Neeraj Mishra

Study on antioxidant activity of common dry fruits

This study investigates the antioxidant activity of different dry fruits (almonds, walnut, cashew nut, raisins, chironji) through several chemical and biochemical assays: reducing power, lipid peroxidation damage in biomembranes, determination of antioxidant enzymes activity (SOD and CAT). To estimate the total phenolic content, the assay using Folin-Ciocalteu reagent was used. The EC(50) values were calculated for all the methods in order to evaluate the antioxidant efficiency of each dry fruit. The results obtained were quite heterogenous, revealing significant differences among the dry fruits. The methanolic extract of walnut showed the higher value of antioxidant activity based on lipid peroxidation assay. The higher phenolic content was found in walnuts followed by almonds cashew nut, chironji and least phenolic content was found in raisins. Walnut revealed the best antioxidant properties, presenting lower EC(50) values in all assays except in antioxidant enzymatic activity.

Industrialisation of Rivers: A sacred and profane approach

The process of industrialization has resulted in spread and dissemination of science and practical knowledge that has attacked religion and superstition. The miracles of holy rivers have been gradually replaced by scientific explanations. This paper explores the nuances that industrialization is mired with, in relation to the rivers, associated large infrastructure and rivers attributed sacredness. The paper uses the case of river Kshipra flowing in the city of Ujjain to explain the shifting attribution of ‘sacred’ from natural things like rivers to materialistic things like money. The paper discusses the change in the significance of river during a world famous festival of Hindus for holy dip Simhastha. The paper explains the shift in focus of Simhastha from holy dip to crowd control, space allocation, crass commercialisation and unchecked competition. It explains using the theory of sacred and profane of Durkheim and Eliade, how in the modern times secularisation of religion and sacralisation of secular has created the sacred/profane distinction which is making the rivers only the source for consumption forgetting their actual significance. Article DOI : 10.5958/2347-6869.2017.00013.9