A critical review on the active anti-viral metabolites of bioprospecting traditionally used plant species from semi-arid regions of the subcontinent.

Plants are crucial medicinal resources, with 80 % of people relying on them for primary healthcare. The search for natural antiviral compounds is increasing, especially in semi-arid ecosystems where abiotic stress promotes the production of beneficial secondary metabolites. This review highlights semi-arid plants with the potential as functional foods to combat viral diseases and other illnesses.

Community-based, cost-effective multispecies mangrove restoration innovation to maximize soil blue carbon pool and humic acid and fulvic acid concentrations at Indian Sundarbans.

Sundarbans is the world's largest and most diverse contiguous mangrove ecosystem. In this pilot study, three plots (around 1 ha each) were selected, where one site (S1) had 1 year of community involvement, another site (S2) had a community network to support the restoration initiatives for 2 years, while a control site (C) was devoid of any post plantation community protection. Rhizophora mucronata (Rhizophoraceae), Sonneretia caseolaris (Lythraceae) and Avicennia marina (Acanthaceae) were planted at the sites in 2012.

Fate, source apportionment and fractionation of potentially toxic elements in agricultural soil around a densely populated, semiarid urban center of India: baseline study and ecological risk assessment.

This study is on the outskirts of the rapidly growing city of Jaipur, located in the semiarid region of India and gateway to the 'Great Indian Thar' desert, and focused on potentially toxic elements (PTE) pollution in the farmlands around the city. Concentrations of PTE, along with associated soil parameters such as pH, available nitrogen, organic carbon, phosphorus, and potassium, were estimated in agricultural soil samples near an industrial region on the outskirts of the capital city of the largest state of India. The PTE concentrations in the soil were in the following order: Mn > Pb > Ni > Cr > Cu > Cd.

Changes in Salinity, Mangrove Community Ecology, and Organic Blue Carbon Stock in Response to Cyclones at Indian Sundarbans.

Climate change-induced frequent cyclones are pumping saline seawater into the Sundarbans. Fani, Amphan, Bulbul, and Yaas were the major cyclones that hit the region during 2019-2021. This study represents the changes in the soil parameters, mangrove biodiversity and zonation due to the cyclone surges in the Indian Sundarbans between 2017 and 2021.

Distribution, speciation, and bioaccumulation of potentially toxic elements in the grey mangroves at Indian Sundarbans, in relation to vessel movements.

Sundarban is the world's largest mangrove wetland and home of 4.6 million people (Indian part), whose principal mode of communication is motorized boats (ferries). This study shed light on the role played by ferry movement in the speciation (following the BCR three-step sequential extraction method), ecological impact and bioaccumulation of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in plant tissues (root and lamina) of grey mangrove (Avicennia marina) found near the five ferry ghats (ports).

Variations in Soil Blue Carbon Sequestration between Natural Mangrove Metapopulations and a Mixed Mangrove Plantation: A Case Study from the World's Largest Contiguous Mangrove Forest.

Sundarban is the world's largest mangrove wetland. This study, conducted in 2016, to compare blue carbon sequestration with different natural metapopulations and a four-year-old (30% area)- (70% area)-mixed mangrove plantation under anthropoganic stress. The aims of the study is to find out the variations in soil ecological function indicators (pH, electrical conductivity, bulk density, soil texture, available nitrogn, phosphorus and soil organic carbon) and key ecological service indicator (soil blue carbon pool) between sites.

The neonatal respiratory morbidity associated with early term caesarean section - an emerging pandemic.

Objectives: To examine the impact of early term caesarean section (CS) on respiratory morbidity and early neonatal outcomes when elective caesarean section was carried out before 39 completed weeks gestation in our population.

Methods: A one-year population-based retrospective cohort analysis using routinely collected hospital data. Livebirths from women who had elective lower segment cesarean section (ELSCS) for uncomplicated singleton pregnancies at early term (ET) 37+0 to 38+6 weeks were compared to full term (FT)≥39+0 weeks gestation.

Survey of obstetricians' approach to the issue of reinfibulation after childbirth in women with prior female genital mutilation.

Background: The procedure of reinfibulation is the resuturing (usually after vaginal childbirth) of the incised scar tissue in women with previous female genital mutilation. Many authorities do not recommend the practice of reinfibulation.

Objective: We sought to assess physicians' approach to the practice of reinfibulation.

Bioaccumulation of potentially toxic elements in three mangrove species and human health risk due to their ethnobotanical uses.

The aim of this study was to assess probabilistic human health risk due to ethnobotanical usage of Avicennia officinalis, Porteresia coarctata and Acanthus ilicifolius. The study was conducted at the tannery outfall near Sundarban (Ramsar wetland, India) mangrove ecosystem  affected by potentially toxic elements (Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn). Total metal concentrations (mg kg) were considerably higher in the polluted rhizosphere namely, Cd (1.

Potential human health hazard due to bioavailable heavy metal exposure via consumption of plants with ethnobotanical usage at the largest chromite mine of India.

Usage of native plant species for traditional medicine or nutritional supplement is a popular practice among various cultures. But consumption of plants growing on polluted soil can cause serious human health hazard due to bioaccumulation of toxic heavy metals. Present study deals with the ecological and human health impact of heavy metals, in six native plant species with ethnobotanical significance growing at the largest chromite mine of India.

Distribution of heavy metals and associated human health risk in mine, agricultural and roadside soils at the largest chromite mine of India.

This study accessed the levels of Cd, Cr, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn concentration in soils of different locations (mine, roadside, agricultural and control sites) of Sukinda chromite mine (the India's largest Chromite mine and listed among the world's ten most polluted regions). Geo-accumulation (I) index indicates that the mine, agricultural and roadside soils are 'heavily to extremely contaminated' due to Cr, Ni, Pb and Cd, hence human residing/working in this region can have health hazards due to contaminated soil via different exposure pathways. The concentration of heavy metals (mg/kg) in mine site vary between 52.