Seed yield and quality as affected by weed management practices in bitter gourd

Effect of weed management practices on seed yield and quality of bitter gourd var. Preethi wasstudied during 2016-17. The results showed that highest seed yield (0.73t/ha) was recorded inthe treatment Pendimethalin @0.75 a.i. /ha plus one hand weeding at 40 DAS followed bymulching using black polythene (0.65t/ha) which were on par. The lowest seed yield (0.18t/ha)was in weedy check. Weed control efficiency was highest (100%) in mulching with blackpolythene followed by application of pendimethalin +one hand weeding at 40DAS (97.97).Seed quality in terms of percentage germination (82.52) , vigour index I(1924.15) and Vigourindex II ( 27.24) were significantly superior in mulching with black polythene and was on parwith weed free check and application of Pendimenthalin + one hand weeding at 40 DAS.Highest seedling length (26.10cm) and seedling fresh weight (2.45g) were also recorded in thesame treatment. However, there was no significant difference between treatments for seedlingdry weight

First report on incidence of inflorescence blight and pod rot (Choanephora infundibulifera) on dolichos bean (Dolichos lablab, L.) and yard long beanin (Vignaunguiculata sub sp. sesquipedalis) India

Inflorescence blight and pod rot caused by Choanephorasp. were recorded in two major vegetable crops viz.dolichos bean and yard long bean at a very high degree of severity. Usually, the disease occurs in mild proportions without causing economic loss during rainy season in Kerala (June to September) affecting vegetable crops like cowpea and bhendi. However, during the year 2016, the disease was noticed with a very high severity of more than 90 per cent on two crops grown at two different locations in Thrissur district of Kerala during October to January. None of the commonly used fungicides could control the disease. The pathogen was found to be luxuriantly growing on the inflorescences of dolichos bean and on the fruits of yard long bean. The first incidence of the disease was recorded during the last week of October, 2016. The disease spread was almost cent per cent on susceptible genotypes of dolichos bean and more than 90 per cent in variety ‘Vaijayanthi’ of yard long bean. A study was conducted exploring the pre disposing factors leading to the occurrence of the disease in epidemic proportions.Meteorological factors affecting the disease were studied and it was found that there is positive correlation of the disease severity with increasing atmospheric temperature and rainfall.Atmospheric temperature more than 30oC along with high humidity and rain fall during the preceding week are found to be the major pre disposing factors lead to the epidemic in both the crops. The pathogen was isolated and based on morphological characters, identified as Choanephora sp. Pathogenicity was proved by inoculation on healthy inflorescence stalks.Molecular characterization of the pathogen confirmed the identity as Choanephora infundibulifera. This is the first report of the pathogen on dolichos bean and yard long bean in India

Hafnium carbide formation in oxygen deficient hafnium oxide thin films

On highly oxygen deficient thin films of hafnium oxide (hafnia, HfO$_{2-x}$) contaminated with adsorbates of carbon oxides, the formation of hafnium carbide (HfC$_x$) at the surface during vacuum annealing at temperatures as low as 600 {\deg}C is reported. Using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy the evolution of the HfC$_x$ surface layer related to a transformation from insulating into metallic state is monitored in situ. In contrast, for fully stoichiometric HfO$_2$ thin films prepared and measured under identical conditions, the formation of HfC$_x$ was not detectable suggesting that the enhanced adsorption of carbon oxides on oxygen deficient films provides a carbon source for the carbide formation. This shows that a high concentration of oxygen vacancies in carbon contaminated hafnia lowers considerably the formation energy of hafnium carbide. Thus, the presence of a sufficient amount of residual carbon in resistive random access memory devices might lead to a similar carbide formation within the conducting filaments due to Joule heating

HLA-DR2 subtypes & immune responses in pulmonary tuberculosis

Background & objectives: HLA-DR2 has been shown to be associated with the susceptibility to pulmonary tuberculosis and altered antibody and lymphocyte response in pulmonary tuberculosis. In the present study, the influence of DR2 subtypes on antibody titre and lymphocyte response ,to Mycobacterium tuberculosis culture filtrate antigens (10 μg/ml) was studied in 22 patients with active pulmonary TB (ATB), 50 inactive (cured) TB (ITB) patients and 36 healthy control subjects. Methods. HLA-DR2 gene was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and dot-blotted. Genotyping of DRBl*1501, *1502, *1503, *1601 and *1602 was carried out using sequence specific oligonucleotide probes (SSOPs) and detected by chemiluminescence method. Antibody titre as well as lymphocyte response to M.tuberculosis antigens were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and lymphocyte transformation test (LTT) respectively. Results: The allele frequency of DRB1*15Ol was significantly increased in pulmonary tuberculosis patients as compared to controls (P<0.05). No marked difference in the antibody titre and lymphocyte response to M. tuberculosis antigens was observed between the DRBl *1501, *1502 and *1503 positive or negative controls, ATB and ITB patients. DRBl *1501 and *1502 positive as well as negative ATB patients showed a higher antibody titre as compared to controls and ITB patients. ITB patients with *1502 showed a higher lymphocyte response as compared to *1502 positive controls (P<0.001) and ATB patients (P<0.05). Similarly, an increased lymphocyte response was observed in *1501, and *I503 negative ITB patients compared to *1501 and *1503 negative controls and ATB patients. Interpretation & conclusion: The present study revealed that DRBl *1501 may be associated either alone or with other DR2 alleles, with the susceptibility to pulmonary tuberculosis. None of the DR2 alleles influenced the antibody and lymphocyte response to M tuberculosis culture filtrate antigens. This suggested that HLA-DR2 gene/gene products as a whole may influence the immune response in pulmonary tuberculosis

Numerical Modelling of Beach Erosion Along South West Coast of India During South–West Monsoon

Source: ICHE Conference Archive - https://mdi-de.baw.de/icheArchiv

Vitamin D receptor and interleukin-1 receptor antagonist gene polymorphism in spinal tuberculosis

Our earlier studies revealed that both MHC (Major Histocomptibility Complex) and non-MHC genes are associated with the susceptibility to pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). To find out whether non-MHC genes such as vitamin D receptor (VDR) and interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA) genes are associated with the susceptibility to spinal TB (extrapulmonary form of TB), the present study was carried out in spinal TB patients (n=66) and spouses of TB patients (spinal-TB and pulmonary-TB) ( n = 80) (family contacts). A trend towards an increased per cent genotype frequency of IL-1RA genotype variant 22 (12.1%) was seen in spinal TB patients when compared to the controls (3.8%) (spouses of the patients) (P=0.057; odds ratio 3.5). No difference was observed in the frequency of VDR genotypes between the overall spinal TB patients and the family contacts. However, the VDR mutant genotype tt was seen at a higher frequency in female patients with TB spine (TBS) (12.8%) than female contacts (4.2%) ( P >0.05 not significant; odds ratio 3.5). Among the contacts, a significantly increased frequency of wild type genotype TT (wild homozygotes) was seen in female contacts (55.1%) than male contacts (16.1%) (P =0.0012). Similarly a significant decrease in tt genotype was seen in female contacts (4.1%) than male contacts (25.8%) (P=0.012). The present study suggests that IL-1RA genotype 22 may be associated with the susceptibility to spinal TB. Moreover, vitamin D receptor tt genotype may be associated with the susceptibility to spinal TB in female patients. The study reveals that multicandidate genes may be associated with the susceptibility to spinal TB

Influence of non-MHC genes on lymphocyte response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigens and tuberculin status in Pulmonary tuberculosis

Background & objectives : Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes are known to influence the immune functions. In the present study, the influence of non-MHC genes such as mannose binding protein (MBP), vitamin D receptor (VDR) and interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-IRA) gene polymorphisms on lymphocyte response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis culture filtrate antigen (10 μg/ml) was studied in 44 patients with active pulmonary TB and the family contacts (35) and in 32 normal healthy subjects. The influence of these gene polymorphisms on tuberculin (1TU of PPD of M. tuberculosis) reactivity status in 146 pulmonary TB patients was also studied. Methods : The MBP and VDR genes were amplified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and genotyping was carried out using sequence specific oligonucleotide probes by dot blot and IL-1RA by agarose gel electrophoresis. Results : A significantly decreased lymphocyte response to M. tuberculosis antigen was seen in pulmonary TB patients positive for functional mutant homozygotes of MBP (00) compared to heterozygote carriers (AO; P<0.02) and wild homozygotes (AA; P<0.01). The variant mutant genotype (tt) of VDR gene was associated with an increased lymphocyte response in control subjects compared to active TB patients with tt genotype (P<0.05). Heterozygote carriers of MBP (AO) were associated with a significantly (P<0.001) decreased tuberculin reactivity compared to wild homozygotes (AA). The VDR genotype Tt (heterozygote carrier) was associated with an increased tuberculin reactivity in female TB patients as compared to male patients (P<0.001). Interpretation & conclusions : The present study suggested that MBP and VDR genes influence the cell mediated immune response in pulmonary TB patients. Non-MHC genes along with HLA-Class II genes/gene products may be playing an immunoregulatory role in the mechanism of susceptibility/resistance to tuberculosis

HLA-DR phenotypes and IgG, IgA and IgM antibody responses to Mycobacterium tuberculosis culture filtrate and 30 kDa antigens in pulmonary tuberculosis

The role of HLA-DR genetic make-up on the IgG, IgA and IgM antibody response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis culture filtrate and 30 kDa antigens was studied in pulmonary tuberculosis. The study was carried out in HLA-DR typed active pulmonary tuberculosis (ATB) patients (n = 37), inactive (cured) pulmonary tuberculosis (ITB) patients (n = 79) and normal healthy subjects (NHS; n = 46). In ATB and ITB (cured) patients, IgG antibody (optical density at 490 nm for 1 : 3200 dilution) as measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was the predominant one than IgA and IgM antibodies. Increased IgG antibody titre to culture filtrate (P = 0.03) and decreased titre to 30 kDa antigen were observed with HLA-DR1-positive ATB patients than non-DR1 (ATB) patients. Moreover, HLA-DR4- and HLA-DR6-positive ATB patients showed trends toward an increased IgG antibody response to 30 kDa antigen than HLA-DR4- and HLADR6- negative (ATB) patients respectively. Significantly increased IgA antibody to 30 kDa antigen was observed with HLA-DR1-positive ATB patients than non-DR1 patients (P = 0.03). The study suggests that multiple HLA-DR molecules may regulate the IgG and IgA antibody responses to various proteins of M. tuberculosis. Moreover, HLA-DR phenotypes and increased IgG and IgA antibody titres may be useful to differentiate M. tuberculosis-infected subjects from normal subjects and cured patients with the same HLA-DR phenotypes or genetic make-up

Numerical Modelling Studies on Tsunami Inundation along the Lakshadweep Islands

Source: ICHE Conference Archive - https://mdi-de.baw.de/icheArchiv

NRAMP1 gene polymorphism in pulmonary and spinal tuberculosis

NRAMP1 gene polymorphisms such as 823 C/T (exon 8), deletion of TGTG in the 3'-UTR (3¢ untranslated region) and D543N G/A (exon 15) were studied to find out whether the gene polymorphic variants are associated with the susceptibility or resistance to tuberculosis (TB). The study was carried out in pulmonary (n = 100) and spinal TB patients (n = 57) and control subjects (n = 112). No difference was observed in the variant genotype frequencies of NRAMP1 – 823 C/T, TGTG+/del and D543N G/A polymorphisms. However, a trend towards an increased frequency of the variant genotype 823 C/T (heterozygotes) was observed in pulmonary TB patients than control and spinal TB patients (odds ratio (OR) : 1.6; confidence interval (CI): 0.74–3.4). A trend towards an increased frequency of the variant genotype TGTG del/del of 3'-UTR was observed in control subjects than pulmonary and spinal TB patients (OR : 0.48; CI: 0.10–1.78; OR: 0.42; CI: 0.04– 2.12, respectively). The above trends were not significant. The study suggests that NRAMP1 gene may not be associated with the susceptibility to pulmonary and spinal TB in the Indian population. Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) and other non- MHC gene polymorphic variants may be associated