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Background: In this study, data were collected from the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and analyzed by Cox regression model. In addition, hazard functions and survival outcomes in COVID-19 patients were also analyzed.
Materials & Methods: One million simulated data on hospitalized patients’ characteristics with positive SARS-CoV-2 infection were collected from the Humanitarian Data Exchange Source in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo from December 2020 to June 2021. Several statistical techniques were developed in this study for data analysis, including Kaplan-Meier curves, log-rank test, Schoenfeld residual diagnostics, and likelihood ratio test.
Findings: This study finding showed that there was a 4.5% increase in the expected hazard per unit year increase in age. In addition, the risk of death was higher in males than in females, and patients with no signs of anorexia, ageusia, or anosmia, no history of diabetes or tuberculosis, normal pulse rates, and no hypoxemia had a greater survival rate than those with such health conditions.
Conclusion: This study finding revealed that covariates such as age, gender, anorexia, ageusia, anosmia, diabetes, and tuberculosis were expressively connected with higher mortality rates. In addition, hypoxemia and high pulse rate were associated with higher death rates; however, anti-inflammatory and anticoagulant agents were shown to reduce mortality rates, and multivitamin or vitamin C had a substantial impact on patient survival.

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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.

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Pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan (L) Millsp.) is a drought tolerant legume widely grown in the arid and semi-arid tropics of the world which possesses a deep and extensive root system that succors a number of important physiological and metabolic functions to cope with drought. Application of available functional genomics approaches to improve productivity under water deficit requires a better understanding of the mechanisms involved during pigeonpea’s response to water deficit stress. In order to identify the genes associated with water deficit in pigeonpea, Suppression Subtractive Hybridization cDNA library was constructed from polyethylene glycol-induced water deficit young root tissues from pigeonpea and 157 high quality ESTs were generated by sequencing of 300 random clones which resulted in 95 unigenes comprising 37 contigs and 58 singlets. The cluster analysis of ESTs revealed that the majority of the genes had significant similarity with known proteins available in the databases along with unique and hypothetical/uncharacterized proteins. These differential ESTs were characterized and genes relevant to the specific physiological processes were identified. Northern blot analysis revealed the up regulation of ornithine aminotransferase, cyclophilin, DREB and peroxidase. The differentially expressed sequences are conceived to serve as a potential source of stress inducible genes of the water deficit transcriptome and hence may provide useful information to understand the molecular mechanism of water deficit management in legumes. 

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 Genetic diversity in cluster bean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba L.; Fabaceae) genotypes was studied using Inter-Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) and Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) to derive conclusions about diversity analysis in groups of accessions of a germplasm. The two methods, individually as well as cumulatively revealed the range of diversity in profiles among 104 genotypes collected from different geographical regions of India. A simulated clustering of the collected plant genotypes was divided into defined affinity groups using Structure program and the cluster analysis of molecular markers data revealed six broad sub-clusters. These results were validated with a Principal Coordinate analysis. The combined data was more informative than either of the individual method data. The diversity range was found to be wide and the presence of six broad clusters suggests the existence of many genetic lineages that can constitute useful starting points for the use of germplasm diversity in the selection and improvement of the cluster bean crop.

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Linseed is an important oilseed and fibre crop predominantly grown in India. The aim of the present research was to evaluate genetic diversity and patterns of relationships among the 58 genotypes through 10 morphological traits and 12 polymorphic microsatellite (SSR) markers. Euclidean analysis of agro-morphological traits grouped the 58 genotypes into four clusters of which cluster I was the largest with 20 accessions while clusters II and IV were most genetically diverse due to maximum inter-cluster distance. Principal component analysis revealed three traits accounted for more than 86% of the total variation. A total of 41 alleles were amplified with 12 SSRs having an average of 5.71 alleles per primer locus. The Polymorphic Information Content (PIC) varied between 0.18 to 0.78. Based on Jaccard's similarity coefficient, the genetic distance varied from 0.07 to 0.89 with an average of 0.54±0.10. The genotypes RKY-14, KL-213, LC-185 and Kartika were found to be the most divergent among all the genotypes studied on the basis of genetic distance. The most diverse genotypes identified in this study can be used in breeding programs to broaden the genetic base of the linseed germplasm.

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Potato (Solanum tuberosum ssp. tuberosum) cultivars grown under tropical conditions exhibit comparatively poor yields compared to the temperate conditions, hence, there is need for stable cultivars with greater yields. The interactions of four cultivars with ten environments for 2 years under All India Coordinated Research Project (Potato) across the country for 2 harvesting stage (75 and 90 DAP) revealed that the cultivars were significantly different among themselves for Total Yield (TY) and Marketable Yield (MY) harvested at 75 and 90 DAP at seven and eight environments, respectively. The pooled analysis showed a significant difference for cultivar and environmental main effects for all traits, indicating the existence of cultivars genetic variability justified from the heterogeneity of environments. The significant effect of G×E interaction for TY and MY at 90 DAP, and a non significance for the same traits at 75 DAP clearly indicated that the prevailing environments during early crop stage were uniform as compared to its later harvesting stage. Partitioning of G×E interaction into linear and non linear components were highly significant for all traits, strongly suggesting the real differences in cultivars for regression over environmental means and the response of cultivars to environment was controlled genetically. The cultivar K. Pukhraj was proven as early bulking and stable cultivar for TY and MY at 75 DAP and predictable in nature, as against K. Khyati which was stable cultivar for TY and MY at 90 DAP across growing environments. Hence, K. Khyati, which recorded the highest TY (27.45 t ha^-1) and MY (25.24 t ha^-1) for harvesting at 75 DAP, and TY (31.28 t ha^-1) and MY (28.19 t ha^-1) at 90 DAP, can be recommended for tropical conditions.

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The objective of this study was to investigate the physiological responses and biological yield of black cumin (Nigella sativa L.) to nitroxin biofertilizer and chemical nitrogen fertilizer in the form of urea under different irrigation regimes. A split plot experiment was conducted on the basis of randomized complete block design with three replications. The main factor included four irrigation regimes (i.e., weekly from emergence to harvest and withholding from blooming to maturity, flowering to maturity, and the start of seed formation to maturity) and sub-factor included five levels (i.e., no application of fertilizers, 80 kg N ha^-1, 40 kg N ha^-1, combination of 40 kg N ha^-1+nitroxin biofertilizers, and nitroxin biofertilizer). Application of 80 kg N ha^-1 under full irrigation and the combined application of 40 kg N ha^-1 and nitroxin under all withholding irrigations produced the highest glycinebetaine, polyphenol oxidase and catalase enzyme, total chlorophyll, and biological yield. Withholding irrigation from the blooming stage and also the application of 80 kg N ha^-1 resulted in the highest concentration of malondialdehyde. In combined application of 40 kg N ha^-1 and nitroxin, polyphenol oxidase, proline, and soluble protein were at the highest levels. Generally, the combined application of 40 kg N ha^-1 and nitroxin increased the activity of the antioxidant enzymes and the compatible osmolites accumulation under all withholding irrigation treatments and thus decreased the negative effects of drought stress on black cumin, resulting in increased biological yield.

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Salinity is one of the most important factors limiting plants growth and production in irrigated agriculture. The natural potential of salt tolerant plants like Kochia could be exploited through legume-containing intercropping systems as an effective strategy in mitigating the increasing salinity crisis.This experiment used split plots based on a randomized complete block design with three replications, in 2016 and 2017, at the Iranian National Salinity Research Center, Yazd, Iran. Water salinity was considered as the main factor (EC= 4, 9, and 14 dS m^-1) and the cropping system was considered as subfactor with seven levels including sole cropping of Kochia (Kochia scoparia), Sesbania (Sesbania aculeate), and Guar (Cyamopsiste tragonoliba) and their possible dual and triple intercropping systems. The highest absorbed light was observed in triple intercropping and the total forage yield in triple intercropping was increased by 5% and 4.1% at 4 and 9 dS m^-1 salinity, respectively, compared to that in Kochia sole cropping, while it decreased by 1.5% at 14 dS m^-1.The Land Equivalent Ratio (LER) values ranged from 0.99 to 1.33. The total crude protein yield in triple intercropping was increased by 55.8 to 66.3% as compared to Kochia sole cropping. The NDF (Neutral Detergent Fiber) and ADF (Acid Detergent Fiber) were decreased by 7 to 22% in various intercropping systems. Considering increased forage quantity and quality, mainly through decreasing NDF and increasing Dry Matter Intake (DMI) levels, cultivation of Kochia within triple intercropping systems can be recommended instead of Kochia sole cropping.

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Grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L.) is an important dual-purpose crop in drought and famine prone areas as it is used as human food as well as livestock feed and fodder. However, the variation for forage quality traits of grass pea remains largely unexplored. This study aimed to characterize the genetic diversity of grass pea collections from Africa, Asia, and Europe, and identify genotypes for superior agronomic and forage nutritional quality traits. The principal component analysis revealed that the first three principal components from nutritional quality parameters viz., NDF, ADF, cellulose, lignin and ash percent, and from agronomic traits viz., plant height, nodes per plant, leaf area, green and dry biomass accounted for the majority of the total variation. In addition, a total of 59 polymorphic alleles were detected at 11 SSR loci with an average of 5.36 alleles per locus and the polymorphic information content ranged from 0.49 to 0.76. Three accessions (IF1872, IF2177 and IF2156) with higher biomass than the check and four accessions (IF1327, IF1312, IL-10-76 and IF1307) with excellent nutritive value in both green forage as well as straw were identified. The present study revealed high genetic variation for biomass and nutritional quality traits in grass pea collections that could be useful for development of high-yielding, nutritionally rich, and dual-purpose varieties.

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The Himalayan foothills region of India is rich in the genetic diversity of okra, which is yet to be explored for its genetic divergence. To envisage the genetic diversity of this un-explored varietal collection, the genetic divergence among 25 genotypes of okra was estimated using Mahalanobis D² statistic. The indigenous and exotic lines were grouped into 6 clusters using Tocher’s methods. Results revealed that a higher number of genotypes were recorded under cluster I (19) and cluster IV (2), while cluster II, III, V and VI were mono-genotypic. A higher intra- cluster distance was observed between clusters I (13.42) and IV (7.47), whereas, a higher inter-cluster distance was found between clusters III and VI (111.03). The traits viz, Yellow Vein Mosaic Virus (YVMV) incidence (44.67 %) were contributing the highest towards the total genetic divergence. The present study revealed the detailed genetic divergence for different yield-attributing traits in okra. This study presents a strong basis for the selection and evolving of better recombinants for hybridization and quality improvement programme. This research bear utility in the form of germplasm conservation and crop improvement for selected indigenous/exotic genotypes grown in Himalayan foothills.