A Three-Stage Solidification Model for Food Particles

A three-stage solidification model for food droplets has been implemented in a computational fluid dynamics code. It comprises of an initial cooling stage that is based on the principles of convective heat transfer. This is followed by the solidification period that is initiated once the droplet cools to a phase change temperature. Finally, when the droplet is completely solidified, the tempering phase begins where the droplet cools to the temperature of the ambient air. The model has been validated with respect to the experimental data for cocoa butter. Additional simulations were made in which the crystallization behavior of the cocoa butter droplets in relation to the droplet size, ambient air temperature and the relative drop-gas velocity was investigated. It was found that the crystallization time is exponentially related to the droplet size. Further, it increased with the ambient temperature, but decreased with the relative drop-gas velocity. Overall, the results suggest operating at the extreme values of the process parameters, requiring high amount of energy, to minimize the crystallization time. It was concluded that there is a need for optimizing the operating conditions of the powder production process to minimize the energy requirement of the system while maintaining a reasonable crystallization time.

Comparative Study on the Efficacy of Commercially Available Chemical and Herbal Mouthwash against Oral Microorganisms

Aim: The present study was done to determine the activity of Naturally prepared licorice mouthwash in comparison to chlorhexidine mouthwash. Introduction: Maintenance of oral hygiene is very important in preventing the growth of a sticky film of bacteria and food particles that accumulates on teeth and hence Mouthwashes are prescribed in dentistry for treatment of several oral conditions and for prevention against various microorganisms. Licorice is derived from "liquiritiae” which is shrub or herb and the yellow colour of it is due to the flavonoids content of the plant, which includes liquiritin, isoliquiritin and other compounds. Herbal Mouthwashes (mouth rinses) are solutions or liquids intended to reduce the microbial load in the oral cavity. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted in Saveetha Dental Hospital, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India. The liquorice was extracted and formulated as mouth wash. Fig. 1 denotes the salivary samples were obtained from 20 volunteers (10 test group, 10 control group) and then, the participants were asked to rinse their mouth with freshly prepared licorice mouthwash(test group), chlorhexidine mouthwash (control group) and then paired saliva samples were obtained immediately after and before the mouthwash and finally the Colony forming units were recorded for pre and post usage of both the herbal and commercially available mouthwash. Results: Study showed that there was a mean reduction in the colony-forming units with herbal mouthwash and Chlorhexidine mouth washes. Herbal mouthwash showed reduction in colony forming growth after usage of herbal mouthwash.

Inflammasome-independent functions of NAIPs and NLRs in the intestinal epithelium

The gut relies on the complex interaction between epithelial, stromal and immune cells to maintain gut health in the face of food particles and pathogens. Innate sensing by the intestinal epithelium is critical for maintaining epithelial barrier function and also orchestrating mucosal immune responses. Numerous innate pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) are involved in such sensing. In recent years, several Nucleotide-binding-domain and Leucine-rich repeat-containing receptors (NLRs) have been found to partake in pathogen or damage sensing while also being implicated in gut pathologies, such as colitis and colorectal cancer (CRC). Here, we discuss the current literature focusing on NLR family apoptosis inhibitory proteins (NAIPs) and other NLRs that have non-inflammasome roles in the gut. The mechanisms behind NLR-mediated protection often converges on similar signalling pathways, such as STAT3, MAPK and NFκB. Further understanding of how these NLRs contribute to the maintenance of gut homeostasis will be important for understanding gut pathologies and developing new therapies.

LITERARY REVIEW ON AGEING PROCESS AND IT'S NATURAL AYURVEDA APPROACH

In Ayurveda, Ageing is termed as ‘Jara’ for which some rules are given to make it healthy with longevity. This is the phase anticipatory care should be taken so that ageing process can be deferred and old age related diseases can be barred. Jara as natural prodigy of human body takes place in two ways i.e. Kalaja and Akalaja. Body gets affected from various factors like diet pattern, food particles, lifestyle, environment, etc. changes or degenerative changes are the nature of universe. These changes are known as Swabhaav in Ayurveda in which a constant decline may found in Shareera in old age. Ageing starts in different attributes at different period; thus, the ancient classics give a detailed version on the physiological, psychological and biological aspects of ageing including growth, puberty and senility.There are enough matter in relation to the establishment and termination of life which can be understood as theory as Theory of Innate Destruction (Swabhawoparamavada), Theory of Disturbance in Fundamental Principle of Body, Theory related to Kala (Time Factor), Theory Related to Environmental and other Biological Aspect. Jara management can be done via programming of lifestyle in such a way that Akalaj Jara can be avoided and Kalaj Jara can be delayed. For this purpose not only the Rasayana drugs but Ayurvediya Dinacharya, Ritucharya and other regimens in the way of ideal lifestyle is to be followed.

Medicinal impact of oil pulling

Pulling oil involves actually pulling oil in your mouth for about 10 to 15 minutes around a tablespoon (one teaspoon for children). Traditionally, cocoa, vegetables, sesame, olives, rapeseed and sunflower oils are common options for oil. You pull and shake the oil between the teeth, when removing undesirable food particles, you also take dangerous bacteria with them, which can lead to the formation of plaques, caries and inflammations. This cleansing process is accomplished without disrupting the beneficial balance of the oral microbiome that is essential to a healthy mouth due to the non-aggressive nature of natural oils.

Pharyngeal timing and particle transport defects in Caenorhabditis elegans feeding mutants

The nematode C. elegans uses rhythmic muscle contractions and relaxations called pumps to filter, transport, and crush food particles. A number of feeding mutants have been identified, including those with slow pharyngeal pumping rate, weak muscle contraction, defective muscle relaxation, and defective grinding of bacteria. Many aspects of these pharyngeal behavioral defects and how they affect pharyngeal function are not well understood. For example, the behavioral deficits underlying inefficient particle transport in ‘slippery’ mutants have been unclear. Here we use high speed video microscopy to describe pharyngeal pumping behaviors and particle transport in wild-type animals and in feeding mutants. Different ‘slippery’ mutants exhibit distinct defects including weak isthmus contraction, failure to trap particles in the anterior isthmus, and abnormal timing of contraction and relaxation in pharyngeal compartments. Our results show that multiple deficits in pharyngeal timing or contraction can cause defects in particle transport.

In their sister’s footsteps: Taxonomic divergence obscures substantial functional overlap among the metabolically diverse symbiotic gut communities of adult and larval turtle ants

Gut bacterial symbionts can support animal nutrition by facilitating digestion and providing valuable metabolites. While the composition of gut symbiont communities shifts with host development in holometabolous insects, changes in symbiotic roles between immature and adult stages are not well documented, especially in ants. Here, we explored the metabolic capabilities of microbiomes sampled from herbivorous turtle ant (Cephalotes sp.) larvae and adult workers through genomic and metagenomic screenings and targeted in vitro metabolic assays. We reveal that larval guts harbor bacterial symbionts from the Enterobacteriales, Lactobacillales and Rhizobiales orders, with impressive metabolic capabilities, including catabolism of plant and fungal recalcitrant fibers common in turtle ant diets, and energy-generating fermentation. Additionally, several members of the specialized turtle ant adult gut microbiome, sampled downstream of an anatomical barrier that dams large food particles, show a conserved potential to depolymerize many dietary fibers and other carbohydrates. Symbionts from both life stages have the genomic capacity to recycle nitrogen, synthesize amino acids and B-vitamins, and perform several key aspects of sulfur metabolism. We also document, for the first time in ants, an adult-associated Campylobacterales symbiont with an apparent capacity to anaerobically oxidize sulfide, reduce nitrate, and fix carbon dioxide. With help of their gut symbionts, including several bacteria likely acquired from the environment, turtle ant larvae appear as an important component of turtle ant colony digestion and nutrition. In addition, the conserved nature of the digestive, energy-generating, and nutritive capacities among adult-enriched symbionts suggests that nutritional ecology of turtle ant colonies has long been shaped by specialized, behaviorally-transferred gut bacteria with over 46 million years of residency.

A Biological Analysis on the Invasiveness of the Corbicula Fluminea

Corbicula fluminea is an invasive species that has been observed to outcompete the native clams at the American River located near Sacramento in the Central Valley in California. We hypothesized that C. Fluminea has advantages exhibited physically including utilization of filter-feeding methods and relative spacing of its cirri as compared to the native American River clams. To investigate what makes the species so successful, we tested C. Fluminea versus the native clams in algal and E.coli environments to predict the relative advantage of a filter feeder. In addition, we used computer programs to digitally analyze the spacing between the actual cirri, which help bivalves capture food particles, of the two species. The findings pointed towards C. Fluminea’s inherent advantage in both physical and genetic traits over the native clams species which allowed it to flourish and successfully invade the American River ecosystem. However, the species’ genetic findings are found through DNA analysis.

Gastroenterological symptoms and diet therapy in children with autism

Целью данного исследования было выявление различий в наличии и тяжести гастроэнтерологических жалоб у пациентов с расстройствами аутистического спектра в зависимости от стиля питания. В исследование включены родители 138 детей с данным диагнозом, 30 из которых привержены к соблюдению безглютеновой диеты более 6 месяцев. Возраст детей составлял от 3 до 15 лет. Дети были разделены на 2 группы в зависимости от стиля питания. Первую группу составили 30 пациентов, придерживающихся безглютеновой диеты, во вторую включены 108 человек, не имеющих ограничений в питании. У каждого второго ребенка с расстройствами аутистического спектра выявлены значимые рецидивирующие гастроэнтерологические жалобы (52,8%, 73 из 138). Дети, соблюдающие безглютеновую диету, имеют меньше гастроэнтерологических жалоб, и они являются более редкими, кратковременными, эпизодическими, не нарушающими состояния ребенка, в то время как у детей, не приверженных к использованию диетотерапии, жалобы чаще носят персистирующий и рецидивирующий характер. Диарея и вздутие живота беспокоят детей на безглютеновой диете чаще. Наиболее распространенной жалобой в обеих группах является наличие тошноты (63,3% vs 62,9%). Дети, не имеющие ограничений в питании, имеют более широкий круг жалоб, среди них: избирательность в еде, запах изо рта, наличие непереваренных частиц пищи в кале. Перед включением безглютеновой диеты в курс терапевтических мероприятий при расстройствах аутистического спектра необходимы консультация гастроэнтеролога и проведение клинического обследования с целью уточнения наличия пищевой непереносимости у ребенка. Objective. To identify differences in the presence and severity of gastroenterological complaints in patients with ASD, depending on the eating style. Methods. The study included parents of 138 children diagnosed with ASD, 30 of whom are committed to HD for more than 6 months. The children ranged in age from 3 to 15 years. The children were divided into 2 groups depending on their eating style. The first group consisted of 30 patients who adhere to HD, the second included 108 people who do not have dietary restrictions.Results. Every second child with ASD had significant recurrent gastroenterological complaints (52,8%, 73 out of 138). Children who adhere to HDG have fewer gastroenterological complaints, and they are more rare, short-term, episodic, not violating the child's condition, while children who are not committed to using diet therapy, complaints are more often persistent and recurrent. Diarrhoea and bloating bother children on HD more often. The most common complaint in both groups is nausea (63,3% vs 62,9%). Children who do not have dietary restrictions have a wider range of complaints, among them: selectivity in food, bad breath. The presence of undigested food particles in the feces. Conclusion. Before including HD in the course of therapeutic measures for ASD, it is necessary to consult a gastroenterologist and conduct a clinical examination to clarify the presence of food intolerance in the child.