Socio-ecological Challenges and Adaptation Strategies of Farmers Towards Changing Climate in Vindhyan highlands, India.

The Indian agriculture is highly vulnerable to climate change which adversely affects crop production and livelihood of farmers. The effect is more intensified in Vindhyan highlands, where prolong drought and high rate of poverty exist in depredation environment. In this context, present study conducted to explore farmers' perception, attitude about climate change and adaptive capabilities. We undertook an interview schedules survey through structured questionnaire in Duddhi block of Sonbhadra district. A total of 400 households were selected in which 347 (86.75%) male and 53 (13.25%) female respondents have participated. The perception of farmers on climate change is presented in SI (severity index) which varies from 36% to 68.63%. The statement 'rainy season decreases' ranked first with SI (68.63%) followed by 'temperature increases' SI (66.06%). This investigation identified 17 types of adaptive practices which are frequently performed in the Vindhyan highlands. Based on the WAI (Weighted Average Index) score, crop diversification (2.0), cultivation of drought-adapted crop varieties (1.99), changing plantation calendar (1.95) were the most adopted practices. Multiple regression analysis between the socio-economic status of farmers and the adaptation practices, recorded a significant positive relationship with age (P < 0.01), family size (P < 0.05), education (P < 0.01), caste categories (P < 0.05) and livestock ownership (P < 0.01) of farmer. This study will be helpful in developing drought resilience farming practices for sustaining the livelihood of farmers and inform policy making.

Biomass valorization of Eichhornia crassipes root using thermogravimetric analysis.

Present study focused on the thermo-chemical potential of waste biomass of Eichhornia crassipes or water hyacinth root (WHR). The pyrolysis-kinetic parameters are investigated using thermo-gravimetric analysis at the various heating rates (5, 10, 15, and 20 °C/min). Three model-free techniques, Flynn-Wall-Ozawa (FWO), Kissinger-Akahira-Sunose (KAS), and Starink, were used for the thermal kinetic analysis of biomass. The average activation energy for WHR biomass was determined using KAS, FWO, and Starink, with the values of 57.87, 64.69, and 58.27 kJ/mol, respectively. From the study it is observed that the roots of water hyacinth have rich in carbon, oxygen and hydrogen composition around 24%, 70% and 4% respectively. The higher heating value of water hyacinth root was observed around 15 MJ/kg.

Cyclization Dynamics and Competitive Processes of Photochromic Perfluorocyclopentene Dithienylethylene in Solution.

Time-resolved absorption spectroscopy measurements were performed to study the dynamics of photochromic 1,2-Bis(2,4-dimethylthiophene-3-yl)perfluoro-cyclopentene (DMTPF) in chloroform, including antiparallel conformer ring-closure reaction and parallel conformer photophysics. All characteristic times are given, discussed and compared to a previous publication concerning the close molecule substituted with phenyl rings. (Hamdi et al., PCCP, 2016). Apart from the expected photocyclization process, condensed ring by-product formation is observed and hypotheses concerning the origin of this by-product are presented.

Study on Impact of Iron and Folic Acid on the Plasma Trace Minerals in Pregnant Anemic Women.

Iron deficiency anemia is one of the causes that lead to significant mortality and morbidity among pregnant women and fetus. The present study was undertaken to explore oral iron supplementation can modify the metal contents in pregnant anemic women. Iron and folic acid supplementations was given to 500 anemic women (mild = 200, moderate = 200, and severe = 100) and 100 age matched non-anemic controls daily for 100 days. Blood index values and plasma trace minerals were estimated as per standard protocols. Haemoglobin and ferritin levels were found significantly increased (p < 0.001) in anemic and control subjects after treatment. Moreover, the serum transferring receptor levels and total iron binding capacity were found significantly decreased in all treated groups. Iron (Fe), zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) levels were found increased (p < 0.01) after oral iron supplementation groups. Moreover, selenium (Se) manganese (Mn) and were found to be decreased in all treated groups. Data provides the conclusion that iron and folic acid supplementation recovered the essential trace minerals, except manganese, which may lead to various complications including peroxidation of vital body molecules resulting in increased risk for pregnant women as well as fetus.

Sustainable polyurethane for the remediation of oil spills: a review.

Catastrophic oil spill is one of the major issues to the environment. Various methods have been used to treat oil spillage including in situ burning, the use of skimmers, dispersants, bioremediation, dispersing agents, oil sorbents, and biological agents. Application of oil sorbent is one of the effective solutions in oil spill clean-up. Polymers are sustainable extraordinary materials for the treatment of oil spillage due to their special physicochemical characteristics such as high porosity, good hydrophobicity, and reusability. Polymers are modified using suitable chemical reagents and their hydrophobicity is enhanced, making them suitable for oil spill clean-up. The present manuscript is an attempt to summarize the study of chemical modifications done on a polymer polyurethane (PU) for achieving the desirable properties, for efficient oil spill clean-up. A patent analysis has been carried out for the leading countries, top inventors, leading assignees, trends of patent publications, citation analysis, and summary of granted patents in the area of the use of a polymer Polyurethane (PU) for oil spill clean-up.

Review of Pharmacotherapeutic Targets in Alzheimer's Disease and Its Management Using Traditional Medicinal Plants.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by cognitive decline, memory loss, and impaired daily functioning. While there is currently no cure for AD, several pharmacotherapeutic targets and management strategies have been explored. Additionally, traditional medicinal plants have gained attention for their potential role in AD management. Pharmacotherapeutic targets in AD include amyloid-beta (Aß) aggregation, tau protein hyperphosphorylation, neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and cholinergic dysfunction. Traditional medicinal plants, such as Ginkgo biloba, Huperzia serrata, Curcuma longa (turmeric), and Panax ginseng, have demonstrated the ability to modulate these targets through their bioactive compounds. Ginkgo biloba, for instance, contains flavonoids and terpenoids that exhibit neuroprotective effects by reducing Aß deposition and enhancing cerebral blood flow. Huperzia serrata, a natural source of huperzine A, has acetylcholinesterase-inhibiting properties, thus improving cholinergic function. Curcuma longa, enriched with curcumin, exhibits anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, potentially mitigating neuroinflammation and oxidative stress. Panax ginseng's ginsenosides have shown neuroprotective and anti-amyloidogenic properties. The investigation of traditional medicinal plants as a complementary approach to AD management offers several advantages, including a lower risk of adverse effects and potential multi-target interactions. Furthermore, the cultural knowledge and utilization of these plants provide a rich source of information for the development of new therapies. However, further research is necessary to elucidate the precise mechanisms of action, standardize preparations, and assess the safety and efficacy of these natural remedies. Integrating traditional medicinal-plant-based therapies with modern pharmacotherapies may hold the key to a more comprehensive and effective approach to AD treatment. This review aims to explore the pharmacotherapeutic targets in AD and assess the potential of traditional medicinal plants in its management.

Sustainable valorization of water hyacinth waste pollutant via pyrolysis for advance microbial fuel investigation.

Present study has been focused on the bio-energy potential of waste biomass (water hyacinth leaves and its stem). Pyrolysis of both biomasses were investigated at five different heating rates (5-25 °C/min) using thermogravimetric analyzer. For both biomasses, maximum thermal degradation occurred within the temperature range of 200-400 °C, which is the active pyrolytic zone. Three non-iso-conversional (degradation models) including the Kissinger-Akahira-Sunose, Flynn-Wall-Ozawa, and Starink were used to calculate the activation energy of both biomasses. The activation energy was around 92-98 kJ/mol for water hyacinth leaves and 151-153 kJ/mol for water hyacinth stems. The results suggest that these low-cost abundantly available biomasses have a good potential for the production of solid bio-fuel.

Evaluation of Low Blood Lead Levels and Its Association with Oxidative Stress in Pregnant Anemic Women: A Comparative Prospective Study.

To correlate blood lead levels (BLLs) and oxidative stress parameters in pregnant anemic women. A total of 175 pregnant women were found suitable and included for this study. Following WHO criteria, 50 each were identified as non-anemic, mild anemic and moderate anemic and 25 were severe anemic. The age of all study subjects ranged from 24-41 years. At admission, BLLs and oxidative stress parameters were estimated as per standard protocols and subjected with ANOVA, Pearson correlation analysis and cluster analysis. Results showed significantly (p < 0.01) high BLLs, zinc protoporphyrin (ZPP), oxidized glutathione (GSSG), lipid peroxide (LPO) levels while low delta aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (δ-ALAD), iron (Fe), selenium (Se), zinc (Zn), haemoglobin (Hb), haematocrit (Hct), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC), red blood cell (RBC) count, reduced glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in all groups of anemic pregnant women as compared with non anemic pregnant women. In all groups of pregnant women, BLLs showed significant (p < 0.01) and direct association with ZPP, GSSG and LPO while inverse relation with δ-ALAD, Fe, Se, Zn, Hb, Hct, MCV, MCH, MCHC, RBC, GSH, SOD, CAT and TAC. Study concluded that low BLLs perturb oxidant-antioxidant balance and negatively affected hematological parameters which may eventually Pb to Fe deficiency anemia during pregnancy.

Thermo-chemical potential of solid waste seed biomass obtained from plant Phoenix dactylifera and Aegle marmelos L. Fruit core cell.

The present study explores thermo-chemical potential of two biomasses namely; Phoenix dactylifera seed (PDS) and Aegle marmelos L core (AMP). These biomasses contain high amount of cellulose and exhibit heating value of 3-18 MJ/kg. The thermal kinetic of both the biomasses have been extensively studied using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) at four different heating rates 5, 10, 15, and 20 °C/min. Kinetic analysis was carried out using three model-free techniques including Flynn-Wall-Ozawa (FWO), Kissinger-Akahira-Sunose (KAS) and Starink. The average activation energy has been found to be 173.75, 172.94 and 170.71 kJ/mol, for PDS whereas 170.26, 167.24 and 164.80 kJ/mol, for AMP analyzed through KAS, FWO and Starink methods, respectively. Further, among all these models, the Starink model exhibits better result for the biofuels potential point of view.

One-Pot Synthesis of Aminated Bimodal Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles as Silver-Embedded Antibacterial Nanocarriers and CO2 Capture Sorbents.

Mesoporous silica nanoparticles have highly versatile structural properties that are suitable for a plethora of applications including catalysis, separation, and nanotherapeutics. We report a one-pot synthesis strategy that generates bimodal mesoporous silica nanoparticles via coassembly of a structure-directing Gemini surfactant (C16-3-16) with a tetraethoxysilane/(3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane-derived sol additive. Synthesis temperature enables control of the nanoparticle shape, structure, and mesopore architecture. Variations of the aminosilane/alkylsilane molar ratio further enable programmable adjustments of hollow to core-shell and dense nanoparticle morphologies, bimodal pore sizes, and surface chemistries. The resulting Gemini-directed aminated mesoporous silica nanoparticles have excellent carbon dioxide adsorption capacities and antimicrobial properties against Escherichia coli. Our results provide an enhanced understanding of the structure formation of multiscale mesoporous inorganic materials that are desirable for numerous applications such as carbon sequestration, water remediation, and biomedical-related applications.

Enhanced biogas production potential analysis of rice straw: Biomass characterization, kinetics and anaerobic co-digestion investigations.

Present study of the biofuel potential of rice straw (RS) waste biomass materials. The average activation energy of rice straw was determined from KAS, FWO and Starink are 84.11, 89.62 and 84.52 kJ/mol, respectively. The characterized rice straw biomass has been tested for biogas potential under co-digestion mode of rice straw and cow dung in ratio 1/2. The maximum 339 ml/g Vs of biogas has been recorded in 35 days with CH4 concentration of 58.3%. The rest being CO2 as well as H2S has been found in trace amounts with observed 85% total solids and 74% volatile solids, present in rice straw.

Genes involved in phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis correlate with nuclear factor-κB in biliary tract cancer patients: Evidence from 1H NMR and computational analyses.

Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is an aggressive malignancy of gastrointestinal tract. Due to uncontrolled growth, GBC cells rapidly synthesize biomolecules including lipids. The lipids are integral component of cell membrane with a wide range of cellular functions. In this study, we measured the clinicopathological features in 40 cases of histologically confirmed GBC and 16 cases of chronic cholecystitis (CC). The female to male ratio in the GBC and CC groups were 3.44:1 and 2.2:1, respectively. The GBC patients exhibited well to poorly differentiated tumor. In the CC group, all patients showed cholecystitis with no evidence of dysplasia or malignancy. The majority of GBC and CC patients reported pain. Using 1H NMR spectroscopy, we observed 4-folds increase in the level of choline containing phospholipids (CCPLs) in the gallbladder of GBC patients as compared to CC patients. Other lipid metabolites such as cholesterol ester, C18-cholesterol and saturated fatty acids were insignificantly changed between GBC and CC patients. Moreover, the level of CCPLs in the GBC patients with BMI <25 kg/m2 was significantly higher as compared to CC patients. Further, a significant increase in the CCPLs level was observed in GBC female patients in comparison to CC patients. From the computational analyses, we observed that the genes involved in the biosynthesis of phosphatidylcholine (PtdCho) indirectly interact with the RELA, which encodes the NF-κB p65 subunit. The genes involved in the PtdCho biosynthesis were also correlated with the overall and disease-free survival of cholangiocarcinoma patients. The study opens new window for exploring the diagnostic and therapeutic potential of CCPLs in GBC patients.

Java plum and amaltash seed biomass based bio-adsorbents for synthetic wastewater treatment.

Biomass of Java plum (JP) and amaltash (AT) seeds were employed to remove arsenic from synthetic wastewater, cost effectively. The prepared biomasses were characterized by FE-SEM, EDX, FTIR, XRD, and ICP techniques. Experimentation the optimization study has been carried out by using Design-software 6.0.8. Response surface methodology has been applied to design the experiments where we have used three factors and three levels Box-Behnken design (BBD). Arsenic removal ability of bio-sorbents was evaluated and optimized by varying pH, adsorbent dose concentration of arsenic in synthetic wastewater. For 2.5 mg/L arsenic concentration and 80 mg adsorbent dose at pH 8.8 Java plum seeds (JP) based bio-adsorbent removed ∼93% and amaltash seeds (AT) based bio-adsorbent removed ∼91% arsenic from synthetic wastewater. The adsorption behaviour better explained following Freundlich model (R2 = 0.99) compared to Temkin model (R2 = 0.986) for As (III) ions. The adsorption capacity was 1.45 mg g-1 and 1.42 mg g-1 for JP and AT, respectively after 80 min under optimal set of condition. The adsorption kinetics was explained by either pseudo-first order model or Elovich model.

Effect of iron and folate supplementation on Pb levels in pregnant anemic women: a prospective study.

There are few reports revealing association between iron intake and environmental lead exposure during pregnancy. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to investigate the effect of iron supplementation on biochemical modulation of certain lead toxicity markers associated with pregnancy. Iron and folic acid supplementations were given to 250 pregnant anemic women (mild = 100, moderate = 100 and severe = 50) and 100 age matched nonanemic pregnant women as controls for 100 days. Lead (Pb) toxicity markers, enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidant were estimated as per standard protocols. The levels of Pb, serum transferrin receptors (sTfR), zinc protoporphyrin (ZPP), δ-aminolevulinic acid (δ-ALA, both in blood and urine) were found significantly increased in all pretreated subjects and these were decreased after oral iron supplementation. Iron-deficient pregnant women reflected a significant increase in lipid peroxide levels (LPO) and protein carbonyl levels (PC) which were found to be further increased after iron supplementation. The levels of iron (Fe), haemoglobin (Hb), ferritin, delta aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (δ-ALAD), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and reduced glutathione levels (GSH) were significantly decreased in pretreated groups and these parameters were found significantly increased in all supplemented subjects after treatment. Antioxidant vitamins viz. C and E were found significantly decreased in all post treated groups. Our observation suggests that recommended iron dose is not only effective for blood indices parameters, but it also decreases Pb concentrations in the blood during pregnancy. However, further studies with larger sample size are needed to confirm these findings.

Oral and dermal toxicity of alkenones extracted from Isochrysis species.

Isochrysis is commercially available marine algae used for animal feed, human nutrient supplements, and biodiesel. The Isochrysis species is one of five genera of haptophytes that produces unique, long-chain lipids known as alkenones that are promising new ingredients for green cosmetics, personal care products and pharmaceutical delivery. However, there is a lack of toxicity data for alkenones in animals, thus limiting their use in humans. In this study, we performed acute oral, acute dermal, and repeated 28-day dermal toxicity studies, using female SAS Sprague Dawley Rats. Our behavioral studies indicated that the specific alkenones had no overt behavioural effects at oral doses up to 4000 mg/kg. In the acute and chronic dermal toxicity studies, the alkenones produced less irritation and did not significantly damage the skin based on the Draize skin reaction scale and trans-epidermal water loss readings compared to the positive control, 1% sodium lauryl sulfate. Overall, our results indicated that alkenones are safe in Sprague Dawley rats, suggesting that they could be used for both oral and dermal formulations, although additional studies will be required.

Cytokine gene expression following RSV-A infection.

The present study determines the cytokine gene expression in chickens following RSV-A infection, using RT-qPCR. In susceptible chickens tumors progressed to  fulminating metastatic tumors while it regressed in  regressors  chickens and some resistant non-responder chickens did not respond to RSV-A infection and thus did not develop tumors at all. The in vivo expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, Th1 cytokines and Th2 cytokines was determined at the primary site of infection, as well as in different organs of progressor, regressor and non-responder chicks at different time intervals. Our results indicated a significant upregulation of the pro-inflammatory cytokines, IL-6 and IL-8, in all the organs of progressor chicks, while they were significantly lower in regressor and non-responder chicks. The expression of the Th1 cytokines IFN-γ and TNF-α was low in all of the organs of the progressor group, except that in  spleen. In contrast, regressor and non-responder groups showed high expression of IFN-γ and TNF-α. Further, there was an early upregulation of the expression of the Th2 cytokine, IL-10, TGF-ß and GM-CSF, in all of the organs of progressors as compared to uninfected control.

MHC-B haplotypes impact susceptibility and resistance to RSV-A infection.

We investigated the impact of haplotype of major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-B on the outcome of infection of Synthetic Dam Line (SDL) broiler strain with Rous Sarcoma Virus (RSV). Genomic analysis of MHC-B haplotypes, revealed a total of 12 known standard haplotypes that constituted to twenty-five different genotypes and one new haplotype of 217 bp size, designated BX. The inoculation of RSV-A in SDL chicks resulted in the development of tumors of progressive or regressive phenotypes with varying tumor profile index (TPI). Haplotypes B2, B21 and B22had low TPI scores (1 or 2) with less mortality and were resistant to RSV-A tumor. The haplotypes B13, B13.1., B15, B15.1. and B15.2. had significantly higher TPI scores (5 or 6), indicating a susceptibility to RSV-A. The genotype, Bx /Bx, had a mean TPI score of 3.67 ± 1.33, which was closer to the resistant haplotype. Sequence analysis of the new haplotype (BX) revealed 99.5% similarity with B2 haplotype. Metastases was observed in 44% of chicks and comprised of mixed fibrosarcoma and myxosarcoma.

Viability of Mycobacterium leprae in the environment and its role in leprosy dissemination.

BACKGROUND: Leprosy, a chronic disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae, is a public health concern in certain countries, including India. Although the prevalence of the disease has fallen drastically over time, new cases continue to occur at nearly the same rate in many regions. Several endemic pockets have been observed in India and elsewhere. The precise dynamics of leprosy transmission are still not clearly understood. Both live bacilli as well as M. leprae DNA have been detected in the soil and water of endemic areas; they possibly play an important role in disease transmission. AIMS: To study the occurrence of viable M. leprae in environmental samples collected from areas of residence of patients with active leprosy. METHODS: The study was conducted on 169 newly diagnosed leprosy patients in Ghatampur, Uttar Pradesh, India. Soil and water samples were collected from their areas of residence using a standardized protocol. An equal number of soil and water samples were also collected from non-patient areas of the same or adjoining villages. The environmental samples collected from the patients surroundings were subjected to 16S ribosomal RNA gene analysis after obtaining informed consent. RESULTS: About a quarter of the environmental samples collected from patient areas, (25.4% of soil samples and 24.2% of water samples) were found to be positive for specific 16S ribosomal RNA genes of M. leprae. Environmental samples collected from non-patient areas were all found negative for M. leprae 16S ribosomal RNA genes. LIMITATIONS: The major limitation of the study was that the sample size was small. CONCLUSION: The study demonstrated the presence of viable strains of M. leprae in skin smear samples of paucibacillary patients and multibacillary patients, as well as in the environmental samples obtained from around their houses. This could play an important role in the continued transmission of leprosy.

Study on metal nanoparticles synthesis and orientation of gemini surfactant molecules used as stabilizer.

In the present study, we report the synthesis of gold (Au), silver (Ag), and gold-silver alloy (Au-Ag) nanoparticles (NPs) by seed-mediated method using gemini surfactant, containing diethyl ether spacer group as a stabilizer. As-synthesized NPs are found very much stable and have been characterized using UV-vis spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and zeta potential techniques. The orientation of gemini surfactant molecules surrounding the metal NPs has been investigated exploiting twisted intramolecular charge transfer (TICT) fluorescence properties of a probe 4-(N,N-dimethylamino) cinnamaldehyde (DMACA). The quenching efficiencies of different NPs have been performed in the fluorescence of DMACA and are found to be different. This effect can be related to the location of DMACA as well as the electro-negativity of the metals as the extent of orientation of the surfactant molecules around NPs controls the location of DMACA in a bilayer. To support the location of DMACA, fluorescence quenching studies with cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) as an external quencher have also been carried out.

Oral iron supplementation leads to oxidative imbalance in anemic women: a prospective study.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: This study was aimed to assess the desirable and undesirable effects of iron (100 mg/day as ferrous sulphate) and folic acid (500 µg/day) supplementation in iron deficient anemic women. METHODS: Iron and folic acid supplementations were given to 117 anemic women (mild = 55, moderate = 40, and severe = 22) and 60 age matched placebo treated (100 mg cane sugar) non-anemic controls for 100 days. Blood index values, oxidative stress parameters, antioxidant enzymes and vitamins were estimated as per standard protocols. RESULTS: Haemoglobin (Hb) levels along with antioxidant enzymes, namely catalase, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione reductase (GSH-Rd), reduced glutathione (GSH) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) were found significantly increased (P < 0.01) in anemic women after treatment. However, the glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and antioxidant vitamins A, C and E were found significantly decreased (P < 0.01) in all treated groups. Lipid peroxide levels (LPO), protein carbonyl (PC), conjugated dienes (CD), lipid hydroperoxide (LOOH) and oxidized glutathione (GSSG) levels were found significantly increased (P < 0.01) after oral iron supplementation groups. Moreover, undesirable side effects of iron supplementation were observed maximally in mild as compared with moderate and severe anemic groups, whereas nausea, vomiting, systemic reactions were negligible in all treated subjects. CONCLUSION: Study found recommended dose of iron effective for improving Hb, but at the cost of increased oxidative stress (mild > moderate > severe). It is suggested that blind iron supplementation should be avoided and shall be provided on need basis.