bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Spectrally and temporally resolved estimation of neural signal diversity
Authors: Mediano Pedro A.M. , Rosas Fernando E. , Luppi Andrea I. , Noreika Valdas , Seth Anil K. , Carhart-Harris Robin L. , Barnett Lionel , Bor Daniel
Published: September 2023

Quantifying the complexity of neural activity has provided fundamental insights into cognition, consciousness, and clinical conditions. However, the most widely used approach to estimate the complexity of neural dynamics, Lempel-Ziv complexity (LZ), has fundamental limitations that substantially restrict its domain of applicability. In this article we leverage the information-theoretic foundations of LZ to overcome these limitations by introducing a complexity estimator based on state-space models —which we dub
Complexity via State-space Entropy Rate
(CSER). While having a performance equivalent to LZ in discriminating states of consciousness, CSER boasts two crucial advantages: 1) CSER offers a principled decomposition into spectral components, which allows us to rigorously investigate the relationship between complexity and spectral power; and 2) CSER provides a temporal resolution two orders of magnitude better than LZ, which allows complexity analyses of e.g. event-locked neural signals. As a proof of principle, we use MEG, EEG and ECoG datasets of humans and monkeys to show that CSER identifies the gamma band as the main driver of complexity changes across states of consciousness; and reveals early entropy increases that
precede
the standard ERP in an auditory mismatch negativity paradigm by approximately 20ms. Overall, by overcoming the main limitations of LZ and substantially extending its range of applicability, CSER opens the door to novel investigations on the fine-grained spectral and temporal structure of the signal complexity associated with cognitive processes and conscious states.
PAK3 downregulation induces cognitive impairment following cranial irradiation
Authors: Lee Haksoo , Kang Hyunkoo , Moon Changjong , Youn BuHyun
Published: September 2023

Cranial irradiation is used for prophylactic brain radiotherapy as well as treatment of primary brain tumors. Despite its high efficiency, it often induces unexpected side effects, including cognitive dysfunction. Herein, we observed that mice exposed to cranial irradiation exhibited cognitive dysfunction, including altered spontaneous behavior, decreased spatial memory, and reduced novel object recognition. Analysis of actin cytoskeleton revealed that ionizing radiation (IR) disrupted the filamentous/globular actin (F/G-actin) ratio and downregulated the actin turnover signaling pathway p21-activated kinase 3 (PAK3)-LIM kinase 1 (LIMK1)-cofilin. Furthermore, we found that IR could upregulate microRNA-206-3p (miR-206-3p) targeting PAK3. As the inhibition of miR-206-3p through antagonist (antagomiR), IR-induced disruption of PAK3 signaling is restored. In addition, intranasal administration of antagomiR-206-3p recovered IR-induced cognitive impairment in mice. Our results suggest that cranial irradiation-induced cognitive impairment could be ameliorated by regulating PAK3 through antagomiR-206-3p, thereby affording a promising strategy for protecting cognitive function during cranial irradiation, and promoting quality of life in patients with radiation therapy.
Semaphorin7A patterns neural circuitry in the lateral line of the zebrafish
Authors: Dasgupta Agnik , Reagor Caleb C. , Paik Sang P. , Snow Lauren M. , Jacobo Adrian , Hudspeth A. J.
Published: September 2023

In a developing nervous system, axonal arbors often undergo complex rearrangements before neural circuits attain their final innervation topology. In the lateral line sensory system of the zebrafish, developing sensory axons reorganize their terminal arborization patterns to establish precise neural microcircuits around the mechanosensory hair cells. However, a quantitative understanding of the changes in the sensory arbor morphology and the regulators behind the microcircuit assembly remain enigmatic. Here, we report that Semaphorin7A (Sema7A) acts as an important mediator of these processes. Utilizing a semi-automated three-dimensional neurite tracing methodology and computational techniques, we have identified and quantitatively analyzed distinct topological features that shape the network in wild-type and Sema7A loss-of-function mutants. In contrast to those of wild-type animals, the sensory axons in Sema7A mutants display aberrant arborizations with disorganized network topology and diminished contacts to hair cells. Moreover, ectopic expression of a secreted form of Sema7A by non-hair cells induces chemotropic guidance of sensory axons. Our findings demonstrate that Sema7A functions both as a juxtracrine and as a secreted cue to pattern neural circuitry during sensory organ development.
Robust Optogenetic Inhibition with Red-light-sensitive Anion-conducting Channelrhodopsins
Authors: Oppermann Johannes , Rozenberg Andrey , Fabrin Thomaz , GonzalezCabrera Cristian , Béjà Oded , Prigge Matthias , Hegemann Peter
Published: September 2023

Channelrhodopsins (ChRs) are light-gated ion channels that are widely used to optically activate or silence electrogenic cells such as neurons. Here, we describe the identification and characterization of a set of anion-conducting ChRs (ACRs) from diverse taxa and representing various branches of the ChR phylogenetic tree. The ACR from
Mantoniella squamata
(MsACR1) showed high sensitivity to yellow-green light (
λ
max
at 555 nm) and was further engineered for optogenetic applications. A single amino-acid substitution that mimicked red-light sensitive rhodopsins like Chrimson shifted the photosensitivity 20 nm towards red light and accelerated photocurrent kinetics. Hence, it was named red and accelerated ACR, raACR. Both wild-type and mutant are capable optical silencers at low light intensities in mouse neurons
in vitro
and
in vivo
, while raACR offers a higher temporal resolution.
C. difficile may be overdiagnosed in adults and is a prevalent commensal in infants
Authors: Ferretti Pamela , Wirbel Jakob , Maistrenko Oleksandr M , Van Rossum Thea , Alves Renato , Fullam Anthony , Akanni Wasiu , Schudoma Christian , Schwarz Anna , Thielemann Roman , Thomas Leonie , Kandels Stefanie , Hercog Rajna , Telzerow Anja , Letunic Ivica , Kuhn Michael , Zeller Georg , Schmidt Thomas SB , Bork Peer
Published: September 2023

Clostridioides difficile
is an urgent threat in hospital-acquired infections world-wide, yet the microbial composition associated with
C. difficile
, in particular in
C. difficile
infection (CDI) cases, remains poorly characterised. To investigate the gut microbiome composition in CDI patients, we analysed 534 metagenomes from 10 publicly available CDI study populations. We then tracked
C. difficile
on a global scale, screening 42,900 metagenomes from 253 public studies. Among the CDI cohorts, we detected
C. difficile
in only 30% of the stool samples from CDI patients. However, we found that multiple other toxigenic species capable of inducing CDI-like symptomatology were prevalent. In addition, the majority of the investigated studies did not adhere to the recommended guidelines for a correct CDI diagnosis.In the global survey, we found that
C. difficile
prevalence, abundance and biotic context were age-dependent.
C. difficile
is a rare taxon associated with reduced diversity in healthy adults, but common and associated with increased diversity in infants. We identified a group of species co-occurring with
C. difficile
exclusively in healthy infants, enriched in obligate anaerobes and in species typical of the healthy adult gut microbiome.
C. difficile
in healthy infants was therefore associated with multiple indicators of healthy gut microbiome maturation.Our analysis raises concerns about potential CDI overdiagnosis and suggests that
C. difficile
is an important commensal in infants and that its asymptomatic carriage in adults depends on microbial context.
Non-cognate immunity proteins provide broader defenses against interbacterial effectors in microbial communities
Authors: Knecht Abigail , Sirias Denise , Utter Daniel R. , Gibbs Karine A.
Published: September 2023

Dense microbial communities, like the gut and soil microbiomes, are dynamic societies. Bacteria can navigate these environments by deploying proteins (effectors) that alter foreign cells’ behavior. Immunity proteins preferentially protect neighboring sibling cells, in contrast to canonical toxin-antitoxin systems. A prevailing hypothesis is that when immunity proteins are bound to specific (cognate) protein partners, it is sufficient to disrupt their function; further, there is little-to-no crosstalk with other (non-cognate) effectors. Here, we build on sporadic reports challenging these hypotheses. We show that immunity proteins from a newly defined protein family can bind and protect against non-cognate PD-(D/E)XK-containing effectors from diverse phyla. We describe the domains essential for binding and function and show that binding alone is insufficient for protective activity. Moreover, we found that these effector and immunity genes co-occur in individual human microbiomes. These results expand the growing repertoire of bacterial protection mechanisms and force us to reconsider how non-cognate interactions impact community structure within complex ecosystems.
Neurofeedback training can modulate task-relevant memory replay in rats
Authors: Gillespie Anna K. , Astudillo Maya Daniela A. , Denovellis Eric L. , Desse Sachi , Frank Loren M.
Published: September 2023

Hippocampal replay – the time-compressed, sequential reactivation of ensembles of neurons related to past experience – is a key neural mechanism of memory consolidation. Replay typically coincides with a characteristic pattern of local field potential activity, the sharp-wave ripple (SWR). Reduced SWR rates are associated with cognitive impairment in multiple models of neurodegenerative disease, suggesting that a clinically viable intervention to promote SWRs and replay would prove beneficial. We therefore developed a neurofeedback paradigm for rat subjects in which SWR detection triggered rapid positive feedback in the context of a memory-dependent task. This training protocol increased the prevalence of task- relevant replay during the targeted neurofeedback period by changing the temporal dynamics of SWR occurrence. This increase was also associated with neural and behavioral forms of compensation after the targeted period. These findings reveal short-timescale regulation of SWR generation and demonstrate that neurofeedback is an effective strategy for modulating hippocampal replay.
Strongly solved Ostle: calculating a strong solution helps compose high-quality puzzles for recent games
Authors: Takizawa Hiroki
Published: September 2023

Pure strategy board games such as chess are popular intellectual activities, and solving them is a challenging task in computer science. In addition to traditional games, many new board games have gained popularity in recent years. Ostle is one such unsolved game published in 2017. It is based on simple rules but is highly competitive. It is a two-player zero-sum game with perfect information in which the game-theoretical values of all game states can be obtained. In this study, we strongly solved Ostle by retrograde analysis. Utilizing various known techniques, including bitboards and succinct indexable dictionaries, significantly reduced the memory consumption in the analyses. We confirmed that the initial position is a draw and found some fundamental properties of Ostle. Additionally, we manually composed a tactical Ostle puzzle with the help of extracted outputs of the analyses. The result demonstrates that solving recent games provided helpful information to compose high-quality problems.
Probabilistic approaches for investigating species co-occurrence from presence-absence maps
Authors: Chang Ya-Mei , Rakshit Suman , Huang Chun-Hung , Wu Wen-Hsuan
Published: September 2023

Background

In this research, we propose probabilistic approaches to identify pairwise patterns of species co-occurrence by using presence-absence maps only. In particular, the two-by-two contingency table constructed from a presence-absence map of two species would be sufficient to compute the test statistics and perform the statistical tests proposed in this article. Some previous studies have investigated species co-occurrence through incidence data of different survey sites. We focus on using presence-absence maps for a specific study plot instead. The proposed methods are assessed by a thorough simulation study.

Methods

A Chi-squared test is used to determine whether the distributions of two species are independent. If the null hypothesis of independence is rejected, the Chi-squared method can not distinguish positive or negative association between two species. We propose six different approaches based on either the binomial or Poisson distribution to obtain p-values for testing the positive (or negative) association between two species. When we test to investigate a positive (or negative) association, if the p-value is below the predetermined level of significance, then we have enough evidence to support that the two species are positively (or negatively) associated.

Results

A simulation study is conducted to demonstrate the type-I errors and the testing powers of our approaches. The probabilistic approach proposed by Veech (2013) is served as a benchmark for comparison. The results show that the type-I error of the Chi-squared test is close to the significance level when the presence rate is between 40% and 80%. For extremely low or high presence rate data, one of our approaches outperforms Veech (2013)’s in terms of the testing power and type-I error rate. The proposed methods are applied to a tree data of Barro Colorado Island in Panama and a tree data of Lansing Woods in USA. Both positive and negative associations are found among some species in these two real data.
Homicidios y cuarentenas: evidencia para Chile
Authors:   ,   Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. Instituto de Economía, Mojica Undurraga José Luis
Published: September 2023

En los últimos años, Chile ha tenido una baja tasa de homicidios en comparación con otros países de la región. Sin embargo, en el año 2020, se produjo un notable aumento en estos delitos, coincidiendo con el comienzo de la pandemia. Con el objetivo de comprender mejor la relación entre estos 2 hechos, se realizó un análisis utilizando el enfoque de diferencias en diferencias y el estimador DID_L propuesto por Chaisemartin y D’Haultfœuille (2020), que permite examinar el impacto de las cuarentenas en los homicidios. Los resultados revelan que en general las cuarentenas no tuvieron efectos significativos en los homicidios. Sin embargo, al salir de cuarentena, se observa un aumento significativo del 8.3% en homicidios derivados de actos de violencia general, es decir, que fueron consecuencia de otros tipos de delitos. Por otro lado, los homicidios nocturnos, los ocurridos en lugares cerrados y los relacionados con la violencia intrafamiliar muestran una tendencia a disminuir al eliminar las cuarentenas, aunque estos efectos no alcanzan la significancia estadística.
Effect of a Social Skills Intervention Programme on the Emotional Intelligence of Children with Limited Social Skills: An Experimental Study
Authors: Gandhi Rahul , Kaur Manmohan
Published: September 2023

Introduction: The present study investigated the effect of a social skills intervention programme on the emotional intelligence of children with limited social skills. While many intervention programmes have been studied for the development of social skills and emotional intelligence, most of them were conducted in foreign countries. However, the present study was conducted due to the limited availability of such programmes in India. Aim: The aim of this study was to develop an intervention programme on social skills for children with limited social skills and to determine the effect of the programme on intra and interpersonal awareness and management of these children. Materials and Methods: An experimental study was conducted at the Department of Education, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra, Haryana, India. The study lasted for six weeks, from December 2013 to January 2014. A total of 40 ninth-grade students, aged between 13-15 years, selected from two schools in Kurukshetra, Haryana (Arya Public School and Mata Rukmini Rai School). The experimental group (n=20) received the intervention programme related to social skills, while the control group (n=20) received no intervention. The students were pre-tested and post-tested using a scale on social skills and the ‘Mangal Emotional Intelligence Inventory’ 2005 (MEII) emotional intelligence inventory. Statistical analysis “t-test” was applied for to measuring significance of the difference between the performance of the experimental and control groups. Results: The present study showed a significant change in intrapersonal and interpersonal awareness and management of children with limited social skills after the implementation of the intervention programme designed by the researcher. The calculated t-ratio for the pre-test scores of the experimental and control groups (0.19) was not significant at the prescribed levels of significance (0.05 and 0.01). This suggests that no significant difference was found between the pre-test scores of the experimental and control groups in terms of emotional intelligence. The mean score of the experimental group students (85.65) was higher than the mean score of the control group students (59.40). Conclusion: The social skills intervention programme proved to be effective in influencing the emotional intelligence of students with limited social skills. Students should be encouraged to develop social skills such as conversation skills, friendship skills, leadership skills, honesty, and teamwork, as these contribute to emotional intelligence and overall success. Cocurricular activities should be considered as important as the curriculum. Students should be observed for peer relations, lack of interest, friendship skills, and cooperative skills, as schools can be considered a miniature society where children with limited social skills can be identified early on.
Pulmonary Manifestations of Dengue Fever Section at a Tertiary Care Centre in Northern India: A Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Fotedar Sanjay , Singh Jasminder , Garg Anubha , Chinu Mohini , Chaudhary Vikas , Gaur Vaibhav
Published: September 2023

Introduction: Dengue Fever (DF) is associated with systemic inflammation, clinically manifesting as involvement of different organ systems, including the pulmonary system. Pulmonary involvement is characterised by pleural effusion, pneumonia, haemoptysis, pulmonary haemorrhage, secondary bacterial infections with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), and Dengue Haemorrhagic Shock Syndrome (DHSS), which are the leading causes of mortality and morbidity. Aim: This study aims to analyse the pleuropulmonary manifestations associated with DF. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at a tertiary care centre in northern India from June 2018 to November 2018. A total of 140 patients diagnosed with DF using Non-Structural protein 1 (NS1), Immunoglobulin (Ig)M, (Ig)G rapid card tests and confirmed by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) were included. Patients were examined for pleuropulmonary manifestations and other systemic features. Baseline investigations, including Complete Blood Count (CBC), Haematocrit (Hct), Liver Function Test (LFT), Renal Function Test (RFT), chest X-ray (PA view), and HighResolution Computed Tomography (HRCT) of the chest when required, were performed. Data analysis was carried out by using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25.0. Results: A total of 140 patients (108 males and 32 females) aged between 18 and 35 years were included and analysed. Among them, 113 (81%) were diagnosed with uncomplicated febrile illness, 17 (12%) with Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever (DHF), and 10 (7%) as Dengue Shock Syndrome (DSS). Patients with co-morbidities, particularly respiratory system illnesses, and young patients were found to be at increased risk of morbidity. Pleuropulmonary manifestations observed in the study included pleural effusion, pneumonia, pulmonary haemorrhage, ARDS, and pneumothorax. Conclusion: DF is associated with the involvement of the pulmonary system, and its incidence is increased in cases of moderate to severe disease. Therefore, pleuropulmonary manifestations can be useful in evaluating the severity of DF cases.
Differential Expression and Utilisation of CD34, EMA, PR, and Inhibin in Differentiating Meningioma, Haemangioblastoma, and Solitary Fibrous Tumour: A Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Nakhro Nuneno , Agrawal Meetu , Gupta Snigdha , Ahuja Sana , Shankar Kepeemadam Balasubramanyam , Ranga Sunil
Published: September 2023

Introduction: Mesenchymal tumours of the Central Nervous System (CNS) include meningioma, haemangioblastoma, and Solitary Fibrous Tumour (SFT). Although conventional histopathological examination remains the mainstay in diagnosis, Immunohistochemistry (IHC) plays an important role in CNS tumours, owing to its diagnostic significance and prognostic implications. Aim: To evaluate whether combined use of inhibin, Epithelial Membrane Antigen (EMA,) Progesterone Receptor (PR) and CD34 improves diagnostic accuracy in meningeal and non meningeal mesenchymal tumours of CNS. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional retrospective observational study conducted in the Department of Pathology, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India, October 2022 to December 2022 in which all brain tumour specimens diagnosed as meningeal or non meningeal mesenchymal tumours from January 2022 to August 2022 were included in the present study. Sections were immunostained with an IHC panel of EMA, PR, inhibin, CD34, and Ki67. The immunohistochemical expression of EMA, PR, inhibin, and CD34 was expressed as frequencies and percentages, along with sensitivity and diagnostic accuracy evaluation. Ki67 was assessed in the hotspots and expressed as a percentage. The data were presented as frequencies and percentages. Results: A total of 60 patients were included, with an age range from 12 to 73 years and a mean age of 48.2 years. Female predominance, constituted 40 (67.5%) of the study population. Out of the total cases, 49 (81.7%), 9 (15%), and 2 (3.3%) cases were of meningioma, haemangioblastoma, and SFTs, respectively. Among the 49 cases of meningioma, the majority 47 (96%) showed diffuse and strong staining for EMA with a cytoplasmic staining pattern±membranous accentuation. PR was expressed in 45 (92%) of the meningiomas. Inhibin was diffusely expressed in stromal cells of haemangioblastoma 9 (100%). A characteristic cytoplasmic positivity of CD34 was observed in both cases 2 (100%) of SFT. The Ki67 index of anaplastic and atypical meningiomas was 15%, while all other tumours had a very low proliferation index of 2%. Conclusion: The IHC panel comprising CD34, EMA, and inhibin was useful in the differential diagnosis of both meningeal and non meningeal mesenchymal tumours in the CNS, even in cases with overlapping histomorphological features. Inhibin had a very high sensitivity and diagnostic accuracy for the diagnosis of haemangioblastomas. EMA and PR also had fairly good sensitivity and diagnostic accuracy for the diagnosis of meningiomas. CD34 had good sensitivity but very poor diagnostic accuracy for the diagnosis of SFT.
Laser Application in Remineralisation of Enamel after Interproximal Reduction: An In-vitro Scanning Electron Microscopic Study
Authors: Rajamanickam Preethi , George Ashwin Mathew
Published: September 2023

Introduction: Interproximal Reduction (IPR) or reproximation of enamel is of prime importance in orthodontics for correcting arch length-tooth size discrepancies. Despite its widespread application, IPR has been associated with adverse effects on the enamel surface. Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate whether laser application, when combined with fluoride application, enhances the remineralisation potential of enamel. Materials and Methods: This in-vitro study was conducted at Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences (SIMATS), Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, from December 2021 to July 2022. It involved 54 extracted teeth, divided into three groups of 18 samples each. Reproximation of 0.25 mm was performed on the proximal enamel surface of each tooth. Group 1 served as the control, group 2 was subjected to Fluor Protector, and group 3 received low-level laser therapy (Er,Cr:YSGG) after Fluor Protector application. Fluor Protector (Ivoclar Vivadent) was applied for seven days. Following the seven-day fluoride administration, a laser treatment using 0.75 W of power and 8.5 J/cm2 of energy was applied for 20 seconds. Microhardness testing was conducted on the samples using a Vickers Hardness Tester. All specimens underwent surface topographic analysis with Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and were evaluated for mineral content (% weight) using SEM-Energy Dispersive X-Ray analysis (EDX). Paired t-tests were performed to compare the pre- and post-microhardness values, while one-way Analysis Of Variance (ANOVA) test and Tukey’s Post-hoc test were used to compare the microhardness values between the groups. Results: The mean microhardness values recorded for group 1, group 2, and group 3 were 209.4±18.4 N/mm2 , 215.16±21.0 N/ mm2 , and 233±18.05 N/mm2 , respectively. ANOVA test revealed a significant difference in microhardness values between group 1 and group 2 (p-value=0.004), as well as between group 1 and group 3 (p-value=0.001). The microhardness value was highest for group 3, followed by group 2 post-intervention. SEM analysis showed that laser-treated enamel surfaces were smoother, with well-coalesced enamel rods. The porous structure of enamel was lost due to fluoride deposition in group 2 and group 3, resulting in a smooth surface. Conclusion: The combined application of fluoride and laser therapy demonstrated synergistic effects in remineralising the slenderised enamel. This simple, non-invasive technique may benefit patients undergoing IPR procedures by reducing the occurrence of dental caries.
Ovarian Brenner Tumour: A Case Report
Authors: Bhardwaj Tanvi , Hiwale Kishor , Bhardwaj Yatharth
Published: September 2023

Brenner’s tumour is a rare epithelial ovarian cancer, accounting for less than 5% of all cases. It is characterised by the presence of cells with transitional features between epithelial and mesenchymal cells. The diagnosis of Brenner’s tumour of the ovary has become more frequent in recent years. Accurate diagnosis is crucial since it exhibits distinct clinical behaviour and prognosis compared to other types of ovarian cancer. Studies have confirmed that this type of ovarian cancer shares unique characteristics similar to urothelial tissue and can be differentiated from non cancerous abnormal growths known as metaplastic and/or malignant Brenner’s tumours. Hereby, the authors present a case report of a 54-year-old woman, who presented with lumbar pain, abdominal discomfort, weight loss, abnormal uterine bleeding, and a persistent abdominal mass for a month. Abdominal and pelvic magnetic resonance imaging revealed an abnormal extensive, lobulated, and ill-defined lesion with solid and cystic components. The patient’s alpha-fetoprotein tumour marker was within the normal range (5.20 IU/mL), while beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (8.67 mIU/ mL) and carcinoembryonic antigen (5.3 ng/mL) levels were slightly elevated. Serum Cancer Antigen (CA)-19-9 levels were within the normal range (9.0 U/mL). Following the surgical procedure, microscopic examination of the tissue confirmed the primary type of cancer in the ovary as Brenner’s tumour. Due to its rarity, favourable response to chemotherapy, and lower incidence compared to other tumour types, patients with Brenner’s tumours typically have a better prognosis.
Bushmeat Consumption in Africa: A Microbiological Safety Challenge?
Authors: Ahouanse Gwladys Gloria Amen , Issa-Zacharia Abdulsudi , Majaliwa Nuria
Published: September 2023

Objective: This review analyzed the microbiological safety of bushmeat consumed in Africa over the past decades.

Methodology: Previous Studies mainly focused on large animals like antelopes and smaller ones like grasscutter. Most microbes studied were similar to those in domestic animal meat, except for rare pathogens such as Salmonella spp, E.coli. Sampling, experiments, and microbe prevalence varied among studies.

Results: All studies confirmed the presence of zoonotic pathogens dangerous to human beings. Therefore, more investigations are needed, especially for the chronic and severe cases of pathogens, since only few studies have addressed the bushmeat's microbiological safety in Africa.

Conclusion: Efforts should be made to improve bushmeat safety and public health in Africa. New policies and public regulations must be developed and implemented to ensure hygienic and legal bushmeat production in Africa.
Employment and Income Pattern of Farm Households in Northeast India: Has COVID-19 Lockdown Hindered?
Authors: Johns Tiyndel G.  , Feroze S. M. , Bhatia Jitender Kumar , Pradeep A.
Published: September 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic hinders the livelihood of farm households in India. This study was conducted to measure the change in the employment and income patterns of farm households in the Imphal West district of Manipur state during the imposition of a nationwide lockdown in relation to the COVID-19 outbreak. A multistage sampling technique was used to select the districts, blocks, and villages. A simple random sampling technique without a replacement strategy was used to identify 109 farm households from two blocks in the Imphal West district of Manipur. Simple tabular analysis and statistical tests were used to examine the changes in the employment and income patterns of farm households in the Imphal West district. The study revealed that the majority of the sampled farm households (86.14%) got their employment in off-farm, non-farm, or both activities along with on-farm activities, and the rest of them (13.76%) specialized only in on-farm activities in the study area. The average number of human days employed on farms by sample households has significantly reduced from 121 to 110 human days. During the COVID-19 period, the average off-farm and non-farm employment decreased from 51 to 35 human days and from 170 to 107 human days, respectively. During COVID-19 lockdown, average yearly farm income reduced by 8.22 per cent. Similarly, the average off-farm and non-farm average income reduced by 21.67 per cent and 20.23 per cent, respectively and there was no employment was generated under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNERGA) during COVID-19 lockdown period. The employment from private jobs and businesses was primarily disrupted during lockdown. Hence, this study proposes that efforts should be made to encourage farm households to embrace diversified employment options by giving education on several different enterprises and connecting them with specific groups such as SHG, Join Liability Group, and Farmers' Club that will assist them in coping with future economic shocks.
Overview of Respiratory Tract Infections among Children under Five Years in Ghana
Authors: Ampah Augustina
Published: September 2023

It is well-documented that respiratory tract infections, especially in children, have the highest incidence and mortality rates in developing countries. Infections of the sinuses, throat, airways, and lungs are collectively referred to as Respiratory Tract Infections by the National Health Services (NHS). According to the statistics, in Ghana, the seasonal patterns of reported paediatric cases were different in the Northern sector than in the Central and Southern sectors. Hospitalization rates for children in the Volta Region showed clear seasonal trends, with most ailments being more common during the dry seasons than the wet ones. The purpose of this study is to examine respiratory tract infections among children under five years in Ghana. This will give readers and policy makers the nature and the condition of RTIs among children in Ghana. The study used the systematic review method to achieve this objective. The type of systematic review method used was the rapid review, which uses existing research documents and data to draw new findings.

The study found that, there is high rate of respiratory tract infections among children in Ghana. This is attributed to many factors. Poor breastfeeding and supplemented eating in early life may lead to childhood wasting, the leading cause of mortality in under-5s with poorer RTI worldwide. Severe acute malnutrition is one of numerous socioeconomic variables that have increased pneumonia, diarrheal illness, and malaria prevalence and severity. Other variables that have contributed to this rise including low birth weight, under-vaccination, parental smoking, early childhood respiratory impairment owing to indoor air pollution, other diseases, and overcrowding.

This study recommends that, much attentions should be given to children in Ghana. Prevention strategies for RTIs include frequent nutritional programs, campaigns, and education in the district to address stunting and underweight in children younger than five, as well as correct complementary feeding. Further population-based study in different parts of Ghana might strengthen these results.
Effect of Integrated Nutrient Management on Growth and Yield of Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)
Authors: Karol Anchal , Sharma P. K. , Raj Akarsha , Kehokhunu  , Rawat Anjali , Shaji Ashline
Published: September 2023

During the Rabi season of 2018-19, a field experiment was undertaken at Vivekananda Global University's Research Farm in Jaipur to investigate the "Effect of Integrated Nutrient Management on Growth and Yield of Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)." The experiment followed a randomized block design with three replications. The treatments consisting of nine treatment combinations viz., 100% RDF (T1), 100% RDF + vermicompost 2.5 t ha-1 (T2), 100% RDF + vermicompost 2.5 t ha-1 + Azotobacter (T3), 75% RDF (T4), 75% RDF + vermicompost 2.5 t ha-1 (T5), 75% RDF + vermicompost 2.5 t ha-1 + Azotobacter (T6), 50% RDF (T7), 50% RDF + vermicompost 2.5 t ha-1 (T8) and 50% RDF + vermicompost 2.5 t ha-1 + Azotobacter (T9) were applied to the barley var. RD-2035. The experimental results demonstrated that several integrated nutrient treatments greatly boosted barley growth, yield characteristics and yield, quality, and economics. With the application of 100% RDF + vermicompost 2.5 t ha-1 + Azotobacter (T3), the maximum plant height at 60 DAS and 90 DAS, total number of tillers at 60 DAS and 90 DAS, effective number of tillers, ear length, number of grains ear-1, grain yield, straw yield, biological yield, and nitrogen content in grain and straw of barley were obtained. However, the application of 100% RDF yielded the significantly largest net returns and B: C ratio of barley (T1).
Effect of Organic Manure on Growth and Yield of Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) Varieties
Authors: Chavan Prajwal Dipak , Umesha C.  , Embadwar Purnanand
Published: September 2023

The field experiment was conducted during Rabi 2022, at Crop Research Farm, Department of Agronomy, SHUATS, Prayagraj (U.P). The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design with ten treatments and three replications viz. T1: Radhey + Panchgavya 3%, T2: Radhya + vermicompost 2.5 t/ha, T3: Radhya + Panchgavya 3% + Vermicompost 2.5 t/ha , T4: Pragati + Panchagavya 3%, T5: Pragati +Vermicompost 2.5 t/ha, T6: Pragati + Panchagavya 3% + Vermicompost 2.5 t/ha, T7: Avrodhi + Panchgavya 3%, T8: Avrodhi + Vermicompost 2.5 t/ha, T9: Avrodhi + Panchgavya 3% + Vermicompost 2.5 t/ha and T10: Control: 100% RDF. The results of the experiment obtained that application of Panchgavya and Vermicompost along on the Pragati variety significantly increased the growth parameters viz. plant height (58.24 cm), number of nodules (62.60), plant dry weight (65.60 g/plant) and yield parameters viz. number of pods per plant (35.05), seed index (22.71 g), seed yield (3.41 t/ha) and stover yield (4.83t/ha). This treatment also showed higher gross returns (1,70,500 INR/ha), higher net returns (1,15,102 INR/ha) and B:C (2.08).
Effect of Potassium Solubilizing Bacteria (KSB) on the Performance of Sweet Corn (Zea mays L. saccharata) in Potassium Sufficient Soils of Semi-arid Tropic
Authors: Kundu Santanu , Sudhakar Kasbe Sudhanshu , Laxminarayana P. , Gade Kiran Reddy
Published: September 2023

An experiment was conducted on potassium sufficient sandy loam soil (Alfisols) to evaluate the impact of potassium solubilizing bacteria (KSB) on the performance of rabi sweet corn. The study consisted of 10 treatments with different doses of potassium with and without KSB treatment [Seed treatment (ST) + Soil drenching (SD) at Knee height (KH) stage]. Result of this experiment indicated that sweet corn yield was gradually reduced with reduction of recommended dose of potassium (RDK) irrespective of KSB treatment. Amongst all treatments, application of 100% RDK in 2 equal splits at sowing and KH stage + KSB (ST + SD) (T10) resulted in highest growth, yield (19.7 t ha-1) and yield attributes. However, T10 was on par with the result of [100% RDK + KSB (ST) + KSB (SD) at KH stage], (50% RDK at basal + 50% RDK at KH stage), [100% RDK+ KSB (ST) +KSB (SD) at KH stage] and [75% RDK at basal + KSB (ST) +KSB (SD) at KH stage] treatments. Whereas, implication of 25% or 50% reduction of RDK was significantly inferior to 100% RDK. The study revealed that KSB could substitute 25% of RDK supplied to nutrient exhaustive crop like rabi sweet corn without compromising the economic yield in potassium rich alfisols of semi-arid tropic.
The Correlation between Green Fodder Yield and Fodder Quality Traits in Hybrids of Pearl Millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.]
Authors: Aswini M. S. , Ganesan K. N. , Ezhilarasi T.
Published: September 2023

Pearl millet is an ideal fodder crop having highly shiny, lush, palatable, nutrient- dense, excellent silage and biomass production potential and bestowed with various essential nutrients required for the livestock. The study material consists of 54 fodder pearl millet hybrids obtained through the hybridisation between 15 selected superior parents from ICRISAT gene-pool as well as gene pool of Department of Forage Crops, TNAU, Coimbatore. For the better understanding of the relationship between green fodder yield per plant, its contributing traits and various quality traits, genetic parameters such as genotypic and phenotypic correlation as well as path coefficients were analysed. Correlation studies revealed that out of all the seventeen biometric traits studied, all the traits are shown positive correlation with green fodder yield per plant whereas fifteen traits are found to have significant positive correlation with green fodder yield per plant. Ash content (rg =0.855), dry fodder yield per plant (rg =0.850), leaf-stem ratio (rg =0.710) have shown very strong significant positive correlation and plant height (rg =0.641), days to green fodder harvest  (rg =0.630), stem girth (rg =0.616) and days to fifty per cent flowering (rg =0.606) have recorded with moderately strong significant positive correlation with green fodder yield per plant. Number of tillers per plant (0.859), internode length (0.574), ash content (0.421) and dry fodder yield per plant (0.372) revealed highly positive direct effects with green fodder yield per plant. Hence, selection for traits exhibiting positive association and direct effects for green fodder yield would help the breeder to enhance it further.
Effect of Molybdenum on Leaf Chlorophyll and Biomass Yield of Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata)
Authors: Uikey Indu , Mitra N. G. , Chhigarha Jaipal
Published: September 2023

Molybdenum (Mo) is an essential micronutrient for plant. It is plays an important key role in chlorophyll synthesis. The Experiment was conducted in Pot house at Department of Soil     Science and Agricultural Chemistry, College of Agriculture, JNKVV, Jabalpur during  Kharif season 2014.The soil of experimental site belongs to Kheri-series and taxonomically comes under the order Vertisols, sub order Sterts, great group Haplusterts, sub group TypicHaplusterts. In all total 14 number of treatment combinations were tried under factorial randomized block design replicated thrice. The result revealed that variations in observation were found with treatment of Rhizobium inoculation. Seed treatment of Mo @ 0.5 g ammonium molybdate kg-1 seed (StM1) responded better, followed by soil application of Mo @ 1.0 kg Mo ha-1 soil (SaM1) as main effects. With higher dose of Mo as seed treatment (StM2) exerted significantly negative effect. Whereas higher  dose of soil application of Mo (SaM2) was merginally higher over no application of Mo which was seemed to be the buffer action of soil to nulify adverse effect of the micronutrient.
Cultural Variability among Ceratocystis fimbriata Ell. and Halst. Isolates Causing Wilt Disease of Punica granatum L.
Authors: Raja  , Sunkad Gururaj , Amaresh Y. S.
Published: September 2023

Punica granatum L (Pomegranate) is one of the important fruit crops cultivated all over the world, particularly in the tropical and sub-tropics. It is affected by several diseases of which one of the most important disease is wilt caused by Ceratocystis fimbriata. In recent years, several orchards of farmers have been severely infected by wilt and were removed in Karnataka state. This may be due to changes in the pathogenic characteristics of the fungus. Very little work has been carried out on the cultural variability of C. fimbriata associated with Punica granatum L (Pomegranate) wilt in Karnataka. Moreover, cultural variability is the property of an organism to change its character from one generation to the other. Therefore, there is a need to study on cultural variability of C. fimbriata. Cultural variability showed variation among the C. fimbriata isolates. On the basis of colony color, type of colony growth, type of margin, margin color, and colony growth, fifty isolates were categorized.
Genetic Diversity Analysis and Molecular Diversity in Greengram (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek) Genotypes Using SSR Markers
Authors: Saikumar S. Shanmukha , Shanmugavadivel P. S. , Rathore Meenal , Lal Gaibriyal M. , Gayathri G.
Published: September 2023

A study on the genetic and molecular diversity of 40 genotypes of Greengram was conducted using SSR markers. The experimental material contained significant genetic diversity; nevertheless, for all yield-related and yield-attributing features, phenotypic coefficient of variation exceeded genotypic coefficient of variation. The genotypes LGG 574 (8.80), PDM 139 (8.34), and Pant Mung 6 had the highest seed yields (7.78). The highest observed cluster distances between clusters 5 and 6 (472.88) and clusters 4 and 5 (432.89). Among all the factors PC 1 to PC 10, the PC 1 (19.99) accounted maximum proportion of variability in the set of all variables and remaining components accounted for progressively lesser and lesser amount of variation. The first six principal components (PC-1 to PC-6) with eigen values of 2.94, 2.62, 2.18, 1.40, 1.28, and 0.86, respectively, accounted for 86.95% of the total variance for all the qualities, according to principal component analysis. The genotypes 23, 32, 33, and 21 were spread out relatively far from other genotypes in the scatter plot, suggesting that they might be different from other genotypes. PIC values of 10 SSR loci, where the VR 86 marker produced the greatest PIC Value percentage and highest heterozygosity percent. Fixation index is ranged from 1.000 to -0.076. In comparison to Cluster II, III, IV, and V, Cluster I has the most genotypes (25), and the use of SSR markers in this work to differentiate between genotypes was made possible by the high polymorphism information richness of this cluster.
Morphological Variability and Molecular Diversity in Blackgram (Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper) Genotypes Using SSR Markers
Authors: Gangadhar Lalam , Nikhil Angari , Rathore Meenal , Shanmugavadivel P. S.  , Lal Gaibriyal M. , Gayathri G.
Published: September 2023

A study on the Morphological variability of 25 Blackgram genotypes was carried out in which molecular diversity of 15 genotypes of Blackgram was studied by using 8 SSR markers. The GCV was lower than PCV for all traits, however, there was narrow difference in PCV and GCV, indicating the effect of environment in lesser frequency. The high seed yield was recorded in the genotypes PLU-429(8.06gm) followed by PL-416(7.37gm) and VBN-8(7.29gm). Among all the factors PC 1 to PC 8, the PC 1 (40.610) accounted maximum proportion of variability in the set of all variables. Association studies revealed that there was high and significant positive amount of genotypic as well as phenotypic correlation coefficient for traits viz., primary branches per plant, number of clusters per plant, number of pods per plant, harvest index. Path analysis revealed high positive direct effect was contributed by primary branches per plant, number of clusters per plant, number of pods per plant, harvest index both at genotypic and phenotypic levels. The Polymorphism information content PIC values of 8 SSR markers valued from 31 percent to 71 percent with mean of 51 percent. BG 18 exhibited highest PIC 71 percent and highest heterozygosity of 62 percent. As per Dissimilarity coefficient, 15 genotypes are grouped into five clusters, Cluster II & V has highest 4 genotypes while in compare with Cluster I, III & IV. SSR marker BG18 has highest number of alleles 5. Shannon’s information index(I) ranged from 1.465 for BG18 to 0.611 for BG07. Fixation index is ranged from 1.000 to -0.111 with mean 0.696. SSRs with high polymorphism information content successfully assisted in the differentiation of genotypes in this study.