Emission of heavy metals from traffic activities is an important pollution source to roadside farmland ecosystems. However, little previous research has been conducted to investigate heavy metal concentrations of roadside farmland soil in mountainous areas. Owing to more complex roadside environments and more intense driving conditions on mountainous highways, heavy metal accumulation and distribution patterns in farmland soil due to traffic activity could be different from those on plain highways. In this study, design factors including altitude, roadside distance, terrain, and tree protection were considered to analyze their influences on Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb concentrations in farmland soils along a mountain highway around Kathmandu, Nepal. On average, the concentrations of Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb at the sampling sites are lower than the tolerable levels. Correspondingly, pollution index analysis does not show serious roadside pollution owing to traffic emissions either. However, some maximum Zn, Cd, and Pb concentrations are close to or higher than the tolerable level, indicating that although average accumulations of heavy metals pose no hazard in the region, some spots with peak concentrations may be severely polluted. The correlation analysis indicates that either Cu or Cd content is found to be significantly correlated with Zn and Pb content while there is no significant correlation between Cu and Cd. The pattern can be reasonably explained by the vehicular heavy metal emission mechanisms, which proves the heavy metals’ homology of the traffic pollution source. Furthermore, the independent factors show complex interaction effects on heavy metal concentrations in the mountainous roadside soil, which indicate quite a different distribution pattern from previous studies focusing on urban roadside environments. It is found that the Pb concentration in the downgrade roadside soil is significantly lower than that in the upgrade soil while the Zn concentration in the downgrade roadside soil is marginally higher than in the upgrade soil; and the concentrations of Cu and Pb in the roadside soils with tree protection are significantly lower than those without tree protection. However, the attenuation pattern of heavy metal concentrations as a function of roadside distance within a 100 m range cannot be identified consistently.

Background Interleukin-6-receptor inhibitors like Tocilizumab and Satralizumab are showing promising results in the treatment of Neuromyelitis Optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD). We aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of various Interleukin-6-receptor inhibitors in the management of NMO/NMOSD. Methods PubMed, Embase, and The Cochrane Library were systematically searched for suitable studies. Change in Annualized Relapse Ratio (ARR), Change in Extended Disability Status Scale (EDSS) s, the proportion of relapse-free patients and proportion of patients with adverse events, including serious adverse events and mortality were the parameters considered for the meta-analysis for Tocilizumab. Mean difference (MD) with 95% CI was used to quantify the change in ARR and change in EDSS before and after treatment. A forest plot was prepared to indicate the efficacy and adverse effects outcomes. The results were compared with those of Satralizumab included in two trials. Results A total of nine studies with 202 patients were included in our study. Tocilizumab found a good proportion (76.95% CI: 0.61–0.91; p < 0.001) of relapse free patients at follow up. It also significantly reduced mean ARR (mean difference: -2.6, 95% CI: − 2.71 to − 1.68; p < 0.001) and but did not show significant difference in change in EDSS score (mean difference = − 0.79, 95% CI: − 1.89 to − 0.31; p = 0.16). Also, the toxicity profile of Tocilizumab was acceptable considering the proportions of patients with adverse events 56% (95% C.I.;0.27–0.85, I2 = 88.95%, p < 0.001), proportions of patients with serious adverse events 11% (95% C.I.; 0.05 to 0.17, I2 = 0%, p < 0.001) and zero treatment related deaths. SAkura studies for Satralizumab showed similar relapse free patients (70% to 80%) and reduction of ARR and EDSS from baseline. Some studies of Tocilizumab have shown to reduce pain and fatigue while trials of Satralizumab had non-significant findings. Conclusion Interleukin-6-receptor inhibitors therapy showed a promising result with good efficacy and acceptable adverse events profile for treatment of NMOSD.

Rice blast (Magnaporthe oryzae) is the most destructive and epidemic disease of rice. Use of host resistance is the best alternative for disease management. The leaf and neck blast resistance of 182 rice breeding lines were assessed for leaf and neck blast and classified relative to a susceptible check-Masuli and resistant check-Laxmi, from greenhouse experiment in 2005 and 2006. The test plants were inoculated with 10 5 conidial suspension/ml of M. oryzae at 21 days old seedlings for the leaf blast, and at neck base for the neck blast. Among them, for leaf blast, 77 rice lines were resistant, 43 were moderately resistant, 39 were moderately susceptible and 23 were susceptible. While among the selected 31 rice lines evaluated for neck blast, 4 lines were resistant, 4 were moderately resistant, 16 were moderately susceptible and 7 were susceptible. Leaf and neck infection was significant and positively correlated (r = 0.30, P = 0.05). The rice lines, Super 3004 were resistant to leaf blast and Barkhe 1006, Barkhe 1032, Barkhe 1035, Barkhe 3004 were resistant to neck blast. The rice lines with identification # 11, 69, 137, 168, 182 from Masuli 9 MT4 parentage, and Barkhe 3017 were susceptible to both leaf and neck blast. Progenies of Irradiated Pusa Basmati (IPB), Kalinga III/IR64 (KIII/IR64), and Masuli/IR64 were resistant to both leaf and neck blast. However, most progenies from Masuli/MT4 showed susceptible reaction to both leaf and neck blast. Thus, rice lines form the IPB, KIII/IR64 and Masuli/IR64 will be promising resistant sources for rice blast in breeding programme.

An isolate of Trichoderma harzianum which is less effective than G. viren.s in suppressing S. rolfsii and R. solani was compared with G. virens for various mechanisms of antagonism /;; vitro, viz., antagonism in dual culture/hyphal parasitism, parasitism of sclerotia, and antibiosis. G. virens and T. harzianum were equally effective in parasitizing the hyphae of /?. solani. Only T. harzianum parasitized the hyphae of 5. rolfsii, and the two antagonists were comparable with respect to antibiosis on the test pathogens. However, G. virens readily parasitized the sclerotia of the test pathogens and was found to be more effective than T. harzianum in destroying the sclerotia. Under SEM, G. virens was found to colonize, penetrate, and sporulate inside the sclerotia of the test pathogens. Parasitism of sclerotia is suggested as the principal mechanism of biological control of S. rolfsii and R. solani by G. virens. Zusammenfassung, ,Verglcicliende antagonistische Eigenschaften von Gliodadium virens und Ti'ichoileyma harzituuim gegen Sdcrotiiim rolfsii und Rhizoctonia solani-Bedeutung beim Versteben der Mechanismen der Biokontrolle Ein Isolat von Trichoderma harzianum, das weniger effektiv bei der Unterdrtickung von Sclerotium rolfsii und Rhizoctonia solani als Glioclailiuni virens ist, wurde mit C virens bei einigen Mechanismen des Antagonismus //; vitro verglichen, z.B. Antagonismus in Dualkulturen/Hyhenparasitismus, Parasitismus der Sklerotien und Antibiosis. Sowohl G. virens als auch T. harzianum waren beim Parasitismus der Hyphen von R. solani gleich zu stellen. Die hyphen von S. roljsi wurden nur durch T. harzianum parasitiert. Beide Antagonisten waren bezuglich ihrer Antibiosis gegenuber dem Testpathogen ahnlich. G. virens jedoch konnte die Sklerotien des Testpathogens rasch parasitieren und wurde als effektiver als T. harzianum bei der Zerstorung der Sklerotien eingestuft. Nach rasterelektronenmikroskopischen Untersuchungen wurde festgestellt, daB G. virens die Sklerotien der Testpathogene kolonisiert, sich hineindrangte und innerhalb der Sklerotien sporuliert. Der Parasitismus der Sklerotien wird als Hauptmcchanismus der biologischen Kontrolle von S. rolfsii und R. .solani durch G. virens dargestellt. Journal series publication number 7199, G.B. Pant University of Agriculture atid Technology, Pantnagar.

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