Indigenous Indigenous Medicine Miniature for Unmanned Alzheimer’s Disease Aerial As of today, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s Disease or senile dementia of Vehicle the Alzheimer type, or primary degenerative dementia of the Alzheimer’s type, The Miniature Unmanned or simply Alzheimer’s. The disease can only be diagnosed using psychiatric Aerial Vehicle (MUAV) – Spectrum assessments or during a post-mortem examination when it is too late. But Netra (eye) – designed there seems to be some hope now. specifically for anti- According to Prof. Vijayalakshmi Ravindranath, working at the Centre for terrorist and counter Neuroscience, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, clinical trials of insurgency operations by an Ayurvedic medicine have established a complete cure for Alzheimer’s the Research and Disease (AD) in mice in one month. The team explored a plant extract used Development in Indian ancient Ayurvedic system of medicine. The research has opened up Establishment (Engineers) under the Defence a new window of hope for thousands suffering from AD. Research and The herbal extract administered to Alzheimer-affected mice produced Development Organisation “dramatic improvements” in 21 days and “after 30 days they were no different (DRDO), based at Pune and from normal mice”. Even though they have patented the herbal formulation, Mumbai-based start-up the scientists do not want to disclose the plant’s name at the moment. The company IdeaForge, has breakthrough may lead to a new treatment for Alzheimer’s disease once moved from prototype to scientists determine the dose and undertake proper toxicology and human production stage. It will clinical trial. soon be available for use in AD is one of the two commonest brain disorders, which has no treatment the field. at the moment. India currently has a whopping 3.7 million Alzheimer’s The 1.5 kg MUAV patients whose numbers are expected to double in the next few decades due Netra is a collaborative to increased longevity, a result of better health care facilities. development project The IISc team was inspired to explore the potential of the herb used by between IdeaForge, a Dr P K Warrior, a 90-year-old practitioner of Indian System of Medicine from company formed by a the famous Arya Vaidya Shala, Kottakkal in Kerala. group of old students of This incurable, degenerative, and terminal disease was first described by German psychiatrist and neuropathologist Alois Alzheimer in 1906 and was A snake discovered a few named after him. Most often, it is diagnosed in people over 65 years of age, years back in the Western although the less-prevalent early-onset Alzheimer’s can occur much earlier. Ghats region has been Although the course of Alzheimer’s disease is unique for every individual, named after Varad Giri, the there are many common symptoms. Identifying individuals before they display curator of herpetological obvious clinical symptoms is a very important area of research, which could collection of the Bombay have profound consequences for patients and their families. Natural History Society As of today, the medicines approved for the management of AD symptoms (BNHS). Dendrelaphis girii is are donepezil (brand name Aricept), galantamine (Razadyne), and rivastigmine endemic to the Western (branded as Exelon and Exelon Patch. There is evidence for the efficacy of Ghats of India and is these medications in mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease, and some known from various localities in the states of evidence for their use in the advanced stage. Only donepezil is approved for Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and treatment of advanced AD dementia. Maharashtra. Alzheimer’s affects people regardless of sex, race, or socioeconomic In 2001, a team of background. The exact cause of it is unknown. Some theories suggest the nature enthusiasts led by possibility that it is inherited, although the majority of cases seem to occur renowned snake expert randomly. Other theories suggest viruses, toxic elements in the Ashok Captain and Kedar environment, deterioration in the body’s immune system, or a combination of Bhide encountered an these factors. interesting species of According to an article in the Archives of General Psychiatry, loneliness is snake at Amboli in associated with increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Lonely individuals Sindhudurg district, may be twice as likely to develop the type of dementia linked to Alzheimer’s Maharashtra. They disease in late life as those who are not lonely. According to another study, identified the snake as playing chess, card games like bridge, reading books and newspapers and being very close to engaging the brain in some or other task could significantly reduce the risk of Dendrelaphis bifrenalis, a species of snake from Sri Alzheimer’s disease in later life. Lanka. The snake was released after taking Contributed by Mr G.V. Joshi, E/2-11 Girijashankar Vihar, Karvenagar, Pune-411052 photographs. SCIENCE REPORTER, MARCH 2012 16 Spectrum Netra is equipped agencies concerned and with high-resolution their use.” charged couple device In the words of (CCD) camera with tilting Amardeep Singh, vice- and zooming facilities for president (Marketing and wider surveillance. Operations Unmanned Besides, it can also be Systems) of IdeaForge, “The fitted with thermal operational altitude of the cameras to carry out night UAV is 200 meters operations. The backpack maximum, having a vertical case is used by the take-off and landing operator to initiate the capacity (VTOL) and is flight plan and serve as equipped with a wireless the base station. It houses transmitter. In addition to Indian Institute of areas including urban areas the power supply, that, the in-built fail-safe Technology (IIT), Powai in in a situation similar to that controller, hand-held features allow Netra to Mumbai and R&DE (E), of the Mumbai terrorist operator console and the return to base on loss of based at Pune. attacks on 26 November communication systems. communication or low In the words of Dr Alok 2008. The MUAV could be According to Dr Alok battery.” Mukherjee, senior scientist used for surveillance in Mukherjee, “Netra would be As of today, the and head robotics of R&DE different terrains, ready for induction into the machine cannot be (E), “The efficacy of the final including jungles, plains, services within the next six operated in rainy product has been proved mountains, cities and months after it is subjected conditions but research is and now we have deserts. It has been to some more trial tests. being carried out to make transferred our side of designed to carry out The estimated cost of Netra Netra function even during technology to this company. surveillance in an area of is Rs 20 lakhs, but the price the monsoon. They will now take up the 1.5 km Line of Sight (LOS) could vary if additional production.” and has an endurance components like thermal Contributed by Mr G.V. Joshi, E/2-11 This MUAV is capable capacity of 30 minutes of camera are added as per the Girijashankar Vihar, Karvenagar, of operating in all conflict battery charge. requirements of the security Pune-411052 during their specimens of Dendrelaphis the scales is visible. In Snake Named subsequent from Amboli, Goa and India there are about ten visits to Castle Rock. He informed species of Dendrelaphis after these localities. that this appears to be a known from across the These speci- new species. Based on mainland and Islands. Scientist mens were this data and photographs A species of brought to the taken by Ashok Captain, Dendrelaphis is identified BNHS by Giri Dr. Vogel and his by the combination of for further colleague, Dr. Johan Van characters like two loreal observations Rooijen submitted a scales (scales between eye and study. In scientific paper that was and nostril) on each side subsequent published in a journal of the head; 15 rows of years, this Taprobanica recently. scales dorsal at midbody; species of The snakes of the enlarged vertebral scales; snake was genus Dendrelaphis are 166-173 ventrals (scales reported from widely distributed, on the belly); 140-147 various locali- ranging from Pakistan in subcaudals (scales below ties in the the West to the northern tail) and other characters. Western Ghats and eastern coast of This new species has a and most of the Australia in the East and black coloured stripe time it was South and to southern behind the eye, which identified as China in the North. They barely extends onto the After two years, Varad Dendrelaphis bifrenalis. are commonly called as neck. Giri and Sameer Kehimkar In 2009, Dr. Gernot ‘Bronzeback Tree Snakes’. along with a group of nature Vogel an expert on snake These snakes are mostly Contributed by Mr Mrityunjay Bose lovers visited Goa. There taxonomy from Germany arboreal and have is Assistant Editor (Mumbai) at Sakal they saw a similar snake. visited BNHS to study the predominantly bronze Times, Sakal Media Group, 4th floor, They also encountered this specimens of Dendrelaphis colouration. When Sangli Bank Building, 296 Perin particular snake in the in its museum. During his aggressive they expand Nariman Street, Fort, Mumbai- forests of Castle Rock, visit, Varad Giri showed their skin and a blue 400001; Email: Karnataka and Amboli him the interesting coloured skin in between [email protected] 17 SCIENCE REPORTER, MARCH 2012 Spectrum Bionic Bacteria to Fight Disease and Global Warming Scientists have created only naturally occurring production of biofuels from in one and genes for strains of genetically amino acids. agricultural wastes. breaking down enhanced bacteria called These bacteria glow Currently, biofuels are hemicellulose in the “bionic bacteria” that hold under a microscope when gaining increased attention other. These two strains promise for a wide array exposed to certain colours because of concern over were divided into three of activities ranging from of light.