Effect of different spawn rates and substrate supplementation on yield of Indian Oyster mushroom, Pleurotus pulmonarius (Fr.) Quel.

A study was conducted to evaluate the effect of different spawn rates and substrate supplementation on yield of Pleurotus pulmonarius (Fr.) Quel. Among six spawn rates viz., 0.5%, 1%, 2%, 4%, 6% and 8%, respectively tried on wheat straw substrate, the spawn run was fastest (10.50 days) when spawn dose was 8%, followed by 6%, 4%, 2%, 1% and 0.5%, respectively. The pinheads appeared in 12.27 days by using spawn @ 8%, which proved to be the best spawn dose followed by 6%, 4%, 2%, 1% and 0.5%, respectively. Highest yield of 168.7 per 200g dry substrate was achieved @ 8% spawn rate. Lesser yields were recorded when spawn rate was reduced. The results also reveals the significantly highest biological efficiency of 84.33% at 8% spawn rate followed by 6%, 4%, 2%, 1% and 0.5%, respectively. It was concluded that spawn run was rapid at higher spawn rate but there was not much difference in yield when spawn dose was increased from 4 to 8%. Considering spawn cost and performance shown by different doses, 2-4% was found optimum dose for its cultivation.In case of substrate supplementation, wheat straw supplemented with cotton seed meal supported maximum mycelial growth (10.50 days of inoculation) and took mini-mum time for pinheads initiation (13.67 days). Similarly, maximum yield (155.3g) with biological efficiency of 77.65% was recorded on wheat straw supplemented with cotton seed meal followed by supplementation of saw dust, wheat straw (control), calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN), ammonium nitrateand urea, respectively. These studies will help to mushroom growers for selecting the most suitable spawn rate and also opens viable option of supplementation as wheat straw + cotton seed meal for better growth behaviour and optimum yield potential of Pleurotus pulmonarius as well as other oyster mushrooms cultivation

Dissociation and thermodynamical properties of heavy quarkonia in an anisotropic strongly coupled hot QGP: using baryonic chemical potential

We extended the recent work Phys. Rev. D 97(9), 094033 (2018) to investigate quarkonium dissociation in presence of baryonic chemical potential (mu_b) and anisotropy ({\xi}) using quasi-particle approach in hot quantum chromodynamics (QCD) medium. We have determined binding energy and thermal width of S-states of charmonia and bottomonia for n=1 and n=2 (radial quantum number) with anisotropic parameter ({\xi}) and baryonic chemical potential. We have also determined the effects of baryonic chemical potential and anisotropy on mass spectra of 1S-states of quarkonia and the results obtained were consistent with theoretical and experimental works. But the key result obtained was dissociation temperature of the S-states with the effect of {mu_b} and {\xi}. At last, we have calculated the thermodynamical properties of QGP (i.e., pressure, energy density and speed of sound) using the parameter {\xi} and {mu_b}, which is the main key to study suppression of the quarkonium with latest determined value of energy density psNN after incorporating the effect of {\xi} and (mu_b).Comment: 23 pages, 15 figure

Study of Quarkonium properties using SUSYQM method with baryonic chemical potential

In this article, we employed the Quasi-particle debye mass at finite baryonic chemical potential which can be used in the medium modified heavy quark potential to solve the N-dimensional Schroedinger equation. The bound state solution of the Schroedinger equation using Cornell potential is obtained by Super-Symmetry Quantum Mechanics (SUSYQM) method. The thermodynamical properties of quark matter is calculated by using baryonic chemical potential (mu). We found that the binding energy of quarkonia dissociates more with quasi-particle debye mass in comparison to non-perturbative and leading order debye mass. The medium modified form of potential (real part) has been used to study the thermodynamical properties of quark matter with different equation of states (EoS) (i.e., pressure, energy density and speed of sound) with {mu}. The mass spectra of quarkonia has been also calculated in the N-dimensional space, and compared with the experimental data at N=3. We have also calculated the dissociation temperature (T_D) for the ground states of quarkonium using the dissociation criteria of thermal width.Comment: 20 pages, 9 figure

Melting of Quarkonia in strong magnetic field

In this paper, spectra of the quarkonium states has been studied using the conditions temperature, chemical potential and the magnetic field. Here our main focus is to study the effect of strong magnetic field on the quarkonium properties. The binding energies and the dissociation temperature for the ground and the first excited states of the charmonium and bottomonium in the presence of strong magnetic field at chemical potential μ = 500 MeV has been studied. Here we use quasiparticle(QP) Debye mass depending upon temperature, magnetic field and chemical potential obtained from the quasiparticle approach. The Debye mass strongly increases at different values of temperature and magnetic field. The binding energy decreases with increase in the temperature at different magnetic field eB=0.3, 0.5, and 0.7 GeV2 and also decreases with magnetic field at different at T=200,300 and 400 MeV for the J/ψ, Ψ’, ϒ, and ϒ’ states of the quarkonia. The dissociation temperature of the quarkonium states falls with the increasing values of the magnetic field at critical temperature Tc =197 MeV

Traditional knowledge and ways of consumption of wild edible plants by rural communities of Shimla District, Himachal Pradesh (India)

Wild edible plants are used as a source of food by local people where they still rely on natural resources to meet their daily needs. The study was conducted in the rural communities of the Shimla district to document wild edible plants and their edible uses known to local people. The study documented 103 wild edible plant species belonging to 75 genera and 46 families. Rosaceae is the most dominant family with 18 species occupying 17 % of the total use reports. Of the reported plants 43% were used as fruits, 42% as vegetables and remaining have used as juice, gums, spices and condiments. As many as 74 ways of consumption methods shows a Fidelity level (FL) of more than 80%. The use category of vegetables shows highest degree of consensus factor followed by fruit category. Horticultural land expansion is the major threat to the natural habitat of wild edible plants followed by overgrazing. Field visits to various villages in 16 regions of the study area were carried out in different phases from May 2015- September 2018. A total of 102 informants were involved in field investigation and a semi-structured questionnaires and participatory rural appraisal method were used to analyze and study the traditional wild edible plants

Exploring the Influence of Yogic Asana Practice on Body Fat Percentage - A Systematic Review

Yoga is a spiritual, mental, and physical discipline-based activity practiced thousands of years ago and originated in India. Yoga is a science-rich unique holistic approach focusing on mind and body harmony. Exercise neuroscientists and physiologists long acknowledged the health benefits of physical postures, meditation and breathing exercises. However, recent research has demonstrated that breathing and meditation practices also provide active attentional benefits. Scientific evidence-based research on yoga creates interest among the research fraternity. This article highlights the current understanding of yoga asanas and their documented positive impacts on body fat percentage. The author reviewed more than 13 studies and articles about the effects of yogic asanas practice on body fat percentage. All the studies reveal the positive impact of yogic asanas (physical posture) on the different elements of body composition. The studies offer promising evidence that yogic asanas practice may hold promise to mitigate body fat percentage along with other body composition elements

Percutaneous cervical cordotomy for cancer-related pain : national data

Objectives: Percutaneous cervical cordotomy (PCC) is an interventional ablative procedure in the armamentarium for cancer pain treatment, but there is limited evidence to support its use. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness and safety of PCC. Methods: Analysis was undertaken of the first national (UK) prospective data repository of adult patients with cancer undergoing PCC for pain treatment. The relationship between pain and other outcomes before and after PCC was examined using appropriate statistical methods. Results: Data on 159 patients’ PCCs (performed from 1 January 2012 to 6 June 2017 in three centres) were assessed: median (IQR) age was 66 (58–71) years, 47 (30%) were female. Mesothelioma was the most common primary malignancy (57%). The median (IQR) time from cancer diagnosis to PCC assessment was 13.3 (6.2–23.2) months; PCC to follow-up was 9 (8–25) days; and survival after PCC was 1.3 (0.6–2.8) months. The mean (SD) for ‘average pain’ using a numerical rating scale was 6 (2) before PCC and 2 (2) at follow-up, and for ‘worst pain’ 9 (1) and 3 (3), respectively. The median (IQR) reduction in strong opioid dose at follow-up was 50% (34–50). With the exception of ‘activity’, all health-related quality of life scores (5-level version of EuroQol-5 Dimension) either improved or were stable after PCC. Six patients (4%) had PCC-related adverse events. Conclusions: PCC is an effective treatment for cancer pain; however, findings in this study suggest PCC referrals tended to be late in patients’ disease trajectories. Further study into earlier treatment and seeking international consensus on PCC outcomes will further enhance opportunities to improve patient care

Epidural Interventions in the Management of Chronic Spinal Pain: American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians (ASIPP) Comprehensive Evidence-Based Guidelines.

BACKGROUND: Chronic spinal pain is the most prevalent chronic disease with employment of multiple modes of interventional techniques including epidural interventions. Multiple randomized controlled trials (RCTs), observational studies, systematic reviews, and guidelines have been published. The recent review of the utilization patterns and expenditures show that there has been a decline in utilization of epidural injections with decrease in inflation adjusted costs from 2009 to 2018. The American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians (ASIPP) published guidelines for interventional techniques in 2013, and guidelines for facet joint interventions in 2020. Consequently, these guidelines have been prepared to update previously existing guidelines. OBJECTIVE: To provide evidence-based guidance in performing therapeutic epidural procedures, including caudal, interlaminar in lumbar, cervical, and thoracic spinal regions, transforaminal in lumbar spine, and percutaneous adhesiolysis in the lumbar spine. METHODS: The methodology utilized included the development of objective and key questions with utilization of trustworthy standards. The literature pertaining to all aspects of epidural interventions was viewed with best evidence synthesis of available literature and recommendations were provided. RESULTS: In preparation of the guidelines, extensive literature review was performed. In addition to review of multiple manuscripts in reference to utilization, expenditures, anatomical and pathophysiological considerations, pharmacological and harmful effects of drugs and procedures, for evidence synthesis we have included 47 systematic reviews and 43 RCTs covering all epidural interventions to meet the objectives.The evidence recommendations are as follows: Disc herniation: Based on relevant, high-quality fluoroscopically guided epidural injections, with or without steroids, and results of previous systematic reviews, the evidence is Level I for caudal epidural injections, lumbar interlaminar epidural injections, lumbar transforaminal epidural injections, and cervical interlaminar epidural injections with strong recommendation for long-term effectiveness.The evidence for percutaneous adhesiolysis in managing disc herniation based on one high-quality, placebo-controlled RCT is Level II with moderate to strong recommendation for long-term improvement in patients nonresponsive to conservative management and fluoroscopically guided epidural injections. For thoracic disc herniation, based on one relevant, high-quality RCT of thoracic epidural with fluoroscopic guidance, with or without steroids, the evidence is Level II with moderate to strong recommendation for long-term effectiveness.Spinal stenosis: The evidence based on one high-quality RCT in each category the evidence is Level III to II for fluoroscopically guided caudal epidural injections with moderate to strong recommendation and Level II for fluoroscopically guided lumbar and cervical interlaminar epidural injections with moderate to strong recommendation for long-term effectiveness.The evidence for lumbar transforaminal epidural injections is Level IV to III with moderate recommendation with fluoroscopically guided lumbar transforaminal epidural injections for long-term improvement. The evidence for percutaneous adhesiolysis in lumbar stenosis based on relevant, moderate to high quality RCTs, observational studies, and systematic reviews is Level II with moderate to strong recommendation for long-term improvement after failure of conservative management and fluoroscopically guided epidural injections. Axial discogenic pain: The evidence for axial discogenic pain without facet joint pain or sacroiliac joint pain in the lumbar and cervical spine with fluoroscopically guided caudal, lumbar and cervical interlaminar epidural injections, based on one relevant high quality RCT in each category is Level II with moderate to strong recommendation for long-term improvement, with or without steroids. Post-surgery syndrome: The evidence for lumbar and cervical post-surgery syndrome based on one relevant, high-quality RCT with fluoroscopic guidance for caudal and cervical interlaminar epidural injections, with or without steroids, is Level II with moderate to strong recommendation for long-term improvement. For percutaneous adhesiolysis, based on multiple moderate to high-quality RCTs and systematic reviews, the evidence is Level I with strong recommendation for long-term improvement after failure of conservative management and fluoroscopically guided epidural injections. LIMITATIONS: The limitations of these guidelines include a continued paucity of high-quality studies for some techniques and various conditions including spinal stenosis, post-surgery syndrome, and discogenic pain. CONCLUSIONS: These epidural intervention guidelines including percutaneous adhesiolysis were prepared with a comprehensive review of the literature with methodologic quality assessment and determination of level of evidence with strength of recommendations

Mapping local patterns of childhood overweight and wasting in low- and middle-income countries between 2000 and 2017

A double burden of malnutrition occurs when individuals, household members or communities experience both undernutrition and overweight. Here, we show geospatial estimates of overweight and wasting prevalence among children under 5 years of age in 105 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) from 2000 to 2017 and aggregate these to policy-relevant administrative units. Wasting decreased overall across LMICs between 2000 and 2017, from 8.4% (62.3 (55.1–70.8) million) to 6.4% (58.3 (47.6–70.7) million), but is predicted to remain above the World Health Organization’s Global Nutrition Target of <5% in over half of LMICs by 2025. Prevalence of overweight increased from 5.2% (30 (22.8–38.5) million) in 2000 to 6.0% (55.5 (44.8–67.9) million) children aged under 5 years in 2017. Areas most affected by double burden of malnutrition were located in Indonesia, Thailand, southeastern China, Botswana, Cameroon and central Nigeria. Our estimates provide a new perspective to researchers, policy makers and public health agencies in their efforts to address this global childhood syndemic