Advanced Wearable Sensing Technologies for Sustainable Precision Agriculture – a Review on Chemical Sensors

Abstract Crop production is impacted by increased plant diseases and shifting environmental circumstances. Monitoring plant health is necessary to raise crop quality and productivity to meet population growth demands. Nanotechnology‐based sensor platforms provide real‐time plant monitoring capabilities, going beyond the constraints of conventional sensor technologies. Wearables are an evolving area of health monitoring and have been modified for agricultural purposes.  Wearable sensors are placed on various plant organs in the agricultural industry to check the crops’ health continuously. The varieties of wearable sensor materials and their fabrications, followed by their sensing mechanisms, are highlighted in this review. Furthermore, monitoring plant micro‐environmental factors, including salinity, hazardous gases, and pesticides, are discussed. This text covers various internal plant growth factors monitoring, such as sap flow, transpiration, and signal monitoring. The challenges of wearable sensors in agriculture are mentioned toward the end

EFFECT OF GENDER, HEAD CIRCUMFERENCE & OTHER ANTHROPOMETRIC PARAMETERS ON VISUAL EVOKED POTENTIAL IN HEALTHY YOUNG INDIVIDUALS

<p><strong>Abstract</strong></p><p><strong>Introduction:</strong> Visual evoked potentials (VEPs) refer to recorded scalp potential variances triggered by visual stimuli and are typically elicited through repetitive stimulus presentations. This study's primary objective was to establish standard reference values for visual evoked potentials in a cohort of healthy young individuals residing in Tamil Nadu. <strong>Methodology:</strong> The research was conducted with a sample comprising 100 healthy medical students from Medical College, Tamil Nadu, aged between 17 and 20 years, evenly split between 50 males and 50 females. Various anthropometric measurements, such as age, height, weight, BMI, and head circumference, were gathered for all participants. VEP recordings were obtained using a PC-based, 2-channel RMS EMG EP Mark II apparatus, employing standard silver-silver chloride disc electrodes. To elicit pattern reversal responses, a VEP monitor featuring a checkerboard pattern was employed. The VEP parameters that were recorded encompassed the latencies of the N75, P100, and N145 waves, as well as the peak-to-peak amplitude of the P100 wave. <strong>Results:</strong> Our findings revealed that the mean latencies of N75, P100, and N145 waves exhibited no significant differences, and the mean amplitude of the P100 wave showed no significant variation (p > 0.05). Furthermore, it was observed that neither age nor body mass index had a notable influence on the VEP parameters. <strong>Conclusion:</strong> Gender represents a noteworthy physiological factor when determining standard reference values for VEPs. A minor distinction in VEP parameters is evident between the sexes.</p&gt

Kynurenic Acid Restores Nrf2 Levels and Prevents Quinolinic Acid-Induced Toxicity in Rat Striatal Slices

Kynurenic acid (KYNA) and quinolinic acid (QUIN) are metabolites produced in the degradation of tryptophan and have important neurological activities. KYNA/QUIN ratio changes are known to be associated with central nervous system disorders, such Alzheimer, Parkinson, and Huntington diseases. In the present study, we investigate the ability of KYNA in prevent the first events preceding QUIN-induced neurodegeneration in striatal slices of rat. We evaluated the protective effect of KYNA on oxidative status (reactive oxygen species production, antioxidant enzymes activities, lipid peroxidation, nitrite levels, protein and DNA damage, and iNOS immunocontent), mitochondrial function (mitochondrial mass, membrane potential, and respiratory chain enzymes), and Na+,K+-ATPase in striatal slices of rats treated with QUIN. Since QUIN alters the levels of Nrf2, we evaluated the influence of KYNA protection on this parameter. Striatal slices from 30-day-old Wistar rats were preincubated with KYNA (100 μM) for 15 min, followed by incubation with 100-μM QUIN for 30 min. Results showed that KYNA prevented the increase of ROS production caused by QUIN and restored antioxidant enzyme activities and the protein and lipid damage, as well as the Nrf2 levels. KYNA also prevented the effects of QUIN on mitochondrial mass and mitochondrial membrane potential, as well as the decrease in the activities of complex II, SDH, and Na+,K+-ATPase. We suggest that KYNA prevents changes in Nrf2 levels, oxidative imbalance, and mitochondrial dysfunction caused by QUIN in striatal slices. This study elucidates some of the protective effects of KYNA against the damage caused by QUIN toxicity