Melaleuca cajuputi) Honey: Evidence from In-Vivo and In-Vitro Studies

Honey has been used as a therapeutic agent since ancient times for health maintenance and the treatment of various ailments. In modern days, researchers reappraised the therapeutic values of honey, such as anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anti-diabetic, anti-tumor, and wound healing properties. These findings supported its applications in the modern healthcare system as complementary medicine. Gelam honey (GH) is a monofloral Malaysian honey which has been proven to have considerable health benefits. This paper presents a state of the art review on the therapeutic values of GH. A descriptive elucidation is performed to elaborate a wide spectrum of biological activities of GH using evidence from a considerable body of literature. The compositional and physiochemical characteristics of GH have contributed substantially to its putative biological properties. A brief explanation will be presented on GH attributes to familiarize readers with this novel natural health product.

The effect of long-term storage on the physiochemical and bactericidal properties of electrochemically activated solutions

Electrochemically activated solutions (ECAS) are generated by electrolysis of NaCl solutions, and demonstrate broad spectrum antimicrobial activity and high environmental compatibility. The biocidal efficacy of ECAS at the point of production is widely reported in the literature, as are its credentials as a "green biocide." Acidic ECAS are considered most effective as biocides at the point of production and ill suited for extended storage. Acidic ECAS samples were stored at 4 °C and 20 °C in glass and polystyrene containers for 398 days, and tested for free chlorine, pH, ORP and bactericidal activity throughout. ORP and free chlorine (mg/L) in stored ECAS declined over time, declining at the fastest rate when stored at 20 °C in polystyrene and at the slowest rate when stored at 4 °C in glass. Bactericidal efficacy was also affected by storage and ECAS failed to produce a 5 log(10) reduction on five occasions when stored at 20 °C. pH remained stable throughout the storage period. This study represents the longest storage evaluation of the physiochemical parameters and bactericidal efficacy of acidic ECAS within the published literature and reveals that acidic ECAS retain useful bactericidal activity for in excess of 12 months, widening potential applications.

Comparative pharmacognostical investigation on four ethanobotanicals traditionally used as Shankhpushpi in India

People in Indian region often apply Shankhpushpi and other Sanskrit-based common name to Evolvulus alsinoides, Convolvulus pluricaulis, Canscora decussata, and Clitorea ternatea. These are pre-European names that are applied to a medicinal plant. Before the establishment of British rule, like the other books, ayurvedic treatises were also hand written. This might be one of the reasons due to which ayurveda could not stand parallel to the western medicine and an ambiguity is reflected in the interpretation of names and description of drugs found in the books like Charaka Samhita and Sushruta Samhita. The most widespread application of Shankhpushpi is for mental problems, but they have been considered for an array of other human maladies. The present investigation deals with the comparative pharmacognostical evaluation of four ethanobotanicals of Shankhpushpi. A comparative morphoanatomy of the root, stem, and leaves has been studied with the aim to aid pharmacognostic and taxonomic species identification. Various physicochemical, morphological, histological parameters, comparative high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC), and comparative high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), chromatogram of methanolic extract presented in this communication may serve the purpose of standard parameters to establish the authenticity of commercialized varieties and can possibly help to differentiate the drug from the other species. All the parameters were studied according to the WHO and pharmacopoeial guidelines.

Assessment of the quality of water from hand-dug wells in ghana

This study focused upon the determination of physicochemical and microbial properties, including metals, selected anions and coliform bacteria in drinking water samples from hand-dug wells in the Kumasi metropolis of the Republic of Ghana. The purpose was to assess the quality of water from these sources. Ten different water samples were taken from different parts of Kumasi, the capital of the Ashanti region of Ghana and analyzed for physicochemical parameters including pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, alkalinity total hardness and coliform bacteria. Metals and anions analyzed were Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, NO(3) (-), NO(2) (-), SO(4) (2-), PO(4) (2-), F(-) and Cl(-). Bacteria analysed were total coliform and Escherichia coli.THE DATA SHOWED VARIATION OF THE INVESTIGATED PARAMETERS IN SAMPLES AS FOLLOWS: pH, 6.30-0.70; conductivity (EC), 46-682 muS/cm; PO(4) (3-), 0.67-76.00 mg/L; F(-), 0.20-0.80 mg/L; NO(3) (-), 0-0.968 mg/L; NO(2) (-), 0-0.063 mg/L; SO(4) (2-), 3.0-07.0 mg/L; Fe, 0-1.2 mg/L; Mn, 0-0.018 mg/L. Total coliform and Escherichia coli were below the minimum detection limit (MDL) of 20 MPN per 100 ml in all the samples. The concentrations of most of the investigated parameters in the drinking water samples from Ashanti region were within the permissible limits of the World Health Organization drinking water quality guidelines.