Challenges in Accessing and Delivering Maternal and Child Health Services during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Rapid Survey from Six States of India.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Globally, the COVID-19 pandemic and its prevention and control policies have impacted maternal and child health (MCH) services. This study documents the challenges faced by patients in accessing MCH services, and the experiences of health care providers in delivering those services during the COVID-19 outbreak, explicitly focusing on the lockdown period in India. METHODS: A cross-sectional study (rapid survey) was conducted in 18 districts from 6 states of India during March to June, 2020. The sample size included 540 MCH patients, 18 gynaecologists, 18 paediatricians, 18 district immunisation officers and 108 frontline health workers. Bivariate analysis and multivariable analysis were used to assess the association between sociodemographic characteristics, and challenges faced by the patients. RESULTS: More than one-third of patients (n = 212; 39%) reported that accessing MCH services was a challenge during the lockdown period, with major challenges being transportation-related difficulties (n = 99; 46%) unavailability of hospital-based services (n = 54; 23%) and interrupted outreach health services (n = 39; 18.4%). The supply-side challenges mainly included lack of infrastructural preparedness for outbreak situations, and a shortage of human resources. CONCLUSIONS/RECOMMENDATIONS: A holistic approach is required that focuses on both preparedness and response to the outbreak, as well reassignment and reinforcement of health care professionals to continue catering to and maintaining essential MCH services during the pandemic.

Impact of Yoga on Global Cardiovascular Risk as an Add-On to a Regular Exercise Regimen in Patients With Hypertension.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to determine whether the addition of yoga to a regular exercise training regimen improves cardiometabolic risk profile. METHODS: Sixty individuals with diagnosed hypertension (≥ 140/90 mm Hg for 3 measurements on different days) were recruited in an exercise training program. In addition to aerobic exercise training, participants were randomised into either a yoga or a stretching control group. Participants, over the 3-month intervention regimen, performed 15 minutes of either yoga or stretching in addition to 30 minutes of aerobic exercise training 5 times weekly. Blood pressure, anthropometry, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), glucose, and lipid levels as well as the Framingham and Reynolds Risk Scores were measured. RESULTS: At baseline, there was no difference in age, sex, smoking status, body mass index, blood pressure, heart rate, lipid and glucose levels, and Framingham Risk Score between groups. After the 3-month intervention period, the decrement in systolic and diastolic blood pressures (before vs after stretching: 126 ± 11/76 ± 7 vs 122 ± 11/73 ± 8 mm Hg; before vs after yoga: 130 ± 13/77 ± 10 vs 119 ± 11/69 ± 8 mm Hg) and heart rate was greater (P < 0.001) in the yoga group, with similar decreases in lipid, glucose, and hs-CRP levels and Framingham Risk Score in both groups. Reynolds Risk Score decrement was higher in the yoga vs the control group (absolute reduction -1.2 ± 1.2 vs -0.6 ± 0.8; relative reduction 13.2 ± 11.8% vs 9.3 ± 6.5%; P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: In patients with hypertension, the practice of yoga incorporated in a 3-month exercise training program was associated with greater improvement in resting blood pressure and heart rate and Reynolds Risk Score compared with stretching.

Neem extract-blended nanocellulose derived from jackfruit peel for antibacterial packagings.

The use of jackfruit peel as a source for natural and fully biodegradable "nanocellulose" (NC) for the production of bioplastics with Azadirachta indica (A. indica) extracts and polyethylene glycol (PEG) for the antibacterial properties is investigated. The characterization of the biocomposite using FT-IR and WXRD was reported. The physicochemical properties including thickness, moisture content, water holding capacity, swelling, porosity, and biodegradability in soil were investigated. The incorporation of A. indica extract revealed an increased shelf life due to the strong antibacterial activity, and these biocomposites were degraded in soil within 60 days after the end use without any harm to the environment. Jackfruit-derived nanocellulose film blended with A. indica extract exhibited strong antibacterial activity against gram-positive and gram-negative food spoilage bacteria. Disc diffusion assay, live/dead assay, and CFU analysis confirmed the antibacterial property of the synthesized film. Moreover, the films clearly prevented the biofilm formation in bacteria. Thus, the developed bioplastics can be utilized as appropriate substitutes to food packaging materials and also for biomedical applications such as wound dressings.

Biochar application for greenhouse gas mitigation, contaminants immobilization and soil fertility enhancement: A state-of-the-art review.

Rising global temperature, pollution load, and energy crises are serious problems, recently facing the world. Scientists around the world are ambitious to find eco-friendly and cost-effective routes for resolving these problems. Biochar has emerged as an agent for environmental remediation and has proven to be the effective sorbent to inorganic and organic pollutants in water and soil. Endowed with unique attributes such as porous structure, larger specific surface area (SSA), abundant surface functional groups, better cation exchange capacity (CEC), strong adsorption capacity, high environmental stability, embedded minerals, and micronutrients, biochar is presented as a promising material for environmental management, reduction in greenhouse gases (GHGs) emissions, soil management, and soil fertility enhancement. Therefore, the current review covers the influence of key factors (pyrolysis temperature, retention time, gas flow rate, and reactor design) on the production yield and property of biochar. Furthermore, this review emphasizes the diverse application of biochar such as waste management, construction material, adsorptive removal of petroleum and oil from aqueous media, immobilization of contaminants, carbon sequestration, and their role in climate change mitigation, soil conditioner, along with opportunities and challenges. Finally, this review discusses the evaluation of biochar standardization by different international agencies and their economic perspective.

Leads and hurdles to sustainable microbial bioplastic production.

Indiscriminate usage, disposal and recalcitrance of petroleum-based plastics have led to its accumulation leaving a negative impact on the environment. Bioplastics, particularly microbial bioplastics serve as an ecologically sustainable solution to nullify the negative impacts of plastics. Microbial production of biopolymers like Polyhydroxyalkanoates, Polyhydroxybutyrates and Polylactic acid using renewable feedstocks as well as industrial wastes have gained momentum in the recent years. The current study outlays types of bioplastics, their microbial sources and applications in various fields. Scientific evidence on bioplastics has suggested a unique range of applications such as industrial, agricultural and medical applications. Though diverse microorganisms such as Alcaligenes latus, Burkholderia sacchari, Micrococcus species, Lactobacillus pentosus, Bacillus sp., Pseudomonas sp., Klebsiella sp., Rhizobium sp., Enterobacter sp., Escherichia sp., Azototobacter sp., Protomonas sp., Cupriavidus sp., Halomonas sp., Saccharomyces sp., Kluyveromyces sp., and Ralstonia sp. are known to produce bioplastics, the industrial production of bioplastics is still challenging. Thus this paper also provides deep insights on the advancements made to maximise production of bioplastics using different approaches such as metabolic engineering, rDNA technologies and multitude of cultivation strategies. Finally, the constraints to microbial bioplastic production and the future directions of research are briefed. Hence the present review emphasizes on the importance of using bioplastics as a sustainable alternative to petroleum based plastic products to diminish environmental pollution.

Evolution in mitigation approaches for petroleum oil-polluted environment: recent advances and future directions.

Increasing petroleum consumption and a rise in incidental oil spillages have become global concerns owing to their aquatic and terrestrial toxicity. Various physicochemical and biological treatment strategies have been studied to tackle them and their impact on environment. One of such approaches in this regard is the use of microbial processes due to their being "green" and also apparent low cost and high effectiveness. This review presents the advancement in the physical and biological remediation methods and their progressive efficacy if employed in combination of hybrid modes. The use of biosurfactants and/or biochar along with microbes seems to be a more effective bioremediation approach as compared to their individual effects. The lacuna in research at community or molecular level has been overcome by the recent introduction of "-omics" technology in hydrocarbon degradation. Thus, the review further focuses on presenting the state-of-art information on the advancement of petroleum bioremediation strategies and identifies the research gaps for achieving total mitigation of petroleum oil.

Indian Academy of Pediatrics Revised Guidelines on School Reopening: First Revision, September 2021.

JUSTIFICATION: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected schooling for more than 24 crores students, since March 2020. Students need a respite from the long standing social isolation so that they regain their chance to develop holistically, but after the devastating effects of the second wave, the administrators as well as parents are skeptical about the decision of school reopening. PROCESS: The Indian Academy of Pediatrics constituted a task force comprising of national and international experts in the field who deliberated on the issue. OBJECTIVES: To bring out scientifically supported guidelines on the prerequisites of opening and attending the schools, in the current context of the COVID-19 pandemic. RECOMMENDATIONS: The task force recommends i) Decentralization of the school reopening decision; ii)Three epidemiological parameters, case positivity rate (<5 or steadily declining number of cases for past two weeks), number of new cases(<20 per lakh population per day for past two weeks) and vaccination coverage (>60% of the vaccine-eligible population) to be met at the local level, before the schools reopen; and iii) Criteria regarding health and vaccination to be met by the schoolattendees.

Recent advances in biodiesel production: Challenges and solutions.

Mono alkyl fatty acid ester or methyl ethyl esters (biodiesel) are the promising alternative for fossil fuel or petroleum derived diesel with similar properties and could reduce the carbon foot print and the greenhouse gas emissions. Biodiesel can be produced from renewable and sustainable feedstocks like plant derived oils, and it is biodegradable and non-toxic to the ecosystem. The process for the biodiesel production is either through traditional chemical catalysts (Acid or Alkali Transesterification) or enzyme mediated transesterification, but as enzymes are natural catalysts with environmentally friendly working conditions, the process with enzymes are proposed to overcome the drawbacks of chemical synthesis. At present 95% of the biodiesel production is contributed by edible oils worldwide whereas recycled oils and animal fats contribute 10% and 6% respectively. Although every process has its own limitations, the enzyme efficiency, resistance to alcohols, and recovery rate are the crucial factors to be addressed. Without any benefit of doubt, production of biodiesel using renewable feedstocks and enzymes as the catalysts could be recommended for the commercial purpose, but further research on improving the efficiency could be an advantage.

Current trends and possibilities for exploitation of Grape pomace as a potential source for value addition.

Grape pomace (GP) is a low-value by-product that contains a significant amount of high value-added products. The huge amount of non-edible residues of GP wastes (seeds, skins, leaves and, stems) produced by wine industries causes' environmental pollution, management issues as well as economic loss. Studies over the past 15-20 years revealed that GP could serve as a potential source for valuable bioactive compounds like antioxidants, bioactive, nutraceuticals, single-cell protein, and volatile organic compounds with an increasing scientific interest in their beneficial effects on human and animal health. However, the selection of appropriate techniques for the extraction of these compounds without compromising the stability of the extracted products is still a challenging task for the researcher. Based on the current scenario, the review mainly summarizes the novel applications of winery wastes in many sectors such as agriculture, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, livestock fields, and also the bio-energy recovery system. We also summarize the existing information/knowledge on several green technologies for the recovery of value-added by-products. For the promotion of many emerging technologies, the entrepreneur should be aware of the opportunities/techniques for the development of high-quality value-added products. Thus, this review presents systematic information on value-added by-products that are used for societal benefits concerning the potential for human health and a sustainable environment.

Can biochar regulate the fate of heavy metals (Cu and Zn) resistant bacteria community during the poultry manure composting?

In this study, the influence of coconut shell biochar addition (CSB) on heavy metals (Cu and Zn) resistance bacterial fate and there correlation with physicochemical parameters were evaluated during poultry manure composting. High-throughput sequencing was carried out on five treatments, namely T1-T5, where T2 to T5 were supplemented with 2.5%, 5%, 7.5% and 10% CSB, while T1 was used as control for the comparison. The results of HMRB indicated that the relative abundance of major potential bacterial host altered were Firmicutes (52.88-14.32%), Actinobacteria (35.20-4.99%), Bacteroidetes (0.05-15.07%) and Proteobacteria (0.01-20.28%) with elevated biochar concentration (0%-10%). Beta and alpha diversity as well as network analysis illustrated composting micro-environmental ecology with exogenous additive biochar to remarkably affect the dominant resistant bacterial community distribution by adjusting the interacting between driving environmental parameters with potential host bacterial in composting. Ultimately, the amendment of 7.5% CSB into poultry manure composting was able to significantly reduce the HMRB abundance, improve the composting efficiency and end product quality.

Petroleum sludge polluted soil remediation: Integrated approach involving novel bacterial consortium and nutrient application.

Petroleum sludge has been reported as noteworthy hazardous solid waste generated from industrial activities of petroleum sector. Environment friendly and economically sound treatment of petroleum sludge has attracted global attention worldwide and has become a thrust area of research. Petroleum sludge bioremediation is gaining interest of researchers globally to clean pollutants from soil ecosystems. To date of submission of the work there is no literature available reporting comparing five approaches for remediation of agricultural soil polluted with petroleum sludge employing hydrocarbon utilizing bacterial consortium (HUBC). Further studies on toxicity were performed through pot experiments using Vigna radiata. The aim of this research work was to compare capability of five approaches for remediating petroleum sludge polluted agricultural soil by employing soil microcosms. Best results were obtained when simultaneous application of HUBC and nutrients was performed in microcosm. Highest decrease (93.14 ± 1.75%) of petroleum sludge with sufficient count of hydrocarbon utilizers and decreased nutrients in 42 days was reported. Quality improvement of petroleum sludge contaminated agricultural soil after its bioremediation was performed by pot experiments by checking germination of V. radiata seeds. 85.71% germination of seeds in 5 days was noted for treated soil. Thus, HUBC can be applied as a bioremediating consortium to reclaim petroleum sludge polluted soil.

Oilfield waste treatment using novel hydrocarbon utilizing bacterial consortium - A microcosm approach.

Oily sludge is a hazardous waste generated through petroleum producing and processing industrial units. Due to its harmful environmental impacts, it needs to be treated in sustainable manner. The present study aimed to evaluate influence of bioaugmentation on oily sludge biodegradation efficiency of a novel hydrocarbon utilizing bacterial consortium (HUBC) using microcosms. Three approaches (bioaugmentation, natural attenuation and abiotic factors) were used for microcosm studies. Bioaugmentation treatment showed best results for oily sludge degradation than natural attenuation and abiotic factors, resulting 82.13 ± 1.21% oily sludge degradation in 56 days. In bioaugmented microcosm on 56th day 0.30 ± 0.07 × 108 CFU/g hydrocarbon utilizing bacteria were noted. Results showed that HUBC could be used to remediate soil polluted with oily sludge. This study imparts a notable approach for farming application(s).

Bioremediation of oily sludge polluted soil employing a novel strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and phytotoxicity of petroleum hydrocarbons for seed germination.

Agricultural land pollution is key a problem globally, which is linked with growth of industries. Petroleum industrial sector is one of the major industrial sectors and the activities of petroleum industry lead to the agricultural land pollution. Oily sludge is a type of solid and hazardous waste generated from petroleum industrial activities. Hence, there is an urgent need to find remediation methods of the oily sludge contaminated agricultural land. Thus, the aim of this work was to study bioremediation of oily sludge polluted soil employing a novel strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and evaluation of phytotoxicity on germination of Vigna radiata seed in pots. Five different approaches were adopted for the bioremediation studies, which included Bioaugmentation + Biostimulation, bioaugmentation, biostimulation, natural attenuation and abiotic factors. Simultaneous application of P. aeruginosa NCIM 5514 and nutrients in microcosm showed 92.97 ± 0.92% decrease in oily sludge with good hydrocarbon utilizing bacterial count and decreased nutrient level in 56 days. Pot experiments on seed germination of mung beans (Vigna radiata) seeds was performed by pot experiments. 80.95% germination in five days in treated soil. From the results it was concluded that simultaneous use of oily sludge degraders and nutrient supplement could revive seed germination ability of oily sludge polluted soil effectively. This is first report of comparing five techniques to bioremediate oily sludge polluted soil using Pseudomonas aeruginosa, followed by pot study using V. radiata seeds, showing that P. aeruginosa can be an efficient bioremediation agent and can be effectively used for remediation of oily sludge contaminated soil.

Algae as potential feedstock for the production of biofuels and value-added products: Opportunities and challenges.

The current review explores the potential application of algal biomass for the production of biofuels and bio-based products. The variety of processes and pathways through which bio-valorization of algal biomass can be performed are described in this review. Various lipid extraction techniques from algal biomass along with transesterification reactions for biodiesel production are briefly discussed. Processes such as the pretreatment and saccharification of algal biomass, fermentation, gasification, pyrolysis, hydrothermal liquefaction, and anaerobic digestion for the production of biohydrogen, bio-oils, biomethane, biochar (BC), and various bio-based products are reviewed in detail. The biorefinery model and its collaborative approach with various processes are highlighted for the production of eco-friendly, sustainable, and cost-effective biofuels and value-added products. The authors also discuss opportunities and challenges related to bio-valorization of algal biomass and use their own perspective regarding the processes involved in production and the feasibility to make algal research a reality for the production of biofuels and bio-based products in a sustainable manner.

Emerging applications of biochar: Improving pig manure composting and attenuation of heavy metal mobility in mature compost.

This study evaluated the effect of integrated bacterial culture and biochar on heavy metal (HM) stabilization and microbial activity during pig manure composting. High-throughput sequencing was carried out on six treatments, namely T1-T6, where T2 was single application of bacteria culture (C), T3 and T5 were supplemented with 12 % wood (WB) and wheat-straw biochar (WSB), respectively, and T4 and T6 had a combination of bacterial consortium mixed with biochar (12 % WB and 12 % WSB, respectively). T1 was used as control for the comparison. The results show that the populations of bacterial phyla were significantly greater in T6 and T4. The predominate phylum were Proteobacteria (56.22 %), Bacteroidetes (35.40 %), and Firmicutes (8.38 %), and the dominant genera were Marinimicrobium (53.14 %), Moheibacter (35.22 %), and Erysipelothrix (5.02 %). Additionally, the correlation analysis revealed the significance of T6, as the interaction of biochar and bacterial culture influenced the HM adsorption efficiency and microbial dynamics during composting. Overall, the integrated bacterial culture and biochar application promoted the immobilization of HMs (Cu and Zn) owing to improved adsorption, and enhanced the abundance and selectivity of the bacterial community to promote degradation and improving the safety and quality of the final compost product.

Thermostable phytase in feed and fuel industries.

Phytase with wide ranging biochemical properties has long been utilized in a multitude of industries, even so, thermostability plays a crucial factor in choosing the right phytase in a few of the sectors. Mesophilic phytases are not considered to be a viable option in the feed industry owing to its limited stability in the required feed processing temperature. In the recent past, inclusion of thermostable phytase in fuel ethanol production from starch based raw material has been demonstrated with economic benefits. Therefore, considerable emphasis has been placed on using complementary approaches such as mining of extremophilic microbial wealth, encapsulation and using enzyme engineering for obtaining stable phytase variants. This article means to give an insight on role of thermostable phytases in feed and fuel industries and methods for its development, highlighting molecular determinants of thermostability.

Simultaneous saccharification and fermentation of oil palm front for the production of 2,3-butanediol.

The present study aims to develop a process for the production of 2,3-butanediol by Simultaneous Saccharification and Fermentation (SSF) of Oil Palm Front (OPF) biomass. The study compares SSF with Separate Hydrolysis and Fermentation (SHF) of oil palm biomass and batch fermentation using glucose. The results showed that SSF is one of the most attractive techniques for the microbial production of 2,3-butanediol using lignocellulosic biomass. The enzymatic digestibility and fermentative efficiency of alkali pre-treated OPF biomass was checked and the role of various experimental parameters like enzyme loading and inoculum loading were optimized. SSF experiments could give 30.74 g/l of BDO in shake flask and 12.53 g/l in 500 ml bioreactor with a productivity of 0.32 and 0.13 g/l/h respectively.

Comprehensive review on toxicity of persistent organic pollutants from petroleum refinery waste and their degradation by microorganisms.

Control and prevention of environmental pollution has become a worldwide issue of concern. Aromatic hydrocarbons including benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene, xylene (BTEX) and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are persistent organic pollutants (POPs), released into the environment mainly by exploration activities of petroleum industry. These pollutants are mutagenic, carcinogenic, immunotoxic and teratogenic to lower and higher forms of life i.e. microorganisms to humans. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA), Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) is carcinogenic in laboratory animals and humans. Aromatic hydrocarbons are highly lipid soluble and thus readily absorbed from environment in gastrointestinal tract of mammals. Treatment and remediation of petroleum refinery waste have been shown either to reduce or to eliminate genotoxicity of these pollutants. Bioremediation by using microorganisms to treat this waste is showing a promising technology as it is safe and cost-effective option among various technologies tested. The main aim of this review is to provide contemporary information on variety of aromatic hydrocarbons present in crude oil (with special focus to mono- and poly-aromatic hydrocarbons), exposure routes and their adverse effects on humans. This review also provides a synthesis of scientific literature on remediation technologies available for aromatic hydrocarbons, knowledge gaps and future research developments in this field.

Microbial degradation of high impact polystyrene (HIPS), an e-plastic with decabromodiphenyl oxide and antimony trioxide.

Accumulation of electronic waste has increased catastrophically and out of that various plastic resins constitute one of the leading thrown out materials in the electronic machinery. Enrichment medium, containing high impact polystyrene (HIPS) with decabromodiphenyl oxide and antimony trioxide as sole carbon source, was used to isolate microbial cultures. The viability of these cultures in the e-plastic containing mineral medium was further confirmed by triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC) reduction test. Four cultures were identified by 16S rRNA sequencing as Enterobacter sp., Citrobacter sedlakii, Alcaligenes sp. and Brevundimonas diminuta. Biodegradation experiments were carried out in flask level and gelatin supplementation (0.1% w/v) along with HIPS had increased the degradation rate to a maximum of 12.4% (w/w) within 30days. This is the first report for this kind of material. The comparison of FTIR, NMR, and TGA analysis of original and degraded e-plastic films revealed structural changes under microbial treatment. Polystyrene degradation intermediates in the culture supernatant were also detected using HPLC analysis. The gravity of biodegradation was validated by morphological changes under scanning electron microscope. All isolates displayed depolymerase activity to substantiate enzymatic degradation of e-plastic.

Crude oil biodegradation aided by biosurfactants from Pseudozyma sp. NII 08165 or its culture broth.

The aim of this work was to evaluate the biosurfactants produced by the yeast Pseudozyma sp. NII 08165 for enhancing the degradation of crude oil by a model hydrocarbon degrading strain, Pseudomonas putida MTCC 1194. Pseudozyma biosurfactants were supplemented at various concentrations to the P. putida culture medium containing crude oil as sole carbon source. Supplementation of the biosurfactants enhanced the degradation of crude oil by P. putida; the maximum degradation of hydrocarbons was observed with a 2.5 mg L(-1) supplementation of biosurfactants. Growth inhibition constant of the Pseudozyma biosurfactants was 11.07 mg L(-1). It was interesting to note that Pseudozyma sp. NII 08165 alone could also degrade diesel and kerosene. Culture broth of Pseudozyma containing biosurfactants resulted up to ∼46% improvement in degradation of C10-C24 alkanes by P. putida. The enhancement in degradation efficiency of the bacterium with the culture broth supplementation was even more pronounced than that with relatively purer biosurfactants.