A Study on the Status and Prospects of Tasar Sericulture Industry and its Impact on Tribal Lives in Jharkhand

This paper reviews the status and prospects of the “Tasar Silk Industry” in the state of Jharkhand. Tasar Sericulture is practiced in the states of Jharkhand, Orissa, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana and Bihar with Jharkhand being the leading producer with 80% of the tasar silk production employing around 1.5 lakh farmers in rearing, reeling and weaving activities, This is an agro-based, cottage industry practiced as “a way of life” by the various tribal inhabitants of this state like Santhals, Hos, Uraons, Kerwars and others. Tasar silk is not only known for its charm, texture and its natural golden color, but it also has a high ethical value. It is known as “Ahimsa Silk” as it does not kill the silkworm by boiling the cocoons while it is still inside it. The fibre is extracted only after the silkworm (Antherea Mylitta and Antherea Proyeli J) has left the cocoons. Tasar sericulture is being promoted widely through premier bodies like The Central Silk Board and its subsidiary i.e Central Tasar Research and Training Institute; Ranchi, which has undertaken research and development and training programs, since its establishment in 1964, thereby improving the silk production as well as empowering the lives of weak and marginalized tribes of Jharkhand. Growing demands from foreign countries, elucidate the promising future of the tasar silk industry in Jharkhand which in turn would uplift the living qualities of the rural people. Heavy investment in this industry now, would bring good returns in future, not just in terms of an improved economy, but also an improved society. This paper highlights the fact that apart from the huge potential to earn foreign exchange for the country, tasar culture has immense ethical values and truly carves for us a path towards sustainable development. Keywords: Tasar, sericulture, Jharkhand, tribal, Ahimsa Silk, Sustainable Development.

Xanthurenic Acid Is the Main Pigment of Trichonephila clavata Gold Dragline Silk

Spider silk is a natural fiber with remarkable strength, toughness, and elasticity that is attracting attention as a biomaterial of the future. Golden orb-weaving spiders (Trichonephila clavata) construct large, strong webs using golden threads. To characterize the pigment of golden T. clavata dragline silk, we used liquid chromatography and mass spectrometric analysis. We found that the major pigment in the golden dragline silk of T. clavata was xanthurenic acid. To investigate the possible function of the pigment, we tested the effect of xanthurenic acid on bacterial growth using gram-negative Escherichia coli and gram-positive Bacillus subtilis. We found that xanthurenic acid had a slight antibacterial effect. Furthermore, to investigate the UV tolerance of the T. clavata threads bleached of their golden color, we conducted tensile deformation tests and scanning electron microscope observations. However, in these experiments, no significant effect was observed. We therefore speculate that golden orb-weaving spiders use the pigment for other purposes, such as to attract their prey in the sunlight.

Color designation semantics in S.A. Esenin and E. Verhaeren’s lyric

We consider the color designation features in the poetic texts of Russian and French poets. An appeal to the lyric poetry of great writers from a chosen perspective expands and concretizes the existing ideas about the individual features of the authors’ style. Analysis object is the language units of poetry by S.A. Esenin and E. Verhaeren, containing color semantics. A comparative analysis of several works representative within the framework of the declared theme reveals the similarities and differences in the color palette of Esenin and Verhaeren’s lyrics. We consider the semantics of blue, white, yellow, red colors and their shades in poems of poets. Special attention is paid to the golden color poetics, the use of which is also focused on religious symbolism. We designate the vectors of changes in the set of colors in different periods of Esenin and Verhaeren’s creative activity, the dependence of the changes in the color scale on the general pathos of the poets and the events of their personal biography is determined. We clarify the reasons for the differences in color solutions in the landscape and philosophical poetry, explained by the authors’ belonging to different literary trends and national traditions. We provide examples of discrepan-cies in existing Russian translations of E. Verhaeren’s works with the provision of our own trans-lations.

THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE RECIPE OF THE CAKE WITH THE USE OF THE BIRD-CHERRY FLOUR LEMON ZEST

A number of authors have developed a recipe for donuts using bird cherry flour and orange peel. It is known from literary sources that the use of bird cherry flour and orange peel has a positive effect on the quality of flour bakery and confectionery products. At the first stage of research, on the basis of organoleptic and physicochemical parameters, the optimal dosage of bird cherry flour was selected, which amounted to 30% of the total volume of wheat flour in the recipe. At the second stage, the donut recipe, using 30% bird cherry flour, served as a control option, and samples with the addition of 3.5,7.9% orange peel were used as prototypes. It was found that when 7% orange peel was applied, the donuts acquired a golden color, pleasant taste and aroma compared to the control sample. A further increase in the amount of orange zest led to a deterioration in the quality indicators of the baked product. At the final stage, we developed a donut recipe with a content of 30% bird cherry flour and 7% orange peel. It has been established that this ratio of ingredients improves both organoleptic and physicochemical characteristics. Thanks to the addition of orange peel, the content increases: vitamin C by 0.14 mg / 100g, carotenoids by 0.14 mg / 100g in products, as well as microelements: potassium - by 231.17, magnesium - by 25.89, iron - by 0.22, phosphorus - by 21.81. The acidity of the finished products increases by 0.029 degrees due to the presence of organic acids in the orange peel. The acidity of the dough also increases with an increase in the dosage of bird cherry flour due to the fact that the herbal supplement contains more organic acids (malic, citric, ascorbic) than wheat flour. The acidity increases from 2 to 13%, but is within the acceptable range. The energy and nutritional value of the finished products of the pilot sample increased by 14.84 kcal in comparison with the control sample.

FTIR INVESTIGATION OF PIGMENTS AND BINDER OF PAINTED WALLS IN HERITAGE MONUMENTS

Studies of materials used for works of art and cultural monuments throughout the history contribute to the comprehensive understanding of particular cultures, their technological achievements and customs over time. Investigations of the authenticity of objects and the interventions they may have endured over time keep an important role for their successful restoration and preservation. A three-layer sample of the colored wall decoration from Ottoman Ćejvan Ćehaja mosque from Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina was investigated by FTIR spectroscopy. The plaster was identified as gypsum-lime binder. Inorganic pigments were found in two layers, reddish-brown mixture of Fe2O3 and MnO2 and green pigment recognized as viridian, Cr2O3 ∙ 2H2O. The upper layer of "golden color" is found to be a physically compact piece of gold foil or leaf whose fixation method meets both the Ottoman and "west" mode of binding. The mode of adhesion by animal glue could be the result of decoration immanent to Islamic culture, but also to reconstruction from the late 19th century during the Austro-Hungarian rule in Bosnia.

Engineering the Unicellular Alga Phaeodactylum tricornutum for Enhancing Carotenoid Production

Microalgae represent a promising resource for the production of beneficial natural compounds due to their richness in secondary metabolites and easy cultivation. Carotenoids feature among distinctive compounds of many microalgae, including diatoms, which owe their golden color to the xanthophyll fucoxanthin. Carotenoids have antioxidant, anti-obesity and anti-inflammatory properties, and there is a considerable market demand for these compounds. Here, with the aim to increase the carotenoid content in the model diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum, we exploited genetic transformation to overexpress genes involved in the carotenoid biosynthetic pathway. We produced transgenic lines over-expressing simultaneously one, two or three carotenoid biosynthetic genes, and evaluated changes in pigment content with high-performance liquid chromatography. Two triple transformants over-expressing the genes Violaxanthin de-epoxidase (Vde), Vde-related (Vdr) and Zeaxanthin epoxidase 3 (Zep3) showed an accumulation of carotenoids, with an increase in the fucoxanthin content up to four fold. Vde, Vdr and Zep3 mRNA and protein levels in the triple transformants were coherently increased. The exact role of these enzymes in the diatom carotenoid biosynthetic pathway is not completely elucidated nevertheless our strategy successfully modulated the carotenoid metabolism leading to an accumulation of valuable compounds, leading the way toward improved utilization of microalgae in the field of antioxidants.

Are Household Potato Frying Habits Suitable for Preventing Acrylamide Exposure?

A survey was conducted of 730 Spanish households to identify culinary practices which might influence acrylamide formation during the domestic preparation of french fries and their compliance with the acrylamide mitigation strategies described in the 2017/2158 Regulation. Spanish household practices conformed with the majority of recommendations for the selection, storing and handling of potatoes, with the exception of soaking potato strips. Olive oil was the preferred frying oil (78.7%) and frying pans were the most common kitchen utensils used for frying (79.0%), leading to a higher oil replacement rate than with a deep-fryer. Although frying temperature was usually controlled (81.0%), participants were unaware of the maximum temperature recommended for preventing acrylamide formation. For french fries, color was the main criteria when deciding the end-point of frying (85.3%). Although a golden color was preferred by respondents (87.3%), color guidelines are recommended in order to unify the definition of “golden.” The results conclude that habits of the Spanish population are in line with recommendations to mitigate acrylamide during french fry preparation. Furthermore, these habits do not include practices that risk increasing acrylamide formation. Nevertheless, educational initiatives tailored towards consumers would reduce the formation of this contaminant and, consequently, exposure to it in a domestic setting.

The Color Symbolism in the Works of Saltykov-Shchedrin

The article is devoted to the symbolism of color in the works of Saltykov-Shchedrin. Color is a fundamental phenomenon of existence; various sciences, including literary criticism, study it. It is connected with the ideological conception of the work, with art space; it bears a visual function, emotionally colors the world depicted by a writer, enriches, makes it more complex. Saltykov-Shchedrin’s use of color is connected with the satirist’s talent to see the reality in the "concentration of evil". In the works of the writer, Russia appears to be ambivalent: it is a field of the rampage of the elements, energies, and the realm of deadness, of slumber, which is presented in the writer's palette by two achromatic colors. White and gray are distinguished by special semantic saturation. In Saltykov-Shchedrin’s works, their symbolism is seen in a negative aspect: white represents coldness, despair, insipidity; gray – poverty, sadness, rough weather. In the descriptions of the environment, these colors are accompanied by images of snow, rain, fog, which in turn are connected with the motifs of death, doom, and emptiness of life. Many of the satirist’s works starting from his early stories, Contradictions, Brusin, are emotionally charged in such a way. White and gray colors define the peculiarity of the artistic space of many works of Saltykov-Shchedrin. In the epilogue of the series Provincial Sketches, the ground appears covered with a white shroud. The tragedy of this image is compounded in the cycle of Well-Intentioned Speeches. Snow as a white shroud is the writer’s constant metaphor. Almost always when describing Russian expanses, monotonous, dull colors dominate in the works of the satirist. White color expands the space to the infinity overwhelming a man; gray increases the feeling of hopelessness. Saltykov-Shchedrin’s landscape correlates with the unclear fate of Russia, with mournful events in the national history, a fading aristocratic landlord class. These colors are associated with moral issues in the novel-chronicle The Golovlyov Family. In the tale Night of Christ, white and gray serve as the concentration of world evil. However, gray does not have only negative energy – the «gray tones» of the Motherland cause the writer to feel «love to the pain in the heart». Golden color in the idiomatic expression «Golden age», an age of harmony and prosperity, used by the socialists-utopians, to whose ideals Saltykov-Shchedrin always remained true, stand as the antagonist of white and gray. Color is one of the mental units forming the concept sphere of Saltykov-Shchedrin’s creative work; it reflects the diversity of the author's thinking, the philosophy of the artist-satirist, the worldview of a particular age, and the national picture of the world.

Quality Assessment of Bumble Bee Species Nectar in Western Maharashtra of India

Objective: Nectar is a sweet sustenance substance which organization, shading, flavor, and kind of nectar depend primarily on the blossoms, land districts and atmosphere and bumble bee species. We analyzed physicochemical and sensorial qualities attributed to different honey bee species in western Maharashtra of India. Methodology: Apis dorsata, Cerana indica, Apis florea nectar from various bumble bee species from Kolhapur and Mahabaleshwar locale and remaining sample from market were studied for physicochemical and sensorial evaluation. Results and Discussion: Brix of Cerana indica and Apis florea nectar gives 82.82 and 82.43°B which is higher than Apis dorsata and Market sample Honey. Acidity of the Apis dorsata was 0.38% which is higher than other nectar tests which showed matured marginal and gives the harsh unsuitable taste. Cerana indica test from Kolhapur district contains more sugar content 63.55% which gives dim golden color and better sweet taste increment its general agreeableness. Apis florea nectar sample from Mahabaleshwar district likewise contains more sugar content 63.35% with light golden shading and sweet taste. The market nectar similarly contains somewhat less sugar 62.10% with golden shading and furthermore contains more slag content. Its characteristic for Cerena indica and Apis florea nectar acknowledged by shopper than market sample honey. Conclusion: Here we were the reason that the natural nectar test is superior to anything the nectar found in the consumer shops.