Editorial: Crop response to density: Optimization of resource use to promote sustainability

This issue centered around plant population density and related topics; those were stem lodging and kernel abortion, decline and variability in solar radiation, leaf area index and the amount of intercepted photosynthetically active radiation, variability in optimum density and other topics for maize and other crops (sweet corn, wheat, grain sorghum, and barley)

Comparative Analysis of Super-Kamiokande and SNO Solar-Neutrino Data and the Photospheric Magnetic Field

We analyze Super-Kamiokande, SNO, and photospheric magnetic-field data for the common time interval, namely the SNO D2O phase. Concerning rotational modulation, the magnetic-field power spectrum shows the strongest peaks at the second and sixth harmonics of the solar synodic rotation frequency [3 nu(rot) and 7 nu(rot)]. The restricted Super-Kamiokande dataset shows strong modulation at the second harmonic. The SNO D2O dataset shows weak modulation at that frequency, but strong modulation in the sixth-harmonic frequency band. We estimate the significance level of the correspondence of the Super-Kamiokande second-harmonic peak with the corresponding magnetic-field peak to be 0.0004, and the significance level of the correspondence of the SNO D2O sixth-harmonic peak with the corresponding magnetic-field peak to be 0.009. By estimating the amplitude of the modulation of the solar neutrino flux at the second harmonic from the restricted Super-Kamiokande dataset, we find that the weak power at that frequency in the SNO D2O power spectrum is not particularly surprising. Concerning 9.43 yr-1, we find no peak at this frequency in the power spectrum formed from the restricted Super-Kamiokande dataset, so it is no surprise that this peak does not show up in the SNO D2O dataset, either.Comment: 32 pages, 8 tables, 16 figure

Experimental Study on Autogenous TIG Welding of Mild Steel Material Using Lathe Machine

Tungsten Inert Gas welding (TIG) is additionally called Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW), is a kind of advance arc welding process which become a popular choice when a weld of high level quality or considerable precision welding is needed. However, the key issues of TIG welding process are its slow welding speed and restricted to lower thickness material in single pass. In this work, autogenous Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) welding has been performed with the help of lathe machine on 5 millimeter thick AISI 1020 mild steel plate without using any kind of filler material. Here a wide range of welding current and scan speed has been tested for getting a full penetration type welding. Activated flux has additionally been accustomed to improve the weld depth. After performing the welding by maintaining completely different gap between plates to be welded, tensile strength and weld bead geometry of the weld has been investigated here. It is noted that, with the help of maintaining a suitable gap full penetration welding of the plate can be done which gives strength almost similar to the base material

Blood stage malaria antigens induce different activation-induced cell death programs in splenic CD4<SUP>+</SUP> T cells

CD4+ T cells respond to antigen immunization through a process of activation, clonal expansion to generate activated effector T cells followed by activation-induced clonal deletion of the responding T cells. While loss of responding T cells in post-activation death by apoptosis is a major factor regulating immune homeostasis, the precise pathways involved in downsizing of Plasmodium falciparum antigen-induced T cell expansions are not well characterized. We report in this study that splenic CD4+ T cells from mice immunized with nonreplicating immunogens like OVA or recombinant blood stage P. falciparum antigens, PfMSP-3 and PfMSP-119 or crude parasite antigen (PfAg) undergo sequential T cell activation, proliferation followed by activation-induced cell death (AICD) in a dose- and time-dependent manner after Ag restimulation. While PfMSP-3 and OVA-induced AICD was mediated through a death receptor-dependent apoptotic program, PfMSP-119 and PfAg-induced AICD was via a mechanism dependent on the activation of mitochondria apoptosis signalling pathway through Bax activation. These results provide insights into the mechanism through which two blood stage merozoite antigens trigger different apoptotic programs of AICD in splenic CD4+ T cells

Single grain (LRE)-Ba-Cu-O superconductors fabricated by top seeded melt growth in air

We have recently reported a practical processing method for the fabrication in air of large, single grain (LRE)-Ba-Cu-O [where LRE Nd, Sm, Eu and Gd] bulk superconductors that exhibit high Tc and high Jc. The process is based initially on the development of a new type of generic seed crystal that can promote effectively the epitaxial nucleation of any (RE)-Ba-Cu-O system and, secondly, by suppressing the formation of (LRE)/Ba solid solution in a controlled manner within large LRE-Ba-Cu-O grains processed in air. In this paper we investigate the degree of homogeneity of large grain Sm-Ba-Cu-O superconductors fabricated by this novel process. The technique offers a significant degree of freedom in terms of processing parameters and reproducibility in the growth of oriented single grains in air and yields bulk samples with significantly improved superconducting and field-trapping properties compared to those processed by conventional top seeded melt growth (TSMG)

Screening for Tolerance to Salinity and Waterlogging: Case Studies with Pigeonpea and Chickpea

Genotypic differences exist in both pigeonpea and chickpea for tolerance to soil salinity, and in pigeonpea for tolerance to short-term waterlogging. Some progress has been made at ICRISAT in developing field and laboratory screening methods to detect these differences. Many advanced breeding lines and cultivars with tolerance to soil salinity and short-term waterlogging have been identified. To identify even better sources of tolerance to salinity and waterlogging, there is a need to screen a much wider ranger of genetic material for both crops

Can pigeonpea hybrids negotiate stresses better than inbred cultivars?

Pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.] is an important rainfed pulse crop of tropics and sub-tropics, and during its long growth cycle of 6–9 months it encounters a number of biotic and abiotic stresses. The recently developed CMS-based pigeonpea hybrids have demonstrated large gains in yield and stability over the traditional inbred cultivars. In this review, the authors argue that the heterosis expressed in traits like seed germination, radicle growth, root biomass production and moisture retention during water stress confers advantages to hybrid plants in negotiating a few abiotic and biotic stresses in much better way than pure line cultivars