Enhancing soil health and fruit yield through Tephrosia biomass mulching in rainfed guava (Psidium guajava L.) orchards.

Leguminous crop Tephrosia candida has high biomass production and contains a substantial quantity of nutrients within its biomass. Starting in 2019, a long-term study was done to find the best Tephrosia candida dose for mulching in guava orchards. The study had four treatments: T1 = 3.0 kg dry biomass m-2 of the plant basin, T2 = 2.0 kg, T3 = 1.0 kg, and T4 = control (no mulch). Every year, the treatments imposed in the month of August. The third year (2021-2022) results indicated that mulching with 3 kg of biomass m-2 increased trunk diameter, fruit yield, fruit weight, specific leaf area, total leaf chlorophyll, and leaf macro- and micro-nutrients. At 3.0 kg m-2, mulching improved soil properties such as EC, available nitrogen, available phosphorus, exchangeable potassium, DTPA extractable micronutrients (Fe, Zn, Cu, and Mn), total organic carbon (Ctoc), soil organic carbon (Csoc), organic carbon fractions, and microbial biomass carbon between 0-0.15 m and 0.15-0.30 m. There was an increasing trend in dehydrogenase activity (DHA) and fluorescein diacetate (FDA). The Tephrosia leaf litter exhibited decay constants of 1.27 year-1, and the carbon content was 40.11%. Therefore, applying Tephrosia biomass mulching at a rate of 3.0 kg m-2 is a viable long-term solution for enhancing soil fertility and sequestering carbon.

Bioplastic packaging in circular economy: A systems-based policy approach for multi-sectoral challenges.

Bioplastics have long been publicized as a sustainable plastic packaging alternative; however, their widespread industrialization is still embryonic due to complex challenges spanning multiple sectors. This review critically analyses the bioplastic lifecycle and provides a holistic evaluation of both the opportunities and potential trade-offs along their value chain. Their lifecycle is divided into three sectors: 1) resources, extraction, and manufacturing, 2) product consumption which discusses availability, consumer perception, and marketing strategies, and 3) end-of-life (EoL) management which includes segregation, recycling, and disposal. In the production phase, the primary challenges include selection of suitable raw feedstocks and addressing the techno-economic constraints of manufacturing processes. To tackle these challenges, it is recommended to source sustainable feedstocks from innovative, renewable, and waste materials, adopt green synthesis mechanisms, and optimize processes for improved efficiency. The consumption phase encompasses challenges related to market availability, cost competitiveness, and consumer perception of bioplastics. Localizing feedstock sourcing and production, leveraging the economics of scale, and promoting market demand for recycled bioplastics can positively influence the market dynamics. Additionally, dispelling misconceptions about degradability through proper labeling, and employing innovative marketing strategies to enhance consumer perception of the mechanical performance and quality of bioplastics is crucial. During the EoL management phase, major challenges include inadequate awareness, inefficient segregation protocols, and bioplastics with diverse properties that are incompatible with existing waste management infrastructure. Implementing a standardized labeling system with clear representation of suitable EoL techniques and integrating sensors and machine learning-based sorting technologies will improve segregation efficiency. Further, establishing interconnected recycling streams that clearly define the EoL pathways for different bioplastics is essential to ensure circular waste management systems. Finally, designing a comprehensive systems-based policy framework that incorporates technical, economic, environmental, and social drivers is recommended to promote bioplastics as a viable circular packaging solution.

Using a mobile phone-based application as an adjunct to facilitate oral hygiene practices in children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

AIM: To evaluate the efficacy of a mobile phone application to facilitate oral hygiene practices in children with ADHD. METHODS: This was a randomized controlled study that included 54 ADHD children after obtaining informed parental consent. The children were randomly divided into 2 groups; Group 1 (conventional) participants were instructed verbally as well as demonstrated the brushing technique on models. Group 2 (mobile phone application) participants were made to download and use the 'BRUSH DJ' app developed by Ben Underwood. At baseline, the oral hygiene index-simplified (OHI-S) [Greene and Vermillion, 1964] of each child was evaluated clinically and the parents were asked to fill a questionnaire regarding the oral hygiene practices followed by their child every day. At the end of the second, sixth, and twelfth week, the parents were asked to fill the same questionnaire in addition to the evaluation of the OHI-S index. RESULTS: A significant difference was found in the brushing time, brushing frequency, and OHI-S index between group 1 and group 2 at the end of 12 weeks. (unpaired t-test, p<0.05) CONCLUSION: The mobile phone application proved to be an effective tool in captivating the attention of these children and thus improving their oral health.

Green revolution to genome revolution: driving better resilient crops against environmental instability.

Crop improvement programmes began with traditional breeding practices since the inception of agriculture. Farmers and plant breeders continue to use these strategies for crop improvement due to their broad application in modifying crop genetic compositions. Nonetheless, conventional breeding has significant downsides in regard to effort and time. Crop productivity seems to be hitting a plateau as a consequence of environmental issues and the scarcity of agricultural land. Therefore, continuous pursuit of advancement in crop improvement is essential. Recent technical innovations have resulted in a revolutionary shift in the pattern of breeding methods, leaning further towards molecular approaches. Among the promising approaches, marker-assisted selection, QTL mapping, omics-assisted breeding, genome-wide association studies and genome editing have lately gained prominence. Several governments have progressively relaxed their restrictions relating to genome editing. The present review highlights the evolutionary and revolutionary approaches that have been utilized for crop improvement in a bid to produce climate-resilient crops observing the consequence of climate change. Additionally, it will contribute to the comprehension of plant breeding succession so far. Investing in advanced sequencing technologies and bioinformatics will deepen our understanding of genetic variations and their functional implications, contributing to breakthroughs in crop improvement and biodiversity conservation.

Rapid Colorimetric and Fluorometric Discrimination of Maleic Acid vs. Fumaric Acid and Detection of Maleic Acid in Food Additives.

An anthracene thiazole based Schiff base L was synthesized and employed for fluorescence switch-on detection of maleic acid in aqueous DMSO. The non-fluorescent L (10-5 M) showed an instantaneous and selective fluorescence enhancement at 506 nm upon interaction with maleic acid (10-5 M). Other potential carboxylic acids (10-5 M), such as malic acid, citric acid, acetic acid, cinnamic acid, tartaric acid, succinic acid, fumaric acid, oxalic acid and malonic acid failed to alter the chromo-fluorogenic properties of L. Probe L can be employed to detect maleic acid down to 2.74 × 10-6 M. The probe L showed good linearity from 2.97 to 6.87 µM. Analytical utility of L was examined by detecting maleic acid in various food additives and drosophila larvae.

A feasible approach for the treatment of waste computer casing plastic using subcritical to supercritical acetone: Statistical modelling and optimization.

Electronic waste (e-waste) usage has increased tremendously with the rapid evolution of technologies. The accumulated e-waste has now emerged as one of the crucial concerns regarding environmental pollution and human health. Recycling e-waste is commonly focused on metal recovery; nevertheless, a significant fraction of plastics (20-30%) are in e-waste. There is an indispensable need to focus on e-waste plastic recycling in an effective way, which has been mostly overlooked to date. An environmentally safe and efficient study is conducted using subcritical to supercritical acetone (SCA) to degrade the real waste computer casing plastics (WCCP) in the central composite design (CCD) of response surface methodology (RSM) to achieve the maximum oil yield of the product. The experiment parameters were varied in the temperature span of 150-300 °C, residence time between 30 and 120 min, solid/liquid ratio between 0.02 and 0.05 (g/ml), and NaOH amount from 0 to 0.5 g. Adding NaOH into the acetone helps to achieve efficient degradation and debromination efficiency. The study emphasized the attributes of oils and solid products recovered from the SCA-treated WCCP. The characterization of feed and formed products is performed with different characterization techniques such as TGA, CHNS, ICP-MS, FTIR, GC-MS, Bomb calorimeter, XRF, and FESEM. The highest oil yield achieved is 87.89% from the SCA process at 300 °C, in 120min, 0.05 S/L ratio, and 0.5 g of NaOH. GC-MS results disclose that the liquid product (oil) comprises single- and duplicate-ringed aromatic and oxygen-containing compounds. Isophorone is the significant component of the liquid product obtained. Furthermore, SCA's possible polymer degradation mechanistic route, bromine distribution, economic feasibility, and environmental aspect were also explored. This present work represents an environmentally friendly and promising approach for recycling the plastic fraction of e-waste and recovering valuable chemicals from WCCP.

In vivo clonal tracking reveals evidence of haemangioblast and haematomesoblast contribution to yolk sac haematopoiesis.

During embryogenesis, haematopoietic and endothelial lineages emerge closely in time and space. It is thought that the first blood and endothelium derive from a common clonal ancestor, the haemangioblast. However, investigation of candidate haemangioblasts in vitro revealed the capacity for mesenchymal differentiation, a feature more compatible with an earlier mesodermal precursor. To date, no evidence for an in vivo haemangioblast has been discovered. Using single cell RNA-Sequencing and in vivo cellular barcoding, we have unravelled the ancestral relationships that give rise to the haematopoietic lineages of the yolk sac, the endothelium, and the mesenchyme. We show that the mesodermal derivatives of the yolk sac are produced by three distinct precursors with dual-lineage outcomes: the haemangioblast, the mesenchymoangioblast, and a previously undescribed cell type: the haematomesoblast. Between E5.5 and E7.5, this trio of precursors seeds haematopoietic, endothelial, and mesenchymal trajectories.

Twitter based sentimental analysis of Covid-19 observations.

The emergence of social media has provided people with the opportunity to express their feelings and thoughts about everything and everything in their lives. There is a massive amount of textual stuff available, and approaches are required to make meaningful use of the information provided by isolating and evaluating the different types of text. Sentimental Analysis is a method of obtaining a human being's point of view through mining his or her emotions. The entire world is sharing their thoughts on social media on the Corona Pandemic that is now underway. This research presents an analysis of attitudes in order to determine whether or not people are optimistic in the face of a difficult circumstance. The technique of polarity is employed by the paper in order to determine if an opinion is positive, negative, or nonpartisan [1]. In order to determine the polarity, the following three major keywords are used: "COVID", "Corona virus," and "COVID-19."

A sustainable approach for material and metal recovery from E-waste using subcritical to supercritical methanol.

The heterogeneous nature of e-waste, which is a rich source of metals, polymers, glass fibres and ceramics, is troublesome. Multi-step processes are employed to effectively treat e-waste with minimum environmental impact. In this research, a subcritical to supercritical methanol environment was investigated to pre-treat e-waste, recovering non-metallic fractions and eventually concentrate metals from e-waste. Experiments were conducted in the temperature range of 150 °C to 300 °C at an autogenous pressure with initial atmospheric pressure. The mechanism of depolymerization was investigated by varying reaction time from 30 min to 240 min; solid to liquid ratio of 1:10 to 1:30 g/ml in a batch reactor under N2 environment. Comparative analysis of liquid products obtained after Supercritical Methanol (SCM) treatment for both Waste Random Access Memory (WRAM) and Waste Printed Circuit Board (WPCB) was done with pyrolyzed oil/liquid product. This research briefly illustrates oil and solid product compositional changes with operating temperature, pressure, and solid/liquid ratio range. The metal concentrations of copper, nickel, silver, zinc, and gold are greater than 90% after SCM treatment. For comparison, the feed material was pyrolyzed under the same condition, the difference in oil and solid products are assessed. In the end section, the environmental and economic benefits of SCM were also discussed compared to other supercritical and conventional technologies. An efficient and greener approach of supercritical solvent is proposed via this research for e-waste recycling.

High quality liquid fuel production from waste plastics via two-step cracking route in a bottom-up approach using bi-functional Fe/HZSM-5 catalyst.

Plastic waste is a serious menace to the world due to its fastest growth rate of ~ 5% per annum and requires efficient technologies for its safe disposal. Plastic liquefaction producing liquid hydrocarbons is an effective way to dispose waste plastics in an eco-friendly manner. In present study, high quality liquid fuel is produced from waste plastics via two-step bottom-up cracking approach. A comparative analysis of liquid products obtained in thermal and catalytic cracking performed at relatively lower temperature (350 °C) with minimal catalyst to plastic feed ratio (1:30) has been studied. Catalytic cracking via two-step bottom-up route provides higher fraction of fuel range hydrocarbons in comparison to the thermal cracking. Catalytic cracking is performed using two different catalysts; HZSM-5 and 5%Fe/HZSM-5 in which later results in higher liquid yield (76 wt%) than former (60 wt%) having comparable fuel characteristics. GC-MS results confirm that liquid product obtained via catalytic cracking contains higher fraction of fuel range hydrocarbons (C6-C20); 66.39% for 5%Fe/HZSM-5 and 47.33% for HZSM-5 which is comparatively higher than that obtained in thermal cracking (27.39%). FT-IR, 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopic studies confirm that liquid hydrocarbons obtained via catalytic cracking have comparable chemical characteristics with fuel range hydrocarbons. Physiochemical properties of catalysts are studied using XRD, XPS, BET, FE-SEM, HR-TEM, NH3-TPD and H2-TPR techniques and correlated with activity results. Analysis of commercial diesel fuel is also incorporated to compare the fuel characteristics of liquid products.

Controlling liquid hydrocarbon composition in valorization of plastic waste via tuning zeolite framework and SiO2/Al2O3 ratio.

Abundance of plastic waste has become threat to the mankind and aquatic life and thus needs to be recycled or converted into value added products. Liquefaction of waste plastics via catalytic cracking is one the efficient routes towards plastic waste management. Concerning this, in present study, conversion of polymer mixture containing polypropylene, low-density polyethylene and high-density polyethylene (PP, LDPE and HDPE) was done for the production of gasoline and diesel range hydrocarbons using two-step cracking approach. MWW and MFI (12 and 10 member ring structures respectively) type zeolites having different pore structure and acidity were used for catalytic cracking of polymer feed at 350 °C. Investigations revealed that MWW type zeolite having two independent pore channels selectively provides gasoline range of hydrocarbons (C7-C12, 99.12%) in polymer cracking reaction as compared to MFI type which results in C13-C20 range of hydrocarbons (73.19%). Hydrocarbon compositions were confirmed from GC-MS, 1H, 13C NMR and FT-IR techniques. In activity results it was observed that acidity of zeolites affects the liquid yield and hydrocarbon distribution as analysed by using zeolites of two different SiO2/Al2O3 (SAR) ratio (30 and 55) which directs that zeolite (MFI/MWW) with lower SAR (30) having higher acidity results in higher yield of fuel range liquid hydrocarbons as compared to higher SAR (55) zeolite. Characterization studies such as XRD, N2-physisorption, NH3-TPD, FE-SEM and EDX were performed to check the physiochemical properties of zeolite and correlated with the activity. Overall, the present investigation provides detailed comparative study on plastic degradation using MFI and MWW type zeolites resulting into different range of liquid hydrocarbons.

Bariatric and Metabolic Endoscopy: A New Paradigm.

The prevalence of obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and metabolic syndromes is increasing globally. Minimally invasive metabobariatric (MB) endoscopic therapies are adjunct treatments that can potentially bridge the gap between surgical interventions and medical therapy. A growing number of MB techniques are becoming available, allowing for more personalized and patient-targeted treatment options for specific disease states. MB techniques are less invasive than surgery and can precisely target different parts of the gastrointestinal tract that may be responsible for the pathophysiology of obesity and metabolic syndromes such as type 2 diabetes mellitus. These alternatives should be selected on an individualized patient basis to balance the expected clinical outcomes and desired anatomical targets with the level of invasiveness and degree of acceptable risk. Each MB intervention presents great flexibility allowing for a tailored intervention and different levels of patient engagement. Patient awareness and motivation are essential to avoid therapy withdrawal and failure. Differences between MB procedures in terms of weight loss and metabolic benefit will be discussed in this review, along with the insights on clinical decision-making processes to evaluate the potential of further evolution and growth of bariatric and metabolic endoscopy.

Assessment of 3D printability of composite dairy matrix by correlating with its rheological properties.

In this study, the potential of heat desiccated milk powder (HDMP) in a composite dairy matrix with semi skimmed milk powder (SSMP) was assessed for hot melt extrusion-based 3D printing. The rheological characteristics of formulations at three stages i.e., pre-printing, printing, and post-printing were investigated. The shear thinning with rapid shear recovery and thermoresponsive behavior of the formulations were analyzed to mimic the prevailing conditions of pre-processing, processing, and post-processing of formulations to understand the temperature induced variations in their rheological characteristics during each stage. The rheological properties were correlated with printability through assessment of the consistency of straight lines (1D), average area of lattice scaffolds (2D), and dimensional stability of the 3D printed constructs. Results demonstrated that an increase in the level of incorporation of SSMP and a decrease in the proportion of HDMP increased the shear thinning behavior, viscosity (ɳ), yield stress (τ0), storage modulus (G') and a decline in the shear recoverability of the formulations. The thermoresponsive behavior of the formulations was established with gelation temperature ranging from 28.1 to 29.4˚C. The formulation SSMP (35): HDMP (25) resulted in sagging of the printed constructs, whereas the formulation SSMP (55): HDMP (5.0) exhibited the highest dimensional stability and shape retention post printing, owing to its maximum τ0 (1211.8 Pa) and G' (7026.4 Pa). The results obtained could provide insight into improving the performance of an HME based 3D printing in the dairy and food industries.

Identification of microRNAs and their gene targets in cytoplasmic male sterile and fertile maintainer lines of pigeonpea.

MAIN CONCLUSION: Comparative analysis of genome-wide miRNAs and their gene targets between cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS) and fertile lines of pigeonpea suggests a possible role of miRNA-regulated pathways in reproductive development. Exploitation of hybrid vigor using CMS technology has delivered nearly 50% yield gain in pigeonpea. Among various sterility-inducing cytoplasms (A1-A9) reported so far in pigeonpea, A2 and A4 are the two major sources that facilitate hybrid seed production. Recent evidence suggests involvement of micro RNA in vast array of biological processes including plant reproductive development. In pigeonpea, information about the miRNAs is insufficient. In view of this, we sequenced six small RNA libraries of CMS line UPAS 120A and isogenic fertile line UPAS 120B using Illumina technology. Results revealed 316 miRNAs including 248 known and 68 novel types. A total of 637 gene targets were predicted for known miRNAs, while 324 genes were associated with novel miRNAs. Degradome analysis revealed 77 gene targets of predicted miRNAs, which included a variety of transcription factors playing key roles in plant reproduction such as F-box family proteins, apetala 2, auxin response factors, ethylene-responsive factors, homeodomain-leucine zipper proteins etc. Differential expression of both known and novel miRNAs implied roles for both conserved as well as species-specific players. We also obtained several miRNA families such as miR156, miR159, miR167 that are known to influence crucial aspects of plant fertility. Gene ontology and pathway level analyses of the target genes showed their possible implications for crucial events during male reproductive development such as tapetal degeneration, pollen wall formation, retrograde signaling etc. To the best of our knowledge, present study is first to combine deep sequencing of small RNA and degradome for elucidating the role of miRNAs in flower and male reproductive development in pigeonpea.

Genome-wide comparative transcriptome analysis of the A4-CMS line ICPA 2043 and its maintainer ICPB 2043 during the floral bud development of pigeonpea.

Cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) offers a unique system to understand cytoplasmic nuclear crosstalk, and is also employed for exploitation of hybrid vigor in various crops. Pigeonpea A4-CMS, a predominant source of male sterility, is being used for efficient hybrid seed production. The molecular mechanisms of CMS trait remain poorly studied in pigeonpea. We performed genome-wide transcriptome profiling of A4-CMS line ICPA 2043 and its isogenic maintainer ICPB 2043 at two different stages of floral bud development (stage S1 and stage S2). Consistent with the evidences from some other crops, we also observed significant difference in the expression levels of genes in the later stage, i.e., stage S2. Differential expression was observed for 143 and 55 genes within the two stages of ICPA 2043 and ICPB 2043, respectively. We obtained only 10 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the stage S1 of the two genotypes, whereas expression change was significant for 582 genes in the case of stage S2. The qRT-PCR assay of randomly selected six genes supported the differential expression of genes between ICPA 2043 and ICPB 2043. Further, GO and KEGG pathway mapping suggested a possible compromise in key bioprocesses during flower and pollen development. Besides providing novel insights into the functional genomics of CMS trait, our results were in strong agreement with the gene expression atlas of pigeonpea that implicated various candidate genes like sucrose-proton symporter 2 and an uncharacterized protein along with pectate lyase, pectinesterase inhibitors, L-ascorbate oxidase homolog, ATPase, ß-galactosidase, polygalacturonase, and aldose 1-epimerase for pollen development of pigeonpea. The dataset presented here provides a rich genomic resource to improve understanding of CMS trait and its deployment in heterosis breeding in pigeonpea.

COVID-19 infection in patients with intestinal failure: UK experience.

BACKGROUND: The direct effect of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on patients with intestinal failure (IF) has not been described. METHODS: We conducted a nationwide study of UK IF centers to evaluate the infection rates, presentations, and outcomes in patients with types 2 and 3 IF. RESULTS: A total of 45 patients with IF contracted COVID-19 between March and August 2020; this included 26 of 2191 (1.2%) home parenteral nutrition (HPN)-dependent adults and 19 of 298 (6.4%) adults hospitalized with type 2 IF. The proportion of patients receiving nursing care for HPN administration was higher in those with community-acquired COVID-19 (66.7%) than the proportion in the entire HPN cohort (26.1%; P < .01). Two HPN-dependent and 1 hospitalized patient with type 2 IF died as a direct consequence of the virus (6.7% of 45 patients with types 2 or 3 infected). CONCLUSION: This is the first study to describe the outcomes of COVID-19 in a large cohort of patients requiring long-term PN. Methods to reduce hospital and community nosocomial spread would likely be beneficial.

Assessment of dental anxiety in children between 5 and 10 years of age in the presence of a therapy dog: a randomized controlled clinical study.

PURPOSE: Children are often afraid to visit a dentist. Dental anxiety is a worldwide issue and a barrier to successful treatment outcome. Pet therapy, especially through dogs, has been demonstrated to be beneficial in reducing anxiety. In today's generation, where dopamine is prevalent, attention is hijacked, and children are tethered to screens-this research on animal-assisted therapy outlines the impact on children undergoing simple dental procedures, and to evaluate its use in long-term behavior management, and child and parental acceptance of this technique. METHODS: One hundred and two children between five and 10 years of age and requiring simple dental procedures were selected randomly and divided into two groups. In Group A, dental treatment was carried out in the presence of a therapy dog, and in Group B (the control group), dental treatment was carried out in a regular dental setup. Anxiety levels were evaluated by pulse rate and anxiety rating scale. Prior to exiting the room, the parents were asked to rate the child's interaction with therapy dogs. RESULTS: According to an independent t test, reduction in anxiety was highly significant (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Animal-assisted therapy is an effective behavior management strategy.

A quinoline alkaloid rich Quisqualis indica floral extract enhances the bioactivity.

A volatile alkaloid quinoline-4-carbonitrile (QCN) was isolated from the floral extract of Quisqualis indica. Major compounds were trans-linalool oxide (1.0, 4.5%), methyl benzoate (1.0, 4.0%), 2,2,6-trimethyl-6-vinyl-tetrahydropyran-3-one (7.4, 17.8%), 2,2,6-trimethyl-6-vinyl-tetrahydropyran-3-ol (1.0, 1.2%), (E,E)-α-farnesene (29.1, 16.1%), QCN (5.7, 1.3%) in live and picked flowers, respectively. Flower compositions were altered due to change in enzymatic reaction at the time of picking. Some rearrangements of oxygenated terpenoids occurred in the process of hydrodistillation to obtain essential oil. Chemical synthesis of QCN and its selectively reduced products derived from QCN were prepared through green reaction process. The catalytic modification of QCN has produced quinoline-4-methylamine; the later compound has shown enhanced bio-activities. QCN and floral extract (absolute) have shown potential anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. Besides, floral absolute has shown significant anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities due to improved QCN (19.7%) content to synergize amongst terpenoids and benzenoids as compared to the essential oil with 1.1% of QCN.