Irrigation management and its effect on productivity under Parambikulam Aliyar Project in Tamil Nadu

While at the national level, area under surface irrigation has been increasing, in Tamil Nadu, it has been declining. There is an increased reliance on groundwater sources of irrigation. This highlights the need for improving quality and reliability of canal irrigation in order to increase net irrigated area and improve water productivity in agriculture. In surface irrigation systems, where scarcity in supply is experienced, conjunctive use of groundwater helps to achieve better yield. However, in larger surface irrigation, which supplies water to dry crops – there is a need to assess the effect of conjunctive use in different segments of the command taking into account several other factors such as climatic conditions, local rainfall and sub surface geology. This is because not all parts of the command area get adequate supply, which in turn leads to poor recharge of wells. The paper looks at conjunctive use for irrigation management in the Parambikulam Aliyar Project in Tamil Nadu.Length: pp.819-840Surface irrigationGroundwaterConjunctive useWater distributionIrrigation programsIrrigation schedulingCrop management

Focal Increased Radiopharmaceutical Uptake Differentiation Using Quantitative Indices

Focal increased radiopharmaceutical uptake in a lesion results in focal Hot Spots in the scans. This can occur in benign infective or inflammatory disorders and cancerous diseases as well. Comparison between malignant and benign lesions is important. The Hot spots can be classified into benign and malignant lesions by Spatial Scintimetry or Temporal Scintimetry. Spatial Scintimetry compares the uptake in the region of interest with the adjacent tissue or the unaffected contralateral site. The quantitative indices are lesion/non lesion ratio, lesion/background activity and lesion to Bone ratio etc. The Temporal Scintimetry relies on the changes in the counts or uptake in the Hotspot lesion with reference to the dual point time of acquisition. The Hotspot in the bone scan can be classified using the quantitative index of retention ratio by Dr. V. Siva and Israel. In PET studies the focal hot spots can be differentiated into benign and malignant lesion using the dual phase PETCT evaluation using the Rong’s Retention ratio and Dr. V. Siva’s modified RRI values

Hydrogel-based delivery of antimiR-221 enhances cartilage regeneration by endogenous cells

Articular cartilage is frequently injured by trauma or osteoarthritis, with limited and inadequate treatment options. We investigated a new strategy based on hydrogel-mediated delivery of a locked nucleic acid microRNA inhibitor targeting miR-221 (antimiR-221) to guide in situ cartilage repair by endogenous cells. First, we showed that transfection of antimiR-221 into human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (hMSCs) blocked miR-221 expression and enhanced chondrogenesis in vitro. Next, we loaded a fibrin/hyaluronan (FB/HA) hydrogel with antimiR-221 in combination or not with lipofectamine carrier. FB/HA strongly retained functional antimiR-221 over 14 days of in vitro culture, and provided a supportive environment for cell transfection, as validated by flow cytometry and qRT-PCR analysis. Seeding of hMSCs on the surface of antimiR-221 loaded FB/HA led to invasion of the hydrogel and miR-221 knockdown in situ within 7 days. Overall, the use of lipofectamine e

Bone Marrow–Harvesting Technique Influences Functional Heterogeneity of Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cells and Cartilage Regeneration

Background: Connective tissue progenitors (CTPs) from native bone marrow (BM) or their culture-expanded progeny, often referred to as mesenchymal stem/stromal cells, represents a promising strategy for treatment of cartilage injuries. But the cartilage regeneration capacity of these cells remains unpredictable because of cell heterogeneity. Hypothesis: The harvest technique of BM may highly influence stem cell heterogeneity and, thus, cartilage formation because these cells have distinct spatial localization within BM from the same bone. Study Design: Controlled laboratory study. Methods: CTPs obtained from the femur of patients undergoing total hip replacement by 2 harvest techniques—BM aspiration and BM collection—after bone rasping were immunophenotyped by flow cytometry and evaluated for chondrogenic ability. The spatial localization of different CTP subsets in BM was verified by immunohistochemistry. Results: Cells from the BM after rasping were significantly more chondrogenic than the donor-matched aspirate, whereas no notable difference in their osteogenic or adipogenic potential was observed. The authors then assessed whether distinct immunophenotypically defined CTP subsets were responsible for the different chondrogenic capacity. Cells directly isolated from BM after rasping contained a higher percentage (mean, 7.2-fold) of CD45–CD2711CD561 CTPs as compared with BM aspirates. The presence of this subset in the harvested BM strongly correlated with chondrogenic ability, showing that CD2711CD561 cells are enriched in chondroprogenitors. Furthermore, evaluation of these CTP subsets in BM revealed that CD2711CD561 cells were localized in the bone-lining regions whereas CD2711CD56– cells were found in the perivascular regions. Since the iliac crest remains a frequent site of BM harvest for musculoskeletal regeneration, the authors also compared the spatial distribution of these subsets in trabeculae of femoral head and iliac crest and found CD2711CD561 bone-lining cells in both tissues. Conclusion: Chondrogenically distinct CTP subsets have distinct spatial localization in BM; hence, the harvest technique of BM determines the efficiency of cartilage formation. Clinical Relevance: The harvest technique of BM may be of major importance in determining the clinical success of BM mesenchymal stem/stromal cells in cartilage repair

Evaluation of biomimetic hyaluronic-based hydrogels with enhanced endogenous cell recruitment and cartilage matrix formation

Biomaterials play a pivotal role in cell-free cartilage repair approaches, where cells must migrate through the scaffold, fill the defect, and then proliferate and differentiate facilitating tissue remodeling. Here we used multiple assays to test the influence of chemokines and growth factors on cell migration and cartilage repair in two different hyaluronan (HA)-based hydrogels. We first investigated bone marrow Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (BMSC) migration in vitro, in response to different concentrations of platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB), chemokine ligand 5 (CCL5/RANTES) and stromal cell-derived factor 1 (SDF-1), using a 3D spheroid-based assay. PDGF-BB was selected as most favourable chemotactic agent, and MSC migration was assessed in the context of physical impediment to cell recruitment by testing Fibrin-HA and HA-Tyramine hydrogels of different cross-linking densities. Supplementation of PDGF-BB stimulated progressive migration of MSC through the gels over time. We then investigated in situ cell migration into the hydrogels with and without PDGF-BB, using a cartilage-bone explant model implanted subcutaneously in athymic mice. In vivo studies show that when placed into an osteochondral defect, both hydrogels supported endogenous cell infiltration and provided an amenable microenvironment for cartilage production. These processes were best supported in Fibrin-HA hydrogel in the absence of PDGF-BB. This study used an advanced preclinical testing platform to select an appropriate microenvironment provided by implanted hydrogels, demonstrating that HA-based hydrogels can promote the initial and critical step of endogenous cell recruitment and circumvent some of the clinical challenges in cartilage tissue repair. Statement of significance: The challenge of articular cartilage repair arises from its complex structure and architecture, which confers the unique mechanical behavior of the extracellular matrix. The aim of our research is to identify biomaterials for implants that can support migration of endogenous stem and progenitor cell populations from cartilage and bone tissue, in order to permanently replace damaged cartilage with the original hyaline structure. Here, we present an in vitro 3D spheroid-based migration assay and an osteochondral defect model, which provide the opportunity to assess biomaterials and biomolecules, and to get stronger experimental evidence of the not well-characterized dynamic process of endogenous cells colonization in an osteochondral defect. Furthermore, the delicate step of early cell migration into biomaterials towards functional tissue engineering is reproduced. These tests can be used for pre-clinical testing of newly developed material designs in the field of scaffold engineering

Human embryonic stem cells: preclinical perspectives

Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) have been extensively discussed in public and scientific communities for their potential in treating diseases and injuries. However, not much has been achieved in turning them into safe therapeutic agents. The hurdles in transforming hESCs to therapies start right with the way these cells are derived and maintained in the laboratory, and goes up-to clinical complications related to need for patient specific cell lines, gender specific aspects, age of the cells, and several post transplantation uncertainties. The different types of cells derived through directed differentiation of hESC and used successfully in animal disease and injury models are described briefly. This review gives a brief outlook on the present and the future of hESC based therapies, and talks about the technological advances required for a safe transition from laboratory to clinic

Why Tank Systems Need to be Revitalized: Kaveripakkam Tank in Tamil Nadu

In the past tank systems of water storage and use played an important role in the region’s prosperity. In recent times these tanks are being neglected. A case in point is the Kaveripakkam tank in Tamil Nadu.. .tanks, tank systems, Kaveripakkam, Palar, Tamil Nadu,irrigation, water usage, Agricultural Studies, Economics

Expansion of occurrence of two bat crabs (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Parthenopidae) from the West to the Southeast Coast of India

Studies of distribution of any marine organism are very important to know the span of expansion in the oceans and to find out the factors behind that occurrence. In the present study two species of crabs, Cryptopodia fornicata and Cryptopodia angulata (Crustacea, Brachyura, Parthenopidae) were reported for the first time in the Point Calimere coastal region, Southeast Coast of India. All the specimens were found to be sexually mature. This is the rare occurrence of these two bat crabs in Indian Coast which expands in its known range. In the present observation records a second distributional area of the species and significantly extends the range from the West coast to the Southeast coast of India

Utility of 99m Tc DTPA Renogram in the evaluation of renal dysfunction associated with coronary artery disease in a hypertensive patient

Abstract Essential hypertension has adverse effects on both renal and heart function. There is an underlying relation between CKD (Chronic Kidney Disease) and CAD (Coronary Artery Disease).Patients with CKD has more severe CAD and prognosis of renal function is poor in patients with severe CAD. In the present study we are reporting the utility of 99mTc DTPA (diethylene triamine penta acetic acid) renogram in proving cardio renal association in a patient with AOE (angina on exertion) II, HTN (Hypertension) diagnosed with CAD b