Significance and Impact of the Study: Endophytic actinomycetes were isolated from two medicinal species of the Western Ghats, a biodiversity 'hotspot' in southern India and screened for the anti-diabetic potential for inhibition of a-amylase and improved glucose uptake in the porcine hemidiaphragm. Abstract a-amylase inhibitor retards the liberation of glucose from dietary complex carbohydrates and delays the absorption of glucose. The purpose of the study was to isolate and select a-amylase inhibitor-producing endophytic actinomycetes from the leaves and stems of Leucas ciliata and Rauwolfia densiflora, two of the well-known medicinal plants used in the treatment for diabetes. Sterilized plant samples were inoculated on the actinomycete isolation agar medium containing 50 ppm cycloheximide and incubated for 4-8 weeks at room temperature. The actinomycetes were isolated on agar medium and identified on the basis of 16S rRNA sequences, the isolates exhibiting >99% similarities were submitted to NCBI, and gene accession numbers were obtained. They were inoculated to International Streptomyces Project 1 medium (ISP 1) for fermentation. The extracts obtained were tested for the anti-diabetic potential by the inhibition of alpha-amylase by colorimetric assay and glucose uptake in the porcine hemidiaphragm. Streptomyces longisporoflavus (JX965948) isolated from the stem fragments of L. ciliata exhibited alpha-amylase inhibitory activity (IC 50 values = 162Á3 AE 1Á05 lg ml À1 ) in comparison with the standard Acarbose TM (IC 50 value = 73Á1 AE 1Á12 lg ml À1 ). Extract of Streptomyces sp. (JQ926174) from R. densiflora indicated glucose uptake in the porcine hemidiaphragm. Results indicate for the first time the potential of endophytic streptomycete extracts with anti-diabetic activity.

Background/aims Menopause can cause drastic changes that trigger severe symptoms in women and, in turn, influence their quality of life. Many women no longer prefer hormone replacement therapy because of its potential adverse effects. Hence, it is crucial to establish alternate interventions to alleviate menopausal symptoms. The aim of this study was to estimate the relationship between quality of life and level of physical activity in menopausal women. Methods A total of 260 postmenopausal women were recruited in this cross-sectional study. The Menopause Rating Scale and International Physical Activity Questionnaire – Short Form were used to assess quality of life and physical activity respectively. Results Women with higher levels of physical activity had fewer total menopausal, somato-vegetative and psychological symptoms (P<0.001); no differences were found in vasomotor and urogenital symptoms. Conclusions Women with low physical activity levels presented with greater menopausal symptoms. Regular physical activity can be recommended to alleviate symptoms following menopause, thereby improving quality of life.

Background: Trunk stability is key in controlling body balance and movements. Trunk Stabilization Exercises (TSE) and Conventional Trunk Exercises (CTE) are performed to improve dynamic balance. The authors have previously reported that dynamic balance was improved by a 12-week and 6-week TSE program. However, there is a dearth of research on its immediate effect on dynamic balance in trained soccer players. Objective: To compare the immediate effeect of TSE with that of CTE on dynamic balance in trained soccer players. Methods: Forty-eight male soccer players (24.60 ffi 1.38 years) participated in this crossover study, wherein each participant took part in three exercise sessions: TSE, CTE, and No Exercise control (NE), each consisting of three steps: pre-test, intervention and post-test, with an interval of one week between each exercise condition. To assess dynamic balance, the Y Balance Test-Lower Quarter (YBT-LQ) score in the anterior, posteromedial, and posterolateral directions was measured before and 5 minutes after each intervention. Results: The YBT-LQ composite score was significantly improved after TSE (0.51) as compared to CTE (0.22) and NE (0.04) (p < 0.05). Furthermore, in TSE and CTE conditions, YBT-LQ scores of the posterolateral and posteromedial directions significantly improved at the post-test (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Both TSE and CTE are effective in immediately improving dynamic balance; however, TSE showed greater improvement as compared to the latter. Immediate improvements in the posteromedial and posterolateral directions of the YBT-LQ were demonstrated after performing the TSE and CTE.

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Background: Support for dynamic stretching has grown in recent years, because several investigations show the potential for acute static stretching to degrade athletic performance. The hamstring muscle is the most frequent and disabling musculotendinous strain among athletes. Hence, this study aimed to compare the effectiveness of Static Stretching (SS) and Dynamic Stretching (DS) in acutely improving hamstring flexibility among recreational college athletes. Methodology: 72 male recreational athletes of mean age 23.59 ± 1.55 years with limited hamstring flexibility were randomly assigned to either SS or DS groups. Athletes in the SS group performed one single static stretch for 30 seconds and those in DS group performed six dynamic stretches for 30 seconds. Results and Conclusion:A significant difference in hamstring flexibility was found between SS group (3.60°) and DS group (8.12°) (p< 0.001). Hence, indicating that one session of DS through a full range of motion improved hamstring flexibility, better than SS.