The transcription factors Egr2 and Egr3 are essential for the control of inflammation and antigen-induced proliferation of B and T cells

This article is available open access under a Creative Commons license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/). Copyright @ 2012 Elsevier Inc.Lymphocytes provide optimal responses against pathogens with minimal inflammatory pathology. However, the intrinsic mechanisms regulating these responses are unknown. Here, we report that deletion of both transcription factors Egr2 and Egr3 in lymphocytes resulted in a lethal autoimmune syndrome with excessive serum proinflammatory cytokines but also impaired antigen receptor-induced proliferation of B and T cells. Egr2- and Egr3-defective B and T cells had hyperactive signal transducer and activator of transcription-1 (STAT1) and STAT3 while antigen receptor-induced activation of transcription factor AP-1 was severely impaired. We discovered that Egr2 and/or Egr3 directly induced expression of suppressor of cytokine signaling-1 (SOCS1) and SOCS3, inhibitors of STAT1 and STAT3, and also blocked the function of Batf, an AP-1 inhibitor, in B and T cells. Thus, Egr2 and Egr3 regulate B and T cell function in adaptive immune responses and homeostasis by promoting antigen receptor signaling and controlling inflammation.Arthritis Research U

Tembotrione- a post-emergence herbicide for control of diverse weed flora in maize (Zea mays L.) in North-West India

Atrazine was the primary tool available for the control of weeds in maize. Being a pre-emergence, it provides effectivecontrol of some of the annual grasses and broadleaf weeds, but for complex weed flora, maize crop needssome post-emergence herbicide. The efficacy of tembotrione for post-emergence weed control in maize wasevaluated in a field study carried out during summer seasons in 2009, 2010 and 2011 and at farmers’ field in 2012.Tembotrione was applied at 100, 110 and 120 g a.i ha-1 along with 1000 ml ha-1 surfactant as post-emergence(20 days after sowing), atrazine 1000 g a.i ha-1 (standard) as PRE, weed free and unsprayed control were keptfor comparison. Tembotrione at 110 and 120 g ha-1 applied with surfactant 1000 ml ha-1 at 20 days after sowing,significantly reduced density and biomass of grasses and broadleaf weeds as compared to its lower dose of 100g ha-1, atrazine, and unsprayed control. Tembotrione showed reduced efficacy on *. POST application of tembotrione110-120 g ha-1 along with surfactant attained higher grain yields (7.33-7.40 t ha-1) than atrazine 1000 g ha-1,tembotrione 100 g ha-1 and unsprayed control and were at par with a weed-free chec

Securing the food system together: Innovation development with the farmer, for the farmer by the farmer

In recent years, the limitations of top-down approaches for development-oriented research have become apparent. Therefore, scientists have started to explore alternatives such as participatory research. By involving many stakeholders throughout the different stages of innovation development, participatory research helps tackling the multi-faceted challenges the global food system is facing today. Since almost a decade, the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL) has been running a large program called “Farming Systems Comparison in the Tropics” (SysCom) in Bolivia, India and Kenya. Besides maintaining four Long-Term farming systems comparison Experiments (LTE), Participatory On-farm Research (POR) is a strong component of SysCom. In POR, we aim at fostering sustainable agriculture by developing locally adapted solutions for specific challenges of farmers. Researchers, extension agents, private sector and farmers work together from the stage of problem identification to the achievement of results, and finally scaling them. By taking into account local knowledge and available resources, significant achievements have been made in all of the three countries. In India, we developed a new kind of phosphorous fertilizer for use in organic farming with which farmers substantially increased the yields of their main rotation crops across different types of soils and farms. We also standardized the preparation of homemade organic pesticides from different plants. In addition, we developed a practicable guide for pest monitoring in the small scale farmers’ context. In Bolivia, we tested different cocoa varieties. Results showed that some local selections were not only among the most productive, but also presented the earliest maturation and some degree of resistance to the frosty pod rot disease (Moniliophthora roreri). In Kenya, we addressed the lack of organic materials for soil fertility management. By testing different local residues and manures, as well as composting techniques, we brought forward a productivity innovation for local small scale farmers. On a local level, the results were made available in the form of leaflets, brochures and video clips. These were used by farmers, extension workers and other stakeholders. Combining applied science (LTE) with participatory action research (POR) is a powerful approach which has proven successful in SysCom. The beauty of this approach lies in the fact that it allows for multiple perceptions. However, it also comes with its own challenges which mainly lie in the fact that it requires different mindsets than traditional research approaches, as the whole process is relatively less controlled by researchers. If we teach and assist farmers to carry out research on their own farms, it will be easier for them to appreciate the effects of novel technologies which, in turn, will enhance their adoption

Semiclassical Tunneling of Wavepackets with Real Trajectories

Semiclassical approximations for tunneling processes usually involve complex trajectories or complex times. In this paper we use a previously derived approximation involving only real trajectories propagating in real time to describe the scattering of a Gaussian wavepacket by a finite square potential barrier. We show that the approximation describes both tunneling and interferences very accurately in the limit of small Plank's constant. We use these results to estimate the tunneling time of the wavepacket and find that, for high energies, the barrier slows down the wavepacket but that it speeds it up at energies comparable to the barrier height.Comment: 23 pages, 7 figures Revised text and figure

A Diagnosis of Biophysical and Socio-Economic Factors Influencing Farmers’ Choice to Adopt Organic or Conventional Farming Systems for Cotton Production

Organic agriculture is one of the most widely known alternative production systems advocated for its benefits to soil, environment, health and economic well-being of farming communities. Rapid increase in the market demand for organic products presents a remarkable opportunity for expansion of organic agriculture. A thorough understanding of the context specific motivations of farmers for adoption of organic farming systems is important so that appropriate policy measures are put in place. With an aim of understanding the social and biophysical motivations of organic and conventional cotton farmers for following their respective farming practices, a detailed farm survey was conducted in Nimar valley of Madhya Pradesh state in central India. The study area was chosen for being an important region for cotton production, where established organic and conventional farms operate under comparable circumstances. We found considerable variation among organic and conventional farmers for their social and biophysical motivations. Organic farmers were motivated by the sustainability of cotton production and growing safer food without pesticides, whereas conventional farmers were sensitive about their reputation in community. Organic farmers with larger holdings were more concerned about closed nutrient cycles and reducing their dependence on external inputs, whereas medium and small holding organic farmers were clearly motivated by the premium price of organic cotton. Higher productivity was the only important motivation for conventional farmers with larger land holdings. We also found considerable yield gaps among different farms, both under conventional and organic management, that need to be addressed through extension and training. Our findings suggest that research and policy measures need to be directed toward strengthening of extension services, local capacity building, enhancing availability of suitable inputs and market access for organic farmers

Design and fabrication of stent with negative Poisson's ratio

The negative Poisson's ratios can be described in terms of models based on the geometry of the system and the way this geometry changes due to applied loads. As the Poisson's ratio does not depend on scale hence deformation can take place at the nano to macro level the only requirement is the right combination of the geometry. Our thrust in this paper is to combine our knowledge of tailored enhanced mechanical properties of the materials having negative Poisson's ratio with the micromachining and electrospining technology to develop a novel stent carrying a drug delivery system. Therefore, the objective of this paper includes (i) fabrication of a micromachined metal sheet tailored with structure having negative Poisson's ratio through rotating solid squares geometry using femtosecond laser ablation; (ii) rolling fabricated structure and welding to make a tubular structure (iii) wrapping it with nanofibers of biocompatible polymer PCL(polycaprolactone) for drug delivery (iv) analysis of the functional performance and mechanical properties of fabricated structure analytically and experimentally. Further, as the applications concerned, tubular structures have potential in biomedical for example hollow tubes called stents are placed inside to provide mechanical support to a damaged artery or diseased region and to open a blocked esophagus thus allowing feeding capacity and improving quality of life

Can organic agriculture contribute to sustainable development in the tropics?

Agricultural intensification over last decades has resulted in a great increase of crop yields, but it also had a detrimental impact on biodiversity. The dramatic decline of arable weed diversity is a matter of great concern because weeds have an important ecological function as a key component of the food web of agroecosystems. Weeds are suitable indicators of management effects on wildlife diversity in arable crops because they have high sensitivity to cultivation measures and have a strong relation to other organism groups. Nevertheless, the effect of farming management on weed abundance and diversity will be more reliable on weed seed bank rather than on aboveground weed community because it is the result of processes that have occurred in the past and consequently, it could better reflect the effect of the agricultural practices over the years

Influence of Different Plant Species on Methane Emissions from Soil in a Restored Swiss Wetland

Plants are a major factor influencing methane emissions from wetlands, along with environmental parameters such as water table, temperature, pH, nutrients and soil carbon substrate. We conducted a field experiment to study how different plant species influence methane emissions from a wetland in Switzerland. The top 0.5 m of soil at this site had been removed five years earlier, leaving a substrate with very low methanogenic activity. We found a sixfold difference among plant species in their effect on methane emission rates: Molinia caerulea and Lysimachia vulgaris caused low emission rates, whereas Senecio paludosus, Carex flava, Juncus effusus and Typha latifolia caused relatively high rates. Centaurea jacea, Iris sibirica, and Carex davalliana caused intermediate rates. However, we found no effect of either plant biomass or plant functional groups – based on life form or productivity of the habitat – upon methane emission. Emissions were much lower than those usually reported in temperate wetlands, which we attribute to reduced concentrations of labile carbon following topsoil removal. Thus, unlike most wetland sites, methane production in this site was probably fuelled chiefly by root exudation from living plants and from root decay. We conclude that in most wetlands, where concentrations of labile carbon are much higher, these sources account for only a small proportion of the methane emitted. Our study confirms that plant species composition does influence methane emission from wetlands, and should be considered when developing measures to mitigate the greenhouse gas emissions

Development and Functional Analysis of Novel Genetic Promoters Using DNA Shuffling, Hybridization and a Combination Thereof

BACKGROUND: Development of novel synthetic promoters with enhanced regulatory activity is of great value for a diverse range of plant biotechnology applications. METHODOLOGY: Using the Figwort mosaic virus full-length transcript promoter (F) and the sub-genomic transcript promoter (FS) sequences, we generated two single shuffled promoter libraries (LssF and LssFS), two multiple shuffled promoter libraries (LmsFS-F and LmsF-FS), two hybrid promoters (FuasFScp and FSuasFcp) and two hybrid-shuffled promoter libraries (LhsFuasFScp and LhsFSuasFcp). Transient expression activities of approximately 50 shuffled promoter clones from each of these libraries were assayed in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum cv. Xanthi) protoplasts. It was observed that most of the shuffled promoters showed reduced activity compared to the two parent promoters (F and FS) and the CaMV35S promoter. In silico studies (computer simulated analyses) revealed that the reduced promoter activities of the shuffled promoters could be due to their higher helical stability. On the contrary, the hybrid promoters FuasFScp and FSuasFcp showed enhanced activities compared to F, FS and CaMV 35S in both transient and transgenic Nicotiana tabacum and Arabidopsis plants. Northern-blot and qRT-PCR data revealed a positive correlation between transcription and enzymatic activity in transgenic tobacco plants expressing hybrid promoters. Histochemical/X-gluc staining of whole transgenic seedlings/tissue-sections and fluorescence images of ImaGene Green™ treated roots and stems expressing the GUS reporter gene under the control of the FuasFScp and FSuasFcp promoters also support the above findings. Furthermore, protein extracts made from protoplasts expressing the human defensin (HNP-1) gene driven by hybrid promoters showed enhanced antibacterial activity compared to the CaMV35S promoter. SIGNIFICANCE/CONCLUSION: Both shuffled and hybrid promoters developed in the present study can be used as molecular tools to study the regulation of ectopic gene expression in plants

The Cyprinodon variegatus genome reveals gene expression changes underlying differences in skull morphology among closely related species

Genes in durophage intersection set at 15 dpf. This is a comma separated table of the genes in the 15 dpf durophage intersection set. Given are edgeR results for each pairwise comparison. Columns indicating whether a gene is included in the intersection set at a threshold of 1.5 or 2 fold are provided. (CSV 13 kb