Comparative assessment of for genotypic variability in phytoremediation of soil exposed to lead (Pb) contamination.

The soil pollution caused with accretion of pollutant elements like lead (Pb) is the major environmental concern nowadays. Phytoremediation of contaminated soils using cultivars that act as hyperaccumulator plants for Pb emerges as an important technique for decontamination of Pb spiked soils. Therefore, pot study was carried out to compare the efficiency of three and select the most efficient cultivar for phytoremediation of Pb spiked soils.

Utility of photoplethysmography in detecting elevated blood glucose among non-diabetics.

Introduction: This study aimed to evaluate a technique of using photoplethysmography (PPG) for detecting elevated blood glucose in individuals.

Method: This is a prospective, cross-sectional study in which 500 healthy volunteers were recruited at a tertiary hospital in Singapore from October 2021 to February 2023. Capillary glucose was measured concurrently with PPG signals acquired using the wrist-worn Actxa Tracker (Spark + Series 2) and the In-Ear Prototype model SVT, which were worn for a duration of 8 min.

Assessing Elevated Blood Glucose Levels Through Blood Glucose Evaluation and Monitoring Using Machine Learning and Wearable Photoplethysmography Sensors: Algorithm Development and Validation.

Background: Diabetes mellitus is the most challenging and fastest-growing global public health concern. Approximately 10.5% of the global adult population is affected by diabetes, and almost half of them are undiagnosed.

The Nutritional Quality of Food Donated to a Western Australian Food Bank.

Food banks provide an indispensable service to people experiencing severe food insecurity. Food banks source donations from across the food system; however, the food redistributed to clients across the developed world is nutritionally poor. This, together with the increasing prevalence of diet-related diseases and food insecurity, has prompted a focus on nutritional quality.

Improvement of soil health and nutrient transformations under balanced fertilization with integrated nutrient management in a rice-wheat system in Indo-Gangetic Plains - A 34-year Research outcomes.

The impact of integrated nutrient management seems crucial for the sustainability of crop production as revealed by studies on long-term experiments. It provided the opportunity to monitor long-term variations in crop yields and associated factors. The impacts of various nutrient management strategies on yields and soil attributes in a rice-wheat system have been researched under a long-term experiment that has been running since 1983 at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana.

The interrelationships between sleep regularity, obstructive sleep apnea, and hypertension in a middle-aged community population.

Study Objectives: Little is known about the interrelationships between sleep regularity, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and important health markers. This study examined whether irregular sleep is associated with OSA and hypertension, and if this modifies the known association between OSA and hypertension.

Methods: Six hundred and two adults (age mean(SD) = 56.

Impact of manures and fertilizers on yield and soil properties in a rice-wheat cropping system.

The use of chemical fertilizers under a rice-wheat cropping system (RWCS) has led to the emergence of micronutrient deficiency and decreased crop productivity. Thus, the experiment was conducted with the aim that the use of organic amendments would sustain productivity and improve the soil nutrient status under RWCS. A three-year experiment was conducted with different organic manures i.

The prognostic value of F18 Fluorothymidine positron emission tomography for assessing the response of malignant pleural mesothelioma to chemotherapy - A prospective cohort study.

Introduction: Malignant pleural mesothelioma is difficult to prognosticate. F18-Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG PET) shows promise for response assessment but is confounded by talc pleurodesis. F18-Fluorothymidine (FLT) PET is an alternative tracer specific for proliferation.

Determining the Effectiveness of an Adult Food Literacy Program Using a Matched Control Group.

Objective: To determine the effect of Food Sensations for Adults on food literacy behaviors and selected dietary behaviors.

Methods: A quasi-experimental design using preprogram and postprogram questionnaires over 4 weeks with a control group (n = 75) matched for sex, age group, and socioeconomic disadvantage to program participants (n = 867). General linear mixed models assessed change in food literacy behavior frequency in 3 self-reported domains (plan and manage, selection, and preparation) and fruit and vegetable servings.

Estimating sleep duration: performance of open-source processing of actigraphy compared to in-laboratory polysomnography in the community.

Comparisons of actigraphy findings between studies are challenging given differences between brand-specific algorithms. This issue may be minimized by using open-source algorithms. However, the accuracy of actigraphy-derived sleep parameters processed in open-source software needs to be assessed against polysomnography (PSG).

Receptivity towards Remote Service Delivery among Social Work Clients and Practitioners during COVID Times: A Systematic Review.

Purpose: This systematic review aims to identify and synthesize the available evidence on the receptivity toward, perceived advantages and challenges of remote service delivery among social work clients and practitioners during the context of COVID-19.

Method: Two electronic databases were searched from 2020 to 2022. Identified papers were screened against the established eligibility criteria, yielding 15 papers.

Minerals and chelated-based manganese fertilization influences the productivity, uptake, and mobilization of manganese in wheat ( L.) in sandy loam soils.

Manganese (Mn) is an essential micronutrient in plants, and it is necessary for hydrolysis in photosystem II, chlorophyll biosynthesis, and also chloroplast breakdown. Limited Mn availability in light soil resulted in interveinal chlorosis, poor root development, and the development of fewer tillers, particularly staple cereals including wheat, while foliar Mn fertilizers were found efficient in improving crop yield as well as Mn use efficiency. In the above context, a study was conducted in consecutive two wheat growing seasons for screening of the most effective and economical Mn treatment for improving the yield and Mn uptake in wheat and to compare the relative effectiveness of MnCO against the recommended dose of MnSO for wheat.

Food Insecurity, Food Assistance, and Psychological Distress among University Students: Cross-Sectional Survey Western Australia, 2020.

University students have been identified as a population sub-group vulnerable to food insecurity. This vulnerability increased in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to assess factors associated with food insecurity among university students and the differences between students with and without children.

Effectiveness of a food literacy and positive feeding practices program for parents of 0 to 5 years olds in Western Australia.

Issue Addressed: Lifelong eating behaviours are established in childhood. Improving parents' food literacy skills is essential, as parents play a fundamental role in establishing their children's healthy eating behaviours and preferences for nutritious food. This paper describes the development and evaluation of an innovative program that combines food literacy with positive parent feeding practices, targeting parents in disadvantaged areas of Western Australia.

Association between body mass index, body image and self-esteem with sexual function: A survey of young women in Singapore.

Introduction: Obesity is thought to be a negative predictor of sexual function, but the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and sexual function has been inconsistent. Other factors such as body image and self-esteem may mediate this relationship. This study examined the association of BMI, body image and self-esteem with sexual function in young women.

Plasma Amyloid-β Homeostasis Is Associated with Body Mass Index and Weight Loss in People with Overweight and Obesity.

Background: Obesity is linked to a higher incidence of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Studies show that plasma amyloid-β (Aβ) dyshomeostasis, particularly low 42/40 ratio indicates a heightened risk for developing AD. However, the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and circulating plasma Aβ has not been extensively studied.

L-arginine and aged garlic extract for the prevention of migraine: a study protocol for a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase-II trial (LARGE trial).

Background: Migraine is a common and distressing neurological condition characterised by recurrent throbbing headaches, nausea and heightened sensitivity to light and sound. Accumulating evidence suggests that cerebral arteries dilate during migraine, causing distal microvessels to constrict, which could activate nociceptors and cause onset of headache pain. If so, preventing or attenuating chronic microvascular constriction, and promoting a dilatory phenotype, may reduce frequency and/or severity of migraines.

Effect of addition of organic manures on basmati yield, nutrient content and soil fertility status in north-western India.

Integrated use of chemical fertilizers with organic manure is becoming a quite promising practice to maintain higher crop productivity and to manage soil health, which is otherwise deteriorated due to intensive cultivation and imbalanced fertilizer use. Thus, the present experiment was conducted for combined application of inorganic fertilizers and organic manures for higher yield and nutrient uptake in basmati rice as well as to restore soil health. The treatments applied in the present study involve T1: control, T2: Farmyard manure (15 t ha), T3: Poultry manure (6 t ha), T4: Press mud (15 t ha), T5: Rice straw compost (6 t ha), T6: Farmyard manure (15 t ha) + 50% N (recommended dose of nitrogen), T7: Poultry manure (6 t ha) + 50% N, T8: Press mud (15 t ha) + 50% N, T9: Rice straw compost (6 t ha) + 50% N, T10: 75% N, T11: Farmyard manure (15 t ha) + 75% N, T12: Poultry manure (6 t ha) + 75% N, T13: Press mud (15 t ha) + 75% N, T14: Rice straw compost (6 t ha) + 75% N, T15: 100% N.

Interactive effect of land use systems on depth-wise soil properties and micronutrients minerals in North-Western, India.

Micronutrients play a vital role in improving growth and performance of different crops. Management of soil micronutrients for better crop production needs sound understanding of their status and causes of variability. Therefore, in order to evaluate the changes in soil properties and micronutrient contents of soils, an experiment was conducted with soil samples from six soil depths i.

Biofortification of mungbean (Vigna radiata L. (Wilczek)) with boron, zinc and iron alters its grain yield and nutrition.

Mungbean [Vigna radiata L. (Wilczek)] is considered as an extremely nutritious crop possessing a high level of micronutrients, but their low bioavailability in the crop leads to micronutrient malnutrition in humans. Therefore, the present study was conducted to investigate the potential of nutrients viz.

Australian Consumers' Attitudes towards Sustainable Diet Practices Regarding Food Waste, Food Processing, and the Health Aspects of Diet: A Cross Sectional Survey.

Environmentally sustainable diets are increasingly aspired to in food-based dietary guidelines across the world. However, little is known about consumer attitudes toward these diets when making food decisions. This study aimed to identify the demographic characteristics of Australian adults based on the level of attention they paid to the healthfulness of their diet, their consideration of the level of food processing, and their concern about household food waste and sustainable packaging disposal.

Effectiveness of Booster Vaccinations on the Control of COVID-19 during the Spread of Omicron Variant in Malaysia.

(1) Background: The assessment of vaccine effectiveness against the Omicron variant is vital in the fight against COVID-19, but research on booster vaccine efficacy using nationwide data was lacking at the time of writing. This study investigates the effectiveness of booster doses on the Omicron wave in Malaysia against COVID-19 infections and deaths; (2) Methods: This study uses nationally representative data on COVID-19 from 1 January to 31 March 2022, when the Omicron variant was predominant in Malaysia. Daily new infections, deaths, ICU utilization and Rt values were compared.

Ecological and human health risk assessment of metals in soils and wheat along Sutlej river (India).

Heavy metal (HMs) entry into soil affects the food chain, which is of great worry for human well-being hazards. In order to study the association of HMs in soil-plant system, surface (0-0.15 m) soil and wheat grain samples were collected within five km buffer zone of Sutlej river in Punjab (India).