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Shailendra Kumar Singh,1 Rina Singh,1 Santosh Kumar Singh,2 Mir Asif Iquebal,3 Sarika Jaiswal,3 Pradeep Kumar Rai4 1Department of Endocrine, Endocrine Clinic, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India; 2Department of Endocrinology, Endocrine Center, Patna, Bihar, India; 3Division of Agriculture Bioinformatics, ICAR-IASRI, New Delhi, India; 4Department of Nephrology, Opal Hospital, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, IndiaCorrespondence: Shailendra Kumar Singh, Department of Endocrine, Endocrine Clinic, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India, Email reenavns@gmail.comIntroduction: Prevalence of obesity is high in diabetes mellitus (DM) and is associated with hyperuricemia (HU), hypertension, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease and dyslipidemia. In obesity, elevated serum uric acid (SUA) has been shown to be associated in many studies from different countries, but data from India are lacking. The aim of the present study is to know the prevalence of obesity and to know the relationship between obesity and SUA in newly onset DM.Methods: In this cross-sectional study from India, 402 consecutive newly onset diabetic patients (male: 284; female: 118) were enrolled. All patients were grouped into four based on BMI (body mass index): underweight (< 18.5 kg/m2), normal weight (18.5– 23 kg/m2), overweight (> 23-27.5 kg/m2), and obese (> 27.5 kg/m2). All participants were grouped into four quartiles based on SUA (Q1: < 4.23; Q2: ≥ 4.24– 5.19; Q3: ≥ 5.20– 6.16; Q4: > 6.16).Results: The mean age, BMI and SUA of the participants were 46.20± 0.52 years, 26.35± 0.21 kg/m2 and 5.24± 0.007 mg/dl, respectively. Overall prevalence of generalized obesity, central obesity and hyperuricemia (HU) were 35.07%, 85.82% and 13.43%, respectively. The prevalence of generalized obesity increased across the SUA quartile. A multinomial logistic regression analysis showed that serum uric acid level was independently associated with generalized obesity (p< 0.001).Conclusion: This first report from India shows a significant positive association between SUA and generalized obesity among newly onset DM. Therefore, routine estimation of SUA is recommended in newly onset DM to prevent and treat HU and its related complications.Keywords: newly onset, diabetes mellitus, hyperuricemia, obesity, association

Use of saline-sodic irrigation water degrades soil health and reduced mustard yield, particularly in India's low-rainfall regions. This research was conducted to assess the effect of sodic water and nitrogen sources on soil organic carbon (SOC), microbial biomass, soil enzymatic activities, and interaction effects on mustard seed yield. The experiment was laid out in split-plot design comprising four levels of sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) of water (6, 10, 20, and 30) and six nitrogen sources [(control, 125% recommended dose of nitrogen (RDN) through urea, 75% RDN+50% RDN through farm yard manure (FYM), 75% RDN through urea+50% RDN through vermicompost (VC), 50% RDN through urea+75% RDN through FYM, 50% RDN through urea+75% RDN through VC]. The use of high SAR irrigation water caused a significant reduction in soil fertility and microbial parameters. The combined use of chemical fertilizers, FYM, and vermicompost significantly increased microbial activities (64.9% SMB-C), SOC (23.5%), soil enzyme activity (dehydrogenase and alkaline phosphates), and mustard seed yield (49%). The use of 50% RDN via urea+75% RDN via VC was suggested as a better technology for minimizing the adverse effect of high SAR water on crop yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ROS (Reactive Oxygen Species) has a dual role in tumorigenesis. Some cancers have high ROS conditions, and others have low ROS. TNBC thrives on high ROS compared to other Breast Cancer subtypes. Several antioxidant enzymes catalyze the detoxification of reactive oxygen species and prevent free radicals from damaging DNA and accumulation of mutation. Curcumin, a polyphenol dietary supplement, acts as a potent antioxidant, is known to reduce inflammation, and has anticancer properties. Here, we aim to understand alterations in the transcriptome (miRNA and mRNA expression) induced by ST09 in breast cancer cell lines. We identified an antioxidant system that is upregulated in breast cancer cell lines. Among the antioxidant enzymes regulated by miRNA was GPX3. A novel miRNA-mRNA antioxidant axis, miR-197-5p/GPX3, was observed in the TNBC cell line. We further validated the regulation of GPX3 by miRNA using luciferase assay. GPX3 overexpression, knockdown, and activity assay indicated the anti-tumorigenic role of GPX3 in the TNBC cell line. Further, treatment of TNBC xenograft with ST09 showed tumor reduction in vivo. ST09 potentiates the effect of standard-of-care (SOC) drug Cisplatin in vivo. ST09 can be exploited as a single chemotherapeutic agent or in combination treatment modalities, reducing the dosage of potent drugs., (Copyright © 2025 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Improving food grain production by enhancing plant nutrient availability is critical for meeting future production. In this line, degraded soils may have the potential to meet the food demand of future population. However, the key challenge is excessive concentration of salts. It adversely mediates the soil fertility parameters, physical properties and soil enzymatic activities. Addition of organic substances, such as farm yard manure (FYM) and pressmud (PM), may improve soil health parameters. An incubation experiment was conducted with graded application of FYM (0, 2.5, 5 and 10 t/ha) and PM (0, 2.5, 5 and 10 t/ha) to monitor the nutrient release pattern of FYM and PM; and its effect on soil physico-chemical properties and soil enzymatic activities. The results showed that soil pH and EC were reduced after the one year incubation period. It was also observed that available plant nutrients like N, P, K, S and soil enzymatic activities reported highest in treatment FYM and PM (each applied 10 t/ha) over control. The findings of this study suggested that organic amendments can improve soil fertility, mitigate salt ion toxicity, and enhance food production potential, particularly in arid and semi-arid soils., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2025 Dotaniya et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

The concentration of salt ions influences the availability and plant nutrients dynamics in the soil. Proper management of these ions can enhance food grain production, helping to feed the growing population. In this experiment, nine fertility combinations were followed to enhance the soil organic carbon and reduce the salt toxicity and monitor the plant nutrient availability. An incubation experiment was conducted for the period of one year with different organic soil amendments in combinations including biochar (BC), pressmud (PM), and farm yard manure (FYM) as follow: T1-control, T2-RDF, T3-FYM (10 t/ha), T4-PM (10 t/ha), T5-BC (10 t/ha), T6-FYM (5 t/ha) + PM (5 t/ha), T7-FYM (5 t/ha) + BC (5 t/ha), T8-PM (5 t/ha) + BC (5 t/ha), T9-FYM (5 t/ha) + BC (2.5 t/ha) + PM (2.5 t/ha). Results showed that addition of organic substance (10 t/ha) significantly (p < 0.05) affected soil pH and electric conductivity. Plant nutrient availability (N, K, and S) was also influenced by application of organic substance (10 t/ha). Organic C and available N were recorded the highest in the treatment T7 (FYM-5 t/ha + BC -5 t/ha); whereas, the highest available K and S were observed in treatment T5 (BC-10 t/ha). The microbial soil fertility indicators (alkaline phosphatases, arylsulphatase, dehydrogenase activity and microbial biomass carbon) were measured the highest in FYM (5 t/ha) + BC (5 t/ha) applied treatment. In conclusion, application of organic substance 10 t/ha (biochar alone or with FYM) improved the plant nutrient availability and soil microbial activities in saline soil. It could be a suitable option for enhancing the soil fertility in saline soils., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Dotaniya et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

3D printing has emerged as a highly efficient process for fabricating electrodes in hydrogen evolution through water splitting, whereas metals are the most popular choice of materials in hydrogen evolution reactions (HER) due to their catalytic activity. However, current 3D printing solutions face challenges, including high cost, low surface area, and sub-optimal performance. In this work, we introduce metal-deposited 3D printed pyrolytic carbon (PyC) as a facile and cost-effective HER electrode. We adopt an integrated approach of resin 3D printing, pyrolysis, and electrochemical metal deposition. 3D printing of a resin and its subsequent pyrolysis led to 3D complex architectures of the conductive substrate, facilitating the electrochemical metal deposition and leading to layered 3D metal architecture. Both monolayers of metals (such as copper and nickel) and bi-metallic 3D PyC structures are demonstrated. Each metal layer thickness ranges from 6 to10 µm. The metal coatings, particularly the bi-metallic configurations, result in achieving significantly higher mechanical properties under compressive loading and improved electrical properties due to the synergistic contributions from each metal counterpart. The metalized PyC structures are further demonstrated for HER catalysts, contributing to the development of highly efficient and durable catalyst systems for hydrogen production. Among the materials studied here, Ni@Cu bimetallic 3D PyC electrodes are particularly well-suited, demonstrating a low HER overpotential value of 264 mV (100 mA/cm 2 , KOH (1 M)) with corresponding Tafel slopes of 107 mV/dec, with exceptional stability during a 10 h operation at a high applied current of -50 mA/cm 2 ., Competing Interests: No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s)., (© 2024 The Author(s). Published by National Institute for Materials Science in partnership with Taylor & Francis Group.)

This study investigates the diverse fungal community and their probiotic functions present in ethnic fermented bamboo shoots of Arunachal Pradesh. Among 95 yeast isolates, 13 demonstrated notable probiotic attributes. These included growth at pH 3, bile tolerance, autoaggregation, co-aggregation, hydrophobicity, lysozyme tolerance and antimicrobial activity. Confirmation of some of the probiotic properties through specific primers enabled the detection of genes associated with acid and bile tolerance, antimicrobial activity, and adhesion. Probiotic yeasts were finally identified based on D1 and D2 sequences of large ribosomal subunit as Meyerozyma guilliermondii (BEP1, KGM1&#95;3, NHR3), Meyerozyma caribbica (GEP7), Candida orthopsilopsis (ES1&#95;2, EB1&#95;2, EEGM2&#95;4, GEP2, NEK9), Candida parasilopsis (HD1&#95;1), Pichia kudriavzevii (NHR12), Pichia fermentans (BEP2), and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (NEP2). Fungal amplicon sequencing highlighted the predominance of Ascomycetes, particularly Pestalotiopsis and Penicillium genera. In this study we have perfomed a culture dependent isolation and probiotic study of yeasts and culture independent analysis of the fungal community present during the fermentation of bamboo shoots of Arunachal Pradesh which provides information about the beneficial properties of bamboo shoots as the reservoir of probiotic microorganisms., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

HO 3 ˙ has been postulated as a reservoir for OH˙ in various atmospheric reactions. Under collision-free conditions, experiments indicate that the lifetime of this species should be more than one microsecond. Interestingly, the binding energy of HO 3 ˙ is estimated to be ∼3 kcal mol -1 by recent experimental as well as theoretical works. The value of the binding energy suggests that the lifetime of HO 3 ˙ should be in the picosecond range, and with this lifetime, HO 3 ˙ cannot act as a reservoir for OH˙. In the present work, using on-the-fly semiclassical dynamics, we argue that if non-RRKM effects are included, the lifetime of HO 3 ˙ may be higher than that estimated from the binding energy.

The reaction between NO 3 · and HO 2 · is critical in nighttime atmospheric chemistry. This reaction is believed to occur via two channels: one leading to the formation of HNO 3 and the other forming OH · . A long-standing question regarding this reaction is whether this reaction occurs through HNO 3 path or OH · or both at a time. Some indirect experiments proposed the HNO 3 path as the exclusive path, while some suggested the possibility of both the paths. In the present work, using high-level quantum chemical and kinetics calculations, we have tried to shed light on the mechanism of this reaction. We have incorporated full triple excitation and partial quadratic excitation corrections at the coupled-cluster level for our energetics part, whereas a master equation approach has been employed to obtain the rate constants within 213-400 K. Our investigation suggests that it is only the OH · path through which the reaction takes place.

Alkoxy radicals are key intermediates in the atmospheric degradation of volatile organic compounds. For most alkoxy radicals, reaction with O 2 is the primary loss mechanism; however, only α-hydrogen-bearing alkoxy radicals undergo a reaction with O 2 . Interestingly, if one considers an alkoxy radical that does not possess an α-hydrogen, reaction with O 2 is unlikely. In the present work, we propose HO 2 ˙ as a potential reactant for such alkoxy radicals. We have considered the tert -butoxy radical ( t BuO˙) as a prototype for those alkoxy radicals that do not possess an α-hydrogen. By means of high-level quantum chemical calculations, we have studied the energetics of the t BuO˙ + HO 2 ˙ reaction along with isomerization and decomposition pathways. Finally, we have discussed the possible atmospheric implications of all three paths in the atmosphere using reaction rate calculations.

Pesticides have health consequences for humans, living organisms, and ecosystems. Research on biological management, with a primary focus on entomopathogens, has been accelerated by the rise in issues such as pesticide residue, soil degradation, and pest resistance. Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) are among the most frequently used and commercialised biopesticides. However, they are restricted in their infectivity, persistence, storage, and cost of production. The nematodes, along with their endosymbiotic bacteria, combine to form a nemato-bacterial complex. This complex is responsible for causing mortality in insect pests due to the production of insecticidal compounds. The adaptation of EPNs is an eco-friendly method, economical, and safer for the environment as well as non-target organisms. Moreover, it's a better alternative to synthetic chemical pesticides, as it can be helpful in overcoming pest resistance and resurgence issues. Application of nematode juveniles is a cost-effective method, but the necessity of refrigeration and transportation may enhance their cost. This review emphasised the diversity of entomopathogenic nematodes and their endosymbiotic bacteria, the exploration of the biocontrol potential of insect pests by under-utilisation of nematodes, the development of nematode-based formulations, and the discussion of critical issues and required research in the future., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Boron nanoparticles have numerous medical, industrial, and environmental applications as potential nanomaterials. Given the inevitable release of these particles in aquatic environments, they can combine with other pollutants like pharmaceuticals. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate their combined detrimental effects on freshwater biota. This study examined the joint impacts of Boron nitride nanoparticles (BNNPs) and Diclofenac (DCF) on freshwater microalgae Scenedesmus obliquus. Three different concentrations of BNNPs (0.1, 1, and 10 mg L -1 ) were mixed with 1 mg L -1 of DCF and were treated with algal cells, and biochemical analyses were performed. A concentration-dependent decrease in algal cell viability was observed after a 72-h interaction period with BNNPs and their binary combinations. The maximum toxic effects were observed for the highest combination of BNNPs + DCF, i.e., 10 mg L -1 BNNPs + 1 mg L -1 DCF. Similarly, an increase in the oxidative stress parameters and antioxidant enzyme activity was observed, which correlated directly to the decline in cell viability. The algal cells also showed reduced photosynthetic efficiency and electron transfer rate upon interaction with BNNPs. The results of this research emphasize the importance of considering the negative consequences of emerging pollutants and their combinations with other pollutants, BNNPs, and DCF as part of a thorough evaluation of ecotoxicity in freshwater algal species., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Background: Exposure of humans and animals to heavy metals is increasing day-by-day; thus, lead even today remains of significant public health concern. According to CDC, blood lead reference value (BLRV) ranges from 3.5 µg/dl to 5 μg/dl in adults. Recently, almost 2.6% decline in male fertility per year has been reported but the cause is not well established. Lead (Pb 2+ ) affects the size of testis, semen quality, and secretory functions of prostate. But the molecular mechanism(s) of lead toxicity in sperm cells is not clear. Thus, present study was undertaken to evaluate the adverse effects of lead acetate at environmentally relevant exposure levels (0.5, 5, 10 and 20 ppm) on functional and molecular dynamics of spermatozoa of bucks following in vitro exposure for 15 min and 3 h., Results: Lead significantly decreased motility, viable count, and motion kinematic patterns of spermatozoa like curvilinear velocity, straight-line velocity, average path velocity, beat cross frequency and maximum amplitude of head lateral displacement even at 5 ppm concentration. Pb 2+ modulated intracellular cAMP and Ca 2+ levels in sperm cells through L-type calcium channels and induced spontaneous or premature acrosome reaction (AR) by increasing tyrosine phosphorylation of sperm proteins and downregulated mitochondrial transmembrane potential. Lead significantly increased DNA damage and apoptosis as well. Electron microscopy studies revealed Pb 2+ -induced deleterious effects on plasma membrane of head and acrosome including collapsed cristae in mitochondria., Conclusions: Pb 2+ not only mimics Ca 2+ but also affects cellular targets involved in generation of cAMP, mitochondrial transmembrane potential, and ionic exchange. Lead seems to interact with Ca 2+ channels because of charge similarity and probably enters the sperm cell through these channels and results in hyperpolarization. Our findings also indicate lead-induced TP and intracellular Ca 2+ release in spermatozoa which in turn may be responsible for premature acrosome exocytosis which is essential feature of capacitation for fertilization. Thus, lead seems to reduce the fertilizing capacity of spermatozoa even at 0.5 ppm concentrations., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Plant architecture is a crucial determinant of crop yield. The number of primary (PB) and secondary branches (SB) is particularly significant in shaping the architecture of Indian mustard. In this study, we analyzed a panel of 86 backcross introgression lines (BCILs) derived from the first stable allohexaploid Brassicas with 170 Sinapis alba genome-specific SSR markers to identify associated markers with higher PB and SB through association mapping. The structure analysis revealed three subpopulations, i.e., P1, P2, and P3, in the association panel containing a total of 11, 33, and 42 BCILs, respectively. We identified five novel SSR markers linked to higher PB and SB. Subsequently, we explored the 20 kb up- and downstream regions of these SSR markers to predict candidate genes for improved branching and annotated them through BLASTN. As a result, we predicted 47 complete genes within the 40 kb regions of all trait-linked markers, among which 35 were identified as candidate genes for higher PB and SB numbers in BCILs. These candidate genes were orthologous to ANT , RAMOSUS , RAX , MAX , MP , SEU , REV , etc., branching genes. The remaining 12 genes were annotated for additional roles using BLASTP with protein databases. This study identified five novel S. alba genome-specific SSR markers associated with increased PB and SB, as well as 35 candidate genes contributing to plant architecture through improved branching numbers. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of introgressive genes for higher branching numbers in B. juncea from S. alba ., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Singh, Kumari and Rai.)

Unremitting decline in crop productivity and nutrient recovery are resulted due to dearth of need based fertilizer recommendation over blanket application apart from nitrogen pollution in several means. An advance nutrient management tactic, GreenSeeker (GS) has developed and used in many field crops following the principle of four "R" (right source, right amount at right time, and place) nutrients stewardship technologies. But no studies have been conducted for evaluation of GS in mustard for improving productivity, profitability and nutrient use efficiency (NUE) while minimizing environmental risks. With this objective, a study was planned to conduct an experiment in rabi season of 2021-22 and 2022-23 to assess optical sensor based nitrogen management in mustard over blanket recommendation. The experiment was comprised of ten N treatments including control in randomized block design in triplicates. Research findings indicated that application of GreenSeeker based N significantly improved all growth traits and yield parameters in Brassica juncea L. Per cent enhancement in seed yield, net monetary returns and benefit-cost ratio was higher as 19.3 and 64.5%, 125.1 & 36.2% and 58.8 & 24.4%, respectively under GS based multi split N application over RDF and control. Further, real time N management with GS acquired higher crop production efficiency (CPE) (19.9 kg/day) with lesser cost/kg production (Rs 15.7/kg). Split application of N using GS increased oil yield by 79.9 and 26% over control and recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) with maximum oil content (42.3%), and increases soil organic carbon (SOC) content by 16.1% from its initial value. Moreover, GS crop sensor could be the probable solution to minimize the crop nitrogen requirement by 15-20% with a yield enhancement of about 18.7% over RDF., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Meena et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Agro-environmental sustainability is based upon the adoption of efficient resources in agro-practices that have a nominal impact on the ecosystem. Insect pests are responsible for causing severe impacts on crop productivity. Wide ranges of agro-chemicals have been employed over the last 50 years to overcome crop yield losses due to insect pests. But better knowledge about the hazards due to chemical pesticides and other pest resistance and resurgence issues necessitates an alternative for pest control. The applications of biological pesticides offer a best alternate that is safe, cost-effective, easy to adoption and successful against various insect pests and pathogens. Like other organisms, insects can get a wide range of diseases from various microbes, such as bacteria, fungi, viruses, protozoa, and nematodes. In order to create agricultural pest management practices that are environmentally beneficial, bacterial entomopathogens are being thoroughly studied. Utilization of bacterial biopesticides has been adopted for the protection of agricultural products. The different types of toxin complexes released by various microorganisms and their mechanisms of action are recapitulated. The present review described the diversity and biocontrol prospective of certain bacteria and summarised the potential of bacterial biopesticides for the management of agricultural pests, insects, and other phytopathogenic microorganisms in agricultural practices., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Heavy metals/-metalloids can result in serious human health hazards. Phytoremediation is green bioresource technology for the remediation of heavy metals and arsenic (As). However, there exists a knowledge gap and systematic information on duckweed-based metal phytoremediation in an eco-sustainable way. Therefore, the present review offers a critical discussion on the effective use of duckweeds (genera Landoltia and Lemna)-based phytoremediation to decontaminate metallic contaminants from wastewater. Phytoextraction and rhizofiltration were the major mechanism in 'duckweed bioreactors' that can be dependent on physico-chemical factors and plant-microbe interactions. The biotechnological advances such as gene manipulations can accelerate the duckweed-based phytoremediation process. High starch and protein contents of the metal-loaded duckweed biomass facilitate their use as feedstock in biorefinery. Biorefinery prospects such as bioenergy production, value-added products, and biofertilizers can augment the circular economy approach. Coupling duckweed-based phytoremediation with biorefinery can help achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and human well-being., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

In the real-world, there are various situations when all units are not accessible of the respondent called unit non-response. The effect of unit non-response is a tricky matter for estimating the total number of unit. The present work highlights the interest about subpopulations (domains) in two affairs: i. if domains total of the supportive information is accessible ii. if domains total of the supportive variable does not access. The government needs to be introducing the actual facilities in these small domains. The supportive information is used to find out the estimate of the non respondent information and to apply this information for desired domains. Sometimes, it has been found that the accessible auxiliary variable for the domains might be positive shape. Therefore, it develops an appropriate model that has positive skewness. The present context highlighted the indirect method using a power-based estimation with calibration approach. By combining power based estimation and calibration technique, it is possible to obtain more accurate estimates for intended small domains. Even the supportive information is positively biased. This approach helps us in mitigating the effect of non-respondent and improving the overall reliability of the estimators. The simulation was conducted for different sizes 70 and 90 when nonresponse variable in the study variable. The results show that investigated power-based estimate provides better option over relevant exponential, ratio, and generalized regression estimators for intended domains., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

The growing popularity of nano-fertilization around the world for enhancing yield and nutrient use efficiency has been realized, however its influence on soil microbial structure is not fully understood. The purpose of carrying out this study was to assess the combined effect of nano and conventional fertilizers on the soil biological indicators and crop yield in a wheat-maize system. The results indicate that the at par grain yield of wheat and maize was obtained with application of 75% of recommended nitrogen (N) with full dose of phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) through conventional fertilizers along with nano-N (nano-urea) or nano-N plus nano-Zn sprays and N 100 PK i.e. business as usual (recommended dose of fertilizer). Important soil microbial property like microbial biomass carbon was found statistically similar with nano fertilizer-based management (N 75 PK + nano-N, and N 75 PK + nano-N + nano-Zn) and conventional management (N 100 PK), during both wheat and maize seasons. The experimental data indicated that the application of foliar spray of nano-fertilizers along with 75% N as basal is a sustainable nutrient management approach with respect to growth, yield and rhizosphere biological activity. Furthermore, two foliar sprays of nano-N or nano-N + nano-Zn curtailed N requirement by 25%, furthermore enhanced soil microbial diversity and the microbial community structure. The specific microbial groups, including Actinobacteria, Bacteroidia, and Proteobacteria, were present in abundance and were positively correlated with wheat and maize yield and soil microbial biomass carbon. Thus, one of the best nutrient management approaches for sustaining productivity and maintaining sound microbial diversity in wheat-maize rotation is the combined use of nano-fertilizers and conventional fertilizers., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Drug distribution to the eye is still tricky because of the eye's intricate structure. Systemic delivery, as opposed to more traditional methods like eye drops and ointments, is more effective but higher doses can be harmful., Objective: The use of solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNPs) as a method of drug delivery has been the subject of research since the 1990s. Since SLNPs are derived from naturally occurring lipids, they pose no health risks to the user. To raise the eye's absorption of hydrophilic and lipophilic drugs, SLNs can promote corneal absorption and improve the ocular bioavailability of SLNPs., Methods: To address problems related to ocular drug delivery, many forms of nano formulation were developed. Some of the methods developed are, emulsification and ultra-sonication, high-speed stirring and ultra-sonication, thin layer hydration, adapted melt-emulsification, and ultrasonication techniques, hot o/w micro-emulsion techniques, etc. Results: Nanostructured lipid carriers are described in this review in terms of their ocular penetration mechanism, structural characteristic, manufacturing process, characterization, and advantages over other nanocarriers., Conclusion: Recent developments in ocular formulations with nanostructured bases, such as surfacemodified attempts have been made to increase ocular bioavailability in both the anterior and posterior chambers by incorporating cationic chemicals into a wide variety of polymeric systems., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

The possible adverse effects of engineered iron oxide nanoparticles, especially magnetite (Fe 3 O 4 NP), on human health and the environment, have raised concerns about their transport and behavior in soil and water systems. Accumulating these NPs in the environment can substantially affect soil and water quality and the well-being of aquatic and terrestrial organisms. Therefore, it is essential to examine the factors that affect Fe 3 O 4 NP transportation and behavior in soil and water systems to determine their possible environmental fate. In this work, experiments were conducted in aqueous and porous media using an environmentally relevant range of pH (5, 7, 9), ionic strength (IS) (10, 50, 100 mM), and humic acid (HA) (0.1, 1, 10 mg L -1 ) concentrations. Fe 3 O 4 NPs exhibited severe colloidal instability at pH 7 (⁓ = pH PZC ) and showed an improvement in apparent colloidal stability at pH 5 and 9 in aquatic and terrestrial environments. HA in the background solutions promoted the overall transport of Fe 3 O 4 NPs by enhancing the colloidal stability. The increased ionic strength in aqueous media hindered the transport by electron double-layer compression and electrostatic repulsion; however, in porous media, the transport was hindered by ionic compression. Furthermore, the transport behavior of Fe 3 O 4 NPs was investigated in different natural waters such as rivers, lakes, taps, and groundwater. The interaction energy pattern in aquatic systems was estimated using the Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (DLVO) theory. This study showed the effects of various physical-chemical conditions on Fe 3 O 4 NP transport in aqueous and porous (sand) media., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Heavy metal and arsenic (HM-As) contamination at the soil-food crop interface is a threat to food security/safety and public health worldwide. The potential ecotoxicological effects of HM-As on food crops can perturb normal physiological, biochemical, and molecular processes. To protect food safety and human health, nanoparticles (NPs) can be applied to seed priming and soil amendment, as 'manifestation of hormesis' to modulate HM-As-induced oxidative stress in edible crops. This review provides a comprehensive overview of NPs-mediated alleviation of HM-As stress in food crops and resulting hormetic effects. The underlying biochemical and molecular mechanisms in the amelioration of HM-As-induced oxidative stress is delineated by covering the various aspects of the interaction of NPs (e.g., magnetic particles, silicon, metal oxides, selenium, and carbon nanotubes) with plant microbes, phytohormone, signaling molecules, and plant-growth bioregulators (e.g., salicylic acid and melatonin). With biotechnical advances (such as clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) gene editing and omics), the efficacy of NPs and associated hormesis has been augmented to produce "pollution-safe designer cultivars" in HM-As-stressed agriculture systems. Future research into nanoscale technological innovations should thus be directed toward achieving food security, sustainable development goals, and human well-being, with the aid of HM-As stress resilient food crops., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest There is no competing interest., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

We read with great interest the article "the deadly duo of hypertension and diabetes in India: further affirmation from a new epidemiological study" by Metri et al. 1 They rightly pointed out that the prevalence of hypertension in Indian patients with type 2 diabetes patients is high and therefore early screening and management of hypertension should be included in the treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes. We wish to share our study findings on the prevalence of hypertension in newly onset diabetes mellitus (DM). We find that the prevalence of hypertension in all males and females with DM was 44.59, 44.34, and 45.16%, respectively. 2 ., (© Journal of the Association of Physicians of India 2023.)

Increasing complexity in crop nutrient requirement in intensive crop production systems needs alternate multi-nutrient sources. Polyhalite (POLY-4) which contains 14% K 2 O along withcalcium (17% CaO), magnesium (6% MgO), and sulfur (19% S) can be a possible recourse in this regard. In maize-wheat systems, it was evaluated for productivity, profitability, nutrient usage, and nutrient use efficiency under Indo-Gangetic plain (IGP) zones for consecutive two years (2018-19 and 2019-20). The results revealed that 150% K through POLY-4 produced the maximum maize grain yield under the Trans Indo-Gangetic plains (TGP). The maize grain yield increased by 20.8% and 26.2% under 100% K (POLY-4) and 150% K (POLY-4) over No-K, respectively. But statistically, 100% K (POLY-4) stands similar with both 150% K (POLY-4) and 150% K through muriate of potash (MOP) and equivalent. The trends were noticed under upper Indo-Gangetic plain zones (UGP) also. Similarly, the maximum wheat grain yield (6.12 and 6.29 t/ha under TGP and UGP, respectively) was obtained under 150% K (POLY-4), and remained statistically at par with 100% K (POLY-4), but significantly higher than 150% K (MOP). Under both agro-ecologies i.e. TGP and UGP, the highest system productivity was obtained with recommended N, P, and 150% K application through POLY-4. The added return over NPK remained highest with 150% K (POLY-4) for both maize and wheat. However, higher partial factor productivity for N and S, agronomic, physiological, and translocation efficiencies were noticed under 150% K (POLY-4), and remained at par with 100% K (POLY-4). Increased system yield, added returns, partial factor productivity, agronomic, physiological, and translocation efficiencies under 100% K through POLY-4 (along with recommended N and P) proved its effectiveness as multi-nutrient source for the maize-wheat system under TGP and UGP., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2023 The Authors.)