Effect of boron fertilization on productivity and sustainability of rice-wheat cropping system in Tarai region, North-West India.

Extensive global dependency on rice and wheat crops has necessitated the adoption of intensive cultivation practices, thereby compelling to closely monitor the potential yield-limiting factors, among which, boron (B) deficiency stands out to be a prime concern. The present study explores the effects of B fertilization strategies within the Rice-Wheat Cropping System (RWCS) in the Tarai region of North-West India. A comprehensive six-year field experiment was conducted (2013-2019) at G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Uttarakhand, India. The experiment tested graded B doses (0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 kg ha-1) at varied frequencies (single, alternate, and annual) in a factorial design. The study revealed significant impacts of alternate B application at 1.5 kg ha-1 on crop yields and the Sustainable Yield Index (SYI). The System Rice Equivalent Yield (SREY) exhibited an increase of 6.7% with B supplementation over B-deprived plots, highlighting the pivotal role of B fertilizer in enhancing productivity within the RWCS. The economic optimum B dose was found to be 1.422 kg ha-1 using a linear plus plateau model, resulting in a calculated annual SREY of 9.73 t ha-1 when applied alternately to the cropping system. Continuous application and higher B rates demonstrated substantial increases in various B fractions, while the mobility factor remained within 10%, depicting safe ecological limits. The distribution of fractions in B-treated plots on average followed the order: residual B > organically-bound B > oxide bound B > specifically adsorbed B > readily soluble B. Similarities in the distribution patterns of B fractions between B-treated plots and the control indicated potential influence of biotic or abiotic processes on B fraction dynamics, even in the absence of external B application. To sum up, B application in alternate years at 1.5 kg ha-1 was most sustainable in enhancing the SREY, SYI, available soil B, and B fractions and lowering the environmental hazards.

A comparative study between two different dose fractionation schedules of cobalt-60-based HDR intracavitary brachytherapy in carcinoma cervix stages IIB-IIIC1.

INTRODUCTION: High dose rate (HDR) intracavitary brachytherapy (ICBT) is an integral element in the treatment of carcinoma uterine cervix. The main objective of brachytherapy in carcinoma cervix is to deliver a lethal dose to tumor cells without inducing unacceptable damage to the surrounding normal tissue. Because the absorbed dose falls off rapidly, higher doses can be safely delivered to the targeted tissue over a short time. The quest for optimum dose and fractionation schedule in HDR ICBT is still ongoing, and there is no uniform consensus. This study aimed to assess the acute dose-related toxicities of HDR brachytherapy schedule of 7 Gy x 3 fractions over 6 Gy x 4 fractions in the treatment of cervical cancer. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to study the acute treatment-related gastrointestinal (GI) and genitourinary (GU) toxicities between two HDR brachytherapy regimens. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This is a prospective institutional study carried out from May 2018 to September 2018. In this time period, 66 patients of cervical cancers fulfilling our inclusion criteria were treated with concurrent chemoradiation (CCRT) following brachytherapy. During treatment, patients were randomized to arm A-7 Gy per fraction for three fractions and arm B-6 Gy per fraction for four fractions. Acute GI and GU toxicities were assessed using Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) Version 4.03. All patients were kept for follow-up for 3 months in this study. RESULTS: There is no statistically significant difference between the two arms for acute GI and GU toxicities, and the results were comparable. CONCLUSIONS: Considering the increased hospital burden of locally advanced cervical cancer patients in the Indian context, the HDR brachytherapy schedule of 7 Gy per fraction is preferable to 6 Gy per fraction for a lesser fractionation schedule.

Feeding practices and nutritional status of children (6-23 months) in an urban area of Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India.

Background: The first 1,000 days of a child's life is a critical window for growth faltering, deficiencies, and common childhood illnesses. Even with optimum breastfeeding, children 6-23 months are at higher risk of being undernourished if they do not receive adequate and appropriate complementary feeding. Therefore, this study was carried out to assess the nutritional status of children 6-23 months and find the association between sociodemographic profile and nutritional status. Materials and Methods: Mothers of 411 children of age 6-23 months in an urban area of Raipur were interviewed using a pretested questionnaire based on the WHO indicators to record their complementary feeding practices. Weight, height, and mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) was taken to assess the nutritional status. Overall and specific (sex-wise and severity-wise) prevalence rate of stunting, wasting, and underweight were calculated. The distribution of these according to various factors like infant and young child feeding practices, and details of study subject and family were calculated. Chi-square test of significance was applied to find the association between nutritional status and independent variables and their strength of association. Results: The prevalence of wasting was 25%, underweight 30%, and stunting 15%. Statistically significant association of underweight with age of the parents, both mother and father, was observed (P < 0.05). Minimum dietary diversity was achieved by only 4.1% and minimum acceptable diet by 2.4% children. Conclusions: The prevalence of wasting and undernutrition was assessed. Complementary feeding indicators were unsatisfactory among children. Ending all forms of malnutrition is the global goal. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that directly affect or indirectly influence nutrition have to be recalled at this stage and addressing malnutrition is a key element required to achieving them.

Effect of land use and soil depth on the distribution of phyto-available nutrients and SOC pools of Vertisols in Central India.

A proper understanding of soil parameters under different production systems of the world is necessary for efficient soil management. We, therefore, carried out the present study to assess the status of some selected soil properties (soil pH and electrical conductivity (EC)), phyto-available nutrients (available nitrogen (AN), available potassium (AK), exchangeable calcium (Ex. Ca), exchangeable magnesium (Ex. Mg), available sulfur (AS), and soil organic carbon (SOC) pools (SOC, total organic carbon (TOC), very labile C, labile C, less labile C, and non-labile C) and to establish relationships among the measured soil parameters at different depths of Vertisols of India under various land uses. A total of 150 composite soil samples (from 25 plots including nine from agricultural land, nine from horticultural land, three from forest land, and four from grassland) were collected from 6 soil depths viz, 0-10, 10-20, 20-40, 40-60, 60-80, and 80-100 cm under agriculture, horticulture, forest, and grassland land uses present in Central India and analyzed. The values of soil pH, EC, AN, AK, Ex. Ca, Ex. Mg, and AS in various soil depths under different land uses varied widely. The values of SOC (0.19 to 1.00%), TOC (0.58 to 2.42%), very labile C (0.14 to 0.83%), labile C (0.05 to 0.25%), less labile C (0.05 to 0.26%) and non-labile C (0.23 to 1.42%) in various soil depths under different land uses also varied significantly. Forest and grassland land uses had higher levels of SOC, TOC, very labile, and non-labile C content in all the soil depths in comparison to SOC, TOC, very labile, and non-labile C content in different soil depths under agriculture and horticulture land use. The levels of SOC, TOC, very labile, and non-labile C content under all the land uses decreased with increasing soil depths. SOC was positively and significantly correlated with AN, AK, AS, and estimated SOC pools in surface soil layers. Principal component analysis (PCA) of soil parameters in different soil depths resulted in 5 principal components (PCs) with > 1 eigenvalue and accounting for > 75% variability. This information could be used for managing SOC status and phyto-available nutrients in Vertisols under different land uses.

Post COVID sequelae among COVID-19 survivors: insights from the Indian National Clinical Registry for COVID-19.

INTRODUCTION: The effects of COVID-19 infection persist beyond the active phase. Comprehensive description and analysis of the post COVID sequelae in various population groups are critical to minimise the long-term morbidity and mortality associated with COVID-19. This analysis was conducted with an objective to estimate the frequency of post COVID sequelae and subsequently, design a framework for holistic management of post COVID morbidities. METHODS: Follow-up data collected as part of a registry-based observational study in 31 hospitals across India since September 2020-October 2022 were used for analysis. All consenting hospitalised patients with COVID-19 are telephonically followed up for up to 1 year post-discharge, using a prestructured form focused on symptom reporting. RESULTS: Dyspnoea, fatigue and mental health issues were reported among 18.6%, 10.5% and 9.3% of the 8042 participants at first follow-up of 30-60 days post-discharge, respectively, which reduced to 11.9%, 6.6% and 9%, respectively, at 1-year follow-up in 2192 participants. Patients who died within 90 days post-discharge were significantly older (adjusted OR (aOR): 1.02, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.03), with at least one comorbidity (aOR: 1.76, 95% CI: 1.31, 2.35), and a higher proportion had required intensive care unit admission during the initial hospitalisation due to COVID-19 (aOR: 1.49, 95% CI: 1.08, 2.06) and were discharged at WHO ordinal scale 6-7 (aOR: 49.13 95% CI: 25.43, 94.92). Anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccination (at least one dose) was protective against such post-discharge mortality (aOR: 0.19, 95% CI: 0.01, 0.03). CONCLUSION: Hospitalised patients with COVID-19 experience a variety of long-term sequelae after discharge from hospitals which persists although in reduced proportions until 12 months post-discharge. Developing a holistic management framework with engagement of care outreach workers as well as teleconsultation is a way forward in effective management of post COVID morbidities as well as reducing mortality.

Knowledge, Awareness, and Understanding of Pediatric Triage Among Nursing Officers in India: A Multicenter Study.

INTRODUCTION:  Triage is crucial in patient screening within emergency departments (EDs) worldwide. It is one of the essential and standard medical practices in many developed countries. However, in India, there is a need for improvement in triage utilization, as it is predominantly performed by resident doctors or medical officers, leading to an uneven distribution of clinical skills among healthcare providers (HCPs). A comprehensive analysis incorporating literature review and data collection revealed that while mandatory screening is conducted in most Indian EDs, the formal implementation of standardized triage protocols remains limited. Like in developed countries, registered nurses or nursing officers (NOs) can be effectively trained and directed to play the role of dedicated triage personnel in EDs of most of the healthcare facilities in India. METHOD AND MATERIALS:  This study aimed to examine the current state of triage utilization and its impact on the distribution of responsibilities among HCPs in Indian EDs. Through this online survey, the investigators assessed the knowledge and practical understanding of clinical triaging among NOs, working at various hospitals nationwide. RESULTS:  The participants included 5,029 NOs working in various parts of India, predominantly nursing graduates (82.52%), the majority being employed in government healthcare settings (84.01%) and most having over five years of cumulative working experience in the ED (70.77%). Nurses showed inadequate knowledge and awareness about the Pediatric Assessment Triangle (PAT) used for quick initial evaluation (62.18% among all participants). Concerning the complete triage process applicable, especially in pediatric ED settings, they had even less satisfactory knowledge and understanding, e.g., identifying primary (28.27%) and secondary (22.69%) survey components via focused history and examination, properly using temperature assessment (23.32%) and instant blood glucose level assessment (22.95%) in triage, and knowing various types of internationally accepted triage systems for ED-based health facilities such as the Emergency Severity Index (ESI), Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale (CTAS), and Australasian Triage Scale (ATS) (15.87%). ANOVA and post hoc analysis revealed that the intergroup performance of the study participants with maximum correct responses to the knowledge-determining specified subset of the questionnaire depicts the significantly higher role of graduate nursing degree over diploma such as General Nursing and Midwifery (GNM)/Auxiliary Nursing and Midwifery (ANM) qualification, working in government hospital versus private setup, and ED working experience of >5 years over that of <5 years. CONCLUSIONS:  Of the participants in the study, 50% were not evaluated for cognitive or psychomotor domains during their assessment examinations. The research illuminated a significant disparity in knowledge and proficiency levels among Indian nurses concerning pediatric triage, especially with the ability to effectively apply the PAT for initial patient evaluations, discern components of primary and secondary surveys, and comprehend various triage systems. This study underscores the importance of comprehensive reform in the Indian healthcare system and teaching curriculum by emphasizing clinical triage training and interprofessional collaboration, and establishing guidelines and regulations to ensure consistent and standardized triage practices across all EDs.

Undiagnosed hypertension and associated factors among adults in the urban field practice area of AIIMS Raipur: A community-based screening survey.

Introduction: Undiagnosed hypertension (HTN) increases the risk of severe consequences such as chronic kidney disease (CKD), hypertensive retinopathy, heart failure, and stroke. Population-based screening can be used to expose the hidden diseased mass with active disease. Thus, a screening survey was conducted to estimate the proportion of people with HTN among apparently healthy adults of age ≥30 years residing at the urban field practice area (UHTC) of AIIMS, Raipur, and also determine the predictors of undiagnosed HTN among the study participants. Methodology: This was a community-based cross-sectional study conducted over 2 months duration in the Ramnagar area, which comes under the urban field practice area of AIIMS Raipur using the STEPS tool is an acronym of study tool provided by WHO i.e. STEPwise approach to NCD risk factor surveillance consisting of three steps viz. questionnaire for behavioural risk factors, physical measurements and biochemical measurements. Results: In this study, 24.2% (95%, confidence interval [CI]: 20.1-28.2) of participants screened positive for HTN. The proportion of males who screened positive for HTN was 28.8% (95% CI: 22.6-35), whereas the proportion of females who screened positive for HTN was 19.6% (95% CI: 14.3-25). In this study, elderly (>60 years), male gender, daily tobacco use, greater waist circumference (male >90 cm and female >80 cm), and daily salt intake of more than 5 g were found to have higher odds of having HTN. Conclusion: The prevalence of undiagnosed HTN in the UHTC of AIIMS Raipur was quite high.

The Assessment of the Spectrum of Preventive Measures Taken by Healthcare Providers During the COVID-19 Pandemic in India: A Survey-Based Study.

INTRODUCTION: The first wave of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic created havoc and confusion in choosing appropriate treatment, as well as prophylaxis, due to its rapid surge, disease novelty, and lack of evidence-based literature. It was even more concerning among the healthcare workers (HCWs), who had to take care of patients, themselves, and their own families. OBJECTIVE: This online survey-based study targeted finding the various options for COVID-19 precautionary or prophylactic measures opted for by HCWs. METHODOLOGY: This was an observational study based on a predesigned questionnaire, which was floated online for three months after institutional ethical approval, just after the first wave of COVID-19 in 2021, targeting HCWs of different cadres (doctors, nurses, paramedics/laboratory technicians, etc.), ages, and sexes and HCWs hailing from across the country. Questions were focused on HCW's adopted measures, the order of preference and its reasons, and concerns related to safety and efficacy. Data was collected through Google Forms (Google, Inc., Mountain View, CA) into an Excel spreadsheet (Microsoft® Corp., Redmond, WA) and analyzed by the latest Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software (IBM SPSS Statistics, Armonk, NY) using appropriate statistics. RESULTS: The routine practice of standard precautionary measures (face mask, hand hygiene, and social distancing) and wearing a personal protective equipment (PPE) kit during the care of COVID-19-positive or COVID-19-suspected patients was adopted by the majority of HCWs, i.e., 306/312 (>98%) irrespective of cadre (p = 0.001). After the "routine measures," the most adopted measure by participant HCWs irrespective of profession, age, and gender was the consumption of allopathic drugs (n = 188; 60.26%). Anti-COVID-19 measures in the category of drugs used by healthcare providers (HCPs) were prophylactic allopathic drugs (60.26%), homeopathic drugs (11.86%), and other Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy (AYUSH)/traditional medical system drugs (11.86%). Vitamin C was the most consumed among all of the drugs for COVID-19 prophylaxis purposes. Non-drug measures espoused by the HCPs were physical exercises (46.47%), increased sleep duration (35.89%), change in dietary habits (42.62%), and spiritual measures (19.23%). CONCLUSION: The fear of COVID-19 imposed on the HCPs the obligation to use all the available preventive measures in spite of the lack of evidence on actual benefits. After the routine infection preventive measures, the most adopted measure by participant HCWs irrespective of profession, age, and gender was the consumption of prophylactic allopathic drugs (>60%), and the most non-drug preventive measures were the initiation of physical exercises and change in dietary habits. Adapting some form of physical exercise was more noted with males than females (p = 0.001), and it significantly increased with HCPs of higher age of >25 and >40 years than younger HCPs (58.6% versus 29.3%; p = 0.016). Females preferred more dietary and nutritional modifications.

Awareness About Folic Acid Supplementation in First-Trimester Pregnant Women of Rural Raipur District, Chhattisgarh, and Its Determinants: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Women are supplemented with folic acid (FA) during pregnancy as well as preconceptionally to prevent neural tube defects (NTDs) in newborns. To understand the importance of FA supplementation, women need to have awareness about the same, which in turn may be influenced by different factors. It is also known that both FA and vitamin B12 deficiency tend to cause NTDs in newborns and anemia. Very few studies have studied the relationship between hemoglobin, FA, and vitamin B12 levels. In this study, we aim to estimate the level of awareness of FA supplementation among pregnant women in the first trimester of pregnancy and the factors determining the presence of awareness regarding the same. Also, we aim to estimate any correlation between hemoglobin, FA, and vitamin B12 levels among a subset of pregnant women. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Abhanpur Block of Raipur district in Chhattisgarh among 399 pregnant women in their first trimester of pregnancy, in which their knowledge was assessed using a pretested semistructured questionnaire. Each participant's knowledge score regarding FA supplementation was calculated and scored based on six indicators and classified as low, intermediate, and high scores. Logistic regression was applied to find out any significant association between knowledge about FA supplementation with any other sociodemographic variables. Scatter plots were used to assess the correlation of FA with hemoglobin, vitamin B12, and knowledge scores among 104 participants. RESULTS: The majority (77.9%) of women had low knowledge scores with a mean score of 1.4 (0.15). It was found that only 45.6% of the participants knew the importance of FA supplementation, and the majority (23.1%) were informed by auxiliary nurse midwives (ANMs) followed by doctors. The majority (41.6%) of the study participants also did not know when to start FA, and only 1.3% knew that FA should be taken preconceptionally. On multivariable logistic regression, women who lived in joint families had significantly higher odds of having intermediate knowledge compared to those who lived in nuclear families. Although not statistically significant, there was a positive correlation between serum vitamin B12 and FA levels and also between hemoglobin and serum FA levels. However, a significant positive correlation was found between serum FA levels and the knowledge scores of the study participants. CONCLUSION: The majority of study participants had poor knowledge and awareness regarding FA supplementation. So, health education, as well as information, education, and communication (IEC) activities, is required to improve the knowledge about FA supplementation among women of reproductive age in the community. A better understanding of FA supplementation can lead to adherence to FA consumption and prevent NTDs among newborns.

Link of the short-term temporal trends of Sr and Nd isotopic composition of aeolian dust over the Arabian Sea with the source emissions.

Aeolian transport of continental dust from the Middle East and South Asia to the Arabian Sea (AS) is an important route for delivering key trace metals and nutrients. Despite being surrounded by several deserts, it is not clear which dust source is most likely contributing to mineral aerosols over this marine basin in winter. Substantial information on dust source emissions and transport pathways over the AS is, thus, needed for better constraining the biogeochemical effects in the sunlit surface waters. Here, we investigated the Sr and Nd isotopic composition (87Sr/86Sr and εNd(0)), respectively) of dust samples collected over the AS during a GEOTRACES-India expedition (GI-10: 13 January-10 February 2020). Both tracers, 87Sr/86Sr (0.70957-0.72495) and εNd(0) (-24.0 to -9.3), showed pronounced spatial variability. These proxies were further tagged with their source profiles of surrounding land masses based on the origin of air mass back trajectories (AMBTs). We also encountered two dust storms (DS), one on 27 January 2020 (87Sr/86Sr: 0.70957; εNd(0): -9.3) and the second one on 10 February 2020 (87Sr/86Sr: 0.71474, εNd(0):-12.5), which showed distinct isotopic signatures. AMBTs and satellite imagery together revealed that DS1 is from the Arabian Peninsula and DS2 is from Iran and/or the Indo-Gangetic Plain. Notably, the Sr and Nd isotope composition of DS1 is further consistent with other dust samples collected over the pelagic waters, suggesting the impact of dust outbreaks from the Arabian Peninsula during winter season. Such documentation based on the 87Sr/86Sr and εNd(0) over the Arabian Sea, hitherto, is lacking in literature and, thus, highlights the need for more measurements.

Minerals and chelated-based manganese fertilization influences the productivity, uptake, and mobilization of manganese in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in sandy loam soils.

Manganese (Mn) is an essential micronutrient in plants, and it is necessary for hydrolysis in photosystem II, chlorophyll biosynthesis, and also chloroplast breakdown. Limited Mn availability in light soil resulted in interveinal chlorosis, poor root development, and the development of fewer tillers, particularly staple cereals including wheat, while foliar Mn fertilizers were found efficient in improving crop yield as well as Mn use efficiency. In the above context, a study was conducted in consecutive two wheat growing seasons for screening of the most effective and economical Mn treatment for improving the yield and Mn uptake in wheat and to compare the relative effectiveness of MnCO3 against the recommended dose of MnSO4 for wheat. To fulfill the aims of the study, three manganese products, namely, 1) manganese carbonate MnCO3 (26% Mn w/w and 3.3% N w/w), 2) 0.5% MnSO4·H2O (30.5% Mn), and 3) Mn-EDTA solution (12% Mn), were used as experimental treatments. Treatments and their combinations were as follows: two levels of MnCO3 (26% Mn) @ 750 and 1,250 ml ha-1 were applied at the two stages (i.e., 25-30 and 35-40 days after sowing) of wheat, and three sprays each of 0.5% MnSO4 (30.5% Mn) and Mn-EDTA (12% Mn) solution were applied in other plots. The 2-year study showed that Mn application significantly increased the plant height, productive tillers plant-1, and 1,000 grain weight irrespective of fertilizer source. The results of MnSO4 for grain yield wheat as well as uptake of Mn were statistically at par with both levels (750 and 1,250 ml ha-1) of MnCO3 with two sprays at two stages of wheat. However, the application of Mn in the form of 0.5% MnSO4·H2O (30.5% Mn) was found more economical than MnCO3, while the mobilization efficiency index (1.56) was found maximum when Mn was applied in MnCO3 with two sprays (750 and 1,250 ml ha-1) in the two stages of wheat. Thus, the present study revealed that MnCO3 can be used as an alternative to MnSO4 to enhance the yield and Mn uptake of wheat.

Biofortification of mungbean (Vigna radiata L. (Wilczek)) with boron, zinc and iron alters its grain yield and nutrition.

Mungbean [Vigna radiata L. (Wilczek)] is considered as an extremely nutritious crop possessing a high level of micronutrients, but their low bioavailability in the crop leads to micronutrient malnutrition in humans. Therefore, the present study was conducted to investigate the potential of nutrients viz. boron (B), zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe) biofortification on productivity, nutrient concentration and uptake as well as the economics of mungbean cultivation. In the experiment, the various combinations of RDF with ZnSO4.7H2O (0.5%), FeSO4.7H2O (0.5%) and borax (0.1%) were applied to mungbean variety ML 2056. The combined foliar application of Zn, Fe and B was highly efficient in increasing the yield of grain as well as straw in mungbean exhibiting maximum values i.e. 944 kg ha-1 and 6133 kg ha-1, respectively. Similar results for B, Zn and Fe concentration in grain (27.3 mg kg-1, 35.7 mg kg-1 and 187.1 mg kg-1, respectively) and straw (21.1 mg kg-1, 18.6 mg kg-1 and 376.1 mg kg-1, respectively) of mungbean were observed. Also, uptake of Zn and Fe by grain (31.3 g ha-1 and 164.4 g ha-1, respectively), as well as straw (113.7 g ha-1 and 2295.0 g ha-1, respectively), was maximum for the above treatment. Whereas, the B uptake was found to enhance significantly through the combined application of B, Zn and Fe, where the values 24.0 g ha-1 and 128.7 g ha-1 corresponded to grain and straw, respectively. Thus, combined use of ZnSO4.7H2O (0.5%) + FeSO4.7H2O (0.5%) and borax (0.1%) significantly improved the yield outcomes, the concentration of B, Zn and Fe, uptake and economic returns of mungbean cultivation to alleviate the B, Zn and Fe deficiency.

Interactive effect of land use systems on depth-wise soil properties and micronutrients minerals in North-Western, India.

Micronutrients play a vital role in improving growth and performance of different crops. Management of soil micronutrients for better crop production needs sound understanding of their status and causes of variability. Therefore, in order to evaluate the changes in soil properties and micronutrient contents of soils, an experiment was conducted with soil samples from six soil depths i.e. 0-10, 10-20, 20-40,40-60, 60-80 and 80-100 cm of four prominent land-use systems viz. forest, horticulture, crop land and barren land. Amongst these, the maximum contents of OC (0.36%), clay (19.4%), DTPA-Zn (1.14 mg kg-1), Fe (11.78 mg kg-1), Mn (5.37 mg kg-1), Cu (0.85 mg kg-1) and Ni (1.44 mg kg_1) were observed in soils of forest land use system followed by horticulture, crop land and barren land, respectively. Also, soils of forest landpossessed 29.5, 21.3, 58.4, 51.8 and 44.0% higher DTPA-Zn, Fe, Mn, Cu and Ni as compared to crop land use system. Interactive influence of land use systems and soil depths on distribution of DTPA extractable micronutrients was found to be positive with maximum content at 0-10 cm depth of forest land use and lowest at 80-100 cm of barren land use system, respectively. Correlation analysis explicit positive and significant relationship of OC with DTPA Zn (r = 0.81), Fe (r = 0.79), Mn (r = 0.77), Cu (r = 0.84) andNi (r = 0.80), whereas the correlation results among DTPA micronutrients indicated the highest positivecorrelation of Ni with Cu (r = 0.95) and Mn (r = 0.93) followed by Fe with Zn (r = 0.93). Therefore, inclusion of forest and horticulture land use in crop lands or shift of land use from forest based to crop land resulted in renewal of degraded soil which could be beneficial for enhancing agricultural sustainability.

Effect of addition of organic manures on basmati yield, nutrient content and soil fertility status in north-western India.

Integrated use of chemical fertilizers with organic manure is becoming a quite promising practice to maintain higher crop productivity and to manage soil health, which is otherwise deteriorated due to intensive cultivation and imbalanced fertilizer use. Thus, the present experiment was conducted for combined application of inorganic fertilizers and organic manures for higher yield and nutrient uptake in basmati rice as well as to restore soil health. The treatments applied in the present study involve T1: control, T2: Farmyard manure (15 t ha-1), T3: Poultry manure (6 t ha-1), T4: Press mud (15 t ha-1), T5: Rice straw compost (6 t ha-1), T6: Farmyard manure (15 t ha-1) + 50% N (recommended dose of nitrogen), T7: Poultry manure (6 t ha-1) + 50% N, T8: Press mud (15 t ha-1) + 50% N, T9: Rice straw compost (6 t ha-1) + 50% N, T10: 75% N, T11: Farmyard manure (15 t ha1) + 75% N, T12: Poultry manure (6 t ha-1) + 75% N, T13: Press mud (15 t ha-1) + 75% N, T14: Rice straw compost (6 t ha-1) + 75% N, T15: 100% N. The integrated use of organic manures and inorganic fertilizers significantly increased the grain and straw yield, macronutrients as well as micronutrients uptake in basmati due to the release of nutrients from decomposition of organic manures. Among different treatments, the addition of PM+75% N showed maximum grain yield, straw yield and sustainability yield index (44.53 q ha-1, 89.67 q ha-1 and 0.91 respectively) as well as the highest uptake of nitrogen (58.29 and 65.39 kg ha-1), phosphorus (25.04 and 23.24 kg ha-1) and potassium (15.26 and 118.95 kg ha-1) in grain and straw, respectively. Similar results were observed for zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) uptake under treatment involving PM+75% N with values 183.9, 26.18, 339.3 and 355.8 g ha-1 in grain and 205.3, 25.62, 2627.3 and 278 g ha-1 in straw, respectively. Additionally, correlation studies showed that the grain and straw yield of basmati exhibited a significantly positive correlation with soil P, Cu and Fe. The study suggested that the partial substitution of inorganic fertilizers with organic manures did not lower crop yield and nutrient uptake. Thus, integrated application of organic and inorganic fertilizers can be used for the sustainability of basmati-wheat system and to retain the soil fertility which is otherwise deteriorated with sole use of inorganic fertilizers.

Accumulation of Cadmium in Transplanted Lichen Pyxine cocoes (Sw.) Nyl., with Reference to Physiochemical Variation and Kinetics of Cadmium Biosorption.

The present study aims to signify the role of Pyxine cocoes (Sw.) Nyl. (P. cocoes) as cadmium (Cd) biomonitor in atmosphere. This was achieved by quantifying the amount of Cd accumulated in transplanted P. cocoes, when stimulated with known concentrations of Cd (5µM, 50µM, 100µM, 150µM and 200µM) at increasing intervals of time up-to 40 days. All the five concentrations exhibited increasing trend of accumulation with time. As depicted by Pearson's Correlation (at p < 0.001), anti-oxidative enzymes (superoxide dismutase r= -0.812, ascorbate peroxidase r= -0.802, catalase r= -0.757) and electrical conductivity (r = 0.693) were the most efficient parameters to depict increased Cd presence in atmosphere. In the current study, accumulation of Cd by transplanted lichen has been first time analyzed by biosorption kinetics. The uptake of Cd by P. cocoes followed pseudo-second-order kinetics (range of R22 value was 0.969-0.998). The marker parameters in combination with the ability to accrue Cd fortifies P. cocoes's role as a biomonitor.

Applicability of the Broselow Pediatric Emergency Tape to Predict the Size of Endotracheal Tube and Laryngeal Mask Airway in Pediatric Patients Undergoing Surgery: A Retrospective Analysis.

Background This study aims to elucidate the applicability of the Broselow pediatric emergency tape in predicting the size of the endotracheal tube (ET) and laryngeal mask airway (LMA) in children of central India.  Methods A retrospective review was conducted in the Department of Pediatric Surgery during the period of four years (January 2018 to December 2021), and all children between 1 month and 12 years of age who were admitted for routine surgery and were operated on were included. The goal was to assess the accuracy of Broselow pediatric emergency tape in predicting the size of ET and LMA in children and assess the applicability of this tape in an Indian setting based on observation and comparison with the predicted ET tube and LMA size based on the tape. The correlation was done between the predicted ET tube and LMA size and used ET tube and LMA size (the difference and mean). The Chi-square test was applied to test the difference between those matching and those not matching with their respective color zones with respect to weight, tracheal tube (LMA/ET) tube, and for both weight and tracheal tube, and then the p-value was calculated. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered to be significant.  Results  A total of 296 patients were included in the study. There were 230 males and 66 females. A maximum number of patients were in the white zone (56 patients). A total of 112 patients (37.8%) matched the zone with their weight; 192 patients (64.8%) matched their LMA/ET tube with their respective zones; 81 patients (27.36%) matched both their weights and tracheal tube (LMA/ET) size with the predicted values as per their respective zones. Pearson's Chi-square test was applied to assess the significance of the difference between the number of patients matching and not matching their weight, LMA/ET tube, and both weight and LMA/ET tube with their corresponding color zones as per the Broselow tape. For all the above parameters, the differences were found to be not significant for p-value <0.05.  Conclusions Broselow tape (BT) is applicable in acute trauma settings where it can be used for estimating weight and ET/LMA sizes in an emergency situation where weight measurement is not feasible.

Agronomic biofortification of forage crops with zinc and copper for enhancing nutritive potential: a systematic review.

Many developing countries are facing a silent increase in deficiency of micronutrients in forage crops that results in decreased levels of essential nutrients in animals. Micronutrients are essential not only for basic metabolic processes of forage crops but also for sustaining animal health. Forage productivity and quality are severely affected by soil micronutrients deficiencies, especially zinc and copper. This review summarizes the literature highlighting the significance of different methodologies used to increase the biomass and quality of forage so as to enhance the micronutrient content of the forage crops through biofortification. Biofortification is a promising and sustainable agriculture-based strategy to reduce micronutrient deficiency in crops. The experiments and trials conducted at different locations of the world showed that copper and zinc concentrations in animal fodders can be enhanced through the process of foliar application. Additionally, agronomic biofortification showed more promising results, and thus is an outstanding, fast, and cost-effective technique for the immediate enrichment of forage in order to overcome malnutrition in animals. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Exploration of Cd transformations in Cd spiked and EDTA-chelated soil for phytoextraction by Brassica species.

The study of soil cadmium (Cd) fractionation has become the need of the hour due to phytoextraction of Cd heavy metal by indigenous Brassica species of northwest India. The present study was conducted to explore the Cd speciation in soils treated with Cd (0, 5.0, 10.0, 20.0, 40.0, and 80.0 mg kg-1 soil) and synthetic chelate ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA-0, 1.0 and 2.0 g kg-1 soil) planted under three Brassica species (Brassica juncea L., Brassica campestris L., and Brassica napus L). The studied Cd fractions viz. exchangeable and water-soluble (EX + WS), carbonate (CARB), organic matter (OM), Mn oxide (MnOX), amorphous Fe oxide (AFeOX), crystalline Fe oxide (CFeOX), and residual (RES) differed in their Cd content in soils under three investigated Brassica species. Among all plantations, B. juncea reduced the highest soil Cd content of EX + WS form which reflected its bioavailability. The Cd supplementation significantly enhanced the Cd concentration in all Cd forms with EX + WS Cd form exhibiting higher increase even at low Cd level (5.0 mg kg-1), whereas the EDTA addition did not influence Cd fractions. The application of EDTA @ 1.0 g kg-1 soil proved beneficial as it enhanced the metal mobility for plant extraction. All species positively significantly correlated (r = 0.648** to 0.747**) with all Cd fractions but except B. juncea all confronted reduction in their total biomass. In nutshell, it suggested that Brassica species having large plant biomass could be considered as a potential candidate for phytoremediation.

Valorisation of phyto-biochars as slow release micronutrients and sulphur carrier for agriculture.

Slow release micronutrients and sulphur sources are required for higher use efficiency of fertilizers in agriculture. The present investigation was undertaken to examine the salt soluble, desorbed and specifically sorbed fractions of micronutrients and sulphur in nutrient enriched phyto-biochars incubated at 15, 25 and 35°C for 48 h after pyrolysis of Lantana sp., Pinus sp. needles and wheat straw at 300 and 450 °C. The highest salt soluble fractions of Zn, Cu, Fe, Mn and B were recorded with pine needle biochar pyrolyzed at 300 °C, whereas that of S with lantana biochar pyrolyzed at 300 °C. The highest desorbed contents of Zn, Cu and Mn were with pine needle biochar (300 °C) and that of B and S with wheat straw biochar (450 °C) and lantana biochar (300 °C), respectively. An increase in incubation temperature from 15 to 25 °C increased the salt soluble contents of Zn and specifically sorbed contents of Fe and B but decreased salt soluble contents of Fe and B and desorbed amount of S significantly. Further, increase in incubation temperature from 25 to 35 °C significantly decreased the salt soluble contents of all nutrients except Mn and desorbed amount of S but increased specifically sorbed amount of Fe, B and S. Considering the salt soluble and desorbed contents of nutrients in enriched phyto-biochars, especially pine needle biochar pyrolyzed at 300 °C and treated with marginal or deficient nutrients for 2 d at 15-25 °C appeared to be suitable as a slow release fertilizer.

Situational Analysis of Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene in Health-care Facilities of a District in Central India.

Background: Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) in health-care facilities is fundamental for providing quality, people-centered care and critical to achieving quality and accessible health services. This study aimed to assess the status of the WASH infrastructure in health-care facilities of Raipur district, Chhattisgarh, India. Methodology: This was a hospital-based cross-sectional study carried out in all public health-care facilities of Abhanpur block, Raipur district, Chhattisgarh, India, between 2019 and 2020 using an adapted version of joint monitoring program's (JMP) core questions, indicators, and service ladder framework. Results: A total of 2 community health centers (CHCs), 7 primary health centers (PHCs), and 34 subhealth centers (SHCs) were included in the present study. All CHCs (100%) had essential water, sanitation, hygiene, and waste management services. Among PHCs, 85.7% had water from improved and hygienic sources, only 57.1% had basic sanitation, and 100% had vital essential waste management services. Among SHCs, 55.9% had essential water, 2.9% had basic sanitation, 20.6% had basic hygiene, and 35.3% had necessary waste management services. Overall, it was found that 62.8% of health-care facilities had necessary water services, 16.3% had basic sanitation services, 34.9% had essential hygiene services, and 48.8% had basic waste management services. Conclusion: The status of WASH infrastructure in health-care facilities of Raipur district is either limited or not available, especially concerning sanitation services, hygiene, and waste management services. It is the need of the hour to ensure a coordinated response that in all health-care facilities, WASH services are made available and accessible.