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Following years of contamination, rivers may experience sig­nificant levels of heavy metal pollution. Our research aims to pinpoint hazardous areas in these rivers. In our specific case, we focus on the floodplains of the Meuse River contaminated with zinc (Zn). Elevated zinc concentrations can lead to various health issues, including anemia, rashes, vomiting, and stomach cramping. However, due to limited sample data on zinc con­centrations in the Meuse River, it becomes imperative to gen­erate missing data in unidentified regions. This study employs universal Kriging in spatial data mining to investigate and pre­dict unknown zinc pollutants. The semivariogram serves as a valuable tool for illustrating the variability pattern of zinc. To predict concentrations in unknown regions, the model captured is interpolated using the Kriging method. Employing regression with geographic weighting allows us to observe how stimu­lus-response relationships change spatially. Various semivario­gram models, such as Matern, exponential, and linear, are uti­lized in our work. Additionally, we introduce Universal Kriging and geographically weighted regression. Experimental findings indicate that: (i) the Matern model, determined by calculating the minimum error sum of squares, is the most suitable theoret­ical semivariogram model; and (ii) the accuracy of predictions is visually demonstrated by projecting results onto a real map.

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Aims: Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorder (WMSDs) is a major health problem among many professionals in the developing countries. The aim of the present study was to assess the effectiveness of comprehensive body mechanics on pain and disability among nurses with low back pain.
Materials & Methods: In this study, quantitative, pre-experimental one group pre-test post-test design was used. 144 nurses working in male, female surgical and orthopaedic wards, adult ICU and post-operative ICU, with mild and moderate level of low back pain and disability were selected, using consecutive sampling technique. The outcome variables were measured, using Numerical Pain intensity scale and Oswestry low back pain disability questionnaire. The intervention was comprehensive body mechanics, in which the researcher provided video assisted teaching on ideal body mechanics for 5 minutes followed by demonstration of lower back rehabilitation exercises by video for 15 minutes. Return demonstration and practice of lower back rehabilitation exercises was carried out by the nurses daily for 15minutes for 10 days, under the supervision of the researcher. On the 3^rd day, a pamphlet was distributed followed by assessment of the effectiveness of the intervention on the 10^th day. The collected data were analysed by SPSS 17 software, using Paired t-test Pearson correlation coefficient.
Findings: There was a statistically significant difference before and after the intervention on pain (t =17.18; p<0.001) and on disability (t =17.71; p<0.001) among nurses with low back pain.
Conclusion: Comprehensive body mechanics is effective in reducing pain and disability among nurses with low back pain.

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Aims: The traumatic experiences the elderly faced during the COVID-19 outbreak were tremendous, which led to the majority of the elderly developing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. The vagal nerve plays a major role in stress regulation. One effective method for controlling the activity of the autonomic nervous system is vagal nerve stimulation. Surgical implantable vagal nerve stimulators are expensive and their discomfort limits their use. Non-invasive vagal nerve stimulation is found to be effective. The purpose of the study was to find the effect of transcutaneous auricular vagal nerve stimulation on treating post-traumatic stress disorder among post-COVID-19 geriatric survivors.
Materials & Methods: The study was conducted with 24 geriatric participants, who were diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. Participants were randomly allocated into the taVNS group and the JPMRT group during a four-week period (one month); the taVNS group received transcutaneous auricular vagal nerve stimulation, and the JPMRT group received the Jacobson progressive muscle relaxation technique. Each week, four sessions were held, and each session lasted 30 minutes. Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) was used as an outcome measure.
Findings: When compared to the JPMRT group, the taVNS group demonstrated a significant difference in reducing post-traumatic stress. Post-test values of the taVNS group in IES-R had a significant difference (p<0.001).
Conclusion: Transcutaneous auricular vagal nerve stimulation is more effective than Jacobson’s progressive muscle relaxation technique in reducing post-traumatic stress disorder among elderly survivors of COVID-19.
 

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The impact of land use intensity on the abundance and diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) was investigated at six land use types viz., natural forest, grassland, acacia plantations, cardamom plantations, coffee plantations and paddy fields in the Niligiri Biosphere of the Western Ghats in South India. There was no significant difference in AMF root colonization in different land use types during pre-monsoon but there was a significant difference in AMF root infection ratings between different land use types during post-monsoon season, where it was higher in natural forests and grasslands. The AMF spore density and infective propagules were significantly higher in grasslands and acacia plantations compared to all other land use types during both seasons. Except for paddy fields, the spore density and number of infective propagules were higher in post-monsoon season compared to pre-monsoon season in other land use types. The numbers of AMF species identified were 56 during pre-monsoon and 67 species during post-monsoon season suggesting seasonal variations in diversity. During both seasons Glomus fasciculatum was recorded in maximum number of sampling points across the landscape followed by G. geosporum during pre-monsoon and G. mosseae during post-monsoon season. The species diversity was highest in natural forests and grasslands as compared to other land use types in both seasons. The species richness index for AMF was highest in natural forests and least in paddy fields during both study periods. The sand content, bulk density, total N, organic C, alkaline and acid phosphatases positively correlated with AMF activity while clay, silt, K, total P and available P were negatively correlated.

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The authors of the present paper studied some aspects of hydro and agrometeorological phenomena in terms of humidness, dryness and crop growing periods over India. Revised water balance model is used to obtain the above and the results are examined during the two half centuries i.e 1901 to 1950 and 1951 to 1995 in delineating the climate change impacts over India. Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) for All India is related to aridity and humidity indices to understand the dry and wet spells over India. The paper also holds its stand on the analysis and the trends of thermo and hygric components such as precipitation, maximum and minimum temperatures, water need, actual evapotranspiration and soil moisture for All India. The return rates of All India maximum and minimum rainfall and temperatures are obtained for different time intervals using Extreme Value Analysis, that might be useful in assessing the impact and thereby to plan over the risk management for the better environmental and thus the human sustainability.

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Effect of different CO₂ concentrations on sucrose metabolizing enzymes and on carbohydrate metabolism was studied for eight blackgram (Vigna mungo L. Hepper) genotypes grown in open top chambers under ambient (380 µmol mol^-1) vs. elevated CO₂ (550 and 700 µmol mol^-1) levels. The higher acid invertase activity over neutral invertase indicated the major role of acid invertase in sucrose breakdown. Higher acid invertase activity over Sucrose Synthase (SuSy) suggested the major role of invertase in sucrose breakdown and sucrolysis. Sucrose Phosphate Synthase (SPS) activity did not match with sucrose pool sizes in mature leaves and rather varied among genotypes. Plants exposed to higher CO₂ concentrations showed higher starch and sucrose contents as compared with those exposed to ambient CO₂. Leaf starch content being found several-folds higher than sucrose throughout the study indicated its major role in regulating assimilate partitioning. Increase in glucose vs. fructose concentrations for genotypes grown under elevated CO₂ conditions ranged from 20 to 90% and from 10 to 140%, respectively. The hexoses/sucrose ratio for elevated CO₂ concentration was approximately 0.8-1.6, however for ambient CO₂ content it approximately amounted to unity. Genotypes IC436720, IC519805, IC343952, and IC282009 with low hexose/sucrose ratio representing high CO₂ assimilation along with high sucrose formation indicated better tolerance to elevated CO₂ for carbon partitioning and carbohydrate metabolism. The up-regulation of leaf carbohydrate metabolizing enzymes of low hexose/sucrose as well as low sucrose/starch ratios for the genotype IC436720 (as compared with other genotypes) improved its photosynthetic capability which coupled with its better efficiency of carbon partitioning (indicative of better acclimation to elevated CO₂) could prove beneficial to its growth and productivity in the future change of climatic conditions.