Greenhouse cultivation of fruit crops with special reference to India: An overview

India is facing various challenges in fruit cultivation viz., climate change, increasing pressure on natural resources, decreasing land tenure with the ever-increasing population. Besides this, the demand for quality fruit is also on the rise as people are now more aware of a nutritious and healthy diet. The quality with higher production is difficult with the traditional system of cultivation and requires a more scientific approach in cultivation. Greenhouse cultivation technology can enhance quality and quantity both. This technology is required to convert some portion of the present 6.5 million ha of the fruit-growing area to increase national productivity and product quality. The purpose of greenhouse cultivation is to grow crops by altering the micro-environment surrounding the crop so that the plant performs maximum to its genetic potential. It also increases the yield, improves the quality and stability of production and makes commodities available when there is no outdoor production. China is the world leader in greenhouse fruit production with the largest area under this technology. In India, greenhouse fruit cultivation is in its infancy as the only strawberry is commercially being grown under greenhouses. However, in fluctuating environmental conditions and losses in fruit crops due to various biotic and abiotic stresses, protecting the fruit crops for the off-season, quality and higher production will be a necessity in future. Keeping in view the low productivity of fruit crops in India and future needs of round the year quality production, an overview of work and cultivation scenario on this aspect is discussed in this paper

Serum Magnesium Levels in Patients Admitted with Septic Shock and Its Correlation with Outcome

Objective: To evaluate the initial serum magnesium levels of critically ill septic shock patients upon admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) and correlate these levels with the patients' requirements and outcomes, including ventilator support, length of stay in the ICU, occurrence of cardiac arrhythmias, and mortality rates. Methods: This was an observational study involving 60 patients who were admitted to the medical Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for septic shock. Serum magnesium levels were measured upon admission to the ICU. A comparison was made between patients with normal and abnormal magnesium levels at the time of admission to evaluate the need for vasopressor support, the average duration of assisted ventilation and dialysis, the incidence of arrhythmia, the average length of ICU stay, and mortality rates. Results: Out of the 60 cases studied, there were 42 males (70.00%) and 18 females (30.00%), resulting in a M:F ratio of 1:0.42. The mean age of both male and female patients was found to be comparable. The need for assisted ventilation and renal replacement therapy was found to be comparable in patients with normal and abnormal serum magnesium levels. The number of days for which assisted ventilation was required, the incidence of arrhythmia, the mean duration of ICU and hospital stay, and mortality were significantly higher in patients with abnormal magnesium levels at the time of ICU admission (P<0.05). Conclusion: Abnormal serum magnesium levels are associated with increased morbidity and mortality in critically ill septic shock patients admitted to the ICU

Neuroprotective effect of peroxiredoxin 6 against hypoxia-induced retinal ganglion cell damage

Abstract Background The ability to respond to changes in the extra-intracellular environment is prerequisite for cell survival. Cellular responses to the environment include elevating defense systems, such as the antioxidant defense system. Hypoxia-evoked reactive oxygen species (ROS)-driven oxidative stress is an underlying mechanism of retinal ganglion cell (RGC) death that leads to blinding disorders. The protein peroxiredoxin 6 (PRDX6) plays a pleiotropic role in negatively regulating death signaling in response to stressors, and thereby stabilizes cellular homeostasis. Results We have shown that RGCs exposed to hypoxia (1%) or hypoxia mimetic cobalt chloride display reduced expression of PRDX6 with higher ROS expression and activation of NF-&#954;B. These cells undergo apoptosis, while cells with over-expression of PRDX6 demonstrate resistance against hypoxia-driven RGC death. The RGCs exposed to hypoxia either with 1% oxygen or cobalt chloride (0-400 &#956;M), revealed ~30%-70% apoptotic cell death after 48 and 72 h of exposure. Western analysis and real-time PCR showed elevated expression of PRDX6 during hypoxia at 24 h, while PRDX6 protein and mRNA expression declined from 48 h onwards following hypoxia exposure. Concomitant with this, RGCs showed increased ROS expression and activation of NF-&#954;B with IkB phosphorylation/degradation, as examined with H2DCF-DA and transactivation assays. These hypoxia-induced adverse reactions could be reversed by over-expression of PRDX6. Conclusion Because an abundance of PRDX6 in cells was able to attenuate hypoxia-induced RGC death, the protein could possibly be developed as a novel therapeutic agent acting to postpone RGC injury and delay the progression of glaucoma and other disorders caused by the increased-ROS-generated death signaling related to hypoxia.Peer Reviewe

Assessing long term impact of nutrient management and rainfall variability on the agroecological resilience of maize (Zea mays)- wheat (Triticum aestivum) system in NW India

A long-term (2000-2010) field experiment was carried out in the lower Shiwalik foothills of Punjab to study the carry over effect of organic manures and fertilizers on the productivity of maize (Zea mays L.)- wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cropping system for efficient N management and resource use under rainfed conditions and to develop predictive models describing relationship between yields and seasonal rainfall. N management strategies involving combined application of 15 kg N/ha either through compost or leucaena loppings along with 20 kg N/ha through inorganic fertilizer for maize-wheat cropping sequence utilized growth resources most efficiently and maintained stable yield performance culminating in significantly higher system productivity, better resource use efficiencies and sustainable yield index, suggesting partial N substitution through compost or locally available plant material. The regression models developed to predict the effects of N sources on crop yields using monthly rainfall would be of interest to estimate the yield at a given level of rainfall with the likely fluctuation (as error) particularly under rainfed conditions

COVID-19 and Rheumatoid Arthritis Crosstalk: Emerging Association, Therapeutic Options and Challenges

Hyperactivation of immune responses resulting in excessive release of pro-inflammatory mediators in alveoli/lung structures is the principal pathological feature of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The cytokine hyperactivation in COVID-19 appears to be similar to those seen in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), an autoimmune disease. Emerging evidence conferred the severity and risk of COVID-19 to RA patients. Amid the evidence of musculoskeletal manifestations involving immune-inflammation-dependent mechanisms and cases of arthralgia and/or myalgia in COVID-19, crosstalk between COVID-19 and RA is often debated. The present article sheds light on the pathological crosstalk between COVID-19 and RA, the risk of RA patients in acquiring SARS-CoV-2 infection, and the aspects of SARS-CoV-2 infection in RA development. We also conferred whether RA can exacerbate COVID-19 outcomes based on available clinical readouts. The mechanistic overlapping in immune-inflammatory features in both COVID-19 and RA was discussed. We showed the emerging links of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE)-dependent and macrophage-mediated pathways in both diseases. Moreover, a detailed review of immediate challenges and key recommendations for anti-rheumatic drugs in the COVID-19 setting was presented for better clinical monitoring and management of RA patients. Taken together, the present article summarizes available knowledge on the emerging COVID-19 and RA crosstalk and their mechanistic overlaps, challenges, and therapeutic options

Experimental investigations of electrodeposited Zn-Ni, Zn-Co, and Ni-Cr-Co-based novel coatings on AA7075 substrate to ameliorate the mechanical, abrasion, morphological, and corrosion properties for automotive applications

The aluminum (Al) alloy AA7075 is widely used in various industries due to its high strength-to-weight ratio, which is comparable and replaceable to steel in many applications. However, it has poor resistance to wear and corrosion compared to other Al alloys. The conventional pressure die coating with Cr and cadmium has led to premature failure while the load is applied. It is indeed to develop a novel coating method to improve the mechanical, wear, and corrosion properties of AA7075 Al alloy. In the present investigation, the binary and ternary metals such as zinc-nickel (Zn-Ni), zinc-cobalt (Zn-Co), and nickel-chromium-cobalt (Ni-Cr-Co) are electroplated on the substrate material (AA7075). In order to ensure optimal coating adhesion, the surface of the substrate material was pre-treated with laser surface treatment (LST). The mechanical and corrosion studies have been carried out on the uncoated and coated materials. It is observed from the findings that the ternary coating has higher wear resistance than the binary-coated material. The ternary coating has 64% higher resistance in the non-heat-treated status and 67% higher resistance in the heat-treated condition compared to the uncoated specimens. The tensile strength (MPa) of Ni-Cr-Co on AA7075 pressure die casting (PDC) is higher than the other deposits (582.24 of Ni-Cr-Co > 566.07 of Zn-Co > 560.05 of Zn-Ni > 553.64 of uncoated condition). The presence of a crystalline structure with the high alignment of Co and Ni atoms could significantly improve the corrosion resistance of Ni-Cr-Co coatings on AA 7075 PDC substrates when compared to binary coatings. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy findings on the coated materials have been corroborated with the analyses on mechanical and corrosion properties. The XRD analysis of the Zn-Ni binary coating has reported that the diffraction peaks of γ-NiZn3 (831), γ-Ni2Zn11 (330), and 631 with 2θ values 38, 43, and 73° are confirming the presence of Zn-Ni binary deposit on AA7075 PDC substrate. The XRD pattern of Zn-Co-coated material has revealed that the presence of three strong peaks such as Zn (110), Co (111), and CoZn (211) and two feeble peaks such as ϵ-CoZn3 (220) and ϵ-CoZn3 (301) are clearly visible. The XRD pattern of Ni-Cr-Co ternary coating has exhibited that the Ni-Cr-Co ternary deposit is a solid solution with a body-centered cubic structure due to the formation peaks at lattice plane such as (110), (220), and (210) with a crystal lattice constant of 2.88 A°. The SEM image for both the binary- and ternary-coated materials has exhibited that the deposited surface has displayed many shallow pits due to hitting by progressive particles. The SEM image has illustrated the presence of Zn-Ni atoms with smaller globular structure. The surface morphology of binary Zn-Co coating on the PDC AA7075 substrate has unveiled the evenly distributed dot-like structure and submerged Co particles in the galaxy of Zn atoms. To understand the effectiveness of bonding by laser texturing, cross-section SEM has been carried out which furthermore revealed the effective adhesion of Ni-Cr-Co on AA7075 PDC; this could also be the reason for the enhancement of microhardness, wear, and corrosion resistance of the said coating. © 2023 the author(s), published by De Gruyter

Harmful and beneficial aspects of Parthenium hysterophorus: an update

Parthenium hysterophorus is a noxious weed in America, Asia, Africa and Australia. This weed is considered to be a cause of allergic respiratory problems, contact dermatitis, mutagenicity in human and livestock. Crop production is drastically reduced owing to its allelopathy. Also aggressive dominance of this weed threatens biodiversity. Eradication of P. hysterophorus by burning, chemical herbicides, eucalyptus oil and biological control by leaf-feeding beetle, stem-galling moth, stem-boring weevil and fungi have been carried out with variable degrees of success. Recently many innovative uses of this hitherto notorious plant have been discovered. Parthenium hysterophorus confers many health benefits, viz remedy for skin inflammation, rheumatic pain, diarrhoea, urinary tract infections, dysentery, malaria and neuralgia. Its prospect as nano-medicine is being carried out with some preliminary success so far. Removal of heavy metals and dye from the environment, eradication of aquatic weeds, use as substrate for commercial enzyme production, additives in cattle manure for biogas production, as biopesticide, as green manure and compost are to name a few of some other potentials. The active compounds responsible for hazardous properties have been summarized. The aim of this review article is to explore the problem P. hysterophorus poses as a weed, the effective control measures that can be implemented as well as to unravel the latent beneficial prospects of this weed

Deep Rooting In-Situ Expansion of mtDNA Haplogroup R8 in South Asia

The phylogeny of the indigenous Indian-specific mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplogroups have been determined and refined in previous reports. Similar to mtDNA superhaplogroups M and N, a profusion of reports are also available for superhaplogroup R. However, there is a dearth of information on South Asian subhaplogroups in particular, including R8. Therefore, we ought to access the genealogy and pre-historic expansion of haplogroup R8 which is considered one of the autochthonous lineages of South Asia.Upon screening the mtDNA of 5,836 individuals belonging to 104 distinct ethnic populations of the Indian subcontinent, we found 54 individuals with the HVS-I motif that defines the R8 haplogroup. Complete mtDNA sequencing of these 54 individuals revealed two deep-rooted subclades: R8a and R8b. Furthermore, these subclades split into several fine subclades. An isofrequency contour map detected the highest frequency of R8 in the state of Orissa. Spearman's rank correlation analysis suggests significant correlation of R8 occurrence with geography.The coalescent age of newly-characterized subclades of R8, R8a (15.4+/-7.2 Kya) and R8b (25.7+/-10.2 Kya) indicates that the initial maternal colonization of this haplogroup occurred during the middle and upper Paleolithic period, roughly around 40 to 45 Kya. These results signify that the southern part of Orissa currently inhabited by Munda speakers is likely the origin of these autochthonous maternal deep-rooted haplogroups. Our high-resolution study on the genesis of R8 haplogroup provides ample evidence of its deep-rooted ancestry among the Orissa (Austro-Asiatic) tribes

Bayesian signaling game based efficient security model for MANETs

Game Theory acts as a suitable tool offering promising solutions to security-related concerns in Mobile Ad Hoc Networks (i.e., MANETs). In MANETs, security forms a prominent concern as it includes nodes which are usually portable and require significant coordination between them. Further, the absence of physical organisation makes such networks susceptible to security breaches, hindering secure routing and execution among nodes. Game Theory approach has been manipulated in the current study to achieve an analytical view while addressing the security concerns in MANETs. This paper offers a Bayesian-Signaling game model capable of analysing the behaviour associated with regular as well as malicious nodes. In the proposed model, the utility of normal nodes has been increased while reducing the utility linked to malicious nodes. Moreover, the system employs a reputation system capable of stimulating best cooperation between the nodes. The regular nodes record incessantly to examine their corresponding nodes’ behaviours by using the belief system of Bayes-rules. On its comparison with existing schemes, it was revealed that the presented algorithm provides better identification of malicious nodes and attacks while delivering improved throughput and reduced false positive rate