Rice is the main staple food in most of the Asian countries and rice crops generate a huge amount of rice straw as crop residue in the fields. Unsustainable use of rice straw and open burning of crop ...in the field not only produces threat to environment by producing large amount of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission, but also make farmer׳s loose a very viable by-product. Rice straw can be used in bio-ethanol production and bring additional income and sustainable utilization. It will also provide clean energy solution to ever increasing energy demand in India. However, it becomes more important to study the sustainability of bio-ethanol production from rice straw and how it can make sense in today׳s Indian agricultural scenario. Although, the bioethanol obtained from rice straw is a carbon neutral in nature, but the concerns of environmental impacts have been raised for the whole process i.e. from rice cultivation, rice logistics, pretreatment techniques, bioethanol generation and transportation. The present review focuses on the environmental sustainability issues arising from use of rice straw for bioethanol production. The environmental impacts are assessed by studying the emission of greenhouse gases from each stage of life cycle. The paper presents an outlook on current status and future prospects of ethanol blending in the country.
The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged governments around the world. It also has challenged conventional wisdom and empirical understandings in the comparative politics and policy of health. Three ...major questions present themselves: First, some of the countries considered to be most prepared—having the greatest capacity for outbreak response—have failed to respond effectively to the pandemic. How should our understanding of capacity shift in light of COVID-19, and how can we incorporate political capacity into thinking about pandemic preparedness? Second, several of the mechanisms through which democracy has been shown to be beneficial for health have not traveled well to explain the performance of governments in this pandemic. Is there an authoritarian advantage in disease response? Third, after decades in which coercive public health measures have increasingly been considered counterproductive, COVID-19 has inspired widespread embrace of rigid lockdowns, isolation, and quarantine enforced by police. Will these measures prove effective in the long run and reshape public health thinking? This article explores some of these questions with emerging examples, even amid the pandemic, when it is too soon to draw conclusions.
Although many studies concerning the detection of influenza virus have been published, a paper-based, label-free electrochemical immunosensor has never been reported. Here, we present a ...cost-effective, handmade paper-based immunosensor for label-free electrochemical detection of influenza virus H1N1. This immunosensor was prepared by modifying paper with a spray of hydrophobic silica nanoparticles, and using stencil-printed electrodes. We used a glass vaporizer to spray the hydrophobic silica nanoparticles onto the paper, rendering it super-hydrophobic. The super-hydrophobicity, which is essential for this paper-based biosensor, was achieved via 30-40 spray coatings, corresponding to a 0.39-0.41 mg cm
coating of nanoparticles on the paper and yielding a water contact angle of 150° ± 1°. Stencil-printed carbon electrodes modified with single-walled carbon nanotubes and chitosan were employed to increase the sensitivity of the sensor, and the antibodies were immobilized via glutaraldehyde cross-linking. Differential pulse voltammetry was used to assess the sensitivity of the sensors at various virus concentrations, ranging from 10 to 10⁴ PFU mL
, and the selectivity was assessed against MS2 bacteriophages and the influenza B viruses. These immunosensors showed good linear behaviors, improved detection times (30 min), and selectivity for the H1N1 virus with a limit of detection of 113 PFU mL
, which is sufficiently sensitive for rapid on-site diagnosis. The simple and inexpensive methodologies developed in this study have great potential to be used for the development of a low-cost and disposable immunosensor for detection of pathogenic microorganisms, especially in developing countries.
Abstract Purpose A collaborative pharmacist–primary care provider (PharmD-PCP) team approach to medication-therapy management (MTM), with pharmacists initiating and changing medications at separate ...office visits, holds promise for the cost-effective management of hypertension, but has not been evaluated in many systematic trials. The primary objective of this study was to examine blood pressure (BP) control in hypertensive patients managed by a newly formed PharmD-PCP MTM team versus usual care in a university-based primary care clinic. Methods This randomized, pragmatic clinical trial was conducted in hypertensive patients randomly selected for PharmD-PCP MTM or usual care. In the PharmD-PCP MTM group, pharmacists managed drug-therapy initiation and monitoring, medication adjustments, biometric assessments, laboratory tests, and patient education. In the usual-care group, patients continued to see their PCPs. Participants were aged ≥18 years, were diagnosed with hypertension, had a most recent BP measurement of ≥140/≥90 mm Hg (≥130/≥80 mm Hg if codiagnosed with diabetes mellitus), were on at least 1 antihypertensive medication, and were English speaking. The primary outcome was the difference in the mean change from baseline in systolic BP at 6 months. Secondary outcomes included the percentage achieving therapeutic BP goal and the mean changes from baseline in diastolic BP and low- and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Findings A total of 166 patients were enrolled (69 men; mean age, 67.7 years; PharmD-PCP MTM group, n = 75; usual-care group, n = 91). Mean reduction in SBP was significantly greater in the PharmD-PCP MTM group at 6 months (–7.1 19.4 vs +1.6 21.0 mm Hg; P = 0.008), but the difference was no longer statistically significant at 9 months (–5.2 16.9 vs –1.7 17.7 mm Hg; P = 0.22), based on an intent-to-treat analysis. In the intervention group, greater percentages of patients who continued to see the MTM pharmacist versus those who returned to their PCP were at goal at 6 months (81% vs 44%) and at 9 months (70% vs 52%). No significant between-group differences in changes in cholesterol were detected at 6 and 9 months; however, the mean baseline values were near recommended levels. The PharmD-PCP MTM group had significantly fewer P CP visits compared with the usual-care group (1.8 1.5 vs 4.2 1.0; P < 0.001). Implications A PharmD-PCP collaborative MTM service was more effective in lowering BP than was usual care at 6 months in all patients and at 9 months in patients who continued to see the pharmacist. Incorporating pharmacists into the primary care team may be a successful strategy for managing medication therapy, improving patient outcomes and possibly extending the capacity of primary care. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01973556.
Methane is one of the critical greenhouse gases, which absorb long wavelength radiation, affects the chemistry of atmosphere and contributes to global climate change. Rice ecosystem is one of the ...major anthropogenic sources of methane. The anaerobic waterlogged soil in rice field provides an ideal environment to methanogens for methanogenesis. However, the rate of methanogenesis differs according to rice cultivation regions due to a number of biological, environmental and physical factors like carbon sources, pH, Eh, temperature etc. The interplay between the different conditions and factors may also convert the rice fields into sink from source temporarily. Mechanistic understanding and comprehensive evaluation of these variations and responsible factors are urgently required for designing new mitigation options and evaluation of reported option in different climatic conditions. The objective of this review paper is to develop conclusive understanding on the methane production, oxidation, and emission and methane measurement techniques from rice field along with its mitigation/abatement mechanism to explore the possible reduction techniques from rice ecosystem.
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•Water management (controlled irrigation and midseason drying) is the best CH4 mitigating option in irrigated rice field.•Ammonium based fertilizer having up to 60% CH4 mitigation potential.•Biofertilizer (Azolla and Cynobacteria) are best for sustainable rice cultivation.•Microbial fuel cells are the least explore mitigation option in flooded rice field.
•Future global prospects of potassium (K) solubilization are described.•Potassium solubilizing microbes (KSMs) enhance K+ availability in agricultural soils.•We proposed cost-effective and ...ecofriendly candidates for K-management.
Potassium is a major essential plant nutrient that plays a pivotal role in plant physiological and metabolic processes, and provides resistance against biotic and abiotic stresses. In order to feed an ever increasing world population, cultivation of high yielding varieties in an intensive production system during the last few decades caused depletion soil fertility status, especially potassium (K). As 90–98% K reserves in soil system are non-exchangeable mineral sources, efficient rhizospheric microbes (ERMs) are needed to effectively dissolve this mineral and make it available to plants. A diverse group of ERMs such as rhizobacteria (Bacillus edaphicus, B. mucilaginosus, Acidothiobacillus ferrooxidans, B. circulans, Paenibacillus sp.), fungal strains (Aspergillus terreus and Aspergillus sp.) and nitrogen fixing rhizobacteria (NFR) is involved in K mineral (orthoclase, muscovite, feldspar, biotite, mica, illite) solubilization. Mechanisms utilized by microbes for K dissolution are organic acid production, lowering soil pH, acidolysis, chelation, exchange reactions and complexation. These ERMs also contribute to other beneficial effects such as production of growth hormones, nitrogen (N) fixation, phosphorus (P) dissolution, enlargement of root system and antibiotic production. More specifically, potassium solubilizing microbes (KSMs) are being commercialized in the form of biofertilizer and inoculum to alleviate constraints of chemical fertilizers. This is an ecofriendly approach towards sustainable food production systems in many countries of the world. This report updates our current knowledge and potential for developing microbial based products.
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•A transparent CNT immunosensor is presented for detection of a prostate cancer biomarker osteopontin.•This immunosensor showed a highly linear and reproducible behavior from 1pgmL−1 ...to 1μgmL−1.•The limit of detection of the immunosensor was 0.3pgmL−1.•This immunosensor demonstrated high selectivity against bovine serum albumin and human serum.
Osteopontin (OPN) is involved in almost all steps of cancer development, and it is being investigated as a potential biomarker for a diagnosis and prognosis of prostate cancer. Here, we report a label-free, highly sensitive and transparent immunosensor based on single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) for detection of OPN. A high density of COOH functionalized SWCNTs was deposited between two gold/indium tin oxide electrodes on a glass substrate by dielectrophoresis. Monoclonal antibodies specific to OPN were covalently immobilized on the SWCNTs. Relative resistance change of the immunosensors was measured as the concentration of OPN in phosphate buffer saline (PBS) and human serum was varied from 1pgmL−1 to 1μgmL−1 for different channel lengths of 2, 5, and 10μm, showing a highly linear and reproducible behavior (R2>97%). These immunosensors were also specific to OPN against another test protein, bovine serum albumin, PBS and human serum, showing that a limit of detection for OPN was 0.3pgmL−1. This highly sensitive and transparent immunosensor has a great potential as a simple point-of-care test kit for various protein biomarkers.
Proteins are essential components of the human diet. Dietary proteins could be derived from animals and plants. Animal protein, although higher in demand, is generally considered less environmentally ...sustainable. Therefore, a gradual transition from animal- to plant-based protein food may be desirable to maintain environmental stability, ethical reasons, food affordability, greater food safety, fulfilling higher consumer demand, and combating of protein-energy malnutrition. Due to these reasons, plant-based proteins are steadily gaining popularity, and this upward trend is expected to continue for the next few decades. Plant proteins are a good source of many essential amino acids, vital macronutrients, and are sufficient to achieve complete protein nutrition. The main goal of this review is to provide an overview of plant-based protein that helps sustain a better life for humans and the nutritional quality of plant proteins. Therefore, the present review comprehensively explores the nutritional quality of the plant proteins, their cost-effective extraction and processing technologies, impacts on nutrition, different food wastes as an alternative source of plant protein, and their environmental impact. Furthermore, it focuses on the emerging technologies for improving plant proteins' bioavailability, digestibility, and organoleptic properties, and highlights the aforementioned technological challenges for future research work.
Can messaging that emphasizes the costs of COVID-19 increase popular support for more proactive public health policies? People who experience disasters often become more supportive of policies to ...address their underlying causes, and the pandemic may have similar spillover effects for public opinion. To test this idea, the study implements a survey experiment in Italy, Germany, and the United States in which half of the respondents were randomly assigned to a prime about the impact of the pandemic prior to answering questions about their support for public health policies. The results show that respondents who received the prime became more favorable toward increased government spending on domestic and foreign public health programs alike. These treatment effects were consistent across countries, across two different surveys in the United States conducted at different points in time, and across partisan subgroups. However, the treatment did not consistently increase support for more active and intrusive government policies to address specific public health challenges like smoking or HIV/AIDS. The results suggest that public health advocates may benefit from messaging that connects COVID-19 to the need for public health funding beyond the context of the pandemic.
•I use a survey experiment to explore how priming the consequences of COVID-19 affects public support for public health policies.•The study is conducted in the United States, Germany, and Italy.•Priming COVID-19 increases support for domestic and foreign public health spending.•Results do not vary significantly by partisanship.
•Growing numbers of parents are opting against free government provision and sending their children to low fee private schools.•Educational costs incurred for a private school child is 38 times more ...than a government school child at primary level and over 18 times at secondary level.•School choice is determined by wealth and social status.•EFA can only be realised if policymakers address inequalities emanating from private schooling and tuitions.
This paper seeks to draw attention to two important, but less researched, areas regarding low fee private school provision in India. Firstly, the paper evaluates the impact of fees on household debt burden and decision-making, and secondly highlights the dynamic interplay between the private and government sub-sectors and the potential consequences this may have for educational delivery. The paper attempts to provide an overview of the historic growth, extent and performance of low fee private schools and private tutoring. Consistent with others, the paper finds that private provision is not currently accessible to the poorest and thus potentially deleterious to equity both within schools and within families. While drawing on existing research and particularly the longitudinal Young Lives data sets in Andhra Pradesh – findings are largely exploratory. The paper concludes that there is a need for further research on both household and school effects related to increasing privatisation in education. In particular there is a focus on how emerging inequalities emanating from school choice and private tuitions can be addressed. This is urgently needed to inform policy and investment decisions that maximise the contribution of both sectors and mitigate against inequality.
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