Determinants of Overweight and Obesity among School Children in Mehsana district, India

WHO refers obesity as a global epidemic because of rapid increase in the number of overweight and obese individuals in last 20 years. The objective of the study was to study the prevalence of overweight and obesity and determine their associated factors among school children aged 10-12 years in Mehsana district in India. A single centric epidemiological study was conducted among 200 school children selected at random in Mehsana district school in the period from July 2011 to September 2011. Overweight and obesity were assessed using height, weight, waist circumference and hip circumference of each student in the class. A predesigned and pretested questionnaire was used to interview the students to elicit the information on family characteristics like number of family members, education and occupation of parents, their usual physical activity, habit of watching TV and time spent with computer and for sleeping as well as the pattern of dietary intake. Significant difference in BMI for boys (p<0.0010) as well as girls (p<0.0123) was observed in all the three underweight, overweight and obese groups as compared to normal group. Significant difference in hip and waist circumference was observed only in the underweight group as compared to normal. Risk of overweight and obesity was significantly higher in children who spent time in television viewing and/or with computer. The present study highlights childhood obesity is an emerging health problem which need to be confirmed by large scale studies and effective preventive strategies should be developed to halt this epidemic at its beginning

Growth Patterns of Neuropsychological Functions in Indian Children

We investigated age-related differences in neuropsychological performance in 400 Indian school children (5–15 years of age). Functions of motor speed, attention, executive functions, visuospatial functions, comprehension, learning, and memory were examined. Growth curve analysis was performed. Different growth models fitted different cognitive functions. Neuropsychological task performance improved slowly between 5 and 7 years, moderately between 8 and 12 years and slowly between 13 and 15 years of age. The overall growth patterns of neuropsychological functions in Indian children have been discussed with the findings reported on American children. The present work describes non-linear, heterogeneous, and protracted age trends of neuropsychological functions in Indian children and adolescents

Biosurfactants’ multifarious functional potential for sustainable agricultural practices

Increasing food demand by the ever-growing population imposes an extra burden on the agricultural and food industries. Chemical-based pesticides, fungicides, fertilizers, and high-breeding crop varieties are typically employed to enhance crop productivity. Overexploitation of chemicals and their persistence in the environment, however, has detrimental effects on soil, water, and air which consequently disturb the food chain and the ecosystem. The lower aqueous solubility and higher hydrophobicity of agrochemicals, pesticides, metals, and hydrocarbons allow them to adhere to soil particles and, therefore, continue in the environment. Chemical pesticides, viz., organophosphate, organochlorine, and carbamate, are used regularly to protect agriculture produce. Hydrophobic pollutants strongly adhered to soil particles can be solubilized or desorbed through the usage of biosurfactant/s (BSs) or BS-producing and pesticide-degrading microorganisms. Among different types of BSs, rhamnolipids (RL), surfactin, mannosylerythritol lipids (MELs), and sophorolipids (SL) have been explored extensively due to their broad-spectrum antimicrobial activities against several phytopathogens. Different isoforms of lipopeptide, viz., iturin, fengycin, and surfactin, have also been reported against phytopathogens. The key role of BSs in designing and developing biopesticide formulations is to protect crops and our environment. Various functional properties such as wetting, spreading, penetration ability, and retention period are improved in surfactant-based formulations. This review emphasizes the use of diverse types of BSs and their source microorganisms to challenge phytopathogens. Extensive efforts seem to be focused on discovering the innovative antimicrobial potential of BSs to combat phytopathogens. We discussed the effectiveness of BSs in solubilizing pesticides to reduce their toxicity and contamination effects in the soil environment. Thus, we have shed some light on the use of BSs as an alternative to chemical pesticides and other agrochemicals as sparse literature discusses their interactions with pesticides. Life cycle assessment (LCA) and life cycle sustainability analysis (LCSA) quantifying their impact on human activities/interventions are also included. Nanoencapsulation of pesticide formulations is an innovative approach in minimizing pesticide doses and ultimately reducing their direct exposures to humans and animals. Some of the established big players and new entrants in the global BS market are providing promising solutions for agricultural practices. In conclusion, a better understanding of the role of BSs in pesticide solubilization and/or degradation by microorganisms represents a valuable approach to reducing their negative impact and maintaining sustainable agricultural practices

Synergistic Activity of Rhamnolipid Biosurfactant and Nanoparticles Synthesized Using Fungal Origin Chitosan Against Phytopathogens

Phytopathogens pose severe implications in the quantity and quality of food production by instigating several diseases. Biocontrol strategies comprising the application of biomaterials have offered endless opportunities for sustainable agriculture. We explored multifarious potentials of rhamnolipid-BS (RH-BS: commercial), fungal chitosan (FCH), and FCH-derived nanoparticles (FCHNPs). The high-quality FCH was extracted from Cunninghamella echinulata NCIM 691 followed by the synthesis of FCHNPs. Both, FCH and FCHNPs were characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy, DLS, zeta potential, FTIR, SEM, and Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (NTA). The commercial chitosan (CH) and synthesized chitosan nanoparticles (CHNPs) were used along with test compounds (FCH and FCHNPs). SEM analysis revealed the spherical shape of the nanomaterials (CHNPs and FCHNPs). NTA provided high-resolution visual validation of particle size distribution for CHNPs (256.33 ± 18.80 nm) and FCHNPs (144.33 ± 10.20 nm). The antibacterial and antifungal assays conducted for RH-BS, FCH, and FCHNPs were supportive to propose their efficacies against phytopathogens. The lower MIC of RH-BS (256 μg/ml) was observed than that of FCH and FCHNPs (>1,024 μg/ml) against Xanthomonas campestris NCIM 5028, whereas a combination study of RH-BS with FCHNPs showed a reduction in MIC up to 128 and 4 μg/ml, respectively, indicating their synergistic activity. The other combination of RH-BS with FCH resulted in an additive effect reducing MIC up to 128 and 256 μg/ml, respectively. Microdilution plate assay conducted for three test compounds demonstrated inhibition of fungi, FI: Fusarium moniliforme ITCC 191, FII: Fusarium moniliforme ITCC 4432, and FIII: Fusarium graminearum ITCC 5334 (at 0.015% and 0.020% concentration). Furthermore, potency of test compounds performed through the in vitro model (poisoned food technique) displayed dose-dependent (0.005%, 0.010%, 0.015%, and 0.020% w/v) antifungal activity. Moreover, RH-BS and FCHNPs inhibited spore germination (61–90%) of the same fungi. Our efforts toward utilizing the combination of RH-BS with FCHNPs are significant to develop eco-friendly, low cytotoxic formulations in future

Specific Cognitive Deficits in ADHD: A Diagnostic Concern in Differential Diagnosis

We present a critical account of existing tools used to diagnose children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and to make a case for the assessment of cognitive impairments as a part of diagnostic system. Surveys have shown that clinicians rely almost entirely upon subjective reports or their own clinical judgment when arriving at diagnostic decisions relating to this prevalent disorder. While information from parents and teachers should always be carefully considered, they are often influenced by a host of emotional and perceptual factors. It increases the possibility for misdiagnosis of a condition like ADHD. Recent experimental literature on ADHD has identified unique underlying cognitive dysfunction, specific to ADHD. Therefore, we propose that there is a need to incorporate information on cognitive mechanisms underlying ADHD and inculcate such information in the diagnostic system, which will provide a more sensitive as well as specific tool in differential diagnosis of ADHD

BACTERIA ASSOCIATED WITH URINARY TRACT INFECTION IN PREGNANT WOMEN WITH OVERVIEW OF THEIR ANTIBIOTIC SUSCEPTIBILITY TESTS

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most common health problems among pregnant women and the reason for morbidity during pregnancy in worldwide, most of them in developing countries. The causative agents include Escherichia coli, Klebsiella species, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococci, Proteusmirabilis, Enterococcus species, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter species, streptococci, and Citrobacter species. Risk factors in pregnant women is more in urinary tract infection (UTI). This current research aimed that which drug is resistance for pathogenic bacteria and their resistance gene patterns in pregnant women. The altogether predominance of urinary tract infections in pregnant women is approximately 13-18% overall. Gram-positive and gram-negative both bacteria were isolated. Which shows gram-negative bacteria (85%) and gram-positive bacteria were only 15%. E. coliis the most predominant bacteria among the study. And the antimicrobial susceptibility patters of these isolates showed high resistance towards nitrofurantoin, ciprofloxacin, and gentamycin. More sensitive towards amoxiclav, cefuroxime, etc., Pregnant women with Asymptomatic UTI consider E. coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, Proteus mirabilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, Staphylococcus arlettae, Enterococcus faecalis and showed resistance to most drugs. The frequent appearance of isolates from urine sample along with their resistance capability tests. The antibiotics can be prescribed based on side effect to prevent pregnant women in case of empirical treatment. In order to overcome the problem of UTI in pregnant women many researches are going on, currently, the drug resistant of UTI is leading to the new technologies and identification method of drug-resistant UTI helps to overcome the infection

Interference between competing motor memories developed through learning with different limbs

Learning from motor errors that occur across different limbs is essential for effective tool use, sports training and rehabilitation. To probe the neural organization of error-driven learning across limbs, we asked whether learning opposing visuomotor mappings with the two arms would interfere. Young right-handers first adapted to opposite visuomotor rotations A and B with different arms, and were then re-exposed to A 24 hours later. We observed that re-learning of A was never faster, nor were initial errors smaller than prior A learning, which would be expected if there was no interference from B. Rather, errors were greater than or similar to, and learning rate was slower than or comparable to previous A learning depending on the order in which the arms learned. This indicated robust interference between the motor memories of A and B when they were learned with different arms in close succession. We then proceeded to uncover that the order-dependent asymmetry in performance upon re-exposure resulted from asymmetric transfer of learning from the left arm to the right but not vice-versa, and that the observed interference was retrograde in nature. Such retrograde interference likely occurs because the two arms require the same neural resources for learning, a suggestion consistent with that of our past work showing impaired learning following left inferior parietal damage regardless of the arm used. These results thus point to a common neural basis for formation of new motor memories with different limbs, and hold significant implications for how newly formed motor memories interact.by Neeraj Kumar, Adarsh Kumar, Bhoomika Sonane and Pratik K Muth

Effect of Green Manuring and Nutrient Management on Growth and Yield of Banana CV. Grand Nain

A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of green manuring and nutrient management on growth and yield of banana cv. Grand Nain during 2021-22 and 2022-23 at Instructional Farm of ASPEE College of Horticulture, Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari (Gujarat). The experiment was laid out in Split Plot Design with three replications, which included 12 treatment combinations viz., Main Plot (T): Different green manuring, T1 - Control, T2 - Single green manuring by dhaincha, T3 - Double green manuring by dhaincha and T4 - Triple green manuring by dhaincha; Sub Plot (N): Nutrient management, N1 - 100 % RDF (FYM: 10 kg plant-1, NPK: 300:90:200 g plant-1 year-1), N2   - 80 % RDF + N 20 % from Bio-compost, N3 - 60 % RDF + N 40 % from Bio-compost. The results revealed that soil application of triple green manuring by dhaincha was found superior with respect to vegetative characters like plant height, girth and number of leaves and yield characteristics like minimum days required for flower initiation and highest bunch weight, number of hands per bunch, weight of third hand, number of fingers per third hand, finger length and girth of third hand and fruit yield. While, 100 % RDF (FYM: 10 kg plant-1, NPK: 300:90:200 g plant-1year-1) treatment induced early flowering and gave the maximum values for vegetative and yield attributing characters. However, in case of interaction, triple green manuring by dhaincha and 100 % RDF (FYM: 10 kg plant-1, NPK: 300:90:200 g plant-1 year-1) resulted in the maximum plant girth, bunch weight, weight of third hand and fruit yield. It is therefore concluded that earlier and higher yield from banana could be obtained by incorporating triple green manuring by dhaincha along with 100 % RDF or 80 % RDF in combination with N 20 % from bio-compost