ASSESSMENT OF LOWER LIMB MUSCLE STRENGTH IN ATHLETES BY USING HAND-HELD DYNAMOMETER: A RELIABILITY STUDY

Background and Aims: Muscle strength is the key area to measure the functional status of an individual. Different tools and techniques has been used to detect strength differences and deficits. Hand- held dynamometer is one of the most affordable and handy tools used for this purpose. This study was designed to determine intra-rater reliability of hand- held dynamometer to measure muscle strength in different muscle groups of lower extremity of young athletes. It will further explore the reliability of hand- held dynamometer. Methodology: In this cross- sectional study young players of squash and badminton in the age group of 18-26 years were selected. The participants were recruited by non- probability convenience sampling technique. The strength of major muscle groups of lower limb was measured by a single male tester twice with gap through isometric make test of dynamometer. The intra-class correlation coefficient was then calculated for two readings of each muscle group by using SPSS version 21. Results: The intra- class correlation coefficient showed good to excellent reliability. The hip abductors, hip adductors, hip extensors of left side, knee flexors and knee extensors showed excellent reliability. Whereas, hip flexors, ankle plantar- flexors and dorsi-flexors of both sides showed excellent reliability at 95 % confidence interval. Conclusion: The isometric make test of dynamometer is a reliable tool for the objectification of strength of lower limb in   young players participating in squash and badminton.

Physicochemical and Functional Behavior of Pulses and Legumes in Dough Formation and its Impact on Nutraceutical Product Development

The research work presented in this dissertation is based on the Physicochemical and functional behavior of pulses and legumes in dough formulation. Pulses and legume has impact on nutraceutical product development especially with reference to their diverse bioactivities and impact on nutritional status of processed foods. Moreover the isolation of different proteinous compounds from selected lentils, beans and rice bran assayed for its biological activities. These isolated compounds are medicinally important as a part showing many health promoting activities and especially restricts the level of serum markers to show the activity of liver functioning. Rice bran oil tested on wistar rats showed highly promising results in controlling inflammation and arthritis while Microwave and oven heat treated Black cumin seeds (Kalonji seeds (Nigella Sativa) studied for its physical and biochemical change in protein molecules and enzymatic activities. The effect of new emerging technologies frequently used in daily life such as microwave heating on some of the physiological functions of foods. The current studies show that red bean, wheat and haleem wheat flours may be used in food formulation requiring high emulsion capacity, and are more suitable for the development of food products with increased water retention foaming capacity. Fat is one of the basic ingredients in the bakery products inducing a number of functional properties for providing acceptable texture and flavor. However, fat replacement is a challenge for the food processors, in order to meet the demand of "Low Caloric Foods" by the health conscious peoples who are constantly increasing in number. We therefore substituted lentil powder of mesh size 80 um in 10-50 % concentrations which was presoaked in water at 90 °C for 15 minutes to make the texture of the biscuits soft and to replace equivalent amount of fat in wheat flour. The lentil substituted biscuits consisting low calories with increased proteins, fibers and iron contents show appealing sensory score, without any significant adverse effect on taste, aroma or the texture. In the current study second formulation for Fat replacement largely focused on the two major by products rice bran (RB) and broken rice powder (BRP) of milling industry. The known percentages of rice bran (RB) and broken rice powder (BRP) were mixed separately with wheat flour to replace the quantity of fat as 10 %, 20 %, 30 % in case of RB while 10 % and 50 % for BRP. The results show that mixing and baking behaviours are strongly linked to the enzyme treatment and the particle size of rice products. It seems that the induced hardness due to reduction of fat may be eliminated by manipulating the certain ingredients such as the RB, BRP and the added water, also by altering some techniques as mixing time etc. The results are promising and elaborate the competency of rice bran and broken rice as an excellent economical and health stimulating, future candidates for fat replacement in the soft-dough biscuits. The resulting product is nutritionally superior as the caloric values were reduced, the nutritive indexes of various nutrients were raised and cost also reduced approximately up to 10 %. The Gravimetric-Enzymatic method was used for the quantification of the insoluble dietary fibers from three different lentils such as Spanish pardina (black pulse), lens culinaris (orange pulse) and Phasleolus aureus (yellow pulse). Lens culinaris resulted highest insoluble dietary fiber content as compare to other raw lentils. It is clearly appeared that lentils are rich source for insoluble as well as soluble dietary fiber. On comparing yield of dietary fiber from raw lentils and protease enzyme treated lentils seen that an increase in (%) yield of dietary fiber especially in case of two lentils, Spanish pardina and Lens culinaris. Different fraction of protein isolated from Lens cullinaris (red lentils) as glutelin-2 and glutelin-1 split red lentils as prolamin and globulin, split green gram as globulin and prolamin and split bengal gram as glutelin-2 that assayed for the amylase enzyme. These fractions have found high amylases activity on agar plate. That’s why lentil has capability to enhance the digestive activity in gut by acting more carbohydrate digestion. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated in body as part of normal defensive body mechanism for disease prevention. Natural ROS scavengers in body are formed to maintain the oxidant and antioxidant balance. The chemiluminescence has revealed that rice bran and red lentil proteins such as globuline, gluteline and prolamine posses significant immunomodulating activity and results have demonstrated that these protein fractions have moderate inhibitory potential on oxidative burst response of Whole Blood, polymorph nuclear cells and mouse macrophages. Spanish paridina, Red bean, lens culinaris and Phasleolus aureus based diet formulated and tested on wistar rats for management of hepatotoxicity that induced by Acetaminophen. Hepatotoxicity in liver can easily observe by elevated levels of serum markers such as Glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT), Glutamate Pyruvate Transaminase (GPT), Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP), Total Protein (TP), Biluribin Direct (BD), Low Density lipoprotein (LDL) and High density lipoprotein (HDL) etc. All formulated feed sample acted as significant reduction in the level of serum markers as compared to the positive control groups. The effects of microwave and conventional heat treatments at three temperatures (50, 100 and 150 ˚C) applied on Nigella Sativa (Black Seed). Damages on Protein molecule investigated by the electrophoresis on SDS PAGE against standard protein marker as well as the enzymatic activity of microwave and oven treated samples of black seed for enzyme amylase on agar plate. Results indicating that control sample has significant amylolytic activity but high temperature treatment in oven cause the complete loss of amylase activity while microwave treatment slightly effect amylase activity.