Physiological and molecular insights into the allelopathic effects on agroecosystems under changing environmental conditions

Allelopathy is a natural phenomenon of competing and interfering with other plants or microbial growth by synthesizing and releasing the bioactive compounds of plant or microbial origin known as allelochemicals. This is a sub-discipline of chemical ecology concerned with the effects of bioactive compounds produced by plants or microorganisms on the growth, development and distribution of other plants and microorganisms in natural communities or agricultural systems. Allelochemicals have a direct or indirect harmful effect on one plant by others, especially on the development, survivability, growth, and reproduction of species through the production of chemical inhibitors released into the environment. Cultivation systems that take advantage of allelopathic plants' stimulatory/inhibitory effects on plant growth and development while avoiding allelopathic autotoxicity is critical for long-term agricultural development. Allelopathy is one element that defines plant relationships and is involved in weed management, crop protection, and microbial contact. Besides, the allelopathic phenomenon has also been reported in the forest ecosystem; however, its presence depends on the forest type and the surrounding environment. In the present article, major aspects addressed are (1) literature review on the impacts of allelopathy in agroecosystems and underpinning the research gaps, (2) chemical, physiological, and ecological mechanisms of allelopathy, (3) genetic manipulations, plant defense, economic benefits, fate, prospects and challenges of allelopathy. The literature search and consolidation efforts in this article shall pave the way for future research on the potential application of allelopathic interactions across various ecosystems.

Milk production of cows grazing pasture supplemented with grain mixes containing canola meal or corn grain or both over the first 100 days of lactation

Grain mixes varying in proportions of wheat grain, barley grain, canola meal and corn grain were fed to grazing dairy cows in early lactation to determine the contribution of canola meal and corn grain to milk yield, body weight (BW), body condition score (BCS), eating behavior and blood serum metabolite concentrations. The experiment used 80 multiparous, seasonally calving Holstein-Friesian dairy cows during the first 100 d of lactation, the treatment period, and over the subsequent carryover period of 100 d, during which all cows were fed a common diet. Cows were divided into 4 cohorts (blocks) based on calving date and within each cohort, 5 cows were randomly allocated to each of the 4 treatments. Dietary treatments included disc milled grain mixes comprising (on a dry matter (DM) basis) 1) a control treatment of wheat (25%) and barley (75%); 2) wheat (25%), barley (50%) and canola meal (25%); 3) wheat (25%), barley (50%) and corn (25%), and 4) wheat (25%), barley (25%), canola meal (25%), and corn (25%). Treatment diets were introduced at 19 d in milk (DIM) ± 4.7 d which included a 7-d adaptation period and were applied up until 100 DIM. Each grain mix was fed at 9 kg DM/cow per d, offered twice daily, in equal proportions in the parlor at milking times. In addition to the grain mix, all cows grazed perennial ryegrass pasture at a daily allowance of approximately 35 kg DM/cow per d (measured to ground level). Results were analyzed in terms of corn and canola presence or absence in the diet. Including canola meal in grain mixes increased grain intake and pasture intake by 0.6 and 2.1 kg DM/cow per d, respectively, resulting in an increased milk yield of 2.6 kg/cow per d during the first 100 d of lactation. Including canola meal also increased yields of milk fat and protein, and concentrations of milk fat, as well as increasing mean BW and BCS over the 100 d. The inclusion of canola meal in the grain mixes also resulted in greater blood serum β-hydroxybutyrate and urea concentrations, compared with feeding grain mixes that did not contain canola meal. The inclusion of corn grain provided no milk production benefits and did not change BW, BCS or any feeding behavior variables. There were no carryover effects on milk production from either canola meal or corn grain after the treatment period. In summary, the results demonstrate that the provision of canola meal in grain mixes can improve milk production and increase mean BCS. Further, there are no benefits to milk yield when a proportion of barley is substituted for corn, in a wheat and barley grain mix fed to grazing dairy cows in early lactation. However, these results are dependent on the level of inclusion and the feeding system employed.

Performance evaluation of native plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria for paddy yield enhancement in the jhum fields of Mokokchung, Nagaland, North East India

The present study was carried out to evaluate the performance of native plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) on jhum paddy yield enhancement in Nagaland, Northeast India. Three indigenous PGPR isolates (Bacillus cereus MKGB, Pseudomonas fluorescens MKGPf, and Azospirillum oryzae MKGAz) were tested in the soil microcosm and jhum fields of Longkhum and Ungma villages in Mokokchung, Nagaland. The maximum 78.44% seed germination, 165 cm plant height, 30 leaves, 5 tillers, and 5 panicles per plant were recorded in the PGPR consortium inoculated pot soil. Similarly, maximum 151 grains per panicle, 21.66 g grain yield per plant, and 33.50 g of straw biomass were recorded in the same treatment. The observations from the field trials revealed a maximum of 4.67 t ha^-1 paddy yield in the Longkhum village jhum field inoculated with the PGPR consortium which was significantly different from the control (T1) at a p value of ≤0.05%. Similarly 4.74 t ha^-1 paddy yield was obtained from the PGPR consortium applied jhum plots in Ungma village. The PGPR consortium was found more effective and promising than the single culture inoculation in paddy yield enhancement. The study suggests the application of tested PGPR consortium in jhum fields for soil health and crop productivity improvement and achieving agricultural sustainability as well as social prosperity in the rural areas of North East India.

Himalayan Microbiomes for Agro-environmental Sustainability: Current Perspectives and Future Challenges

The Himalayas are one of the most mystical, yet least studied terrains of the world. One of Earth's greatest multifaceted and diverse montane ecosystems is also one of the thirty-four global biodiversity hotspots of the world. These are supposed to have been uplifted about 60-70 million years ago and support, distinct environments, physiography, a variety of orogeny, and great biological diversity (plants, animals, and microbes). Microbes are the pioneer colonizer of the Himalayas that are involved in various bio-geological cycles and play various significant roles. The applications of Himalayan microbiomes inhabiting in lesser to greater Himalayas have been recognized. The researchers explored the applications of indigenous microbiomes in both agricultural and environmental sectors. In agriculture, microbiomes from Himalayan regions have been suggested as better biofertilizers and biopesticides for the crops growing at low temperature and mountainous areas as they help in the alleviation of cold stress and other biotic stresses. Along with alleviation of low temperature, Himalayan microbes also have the capability to enhance plant growth by availing the soluble form of nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, and iron. These microbes have been recognized for producing plant growth regulators (abscisic acid, auxin, cytokinin, ethylene, and gibberellins). These microbes have been reported for bioremediating the diverse pollutants (pesticides, heavy metals, and xenobiotics) for environmental sustainability. In the current perspectives, present review provides a detailed discussion on the ecology, biodiversity, and adaptive features of the native Himalayan microbiomes in view to achieve agro-environmental sustainability.

Tree diversity and carbon important species vary with traditional agroforestry managers in the Indian Eastern Himalayan region

Traditional agroforestry systems, one of the time tested and dominant land use from tropical to sub-tropical regions, were recognized for their contributions to food production, biodiversity conservation, and atmospheric carbon sequestration. Their management often varies from region to region. However, these systems frequently mimic economically managed land uses due to increased pressure on the monetary requirement of their managers. The present study aims to evaluate (i) tree density, (ii) tree diversity indices, and (iii) identify the biomass carbon important tree species managed by different communities of the Indian Eastern Himalayan region. We found that the Mizo community harbored the highest number of tree species (35) in the traditional agroforestry system with the highest tree diversity index (3.47). Total biomass carbon of tropical agroforestry systems managed by different communities ranged between 4.72 Mg ha^-1 (Meitei) and 29.26 Mg ha^-1 (Bengali). Similarly, in the sub-tropical traditional agroforestry system, the highest and the lowest biomass carbon was observed in Mizo- (10.93 Mg ha^-1) and Angami- (6.05 Mg ha^-1) managed systems. Of the 31 biomass carbon, important species found across the traditional agroforestry systems, Artocarpus heterophyllus, had the highest occurrence (50%), followed by Parkia timoriana (37.5) and Amoora rohituka, Delonix regia, Mangifera indica, and Toona ciliata (25% for each species). Farmers' preference to cash return of a species, trees density, and basal area were the determinant factors in the carbon stock potential of these systems. The present study suggests that the farmers' preferred and dominant species in their agroecosystems have a limited scope of enhanced biomass carbon storage. Therefore, improvement of traditional agroforestry systems through selective incorporation of biomass carbon important tree species is recommended to enhance the carbon sink capacity of these systems.

HeH+ Collisions with H2: Rotationally Inelastic Cross Sections and Rate Coefficients from Quantum Dynamics at Interstellar Temperatures

We report for the first time an accurate ab initio potential energy surface for the HeH⁺–H₂ system in four dimensions (4D) treating both diatomic species as rigid rotors. The computed ab initio potential energy point values are fitted using an artificial neural network method and used in quantum close coupling calculations for different initial states of both rotors, in their ground electronic states, over a range of collision energies. The state-to-state cross section results are used to compute the rate coefficients over a range of temperatures relevant to interstellar conditions. By comparing the four dimensional quantum results with those obtained by a reduced-dimensions approach that treats the H₂ molecule as an averaged, nonrotating target, it is shown that the reduced dimensionality results are in good accord with the four dimensional results as long as the HeH⁺ molecule is not initially rotationally excited. By further comparing the present rate coefficients with those for HeH⁺–H and for HeH⁺–He, we demonstrate that H₂ molecules are the most effective collision partners in inducing rotational excitation in HeH⁺ cation at interstellar temperatures. The rotationally inelastic rates involving o-H₂ and p-H₂ excitations are also obtained and they turn out to be, as in previous systems, orders of magnitude smaller than those involving the cation. The results for the H₂ molecular partner clearly indicate its large energy-transfer efficiency to the HeH⁺ system, thereby confirming its expected importance within the kinetics networks involving HeH⁺ in interstellar environments.

Efficacy, safety, and immunogenicity of the DNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccine (ZyCoV-D): the interim efficacy results of a phase 3, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in India

BACKGROUND

ZyCoV-D, a DNA-based vaccine, showed promising safety and immunogenicity in a phase 1/2 trial. We now report the interim efficacy results of phase 3 clinical trial with ZyCoV-D vaccine in India.

METHODS

We conducted an interim analysis of a multicentre, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial at 49 centres in India. Healthy participants aged at least 12 years were enrolled and randomly assigned (1:1) to receive either ZyCov-D vaccine (Cadila Healthcare; 2 mg per dose) or placebo. An interactive web response system was used for randomisation (blocks of four) of participants as well as to enrol those aged 60 years and older with or without comorbid conditions, and those aged 12-17 years. It was also used to identify 600 participants for immunogenicity (blocks of six). Participants, investigators, and outcome assessors were masked to treatment assignment. Three doses of vaccine or placebo were administered intradermally via a needle-free injection system 28 days apart. The primary outcome was the number of participants with first occurrence of symptomatic RT-PCR-positive COVID-19 28 days after the third dose, until the targeted number of cases (interim analysis n=79, full analysis n=158) have been achieved. The analysis was done in the per-protocol population, which consisted of all participants with negative baseline SARS-CoV-2 status who received three doses of vaccine or placebo. Assessment of safety and tolerability was based on the safety population, which consisted of all enrolled participants who were known to have received at least one dose of study vaccine or placebo. This trial is registered with Clinical Trial Registry India, CTRI/2021/01/030416, and is ongoing.

FINDINGS

Between Jan 16, and June 23, 2021 (data cutoff), 33 194 individuals were screened, of whom 5241 did not meet screening criteria and 27 703 were enrolled and randomly assigned to receive ZyCoV-D (n=13 851) or placebo (n=13 852). Per-protocol, 81 cases were eligible and included in efficacy analysis (20 of 12 350 in the ZyCoV-D group and 61 of 12 320 in placebo group). The ZyCoV-D vaccine efficacy was found to be 66·6% (95% CI 47·6-80·7). The occurrence of solicited adverse events was similar between the treatment groups (623 [4·49%] in the ZyCoV-D group vs 620 [4·47%] in the placebo group). There were two deaths (one in each group) reported at the data cutoff, neither of which was considered related to the study treatments.

INTERPRETATION

In this interim analysis, ZyCoV-D vaccine was found to be efficacious, safe, and immunogenic in a phase 3 trial.

FUNDING

National Biopharma Mission, Department of Biotechnology, Government of India and Cadila Healthcare, Ahmedabad, Gujarat India.

Efficiency of rovibrational cooling of HeH+ by collisions with He: Cross sections and rate coefficients from quantum dynamics

By extending an earlier study [Gianturco et al., J. Chem. Phys. 154, 054311 (2021)] on the purely rotational excitation of HeH⁺ by He atoms, we report in this paper integral cross sections and rate coefficients for rovibrational excitation and de-excitation processes in HeH⁺ due to collisions with He. The data were obtained using a new ab initio potential energy surface that includes the vibrational degree of freedom. The results are compared with those computed using the earlier potential energy surface by Panda and Sathyamurthy [J. Phys. Chem. A 107, 7125 (2003)] that additionally accounts for the proton-exchange reaction between HeH⁺ and He. It is shown that the exchange channel contributes nearly as much as the inelastic channel to the vibrational excitation and de-excitation processes and that the total rate constants pertaining to the purely inelastic processes are largely of the same magnitude as those obtained when both inelastic and reactive channels are included in the dynamics. The inelastic rovibrational rate coefficients involving this astrophysical cation are also found to be much larger than those obtained for anions present in similar interstellar environments.

Energy-transfer quantum dynamics of HeH+ with He atoms: Rotationally inelastic cross sections and rate coefficients

Two different ab initio potential energy surfaces are employed to investigate the efficiency of the rotational excitation channels for the polar molecular ion HeH⁺ interacting with He atoms. We further use them to investigate the quantum dynamics of both the proton-exchange reaction and the purely rotational inelastic collisions over a broad range of temperatures. In current modeling studies, this cation is considered to be one of the possible cooling sources under early universe conditions after the recombination era and has recently been found to exist in the interstellar medium. The results from the present calculations are able to show the large efficiency of the state-changing channels involving rotational states of this cation. In fact, we find them to be similar in size and behavior to the inelastic and reaction rate coefficients obtained in previous studies, where H atoms were employed as projectiles. The same rotational excitation processes, occurring when free electrons are the collision partners of this cation, are also compared with the present findings. The relative importance of the reactive, proton-exchange channel and the purely inelastic channels is also analyzed and discussed. The rotational de-excitation processes are also investigated for the cooling kinetics of the present cation under cold trap conditions with He as the buffer gas. The implications of the present results for setting up more comprehensive numerical models to describe the chemical evolution networks in different environments are briefly discussed.

Projected trends of soil organic carbon stocks in Meghalaya state of Northeast Himalayas, India. Implications for a policy perspective

Agricultural and forestry activities can affect soil organic carbon (SOC) levels and CO₂ emissions from terrestrial ecosystems due to land use changes. In Northeast Himalayas, studies on the effects of forest conversion to temporary agricultural lands (jhum) on the loss of SOC and soil quality degradation have received the attention of policy makers and scientific research. Presently, local communities are now oriented towards the settled plantations systems with modern cash crops such as tea and rubber, that could act as potential SOC sinks. However, no information on SOC dynamics and simulation studies after land-use change from temporary agricultural lands (jhum) to settled cultivations and under climate change (CC) conditions are available for the Meghalaya state. Applying the RothC model, we focused on four different scenarios including the conversion from jhum to settled cultivation (rubber plantations and tea gardens), as well as continuous jhum cultivation and jhum to jhum with a period of secondary succession. Simulations under CC conditions indicated that SOC stocks significantly increased by 1.20 t C ha^-1 yr^-1 in tea gardens compared to rubber and jhum scenarios. Conversely, SOC stocks slightly decreased by 0.07 t C ha^-1 yr^-1 in rubber plantations, while the regrowth of a natural vegetation cover as secondary succession following the abandonment of the jhum fields, showed a lower SOC decrease (0.18 t C ha^-1 yr^-1) compared to the continuous jhum cultivation (0.24 t C ha^-1 yr^-1). Thus, for CC mitigation in a policy perspective, tea gardens could represent the best land use to store increasing amounts of SOC in the long-term perspective and optimize farmers' incomes, while in rubber plantations SOC storage is limited in time. Jhum cultivation can benefit in terms of productivity and profitability by extending the duration of the secondary succession period.

Nutritive characteristics of perennial ryegrass cultivars: have they changed over time?

Improvement in nutritive characteristics resulting from breeding perennial ryegrass (PRG) cultivars used in Australia from the 1970s to the present day was quantified in a grazed field experiment in south-western Victoria. The experiment was sown in May 2014 with measurements undertaken over 3 years. The experiment contained 36 PRG treatments (cultivar–endophyte combinations), which were replicated four times, with herbage nutritive characteristics measured at each grazing. The treatments differed in estimated metabolisable energy (ME), crude protein and neutral detergent fibre (NDF) concentrations at each harvest date. The decade of cultivar release had little effect on the ME or the NDF concentration of the cultivars released from 1970s onward. Early season diploids had a lower ME concentration than did later-maturing diploid cultivars (11.0 vs 11.4 MJ/kg DM), predominantly due to a lower ME concentration in late spring and early summer (10.3 vs 11.1 MJ/kg DM). The tetraploid cultivars had a higher ME concentration (11.8 vs 11.4 MJ/kg DM) and a lower NDF (480 vs 505 g/kg DM) concentration than did the mid- and late-season diploid cultivars. These differences are likely to be of economic importance at the farm level.

Late onset systemic sclerosis with seronegativity: a rare presentation of an uncommon disease

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an uncommon connective tissue disorder characterized by multisystem involvement with fibrosis of skin and internal organs. Antibody formation is one of the hallmarks of SSc. Antinuclear antibodies (ANA) are positive in 97% of patients with SSc. We report a rare case where the patient was negative for ANA, Anti-topoisomerase I, Anti-centromere and Anti-RNA polymerase III antibodies.

Development of a system to rank perennial ryegrass cultivars according to their economic value to dairy farm businesses in south-eastern Australia

Dairy production systems in south-eastern Australia are based primarily on grazed pasture. Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) is the major grass species used in this region and farmers are faced with the challenge of choosing from more than 60 commercially available cultivars. This paper describes the development of a system termed as a forage value index that ranks the overall performance of perennial ryegrass cultivars relative to cultivar Victorian according to the summation of the estimated difference in the value of seasonal dry-matter (DM) yield of the cultivars. Average predicted seasonal DM yields were calculated by analysing the results of eight available perennial ryegrass plot trials across south-eastern Australia, using a multi-environment, multi-harvest linear mixed model. The differences in the model-predicted DM yield of each cultivar was compared with cultivar Victorian in each of five seasonal periods (autumn, winter, early spring, late spring, summer) to generate a series of performance values (1 per period) for each cultivar. Each performance value was then multiplied by an economic value (AU$/kg extra pasture grown) relating to each of four regions (Gippsland, northern Victoria, south-western Victoria, Tasmania) and seasonal period and aggregated to generate an overall forage value index rating for each cultivar. Economic values ranged from AU$0.11 to AU$0.39 per extra kilogram of DM grown, depending on the season and region, which translated into estimated benefits on dairy farms of up to AU$183 per ha per year for farmers that use high-yielding cultivars in place of cultivar Victorian perennial ryegrass.

The use of oxidative stress biomarkers in live animals (in vivo) to predict meat quality deterioration postmortem (in vitro) caused by changes in muscle biochemical components

This study was conducted to determine whether circulating concentrations of blood isoprostanes can be used as an effective biomarker in lambs to predict degradation of color and/or lipid stability in meat. Lambs ( = 84) were fed diets of either lucerne pasture, annual ryegrass pasture, a commercial feedlot pellet, or a combination of annual ryegrass and feedlot pellet for 8 wk, including a 2-wk adaptation period. Blood isoprostane concentration at wk 0, 4, 6 or 8 of feeding was determined. Blood isoprostane concentration for each animal was then correlated with muscle biochemical components that impact color and/or lipid oxidative status during retail display. This included lipid oxidation levels in muscle assessed by thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and meat redness determined by a HunterLab colorimetric spectrometer. Lambs that consumed the commercial feedlot pellet had a lower muscle vitamin E level (< 0.01) and a greater level of -6 PUFA ( < 0.001) compared with lambs finished on annual ryegrass or lucerne. Lipid oxidation levels were greatest for lambs finished on the feedlot ration, lowest in lambs finished on the ryegrass diet, and intermediate for lambs finished on lucerne and ryegrass-feedlot combination ( < 0.01). After 8 wk of feeding, blood isoprostane concentration was positively correlated with lipid oxidation of meat displayed for 72 h in simulated retail conditions ( < 0.01). There was a negative linear relationship between isoprostane concentration and muscle vitamin E concentration ( = 0.07), lipid oxidation and muscle vitamin E concentration ( < 0.01) but a positive linear relationship between isoprostane concentration and muscle -6 PUFA ( < 0.001) or lipid oxidation and muscle -6 PUFA concentration ( < 0.001). Blood isoprostane concentration and lipid oxidation in meat were influenced by muscle vitamin E and -6 PUFA but not by -3 PUFA. There was no significant relationship observed between blood isoprostane concentration at 0, 4, 6 or 8 wk feeding vs. overall meat color (redness of meat) at 0 and 72 h of display, stored under simulated retail conditions. The results indicate that circulating blood isoprostane concentration can be a useful tool to predict the oxidative status of postmortem meat. Future work will examine the impact of this relationship on meat flavor/aroma deterioration post farm.

Biodegradation of isoproturon by Pseudoxanthomonas sp. isolated from herbicide-treated wheat fields of Tarai agro-ecosystem, Pantnagar

A gram-negative, rod-shaped, isoproturon (IPU) utilizing bacterium was isolated from herbicide-applied wheat fields of Tarai agro-ecosystem, Pantnagar. The phylogenetic sequence analysis based on 16S rRNA sequence revealed that the isolate could be a distinct species within the genus Pseudomonas. The isolate was a close relative of Pseudoxanthomonas japonensis (95 % similarity) and designated as K2. The bacterial isolate showed positive reaction for oxidase, catalase, and 20 carbohydrates using KB009 Part A and B HiCarbohydrate™ Kit. Degradation experiments were conducted using 200 mg l^-1 initial IPU as a source of carbon at different pH and temperatures. Maximum IPU degradation by K2 was observed at pH 7.0 and 30 °C, while least degradation at 6.5 pH and 25 °C. Addition of dextrose along with IPU as an auxiliary carbon source increased IPU degradation by 4.72 %, as compared to the IPU degradation without dextrose under optimum conditions. 4-isopropylaniline was detected as a degradation by-product in the medium. The present study demonstrated the IPU metabolizing capacity of a novel bacterial isolate K2 that can be a better choice for the remediation of IPU-contaminated sites.

Biosorption kinetics of heavy metals by leaf biomass of Jatropha curcas in single and multi-metal system

Biosorption of Cu(2+), Zn(2+), and Cr(6+) from aqueous solutions by leaf biomass of Jatropha curcas was investigated as a function of biomass concentration, initial metal ion concentration, contact time, and pH of the solution systematically. The aim of this study was to optimize biosorption process and find out a suitable kinetic model for the metal removal in single and multi-metal system. The experimental data were analyzed using two sorption kinetic models, viz., pseudo-first- and pseudo-second-order equations, to determine the best fit equation for the biosorption of metal ions Cu(2+), Zn(2+), and Cr(6+) onto the leaf biomass of J. curcas in different metal systems. The experimental data fitted well the pseudo-second-order equation and provided the best correlation for the biosorption process. The findings of the present investigation revealed that J. curcas leaf biomass was an eco-friendly and cost-effective biosorbent for the removal of heavy metal ions from wastewater.

Fetal biophysical profile score and perinatal outcome

BACKGROUND

Sudden fetal demise, perinatal morbidity and mortality are still some of the major obstetrical challenges. Reduced fetal movements may have some bearing to fetal asphyxia and death, so timely detection of such condition and measures taken can prevent such mishaps.

METHODS

A descriptive prospective study was conducted at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology from January to December 2002 in 55 cases to find out the relationship of Biophysical Profile Score with perinatal outcome in pregnant mothers with decreased fetal movement counts at or above 34 weeks of gestational age. The mode of delivery, Apgar score, neonatal admission and perinatal mortality were analyzed.

RESULTS

The study demonstrated that most of the fetuses were in good condition with 87% of the cases scoring 8-10 BPS (normal), 6% scoring six (equivocal) and only 7% got four score (abnormal). Having the abnormal BPS of four significantly increased the risk of perinatal mortality by 50% (p=0.000). This study could not detect any significant association between Apgar score and neonatal morbidities, but showed significant correlation between BPS and caesarean section. The patients having lower BPS tended to undergo more caesarean section delivery than patients having normal BPS (p=0.009).

CONCLUSIONS

An abnormal BPS of four in cases of reduced fetal movement counts significantly influenced the risk of perinatal death. However reduced fetal movements only did not raise the risk of fetal morbidity and mortality. So BPS should be beneficial to detect the fetuses at risk in the patients having less fetal movements for the proper management at right time.

Cr(VI) sorption by free and immobilised chromate-reducing bacterial cells in PVA-alginate matrix: equilibrium isotherms and kinetic studies

Chromate-resistant bacterial strain isolated from the soil of tannery was studied for Cr(VI) bioaccumulation in free and immobilised cells to evaluate its applicability in chromium removal from aqueous solution. Based on the comparative analysis of the 16S rRNA gene, and phenotypic and biochemical characterization, this strain was identified as Paenibacillus xylanilyticus MR12. Mechanism of Cr adsorption was also ascertained by chemical modifications of the bacterial biomass followed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis of the cell wall constituents. The equilibrium biosorption analysed using isotherms (Langmuir, Freundlich and Dubinin-Redushkevich) and kinetics models (pseudo-first-order, second-order and Weber-Morris) revealed that the Langmuir model best correlated to experimental data, and Weber-Morris equation well described Cr(VI) biosorption kinetics. Polyvinyl alcohol alginate immobilised cells had the highest Cr(VI) removal efficiency than that of free cells and could also be reused four times for Cr(VI) removal. Complete reduction of chromate in simulated effluent containing Cu(2+), Mg(2+), Mn(2+) and Zn(2+) by immobilised cells, demonstrated potential applications of a novel immobilised bacterial strain MR12, as a vital bioresource in Cr(VI) bioremediation technology.

Achieving Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5 in Nepal

The under 5 child mortality rate in Nepal is on track to achieve the target of 54 per 1000 live births by 2015 compared with 158 per 1000 live births in 1991. The maternal mortality rate also looks set to drop to its target of 134 per 100,000 live births by 2015 from 539 per 100,000 live births in 1991. A 3-year interim plan (2008-11) was established to provide free basic health care for all citizens and the safe delivery incentive programme has proved to help progression towards achieving Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5. The development of a policy targeting women, children and vulnerable populations in hard to reach places is a key feature. The principle of a primary healthcare approach is applied in the development and implementation of strategy plans and programmes. The focus is on ensuring that there are functioning facilities for essential obstetric care at health facilities and provision of trained personnel at delivery.