Assessment of maintenance breeding methods in maize (Zea mays L.)

An investigation was conducted at IASc. BHU, Varanasi (Rabi 2014-15 to Kharif 2017) with four maize inbreds using three maintenance methods (selfing, half-sibbing and full-sibbing) for four generations in which a significant amount of genetic correlation was found between the morphological and molecular analyses. The comparison offour inbreds revealed a deviation in the clustering pattern after the four generations of maintenance. A maximum similarity coefficient was recorded between HKI 193-1 FS and LM 10 FS lines; full-sibbing showed the highest similarity between the first and fourth generation. Most of the inbreds followed a similar clustering pattern in morphological as well as in molecular diversity analyses. HKI 1105 is considered as most stable inbred in terms of giving a wide range of partitioning the regression coefficient. The quadratic and cubic trend through the graphical method showed self-ingled to a negative [cb1] response as well as maximum changes whereas, the full-sibbingmethod recorded with the minimum changes over the generations. Comparison of the combining ability of the inbreds by three methods revealed that CML-161 followed by HKI 1105 recorded maximum and LM 10 recorded minimum significant GCA effects. Through all the experiments it was proved that selfing caused the highest lossof vigour whereas full-sibbing was most stable

FORMULATION AND EVALUATION OF ION-SENSITIVE IN-SITU NASAL GEL OF ZOLMITRIPTAN

In situ gel system is novel drug delivery system in which there is transition of sol to gel on external stimuli like change in pH, temperature or change in ion concentration (sol-gel transition). In the present study various formulations were prepared by using gellan gum as gelling agent and HPMC K100 as controlled or sustained release polymer. All the formulations were evaluated for various parameters like pH, viscosity, drug content, gel strength, mucoadhesive strength and drug release. At minimum concentration of polymer lose their integrity and at maximum concentration stiff gel were formed. At optimized concentration of gelling agent and HPMC K100 showed in situ gelling with all parameter in range. In Vitro release data revealed that the optimized formulation showed controlled and sustained drug release pattern. The optimized formulation also obeyed korsmer Peppas model equation and which showed the release exponent n value 0.765. Thus the ex vivo higher bioavailability can be expected from the optimized formulation.Â

Effects of COVID-19 during lockdown in Nepal.

Nepal started its full lockdown on March 24, 2020 and has been extended until 14 June 2020 as a precaution for prevention of COVID-19 infection. However, the strict lockdown has been criticised by many as not all the deaths are caused by COVID-19. The long and strict lockdown have had some negative effects in many aspects of health of an individual in the community. Many women are facing barriers to access maternity health care during the lockdown period and there has been rise in the suicidal behaviour such as sucidal attempt and actual suicide itself among the general population. As the lockdown began in Nepal, all the school and colleges were suspended, and children were forced to spend their time indoors and exams has been postponed leaving the students stressed about the uncertainty of their future. Social distancing, isolation and quarantine at home can result in isolated in an abusive home where there could be even more increase in abuse during such crisis. Millions of babies are missing the routine vaccinations which is a threat to global achievement in immunization. Apart from the rise in negative impact on health of Nepali people, there are other impacts related to health such as serious impacts on logistics and supply management including shortage of medicine and food supply; and impacts on farming including both production and sale. Nepal took several precautionary measures as a response towards COVID-19 such as First, limiting international air travel, sealing the land border-crossings with India and introduction of social distancing measures. However, with rise in deaths due to non COVID related causes and negative impacts on economic and financial condition of the country, there is a need for the country to ease its lockdown. Contact tracing, making face mask mandatory along with social distancing measure can be an alternative to lockdown for Nepal while the country is preparing to ease its lockdown. Social distancing, hygiene, lifestyle factors and PPE measures need to continue for long term, whilst we need to keep working on the big public health issues such as poverty reduction, improving access to health service to achieve universal health coverage

Ytterbium triflate (and trimethylsilyl triflate) catalyzed isomerization of glycidic esters to α-hydroxy-β,γ-unsaturated esters and their conversion into cyclopentanoids using Johnson-Claisen rearrangement

A variety of glycidic esters undergo smooth isomerization to the corresponding α-hydroxy-β, γ-unsaturated esters upon reaction with Yb(OTf)3 or TMSOTf. These α-hydroxy-β, γ-unsaturated esters undergo Johnson-Claisen rearrangement to appropriately substituted diesters, some of which are converted into cyclopentanoids

Ohmic Heating Technology and Its Application in Meaty Food: A Review

The purpose of the current review paper is to investigate and analyze about the effects of ohmic heating (OH) different application in the field of fish, meat and its product and compare it with other conventional thermal methods of food processing such as thawing, heating, cooking etc. Food quality, food safety, convenience, freshness, healthy food, natural flavor and taste with extended shelf-life are the main criteria for the demand made by today’s consumers. Ohmic heating is a substitute of conventional heating method of food commodities. It has shorter heating times, avoid hot surfaces and help to minimize temperature gradients. Product parameters such as electrical, thermo-physical and rheological properties of the food and process parameters such as the current frequency, electrode material and the geometry of ohmic chamber affect the process. as a result various application of OH are found such as heating, evaporation, dehydration, extraction, waste water treatment, thawing, cooking of different type fish and meat and its product such as meat ball, hamburger patties surmi, beef, turkey etc

Long-term impacts of integrated nutrient management with equivalent nutrient doses to mineral fertilization on soil organic carbon sequestration in a sub-tropical Alfisol of India

Limited evidence is available on carbon sequestration potential of long-term integrated nutrient management (INM) versus mineral fertilization, when equivalent amounts of nutrients were added. Hence, this study was carried out to understand the impact of 60 years of INM with adjusted nutrient doses and mineral fertilization in an Alfisol in a maize (Zea maysL.)-wheat (Triticum aestivumL.) system on soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration in surface (0-30 cm) and deep (30-60 cm) soil layers. Conventional tillage was done twice before sowing of both maize and wheat using a spade. In farmyard manure (FYM) and lime treated plots (FYMP'K'L: plots with nitrogen (N) applied in terms of FYM; additional dose of phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) and lime) total SOC concentration was nearly 83% higher than unfertilized control plots. The FYMP'K'L plots had similar to 11% more total SOC concentration than plots treated with mineral fertilizer and lime (NPKL: recommended dose of N, P, K and lime) in the 0-30 cm soil layer. Labile C, including KMnO4-C, was more in plots with FYM than NPKL plots, whereas the recalcitrant C stock was more in NPKL than FYM treated plots. In the 0-60 cm soil layer, the labile C stock was highest in FYMP'K'L plots, but the recalcitrant C stock was highest in NPKL. Total SOC accumulation rate (over unfertilized control plots) was highest for FYMP'K'L plots (0.38 Mg ha(-1 )year(-1)) in the surface soil layer, whereas SOC sequestration rate was highest in NPKL plots (0.18 Mg ha(-1 )year(-1)) in the deep layer and in the 0-60 cm layer. Overall, although NPKL management practice had the highest C sequestration in the 0-60 cm layer, FYMP'K'L had the best CMI and labile C pools. Thus, resource poor farmers need not to use full doses of NPK and FYM for soil C management in the region

Maize as emerging source of oil in India: an overview

India is the largest importer as well as the third largest consumer of edible oils. Over many decades maize has been meeting the requirements of human population for food, fodder, fuel and other innumerable number of industrial products such as oil, protein, starch, ethanol, etc. Due to ever-growing and increasing human population and its demands, the necessities and demands of oil is increasing at an alarming rate. In India, maize oil is used to blend with other oils, because of vast nutritional quality embedded in it such as vitamin E (tocopherol), sitosterol and linoleic acid which are indispensable essential fatty acids. Hence, there is a wider scope to emphasize research on maize hybrids that are not only rich in oil content but also having an array of beneficial nutrients. Maize has the highest productivity as compared to other crops. Therefore, the target of attaining self-sufficiency in oil can be fulfilled through this crop. To achieve this goal, the breeders have to develop best inbreds by various methods such as divergent recurrent selection or other such, which are being successfully conducted in the University of Illinois