Response of drip irrigated Broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) in different irrigation levels and frequencies at field level

Geometric increase in population coupled with rapid urbanization, industrialization and agricultural development are causing increased pressure on global water resources. Agriculture is the largest consumer of fresh water resources, thus the scope of enhancing water productivity in agriculture is taken to be the priority area of research. The right amount and frequency of irrigation is essential for optimum use of limited water resources for crop production as well as management. A field experiment with split plot design was carried out during November to February 2015-16 at PFDC (Precision Farming Development Centre), Water Technology Centre, IARI, New Delhi to study the effect of different irrigation levels and frequencies on Broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) under drip irrigation. The experiment included three levels of irrigation frequencies: N1 (once every day), N2 (once every 2 days) and N3 (once every 3 days) with different irrigation levels of 100, 80 and 60 % of crop evapotranspiration (ETc). Results revealed that drip irrigation frequency significantly (p<0.05) affected the broccoli yield. The maximum yield (24.46±0.18 t/ha) was obtained with 80% of ETc with once in 2 days irrigation followed by 100% of ETc with once in 2 days. Lowest yield (16.53±0.1 t/ha) was obtained at 60% of ETc at once in 3 days irrigation. Overall, it was observed that irrigation on 80% of ETc with once in two days is an appropriate cycle for optimum yield of broccoli

Client Selection in Federated Learning under Imperfections in Environment

Federated learning promises an elegant solution for learning global models across distributed and privacy-protected datasets. However, challenges related to skewed data distribution, limited computational and communication resources, data poisoning, and free riding clients affect the performance of federated learning. Selection of the best clients for each round of learning is critical in alleviating these problems. We propose a novel sampling method named the irrelevance sampling technique. Our method is founded on defining a novel irrelevance score that incorporates the client characteristics in a single floating value, which can elegantly classify the client into three numerical sign defined pools for easy sampling. It is a computationally inexpensive, intuitive and privacy preserving sampling technique that selects a subset of clients based on quality and quantity of data on edge devices. It achieves 50–80% faster convergence even in highly skewed data distribution in the presence of free riders based on lack of data and severe class imbalance under both Independent and Identically Distributed (IID) and Non-IID conditions. It shows good performance on practical application datasets

Study of the clinical spectrum of AUB (FIGO AUB Systems) and women’s attitude towards its management at Anugrah Narayan Magadh Medical College and Hospital, Gaya, Bihar, India

Background: AUB has significant impact on quality of life of women related to health specially in developing countries including India. FIGO AUB systems are universally accepted. Aim was to study the clinical spectrum of AUB according to the FIGO AUB systems and women’s attitude towards its management.Methods: Cross sectional prospective study was carried out in the department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, ANMMCH, Gaya, a tertiary care center, among women of 15-55 years age groups having complain related to abnormal uterine bleeding, for 1 year from 1st May 2019 to 30th April 2020 on 1000 patients. Data was collected and analyzed by percentage and proportions.Results: Prevalence of AUB was maximum among 15-30 years age group of patients (46.80%). Most of the patients belong to lower (62.5%) class, rural area (68%) and were anaemic (62.5%). Ovulatory dysfunction (55%) was most common cause for AUB, maximum patients choose surgical management (hysterectomy) but after counselling, most of them shifted to medical management.Conclusions: This study suggests more conservative approach for management of AUB and emphasizes the importance of awareness for clinical spectrum of AUB among women so that they can be self-motivated for early treatment and unnecessary hysterectomy can be avoided

Mortality and morbidity associated with illegal use of abortion pill: a prospective study in tertiary care center

Background: In India, medical method of abortion is allowed for first 7 weeks of intra uterine pregnancy. As per WHO it is safe and effective method for termination of early pregnancy under medical supervision. It is done by using mifepristone (200mg) and misoprostol (800mcg). These drugs are not for contraception but are abortion pills. Women use the abortion pills for unintended pregnancy inspite of using various method of contraception due to lack of knowledge, apprehension, poverty, denial, and ignorance of contraceptive use without any medical supervision (illegal use) and become victim of unsafe abortion. The main aim of this study was to find out mortality and morbidity associated with illegal use of abortion pill.Methods: A prospective observational study was carried out in the department of obstetrics and gynaecology, TMMC and RC Moradabad, a tertiary care center with history of intake of abortion pill (mifepristone and misoprostol) for 1 year from 1st May 2015 to 1st April 2016 on 120 patients. Data was collected and analysed by percentage and proportions.Results: Illegal use of abortion pill was more common among 30-39 years (55%) group of women and mostly were grand multiparous (81.67%). In most of the cases husband brought the pills (85%) from advice of chemist (70%).The most common presenting complaint was excessive bleeding per vaginum (66.3%). Most common complication was moderate anemia (38.3%).Conclusions: The present study recommends medical method of abortion is safe and effective under medical supervision. Illegal use of abortion pills without supervision results in serious complications. 

Chitosan Nanoparticle: Synthesis, Characterization, and Use as Plant Health Materials

Chitosan is a naturally occurring biopolymer having multifaceted applications in agriculture, medicine, food industry, and cosmetics. The association of this natural biopolymer with nanotechnology can produce revolutionary effects in plant protection and agriculture. Nano-chitosan can be fabricated using various methods. However, the green synthesis approach has gained attention in recent years. The green engineered nanoparticles are economical, energetically feasible, and environmentally benign. The biosynthesized nano-chitosan has evolved as a potential plant protection agent. Chitosan nanoparticles possess antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral properties, and are found to be effective against seed-borne and soil-borne pathogens. Nano-chitosan also behaves as an effector molecule and induces local and systemic defense responses in plants. The mode of action of nano-chitosan involves alterations in membrane permeability, replication, cytoplasmic alterations, induction of defense-related genes, and cell lysis. Furthermore, chitosan nanoparticles can be used for soil improvement and can reduce pest and pathogen attacks, thereby promoting the growth of plants. The authors outline the methods of synthesis and characterization of chitosan nanoparticles, their utilization in plant protection and growth promotion, along with the underlying mechanisms

EVALUATION OF ANTI CANCER POTENTIAL OF METHANOL EXTRACT OF CURCUMA ZEDOARIA.

Objective: Evaluation of anti cancer activity of methanol extracts of Curcuma zedoaria against Ehrlich's ascities carcinoma (EAC) cell line in Swiss albino mice. Method: In vitro cytotoxicity assay has been evaluated by using the trypan blue and MTT assay method. In vivo anti cancer activity was performed by using EAC cells induced mice groups (n=12), at the doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg b.w. respectively, half of the mice were sacrificed and the restwere kept alive for life span parameter. The anti cancer potential of MECZ was assessed by evaluating tumor volume, viable and nonviable tumorcell count, tumor weight, hematological parameters and biochemical estimations. Furthermore, antioxidant parameters were assayed by estimatingliver tissue enzymes. Result: Dose dependent cytotoxicity was observed in (* p < 0.05) Trypan blue and MTT assay method. In vivo anti cancer parameters like tumorvolume, tumor weight, and viable cell count were decreased compared to the EAC control group. MECZ treated EAC cell–bearing mice had anincreased life span to that of EAC control group. Hematological and serum biochemical profiles were restored to normal levels in MECZ-treated micecompared to the EAC control group. Among the tissue parameters lipid peroxidation, reduced glutathione,superoxide dismutase, and catalasetoward normal levels compared to the EAC control group. In short, Conclusion: MECZ exhibited remarkable antitumor activity in Swiss albino mice, which is attributed to its augmentation of endogenous antioxidantactivities and cytotoxic nature. Keywords: Curcuma zedoaria, Zingiberaceae, EAC cell line, antitumor activity, 5-Flurouraci

Large parathyroid adenomas: Potential mechanisms to reconcile adenoma size and disease phenotype

Parathyroid adenomas weighing more than 3.5 g are reported variously as atypical , large or giant parathyroid adenomas. All such adenomas are rare variants accounting for no more than 1.5% of all parathyroid adenomas. Large parathyroid adenomas are often associated with more severe form of the disease, including osteitis fibrosa cystica (OFC) and share many biochemical, histological, and molecular features of both benign and malignant parathyroid neoplasms, and are considered a distinct clinical entity. However, the pathogenesis of oversized parathyroid adenomas and the often-associated skeletal phenotype remains unclear. We present 5 cases of primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) with OFC, an uncommon manifestation of contemporary PHPT, associated with larger parathyroid adenomas, seen in the Bone and Mineral Disorders Clinic of the Henry Ford Health in the last 30 years to illustrate the critical role of vitamin D nutrition in the pathogenesis of both the OFC and adenoma size. The estimated prevalence of OFC was very low 0.2%, 5 of the \u3e3000 surgically confirmed cases of PHPT seen during this time. The mean ± SD values were: age: 36.8 ± 22.1 years (4 of the 510 years of follow-up. Because OFC is a very rare in the West, but very common areas of endemic vitamin D deficiency, we also examined the relationship between vitamin D nutrition, as assessed by serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level, and parathyroid adenoma weight as well as prevalence of OFC in two large secularly diverse cohorts of patients with PHPT (Detroit, USA and Chandigarh, India). Based on this relationship and the relative prevalence of OFC in these two large cohorts, we propose that vitamin D nutrition (and perhaps calcium nutrition) best explains both the adenoma size and prevalence of OFC

Novel Strategy of Using Methyl Esters as Slow Release Methanol Source during Lipase Expression by mut⁺<i>Pichia pastoris</i> X33

<div><p>One of the major issues with heterologous production of proteins in <i>Pichia pastoris</i> X33 under AOX1 promoter is repeated methanol induction. To obviate repeated methanol induction, methyl esters were used as a slow release source of methanol in lipase expressing mut⁺ recombinant. Experimental design was based on the strategy that in presence of lipase, methyl esters can be hydrolysed to release their products as methanol and fatty acid. Hence, upon break down of methyl esters by lipase, first methanol will be used as a carbon source and inducer. Then <i>P. pastoris</i> can switch over to fatty acid as a carbon source for multiplication and biomass maintenance till further induction by methyl esters. We validated this strategy using recombinant <i>P. pastoris</i> expressing Lip A, Lip C from <i>Trichosporon asahii</i> and Lip11 from <i>Yarrowia lipolytica</i>. We found that the optimum lipase yield under repeated methanol induction after 120 h was 32866 U/L, 28271 U/L and 21978 U/L for Lip C, Lip A and Lip 11 respectively. In addition, we found that a single dose of methyl ester supported higher production than repeated methanol induction. Among various methyl esters tested, methyl oleate (0.5%) caused 1.2 fold higher yield for LipA and LipC and 1.4 fold for Lip11 after 120 h of induction. Sequential utilization of methanol and oleic acid by <i>P. pastoris</i> was observed and was supported by differential peroxisome proliferation studies by transmission electron microscopy. Our study identifies a novel strategy of using methyl esters as slow release methanol source during lipase expression.</p></div

Effect of different methyl esters as an inducer of <i>AOX</i>I promoter on lipase production.

<p>(a) Lipase production after 48 h of growth as a function of methanol/methyl esters as inducer. The cultured cells in BMMY media were first induced with 0.5% methanol for 3 h, followed by induction with 0.1% methyl ester after 24 h, and 0.5% methanol induction after 24 h as control. Lipase yield was calculated after 48 h of culturing. (b) Methyl oleate concentration optimization.</p