COVIDiSTRESS diverse dataset on psychological and behavioural outcomes one year into the COVID-19 pandemic

During the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the COVIDiSTRESS Consortium launched an open-access global survey to understand and improve individuals’ experiences related to the crisis. A year later, we extended this line of research by launching a new survey to address the dynamic landscape of the pandemic. This survey was released with the goal of addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion by working with over 150 researchers across the globe who collected data in 48 languages and dialects across 137 countries. The resulting cleaned dataset described here includes 15,740 of over 20,000 responses. The dataset allows cross-cultural study of psychological wellbeing and behaviours a year into the pandemic. It includes measures of stress, resilience, vaccine attitudes, trust in government and scientists, compliance, and information acquisition and misperceptions regarding COVID-19. Open-access raw and cleaned datasets with computed scores are available. Just as our initial COVIDiSTRESS dataset has facilitated government policy decisions regarding health crises, this dataset can be used by researchers and policy makers to inform research, decisions, and policy. © 2022, The Author(s).U.S. Department of Education, ED: P031S190304; Texas A and M International University, TAMIU; National Research University Higher School of Economics, ВШЭThe COVIDiSTRESS Consortium would like to acknowledge the contributions of friends and collaborators in translating and sharing the COVIDiSTRESS survey, as well as the study participants. Data analysis was supported by Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) Research Grant, TAMIU Act on Ideas, and the TAMIU Advancing Research and Curriculum Initiative (TAMIU ARC) awarded by the US Department of Education Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions Program (Award # P031S190304). Data collection by Dmitrii Dubrov was supported within the framework of the Basic Research Program at HSE University, RF

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Not AvailableBacterial blight (BB) of rice caused by the pathogen Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae and the insect gall midge (GM) (Orseolia oryzae) are two major constraints of rice production. The present study was carried out to improve RPHR-1005, a stable restorer line of the fine-grain-type rice hybrid DRRH-3, for BB and GM resistance through marker-assisted backcross breeding (MABB). Two major GM resistance genes, Gm4 and Gm8, and a major BB resistance gene, Xa21, were selected as target genes for transfer to RPHR-1005. Two sets of backcrosses were carried out to combine either Xa21 + Gm4 or Xa21+ Gm8 into RPHR-1005 using breeding lines in the genetic background of ISM possessing either Gm4 or Gm8 along with Xa21. Foreground selection was performed for Xa21, Gm4, Gm8, and the major fertility restorer genes Rf3 and Rf4 using gene-specific markers, while 61 polymorphic simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers were used for background selection and marker-assisted backcrossing was continued until BC2 generation. A promising homozygous backcross-derived plant at the BC2F2 generation possessing Xa21 + Gm4, and another possessing Xa21 + Gm8, were intercrossed to stack the target resistance genes. At ICF 4 (inter-crossed F4) , three promising lines possessing the three target resistance genes in a homozygous condition along with fine-grain type, complete fertility restoration, and better panicle exsertion than RPHR-1005 have been identified. Among these, a single line, # RPIC-16-65-125, showed better yield, was highly resistant to BB and GM, was of medium–slender grain type, and had complete fertility restoration along with better panicle exsertion and taller plant type than RPHR-1005. This is the first report of combining resistance against BB and GM in the genetic background of a hybrid rice parental line.Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India # BT/PR11705/AGR/02/646/200

Water quality under the changing climatic condition: a review of the Indian scenario

The current work reviews the state of Indian water quality under the climate change regime. Rising temperatures will lead to higher concentration of pollutants like nutrients (nitrates, phosphates etc.), persistent organic pollutants and pesticides. Probable negative consequences include increase in harmful algal blooms, toxicity hazards in people etc. Rising temperatures could lead to release of higher amounts of fluoride and uranium due to prevalence of drier oxic conditions, and also arsenic due to release from iron (hydr)oxides. Implications on emerging contaminants, a new class of pollutants without any regulatory status, is not clearly understood. Prevalence of microbes in water is also predicted to increase. Coastal aquifers appear to be at risk from salt water intrusion. Conflicts on the international and national platform is predicted to rise due to issues with sharing of water. Lastly, we also discuss the sustainability options for water in India under a changing climatic regime, under three broad subcategories signifying the roles of (1) science, (2) policies and legal framework and the (3) people perspective, while also highlighting the existing lacunae.by Nilotpal Das, Chandan Mahanta and Manish Kuma