scholarly journals Intermittent Fasting on the Ekadashi Day and the Role of Spiritual Nutrition

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 122-126
Author(s):  
M.R. Suchitra ◽  
S. Parthasarathy

Intermittent Fasting (IF) has been practiced for centuries with the belief of wellbeing getting restored. The so-called restoration of internal milieu by calorie free periods is believed in many religions. The Muslims practise the night-only-feeds of Ramzan, the Christians in a few selected days of a week and the Hindus fasting every fifteen days on the day of Ekadashi1. Ekadashi is a Sanskrit word, which literally means 'the eleventh'. It actually refers to the eleventh day of a fortnight and hence there are two such days in a lunar month. After the full calorie free day, there are certain prescribed foods and nutrients to be taken the next day of Dwadashi among which amla fruit and agathi keerai leaves are necessarily taken as a starter before actual full-fledged refeeding. There are a few specific ingredients in these foods which make them ideal to break a fasting session2. As these days are associated with the Hindu deities such nutrition can be designed as spiritual nutrition. Such additives to routine diet may help overcome the problems of refeeding. In this review we have attempted to define the scientific basis of fasting during Ekadashi and the reasoning behind the initial administration of agathi keerai leaves and amla fruits before the intake of routine diet on the following day.i.e. Dwadashi. We tried to look for scientific evidences behind such fortnightly fasting and the specialized feeds on the next day and kept them as objectives of this special review

Polymers ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 207
Author(s):  
Jiaojiao Liu ◽  
Huiping Xing ◽  
Yajun Zhou ◽  
Xiaolian Chao ◽  
Yuhu Li ◽  
...  

Paper acidification causes paper relics to undergo embrittlement and decay, to form dregs, and even to break upon a single touch; therefore, reinforcement and deacidification treatments are essential steps for paper conservation and to retard the deterioration and prolong the life of objects. Polymeric adhesives play an essential role in reinforcement and deacidification treatments, although it is not well studied. In this work, the effect of polymeric adhesives on the conservation process and their protective effects on acidified paper relics were studied. Firstly, three polymeric adhesives, including wheat starch paste, polyvinyl butyral (PVB), and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), were selected as research objects. Subsequently, their effects on four popular conservation methods were further discussed, including traditional mounting, hot-melt with silk net, alcohol-soluble cotton mesh, and water-soluble cotton mesh. Additionally, as an example, the reversibility and long-term durability of water-soluble adhesive PVA-217 were assessed. Using a computer measured and controlled folding endurance tester, pendulum tensile strength tester, tear tester, burst tester, FT-IR, video optical contact angle tester, and other instruments, the conservation application of water-soluble adhesives in paper relics was evaluated. This study provides a scientific basis and experimental data for the application of polymeric adhesives in the conservation of paper relics.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 (2) ◽  
pp. 6-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Сабир Эседуллаев ◽  
Sabir Esedullaev ◽  
Наталья Шмелева ◽  
Natalia Shmeleva

The results of many years of research on the comparative study of single-species and mixed crops of non-traditional forage crops, including festulolium used to create a sustainable forage base balanced in energy, protein and carbohydrates, are presented. The scientific basis for the cultivation of herbs in single and mixed sowing has been determined. It was established that the yield of green mass of festulolium is high-er than that of traditional cereal grasses and on control for an average of three years amounted to 19.8 t/ha, against the background of mineral nutrition — 29.9 t/ha. In mixed sowings, grass mixtures consisting of clover and festulolium and alfalfa and festulolium were distinguished in terms of productivi-ty and fodder value. They provided the harvest of fodder units of 7.95 and 8.65 thousand/ha, with the provision of the fodder unit with digestible protein at the level of the norm or much higher than it — 101–134 g, with an optimal (0.8–1.0) sugar-protein ratio on both backgrounds. The positive effect of grasses on soil fertility, expressed in the accumulation of a significant amount of crop-root residues and nitrogen, is shown. Single-species crops of clover and alfalfa have accumulated 9.83 and 14.8 t/ha of crop-root re-sidues at the control and 10.8 and 19.5 t/ha against the background of mineral nutrition, with which 154, 328 and 253, 431 kg, respectively, were supplied with nitrogen ha, of which symbiotic – 65, 140 and 85, 183 kg/ha.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maddalena del Gallo ◽  
Amedeo Mignini ◽  
Giulio Moretti ◽  
Marika Pellegrini ◽  
Paola Cacchio

<p>CO<sub>2</sub> emissions triggered by anthropogenic and natural activities contribute to climate change, one of the current environmental threats of public and scientific concern. At present, microbially-induced biomineralization of CO<sub>2</sub> by calcium carbonate (CaCO<sub>3</sub>) is one of the highly topical study subjects as carbon stabilization process. In the present study we focused our attention on the calcifying bacteria of “living rocks”. The origin of these concretions, composed by a silicate skeleton of quartz and feldspars, merged by massive carbonate concrete, has so far been recognized as abiotic. Within this study we investigated the role of calcifying bacteria in their formation of these concretions and we isolated and characterized the species with CaCO<sub>3</sub> precipitation abilities. Concretions were sampled in Romania (Trovant) and Italy (Sibari and Rome). Samples were first analyzed for their culturable microflora (i.e. isolation, CaCO<sub>3 </sub>precipitation capability and molecular characterization). Then, in vitro regeneration tests were carried out to confirm the contribution of bacteria in the formation of these erratic masses. Moreover, natural samples and bioliths regenerated in vitro were (i) observed and analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM-EDS) and (ii) characterized at molecular level by DNA extraction and 16S rRNA analysis (V3-V4 regions). By isolating and characterizing the culturable microflora, we obtained 19 calcifying isolates, with different morphological, bacteriological and mineral precipitation properties. These evidences have given a first relevant contribution for the definition of the biotic role to the formation of these concretions. These evidences were confirmed by the efficient in vitro regeneration and SEM-EDS analysis. The molecular identification of the isolates and the comparison of the data obtained from the Illumina sequencing with those present in the literature, allowed us to hypothesize the genera that most likely contributed to the formation of these concretions. The results obtained provide a good scientific basis for further studies, which should be directed towards the use of isolates in studies of environmental and socio-economic relevance. Several studies demonstrate that microbially mediated biomineralization has the potential to capture and sequester carbon. Calcium carbonate, is a stable pool of carbon and is an effective sealant to prevent CO<sub>2</sub> release back into the atmosphere.</p>


Author(s):  
Ali Rattansi

In the aftermath of the Holocaust and the ending of World War II in 1945, the role of eugenics and scientific racism in underpinning the ideology of Nazism was impossible to ignore. It was clear that the question of racism and its scientific basis had to be confronted at an international level as part of the attempt to build a successful post-fascist world order. ‘The demise of scientific racism’ describes the post-1950 period of work by biologists and social scientists to undermine the scientific claims of the category of race. It outlines the role of genetics, DNA sequencing, and genomics in showing that there is more genetic variety within different population groups than between them.


2017 ◽  
Vol 155 (10) ◽  
pp. 1623-1632
Author(s):  
F. X. LIU ◽  
C. P. BU ◽  
T. TANG ◽  
G. M. CHEN ◽  
S. K. GU ◽  
...  

SUMMARYHoneybee foraging can transfer exogenous genes from genetically modified (GM) oilseed rape (Brassica napusL.) to closely related plants, which not only induces potential ecological risks but also contaminates non-GM seeds or honey products with GM ingredients. These events may lead to international trade disputes. Chinese honeybees (Apis cerana ceranaFabricius) and a herbicide (glufosinate)-resistant GM strain ofB. napus(Z7B10) were studied to examine the effects of honeybee short-range foraging on oilseed rape gene flow and honey ingredients. Results showed variable frequencies of gene flow between GM and non-GM oilseed rape cultivars, with the highest frequency under nylon net isolation with artificially stocked honeybees, the lowest frequency under nylon net isolation alone, and an intermediate frequency under natural pollination, suggesting the important role of honeybee foraging in gene flow frequency. Additionally, GM pollen grains were found in honey collected from honeybees foraging on both GM and non-GM oilseed rape cultivars. The phosphinothricin acetyltransferase protein was also detected in both unbroken pollen-containing and pollen-free honey by protein testing strips, suggesting that honeybee foraging on GM oilseed rape could lead to contamination with GM ingredients. Overall, the results provide a direct scientific basis for the ecological risk assessment and safety management of GM oilseed rape.


Marine Policy ◽  
1986 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 68-69
Author(s):  
Susan Peterson ◽  
John Teal

1996 ◽  
Vol 465 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. R. Triay ◽  
M. J. Apted

The role of performance assessment was discussed by a group of panelists and the participants of the 20th MRS symposium on the “Scientific Basis for Nuclear Waste Management.” Panel members were Professor Thomas Pigford, Dr. Alan Cooper, and Dr. Patrik Sellin; Dr. Michael J. Apted served as moderator. For discussion purposes, “performance assessment” (PA) was defined as the analysis of the release of radionuclides from a repository system of barriers to the accessible environment.


2017 ◽  
Vol 313 (3) ◽  
pp. E292-E302 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ting Xie ◽  
Po Sing Leung

Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is a potent endocrine regulator with physiological effects on glucose and lipid metabolism and thus garners much attention for its translational potential for the management of obesity and related metabolic syndromes. FGF21 is mainly expressed in several metabolically active tissue organs, such as the liver, adipose tissue, skeletal muscle, and pancreas, with profound effects and therapeutic relevance. Emerging experimental and clinical data point to the demonstrated metabolic benefits of FGF21, which include, but are not limited to, weight loss, glucose and lipid metabolism, and insulin sensitivity. In addition, FGF21 also acts directly through its coreceptor β-klotho in the brain to alter light-dark cycle activity. In this review, we critically appraise current advances in understanding the physiological actions of FGF21 and its role as a biomarker of various metabolic diseases, especially type 2 diabetes mellitus. We also discuss the potentially exciting role of FGF21 in improving our health and prolonging our life span. This information will provide a fuller understanding for further research into FGF21, as well as providing a scientific basis for potentially establishing health care guidelines for this promising molecule.


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