Response of salt-tolerant rice varieties to biocompost application in sodic soil of Eastern Uttar Pradesh

Sodic soils have immense productivity potential, if managed through proper technology interventions. Biocom-post is prepared by composting pressmud (a sugar industry byproduct) received from cane juice filtration and spent wash received from distilleries through microbial aerobic decomposition and can be used to reclaim sodic soils. Field experiments were conducted during the wet season of 2011 and 2012 to study the effect of incorpora-tion of biocompost in sodic soil with four treatments: T1—Control, T2—Biocompost at 2 t ha⁻¹, T3—Biocompost at 4 t ha⁻¹ and T4—Biocompost at 6 t ha⁻¹. The two promising salt tolerant rice varieties preferred by farmers, Narendra usar 3 and NDR 359 were used as test crops, which can produce yields ranging between 2 - 4 t ha⁻¹ in soil having a pH range of 9.2 to 10.5. Among the different doses of biocompost tested, application of biocompost at 6 t ha⁻¹ registered highest yields, enabled by a higher biomass, ear bearing tiller (EBT), and grain fertility in both varieties. Narendra usar 3 was more responsive to treatments even at lower doses of biocompost than NDR 359, but NDR 359 yielded slightly higher than Narendra usar 3 in all treatments. Soil health was also improved evidently on better fertility and low soil pH and EC at harvest. Thus, biocompost can be considered as a com-mercially viable, environmentally acceptable and practically enforceable option for improving the crop produc-tivity and soil fertility status.Akhtar H. Khan, Ashok K. Singh, Mubeen, Sudhanshu Singh, Najam W. Zaidi, Uma S. Singh, Stephan M. Haefel

Folded Three-Spin String Solutions in AdS_5 x S^5

We construct a spinning closed string solution in AdS_5 x S^5 which is folded in the radial direction and has two equal spins in AdS_5 and a spin in S^5. The energy expression of the three-spin solution specified by the folding and winding numbers for the small S^5 spin shows a logarithmic behavior and a one-third power behavior of the large total AdS_5 spin, in the long string and in the short string located near the boundary of AdS_5 respectively. It exhibits the non-regular expansion in the 't Hooft coupling constant, while it takes the regular one when the S^5 spin becomes large.Comment: 14 pages, LaTeX, no figures, a reference adde

Search for Gravitational Waves Associated with Gamma-Ray Bursts Detected by Fermi and Swift during the LIGO-Virgo Run O3b

We search for gravitational-wave signals associated with gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) detected by the Fermi and Swift satellites during the second half of the third observing run of Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo (2019 November 1 15:00 UTC-2020 March 27 17:00 UTC). We conduct two independent searches: A generic gravitational-wave transients search to analyze 86 GRBs and an analysis to target binary mergers with at least one neutron star as short GRB progenitors for 17 events. We find no significant evidence for gravitational-wave signals associated with any of these GRBs. A weighted binomial test of the combined results finds no evidence for subthreshold gravitational-wave signals associated with this GRB ensemble either. We use several source types and signal morphologies during the searches, resulting in lower bounds on the estimated distance to each GRB. Finally, we constrain the population of low-luminosity short GRBs using results from the first to the third observing runs of Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo. The resulting population is in accordance with the local binary neutron star merger rate. © 2022. The Author(s). Published by the American Astronomical Society

Narrowband Searches for Continuous and Long-duration Transient Gravitational Waves from Known Pulsars in the LIGO-Virgo Third Observing Run

Isolated neutron stars that are asymmetric with respect to their spin axis are possible sources of detectable continuous gravitational waves. This paper presents a fully coherent search for such signals from eighteen pulsars in data from LIGO and Virgo's third observing run (O3). For known pulsars, efficient and sensitive matched-filter searches can be carried out if one assumes the gravitational radiation is phase-locked to the electromagnetic emission. In the search presented here, we relax this assumption and allow both the frequency and the time derivative of the frequency of the gravitational waves to vary in a small range around those inferred from electromagnetic observations. We find no evidence for continuous gravitational waves, and set upper limits on the strain amplitude for each target. These limits are more constraining for seven of the targets than the spin-down limit defined by ascribing all rotational energy loss to gravitational radiation. In an additional search, we look in O3 data for long-duration (hours-months) transient gravitational waves in the aftermath of pulsar glitches for six targets with a total of nine glitches. We report two marginal outliers from this search, but find no clear evidence for such emission either. The resulting duration-dependent strain upper limits do not surpass indirect energy constraints for any of these targets. © 2022. The Author(s). Published by the American Astronomical Society

Suicidal ideation, suicide planning, and suicide attempts among adolescents in 59 low-income and middle-income countries: a population-based study

Background: Suicide is a major global health challenge and a leading cause of death among adolescents, but research related to suicide has concentrated on high-income countries. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of suicidal ideation, suicide planning, and suicide attempts in adolescents from 59 low-income and middle-income countries. Methods: In this population-based study, we used data from the Global School-based Student Health Survey of schoolchildren aged 13–17 years between 2003 and 2015, in 59 low-income and middle-income countries across six WHO regions. Using a meta-analysis with random effects, we computed the sex-based and age-based estimates of regional and overall prevalence of suicidal ideation, suicide planning, and suicide attempts. Findings: Our sample consisted of 229 129 adolescents (mean age 14·6 [SD 1·18] years; 111 082 [48%] boys and 118 047 [52%] girls). The overall prevalence of suicidal ideation was 16·9% (95% CI 15·0–18·8), suicide planning was 17·0% (14·8–19·2), and suicide attempts was 17·0% (14·7–19·3) in the 12 months preceding survey completion. The African region had the highest prevalence of suicidal ideation (20·4%, 17·3–23·6) and suicide planning (23·7%, 19·1–28·3), and the western Pacific region had the highest prevalence of suicide attempts (20·5%, 14·3–26·7). Southeast Asia had the lowest prevalence of ideation (8·0%, 4·5–11·5), planning (9·9%, 5·0–14·8), and attempts (9·2%, 5·1–13·3). Girls had higher prevalence than boys for suicidal ideation (18·5%, 16·4–20·6 vs 15·1%, 13·4–16·7), suicide planning (18·2%, 15·8–20·6 vs 15·6%, 13·7–17·6), and suicide attempts (17·4%, 15·0–19·8 vs 16·3%, 14·0–18·6). Adolescents aged 15–17 years had higher prevalence than those aged 13–14 years of suicidal ideation (17·8%, 15·8–19·8 vs 15·9%, 14·1–17·6), suicide planning (17·8%, 15·7–20·0 vs 16·3%, 14·7–17·9), and suicide attempts (17·6%, 15·2–20·0 vs 16·2%, 13·8–18·5). Interpretation: Suicidal thoughts and behaviours are prevalent among adolescents in low-income and middle-income countries, particularly in the African and the western Pacific regions, and particularly among girls and adolescents aged 15–17 years. Targeted suicide prevention initiatives are needed and should take into account the diverse range of cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds of the countries. Funding: None

Low physical activity and high sedentary behaviour are associated with adolescents’ suicidal vulnerability: Evidence from 52 low- and middle-income countries

Aim: To examine the relationships of physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviour (SB) with suicidal thoughts and behaviour among adolescents in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Methods: Global School-based Student Health Survey data from 206 357 students (14.6 ± 1.18 years; 51% female) in 52 LMICs were used. Students reported on suicidal ideation, suicide planning, suicide attempts, PA, leisure-time SB and socio-demographic characteristics. Multilevel mixed-effects generalised linear modelling was used to examine the associations. Results: High leisure-time SB (≥3 hours/day) was independently associated with higher odds of suicidal ideation, suicide planning and suicide attempts for both male and female adolescents. Insufficient PA (<60 mins/day) was not associated with higher odds of ideation for either sex; however, it was associated with planning and attempts for male adolescents. The combination of insufficient PA and high SB, compared with sufficient PA and low SB, was associated with higher odds of suicidal ideation and suicide planning for both male and female adolescents, and suicide attempts for male adolescents. Conclusion: High SB may be an indicator of suicidal vulnerability among adolescents in LMICs. Low PA may be a more important risk for suicidal thoughts and behaviours among male, than female, adolescents. Promoting active lifestyle should be integrated into suicide prevention programmes in resource-poor settings.</p

ISCEV extended protocol for the photopic On–Off ERG

10.1007/s10633-018-9645-yDocumenta Ophthalmologica1363199-20

Knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes among general population towards bipolar disorders: a cross-sectional report from the Southern region of Saudi Arabia

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to understand the impact of demographic characteristics and to describe the gender differences in knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes towards bipolar disorders among common residents in the Southern region of Saudi Arabia. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional survey was conducted between January 2021 and March 2021. The survey was conducted among the common residents in the southern region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The data were collected by using a structured, self-administered, validated questionnaire comprised of a dichotomous type of questions along with Likert scale. RESULTS: There is a significant difference in the distribution of knowledge scores between male and female study participants (p=0.000). No significant gender differences have been identified in beliefs and attitudes toward bipolar disorder (p=0.229) and in overall score (p=0.159). The traumatic event was reported as the major cause of bipolar disorder. The age group and employment status were found to be the major predictor of knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes about bipolar disorder. CONCLUSIONS: Although the knowledge awareness rate on bipolar disorder is high among public in the Southern region, there is a vast scope for improving it. Education should be disseminated to promote mental health awareness and improve attitudes and beliefs on bipolar disorders and reduce stigma and discrimination against patients with bipolar disorders