Background: Ionophore toxicity is a significant but under recognized problem under field conditions and it causes significant losses to poultry farmers in terms of reduced production, immunosuppression and deterioration in quality of meat. An investigation was carried out to determine the impact of administration of toxic doses of ionophores on immunological parameters, oxidative stress response in blood and morphology of heart, skeletal muscle as well as gizzard in broilers and its amelioration by vitamin C. Methods: For this study, 48 broiler birds, one week of age, were equally but randomly allocated to six groups. Birds in group I served as control, vitamin C @ 200 mg/litre in drinking water was administered to birds in group II, maduramicin@ 8 ppm and salinomycin @ 120 ppm were added in feed of group III and V birds, respectively. Vitamin C @ 200 mg/litre in drinking water was given in addition to maduramicin and salinomycin in groups IV and VI, respectively. The duration of the trial was two weeks. Result: After two weeks of treatment, there was significant decrease in total protein and albumin levels along with humoral as well as cell mediated immune response in chickens fed ionophores. Also, there was significant increase in the level of antioxidant enzymes like catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and lipid peroxidation in blood, liver and kidneys in groups given ionophores alone. In addition, severe hemorrhages, necrosis and inflammation were seen in myocardium, skeletal muscles and tunica muscularis of gizzard. Vitamin C supplementation significantly reduced pathomorphological alterations, oxidative stress and improved immune response in birds intoxicated with maduramicin and salinomycin. Ionophores are often added thoughtlessly in commercial broiler ration to boost growth, but their toxicity significantly hampers broiler production. Vitamin C supplementation can be used as ameliorate agent against maduramicin and salinomycin-induced toxicity in broiler birds.

The prevalence and associated risk factors for amphistomosis in buffaloes of Jammu region (India) were assessed for one year study using faecal examination. The overall prevalence was recorded to be 16.61% (279/1680). Seasonally, the highest prevalence was found in monsoon season (32.6%), followed by summer (23.8%), post-monsoon (6.4%) and winter (3.6%) seasons. Animals above 1 year of age had significantly higher (P<0.05) prevalence (17.47%) than animals up to 6 months (7.1%) of age groups. Females had a non-significant (P>0.05) higher prevalence (16.94%) than the males (12.29%). Between agroclimatic zones, the buffaloes of irrigated area had a significantly higher (P<0.01) prevalence (24.3%) in comparison to rain-fed area (8.9%). From the study, it can be concluded that the season, age and agro-climatic conditions have direct effect on the prevalence of amphistomosis in buffaloes and the administration of an efficient anthelmintic during summer and rainy seasons can reduce the burden of this economically important parasite.

Bioaerosols contribute up to 28 % of airborne particles and can have harmful effects on both human and plant health, depending on their composition. At agricultural sites, the primary contributors to bioaerosol composition include farm activities, soil, irrigation water, plant emissions, and fertilizers. Scientometric data on bioaerosols shows that most research has focused on indoor air, with limited literature available on bioaerosols and plant emissions in open fields. However, there may be interactions between bioaerosols and biogenic emissions. Plants, particularly those that produce essential oils, emit biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) known for their antimicrobial properties. These compounds may significantly affect the bioaerosol composition in the surrounding area. This review focuses on the potential interaction between BVOCs from essential oil-bearing crops and the microbial composition of bioaerosols at agricultural sites. Key factors influencing these interactions include the amount and persistency of BVOCs in the air, the composition of bioaerosols, the type of plant, and the environmental conditions. Based on the available literature, the study suggests that BVOCs may play a role in modulating the microbial load in bioaerosols, potentially inhibiting the growth of harmful microorganisms in agricultural environments. Further research is needed to understand how BVOCs affect the atmospheric microbiome and their potential application in controlling airborne pathogens in agriculture.

SiO2 thin film of thickness 300 nm grown on p-type silicon substrate was implanted with 100 keV silicon negative ions for the fluences of 1 x 10(16), 5 x 10(16), and 1 x 10(17) ions cm(-2). The implanted samples were investigated using an energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopic technique, and the samples were annealed at a temperature of 900 C-o under N-2 ambient. Ultraviolet-visible near infrared (UV-Vis-NIR) spectroscopy has been used to investigate the implanted SiO2 thin film samples before and after thermal annealing. EDX results revealed an increase in the atomic percentage and weight percentage of silicon ions as compared to oxygen ions in SiO2 thin film. This may be due to the increase in the concentration of silicon ions with the increase of implanted ion fluences within the SiO2 thin film. UV-Vis-NIR studies showed higher transmittance for thermally annealed samples as compared to non-annealed samples. This may be attributed to the creation of a new SiOx phase in the SiO2 matrix at higher temperatures. UV-Vis-NIR studies also exhibited an increase in the energy band gap value after thermal annealing. This effect may be related to the formation of silicon nanoclusters in SiO2 thin film.

BackgroundVesicoureteral reflux (VUR) is a genetically heterogenous disorder. We conducted this pilot study to explore the possibility of genetic discovery in patients with VUR using exome sequencing.MethodsWhole exome sequencing was performed on the DNA of ten Indian children (nine boys) with bilateral grade IV/V reflux and bilateral renal hypodysplasia (extreme phenotype) as well as that of a family with 2 affected male siblings with bilateral VUR and chronic kidney disease. For prioritization of single nucleotide variations (SNVs) in the ten children with extreme phenotype, extremely rare and deleterious variations were selected from a list of 778 genes of biological relevance. Hypothesis-free prioritization was performed in the VUR family. Copy-number variations (CNV) were also called and prioritized from whole exome data.ResultsAmong ten patients with extreme phenotype, rare and novel and deleterious variants related to VUR and renal hypodysplasia were identified in 7/10 patients each. At least one prioritized variant in either genes related to VUR per se or renal hypodysplasia was seen in 8/10 patients. All patients carried different variations. Among the remaining two patients, one carried a pathogenic CNV. In the VUR family, a rare and deleterious variant in SLIT1 gene was identified.ConclusionSharp phenotyping in combination with exome sequencing using a combination of approaches including hypothesis-driven and hypothesis-free for prioritization of SNVs and study of CNVs seems to be an optimal method of genetic discovery of VUR. VUR is genetically heterogenous.

The effects of the surrounding environment on the bacterial composition of bioaerosol were well documented for polluted and contaminated sites. However, there is limited data on the impact of plant species, especially those that produce aromas, on bioaerosol composition at agricultural sites. Hence, the aim of this study is to evaluate the variability in bacterial communities present in bioaerosol samples collected from agricultural sites with aroma-producing crops. For this, PM2.5, PM10, and bioaerosol samples were collected from agricultural fields growing Ocimum [two varieties of O. sanctum (CIM-Aayu and CIM-Angana)] and O. kilimandscharicum (Kapoor), nearby traffic junctions and suburban areas. PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations at the agricultural site were in between the other two polluted sites. However, bioaerosol concentration was lower at agricultural sites than at other sites. The culturable bacteria Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus tequilensis, and Staphylococcus saprophyticus were more prevalent in agricultural sites than in other areas. However, the composition of non-culturable bacteria varied between sites and differed in three fields where Ocimum was cultivated. The CIM-Aayu cultivated area showed a high bacterial richness, lower Simpson and Shannon indices, and a distinctive metabolic profile. The sites CIM-Angana and CIM-Kapoor had a higher abundance of Aeromonas, while Pantoea and Pseudomonas were present at CIM-Aayu. Acinetobacter, Staphylococcus, and Bacillus were the dominant genera at the other two sites. Metabolic profiling showed that the CIM-Aayu site had a higher prevalence of pathways related to amino acid and carbohydrate metabolism and environmental information processing compared to other sites. The composition of bioaerosol among the three different Ocimum sites could be due to variations in the plant volatile and cross-feeding nature of bacterial isolates, which further needs to be explored.

Nanotechnology has evolved as a very prominent research sector due to the introduction of advanced nanomaterials for extended applications. The development of smart nanostructures like nanoemulsion, nanoclays, nanosheets, nanofilms, nanosensors, and nanoparticles has anticipated cost-effective, sustainable, and advanced agriculture production and food protection. Nanomaterials (NMs)-based smart delivery, food processing, food production, postharvest management, disease detection, pollutants monitoring, food packaging, and genetic manipulation have created larger scope for further research and development in this growing sector. However, experts have predicted the rising concern about nanosafety should not be ignored. This chapter has tried to throw light upon the recent progress in the structural and functional development of newer NMs. In addition to this, the chapter has provided insight into the ongoing research scenario for NMs application in the agri-food sector through a bibliometric and SWOT (Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities, and Threats) survey. Overall, the collected data have outlined the major research trends, concerns, and risk assessment for the sustainable application of NMs in agri-food industries.

The cultivation of aromatic grasses on marginal/degraded land attracts attention due to their remediation potential, low input cost, and economic gain. During the distillation of these aromatic grasses, a huge amount of solid and liquid waste (hydrosol) is generated, which is not only rich in carbon content but also has a good amount of nutrient. This review summarized the potential of aromatic plants for the restoration and vaporization of distilled waste into different value-added products. In this review, estimates of the economic cost and carbon dynamics for cultivation, distillation, and waste valorisation of aromatic grasses were made using available data. Based on the literature, the available degraded land reported for India (38,600 ha) was used for the calculation. The review discussed Scientometrics analysis, the remediation potential of aromatic plants, and various routes of valorization of distilled waste generated to achieve sustainable development goals. Scientometrics analysis demonstrated the studies that include the phytoremediation potential of aromatic grasses in recent years. Among the aromatic grasses, Chrysopogon zizaniodes (L.) Nash., Cymbopogon flexuosus and Cymbopogon martini were majorly used for reclamation purposes for dry land, mine-affected areas, and metal and pesticide-contaminated soils. The estimated profitability of the cultivation and carbon sequestration potential of these grasses in marginal/degraded land could be 22–629 million USD. Our estimations showed that the cost of carbon sequestration by the cultivation of the aromatic plant in degraded land could be 16–45 million USD. The conversion of distilled waste generated into compost, vermicompost, and biochar could sequester about 0.02 X10 5 -335 X10 5 t of carbon (cost: 0.2–1913 million USD). The use of hydrosol and smoke water released during the process could sequester about 0.014 to 7403 t of carbon ( cost 0.001 to 0.42 million USD). Overall the review demonstrated the sustainability and carbon footprinting of the remediation process by aromatic grasses. The review allowed the exploration of knowledge-based strategies to unlock the potential of aromatic plants for restoration and carbon sequestration, along with the value addition of distilled waste in a sustainable manner. However, more databases are needed to support the information, which includes the productivity and selectivity of individual aromatic plant for different soil and agro-climatic regions. Graphical Abstract

The addition of chemotherapy to Gefitinib improved outcomes in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with sensitizing EGFR mutations in this trial, these results have already been published. Here we analysed the quality of life (QoL) data of patients in this study to determine the impact of the addition of chemotherapy to Gefitinib on QoL. This was a phase III randomized trial in treatment-naive patients with advanced NSCLC with an EGFR-sensitizing mutation and ECOG PS of 0 -2 receiving first-line palliative therapy. Patients were randomized 1:1 to receive either gefitinib 250 mg PO once a day (Gef) or gefitinib 250 mg PO once a day with Pemetrexed (500 mg/m2) + Carboplatin (AUC5) IV every 3 weeks for 4 cycles, followed by maintenance pemetrexed (gefitinib plus chemotherapy [Gef+C]). The primary endpoint was PFS; QoL was a key secondary endpoint. QoL was assessed using the EORTC QLQ C-30 and LC 13 questionnaires and their validated translations. QoL was collected at 2 monthly intervals [60 (+/-15) days]. The mean QoL scores for both arms were plotted and compared between the two arms at each time point using the Mann-Whitney Test. Sensitivity analysis was performed. The mixed linear model analysis is used to study the impact of treatment arms and time on QoL scores while considering participant variability. In the linear mixed model analysis (LMA), there was no significant impact on the global health status (QL) scores between the 2 arms (p= 0.5007). However, there was a significant change in the global health status scores in both arms over time (p= 0.0420). In the LMA there were no significant differences in the other function scales between the 2 arms. The scores for the symptoms scale had significantly improved for pain (p = 0.0351), dyspnoea (p = 0.0483), diarrhea (p = 0.0243), sore mouth (p = 0.0283), pain in the arm or shoulder (p = 0.0315), pain in other parts (p = 0.0273) improved over time in the Gef+C arm as compared Gef arm. The addition of chemotherapy to Gefitinib improved survival outcomes (PFS an dOS) without a significant adverse impact on quality of life.

The size of chain pillars in the Indian geo-mining conditions is primarily decided in accordance with the regulatory provisions. These provisions are of little help for deep longwall workings, exceeding the cover depth of 360 m. Furthermore, these provisions are primarily meant to support pillars in bord and pillar workings. They may not be suitable for the chain pillars owing to a significant difference in layouts and functional requirements. Hence, it is imperative to develop a method to evaluate the stability of the chain pillar considering the complex loading and geo-mining conditions. To this end, a machine learning-based model was developed in this study to assess the stability of the chain pillars under high depth of cover considering the field-representative conditions. The data for this work was generated by conducting a parametric study using a field-validated numerical model. The strength and deformability parameters of the caved, fractured, and continuous deformation zones were established by calibrating the numerical model outcomes against the site-specific field observations. The developed ML model was used to evaluate the influence of pillar width, pillar height, cover depth, abutment angle, face length, coal strength, moduli ratio of the roof and floor strata to the coal seam, and the elastic modulus and unit weight of the overburden on the chain pillar stability. An interesting finding of this study showed that the factor of safety of the chain pillar increased with the increasing abutment angle, which may be indicative of the confining effect of the abutment angle on the pillar. Eventually, the ML model was verified by comparing its outcomes with the calibrated numerical model for a typical longwall working from Indian geo-mining conditions.

Background: Cryptosporidiosis caused by Cryptosporidium spp. is a zoonotic disease and is the most prevalent pathogens worldwide and leads to severe diarrhoeal diseases and affects the immunological status of the individual. Thus, the study was undertaken to examine the anti-cryptosporidial efficacy of curcumin in comparison with ethanolic extract of curcuma longa in immunocompromised mice infected with oocysts isolated from cattle calves of Jammu region and identified as Cryptosporidium parvum using nested PCR on small subunit ribosomal ribonucleic acid (SSU rRNA) gene. Methods: Two hundred female Swiss albino mice were equally divided into ten groups. Group I were kept as a healthy control, group II were immunocompromised, group III were immunocompromised and infected, group IV animals were immunocompromised, infected and treated orally with nitazoxanide. Animals in groups V to VII were immunocompromised, infected and treated with ethanolic extract of C. longa @ 4, 6 and 8 mg/kg/day/os respectively whereas groups VIII to X were immunocompromised, infected and treated with pure salt of curcumin @ 4, 6 and 8 mg/kg/day/os respectively for 5 successive days. Thus, mean oocysts per gram faeces, body weight gain and histopathological changes were measured in different groups. Result: Administration of curcumin as a therapeutic agent @ 8 mg/kg body weight for five days resulted in higher percent mean oocyst reduction of 74.03% and improved body weight gain in experimentally infected mice. Histopathological changes showed that treatment with oral curcumin (group X) in animals had minimal and improved intestinal lesions as compared to animals treated with C. longa (group VII). Altogether, curcumin showed promising anticryptosporidial effects under in vivo conditions and deserves further exploration.

The surface morphology modification and optical property modification of semi-insulating gallium arsenide sample implanted with 100 keV silicon ions with the fluences ranging between 5 × 10[Formula: see text] and 4 × 10[Formula: see text] ion cm[Formula: see text] were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy and UV–Vis–NIR spectroscopy study. Scanning electron microscopy study revealed pore-like structure formation on the surface of gallium arsenide samples after silicon ion implantation. The size of these pore-like structures was found to increase with increasing ion fluence. Energy dispersive X-ray analysis showed an increase in silicon concentration in the gallium arsenide sample after silicon ion implantation with increasing ion fluence. The UV–Vis–NIR spectroscopy study revealed a decrease in optical transmission for silicon ion implanted gallium arsenide sample with increasing ion fluence. An additional absorption band was observed for the gallium arsenide sample implanted with the highest fluence (4 × 10[Formula: see text] ion cm[Formula: see text]. Urbach tail energy was found to increase with respect to ion fluence.

The present study was conducted to evaluate resistance against ionophores (salinomycin and maduramicin) in four field isolates (F) of Eimeria tenella collected from four distantly located poultry farms from Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The purity of isolates was ascertained by COCCIMORPH and ITS-1 gene amplification for E. tenella. For the drug sensitivity trial, Cobb strain, day-old male broiler chicks were used. At the age of 10 days, the birds were transferred ad random in 13 groups to battery cage system. All birds, except non infected non-medicated control were infected with 105 sporulated oocysts each at two weeks. Prophylactic medication with ionophores commenced two days prior to infection in eight groups (two medicated groups for each of the four isolates). Another four groups served as infected and non-medicated control. Seven days post infection, all the surviving birds were sacrificed to study drug resistance by assessing the global index for individual ionophore compounds. The F-1 exhibited resistance against salinomycin and maduramicin whereas, the F-2 showed comparatively improved global index for both salinomycin and maduramicin thus indicating limited efficacy. The F-3 exhibited partial resistance against salinomycin and limited efficacy in case of maduaramicin, and the F-4 was observed to be resistant against salinomycin whereas partially resistant against maduramicin. The present study provides evidence of resistance against maduramicin and salinomycin in field isolates of E. tenella from Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir which may aid in management of poultry coccidiosis.

Goat warble fly infestation (GWFI) is an economically important myiasis caused by larvae of Przhevalskiana silenus (Diptera, Oestridae), prevalent in countries of the Mediterranean Basin and Indian subcontinent. GWFI is characterized by the presence of subcutaneous warbles at the lumbar and sacral region of dorsum in the infested animal. The early larval instars (L1 and L2) remain inaccessible to physical detection due to their small size and subcutaneous presence thus causing prolonged economic loss to animal productivity. The early diagnostic intervention is needed during the disease monitoring and prophylactic management for effective control of the disease. The present study has developed an in-house dot-ELISA for the serodiagnosis of GWFI based on recombinant Hypodermin C (rHyC) antigen of Przhevalskiana silenus, expressed in E. coli. The purified protein was used for optimizing dot-ELISA in a checkerboard titration using goat warble fly infested serum as known positive. The optimized conditions require 188 ng of protein/dot, 1:800 dilution of serum sample, 1:4000 dilution of anti-goat IgG conjugate and 5% skim milk powder in phosphate buffer saline as blocking buffer. The assay was found to have a diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of 97.3% and 95.8%, respectively. The inter-rater reliability of dot ELISA with rHyC indirect ELISA was found to be almost perfect with a Cohen’s kappa index of 0.973. Further testing at ambient temperature (18 C) and shorter incubation steps (30 min) supported suitability of the assay for field diagnosis of GWFI. The rHyC protein based Dot-ELISA was evaluated using random field serum samples suspected for GWFI. The present study provides the first report of a sensitive and specific dot-ELISA for early diagnosis of GWFI which is rapid and cost effective. The test may provide an effective tool for sustainable control of GWFI.

Background: Adipokine is a huge family of cytokines which are cell-signaling proteins secreted by adipose tissue released by white adipose tissue (WAT), and adipolin (FAM132A/CTRP12 gene) is the newest member added to the adipokine family. This research marks the first attempt to estimate and compare the gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and serum levels of adipolin in healthy subjects and periodontitis patients with and without type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods: The study population consisted of 10 patients each with healthy subjects and periodontitis with and without T2DM. GCF and serum samples were collected from each patient before non-surgical periodontal therapy. All the samples underwent an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test with an antibody specific to adipolin. Results: The mean GCF and serum adipolin levels were high in Groups I and III compared with Groups II and IV. Comparison of adipolin levels between the groups showed no statistically significant difference either in GCF (p = 0.68) or serum (p = 0.85). The comparison between GCF and serum adipolin levels in Group IV showed a statistically significant difference (p < 0.031). The mean values showed a decrease in adipolin values as the disease rate progressed. A negative correlation was seen in serum and GCF adipolin with HbA1C. Conclusion: As the GCF and serum concentration of adipolin show a gradual positive relation with disease severity, within the limitations of the current study, it can be postulated adipolin could be a possible anti-inflammatory biomarker of periodontal disease.

Goat warble fly infestation (GWFI) is an economically important myiasis caused by larvae of Przhevalskiana silenus (Diptera, Oestridae), prevalent in countries of the Mediterranean Basin and Indian subcontinent. GWFI is characterized by the presence of subcutaneous warbles at the lumbar and sacral region of dorsum in the infested animal. The early larval instars (L1 and L2) remain inaccessible to physical detection due to their small size and subcutaneous presence thus causing hindrance in the diagnosis. The objective of present study was to develop a field applicable early diagnostic intervention for GWFI monitoring and prophylactic management for effective control of the disease. Recombinant Hypodermin C (rHyC) antigen of P. silenus was expressed in Escherichia coli. The purified protein was used for optimizing dot-ELISA in a checkerboard titration using goat warble fly infested serum as known positive. The optimized assay was further tested for lower temperature (18°C) and incubation time (30 min). The optimized assay was assessed for inter-rater reliability and field samples. The optimized conditions require 188 ng of protein/dot, 1:800 dilution of serum sample, 1:4000 dilution of anti-goat IgG conjugate and 5% skim milk powder in phosphate buffer saline as blocking buffer. The assay was found to have a diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of 97.3% and 95.8%, respectively. The inter-rater reliability of dot ELISA with rHyC indirect ELISA was found to be almost perfect with a Cohen's kappa index of 0.973. Further testing at ambient temperature (18°C) and shorter incubation steps (30 min) supported suitability of the assay for field diagnosis of GWFI. The present study provides the first report of a sensitive and specific dot-ELISA for early diagnosis of GWFI which is rapid and cost effective. The test may provide an effective field applicable tool for sustainable control of GWFI.

This paper analyzes the effect of 100[Formula: see text]keV silicon negative ion implantation in semi-insulating gallium arsenide sample for the fluences varying between [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]ion[Formula: see text]cm[Formula: see text] using Raman spectroscopy, Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy and Electron spin resonance spectroscopy. The gallium arsenide sample implanted with silicon negative ion for different fluences showed shift in the TO peak position with respect to unimplanted gallium arsenide sample. Increase in the broadening of TO peak was observed in the as-implanted samples, indicating development of stress and phonon confinement due to the incorporation of silicon in gallium arsenide crystal lattice. Annealing of as-implanted samples showed stress relaxation. Increase in RBS backscattering yield was observed in the as-implanted samples. Annealing of as-implanted (with high fluence) sample showed flat RBS yield response. ESR measurement study revealed restructuring of defects in the gallium arsenide sample implanted with fluence of [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]ion[Formula: see text]cm[Formula: see text] after annealing to the temperature of [Formula: see text]C.