Modelling the Dynamic Impact of Replanting Subsidy on Tea Production in Sri Lanka: Policy Analysis Using the ARDL Model Approach

The tea industry in Sri Lanka plays a vital role in the economy with its direct and indirect contribution to the gross domestic products, employment, and foreign exchange earnings. The successive governments have introduced subsidy schemes for replanting to increase tea production. However, according to the authors' knowledge, there are no comprehensive quantitative studies undertaken to effectively investigate and quantify the effect of tea replanting subsidy scheme on tea production of the various geographic elevations of tea cultivating lands. The significant contribution of this paper is the quantification of the impact of tea replanting subsidy schemes on tea production in the short-run and long-run at different altitudes. This research takes time series data from 1970 to 2018 of three different heights or elevations-high, medium, and low. The Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) Model examines the short-run and long-run dynamics of the subsidy scheme on tea production. The results reveal that there is a cointegration between tea production and three variables; tea replanting subsidy, tea prices and tea bearing area; in all three elevations. But tea replanting subsidy is not significant in long run for all three elevations, separately. In the short-run analysis, the impact of replanting subsidy is significant only for tea production in low heights with one-year time lag. Since the study reveals that tea replanting subsidy increases, the tea production of low elevation also increases, and almost 60% of the tea extent and 73% of the total tea production gained from low heights, we recommend that the government continue the tea replanting subsidy schemes as it is benefitted by whole tea industry in long run

High Pressure Processing Applications in Plant Foods

High pressure processing (HPP) is a cold pasteurization technology by which products, prepacked in their final package, are introduced to a vessel and subjected to a high level of isostatic pressure (300–600 MPa). High-pressure treatment of fruit, vegetable and fresh herb homogenate products offers us nearly fresh products in regard to sensorial and nutritional quality of original raw materials, representing relatively stable and safe source of nutrients, vitamins, minerals and health effective components. Such components can play an important role as a preventive tool against the start of illnesses, namely in the elderly. An overview of several food HPP products, namely of fruit and vegetable origin, marketed successfully around the world is presented. Effects of HPP and HPP plus heat on key spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms, including the resistant spore form and fruit/vegetable endogenous enzymes are reviewed, including the effect on the product quality. Part of the paper is devoted to the industrial equipment available for factories manufacturing HPP treated productsinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Mitochondrial and nuclear genetic analyses of the tropical black-lip rock oyster (Saccostrea echinata) reveals population subdivision and informs sustainable aquaculture development

The black-lip rock oyster (Saccostrea echinata) has considerable potential for aquaculture throughout the tropics. Previous attempts to farm S. echinata failed due to an insufficient supply of wild spat; however, the prospect of hatchery-based aquaculture has stimulated renewed interest, and small-scale farming is underway across northern Australia and in New Caledonia. The absence of knowledge surrounding the population genetic structure of this species has raised concerns about the genetic impacts of this emerging aquaculture industry. This study is the first to examine population genetics of S. echinata and employs both mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene (COI) and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers

Combining genotypic and phenotypic variation in a geospatial framework to identify sources of mussels in northern New Zealand

The New Zealand green-lipped mussel aquaculture industry is largely dependent on the supply of young mussels that wash up on Ninety Mile Beach (so-called Kaitaia spat), which are collected and trucked to aquaculture farms. The locations of source populations of Kaitaia spat are unknown and this lack of knowledge represents a major problem because spat supply may be irregular. We combined genotypic (microsatellite) and phenotypic (shell geochemistry) data in a geospatial framework to determine if this new approach can help identify source populations of mussels collected from two spat-collecting and four non-spat-collecting sites further south. Genetic analyses resolved differentiated clusters (mostly three clusters), but no obvious source populations. Shell geochemistry analyses resolved six differentiated clusters, as did the combined genotypic and phenotypic data. Analyses revealed high levels of spatial and temporal variability in the geochemistry signal. Whilst we have not been able to identify the source site(s) of Kaitaia spat our analyses indicate that geospatial testing using combined genotypic and phenotypic data is a powerful approach. Next steps should employ analyses of single nucleotide polymorphism markers with shell geochemistry and in conjunction with high resolution physical oceanographic modelling to resolve the longstanding question of the origin of Kaitaia spat

Population structure, genetic connectivity, and signatures of local adaptation of the giant black tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon) throughout the indo-pacific region

The giant black tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon) is native to the Indo-Pacific and is the second most farmed penaeid shrimp species globally. Understanding genetic structure, connectivity, and local adaptation among Indo-Pacific black tiger shrimp populations is important for informing sustainable fisheries management and aquaculture breeding programs. Population genetic and outlier detection analyses were undertaken using 10,593 genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from 16 geographically disparate Indo-Pacific P. monodon populations. Levels of genetic diversity were highest for Southeast Asian populations and were lowest for Western Indian Ocean (WIO) populations. Both neutral (n = 9,930) and outlier (n = 663) loci datasets revealed a pattern of strong genetic structure of P. monodon corresponding with broad geographical regions and clear genetic breaks among samples within regions. Neutral loci revealed seven genetic clusters and the separation of Fiji and WIO clusters from all other clusters, whereas outlier loci revealed six genetic clusters and high genetic differentiation among populations. The neutral loci dataset estimated five migration events that indicated migration to Southeast Asia from the WIO, with partial connectivity to populations in both oceans. We also identified 26 putatively adaptive SNPs that exhibited significant Pearson correlation (P < 0.05) between minor allele frequency and maximum or minimum sea surface temperature. Matched transcriptome contig annotations suggest putatively adaptive SNPs involvement in cellular and metabolic processes, pigmentation, immune response, and currently unknown functions. This study provides novel genome-level insights that have direct implications for P. monodon aquaculture and fishery management practices

Neuroimmunomodulatory and neuroprotective effects of the flavonoid apigenin in in vitro models of neuroinflammation associated with Alzheimer's disease

Neurodegenerative disorders (ND) are characterized by the progressive and irreversible loss of neurons. Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is the most incident age-related ND, in which the presence of a chronic inflammatory compound seems to be related to its pathogenesis. Different stimuli in the central nervous system (CNS) can induce activation, proliferation, and changes in phenotype and glial function, which can be modulated by anti-inflammatory agents. Apigenin (4,5,7–trihydroxyflavone) is a flavonoid found in abundance in many fruits and vegetables, that has shown important effects upon controlling the inflammatory response. This study evaluated the neuroprotective and neuroimmunomodulatory potential of apigenin using in vitro models of neuroinflammation associated with AD. Co-cultures of neurons and glial cells were obtained from the cortex of newborn and embryonic Wistar rats. After 26 days in vitro, cultures were exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 1 μg/ml), or IL-1β (10 ng/ml) for 24 h, or to Aβ oligomers (500 nM) for 4 h, and then treated with apigenin (1 μM) for further 24 h. It was observed that the treatment with apigenin preserved neurons and astrocytes integrity, determined by Rosenfeld’s staining and immunocytochemistry for β-tubulin III and GFAP, respectively. Moreover, it was observed by Fluoro-Jade-B and caspase-3 immunostaining that apigenin was not neurotoxic and has a neuroprotective effect against inflammatory damage. Additionally, apigenin reduced microglial activation, characterized by inhibition of proliferation (BrdU+ cells) and modulation of microglia morphology (Iba-1 + cells), and decreased the expression of the M1 inflammatory marker CD68. Moreover, as determined by RT-qPCR, inflammatory stimuli induced by IL-1β increased the mRNA expression of IL-6, IL-1β, and CCL5, and decreased the mRNA expression of IL-10. Contrary, after treatment with apigenin in inflammatory stimuli (IL-1β or LPS) there was a modulation of the mRNA expression of inflammatory cytokines, and reduced expression of OX42, IL-6 and gp130. Moreover, apigenin alone and after an inflammatory stimulus with IL-1β also induced the increase in the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), an effect that may be associated with anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects. Together these data demonstrate that apigenin presents neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects in vitro and might represent an important neuroimmunomodulatory agent for the treatment of neurodegenerative conditions

Phytoestrogen agathisflavone ameliorates neuroinflammation-induced by LPS and IL-1β and protects neurons in cocultures of glia/neurons

Inflammation and oxidative stress are common aspects of most neurodegenerative diseases in the central nervous system. In this context, microglia and astrocytes are central to mediating the balance between neuroprotective and neurodestructive mechanisms. Flavonoids have potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Here, we have examined the anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective potential of the flavonoid agathisflavone (FAB), which is derived from the Brazilian plant Poincianella pyramidalis, in in vitro models of neuroinflammation. Cocultures of neurons/glial cells were exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 1 µg/mL) or interleukin (IL)-1β (10 ng/mL) for 24 h and treated with FAB (0.1 and 1 µM, 24 h). FAB displayed a significant neuroprotective effect, as measured by nitric oxide (NO) production, Fluoro-Jade B (FJ-B) staining, and immunocytochemistry (ICC) for the neuronal marker β-tubulin and the cell death marker caspase-3, preserving neuronal soma and increasing neurite outgrowth. FAB significantly decreased the LPS-induced microglial proliferation, identified by ICC for Iba-1/bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) and CD68 (microglia M1 profile marker). In contrast, FAB had no apparent effect on astrocytes, as determined by ICC for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). Furthermore, FAB protected against the cytodestructive and proinflammatory effects of IL-1β, a key cytokine that is released by activated microglia and astrocytes, and ICC showed that combined treatment of FAB with α and β estrogen receptor antagonists did not affect NF-κB expression. In addition, qPCR analysis demonstrated that FAB decreased the expression of proinflammatory molecules TNF-α, IL-1β, and connexins CCL5 and CCL2, as well as increased the expression of the regulatory molecule IL-10. Together, these findings indicate that FAB has a significant neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effect in vitro, which may be considered as an adjuvant for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases

Fine-scale population structure and evidence for local adaptation in Australian giant black tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon) using SNP analysis

Background: Restrictions to gene flow, genetic drift, and divergent selection associated with different environments are significant drivers of genetic differentiation. The black tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon), is widely distributed throughout the Indian and Pacific Oceans including along the western, northern and eastern coastline of Australia, where it is an important aquaculture and fishery species. Understanding the genetic structure and the influence of environmental factors leading to adaptive differences among populations of this species is important for farm genetic improvement programs and sustainable fisheries management. Results: Based on 278 individuals obtained from seven geographically disparate Australian locations, 10,624 high-quality SNP loci were used to characterize genetic diversity, population structure, genetic connectivity, and adaptive divergence. Significant population structure and differentiation were revealed among wild populations (average FST = 0.001–0.107; p <  0.05). Eighty-nine putatively outlier SNPs were identified to be potentially associated with environmental variables by using both population differentiation (BayeScan and PCAdapt) and environmental association (redundancy analysis and latent factor mixed model) analysis methods. Clear population structure with similar spatial patterns were observed in both neutral and outlier markers with three genetically distinct groups identified (north Queensland, Northern Territory, and Western Australia). Redundancy, partial redundancy, and multiple regression on distance matrices analyses revealed that both geographical distance and environmental factors interact to generate the structure observed across Australian P. monodon populations. Conclusion: This study provides new insights on genetic population structure of Australian P. monodon in the face of environmental changes, which can be used to advance sustainable fisheries management and aquaculture breeding programs

Effect of bulk inversion asymmetry on the Datta-Das transistor

A model of the Datta-Das spin field-effect transistor is presented which, in addition to the Rashba interaction, takes into account the influence of bulk inversion asymmetry of zinc-blende semiconductors. In the presence of bulk inversion asymmetry, the conductance is found to depend significantly on the crystallographic orientation of the channel. We determine the channel direction optimal for the observation of the Datta-Das effect in GaAs and InAs-based devices.Comment: 4 pages, Revtex4, 4 EPS figure