UV-radiations are the invisible part of light spectra having a wavelength between visible rays and X-rays. Based on wavelength, UV rays are subdivided into UV-A (320-400 nm), UV-B (280-320 nm) and UV-C (200-280 nm). Ultraviolet rays can have both harmful and beneficial effects. UV-C has the property of ionization thus acting as a strong mutagen, which can cause immune-mediated disease and cancer in adverse cases. Numbers of genetic factors have been identified in human involved in inducing skin cancer from UV-radiations. Certain heredity diseases have been found susceptible to UV-induced skin cancer. UV radiations activate the cutaneous immune system, which led to an inflammatory response by different mechanisms. The first line of defense mechanism against UV radiation is melanin (an epidermal pigment), and UV absorbing pigment of skin, which dissipate UV radiation as heat. Cell surface death receptor (e.g. Fas) of keratinocytes responds to UV-induced injury and elicits apoptosis to avoid malignant transformation. In addition to the formation of photo-dimers in the genome, UV also can induce mutation by generating ROS and nucleotides are highly susceptible to these free radical injuries. Melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) has been known to be implicated in different UV-induced damages such as pigmentation, adaptive tanning, and skin cancer. UV-B induces the formation of pre-vitamin D3 in the epidermal layer of skin. UV-induced tans act as a photoprotection by providing a sun protection factor (SPF) of 3-4 and epidermal hyperplasia. There is a need to prevent the harmful effects and harness the useful effects of UV radiations.

Cancer is a serious global public health problem. Cancer incidence and mortality have been steadily rising throughout the past century in most places of the world. There are several epidemiological evidences that support a protective role of probiotics against cancer. Lactic acid bacteria and their probioactive cellular substances exert many beneficial effects in the gastrointestinal tract, and also release various enzymes into the intestinal lumen and exert potential synergistic (LAB) effects on digestion and alleviate symptoms of intestinal malabsorption. Consumption of fermented dairy products with LAB may elicit anti-tumor effects. These effects are attributed to the inhibition of mutagenic activity, the decrease in several enzymes implicated in the generation of carcinogens, mutagens, or tumor-promoting agents, suppression of tumors, and epidemiology correlating dietary regimes and cancer. Specific cellular components in lactic acid bacteria seem to induce strong adjuvant effects including modulation of cell-mediated immune responses, activation of the reticulo-endothelial system, augmentation of cytokine pathways, and regulation of interleukins and tumor necrosis factors. Studies on the effect of probiotic consumption on cancer appear promising, since recent in vitro and in vivo studies have indicated that probiotic bacteria might reduce the risk, incidence and number of tumors of the colon, liver and bladder. The protective effect against cancer development may be ascribed to binding of mutagens by intestinal bacteria, may suppress the growth of bacteria that convert procarcinogens into carcinogens, thereby reducing the amount of carcinogens in the intestine, reduction of the enzymes beta-glucuronidase and beta-glucosidase and deconjugation of bile acids, or merely by enhancing the immune system of the host. There are isolated reports citing that administration of LAB results in increased activity of anti-oxidative enzymes or by modulating circulatory oxidative stress that protects cells against carcinogen-induced damage. These include glutathione-S-transferase, glutathione, glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase and catalase. However, there is no direct experimental evidence for cancer suppression in human subjects as a result of the consumption of probiotic cultures in fermented or unfermented dairy products, but there is a wealth of indirect evidence based largely on laboratory studies.

The last few years have produced a revolution in the development of very sensitive, rapid, automated, molecular detection methods for a variety of various species of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) associated with food and dairy products. Nowadays many such strains of LAB are considered probiotics. The genome-based methods are useful in identifying bacteria as a complementary or alternative tool to phenotypical methods. Over the years, identification methodologies using primers that target different sequences, such as the 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA)-encoding gene, the 16S-23S rRNA intergenic spacer region, the 23S rRNA-encoding, recA and ldhD genes; randomly amplified polymorphic DNA, restriction fragment length polymorphism, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis, temperature gradient gel electrophoresis, amplification rDNA restriction analysis, restriction enzyme analysis, rRNA, pulse field gel electrophoresis and amplification fragment length polymorphism have played a significant role in probiotic bacteriology. Hence, the aim of this review is to provide an overview of some rapid and reliable polymerase chain reaction-based molecular methods used for identifying and differentiating closely related species and strains of LAB associated with food and industry.

The cow and its milk have been held sacred in the world since the dawn of human civilization. Indian ancient Vedic texts describe the virtues of milk and dairy products, as is authenticated by modern scientific principles and proofs. Therefore, milk has been considered as one of the most natural and highly nutritive part of a daily balanced diet. Currently, the integration of advanced scientific knowledge with traditional information is gaining incredible momentum toward developing the concept of potential therapeutic foods. Furthermore, new advances toward understanding the therapeutic roles of milk and milk products have also given a new impetus for unraveling the age old secrets of milk. At present, the best-known examples of therapeutic foods are fermented milk products containing health promoting probiotic bacteria. In the present article, we have tried to review the various aspects of the therapeutic nature of milk and fermented dairy products in a highly up-dated manner, and offer an in-depth insight into the development of targeted therapeutic future foods as per the requirements of consumers.

Computed tomography (CT) scan is the mainstay for diagnosis of stroke; but the facility of CT scan is not easily available. A blood-based biomarker approach is required to distinguish ischemic stroke (IS) from hemorrhagic stroke (HS) in pre-hospital settings.To conduct a systematic review of diagnostic utility of blood biomarkers for differential diagnosis of stroke.A comprehensive literature search was carried out till March 7, 2017 in PubMed, Cochrane, Medline, OVID, and Google Scholar databases. Methodological quality of each study was assessed using the modified Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies questionnaire.Eighteen studies were identified relevant to our systematic review. Ten single biomarkers and seven panels of different biomarkers were identified which showed potential for differentiating IS and HS. Activated Protein C- Protein C Inhibitor Complex (APC-PCI) (sensitivity-96%), Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein (GFAP) (specificity-100%) and a panel of APC-PCI & GFAP (sensitivity- 71%) and Retinol Binding Protein 4 (RBP4) & GFAP (specificity- 100%) were found to have high sensitivity and specificity for differentiating the two stroke types.Our systematic review does not recommend the use of any blood biomarker for clinical purposes yet based on the studies conducted till date.