Effect of fertilizer in controlling weeds under intercropping of pearl millet and red bean in Sistan region, Iran

This experiment was conducted at the Agriculture Research Center of Zabol University during 2007 cropping season. The experimental design was split plot, using randomized complete block design with three replications. The factors included were, main factors: unfertilized (F1), 100% fertilizer (F2), 100% manure (F3), 50% fertilizer + 50% manure (F4) and five sub factors: sole crop of millet (I1), 75% millet + 25% bean (I2), 50% millet + 50% bean (I3), 25% millet + 75% bean (I4) and sole crop of bean (I5). The plants were planted as replacement method. The results showed that the lowest dry matter for crops and total dry matter of weeds was achieved from 50% fertilizer + 50% manure treatment. Also, the highest total dry matter of millet and bean was obtained from this treatment. The highest dry matter of millet and bean was obtained from the sole crop of millet and bean. Further, the highest total dry matter of millet and bean was achieved from the intercropping treatments. The land equivalent ratio (LER) for most of the intercropping treatments was greater than one which indicated that intercropping had advantage over sole crop. Comparing the performance of sole crop and intercrop treatments, the results indicated that intercropping combinations were more advantageous in terms of weed control.Key words: Intercropping, pearl millet, red bean, weeds, land equivalent ratio, yield

Structural and functional conservation of the human homolog of the Schizosaccharomyces pombe rad2 gene, which is required for chromosome segregation and recovery from DNA damage

The rad2 mutant of Schizosaccharomyces pombe is sensitive to UV irradiation and deficient in the repair of UV damage. In addition, it has a very high degree of chromosome loss and/or nondisjunction. We have cloned the rad2 gene and have shown it to be a member of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae RAD2/S. pombe rad13/human XPG family. Using degenerate PCR, we have cloned the human homolog of the rad2 gene. Human cDNA has 55% amino acid sequence identity to the rad2 gene and is able to complement the UV sensitivity of the rad2 null mutant. We have thus isolated a novel human gene which is likely to be involved both in controlling the fidelity of chromosome segregation and in the repair of UV-induced DNA damage. Its involvement in two fundamental processes for maintaining chromosomal integrity suggests that it is likely to be an important component of cancer avoidance mechanisms

Effect of irrigation frequency and application levels of sulphur fertilizer on water use efficiency and yield of Indian mustard (Brassica juncea)

A field experiment was conducted at Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi during the crop season of 2007 to 2008 and 2008 to 2009 to study the effect of irrigation and sulphur on yield and water use efficiency of Indian mustard (Brassica juncea var. PusaJagannath). The experiment was carried out in split plot design with three replications. The treatments consisted of three levels of irrigation in the main plots [no irrigation, one irrigation at 45 days after sowing (DAS), and two irrigations at 45 DAS and 90 DAS] and four levels of sulphur in sub-plots (0, 15, 30, and 45 kg S/ha). The results showed that in both years of experimentation, application of two irrigations significantly increased the India mustard yield as indicated by dry matter accumulation, seed production, biological/biomass yield, and harvest index, in comparison to no irrigation. Also, the application of two irrigations, been on par with one irrigation, significantly enhanced seed and biological yield to 20.6 and 78.0 q/ha respectively in the first year, and 22.9 and 86.7 q/ha respectively in the second year, and the highest harvest index was obtained from the application of two irrigations in both years of the study. Water use efficiency as indicated by seasonal consumptive water use increased progressively with the increasing number of irrigations. Also, the amount of soil moisture extraction by the crop from upper layers increased and those from lower depth decreased with increase in the level of irrigation (from no irrigation to two irrigations) in both years of the study. Application of two irrigations to mustard gave higher net (yield) return and benefit-cost (B: C ratio) over one irrigation, which in turn, gave higher net benefit-cost return and B: C ratio than no irrigation. The increasing levels of sulphur application increased Indian mustard dry matter accumulation, seed and biological yield and harvest index. Seasonal consumptive water use by the crop and water use efficiency increased progressively with the increase level of sulphur application up to 45 kg S/ha . Quantity of soil moisture extraction from deeper layer increased with increase in the levels of sulphur application.Key words: Indian mustard, Irrigation, Sulphur, Water use efficiency, Economic evaluation

Impact of Health Literacy, Self-efficacy, and Outcome Expectations on Adherence to Self-care Behaviors in Iranians with Type 2 Diabetes.

OBJECTIVES: Diabetic patients with higher health literacy (HL) may feel more confident in their ability to perform self-care behaviors and may have strong beliefs that diabetes-related behaviors will lead to specific outcomes. Our study aimed to document the relationships between HL, self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and diabetes self-care of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Iran. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional observational study of 187 patients with T2DM. Participants completed the Functional Communicative and Critical Health Literacy scale, the Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities, the Diabetes Management Self-Efficacy Scale, Outcome Expectations Questionnaire, and a demographic questionnaire. RESULTS: Participants who received diabetes education (t = 5.79, p<0.001) and were married (F = 3.04, p<0.050) had better diabetes self-care behavior. There was a significant positive correlation between self-care behaviors and communicative HL (r = 0.455, p<0.010), critical HL (r = 0.297, p<0.010), self-efficacy (r = 0.512, p<0.010) and outcome expectations (r = 0.387, p<0.010). Diabetes education and marital status accounted for 16.9% of the variance in diabetes self-care. Self-efficacy, outcome expectations, communicative, and critical HL explained 28.0%, 1.5%, 3.7%, and 1.4% of the variance, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that the potential impact of self-efficacy, outcome expectations, communicative, and critical HL should be considered in the education program for patients with diabetes. We found self-efficacy to be the most important predictor of diabetes self-care. Therefore, the use of self-efficacy theory when designing patient education interventions could enhance diabetes self-care. It is essential that health care providers assess patient's HL levels to tailor health-related information specific to a domain of HL. This would fully inform patients and promote empowerment rather than simple compliance

Undulation Instability of Epithelial Tissues

Treating the epithelium as an incompressible fluid adjacent to a viscoelastic stroma, we find a novel hydrodynamic instability that leads to the formation of protrusions of the epithelium into the stroma. This instability is a candidate for epithelial fingering observed in vivo. It occurs for sufficiently large viscosity, cell-division rate and thickness of the dividing region in the epithelium. Our work provides physical insight into a potential mechanism by which interfaces between epithelia and stromas undulate, and potentially by which tissue dysplasia leads to cancerous invasion.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

A cyclic peptide inhibitor of HIF-1 heterodimerization that inhibits hypoxia signaling in cancer cells

Hypoxia inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) is a heterodimeric transcription factor that acts as the master regulator of cellular response to reduced oxygen levels, thus playing a key role in the adaptation, survival and progression of tumors. Here we report cyclo-CLLFVY, identified from a library of 3.2 million cyclic hexapeptides using a genetically encoded high-throughput screening platform, as an inhibitor of the HIF-1α/HIF-1β protein-protein interaction in vitro and in cells. The identified compound inhibits HIF-1 dimerization and transcription activity by binding to the PAS-B domain of HIF-1α, reducing HIF-1-mediated hypoxia response signaling in a variety of cell lines, without affecting the function of the closely related HIF-2 isoform. The reported cyclic peptide demonstrates the utility of our high-throughput screening platform for the identification of protein-protein interaction inhibitors, and forms the starting point for the development of HIF-1 targeted cancer therapeutics

PCR-RFLP detection of Haemoproteus spp. (Haemosporida: Haemoproteidae) in pigeon blood samples from Iran

This study was carried out to determine Haemoproteus spp. infection in pigeons in Iran. Blood sam-ples collected from pigeons were examined for Haemoproteus spp. using stained blood smears and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). For PCR, DNA was extracted from blood samples and a fragment of 617 bp in size subjected to PCR using HAEMF and HAEMR2 derived from cytochrome b gene of the parasite mitochondrial genome. A total number of 93 blood samples from pigeons were examined for Haemoproteus spp. of which 13 (13.97%) samples were positive in stained blood smears for Haemoproteus spp. and 27 (24.73%) were positive in PCR. Digestion of PCR product with AluI re-striction endonuclease generated only one distinct pattern for all positive samples, which is indicative of identical Haemoproteus spp. presence in infected pigeons. The results also revealed that PCR had higher sensitivity in detecting Haemoproteus spp. in pigeons