Field application of Ca-doped ZnO nanoparticles to maize and wheat plants.

Nanoparticles play a vital role in modern agriculture to provide the nutrients required by plants. Herein, we report the preparation of calcium-doped zinc oxide nanoparticles (CZO NPs) via a simple and cost-effective co-precipitation method, with the aim of realizing increased fertilizer response. The synthesized nanoparticles were analyzed to study their physicochemical properties using various characterization techniques. The X-ray diffraction pattern showed a small shift in peak position towards higher values of 2θ and reduced crystal size after the zinc oxide (ZnO) matrix had been doped with Ca. Field-emission scanning electron microscopy images clearly revealed a grain-like surface morphology. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study produced evidence of Zn2+ substitution by Ca2+ and enhanced Zn-O bond strengths in the CZO samples. Two major crops, maize (Zea mays L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) were selected to study the impact of the CZO NP-based nanofertilizer on plant growth. During the study, the effect of the CZO-based fertilizer on growth parameters such as seed germination, root and shoot length, plant height, root and stem width, number of leaves, and leaf size was studied based on comparisons with control plants. We observed significantly increased plant growth parameters after the application of the CZO NP-based fertilizers.

Household food insecurity is associated with low interferon-gamma levels in pregnant Indian women.

SETTING: Over 20% of tuberculosis (TB) cases during pregnancy occur in India. OBJECTIVE: To determine the association between household food insecurity and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) levels in pregnancy. DESIGN: Pregnant women in India were administered the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) questionnaire and underwent an IFN-γ release assay. Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with food insecurity. RESULTS: Of 538 women, 60 (11%) had household food insecurity, 47 (78%) of which were moderate or severe food insecure. After mitogen stimulation, moderate or severe food insecure women had a median IFN-γ concentration of 4.2 IU/ml (IQR 2.2-9.8) vs. 8.4 IU/ml (IQR 3.0-10) in women with no or mild food insecurity (P = 0.03). In multivariate analysis, higher IFN-γ concentrations were associated with human immunodeficiency virus infection (OR 1.3, 95%CI 0.51-2.1, P = 0.001), and inversely associated with moderate or severe food insecurity (OR -1.6, 95%CI -2.9 to -0.27, P = 0.02) and the number of adults in the household (OR -0.08, 95%CI -0.16 to -0.01, P = 0.03). There was no association between food insecurity and IFN-γ response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigen. CONCLUSION: Food insecurity in pregnancy is associated with low IFN-γ levels. There was no association between food insecurity and IFN-γ response to M. tuberculosis antigen, but our study was underpowered to detect this outcome.

Vitamin D deficiency and risk of postpartum tuberculosis among HIV-infected breastfeeding mothers in India.

Some studies have associated low vitamin D levels with the risk of tuberculosis (TB), but its association in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected mothers in a TB-endemic region has not been well studied. We conducted a nested 1:2 case-control study among HIV-infected mothers in western India to evaluate the association between maternal vitamin D levels and the risk of postpartum TB. Vitamin D insufficiency, moderate deficiency and severe deficiency were observed in a high proportion of HIV-infected mothers, but were not associated with the risk of postpartum TB.

Impact of maternal hepatitis B virus coinfection on mother-to-child transmission of HIV.

OBJECTIVES: Despite high hepatitis B virus (HBV) endemicity in various resource-limited settings (RLSs), the impact of maternal HIV/HBV coinfection on infant health outcomes has not been defined. We aimed to assess the prevalence of HBV coinfection among HIV-infected pregnant women and its impact on HIV transmission and infant mortality. METHODS: In this study, the seroprevalence of HBV coinfection was determined among HIV-infected pregnant women enrolled in the Six-Week Extended-Dose Nevirapine (SWEN) India trial. The impact of maternal HIV/HBV coinfection on mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV and infant mortality was assessed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Among 689 HIV-infected pregnant Indian women, 32 (4.6%) had HBV coinfection [95% confidence interval (CI) 3.4%, 5.3%]. HBV DNA was detectable in 18 (64%) of 28 HIV/HBV-coinfected women; the median HBV viral load was 155 copies/mL [interquartile range (IQR) < 51-6741 copies/mL]. Maternal HIV/HBV coinfection did not increase HIV transmission risk [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.06; 95% CI 0.30, 3.66; P = 0.93]. Increased odds of all-cause infant mortality was noted (aOR 3.12; 95% CI 0.67, 14.57; P = 0.15), but was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of active maternal HBV coinfection in HIV-infected pregnant women in India was 4.6%. HIV/HBV coinfection was not independently associated with HIV transmission.