9 research outputs found
Neutrino masses in R-parity violating supersymmetric models
We study neutrino masses and mixing in R-parity violating supersymmetric
models with generic soft supersymmetry breaking terms. Neutrinos acquire masses
from various sources: Tree level neutrino--neutralino mixing and loop effects
proportional to bilinear and/or trilinear R-parity violating parameters. Each
of these contributions is controlled by different parameters and have different
suppression or enhancement factors which we identified. Within an Abelian
horizontal symmetry framework these factors are related and specific
predictions can be made. We found that the main contributions to the neutrino
masses are from the tree level and the bilinear loops and that the observed
neutrino data can be accommodated once mild fine-tuning is allowed.Comment: 18 pages; minor typos corrected. To be published in Physical Review
Not Available
Not AvailableThe organic movement may have gained a place in the spotlight of the mainstream now, but it has not been like
that for long. Since the 1950s, organic farmers operating at a grassroots level have devised, tested and shared production
methods. Organic crop production in the organic farming system is gradually gaining momentum
worldwide. For achieving sustainable food–livelihood–environmental security, an array of alternatives to chemical
intensive agriculture is to be developed. Globally, 187 countries are involved in organic farming with 72.3 million ha
land. The area of organic farming increased rapidly from 0.58 thousand ha in 2003–04 to 26.6 thousand ha in
2020–21, and many government schemes are initiated. Of the farmers involved in organic farming globally, 43.8%
are from India, but currently India shares only 4.7% to global area. Therefore, technology development is going to
play a critical role in enhancing the area, production and productivity. Integrated organic farming system models enhanced
the system productivity and resulted in net returns ` 171,867/ha in Umiam, Meghalaya to ` 433,490/ha
in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. Hence, organic farming endorses the one health approach to ensure healthy soil,
plant, animal, human and environment. Organic farming improves the ecosystem services through regenerative approach
for rehabilitation of food and farming systems. Therefore, it is an alternative viable option for sustainable
and clean food production with minimum environmental pollution. Organic farming practices are suitable for small and marginal farmers, especially for their sustainable livelihood food security and to minimize the risk. Sustained efforts
from research institutes, developmental organizations, progressive farmers, input dealers, processors and
other stakeholders are warranted for better adoption of organic farming in horticultural crops in the long run. In this article, suitable location–specific organic farming technologies for agricultural and horticultural crops are focused.Not Availabl
World’s soils are under threat
The Intergovernmental Technical Panel on Soils has completed the first State of the
World’s Soil Resources report. Globally soil erosion was identified as the gravest threat,
leading to deteriorating water quality in developed regions and to lowering of crop yields
in many developing regions. We need to increase nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer
use in infertile tropical and semi-tropical soils – the regions where the most food insecure
among us are found – while reducing global use of these products overall.
Stores of soil organic carbon are critical in the global carbon balance, and national
governments must set specific targets to stabilize or ideally increase soil organic carbon stores. Finally the quality of soil information available for policy formulation must
be improved – the regional assessments in the SWSR report frequently base their
evaluations on studies from the 1990s based on observations made in the 1980s or
earlier.JRC.H.5-Land Resources Managemen
Influence of nitrogen and sulfur fertilization on quality of canola (Brassica napus L.) under rainfed conditions*
Field experiments were conducted at Cereal Crops Research Institute, Pirsabak, Nowshera, Pakistan, during winter 2003~2004 and 2004~2005 to evaluate the effect of nitrogen and sulfur levels and methods of nitrogen application on canola (Brassica napus L. cv. Bulbul-98) under rainfed conditions. Four levels of S (0, 10, 20, and 30 kg/ha) and three levels of N (40, 60, and 80 kg/ha) and a control treatment with both nutrients at zero level were included in the experiments. Sulfur levels were applied at sowing while N levels were applied by three methods (100% soil application, 90% soil+10% foliar application, and 80% soil +20% foliar application). The experiments were laid out in randomized complete block (RCB) design having four replications. Oil content increased significantly up to 20 kg S/ha but further increase in S level did not enhance oil content. Glucosinolate content increased from 13.6 to 24.6 μmol/g as S rate was increased from 0 to 30 kg/ha. Protein content increased from 22.4% to 23.2% as S rate was increased from 0 to 20 kg/ha. Oil content responded negatively to the increasing N levels. The highest N level resulted in the highest values for protein (23.5%) and glucosinolate (19.9 μmol/g) contents. Methods of N application had no significant impact on any parameters under study
Complement activation induces excessive T cell cytotoxicity in severe COVID-19
Severe COVID-19 is linked to both dysfunctional immune response and unrestrained immunopathology, and it remains unclear whether T cells contribute to disease pathology. Here, we combined single-cell transcriptomics and single-cell proteomics with mechanistic studies to assess pathogenic T cell functions and inducing signals. We identified highly activated, CD16(+) T cells with increased cytotoxic functions in severe COVID-19. CD16 expression enabled immune complex-mediated, T cell receptor-independent degranulation and cytotoxicity not found in other diseases. CD16(+) T cells from COVID-19 patients promoted microvascular endothelial cell injury and release of neutrophil and monocyte chemoattractants. CD16(+) T cell clones persisted beyond acute disease maintaining their cytotoxic phenotype. Increased generation of C3a in severe COVID-19 induced activated CD16(+) cytotoxic T cells. Proportions of activated CD16(+) T cells and plasma levels of complement proteins upstream of C3a were associated with fatal outcome of COVID-19, supporting a pathological role of exacerbated cytotoxicity and complement activation in COVID-19
Contingency view on technological differentiation and firm performance: evidence in an economic downturn
Flavour Physics of Leptons and Dipole Moments.
This chapter of the report of the ``Flavour in the era of the LHC'' Workshop
discusses the theoretical, phenomenological and experimental issues related to
flavour phenomena in the charged lepton sector and in flavour-conserving
CP-violating processes. We review the current experimental limits and the main
theoretical models for the flavour structure of fundamental particles. We
analyze the phenomenological consequences of the available data, setting
constraints on explicit models beyond the Standard Model, presenting benchmarks
for the discovery potential of forthcoming measurements both at the LHC and at
low energy, and exploring options for possible future experiments.Comment: Report of Working Group 3 of the CERN Workshop ``Flavour in the era
of the LHC'', Geneva, Switzerland, November 2005 -- March 200