Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of White Ponni, a non-basmati variety of indica rice (Oryza sativa L.)

We report successful Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of a popular rice variety White Ponni, a non-basmati indica rice (Oryza sativa L.). Scutellumderived calluses of White Ponni were transformed with Agrobacterium strain LBA4404 (pSB1) harbouring the binary vector pMKU-RF2 with rice chi11 gene. Five independent transgenic White Ponni plants were generated from hygromycin-resistant calluses. Stable integration of the transgene was confirmed and copy numbers were determined by Southern analysis. Among the five plants, four possessed single-copy T-DNA integration events while one was found to have two integrated copies of T-DNA. Western analysis revealed a higher level of chitinase accumulation in all the five T0 plants. Progeny analysis of T0 plants confirmed the inheritance of the transgene to the next generation

An instance of mass mortality in the Muttukadu farm near Madras during April 1983

An unusual mortality of fishes and other organisms was observed in the open site surrounding the farm at Mariculture Centre of CMFRI, Muttukadu.at 1983. During this season the prevailing high temperature and salinity and the enclosed nature of the water body, all resulted in an intense bloom of dinophytes. This led to oxygen depletion of the waters and then, very likely, of the mud. The regular operation of drag nets and gill nets has stirred up the mud and created large scale disturbance which, combined with the oxygen depletion, must have precipitated the crisis and led to the mortality of prawns and fishes

Service Life and Life-Cycle Assessment of Reinforced Concrete with Fly ash and Limestone Calcined Clay Cement

Environmental impact due to the emission of carbon dioxide during concrete production can be taken care by reducing the clinker content in the cement. The clinker content can be reduced by replacing it with fly ash and limestone calcined clay. Such systems can have a potential to exhibit enhanced durability/service life when exposed to chloride and carbon dioxide. However, estimating probabilistic service life of concretes with such alternative binder systems is difficult due to the lack of quantitative estimates of the input parameters such as chloride diffusion coefficient (DCl), ageing coefficient (m), carbonation coefficient (KCO2), and chloride threshold (Clth). This paper presents the experimentally observed estimates of these parameters for the following systems: (i) 100% OPC, (ii) 70% OPC + 30% fly ash, and (iii) limestone calcined clay cement (LC3) – known as OPC, PFA, and LC3 concretes, respectively, herein. A total of three concrete mixes were designed. Also, based on these input parameters, the probabilistic service life estimates of a bridge pier and a girder made of these three concretes and exposed to chlorides and carbon dioxide are presented. For chloride ingress study, Fick’s 2nd Law of diffusion and Clth have been used. For carbonation study, a recently developed model for estimating carbonation depth (using mixture proportion) have been used. Then, the life‑cycle assessment (LCA) of these three concrete systems in terms of the CO2 emissions per unit of concrete per year of estimated service life is presented - for both chloride and carbonation induced corrosion. In chloride laden environments, the service life of the bridge pier and girder systems could be enhanced by about 10 times by using fly ash or LC3 concretes – for similar strength grade concretes. Also, the average annual CO2 emissions (during the expected service life) of PFA and LC3 concretes could be about 3 and 7 times, respectively, lower than that of OPC concretes of similar strength grade. In case of carbonation-induced corrosion, the limited experimental data indicate that the PFA and LC3 concretes could exhibit a lower service life and higher average annual CO2 emissions (during the expected service life) than OPC concretes

Euclidean Greedy Drawings of Trees

Greedy embedding (or drawing) is a simple and efficient strategy to route messages in wireless sensor networks. For each source-destination pair of nodes s, t in a greedy embedding there is always a neighbor u of s that is closer to t according to some distance metric. The existence of greedy embeddings in the Euclidean plane R^2 is known for certain graph classes such as 3-connected planar graphs. We completely characterize the trees that admit a greedy embedding in R^2. This answers a question by Angelini et al. (Graph Drawing 2009) and is a further step in characterizing the graphs that admit Euclidean greedy embeddings.Comment: Expanded version of a paper to appear in the 21st European Symposium on Algorithms (ESA 2013). 24 pages, 20 figure

Investigation on Effect of Material Hardness in High Speed CNC End Milling Process

This research paper analyzes the effects of material properties on surface roughness, material removal rate, and tool wear on high speed CNC end milling process with various ferrous and nonferrous materials. The challenge of material specific decision on the process parameters of spindle speed, feed rate, depth of cut, coolant flow rate, cutting tool material, and type of coating for the cutting tool for required quality and quantity of production is addressed. Generally, decision made by the operator on floor is based on suggested values of the tool manufacturer or by trial and error method. This paper describes effect of various parameters on the surface roughness characteristics of the precision machining part. The prediction method suggested is based on various experimental analysis of parameters in different compositions of input conditions which would benefit the industry on standardization of high speed CNC end milling processes. The results show a basis for selection of parameters to get better results of surface roughness values as predicted by the case study results

LR characterization of chirotopes of finite planar families of pairwise disjoint convex bodies

We extend the classical LR characterization of chirotopes of finite planar families of points to chirotopes of finite planar families of pairwise disjoint convex bodies: a map \c{hi} on the set of 3-subsets of a finite set I is a chirotope of finite planar families of pairwise disjoint convex bodies if and only if for every 3-, 4-, and 5-subset J of I the restriction of \c{hi} to the set of 3-subsets of J is a chirotope of finite planar families of pairwise disjoint convex bodies. Our main tool is the polarity map, i.e., the map that assigns to a convex body the set of lines missing its interior, from which we derive the key notion of arrangements of double pseudolines, introduced for the first time in this paper.Comment: 100 pages, 73 figures; accepted manuscript versio

The Flavonoid Metabolite 2,4,6-Trihydroxybenzoic Acid Is a CDK Inhibitor and an Anti-Proliferative Agent: A Potential Role in Cancer Prevention

Flavonoids have emerged as promising compounds capable of preventing colorectal cancer (CRC) due to their anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It is hypothesized that the metabolites of flavonoids are primarily responsible for the observed anti-cancer effects owing to the unstable nature of the parent compounds and their degradation by colonic microflora. In this study, we investigated the ability of one metabolite, 2,4,6-trihydroxybenzoic acid (2,4,6-THBA) to inhibit Cyclin Dependent Kinase (CDK) activity and cancer cell proliferation. Using in vitro kinase assays, we demonstrated that 2,4,6-THBA dose-dependently inhibited CDKs 1, 2 and 4 and in silico studies identified key amino acids involved in these interactions. Interestingly, no significant CDK inhibition was observed with the structurally related compounds 3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoic acid (3,4,5-THBA) and phloroglucinol, suggesting that orientation of the functional groups and specific amino acid interactions may play a role in inhibition. We showed that cellular uptake of 2,4,6-THBA required the expression of functional SLC5A8, a monocarboxylic acid transporter. Consistent with this, in cells expressing functional SLC5A8, 2,4,6-THBA induced CDK inhibitory proteins p21Cip1 and p27Kip1 and inhibited cell proliferation. These findings, for the first time, suggest that the flavonoid metabolite 2,4,6-THBA may mediate its effects through a CDK- and SLC5A8-dependent pathway contributing to the prevention of CRC

Assessment of variability of peat physicochemical properties, subsidence and their interactions within Selangor forests

Tropical peat swamp forests are carbon-rich ecosystems both above- and belowground, which play a major role in the climate balance of the earth. The majority of the world's tropical peat forest cover is located in Southeast Asia and is increasingly threatened by anthropogenic disturbances. Despite their importance for biodiversity conservation and climatic balance of the earth, pristine peatlands are almost extinct in many parts of Southeast Asia. Peninsular Malaysia is one such region, where there are no undisturbed peatlands left in the west coast. We studied the largest peat forest area in the west coast of Malaysia, located in the state of Selangor. We evaluated variability of peat subsidence (for 1 year), peat physicochemical properties and macronutrient contents between forest regions and between different depths (not for subsidence) covering the top 50 cm, and the complex interactions between them. We found that there was significant peat subsidence in all the studied regions, however, there was no significant difference in subsidence between different forest regions. Physicochemical properties such as peat moisture, pH and carbon (C) content and all macronutrient contents except phosphorus (P), either varied between regions, or showed significant interactions between region and depth in Selangor peat forests. All the measured peat physicochemical properties varied with depth. Among macronutrients, only nitrogen (N), P and calcium (Ca) showed significant change with depth, while there were no changes with depth for sulphur (S), potassium (K) and magnesium (Mg) contents. These changes in each peat physicochemical property and macronutrient contents correlated with changes in other peat physicochemical properties and nutrient contents; however, there is a need for controlled experiments to further understand these significant interactions. The findings show continued carbon loss in secondary peat swamp forests through subsidence, indicating the long-term impact of selective logging and associated historical drainage. The significant variability of peat physicochemical properties and macronutrient contents with region and depth, also show the need for intensive sampling to characterise large secondary peat swamp forests

Clinical and cost-effectiveness of an adapted intervention for preschoolers with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities displaying behaviours that challenge: the EPICC-ID RCT

Background: Stepping Stones Triple P is an adapted intervention for parents of young children with developmental disabilities who display behaviours that challenge, aiming at teaching positive parenting techniques and promoting a positive parent-child relationship. Objective: To evaluate the clinical and cost-effectiveness of level 4 Stepping Stones Triple P in reducing behaviours that challenge in children with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities. Design, setting, participants: A parallel two-arm pragmatic multisite single-blind randomised controlled trial recruited a total of 261 dyads (parent and child). The children were aged 30-59 months and had moderate to severe intellectual disabilities. Participants were randomised, using a 3 : 2 allocation ratio, into the intervention arm (Stepping Stones Triple P; n = 155) or treatment as usual arm (n = 106). Participants were recruited from four study sites in Blackpool, North and South London and Newcastle. Intervention: Level 4 Stepping Stones Triple P consists of six group sessions and three individual phone or face-to-face contacts over 9 weeks. These were changed to remote sessions after 16 March 2020 due to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Main outcome measure: The primary outcome measure was the parent-reported Child Behaviour Checklist, which assesses the severity of behaviours that challenge. Results: We found a small non-significant difference in the mean Child Behaviour Checklist scores (-4.23, 95% CI -9.98 to 1.52, p = 0.146) in the intervention arm compared to treatment as usual at 12 months. Per protocol and complier average causal effect sensitivity analyses, which took into consideration the number of sessions attended, showed the Child Behaviour Checklist mean score difference at 12 months was lower in the intervention arm by -10.77 (95% CI -19.12 to -2.42, p = 0.014) and -11.53 (95% CI -26.97 to 3.91, p = 0.143), respectively. The Child Behaviour Checklist mean score difference between participants who were recruited before and after the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic was estimated as -7.12 (95% CI -13.44 to -0.81) and 7.61 (95% CI -5.43 to 20.64), respectively (p = 0.046), suggesting that any effect pre-pandemic may have reversed during the pandemic. There were no differences in all secondary measures. Stepping Stones Triple P is probably value for money to deliver (-\ua31057.88; 95% CI -\ua33218.6 to -\ua346.67), but decisions to roll this out as an alternative to existing parenting interventions or treatment as usual may be dependent on policymaker willingness to invest in early interventions to reduce behaviours that challenge. Parents reported the intervention boosted their confidence and skills, and the group format enabled them to learn from others and benefit from peer support. There were 20 serious adverse events reported during the study, but none were associated with the intervention. Limitations: There were low attendance rates in the Stepping Stones Triple P arm, as well as the coronavirus disease 2019-related challenges with recruitment and delivery of the intervention. Conclusions: Level 4 Stepping Stones Triple P did not reduce early onset behaviours that challenge in very young children with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities. However, there was an effect on child behaviours for those who received a sufficient dose of the intervention. There is a high probability of Stepping Stones Triple P being at least cost neutral and therefore worth considering as an early therapeutic option given the long-term consequences of behaviours that challenge on people and their social networks. Future work: Further research should investigate the implementation of parenting groups for behaviours that challenge in this population, as well as the optimal mode of delivery to maximise engagement and subsequent outcomes. Study registration: This study is registered as NCT03086876 (https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03086876?term=Hassiotis\ub1Angela&draw=1&rank=1). Funding: This award was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme (NIHR award ref: HTA 15/162/02) and is published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 28, No. 6. See the NIHR Funding and Awards website for further award information.Research shows that in children without learning disabilities, parenting groups which support parents to develop skills to manage behaviours that challenge in their child can be helpful. The National Institute of Health and Care Excellence recommended that more research was needed to strengthen the evidence for such interventions for children with moderate to severe learning disability who are more likely to display behaviours that challenge in England. In this study, we tested in real-world conditions a programme called level 4 Stepping Stones Triple P, which has shown positive results in trials outside of the United Kingdom. Trained therapists delivered six groups and three individual sessions over 9 weeks to parents of children aged 30–59 months with moderate to severe learning disabilities. Two hundred and sixty-one parents were allocated to one of two arms by chance (randomisation): one received Stepping Stones Triple P and treatment as usual and the other treatment as usual only. Treatment as usual included support and advice by general practitioners or community child development teams. Our primary outcome was parent-reported child behaviour at 12 months after randomisation. We also collected data on other outcomes and carried out interviews with parents, service managers and therapists to find out their views about Stepping Stones Triple P. We did not find that Stepping Stones Triple P reduces behaviours that challenge in the child more than treatment as usual at 12 months. However, when we looked at people who received more than half of the sessions, there was a larger reduction in behaviours which suggests that Stepping Stones Triple P works for families if they attend the full programme. Stepping Stones Triple P seems to be good value for money, as we found that at 12 months (covering 10 months of costs), the Stepping Stones Triple P cost \ua31058 less than treatment as usual from a health and social care perspective. As such, Stepping Stones Triple P is fairly cheap to deliver and a suitable early intervention for behaviours that challenge especially because of positive feedback from parents. Throughout the trial, we included a Parent Advisory Group that oversaw study materials, interview topic guides and promotion of the study