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Plastics around the globe have been a matter of grave concern due to the unavoidable habits of human mankind. Taking waste statistics in India for the year 2019–20 into account, the data of 60 major cities show that the generation of plastic waste stands tall at around 26,000 tonnes/day, of which only about 60 % is recycled. A majority of the non‐recycled plastic waste is petrochemical‐based packaging materials that are non‐biodegradable in nature. Vegetative/food waste is another global issue, evidenced by vastly populated countries such as China and India accounting for 91 and 69 tonnes of food wastage, respectively in 2019. The mitigation of plastic packaging issues has led to key scientific developments, one of which is biodegradable materials. However, there is a way that these two waste‐related issues can be fronted as the analogy of "taking two shots with the same arrow". The presence of various bio‐compounds such as proteins, cellulose, starch, lipids, and waxes, etc., in food and vegetative waste, creates an opportunity for the development of biodegradable packaging films. Although these flexible packaging films have limitations in terms of mechanical, permeation, and moisture absorption characteristics, they can be fine‐tuned in order to convert the biobased raw material into a realizable packaging product. These strategies could work in replacing petrochemical‐based non‐biodegradable packaging plastics which are used in enormous quantities for various household and commercial packaging applications to combat the ever‐increasing pollution in highly populated countries. This paper presents a systematic review based on modern scientific tools of the literature available with a major emphasis on the past decade and aims to serve as a standard resource for the development of biodegradable packaging films from food/vegetative waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim of this study is uncovering potential strains of microalgae from Indore, Madhya Pradesh situated in central India with a diverse climate for sustainable production of different bio‐products. Assessing the entire biochemical profile is crucial to select species‐ specific metabolites for sustainability of algal bio‐refinery processes. In the current study, seven algal species (C. proboscideum, Desmodesmus psuedocommunis, Asterarcys quadricellulare, Ettlia texensis, Pediludiela daitoensis, Coelastrella sp., Pectinodesmus sp.) were isolated and identified using Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) and 18 s rRNA sequences, and these species found to be from the Chlorophyta phylum. The highest biomass productivity (51.25 ± 1.96 μg/ml/day) with chlorophyll content (33.07 ± 0.63 μg/ml) was observed in A. quadricellulare on 21st day (P < 0.0001). Biochemical profiling of isolated species showed each species is unique in its biochemical composition (total lipids, carbohydrates, and proteins). Coelastrella sp. and Pectinodesmus sp. was found to be accumulating considerable quantities of (P < 0.0001) carbohydrates (303.3 ± 1.11 μg/mg dry cell weight) and lipids (212.67 ± 2.53 μg/mg per dry cell weight), respectively. Whereas P. daitoensis was found best (P < 0.0001) for protein production (205.78 ± 2.56 μg/mg dry cell weight), on 21st day. Highest total fatty acid content was detected in Pectinodesmus sp. (115.74 μg/mg) on 21st day, which has shown good saturated fatty acid (SFA) and mono unsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) percentage, inflicting high quality biodiesel production. Confocal microscopy further supported the data. Assessing the biochemical profile at different phases of growth for each species therefore reduce the production time of biofuels as well as make this process much more cost‐effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discovery of high-yielding microalgae rich in valuable lipids, proteins, pigments, or carbohydrates is essential to the growth of nutraceutical and biofuel industries. Therefore, bioprospecting of microalgae from diverse environmental conditions has become highly significant to meet the demand of such bioresources globally. In this context, bioprospecting of three species of microalgae isolated from bloomed freshwaters of Kerala, India, was carried out; morphological and molecular characterizations revealed two of the algae as new species to science and named accordingly. The industrial potentials of these algae (Fasciculochloris boldii (MH992105.1), Sphaerocystis antoni-kadavilaii Ray & Prasanth sp. nov. (MK005299.1), and Chlorella zachariaii Ray & Prasanth sp. nov. (MH930447.1)) were assessed in terms of biomass yield and biochemical profile. The alga Sphaerocystis antoni-kadavilaii with a biomass yield of 176.8 ± 2.0% increase L−1 day−1, lipid productivity of 4.4 ± 0.3 mg L−1 day−1, the protein content of 46.1%, is found promising, in comparison with the known species such as Spirulina sp. and Chlorella sp. It is high in chlorophyll a, and total carotenoid content as well. The alga Fasciculochloris boldii showed high lipid content of 26.8 ± 1.1% and the alga Chlorella zachariaii showed 30.1% of omega-3 fractions in its total fatty acids. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed biodiesel feasibility of lipids from all these algae. However, the alga Fasciculochloris boldii with high proportions of saturated fatty acids in its lipid (71.2%) can be considered as a potential species for biodiesel as the biodiesel from the same also shows the required cetane number (63.3) and low iodine value (38.9). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sources of organic matter in three typical mangrove systems of Cochin estuary were assessed for the first time with help of sediment bulk parameters and fatty acid biomarkers. The C/N and δ13C analysis showed intermediate values to that of autochthonous and terrestrial inputs of organic matter, signaling to a mixed origin. The biochemical composition of sedimentary organic matter revealed a dominance of lipids over proteins and carbohydrates, indicating the nutritive or energetic value as well as the freshness of organic matter in all the systems. Fatty acids ranging from C8 to C24 were identified in the study. C20:5n-3 was one of the major fatty acids at station 1, indicating significant benthic phytoplankton contribution. The zooplankton biomarkers C20:1 and C24:1 were also present in appreciable levels, suggesting the tidal influx. Principal fatty acids at station 2 were the zooplankton biomarkers C20:1 and C24:1 implying significant estuarine contribution through tidal influx. The major fatty acids at station 3 were diatom marker C20:5n-3 and the higher plant marker C24:0. Dominant fatty acids in mangrove leaves; C18:2n-6 and C18:3n-3 were also present at station 3. The low contributions of C20:1 and C24:1 confirms the limited tidal exchange at this station. Presence of significant amount polyunsaturated fatty acids in the mangrove sediments confirms the freshness of organic matter. Thus, fatty acid biomarker study of the three mangrove systems of Cochin estuary could substantiate the bulk parameter approaches effectively; distinguishing the multiple sources of the organic matter and the observed spatial variations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Resveratrol is a naturally occurring polyphenolic compound. Numerous animal studies have been reported on its wide-ranging beneficial effects in the biological system including diabetes mellitus (DM). We hypothesized, therefore, that oral supplementation of resveratrol would improve the glycemic control and the associated risk factors in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The present clinical study was therefore carried out to test the hypothesis. Sixty-two patients with T2DM were enrolled from Government Headquarters Hospital, Ootacamund, India, in a prospective, open-label, randomized, controlled trial. Patients were randomized into control and intervention groups. The control group received only oral hypoglycemic agents, whereas the intervention group received resveratrol (250 mg/d) along with their oral hypoglycemic agents for a period of 3 months. Hemoglobin A1c, lipid profile, urea nitrogen, creatinine, and protein were measured at the baseline and at the end of 3 months. The results reveal that supplementation of resveratrol for 3 months significantly improves the mean hemoglobin A1c (means ± SD, 9.99 ± 1.50 vs 9.65 ± 1.54; P < .05), systolic blood pressure (mean ± SD, 139.71 ± 16.10 vs 127.92 ± 15.37; P < .05), total cholesterol (mean ± SD, 4.70 ± 0.90 vs 4.33 ± 0.76; P < .05), and total protein (mean ± SD, 75.6 ± 4.6 vs 72.3 ± 6.2; P < .05) in T2DM. No significant changes in body weight and high-density lipoprotein and low-density lipoprotein cholesterols were observed. Oral supplementation of resveratrol is thus found to be effective in improving glycemic control and may possibly provide a potential adjuvant for the treatment and management of diabetes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

An adverse pattern of blood lipids and atherosclerosis begin in childhood. Unfortunately, data for children and adolescents, particularly those in the Indian population, are scarce. The present study aims to evaluate the levels of serum E-selectin in Indian children and adolescents and its correlation with anthropometric and biochemical parameters. The study groups included 338 school children and adolescents. There were 96 obese children, 97 overweight children and 42 children with congenital heart disease who were compared with 103 normal controls, aged 10-17 years. Serum E-selectin and serum leptin were analyzed with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. Lipid profile and fasting glucose were analyzed using an autoanalyzer. Serum E-selectin levels were significantly increased in obese (65.3 ± 8.39 ng/mL) and overweight (56.01 ± 6.96 ng/mL) subjects ( P < 0.001). However, these levels were lower in children with congenital heart disease (40.99 ± 6.54 ng/mL) than in controls (43.79 ± 6.71 ng/mL). Serum E-selectin levels showed good positive association with body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, leptin, total cholesterol, triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and showed negative correlation with fasting glucose and no significant association with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. These findings indicate that higher E-selectin levels can induce endothelial activation and play an essential role in the earliest stage of the atherosclerotic process in obese and overweight children. Regular camps at schools to counsel the identified overweight and obese children and to encourage physical exercise would help to reduce the risk of these children being prone to major cardiovascular anomalies in adulthood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Variability of nature and composition of organic matter in the surficial sediments of mangrove and estuarine systems of Cochin were investigated. Assessment of biochemical composition and elements such as carbon, nitrogen and sulphur were employed for this. Irrespective of the higher content of total organic matter, the labile organic matter was very low in both mangrove and estuarine sediments. Concentrations of biochemical compounds were comparatively higher in mangrove sediments. Total lipids were the dominant class among labile organic compounds in both mangrove and estuarine sediments contributing 51.4% and 45.3%, respectively. Protein to carbohydrate ratio was higher in estuarine sediments when compared to mangroves, indicating low dead organic matter accumulation, probably due to the strong hydrodynamic conditions in estuaries. Correlation analysis showed that sediment texture had no significant correlation with any of the sedimentary parameters in mangroves, whereas in estuaries, it showed significant correlations with most of the sedimentary parameters. Principal component analysis indicated three different dominant processes in mangroves namely mangrove litter addition, diagenesis and other geochemical process like siltation and sorption/desorption, while in estuaries the dominant process seems to be diagenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to assess the impact of deep-sea mining on the in situ benthic life, we measured the microbial standing stock and concentration of organic nutrients in the deep-sea sediments of the Central Indian Ocean Basin in the Indian pioneer area. Sediments were collected using box core and grab samples during September 1996. The total bacterial numbers ranged from 10[sup 10]-10[sup 11] cells per g[sup -1] dry weight sediment. There was a marginal decrease in the number of bacteria from surface to 30 cm depth, though the subsurface section registered a higher number than did the surface. The highest numbers were encountered at depths of 4-8 cm. The retrievable number of bacteria were two orders less in comparison with the direct total counts of bacteria. An almost homogeneous distribution of bacteria, total organic carbon, living biomass, and lipids throughout the depth of cores indicates active microbial and benthic processes in the deep sea sediments. On the other hand, a uniform distribution of total counts of bacteria, carbohydrates, and total organic carbon in all the cores indicates their stable nature and suggests that they can serve as useful parameters for long-term monitoring of the area after the benthic disturbance. Further studies on temporal variability in this region would not only verify the observed norms of distribution of these variables but would also help to understand restabilization processes after the simulated benthic disturbance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Five cases of lipoid proteinosis have been studied, the largest series to be reported from India. Visceral biopsies were obtained from two of the patients. A battery of histochemical stains was employed with a view to finding the nature of the hyaline substance of lipoid proteinosis. On the basis of the clinical and histological findings observed in these five cases, the authors' views regarding the nature and the pathogenesis of the disease are given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to study the nutritive value and patterns of variation in biochemical composition of Mesopodopsis zeylanica, the protein, carbohydrate and lipid content of freshly caught mature males, immature males, spent females, brooding females, immature females and juveniles for two seasons were determined. The biochemical composition reveals high nutritional quality of mysid and it varies with different seasons and developmental stages. Among the biochemical composition, protein was the principal component. Significant differences were observed in protein, carbohydrate and lipid content between different developmental stages. Trophic conditions and reproductive strategy were the major factors that determine the seasonal patterns of variation in biochemical composition. Mature males and females showed higher protein content than other stages, while carbohydrate content was high in immature stages, and lipid content was high in brooding females. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Nephrolithiasis is afflicting mankind thoughout the world. So far, five types of stones have been investigated. Of all types of renal stone, calcium oxalate (75%) and calcium phosphate (4%) are most common kidney stones. As found by chemical analysis kidney stones comprise an organic phase which constitutes biomolecules like protein, lipids etc. Based on previous reports, few inhibitors of crystallization have been isolated from this organic matrix. Thus, our aim was to isolate and then compare the inhibitory activity of biomolecules by in vitro calcium oxalate and calcium phosphate assay. Methods: Calcium oxalate stones were collected from PGIMER, Chandigarh after confirmation by FTIR analysis. The stones were powdered and protein extraction was done; 10 mL of 0.05 mol/L EGTA (pH 8.8) with 1mM PMSF was added per gram of powder and the suspension stirred for 4 days at 4 oC. The suspension was centrifuged for 30 min at 6000 g at 4 °C and the supernatant filtered. Lipids were extracted after demineralization of stone powder with EGTA. Results: Proteins showed higher inhibitory activity than lipids for calcium oxalate and calcium phosphate mineralization. Further, proteins were purified by ion exchange & molecular sieve chromatography. Anionic proteins which were eluted out showed higher activity than the cationic proteins. Conclusions: Not only anionic proteins but lipids are also involved in the inhibition of calcium oxalate and calcium phosphate mineralization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Defective (triage) coffee beans are beans rejected after separating the graded ones according to the size and color. These coffee beans represent about 15% to 20% of coffee production in India but are not utilized for beverages since these affect the quality of coffee brew. In the present study, physical characteristics such as bean density, brightness, titratable acidity, pH, moisture, and total soluble solids and also chemical composition, namely, caffeine, chlorogenic acids, lipids, sucrose, total polyphenols, and proteins, were evaluated in defective as well as in graded green coffee beans. The physical parameters such as weight, density, and brightness of defective coffee beans were low compared to the graded beans, which is due to the presence of immature, broken, bleached, and black beans. Caffeine content was low in triage beans compared to graded beans. Chlorogenic acids, one of the composition in coffee responsible for antioxidant activity, was found to be intact (marginally high in some cases) in defective coffee beans. Hence, triage coffee beans can be evaluated as a source of antioxidant or radical scavenging conserve for food systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]