Constraints in Adoption of Bio-input Usage in Cotton Cultivation

Constraints in adoption of biological inputs usage in cotton cultivation of Tamil Nadu have been identified. Among the reasons for non-adoption of bio-inputs, long-term practice has been considered as the important factor by the non-adopters (mean score, 67.18) and lack of adequate extension as the second important factor (mean score, 62.15). The probability of adoption of bio-inputs has been estimated by the multinominal logit model which has been found significant at one per cent level, based on the log-likelihood ratio test. The model has correctly predicted 78 per cent of the adopters and non-adopters. The analysis has indicated that the farmers’ perceptional characteristics are positively and significantly related to the adoption of bio-inputs, whereas storage and handling is negatively related to the adoption. Among the suggestions for enhanced bio-inputs usage, extension of subsidy has been considered as the prime suggestion by the farmers (mean score, 66.21). Cotton crop has inelastic calendar of operations, and the pest management operations are highly time bound and any delay in the availability of biological inputs would seriously hamper its adoption. Hence, the timely availability has been regarded as the second important suggestion by the farmers (mean score, 63.75).Agricultural and Food Policy,

Global, regional, and national comparative risk assessment of 79 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks, 1990-2015: A systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015

Background: The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2015 provides an up-to-date synthesis of the evidence for risk factor exposure and the attributable burden of disease. By providing national and subnational assessments spanning the past 25 years, this study can inform debates on the importance of addressing risks in context. Methods: We used the comparative risk assessment framework developed for previous iterations of the Global Burden of Disease Study to estimate attributable deaths, disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), and trends in exposure by age group, sex, year, and geography for 79 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks from 1990 to 2015. This study included 388 risk-outcome pairs that met World Cancer Research Fund-defined criteria for convincing or probable evidence. We extracted relative risk and exposure estimates from randomised controlled trials, cohorts, pooled cohorts, household surveys, census data, satellite data, and other sources. We used statistical models to pool data, adjust for bias, and incorporate covariates. We developed a metric that allows comparisons of exposure across risk factors—the summary exposure value. Using the counterfactual scenario of theoretical minimum risk level, we estimated the portion of deaths and DALYs that could be attributed to a given risk. We decomposed trends in attributable burden into contributions from population growth, population age structure, risk exposure, and risk-deleted cause-specific DALY rates. We characterised risk exposure in relation to a Socio-demographic Index (SDI). Findings: Between 1990 and 2015, global exposure to unsafe sanitation, household air pollution, childhood underweight, childhood stunting, and smoking each decreased by more than 25%. Global exposure for several occupational risks, high body-mass index (BMI), and drug use increased by more than 25% over the same period. All risks jointly evaluated in 2015 accounted for 57·8% (95% CI 56·6–58·8) of global deaths and 41·2% (39·8–42·8) of DALYs. In 2015, the ten largest contributors to global DALYs among Level 3 risks were high systolic blood pressure (211·8 million [192·7 million to 231·1 million] global DALYs), smoking (148·6 million [134·2 million to 163·1 million]), high fasting plasma glucose (143·1 million [125·1 million to 163·5 million]), high BMI (120·1 million [83·8 million to 158·4 million]), childhood undernutrition (113·3 million [103·9 million to 123·4 million]), ambient particulate matter (103·1 million [90·8 million to 115·1 million]), high total cholesterol (88·7 million [74·6 million to 105·7 million]), household air pollution (85·6 million [66·7 million to 106·1 million]), alcohol use (85·0 million [77·2 million to 93·0 million]), and diets high in sodium (83·0 million [49·3 million to 127·5 million]). From 1990 to 2015, attributable DALYs declined for micronutrient deficiencies, childhood undernutrition, unsafe sanitation and water, and household air pollution; reductions in risk-deleted DALY rates rather than reductions in exposure drove these declines. Rising exposure contributed to notable increases in attributable DALYs from high BMI, high fasting plasma glucose, occupational carcinogens, and drug use. Environmental risks and childhood undernutrition declined steadily with SDI; low physical activity, high BMI, and high fasting plasma glucose increased with SDI. In 119 countries, metabolic risks, such as high BMI and fasting plasma glucose, contributed the most attributable DALYs in 2015. Regionally, smoking still ranked among the leading five risk factors for attributable DALYs in 109 countries; childhood underweight and unsafe sex remained primary drivers of early death and disability in much of sub-Saharan Africa. Interpretation: Declines in some key environmental risks have contributed to declines in critical infectious diseases. Some risks appear to be invariant to SDI. Increasing risks, including high BMI, high fasting plasma glucose, drug use, and some occupational exposures, contribute to rising burden from some conditions, but also provide opportunities for intervention. Some highly preventable risks, such as smoking, remain major causes of attributable DALYs, even as exposure is declining. Public policy makers need to pay attention to the risks that are increasingly major contributors to global burden. Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Genetic loci influencing kidney function and chronic kidney disease

Using genome-wide association, we identify common variants at 2p12-p13, 6q26, 17q23 and 19q13 associated with serum creatinine, a marker of kidney function (P = 10 10 to 10 15). Of these, rs10206899 (near NAT8, 2p12-p13) and rs4805834 (near SLC7A9, 19q13) were also associated with chronic kidney disease (P = 5.0 × 10 5 and P = 3.6 × 10 4, respectively). Our findings provide insight into metabolic, solute and drug-transport pathways underlying susceptibility to chronic kidney disease

Constraints in Adoption of Bio-input Usage in Cotton Cultivation

Constraints in adoption of biological inputs usage in cotton cultivation of Tamil Nadu have been identified. Among the reasons for non-adoption of bio-inputs, long-term practice has been considered as the important factor by the non-adopters (mean score, 67.18) and lack of adequate extension as the second important factor (mean score, 62.15). The probability of adoption of bio-inputs has been estimated by the multinominal logit model which has been found significant at one per cent level, based on the log-likelihood ratio test. The model has correctly predicted 78 per cent of the adopters and non-adopters. The analysis has indicated that the farmers’ perceptional characteristics are positively and significantly related to the adoption of bio-inputs, whereas storage and handling is negatively related to the adoption. Among the suggestions for enhanced bio-inputs usage, extension of subsidy has been considered as the prime suggestion by the farmers (mean score, 66.21). Cotton crop has inelastic calendar of operations, and the pest management operations are highly time bound and any delay in the availability of biological inputs would seriously hamper its adoption. Hence, the timely availability has been regarded as the second important suggestion by the farmers (mean score, 63.75)

Influence of pulse reversal on the PEC performance of pulse-plated CdSe films

This paper embodies the first report on the pulse reversal deposition of CdSe thin films. The as-deposited and heat-treated films were characterized by XRD, optical absorption spectroscopy and electrical properties. The polycrystalline deposits of CdSe obtained indicated a hexagonal structure after heat treatment at 550°C. From the optical absorption measurements the band gap was found to be 1.71eV. At an illumination of 70 mW cm-2 conversion efficiencies of 3.20% and 6.57% were obtained for the photoelectrodes without and with pulse reversa

Effect of pulse reversal on the properties of pulse plated CdSexTe1x thin films

CdSexTe1x thin filmswith 0 < x < 1 were deposited on titanium and conducting glass substrates by pulse electrodeposition using microprocessor control. Formation of the solid solution takes place for values of xð0 < x < 1Þ. The filmswer e characterized by X-ray diffraction. While the as-deposited filmsare cubic in nature, those annealed at 475 C in air indicate hexagonal structure and the lattice parameters increase with increasing value of x. From the optical absorption measurements the band gap of the material was calculated. The value of the band gap variesfrom 1.42 to 1.70 eV as x variesfrom 0 to 1. The photoelectrochemical (PEC) characteristics were obtained for all compositions of CdSexTe1x (x ¼ 0–1). The output parametersfor CdSe0.66Te0.34 with 9% duty cycle at an intensity of 80 mW cm2 using 1 M polysulphide as the redox electrolyte, are VOC of 398 mV, JSC of 5.59 mA cm2, ff of 0.45, g of 4.73%, Rs of 13 X, Rsh of 1.50 kX. The output parameterswere found to increase with 60 ms pulse reversal. After photoetching for 40 s, a VOC of 481 mV, JSC of 16.00 mA cm2, ff of 0.57, g of 5.46%, Rs of 6 X, Rsh of 2.16 kX were obtained

Characteristics of CdSe films electrodeposited with microprocessor based pulse plating unit

In this paper we report the results on pulse electrodeposited cadmium selenide thin films using microprocessor control. The as-deposited and heat- treated films were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope and optical absorption studies. Polycrystalline CdSe films obtained by pulse electrodeposition indicated both cubic and hexagonal structures whose lattice constants agree well with the standard values. An average grain size of 3 mm and an absorption coef®cient of 104 cm21 were obtained by SEM and optical studies. The power conversion ef®ciency for an illumination of 80 mW/cm2 in 1 M polysulphide was in the range of 1.75±2.4% for the films plated at different duty cycles. A peak quantum ef®ciency of 0.75 was obtained at 725 nm. Acceptor concentration of 1:6 £ 1016 cm23, electron mobility of 5.63 cm2/V s, and minority carrier diffusion length of 0.185 mm have been obtained

Characteristics of nanocrystalline CdSe films

CdSe films have been pulse electrodeposited on evaporated gold substrates with different duty cycles. The deposition of nanocrystalline films was carried out at 100C for 10 min with precursors of CdSO4, SeO2 and H2SO4. TEM studies indicated a crystal size in the range 10–50nm depending upon the duty cycle. The size of the nanoparticle could be controlled by the pulse parameters. Variation of grain size and band gap with duty cycle are in close agreement with the results reported earlier for the films prepared by electrodeposition and chemical bath deposition. Luminescence studies indicated room temperature emission in the wavelength range 520–410nm depending on the duty cycle, the excitation wavelength was 570 nm