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A 2-year experiment was undertaken to assess the impact of irrigation water quality, nitrogen doses, and microbial inoculants on soil nutrient availability, plant growth parameters, and green pod yield of cowpea in the semi-arid region of Punjab, India. Irrespective of other factors, nitrogen levels significantly influenced available N, P, and Fe in both years and across years when pooled, while Mn content was notably affected only when data were combined across years. Elevated soil pH, EC, K, and micronutrients (Fe, Cu, Zn, and Mn) were observed in saline water irrigated plots in both years and across pooled data, whereas available N and P were high in canal water irrigated plots. Microbial inoculants reduced soil pH and EC while enhancing soil nutrient availability. Canal water irrigation, regardless of other variables, increased plant height by 13.9%, 16.4%, and 15.1%, pods per plant by 6.0%, 5.9%, and 2.7%, pod length by 6.1%, 4.3%, and 5.2%, and green pod yield by 114.4%, 118.0%, and 116.3% in 2019, 2020, and pooled years. Decreasing nitrogen levels also reduced pods per plant by 6.9%, 6.8%, and 6.7%, pod length by 10.6%, 11.8%, and 11.2%, and green pod yield by 8.6%, 7.2%, and 7.8% in 2019, 2020, and pooled years, regardless of other factors. Likewise, liquid bio-fertilizers, either alone or in combination, significantly affected pods per plant by 16.6%, 18.6%, and 17.5%, pod length by 26.4%, 28.1%, and 27.3%, and green pod yield by 12%, 32.82%, and 14.2% in 2019, 2020, and pooled years, irrespective of other factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to identify hotspot regions of COVID-19 in India from March 2020 to August 2023. Identifying hotspots is essential for effective pandemic management, as it helps policymakers understand the dynamics of virus spread and allows for more precise public health campaigns. The present study is a district level analysis of India at five different points in time, where we calculate the cumulative incidence rate (CIR), cumulative fatality rate (CFR) and recovery rate (RR) for COVID-19. Further, we apply Global Moran's I, Getis-Ord Gi* and Anselin local Moran's I index to identify COVID-19 hotspots by using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology. The results show that the spatial and temporal variation of the CIR is very high across India. The CIR was recorded lower in May 2020 as the affected people were immobilized due to the lockdown. However, the CFR was high and RR was low due to inadequate medical facilities and treatment. The findings revealed that mainly two hotspot regions existed in India until May 2021, the National Capital Region, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra in the south. However, this scenario has entirely changed since January 2022, when northern India has changed into a cold-spot and the southern coastal states have become the pandemic hot-spot region. Combining hot-spot analysis with Global & Anselin local Moran's I offers a precise method for locating statistically significant COVID-19 case cluster areas and identifying high-risk areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The catalyzed CVD method is considered significant for the production of low cost and high yield carbon nanostructures. In this study, multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were synthesized using a facile and efficient way with the modified CVD method, using Co nanoparticles as the metallic catalysis for MWCNT growth, in a distinct temperature range of 650–750 °C. The structural and magnetic properties of pristine and functionalized MWCNT (p-MWCNT and f-MWCNT) are investigated in the temperature range of 10–300 K. The phase structure of all MWCNT samples was analyzed using various characterization techniques, namely, x-ray diffraction, Raman, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Scanning electron microscopy and particle size analysis suggested that the diameter of MWCNTs increases with a rise in the growth temperature, but the nanotube density decreases at 750 °C. Temperature-dependent magnetization studies of the p-MWCNT and f-MWCNT samples were investigated using a quantum design physical property measurement system-vibrating sample magnetometer mode. The magnetic properties and the effect of the growth temperature and acid functionalization on the morphology of MWCNT were also investigated. The results revealed that the diamagnetism effect of the graphitic nanotubes is dominating for p-MWCNT, and it reduces for f-MWCNT. A possible explanation for this feature is discussed in detail in the later part of this article. It may be considered that this study, which emerged with different growth temperatures of MWCNTs using a facile method for gaining control over magnetic properties, can be fundamental for further consideration of magnetic MWCNTs for various potential applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field experiment was conducted at Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab for two years (2022 and 2023) to study the response of tomato crop to drip irrigation scheduling based on climatological approach viz. Penman-Monteith, Blaney-Criddle and pan evaporation. Result revealed that, the all treatments of irrigation scheduling were found feasible for optimizing tomato yield (30.8 to 44.6 t ha-1), water saving (27 to 50.7%) and water use efficiency (1.31 to 1.61 t ha-1-cm) under drip irrigation over soil moisture depletion approach. In selected region the average daily ET0 (4.4 to 9 mm day-1) and ETC (2.5 to 10.8 mm day-1) varies with different growth stages and results varying crop water demand of tomato. This water demand can successfully meet out by applying water at 100 % ET0 based on Penman-Monteith method with significant crop yield (44.6 t ha-1) and water use efficiency (1.33 t ha-1-cm). Correlation analysis indicated that, in case of other regions where the availability of weather parameters will be limited for irrigation scheduling, the farmer could irrigate their tomato crop at 90% ET0 based on daily pan evaporation method under drip irrigation. In selected region, the Blaney-Criddle method was found ineffective and shows under and overestimated values of daily ETo during mid stage and late stage which gives more water saving (up to 51%) but reduces significant tomato yield over Pan Evaporation method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rising level of carbon dioxide (CO2) gas harms both the environment and people and also causes climate change and global warming. Thus, its detection is essential for critical health issues and environmental safety. In this study, pure and cobalt (Co)-doped praseodymium orthoferrite (PrFeO3) nanomaterials were prepared by the sol–gel auto-combustion route. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) were used to investigate the surface morphology and crystal structure. Vibrational studies were carried out by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Optical characteristics were investigated by ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy. Pure and co-doped PrFeO3 nanomaterials in thin film form were explored for the first time to design a CO2 gas sensor working at room temperature. To study the effect of cobalt doping on sensor performance, comparative gas sensing tests were performed on both pristine and Co-doped PrFeO3 thin films. The study indicates that the Co-doped PrFeO3 sensor has a higher response and shorter recovery and response times than the pristine PrFeO3 sensor. At 500 ppm CO2, the response time of PrFe0.9Co0.1O3 is 17.2 s, while the recovery time is 18.4 s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A mild, efficient one-pot three-component reaction of primary and secondary amines with carbon disulphide and a,b-unsaturated compounds providing dithiocarbamates has been developed employing in situ generated tetraethylammonium superoxide in aprotic solvent at room temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was planned to systematically review the available evidence from randomized controlled trials on the efficacy and safety of AYUSH-64 in managing COVID-19. Electronic databases such as PubMed, Ayush Research Portal, DHARA, Cochrane CENTRAL, etc. were searched from December 2019 to October 2021, and updated in February 2022. The risk of bias was assessed through the RoB2 tool. Meta-analysis was done with the Review Manager 5.4 tool. The quality of cumulative evidence was evaluated through the GRADE approach. This study includes five RCTs with 420 participants. The risk of bias was assessed as low for most of the studies. The results demonstrated that AYUSH-64 administration as an adjunct to standard care was significantly better compared to standard care alone for asymptomatic, mild, and moderate COVID-19 in terms of clinical recovery (OR= 2.35; 95% CI= 1.33 to 4.16; p=0.003), and mean time to clinical recovery (SMD= -0.67; 95% CI= -1.16 to -0.18; p=0.007). There was no statistically significant difference between groups in SARSCoV-2 clearance assessed by RT-PCR assay (OR= 1.21; 95% CI= 0.51 to 2.88; p=0.66). The overall incidence of adverse events showed no significant difference between groups (p=0.65). The quality of evidence was assessed as moderate for clinical recovery and low for SARS-CoV-2 clearance. Meta-analysis of five RCTs demonstrated that AYUSH-64 as an adjunct to standard care hastens clinical recovery and is safe in asymptomatic, mild, and moderate COVID-19. However, more robust RCTs would be required to generalize the results of this systematic review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]