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Water and energy crisis, rising temperature and subsequent changes in climate result in calamitous loss of wheat productivity due to adverse effect on plant growth and development. Plateauing yield trends and declining total factor productivity compel for alternative water and energy-efficient conservation practices supporting sustainable wheat productivity in humid tropics. Present investigation tested the hypothesis stating that the alternate wheat establishment methods and inter-culture practices would economize energy and water requirement with enhanced productivity. Different wheat establishment methods viz., conventional tillage, reduced tillage, zero tillage and raised bed landforms of 40/20 and 60/20 cm and two inter-culture practices, i.e. conoweeding and alternate ridging on spring wheat were evaluated for two years at Pantnagar in Uttarakhand, India. Zero and reduced tillage depicted better economic viability with benefit cost ratio of 2.86 and 2.84, respectively, which was statistically at par with conventional tillage. Alternate ridging and raised bed (60/20 cm) recorded 13.3 and 41.7% saving of irrigation water, respectively. Highest energy use efficiency was observed in raised bed 60/20 cm with 22.4% less energy consumption compared to conventional method. Thus, adoption of conservation practices with improved inter-culture operations holds potential for sustainable, water and energy-efficient and profitable wheat productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An investigation was carried out to determine the impact of seed priming i.e. non-primed and primed seed with 2.0% KCl for 12 hr and twice foliar nutrition i.e. no spray, 0.5% ZnSO4, 0.5% CaCl2, 0.5% KNO3, and 2.0% urea on yield execution of normal sown (November 28) and late sown (Late sown) wheat. The results revealed that in both years of study, wheat planted on November 28 produced significantly higher grain yield with a comparable difference in number of spikes per square meter, spike length, number of fertile spikelets per spike, number of grains per spike, and 1000-grain weight. There was 23.0% and 24.0% decrease in grain yield for the late sowing on Late sown when compared with normal sowing on November 28 in first year and second year, respectively. Primed seeds were not significantly impacted in comparison to the non-primed seed. In contrast with no spray, spraying of various nutrients twice at maximum tillering and 80% flowering recorded significant improvement in yield of wheat crop. Highest yields were recorded with a foliar spray of 2.0% urea followed by 0.5% ZnSO4, 0.5% KNO3, and 0.5% CaCl2. The significant interaction between sowing dates and foliar spraying demonstrates that foliar spray of urea at the rate of 2.0% and ZnSO4 at the rate of 0.5% at maximum tillering and 80% flowering stage were financially more reasonable choices for both the planting dates and can increase grain yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetic improvement of soybean, one of the major crops providing edible oil and protein-rich food, is important to ensure balanced nutrition for the growing world population. To make soybean cultivation more rewarding, an increase in seed oil and protein content is most desirable. Here, a critical review of the efforts employed over a half-century to accomplish the improvement of soybean oil and protein content has been presented. Many studies have used diverse parental lines to map and characterize quantitative trait loci (QTL)/genes regulating these two essential traits. Here, we highlighted such genomic loci that were consistently identified with different mapping approaches, like QTL mapping, genome-wide association studies (GWAS), and meta-QTL analysis. In addition, the information generated through efforts utilizing omics approaches, such as genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics has also been compiled to anticipate the molecular mechanism. Several innovative approaches like multi-parental mapping, induced mutagenesis, genomic selection, transgenics, and genome-editing have been discussed in terms of effective utilization of technological advances to improve the oil and protein content in soybean. Information provided here will be helpful for better understanding and designing an effective strategy for simultaneous improvement in seed oil and protein content in soybean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A fluorescent gel has been prepared by deprotonation of non-fluorescent adipic acid derived ligand (H4AL) with LiOH followed by coordination with Cd(II) in DMF. The mechanism of gelation is examined by IR, 1H NMR, UV-vis, Job's plot, PXRD, SEM and TEM. Chelation enhanced fluorescence by Cd(II) has been established by fluorescence experiments. In addition to synthesis and characterization of this gel, we compared the gel properties by varying the core of the ligand using citric (H6CL) acid derivatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: predicting the development of severe disease has remained a major challenge in management of acute pancreatitis. The Bedside Index for Severity in Acute Pancreatitis (BISAP) is easy to calculate from the data available in the first 24 hours. Here, we performed a systematic review to determine the prognostic accuracy of the BISAP for severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). Methods: major databases of biomedical publications were searched during the first week of October 2015. Two independent reviewers searched records in two phases. Studies that reported prognostic accuracy of the BISAP for SAP from prospective cohorts were included. The pooled area under the receiver operating curve (AUC) was calculated. Results: Twelve studies were included for data-synthesis and methodology quality assessment was performed for 10. All the studies had enrolled consecutive patients, had a broad spectrum of the disease severity, reported explicit interpretation of the predictor, outcome of interest was well defined and had adequate follow-up. Blinded outcome assessment was reported in only one study. The pooled AUC was 0.85 (95% CI 0.80-0.90). There was significant heterogeneity, I2 86.6%. Studies using revised Atlanta classification in defining SAP had a pooled AUC of 0.92 (95% CI, 0.90-0.95), but heterogeneity persisted, I2 67%. Subgroup analysis based on rate of SAP (>20% vs <20%) did not eliminate the heterogeneity. Conclusion: the BISAP has very good predictive performance for SAP across different patient population and etiologies. Studies to evaluate the impact of incorporating the BISAP into clinical practice to improve outcome in acute pancreatitis are needed before adoption could be advocated with confidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In current state of practice, disease severity assessment for Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) lacks consensus between different organizations. In the latest guidelines for management of CDI, authors have proposed a new disease severity classification. This classification has been derived from expert opinion and includes previously reported patient related factors that predict unfavorable outcome in CDI. Objective: To evaluate the performance of new disease severity classification to predict CDI-related colectomy or in-patient deaths. Methods: This observational study was performed at a 300-bed community hospital catering to a suburban population. All the adult patients discharged during October 2005 through September 2012 and diagnosed with CDI were included in the study. Cases of CDI were identified using the billing database. Demographic and clinical characteristics of CDI cases were extracted from medical chart reviews performed by two physician researchers. Cases were classified as mild-to-moderate, severe, or severe and complicated CDI. Major outcomes measured were in-patient deaths and colectomy attributed to CDI. For risk stratification, each variable of severe and complicated CDI was counted. Results: In total, 59,897 patients were discharged from our hospital during the study period; 894 of them were diagnosed with CDI. Mean age of CDI cases was 74 years (standard deviation 15 years), 345 (39%) were male, and median length of hospital stay was 7 days (interquartile range 4-3). One hundred ninety-one patients (21%) were classified as mild-to-moderate, 93 patients (10%) as severe, and 610 patients (68%) as severe and complicated. In total, 14 patients underwent colectomy for CDI and 53 patients expired. In 35 of these patients, the cause of death was thought to be CDI. The combined outcome (CDI-related colectomy and/or death in hospital) occurred in 47 patients. None of the patients in mild-to-moderate disease or severe disease had combined outcome. On severe and complicated cases, as the score increased, rate of combined outcome increased significantly (z-12.7, p<0.0001). On plotting receiver-operating curve, the simple variable count had area under the curve of 0.91. Conclusion: The newly proposed disease severity classification for CDI categorized more than two-thirds of patients as severe and complicated. Increase in number of severe and complicated classifying variables increases the chance of adverse outcomes significantly. Patients meeting only one variable could be potentially treated as a severe case instead of severe and complicated. This data needs to validated prospectively before could be used in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over 100 extraintestinal manifestations are reported in ulcerative colitis (UC). A commonly reported hematological manifestation is autoimmune hemolytic anemia. On rare occasions, immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) has been reported with UC. The presence of thrombocytopenia can complicate the clinical scenario as the number of bloody bowel movements is an important indicator of disease activity in UC. A proposed theory for this association is antigenic mimicry between a platelet surface antigen and bacterial glycoprotein. We are reporting a case of UC and associated ITP managed successfully with anti-TNF therapy. We also performed a systemic review of case reports and a case series reporting this association. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Diabetes plays a major role in progression of renal failure. The risk-factor profile changes during the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) from mild/moderate to end-stage renal disease. The relationship between glycemic indices, blood pressure, body mass index (BMI) and age at diagnosis in Indians has been less investigated. We assessed association of these risk factors with CKD stages in Indian population. Methods: This study was carried out on patients ( n = 162) who were diagnosed with CKD and normal control group ( n = 155). For BMI, National Institutes for Health criteria were used to categorize the patients. Result: The mean age of CKD patients were significantly increased with the advancement of stage. BMI, systolic blood pressure (SBP), postprandial sugar level (PP), urea and creatinine were also significantly higher with elevated stages, whereas no differences were observed in diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and fasting blood sugar (FBS). The logistic regression study gave a significant result ( p = 0.000) when we compared the group of CKD patients with established/prolonged postprandial blood sugar. It was independently associated with mild CKD [odds ratio (OR) = 5.213, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.06-13.21, p = 0.000], moderate CKD (OR = 7.724, 95% CI = 4.05-14.74, p = 0.000) and severe CKD (OR = 7.610, 95% CI = 4.03-14.36, p = 0.000). Conclusion: SBP and PP were the best predictors of prevalent nephropathy in this population, while DBP and FBS were found to be less effective. This may have implication for kidney disease risk stratification and protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pyoderma gangrenosum is a phenomenon of cutaneous ulceration where etiology is not well understood. About half of the cases have an associated extracutanoeus manifestation or associated systemic diseases. Most commonly associated systemic disorders include inflammatory bowel disease, hematologic malignancies, autoimmune arthritis, and vasculitis. We are reporting a case where pyoderma gangrenosum has presenting features for ulcerative colitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to variation in susceptibility of different stone fruit varieties to nitidulid beetles (Carpophilusspp.), growers generally use attract-and-kill traps to treat only the most susceptible fruit tree varieties.Carpophiluspopulations often tend to build up in the untreated, less-susceptible varieties and then migrate to ripening, more-susceptible varieties in neighbouring areas. This compromises the ability of attract-and-kill traps to control the pest in the treated orchards. The use of attract-and-kill traps at the standard rate of 3 traps/ha in less-susceptible varieties is also expensive. Field experiments were conducted over two consecutive growing seasons in stone fruit orchards to test whether treating neighbouring less-susceptible varieties with a reduced number of attract-and-kill traps (2 traps/ha) would compromise control of the pest in susceptible target plots (treated with 3 attract-and-kill traps/ha). Each of the target plots with susceptible varieties had a history of high levels of damage caused byCarpophilusspp. Both treatments resulted in low levels of damage and there were no significant differences in the number of beetles killed, or the amount of fruit damage caused in the susceptible target plots. These results suggest that deployment of 2 attract-and-kill traps per hectare in the neighbouring areas is adequate to protect the susceptible target orchards from migratingCarpophilusbeetles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conducting polypyrrole (PPY) polymer thin films, prepared by the electrochemical process, were irradiated with 50 MeV Li3+ and 90 MeV C6+ ions at different fluences, ranging from 1011 to 1014 ions cm-2. The structural and electrical properties of the swift heavy ions (SHI) irradiated films were analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscope (SEM), and conductivity measurement methods. XRD analysis of SHI irradiated PPY films shows that the crystallinity of the PPY films increases with increasing fluences of lithium ions, but tends to become amorphous at higher fluence. Carbon ions irradiations lead to polymer destruction and simultaneous amorphization even at low fluence. The SEM studies of irradiated PPY films show systematic change in their surface morphologies. The surface was smoother at lower fluence but craters were observed at higher fluence. The surface conductivity of films increases with increasing fluence of lithium ions, which also turn to the virgin film conductivity at higher fluence. It was found that carbon ions do not much affect the surface conductivity of PPY. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) has attracted the attention of industries all over the world. The perceptible impact of TPM lies in attaining the far-reaching productivity and quality standards. Attempts have been made to examine TPM for the feasibility in Indian industries. The present work describes a multiattribute decision model using analytical hierarchy process for the justification of TPM for Indian industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]